#I don’t know how to be more clear

[batwynn]

I’ve gotten a few insistent anons lately demanding I state my thoughts and opinions on the current and past history of Palestine on this blog. (You can tell they don’t follow my more personal side blog, I guess.) On the one hand, I do understand people wanting to know that someone they follow has similar opinions on severely important things like this. But on the other hand, most of the asks have that certain… tone that gives me the feeling that they are more interested in ‘catching’ me in something, than any actual concern over my politics or the actual people involved. They’re worded in a way that is very immature—in a way that leaves very little room for anything other than the exact statements parroted back to them that they expect. Which I can’t do. One, because I can’t read their minds to say exactly what they want me to say. Two, because I’m an entire person with a whole life that they know nothing about—something that comes with all the flaws of being a human person with my own history and education based on where I lived and who I knew. And three, because I don’t want to parrot someone else’s words to appease a random person I don’t know. And the thing is, I’ve had this conversation already with nearly everyone in my life. I’ve gone over it at least a dozen times with friends and family from all walks of life. Some conversations were harder than others. All of them were hard. Partially because what is happening is hard to talk about, and partially because I don’t really know what to say. What do I say that changes anything? What do I say that isn’t speaking over someone who is directly affected? What do I say that won’t be misinterpreted by someone willingly misinterpreting/looking for a fight? What can I say that doesn’t hurt anyone at all? Because someone out there will always be hurt, no matter how carefully I try to word things. And I have tried. I’ve written this post 80+ times for months now. I’ve read other’s words and found parts that spoke to me and for me very well, but then have that certain edge that goes into the harm territory. Some lean into Zionism, some lean into antisemitism. Some are just outright racist, some are full on fascist. And that’s really the entirety of it. I just don’t want people to be hurt anymore. So to answer your questions, anon:

I don’t know what the right thing to say is and no matter how careful I am, it will never be correct enough for you. I am angry and horrified at the harm that has been done over many years to the Palestinian people. None of my words can really summarize that history, or what is happening to them right now. Every single day I learn something new, and every single day it is someone doing irreparable harm to innocent people. I am disgusted by the never ending terrorism and harm done by people who think that killing innocents is a worthy way to get them what they want. And that goes for anyone who does this, including but not limited to the Hamas, the Israeli army, or my very own colonizing country. I am alarmed at how black and white people are treating this, and how no consideration is allowed for those who fall between the cracks or who dont follow their strict narrative. That people forget that Jewish Palestinian people exist when they go on their rants, or what people from every ‘side’ or corner of the world can want the end of the harm. That people have hatred for Jewish and Muslim people with no regards to who they actually are and what they believe. That there are so many who support Palestinian freedom, and then parrot outright fascist talking points. That many come to support their Jewish friends, but then say that Palestinian children deserve to die because _____. So, no. There is nothing I can say that really matters. Because no matter what I say someone out there will twist my words, or misunderstand, or tell me that I’m supporting something I don’t support. Because no matter what I say, I just can’t write the right words on fucking Tumblr to stop the harm from being done.

[attheheartofmylove]

Gotta learn how to schedule my major depressive episodes better… Gotta remember to be more convenient for everyone else.

[sunsetsandsunshine]

~ Dewdrops & Decisions ~

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*𝙻𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚢 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚘𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚕𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝙺𝙽𝙾𝚆 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚌𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 ✨*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: 𝙷𝚞𝚛𝚝/𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜: 𝟺,𝟷𝟺𝟼

𝙻𝚎𝚎: 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠 🏍️🖤 

𝙻𝚎𝚛: 𝚂𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌 🌭💙

𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚢: 𝚂𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠 𝚐𝚘𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜. 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝? 𝚆𝚑𝚘 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚜.

(𝙰/𝙽: 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚌 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚒𝚌 𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚋𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚊𝚜 𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌—𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎. 𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚔𝚎𝚎𝚙 𝚒𝚗 𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝙸 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜: 𝚍𝚘𝚗’𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚐𝚞𝚢! 𝙺𝚒𝚗𝚔/𝙽𝚂𝙵𝚆 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚜 𝙳𝙽𝙸!!!).

𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: 𝙲𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚔𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚜 (𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚊 𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚙𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚜).

𝙳𝙸𝚂𝙲𝙻𝙰𝙸𝙼𝙴𝚁: 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝—𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢 𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚗. 𝚆𝚎𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝚘𝚛 𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚘𝚕𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞 <𝟹!

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*𝙽𝚘𝚠 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚞𝚛𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚍𝚘…𝚕𝚎𝚝’𝚜 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚝 💃🏾‼️˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

The afternoon sun had dipped low long before Shadow had decided to come outside; the big star casting gloomy and strangely shaped shadows as a soft breeze rustled through the grass, the trees and his black and red quills. 

The black and red quilled teenager in question closed his eyes as he sat slightly in front of a tree not far from the Wackowski home, feeling the wind brush against his entire body. 

And just for a small moment, all the buzzing chaos and never ending uncertainty in his mind slowed and came to a stop.

The steady whisper of the wind felt like a gentle hand, wiping away the fear that coiled inside of his chest, booming and projecting like a loud bongo drum. 

The hand felt soothing, grounding, and comforting. 

It didn’t feel like the hedgehog was being enclosed with the same air that filled his lungs, rather, a warm and steady hug with a breeze that seemed to carry the heavy weight that was his memories. 

The small gust of wind felt like familiarity. 

The small gust of wind felt like home. 

The small gust of wind felt like…her. 

Shadow hugged his knees to his chest at the thought, not looking at anything entirely specific as he stared off into the distance that was The Wackowski residance. 

It’s funny in a way; really. 

A months days ago…he was wondering if he’d even survive to see another sunset.

Now, he was staying at his rival's home…experiencing one... 

…Guess life was funny like that. 

“‘Thought I’d find you out here.” A blue hedgehog said way too casually as he walked up to the teen underneath the tree, a bag of jellybeans in his hand as he smacked on them like they were going to disappear at any moment. 

Speaking of the devil... 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Shadow glared defensively almost like clockwork. 

“My first couple months on Earth I sat in that exact spot your brooding in right now…only makes sense you’d give it a try.” Sonic smirked as he shrugged his shoulders, his smirk widening a tad bit as he saw the older hedgehog’s eyebrows pinch together in annoyance.

The slightly taller mammal broke eye contact, looking down at the small greenery that was their lawn. “I don’t ‘brood’.” He grumbled. 

The blue devil chuckled to himself, leaning his back on the tree as he crossed his arms casually, intaking the normal yet comforting scenery, “What do you call that big frown on your face then, hm? ‘Looks like brooding to me, man.”

The older teen’s eye twitched, ignoring the snarky comment as he picked at the grass below him, “Why are you here, Sonic?” He deadpanned, hugging his knees to his chest tightly, “Because if your here to tell me about those useless Christmas color coded plumber people again—”

“—The Mario Brothers.” The emerald eyed mammal corrected.  

“—I don’t want to hear it.” The black and red quilled hedgehog finished. “Their names don’t even make sense.” He scoffed like the two video game characters' existence was a personal offence, “Only one of them is named Mario! So does that mean he is named ‘Mario Mario’ while the other one is named Luigi Mario or is there an actual last name the creators aren’t letting us know so we pay more attention to Mario instead of Luigi?” 

“…Huh.” The slightly shorter teenager hummed, “…I…never thought about it like that.” He mumbled as he scratched the back of his neck, confused but also kind of endeared at the other hedgehog’s random revelation. 

And now that he thought about it…it would be kinda interesting to see Shadow and Tails debate on that topic…

Shadow scoffed whilst rolling his eyes, “That’s your problem. You don’t think.” He said as he uselessly picked at the grass underneath his air shoes again before letting the small strands blow away.

“Yeesh…okay, honesty train coming in hot. Aaaaaall abroad.” The emerald eyed mammal mumbled as he tapped his fingers along his arm in a timely fashion, still eating his mismatched colored candies. 

Tom and Maddie had always reminded Sonic to be honest no matter what; ‘Honesty is the best Policy’ if you will. 

But Shadow…took that saying to a whoooooole other level. 

And it showed. 

“You honestly and truly think I came all the way out here just for you to find me and converse?” The antihero humorlessly snorted, (and if the situation was more light, Sonic would’ve made a comment on it…but the Chilli dog loving teen did not). 

“I came out here to be alone.” The older teenager voiced in annoyance. 

The speed incarnate stiffened slightly at the other’s grumbled statement, putting his crossed arms and jellybean bag in his hoodie pockets as he kicked a small portion of the dirt below him, “…Sorry.” He muttered, “You just…I-I dunno. You looked…lonely.” 

Shadow sighed heavily at the other hedgehog’s sudden changed demeanor, dragging his palm along his face as he rested the back of his head on the tree bark, “I’m The Ultimate Lifeform. I don’t get…‘lonely’.” 

“That’s what I used to think.” The unruly wind giggled quietly, a small smirk forming on his face due to how similar yet how different they were, “I was never ‘The Ultimate Lifeform’ like you but I did title myself as ‘The Fastest Creature’ alive…or ‘The Blue Blur’ for short.” The green eyed mammal winked as he did finger guns at the other, holding back a small snort as the antihero’s ears drooped down in disgust.

Whether the disgusted feeling was directed towards Sonic’s persona name, his finger guns or both, the blue hedgehog wasn’t really bothered to ask. 

“I am not calling you that.” The older one out of the two of them said whilst rolling his eyes. 

“Was worth a shot.” Sonic snickered as he and Shadow both jumped slightly as parts of the sky whitened for a second, displaying a loud crackling sound as light rain started to fall. 

Sonic smiled gently, walking out from under the tree and not looking at anything in particular as he gazed into the darkened cotton candy looking fluff that was the clouds; feeling the rain cascade down his ears and onto his back quills. 

And Shadow did not question it…

…Much, anyway. 

“But…I do admit, as time went on, I realized that I kiiiiiinda gave that name to myself out of loneliness.” The blue quilled hedgehog admitted, “I-If that makes sense.” He laughed softly, “Like…naming myself that would give my existence a sense of purpose o-or meaning…like I had a destiny…even if I made up.” He said as he walked back under the tree, sitting next to his ‘dark rival’.

‘And just in time, too’, they both thought as the rain began to get more and more heavier. 

But thankfully, the two stayed dry due to the tree’s leaves shielding them from the downpour. 

“You felt…invisible and powerless; giving yourself a name such as that paved a way for you to take control and create an idea that only you could command—something strong…and heroic, unlike how you might have felt back then.” Shadow concluded. 

“Exactly!”

“Well, sucks to be you then, I guess.” The slightly taller hedgehog hummed, “Unlike you, I was given my name and purpose by my creator.” 

“…Good for you, Shadow.” Sonic grumbled at the older’s…gloating? Bragging? Sonic wasn’t sure what this conversation was anymore.

“Great for me.” The Ultimate Lifeform corrected. 

“Great for you.” The other lifeform grumbled begrudgingly, “Look Shads, I’m just trying to give you advice and trying to help you—”

“Yeah? Well, maybe don’t.” The lone operative interrupted harshly; a bit too harshly. Suffocating silence soon followed after his uncalled for statement, the two awkwardly looking away; not knowing how to start up the conversation again as it seemed to die out almost instantly. 

The silence was thick…and awkward…

Ohoooooo so awkward…

Shadow kept his eyes locked on the ground, his fingers intertwined with each other on top of his knees. 

That…sharp edge in his voice still lingered in the air, curling around the tree leaves like everlasting smoke.

The wind then suddenly picked up…not loud or violent—but just enough to stir the trees in the distance and tug at Sonic’s hoodie.

The air sent a chill across Shadow’s spine; like a nudge that wouldn’t go away.

The blue quilled teen had shifted his weight, switching to sit criss-cross on the grass; clearly slightly hurt by the other’s words but not saying a word. The young teen’s hands moved slower than usual inside of his hoodie pockets; quieter. 

No humming whatsoever. 

No side-eyes or playful looks…just…silence.

Which honestly made Shadow feel even worse.

The black and red quilled teenager opened his mouth but…the words stalled in his throat completely. 

The wind blew again, sharp and steady this time—blowing some of Shadow’s quills in each and every direction.

“Alright…alright,” The antihero muttered to no one in particular, “I get it…” 

“I��m sorry. I was being a jerk.” The older hedgehog said to the blue hedgehog, his tone softer than the blue hedgehog in question had probably ever heard it, “I just…find it weird when others show that they…genuinely care about me. I don’t know how to react.” He sighed, “But you didn’t deserve that.” 

The wind picked up again—gentler this time, brushing Shadow’s shoulder almost like trying to mimic a reassuring pat.

Sonic met Shadow’s eyes, morphing his face to a small yet amused smirk as the usually stoic brooder blushed in slight embarrassment, looking down again. 

“Anyways…I suck. You're cool. I’m sorry.” The crimson eyed hedgehog said, trying to be casual but failing very very miserably. 

“Yeah…you do really really suck.” Sonic agreed wholeheartedly, “But it's okay. I forgive you...” He giggled as the red and black quilled mammal rolled his eyes for the millionth time today, bumping shoulders with him, “…For your rude words and how much you suck.” He said more sincerely. 

The world seemed to have gone still for a moment, the kind of still that made every sound feel louder than it should—the rain pitter pattering on the tree leaves, the wind rustling in absolutely anything and everything; Shadow’s own breathing. 

Sonic didn’t say anything; just pulling out his jellybeans and eating them once more. 

Finally, the crimson eyed teenager exhaled—shaky and barely audible, “…May I admit something?” He quietly asked. 

“Sure!” The blue quilled hedgehog closed his jellybean bag to the side, giving the other his full and undivided attention. 

“Although I was given my name, what I am and what I’m supposed to do…I don’t…” Shadow exhaled through his nostrils, “As ironic as it is: I-I don’t know how to execute any of those things correctly.” He locked eyes with the younger hedgehog, “You barely knew who you were when being here on Earth…and yet you still found your purpose here.”

“Ihi wouldn’t say all that...” Sonic giggled, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, “…The path to certainty is never a straight line, Shads. Purpose isn’t always a push in the right direction, y'know.” He smiled as he watched the rain fall sporadically. “Sometimes…it's an unsure but steady pull towards something that feels worth the effort—even when it seems hard or challenging.” 

“I’ve known since I stepped foot onto Earth I just…wanted to help people.” The Chili Dog loving hedgehog concluded, looking at his emo counterpart, “My pull…was my family and Green Hill…what’s yours?” 

The older teen’s jaw clenched slightly at the question—was this dumbass listening to anything he’d been saying for the past hour they’ve been out here?

“I just told you: I don’t know.” The crimson eyed teenager frowned. 

“Then figure it out then!” Sonic smiled, practically shooting up from where he was sitting, not being able to contain himself. “Life isn’t gonna wait for you, Shads!”

The antihero pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to hide his inevitable smile at his strange counterpart’s contagious excitement, “What does that even mean?” He sighed. 

“Live life! Be free! Roam! You're not gonna find your quote unquote ‘purpose’ by just lounging around looking at the grass all day. You have time…use it.” The emerald eyed hedgehog said, “Even I don’t know everything. I’m learning too…but that's what makes it all worthwhile! Don’t rush the process, man. Life is a highway afterall.” He grinned reassuringly. 

“Besides…no one said you gotta figure all of that out right now.” The speedy devil said, “I know it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, but, while you're trying to survive the chore known as life…don’t forget to live through it too, yeah?” 

“You are…strangely good at giving advice.” Shadow said. 

“Heh…I get that a lot.” Sonic giggled, his laugh emitting in amused volumes.

The rain seemed to calm now as it gently pattered against the leaves from above; having no particular rhythm other than softness and steadiness like a snowflake dancing in a snowglobe.

The breeze once again returned, swaying the rain droplets gently down the tree bark and onto the soil.

Then, out of nowhere, a tiny ant, barely bigger than a baby's thumb, crawled up the toe of Sonic’s shoes. 

It seemed to hesitate slighlty but then ducked itself beneath the shoe straps, curling its little body as if to shield itself from the outside world. 

The blue devil didn’t make a sound, smiling down at the little inscent as he gently cooed the small thing, adjusting his posture so they both had absolutely no chance of getting wet. 

Despite that fact, the blue quilled hedgehog carefully hovered his hand over the ant, shielding it from an imaginary droplet that simply seeped through the leaves. 

Shadow watched the ant as well, a rare smile forming on his face as well as he watched the two interact. 

The older hedgehog couldn’t help but feel a small sense of…deja vu? Familiarity? 

…He…wasn’t quite sure. He just knew that the situation seemed so…melancholic in a way. 

“…You…okay?” Sonic asked quietly, noticing the solemn yet sad look on the others' face.

Shadow’s face remained the same, his chest feeling tight but not in a claustrophobic sense as he exhaled, nodding his head as if a chained weight had been lifted off of and freed from his shoulders. “Y-Yes…” He stammered, watching as the ant happily danced on Sonic’s shoes as the wind danced around the three of them, “…Just…remembering something.” 

Sonic nodded, deciding not to push any further as he saw the sky clear up slightly, inhaling the fresh scent of petrichor as the small ant hopped down from his shoe, planting a spot right next to him. 

The blue hedgehog got up, stretching his arms as a loud yawn escaped his mouth, “Ready to head back inside?”

“…No.” Shadow quietly admitted, cringing at the thought of being caught in the crossfire between Knuckles and Tails’ reenactment of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul’s fight from Star Wars.  

“C’moooon…I don’t want you catching a cold out here, man! We can go to the porch or something but I think my butt fell asleep!” The emerald eyed teen moaned and groaned dramatically as the small ant hopped down from the shoe to frolic around the two. 

The tension in the lone operative’s face seemed to ease up, being replaced with something more playful, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly, “I say again: sucks to be you.” 

“You’re mean.” The shorter mammal pouted. 

“And you're annoying; guess we both have flaws.” 

“But that’s what makes us super awesome.” Sonic reasoned, attempting to pull Shadow up on his feet but the other hedgehog stayed stubbornly where he was seated. “Nohow. gehet. uhuuuuup!” Sonic tried lifting up Shadow but the older one just stared at him blankly. 

Sonic huffed like the other teen sitting there was a personal offence, crossing his arms as he looked away begrudgingly “You're ruining Sonic JR’s sunbathing time!”

“Sunbathing…wihith noho sun?” Shadow retorted. 

“Stohop beeheeing sohoh judgemental!” The Chilli Dog loving teen laughed, grabbing the other teenager’s arms but was pulled to the ground by him almost instantly. 

“Gehet yohohour dihirty mihihitts off ohof me!” Shadow grunted, half laughing whilst Sonic tried to drag him upright. The two tumbled on the grass, laughing more now. 

Sonic straddled the other hedgehog’s hips and pinned his wrists to the grass with a wide grin, “Oho…nuh uh! You’ve been rude to me this entire time we’ve been out here! Isn’t that right, Sonic JR?” Sonic said, looking at, well, Sonic JR. the ant before looking back at Shadow, nodding in confirmation. “Sonic JR. agrees.”

“You two look absolutely nothing alike.” The red and black quilled hedgehog huffed. 

“How dare! The resemblance is uncanny! You're just too blind to see it, faker.” Sonic dramatically said, lightly pinching the other’s right side. 

Shadow squeezed his eyes tight against the action, shaking his head back and forth as he tried to break out of Sonic’s hold but to the antihero’s surprise…the younger was actually surprisingly strong,“Ihihi’m nohot the faker heeheehere! Yohou are!” He giggly grumbled through gritted teeth. 

“Says the one giggling like a Teletubby...” The blue quilled hedgehog taunted while sticking his tongue out at the other in a silly manner, poking his stomach sporadically which caused the older to squirm in every which way. 

“I-I pffteheh dohoh nohot gihihiggle!” Shadow denied, not even attempting to ask what in the hell a ‘Teletubby’ was. 

He could honestly just look it up later on Mr. Wackowski’s computer and hope for the best that it wasn’t some dumb video game character like The Mario Brothers. 

“Oho yeah, tough guy? What’s this then? Hm? Hmmmmm~?” Sonic teased, wiggling his fingers in Shadow’s underarm. 

The older teen let out a loud squeal despite his lips being completely pursed, kicking his legs from behind Sonic, “Ihihi’m gohOHONNA freeheeHEEaking kihill yOHOou!!!” The crimson eyed hedgehog shouted. 

“Pff…with what army, man? Your squeals and shrieks?” The younger snorted at his own comeback, letting go of the other’s wrist and he stuffed both of his hands inside of his underarms, moving his fingers at an agonizingly slow pace. “God, I’m soOoOoOo scared…what ever shall I do~?”

Shadow threw his head back in complete and utter hysteria, arching his back quills into the grass as Sonic’s stupidly unbearable fingers scratched underneath his arms…

…That smug bastard. 

“PfftAHAHAH—squeal! IHIHI H-HATE YOHOHOU!” The antihero yelled in an embarrassed high-pitched shriek, much to his dismay. 

“D’aww…your laugh is so stinking cute!” Sonic teased, a big, cocky smile plastered on his face as he tickled his enemy turned rival turned emo brother into pieces. 

“SHUHUHUT. UHUHUP!!!” Shadow cried, his face fur slowly turning the same shade as his irises. 

“Shuut uppp~!” Sonic mocked without letting a single beat pass. 

“IHI hic DOHOHON’T hic SOHOUND LIHIHIHIKE EHEH THAHAT!” The other teen squealed louder than the sound barrier could obtain. 

“I don’t sound like that~!” Sonic continued. 

“SOHOHONIC!!!” Shadow yelled through his laughs as the speedy devil mercilessly squeezed at his hip area. Shadow pounded his fists on the floor as his other arm wrapped around his torso, trying to bat Sonic’s hands away.

Sonic snickered in amusement; it's not everyday you could see his brooding buddy completely belly laughing, y’know! “Shadow~!” 

“NAHAHAH—hic! STOHOP MAHAKING FUHUHUN OHOF ME!!!”

“I’m not~!” Sonic protested. 

Shadow growled lowly through his giggles, kicking the air as he let out a bone quivering squeal, “YEHES YOOHOU F-FUHUCKING AHARE!” He shouted. 

Sonic, completely unfazed by the others screechy shouts, released his hands from Shadow’s arms, letting the older one breathe for a second as he dramatically cracked his knuckles and neck as he tickled Shadow once more. “Okay…that’s enough back talk from you, Mr. Ultimate Ticklish Lifeform.” 

“DOOHOO YOHOHOU hic EHEVEHER hic hic SHUHUHUT UHUP???” The black and red quilled teen howled. 

The speed incarnate hummed in fake thought, peering up to the iridescent thing that was the night sky, “Never tried; and don’t eeeeeever plan to.” He said as he tickled Shadow’s ribs and hips with SuperSonic Speed™, catching the older so off guard he snorted loudly before submitting into a new fresh wave of desperate cackles. 

“Geez…I gotta do this more often.” Sonic beamed, “Your laugh is pure serotonin, man.”

“O-OKAHAHAY SQUEAL OHOHOKAY!!!” The slightly taller mammal cried a breathy squeal, happy tears of mirth forming in his eyes as he banged his fists on the ground and the other’s arms for one final measure, “STOHOP! STOHOHOP hic STOHOHOP IHIHIT NOHOW!!!”

“Alright, alright…I’m stopping, I’m stopping.” Sonic ceased his torturous tickling fingers almost immediately, letting the older catch his breath as he got off of him. 

“You okay…?” The emerald eyed teen asked a couple seconds after, “I didn’t overstep any boundaries, right?” 

“I-I’m ohokahahay.” Shadow grumbled despite the wobbly, silly little grin he was trying to wipe off his face. 

Jesus…this family really made him soft as hell. 

And he will admit…he kinda loves them for it. Go figure. 

“Good.” Sonic nodded, putting a hand on his hip, “Now can we pleeeease go back inside?” 

“Suhure, Sohonic.” The older one chuckled lightly, getting off from the ground as he dusted himself off, shaking his head fondly as the blue quilled hedgehog smiled down at the ant and scooped it up in his palm.  

Shadow rubbed his arm anxiously, his eyes still on the other, “Sonic?”

“Hm?” 

“…Thanks.” Shadow admitted quietly, “For the talk. And well, you know…”

Sonic smiled at the small flustered words of appreciation, “‘Course, twin. Always happy to help.” He giggled as he bumped elbows with the others, squeaking when the other in question sneakily jabbed him in the side, “AHACK! H-Hehey! Hehey!” Sonic absolutely squealed, “Yohohou're attahacking ahan uhunaharmed mahan!” He playfully scolded, “Wihith a chihihild ihin thehe vicinity!” 

“You attacked me first.” Shadow deadpanned. 

“Yeheah! Buhut you deserved it!” The speed incarnate huffed as he crossed his arms in a dramatic fashion before putting Sonic JR. down carefully and picking up his jelly beans, eating them directly in Shadow’s face, much much to the others dismay and disgust. 

“SONIC! SONIC #2!” Knuckles’ voice came distant and sharp from the porch to the two hedgehogs. The two paused their bickering, turning towards the red echidna, “MOTHER REQUESTS YOU COME INSIDE BEFORE YOU CATCH A SICKNESS KNOWN AS THE COLD!” 

“Aww man…” Sonic pouted before clutching his chest as if he’d been shot, “Hey…wAIT A SECOND…‘SONIC #2’?!” 

Shadow took offense to the nickname as well, clutching his chest as he glared at the other, “I was born before you! If anything you should be Sonic #2!”

“But my name is Sonic! That makes no sense!” The shorter teen  shouted in obvious disapproval. 

“You don’t make any sense!” The red and black quilled hedgehog retorted. 

“Your face doesn’t make any sense!” 

Knuckles blinked as he watched the two hedgehog’s back and forth from a distance, “I wonder what they are bickering about…” He stood outside for one second longer, completely baffled before heading back inside, letting the screen door swing shut behind him. “…Oh well; not my problem.”

“Whatever…we can discuss that later.” Sonic huffed before pointing to the house with his thumb. “You ready to head in?” 

“…Yes.” Shadow agreed, “Lets…Let's go.” 

“It's: ‘Gotta go fast™’…but you'll get the hang of it.” The emerald eyed teenager smirked at the other. “Bye bye, Sonic JR!” Sonic smiled sweetly as he blew kisses to the insect, “Seeya later!” He waved as he dashed to the house with his usual speediness. 

Shadow chuckled fondly, crossing his arms as he walked to the Wackowski residence. And as he did so, he looked up to the blue dusky gray/grey sky; no rain in sight. 

Shadow's chest tightened—not from the cold or uneasiness, but from that too familiar feeling that crept into his heart without warning. 

That…certain heaviness that felt like it was stuck to you like molasses. 

Sonic came back outside after realizing Shadow didn’t quite follow after him. 

But Sonic didn’t rush him, just quietly stepping towards him as he held out his hand, “C’mon, Shads…Dad popped popcorn to watch the rest of Tails and Knux’s weeb fight thinga mabobber.” 

The taller mammal looked at the smaller’s hand and then took it without a word, the both of them walking towards the house now.

The wind stirred—soft and low, almost like a satisfied sigh. It brushed through Shadow’s quills, curling around his torso like a ghost of a hug. 

Shadow blinked…and for the first time in years…his breath came a little—no…a lot easier. 

Shadow looked back at the tree and squinted, looking at the tiny ant that was still where the two hedgehogs were sitting earlier. 

“What?” Sonic asked, trying to look in the direction Shadow was. 

“…Nothing.” Shadow murmured, eyes still on the ant, “It’s just…still there.” 

“Guess Sonic JR. just really likes the wind.” Sonic giggled, slipping inside the house with Shadow. 

Outside, the wind tapped once against the window panes, stirring at the tree leaves and making them rustle gently.

But despite all of that?

The ant kept going. 

·̩̩̥͙＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚𝙵𝙸𝙽˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙ 

(𝙿.𝚂.: 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚎𝚗𝚓𝚘𝚢𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚒𝚌, 𝚙𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐!!!)

©𝚂𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚝𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚞𝚗𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚎, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟻. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚏𝚊𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚎. 𝙿𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝, 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚎, 𝚙𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝙰𝙸, 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚣𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚌𝚘𝚙𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚢 𝚠𝚊𝚢. 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Mammalia - Primates

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our next and last group of Euarchonta is the order Primates. This diverse order includes the families Cheirogaleidae (“mouse lemurs”), Daubentoniidae (“Aye-aye”), Indriidae (“indriid lemurs”), Lemuridae (“lemurid lemurs”), Lepilemuridae (“sportive lemurs”), Galagidae (“galagos” or “bush babies”), Lorisidae (“lorises”, “pottos”, and “angwantibos”), Cercopithecidae (“old world monkeys”), Hylobatidae (“gibbons”), Hominidae (“great apes”), Callitrichidae (“marmosets” and “tamarins”), Cebidae (“capuchins” and “squirrel monkeys”), Aotidae (“night/owl monkeys”), Pitheciidae (“titis”, “saki monkeys”, and “uakaris”), Atelidae (“spider monkeys”, “howler monkeys”, and “woolly monkeys”) and Tarsiidae (“tarsiers”).

Many primate characteristics represent adaptations to an arboreal environment, including large brain sizes, binocular vision, color vision, vocalizations, shoulder girdles allowing a large degree of movement in the upper limbs, and opposable thumbs (in most but not all) that enable better grasping and dexterity. Their large brains (relative to body size) compared to other mammals, as well as an increased reliance on visual acuity, has been an evolutionary trade-off at the expense of their sense of smell (the dominant sensory system of most mammals). Most primates are arboreal, but some primates, including gorillas, humans, and baboons, are primarily ground-dwelling, though all species retain adaptations for climbing trees. Arboreal locomotion techniques include leaping from tree to tree or swinging between branches of trees (brachiation); terrestrial locomotion techniques include walking on two hindlimbs (bipedalism) or modified walking on four limbs (quadrupedalism) via knuckle-walking. They are the most cognitively advanced animals, capable of using tools. Primates may communicate using facial and hand gestures, smells, and vocalizations, with humans (genus Homo) creating complex languages and sophisticated civilizations.

Primates are among the most social of all animals, forming pairs or family groups, uni-male harems, and multi-male/multi-female groups. Primates have slower rates of development than other similarly sized mammals, reach maturity later, and have longer lifespans. Females give birth to 1-2 young at a time. In some species, male primates take part in raising young, an oddity for mammals.

Primates arose in the Early Paleocene, about 65.9 million years ago. The earliest possible primate/proto-primate may be Purgatorius, which dates back to the Early Paleocene of North America. The oldest known true primates from the fossil record date to the Late Paleocene of Africa, around 57 mya (Altiatlasius) or the Paleocene-Eocene transition in the northern continents, around 55 mya (Cantius, Donrussellia, Altanius, Plesiadapisand, Teilhardina). The suborder Strepsirrhini, which includes the lemurs, lorisids, and galagos, is generally thought to have split off from the primitive primate line about 63 mya, and evolved independently from monkeys.

Propaganda under the cut:

The smallest primate in the world is the critically endangered Madame Berthe's Mouse Lemur (Microcebus berthae), with an average body length of 9.2 cm (3.6 in) and seasonal weight around 30 g (1.1 oz).

One of the largest primates in the world is the critically endangered Eastern Gorilla (Gorilla beringei) (image 4). Males are much larger than females. A full-grown male Eastern Gorilla typically weighs 140–205.5 kg (309–453 lb) and stands 1.7 m (5.6 ft) upright and a female typically weighs 90–100 kg (200–220 lb) and stands 1.5 m (4.9 ft) tall. Some Humans (Homo sapiens) have surpassed this size, but it is not the average for Humans, for which the average adult male stands about 171 cm (5.7 ft) tall and weighs 77 kg (170 lb), while the average height for adult Human females is about 159 cm (5.3 ft) and average weight is 59 kg (130 lb).

All lemurs (superfamily Lemuroidea) are native only to the African island of Madagascar, and evolved independently from other primates on the island. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) considers lemurs to be the world's most endangered group of mammals, noting that as of 2013 up to 90% of all lemur species face the threat of extinction in the wild within the next 20 to 25 years.

As many lemurs eat nectar as a part of their diet, and catch pollen in their fur in the process, they are considered to be some of the largest pollinators in the world. The endangered Hairy-eared Dwarf Lemur (Allocebus trichotis) has an extraordinarily long tongue. This is thought to be an adaptation for drinking nectar and tree sap. The vulnerable Red-bellied Lemur (Eulemur rubriventer) has a feathered tongue, also a likely adaptation for feeding on nectar.

The Golden Bamboo Lemur (Hapalemur aureus) eats Giant Bamboo (Cathariostachys madagascariensis), which contains high levels of cyanide. The Golden Bamboo Lemur can consume twelve times the typically lethal dose of cyanide for most mammals on a daily basis. The physiological mechanisms that protect it from cyanide poisoning are unknown.

The Aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis) has evolved some insect and seed-eating traits that are unique among primates, making it stand out among the lemurs. Such traits include continuously growing rodent-like front teeth for gnawing through wood and hard seeds, a highly mobile filiform middle finger for extracting food from tiny holes, large bat-like ears for detecting hollow spaces within trees, and use of self-generated acoustical cues to forage.

Many lemur species, including the Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta), Milne-Edwards' Sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi), and the Verreaux's Sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi), live in groups led by a dominant female. Lemurs are one of the very few mammal groups where females are usually dominant over males.

Some lemurs, such as the Verreaux's Sifaka, live in the spiny forests of Southern Madagascar. Sifakas travel via leaping rapidly from tree trunk to tree trunk, an ability referred to as "ricochetal leaping". It is unknown how the Verreaux's Sifaka manages to do this characteristic leaping without impaling themselves on the long thorns of the spiny forests’ trees.

The extinct Giant Sloth Lemur, Archaeoindris fontoynontii, was comparable to a gorilla in size. It was rare, but still living when humans first arrived on Madagascar. Its large size and terrestrial habits would have made it vulnerable to hunting and habitat loss.

It was previously thought that all lorisids moved slowly, but this is not the case. Lorisids freeze in place as a defense tactic, or move slowly if they see or hear a potential predator. This only works in their leafy environment, and is a form of camouflage. Many lorisids are actually quite agile when not afraid.

Slow Lorises (genus Nycticebus) (image 3) from southeast Asia produce a secretion from their brachial gland, that is licked and mixed with their saliva to form a toxin which can be used for defense. This toxic bite is a rare trait among mammals, and unique among primates. The Slender Lorises (genus Loris) from Sri Lanka and South India also possess these brachial glands, but it is uncertain whether they also synthesize the toxin.

The Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) has a diverse repertoire of vocalizations thought to be almost as complex as that of humans.

The Allen's Swamp Monkey (Allenopithecus nigroviridis) has adaptations for a partially aquatic environment, including slight webbing of its fingers and toes.

The Common Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas) is the fastest runner among the primates, reaching speeds of 55 km/h (34 mph). For reference the fastest human, Usain Bolt, reached 37.58 km/h (23.35 mph) during his world record sprint.

The terrestrial guenons (genus Allochrocebus) live in fairly small groups dominated by females, with only a single adult male. The females are usually related, while the male stays only a couple of weeks or at most a couple of years, working as a watchdog and breeder.

Around dawn and dusk, dominant male Campbell's Mona Monkeys (Cercopithecus campbelli) will climb up to a perch and issue a series of booming calls. The sound carries for at least a kilometre, and other males join in. Campbell's Mona Monkeys often associate with monkeys of other species and engage in inter-species territorial calling which obey certain ritual rules. This is one of the more advanced forms of animal communication, with a rudimentary syntax.

Male Crested Mona Monkeys (Cercopithecus pogonias) will sometimes join groups of unrelated monkey, such as the Black Colobus (Colobus satanas). These otherwise solitary males can form strong group bonds with the non conspecific monkeys, possibly resulting in a permanent loss of mating opportunities.

The Northern Plains Gray Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) has a symbiotic relationship with the Chital (Axis axis), and the two species are rarely found apart. Both the langur and the deer know each other’s warning calls, and benefit from both groups watching for predators in the trees and on the ground.

Nearly all (73–100%) captive Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) are carriers of the herpes B virus. This virus is harmless to macaques, but infections of humans, while rare, are potentially fatal

The endangered Crab-eating Macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is the only old world monkey known to use stone tools in their daily foraging, and they engage in robbing and bartering behavior in some tourist locations.

Dusky Leaf Monkeys (Trachypithecus obscurus), Crab-eating Macaques, and White-thighed Surilis (Presbytis siamensis), form tolerant foraging parties, with juveniles playing together.

The critically endangered Celebes Crested Macaque (Macaca nigra) unknowingly found itself at the center of controversy between 2011 and 2018, when British wildlife photographer David J. Slater set up equipment that would allow the macaques to take “selfies.” People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) argued that Slater could not hold a copyright claim over the “monkey selfie” that resulted, as it had been taken by a macaque and not him. This resulted in the United States Copyright Office stating that works created by a non-human, such as a photograph taken by a monkey, are not copyrightable. Slater lost income and took a blow to his reputation as a wildlife photographer as a result of the dispute. In a separate dispute, PETA tried to use the monkey selfies to establish a legal precedent that animals should be declared copyright holders, requesting that the copyright be assigned to the macaque, who they decided was named “Naruto”, and that PETA be appointed to administer proceeds from the photos for the endangered species' benefit. In dismissing PETA's case, a federal district court ruled that a monkey cannot own copyright under US law. PETA appealed. In September 2017, PETA and Slater agreed to a settlement in which Slater would donate a portion of future revenues on the photographs to wildlife organizations, but the court did not accept the settlement. In April 2018, the appeals court ruled against PETA, stating in its judgement that animals cannot legally hold copyrights and expressing concern that PETA's motivations had been to promote their own interests rather than to protect the legal rights of the monkeys. The ordeal left Slater with very little funding, and he lost his motivation and passion for photography. However, he was still glad for the impact the photos had on people, stating "It has taken six years for my original intention to come true which was to highlight the plight of the monkeys and bring it to the world. No one had heard of these monkeys six years ago, they were down to the last thousands. ... The locals used to roast them, but now they love them, they call it the 'selfie monkey'. Tourists are now visiting and people see there is a longer-term benefit to the community than just shooting a monkey."

In Ancient Egyptian mythology, Babi was the deification of the Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas) and was therefore a sacred animal. They were known as attendants of Thoth, and are thus also called the Sacred Baboon.

Critically endangered Red-shanked Doucs (Pygathrix nemaeus) eat peacefully with each other, and have been known to share their food with others. They may even break pieces of foliage off and hand them to each other, a type of active generosity that is rare among Old World monkeys.

Humans, Baboons, Bonobos (Pan paniscus), and Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are omnivorous hunters, and will set off on hunting parties, sometimes bringing down smaller monkey species.

Both Chimpanzees and Humans are known to wage wars over territories and resources.

Orangutans build nests for both day and night use. Nests may be elaborate and involve a foundation and mattress made by intertwining leaves and branches and adding broken leafy branches. Additional features such as shade, a waterproof roof, "pillow", and "blanket", all of which are made from branches, twigs and leaves, may also be added.

Critically endangered Bornean Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) have been observed using tools such as using leaves as toilet paper, a pad of leaves as a plate for holding spiny durian fruit, a leafy branch for a bee swatter, a bunch of leafy branches held together as an "umbrella" while traveling in the rain, a single stick as a backscratcher, a branch or tree trunk as a missile, and have even been sighted using spears to attempt (unsuccessfully) to catch fish.

The critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan (Pongo abelii) has been observed using a different arsenal of tools. One may break off a tree branch that is about a foot long, snap off the twigs and fray one end with its teeth. The orangutan will then use the stick to dig in tree holes for termites. They will also use the stick to poke a bee's nest wall, move it around and catch the honey. In addition, orangutans use tools to eat fruit. When the fruit of the Neesia tree ripens, its hard, ridged husk softens until it falls open. Inside are seeds that the orangutans enjoy eating, but they are surrounded by fiberglass-like hairs that are painful if eaten. A Neesia-eating orangutan will select a five-inch stick, strip off its bark, and then carefully collect the hairs with it. Once the fruit is safe, the ape will eat the seeds using the stick or its fingers. Tools are created differently for different uses. Sticks are often made longer or shorter depending on whether they will be used for insects or fruits. If a particular tool proves useful, the orangutan will often save it. Over time, they can collect entire "toolboxes".

Endangered Bonobos (Pan paniscus) are capable of altruism, compassion, empathy, kindness, patience, and sensitivity. They are known for living in matriarchal societies, having more fluid sexuality, and settling disputes with sex rather than violence.

In a study published in February 2025, scientists determined that Bonobos could tell when a Human didn't know something, and point them in the right direction.

The endangered Siamang (Symphalangus syndactylus) has a large gular sac (throat pouch) that can be inflated to the size of the gibbon’s head, allowing it to make resonating calls. Mated pairs produce loud, well-patterned calling bouts, which are referred to as duetting. These calls advertise the presence and status of a mated pair. Newly formed pairs spend more time singing than an established pair.

The critically endangered Hainan Black-crested Gibbon (Nomascus hainanus) is one of the most endangered animals in the world. The most recent count found 22 Hainan Gibbons split between two families, one family of 11 and one of 7 members, with 4 loners, all residing in Bawangling National Nature Reserve on Hainan Island. Over 25% of the Hainan Gibbon’s habitat has been reduced due to illegal pulp paper plantation growers. As there are no Hainan Gibbons in captivity, the entire population could be one major storm or epidemic away from extinction.

Tarsiers are the only entirely carnivorous living primates.

Philippine Tarsiers (Carlito syrichta) are capable of hearing frequencies as high as 91 kHz. They are also capable of vocalizations with a dominant frequency of 70 kHz.

Unlike other male primates, male Callitrichids generally provide as much parental care as females. Parental duties may include carrying, protecting, feeding, comforting, and even engaging in play behavior with the babies in a group. In some cases, such as in the Cotton-top Tamarin (Saguinus oedipus), males, particularly fathers, even show a greater involvement in caregiving than females.

White-fronted Capuchins (genus Cebus) have been observed using leaves as a cup to drink water.

Female Squirrel Monkeys (genus Saimiri) have pseudo-penises, which they use to display dominance over smaller monkeys.

White-faced Sakis (Pithecia pithecia) often mate for life, and are very devoted to their partners, strengthening their bond by grooming each other.

Atelid monkeys are most famous for their long, extremely prehensile tails. Their tails have sensitive, almost hairless, tactile pads on their undersides, and can function as a “fifth limb” while moving through the trees.

About 60% of primate species are threatened with extinction. Common threats include deforestation, forest fragmentation, monkey drives, and hunting for use in medicines, as pets, and for food. Large-scale tropical forest clearing for agriculture most threatens primates, as well as farming for palm oil.

[mumuqings]

tgcf book spoilers, but one mu qing and xie lian snippet that I think about a lot is this one, at the start of xie lian’s second banishment when he’s surprised to hear mu qing being described as generous and kind:

as opposed to this memory from before his first ascension when mu qing started giving out cherries to the kids in the city:

I think it just really goes to show 1) how deeply mq’s actions truly affected xl and what he thought of him, but also 2) just how different mq and xl are fundamentally in the way that they think and approach things.

I don’t have a lot of commentary on xl that hasn’t already been said, but bc we get the story from xl’s pov, we see a lot of mq’s actions being framed as selfish or suspicious (which is fair, bc again, we know how much his actions hurt xl), but we also see a lot of misconstrued kindness, like in book 8 where it’s revealed that he knocked out fx in order to save him. it’s also pretty obvious how much mq still cares abt xl, with how quickly he volunteers as fu yao and the lengths he goes to protect him when he deems hc a threat, so I also think it’s very likely that mq leaving the trio first was exactly what he said it was — that he thought becoming a junior official, ascending quickly, would be the best way to take care of not just his mother, but also xl, fx, the king and queen, and himself, and so in a way, him leaving was him acting on his kindness. but ofc it doesn’t work out, and he spends the next 800 years fighting w/ fx about it, defending himself, his decisions, and his kindness, and nitpicking the accuracies of his statues while he himself remains completely misunderstood by the two people he probably cares abt the most.

and idk, I guess I just think that’s probably a really lonely way to spend 800 years.

[fanofthelamb]

Chat I’ve seen enough SWAP AUs. It’s my turn. For now I just have my narilamb bc I’m cheesy as FUCK and FUCKING LOVE DRAWING THESE TWO TOGETHER. The only good narilamb I have because they never end up together.

lore under cut for anyone interested TEEHE THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING LONG ONG

There isn’t a genocide in this AU like there is normally, but Vitas IS locked away because as soon as he, the god of life, realizes his domain also seems to cover death, he decides to experiment with it. He makes examples out of sacrificing and tormenting his followers to make examples of them, trying to make mortals fear and even abhor the gods. He often targets cats, to the point where the other gods had enough of his antics and sealed him away, fearing Vitas would single-handedly kill off catkind. (Yeah, maybe step in sooner than that though guys)

Locked away, Vitas is not powerless, but he has little interest in turning his efforts to breaking free. Instead, he realized while bound down below, he can still cause chaos up above. And he does, it taking form in natural disasters, that only stop when a cat is sacrificed to him for him to “play with.”

Persaphone is ordered to bring herself to the goddess of order (CAMILA :D ❤️‍🩹) to sacrifice herself, but Oxylus convinces her to let him go instead, disguised as her. When he’s sacrificed to the sheep below, he finds himself in front of a sheep in old dusty robes, bound to the ground in strange ropes made of gold and silver, and wool that’s overgrown and MUSTY. (who knew being trapped underground without a barber meant your hair grew long?) somehow, he sees this sheep and decides “oh yes, my soulmate” but unfortunately Vitas doesn’t agree. He promises he’ll spend the rest of Oxylus’s miserable life with him if he breaks him free, a deal Oxylus accepts!

So, all Vitas needs to do is sit and wait while Oxylus gathers power and uses it to slay the 4 who put him in that damn hole, each god possessing a bell that Oxylus takes, storing their souls into them and using with Vitas to break his restraints, one by one. Except, there’s 5 and only 4 bells, but Vitas isn’t worried about that. He was planning on taking Oxylus and using him as final soul to free him! Before he was too weak, but with 4 gods slain he’s strong enough to sacrifice.

Though Vitas is eager to use Oxylus, who is apprehensive but willing, his own bell has other plans, defying the both of them and using Vitas as the final sacrifice. A loss too painful for Oxylus, he revives Vitas who agrees to stay in his home village with him (not out of gratitude but out of spite, he wants to make the cat miserable for resurrecting him.) though, Vitas is no longer a god but a mere man, Oxylus only knew how to preform rituals to bring back mortals! Good try though, kitty.

Oxylus is currently on a mission to resurrect the other lambs, but it turns out resurrecting gods is much different than mortals. Vitas is only guiding him so he can bring back Camila, but he makes it extremely difficult for Oxylus just as a little treat. Destroying materials, sending him on quests to obtain help for what turns out to be completely unrelated ceremonies, hiding what little information he does have and making him find it alone,,, only giving him little pushes when he thinks Oxylus might give up.

Oxylus keeps him in the jester costume because Vitas is a grade A dickhead LMFAO (I based the jester outfit off a cool French jester poster I saw,,)

Ok good night chat it’s late and I forgot what words mean please punt swap vitas across the room goodnight idek if this made sense idc tho

[shugthedug]

Insane to me that people, including other film makers, are so ready to throw down against Scorsese. If the trolley problem was the entirety of marvels output on one track and one more Scorsese film on the other, I’d ram that bitch through the mcu so hard it would obliterate every trace of iron man from time and space. God bless ‘em but I would 💖

[meteortrails]

Every Day I think about the tension between okarun and jiji after momo almost gets got by the evil eye. like there are so many scenes immediately following that where nothing is even said or really indicated but the vibe shift between them is PALPABLE. and it’s so interesting to me bc we as the reader know that from okarun’s side this is in large part bc he’s beating himself up about how he needs to be stronger to be a better guard dog, but none of this ever really gets made clear to jiji so he just sees his crush hurt at his hands and one of his best friends gone distant in the aftermath. and the added dimension of the momo of it all really fascinates me bc like, it also ends up kind of being this moment where it becomes sort of obvious that momo will almost always come first for okarun in a lot of ways. like you can just feel how in these moments jiji feels like an outsider looking in at the two of them, and how that hurts him.

[houseshousewife]

Watching House, you just have to accept that sometimes the writers will make him act gross and slightly out of character.

1; because of the times, and 2; likely because the writers have their own weird fetish about it 🙄🙄

[unfortunatelyilikebnha]

Thinking about the KaeyaJeanDiluc friendship where they grew up together and they were CLOSE & sure maybe Jean felt like Diluc & Kaeya were closer since they were brothers & sure maybe Kaeya felt like he had to keep secrets from the two of them bc they would never understand but they were like. A trio! A team!

& then Diluc’s 18th birthday comes around and everything goes to shit and Diluc LEAVES so they’re no longer KaeyaJeanDiluc but just Kaeya & Jean & in some ways Kaeya and Jean get closer because of it but there’s also a pronounced DISTANCE where Jean doesn’t know how to reach Kaeya anymore & Kaeya is even more determined not to tell Jean anything & they both lose themselves in their duties to Mondstadt while also missing Diluc and ALSO, despite everything, offering each other unconditional support

& then Diluc comes BACK & in addition to Kaeya & Jean there’s the shaky reestablishment of Jean & Diluc and Diluc & Kaeya but it’s not THE SAME. they’re no longer KaeyaJeanDiluc; Jean & Kaeya are knights and Diluc will never be a knight again & they all changed while Diluc was away & none of them know how to talk to each other anymore AND YET there’s still an undercurrent of trust!! Not fully, especially between Kaeya & Diluc, but Diluc still calls on Jean during the archon quest, trusting that she will keep their secrets even though as the acting grandmaster she should probably not. Jean says in her about Diluc voiceline that she understands why Diluc hates the knights & is working hard to make them an organization he can trust again. Kaeya covers for Diluc’s darknight hero escapades & fondly reminisces about their childhood in front of him. Diluc invited Kaeya to dinner at the winery & (afaik) never told anyone about Kaeya’s origins. Kaeya tells the traveler that they need to give Jean their full support and planned a birthday party for her. Jean left Kaeya in charge of Mondstadt when she went to the golden apple archipelago! On some level they recognize that their goals still align!! There’s still trust and love there but there’s also this gap between them that none of them know how to cross and I just!!!

[no1ryomafan]

I watched a video yesterday about how magical girls as a genre are not respected by the larger anime community and it is was well put together but I hate my brain for how I’m like “oh my god mecha fans are the same way” when a factor of why magical girls aren’t respected is driven by misogyny which is fucking yikes since mecha to my knowledge doesn’t have any negative gender biases-certainly it’s not because people don’t wanna like boy things if shonen is watched by even girls now-but I have realized there are shows in both genres that fall under similar categories in the large community:

<Eva and Madoka are praised as deconstructions of the genres which isn’t fucking true in the slightest, it’s just people realizing the genres can be deep and the shows have done what others before it have done but no one will look into it to see that

<Gurren and Sailor Moon are literally just normal entries to the genre that somehow clicked to regular audiences but said fans of it still refuse to look more into the genre as a whole for whatever reason even though if they like these ones, they’d like more if they tried it (this also applies to Code Geass and Cardcaptor)

<Gundam and Precure are the ongoing entries for the genre so more people over time have given them a peep, but genuinely to wider audiences there still more niche despite developing their own dedicated fandoms

And genuinely if I knew more magical girls or knew more impact particular mecha had on audiences in the west I could probably continue these comparisons, but it’s kinda fucking sad the two first ones even happen 😭

[thursdaysyme]

oh my gawd y’all having brothers 11 and 13 is not for the weak of heart it’s fun but also holy shit

[hawkeshep]

kinda sucks that I couldn’t play datv long enough to see the solavellan reunion but oh well

[ohello0]

Which diss bar goes harder at calling niggas pedophiles “you don’t hate Megan you hate Megan’s law” vs. “you tryna strike a chord and it’s probably a minor”

[delusionalbitchinthehouse]

Alpha & Pebble my beautifully fucked up boys ! Here’s them fighting because they don’t know how to communicate. Angst, but with some tiny bit of comfort ? Maybe ? I’m not sure it really is comfort but well.

Alpha’s not sure what the Sibling of Sin said, he only caught the tail end of a mean laugh, but it must’ve been about Delta ; it’s the only thing that could get that reaction out of Pebble. Snarl peeling his lips so far back it looks borderline painful, eyes blazing, tail whipping the air, claws extended.

The earth ghoul is about to pounce on the stupid, stupid human, rip them to shreds and risk being sent back to the pit for the offense it represents. Alpha acts on instinct alone.

The fire ghoul barely manages to catch the back of Pebble’s uniform just as the earth ghoul leaps toward the Sibling. Pebble didn’t see Alpha coming, too blinded by rage, and is caught by surprise ; in a second, and despite his vigorous thrashing, Alpha has the earth ghoul in a chokehold, his arm digging into Pebble’s neck in an effort to keep him from committing first degree murder.

The Sibling blanches at the display, finally realizing their stupidity, the amount of danger they’ve subjected themselves to by sheer malice, and scurries away while they still can. 

Alpha curses as he drags Pebble away, sharp kicks surely bruising his legs, claws raking along his arm in an attempt to make him let go. No chance. Alpha only tightens his hold, cutting Pebble’s airways even more off until the earth ghoul’s knees buckle under him and he let himself be thrown into the common room.

Alpha only grants him a few seconds to take deep, gasping breaths before taking two fistful of the front of Pebble’s uniform, hauling him up against the wall ; with the earth ghoul being a good head shorter than Alpha, and pretty light in comparison,  it’s easy for the fire ghoul to pin Pebble there, his feet barely grazing the ground.

« Are you stupid ?! » Alpha growls inches from Pebble’s face.

« Let go you fucking-»

« No, » Alpha grunts, baring his own fangs, « I asked you a question. Are you fucking stupid ?! That what you earth ghouls do, smoke your brains away ?! You know what happens to dumb sons of bitches who harm members of the Church ?! Do you want to be sent back, away from you greenhouse, your home, your pack ?! »

Pebble blinks, momentarily stunned by the reason behind Alpha’s anger, before his face contorts once again and venom creeps back in the pale green of his eyes.

« So you’d let that piece of shit say whatever they want ? Insult Delta whenever they like ? »

So Alpha was right, it was indeed about Delta. The fire ghoul doesn’t get to say what he wants, Pebble is on a roll.

« Yes, of course you would. Pack only matters when it suits you, yeah ? When it’s convenient. But the second protecting it might cause troubles, you back off like the coward you are. Is there any of us you’d take actual risks for ? Is there anyone outside of Omega, oh so precious Omega, you would sacrifice things for ? »

Alpha sees red, Pebble’s word cutting deep, hitting a nerve dead on. How dare he. How dare Pebble question everything Alpha did for the pack ? The fire ghoul doesn’t know if he wants to rip the earth ghoul’s tongue out or curl into himself to sob. 

Pebble opens his mouth to go on, and Alpha is absolutely sure he cannot take a drop more of the earth ghoul’s venom, that infamous venom of his that slithers into your veins, wraps around your heart, squeezes until it bursts.

Alpha throws Pebble to the ground, sits on his chest, raises a fist - aiming for his face, maybe his nose, anything that would make the earth ghoul shut up, shut up, shut up.

That’s when Alpha catches the glimmer of hope in Pebble’s eyes, realization dawning on him with the effect of a cold shower. Pebble itches for a fight. Wants to get hit, beaten up to a pulp, and who better to rile up for that than Alpha, short-tempered, sparring enthusiast Alpha ?

As always, Pebble is seeking what he cannot ask for, and seeking it from Alpha. 

The fire ghoul stills, fist still raised. Pebble waits, tense as a bowstring, eyeing it almost voraciously. But there, under the anger and inexplicable need to be hurt, something fragile, vulnerable hides. 

Whatever the Sibling said, Pebble took it to heart.

Alpha’s eyes slip closed, a shuddering sigh escaping him as he brings his hand down slowly, grabbing Pebble’s jaw firmly, but with unusual gentleness. The earth ghoul stiffens.

« You know damn well I take care of my pack. And, whether you like it or not, you are pack too. So the next time you want to be used as a fucking punching bag, you join me on the mat instead of running your fucking mouth and goading me into damn near killing you. »

Despite the simmering fury in Alpha’s voice, his hand doesn’t tightens, simply stays there, holding.

Pebble’s eyes flash with both desperation and rage.

« Don’t pretend to care- »

Alpha growls again, tail slapping against the floor harshly enough to sting.

« Stop telling me how I feel, Pebble. My feelings are mine, you don’t get to twist them into what’s more convenient for you. »

All the fight seems to rush out of the earth ghoul’s body at that. Pebble’s muscles all let go at once, his face growing weary, almost melancholic. He avoids Alpha’s eyes, nods curtly.

« Got it. »

Alpha can’t help the way his eyebrows skyrocket toward his hairline at that, but doesn’t comment. It’s as close an apology as he’ll get from Pebble.

The earth ghoul is staring at Alpha’s arm, jaw clenching hard. There’s a few rivulets of blood trickling from the claw marks Pebble left on it in his efforts to free himself.

For a moment, they stay frozen like this, something akin to « what now ? » floating in the heavy silence between them.

A door slamming in the distance snaps them out of it. Alpha let go of Pebble, stands up to let the earth ghoul do the same. Pebble runs a hand through his short, messy hair, strands spiking in every directions. 

Sighing heavily, Alpha adjusts his shirt, glad that he wasn’t wearing his own uniform, or else he’d have a lot of explaining to do as to why his sleeve would be in tatters. Again.

From the corner of his eyes, the fire ghoul spies Pebble awkwardly straightening his collar, somehow seeming reluctant to leave. Alpha watches him, and yet, he’s caught completely off guard when the earth ghoul grabs his injured arm, careful to avoid the cuts, eyes glaring daggers at the consequences of his own anger.

The strangeness of the situation keeps Alpha frozen, eyes glued to Pebble’s face. The near permanent crease between the earth ghoul’s eyebrows, the scar cutting through the bridge of his nose, the smattering of freckles across his cheekbones, the scruff eating away at his cheeks, everything is thrown into sharp focus by their sudden stillness.

When the earth ghoul looks up at Alpha, the fire ghoul wonders what he sees. Yellow eyes Pebble’s dying to gouge out ? Already crooked nose the earth ghoul longs to break into an even more unsavory form ? Deep claw marks on his cheek he’d like to extend ? But the look in Pebble’s eyes doesn’t hold any murderous intent. It’s conflicted, confused, the abrupt change in their usual dynamic rendering him just as silent as Alpha. 

For once, they are both out of words. A miracle, really.

Then, Pebble let go so suddenly you’d think Alpha lost control of his fire and inflicted him a third degree burn.

« You should get those checked out, » the earth ghoul mumbles, resolutely staring at his feet.

Alpha blinks, lost for a moment, before remembering his injuries.

« Those are just scratches. »

Pebble scoffs, but doesn’t add anything, fleeing the room without once meeting Alpha’s eyes again.

The fire ghoul heaves a sigh, scrubs his hand over his face. He feels weird, Pebble’s expression when he took stock of the damages he’d done lingering in his mind. 

Alpha hopes Mist will let him share a smoke with her tonight, Satan knows he could use her blunt honesty to understand whatever the fuck just happened.

But first, he has a Sibling to scare the living daylight out of to ensure they won’t breath a word of Pebble’s near slip up.