#Pet Food Additives Market

[ironmandeficiency]

stupid goose

pairing: fíli / hobbit!reader

word count: 2953

summary: a goose followed fili into erebor and refused to leave

a/n: this has taken over my brain

no one knew where that damn demon bird came from. all anyone knew is that when fíli returned from the markets of dale one day, he was trailed by a goose. this goose demanded in very angry honks to be let into erebor right behind the golden prince, and despite every attempt made to shoo the thing outside, the goose remained.

it honked during council meetings, entertained some of the young pebbles that had returned to erebor with their families, and generally caused a disturbance everywhere it waddled. fíli took to naming his new pet trøbbel, and he grew to appreciate the feathered chaos harbinger.

thorin couldn’t stand the damn thing. it would flap and honk and nip at him at the most odd times, namely when he was scolding his nephews. the king under the mountain was halfway convinced that fíli trained it to behave so.

the days turned to weeks, weeks into months, and trøbbel stuck around through it all. he was a common companion, and a very proper one indeed. eventually he learned some semblance of patience; the standard amount of patience in geese was alarmingly similar to the patience of dwarves.

trøbbel definitely lived up to his name, so much so that when bilbo sent word that he was planning a springtime visit to the mountain in a few months’ time, multiple correspondents thought it fit to warn their burglar about the newest addition.

“dear bilbo,

the company is delighted to hear of your pending visit to the mountain! many things have changed for the better since uncle was crowned king (not his temper, unfortunately for us all). everyone is looking forward to seeing you again, though i do carry a warning with this letter.

you see, a few months ago i involuntarily acquired a wild goose as a companion. he made himself known to me after leaving dale one afternoon and rather violently refused to be parted from my side.

this goose is a mighty beast that honks and bites diplomats (dwalin never loved him more than when he nipped at thranduil upon first glance of the elf) and steals food from the plates of those not paying attention. i warn you because trøbbel is very suspicious of new people, and i don’t want you falling victim to his wiles if he finds that you don’t have snacks for him upon arrival.

see you soon,

prince fíli”

bilbo was baffled. he was confuddled, stupefied even. how in yavanna’s green gardens fíli ended up with a goose was beyond his reckoning. the last time he heard of a goose forcing its way into someone’s life in this manner was being told the story of how his parents met when he was a wee fauntling.

it was a somewhat rare phenomenon among hobbits to be found by a goose in such a way. they were said to guide hobbits to their soulmates, the other half of their soul as created by lady yavanna. the goddess had to create an animal stubborn enough to aid her hobbit children in finding their soulmates, one that could easily navigate the hills and rivers of their lands, and the goose was her solution.

even though erebor was no west farthing, bilbo could imagine that any goose worth its tail feathers would find a way to survive in the lonely mountain. and, based on the letter he just read, one has.

taking into consideration the thing’s audacity, that bird of fíli’s is definitely a soulmate goose, and a right bugger at that.

the first thing he now had to do was inform fortinbras of this development. as thain and cousin, bilbo was sure that he could find some sound advice there.

now, if bilbo could figure out how to explain that fíli has a hobbit for a soulmate without putting thorin and balin into their deathbeds, that would be just peachy.

“HONK! HONK HONK!”

“i cannot believe you, tansy!”

“HONK!”

“yeah you better run, you wretched thing!”

tansy the goose had to be the biggest pain in the backside you’ve ever met, and that’s saying something considering the run-ins you’ve had with the bracegirdles.

she followed you to the markets, when you went on walks among the meadows and fields, and even snuck into the washroom to be there when you bathed. in your opinion, it was all a bit too much.

your tansy gave the wizard gandalf a run for his money when it came to disturbing the peace. on days you went to the market, she would follow you and honk all the way at passersby and intimidate them off the dirt path you were on.

she also picked up a very peculiar habit of trying to (and sometimes succeeding to) snag fine jewelry from the booths of dwarrow traveling through from the blue mountains. every time you would turn and see a shiny glint of silver or gold hanging from her beak, your heart would drop to your feet in fear. thus far, the merchants you’ve encountered were very understanding of your feathery thief and harbored no ill will against you as you returned their wares to the tune of an angry goose.

while those situations were mortifying and anxiety-inducing, you’ve reached the end of your rope today. tansy has committed a grievous sin by brutalizing your blackberry patch to the point of there being almost nothing left worth eating and you’ve had it up to your ears with her.

you chased her with a wooden spoon as you ranted about her foul deed and resolved to talk to someone about what to do about tansy the chaos goose. maybe the thain would have some advice?

“uncle! we’ve got a reply from bilbo!” kíli waved the letter in the air excitedly as he barged into his uncle’s chambers.

fíli follows kíli in, rolling his eyes as he snatches the parchment from his brother’s hand. “no, i got a reply from bilbo.”

the golden prince makes no mention of the second page bilbo wrote to him with explicit instructions to keep it to himself. that morsel of information was for him and him alone - well, for him and trøbbel, of course.

“hurry up and read it!”

“i would if you’d stop flapping about like trøbbel!”

in response to being compared to kíli (or maybe just hearing his name), trøbbel honked indignantly.

“dearest fíli,

it pleases me greatly to know that erebor is flourishing under your uncle’s rule. i am most excited to see you all again, especially in the comforts of your home.

while i thank you for your warning, i have some news of my own to share. there will be a hobbitess accompanying me on my trip-“

thorin cut off his nephew, his bright mood upon receiving bilbo’s correspondence immediately clouding over. “he’s bringing a hobbit lass?” the king’s thoughts immediately sour with thoughts of his burglar introducing the company to a spouse wooed by his tales of adventure.

both brothers caught the sudden wave of melancholy that surged through their uncle. his feelings for bilbo were a poorly-kept secret among the company, but there were none who had the courage to call attention to it.

“you’re almost as bad as kee with interrupting me,” fíli chastised before clearing his throat to continue.

“-there will be a hobbitess accompanying me on my trip that shares in your feathered predicament. with the description you gave me of your trøbbel, i’d bet all of my fourteenth share that he’d get along swimmingly with her tansy. she’s a menace, that one.”

“see uncle, you can remove that frown! bilbo isn’t courting anyone back in the shire!” kíli interjected with a small smile and an elbow nudge, hoping to goad thorin back into a good mood.

fíli sighed the sigh of a long-suffering older brother. “this is exactly what i mean when i talk about you interrupting me, kee!”

“but he was sad!”

“and i’m annoyed!”

“boys!”

one word put the squabbling siblings back in line.

“sorry, uncle.”

“do continue, fíli.”

“i send this letter ahead of me from bree. i hope you receive it in proper time so you can prepare the mountain for the impending doom that will be brought upon by two geese occupying erebor.

if you note the bite marks in bottom right corner and the occasional blots of stray ink on the parchment, those are courtesy of tansy. she sends her well wishes along with mine.

your burglar,

bilbo baggins”

thorin looks at trøbbel where he’s squatted directly on top of thorin’s favorite bedpillow like the cruel beast he is. the smug bastard has a wicked gleam in his eye as if he knows he’ll soon have a partner in crime to terrorize the whole mountain alongside.

oh mahal, please watch over this mountain.

erebor was teeming with anticipation, both for the arrival of the famed dragonriddler and for the next act of war from trøbbel. for nigh on three weeks, the royal bird has been eerily well-behaved. this was so out of character that fíli carried his companion to óin in the hopes the healer could figure out what malady had struck his friend.

there was nothing obvious to blame for the sudden silence of the royal bird, so the healer told fíli to watch over his bird and take as good care of him as possible.

he didn’t know much of anything about geese, so he simply opted to treat his companion like kíli when he was sick.

a cozy new bed was constructed, fíli monitored his food, and things seemed to be getting better. trøbbel slowly came back to his regular gremlin self, causing chaos that was mildly tamer than before.

at least the mountain didn’t get too comfortable without his shenanigans, because when bilbo arrived with his companion and their goose, all hell broke loose.

“hmm,” bilbo hummed to himself as he observed tansy sitting demurely on her designated pillow. she’d been oddly calm today, as if she knew where her company was going.

when bilbo explained the significance of tansy’s appearance in your life, you were flabbergasted. the idea of true soulmates was a sweet one yet painfully unrealistic in your eyes, something you read in bedtime stories. but with both bilbo and thain fortinbras’s confirmation that you received a soulmate goose from yavanna, you couldn’t deny it any longer.

then bilbo claimed he knew your soulmate and had fought alongside him against trolls and goblins and orcs and a dragon. he told you that he was rather fond of the dwarves of erebor, and that they were rambunctious and honorable.

but when he spoke of king thorin, the uncle of your soulmate, something was decidedly different from how he spoke of the rest of the company he kept. you could see the way his body visibly relaxed, how his eyes were softer and the appearance of pink on the tips of his ears.

your friend clearly held something more than respect for the dwarf king.

one night around the campfire, you told tansy about your suspicions. for a hooligan goose, she was a rather good conversationalist.

“i think bilbo loves that king of his, tansy.”

“HONK!”

“exactly! that’s what i was thinking!”

tansy honks back in response. living among hobbits, she seemed to pick up on some social etiquettes and right now, it was as if you were pleasantly chatting over afternoon tea.

you pondered what to do about this new development. bilbo was always seen as a bachelor, someone unattainable by shire standards. but just maybe, by the grace of yavanna, he’ll find his love in the heart of a king.

“say tansy,” a soft honk of acknowledgement came from your goose, “when you’re done leading me to my soulmate, can you help bilbo find his?”

in years to come, you will swear by the fact tansy nodded at you that evening by the fire.

“they’re here!”

“bilbo!”

“our burglar has returned!”

in the distance, they could see bilbo making his way towards the front entrance of erebor and unbridled joy swept through the company. how they’ve all missed their burglar in his absence from the mountain.

bard was walking alongside bilbo, who had dismounted from his pony when he entered dale and was guiding him along by the reins. at bilbo’s other side was another hobbit, presumably the lass he mentioned in his letter, and waddling with pride beside them was a goose wearing a red ribbon tied into a neat bow.

fíli made a break for the front gates as soon as the horn announcing bilbo’s arrival echoed through the crisp air. he genuinely missed bilbo and was plenty excited to meet the goose (and the hobbitess) described in his letters.

trøbbel dutifully followed behind his dwarf, waddling just fast enough to keep pace. at first. but in the distance, the royal goose of erebor heard a honk that resonated so deeply in him that he couldn’t dawdle with fíli, he had to go immediately.

his orange webbed feet pitter-pattered on the stone floors with the intensity of oliphaunts and the speed of rhosgobel rabbits, honking all the way. members of the company hollered after the speeding goose but trøbbel paid them no heed, far too focused on his destination.

“oi! trøbbel you mangy beast, get back here!”

“you ain’t beatin’ us to our burglar!”

the dwarves stood no chance at catching him, only following behind him like goslings in a rather lopsided row. apparently, trøbbel was going to beat them.

tansy was going to turn you grey long before your time if she had anything to say about it.

that wild beast of a bird strutted into dale with the attitude of the most pretentious hobbits in the west farthing, catching all sorts of strange looks from the big folk who never beheld such a human-acting animal. she honked and nodded to the growing crowd in greeting. you sighed at her antics but carried on, watching as bilbo’s entire countenance changed the closer he got to his dwarrow.

watching the entrance to the dwarven kingdom grow ever closer, you felt strangely lighter, almost as if you were coming home.

before you knew it, there was a stampede of dwarrow emerging from the front gates headed straight towards you and bilbo, led by a goose. logic told you that they were his friends from the journey, that they missed him more than you could imagine missing anyone.

but then tansy let out a screeching honk unlike anything you’ve ever heard in all your days. she immediately bolted for the feathered line leader, not even the slightest bit worried about being trampled by the pounding feet of dwarrow.

“tansy! tansy! oh you reckless fiend, you’re lucky i didn’t cook you on the way here!”

chasing after her was a terrible idea. instead, you elected to watch from beside your pony and hope for the best.

recalling bilbo’s stories, you could point out a few of his companions. bombur with his braided beard that weaves into itself, nori with the star points atop his head, thorin with his raven-colored hair…

the king of erebor was running like a hooligan towards bilbo at full speed, a wide smile on his face that bilbo led you to believe was a nigh impossible feat.

you nudge your friend with a smile, wondering why his feet weren’t going a mile a minute to reunite with his dwarf. “go to him,” you whispered. this seemed to spur him into action, bilbo making a mad dash for his king.

when thorin caught bilbo in a leaping embrace, their laughter was infectious. even tansy was honking joyously with them, echoed by another bit of loud honking you couldn’t place.

looking over, your tansy was nuzzling with the ereborian goose. they were waddling around each other inquisitively at first, then plopped down to the side of the path to watch the joyous reunion of king and burglar.

within moments, you realized what this meant: your soulmate was on his way. oh green gardens, you weren’t ready!

meeting your prince soulmate now, after a ragged journey across middle earth while covered in yavanna-knows-what, had your nerves vibrating with tension. your hands were clammy, eyes flitting around to spot him based on bilbo’s descriptions.

“trøbbel! oi you bugger, how dare you run ahead!”

you heard one voice clearly through the thicket of joyous bustling, and the entire world came to a screeching halt.

your soulmate wore a smile that could have blinded you, and his laughter put you in a tailspin. in the golden light of morning, his hair shone like the wheat fields you grew up playing in.

you had to be closer to him without another moment’s delay.

without your permission, your feet began to carry you into the growing crowd of dwarrow towards fíli. part of you wanted to dig your heels into the dirt because you didn’t know what to say to him! how did one even begin to introduce themselves to the person that the gods made to be their other half?

turns out you didn’t have to answer that question on your own.

in the time he spent on the road with bilbo, fíli learned quite a few pieces of important information about hobbits. they valued their food and their gardens, and placed great importance on flowers and their meanings. so when presented with his hobbit soulmate, he knew exactly how to make a good first impression.

presenting you a few sprigs of purple lilacs, he approached his one with a charming smile. “i imagine you’re starving from the trip here, love. would you like me to fetch you a warm meal straight from the royal kitchens?”

[tiny-wooden-robot-fics]

Magnolia - Chapter Two

Rating: Explicit Media: Jujutsu Kaisen Pairing(s): Geto Suguru x Original Female Character, Geto Suguru x Gojo Satoru, Geto Suguru x Gojo Satoru x Original Female Character Additional Tags: Vampire AU, Dark Themes, Implied/Reference Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Depression, Loneliness, Eventual Smut

A/N: More tags will be added as chapters are updated. Please be mindful of the tags and warnings at the beginning of each chapter, as they will tell you what you need to know about the content within.

Minors, DNI.

Summary:

“How?” Her heart is racing. She asks it, not sure she wants to know the answer. There is something in the pit of her stomach, some feeling that she can’t put words to. It chills her.

“Do you really want to know that?” He’s turned away from her now, collecting the broken pieces of the smashed vase and the scattered flowers, dumping them into the wastebasket.

No. “Yes,” she whispers. “I think I have the right to know. I remember how the cuts looked. At the rate I was bleeding out, stopping the blood flow would’ve been almost impossible.”

Chapter Navigation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Read on AO3

Chapter Warnings: Mentions of blood, vague references to hunting and killing animals

Chapter Two: Scattered Magnolias

One need not be a chamber - to be haunted One need not be a House The Brain - has Corridors surpassing Material Place -Emily Dickinson, One Need Not be a Chamber - to be Haunted

--

“You didn’t.” 

The tone of Satoru’s voice is reproachful, as if he is scolding an unruly child for misbehaving. He can almost envision Satoru at the other end of the phone line, on the other side of the world: tapping his foot impatiently, rolling his eyes, wondering how Suguru could be so reckless, so stupid, so sentimental.

It irritates him. “I did,” he replies. 

“Why? I didn’t think you were in the market for a pet.”

“Stop it, Satoru,” he snaps. “I wish you wouldn’t call them that.”

“But isn’t that what they are?” His husband asks it reasonably, as if it’s the most logical thing in the world to refer to humans as though they are domesticated animals. “They’re weak and fragile. They die too quickly. And they need all sorts of troublesome things.”

“The last time I checked, food and water weren’t ‘troublesome things,’” Suguru sighs witheringly. 

“I’m not talking about that,” Satoru rebuts. “I mean the other stuff. They need reassurance, affection, praise. Who has time to waste on that?”

Not you, clearly. If you did, you’d be here, instead of all the way on the other side of the world. “I have to go,” he says aloud. “She’ll probably be waking up soon.”

“Don’t forget to pick up after her when she shits,” Satoru snickers. “I’ve heard you can get fined if you don’t.”

Suguru doesn’t bother to answer him, simply disconnecting the call instead. 

--

She’s listening through the crack in the door and can hear exactly when he stops talking. The silence after doesn’t last long - the end of his one-sided conversation is followed by a bang, as though something has been knocked over. 

“I take it that wasn’t a pleasant phone call,” she offers softly, cautiously stepping out into the hallway. 

He doesn’t seem to be startled as he turns to face her. Her eyes fall on the vase of flowers that’s very clearly been thrown to the floor. The vase is shattered, water and magnolia blossoms littering the floor in a mess at his feet. “I’m sorry if I woke you,” he murmurs, setting the wastebasket in his hand down. 

“I’ve been awake for a while,” she answers. “Though I don’t know how long ‘a while’ is,” she adds thoughtfully. 

“You slept for a little more than a whole day.”

The news should surprise her, but it doesn’t. She looks down at her wrists. They’ve been bandaged up. “I thought I did it right,” she says, her voice soft. “I guess I fucked it up, just like everything else I do.” She adds that last with a laugh, but it sounds hollow and sad to his ears.

“You… if you mean your technique,” he starts, “that wasn’t done wrong. You cut exactly as you should have if you were trying to kill yourself.”

“I was trying to kill myself.”

“Were you?” 

Something about the way he has asked the question makes her realize that he doesn’t believe her. “What did you do to me?” 

“Stopped your bleeding.”

“How?” Her heart is racing. She asks it, not sure she wants to know the answer. There is something in the pit of her stomach, some feeling that she can’t put words to. It chills her. 

“Do you really want to know that?” He’s turned away from her now, collecting the broken pieces of the smashed vase and the scattered flowers, dumping them into the wastebasket. 

No. “Yes,” she whispers. “I think I have the right to know. I remember how the cuts looked. At the rate I was bleeding out, stopping the blood flow would’ve been almost impossible.”

He pauses in his movement, his back still facing her. “Maybe I’m just really good at first aid.”

She doesn’t believe him. “I don’t believe you.” Her hands are trembling, and so is her voice. 

Letting the last of the broken pieces of porcelain fall into the wastebasket, he sighs. A moment later he stands and turns to face her again. “No, you don’t believe me… but you also already know what the truth is, don’t you?”

“I thought I might have been dreaming,” she admits. “Or maybe that I’d… that I’d already died.” She looks away from him. “You killed something.”

“I did,” he agrees. The swift candor makes her flinch, but she says nothing. “I went out to hunt,” he continues, “and found you. I thought it was better to take from a creature I was going to kill anyway than to take from you.”

She knows his blunt, honest words are meant to reassure her, but she can’t stop herself from trembling. 

“You’re frightened.” 

He’s still speaking softly, his tone gentle. She wonders if that is just his way, or if he speaks that way because he thinks doing so is less likely to frighten her. 

She looks back at him, trying to keep her heart from racing and her breathing even. “Was that a question?” She asks, knowing very well that it wasn’t. 

He doesn’t answer her right away. Instead, he inclines his head to gaze openly at her. There is no hostility in his expression, and it gives her the courage to study him right back. 

He is beautiful, this enigmatic man. He towers over her - not because he is using his body in an imposing way, but simply because he is so tall. She scans the broadness of his shoulders and the rounded peaks of muscle beneath his long-sleeved shirt… and suddenly it makes sense why he was able to carry her as though she weighed nothing.

But that isn’t the only reason why he’s so strong and you know it, her brain reminds her. If he is what you think he is, he has inhuman strength. 

She ignores the thought, bringing her gaze back up to rest on his face. Beautiful, she thinks again, taking in the features of his face. Dark lashes that fan out over pretty purple eyes. The sharp, handsome angle of his nose. The way his lips seem perfectly formed to fit his face. 

His eyes are kind. The thought comes to her, uninvited. She looks closer, wanting to prove that thought wrong. No… I was right the first time. His eyes are kind. 

He begins to close the distance between them in just a few strides. The closer he gets, the higher she lifts her chin in order to sustain the eye contact between them. Gentle tone and kind eyes aside, she will be damned if she allows herself to forget what he is. 

When he reaches up with one hand and draws it near to her face, she grits her teeth in an effort not to flinch. “I won’t hurt you,” he tells her, his voice soft. “It would be against my interests to do so.”

“How do I know that?”

His hand continues along its plotted course until his fingers make contact with her skin, cupping her cheek in his palm. She tries not to lean into his touch, but it’s difficult. He is warmer than she imagined he could be for what he is, and it has been so long since she’s felt the warmth of another person this way.

“You don’t,” he answers, the corners of his dark eyes crinkling as he offers her a smile that is just as warm as his hand. “But I hope you’ll trust me long enough to see the truth of it for yourself.”

She inhales - a small, shallow breath to remind herself that she is still alive. For whatever reason, he has seen fit to use his power to keep her around. Letting her breath out slowly, she shakes her head. “I don’t know enough about you to trust you.”

“I know.” He’s still smiling at her warmly. “I know you don’t.”

“I may never trust you.”

“I know that, too.” His smile never falters, but there is a flicker of sadness in his eyes. 

“Then why bring me here at all?” She knows it’s an unfair question; he saved her life, and she should consider herself lucky and be grateful that he intervened where he wasn’t obligated to. Having been snatched back from the precipice of the death she was so sure she would meet, she realizes that perhaps falling over the edge of that precipice wasn’t what she wanted at all. 

She shakes her head, struggling to find a way to rephrase her question and coming up empty. “I’m sorry.”

She isn’t sure why her words make him chuckle, and she’s even less sure why she finds herself wanting to make him laugh again. His laughter is warm, just like his eyes and his hand. It’s enticing, inviting. She’d like to hear more of it. 

“You don’t need to apologize,” he tells her, when his laughter has subsided. He strokes her cheek with his thumb. He reaches out with his other hand, gently holding her left wrist and running his fingers lightly over the bandages there. “I made you a promise.”

“A promise?” Confused, she scrunches her nose up. 

“A promise,” he repeats, but he elaborates no further.

Hesitation grips her, making her tongue thick and slow to respond. She lowers her head, her gaze on where his hand encircles her wrist. “Thank you,” she starts quietly, when she finds her voice again. She raises her chin so she can look directly into his eyes once more. “For saving me.”

He blinks at her, a beat of silence passing between them before he gives her a nod. She thinks perhaps he means to say something else, but he doesn’t. He drops his hand away from her face instead, and she laments the loss of its warmth. “You must be hungry,” he starts, turning away from her. “Let me fix you something to eat.”

Chapter Navigation 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Chapter Three: Coming Soon

[doberbutts]

Sorry if this is dumb, but if you don't mind me asking, what's the difference between "Weekend Warrior Bullshit" and someone there to actually work their dogs? I'm asking because as someone in a working breed who's considering getting into breeding these dogs in the future, I seriously want them to be able to do what they were created to do. But if I can't do that without living on a farm with cattle and sheep, for example, I'll happily leave breeding to the people who actually need these dogs to put food on the table as I think that's what's best.

Well it's not to say that people who can't truly work their working breeds shouldn't breed. I'm a weekend warrior bullshitter myself so there's obviously a lot of market for dogs who only really do that.

Basically, almost anything that you can earn a title for is "weekend warrior bullshit". IGP, herding trials, hunt tests, those are great sports but they are not necessarily "real work" when discussing what truly qualifies as work.

Dogs who hunt with their owners for sustenance, dogs who move livestock on an actual farm, police and military dogs, those are "real work".

I've discussed several times in the past how it irritates me that people are so hung up on titles titles titles. Don't get me wrong, I like sports, so if I want to buy a dog to play sports I'm buying a dog from titled parents and from breeders who pursue titles. And I do think titles are one avenue of proving your dog can do the work- in an ideal world the dogs doing the "real work" should easily be able to title. Otherwise, unfortunately, you're relying on someone's word and people tend to lie or be willfully ignorant to the realities of their breeding programs.

However... I grew up pretty Appalachian. Most people did not buy food from the store but hunted and farmed it themselves, or worked out community exchange with their neighbors. This is also due to religious pressure in my specific part of the Appalachians but I've found similar experiences up and down the mountain range. Proving your dog can pass a couple weekend hunt tests is great and all but that doesn't prove that your dog can be out in the woods with you sunup to sundown for the entirety of the hunting season to ensure your family eats that winter. Your dog chasing sheep in a pen for 15 minutes at a time doesn't prove your dog can reliably keep the flock in line yearround with predators, new additions, and births complicating matters.

And it irks me, and others like me, when people say "well MY dog is FIELD CHAMPION TITLED so his worth at playing hunting every other weekend is SUPERIOR to your untitled dog that literally keeps you alive in the winter". Like thanks I think we come from two different planets actually.

That being said, there's plenty of crossover, people who DO use their dogs to keep them alive that ALSO play at sports. And unfortunately the easiest way to meet them is to go to sporting events and talk to people and see who is doing it off the field in real settings vs who just shows up on the weekends.

This is compounded of course by breeds whose jobs no longer exist or are no longer legal. As the swiss mountain dog breeds were beginning to spread to other countries, the tractor was invented. Suddenly no one needs a workhorse of a dog because a tractor is cheaper and more reliable due to being a machine. So what was already a very niche thing became so abysmally rare that these breeds almost disappeared entirely, and only survive today due to enthusiasts and sports. Some breeds fell out of favor for their historic use- no one uses purebred danes for boar hunting anymore and the very few dane crosses are dramatically outnumbered by easier, cheaper, hardier breeds and mixes. Dog fighting and animal baiting is illegal so gladiator breeds can do sports, become pets, or get a new purpose. Some breeds we don't have a solid consensus on their use- what was the techichi, the landrace that became chihuahua, used for? No one knows because the people who made them went through multiple genocides and the few that are left don't want to talk to colonizers (which, like, fair).

So it's not so much "you must work your dog x amount in order to breed" but rather "if you are looking for real historic work, your first task is seperating those who do it for fun vs those who do it to survive, AND understand there's a lot of overlap here"

[starsofjewels]

HPQD: Pets

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

This has been in my drafts for a hot minute, and I feel like it's time to have the second installment of the HPQD series before I start writing smut pieces 🤭. Enjoy xx

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·

Content: Language (Fenrir)

Barty Crouch (Sr)- Cat:

Contrary to popular belief, Barty will melt if you adopt an animal together. He grew up with dogs, as any good pureblood heir should, and a variety of kitchen cats and their numerous kittens. The moment you bring up wanting a pet he’ll scoff, and tell you he wants something that will be useful, and not simply another waste of food; an owl, perhaps, something bred to work. Of course, that’s not to say he won’t come with you to the pet shop, and the animal rescues, so that you don’t “make a foolish decision”. That is until the two of you come across a little kitten on one of your many trips to professional breeders. A perfect, grey little thing with darker stripes on her, the domestic tiger Barty would tell the breeder, who didn’t find it particularly funny. You have to take this cat home, you insist you do, and Barty agrees, more than happy to bring home his fluffy, weak little grey tiger. He spends countless amounts of money on this cat before it even sets foot in your house: the best, softest cat beds, the most expensive food and drink bowls, and luxury pet food that you are certain costs more than your trips to the market. It makes him happy, though, and you cannot deny him the pleasure of cradling the kitten in a towel and setting her down in your living room to explore your home, treating the thing as he would his own, human, child. You name the creature Lily (as in the tiger lily flower). Barty thinks he’s being quite clever, you say nothing. Lily, in true cat fashion, is not particularly stable in her showing of affection. She prefers you, but that may be because Barty’s office is quite cold, and he never lights the fireplace. Still, upon occasion Lily makes her rounds around the house, and you hear Barty talking to her as though she both understands and cares what he is saying. The cat, as it turns out, is a terrifyingly good mouser, and has even managed to snatch up a rat on occasion; you will never tell Barty how funny it is when he shrieks, finding a mouse running wild in his office, shrieking out for dear life.

Oh, Merlin! Darling, darling, come quick- There’s a mouse in the office! No, no I am not afraid of it, thank you, but I have work to do- And they carry all sorts of diseases. Can’t you teach Lily to leave them outside?

Fenrir Greyback- Tortoise:

The problem with Fenrir and certain animals is- well- wolves are natural predators. Cats? He will bark at it, make no mistake. Rabbits? Hamsters? Birds? You have about a day to bond with your precious pet, before it becomes nothing more than memories, feathers and fur. You suggest a dog, a new addition to his pack, he stares at you, half-offended: 

I’m a wolf! That’s essentially slavery, I can’t own a dog!

And so, you are left with limited options, and very little hope that you will ever find the pet of your dreams, much less something fluffy and cuddly. Fenrir attempts to fulfil your demands- Letting you snuggle him in his werewolf-y form. But he’s not always a wolf, and there’s a certain level of unnerving sentience when he looks at you, and licks you in some animal form of a kiss. By chance, one day at the office, you somehow end up in a conversation about one of your coworkers’ new tortoise, bought as a birthday present for her son. Just as you begin to question who would give a seven-year-old a rock with legs, you realise that a tortoise might just be the perfect animal for Fenrir, it comes with its own helmet, designed to keep it safe from predators. Your search for a tortoise ends in the local reptile shop, when you discover one no larger than your hand available for rehoming; a rescue tortoise, if you will. The operation to install a terrarium in your shed requires the assistance of a few of Fenrir’s Death Eater acquaintances, who teach you how to arrange the enchanted self-heating stones, and how you should properly assist the tortoise when it hibernates.

It takes Fenrir three full weeks of working in the shed to realise that his new companion lives there, and he freaks, like a child discovering a spider. He relaxes, eventually, in mild discontent that the reptile is taking over his space. He names him Lazy Fuck, but you call him Timmy. You can’t tell your new reptile-enthusiast friends the poor thing has such a name, after all.

God, does it do anything? All it does is sit around and eat that lettuce, lazy fucker- I have a name for him, Lazy Fuck! It suits him, doesn’t it? Well… you can call him Timmy, I’m calling him Lazy Fuck. 

Rufus Scrimgeour- Hunting Hounds:

Rufus is a little more serious when it comes to animals. He is a rather busy man, and his duties as Minister are much more important than taking care of a pet. After all, it wouldn’t be fair to leave the poor thing alone all day, and who knows how many nights, whilst you attend galas and dinners, and all of the perks that come with being the Minister’s little companion. You beg him for a dog, looking into doggy daycares close to the Ministry. A dog would need to be cared for whilst you are away, after all.He asks why you can’t just have a cat, or something small, and you give some vague response. 

Rufus caves solely on envy. 

He takes a weekend in the north, hunting, where one of his friends is accompanied by a small group of beagles. Because of those dogs Rufus does not win the competition they hold every hunt, and decides he must have his own pack of, much better, hounds. He gets himself a group of English pointers, which come in different, distinguishing colours, so he can tell them apart. More than likely, they all have classical names, from mythology, which he assures you are very well thought out- Think Marcus and Minerva, for the Roman gods of war and victory respectively. The house comes with ample space for the pointers to run about in the mornings and evenings, and upon disturbingly close inspection he eventually settles for a “luxury” dog care facility, the same one copious other ministers use for their own pedigree dogs. Rufus is rather happy with these dogs, but he quickly realises that it was you who begged for an animal, and he is not one to deny you. He comes home one day with a little, long haired dachshund, dressed up with a bandana in your favourite colour, and those tiny shoes rich people tend to buy for their dogs, named Frank Furter, of course. He will give in to the sausage puns, as long as they remain reasonably discreet, and you never tell people the dachshund has a surname. Frank stays with you in the house when Rufus goes out for his trips, running up to you with the prey his powerful siblings bring as though he helped.

I know you were upset the pointers are for my hunting, so I brought you a present. Look, don’t you love his little legs? He’s cute, isn’t he? Just like you, my love- here, I’ll put him down for you, why don’t you get to know each other?

Lord Voldemort- Guinea Pigs:

The Dark Lord’s household is cursed by snakes. He speaks to them in the darkness, large and small, and they come to him, as requested. They never hiss or bite in any way untoward, but you still find them everywhere. And it is not fair. He can call for serpents at any time, and yet you still have no pet to call your own. Nagini is long gone, returned to the ancient jungles, and mother to a clutch of snakes almost as large as she. He has his own history with animals, and not a pleasant one. As sure as you are that Lord Voldemort has matured from his days as the orphan, pre-magical Tom Riddle, something leaves you unsure. There is something odd about his behaviour, as he coos at the grass snakes who appear in the garden, and sneak into the warmth of your kitchen over the winter. Enough is enough, you deserve a pet too. 

Your home has ample outbuildings you can use to your heart’s content. He has no reason for them but simple storage, and merely batting your eyelashes and asking for one for your personal use will get you exactly what you’d like.

And you would like pets.

The Dark Lord puts his head to the table and groans when you ask him for animals. Eventually, he hands you pamphlets and brochures for all of the best Guinea pig breeders in the country. You may find it strange, but he has his reasons: Hamsters are irritating and die in odd ways, cats and dogs require too much attention, and he will not let you disgrace the name of serpents by trying to put one around your neck and wearing it as a statement piece to freak out Lucius Malfoy.

You get two female Guinea pigs- One black and white, the other brown and white, with fluffy hair you could brush if you so wanted to. They are named Lolli and Pop, and you will never explain why your new animal friends have such odd names; you just think it’s funny, but you pretend there is some deep-seated meaning as to why. 

The Death Eaters find it hilarious that the Dark Lord owns a pair of Guinea pigs, and even more hilarious when you begin fashioning tiny robes for your pets, complete with a selection of hats. He doesn’t particularly mind, not now that his followers have made it a point to give him Guinea pig-related items as opposed to candles and jewels. He has saved a small fortune on food and toys for your pets, after all.

Ugh- Another luxury grooming set from the Rookwoods. Is this amusing because of your little rats, or because I am hairless? Both? I thought as much. Put this with the others, and be thankful the money you are saving me on products for those infernal beasts is greater than a little childhood teasing. They said thank you? They cannot talk, dear.

Igor Karkaroff- Class Fish:

Igor despises all animals. He will accept no debate or argument on this. He hates them. There is no heartwarming moment when you bring him a stray dog and he falls in love with it, or an orphaned owlet you raise together- No animals. Full stop. You have very little options, as he will find a pet in your home in a matter of hours, and have you send it back from whence it came. But, you realise, he has no power over your classroom or your office. He may be High Master, but your rooms are yours to decorate as you see fit, and you want an animal. It doesn’t take very long to decide on either a reptile or something aquatic- Small rodents are noisy, and not much fun to play with during the day, anything too big is off limits completely. You think of a bunny rabbit, but it would be cruel to keep the poor thing in a tiny cage, when it should be out roaming the grass. It comes down to the popular vote of your upper classes, who all decide you should have an aquarium. Fish are more relaxing to look at, apparently. Working in a school with students whose pocket money amounts to more than your entire yearly salary comes in quite handy for acquiring an aquarium, an impulsive purchase from a boy’s mother, brought to you from years in their cellar, and very quickly you begin to amass a collection of items for said fish: live plants, gravel and even the fish itself. One of your juniors brings you a beautiful, red and pink betta fish in a little bag, and you are more than happy to take him in. Igor knows you’re up to something, now that you’ve barred him from entering your classroom, and have sworn all of your students to complete secrecy. He won’t ask, he assumes you’re having a moment, and are doing something odd- His current bet is painting your classroom orange.  

Although you are a little sad that your betta fish cannot live with any fishy friends, you understand that the creature will probably turn violent, and you cannot handle the possibility of explaining a fish massacre to a collection of twelve-year-olds.

The name of your new pet is put up to vote, again, and they decide, in shockingly agreeable fashion, that  it will be called Igor Sharkaroff, one of your personal favourite name options, and the one you voted for. 

Igor, unable to handle the mystery any longer, forces himself into your classroom, only to be met with his namesake fish. He rolls his eyes, tuts to you in words you know are swears and leaves, never to speak of the fish again. 

Until he finds out you've named it after him. 

Yes, I know I told you the classroom was yours to decorate, but I did not mean this! Ugh- No, the name is not funny, it’s a disgrace... Alright, it is a little bit funny, but I am not burying that thing when it dies. What do you mean, fish funeral?

[eryingsfate]

ICHIBY HELL PT 2

This is a part 2 to my amnesia au! I thought i'd focus around how I think Ichiby would officially get together and handle raising a child! Thought i'd throw out some fluff before i fixate on the drama ;)

After the incident of the previous day with Ichiji regaining his memories, the next morning is very awkward to say the least. Koby is up making pancakes for Miriam and Ichiji and preparing to go for a run on the beach, Miriam wakes up and is being very sweet, having sensed the tense atmosphere. When Ichiji enters the kitchen he sits down at the island and thanks Koby before digging in. While they eat Koby leaves for his jog. Ichiji remains in the house with Miriam, who just looks at him.

"You love him."

Ichiji chokes on his food and looks at Miriam in shock.

"Excuse me?"

"I said what I said."

Ichiji shakes his head at her and affectionately ruffles her hair. They continue their meal in silence. Afterwards Ichiji gets a school book and some supplies before handing them off to Miriam so she can stay up to date with school work while her custody issues are worked out.

"'Chiji, what was your mommy like?"

The red haired man is immediately caught off guard. He feels a pang of longing go though his at that moment.

"I don't remember..."

"Oh, well I don't like my mommy very much. She isn't very nice... She always said that she didn't want me 'cause i ruin relationships."

Ichiji frowned at this. He read and saw incidents revolving around relationships being strained by the addition of a child. Looking at Miriam, it was obvious she wasn't upset by the words, but just said it as if it was a simple fact of life.

"I think she was wrong, if you look at it, you certainly brought me and Koby closer together."

"I wish you and Koby could be my parents."

Ichiji nodded at that and thought about bringing it up to Koby. Ichiji could always travel with Miriam and they could meet Koby in various towns as he travels with the marines. He shook his head and made sure Miriam was doing her school work before heading into the living room to finish his book from the previous day.

Koby was walking through the market after his run and decided to pick up a few ingredients for cookies. He talked to the people working in the stalls as went on. Dodging kids, petting various stray animals, and checking in with some of the elderly people. As he's carrying the bags home, he sees a small black kitten cowering in the bushes and after drawing it out, decides to take it home with him. As he walks in the house, Ichiji raises a curled eyebrow at Koby and he shrinks a little. Ichiji takes the kitten to go clean it while Koby goes to set out the ingredients. Miriam helps Koby and squeals as Ichiji comes out with a clean kitten. Miriam plays with the newly dubbed 'Smokey' as Koby and Ichiji get the needed materials. As they start making cookies from scratch, Ichiji can't help but wonder why he ever felt angry at Sanji for cooking. The act in itself was soothing and wasn't all that different from Germa's labs. Ichiji felt angry at himself for hurting his little brother the ways he did all those years ago. Koby took notice of Ichiji's souring mood and grabbed a small handful of flour and threw it at him. Ichiji was stunned for a second, but quickly retaliated by throwing some back. The kitchen turned into a fully blown flour fight. As they chased each other around the kitchen, Miriam was laughing, clutching her ribs as she did so, Smokey was more white than black, and Ichiji was trying to catch Koby. The room was filled with giggles, and Ichiji finally caught Koby. He held Koby against him by the waist and grabbed the bowl of flour and dumped it on the marines head. Koby squeaked as he closed his eyes and tried to back further into Ichiji so he wouldn't get flour in his eyes. Koby threw his head back onto Ichiji's shoulder to glare and him and only got a smile in response. Both men flushed and couldn't move for a moment.

"You two should kiss already."

They jumped apart with a couple mumbles. Ichiji put the cookies in the oven while Koby took Smokey to go wash up and shower. Ichiji side eyed Miriam who just smiled back.

By the time Koby was back, the cookies were done and they ate dinner. When it came time for cookies and the small family sat down together on the couch. Ichiji read a book, Miriam cuddled Smokey while drawing on a notepad, and Koby was going over few files. In the other room the sound of a transponder snail sounded and Koby quickly got up to go answer it. While he did that, Ichiji went ahead and tucked Miriam and Smokey into bed. He went back out into the living room to wait on Koby, who entered after another couple minutes.

"Looks like i'll be here for another month."

"Why? You're a powerful marine, as much as i... enjoy having you around, I'm sure they need you."

Koby groaned, "I think it's another one of Helmeppo's forced vacation ploys. This island has been a repeat victim of pirate attacks, but that was months ago and already dealt with. I like it here, but there are people who need help and 'Meppo thinks I overwork myself most of the time."

Koby sat down and Ichiji hummed. Ichiji decided to bring up the issue of Miriam's custody and what she said earlier that day. Koby was immediately upset and quickly started to try and think up alternatives for Miriam. Ichiji told Koby about how he could get custody and take care of her and Koby promised to think it over. They sat in silence for a while longer.

"I'm actually really happy he sent me here, you know?"

"Why?"

"Because I got to meet you and Miriam."

Ichiji looked over at Koby, who was looking down with a gentle smile and flush on his face. Ichiji felt himself melt at the sight.

"Koby..."

"Yes?"

"Can we talk about last night? Before Miriam came out that is."

"O-of course!"

"I think I'm in love with you. You showed me what life with emotions was like and gave me a second chance. My mom, I vaguely remember her telling me that one day I'd find someone who'd show me unconditional kindness and would make my whole being feel light. I never understood what that meant until now. Hell I never thought I'd feel it and just brushed it off."

"I think I feel the same way. When I first saw you on that beach I first felt anxious and once I found out you didn't remember anything, I wanted nothing more than to help you. My intention wasn't to fall in love, but that's what happened. I don't think you understand what is was like to watch you learn how to care and I saw you become someone worthy of that second chance."

Ichiji gently cradled Koby's face with cold, hard hands, and looked into his eyes. Koby gently nodded and they moved in, pressing their lips together in a sweet, inexperienced kiss. It was the first of many

-The Next Morning-

Koby was putting bacon on the stove and Ichiji was draped over his back, having clearly just woken up. Miriam walked into the kitchen with Smokey and stopped dead in her tracks.

"FINALLY! YOU FINALLY KISSED"

The two men jumped and turned to look at Miriam who was beaming. The just looked at Miriam, who seemed to be doing the equivalent of a victory dance.

-Later that Day-

"I FORGOT ABOUT THE OTHER MARINES! HOLY SHIT WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO SAY!?"

Ichiji instantly stiffened and thought back to the papers involving Garp. He felt dread and anxiety fill him.

-----

All Done! What do we think about receiving some Ichiby+Miriam art y'all?

THE HEIGHT DIFFERENCE AS WELL????

[somuchyoudontknow]

Hello Sophia,

I’ve been curious about any relationships and linkages between SMA title, Alba and Jinx. Finally, I’ve managed to discover Chris’ influencer profile on one marketing platform (note: Carbons Dating The Web estimated creation date: 2023-06-01).

There are some interesting facts and figures in the case study:

Premium US dog superfood brand, Jinx is redefining dog nutrition and is sold at Walmart stores across the country. Its audience are 71% female, typically single or married and aged in their thirties. English-speaking, Jinx’s followers are 84% US-based, with India, The Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil as secondary markets. Top cities for its customers include New York, LA, San Francisco and Chicago.

Looking at celebrity influences, Chris Evans does not appear in the list.

Media-wise, Buzzfeed, Betches Media, The New York Times, HGTV, The New Yorker, People Magazine, Vice and Bon Appetit come out on top for consumption.

Chris’ audience is 67% female, typically single and aged 25-34. English-speaking, his followers are typically based in the US, with Brazil, India, Italy and Mexico as other territories. Top cities include São Paulo, New York and LA. On basic demographics, Chris Evans and Jinx are rather well matched, particularly if the brand is hoping to reach a slightly younger customer base.

Diving into likes and interests, Film & TV rank highly, as well as music, dance, sport, college, poetry, Mexican food and spirituality. Pets is present, with 1.5% of the share, which is 1.3x the platform average, putting Chris Evan’s profile in the top 20% of all Instagram accounts for pets.

Looking at media consumption, Buzzfeed, BBC, CNN, 9GAG, New York Times, TIME Magazine, The New Yorker, GQ and Hugo Gloss dominate. Crucially, Jinx isn’t listed as one of Chris Evan’s follower’s main brand affinities. Instead, the likes of Marvel, Disney, NASA, Starbucks, Google, PlayStation and Sephora lead. That being said, no other pet food brand appears.

It is important to note that Chris Evans is one of a few celebrity investors in Jinx. However, he is still quite an organic brand ambassador, being known for his relationship with his dog. Overall, it’s a smart match for brand and talent that taps into authentic interests and with the addition of Evans as creative director for campaigns, it appears to be a more substantial collaboration than a simple awareness-based sponsorship.

November 2020 – Chris followed Alba.

16 November 2021 – Pooch loving celebs Trevor Noah, Chris Evans, NFL star Odell Beckham Jr. and CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz are among the latest high-profile investors in Jinx.

PageSix: Chris Evans and more A-listers invest in healthy dog food brand.

2022

9 March – Pet Age: Walmart Partnership Expands Distribution of Premium Dog Food Brand Jinx.

10 March – Pet Product News: Jinx Pet Food Now Available at Walmart.

21 May – People Mag: Chris Evans celebrates National Rescue Dog Day with adorable photo of himself and pet Dodger.

2 June – Buzzfeed announces Puppy interview.

18 June – Buzzfeed releases Puppy interview.

24 June – Alba’s first like in 2022 (iPhone post).

15 July – Laser focused interview.

16 July – Chris liked Alba’s MHGP post.

17 July – JustJared, Daily Mail and Buzzfeed report Chris Evans is laser focused on finding a partner (no mention of Alba).

18 July – People Mag: Chris Evans Says He's 'Laser-Focused on Finding a Partner' to Spend His Life With.

20 July – Chris’ Dating Poll by Buzzfeed.

27 July – Entertainment Tonight meet Chris Evans' 'Long-Term Partner': His Adorable Dog Dodger!

Forbes: Chris Evans Partners With Jinx Premium Dog Food.

Adweek: Chris is Future Jinx Ad Star.

CNN: Talking dog parenting with Chris Evans.

People: Chris Evans Says His Pet Dodger Is 'a Cut Above the Average Dog,' But Admits 'I'm Probably Biased'.

26 August – People Mag: Chris Evans Celebrates National Dog Day with Pup Dodger: 'In My House, Every Day.

27 August – E! news tweet: When Captain America found his perfect sidekick. ❤️ Happy #InternationalDogDay to Chris Evans & Dodger.

October – Alba deactivated her IG account.

6 October – People mag: the actor and his beloved rescue dog Dodger star in a new ad spot for dog food company Jinx.

11 October – Alba reactivated her account. Chris liked 2 WN posts.

7 November – SMA announcement on Monday's The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

Chris Evans Is PEOPLE's 2022 Sexiest Man Alive.

Entertainment Tonight: Chris Evans Reacted to Getting 'People' Magazine's 2022 Sexiest Man Alive (editor Julie Jordan: “If he is dating someone he will talk about it or you will see him with the person”.

10 November – People: Chris Evans Is Dating Actress Alba Baptista: 'It's Serious,' Says Source — He's 'Never Been Happier'.

OK! Mag: Chris Evans & Actress Alba Baptista's Relationship Confirmed Months After Packing On The PDA At 'Super Affectionate' Date Night.

PageSix: Chris Evans and girlfriend Alba Baptista hold hands in first PDA photos.

12 November – Daily Mail: 'World's Sexiest Man' Chris Evans, 41, is seen holding hands with Alba Baptista, 25, for the FIRST time on a romantic stroll in Central Park.

E! News: Chris Evans & Alba Baptista Confirm Romance With PDA Stroll.

14 November – E! News tweet: The strongest bond in the universe (Dodger).

10 December – Alba deactivated her IG account.

2023

10 March – Alba reactivated her IG account.

18 April – Alba at Ghosted Premiere in NY.

26 April – People: Jinx to bring "The Dog Dream Box" to dog lovers nationwide.

28 April – Pet Food Processing: To celebrate Pet Month in May, Jinx launched a new limited-edition “The Dog Dream Box” collaboration with celebrity Chris Evans, brand ambassador at Jinx, and his dog Dodger.

J2 June – 40/29 News: 2023 Walmart Associates' Celebration.

[cognitivejustice]

Meet Valdirene Militão: An Urban Farmer and Creative Recycler Fighting for the Self-Reliance of Favela Women

Valdirene Oliveira Militão, affectionately known as Val in the Roquete Pinto favela in Complexo da Maré, located in Rio de Janeiro’s North Zone, where she has lived for 52 years, embodies the possibility of everyday sustainable practices accessible to favela residents.

Agroecology and sustainability, which increasingly gain space in public debate, are knowledge passed down in the favela in an affectionate and local manner by elders.

Yet, these grassroots insights are made invisible and delegitimized for being practical, conceived through lived experience and need, through “pretagogias” [Black pedagogical practices]. Such values only become accepted and seen as a solution when they are whitewashed and transformed into commodities, into tools of control.

In this sense, reusing waste and (re)creating from scrap materials Val resignifies life and her community with her hands. This fusion of perspectives encapsulates Valdirene Militão’s initiatives toward sustainability and the economic empowerment of women. Through workshops, she teaches other women how to repurpose leftover materials to transform and market them, generating income.

In the area surrounding her home studio, where she carries out recycling activities, Val gathers milk cartons to craft protective blankets for animals. Additionally, the visual artist collects coffee capsules, costume jewelry, and PET bottles to fashion decorative objects and clothing. Notably, she gathered 204 coffee capsules to create a futuristic-style garment worn by digital influencer Yá Burihan at the 2024 Vogue Magazine Carnival Ball.

In addition to her career as a visual artist, Val promotes other sustainable initiatives. She was one of the founders of the Ricardo Barriga Project, which emerged during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 to generate income for Maré residents and promote food security. The initiative was named in honor of Ricardo Barriga, Val’s former brother-in-law, who died of Covid-19.

The activities aim to promote a culture of sustainability, such as workshops on making soap from used cooking oil, distribution of baskets of basic foodstuffs, face masks, and eco-friendly soap.

[paradoxlemonade]

as someone who doesn't know what neopets are, could you elaborate ?

[edit: huh. Apparently I did not post this. I completed writing it. But I did not post it. Anyways here it is, just super late. The event mentioned lower down is imminent btw lol]

HELLO YOU HAVE TURNED ME INTO AN UNSKIPPABLE CUTSCENE :DDDDD

Neopets is an online virtual world/pet simulator created in 1997 that is still going strong to this day (this surprises a lot of people who were familiar with it during its heyday in the 2000s and expected it to be defunct by now)! In it, you can adopt and care for creatures of fictional species and go on adventures with them. I for one have created backstories and lore for all my pets and will continue to do so as I acquire more.

There's a LOT of different styles of play in neopets: some people are really into customizing and dressing up their pets, some people want to conquer the battledome, some are quest chasers, and many are collectors of some sort. If you enjoy collecting things in any capacity, then neopets definitely has something that you would enjoy collecting! I'm mostly a plushie collector, but some people want to fill out their stamp pages for exclusive badges called avatars (there are many ways to get avatars and stamp collecting is just one of them), others want to read the most books to their pet (book club members), and some want to get the most rare and exotic foods from across neopia (gourmet food club members).

Others just want to win at capitalism.

That last thing is what sets neopets apart from other online pet games: the economy is almost entirely user-driven and responds to changes in market demand. This will either be your favorite feature as a player or your least favorite (I am finally winning at capitalism so I'm enjoying it). Players can amass large amounts of neopoints (the main in-game currency) to buy rare items, either for their aforementioned collections or some other goal. For example, my current goal is to get 10-12 million neopoints to buy a mutant acara transmogrification potion to turn one of my pets into a very cool mutant acara! I've incorporated that as a part of her lore and I'm very excited to make it happen :D. (This is not as many neopoints as it sounds like, but it is definitely a decent amount)

Here's a mutant acara:

[Image ID: The Mutant Acara from the game Neopets. It is a brown and cream-furred quadruped with thick tan paw-hooves, scaling along the forearms, and a pointed ridge of spikes along its spine that curves up the back of the skull to the forehead. In addition, it has a large set of ramlike horns that curl behind its two sets of large ears. The ears are pointed and upright, and a whispy blue voidlike material wafts off of them. This same material comes up from the scaling on the paws and covers most of the face, where it shifts to black. The eyes and mouth are a bright cyan against the dark background, almost appearing to glow. End ID.]

I'm really excited to be playing, especially since there's a new plot coming up! A plot is a story event in taking place in the world of neopia (fun fact: all plots take place in a semi-adjacent universe where the pets are more anthropomorphic and humans do not exist in any capacity. Most players tend to picture this as the default reality when playing!) Players are fairly certain that the upcoming plot is going to introduce a new paintbrush, which is a huge event.

Paintbrushes are used to change the color of a pet into new and fun designs! There hasn't been a new one in quite a while so the fan base is chomping at the bit to see it. For a more visual example, the picture higher up in the post is a mutant acara, a variation on the Acara that changes the body shape in addition to color. This is a regular blue acara:

[image ID: A blue acara from neopets. It is a small quadrupedal creature with sky blue fur, a pale blue belly, pink paws and inside ears, triangular purple eyes, and blue furred horns that curve behind the head and back. It has two pointy ears on each side of its head that somewhat resemble large cat ears in shape but are placed lower on the skull. Its nose is small and pink. End ID.]

To compare, here's a marble acara. Marble-painted pets do not change shape, only color.

[Image ID: A marble acara from neopets. It is the same shape as the blue acara, but its fur is a marble of white, pink, purple, and blue to give it a gem-like appearance. End ID.]

Some paintbrushes are affordable, and some are very expensive to the point that a player will make saving up for it to be a major goal. It's good to have a goal to aim for in a game like this, so one should always find something difficult but achievable to work towards.

This post has been all over the place and yet still has only scratched the surface! If you have any more questions, I'd love to answer :]

[vapmie]

This is my first time posting one of the fan fic ideas! Now, do mind the spelling errors as well as grammatical errors That’s due to my dyslexia so yeah, enjoy!

So this is a what if of what if Celeste did get turned into a vampire

The documentary crew carmas pans over to two twin children with the left side corner titled "Celeste former masters " and beginning their talking head.

"Yes, usually newly turned vampires go through what we call 'familar crazy. ' where the fledgling go on and about and adopt so so many familiars because they find them so helpful and well relatable and they were human not just a moment ago, but new vampires don't understand the massive responablity of having an familar. Like the feeding, the cleaning, resisting the urge to eat their plump red faces, and many more irritable things they need. so we told her that she could only keep two of the familiars that she collected, and rest either go to a shelter or back their old master. Celeste was very stern about the shelters being one of a "no kill." Nature well, fine, we gave in to that stupid notion. Although the two she chose are abosultely wonderful additions to the house, and if we're honest, we've grown some affection for them! Which is quite rare with familars be very enjoyable"

The scene shifts to Guillermo sitting on the end of a queen size bed, a massive upgrade to his closet space of a room. The title in bottom corner was now changed to "Guillermo De La Cruz: Celeste familar"

"So hey, yeah, this is all really. I have to say fast, but like amazing! I mean, of course, I miss well the old house, but what Celeste and the twin been providing me have been so much more the the past 10 years! They give me breaks, food, buy me clothes, and spend time with me. They even take me out with them to the night market! But I was on a leash and collar but they weird thing is I didn't actually mind it, I felt weirdly loved because they even git the collar custom made and they all praise me and dont seem disgusted with like affection I give, in fact they sometime come over to me and pet my head telling me!-" Guillermo pause and face seem freeze frame for a moment as the gear behind his eyes seem click something into place and look back carma with eyebrows crease together "I'm just being treated liked a spoiled pet aren't I."

The next shot shows Guillermo and Sam sitting on a couch. But the couch looks new and does not match the aesthetic of the other furniture in the house. It was more cushiony being ingulfed by pillows, the brims of the bottom, and the steps of the couch was golden with the carved in pattern of bats along the golden plating. Celeste walks into the room and starts cooing and gushing at the cat and human, scratching under sam chin while her other hand is petting Guillermo hair. With suprise, both the familiar looks very happy and even lean into the touch, with sam purring and Guillermo just with a big dorky smile. While this all happens, a tall broad silhouette with the shine of two dots of gold can be seen through the window.

-

Overall, pretty much Guillermo and Sam stay, and they are treated like pamper spoiled pets and honestly pretty good for both of them, but

Nandor comes in full jealously, seeing Guillermo giving away his affection so freely to theese complete stangers! Never once have he had guillermo hugging him like that. How could he! [Never mind the fact he rejects every time guillermo tries to initiate said affection]

But he set up meeting with the twins and trying discuss how should give him famikar back his rightful home and hiw rude was of Celeste just take a familar without asking. But the twins reject nandor's offer, saying how his familar have made Celeste so happy and pretty much like when somebody dog get taken another family and try get it back but parents making excuse keep it because their kid like the pet so much type of ordeal.

So obviously mean nandor has to kidnapped Guillermo back because he misses him.

[faithintaiwan]

Independent Excursion - World’s First Cat Cafe

At first I was unsure as to what aspect of Taiwan I wanted to talk about for this project. There are so many interesting things that we have explored on free days from night markets, traditional tea houses and foods, and the nightlife. For our last free day I wanted to go to a pet cafe. Back home a lot of my friends have pets and I was greatly missing playing with them so I thought a pet cafe would be perfect! As I was researching about different cafes I came across the first one ever and learned that the idea of cat cafes was first spawned in Taipei! Of course we had to go. I had Andy call the place (thank you!), Kitten Coffee Garden, ahead of time to schedule a reservation. They said it was good we did because the cafe becomes busy during weekends.

The next day Fanny, Andy, Zoe, Brev and I went for 2 pm and it was completely empty. As we sat though, the cafe quickly filled up with other locals who were all looking to play with the cats. We ordered our drinks and cakes and as we waited we walked around and played with the cats. There were also two dogs and I fell in love with one of them. His collar had a little note that warned he would try to bite your face if he pet him but he was so sweet to Zoe and I. Andy went to aggressively pet him after us though and put his face too close to his. He ended up trying to bite his face but it was a good lesson in boundaries. Fanny also fell in love with the cats and went around petting them. There was an especially adorable one on the chair in a loafed position! When we finally left, I felt rejuvenated and relaxed and was so glad I got to pet some dogs as well!

Academic Reflection

Taipei invented the idea of cat cafes with the creation of the first ever one: Kitten Coffee Garden also known as Cat Flower Garden. Many people in Taipei live in small apartments. The limited space increases land prices in the city making tall, compact apartments more affordable and accessible to the population of about 2.5 million . This creates a lack of space to own pets such as cats and dogs as they need areas to run and play. To fill this demand in the market, pet cafes were created with the first one being a cat cafe. Since then Kitten Coffee Garden has increased their offerings to two dogs and one bird. The Taiwanese people are able go to a cafe after work or on weekends, destress with the cats, and go home without having to take on the other responsibilities of a pet.

It was a hit in Taiwan, spreading all over the country and to Japan where it truly took off. In Japan, many rented places don’t allow pets, so their demand for cute animal interactions was even higher (A Brief History of the Cat Cafe by Mental Floss). It further globalized to the United States and various other countries. Even in Gainesville we have our very own cat cafe and in many American cities there are different animal cafes! The idea also evolved from just cats to dogs, reptiles, bunnies, chinchillas, capybaras and more. An especially popular one in Taipei for both tourists and locals is a capybara cafe called Capybara Knight that allows interactions with the world’s largest rodents!

Pet cafes also offer a smaller scale alternative to animal shelters where a lower number of stray animals can be rescued and marketed for adoption (How to: Partner with cat cafes and find shelter cats homes by HumanePro). Some people who visit would have never considered adopting but fall in love with an animal they interact with in the cafe and adopt. The animals can also have more personalized care with more funding for their medical needs and one on one time with a caretaker. When done responsibility, pet cafes can be a great addition to the community and benefit the adoption system.

As we have traveled around in Taiwan, I have noticed a big emphasis on cute things. From cute mascots on the MRT that explain the fines administered for eating or smoking to popup stores in malls that have Miffy, Lulu piggy, and more, people in Taiwan love cute things. Even political candidates have used cute things to benefit their public image. Mascots have been used to campaign and market a politician’s candidacy such as President Tsai In-wen being portrayed as a cute girl with cat ears and a tail for her 2016 campaign (The Use of Cuteness: Gender, Identity Politics, and Elections in Taiwan). The cute animal cafes seem like a further development of Taiwan’s cultural love for adorable things. Petting animals has also been shown to have health benefits such as lowered blood pressure and lowered cortisol (stress hormone) levels (The Power of Pets by NIH). The ease of access from a cafe and the health benefits of animal interactions allow locals to relax at an affordable price! I, of course, love animals and relaxing as well so this aspect of Taiwan really excited me and it was a treat to be able to visit the cat cafe that started a worldwide phenomenon!

[relic000]

Weyland-Yutani Xenomorph Emergency Impregnation Informational Pamphlet

Since the detection of the xenomorph presence on Earth across various countries and populations some time ago, the WHO had long since developed a system of crisis care and assessment centers largely dealing with study, containment, and being a breeding terminus for any unfortunate victims of the alien breeding cycle. Long since the detection of the parasitoid “Facehugger” creatures were noted by top medical officials around the world as cause for concern, the presence of these creatures in black market trade rings, exotic pet smuggling circles, and unlicensed biotech companies has become so elevated that the creation of the codename “Birthing Centers” had become an international priority in the interest of public safety and health. However, whereas the previous informational promotion regarding the facehugger and general overview of the breeding cycle of the creature was distributed, many felt it too “clinical” or “cold”. That is why this informational aims to talk to those directly affected by the condition of the facehugger, the pregnancy. It is our intention to provide as comprehensive an understanding and informative explanation of what to expect, when expecting a xenomorph.

Symptoms?

By now you are well aware of the current situation you are in. The facehugger has long since unattached from you and died. You are likely feeling a mix of emotions by now and that is alright. It is perfectly fine to be afraid, confused, or even angry. These are perfectly normal emotional responses to what has just happened. What matters now is you prepare for the next phase. First, you should come to terms and accept what the situation facing you is, acceptance makes the rest of the process easier on all involved. You have been impregnated with a xenomorph embryo and are now carrying it inside you. Depending on what type of facehugger impregnated you and what type of embryo you carry as a result, pregnancies can vary in activity and length. But that will be covered soon enough. What you may be feeling right now is a slight feverish response to the implantation of the embryo, coupled with nausea and some dizziness, as well as some general weakness. Take time to steady yourself and perhaps get a glass of water or something to sooth your likely sore throat. You are also likely to notice an added weight to your torso; this is due to the additional weight of the gestating embryo within your chest. Don’t worry, it is likely still growing so you have time to get plans and affairs made in order and to contact your local Birthing Center Services. You will also notice a hunger which is due to the embryo having sapped nutrients from you in order to grow. A baby has to rely on its mother to feed after all. It is fine if you get a light snack or meal but do refrain from large portions as this sudden intake of food can agitate the embryo into activity. ::Warning!:: Due to the variance in type of xenomorph embryos and pregnancy lengths it is highly recommended that you urgently get to a Birthing Center as soon as possible to not only spare loved ones the trauma of witnessing the birth to come but to also minimize public health risks to letting loose a xenomorph into the wild or community at large.

Type 1: The Drone

The most common variant of the xenomorph is the Drone. Gestations of this type of embryo are short, usually about 2 to 4 hours after the facehugger falls off. It is a small embryo so the weight to the expecting mother is minimal, about 1 to 2 pounds roughly. When the time for the birthing of this type draws near one can expect shortness of breath, exhaustion, and sudden hemorrhaging in the chest from the embryo readying itself for birth. Due to the high level of energy this type has, the birth is often fast, so that is at the very least one good thing to expect with carrying a Drone.

Type 2: The Warrior

The second most common variant of xenomorph is the Warrior. Gestations of this type of embryo range from 3 to 5 hours after the facehugger detaches to 6-7 depending on host conditions and general health. With a larger size than a Drone the Warrior embryo will sit heavy in your chest at about roughly 3 to 4 pounds. This can make shortness of breath a common symptom to experience as it occupies a larger area in your chest cavity than the Drone. Along with the other symptoms of the Drone, you can expect a high amount of pain and activity from birthing this type due to size. Birth of a Warrior is sudden and fast but very painful.

Type 3: The Queen

This is the rarest of the embryos to carry and it is often not seen in most birthing centers. The Queen variant is the largest of the xenomorph embryo types, weighing in at about 5 to 6 pounds it will occupy a large portion of your chest cavity. The Queen saps a lot of nutrients from its host and as such takes the longest time to gestate. Normally about 2-3 days to reach maturity within the host. You will feel the weight of the Queen embryo immediately after regaining consciousness from being “facehugged”, and will feel a gradual weakening of energy as the days go by. The birth of a Queen is a sight and experience to behold, it is of course sudden but is often heralded by kicks within the mother-to-be. It will violently thrash about in your chest and break free very forcefully. Unlike the Drone and Warrior though, the Queen will have many arms and legs formed already by time of the birth, thus it is highly mobile and will exert more effort to free itself then the previous two. Coincidently, the facehugger that impregnated you with the Queen also implants a Drone or Warrior in another nearby host before dying off. This ensures protection for the Queen to be.

*Addendum Type 4 Provision*: The Runner

This variant of xenomorph is what one can expect after a facehugger has impregnated an animal. Anything from basic quadruped livestock or wildlife to day to day house pets are prime examples of hosts that would yield a runner. Light and small they weigh about 3-4 pounds in the host and gestate fast, normally maturing in a matter of 3 hours. It bursts forth from the host as any xenomorph embryo and instead of having a snake like shape will instead sport 4 legs, an evolutionary leap from its host. The runner grows in rapid pace after leaving its host and matures in a matter of 2-3 hours post burst. It then ruthlessly and efficiently hunts down prey at fast speeds and with intense ferocity and animalistic fervor. Small and powerful it is durable as well and not only can withstand a great deal of physical attack it can withstand high thermal damage and environmental hazards, typical of a survival of the fittest genome.

Treatment?

There is none. As was stated in our previous informational, there is no way to remove or deal with a xenomorph pregnancy once it has started. Xenomorph pregnancy is a fatal matter for every mother-to-be. We understand this is a rather distressing bit of news to hear but we believe in being honest about the conditions of those impacted by this condition. If you or someone you know is impregnated with a xenomorph then you or they are going to die via the violent birth of said embryo. But just because this is the case, does not mean you have to approach it bleakly or with a sense of dread. Some expecting mothers come to terms with what their circumstance is and take some measure of peace in the events to come. Think of it in the sense that you are pregnant first of all; a life grows within you and you are technically going to become a parent. You may also not take any offense to the embryo within you, it is just doing what is in its nature, there is no malice behind it. Furthermore, you may look forward to the time in the Birthing Center, as most of the rooms are made to be rather comfy and as stress reducing as possible. Last comforts and peace of mind are essential to expecting mothers. In fact, some expecting mothers have actually reported on enjoying the feel of the embryo gestating inside them, kicking and squirming occasionally as the time gets closer to the actual labor. Finally, you may take some solace in the fact that when the birth happens, although it will be painful it will also be over quickly.

What to expect when the time comes.

As was covered in the types of xenomorph embryos section, you can expect shortness of breath, exhaustion, and sudden hemorrhaging in the chest from the embryo readying itself for birth. When labor sets in you will be racked by sudden and an immense pain. Most notably you will feel a burning stabbing pain in the core of your chest just about the solar plexus where the sternum joins the ribs together. The embryo inside you will first uncoil and begin to twist and wriggle about. If you begin to feel this, then it is highly advised that you get as comfortable as you can and lay down as spread out as possible. What you ought to have done beforehand is to have removed your shirt or any article of clothing on your torso, so as to lessen any resistance for the embryo. This will make what is to come easier on you and it. This is your first indicator that birth is imminent. You will feel a lessening of the pressure you originally had before since the embryo is no longer clustered up. However, this is only so it can recoil itself and use its tail-like body as a spring to begin the next part, the thrusting. This is when the embryo begins to punch and ram at the underside of your rib cage. It will thrash and chew, claw, and ram against the muscle and bone of your chest cavity in a vigorous attempt to free itself and be born. It is the most excruciating time in the labor but it is over relatively quickly. It is highly recommended that you take what breathes you can in at this time. Breathing while difficult at this moment will be hard but will keep you aware of anything happening in the moment and while this may soundcounterintuitive can prove useful to those looking to make sure the birth ends fast. The embryo will cause a significant bulge to occur in the center of your chest and it will be quite bloodied from ruptured blood vessels and weakening skin. This is perfectly normal and if you are conscious enough to peer down and watch it, we highly recommend it as xenomorph birth is something to behold. For male hosts it is a chance to see the miracle of life from a first person point of view. While for female hosts you can visibly see the bulge and the exiting embryo between the breasts. Though while you might be focused on breathing at this time, you are likely to be screaming at this point. Again, this is perfectly normal, you are in immeasurable pain and if you need to yell and scream, then now is the time. Don’t worry about noise as in the Birthing Center Isolation Rooms the walls are soundproof so you don’t hear anyone else and vice versa. At any rate, the bone under the skin will gradually weaken and tear while the center of the ribs and sternum will break and split apart. Then in a series of short yet powerful thrusts the embryo will burst forth in a spray of blood and viscera and have been born. You’ll likely either be dead at the instance of this due to massive trauma and blood loss but if you are still conscious you are likely to feel a great relief of pressure, obviously still a pain like you’ve never known, and the sensation of the alien squirming its way out of its newly created birth canal in your chest. It is at this point the birthing is complete and you are now the mother of a xenomorph. You will feel a numbness start to take hold and the slowing of your heart rate, if it is still even intact, and a gradual lapse in consciousness. At this time, we recommend just merely giving in and letting sleep overcome you. The hard part is done and so are you. There will be no more pain and no more worry, just let go and let the Birthing Center staff handle the alien newborn.

Frequently asked questions:

Question: “If I come in early enough can I get an ultrasound of the embryo?”

Answer: “Of course, if it is early enough in the pregnancy then you are certainly able to get one at no cost. Just ask the Birthing Center staff for details.

Question: “I wanted to originally do the birthing alone but I am scared. Can someone be in my room too; I don’t know…hold my hand or something?”

Answer: “While it is not recommended that another non-expecting individual be present in the room at the time of the birthing we can offer you the company of a Birthing Center Synthetic. They are programmed to be kind and compassionate in this hour of need and are of no mortal danger to the staff personnel or the expecting mother.”

Question: “Are there preferred types of hosts this affects?”

Answer: “No. Facehuggers impregnate any able living host. Man, woman, young, old, even some animals. None are shown any preference to hosting. Luckily all measures have been taken at Birthing Centers to accommodate any aforementioned host and/or scenario.”

Question: “I am worried about the ones I leave behind; is there a type of life insurance they can receive after this?”

Answer: “Yes, due to the WHO recognizing the xenomorph presence as a global health concern, insurance policies will cover costs postpartum and postmortem for the expecting mothers and those related.”

Question: “What happens to the aliens after they are born?”

Answer: “That is unfortunately classified information.”

Question: “Can a room be made ready for a group of people impregnated? Me and some of my girlfriends went to a bachelorette party and... things got a bit out of hand.”

Answer: “While rather unorthodox, such a set up can be made ready if we get a figure of how many are in the group as early as possible.”

Question: “Hey, do you guys like have a volunteer program? Like, if I wanted to host, could I come to the Center and you guys make that happen?”

Answer: “Speak with Birthing Center R&D representatives as to your inquiry. While it is not recommended to willingly host a xenomorph, every bit of data collected helps us further understand the aliens and prepare us to help others in the field.”

Question: “Hey I can… *Ahhh*…feel it, starting…*gasping*…can someone…. come and…*coughing and gagging*…Oh fuck, its coming!”

Answer: “Stay right where you are, a helicopter is on the way with a trained team on board!”

[songofsilentechoes]

📱

Noelle's communication device reads 'Seraph'.

The image is one she snapped when he was smiling at his family.

Sample texts:

"I'm heading to market, did you all need anything?"

"I think I saw Jinx running from something. Might want to look into that."

"Caroline's trying to adopt more things. I'll pick up some extra pet food on my way back."

"The neighbors were looking for you. I told them you were out of the house at the moment. I didn't tell them why."

Additional:

Noelle's been taking a fair few pictures of the ever-evolving Seraph family, especially when she's invited to holiday gatherings. It's often chaotic, but she feels very welcome in the chaos.

She also has a running tab for all the groceries she's personally used, including coffee she's helped herself to, during her visits. Every month or so, she secretly reimburses them through the groceries she buys.

She also has a list next to Sera's contact information (her picture is of her working at her alchemy lab) noting the various elvish goods she seems to appreciate the most when she gives her one of the care packages. With this, she slowly adjusts what she gives to things she hopes the elf will like more.

[anon-e-miss]

For the Praxian finmech thing, would Jazz want to get a doctor in for Prowl to see why he hadn't transformed after Smokey shows that it's possible? I feel like that would be a great way to have someone like Ratchet or Ambulon drawn into the fight to get the finmech classified as sentient- and it would be especially interesting to see how they would react since I'm sure Pharma would be part of their history, and as a Seeker himself he seems like the kind of guy to have a finmech simply to show off as a status symbol, or to impress his peers.

I feel like it would be an interesting route to go down if the DJD were involved in the market for T-Cogs harvested from finmechs, though that doesn't fit much with the rest of the Praxian finmech stuff and the Jazz + Prowl storyline. A side tidbit or an AU, possibly. Still, Praxians being unwilling organ donors to make the trade more gruesome and horrible? Or trophies of their fins and plating, just to add a more desperate level of obedience in most of the pets, as well as further incentive to escape?

Or there could be some worse sides of the market- things like their fins and their young being seen as a delicacy (I'm assuming they lay eggs if they're based off of bettas?), and wild caught or 'unfit for sale' captive bred Praxians having their fins cut off before being left to starve because they can't swim or find food, just so rich mechs can have a bite of their frames. Just truly awful stuff that Jazz finds the deeper he goes into investigating the new additions to his home.

(I'm sorry that was really long I'm just super excited for this idea and I've been thinking about it all day haha)

Don't apologize for being excited by a plot. I like the engagement. Everyone had been very decent about their asks and no nagging or weird shit and I am very much happier for it.

I would see the DJD as perhaps... procurement specialists and I'd go with Pharma working with them t-cog trade-wise. Hell,theirt-cfaexcusemeharlothasdecidedfotofuckoffagain.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

A Pizza A Day Keeps The Villians At Bay

by Serendipindots In Gotham a 24/7 fast food joint, or a bar that serves meals all night long is pretty standard. However those places tend to be in the “nicer” parts of town, and definitely don't do deliveries. Especially at night. So obviously there's a market for a night time delivery service that will bring you your food *anywhere* in the city. That's where Dyzzy plans to make their fortune, after all, a delivery job can be pretty easy to run if you're a meta who can teleport. Or A way too cheerful teenager gets adopted by the batfam, most gangs, and several villains for willingly venturing into war zones and climbing buildings to get them their food. Words: 1865, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, The Flash (TV 2014), Justice League - All Media Types Rating: Mature Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen Characters: Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Duke Thomas, Cassandra Cain, Oracle, Justice League (DCU), Barbara Gordon, Stephanie Brown, Robin (DCU), Alfred Pennyworth, Batfamily Members (DCU), Alfred the Cat (DCU), Damian Wayne's Pets, Harleen Quinzel, Original Characters Additional Tags: Original Character(s), Batfamily Shenanigans (DCU), I'm Bad At Tagging, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Nonbinary Character, LGBTQ Character, Protective Bruce Wayne via https://ift.tt/8JCpOiT