#Sunlit makes sense and it will make a really nice character moment later for him to have one built | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bonefall · 28 days

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I personally like Thunder's prosthetic. Explained it to my friend (who does use a mobility device, a cane and wheelchair, and listens to me rant and infodump about BB) and they agreed, it's important to know that not every person needs what someone wants to give them. It's another example of "bad ableist person does a thing that hurts a disabled person because they are bad and ableist".

Clear Sky got Jagged Peak killed and would have killed Sunlit Frost! He would absolutely force his disabled son to be "normal" and present it like a privilege. "I wouldn't do this for anyone else, it's special, why don't you want to be helped?"

Thunder Storm should toss it in Clear Sky's face. (I would say toss it into the river but we do not pollute waterways in this house)

Thank you for telling me this, and tell your friend I'm thanking them too! If they have anything else to add please forward what they have to say

Since BB!DOTC tackles some of the heaviest topics in the entire series because its canon equivalent is so dark, I think very carefully about what I do here and how I show it. I take feedback on its sensitive aspects very seriously. If I'm understanding the criticism properly, it's that I should avoid stigmatizing prosthetics by making sure Thunder Storm's not the only one with it-- which he's not! And I'll add even more.

I don't want to avoid something only because it's uncomfortable if the topic is important, and my portrayal is respectful. Ableism IS uncomfortable! There are some situations where a prosthetic is not wanted! I think the rejection of this particular one is both a good opportunity to show a type of ableism and ALSO is very fitting for the characters.

In BB!Clear Sky's mind, the villain, he's fixing an old mistake. He can't admit that he got Jagged Peak killed or take REAL accountability for it (though he will, occasionally, apologize insincerely), but deep in his bones, he knows what he did was cruel. He'll never tell anyone this because he doesn't really cognate it himself, but Thunder Storm NEEDS to take his gift.

If Thunder doesn't take it, it blows a hole in his newest story. You see, throwing Jagged Peak out was All That Could Have Been Done back then. It was a Tragedy and he simply Made A Hard Choice. He regrets it very much, But You Have To Understand.

But now? Now? Well, behold. Look at what he's accomplished since the tragic death of his little brother. His cats are well-fed, cared for, and stable enough to make such incredible advancements. If only Jagged Peak had been able to hold on longer, if only he could be here now, I could fix him.

Just like I can (MAKE YOU JUST LIKE ME) fix you.

"Everything I've ever done is for Jagged Peak. For Fluttering Wing. For you." Thunder Sky is SPECIAL, but if he rejects any gift, tries to turn down the "privileges" offered to him, in an instant that becomes ungratefulness and arrogance. He both forces him to be special, and then leverages it against him if it's rejected. "Spoiled brat, doesn't appreciate what I've worked so hard to give him."

It all goes back to him and his own guilt. He can NEVER be wrong. He can't accept his family doesn't have to be "normal" or reflect his own ability. He won't see himself as a bully, let alone a murderer. It was never about his son's comfort or finding out what Thunder Storm wants or needs, it was about his own ego.

...All that said I'm still taking feedback if there's anything else I should keep in mind, or if anyone has a counter point, especially if you also have experience here.

(In the interest of having a link trail for posterity, here's the critique/call for feedback this is in response to)

#ALSO also I will take suggestions on other characters who should have prosthetics #Sunlit makes sense and it will make a really nice character moment later for him to have one built #There's also an amputee in RiverClan few people talk about called Stonestream #I can give him one and bump him up into a bigger character. In BB he is the sibling of Willowshine #BB!DOTC #better bones au #Also just as a side note... I love writing BB!Skystar. My ire for the character comes from his redemption arc so I feel like I get to--#--write the character I WANTED to see #Same with Bramble in other BB arcs #cw ableism #tw ableism #ableism #They're fascinating in that they always have to see themselves as the victim or the hero #They believe every lie they tell.#If you ever catch them in a contradiction they will still try to find some way to turn it on you and YOUR lack of understanding.#Interestingly both of them are ableist. Sky's is just more obvious because he's LOUDLY bigoted.#But BB!Bramble is *notably* less close to Jay for a very sad and very subtle reason.#Jay just doesn't serve his ego like the others do until much later in his life.#unfortunately most bigotry is like that.#the type you have a hard time calling out because it's a deniable bias. the constant gaslighting of being part of a marginalized group #Maybe I need to address the criticism by adding a character with a prosthetic to THIS arc even earlier #Problem is that like... Thunder's small merc group is already full of disabled characters and their THING is forming in response to ableism #OH maybe I'll put someone in the Forest Cat group which is lead by Slash?#I need to finish that last book and then gather up all the cats for sorting into allegiances

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sadlyafanofotomegames · 4 years

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Rewatching Revolutionary Girl Utena a Literal Decade Later - Season 1

So the first time I watched Utena was back in high school, where I didn’t have the tools nor the courage to admit I was into girls. So during that first watch I was very much that “they’re such good friends” kind of viewer. But now its 2020, and I’m bi and maaaaaaybe there’s something more to Anthy and Utena’s relationship. I don’t know its just a hunch I have.

Anyway this is just going to be me making disparate comments on the show that I didn’t notice (or sometimes just avoided noticing) during my first viewing. So if you’re expecting me to explain what Revolutionary Girl Utena’s about...lol. @vraik did an in-deph look into the show if you want explanations that makes sense, and you can also see the episodes on Youtube both subbed and dubbed if you just put the name in (i’m not brave enough to watch dubbed that will forever be a mystery to me) and there’s tons of videos talking about the show’s themes and what it means to them. So this? It’s just going to be nonsense in bullet-point form. So let’s begin!

I have a penchant for liking loud girl characters that others pan as obnoxious and annoying, and Wakaba is no exception. Only now I’ve been infected with vine culture so all I can imagine is the “He doesn’t deserve you” vine when her love letter is posted on the board.

Kale Sandwich man only washes his hair once a week and thinks drinking essential oils makes his breath smell nice no I will NOT be taking questions.

Spinach has quarantine hair before quarantine hair was a thing truly a man ahead of his time.

How did I miss all the rotating rose motifs in the show the first time I watched it?

Fun fact the shadow play was my favorite part first time watching it. Even when I didn’t like the episode I’d watch for the shadow play.

You know what? I’m going to say it - I LIKE CHU-CHU! There! I said it! Take me to the guillotine for my annoying mascot lovin’ crimes!

Touga is funny when Utena brushes him off and he goes, “oh yeah Baby” but the moment his manipulations begin to take hold and he touches my child’s hair I want to spray him with holy water. I’d report him to an authority figure at the school but HAH

Touga better watch his lovingly cared for hair because I got scissors snip snip.

Mickey mouse memes cursed me if I turn the sound off I imagine Miki’s voice being just like Mickey Mouse PLEASE tell me there’s a parody of that on the Internet somewhere. Have Mickey Mouse talk about the meaning of eternity to me.

The realization that Miki’s sister was not as good as he thought and that he was only projecting that image off of her made the Sunlit Garden episodes really compelling to me even during my first watch.

Do you ever think on the fact that if Nanami wasn’t obsessed with her brother she’d have time to make and connect with real friends. Like she gets along with Miki just fine! They could be good friends and could connect with each other if they could only let go of their obsessions...

Anthy manipulating things in the background (funny how she just happened to start playing piano when its Miki’s turn to duel huh) completely flew over my head first watch, even in the last season. Now going in with the knowledge that even when she’s forced to act passive she’s still active in her own way I keep going “oh. OH. oh.” every time she does a thing.

When Anthy showed Jury the orange rose like her “friend” once did HOW DID I NOT REALIZE!?

Vraik’s interpretation of Anthy giving the rose to Jury after the duel is that it’s a way of mocking Jury, but I’d say when Anthy was showing Jury the rose it was a way of showing how Anthy doesn’t spite Jury for hurting her the way Jury spites her “friend” (cough COUGH) for hurting her. Anthy has already let go of what Jury did (because Anthy’s been through worse lets be real) so why can’t Jury let go of what happened to her? Jury walking away without slapping Anthy like she did in the beginning of the episode, but not taking the rose, shows that she’s almost ready to move on, but not quite yet.

...Then again I like Wakaba AND Chu-chu AND that guidance counselor, so maybe I’m not the most trustworthy Utena interpretour

Anyway Nanami almost kills Utena and Anthy with curry. And Touga won a match with a kangaroo. Tell me a modern anime that’s funnier than the Nanami episodes that’s not gross. Go ahead. I’ll wait.

...I’m kidding I won’t wait anyway Seaweed needs to go in the corner and STAY THERE TILL HE THINKS ON WHAT HE’S DONE!

YOU TOO TOUGA YOU TOMATO PASTE

Did Cucumber ever realize that it was Utena who he met as a child? Did the pink hair not give it away or...?

Touga’s the WORST.

Nanami killing the kitten as a kid? Pretty awful. But I don’t think she’s the only person responsible for the cats death, because I think Touga was fully aware that she was the one who did it, and didn’t care. Maybe this is insensitive, but I think by the time we see a flashback to Touga’s birthday he was already manipulative and cruel. The kitten wasn’t the pet, Nanami was, and he was already toying with her emotions.

Nanami was almost okay with what she did until the box opened, and Nanami was forced to see the life she was taking. That’s why in earlier episodes its mentioned that when she hurts people she doesn’t do it directly. Because if she did she’d be faced with what’s she’s done directly, and she might not be able to handle that.

Also its telling that Nanami thinks Anthy keeping animals is what’ll make others dislike her, but when it turns out that Utena and Miki don’t find it strange at all when Anthy keeps even the more odd kinds of pets around, Nanami can’t comprehend why. I think that’s why even when she realizes that Touga is more interested in Utena than Anthy she still holds a grudge for Anthy.

You can’t make me unmute when Touga is being skeezy with Utena. This is MY rewatch and I can avoid be grossed out by Touga’s attitude if I WANT to.

Utena realizing that the only reason Anthy is her friend and says she wants other friends and doesn’t want to be the Rose Bride is because as the bride she’d supposed to be what her “betrothed” wants her to be HURT ME.

Get me the holy water I need to spray it into my EYES

You know what gets me? Out of all the council members Touga is somehow the best person to be “betrothed” to Anthy. Yeah, think on that for a second. He’s not abusive, he’s not obsessed with her, he doesn’t hate her or spite her passiveness, and he also doesn’t treat her like an ornament. He’s the only one who seems to see the engagement as what it is, which is a transaction. Anthy doesn’t interfere with Touga’s life and Touga doesn’t ask much of her in return. Anthy doesn’t love Touga, and Touga doesn’t love Anthy, so there’s no feelings being hurt. She’s safe because there’s no feelings thus no reason for them to hurt each other.

But then comes the image of Utena who appeared in front of her, silently and without warning. Utena does care about Anthy, and Anthy is starting to care about her, and that’s dangerous for both of them. Maybe for Anthy, its better that Utena thinks that Anthy doesn’t care for anything except being the Rose Bride, so that they can just remain polite acquaintances. Maybe in that sense, Touga is the better choice, which is why Anthy willingly gave Touga power when she never did with the Unripe Tomato. Just rip the band-aid off.

All this to say that in my first watch I kinda fell for the idea that Anthy didn’t care about anything, that she really was emotionless and had no money in this fight over her. So after Utena won the fight and Anthy returned to her like nothing happened, I wasn’t happy about it, because it felt like nothing changed since Utena first won the duel with Unmowed Grass. Anthy still sees this as a transaction. But watching it now I can tell that Anthy is glad to have a reason to be around Utena, even that reason is less than ideal...anyway ThEy’Re SuCh GoOd FrIeNdS HuH!?

SPEAKING of ideal when Akio did the summary episode and Dios moved his head to look at Akio...I like to imagine he gave Akio a middle finger. Just a nice thought to get me through the next season you know?

#revolutionary girl utena #utena rewatch #anime

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unashamed-shipper · 7 years

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Picnic For Two

one-shot for @fairytails-nakama! They inspired this lovely idea of a picnic!au :) Thank you so much for the idea. I love getting new one-shot inspirations, and if anyone else has any, my ask box is always open!

pairing: nalu

characters: natsu, lucy

type: fluffy as a kitten

word count: 1035

“Where is he?” Lucy asked herself, looking at her watch to check the time for the fifth time that afternoon. Natsu was late to say the least. It had been an hour since her boyfriend told her to meet him at the park by the apartment complex where they lived separately, and Lucy was starting to get irritated. This could be considered a first date for the two of them as a couple, and it was a big deal to Lucy. She knew that it was important to Natsu as well, but she had taken extra effort to dress nicely and put some thought into her appearance.

Today she had chosen a simple turquoise lace summer dress and sandals with her heart earrings she always wore and a silver chain as accessories. She applied light makeup to finish off the look and was careful to not make the same mistake as last time as applying too little eye makeup. She had even looked up a tutorial online on how to apply makeup correctly, and learned a few tips that she would be able to use in everyday life.

It seemed that Natsu wasn’t incredibly interested in their date. If he was, he wouldn’t be so damn late, Lucy told herself. With a huff, she poured a generous amount into one of the glasses that she brought along with her. She planned to drink a little more than she normally would. The only thing that was going to distract him from being late was a glass of wine--or three.

Several minutes later, she fell back onto the blanket with a giggle rising from her throat as she watched the clouds pass by. Lucy laughed at the oddly shaped ones and enjoyed the serene feeling of the wind rushing through her hair. Smiling, she drew in a breath and let her senses feel everything around her. Lucy tasted the warm summer air when it brushed the grass and whistled in her ears. Turning her head to one side, she felt her eyes begin to feel heavy under the warm sun.

After a light nap that left her feeling energized, Lucy checked her watch again to see what time it was. It had been almost two hours since she and Natsu agreed to meet, and she was getting hungry. There was no point in eating this food if there was no one to share it with, and she remembered she had some perfectly good leftovers at home that she could eat. With a sigh and a look back toward her apartment complex off in the distance once more, she began to pack up her food with a solemn look. Maybe he wasn’t coming after all.

“Lucy!” she heard a familiar voice say off the distance, and her head snapped up from packing up the picnic basket and wine.

“Natsu?” she asked, surprised by his voice.

Her knight in shining armor was here, albeit very late. With his hands on his knees, he dropped the thing he was holding in order to catch his breath. Lucy ran up to him in concern, now more interested in his health than his lateness.

“Just breathe,” Lucy instructed, rubbing his back. Natsu relaxed instantly, breathing steadily now instead of with a heaviness.

“Thanks, Lucy. I really owe ya one,” he said with the grin that made her like him in the first place. Her face flushed slightly, and she smiled back.

“You’re welcome. What did you drop?” she asked, and his eyes lit up.

“I got you a bunch of different flowers from all over the neighborhood! And none of em’ are dandelions like last time, I promise!” Natsu bent over and picked up the blooms with another grin which made her heart melt.

“Aww, thank you so much! You won’t owe me one anymore,” Lucy told her boyfriend as he handed her the flowers. She took a long whiff and let her senses take over as the floral scent overwhelmed her nose and made her sneeze. Natsu chuckled at the cute sound and swore that he fell in love with her a little more.

Natsu and Lucy stood looking into each other’s eyes for a moment with their hands at their sides, not knowing exactly what to do. Do they hold hands? No, it seemed too soon. They wouldn’t kiss, especially not on the first date. And anything else was definitely out of the question…

“Well,” Lucy began, “Are you hungry?”

“I’m always hungry, Luce,” Natsu replied, and Lucy smiled.

“Good, because I made a picnic for us!”

“Awesome! You’re the best!” Natsu ran over and began to eat ravenously.

“I knew you would be hungry after picking all of those flowers for me. By the way, you could have texted or called me to tell me you’d be late. I’d understand better if you told me you had a surprise for me,” Lucy’s gaze dropped to her feet as she tore some bread apart, stuffing a small piece into her mouth so she couldn’t say anything more.

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I should have called,” Natsu said after he finished his bite, looking at his girlfriend with an apologetic gaze. “I promise it won’t happen again.”

“I forgive you. Now let’s eat!”

“Aye!”

***

Once their bellies were full, Natsu and Lucy laid on the picnic blanket watching the remaining clouds on a sunlit sky. It was beautiful, Natsu thought, but he wasn’t looking at the sky. He was watching Lucy.

Her blonde hair shimmered in the sunset, and her eyes looked so focused on the scene before her. She was more beautiful in that moment than he had ever seen her, and she had always looked beautiful to him even before they officially met.

Natsu slowly inched his hand over to Lucy’s, tapping it with the back of his palm. Lucy looked down in shock, then looked back at him with a smile. He nodded, and she felt the warmth of his hand in hers for the first time. Her hands were usually cold, and his fingers felt warm entangled with hers. It felt nice. It felt good.

It felt perfectly, irrevocably right.

And that’s just how they liked it.

I hope you enjoyed! I really want to write more stories like this, and of course some angst as well hehe ^^

Requests are closed, but commissions are open! <3

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