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#Just one Cat's Opinion
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Pokemon And Their Trainers
An in-depth analysis of the Pokemon world and its culture (hereafter referred to as the “Pokeverse.”) Where I’ll attempt to understand just what these beings actually are, and how they relate to the humans of their universe. 
For this post, I will reference the video game lore, but I will, to a large extent, be pulling examples from the anime. While I can understand why this might invalidate my points to some of you, I truly think the anime should be considered fair game. It depicts what the Pokeverse is truly supposed to be like, as the writers intend it to be, unhampered by the restrictions of a video game. 
So here’s the million dollar question. Are Pokemon slaves?
At this point, I know that the Pokemon fandom and the general public have a well-established and largely iron-cast interpretation of what it means to be a Pokemon Trainer, but today I’m going to attempt to challenge that interpretation. Because on the whole, it’s not especially flattering, and I think it’s false. You’ve seen the jokes, and the video essays, and the parody comics. You’ve seen it all. People have criticized Pokemon for the premise of the game effectively being a system of romanticized slavery. That the heartless humans kidnap these innocent animals and force them into sadistic dog-fights to further their own power, to the point where it is a global, televised sport. Ask anyone and they’ll tell you, Pokemon…are slaves. It's animal abuse. Those who argue it are in denial.
The funny thing is, most people don’t argue it. Which is because, to a large extent, most people don’t care. It’s just a video game, right? It’s not as though the Pokemon are outwardly suffering. Pokemon fans seem to just accept this premise and live with it, because the Pokemon world is bright and enjoyable and the formula of the games is simply addicting. To most people, the problematic premise of this universe isn’t a big deal. Nobody takes a passionate stance against it, apart from Gamefreak itself of course. They have little choice but to dismiss these claims, to argue against them…but nobody really listens. The franchise may do the best it can to play up the whole “friendship” angle, but the majority of fans, casual and otherwise, would say they’re not fooling anyone.
I disagree. 
I’m not saying these points don’t have merit. To a degree, they do. But this conclusion about the Pokeverse is not the only one that can be drawn from analyzing this world. It's also based on several assumptions, headcanons, and interpretations of this world’s symbolism. I interpret these things differently myself, and I’ll try to explain how. But the bottom line is that humans and pokemon exist together in this world and have a unique relationship. Our world has humans, but not pokemon, so one can assume that the Pokemon are a deliberate symbol of…something. What that something is will probably vary based on who you ask, but just about everyone seems to interpret them as the “animals” of their universe. As in, living creatures who are not human. (Because Humans…are also Animals, and that’s kind of the whole point right there, but I’m getting ahead of myself.) 
We seem to draw an inherent comparison between Pokemon and #RealWorld Animals, which is where all of this stems from. I believe this is a mistake. Or if nothing else, it’s not the definitive interpretation of what they are. If anything, the closest comparison I can think of is…maybe Angels? But even that doesn’t truly describe their role. The more the Pokeverse gets fleshed out, the clearer it becomes to me that catching and training Pokemon are completely misunderstood concepts. They’re not really comparable to anything in real life, certainly not the training of animals or the keeping of pets. I genuinely don’t think that the relationship between Trainer and Pokemon has an equivalent in our world. 
I do understand where the impulse to make this comparison comes from. Of course people look at Pokemon and see animals. After all, they're living, breathing creatures, magical creatures that coexist with humanity. A not insignificant number of them do resemble real-life animals or are otherwise based on them. The most crucial bit of evidence for this idea is that the Pokeverse, by all appearances, lacks “real world” animals of its own. There are no recognizable creatures from our world to speak of, apart from humanity. So I can see how people reached this conclusion and I get why they draw the parallel.
However, it’s just not a fair comparison to make. Not at all. 
Some animals do have the means to defend themselves, of course. But Pokemon have abilities on another level entirely. They’re basically magic. They have superpowers unique to themselves. Can a human spit fire? Tunnel a hole in seconds? Can they summon storms in the blink of an eye? Can a human block all damage with Wonder Guard? The answer is no. They cannot do this. Humans are one race, and a relatively mundane race at that. While they are distinctly separate from Pokemon…that doesn’t make them superior. It doesn’t make them more powerful. The sheer variety in Pokemon species, not to mention the variety of their powers, means that if war was to break out between the two communities…the humans would not win. It wouldn’t even be close. 
Pokemon are baked deep into this culture. If you had to guess which of these two societies was here first, would you really guess humanity? I wouldn’t. Just look at the spiritual side of this world. It has deities who are confirmed to exist, who created this world as we know it..and they’re all Pokemon. Who knows where the humans even came from, but the Legendary Pokemon are the ones who fashioned the universe.
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It is vanity to assume that Humanity is the dominant species of the Pokeverse.
They are not in charge of this world - they could never be. Pokemon explicitly range from human to above-human level intelligence. The humans attempt to understand them, but the Anime clarifies that they’ve chosen to name the Pokemon based on their speech patterns. Pokemon don’t “say their name” and nothing else. It’s the reverse. They speak unique languages that the humans elected to name them for. By contrast, Pokemon can clearly understand human language. There’s no way around it, they are smarter than us. So it’s no surprise that they have their own communities and systems, totally independent from humanity. However, there are also countless Pokemon who choose (read: CHOOSE) to work with humans, on individual and group-wide scales.
In fact, Pokemon and Humans may not be so different at all.
They may descend from a common ancestor. There is consistent flavor text that verifies this, stating that on a fundamental level, Pokemon and Humans are all but the same. Perhaps humankind and Pokemon weren’t always separate beings? Perhaps they were once one and the same? It’s pure conjecture, but according to the Library in Canalave City, there was a time in the ancient past when Pokemon ate at the same table as Humans and would even marry them sometimes. That last bit of trivia is cut from the English version, undoubtedly because of the popular interpretation I discussed earlier. Fans see Pokemon as animals, and the dubbing team probably wanted to avert any weird implications. 
What’s odd is that in Legends: Arceus, which takes place in the ancient past…humans and pokemon have clearly already been separated, and have no relationship beyond hostility and fear towards each other. There are exceptions, of course, but by and large, the idea of a “Pokemon Trainer” is a new concept to the humans in Hisui. I’m getting very off topic now, but it does make a fan wonder. Just what happened to separate pokemon and humankind? They were as close as kin at one point, before some kind of split occurred, and it’s taken countless generations for them to redevelop a closeness...there’s a greater mystery here that isn’t relevant to the topic at hand, but these questions are worth asking. Either way, the point is that the two communities are almost fated to come together.
The Pokemon are drawn to humanity, and whether they invest in an official “trainer” or not, they seek out humans just as often as the humans go looking for them.
The pokemon will form these partnerships out of their own desire. A desire for what, you may be asking? I think it varies, but when it comes to the Trainer/Pokemon relationship, we can assume the typical goal is shared strength. The human and the pokemon form a symbiotic relationship in the Training system. This is stated numerous times, especially in the Anime - A wild pokemon will never reach their full potential. Not without a Trainer. You see? It isn’t only the humans who benefit from this relationship, and the Pokemon understand this. The vast majority of them want to be caught, they seek a trainer who can help them harness their powers. 
Mewtwo decries Pokemon Training as Slavery during Mewtwo Strikes Back. Pikachu contradicts him, and Ash literally puts his life on the line in the effort to prove him wrong. Much later, in Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, the same question comes up. Lucario asks if Ash is Pikachu’s “master” and Ash rejects that terminology. Because Pikachu is his best friend, nothing less. There is a reason why the word is “Trainer” and not “Master” or “Owner.” Because Pokemon Trainers do not own their Pokemon. Full stop. The Poke Ball isn't a prison. It, and the PC Boxes from the games, are implied to be a kind of virtual reality. The Poke Ball is a symbol, a convenience more than anything else, but not a requirement. Ash is living proof. The Poke-Ball may be the norm, but if you're claustrophobic like Pikachu, or you're just not feeling it, you can abstain. Ash has never treated Pikachu as a captive. (Except for that one time…)
Okay, I’ll address this real quick. Yes, Ash did drag Pikachu along with a rope in the first episode, and used rubber gloves so that Pikachu could not retaliate. I’m just gonna have to call that #EarlyInstallmentWeirdness. This was Generation 1, this was back when Ghost Types were literally dead Pokemon. Besides, Pikachu had already shocked Ash unprovoked, so the rubber gloves were arguably self-defense. I guess you could make the case that Ash didn’t “truly” become Pikachu’s Trainer until the end of the episode. But in general, the writers have shaped this world beyond what was established in the very beginning, and perhaps they’re deliberately trying to counter the claims of slavery and animal abuse, but even if that’s true…it doesn’t mean make the contributions less canon.
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How it started.
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How it's going.
Never mind. What about catching pokemon? That’s still messed up, right? 
There is an obvious counterargument to be made to my stance, a Donphan in the room, and I won’t ignore it. The counterpoint here is that capturing Pokemon is almost always done against their will. Or at least, that’s how it’s traditionally done, and the norm in the games remains consistent. Still. Ash winds up befriending the majority of his Pokemon instead, and he’s far from the only trainer we see doing so. James is another human who recruits his teammates primarily through his own likable qualities. You might argue that while obtaining a Pokemon can happen without fighting, that style is unusual. But again, based on the anime, it doesn’t seem to be that uncommon. I think what’s considered rare is that Ash seems to specialize in doing this despite his intended goal of training Pokemon for battle. 
But, whatever. Capturing Pokemon through battle still happens, right? It happens quite a lot. The examples that differ from this norm don’t erase that, nor do they erase how repugnant it is. After all, the Trainer is cornering a creature who more often than not, was just minding their own business. (A wild pokemon is very often the one to initiate battle, but never mind.) The trainer then forcibly kidnaps them after violently assaulting them. Even the term “capturing” pokemon has problematic connotations. No way around it - on paper, this sounds bad. It sounds horrific. But if I may, I’d like to offer a different perspective based on what I’ve been able to observe of the Pokeverse’s culture. First of all, I’d like to offer a scalding hot take about the violence of Pokemon battles. This may be where I lose a lot of people, but hear me out. 
I challenge the idea that a Pokemon battle is “violent.” 
Or at least, I don’t believe the characters consider it to be violent, not in the same way we understand it. A pokemon battle isn’t assault, because they’re not human. But it’s also not animal abuse, because the Pokeverse doesn’t have animals. Again, it’s worth remembering that Pokemon are supernatural creatures with magical powers, and I’d say their powers, the “moves” they learn, play by different rules than conventional fighting. There’s actually quite a bit of evidence to suggest that this is true. 
In Mewtwo Strikes Back, the Pokemon very specifically fight their clones without access to any of their actual moves, after Mewtwo psychically blocks their powers. Everything about this scene is meant to convey tragedy. All of a sudden, a series that’s been all about battle is preaching against violence. Sure, we can call it bad writing, executive meddling, or anything we want. But ignore the Fourth Wall and ask yourself, why would the characters react this way in-universe? Why is it that Pokemon battling has always been okay, but in this one instance, it’s not? The movie goes to great lengths to show us that the Pokemon are hurting each other. Which we don’t normally see.
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The only difference? The Pokemon aren’t using their normal moves.
From this, we can conclude that the typical, conventional Pokemon battle, where the two pokemon fight using their special abilities...it doesn’t hurt them. It may tire them out, but a Pokemon Center can heal basically any injuries in record time. Nurse Joy is some kind of miracle worker…or maybe she isn’t. Maybe The Pokemon are being tired out from their battles, but not actually harmed in the long term. This would explain why Pokemon attacks don’t cause lasting damage to humans, either. Get hit with a Flamethrower? Don’t worry, you’ll just be temporarily stunned and have soot all over your face. The doylist explanation is, once again, that it’s a children’s cartoon, but that doesn’t explain what’s happening in-universe. Team Rocket has been electrocuted by Pikachu a near-infinite number of times. So how are they even alive? 
Simple. Pikachu isn’t actually trying to kill them. Because of course he isn’t. It’s quite possible that Pokemon moves simply are not capable of inflicting serious damage, or perhaps Pokemon have an inherent resistance to them. But I suspect it’s not a lack of ability that stops Pokemon moves from being violent…but an almost universal choice. That when Pokemon go on the offensive with their powers, or at least, when they direct said powers at humans…they are always pulling their punches. That’s why the fight on New Island was so grotesque - the Pokemon were not remotely familiar with battling that way, engaging in true violence, and there’s little doubt that they were figuratively and literally scarred by that night. 
It’s no wonder they never use their powers to cause actual bodily harm to anyone - I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some kind of sacred, unspoken taboo among Pokemon against doing so. A taboo that wouldn't be known to the newborn clone Pokemon on New Island. A taboo that may not have existed centuries ago, in say, the ancient times of the Hisui region. But present day, communities of Pokemon are more civilized, and they a working relationship with human society that ranges from neutral to friendly. We’re in head-canon territory now, but this kind of law among pokemon kind makes a lot of sense. There may be Pokemon out there who break this taboo, but they would be few and far between - probably outcasts among their own kind. It would add a new dimension to Pikachu's refusal to fight back against his clone counterpart.
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Again, this scene makes a point of telling us over and over, that what we’re seeing is wrong. “Pokemon aren’t meant to fight. Not like this.” That line right there is precisely the point. Battling isn’t meant to be like that, and in practice, it almost never is. There’s a reason why Pokemon almost never actually die in battle, and only get “very weak,” a condition that is cured flawlessly with the medical science of a Pokemon Center. It’s almost like a Pokemon’s powers create a kind of invisible simulation system, allowing them to spar with their opponent safely. Because that’s what a Pokemon battle is, at heart. It’s a test of skill. It’s meant to just be friendly sparring. A kind of sport that the Pokemon and Trainers engage in together, and it’s stated many times that they need to be in sync to have any hope of a successful career in professional matches. Again, I refer you to Mewtwo Strikes Back. The Pokemon were able to use their powers collectively to restore Ash to life. There’s clearly a lot more to a Pokemon’s power than just combat. That part is nothing more than recreation for them. 
I realize that I deviated tremendously from the original question about capturing Pokemon, but I feel that it’s important to address this point. 
Pokemon Battling is not violence. It’s effectively a sport that all sides consent to playing, a sport that has safety measures practically built in, as well as further precautions offered like the Pokemon Center. In that sense, it's more or less just another interpretation of Pokemon Contests, and Showcases, and everything else. A human helping a Pokemon study their powers and use them to fullest potential. This is the reason why I don’t actually consider a Trainer fighting a wild Pokemon to be so obscene. However, that only addresses the question of violence. Trainers are still kidnapping Pokemon against their will, right? That’s why one has to “weaken” a Pokemon to catch them. Well, believe it or not, I’m going to debunk that too. 
Barring exceptions, the wild Pokemon must be exhausted to the point that they can no longer resist a poke-ball, before you can obtain them. Their opinion about being caught is always a non-issue. By all accounts, it doesn't seem as though this is acceptable. But even this, I think, is part of the cultural dissonance. Among other things, we don’t know what the little “click” of the Poke-ball actually means. It signals that the capture was a success, but is that the Pokemon choosing to yield, or the Poke Ball’s technology locking them in? It’s a little ambiguous, I’ll freely admit as much…but I would argue that the former idea isn’t impossible. Again, wild Pokemon, generally speaking, actually want to find a Trainer. The first episode of the anime even hints that certain wild Pokemon are jealous of those with trainers. With that in mind, why is catching them even a fight to begin with? 
I’ll tell you why. When a wild pokemon battles a trainer, they are essentially giving that trainer a test.
They’re gauging the trainer’s abilities to bring out the potential of their pokemon. If you’re a trainer, and your pokemon defeats another pokemon in the wild…you’ve just proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that your pokemon is stronger than the wild one. You have now proven that you have something to offer, you’ve passed the test. The wild Pokemon now realizes that it stands to learn something, to grow more powerful, by accepting your tutelage. That’s why it’s considered acceptable to the pokemon to follow a trainer after they are overpowered and captured. It’s like…right of conquest, but with fully informed consent. 
Consent is key here, and I believe this cultural understanding to be the reason that most pokemon are immediately comfortable with following the trainer who caught them. While one might argue that they don't really have a choice anymore...that simply isn't true. The anime clarifies that Pokemon can release themselves from a Poke-Ball whenever they want. Misty’s Psyduck is the most iconic example of this, but there are countless others.  In theory, a Pokemon could just leave a trainer who they find unsatisfactory. Actually, that’s not just a theory. That’s canon. Something that most people don’t seem to realize (or at least, they forget) is that it’s not just Trainers who ditch Pokemon they no longer want. It happens in reverse as well.
Pokemon can and do abandon their trainers, if they deem said trainers to be unworthy of their talents. 
Remember when I said that I would be chiefly referencing the anime, because it’s the most reliable depiction of what the Pokeverse is supposed to be like? This is exactly what I was talking about. Because obviously, this never happens in the games. Your Pokemon don’t just disappear from your party or PC boxes, because that would be an incredibly stupid and unfair mechanic. But in the anime, where the relationships between pokemon and trainer are more fleshed out? In the first season, Bad To The Bone is about a Marowak who chose to ditch his trainer after said trainer had his badges stolen. While the Marowak eventually changed his mind, at no point did any character voice the idea of trying to return him by force. It was Marowak’s choice and no one else’s, which is why the trainer was heartbroken.
But that’s not a one-off, it’s not the only example. There are quite a few. Due to a misunderstanding, Gym Leader Pryce once believed his Piloswine had abandoned him. Then there’s Ash. Always the mother hen, he’s adopted many pokemon who were abandoned by previous trainers, but the opposite has also happened. His Snivy, and his Greninja, are both Pokemon who were explicitly stated to have had previous trainers whom they chose to leave, because they didn’t feel understood. Typically, it seems that Pokemon choose to leave because they feel as though the unspoken contract that is “pokemon training” has been violated somehow, or they’re otherwise not getting what they signed up for. This is why the traditional method of “catching” pokemon is so vital. Because it’s an honor system.
Any time a human does attempt to force a pokemon into submission or otherwise harm them through any method that is not the traditional system of capture, the story treats them as unquestionably villainous for doing so. The other humans react in horror, and attempt to stop them. This is because forgoing the “defeat them in battle” route and instead using some kind of technology or whatnot to claim the Pokemon is seen as dishonorable at the best of times, and evil at the worst of times. The Trainer is ignoring the agency of the Pokemon. Attempting capture in the conventional way is a mutually accepted system, the wild Pokemon know and understand that a trainer may attempt to take them, and if they really don’t want to be said Trainer’s pokemon, they can always choose to leave after they are captured. But the use of other means takes that choice away from them. These villains, usually the evil Teams, are using methods of capture that fail to demonstrate to the Pokemon why they are a worthy Trainer, and likewise rob them of the ability to judge them as unworthy. 
So yes, there are exceptions, but for the reasons I have described, I fail to see how the idea of “slavery” is applicable to properly trained Pokemon.
They have the power to attack their trainers whenever they choose. Sometimes they do. They have magical abilities that enslaved humans in real life do not have. Legends: Arceus does a great job of highlighting just how dangerous Pokemon could be toward their human counterparts if they really wanted to be. They also have the power to leave. A Pokeball is not a chain. The only time a Pokemon struggles to escape a Ball is when it is first used on them, and the connection is initially forged. But, as I’ve talked about, I believe this to be a ceremonial process and little else. Trainers will immediately send out freshly caught Pokemon to heal or train, and the Pokemon don’t run. But once again, they could. What is stopping them? Ash’s Charizard never saw fit to abandon him, but if he had, what could Ash have actually done about it? Basically nothing. He’d get a flamethrower to the face and then Charizard would fly off. The same thing is true for any of Ash’s Pokemon, or the trained Pokemon of any Trainer ever. 
There’s another Donphan in the room that I’d like to touch on real quick. I’ve talked a lot about how the anime clarifies the nature of Pokemon and their relationship to their Trainers…but I also mentioned that the developers have openly tried to beat back the claims of animal abuse, of slavery. The anime speaks for itself, but what about the time Black and White openly addressed these criticisms? You were probably waiting for me to bring it up, but the truth is, I don’t have much to say. The idea of Pokemon and Trainers having a symbiotic relationship, and needing each other…the idea that they shouldn’t be separated…all of that is touched on in the games, but the subject is mostly used as a scapegoat by a wannabe dictator.
I have yet to see any character in Pokemon honestly make the same comparison that critics make in real life, and I doubt we ever will see that happen. It’s just not an idea that can be properly explored in the Pokeverse, because our world is unknown to them. Our way of doing things isn’t something that any in-universe Trainer could hope to understand. It’s an entirely different culture. The way we personally view Pokemon as creatures is colored by our context, by the fact that we’re on the outside, peering into this world with the perspective of a society that doesn’t have Pokemon. To the humans, this is the way their world works. Team Plasma came the closest to approaching that idea, but even then, they were the villains. It was made abundantly clear that they were wrong. 
In theory, Pokemon are servants at the whims of their Trainers. In practice, they’re actually the ones with real power and the relationship is balanced, nuanced, and heavily based on mutual trust.
In theory, Pokemon are the wild animals of their universe. In practice, they have no equivalent to our world. They are, as we're told many times, "wondrous creatures." They have no explanation.
In theory, Pokemon are forced to engage in senseless violence day in and day out. In practice, Pokemon battling is an art form that the Pokemon themselves choose to pursue, and it is not remotely dangerous. 
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Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. If you need me, I'll be hunting for a shiny Wattrel.
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radiance1 · 3 months
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Danny and (a recently revived) Jason move into an apartment together, they live right next to each other too.
The thing with this, however, is that the both of them?
They goddamn hate each other.
If murder was not illegal, they would genuinely kill each other. But since it is, they settle for the next best thing, just beating each other up on sight.
At least, until the landlord told them to not fight on their property and if they were to do it out of sight, so they don't scare away any more potential clients.
They've already scared away more than 10.
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redwinterroses · 10 months
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posting this just in case any of my followers (especially any reddit newbies) got this ask as well:
Hey. This is a common scam on tumblr dot com. The messages usually follow this script: They apologize for bothering you, ask you to look at their pinned post, and request that you DM or answer privately (a weird request when you're trying to get public attention and assistance.) Usually it's a pet's vet bill, sometimes it's a person who needs help with medical care or rent bills or moving or all the above.
It's a scam. It's always a scam.
100% no one will ever legitimately ask for your help this way. If you look at the actual blog, it only goes back a few weeks at most, it's full of uncurated random stuff (in this case, the entire blog was created in about 10 minutes this morning.) There will be no tags on any posts, the only original posts will be ones about whatever scam they're running.
In the time it's taken me to make this post, the blog has already vanished -- either been taken down by staff or the person chickened out (or got what they wanted.)
Guys, please be careful on this site. There are bad actors who will try to capitalize on your empathy and care for the world. Don't donate to anyone -- person or organization -- without properly vetting them first. Don't give anyone information, personal or financial. Be smart.
Also screw you if you're the kind of person who does this. May you always spill your drink on your keyboard and may your bacon always burn.
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violetdisasterzone · 9 months
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does it say anywhere in svsss whether or not the "legendary Xin Mo" is actually legendary? like are the other peak lords aware Luo Binghe was possessed for 80% of canon events? do they know he was being manipulated by an evil sentient sword or
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fandombird123 · 7 months
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I can not for the life of me explain it or why I feel this way but these two men give me cat vibes:
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But like opposite end of spectrum cats.
Havik is like the type of cat that will knock over your coffee cup and scream and whine like he hasn't been fed in a week when he just got food 30 mins ago, and will demand constant attention.
Where as Rain is like the cat that will wake you up at the most random hours in the morning and will smack or bite you if you look away from him for to long.
Again I can't explain it, but basically, they remind me of cats.
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l3irdl3rain · 10 months
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I think the situation you're in with Duncan is so difficult and you've been doing an amazing job making sure he's comfortable and loved. he's a lovely little guy, thank you for sharing him with us on the internet! you've taken such good care of him, and I'm just very sappy about Duncan. he's a good cat and you've been a good caretaker for him. I'm glad he's had someone like you to love him
Thank you. This is by far the worst one I’ve had to make this decision for just because it’s not super obvious like the others have been. But I feel like he’s gotten to the point where he’s not living, just existing
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vanweezer · 6 days
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sketchbook dump
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I'm a happy cat mom since July 2017, and holy crap! The difference between "what to expect according to the internet/common knowledge" vs reality is unbelievable! Here's a list of self-experienced debunks:
What I thought: Cats are a*holes Reality: Well, maybe your cats are! Mine are the sweetest, kindest ever. Maybe it's luck, idk
What I thought: Cats are independent Reality: HA.HA. no. No, they're not. One of our cat didn't eat, drink or use her litter whenever we left the house. Cats are social animals
What I thought: Cats will knock things down... Reality: not ours. Or 100% unintentionally
What I thought: ... cause they're evil! Reality: I've seen mosquitoes more evil than cats! BUT! That being said... cats are like toddlers with incredible physical abilities who can jump several meters high and slip through the tiniest space possible. Baby-proof your house as if it was baby Clark Kent you adopted!
What I thought: Cats will scratch your furniture Reality: Nope. But your cat does need their stuff just like a toddler would. Get scratch posts, get toys, play with your cat, don't let your cat get bored. If they continue to scratch your sofa, there are options you can try to redirect them to another surface to scratch
What I thought: Cats don't listen Reality: That one............ they hear and understand you, it's just they choose to ignore you sometimes. And that's alright. Remember? Toddlers!
What I thought: Cats are cuddly and will sleep on your laps. Always! Reality: Toddlers! Some are cuddly, some aren't, and that's alright. One of our cat's name is "Glue", the most appropriate name ever! She just doesn't let go of you, always on your shoulders or on your laps, always sleeping while snuggling with you. But, another of our cat is not. She's very shy, easily overwhelmed, doesn't know of to deal with her emotions but she tries very hard and is making lots of progress. She's just not that "sits on your laps for hours" cat.
What I thought: Cats are clever Reality: Toddlers! They will eat and lick whatever they find... and they have sharp teeth! Seriously, baby-proof your home
What I thought: Cats must go outside to be happy Reality: Some do, some don't. Don't force your cat to go outside. If they don't show interest in the outside, i strongly suggest to not encourage them. Because of safety, environmental damages, health, etc...
What I thought: One cat is fine on its own Reality: Depends on your cat, but remember they're very social and they need company, and someone who can play with them. Isolation is bad for everyone, even cats. My suggestions: if you want to adopt a kitten, adopt 2 so they can play together. If you want to adopt a cat, maybe check with the shelter if they get along well with another cat and adopt them both. It won't be more work, but be sure you can financially support them (vet visits, shots, etc...)
Speaking of which! Adopt your cats for shelters, there are so many abandoned cats everywhere in need of a good home. Please adopt
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turntechgaykid · 2 months
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My Thoughts on One Piece Ships 🫶:
I Love Them/OTP:
- Zoro x Luffy
- Shanks x Buggy
I Like Them:
- The Going Merry
- Sanji x Ace
- Yamato x Ace
- Yamato x Sanji
- Robin x Brook
- Kid x Killer
- Vivi x Rasa (if you don't know who Rasa is watch the 98th episode)
- Ace x Mask Deuce
- Sabo x Koala
- Uta x Perona
They're Good:
- Sanji x Law
- Law x Penguin/Sachi
- Franky x Iceburg
- Reighley x Roger
- Sanji x Usopp
- Nami x Tashigi
- Nami x Reiju
They're Ok:
- Thousand Sunny
- Robin x Law
- Sanji x Sabo
- Brook x Jimbe
- Koby x Tashigi
- Usopp x Kaya
- Hiyori x Yamato
- O-kiku x Yamato
Only Ok When Very Specific:
- East blue polycule (Only if it's every one equally in love with everyone or poly Usopp x Sanji x Nami x Luffy but Zoro is only with Luffy)
- Nami x Sanji (Only when Trans fem Sanji)
- Kid x Law (Only hate fucking)
- Mihawk x Buggy (Again hate fucking)
- Crossguild polycule (Only if all are fem)
- Doflamingo x Crocodile (Actual emotional depth from both)
- Dragon x Crocodile (No Croco-Mom)
I Dislike This:
- Robin x Jimbe
- Bepo x Law
- Nami x Wanda
- Nami x Vivi
- Zoro x (Anyone but Luffy)
- Koby x Luffy
- Koby x Helmeppo
- Beckmen x Shanks
- Mihawk x Shanks
I Fucking HATE This:
- Robin x Franky
- Zoro x Sanji
- Luffy x Boa Hancock
- Luffy x Law
- Marco x Ace
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twinvictim · 4 months
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Vegans on this website are something else man
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kaybaeisgay · 3 months
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something tells me nami won’t be in that marine base for long (neither will their money)
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Just gonna weigh in on the Hogwarts Legacy drama real quick
If you've dipped your toes in the tag, you've seen what a storm it is. Also, if you follow my posts, you likely already know my thoughts. Still.
I'm someone who's not giving Rowling one cent ever again, and I'm not buying the game for that reason. If at some point, I have the opportunity to play the game without supporting Rowling, then I probably will, out of curiosity if nothing else, but I'm definitely not going out of my way. Of course, I can always use an emulator, which is an easy enough solution, but we'll see.
I've not played, but I've seen footage, including details about the whole controversy with the Goblins. I have my doubts that they were ever intended to be a stereotype, but the stereotype still exists and this game...does not help. One of the primary antagonists is a Goblin and so far as I can tell, they don't make him sympathetic or offer the option to side with him. They should have done that, especially considering how many eyes are on the Goblins right now. This game could have been a chance to at least try and "redeem" them. Seems like it failed on that end. Which probably means it will wind up doing more harm in the long run. (I'm not Jewish, so I'm not really qualified to speculate, but it would follow the pattern.)
There's also the Rowling issue. That being, she's an active transphobe doing real harm and the money that goes into her pocket is then spent on contributing to this harm. Which is why I'm not buying the game and I don't believe you should either. I'm not a trans woman, which is who she primarily targets, but I am nonbinary, so I know where I stand and I choose to stand with pride.
That said. I'm not going to say you're a bad person if you do choose to play the game. (Especially if you pirate it.) I won't decry you or proclaim that you're not an ally, because to be frank...that's not really for me to decide. I can't speak to the actions you've taken in the past, or will take in the future. Only you know if your conscience is clear. Only you know what your beliefs are and what you're willing to sacrifice for them. Some of the more dedicated boy-cotters are drawing a line in the sand, arguing that anyone who plays Hogwarts Legacy has chosen their side, and stands with Antisemites and Transphobes. To me, that's senseless, and not altogether helpful.
To such folks, I have to say that I think your heart is definitely in the right place, and I appreciate the passionate defense. But you're attacking the wrong people. In some cases, I've seen people posting major spoilers online without tagging them, purely out of spite. That's...not helpful, and it's very immature. Punishing the average fan for wanting to play #ThatWizardGame isn't going to do anything but ruin their day. It won't stop Rowling's agenda. Really, I'm not sure what can at this point. Bigots will continue to inflict harm upon the world regardless of whether or not a single video game from an already timeless franchise does well. The Harry Potter brand makes a metric fuckton of money and so does Rowling. That would still be true even if the game bombed. I'm not saying we shouldn't do our parts to fight back, but I live in a dystopian capitalistic society and it's also not lost on me that this was always a rigged fight.
Because there's no ethical consumption under unregulated capitalism.
I realize that's a meme at this point, and I've seen a lot of arguments about this very point. I'm not knowledgeable enough to comment about most of it. For instance, I won't comment on the game developers and whether or not Hogwarts Legacy should be successful for their sake. That's a debate that I don't know enough to participate in. But I have seen allies who make a very good point, that there's a difference between having to buy clothes that were made in a sweat shop because public nudity is not an option...and having to go without a game you want. Those two things are worlds apart. I'm also aware that the idea of "separating art from the artist" doesn't really fly when said artist is still alive, still profiting from our support, and still has a platform with which she is doing genuine harm.
However, it strikes me as odd that this one game is what everything rides on. Because countless people follow mega-corporations that they do not have to, despite being self-proclaimed allies of the minorities that these corporations have always harmed. I'm willing to bet that some of the boy-cotters do as well. If playing Hogwarts Legacy makes you a transphobe, and an antisemite...then it stands to reason that having a Disney Plus subscription makes you a homophobe, and a racist. Nobody has to support them. Oh, but you just really want to watch Star Wars, right? I could say the same thing about anyone who has an Apple device. While Smartphones have become the only real phone on the market, there are other brands available. What about Marvel, and the fiasco with Chris Pratt? See, this is what I mean. This is why I feel like (most of us) have no right to judge other people for a choice that, to them, probably seems as meaningless as watching a Disney movie. Even if you're totally clean and have no metaphorical skeletons in your pocket, I still think judging the people who do is a bad idea, and a waste of your time.
Media is not the same as things that are essential to life, but it's an all-encompassing aspect of our culture and for a lot of people, it's almost like a kind of addiction. I think blaming the people who consume the problematic media is pointing your finger in the wrong direction. Make no mistake, there are bigots who will support this game, and do so proudly, specifically because they agree with Rowling's crap, but that's not going to be everyone. There will be people on our side who play the game, and I think alienating them is just a terrible move, pragmatically speaking. This gets into a bigger discussion about radical beliefs versus moderate beliefs but again, I am a pragmatist. The majority of my political views do fall on the "radical" side, but if we abandon the "moderates" because they're not "doing enough"...the other side will swoop in to win them over. I get that it might be frustrating, that you might not respect someone who claims to be an ally but chooses to play HPHL anyway. But if you can stomach it, you should, because we're much more likely to recruit them.
So that's my advice. Don't die on this hill. Because even if it shouldn't, it makes us look like the bad guys.
One more thing, if you think the game looks objectively bad, then fair enough, but...I have to assume at least some of you are kidding yourselves, or trying to bash HPHL just for the sake of it. Graphically, the game is very advanced, and I don't think it make me a bigot to say that it's aesthetically pleasing. This reminds me lot of the people who pretend the books are retroactively bad and "always were." It makes it very difficult to take you seriously. Cash cows don't emerge from crappy books. Rowling doesn't have to be a good person to be a skilled writer. Bad people can have talents, and there's a reason that Harry Potter took off. It's a great series. For a lot of us, it's more than that.
I'm someone who had a #HardChildhood and I'm (probably, but not diagnosed) neurodivergent in various ways that resulted in fiction being my escapism from the trauma of real life, the Harry Potter books being my first real taste of reading and writing. Stories and their universes have always been my passion, and Harry Potter was the first. It's a part of who I am, and I know I'm not alone in that. I know there are Potterheads out there who can't begin to imagine trying to cut HP out of themselves, and don't feel like they should have to. The books didn't hurt anyone, right? The game isn't responsible for Rowling's bigotry. Well, no, but supporting the game does translate to supporting her, as unfair as that might be. To such people who have dug in their heels, I get it. I really do. It's hard. People mock you for it and infantilize you, but it really is hard. For some of us, it's like grappling with a childhood friend or family member who turns their back on us.
I've struggled with this a lot, wrestled with myself and gone back and forth. What my responsibility is as an ally, what it says about me that I'm still a Harry Potter fan. What I should do about #ThatWizardGame. (Or as some of the critics have dubbed it "Blood Libel: The Game. Which is definitely provocative but I admit, it got a dark chuckle out of me.) For instance, how should we interact with the game? Do we refuse to acknowledge it's existence? Would that even help? Again, it's going to burn across the internet like fireworks, no matter what we do. Giving it the silent treatment won't change that. Anymore than refusing to buy the game will stop Rowling from being rich. (Which is not to say we shouldn't still try, just that it feels a little hopeless sometimes.)
But on the other hand, is talking about the game and engaging with it in the fandom, discussing the plot and characters and so on...is that acceptable? Or is it a slap in the face to the Jewish and Trans communities? For instance, my blog gets a lot of anon messages, and I can already tell I'm going to get several of them about Hogwarts Legacy. (I've already gotten a few.) Is it wrong for me to respond? Does it "count" if I haven't initiated the conversation? What if I feel inclined to craft an OC for this particular era of the Potterverse? Is that bad? It's not as though I'll be making posts saying "And now a word from our sponsor, Nord VPN Hogwarts Legacy!" It's a tricky field to navigate, though I'm sure most people boycotting the game would tell me not to interact at all and stop overthinking it. Still, as this blog has spent the last few years talking about Hogwarts Mystery...is that any better? I can see how giving #ThatWizardGame exposure is a problem. Then again...this is Tumblr. I feel as though Tumblr exposure should probably come with an asterisk. It's a "dead" website that is the antithesis of any other platform building site.
What about Let's Plays? Do I unsubscribe from any channel that plays this game? Because plenty of Let's Players do this for a living and their paycheck depends on playing all of the topical games. I hear that there are Hogwarts Legacy streams that are hosting donations to support the Trans community. Which is a downright hilarious middle finger to Rowling, but on the other hand, that could just as easily be done with a different game. One way or another, I have a friend who's making a Let's Play and she's told me outright that she doesn't want to get involved in the drama. Which I consider to be more than fair. Some people just don't want to get involved in politics. It's true that abstaining from these discussions is lot easier the more privilege you have, but that doesn't erase a person's right to make that choice. Politics can be murder on a person's mental health. Is it wrong for me to support my friend as she enjoys the game? I genuinely don't know.
I don't believe that simply asking questions or engaging in conversations is inherently bad. I'm rarely sure about what I should do and in my experience, people who are always certain can still make mistakes, but they're far less likely to believe they do. I don't believe it makes me a bad person or a false ally to weigh the various factors. Having these conversations, (with each other, not the bigots) and having them politely and in good faith, is how we grow as people. It's how we communicate. It's how we unite against threats like bigotry. Facing these threats can take courage, and integrity. Which isn't always easy, but no one ever said doing the right thing was easy. Doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. Each and every day, we make choices, and we have to determine which ones are good or bad. In this case, though, addressing my fellow potter-heads, those waiting in line to buy the game, those who have an emotional connection to this universe as I do...I can only encourage you to follow the word of a man we're all quite familiar with. A man who is... a lot of things, but he was also extremely wise.
We have to choose between what is right and what is easy.
At the end of the day, here's my point. It's just a video game. To the critics, remember that before you go bullying people for choosing to play it. (Or at least cancel your Disney + subscription first.) Rowling's empire does not live or die on a few nerds sharing head-canons in the back alley of a hellsite like this. But to the players, ask yourselves if engaging with HPHL is actually worth it. If it means that much to you. A simple video game isn't worth supporting antisemitic subtext from a transphobic creator and I think, deep down, a lot of you know that. There are plenty of other open world RPGs you can use to scratch that itch. Go play Witcher, go play Skyrim. If it's the Potterverse you're missing, just reread the books. (I assume you already have them.) But the game also isn't worth infighting among people who are basically on the same side. There's a difference between being a bigot and just being a nerd. Let's all try and remember who the real enemy is here, and do our part to resist them.
Because it really is just a video game. And these problems are much bigger than whether or not you boycott it.
(I welcome discussion in comments and reblogs, or if you want to go into my inbox, feel free. Let's just keep things friendly, or at least civil. So long as you stand with the Trans and Jewish communities, we are all on the same side.)
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mossy-paws · 4 months
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personal art
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My Little Mind Space
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nerosdayinanime · 10 months
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fuckign obsessed with sabigiyu... sabito's tough and snarky and brash when hes around people but then see him with giyuu and hes the biggest fucking puppy... constantly touching and being affectionate whenever he can, harshly stopping/snapping at anyone who tries to badmouth giyuu or even looks at him wrong, always glancing back when hes talking looking for giyuu's attention and recognition- he so freely displays his love and its just so sickeningly sweet to anyone around as witness
giyuu's a youngest child too, you know he'd eat that shit up. he fucking loves how much sabito spoils him- the occasional time sabito tries to be stern or ignores him all he has to do is bat his eyes and raise the corners of his mouth and sabito near immediately caves to whatever he wants. anything to see giyuu's full smile, and giyuu never hesitates with him
they know exactly what the other wants at a given moment, know when to be soft and sweet or when to be rough and wild- quietly sitting together close enough for their thighs to touch and enjoying the warmth of eachother's presence to playfully pushing buttons until the other snaps and gives their full attention to grappling the other to the ground. they'd both stop at the drop of a dime for the other for whatever reason needed, lovingly teasing and calling the other an idiot the whole way out
#loserboy giyuu posting#fratboy sabito posting#sabigiyu#sabito x giyuu#i found Anything You Want(JAWNY ft. dojacat) and i just asfdghgjhykdsfghjkyj sABITO#he fucking loves giyuu sm. theyre both utterly obsessed with eachother but sabito's more outgoing abt it so its#way more obvious to outsiders. anyone who actually knows how giyuu is see how down bad he is- hes a different person when sabito's#way more obvious to outsiders. anyone who actually knows how giyuu is see how down bad he is- hes a completely different person when#sabito's around vs when hes not and everyone thinks they're ridiculous#sabito got in a fight one time bc he called someone pathetic for being scared to openly love their partner#giyuu had to drag him out like a cat carrying an angry kitten. he was staring them down with death in his eyes then as soon as line of#sight broke he looked to giyuu with a proud little smile and giyuu dropped him on his ass for getting into a fight for such a stupid reason#sabito tried to defend his superior opinion but stopped when giyuu kissed the top of his head and started walking off. scrambled to get up#and follow- whatever he was gonna say forgotten and no longer important#ough...#sorry im unwell about them#i like thinking of what they'd be like if they hadnt lost eachother and turned cold in eachother's absence like they did in canon#sabito asshole & giyuu spoiled brat supremacy#also this is ambiguous as to whether its canon-setting or modern its just Them#'youve got the funk- gets me stupid gets me drunk- ill do anything that you want- anything that you want want want'#its just oUGH
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freshmangojuice · 11 months
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Favourite Cat Outfits 10/10
Cropped black teddy fur jacket with tassels on the shoulders and bottom edges, knee-high burgundy boots over high-waisted black trousers with subtle pairs of side stripe ribbons, burgundy and gold geometric patterned vest over a gold shimmer shirt. All gold accessories including a chained brooch, a signet ring, and gold clips in long plaited hair with a smooth bouffant on top, as well as square-rim sunglasses with black frames and small gold detail on the arms. Designed by Howard Burden
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To me personally malistaire is the funniest and most pathetic villain wizard101 has ever had AND I MEAN THAT SINCERELY!!! Between doomed children who have been manipulated, groomed, and isolated into becoming products of their environments, someone scorned who has been punished unfairly by having your biological heart torn out your chest and turning your children and all of reality against you to satiate their own ego, a nonhuman entity so powerful and so clueless they unintentionally threaten the lives of everyone around them, Malistaire FELL DOWN BRO. Like yeah you're bitchless now. You and me both. Get in line. Everyone in this room is bitchless. We are ALL living that ✨💅🏾💃🕺 Single Life™. You are a middle-aged man. Cope
#this post is lighthearted btw JELAJWODJTU i aint actually mad#but like...... malistaire as a villain is kinda mid though im sorry. IM SORRY ill take the L opinion if i have to#its one thing if he lost his wife to unfair systematic negligence or thru someone else's doings or smth but. no she just got sick bro 😐#HWMSNFLEKSDIDOA EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE I WILL GIVW A BAD OPINION AND THIS IS ONE OF THEM. i cant be right ALL the time /j#like if i dont focus on malistaire's motives and just his ACTIONS he seems super metal#but then he does ALLLLL of that heinous shit because his wife died. like thats absolutely very sad but damn get a grip#(fandom starts breaking in my windows and drags me out into the street) IM SORRY IM SORRY LOOK ITS JUST NOT MY CUP OF TEA#ive never been invested in those Mr. Freeze types of villains where a person they love dies due to normal circumstances-#and they go fucking BERSERK. they LOSE IT. they go like “well okay fuck the entire world i guess nothing matters” and then kill people#LIKE IF IT'S DONE IN A CERTAIN WAY I CAN BE INVESTED but more often than not to me? its just kind of funny#like “okay damn there was only ONE person keeping you from being a national criminal? okay”#and you know what? thats a mood actually. thats a mood#without my cat i probanly would have become the president by now#for some reason its a little diff for me if its like a child you lost and idk why#like if malistaire lost a kid instead of his wife id probably be more inclined to feel bad and thats terribly fucked up JSLSJSJSJ#you know what its also bias because in some shape or form i relate to all the other villains. morganthe and duncan especially#whereas in malitsaire's case i have never been married. which i mean doesnt stop me from tryna be more synpathetic i guess but im just not#ONCE AGAIN FEEL VERY BAD FOR HIM AND SULVIA. like losing someone to sickness or any reason really is a serious thing#but in terms of a fictional setting with fictional characters where one of them decides to commit genocide over it? 🧍 like okay boo u do u#i will gladly give up my mantle for the “most reasonable opinions” guy in the fandom foe this one. i deserve it#wizard101#w101#wiz101#text posts#malistaire drake
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