#i actually think i might like them just a bit more than bumbleby

[truetgirl]

Third to last one of these. Man it’s uh. Been a month, all of a sudden. Well, hopefully reading this will be as nice a distraction as writing it stands to be. Well, in any case, just a reminder these are in no particular order. I have soemthing for the last one the 29th with a bit more to say than most, but really the only order consideration all month is to start and finish strong lol. But yes, today we have:

Bumbleby!

Once more, if you know me, probably could have seen this one coming. Also, to anyone tempted to tell me “you said canon ships for this series and this isn’t actually canon,” I beg you, please, for the love of god, revisit the lessons of your elementary school reading classes and build up those comprehension skills. Fiction will be so much more interesting, I promise. Also I apologize for how ramble-tastic this gets, I had a very hard time remaining any kind of concise while still getting in the points I want to talk about.

What compels me with these two is something I see get referenced a lot with them, but not as often discussed in its own right, and that’s the theme of forgiveness. What it means to forgive yourself, to forgive a loved one, to deserve forgiveness, to not deserve it, to know how to give it... It’s in every part of their relationship after the volume 3 finale, and I think that’s worth digging into.

So, basic context for anyone not aware of their story. Blake and Yang meet when they arrive at a school where they’re to learn how to kill monsters. In the first couple days there they become partners, then part of the larger unit of team RWBY. Over the course of their school year the girls, of course, get to learning about one another, and it’s revealed that Blake was once part of a civil rights group that drifted into radical and violent action, which she was part of for some time, but recently abandoned when they started crossing too many lines for her. By now, at least locally, they operate more like an organized crime syndicate.

After all of that comes out, Blake tries desperately to figure out what her former comrades are after and how to stop them. In doing this she nearly burns out completely, not letting herself rest or unwind basically at all for several days on end. Yang, ultimately, is the one who snaps her out of it a bit with a speech and a personal story about how even if you don’t want to stop, you have to be willing to slow down so you don’t burn yourself up, consumed by an obsession. Then they dance together at a homecoming party. It’s very sweet and gay.

If you ask me, that’s the first bit of forgiveness playing into their story, right there in volume 2, at pretty much the very first opportunity of their shared characterization being a thing that exists. Yang, very wisely, suggesting that Blake just take it a little easier on herself. Blake holds herself very responsible for actions taken by her old brothers and sister in arms, and it’s eating her alive. One of the first ways we see Yang caring for Blake, in the whole series, is by asking her to ease up on herself and let herself rest for her own sake. Forgiveness of the self, even in such a small form, in there right from the start.

Skip forward to the finale of volume 3 and the fall of Beacon and, well, shit just goes sideways for EVERYBODY at this point. Blake is worried Yang might be “too much like an old partner” after an incident where Yang was tricked into attacking an “unarmed” opponent for what seemed, to everyone but her, to be no reason. Who is this old partner? Well, after many glimpses of him across the series so far, he finally enters the story proper.

Adam. Blake’s old partner from the White Fang, and her abusive ex. Pictured above is him nearly killing Blake, who can hardly even try to fight due to her utter panic upon seeing him, and then vowing to leave her alive long enough that he’ll destroy everything she loves before killing her. Might I remind you, this is in revenge for her leaving him and the White Fang behind. Basically, in the simplest possible terms, he’s vowed to make Blake suffer because she dumped him, and he’s a manipulative, possessive, abusive prick.

And, unfortunately, he starts making good on his threat almost immediately when Yang shows up and rushes in to save Blake,

he sees how afraid Blake is for Yang, says he’ll start with her,

and then he takes Yang’s arm.

After the fall, the member of team RWBY scatter to the four corners of the world. For Blake and Yang (and Weiss too but that’s not what we’re talking about rn) that means going home. It’s not far for Yang, and honestly fair enough because the girl is in fact recovering from the most traumatic injury she’s ever sustained. For Blake, well, it could scarcely be farther. She runs to her parents’ home in Menagerie, which is on the other side of the world.

And I do wanna stress something about that: she ran. Ruby set off on a quest to do good in the world. Weiss was forced to come home by her father. Yang was brought home to recover from her injuries and figure out life as an amputee. Blake is unique in that she just flat out ran away. Weiss remarks to Yang later, in volume 5, that of course Blake ran. She had finally let down her guard and opened up to people again, and the second she did all of her worst nightmares came true.

She blames herself for Yang’s injury, she blames herself for the White Fang’s actions after having played the role she played in making it what it had become. Even Yang, who has been there for Blake all along, resents her. But not for the loss of her arm, or the actions of the white fang. Yang is hurt and angry because Blake left her.

See, that’s Yang’s great anxiety. While Blake worries she ruins everything she touches, Yang is deeply traumatized by the knowledge that her mother just up and left her as a baby, before they’d ever even gotten to know each other, for reasons that seem somewhere between stupid and nonexistent. She lives with the constant fear that she’s not enough, or too much, or whatever will drive people away.

But ultimately, after Blake was apart from her team for nearly a full volume longer than the rest of them spent apart, they do come back together. Her father and Weiss have helped Yang tremendously along the path that leads to her forgiving Blake, but she still has to be the one to do it. Similarly, Sun has helped Blake well along the road to forgiving herself for the things that she did not do, but she has to make the final push herself.

Throughout the first episodes of volume 6, the two of them awkwardly try to find their old dynamic with each other, but it’s not the same and they both know it. It takes a while of Blake being overly helpful and still feeling pangs of guilt, and of Yang just wanting her partner back and seeing her as the whole person she still is, that she doesn’t need to be protected as though she’s fragile and weak. By the late episodes in the volume they’ve started to get that chemistry back. They’ve largely managed to come to terms with themselves and each other, and apart from a comparatively minor (nut no less important) conflict from which they reconcile in volume 8, surely that’s all there is to be said here, right?

Nah, we still got Adam to wrap up. “But how,” I hear you wail, “How is he relevant to a discussion of forgiveness?!” And I answer, very simply: sometimes people do not deerve to be forgiven, and showing that in a context where it contrasts with people forgiving each other and themselves for their mistakes and anxieties? Exquisite.

Adam manipulated and abused Blake for years. He treated her like she belonged to him, like that was only natural, and he used her to do things that would horrify her the moment she stopped to think about them after getting away from him. That Yang forgave Blake for the things she did out of pain and fear is vitally important, in that it drew into greater clarity for her how wrong what Adam had done was. I really believe that volume 3 and earlier Blake, if she’d been confronted with Adam under different circumstances than she eventually was, may have begged him to forgive her, would have forgiven him, because the man is an effective manipulator and his hold on her was still a lot more present.

Even in volume 6, though she never offers him any forgiveness or absolution, she still tries multiple times to let him walk away. Yang, too, is willing to follow Blake’s lead on how to handle the situation after she arrives, despite her personal grudge against Adam. They give him a chance to stop and walk away, but they do not pretend that they can forgive what he’s done to them. “Being the bigger person” and forgiving someone can, in some cases, be good for the one doing it. But other times they don’t deserve it, they’ll never deserve it and their victims have every right to refuse to give it to them. And, in this case, when he keeps coming at them, every justification to do this:

To forgive the people who you love, and who truly love you? To accept each other, mistakes, anxieties, and all? It’s one of the hardest but most rewarding things you can do. And, equally, when you’re wronged time and again, but still feel care for the one doing it? It can be hard to admit that they don’t deserve your forgiveness, that what is best for you is to “take the low road” as it’s so often framed. Blake and Yang embody the power of forgiveness, both in what they give to each other and withhold from the man who hurt each of them, in different ways. They show how they care by taking each other back and their love growing stronger after terrible things hurt them and drove them apart, and that’s some good shit, if you ask me.

#kelly things #kelly's pride posts #bumbleby #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #rwby

[sapphicneige]

I'm just going to like spill all of my thoughts on here about the recent news, so please feel free to ignore it.

I'm so lost for what to do right now tbh.

Part of me wants to go read AvaTrice fics, but that's going to just make me even more emotional.

Part of me wants to go write, but it's too late to really get into anything.

Part of me wants to just go scream at someone, but I wouldn't really know who to do that at.

So I'm just here staring at my phone, expecting something to happen. Hoping that something will come through that says the news is fake, or that they've taken back the decision. It's so fucked. To know that I was expecting this to happen, that deep down I was just waiting for this announcement, and for it still to hit this hard.

I've not even been in this fandom as long as a lot of you either, especially cause I waited till after bumbleby week was over to watch it myself, so it must hurt even more for a lot of you.

All I can really do is just try and not let it get to me though. I guess this is kinda why I'm posting all this really. It's something I can just throw out there knowing that only a few people will see it, and fewer still will read it all. It's something that I can just write to process exactly how I'm feeling, to let it affect me however the news will, and I can just use this as a platform going forwards. It's something I can just write so I have something to do to distract myself and to let my mind rest a little.

I've already gone back and edited the notes on the chapter I posted today, that helped a little.

I'm not going to let this make me lose motivation on my writing though, in fact I am probably going to have to apologise to Blake and Yang for a bit as I don't know how much I'll be writing them for the next idk how long tbh. AvaTrice is probably most of what you're going to see from me content wise for at least the next month or two. I'm going to fully devote myself to finishing my current story, and I actually think I might start posting another one alongside it as well. I already know what my next fic around them is going to be. I'll be writing tomorrow, and I'll have a bit of time before work on Thursday as well, so hopefully you'll see a new chapter a lot sooner than I intended. I also only just saw the fucking irony of me starting a summer romance fic while we're at the beginning of winter but that's just me I guess.

If you're somehow still reading this, wow, uh hi there. This has just been a load of my unfiltered thoughts. Please find some way to tell me the message "I'm going to drop kick Netflix off of a teapot". The more creative the better.

Anyway, that's it from me... writing this has helped to ease things for me a lot, so I might try and sleep now. Go read chapter 2 if you haven't, it's gay and we're also getting close to the good part, so I hope you're ready!

Bye, fellow sapphics, and I hope you are able to stay sane as well in the wake of the news.

[shortkingvi]

How was bumbleby's first time with a strapon?

you really do attract the energy you put out into the universe 😔😔

sxhsgvdgvsdchsdv but fine,,,,,,,,,,, i'm writing a little drabble just for u anon

edit: i was halfway through writing the first version of this and it got deleted so just know this is fuelled by SO MUCH ANGER right now

blake and yang find a... very interesting shop in vacuo and take full advantage of its wares:

Vacuo was different, that was the Yang's immediate thought when the group first made it to Shade. It was unlike any other continent she had seen; there were less rules here, less expectations, less concern for the decorum and appropriateness that had plagued them in Atlas. People were more open and free here and she understood why Sun spoke so highly of it back at Beacon. So yeah, different, but not bad, and maybe better than anywhere else Yang had seen so far.

Then again, that might have something to do with the dark haired woman to her left, currently searching through a clothing rack for a more weather appropriate pair of pants.

The island had been terrifying for all of them. Monsters, beasts, Neo, had snapped at their heels the entire time they were there. More than once, they found themselves facing down the very death they had miraculously avoided when they all fell off those narrow pathways. No one was sure if they'd make it out, and it took a toll on them all.

And yet, in the midst of the monstrous, beast-filled, Neo-ness of it all, Blake and Yang managed to find their way to each other. The island was terrifying, sure, but it had also given Yang so much at the same time. She now knew the taste of Blake's lips, the feel of her soft skin against Yang's hands, the sound of her quiet moans as Yang's fingers worked patiently inside of her.

Biting the inside of her cheek to break herself out of thoughts she most definitely should not be having in the middle of a clothing store, Yang settled her palm at the small of Blake's back, leaning in close.

"You almost done?" she whispered, her lips glancing against Blake's ear with every word. "I was thinking we could head back to the room, relax for the night."

Yang felt more than saw Blake's smirk, cheek pressed against hers in an attempt to feel every inch of her she could.

"Relax, huh?" Blake teased. "I was actually planning on getting some exercise in. A little cardio, if you're interested in helping out with that."

Nipping at Blake's ear, Yang sent her away and towards the storefront with a swat on her ass. Blake paid quickly, tossing some lien onto the counter without waiting for her change and pulling Yang out the door.

They walked through the main square quickly, tracing the increasingly familiar path back towards Shade in their haste and excitement. Yang found it hard to focus on much aside from Blake's swaying hips just a few steps ahead of her, but a brightly lit storefront suddenly caught her eye.

Yang came to a stop, reaching out and catching Blake's hand in her metal one before she could lose her in the crowd; The White Rabbit, the sign read, illuminated in neon reds and yellows. Yang studied the shop, chewing on the end of her nail as she peered through the window. It was covered by dark red velvet, hiding what was inside and making Yang want to find out.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Blake asked, squeezing her hand a couple of times to get her attention.

"Nothing, I just... I think Coco was telling me about this place. She didn't tell me what it was though, just that you and I might like it. I kinda wanna check it out."

"Yang, have you forgotten what we were all but running to go do just a minute ago?"

Yang sighed, weighing her options and somehow deciding on the one that wouldn't be getting her laid within the next half hour. "Yeah I know, but we still have plenty of time. Come on, just a quick stop. I promise I'll make it worth your while."

Looking up to the sky for a moment - probably wondering what gods had cursed her with such an infuriating girlfriend - Blake relented, letting Yang tug through the dark oak door and into the shop.

Stepping into the dimly lit space, it took Yang a moment to figure out where they were. Her first thought was that it was another clothing shop, with bras and panties and some very revealing nightwear lining the front of the store. Just as Yang turned to study the walls, she heard Blake let out a gasp and dropped her hand.

"Yang, are you kidding me? This is a sex shop!"

Feeling her face flush scarlet, Yang realized exactly what sinister trap Coco had joyfully let her walk into. Yang tried desperately to settle her eyes on something that would bring her temperature down, but it seemed that every place she looked was designed specifically to make her crave the sweet release of death.

There were things she had never seen before, in all shapes, sizes, and colours, and she didn't know where she would start even if she was familiar with... these kinds of wares.

"Blake," she started. "Nothing you can say to me in this moment will be any more torture than what I'm feeling myself. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be in the corner beating myself to death with my own arm."

Turning to finally make eye contact with her girlfriend, who she had pretending was invisible up to this moment, she found her a few paces away, studying a small bottle on a shelf.

Yang gaped. "Blake! You're browsing? Here?"

Turning to look over her shoulder, Blake bit her lip, any previous reservations she might have had completely gone, it seemed. "I mean, if we're here, and our earlier plans still stand, we might as well make the most out of an interesting situation. Look, they have flavoured lube!"

"Okay, first of all, I don't need any help getting you wet. Second, cherry is a horrible flavour. And third, you do realize Coco will never let us live this down right?"

"Relax, I wasn't buying it. And, respectfully, fuck Coco. If she wants to play ball like this, we're gonna make sure she hears it. Her room is connected to ours, isn't it?"

Running her hands over her face, Yang studied her girlfriend in disbelief. Blake was many things, but predictable was not one of them.

"Alright, fine." she said, slinging an arm over Blake's shoulder. "Lead the way, you."

Together, they walked further into the shop, waving off the clerk when she asked if they needed any help. They studied the walls, which boasted about every sex toy one could imagine. She was overwhelmed, if she was being honest, unsure where to start and not wanting to make the wrong decision for their first purchase as a couple.

Just as Yang was ready to give up and head home, make use of the hands and mouth that hadn't failed her yet, she heard Blake let out a gentle "oh!" from the next aisle over. Turning the corner, she found the dark haired girl holding a medium sized box in her hands. Yang stepped closer, hooking her chin over Blake's shoulder and peering at the words scrawled across the white surface.

Realfeel Dildo with Authentic Leather Harness, the label read. Yang's eyes widened with every word hands tightening against Blake's hips.

Finding her voice, Yang swallowed before beginning to speak. "Do you- is this the one?" Not trusting herself to say anything further, she looked to Blake for an answer.

"Yeah, I do." Blake replied, turning in Yang's grip so they were face to face. "It's... it's a strap on, but it's some new technology that'll let you feel everything that, um, that it feels."

"Oh, it'll let me feel everything? And why do you assume I'll be the one wearing it?"

"You've got the core strength for it. And you called me a pillow princess once so I'm cashing in on that, you bitch."

Laughing quietly, Yang leaned in and caught Blake's lips in a gentle kiss. They drank each other in for a few moments, box held between them as their lips moved together, not in any of the rush they were in earlier.

Pulling away from each other - it could have been seconds, minutes, hours, longer even - they shared a smile.

"Then let's get it," Yang said, taking the box from Blake. "I can't wait to fuck up Coco's night with this one."

#sorry i made it them buying their first strap and not them using it #but this just felt like the thing to write #and was very fun! #if ppl want a sequel i can do that #so lemme know if you wanna see them put it to use #also yeah i made them buy a strap with nerve transmittors #because that fucking post still sticks with me #anyways hope u enjoyed #bumbleby #bumbleby fic #girlbosssalem writes sometimes #asks #anon

[kitkatopinions]

do you think bumbleby is problematic/unhealthy?

The short answer: Yes I think it's problematic and unhealthy.

The long answer: Blake and Yang as a ship was legit leading to a healthy and potentially well done dynamic during the course of seasons 4 and 5. I personally would have preferred them to be friends as I ship BlackSun and would've been happier if my ship had been end game, but I could've gotten on board with Blake and Yang, using season five as a jumping off point, and it could've been healthy. But the fairly good set up was tossed out the window and the relationship we got instead has been, overall, weak. I'm going to explain the way I see the ship and how it could've been great, but fell short in season six down below the keep reading. Bumblebee shippers, I'm gonna tag this as anti-bb as heavily as I can 'cause I don't wanna trod on your ship where you can see it, but if it still shows up for you due to this sucky tumblr tagging system, I'm sorry. Please just ignore or block if this is upsetting to you. This is my personal opinion on this ship and I get that other people have read it differently than me even if I don’t agree.

Volumes 1-3 set a bit of (very slight, easily read as friendship) groundwork and though I wish that there had been more to it and that they'd established romantic feelings early on, there's a lot of good to their dynamic. Yang clearly seems more invested in being friends than (and might have a crush on) Blake from the get go, while Blake is hesitant and wary. This is for good reason. Blake not only clearly has trouble trusting and making friends (due to her traumatic experiences and abuse,) but also, it would be impossible for her not to pick up on Yang's incredibly out of control temper. On top of this, Yang also seems careless and go-with-the-flow, which would appeal to others, but might have put off Blake due to her being a devoted, caring fighter who - like Ruby - is trying to be a Huntress to help people. I don't think Yang having a real conversation with Blake about Raven and Blake's self-destructing was the actual turning point in this dynamic. Yes, they danced together, but during their actual conversation, Yang only gave more reason for Blake to think she might turn into an Adam one day - as Yang got angry at her, lashed out, and even got physically aggressive with her 'because she cares.'

I don't think this makes Yang a bad person, but I do think that Blake was still hesitant to really get close to her with good reason partially because of that. Blake (throughout season one and most of season two) seems like she's fine interacting with her teammates casually and even is fine being friends, but doesn't want to get too attached or open up to them.

I think the actual turning point in their relationship as friends that made Blake feel more comfortable with Yang was during the episode Mountain Glenn, where they're camped out and Yang starts up a conversation. This was - I believe - the first time that Blake opened up to her friends about her feelings and about Adam. And Yang opens up to them as well, expressing seriously and even sadly that she's never felt as attached to this job as Ruby. She talks about not feeling like she has a lot that drives her, how she doesn't want to be a hero, she doesn't have all these high ambitions. And yet Yang still talks about what Ruby wants - helping people without asking for anything in return - with open admiration and warmth. I think that, along with Weiss's additions to the conversation, is what made Blake start feeling more able to open up to her teammates and especially to Yang. I think that Blake was hesitant with Yang from the get go because she saw in her some of the things she'd seen in Adam, but in Mountain Glenn, Yang is soft, admiring of virtues like selflessness, but expressing that she herself doesn't actually want glory. She isn't driven, but she's still there trying to help people too. That was probably reassuring and appealing to Blake and probably went a ways towards setting Yang apart from Adam for her.

This all comes to a head in season 3 when Yang is tricked into attacking Mercury by Emerald. When Yang is expressing that she saw Mercury come at her first and would never purposefully hurt him for no reason, Blake is hesitant. This makes perfect sense for Blake's character and because of Yang's characterization. Yang has a huge temper, Yang has been aggressive, Yang is impulsive, Blake has seen all that and it's reminiscent of Adam, who changed over time. But Yang is also torn up, she's confused, she's not the same as Adam, she would never do that. But Yang doesn't get angry when Blake is hesitant, she's understanding. Yang doesn't get angry, she gets serious, she stops crying and looks Blake in the eyes and Blake finds herself able to trust her and believe in her and by God, it might be their scene in the whole show. No guilt trip, no red eyes, no excuses, just Yang telling Blake exactly what happened and Blake finding that she can trust her afterall.

Do I think that Blake had feelings for Sun in the first five seasons? Abso-freaking-lutely. Do I think the Blake and Yang moments in the first three seasons can be read as totally friendship/sisterly affection drive? Yep. But it’s also perfectly valid and maybe even kinda hinted at that Yang had a crush on Blake, and I can see and even support that. And then we get into seasons four and five in which Blake and Yang both start growing. They’re apart from each other, but the growth they undergo in seasons four and five make their characters better for each other. Because Blake started working through her trauma and growing past some of her more toxic traits, and Yang started working through her abandonment issues and some of her more toxic traits. They were doing some of the work of getting better, not to change ‘for their partner’ but because they needed it for themselves. Yang needs someone stable and grounded who can be there for her and challenge her when the need arises, but is still reassuring and is able to trust in and believe in her. Blake needs someone who can balance out her more pessimistic way of thinking, who is understanding and respects her boundaries and her independence, who is strong, but warm and supportive. At the start of the show, it seems like Yang is the opposite of what Blake needs, and that Blake is the opposite of what Yang needs. But due to their growth and especially their growth in volumes four and five, they seem primed to be able to provide what the other needs. Blake at the end of volume five is more stable than ever, much more sure of herself, coming into the role of a leader, and is expressing herself more openly and honestly than ever. Yang at the end of volume five is more measured and careful, more open to hearing others out, stronger in who she is instead of relying so much on the approval and support of people like Raven, and is softer and more understanding with her friends and family. Yes, the two of them are still very different and so there would be conflict, but there’s often conflict in good, well rounded ships because that’s entertaining and feels real. Also volume five was prime Yang, I’m not taking criticisms on that opinion.

I’m a major BlackSun shipper forever and they give me life, but Blake and Yang in volume five are primed pretty perfectly to start a real, clear romantic relationship once they work through the very valid conflict that stemmed from Blake leaving without telling Yang anything about where she was going, and Yang’s feelings about that.

...

...

And then that wasn’t ever discussed. First strike against their relationship. I’m not saying that Yang accepting her and offering that group hug at the end of volume five was wrong. That impulse makes a lot of sense and I honestly feel like Yang would’ve been kind of cruel if she’d snubbed Blake right then and given her the cold shoulder. But there should’ve been tension regarding Blake having left in volume six that could be addressed and worked through. Because Blake was valid in leaving and trying to get rest while she reconnected with her parents, and she doesn’t owe anyone an explanation for that, but Yang was also valid to be hurt by it, to be confused, and to want to talk that over with the girl we’re meant to think she likes romantically by the time volume six starts. And Blake should have told her friends at least something before disappearing, and Yang should perhaps have been more understanding about Blake’s situation from the get go. They’re both very valid in their circumstances and their emotions and the conflict should’ve been addressed. I didn’t need a blow up or a breakdown or even a real argument, just the issue creating clear tension and then it getting addressed and worked through at least partially. Instead the issue suddenly vanished without Blake ever explaining her side, and without Yang ever expressing her feelings. And that brings me to my next point.

The sudden conflict of ‘Blake feels super guilty about Yang’s arm and is now hovering to try and take care of Yang like she can’t take care of herself’ being pushed instead of just working from the conflict we’d all been waiting for pay off for where both parties were in the wrong is, in my opinion, a bit of a shifty choice. And that conflict as well is solved without them talking through it. To me, this feels like the two of them are bottling things up, feel good about their relationship in moments of trauma or adrenaline, but are letting these problems just brew under the surface because they’re too unsure to express it in moments of calm or down time. Other people just headcanon that they have worked through their problems off screen, but because we don’t really see that, it is just a headcanon and looking at their relationship only as we’ve seen it on screen, it really feels like so far, I just don’t think it reads as healthy. Next problem is that they had Blake swear not to leave Yang? And Yang is just like “I know you won’t.” ???

I’m sorry, but I mentioned that Blake’s independence was important and that people letting her be independent was important, right? Blake is an abuse victim who had a former love interest angry at her for leaving, yelling at her for leaving, punishing her for leaving. Any romantic relationship she has should explicitly include her partner making her feel valid and safe with leaving both to different places, on different missions, and even leaving the relationship (which is what Sun did btw.)

On top of that, Blake is apologizing for something she shouldn’t have to apologize for, and Yang is forgiving her for something Blake shouldn’t have to apologize for. This is why they should’ve talked through the problem, because Blake is unfairly blaming herself, taking responsibility for Yang, deciding that she should’ve not seen her family, not tried to improve her mental health, not tried to go back home, because Yang - who had her family with her, who was able to go back home - wanted her around. Yang was valid to feel like she needed Blake to be there for her, but Yang is not Blake’s responsibility. Blake was a traumatized seventeen year old who wanted a break with her parents, that wasn’t wrong. The only thing Blake should be apologizing for was leaving without an explanation. And instead of Yang just comforting Blake in the moment and then maybe telling her later “hey, you know you... Don’t have to stay with me, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” or anything like that, Yang just accepted it and agreed with an “I know you won’t.” This didn’t read like a love scene or even a friendship driven scene to me, it just felt sad. 

And then it just kept going. When Marrow asks them if they ever pair up with other people, Yang gets red eyed and flips on the Grimm she’s attacking, and she and Blake give him unimpressed looks and a cold shoulder, like Blake hasn’t spent a good chunk of her time with Sun and like Yang hasn’t done lots on screen with Weiss, went on a mission with Neptune, has a beloved sister... No, Marrow was wrong for suggesting they ever work with others. And then when they split up on their missions in volume 8, it’s bizarrely treated like they’re in a fight. Yang thinks Blake might think less of her because they’re on separate missions. When they meet back up again, Blake is super apologetic and hesitant and acts like she’s going to be hit because Yang left her. Seriously, Yang is the one who did the leaving and yet Blake acts ashamed of herself, and Yang is ‘comforting and forgiving,’ like... Why? They didn’t even fight, they just went on separate missions, but apparently, even the idea of that makes Yang angry enough to go red eyes. That feels uncomfortably co-dependent.

Plus, the two rarely spend any time apart from season six until they split teams in volume 8. They’re almost always either next to each other, or exchanging glances, talking more to each other than anyone else, by a mile, their characters were focused on each other. Blake feels like she isn’t friends with almost anyone around her because of it, which leaves her feeling isolated. Things like her weird and ‘deep’ conversation with Ruby in V8 feel like they come completely out of nowhere and are shallow because ever since Blake has gotten back to the group, she’s barely interacted with anyone but Yang. Yang at least has the benefit of season five interactions to make her feel like she’s part of the team, as well as the writers letting her grow finally in volume 8, have more interactions with her sister, and have at least somewhat organic interactions with Jaune and Ren. Blake is left in the background, operating strictly as support. So yeah, not only does it feel like their relationship involves lots of conflicts they don’t address, and not only does it feel like a co-dependent relationship, but it feels like a co-dependent relationship where Blake is isolated and feels responsible for Yang’s actions (like her acting ashamed of herself because Yang left to do something else.) That seems unhealthy to me.

It’s not even just that, though. Yang acts more aggressive again, like she did back in volume 1 when she would get mad at ‘too many things happening at once’ and go red eyes on a Grimm for breaking off a tiny piece of her hair. And many of Blake’s personality traits like her feisty behavior (which is something Yang had notably loved in her,) her desire to always take action, her ability to call out both her friends and the other people around her, her responsibility, her passion, and her strong moral code (though misused in the Faunus/racism allegory, a character who has a strict moral code to the point of not even wanting to steal for the right reasons is an interesting and challenging character,) all of that... Just vanished. Along with that, Yang was done a disservice as a character because in the first five seasons, her family is so important to her, and then in seasons six until halfway through season eight, that’s severely lacking. They have Yang grab Blake’s hand and pull her from a room about to be filled with Grimm while Ruby and Qrow are still there, Qrow notably drunk or hungover and not knowing what’s going on. They have Yang draw her weapon on Qrow as readily as Blake and Weiss do because he said ‘hey,’ and half stepped towards them. And like I mentioned, they spend most of their time together. Yang has been featured more interacting with others and being more involved with RWBY during season eight, but the point stands.

Not only does it feel like their relationship involves lots of conflicts they don’t address, and not only does it feel like a co-dependent relationship, and not only does it feel like a relationship where Blake is isolated and feels responsible for Yang’s actions, but Yang also acts easily angered and is insecure about Blake’s feelings towards her, Yang feels like she’s drifting away from the family she’s close to specifically to spend as much time as possible with Blake, and it also feels like Blake is suppressing parts of her personality and making herself smaller, more submissive, softer, ‘more palatable,’ because of Yang. Because Blake didn’t act this way with anyone else. Look, some of this is because all of the writing has gone, some of this is - I believe - because the writers don’t know what to do with Blake and don’t actually like writing for her. But that doesn’t change the fact that just based on what they’ve given us, Blake and Yang as a relationship feels unhealthy to me due to their writing choices.

And the fact that the ship isn’t even confirmed by now and hasn’t progressed at all past the ‘soft forehead nuzzles’ stage since volume six is just the icing on the freaking cake. The ship could’ve been great, and BlackSun might be my biz, but I’m a multishipper, I ship Freezerburn, Yang and Merc, Merc and Whitley, and Whitley and Oscar all at the same time. I would love to like Bumblebee, I honestly think it’d make the show more enjoyable for me and there is good art that I wish I could just feel better about. But I just don’t. The relationship could’ve been great, but instead what they actually gave us was severely lacking and felt really unhealthy to me.

NOTE: I want to make it clear that I’m not trying to dissaude anyone from liking Bumblebee, I’m not trying to make anyone hate RWBY, I’m not trying to kill anyone’s enthusiasm for the ship that they like. I’m just trying to give my own opinion on the ship, what I think about them and how they were done, etc.

#rwde #anti rwby #rwby hate #rwby bashing #anti bumblebee #anti bumbleby #anti bmblb #anti bb #anti blake x yang #anti yang x blake #anti blang #canoncrit bumbleby #I tried so hard bees please have at least one of these tags blocked

[runephoenix6769]

“What is with the Blake / Yang hate this week? Folks seem particularly fired up.” I asked this question on a forum because of something I’ve noticed the last few days on discussions about Blake and Yang/Bumbleby/shipping in general. I keep seeing the same answers.  “It ruins the team’s dynamic.”

Welp, I’m pretty certain none of those people would say that Raven/Tai and Tai/Summer ruined the team’s dynamic. Or that Ren and Nora are currently  ruining the team’s dynamic.  What is this holy than thou crusading to protect the sanctity of the team dynamic? Rwby has always been first and foremost about interpersonal relationships. It’s what drives the actual plot. Character growth, failing relationships/friendships. How they change over time, either to grow or crumble. 

“It’s being shoehorned in, for fanwank.” How? How is it being shoehorned in? Give me a narrative breakdown as to where/how/when this occurs? Compare it to the Sun/Blake narrative and show me the glaring differences between the Yang/Blake narrative to prove that bumbleby was never planned yet blacksun was?  (Sidenote. Anyone that has been asked to do this on the forum has yet to do it.)

“Yang showed interest in boys.”“ Yes, yes she passed comment once. In vol 1 episode 1. 8 VOLUMES AGO. She has shown not a lick of interest in guys since. Its almost as if she’s like any normal 17 year old girl who is growing into adulthood and figuring herself out, who might be realising her interest in Blake isn’t strictly platonic and is trying to navigate that whilst also grappling with what that means with regards to their friendship. And dealing with an over arching situation that is, ya know, potentially the end of the world as they know it.  It’s about two years in universe, right? Which is about right of an amount of time for what its happening between them to play out. It only feels like longer to the audience because, well, its taken 8/9 years to tell the story up until that point. 

“The Fans are too loud/vocal/come on too strong.” Ok, this one I agree with, we are loud and vocal and that might come across as coming on strong  (here’s a huge) BUT, there is actually a genuine explanation for why it seems that way.   If you really think about it, objectively. 

Hear me out.  Fans are excited about the potential representation we don't otherwise usually get in media. I mean, if you have 10,000 pieces of media and only ONE of them represents lgbtq people, of course we’re gonna be excited and talk about the ONE quite a bit with others who are like us. This might also be the first time we’ve seen anything like this, or seen ourselves represented in a somewhat positive light. It stands to reason that the other 9999 pieces aren't going to hold our attention as much, esp if its the same hetero romance played out a bajillion times before, right? I mean, if you have a group of people who are constantly represented in the 9999 other shows, their voices are going to spread thinner, right? They aren’t going to be gathered all on one place, talking about the same thing because there are 9999 other choices to connect them to other people. They aren’t going to care as much if their straight ship happens/doesnt happen 

“Hey, I can move onto another piece of media that is churned out by the status quo. No big deal.”

Hetero romances are ten a penny. Flick through netflix, hulu, crunchy roll etc.  Where as if you have a group of people who are only represented in ONE show out of the 10,000 those people are going to gather in one place to connect with others and its only going to seem like they are louder due to the densely packed space.  These same people have been majority silent about the other 9999 pieces of media as their voice isn't usually represented in a positive light - being queer characters are usually brutally murdered or sidelined. (Thankyou Hays Code.)- or not even represented at all. (Bury Your Gays is a trope for a reason, folks.) And we are NEVER the titular characters. We’ve been living on crumbs and subtext for decades! Not to mention showrunners who actively queerbait the hell out of us for ratings and viewership. The almighty Pink Pound as its often referred to in business. “But why do they have to make them gay?” You’re not made gay, you’re born gay. It just takes longer for some people to realise than others. It can be a gradual realisation. And this is quite possibly the case with Yang/Blake, slowly coming to realise their own burgeoning sexualities and attraction to each other.

”Why do they have to be gay?” They don't need a reason to be queer! They just are! Queerness is only a part of a person, not their everything. It’s actually quite refreshing to see Yang/Blake being portrayed as much more than their potential sexuality.  Ask yourself, ‘Why does a character have to be straight? And why doesn’t a straight character have to constantly reaffirm their sexuality? Why is ‘straightness’ assumed by default?’ Heteronormativity, is something that has been perpetuated by decades of media. (helped by the Hays Code with its out of date moral code. To be other is to be punished within the narrative.) That straight is the default setting. It’s not! We exist! Everywhere! We always have and we are going to talk to each other about it when we see a glimpse of ourselves represented in what has been a relative Sahara Desert when it comes to queer content were we are not villainised.   “The romance is detracting from the plot.” Two seconds ago, people were claiming that the romance was none existent. Which is it? But Nora and Ren’s romance that is being held up as a mirror to bumbleby is fine? That Jaune relentlessly pursuing Weiss was perfectly ok. Neptune openly hitting on female characters is fine. 

“I don’t have a problem with LGBT. I just don’t want it forced down my throat.” Again, out of 10,000 pieces of media, this is just ONE show. Nobody is forcing anyone to watch it or participate.  Queer people have had to stomach literal 100′s of years of straight media forced upon them. Since the very conception of the written word and narrative storytelling. In plays, theatre, art, music, tv, film, on billboards, advertising, in places of education and learning etc etc. Queer people are bombarded with it whilst also being surrounded by negativity towards queerness. 

“They are shoving it down my throat!” part two Is hand holding, compassion and expressing concern for another person and comforting them somehow offensive? Renora kissed, not a problem. Arkos kissed, not a problem. Show me in the sand where the line is drawn. What is the difference? Please explain this to me? Why is the expression of queerness somehow offensive? Is this because decades of media have perpetuated the false idea that all queer people are sex crazed perverts? That you’ve been groomed into thinking that queer sexuality is only based in the act of sex itself? That queer sexuality couldn’t possibly be similar to heterosexuality in its expression?

That it couldn’t possibly be about attraction, emotional, mental and maybe one day blossom into physical between two consenting adults, a pure expression of love the exact same as heterosexuality. 

That some how queer love stems from some sort of deviancy or mental health issue. That queer people are some how bad or evil, and therefore their expression of affection is wrong? Oh, I wonder where those beliefs have possibly stemmed from?  “Why are they in my face?” part three.  50% of of the titular cast are potentially queer. Blake and Yang. But if you look at the overall cast ensemble that runs at minimum 16 any given volume, that’s a measly 12.5% (prolly a lot smaller if you actually counted the whole cast that appears in rotation each volume) Also, someone did the math. Blake - a titular character- actually has less spoken lines that Jaune. ffs. B&Y spent neatly a whole two volumes of 8 apart. 25% of the narrative as it stands on entirely different continents. 

I fail to see how it being in someone’s face could be the case.

  “I just don't see it!”

That’s ok and perfectly valid But listen when people who have lived this experience are telling you that their experience is being portrayed on the screen. That they see themselves being represented.  OK, This completely got away from me. In conclusion. They are more straight people than queer people and media often reflects that.   We are usually the silent minority, we are sick of it but we are used to it and we are very excited that things seem to be finally changing.

It’s two characters in an large cast in ONE show out of 10,000. Its a piece of media that, for a change, hasn’t been 100% curated for straight people.  We are often not allowed to play in the sand box and if we are, we’re told to play with the broken toys, be grateful and quiet. So when we are given a sandbox to play in with new unbroken toys, we are gonna dog pile in there and make a ruckas, calling our friends over. What I’m trying to say is, it’s gonna get rowdy.  and here’s something to think about.  “When you are used to privilege, equality feels like deprivation.”  

#rwby #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #bumbleby

[fishyfod]

(Slightly) more organized thoughts on the V8 finale.

tl;dr I think the finale had some issues.

I’ll start this off by emphasizing again that this is my opinion, so read something else if you can’t handle negative criticism of RWBY. I say this because too often people in this FNDM can’t handle a difference in opinion without insulting or patronizing others, and I want none of that.

Now, RWBY’s general structural issue is a lack of time to fulfill all their ambitions, and they usually tend to neglect one aspect a bit more than others. In volumes 7 and 8 this proved to be quite a problem, because they wanted to tell quite a complicated story while introducing a fairly large amount of new and returning characters. I very much like the story they told in these volumes, but it must be said that the development and focus on the regular cast, and team RWBY in particular, has suffered for it. It’s not a deal breaker for me personally, but I do think it’s an issue.

So when I saw the finale episode only had about 20 minutes, I figured the best course of choice for RWBY would be to focus on the Atlas-only plots, and leave RWBY & co’s stories for the next volume, which by all accounts seems to be focused only on their character. And credit where credit is due, this is what RWBY decided to do with this finale. This doesn’t really solve the underlying issue that the main cast has yet again been relegated to such a minor role in their own show, but I can live with it.

I still do have a problem with how RWBY’s role in this finale was handled, and forgive me because this might be the least well-explained part of this review. The best way to describe it would be that, though I know I’m watching team RWBY, they don’t feel present in the finale? I struggle to put my finger on it, if it’s more an issue of direction or execution, but something about RWBY’s fight felt off for me.

By comparison, when I think of the episode before, I don’t have this issue. While the way Yang fell isn’t RWBY’s best execution, the reactions of RWBY to that fall worked quite well. There was individual focus on Yang falling, Blake screaming and raging at it, Weiss’s heart breaking into two, Ruby falling into more despair - the tragedy works because of it. I don’t feel the same about the finale, RWB fall almost as if they’re passerby rather than the main characters.

Again, maybe this is just me, maybe I’ll change my mind later. Whatever.

I think Cinder is the one I’m most satisfied with. She seems in character, she acts a lot like she did in her confident state during Beacon, and I did get the impression Salem knows Cinder is lying to her. I admit that I did not expect this direction for Cinder, it seemed like the right spot to have her break free from Salem, but it’s too early for me to call where her arc is going to.

The only nitpick I have with Cinder is how she offed Arthur. I felt like it could have a little more focus? I get that his death is supposed to feel completely inconsequential, but I wish there was just a little bit more there. Again, only a nitpick.

Vine - I think my opinion on Vine’s death is quite unpopular. It felt too last minute, without enough setup. See, while killing Harriet here would have its own set of issues, she was well developed enough where you could actively feel for her, while also expecting a possible death. I can’t say the same about Vine; Vine is only a teensy bit more developed than Elm, which isn’t a lot. He’s making a huge sacrifice, but the lack of character makes him seem expendable by design. It feels like the writers put all their efforts into threatening Harriet’s life, realized last minute that actually they could a lot more with her character (good call), so they shoved in Vine in her place because they still needed a bomb sacrifice.

On the flip side, three of the Ace Ops surviving and proving once and for all they broke away from Ironwood too, with Harriet and Marrow still alive - that is good. I’m not sure what more they’re planning to do with their characters, but it’s preferable to far worse alternatives I can imagine. We’ll see.

Then there’s Penny. sigh

I’m not sure what I can add that P5, bell or cosmokyrin, and probably a few others haven’t already said, but I don’t think it was well written. The whole body-thing in “Creation”, sure, I can accept that was a difference of interpretation. This? This whole, let’s resurrect Penny, develop her immensely as a character, reaffirm her autonomy multiple times over, avoid multiple deaths, only to die like this?

I know the common comparison people make here is with V3, and I can see where people are coming from. After all, Pyrrha and Penny’s deaths were impactful and tragic there, and most people agree that was well written. What’s the difference here? Some differences in circumstance are worth visiting here.

Penny of the Beacon era, lovable character that she was already, was not the most developed character. At the end of the day, most of what we knew of Penny then was in relation to Ruby - we knew Ruby cared for her a lot, we knew why they bonded, so we had setup as to why her death would impact the Fall so much. It works, because it gave enough focus on her for us to care about, but not overly so where the shocking factor of the Fall wouldn’t work.

With Pyrrha, I think we all knew the signs were there at the end of the day. I’d argue that Pyrrha’s very conception as a character lead to her death, she was just slightly too perfect for us not to expect a tragedy to occur. Importantly, her major arc in V3 sets us up to her death - through her conversation with Ozpin’s gang and Jaune, the introduction of Ember and the soul transfer device, killing Penny - by the time Pyrrha dies you’re prepared for it, and it still hurts. Even if the tragic scenario presented (losing Pyrrha because of the soul transfer) wasn’t the one used, dying because she tried defending the use of those powers from Cinder made sense. It was enough of a switch you weren’t bored because you expected everything to go to plan, but it wasn’t too drastic where you felt completely unprepared for what would happen.

The trouble with how Penny’s death was handled here, is in part because they just kept pushing us to the edge, making us worry about one tragic scenario, another way for Penny to die, only to alleviate our fears - only to kill her off anyway in a completely separate way. It happened so often in these two volumes, when we were already fresh off recognizing Penny wasn’t dead in V3, that rather than feeling like an expected death that is tragic, is feels like they toyed with out perception constantly only because they could. When you raise and lower death flags over and over in such a small amount of time, the tragedy you aimed to convey is lost. Perhaps unintentionally, the point no longer seems to be telling a tragic story, it’s only playing this cruel game of perception with the audience. What’s the joke about Jean Grey in x-men, that she keeps being killed off and resurrected so often it’s hard to care about it all? Is this how I’m supposed to look at Penny, RWBY’s Jean Grey?

Granted, I’m not sure that if they committed to one consistent death threat with Penny and followed through, that necessarily would’ve been better. I’m not sure how I’d think of RWBY if she died from the virus, for example. At least, however, I’d be more confident in saying that was a difference of direction, rather than a difficult writing choice to comprehend.

It’s only fitting I’d talk about Winter now, huh? I think you all know my stance about her as a character, I’d argue that she, Ironwood and Cinder were the best handled characters in these two volumes by a fair margin, but the finale leaves me very conflicted about her.

On the one hand, it’s everything I want. Winter’s confrontation with Ironwood is like a mix of Blake facing off against Adam and Yang confronting Raven, and while not as impactful in terms of storytelling, they do deliver on the same fronts. Winter calls out Ironwood for his lies, establishing once and for all it was by her volition she broke off, her conscience that was always better, and there is something poetic about her gaining the Winter Maiden powers to fulfill her goal of protecting others.

...but I can’t separate this from Penny’s fate. And it frustrates me to no end, because I love her connection to Penny, I made comparisons of how it reminds of Bumbleby’s relationship, it drives their characters forward so much, heck, I like that Penny took a part in taking down Ironwood with Winter, in a sense. But because Penny’s death feels so contrived, its connection to Winter almost cheapens the importance of their relationship with each other. And it doesn’t seem quite needed either, since they individually as characters already broke free from Ironwood.

I can sort of see that I am supposed to interpret it as a tragedy, and I do indeed think Winter getting the Maiden powers is tragic for her character (not unlike Spring Maiden!Yang theories), and I am excited to see where this is going. I thought this was the end for Winter’s major impact on the story, but there’s a whole other arc waiting, and Penny’s a major part of it too.

To say I’m conflicted about Winter would be an understatement.

The actual silver lining, for me, is the post credit scene. Volume 9 is an opportunity for RWBY to try and change some of the problem I presented initially. My hope is that by focusing almost exclusively on team RWBY, with Jaune and Neo, and putting less emphasis on developing the settings of giant-tree-land and not over-complicating the plot. Hopefully, this would allow them to focus on developing the main cast again, in in particular addressing some of the main issues presented; notably, the Bees confessing, Ruby maybe reaching her breaking point, Yang’s issues being addressed, and hopefully something more individual for Blake and Weiss as well. Neo is an interesting curveball to throw into this equation, and I have a decent amount of hope with Jaune (although then I remember it’s probably going to be about Penny, and, ugh...).

Yeah, that’s all I have at the moment. If you want to talk about it, my inbox and DM’s are always open. If you disagree with me that’s fair, just give me the minimal amount of respect rather than being an ass about it.

#RWBY/ #RWBY Spoilers/ #RWBY Crit #RWDE #my posts

[lucytara]

Bumbleby. Blue. “And now that you’re here realized I need you for survival. I know from the awe in your eyes”

On the day of the reaping, Blake never expects her own name.

She’s never taken tesserae; her name’s in there six times because of her age, and that’s it. It’s her second-to-last eligible year, and she’s six among thousands. She has no reason to expect her own name when some girls in her class have their names in thirty, forty, fifty times - she brushes the nagging anxiety away for days leading up, finding comfort in the words of her family, in Adam, who’s on his last year and isn’t quite as lucky.

“Twenty-one times,” he says, but he’s still scowling. “Could be worse. But it’s still a flawed system. The poorer you are, the less value your life has. Here in Twelve? The Capitol doesn’t even think of us as people.”

Blake’s heard this speech a thousand times, but she hasn’t shared the hardest of his experiences and so she doesn’t stop him. “But what do you want to do, Adam?” she asks. “We can’t do anything. We can barely survive.”

She doesn’t miss the brief, scornful look in his eyes before he masks it with fire. She’s survived easier than he has, with her father as the Mayor, but it hasn’t been easy for any of them. “You’re right,” he says, though his tone’s taken on an odd, darkly thoughtful quality. “We can’t. But victors…” he trails off, shredding a loose leaf in his hand, strip by strip. “If I were a victor, I might.”

–

“Blake Belladonna!”

She rewatches the scene from third-person, as if it’s a dream she’s having, only it’s happening a split second after inside of her own skull. The perfectly manicured hand of their escort dipping a hand into the jar and pulling the crisp, white slip of paper with Blake’s name on it caught between her fingers. Her hazy, disoriented walk to the steps, the hem of her dress batting against her ankles. She’s not there. She’s in the Capitol, watching herself called to the death and starting, already, to murmur about her odds.

But Adam. She sees Adam perfectly.

Sees him step forward to volunteer for a boy whose name Blake doesn’t even know. Sees the crowd shifting uncomfortably, uncertain what to make of the move. Sees some of them clutching their hearts, some of them shaking their heads. And she sees Adam, unable to hide the victorious smirk in the corner of his mouth.

–

“I’m so sorry, Blake,” her father says, his hand on her shoulder as her mother embraces her, weeping. “I never wanted this for you. For any of us.”

If so many people don’t want this, Blake thinks numbly, why do we still have it?

–

Their mentor’s a woman named Sienna Kahn, now in her early thirties after having won her Games at fifteen. She’s tough, hard around the edges, as Blake imagines anyone would be who’s watched countless children die under their watch. Blake doesn’t understand, but she understands - Sienna doesn’t want to get attached.

She and Adam barely speak - her silence falls to the fact that she’s on her way to her own murder. But Adam’s?

Well, she’s seen this quiet intensity from him before. And he’s making plans.

–

There’s more to work with than Sienna thinks there is: for one, she and Adam both know their way around a sword, and she’s no stranger hitting a target with a knife. Teenage boredom, she says when Sienna asks, and despite the doubt, she doesn’t push it further.

I wanted to help people, is the real answer. When I saw how Adam had been treated, I wanted to help. And then I saw how many people were like him, I wanted to do more than that.

“Your father’s a good man,” Sienna says instead, arms crossed over her body. She’s holding a far-off look in her eye, and instantly Blake knows she’s being told information specifically because Sienna thinks she won’t be alive to repeat it later. “He fought for people the only way he could, and I’m sure he almost died for it. I thought he wasn’t doing enough, back then. But I get it now.” She fixates her gaze on Blake again, solidly in the present, still on the same train car to a mass grave. “What do you have to fight for, Blake?”

Adam’s listening for her answer, and she says the only thing she’s thought since her name was called the day before. “Honestly? I don’t know why we’re fighting at all.”

A smile works its way to the edge of Sienna’s mouth, but it isn’t happy. It’s full of regret. “Yeah,” she says. “I used to think like that, too.”

–

They watch the other reapings. There’s a pair of volunteers from One who seem like they come as a set, with equally stupid names: Emerald and Mercury. Then she only really remembers the girl from two, who looks fourteen and innocent, but Blake knows better. The red-headed girl from three, who stands tall. A girl from five, missing an eye. A large boy from eight.

But the one reaping that sticks in her mind from the minute she sees it is the reaping from Four.

A girl’s name is called, and there’s a brief bout of hysteria from the crowd while a girl with long, blonde hair tugs her back and volunteers in her place. The younger girl just screams, but the older girl - Yang - just stands on the stage, slowly putting herself back together. It’s like Blake can see it happening - see her locking her heart away. Putting all that love she has for her sister somewhere it can’t be used against her.

“Pathetic,” Adam murmurs, because he hates weakness. He’s proud to see himself volunteer, steady and confident. “To protect you, of course,” he clarifies, and nothing’s ever been further from the truth.

Strangely, all Blake can comprehend is that she’s looking forward to tomorrow - getting to see Yang in person.

–

Their outfits are stunning, as is their debut. They have a compelling story: the mayor’s daughter from Twelve and the boy determined to keep her alive. It’s a television show, Sienna says. It’s about the narrative.

Blake finds that flash of blonde hair in the crowd. She thinks she sees seashells winding their way down a braid, and a net is woven to create some sort of dress. Yang clearly hates it, but she says something to the boy from her district, and he laughs.

Laughter isn’t a simple thing to come by in the Hunger Games. She decides, for no reason at all, that she likes Yang.

–

After the parade of horses, their team is riding on a high; she’s kept herself grounded, though, unwilling to entertain any ideas of survival. She’s walking to the elevator when she swears she catches Yang staring at her, but she blinks and she’s only met with Yang’s profile, her chin dropped and her eyes averted down.

–

Yang is a mystery in the training room. She spends most of her time at the wildlife stations, learning to tie knots, painting patterns, identifying poisonous plants. She never spars, or uses any of the weapons, really, but she lifts weights, punches a bag around a bit. Blake can tell everyone’s set on edge by her presence, not able to tell the extent of her power, skill, ability. It’s uncommon to hide that sort of thing during training, but her muscles tell their own story. There’s more to her than she’s allowing them to see.

That doesn’t stop Blake from watching her, though. From cataloguing where she spends her time and how it allows her to feel. She’s not as guarded as the rest of them - she seems to like making traps, because she gains this look of concentration as she follows along with the instructor, knotting rope around her fingers. She spends a little bit of time with the boy from her district, and almost against his will, he appears slightly enamored with her. In fact, a lot of them do, though they try to hide it. Blake isn’t the only one who watches her.

She’s so absorbed with the state of affairs that she doesn’t notice who isn’t, but she does notice there’s an energy between her and Adam that wasn’t palpable before, and now it seems to be coating the room.

“Thinking about allies, Blake?” he says over dinner, light enough to pass as a joke but sinister enough to be a threat.

“No,” Blake says, because she’s only thinking about the quickest way to die.

She hopes she can at least see Yang, wherever she is when it happens.

–

Her knife sinks directly into the red dot, signaling a bulleye on their human-shaped target. She’s not paying attention to the show she’s putting on; all she’s really doing is daydreaming while she idly throws knives. It helps her think. Gives her clarity.

They’re easy to flick. Most people don’t understand the wrist movement, the finesse - they tie it to strength, rather than purpose. That’s why Blake’s so good at it; she’s about precision, not power. That’d always been Adam.

Someone is watching her. Actually, as she comes back into herself, many people are watching her, but only one she cares about: Yang, back at the trap station, staring unfettered.

Blake abruptly puts her knives down. The worst part of the Hunger Games, she’s starting to understand, aren’t the games themselves. That’s going to awaken survival instincts, desperation for life - primal, unhindered urges. No, no, the worst part of the Games is now, these few days before, when they’re taken care of so exquisitely, when shiny, beautiful things are dangled in front of them and cruelly ripped away.

“Why?” she can’t resist asking, kneeling beside Yang. “Why did you do it?”

Yang’s eyes haven’t left her, but her fingers stall around the rope, as if surprised by the question. She examines Blake with a strange intensity, but an openness Blake still isn’t used to from any other tribute. Everyone’s either closed off or showing off, genuinity nowhere to be found. Except perhaps the redhead from Three. Pyrrha. She’s been spending some time teaching a much smaller, younger boy how to throw a spear. He doesn’t stand a chance, but Pyrrha must know that.

“Don’t you have someone?” Yang says, drops her gaze back to the knot. “Someone you’d die for?”

Her parents. Her friends. Adam. “No,” Blake admits honestly. “Nobody.” There are no cameras yet. No one to hurt with the admission. Adam had called her selfish, once; maybe he’d been right.

But Yang laughs, once and under her breath. “Maybe you’re better off that way,” Yang says, not unkindly. Her smile’s sad and quiet; whatever memories rise, they’re memories for her to cherish one last time. That’s how all memories feel these days. “My sister is my life.”

“She’s lucky to have you,” Blake says, captivated by every word out of Yang’s mouth; how real she sounds. There’s no show; she’s not aiming to impress, or grasping at pity. She’s here because of a choice she made, and she’ll live and die with that. Blake wonders what that’s like: to have a choice. “Not many people would do what you did.”

“Well, what about you, Belladonna?” Yang questions, sitting up a little straighter, expression a sliding door that suddenly gives way to teasing. There’s a tone underneath, though - heavy - like a lingering doubt. “The guy who volunteered for you. To protect you, right?”

She’s close - she’s kept her volume low. She’s not stupid. She’s playing this conversation with an angle, but it isn’t for her own benefit.

Blake turns her head, locks onto Adam’s hand clenched around the grip of his sword, lunging strikes at a dummy. She feels the familiar uncurling of fear in her stomach, a dark and massive shape lingering just below. Ominous and foreboding.

“Yeah,” Blake says, and looks away. “He did.”

Picking up on her discomfort isn’t hard, and it isn’t something she’s actively tried to mask; Yang pauses strangely, gaze flickering between them. She infers, “It’s not a good thing, is it.” And trains her focus on Blake again. “It’s not good that he’s here.”

“I don’t know,” Blake admits. “He - I don’t know. Maybe I’m being paranoid.”

“Maybe you aren’t.”

“He wants me to believe it is,” she says finally. “He told me all he wants is to see me safe.”

“And you think he’s lying?” Yang asks, like a story she’s invested in, though Blake isn’t quite sure why.

“I think,” Blake starts, and at last puts into words what exactly has haunted her since the reaping days earlier, “that Adam wants to win, and he thinks he can use me to do that. Use my loyalty to him.”

The knot effortlessly tightens and unravels between Yang’s fingers. It seems to be an unconscious habit, and one she’s better at than her hours at the station might’ve led them to believe. “Hm,” she says, poking her tongue against the inside of her cheek. “You’re good with those knives, that’s for sure. It makes sense that he’d rather have you as an ally than an enemy - help him take out all the threats, and take you out himself.”

“Perceptive,” Blake says, impressed despite her dawning horror; she’d been so good at pushing it down, at talking herself out of circles, at trusting him despite the signs. In one conversation, Yang’s forced her to undo all that. She echoes Yang’s earlier words to her. Maybe it’s for the best.

“I’m not sure I’d go that far,” Yang says, and subtly jerks her head in his direction. “With how purposefully he’s showing off his swordplay, I’m amazed he even remembers you exist.” She rolls her eyes. “Men.”

And Blake laughs. Like Yang’s district partner at the parade. It’s accidental, and nearly shocking in its sincerity, but she laughs anyway. She doesn’t have a choice. “Men,” she agrees, and Yang laughs too.

That’s the first time Blake thinks about living.

–

The first time Yang thinks about dying - dying willingly - is their final day in the training center.

Blake Belladonna, beautiful and clever and entirely obvious to everyone but herself, locates her at the camouflage station, attempting to blend her hand into a sandy coastline. She stares quizzically down at the pattern, eyebrows knitting together, and Yang makes the connection with a laugh. “You’ve never seen the ocean.”

“No.” Blake shakes her head. “What’s it like?”

“Well, I’m no artist,” Yang says, wiggling her fingers, “but kinda like this. Blue, green, boundless - sometimes I think about just diving in the water and swimming as far as I can. Swimming away.” She adds, “Salty.”

And then Blake reaches for a paintbrush, deliberately dragging her fingers along the back of Yang’s hand, leaving streaks of blue paint. She pauses; Yang keeps breathing, but it’s a struggle. She says, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Yang says.

“Don’t die.” She takes the brush, and swirls it into the yellow paint. “Don’t give up.”

“Why do you care what happens to me?” Yang asks, almost unnerved at the sentiment, fighting against the way it makes her want to cry. Her skin feels raw where Blake had touched her, and the marks remain.

“Because,” Blake says softly, “I think you deserve better than this.”

“I think we all do,” Yang counters, flaring up - it’s not just me, she wants to say. You deserve better. You. There are so few beautiful things left. You.

“But the rest of us aren’t here because there’s someone we care enough about to protect.” Blake lets it hang between them. “You’re a good person, Yang. Anyone can tell that much.”

Yang’d never understood the Capitol and its fascination with tattoos as a statement. Now she stares at the blue streaks across the back of her hand, and wonders about wearing it forever.

She’d die, she thinks. She’d die for Blake, too.

–

She spars for the first and last time after that, and one of her blows sends the trainer flying off the practice area and into the concrete, knocking him unconscious.

But she sweats the paint off, and finds without it, it’s a little easier to breathe.

–

Their scores aren’t surprising. Adam pulls a nine. Blake gets a ten - Adam pretends to be happy for her, but she sees that facade cracking instantly.

Yang gets an eleven.

“Her?” Adam spits out, clearly infuriated. He’s already seeing red.

“She’s a genius,” Sienna says at the revelation, shocking Adam into silence. “You’re good with a weapon, Adam, and anyone will give you that. But unarmed? You’re nothing.” She jerks her head towards the blonde girl on-screen. “You can’t disarm her. She’ll kill you with her bare hands.”

“Her?” Adam snarls. “If she gets within my line of sight, she’s–”

“You think she doesn’t know how to dodge a sword?” she asks, and Adam bristles once again with no response. “Do you truly believe a girl whose primary skill is hand-to-hand combat doesn’t know how to evade an attack? You’re a fool if you cast her aside as a threat, Adam. She’s the most dangerous one here.”

Blake stares blankly at her picture, wondering if it’s intelligence, if it’s determination, passion, will. Wonders if Yang’s trained for this, if she’s excited, if she’s terrified. Wonders if it’s all just luck, a mixed bag of rot and gold.

But Blake recalls the tapes of the reapings, across every district, and she remembers none of them as clearly as she remembers Yang’s - not even her own. Yang’s; a reaping that wasn’t supposed to be hers at all.

Ruby! Ruby! No!

Armed guards in white holding her back, or trying to, but being no match for her strength.

I volunteer! She hears Yang’s scream in her mind, even now, days later, sees her pushing her way to the platform. I volunteer as tribute!

Or, Blake thinks, maybe it’s just what she’s always done to survive.

–

Blake’s tactic, they’d decided, is mysterious and alluring: she’s to answer her interview in short, vague answers, and smile as though she’s hiding something. It’s not hard. She’s hiding so much from herself already that it barely even feels like a tactic.

Yang goes for sexy and powerful, and she doesn’t even have to try. People in the audience are literally fanning themselves as she’s interviewed. She looks stunning in her dress, her heels, red-lipped and eyes that seem to match underneath the stage lights.

“I just want my sister to know I love her,” she says at the end, a calculated vulnerability that makes every citizen watching want her even more, moaning about how strong and brave she is, protecting her younger sister like that.

“She makes me sick,” Adam says, face warped with hatred, and suddenly, it isn’t her own safety she’s worried for.

–

It’s a diversion. Confuse Adam, make him scramble for a new plan, make him rethink his strategy. Because Yang had been right, and Blake’s instincts had been, too: he wants to win. And when you want to win, everyone else is a target.

So during her interview, she confesses, “I know I can win. But I’ve met someone here who I’d really like to keep alive, even more than that.”

The interviewer goes insane. “Another tribute?” he says. “You’ve met someone here?”

Blake shrugs, pretending to be coy. “That’s all I’ll say on the matter.”

He groans, begs her for details, and she says next to nothing, but the audience eats it up - she sees the camera focus on her as the show closes, hoping to catch her eyes flickering to another tribute. She stares straight ahead, speaking to no one until they’re backstage.

“Adam, not now,” Sienna says immediately, pointing him to the elevator. “Go upstairs. We’ll meet you there.” He grits his teeth, but does as he’s told. Sienna turns on her. “What the hell was that?”

“I’m not an idiot,” Blake says lowly, “and neither are you. We both know what Adam’s plan is. Or was.”

It’s a statement that forces Sienna into a corner, and she relents after a few seconds of the two of them staring each other down. “You’ll be his first target now, not his last,” she says. “You know that, right?”

“It doesn’t matter the order,” Blake says, brushing by her to the elevator. “I’ve been number one on his list for a long, long time. But I’m not playing the Games on his terms anymore.”

“Well, you’ve given them a hell of a narrative,” Sienna says, following her, reluctantly impressed. “The whole Capitol’s dying to know who your lucky love interest could be, since it’s not him.”

Yang shoves her arm through the elevator door just as it’s about to close. “Mind if I catch a ride?” she asks, stepping inside, her heels held in her hand.

So, maybe Blake should’ve thought through her plan, because at the moment, Yang’s a foot away from her and absolutely the most beautiful girl Blake’s ever seen in her life, and her story for the cameras turns out to be more true than she’d meant it to be.

“Oh, it’s you,” Sienna says, throwing up her hands. Apparently Blake’s staring is noticeable. “Of course it is. Blake, you’re on your own.”

“No, she’s not,” Yang murmurs, and brushes her fingers against Blake’s, hanging between them. “She’s got me.”

–

There’s a vibrancy to her when she disembarks, an urgency to her mouth. Find me, she says, leaning close, grasping Blake’s hand. Find me in the arena. Or I’ll find you. Okay?

“Why?” Blake asks again, unable to comprehend anything Yang does or says, unable to reconcile the motivation behind it.

“Because I want you alive,” she says, and lets go. “I want you to live.”

You’re insane, Blake wants to say. None of us will live except one. And out of all of us, it should be you.

But the next morning, standing on the platform, she finds Yang three spaces down from her, and their eyes meet as if by gravitational pull.

Find me, Yang mouths, and the cannons blast.

#Anonymous #bumbleby #rwby fic #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #rwby #yes...it's a hunger games au. will i continue it? maybe!

[rwby-sk]

My ship thoughts

This will be a long post, so I’m putting it under a ‘keep reading”

Bumbleby  - Until Vol.4 I wasn’t sure if the Bees liked each other. Like yeah, we’ve had solid evidence since, like, their Vol.1 trailers. But still. I wasn’t sure CRWBY would do it. But wow was I impressed.  - Probably my favorite well-known ship - Their EYES are the colors of each others SOULS what more do you want??? - I wish my gf would throw a motorcycle at my abusive ex...

Nuts and Dolts  - I tried pushing this ship out of my mind for so long. I did. I wasn’t ready for it  - I appreciated the things people made for the ship. I knew it had potential  - But wow. Vol.8 really said “Nuts and Dolts rights” and I respect that - They’re so cute together. It’s like if Pyrrha came back to life and could be with Jaune again.  - But healthier this way (see Arkos)

Renora  - Wholesome - Cute - ‘Boop’ is one of my favorite songs - We all saw it coming. But how we got there was the fun part  - That Vol. 4 finale though...

Arkos  - First off, Arkos is my favorite ship from Vol.1-3 - Himbo is taught how to drink his respect women juice by an Amazon? Sign me up  - The character development, the mutual respect, the CARE - ForeverFall still fucks me up. I cry when I listen to it - I love Pyrrha, she’s my girl, but... She really betrayed Jaune’s trust at the very end. He told her specifically he never wanted to be helpless and watch his friends fight for their lives again. And she did exactly that to him. Making him wonder if he could have made a difference had he been able to fight by her side with her in the end.  - But it’s not really even Pyrrha’s fault. Ozpin’s expectations and Cinder’s plan are more to blame - Still high tier - It’s just so tragic

WhiteKnight  - Cute in theory  - But it’d have to be done so carefully to be a good romantic pairing  - As friends? I LOVE IT. Make these two best friends right now! - But Jaune moved past his feelings for Weiss in Vol.2 when he finally realized she meant it when she told him she didn’t like him  - I’m shocked though that so few people pick up on Ep.3 Vol.1 when Weiss is making fun of Jaune and mockingly calls him a “cute boy”. I think Jaune just thought Weiss liked him already, and went from there. He hits on Pyrrha pretty quick in Ep.4 too - I think it could work with who they are now, but I think they’re better as friends 

WhiteRose  - The sole reason I didn’t ship Nuts and Dolts sooner  - Vol. 6 messed me up okay? That red scarf really threw me for a loop - Chasing each other in the Argus Limited?  - Weiss sassing Ruby non-stop Vol.1-3?  - It also completes the RW BY JP NR pairings. I like to joke that the Emerald forest is actually “true love” forest. And whoever you lock eyes with first you fall in love with them. But that only works sometimes  - Also that part where they call out each others names when Jinn shows them Ozpin’s past 

Ladybug  - Cute and interesting  - I’m not against it. I would just need more of it to ship it myself - They just have such solid connections with other characters  - I do love Blake’s introduction to the main cast though, and how much Blake looks up to Ruby 

Freezerburn  - Similar to LadyBug  - Cute, but I just ship them more with other people  - That hug in Vol.5 was a bit sus though - Yang does seem to open up the most with Weiss - And Weiss defended Yang so quickly after the Mercury fight  - It’s not unfounded, I’ll say that  - Analyzing it has opened my eyes 

Crosshares  - Yes  - Just  - Yes  - High femme fashion ICON Coco Adel  - With fan-fave Velvet Scarlatina - WLW powercouple  - I wish I was Coco and Velvet is cute, not much to understand here, keep scrolling 

RoseGarden  - I have my concerns  - Oscar is a wonderful kid  - He probably has a crush on Ruby  - And he is a wholesome boy who deserves all the happiness  - But he also has a manipulative immortal Wizard in his head  - So - You know

Lancaster  - I never saw Lancaster. Jaune is the first boy Ruby meets. And Jaune calls her cute and quirky once, but... - I love Ruby’s talk with Jaune about failure in Vol. 1, then his return to that speech in Vol. 4 in return.  - I think they lean on each other as leaders - But I don’t see it going further - Cute though. I’ve seen nice fanart 

BlackSun  - I read an analysis a long time ago that really sat with me  - Blake asked for space (not out loud, but in action) when she ran away - Yang gave her what she wanted. She didn’t like it. But she gave Blake what she asked for.  - Sun on the other hand, didn’t. He followed and helped her anyway. (Believe me, Blake could have used all the help she could get in Vol. 4-5) But in doing so, he kinda took himself out of the running as love interest.  - He’s and excellent Foil for Blake though, so I love him

SeaMonkies  - Two bros, chilling in a hot tub... - Is it gay to become junior detectives with your best friend and only hang out with him for like 3 seasons?  - These two are just  - So fucking stupid  - Apart, they are fine. Very competent.  - Together though - They are just so dumb I think its cute as hell 

JNR  - Wholesome  - I could see it in Argus. In front of Pyrrha’s statue - They love each other  - Maybe its not 100% romantic  - But they love each other  - I could be happy here

JNR+Neo  - CRIME + Ren  - The pure chaos of Nora and Neo  - The exhausted mom-friend energy from Ren and Jaune - The power polycule that could take on Salem alone and maybe win? - I think it’d be cute, but I personally ship them in the two pairs a bit more. 

Bees Schnees  - We add Blake and Yang’s angst, Yang and Weiss’ trust, and Weiss and Blake’s mutual understanding and growth  - Wow okay  - I have to give it to you, I kinda like it

Neo x Jaune x Ruby  - Based on my response to Lancaster, you might be able to guess my answer here - I think a lot of the ship’s points lie in “What’s better than one short girl dating the tallest guy in the cast? Two short girls dating the tallest guy in the cast!” - Cute though, I think it’d be chaotic and wholesome  - But poor Jaune would be exhausted trying to make sure the house doesn;t burn down every five minutes 

May x Winter  - Look - If I hadn’t made a Neo x Jaune side blog  - I would have made a May x Winter side blog  - The comparisons  - The family legacies  - The pure amount of how attracted I am to both characters  - What happens when two tops date each other?  - What if they were partners in Atlas?  - What if May was Winter’s first crush. And after May came out, Winter was like “Oh thank the gods, I was worried I liked all women and only one guy for some reason. Cool, crisis adverted. So anyway, Marigold, here’s how you do your makeup” - I could go on - Haha don’t tempt me - I’m serious  - Please let them sass each other at some point

GuardDogs  - Marrow = Just doing his best  - Jaune = Just doing his best  - Marrow and Jaune = two himbos just vibing in this world  - If we don’t get Silentknight, I’d be proud to get GuardDogs - Marrow sure has been worried about “Juan” this whole time, huh?

Emercury  - The sass - The pure sass  - Mercury’s unearned confidence paired with Emerald’s quick temper  - Wow, I hope Em can turn him away from murdering people.  - If Em gets 1 friend, I hope its Mercury and not Cinder  - At least Mercury cares about her (But he’s too cool to admit that outright) - Mercury is going to see Em on RWBY’s team and just immediately walk over and join up. No questions asked. “I guess we’re good now. Sorry Tyrian, its been cool, not really”

Happy Huntresses - Yes - Look at that HUG - Ladies, is it gay to go off into the tundra and form a rebellion against the fascist government with three of your hottest gal pals? 

#Rwby #ships #im not tagging them all

[kittyprincessofcats]

RWBY Volume 8, Episode 13 (Worthy)

Well, wow. That sure was an episode that happened.

Thoughts under the cut.

Anyone who leaves spoilers for episode 14 on this will get blocked.

- First of all, I want to now talk about the spoiler I saw for this episode last week, to put the anger from my last post into context: After I had just finished watching episodes 8-12 and started writing my post about them, I went into one of the RWBY tags bc I’m dumb and saw a post that said (I don’t remember the exact words, but more or less): “I’m so glad Yang is finally dead, so now her fans can shut up about her and everyone can ship Blacksun instead.”

… Yeah. Imagine seeing that when you haven’t seen the actual episode and have no idea what really happened. I honestly completely panicked for a few minutes, before remembering I don’t actually know anything and this might just be a “Weiss gets impaled in Volume 5, but one episode later it turns out she’ll be fine” situation. So then I had to look up what actually happened to Yang, because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to sleep. So, to the person who made that post: Fuck you. Not only did you freak people out for no reason (because come on, there’s no way falling into the void actually kills you – and even if it does, we at least definitely don’t know that for sure after episode 13), but even if Yang had actually died, it’s super shitty that your first reaction to a beloved queer character’s death would be “yay, now people can ship my m/f ship instead”. Like, I don’t care if you personally dislike Yang/ dislike Bumbleby/ prefer Blacksun – show a little bit of decency.

Phew. Sorry, I had to get that off my chest because it really made me angry. Now let’s get into the actual episode:

- “Worthy” as a title pretty much already made me predict that Cinder would succeed in her plan, since “you have to be worthy” was what Watts told her in his speech. She’s gotten the message and is now back to efficient plans – and while I love to see it, it also very much scares me when it comes to our heroes’ survival chances. The last time Cinder was doing well, we lost Pyrrha, so… help.

- And gosh, this whole episode was so intense! I feel like it mostly set up a bunch of very intense situations that are going to escalate in the last episode that I’m very much not ready for.

- I still think the whole central location between the worlds is really beautiful, if dangerous. (They should have specified to Ambrosius that they want handrails or something.)

- Nora using her hammer like a witch’s broom was amazing.

- I also loved the scene with Jaune and the people at the train station; that was really funny.

- The middle of the desert might not have been the best place for the exit. Didn’t the group consider that there might be a sandstorm or something else unpredictable out there? Couldn’t they have picked a better exit point?

- Cinder causing an explosion in the middle of the evacuation that throws multiple people into the void was bad and all – but it was still one hell of an entrance!

- I love that now that Cinder realized that she has to rely on teamwork, she’s suddenly being so nice to everyone. Apologizing to Neo, complimenting Watts on “tearing the kingdom apart with nothing but his intellect”, that soft “You deserve this, Arthur”, complimenting Team RWBY on their plan, thanking them for teaching her “one last lesson”. Yeah, maybe she’s just talking to Neo and Watts like this because she needs their help, and to Team RWBY because she’s confident she’ll win – but it’s still amazing to see the shift in her attitude and how she’s clearly changed her tactic.

- It’s insane to me that some people correctly predicted that Cinder would ask Jinn the last question based JUST on the fact that there’s a part in the opening where everyone else freezes in time while she walks past them. Holy hell! I love trying to guess stuff based on the intro, but I would have never thought that far.

- Cinder’s question to Jinn seems like a waste considering it was Jinn’s last question, but maybe it just seems that way to us as viewers because Jinn didn’t reveal anything we didn’t already know. Was it the right thing for Cinder to do? I don’t know, to be honest. Yes, it did give her the chance to ruin the heroes’ plans, but I have a feeling Salem won’t be happy about the question being gone. Pretty sure Salem was going to ask Jinn how to get the Beacon relic, and now she can’t do that. (Cinder ruining Salem’s plans for the beacon relic? Let that be foreshadowing, please.) I mean, maybe it’s worth it from Salem’s POV if it gets them the staff and then she’ll have 2 of the 4 relics – but they could have still gotten the staff later, while I don’t know if Salem has any plan B for the beacon relic. And I’m a little worried about Cinder now. I always thought that Salem wouldn’t kill Cinder no matter what, because she still needs the Fall Maiden for the beacon relic – but if she now has to wait another 100 years for the beacon relic anyway, I’m not sure if she’ll have a reason to keep Cinder alive. (And I’m still worried about that “Some lives will end much too soon” line playing over that scene of Cinder clutching her Grimm arm in the opening.) I also wonder if Cinder even knew that this was Jinn’s last question. Did Jinn even tell her that? Also, when will the 100 years even be up? Do the questions just reset every 100 years regardless of when they were used? So maybe we’re already at year 80 or something and will only have to wait 20 years?

- The cut from everyone at the central command place screaming to them being dead was kinda funny in a “very dark humour” way.

- When Harriet first jumped onto that ship with the bomb, I, like an idiot, thought that she was finally being sensible and trying to get the bomb as far away from Atlas and Mantle as possible, not that she was trying to still drop it on Mantle. She and Ironwood might as well be working for Salem’s team at this point, because they’re doing everything to help the villains’ plan. And the villains are even counting on it! Watts freed Ironwood from his cell and is piloting Harriet’s ship. Those two are just straight up helping Salem’s team in their attempts to… what was it? Save Atlas?

- Ironwood killing Jacques was awful and proves once again that Ironwood has zero morals left. And I didn’t like Jacques, but that was the kind of death that absolutely no one deserves. He had no way to escape or fight back, he was defenseless, locked up in a prison cell with nowhere to run – that’s not just a murder, that’s an execution without a trial. And Jacques wasn’t even a threat, he wasn’t in the way of any of Ironwood’s plans. Ironwood killed him literally just because he could. And no one who thinks they’re the good guy (and Ironwood still thinks he’s the good guy) should go around just killing people who aren’t even a threat.

- And then we have Yang falling into the void. Honestly, as heartbreaking as Blake’s sobs and anger are, I kind of love this from a “supreme angst, let’s see my faves suffer” perspective. That said, Yang better actually be fine or else.

- Actually, my prediction is that the rest of team RWBY will jump into the void to save Yang in the last episode. Because they’re all falling in the opening, and because “Sometimes it’s worth it all to risk the fall and fight for every life”. That’s pretty much the only prediction I feel somewhat confident about, for the rest I have no idea.

- I wonder if it would have been better if Penny had just gone through the doorway and gotten the staff to Vacuo. I get why she didn’t, because Yang just fell and her other friends were in danger… but at the same time, she was supposed to protect the population and the staff (and she has the maiden powers that I’m sure Cinder still wants). If she had just gotten out of there, at least the group in Vacuo would have had some help against the sandstorm and the Grimm. But then again, it would have also severely weakened Term RWBY’s chances against Cinder and Neo… it’s a tough call, really.

- “Why didn’t you just learn your lesson?” “Oh, Penny… I did.” Okay, but that’s the thing: She really did! Just not the lesson Penny wanted her to learn. And notice how Cinder called Penny by her first name again? She didn’t use to do that. I still think somewhere down the line Penny has earned her respect.

- I wonder if Penny’s technically weaker now because she’s human (?? is she??). She’s definitely not used to fighting without her robotic parts (as you can see when she tries to reach for her swords and realizes they’re not there anymore). I summoning those swords like she then did her semblance or another maiden power?

- Blake now has to choose between helping Ruby and helping Penny and Weiss – gosh, the suspense…

- I’m glad Vine at least finally tried to stop Harriet now! (Better late than never.) But I really wouldn’t blame Qrow and Robyn for crashing into their ship. It’s not like they had any way of knowing that Vine was trying to talk sense into Harriet. Also, Qrow crashing through Harriet’s windscreen was amazing.

- Winter and Ironwood are going to fight to the death and I’m so scared of it. (I just need Winter to survive, please…)

- When Weiss described the doorway as a “one-way ticket to Vacuo” last episode, I briefly wondered if that meant they wouldn’t be let back through, but then I brushed it aside and didn’t think about it too much anymore. Oh, damn. You really do have to be very specific with Ambrosius.

- I’m not even sure which location is the best to be in right now because they all seem very unsafe: Atlas and Mantle are unsafe because Atlas is falling, because Mantle might still get blown up by Harriet, and because Salem might still come back any time. The place between worlds is unsafe because of the void and because there’s a big fight happening right there. And Vacuo is unsafe because of the Grimm and the sandstorm. So really, they’re all awful for the civilians right now.

- And now I’m thinking the volume might actually end with the protagonists split into three groups as well: Team RWBY in the void (that they’ll spend Volume 9 finding their way back from), one half of the other characters in Vacuo (Oscar, Ren, Emerald, maybe more?), and the other half still in Atlas/Mantle (Qrow, Robyn, Marrow, Winter, maybe more).

- I’m super nervous about the last episode. I haven’t seen any spoilers at all so far, and I plan to keep it that way. I’ll probably completely ignore anything RWBY-related until next week because the anxiety would kill me otherwise. I’m really worried we’ll get a character death or even several. And ironically, my first prediction on who might die this Volume (Penny, Nora, Winter, Cinder) hasn’t changed all that much. I’m worried about Penny because she has the Maiden Powers and the staff, so Cinder will come after her (but I really think it would be an awful writing choice to kill her off after we just went through so much to save her). I’m very worried about Winter because she’s engaged in a duel to the death with a man who has a big canon that he just blew someone up with. I’m worried for Cinder because of the opening and because Salem might be pissed at her for using the last question. I’m worried for everyone who’s still on Atlas and might get blown up by the bomb (Qrow, Robyn, Marrow, Winter again). And I’m very worried for the characters who are in the in-between realm. Not so much Team RWBY, but I’m worried about Nora, Jaune, and Penny. So yeah, I’m pretty much worried about everyone and very much not ready. Now let me ignore RWBY’s existence for a week – or only reblog posts I already have saved as drafts – because it’s the only way I’ll know peace.

#RWBY #RWBY Volume 8 #RWBY v8 spoilers #RWBY Worthy #RWBY Vol 8 #Ruby Rose #Weiss Schnee #Blake Belladonna #Yang Xiao Long #Bumbleby #Cinder Fall #Neopolitan #Arthur Watts #Penny Polendina #Nora Valkyrie #Jaune Arc #Harriet Bree #Jacques Schnee #James Ironwood #Robyn Hill #Qrow Branwen #Marrow Amin #Winter Schnee #Lie Ren #Oscar Pine

[astraguardian]

Fair Game Parallels

Since there’s still debate over whether Clover and Qrow were meant to be romantically-coded, I’ve decided to make a list of the times that Fair Game paralleled either a) scenes that the fandom largely considers flirt or romantic-coded, or b) scenes between pairings that are either romantic in-canon or heavily implied. Note that this doesn’t cover every interaction in detail, since it’s focused on the parallels specifically.

In animation, every small detail matters. Someone chose to include that expression, to have the character make that gesture, or to frame a show in a certain way. CRWBY is aware of this. We’ve even heard about some of the small changes they made to scenes this volume to ensure the proper tone came across. So, for this analysis, all of those small details are, no pun intended, fair game.

(TW for blood and death)

1) Lucky you

In volume 4, we had a scene where a waitress very clearly flirts with Qrow. She winks at him, we get a joke about his semblance, and he grins back at her. Pretty straightforward, which is what makes it a great scene to parallel.

Here we have Clover saying the same “lucky you” line as the waitress, also accompanied by a wink. Right before this line, he also gives Qrow a look that’s suspiciously similar to Qrow’s reaction to the waitress. We also know from Kim Newman, who worked as an animator for RWBY up to Volume 7 Episode 9, that CRWBY were well aware of this parallel, with Kim even making a joke about the implications.

Even ignoring the obvious parallel, the line comes across as flirtatious. While some people have suggested it was a bit of banter between friends, Qrow and Clover weren’t friends at this point. In fact, it had been established to both the audience and Clover that Qrow wasn’t all that excited to be working with him.

There was no friendship between the two at this point and suggesting that the wink was an act of friendship largely misses the context of the interaction.

2) Staring

RWBY’s particularly fond of using the eyes to add subtext for both Bumbleby and Fair Game, to the point that this parallel is just the first of three involving character’s eyes. This Fair Game scene, while not focusing on Qrow’s eyes, uses his gaze to add subtext. The first thing to note is that Qrow didn’t need to be in this shot. He has no dialogue in this exchange, he’s really only there for Clover. In this shot, Clover explains how Ace-Ops are picked to perfectly complement each other. And, as we were shown previously, Clover is the only Ace-Op without a partner. Qrow’s in the scene to indicate that he’s the perfect complement for Clover. It’s also worth pointing out that despite having started off cold towards Clover in the previous episode, so likely no more than an hour before in-universe, Qrow gazes warmly at Clover not once, but three times during this shot, while also mirroring Clover’s stance the entire time.

3) Reacting to a compliment

In episode 3, we see Blake reacting to Yang complimenting her arm by putting a hand behind her head bashfully. Only two episodes later, we see Qrow do the same movement upon receiving a compliment from Clover. Qrow’s reaction didn’t need to mirror Blake’s. There are other ways they could have had him react, but they chose to parallel a character receiving a compliment from their romantic interest.

4) Truck scene

We have two scenes in the back of a truck where we get to see characters having quiet, but important conversations. Our scene with Bumbleby shows the couple trying to figure out what they think is right, while our scene with Fair Game has Qrow talk about his sobriety for the first time and get a much needed compliment from Clover. These scenes show the characters in their most open state, with Blake questioning if Yang and her had done the right thing in dealing with Adam, and Qrow getting the chance to discuss his feelings about everything that’s happened in the past volume or so.

5) Banter

Two scenes of lighthearted banter, and the first of several parallels to the scene in volume 6 where Blake leaves Yang to take out the radar.

6) Staring after the other looks away

We’re back to eyes again, this time looking at how characters’ stares tend to linger on their love interest, even after the other turns away. The Bumbleby scene has some good shots of this, but it’s a personal favorite of Qrow’s. Volume 7 makes a point to show us how often Qrow stares at Clover even when Clover’s turned away, and how it almost always tends to last several seconds longer than it needs to. Episode 8 stands out, with Qrow not only watching Clover walk away after their banter, but continuing to stare at the door he had gone through even after it was closed. He only looks away after being spoken to by a waiter. Seeing as prolonged gazes, both in-universe and outside of it, are associated with love, it sends strong implications.

7) Fond Looks

The last parallel to the volume 6 Bumbleby scene is especially strong. Yang’s expression as she watches Blake, who she clearly cares deeply for, walk away, is practically identical to Qrow’s after he watches Clover show off for him. RWBY has already established this expression as one of warmth and love, and they chose to put it on Qrow for his moment with Clover.

8) Even the villains see it

When the Bees fight Adam, there’s a moment where he looks between them before remarking on their relationship. In the fight against Tyrian, we watch Tyrian, who had previously been focused on Qrow, look over at Clover and then back to Qrow, before moving to attack Clover. The scene clearly establishes that it’s Clover he’s looking at, as Clover is in the center of the light while Robyn is off to the side, and while Robyn barely moves, Clover is seen adjusting his weapon and turning to face Tyrian. We’ve already established that Tyrian is a serial killer and Qrow’s the victim who got away, so why would Tyrian change targets and give Qrow that look? Tyrian’s decided that the best way to hurt Qrow would be instead to hurt Clover.

9) Tyrian/Adam fight

Two dynamic shots of characters attacking a villain who personally wronged by, followed by a shot of their partner helping them deal the blow. While Clover isn’t also attacking in this case, he’s the one holding Tyrian in place so that Qrow can deal the blow.

10) Art style of violent scene

This art style is only used twice in the show proper (once in the Black trailer), and both cases involve someone watching their partner suffer brutal violence at their expense. It’s worth pointing out that Qrow is actually much more emphasized in his scene than Blake is in hers, even though Blake’s scene features her abuser hurting her love interest. Blake could even be missed in her scene, with her silhouette not standing out much with the position she’s in. Qrow, on the other hand, has almost as much focus as Clover and Tyrian. The scene is capturing both Clover’s death and Qrow’s despair as he watches helplessly.

11) Mementos

We take a quick break from Bumbleby parallels for an extremely strong Arkos parallel. In volume 7 episode 3, we get a shot of Jaune holding the fabric from Pyrrha’s sash in his hands. Ten episodes later, we get the same shot, except now it’s Qrow with Clover’s pin. It’s a particularly easy callback to pick up on, seeing as it’s framed the same way. Qrow’s mourning is shown to mirror Jaune mourning Pyrrha, his canon love interest.

12) Fear of growing close to someone

It’ll be just like Beacon again. Following the events of volume 3, Blake separates herself from the rest of the group, believing she’s no longer worthy of anyone’s love. In the next volume she explains, “Everyone thinks they can help me, but they can’t. You saw Ilia last night and she’s not even the worst! No. No more. They’re better off without me. I made my choices and I’ll deal with the consequences because they belong to me.” That sounds painfully familiar to another character who watched someone they cared for get hurt in a stylized scene which they blamed themself for. Blake runs, feeling like she brings harm to those she’s close to. From Blake’s perspective, volume 3 proved her worst fears to be true. Now we’re at volume 7 and Qrow’s in the same situation. He’s separated himself from the group, choosing to go into custody instead of finding his nieces, and he clearly blames himself for what has happened. And in time, Qrow might get to parallel Blake’s recovery.

Feel free to add any parallels you think I missed, but please refrain from arguing on this post. I’m looking to share evidence, not to debate.

#fair game #rwby #qrow branwen #clover ebi #clover deserved better #blood tw #death tw #long post

[set-wingedwarrior]

Happy birthday, fellow Aquarius! I know everyone and their mother's been thinking about this ever since A Night Off, but Bumbleby with "I told you I'm not good at dancing."/Slow dancing owns my heart.

Late thanks for the birthday wishes and for the request! I used to want to write their date as well, and your ask reminded me of that! I hope you’ll like it.Enjoy!

AO3 

—————————————————

Everyone had left, leaving Blake and Yang on their own in their room.

“…I just texted Flynt, he says they’re almost ready and will come to pick us up soon.” Blake nodded.

They had no idea where the dance club Team FNKI mentioned was, and going together sounded better than risking wasting their time searching and getting lost through Atlas’ streets.

Not that any time spent with Yang could ever be classified as “wasted” though.

Both girls spent the wait of the arrival of their friends (colleagues? Acquittances? Comrades-in-arms?) making finishing touches to their looks, not that it was needed. That wasn’t’ weird though: what was weird was the strange and sudden calm and silence.

And everyone knew that silence and Yang usually didn’t belong together.

“…why so quiet?” Blake asked, not because there was any need to fill it but just because she enjoyed having conversations with her partner, deep or dumb that they could be. She just liked hearing her voice.

“We’re about to go to a dance club, there won’t be a lot of quiet then.” That could’ve been a reasonable explanation, if it wasn’t for a little detail.

“That never stopped you before.” Blake grinned.

“Nothing gets past you, huh?” Yang grinned as well through the mirror’s reflection “I’ll be a little more specific then: we’re about to go to a loud dance club with Team FNKI. And, more precisely, with Neon; do you really wanna pass our last chance to enjoy some quiet before that?”

Blake couldn’t help the laughter that followed “You got a point.”

The silence that followed was more deliberate, but just as comfortable as the previous one, filled with looks, and smiles, and the occasional blush.

The spell broke with a loud knock at the door and a well-known annoying voice calling “Move your asses slow coaches, it’s time to go!”

As annoying as Neon was, they had to admit she was at least entertaining. The two partners shared an amused look, getting back on their feet.

Before they could reach the door, Yang offered her arm “Milady?”

Blake slipped her arm and tangled it with hers “What a gentlelady.”

“Only the best for you.” Yang winked and that said, they opened the door and joined the others, ready to go and spend a fun night out.

The club was flashy, and loud, and exactly what you’d expect from people like FNKI. Actually, it just looked like Neon had took over the place and forged it to her image and likeness.

It could’ve been exactly like that for what they knew.

Blake and Yang finally managed to get some peace and alone time (well, as much as you could get in a club) when the others left their table to, quoting Neon, “show them how it’s done”, and take possession of the dance floor.

“Having a good time?” Yang asked, shifting closer to Blake and talking directly to her ear, that just to help her hear her and not for any other reason like, for example, enjoying being close to her partner. Of course.

Blake shivered, feeling Yang’s breath to her ear and neck, but then grinned; two could play that game.

“Always when I’m with you.” She said directly to the blonde’s ear as well, adding just that tiny bit of seduction in her voice to fluster her partner, but without being so over the top to get called out for it.

Yang’s blush was a great reward.

“Good!” Yang answered a little nervously (it was adorable), then coughed a bit and offered her hand “Wanna join the dance?”

“I would love to.” Blake accepted her hand and let Yang lead her through the dance floor, looking for a space unclaimed by the other team and as far as possible from them.

The few drinks they got at the table helped Blake loosen up, she didn’t look nearly as stiff as before in their room when she clumsily tried to imitate Yang’s moves, but it was still a long way before the Faunus could call herself a dancer.

And, even more sad, the alcohol wasn’t nearly enough to let Blake not notice “I told you I’m not good at dancing!” she said after not long, stopping, but at least she was laughing it out.

Yang joined in her laugh, that was beautiful to hear even in between that mess of sounds, and stopped to wrap her arm around her shoulders “…do you want to know a secret?” she asked then, once again directly at her ear, her cat one this time, because well, that was what they were doing that night.

“Are you going to reveal me the magic secret over good dancing?” Blake asked with a teasing smile. Yang just laughed harder, concession of the previously consumed alcohol probably.

“Kind of!” she stopped laughing, assuming a more neutral tone “…people don’t go to dance clubs to dance.”

What a revelation.

“Sure, and they also go to restaurants not to eat.”

“Don’t be a smartass, I’m serious!” Yang didn’t sound serious at all while she playfully poked her partner’s cheek “They come here to have a good time, good or bad that their dancing is, without worries. That’s why they always serve alcohol in these clubs!”

“Sure, it has definitely nothing to do with people wanting to drink and be willing to spend way too much for a Strawberry Sunrise.” Blake deadpanned commented, raising a gasp from Yang.

“Don’t you insult Strawberry Sunrise drinks ever again!” she threated.

“Or else?”

They looked at each other with challenging eyes for a moment, before bursting out to laughter again.

“Okay, seriously though.” Yang dried a tear “If you feel self-conscious about your dancing, you shouldn’t be. I can promise I saw way worst dancers than you tonight.”

“Trust me, I saw.” Blake said with a smile “But it still makes me… uncomfortable. Not being able to move at least acceptably good.”

Yang looked thoughtful for an instant, before her eyes shone with an idea “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”

Blake nodded and watched the blonde as she made her way through the sea of people to reach what seemed to be the DJ’s station.

Yang started talking to him, seemingly asking for something that he refused. His answer must have been pretty rude as well or something, because seconds later Yang’s body language changed to something more intimidatory, then Blake swore she saw red in her eyes.

Whatever she said next was convincing, because the DJ nodded scared and Yang, back to her more cheerful self, left with a smile and a thumbs up.

“…what have you done?” Blake asked as her partner got back to her.

Yang gave a charming smile and a wink, as the lights turned off and the loud messy music stopped. Everyone looked confused, then soft lights lightened up and slow music started playing.

���I thought you might feel more at ease with something slower and more familiar.” Then, once again that night, Yang gallantly offered her hand “May I have this dance?”

Blake’s smile was one of the softest Yang ever saw in her face, while she accepted her hand “This and everyone else.”

Yang kept respectful distance at first, her free hand on Blake’s hip and Blake’s one on Yang’s shoulder; but just like with their relationship, that distance was meant to be closed.

Both of them felt completely at ease in each other’s arms, the trust they built on the battlefield showing off on the dancefloor as well. There was intimacy, care, and something else still too small to name, but fated to bloom into something beautiful and powerful just like them.

Amber and lilac were glued to each other, uncaring of everything and everyone else. Now, it was just them.

A little voice in the back of their heads was screaming to take that leap of faith, against another one asking for more time, claiming that the right moment had yet to come.

Blake took charge and leaned in, brushing her lips to Yang’s cheek in a sweet compromise in between the two, then settled in the crock of her neck and hugged her close. Judging by the happy sigh, the blonde didn’t seem disappointed at all.

Yang kissed Blake’s temple and held her closer, the two of them lazily swaying around to the rhythm of the music.

They hoped Ironwood would give them another night off soon.

#rwby #bumbleby #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #bumbleby fic #team fnki #a night off #my fic #ask #request #whydotreesalwaysleafme

[theonceoverthinker]

Alternate Staff Theory Idea #2

It’s weird. The more time I spend with the Staff Theory, the more I grow to like it and think it’s got a fighting chance of actually happening, but also the more I like remixing the ideas of how it might happen.

So here I am again!

I was recently doing more Staff Theory musing, I got to thinking about the common counterpoints to the theory, namely (1) Why bring back Clover of all people, and (2) How are they going to use the staff while it’s supporting Atlas. And while I think everyone in the CDB/FG movement has done a wonderful job explaining how this would work, I also think I’d like to see something on the more streamlined side of things.

And oddly enough, it was the strangest of movies that gave me an idea of what could happen: “South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut.” In this film, the US and Canada go to war in the movie’s climax and only settle down after a large amount of people have already died. But Satan is willing to grant Kenny -- the kid who helped him stand up to his abusive boyfriend Saddam Hussein (Yeah, this was a WERID movie) -- a wish, and so Kenny (giving up his own chance of coming back to life) wishes that everyone killed during this war was revived.

Now let’s put that in RWBY terms and elaborate on what I think might happen, so join me under the cut.

 In order to get the staff into a usable form, Atlas is going to have to literally fall. Obviously, if that happens, a LOT of people are going to die (I mean, they already have because of the Grimm attack, but you know what I mean), both in Atlas and Mantle, and while I’m currently really pissed with the CRWBY, I don’t think they have it in them to kill two major cities that basically make up the entire population of a continent.

How are they going to get the Staff, you may ask?

I’ve been playing around with the idea that Ironwood’s line last volume about having Penny completely under control has been more literal than we were initially led to believe. Considering that Ironwood very clearly played a role in getting her created in the first place and how easily he turned off everyone’s scrolls in 7X11, I think that there’s a case to be made for Ironwood having something of a remote control for Penny. And once Ironwood finds out that Penny is the new Winter Maiden, that’s a remote he will be all too willing to use.

BUT others know Penny is the Winter Maiden as well or can figure it out easily enough under the right circumstances. So in the vault, a battle plays out, and this time, the villains grab the staff from its resting spot (I’m thinking this should be Cinder because she’s already been established as having the ability to fly), and the moment it’s gone, Atlas propels down. This accomplishes the task of both letting the staff be used for other purposes and having it act on the Chekov’s gun of its purpose in holding up Atlas.

Most of our main players get out of this okay, but notably not all. Ironwood, Penny, Cinder, Ruby, Weiss, Yang, Oscar, Qrow, and some others are alive, but I would have either Ren or Nora at least not make it out (I’m thinking Nora so that Ren’s treatment of Nora in the last volume can especially gut him and give that whole subplot some actual weight), and maybe Blake if you REALLY want to sell that this isn’t permanent (And give way to an AMAZING Bumbleby scene once she’s revived).

By this point, Salem (Who definitely already wrecked some havoc while she was there with her Grimm Whale) has gone home. I don’t have this part planned out, but it’s not really relevant to what’s going on in this theory, so use your imagination. 

Cinder is fought off and the staff is saved. But this is ANYTHING but a victory. THOUSANDS of people are dead, and EVERYONE is pissed at Ironwood. At this point, now looking at the literal cost of his control over Atlas, Ironwood finally snaps out of his insanity. Perhaps he cries. Everyone does. Many of their teammates and friends are dead, alongside countless innocents. They may have defeated the bad guys, but this was anything but a win.

And then Oz/Oscar speaks. There’s a way to bring everyone back. He takes the staff out of whoever’s hand who was last holding it. Much of the Staff’s power has been used supporting Atlas for so long, but it still has a woosh of power in it. With a sacrifice, it could restore everyone’s lives taken during the last 24 hours (This is INCREDIBLY important).

Ironwood volunteers, and after a speech is given by Ironwood and goodbyes are exchanged, a piano rendition of “Hero” (Or even an acoustic reprise) plays as he takes the staff and allows it to end his life. 

As Ironwood falls down dead, and the staff loses its illumination, corpses glow and start to rise to the surface of the rubble. And then those corpses come alive, just as they were before. 

Reunions happen (BIG Renora and Bumbleby scenes), and then we turn to Qrow. There’s this subtle but undeniable spark of hope in his eyes, and he bites his lip as he looks at all the emerging bodies. ...Perhaps he made it out, too... Oz DID say 24 hours, right? ...But it looks like who he’s searching for isn’t here...

...Guess he was just a bit too late...just his luck...

Then, an impossible voice speaks from behind him.

“You see my pin?”

Qrow turns around and Clover Ebi is there, right as rain, just as he was before. Qrow’s speechless, and Clover knowingly smirks at him.

“Is something on my face?” he asks.

Qrow forgets any bit of pride he has and runs over to Clover, grabbing him in a hug. Tears swell in his eyes as the embrace is exchanged. There’s an implicit implication that they do need to talk about the things that went down right before his death (Maybe some “I’m sorry’s” are exchanged too during the hug), but for the moment, they are just so happy Clover’s okay that they don’t care.

In addition to bringing Clover back and giving Ironwood a fitting end, what I like about this theory is that it literally pushes Atlas and Mantle to rebuild their kingdom together. They don’t have a choice, and through that rebuilding, there’s a real chance for the kingdoms to once more unify not just geographically, but emotionally, and that is what’s important for the themes of this series.

Cue end of volume stuff. I and I know my other Clover/FG/CDB fans would love to see Clover join the main group, but it makes sense if he doesn’t or can’t -- then again, Winter, Robyn, and the other Ace Ops can take control of things, so it’s not impossible by any stretch and would be infinitely better if Clover joined them for character work for both himself and Qrow (Not to mention, allow them to touch upon all of that discussing I previously mentioned they had to do).

#staff theory #clover ebi #rwby theory #rwby v8 #clover deserved better

[darthkvznblogs]

“I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee.”

Something to be said for the idea of bringing up and protecting each other in the midst of a world snapping at the thought of tearing you to pieces in these trying times, don’t you think?

Hello again! Welcome back to Darth’s Book Club, the show where I more or less gush about the media I love for the duration of an entire Tumblr post (books and/or clubs optional)

RWBY Volume 1, Episode 6: “The Emerald Forest”

Today, I’ll be rambling about the glorified, in-universe equivalent for the energy shields that go “beep-beep-beep-DWOOOOOOOOOT” in Halo.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, though, let’s talk a bit about the RW and BY in RWBY; where last episode we got a small introduction to their personality and general approach to combat in the field, we actually get a demonstration now, and it kinda ties into part of Pyrrha’s lore dump, later in the episode.

“All of our tools and equipment are conduits for our aura.”, is what Pyrrha says, and it’s demonstrated before-hand in spades. It’s a fairly ubiquitous concept in fantasy settings - your weapon is an extension/expression of yourself - and it’s super neat to see it applied to shape-shifting weaponry. I remember being floored by learning that these incredible weapons had names - in fact, I’m pretty sure I recall some early fanfics giving them personalities, even humanoid forms. RW and BY showcase this pretty effectively; Weiss is fastidious and precise, her temper explosive, so she wields a rapier charged with Dust canisters. Ruby is flashy, quick, and lethal, so she wields a massive scythe she can only wield effectively by combining it with her speed and the recoil of its integrated rifle. Yang is brawl and flame, proud and cocky until her wrath is unleashed, so she fights with gauntlets that hide explosive rounds. Blake is stealth and misdirection, a dagger in the dark, and so her weapon is a throwable blade attached to a ribbon just as lethal.

Of course, we’re early in the partnership, and so the showcase goes just a bit wrong; Weiss sets the forest on fire, and Blake steals Yang’s kill. Blake does choose to lock eyes with Yang, though, which is interesting to say the least.

Can you guys tell I’m a Bumbleby shipper?

Then we get into the main dish of the episode of course. Jaune, lovable though incompetent audience stand-in that he is, reveals that he’s lived his whole, entire life unaware of the concept of aura, which a) literally confirms the existence of the soul in the world of Remnant, and b) feels like a pretty freakin’ essential concept to know for someone living in it, my dude.

In any case, Pyrrha gives us a - somewhat awkward, since it follows every beat in Ren’s fight with the King Taijitu, and thus doesn’t sound like what one might consider a normal conversation - crash course on Aura:

“Aura is the manifestation of our soul. It bears our burdens, and shields our hearts.” - simple enough, right? The people (and animals) of Remnant have themselves, each and everyone, a soul, which they can manifest into a physical barrier that protects them from harm - up to a degree, which we’ll learn the hard way eventually. There’s something of an extrasensory property to it, as well - “Have you ever felt like you were being watched without knowing someone was there?” - the creatures of Grimm can’t use it - “The monsters we fight lack a soul.” - and so it levels the playing field somewhat. In conjunction with Dust, we have a recipe for humanity’s survival - if not quite success, outside of the kingdoms - in a world that’s constantly trying to tear them to pieces.

But mankind, while being the light that fights back against the darkness of the creatures of Grimm, is not devoid of a dark side itself, and so Pyrrha highlights the importance of knowing oneself - of understanding that we all have a bit of light and dark inside of us. 

And then she confused the heck out of me.

She says: “It’s not about why - it’s about knowing.”, in response to Jaune’s idealistic “That’s why we fight them!” - them being the darkness, i.e. the creatures of Grimm. Like I said before, the lore dump follows the fight more than the regular rules of dialogue, so it comes off as a bit of a non-sequitur, but I’ll do my best to understand. What I’m choosing to interpret here is that your reasons for fighting the creatures of Grimm and protecting your fellow squishy humans, while important, matter less than the choice of fighting them itself - a philosophy I certainly understand, given the setting, but one saddled with more than a few problems, given the Cardin Winchesters of the world.

Could be wrong, of course. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this one!

I leave you all with the beautiful, if ominous passage Pyrrha utters while unlocking Jaune’s aura:

“For it is in passing that we achieve immortality - through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound in death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee.”

That’s it from me! If you enjoyed this installment of Darth’s Book Club, please consider checking out my works over on Fanfiction and AO3 - I write a bunch of crossovers, mainly involving superheroes, but there’s also some fun gaming, movie, and book fandoms in there. You can find me at:

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5808614/

https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darthkvzn/

And if you like what I do and have a coffee’s worth of money to spare, please consider checking out my Ko-fi! I post every update to my works and now Darth’s Book Club there. You can find me at:

https://ko-fi.com/darthkvzn

If you have anything you’d like me to check, please shoot me an ask or message! I’m just doing RWBY for the foreseeable future, but I’m willing to give your suggestions a shot. 

Until next time!

#Darth's Book Club #RWBY #rwby006 #the emerald forest #ruby rose #yang xiao long #blake belladonna #weiss schnee #bumbleby #jaune arc #pyrrha nikos

[honeyby]

“Bumbleby is bad writing!”

In the months since volume 6 we’ve heard it all. Bumbleby is rushed, they aren’t even friends, they were over shadowed by b/lacksun, it has no development, it has development but it’s less than b/lacksun’s, they’re throwing away b/lacksun’s development, bumbleby is forced, it’s pandering...you name it we’ve seen it, and chances are we’ve seen it multiple times. It gets repeated over and over again but honestly? None of it holds up.

I’ve said before that b/lacksun never really had as much development as people act like it did, but let’s take a look at how b/lacksun and bumbleby develop volume by volume. No soundtracks, no outside comments made by the crew. Just the show itself (heads up, this is really fucking long)

Volume 1:

There isn’t much to say about volume 1; neither really have a whole lot of teasing between Sun’s late introduction and the lack of focus on Yang. There is something very interesting though about both relationships in this volume: both end up subverting Blake’s expectations of them.

With Yang, Blake’s first reaction is a little chilly. She sees this loud young woman walking up to her while she’s trying to read and their first interactions reflect that. However, Blake quickly realizes that Yang isn’t what she seems and goes out of her way to choose her as a partner. They get along perfectly and in the Emerald Forest we see Blake enjoying herself more than she had up to that point. They could’ve been a bickering pair because of their differences (and we’re lead to think they will be at their introduction), but those differences end up being complementary and it shows in their easy teamwork.

For Sun, it’s almost the exact opposite. His entrance couldn’t scream “love interest” any more if it tried and Blake clearly thinks that as a Faunus he would understand her. Only, he doesn’t. That’s something that’s emphasized multiple times in their volume one interactions (and reinforced in later volumes) and they lack the teamwork that came so easily to Blake and Yang. He’s introduced as a very blatant love interest type but his inability to understand Blake has her spend a lot of their volume 1 time annoyed with him. 

Volume one is arguably the only volume where b/lacksun has a potential edge, but even that isn’t as big of a one as people act like it is. Not with how quick the turnaround is from “obvious love interest entrance” to “Blake glares at him enough that Sun comments on it in the very next episode” (and regardless of what the media might tell you, that’s not a good basis for a relationship).

Volume 2:

One of the biggest events for both ships in this volume is the dance arc. However, the most important part of the dance arc is not that Blake goes with Sun or that she saves her first dance for Yang or even that she dances with him and Yang; it’s that she finally decided to slow down. Dancing with Sun (and again, even Yang) is unimportant to the overall plot and is never brought up again, while Blake pursuing Torchwick in a healthier way is something we see throughout the rest of volume 2. She’s less exhausted and doesn’t run herself ragged, and that’s because of her talk with Yang.

Another key result of that arc is Blake learning about Yang’s abandonment issues. This is major because it’s setting up their main conflict a volume and a half before Yang loses her arm and Blake leaves. We get another building block for it in Mountain Glenn when Blake expresses that she always runs away, and you don’t have a character that’s always left behind paired with someone who always leaves if you aren’t going to take advantage of it. As of volume 2, Blake and Yang have the setup for their relationship to go through a conflict that will change everything for them but that can ultimately make their relationship stronger in the long run (setup that we see delivered on later on).

Meanwhile, Sun and Blake’s relationship gets no further development after the dance arc this volume (Sun’s only appearances afterwards he’s excited with Neptune about being Junior Detectives), and what they have in the dance arc is both self contained (Sun’s main goal in his interactions with Blake is to get her to go to the dance with him, which he succeeds in thanks to Yang) and not relevant beyond it. We don’t get anything from them that sets up any future development. 

None of this is to say that the dance itself is completely meaningless when it comes to their relationships. Sun asking Blake to the dance shows that he is still interested in her in his casual way (and honestly, there’s really no question that Sun likes/liked Blake in earlier volumes). This is the first time though that we really start getting hints that Yang likes Blake. Between her flirting with Blake in episode 2 (”I love it when you’re feisty”) and the soft, genuine manner in which she both winks at Blake and promises to save her a dance the show has begun to establish that Yang has feelings for her (and in a way that no one would question if she were a guy).

Like in volume 1, we continue to be shown that Sun doesn’t understand Blake. In addition to him not being the one to get through to Blake (that honor going to Yang instead), we also have Blake’s reaction to him asking her to the dance. She straight up says she doesn’t have the time and that she “thought that [he] of all people would get that” since he saw first hand how passionate she is about finding answers and stopping Torchwick in the previous episode. Once again she expects him to understand her and again he shows that he doesn’t. Another instance is a little more subtle and spread throughout a couple of episodes. In the first episode, Sun comments that the best part of Blake is that she’s a faunus while in the very next episode Blake says she wants be seen for who she is, not what she is. Meanwhile, in that same episode Yang compliments her for being feisty and later on in Mountain Glenn tells her she’s not one to back down from a challenge, both compliments on who Blake is (even if she can’t see that Yang’s latter comment is true just yet).

This is the volume where the differences between the two ships really start to show. Blake and Sun have a few moments in the first half, but their relationship is pretty shallow when compared to the depth that Blake and Yang’s has already developed and lacks the the setup for anything to change that.

Volume 3:

This volume along with volume 6 are by far the most lopsided in Bumbleby’s favor. Blake and Sun have only two interactions, one of which is Sun watching Blake tearfully clutch Yang’s hand while ignoring the outside world and him (and obviously, Blake only having eyes for Yang isn’t something that supports romantic b/lacksun). The only sort of teasing or development they get is Sun winking at Blake and Blake blushing. It’s actually a good moment for b/lacksun as it suggests a mutual crush is there, but that’s undermined by the fact that they get no other romantic development for the rest of the volume.

Blake and Yang on the other hand start out a little slow this volume but once the halfway point hits we get a lot of important moments very quickly. Yang is framed for attacking a downed Mercury but she holds it together well until Blake is hesitant to believe. She needs Blake to believe her; she trusts her and cares about her opinion. But the biggest part of this is not on Yang’s side but Blake’s.

Blake explicitly parallels Yang, her new partner, to Adam, her old partner. We know she’s watched Adam make excuses for hurting people (hell we literally see that parallel in the Adam short) and now she’s watching something similar unfold with Yang. But where Adam turned it on her and hid his insincerity behind a mask Yang is open and honest, and never blames her for being suspicious. She’s upset yes, but she cares about Blake and knows she has her reasons. This conversation helps establish Yang as Adam’s foil (something that had been built on earlier with things like both being Blake’s partner, the visual similarity of their semblances, etc. that’s now made explicit), something that’s even more meaningful with the revelation that Adam is Blake’s ex lover. It adds a whole new level to Blake not wanting Yang to be another Adam, and ultimately Blake decides to trust her (a huge sign of how far she’s come since leaving Adam).

The biggest moment of course, is the entire encounter with Adam. Every bit of it is filled with romantic coding, from Adam’s “I will destroy everything you love, starting with her” to Blake’s reaction to seeing Yang to Yang throwing herself at Adam and losing an arm trying to save Blake to Blake defiantly getting between Adam and Yang’s unconscious body, and all of it’s compounded thanks to the context of Adam being Blake’s possessive and abusive ex. There’s a reason b/lacksun shippers were so insistent that Sun would take place in the final showdown with Adam, because even if they won’t admit it with Blake and Yang who fights at Blake’s side has serious romantic implications. It’s important to note that Sun’s absence isn’t even because he’s unavailable (in fact he’s right by Weiss when she tells Yang where Blake went...he could’ve gone instead and Yang could’ve been sidelined in another way if the writers wanted to go that route) so the fact that it’s Yang is very substantial.

I honestly believe that the fight with Adam is the point of no return. In addition to setting up an entire intertwined arc for Blake and Yang, I’ve said before that the intensity of the moment makes it very difficult to establish a romance for Blake and Yang that doesn’t involve each other. In the case of b/lacksun, how do you show the audience that Blake cares about him more that Yang, who Adam singles out as a person to hurt if he wants to hurt Blake and who she throws herself in front of when Adam, her abuser, tries to kill her and whose dismemberment by Adam is a huge part of what undos Blake’s character growth and convinces her she needs to run to protect her? The answer is you don’t (and the writing gets two different chances to try in volumes 4 and 5 and neither come anywhere close).

In the rest of the volume we get the previously mentioned moment of Blake holding and unconscious Yang’s hand, apologizing profusely and ignoring everything else as well as Yang’s devastated reaction to her leaving. Both continue to emphasize how important they are to each other (note Yang’s obvious lie that she doesn’t care, because if she didn’t care it wouldn’t hurt so much that Blake was gone), and the former includes a very interesting shot of Sun seeing the way Blake is focused on Yang.

Overall, there’s a very clear difference this volume. Sun and Blake have one cute moment but it absolutely doesn’t hold a candle to the incredibly major Blake and Yang moments, all of which have lasting ramifications on their relationship. This is also the second volume in a row to suggest that Blake and Yang’s feelings are more than platonic with Adam’s choice of words and the general romantic coding of the scene, suggesting that the romantic phrasing in volume 2 was intentional (and thus that information should be kept in mind when interpreting their later scenes).

Volume 4:

This volume, Blake and Sun spend the entire volume together while Blake and Yang won’t meet again until the end of the next volume. However, that doesn’t mean that suddenly Blake and Sun suddenly get more romantic development at all.

One of the first things this volume establishes is that Blake and Sun’s relationship hasn’t developed much in previous volumes. When Sun says he gets why Blake left, Blake believes that he understands her and he immediately proves her wrong. She spends most of the volume irritated at him and in the fights they have together there’s a clear lack of teamwork and communication. All of these things have been present in their relationship since volume 1. For all the supposed development they’ve had in three volumes they’re no closer to understanding each other than when they first met.

There’s three main moments/aspects to look at for any potential romantic development: the “meet the parents” shtick, Sun getting injured against Ilia, and their talk after he wakes up. The former is incredibly shallow and relies on a comedic trope to even be interpreted as romantic. After the intensity and drama of the Adam fight, it’s very lacking in comparison when you’re talking about furthering a romantic relationship and honestly feels like it’s there to try to add some lightheartedness to Blake’s arc.

The other two run into a different issue: both end up circling back to Yang. The lead up to Sun’s injury isn’t doing their relationship any favors (at this point they’re really at their lowest with Blake being done with his invasiveness) and Blake’s reaction to him getting hurt doesn’t further a romantic relationship between them. Not when her immediate reaction is “no, not again”, a clear callback to Yang losing her arm. As I mentioned earlier, it would be very difficult to convince the audience that Blake cares more about Sun than Yang, and having her reference Yang right away does the opposite of that (not to say that she doesn’t care about Sun, just that if the writers were building a romance between them having Blake clearly thinking about Yang isn’t constructive to that). In addition, the scope of Sun’s injury (just a stab wound to the shoulder) makes it a much less dramatic scene in general and mainly happens to get Blake to open up to Sun about why she left.

When she does open up again it ends up circling back to Yang. We get the crack on her name but more importantly Sun himself brings her up, saying he’d get get hurt again protecting Blake and promising (very surely) that Yang would say the same. He’s putting Yang’s dedication to Blake on at least the same level as his, and if you interpret Sun having romantic feelings for Blake it adds to the idea that Yang does as well (on its own it could be taken as romantic or platonic, but we’ve had moments already in volumes 2 and 3 that also lend themselves to the idea that Yang has feelings for Blake). He then continues by talking about how Blake leaving hurts “us” and “we”, not just him, turning their heartfelt conversation into one focused on Blake and her friends. They do end on a much better note here and even have a cute callback after Sun talks about wanting to get even with Ilia (setting himself up as a foil for Blake’s friend and not her ex). At this point they’re settling into a more comfortable friendship and it shows.

Blake and Yang may not interact this volume, but there is still some development. Besides the above mentioned scenes in Blake’s arc, we have Yang’s ptsd and nightmare. While they aren’t romantic teasing at all and are instead part of her own character arc, they are setting up Yang’s eventual rematch with Adam, something Blake will be deeply involved with. What happened in Beacon intertwined Blake and Yang’s character arcs, and even things that aren’t romantic or about each other further their shared plot. He’s both of their monsters at this point, and the final showdown with Adam was always going to be him versus Blake and Yang together from the moment he took Yang’s arm. Additionally, before Yang or Blake even appear in the volume we know that Blake’s mind is on her thanks to the intro, which is reflected by her scenes with Sun.

We see a lot of the ramifications of volume 3 here in volume 4, and even though they are apart we still get development for Blake and Yang while Blake and Sun spend most of the volume fighting. While they do get some development at the end of the volume, the fact that both of their biggest moments have a callback to what happened with Blake and Yang doesn’t scream romantic development, especially given the intensity of what’s being referenced. Blake and Sun’s last conversation also serves to develop Blake’s character in the same way Jaune and Ruby’s and Tai and Yang’s are meant to as opposed to being focused on building a romance with Sun.

Volume 5:

This is the volume that would’ve been the time to canonize b/lacksun if that was the goal. Blake’s in a better place mentally than in volume 4, she and Sun are getting along better, and it’s really the last chance to do it before Sun steps out of the plot for who knows how long (which was always inevitable once Blake reunited with her team and Sun’s role as her support outside of them was no longer needed). Instead, everything stays pretty damn platonic and even the slight romantic coding of his interactions with Blake’s parents are toned down.

Volume 3 makes it very clear that Adam is Yang and Blake’s fight, and volume 5 has several opportunities to try and make it Sun’s too and doesn’t take them. When Blake tells him a little about Adam Sun shows no further interest in him. Instead, the focus shifts to Ilia and Blake wanting to help her the way Sun helped her. Sun is clearly tied to Ilia, Blake’s friend, and not Adam, Blake’s ex which says a lot about how his relationship with Blake is meant to be seen.

There’s still one more opportunity this volume to connect Sun to Adam, one that also would’ve been a great way to establish Blake’s feelings for Sun as stronger than her feelings Yang: the skirmish with Adam. Yet when confronted with Sun, Adam’s incredibly dismissive of him going so far as to call him a “classmate”. This is a huge contrast to how he treats Yang in both encounters with her, and it makes it clear which one he sees as the bigger threat when it comes to Blake. The Haven encounter is also very focused on the White Fang side of the Adam conflict, and lacks the personal and emotional stakes the Blake and Yang vs Adam ones do.

Despite still being separated for the majority of the volume, there’s some very significant development in Blake and Yang’s relationship. However where last volume most of what is there is on Blake’s side, this time it’s Yang where we really see it. Alone Together is the first time we see Yang talk about Blake since volume 3, and it’s very clear that what happened still affects Yang. Her feelings about Blake are complicated; she’s still hurt by Blake leaving but makes it clear that she does still care about her. Her and Weiss have an entire conversation about her messy feelings about Blake and how she wanted both to be there for Blake and for Blake to be there for her (and her desire for a mutual relationship gets plenty of payoff in volume 6). What happened in volume 3 and how it affected Blake and Yang’s relationship is still something that’s being dealt with. It also parallels the conversation Sun and Blake have at the end of volume 4, with Sun and Weiss both able to give Blake and Yang a look at how the other is feeling.

Those conversations help Blake and Yang be in a better place when they finally see each other again, and boy is their reunion something. Blake walks into a room filled with her friends that she hasn’t seen in almost two volumes, some enemies she hasn’t seen in just as long, a whole bunch of strangers, and a spectral Grimm that blew a hole in the wall and immediately focuses on one thing: Yang. Which is followed by a slow closeup of Yang’s reaction, and the framing makes it look like they’re the only two people in the world. Once again their relationship is emphasized in a way that’s unmatched by anything Blake and Sun have.

This volume takes what little alone time Blake and Sun will have for years and does nothing to further a romantic relationship and instead emphasizes how important Blake and Yang’s relationship is. Sun was there to help Blake get back to her team and now that she’s reunited with them in his own words she doesn’t need him anymore.

Volume 6:

I said earlier that volumes 3 and 6 are where we get the biggest differences both in quality and quantity for bumbleby vs b/lacksun, but even volume 3′s massive imbalance ain’t got nothing on this.

Sun shows up in exactly one scene this volume and the fact that Blake kisses him on the cheek has been highly talked about. However, what this scene does is end any potential romance between them. The kiss itself is incredibly zoomed out, too out of focus to be meant to be seen as a grand romantic gesture and Neptune and Sun’s conversation is the final nail in the coffin. Neptune says it feels like Sun is letting her go, something he wouldn’t say if he saw that kiss as the start of something and not the end of it. Sun’s “It was never about that” just adds to it. Blake and Sun will see each other again some day (and their friendship has had some good development in the past two volumes!), but they won’t be starting a romance when they do.

From the very first episode we know that a major part of this volume is going to be Blake and Yang rebuilding their relationship. Yang’s feelings are still complicated; she’s glad that Blake’s back but she’s still hurt by what happened while Blake’s trying to make things up to her but goes about it in not quite the right way at first. The fact that their relationship is the center of one of the major arcs of the volume is huge. It’s not about Yang helping develop Blake’s character or Blake developing Yang’s or even about taking Adam down, no, it’s an entire arc dedicated to their relationship. Even Pyrrha’s arc and relationship with Jaune in the first three volumes is mainly there to lead up to her sacrifice, while Blake and Yang’s end goal this volume is to better their relationship.

Another aspect of their arc that’s unprecedented is just how tactile they are. We see them hold hands on four different occasions, and three of those four are either the focus of the shot or the only thing in the shot (with special mention going to Blake grabbing Yang’s hand in front of Adam being the only thing in the shot two episodes in a row). While handholding isn’t necessarily romantic in and of itself (though it is frequently used that way as seen in the canon romantic pairings of Ren and Nora, Ozma and Salem, Terra and Saphron, and the could-have-been Jaune and Pyrrha), the sheer amount of times they do it is very notable especially in contrast to how Blake and Sun acted. Blake and Sun get a few shoulder touches, most of which aren’t emphasized, and one out of focus cheek kiss and that’s pretty much it. Meanwhile handholding isn’t the only sort of close contact Blake and Yang have. In the finale, the two stay very close and almost constantly maintain physical contact and at the end of Seeing Red their positioning (legs intertwined, Yang’s hand on Blake’s face, Blake’s hand on that one, foreheads touching) is incredibly intimate.

Throughout the volume we see them taking steps to improve their relationship. On the train we get the setup and are shown what their current awkward dynamic is, then in the barn they start making progress. They open up to each other about Adam and they make huge steps when Blake asserts that she’ll be there for Yang if they see Adam again. They take a few steps back when she fumbles with “I’ll protect you” (because we know Yang wants their relationship to mutual) but we do see a large change after they escape the Apathy (likely in part because Blake almost died and also because their previous tension was probably partially a result of the Apathy starting to get to Yang). By the time Blake leaves for the tower, the two are playfully bantering with each other. Blake reaffirms her promise to Yang by promising to hurry back, while Yang’s reaction shows that she’s ready to fully believe her.

When they finally confront Adam, there’s manages to be even more romantic coding than there was in volume 3 in addition to it showing how much Yang and Blake have grown since then. Blake hearing Yang coming and defiantly declaring “I’m not alone” is a far cry from her begging Yang to leave, and Yang telling her to catch her breath reinforces that Yang wants their relationship to be mutual instead of weighted in one of their favors. Blake’s absolute horror at Adam targeting Yang and Yang’s panic when Adam deflects Gambol Shroud remind us how much they care about each. Their teamwork is flawless (improvising a reverse Bumblebee on the fly is insane!) and both their verbal and nonverbal communication allows them to work together to take Adam down when neither could do it alone. The biggest moment though, is Blake reaffirming her promise and declaring “We’re protecting each other”, standing hand in hand with Yang as they stare down Adam.

Blake and Yang’s actions aren’t the only thing to look at here. Adam’s words and actions speak volumes and reinforce that he views Yang as a romantic rival in his twisted way. From the moment he sees her he recognizes her, and why wouldn’t he? This is the woman that Blake threw herself in front, that he promised to destroy because Blake loves her. And here she is, not destroyed and Adam is ready to rectify that. Just watching Blake and Yang look at each other is enough to send him into a murderous rage and his jealousy is even more emphasized with “What does she even see in you?!”, which is so blatantly romantic (and no, it’s not “what does she even see in you [because you’re human]” because he never once comments on the fact that Yang’s human) it’s not even funny. He even tries to manipulate Yang by positing that he was in the same position as her once (”she made a promise to me too, to always be at my side”) which makes it even clearer how he interprets their relationship.

I’ve already said before that the way they embrace after Adam falls is incredibly intimate, and it also reinforces that their relationship is now stronger than ever. We get Yang making sure Blake knows that Yang believes she’s not gonna break her promise, including looking her in the eyes to be sure (something that’s very important after Blake’s relationship with Adam). They end the volume with Yang echoing that they were there for each other to Weiss, who of all people knows how important that is to Yang. Yang and Blake aren’t in a relationship yet (so calling it rushed is very odd), but the groundwork is there and the narrative has made it clear that’s where it will progress.

The show has consistently given Blake and Yang’s relationship more substantial development than Blake and Sun’s. None of this is to say that b/lacksun is a bad ship or that people shouldn’t ship it, just that the argument that bumbleby is somehow less developed than it isn’t supported by the show at all. Blake and Yang’s relationship is incredibly dynamic; we’ve seen them go from strangers to friends to facing a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to struggling to repair their friendship to having an even stronger relationship now, and it isn’t done evolving. There’s so much emphasis placed on their relationship, and it’s going to be beautiful to watch it continue to blossom. 

#rwby #bumbleby #conciseness? i don't know her #thank fucking god for read mores #because there was no way i was gonna do that to y'all without it #let me 🐝 your bmblb #for my own use #last bit might be a little rambley for my taste #but it doesn't bother me too much

[kitkatopinions]

I do think it's rather hilarious that of all the RWBY girls, Blake has the most love interests yet she's never confessed to loving or kissing ANY of them. Even when she was canonically in a relationship with Adam in the flashbacks she's never seen in any intimate scenes that can't also be interpreted as platonic. Ironically Sun is the only one to get a kiss from Blake but blacksun is all but sunk.

Yup, Blake’s relationships are all so... Okay. There’s literally no ship with canon backing for Blake that isn’t full of problems, but one of the (more minor) problems is that Blake always seems like the less interested of whatever couple she’s in.

Some minor ship bashing for most of the popular Blake ships, but most notably for Bumbleby, which I don’t really like. The tumblr tagging system might make it show up in bees tags despite my best efforts and tagging it as anti eight ways to Sunday. Any bees fans, please don’t read this and especially please don’t tell me to take it out of the bees tag, because it isn’t in it.

Don’t get me wrong, I ship BlackSun and I do think that Blake liked him back, and I do read Bumbleby as having romantic feelings on both sides no matter how much I dislike the ship. But Blake always seems less invested.

As for BlackSun, Sun is usually the one to make the moves. He winks, he talks to his friend about her excitedly, he asks her out, he gets flirty after his V3 fight, he decides not to abandon her, he wraps his tail around her waist, he reassures her, he has a friend who talks to him about her in more explicit terms. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not intending to bash Blake with this, and she does display interest. She opens up to Sun more than anyone else, she goes on an explicit date, she blushes when he flirts, she gives him these fond looks, she actively kisses him on the cheek... I’m just saying that Sun drives their relationship a bit more than her. For them, I don’t think it’s really a bad thing, since Blake does reciprocate and do things, she just takes her time with it and is less obvious about her feelings. It’s still just a fact of their ship though.

As for Bumbleby, for the first five seasons, it’s much easier to read Yang being interested in Blake than it is to read Blake as interested in Yang, which makes them feel very one sided (and even Yang’s behavior is easily dismissed as not romantic.) And then when they do start getting romantic coding, it’s after Blake has been super guilty and then swears to stay with Yang in a very traumatic and triggering situation, now in volume seven and eight, her and Yang’s romance feels forced enough that it’s really hard for me to read Blake as actually in love with Yang and wanting to be in a relationship with her, and instead she just feels... Stuck? Like she’s trying to be in love with Yang, because she feels like she should be. I get that it’s not the only definitive reading, this is just how I feel personally.

And obviously, Blake was already done with Adam prior to the start of the series, and there’s really nothing that says she ever felt anything more than friendship for Ilia, while Weiss and Ruby are the next more viable options and again, Blake has showed less interest than they have. Once again, it’s not bad, but it does make the whole concept of ‘having to justify ships’ that I was talking about really difficult, because people can easily dismiss Blake as not caring at all, and it just adds onto the other problems of most of Blake’s more popular ships.

Blake’s most believable relationship was with Sun, but you’re sadly right about the ship’s chances.

#rwde #anti rwby #anti bumbleby #anti bumblebee #anti bumblby #anti bmblb #anti bb #anti bees #anti-bumbleby #anti-BB #anti yang x blake #anti blake x yang

[blake-belladonna-defence-force]

Kintsugi

Okay. Recently I sent this ask to @bloodraven55

And ever since then, my brain won’t fucking stop with this bumbleby plot. Why are these girls so inspirational?

I’ve been hesitant to post it because I want to do the girls justice and my anxiety had me convinced I would do something wrong. But I’ll never grow as a writer if it just stays in the damn folders. Constructive criticism is definitely encouraged.

So, here it is *screams in anxiety*

.........................................................................

With contact finally made with General Ironwood, the gang had finally been able to make it to their temporary lodgings; a local inn. Granted, there wasn’t enough rooms to let out to each individual so they were required to share rooms.

Ruby had instantly announced that she was bunking with Weiss. Although, the younger girl had been unable to resist playfully informing Blake that she felt guilty for forcing her sleep in the same room as the team’s tractor. Blake, as was common for the cat faunus, humoured Ruby and went along with it;(giving her partner that little half smirk that Yang was beginning to think was solely meant for her) informing Ruby that it was a sacrifice that she was willing to make for the sake of the team in a rather deadpan manner.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group made their arrangements easily enough and soon enough, the black and yellow pair found themselves in their room. Upon entering, Yang immediately collapsed onto one of the beds, groaning slightly as her body bounced against the thin mattress. Not too long after, she heard the springs of the other bed squeak. Rolling over to look at her partner revealed a completely drained looking Blake, her faunus ears rotating anxiously. It didn’t take Yang long to understand why.

Blake held the remains of Gambol Shroud in her lap, her hands running along the blade. Yang watched, feeling her heartstrings tug painfully for the woman sitting across from her.

Their weapons were, as Ruby liked to remind her, extensions of their souls. There were theories that you could see who a person was based on their weapon and how they used it, much like their semblances. A broken weapon, however, usually left the wielder feeling hollow, like a piece of them had been torn away. Yang understood that feeling all too well; the pain in Blake’s eyes was all too familiar. There was no way in hell that she was going to let her partner go through this alone.

“Hey, you doing okay, Blake?” She asked softly, moving to sit up so that she could meet Blake’s eyes better. Blake didn’t say anything for a moment. She saw the way Blake’s jaw worked, muscles clenching. The way her ears almost blended into her hair. Blake was fighting an internal battle. Yang could only hope that she was ready to accept an ally.

“I will be. Right now, I just want to focus on getting my weapon fixed. I can’t think about..” When Blake finally spoke, it was thick with emotion, breaking off before she could finish her train of thought. Yang stood up and slowly approached Blake. She gently sat on the shorter woman’s right, wrapping her arm around her and slowly drew her in. Blake immediately melted into Yang, a quiet apology whispered against Yang’s collar as she rested her forehead in the crook of Yang’s neck.

“Don’t be. You’ve been through hell and back. If you’re not ready to talk, that’s okay.”

Several moments passed as the two women took comfort within each other’s presence, content to stay as they were. Yang, however, knew that Blake was anxious to get her weapon sorted out.

“Do you want some help with Gambol Shroud? Ruby’s a huge geek when it comes to these things so…” She started to ask, only to be interrupted.

“Actually, I was kind of hoping that you might help me?” “Of course.” Yang cooed softly into Blake’s hair after a moment. “What did you have in mind?”

It was an honour to help somebody with their weapon and as such required a certain level of trust that must not be taken for granted or abused. Something that Yang would never do to the incredible woman sitting beside her.

Yang didn’t know why it threw her for a loop. She really shouldn’t have been surprised; ever since Blake had come back, the girl had been more affectionate and open with her friends. Perhaps it was only natural that she trusted her partner with her weapon.

“Kintsugi.” Yang blinked at the simple reply. “Come again?” She asked, somewhat confused. She felt, more than heard, the sigh that left Blake as she sat up and wiped her eyes to look at Yang.

“Sometimes I forget that there’s such a difference between our cultures.” Blake mused as she rolled her eyes slightly. Yang tilted head down at Blake.

“So, it’s a faunus culture thing?” Yang asked, genuinely interested. She had always loved listening to Blake talk about her culture; her eyes would light up when talking, almost seeming to sharpen from warm amber to molten gold. She always spoke with so much passion; it was something that Yang had always found immensely attractive.

“Yes. It’s, well, it’s the tradition of repairing broken items with gold. Usually pottery, but we tend to use it for broken weapons as well. It’s actually a really important part of our culture.” Biting her lip thoughtfully, shifting so that she could lay Gambol Shroud out on the bed between them.

“I was actually thinking of using gold to repair my blade. Maybe extend it a little. What do you think?” Yang knew that there was a very different reason for the choice, but she couldn’t help the way her cheeks suddenly felt a little bit too warm at the thought of Blake having gold on her weapon.

She shook herself out of it and placed her hand on Blake’s. “If it’s important to you, I say go for it.” She replied, smiling softly. Blake cocked her head slightly, a small, almost bashful smile crossing her features.

“It’s very important, Yang. We believe that when something is broken, it’s beauty is not diminished. If anything, it adds to it.” Blake adjusted their hands, idly fiddling with Yang’s fingers. She almost seemed nervous. Yang’s brows furrowed, but she opted to remain silent.

“For some of us, it can be difficult at first. But if you give your gold the opportunity to fill the cracks, you’ll realise that those cracks show how special something is. The journey that’s been traveled.” Yang gazed at her partner with a renewed sense of awe. There was something in her words that made her suspect that she wasn’t talking about Gambol Shroud anymore.

“I think it’s kind of like you and me, you know. You helped fill the cracks that he made. Helped me see that I’m no less worthy because of the scars he left. You helped reforge a broken, scared girl into the person that you saw that night in Mountain Glenn. You’re my gold, Yang, my kintsugi.” Blake’s voice was filled with conviction, as though she held no doubt in her words.

Yang’s jaw had dropped. She knew that Blake cared for her. However, the degree of which she cared had stunned her into silence. What could she even say to that? How could she possibly begin to explain how much Blake’s words meant to her? She looked away for a moment and tried to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat. But perhaps words were necessary; she did believe in actions speaking louder than words, after all.

Yang attempted to blink back the tears that threatened to fall before moving Blake’s weapon aside. “C’mere, you.” Yang croaked out before pulling Blake into a tight hug, nuzzling into her neck in a desperate attempt to hide the tears that fell. Deceptively strong arms immediately wrapped around her, while a gentle hand ran soothingly through her hair. Yang, for the first time in years, allowed herself to receive the comfort that she had so freely given and so seldom been returned. There was no doubt in Yang’s mind about whether or not her feelings mattered to Blake; together they were here and together they would heal.

There was no doubt that they still had a lot to talk about. Both women knew that. But for the moment, they were content simply knowing that something was forming between them. Or perhaps it was something else entirely; something that existed long before their eyes met across the body of an Ursa, just waiting for them to find the missing fragment of their broken souls. The one that would become their kintsugi.

#rwby #bumbleby #blake belladonna #yang xiao long #fanfic