#in conclusion: lab rats is healing

[nyxrev]

Tsukuyomi Trilogy

Chapter I: Apollo

Chapter II: Icarus

Chapter III: Hermes

Messages, Escapades, ESPionage, Trickery, Unknowns(x), Psyche.

(skip to conclusion if tl:dr)

You see why I said Moon Craters Highway, right …Earth is literally on its way to become another Moon with how dented it is from various battles as if metaphor for God's salty plan to rid…whom I wonder…

It already looks like an isolated dystopian space city, Mars, or Moon colony, whatever sci-fi likes.

S'long as road work ahead, get'cha car n bail ay. Not to dwell on logistics, but I must wonder just how they escaped—how Spy managed to sneak near rock takoyaki, how both of them got out of it and to their car, consider last we saw they still were immobilized as heroes arrived on scene. Mb Jr. Spy got to his Sr. Agent while Tatsumaki mangled B13, drilled a hole down to their car, n escaped together. Mb Spy got out first from the larger crack Tatsumaki made while with contact to his Agent still stuck, then when heroes came, he tunnelled out of there n they bail like lab rats.

“Apollo-san! Are you alright?!”

How nice of you ask about your senior but Boy, does he look alright to you?

He's not daijoubu at all

See, Apollo? Thank your precious junior later for he's nice enough to bail you out so speedy.

Btw I assume their hierarchy as such bc the spy asked him with -san honorific & formal speech. I can somehow hear his voice as a specific type of shounen, usually reserved, but dutifully takes action at an order of his management.

For us, it's not until now we actually learn moon agent's name is Apollo (bit ironic, no?). It makes me wonder why a Sun associated person would work for the Moon, ref to space mission aside. Also makes me wonder if his junior's name is Hermes, consider he was spy (messenger) and now driver for our Agent Apollo… just a thought. Why do I feel like one of them (spy) will defect… also spy's shook face at Tatsumaki is priceless.

Not much to add for Greek mythos bc I feel like it's well-known enough, but apparently “Apollo” can mean “destroy”? Which is curious bc he is a deity often associated with creative attributes, but actually, he can both heal (+) and destroy (—diseases).

He's named the Sun but is he really the Sun? Or is he just another Shadow of the Moon?

Now as they run for their lives back to base with tails between their legs like disgraced dogs,they pass by the grand sight of a tornado's terror of a tantrum. Tatsumaki is so outraged by Saitama she didn't catch the Tsukuyomis on the run.

Overall:

Tatsumaki has the lead. Tsukuyomi took the hit. They lost not only their generous sum of money donated to secure Psykos, they also lost Psykos herself and they and their dignity got hurt. They only escaped bc Tatsumaki got distracted n too wild but they barely got out with a sliver of their lives and prides. Big, disgruntled loss, if I say so.

Psychic Sisters: +2

Psykos: secured (seized)

Tsukuyomi spy: exposed

Tsukuyomi: –5

Psykos: lost

Money: lost

Health: at risk

Safety: endangered

Dignity: critically damaged

Conclusion:

Gearsper, McCoy, Tsukuyomi, Org.

At the end of it all,Blizzards try to be productive with their number: they make use of their group work & personal expertise to exert pressure on execs to extract information and sort out clues.

Cooperation is a Powerful Tool, isn't it. On both sides of the negotiations, of course.

I wonder if the exec noses get bigger as they lie, it's as if Murata drew them such unique noses on purpose. Except they're so terribly obvious liars you'd be a fool to believe them. McCoy? Oh his shady face at the back is coy as he schemes

Here comes Gearsper at a suspicious moment, who proposes they “must've fallen for tricks.” Well, Whose trickery? What sort of tricks?

Without an answer to my previous question, he assures them Tsukuyomi is merely a rumour, no more than expired gossip, and so ridiculous a rumour it's not even worth to expand on as conspiracy theory.

Hold on boy, care to explain your forehead scar? And Why do you seem to smirk as you speak?

Suddenly, the button on his helmet looks a little too much like the dented Moon God resides on. And his well fit suit looks too neat for hero work …He hides Tsukuyomi's existence, for whom?

He proceeds to list the reason for his logic, with known presence of psychic members at MA, he makes a fair argument, yet his suggestion raises my subconscious alarm.

Needle Star doesn't say a word but you can tell he's got some thoughts about Gearsper.

Next panel McCoy exhales his obnoxious fumes with a sleazy smile and you just know he's up to no good. Mb he's let Gearsper cover Tsukuyomi, or he's got more schemes to execute.

Eloquent Evil

Remember I said Apollo gives me the creeps. I figured out exactly why he destabilizes every atom of my existence. His speech unsettles me so.It has no particular abnormality but I noticed he tends to not only speak with long (aka polite) conjugation (desu-masu), but also often uses a form used for suggestion, like let's & shall we, or …right? (deshou-mashou). Both are much used as standard formality, totally normal for real life, and expected politeness to strangers, senior, at work, etc. types of non-familiar speech. Except, bc manga & anime tend to use short conjg., and often super casual speech, esp, action shounen or seinen, courteous articulation can feel out of place with boisterous shouts all around you. It's like when smb is excessively civil it feels uneasy rather than relaxed, bc you feel like they're onto some nefarious schemes, down to exact details.

Best example without evil is Forte's 180° switch from fight me to would you mb like to hang out sometime which creeped Saitama out royally.

And right now, the way Gearsper speaks with all his polite desu-masu & deshou gives me prickly hairs on my neck. An uncanny recall to Apollo's courteous exchanges while he tries to KO ppl. Like, do all mad hatters & smiley mask suit-man present themselves so nobly? Sweet words drip poison from an executioner's tongue. Civil mask hides monstrosity without heart.

Gearsper, Without the Gear, Who are you?

I really don't want to doubt his prior merit, or for him to turn out as spy, bc he seemed to actually enjoy work with others like we saw with support team and they seem to get along well too, but if he is a spy, and it was all a ruse to pretend to be loyal to HA then he's damn good sneaky spy.

See, his humble rank makes him perfect for spy work. A little man with little presence. Nobody would suspect him if he is smart and discreet.

He is timid, not loud or keen to show off, helpful when needed & eager to help, nor likes to flaunt his accomplishments.

His mild manners, low rank, and small presence overall mean he's not easily noticed, no doubt a lament for heroes who want recognition, but an excellent way to conceal among crowd & gather precious intel.

Of course he could just be soft spoken, psychic, met the wrong people at the wrong place at the wrong time and felt the need to conceal himself and his past to keep his job, mb he was deemed a failed experiment, who escaped and wants no contact whatsoever with his past, sort of like Zombieman, although he did pursue Genus for clues about the limiter and God.

But for him to step out right now, to basically say: I know Tsukuyomi, but you need not know, bc it is non-existent… It would have been better for him (personally), to not speak at all, than to draw suspicion to himself, spark more curiosity about Tsukuyomi, and essentially expose the existence of the organization even more.

He could be manipulated, who knows. It's hard to read people without their full expression, eyes and brows are very subtle but honest indicators of truth emotions after all.

I was about cite his “weak” psychic power as part of why he's not easy to notice, but we only saw so much of him and he's really not half bad. I just feel like there's more to what his hero rank dictates about his ability. We all know ranks are BS often times.

I rambled about Gearsper's potential psychic capacity before, over here. It's just an old idea but bc his Gear is part of his hero identity, I do want to know what it does and how it works.

Thus concludes my Tsukuyomi arc.

It has been an unforgettable experience, fellow highway adventurers, see you next ride.

Guest commentary brought to you by Apollo's poison pill, with great relief we can tell you the poison has dissolved and he is now asleep :DD

_:(´ཀ`」 ∠):

#opm #one punch man #opm manga #opm god #meta #fubuki #tatsumaki #tsukuyomi #gearsper #apollo #icarus #hermes #hero association #corporate corruption #psychic #thoughts #belated character speculation

[tammyhybrid21]

Dumb Headcanon thoughts PART 2. This time it’s the Slugcat Edition... Along with a few bonus things because goodness.

This time we’re starting off a bit more hot. Mostly because I actually have a lot of additional things to say in general regarding this one simple fact. It is canon. Pebbles refers to you multiple times throughout different campaigns as a rodent. And sure you could take that as him looking at the slugcat and been a bit of a SatAM Robotnik about it... but I more like to take it as a statement of fact because it can lead to so much fun theorizing... thus my top sheet.

Side note, seriously, go look up what animals are in the rodent family, there’s some WILD revelations of it. Anyway... point the first... Beaver Inspiration... this also explains Slugcat buoyancy... their fur traps air for insulation in the water... Thus they naturally kind of go UP-- On the other hand, they regularly need to groom that oil through for this layer to do its job properly...

WITNESS... MY CREATURE DESIGN.

Dsbvjhbfsjhbfjhds, no but seriously, I have a lot of thoughts regarding this. I also really love the way the fandom has come to the conclusion that Slugcats are descended from a simple pipe cleaning organism. I agree honestly, their diets are just too funky to not be from something like that... also the edible moulds throughout the game.

On top of that, I think that said organism was also a “template” one. Aka, lab rats. It would explain why the iterators seem to tend towards Slugcats more than anything else...

Oh side note. I have another personal reasoning for giving Scugs white blood aside it just been funky. But because of how Rain World canonically doesn’t have a full divide between plants and animals... I got inspired specifically by milkweed plants, and some... things people believe about them.

Basically there’s an old, old rumour about it having healing properties. Also that squish fact... it’s based again on real world information. This is directly inspired by how rats can squeeze into gaps(also raccoons but they’re not rodents). Also just some fun to explain pipe travel... this is how shortcuts work tbh.

Anycase, yeah... More of the biology and developments thing. I do think the iterators did some encouraging of the development. Not entirely their fault though. Not at all. Again, there’s a lot of environmental pressure. Different creatures responded to it differently... for the lantern mice it became a matter of getting up high and then... well... yeah. They didn’t find much pressure from then on.

For the slugcats though, they ended up in the further wilds. In the ruins, and nomadic.

At some point I’ll come back on Scavengers. But not anytime soon. For now, here’s my slugcats are sentient propaganda... Which I fully believe is because of how they function in community and seem to be nomadic. I mean sheesh, Gourmand’s whole implied campaign. The iterators using them as messengers, or even with slightly more complex tasks... Or majorly more complex tasks...

Pebbles just expecting Rivulet to somehow know and understand retrieving his Rarefaction cell... To deliver it to Moon... also on Moon’s side... Iggy’s whole... thing, which I’m certain is the overseer’s decision alone, but just pleading for the slugcats to go bring neurons now! Yeah. Go Iggy, if they were a slugcat or other creature they would so choose violence. Love that little overseer.

SURPRISE. YOU FELL INTO MY TRAP CARD. This isn’t just a post talking about Slugcats but I also wanted to talk about the Cycle. In which case, yes I am a dirty heathen who thinks that the respawn is real. But before you stone me for that, I do have some in game evidence. As well arguments for why it doesn’t work on everything. Beyond just mechanics...

I think that there’s a few necessary ingredients for it to work. And the core to them is ties to your identity and sense of self, attachments to form and body. Which solidifies as you grow up, different people and creatures at different ages(although most creatures aren’t that attached I don’t think... why you can lose tamed lizors and tamed slups who haven’t found that connection yet). ALSO YES, I do think that a human randomly in Rain World would just... reincarnate... the greater cycle it is...

Mostly because to have a sense of yourself and place you also need to be more aware of the world. A place not just in your body but the world around you... I have more comments but those can wait for when I get around to doing a proper talk of what it means to ascend and break the cycle...

From Dust to Dust and Ashes to Ashes all that’s left of you is others memories, nonexistence just returning to once cosmic dust.

Final last point bonus. Just some Spearmaster thoughts really. I love to imagine Spearmaster is just one really messed up creechur because Suns literally doesn’t understand as much as they think they do. Amazingly designed, but really horror creature in action.

#Rain World #Slugcats #THybrid Art #THybrid Iterates #headcanons #I WILL FIGHT YOU SCUGS ARE RODENTS #And also very much sentient #Early early culture but still sentient #Same level as Scavs #Also sorry I'm a respawn believer

[broh3m3]

Based off that one post

#identity v #idv #idv evil reptilian #idv mad eyes #idv burke #idv luchino #alright so burkes missing his eyepatch thingy i was gonna fix it but that means removing an ear im too lazy forgive me #pre lab rats luchino and burke is just an unstoppable force vs an unmovable object #funny how the timing works cause 4 out of 5 lab rats got nerfed #luchino and burke get mentioned together but at what cost!!! sucks #anyway been thinking about their friendship lately okay theyre good #bane and burkes the og but luchino also becoming a good friend of burke through their shared space and shut in nature #having that sort of support is important even if burke doesnt realize it at first #especially during the time where he couldnt face bane properly and opted to hole himself in his work #its hard to stay sad when a local lizard is trying to break into your lab the sadness is overrun by rage #luchino finding that he doesnt have to play up false pleasantries and can be himself around burke bonbon and eventually luca tracy #in conclusion: lab rats is healing #brohemeart

[shatmonster]

tubbo is so good for tommy.

like tubbo being genuinely shocked and disgusted, and even chiming in with the "you were a lab rat 😨," when tommy tells him about what dreams done is soooo important. tommy is so used to having his feelings and opinions undermined and ignored because "oh hes just the silly little gremlin child with a big mouth and an even bigger temper. why should we listen or care about what he has to say, right?"

now that tommy is out of wilburs shadow and is finally starting to regain autonomy from dreams manipulation, the importance of his emotions being taken seriously has skyrocketed!! and the fact that tubbo and (no matter how much tommy denies it) even ranboo are there to truly listen to him and genuinely take these feelings into consideration is enormous for tommys character and character growth.

this is also why puffys role will be so important for tommy and helping him heal from everything hes been through. she wants to listen to him complain, she wants to be there for him while he breaks, she wants to help him through all these feelings and guide him on the right path, something no one else has been willing to do to this extent.

so in conclusion: tubbo and ranboo are great support systems that truly care about tommys well-being and captain puffy is superior in every way shape and form <3

#tommyinnit #tubbo #ranboo #captain puffy #dream smp #also adding on tubbo is able to share tommys humor and help him through this using his own coping method #and ranboo is able to relate to him about dream #and tubbo has mostly been there for tommy #im mainly referring to like wilbur and others that would laugh at tommys trauma #and undermine it and shit #ahhhh very big /roleplay #always forget to put it at the top of the tags sorry! #shat post

[chispas-and-broken-bindings]

I really wanted to get the next chapter of Nothing Sacred, All Things Wild up this week, but work was crazy and I also got caught up in another story (I can’t control my muse)...so instead I’m offering up a long snippet of the dystopian/space colonist fic I started off a prompt I got a while ago for an “Arranged Marriage + a/b/o” request I got from an anon.

A/B/O is not my cup of tea, so I twisted it into an arranged marriage by an artificial intelligence instead: 

He wakes up angry, sweat soaking through his pillow, heart racing, stomach cramped. The alarm is buzzing from somewhere beneath the bed, where he must have knocked it. 

“Turn it off,” Ygritte mutters into his shoulder, before rolling away with the rest of their thin blanket.

He complies, letting the shock of the cold floor against his feet spur him into full wakefulness. “I take the test today.” It’s raining. He watches the drops splatter against the small window near the ceiling, and he wonders if Ygritte remembered to check the bucket beneath the leak before she crawled into bed the night before. 

Their garden apartment doesn’t do well in the rain. Jon still doesn’t understand why it’s even called a garden...there’s nothing green about their cramped basement residence, besides the mold growing beneath the sink.  

“Oh yeah. Happy birthday...we’ll get drinks when you come home.” 

“If I come home.”  He could be part of the one percent, after all. That is the Institution's promise. Everyone is SOMEONE. Anyone can be part of the 1%. Are YOU?

Jon knows it’s unlikely. How could he, an orphan from Mole’s Town, have the magic combination of pheno-, geno-, and personality type to be chosen for the Colony? No...he’s just another loser of the 99% who will waste his twenty-first birthday behind the Brutalist concrete walls of the Institution’s testing center, playing lab rat for the day, until the examiners come to the inevitable conclusion that he’s just another nobody. 

They’ll spit him back out on the street, leaving him free to carve out a pathetic existence on a slowly dying planet. 

He doesn’t bother washing. It’d be a waste of precious water when he knows full well they’ll scrub him down at the testing center. Instead he spends his last moments at home drinking a pot of weak coffee, trying to remember anything he was taught in the schools he barely attended. His energy would be better spent bracing for the coming indignity of having every part of his body and mind exposed and dissected. 

“Is the area of a circle, two pi times the radius? Or is that the circumference?” 

“It doesn’t matter,” Ygritte lights a cigarette at the stove before joining him at the table. “It’s not that kind of test.”

He knows that. It’s another Institution promise. The Test doesn’t ask WHAT you know. It asks who YOU are. Are YOU the 1%

How the fuck would Jon know? It’s easier for him to remember that the area of a circle is actually pi times the radius squared, than it is for him to explain who he is. He has no idea. That’s kind of what being an orphan is all about. 

Ygritte could at least throw him a bone and tell him what the test is like. She took it two years ago, though she won’t talk. Most people won’t. There are no rules against it, but The Test is treated like dysentery. Unless you live behind the gates, you’re going to get it at least once in your life, but that doesn’t mean you’re gonna go around describing your diarrhea to the world.  

Grenn went to White Harbor for the test a month ago, and though Jon had to buy him six beers and two shots of whiskey before Grenn would shut up about his first-ever train ride, he did give Jon a few insights into the rest of the experience. 

Not that the train isn’t worth the excitement, especially when the ride is paid for (another Institution promise. No matter your means. No matter the distance. EVERYONE makes it to the Test. Are YOU the 1%?) Technically, Jon has taken it once before, from Winterfell to Mole’s Town as a baby, but he doesn’t remember.  

Now he can’t believe anything that moves so fast could feel so smooth. He’s topped out at ninety miles per hour on the best snowmobile Donal Noye patched together, but that left his teeth rattling and his ears buzzing for hours afterward. The train is moving at double the speed, but he could be in the godswood, for how quiet the near-empty economy cabin is. He shares it with a twitchy young man who never looks up from a cheap tablet, and a black raven perched in a large cage who spends the entire ride staring at Jon with one eerie black eye. 

The testing center is located just across from the train station, in an intimidating building that used to have a name. Jon has a vague memory that it was a prison before the Institution took it over. Before that it was something else. 

He doesn’t balk when a masked orderly leads him to a small room, tells him to strip, and then takes off with his clothes. He knows they’ll be returned at the end of the day. Of more pressing concern is the man and woman who enter talking too quietly to make out at the other end of the room, while a nurse rolls in with a small cart covered in collection tubes, gauze strips, and butterfly needles. 

Everyone wears surgical masks, latex gloves, long white coats, and black clogs. 

Jon remains naked beneath a small paper covering. 

He has given blood before, and the messy, life-saving transfusion Mance performed to save Tormund three years ago was far scarier than the rapid, methodical draw that's taken from him now. Still, it’s disconcerting to think of the secrets the Institution will glean from his blood. He’s uncomfortably aware that they’ll know who his parents are before the day is over, even as he’ll continue living in total ignorance. 

Another Institution promise. The Institution values EVERYONE’S right to privacy. YOU control the right to tell the world who you are. Are YOU the 1%?

Before he’s finished the recitation in his head, five tubes are full, and the nurse pats a cotton ball and a band-aid over his arm. She tosses a granola bar on his lap before rolling out of the room with her cart of samples. 

Next comes a physical exam, where the other two examiners speak only to each other as they record his height, weight, blood pressure, and note his every blemish and scar in flat affect. 

“Post-burn contractures across the palmar and dorsal aspect of the left hand, adduction and extension in the metacarpophalangeal joint of thumb fall outside normal range of movement.”

“Keloid scarring along the right gastrocnemius muscle, five point three centimeters in diameter.”

“Slightly hypertrophic scarring beginning at left brow and running medially down across the left orbital cavity to the cheek. No ptosis noted. No apparent damage to the eye.”

He should feel worse beneath the weight of each fault. Instead he relaxes. He was nervous for nothing. Failure was always inevitable. The Institution would never invest in a malnourished kid with a burned hand and a badly healed leg wound. They are famously secretive about their selection process, but some reasons for failure are common knowledge. As the crows like to say, no cripples, bastards, or broken things. 

So, he chews his granola bar slowly and even closes his eyes for a bit, letting the examiners move his limp limbs as necessary for their measurements. He imagines himself a cadaver during the early stages of an autopsy. 

As long as they don’t cut me open….

When an white-haired man enters and lays out what look to be a series of tiny torture devices, Jon wonders if he stopped caring too soon. He white-knuckles it through an excruciating dental exam that ends with his first real exchange of the day. 

“Have you ever been to a dentist, kid?” 

There is still a tube in his mouth, sucking up his spit and a hook pressing at his gums, so Jon just shakes his head. There are no dentists in Mole’s Town. Just Chett, who used to work at a slaughterhouse down south and will pull a rotten tooth for the price of a bottle of whiskey. Jon wouldn’t give the creep the lint in his pocket, and he sure as hell wouldn’t let him near his mouth. Instead he brushes his teeth so hard his toothbrush regularly snaps in half, and prays something else kills him before gum disease has a chance.

“You’ve got better teeth than I see behind the gates, boy,” he pulls the hook from Jon’s mouth to dictate into a small microphone hanging from his mobile workstation. “Review DEFB1 on ID 17630343BA. At some point the focus will need to expand beyond the holy 22 and get back to the basics. Who is going to care about neuron growth if every fourth planter is born with anodontia?” 

Jon understands little of what the man is saying, but he’s heard enough to know he’s at least got as good of teeth or better than some of the rich tossers who live within the heavily guarded gated communities where the Colonists are actually culled from. Behind their high walls, wealthy sons and daughters of the only one percent that really matters, spend their youths preparing for the Test in homes and classrooms pumped with filtered air, where the water runs clear, and no one ever goes to sleep with their bellies cramped from hunger or disease. 

The Institution promises that ANYONE can be the 1%, but EVERYONE knows that's a lie. 

---

The physical exam ends at last, after several more rounds of sterile humiliation. Jon isn’t sure which was worse; having to lie within a noisy cylinder while a disembodied voice reminded him not to move, or being asked to run naked on a treadmill, wired with electrodes. 

When it’s over, the last examiner provides him with a sweatsuit that is softer and better-made than anything he owns, and he wonders if there is any way he can smuggle it out with him at the end of the day. Another orderly comes in with a waxy crisp apple that hardly seems real even as a spray of tartly sweet juice hits the back of his tongue. He’s given a pill as well that he swallows down with a cup of water so clear and so cold, it’s an act of incredible will-power not to ask for more. 

It’s only after, when he’s led to a small room with two chairs, a table, and a pulsing white orb in it’s center that he thinks to ask what it’s for. 

“This will make the answers come more naturally during your interviews,” the man explains before leaving him alone. “We want you to answer as truthfully as possibly, but we understand that can be difficult under the stress of the Test.”

He supposes people lie all the time on the Test, trying to game the system, though Jon doesn’t have the first idea how he’d go about doing that, nor does he have any reason to try. He’s not going to the Colony. This is all just a spectacular waste of time, and it’s a race day, which means he’ll have to pull extra shifts at the Rookery to make up for what he would have made beyond the Wall. 

By the time a petite woman with a neat low bun, and cracking, grey scar across half her face and neck enters, Jon is reckless with anger. 

“I’d like to go home.”

“Hello, Jon,” she smiles as she sits across from him, and she’s the first person he’s seen since he entered the building who isn’t wearing a mask. She’s also the first person to call him by his name. “My name is Shireen.”

“Where’s your mask?”

Her smile dims slightly, but she maintains her gentle tone. “I’m here to facilitate the interview portion of your Test today. Before we begin, is there anything you need to feel more comfortable? Something to eat, drink, a bathroom break? Should the temperature be adjusted?”

He’s sour with anger so he takes everything she offers, suddenly eager to make everything as inconvenient as possible for the Institution. Shireen takes his requests with an easy smile, however, escorting him to the restroom herself. When they return to the room, there is a bowl of hearty soup with a chunk of bread that is soft and airy beneath it’s golden-brown crust. Beside it is a tall glass of water and a smaller cup of green liquid that Jon eyes suspiciously. 

“What’s this then?”

“I thought you might like some juice. It’s mostly apple, with some kale, cucumber and celery in it as well, I suspect.”

It’s the best thing Jon has ever tasted, and while part of him wants to fling the rest of it at her frustratingly serene face, it’d be a horrible waste, and he’d be the biggest loser. So, he takes his time, savoring each bite and sip, rolling the bright flavors across his delighted tongue. 

“Feeling better?” she asks after the tray is cleared. 

“Is that an official Test question?”

“No.”

“Let’s get on with it then. I can’t afford to miss the train home.”

“As you may know, it is not individuals who decide the 1%. Our artificial intelligence algorithm, The Seven, determines who is the best fit for the Colony. That is how the institution guarantees objectivity in its selection process,” she taps the pulsing orb on the table. “Though we find people are more comfortable responding to another person, so I will be facilitating our discussion as The Seven records and analyzes your responses. Are you ready to begin?”

He shrugs. 

“I’ll start with a series of statements. After each, please say a number to indicate the degree to which you agree with that statement, wherein one equals strongly disagree and five equals strongly agree. Three indicates you neither agree nor disagree. Do you understand?”

“Five.”

“Okay. Statement Number one: At social events, you rarely try to introduce yourself to new people and mostly talk to the ones you already know.”

Jon knows everyone in Mole’s Town, and he doesn’t want to socialize with most of them. 

“Two.”

This goes on for a while, each statement absurdly divorced from anything relating to Jon’s life, but the numbers spring easily from his lips as he relaxes under Shireen’s soothing voice, and kind face, and the lovely feeling of a full belly and soft, warm clothes. 

It’s when the format shifts, that he begins to feel strange. Shireen starts with questions that are easy to answer. Where were you born? How many years of education have you completed? What was your favorite class and why?  What do you do for work? Describe your strengths. When are you most satisfied in your job?  Do you live alone or with others? How many others do you live with? What is your relationship to the person you live with? 

At this point, the questions grow more invasive; more personal. A voice tells Jon that the Institution doesn’t need to know how many times he and Ygritte fuck a week...but the answer escapes all the same. 

“Four or five times a week.”

“Do you use contraception methods?”

“No.”

“Do you intend to have children with your partner?”

“No.”

“Given your age and your partner’s, without contraception, given your regular intercourse the odds of conception are--”

“She’s sterile.” 

“How do you know that?”

“Most everyone in Mole’s Town is. It’s something in the water, or the air, or our weak genes. It doesn’t really matter the cause. If it’s not the one; it’s the other. She’s been fucking since she was fifteen, and nothing’s ever caught.”

“How do you know that you aren’t the sterile one?”

He shrugs. “I probably am too, but I’m not her first partner as you say. I’m not her second or third either.”

“How does that make you feel?” 

He glares, and Shireen clarifies. 

“Your partner’s sterility?”

“How do you think it makes me feel?” he pushes back from the table, letting his chair lean back on two legs. 

Shireen only gives him a minute shake of her head, and waits for him to answer the question. 

“Angry. I feel fucking furious about it.”

“So, you would like to be a father?”

“I’d like the freedom to choose. I’d like Ygritte to have that freedom.”

“What is your least favorite thing about humanity?”

She can’t be serious with that question. It’s like asking him to name all the stars. He takes a deep breath. Shireen waits. He stands up and paces. Shireen waits. He finishes his water and asks for another. Shireen calls for a refill. He drinks that too. Shireen waits. 

“My least favorite thing? That we’ve given up. We let this machine,” he points at the orb, “decide who doesn’t have to. It’s like….it’s like the men in Mole’s Town who wander into the snows when winter grows too cold, and there’s not enough food or warmth to go around. Grown-ass men who could be fixing furnaces and braving the cold to find the resources their families so desperately need. Most of the time they don’t even have the fucking guts to tell anyone  what they’re off to do. They just wander away one day, and winter takes them. 

That’s what the fucking Institution is. We’re all those men in Mole’s Town who’ve just given up, despite the blood still pumping through our veins. We’re sitting around, waiting for winter to kill us, so that a few can live. And there’s no one left to be mad about it either, because it’s a fucking machine that decides our fate. It’s like being mad at the wind. What’s the fucking point? But just because there is no one to be angry with, that doesn’t mean the rage goes away...and winter isn’t killing us fast enough."

“So you want to live?”

“I want humanity to want to live. I want humanity to want most of humanity to live. I want us to care about more than the one percent.”

It feels radical, saying it here; behind the walls of the Institution. It feels like he’s put the last nail in his own coffin. Shireen watches him as he cracks his knuckles, one at a time, waiting for her to say the interview is over; it’s time to go home. 

Instead she asks an even crazier question. 

“Do you think there is an essential connection between the morality of an action and the morality of the intentions behind it?”

#my writing #work in progress #jonsa fic #jonsa dystopian au #kind of inspired by songs of a distant earth #when I get to the new planet #whenever that happens #shireen!

[brutal-nemesis]

E&T: Aftermath

Not much physical whump in this chapter or the next but that doesn’t mean there won’t be any angst or whatever so there’s that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

←Previous  - Masterlist - Next→

Ingredients: painful magical healing, referenced use of “it” pronouns

The days since the incident had been entirely uneventful, which was both a blessing and a curse. Erebus was certainly glad to have some time to himself without being examined and grabbed all the time, but just being stuck in this room with only so many things to do and no one to talk to was a little rough. He had nothing to distract him from the myriad of things he didn’t want to dwell on. Struck with a sudden urge, he picked up his pillow, walked into the bathroom, calmly sat down in the corner, pressed his face into the pillow, and screamed. 

He wasn’t entirely sure why, not that he didn’t have a multitude of reasons to. Maybe he wanted to do it without anyone hearing for once. Maybe it was because that arm still took him by surprise every time he looked down. Maybe the constant itch of the collar wrapped around his throat had finally gotten to him. Maybe it was the fact that he could hardly write his name anymore, despite his best efforts. Maybe it was because the only person who’d been kind to him since this whole mess began, the only person he could turn to for comfort, was also ripping him to pieces, making him into some kind of monster. And there was nothing he could do about any of it. All he could do was endure. Endure and hope things wouldn’t get much worse.

He heard the door to the cell open, but he stayed where he was, figuring it was just someone dropping off food or bandages. It wasn’t until he heard a tentative “What are you...you’re not asleep are you?” that he looked up. Neteri was poking her head through the doorway, giving him a concerned look. She looked a lot better than the last time he’d seen her, and Erebus almost smiled before remembering that A) she was the majority of the reason he was so miserable in the first place and B) her catching him doing...this...was embarrassing, to say the least. He felt his face grow red.

“Why are you...were you just going to look in here without knocking?” Now it was Neteri’s turn to blush.

“Well-you-the door wasn’t closed so I thought...whatever, it’s not like I saw anything. What are you even doing in here?”

“I’m-it’s none of your business.” He stood up, taking comfort in the significant height advantage he had over her. “Look, can we...not talk in here?” Neteri nodded and they went and sat in the main part of the cell, Neteri on one of the chairs and Erebus on the bed. He didn’t put the pillow down, hugging it to his chest instead.

“So. How have you been these past few days? Both with your arm and after the, uh, incident?”

“My arm hurts and it’s shaky and I can’t straighten it out or make a fist and I can barely write with it.” Erebus rattled off his grievances quickly. He’d tried to keep track of everything that he noticed was wrong with it in the hopes that Neteri could fix it, going over the list time after time in his head. She nodded slightly.

“Okay, not too bad. It’s about what I was expecting, honestly, so I should be able to fix it without too much trouble.” Erebus allowed himself to feel a small bit of relief. If he was going to be stuck with this horrific arm, it was at least going to work. 

“As for what happened with, uh…”

“Hjáll?”

“Yeah. I...I think I’m okay now.” Erebus looked down. “Being a person...helps.” He looked back up at Neteri. “Who is she, anyway?

“She’s...my rival? Kind of. And also my boss.”

“Wait that was your boss?! Does that mean that she can-”

“No, no, what she did the other day was completely out of line. She technically has a right to examine you every so often, but I have to consent to it and be present, which obviously didn’t happen then.” She sighed. “I...I’ll likely have to let her do it again in the future, but I promise it won’t be like, uh, that. I’ll be right there the whole time, and I won’t let her hurt you or do anything...weird.”

“So I’m just going to have to sit there and let her...look at me?”

“Well, most likely she’s going to request that you be restrained, since she seems to have gotten the impression that you’re some kind or feral beast, which is honestly hilarious. What, did you bite her or something?”

“No, I just resisted when she tried to take off my clothes. I pushed her back. And I kicked her.” Neteri burst out laughing.

“Wait, you kicked her? You?” Erebus nodded, and Neteri laughed again. “Oh, oh that’s fantastic. I love it. She’s so high-and-mighty all the time and it is annoying. For real though, if she looks at you again I swear it won’t be that bad. Ugh, she’s probably going to keep using “it” pronouns for you, but I’ll try to correct her.” Erebus hated that he was grateful that his captor was insistent on treating him with basic human decency in this one instance, but here he was. “Alright.” Neteri jumped out of her chair. “You ready for me to fix your arm?”

“As long as you’ll get it right this time,” he said as he stood up.

“Keep talking like that I just might not.” He was afraid she was serious for a second, but the mischievous smile she flashed up at him told him otherwise.

After she freed his ankle, her hand clamped around his right wrist and she began to gently pull him down the hall. He briefly entertained the thought of jerking out of her grasp and running, but deep down he knew there wasn’t much point. He had no idea where he was in the castle or where the teleportation stone was, and he’d honestly rather just let Neteri get his arm working correctly. So he let her lead him along without a fight, at least until they arrived at the lab. He stopped in his tracks upon seeing that table again, the horrors of a few days prior starting to overtake his mind. Neteri looked up at him.

“You’re going to have to get on there if you want me to fix it.”

“C-could I at least sit up or-”

“Nope, I need you to be as still as possible or else it’ll mess with the...things could get messed up, to put it in not-technical terms. You need to be lying down and secured.” She thought for a moment. “I can, like, not strap all of you down, would that make you feel better?” He steeled himself before slowly nodding, approaching the table on shaky legs. Deep breath. He hoisted himself up onto the table, every fiber of his being crying out in protest not to get back up here, not to lie down and let himself be tortured all over again. But he did it anyway, because it was either do it himself or be forced to. Neteri watched him intently the whole time, not moving even when he’d laid down.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.

“You’re...you’re really brave.”

“Huh?” 

“Well,” she said as she finally moved towards him, gently rolling up his right sleeve and unwinding the bandage,  “I mean I can tell how scared you are, and that’s justified, but you still got up here despite that, you know?”

“I don’t think that’s...I just know there’s no point in running or fighting.” He looked away, and his voice dropped to barely above a whisper, “I think it means I’ve given up more than anything.”

“In a way, yes, but that’s not a bad thing.” She tightened the strap around his right wrist. “You just understand that resisting gets you nothing, and you’d rather make the choice to cooperate, but you’re still…” she furrowed her brow as she strapped his chest down. “You still have...resolve or...I don’t know how to explain it. Just like...something.”

“Something. That really clears it up.” She smiled.

“In conclusion: you’re brave,” she declared as she shoved the rag into his mouth to prevent him from arguing further. He halfway reached up to pull it out, but stopped himself and laid his arm back down. Maybe he shouldn’t give her a reason to strap his other arm down, since it seemed like she was going to start with just his right arm and chest secured. He braced himself, fingers of his left hand curling into the fabric of his shirt as he looked up at Zander the rat.

The pain started out quiet and slow, crackles and pops of little agonies sparking throughout his arm, preludes to the coming blaze. They steadily intensified, and before he knew it he was screaming, head arched back and knees bent as the pain ravaged his arm. A thousand flames coursed through every nerve before the sensation changed to a crawling itch, and it was all he could do to resist scratching at his arm. Thankfully, the magic stopped flowing soon after. And after a few residual twinges, the pain stopped too.

Neteri was breathing heavily, but she seemed to be in a much better condition than she had been the last time she attempted this, no blood coming out of her nose or ears. She smiled at him. “The worst of it should be over, but I might have to make a few adjustments. Can you try to make a fist? You said you couldn’t do that before, right?” Hesitantly, he did so, feeling a bolt of elation as the foreign fingers obeyed with ease. She let him sit up, having him move his arm all sorts of ways, and they were both happy to find that there were no problems with it at the moment. She cut the stitches around the now-healed spot where red and bronze skin were gnarled together, and he couldn’t help but wince as she pulled them out, despite how gentle she was being.

Once they got back to the cell, Erebus realized he could finally ask Neteri the question he’d thought of yesterday. “Does it do anything?”

“What?”

“The arm, does it do anything...special? Like how the tongue-”

“Oh, yeah, it should be able to...well, have you ever met a lust demon?”

“No?”

“Alright well basically what they’re able to do is change their appearance to suit the, ah, tastes of whatever human they’re trying to prey on. We’re not exactly sure if this is something they’re consciously able to do or if it’s purely reactionary. But there is a possibility that you’ll be able to change the appearance of your arm with enough practice.” 

“Really?” Erebus looked down at his arm, imagining it changing back to look like the one he’d lost, feeling a small spark of hope.

“Mmhmm. Theoretically, at least. I can’t promise you’ll be able to do it, but there’s a chance.” She shrugged as she said this. “Oh, that reminds me of something else I wanted to ask you earlier. Is there anything you want? I...I feel bad about what happened with Hjáll, and the procedure on your arm was more painful than it was supposed to be. So, is there anything I can do to sorta make it up to you? Obviously I’m not going to let you go or stop what I’m doing, because no, but uhhh…” Erebus furrowed his brow. What did he want besides his freedom? He considered asking her to let him visit his home and say goodbye to people, but he shuddered at the thought of anyone who knew him seeing him in his current state, and he didn’t want to burden them with the reality of what was happening to him. They might blame themselves, and it wasn’t their fault. So he wouldn’t ask her to take him to Nathar, but maybe…

“Could I...go outside? I haven’t seen the sky or plants or anything in so long and I...I hate being stuck underground like this.”

“Sure! Ooh, I could show around the city! Yeah, yeah, that should work. I’ll need to get a few things in order first, so it might be a couple of days.” She got up to leave. “Until then, work on seeing if you can get your arm to change or whatever. I’ll be back with your food...at some point later today.”

After she left, Erebus stared at his arm, concentrating on the image of the one he’d once had, trying to imagine the skin fading from bright red to light brown, but it remained the same as before. Well, he didn’t expect it to work right away. But hopefully it would, someday.

Hopefully.

Next→

Tags: @dramaticcollapse @thehopelessopus @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi @galaxywhump @as-a-matter-of-whump @mnmlover2002 @tears-and-lilies @yet-another-heathen @rippedjeansandfadeddreams @starnight-whump @unicornscotty @thebewilderer @kixngiggles

#i wrote something #erebus & terror #erebus #neteri #hopefully people are cool with a couple less painful chapters #we will return to horror after this short break! #so yee hjall will come back whenever i want to make erebus uncomfy again. its her job #thats right lust demons FUCK who would have thought #basically they live off of human bodily fluids...any fluids...in any orifice... #yeah #they could drink blood like vampires if they wanted to tho #but we get possible arm editing hours so this mans isnt stuck with it being red wheee #dw he will not have a good time with making it do shit #yeah thats right i will get to dump all my taiyorum lore into canon in the next chapter #after that we will return the anguish :) #but erebus can have a little break from being ripped apart. as a treat #hnng which means i have to figure out how to talk about crossbeds without calling them crossbeds #maybe i will harass someone who dont know geology #what the fuck is it with the chapters where like nothing happens being so dang long #seriously what the fuck you two stop talking all the dang time #this one is up there with ch8 in ''things that need to happen but i hate it but i want to just move on so here'' #okay i dont like hate it hate it i just. blegh #yes i only finished it because i was procrastinating on my hw

[hey-hamlet]

BNHA AU Ideas: Genetics Prodigy

Also on AO3!

TL;DR:  

Quirks might be the coolest thing ever, but they aren't magic, they're genetic. So what's to stop one very stubborn quirkless prodigy from working out how to give himself some?

Ok so! Tech Genius!Izuku AUs are a thing, right? I love them to bits but my problem is I know nothing about tech so I can't write them, but what I do know is biology!

Biology/Genetics prodigy Izuku giving himself quirks!

Stays friends with Katsuki (They have a rough patch but they work through it), not sure if I want Izuku to fiddle with Katsuki's quirk or not - not sure if I'll make the quirk limit 1 or 2, but I've always headcanoned you can give more quirks to someone born quirkless, so Izuku will end up with a few

So, after the dawn of quirks, a lot of, if not all, genetic research stopped. Sure, tech marched onwards, but genetics became an even bigger taboo than it was before. Izuku is a little genius, and this his massive interest in quirks when he's told he’s quirkless? It's more of a “how do I change this” than a “can I change this”

Izuku has always been the smartest person Katsuki knows. They have a rough patch at the beginning where Katsuki is trying to claw this one thing he's better at Izuku than over his head, to make himself ‘better’ than izuku

People have always called the quirkless worthless. If he’s less than a quirkless kid, what does that make him? Izuku eventually manages to drag it out of him and tells him about all the things people did before the dawn of quirks. Katsuki changes his mind to instead believing that everyone else is stupid for thinking quirks are everything and is now very vocal about that. (He still loves his quirk though, as does Izuku.)

His first real trial is a bit of a silly one: he cures Katsuki’s lactose intolerance. They were both salty they couldn’t share their icecream.

Collection of quirks:

Bakugo:

Explosion

Fire Manipulation

Midoriya:

Telekinesis

Heal

Forcefield

Jump

I want Izuku to give himself a quirk aged like, 8, with bakugo there for the ride as a lab hand, and I want them to realise with mounting horror what they've managed to do

bakugo turning to izuku and whispering "how many quirks would it take to beat - be as strong as - all might?" and izuku just shrugs because he hadn't thought about that but what he's done could start a new breed of bioweapons

he knows enough about the brain to see that more than 2 quirks in a quirked persons body, or more than 4 in someone born quirkless would be seriously damaging, but he's really scared about what could happen if he did go over that limit.

he won't, but he's curious, and he feels a little sick because of it

Nezu catches wind of this baby bio genius, one of the red flags is the only recent research done into quirks was actually from the lab nezu was kept in, so when he sees someone digging into that research he's ready to rain hell down upon them

then he sees an 8-year old that gave himself a quirk and he's like "oh. son."

oh he also totally has a little collection of lab rats that he spoils to bits - he's careful not to give them any quirks that would hurt them / cause an ethical issue. mostly they just have colour changing and glowing quirks, one of them can photosynthesize

he's a very good boy and his little rat children love him

So, when one is as hopelessly heroic as Izuku, it tends to be hard to avoid ‘accidentally’ using your quirk in public. When you have a heal quirk? It’s basically impossible.

Healing quirks actually have a special provision under the vigilantism act, along with exemptions due to age, but when Izuku gets caught, the police don’t tell him that. They honestly just want to try and scare the kid straight because it was a ‘miracle’ (forcefield) that he didn’t get hit by the falling rubble.

So Naomasa is brought in, as usual for the Mustutafu area, and asks the basic questions: name, age, quirk. Izuku, being a genius but still like 8 and scared he's going to jail lies for the first two questions, and he doesn’t lie very well because the poor kid is chronically honest.

‘Um, my name is – Tsubasa! Yeah!.” “I’m 10!”

But the last question throws Naomasa for a loop. “What’s your quirk?” “I was born quirkless, I’ve got the x-ray to prove it.”

That wasn’t a lie. But he visibly used a quirk, they saw it happen. And Naomasa suddenly gets a terrible feeling, because there is only one person he knows that can take someone from quirkless to quirked.

“So you don’t have any quirk?” “No sir.” A lie. Fuck. He lets Izuku go because, despite the horror of a child caught in AFO’s clutches, he might be the most valuable lead they’ve ever had. So they keep an eye on him.

It doesn’t take long to see him using more than one quirk. The kid is creative and isn’t bad at disguising them as the same quirk, but using a forcefield to shield you and your friend from rain is visibly different from telekinetically doing the same, if you know what you’re looking for. And boy do Naomasa and All Might know what they’re looking for.

Their second heart attack comes from an absent “So have you been practising with flame manipulation?” “Of course, dipshit, I’m not lazy. We’ve gotta practise to become heroes, don’t we?” “I know, Kacchan! I’m just excited!”

They keep freaking out about it until they bring in Nezu. It takes him a week or so, but he quickly finds out whats going on. “So, I’m not sure if this is what you wanted to hear but: It’s not All for One,” general sighs of relief “But the child has worked out how to synthesize quirks.” PANICKED NOISES

I feel like izuku is def. the first to make a quirk suppressant chemical, which really interests overhaul. Unfortunately, so i assume he can counter than with something that could just speed up the metabolism to flush another chemical out and because aizawa's quirk binds to the quirk factor, he could just give himself a quirk that has a different biological mechanism - confusing the fuck out of everyone involved

Timeline of Izuku’s shenanigans

Katsuki: lactose intolerance cured, proof of concept – age 6

A very nice rat: Attraction of small objects, yes the rat used it and yes it was amazing because other rats counted as small objects – age 7

Izuku: Attraction of small objects – age 8 (Inko’s quirk)

Katsuki: Flame control, a portion of Hisashi’s quirk from Izuku’s genes – age 8

Izuku: Jump, from a detailed study about a quirked rabbit – age 8 (late)

Another very nice rat: given the ability to live to 10 years old. His name is Hermes – age 9

Izuku: Starts a medical degree – age 10

Izuku: Forcefield, partly from a study of a weak forcefield quirk from the beginning of quirks when genetic studies were less taboo, combined with some promoter sequences from Katsuki’s quirk – age 10

Izuku: Heal, something he’d been working on since the beginning, created without reference for a similar quirk, his masterpiece – age 13 (This quirk is not tied to the quirk factor and therefore can not be stopped by erasure or the quirk erasing bullets.)

Izuku: Finishes the medical degree – age 14

Katsuki tries to get him to write Dr. Midoriya on his application to UA but he refuses, sadly. Not that it matters, Nezu recognises the last name from some of the only quirk research since the lab he was kept in was shut down. He’s very interested about one of the boy’s earliest papers; a case study about a quirkless boy born to 2 4th generation quirked parents, and the conclusion he drew: it wasn’t possible. It doesn’t take a genius to work out the quirkless kid was Izuku himself.

Izuku and Katsuki walk to UA together, Uraraka still saves him from tripping, Katsuki was just laughing at his suffering. Izuku’s a little less awkward in this AU and actually manages to thank her. They all enter the hall together.

Izuku never exactly kicked him mumbling habit, Iida still tells him off. Katsuki is trying to fight the urge to fly down there and kick his ass. Not that they can see, but Uraraka is also glaring at Iida for being rude to the nice boy.

Iida tries to stop Izuku from saying hi to Uraraka but she blows straight past him, loudly thanking Izuku for stopping to say hi. She’s glaring at Iida, Izuku is blissfully ignorant of that. Iida feels like he's offended the wrong person.

The exam starts, Izuku jumps straight into the middle of the exam. His legs hurt but he's totally clear of the other test takers. He starts kicking butt. He yanks wires from ports, tears screws from joints, punches robots with forcefield protected fists, etc. He gets maybe 30 points like this.

All around him he can see people in danger, he throws up countless forcefields to protect his fellow test takers. The judges are impressed with the versatility of the quirk, All Might, even though he knows Izuku isn’t connected to AFO, is having a slight breakdown. Nezu is incredibly impressed. Izuku is flagging though, his forcefield quirk takes some serious energy when he doesn’t have much to spare.

The zero pointer is released. Uraraka is pinned, and, unlike canon, she isn’t unscathed. Her ankle is snapped under the rubble, her ribs are badly bruised. Izuku sees this happen and he just moves. He doesn’t trust his forcefield to hold enough weight, so he goes the other direction: brute force. Using his jump quirk, he rockets into the air, landing a solid, quirk enhanced kick to the face of the robot. As it teeters, he uses attraction of small objects on as many individual points as he can, flying over the back of the robots head. He lands with an impact that jars his teeth, just as the robot starts to tip backwards. He makes it to safety with seconds to spare.

He’s exhausted, so far into quirk exhaustion it isn’t funny, but he’s not done yet. He stumbles to Uraraka helps her lift the bolder off her broken ankle, and heals it. He collapses just as the test finishes, Uraraka catching him and keeping him safe from the last few bits of falling rubble. She’s so thrown by her healed ankle.

Recovery girl comes over, checking on Uraraka. She saw the injury on the cameras and felt bad for the poor girl, but when she gets over there’s nothing. Sure, there’s some blood, but under it all there isn’t even a single cut. Uraraka begs her to help the boy in her arms and she thinks she might know why. The boy looks half dead, likely quirk exhaustion. Still, she didn’t know anyone with a healing quirk was applying, normally Nezu would have told her.

#biology prodigy au #BNHA au #bnha #midoriya izuku #bakugou katsuki #uraraka ochako #All Might #Iida Tenya

[argentdandelion]

Handplates: W.D. Gaster the Animal Trainer (Rewrite)

(Normal People: "What happy skeleton children!" Animal Trainer Gaster: "The lab rats are highly cooperative today.")

Through operant conditioning, animals (and humans) link an action with its consequences. A rat presses a lever and gets food, and so is likely to press the lever again. A human sends a friend funny comics; the friend is delighted, and the human is likely to send more comics.

Animal training is mostly just operant conditioning. While animal training was once largely punishment-based (e.g., lion tamers' stools and whips) it's rarely (if ever) used in modern animal training. For one thing, punishment builds distrust, and can lead to animals attacking or killing their trainers. Instead, animal trainers largely encourage ("reinforce") certain behaviors through pleasant interactions and rewards. In this way, even big, dangerous animals can be trained, and even allow somewhat painful things. (e.g., blood draws)

Of course, his test subjects are not animals; indeed, he'd get the best results if he considered them people and treated them as befitting people. Yet, for multiple reasons (e.g., his deep sense of denial) it would be impossible to persuade him to do that. His dehumanizing (or depersonizing?) perspective and wanton cruelty is impractical, counter-productive, and indeed unsafe for him; minimizing his test subjects’ pain and discomfort is really the best idea. Presently, he considers them mere "living tools" or objects for his experiments, but even thinking of them as animals would drastically increase their quality of life, Gaster's mental health, and his test results.

General Testing Procedures

Animal Trainer Gaster: "Aw darn, I shouldn't scare the animal."

Gaster can get the behaviors he wants through the animal training principles of habituation and shaping. With habituation, he’d familiarize them to parts of each procedure in a comfortable environment until they got used to it. With shaping, he’d break down a desired behavior into steps, and reward getting closer to the desired behavior.

The article’s author (ArgentDandelion) can attest to the effectiveness of habituation: she chose to gave blood after months of watching Kill la Kill (a show where a girl gets superpowered from a sentient uniform sucking her blood with needles), and a week or so on writing an article about the uniform’s needle specifications. (This is the same person who once was terrified of receiving vaccinations, as many are.) While giving blood was entirely voluntary, the author knew how useful it was to minimize her discomfort: she chose a comfortable environment, avoided looking at the blood-drawing tube, and read a fun fantasy book during the hour it took to drain some blood.

Applying shaping would probably be easy. Gaster would probably consider it impractical (or be too impatient) to train them for weeks for just one procedure (e.g., the hand plate drilling), and he couldn't foresee exactly which experiments or procedures he'd want to do. Thus, when starting their “training”, it would be better to train general behaviors, familiarize them with different kinds of equipment, and begin with simple, painless experiments.

For example, in many experiments, Sans and Papyrus are strapped tightly in to chairs or tables, and Gaster wants them to be quiet, still, and not obviously distressed. (Much like the author during a blood draw, come to think of it.) Using the principle of habituation, he'd let them see and handle the straps, and get used to being strapped in at different levels of tightness. Using shaping, he’d reward them for being mostly quiet and still when strapped down for a minute, and then gradually reward quieter and more still behavior for longer periods.

If these two principles aren’t enough, he could also use counterconditioning. With counterconditioning, he could replace unwanted responses (e.g., panicking) to a stimulus (e.g., the scary noise of a drill, painful levels of poking and pressure) with wanted responses by associating the stimulus with pleasant things. (e.g., food, if he's going for obviously animal-like reinforcers; praise, as a less likely and less animal-like one)

If the animal training techniques were used properly, his test subjects wouldn't panic, struggle, or make noise, and might even eagerly cooperate for painful experiments. While using anesthesia or non-painfully padlocking a plate through the ribs is still more practical, his test subjects might even come to tolerate the hand plate-drilling. This isn’t so far-fetched: after all, some people willingly go through the long and painful process of getting a tattoo, and just keep coming back.

3. Other Benefits

Better Results

It’s not much of a conceptual leap to treat his test subjects like lab rats, but even that would entail a better environment. Lab rats are most intelligent, as measured by tests, when raised in “enriched environments”---that is, big cages with lots of objects and other rats to interact with. Since Gaster is interested about his test subjects’ intelligence and occasionally gives them IQ tests, it fits his interests to give Sans and Papyrus a more comfortable room and more entertaining activities.

He claims he's losing his ability to heal, but with animal training he can have his pain cake and eat it too.

Healing

In Handplates, healing magic is based on the monster's capacity for empathy, sympathy and love. One benefit of Gaster treating his test subjects as animals is that it won’t erode his empathy as much as forcing himself to be callous towards them. Thus, he’ll still be able to heal them in emergencies.

4. Conclusion

While he’ll still want to avoid acting affectionate towards them (for fear of losing “strength” and “objectivity”), he nonetheless won’t be accustomed to avoiding general “niceness” at all costs and making them suffer unnecessarily. In brief, thinking of them as animals and treating them as such would actually be better for both Gaster and his test subjects.

Of course, the very fact Gaster is experimenting on children is morally questionable, especially since he plans to do so indefinitely and he cannot even tell them what experiments he plans to do before they consent to it. Still, canon Gaster seems to expect condemnation, imprisonment, and even execution for his deeds. Given Asgore's a big pushover, were Gaster to take reasonable precautions to minimize pain and discomfort he'd probably only be fired from his position for his deeds.

Though, as a fair warning to would-be villains...animal training and child rearing overlap a lot.

#Undertale #Handplates #W.D. Gaster #Gaster #Zarla

[winterdeepelegy]

Hopeful Letters

Finished at last. A dozen letters hand-written in Frost’s angular - yet still somehow legible - scrawl and addressed to various important persons of rank and in positions of government. Separate letters were also sent to those who might be able to vouch on behalf of Frost and his siblings. All were neatly sealed and sent off.  He wondered how long he could hold his breath this time...

To [Title] [Name], I would like to begin by extending my humblest gratitude for your time in reading this letter.  It is my hope that you will find the details herein satisfactory, and that we can look forward to a fruitful outcome, not only for ourselves, but for the Empire as a whole. By way of introduction, I am Imperial Asset 0178 Frost Blade, Survivalist Unit, and one of just over three hundred subjects of the Colossus Project.  In this effort have I taken the liberty of speaking on behalf of my brothers and sisters in favor of a better future under the Emperor’s guiding hand, and I hope my own records will stand as an example of what we are all capable of accomplishing in His Radiance’s name.

We, of the Colossus Project, have been loyal servants of the Empire since our induction into the program several years prior to the Calamity.  We have given of our bodies, our minds, and our hearts for the betterment of Garlemald’s medical, bio-aetheric, and weapons-related sciences.  In more recent moons, we have endured our trials for better or worse, and those who have survived the worst of it are beginning to heal.  We have also been joined by twenty Purebloods who were in need of mending from critical wounds.  They, too, have become as brothers and sisters to us all, and we are proud to embrace them as such. With all of these things in mind, there are questions yet to be answered, for the sake of our service and the price of our personhood.  Those of us who were not already citizens, or who were not counted by lottery, are still identified solely by our production numbers and, if we’ve earned them, our elemental designations and lettering.  It has not escaped our notice, in the course of events in Gyr Abania, that there has been an entire squadron of beastmen among the Legions who not only retain military ranks, but proper names and social standing.  These are things we lack, and have many times been denied; people of all Spoken races, turned aside and treated as beasts in a zoo, nameless, while the Ferae Domitae have thrived and not been subject to the same processes and alterations that we have. Is it that the Empire fears us for what they have turned us into?  And if so, then why?  We have so many failsafes and strict protocols in place for our own control that we are no threat to anyone from within.  This has left us sorely under-utilized in the field, a resource sink at worst, and a convenient source of lab rats at best when we can do so much more to strengthen the Empire with a purpose placed in our idle hands. We are still two hundred and more strong, men and women eager to prove our loyalty, if only the opportunity were presented to us. We ask to be allowed to join the Legions.  Our abilities would only benefit operations in the field and increase efficiency and success.  Our obedience is without question.  And in joining the Legions, we would also appreciate proper names and the same opportunities given to any conscripted soldier.  Those who are not fit to fight can certainly fill countless other needed roles in intelligence, medical arts, communications, security, and various fields of craftsmanship. Enclosed, you will also find a report containing the results of a recent field study where half a dozen of us, several of whom have not been outside the Castrum in many years, were allowed to attend the recent Moonfire Faire celebration in La Noscea as a test to see how they could handle being among a normal population.  While the results included flaws, they are over all positive. It stands to reason that these were things which could have just as easily occurred at the hands of inebriated Eorzeans as with any of us while sober. In conclusion, we look forward to a favorable reply, both for ourselves and for Garlemald’s future.  Respectfully, 0178FB

The report included with the letter details a sanctioned trip to Costa del Sol during, authorized by Lillium Pyr Sylvanius, in which the group of subjects interacted with the general population on the last day of Moonfire Faire. The only casualty was a fireworks tent after one of the fire-aspected subjects got a little too curious and decided to have some fun with the fireworks stored therein.  They were otherwise well-behaved and avoided trouble.

@onidephor @aracelicaillen (for Leonis)

#ffxiv #ff14 #IC happenings #Glace Silencieuse #Colossus Project #Garleans #Garlemald #the fireworks tent is why we can't have nice things #the results of the report were determined by /randoms

[handsomedogs]

My chocolate lab recently lost some of the fur on her back due to irritation of the sun and chlorine water. We got it treated, she's healing fine, but her hair grew back white? It's funny because she just has little white patches. Is that normal?

Yes it is! When the melanocytes (pigmentation cells) in the hair follicles are damaged or die, the hair grows in white or grey. 

Sun, certain drugs, stress, or chemicals can destroy melanocytes, basically through the same mechanism as bleaching your hair. Sometimes this is permanent and sometimes it’s temporary. There are studies being done on rats and guinea pigs looking at how minerals (copper and Vit B12) can help restore melanocytes (eventually to help people with vitiligo), but these results aren’t conclusive yet.

Anyway, yes it is reasonable that your dog’s hair is growing in white. It may or may not go back to brown, depending on how damaged the melanocytes are. I don’t *think* there’s anything you can do to naturally restore the melanocytes, but your vet would have more insight on that if that’s something you want to do.

-C

[cannabisprnewera]

What Are Terpenes?

A Cannabis Enthusiast’s Guide To Understanding Terpenes

what are cannabis terpenes

Here’s The Deal:

One of the most fun aspects of being a cannabis consumer or patient is the ability to smell the array of fragrances that the plant’s flowers produce. With scents ranging from fruity aromas to cheese-like smells, the cannabis plant can require the consumer to develop a level of familiarity and expertise with its unique makeup. So what exactly is behind these fragrances that trigger such connections? And what is it that makes them so unique?

You Had Me at Fragrance

You may have heard of terpenes or terpenoids, the chemical that gives cannabis its different types of scents. Terpenes are organic hydrocarbons found in the essential oils of plants. With the rise of the legal cannabis industry, the discussion around terpenes has recently heated up. We’re here to break down what these chemicals are, and exactly what they are doing to make your cannabis experience so unique.

What’s In a Name?

First, the words terpenes and terpenoids are often used interchangeably, although the meanings do vary. Terpenes are the naturally occurring combination of carbon and hydrogen, whereas terpenoids are terpenes that have been modified through a drying and curing process (chemical modification), altering the oxygen content of the compound.

TERPENE MOOD FINDER

Which terpene blend are you searching for?

I want to feel :

Happiness

Calm

Anti Inflammatory

Sleepy

Energized

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Trichomes and Terpenes, What you Need to Know

In cannabis, terpenes are made in the trichomes of the plant. Trichomes are the shiny, sticky, mushroom-shaped crystals that cover the leaves and buds. Trichomes on cannabis act as a defense mechanism in nature, protecting the plant from insects and animals through the production of fragrant terpenes that repel these dangers. As humans, we smell these terpenes and can make inferences about the strain and possibly physiological effects that the strain may have.

You may also enjoy this article: How CBD Oil’s Color, Clarity, And Extraction Affect Your Experience

Cannabis is an incredibly diverse plant regarding its biological makeup and potential benefits — and terpenes – are no exception. There are over 100 different identified terpenes in the cannabis plant, and while the differences can be subtle, much progress has been made in making classification of terpenes and their effects easy for patients and consumers to understand. Broadly, terpenes can be broken down into sweet, sour, spicy, or bitter — with each category further breaking down into more specific smells. These specific smells consist with certain strains, which in turn correlate to the effects of that plant. In fact, to help with this., many companies have produced terpene wheels to better help people understand this. More on that in a bit.

How Terpenes Affect your Mood

Here’s an example: A sour-smelling flower may have a strong lemon scent to it. Lemon scented strains are often correlated with strains like lemon skunk or lemon haze; these are zesty sativas that give the consumer a boost of energy and euphoria. With a better understanding of terpenes and how they relate to the scents that you are experiencing, you are able to come to certain conclusions about the plant in front of you by simply smelling it. This is powerful information for consumers, patients, and growers alike.

So what exactly are these terpenes?

Common Terpenes You May Already Be Familiar With

common cannabis terpenes

Limonene

You may be more familiar with terpenes than you realize. Considering our lemon example above, do you know what terpene a lemon scent refers to? Limonene. Limonene is not only characteristic of citrus-smelling cannabis but it’s also the exact terpene found in lemons and other citrus fruit rinds, like oranges and limes, giving them that fruity smell. Among other products, limonene is commonly used as a fragrant additive in cosmetics and cleaning supplies.

Limonene is known for its powerful antifungal and antibacterial properties. It’s a natural insecticide on the cannabis plant and can even assist in treating toenail fungus in humans. Limonene is easily absorbed through inhalation and even improves absorption of other terpenes through the skin and body tissue, like mucous membranes and the digestive tract. Limonene is also known for its stress-relieving and mood-enhancing effects.

Pinene

Can you guess where pinene is commonly found? That’s right — pine trees. Pinene actually comes in two types: alpha, which smells like pine needles and is the most commonly found terpene in nature, and beta, which smells like rosemary, basil, dill, or parsley. Pinene is also found in conifer trees, citrus peels, and turpentine. Pinene is a powerful bronchodilator, which helps improve airflow to lungs, making it a good option for those struggling with asthma. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and local antiseptic and has been used by cultures around the world for its healing properties for thousands of years. Pinene easily crosses the blood-brain barrier improving memory and alertness. It’s even said that pinene counters memory loss associated with THC.

Myrcene

Commonly found in mangoes, hops, thyme, and lemongrass, myrcene is said to be one of the most abundant terpenes in cannabis. Myrcene is important because its presence determines whether a strain is indica or sativa. According to Steep Hill Labs, if a plant has more than 0.5% myrcene, it will produce indica-like effects. Anything less than 0.5% myrcene produces sativa-like effects. Myrcene is also known for its antibiotic, analgesic, and anti-mutagenic properties.

Linalool

Linalool is commonly found in lavender and its aroma is light and floral. Widely known for the ability to reduce stress, linalool is used as an anti-anxiety, antidepressant, and sedative. Linalool is also used to relieve seizure symptoms and provide relief to those suffering from psychosis.

cannabis terpene benefits

Custom Terpene Profiles

Research and information about terpenes are becoming increasingly available as interest in cannabis continues to grow. However, the average cannabis shopper can still be unaware of the effects that terpenes have on their cannabis experience. Furthermore, testing profiles showing cannabinoid and terpene content are not widely available to consumers. Companies are stepping in to remediate this by rebranding how we talk about terpenes.

Profile charts, like this table or this wheel, provide an easy, visual way for consumers and patients to understand which terpenes produce particular effects. Generally, terpenes can be associated with different strains or products. These visual aids can help educate curious consumers so that informed purchasing decisions can be made.

The Future of Cannabis is in Delivering a Consistent Feeling, Like This..

Recently, there has been an uptick in companies who discuss their products based on feelings. Some brands advertise solely based on their intended effects. You can now buy a vape pen labeled “relax” or “energy.” This is a game changer for a few reasons. Two customers may walk into a dispensary asking for something sativa. The first customer may ask for a sativa seeking to focus, while the other may ask for a sativa seeking higher levels of energy. Because varied terpene content within sativa strains will make certain products better for certain effects, the use of mood-based branding provides solutions for different types of customers.

Custom Terpene Profiles, Should I Care?

Custom terpene profiles can also be beneficial to patients seeking relief. Medical cannabis patients often suffer from several ailments at the same time, for example, nausea, pain, and stress. The severity and sensitivity of conditions vary among patients making individual, customized treatment essential. As more brands hit the market with custom terpene and cannabinoid profiles, patients are provided with increased treatment options, and in ways that we have not seen before. Because growing conditions and plant genetics determine terpene quality and content, growers are now able to make adjustments to the “how” and “what” they grow, in order to meet patient demand. This is a much faster and transparent process than waiting for a new pharmaceutical drug to hit the market.

Terpenes and Vaporizing

Because terpenes have different molecular structures, their boiling points vary. The temperature at which you vaporize becomes important for understanding what produces your desired effects. Some compounds require higher boiling points to turn into vapor, while others are ineffective at high temperatures. The same goes for cannabinoids.

Love Terpenes? Pick your Vaporizer Wisely, Here’s Why

The differences can also be quite wide. For example, THC’s boiling point is 315 F and Linalool’s boiling point is 388 F. There is a multitude of vaporizers on the market and temperature customization is becoming increasingly popular. Many devices now let you change the temperature directly on the device or through a smartphone app, providing cannabis consumers with options to consume at different temperatures.

Smoking anything isn’t ideal for your body — combustion creates smoke which contains by-products that are harsh on your lungs. Vaporizing is more gentle on the body, and more of the vapor content is made of the cannabinoids and terpenes that you seek. Cannabinoids begin to vaporize at 285 F and combustion begins at 392 F. Playing with different temperatures will help you find your sweet spot.

Non-Cannabis Terpenes and Concentrates

Another trend gaining popularity is the rise in products combining non-cannabis, isolated terpenes, and concentrates. A recent Brazilian study found that rats exposed to this combination were more likely to develop kidney problems than rats exposed to either substance on their own. Their research found that cannabis smoke degraded isolated beta-caryophyllene (another common terpene) into toxic chemicals known for consumption. The authors of the study went so far as to advise against mixing these compounds for humans.

More scientific research is necessary in order to better understand how terpenes affect the human body. Cannabis Science is still a relatively new field and there is so much more to be discovered. Until then, you can learn more by educating yourself on what research has been validated in order to better inform your consumption and purchasing decisions.

Your Most Important Takeaways about Terpenes

From what we know, the potential benefits from terpenes are promising. These organic, naturally occurring compounds not only enhance and inform your cannabis experience but also offer great medicinal benefits to patients. Terpenes have been used for thousands of years by cultures around the world for their healing properties and as cannabis science expands, the possibilities to help more people becomes increasingly exciting.

Bottom Line:

Terpene-based products are pushing the conversation about these compounds into the mainstream. Consumers are beginning to understand the correlation between terpenes and cannabinoids and their cannabis-consumption experience. The more sophisticated the consumer becomes, the more evolved the products on the shelves (and their marketing) will become.

As cannabis legalization marches forward, the market for products geared towards patients and consumers will rapidly expand. New companies and brands will jump in developing products to meet demand. Simultaneously, research will continue to move forward and more information regarding the benefits of the cannabis plant will come to light.

It’s up to consumers to better understand what they are looking for from their cannabis experience and from their products. By having open conversations with budtenders and asking brands for what they want, they open to door to new possibilities.

Further Reading:

Terpene Synthases from Cannabis Sativa

[keptin-indy]

Exalted: Saigoth Gates 9

The game’s first Limit Break!  Which actually went about as smoothly as a Limit Break can possibly go.

As I’m not sure it’s explicitly come up and I just had to look up a lot of summons for the informational links in this chapter, I want to clarify something about the Twilights here:  West summons Elementals, which are basically magical animals of varying intelligence made of the element they’re aspected to (like the greenmaw earlier, who was a Wood Elemental made of plants)(they’re kind of Pokemon in this edition).  Krait summons demons, which are exactly what they sound like except in Exalted they may or may not be straight-up evil, but they’re always weird.  Technically only demons are summoned and Elementals are created from scratch, but both types of summons are magically bound to obey their summoner’s commands, though they may have their own agendas about how they do that and what else they do when not being commanded.

Naran and Ardor stayed in the manse to keep an eye on the creature for a little longer while Mazatl escorted Shashaka and West home for some much-needed recovery.  As soon as they reached the apartment, Krait bombarded them with questions, which no one was willing to answer.  West asked if Krait had any method of removing magical taint and Krait suggested removing his eyeballs, prompting West to huff into his room, removing the one person who even could answer Krait’s questions.  Mazatl said that he shouldn’t even attempt to explain beyond the traps, which of course Krait was very interested in.  Shashaka relocated her bed and most of the group’s alcohol into West’s room.  Back in the manse, Naran noticed that the decomposition of the Primordial was happening before his eyes, much faster than they had assumed.  He estimated that it had at most two weeks before the rot consumed all of it and rushed home to tell West, leaving Ardor alone to sing soothing songs to the thing.  Without a common language, she attempted to mimic its method of conveying emotions as best she could.  Once Naran reached the apartment, Krait also ambushed him with questions and was again foisted off with no detail as Naran told Shashaka that the thing they’d found was dying and could she please get West.  She did, but the drunk, exhausted, burned, mutated, and overall done West was less than thrilled about the prospect of going back to the manse before morning, only agreeing when Krait insisted he was tired of being kept in the dark and was a doctor, dammit, so he was heading over right now to heal whatever the thing was.  

Krait took in the manse with greater aplomb than the circle had expected and sized up both the manse’s function and the Primordial’s plight quickly, though he refused to believe the others when they claimed the manse had huge destructive potential.  He proposed that the Primordial was dying because it sustained itself off the energy of the dragonlines and they had evidently gone through major upheaval quite recently, probably coinciding with Ragar Aluru’s magical defeat of the Realm navy.  Unfortunately, imprecise resetting of the lines would both take a long time and potentially disrupt the geomancy of the entire South.  Krait attempted to get details out of the Primordial, but found the empathic communication difficult to process efficiently, so the weary West offered to attune himself more to the creature’s language if Krait could then translate from Old Realm to the rest of the circle.  However, rather than the usual understanding of the ancient tongue his technique granted, the Primordial spoke directly through West in an inhuman voice, panicking Shashaka until Krait insisted that West was still fully in charge (which was not exactly true).  The Primordial said that it may already be too late to save it from permanent incapacitation (the closest analogue to death it could understand) and that the decay of its body was merely a reflection of what was happening to its soul.  Krait suggested some bad ideas to save it (“Solar poison”, amputating the head, etc) which were shot down by West struggling back to the front of his own brain.  Obviously further action in the span of the night was impossible, so West requested sedatives and for the circle to just leave him in peace to sleep on the antechamber’s floor rather than brave the shadowlands outside in his current state, but Naran and Mazatl were wary of Krait’s plans.  They asked him to swear not to bring any demons into the manse, which Krait adamantly refused.  They tried to temper it to “without the circle’s permission” which Krait also refused, citing emergency medical procedures in which he wouldn’t have time to ask.  He then accused Naran of plotting to oath against Krait’s will any agreeable thing he might accidentally say and Naran very nearly challenged him to a duel to the death then and there for impugning his honour.  Mazatl attempted to calm things down and got Krait to agree to a non-binding agreement to try and ask the circle before doing anything and he and Krait flew back to the apartment on agataback while Mazatl tried to explain to Krait what they were actually trying to achieve and assure him that no one was out to get him.  

The next day, Krait passive-aggressively asked Naran to make his people move Krait’s alchemy lab closer to the manse since he wasn’t allowed to summon a demon that could do that itself and Naran pulled him aside to clarify where they both stood, which surprisingly went fairly well, though Krait was uncharacteristically self-righteous and preachy, having reached his limit of things he would shyly put up with.  Unnoticed by the busier members of the circle, Ardor wandered off into the city, singing songs of freedom from oppressors and throwing off occupations, raising the tension in the city and priming it for revolution sooner rather than later.  Naran also directed his businesses to strangle the Imperial army’s supply lines and redirect some of it to rebel enclaves.  Back in the manse, West set about summoning the most stable elementals he could design, made from the appropriate materials gathered in and around the manse (vaktri made of twisted glass, flame duck from the ever-burning room, etc) while keeping an eye on the control room’s instruments, which eventually registered another shift in the local dragonlines.  West asked what was going on and the Primordial indicated an attempted attack from the direction of the Lap.  Ragara Aluru had previously noticed his geomantic alterations couldn’t touch Chiaroscuro and had launched a previous magical attack via the dragonlines, which the Primordial had warded off, and he seemed to be testing the defenses again.  Should the Primordial become incapacitated, its new elemental servitors could maintain the manse and dragonlines under normal circumstances, but would be unable to defend against such attacks.  Krait, coming by to take samples of the rotting flesh, finally asked the Primordial’s name and was shocked and alarmed to hear it was Saigoth, Bastion Against the Never-Was.  Suddenly aware that the gilmyne’s rantings about the Saigoth Gates were more valid than anyone thought, he asked about the Never-Was and was told that they had been bound away, but without Saigoth’s vigil, they could return and destroy all that Was.  The import of this manse finally sinking in for Krait, West told him that he’d been saying the manse could lead to the destruction of the world this entire time but Krait hadn’t believed him, at which point the chastened Krait retreated from his self-righteous tantrum back to his normal timidity.  West asked Saigoth what it would take to keep the Never-Was imprisoned and was told a direct mind-dragonline interface, which humans were incapable of achieving.  Both West and Krait came to the same conclusion and began frantically trying to think of where to find an elemental dragon, but Krait only knew of one in far away Champoor.  Gathering the rest of the circle, they decided to consult the local elemental court, but were interrupted by an Imperial patrol finally reaching the front door of the hidden manse.  Krait put them to sleep, but now the circle was left with the question of how to keep the patrol’s disappearance unnoticed for long enough to summon a noresore to eat their memories of the discovery.

(In the midst of all this, the rest of the circle learned Old Realm in self-defense.  Krait also conducted an experiment on a rat he forcibly mutated with a cauldron of pure Wyld he had distilled from rendering demons and purifying the infernal essence to prove that he could fix West’s eyes without removing them.  After this was accomplished, Krait and West discussed magical theory and their separate plans for expanding upon the utility of Yasal crystals, agreeing to keep each other informed of their progress.)

#livejournal replacement #game #actual play #exalted: saigoth gates #exalted

[imagineironfalcon]

High school AU with Nerd!Tony and Popular!Sam.

(Watch out for the cut)

Sam wasn’t on the football team – he was on the trackteam, actually – but that didn’t seem to affect his popularity. Bucky said itwas because Sam was friendly and legitimately nice. Steve said it was becauseSam was hot and smart, so all the different cliques had something to like abouthim. (That usually led to Peggy making a muffled laugh type of noise, and Steveturning a bright grin on her and adding, “Not as hot and smart as Peg, though.”Then Bucky and Sam would both roll their eyes as the two made googly-eyes ateach other.)

Point was, Sam was pretty popular in high school,which was a big change from middle school where he’d been the too sensitive,too smart, too different. An outcast. So he liked to think he used said powersof popularity for good when the chances arose.

Such as Brock Rumlow picking on one of the kids inScience Club.

Bruce Banner was timid, and whip-smart, and quietlyasking Brock for his glasses back. Brock laughed and held them farther out of reach.

Walking up behind him, Sam plucked the glasses out ofhis hand, and came around to hand them to Bruce. Brock glared at him, butscoffed and walked away instead of picking a fight. Bruce watched him leavewith a hard look that made Sam wonder if the guy couldn’t have handled ithimself just fine, then smiled wryly at Sam.

“Thanks.”

“No problem.” Sam shoved his hands deep in the pocketsof his jacket. “Uh, Science Club let out already?” He glanced around the halls,but didn’t see any other students from the club.

An uncomfortably knowing smirk curled Bruce’s lips.“No. We’re having a late start today. Was on my way there when I bumped intoRumlow.”

Sam nodded, swallowing.

Bruce’s smirk widened. “If you wanted to walk with methere to make sure he didn’t bother me again, you could.” He paused, thenadded, “Maybe you’d actually say something to Tones this time.”

Sam flushed, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. “Um… I’m that obvious?”

Bruce shrugged. “To be fair, I think most people don’tnotice. But, you know, we quiet nerdy types tend to pay attention to people.”

“Ah,” Sam said simply. He licked his lips. “So does…?”

“Tony know you’ve got the hugest crush on him?” Bruceraised a brow. “No,” he sighed. “Or if he has noticed, he’s working hard topretend he hasn’t.”

“Oh,” Sam said, heart sinking, shoulders slumping.That was not very… encouraging. At all. “I’ll just… go, if you’re okay withthat.” He didn’t feel much up to facing Tony Stark after hearing that.

For a long moment, Bruce stared at him, then said, “Ican handle walking to the Science lab by myself, Sam. It’s okay.” He patted Sam’sarm comfortingly, pushed his glasses up his nose, and smiled.

“Bye Bruce,” Sam said, and turned to walk away.

~*~*~

Someone stood hovering over Sam’s desk the next day,while he was digging out a pen from his backpack. No one around him saidanything, so he didn’t worry too much about it. Maybe he should have, becausehe nearly choked when he did finally straighten and looked right up into TonyStark’s narrowed eyes.

“So is it a joke or not, Wilson?”

“…Huh?”

Tony rolled his eyes, waving a hand generally aroundthem. There were small black stains around his knuckles, under his fingernails,and Sam wondered if he’d been building another of those cool robots that hadwon at last year’s science fair. “Bruce seems to think you have some kind ofgenuine feelings of like and affection for me, odd as that’d be.”

Sam’s eyes widened, just a bit. His mouth went dry.Bruce Banner had ratted him out.

Tony, strangely, nodded. “I know. I told him that wasridiculous, but he somehow tricked me into a bet that I lost – I’m sure he rigged that experiment in hisfavor, he was far too smug about winning – and the deal was I actually talkedto you about it, so.”

“I…” Sam glanced around, for help, but Peggy and Buckywere both just grinning at him widely, enjoying themselves probably. Sam hatedhis friends, they were the worst.

“Just,” Tony said, looking frustrated. “Are youfucking around or-“

“I would never pretend to like someone as some kind of– of joke,” Sam snapped, looking backat Tony. And he knew his anger was a bit misplaced – it wasn’t Tony’s fault, hedidn’t know it was a sore spot forSam, brought back that hurt that never quite fully healed from middle school –but it didn’t stop him from glaring right back at Tony. “You can fuck off ifthat’s what you think of me.”

Tony didn’t move, and didn’t stop glaring, for atleast a full ten seconds.

Then he blinked, arms falling, looking confused of allthings. “You… you mean you actually…like me?”

“Not very much right now,” Sam grumbled, turning hisglare to his desk, yanking open his notebook roughly to find the homeworkquestions he’d done the other night.

Tony didn’t leave. He shifted on his feet a bit, thensaid quietly, “I thought it was just… it wouldn’t be the first time,” hefinished, even quieter.

Sam slowed his rough movements, paused, and took adeep breath. He let it out slowly, calming a bit. Not Tony’s fault for makingthat assumption – or, at least, Sam couldn’t precisely blame Tony for jumpingto the worst conclusion first.

“Yeah, well, I know how much that sucks,” he muttered.“I wouldn’t do that.” He glanced up, meeting Tony’s eyes, and Tony noddedslightly.

Licking his lips, Tony’s head ducked down for a momentbefore he looked up at Sam again, shy. “So… if I asked you to go to the movieswith me, would you say yes?”

“Depends,” Sam finally said.

“On?”

“The movie.” He couldn’t help grinning, and it widenedgiddily when Tony beamed right back at him.

#prompts #ironfalcon #high school au #tony stark #sam wilson #marvelingjules #jules #nerd!tony #popular!sam #get-together #tonyxsam #anonymous

[caliconnected]

Cannabis for Fitness

This is your brain on pot:

But can weed really deliver all the fitness benefits of a nutritious, protein-packed fried egg?

If you ask most people, they’ll likely define the common stoner as a lazy, unmotivated heap sprawled out on a couch with a bag of chips and a 7-Eleven Slurpee. But if you ask scientists, you get quite a different picture.

Smoking Weed and Working Out:

Contrary to popular belief, marijuana users actually have an affinity for fitness. In fact, researchers at the University of Colorado in Boulder discovered that 80% of marijuana users in weed-legal states reported consuming cannabis shortly before or after exercise, and more than half consumed cannabis both before and after working out.

Okay, well these are just chronic stoners, not fitness gods, right? Wrong. A recent 2020 study found that about 25% of elite athletes used some form of cannabis in the past year.

Additionally, scientists have found that over half of research participants who incorporated cannabis into their exercise regimens reported increased motivation, while a vast majority said it increased enjoyability and improved their recovery.

There’s plenty of hard evidence to suggest that incorporating cannabis into your routine could benefit your beach bod. For example, research done by Maksud and Baron in the 1980s found that cannabis users were likely to have less fat than non-users.

Those who consumed marijuana had significantly lower BMI and body fat, a common observation found in most similar studies. That means that people who use cannabis are more likely to be in better physical shape than those who don’t!

There certainly seems to be more than meets the eye when it comes to the cannabis-fitness combination. People who smoke marijuana don't seem to meet the couch potato stigma that they are often associated with. But how does one maximize the benefits of cannabis in their workout?

Should I smoke weed before my workout?

It may seem counterintuitive to consume marijuana in your pre-workout ritual, however, there are many gym rats who would disagree.

Plenty of people believe that cannabis can positively impact focus and “flow” during a workout, as is shown in a recent 2018 study where 77% of participants felt that their performance at the gym was enhanced by marijuana when using it before or in the midst of their workout.

Stress and anxieties can be a burden on your fitness routine, and marijuana is a proven anti-anxiety tool.

Is that beautiful woman on the glute machine staring at you? Is that jacked dude judging your arm-curl form? Using weed before the gym might help quell these anxieties so you can simply focus on yourself and get in the zone.

Cannabis consumption is not an ideal pre-workout ritual for everyone though. Before a championship game or a marathon might not be the best time to smoke pot. According to experts, this could make for an unsafe situation since weed can have a tendency to impair mental and motor abilities, especially if you are attempting a new type of workout, or an especially challenging one.

However, since cannabis is tried and true when it comes to pain control, experts and medical doctors alike say smoking weed can positively impact your low-key training days.

Similar to a runner’s high, marijuana can improve an athlete’s endurance and numb their aches when used before or during their training sessions.

Cannabinoids work to heighten fitness in various ways, but mainly by releasing endorphins, which is exactly what happens during a runner’s high. Cannabis also works to counteract conditions like back pain or chronic knee pain so that an athlete can work out longer and happier.

But isn’t smoking detrimental to the lungs?

After all, oxygen is an imperative component of fitness. The science says that marijuana isn’t much of a factor when it comes to breathing easily in a workout.

Some of the best predictors of athleticism include oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, heart rate, and minute ventilation.

A 1986 study compared cannabis users with non-users and found that there was virtually no difference in all of these categories between the groups, even when the participants were exercising at peak performance.

So smoking marijuana before your workout can be an effective way to increase enjoyment without harming your heart and lungs.

Should I smoke weed after my workout?

Although there is plenty of anecdotal praise when it comes to using weed before working out, a quick skim of Reddit and other popular forums lead to a common consensus: “Never before, frequently after.”

Athletes who were surveyed across a variety of studies overwhelmingly touted the benefits of including cannabis in their post-workout rituals, namely pain reduction, sleep aid effects, and overall calming.

When it came to using pot before physical activity, there were substantially fewer endorsements as athletes usually felt that pot might decrease motivation and impede performance.

Who doesn’t like to reward themselves for dominating a session at the gym? Smoking a joint can be an ideal way to pat yourself on the back after a challenging workout.

Not only do the effects of cannabis become stronger after physical activity, but marijuana can also be a fantastic aid for post-workout recovery. Research is increasingly pointing to marijuana as an ideal tool to improve important factors in recovery like inflammation and appetite.

The most common use for cannabis in the fitness world is pain-management. Take UFC fighter Nate Diaz who made headlines when he vaped CBD after a fight with Conor McGregor that left him bloodied and bruised saying, it “helps with the healing process and inflammation and stuff like that.”

In fact, CBD, a chemical in the cannabis plant, is getting so popular among athletes that the World Anti-Doping Agency recently removed the chemical from its list of banned substances.

Being one of the most popular cannabinoids, and a legal one at that, CBD is widely used and respected in the fitness world.

But CBD is just one of many components of cannabis, and being such a dynamic plant with hundreds of potentially biologically active chemicals, there can be a variety of effects that can either help or hurt physical activity.

Conclusion: Is weed good for working out?

There is much more research to be done to define the best elements of marijuana to use for a workout, including the many effects of various combinations of cannabinoids like THC and CBD, which show great promise.

Just keep in mind that even if one cannabis product doesn’t improve your workout or recovery, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a type of strain or edible that can deliver the effects you want to become a better athlete.

And with no chemically addictive properties, no hangover, and increasing accessibility, cannabis products are quickly becoming preferable to drugs like opioids and benzodiazepines which can easily impede a fitness routine.

As opposed to putting harmful lab-made drugs into their bodies, many fitness aficionados are increasingly turning to cannabis as a natural alternative.

Whether you’re seeking better results in the gym, faster and improved recovery, or simply need some motivation to get back in shape, adding cannabis into your workout routine could very well be the boost you need to take your training to the next level.

Enjoy your workout, and enjoy your weed too!

[threyes]

Below are instances of some clinical studies published in peer-reviewed scholastic journals about the restorative benefits (or otherwise) of garlic.

Lung cancer cells risk

People that consumed raw garlic at least twice a week throughout the 7 year study duration had a 44 percent lower threat of developing lung cancer cells, according to a research study conducted at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Avoidance in China.

The scientists, who published their study in the journal Cancer Avoidance Study, performed face-to-face interviews with 1,424 lung cancer people as well as 4,543 healthy and balanced people. They were asked about their diet regimen and way of living, consisting of inquiries on smoking and also how commonly they ate garlic.

The study writers composed: "Protective organization between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer has actually been observed with a dose-response pattern, recommending that garlic may possibly work as a chemo-preventive representative for lung cancer."

Mind cancer cells

Organo-sulfur substances discovered in garlic have been determined as efficient in damaging the cells in glioblastomas, a kind of fatal mind tumor.

Scientists at the Medical College of South Carolina reported in the journal Cancer cells that 3 pure organo-sulfur compounds from garlic - DAS, DADS, as well as DATS - "demonstrated efficacy in removing brain cancer cells, but DATS confirmed to be one of the most reliable."

Co-author, Ray Swapan, Ph.D., said "This study highlights the terrific assurance of plant-originated compounds as natural medicine for regulating the deadly development of human mind tumor cells. More research studies are required in pet designs of brain tumors before application of this healing approach to mind tumor people."

Hip osteo arthritis

Ladies whose diets were rich in allium veggies had lower degrees of osteo arthritis, a team at King's College London as well as the University of East Anglia, both in England, reported in the journal BMC Bone and joint Conditions. Instances of allium vegetables include garlic, leeks, shallots, onions, and rakkyo.

The research study writers claimed their findings not just highlighted the feasible effect of diet regimen on osteo arthritis results however likewise demonstrated the capacity for using substances that exist in garlic to establish therapies for the problem.

The long-lasting research study, entailing greater than 1,000 healthy women twins, located that those whose nutritional routines consisted of a lot of fruit and vegetables, "specifically alliums such as garlic," had less indications of early osteo arthritis in the hip joint.

Potentially a powerful antibiotic

Diallyl sulfide, a compound in garlic, was 100 times a lot more reliable than 2 popular prescription antibiotics in fighting the Campylobacter germs, according to a study released in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy.

The Campylobacter germs is among the most common sources of intestinal infections.

Elderly writer, Dr. Xiaonan Lu, from Washington State College, said, "This job is really interesting to me since it shows that this compound has the possible to lower disease-causing germs in the setting and in our food supply."

Heart protection

Garlic in heart-shaped dish

Garlic might contain heart-protective chemicals.

Diallyl trisulfide, a component of garlic oil, aids secure the heart during heart surgery and also after a cardiac arrest, researchers at Emory College School of Medication discovered. They additionally think diallyl trisulfide can be used as a treatment for heart failure.

Hydrogen sulfide gas has actually been revealed to safeguard the heart from damage.

Nonetheless, it is an unpredictable compound and also hard to deliver as treatment.

Because of this, the scientists made a decision to concentrate on diallyl trisulfide, a garlic oil element, as a much safer means to deliver the advantages of hydrogen sulfide to the heart.

In experiments utilizing laboratory mice, the group located that, after a cardiovascular disease, the computer mice that had actually received diallyl sulfide had 61 percent much less heart damages in the location in danger, compared with the untreated mice.

In another research study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, researchers located that garlic oil may help safeguard diabetes individuals from cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy is the leading reason of death amongst diabetes mellitus clients. It is a chronic condition of the myocardium (heart muscle mass), which is extraordinarily enlarged, bigger, and/or tensed.

The group fed diabetic person lab rats either garlic oil or corn oil. Those fed garlic oil experienced substantially a lot more adjustments related to defense against heart damage, compared with the pets that were fed corn oil.

The study writers created, "In conclusion, garlic oil possesses significant possibility for safeguarding hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy."

Human studies will certainly need to be executed to validate the results of this study.

High cholesterol and also high blood pressure

Researchers at Ankara University explored the effects of garlic remove supplements on the blood lipid (fat) account of people with high blood cholesterol. Their research study was released in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

The research included 23 volunteers, all with high cholesterol; 13 of them additionally had hypertension. They were split right into 2 groups:

The high-cholesterol normotensive team (regular blood pressure).

The high-cholesterol hypertensive group (high blood pressure).

They took garlic remove supplements for 4 months and also were regularly looked for blood lipid parameters, along with kidney and liver function.

At the end of the 4 months, the researchers concluded "... garlic essence supplements boosts blood lipid account, enhances blood antioxidant potential, as well as creates significant reductions in systolic as well as diastolic high blood pressure. It additionally leads to a decline in the degree of oxidation item (MDA) in the blood examples, which demonstrates reduced oxidation responses in the body."

In other words, the garlic remove supplements lowered high cholesterol levels, as well as additionally blood pressure in the patients with high blood pressure. The scientists included that their own was a tiny research study - more work needs to be carried out.

Prostate cancer

Doctors at the Department of Urology, China-Japan Friendship Health Center, Beijing, China, accomplished a research reviewing the connection in between Allium vegetable usage as well as prostate cancer danger.

They gathered and evaluated published studies as much as May 2013 and also reported their findings in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Avoidance.

The study writers ended, "Allium vegetables, specifically garlic consumption, are related to a lowered danger of prostate cancer."

The group additionally commented that because there are few appropriate researches, additionally well-designed prospective researches must be accomplished to validate their searchings for.

Prostate cancer cells in detail

Prostate cancer cells thoroughly

In the United States, prostate cancer cells is the most typical cancer in men.

REVIEWED NOW

Alcohol-induced liver injury

Alcohol-induced liver injury is brought on by the long-term over-consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Scientists at the Institute of Toxicology, School of Public Wellness, Shandong University, China, wished to figure out whether diallyl disulfide (DADDY), a garlic-derived organosulfur compound, may have safety impacts against ethanol-induced oxidative tension.

Their research was published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta.

The researchers wrapped up that DADS could help secure versus ethanol-induced liver injury.

Preterm (premature) delivery

Microbial infections while pregnant increase a woman's risk of preterm shipment. Scientists at the Division of Public Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health and wellness, studied what influence foods could carry antimicrobial infections as well as preterm distribution risk.

The research study and its findings were released in the Journal of Nutrition.

Ronny Myhre and colleagues focused on the impacts of Alliums and also dried fruits, because a literature search had actually determined these two foods as showing the best guarantee for decreasing preterm shipment danger.

The team explored the consumption of dried out fruit and also Alliums among 18,888 ladies in the Norwegian Mommy and Youngster Cohort, of whom 5 percent (950) went through spontaneous PTD (preterm distribution).

The study writers ended, "Intake of food with antimicrobial and prebiotic substances may be of significance to reduce the threat of spontaneous PTD. Specifically, garlic was connected with total reduced threat of spontaneous PTD."

Garlic and the common cold

A team of researchers from St. Joseph Family Medication Residency, Indiana, carried out a research titled "Therapy of the Acute Rhinitis in Children as well as Grownups," released in American Family Physician.

They reported that "Preventative use garlic might decrease the regularity of colds in grownups, but has no impact on period of symptoms." Prophylactic use suggests utilizing it routinely to prevent disease.

Though there is some research study to suggest that raw garlic has the most benefits, various other studies have actually looked at total allium consumption, both raw as well as prepared, and also have actually discovered benefits. As a result, you can take pleasure in garlic in a variety of ways to gain its benefits.

[bitterethan]

Below are instances of some scientific researches published in peer-reviewed academic journals concerning the healing benefits (or not) of garlic.

Lung cancer cells risk

Individuals that consumed raw garlic at least twice a week throughout the 7 year research period had a 44 percent reduced risk of creating lung cancer, according to a study carried out at the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Disease Control and also Avoidance in China.

The scientists, who released their research in the journal Cancer Avoidance Research, executed in person meetings with 1,424 lung cancer individuals and also 4,543 healthy individuals. They were inquired about their diet plan as well as lifestyle, including inquiries on smoking cigarettes as well as just how often they consumed garlic.

The study writers wrote: "Protective association in between intake of raw garlic and lung cancer cells has been observed with a dose-response pattern, recommending that garlic may potentially work as a chemo-preventive representative for lung cancer cells."

Brain cancer cells

Organo-sulfur substances discovered in garlic have been identified as effective in destroying the cells in glioblastomas, a kind of deadly brain lump.

Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina reported in the journal Cancer cells that three pure organo-sulfur substances from garlic - DAS, DADS, as well as DATS - "demonstrated efficacy in eliminating mind cancer cells, but DATS proved to be one of the most effective."

Co-author, Ray Swapan, Ph.D., said "This research highlights the excellent assurance of plant-originated substances as alternative medicine for managing the malignant development of human brain growth cells. Even more researches are required in pet versions of mind growths prior to application of this therapeutic method to mind lump people."

Hip osteoarthritis

Ladies whose diet plans were rich in allium veggies had lower levels of osteo arthritis, a group at King's College London as well as the University of East Anglia, both in England, reported in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Problems. Instances of allium veggies include garlic, leeks, shallots, onions, and rakkyo.

The study writers said their searchings for not just highlighted the feasible effect of diet regimen on osteo arthritis end results however additionally showed the capacity for using substances that exist in garlic to create therapies for the condition.

The long-term study, entailing more than 1,000 healthy and balanced female twins, located that those whose nutritional habits consisted of plenty of fruit and vegetables, "specifically alliums such as garlic," had fewer indications of very early osteo arthritis in the hip joint.

Possibly a powerful antibiotic

Diallyl sulfide, a substance in garlic, was 100 times a lot more reliable than two popular antibiotics in combating the Campylobacter bacterium, according to a study released in the Journal of Antimicrobial Radiation Treatment.

The Campylobacter bacterium is one of the most typical causes of digestive tract infections.

Elderly writer, Dr. Xiaonan Lu, from Washington State University, said, "This job is extremely interesting to me since it reveals that this substance has the potential to decrease disease-causing germs in the atmosphere and also in our food supply."

Heart protection

Garlic in heart-shaped bowl

Garlic may consist of heart-protective chemicals.

Diallyl trisulfide, a part of garlic oil, aids shield the heart throughout heart surgery and also after a cardiovascular disease, scientists at Emory University School of Medicine discovered. They additionally believe diallyl trisulfide might be utilized as a therapy for cardiac arrest.

Hydrogen sulfide gas has been shown to shield the heart from damages.

Nonetheless, it is an unstable compound as well as tough to provide as treatment.

Because of this, the scientists made a decision to concentrate on diallyl trisulfide, a garlic oil component, as a safer way to deliver the benefits of hydrogen sulfide to the heart.

In experiments making use of lab mice, the group located that, after a heart attack, the mice that had obtained diallyl sulfide had 61 percent less heart damage in the location in danger, compared to the without treatment mice.

In another research, released in the Journal of Agricultural and also Food Chemistry, scientists located that garlic oil may assist safeguard diabetes mellitus individuals from cardiomyopathy.

Cardiomyopathy is the leading reason of death amongst diabetes mellitus people. It is a chronic disease of the myocardium (heart muscular tissue), which is abnormally thickened, enlarged, and/or stiffened.

The team fed diabetic lab rats either garlic oil or corn oil. Those fed garlic oil experienced significantly a lot more changes connected with protection versus heart damage, compared to the animals that were fed corn oil.

The research study writers composed, "In conclusion, garlic oil possesses considerable possibility for shielding hearts from diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy."

Human research studies will certainly require to be done to validate the results of this study.

High cholesterol and also hypertension

Researchers at Ankara University checked out the impacts of garlic essence supplements on the blood lipid (fat) profile of people with high blood cholesterol. Their research study was published in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

The research involved 23 volunteers, all with high cholesterol; 13 of them additionally had high blood pressure. They were separated into 2 teams:

The high-cholesterol normotensive team (normal high blood pressure).

The high-cholesterol hypertensive group (hypertension).

They took garlic remove supplements for 4 months and also were frequently looked for blood lipid parameters, as well as kidney and liver feature.

At the end of the 4 months, the researchers concluded "... garlic extract supplements boosts blood lipid profile, enhances blood antioxidant potential, as well as creates significant decreases in systolic and also diastolic blood pressures. It likewise leads to a decline in the degree of oxidation item (MDA) in the blood samples, which demonstrates decreased oxidation reactions in the body."

In other words, the garlic extract supplements minimized high cholesterol degrees, as well as additionally blood pressure in the patients with hypertension. The scientists added that theirs was a tiny research study - even more work needs to be performed.

Prostate cancer

Medical professionals at the Department of Urology, China-Japan Relationship Hospital, Beijing, China, performed a research examining the relationship between Allium vegetable usage as well as prostate cancer threat.

They collected and evaluated released studies as much as May 2013 and reported their findings in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Cells Prevention.

The study authors ended, "Allium veggies, especially garlic intake, are related to a lowered danger of prostate cancer cells."

The team additionally commented that due to the fact that there are few pertinent studies, better well-designed potential studies ought to be performed to confirm their searchings for.

Prostate cancer in detail

Prostate cancer thoroughly

In the USA, prostate cancer cells is one of the most usual cancer in guys.

CHECKED OUT NOW

Alcohol-induced liver injury

Alcohol-induced liver injury is brought on by the long-lasting over-consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Scientists at the Institute of Toxicology, Institution of Public Health, Shandong University, China, wished to determine whether diallyl disulfide (DADS), a garlic-derived organosulfur substance, could have safety results against ethanol-induced oxidative stress.

Their research study was published in Biochimica et Biophysica Acta.

The scientists ended that FATHER might help protect versus ethanol-induced liver injury.

Preterm (premature) distribution

Microbial infections during pregnancy elevate a lady's danger of preterm shipment. Scientists at the Department of Public Health, Norwegian Institute of Public Health and wellness, researched what impact foods might carry antimicrobial infections as well as preterm shipment threat.

The study as well as its searchings for were published in the Journal of Nutrition.

Ronny Myhre and coworkers focused on the impacts of Alliums and also dried fruits, due to the fact that a literary works search had recognized these 2 foods as revealing the greatest promise for decreasing preterm delivery threat.

The team explored the intake of dried out fruit and Alliums among 18,888 women in the Norwegian Mommy and Child Accomplice, of whom 5 percent (950) undertook spontaneous PTD (preterm shipment).

The study authors concluded, "Intake of food with antimicrobial as well as prebiotic compounds may be of significance to lower the danger of spontaneous PTD. In particular, garlic was related to general lower risk of spontaneous PTD."

Garlic and also the cold

A group of researchers from St. Joseph Household Medicine Residency, Indiana, carried out a research study entitled "Treatment of the Common Cold in Kid as well as Adults," released in American Family doctor.

They reported that "Preventative use garlic may lower the frequency of colds in adults, but has no impact on duration of signs and symptoms." Preventative use implies utilizing it routinely to avoid illness.

Though there is some research to recommend that raw garlic has one of the most advantages, other studies have taken a look at general allium consumption, both raw and also prepared, as well as have actually located benefits. Therefore, you can take pleasure in garlic in a range of methods to reap its advantages.