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jtl-fics · 11 months

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Fluent Freshman - Part 19

There’s a couple things about FF that might be good to know at this point.

1. There are few things in the world he hates doing more than asking for clarification or admitting he doesn’t understand / know something. The thought of going up to someone and admitting that he hasn’t perfectly comprehended the situation upon the first explanation is something makes his stomach twist like he’d just eaten Mango-Habanero ice cream.

He has figured out his own math theorems in the pursuit of not having to ask the math teacher to explain he doesn’t understand. He got lost in an Ikea once for over 6 grueling hours where he considered making a home there and living among the display rooms until his grandma grabbed him by the ear and dragged him to safety (the food court) and let him regain his strength (eat Swedish meatballs). He, to this day, is not sure about one of his foreign language friend’s names (how embarrassing he just keeps waiting for someone else to say it but they go by some insane nickname).

So he has become a master of piecing shit together on his own. He sometimes gets it wrong (Andrew, god how embarrassing) but for the most part 8 times out of 10 he can get to the right answer if he just has a couple pieces to work with. No one had ever actually explained to him how Exy works and he was too embarrassed to ask after the third week of practice in middle school so he just pieced together what he was and was not allowed to do through the art of trial and error. He’s even mostly pieced out the rules for the other positions.

So with the information he has gotten through people being bound and determined to talk in foreign languages in front of him he has an idea about the tenuous situation some of the older Foxes find themselves in.

He’s heard Kevin Day and Jean Moreau talk in French.

He’s heard that the anxiety in both of their voices as they talked about their futures and owing 80% of their salaries to the ‘Moriyamas’ and how nervous they were about getting on professional teams or else they’d be killed.

Captain Neil and Andrew are not always using Russian to talk dirty.

He’s heard Andrew soothe Captain Neil’s worries about playing for a professional team. He’s heard Captain Neil mention that at least ‘Ichirou’ would likely just kill him and not make a game out of it like his father did.

Organized Crime might have more to do with Exy than FF had originally thought.

(He had thought it. Plenty of times he had thought it but his Gran had warned him that he was overthinking things. That he wasn’t playing a sport invented by the Mafia. That he had caffeinated coffee instead of decaf. “It’s going to be okay sweetie. Just take a deep breath.”)

This leads into the second thing you should know at this point.

2. Before he had signed with Wymack he had known the broad strokes of Captain Neil’s life. There had been a lot of news articles about it and Gran (bless her) loved trashy gossip magazines.

After he had signed with the Foxes he had done a bit of a deep dive on as many of their controversies as he could find. There’d been things from brawls on the court (worrying), player overdoses (concerning), a straight up MURDER (Oh god), and the very public breaking of the King of Exy’s arm resulting in his suicide (Warranted, that wacko was going to take off Captain Neil’s HEAD.)

But the thing that had made him actually a little bit, dare he admit, excited to go to Palmetto was the fact that Captain Neil was there.

For someone who froze for almost a decade, who just took it and didn’t have the balls to even react? Neil Josten is an inspiration.

This is someone who got away, who lived a life completely unlike FF’s, someone who knew how to run and more impressively someone who learned how to FIGHT. Captain Neil was being hunted but he still ripped people to shreds in interviews. Captain Neil was probably more scared of the Butcher than FF had been of anything in his entire life but Captain Neil was way braver than FF could ever hope to be.

Captain Neil was taken and tortured but he still fought. FF had seen the scars and Captain Neil is right to wear them proudly (though based on some conversations he has unfortunately overheard he is sure Andrew may have a role in Neil’s positive feelings about them).

FF had thought that he was being lead to his death down in a basement of a club (Don’t cringe. Don’t cringe. Don’t cringe. Don’t-) and he just trailed right behind the two of them without even an illusion of a fight.

Neil Abram Josten was a bit of a personal hero.

He’s proud to call him Captain Neil. He wishes Andrew hadn’t been there when Greg had mentioned wanting autographs because FF wants an autograph from Captain Neil but now Andrew has probably mentioned it to Neil.

Long story short, FF had looked into a lot of details on Captain Neil’s case.

Including two of the Butcher’s top men who were still on the loose.

Romero Malcolm and Jackson Plank.

He keeps his presence low but no matter how many times he blinks the man grumbling in Italian next to him continues to be Romero Malcolm.

Moreover Romero Malcolm continues to grumble about the fact that he is having a hard time finding ‘Nathaniel’ and that he’ll have to grab one of ‘The Wesninski brat’s friends’ to draw him out.

FF is a recently confirmed friend of Captain Neil.

FF who is standing next to this man, with his dick out, and trying to remain as invisible as possible.

After two shakes (Yes he was watching but only because he had to! He wonders briefly if he goes to the FBI if they would accept a description of Romero Malcolm’s penis for the wanted poster? Probably not but it is BURNED into his retinas.)

He watches as Romero tucks, zips, and then bypasses the sink entirely.

FF shivers at how unhygienic that is. Who RAISED him?

The door shuts and FF needs to get out of here ASAP but his hands are shaking with the sudden adrenaline of ’One of the FBI’s Most Wanted just took a piss next to me and is looking for me friend’. He pulls his phone from his pocket and ducks into one of the stalls. Even if there’s no door it’ll at least FEEL a little safer, a little more private. He needs to warn Neil, Warn Andrew, and warn-

The door to the bathroom SLAMS open and music blares in (palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy-) and his phone slips out of his hands and into the toilet. There are footsteps coming towards him and FF digs deep.

He’s in ultra stealth mode. He is the wall behind the wallpaper. Mantis shrimp can only dream of the color he becomes, the United States military have the CIA on the look out for him because he’s fallen off all conventional forms of radar and tracking.

He is a bargain fruit platter on a dessert table at a kid’s birthday party.

He is ULTRA stealth.

Romero’s gaze glides over him.

Then the man leaves (STILL DID NOT WASH HIS HANDS).

His heart is hammering in his chest but he manages to reach down and grab his phone. Well, Coach Wymack had gotten the extended warranty at least. (“Do you know what these fuckers do to phones? Josten crushed his last year in a fight with the Baseball team captain.”)

His phone’s extended dip into the toilet water had not done it any favors in working properly.

Well fuck.

He wipes his phone down the best he can. He wipes his phone down with some toilet paper before cramming it into his pocket (Sorry Nicky, he’ll wash the toilet water pants if they survive).

He sees a flyer on the wall of the bathroom and starts to think of a plan.

He rushes out of the bathroom (he still washes his hands because he will not have something in common with a man on the FBI’s most wanted list and he just dipped his hand into a CLUB TOILET) and clocks Nicky’s wild arm movements and WORSE clocks Romero just 10 clubbers away.

He sees Romero’s eyes lock onto Nicky and a smile that terrifies him.

He’s out of Ultra Stealth Mode even if every atom in his body wants to run.

He is so stressed and panicked that he has gone beyond his body’s ability to process that so all that is left is determination. He’s got a head full of a half-baked plan, a hand going to his pocket, a second hand on the only ‘weapon’ he has on him, and a stomach full of acid.

He’s pulling his phone out of his pocket before he can really let himself think about it and walking up next to where Romero is standing. He holds his toilet water phone up to his ear and does the one weird social anxiety thing that he had never done before.

He pretends to be on a phone call.

“Hey Captain Neil,” he says and in the corner of his eye he can see Romero’s gaze shift from Nicky (surrounded by an adoring public, covered in sweat and therefore difficult to grab - a difficult target) to himself (alone, shorter, and probably looking like he’s about to pass out). “Yeah I think I’m going to take a break outside after I grab quick drink and then a water at the bar.” He says because he has to be the easier target and he has to go to the bar. “Yeah, yeah, okay I’ll mention it to that bartender guy.” He says and pretends to hang up.

He turns and he walks towards the bar and feels his pulse in his throat go to the beat of the music (success is my only motherfucking option, failure’s not).

He only knows about the alley because in the car ride to Sweetie’s Nicky had mentioned that he wouldn’t let FF’s first time be out there. He had been embarrassed but it was the only way he knew to get Romero out of the club and away from where he could hurt Captain Neil or anyone else in the pursuit of that.

He spots the bartender who had gotten the drinks for their table and his mind completely blanks on the name but the bartender sees him and smiles. “Oh you’re Neil and Andrew’s new friend! What can I help you with? I thought you were-“

“Hi, yes I am Captain Neil and Andrew’s friend.” He says a little loudly because he can feel Romero behind him and he does NOT want the man to know anything about where Captain Neil was.

“Captain Neil? Oh wow that’s adorable.” The man gushes. “What can I help you with? I won’t ask for ID for one of their friends.” He winks.

“I’d like to order the uh…” he tries to remember the exact drink name from the flyer, “…the deluxe chocolate martini?” He asks and knows he got it right when the bartender’s expression shifts ever so slightly.

“Oh yeah, how do Andrew and Neil feel about that?” He asks and oh great a coded conversation. It’s nice to actually be having a real one of these for once instead of just perceiving normal conversations to have hidden meanings.

“They don’t know. They probably prefer that I order it instead of Nicky or Aaron.” He lets his eyes dart to the wide where he believes Romero is watching him.

“I don’t know if that’s true.” The bartender says, “Nicky knows how to handle a drink and Aaron’s not a lightweight either.” He adds.

FF struggles to find a coded way to say ‘It’s not that someone’s hitting on me too hard like the flyer mentioned. It’s that there’s a mafia hitman in your club.’

Finally after a moment, “It’s not the usual kind of drink they get.” He tries and the bartender looks confused by the statement, dammit. He struggles to find a different way to say it before the bartender smiles.

“Y’know you’re really cute.” He reaches under the bar top and grabs a piece of paper and a pen. “How about you write down your number for me cutie? We can meet up sometime.” He says. “I’ll get started on that chocolate martini for you.” He says.

HE COULD KISS THIS MAN.

“I’d like that.” He says.

He writes out a quick message on the small note paper.

‘Armed. After Neil. Looked at Nicky. I’m going to the back alley. Phone is dead.’

The bartender comes back and looks at his note. “We’re out of chocolate martini mix, can I get you something-“ He hopes the club lighting obscures how pale the man got, “something else?” He asks and FF can SEE his pulse.

“Can I just get some water then?” He asks.

The bartender nods and pulls up his phone and hopefully is dialing the police and hands FF a water. His hand grabs hold of FF’s “You don’t need to go out into the alley. You could hang in the backroom with me?” He offers.

There really are some kind people in the world.

“I think it’s better if I’m not in here for a bit.” He says back and honestly he needs this kindness and he has a spare bit of courage, “What’s your name by the way? Sorry I missed it.” He says.

The bartender swallows, “It’s Roland.” He says.

“Thanks Roland.” He twists the cap off of the water bottle and takes a sip.

He turns and pretends not to notice how Romero is trying to be inconspicuous pretending to be on his phone.

He makes his way over to the alley door and notices that Romero is tracking his movements but is not following him like he did to the bar.

His heart is pounding and he can’t BELIEVE he’s doing this. He wants to run, wants to hide somewhere, wants to become imperceptible but…but…

He opens the door to the alley as the bass of the remixed song finishes.

(You can do anything you set your mind to, man)

He lets the door slam behind him and he is alone in the alley.

He was not expecting a van to come to a screeching halt in front of the entrance and for a different face to appear climbing out of the car.

Jackson Plank.

FF looks at the ugly smile on the man as he walks towards him with a knife in hand.

Okay now what genius?

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

5/26/23: EDITED. Can’t believe I forgot to put the Captain in front of Neil’s name on the meme. I’m blaming the accidental early awakening.

Per your requests:

@i-have-three-feelings @blep-23 @dreamerking27 @andreilsmyreligion @belodensetdust @rainbowpineapplebottle @yarn-ace @iwouldlikesometea @lily-s-world @obscureshipsandchips @booklover242 @whataboutmyfries @sahturnos @pluto-pepsi @dreamerthinker @passinhosdetartaruga @leftunknownheart @aro-manita-muscaria @hologramsaredead @Chaoticgremlinswishtheycouldbeme @tntwme @tayspots @nick-scar @crazy-fangirl2524 @blue-jos10 @stabbyfoxandrew @splishsplashyouropinionistrash @sammichly @the-broken-pen @bitchesdoweknowu @very-small-flower @ghostlyboiii @its-a-paxycab @bisexual-genderfluid-fan @cheesecookie @theoneandonlylostsock @foxsoulcourt @blueleys @adverbialstarlight @elia-nna @can-i-just-stay-in-the-corner @nikodiangel @foxandcrow-inatrenchcoat @hallucinatedjosten @satanic-foxhole-court @vexingcosmos @chalilodimun @insectsgetcooked @angry-kid-with-no-money @queer-crows @lillyndra @themugglemudperson @readertodeath @apileofpillows @mortalsbowbeforeme @hellomynameismoo @next-level-mess @youreonlylow @interstellarfig @notprocrastinatingatalltoday @percyjacksonfan3 @queenofcrazy27 @bsmr261 @ghostlyscares @spencellio @adinthedarkroom @harpymoth @sufferingjustalilbit @anxietymoss @oddgreyhound @ohno-myhyperfixation-itsbroken @ken22789 @atiredvampire @isoldescorner @not--a--pipedream @azure-wing @bushbees @roonilwazlib-main @crumplelush @foldedaces-paperbirds @thesenseinnonsense @let-tyrants-fear @ketchupfriesandallthingsnice @legowerewolf @deadlydodos @but-we-respect-his-craft @cariniqe @zanypersonapricotbiscuit

The requests to be added to the tag list keep being spread out across a few different areas. If I missed you please just ask again in the replies I promise I just missed you.

As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it right but you didn’t get a notification there might be something switched around in your settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

Lillyndra it worked this time!!!

#Fluent Freshman AU #Is it a songfic chapter if it's only 3 lines? Experts aren't sure #Did I listen to lose yourself a lot while writing this chapter? Perhaps #If Nora mentioned something about Jackson or Romero in her extras I did not read it #Also gonna be honest here and state that I forgot the likely year that AFTG happened in and this is happening in 2010 #So I guess this AU also involves a slight time shift #Andrew and Neil may have gotten lost in one another's eyes a bit down in the speakeasy #Really they're just being polite to get all of their PDA out of the way while FF is taking what might be the piss of a lifetime.#(They have no idea how accurate that might be)#Andrew is all set to kiss one of his favorite of Neil's freckles (yes he has ordered them from favorite to lesser favorite)#Then his phone goes off #He looks and it's Roland #Andrew: WTF is Roland trying to call me?#Nicky is busy being the Dancing Queen. If someone plays ABBA he will absolutely scream rn #I had considered a whole sequence of FF trying to get Nicky and Aaron to the safety of the backroom in Eden's #And Nicky just keeps reappearing on the dancefloor while FF is looking for Aaron #I was gonna use that simpsons meme where Moe throws out Barney and then Barney is just right back in the bar #But it got a little too crazy #But just know in this AU Nicky is canonically an excellent escape artist #Maybe Erik went through a bit of a magician phase and Nicky was DELIGHTED to be asked to be his assistant #Maybe that's how they got together #The inherent ROMANCE of magician and assistant #I don't remember if they ever really said in the books or nora's content #If I'm rambling because I forgot to shut off my alarm (Memorial Day 4-day weekend baby)#The fate of FF's phone may have been caused by some slight anger towards my own #RIP FF's Wymack phone (July 2010 - November 2010)#AFTG #AFTG AU #Andreil #FF - Pt.19

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fromtheseventhhell · 8 days

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Another round of asoiaf "prettycourse", another round of people ignoring Arya's self-esteem issues and how it relates to her arc because their enjoyment of the series hinges on an 11-year-old being considered ugly.

#arya stark #asoiaf #fandom nonsense #/looks don't matter/ but they're the ones firing up this discourse every few weeks cause they can't handle what's written in the books #grown ass people logging on every day to talk about how Arya HAS to be ugly or her story is ruined/makes her less interesting #at what point do you get tired of being so invested in how a character (one you obviously don't like at that) is perceived?#we aren't the ones shipping her with every grown mad in the series and using a predator's words to fawn over her beauty #never any discourse around a 13 year old being the most shipped character in the series nope! the real issue is that we don't #consider Arya's bullies to be the ultimate authority on her looks!#where are the essays on how Arya shouldn't have been made to feel lesser based on her looks? how she should be able to have worth outside #of her misogynistic society's standards? why is it literally ALWAYS just /Arya is ugly...that's enough analysis for today/????#if her looks don't matter then you can simply stop creating discourse around the subject and let people have whatever opinions they want

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randomnameless · 16 days

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Re about Cat :

In Nopes she complains because her dad asks her to lend CoS troops, instead of asking Dimitri or Rhea herself...

But unless Count Charon is as dumb as Leopold, he knows pretty well Cat isn't the one who can lend him Church soldiers.

Of course Fodlan dgaf about non students characters, especially if they are affiliated to the Church, but I wondered, maybe Count Charon didn't want to ask Rhea herself to lend him some troops because he has a strange relationship with her -

Rhea is, after all, the one who welcomed his daughter when she was hunted by the Kingdom and the reason she's alive, Dad!Charon, whatever was his position during the "Cassandra hunt" wasn't the one who protected his daughter, Rhea was.

Maybe he feels already to indebted to her to even ask her, in person, for more soldiers?

As for Dimitri...

I always found it disappointing how both game never explored more Cat's backstory, ffs if Faerghus was "feudal uwu", the Crown (even if it was during Rufus' regency) ordered Cat's death, she was branded a traitor and someone who commited regicide ffs.

What was happening with House Charon at that time, were they happily going to give their daughter to the crown, when Catherine was the presumptive major crested heir, to have her executed? When the entire Kingdom branded her a traitor and had her name besmirched, was House Charon totes okay with, you know, the accusations that their precious heir participated in the plot to kill Lambert?

Lonato throws a fit because Christophe was executed by the Church, but Lonato is only Rowe's bannerman - Charon is one of the major Houses in the Kingdom, wouldn't they have thrown a "larger" fit if the crown wanted to execute their heir??

Or maybe that could fell in the larger "the Kingdom was in chaos" thing - House Charon might have been "this" close to rebel against the Crown ?

In a way, it might explain why Garreg Mach wasn't visited by the Kingdom's forces asking Rhea to hand Cassandra over if the crown's forces had to cross Charon territory to reach Garreg Mach...

So in with this BG, it would make perfect sense why Count Charon wouldn't ask Dimitri for more soldiers (granted we're talking about Church soldiers?) - Charon is still a loyal bannerman who fights for Faerghus, but his trust in the crown would have been severed, and it's up to Dimitri to rebuild that bond.

#3 nopes #Catherine stuff #Fodlan AU #I mean it's one basically even if I'm musing loudly bcs the game can't give fucks about characters who aren't students #and I mean interesting fucks #what if the “we had to cook some lie to prevent the kingdom for further descending in chaos” during the Ashe paralogue #was this? The Church framed Chris' at the one who participated in regicide and not Catherine to avoid a civil war #aka Charon raising their weapons and calling their bannermen to arms to rebel against the Kingdom and the Blaiddyd's?#i don't remember where but I thought I read somewhere that #Chris was the one who framed Catherine? but I think that's headcanon?#but even if he didn't #I mean Chris wanted to kill Rhea who was the one who 'welcomed' Cassandra #the CoS is basically Cassandra's benefactor would the Charons have ruined Gaspar in retaliation?#'my daughter is innocent and you fuckers are trying to kill the woman who helped her and help us all during those rough times?'#Targetting Gaspard means targetting Rowe and it means Adrestia is free to look more closely at Arianrhod #Oh well #tasty honey for y'all

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potentially-explosive · 7 months

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mogtober day 5! I am so bad at choosing favorites I love all of unit 919. I wanted to draw Lam though so here she is! i'm a lam glasses believer she most definitely has glasses.

under the cut (for eyestrain) is a version with my interpretation of her radar abilities, how all the prophecies and stuff would look.

i also forgot to sign this version

#mogtober #nevermoor #lambeth amara #mogtober 2023 #lemurs art #when i was drawing i was thinking that it's weird that character's umbrellas aren't described that much #like morrigan's umbrella is really significant to her #and umbrellas are pretty significant in nevermoorian culture #yknow you use it for the brolly rail and morningtide and unlocking random doors(that might just be a mog thing though)#so you'd think people would use umbrellas to express themselves kinda like clothing. but I don't think I know what any of the characters #(besides mog) umbrellas look like #maybe i should do umbrella headcanons

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rustedleopard · 4 months

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So you guys remember how after Hinawa was announced as dead, Flint was immediately tossed into jail after he (very understandably) lashes out in his grief. And then by the time he breaks out of jail (not released by a fellow Tazmillian, breaks out with a nail file), the service is already over and she's buried six feet under the dirt with no proper goodbye from her husband or even a glimpse at her or anything???

That was fucked up

#mother 3 #sorry but the Tazmillians there did a massive massive blunder. like seriously wtf???#flint didn't even get to see her. the last memory he has of her is from however many days before when she went to visit her father #they should've let him see her one last time! that was stupidly unfair. no matter what your opinion on flint is you should at least be #able to acknowledge that that was completely messed up #even if they were worried about him lashing out again they had the whole village there in case something happened. he should've been #allowed to see her. even if she was so horribly mangled from the drago that people felt it would be best to spare him the sight #that's not their decision to make. that's his WIFE. canonically acknowledged as the love of his life. he should've been allowed to see her #and make the decision to look for himself.#i know i know these people aren't used to dealing with grief etc etc but ignorance is an explanation not an excuse #playing that part in the beginning of the game the first time immediately made me go 'oh. i don't like these people'#(yes i know retrospect changes your interpretation of this section but still)

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narts-kakashi-doll · 21 days

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Funny that chilchuk has a thing for pretty blondes and ended up on a team that's half pretty blonde... Mr tims do u have anything to say for urself...

#i think he enjoys the eye candy and hates it #like before the laios monster hyperfixation reveal and the party getting closer do u think the touden siblings were like #chilchuks kinda hot coworkers that like... he's not interested but at least they're something nice to look at while you listen to them say #just the dumbest thing and its technically a labor violation and against your contract and you know its not bc theyre bad but #like. fr guys read thw damn contract #until you realize that you are trying to use your contract to get out of a company barbecue that honestly sounds kinda fun #they just aren't allowed to ask you what you're using your time off for even if its for planning #anyway.#he def likes big tiddy blondes and I mean. laios and falin are definitely that. interesting 🤔#im a chillaios enjoyer tbh #dungeon meshi #and marcille is also very pretty and blonde but I honestly think his dad instincts kicked in as soon as his ew elf instincts faded for her

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marzipanandminutiae · 1 year

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What on earth is a 'corset apologist'? Like, because you acknowledge corsets were perfectly functional supportive undergarments, you're an agent of the patriarchy??

Yep, that's it exactly.

As with all the other red flags in the post, it's not a guaranteed t*rf signal. I've known plenty of non-t*rfs who expressed similar views (including the person who claimed Abby Cox was "looking down her perfectly powdered nose" at Mary Wollstonecraft for daring to [checks notes] point out that Wollstonecraft was rather judgmental about her fellow women's interest in dress). But...it's definitely a "check blog for t*rf leanings" tip-off for me.

And yes, to clarify: some people (t*rfs or otherwise) think female dress history researchers/historical costumers/vintage fashion enthusiasts who don't believe that corsets were The Root of All Evil when commonly worn are just brainwashed patriarchal shills and we can't possibly know what we're talking about.

Because that's way easier than thinking critically about the history you've been taught, and not vaguely misogynistic at all! </s>

#ask #akorah #red flags #dress history #historical costuming #seriously how does anyone take the 'well she just likes her pretty princess dresses and wants to justify that!'#'surely she's never done REAL research into the subject!' tack and not realize #that they've circled around to undisguised sexism?#of the 'women researchers are just bits of pretty fluff who can't be trusted or taken seriously' variety?#these same people would probably swear up and down that what a woman wears isn't important #that only the content of her research matters #but somehow that all flies out the window if she's in an 1890s walking suit or a New Look-inspired dress #and saying (supported) things you don't want to hear #sure there are bad female dress history researchers. just like bad researchers in any field #but the language some people use to talk about decent researchers who simply aren't playing into their view of the past is...

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cartridgeconverter · 21 days

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#operaposting #eugene onegin #the problem with this prod/interpretation is that lensky simply doesn't occupy enough of the story to be the most major part of it #and tatiana is considerably more important #add that to the fact that they're making an abridged version and what happens is that many of the cuts are the seemingly unimportant parts #that actually have a lot of significance textually for tatiana #who if you're looking at the original text is really more of a main character than even onegin himself #like i love lensky but a production of onegin that focuses on lensky doesn't function as well imo #IDEALLY if you're going to go that direction using sexuality to show that the characters aren't showing their true personalities #and are instead acting out manufactured personas for social approval #then i would prefer that tatiana also be included because there is a lot of opportunity there #literally the entire part about her marrying a rich prince that she doesn't care about. is about that.#i'm not saying that she should be gay but her rejection of her sexuality for social approval is like. actually in the text.#OR at least you have naked cowboys during the polonaise like warlikowski. that's camp. i like it #tldr of course onegin and lensky fucked nasty that's not the point of the show though

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arohuacheng · 8 months

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hi everybody! in case you did not know, xie lian, man who spent 800 years not even thinking about sex until someone came along who he was interested in and who was interested in him and took the time to be with him and go on silly little adventures with him and genuinely get to know him and be friends with him, is demisexual. just like. a public service announcement.

#just in case you didn't know. had to be said #talking #tgcf #xie lian #tian guan ci fu #demi xie lian #there better be content in that tag when i go into it later.#ace xie lian tag had like. four posts in it that were actually about him and one of them was mine #hiding this a little deeper in the tags but there is something to be said about mxtx's little habit of having her protags be Suddenly Gay #we are NOT looking at wwx getting put in the body of a gay teenager and suddenly being gay rn. we're not.#but when we talk about her books and (some of us talk about) her fetishization of gay men it's something that has to be said #where characters aren't really allowed to be gay until the main relationship is Happening and only with that one person #anyway. that said. something of the sort absolutely happened with xie lian when she was writing him #and with THAT said. what she did was unwittingly make him aspec. lol

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asjjohnson · 2 years

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@danphanwritingprompts this post:

After being revealed and arrested by the Guys in White, they surprisingly didn’t torture or experiment on him. Instead, they completely removed his ghost half, “cured” him of being a halfa, and that, somehow, was a hundred times worse.

---

Alright, I have a thought. :)

Someone sees Danny using his ghost powers at the very beginning, when Danny had wanted to be 'cured'.

(Indented text is taken directly from the first episode)

Danny, Sam, and Tucker pause to talk on the staircase's landing between the first and second floor of Casper High. "It's been a month since the accident, and I still barely have any control. If somebody catches me, I go from geek to freak around here," Danny says, not realizing his legs are beginning to sink into the floor. "Kinda like what you're doing now?" Tucker asks. Danny looks down and yelps. His friends help him back up. "Oh, darn it." Danny continues up the steps. "If my dad can invent something that accidentally made me half ghost, why can't he invent something that turns me back to normal?!"

Danny glances up as he reaches the top of the stairs—and freezes.

A girl stands beside the banister, her mouth hanging open and her eyes staring straight at Danny.

She drops her books and runs.

"Uh-oh," Danny says.

"Hmm..." a new voice says. "This won't end well."

Clockwork can already tell, but he still waves his staff to fast-forward the images playing in the time portal.

Surrounded by a large crowd, the girl, still looking spooked, with men in white suits behind her, points at Danny.

Danny being dragged away as he struggles, one of his limbs flickering between visible and invisible. His parents being held back as they try to reach him.

Danny inside a bright white room with two agents. His tense and fearful posture and expression slowly turning to calm.

Danny being dropped off at his front door, a smile on his face as he waves at the leaving car. His parents jerking the door open and hugging their son and checking him for injuries.

Danny in his basement, gesturing at the ghost portal as he says something, his parents displaying a range of emotions, but concern and protectiveness and love and pain are most noticeable. Even without sound, it's obvious when they ask why he didn't come to them. The family sharing a tearful but happy group hug.

Danny walking down a school hallway, his friends trying to shield him from the crowd. 'FREAK' spray painted across his locker. The Lunch Lady phasing through a wall and everyone running.

Technus, Desiree, and Skulker battling above the streets of Amity Park, uncaring of the property damage caused. The Fenton parents blasted off their feet by a combined attack.

The Fenton family within a dented RV, each with frazzled hair and dark rings under their eyes, but the parents also wearing semi-hopeful smiles. They pass a sign that says, "Welcome to Wisconsin!"

Danny sitting in a chair with a pale, shocked expression, his sister sitting beside him. Vlad Masters standing nearby, a sympathetic frown on his face and an arm wrapped around a weeping Maddie.

People arriving for a reunion but being turned away. Some staying for a funeral.

Maddie, back at Fenton Works, sitting in the corner of the living room. Wearing something other than a jumpsuit.

A grinning school therapist watching as students try to avoid stray ghost attacks and debris in the hallways.

People across the human world being conquered through music via live broadcast, and also through electronic devices via the Internet.

A power struggle beginning to develop between Desiree, Technus, Ember, and Freakshow. The four splitting up, picking large sections of the Earth for themselves, with their borders continually shifting.

Vlad Masters repeatedly trying to speak to and win over a depressed Maddie, who's still wearing ordinary clothes.

Other ghosts beginning to move in on the big four and winning over parts of Earth for themselves. The Egyptian ghost Hotep Ra, after disposing of his human pawn. Nocturne. Undergrowth and his human extension. Vortex. The Earth dividing into eight shifting sections of control. Amity Park the exception, no single ghost able to lay claim to it.

Vlad finding the Ring of Rage.

The play of images on the time portal begin to slow, as though the timeline were nearing its end.

Vlad falling through the Fenton Works' portal, into a dusty lab.

Maddie still depressed, barely looking up as Vlad enters the living room.

Danny arriving home with no friends by his side. Eyes downcast, a banana peel in his hair.

Vlad giving Danny the Ring of Rage.

Amity Park being overrun and conquered.

The Eight bowing to Pariah Dark, the Ghost King.

Amity Park becoming the capital of Pariah Dark's kingdom, stuck between the Ghost Zone and Human Realm.

The ones who oppose Pariah Dark being seized by skeleton ghosts.

Pariah Dark with a pleased smile, sitting in a large throne-like chair among a cheering crowd, as a long line of ghosts and GIW agents await their executions. The line taking a step forward as the one at the start of the line is guided onto a stage that has a guillotine.

Heads at the base of the stage beginning to destabilize, green skin and large, single eyes halfway-melted into glowing puddles.

The ghost now being led onto the stage proudly holding his head high, glaring defiantly toward the stands. The ghost, gloved hands handcuffed behind his back, being pushed toward the guillotine. The purple hood of the ghost's cloak falling back as he's pushed downward and his head is positioned.

The guillotine blade beginning to fall, sliding downward, slowing down, barely moving as it approaches the ghost's neck, beginning to slice through ectoplasmic flesh. Slowly, very slowly, going deeper. Completing its descent.

The time portal freezes at that instant.

The timeline would, of course, continue forward, but his time portal stopped recording.

Clockwork saw plenty, however.

He enters the past.

And subtly clears the upstairs school hallway of students. Replacing them once Danny and his friends pass by.

The boy's secret needs to remain hidden, and his ghost powers kept.

#danphanwritingprompts #danny phantom #danny fenton #clockwork #alternate timeline #dark #character death #execution #Jazz is... around somewhere. Maybe? She isn't taken over by Kitty but something else may have happened to her.#she was there at the beginning but seems to have stopped showing up in the images.#Valerie and her father have nothing to do with ghosts in this timeline.#Maddie stopped doing anything about the ghosts in Amity Park.#The GIW aren't too visible but they've tried. Mostly outside of Amity Park.#Most of the ghosts are located in Amity Park and happy there but The Eight are the ones who've decided to go bigger.#well... as happy as ghosts constantly fighting each other can be.#Danny takes Valerie's place as ring-bearer. There's not a fight though. There's no one to decide to fight. And no one to put up a shield.#Some irony that Danny's labeled a freak for having Used To have ghostly abilities. It's the 'used to' that makes him a freak.#Anyone recall VHS tapes? When you rewind or fast-forward through a whole tape it slows near the end of the reel—then suddenly 'thunk's.#Anyone else see that post that shows browsers through the years gaining and losing ground? That's what the ghosts' boundaries look like.#I imagined the taking over of Earth by these ghosts being very similar to Internet browsers in that pie graph.

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