#i have observed this trend in any fandom i indulge in | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

7ban-sama · 10 months

Note

ryokan au do you think hanako takes bites of tsu occasionally or does he actually resist otouto ....

i think about this au so much aidairo really catered to me specificallt with it. absolutely rotting my brain, if only there were any pornfics out there OTL

This AU feels like it was made to torment me personally yeah. So you have my sympathy. Idk why AidaIro gave me a place to think about, scent marking, pee, cat mating behaviors, feral anatomy, interspecies sex... Vore. etc. But they did. *furrows brow*... RIP about fic though, I myself can't really find much palatable fic, so whenever I want 'content' for something like a recent AU, I just have to write it myself / RP with my wife lol. JP fandom at least makes nice comics and art pieces to gaze upon... Ryokan has been prosperous in this way.

As for the status of the twins at the Ryokan: I think Amane indulges in consumption of Tsukasa, yes. Though with perhaps... more moderation(?) than the first incident(s), which is what I would believe lead to their mutual undead & sealed circumstance... status as, spooky orb havers. Or perhaps you could think of it as, Amane n ow has more elegance, thoughtfulness, in how he goes about eating... Artful indulgence, instead of succumbing to instinct miserably.

I do think the first time it happened, was not so easy for Amane. I feel like his journey always has to start out fraught, in some manner... Because the desire to consume (harm, destroy) Tsukasa will always be clashing against the feelings of preciousness. Amane often sees himself as Tsukasa's caretaker, protector — it's his 'role', as the older brother. He often puts himself in these sort of positions, in control and taking charge, as you can see with his dynamic with Nene as well. Though they are not biologically related, this world feels no different, what with Amane leading Tsukasa away from the circus tent fire...

This drawing is so sweet... Amane seems so genuinely concerned. Scruffed up and dirty, trying to get them out... (Of course, we don't get to see Tsukasa's expression... 💔 It's like how we can't see him on Tanabata either... prolly spoilery territory, and necessary to preserve mystique... It'd be too much to see Tsukasa's dazzled expression *sigh* ) Anyways... I get the impression from this picture, that Amane was very ardently trying to save Tsukasa in this moment.

And one has to wonder, how many years had Tsukasa been living in this circus? Isn't it odd for a kid this young to be an animal handler-? Whatever era they are from, it's likely more 'old world', considering the newspaper clipping was from 50 years ago — and the Minamoto Detective Agency itself isn't very modern feeling. (Our first image representing the event features a rotary phone, and I'd say the general fashion trends do not feel modern.) Soo... There's basically no way this set-up of a young boy animal handler was ethical. Tsukasa was likely an abandoned child, unloved, with only his pet black cat as company. I think Amane observed the poor treatment Tsukasa faced and it culminated in him rescuing him from the fire. Acting as his savior.

The story is so tantalizing to envision, from that jumping off point... Where do they run off to? Amane has magical capabilities as a nekomata, but I wonder how young he was, how much he still had to learn... Is he capable of sustaining them both? Were they functionally homeless for a while, meandering about? Finding some abandoned shed to hole up in? So much must have happened, between then and the current events of canon...

No matter what, I feel like being alone with Tsukasa starts to chip away at Amane's instincts. The AU proposes that humans are sooo irresistibly tasty... I think the sense of, love and desire to protect Tsukasa buys Amane some time, letting him funnel into the task of providing for his "little brother"... And ah, as I mentioned before, I like the HC that Amane only just got his human form and mirrored it after Tsukasa, so I think there's euphoria to be felt over finally being able to interact with Tsukasa with hands, a voice, etc.. They can talk! They can share so much! That's exciting... Ah, but it's like, amidst the haze of these emotions, there's this encroaching rumble... I think it's a natural pipeline for Amane to go from feeling like a caretaker, to gaining some. Divine sense of entitlement. You owe your life to me... with my actions, you are MINE... I own you. This snowballs with the biological urges to consume... the temptation...

I like to think there was a small incident, something fluid in the middle of affection... Getting his chin scritched, something like that — and mindlessly, Amane snaps, cleaves through a couple fingers. Mabye down half the knuckle of Tsukasa's thumb. And he swallows without thinking, also. But the sound of Tsukasa's shock and pain causes him to recoil, and it's like he's woken up to the reality of what he did — misery, horror, sadness... Helpless feeling about it. I think about him sobbing while licking Tsukasa's injured hand... ;; Not liking how it feels, that there's still a desire for more. Scared of self, frazzled fur, ears pinned... A somber period follows, where Amane bandages Tsukasa up and also endeavors to learn healing magicks... Not strong enough to magically recreate the missing body parts, but I think he could eventually close up the wounds. Sad kitty... Of course, Tsukasa is ever-reassuring, saying it's all fine! Daijoubu! Smiley smiley. Petting with his other hand. Hard to believe Tsukasa is so... forgiving... he doesn't even flinch when touched. They still sleep intertwined...

Inevitably, between Amane's own desire and Tsukasa's unconditional love, it all has to culminate in a big explosive event. The twins... you can see how, across all worlds, they have to conclude in something as extreme as consuming the other! I think AUs where their very species dictates this further conveys how much it cannot be helped. How can Amane resist Tsukasa forever-??? He cannot. Since nekomata are also known to have a capacity in necromancy, I believe that's how Tsukasa can return, and that's what leads to their present-day selves. Also, since Amane is a decidedly powerful mystery, I think of him as distinctly capable for a nekomata. Over those 50 years, he honed his powers, and it leads to his casual demeanor now. He doesn't feel threatened or, as if anything can meaningfully compete.

Honestly I think the whole... keeping Tsukasa a secret, having him dressed up as a kitty and locked in a closet, is all, fetishistic. Ohhh my dear sweet "brother", stay safe okayyy, mm yes pretend to be a kitty and run about... i will protect you... even though you're a delectable little human... mwah. The choice to give Tsukasa a kinked tail and matching collar is wholly eccentric. All these details feel... playful? Indulgent? Compared to their past as a dirty circus orphan and his scraggly black kitty cat... For them to be trouncing about this secluded mountain inn, feels luxurious. They feel very comfortable, to me...

So I like to think that this isn't an Amane that is forbidding himself from interfacing with Tsukasa, and indulges at times in his urges. The difference is having more of a handle on himself, so it's less of a chaotic impulse? If impulsive, than the indulgent kind, succumbing to wanting to nip and bite and draw blood... I really ah, think about him raking claws across Tsukasa and lapping at the wounds. Things like this. Ohh, just a taste... I don't want to tear him apart juuust yet, must control... It should be special, when we go that far ❤... You could imagine him snapping off a finger or two though, ugh, and then Tsukasa's perpetual mitten status just passes it off... He's commonly seen as clumsy, so it wouldn't be suspicious if he was especially poor at handling things. Fumbling more....

UGh it all makes me sick though because-!! I have to imagine they are affectionate, playing with each other, napping together, etc... I can perfectly see a doting Amane cleaning up Tsukasa after he's done with him, grooming him affectionately, and then relaxing in the hotsprings together... Such visions I am accosted with. I cannot see anything else

#☀️#💬

0 notes

cutegirlmayra · 3 years

Note

Hiiiiii, I rly like your writing X3 I was wondering if you’d answer this question: What is your interpretation of what SEGA is doing with SonAmy as of right now? Seems like it’s becoming more and more canon. I know you’ve done similar question before, but could you maybe just answer this for 2021? Thanks!💖💙

No problem! And thank you, lovely Anon~<3 I love writing for the feels~ But also for the accuracy to be as close as possible if I can manage it! First of all, they’ve always been canon? Maybe not ‘in-world dating’ canon but canon in the sense that they are a official SEGA advertised couple since the get-go.

Amy was created to literally be in the slot of ‘Sonic’s Girlfriend’ where she had feelings for Sonic and always a fun mystery as to decipher Sonic’s subtle ‘returned caring’ for her.

As for 2021 we are so FREAKIN’ HAPPY to hear that SEGA is FINALLY marketing the two and VISUALLY SEEING the sales of their ‘couple shirts’ and the like make some profit. Furthermore, we have long-time fans and professionals in the careers within SEGA also vocalizing that they don’t mind the couple and even support it. With less emphasis on the ‘fandom fanatics’ of the raging past and more so on the fantastic marketability and popularity the couple brings to SEGA’s exposing their main IP, it’s become almost common ground to expect more and more people liking romantic and suggested romantic couples in all ranging medias.

We need also mention the alarming rate of the worrisome numbers in Japan recently. Conducted studies have shown that most of Japan’s population is elderly, and in the very near future (About 5 years or so) a good chuck of Japan’s population will die. This means the Japanese Government is promoting more and more companies within both entertainment, advertising, etc. to be more ‘promoting family’ in their media. Japan needs more babies! And guess what?

Mario Odyssey comes out with a completely ‘Wedding themed’ video game.

Dramatic romantic underlying's in Zelda’s new game.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s focus on romantic underlying’s along with Cloud willingly saying (English version) “Do I have any say in this?” As though to fight the idea that romance can’t happen and-

Kingdom Hearts 3′s romantic underlying that literally has a song (Japanese) talking about rings and getting married called “Chikai” or also ‘Oath’ that in English is rewritten to a romantic song about going deeper into love called “Don’t Think Twice” but literally has the two ‘making their fates intertwined’ in a symbol of ‘romantic intentions’ such as marriage or even just fidelity in a relationship.

So? How does all this influence the latest Sonamy supersonic boom we’ve seen in the media recently?

Although Sonic is his own character, he’s also only 15 (But as many of you have seen in Anime, Japanese ages of appropriateness are different then our own cultures and societies) we see faint glimpses. In the mostly American-made Sonic Boom t.v series, the comedic moments of Sonic and Amy are very much to a genre of American audiences and how we view ‘funny love’ should normally be marketed as. (I don’t always agree with what they say, but that’s how they’re trained and believe the ‘trends’ go... so ... can’t argue with professionals? Eh? -I personally think they’re outdated *cough cough*)

Sonic is not one to express feelings in overly dramatic ways which is common place in American television and media, but he’s also got a ‘boy’s heart’ which means we won’t see a lot of things from him BESIDES ‘romantic underlyings’ that are probably going to be initiated and themed mostly and primarily in Amy Rose’s character (If at all shown or expressed.)

For these reasons, I believe SEGA is just hopping on the bandwagon and doing what they’re told, while also following the latest trends that the other big fellow companies are making a significant profit on. I know we wish and want SEGA to be ‘special’ in how they think, but they really are just a company that is trying to survive and outlast the competition.

It’s sad to think that way, especially when SEGA used to be so creative and always influencing the next best thing but that was YEARS ago and they’ve learned to tread water since then...

(Goku being a grandfather emphasizes family in this particular scene where they take his granddaughter before a big tournament fight to a fair/festival. We see Goku with his family too, or at least, a successful son with his wife and daughter, spending time with his Father-In-Law, and the like.)

We see it in Dragon Ball emphasizing family, we see it in more romance-themed animes (and those that have only recently done romance, when they--for the longest part--never indulged in such things before or previously) and we now see more japanese games and media centralized around that.

What does that mean for Sonamy? Hopefully good things! Because if you buy the merch, they’ll produce more content. It’s a basic ‘supply and demand’ formula. If the demand (meaning how much you spend and want Sonic and Amy couple merch) goes up, then they have to supply to keep their business afloat. If they don’t they sink, but that DOES NOT MEAN TO BE AGRESSIVE. It means just support when they do something you like, and positively, kindly mention what you liked and wish to see more of if the future allows. No one reads aggressive writing unless, they too--wish to be aggressive back.

SEGA’s had issues with aggressiveness before, please let them see that couples in the sonic world won’t have a negative impact on their branding with irrational and bad-media frenzies. (Now, after saying this, I know people will start to do just that, don’t feed fire with fire, just let the fire burn till it has nothing left to consume, and carry on happily posting fanart or fanstories of what you love. Ignore to extinguish, which is what SEGA will do to Sonic shipping fans if we don’t act somewhat reasonably, okay?)

My predictions are such: 1. Amy’s crush will sadly lessen in impact and become more of a novelty, something that is treasured when moments arise to reveal her crush on Sonic, which in my opinion, is not her personality, but due to the heavy influence of women’s portrayal (Especially in America) being overemphasized and not done well, this is how they will try and combat it... (No one does this right and you shouldn’t base a characters solely on political reasonings...) 2. Sonic will have moments of caring for Amy or doing something sweet that can and probably will be interpreted as ‘a couple moment’ but he’ll remain mostly about other things, and the ‘underlying romance’ will have to come through Amy Rose’s character. 3. SEGA will loosen some rules after seeing more and more of the productivity and trend associated with marketing romance, and to keep up with demand and growing times, will finally let small moments emerge between the two, but the fandom will not be satisficed since we will now be desensitized to overly avert demure and oblivious stereotropes that will date their characters. and won’t allow them to proceed smoothly into the new area of customers and audiences.

Children are becoming extremely observant and aware. They are clever, and they always have been. It’s time to market to Children and Young Adults, not babies.

My ways to avoid this, predictions 1: New employees will surface that will start to get a name and reputation in the Sonic Fandom, along with youtube and internet stars who will influence certain marketing schemes (as is starting to appear now, and I feel will be just like ‘star marketing’ or ‘influencers’ that will be popularized in fandoms that companies will slightly make use of.) that will encourage new ideas and bring about a sudden ‘boom’ not expected. (Especially after the lull of the pandemic, I feel there will be an abundance of things happening in the upcoming years... but nothing right now, unfortunately, but at least they’re forced to focus on working on things instead of just releasing to keep up with other companies.)--In other words, they will incorporate new blood with the old, and they will lead Sonic’s IP into a ton of nostalgia and new beginnings that will actually stick and become Sonic’s new brand identity. (This will resonate with fans old and new, but still be a fresh leap into the future for the franchise and fandom.) 2. Sonic’s negative popularity will start to decrease, leading and paving the way for fame and possible adjustments such as more romantic themes to keep up with trends and Japanese Government demands (especially when the population starts to wither and it becomes an emergency situation to start encouraging family ties). Other than sonamy or romantic things, I believe new characters will pop up to ‘test the waters’ and see if we like romance intertwined adventures. 3. Villains will become more sentimental and caring, less comedically, they will be redeemable entities so that the company can market them more. This can also lead into funny romances that help other romances develop and have more meaning. (In other words, they’ll dig into their vault of familiar and new faces, go off the trend of ‘redeeming the villain’ and have more heart-to-heart moments that may inspire more canonical couples... especially if a newer villain were to have a crush that ended up helping two canon characters get together and leave the audience sympathizing more with the villain. This is an actual trend starting where Villains have more character and roles other than just being evil and staying that way till death. I suspect this will be popularized in American and possibly foreign media as time goes on.)

(I actually have a lot of the sonamy shirts lol But here’s an example of the villain actually helping the canon couple have more ‘romantic underlying’ moments together <3)

Those are my current predictions, though I admit that some don’t sound all that hopeful. But hey! All my hopeful and positive predictions have already come true XD Sonamy is being marketed, the new media (Sonic Boom at the time) had subtle but more forward comedic hinting (that I don’t feel went all that well? But eh, that’s just me!), and SEGA continues to try and reface Sonic which his brand doesn’t need. I believe they will still try and rebrand Sonic continually until something sticks for them that they like. Sonamy may go through many iterations, as they are still hesitant with it, and we see that by only marketing their ‘younger selves’ as in Classic Sonamy, and are too ‘shy and uncertain’ if backlash would happen if they advertised a more mature-looking Sonic and Amy marketing. Again, I don’t know if they’ll fully grow out of this, so I predict they won’t.

(I have this one but in black <3 <3 <3)

That’s it for now! My positive last comments would be the more we buy/purchase Sonamy merch, the more we’ll start seeing it in their media and entertainment products. Until then, do your best and write, draw, and review -kindly- to keep those articles of enchantment alive with the sweet sound of--”When will Sonic and Amy finally have a love song AMV moment for us?” lol

#cutegirlmayra ask #ask cutegirlmayra #sonamy #sonic the hedgehog #sega #amy rose #cutegirlmayra #sonic ask #ask sonic #sonamy ask #ask sonamy #sonicxamy #sega marketing #anime #video games #japan #sonamy predictions

86 notes · View notes

gay-otlc · 3 years

Text

Keepers Of The Chaos (3)

Summary: Tam, Linh, Dex, Keefe, Biana, and Fitz are part of the tiny fandom for Keeper of the Chaos, and Tam and Linh’s podcast convinces some of their other friends to watch it as well. The group finds themselves strangely invested in this show, where students at Tumblr High School who work together to write about an elf named Sophia, cause incomprehensible chaos, and fight their rival Pinterest High School.

Content warnings: Cursing, religion (Jewish Vackers), and Amsterdam (just in case, I know that was stressful for some people).

Word count: 1621

Notes: Most of the episodes are just events stolen from Lynn's roundup, Dex's memes are here

(Read on AO3)

The life of an amateur meme maker on dumbles dot com was a strange one, that was for sure. After finishing xyr favorite show- Ze-Ra: Monaerchs of Powhir- for the third time, Dex had searched for another show to fill the void in xyr soul. Biana recommended this show called "Keepers of the Chaos" and described it to xem. Xe was doubtful at first, but after watching the first episode, xe was hooked.

Xe used to not have many friends at xyr school, so xe did what every neurodivergent queer teen would do- made an account on dumbles dot com. People seemed to like xem- or at least, they liked dizznee-plus's memes and edits of Ze-Ra characters. Even after Dex befriended xyr squish, Fitz, thons sister, Biana, and aer girlfriend, Sophie, xe continued making content on dumbles. Around that time, the Ze-Ra fandom started dying off, and xyr memes started getting fewer note

In a sudden, two am burst of inspiration, Dex made edits of some of xyr favorite characters, like Ref, Akki, and Rose, with their respective pride flags (all of them bi) over them, and captioned it "we must be gay." The post blew up, or at least, what could be considered blowing up in Keeper of the Chaos's tiny fandom, and that was how Dex found xyr calling as an amateur meme/edit maker for KOTC.

History had been repeating itself, with the KOTC fandom starting to die off, until it was revived by an announcement from creator Saturn Nolastname- a season two would be released soon. Frantically, Dex made a meme about season one episode two, with the car salesman meme. Xe edited "chaos keepers" onto the car salesman, "the rarelynoticed" on the car, and "this bad boy can fit so many stripper outfits into it."

That had been... an interesting episode, to say the least. The chaos keepers had been talking about the antagonists of "Sophie and the Dark Duck"- a rebel group called the Rarelynoticed. In the information packet they'd been given, it was confirmed that the Rarelynoticed wore black cloaks and armbands, but no other clothes had been mentioned. Somehow, the chaos keepers came to the conclusion that the Rarelynoticed really wore neon pink leotards and green stripper heels, then drew this idea.

Needless to say, the Tumblr staff did not let them write that into the book. Nor did Lynn, the unofficially chosen leader of the group. Unfortunately for her, this didn't stop the chaos keepers from drawing more of these- or the fandom from making a ton of memes. In addition to the car salesman meme, a post with Drake saying no to "wearing normal fucking villain outfits" and yes to "leotards and stripper heels" gained popularity within the small fandom.

Though nothing could match the absolute shock of seeing the Rarelynoticed stripper outfit for the first time, Dex decided to rewatch the episode anyway- it was funny to see the chaos keepers freak out, and maybe xe could get some good screen captures. The good Saturn Nolastname indulged xem, and xe captured an excellent scene of most of the chaos keepers either laughing or screaming at the Rarelynoticed stripper outfits, with Kimber- one of xyr favorites- sitting on the side, explaining to Juno and Kaitee why Bianca Cracker was bisexual.

Xe went over to dumbles, posted the picture, added an image description, and captioned it "Live photo of me not caring when my friends talk about sex/romance." Xe chuckled to xemself- this really was how it felt to be aroace. Xe tagged it as aromantic and asexual as well, since dumbles added flag colors. Smiling, xe went to go check xyr notifications.

Xyr jaw dropped when xe saw that @lordofthesnuggles- Fitzroy (Dex didn't know thons middle name) Vacker thonself had liked and reblogged all three of xyr memes, even adding compliments in the tags! Xe'd had a bit of a platonic crush on Fitz for... a really long time, but xe always felt too awkward to talk to thon, so it was nice to see that thon appreciated xyr humor.

Feeling energized- and excited to procrastinate on xyr math homework- Dex went to watch the next episode: Dark Duck Is Jewish Now. Being Jewish xemself, this was a really funny episode to xem.

Lynn had been writing a sort of spinoff- it would be called fanfiction, but it was for her own story- about some of the Dark Duck characters celebrating Christmas, and added a throwaway line about Bianca and Finn Cracker celebrating Hanukkah. Then, her fiance, Shai, had taken that idea and run with it, writing a list of ideas about what would happen if the Cracker family was Jewish. Hir friend Sam had jumped on the idea, and soon they had abandoned writing the actual Dark Duck in favor of writing a story about Jewish Dark Duck characters. Some of the other Jewish chaos keepers, like Ref and Cat, helped out.

To be honest, it kind of surprised Dex that no one had made a joke about the Jewish Crackers just being matzah, so xe supposed xe would have to be the first.

Xe posted that observation, quickly getting a like from Fitz- which made xem smile. After a few minutes, Dex posted another meme: Shai and Sam standing in front of a door with a sign that read "elves don't have religion," and them saying "This sign won't stop me, because I can't read!"

It was accurate.

While that episode was great for Jewish representation, and funny, the Banana Noir episode was just plain weird.

It focused less on the Dark Duck than most of the other episodes, and was more about the crazy interactions of the chaos keepers. The episode was named for Banana Noir, who was really Cat Noir, but in a banana suit. Banana Noir was the son of Mellie, who looked like a shark, and Nora, who had platonically married faer. The mothers tried to arrange a marriage between him and Akki, who loved the side characters of the Dark Duck series. However, Akki wanted to marry Amelia. After a lot of shit that basically no one understood, Banana Noir's attempts were thwarted, and Lynn officiated the wedding between Akki and Amelia.

Yeah, Dex had no idea what the fuck was going on either. Xe'd watched an episode of Twins of the Chaos and a youtube video by arsonpog analyzing the Banana Noir chronicles, as it had been dubbed by the chaos keepers, and both expert opinions seemed to agree that Saturn Nolastname and the rest of the writers had probably been on crack when they made that episode.

The next episode made slightly more sense, though it was a low bar. After taking a break from the "official" Dark Duck story, the chaos keepers began collectively writing a Cinderella story about the characters Sophia and Bianca. People weren't allowed to be queer in the official story, but the chaos keepers still wanted to have fun with their obviously gay characters.

Even to the viewers of the show, who only received secondhand information about the Dark Duck characters, knew there was no way any of them, let alone all of them, were allocishet. The exact identities weren't entirely clear- when Dex had made edits of the characters' official art and xyr headcanons for their pride flags, a few people had disagreed- but both the chaos keepers and the fandom knew that despite what Shannon said, Sophia and Bianca were in love, and their Cinderella story should have made it in to the official Dark Duck story.

While excerpts of the Cinderella story were quoted in the show, most of it was left unclear, so Biana had taken it upon aerself to write aer own version of it. Dex was expecting an update later that day, actually, or maybe the next. Ae wasn't always 100% reliable with aer update schedule. Still, Dex looked forward to when it eventually did come.

After the brief calmness from the Sophianca Cinderella episode, season one episode six, Amsterdam, exploded back into chaos. A few of the chaos keepers decided to discuss a fake scene in the book in which crazy shit went down, with the scene supposedly being located in Amsterdam. It had never been written and was never going to be, but everyone discussed it like it was real. Some of the highlights involved all the Dark Duck girls having swords (and the chaos keepers being gay for them), and a speedboat chase scene through the canals. Fitz had a popular theory that the chaos keepers would actually travel to Amsterdam in order to commemorate this crazy part of their lives. Almost as popular as that was a meme Dex made, with a man labeled "chaos keepers discussing amsterdam" and gesturing feverishly to a wall covered in papers and red string.

Of course, episode seven (Dark Duck Disney) was chaotic too. Everything was chaotic with this group, it was in the title. Shannon announced that the winning Dark Duck story would be adapted into a Disney movie. After past experience with terrible book to movie adaptations, the chaos keepers panicked. They panicked so much that it became major news within their school, which until then, had been largely ignoring the chaos keepers. Once the discussion about the movie settled down, they talked a lot about how in awe they were that their Dark Duck shenanigans were trending within the school.

But of course, none of that compared to the last episode of the season...

Dex changed xyr profile picture to include an ominous pair of teal eyes and sighed.

#tumblr kotlc fandom fandom #keepers of the chaos #shai types things #shai's writing #hehe like the ze-ra reference

31 notes · View notes

cavehags · 4 years

Note

i realize this will probably bring up old drama so you might not want to answer it. but do you ever regret, however on purpose or on accident, bringing all that unnecesary hate towards Katara? i'm really sad and dissapointed tbh. i'm a woman of color and katara was so important to me growing up. my favorite animated woman ever. and then this resurgence comes and theres so, so much unnecesary hatred for her and everyone ignoring everything that makes her a good character.

(2/3) 2- and you know, i expected this from the male side of the fandom. they were misogynistic to her and the others even back then so i would expect it to be even worse with how internet culture is more mysogistic now that ever. and i wasnt wrong. male atla fans had some truly horrible takes and views that just came across as racism and misogyny. but, i expected these circles to be better. to be a safe space for us woc who love this character. but i found the same weird hatred for her.

(3/3) 3-i just, i cant believe i feel less welcome now that i did even back then. and back then i didnt even paricipate really. but at least i could enjoy fandom content without stumbling into misogyny and racism every other post. also sorry for sending this to your personal blog b i just wanted to let you know you controbuted to that too even if it wasnt your intention. at least you realized that and arent contributing to it anymore right? cause honestly the hate has only gotten worse not less.

hey anon. thanks for asking this question, because i hadn’t addressed this topic previously and this gave me an opportunity to do so.

no, i don’t regret publicly interpreting a character whom i love through a nuanced and human lens. and i don’t regret combating the one-dimensional interpretation of this character, which posits that she’s merely an vaguely defined object of attraction for some boy or another, and a singularly gentle, mature, maternal figure whose sole purpose in life is to nurture others. those interpretations suck. they rob her of the humanity and complexity that make her character unique and they stem from misogynistic tropes that reduce women to the services they can provide to men. the thing in the world that matters most to me is fighting misogyny, and this trend to diminish a proud and powerful and angry teenage girl by exaggerating only her most socially acceptable traits is misogyny.

unlike you, i did not grow up watching avatar: the last airbender. the shows i watched growing up did not have a lot of girls who felt real to me. the girls i saw on tv growing up were simple. they were the main characters’ crushes. they were simple, desirable, usually sweet and loving, and not much else. if they had a flaw, it was that they were, at best, “awkward.” whatever that means. or if they were the protagonists, which was rare, they were nice enough and tried to do the right thing, but they never had strong feelings like resentment and anger. they weren’t allowed to be unfeminine which meant they weren’t allowed to be bitter, angry or in any way flawed. they didn’t look like the version of girlhood i knew to be true for me personally, which included a lot of anger and frustration and powerlessness.

that crappy representation left me with internalized misogyny that chased me for longer than i’d like to admit. i did not learn to think of girls as humans who could be as interesting and flawed and messy as the boys were. i did not value myself as a girl, and later a woman, because i thought the best thing a girl could be was... bland. boring. pretty, but empty. passionless.

it would have meant the world to me to see a character like katara.

because katara is angry. she has every right to be: she’s had so much stolen from her, including her mother, her people, and her childhood. katara has a short fuse. she yells. she snaps. she fucks up. sometimes she makes mean jokes! i never saw a single one of those dreamily perfect cartoon love interests make mean jokes when i was a kid. she is extremely idealistic--it’s her defining character trait--but we see the bad side of that as well as the good. we see that her need to help others leads her to act rashly, to get herself into danger, to put others in danger too.

and she has her very own arc. it’s not about her love for another person, either (what a snooze of a storyline); it’s about growing up and learning to break down some of that stubborn black-and-white thinking that we all indulge in as children. it’s a true coming-of-age arc and it belongs to a fourteen-year-old girl.

when i, to use a phrase i find crass, “entered the fandom,” i quickly realized that other fans’ perceptions of katara did not line up with the things i valued most about her. other fans seemed to valorize her most socially acceptable feminine qualities: her generosity, her kindness, her dedication to helping others. and of course i love those parts of her--i love everything about her--but what is really remarkable about avatar: the last airbender is that katara’s many important virtues are also counterbalanced by equally significant flaws. a good character has flaws. katara is a good character, and a deviation from the characters who made up my formative media landscape, because she has flaws. her temper, her idealism, her stubbornness--these are flaws. flaws make her seem real and human and challenge the mainstream sentiment that girls are not real or human.

it simply did not occur to me that celebrating these aspects of katara that make her a realistic and well-written teenage girl would spark ire from other adult fans. it absolutely did not occur to me that i would then be blamed for somehow causing misogynistic interpretations of this character, particularly given that misogynistic interpretations of this character are the very thing i sought to correct when i began to blog about this television show.

i’m told there are “fans” on instagram and tiktok who think katara is whiny, annoying, and overly preoccupied with her trauma. i do not use instagram or tiktok, so i wouldn’t know, but i’ll take your word for it. respectfully, however, they didn’t get that from me. misogynistic takes on katara have existed since before i came along. i have never, ever called katara whiny. and seeing as i have been treating my own PTSD in therapy for nine years, you can safely conclude that i don’t think anyone, katara included, is overly preoccupied with their trauma. that’s not a thing. do i think she’s annoying? of course not! as a character, she’s a delight. does she sometimes find real joy in aggravating her brother and her friends? yes, because she’s 14. i, an adult, am not annoyed by her. sokka and toph often are, because that is katara’s goal and katara always succeeds in her goals. she’s not “annoying.”

if there are “fans” who are indeed following lesbians4sokka and somehow misreading every single post and interpreting them to mean that we hate katara and they should too, i don’t really know what you want me to do about that. l4s has over ten thousand followers and we have already posted so many essays disavowing katara hate. our feminist and antiracist objectives in running the blog are literally pinned with the headline “please read.”

furthermore, you cannot reasonably expect my co-blogger and me to control the way our words will be received. we should not have to, and are not going to, add a disclaimer to every post saying that when we critique or make jokes about a teenage girl we are doing so through a feminist lens. our url is lesbians4sokka, and we are clearly women. if that alone doesn’t make it obvious, then refer back to that pinned post.

it is indescribably frustrating, and really goddamn depressing as well, that people are so comfortable with the misogynistic binary of Perfect Good Women and Flawed Wicked Bitches that they perceive any discussion of a woman’s flaws to be necessarily relegating her to the latter camp. if that is how you (a generic you) perceive women, then i’m sorry, but you’ve internalized sexism that i cannot cure you of. and it’s unjust to expect my friend and me to write for the lowest common denominator of readers who have not yet had their own feminist awakenings. we do not write picture books for babies. we write for ourselves, and with the expectation that our readers can think critically. reading media through a feminist lens is my primary interest; i have no intention of excising that angle from my writing.

as i go through my life, i am going to embrace the flaws of girls and women because not enough people do. as long as the dominant narratives surrounding women are “good and perfect” and “unlovable wh*re,” you’ll find me highlighting flawed, realistic, righteously angry women in the margins. and for what it’s worth, it’s not just katara. i champion depictions of angry girls in all sorts of media. that’s sort of my whole thing. my favorite movies are part of the angry girl cinematic universe: thoroughbreds, jennifer’s body, hard candy, jojo rabbit, et cetera. on tv, in addition to katara, you’ll find me celebrating tuca and bertie, poppy from mythic quest, tulip and lake from infinity train, korra, and more. i adore all these women and see myself in them. i hope you find this suitably persuasive to establish that i have sufficient Feminist Cred, according to your standards, to observe and write about these very flawed and human fictional women.

what i’m saying is this: i decline to take responsibility for the misogynistic discourse orbiting a children’s cartoon. as someone who writes about that series from a perspective that seeks to add humanity and nuance to the reductive, one-dimensional, overwhelmingly sexist writing that already exists, i am pretty taken aback that i am the one being blamed for the very problem i sought to address. except not that taken aback because i am a woman online, haha! and this is always how it goes for us.

finally, i think it sucks that you’ve chosen to blame me for a problem that begins and ends with the patriarchy. i can’t control the way this response will be perceived, just like how i can’t control the way anything will be perceived because i am just one human woman, but i do hope you choose to be reflective, and consider why you’ve chosen this avenue to assign blame.

#anyway! this answer is too long and it's undignified to answer ''fandom drama'' queries on le blog #but here we are in 2020

232 notes · View notes

fatalism-and-villainy · 3 years

Note

Inspired by your service dom post- something I've noticed in reading Wangxian fic from fans who come straight from cql with no knowledge of the book is that they tend to write lwj as a sub and wwx as a dom and I just feel like that really misses out on so much of their dynamic and interior lives/personality

This is the post in question - I was rather late in getting to this.

I would caution you against assuming that anyone sexual position or dynamic is necessary to a character’s personality or relationship to another person. That’s actually part of what I was pushing back against in that post - the assumption that any one set of behaviours can only correlate to one particular manifestation in one’s sexual life. In this particular case, I am myself interested in how devotion and indulgence towards one’s partner could potentially play out through a dominant sexual role, and would appreciate it if that possibility were not dismissed. But I don’t think that either possibility is the natural end result of that particular inclination.

There is a habit in fandom at the current moment of discouraging the drawing of any kind of connection between personality, or interpersonal habits and preferences, and sexuality. I’ve encountered a lot of the subtext - or sometimes explicitly stated idea - that of course it’s valid to have preferences for how your characters have sex, but only if those are strictly id-based, “I think it’s hot” preferences, rather than anything based in analysis or broader characterization-based headcanoning. I don’t like this trend because I think the assumption that sexuality has no relationship to other aspects of one’s selfhood and interpersonal life is faulty, and based in societal stigmatization of sexuality and the sexual self. But I also don’t think there’s any inherent or deterministic relationship between those two things, and it’s possible to conduct such character analysis without treating behaviour that could have multiple sexual manifestations as definitive “proof” of one.

I am also not convinced that WWX and LWJ’s dynamic in MDZS is contingent on those particular sexual roles. LWJ’s struggles with consent aren’t dependent on him being a dom, unless you buy into the idea that only doms can violate consent (untrue). (In fact, while LWJ is fairly physical aggressive during the drunk sex scene, it’s WWX who instigates it and who feels guilty afterwards for taking advantage of LWJ while the latter is in an altered state of mind.) Wei Wuxian also isn’t strictly a sub in the novel, as he expresses an interest in domming in one scene (his noncon kink seems to go both ways), and I don’t think him being a sub is really necessary to the story. He’s a bottom because MXTX likes to have the protagonist bottom (idk if this is a broader genre convention, but I wouldn’t be surprised), but it’s not really important.

I also can’t speak to whether sub!LWJ/dom!WWX is a CQL-only phenomenon. I feel like the vast, vast majority of what I’ve seen has had dom!LWJ/sub!WWX, but then again there’s plenty I haven’t read and I haven’t filtered for CQL-specific fics to look at what trends are. In fact, something I’ve observed is that predominantly or exclusively CQL-influenced fic for them often involves them switching, rather than one character exclusively domming.

#anonymous #replies #block me tumblr i dare you #(that's the tag for discussion of sex)#untaming #fandom natterings #Anonymous

31 notes · View notes

soldier76xreader · 6 years

Text

It’s A-Okay, Anon! Thanks for the clarification on the tone that you were using when writing this, I get that it’s super easy for intent to be lost in translation! :)

It’s okay for you to write self-indulgent works and post it everywhere! Write/draw/create things that make you happy!

The depressing thing about Canon x OC is that you kind of have to rein in on your expectations cause it’s hard to care about something you don’t have an investment in as an outsider. Those that GET really popular OCs kind of stick with it for a very long time and create something for people to be invested in, like that Ana x OC fic on AO3 that has a pretty nice number of viewers for the niche.

Escentially, you’re making a niche (canon x oc) of a niche (canon x reader insert) by slapping a name and actual face/distinguishable features on what is supposed to be a generic reader insert. Any writer who has written enough works and has observed statistical trends (both fandom/IRL publishing after removing trademarked properties) can tell you that it’s significantly harder to get results with that BUT there is always a chance of striking lightning too (as a ‘pioneer’, in hindsight).

I think I made an earlier mistake of using my own works as ‘proof’ that success is possible for Canon x OC when, in reality, I’m drawing in views on the ‘parent’ of that niche instead (Canon x reader self insert) which is a completely different beast entirely.

I’m sorry if I encouraged anyone with that earlier mistake of mine.

You guys DO have a much harder time gaining traction and I hope my insight offered something like a bit of guidance or at least a springboard for you guys to do more research into your niche (cause that is actually what it is).

#please do not reblog #I gave a few nuggets of advice but I don't want this going around #cause i dont feel comfortable of the possibility of this post leaving my control #also DO take a look at the filtering features on AO3 to observe trends #it's really quite interesting #btw you can leave a comment or send me an anon if you want #we can have discussion without reblogging

4 notes · View notes

cryptidgoose · 6 years

Text

Waving Through a Window

Read it on AO3

Fandom: My Hero Academia

Word Count: 6,900+

Rating: T

Relationships: Not relationship centric; implied erasermic

Tags: Deaf Character, deaf mic, Child Neglect, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Orphanage, Foster Care, some internalized ableism

Summary: Almost a decade ago, Yamada Hizashi was led out of the child institution in Taito Ward by his two loving foster parents. As newly graduated hero Present Mic, he returns to face his greatest fear and seek closure within the grey, unwelcoming walls that once made up his childhood nightmare.

Notes: This is honestly a very self-indulgent thing I decided to write to explore both Mic's past and to develop an original character. I hope it's enjoyable nevertheless.

Bland and foreboding, the grey building seemed to loom before Mic while simultaneously blending inconspicuously into the busy Tokyo Street. Even the amber-tint of his glasses could not liven up the look of the building. Hundreds passed by the building every day without giving it a cursory glance—he knew this for a fact. He followed the bricks up to the second level, to the middle window and Mic thought he could see a young blonde boy staring down at him. Watchful eyes gauged the adult’s reaction, wanting to scream for someone to look at him, to notice, but knowing that opening his mouth would mean trouble.

A tight feeling seemed to spread across his face and Mic felt his heart seize with fear, reaching immediately to rip free the muzzle. He found nothing there, just the fading feeling of an old trauma. He moved his hands to fix the collar of his jacket around his speaker, fiddling idly with the zippers. He eventually found his arms hesitating before his chest, one hand picking at the fingernail polish on the other.

He felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest.

This was a bad idea, Sensei.

“I can’t…I can’t do this,” he murmured to himself, attempting to burying his face into his speaker but failing. He clenched his eyes shut instead, blocking out the building and its prison-like features. He couldn’t really see himself as a hero until he faced this. Shaking fingers dug into his palms. Not yet, the nineteen year old said, I’m still too scared.

He had graduated Yuuei High School, his hero license sat safely in the wallet tucked away in his jacket and he had been working as the sidekick of another hero for a few months now. He was a bona fide hero already, he didn’t need to do anything else to prove that. He’d already reached the finish line. Mic nodded to himself, a feeling of calm spreading through him as he began to turn away, dropping his hands to his side. Something pulled him to look back to that grey building again and he hesitated, swallowing. This wasn’t about proving himself, this was about closure. Nedzu-sensei had said as much. Facing this—his greatest fear—this would prove he could be a great hero.

He inhaled deeply, turning towards the building before exhaling as slowly as he’d inhaled. Someone needed to remind these kids that someone cared, if no one else would. Determination in his steps, Mic walked through the gate and up the stairs, staring at the door handle with nervous eyes for a few moments before reaching out and pulling it open.

Once inside, it took Mic’s eyes several moments to adjust. The walls in the entryway were the same pale grey as outside, accented only by a bulletin board directly across from the front desk. Nothing looked noticeably different than when he’d followed his foster parents out of the place nearly a decade ago. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say that the very same bulletins had been on the board, trapped by time and his memories forever. The papers weren’t faded enough for that though so logically that couldn’t be the case.

“Can I help you?”

Mic turned to face the attendant at the desk, colour dashing his cheeks. He hadn’t realized he’d zoned out looking at the bulletin board, remembering it as the last thing he’d seen before exiting those double doors for good. I can do this. Taking in another deep breath, he looked the attendant over catching sight of the name tag clipped to her shirt. Morisaki. It seemed familiar but he couldn’t place it. She was too young to have been a caretaker when he had lived in the institution, far too amiable as well. Even when she was frowning, the woman had faint laugh lines forming across her features and her eyes shone. The caretakers he’d known growing up had been rough people, their tongues sharper than blades with shadows in their eyes. Mic wondered if perhaps he’d imagined it all, a child’s mind over exaggerating his fears. After a moment, he brushed the idea aside. The memories were still too vivid and painful to have been made simply of a child’s illusion. The caretakers may not have looked like creatures out of a horror movie, but he remembered very vividly how unkind they had treated him and the other children.

He felt like he was swallowing a rock, blinking and struggling to find the will to speak. It took him a few moments longer than he’d intended to fit back into his “hero persona”, slipping into it like a suit of armour. Today he was not Hizashi Yamada, an orphan who’d been abandoned and abused here. He was Present Mic, a hero, here to show other children like himself that there was someone looking out for them. He exhaled steadily and smiled at the attendant. She seemed to be unsure about his presence and if they’d had any, probably would’ve called for security already.

“My name’s Present Mic and I’m a hero!” he boomed excitedly, startling the woman with his change in demeanour before lowering his volume and continuing sheepishly. “I was wondering if it would be alright to visit with the children for a bit.”

The woman stared at him, frozen, surprise written on her features. Mic frowned, shoulders dropping ever so slightly.

“Is that…not allowed?” It had never occurred to him as a concept, but now he felt silly having forgotten to consider it. He felt his body starting to turn away, to run from this building and go back to pretending that it didn’t exist. “I didn’t mean to trouble you, I’m sorry.”

The attendant seemed to break herself from her stupor and shook her head quickly, all but reaching to pull him back.

“No no! It’s perfectly alright!”

She started scrambling for something behind the desk, looking over the counter and then disappearing as Mic heard her open drawer after drawer. “It’s just…No one ever visits…” She reappeared with a blank log and offered it to him to sign, gasping, “Least of all heroes.”

Mic smiled, it was more genuine than his hero-fuelled one but weaker, remembering just how forgotten places like this had become. Things had gotten better over the decades but there was still a fault in the system and a never ending stream of orphans and abandoned children.

“Maybe I’ll start a trend,” he attempted to joke, signing his actual name to the log. He doubted it but he wished it could be true.

“Perhaps.” The attendant seemed hopeful staring at the pen marks on the log before looking back up at Mic. “All the kids are in the common room right now. Follow me.”

The woman led him down a short hallway, the grey walls giving way to windows observing a large room filled with about fourteen children of various ages playing or reading. Some sat by themselves or in pairs, while there was one or two larger groups of four and five. The oldest that Mic could see looked around thirteen, but he couldn’t be sure. As the attendant paused at the doorway, Mic realized that he’d forgotten how much the area reminded him of a hospital waiting room with its wide observation window.

They’d replaced one of the two couches, but they both looked more than a little worse for wear, patches covering dozens of rips in the old leather. One of them had been a beige colour once but had begun to take on a greyish hue from years of use. There were a few tables, most empty, the children playing on the rugs—also worn from years of use. Several things had been changed over time, the walls had been redone but still in the same pale grey as the rest of the building. It made Mic uneasy how similar and different everything felt, as if he’d walked into his memories but in a different dimension. He swore any second he’d turn around and see that blonde boy staring at him with terrified green eyes.

Mic stepped inside the room, following quickly behind his guide and immediately felt his gaze drawn to the far right corner. The closest point to the windows and the doorway that was also far away from the cacophony of children drawn to the centre of the room, Mic had made the corner his place. In the present, the corner was occupied by a small child with a bob of black hair. They sat alone focusing intently on what looked like a puzzle.

He stood awkwardly, waiting for an introduction and just observing for the time being. One of the children near the centre of the room took the initiative before Morisaki could say anything, looking up and seeing the attendant standing with another adult. He remembered that new adults either meant a new caretaker or even more rarely—a potential foster parent. They were always of immediate interest.

“Mori-san, Mori-san!” he cried, jumping and tugging at her sleeve. “Who is he?”

A relieved smile spread across her features and she gestured towards Mic with a flourish. “Children!” Her voice carried in a way similar to a public speaker; she was obviously experienced at this. “This is Present Mic. He’s a hero and he’s come to visit you all today. Please welcome him.”

Children began to swarm around him excitedly and he found his features brightening. A spare few didn’t join the swarm, hanging on the edges, but most seemed to be watching with interest at least. The child in the corner didn’t seem to notice and continued on with their puzzle.

“Good afternoon.”

“Good afternoon, Present Mic!”

One child immediately yelled out after the introductory yells had faded, “What can you do?”

“Yeah, you look like a robot or a giant radio!” The child’s words did not sound like an insult, but an intrigued observation. Knowing the children he’d grown up with, he suspected either one would be incredibly intriguing—in contrast, he was actually kind of bland.

Mic chuckled, pointing to the directional speaker around his neck. “I can make my voice really loud, louder than you can even imagine possible. So loud it hurts. This speaker helps me aim it in a specific direction so I get the bad guys and not my friends.”

“Woah! Cool!” There was a rumbling of interest among the children, even those hanging at the edges.

“What about any of you, what can you do?” he inquired, looking over the children with interest, trying to engage them. It had been a long time since he’d directly interacted with anyone of such a young age. He’d never really incredibly comfortable with children after his time in the home and he was always afraid that he’d say or do something wrong.

All the children fell quiet and looked at each other awkwardly. He wasn’t sure what he’d said, but he felt that this was one of those moments he’d always feared. One of the eldest who’d been hanging out in the back raised his hand.

“None of us here have quirks,” he pointed out, dropping his gaze immediately to the floor.

“Ah.” Mic pursed his lips and hummed to himself, casting a glance to Morisaki standing by the entryway. Her face was impassive despite the encouraging smile. Interesting to say the least. Perhaps the children were too young but the boy was well past four years old. “Well…”

Another child, a girl with two messily tied together braids, raised her hand and quickly started speaking almost as soon as Mic look at her. “As far as we know, Yana-san says we could all have hidden quirks.”

The boy scoffed, rolling his eyes. He didn’t seem inclined to believe the younger, but Mic didn’t detect any automatic malice either. A topic change seemed in order.

“Forget about quirks, what else can you do? I’m sure all of you have things you’re really good at?”

A majority of the children started raising their hands and Mic grinned, relieved.

“Alright starting from over here,” he gestured to the child nearest to the far left, “We’re going to go around and say something we’re good at, okay? Okay!”

The first boy excitedly yelled out that he was good at finding lost things. The girl beside him thought she was good at singing. The third pointed out he was good at oversleeping, much to the amusement of the other children. Around the group they went until every child that wished to speak up had shared. When the excitement seemed to be fading, one of the younger children hanging at the edge piped up with a new question.

“Why’s there’s a slot in your speaker, Present Mic? Will it play music if we put a coin in there?”

Mic looked down but couldn’t get a very good look at what the boy was talking about, even though he’d noticed once or twice before. “I’m…pretty sure it allows for air flow or something.” It had been a long time since he’d thought about it or considered it. He was sure he’d been run through how it worked when he’d gotten the support item years ago, but he’d been so excited to finally have the speaker that he hated to admit that he probably hadn’t listened properly. Years later and he still had no idea what the little slot was for, if it was for anything but aesthetic.

“Boring!” the boy called out. “Put a coin in!”

“I can’t,” Mic protested, “It will break it and what if the bad guys show up, how will I save the day?”

“What about your headphones?” Another child spoke up, “Do they play music?”

“These? Yeah,” Mic reached up and pulled the headphones off his head and looked them over. “They actually protect my ears from my quirk, but…I can play music from them if I wanted to.”

“Are they comfy?”

The blonde nodded, his smile playing at the edges of his lips as he held out the blue headphones and placed them on the boy’s head. They were quite a bit big on him and barely hung onto his ears. “Tell me yourself, what do you think?”

The boy pressed the edges to his ears gently, grinning from ear to ear. “So soft!”

“I wanna try!” He heard one of the children yell and saw a few start to shove each other.

“Please be gentle, they’re very important. Just like you kids, so no shoving.”

He passed the headphones around to each of the children, glancing to see if the child in the corner had ever engaged with the rest of the group. He frowned slightly to see that they hadn’t. He didn’t want to single them out if they wanted to be alone, but he also felt like he’d failed leaving one of the children out of the excitement.

“Hey! Why’re you wearing two pairs of headphones?”

Mic turned to stare at the last child wearing his headphones in confusion before realization dawned on him. It’s not that he’d forgotten he was wearing his hearing aids, it’s that he hadn’t heard them incorrectly referred to as ‘headphones’ in a long time. He reached up and touched the contraption inside his ear hesitantly. “These are hearing aids, they work kind of like headphones but they make every sound louder so that I can hear them.”

The same boy looked at him intently, trying to process what he’d been told. “Can we try them on too?”

Mic shook his head very adamantly, offering an apologetic look. “No. They were made specifically for me because my ears don’t work well but they would probably end up hurting yours or anyone else’s.”

The girl with the braids piped up again. “What about Miyo-chan?” She seemed to seek out Morisaki for the answer to this question before looking towards the child working on the puzzle. “Miyo-chan’s ears don’t work well either, maybe they can try them on?”

Mic watched the woman move back over to them and shake her head clearly at the young girl. “How about we give Present Mic his things back and say goodbye. He’s been more than patient with all of you.” He caught her cast him an apologetic glance his way and he shrugged appreciatively. It hadn’t bothered him that much. He’d been asked stupider things by adults who should’ve known better.

There was a chorus of “Yes, Mori-san,” that was quickly followed by several scattered “Good-bye Present Mic!” of various levels of excitement and ranges. The boy with his headphones made sure to hand them over gently, adding with a hopeful look, “Please visit us again….if you can.”

Mic nodded his head in acquiescence. “I will do my best.”

“Why don’t we all clean up and head outside for a little bit before dinner? Yana-san will meet you out there,” Morisaki continued, guiding the children to start cleaning up the mess that they’d made before Mic had arrived. He started to drift to the edges of the classroom, observing again. It seemed strange watching the familiar movements from the outside—the silent clean-up, the nod from the other caretaker as Morisaki opened the doors to pass them off to the other outside.

He noted that the child working on the puzzle was still working diligently rather than starting to clean and head outside. Mic couldn’t remember perfectly, but he didn’t really remember them acknowledging his existence or even their surroundings. Something tugged at the bottom of his jacket and Mic looked to see the young girl with the braids peering up at him, waving him down to her level. He crouched slightly and she leaned closer.

“That’s Miyoko-chan. The caretakers say they can’t hear so they just ignore everyone.”

Mic pursed his lips and looked seriously at the girl. “Does anyone ever try to talk to them? Are they ignoring everyone or is everyone ignoring them?” He lifted his eyebrows a bit to accentuate his question. The girl put her lips out in a pout, looking down in consideration.

Her voice seemed small and defeated when she whispered, “They don’t talk though; I don’t think they can.”

“You don’t have to talk to interact with someone,” Mic pointed out softly, attempting to keep his voice from sounding abrasive. “You could, offer to work on the puzzle together sometime or say you would like to be nearby? It’s worth a try, right?”

“I…guess.” The girl cast a look back at Miyoko before looking at Mic and attempting to whisper. “Their parents were villains though so everyone’s kind of scared of them.”

“That’s silly,” Mic admonished, a moderate stern tone in his voice now, “They’re too young to be a villain and so are you. You can’t go about your childhood ousting people that are different. I know it might sound silly, but the most heroic thing you can do right now is look out for each other. Okay?”

He offered the girl a smile, showing her that he wasn’t permanently upset with her.

“Okay.” The tone she offered was neither elated nor defeated, but simply accepting. Though she was young and it might take some time for her to understand the lesson he’d just shared with her, he hoped it would make an impression.

Mic’s smile broadened and he raised his hand up. “High touch!”

The girl beamed and smacked her entire palm flat against his in a high-five before bounding away to follow the rest of the children outside.

Mic watched her leave before walking to the corner table and carefully moving the chair from the opposite side to allow room to sit across from the focused child. The table was short enough for kindergarteners and even sitting, Mic towered over it.

From his jacket pocket he pulled out a medium sized notepad. He always tried to keep one with him, along with a few pens for those days when he didn’t want to wear his hearing aid. There was always a chance that he’d run into someone who wanted to talk and didn’t know how to sign. Aizawa had just bought him a brand new one and its cover was still in one piece, if a little bent at one edge.

The kid noticed his presence now, lifting their head ever so slightly to peer at him, trying to seem inconspicuous. Their brown eyes seemed suspicious and frightened, hidden by the shadow of their bangs. He recalled what the girl had told him about Miyoko’s parents. If they’d been placed here, it meant their parents had either been killed or arrested. He wasn’t surprised they were paranoid of adults whether because their parents had treated them badly or because other adults had taken their parents away—either one made sense to him.

A puzzle piece sat forgotten in the child’s fingers, leaning against the edge of the table. He noticed the puzzle was already half done, the entire edge finished and a good portion of the left corner. A brief glance at the box showed him the puzzle was supposed to be a bridge over a stream with a sakura tree nearby.

Mic offered the child a harmless smile, quickly scribbling his message onto his notepad before pushing it across the table.

Would you mind if I help with your puzzle?

They looked down at the notepad and then looked blankly at Mic and he suddenly feared the kid couldn’t read either. But after a moment, Miyoko placed the puzzle piece down and made a hesitant motion for his pen. He passed it over, pulling a second from his pocket. He looked up in time to see the notepad slide back in his direction.

Who are you?

That’s a fair question, he laughed to himself, and one he should’ve expected. He probably should’ve led with an introduction as he’d done with the others but he’d thought it more polite to ensure he was allowed in their space first.

Sorry. I’m Present Mic and I am a hero, dear listener!

Miyoko looked up and made a face at him, pen hesitating in their hand as their lips pulled into a thin line and Mic almost started laughing. They reminded him so much of Aizawa with that face.

Listener?

You look a little young to be a hero.

Mic smiled sheepishly.

I work in radio sometimes. It’s my catchphrase!

I just graduated but I’ve done a lot of hero…stuff.

They passed him back the notepad, a relaxed smile pinned to their previously impassive features.

I like it. What kind of stuff?

Mic didn’t know how to exactly explain all the stuff that a hero could find themselves doing. Most children knew the basics, but there was a lot more detail work behind the scenes that he couldn’t really share without being confusing or sounding boring. It was a bit easier to pass off when a dozen or more children were yelling various questions about hero work at you rather than having a one on one chat.

I don’t want to brag or anything, but just last week I saved a cat from a tree.

The child read through the message quickly and let out a soft noise that startled Mic. He’d grown accustomed to the silence again. He noted the way their smile had widened and realized that Miyoko had laughed. He smiled back.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a real cat before. I hope it was good and soft.

The response caused Mic to freeze, having forgotten the differences between a lot of children who lived in the institutions and those that didn't. Curfews and rules had always made it impossible for him to have free time outside of school and of course, pets weren't allowed at the home. He didn't know how to respond and Miyoko must have noticed because their smile fell away, looking confused. After a pause, they took the notepad back and scribbled another, somewhat unrelated, question.

Why would a hero visit this place? I’m not in trouble am I?

It made sense that the caretakers could tell that the city just allowed these children to disappear into these walls forgotten, but Mic remembered how he'd felt back then too. He knew that Miyoko and the other's recognized that emptiness as well. The feeling of being entirely invisible, begging someone to just take one moment to open their eyes. It hurt him to even process the question must less reach to respond to it. Heroes should visit places like this and stop turning a blind eye. Aizawa had said something similar when Mic asked him his feelings on it. ‘What good is being a hero if there is no one looking out for the people who need saving the most?’

Mic swallowed as he wrote, wondering if it was too much to push on someone so young. He didn’t like dumbing things down—honestly he wasn’t sure he’d ever learned how. He was getting better but he was often blunt about a lot that should’ve been handled more tactfully.

I grew up here. They didn’t know how to handle my quirk and weren’t very kind but they seem to have gotten better. I was fostered by two loving moms, but I never forgot about this place. I wanted to show everyone here that there’s a hero out there that hasn’t forgotten about them.

Miyoko pressed their lips together tightly, almost as if trying to bite through them. It pained Mic because he knew there was probably still so much going on inside these walls—things that shouldn’t happen--while changes that needed to be made were never made. He was only seeing a glimpse, a possible façade held only while he was still present. But even then he could already note the neglect befalling Miyoko as the children ignored them and the caretakers left them to their own devices. He wondered if the caretakers even attempted to provide resources for the deaf child.

Part of him hated himself for coming here, for realizing that there was still so much that needed fixing that he couldn’t do anything about. He couldn’t get the home closed—all the children would just be separated and passed off to other homes that might be even worse. He wasn’t legally allowed to force them to change their ways and be better—they’d probably laugh at him if he even tried. Furthermore, he was far too young to take any of them in right now, even though watching the child across from him with the paranoid eyes and pout told him he’d adopt the other in an instant if he was capable.

A hand tapped his arm and Mic blinked, focusing back on Miyoko. They pointed a finger at each of their cheeks and lifted them into a smile and then pointed back at Mic’s face. He offered a weak smile in return and Miyoko passed back the notepad, satisfied.

Mori-san said this place used to be really scary and all the caretakers were mean and awful but they all got in trouble. Now the caretakers try to be nicer and they send kids with quirks away to special homes. Don’t frown! You sound like you’re going to a great hero, like All Might!

I’m glad you got new parents. Some of the other kids think they might be taken in, but I don’t think I ever will. It’s okay though. They deserve good parents.

Mic felt a bit of warmth spread in his heart at the kid’s comparison to All Might, the world’s number one hero for quite some time now. Everyone idolized him and Mic was no exception. He wanted to be as good a hero as All Might and save everyone. But that warmth was replaced with a chill at the last of Miyoko’s message and he frowned again. He knew how unlikely it could be for the kids to be fostered or to ever leave the institution until they aged out but he wasn’t sure which was more damaging—holding onto a happy dream or being realistic. Aizawa would’ve told him the former was the crueller option but Mic didn’t like how Miyoko had singled themselves out as the one not likely to be adopted, not the kids as a whole.

Why not?

There was that look again. Face completely still and expressionless and yet Miyoko conveyed a blatant incredulity through the blankness as if his question was the stupidest thing ever written. They lifted their hand and pointed to their ear.

Mic had been afraid of that. Between the caretakers and the other children, Miyoko had singled themselves out to be ignored and unwanted. He remembered the feeling far too well and it struck him like a knife.

Because you’re deaf?

He didn’t know why he asked. It was obvious what they were saying and yet, he wanted to be wrong. Miyoko didn’t look up after writing their short reply, reaching out to start on their puzzle again. They didn’t want to talk about this.

Yes.

Three pieces had been placed before he passed the notepad back over to the child. Miyoko placed another piece to form a cherry blossom and ignored it, reaching for another piece. Mic bit his lip and wondered how Shouta and Midnight would feel if he just showed up at their apartment with an eight year old in tow. He wasn’t old enough to be a parent, he knew that. They didn’t even have the money to support themselves right now, much less a child, but Mic wished more than anything that this wasn’t something that was still happening. He wished that the child across from him could be happy, with parents that could guide them like his moms had for him.

He sighed and pulled a puzzle piece from the box and began looking for where it went without saying or doing anything else. Miyoko peered up at him again, mirroring the look they’d given him when he’d first grabbed their attention before quickly pretending they hadn’t. They worked on the puzzle together for some time, probably about ten or fifteen minutes before Miyoko’s gaze drifted back to the notepad and the message he’d left.

I’m telling you this as someone who is also deaf: you’re not a burden and don’t let anyone tell you differently. You deserve a loving parent just as much as anyone.

Miyoko’s hand shot out for the pencil, startling Mic as he’d reached to put down another piece of the puzzle. He watched with green eyes as they wrote their message hurriedly, almost shoving the notepad back into his hand.

You’re deaf?!!!

Mic laid the notepad gently back down on the table and smiled at them, nodding. He turned his head ever so slightly and lifted his headphones, pointing at one of the hearing aids hanging onto his ear lobe before writing out an additional reply.

Since I was young. My quirk was dangerous back then.

Miyoko’s face looked pensive, if a little confused. Mic almost had to wonder if they thought he was lying for their benefit.

And you’re a hero?

He looked from the message to the look on their face, patient and curious, expectant of his answer. To think that the concept that he could be both was so far-fetched in this decade pained him, but he was glad to destroy the idea before Miyoko got any older.

Yes. I’m deaf and I’m a hero.

The response from Miyoko was almost immediate and it made Mic’s heart glow. Their face lit up as if they suddenly held an entire sun in their eyes, mouth opening wide to exclaim joyfully despite a lack of any sound escaping. Mic watched them cover their cheeks as they started grinning and laughing, overwhelmed with joy. They tried to reach out and write a message while they were still bouncing with excitement and Mic noted that their handwriting was a little messier than before but he couldn’t help but keep smiling.

You really are a cool hero!

Mic heard the sound of someone entering the common room and his eyes pulled away from the notepad to look at the approaching form of Morisaki. Miyoko noticed his distracted attention and followed his gaze. They grinned, bouncing up from their seat and running over to the woman, grasping her hand and tugging at her excitedly.

“Miyo-chan, what’s gotten into you?” She didn’t wait for Miyoko to look at her, so Mic was thoroughly convinced that the child had no idea she’d spoken.

Miyoko gestured at Mic with a wide grin and then pointed down at the word “hero” on the notepad. Their other hand clutched tightly to the woman who was now looking at Mic with questioning eyes.

“I apologize. I didn’t mean to get them so wound up.”

“No no,” Morisaki offered the other a weak smile, looking at Miyoko’s joyful features as the child finally freed the woman’s hand, reaching out for the notepad. “It’s just, Miyo-chan has never been this animated since coming here. I think I’ve only seen them smile three times in the whole year. Whatever you said, you’ve made them very happy.”

Mic felt Miyoko tug at his sleeve again, pressing the notepad into his hands, beaming at him. He looked down and he knew he needed to leave soon or he was going to break down crying in front of the poor kid.

I want to be a hero like you one day.

“Are you alright, Present Mic?”

Mic had his mouth covered, feeling the emotion building up behind his eyes and managed to nod before forcing out, “Yeah, I’m good.”

“Miyo-chan. It’s time for dinner. Say goodbye to Mic-san.” Mic noticed the woman had gotten down to Miyoko’s level, making sure the child was focusing on her lips as they moved. For the most part, they seemed to get the gist of the message, nodding. Miyoko sobered up a little at the idea of saying goodbye, but Mic could still see the faint ghost of a smile that they were trying to hide.

Mori-san says it’s dinner time. Good-bye. Please visit us again soon.

Mic smiled and waved as the attendant led the kid out of the common room and he sighed, taking one last look of the half familiar, half foreign room. Things were improving, he could tell, but he wished it could be better. Another sigh and he pushed himself to his feet, hands in his pockets as he made his way back down the hallway towards the door. He didn’t know how long it would be before he found the energy and emotional strength to come back here again, but he knew he couldn’t make this his last visit.

He had fans he couldn’t disappoint.

“Hizashi-san!”

The blonde stopped short and looked back to see the attendant looking up at him. He knew he’d signed his full name to the log but the woman said it with such a familiarity as if she’d referred to him by that name before.

“I’m so happy for you!”

He stared at her for a few moments, unsure how to respond. She looked almost as bright and joyous as Miyoko had a few moments ago, except without the excessive energy behind it that children were known for. But, he would be more likely to expect her to tell him ‘thank you’ or ‘I’m happy you came’ rather than feeling happiness for him specifically. The familiarity slowly began to click into place, Mic putting the pieces together.

“Morisaki-san….You grew up here. We both did,” he said, musing aloud. Morisaki nodded, smile softening.

“It took me some time to properly recognize you. But seeing you sitting in that corner again, I remembered. Miyo-chan is a lot like you.”

Mic rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. “Yeah….So you came back to work here? After everything?”

“Mm-hmm.” Morisaki looked down the hallway towards the empty common room and Mic noted that her gaze seemed distant. “Things are a lot better than they were for us. But it’s still not ideal.” She turned back to him, swiping at tears he hadn’t noticed. “I appreciate you visiting the children. I’m sure they had a good time and Miyo-chan—“

“Please look out for them, Morisaki-san.”

The woman blinked, startled at the interruption, staring at the half pleading look in Mic’s eyes.

“Miyoko-chan is already beginning to feel ousted and alone here. As one of their caretakers, I’m asking you, please do not let this continue.”

He watched Morisaki nod several times. The look on her face told him that she’d already noticed but he knew she could only do so much on her own. It was still something.

“I’m only part-time and the caretakers are stretched thin as it is. I will try my best, for as long as I can.”

Mic had to accept that that was good enough, even though they both knew it would never be adequate. “That is all I can ask, thank you.”

He allowed his hands to relax, realizing that he’d been holding them tight into fists. “They mentioned something about kids with quirks being sent away….is that true?”

Morisaki looked at her feet, hands clasped in front of her. She looked notably upset about the topic and it carried in the soft shaky tone of her voice. “I was actually leaving for the day, how about I walk you to the station?”

The offer wasn’t the expected answer, but Mic nodded anyway despite his confusion. It wasn’t a blatant change in topic, but it still made him feel momentarily distressed. The woman grabbed her jacket from the desk before ushering him from the building. It didn’t feel as relieving exiting the building the second time.

“Brrr,” Morisaki pulled her jacket around her body and shivered, chuckling. “It’s too bad my quirk has nothing to do with fire or something, I hate the cold.”

Mic hummed softly, mind still on the question he’d asked and wondering if she was attempting to divert his attention. He heard her fall extremely quiet as they walked and knew she was forming an answer and it came eventually, the woman’s voice quiet.

“The way the caretakers treated you and others came out in a big scandal several years ago. But instead of closing the school, they hired new staff and made new training policies. Now when any of the children start exhibiting signs of a quirk, they go through a physical and then…usually, they’re sent off to different institutions with caretakers that are better trained to handle quirks. The entire thing feels like they’re hiding what happened and ignoring the real problem.”

“I understand.” Mic inhaled sharply. If anyone would be bothered by the idea of the institution getting away with what they had done and just shoving the children off to other homes that would probably do the same thing, it would be him. All to keep their name clear… “So are all the children quirkless?”

The woman shrugged her shoulders, keeping her eyes on the sidewalk. “They could be. I suspect most of them just have quirks that are easy to hide or harder to detect. As long as their quirks don’t effect their care, they’re not a threat to the institution’s good name.”

Mic hummed again, sensing the venom in Morisaki’s tone.

“And Miyoko-chan?”

Morisaki paused at the crosswalk, looking nervously at ground and then up to Mic. “I’m afraid they have a quirk they’re supressing. When they arrived, no one could get any official paperwork for them, but there have been moments…”

“You’ve kept it quiet?” he inquired, getting a feel with what the woman was saying.

She nodded. “Their father was a villain that was arrested last year after attacking his child and a group of heroes. His quirk had something to do with radiation, so they won’t hesitate to ship them off to another home and I—I’m afraid of what might happen to Miyo-chan there so I haven’t said anything about the incidents.”

Mic knew that he was helpless in this, that there was no individual hero in the world that could fix the mess that was the child care system. He loathed the idea that he could do nothing except keep visiting and reminding the children that they weren’t alone and spread the word to the other heroes. Maybe in time, he would be important enough to change the way things worked. But right now, he was just starting out and he’d already decided that this would be the biggest evil of his entire career. He sighed, looking out at the train platform across the street.

“Thank you for everything, Morisaki-san, I won’t trouble you any longer.” He looked to her and offered a comforting smile, “Please continue to do what you can. It’s obvious the kids trust and look up to you and that is an improvement from our time. I will try to visit again when I get the chance.”

She smiled weakly, nodding her head. “I will do my best. I promise.”

He beamed, fixing his headphones as he turned to cross the street. Once his foot was on the stairs leading to the platform, he heard a yell behind him.

“Hey, Present Mic!” He turned to look back at Morisaki, both hands cupped around her mouth. “I think you’re a fantastic hero!”

It warmed him up enough to walk up the stairs, feeling the urge to look back at that grey building in the distance. He forced himself to turn and look straight ahead as he walked, trying to push Miyoko and their conversation from his mind.

What a bittersweet feeling knowing that his biggest fan was someone he could never save.

#bnha fic #present mic #bnha oc #i posted it here and also on ao3 this time #there's nearly more words in this one thing #than the two chapters of my other fic combined #whY #my fic

16 notes · View notes