#the largest class in the school's history

[yuurei20]

Short Translation from Twisted Wonderland the second novel: Yuuya in Class

"‘We’ve got that strategy meeting at lunch today—Yuu, Grim, you two gotta come, all right? No running off. The Housewarden isn’t mad anymore, so don’t be so freaked out.’

‘I’m not freaked out!’ Grim declares.

Yuuya opens his mouth to explain all that happened yesterday, but then stops himself. No matter how he phrases it, it would damage Riddle’s pride.

‘Yeah, I know,’ Yuuya replies.

Deuce smiles as well, nodding in response. 'All right. So meet up in the cafeteria at lunch,’ he says, facing forward in his seat to prepare for their first period class.

After homeroom is Magical History. Trein’s classes are both difficult and strict, requiring thorough preparation.

Ace snickers at the serious-looking Deuce. ‘Turning on us just like that. Not that it’s doin’ ya any good.’

‘Shut up. Maybe you should try it, too.’

‘Nah. I don’t like stuff that needs a bunch of memorizing.’

‘Me neither,’ agrees Grim.

As Grim messes around with Ace without so much as taking out his textbook, a nearby Heartslabyul student says, ‘Grim—isn’t Trein going to be calling on you today?’

In an instant, Grim’s expression becomes serious.

‘You make Trein mad again and you’re really in for it.’

Grim nods repeatedly in response to this stern advice.

When Yuuya thanks him, the student responds with an awkward chuckle. ‘You’ve sure got a rough time of it, Yuu.’

‘Come on Grim, we need to study properly. You might even get assigned extra lessons again.’

‘Ugh…what a hassle.’

Grim reluctantly allows himself to be coerced into facing forward, and Yuuya opens his reference book. 'Coming to Know Twisted Wonderland.’

It is a thick book, but at long last he is more than halfway through. Still on his first read-through he cannot remember much, but the shock of seeing a world map entirely different from that of earth has stuck with him.

He now recognizes the names of the larger countries, and even the hometowns of the people he is closest to.

Night Raven College is on Sage’s Island, of the Land of Dawning. Despite the island’s diminutive size it is home to two prestigious schools: Night Raven College and their rival, Royal Sword Academy. Ace, Deuce, Trey and Riddle are from the Queendom of Roses, which seems to be a group of islands to the east of Sage’s Island.

Cater is from the largest country, the ‘Land of Pyroxene.'

Due to what his family does for work he has moved frequently, and he taught Yuuya the names of various cities.

Leona, from yesterday, is a member of Sunset Savanna’s royal family according to what Deuce has said. Yuuya confirms in the book before him that Sunset Savanna extends into the south from Sage’s Island. It is described as ‘a vast country with abundant nature,’ with a photo of grasslands and a blue sky as an example of the climate.

The book also contains details about the country: in the past, there were lawless territories where the rule of its own kings did not reach. While, now, there are beautifully developed urban areas, there are also large slum towns, and significant economic disparity.

Over half the population consists of beast-people. The region is inhabited by many rare, wild animals. Out of respect for nature and to avoid reckless overdevelopment, there are limits on urbanization.

While Yuuya looks over the map Grim, at his side, stares at his lesson materials for the day with a groan. ‘I don’t get none of this.’"

#twstnovel2 #twisted wonderland #twst translations

[yuesya]

Sometime ago you said that if shiki and showed some form of hesitation or uneasiness at geto's question then he may have had ended completely different, can you give us some snippets of how things would work between geto, satoru and shiki in case that happens?( And maybe throw in some interactions with other characters like maki and yuuta too)

“Again, Satoru? Really?”

The voice that floats out from the slightly-ajar door of the office and into the hallway is resigned and exasperated, but there’s an undertone of something helplessly fond even so. Shiki pauses in her footsteps, and nearly gets bowled over by Hakari-san for her trouble.

“What’s with that tone?” Satoru-niichan’s voice sounds cheerily in response. “C’mon, Suguru, aren’t you the one who’s always advocating for sorcerers having a stronger presence? Can’t exactly do that when we’re always short on sorcerers, can we?”

An irritated tsk. “This and that are completely separate issues, and you know it. Is this going to be a habit of yours going forward? Registering every kid who gets saddled with an execution sentence into a jujutsu student?”

“Maybe you should talk to the higher-ups about it. Tell them to stop trying to execute kids, y’know?”

“Maybe you should be the one talking to them. Between the two of us, they’re more likely to listen to you, anyways.”

“But the higher-ups hate me!” Satoru-niichan whines. “And c’mon, you have a great track record with this. Just look at Mimiko and Nanako! Yuta, too! They’re all your handiwork!”

“Okay, first: Mimiko and Nanako were only loosely labeled as curse users, they never committed any serious offenses and never had an execution order hanging over their heads,” his friend responds, unimpressed. “Secondly, Okkotsu Yuta was… an exceptional case. And besides, the main issue with Okkotsu was Rika’s uncontrollability, which my cursed technique is a perfect counter for in the worst case scenario.”

A dramatic sigh. “But you’re so good with all our kids! It’s always ‘Geto-sensei’ this and ‘Geto-sensei’ that, because you’re so reliable and dependable-”

“Butter me up all you want, but I'm not doing Itadori Yuji’s paperwork for you.”

“B-but this is the perfect chance for you to earn extra points with your future student!”

“He’ll be your student first; you’re the one teaching the first years,” Geto-sensei says mercilessly. “It’ll be another two years before he’ll be my problem. And speaking of my students…”

A slight pause. Geto-sensei had deliberately raised his voice towards the end, so that meant-

Shiki wordlessly holds out her hand, and catches the small mouse-like curse that drops down from the ceiling, chittering.

“Gojo Shiki, Hakari Kinji. Had enough fun eavesdropping on your teachers yet?”

#QA #Writing #zenith of stars au #in the case that geto chose not to betray jujutsu high #he sticks with satoru #and becomes a teacher!! #satoru teaches the first years #geto teaches the third years #mimiko and nanako are second years #the tokyo school's class of second years is 5-man strong #the largest class in the school's history

[odinsblog]

🗣️THIS IS WHAT INCLUSIVE, COMPASSIONATE DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

Minnesota Dems enacted a raft of laws to make the state a trans refuge, and ensure people receiving trans care here can't be reached by far-right governments in places like Florida and Texas. (link)

Minnesota Dems ensured that everyone, including undocumented immigrants, can get drivers' licenses. (link)

They made public college free for the majority of Minnesota families. (link)

Minnesota Dems dropped a billion dollars into a bevy of affordable housing programs, including by creating a new state housing voucher program. (link)

Minnesota Dems massively increased funding for the state's perpetually-underfunded public defenders, which lets more public defenders be hired and existing public defenders get a salary increase. (link)

Dems raised Minnesota education spending by 10%, or about 2.3 billion. (link)

Minnesota Dems created an energy standard for 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. (link)

Minnesota already has some of the strongest election infrastructure (and highest voter participation) in the country, but the legislature just made it stronger, with automatic registration, preregistration for minors, and easier access to absentee ballots. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded the publicly subsidized health insurance program to undocumented immigrants. This one's interesting because it's the sort of things Dems often balk at. The governor opposed it! The legislature rolled over him and passed it anyway. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded background checks and enacted red-flag laws, passing gun safety measures that the GOP has thwarted for years. (link)

Minnesota Dems gave the state AG the power to block the huge healthcare mergers that have slowly gobbled up the state's medical system. (link)

Minnesota Dems restored voting rights to convicted felons as soon as they leave prison. (link)

Minnesota Dems made prison phone calls free. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed new wage protection rules for the construction industry, against industry resistance. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a new sales tax to fund bus and train lines, an enormous victory for the sustainability and quality of public transit. Transit be more pleasant to ride, more frequent, and have better shelters, along more lines. (link)

They passed strict new regulations on PFAS ("forever chemicals"). (link)

Minnesota Dems passed the largest bonding bill in state history! Funding improvements to parks, colleges, water infrastructure, bridges, etc. etc. etc. (link)

They're going to build a passenger train from the Twin Cities to Duluth. (link)

I can't even find a news story about it but there's tens of millions in funding for new BRT lines, too. (link)

A wonky-but-important change: Minnesota Dems indexed the state gas tax to inflation, effectively increasing the gas tax. (link)

They actually indexed a bunch of stuff to inflation, including the state's education funding formula, which helps ensure that school spending doesn't decline over time. (link)

Minnesota Dems made hourly school workers (e.g., bus drivers and paraprofessionals) eligible for unemployment during summer break, when they're not working or getting paid. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed a bunch of labor protections for teachers, including requiring school districts to negotiate class sizes as part of union contracts. (Yet another @SydneyJordanMN special here. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a state board to govern labor standards at nursing homes. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a Prescription Drug Affordability Board, which would set price caps for high-cost pharmaceuticals. (link)

Minnesota Dems created new worker protections for Amazon warehouse workers and refinery workers. (link)

Minnesota Dems passed a digital fair repair law, which requires electronics manufacturers to make tools and parts available so that consumers can repair their electronics rather than purchase new items. (link)

Minnesota Dems made Juneteenth a state holiday. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned conversion therapy. (link)

They spent nearly a billion dollars on a variety of environmental programs, from heat pumps to reforestation. (link)

Minnesota Dems expanded protections for pregnant and nursing workers - already in place for larger employers - to almost everyone in the state. (link)

Minnesota Dems created a new child tax credit that will cut child poverty by about a quarter. (link)

Minnesota Democrats dropped a quick $50 million into homelessness prevention programs. (link)

And because the small stuff didn't get lost in the big stuff, they passed a law to prevent catalytic converter thefts. (link)

Minnesota Dems increased child care assistance. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned "captive audience meetings," where employers force employees to watch anti-union presentations. (link)

No news story yet, but Minnesota Dems forced signal priority changes to Twin Cities transit. Right now the trains have to wait at intersections for cars, which, I can say from experience, is terrible. Soon that will change.

Minnesota Dems provided the largest increase to nursing home funding in state history. (link)

They also bumped up salaries for home health workers, to help address the shortage of in-home nurses. (link)

Minnesota Dems legalized drug paraphernalia, which allows social service providers to conduct needle exchanges and address substance abuse with reduced fear of incurring legal action. (link)

Minnesota Dems banned white supremacists and extremists from police forces, capped probation at 5 years for most crimes, improved clemency, and mostly banned no-knock warrants. (link)

Minnesota Dems also laid the groundwork for a public health insurance option. (link)

I’m happy for the people of Minnesota, but as a Floridian living under Ron DeSantis & hateful Republicans, I’m also very envious tbh. We know that democracy can work, and this is a shining example of what government could be like in the hands of legislators who actually care about helping people in need, and not pursuing the GOP’s “culture wars” and suppressing the votes of BIPOC, and inflicting maximum harm on those who aren’t cis/het, white, wealthy, Christian males. BRAVO MINNESOTA. This is how you do it! And the Minnesota Dems did it with a one seat majority, so no excuses. Forget about the next election and focus on doing as much good as you can, while you still can. 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

👉🏿 https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1660846689450688514.html

#politics #minnesota #social justice #culture wars #this is what democracy looks like #republicans are evil

[sabertoothwalrus]

Hi!! I hope it's okay to ask, which university are you/were you attending? I want to study animation in university but i have no idea which one to choose, so can you please tell me about yours?👉👈

I go to CSUF! It’s definitely one of the cheapest places to get a degree in animation in California, if not the US.

Only a handful of the California State schools offer animation, and most of the ones that do are 3D only, and I wanted to learn 2D.

SJSU has a good 2D anim program, and they’re the only state school in the bay area that does, BUT last I checked you need something like a 3.9 GPA to get in?????? like HELLO these are animation students. who are you fooling

the other schools I considered were CSULB and CSUN.

CSULB has a strong animation program! They have the guy that literally created the worldwide 24 Hour Animation Challenge. However, they required ONE extra art history class that none of the other CSUs needed, and I didn’t have it, and I wasn’t about to prolong transferring a whole other semester just to take it. (It was prehistoric art history, I think, which I admit sounds cool as fuck)

The reason I chose CSUF, beyond liking their curriculum better than CSUN, was because I heard about the Pencil Mileage Club. It’s the largest student-run animation club in Southern California. I’d argue that networking is almost more important than your actual skill. I’ll admit, the faculty is probably not doing as much for the students as other schools, but PMC more than makes up for it. I’ve made all my friends (and girlfriend teehee) through this club. I was president of my Art Club at my community college, so it was important to me to be part of PMC’s council. I’m now an event coordinator and so I help organize and run events and studio tours and guest speakers! :)) Clubs and extracurriculars look fantastic on resumes, so wherever you go, look into what’s available.

Things I should note: when you start at CSUF, whether as a freshman or through transferring, you will not be an animation major yet. You have to do the portfolio review first, and you can’t have any of the prerequisite classes in-progress when you apply. The portfolio requirement is only a few years old, too, and therefore it’s not nearly as competitive as, say… calarts or sheridan. I often say, students make the program better, not the other way around. the higher the level of students that apply, the higher the overall education quality will need to be to match that. Though this does mean that the higher quality a program is, the more people will be excluded, unfortunately.

CSUF’s aniamtion program itself is…. a little silly. You take storyboarding and character design after doing your short film ? for some reason? The new department head started at the school the same semester I did, and she’s definitely trying to make it better. She held a screening of the production classes’ finished films, and she told me she plans to have the curriculum restructured by 2025 (after I graduate, lol).

I’ll also mention that the art buildings are in the process of getting demolished and rebuilt. The first wave of new buildings won’t be done until the end of this year, and once that’s finished, they’ll tear down the remaining two buildings and start remodeling those. For now, we do a lot of our classes in the modular buildings jdhshfjs 🫡

We also have a mated pair of gay ducks that come every spring. Their names are Pebble and Rock. They are beloved by the art students.

And really, you don’t NEED a degree in animation to get into the industry. There are SO many online resources out there, a lot that are free, that can give you just as good of an education (in fact, several of my professors’ lectures have just been playing youtube videos and pulling up articles). BUT your classmates WILL be your future coworkers. If you’re not establishing relationships with people in some way on your own, you definitely need to make that bigger priority. After all, you won’t be working by yourself when you’re in the industry.

edit: oh I forgot to say that all the california state schools are striking the first week of the semester. so uh. there’s that

[ultimate-spiderman-stuff]

Web-Warriors x gn!reader headcanons please? How would they react when they'd befriend reader and then realize they have a crush on them?

Peter

Peter met you in school

He got assigned to sit next to you in history

You were drawing,not really paying attention to the class

He kinda was just tapping his pen awkwardly trying to think of a good conversation starter

Ends up blurting out something really randome like:

'Hey, did you know that barnacals have the largest dicks relative to their size?'

He practically dies inside

He hurriedly tries to back track,stumbling over his words

Then you just look up from your drawing,raising an eyebrow at him, nodding slowly

Peter just stays quiet for half the period then he decides to ask what your drawing

You turn the sketch book around to show him Darth Vader

Cue to both of you fangirling over Star Wars

After a while you guys started hanging out at breaks with Harry and MJ

The both of you have the kind of friendship where you'll say randome facts about stuff completely out of then blue

Finally the team gets so annoyed with the constant yapping that they don't bother asking Peter if he likes you, they tell him

You already knew you like him but was just waiting for the right time to ask him out

The next day after class you both confess at the same time

It was really awkward but wholsome

So you start dating

Flash

He met you at the gym

You were doing weights and he offered to spot for you

You gladly accepted his offer and you guys clicked instantly

At first he thought it would be a one time thing, but the next time he was there he saw you and instantly came over

Soon you both were sharing opinions of different artists to listen to,and walking home together

Soon he asked you out

You went out for smoothies

Miles

You were from the Red Room and was recently taken into SHIELD

SHIELD had given you some Red Dust so you were free from the Red Room

Miles had come over to hangout with you in the cafeteria and was currently talking your ear off about Ghostbusters

As annoying as his constant banter was the plot was quite interesting

You were always getting into fights with everyone but you found him just that little bit more tolerable

Miles also liked hanging out with you even though you frightened him a bit

But after awhile he began to not really be bothered by you

Soon he decided to ask Peter for some advice on what he was feeling

Peter wasn't quite his best decision to go to cos Peter is practically clueless in that category

But after a lot of researching and Google saying he was going to die of a heart condition, both of them found the answer

Ge was in love with you

Ot was a very sweet confection, the poor boy was so nervous

You had no idea about dating

But everything eventually worked out

Amadeus

He met you at SHIELD

And yes you were 13 the same age as Amadeus

You were a botanist like your parents so you were able to work in the labs

Amadeus might be the 7th smartest person in the world but plants were just not his thing

So when he found some new plant based material on patrol he asked you for help

It turns out he wasn't as much as a prick as everyone else said he was

But he was still annoying

After a couple of days he was becoming a bit less of a dick then before

After a couple of weeks the prodject was finished

He kept on finding reasons to go back to your lab and the relationship began

None of you guys actually said it, it kinda just happened

So like who knows you could just be really good friends who shares a lab and custody of a goldfish

Ben

Scarlet was on patrol when he saw a creepy dude with a gun go into the cafe you were working at

By the time he got there he saw you judo flip the guy

So he just sat back and watched the show

Once you were done with him, he webbed the guy up, staring at you suspiciously

'What? Did ya think I couldn't protect myself just because I have no powers?' You asked

'Did I say that, punk?' He muttered, glaring harder

You rolled your eyes at his attitude, giving him a hot chocolate

Once he left he had to say you peeked his interest

So when aunt May was having a bit of trouble finding where to go to for lunch he suggested the cafe you worked at

May noticed that he was staring at you more than he did at other people so made sure to go there more often

Sometimes he even goes there without May

He begins to go there almost every day so that he can see you

He starts to talk to you and and become somewhat friends

After awhile he confide in May

She was so excited that he was interested in someone

So when he decided to confess he was a blushing mess

You got what he was getting at and said yes

#peter parker #miles morales #amadeus cho #flash tompson #ben reilly #spiderman #kid arachnid #iron spider #agent venom #scarlet spider #ultimate spiderman #usm #Ultimate spiderman x reader #x reader #headcanons #Peter parker x reader #miles morales x reader #flash thompson x reader #amadeus cho x reader #ben reilly x reader #scarlet spider x reader

[skyward-floored]

Febuwhump Collab Day 4 (& 22) — Obedience, “you weren’t meant to be there”

This one I wrote with two prompts in mind, and as I was going along I realized it also fits with the day 17 one as well (hostage situation) so three at once! I feel bad for Time, I’m always giving him a hard time in this au...

Warning for some injuries, some violence, and a gun that gets waved around in a threatening manner

Today’s lovely art

Ao3 link

————————————————————

Time drove down the street with the windows down in his car, enjoying the cool air that blew inside and ruffled his hair. It was a lovely afternoon, and he was glad to not be wasting it in an office.

Some kind of maintenance for the building he worked in had forced Time out of his office, and with nothing better to do, he’d been allowed to take the rest of the day off. He was looking forward to being home alone with Malon for a bit before his sons returned from school, and was already relishing the quiet they’d get to enjoy.

...Assuming, of course, that there wasn’t anything else that required his attention in the meantime.

Time sighed. Ever since supers had been (somewhat reluctantly) legalized again, it seemed like the crime rate had doubled to try and make up for it. Every other day he was stopping a bank robbery, or mugging, or any number of random misdeeds. He was endlessly relieved they were all no longer classified as illegal, and they’d fought hard for it, but... it was starting to get exhausting.

As if on cue, the music from the radio was cut off, and a news anchor began spouting off a report of an in-progress museum robbery.

Disappointment washed over him, and Time sighed and changed lanes, turning away from home and towards the direction of the museum. Malon would have been listening to the radio as well, and she would know he would go to help.

So much for our quiet afternoon.

Putting aside his disappointment, Time turned up the radio to hear the details better, mentally forming a plan for when he got the Hyrule Museum of History. The robbers had gone to the wing where the gems and older artifacts were housed, and had apparently blockaded themselves inside. He couldn’t believe they were brash enough to attempt a theft in broad daylight, at the largest museum in town at that...

But then again, perhaps they want some publicity, Time thought with a snort. There were always criminals around trying to make themselves out as bigger then they were.

The woman on the radio continued with the details, and Time suddenly jerked his head down to stare at it as she repeated the name of the building.

A robbery at the Hyrule Museum of History.

The same museum where several of his children had a field trip scheduled for today.

Time breathed in sharply and stepped on the gas, navigating towards the museum with an increased urgency. Not all of the grades were scheduled to be there at the same time, but there was at least one group that was supposed to still be at the museum now, and three of his sons had been there today.

No, calm down, he berated himself, getting honked at as he narrowly made it through a light, you know they can all handle a crisis, they’ve proved that. And they might not even be there anymore.

It was completely possible that all of their classes had finished and had already gone back to the school, or that the school groups were on the opposite side of the building from where the robbers were. Or maybe his sons had been evacuated with everyone else and would be waiting outside when Time got there, wanting to help out.

Maybe.

Time reached the museum in record time, though the trip seemed to take forever. He ducked into an alley and changed into his gear at lightning speed, then ran for the building, sirens in his ears.

There was a whole crowd of people outside, confused kids and frightened adults, police and security guards trying to maintain order through the clamor. Time left the police to their business of corralling civilians— though he made sure to scan the crowd for three familiar heads, heart sinking when he didn’t find a single one— and went through a side door, out of way of the crowd.

The officer guarding the inside jumped at the sight of him, but quickly realized who he was, directing him to where the robbers had gone with a relieved look.

“We got a report that there’s some kids missing from a school group, Mr. Deity,” he warned before Time went on his way. “It’s possible they’re in the wing the robbers sealed off, but we haven’t been able to get inside to check yet.“

Time’s stomach clenched, but he nodded, and headed for the section that housed ancient jewelry.

The halls were eerily quiet apart from Time’s rapid bootsteps, normally crowded halls foreboding and empty. He didn’t go to the main doorway of the wing, knowing that’s what the robbers would expect, and also where the police would be focusing their efforts, and instead went for one of the smaller doors.

Sure enough there were no police there, only an entrance blocked off by a huge fallen statue of some kind. Time had no trouble moving it aside enough that he could get through, and began running again, his heart in his throat.

Please, please let them be outside, please—

It was even quieter in this section, and Time didn’t pass a soul as he ran past paintings and bones, ancient armor and swords displayed proudly on the walls. Yet the thieves must have hidden a lookout somewhere, for when Time turned the corner into the room housing the most rare pieces, they were waiting for him.

There were at least six of them visible, wearing dark clothing and masks that covered most of their faces. All were armed with guns, most pointed in Time’s direction, but one was pointing towards the group of kids huddled in the center of the room.

Legend right in the line of fire.

Panic and anger roared to life in Time’s chest, but he shoved them away, forcing himself to remain collected in front of the group of criminals. Showing weakness would do nothing but give them an advantage, and despite the fact that he wanted to do nothing but charge forward and get Legend out of there, he remained where he was.

Legend locked eyes with Time, and the relief in his gaze made Time’s hands threaten to shake.

“Hm, Fierce Deity,” the man pointing the gun at the kids said, levelly meeting his gaze. His mask seemed more sinister than the rest. “The report indicated that you were not the most likely hero to show up here today.”

“Let them go,” Time demanded, the other kids watching him in frightened hope. He recognized them as ones from Legend’s class, thankfully no more of his sons among them. “These kids were just here for a field trip, don’t mix them up in this.”

The man crept closer to Legend. “They will be fine if you allow us to leave with what we came for.”

“They’re just kids,” Time said, voice darkened with anger. The man looked at him in an almost bored way, then back down at Legend. “What is it you even came here to steal?”

“That’s our business,” the leader said with a smile in his voice. “Now drop your weapon, and they will be fine.”

Time breathed out, scanning the room again before returning his gaze to Legend. His son was too far for him to reach before anything happened, the other kids as well, and even if there was a remote chance he could get Legend out of the way, it was unlikely he could protect all of the hostages.

You should have been more stealthy coming in—

“D— Fierce Deity,” Legend said in a soft, urgent voice, and Time looked at his son with increasing desperation. “Don’t listen to him, just get everyone else out of here, I’ll be—”

The gun was pressed to Legend’s head, the click of it being cocked near deafening to Time’s ears.

“Put your weapon down, or he gets a bullet through the head,” the man said softly. One of the other kids whimpered. “Swiftly followed by the rest of them.”

Time looked between the man and Legend, seconds ticking by loudly in his head. It was a nightmare knowing he had the power to stop every thief in the room, but being unable to do a thing. He had to stop them, but he couldn’t do anything, not without risking Legend, or any of the other kids, not unless he—

Legend’s lip trembled, almost imperceptibly, and Time exhaled as he bowed his head.

Then he dropped his weapon.

Legend gave him an agonized look as Time raised his hands in surrender, and though Time couldn’t see the man who was still holding the gun to his head’s face, he was sure he was smirking at them both.

Rage abruptly slammed into Time, more powerful then any of the emotions he’d been dealing with so far, and he gave the robber a look of pure hatred. How dare he mix these kids up in a stupid scheme that was doubtless just to make some money?

No lives were worth a couple of pretty rocks, no matter how rare.

“Get on your knees,” the man demanded next, a hint of glee in his voice, and Time grit his teeth and did as he said.

The other robbers jeered as he kneeled down, and closed their circle around him, one kicking at his legs to make him go down faster. A fist suddenly connected with his face, and Time flinched backwards, laughter ringing in his ears. Another blow hit him on the knee, pain bursting up his leg, and he forced himself not to react.

“You’re not going to fight back?” one of them mocked, making him gasp as he jabbed him in the stomach. “It’d be so easy, just one little punch!”

“Let them go and I’ll give you a fight,” Time growled, but the man with the gun shook his head.

“No, I’m enjoying myself too much. Leaving can wait, the Fierce Deity at our mercy is too good of an opportunity to pass up on,” he chuckled. “Rough him up boys, this could be our break into the big time if word gets out.”

Time barely had time to brace himself before the blows began to rain down, all of the robbers eager to swing a punch or two his way.

Now part of Time’s powers was increased durability, his body able to handle much more strain and abuse than any normal person. But he wasn’t invincible in any sense of the word, and the robbers all had extremely hard boots and gloves, and a few had weapons that slammed into and jabbed at sensitive points all over him.

And he didn’t dare fight back.

By the time they were finished knocking him around, Time had a split lip and bruised ribs, and he wasn’t confident his knee would hold his weight. But despite the pounding in his head and the sharp ache radiating up from his middle, Legend was still unharmed, and so were the other kids.

That was all that mattered.

Time breathed in and met Legend’s eyes for a second, his son’s blue gaze wide and equally angry and fearful as they looked at each other.

“You’ve had your fun,” Time said in a voice more hoarse then before. “Now do what you said, and let them go.”

The leader idly twirled his gun, the barrel no longer pressed to Legend’s head, but still much too close to it. “I don’t think so. I don’t want any funny business from you. They’ll come with us until we’re well on our way, and then they’ll be freed.”

The fire in Time’s stomach roared. “You said you’d let them go if I dropped my weapon.”

“Your own fault for trusting the word of a thief,” the leader shrugged, and Time nearly leapt at him then and there. “We’ll be on our way now. And if you decide to follow us before we’re gone, this little group here might just—”

Someone dropped from the ceiling and landed on top of the man.

He let out a shocked cry as he was thrown to the ground, and Time realized Wild had been the one to drop from above, fully in his costume, and Hyrule and Malon soon dropped down along with him.

Relief swept over Time at the sight of his wife and other two missing sons, both safe and sound. Despite the pain when he moved, he swung out at the nearest robber, who took his punch full on the chin and fell to the ground, immediately unconscious.

A gun went off somewhere, but the familiar sound of the bullet being stopped by Hyrule’s shield rang in Time’s ears. A shriek accompanied it, and Time saw his wife hustling the kids back and away from the fight.

“We got what we came for, let’s go!” the leader of the thieves shouted, having somehow wrestled himself away from Wild, and they all sprinted out into a hallway.

Wild’s face screwed up in anger and he bolted after them, Hyrule following close behind. Malon didn’t immediately follow though, pausing at Time’s side and putting a concerned hand on his face.

“Are you okay?” she breathed worriedly, running her thumb by his split lip. “I heard on the radio, I came as soon as I realized, but I had to find the boys first—”

“You need to get those kids out of here,” Time interrupted softly, clasping her hand for just a moment. Malon scanned over him, then nodded, her eyes worried behind her mask.

“You’re right. We can regroup in a bit,” she murmured, and Time pressed the briefest of kisses to her hand.

Malon quickly stood and went back to the group of kids, giving Legend only a short squeeze on the shoulder since she was in costume and wasn’t supposed to know him. She began ushering them out in a different direction than the bandits had gone, and Time watched them leave, relieved they were all fine.

Stumbling slowly to his feet as they trailed out of the room, Time winced as he put weight on his one leg. He’d certainly had worse, but unless Hyrule was willing to help him along, he’d probably need a doctor. Relaxing afternoon indeed.

Legend suddenly materialized at his side as he managed to stand, his face still pale from what had just happened, eyes wide as they looked him over.

Time didn’t hesitate to bundle him into a tight hug.

His ribs ached with the action but Time didn’t care, and he ignored the way his hand shook as he ran it through Legend’s hair. Legend hugged him back equally tight, and Time rested his head on top of his, relief threatening to send him to the ground again.

“Dad, I’m okay,” Legend said, his voice shaking a little.

“I know. I know you are,” Time breathed. He didn’t let go though, and neither did Legend, and Time ran another hand through his hair, still unable to get the image of Legend with a gun pressed to his temple out of his head.

If even one thing had gone differently...

Time silenced the thought before it could form, and gave Legend a squeeze.

“You shouldn’t have let them do that to you,” Legend said, his voice unusually quiet, and Time sighed, pulling back just a little.

“I couldn’t let them hurt you,” he replied, cupping a gentle hand around Legend’s chin. Legend swallowed and averted his gaze. “And I can handle a few punches. That’s nothing in comparison to what he would have done to you and the others.”

And I would endure it thousands of times if it ensured your safety.

“You still shouldn’t have,” Legend mumbled.

“But I did. And I’m okay,” Time reassured, ignoring every ache that protested the fact. “This wasn’t your fault, Legend.”

Legend only closed his eyes, and Time drew him near again, Legend’s hair brushing his chin.

“I’m okay,” Time reassured again, this time in a whisper. “We’re both okay.”

Legend gripped a little tighter at Time’s suit, Time’s hand running over his hair, and they stood there in silence for what felt like a long time before pulling back, and joining the fight with the others.

#this is after when the movies would take place but not too terribly long after #linkeduniverse #Incredibles au #lu time #lu legend #whump #febuwhump #febuwhump 2024 #day 4 #day 22 #day 17 #tw gun #tw injury #Incredibles au fic #writing from the floor

[apricitystudies]

what i read in nov. 2023:

(previous editions)

class, race, gender, & sexuality

'no way to live': amazon flex delivery drivers

how to be a model minority in an elite school (singapore)

new investigation casts doubt on a singapore-listed palm oil giant's green claims

when a guy you're seeing turns out to be a member of an obscene telegram channel

current affairs

sudanese women describe being gang-raped in ethnically targeted attacks by arab forces

sudan's cycle of violence: 'there is a genocide going on in west darfur'

world's largest 'baby exporter' confronts its painful past (south korea)

un votes to create 'historic' global tax convention despite eu, uk moves to 'kill' proposal

'systemic failures at every step': the indonesian children australia sent to adult jails for years

henry kissinger

henry kissinger, war criminal beloved by america's ruling class, finally dies

henry kissinger, america's most notorious war criminal, dies at 100

does henry kissinger have a conscience?

blood on his hands (cambodia)

culture & personal essays

flipping grief

the woman who rewrote me

the sound of history (greenland)

the protagonist is never in control

palestine

israeli authorities and the crimes of apartheid and persecution

horrifying cases of torture and degrading treatment of palestinian detainees amid spike in arbitrary arrests

the gaza i know is shrinking every day

damning evidence of war crimes as israeli attacks wipe out entire families in gaza

european governments donors’ discriminatory funding restrictions to palestinian civil society risk deepening human rights crisis

#studyblr #studyspo #reading list #reading lists #academia #myresources

[dumbbitchenergy17]

Aslo I’m not sure if ur caught on the manga for my hero like the war arc mostly but I was wondering if request based of the manga base on chapters 286 -365 like you know how bakugou is currently severely injured in manga instead of bakugou almost dying it’s the reader who takes all the hits for him when fighting shigaraki aslo can reader quirk can be scarlet witch type where she using her full potential of her quirk which is slowy corrupting her via dark hold idk I wanted to incorporate mix between multiverse flim and the manga I hope this it ok aslo can add bit of angst and fluff in end I hope this is ok

My Dream

Love wasn't part of the agenda, win the Sports Festival, intern with the top heroes, then graduate and become Number One. Though those dreams don't always stay the same.

Words: 15.6K

Pairing: Katsuki Bakugo x Reader

Warnings: Angst, violence, blood, death, hospitals, some fluff in the middle, pretty op reader, MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH MHA CHAPTERS 286-365

A/N: Omg this was so much fun to write! Originally it was going to be much shorter but it became so addicting to keep writing and building more I hope you enjoy 💙

Love wasn't a part of Bakugo’s schedule if he was going to become the Number 1 Hero. Not if…when. He was in U.A., he had a strong quirk, good grades, he was interning at the current Number 1’s Agency, and he even won the damn Sports Festival! His dream was forming with each step. Everything set perfectly in front of him ready for him the second he graduates and starts his agency…

But then you showed up.

The biggest wrench in his plans and that stupid Deku had gotten a quirk and got himself in the same damn school as him. But you were worse than him. Getting in through recommendation unlike him, your grades rivaled his sometimes beating him which made his blood boil, your quirk was stupid either you were a damn witch. Your quirk was witchcraft, Chaos Magic to be specific like in those dumb horror movies with the spell books and all. Apparently, your family was well known for their quirk and some heirloom that is passed through their family. You were a thorn in his side when he first met you. He was supposed to be the best in this class and U.A. as a whole but here was this girl just appearing and taking all the glory and it pissed him off.

He didn’t understand what made people like you, you were boring as hell and a pretentious dumbass. Just because you had some special family name that made you better than him? Give him a chance to really show you the full power of his quirk and you would be groveling at his feet. And he had tried…picked a fight with you during training ready to prove to every one of those extras and to you that he was the best.

Your class had never seen Bakugo lose at all. He bolted right at you ready to send the largest explosion to knock you flat on your ass but in seconds he had the wind knocked out of him and bounded by your magic and you had only moved your hands. He had never felt rage at that moment screaming insults at you explosions coming from his hands trying to break through the bidding but nothing happened. Your classmates watched in shock as you just look at him in almost confusion and Bakugo only saw disgust and cockiness in your eyes before you dropped your hands and walked away to the locker rooms.

At that moment Bakugo promised himself he would destroy you. He despised you, who did you think you were?! You were the obstacle blocking him from his goal his dream of being Number One. So any moment there was a ranking or a test or some sort of activity that had a winner he would put his all into beating you. Not that you noticed him going out of his way to prove he was better than you. You had your own problems to deal with. Your family was a well know one almost at the same level as Todoroki and Yaoyorozu may be higher but you didn’t know. Like that level important.

Your family from as far back as time could history could recount had an impact on the world. Your original ancestors were from a town in America called Salem and were witches. Well now it would have just seemed like quirk users but to a time when quirks didn’t exist they were seemed as demons or witches and were persecuted for it. The first true member of your family’s bloodline was a woman name Wanda Maximoff, created from great magic that could exceed many quirks today even top heroes like All Might. Surviving the persecution of her sisters in Salem she went into hiding, finding love in a man called Vision someone who had a quirk, and had children until her children began to show signs of having powers as well. In fear of her family being harmed like her old sisters, she heard rumors from other witches and quirk users of an item of immense power. This item could give the user infinite knowledge of the mind and strength beyond even the strongest of humans for the body. However, this all came with a price. A deadly obsession over the item that men would kill over to keep in their possession and corrupt even the purest of hearts. Wanda sought out this item to protect herself and her family from the cruel world that was persecuting those who were different. While good lay in her heart finding this item had only led to her hurting others until it was in her possession. The item that had infinite power.

The Darkhold.

Learning its secrets of spells and technology to help the world move forward it slowly began to taint her heart becoming a being of dangerous magic. She was gifted the name the Scarlet Witch, as a being that was not born but forged and destined to destroy the world that harmed them. Her family begged for her to give up the book, the same loving wife and mother to them had disappeared being replaced by a power-hungry woman ready for revenge on those who wrong her. The corruption had overtaken her heart and the woman she once had been was long gone the dark magic had won. The family with no choice but to take her down had failed as she had grown too powerful. But before she could cause a killing blow to her own husband and children she had seen the fear in their eyes and guilt had pulled back the curtain that was covering her eyes. Regret and sadness had overtaken her and she vowed to never touch the Darkhold and to never let it corrupt others. With this, it had become their family's duty to protect the book and others from it, and with each generation as Wanda’s blood flowed through the veins of her descendants this order was to follow. To protect the world and themselves from the corruption of the Darkhold. Your ancestors arrived in Japan as time passed with your family being its current holders. Your ancestor’s quirk passed through your bloodline of witchcraft never being a different quirk from an outside mother or father. Your family to determine how strong their quirk was tested on them and some had theirs be stronger others weaker some average. Until you were born and it was time to test your quirk.

Your parents and grandparents were there for your testing and you were nervous. Your mother and her parents were descendants of the Scarlet Witch while your father’s side was not thought they were informed of your family history. The test was the witch or warlock would amplify the child’s quirk with their own magic until theirs appears and then it was determined the strength of their quirk or if there was even a quirk. Your ancestors have had a few rare moments where a child would be quirkless and it would be a shock for the family. Your mother’s brother was actually quirkless when he failed his testing. While you loved your family deeply it still hurt hearing how they quickly ostracized the quirkless child even going to lengths of giving to people outside the family. Your mother had explained it when you had asked why you were never allowed to see your uncle.

“We need to protect the book Y/n…we are the only ones who are strong enough against others so those who aren’t…it’s complicated sweetie, you’ll understand when you’re older.”

So when you were about to be tested your parents watched with nerves and almost fear. Your mother had a complication following her birth with you and if she were to try to have another child the chances of her surviving the pregnancy and the child as well were too high of a risk. As the only child finding out whether you have a quirk or not and continuing your bloodline had rested on your shoulder in those moments.

Your grandfather on your mother’s side came forward to you kneeling down holding out your arm and the test began. Runes of shades of red appeared around the two of you as he drew them into the air before bringing them down and the runes imprinted in your arm sank into your skin glowing a faint red before disappearing. A burst of energy rips through the room as you’re blinded by a bright light almost pushed back from the wind that appeared in the room. Squinting your eyes open looking into the bright light seeing almost a figure emerge from it. Floating down from this bright light holding their arms out, the light behind them hiding their features but seeing what looked like a woman her long hair flowing in the wind as they grow closer. You catch one detail of an intricate tiara creating a silhouette on her head. You see a flash of red from where her eyes should be before the figure and bright light vanishes and you collapse. Your parents and grandparents surround you concerned. When you had come to they asked you what had happened. Usually, the child would show some sign of having their quirk but you just had the runes placed on you before you passed out. Confused you explained you had seen the bright light before this shadowy woman had appeared. They were shocked beyond belief and when they asked you to describe the woman you weren’t able to give many details except the tiara on their head.

The day of your testing was the same day you viewed the Darkhold. You had never seen it in your life only hearing stories, the history of your ancestors of the Scarlet Witch, and the reason your family guards the book. It was locked up behind glass covered in runes but even through it, you could feel its dark energy. You watched as your mother and grandfather placed runes around themselves before the glass was open and you were instantly hit with a wave of strong power and almost an urge to claim it but your father held you to him. Your grandfather stepped forward as a red glow surrounds the book and it opens the pages flipping on their own before it stops.

“The Scarlet Witch is not born but forged with powers beyond the human mind. The ability to control and change reality as they see it. The Scarlet Witch is said to either bring the world into peace or destroy it to rule the Cosmos. She has had the longest control of the Darkhold with its dark power growing on her even creating spells of her own in the Darkhold,” Your grandfather had said a project of the pages appear in a reddish glow in the air revealing a drawing of a woman covered in runes and writing but you see that same tiara on her head. He quickly shuts the book returning it to its case and placing runes on them.

“If what you saw was true dear child…she has chosen you and has returned..” He says as they all look at the child whose world was about to change,

“The Scarlet Witch’s power is yours. You are going to be the strongest witch in our entire bloodline since its creation of it.”

Your life had turned on its head with this news and quickly it had become training of your quirk with your mother and study of spells and history with your grandfather. The news had traveled quickly through your family and they made it seem like you were some chosen one. While normal people in your family had gained just the simple witchcraft some stronger than others you had what was defined as Chaos Magic. Infinite magic that you could control on a whim with spells or even without. It was this power that made it dangerous in the wrong hands. The one downside of this quirk was the influence of your past or past life. With you gaining the Scarlet Witch’s power, her memories came to you. You would have dreams believing them to be wildly vivid and crazy but it was merely the memories of her life that you would see. You would always see them from her point of view and you would never see her.

Because of this influence of her past, you were forbidden to be around the Darkhold, while she had rejected the book swearing to never use it again the darkness still deep in her craved it. You could feel its power calling out to you, when you would pass by the room it was like voices were calling out to you. It was easy to avoid it physically though sometimes it was harder to on some days as you grew older the urge was growing stronger and your dreams had shifted from memories of her life with her family to when she had the Darkhold. There had been a time when you were dreaming about it using its power seeing through Wanda’s eyes of her using it, her fingers stained black like ash before you were violently woken from your dream. Your power had subconsciously sought out the book and when you had woken up to your parents holding you back and your grandparents standing in front of the case. You had slowly been taking the runes off the glass to unlock it while you dreamed. Your family was lucky to find you in time they weren’t sure what would’ve happened if you had it in your grasp. The book was moved somewhere that you never had access to but you could still feel it calling out to you.

Time passed and while magic could only do much death still won over. Your grandparents had to pay their due and soon it was only you and your parents, your mother now guarding the book. This had been around the time you had started school at U.A. and it had been hectic entering a new school full of people with crazy powers and that’s when you met the famously explosive blonde. He seemed to have some vendetta against you. What just because you got in through recommendation and beat him once in a fight? You tried your best to steer clear of him but it seemed like fate just kept putting you together. You both went to the same agency, not that either of you knew when you signed up, you had gotta group in with Bakugo and Midoriya during Finals Exam. Even during summer camp, you both had been kidnapped by villains they saw something in both of your quirks. Though they didn’t know the full extent of your history. Fate had seemed to put you two together and it seemed almost inevitable for you to not develop some sort of feelings. You weren’t even sure how it had happened it was just one day you noticed everything the both of you went through and it just hit you.

You would say you did a pretty good job hiding it, hidden behind snarky responses to the blonde, purposely picking fights with him so he could explode in rage, to just flat-up ignoring him. You were certain he couldn’t feel any emotion other than rage but then that day happened. You were called in with your agency which was Endeavor’s which Bakugo was not happy as usual for a mission. It was just supposed to be a simple evacuation of the civilians in the city for the Pros to do their work. You had never expected to watch people die so quickly in front of you and people you knew getting brutally injured. You felt helpless even with your power you couldn’t save everyone as a simple evacuation had turned into a battle of life or death. Seeing your teacher having to cut his own leg off, your mentor getting skewered and having the horrible truth of his son be reveal to him, your classmate Midoriya fighting ruthlessly breaking himself to keep you all safe, but it was Bakugo in that fraction of a second you had looked away to help stop the bleeding for your teacher placing runes around his wound using your magic to keep his heart rate up if it would slow down, you could hear the sound of flesh being ripped apart the smell of blood in the air as you watch as he pushes Midoriya out of the way taking the hit. The rivets from Shigaraki’s hand entering his body quickly ripping out of him and he beings to fall.

You were useless trying to keep Mr. Aizawa stable as he bled out while fighting with every being to run back out there and check on Bakugo to rip Shigaraki into pieces and anger and hate had grown in your heart for him. Both Manual and Rock Lock had to pull you off the battlefield to get Mr. Aizawa to safety your magic only doing so much and he needed a hospital. The second your teacher was in stable hands you had sprinted back to battle only to be met with the aftermath, a large creature was tied up by Best Jeanist who was bleeding heavily from his eyes and mouth and you placed a small spell that would dull the pain. You were shocked to see him finding the news that he was missing and that had been the reason you had interned with Endeavor the same with Bakugo. Todoroki and Iida were injured but not life-threatening, Nejire-chan had burns covering her and was unconscious as you tried placing some runes feeling her temperature was very high to lower it. Endeavor was unconscious as well with stab wounds where his lungs were blood practically coated him and you tried giving your stronger healing spells you knew. Finding Midoriya and Bakugo was definitely the worse, Midoriya’s arms were completely shattered his body worked beyond belief you weren’t sure how he was even alive. You were able to give a spell that dulled his pain and you could feel yourself growing weak using all these spells and overworking your quirk. You stumble over falling beside Bakugo he was conscious but slowly slipping. He had thought he was dying with this angel above him when it was just you. Your hands were shaky covered in the blood of multiple people, your body was covered in scrapes and some blood. Pushing through the pain and fatigue that was drawing at you, you perform your strongest healing spells trying to stop the bleeding but trying to focus on the hundred of other spells and runes you had to focus you could feel the spell slipping every few seconds. You were weak and you could do anything to save them. Why weren’t you fast, you could have pulled Bakugo away from the attack as well. If you had stronger magic if your quirk was stronger you could have helped stop Shigaraki. Mr. Aizawa would have lost his leg if you knew stronger magic to heal it.

The last thing you remember was the paramedics arriving quickly and transporting the heroes. A group coming over to you hunched over the bloody blonde the runes covering him fading in and out before you fell unconscious.

You stood in a dark room, with tall columns of stone and large firepits surrounding a table engraving covering the table and walls. Looking around seeing the open view of what looks like winter snow and the cold blow through but the heat of the large lamps keeps you warm.

“Wanda you must stop this!” A voice calls out and you turn seeing a man who looked almost rotting corpse says being burned as he speaks.

“All of this will be over when I see my boys.” A woman’s voice calls out and you turn seeing a woman standing in front of the table where another girl is pinned there runes glowing red as power drains from her getting absorbed into the other woman. Was this her…you’ve never had this dream before and you’ve never seen her always witnessed through her eyes. She has light auburn hair and cold green eyes, she’s wearing red robes and regalia and a red chest plate with long sleeves where her heart should be there is a blackness coming out. Was this the darkness taking over? The red and black ankle-length skirt ruffles in the breeze the open front showing the black pants and black boots she has on. Resting delicately on her head shimmering a slight red the same tiara in your first vision. Magic pours out of the girl moving into Wanda as she glares at the rotting corpse. But this didn’t make sense she was supposed to be fighting her family before she gives up the Darkhold.

“Wanda they were never real you must stop this madness!” Another man says and you are even more confused. This isn’t real, how could they not be real, if she never had children how could your whole family be alive?

“My children are real! And once I take America’s power I will travel to a different universe and be happy with them.” She shouts her eyes flashing red and you watch in horror as she quickly defeats the corpse and the other man killing him before continuing her spell, the Darkhold appears beside her as the young girl screams out her power being sucked out of her. You try to scream and try affecting this memory but you’re frozen in place. You feel fear run through you seeing Wanda look right at you, this didn’t make sense this was a memory.

“You’re not strong enough to save them Y/n…” She says as she completely absorbs the young girl’s power, she could have been older than you probably 14-15 years old. The girl slumps over and you knew she was dead. Wanda sighs feeling this strong quirk settle in her and she moves over to you the Darkhold floating beside her and you could feel its power radiating and your hand twitches to grab it, “You want to save your friends do you not?” She tilts her head and you look away from the dead girl to the woman in front of you, was this the woman you were meant to become? You slowly nod and she grins.

“Then get the Darkhold. It will give you everything you need.” She explains, “You want to keep Bakugo safe right?”

“Yes! I want to make sure everyone is safe…but it’s our duty to protect everyone even ourselves from the Darkhold.” You look down and she frowns grabbing your chin with her black-stained fingers making you look at her.

“They’re keeping you away from it because they are selfish. You’re just trying to keep them all safe, your parents, your friends, the heroes. If they are stopping you from protecting them all…aren’t they the villains in this story?” She points out and you can’t help but agree with her. Wanda used the Darkhold to protect her family to protect your family and you had to do the same for yours. She pulls away and with a wave of her hands a portal opens revealing a new world, was this your universe?

“Go Y/n, you mustn’t let the book fall into the wrong hands, you are the only person I trust to protect the book.” She says over her shoulder walking through the portal.

“Wanda!” You call out and she stops looking back, “Why now am I only seeing you after everything?” She smiles looking at you.

“It took me years to find the Darkhold and even longer to travel the multiverse. I’ve known every single step you will take the second you were born, I needed to see if you were ready to learn the truth.” She says turning away and looking back once more, “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time Y/n…you are my chance of starting again…to complete what I’ve always dreamed of.”

“What dream? What do I have to do?!” You call out as she steps further into the portal and voices start to fill your head.

“Get the Darkhold and I will return again.”

You had woken disoriented and in a hospital no recollection of how you got there and what had happened. All the memories of the war had hit you flashes of your classmates and mentors bleeding out in front of you. The feeling of guilt for not being strong enough and feeling useless with your power. This was the first time heroes had lost and none of you what to do next. You were quickly discharged your injuries were not as severe mainly just over-exhaustion from your quirk. You were released into custody but were confused when you only saw your father why had it looked like he was crying and why did he have a bandage on his head and scratches on his body?

You felt like sinking into the ground and letting it crush you when the words left your father’s mouth. Your mother was dead. Apparently, the creature you had found when you returned to the battle was originally in Gunga Mountain Villa and to get all the way to Jaku it had viciously torn through towns and cities. Your hometown had ended up being in its path and with all the heroes fighting none of the civilians had been prepared. The creature tore right through your home and your mother had quickly without hesitation grabbed the Darkhold and placed an indestructible spell around your father before the rumble took over. Your father was found by rescue holding your mother who clutched the Darkhold in her hands, her fingers ashen just like all its past users had been. The corruption was visible but her death had been quick. You felt numb and also filled with emotions. You didn’t care that you were loudly crying in your father’s arms in the middle of the hall. You hadn’t even seen Bakugo getting pulled away by his classmates from seeing Midoriya but they had paused seeing you in distress. The blonde had tried moving towards you but they had to pull him back to his room so he didn’t go over to you.

This war having so many casualties and a massive prison break caused Japan to go to ruin. Your only family left had uprooted their home to join the shelter that was U.A. The two of you had a small funeral spreading the ashes by the cherry tree where your father proposed to your mother before you had to return to U.A. Your home was completely decimated just pillars of marble and old runes carved in an outline of your home but now just rubble. Your class had suffered as well, Midoriya had disappeared revealing that he had this important power and that Shigaraki and All For One were after him so he had to leave to protect you all.

Bakugo was certain following Jaku something in you had changed, news had traveled fast through the class that your mother had died during Gigantomachia's rampage through the cities. Obviously, they had given you time to grieve being a shoulder to cry on anything you needed they were there. Even Bakugo had lightened up, there had been a moment when he had actually come up to you to thank you. You pushed yourself to keep everyone alive and if you hadn’t been there none of them know what would’ve happened. But then the grieving turned into a different emotion, while you all trained to stay in shape you seemed filled with anger. You deserved to be angry after what happened but it was something beyond anger, like a rage that wouldn’t just take down villains but also everyone around them. You were willing to harm anything and anyone to get what you want kind of rage. The rage that blinds you and makes you do stupid shit. If he hadn’t been watching you attentively following Jaku he wouldn’t have noticed you going out late to the open field by the dorm for hours before looking tired but you would repeat this multiple times even if it looked like you didn’t want to. Even during training your punches were stronger, and sharper, and by using your quirk you were taking and giving blows like nothing. There had been a time you had punched Kirishima while he was hardened and shattered one of your fingers and needed a brace but the next day it was completely healed even without Recovery Girl. You waved it off saying you learned a new spell but even your healing spells weren’t that strong to heal bone. It was until he noticed this book you seemed to carry with you everywhere, it looked like an old book he wasn’t sure how it was staying together. There had been a time you walked past him the book held firmly in your grasp as if someone would come by and snatch it from you. He almost fell back from the feeling he got hit with. It was the same feeling when he met All For One in Kamino or saw Shigaraki during Jaku, that sense of evil and the fear that has your life flash before your eyes. He watched you walk towards a far corner of the gym his nerves on edge. What the hell was this book?

It seemed that others were noticing the changes in you that he had picked up weeks ago. The first noticeable thing was your hands, you had come down for breakfast and Kirishima pointed out your hands and when he looked over your fingers were stained black almost like they were rotten or frostbitten beyond belief. Everyone was concerned rightfully but you brushed it off saying it was a spell that had an effect but these ‘effects’ had just started and were only growing more bold as you seemed to be hesitant to speak to anyone. During training you had been taking a sip of your water a looked away for a second and Kaminari had come over with the rest of the group snatching up your book.

“Didn’t expect you to be a bookworm L/n? Or is this some sort of diary?” He smirks opening the book to see whatever dirty secrets are in there. In was instant a blast of magic hit Kaminari in the chest sending him flying across the gym and shocking everyone in the room. The book fell from his grasp opening on the floor and everyone near it could feel this dread fill them. The book slammed shut with a loud crack whipping into your grasp as you look frantic at them all ready to either fight or runoff. Your hand was still raised your stained fingers covered in magic still holding Kaminari down and he could feel the air leaving his chest from the pressure.

“L/N! Y/N!” Your classmates yelled out snapping you out of your head you quickly drop your hand and the electric boy sits up gasping for air a few of your classmates surrounding him. Your eyes dart around and you pause meeting the red eyes of the blonde watching this all. Bakugo stared at the fear and anger in your eyes, you looked ready to fight whoever try to grab the book grasped in your hand. The red glow from your eyes fades away and you swipe your hand in the air and trail of red smoke appears covering you and once it clears you're gone leaving your classmates all confused and almost fearful. Something had changed you and Bakugo had a feeling it had to do with the book you were so attached to.

After that incident, your classmates had been hesitant around you but Kaminari said it was his own fault, that he shouldn’t have touched your stuff. Your broken class incomplete knew you need Midoriya back and a plan was created to find him. You had gotten permission from Nezu and got a tracker device from Endeavor that showed where Midoriya was your class had come together to get him to return. It was a long and emotional battle getting the One For All user to return with each of you all pouring your fond memories with the boy. It wasn’t until Bakugo’s final words broke the shell around him to return back with your class.

Fighting the school to allow the boy back into the school had been a hassle but Midoriya had returned to U.A. Your class was once whole again and it was only a matter of time for you all to return to fight against Shigaraki and All For One. It was late one night when most of the class was asleep some awake in the common area surprisingly Bakugo was one of those awake despite this strict bed schedule. The blonde was sitting on the floor against one of the couches he had one of his gauntlets in front of him working on it while others were doing other things, he wanted peace and quiet but damn Dek-Izuku and Icy-hot were there as well with the rest of the extras that clung onto him. They were talking or doing their own thing when someone new entered the common area coming from the kitchen, a girl with power beyond comprehension. The room went silent for a bit seeing her enter some of the Bakusquad still felt hesitant since the incident with Kaminari. Midoriya was informed of everything that has happened to you when he noticed your quirk was much stronger and the physical changes in your appearance.

“Hey, L/n couldn’t get sleep?” Midoriya speaks up first and you glance at him almost as if you were looking through him. They all couldn’t help but feel awkward as you were silent taking too longer to come up with a response to a simple question. Bakugo wasn’t trying to be as obvious watching you, you were dressed casually in your sleep clothes and you didn’t look as tired as he has seen you some nights. He would have let this odd behavior aside if he hadn’t noticed a small detail different from you. You held a glass of water between your hands but your fingers were normal, not stained black but s/c skin. It was also the fact you also weren’t holding your book, he’s never seen you without it even though any normal person would just lock their room you were adamant about keeping it on your person. With this information, he knew something was off about you, and you had finally responded.

“Yeah…though a drink would help.” You say and it almost felt forced like your words were scripted. The green-haired boy nodded not sure what to say next but you had already gotten left leaving them all confused about that whole interaction.

“That…was weird..” Sero says they were still looking at where you stood, Bakugo especially looking hard at where you stood but a glimpse of something caught his eye. Where you stood was in front of the large glass windows facing the outside training area and the forest. It was a small second but he caught a flash of red light from the forest and it had the blonde standing up.

“Hey, Bakubro where you off to?” Kirishima says and when the blonde grabs his gauntlet pulling on the glove before the large weapon confusing everyone, “Woah Bakugo what are you doing?”

“Kacchan what’s wrong?” Midoriya calls out to him getting up as well, as the boy heads toward the door leading outside. Following him, Midoriya, Todoroki, Kirishima, Sero, Mina, and Kaminari.

The cool air chills their skin as they watch Bakugo stand ahead of them looking out into the dark forest in silence before they all see it a flash of red coming from the forest. They all follow the boy as he treks into the forest still confused about what he was going after until they heard a voice and it was not one they were familiar with. The seven of them reached a clearing standing right on the edge when what they saw shocked them all. There you stood even though they saw you inside just a few minutes ago surrounded by a circle of lit candles the ground dead beneath her. You bring your palms up towards you the red glow of your magic appearing from your hands as you draw one hand out and appearing from thin air the book you were so attached to. They all watch in wonder as it flips open a dark energy pouring out of it sending shivers down each of their spines. Your rotting fingers make gestures and runes appear around you and the candles flicker before growing brighter. Appearing on the crown of your head is a tiara glowing with magic, suddenly a pool of smoke emerges from the ground billowing up. This kind of magic you possessed what something they’d never seen before and they couldn’t help but fear. Shouldn’t U.A. be alerted that someone or something was entering the barrier they watched as the smoke starts to shape out a person and once it disappears they see a woman dressed in some sort of outfit and they all recognized the same tiara that had appeared on you was physically on the woman. Was this a hero or a villain none of them had heard of? Bakugo’s eyes widen seeing the woman’s hand reach out and the same magic he’s seen you use appears from her hands and her fingers were tainted black like her.

“You getting better with it. Slow but learning” The woman calls out and her hand reaches out the book coming to rest in her grasp they were surprised to see you not panic knowing it was in someone else's grasp. The similarities between the two of you were eerie it seemed both of you possessed the same quirk and you both knew what this book was.

“You had decades to learn all its secrets, I have days. None of us know when Shigaraki is going to attack and I need to be strong enough.” You say looking at the woman for guidance.

“Still in weeks you’ve perfected most spells that have taken me years to perfect, you’re astral projection while contacting the dead  it’s not an easy feat to learn in just a few weeks.” The woman says and you look down at your feet still feeling disappointed.

“You said you would return once I got the Darkhold and I’ve been studying everything I could. I’ve grown stronger but how will I know if I’m strong enough to keep everyone safe.” You say stepping towards the woman who glances away from the Darkhold. She could easily see the corruption the book had caused on you feeding off that fear you couldn’t protect everyone, you had already failed with the death of your mother.

“It is in your grasp the most powerful object in the multiverse, men have killed for this and they will continue to for the rest of eternity. You my dear child hold my blood, my power, and my dreams. Fight to save those you care and love for.” The woman says and with a wave of her hands, the books open up and appear in globes of red each of them connecting to one another like a web. The hidden students see versions of themselves each living different lives or at different points in time, “And if you fail in this world? Start anew until you find the world that is for you. The multiverse is in our grasp to control as we see fit, in your hands you hold the cosmos. My Y/n….my Scarlet Witch.”

The mysterious woman’s words strike hard in them, if they failed you would what? Just leave and start anew with a different universe of them and what leaves them in the messed up universe of theirs. And this book this Darkhold Bakugo knew it was dangerous but he had no idea it was the kind that would have people kill each other for it.

“Now your little friends should come out of hiding…it’s rude to snoop around.” The woman says and before anyone could react a red mist covers all of them and they are pulled into the clearing bound in front of the two women.

“Hey! Let us go!” Mina says struggling in her binding of magic, the others shout similar responses even trying to use their quirks to break free but it was useless even the One For All user was unable to break free.

“Just children…these are the ones you’re so keen on protecting?” The woman says looking almost disappointed looking at the U.A. students.

“Let us go you witch or I’ll fucking blow you to bits!” The blonde spits at her trying to use his gauntlet but with a wave of her hand, it disappears. The woman smirks raising her hand and he’s forced to stand as she steps towards him. Her stained fingers grasp his chin looking deep into his eyes her eyes flashing red and he can feel a probing sensation in his head.

“Ahh….so this is Bakugo? Y/n I thought you would find someone who would be on your level and not so….” She tilts her head looking down at the angry blonde, “weak.”

“Stop it, Wanda.” Your voice calls out and the older woman looks over at the girl.

“You’re a being of infinite power, I chose you to continue my legacy. You deserve only the best if not in this universe then maybe we must continue to a new one.” Wanda says and your classmates look at the woman and you are shocked. Wanda drops Bakugo to the ground still bound as he glares at the woman but then looks over at you who is silently looking away. You weren’t really considering abandoning them all for what a better reality? Wanda twists her hands and appears from the Darkhold a view of a universe.

“You can go to one where this war never happened, your teachers and mentors never would have been hurt or killed, All For One and Shigaraki wouldn’t exist if you will it, your mother would still be alive,” They can see your eyes widen hearing the mention of your mother and your classmates pleads fell on deaf ears. Had this corruption and influence of this past life won you over?

“The multiverse is in your grasp you just need to want it.” She says and you stare at the new world, a new life in wonder. A second chance.

“Y/n,” Bakugo’s voice makes you look away from the Darkhold, “You’re a coward if you abandon this world. If you’re going to leave us in this hell to keep changing your life until you’re happy…then you’re no better than those villains.” You freeze looking at the blonde.

“Please L/n…if this book is as dangerous as she says it is no one should have that kind of power. This isn’t like you!” Midoriya tries to reason with you.

“We’re the only ones who deserve this power… she needs it to protect my future!” Wanda says and you pause listening to her words.

“Your future…” You whisper looking at her and she quickly picks up on her mistake, “You swore to never use the Darkhold again…you did this for your children..but none of it was true.” You shake your head taking a step away from the woman, “You killed innocent people for your gain through many universes just to get what you wanted and made it seem like you were good all along. You only cared about yourself from the beginning the second this book was in your grasp.”

“You’re being ridiculous Y/n..I’m doing this all for you…I’m giving you a chance to start again,” She says trying to convince you but you step further away your foot touching the edge of the circle of candles and they flicker almost going out Wanda winces, and Bakugo notices that, had this spell only work with you still inside the circle?

“No, you’re only doing it for yourself! So you get a second chance to live again,” You shout your eyes flashing red and Wanda’s glow in return challenging you, “No I reject you...I reject this! I wanted to keep my family safe but not leave the world to burn for my benefit.” Swiping your hand out the Darkhold rips from her grasp into yours.

“No one deserves this power…not even us.” “Y/N DON’T!” You say and Wanda shouts out rushing to stop you but your swipe your hands out and the ritual around you get destroyed the circle of candles breaks going out and the Scarlet Witch stumbles her body beginning to break down.

“You need me! You need it and you’ll come crawling back to it..you can’t resist its pull. It’s in your blood.” She spits out and you say nothing as she fades to smoke. The binding around your classmates breaks and they stand up now free looking at you still holding the Darkhold.

“L/n…?” Midoriya calls out and you look up at the seven of them.

“I’m sorry…” You say looking away ashamed and you hear footsteps draw near and a hand rest on your shoulder looking up and seeing Kirishima in front of you.

“It wasn’t your fault…” He says and you look at your classmates who nod in agreement. You make eye contact with Bakugo unsure of what he was feeling but the idea of leaving this world…leaving him you didn’t know what to do. Looking down at the Darkhold still in your grasp you knew what you had to do. Holding your hand out your magic surrounds your hand as runes appear on the book using its power for the last time. The Darkhold floats in front of you and you cross your hands in two different directions and the book vanishes and you can feel your powers and your body weaken having it gone.

“Where did it go?” Kaminari says and Kirishima holds your elbow seeing you grow faint for a second.

“Somewhere far outside our galaxy and that could only be returned with a spell from the Darkhold..” You say the corruption and obsessed feeling the book had on you fading but had taken a toll on you, “I’m sorry for everything…I wanted to keep everyone safe but did the opposite.”

“Like you said it’s a power no one should have, you were only thinking of the best.” Mina says the rest of them joining you, “Come on we should head back it’s already late enough.” You nod exhausted not having the power to keep you steady and strong. The Bakusquad leads you back to the forest Todoroki and Midoriya follow leaving Bakugo staring at the destroyed ritual and where the Darkhold once was.

“Kacchan?” Midoriya calls out to the blonde seeing him stray behind rejoining him.

“That book, the Darkhold…if it came from a different universe..does that mean one exists here?” Bakugo thinks out loud his voice soft. He saw firsthand what power like that could do to someone. Luckily you overcame it but what if it fell into someone else’s hands, what if Shigaraki had that power…or All For One. They wouldn’t try to fight it and would probably destroy this world and thousands of others.

“That kind of power doesn’t seem like it could be recreated…but I don’t know. Maybe it’s already protected or has been destroyed already. We can only think of the best.” Midoriya says trying to think hopefully but he had thought the same thing. The two boys left with the same thought in their heads, they could only hope that book was long destroyed or hidden somewhere so no one would ever find it.

With your rejection and removal of the Darkhold, the war you would all have to face drew closer. You had found out about another casualty, the Number One Hero of America had sacrificed herself trying to help stop Shigaraki. Her sacrifice gave us all more time to prepare as she had damaged Shigaraki enough so he wasn’t perfected yet and time for the Pros to come up with a plan. It came so unexpectedly but hit hard for you all to find out one of your classmates was a traitor. The thought you all were working to become heroes had cracked with this news, Aoyama had been the reason your class got attacked, why Bakugo and yourself got kidnapped, everything was because of him. He and his parents were arrested but your class still needed to continue on going out of the barrier to do search missions. When you had returned All Might and the detective had met with you all and the final plan was prepared. While your classmates discussed with each other about this plan you were pulled aside by All Might and the detective.

“We must ask you something Young L/n and you must be honest for the sake of this war.” All Might says and you nod a bit nervous and concerned about what he could have to ask.

“With your quirk being so unique and your family well known for your family sharing variations to your quirk, we spoke to your father about anything about your family that could be a part of your quirk to help us.” The detective says and you nod slowly, “Your quirk is a very strong one that could even rival against a lot of Pros quirks so we must ask you…” He reveals their plan that involves you.

“You want me to fight All For One…?” You say shocked, you had thought you would be involved with your classmates to fight regular villains but not the deadliest villain.

“You would be fighting alongside Hawks and Endeavor but yes we believe your quirk would be an opponent against his multitude of quirks, and your father had informed us of an object that would give us all an upper hand.” The detective says, “Your father said it was a book called The Darkhold..”

You instantly step back and they can feel the panic come off you, “That is something of power that should not be in any man’s hand. Only death follows with the user and what if it falls into All For One’s hands? That sort of power is not what we need falling into his hands.” Just the thought of it sent chills down your spine, it had been a few weeks since you rejected the Darkhold and while its darkness had left small parts of it still remained in each user, the corruption of your mind from the book had permanently stained your fingers with your sins, you had only had them look normal due to an illusion runes you had to upkeep. Your mind was also plagued with nightmares of the Darkhold falling into the wrong hands or if you had let the darkness take over.

“Besides the Darkhold could never be retrieved it’s better no one ever thinks of trying to find it.” You say and you could see the disappointment in both of them, a way they could have had leverage had disappeared, “I’m sorry but even if I had it, I swore to never let the Darkhold influence others.”

The conversation was quickly dropped and the plan of you to still fight All For One stood. It was the night before you would leave U.A. for the war to begin again. You sat in the common room on one of the couches the lights out the moonlight being your only source and the magic floating around your fingers having dropped the illusion on your appearance. Your mind still ran with thoughts on what you would do if you still had the Darkhold but you shook them away. The remnants of the corruption still deep inside you, you couldn’t deny Wanda’s words. The urge to have the book and all that power was in your blood.

“What are you doing up?” A voice called out and you jump dropping your hands and hiding them as a person emerges from the shadows, quickly taking in the spikey blonde hair and those crimson eyes.

“Bakugo…” You whisper out as he stands a few feet away, “Couldn’t fall asleep just nerves keeping me awake.” You say pushing your hair back instinctively and your eyes widen seeing his gaze focus on your hands. You quickly tuck your hands under your armpits hiding them and looking away embarrassed. It’s silent and you’re hoping he left but you felt the couch shift with a new weight.

“It’s stupid to hide your hands, no one cares about it.” He says side-eyeing you and you softly nod bringing your hands out and resting them on your knees. Silence fills the room and you glance at him as he stares forward so you see his profile. Your eyes trace over his sharp feature but at the same time some of his features were soft, his normally angry eyes were relaxed and the scowl that seemed permanently etched onto his face was a soft line. Your gaze trails from his mouth back to his eyes and you quickly look away seeing him watching you. Heat flushes your face having been caught but he doesn’t say anything about it.

“So…why are you up?” You say and he leans his head back glancing at you before looking up at the ceiling.

“Couldn’t sleep..too many things on my mind.” He says and you nod picking at your nails to distract yourself before you speak up.

“Wanna talk about them..?” You spit out and he looks over at you and you regret speaking, “If you want to! You don’t have you probably don’t want to talk to someone you barely even know.” You wave your hands in front of you.

“The Darkhold or whatever..” He says and you pause looking at him though he is still looking away, “It came from a different universe or whatever world that witch bastard came from.” You smile slightly hearing him have no fear insult your ancestor who was one of the most powerful beings.

“Yeah, I guess…my parents told me she only search for it to protect her family,” You chuckle slightly, “Guess we were all wrong and she only used it for whatever power-hungry dream she had.”

“Well, she must have settled down or something, or else you wouldn’t exist.” Bakugo brings up and you nod, memories of her in that temple castle thing. The people trying to stop her before she killed them off and took that girl’s power.

“I guess so…why do you ask?” You ask.

“If it existed in her universe…does it exist here? She said you could live in a universe that you were happy in if that included us or not…does that mean in each universe there is that kind of power.” He says and you can’t help but feel nervous. You had gotten rid of it for this reason exactly. That sort of power was never meant for men and already hearing it from All Might you couldn’t help but be nervous…did Bakugo want this power…did he want you to find it?

“I don’t know…maybe besides that sort of power shouldn’t be in the hands of anyone. It better lost somewhere than ever found.” You say looking away. He nods looking forward before he glances back at you.

“Good…like you said no one should have that sort of power…even for good.” You look at him the two of you staring at each other the moonlight highlighting the both of you. Shut up you stupid heart, you could feel your heart pounding in your chest. You did well hiding your feelings before you can do it now. But why was he looking at you like that, why wasn’t he yelling at you or challenging you to fight him?

“If you had that kind of power..” You start, “Would you give yourself a second chance?” It’s quiet and you almost want to take back what you said as he presses his lips together.

“No,” He says and you look at him surprised, “If we were meant to be given second chances we would have been but if not then I’ll live my life. Sure I have regrets we all do but that’s what life is.” You were surprised, the hot-headed egotistical boy was no longer there but a mature still slightly explosive man was there instead. This war had changed everyone for the good or worse but you hadn’t expected this from him.

“Besides if I need to cheat my way for my dream of becoming the Number One Hero then it’s not a real win.” He smirks and you laugh out loud at his comment, still the same boy. He watches you laugh and he couldn’t describe the tightness in his chest all of a sudden. He better not be getting sick before this fight. Calming yourself down you look back at him,

“Bakugo…” He hums in response listening in, “I’m glad to have met you in this universe.” You say and he’s quiet for a second before looking over at you the fast beating of your chest and the tightness in his own taking over the both of you.

“Yeah…you’re not too bad yourself.”

The sounds of yelling and fighting flood your ears. Your conversation with Bakugo had been more than 24 hours ago and since then you two were busy packing, saying goodbye to his parents and your father before you were sent to a secure location with your class before the fight that was to begin. The most the two of you got were short words between each other or one-sided glances. You two weren’t going to be on the same mission, you joining Endeavor and Hawks at Gunga Mountain Villa fighting All For One while Bakugo was to be with Midoriya fighting Shigaraki. During the initial attack of the heroes and villains, the two of you had the briefest glance and you both went to your respective portals. The fight was quickly fast and you felt like you couldn’t keep up but as the fight continued on word had reached that Todoroki took down Dabi.

You dodge a barrage of razors from All For One some knicking your skin but you bring your hands up a barrier of magic blocking your vital organs twisting in the air and throwing a blast of magic that hits All For One in the chest sending him flying back for a second. He steadies himself sensing you through his mask. Your magic keeps you levitating as you prepare another spell.

“Now I definitely felt that kind of magic before. It’s different from quirks more natural like your family isn’t that right Y/n?” He calls out and you shiver hearing his name on his tongue. When the two of you met during Kamino you truly thought you were going to die then. It wasn’t until your classmates rescued the two of you but that feeling never shook off you. “Your family is special, especially the woman who started your bloodline, the Scarlet Witch was it..you gave yourself that hero name after all.”

Dread covers your face hearing her name…how did he know about her?! “Scarlet focus don’t let him get to you!” Hawks calls out seeing the fear cross your face, he didn’t know much about you but with your quirk and how you were handling yourself against All For One and your family name, you definitely were a fair opponent. All For One seeing the crack form puts all his attacks into breaking you down still defending himself against Endeavor and Hawks but this U.A. had revealed a fatal opening. You’re quickly put on the defense shielding yourself from attacks or teleporting away from them to give yourself distance though it’s quickly closed.

“I never knew there was a way to travel through the universe but she had done it and that made her dangerous! Chaos Magic is what you called it?! Spontaneous creation…though I see none coming from you. It’s like no other quirk I’ve seen. She had something I wanted…that you’re family kept protected and hidden but you now have it.” All For One says sending a shockwave that sends you flying back having to regain focus to keep flying.

“So where is it!? Using your magic to hide it? Hand over the Darkhold!” He yells out and you send out a blast of magic that gets him caught in the crosshairs of both Endeavor and Hawks who send a wall of flames and Hawks goes to chip away at the mask. An rivets explode from him and you sent out runes quickly to shield the two pros but weren’t fast enough feeling it pierce your skin. The rivets dig into your arms and leg keeping you up in the air you felt one of the rivets cut into your side hissing in pain.

“If you won’t reveal yourself I’ll just make you,” You feel fire enter your body as your quirk activates without your control or will. You scream in pain feeling him push your magic to strive for the Darkhold and for a brief moment you sense it the dark energy. A tiara of chaos magic starts appearing on your head that the villain grins seeing this and the two heroes look surprised. It was in this universe…it was somewhere out there and your quirk was going to find it. Arms wrap around your waist ripping the rivets out of your body and holding you as your body shakes from that large rush of magic. All For One sends another attack at you but Hawks dodges still holding you in his arms. Using your magic to levitate yourself feeling your blood stain your costume, Endeavor arrives next to you the three of you watching the villain for his next move.

“He knows of the Darkhold and if he forces me to retrieve it this war will quickly be in his favor,” You huff out drawing runes in the air a quick spell to stop the bleeding on your wounds but not to heal as that would require more focus. While you had Chaos Magic and even with your studies with the Darkhold you had never tapped into using that magic. To warp reality was something you never tried in fear of causing harm to others, but in that moment you felt a shift. That small taste of true chaos magic and it frightened you.

“Get out of here L/n,” Endeavor says glancing at his intern and you look at him shocked, “If what you say is true and All For One can force you then you need to stay away from him.”

“But I’m needed here! What if you need a spell-” You say looking at the two older heroes.

“That’s an order!” Endeavor says, “Join the others at U.A. and assist Jeanist until Midoriya arrives!” You look at your mentor seeing the fire burning in his eyes and you look over at Hawks as he flips his swords to have them facing down.

“Go kid, we got this.” He sends a small smirk before all of you dodge a large shockwave from All For One. You quickly create a shield in front of all of you and he keeps pushing forward making you push back. Your eyes glow a bright red and you send a large blast of magic aiming at the chip in his mask seeing it crack as he’s thrown back. Hawks and Endeavor rush forward.

“GO NOW!” Endeavor yells out as All For One tries to go after you but is held back by the top two heroes. Drawing your hands out in front of you creating runes to search for Bakugo in Japan before sensing it. You catch the one last look of the villain sending an attack right at you but you twist your hands disappearing in a cloud of smoke the quirk going right through.

At the floating school, it shakes with the large attacks of Shigaraki’s mutation the heroes and students there fighting against this new upgrade.

“Keep on your toes! We have to keep moving!! Lest he swallow us up!! Continue to evade, and target his core!!” Best Jeanist yells out to them all quickly using his quirk to pull Bakugo out of the way from a mass of hands. Bakugo could feel his explosions grow stronger with each attack the sweat building in his palms and the one gauntlet he had left. He was trying to focus on this battle in front of him but he still was thinking of where the hell Deku was. He was right behind him before he entered the portal and then he was pulled off into a different one. Then there was you, he didn’t want to worry about you but when he learned you were to be fighting against All For One with Endeavor and Hawks he couldn’t help the nerves. He knew you were capable of protecting yourself and you had the top two pros with you but the tightness in his chest hadn’t faded.

“Look, I dunno if that’s Shigaraki or All For One droning on right now…” He yells exploding more hunks of flesh as the added support gear appears from his collar resting on his back, “But either way, I’m about to hurl from hearing it. Ever since Kamino! Nothing but yap, yap, yap!!” He glares at the villain ready to give it his all to go plus ultra.

“HOPE YOU’RE READY….TO BE SWISS CHEESE!!” The equipment and his own hands send out a barrage of explosions all around him doing quite a deal of damage, “GOTTA DESTROY HIS REAL BODY!! ALL OF US TOGETHER!!” While Monoma and Sensei have still their quirk quirks locked down with Erasure…while Kaminari’s team…is still keeping this arena powered up! While Yaoyorozu and them…are still replacing the ground to stand on!

“YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT SOME BIG DISPARITY? LACK OF UNDERSTANDING? DREAD? GUESS WHAT-IV’E LONG SINCE TAKEN ALL THAT CRAP TO HEART.” Bakugo yells out his body pushing past that barrier as explosion and explosion goes off against Shigaraki.

“Bakugo!” Best Jeanist yells out seeing how close he was to Shigaraki and how much damage he had done.

“AND I’VE SEEN…A REAL STEP TOWARD PROGRESS, WITH ALL THAT. IT MIGHT TAKE TIME, BUT SOME PEOPLE I KNOW ARE TRYING TO PUSH FORWARD. THANKS ANYWAY, BUT YOU CAN SHOVE YOUR SERMON…YA NUTSACK-FACED HANDYMAN!” Bakugo yells out. Since going to U.A. he had his dream, win first place at the Sports Festival, intern with the top heroes, graduate and become Number One and beat that damn Deku. But it had changed, he still wanted to become Number One but he could live to be a hero if he still had people beside him…having you by his side. When this was over he was going to tell you that you were going to work at his agency. He was fine taking the snarky comments or you kicking his ass with ease if it would allow him to see you smile when you think no one is watching. Or see how gracefully you treat your quirk that it was almost pretty. That was his dream now and he was going to fight to make it come true. Starting with his strongest attack to end this damn extra.

“HOWITZER IMPACT: CLUSTER!” “GREAT EXPLOSION MURDER GOD…DYNAMIGHT!!”

A bright flash of light and the heat from the explosion shakes the floating school shocking everyone. But what they hadn’t expected was the arrival of someone and how quickly they had taken the attack that was meant for the blonde. All Bakugo saw was a flash of red before blood filled the air, it wasn’t until he saw their features, the h/c hair, your hero costume that was ripped in places blood staining it. You had just appeared taking a blow that was meant for him seeing your face get battered in the process.

“Now I hadn’t expected this…but you are someone I’ve been warned of..” Shigaraki says and you quickly try to raise your arm to protect the two of you when you feel the crushing sensation and a pain unlike anything fill you. Your scream fills the air alerting the many there of the new arrival, Bakugo watches in horror seeing your arm in Shigaraki’s grasp crush beyond belief and the right side of your face bleeding out. You glare at him blood and tears fill your eyes and he quickly blocks the attacks from Best Jeanist and Mirko. Bakugo is paralyzed staring at you. No, this wasn’t supposed to happen, you were supposed to be fighting All For One, safe with Endeavor and Hawks not here. Why were you here?

“Hey….which fool suggested close combat as the way to go? Cuz getting up close and personal with me…means you’re in for an intimate taste..” Shigaraki says flinging you off to the side and hitting the ground struggling to push yourself to your knees your crushed arm limp in front of you, “Of power on par with All Might’s.” The wind pressure from Shigaraki’s swipe sends them all flying back, Bakugo flew back hitting the ground and pushing himself up sweat pooling down his face the true look of fear on his face his hands are limp at his side he could see a few feet away you struggling to hold yourself up. The smoke clears as Shigaraki stares at you trying to put runes on your arm not being able to fully with only one hand. Most spells require two hands and he completely took away half of your arsenal it was so sudden when you arrived to be attacked. Bakugo sees the villain move his gaze from the girl to himself and the look on his face showed that Shigaraki knew what had become Bakugo’s weakness. The tightness in his chest felt like he couldn’t breathe at all, the weakness in his bones the inability to keep fighting just wanting to grab you and take you far away.

“Katsuki Bakugo…too weak to protect someone you care for,” Shigaraki calls out to the blonde as his gaze flicks to you struggling to create any spells and to this abomination in front of him, “The only thing about you…that catches my interest…is how..you’re closer to Izuku Midoriya and the Scarlet Witch than anyone else.” Shigaraki’s gaze moves to you as you look at him through a blood-filled vision.

“You can stop this! Where’s the power I was warned of!” His voice echoes across the whole battlefield and even Aizawa and the others outside the barrier can hear him, “WHERE IS THE DARKHOLD! WHERE’S THE SCARLET WITCH I’M MEANT TO FEAR!” He says as you try not to pass out from the pain just glaring at him and Shigaraki smirks seeing the chaos magic creating the motif of the Scarlet Witch, the same tiara Bakugo had recognized appearing glowing on your head.

“MANDALAY! ANY UPDATE ON MIDORIYA!?” Aizawa shouts out feeling the fear run deep in his chest,

“I can’t reach him!” Mandalay shouts back and Aizawa shouts, “But you could earlier?!”

“Barrier or not, the wonky electromagnetic waves are affecting things. I’ve been getting nothing but static for a while now.” She responds and Aizawa grits his teeth.

“Bakugo! L/n!” He yells out, “JEANIST!! MIRKO!! EDGESHOT!! DAMMIT, YOU GOTTA PROTECT THOSE TWO!! ONCE THEY GRADUATE FROM U.A….THEY’RE AIMING TO BE NUMBER ONE.”

You cry out as Shigaraki kicks you down, the man finding great pleasure seeing just a few feet away the student that was so ready to bring him down reduced to a scared child watching someone they care for be beaten down.

“Izuku Midoriya was supposed to be here, right?” Shigaraki calls out his foot pressing down on your head, “So he’s bound to show up soon, hmmm? On that note, having my quirk erased right now is a blessing in disguise.”

Your non-injured hand swipes out to send a blast of magic when he throws you up into the air your magic missing him as he clutches your throat. “SHUT UP-” You could feel the air leaving your body and the pressure making you gasp for air.

“Cuz your corpse will be left intact…Yes, he’ll have a lovely present waiting when he arrives. Remember his sheer fury when I poked Bakugo full of holes last time? Then I kill Bakugo after so he can watch knowing he failed. I’ll only ask once more.” Shigaraki says as his hand mutates growths crushing your body blood spraying in the air as you fail to breathe, “Where is the Darkhold.”

Nejire and Suneater try fighting against him but Shigaraki uses you as a shield blocking off their attacks as you stay limp in his hand. His body sends a large attack continuing to mutate with growths.

“My body continues to adapt! Scurry away like insects! Nothing can bring me down!” Shigaraki cackles before you feel hands wrap around your waist and you catch Lemillions gaze before your tossed away.

“Jeanist!” A coil of cables wraps you pulling you away from the fight and he brings you down your body collapsing as he rushes over to you. Your old mentor covered in his own sweat and blood looks fearful at his old intern.

“I’m going to suture your right arm, Scarlet.” He says and you’re still trying to catch your breath trying to stay awake the pain and adrenaline keeping you awake. From the corner of your eye, Bakugo falls to his knees beside you looking down at you. Blonde coated parts of his face and his sweat was pouring off his face as were tears from his eyes.

“Wha…what are you doing here.” His voice is hoarse as Jeanist begins suturing your arm and you close your eyes in pain your hand reaching out grasping Bakugo’s and he doesn’t hesitant holding yours back.

“All…All For One..he tried to get the Darkhold..” You gasp out squeezing his hand trying to distract yourself from the pain as Jeanist apologized beside you.

“You said it wasn’t possible that you wouldn’t be able to find one if it existed.” He says shaking his head and wincing himself not used to seeing you in so much pain.

“I thought so too…but I felt it..” You say looking at the sky the barrier keeping you all in this place before you look back at Bakugo and he almost recognizes that look, “Bakugo..”

“No.” He shakes his head, “You said you wouldn’t, you barely got out of it before, and what if Shigaraki gets it.” But the look on your face shows you had already made up your mind.

“Do what!?” Jeanist says confused about what his two interns were talking about, as a hero he had heard rumors of something called a Darkhold but that was history for years before he was even born.

“She wants to get the Darkhold to stop Shigaraki.” Bakugo spits out glaring down at you but you’re already trying to push yourself up despite Jeanist and Bakugo pushing you back down.

“It’s the only way! Midoriya isn’t here and without One For All it’s the only thing that is more powerful than him.” You say getting yourself up on your knees your damaged arm partly sutured resting limply at your side while your other hand starts to glow with your magic though it's changed not the bright red from before but darker with hints of black. You look over at Bakugo who looks conflicted, “Please you have to trust me.” You say and just look at you before the three of you hear a loud explosion and you look forward to seeing Shigaraki stalking towards you. Jeanist stands up coils of cables ready to fight and protect you two.

“Bakugo protect L/n…find it! I’ll try to give you as much time as I can!” Best Jeanist looks back at the two of you before glaring at Shigaraki, “Do you worst, you foul abomination!!”

Your hand shakes slightly as you draw runes as fast you can with one hand in front of you, it glows this new shade as the crown of the Scarlet Witch appear on your head as you reach out into the world searching for it. You can feel your body crying out to stop but you push past. Flashes of memories of your life fill your head, your testing, your father and mother’s warm embrace, your old home, your life at U.A, your training, the festivals, the internships, the battles you fought to make you stronger. You stop seeing a memory of Bakugo the night before you left U.A. the moonlight highlighting his features as the two of you spent your last night together.

“Bakugo…I’m glad to have met you in this universe.” You call out to him and he’s quiet before looking over at you.

“Yeah…you’re not too bad yourself.”

Then you sense it...that energy and you reach out for it. Appearing in front of you the dark energy as the two of you watch the book you were familiar with materialize before you. It floats in front of the two of you flipping open the runes of its magic appearing before the two of you. You pause almost hesitant to take it, the dark energy had your hand twitch to grab it the past memories…the corruption reminding you why you had rejected it. You look over at Bakugo not expecting him to be looking at you the two of you are silent before you just act. You reach over grabbing his collar your lips connecting with his, you feel him freeze and you go to pull away but his hand grabs the back of your head keeping you against him. Electricity rushes through your veins your heart bursting while the tightness in his heart fades. You both pull away taking in every detail of his face while he memorizes yours confused why a tear had spilled from your eye. He quickly wipes it away holding your face feeling grounded for once. Feeling like he could win any fight as long as you were by his side.

“Katsuki…I’m glad to know you in this universe…” You whisper trying not to break down, he nods tightening his grip on you. His heart fluttered hearing his name on your tongue he wanted you to repeat it forever.

“You…you are my dream y/n..” He says holding your face and a single tear slides down his face before he looks past you towards the Darkhold and where everyone was fighting Shigaraki. You glance at the book knowing what you had to do and reached your hand out and take it.

Suneater, Nejire, and Lemillion’s attack had been futile each of them gaining their own injuries.

“Think about it! Remember All Might in his prime? Would something so pathetic…have killed him?” Shigaraki shouts out, “C’mon! Use your heads!” A large explosion came from behind him a bright light blinding them all. Shigaraki looks over confused and appears from the light a girl her costume changed from a simple hero costume to someone of power, an outfit the blonde had seen before. Her arms were held out beside her as she stepped forward the skirt swaying behind her slow steps the crown now physically resting on her head. The blood and injuries still covered her but she was still using her magic with her injured arm. Hovering beside her was a book of unimaginable power that his master had been searching for. This was he was told to fear a being that had the power of spontaneous creation without the need to think or incantation. A power not from this universe, unlike anything they have ever seen. Either to rule the cosmos or destroy them altogether.

“You…” Shigaraki breathes out feeling his eyes twitch in anger, you were up and still fighting and were now truly an opponent. You twist your hands your finger stained with the corruption further up your hand not just the tips of your fingers but the whole digit. The Darkhold disappears before you vanish before him and Shigaraki’s face is hit with the strongest blast of magic ripping his flesh open. You’re right beside the villain who swipes his hand out to strike you but the attack goes straight through your body before you disappear again appearing behind him surprising them all. None of them even Bakugo who had seen the power of the Darkhold saw you like this. This wasn’t just the Darkhold’s power but an awakening in you, this was chaos magic, reality-warping in front of him.

Shigaraki hadn’t felt fear during this fight but suddenly like a memory where you stood was another woman a being of even more substantial power that he’s never seen before. Why was he suddenly panicking?! And he had instantly sent out the largest attack straight at you. You felt fire running through your veins as you felt your body go through overdrive, the chaos magic and the dark magic fueling your body. You felt powerful like a constant high you couldn’t get rid of. It felt addicting and you wanted more and you had completely accepted the chaos of your power and the Darkhold the corruption fueling your body. You bring your hands together ready to give an attack to end this all, to be the most powerful, to be the one to end all wars with your power. If they wanted a fight you would crush them between your hands.

“You…you are my dream.”

Bakugo’s voice fills your head clearing your head for just a moment. The darkness that had taken over your heart cracking..the corruption you had accepted so easily for its power. You thought you were doing this to protect your family for the ones you loved but you felt like a sham. You wanted the power and you felt foolish. With that split second of doubt and the Darkhold’s hold leaving you Shigaraki had struck and you could feel it be too late to counter.

The heroes before you had thought they had a chance…that this battle could be won without One For All before Bakugo saw it. The slight change in your face as you were going to finish Shigaraki, the corruption he had feared had taken over when you had accepted the Darkhold but in that moment whatever it was had made you hesitate and he saw Shigaraki get the upper hand. A cluster of explosions sent him flying over to Shigaraki and you and the others quickly joined in to stop the villain. He felt everything shatter before him when Shigaraki made contact with your chest as he sent one of his strongest explosions right at Shigaraki’s face. You were sent flying across the field bouncing against the ground twice he felt nauseous seeing the large amounts of blood in the air. He saw his old mentor barely catch as Shigaraki pushed them all away he skid against the ground instantly standing up and looking over at where you were with Jeanist.

“We came prepared for today…with a perfect demon lord body, ideal for the final boss,” Shigaraki calls out through the clearing smoke as he stumbles his way over to Jeanist who is frozen standing above you. His heart continues to grow cold seeing the large trails of blood that he knew was yours, “Understand yet? What’s coming now…is our story. The villains’ tale.”

He felt like dying right then and there his legs crumbled under him as he fell before you to his knees as Jeanist was hovering over you tears pouring down his face before he spoke those words.

“Her heart…” He could hear the screams of anger and sadness but he couldn’t say anything but stare at you. You were staring at the sky the right side of your face scarred and bleeding but you still looked beautiful, but what killed him was the large hole in your chest and the blood quickly pooling around it.

“No…no…no you can’t do this.” The words spill from the boy's lips as his hands shake before he lightly cups your face flinching at how cold it was, “Please don’t do this to me.” He doesn’t care if the blood is staining his hands or his hero costume he brings you to his lap holding you in his arms begging you to wake up and his mentor feels weak watching this.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen, we were gonna win…we still have to graduate, and you have to beat me in fights or give those snarky comments, I wanted an agency with you..” Tears pour from his face as he prays to any higher being to have this be a dream and give someone the power to bring you back, “I wanted a life with you..” His voice cracks as his tears clean the blood from your face. The sob that breaks through his throat as he brings close cradling you as he rocks back and forth unable to stop the sobs and screams of pain leave his throat. He keeps whispering under his breath hoping you would wake up to look at him again, to smile at him again, to hold him, to love him...

“You were supposed to be my dream.”

Six Years Later

Katsuki had woken up as he had for the past six years since the war, plagued with nightmares. There had been moments when he didn’t dream that he was grateful but it was rare. He slowly got ready following his routine, shower, brush his teeth, get dressed, and leave for work, he would get a coffee and something while going. It didn’t seem like six years had passed since that day, the war that caused many lives lost and the one he cared for and loved. He had lost you. He could still remember it clearly in his mind before he had no choice but to let you go and join Deku in fighting Shigaraki. His anger and sadness fueled him until they had defeated him having no choice but to kill him. The blood on both of their hands but for the safety of Japan it was something that didn’t weigh him down. All For One had rewind himself out of existence but had down his damage. None of the League had survived that battle all dying in different ways but he didn’t feel any guilt he was glad all of them were rotting six feet into the ground. They took everything from him so they deserved more than just death.

The class had changed when everything was over, they were only children during this war and to see so much death and pain was a lot for many. He wasn’t surprised that many of his classmates did not continue a career in heroism the weight of that war too much. Some did stay and they continued and graduated and like he had said he got his Agency…though he didn’t become the Number One going to the One For All user he hadn’t cared. The number had meant nothing to him knowing he was to go through this life alone.

Work was work, planning patrols with his sidekicks, scheduling meetings for press interviews for morale or public appearances, to working on some long-term missions. While the war had taken the high-ranking villains out rebellion was always going to be there. Following the battle an object had been mentioned having been mentioned by both villains at U.A. and Gunga Mountain. The Darkhold’s history had been revealed and the world had searches sent out to find the book and have it retrieved. Many heroes in Japan mainly from U.A. had rejected the idea of trying to find it. That power was never meant for man and where it had disappeared to was better off missing. He sat at his desk working through some reports when there was a fast pace knocking which quickly annoyed him.

“What?” He called out and the door opened revealing his assistant, “What is it?”

His assistant look like she was going to hurl with the information she had but she quickly spit it out.

“Central Hospital needs you to come immediately…she’s awake.”

Katsuki had never dropped his things so fast blasting his way over to the hospital many things running through his mind. It had been a long and tiring six years alone just waiting for any news whether it would be good or bad. Your organs had been completely pulverized by Shigaraki’s attack killing you instantly. Edgeshot had sacrificed his life using his quirk and body to stabilize your internal bleeding and replace organs and in that moment when they had finished off Shigaraki he heard his old mentor’s voice across the battlefield.

“SHE HAS A HEARTBEAT!”

You had been rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery to stop the other injuries and get rid of the rest of the internal bleeding. Your surgery had been for a total of 13 hours, and your body and genetics had been something many doctors have never seen given the fact that your quirk had come from someone not of their universe. Your genetic material was vastly different to the average human which made modern medicine difficult to use as it either had no effect or the body was rejecting it. Following the surgery when they had finally gotten you stable enough they had to put you in a medically induced coma to allow your body to heal. Your body had completely died to the point where it didn’t seem possible to have brain function but you show active vitals during your surgery and the medically induced coma. They had thought after a few weeks your body would show signs of improvement they had even brought in Recovery Girl and other strong healers but nothing had worked. Katsuki had felt his world died again hearing the news they weren’t sure when you were to wake up. The medically induced coma had become a full coma and when weeks turned to months and then years you had been completely unaware of time passing around you. Your body had seemed to regress where signs of brain activity had been minimal.

Your father had been distraught that his only child had been given a fate worse than death, the doctors had tried reassuring him there was always a chance you could wake up. With that small faith, he dedicated his life to keeping you in the best care, selling stocks, and properties outside of Japan, any retirement funds had been put into your care and when he had graduated and had started receiving money from the Hero Commission he had started paying for the medical bills. Your father tried refusing but the man had been adamant on paying for them.

The hospital staff didn’t even bother checking him in, for the past six years he had been here that he knew your doctors, knew the rotation of nurses that worked on you. His footsteps were heavy and fast and when he reached the door that had your name written on it he paused. His heart had been a heavy weight on his chest, his hand trembled as it reached for the doorknob his grip heavy he thought he was going to rip it off the door. Katsuki took a shaky inhale opening the door stepping into the room. He felt the coldness leave him in that instant, the tightness in his chest release letting him take in a deep breath of air for once, the constant frown on his face soften looking forward. It was just your presence had breathed life back into him. There you were sat up in your bed you were still covered in wires checking your brain activity, others pumping drugs into your body but you were awake your eyes open listening to the doctor your father was right beside you. Those six years of waiting had aged him, hair greying, his skin losing its youth. Katsuki couldn’t blame him he had lost his wife during Jaku and had almost lost his daughter in the final one, the stress and fear that he must have felt should have drowned any normal man. His hand clutches your own as you nod slowly listening to the doctor now even noticing he was in the room. Your father makes eye contact with Katsuki clearing his throat and stopping the doctor who notices the blonde and you were the last one. The air felt trapped in his throat but at the same time, all his nerves and fears had left him when you turned to look at him. The widening of your eyes and the quickly growing smile as you took in the boy who was now a man, the man you had cared for and fallen for.

“Katsuki..”

#mha #mha fic #mha spoilers #mha x reader #mha bakugou #bakugo katuski #bakugou katsuki #bnha bakugo katsuki #bakugou x reader #bakugo x y/n #katsuki bakugo x reader #katsuki x you #katsuki x reader #katsuki x y/n #mha angst #angst #mha fluff #fluff

[uwmspeccoll]

Happy Labor Day!

In recognition of Labor Day and the continued fight for workers’ rights, we’re highlighting a 1921 National Women’s Trade Union League pamphlet from our social-justice-based Fromkin Memorial Collection.  

The National Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) was established in 1903 to represent women's rights within the American labor movement and remained active until 1950. The organization was notable for its diverse population of working women and upper-class reformers, including Eleanor Roosevelt, who fought side by side to organize women workers into unions, provide educational opportunities to women and girls, and solidify protective workplace and social legislation. The WTUL is credited with playing a critical role in supporting the 1909 New York Uprising of the 20,000, which remains the largest strike by American women in history. Within their working-class ideology, WTUL also advocated for the eight-hour workday and supported women’s suffrage.  

This promotional pamphlet spotlights three of the WTUL’s achievements including opening a School for Women Leaders in the Labor Movement in 1911, initiating a federal investigation into the conditions of woman and child wage-earners in 1907 which lead to the establishment of the Department of Labor Women’s Bureau in 1920, and presenting its Reconstruction Program at the 1919 international Peace Conference.  

While we enjoy a long Labor Day weekend (or perhaps time and a half pay for union members), may we also reflect on the WTUL’s spirit and accomplishments and all of those who continue to fight for social justice. 

View posts from Labor Days past.

-Jenna, Special Collections Graduate Intern 

#labor day #national women's trade union league #uprising of the 20000 #social justice #labor movement #women's rights #fromkin collection #unions #women #women's work #women's labor unions #labor unions

[bleachification]

⸻ CHAPTER FIVE; ALL MEN ARE EQUAL

pairing: dazai x f!reader (fantasy au)

warnings: mentions/themes of depression

chapter list: this is CHAPTER FIVE of a multi-chapter fic series. PLEASE read the chapters below (in order) before this one or you will be very lost!!

prologue

one

two

three

four

word count: 3.5k

+ + + + + + + + + + + + +

Back in your homeland, at the Imperial Palace, the largest constructed facilities are ones of sport and training. Sharpened swords and polished armour take the place of bookshelves on bedroom walls, and the practice of scripture is seldom found. Higher education, though no less important than warfare, is strictly limited to scriveners, court officials, and the professional erudites of your father’s choosing. In the face of current conflicts, most of your father’s people are far more absorbed in military affairs and bureaucracy than arithmetics, the sciences and the humanities.

Although, when it came to you, it was like a switch went off and all those sentiments were turned upside down. 

By a certain age, your tutelage switched from scholarly knowledge to that of etiquette and what he referred to as ‘womanly affairs’. Those usually consisted of things like sewing, music, and art classes. The only one you ever enjoyed was the horseback lessons. 

But thankfully, your father’s one track mind meant you were never discovered for—or suspected of—possessing further-education books and studying politics, diplomacy, and military tactics on the days general schooling lessons were cancelled. It is why you find yourself in the royal library, hours before you are due to meet Dazai for dinner. 

Hundreds, if not thousands, of marble shelves line the walls from floor to ceiling. Each one is stacked, end-to-end, with leather bound tomes and tea-stained manuscripts. There is a fireplace in the right corner, carved from blackened stone and crackling with warmth. Around it sits a pair of dark-green, thickly-cushioned armchairs, along with a matching sofa that is wide enough to fit at least four people. 

You walk further in and are greeted with four arched windows spanning the length and height of the space, each one clear as the summer sea. You squint, momentarily blinded by a sudden passing ray of sunlight. Birds are chirping underneath the morning sky, and branches of a looming willow tree sway in front of the left-most window. You take in the sprawling garden view; a labyrinthine maze of hedges take up the centre, and a large assortment of decorations speckle the grounds. Smaller fountains, rainbow flower beds, and iron-wrought benches are only a few of what you can see. 

You look around a bit more, noting the study tables anchored to the floor and the winding staircase that leads to the open-plan second floor. The library is well-kept, as shown by the pots holding blooming flowers along the window sills, but the dust lining the shelves indicates that no one has used the archives in a long time. You wonder why—it is the first and only comforting place that you have found in the cold, lonely palace. 

You make your way down the stacks before a section catches your eye.

A Comprehensive Guide on Abilities and a Meta Analysis on their Structural Archetypes; 

The Scholar’s Circle’s Codex on Yokohama’s Political Affairs;

North vs. South: A Dynastic Tale of Continental History. 

You grab all three and almost lose your balance from the weight of each text. More and more books are added to the pile in your arms until you can no longer see straight ahead. 

With a huff, you drop the mountain of pending research onto an oak-stained study table and quickly get to work. 

Hours pass, the concept of time long faded as you lose yourself in the world of preternatural powers, warring states, and the cluttered institutions that make up the Kingdom in its most present form. 

The striking differences between Yokohama and the Northern Empire are more vast than you had ever imagined. It's a stark contrast—governance, industry, arts, religion and everything else you've come across so far. Not a single commonality to be found.

“How has…? But wouldn’t the roots originate from the dark ages? Let’s see…” you mumble, talking to no one in particular. 

“Have you found a specially interesting read?” A particular person asks. 

You fall out of your seat in surprise. 

“General!” You squeak, reeling from his sudden appearance. 

The mild-mannered Fukuzawa gives you a gentle smile and moves to help you up. He hooks two large arms under your own and lifts you back onto your chair. The scene reminds you of a mother cat picking its kitten up by the scruff of its neck.

You drop your head onto the table in embarrassment, refusing to make eye contact until, hopefully, a meteor comes falling onto earth and crushes you to death. 

“Good morning, General,” you mutter. 

“Hmm.”

You peek up at him with one eye. “What?”

“It is five in the evening,” he replies, bemused. 

“What?!” You bolt up, shame long forgotten. 

It takes you a second to realize how orange the library is, cast in the hues from the setting sun. 

You drag a hand over your face, rubbing the fatigue from your eyes. “Shit, I didn’t realize how late it had gotten.”

Fukuzawa raises a brow. 

“What? You’ve never heard a noble cuss before?” 

He taps his chin. “I can’t say I have. You truly are a breath of fresh air, Your Highness.”

You grin. “As are you, General. And please…”

He listens, head tilting in curiosity. 

“It is [name]. We are friends, are we not?” Your false sincerity coats your words like a second skin.  

The sun dips far below the horizon, robbing the world of its light. You take in the storm clouds in the distance, absentmindedly wondering if the Empire would experience the same downpour later in the night. 

Fukuzawa ponders your question for a moment longer before answering. “We are, but I am also your subordinate, so I am afraid I must decline.”

“And if it is an order?”

Fukuzawa’s eyes sparkle. “Then I am under aristocratic obligation to comply.”

In a tone laced with authority and bemusement, you proclaim: “I, acting Monarch of Yokohama, hereby order General Yukichi Fukuzawa to act beyond propriety and address me by given name only. No titles, no fancy designations. Just [name].” 

“As long as you are willing to grant me that same honor, [name].”

You grin. “See? Isn’t that so much better, Yukichi?”

The General only laughs and turns to take a seat across from you. The armour he dons makes a clanging noise as he settles himself. Patches of dirt litter the surface of the metal while other areas sport minor indents—likely from the force of a blade's flat or hilt. 

“Did that hurt?” You nod towards the largest dip in the steel. 

He looks down at his left side, around the area between his upper ribs. “Couldn’t even feel it.”

“Of course not,” you wave, returning your attention back to the pages. 

“I see you are interested in…” Fukuzawa leans over the table, peering at the emboldened titles of each tome. “Yokohama politics, history, and culture?”

“The pen is mightier than the sword, as they say,” you muse. “And a bright mind is far mightier than those stumbling blind in the darkness of their own ignorance.”

“I do wish more members of the court shared that sentiment. It would certainly make my migraines less frequent.” 

You faintly recall the term from a book you finished earlier. “The… inner court?”

“The very same. A parliamentary round table of aristocrats and representatives, headed by the Four Noble Houses.”

“The Four Noble Houses? You mean…” You cringe, an unpleasant memory resurfacing. 

Fukuzawa’s eyes gleam with amusement. “Ah, yes. I recall a certain purple-faced duke drenched in the colours of His Majesty’s most favoured cabernet sauvignon.”

You smile sheepishly. “I messed up, didn’t I?”

“Formally? Yes.”

You groan and drop your head in your hands.

Fukuzawa lays a palm on your shoulder and gives you a gentle pat. 

“But reasonably? Absolutely not. He deserved ten times worse than what he got.”

“Someone needed to stand up to him,” you point out. 

“Sadly, there are not many people who can.”

You sigh at that and go back to your research. The moment you set your eyes back on the book, the pages in front of you begin to blur and mesh into a whirlpool of ink. 

“Maybe it is time for a break…” you murmur. 

Fukuzawa leans forward and studies your fatigued expression. 

“What have you learned so far?”

You snort. “You mean other than our sordid history? The decades of hatred and conflict brewing between our countries?”

“Ah, yes. Besides that fun little facet of our politics.”

You run through the miles of information you had just absorbed, each little bit coming together piece by piece to paint a very clear picture of the modern world—one where mystic abilities, gods of old, and monsters coexist in disharmony. 

‘Abilities’ as you have come to know them, are practically non-existent among the lower caste in the Northern Empire. The only ones who wield them are of noble blood, aside from the rare few commoners—unfortunate individuals who would be executed for merely holding power outside of their status. Even then, barely anyone manifests one. In recent years, the only ability-user you know of is Chuuya.  

In Yokohama, these powers are respected, admired, and much more plentiful. In your textual observations, it is noted that the military and governing leaders are chosen for their abilities. 

“Hm… what is yours?”

 You are curious. What sort of fate-bending, death-defying power could this seasoned warrior have?

“Mine?”

“Your ability. You must have one, being the head of such an elite corps.”

“My ability…” he pauses. 

You raised a teasing brow. “What? You’re not going to tell me?”

“Just considering the risks of doing so. You have proven yourself to be both smart and deceitful. A deadly combination.”

“Are you saying you don’t trust me?” You place a hand on your chest in mock offence, scoffing in indignation. 

Fukuzawa laughs—that familiar smooth rumble that you have come to find placating. “Would I be wise to?”

“Of course not.” You wave a dismissive hand. “But you should tell me anyway because I am curious and stubborn and will likely find out on my own regardless.”

The general’s gaze is filled with a kind of warmth that is unknown to you, only interrupted by a flicker of a melancholy that twists his expression momentarily." It happens so fast you almost mistake it for a trick of the light.

“You remind me so much of her…” He mumbles under his breath so softly you pass it off as a whisper of the wind. “Very well. I will tell you.”

The sun has all but disappeared from the horizon, the shimmering moon slipping in its place. The dark, glittering night falls onto Fukuzawa’s features beautifully, making  him seem a little more weathered and a little less mundane as he explains his decidedly non-mundane powers. 

“It allows me to control my soldiers’ own abilities. I am able to manipulate their capabilities, help navigate their potential, and expand the boundaries of what they can do. That is my ability,” he explains. 

You mull over Fukuzawa’s words, a bit surprised at the nature of it all. The powerfully built military veteran looks at you like he knows what you are thinking—knows that you are confused on why someone with his battle prowess has such a passive skill. 

“You forget, Your Highness, that before I am a warrior, I am first and foremost a leader. Without my men, I am nothing, and without me, many of those men would not have survived until now,” he states. He says it like a fact, and perhaps in some ways, it is. It makes more sense the longer you think on it, his ability is almost perfectly suited to his position. You wonder what yours would be if you manifested one. What about Dazai? Would his ability reflect bloodthirst and coldness? Or would it be the opposite of what you know him as?

You make a mental note to come back to that question later, and direct your attention back to the conversation at hand. 

“[Name],” you correct.

Fukuzawa blinks. “Sorry?”

“You called me ‘Your Highness’ just now.”

“I apologize. Force of habit,” he drops his head in a slight bow and the moonlight streaming through the open windows reflects off his gray hair, transforming it into a silver mane. 

Fukuzawa apologizes to you a lot, like a father fumbling for words in front of his newborn, careful not to be anything but kind. If anything, you find it endearing. As well as a little… disappointing. 

“General.”

Fukuzawa’s smile drops at your change in tone. The worry in his eyes is clear. “Is something wrong?”

You give him a small smile, a tad tense. “No. Not really. Though, I would like to ask you something. Would you humour me?”

“Of course. I will answer anything within reason,” he reassures. 

You rest your cheek against your palm, curiosity and wariness burning bright. 

“Why are you so kind to me? I know how this country views the Empire—views me. I am not blind to the scornful glances nor hidden insults thrown around. I am numb to them. But you… Kunikida… that peculiar doctor as well, you are all much too cordial with a sworn enemy. Is it pity? Some misplaced sense of duty? Or perhaps it is all fake and you are all laughing behind my back as we speak.”

Silence spreads through the empty library, the only noises are the crackling of the fireplace and the gentle swishes of the willow branch behind you. The only thing you hear is your pulse thrumming against your skull.

If Fukuzawa is taken aback by your bluntness, he does not show it. Despite only knowing you for this short period of time, he is probably already used to your brusque manner of speech. He folds his hands in front of him and leans backward, taking some time to come up with a suitable answer. You can practically see the gears turning in that head of his. 

A few moments pass before he finally speaks in a serious, yet gentle, voice.

“Do you think yourself undeserving of our respect?”

You shake your head and answer: “Not at all. I am only surprised you would willingly impart it to me.”

“I cannot speak on Sir Kunikida or Dr. Yosano’s behalf—although, I imagine they share the same thoughts—but I am kind to you because it is common sense. I am kind to you because I am honoured to serve under your reign,” Fukuzawa assures. His expression softens. “I am truly sorry about the harassment you have had to endure. I will do my best to keep them in check, but if it happens again, do not be afraid to use your status. You are their ruler. Do not let them forget it.”

A lump forms in your throat and you force yourself to swallow it down. The support eases your heart, but the anxiety does not fully disappear, nor does the cold tingle of resentment in your chest. They probably never will. For now, you will accept his words, but with caution, as you are still very much in enemy territory. You will need to lead with your mind to survive, not your heart.  

And Fukuzawa? The gentle general is merely a stepping stone, not a friend. 

“I… am grateful. Tha—”

“General Fukuzawa!” In a very familiar fashion, the doors to the library burst open to reveal a man, effectively cutting you off. 

Kunikida stands beneath the frame, face alarmingly red and breaths coming out in short, laboured puffs. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Fukuzawa grimacing. 

“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?.” The minister spits out each word with barely contained anger—more accusation than actual question. 

“Chief Minister.” Fukuzawa bows and slowly inches himself towards the door, closer and closer to the fuming blonde. “I see you are… upset.”

Kunikida’s eye twitches. “Upset? Upset?!” His voice hits an impressive octave and you briefly wonder if he’s ever considered a career in opera. He certainly has the knack for it. 

“I—” 

“The outdoor arena is on fire.”

The general clears his throat. 

“Right. I did tell them not to try out those new techniques without me around, though His Majesty’s soldiers were never ones to adhere to the rules.”

“A black hole opened up in the ceiling and swallowed three stable boys. They were… fully nude when they fell out an hour later.”

Fukuzawa blinks. 

“That’s… new.”

“You have five seconds,” Kunikida says flatly. 

“Well. Duty calls. I shall have to put out some fires… er… literally.” Fukuzawa makes his way to the open doors and is about to leave when he adds: “Have a wonderful  night, [name].”

“Good luck,” you laugh. 

He gives you a small wave before disappearing down the hall. 

You turn your attention to Kunikida who is now slightly less red, though still glowing a nice shade of pink. 

“Good evening, Chief Minister. To what do I owe the pleasure?” You ask. 

“I am here to bring you to dinner service. Perhaps you have forgotten? You seem to be engrossed in our literary offerings,” he answers plainly. 

Kunikida stays standing, but has walked further into the room, hands clasped behind him as he studies the books you chose with furrowed eyebrows. 

“I enjoy reading. Is that such a crime?”

“I am only surprised you were able to find this place. After His Majesty banned entry, most just ignore it as they pass by.”

You cock your head to the right. “I was curious about that. Why? It is a beautiful library—a sunlit treasure trove of knowledge. I would imagine most people would be clawing at the doors for just a glance, yet it is as barren and untravelled as the deserts in the West,” you muse.

 Your curiosity is only a mild interest until Kunikida’s gaze sharply turns away from yours, blatantly avoiding your poking and prodding. His averted eyes cause what little inquisitiveness you had just felt to balloon into a wave of eager investigation. 

“Kunikida.”

He adjusts his glasses and nervously glances at his timepiece. “We are going to be late if—”

“Kunikida.”

He sighs, relenting. 

“If nobody uses this place, why is it so well kept? There are no dirt patches or cobwebs, but the dust between pages suggests that no one has opened them for many years. ”

“If I were to make an educated guess…” Kunikida stops for a moment to think. “I would wager that His Majesty misses what it used to be, and is only trying to preserve the last of that magic. Though the memories here are much too vivid and much too painful for him to come back to.”

What it used to be… 

A flicker of something… a fleeting feeling… No. A memory. At the very back of your mind—

“But I do not think he will continue to do so.”

It vanishes, and you fall back to reality, grasping at nothing and nowhere. 

You shake yourself out of your daze, a bit peeved at the interruption, but curious all the same. 

“Do what? Preserve this place? You believe he will let it just… crumble to ruins?”

Kunikida takes a seat and folds his gloved hands together. The lines on his forehead appear as he tenses, preparing his next words with careful precision. He works his jaw, tension releasing and forming with each movement, as if he is warring internally, fighting to either let the words out or keep it in. 

You hope he chooses the former. The more information, the better. 

His expression settles and a stern look replaces his calm visage. Whatever he has to say must be serious.

You catch yourself tapping the side of your thigh anxiously under the table and clamp your fingers down on your leg… hard. Your father did always say that a royal must be poised and perfect, and he made it extremely clear that such emotions were to be erased and forgotten. 

And if they weren’t… 

A chill runs down your spine at the memories.

“I am well aware that you are, and pardon my candor, untrustworthy.”

You almost snort. Not the first time you’ve heard that and it certainly won’t be the last.

Kunikida continues. “But I believe it is only right to tell you as His Majesty’s spouse. King Dazai is… he is…” Kunikida pauses as he fumbles for the right word. 

A clock ticks. Kunikida settles on a phrase. 

“Unwell. A disease of the mind and heart that has stolen his will. He is here only to serve a purpose and that purpose is not to live out the rest of his life. He exists, but for years now he has not been… here. Almost as if one wrong move and the line His Majesty balances upon disappears and takes him with it.”

Time slows. The air thickens. Are you breathing?

“Slowly but surely, he is fading away,” Kunikida pauses and swallows as he tries to work out his next words. 

“Some days I believe he is better. Most days I do not allow myself to indulge in such a lie.”

—

˚ · . tags: @zjarrmiii @aiizenn @emyyy007 @letsliveagaintoday @bejeweledgirl @nat-the-gayass-down-bad-mf

#x reader #bsd #dazai osamu #angst #bungou stray dogs #dazai fic #dazai angst #dazai x reader #bungou stray dogs x reader #bsd fanfic #bsd x reader #fantasy au #bungou stray dogs kunikida #kunikida #bsd fukuzawa #dad fukuzawa #enemies to lovers #lovers to enemies #bungou stray dogs fic #dazai au #dazai x you #dazai x y/n #dazai osamu x reader

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Tamara Pietzke

Published: Feb 5, 2024

For six years I worked at a hospital that said all teenagers with gender dysphoria must be affirmed. I quit my job to blow the whistle.

I know from firsthand experience what hard times are. Though I had a happy childhood, raised as the middle child by working-class parents in Washington State, my mom died of ovarian cancer when I was 22. 

After that, my family fell apart. I felt lost and alone. 

I decided to become a therapist because I didn’t want anyone to go through what I had, feeling like no one on this planet cares about them. At least they can say their therapist does. 

I earned my master’s in social work from the University of Washington in 2012, and I have worked as a therapist for over a decade in the Puget Sound area. Most recently, I was employed by MultiCare, one of the largest hospital systems in the state. 

For the six years I was there, I worked with hundreds of clients. But in mid-January, I left my job because of what I will go on to describe.

The therapeutic relationship is a special one. We are the original “safe space,” where people are able to explore their darker feelings and painful experiences. The job of the therapist is to guide a patient to self-understanding and sound mental health. This is a process that requires careful assessment and time, not snap judgments and confirmation of a patient’s worldview.

But in the past year I noticed a concerning new trend in my field. I was getting the message from my supervisors that when a young person I was seeing expressed discomfort with their gender—the diagnostic term is gender dysphoria—I should throw out all my training. No matter the patient’s history or other mental health conditions that could be complicating the situation, I was simply to affirm that the patient was transgender, and even approve the start of a medical transition.

I believe this rise of “affirmative care” for young people with gender dysphoria challenges the very fundamentals of what therapy is supposed to provide. 

I am a 36-year-old single mother of three young kids all under the age of six. I am terrified of speaking out, but that fear pales in comparison to my strong belief that we can no longer medicalize youth and cause them potentially irreversible harm. The three patients I describe below explain why I am taking the risk of coming forward.

* * *

Last spring, I started seeing a new client, who at 13 years old had one of the most extreme and heartbreaking life stories I’ve ever heard. (For the sake of clarity, I am referring to all patients by their biological sex.)

My patient’s mother has bipolar disorder and was so abusive to my patient that the mother was given a restraining order. My patient was sexually assaulted by an older cousin, by one of her mother’s boyfriends, and also once at school by a classmate. Her diagnoses include depression, PTSD, anxiety, intermittent explosive disorder, and autism. She is being raised by her mother’s ex-boyfriend (not the one who assaulted her).

The year before I started seeing her, when she was 11, she was hospitalized for talking about committing suicide. Later that year, a pediatrician diagnosed her with gender dysphoria after she started to question her gender. The pediatrician referred her to Mary Bridge Children’s Gender Health Clinic, whose clinicians recommended she take medicine to suppress her periods and that she think about starting testosterone.

Mary Bridge, MultiCare’s pediatric hospital, runs the gender clinic for minors and employs nurses, social workers, dietitians, and endocrinologists, who provide gender-affirming care, which includes prescribing hormones to young patients who question their gender. In order to get that prescription, patients first need a recommendation letter from a therapist. Because Mary Bridge is a part of MultiCare, their patients were often referred to therapists like me who were in their system.

In an April 2022 blog post, a Mary Bridge social worker wrote that the gender clinic’s referrals increased from less than five a month in 2019 to more than 35 a month in 2022. In May 2022, the clinic received a $100,000 donation from Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute “to study health care disparities” in transgender youth.

The clinic operates in Washington, one of the states with some of the most lenient legislation on gender transition for youth. In May 2023, the state legislature passed a law guaranteeing that youth seeking a medical gender transition can stay at Washington shelters—and the shelters are not required to notify their parents.

Because of my patient’s autism, it was difficult for us to engage in introspective conversations. During our first visit, she came over to my desk to show me extremely sadistic and graphic pornographic videos on her phone. She stood next to me, hunched over, hyper-fixated on the videos as she rocked back and forth. She told me during one session that she watched horror and porn movies growing up because they were the only ones available in her house.

She showed up to our therapy sessions in disheveled, loose-fitting clothes, her hair greasy, her eyes staring down at the ground, her face covered by a Covid mask almost like a protective layer. She went by a boy’s name, but she never raised gender dysphoria with me directly—though one time she told me she would get mad at the sound of her own voice because “it sounds too girly.” When I asked her how she felt about an upcoming appointment at the gender clinic, she told me she didn’t know she had one.

In between scrolling through videos on her phone, she told me how she cried every night in bed and felt “insane.” She described a time when she was eight years old and her mother nearly killed her sister. She remembered her mother being taken away. At times, she would “age-regress,” she told me, by watching Teletubbies and sucking on pacifiers.

When she started seeing me, she had recently threatened to “blow up the school,” which resulted in her expulsion.

I knew I couldn’t solve all of her problems, or make her feel better in just a few therapy sessions. My initial goal was to make her feel comfortable opening up to me, to make the therapy room a place where she was heard and felt safe. I also wanted to try to protect her from falling prey to outside influences from social media, her peers, or even the adults in her life.

With a patient like this, with so many intersecting and overwhelming problems, and with such a tragic history of abuse, it took our first three sessions to get her feeling more comfortable to even talk to me, and to understand the dimensions of her problems. But when I called her guardian last fall to schedule a fourth appointment, he asked me to write her a letter of recommendation for cross-sex hormone treatment. That is, at age 13, she was to start taking testosterone. Such a letter from me begins the process of medical transition for a patient.

In Washington State, that’s all it takes—a few visits with a therapist and a letter, often written using a template provided by one’s superiors—for minors to undergo the irreversible treatments that patients must take for a lifetime.

I was scared for this patient. She had so many overlapping problems that needed addressing it seemed like malpractice to abruptly begin her on a medical gender transition that could quickly produce permanent changes.

The MultiCare recommendation letter Tamara was given for approving the medical treatment of minors with gender dysphoria. I emailed a program manager in my department at MultiCare and outlined my concerns. She wrote back that my client’s trauma history has no bearing on whether or not she should receive hormone treatment.

“There is not valid, evidenced-based, peer-reviewed research that would indicate that gender dysphoria arises from anything other than gender (including trauma, autism, other mental health conditions, etc.),” she wrote.

She also warned that “there is the potential in causing harm to a client’s mental health when restricting access to gender-affirming care” and suggested I “examine [my] personal beliefs and biases about trans kids.”

When Tamara outlined her concerns about giving a patient testosterone to her manager at MultiCare, she was told to “examine your personal beliefs and biases about trans kids.” She then reported me to MultiCare’s risk management team, who removed my client from my care and placed her with a new therapist.

A risk manager’s job is to minimize the hospital’s liability, but in my case, they deemed that my concerns posed a greater risk to my client than giving her a life-altering procedure with no proven long-term benefit.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by this. Just a few months earlier, in September of last year, I was one of over 100 therapists and behavioral specialists at the MultiCare hospital system required to attend mandatory training on “gender-affirming care.”

As hard as it is to believe given my work, I hadn’t heard about gender-affirming care before that moment. I needed to know more. So each night in the week leading up to the training, I searched online for information about gender-affirming care. After putting my kids to bed, I sat glued to my computer screen, losing sleep, horrified at what I found.

I discovered that neither puberty blockers nor cross-sex hormones (testosterone or estrogen) were approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for gender dysphoria. In fact, prescribing these treatments to kids can have drastic side effects, including infertility, loss of sexual function, increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, bone density problems, blood clots, liver toxicity, cataracts, brain swelling, and even death.

While gender clinicians claim hormonal treatment improved their patients’ psychological health, the studies on this are few and highly disputed.

I found that those experiencing gender dysphoria are up to six times more likely to also be autistic, and they are also more likely to suffer from schizophrenia, trauma, and abuse.

The research also implies that the dramatic rise in these diagnoses across the West likely have a strong element of social contagion. In children ages 6 to 17, there was a 70 percent increase in diagnoses of gender dysphoria in the U.S. from 2020 to 2021. In Sweden there was a 1,500 percent increase in these diagnoses among girls 13–17 from 2008 to 2018.

Yet, countries that were once the pioneers of gender transition medicine are now starting to backtrack. In 2022, England announced it will close its only gender clinic after an investigation uncovered subpar medical care, including findings that some patients were rushed toward gender transitions. Sweden and Finland undertook comprehensive analyses of the state of gender medicine and recommended restrictions on transition of minors.

I decided—though it was potentially dangerous to my career and to me—to ask questions about the findings I discovered.

The training I attended laid out an affirming model of gender care—from pronouns and “social transition” to hormone treatments and surgical intervention. In order for children to be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, the training stated, patients must meet six of eight characteristics, ranging from “a strong desire/insistence of being another gender” to “strong preference for cross-gender toys and games.”

Tamara and her MultiCare colleagues were trained to diagnose gender dysphoria among their young patients when they met six of the eight above characteristics. It was made abundantly clear to all in attendance that these recommendations were “best practice” at MultiCare, and that the hospital would not tolerate anything less.

When the leader of the training brought up hormone treatments, I shakily tapped the unmute button on Zoom and asked why 70 to 80 percent of female adolescents diagnosed with gender dysphoria have prior mental health diagnoses.

She flashed a look of disgust as she warned me against spreading “misinformation on trans kids.” Soon the chat box started blowing up with comments directed at me. One colleague stated it was not “appropriate to bring politics into this” and another wrote that I was “demonstrating a hostility toward trans folks which is [a] direct violation of the Hippocratic Oath,” and recommended I “seek additional support and information so as not to harm trans clients.”

In the training, gender-affirming treatment is presented as “suicide prevention.” As soon as I closed my laptop, I burst into tears. I care so deeply about my clients that even thinking about this now makes me cry. I couldn’t understand how my colleagues, who are supposed to be my teammates, could be so quick to villainize me. I also wondered if maybe my colleagues were right, and if I had gone insane.

Later, my boss reached out to me and told me it was “inappropriate” of me to raise these questions, telling me that a training session was not the proper forum. When I tried to present the evidence that caused me concern—the lack of long-term studies, the devastating side effects—she told me she didn’t have time to read it.

“I am speaking out because nothing will change unless people like me blow the whistle,” Tamara writes. “I am desperate to help my patients.” In retrospect, this ideology had been growing in power for a long time.

I remember in 2019 seeing signs of how gender dysphoria arose among many of my most vulnerable female clients, all of whom struggled with previous psychological problems.

In 2019, I started seeing a 16-year-old client after her pediatrician referred her to me for anxiety, depression, and ADHD. When I first met her, she had long blonde hair covering her eyes, to the point you could barely see her face. It was like she was going through the world trying to be invisible.

In 2020, during the pandemic, she told me she had started reading online a lot about gender, and said she started feeling like she wasn’t a girl anymore.

Around this time, her anxiety became so debilitating she couldn’t leave her house—not even to go to school. After taking a year off school during the pandemic, she enrolled in an alternative school for kids struggling with mental health. I was relieved that she was making friends for the first time, and seemed to be feeling a lot better.

Then she started using they/he pronouns, identified as pansexual, and replaced the skirts and fishnet stockings she often wore with disheveled and baggy clothes. Her long hair became shorter and shorter. She started wearing a binder to flatten her breasts. She tried out a few different names before settling on one that’s gender neutral.

The official diagnosis I gave her was “adjustment disorder”—an umbrella term often applied to young people who are having a hard time coping with difficult and stressful circumstances. It’s the type of diagnosis that doesn’t follow a child forever—it implies that mental distress among kids is often transient.

She came out as transgender to her family in 2021. Her mother was supportive, but her dad wasn’t. Regardless, she went to her pediatrician seeking a referral to a gender clinic.

In 2022, she went to Mary Bridge Children’s Gender Health Clinic for the first time, where the clinicians informed her and her parents that if she didn’t receive hormone replacement therapy, she could be “at increased risk for anxiety, depression, and worsening of mental health/psychological trauma,” according to her patient records. Her dad refused to start his daughter on testosterone, and so all the clinic could do was prescribe birth control to stop her period due to her “menstrual dysphoria,” or distress over getting her period. Which is something I thought all teenage girls experienced.

Five months later, she swallowed a bottle of pills and her mother had to rush her to the emergency room.

By early 2023, my client logged on to our weekly session, which we started doing by Zoom, and she told me she identified as a “wounded male dog.” She explained to me that this was her “xenogender,” a concept she had discovered online, which references gender identities that go “beyond the human understanding of gender.” She said she felt she didn’t have all of the right appendages, and that she wanted to start wearing ears and a tail to truly feel like herself.

I was stunned. All I could do was silently nod along.

After the session, I emailed my colleagues looking for advice. “I want to be accepting and inclusive and all of that,” I wrote, but “I guess I just don’t understand at what point, if ever, a person’s gender identity is indicative of a bigger issue.”

I asked them: “Is there ever a time where acceptance of a person’s identity isn’t freely given?”

The consensus from my colleagues was that it wasn’t a big deal.

“It sounds like this isn’t something that’s ‘broken,’ ” one colleague wrote me back, “so let’s not try to ‘fix’ it.”

“If someone told me they use a litterbox instead of a toilet and they were happy with it and it’s part of their life that brings them fulfillment, then great!” she continued. “I might think it’s weird, but then again, not my life.”

After learning that one of Tamara’s patients identified as “a wounded male dog,” a colleague replied: “If someone told me they use a litterbox instead of a toilet and they were happy with it and it’s part of their life that brings them fulfillment, then great!” I was baffled and alarmed by her unquestioning affirmation. At what point does a change in identity represent a mental health concern, and not something to be celebrated and affirmed? Fortunately, my client never brought up her “xenogender” again. She also isn’t on testosterone due to her father’s disapproval. So I kept these thoughts to myself, and ultimately, in order to keep my job, I let it go.

Another female patient, who transitioned as a teen, serves as a warning of what happens when we passively accept the idea that gender transition will entirely resolve a patient’s mental health issues.

This client, who I started seeing in 2022, is now 23 and rarely leaves the house, spends most of the day in bed playing video games, and envisions no path to working or functioning in the outside world due to a variety of mental health problems. In 2016, this patient was diagnosed with autism, anxiety, and gender dysphoria. Later the diagnoses grew to include depression, Tourette syndrome, and a conversion disorder. In 2018, at age 17, the Mary Bridge Gender Health Clinic prescribed testosterone, despite the fact that this patient is diabetic and one of the hormone’s side effects is that it might increase insulin resistance. The patient’s mother, who has another transgender child, strongly encouraged it.

This patient now has a wispy mustache and a deepened voice, but does not pass as male. It turns out that testosterone, which will be prescribed for life, did not relieve the patient’s other mental illnesses.

My biggest fear about the gender-affirming practices my industry has blindly adopted is that they are causing irreversible damage to our clients. Especially as they are vulnerable people who come to us at their lowest moments in life, and who entrust us with their health and safety. And yet, instead of treating them as we would patients with any other mental health condition, we have been instructed—and even bullied—to abandon our professional judgment and training in favor of unquestioning affirmation.

I am speaking out because nothing will change unless people like me—who know the risks of medicalizing troubled young people—blow the whistle. I am desperate to help my patients.

And I believe, if I don’t speak out, I will have betrayed them.

--

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/26895269.2022.2100644

--

Amidst the scandal, Mary Bridge Children's has deleted the above blog post by self-professed "they/them," Aytch Denaro. However, the internet doesn't forget.

#Tamara Pietzke #Jamie Reed #whistleblower #medical malpractice #medical transition #medical corruption #gender dysphoria #gender ideology #queer theory #gender affirming care #gender affirming healthcare #gender affirmation #mental health #mental health issues #mental illness #gender cult #genderwang #religion is a mental illness

[mr2swap]

Where will my stepfather keep the babysitter's number?

-oh fuck this is great!... shit!- I can say shit now that I'm an adult and nobody can punish me now!, damn if I had found out before that all the stories and fantasies about the magical relic of my best friend Kevin were I would have asked him to swap my body with my stepfather Joe years ago.

Being an adult is amazing, I can stay up late and smoke my stepdad's cigarettes! Joe's job as an architect is great, while he does all the heavy lifting cooped up in his studio drawing plans all day and all I have to do is smile and put on his nice expensive suit and tell a bunch of sweaty men that They should work faster.

They don't even imagine that I'm really 8 years old and that his real boss is in boring history and geography classes at the elementary school a couple of kilometers from his workplace.

-Young man, you've been in the bathroom for 30 minutes. What are you doing in there? he opens the door right now! -That was my father's shrill voice which is now in my weak little childish body, he is really mad at me for exchanging our bodies but what will he do? punish me? he's lost all authority now that he's only three feet tall and has a voice as squeaky as a mouse's.

- NOTHING DAD! I'M JUST SHAVING, HAVE YOU FINISHED YOUR HOMEWORK? MR. LINCOLN SAID THAT HE NEEDED THOSE PLANS FOR TOMORROW I ALSO TOLD YOU THAT IF MY ENGLISH HOMEWORK IS NOT READY IN 15 MINUTES I WILL PUNISH YOU WITHOUT INTERNET DURING THE WEEKEND-

My stepdad's quick little steps away from the door could be heard as he examined the massive muscles of my new body, now that I have dad's body I love working out in the garage, it's like a little bit of his personality is now in my mind, maybe my father also feels the same way that would explain why he is a total coward and does everything I tell him when he increased the volume of my voice and marked my authority as the adult in charge.

Maybe he should call my friend James and also switch bodies with his father and his father to go out together as adults, I don't know why but Whiskey sounds delicious now that I'm a real adult. Where will my stepfather keep the babysitter's number?

I wrote this last year hope you like it, you can check out the rest of my stories on patreon for only 4-6 dollars and unlock my 200+ stories

#bodyswap #body swap #body switch #male body swap #male transformation

[writing-whump]

Ear infection

Isaiah reunites with his younger brother Arnie. Separation angst, ear infection, vomiting.

The university was busy before Christmas. The holidays carried many excuses for events and special offers that attracted potential students. As an assisting student at the psychology faculty, Isaiah was tasked with doing these little tours around the main university building. At regular hours, whether there was a whole high school trip of soon-to-be graduates or just a handful of interested mothers dragging their kids along. Or curious gap year takers thinking about their future plans. Since starting in the summer semester was possible at most faculties, these tours were relevant at the end of the year just as much as at its start.

Isaiah liked it. He felt a sense of beautiful responsibility that his tour and comments of the building's history and insight into student life could inspire someone to choose the main university or even his faculty. It was like watching the new generation pick its way.

"But why do not all classes occur here?" asked someone from the little crowd he gathered.

"The main university building is usually reserved for big lectures. We are talking about 300-500 people. The new university building has smaller classrooms that are more fitting for seminar settings of 20-30 people," he explained dutifully.

"So the university has more than one building?"

Yes, that was a favorite confusion question. "The university has many building complexes all over the city. The main building we are at is the largest and oldest one, but the newer ones are down both these streets. The new institute building or NIG is right next to it, where most of the faculties have their own floors and their respective teaching stuff have their offices."

"So it's like each faculty has a building or floor reserved for them? Like their own base?"

"Yes, that's a good comparison," Isaiah agreed. Base was a very wolf-related word, since each pack had their own base or layer in the city. It was correct, he just never used it in this context.

"What are you studying, sir, if I may ask?"

Isaiah was starting to be curious about the young male voice that kept asking as well, letting the group continue down the hall as he stood, trying to pick out his face.

"Psychology. Almost done with my master," he replied, turning his head.

"And you are already an assistant? That's nice for a mere student. And they don't mind you are a wolf?"

Isaiah's head jerked upright. Some people from the group hesitated mid-step to give him a confused look.

Isaiah was a wolf, a known one at that, and officially admitted at the faculty. But he prided himself in appearing completely human, in not letting his shadow act out of place. Ordinarily, he could do it with such finesse and skill, that a crowd of strangers wasn't able to recognize he was a wolf.

"Wolves can study at the university at any faculty they want," Isaiah recited automatically. "As long as they have their graduation and the wolf adult exam behind them."

"Are you saying there is no danger whatsover, when humans study with wolves?"

Isaiah could pick out a blonde head, but the boy asking was covered by a group of higher boys in front of him as they trailed after the group.

"There is danger whenever humans do anything together," Isaiah replied with a raised eyebrow. The group was almost at the end of the line,...finally the person asking came into view.

A mop of thick blond hair, carefully styled into locks. His face was long and elegant, though his cheeks still had that youthful fluffiness of teenage years. He looked a lot like Hector, just thinner and smaller, with way less muscle, but all the more cheekiness. His eyes weren't ember brown like Hector's either, but clear, bright emerald green. A colour Isaiah knew very well. It greeted him every day in the mirror.

Surprisingly enough, Arnold "Arnie" Wolfson hadn't change that much since he was 12, except his height. Lanky, cheeky and with eyes sparkling with mischief.

"I can say from experience wolves don't like humans in their packs very much, even their own family. It's funny that the tables turn at university," Arnie said with a grin, hands on his hips in challenge.

Isaiah was too stunned for words.

"What is it, mister psychology assistant? Wolf got your tongue? Or should I say shadow?" the blond teased.

"Arnie..."

"In the flesh," the blond boy said with a smile, though his eyes narrowed at him. "I'm glad you remember me."

"What are you doing here?" Was all Isaiah managed through his astonishment. It was like seeing a ghost, except the ghost grew up.

"Looking through my options, of course. I'm graduating this year and this is a famous university. Pretty high on the 100 best universities of the world list. Several lists, really. Good thing it's not that far from my base."

"Thats....ehmm...that's wonderful."

Arnie gave him a look. "So what now? Is the tour over?"

Isaiah shook himself awake, suspecting Arnie was enjoying this very much and turned back, putting his professional persona back on. He continued the tour more distracted than ever, his eyes always going back to look for Arnie in the crowd.

The next 30 minutes were torture. Isaiah couldn't focus, kept mixing up names of the auditoriums, led the group to a dead end twice until he simply let them out in the park, pointing at the Christmas market held in front of the university. That was fortunately enough of a distraction, the crowd dissolving in excitement.

When Arnie looked like he would turn and go too, Isaiah quickly hurried after him. It was like a bolt of lightning hit him in the head, but he was not about to let that bolt go now that it was there.

"Wait. Arnie, you-" he cringed at his own clumsiness. "Do you ehhh want to get lunch together? I know a good place."

Arnie gave him a toothy smile. "I thought you would never ask."

***

What do you talk about with a brother you haven't seen in last 6 years? After he left without explanation or contact information, getting exiled from the pack? Everyone called Isaiah a traitor. Their current leader, Uncle Grayson, gave an order to leave him alone, that he was no longer of interest.

Well, Arnie wasn't just a pack member. He was his brother and not a wolf to have to listen to orders. Shadows, dominance, power plays - those were wolf concerns he didn't have to worry about.

It turned out to be surprisingly easy to track Isaiah on social media. Facebook page, twitter, liking university announcements and public lectures, sharing events and new publications at the faculty...

That he was an assistant already was clear as a day. A point of pride. Arnie didn't quite know how to meet him, but he figured if he hung around all those events mentioned on his profile, he was bound to meet him somewhere.

Arnie's head was still spinning from the speed at which everything was going.

After the initial shock, Isaiah settled into a polite and serious mask - all professional smiles, suit and all. He brought him to a pretty good sushi place, bombarding him with enthusiastic questions about his favourite subjects, grades, hobbies, how he was, what faculties he was considering, if he needed help with finding somewhere to live or would be staying in the Wolfson pack base.

They didn't touch the topics Arnie actually wanted to ask about. Why did you leave? What happened to you? Didn't you miss us? Didn't you miss me?

Isaiah wasn't secretive about his own passions either. He told him all about his love for psychology, his favourite professors, research he was doing about city life and mental health and atmospheres of third places or whatever that was about. He mentioned he was known for mediating conflicts between packs and that he had many contacts, offering Arnie to arrange meetings with any friend or colleague whose studies Arnie could be interested in.

It was like a very polite and eager relative. You meet once a ten years when you need something from their city, they give you recommendations, pretend to catch up and then whoosh. See you in ten years. Isaiah was talking and asking for information to last him for at least that long.

Neither of them mentioned the Wolfson pack. Isaiah didn't ask about how Uncle Grayson was doing as a leader. Nor did he ask about Father. He mentioned meeting Hector in an off-hand way, like sure, we see each other at that wolf meet or in that park sometime.

When Hector talked about Isaiah, he never sounded so nonchalant about it. He always looked on the verge of breaking something or having an angry fit.

Was this all it was going to be? Catch up, pretend interest and goodbye?

Isaiah paid for his meal without asking and then took him to the Christmas market himself. It was pretty late at that point, temperature heading towards zero. Arnie was getting cold, but he wouldn't ruin his hair with a beanie and he wouldn't give Isaiah the excuse to go home by saying he was cold.

Isaiah was all flushed with energy, not minding the cold in typical wolf fashion.

It was impossible to keep up with wolves. Arnie was used to it.

As a human in a pack of wolves, Arnie was used to being the one defined by what he lacked. Humans in wolf families were common disappointments, things to be barely tolerated by the rest. Their position, just like Arnie's, depended on the rank of the wolf members in his family and their willingness to defend him.

For a very long time, he was spared of that knowledge though.

He had his brothers to thank for that. Isaiah was a prodigy since childhood and Hector was always chasing after him with enthusiasm and energy. They were well-respected and high ranking in their pack, no problems with their shadows since he could remember.

And they have never treated him any differently for being a human. Maybe they had been more careful and gentle with their shadows, but he had actually not realized there was anything wrong with him until he went outside of the protective den of their family apartment.

When other wolf pups his age or older made fun of him for being a useless human for the first time, Hector beat them with his bare hands, no shadow needed. Isaiah had held him in a hug the whole afternoon after like he couldn't bear to let go.

Arnie slowly realized that as a human, he was never getting anyone's respect in the pack. He would always be the defective one.

But he also quickly realized that he would never be touched again. Living with wolves meant always being surrounded by violence, being on the edge of it, always ready and eager. But Arnie was never afraid, never touched, never threatened.

Other wolves did not think any more of him for it. If anything, they hated him for that position and opted to ignore him completely.

But he always had his brothers. Even and maybe more so after his mother died when he was 4 and he forgot her voice and her face. Even when father was busy or ignoring him just like everyone else was.

At home, he was a person. He was valued and wanted and listened to and Isaiah and Hector never treated him like anything less, and hardly different than they did each other. Maybe a little better.

Things changed when Isaiah's training with their father intensified and he became the executioner for the pack. That was the first time Arnie had called for his brother, expecting to be given priority over anything else Isaiah could be doing - and he got no answer. Isaiah would shut the door and not answer for days to come, leaving a hole in their lives from one day to the next.

Now Hector reacted to that in a way a wolf would - he chased after him. With anger, rivalry and jealousy, with aggression and resentment. But Arnie knew at the core of that volatile anger was hurt and yearning to be taken seriously, to be acknowledged.

Hector was reaching out to Isaiah, but he was doing it in a way Arnie couldn't follow. Of that dynamic and effort between his brothers, he was excluded for the first time.

The pack became an incredibly lonely place after that. There was no skill or talent or interest Arnie as a human could prove himself with. There were days he didn't talk with anybody, when he didn't get a single hello. When he didn't know if he even existed, if no one saw him.

What was left to him was watching. He watched and stared and noticed things in his silence and learned to read people. Understand them. Wolves had their mannerisms and tells just like witches and humans did.

And he realized knowing things like this was power. He started to see people's weaknesses and poked at them. Teased. He could look at someone and tell what would hurt them. At night he made a list in his head, going through words and facts he found out, gathering things he knew would sting. Having words that could break someone in his arsenal was a weapon, a power and something they couldn't fight against.

So Arnie talked and he got reactions out of wolves. Helpless kind of hurt and frustration because they couldn't retaliate with a fight, but their shadows made it easy to tell he hit the target on point.

He got even better at this when Isaiah left. Their father was gone from leadership and their brother left them without explanation.

Uncle Grayson took over the pack, and regularly invited him to chess to show his favour.

Hector was inconsolable, his shadow angry and out of control in a way it never had been before. But when Arnie sat down at the gym or in his room beside him, his shadow subsided. Even at his lowest, Hector could not bear to raise his shadow around him. Arnie felt a little less useless, then. Like he brought him a little comfort, even if Hector wouldn't talk and wasn't ready to listen.

Shortly after he settled down, Hector found a new goal. He filled the hole Isaiah left behind with rank, training and hunger for power and success. Again, chasing after Isaiah in a way Arnie couldn't follow. Arnie couldn't resent it, because he understood. Wolves needed a goal or they would lose control. 

Hector came into the city because of Isaiah. He spent years convincing their Uncle he could handle opening a new pack branch there, selecting people to take with him, and making a plan for every step and possibility to prove himself.

Arnie wasn't on the list.

But he was 18 now and graduating. It was the year of his entering adulthood that he could choose if he would stay with the pack - which would make them responsible for his finances, give him a cushion for whatever he studied or decided to do - or live by himself. Not like he was a poor orphan. He had lots of money after his mother and father as the youngest Wolfson heir on paper and by law.

The first thing he wanted to do since he turned 18 was to find Isaiah. Hector chased after him, but he resented him. He took Isaiah leaving as a personal betrayal and betrayal of the pack. And their father, who drew back from the pack as well, living alone.

Arnie couldn't care less about the pack politics and power he had no access or influence on anyway. He couldn't care less about a father that had barely spoken three words to him all his life. What he wanted was to find some kind of closure. Confront his brother and find out. What if there was a good reason why Isaiah left? What if there were circumstances out of his control and all he needed was someone to give him a chance to explain himself?

It was just as likely that Isaiah simply wasn't interested in either of them. And that Arnie was just going to humiliate himself by asking for the attention of someone who didn't want him around. Why else not contact any of them for 6 years?

He didn't expect Isaiah to be so friendly or that distant. That they could just talk and act like nothing was amiss with those years of secrets and absence between them.

But here they were.

As the hours went, Arnie was starting to feel anxious about the day coming to an end. Would it even be real, if they never saw each other again? How would Arnie now this truly happened to him in the morning?

Arnie followed after Isaiah a little forelonely to the end of the Christmas market, sneezing discreetly into his elbow.

Isaiah turned to him in thought. "Are you cold? We could...oh." He looked at his wrist watch. It was almost 11 pm. "Everything will be closing up around now. Do you...would you like to come to my place? You can spend the night too if you'd like."

Arnie's eyes went wide in surprise.

"My pack will probably be sleeping already, but you could meet them in the morning. Besides, you don't even know my address, right?"

Arnie couldn't hide how excited and breathless that offer made him. That looked like this wasn't the end!

"Give me your phone," Isaiah bossed, taking it from him and dialing up his own number. He waited until it rang before he returned the phone to Arnie. "There. Now you also have my number. You can call me and we can...we can go get lunch again. Or coffee. Or anything you want. How does that sound?"

Arnie nodded eagerly, feeling like he could cry from happiness. "Thank you! I would like that."

Isaiah smiled, a real wide smile that lit up his whole face. "Alright. Let's go then. It's like 20 minutes from my place by foot. Or would you prefer to take a tram?"

"It's fine, we can walk," Arnie said, waving the cold away. He couldn't feel cold or uncomfortable with how fast his heart was beating or how happy he was. He all but jumped around Isaiah like a goatling as they made their way to the apartment, playing a hundred-question game.

"Your favorite season of the year?" Isaiah asked.

"Summer. Because you can go swimming anytime, anywhere. Is yours still winter?"

"Yep, winter, alright. Everything is so clean and fresh and the snow...:

Arnie laughed. That didn't change much then.

Arnie's mouth was actually hurting from smiling and his teeth were chattering as they went inside.

The apartment was dark, no one was up, as Isaiah promised. Which worked great for Arnie, since he wanted Isaiah entirely for himself.

Isaiah watched him from the side as Arnie rubbed his hands together, getting feeling back into them and went to boil in some tea.

Arnie followed him, sitting down at the round table, watching, trying to soak up every moment, every detail, anything the place could tell him about his brother.

"Are you still a neat freak?" Arnie snickered as he looked around.

Isaiah smirked. "Am not. Everyone else is just untidy."

"Where is your room?"

"At the end of the hall. I share it with Matthew."

"Who is upstairs? The witch?"

"Yes. Seline." Isaiah said her name sweetly, like taking a spoon of honey.

"Ohhh," Arnie's eyes sparkled. "Is she your girlfriend?"

Isaiah took a sharp breath, looking at him. "How did you know?"

"I'm good at reading people," Arnie bragged with a smile, propping his chin on his entwined hands. His head felt kind of heavy and his left ear burned as it warmed up.

"Which tea do you want? I got earl gray, mint, fruit, herbal-"

"Whatever you are having. And exactly like it," Arnie said.

Isaiah gave him a surprised glace and a lifted an eyebrow but complied, smiling slightly to himself.

He brought two cups with mint tea with a bit of milk inside to the table. "I will get you blankets for the sofa. It can be extended and is quite comfortable, if you don't mind it?"

Arnie pouted. "Are we going to sleep already?"

Isaiah chuckled. "You don't want to yet? What would you like to do?"

"I could spend the night talking with you," Arnie said, flushing a little at how honest that was.

Isaiah shook his head as if he couldn't believe it, brushing Arnie's arm as he went by him.

He brought the blankets and Arnie got both of their mugs and they sat on the sofa together, letting a movie play in the background. Arnie had a lot more questions about Isaiah's current favourite movies, TV stations, if studying psychology made him like psychological thrillers more...if he could bridge over the lost 6 years in one night, he would do it.

Arnie didn't notice at what point he dozed off. His eyes were heavy though and he only woke up enough to feel Isaiah taking the mug from his hands and sliding him down on a pillow.

***

Arnie woke up to piercing pain in his ear. He shot up, blinking rapidly.

It hurt in his sleep too, tender to the touch, but now it actually disturbed him enough he didn't think he could sleep.

He wasn't even lying on it, but it still hurt. It felt all stuffed up too, as if he had liquid stuck in it. Oww.

Getting up from the sofa was a slow process, since he needed a little time to orient himself in the dark, unfamiliar place. Small chance he could sleep with the way his ear hurt though.

He went to the kitchen, opening the cupboards half-heartedly to look for medication, but he couldn't find anything useful aside from mugs and plates. Maybe he should wake Isaiah up for a painkiller.

Returning to the living room, he stumbled against a chair and almost fell. The rattle would have woken a man, not just a wolf.

"Arnie? What's going on?" Isaiah's sleepy voice came from the living room. He must have fallen asleep beside him.

"Hey, Zaya? I know this is a bit stupid and I'm sorry to bother you...." He felt dizzy standing there. What was wrong with him? As if his sense of balance was shot. Arnie gripped the edge of the round table, swaying slightly.

Isaiah got up from the sofa immediately, all signs of sleep leaving his face in the few steps he took to get to Arnie. "What's wrong?"

"Do you have any painkillers here? M-my ear really hurts." Arnie tried to smile, hand hovering over the offending organ. It hurt the whole time, as if someone lit it on fire.

Isaiah's eyebrows furrowed. "Your ear? Did you get a cold?" His hand went to Arnie's forehead as if it was the normal thing to do. Arnie froze a little under the touch, but Isaiah's hand was nice and warm and he leaned into it a little, closing his eyes. He still felt weirdly dizzy and untethered, his stomach flipping inside him.

"No, don't think so. It's nothing, Zaya. Promise."

"Uh-uhm." Isaiah didn't look convinced. "You are burning up. Go back under the blankets, I'll find you something."

Arnie nodded gratefully, pushing himself away from the table only to stumble again and lose his balance. The floor came up suddenly and he prepared himself for the impact, when strong hands caught him by the waist. "What's going on with you? It's like you are drunk."

"I don't know..." Arnie blinked dizzily as Isaiah helped him straighten up, then wrapped a hand around his back and led him back to the sofa.

Everything was twirling. Arnie sat down heavily, bowing his head between his knees, taking deep breaths. Trying to calm down. This was nothing serious. He wasn't a child. Despite that, the pain in his ear felt like it was vibrating and he felt heavy and hot.

His throat closed up. He was going to ruin their happy reunion with this. Isaiah would send him home and they would never see each other again.

Isaiah came back shortly, arms stuffed with things he spread out on the table. "Hey. Arnie, lift your arm for me. I'm going to take your temperature. For now, take the ibuprofen. Should help with the pain."

Arnie didn't dare to nod with how out of focus and tilted everything was, accepting the thermometer under his arm and taking the pills with a glass of water.

His stomach wasn't very happy about that gulp, though. It flipped inside him again and he groaned, wrapping his arms around his middle.

"Arnie? Kiddo, hey..."

"Think," he gulped loudly as the nausea spiked and the water sloshed against the back of his throat, "m gonna be sick."

Arnie didn't even have time to think about how entirely embarrassing and disgusting that was and how he was going to chase Isaiah away now for sure.

Isaiah jumped to his feet and Arnie felt the swish of air as he hurried away. He trembled, his mouth flooding with saliva.

His stomach gave a twist and he felt the water shooting up his throat, but suddenly there was a trashcan in his lap. Just in time for him to gag harshly over it as the gulp of water and the painkiller came rushing up, grazing against his throat.

Arnie did not expect the gag to make the pain in his ear explode. Stupid tubes, being all connected. He whimpered as the pressure escalated and he gagged again. Another splash of water and pieces of undigested chestnuts from the market came along with it, hitting the bottom of the trash bag.

He felt tears spring up his eyes as he convulsed over it, fighting off the next gag. Anything to stop the pain in his ear from burning like that. There was drool hanging from his lips and chin and he sobbed.

Isaiah's hand was on his back that instant. He held the trashcan under his chin, murmuring something Arnie didn't understand through the buzzing in his own ears, but it was the gentlest, most soothing tone he ever heard from him. It reminded him of his childhood, how he would curl up on top of Isaiah whenever he was sick and his brother would hold him diligently, wrapping him in his warmth and reassurances.

Arnie pressed his palm against his mouth, trying to stop the next wave. The nausea was still there, made worse by the pain and now his head was pounding as well.

"Shhhh. You are okay. You are okay. Take deep breaths now."

"Hurtssss," Arnie sobbed, his other hand going to his ear as he bowed his head. The trashcan disappeared and Isaiah sat down next to him, rubbing gentle circles against his back.

"Ssshhh. I know. It will be okay. Just calm down. You probably got an ear infection. That's nothing. I'll get you some warm compress for it and it will go away in no time."

Isaiah made a move to stand. Arnie felt a wave of panic and dread rush through him, looking up and blinking rapidly against the bluriness. "No, no, no. Don't go."

"Arnie, I'll be right b-"

"Don't leave me again. Please."

"Just to get the warm compress, kiddo. It will be a second, I promise."

Isaiah left.

Arnie wanted to follow him, but his legs wouldn't hold him. He was shaking from exhaustion, his ear was hurting, and he had to fight against nausea flooding him instantly with the panic. He curled up on the sofa, hands wrapped around his stomach as he sobbed against the leather fabric.

After what felt like million years, something warm pressed against his left ear. Arnie winced, nose all clogged up from snot as he cried, each watery breath making the fire in his ear worse.

Isaiah stood above him for a bit, before he sat down, hands around Arnie. He dragged him over to his lap, letting Arnie curl up on his knees and sob against his chest. He held the warm cloth against Arnie's ear, rubbing his arm in a soothing manner.

Arnie fisted his fingers in Isaiah's shirt. He would not let him go this time around.

***

The rest of the night and early morning went like that. Isaiah held Arnie in his lap, holding the compress to his ear and talking about everything and nothing he could think of. Arnie seemed to react well to his voice.

Sometimes Arnie would sleep fitfully, only to wiggle and trash as he wanted to turn and Isaiah wouldn't let him, tightening his hold so Arnie wouldn't turn on his left ear. Sometimes it would wake him up and make him cry again.

Sometimes he would shudder and swallow heavily, which Isaiah learned by the third time that Arnie drooled all over his front that that was his cue for vomiting.

He held the kid as he vomited into the trashcan in his arms and then sagged back again. The fever was radiating off him and the little whimpers and tears that came with his ear reacting to puking were breaking Isaiah's heart. As if it wasn't broken enough.

Isaiah thought today was a gift. A unique, rare little gift. He didn't dare to contact his brothers on his own. The play pretend that he was the traitor, was important for the pack and he needed his brothers to believe it, so everyone else could believe it. At the time. Now, after years, he resented that duty.

He was also way too scared they hated him by right. Just like Hector did, blaming Isaiah for abandoning them, for putting the pack's future at risk, for choosing a different life instead of theirs...not even if Isaiah explained that every day back at the Wolfson pack was torture for him, that his heart pains were caused by it, that he hated every single second...would they want to listen?

And then Arnie came. All open and eager and giving him a chance instead of bombarding him with questions and accusations.

He needed that. Isaiah needed someone to believe in the good of him for once. It broke him a little every time Hector snarled at him, that neither of his brothers probably believed he didn't leave them willingly, that he missed them like you miss a part of yourself, how he flinched and hurt every time a wolf with a temper or a kid with blond hair passed him by...

Isaiah really let himself hope maybe this wasn't over. That's why he offered Arnie all the contact information. If the boy wanted to stay in touch, maybe Isaiah wouldn't break any promise in seeing him from time to time, even if he never told him the truth. It was too painful and messy and complicated. But if Arnie could accept him as he was, maybe they could rebuild something from there.

Arnie didn't ask why Isaiah left. Not once. Isaiah didn't know what to make of it. Did it mean he was forgiven? Or that Arnie knew something, guessed something and so he wouldn't make Isaiah talk about it?

Did it mean Arnie didn't care anymore and just wanted to check how he was doing and cut contact again? It wasn't like either Arnie or Hector looked or reached out to him, when he was away. He figured they were too hurt and disgusted with him to do so...

But Arnie got downright inconsolable, whenever Isaiah tried to get up. To change his vomit-covered shirt, to get tissues, to get water...Arnie would cry and weil and sob himself into panic Isaiah was leaving again. No matter how Isaiah explained, no matter how quickly he got back.

Matthew found him in the morning as he prepared for his regular run.

"What the fuck happened here?"

Isaiah had to admit it was a mess. There were tissues all over the place, the towels he kept soaking in warm water and held against Arnie's ear and sometimes had to sacrifice when Arnie got sick while still pressed against Isaiah's chest, the thermometer, the packages of pills Arnie couldn't hold down,...

"Hey, Matt. You met my little brother?"

Matthew's eyebrows furrowed. "I met the mean one. Which one is this?"

The kid lay completely limp against him, out of his sweaty shirt, breathing raggedly. But Isaiah thought his fever wasn't so high anymore and he actually kept a few sips of water down for the last hour. He would probably take him to a doctor today anyway, to get that ear checked out.

Isaiah caressed the center of Arnie's creased forehead. "I think this one wants to give me a chance."

---

@bellysoupset

#sickfic #emeto #vomiting #hurt/comfort #bromance #brothers #whump #emeto writing #my writing #werewolf wip #they say writing leads to more writing #I always post these so close to one another #sigh #I should pace it over the week I know #this is a long one 🙈 #Arnie

[oneriderratbug101]

Alright, so I've been thinking a bit too much about the connection between schools of magic in the spiral, and more specifically where the witchdoctor magic we see in Pirate101 can fit in with the magics of Wizard101. After spending a good bit thinking about it and looking into it I think I finally have my own explanation that I can be satisfied with.

So, obviously the witchdoctor class deals with things related to death, right? It has similar spells to the death school in wizard101 as well! However, it's obviously not actually 1:1 the death school for a number of reasons. The largest overarching one is the intense focus on spirits though, which I'm going to break into two parts-

1: So to begin, magic in the spiral is differentiated based on schools of thought, and how one interacts with natural forces. The school of death in the spiral tends to split its focus between reanimation, and summoning agents of death, reflecting its focus on controlling the natural force of death. There is a clear focus on, and respect for, death as a concept. However, in witchdoctors, we see a greater focus on the dead themselves, spirits, etc. Old Scratch and Madame Vadima place a heavy emphasis on communing with the spirits, respecting the spirits, and the emotions of the spirits, taking a step away from the emphasis on death as a concept and basing the magic off of a separate school of thought and method of interaction.

2: Now, of course, the actual gameplay mechanics and combat style. I maybe went on a bit too long in section 1 and said some of the points I planned on touching upon here, so I'll keep this relatively brief. So, of course, where death's combat has you interacting with all sorts of forces of death, witchdoctor for the most part exclusively has you summoning spirits, ghosts, etc. Both have a well rounded batch of support, lifesteal, and damage. Death appears, however, to have a level of detachment from the forces it's commanding. As we see with Malistaire however, a level of distance might be all that keeps a student of death sane. Nevertheless, death students seem to have little regard for the actual soul behind what they're reanimating, and merely focus on the broad creature they're summoning. Witchdoctor spells are either summoning specific spirits, calling upon the power of spirits, or summoning a spirit as a companion, rarely seen in any wizard101 school through the minion system. The companion, though, forces a cooperation and sense of teamwork with the individual spirit (will expand on all this later in the post).

Now if you're a fan of the worldbuilding provided by Wysteria, you might be thinking similar to me when I was first looking into this dilemma. Spirit this, spirit that, clearly this is the spirit school from Pigswick Academy, right? In the Rogue's Gallery video description, it's even stated that rumors say Vadima attended Pigswick! If it's the spirit school, that would make Vadima perfect as an instructor! This theory is missing one crucial detail, however- multiple quest dialogues in Wysteria state that (despite them participating in a magic tourney) Pigswick heavily frowns upon the practice of magic, and all of its schools are theory! However, utilizing what we know about the spirit and death schools, we can come to a rough conclusion that witchdoctor is a 75/25% blend of spirit and death, respectively. Given its extreme emphasis on spirits, the nature of thought evolving, and its apparent pre-Vadima history in the spiral, we can also assume that it might have originated with an even larger emphasis on spirit, but Vadima's knowledge from the wizarding side of the spiral and Darkmoor heritage could have brought a few more touches of death.

This still doesn't feel fully correct though, and I believe small pieces are still missing. So, we have to dig even further. To begin with, why does witchdoctor have some more shadowy spells? They're few and far between, but there is certainly a touch of shadow magic on the witchdoctor school. Its presence can be lightly felt in a good chunk of spells. And while thinking on this, I actually stumbled across some tumblr posts that reminded me of this question's missing piece! Morganthe, known lover of shadow magic, was a pirate at some point! There is an incredibly large chance Morganthe's shadow magic had some sort of small but noticable influence on the pirates' magic school of witchdoctor! And now there is but one final piece I would like to note, where I will expand on the haste of wizard summoning as promised earlier.

It has been hinted at this entire time, but the world of wizards and the world of pirates is vastly different. Wizards prioritize structured duels, wizard vs wizard, generally forcing the hasty use of summons and emphasis on the wizards. Pirates, however, engage in a more freeform style of combat, casting aside the idea of duels unless deemed necessary or fun, and generally opting to win by whatever means necessary, with a crew to back them up. The world of pirates is filled with outlaws and rule benders, and the skyways are filled with thoughts, personalities, and ideals rarely encountered in a wizard's typical interaction with the spiral. Witchdoctor primarily being used by magicians in the world of pirates most likely slowly added the loose and morally grey nature of piracy into its practice, further separating it into a school of its own. Why witchdoctor became the most popular magic among pirates is anybody's guess, but I at least view the death vs spirit choice like this- Pirate101 is a world emphasizing the pursuit of the individual and individual's goals, as opposed to The Wizard's pursuit of saving the world and the general world of wizards focusing more on what the individual represents. Even further, pirates seem to live in a world where death is someone to be challenged, or escaped. In the world of pirates, why WOULD you choose death over spirits?

So to summarize, I have come to the conclusion that for a variety of reasons, pirate101's witchdoctor is a rough 75/25% blend of the schools spirit and death respectively, with sprinkles of shadow magic and piracy.

#pirate101 #p101 #wizard101 #w101 #kingsisle #thank you for coming to my ted talk #malistaire #i spent way too long on this ngl #definitely worth it though i'm really satisfied with this #i will absolutely do more lore-based class breakdowns of these games in the future #this was a blast

[thelighthousestale]

I really do love the headcanon that Hogwarts isn't the only wizarding school in the UK, it's just the largest/most well-known

I like the idea that there are smaller schools around the country and their schooling system makes more sense

Like muggle studies is required (because hey we do share this world and knowing how to avoid getting hit by a car while using a zebra crossing or whatever might be useful) (also helps ensure the statute of secrecy is followed if you know basic muggle laws/customs/technology)

As well as History of Magic students take government and economics classes

They have more than one teacher per subject because one teacher writing lesson plans for 7 different grade levels is insane

and all the students at the smaller schools think Hogwarts is outdated and stuffy and are frustrated that every minister of magic and high-level official at the ministry has been a graduate of Hogwarts.

It is difficult for recent graduates to get good jobs because the internship model of the wizarding world favors networking and Hogwarts has the best pipeline for mentorships in high positions

Reform of the wizarding world in the UK will not come from Hogwarts students but from graduates of Madam Morgana's Magic School which is located in an old monastery in Wales.

#harry potter #harry potter meta #harry potter headcanon #wizarding world #hogwarts #hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry

[beardedmrbean]

PHILADELPHIA – In the City of Brotherly Love, Gemma Levy sometimes doesn’t feel safe.

Levy decided to attend the University of Pennsylvania partly because of its long history of tolerance toward Jewish students like her. But with recent events – pro-Palestinian protests, antisemitic chants, university President Liz Magill’s perplexing remarks about genocide and her subsequent resignation – the campus hasn’t seemed all that tolerant.

“I’ve felt super unsafe at times,” Levy, a freshman cognitive science major from Brooklyn, said while hurrying to class along the tree-lined Locust Walk in the oldest part of the campus. “It’s a weird experience to feel that way.”

It’s an unsettling experience for the city, too.

Philadelphia, known as the birthplace of the United States, is where the Founding Fathers met and debated the future of the new country. Founded on the principles of religious freedom, it’s home to one of the largest Jewish populations in the country.

The University of Pennsylvania, founded primarily by Benjamin Franklin and now regarded as one of the nation’s premier schools of higher learning, kept its doors open to Jewish students when Harvard and other Ivy League colleges implemented quotas and other measures to limit their enrollment or keep them out altogether.

Today, though, Philadelphia and the university are at the epicenter of the clash over free speech and antisemitism, the Israel-Hamas war and the right to feel safe and secure.

How did that happen? In Philadelphia of all places?

“We’re a microcosm of society,” said Michael Balaban, president and chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Antisemitism is a virus that mutates over time and is easily spread through the prevalence of social media, Balaban said.

“We see it online in vicious ways every single second of the day,” he said.

'Vile, antisemitic messages'

Antisemitism in Philadelphia has turned up online, on campus and in the streets.

In November, the university responded to what it described as “vile, antisemitic messages” threatening violence against the Jewish community. Antisemitic emails were sent to a number of staffers, and antisemitic language was projected onto several campus buildings. The school said it planned to increase security across the campus, including at Penn Hillel, a Jewish student organization.

A month later, an off-campus protest by pro-Palestinian demonstrators was widely condemned for targeting the Jewish-owned falafel restaurant Goldie. Video posted on social media showed a large crowd gathered outside the restaurant, chanting: “Goldie, Goldie, you can’t hide. We charge you with genocide.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the restaurant was singled out because its owner, Philadelphia-based Israeli chef Michael Solomonov, had raised over $100,000 for an Israeli nonprofit that provided emergency relief services to Israeli Defense Forces soldiers after Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Regardless, the White House, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and others condemned the protesters’ actions, calling them antisemitic and reminiscent of a dark time in history.

Then came Magill’s downfall.

Magill and the presidents of two other elite universities – Claudine Gay of Harvard and Sally Kornbluth of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology – already had been under scrutiny over how their institutions had responded to a rise in antisemitism on their campuses when they agreed to testify last week before a GOP-led House congressional panel.

Lawmakers lobbed a series of tough questions at the three college leaders, who hedged when Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., asked whether calls for the genocide of Jews violated their schools’ code of conduct against bullying and harassment.

Appearing to sense a trap, Magill and the other two presidents gave carefully worded responses that sounded scripted and lawyerly but failed to directly answer the question. In one exchange, Magill called those decisions “context-dependent” but conceded that calls for genocide could be considered harassment “if the speech turns into conduct.”

The backlash was fast and brutal. To some, the presidents’ responses raised questions about whether the schools would adequately protect Jewish students. The White House condemned their answers, donors threatened to withhold millions of dollars, and the House committee announced an investigation into the universities' policies and disciplinary procedures.

Magill tried to walk back her comments, but the damage was done. She resigned last Saturday but will remain at the university as a tenured law professor. Scott Bok, chairman of the university’s board of trustees, also stepped down.

Julie Platt, the trustees’ interim chair, declined requests for an interview but said in a statement after Magill’s resignation that a leadership change at the university was “necessary and appropriate.”

While Penn has made strides in addressing the rise of antisemitism on campus, “we have not made all of the progress that we should have and intend to accomplish,” she said.

Magill, who had been president for just a little over a year, was already on shaky ground even before her testimony. She had come under fire in September over a Palestinian Writers’ Festival that was held at the university and drew criticism for including speakers who have been accused of antisemitism. Magill and others had raised concerns about the program but did not stop it, citing support for “the free exchange of ideas” – even those that are controversial and “incompatible with our institutional values.”

Last week, a pair of Jewish students sued the university, claiming it has become a lab for "virulent anti-Jewish hatred, harassment and discrimination."

Author Jerome Karabel, who has written about the history of exclusion at Ivy League schools, said it is ironic that Penn is facing charges that it hasn’t done enough to quell antisemitism on campus. At some point, all of the other Ivy League schools tried to limit Jewish enrollment. Penn never had any such limitations, he said.

“You could argue that Penn, historically, has been the friendliest of the Ivy League schools for Jewish students,” Karabel said.

'An inclusive and welcoming community for all students'

On campus, there were few outward signs of turmoil this week. With final exams under way, students hurried to class on a cold, blustery late-fall morning. Stickers and fliers supporting the Palestinian people and urging a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war were posted on billboards and along walkways and pedestrian bridges.

At Houston Hall, which the university says is the oldest student union in the country, a small group of students has been staging a sit-in since mid-November to show support for the Palestinians. Early one afternoon this week, protesters nestled in big chairs and slept under sheets on cushions. Others painted posters and fliers listing their demands: A cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. The protection of freedom of speech on campus. “Critical thought” on the subject of Palestine. A place for Palestinian studies.

“Nobody here is calling for the genocide of Jews,” insisted Clancy Murray, who is working on a Ph.D. in political science.

Murray said several Jewish students have joined the sit-in but acknowledged that some feel unsafe in the current environment. Some Palestinian students on campus aren’t comfortable being visible either, Murray said, because of threats and the possibility of doxing, harassment and even violence and hate crimes.

As for Magill’s departure, Murray said it’s concerning “that she was driven out” and that “there are a handful of donors who are empowered to dictate what is and what is not acceptable speech on campus.”

David Donovan, who was on his way to his daughter’s graduation from Penn’s nursing school, said emotions surrounding the Israel-Hamas war are charging tensions on campus like never before.

“We are more sensitive to the feelings of other people, and that’s a net positive, I believe,” said Donovan, a history teacher from Morristown, N.J.

When it comes to deciding what constitutes free speech vs. hate speech, Donovan said, “we still have to be very apprehensive and think very carefully that our positions are backed by reason.”

“We need to err on the side of free speech,” Donovan added, acknowledging, “That’s an easy thing for me to believe as a straight, white man.”

The community at large is also grappling with issues of free speech. Some Jewish families are rethinking outward expressions of Judaism, Balaban said.

At his home in the Wynnewood suburb, Balaban flies both the Israeli and American flags in the front of his house and displays a menorah in the window. Before, “that would never have been a question in my mind to do it or not to do it,” he said. But with everything that has happened, “in my household, the question was, ‘Are we OK doing this?’” he said.

“Of course, the answer is, yes, we're going to,” Balaban said. “But did we worry that someone may do something? The answer is yes. I think we will always display an Israeli flag with pride. We will always display symbols of our Judaism. But there was a pause of what does that mean.”

'We will come through this difficult moment'

So what's next? How do the community and the university heal after the trauma of the past few months?

"This is a strong community built on a sturdy foundation.  We will come through this difficult moment," the university promised in an email message to students this week.

The university pledged to redouble its commitment to ensuring that Penn is a place where “intellectual growth is cultivated” and students are “supported as a person.”

“Initiatives recently launched to address bigotry and hatred on our campus will continue, and this will be an inclusive and welcoming community for all students,” the message said.

Levy urged school administrators to be more proactive and less reactive.

“I hope,” she said, “instead of being on the defensive and apologizing after things happen, they’ll take steps to actually stop these incidents in the first place.”

#nunyas news