#so if you come across a wasp hive

[waspsinyouryard]

I am deathly afraid of wasps, but surely you’re not a hive of REAL wasps in my yard that would be silly

haha that would be so silly, right?

Anyways here's an image I took recently that you might be interested in.

#waspposting #wasps #wasp #that being said #most wasps are actually mostly solitary #only some #like hornets and yellow jackets #are eusocial #so if you come across a wasp hive #then it doesn't necessarily mean there are very many wasps living there

[ms-scarletwings]

Endearing through the Alien Lens: A Clue About the Primitive Irken?

I love literary xenobiology. I love it a whole lot, in fact. There’s a paradoxical line I dance across, between criticizing intelligent fictional aliens for their likeness to our species, and criticizing them for their unlikeness. It’s a pretentious and laughable dance between “Come on, the sky’s the limit, there’s no real reason for a bucket of different extraterrestrial races to just all be more flavors of quirky humanoids! Boring, show me something actually alien!!” and the yearn for the use of alien races as a funhouse mirror of mankind’s own evolution. I think the way Irkens nonchalantly dwell somewhere on that subjective tightrope is a good part of why I can’t seem to stop thinking about them.

They are inspired and yet creatively original. They are truly alien, and yet, they can still play foil to the bottomlessly decadent humanity that Vasquez’s Earth has set the stage for.

Before, in the very first brain dump I let loose about them, I noted a few of their parallels to the worst in Homo sapiens and the insects they resemble. This time, something is chewing on me that i haven’t seen another put into perspective. A something that seems contradictory to our collective view of the heartless, sexless, atomized conquerors that all of the cosmos will fear:

They… have parental instincts.

I didn’t necessarily say drives or wants; however, they undeniably havewhat seems to be an actual, instinctual “cuteness response”. Like us, like social pack animals which invest a great deal of resources and time into their young. Given that the closest thing that 100% of smeets born on the home world get to call a parental figure is a literal cold, unfeeling, automated machine, this seems kind of weird, doesn’t it? They’re not even born like mammals or nested like birds, they’re mass produced, like hived wasps or ants, miles beneath their actual society and out of the business of the adults. So, what the heck with them being written to be humanized with this baseless, arbitrary trait?

But, ah ah ah, nitpicker Scarlet, it’s not baseless. It’s only ✨vestigial✨

Y’all could probably make a good guess to what the cuteness response is and why it exists in Homo sapiens, but to sum up- it’s the phenomenon of when we see something we find “cute” and it makes us react to it in a protective, nurturing fashion- or also want to bite/squeeze things, weirdly, if it’s just too damn cute. Well, what do humans find cute? Things that resemble human infants, basically. It’s a biological reflex that makes us want to defend and provide care for our kind’s absurdly dependent and slow-developing young, rather than abandon them in the shrubbery like they’re just screamy, food-leeching paperweights.

“Pff, really? Well I must be special cause I don’t even LIKE babies. I think babies are icky gross, not cute! So, genetic instinct my ass!”

I hear you, sure, but what about… harp seals? Or koalas, or pandas and puppies and fawns and kittens? Or funny little cartoon blorbos? At bare minimum you’d have to be an alien yourself to feel nothing looking at photos of young hedgehogs

See, the fact that a lot of us may often find baby animals a great amount more endearing than even humans’ is not even in conflict with this understanding of cuteness.

The concept of the “baby schema” was formally proposed in 1943 by Konrad Lorenz, an Austrian ethologist. Fun fact is he was also the same researcher who originally observed and described imprinting behaviors, as seen in newly hatched waterfowl. Point is that his “Kindchenschema” idea grouped together a handful of infantile traits that make fireworks go off in the parts of your brain that wants to keep things alive and baby-talk to them. Included on the list were features like proportionally large heads, big eyes, round faces, short noses, etc. despite the name, the baby schema’s effect is something applied not to just actual babies, but children generally, and even in our reactions to non-human animals.

It’s the hypothesis behind both why we’ve jacked up the skulls of so many small dog breeds in the name of aesthetics and why we generally find the portraits on the left side of this image more appealing to look at than the ones on the right.

The consistency of these features across many species may also give some hint that they experience a similar phenonemon, especially given that these are traits shared among bird or mammalian offspring which require significant attention and protection to survive. And, it may also explain why this image likewise gives me a huge dose of that sweet, sweet response.

Awww, look at that lil’ mans! Look at his teeny noodle arms!! I just wanna pinch him like a marshmallow!

YOU are not immune to cuteness psychology, and neither are the proud Irken warriors. I’m going to cite Zim’s proclivity to what I can only describe as paternal bonding as a demonstration of this response, but before you go reminding me about his pak defects, it’s far from the only evidence that this is a natural Irken trait.

Check out little Timmy (importantly, the surrounding response to him), a hilariously out of place youngster who appeared briefly in the trial transcript for the sole purpose of a dark gag and to get us some lore revealed.

Take further note of the complimentary nature of smeets themselves.

Suddenly finding themselves alive, fresh Irken babies too, like the hatched gosling, begin to immediately seek an emotional attachment with the first animate thing they see. While mobile and fast learners, smeets are far from being able to truly fend for themselves. They’re tiny and naive and they need lots of mental enrichment/teaching. They also play and form something akin to friendships, much like human children. In the bygone era before Irkens were so reliant on Paks and all of the advanced technology of the modern empire, smeets would have been exceedingly vulnerable. All signs point to a phase in Irk’s natural history where they were once nurtured after by adults of their own kind, and commonly bonded with their caretakers. This could mean compact family units, or maybe even a communal raising situation, akin to penguin crèches (Personally I like to headcanon that the tallests/queens were traditionally the only breeding members of the population but that’s neither here or now). Either sense, the evolutionary remnants of a parental creature are still around.

Taking all that to note, instead of perceiving Zim as the bizarre outlier to the Irken condition when it comes to having this soft spot, I instead see him as an opportunity to see natural behaviors in action without the suppression of his militarized society and its distractions. Even someone as warped and selfish as he can be is still very, very full of love to give that he doesn’t even understand enough language to describe. He pretty clearly shows he has no cultural understanding or reference of cuteness, and still, he’s not so different in this “weakness” than the very humans he manipulated into fawning over Ultra Peepi. It just took an example his own sensibilities could relate to instead of an unfamiliar, repulsive alien rodent.

And when he’s given the rare circumstance to show that potential, well-

*(With the rough shape/size down, no nose, and huge, bug-like eyes, Li’l Meat man may actually be a great approximation of the key “smeet schema” features. More importantly, it was made to specifically resemble Zim himself)

- I feel that’s downright adorable.

#invader zim #iz #iz headcanons #iz theory #irkens #iz comics #iz analysis #Li’l meat man #long post #scarlet talks about things #baby schema

[buttsnorkeler69420]

[IMAGE ID:

This image is a photo of a an illustration. The illustration is of a fake magazine cover, where a black wasp with yellow stripes and brown wings fills most of the image. The wasp is clinging to a wall with its back facing the viewer, but its body twists left and its head is turned so one spotted brown eye gazes at the viewer. Its two pairs of back legs are stretched out on either side of it to grip the wall, while it holds its front pair bent close to its body. One leg gently grips one of its antenna in a preening pose. The wasp's brown, semi-translucent wings are held a relaxed distance up over its back toward the top of the image.

The wall forming the background represents a paper wasp nest and is off-white with a streaky, fibrous texture.

In large text across the top of the image is the magazine's title in tall, thin, colorful letters, "THE WEEKLY BUZZ". A subheader beneath the wasp written in matching script reads, "ART & ARCHITECTURE", and a subtitle beneath in smaller black letters reads, "Hue Hive Workers Construct In Color".

In the bottom right corner is a barcode with a orange label on top reading, "July 25 2022 www.buzzweb.com". /end ID]

id also in alt

watercolor, pen and marker

wouldn't it be cool if bugs made magazines? i was inspired by the super cool fake magazine covers people make of their characters sometimes (im looking at you, ratmags).

this was made for a set of art pieces with the theme: "how can bugs be depicted in a way in which people can sympathize with them without me having to alter their appearances/make them look 'cuter'?"

i focused a lot on posing, framing and settings to try to pull this off, which turned out to be pretty challenging! here, specifically, i chose to depict bugs in a media people are used to seeing humans in to make them more relateable.

other pieces in this collection coming soon

#art #bug art #bugs #wasps #paper wasp #northern paper wasp #dark paper wasp #my art #traditional art #watercolor #oystersauce art 😭 #magazine cover art

[yanderemommabean]

Yandere Wasp Izuku

((Contains: Somnophilia, or something akin to it, while no sex ensues, the reader is marked while in the middle of sleeping. Anyway enjoy!))

“Izuku! Seriously, it isn't a big deal!” you try and calm the wasp breed down, hands up in defense for the person behind you who was almost sobbing in fear. The green haired hybrid was almost snarling, his wings batting angrily in a show of intimidation as he tried to lunge at the poor soul. 

“IZUKU! CALM DOWN!” you shout, shoving him back to give the person time to run, listening to the scurrying footsteps being drowned out by the fervent beating of his wings. Once you believed the coast was clear, you stepped back, hand placed on the still heated hybrid's chest. 

“What has gotten into you?! I would expect this kind of behavior from the others, but you?”

Izuku chuffs, turning his head away in shame at your scolding. His wings fold back down, and his eyes return to their softer, more welcoming presence. “I’m…I’m sorry. I honestly don’t know what came over me. When I saw them touch your hand- and how they got their scent on you, I just…My feet moved before I could think”. 

His voice was sincere, his eyes having a look similar to a scolded puppy as he gently took your hand from his chest, letting it drop reluctantly. 

You take a breath, eyes focused on the ground for a moment as you gather your thoughts. “Ok. Ok I can see you thinking of me as a hive like sibling possibly, maybe that’s what caused you to lash out. But it’s no excuse for threatening them!”

Izuku wanted to correct you, that no- you weren’t seen as a hive relative. You were seen as a MATE. One only he was allowed to be around. But, seeing as you were still distraught over the incident, he decided to work on how he would drop that information on you. Perhaps back home, maybe in your room?

No, no your room is nice, but izuku’s is better. You’ll be more protected there, covered in his scent so other insect breeds don’t get any funny ideas and have to face the evil side of his species. 

He shakes his head, eyes widening slightly as he soaks in what just crossed his mind. What was he thinking?! Keeping you nested in his room- that’s never come to light before. Sure, he’s always been protective of you, but this was becoming more worrisome by the second. 

You give a sigh, and decide to finish this little walk so you don’t possibly give a heart attack to an innocent citizen. “It’s something we can look into later. I know your species is still new to this side of earth and all, so maybe we should brush up on some customs and such to avoid any more death threats”. 

-----------

Izuku sat down as he read through some files, humming in thought every now and again as the screen scrolled on his phone. “No…That’s outdated…that one's true but…no, no. none of these are helping!” he groaned in frustration, wanting to toss the device as he slammed his head back in annoyance. 

He clicked out of the page and tried looking through the other categories and sub folders, eyebrows pinching in confusion as he searched. Finally, after about an hour, he decided to check the mating behaviors folder, taking in a short breath. 

“Possessive, mates for life, territorial and…” he continues reading on, seeing that his age range is about the time where he starts to need a mate to bond with if he hasn’t already chosen one. Tilting his head in thought, he supposed it made sense that he was so protective of you these past few months. Maybe he just subconsciously chose you, delegating you as his forever mate without a second thought. 

He continues reading, not wanting to get too lost in thought about you- despite loving every image of you he had popping into his head. He came across a few paragraphs explaining how mates are bonded, and frowns as he scrolls through. 

“Mates have to be bonded through a claiming bite while-” he blushes, swallowing slowly as he reads the process it takes to make someone yours completely in his species lifestyle. Could he really do that to you? Sink his teeth into you and breed you so full you’ll never leave his home again? Make you his and his alone?

“Hey! You find anything?” you ask while flopping next to him, turning your phone off as you turn to face him. “I could only find some sibling bonds and what not.Maybe you’re just having a bad day? Or, maybe that scorpion Bakugo finally rubbed off on you” you joke. 

Izuku nods, hiding his phone in his lap nervously as his wings slowly unfurl from his back. You smell so sweet. It makes his muscles relax, and for a moment he gets so lost in the warmth he forgets to answer you. “Oh! I uh, I'm still scrolling! You know me, I have to get every detail” he lied. 

He can’t tell you what he found. There’s no way you’d let him, love and bonding for your kind is so much more different, so much less brutal and intense. No, he plans to mark you, make you give in and take him as yours forever, but he has to hide that beast within. 

For now, anyway. 

“Hey, how about we take a break and I cook you something? Consider it an apology dinner for earlier” he half jokes, beginning to stand. His eyes turn angry when you begin to deny him, about to insist that you aren’t hungry. Before you can turn him down, he cages you in, his face mere centimeters from yours. 

“I won’t let you go hungry…Heh, what kind of friend would I be if I couldn’t provide for you and feed you? “ he bit out, barely hiding it behind a smile. You just nod slowly, not sure what to say about the odd display, clutching your phone tightly until he backs away. 

“Good! Just stay right there, ok? If you need something let me get it for you! Got it?”. 

You just nod again, watching as he walked towards the kitchen to begin cooking. Izuku just growls lowly at himself for letting his instincts take over so quickly, making a fool of himself. It seems hiding this beastly side of him will be a tougher fight than he thought. 

----------------

It’s hot. Too unbearably hot. He still feels as if he’s asleep as he gets up to walk, maybe cool off outside for a bit before heading back to bed. 

His eyes are closed as he rolls over, but they snap open when he feels a body next to him. He peers over to see who on earth could be sharing a bed with him, and he becomes overly ecstatic to see that it’s you. 

Wait. This doesn’t seem right, these sheets don’t feel like his own and the painting if the room doesn’t match the interior of his. Izuku slowly starts piecing together what had occurred, and undoubtedly he sleptwalked into your abode. 

It seems his instincts have a stronger hold on him when he isn’t awake. He should feel upset, frightened that he has no control over himself, but he’s not. He’s simply content laying next to you, inhaling that intoxicating scent, his wings wanting to unfurl and shudder from the bliss it brings. 

That heat comes back, and he sees that the unbearable warmth was because his inner primal mind was begging to come out. To take what was rightfully his. 

He should leave, he shouldn’t be here while you’re at your most vulnerable, he needs to try and quietly leave and forget this ever occurred. But…what if he just had a little taste? Something to tide him over and to get his shit together. 

His species marks and claims when mating, they’re intense and some might even say brutal. So, if he just eased his way into this, stole a simple taste, perhaps he could train himself to be more in control, less instinct controlled. 

He creeps closer to your sleeping form, mouth watering as he sees the exposed skin of your shoulder, teasing and taunting him. His tongue comes to lap at your warm flesh, and once he gets a taste, his mind goes blank.

He doesn’t remember anything, he wakes up feeling a deep satisfaction as he curls tighter around whatever it is between his arms, possessively squeezing. A hiccup causes him to wake up fully, and his stomach sinks when he sees what had happened. 

You’re covered in marks, bites and red splotches where he incessantly sucked on your skin. “Oh no” he gasped, seeing the tears in your terrified eyes as you roll away and shove him to the floor. 

“You-Izuku…Are you back to me?”

“I'm me! I'm me, I'm so sorry oh God-What happened?” he asked hastily, praying he didn’t do the unthinkable and hurt you beyond repair. You sniffle and wipe your eyes as you sit up more, taking a moment to breathe. 

“You just…Kept biting and clawing at me, and you looked like you were angry when I tried to get away. I think you wanted me dead or maybe...Maybe you slept-walked and saw me as a predator to fight? I’m not too torn up it was just…You kept biting and hissing about odd things”

Izuku swallows down the actual reason his lips were on you, knowing it’ll only make you hate him even more. He can’t have that, he won’t lose you just because he can’t control himself. He’ll play along with this story, he’ll do whatever it is you think he needs to do. 

But he won’t let you leave him. 

“Fuck. I'm sorry, I wasn’t even awake! I need to get to the bottom of why I’m like this. The last Thing I want to do is hurt my ma-” he paused, swallowing nervously. “My most important friend”. 

You just nod, looking away as you cover up a bit more. “I’ll ask some of the other wasp species what they know…Maybe even a scorpion, seeing as they love to be in everyone's business” you half joked, wanting to lighten the mood. 

Izuku slowly stands back up, feeling guilty he scared you so bad. A good mate wouldn’t let you be scared of anything, most importantly themselves. He needs to fix this, find a way to get himself together and keep you beside him. 

“Let me make this up to you ok?” he starts, suddenly becoming jealous of imagining all the other species and possible mates alike that you’d have to talk to today. No. No he’ll take care of this. You should just stay here, rest, and cover yourself in more of his scent. 

“You should just rest up here, I’ll do the searching and deep diving ok? I think they’d be more accepting to talk to me anyway. You know, since they see humans as either mate material to constantly flirt with or a meal to devour”. 

You smile a bit, seeing how upset and worried your friend had become “Humans flirt back just as bad, and if I remember correctly, some of us humans eat bugs encased in candy…so I suppose we’re more alike than given credit for”. 

Fair point. But his decision still stands. “True, but this is the least I can do for you. Just let me do the research today, and you rest up, eat good, and maybe beat me with a stick when I get back” he joked, his chest warming when you smiled at him and laughed. 

“Alright, I guess. Just be careful and text me every bit of information you get ok? I want to help you out, you’re my best friend Izuku”. 

“Yeah, same here. I think I’d go crazy if anything happened to you” he said softly, beginning to itch from not being able to just wrap around you and smother himself in your scent. He needed to get up and go, before things get worse. 

Who knows what will happen if he gives in once again? 

(Hi! I hope you beans enjoy this! It was fun! Tell me what you think pretty please!-Mommabean) 

#yandere izuku #yandere wasps #yandere scenarios #yandere imagines #yandere exophilia #yandere hybrids #yandere bnha #yandere male #mommabean

[cornbake]

The Moon Will Sing PT 5

Master List Yea i haven't gotten to Caz Mans yet so i'm just doing my best here LOL Granted I'm already taking a lot of liberties in other areas at this point. WARNINGS: Angst, Violence, Gore, Blood and Injury, Cazador get's his own warning, minor character death.

The sun had stood behind you as your shadow stretched over the cobble stone. A fine iron fence had been the only guard between you and the large estate house that you had spent a good amount of time to find.

The interior was finely furnished. Once fit for one of royal standing. If the blood, fire and ice didn't completely ruin the property value.

For a den of vampires, it was certainly lively at little past mid day. Granted, you had used a fireball scroll on, what you assumed to be, the middle of the damned house. A rude wake up call, as not soon after you had parried a blade from hitting.

Whether or not a stealth approach would have been smarter was not something you concerned yourself in. You had your head up in blades and red eyes. Harsh glowing reds that aimed to kill the wasp that entered the hive.

You had managed fine with the humanoid servants, either killing them, or as close to killing as you can to something already dead, or knocking them out. You had some cuts from lucky hits but over all, you felt the fire of determination burn inside of you grow. You'd rather not admit to yourself that is was a hollow sense of determination. Something you patched together just so you didn't have to focus on the hurt it was covering. You didn't want to admit that every time you thought about returning to Astarion the fire only grows brighter. Something in you deeply hurt at the idea that once you return he would continue to give you flax affection, words that mean nothing to him. Words that you had once hung on to by each letter. Yet with each thought, the determination to complete your side of the unspoken bargin. You weren't truly angry at him, you new that, the rage you felt wasn't out of anger. You wanted to see him happy, sure, when didn't you. You still loved him, even if your heart hung heavy in mourning.

You bring the back of your hand up to wipe away the few tears that escaped your harden glare. You step away from the fallen servant you had been unconsciously staring at. You stood in a large room, open with a platform risen at one end with an over detailed large chair place in the middle of it. You had just barely made your way into the room, pushing the double doors open at the other end. The high valued ceiling held an expensive looking chandelier, the crystals daggling from thin wire made what little light in the room fracture in faint lines across the empty room. If this wasn't owned by a completely entitled bastard, you would have thought it was beautiful.

"So the Gur come to take the corpses of their family back.... how pitiful...."

The voice was a shock to your system, pulling your weapon up, readying to swing at anything you saw. Eyes making a frenzied search for anything in the still empty room. A deep chuckle sounded throughout the lengthy room.

"A sheep wondering into the lion's den... how sweet it will be to taste that of a foolish hero...." Red eyes flash in the dark, in a speed in-human as it made it's way to the throne. "Though, I am in dire need of entertainment... you might yet do..." The finely dark dressed man rose his head only to look down upon you. His eyes glowing the same crimson as the servants, yet his smile was something they didn't hold.

"I'm not a Gur, but still someone that's going to use your head as a door knocker all the same...." you hiss at him through clenched teeth. His laughter only fueling your anger. "Your reign of abuse is over Cazador! And your damned ritual of yours will be broken." You felt a stir of pride as the vampire lord's face twisted in an odd display of anger and shock. His eyes ran over you before glaring.

"I see.... so that sad little boy found himself a hero to slay the evil tyrant did he? My..." He turned away from you as his hand danced over the arm to his seat. Your gaze never leaving him, picking up every inch of detail your little pupils could. His back facing you for a seemingly long stretch of silence. "Mayhaps he will remember his teachings when his hero falls into their own grave..."

You only catch a glimpse at his shining red eyes before strong claws of a wolven creature slams you into the polished wooden flooring. You have to take a moment to steady your mind from your skull slamming into the broads. The deep snarls around make you hyper aware how out numbered you are.

You move before the next creature had a chance to strike at your downed form. Claws digging into the finely crafted wood, bright golden eyes all watch as you swing towards them.

"It's always interesting to watch the reality creep into one's mind." You can hear the pacing of finely cobbled shoes click on the wooden boards. "The bright mind of a warrior is sharp, calculating outcomes in split second timing. It's a rather impressive feat, to come up with something from nearly nothing in a matter of a moment..."

Jaws snap around your arm, the metal bracers denting, being crushed by the force. You smack the hilt of you weapon into the face of the werewolf, the shill cry from it allows you to free your arm. Yet it blocked out the growl of the other behind you. As you focus on making a second attack on the one that once held your arm a pair of claws digs into the flesh of your back. The thick keratin running over the bones of your ribs as it cuts through the armor you had on.

"Yet even will that skill, I've seen the same outcome. They slip up alone the way..." Red eyes look upon your semi-crumpled form. "They always seem too confident in their own skill to consider I am simply untouchable..."

Your breaths are ragged. You can't take a break as two other rush you at the scent of your blood. Quick reflexes smack one with a well timed attack, sending it reeling into the floor. The other catches your next attack in it's jaws, trying to pry the weapon from your grasp.

"I am as close to god-ship any mortal will ever meet. And soon I will be a god among men." His pacing stops, his full focus set onto you. "That is... once I get back what rightfully belongs to me..."

You let go of the weapon, the wovlen creature stumbling back with the sudden lack of resistance. Pulling two daggers out, you rush froward, thrusting your hand into the exposed belly of the beast. It cries as the life leaves it's features, it's jaw slackening. You're eyes barely catching notice of your discarded weapon falling from it's grasp as the weapon cracks into your shoulder. Your cry is drowned out by howls as the remaining few beasts continue to jump at you.

"My elven little star....."

Your eyes meet his as you are slammed into the floor at his feet. You aren't sure if your fight was arranged closer to him or if he had made is way closer to you. All you knew at this moment was his black dress shoes stood in the crimson pool your face was shoved into. Burning red eyes stare down at your pathic form.

"Aw... don't feel so sad, young one... I'm sure you have use yet..." His smile was sweet despite the look hidden in his bright eyes. "I find it so heart warming that the little pet found someone to... indulge in... while he was away from home... It makes what I want to do next oh so enjoyably..." You hate that your body shivered at his tone, the expectation of what's to come sinking into your mind along with a devastating thought.

"Take them to the kennels... I have some tomes to consult before I am to come for them."

You didn't here much of his words as large rough paws dug into you flesh, peeling you away from the floor.

"I had fail him.... did I..."

#fanfic #fanfiction #requests open #astarion fanfic #astarion x reader #astarion x tav #astarion x you #baldur's gate 3 fanfiction

[mantisgodsdomain]

3,4,15 for any member of team snakemouth!

...how about all three?

(for this ask game)

3. Obscure headcanon

For Kabbu, though we may have noted this before, we think that the North is quite firmly considered a patch of Deadland - and its inhabitants, as a result, tend to be very, very strange from the perspective of the rest of the world. For Kabbu, specifically, this means a variety of things, both biologically and culturally - though Northern beetles are a lot more common in Bugaria, deadlands in general come with a very high rate of mutation and a very high rate of death, and that means a high rate of superstition both in things that actively impact survival and in things that do not - as well as the simple fact that a constantly-changing set of genetics means that what a northern beetle is like is often very, very open to change.

Kabbu is an example of a burrower - a subspecies of sorts primarily identified by claws designed, very specifically, for digging. His claws grow into a sort of broad shovel shape and tend to be much sturdier than an equivalent beetle's - getting underground in moments in soft ground isn't really an exaggeration! Though he can dig through harder ground, it takes time and effort, and he can't go at it with the sheer speed of softer soil - technically, he could burrow through solid rock given enough time, but it would be both hard and extremely painful. It's a trait that's heavily prized in the North for its ability to create shelter and safety - beetles dominate the North's underground, and there's nothing that can really pose a threat to them. Tunnels are safety, and it really surprises and disorients him when things underground attack him, because back home that just kind of doesn't happen unless it's Another Beetle specifically targeting you.

In terms of more social things, he has a lot of trouble getting used to the concept of mimics. This is mostly due to the fact that mimics as a whole don't really... exist in the north, at least not in the means of gaining benefit from mimicking anything else. If you can talk to them as any other awakened bug, they're usually exactly what they say they are, and species mimicking normal geological features and plants haven't found any success, unless you're willing to get extremely generous with describing the snow-bank camouflage of a Northern Silk Moth's topcoat.

Though sand wasps or "white bees" still exist, the thing they're mimicking no longer exists in the same area. Any Hive that once was in the North is long dead, overly-large groups of bugs tend to die out quickly thanks to the handful of large predators that may decide the benefits outweigh the consequences when enough tasty beetles gather in the same place, and when the enemy you're dealing with is both too heavily armoured to be really deterred by most weaponry and capable and intelligent enough to stalk your group through the snow until the cost outweighs the benefit of eating you... well, the sort of small groups generally sent to start a new colony of social bugs really don't stand a chance.

It is, occasionally, very hard to get used to the fact that southern silk moths only grow a few heads taller than him. He's used to them presenting a lot more of a threat.

For Leif... we think he's completely, 100% blind. His eyes are frozen over due to quirk of his biology - the thing about his integration that makes him a failure, specifically. With any of the Snakemouth cordyceps, they do not naturally transfer the immunity to their own magic that any other variety of mage would have, and so need to alter their hosts in order to get the appropriate biology across. With Leif, that protection is not sufficient to protect the host, much less to preserve valuable organs - eyes, especially, are fragile, after all. The cold he naturally generates exceeds the host adaptations he provides, resulting in, even beyond the blindness, unusually brittle chitin, extremely stiff and easy-to-damage tissue, organic food processing efficiency appropriate for a bug currently freezing to death...

Well, you get the idea. Functionally, if alive, a host body would be in a state of perpetual hypothermia, prone to breaking down over time and needing persistent repair that his strain of cordyceps cannot provide, as any repair he could offer that's not within his host's natural healing capabilities requires manually breaking down and reconstructing any parts, which... is inconvenient at best. As he is, he gets around most of these issues by simply replacing his host body's soft tissue with cordyceps, but that has its own issues, mainly in making him look and move incredibly uncanny. Injuries take a very long time to repair, relatively, though the less tissue damage is done the easier it is to fix - being cleanly sliced in two, for example, might be easier to handle than any sort of crushing damage. As far as his eyes go... eyes of any sort are delicate, and the slightest damage can permanently blind someone. Any of Snakemouth Den's cordyceps tend to go blind anyways as the fungus burrows into ocular nerves - if anything, this is better for hiding, since the frost over his eyeballs conceals any mycelium in the eyes themselves. In theory, it can be repaired... in practice, it would be far too much of a pain for work that will be undone the moment he overtaxes his ice magic again.

...also, he doesn't really care. Sight is not the most important sense a moth has and his scent and ability to sense pheromones is fine, along with a general sensitivity to things like vibrations in the air. More than fine, even, since he's now kind of hybridized with both Ant and Bee and the number of pheromones he's sensitive enough to sense has shot through the roof. This on top of the "magic sense" he has means he has absolutely no trouble getting around, though reading books requires more or less sticking an antenna or fungal tendril over them and parsing out where the ink is by scent and texture. He full-on didn't notice he was blind until after the cordyceps reveal.

For Vi, while this might be one we've mentioned before, we headcanon that she's got a bit of minor mutation throwing her antenna... maybe 2% more towards a non-social relative, which gears her just slightly more towards being able to detect "foreign" scents - predators, prey, and any pollen or nectar in the area. Unfortunately, this slight shift in what scents she's made to pick up comes with a reduced sensitivity to pheromones and pheromone communication within the hive, along with loss of the general innate understanding that an average bee would have of how she's meant to "fit in" to a structure that utterly cripples her communication and social life in the hive.

It's minor enough of a mutation that she's never been flagged - she's a mutation of a social bee, not a normal variant of a solitary - but she smells weird, and she doesn't pick up on pheromones quite enough, and the variation in signals she puts off means that she both fails the communication to get across what she might need and fumbles the communication conveyed back to her about what she should do. Subtle things build up over time, and within the Hive, the negatives far outweigh the benefits - the Hive is only built with bees that fit to a standard in mind, and even minor deviations can get you dragged far, far behind.

This is getting very long so, uhh. Here's a cut. Everything else is below it. We enjoy getting very long-winded. There's a lot in here.

15. Worst thing they’ve ever done

Well, this one will depend on if it's "in general" or "by their standards". Putting any sort of objective moral judgement on just about anything is ridiculously difficult, especially with how values vary by culture or individual.

There is no such thing as objective worst, and we absolutely don't guarantee these would line up with your idea of worse, and so we'll offer two options here - what we believe they would think of first if posed with the question, and an alternative answer that would likely crop up.

For Kabbu, his own response would be easy - abandoning his teammates to The Beast. It haunts him to this day - really, what sort of beetle abandons their swarm to a fate like that? If he was a little faster, a little braver, a little less of a coward - but no. He abandoned those he was meant to care most for, and they died because of it.

For the other...

There are some things that are necessary, to survive somewhere as harsh as the Deadlands. Not everyone can be saved. Not everything can be helped. Not everyone can be taken in. Tradition and law is the heart and soul of the North - rules that everyone must comply to, if not for the sake of themselves, than for the sake of those they may interact with. To break a law, for any reason, is to be shunned by the community, most likely to your eventual death.

She broke a law. It could have been for understandable reasons, or not - it doesn't matter. She put the community at risk, and for that, she couldn't stay. She was put out in the cold, despite her pleading to the contrary. She was allowed to beg and plead and bang on the door, and yet, it meant nothing. The beast she would have lead to them caught up, eventually. He would still believe it was justified.

For Leif, his first response would be... exactly what you expect of him, really. The body he took without a care. The life he stole. He might vary on whether it's the action of stealing it or the lies he's told with that body, but the answer would be the same.

For the one he wouldn't think of... He could have spoken up. He didn't. He met their eye, slated for execution on crimes that he could parlay them on if he implicated himself, and he said nothing.

The look on their face still haunts him sometimes. It hurts more now that he's two, rather than one. It's what was needed to protect his family.

For Vi... a fault in a machine. The instructions were boring, and confusing, and hard to read. She tried to do whatever she thought might work, instead of following the manual. There was an injury. Then another one. It was her fault, really, for rigging it wrong, but she was tired and angry and she argued instead of just sucking it up and fixing it when confronted on it, and it went unfixed for days more. A minor fault can very well lead to deaths, and though this one didn't, it came close - one more inch, a slightly looser bolt, and it would have cracked a bug's shell clean open. It's a miracle it turned out as well as it did. It's a miracle that no one connected it to her enough, even when it was fixed. Someone else was punished, and she was old enough to know not to step forward - she's not stupid, after all.

The guilt still haunts her. The "what-if". The possibility of it. If someone died of her own stupid negligence, if she made someone else take the fall - she would let them, really, her sense of self-preservation isn't that bad, but she's not sure she could live with it after.

With the one she wouldn't think of personally... considering the background she's got, the journey to the Ant Kingdom, and the fact that it's already stated she took jobs before canon? We think there's a fairly good chance that Vi's off jobs got... shady. It's not like she has much in the way of morals when it comes to money, and "will do just about anything for enough cash" is a decent market. If you're willing to forsake your morals, you can get more money than your heart desires - at the cost of just a bit of risk, at that!

She doesn't think about it, really. It wasn't something she needed to think about. They were threatening her, they were a risk to her team, they were the price she had to pay to eat, the specifics of what happened don't matter much at this point. Put in the position again, would she choose their life, or hers? It doesn't matter. They're dead, anyways. She should know. She was the one to take the payment for it.

4. Favorite line?

We're copy-pasting these straight from the game! These Direct Quotes are all sourced from @aquilamage's Bug Fables Transcript project, which we highly recommend checking out! It's an excellent resource for double-checking dialogue without having to replay the game first, and a repository for just about all the dialogue in the game (provided it wasn't taken out by previous patches, of course).

We will be honest: there's a lot of dialogue in this game. This might not be our absolute favorites, as a result of a general poor memory as well as Too Much Game. Also, we have blatant favoritism towards Vi in all ways. Most of these are favorite interactions, rather than anything else, so...

For Leif:

Kabbu: Leif. If you need to take a break, let us know. Vi will carry you. Vi: That is not happening. Leif: Oh, the fatigue, it kicks in... Vi: I said it's not happening!

...and for Vi, we're fond of this dialogue, specifically because the first time we encountered it we misread "exploring" as "exploding".

Leif: Science looks like a lot of hard work. Vi: It's like uh...the thinking version of exploring!

But of course, our favorite Vi Dialogue as well as our personal favorite dialogue in the game in general would be the Bee Guard overworld spy.

Leif: Vi, you're the only Bee explorer, right? Vi: Huh? Uh, yeah! That I know of... Leif: We've been thinking it's a bit weird, to see so many Bee guards, but only one explorer... Vi: Look, they're not guards because they want to or anything, okay? Vi: They were born to be guards, so they guard. That's it. Kabbu: That's a bit somber... Vi: ...That's just how the Hive is sometimes.

"I'm allergic to bouncers" is a close second, of course. In terms of story implications, we pull on her Jaune interactions and especially the point just after getting kicked out of the studio for the first time during Jaune's request, but that's... it's less we "like" it, per se, and more that the implications are fun to toy with. In terms of the actual dialogue, it just... makes us feel sad. Sad, [], and maybe a bit angry on her behalf. We've been there more than we care to admit, after all.

We... wouldn't wish something similar on anyone. And no matter how good the good gets with Jaune, it still can't really outweigh the fact that the bad starts ticking boxes about emotional abuse in a way that makes relationships like Mothiva & Zasp that more people are willing to try and call out pale in comparison. We probably need to finish that essay some time...

Anyways, we like it when Kabbu gets mad enough to yell at people.

Kabbu: This is ridiculous! You realize you could be dooming us all!? Kabbu: What if the Termite King loses trust in the Queen!? Kabbu: What if you lose to the Wasp King without our help!? Kabbu: Have you gone completely, utterly insane!? Have you lost all intelligence! Mothiva: Yikes. You're overthinking this WAY too much. Mothiva: The Ant Kingdom's way better in our hands than with you LOSERS. Kabbu: We have SAVED YOUR LIFE BEFORE, you WITCH!

#asks #ask games #we speak #bug fables #headcanons #writing #kabbu hc section turned into north rambling but uhh. dw about it. you get to hear our cool northern worldbuilding now #hi. sorry this took so long. this is more than a thousand words of writing. #the Vi Worst Thing varies heavily by verse as does All The Other Ones #what's the worst thing they've ever done? depends on the fic! #for vi specifically the nature of the jobs she's done is often plot relevant and thus changeable by convenience #if we get into aus then there are some more drastic changes ofc but we're doing Canon TSM Only here so that's just a side note #the most notable difference in answers... #selkie vi would have a very #unfortunately selkie vi is also missing and assumed dead due to that so it would be hard for her to answer #we love kabbu but he is very much a product of his environment #the intense traditionalism is a Beetle Thing technically and kabbu's specific brand is even more specific than that #a bit of a Kabbu Thing we guess? highly area specific and notable in that its extreme even for northern beetles #you become an amalgamation of the little bits of the people around you over time #and the bits kabbu picked up. well. highlighted that law is The Way To Go for keeping people alive and safe #even if not quite happy #anyways we hope this is good. it took a longass time! we wrote So Fucking Much here. its a bit excessive.

[amorosebeing]

Team Snakemouth, What the Fuck?

I just wrote this in like 5 minutes. I am working on a different, MUCH larger fic if any of you all are curious. But anyways, I was just thinking about how absurd Team Snakemouth is from an outside perspective.

Warnings: Uh...swearing I guess?

The Explorer's Association was always an example of resilience. Of bugs that would work themselves to the shell year after year, decade after decade in hopes of reaching an elusive hope they may never see. Truly an inspiration, for the whole of the Ant of Kingdom, that is. Even if their activities sometimes seemed fruitless and vain, they would always go on in search of the legend that their home was built upon. 

And so it was both joy and worry that many of the teams within it held when they heard of new members. A duo (...or a trio? It seemed to depend who you asked.) just entered. And they did it by a special trial from Maki, foregoing the typical initiation ceremony. It was impressive, of course, that they conquered Snakemouth Den, but everyone needs great help before they can become legends like Maki or Team Slacker. Surely each team could help to guide them. Beginner's luck, and all that. 

Despite their novelty bringing along a clear lack of skill, it was also a strength. New bugs joining the association? New species, ideas, skills, backgrounds, knowledge, and hope? That was a boon in of itself. It only needed to be cultivated so this fledging team could reach further heights, perhaps even accomplish something as legendary as their fabled first mission. 

...It was quite the news to hear of them acquiring the second artifact, after word of the first had rolled all across the kingdoms. Truly, they would be revered in history. And religion; how exactly they came into possession of the Ancient Tablet was unclear, but given where it was supposedly located, there would certainly be many an acolyte coming to speak with them. 

It wasn't long until the public learnt of Team Snakemouth, along with many explorers, attending a special tour of the hives. It was clear that the Ant Kingdom had just made major victories, so perhaps Queen Elizant II simply found this a good time to strengthen alliances? It was a good sign, anyways. Perhaps such a fine closeness between the two kingdoms would last years. Perhaps even until another clue was found. 

Then the factory shut down in an emergency, and it seemed that the diplomatic efforts must be in a frenzy. At least the Ant Kingdom's explorers were willing to assist with the disaster. Not that they had much choice, given that they were locked in the factory just like everyone else, but still. 

And then Queen Bianca announced that the...'mission'(??) had been a success, and Team Snakemouth had been the ones to ultimately claim the third artifact. 

They would be...beyond legends now, as far as future historians would be concerned. Some of the finest explorers the land had ever seen, clearly. They had found all the artifacts on the path to the Sapling, and even beyond that, they had helped so many people among all the kingdoms. 

And it seemed they weren't even taking a vacation. Rumor had it they were investigating ruins in the Lost Sands, no doubt for more clues. 

For much of the Ant Kingdom, what came after that is a blur, scarcely recalled: Screams sounding through what should have been a peaceful day, wasps armed with strange weaponry breaking down gate after gate, all trailing behind a walking nightmare in bug form, wreathed in flame. 

Every artifact was claimed, and so it seemed that the path to the Sapling truly was just as far as ever. All they could do was recover from this chunk of history, and thank those who at least tried. 

But the Queen, despite everything, still held hope, and so they must press forward, even into a future that looked impossible. 

One last great act of diplomacy was needed, and Elizant delivered. She started to reforge her kingdom's ties with the Termites. Team Snakemouth, surely chosen for their prestige, accompanied her, and fought for... her honor, it seemed? The exact purpose was a little lost in the excitement of the crowd. 

Alliances were changing, some mending and others breaking. People were rising with a new hope. Rulers moving forward with a speed seen only in legends. A new age had come. 

Though before it could start in full, a final battle loomed. 

And, through it all, Team Snakemouth watched a god fall, stricken down by their hands. 

--- 

Celia couldn't believe how much Team Snakemouth had ultimately changed Bugaria. She was jealous, of course, not that she would admit that. She really didn't want to sound like a certain diva, they just...did a lot, okay? It's the same feeling she gets seeing how she works long nights investigating and Team Slacker can just throw a few dice in the tavern, easily discover something incredible, and then not do any other work for a solid week. It's...frustrating, is all. 

Maybe she should send a letter back home. She's hasn't sent a letter since Team Snakemouth joined, all those...how many years ago was it? 

The association has documents, so she merely takes a moment to check and- 

2 months and 3 days 

2 months 

It's only been 2 months 

Team Snakemouth, WHAT THE FUCK

#bug fables #bug fables team snakemouth #outside pov #tw swearing

[panoptical]

Kevin is a Corruption avatar and I will die on this hill. The themes of being consumed by something that loves you, being twisted and warped by an overwhelming force that creeps in and overtakes you, changing you into something completely unrecognizable. And it loves you. It loves you, it shines its light upon you and it burns you with love.

There's a direct parallel you can draw to how Prentiss was lured in by the hive with singing, "There is a wasps’ nest in my attic. A fat, sprawling thing that crouches in the shadowed corner. It thrums with life and malice. I could sit there for hours, watching the swirls of pulp and paper on its surface. I have done. It is not the patterns that enthrall me, I’m not one of those fools chasing fractals; no, it’s what sings behind them. Sings that I am beautiful. Sings that I am a home. That I can be fully consumed by what loves me." "It’s more of an everywhere. A feeling. Are you familiar with trypophobia? That disgusted fear at holes, irregular, honeycombed holes. Makes you feel that itch in the back of your mind, like the holes are there too, in your own brain, rotten and hollow and swarming."

The Smiling God is described in similar ways: "Beyond her, no longer just on the horizon, much closer than that, is a light, spreading across the desert. The light is alive and malicious and vast and encroaching. It buzzes and shines and everything about it hurts those who are close to it and destroys those who are within it." "Orange triangles, growing bigger and bigger as I traced my way deeper into the spiral. There was a soft light just around the edges of the triangles. When I looked at them, I felt the light in my head and it pounded like a migraine against the back of my eyes. I could not look at them. I could not look away." "The beautiful majesty of living as one under the unrelenting love of a Smiling God[.]"

How she describes the dichotomy: "Perhaps I’ve always heard it. Perhaps the itch has always been the real me, and it was the happy, smiling Jane who called herself a witch and drank wine in the park when it was sunny. Maybe it was her who was the maddened illusion that hides the sick squirming reality of what I am. Of what we all are, when you strip away the pretence that there is more to a person than a warm, wet habitat for the billion crawling things that need a home. "

And Tryptich: "What they did to me. I’m not myself anymore. I’m a smile, and a twitch of the wrist. It has been years, Cecil. I’ve drifted away from myself. Sometimes I am one me, and then again I am the other. What they did to the sentient heat trapped temporarily in my body. [...] The power of the Smiling God is an endless flow. It ebbs, like the tides. But, like the tides, it returns."

Now, you could argue that the Smiling God as a whole is more Desolation coded, with all the talk of devouring and ceaseless appetite. The All Smiles' Eve story shows the Smiling God destroying everything the Good family knew, a senseless act of destruction done swiftly and unceremoniously. Kevin talks about how the Smiling God will devour us all, stripping our flesh and making us pure. I think that aligns less with the loss of the Desolation because it's all about how the devouring changes you for the """better""", not about the loss that comes with it. There is of course the Flesh aspect with the gaping maw and devouring of flesh, but I think that's shown less in the main show than it is in supplementary materials that I don't own, so I won't pull any quotes out here. However, it's worth mentioning the Smiling God has multiple angles you could touch on.

But Kevin specifically, and his Congregation, are aligned with the Corruption. The way they sweetly manipulate you with kind words, luring you in and changing you so completely. He describes greeting a newcomer: "He missed his friends and family, but everyone here in Desert Bluffs convinced him that we were all his friends and family now. Just look at our smiles, we shouted as we surrounded him." There's a lot more I could say here, but I think the aspect of the Corruption that has to do with love is deeply underlooked.

Kevin might be uncanny just because of the body horror and our familiarity with Cecil, but the actual themes of his narrative are more important.

@bracketsoffear

#tma #wtnv #kevin wtdb #kevin wtnv #I figured this would be better as a separate post rather than an ask. #excerpts from the archive #What should I tag this as uh. #unreality #trypophobia mention #bugs tw #cults tw #Uh. #infestation tw #I think that's good.

[newtonsheffield]

Has sweet baby Edmund been introduced yet in like a hurricane?? I really hope I didn’t miss it if he has!! Can we get a snippet if he hasn’t??

Sweet little Edmund has made an appearance here

Edmund has absolutely no idea why when he goes out with his Papa, people take pictures of him, but... his Papa's pretty cool so he supposes it makes sense.

"Amma?"

Kate hummed absentmindedly as she flicked through a magazine, looking for some kind of inspiration for Michael's film premiere.

"Amma why does everyone know who Papa is?"

Kate stilled for a moment, taking a deep breath before she turned towards her son, just three years old his legs dangling over the edge of the sofa, his colouring book resting on top of Newton who was snoring gently across his lap.

"What makes you ask that, sweetheart?"

She and Anthony had known when she'd fallen pregnant that the media circus around them would intensify. It could hardly not, given the very second there'd been any hint of them together photographers had swarmed her like a hive of angry wasps and the hadn't stopped since. Anthony had been so protective of her, always, cradling her against his chest while he smiled for the cameras. Hey guys, what do you say we leave the lady alone tonight? but as always, I'm fair game.

He'd been clear, where Edmund was concerned, again, from the minute she'd announced her pregnancy. Their child was off limits, every publication in England threatened with legal action if they approached their son without permission. She and Anthony had agreed, they wanted their children's lives to be as normal as possible. And perhaps it was a little entitled but far as Edmund was concerned at this point, everyones Uncle voiced a talking polar bear in a disney movie.

Edmund shrugged, his little sneakers lighting up as they hit the back of the couch. "I saw a picture of us in the newspaper when we walked past this morning. At Disneyland when we went last week."

Kate sighed standing from behind her desk making her way over to sit beside her son, smiling as he automatically rested his hand on the swell of her stomach.

"Hey Baby bro."

Kate kissed the top of his head, her heart clenching. "You've been listening to Papa."

"That's what he says to Uncle Greggy. And, I'm gonna be a big brother too. Just like Papa." Edmund grinned up at her, his smile just like Anthony's. Just like the one that she'd fallen in love with while their shoulders had brushed together in the afternoon sun in Italy while he'd told her why grass types were the best Pokemon.

"Your Papa's a sweet man."

"Why do people take pictures of us?" His little brow was furrowed, his curly hair tied back in a top knot. "And some times people run up to him, and you and they want to talk to him, but when I'm with auntie Eddie and Uncle Matty they don't come to talk to them."

Kate sighed, "Neddy, you know how Daddy makes music?" Edmund nodded, "Well, he's really talented and lots of people support him because of that."

"They like his songs about eating broccoli too?"

"They like his songs about eating something." Kate muttered before she could stop herself, "Neddy, not everyone has the kind of life we do, and I guess people are curious about it so they talk to Papa and take pictures of him and write about him sometimes okay?"

Edmund frowned for another long minute before he nodded, his head tilted curiously. "But Papa's so silly."

Kate hummed, thinking about Anthony who now spent his entire life absolutely delighted with everything Edmund did. Dedicating himself to making him laugh as he sung songs he made up on the spot about eating vegetables and taking baths, and it just made her love him even more.

"He is sometimes."

"Did... was he...? Did people know who he was when you first met?"

Kate nodded, "They did. You know how I pick out clothes for people to wear? Well, I picked out Daddy's clothes."

"And then he asked you to be his wife? Just like that? He loved you?"

It sounded so simple, as Edmund nestled against her side, his hand still resting on her stomach. Without all the feelings that had gotten in the way, and the insecurity and uncertainty but truly that had been it.

"We dated a bit first but yeah, then he asked me to be his wife."

"What's dating?"

"Something you Neddy bean, aren't going to do until you're 35." Anthony's voice cut through the room, his footsteps quick as he made his way round to the sofa, flopping down on it much to Newton's disgust. "You have to promise your poor old Papa."

Edmund shrugged, kissing the top of Anthony's head like he'd seen Kate do thousands of times. "Okay."

Anthony smiled, his hand tucking Kate's hair behind her ear. "How's baby Bridge?"

"Good. We've had a good big brother to look after us."

Edmund grinned, "She means me. I'm gonna be a good brother, just like you!"

"Oh no, Neddy, you don't wanna be like Papa." Anthony groaned, wrapping his arms tightly around his son. "Sprout, I need to talk to Amma, but I just saw Auntie Eddie pull up outside and if you go and bother her enough she'll take you to buy a donut."

Edmund let out a whoop, scampering from the room. "Auntie Eeeeeddieeeeeeeeee! Papa said you have to buy me a donut!"

"Tell your Papa he's a multimillionaire, he can at least feed you!"

Kate smiled as she watched him go, her fingers tangling in Anthony's hair.

"We make good babies."

Anthony grinned, "We absolutely do. We should do it again."

"Can you let me empty out my womb first? I'm not done growing this one."

"Sure, if you like. Maybe we'll have twins next!"

"Honestly, if they're as chaotic as we are I don't think that's a good idea." Kate sighed, kissing her husband's cheek.

Anthony grimaced. "God, when he said he wanted to be just like me I actually cringed. Can you imagine?"

"He could do worse I think."

#like a hurricane #kathony #anthony x kate #kate sharma #kate sheffield #anthony bridgerton #molly’s asks and answers

[stagbells]

The Vessel's Visitor

From: @silken-spiders

To: @green-torsos​

Written work under readmore

(Drive version:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VSigEXik1A3Qfqvp8BgFvLduWSwaEEzhlcT-duYdYZk/edit)

The Pure Vessel had a visitor. 

They had visitors often, of course- being in close compliance with the King of Hallownest would cause that- but more often than not, the visitors were here for their father. 

This visitor was here for them. 

The little spiderling before them, dressed in red and carrying a little toy needle, grinned at the vessel with little fangs, still growing. She dropped her needle in their lap. The vessel looked down at it. 

“It’s for you!” Their visitor- what was her name again? Wasp?- exclaimed joyfully. “My favorite toy for my favorite Holly!”

The nickname was very familiar. Their mother had gifted it to them after a day’s work. They… enjoyed it, even if they would enjoy it more if their father called them it rather than “vessel” or “the pure vessel”.

Holly tilted their head at the spiderling, picking up the toy needle. They turned it over once, then twice. It was in perfect condition, as far as toys went. Holly held it gently, inwardly cherishing it. They looked at the spiderling (Bee?) and gently set the toy down to sign a gracious thank-you. 

“Pardon the intrusion,” a quiet, but stern, voice called from the entryway of Holly’s room. Herrah, the Queen of Deepnest, stood in the doorway. “Come along, Hornet. We must be off.”

The spiderling- Hornet, they now knew- pouted. “Why? I wanna stay with Holly!”

Herrah’s gaze went to the vessel. She scrutinized them for a moment, as if unsure how to perceive them. She shook her head, skittering into the room to pick up her daughter. “You may stay some other time. The King is a very busy bug, and we have overstayed our welcome for today.” 

Holly held up the toy needle. It wasn’t a gift, so they should give it back, right?

Herrah gave them a small smile. “Keep it. A gift from the spiders.” She turned to leave. “Have a good day, Holly.”

Holly watched the arachnids depart, the needle still in hand. They looked down at it, trying to ignore the odd feeling in their chest. 

They hoped they had visitors more often.

********************************************************************************

Hornet’s favorite days were no longer the ones where she trained with Vespa and the young Hive Knight. 

Her new favorite days were the ones where she got to visit Holly.

Or, more accurate to today, when Holly visited her.

Hornet bounced excitedly next to her mother in the entrance of the Stag Station. Her mother, stone-faced, merely folded her arms as the familiar rumbling of a Stag entering the station sounded. Hornet felt some of her excitement falter as the Stag pulled to a stop, revealing a pristine, regal figure perched upon its back. The Pale King gently alighted on the ground, speaking words to the spiderling’s mother. 

Hornet’s attention was elsewhere. Holly hopped off the Stag and was greeted with a flash of red tackling them in a hug. 

“Holly!” Hornet cried happily. She presented them with a practice loom. “Do you wanna weave with me?”

The vessel gazed down at the loom, looking a bit perplexed. They gently felt the lines of silk stretched across the loom’s width. They looked back at Hornet and nodded. 

Hornet beamed. She took Holly’s hand and began to drag them away, towards one of the massive hanging structures that made up the homes of the spiders. Once inside, she presented the loom to Holly once more. 

“Here! We can try it together!”

Holly nodded, watching as Hornet threaded her needle and began to weave. They gently picked up their own needle, threading it with utmost care, as if a simple mistake could break it. They began to weave slowly, fascinated with the delicate silk lines. 

Hornet looked up from her loom. She giggled. “You don’t have to be so gentle… it won’t break if you’re a little bit too rough!”

Holly paused for a long moment, then shook their head and kept weaving. Hornet smiled, setting her own loom down to watch them. They worked fast, but delicately. Within moments, their dark eyes were filled with pride and joy as they presented their loom to her. 

Hornet gaped. It looked even better than some of the older spiders’ looms! She clapped. “You’re a natural, Holly!”

The vessel puffed out their chest. They couldn’t wait to show everyone back at the Palace! But… why wait? They stood up, gesturing for Hornet to follow as they ran out of the little spider’s room, still holding their loom. 

Herrah did not expect her important meeting with the Pale King to be interrupted by the appearance of her daughter and the vessel, but she also couldn’t deny their sudden intrusion startled her. Hornet leaped onto her lap, leaving the vessel to wander inside timidly. Herrah looked over at them. 

“Greetings, Vessel. What have you got there?”

The vessel held up the object in their hands. Herrah blinked. “Is that my old loom?”

Hornet giggled. “I wanted to play with Holly, and they took an interest in my weaving, so I gave them a loom!”

Herrah smiled as she took the loom from the vessel’s- Holly- outstretched hands. She gently felt the delicate silk lines. “These… are perfect. Excellent job.”

The vessel beamed. 

********************************************************************************

The Hollow Knight had a visitor. 

They had visitors often, of course- being the saving grace of your father’s failing kingdom would cause that- but this visitor was not here to wish their father luck as his child went to seal a raging Goddess within them. 

This visitor was here for them. 

Dressed in a cloak of red, wielding a thin, silver needle, stood a familiar spider. She was no longer a spiderling, just as they were no longer a little vessel. 

She gazed into their eyes, looking somewhat dejected. She reached under her cloak and presented them with a small object. 

A familiar loom. 

“I wish you luck.” She spoke softly, sadly. Despite her drastic change in appearance, she was still young, something reflected in her voice. 

The Hollow Knight stared back, then bowed their head. They held out their hand, revealing the small object within. 

A small toy needle, a tiny thing in the palm of their hand. 

Hornet smiled at her half-sibling, taking the needle from them. She tucked it away. “Farewell… Holly. When you are released… we will weave together once more.”

#stagbells #stagbells 2022 #hollow knight #written works

[kannibalkaiii]

🐝Buzz Buzz🐝

A Wasp and Hornet OC for a Beeverse that @givingthewhites and I made up a few weeks ago.

Threw in some lil leggy and booty refs too heheh

-

Info below cut

The first is a solitary Wasp named Whiskey

He was part of a past colony but decided to leave and live his life as a solitary Wasp

Whiskey has his small hive/home across from a beehive. At first the location was chosen because it was near a pub and park. His neighbors being beautiful bee bois is a bonus though!

His original name is something he deems "lame and embarrassing" so he goes by Whiskey

His favorite form of sustenance is alcohol and other frothy, sweet liquids. Beer and hard liquors being his go-to

I doubt know how patrons at the nearby pub haven't smacked him yet...maybe he waits till they leave and collects his prize before the busboys cleanup

Despite wanting to separate from his original colony he does feel lonely at times and finds himself watching the social bees from afar

He has a huge crush on a particular Gatherer bee, whom he always bugs and tries to chat up. Whiskey often collects small candies from the nearby park to gift the pretty beeboi. Whiskey comes off a bit abrasive and pushy, something he'd correct you and describe as "passionate and determined"

Whiskey is yellow/black with beige bits of fuzz. His hair is Blonde.

-

The second OC is a an unnamed Hornet

He tries to disguise himself as a bee to slip past defenses

He's a brute who takes what he wants, especially the Bee's honey they've stored up for the more difficult months.

He has a formidable rival within the hive...a tough and feisty Fighter bee...one he eventually develops an unhealthy liking to.

Eventually he ends up joining the hive as a guard but many within distrust him

His colors are that of a bee but with a more orange/brown tone on his mandibles and face markings. His hair is a dark brown

-

More info to come in future

#kaiiiart #traditional art #bees #hornet #wasp #insect oc #my ocs #insectoid #insect furry

[autisticsupervillain]

It's Fictional Throwdown Friday!

This Week's Fighters...

Gordon Freeman vs Isaac Clarke!

Conditions:

No restrictions. Both combatants have absolutely everything.

Scenario:

The G-Man dispatches Gordon to obtain one of the Markers, seeking to weaponize the Necromorphs for his employers. Isaac comes across Gordon as he loads the Marker into a transport vehicle, assumes he's a Unitologist trying to protect the Marker, and opens fire.

Analysis: Gordon

Many shooter heroes have gone up against impossible odds. Conquered incomprehensible threats from beyond the stars and bested physical gods. And yet, the greatest of all these heroes isn't an uber space marine or a super masculine macho man. No, Gordon Freeman is simply an ordinary scientist with a crowbar.

Gordon Freeman was once a diligent theoretical physicist working at the top secret lab known as Black Mesa. However, one of Gordon's experiments accidentally punched a hole into another universe, causing an alien invasion. Gordon is forced to fight for his life and fend off the invaders, making him the savior off Earth. Unfortunately, this puts him on the G-Man's radar, forcing him to serve the mysterious being and his employers for the rest of his days... until Half-Life 3 comes out... assuming it will.

Luckily, G-Man mostly seems to want Gordon to kick alien ass and Freeman's got plenty of tools for the job. For starters, he never goes into battle with his trusty HEV suit. The Hazardous EnVironment Suit comes with a whole bunch of nifty features, boosting his otherwise normal human stats to superhuman levels. With it, he's durable enough to tank military air strikes with 134 megajoules of force behind them and survive hits from lasers that do this to solid steel walls.

Source:

Moreover, most of Gordon's stronger weapons can kill Alien Grunts, who are strong enough to completely obliterate steel gates. By using Gordon as a measuring stick to estimate the size and thickness of the wall, it can be determined that it would over half a ton of tnt to generate this kind of explosion, roughly 0.723 tons of tnt to be precise.

Source:

The suit also has a built in radiation detector and an ai voice that informs him of any grievous injuries. Upon sustaining an injury, he's pumped full of painkillers potent enough to let him shrug off bullet wounds. Similarly, the suit's antitoxins are strong enough to reverse the effects of headcrab poison, which leaves him on the brink of death with just a touch, in seconds. Hell, he can even tank hits from antimatter weapons, endure extreme heat and cold, endure dangerous acids, and shrug off high voltage electricity. Even morso, the suit can be upgraded, allowing him to leap several Kilometers when using the long jump module.

He also carries a large array of guns. While Gordon has the typical shotgun, AK, and RPG ensemble you would expect from a shooter protagonist, he also has some unique guns. He carries two crossbows, one shoots tranquilizer darts while the other shoots bars of molten metal. He carries the Gluon Gun, which shoots unstable Gluon particles so powerful that they make people explode, the Tau canon, which shoots Tau particles, or molecular particles that make up matter on the Quantum Level, and the hive hand, which shoots alien bugs at people like a wasp machine gun. His Pulse Rifle shoots energy projectiles and, when charged up, shoots a ball of antimatter that bounces around everywhere and erases everyone it touches on contact. His most iconic gun, however, is the gravity gun, which manipulates gravity to allow him to throw anyone and anything that gets in his grasp around like a ragdoll, even erasing people with its antimatter energy should he grab them with it thanks to a handy upgrade the Combine gave it. And that's not even the only gun in Gordon's arsenal that can flat delete you, as the Gluon Gun can destabilize the Gluon Particles of its target and rip them apart on the subatomic level.

With these powerful weapons, Gordon has fought off impossible odds with ease. He stopped an alien invasion within the span of a week at most and turned the tide of a hopelessly one sided war against a galactic empire in the span of two days. He curb stomped his way through the US Military, is fast enough to react to and dodge rockets, and has even impressed the reality warping G-Man with his remarkable abilities.

Source:

Having said that, he has a few weaknesses. For one thing, his suit's durability relies on its battery, so he'll frequently have to recharge it if he gets hit too often. He also doesn't wear a helmet, which leaves his squishy human head exposed for his superhuman enemies to crush.

Despite that though, Gordon Freeman is universally beloved as the savior of mankind and is dreaded even by godlike, reality warping aliens. That says a lot about a man who used to just be a pimply scientist. The right man in the wrong place can achieve just about anything.

Analysis: Isaac Clarke

I feel like every job becomes a lot cooler when you do them in Space. Tax Accountant... IN SPACE! Retail Worker... IN SPACE! Maintenance Engineer... IN SPACE! Sure, there's an increased chance that you might get devoured by a bloodthirsty hive mind that's hellbent on devouring all life in the galaxy, but for some unlucky space engineers, that's just an occupational hazard.

Meet Isaac Clarke, a lowly systems engineer employeed by the Concordance Extraction Corporation who gets called in to repair the "planet cracker" USG Ishimura when they send out a distress signal. Rather than, say, a broken antenna or an overloaded reactor core, the Ishimura has come down with a rather more unusual case of man eating space monsters.

Meet the Necromorphs, undead hive mind abominations intent on devouring, assimilating, or just out right killing all life that isn't them. They're none too picky with how they kill you and none too picky with what you do to them. They just don't die no matter what you do to them. Blow their heads off, cut them in half, pump them full of lead, it doesn’t matter. They will rush you down with zero hesitation regardless. And what's worse that they can get humans to do their job for them, using their "Markers" to not only organize the Necromorphs like one organize, but also corrupt the minds of humans into forming an cult around the Necromorphs, serving the Marker's whims.

Luckily for Isaac, he's a bit of a master of improvised weaponry, meaning he has all the tools he needs to clear these Markers out. Firstly, he's decked out head to toe in a fancy RIG suit. This Resource Integration Gear comes equipped with all the tools necessary to help its user survive on the job hazards, even if Space Aliens probably weren't what the makers had in mind for it. His RIG suit can vacuum seal when exposed to suboptimal breathing conditions, be that poisonous gas or the vacuum of space, forcing Isaac to rely on an internal oxygen supply. However, this supply is limited and only lasts for about a minute and a half. Furthermore, his RIG is equipped with thrusters that allow to freely fly around in zero g or low g environments like Iron Man.... IN SPACE! ...Ahem. Sorry. I'll stop.

Furthermore, his suit can come equipped with several Modules that can modify its performance and abilities. The Kinesis Module can allow him to telekinetically lift and throw heavy objects from several meters away with just the wave of his hand, while the Stasis Module temporarily slows down time for whatever object he waves his hand at, allowing him to dodge super fast projectiles, freeze enemies in place, or catch Necromorphs that are glitching through time thanks to their damages Stasis RIGs.

Furthermore, the suit gives Isaac a superhuman level of strength, speed, and durability. Not only can he stomp Necromorphs into giblets, but he's durable enough to tank powerful time bombs, which are powerful enough to blast apart giants rocks with a force roughly equivalent to 1.19 tons of TNT.

Source:

On top of that, his Zero G thrusters are fast enough to outrun bullet trains and he can react fast enough to dodge gun fire at point blank range.

In terms of fire arms, Isaac has fire power to spare. His improvised plasma cutter, original designed to cut up large boulders, is equipped with a rotating blade, allowing for long horizontal and diagonal shots that are just perfect for cutting the limbs off Necromorphs. Even if you can't kill them, they can't chase you down without limbs.

The pulse rifle is a powerful motorized gun with a secondary fire the shoots bullets in a 360 degree radius, while the Disc Ripper shoots out a powerful romote control buzz saw that cuts through anything in its path, with a secondary fire that makes the spinning blade bounce all over the damn place. The torch flame thrower spews out fire that burns at 4000 degrees Celsius with a secondary fire that shoots a big napalm grenade, while the Cutter Line Gun is a more powerful Plasma Cutter that shoots out landmines with its secondary fire.

The contact beam is an energy jackhammer meant to blast apart rock that can create shockwaves across the ground to dispatch swarms. The Javelin Gun fires electric titanium spikes that can explode, the Seeker Rifle is a futuristic sniper rifle, and the Force Gun obliterates everything in front of it by firing pure kinetic energy. Finally, the Hand Cannon is a large foam sports hand that kills everything Isaac points at with it. Without exception.

Isaac in an experienced technological genius, capable of throwing together a good chunk of his weapons by himself on the spot. Hell, he's smart enough to build a Marker on his own... while under a Marker's mind control, granted, but still. You can't really hold that against him. As time gas gone on, Isaac has grown more and more resilient to the influence of Markers, capable of resisting their control and effects through sheer will power alone. This is impressive when you realize the Marker's mind control is collectively powerful to formulate one of the most dominant and wide spread religions in human history, with a mental influence that can span planets or even the entire solar system. Moreover, Isaac's suit is resilient against extreme temperatures, radiation, and acid and can pump him full of stimulants to keep him from being drugged unconscious.

One man, one lowly engineer has done what an entire army could not and, by himself, destroyed three Markers over the course of his life. Hell, those first two might as well have happened the exact same day from his perspective. Isaac Clarke, ladies and gentlemen. The man the dead fear.

Throwdown Mashup:

Throwdown Breakdown:

I'm gonna be honest, this is easily the closest matchup we've had in a long damn time.

Stat wise, Isaac should be somewhat superior in strength, while Gordon is superior in speed. (0.723 tons vs 1.19 tons). The rockets that Gordon dodges can move at a max speed of 320 m/s, while the Bullet Train that Isaac outran would be moving at least 122.936 m/s, assuming it's faster than modern bullet trains.

Gordon is far superior to Isaac in terms of mobility, as the Long Jump Module would allow him to gain distance very quickly, while Isaac's best movement options are restricted to Zero G environments. However, Isaac can still compete at long range with his sniper rifle and the stimulants would nullify the tranquilizer darts from Gordon's crossbow, negating one of his long range weapons.

Isaac has the advantage of being able to use his gun and his telekinesis at the same time, as he only needs to wave his hand to grab and toss objects and people while Gordon needs to pull out a big clunky gravity gun. However, Gordon's gravity gun can obliterate him thanks to its antimatter energy setting should he get close enough to do so.

Gordon can one-shot Isaac with the variety of guns at his disposal that either attack at a subatomic level or use antimatter to obliterate his foes, neither of which Isaac resists, but Isaac can one-shot Gordon with any gun at his disposal, as Gordon does not wear a helmet like Isaac does and Isaac's weapons are very often designed to aim at specific body parts, such as the Plasma Cutter and Remote Control buzz saws. While Gordon's suit can resist the heat of Isaac's flame thrower, his face cannot. Both characters have enough grenades and landmines for those to effectively counter out and neither of them are melee fighters, so a hand to hand fight is unlikely to ever occur.

Both characters have weapons that can one-shot the other without ammunition (gravity gun vs hand cannon) and both characters should have a similar level of intelligence overall. I'd say Gordon ahould have better experience, as he more often participates in gun fights and does so against fairly impressive foes I might add, but the wide variety of forms the Necromorphs can take does mitigate this slightly.

However, Isaac does have one solid trick that Gordon simply has no answer to: Stasis. Gordon has no way of getting out of stasis once he gets caught in it and, seeing how Isaac only need wave his hand in his direction to activate it, he has little way of anticipating or avoiding it. While Gordon can keep to a distance to mitigate this somewhat, his most long ranged items are largely countered out by Isaac, meaning he'd try to close the distance eventually without realizing the danger he'd be putting himself in. While the two are evenly matched enough that Gordon can otherwise still win this in a few scenarios, Stasis is too big an advantage in Isaac's favor for Gordon to take the majority and once he's hit by it, Isaac has all the time in the world to simply blow Freeman's head off. Seems like Gordon's win streak ends here.

Seems like G-Man is gonna need a new favorite employee... I wonder if CEC would be willing to loan out a certain engineer?

This Throwdown's Winner is....

Isaac Clarke!

Announcement Poll Results:

#fictional throwdown fridays #dead space #isaac clarke #half life #gordon freeman #Youtube

[wuxiaphoenix]

Worldbuilding: Consider Arctic Bees

Ran across a throwaway line about arctic bees in an SVSSS fic. There are some creative writers in that fandom, taking full advantage of the fact that Proud Immortal Demon Way was canonically a badly-written hash with excellent monsters, to do some really neat worldbuilding.

So. Arctic bees. What if you want something like that in your story?

First, decide how close to real-world biology you want your bees to be. Do you want “arctic bees” to be just another name for an actual Earth species? Do a quick search on bees in Alaska, Siberia, Greenland, or the Scandinavian countries. You probably want to do that anyway for ideas, even if you plan to base them more on magic or alien biochemistry.

Once you’ve familiarized yourself with the weirdness of bees, a few questions might come up. Should your arctic bees be solitary or colonial? Do they make honey? If so, how thick, and what quantities? Does it have the same healing properties as honeybee honey, based on hydrogen peroxide and high sugars dehydrating bacteria? Does it have extra qualities? Do the bees make wax? Propolis? What tree saps, resins, or other substances do they use? Are they strictly nectar/pollen-eating types, or are they like wasps and open to a little insect (or other!) meat as well?

Moving out into the wider world, if they’re bees, that implies flowers. What’s blooming, and when?

Note, you probably don’t need a month-by-month breakdown of this unless it’s important for plot purposes. (Or you just want neat background color.) You should put in details if the flowers are doing something unusual. Blooming in the middle of an icefield, for one. Invoking elemental fire to melt away the snow so they can grow. Or maybe they’re flowers of Ice itself, growing due to the magic left over by a long-forgotten battle between fay of ice and flowers.

And while we’re on the subject of striking visuals, what about those bees? Are they in the typical white/yellow and dark-banded mode? Green like mason bees? Or striking blues and whites to fit the winter theme? If the last, you might want to think about if you’re doing snow colors, or going with the more realistic theme of “coloration meant to deter predators”. Consider the blue-ringed octopus! If your arctic bees’ usual fellow species recognize that shade of blue means a sting that freezes you from the inside out, it’d have to be a really crafty critter who could plunder those hives.

Your characters are likely crafty. But are they clever enough?

#creative writing #worldbuilding #bees #svsss ideas

[godlizzza]

How about “you’re going to hurt yourself” with danbert from The Couple Down the Street?

"That ladder doesn't look very stable," Herbert called out.

Dan huffed as he climbed up the rungs and looked over his shoulder. "Well, you could always come out here and hold it steady for me."

Herbert frowned from his spot behind the fly screen door. "And get stung? What if I'm allergic?"

"No one's betting stung," Dan grumbled as he turned back to his mission.

The wasp nest that had been steadily growing against a tree in their backyard had finally reached the point where it could no longer be ignored. Dan had considered calling pest control but there was always a risk of possible reanimation-related catastrophes involved when unaware people visited their home, so he thought it best to handle it himself. He gripped the broom in his hand as he slowly climbed towards the buzzing hive.

"You're going to hurt yourself," Herbert shouted helpfully from his safe vantage point.

Dan ignored him- a favoured tactic when Herbert got on his nerves- and jabbed the pointy end of the broom at the hive. The honeycomb split through the middle, falling to the ground below and splattering apart. Instantly, the hum of the wasps turned from a gentle buzz to an angry crackle. They flowed out of the remnants of the hive in a dark cloud, swarming the trunk of the tree.

"Oh, shit," Dan cursed.

He dropped the broom and quickly descended the ladder, leaping to the ground with a few rungs to go. The impact of the landing buckled one of his legs and a lance of pain pierced his side. The sound of Herbert's yelling mixed with the furious cacophony of the wasps as they flew after him. He swatted at the buzzing crowding around his ears as he stumbled for the back door.

Herbert pulled the sliding door open just far enough for Dan to squeeze through and fall to the floor. He slammed it shut against the angry onslaught of wasps, and the noise instantly died down.

"Well, that went great!" Herbert snapped as he bent down beside Dan, who was still collecting himself. "Did they sting you?"

He took Dan's hand, pulling it away from his face, and inspected him. His brow furrowed as he looked him over, that inscrutable look of concentration he wore so often falling over his features. Dan struggled into a sitting position and groaned, his muscles protesting.

"I don't think so," he replied. "I might've strained my hip though."

Herbert sighed. "You know, you're not thirty anymore."

"I'd take forty at this point," Dan grouched as Herbert stood up and held out his hand. Dan took it and Herbert helped pull him to his feet.

The pain in his side flared up again and he stooped over, grabbing Herbert's shoulder for support. Herbert placed his hand between Dan's shoulder blades and lead him to the couch.

"Sit down. I'll get you an icepack," Herbert instructed.

Dan fell onto the couch, sinking into the cushions with a hiss. He watched Herbert stride across the kitchen, pouring ice into a sandwich bag and wrap it in a rag.

"I'd told you you'd hurt yourself," Herbert said as he came back, handing the pack to Dan.

Dan smiled as he took it. "Yeah, but at least I've got you to take care of me."

Herbert snorted but didn't refute it.

#danbert #dan cain #herbert west #re-animator #my fics #the couple down the street #asks #writing prompt

[magioffire]

Does Vali have a specific routine or go to activity to pass the time when Heisenberg is away from the factory collecting materials and other such things or does he go with him more often than not?

at first, i feel like vali would only be looking at it from the perspective of how to make an escape attempt. go with hesienberg and figure out the lay out of the village more and find possible hiding places, but no way heisenberg is going to let him go far out of his sight. or stay back and throw caution to the wind and try to escape while hes gone....only for heisenberg to drag him riiight back. (im puttin this under a readmore cuz its fuckin long)

so AT FIRST any sort of routine he could form would mostly be destroyed by the panic of 'ohhh fuck ohhh god i gotta get out of here" that likely happened a few times before vali throws his hands up and is like "FINE' and decides its ultimately within his best interest to stay put. vali realizing that even even if the infection has not implanted itself within him yet, he is still infected with the cadou, and he has a very strong instinct to you know, *avoid* infecting his entire colony with dangerous fungal spores. that would be the real true realization that would ultimately make vali have to consider working with heisenberg, laying put, making the best of the situation. in the hopes of understanding everything he can about the cadou/megamycete.

after that point, vali would stop keeping so much to himself. he would go with heis not only out of a desire to get outside, but also to find out as much as he can about the person hes ultimately stuck with. when he stays behind, which is usually when its cold as sin outside, he gets up to all sorts of...weird stuff.

in the short time vali has spent within the factory, he *has* created closed off spaces for himself, he built them from his own silk and any sort of soft materials and colorful materials he might be able to find from his excersions out into the village and surrounding area. theres not much left thats soft or colorful, but he manages to find it. and he would spend a lot of time creating and tending to those silk spaces when heis is away.

he would likely make his 'main' nest in a place thats easily accessible for heisenberg, but well hidden enough to provide some security. he would also spend a lot of time just exploring the factory, maybe a little bit to heisenberg's annoyance, but he *will* listen if heisenberg tells him that an area is off limits for vali to go into by himself.

he will be *very* curious, though. and he might do things similar to how a child shakes a christmas present and tries to guess whats inside, but he knows if theres any way for their relationship to succeed, they need to respect eachothers space. but places he is allowed to explore around, you know hes looking in every nook and cranny. heisenberg has maybe come back a few times to find vali stuck because of his adventurous attitude.

i think vali would want a space to start his own research -- which would likely start small. vali would start by infecting small animals, like insects, reptiles, birds, with the cadou parasite to see for himself how the parasite functions. i could see him infecting entire colonies of ants, flightless wasps, and other eusocial insect species to see what happens. to observe the 'hive-mind' of the megamycete with more clarity.

centipedes, mantises, and of course, moths and butterflies would be among his favorites for study due to his familiarity with such species already. but pretty much any small species he can effectively breed in a small space that lives within the area is fair game. so for a while vali is going to be bringing in tons of animals he collected into the factory for his research. im sure heis would love that lool. theres just a frog jumping across the factory floor oh fuck the amphibians have escaped containment--

in the summer and autumn months vali is going to want to spend more time outside than inside as often as he can. by that time hopefully their relationship will have progressed enough in trust (and vali stops trying to make escape attempts...) that it would be no problem. vali would always come back, mostly during the early morning, come back to eat and sleep. he would bring food to share too, anything he could collect further out away from the village, where the cadou has not thoroughly infected everything so much. you ever come home and your moth boyfriend has left his sash wrapped up full of fresh food on your workbench. thats how you know he likes you.

#ooc. #ask. #alexandriteobscura #relations ; heisenberg.

[verbosebabbler]

ZampanioSim East Memories

So I think I found the memories from ZampanioSim East. I say think, because I didn’t get these from the code directly in ZampanioSim East but from.. elsewhere. Each of the themes have an associated list of objects and descriptions. The list is long, so it is below the cut.

ADDICTION Addiction Object: A difficult subject. Beer: Probably shouldn't. More Wine: Best not to. Teapot: Caffeine is bad for you. Web Wine: Its a good thing this wine looks so gross. Web Wine2: you really don't want to touch it. Wine Shelves: You're not tempted by these.

ANGELS Angel Object: Do you hear the tintinnabulation? Angel Statue: The angels bless you. Ice Glacier: It feels holy. Jars: Jars of holy water. Obelisk: It lists out the praises of the gods. Writing Tablet: The words of your gods are written here.

ANGER Anger Object: Seems to have been pushed into the floor pretty hard…

APOCALYPSE Apocalypse Object: This doll house scale ruined building would be cute if it weren't for the smell emanating from it… Fossil1: As death is a natural and inevitable part of life, extinction is the natural fate of all worlds. Fossil2: There are entire species consisting solely of the dead. Fossil3: For ever species we know have vanished, how many thousands extinguished without a sound? Fossil4: As Death comes to all beings, Extinction comes to all species. Fossil5: How impossibly lucky is this creature, for their bones to survive epochs? Fossil6: To fear Extinction is to fear inevitability. Fossil7: What entire ecosystems lived and died before you took your first breath? Science: Just enough knowledge to destroy it all. Web Books: How long will the works of man outlast us?

BUGS Bees: The Swarm is judging you. Bees2: Your skin crawls just looking at these buzzing insects Bees3: Incessant buzzing. Bees4: The bees are bussing and crawling and flying everywhere. Ruined honey: Someone has raided this bee hive Ruined wasp nest: Who destroyed this wasp nest? Wasp: It seems to be a large statue of a wasp. Wasp Nest1: There is a wasp nest here. It is filled with holes Wasp Nest2: There is a wasp nest here Wasp Nest3: If you let the inhabitants of this waspnest love you, you could be a nest, too.

BURIED Buried Object: X Marks the Spot. Grave: You hear faint scratching from underneath. Grave: You could sleep under here forever buried. Pickax: With this you could dig and dig and dig deep into the earth until no one could ever save you. Pit: The warm embrace of the earth awaits. Why must you cling so to the cold, unforgiving sky? Pit2: Down and down it goes. You want to jump in. Shovel: DIG Well: It goes so deep into the earth. You cannot see the bottom. The concept of a bottom is anathema to this well.

CHOICES Choice Object: Signs like this tend to be more useful when labeled…

CLOWNS Balloon1: How whimsical. Balloon2: It feels like it might pop at any moment. Balloon3: You wonder how they float. Balloon4: Surely someone must have filled these within the past day or two if they're still floating, right? Balloon5: A sign of life. Clown Object: Honk honk! +u+ Gift: When you go to open it it explodes into confetti. Jack in a Box Closed: It's hilarious how much anxiety the anticipation of a closed jack in the box causes. Jack in a Box Open: Sourceless laughter peels out across the room as you jump in surprise when the jack springs out. Jewelry Box: Clown jewels. Toybox: Laughter rings out anytime you touch this box.

CRAFTING Armor: You appreciate the craftsmanship here. Armor2: You frown as you study the flaws of this piece of armor. Armor3: A master made this armor, you can tell. Crafting Object: Just a little bit of tape… Hammer: The heft of this hammer is just perfect for forging. Metal Ingots: Fresh ingots ripe for being turned into more useful materials. Pickax: You feel the strange urge to craft some mines. Shovel: You just want to turn the soil with your hands and MAKE something with it. Stump with Ax: You feel a distinct urge to go chop some trees. Well: Enough water to cool a thousand forges.

DEATH Angel Statue: In your bones you know no beautific afterlife awaits. Chess Set: Do you dare cheat death? Corpse Blossom: It reeks of death. Bone Pile: Death is the great equalizer. Dead Bush: A reminder that death comes to us all. Dead Tree: You wonder what killed it before you remember it doesn't matter. Decaying Barrel1: Even the works of man eventually die. Death Object: This status of Death seems uninterested in your plight. Grave: This is not your fate. But no one is beyond Death. Grave: It simply says 'everyone' on it. Grave: It is yours. Grave: It's inscription is too worn with age to read. Grave: Somehow you know it has the name of your best friend. Grave: If you had a family, they would be listed here, you're sure of it. Grave: It has your name on it. Hospital Bed: Someone died here. Skeleton1: Meat is meat. Skeleton2: Memento mori. Skeletons: At least they died together. Skull: It was inevitable they would die. Skull3: Meat is meat. Violent Bed: Most people die in beds.

DECAY Corpse Blossom: It stinks of death and decay Dead bush: The bush is rotting Dead tree: What did this look like when it was alive, you wonder. Decay is an extant form of life: In your heart you know decay is an extant form of life Decay Object: I wonder if they're poisonous. Decayed web box: This rotten box can't be used to hold anything anymore. Decaying Barrel: The barrel stinks of fermentation and rot. Grave: You wonder who is buried and rotting here. Hydration Station: You go to take a sip of the water before realizing it's filled with maggots. Shitty cot: The cot stinks of rot. Web Shelves: These shelves haven't been able to hold anything for a long time. Web Table: What could be trapped in here, you wonder? Web Table2: You peer into its cracks but see nothing inside.

DOLLS Angel Statue: Her eyes seem to watch you. Armor: Did it just move when you weren't looking? Balloon1: There's little people inside, waving at you. Bear: Every time you look away it seems to be in a different pose. Chess Set: It looks like a fun game. Doll: Scrawled on her face is 'will you be my mother?' Doll: She is watching you. Doll: Someone must miss her terribly. Dollhouse: The dolls inside are all missing. Dolls Object: This Doll Recites: Dress: A dress in need of a doll. Gumball Machine: Delicious sweets. Hobby Horse: Its eyes seem alive, and in pain. Jack in a Box Closed: You hear something moving inside. Jack in a Box Open: You feel something touching your leg, but when you look down i's just this Jack In a Box. JR Doll: There's something cathartic in having power over old JR. Princess Bed: And adorable bed you just want to cover with stuffed animals and dolls. Scarecrow: You're suddenly certain it is just choosing not to move. Scarecrow2: It waits. Snowman: You know its heart yearns to look more human. What would it have to steal to get there. Teach us the Insides: Screams are coming from inside. Teapot: If only you had some toys, you could host a little teaparty. Toy Army: Oh. Toy Drummer Boy: Any time you look away you hear a single beat of his drum. Toy Regiment: Each time you look away they are a single step closer. Toy Shelves: So many toys, it almost makes you wish you could be nostalgic. Toy Soldier Large: He seems to be made of wax. His eyes are wrong, though. Toy Soldier Small: It's okay. You'll be his friend. Toy Train: Choo choo! Jaimie would be proud. Toybox: All sorts of fun to be had in here.

ENDINGS Ending Object: The End Endings Object: Stop. Please. Guidepost: All ways lead to dead ends. Grave: The End. Lamp Post: Why are lampopsts so often signifiers of endings? Skeleton1: There is a serenity in knowing how the story ends. Skeletons: Did they know their ends would be so similar? Skull: The path differes, but the end is always the same. Skull3: We all end the same. Web Books: All the pages are torn out save the last. Web Books: Every book within is blank, save the last page. Writing Tablet: It lists out the last thought you and everyone you ever met will ever have.

FAMILY: Family Object: Family Tree Pruned.

FLESH Butchered Meat: In the end we are nothing more than meat. Chopping Block: It's incredible what a good quality butcher's knife can do to meat. Cooking Pot: Something savory and meaty wafts out. Fish Crate: Your flesh isn't fundamentally different than the flesh of these fish. Flesh Object2: It pulsates gently. Flesh Object: The beefy arm is waving at you in between flexing. Ham: Meat is meat. Meat Chops: This doesn't look quite like pork. Somehow, that unsettles you. Meat Chops: They are grown from your own cells, you can feel this in your bones. Meat Grinder: You slowly feed your right arm into it and watch the ribbons of flesh pour out the other end. Meat Slabs: Meat is me. Skeleton1: You think you could make a pretty decent bone broth from this. Skeleton2: In the end we are all just meat hanging off bones. Turkey: It smells delicious. It was alive once, as you are now. You'll smell delicious, too, one day.

FIRE Fire Object: Hmm Interesting…

FREEDOM Freedom Object: Have you seen the freedom object? It seems to have gotten out…

GUIDING Guiding Object: Do you ever wish somebody else would point the way for you?

HEALING Healing Object: It's important to know what your innards are doing.

KILLING Blood Fountain: You feel the inexplicable urge to bathe in this. Box o' Knives: You could really do some damage to someone with all these knives. Chopping Block: You almost wish you weren't alone in this maze, just so you could test this knife out. Knife: Knife goes in. Blood comes out. It's that simple. Pickax: You could really do some damage to someone's skull with this. Stump with Ax: You feel the inexplicable urge to write 'All Work And No Play Makes Johnny A Dull Boy' over and over again. Sword Anvil: A weapon has only one purpose: killing. Swords: You could kill a lot of people with these. Violent Bed: A fight happened here. Web Swords: There is clarity in killing. The why doesn't matter, only the how.

KNOWING Big Bookshelf: Everything you would need to perfectly navigate this maze is listed here, if only you could remember it. Big Bookshelf: The indentity of the Eye Killer is here, long past the point where you could use it. Books: Spoilers for all fiction is somehow contained in these few volumes. Books: The thoughts of everyone you've ever known are detailed here. Knowing Object: I know something you don't. Small bookshelf: The tomes list out the forgotten secrets of every civilization. Scrolls: Forbidden knowledge floods your mind and you can't Unknow it. Writing tablet: You need to know more. Writing tablet: The thoughts currently in your head are perfectly etched here.

LANGUAGE Big Book Shelf: Dozens upon dozens of books in every language. Big Book Shelf: All of the literary classics. Books: Language is used masterfully in these volumes of poetry. Books: Somehow each book claims you are the author. Obelisk: It's a rosetta stone for every language reading out 'Zampanio is a really good game. You should play it.' Small Bookshelf: It's all your favorite childhood books. Writing Tablet: A forgotten language is perfectly translated here for you.

LIGHT Lamp: It's soothing and bright. Lamp Post: It spreads its light over a vast area. It makes you feel safe. Light Object: How enlightening…

LONELY Lonely Figure: Alone…

LOVE Angel Statue: Love is war. Bear: It feels soft and cuddly Dress: Just looking at this pretty dress makes you wish you could remember going to dances. Flowers: A gift for a significant other. Love Object: Fragile Concept Necklace: Someone beautiful could wear this Jewelry Box: A cherished gift. Wine: Oh to be on a picnic with someone you love. Wine2: If only there was someone to share this with.

MAGIC Magic Object: Look Inward.

MATH Math Object: Don't you hate it when the beads break? Makes math so much harder.

OCEAN Barrel: Filled with salt pork for a long sea journey. Fish Crate: Fish freshly caught from the ocean. Hydration Station: The water looks refreshing, you almost didn't realize how thirsty you were. Hydration Station2: The water looks so cool and refreshing… Hydration Station3: Such a tiny bucket of water compared to the vast ocean…Ocean Object1: The fish gasps for breath. Ocean Object2: Why is the Baltic Sea Anomaly an Ocean Object? Don't ask me…

PLANTS Cabbages: These cabbages are well grown. Cactus: You don't think it can talk. You aren't sure why this disappoints you. Cactus2: The most tsundere of plants. Fern: For an instant, you think this might be some sort of…creature. But no. Just a fern. Flowers: Beautiful flowers. Pointless flowers. Grass: Surprisingly fertile soil produces this clump of grass. Pine Tree: You wonder how trees manage to grow inside this labyrinth. Plants Object2: What a terrible place to try and grow… Plants Object1: What a terrible place to try and grow… Shovel: Did someone leave it here after planting something? Tall Potted Plant: It seems healthy, though confined. Wild Flowers: These flowers grow with no human hand. Yellow Flowers: Weeds, but pretty ones.

ROYALTY Jewelry box: Crown jewels. Pile of Gold1: The wealth of a kingdom. Pile of Gold2: The wealth of an Empire. Princess Bed: A bed fit for royalty. Royal Object: Long Live The… The… Is dead. Small Pile of Gold: The taxes you are due. Throne: Your rightful place.

SCIENCE Jars: Specimen jars. More Wine: You get the distinct urge to do science seeing this well stocked lab. Science: Oh, the discoveries you could make with enough patience and equipment. Science Object: A beaker of perfectly generic fluid. Small Bookshelf: Textbooks organized by scientific discipline line these shelves.

SERVICE Cooking Pot: Is it time for you to cook dinner? Hydration Station: You wonder if anyone around here is thirsty… Laundry: You can't remember the last time you've done laundry. Plates: Are you supposed to clean these dishes? Service Object: Ring Bell For Service.

SOUL Spirit Object1: The wandering dead… Spirit Object2: TEAM SPIRIT LETS GO!

SPYING Eye1: IT WEEPS. Eye2: IT STARES. Eye3: IT SEES. Eye4: IT CRIES. Eye5: IT CANNOT BLINK. Eye6: IT SEES. Eye7: IT GLISTENS. Eye8: IT WATCHES. Eye9: IT WAITS. Eye10: IT FOCUSES. Eye11: IT GAZES. Eye12: IT TREMBLES. Eye13: IT LOOKS.

STEALING Cooking Pot: Reminds you of being on the run from the law. Fancy chest: You wonder what kind of loot is in here. Gold Ingots: There is NO way you're going to be able to carry these out of here. Jewelry Box: A tidy fortune in jewels. Necklace: You wonder how much this would be worth on the blackmarket. Pile of Gold1: You are practically drooling seeing so much gold. Pile of Gold2: You want to bathe in this like Scrooge McDuck. Pile of Gold smaller: What could you buy with this? Small gold pile: A modest fortune yours for the taking. Stealing Object: Right Click, Save Image

TECHNOLOGY Laptop: The battery seems to be completely dead. Laundry: Modern technology sure is convinient! Printer: You feel the irrational urge to destroy this flawless piece of technology.

TWISTING Aluminum: This is not JR. JadedResearcher: This is not JR. JR Doll: This is not JR. JR Lobstersona: This is not JR. JR Slug: This is not JR. Twisting Object: Hee Hee Hee Hee Hee Zampanio FlowerKid by Hex2: How do sprite sheets work???

WEB Scarecrow: Nearly invisible threads connect to each of its joints. It isn't moving, but you aren't sure it will stay that way. Scarecrow2: Almost invisible threads jerk and tug it in a variety of directions. It seems to be in pain. Web Barrel: More laughs than a barrel of spiders. Web Books: What are words but a way to control others? Web Books: If you read all these books you will be dancing to the collector tune. Web Dragon: Even the most powerful among us are powerless in the face of traps and manipulation. Web Eggs: You can see shadows moving inside the eggs. Occasionally they twitch. Web Flower: Gifts are classic ways to manipulate others. Web Fortune: We are all bound by fate.Webbing: Tiny spiders work tirelessly to spin more of this web. Web Jam: Evolution has programmed you to prefer dense caloric options. Web Jars: Small spiders scuttle inside, endlessly trying to climb up the smooth glass then falling down. Web Money: What is money but chains? Web Organ: It plays a haunting melody all on its own, as gossamer threads tug on the keys. Web Pot: It's filled with spiders. Web Scrolls: What is knowlege but a means to manipulate others? Web Shelves: Society puppets you into keeping things maintained. Web Shield: You are frozen in the certainty that if you were to pick this up, threads would bind it forever to your body. Web Sword1: Bad things will happen if you touch it. Web Sword2: Long abandoned. Web Swords: Who laid them here so carefully together? Web Table: What could this trap? Web Table2: You see shadows moving inside. Web Table3: Small bugs are trapped here. Web Throne: Are even Ruler's immune from the pressures of society? Web Vanity: Your hands jerkily go through the motions of putting makeup on. Web Wine: Spiders desperately scrabble for purchase at the surface of the liquid. Some have already drowned and sunk to the bottom of the bottle. Web Wine2: Will you choose to give up control of your body? Web Zampanio: Your body positions itself in front of it and begins playing a jaunty tune on it. Webbing: Tiny spiders work tirelessly to spin more of this web. Webbing2: It looks like Mr. Spider is not home. Webbing4: What could possibly make such a huge web?

ZAP Zap Object: zap pow kaboom

#discoveringzampanio