Marian May

@miss-marian

20 || Women's Studies and Magick History

103 posts

Spring Awakening || Marette

babette-durandd‌:

It was a good day to be a childminder. The sun was shining and school had finished early for teacher training, putting all of Babette’s charges in a good mood for the afternoon when she’d suggested a picnic in the park. One of the easiest ways to cgather a bunch of kids into one place, honestly. There was the twins Jessie and Sarah, little Jamie- back on full form since dislocating his knee early last year- and his sister Abby- old enough to look after herself for the most part, which made things easier.

It reminded her how much she wanted for a big family, all these kids running about- save for Abby, just into her moody teens enough to be sat with her headphones in wishing she was somewhere cooler- and Babette was enjoying running around after them chasing a ball, even if her sundress wasn’t the easiest thing to run about in.

She had to chase it when it disturbed the peace of some poor woman who looked to just be trying to get some work done, and there had been an apology on the tip of her tongue but the other woman spoke first, and in doing so placed her familiar face. If she were in worse spirits the comment might have embarrassed, but right now it served to make her laugh. Consistency wasn’t such a bad thing, after all. “Maybe after this bunch are back with their parents.” She joked a little breathlessly, “Mon diue, I am so sorry. Jamie has not yet perfected the art of looking before he launch kicks a ball across the park.”

She takes the ball and throws it back to where the kids are playing a few feet away, “boys! Don’t roll around like that, you’ll get covered in mud!” Babette calls back to them, not really expecting they’ll obey that particular rule. It’ll wash off. “I hope we didn’t damage any of your papers- what are you working on?”

Marian glanced at the group of children for a moment and let out soft laugh. She’d always envied children in big groups, big families. The community of it It was one of the many things she felt she’d been deprived of growing up - despite all of the material gains her parents liked to offer. And true enough, they dragged her to social functions when children were allowed. But it was never fun, never kicking a ball around a field.

“Oh, no worries. They’re from the library. I’m sure they’ve seen worse,” she laughed, flicking through the pages a moment as the scent of beer wafted out of a mysterious stain in the middle of it. “But, you know, just Uni work. I’ve got to write a 3000 word essay on pre-industrial Magick life by Thursday. So I might need a drink by the end of that too.”

Though, as everyone seemed to remind her, it wasn’t as though first year mattered anyway.

#convos #convos babette

A Lesson in Asking || Sherian

professor-lungri‌:

Watching the red crawl slowly up the young woman’s neck and face, Shere could see that she was clearly embarrassed about something, though what it was he hadn’t any idea. Listening carefully to what the redhead was saying, the Vaagh found himself smiling slightly. Nodding, he flicked the gaze over to the screen of his computer.

“Ahh, Miss May, please don’t feel embarrassed. These things happen. I’ve a selection of courses. I can pull them up now. All I need is a bit of information. What kind of Magizoology work are you looking into? What are your interests? Creature care or the theoretical?”

Marian knotted her fingers together. She’d expected this to be a little challenging. After all, her modules had hardly skimmed on anything Magizoology based. Though perhaps that was half of the fun. She’d hardly been the kind of woman to settle for the easy life.

“Care, I was thinking more. I think I’ve probably had enough theory to last a lifetime,” she said with a short nervous laugh. Something about teachers, even warm looking ones, had always unsettled her. “I think it would be interesting to look at historical applications and understanding, in a way that it’s transferable to modern practice. I- I don’t know if anything from your current courses covers that?”

#convos #convos shere

Character Name: Marian May Town/City: Ballonlea Job: Pokemon Nurse Starter Pokemon: Mudkip Biography:

As the daughter of Officials in Ballonlea, great things were expected of Marian. She’d been sent to the best of gyms, bought a thoroughbred pokemon from renowned breeders to start her off. Anything to impress their Champion friends. Only, for all the money they'd paid, she was never particularly invested. Or particularly good for that matter. Most her time was spent avoid practice where possible, skipping out 'to train' and heading as far away from the field as possible. She couldn't stand the thought of going out of her way to harm another creature.

Of course, her parents we furious when they discovered she'd been skipping practice. If not for her, for the money they'd wasted. Though eventually, they came to a compromise. Ditch the gym and join a prestigious Nurse school within the city. It was there she learned about Swynleague and promptly applied, hoping her parents wouldn't notice too much if she was missing for a week or two. After all, by the end of it, she figures there may be more than a handful of Pokemon that need a loving touch and whee better to exercise all she's learned?

A Lesson in Asking || Sherian

professor-lungri‌:

Shere had had a fairly lackluster semester thus far. Students were moving in and out of his courses with ease, many of the same faces he had seen for the past three years popping in and out of his office. His work with Gregory was going well, if a touch stagnant at times, but he and the younger man were both busy. And, with his overload on courses, Shere had only a scant amount of time for himself these days. That being said, he enjoyed his job. Any chance he had to be available for his students he took, knowing that it would be the best way for them to get a hold of him.

Glancing up from the exams he was grading, the Vaagh smiled warmly and motioned for the young woman to come in. He set the tests aside for the moment, not really having the heart to finish them anyhow. Though she had only been in a few of his introductory courses, Marian May was a delightful young woman, and one face he recognized along the student body of Pride U.

“Miss May! Of course. Come, have a seat. Which course would this be, hm? Let’s see you’re a dual enrollment, women’s studies and magick, very nice so…I’ve got Feminism and Psychology in the Magick Community, Gender Identity and the Feminine Magick, or Magick and Women of the Ages: An In-Depth Look into Women of Magical Bloodlines.”

Marian’s face pinched and she stared into her hands a moment. “Well, actually... about that...” She let out a sigh. This would be embarrassing. She could already feel the red flush crawling up her neck. Trying to explain to a man she’d never really spoken to that despite having gone to University to do half her degree on Women’s Studies, she was discovering that she didn’t really want to do Women’s Studies very much at all. “I just- I was thinking of maybe - not? - doing a module about women. I mean I looked it up,” she tore her eyes away from her hands a moment in fear of looking rude, “and it would still technically work if I took a full module on magic and a full module on the other subject.” God forbid. “So long as I have even balance of credits at the end of the year.”

She met his gaze firmly, locking her arms across her chest.

“I’d like to join a magizoology module.”

#convos #convos shere

Force of Habit || Fox-hunting

hngrylikethewoolf‌:

A small smile curled around the corners of Errol’s mouth, pleased that she’d been willing to.put up with his antics. It had been a long time since they’d seen on another. It was…nice, if he was being honest. And, all joking aside, he had wanted to use the time to catch up that he could. Chuckling quietly, the Irishman glanced over at her with a shrug. “Wouldje accept bof? ’M nae as young as I used tae be, Marian. Can’t jus’ run after ye like I used tae. Might break me hip.” He was pulling her leg, of course. While he was no spring chicken, Errol Woolf was by no means out of shape. A bit of softness here and there, sure, but nothing that affected his ability to chase down Marian May when she was being a brat.

Her body twisted towards him as she lay her hand over his elbow with a teasing quirk of her eyebrow. She knew he was joking. His hair might have been greying and his skin more dimpled, but the Errol she’d known as a child didn’t seem to be the sort of man who’d let time catch up with him.

“Well, I suppose we’d just have to get you an extra speedy mobility-scooter. You’ll be the envy of the old folk’s home,” she laughed, letting out a happy sigh and feeling her shoulders relax. When she’d decided to head this far away for University, she had been a little worried she’d be all alone. While she had had friends as teenager, she’d never felt very close to any of them. Besides her friend in the city - who’d left her in the lurch in the end - and Errol, who she probably shouldn’t have considered a friend. Really, most of the time, she felt she had friends more from proximity that actual connection.

#convos #convos errol #fox hunting

Introductions || Mariela

gaberkinssss‌:

Gabriela really just wanted to go back home at this point. She spent the majority of her day wandering around the school lost, and the other half being pointed in all different directions by people who were just trying to be helpful, but no one could help her mood. After finally getting through the extensive process of figuring out her classes she finally had a dorm number. Now it was about finding that door number. She tried to tackle figuring out the map with a little more patience and it paid off in the end. Gabbi was finally standing in front of her room, She held her hand out to open the door but stood there frozen for a minute. “I didn’t even ask them if I had a room mate, so stupid!” She slapped her hand on her face. “It would have made the introduction process a little easier if I knew her name.” Gabriela sucked in a huge breath and tried to make sure she looked friendly, finally stepping into the room.

The first thing that caught her eye was all the stuff filling such a small space, how in the world could her room mate have made this all fit? Had she ever had a room mate before? Oh boy I bet she is going to be mad because I’m intruding on her place. Gabbi was completely oblivious to the fact that her room mate was standing right off to the side trying to make introductions that were literally going in one ear and out the other. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there. Um I’m your new room mate, Gabi… Gabriela,” Gabriela spoke and signed at the same time then holding her hand out to shake her new room mates with a smile.

Marian shuffled forward, half conscious that she was barely dressed, and gave the girl a quick handshake. “Marian,” she smiled, shuffling back ever so slightly - just out of range of personal exposure. Accidentally flashing your roommate under your dressing gown was definitely on the list of don’ts in the introductions rule book. “Sorry about the mess. Woefully unprepared,” she laughed, grabbing a pot plant and moving it to another window. “If there’s anything you need shifting, just let me know. I don’t- I haven’t had anyone else here for a while, it’s hard to remember what is and what isn’t where it’s supposed to be.”

#convos #convos gabriela

Spring Awakening || Marette

The sun was finally shining, after what felt like an eternity in darkness, and Marian had decided she wasn’t going to squander it indoors. Sure, she had studying to do and usually, when faced with anything other than a blank wall and silence, she was entirely distractable. But, just this once, she’d hoped this would be an opportunity to train herself to concentration.

So far, it wasn’t exactly going as planned.

She’d opened her books and read them - she was good at that, at least. But nothing had moved from book to paper yet and she’d managed to lose at least five minutes watching the water ripple on the nearby pond - only looking away when a ball bounced into her work space.

She gathered it, glancing up as what she assumed was the owner approached, and held it in the air towards the woman with an apologetic smile on her lips. “Large glass of rosé?” Her lips started, out of habit more than anything. She knew the face from Pixies, one of the many that came in enough to remember - kind of - what they drank. And honestly, the lady had a distinctive face. As a teenager, she’d started categorising people’s appearances on how good they’d look in a suit of armour and she’d long since concluded that this woman was almost certainly ‘Warrior Goddess’.

She felt the warmth crawling up her neck and she froze a moment, before coughing out, “I mean- I - Is this yours?”

@babette-durandd

#convos #convos babette

Introductions || Mariela

Marian had quite enjoyed having the dorm to herself. Of course, the university had put people in there from time to time, but none of them had ever stuck around particularly long. A symptom, she feared, of her lack of social skills. Though they’d posted a note through her door that week to let her know that another was on her way.

It wasn’t until the day they were due to arrive that she realised she’d have to tidy away all of the possessions that had slowly made their way into the unoccupied half of the space. So she’d showered, quickly, and with her dressing gown on and her towel still coiled around her head, she began shifting plants and books back to where, she was quickly discovering, she no longer had room for them.

She let out a little yelp as the door clicked open and quickly kicked a stack of pots under the near by desk. She’d work out what to do with those later. “Hi...” She smiled, turning to the stranger and inconspicuously swiping her most recent stack of mad scribbles off of the counter with and into the bin.

@gaberkinssss

#convos #convos gabriela

A Lesson in Asking || Sherian

Marian rapped timidly at the door to the professor’s office, before pressing the handle and gently peeling it open. Her degree required a certain balance of credits between Women’s Studies and Magick History, though recently she’d been swaying more to the magic studies than the alternative. Granted, for a while she’d tried to mingle, with a module on Magick Female Figures Through The Ages. But it had only skimmed over anyone half interesting for a quarter of the lessons and spent the res of the time focusing on the kind of magicks who revolutionised the looming industry, for example, or anything else equally as unimpressive and slightly stereotypical.

A change was in order.

“Excuse me... sir?” She said, tilting her head around the door. “I just - I was wondering if there was any chance of transferring to your course? Or if I’m too late...”

@professor-lungri

#convos #convos shere #a lesson in asking

Force of Habit || Fox-hunting

hngrylikethewoolf‌:

Errol smiled to himself as the redhead pursed her lips and shrugged a shoulder, clearly understanding that he knew the tricks she wound about her. He’d known her since she was a wee one. Marian couldn’t do much to pull the wool over his eyes these days. When Marian got to her feet and slipped her book back into her bag, the sheriff shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels while he waited.

“Shall we,” he asked, arching a brow and offering an elbow. “‘Elp balance an old man fer a turn 'round t’ town?”

Marian offered a nod and slipped her hand into the crook in his elbow. She’d always enjoyed his company. It was a concrete kind of thing she’d never received with her parents. Somehow, their unconditional love was conditional. It only applied when she’d achieved things or stood up to their understanding of greatness. It only mattered when someone else was interested in the woman she’d become.

“Is it really for balance or is it just so I can’t run away?” She teased with a quick scrunch of her nose.

#convos #convos errol

thefantasticvoyd-deactivated202

Stop Right There, Thief! || (Karen & Open)

thefantasticvoyd‌:

“Split it?” Was Karen’s immediate reaction before she’d really thought of much anything else–that was not an answer one expected from a random stranger.

Hm.

It was… If Karen was operating under the absolutely belief that people are inherently good, it was a fine offer. She’d cooperate with this woman, and out of it she’d pay half price for a comic she desperately wanted to read, and then also maybe make a friend out of the deal.

Or she’d get ripped off, waste her time and money, and lose a little faith in Swynlake as a whole.

But Karen liked to think the best of people.

“You know what I mean when I say ti sounds almost too good to be true?”

“I don’t even know you. I mean, you seem very nice, but, the facts still stand.”

A short frown pinched Marian’s brow. She’d hardly even thought in terms of the fact that a deal like that might seem a little untrustworthy to a complete stranger. She didn’t really think she looked like a criminal - after all, she had a fluffy carrot with a smiley face tied to her backpack - and besides she would have jumped at the offer regardless.

Then again, she’d lost her phone to a stranger on at least two separate occasions when they’d asked to make a phone call and simply never came back. Perhaps that was why.

“You could buy it off me when I’m done?” She stared at the price on the cover. Even that was still a little bit stingy and probably unreliable.

“Or-” She swung her bag around and yanked open the zip. “-a deposit!” She whipped out a small porcelain figure of a morose bear playing the cello - though he was missing a few fingers and a foot. She’d bought it on impulse in Whoosits just over a week ago and, like a lot of things, never got round to taking it out of her bag. “I called him Gary. He’s really ugly. But,” she flipped him upside down and tapped maker’s mark at the bottom, “I mean I right be wrong but I think he could be an original. Which means he’d probably be worth something when,” or more importantly if, “I fix him. We can trade back when I’m done.”

#convos #convos karen

eight-bit-fix-it

Toolbox Tough-Times || Open

eight-bit-fix-it‌:

“You’re a student and you got a job?” He gave a soft whistle, his thumb hooking into the belt loop on his jeans making the material of his glove crumple a little within it. “You must be one busy lil’ beaver! I can’t picture how you have any time for anythin’ other than workin’ and studyin’. I just have the one job and I sometimes get so busy I forget to eat.”

True as it was, it took a while for that to be the case. When he first moved away from his parents home, he needed to achieve going from an unknown stranger, the unfamiliar face for everyone, to best known little fixer in town. And after a bit of time, he was the guy being recommended by your mother, your father, your sister and your brother. Perhaps that could become the case in Swynlake too, but only time could tell what sort of impression he was yet to land. “What are y-studying? You seem like a smart woman, ma’am, I’m sure it’s gonna be somethin’ for people with beautiful big brains. You gotta admire them big brains. ‘Specially when ya ain’t got one for ya-self,” he joked, knocking his fist on his head as if it were hollow.

Marian knew that feeling all too readily. Though she’d never really attributed it to being busy itself. After all, she’d always preferred to be occupied than dawdling. But she certainly attributed it to a busy mind. It wasn’t uncommon for her to get waylaid by a thought during her morning routine only to remember three hours later that she’d never actually eaten the breakfast that was still probably waiting for her on the side.

She laughed and dipped her head with a slight shake. “Oh, I’m sure you’ve got something in there. Firstly, because if you didn’t, you probably wouldn’t be breathing. And also, because you can’t judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree. Intelligence is relative. Book smart isn’t the be all and end all of knowledge, believe it or not,” she said with a hopeful smile on her face. Errol had taught her that much. He’d often reminded her that she was a clever young woman when she wanted to be but she was critically lacking in common sense. “But it’s nothing all that interesting, really. Womens’ Studies and Magick History.”

Well, they were interesting in their own right. Just perhaps not in the same way people clickbait articles were interesting. And, frankly, when it came to Women’s studies, she’d rather hoped she’d be learning about a few more women with swords.

#convos #convos felix

thefantasticvoyd-deactivated202

Stop Right There, Thief! || (Karen & Open)

thefantasticvoyd‌:

“Uh–yes? I mean… I think so?” She grimaced, suddenly unsure… From afar it had looked like the right cover, but the way this woman was looking at her made her think that maybe she’d made a grave mistake.

“I saw it kinda quickly… But that’s the latest Disruption of Time, right? Number seventy three? Just came out..?

Marian let out a faint sigh as she tilted the comic book away from her body and gazed down at the cover, feeling her heart twinge a little with disappointment. There she was with the coolest woman she’d ever seen in her life, just standing right in front of her, asking for the comic book she really wanted to buy, and she was clutching onto it like a little baby.

Of course, she could put it back down and buy it online. But there were two problems with that. The first being that, knowing this town and its tricks, it would probably never get to her. And the second being that she wouldn’t buy anything on online to save her life, simply out of principle.

“We could split it?” She said after a long pause, raising her gaze to the woman in front of her. “I get it and then you have a go when I’m done? I’m a quick reader.”

#convos #convos karen #the episode where I realise Marian might be a little bit gayer than I was expecting

Force of Habit || Fox-hunting

hngrylikethewoolf‌:

“Riiiight, like I should show ye,” he said, tone dry. He’d never heard that line from her before, uh huh. “Why don’ we take a walk instead, ey? Catch up a bit. ’S a nice day an’ I don’ gotta be nowhere.” In truth he had just missed the girl, but like fuck he would ever say it.

Marian pursed her lips and raised a shoulder. Apparently he already had all of her little tricks and turns worked out - which, really, should have been predictable. He’d known her for long enough.

“I suppose I can agree on that,” she said, raising to her feel and slipping the book back into her floral ruck sack. Mostly because she hoped he’d show her something interesting that she hadn’t seen before. It was a small town, but often with places like that, the best bits were always hidden.

#convos #convos errol

thefantasticvoyd-deactivated202

Stop Right There, Thief! || (Karen & Open)

thefantasticvoyd‌:

Swynlake was small. Like very small. Karen was still getting used to that. There was no UberEats, no public transport, no shopping malls–but the one thing that it did have was a comic book store.

She’d nearly screamed the first time she saw it, walking back to res with two arms full of groceries. Apparently comic book stores were a little more small-town-grassroots-locally-sourced-homegrown to match the everything else around, which made sense. Regardless, Karen had made a point to go weekly since she’d discovered the place.

Most of the time she went to idle, rather than sitting in a food court somewhere, she flipped through stacks of old comic books. Sometimes, she was on a mission.

A mission going rather poorly–until.

SNAP! From across the room, Karen watched as the single comic she was looking for, in all it’s reflective plastic covered glory, was snatched up by someone else… WHO WAS MAKING THEIR WAY TO THE CASH REGISTER!

“Wait!” Well that was much louder than intended–she slapped her hand over her mouth, but the damage was done, she’d gotten their attention. “I–uh, that’s mine! That’s not–I mean, I need that comic. The one in your hands.”

Marian wasn’t exactly the kind for comic books. At least, not the type people raved about. She’d never really seen the appeal of invincible men, saving the day, while women bounced around in outfits so tight they might as well have been naked, even when they were being helpful. That said, she’d found a few she’d grown to enjoy - about other things. Like history and magic and science. Sometimes even a mix of all three, all beautifully illustrated, softly coloured and wonderfully captivating.

The first she’d read had been left slipped between some books in the University library. She couldn’t quite tell if had been there by accident or by design, but she’d fallen a little in love with it. Within a week, she’d downloaded the entire series (illegally) online. Within two, she’d finished it.

When the next issue finally came out, it didn’t lake long for her conscience to get the better of her and send her shooting to the comic store with high hopes. Which promptly sank when someone called out to her.

She ground to a halt, turning slowly as her arms protectively edged around the corners of the book and she held it close to her chest. “Are you-” She glanced down to it for a moment and with quick frown. “Are you sure?” For some reason, she’d imagined it was her thing. Not just the comic, but the story itself. At least in Swynlake.

#convos #convos karen

eight-bit-fix-it

Toolbox Tough-Times || Open

eight-bit-fix-it‌:

Felix felt an obnoxiously large grin growing on his face at the other’s sales pitch over (a reminder) a bed pan, and couldn’t help but be so thoroughly amused by the woman in front of him improvising the multiple uses that could come out of a second-hand, coined-the-phrase, piss pot. He felt like he had just walked up to a physical embodiment of that moment when you’ve been left on your own with your own thoughts and your brain just goes on an imaginative tangent on subjects you didn’t even realise were on your mind. It was incredibly charming, to see it for himself in the physical form that was Marian.

“Well, colour me entertained. And, uh, actually a solid bit sold on the idea too, if I do say so myself.” Felix chuckled, folding his arms over his chest and offering the woman a wide grin. “Do ya work for this whatcha-ma-call-its place? Because, if ya ain’t, I definitely feel like you should be.”

Marian laughed and shook her head. Really, she wondered if she should. After all, she had a habit of mentally cataloguing every item to enter the shop, each time she went in. And frankly, the amount of times she’d persuaded herself to buy a load of bits and bobs that she didn’t particularly want or need was probably an indicator.

“Nope. I work in Pixies. Well I study too. But my job job is a barmaid.” Granted, it wasn’t exactly her aesthetic. Not unless you were talking medieval barmaid-cum-fortuneteller who only served warm pints and a fistfuls of lucky heather. But even so, she enjoyed the atmosphere and the people - even when they were arses - because there was just something about people that was simply excellent. The way they spoke, the way they drank, the way their brains worked. Even if sometimes said brains were working while breathing steamy beer breath into your face.

#convos #convos felix

eight-bit-fix-it

Toolbox Tough-Times || Open

eight-bit-fix-it‌:

What started as an enthusiastic beam on Felix’s part (the first stranger he’d walked up to seemingly having an idea of some useful sources for him) soon eased through to a confused cock of the head, not unlike the way a dog may listen to its owner when paying full attention but unable to fully comprehend the others exact words. But gradually, his expression moved further still, into that of amusement. He gave a soft laugh, almost a giggle, rubbing the back of his hand against his forehead briefly. “Uh, I ain’t all too sure a bedpan is gonna be altogether useful in doin’ any real repairs for anyone, m’self. But, I gotta say, the tiny goose scissors have got their appeal to ‘em.” He offered the woman a toothy grin, pinching his chin between his thumb and the crook of his forefinger in ‘thought’. “And I s’pose there might be some appeal for the saw too. Tiny tools for a tiny handyman, one could say. Fit for a lil’ fix.”

“Ok, but- hear me out - in defence of the bed pan you never know when a man on the move might need to go. Also, get this, it could be used to store scraps of plaster and all other kinds of rubbish. And I mean the iron! Totally multi-purpose. You could use it to flatten out wallpaper, apply plaster. Doubles up as a paperweight. Triples up as a mini anvil, should you need to become an impromptu blacksmith at any point,” Marian smiled, clapping her hands together. “I mean, the possibilities are truly endless.”

At that point, really, she was just making it all up. But she thought she sounded persuasive and a tad helpful... if persuading someone to buy a load of useless crap they didn’t need was helpful. Though in all truths, she wasn’t precisely sure what a handyman did - besides sometimes touching up walls.

“Step number one is believing in yourself.”

#convos #convos felix

Marian May @miss-marian - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag