Mauna Loa Is Erupting, But Its Effects And Its Destruction Go Beyond The Lava That Will Flow.

Mauna Loa is erupting, but it’s effects and it’s destruction go beyond the lava that will flow.

This eruption and lack of real response or aid by the federal US government marks another notch in the ignorance and dismissal of my people and our constant struggles.

They will do what they always do.

They will watch.

They will continue to “closely” monitor the situation as the lava disrupts the island and they will say the damage is unavoidable, while they sit far away and stall instead of sending real aid.

Mauna Loa makes up over half of Hawai‘i Island. There have been warning signs for months, with multiple earthquakes alerting us to her imminent threat.

And now the eruption is upon us.

Mauna Loa is famously unpredictable in her lava flow, and the future is uncertain for many residents who cannot afford to leave on their own. Without formal help and evacuation, many will have no choice but to stay where they are.

Still, as of Nov 28th, 2022, there is no official evacuation or formal aid by the federal government.

For years, America has claimed that we need them. For protection. For trade. For our economy. For tourism.

They have not protected us.

Right below our feet, our islands were stolen in an illegal overthrow of our sovereign Kingdom. This had lead to mass cultural displacement and loss of identity.

Right below our feet, our ʻāina has been commercialized to death and our culture has been turned into a walking attraction.

This is not protection.

True protection means community. True protection means Hawai‘i for Hawaiians.

America does not protect my people.

My people must protect ourselves.

Restore Hawai‘i to Hawaiians. End the American occupation.

This is such a small scene but i really love how it implies that, when the girls were younger, amity would occasionally just... have tantrums on willow's bed. Like that's just where she went when she was frustrated. Could you imagine little six year old amity throwing a fit because her siblings pulled a stupid prank or something and she just needs to let it out.

She wouldn't dare have an emotional outburst at home so she goes to willow. Willow is safe. Willow doesn't mind if she jumps onto her bed like it's her own property (with shoes on nonetheless) and screams like a banshee. She'll apologise afterwards but eventually learns that willow seriously just doesn't care. Whatever helps, y'know? They always hang out afterwards anyway, so she's not there to just vent and then immediately leave.

Just,,,, willow always being a safe place for amity when she doesn't want to deal with her blood family for a bit. And yeah, that safe space was gone for a bit, but even when it's just freshly returned, she feels comfortable enough to return there when she needs it.

Holy shit you're right

I think Mu Qing taught Feng Xin magic. And generally helped him learn how to do god things.

At the very least, he taught him how to do transformation magic.

At the beginning of the book, Fu Yao suggests that Xie Lian ask someone to teach him transformation magic (probably mq, lmao).

So what we know from this exchange is that:

1) transformation magic can be taught, it's not some innate thing

2) Xie Lian doesn't know how to do transformation magic.

3) Which means Feng Xin couldn't have learned from him when he was a junior official.

But Feng Xin knows transformation magic.

"Is Mu Qing likely to have taught him?" I hear you ask, person I've trapped in my basement. There's a line in the Extras where Mu Qing is frustrated with Xie Lian sucking so hard at sewing.

"I can even teach pigs." Not "I could" but "I can". So he's taught someone previously. Presumably he'd teach stuff to his own officials but I think an official he'd refer to as a pig wouldn't stay in his ranks very long.

So isn't it likely that Feng Xin is one of the stupid pigs he's taught? (As for who else makes "pigs" plural, I don't know, maybe the pluralization is just for flavor??)

But I don't see how else Feng Xin could learn anything like transformation magic that isn't battle related. He wasn't a junior official when he ascended so there was no god to show him stuff. And I just can't picture him reading a book and studying and learning. I can't picture anyone else putting up with him long enough to show him. Mu Qing is the only being tenacious enough to keep on his ass and make him learn something.

Oh my god. Kudos to Gene Roddenberry and hope that this will inspire someone.

A hero in more ways than one

me: I should be working

me scrolling through Pinterest: I should be working

me raiding the kitchen of snacks: I should be working

Me at 11 pm, realising I just wasted an entire day: Fuck

My main piece submission for @onehelluvazine 

I had the honour to draw the cover. Big thank you to the team, you guys did an amazing job.