#A rare find but very tasty

[smudgingpumpkins]

13.09.2023

Hericium americanum

-Commonly known as Bear's Head or Bear's Tooth-

Where: Northeastern US & Canada

Grows in deciduous/hardwood forests from living and decaying trees. Typically from oak and birchwood.

When: August-November

My friends and I found this little guy in September at Molly's Falls State Park, located in Cabot and Marshfield, Vermont.

There are many ways to consume this edible mushroom, but since we had been camping for weeks, due to our lack of resources we simply just intensely fried them in olive oil with salt and pepper seasoning. Nonetheless, it was super delicious!

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Appearance:

Bear's Head are relatively large mushrooms that grow 15-30 cm in diameter (6-11 inches) in compact clusters. It looks like thick, tufty, and smooth icicles or teeth that branch downwards. Bear's Head mushrooms are initially white in color when young and become more yellow as they age.

This mushroom releases spores through its "teeth," rather than gills or pores.

Taste:

The Bear's Tooth mushroom is known for having a tender, mild seafood-like taste, most akin to a slight crab or lobster flavor. It is best to pick these mushrooms while they are young and white because it becomes more bitter as the mushroom ages. When cooked, Bear's Tooth becomes brown in color.

This mushroom contains fiber, protein, antioxidants, and vitamin D!

You should ALWAYS cook wild mushrooms for the safest outcome, even if they are known to be edible. Bear's Head works well with sautéing, frying, and even baking.

I have heard that these mushrooms work really well as crab or lobster substitutes. Try them in crab cakes, seafood tacos, and soups! Its fishy, meaty flavor pairs well with butter, garlic, shallots, and lemon.

Medicinal Uses:

It is believed (by tribes in the northern parts of North America) that Bear's Head mushrooms, as well as other Hericium, can be utilized to treat bleeding wounds in their dried or powdered form, due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

There has been some research that shows that certain properties of Hericium can stimulate the synthesis of the NGF protein, which aids with improving memory and mood, and prevents brain cells from dying. This means that it can help prevent or combat Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

In Japan, clinical tests have shown that Hericium's antibacterial properties helped with the treatment of gastrointestinal issues such as stomach ulcers, chronic gastritis, Crohn's Disease, and esophageal cancer.

Of course, these mushrooms do not substitute medical attention and prescriptions. Further research is needed, and these studies only show that Hericium helps with treating symptoms--it is not a cure.

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** Bear's Head/Tooth is commonly confused to be synonymous with the Lion's Mane mushroom. However, these mushrooms are not the same species but are very closely related in the genus Hericium.

Bear's Head has longer branching fruiting bodies than the Lion's Mane. It looks more like melting candlewax whereas Lion's Mane looks more like a pom pom. The Coral Tooth Mushroom is also closely related, but as in the name, it has much shorter branches that look very much like corals.

Here is a good chart by the website Real Mushrooms:

[kyluxtrashpit]

Okay so. This is going to be a ramble no one cares about but I just have to get it out lmao. I’ve been watching gundam witch from mercury because I’m both a lesbian and a huge gundam fan, so the prospect of a gundam series WITH lesbians is like. What you’d put in my lab experiment reward bottle lmao. That sounds amazing

Thing is though… I want to like the show. I do. I really do. Especially because I just know there are fanboys out there pissing on it immediately cause how dare there be women and gays in “their” show. But. I just. I don’t love it. I find it frustrating to be perfectly honest. I will say season 2 so far as improved GREATLY on season 1 (wtf was the point of 10 episodes of weird high school slice of life drama in a gundam series anyway, it was incredibly boring). But I still am not loving it and if season 2 doesn’t deliver by the end, I’m gonna give up on it

However! I have devised what I would consider a fix for the show. And I’m sure people who actually like it, were they to stumble across this post, would be very unhappy with my fixes lmao but. I stand by them and I’m rambling them here solely so they’ll stop rolling around in my brain. So here we go (spoilers below)

So. First off, gonna really commit to the shoujo-ai/yuri vibes by going full strawberry panic. If we have to have a school, I’m making it an all girl’s school. There are no men there. There is now 0 percent chance of even the slightest hint of heterosexuality among the students. Men can still be like in the political stuff, dads play a big role in this show, but why do we need male students? We don’t. I’m making them all girls now. This will be important later and it's not like it's uncommon in anime, especially in the femslash genre

Second thing: my main issue with this show is Suletta’s lack of emotional reaction to… fucking anything. She’ll be sad for like 30 seconds when something genuinely devastating happens and then it’s over, she got hungry, a friend acknowledged her, she watered tomatoes - boom, she’s cured. Being abandoned/rejected the 3 most important beings in her life in like a week span left her sad for a couple of days (which we didn’t even see - there was literally one like 5 second shot of her lying in a bed and that’s it), sure, but as soon as she gets hungry and her friends say 2 words to her, she’s 100% back to normal. That is insane. That is not how human emotions work. I don’t know whether it’s her character itself or the way her character is written that irks me so much, but I have never seen a less engaging protagonist character like… ever. And I almost never like anime protagonists so that’s impressive. I don’t even dislike her character, I just find her immensely boring to the point where I feel nothing about her except the frustration of what a waste her character is in this setting. If she died in the next episode, all I would feel is surprise, not sadness. It’s like the narrative has no ability to affect or change her - what the hell is the point of her then??? Guel, previously most obnoxious and hate-able character in the show, was made interesting by the narrative, yet the protagonist remains unaffected by it and therefore remains about as interesting as paint drying. Why????? It’s such a waste. But anyway

So if Suletta does not behave like, you know, a person, what does she behave like? Well I would say she has the exact emotional depth of a golden retriever. Bubbly, highly social, a bit anxious, wants to help and be a part of everything, never stays sad for long - that’s a golden retriever right there. It's not good writing, but it's precisely what the writers have done here

So, what if she was literally a golden retriever?

So. Everything’s the same except it’s an all girl’s school now and Suletta is now literally a dog. World’s first mobile suit piloting dog. They send her to the school as sort of a test, to see if this dog can outperform the ace student pilots there. A dog would also still want to rescue Miorine at the start, so this stays intact. Highly social dogs like to be helpful

So. Guel is a girl now and gets her ass kicked by a dog - this is even more humiliating and drives her spiral just as well, if not better. Miorine is also now stuck engaged to a dog, which further cements how dehumanizing and humiliating this marriage arrangement thing is for her and further shows what a piece of shit her father is. The rich spacians would also be super insulted by even the idea that a dog could be a match or better than them, so she'd still end up with the earthians and all that. So the plot remains exactly the same, literally no change

“But KTP, dogs can’t pilot mobile suits!” You cry. But the thing is - the dog isn’t actually doing it. Eri is, because Aerial is sentient. We don’t even know if Suletta as a human is actually any better than average at piloting because of that - she doesn’t need to be, so she probably isn't. So the dog doesn’t actually need to be good or even at all capable, just throw some buttons in there that make it look like the dog is piloting and you’re good. That’s all you need. No one, including the dog, would know better except Eri and Prospera

Prospera - she’s the dog’s owner/trainer. Her grief after losing Eri makes her pursue this. Maybe Eri loved dogs, was obsessed with them, so Prospera got her a dog - even in her current form. And then the plan was born

And because Suletta is a dog and people like dogs, the care she inspires in Miorine and others honestly makes more sense. Of course they want to protect this dog and make her happy and let her be free of these complicated plans and things. She’s a dog. Dogs should be playing and getting belly rubs and being happy. So Miorine, Prospera, and Eri/Aerial all agreeing that Suletta should be set free from their machinations before shit gets real also makes WAY MORE sense. Because it’s both good for the dog AND everyone else cause the last thing you'd want involved in all this is a dog

And, because we made everyone girls at the start, Miorine could go into a romance with literally any character and it’d still be the lesbian gundam except now there’s just also a dog there who behaves identically to human Suletta except for not being able to talk. Because if your protagonist is so much more a plot device than a character that you could replace her with a literal actual dog and the plot remains completely unchanged like. That’s an atrocious and insulting way to treat a female character, especially a queer one, so why not just actually do that and have an even more unique story concept and let all your female characters feel like actual people?

They could also, you know, just make Suletta a compelling character with a real, developed personality instead too, but that would involve more radical changes to the plot (which I also think would likely be an improvement but) lmao. However, when doing these 'fix it' concepts, I always aim to change as little as possible as a challenge for myself. So that's what I've done here

And with that, my job here is done, and now I just know I’m gonna be even more mad at this week’s episode cause this even gayer, more dog-filled version I’ve made up in my head is already better than the actual show lmfao

[dicipher]

SPOILERS for homicipher lore

the hand is not Chopped's hands. He specifies MEETING it. Therefor it's a seperate entity. Ypu'l also notice that it moves independently from Chopped, touching the hand does not stimulate Chopped, he doesn't feel it, confirming this.

Silvair was the one to chop of Chopped's body. This is said. If we also go off the fact he chops Adami if we attack him too easily, we can safely assume Chopped was a human that was transformed into a resident as well. Which would be a confirmed 'ex human' character

On that note, Adami notes her hair graying after staying in the world too long. Other characters with gray hair includes the hairdresser and Silvair. Does that relate to anything? Maybe not. But if hair becoming lighter is a result of humans exposure to the other world, that could include us, silvair, hairdresser, hugeface, chopped (even if his hair is not gray, black could lighten into grey, and brown could lighten into pale orange in his case), while characters with dark hair (gap, crawling, scarlet) could be native to the other world..... it's very possible this is just unique to us though considering everything else that's special about Adami.

Gap lacks a body, heart, etc, but he does have hands. Gap also is able to 'teleport' trough these places, like wormholes, since he's able to drag us trough places that should never connect. He's also able to fit in any space so long as it is: dark enough.

Silvair purely 'likes' us as a science experiment. Yes he is polite, yes he is kind, but that should not be mistaken with empathy. He specifies, if you ask him if he likes you, that he does not. He finds you entertaining. And he specifies he does not understand 'like' (in japanese like and love are pretty much the same word, so this essentially translates to saying "i don't understand love"). (Though because we just asked, it could be him saying "i don't understand why you're thinking i love you") either way, Silvair does not think of us romantically.

Our ability to regenerate our body entirely seems special. Silvair points out he finds it interesting, and Silvair is able to do it too (saying he will regenerate after we kill him) whereas any other creature we are able to kill doesn't display that ability.

It's not ENTIRELY clear what kind of power names hold to their kind. Scarletella getting our name is obviously: not good™️, but us giving him a name seems to make him our servant in some way. If you say Silvair's name in his route, he looks confused, and is quiet for a bit. Perhaps because in a way, you named him in that moment. Names deeply correlate to a person's identity, and it seems residents either do not have names (are not born with them) or lose them following their transformation in some way. Unclear on that. But NAMES. NAMES RELEVANT.

Considering Human's presence (in the original, he speaks english, while everyone else (other human characters) speaks japanese), either the world has different ways of entering (stuff 'falling' into the world seems to confirm that the elevator is not the only way in/out, it's just the ghost apartments way in/out), or he's a foreigner who happened to go by....

Residents exclusively feed on flesh and blood. Interestingly, though. When first meeting Stitch, he seems surprised to see a human (pointing and exclaiming "human!", asks crawling a bunch of questions, and finally asks crawling permission to eat us, specifying "they could be tasty!", which could indicate that either humans are rare in some way, or that stitch has never personally seen one, or he could see them plenty and just be curious about all of them like he was for us. Considering some don't seem to even recognize us as human (Chopped introduces us as a resident to Silvair even though Silvair recognizes us as human right away. This is early story too, so we aren't residents yet.), i think i'm leaning towards the fact most resident don't know what a human even really looks like. Thus, what are they eating? Probably each other. The food on the painting's plate, the meat on Silvair's table, and the mush Silvair turns into if you kill him all look very simmilar. This is also 100% confirmed, since Crawling specifies the ears he found are a resident's, before eating them at the end of the interaction. So residents most definitely engage in cannibalism, and eating humans is probably not necessarily their primary diet. (Except for Scarletella who we were unknowingly giving tons of human meat to by bringing the bodies to the ghost apartments for disposal. That's like some stranger delivering tons of rare expensive food to your porch. I'd fall in love too buddy.

[crystallinestars]

If They Were Your Pet Cat

Happy Cat Day (22.02)! I was inspired to write a few headcanons about what the boys would be like as cats.

I wanted to include a few more boys, but my brain ran out of juice.

Parts 2 and 3 with Honkai Star Rail boys here and here.

Contains: Kaveh, Alhaitham, Itto, Scaramouche, Venti, and Dainsleif.

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Kaveh:

🍷 Is a Siberian breed.

🍷 When you first brought him home, Kaveh took a while to warm up to you. He was wary of your intentions and reluctant to let you touch him. With some patience and gentleness, you eventually melted the golden feline’s heart, and he became inseparable from you. Wherever you go in the house, he follows, or at the very least checks on you to know where you are.

🍷 Kaveh is very sensitive to your emotional state. If you’re feeling depressed, he likes to lay on your chest and purr until you feel better. When you cry, he’s always by your side, rubbing his cheeks against you and licking at your face as if trying to wipe them away. He doesn’t leave your side until he’s sure you’re alright.

🍷 Due to your work/school, Kaveh is used to you coming and going at certain times as a part of your daily routine. However, if you come home later than usual, expect to have a grumpy cat on your hands. He will angrily meow at you non-stop and flick his tail in annoyance. He doesn’t like being alone, and he lets you have a piece of his mind if you leave him alone for long periods of time. He’ll sulk unless you coax him with some treats and gentle pats. Spending some time grooming or playing with him usually calms him down afterward.

🍷 Is very good with having guests over. Kaveh is a sociable cat and always greets anyone that comes through the door and gives them a sniff to learn who they are. He’s open to being petted by others but prefers to sit on your lap as opposed to your friends or family.

🍷 He’s a gorgeous cat but his coat is high maintenance. Because it’s so thick and long, he doesn’t tolerate the heat well. He requires regular brushing and grooming to keep his coat healthy. It’s a good thing he enjoys being petted because it makes grooming much easier. He tends to lean into your touch or the hairbrush when you stroke his body and purrs a lot throughout the entire process. He loves being pampered.

🍷 Kaveh likes to sleep on your bed, pressed up against you or lying on your chest. You got him a cat bed, but Kaveh still prefers to sleep right next to you in your bed.

🍷 He’s generally very affectionate. He both loves to give you affection and receive it. You’re not sure how well Kaveh understands what you say, but he always looks very smug whenever you praise him and give him scritches. He’ll headbutt you, asking for more head pats and affection.

🍷 You often find him staring out the window with rapture. You’re not sure what captivates his attention so much—maybe the sunset, the rainbow after the rain, or perhaps the flowers that bloom right outside your window. He’s also strangely attracted to lightning. Rather than get scared and hide, he sits by the window and stares out at the stormy skies.

Alhaitham:

🎧 Is a Russian blue.

🎧 Alhaitham is the quietest cat you’ve ever met. Hearing him meow or make any kind of vocal sound is rare. He’s also very introverted and prefers to spend time alone, hidden in some cozy nook or cranny.

🎧 He’s also very stubborn and smart. If you want to put a silly little cat costume on him for laughs, you can forget it because Alhaitham will give you the slip every time without fail. Rather than try to chase and play hide-and-seek with him, it’s much easier to abandon the idea altogether. If he doesn’t want something done to him, you won’t be able to force him.

🎧 As mentioned earlier, he’s a very smart cat. Alhaitham figured out how to open doors on his own, and is even able to open the fridge all by himself. It’s a bit annoying because he sometimes uses his abilities to sneak a tasty little something from the fridge, but his intelligence is truly a marvel. When you speak to him, Alhaitham’s expressions and body language change in response to your words, almost as if he understands exactly what you’re saying and is reacting to it.

🎧 Most of your friends and family have only caught glimpses of him when they visit. That’s because Alhaitham dislikes having guests over, and tends to hide from them. He only comes out once they leave.

🎧 He’s not a social cat in general and likes to keep his distance even from you. He’s not a lap cat, and will jump off and leave if you try to force him to lay on your lap. When he does feel like being social, Alhaitham will lay beside you if you’re reading a book, or perch on your shoulder to observe what you’re doing.

🎧 Is a very lazy cat, so you frequently find him taking naps while lying in a warm spot of sunshine. If you disturb his nap by attempting to pet or poke him, he gives you a displeased look and flicks his tail in annoyance. He’s very grumpy when his sleep is ruined.

🎧 Alhaitham never listens to strangers but does listen to you. If you call him over, he will come to you. He also tolerates your touch, and lets you squeeze and pet him without biting or scratching you. He looks unhappy about it, but lets you do as you please. However, if you ruin his attempts to leave once he’s had enough of your affection, he will take his revenge. That cup that’s sitting near the edge of the table? Yeah, he’s gonna push that off and stare at you without remorse while it crashes to the ground.

Itto:

🐂 A Maine Coon.

🐂 Itto is not meant for a house cat lifestyle. Despite your best attempts to keep him indoors, the rascal always manages to slip out somehow and venture into the great outdoors. His yearning to explore the greater world is too strong for you to contain, so you have to make peace with the fact he’ll spend most of his time roaming outside. On the bright side, Itto always comes home to you without fail, looking happy to see you and bask in your affection again.

🐂 He made friends with some stray cats in the area, so you have a small group of them regularly come to your porch and meow until you give them some food. It’s a bit costly to feed so many mouths, but watching the cats play together or rub against your legs while purring affectionately convinces you it’s worth it.

🐂 Since Itto spends so much time outside, he tends to come home dirty and matted. He needs to be bathed to stay clean, but good luck getting him in the bath. He screams and yowls bloody murder every time you try to wash him, to the point that your neighbors knock on your door to ask what’s going on. Thankfully, they grow accustomed to Itto’s bathtime opera and stop pestering you about it.

🐂 Brushing Itto’s fur also proves a challenge because he just can’t sit still. The little guy has too much energy to keep contained, so he usually ends up looking disheveled.

🐂 Itto is also a giant glutton. He’s capable of eating a week’s worth of cat food in just 3-4 days, yet somehow doesn’t gain weight. It’s expensive to keep him fed. If you try to put him on a diet, he will be very vocal in his complaints and even steal food from your plate.

🐂 He’s a troublemaker, but he’s incredibly loyal to you. If you’re feeling down, he’ll get you to play with him to take your mind off your troubles. If that doesn’t work, he’ll become more affectionate and rub up against you to get you to pet him and relieve stress. He never abandons you if you’re not feeling your best.

Scaramouche:

☂️ Is a domestic shorthaired tuxedo cat.

☂️ Was very hostile and cold towards you when you first got him. He was averse to touch, and often hissed and glared at you for the first few months of your joint cohabitation. Over time, when he was sure you meant him no harm, Scaramouche relaxed in your presence and wasn’t so hostile towards you anymore. He still glares daggers at any guests you may have over, but with you, he’s calmer and more affectionate.

☂️ Scaramouche is a bit of a loner and tends to slink off on his own to whatever corner of the house he calls his own. When guests are over, he likes to sit in an elevated spot (top of the closet, fridge, or shelf) and observe everyone from above. He does this for two reasons: firstly to discourage people from touching him, and secondly to keep an eye on the people around you.

☂️ If there’s someone he doesn’t like, Scaramouche will make it very apparent. That unfortunate guest of yours will get a warning growl to stay away from you. If the guest doesn’t comply, Scaramouche could even go as far as scratching the person. It’s not good behaviour on his part, but Scaramouche has his reasons. You’ve come to learn that he’s very good at picking out individuals who have bad intentions towards you or are just overall not good people.

☂️ He's a bit of a grumpy cat. He’ll let out noises of discontent if you pick him up to cuddle him or groom him, but he’s just all bark and no bite (but only with you). As unhappy as he’ll look, he’ll tolerate whatever it is you want to do to him. Unless it’s dressing him in silly costumes. Then you’ll get a harmless swat to your face (he makes sure to keep his claws retracted) and won’t see him for the rest of the day. Scaramouche won’t come out even when you call for him. No silly costumes, please.

☂️ For all his grouchy attitude, he still loves you. He wakes you up on time if you sleep through your alarm, badgers you if you forget to take your meds, and purrs on your chest when you feel sad. He’s very intelligent for a cat.

☂️ Is very picky about food. He won’t eat just anything you give him. Unfortunately for you, the only cat food brand he’s willing to eat is very expensive. He’s a very spoiled cat.

☂️ Hates bathing. Scaramouche tolerates brushing and nail trimming, but God forbid you try to put him in the bath. He will meow angrily and try to run, so it’s always an ordeal to hold him still long enough to bathe him. Sends you a scathing look if you laugh at how skinny he looks once his fur is matted to his body, making him look several sizes smaller. If you laugh, he’ll give you the cold shoulder afterward, so you won’t see him for a few days.

☂️ Isn’t into playing with cat toys, but he does hunt in his spare time. He brought you birds and mice a few times as a ‘gift’. He genuinely meant well, so was a bit irritated that you threw his gifts away.  

Venti:

🍃 A munchkin cat.

🍃 Venti is a cat that cannot be tamed. He clearly understands your commands because he sometimes complies with them when he feels like it, but most of the time he prefers to do his own thing. This includes venturing out into the great outdoors. Venti is not content staying cooped up at home, and you’ve long since learned to just let him go out when he wants. He’ll find a way to escape one way or the other. Besides, he still comes home, so it’s not like he doesn’t like living with you.

🍃 Venti seems to have an appreciation for music. He becomes energized whenever you play music, no matter what genre the song may be. He becomes more playful, so you often find yourself sidetracked playing with the cat instead of doing your work. If you can’t play with him, then Venti will zoom around the house like a cat on a sugar rush.

🍃 To your surprise, Venti also likes to sing. Or at least, you think the caterwauls he’s making are his attempts at singing along to some of the songs. It’s an amusing, albeit weird, sight.

🍃 Is generally not a lap cat, but he makes exceptions if he senses that you’re feeling down. During such moments, he becomes more subdued and nuzzles into your side, allowing you to pet him. His gentle purring and soft body usually help you feel better. If not, then he’ll stick to you like glue and follow you around the house to keep you company. It will be one of the few times when Venti sleeps next to you at night since he usually goes off on his own during that time. It’s obvious that he worries about your well-being.

🍃 Out of all the foods you let Venti try, you never expected him to like apples as much as he did. You swear he likes them more than the expensive cat treats you bought him. You trained him to do all kinds of tricks and even sit still for grooming in exchange for a few slices of apple (given as a treat).

🍃 He likes sleeping outside under the shade of the canopy, accompanied by a gentle breeze. You often catch him sleeping high up in a tree or a nook somewhere in the grass.

Dainsleif:

🌌 A Norwegian Forest cat.

🌌 You got Dainsleif from a shelter. He has a chronic illness that requires you to take him to the vet regularly for treatment, and some kind of scarring on his right side. The right side of his face and flank has matted, thinning fur, and you can only guess what happened to him before he ended up at the shelter. He was a very pitiful sight, which is why you brought him home. Under your care, Dainsleif lives the best life he can given his afflictions, and you’re even proud to say that aside from his mangled right side, the rest of his coat looks gorgeous.

🌌 Dainsleif is a relatively quiet and well-tempered cat. Though he’s shy and skittish around strangers, with you, he is more open. In private, his sweet temperament comes out. He often grooms you with his tongue as an act of affection and relishes in your gentle caresses when you pet or groom him in return. Watching his eyes close as he relaxes is a nice feeling since he usually has his guard up.

🌌 He’s not playful. Dainsleif is kind of serious for a cat. He dutifully waits for you at the door like a dog whenever you leave the house and greets you with a loud meow when you return. He doesn’t play with the toys you got him and prefers to spend most of his time sitting by the window and staring outside with an expression you can only describe as wistful.

🌌 Likes to sample whatever food you’re having. Dainsleif eats his cat food just fine, but you notice that he’s often curious about what you’re eating. He can’t help but want to sniff and taste human foods since the unique scents and flavors entice him. You share a little bit of your food with him after making sure it’s safe for cats, and Dainsleif couldn’t be more grateful for your generosity. However, this led to him expecting you to share a bit of your food with him during every meal. He’ll look dejected if you don’t.

🌌 When not weighed down by his illness, Dainsleif is very agile and has good stamina. He’s well suited for traveling outdoors with you if it’s something you want to try and will stay by your side like a loyal guard dog the entire time.

🌌 He’s very pliant with you. He tolerates bathing and grooming like a trooper despite not being fond of it since you’re the only one he trusts. If someone else attempted to groom him, then Dainsleif would simply run off and hide. However, he allows you to maneuver him in whatever way you need to complete the work well, and he doesn’t even complain about it. He becomes the sweetest cat in your presence.

[jjkamochoso]

Catching Fire, Catching Feelings, Catch These Hands

Fluff

Kyojuro Rengoku x f!reader

When Kyojuro finds a man bothering you, he's quick to take action.

Warnings: harassment from a stranger

As a high ranking demon slayer, you rarely had downtime so you decided to make the most of it by attending a market while you stayed in your hometown for a few days. You figured it would be wisest to leave your sword at home since they weren't welcome in open spaces and you'd rather not spend the next month in jail for brandishing a weapon in public. You felt bare without it but knew you'd be safe for the time being--it was daytime and you hadn't heard of any demon sightings in the area. Embracing the fact that you were actually able to wear something other than your uniform for once, you set out to get lost among the hordes of people, food, and material items. As you paid for pancakes from a food stall, you spotted bright orange and yellow hair in the distance. There was no way that was Kyojuro, right? He would've told you he was here!

But if he was here, you definitely shouldn't have left home without your sword.

You raced in between the crowd, eager to catch up to your dear friend. Though you weren't a Hashira, you still caught the group's attention as an accomplished Kinoe and found yourself working on missions with them from time to time. You got along with all of them but you were exceptionally close with Kyojuro. He was passionate, kind, and an absolute joy to be around. He was also extremely handsome, but he didn't need to know you'd been harboring a crush on him for a long time.

"Rengoku? Rengoku!"

Your yelling finally caught his attention as you ran up behind him and he turned around, a satisfied smile resting on his lips. When he saw it was you calling his name, the smile grew even wider.

"Y/n! It's always a pleasure to see a friendly face, especially if it's yours!" replied Kyojuro, bowing his head slightly in greeting.

"Same to you. I wasn't expecting to see you here," you said. "Is something the matter?"

"There's been a large increase in demon attacks in this area!" he shouted, earning a few wary glances from passersby. "I'm here to exterminate them!"

"To think I hadn't heard of that at all," you muttered, confusion apparent in the way you knit your brows. "If you need help later tonight, I'll gladly provide backup!"

"That would be fantastic! Thank you, dear friend!"

"Of course," you answered. "Were you exploring this market for work or for fun?"

"For fun! Care to join me in trying these... whatever these are?"

Kyojuro was pointing at a sign that read "Croquettes." Neither of you knew what they were but you were both foodies so you excitedly waited your turn to buy some. Food in hand, you found a place to sit and eat, happy to catch up with each other over snacks. He handed you a croquette as you passed a pancake his way.

"Tasty! You chose a wonderful dish to try," Kyojuro complimented, his mouth full.

"As did you, Rengoku. These are very yummy."

"Please, we're friends, are we not? Call me Kyojuro."

You stopped your chewing in surprise. "Oh! Well, alright then, Kyojuro."

You loved the way his name so easily rolled off your tongue, like it had always been yours to speak. You two fell into conversation about what you had been up to, what he and the other Hashira were up to, and how both of your families were. When your stomachs were full, you continued your jaunt around the market, Kyojuro being a superb shopping companion. You were currently stopped at a stall that sold ornamental hair clips and your attention was completely absorbed by the glittering jewels and vibrant flowers, so much so that when Kyojuro spoke up, you jumped.

"Excuse me for a moment. There's something at that previous stall I would like to buy for Senjuro," he explained, giving you a courteous nod as he left your side for the first time that morning. You smiled to yourself, resuming your browsing. He was always so sweet and considerate and you loved how he never stopped looking out for his adorable little brother. As your mind pondered all the things you admired about the handsome demon slayer, your eyes fell on the most gorgeous hair clip you'd ever seen and you picked it up, carefully inspecting it.

"That's a nice one, isn't it?"

You jumped for the second time in less than a minute, this time due to a stranger's voice in your ear. There was a man standing next to you, much too close for comfort, wearing a grin that made your skin crawl. You didn't want any trouble so you tried to keep the situation as relaxed as possible.

"Yes, it's very beautiful."

"It's not as beautiful as you."

Um, ew.

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Who did this creep think he was?

"I'm flattered, sir," you said, placing the clip back on the table, ready to make your escape, "but I must be going now."

You turned around, eager to find Kyojuro, but before you could get too far, you were stopped by the rough clutching of your wrist by the stranger.

"Hey, where you going? I'm not finished talking with you. I don't even have a pretty name for the pretty face."

You were enraged and wanted to teach this guy a lesson for having such repulsive manners. You instinctively reached for your hip but your hand felt nothing--your sword was at home, discarded on the floor where you'd left it earlier that morning. You cringed internally at your stupidity. Why, of all days, did you decide to be an upstanding citizen and leave your weapon at home? The next thing that crossed your mind was breaking his hand, which you were about to do before Kyojuro was by your side once more.

"If you continue touching my friend, I will not hesitate to cut off your hand!" Kyojuro exclaimed, his voice never losing its trademark cheeriness as he stared the stranger down.

"Yeah, right," the man sneered, "with what weapon-oh."

He spied the sword sitting neatly on Kyojuro's hip, the Flame Hashira's fingers ghosting the top of the handle to show he wasn't messing around. The unwelcome intruder immediately dropped your wrist and backed away, sputtering apologies before practically running from the scene. Kyojuro was no longer smiling as he assessed the aftermath of the situation.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice lower than usual. You nodded, trying to calm the blood that was boiling in your veins.

"I'm glad I already ate or that would've ruined my appetite," you seethed. "I just wanted a hair clip. Had I known that man was going to bother me, I wouldn't have stayed over there."

You sucked in a breath as your anger left you, leaving behind a feeling of unease akin to being prey stalked by a predator. "I would like to go home now. Kyojuro, would you mind escorting me? I know I could easily beat that man in hand to hand combat but I'm afraid I just don't feel as safe without my sword."

Kyojuro looked upon you with sadness contorting his features. "Are you sure you want to leave without the hair clip you were so fond of? We can continue browsing the market, I promise not to leave your side again. I will not hesitate to protect you from all threats, human or otherwise, today and all other days."

He sounded so earnest in his endeavor to keep you safe that the idea of you leaving the market early became unfathomable. Also, hearing those words from the man you were falling for left your heart throbbing in your chest.

"Thank you," you said, looking deep into his red and yellow eyes that were practically glowing in the sunlight, "you're consistently there for me and I never know how to return the favor."

He let out a hearty laugh. "Nonsense! Having someone like you in my life is favor enough! Your unshakable character and kind demeanor are incredible. You're a great listener and you give valuable advice. Every day I am thankful that I know you!"

You felt warmth flood into your cheeks at his praise, feeling bashful from his compliments. He just beamed at you, not at all helping to rid you of the giddiness you were feeling.

"Come," he said, offering his arm for you to hold. "I would like for you to show me the hair decoration that has captured your attention."

You enthusiastically locked your wrist around his elbow and led him over to the stall.

"This is the one," you said, picking it up.

"May I?" Kyojuro asked softly, gesturing to the ornament.

"Of course," you accepted, and he plucked the piece from your hand. He tenderly brushed back the hair from your face, tucking it behind your ear. He then placed the hair clip on the side of your head, his fingers gingerly pushing it into place so it wouldn't budge. When he was finished, he didn't take his eyes off you-- his expression held such soft fondness that it was impossible to look away from his magnetic gaze.

"You look beautiful," he murmured. It wasn't the first time you'd heard that today, but it was the only time it mattered. You were so entranced by him that you didn't notice him paying for the clip until it was too late, the money already taken by the vendor.

"Please, let me pay you back," you pleaded as you walked away from the crowded market, finding solace in a quiet garden not too far from there.

"No way!"

"Kyojuro Rengoku!"

"Never!"

"Why not? You must tell me," you demanded.

"Because I want to show you that I..." He hesitated and you noticed that he was starting to blush, his cheeks almost the same color as the tips of his hair. "I want to show you that I can take care of you. In matters of both finances and safety."

You cocked your head. "Wait, why would you..."

All of a sudden, it dawned on you. Was he trying to court you right now?

He noticed you attempting to put the pieces together so he explained further. "Seeing that man disrespect you... I would have helped any woman in that situation but at that moment I knew that I couldn't bear to see another man lay his hands on you."

The Flame Hashira inched forward to be slightly closer to you, his haori swishing in the breeze. "Y/n, I have fallen for you and I wish to be by your side as not just a friend, but as a lover. A husband. If you'll have me."

"Oh, Kyojuro!" You threw yourself into his arms. He stumbled back at the unexpected movement but quickly grounded himself, hugging you tightly.

"I would be honored to marry you," you said, unable to contain your wide smile and thrilled beyond belief that he felt the same way about you that you did for him all this time.

"Wonderful! I am the luckiest man to be able to call you my wife!" he exclaimed.

"So tonight will be our first mission as a couple, then?"

"That is correct!"

You snickered. "Maybe we can defeat the demons with the power of love."

"Hah! My darling y/n, you sound like Mitsuri!"

That was the best compliment you'd received all day.

[grimm-writings]

moments

…ft! touden party, falin x gn! reader, izutsumi & reader

…tags! tooth-rotting fluff, drabbles

…wc! 70 ; 87 ; 95 ; 92 ; 108; 106 = 558

…notes! i feel like a negligent parent with my lack of works lately. here’s something small.

Laios enjoys napping with you under the shade of a tree.  In this moment, there’s nothing stopping you and him from understanding one another completely.  With a gentle breeze flowing, Laios finds his hands resting on your back as you turn to collapse on top of him, earning a small wheeze from him.  But he laughs, and he holds you.  It's time for rest.  Forget your responsibilities for a while.

Marcille will come to you every time she finishes a book in a daze.  She recalls the ending to you, as she usually does when she has finished a few chapters for the past few days.  However, in her post-book stupor, she finds herself more prone to rambling and such.  Still, she isn’t anxious about ‘talking too much’ or otherwise.  The way you engage with her and help ground her, especially if an ending is particularly stressful, is her favourite routine.  She shan’t trade it for anything.

Chilchuck gets busy on workdays.  With his shop and representing his fellow half-foots, his hands can get very full, very quickly.  This is why he’s thankful for your presence, welcoming him home with open arms, a tasty meal, and a hot bath prepared just for him.  You get to watch as the furrow in his brow relaxes in the midst of you.  When all is said and done, when you lay in bed together, he finds respite in this moment.  That at his age is a rare feat.  You’re really something to behold, aren’t you?

Senshi finds the time spent after a hearty meal to be some of the most tender.  Standing beside one another, Senshi plunging cutlery into suddy water only to hand it to you to dry, is like something out of a dream.  Momentarily, not only is he doing what he loves, but he’s doing it with someone he loves too.  Someone he might consider spending the rest of his days like this, washing the dishes.  He’s always sure to thank you for helping, his beard barely disguising the wide smile on his face.

Izutsumi is hardly one for staying relaxed in a perfect moment, but she still lets her guard down around you no matter how many times she tries to catch herself.  It’s a slow process.  First slouches against your arm, before turning to nuzzle into it, and then she rests her head on your shoulder and finds herself curling into you entirely.  It’s hard not to pet and scratch her, but don’t be surprised when she finally realises what she’s doing and pulls away entirely, embarrassed and acting like you’re the problem.  It’s but a moment, though a peaceful one she wouldn’t mind falling into the trap of again.

Falin sees her whole world in moments.  Little treasures to be looked back on with a tenderness and fullness unlike any other.  That’s why, with you, she holds all the time you spend together close to her heart.  From the first time your fingers brushed against one another to a late night conversation, Falin remembers each and every one, all committed to memory.  That way, when you see each other again, Falin is flooded with a feeling of bliss.  The thoughts and yearn for your smile directed at her is a moment in itself.  When you wear that glowing expression, how could she ask for more?

[kitchenwitchtingss]

50 KITCHEN WITCH TIPS TO MAKE YOU FEEL MORE WITCHY

(And other useful things I've learned over the years)

Hi! This is a list of dos, don'ts, tips, tricks, and other fun things that I've learned over the years. I always love finding more effective and efficient ways of doing things so if you have any cool things you'd like to add, leave them in the comments or reblog. I'd love to read it.

Anyways... On with the list ^_^

Light candles around your kitchen space (just make sure nothing flammable is near you)

Annotate your cookbooks with the correspondence of the ingredients.

Mediating is really good to calm the mind before cooking.

Cut oranges and lemons thinly, dry them, and hang them with twine around your kitchen

Need a cleansing tip? Open all your windows near your kitchen. Let some fresh air in.

Cutting sigils into apples, pie crusts, and carved potatoes.

Save lemon and orange rinds, freeze them, and then use them to clean the garbage disposal.

Make infused oils and honey: Things like garlic honey, lavender honey, herb oil, sun oil, moon oil, dandelion oil, and other different edible oils are very fun and useful to make.

Hid sigils in pages of your cookbooks and kitchen witch journals.

Add some plants! Snake plants and spider plants don't need too much light, and growing your own herbs in your kitchen is awesome too. Basil, lavender, thyme, aloe vera, rosemary, etc. are good fits. You could also add some plants that require more sunlight on the kitchen window sill. Like cacti and succulents.

Bring crystals into your kitchen space such as rose quartz, clear quartz, amethyst, or whatever you want the space's intentions to be.

I keep a small money tree on the sill, along with cacti for luck and protection.

Make a simmer Pot! Mostly because it makes the whole house smell good, easy, and fun.

Stir clockwise for best results!

Learning how to pickle things is actually pretty witchy. Plus, anyone could do it as it requires absolutely no kitchen experience. You could pickle any vegetable, even if you don't like pickles. I originally learned this after having to take shelter from a natural disaster. A person brought a bunch of stuff and taught us how to pickle things with different spices and herbs. Very fun!

Decorate your kitchen with your favorite stuff. Crystals, decor, heat mits, that cool mushroom cake stand you've been eyeing at the World Market for the past 2 weeks, cool looking curtains, sun catchers. Why stop there? Paint the walls, hang shelves full of marked-up cookbooks that are a little too well-loved and thumbed through.

Wanna be the person that has the amazing-smelling house every time people come over? Syrups take some time to simmer down, it's actually a pretty good time to leave it on the stove to simmer. Since syrups have a lot of aromatic ingredients, it acts as a really good-smelling simmer pot.

Hang up herbs to dry with twine from cabinets that are rarely used.

Invest in that new set of plates and cups.

Homemade jams, butter, sauces, and syrups are your best friend.

Crochet or knit your own dish rags, pot holders, etc.

Don't pour extremely hot things into a glass that's not Pyrex, it will break, and you will be very sad about it.

Don't cook anything while extremely upset or emotional (For safety reasons)

Make recipes you want to make, not just because you'll like the effect. Make it because you think it's tasty.

Chinese Five Spice works in place of herbs for protection and luck spells a lot of the time! It's cheaper to buy 1 spice than 4 different spices that total up to 15 dollars when you could just spend 3-4 dollars.

Take a shower before cooking (I don't know how to explain this one other than it makes you feel better)

Don't use microfiber/plastic material clothes on hot burners, it will fuse to the burner and melt. It is VERY hard to get off.

I don't know if I need to put this one but I did see someone do it so nonstick pan = wooden utensils and plastic utensils, metal pan = metal utensils. Do not use a metal spoon in a nonstick pan, please. It can make you very sick.

Keep your pets away from hot oil, open ovens, and hot pans.

You can proof bread dough in the fridge overnight if you don't have the time to bake, or want to eat fresh bread right in the morning.

Need a quick witchy meal for dinner in 12 minutes? Use premade tomato pasta sauce and doctor it up with thyme, rosemary, and garlic, for protection and distilling stagnant energies. Serve with pasta of your liking.

You can substitute Butter for Crisco/shortening, buttermilk for 1 cup of milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, and heavy cream for 1 cup of half and half plus 2 tbsp of butter.

Use leftover animal bones to make bone broth

Teach yourself the art of bread scoring (It's fun, and you can show it off to your loved ones!)

Collect and hoard your own and others' family recipes.

Sometimes the food doesn't have to be a spell, sometimes it just makes you feel good and you don't know why.

Listen to your favorite music in the kitchen, it makes the monotonous things like chopping veggies move faster.

Invest in a vegetable chopper if you don't like chopping vegetables.

Find a really good hot cocoa recipe and make it once a week. Master it. Just for your own happiness because hot cocoa is really good. You could also be the friend/family member that makes the best hot cocoa ever.

Focaccia Bread Lasts a very long time, and it's very easy to make!

Keep a first aid kit near where the oven is, in case of burns, cuts, or serious injuries where time is everything.

Quick Bread and no-rise loaves are simple for beginners, tasty, and take little time. They also feel very witchy to make.

Study a bit of Herbalism! It's fun and really helps better understand the herbs you're putting into your food.

While something is boiling, put your wooden spoon over the pot to minimize the chance of something boiling over.

Try a bit of coffee magick, it's simple to get into, and gives you a boost of energy to take on the day!

If you're over 21, wine-making is a very interesting way to celebrate the sabbats. Just with that, make sure you KNOW what you're doing. With anything fermented, there's always a risk if you don't store things correctly. Apple wines, strawberry wines, dandelion wines, etc. all very cool to experiment with. If you're not over 21, vinegar is a similar way to experiment.

Hang up some witchy things, sigils, photos, cool magnets, and other things that give you joy on your fridge. (Sometimes if you are lucky they have some fun magnets at five below)

If you live in the US, for some reason, there are a lot of books in the book section dedicated to witchcraft and spirituality. At least where I live. And they are all under 5 dollars!

Teas are the cheapest and easiest things you can practice being a kitchen witch.

[puzzled-pegasus]

back again with some more WoF tribe hcs

SkyWings commonly lack the ability to taste sweet things, part of the population lost the gene after the tribe became mainly carnivorous. This is inspired by real life cats, who lost the gene due to being obligate carnivores.

SandWings and MudWings commonly eat bugs. SandWings will snack on beetles when they find them, and MudWings will pick through a decomposing log like a bear to find tasty grubs. MudWings also commonly break into beehives and use their fire to smoke the bees before taking some honeycomb along with some comb that stores tasty bee larvae.

NightWings had very few bugs on the volcano for obvious reasons, besides like, some cockroaches, so it's very weird when they come into the rainforest and there's Things crawling everywhere.

RainWings and SandWings both have an innate fear of certain bugs, especially spiders. The only reason RainWings avoid eating bugs is because of the abundance of poisonous ones in the forest.

MudWings typically avoid eating alligators or crocodiles because of their similarity to dragons. Sometimes, though, they keep them as pets.

Anacondas found in the rainforest or mud kingdom will not pass up the chance to eat a dragon egg.

Some SeaWings are immune to anemone stings, like clownfish.

RainWings have to suppress their judgments about other tribes based on their coloration, reminding themselves that SkyWings aren't always angry even though they're red and orange, SeaWings aren't always sad or upset, NightWings aren't constantly seething with hatred, etc. It's hard for other tribes to really grasp the connotations that colors have for them; for RainWings, color is essentially their language. Even the color of a gift they are given can have meaning. It can result in misunderstanding with members of tribes without good color differentiation.

It's also difficult for other tribes to learn to read RainWing colors, as one color rarely ever means just one thing, and rarely is a RainWing ever just one color for long. Well, besides Jambu. But he's the weird one.

Most RainWings aren't used to being asked their favorite color. How do you answer that? Your favorite mood? Obviously, most dragons like it when they're happy. So they would usually just pick yellow or pink or light blue.

SandWings really like dark colors. You don't see a lot of those in the desert. Dark greens and purples and blues and reds. Those sort of colors are the ones that queens have their fabric dyed. Luxurious.

[doveywovy]

tobiizu mermaid au for @slurmdog in which izuna is an extremely rare kind of mermaid. the Aquarium has him (Wild caught, but he's happy about the way less stressful environment) and is taking exceptionally special care with him because he's so rare. They've never been able to study one in captivity before!

He's a squid/octopus kind of mermaid, particularly small compared to most mers, and gets his own special tank to keep him from getting bullied or injured by territorial mers in their larger main mer tank. And like real Octopi in aquariums, he makes his own fun when the environment doesn't meet his standards- or when he notices a fish in another tank and decides it looks tasty. The staff haven't yet figured out that he sneaks out of his tank at night to eat the other exhibits, and otherwise go exploring. They actually haven't figured out he's capable of traveling on land, considering they don't have any experience with mers that have tentacles instead of a singular fish tail.

Izuna has the run of the place to himself, and is enjoying the experience immensely, when he runs into Tobirama's tank. Tobirama is also isolated, despited being larger than most mer species (he's a great white shark mer, maybe?). Partially because his species means they're worried he would attack the other mer, and partially because when they tried to keep him in the big tank he got ostracized so bad he was in danger of starving from the other mer keeping the food away from him. He's also got terrible eyesight, which would make his survival more difficult- and means while Izuna sees him, he doesn't see Izuna.

Izuna is smitten. Tobirama has such sharp teeth and such pretty markings and Izuna is soooo going to win him over, he just knows he can do it!

This causes some problems for the aquarium, because a smitten izuna has some unfortunate instincts. For one: he gets immensely territorial, and his territory is much larger than anyone assumed. So now he's going to fight half the mers in this building. For two: he's going to try and feed Tobirama. starting with the largest (most expensive/rare) fish in the building, and working his way up to feeding Tobirama other Mer. On a more positive note, his body markings/colorations change to try and attract tobirama, which is pretty neat to look at! the scientist can't figure out why it's happening but they are studying it carefully.

Izuna can't get into Tobirama's tank (there's a lock on it with a keycode because people apparently get very weird about shark mer specifically.) He can shove bits of stuff through the top grating on a portion of the tank; it's actually just barely large enough for him to fit an arm through, or the lower half of one of his smaller tentacles.

Tobirama's used to being babied by hashirama, so when fancy food smelling repeatedly of one mer drops into his tank, he takes it as the gift it's meant as and eats it up. Izuna is pleased his courting is so well, Tobirama likes he's getting some nice food, the caretakers are confused where the fuck their nice fish are disappearing to- and why their great white shark mer is eating way less than usual.

Izuna is actually venomous, which the scientists as of yet don't know; it takes him a while to successfully kill another mer without using his venom. obviously he can't give Tobirama a food gift covered in venom! So instead, for a while, the mer deaths are considered part of the standard deaths for the larger tank- territory disputes, food fights, courting displays.

Then one day the scientists come in to find Tobirama's tank filled with blood and very small pieces of mermaid, apparently shoved through the grate on top. and a very pleased looking tobirama inside.

[extrashortshorts]

thank you for answering.. i wanna talk wani for a bit more if thats alright, heres some wani traits i think would be interesting for a watermelon gator;

•watermelogators are one of the largest species of gators, but theyre also peculiar in that theyre very shy. so its rare to ever come across one.. if you do, you're blessed to have a amazing summer for you, or your business

•they have a little vine growing on their heads that get longer and longer with age, the small flowers growing from it are sprouted during mating season- the males whip eachother with the vine and tangle it together (like tug of war) and whoevers vine breaks off first loses

•their babies are all black and theyre at their fiestiest at this age, which makes it harder for the mothermelogators because they have to be kept properly moisturized at all times until they shed into their new skins. so, the mamamelogators keep them in their mouths frequently and constantly move to find water nearby.. if shes angry, she can spit them out rapidly at attackers and easily kill them

•they have large round bumps on their backs, that store fat and water just like camels do. they can spit it up like a fountain to bathe themselves..

•they have rounder features but longer snouts, likely to fit more babies in as they do have large broods

•a group is called a patch

•their meat is red and speckled with black dots, the textures been described as, "melt in your mouth, like marbled steak thats also light and refreshing" so they're sought after quite often

•since they have the appearance of a very popular fruit, theyre also beloved and considered the best kind of wani, the cutest as well

•they may live for hundreds of years, but before they die they're brown and bloated, and leak blood continuously as they rot

.. id love to hear more about your ideas!! sorry this was so much i hope 9 bullets isnt overdoing it 😭

t...they NEED to be massive, i NEED them to be massive and tasty and nice and refreshing in the summer 😤

All of these headcanons are so good!!!💚💚💚

[smudgingpumpkins]

11.11.2023

Morchella

-Commonly known as the Morel mushroom-

Where: Worldwide, predominately in the Northern Hemisphere

Grows on the ground near dead or dying ash, elm, oak, aspen, and pine trees. Morels are more likely to grow in recently burned or disturbed areas.

When: March-May

This picture was taken by my friend Matt during his work trip around Patagonia, freshly picked a bit early for its season.

Morels are quite the culinary delicacy. I have never prepared wild ones on my own, so I am quite jealous that Matt and his coworkers got to enjoy them! (They prepared it on the pizza, which sounds nice but Matt reports that it may have muddled the morels' true flavor).

----------

Appearance:

Morels' caps are rounded and pointed, looking like a smushed honeycomb (ridges and deep pits). They can grow up to anywhere between 5-10 cm in height (or even bigger or smaller depending upon the exact species), and 1-3 cm in thickness.

Morel caps can be greyish, tan, or various shades of brown and the stems are an off-white or creamy color.

Taste:

Morels have an earthy, nutty, delicious umami flavor.

They are great to consume alone, either dried or freshly cooked, but of course, morels pair well with many dishes (especially, hearty grain meals): creamy grits, pastas, and rice! Spring vegetables such as asparagus, peas, and carrots complement the morel mushroom very well.

You should ALWAYS cook wild mushrooms for the safest outcome, even if you are sure the mushrooms you foraged are safe to eat.

This mushroom contains high amounts of vitamins D and B, and is rich in iron and manganese!

Medicinal Use:

Morel mushrooms have been utilized for centuries for all sorts of purposes across the globe. It has been spiritually interpreted as representing prosperity, abundance, and fertility . . . perhaps alluding to how morels grow in bountiful clusters within damaged or disturbed areas, which may appear to be miraculous.

Morchella contains some of the highest amounts of vitamin D out of any mushroom, which is great for healthy bone growth and a sturdy immune system. Research also shows there to be antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties--attributed to polysaccharides, phenolic compounds, tocopherols, and ascorbic acid--which are linked to reducing the risks of developing cancer cells, and heart and liver diseases.

Of course, these mushrooms do not substitute medical attention and prescriptions. Further research is needed, and these studies show that Morchella helps with acting as a possible preventative measure for health risks--it is not a cure.

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**False morels may be mistaken as true morels. The former may contain a toxin called monomethyl hydrazine, which causes vomiting, vertigo, and potentially death.

**False morels include: Verpa bohemica (Wrinkled Thimblecap), Gryomitra esculenta (Conifer False Morel), Helvella vespertina (Elfin Saddle), among others in these genera.

Figuring out the difference between true and false morels can be difficult. True morals are hollow on the inside, and uniformly have ridges and pits all over its cap. Typically, true morel caps are longer than the stem. False morel caps tend to look more "squished," be shorter, and have more lobed/wavy ridges. They are not hollow, being filled with tissues or fibers.

Here is a handy chart created by the Mushroom Appreciation website:

[hannahbarberra162]

Heat Transfer, Ch. 1

On Ao3

Summary: You're a half blood Sea Naga, happily living by yourself. Until a group of humans mistake you for a baby and kidnap you, taking you back to their ship. You're kept like a pet, but you need out of your gilded cage, and fast.

A special thank you to a wonderful Nonnie who not only inspired this work but is also beta-ing it.

I know X reader is a stretch since the reader is so specific. It's basically an OC written from second person.

Warnings: Soft / normal yandere, pet-ification, some whump, eventual romance.

~~~

The first thing that alerted you to their presence was the smell of a fire on your island. You’d been swimming earlier that day and had smelled a ship coming close, the distinct scent of old, well cared for timber carried by the currents, but that wasn’t anything new. Ships sailed near your isolated little sanctuary sometimes, but very rarely docked there. It was small and uninhabited, with few natural resources that sailors would want. It didn’t hurt that there were rumors that Sea Naga lived nearby, ones with a particular thirst for human flesh.

You lived on a normally pleasant summer island, but it was winter at the moment. It had been a particularly harsh winter, you’d had a hard time hunting and finding anything worthwhile lately. But it was almost over, spring would be coming soon and the fishing would get better. You were the thinnest you’d been in a long while, but you weren’t worried, you knew you’d make it through. You’d been doing it your whole life. You returned your gaze towards the direction of the fire, trying to smell how many humans had come. But following the scent of smoke came the most delicious, mouth watering, succulent smell you’d ever sniffed. It smelled like meat but better . You’d eaten meat cooked over the fire before, it was tasty. Your sisters preferred raw meat and fish but you tried to cook it if you could get enough brush for a decent fire. But nothing you’d made had ever smelled like this. 

Maybe if you ate enough of what they had you’d be able to gain weight before one of your sisters came to visit. They always brought you some kind of animal to feast on, but that was part of the problem. Your three older sisters were full blooded Sea Naga, they were large and strong and vicious and everything you wished you were. You, however, were only a half blood, half Sea Naga, half human. Your mother had abandoned you after your birth and Maela, Typha, and Tsuna took it upon themselves to raise you. They’d handpicked your island and brought you there when you were a baby. They taught you everything you knew, how to survive, how to hunt, how to strike at enemies. They even taught you some of the human words they knew, including your nickname “Baby.” You knew they loved you very dearly, as you did them. 

But you weren’t a baby anymore. You were a full grown adult, albeit a very tiny one in terms of Sea Naga. You felt stifled by them sometimes, but there wasn’t anything to do. You couldn’t leave the island, you’d be vulnerable to the cold and to other predators. You didn’t have a spear forged from an underwater volcano like they did, and you could barely control the waves. You had potent venom and agility in the water, but that wasn’t enough to make it on your own. So you stayed on the island, happy and lonely in equal parts. The smell wafted past you once more and you became more determined than before to put your hands on that meat. You needed to show your sisters that you could make it on your own, you didn’t need them coddling you anymore.

You surveyed the sky - it was going to be nightfall very soon. Since you were cold blooded, the night was a hard time for you. If you were caught out in the cold for a prolonged period, you’d lose your strength and fall asleep, freezing to death. Your sisters had always warned you about this time of day, about how tempting it was to leave the cave. They warned you it wasn’t worth it, that the risk was greater than the reward. But the smell was so alluring, it was calling to you like a siren song. Decision made, you wrapped yourself in your warmest furs and slithered to the entrance of your cave. Your cave was strategically chosen - the land path to get to it extremely narrow and water on both sides. Aquatic creatures wouldn’t be able to traverse the land and it was too narrow for most walking creatures to cross without falling into the water. Luckily for you, you could do both with ease.

Tongue flicking out, you found the trail and set off. You wanted whatever meat they had, and you were going to get it. Luckily, you had years of stalking animals under your belt, you knew you could watch the humans undetected.

Ace POV

“Someone’s watching us,” Ace said, mouth full of food. A group of Commanders were sitting near him on logs, enjoying a peaceful meal by the fire.

“Yeah, we know,” replied Thatch, not taking his eyes off the meat he was rotating over the fire.

“Well, don’t you want to see who it is?” Ace put his meat down for just a moment, trying to determine exactly where the other person was using his haki.

“No, yoi. There’s only one person and they’re not attacking. It doesn’t matter.” Marco said, indifferent to the situation. But Ace’s curiosity was piqued, he didn’t like unanswered questions.

“But there’s no one else on the island. No houses, no nothing. So who is it?” Ace continued.

“We don’t care,” replied Izou offhandedly, already drinking sake.

“I’m gonna go find out.” Ace declared, grabbing another skewer of meat.

“This is how those people die in the snail films we watch,” Thatch commented. “Someone thinks they hear something and go off into the woods and bam! They’ve been eaten by a Kraken.”

“Or a Sea King.” Added Vista.

“Or a Humandrill,” Izo chimed in. The Moby needed some variety in the snail films they watched, Ace thought to himself. Regardless, he started off to find whoever (or whatever) was watching, bringing his meat along for the ride. He didn’t want to search on an empty stomach, after all. It was a colder night, but Ace didn’t mind. He was literally made of fire, the chilly air wouldn’t bother him in the slightest. Tromping through the brush, he saw a worn path that someone had obviously used many times. Following it, he came to an open field edged by dense underbrush. He felt the gaze coming from behind the shrubs, but they weren’t quite big enough to conceal a person. 

He came closer to the shrubs and heard a soft hiss. Interesting, he thought. Normal snakes, no matter the size, weren’t enough to set off his observation haki. He’d heard there were Sea Naga in the area, which were definitely capable of setting off his haki. But Sea Naga were large, nearly as large as Sea Kings, and wouldn’t be able to hide in such surroundings. Intrigued, he put down one of his skewers near the brush and backed off. If nothing happened, he’d push forward. But he had a feeling that whoever was watching was more interested in his food than him. Not a sure bet, just a hunch. 

Ace backed off and concealed himself behind a dead tree. He watched and waited, used to this type of sting from his days with Luffy. The sky was completely dark, just the moon and stars providing light. Something darted out, grabbed the meat and quickly retreated. Ace pursued, curiosity still unsatisfied. What on the seas could it be? Ace ran but was a step behind whoever it was.

“Wait, who are you?” Ace asked while running. “I don’t want to hurt you!” Ace yelled, cupping his hand over his mouth. Marco was right, whoever it was wasn’t attacking, maybe they were just hungry. He could give them more food dammit, they just had to stop running. Er, slithering? As Ace started to gain on the other being, he realized it wasn’t exactly a human. The top half was, he could see the hunk of meat gripped in humanoid arms. But below the torso was the winding body of a Sea Naga. But Sea Naga were enormous, and he’d never heard of a pygmy Sea Naga before. Maybe it was a baby, trying to forage for food in the winter. Ace felt sympathy, he knew what it was like to struggle for food in the harsher months of the year. He ran faster, trying to catch up to the baby, not focusing on where he was going. The baby slithered towards a cave and in the dark of the night, Ace slipped on mud, falling into the cold water to his right.

Your POV

The human chasing you had fallen into the water. You leaned over the pool, watching bubbles rise. He’d chased you for the entire way back to your cave to your annoyance. You were hoping you’d be able to get the food and run, to see if you liked it and would survey for more later. But no, this human decided to chase you, maybe to hunt you. If one of your sisters were here, they’d have told you to fight him in the clearing, not to lead him back to your dwelling. But it was getting colder by the moment and your time was dwindling. You needed to be back in your cave under your furs or risk being frozen to death. You didn’t have the time to fight this human, and quite frankly, weren’t sure you’d win. He looked strong and seemed confident in his abilities. So you took your chances and slithered back to your cave, hoping the human would cease to follow. Which he did now that he’d fallen into the water. 

You thought humans could swim, you’d seen some of them doing it before. Maybe this one just didn’t know how, he was sinking down quickly and not even fighting it. Watching him drown, you bit into the meat in your hand. And, oh stars, you’d never had anything like it. It tasted like the stars above were being born in your mouth, like heaven was showing you its celestial favor. It was juicy, tender, succulent, and from an animal you couldn’t place. You unhinged your jaw and swallowed the rest whole, not wanting another second between you and the immaculate meat in your hand. You licked your fingers with your forked tongue, savoring every droplet of residual flavor before slinking into the pool to get the human. If you saved his life, he would want to get you more meat. Or you’d make him. Anything to get that taste again. 

You easily caught up to his sinking form, you were much faster in the water than on land. His limbs and hair were flowing freely in the water as the last few bubbles escaped his lips. Curling your tail around his midsection, you swam up back to the top, bringing him with you. Breaching the top of the water, you pulled the two of you into your cave. Your cave was small but homey, you’d been working on it for years. Obviously, it had no windows, but you’d smoothed the floor with stones to give a pleasant cool feeling on your scales. You had a few baskets you’d made, furs from animals you or your sisters had hunted, your knife, and various bones your sisters had given you as gifts. You even kept a small remnant from your first molting. You tried to keep your cave somewhere you enjoyed being, since you had to spend so much time in it during the winter.

There were small hydrothermal vents in the water near your cave, meaning the water was warm in some spots. Now that you were out of the water though, you were freezing. You left the human on the ground, you knew they were warm blooded and you’d have more time to help him undrown or whatever they called it. You quickly threw off the now drenched fur you’d been wearing, and gathered every warm skin you had in the cave. Wrapping yourself up, you heard the human coughing up water. Looking at your fully covered form and his naked torso, you sighed, knowing you’d have to give up at least one fur for the human to survive. You slithered over to him, unwrapping the bottom most fur around the paddled tip of your tail. 

You had excellent night vision, you didn’t need the sun to see what he looked like. If you stretched out, you were nearly as long as the human. You hadn’t seen a human up close before, you’d only seen sailors from afar. You’d never actually seen any male up close either, now that you thought about it. Male Sea Naga were half the size of female Naga and rather timid. Your sisters would never allow a male near your island and would kill any who tried. You were pretty sure it was a man, it didn’t have breasts like you and your sisters. You took your time inspecting him. He had markings on his face, chest and upper arms, little dots that reminded you of the sea shore. He had short black hair unlike your own longer blonde locks. His arm had some kind of writing, but your sisters never taught you human letters, only Naga. On his back there were some bones crossed over a face, it looked like some of the flags on the ships. His ears were little and not very sensitive, you decided after putting a claw carefully in one. Overall, he was acceptably good looking. Different and a little alien, but alright. He was breathing evenly, you saw no need to wake him. 

As you covered him in the fur, you made an incredible discovery. This human was hot . Not warm, not toasty, but hot. Your sisters always told you humans were a little above room temperature when eaten, but not this warm. He was already dry, having burned off the moisture from his body heat. You were pretty sure this wasn’t normal for humans, but you weren’t going to look a Sea King in the mouth. Practically wriggling in excitement, you wrapped yourself around him trying to maximize the amount of your surface area touching him. You wanted to absorb as much of his body heat as you could so you took off all your furs. You didn’t need them being this close to the fire man. Being near this human felt like basking on the most blistering part of a black rock on a scorching day in the middle of summer. You wound yourself around him carefully, making sure not to constrict his breathing. Between the blaze of a man you were wrapped around, the delicious meal you’d had, and your long day, you were practically a puddle. You felt your eyelids drift close, and you snuggled your arms tighter around the human. He smelled very pleasant too, like a fire made from driftwood. You’d decide what to do with him when you woke up. You could always bite and asphyxiate him later if you needed to. 

Ace POV

Blinking his eyes, Ace determined he hadn’t died, which was always positive. The last thing he remembered was the creature watching him drown with a neutral expression. Obviously, the creature had brought him back to the surface and to its cave. He studied the creature now wound around him a little closer.

He had been right, it was a baby Sea Naga. It was extremely thin, skin stretched tight over its ribs. It looked emaciated, like it wouldn’t survive through the winter. It was tenderly wound all the way around his body, probably relishing in his body heat since it was cold blooded. It wasn’t constricting him, it was softly snoring in his arms contentedly. Its little forked tongue was flicking out every so often, and a long ear would twitch when his arm brushed against it. It was…cute. Its top half was humanoid, looking like a sad lost child with long tangled blonde hair. The bottom half was consistent for Sea Naga, a muscled black and white striped tail ending in a paddle-like tip. It was fast on land, but underwater it would be like lightning. It gripped him tighter in the throes of whatever dream it was having. 

Ace felt pity for the creature. It was obviously starving and wasn’t going to survive without intervention. And it had saved his life, for no obvious reason. Ace wanted to find the rest of the crew and see what they thought about adopting the little Naga. He could probably convince them that they could tame it and keep it. Though rare, Sea Naga were extremely powerful and were known to be highly intelligent. Once grown, they could control the waves and were fierce warriors. If they treated it right, it would fight for them in the water once it grew. Decision made, Ace carefully sat up, holding onto the baby with his arms. He rested its head on his shoulder, almost like when he would carry Luffy when he was a kid. It didn’t stir, so Ace picked up the loops of its tail and stood up. Ace frowned at the weight of the creature. The baby was very light, it needed to be fed a nutrient rich diet if they wanted it to live. 

Ace walked to the entrance of the cave and looked around. He couldn’t see the fire anymore, he’d run after the baby for quite a bit. Instead, he chose to use his haki to assist in locating his siblings. Finding where he needed to go, he began the trek back to his brothers, to show them his incredible find and convince them they needed to keep it. 

Your POV

You were on the move. Well, you weren’t, but the human now holding you was. Groggily waking up from one of the best rests you’d ever had, you reared back, preparing to bite the human. But he just patted your head gently and said something in human language to you with a smile. Taken aback by his demeanor, you looked at him quizzically while he continued to talk to you, like you understood him. You didn’t know human, only a few words your sisters had taught you, so you weren’t sure what he was telling you. Looking around, you realized several things very quickly. It was the middle of the night, you were far from your cave, it was cold outside, and you didn’t have your furs. Like it or not, the only way you’d survive the night was if you continued to be held by the fireman. He was still producing heat, enough to make you comfortable in the cold night. You would never ever admit it to your sisters, but you were scared. You had never been at the mercy of someone else before and it wasn’t a feeling that you liked. The man was taking you back to where the other humans were and you weren’t sure you could get away from them all. You tried to think about what your sisters would do, but they would probably laugh and swallow the men whole without a second thought. 

The fireman was talking to you incessantly and rubbing your back. Maybe it was a human thing, but it felt alright. Your sisters weren’t often physically affectionate with you, but that was their way. He carried you towards the men, who perked up at his arrival. They were animatedly talking amongst themselves, probably about you.  You so desperately wanted to leave, to never see these humans again, but if the fireman put you down you wouldn’t be able to get back to your cave before dying. You were stuck. You’d have to wait until daytime when it would be warm enough to escape. You just had to outlast them for the night, that was all. 

One of the men in particular was activating your fight or flight. There wasn’t anything abnormal about him, he looked like the rest of them. But something about him reminded you of a bird of prey, like the stories of harpies your sisters had told you during your childhood. They hadn’t wanted you leaving the island or wandering too far from your cave, so they told you stories of harpies, half human half birds, who preyed on Sea Naga foolish enough to ignore the warnings of their sisters. You believed them when you were a kid, but not anymore. He looked at you and you reared back, hissing. He raised an eyebrow and spoke to the fireman, who held you even tighter when responding.

One of the men came towards you with a curious but open expression on his face and something in his closed hand. He smelled the best out of all of them, like the meat you had in your belly. He opened his hand to reveal more of the meat and held it out to you expectantly. You waited a moment to see what was going to happen, but he didn’t move. You tentatively reached out to take it, and he cooed at you to continue. You swiped the meat quickly and shoved it all in your mouth, swallowing it whole. You flicked your tongue to his outstretched hand, trying to find more, but you’d eaten it all. Fireman patted your head, which was getting irritating. Your sisters had done that a few times when you were young, but not constantly. The meatman reached for you again, but this time without food. You weren’t expecting it, and instinct kicked in. You bit him.

Ace POV

“Ow! Goddammit!” Thatch yelled, yanking his hand back. He was shaking it as blood trickled out of two puncture wounds. 

“It’s not her fault, you startled her!” Ace yelled back, gripping the baby tighter. He was pretty sure Baby was a girl but it was hard to tell. Most Sea Naga were female, but not much was known about them. Not many people encountered them and lived to tell the tale. 

“I’m not saying it's her fault, I’m just saying it hurt. Actually, it doesn’t anymore. My hand is completely numb. And it's spreading.” Thatch was pinching his forearm with his other hand, trying to determine where the sensation ended. Marco leaned forward, now interested. The first Commander had been the biggest opponent to bringing her on the ship. Marco said that it was a bad idea, that pets were a lot of work, that Ace was already busy, and lots of other things Ace didn’t really listen to him. Ace knew in his heart he needed to save Baby and he was going to do it. 

“Really, that quickly yoi?” Marco asked, moving towards Thatch. The baby curled tighter around Ace, hiding her face in Ace’s neck. Ace cradled her head with a hand, soothing her.

“Yeah, check it out, almost my whole arm is numb now.” Without warning, Marco used a talon to slice open Thatch’s arm, blood pouring out of the wound. Before Thatch reacted, Marco healed it just as quickly. 

“Oi! What if I wasn’t numb? Coulda used a heads up,” grumbled Thatch. The little baby was shaking, wound so tight she was almost cutting off Ace’s circulation. Poor thing.

“Can you feel your arm now yoi? Now that I’ve healed you?” Marco asked, still prodding Thatch’s arm. He ignored Thatch’s question completely. 

“Nope, still numb, and I can’t move it.” Thatch said, swinging his numb arm.

Marco whistled.  “I’ve changed my mind yoi. Bring her on the ship. I want to extract some of that venom. It’s a powerful anesthetic.” 

Ace grinned. “See? She’s already useful. And this is only her baby form, imagine how powerful her venom will be when she gets older. Besides, we can’t leave her, right Thatch? Look how hungry she is, she’s practically bones. She’s gonna need someone to feed her back to health.” Ace knew he was manipulating the chef, but Thatch didn’t need much convincing. 

“How could we leave this tiny little baby behind? To starve and freeze to death on this wasteland of an island? Of course she’s coming with us,” said Thatch, almost offended at the thought of leaving her. Ace smiled and rubbed his face on the top of the baby’s head.

“Alright, I’ll take her back to the Moby now. She’s coldblooded and it’s cold yoi,” said Marco, turning to Ace.

Baby POV

You regretted ever ignoring your sisters. You regretted every time you told them they were overprotective, that they were overbearing, that you were independent. You wished you had listened to their advice and had stayed in your cave during the evening. Because they were right. Harpies were real. 

The man who set your fangs on edge transformed into a Harpy straight from your nightmares as a child. Now you understood why the fireman brought you back. This was all a trap and you were too stupid to see it. They were going to feed you to the Harpy. Small Sea Naga were a favored treat for Harpies, according to your sisters. Even though it meant your death, you quickly unfurled from the fireman and tried to slither away as fast as you could. Which unfortunately wasn’t very fast due to the cold. But you weren’t going to stay and become Harpy food and meet a humiliating death. You tried to run but the Fireman caught you by the end of your tail. He was talking to you, looking confused as you thrashed, trying to get away. You tried constricting as well but it was to no avail. The more you fought, the more tired you became until you barely had any fight left in you. The fireman frowned at you and patted your head once more. You would have bit him if you could have mustered the energy. 

The Harpy transformed into its full bird form, frightening you into a final burst of energy to make an escape. Unfortunately it caught you in a talon immediately, gripping you by the end of your tail, leaving you to dangle pathetically as it took flight. The fireman was in the other talon, watching you with interest. You had to hand it to them, they got you. You just hoped your sisters found them and killed them, their crew, and sunk their ship in your honor. 

The Harpy climbed higher into the sky and it was too cold for you to bear. You’d never been this frozen in your life. The air itself was chilled but you were now being whipped by winds as you were flown to the Harpy’s nest. You knew you’d pass out soon, you weren’t meant for these temperatures. You let out one loud sad hiss as you lost consciousness. At least they’d given you a tasty last meal.

Aces POV

Ace felt bad as he watched the baby pass out. He knew she was confused and scared, unsure why they were taking her. The lack of heat was probably uncomfortable for her but Marco assured Ace she’d be OK. Marco was giving them a lift back to the ship, which was better than the long walk and ride on the dinghy they would have had to take. The baby did not like Marco specifically - Ace wasn’t sure why. She’d gone wild when Marco transformed, and even worse when they’d taken flight. Ace was going to make sure she was comfortable in the crate they would set up for her. Lots of blankets, pillows, heating pads, anything he could find to make her feel warm. He would have slept next to her again but he had a feeling she wouldn’t be happy when she woke up and he didn’t want to be bitten. She would get used to them, to being on the ship. She’d come to love them, he thought, and they’d love her too.

[sgdlr-asdfghjkl]

Link Click Musical update 180 🌟🌟🌟

(LC-mu postcard project🎉 + summary of BilibiliWorld videos: musical actors meeting VAs trio and Wang Minhui's vlog ✨)

Hello! This will be quite unusual update, since I want to report about our fan project. But also, to make up for my inactivity, I bring lots of tasty treats for you >:3

Links in replies: meeting of LC donghua voice actors trio and LC musical trio at BilibiliWorld event, Wang Minhui's vlog from there, 1h+ livestream from the entire LC musical segment + google drive link where you can download the postcard illustrations and print it for yourself 😘

OKAY 🏃‍♂️✨

LC-mu postcard project summary

A fellow lc musical enjoyer friend, Vale (@/_Setsuna_iro_ on twt & @/setsuna_cos on ig, follow her for great cosplays!) reached out, said she'll be visiting China and considers going to see the play. So OF COURSE I got hyped up about it 😤

I wanted to arrange a postcard for her to give away after the performance (like we did with Elara for 100th performance). To let the actors and Chinese audience know we appreciate the musical ^^ There was no better person to ask for help than a legend, an icon, a master of musical-inspired LC fanarts @wrathyforest 🙇‍♂️💖

🤲BEHOLD🤲

So Forest drew this amazing✨ illustration 🙇‍♂️ (and yes, you can download it and print it too!). I only suggested some details like adding XiaoJuan pig squishie and Zhang Jiahao eating a chicken leg (from 100th special encore).

As for my contribution I did the design on a back (based on the official lyrics book style) and the lil actor doodles. I collected the 42 names of countries from the international LC musical fans. And handled the communication and logistics between all of us ><

Props to Vale for translating the note to Chinese 🙏 the actors and audience got it in Chinese, but you can read it and print in in English ^^ And thanks to @elaraqwqfor all the practical advice about the theatre etiquette and navigation haha 🙏

When time agent Vale rests (and no longer struggles with Chinese firewall ><") I'll try to share more info from her about the musical itself. For now have photos our spy took >:3

That's the Shanghai Great World, an amusement centre building where the Time Theatre is located. We rarely think outside the 'microvawe oven' of lc musical set, so I think it's interesting to see ;>

A photo wall with the cast behind the scenes and guests (can you spot director Haolin? ehee). And a fascinating (to me at least) corner where the audience can leave all the fanmade freebies. Like merch celebrating actor's birthdays or performance milestones. The fans go out of their way and make all sorts of things to share, like badges, facemasks with prints, keychains, acrylic stands, prints, stickers, I even saw cookies with chibi actors printed on them ><

I personally find this part of fan culture around the Chinese musical theatre really heartwarming and inspiring ^^ Maybe bc culture around theatre in my country feels very posh and stuck up, snobbish even. So I have lots of love and respect to Chinese theatre fans for making their passion feel welcoming and simply fun 🌟

Again, huge thanks to all my lovely LC friends, Forest, Vale and Elara for making this project possible 😘💙💛

MOVING ON 🏃‍♂️✨

Link Click Musical panel on BilibiliWorld 2024 convention

For context, this convention is huge (esp when you remember Bilibili is like Chinese ver of youtube, twitch, netflix, crunchyroll and webtoon at once). Li Haolin had his panel there, as well as donghua VAs (that's how they managed to meet, VAs had their panel on same day musical actors came for rehearsal).

So there is an entire 1h+ video from the panel with LC-mu 'representative lineup' Deng Xianling, Cai Qi and Wang Minhui. I'll link it, you can watch it. It's all in Chinese ofc but it's still fun, bc they do lots of games focused on singing songs that you should be able to recognise by now ;>

A summary of the panel:

1st game: they each get the first lines their characters sing in the play and have to fill out the blank lyrics

then they do slightly extended ver of 'You can forget about it' ('sofa song')

2nd game: they get a line from a lc musical song to sing, each actor with different twist; dxl has to do a dialect version, cq does the singing to a different melody, and wmh does the 'translation accent' (not sure what it is, I'm guessing it's changing the accentuation on words?)

3rd game: is blindfold basketball with third person directing the one that's shooting, so a cooperation game ^^'

4th game: they listen to the music and when it stops they have to sing the next lines (this part was GREAT bc we get crumbs from main plot songs AND we get to hear actors sing a capella AND there is a banger part where wmh and cq sing in unison 😔👌)

5th game: doing 'Dive back in time' tutting at varied speed (it's funny & impressive how they switch from 2x speed to 0.5x without an issue)

and I lost a count (this video is long and in chinese, forgive me) but by the end, there is also a part where each actor has to say something in character, they chose from categories: A) Exclusive video for waking up - cq, B) Exclusive video to put you to sleep -wmh, C) 'Mood Tips' Video - dxl :> (Lu Guang got very in character, short line, don't get excited)

OKAY NEXT 🏃‍♂️✨✨

Voice Actors encounter (Li Shimeng, Su Shangqing, Yang Tianxiang) summary

All credit goes to my Chinese friend Yksim (@/treeshu3426 on twt) for translating and summarising the entire video to me 🙏🙇‍♂️💖

Video has 2 main parts: voice actors giving tips about delivering lines and musical actors teaching them to sing songs. Yang Tianxiang first suggest that musical actors teach vocal actors how to sing. He asks how to sing "我只能预测十二个小时" ('I can only predict 12 hours...', a part from M01 'Time Travel', the first song). Wmh and cq sing it but ytx finds it too hard to follow, gives up and says sth like 'aigh maybe we should start from voice acting' ><. So they first give wmh and cq some tips about how to say lines.

Wang Minhui shares that the producer of LC musical (I'm guessing it was Chen Xiaoyi 🙏) sent him a video compilation of canon Lu Guang calling cxs idiot, childish etc. (as learning material). And he asked ytx to say some for him XDD which the other delivers 👌

Li Shimeng gives Qiao Ling performance. She first acted how to scold cxs and then how to comfort him 🥺 Everyone compliments her, she's great orz

After that ytx seems to be answering wmh's question how to say lines. He said: 'We have to relax our throats. It is also like singing. You have to make yourself comfortable. You don't have to pursue to make your voice very like my voice. I think we are two different Lu Guangs. ' (meaning the range, because wmh's voice is very high pitch comparing to ytx's voice)

Yang Tianxiang asks Su Shangqing for his input and ssq says: 'You can make it natural and like in daily life. Actually voice acting allows you to express a variety of precise emotions within a very limited range of ups and downs. It will be harder than no limits. 其实会比你可以完全释放手脚难 (this sentence translates weirdly so have a transcript) After you get hold of the character's main characteristics, you can relax and do what you want to express.'

Then is time for a singing part. Cai Qi sings a bit from 'Words can't convey the love' for ssq. Which ssq says is too hard >< ytx says 'But this song fits you.'

Wang Minhui sings a crumb of main plot song called 'Broken time' (fully translated by Micha here 💙) It's a very hard and high pitch big song full of emotions that happens after a quarrel with cxs. Yang Tianxiang is impressed ><

VA's strongest soldier enters the ring after ytx says: 'I think Li Shimeng is the best singer among three of us.' So Cai Qi teaches lsm some QL's lines from the beginning of 'You can forget about it' (QL starts it in main plot ver). She repeats after him and sounds wonderful ✨💅

And finally, Deng Xianling arrives from the other musical's rehearsal (on weibo she 'cries' she had to buy wmh a drink as an apology for being late ><'). Her voice is beautiful nevertheless. She sings the same part that cq started teaching ;>

Then they take photos together and say goodbyes 🥰

WHICH IS A PERFECT SEGWAY 🏃‍♂️✨✨✨

This one I deciphered myself by google translating subtitles. But please watch it yourself! It's adorable even if you don't speak Chinese

Wang Minhui's vlog from BilibiliWorld

You may think he'd do sth short, similar to Cai Qi's vlog from the event, but no. Not the yapperton3000, Kamen Rider enjoyer, mister I-watch-more-anime-than-Niebo (I just adore this guy, ok? and you will too. Now.)

Nah, he will give us a tour 😎✨

It starts with him saying he's going on a rehearsal, then a short compilation from that day where they practiced and met VAs. As you can see he and ytx exchanged contact info :>

After teasing dxl for being late it's fast forward to next day, the day of their performance. He beelines straight to the artist/merch area 🙇‍♂️ He points at almost every alley and says stuff like:

'Take a look at the Honkai Star Railway theme area! Sorry but I don't play hehe' 'Jian Wang 3 theme area, I used to play. I remember when I got into the trap, brought in at my university, my college friends were playing.' *points at a fancy dress at some sort of haute couture cosplay booth* 'Guo Hongxu would look good in this' (ghx commented the vid with a photo of himself swinging an axe with 'Where are you? I brought you a gift 🙂')

Then he comes home 😌 The Link Click themed alley 💙💛

He looks at Lu Guang merch which is-😭💗 *clenches my heart* and talks how he's excited to wear lg's wig already.

⬆ Interesting thing about these shiguang cutouts, that cn friends Bō🐼 and Yksim pointed out, is that they are a signposts promoting a Chengguang/程光 ship specific event. Recently there was a separate exhibition/fan event focused on uh, you know, top!cxs x bottom!lg, (not necessarily explicit but very much about the romantic coupling) and they had a booth LC alley in BilibiliWorld too.

And no, it's impossible he's clueless about it. You'll see he knows his donghua&anime + they had huge signs with ship name and friends tell me he must've walked past all the doujins. And he goes there twice 🙇‍♂️ Like, do with this knowlegde whatever you want, I'm just describing what happened (personally I'd say: BASEDBASEDBASED-)

*performance time* he gets his makeup and hair done and goes on stage, it's a short compilation from backstage.

HE GOES BACK TO THE CUTOUTS orz... the stylist fixes his hair sprout when he's standing between lg and cxs ;w; while wmh praises his producer for agreeing to work overtime to help him film the vlog 🙏

it cuts to him riding to the different area, he says:

'Now I am going to this one from "Link Click", the booth of the original work. Although today in fact, strictly speaking, I'm not a cosplayer.' 'Because I think we should respect how everyone just generates electricity for love to this level of detail' (I think he means cosplayers, but not sure, it translates wack) 'I think I am still wearing a makeup look for a musical stage actor who (just) came here.' 'This experience is very unforgettable for me, so I hope to use the last bit of time, the moment before hitting the board, to go get one for myself. Including myself, Wang Minhui as a stage actor. I can take two sets of photos. I think it's also a good memory, so I set off!' (it may be confusing, but I think he's talking about using the opportunity of being on a convention in the stage makeup, to take some phots for himself, while humbly acknowledging it's not a cosplay)

(we're halfway in the video, save me, I love him but he talks so much ಥ_ಥ)

He enters the official LC venue (that earlier, was more fanmade stuff/merch alley) and talks about how exciting it is that he can blend in ;w; so he walks around, saying:

'I am so happy!' but then catches himself and says 'Ah, but I shouldn't laugh' (to stay in LG's character 😭) *points at Neo Aurora LG cutout (one with harness)* 'Can you make me a set of clothes like this next time at our theater?' (caption tags the Encore Musicals theatre) *points at a writing board and reads one of fan messages* 'Li Haolin, no more knives!' 💀 and 'No matter the past, don't question the future' motto *proudly high-fives himself* *points at Li twins cutouts* 'Last time I drew a blind box I got Li Tianchen, I have both (?or two idk) of them.' 'So happy. The kind of faint (faint feeling? or faintness? idk) It just came out of here *points at his chest* Happy but I don’t know why I’m so happy! (pls he's so sweet)

Then he points towards the Bilibili Comics venue and namedrops lots of shows he's watching/reading:

'There's a Bilibili comics app, the app that accompanies me on many nights, I recently finished reading Demon Slayer', he also mentions watching Blue Lock and Wind Breaker.

Moving on to individual anime series booths:

*points at Kaitou from Detective Conan* 'I especially liked that character as a kid, so cool/handsome' He sees Solo Leveling booth from a distance and is proud of himself for remembering the name of the show, so much so he takes a picture :'> ''Dungeon Meshi', I've been following for past 2 days (?). At first I thought it was a gourmet show, at that time I liked to order takeout. I feel like it still has quite a story to it.' *sees a mecha animatronic* 'Wow it's moving!' (everybody stfu, he's experiencing a childlike wonder) 'I usually open Bilibili when I have nothing to do', then he mentions watching Freiren, Kaiju no.8 and says that after reading all the Demon Slayer he wants to watch it now.

Post-credits scene: He looks on a stage, says 'Give me a mask and I'll sign up' and then the camera zooms out to show what I think is a group of men doing an otome-themed performance dance (like Tears of Themis/Love and Deepspace type of game idk which exactly ><) 🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️🙇‍♂️ that's all

To accompany you on this overwhelming wall of text, I give you Cai Qi overwhelmed by the wonders of BilibiliWorld 😇 he was going through it, but had the audacity to later say 'I was a little nervous, Wang Minhui is nearly drowning the mic (from sweating nervously)' under the video with VAs. Brat.

Housekeeping notes: I hope this update makes up for the long inactivity and I hope it lasts you for a while 🙏 I still struggle with my workload and it sucks, so I won't be coming back here any time soon (for 1,5 months at least) sorry ><

But I am still active on twt and discord and I check tumblr inbox regularly if you ever need help with research 💪

There is an increase of LC fans interested in the play (after the zhb and tcp almost-kiss ><') So I am currently gathering questions from newbies to later create the LC Musical FAQs 🌟 If you have ANY questions regarding LC musical, specific actors, the general Chinese musical fandom culture, navigating Chinese social media, anything I could help with, PLEASE reach out to me via inbox, DMs, curiouscat (I linked it on my twt @/niebo_sgdlr), twt DMs or discord. It will help tremendously to create a beginner friendly guide, bc at this point I'm too deep in the rabbit hole and too busy to explain everything to everyone individually🙏💖

Look at this historical event of Wang Minhui getting the postcard and telling Vale she looks better than Cai Qi 😇 Please give love to all the friends I mentioned in the post and have a lovely day, bye bye!

Niebo out 🏃‍♂️✨✨✨✨

[mirrow-hamato]

Oh guys sheeeshh I'm going to have Brozone!Fell AU (aka underfell if you know what i mean). In this au they living together in bunker. A hard core au, where trolls barely escaped from Bergens. Most of them just died.

Some random headcanons of those badasses:

John Dory:

Definitely smoking and a lot. Drinking energetics. Being selfish, but have no self-care. He's ready to yell at everyone when something goes not the way he wants to. Swears. But actually really trying resist swearing in front of Floyd (look at Floyd headcanons) or Bitty B. He usually trying to command Spruce and Clay as two second oldest brothers. He definitely has resistance against Clays pranks. He likes annoying him with surprising hugs or turning Clays prank against himself.

Spruce/Bruce:

Mostly care about how he looks like. He have a lot of experience of talking to ladies, he's a heartbreaker. He really hates when John starts telling him what to do, especially if he having conversation with his ladies. John was so annoying towards him that he starts hate most of food. (Especially salads.) Sometimes it could coming that he didn't eat anything for whole day. But he doesn't starve himself, he eats anything and everything he wants to (as long as John doesn't sees). Will not let John take care of Bitty B.

Clay:

This middle child jerk will make your life a living hell. He will find any ways of annoy you with his evil pranks. He even likes doing pranks when he sees that you have a bad day.

As it probably was expected, he's actually the most traumatised one. He often has bruises on his body cuz of troubles he getting into. (Spruce actually making sure this jerk won't get into another trouble, but usually fails. So he helps him with his wounds and bruises) He terrible hates John and will take any opportunity to tell him that in face or prank him as hard as he can. Terrible hates when John hugs him it's pisses him off.

When he's finally alone in his room, he takes a chance to read some books, the only thing that always makes him relaxed and kind of happy. (Sometimes it's Floyd and Branch.)

Floyd:

He's a very rude but emotionless guy. He just doesn't care about anything that is happening around him. And never cared until he hold Branch in his arms for first time. His little brother was the only thing that melted his heart and he changed just a bit.

Now he's just a rude guy who have no clue how to show support or that he's worried. He would just yell at you aggressively. Or for example he would punch John in stomach as soon as he sees him smoking or hearing his swearing.

He terribly hates knowing that Spruce haven't eaten in full day and he would just yell at him for it too. He and Spruce are only brothers tht actually cooking something that is not just "eatable" but tasty. They do cooking together, but always argue, so it's happening very rarely.

Surprisingly respects some of Clays motives. He still hates his pranks, amd find him annoying time to time. But Floyd is the one who can talk to Clay seriously about just random stuff. In very rare times, they going on library together to get some new books to read.

Floyd is usually playing a guitar in his room and came up with random songs. It's sounds more rock way, but it's still have some pop in it. In other spare time he's journalling or taking care of his only truly beloved little brother.

Bitty B/Branch( to 6 years old)

As a small little child each of brothers started loving him a lot. He was different, kind, loving and always happy.

His favourite brother? Floyd of course. But he wouldn't tell you that, to not hurt any other brothers feeling.

When he grows up to 6 y.o. he finally started spending more time with his brothers and understands what's going on around.

With John they are rock climbing. He likes his little pet Rhonda and plays with her very often. (John Dory actually trying to hide that he smoking in front of Branch.)

With Spruce they learning cooking. Sometimes Branch is just here to support his brother while he's training. They both secretly eating stuff they shouldn't while John doesn't looking. Spruce like taking him on his dates, cuz ladies really like little pure child. But he doesn't do that much often, in case those girls learn him something bad.

Branch and Clay together are kings of pranks. Clay is being extra careful when they pranking together, so Branch would not get in any troubles. He's the one who secretly reads him fairytales. If Clay making any pranks on Branch, those are absolutely harmless and actually just silly and funny.

Floyd sends much of time with Branch. They dancing, singing and just walking together. He singing him a lullabies and helps him learning about the world they living in. He keeps ALL the drawings Branch ever made for him.

[teathyme4thedevil]

Obey Me! Demonic Romance Headcanons:

•

Demons have oil glands in their wrists. They use this, alongside saliva, to mark things they consider theirs. Rooms, objects and even people can be marked. Demons do this casually and often, not finding it unusual at all. The oil is produced instinctively and is a tacky, hard to wash off substance. It will stain white clothing. A demons saliva, in comparison to a humans, is sticky, thick and clear.

Demons, when courting, will do many unusual things. Such as leaving small gifts for the person of interest; shiny stones, colorful feathers, carved trinkets, tasty snacks and sometimes Grimm. The next step would be giving a scent marker to their person, in the form of a clothing item usually. Something soft and wearable. Then, scent marking the person themselves. This is usually as far as a demon/demon relationship can go, but the much rarer demon/human relationship can go as far as making permanent pacts.

Demons, after pacting with a human, become immensely territorial. This is due to the new and intense sense of protectiveness they feel towards their master and seeing them usually passed out and weakened. The demon will whisk away their incapacitated human to their room and guard them for the duration of their venom inflicted malaise. Very powerful demons will have marginally better control over themselves during this time period, even to the point of allowing doctors to see to their new master, but it varies demon to demon.

Demons with a certain predisposition, will experience a dramatic change in personality and morals when they see a potential human master. They will become manipulative, possessive and in the most extreme cases, homicidal. After making a pact with their human master though, these traits diminish if not completely go away. However, if it takes too long to pact properly, these traits may become permanent. This corruptive condition is very rare however, with only a dozen or so cases being recorded.

Demons, after the honeymoon phase of creating a pact, will go mostly back to normal. They will however be left with a great need to be around their master, be the center of their attention, receive praise and physical reassurance and in some cases, crave being commanded. It doesn’t change the core personality of the demon themselves, but will alter it slightly to better serve their new master. This is one of the reasons why demons avoid humans, outside of corrupting their souls or eating them. The risk of attachment is too great to mess around with them for long.

[chocolattekinq]

do you perhaps have any…. Shadowpeach headcanons 😎👉👈

OH DO I

Idk if you meant like ship headcanons or just general monky hcs so i ll give you both lol

Only three for each bc i can't be here all day

WUKONG

• He's actually a really good cook. He rarely cooks for himself though, opting for snacks, fruit and takeout, but during his studies with Subodhi and during the journey he got really interested in the process. So sometimes he treats his monkeys with something tasty.

• /tw for alcoholism/ Wukong has an alcohol problem: he can't stop until he physically has to. Once he starts drinking for real he won't stop until he's passing out. It's an old habit of his, that started rather innocent, but with his growing self doubt it became a coping mechanism. But! He would never allow himself to drink or be drunk in front of MK.

/Additional hc, this habit started with Brotherhood, when Wukong (the smallest of the group) continuesly tried to outdrink others/

• Despite his strong dislike for himself bc of his mistakes, he absolutely loves being a demon monkey. And he's ecstatic that now he gets to teach MK demon monkey things.

MACAQUE

• /my personal favourite hc/ He's unreasonably scared of butterflies. When he was young he used to freak out to the point of literal panic attacks. In the present he just freezes with anxiety and wait for it to fly away. He himself can't rationalize his fear.

• He didn't grow up on FFM. His careful and forceful habits are the product of him fighting for his life from a very young age. He traveled a lot before he found FFM and decided to stay bc there are a lot of food and it's relatively safe. That's when he met Wukong

• Continuing the previous hc: he doesn't like fruit on FFM much. Most of his life he had to fight for his food, and it was way easier to find things like meat, vegetables and leaves, than actually tasty fruit, so the ones growing on FFM are just too sweet for him. He eats them as a treat, but he can't stomach the idea of fruit being his only food option.

✨Gay Monkeys✨

• Wukong fell first, Macaque fell harder

• /cw for cheating?? possibly suggestive??? idk/ Both of them does not feel loyal to each other anymore, but Wukong is a jealous ass. Wukong likes to flirt around for attention, but he absolutely can't stand when Macaque gets ANY romantic attention from anyone. Macaque feels generally indifferent to romance, so he usually just ignores the flirting.

Unless Wukong is watching.

He likes to make his blood boil.

• They share moments of (nonsexual!) intimacy after an exhausting battles. They used to full on cuddle before the journey, but now it doesn't feel right. Now they just crash next to each other on the ground, silently listening for the other's heavy breathing, intertwining their tails in search for comfort. They lie until one of them is rested enough to get up and leave. They will never discuss these moments.