#a happy return of the tarantula

[consult-sherlockholmes]

Hey there Sherlock! I'm back! I hope you've been well and I hope you still keep up those awesome, braincell-revieving, scientific explainations about stuff like insects or arachnids like myself! 🕷️🥰😘😍❤️☺️😌😋🥳😉😁🥺🥹😳😭

I had noted your absence, and wondered where my second favourite arachnid had gone (the title of favourite arachnid still goes to @criminalisticonsultant, apologies). So your return is much appreciated. Welcome back, I had missed your questions and comments. But I will miss your old name, @shame-of-chimical. Reminiscent of better times. However, there have been some major changes during your absence. If you want to know more about it, I would advise you to read this post, some further information here, and if you have any more questions please direct them to my consulting assistant @veritassempervincit. But I do have some insects for you, as I have been bee watching last weekend.

[fryingpan1234567]

so what if the Bats were Spiders instead?

in a different universe, Bruce Wayne grew up with arachnophobia instead of chiroptophobia. he found secret experiments in a lab beneath their family estate, and it didn’t take him long to pick up the family business.

neurotoxin experiments. spiders.

in a different universe, Bruce Wayne became Spider-Man.

in a different universe, Dick Grayson didn’t need to be bitten by a spider to pick up the Spider-Man mantle. he grew up knowing how to do all the acrobatics and combat anyways— all B had to do was give him web shooters and a suit. but there couldn’t be two Spider-Man’s. so he became Nightwing. but with a blue spider on his chest instead of a bird!

Nightwing’s webs come from his escrima sticks. they’re packing some serious voltage, so sometimes in a pinch he’ll use them instead of his police-issued taser. his favorite part about the whole spider thing is that he can fully just… throw himself off of buildings. and not die. he’s an adrenaline junkie, what can he say?

in a different universe, Jason Todd did everything the same. tried to steal the wheels off the vehicle of the most famous vigilante in Gotham. B picked him up and let him choose the spider and gave him the power to do good.

Robin “giving him magic” didn’t stop the Green Goblin from caving in his skull. although spiders you thought you’d killed do have a way of disappearing.

and returning. in a different universe, the Red Hood took the black widow as his mascot and nobody could do anything in Gotham City without him knowing about it. he single-handedly put down all the arms dealers in the city.

in a different universe, Tim Drake made his own spider. he’d been a fan of Thomas and Bruce Wayne’s work for his whole life, or at least since he learned how to read— and he figured he could get Spider-Man’s attention if he was able to replicate the project as young as he did.

oh, he got Spidey’s attention all right. befriending and adopting an alien symbiote will do that. player 4 has joined the game.

in a different universe, Venom is co-piloted by Tim, who really does like aliens. B thinks it’s a tiny bit weird, but while Tim is tiny his alien companion is very much not. it’s extra armor.

Tim works at the Daily Bugle. nobody knows how exactly he gets the quality kind of photos he does of Gotham’s Spider-family situation, but who’s complaining? he’s just really good at his job.

in a different universe, Cassandra Cain was bitten by a spider before she even met Bruce Wayne. her mother had trained her for combat for her whole life. she couldn’t prepare her for superpowers.

B was happy to help. in a different universe, rather than Cass becoming Blackbat, she took on the alias Black Widow. watch your back for her, though. she’s got the same deadly instinct in every universe.

in a different universe, Stephanie Brown became the first Spider-Woman. of course, she wasn’t the only one, but there’s something about being the original, isn’t there?

she knows she’s funny. she thinks it’s part of the job; it feels right. she’s the closest to the average canon Spider-Man. she could’ve been recruited to the Society at any point in time. and there’s something about that too.

in a different universe, Damian Wayne was born with superpowers. he’d inherited Bruce’s from birth. Talia was quick to hand him off once she realized her baby could crawl on walls and ceilings. the Spider Cave was getting a bit crowded, but what’s one more dangerous, unpredictable, biologically enhanced child? bring it on.

aside from Hood, Tarantula is the only Spider willing to kill a man on the field. yeah, as in. bird-eating tarantula. Robin. get it?

of course, in a different universe, he still had his katana. wouldn’t be Damian Wayne without it. his favorite thing is to swing down from a skyscraper with his webs and run through bad guys like kebabs. B says it’s immoral, but who can be mad about stabbing Doc Ock’s goons?

in another universe, Duke Thomas is the most famous member of the family. he’s the other closest to canon Spider-Man. he takes the day jobs, he talks to the press, he’s the least-hated at the Daily Bugle.

his webs glow. that makes night ops harder. so he sticks to the sunlight. people started calling him the Spider-Signal. which doesn’t make a lot of sense? but Duke is the kinda guy to just kinda shrug it off, because he’s not gonna take on the entire city’s press on his own.

Miguel O’Hara stayed the bleeding hell away from this universe. this group of bats spiders were too unpredictable to have in the Spider Society at all. there were no missions there, but constant surveillance. (until. you know. Miles Morales rocked up with a proposition to take down a tyrannical system with horrible judgement and a corrupted leader. and then Miguel couldn’t ignore the Wayne family anymore.)

how I love the multiverse. endless possibilities, amirite?

(please ask me to write more for this au. drabbles. more characters. PLEASE)

[blueikeproductions]

Looks like CyberWorld will be continuing on with a more robust toyline, and a surprising amount of characters!

Soundwave, Shockwave, Scourge, Hound, Ratchet, JAZZ, Cheetor, Optimus Primal, LOCKDOWN, and Airachnid!

Jazz is back, baby, and what he could turn into diffeeevtly isn’t stated, but with Mirage as a jet, we could see something unorthodox.

Speaking of unorthodox:

Pirate Ship Scourge

Deep Sea Soundwave

Dinosaur Shockwave

Yeti Hound

CyberWorld is going down as being the most weird and creative thing we’ve had in a while for Vehicle and Beast Modes. And I am absolutely here for it.

Most significant remains Jazz returning after such a long absence in major animated media, even Hound is a surprise after his memorable return (albeit more Bulkhead-ish) in the Bay films.

Shockwave as a dinosaur is very cool, though I heavily suspect he’ll be a repaint of Grimlock so both sides have their own dinosaur.

Also surprising are the continued presence of the Beast Wars gang, which also includes Rhinox, Terrorsaur, Tarantulas, and BlackArachnia for the separate Swapticons line. Even Backstop, a deep cut from Galaxy Force, gets to appear. Hasbro is reaching deep into the toy box for this one, and along with Skybound, I continue to have hope the series is finding a new footing post EarthSpark and Cyberverse.

If nothing else, this series is looking to be fun (and not high on its own exhaust), similar to RiD15, RotB, and the Bumblebee movie, the last times I truly enjoyed animated TF media, then I’ll be happy.

The toy listings by the by.

[sugutoad]

matchup trade for @issadollie  !

JUJUTSU KAISEN MATCHUP

Significant Other

You have captured the heart of… Satoru Gojo — the strongest and the prettiest! While reading your information, this randomly hit me. You are this person who is a perfect mix of both chaos and calm and truth be told, so is Gojo (a fact many ignore in the fandom). You love someone who would tease you back when you tease them? He has got your back! He will literally bicker on and on with you until he wins. He will make sure you are loved and heard. He loves you so much!

RUNNER UPS: Yuji Itadori

HEADCANON

You want to visit the zoo? Say no more. Gojo is getting dressed up as well as can (when everyone looks at him, he wants everyone to know that this pretty boy belongs to you) and rushes to get you. When he sees the little gift you packed for him, a smile stretches across his face as he tackles you in a hug, his arms wrapped around you and peppering you in sweet kisses. Though truth be told, a small bit of him feels bad for not getting anything for you when you gave him a present, but then again who wouldn’t give him a present? During the whole date, his hand is grasped in yours as he drags you from cage to cage, not even looking back at you (who by the way, is running as fast as you can to catch up with his long legs. Fucking tarantula looking legs.) Everyone does look at you though! But not in the way that Gojo had expected. They were drawn to his absolute childlike behaviour. 

It would be 3 in the morning and Satoru would not be able to fall asleep. His hand would grasp for something someone,  yet there was nothing, his fingers grazing the linen on his bed. He flips over, his face buried in his pillow, the silence of the room ringing inside his head. His phone blinks with a little ring, a beacon of light in the darkness that surrounds and he pounces, a giggle bubbling up his chest. It was you! Well, a little meme from you. Gojo smiled, though not because of the joke (it was rather bland, even in his opinion), but because of all the people you sent this to at this time, it was him. And when he replies, it does not even take a second for his phone to light up again. Satoru always knew he was special. That is what he was taught and what he told ever since he clawed his way into this cursed world. Yet he never felt special. No, not until now. 

Whenever you are with your colleagues and your social battery dies down, Gojo is the first person to notice immediately. He always notices even the slightest details about you. You notice and give, pouring out your heart for others and expecting nothing in return. And somehow you are happy with that. He wants you to be noticed for once. It is you who always notices what he likes and dislikes, while he brushes you off like everyone else. But then he notices (how could he be so blind when he had Six Eyes?). And when he does, he notices and shares all the love you gave him in presents and compliments. 

He absolutely loves and hates when you cry. You look so vulnerable, asking for him and no one else yet it hurts him to see you cry because of another and knowing that you will forgive them in mere seconds if they offered the lamest apology. He will kiss the side of your head, teasing you and calling you a cry baby while wiping your tears away. Do not cry. It hurts me to see you cry. He wants to say something so bad, but he struggles to find the words. They are hanging on his tongue, grasping on throats and refusing to be let out. He wouldn put on a true crime podcast later while the two gobble down sweets and tea with sticky hands to make you feel better.

[crying-fantasies]

Complex

Masterlist

It was the middle of the cycle, mechs were walking in the streets outside, there is no sun till the next rotation of the planet but you're on your own, just in the other room and tending to your work, the playpen in the main room, it was of good quality, designed to hold a being made of metal but soft enough to not scratch the strangely delicate protoform, no worries as your kid just absentmindedly made his own activities, as his dentae was just poking out, quite weird for a cybertronian to go through that at first, but it was normal to see him biting a glowing toy even in recharge.

The playpen was strong enough to stop him if he ever tried to got out, strong to hold him inside even in the most destructive tantrum, as Long Haul had once joked given the calm nature of Chainbreaker.

It was created to be durable, and no one would have believe that it would also be used with other purposes.

"If only I've got out sooner"

As in like a custom made scenario.

"If I could have been less naive"

With a very attentive onlooker.

"I shouldn't have let them take him"

"Ummm"

The rage and literal venom coming out of the technorganic's mouth should have been more than enough to make even the most fearless warrior recoil on his place, his frightening EM field covering endless pain and sorrows, only showing a tint of happiness when the protoform, even with barely formed servos and clumsy proto digits, gave him his favorite chewing toy, stopping the angry march he had been doing all along on the fence of the playpen, his sounds were something he had never heard a cybertronian do before, not even his Ostaros during his creation, and he related it to the organic side of the protoform while accepting his offering, chewing on the toy too with a muffled "thanks, dear" and rewarded by a thrilled sound that tugged at his own spark with affection.

He remembers the first time he got here, a whole plan to destroy Prowl, make him suffer just like he did to him, expose his deeds to the open, only to be faced with that, someone, already knew and did, Tarantulas expected a bigger uproar, but alas, it seemed like it was water under the bridge without much problem, because everyone knew that Prowl was really like that; burning shame and embarrassment spread easily, as he so flawlessly followed him, so naively he loved him.

Next in his plan, he could kill him, but it was too easy, maybe torture him, he followed his own creation, Ostaros, knowing full well that one only needs to follow one autobot to get to the other, but it was hard, find Prowl showed to be a challenge, jumping from one bot to the next, and he finally found him, as his plan was already forming on his helm he got inside, obvious change in pattern from the last time, but Prowl and his usual protocol to prevent every variability was easy to understand for Tarantulas.

He knew Prowl, he did, all the details, the most little of them.

He expected Prowl to return, later, enough time to be ready, assault him in his own house.

What he didn't expect, for a change, was to get startled by a chaotic EM field as soon as one of his legs got inside, it was suffocating! It was inquisitive! Like it wanted to tear him open! Tarantulas struggled to keep it down, protect himself, just to notice that, while horribly obnoxious, the strange waves didn't really harm him, those were like strange sensations, always in tune, one, two, one, two, searching with greed, what kind of weapon did Prowl have in here? Now it made sense why everything was so fortified, but it seemed out of place for him to store it in his own living quarters, too much evidence, and the idea of Prowl himself guarding a weapon was strange to say the least.

What was more strange, nonetheless, was to find a protoform there, his optics looked at the new spark, shocked, and the new spark looked back at him, curious, for a moment Tarantulas couldn't believe it, but surprise was soon replaced for anger, it almost made him shout right there.

He was doing it, again, he was going to do it again and again and again, isn't it? He was going to use this new spark, just like his Ostaros! No matter the war, nothing mattered for him!

"You awake?"

If Tarantulas wasn't perfectly glued to the wall thanks his own organic modifications, then he would have fallen ungraciously to the floor, a human, the human, he knew who you were, a human as naive as him before if not worse, he knew of your existence, and even the idea of killing you to get back at Prowl crossed his processor, but he wasn't planning any of that.

Not because of Prowl but for his Ostaros, who was still tied to the former enforcer by the mistakes of his past self, but Tarantulas knew, he lived among humans, among his Ostaros and the human Verity Carlo, his creation, Springer, such a lovely new name, he was fond of humans, but more like Prowl once was, Tarantulas found them to the plump but way too messy to clean.

He liked messy, so his first reaction to you was simple, but his Ostaros respected you, and he was rewarded with the image of someone caring for his creation, something he never had chance to do, not for as long as he could have liked and done.

Humans and their instinct to bond, inadvertently it stopped him from consuming you in the spot just to spite Prowl, but his Springer, he would know, and no matter how hard he wanted to hold him on his arms, he couldn't give away his location or his current status of being active, not even mention how destroyed he would feel if his hatred was directed towards him.

Looking at the new spark, and how they reacted to you, reached for you, his EM field calming down and mimicking your heartbeat as sweet sounds escaped the protoform, it made him remember the humans and their younglings back on Earth.

It took time, to understand what happened, what was going on, and what would come later.

And he loved every bit of it.

How this extravagant protoform came to be, what made him grow up like a human toddler, what theories exploded his mind with what Prowl and you had done, smiling devilishly as a "you're a little abomination to Primus, aren't you?" came from his vox like a content purr once you took place to sleep next to the sparkling, who was still very much awake and centering his attention on the intruder, in any other moment he would have just took the new spark, but he was better than that, he was better than him.

But being better than him didn't mean he was going to just let it be.

He took, in some way, some things from Prowl, he hardly ever saw him in the living quarters, and, in some way, Tarantulas also helped you, little human that couldn't make much than hold the protoform to calm him down, not really knowing of the wild frequencies the new spark was emitting, and Tarantulas took in his own servos the work to, firstly, teach Chainbreaker to keep his EM field calm and collected like a good sparkling and even helping him grow his external armor in the right way when you couldn't do it properly not because of poor care but for your lack of real knowledge in practice, and everything was good, he saw the protoform daily and it contented his spark without limits just as when you took care of him too or when his Springer appeared from time to time, Tarantulas would be lenient and let those constructicons come just because Prowl looked irritated by their presence but couldn't do much about it, but apart from it, he was happy.

And when that little chevron appeared on Chainbreaker, obvious signal of his Praxian heritage, he almost destroyed the playpen with his own legs.

"The fact that he still keeps online makes my energon lines boil like acid", finally looking at his audience of only one mech again, his relentless hateful speech finally stops, the toy hanging loose on his leg, "but how does he manages, with all that he is, to bring life not to one but two beautiful and pure sparks", his audience still keeps on listening at him, curious blue optics attentive to every word even when his processor is so naive, or should he call it young, or just being an infant, for a moment he almost caves in and holds the soft protomesh of the sparkling's faceplates with his tarsal claws, Tarantulas wouldn't be surprised if the sparkling didn't remember this in the long run, but it was nice to have someone to hear him.

Chainbreaker did a sound again, and this time he couldn't contain himself before hugging the faceplate of the protoform with his body, making him giggle.

"CB", you call from the other room, coming inside the next moment, enough for him to reduce his size, you do a sound, maybe startled or surprised to see a spider next to the sparkling, tapping with his little servos around the supposed spider, Tarantulas knows Chainbreaker would never hurt him and he doesn't plan to do so, but he isn't surprised when you take a cube and a piece of cardboard to catch him and take him away to your garden.

"Bu-buh", the sparkling does a little wave with his digits, you aren't the only one to cooing at him but you don't need to know, not now at least, as Tarantulas knows that, while you may be grossed out for his appearance or not, you are raising your child to be kind, even to something considered a pest.

A nice one, is what he thinks as you let him go, once again, in the middle of the rosemary and mint, looking at him and being sure all his legs are in place, you're a nice human.

Nice, good, but among all else, way too naive.

Tarantulas doesn't even ask himself how long it will take for Prowl to break you as he gnaws at a leaf of mint, he just knows it will happen.

It'll happen, sooner or later, and he stuffs another leaf inside his oral receptor to calm his nerves, because if his research on you proves to be real, and he knows it is, in the worse case scenario, he knows his Springer will take care of Chainbreaker, and he will take care of both of them, if only he could talk to you, he would tell you, he would promise, Tarantulas would swear to take care of your creation, and look after him from the shadows the moment Prowl breaks you.

And with it, the bond that keeps you alive.

.

Before you kill me, I already said Prowl's route was going to end bad, because, well, come on, he is Prowl.

[aggimaginary]

The Bad Guys Season 2: The Baddest Trip (chapter 3) - Learning Japan

Previous Next

Hi again, everyone. Here is the 3rd chapter. I also had decided to post new chapters ever 2 weeks to give readers time to read every chapter. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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Previously on The Bad Guys: The Baddest Trip...

Piranha: Welcome to Letifecto.

Prima: Aah! My little hermano has finally come home!

Primo Sr.: We are gathered here tonight to celebrate the return of little Pepe. The prodigal son has finally come home.

Piranha: If Papà finds out about me became part of a criminal gang, he'll be furious, guys! And he depends on our family to have a good reputation for the whole town!

Prima: Pepe is a criminal, and he and his friends are a wanted criminal gang called 'The Bad Guys,' and our reputation is ruined!

Primo Sr.: Do you know what you put yourself into?!

Piranha: The only reason I have sacrificed my own likings and happiness from your pressure and expectations for all of us to be good and perfect is for this family to be happy and complete and to satisfy you like everyone else did for you and the whole town!

Prospero 172: Papà, you've always been too hard on Pepe, especially ever since Mamà died

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Learning Japan

The Bad Guys were up for another around-the-world trip. Shark took a sip of the champagne while watching the sky and the clouds through the window. It was a good view of the ocean.

"Do you think we have a chance to stop by in India?" he asked before taking a bite on a shrimp.

Snake took his blindfold off and groaned about the topic, "I don't wanna go back to India. I dated a tapeworm once, and she made me barf."

Shark and Tarantula glanced at each other and cringed in disgust about that fact from Snake.

Meanwhile, Hornet set up a board plan that pinned pictures of vacation sites per country to decide where to go next.

"Has anyone tried China?" Wolf called from the cockpit.

Tarantula rolled her eyes and gagged, "Don't get me started. They want me to wear those chopsticks, and it didn't work out for me."

Suddenly, the turbulence shook the jet and caused some of the pictures to fall off. Hornet caught some of them, while others reached the floor. When Hornet readied to scoop the fallen pictures, he encountered a picture of the city of Tokyo, Japan.

As he stared at it, Hornet began to think what it was like in Japan. He also realized about his species and figured out where they came from. This idea came to Hornet as he wanted to try it for himself.

"Hornet, are you okay?" Piranha approached him from behind, feeling concern for his boyfriend.

Hornet appreciated that his boyfriend was looking out for him. He turned to him and gave out a smile, gesturing he was okay, but Hornet looked back at the board, staring at the photo of Tokyo, and sighed, "I always wondered what it was like to be in the origin of my species. I was called an 'Asian Giant Hornet,' but another term for that was a 'Japanese Hornet.' But I don't feel Japanese."

"It's because you've never been to Japan," Snake overheard Hornet's confession.

"Why don't we go there?" Shark suggested.

"Yeah, I mean, we got a chance to visit my home country, and it was a bust," Piranha recalled, "Now let's try yours."

Hornet felt hesitant with this idea, but this was what he wanted too, so he couldn't say no to this once-in-a-lifetime offer to visit his origin, "Yeah, I think that would be okay."

"Yay! The Bad Guys are going to Japan!" Wolf howled before hearing the bang of a gong.

At the cabin, it was Shark banging the gong as he held it with one fin and the other held its mallet. "What? I always wanted to do this," he struck the gong again.

The jet flew in a different direction to head for Japan.

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When Wolf found a hidden place to land the jet, just behind Mt. Fuji, the other Bad Guys packed up the stuff they needed for the trip in Japan, but Snake wasn't so excited for this trip. He has no bag to bring this time, not for this country.

Wolf noticed Snake's grumpy face as he sat beside him. "Come on, Snake. Japan will be fun. You liked The Last Samurai."

"That's not how I remember it," Snake uttered. "Besides, if we wanna see Japanese people... we could have gone to Harvard University."

"Snake!" Wolf exclaimed for Snake offending Japanese people.

"What? The guy who runs the academic program is Japanese. His name is Satoshi," Snake explained. "He's in my book club."

Meanwhile, Hornet found a brochure and told his boyfriend, "Look, Piranha, the brochure was written in haiku!

Best restaurants here Flowers dance in air Watch for street races."

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When the Bad Guys traveled to Tokyo, the Bad Guys found themselves a hotel where the bellhops bowed to them in their presence as they passed through the door.

"Wow, they bowed so much, they never noticed us or figured out who we are," Tarantula whispered to Hornet, who chuckled at her observation.

"Japan is so welcoming and polite," Wolf stated after receiving the key from the front desk.

The Bad Guys found themselves a room after checking in, and the doors were Shoji.

"Here's our room," Shark declared as he walked through the doors, ripping the sheets of Shoji paper.

"Shark, you're supposed to slide those doors open," Wolf scolded as he and the other Bad Guys walked through the hole Shark created.

"I don't have time for that," Shark then threw their bags into the closet that also has a shoji door. Like what he did to the door, Shark refused to slide the door open as he threw the bags through the doors, ripping the sheets and punching a large hole through it.

And just like the last two doors, Shark walked himself through the Shoji door to the bathroom. There, he encountered a talking toilet.

"Welcome. I am honored to accept your waste."

Shark pushed a button on a nearby keypad, and the toilet made dancing water like a fountain, "They're years ahead of us."

Meanwhile, while settling in. Snake turned the TV on and saw Shark above the toilet bowl.

"Hey guys. Check it out. Shark's on TV," Snake called his friends, and they gathered around to watch Shark without realizing they were watching through the toilet.

Back in the bathroom, Shark removed his pants and sat on the toilet to take a number 2.

"What a relief!" He sighed but failed to hear his friends screaming at the bedroom when they were watching TV.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" The other Bad Guys' screams muffled in Shark's perspective.

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At the window, Hornet was sightseeing and could see all of Tokyo from up there.

"It's breathtaking." Hornet smiled as he saw one of the tourist attractions, "Look. There's the Himeji Castle." Then, he saw another one, "The Nara Park!" and shifted to a factory that has a 'Hello Kitty' logo on it, "The Hello Kitty factory."

As one of the trucks drove away, the cats yowled loudly from the factory inside, and smoke fumed out of the smokestacks.

Hornet looked back at his friends and asked, "Who's up for some exploring?"

"Hey, I'm still checking out Japanese TV." Snake turned the volume up. "Isn't this that cartoon that causes seizures?"

The Japanese cartoon showed a little Pokémon-like monster was ready to attack while the foreground and background rapidly flashed bright light onscreen.

The flashing light caused Snake to fall to the floor; his muscles jerked and stiffened and twitched uncontrollably.

"Snake, what are you doing?" When Wolf turned to the TV to see what Snake was watching, he had the same reaction as he fell to the floor and his body twitched like crazy.

Hornet turned to the TV as well as his eyes widened, "Hey, what the—" He fell to the floor with his wings stiffened, unable for him to flap, and twitched uncontrollably as well.

"Hey, what is tha—?" Tarantula crawled on the bed to see what was happening and had her eyes on the TV before falling on her back; her body stiffened and twitched.

Piranha took a look at the cartoon and had no effect on him at first. "This cartoon won't give me any—" But he stared at the TV for another second, and it caused him to stiffen and twitch too.

Shark came out from the bathroom and watched his friends twitching on the ground. He didn't know what was going on, so he shrugged and said, "Hmm, alright." He fell on the ground and twitched alongside them.

When the show changed to the commercial, the effect of the seizure wore off from the Bad Guys, and they got up in their normal state.

"Whoo! All that seizing made me hungry," Snake said.

"Me too. Let's go to an authentic Japanese noodle house," Hornet said excitedly.

"The toilet recommended a place called Americaworld," Shark noted.

"Shark, we didn't come halfway around the world to eat at Americaworld," the little insect pointed out.

"I'd like to see the Japanese take on the club sandwich," Piranha commented, "I bet it's smaller and more efficient."

"We now return to 'Seizure-fighting Mightymons,'" the TV proclaimed as it switched back to the episode, and it gave the Bad Guys a seizure again as they fell on the floor and their bodies twitched.

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In the AmericaWorld, the tables were shaped like the states of the USA and were arranged by the right location, and on stage, there were animatronics dancing that all looked like American models, like the Statue of Liberty, Abraham Lincoln, Snoopy the Beagle, Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali, and Neil Armstrong.

The Bad Guys found themselves a table that was the state of Arkansas.

"I can't believe they stuck us at "Narc-can-sas!" Shark complained as they sat down, "Hey, you know, I once knew a man from Little Rock."

"And?" Tarantula asked,

"Let's just say the stories about him are greatly exaggerated."

"Howdy, neighbors," a Japanese waiter greeted them, wearing a blue shirt, orange pants, and a cowboy hat. "I am average American Joe salaryman waiter."

Tarantula looked at the menu and complained about the price, "These prices suck. 20,000 yen for fries?"

"Don't you serve anything that's even remotely Japanese?" Hornet requested.

"Don't ask me. I don't know anything." The waiter responded, "I am a product of the American education system. I also build poor-quality cars and inferior-style electronics."

Shark laughed, "Oh, they got our number."

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Later, the Bad Guys were exploring the city when they stopped by the fruit stall.

"One square watermelon, please," Shark asked as he gave the vendor a bill, and he gave him the square watermelon.

"Oh, my goodness. Shark, those are $1.50," Tarantula calculated.

"It's worth every cent. I'm tired of fumbling with round fruit," Shark admitted before the watermelon in his fins expanded into its rounded shape, and he accidentally dropped it on the ground.

"Well, maybe we should just head back to the hotel," the team leader recommended.

"But you promised me we'd do something Japanese." Hornet pleaded

"Oh, of course you're right!" Shark exclaimed, "You know, I read about the Children's Peace Monument... where it commemorates Sadako Sasaki and the thousands of— Run, Snake!" He blurted out as he and Snake rushed away from the team, deciding to explore Japan on their own.

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Snake and Shark ended up in the Sumo Stadium, where they could watch Sumo wrestling. The sumo wrestler was pouring salt all over the ring while the audience was watching.

"Mmm. Fifty-dollar popcorn," Shark hummed before noticing the wrestler, "Hey, what's Baby Huey doin'?"

"Says here they throw salt before they wrestle to purify the ring," Snake replied, reading the brochure.

"Hmm," Shark looked at his food as he figured he wanted some salt on his popcorn. Shark climbed up on the ring and asked the wrestler, "Spare some salt, chubby?"

"'Chubby?'" The wrestler spoke in Japanese, "`Po tchari' to iu namae wa kizutsukimasu. Watashi no taijū no mondai wa sen ni yoru monodakaradesu. Anata wa sore o taberu tsumoridesu ka?" The wrestler snatched the popcorn from Shark, "Yoink."

"Hey, that's mine!" Shark whined as he charged at the wrestler to retrieve his popcorn, but the wrestler pinned him down.

At the edge of the ring, Shark was able to reach for Snake. He held his fin to him as Snake offered his tail to him. Shark tagged his tail with his fin, which meant to pass the fight to the one who tagged the other.

It was his turn to fight as Snake grabbed a chair and beat the wrestler with it, claiming him defeated. "Like we say in my county, 'Hasta la vista, baby.'" Shark said as he retrieved his popcorn.

Just then, Emperor Naruhito arrived, mistaking Shark for a sumo wrestler, as he approached him on the ring, "Congratulations. I am the emperor."

"Yeah? And I'm " Thrasha-minus," Shark also thought the emperor was another sumo wrestler as he lifted him up, spun him in the air, and threw him into a box of Sumo Thongs.

"All hail Emperor Thrashaminus," Shark cheered for himself, but the audience booed at him, and Snake facepalmed, knowing Shark screwed this up.

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Snake and Shark were sent to prison, where they were both wearing kimonos. Shark was pouring tea on a small table, and Snake was painting Mt. Fuji.

The Japanese police unlocked and opened the prison bars and declared, "Your friends have paid your bail, Misutā Sunēku and Misutā Shāku."

Wolf, Piranha, Tarantula, and Hornet were standing right beside the cop, revealing that they were the ones who bailed them out.

"Thank golly. Couldn't take another minute in this hellhole," Shark said nervously before eating a bowl of noodles before giving the finished bowl to the female Japanese, and they bowed to each other.

When Snake exited the opening door, Shark passed through the Shoji door instead, ripping another hole through the sheets.

After they left the police station, the Bad Guys walked at the park, but Hornet was still saddened that they wasted their time and money to bail Snake and Shark from prison.

"Now can we do something Japanese?" he begged.

Shark groaned in frustration, "Oh, I'm sick of doing Japanese stuff. In jail we had to partake in this dumb tea ceremony where you sip from a bowl instead of a cup... and I wanted to have biscuits, but they made me eat dumplings."

"Then we had to do two hours of origami... followed by flower arranging and meditation," Shark added, expressing his exhaustion at jail.

"Karera ni kokoro no heiwa no himitsu o oshierubekideshou ka?" Shark asked Snake in Japanese.

Surprisingly, Snake replied to him, also in Japanese, "Īe, karera wa gaikoku no akumadesu."

"Mi amor, I know you wanna see Japan... but we're down to our last million yen," Piranha explained as he took out the last paper bill.

"Don't worry, little bug. I'll show you something Japanese," Shark gently ruffled Hornet's head before taking the money from Piranha and folding it into a crane.

"Oh, it's beautiful, Shark," Hornet complimented impressively.

"It's a crane. The Japanese believe they bring good luck."

"Oh, be careful. We need that money for the rest of our trip. Besides, we landed our jet very far, and we won't have enough money to pay for the hotel and a trip back," Wolf cautiously warned.

But then, the wind blew, and it took the folded money with it, making the paper crane fly away.

"No!" Wolf and Piranha shouted.

"Īe" Shark yelled in Japanese.

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Since the Bad Guys have a little money left, they forced themselves to have a temporary job. They were now working at the seafood factory, where they had to cut the fish open, remove its insides, and throw them back into the pile.

"Every truckload of fish we gut brings us 31 cents closer to our trip home," Wolf said as he kept cutting fish before removing its insides.

Hornet felt hesitant to kill the fish and remove their insides, but he tried not to think about their deaths. He still feels bad for them. He sobbed all the way, "Oh, why do they have to die?! Why?!" He then whispered to the one he was killing, "Don't worry... you can't be hurt anymore."

"And I think I finally found what I was put on this Earth to do," Piranha chuckled joyfully as he kept slicing fish open and removing their guts. "Knife goes in, guts come out. Knife goes in, guts come out."

Just then, Piranha found a fish that could talk as he cried for his mercy, "Spare my life and I will grant you three wi—AAHHH!" But Piranha failed to see or hear the talking fish as he kept slicing him open and pulled its guts out.

"Knife goes in, guts come out," Piranha continued his ramble.

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After that hard work for hours, the Bad Guys earned some money, enough to pay the hotel service. They traveled back to the hotel by foot. They didn't want to spend more money on taking a cab.

"Great. We earned just a little," Hornet mentioned as they arrived at the hotel.

Wolf decided to go ahead of his friends to give half of the money they earned to the counter, "Let's just pay back the hotel, and we'll use the money we have left to get back to the jet."

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While Wolf paid the bills, there should be another to get back to the jet, fast and easy. Then, Hornet looked up, and there was a large banner hanging from the ceiling that showed an illustration of a train. This gave Hornet an idea, "Do we have enough for a train?"

Snake, Shark, Piranha, and Tarantula gazed at Hornet, readying to listen to him.

After checking out from the hotel, the Bad Guys got their bags and headed to the train station. A lot of people walked in different directions as it was one of the busiest places in Tokyo. Everyone in this country liked taking the train more than driving their cars or riding in cabs.

The Bad Guys found themselves in a line where they had to pay for their tickets for their train.

When they reached the computer, Tarantula managed to check on which plane they should get into to get to Mt. Fuji. As a tech wiz, Tarantula knew what she was doing. When the boys gave her the money they had left, she put it all into the ticket computer, and the screen showed 4 different kinds of trains: blue, red, yellow, and green. One of them could get them to Mt. Fuji. Tarantula chose green, and the machine slot slid out 6 green tickets; one for each of them.

When they got the tickets, they were trying to find where the green train was. They just had to follow the colored lines below their feet. They followed the green line, and ahead was the green train, just arrived. The gang let a line of people pass first, and when it was clear, it was their turn to move ahead to reach for the green train. But a dozen other passengers stampede on them, pushing the Bad Guys to the wrong train: a blue train! They were squeezed in very tightly in the train as there was no way to get out.

The doors were closed; the train was leaving the station. The train moved fast, like a speeding rollercoaster. The shockwave of the fast train caused the road to snap off, and the cars were flown off the ground. They were stacked in towers now. The train moved onto elevated tracks as the passengers inside were bumping into each other and the walls while trying to keep themselves standing. This caused the Bad Guys to shift from their spots and accidentally split up from each other.

Though the boys ended up near the exit of the cart, Tarantula was left behind to where they were a second ago.

"Guys, guys, where are you?!" Tarantula called out to her friends.

"Webs, we're here!" She could hear Wolf's voice, but not nearby.

Tarantula climbed out of the crowd and saw his friends at the end of the cart. Then, she had to come to them. Tarantula dove back into the crowd and crawled up on one man's sleeve. He jumped to another man and came out from the other man's jacket through the opening of its collar. Tarantula then crawled into a nearby man's jacket and appeared from the shorter man's hat. Her legs were shown from under the hat, and she crawled up to the taller man's head, which she tripped on the wig, and it landed on the shorter man's bald head. Tarantula dropped her "hat disguise" as it fell on the taller man's head, and she jumped onto the next man's pocket. Tarantula tried to squeeze herself out between two people with her rear end coming out first but didn't notice there was a sharp spike behind her, which poked her rear end and caused her to yelp.

Tarantula noticed the next group of passengers was wearing spiky clothing. With no way through without getting poked, she opened the briefcase and got herself in before lifting herself up like an elevator to the man's newspaper. She passed above the spiky passengers using the tsurikawas. Tarantula finally made it to her friends, who cheered for her for passing through that crowd and landed on Shark's shoulder.

"Good work, Webs," Shark commented.

"Now let's get…" Hornet turned around, and before he could finish, something else blocked him.

There was a fat guy blocking the Bad Guys' way to the exit with no gaps on both sides to slide in. The Bad Guys didn't know what to do now until they noticed the green train was heading the same direction as the blue train. Realizing they might have a chance to catch up with the right train, the Bad Guys weren't ready to give up. They had to find a way to get through this giant guy.

Shark was confident that he could take this guy down as he shoved his friends aside. "Step aside, my friends. Let me handle this."

But Snake held Shark's grip with his tail, recalling the incident the latter made hours ago, "Oh no. You had quite enough since that sumo ring."

"Guess I'll do what I can do best," Piranha volunteered to fix this problem.

He took his shirt and shoes off and made his pants into a loincloth. Piranha whistled to the overweight man to get his attention. When the man turned to the little fish, Piranha gestured to challenge him into a sumo wrestling match by marching both his legs apart.

Knowing this gesture, the overweight man accepted the challenge as he ripped his clothes off, having nothing but a loincloth. The overweight man and Piranha were ready to engage in sumo wrestling. The two charged at each other with screams until Piranha slid below the giant man between his legs, which fooled the larger man to crash into a crowd of commuters, giving the Bad Guys a way now to the exit.

The Bad Guys were impressed by Piranha's strategy without using violence.

"That's impressive, Piranha," Wolf clapped his paws.

Piranha smiled confidently before receiving his clothes back when Hornet saved them for him. "I'm glad I tipped that off," he put his clothes back on.

The Bad Guys had a chance to climb over the crushing crowd to reach for the exit.

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Now they were outside, the Bad Guys clung to the roof of the blue train as it raced along the tracks. The train was so fast as its tracks were curved and dove down like a real rollercoaster ride. When they stood up, ahead where railroad signs as the Bad Guys narrowly avoided them all, no matter how fast this train was. They continued to keep their feet on top of the train as it headed into a tunnel.

Inside the tunnel was like a pixelated video game, similar to Super Mario Bros, when the Bad Guys hopped, dodged obstacles, and collected coins and hearts for lives.

After the blue train exited the tunnel, the Bad Guys showed to be handling a bunch of cold coins from the game. They immediately kept them in their pockets and bags, or in Snake's stomach in this case, to save them when they needed them. They then noticed the green train had pulled up alongside the red train, and they tried to jump to its roof. But their attempts to jump got interrupted when a billboard was blocking their way. They tried to jump again, but another billboard was ahead of them. They tried to jump again but were repeatedly interrupted by more billboards until the green train drifted away from them and headed down below, where the Bad Guys could no longer reach it. Eventually, the blue rain crossed over a bridge that passed over the green train's path. Seeing this opportunity, Wolf had an idea to reach the train.

"Guys, we gotta jump!" He suggested.

The rest of the Bad Guys exclaimed in disbelief," What?!"

"Are you crazy?!" Snake yelled.

"Trust me. We must jump when I say so!" Wolf instructed.

The Bad Guys leaned in closer together, waiting for Wolf's signal to jump. When the green train passed by below the blue train's bridge, it was their chance to catch the train.

"NOW!" Wolf shouted.

All the Bad Guys jumped off the blue train and fell downwards, passing the flock of ducks, and finally landed on the roof of the green train. Wolf's pants suddenly left behind, but he got the chance to retrieve them.

Right on time, the train arrived at its destination, near Mt. Fuji. When the passengers of the green train went in one direction, the Bad Guys rushed in the other direction, where they found their hidden jet plane.

Finally, they could leave this country.

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Wolf started the jet as the Bad Guys fastened their seatbelts in the cabin, and they could finally rest from their complicated trip in Japan.

"Goodbye, Japan. I'll miss your teriyaki chicken and your complicated storylines in anime!" Piranha waved goodbye at the sight of Japan through the window as the jet was taking off.

"Oh, Japan, isn't it beautiful?" Hornet sighed as he gazed on the home country of his species one last time.

"I hope you're not disappointed we didn't do anything Japanese," Tarantula apologized as if Hornet was upset about their trip.

"Eh, it's fine. At least I get to see Japan and know the origin place of my species," Hornet admitted, much to his friends' delight. "And I'm never coming back to this place ever again," the bug confessed, flying into the other cabin.

The other Bad Guys were frozen in shock at Hornet's thoughts about Japan.

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Cast:

Michael Godere - Mr. Wolf

Chris Diamantopoulos - Mr. Snake

Ezekiel Ajeigbe - Mr. Shark

Raul Ceballos - Mr. Piranha

Mallory Low - Ms. Tarantula

Eugene Lee Yang - Mr. Hornet

Hiroshi Kamiya - Emperor Naruhito, Japanese police officer

Kenjiro Tsuda – Talking toilet, Commercial announcer, Sumo wrestler

Gedde Watanabe – Japanese waiter, Talking Fish

Author Aggimaginary

Co-Author MasterClass60

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Next on The Bad Guys: The Baddest Trip...

Snake: Come on, Piranha, out of all the world, why do you want to go to Spain?

Piranha: I lived in Bolivia, but I feel Hispanic in Spain.

?: Worried that you might get lost? I think I can help with that.

Piranha: Fuchsia?

Shark: Wow, she seems very nice.

Piranha: Yeah, I'd never seen her this nice before

Fuchsia: That's my Pepe… That's my Pepe.

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Hornet was based on the "Asian Giant Hornet, aka "Murder Hornet, which originated in Japan, so I decided to make a chapter about Hornet's origin country.

Half of the chapter was referenced to "The Simpsons: Thirty Minutes over Tokyo." Masterclass60, and I made a couple of changes for this fanfic.

Emperor Naruhito made an appearance here since he was the current emperor of Japan. The scene where the Bad Guys got the seizure from a cartoon show was a reference to a real-life incident when a Pokémon episode, "Electric Soldier Porygon," caused viewers and children to be sent to the hospital because of a seizure caused by the flashing light effects.

The other half of the episode was referenced to Mickey Mouse shorts: Tokyo Go.

Inside a train tunnel was reference to the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System video game Super Mario Bros.

Fun fact: At the end of the chapter, Hornet confirmed he hated Japan and didn't want to go there ever again.

Japanese translation: 'Po tchari' to iu namae wa kizutsukimasu. Watashi no taijū no mondai wa sen ni yoru monodakaradesu. Anata wa sore o taberu tsumoridesu ka? - The name 'Chubby' is hurtful, as my weight problem is glandular. Are you going to eat that? Karera ni kokoro no heiwa no himitsu o oshierubekideshou ka? - Should we tell them the secret of inner peace? Īe, karera wa gaikoku no akumadesu - No, they are foreign devils. Īe - No

Special thanks to Masterclass60 for helping me with this chapter.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. See you soon! Sayonara!

Previous Next

[rudyking]

Eight- legged connection:

Rudy is an arachnologist, while Yn, the new intern has arachnophobia.

Rudy had the kind of smile that could melt glaciers and a laugh that sounded like wind chimes in a summer breeze. His blonde hair was perpetually tousled, as though he’d just emerged from a playful tussle with the wind, and his blue eyes held a warmth that could thaw the frostiest of hearts. He moved with a boundless energy, a happy hum often vibrating beneath the surface of his skin, especially when he was immersed in his work. And his work, his passion, was spiders. Arachnology was not just a career for Rudy; it was a love affair with the eight-legged wonders of the world.

His lab was a testament to this devotion. Glass enclosures lined the walls, each housing a different species, from the delicate, ornate jumping spiders to the robust, hairy tarantulas. Sunlight streamed through the large windows, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air and catching the iridescent sheen of spider silk spun in intricate webs. Rudy moved amongst his charges with an easy grace, whispering soft words to them, adjusting humidity levels, and offering crickets with a gentle tweezer. He saw beauty where most saw fear, intricate artistry where others saw only creepy-crawlies. He often found himself explaining to bewildered visitors, "They are just misunderstood artists, really. Masters of silk and patience."

One Monday morning, the usual cheerful hum in Rudy’s lab was amplified with a touch of anticipation. He was expecting a new intern – a bright young woman named Yn. He’d read her application with interest, impressed by her academic record and her stated enthusiasm for biological research. He was eager to share his passion with a fresh mind, someone who might see the magic in his world.

The door to the lab swung open, and in stepped Yn. She was everything her application suggested and more. Kindness radiated from her gentle features; her eyes, the colour of warm honey, held an intelligence that sparkled with curiosity. Her smile was sweet and genuine, and her presence brought a quiet calm into the otherwise energetic space.

"Rudy?" she asked, her voice soft but clear.

"That's me!" Rudy bounced forward, his hand outstretched. "Welcome to the web – literally! I'm so thrilled to have you here, Yn. Please, come in, make yourself at home. Coffee? Tea? Spider silk infused water? Just kidding on that last one... mostly.” He chuckled, hoping to break the ice with his usual playful banter.

Yn laughed politely, though a slight tremor ran through it. “Coffee would be lovely, thank you, Rudy.”

As Rudy bustled around, preparing coffee, Yn’s eyes cautiously scanned the lab. It was a fascinating space, filled with intriguing equipment and fascinating displays, but something kept catching her attention – the glass enclosures. Her gaze landed on a particularly large terrarium housing a Chilean Rose Tarantula. Its velvety, rose-tinted legs were visible, its dark eyes observing the world with an ancient stillness.

Yn froze. Her breath hitched in her throat. A cold sweat prickled her skin. She felt a wave of dizziness wash over her, and her heart began to hammer against her ribs. It wasn’t just a vague dislike; it was a visceral, paralyzing fear. Arachnophobia. A secret she'd desperately tried to keep hidden, especially now that she'd landed this incredible internship.

Rudy returned with two steaming mugs, oblivious to the internal turmoil brewing within Yn. He held one out to her, his smile wide. "So, what are your initial thoughts? Pretty amazing, right? Don't worry, they are mostly chill in their little houses. Except for maybe Bartholomew, he gets a bit feisty at feeding time." He gestured towards a particularly active jumping spider with a twinkle in his eye.

Yn’s carefully constructed composure shattered. She stumbled back, knocking her elbow against a shelf, sending a small vial clattering to the floor. A strangled gasp escaped her lips, and she pointed a trembling finger at the tarantula enclosure.

“Spider…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her face had gone pale, and her eyes were wide with genuine terror.

Rudy’s playful energy instantly dissipated. He saw the genuine fear etched across Yn’s face, the way her body recoiled as if from a physical blow. His usual hyper-enthusiasm shifted to a quiet, gentle concern. He placed the mugs down carefully and moved towards her slowly, his movements calm and reassuring.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said softly, his voice a warm balm. “It’s alright. Deep breaths. Are you… are you afraid of spiders?” He asked, his tone laced with understanding, not judgment.

Yn nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. “Terrified,” she confessed, her voice trembling. “I… I have arachnophobia.” She felt a wave of shame wash over her. An intern in an arachnology lab, terrified of spiders? It was ridiculous, almost comical. She braced herself for laughter, for dismissal, for being told she was in the wrong place.

But Rudy’s reaction was the opposite of what she expected. His blue eyes remained fixed on hers, filled with nothing but compassion. He didn’t laugh, didn’t judge, didn’t dismiss. He simply nodded slowly, processing her words.

“Okay,” he said gently. “Okay, that’s… that’s understandable. Spiders can be a bit… startling if you’re not used to them.” He paused, then a thoughtful look crossed his face. “You know, it’s actually quite common. And it’s nothing to be ashamed of, Yn. Phobias are real. But… you’re here. That’s brave. Really brave.”

His words were like a soothing balm to her frayed nerves. His gentle understanding, his lack of mockery, was a revelation. She looked at him, surprised by his kindness. "I… I didn't know what to do," she admitted, her voice still shaky. "I really wanted this internship. I'm fascinated by biology, and your research is incredible. But… then I saw them…”

Rudy smiled, a warm, genuine smile that reached his eyes. “Hey, you’re here to learn, right? And I’m here to teach. We’ll take it slow. No spider-handling on day one, I promise,” he chuckled softly. “In fact, how about we start with… spider-free coffee and some theoretical arachnology? We can talk about their anatomy, their silk production, their ecological importance. No live specimens required, unless you want to – and only when you're ready, of course.”

Yn managed a small, grateful smile. “That… that sounds perfect. Thank you, Rudy.”

And so began Yn’s internship, a journey not just into the world of arachnology but also into conquering her deepest fear. Rudy was the most patient and understanding teacher she could have asked for. He never pushed her, never ridiculed her fear. He instead, gently and skillfully, began to unravel the knots of her phobia.

He started with books and diagrams, showing her the intricate beauty of spider anatomy, explaining their vital roles in ecosystems, their intelligence, and their fascinating behaviours. He told her stories of spiders who were devoted mothers, spiders who danced in courtship, spiders who built architectural marvels out of silk. He spoke of them not as monstrous creatures, but as complex, fascinating beings deserving of respect and understanding.

Slowly, cautiously, Yn began to see spiders differently. Rudy's passion was infectious. His gentle handling of the spiders in the lab, his quiet reverence for them, started to chip away at her fear. He introduced her to the jumping spiders first, their tiny size and vibrant colours less intimidating. He showed her videos of them leaping effortlessly, their eight eyes sparkling with intelligence.

One day, weeks into her internship, Rudy was tending to a small, brightly coloured jumping spider, gently coaxing it onto his fingertip. He noticed Yn watching him from across the lab, a hesitant curiosity in her eyes.

“You wanna see her up close?” he asked softly, holding out his hand. Yn’s breath hitched. Her heart pounded again, but this time, it was mixed with a flicker of something else – curiosity, perhaps even… courage?

Slowly, she approached. Rudy remained still, his hand steady. Yn peered at the tiny spider on his fingertip. It was smaller than she had imagined, delicate and surprisingly beautiful in its miniature form. Its iridescent green carapace shimmered in the light.

"It's... it's pretty," she whispered, surprised by her own words.

Rudy smiled, his blue eyes shining. "Isn't she? This is Celeste. She's a bold jumper. Very inquisitive.” He gently moved his finger closer to Yn. “Want to get a little closer look?”

Yn hesitated, then nodded slowly. She leaned in, her breath held captive in her chest. Celeste, as if sensing Yn’s apprehension, remained still on Rudy's finger, her tiny legs gripping firmly. Yn found herself studying the spider, not with fear, but with a strange sense of wonder.

Over the following weeks, Yn’s fear didn’t vanish completely, but it began to recede, replaced by a growing fascination. She started helping Rudy with the daily tasks, learning to feed the spiders, to clean their enclosures, always under his watchful, patient guidance. She even managed, with trembling hands, to hold an empty moulted exoskeleton of a tarantula – a giant, papery ghost of a spider.

Their shared experiences in the lab, navigating the delicate world of spiders, drew them closer. Laughter filled the lab more often now, playful banter replacing initial apprehension. Rudy’s boundless energy and humor were contagious, and Yn found herself opening up, her calm maturity balanced by a newfound playfulness. They talked about everything and nothing – about spiders, of course, but also about their dreams, their fears, their hopes.

One afternoon, as they were working side-by-side, rehousing a particularly large Huntsman spider (a task Yn bravely volunteered for, albeit with Rudy very close by), Yn paused, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“You know,” she said, looking at Rudy. “You’ve been so incredibly patient with me. I know it’s probably been… challenging to have an intern who’s terrified of the very thing you love.”

Rudy looked at her, his blue eyes filled with warmth. “Challenging? Yn, it’s been… amazing. Watching you face your fear, seeing you learn and grow, it’s been inspiring. And honestly,” he added, a playful grin spreading across his face, “it’s been a good reminder for me too. Sometimes, when you love something so much, you forget that it can be scary for others. You’ve helped me see spiders through new eyes too, in a way.”

Their eyes met, and in the quiet hum of the lab, something shifted between them. It wasn’t just the shared passion for science, or the mutual respect that had grown over weeks of working together. It was something deeper, something warmer. It was a connection born out of vulnerability, understanding, and a shared journey of overcoming fear.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the lab, Rudy reached out and gently took Yn’s hand. Her skin was soft against his, a spark of warmth passing between them.

“Yn,” he said softly, his voice tinged with a sincerity that made her heart flutter. “You’re… you’re incredible. Kind, smart, brave… and yes, even funny,” he chuckled. “Would you… would you maybe want to grab dinner sometime? Spider-free, I promise.”

Yn’s smile was radiant, lighting up her face. “I would love that, Rudy.”

And as they walked out of the lab together, leaving the eight-legged artists to their silent, silken world, the air around them shimmered with the promise of something beautiful, something that had blossomed in the most unexpected of places – in the heart of an arachnology lab, between a passionate arachnologist and an intern who had bravely faced her fears, and in doing so, found not only a fascination for spiders, but a love that was just beginning to spin its delicate, strong, and beautiful web.

[cyberneticatoms]

no way is that JAIDEN WEST..they’re a 21 year-old SYNTH notoriously known for being PRETENTIOUS & INDIFFERENT but there are some people who have seen them being EFFICIENT & METICULOUS. if you ask me, they remind me a lot of secrets entwined in complicated dynamics, a single ray of sunlight emerging from the clouds, and constellations drawn in notebooks, but that could just be because they’re considered the MORALITY CHAIN around town. just keep an eye on them  &  see if their true colors shine through..

↳ 𝚀𝚄𝙸𝙲𝙺 𝙵𝙰𝙲𝚃𝚂

NAME:  Jaiden Loid West NICKNAMES: JW (by Josh) DATE OF BIRTH: March 6th (21) HEIGHT: 6'3 AFFILIATION: The Big Three OCCUPATION: Intern at Epsilon Labs/University Student FACECLAIM: Milo Manheim

TW: pedophilia, grooming, murder

↳ 𝙱𝙰𝙲𝙺𝙶𝚁𝙾𝚄𝙽𝙳

❖ If you ask Jaiden his life didn't really start until he was 9. Which seems almost illogical to say but it was how it felt and still feels to him.  ❖ His father was a board member at Epsilon Labs and his mother was his former secretary. He was synth child, who was treated as more of check box than anything else. Brought out for events when they needed to look like a happy family and left at home all other times.  ❖ His mother frequently traveled, the marriage had been a way to secure wealth and she hardly cared what all her husband did when she was gone. Coming back only when it was necessary to keep up appearances.  ❖ When he was 9 his father coerced Zarina West into a romantic relationship, he'd ner her previously when his father had dumped Jaiden on her to babysit.  ❖ For someone who had issues connecting with other people, he was fairly quick to latch onto her. Due in part that the two have similar personalities and thought processes.  ❖ His parents officially divorced when he was 12 and Zarina became his father's public girlfriend not long after. Though if you asked him then the only real parent he actually had was her. It was hard not to think of her as his mom when she was the one actively raising and forming a relationship with him.  ❖ When his father was ultimately killed by Epsilon Labs, Jaiden’s primary concern and fear was losing Zarina. His mother had come back due to him being a minor and the heir to Roger's life insurance and share holds.  ❖ Zarina payed her off and requested to officially adopt Jaiden. Josh Golding stepped in, giving Jaiden's mother a new identity along with a not so subtle threat to never return. With that handled, the official story is Jaiden's parents died in a car crash and he was adopted by Zarina.  ❖ Overall he's just grateful to still have his mom and his aunt in his life. Currently interning at the company while going to university. While he is aware of Zarina’s part in his father's death, he can't say he's particularly upset over it. If anything he feels guilty she and Jess had to go through everything with him, and tries to be a good son/nephew for them.

↳ 𝙼𝙸𝚂𝙲

• Has a pet tarantula named Madam Octa. • His special interest include: space, planes, baking, and insects.

[iamanemotionaltimebomb]

There's nothing wrong with critisising a show you enjoy. That's honestly normal. There's going to be times when a show does something that needs to be discussed, ya know? Keeping that stuff bottled up or silencing those worries because you were praising it so much, and need to keep praising it instead, isn't a healthy way of interacting with things. I know people have a negative view on critisicm, because of bigots and horrible people hiding their hate behind the term(and mis-using it in the process), but it's a necessary thing to have because it allows people to connect, see things that normally goes unnoticed, and learn something new.

Like, I came across an anon who pointed out that this episode could have used Bee's return to hiding, and Hashtag's unlimited access to the internet, as the reason for them being in Philly. They also brought up Nightshade's part with helping Tarantulas's work could have been used to disguised the Terrans as human kids to help with the hiding issue. I never really thought about it until I came across this, and I now wish the show kinda did that(along with having Mo, Robbie, Twitch and Thrash being responsible siblings).

Don't feel bad about voicing your concerns. This isn't out of malice, but you wanting a discussing and that is a crucial part of what fandoms are about: discussing the things the community is passionate about. Do take that time to recover though. I had to do so with the discrimination part of the episode(it is my least favorite part along with episode 3). Oh, I'mma different anon by the way. I saw your recent post and had to say something(sorry ^^;).

Oh that's really sweet to hear you say that, so thanks.

I actually 100% agree with you. I love a lot of media and think certain parts of media are extremely well done, I am going to be the first person in line to voice all the things I thought weren't well done as well.

Honestly, I genuinely love this show. IMO, it's a great mix of gritty and realistic (in the sense of talking about the cost of war, racism, xenophobia, etc.) but also really just cute and funny adventures as well.

Even episode 17 had some AMAZING important talking points about xenophobia and racism that I'm actually very excited to talk about (especially as a mixed kid/kid of migrants) and very happy to have seen brought up (painful as they may be).

The show hits SO many good points. So episode 17 was just very bad whiplash imo because it seemingly throws a lot of previous characterisation and their experiences out the window.

For me, it's not that the episode premise of "the kids disobey their parents and go to Philly and end up in underground cybertronian fight club" isn't a bad one. It was just VERY poorly executed imo.

[monochromatictoad]

It's like, past 3AM where I am currently. My sister just woke me up, because my tarantula, who escaped like, three months ago, maybe longer, was found and safely returned to her enclosure. I'm very happy, because this tarantula I've had for close to three years, and I raised her from a sling.

Anyways, I'm very happy and excited to have her back.

[collecticon-lou]

Prospectives: Age of the Primes 4-Pack

So another Target exclusive 4-pack, and quite an interesting line up. We have Ultra Magnus (redeco of Legacy: United G1 Universe Optimus Prime), Bumper (new head retool and minor redeco of SS86 Bumblebee), Horri-Bull (MAJOR retool of Titans Return Skullsmasher), and Nemesis Prime (new head retool and redeco of Legacy: United Animated Universe Optimus Prime).

Apparently, this is the third of a practical series of 4-packs Target has done, unified by each one featuring a new figure of the 1988 Decepticon headmaster trio. The first one, the "Worlds Collide" 4-pack as part of Buzzworthy Bumblebee, featured Fangry, alongside Bumblebee, Blackarachnia, and Nemesis Primal. The next was the "Versus" 4-pack for Legacy: United, which featured G1 Universe Squeezeplay, alongside Prime Universe Cliffjumper, Beast Wars Universe Tarantulas, and Cyberverse Universe Tarn. This pack with Horri-Bull will be the final one to complete the trio.

Honestly, an interesting way to release a trio, if...expensive. And every drawn out. While I do have the Versus 4-pack, retrospectively I wasn't the biggest fan, which I'll go over once I review it. As for the Worlds Collide 4-pack...eh. It's okay. Blackarachnia being original toy accurate is nice, and Nemesis Primal is a fun idea for a figure, but eh, Bumblebee in that Earthrise Cliffjumper mold never fit for me. Probably wouldn't have gotten it anyways. Fortunately, I have heard Fangry may get a reissue, so still an avenue if I want the trio.

Far as this pack goes...I like it! The G1 Universe and Animated Universe molds for Optimus are both really good, so an excuse to buy distinct versions of each are very nice. Very fun to also have a white Optimus Magnus, def a bucket list item. And having a Nemesis Prime is very good as well. Horri-Bull is a nice plus, since I like having headmasters.

Only one I'm iffy on is Bumper. Happy this is the character's first proper toy under that name, but he kinda looks TOO much like 86 Bumblebee for me. Maybe it'll be different in hand, but some retooling of the feet would have been nice imo. Still, by no means a dealbreaker, so I may pick this up should the opportunity arise.

[voidselfshipp]

Frost Bites.

Cw: alcohol mention.

Summary: Jotun Loki meets his boyfriend on a more than accidented first impression.

>What If! Jotun loki.

-> Only mutuals allowed to reblog

Walking through the lush gardens of Alfheim,the home of the elves, and the place where the best food in all of the nine realms came from,Loki sought to rid himself of the migrane he was having from last night's party. The dwarves made the best mead,no Doubt,but that was a bit of a sore spot for the elves

The cold is a welcoming rest,it was a cloudy day for now,and his footprints left frost in his wake. He had made it to a lake, misty and grey in the light of the morning. Covered in bulbrushes,reed canaries and yellow irises.

Gorgeous.

In the centre sat a big lillypad,like an oversized hat,with the most beautiful lotus he had ever seen. Petals soft as snow,glimmering with dew,fresh es snowfall. He smiles,tiltint his head as he watches the way the petals move when the breeze hits them.

A chilly breeze that makes him miss Jotunheim just a little. He approaches the lake and one foot pressed to the water,thickening it into Ice.

It crackled Like spiderwebs as he set another foot forward.

There,just two steps in,he heard something in the wind- A sweet voice,like caramell and powdered sugar. It ripples in the cold water with bouncy, perfect soundwaves that make the Ice underneath him humm.

--Upon one summer's morning, I carefully did stray

Down by the Walls of Wapping, where I met a sailor gay

Conversing with a young lass who seem'd to be in pain

Saying, "William, when you go, I fear you'll ne'er return again"

He walks closer. More ice thar make a bridge. The voice seems to be coming from the centre of the lake where the lillypad stood- Now he sees it move as if its a speaker from where the music is coming.

--My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold

There is nothing can console me

But my jolly sailor bold

The voice holds his face,the mist around him brushing his jaw with alluring tenderness. He leans into the ghastly touch and Walked forwards, one step after another.

--His hair, it hangs in ringlets, his eyes as black as coal

My happiness attend him wherever he may go

From Tower Hill to Blackwall, I'll wander, weep, and moan

All for my jolly sailor, until he sails home

There,he can see a pair of bright green eyes that cut through the mist. Their forehead obscured by the lilypad that sat on their head,from their nose down the water covered it like a scarf.

And soon he finds himself face to face with the being,his mind slipped to drunkness like its still last night and hes drinking all the dwarven mead he can. With a webbed finger,the creature becons Him closer.

Wet,scaly,cold hand pressed against his cheek. He sees the gleam of pearly,sharp teeth gleam underneath the water as the voice sings again--My heart is pierced by Cupid

I disdain all glittering gold

There is nothing can console me

And my jolly sailor bold

Yet another hand cups his face and lunges Him to the water,yet before his chin meets the lake all his movement is stopped abruptly.

The creature looked at the blue skin,at the red and black eyes,the large horned crown of Ice and the green cloak over his shoulders and back.

--By Freyr!--The creature yelled with fear as it pushed away, the lilypad a Giant,oversized hat on their figure.-- prince! I am so sorry I did not realize-!

Its then he sees the reality of the creature. Its a Marmennill,similar to the Nøkk. A spirit meant to lure men into the water to kill them. How could he be so foolish.

The merman rises from the water up to his torso. Pale skin adorned with an algae cloak,countless braided and beaded jewelry and blue and green scales with little pearls like stars across their body. Their eyes are green but there are three other beady orbs under them, like a tarantulas.

Over and over again they beg for forgiveness,promising they meant no harm or ill Will.

But he only stares at their Beauty. Their heart shaped face held sideburns,a moustache and a bit of hair on his chin. Their fingers were elegant,clawed Like a fine dagger.

--S'ppose I am a fool for falling for such tricks-- Loki reconcilled, smirking. Theres a fluttering in his chest he seems to like-- But nothing shall happen to you,little merman. What is your name?

Theres a moment of desbelief,where the creature seemed sure that they were going to die. But then he clears his throat,Face turning Pink. A coy smile appears on their face.

--I am Jerico, Lord Loki.

--Pleased to meet you-- He takes their hand and kisses his knuckles with a wink. The merman giggled and swam closer.

"You can make it up to me,allow me to take you out on a date?" He had said, That dashing smile on his face...

And so, it had begun.

He procured the finest fish for his date,he pulled all the stops. Loki had found his prince,and he was happy for it.

Jerico was more of an introvert, keeping to sitting on the Giants shoulder when he partied. Unlike the rest of their kind,he had learnt sorcery to transform their fish half into human form. They were a graceful being,a Beauty unlike any other.

At parties they amused their prince lover by predicting the future,a feature of being a Marmennill. They told him what numbers to bet on, pointed out people acting ridiculous and told him what to expect from drunk guests, to be told someone would trip and then seeing it was hilarious each and every time.

--Loki! Jerico! You two made it-- thor announced with a smile. He shook his Giant Friends pinky.

--We wouldnt miss it-- Loki answered--Isnt that right,my siren?

--Indeed.

Jeri waves at the prince of asgard. Their free hand held on a fine strand of black hair. Their humanoid form dressed only the best of clothes.

--The seas on Midgard are something else,Dear jerico! Youll have so much fun.

--Then lets get my prince here a drink,and lets find out-- the merman tugged on the hair playfully,and the Giant laughed.

--We'll be back shortly.

The pair Walked away,and after the frost Giant got his drink he took his boyfriend to the nearest pond- A fine,beautifully crafted one.

Across their Many days of partying,Loki carries Jerico around to Many Rivers and seas. Theyre currently on the french coast, the Prince sits within the water, the waves meaning nothing to him.

Jer is swimming around,doing tricks and having fun.

Loki Drank from his mead tankard and chuckled at the cute sight. He adores them so much.

--What are you up to?--He asked with a smile as his boyfriend swam to him. They hold on to his knees and lean on his legs little mermaid style. The waves crash behind them,the foam an ebbing blanket.

--I merely want a kiss.

He chuckled.

--Who am I to deny you?-- he set the beer aside,not caring if some salt water got in. He leans forward and pressed a kiss to his lover's lips.

A gentle kiss. Despite the small size difference there still were things to be mindful of. The Giants strength is mild as he cups his lovers cheeks,and the merman makes sure to Keep at least their fins in the water.

Snowfall on the River,fresh blooming flowers. The misty air on a cold morning. Peace settling over a beautiful lake. Ice that forms yet doesnt burn the skin,but Rather kisses it, and an alluring voice that whispers the sweetest of words and love confessions- And another voice that answers and returns the love.

The waves splash as he falls onto the shore,his boyfriend crawls over him to continue the kiss between shared giggles.

Partying meant nothing when they were together like this.

[prettycalla]

Hihi came across your post and am interested in the matchmaker!

To give a little info on me,

I'm a horrendous procrastinater and can get distracted so easily sometimes but when I have to concentrate I *can* knuckle down.

I do like art, particularly painting things on stones and pebbles, so my match would be getting loads of pet rocks with random stuff painted on it (id paint them things they like ofc but can't promise they wouldn't get a random painting of a shoe or something one day for the shits and gigs). I also love watching the F1! (Can't drive myself though, that's not for lack of trying to pass the bloody test)

I've got several face piercings and tattoos, and two tone hair, (why settle for one?)

I'm one of those who's funny without always actually trying to be, I do chat some serious shite sometimes though. I do love to make people laugh and am quite good with accents (answering spam calls with a Scottish accent when I'm not Scottish for one)

I can be quite grumpy at times especially in a morning (don't talk to me before 10am unless you want to *die*) but then can switch in an instant and be happy again, it depends lol

Im would need my partner to be interesting, so we can have fun and enjoy ourselves with whatever it is we get up to/have something distinctive about them I think that keeps drawing me back, & they find me interesting in return, (Im a Gemini your probably not surprised after reading this)

Pets: I have a cat that I love very dearly! (She has her own insta and cat sunglasses too cause she's a bad bitch like that)

Once when I was very mentally unwell I had a pet onion called frank, (I'm not in that era anymore) he lived on my cooker and I refused to cook him because he was a member of our household (he went mouldy eventually so that was that) but I would like a tarantula!

Films that I like: I love a horror film, slashers and scary ones and historical ones!

I love music, and to dance! I can do the splits and would do so to the most absurd music in slow mo for added affect. I read tarot so can give my match guidance and insight if they need it!

I can be a silly little soul but can actually be serious when its needed, and when my match needs me I'm there for them, with humour, or with support, snacks or in whatever way they might need it. They need to be prepared for lots of laughs (either with me or at me or us laughing at something else it's all good)

God there's a lot of text here I'm so sorry! 😂 My poor match lol they better be accepting of a pet cabbage if I feel so inclined

I think you and Caracalla would be a good match!

Caracalla would love your spontaneity and creative streak. He often struggles with the numbing, all-consuming irritation that boredom brings, but he would certainly find himself entertained by you.

There are many words that could describe him, but dull is not one of them, and you would surely find yourself engrossed in his many stories and adventures. Being a twin, Gemini would be a good astrological match for him too, as they are known for their adaptability in social situations and imaginative nature, and these are definitely traits that would be helpful to have in the company of a wild card like Caracalla.

He isn't a morning person himself, and conversation with him is little more than grunting for the first hour or so until he finally wakes up. If you can learn to understand him, you would quickly develop your own secret language with him.

He would love that you have accessories for your cat, and would proudly show you all of Dondus' little outfits. (If social media had existed back then, Caracalla absolutely would have had an Instagram page for Dondus.)

The two of you together would often be chaos, and Caracalla would adore every minute of it.

Gladiator Matchmaker

[echoesfromahollowhead]

Will's Personal Top 39 Records of 2024!!!

or Will's failed Personal Top 24 Records of 2024!!!

by: Wil.T

This year has been a wild one for existing not to mention music and the arts. As things still return to full steam in a post-pandemic world it's important to take note of the modern wonders of sound and art still rolling forth daily. I will also take a moment to mention that my list without a doubt overlooks countless records for artists known and unknown and as much as I wish I could I don't know it all or even remember all the ones I want to mention.

As I type I'm remembering The Cure also put out a kick-ass new album after a good hiatus “Songs of a lost world” and should be on this list as well. Personally, I'm really stoked to see such a volume of output from many of these legendary artists after all this time... If only there were a way to still tell you guys and gals about it... Oh well, more will come to me and I'll be like FUCK I should've made my list LONGER! Like the latest thrash single from those lovable beasts of bourbon OX45 – Nuke the Whales?!? How could I forget that?! Sheeesh I swear sometimes it's amazing anything ever gets done at all!

Anyways, I thought pretty long and hard on this one. It's not in any particular order as that would last ages for me to attempt to do. Also, before I forget there were some killer tracks dropping from Z-Ro & Bizarre separately but equally all down for it should you be hungry for some more bumps in your trunk. That said if you're looking for some killer new jams then look no further! Most are available through the big streamers a few others are available on bandcamp, but all are out there somewhere! Happy listening!!

The Jesus & Mary Chain - Glasgow Eyes

Ministry - Hopiumforthemasses

God Bullies - As Above, So Below

Willie Nelson - Last Leaf on the Tree

Melvins - Tarantula Heart

Billy Morrison - The Morrison Project

Six Feet Under - Killing for Revenge

Municipal Waste - Tango & Thrash

Green Jelly - Murder Train [single]

The Residents - Secret Show (Live in San Francisco)

Cyberaktif - eNdgame

Regurgitator - Invader

PIG - Red Room

Shellac - To All Trains

Fu Manchu - The Return of Tomorrow

Texas Toast Chainsaw Massacre - Super Turbo

Dwarves - Keep it Real

The Jesus Lizaed - Rack

Saint Dog - Funky Soul

Tim Heidecker - Slipping Away

The Tony Slug Experience - self titled

Carnage Guisada - How High Are You?

Cancerslug - Puttana Inamorata

Fuck the Mainstream Records Presents: ONE FOR THE ROAD: a compilation of friends thugs & back ally tugs

*Honorable mentions:

J Mascis – What Do We Do Now

Meat Puppets – Out My Way

The Aquabats – Finally

They Might Be Giants - Beast of Horns (sampler EP)

Marilyn Manson - One Assassination Under God - Chapter !

Static-X - Project Regeneration Vol.2

Thurstone Moore - Flow Critical Lucidity

The Black Keys – Ohio Players

Jack White – No Name

MDC – Multi-Death Corporations

Wil.T -Dog Paddle

Pig Chicken Suicide - Pig Chicken Suicide Must Be Stopped

KMFDM - LET GO

Ghoul - Noxious Concoctions

Forsaken Profits - Lost in Translation

Went to 39 because.. you know. \m/

-W

LISTEN TO MOST OF IT HERE:

TOP 39 OF ‘24 - playlist by King Moth | Spotify

[doublejango]

This was ridiculous. Blitz was being an absolute princess and he knew it, but since Cain didn't seem to mind, why should he? The imp was quite literally vibrating with happiness, continuing to purr away at being pet and loved on. He and Cain had seen each other around a few times, although as far as Blitz could remember, this was the first time they'd really interacted. It was nice! Which was to be expected, really; every time he'd seen the giant tarantula fucker interacting with other people, Blitz always got the impression Cain was decent. Maybe too decent for Hell.

So really, why not bask in the wonderful goodness of having that finally be proven beyond a reasonable doubt?

Eyes closed, he nodded. "Mmhmm. Blitz. The O is silent." He stopped purring, but only because it was difficult to talk and purr at the same time. Blitz wiggled ever so slightly upright, huffed, and turned around on Cain's lap so he could more properly wrap an arm around the guy in return.

"I feel like maybe it's a little late to be asking this, but tell me about yourself, huh? What do you do down in Hell? What, like, fuck. I mean, what are you looking for when it comes to other people?" He gestured vaguely at himself, aware this was an open-ended question, but equally aware that he was, for once, genuinely interested in getting to know another person. That didn't happen often for Blitz, and it was nice! He usually tried to ignore other people as much as possible, and definitely never wanted to know the nitty gritty details of a person's life or thought process. This guy, though... fuck it.

Some people were worth taking a little risk for.

Ohh that purr was so nice, it made his whole chest rumble and elict chirrs of his own, glad to have the other's weight in his lap and against his chest. Using one of his upper hands he waved the waiter down and made the order, before glancing back down and moved his hand to rub at the other's head and base of his horns gently. "Mhmm I'm fine feeding you~ I like you exactly where you are "Cain assured him, returning the gesture with a nuzzle of his own to the other's head. "Mhmmm~" A moment of just enjoying the affection and closeness, nothing too big or pressuring, just nice, consensual cuddles. "Yeah, it's Cain~ Blitz right?~"

[friedfriedchicken]

I finally finished watching TF:EarthSpark S1 (please give me like 2+ seasons) and I have gathered all my thoughts into one silly list

Love how Alex Malto is very Filipino honestly. Like- it's so small but he's very there and he's the only fictional Filipino I've ever seen in anything live-action or animated that didn't originate from the Philipines. My dad was immediately activated when he heard/saw Alex say 'nanay' (my TV was quiet compared to the movie he was watching in the other room) and it makes me insanely happy. Also he's a lot like my dad scarily enough.

Originally I had TF:Cyberverse in my brain as the 'divorced Transformers show' but EarthSpark has much more divorced-exes vibes oml. Megatron with Soundwave and Shockwave, Bumblebee with Breakdown, Tarantulas in general, especially Megan and Sounders

I'm not a fan of humans in TF stories but the Maltos were great- they were woven into the story very well and were also very entertaining! Alex could infodump and had a fun arc with Bumblebee, Dottie and her backstory were great lore-fillers and her mom abilities were silly (there were a lot of dads but only one mom), Robbie and Mo felt like their own characters without overshadowing the Transformers, and the other background humans were generally enjoyable.

On the other hand- Mandroid didn't really stick with me, especially after he came back after his thingy blew up. Dude is practically a zombie- let him die 😭 BUT I'm excited to see what he'll do next season regardless of how little I enjoyed him as the big baddie

This show has so many dads oml. Alex Malto, Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Wheeljack, Tarantulas, Soundwave, where are all these dads coming from?! It's so fun, you get dads in different fonts like silly, casual war vet, PTSD war vet, not-paid enough war vet, new dad war vet, give him another chance war vet, and angry ex!

Starsceam's eyes are blue! It's so random and small but it activates my brain! Is it a design choice or something more?!

We've seen multiple stunticons but never all together in one place. I wonder if we'll get Menasor or not but, regardless, I love this version of Breakdown so much. Dude is so chill and spawned a new ship in my brain QwQ Bumbledown? Breakbee? Those two had very complicated vibes but my non-TF fan sibling agrees with me they have friendly exes energy

TERRANS- I LOVE THEM- ALL OF THEM- THEY'RE SO COOL

The fight scenes were so 💋 smooth and beautiful and I'd marry the fight scenes if they were people

I thought Bumblebee's friend he was chasing down was going to be Blurr because hee hoo I grew up watching TF:Animated and TF:Cyberverse plus Blurr is one of my favorite Transformers

Actually, my brain is infested with Bumblebee × Breakdown because seriously- this show didn't use slowmo scenes until BREAKDOWN SACRIFICED HIMSELF TO LET BUMBLEBEE ESCAPE. WHAT IS THAT?! IT TICKLES ONE OF MY FAVORITE SHIPPING TROPES OF ALL TIME (friends to enemies to lovers) BECAUSE THEY RACED TOGETHER, GOT SEPARATED, BY THE WAR, AND STILL RETURNED TO RACING WITH EACHOTHER HELP ME

Arcee with her classic car-inspired look omg 🛐 she's so cool and pretty besides for her black eye-liner thing. It looks really weird when her eyes are closed but she's very pretty regardless

Addicted to the found-family vibes of this show (It's not a TF series unless there's found family) but the especially traumatic energy of Tarantulas and Nightshade fuels my 4:47 AM mind. Tarantulas literally doesn't care about anything other than keeping this kid safe and can't tell what actually is safe or not and SACRIFICES HIMSELF SO NIGHTSHADE AND THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY CAN ESCAPE. PLEASE DON'T HURT HIM HE JUST WANTS TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH THE COOL KID HE FOUND IN HIS HOUSE ONE DAY

The size differences in this show are immaculate.

After getting kidnapped by Mandroid and cut, Megatron keeps the slice in his shoulder for later episodes and it's so cool that the continuity is there but sir, please patch yourself up! I don't hate it, it looks cool, but your armor is broken!

Please where did Mandroid get the funds to make who knows how many Arachnamechs?! The government/GHOST sure wasn't paying him while he was in his corrupted Howl's Moving Castle evil lab or sitting in his illegal fight ring.

I know the captions call Hashtag 'Hashtag' but she said she didn't have a word for it therefore her name in my brain is actually gonna be #. Just that. #. She deserves it because she's so silly. She has a fake ponytail and headset as part of her head design- it's amazing.

ALSO # MADE A REFERENCE TO "All your base are belong to use" AND I LOVE HER FOR THAT- POP OFF QUEEN

On the topic of design, Nightshade's protoform look was a little uncomfy for me with the helmet leaving their head very exposed and the random 'ear' discs. It felt weird but after they got their alt-mode they've been nothing but beautiful.

Jawbreaker my boy- you don't need an alt-mode to be so silly <3

Reoccurring Fluffy Ears is amazing

Honestly a lot of designs are either hits or misses. Megatron looked perfect to me but Optimus was off with his very flat head and weird faceplate. Like he was missing a forehead and the faceplate itself looked wonky. Soundwave was super pretty, even if his face is one solid color he absolutely rocked that look. I miss the smiley face Cyberverse Bee had on his pelvis area but at least my eyes aren't drawn to EarthSpark Bee's hips lol. Also Wheeljack. They brought back the mustache face but made it white and it feels incredibly silly and cool and scary and weird at the same time.

I think I'm done rambling for now but this might come back later hee hoo