#and like putting dinosaur in a sentence makes in an interesting sentence

[jay--o]

Spawn;Get killed by small dinosaurs

Gather resources;Get killed by medium dinosaurs

Boss battle? No;Get killed by big dinosaurs

[sillysaurus]

wanted to answer some of these

What's your big age: 18

What ages do you regress to: mainly around 0-5?

Baby, toddler, or big kid: mainly toddler/preschool and baby, rarely older than those

Do you pet regress: no, i do identify with bunnies though (maybe bunnykin??)

Are you also a caregiver: no, and i don't want to be in that position

How long have you been regressing: since i was about 12? so like 6 years?

Is your regression voluntary or involuntary: mostly involuntary, but i will induce it voluntarily in almost all of my free time

What is your personality like when regressed: fussy/sensitive, whiney crybaby im ngl, quiet/not talkative, but giggly, clingy, shy/sheepish, curious, despite being sensitive and difficult i am always well behaved

How often do you regress: im almost always kind of regressed, but usually i am masking and able to act my age, but if something triggers me more i wont be able to act my age anymore

What puts you into headspace: praise, petnames, baby talk/cooing, gentle/soft tones of voice, people doing things for me, being tired/scared/in pain/sick

What pulls you out of headspace: nsfw, violence, romance, sometimes people cursing (i do a lot and cant stop myself unfortunately), being in public (usually)

Do you have a baby voice in headspace: maybe? kind of? idk but i do talk a bit differently, honestly i talk a lot less but when i do its short words/broken sentences, whiny/softer in tone, etc.

Why do you regress: its mostly involuntary (because of trauma, i believe) but i do it voluntarily as well because its the only time i really feel safe and happy (even though a lot of my regression is negative/vent)

Neon, pastel, neutral, or dark colors: either pastel or dark. odd combo, but i wear black most of the time due to being alternate but my favorite color is blue! i love light/baby blues

Favorite regression clothes: i still wear my alternative clothing style while regressed but i like big hoodies and fuzzy socks as well. i also really want overalls and bloomers!

Do you have a caregiver: no (i would like one, some day)

Do you have any sibbies: no (unsure about having them, open to it i guess?)

Favorite petnames: sweetheart, sweet boy, (anything with 'sweet'), little boy, hun/honey, bud/buddy, goober

Favorite snack: applesauce, fruits, yogurt

Favorite movie(s): the nightmare before christmas, the BFG, sharkboy and lavagirl, rugrats go to paris

Favorite cartoon(s): craig of the creek, rugrats, curious george, summercamp island, alvin and the chipmunks, kindergarten the musical, tmnt

Favorite game(s): animal crossing, stardew valley, twisted wonderland, slime rancher, cookie run

Do you have a comfort character: könig, eyeless jack, laughing jack, moondrop, idia shroud, sundrop, nanami (jjk),

Are you easily scared: yes, scared of thunder, heights, the dark, yelling, etc. and just very nervous and sensitive in general

Independent or dependent: i dont want to be independent but im forced to at the moment, my dream is to be very dependent one day

Do you use a pacifier: yes, usually when im sleepy, upset, or grinding my teeth. i only have one but i want more

Do you use diapers: i wish…

Gear wishlist: everything! a crib, kid/soft books, indoor tent, bottles, sippy cups, plates, silverware, etc, diapers, idk if they make ones big enough but hopefully a high chair, car seat, baby bouncer, and ball pit as well

Favorite regression item: i only have one pacifier and some dinosaur sippy cups but i love them <3

Do you have a bedtime: no (i stay up late) but i would like one, not gonna happen until i get a caregiver though

Do you have rules: no, but one day when i have a caregiver i would like them, unsure about what though besides a bedtime. hopefully they can get me to stop cursing as well

Favorite animal(s): bunnies, marine animals, pigs, monkeys

Favorite holiday: halloween!

Favorite season: autumn/fall

Are your agere interests more fem or masc: definitely masc. dinosaurs, trains, construction vehicles, monster trucks, cartoons/movies/books about boys, tmnt

Do you stim more when regressed: im almost always regressed but yes, mainly vocal stims when im really feeling small

Favorite site/app for regression community: here!! tumblr! i was on reddit and instagram back in the day… (i still use instagram but not much)

What's your favorite thing to learn about in headspace: im learning spanish and german! but i just like learning in general, i like when people tell/teach me about things!

[ghostinthegallery]

Yup, finally time to talk about Trazyn...

I put it off because hey, everyone else deserves some love and attention...but Trazyn deserves more, sorry he is just built different.

It will probably shock no one that Trazyn is my favorite 40k character. He's what got me into Warhammer in the first place. I imagine I'm not the only one who went through the "oh, funny meme steal guy lol" to "guess I'll read Infinite and the Divine" to "can't be invited to parties because I refuse to think about anything that's not Necrons or my new plastic crack addiction" pipeline.

But why is this weird sexy space kleptomaniac so compelling? The answer might surprise you!

(it won't for a while but bear with me there's a twist coming)

Why do we all like Trazyn? First of all, he's easy to grasp. Indiana Jones meets the Collector in 40k. One sentence and you know what he's about. That's invaluable for pitching a character. And then you watch him and he's clever, he's hyper-competent, he's funny. In the grimdark future, this guy makes you laugh! He screws with everyone. And yeah, he's easy to meme, but that's just part of his charm.

He fits into nearly any 40k story too. Space Marines? Aeldar? Chaos? Tau? Trazyn wants an artifact and he's messing with *insert main characters here* to get it. Or maybe *insert main characters here* need something and he's the only one who has it. Doesn't really matter what or why, the second Trazyn shows up he can play off anyone. As an uneasy ally, an opponent in a negotiation, or in a fight. He has an incredible dry wit that makes him super entertaining (especially in a setting where characters can be a bit...serious).

And Trazyn ultimately has pretty sympathetic motives. He wants to preserve, to collect, and tell stories through his museum. Museums are cool! Culture is neat! Sure he's a bit...unethical, but he's far from the worst dude in 40k so he's very easy to root for, even if he's a side character or antagonist.

So yeah, witty, devious, immortal museum curator. Perfect character, right?

Well...here's that twist.

Trazyn is actually (in my opinion) really, really hard to write for as a protagonist of his own story.

See most commercial fiction is structured around a character who wants something, but something else gets in their way. Frodo wants to take the ring to Mordor but all of middle earth plus some evil wizards, orcs, giant spiders, etc. are in the way. The issue with Trazyn (on paper) is that he doesn't truly want anything. Sure there are specific artifacts and people he wants for his collection, but that's surface level. Hunting down random cool space stuff is not a change from his day to day, so focusing a whole story around that might be fun for a while, but it wouldn't stick with you. Because any deep, emotional desires he has are fulfilled. He has power, he has purpose, he has his own planet that shapes itself to his will.

Trazyn is used to being in control. Of Solemnace, of his expeditions, of his negotiations. If plan A goes south he has twelve other options, and a few back up plans, and probably an ork warband attached to his belt if he needs it. Oh, and he's immortal. And can't be hurt. Which again, is hella fun, but how do you have suspense or stakes with all of that? How do you write an interesting story for the guy that has everything?

Enter Orikan.

Orikan is one of the only things that introduces chaos into Trazyn's existence. Orikan can break into Trazyn's house, break his stuff, and get away with it. When Orikan is around, the things Trazyn loves are in danger. Orikan shattered relics from their people's history and Trazyn failed to save them. He tried to catch one piece and it shattered because his hand was metal. The thing that usually makes him untouchable contributed to his loss. That is heartbreaking to read. Sure he can fight elves and dinosaurs and steal the most incredible things, but Trazyn can be made vulnerable in the right circumstances.

The thing he wants throughout Infinite and the Divine is not the McGuffin Mysterios. It's revenge. But because Orikan is his equal and opposite, he can't get it easily. There's an obstacle. Which means we have a story on our hands.

There's another scene that I find really striking from that book: Trazyn and his human assistant on Serenade. This old man who Trazyn kinda...mind controlled into service, but also provided him and his family with the best education, medical care, career opportunities etc. Trazyn didn't have to do that, but he is the type of greedy where if something is "his" he takes care of it. That includes (for better or worse) that human man and his family. Blips on the radar to an immortal being, but those are Trazyn's blips so they get the best a blip can ask for (aside from free will but shhhhhh.)

But that doesn't mean Trazyn can prevent the inevitable. His assistant gets old without him even noticing. The man has reached the end of his life, and that is something Trazyn can't control. And he's emotional about it. Not like devastated (it's just a human after all, basically his hamster just died) but it throws him for a loop.

Oh hey, speaking of how Trazyn takes care of things that he considers his...

Trazyn never really gets close to killing Orikan. He says he wants to. He acts like it. That's the story we set up. Trazyn shoots him in the face. But does he try to permanently kill Orikan? Does he ever act with any true cruelty?

He does once. When Orikan was weak and vulnerable, Trazyn crushed Orikan's skull with his foot, and that's so out of character it's our clearest indication as a reader that something is wrong. That's when we realize the song has Trazyn ensnared because normally he would not do that. He wouldn't treat his greatest enemy and rival that way which is... certainly interesting.

And then of course there's that scene at the end. When Orikan is burned and afraid and unable to defend himself, Trazyn doesn't even try to hurt him. He is gentle, careful, he makes sure Orikan isn't permanently damaged. After everything they've done to each other over 10,000 years (and that's just the events of the book, their rivalry is older), it doesn't even occur to Trazyn to harm Orikan in that moment.

That to me is the real secret that makes Trazyn more than a meme character. That greed that makes him care for things, cultures, places, and people. Those moments where he isn't in control. The combination of the two that means something is at stake. He has a deep love for the universe despite this being such a nihilistic setting. That love drives him to do ridiculous things, but that's the core (I think) of why we love watching him cavort around the galaxy so much.

[itisbop]

And now... the moment you've all been waiting for (or not, which is fine)! Let's talk Brawl Talk because OH BOY am I excited.

This is gonna be a pretty long post, so bear with me! I'll go over one section at a time and go over what I liked and disliked. Spoilers ahead! If you haven't watched the latest Brawl Talk, go do so! One more reminder, these are just my thoughts! You don't have to agree with me!

Without further to do... let's talk!

New Brawlers (Angelo and Melodie)

Now, when I first saw Angelo, I immediately went, "HE'S UGLY LMAO." After getting used to him, though, he's actually not that bad. His design is really good and is somewhat of an anti-cupid (perfect for a gal like Willow). Also, his voice actor did such a good job so much energy was put into him.

He doesn't seem like he's gonna be incredibly busted, but he is gonna be good in the right hands (while I'm at it pay your respects to Mortis Mains ya'll, they just took a major l with this guy). Sorry Larry and Lawrie, but you two are gonna have to step aside, I NEED this man as much as I need the next brawler.

I. LOVE. MELODIE!!! I did think she was a League of Legends character at first, lol.

Apparently, I've heard people say she is the first female assassin, which is very interesting! Out of the two, I feel she poses more of a threat. She might be broken, though her main attack is WEAK.

I've been through the Reddit and have seen so many people talk about how she looks like Janet, and I'd like to take the time to bring up a little theory... what if she was Janet and Bonnie's mom? I would go into this further, but we have to keep going!

Overall, I really like these two! Their designs are really good, and the character designers did a great job! Their pins and profile pictures show SO much personality! Expect some art of these two soon! However, if I may say something, I wish their skins were cooler. Why couldn't Angelo have a Sands of Time skin too? 😭

Speaking of Sands of Time...

Sands of Time and Ragnorok + Skins

Out of both seasons, I'm very hyped for Sands of Time. The "Sands of Time" is a very interesting concept that can be used very creatively. Can't wait to see what the animation brings! Though I think we all know why I'm hyped...

My best guest was that this skin was gonna be a Epic/Mythic skin, but a LEGENDARY?????? WHAT?????? Chuck fans we just fucking WON. I've seen the sneak peaks and heard his voice lines, Nicolai did an INCREDIBLE job as always. I'm am SO READY to go broke for this skin, but first, I must purchase some seasonal skins since they've been on my agenda for a while.

Loki Chester has to be the one I'm looking forward to getting the most for the Ragnorok seasons/skins. Plus, it's free! (If you have good luck).

Side note and honorable mention, Thor Bibi was just the icing on the cake for Bibi Mains this update. While I feel like a few more details could be added for this skin to make in truly "legendary," everything else about it great, including the voice acting! Poor Bull, he's the only one in his yet to get a Legendary Skin.

Ranked and The Report System

Okay, not related, but I love how they disses on the community a bit in this section, LOL. They know what, at least Reddit and Twitter are doing (and let's keep it that way, they don't need to know what's going on over here lol).

Anyways, while I'm excited (and scared) for Ranked with modifiers I wanna take this time to talk about a concern... the report system...

Now, I know there's a reason why we have 10 reports; but what's gonna stop so angry guy from reporting me if I didn't do anything? I feel like there's a chance this could backfire, that's all.

Hypercharges and Balance Changes

No Mortis or Poco hypercharge :(

Cordelius was definitely unexpected and very scary. Getting slowed in the shadow realm is a death sentence.

I wish Belle got a little more this update, but I'll take the hypercharge.

Move over Charlie, there's a new spider person in town, and he's a DINOSAUR.

Onto to balance changes. 84???? GOD DAMN. Adrien wasn't fucking around this update. Edgar is dead (and rightfully so FUCK HIM) and Doug might actually stand a chance in this Meta. I'll miss the days when Hypercharges were game breaking just for the community's rage, but it's probably for the greater good.

Whatever the Fuck the Random Skins Were

Now Primo Shark, I can take (though I'm definitely not gonna be able to take Baby Shark as a in game theme, I'm muting music for that entire time period). Pitcher Fang is a good skin too. Squeaky note is very... meh, but it's a rare skin so you can't expect much.

BUT POOP SPIKE.

POOP SPIKE.

What

the

FUCK?

It was tolerable until I saw the losing animation, and to that, I say EWWWWWWWWWW 🤮🤮🤮. WHYYYYY!?!?!? THAT'S SO NASTY!!!

I get that this is an April Fool's skin, but WHYYY THAT??? Thank GOD this skin is expensive. If I catch any of you with this skin, I'm gonna need to ask if you're okay. I don't wanna show a picture of this skin to you all, or else I'm pretty sure Tumblr would kick me to the curve. This is easily what I was least excited for for this update.

Overall Rating and Final Thoughts

Now, it's time to throw the final ratings on screen and say anything else that's on my mind.

New Brawlers - 9.5/10, definitely getting both! Let's hope they get some cool skins soon!

Sands of Time - 7/10, the concept and Chuck carry this season don't fight me on this. /j

Ragnorok - 6.5/10, I'm not as hyped, but I will grind for that Chester skin!

Ranked - 8/10, now I have a reason to actually play this mode. Hopefully, the report system is fair enough...

Hypercharges - 6.5/10, again not as hype, but I will be snatching that Belle Hypercharge since she's the only one out of the 6 I maxed out. She deserved more, though. :(

Balance Changes - 10/10, bye Edgar begone. F for the twins, however; I liked them.

Random Stuff - 3/10, not even Pitched Fang can save us from whatever the devs were on.

Overall Season 24/25 is...

8/10! (Poop Spike ruined it >:( )

And that's it. For those who have read to the end, thank you so much for heating me ramble it means so much. Expect some headcanons and more little theories soon (as in some time this week). Until then, ciao!

[baeklination]

Balcoyny

Date: 230814

Warnings: SMUT 🔞, it's a short one so I don't have to give it away (nothing worth red siren)

Pairing: Baekhyun x F. Reader

WC: 682

NOTE: I've been having some difficulties writing. Not block per se, just that it doesn't go as smoothly as it usually does and I nod of while writing after work, so I decided to take a day to write freely (and it kinda worked). As I was doing this I realised I hadn't done a summer one yet, which I always do (not as a plan, just...) I'm happy I managed, 'cus you guys deserve at least something.

And no, the title doesn't have a type-o.

Masterlist

¤¤

Turning the magazine to its front you smile, but this cozy morning with Baekhyun is too sweet, so you keep it in its plastic, opting for a later read. Aow. Stepping on the threshold of the balcony is uncomfortable, so why do you do it?

"Do you believe in the Loch Ness monster..?"

"All of a sudden?"

The sun isn't hitting the balcony directly but he still squints when he looks your way. Holding up this month's National Geographic you show him the reason for your sudden interest. 

"Haha. I haven't thought about it. Do you? You do, I know you do."

"No. I don't, but-"

"Buuut?'

"No. I don't. But I guess I'd like it - them - to be real. It would be like almost seeing a dinosaur, a Brachiosaurus. The ones with the long neck, you know."

Dropping the magazine on the table you see Baekhyun smiling and know exactly why, so you put your hand up.

"Don't say it."

"Wh-what..?"

"I know you were gonna say something about how you've got a long yada, yada, Baekhyun."

He bursts out laughing. He can be a total dweeb sometimes, which is an incredibly endearing contrast to his serious and cool side and makes your heart flutter with light.

"Okay. But if you're curious we can go inside and I'll show you…"

"Why go inside?", you challenge him. "Show me right here."

You said it as a joke, but actually, why go inside..? Baekhyun's eyes zigzag before settling on your face. Lowering his voice he speaks cautiously - warning against, but also…

"The neighbours… Mrs. Janczak is out on her balcony…"

When you sit down on the rug he turns his body to face yours, but keeps a nervous hand on the hem of his shorts.

"Unless she has x-ray vision she's hardly gonna see from down there."

Surveying the building across the yard for a few seconds, he gathers the coast is clear, stretches out the waistband and raises up his cock. 

Even now, he's got such an adorable expression of nerves mixed in with his arousal and when you push your mouth down the head he moans in the most shaky of voices. He isn't fully hard yet, so he grows and stiffens with each nod of your head. Emitting a sound too loud for his comfort makes him look around again, fearing he's been caught. 

"Baekhyun, relax…", you whisper, slowly pumping him. "...or do you want me to stop..?"

Taking a deep breath he shakes his head no (like you knew he would), so you continue sucking, letting him to the back of your throat. 

"Ah…."

 Closing your hand and lips tighter you focus on making him climax, wanting to feel his cum spurt into your mouth. 

"A-hh, f……. Wait. Here, move", he all of a sudden whispers in a hurry, sliding down from the chair to the rug, pushing his clothes down and when you start bending he stops you. Cupping his hand by your ear, voice dripping, he explains: "Sit on me."

He's not finished the sentence before pulling at your shorts and even only taking them off the one leg you feel like maybe someone is seeing, kind of nervous like he was. 

Having fallen into the moment, he sees only you; kissing with so much juice while you let yourself adjust to his size, but when your faster tempo won't allow for it you simply press your cheek to his, feeling his hands grab your t-shirt.

The summer makes even this short time warm quickly, makes the heat build up around your body as you smack down on his shaft. 

"H-hh…..h-hh……don't stop, I'm coming………ahh…..ah, shh" 

Filling his hands with your thighs, he drops his head to the chair and whines, pressing you down as he lets go of his semen while his smile twitches from the stimulation.

Sparing a few moments to calm down brings him back, rolling his head to the side to look at the building across.

"No one's out, right?", he asks breathing hard.

"No. No one…"

"Agh…mh…..let's go in."

●

[littleraccooncarl]

The Fake Mustache Collection and The Lint Dinosaur Collection recap!

The Fake Mustache Collection

In this episode, Nico keeps being mistaken for Arugula, which frustrates her, especially since they are identical twins, as in, there is literally no physical difference between them, and the only way to tell them apart is their voices. So, Nico tries to get Arugula to wear a wig. When that doesn't work, Nico tries to get Arugula to wear one of the fake mustaches from Carl's fake mustache collection. Unfortunately for Nico, Arugula has no interest in wearing wigs or fake mustaches. Nico decides that she'll wear the mustache, even if it means she can't hop on her ears like she likes to do. Carl and his friends concede that Nico shouldn't have to wear a mustache, so they decide to be "detail detectives" and tell the twins apart by observing what they like to do. For example, Nico likes to put garlic on her pizza and Arugula likes mushrooms.

This was a sweet and funny episode. Carl has some great one-liners like "You think you know a person." I also liked how Carl's wingnut collection inspired the gang to pay attention to the details; Carl's wingnuts all look the same except for little details, just like how Nico and Arugula look the same, but don't behave the same.

Nico wanting to be distinct from her sister reminds me of Hikaru and Kaoru's character arc throughout Ouran High School Host Club.

These two are also identical twins, with their hair and voices being the main ways to tell them apart. They often act the same, speak in unison, and finish each others sentences. They also like playing a game called "Which One is Hikaru?" where you have to guess which twin is Hikaru. Their arc throughout the series revolves around them finding their individual identities. This great article on Anime Feminist goes into more detail.

I think Nico and Arugula should troll people by playing "Which One is Nico?"

The Lint Dinosaur Collection

In this episode, it is "Lint Dinosaur Monday," where Carl and his friends make dinosaurs out of lint. However, Nico makes a lint monster rather than a lint dinosaur, which frustrates Carl, who is adamant that only lint dinosaurs should be made. Nico, not liking Carl's attitude, leaves to go have "Lint Monster Monday" instead, with Arugula following soon after. Forrest gets sidetracked and leaves as well. Soon, this turns into a "war" between lint dinosaurs and lint monsters, which Carl decides to settle it with the "acorn asteroid battle." We also get a funny scene of Forrest acting like a sports commentator while the teams chuck acorns at each other's lint creations. Carl goes too far and accidentally launches mud on Nico's dress, which he instantly regrets. The Fuzzytown Friends come up with a list of rules for playing together nicely, ie, no one can decide what everyone else should play, take turns, decide what to play with rock paper scissors. And if one friend is upset, they can either take a breath, or take a break and walk away, which Carl's mama taught him. The episode ends with the Fuzzytown Friends making lint monsters (for thirty minutes, as decided by Carl).

Carl was a bit bossy in this one, but he's just a kid. He often gets frustrated when his routines are broken, and when things don't go his way. I used to be the same way when I was his age, I would get really upset when 'rules' were broken and when things didn't go my way. The thing Carl's mama taught him about taking a breath, or taking a break and walking away, seems really helpful.

[probablyanalienindisguise]

Remembering Tumblr is a place of art, writings and ideas. So here's an entire ramble about the Jurassic Park movies and why the inaccuracy of the dinosaurs is a part of the plot

Anyways so the movies revolve around dinosaurs and stuff right? The usual plot points are always there, but it's a sci-fi thriller movie about dinosaurs and people tend to forget about the whole sci-fi part. I mean the scientists created dinosaurs but never had the complete strand of DNA as stated in the first movie, leading them to replace the rest of it with frog DNA by filling in the gaps. Which later turned into a whole problem in itself with the thing with the fact that they can breed by switching around a few things with their gender, similarly to some species of frog when faced with a female dominant environment.

Such asssss the dinosaurs ‼️

But the whole problem wasn't the dinosaur DNA, nono it was the frog DNA being mixed around with others to fill in said gaps.

It's my leading point as to why I don't understand why people hate Jurassic Park simply because the dinosaurs aren't accurate, when that was the whole POINT.

They ARENT dinosaurs.

They're amalgamations of different DNA strands combined to RESEMBLE a dinosaur, with maybe a little dino dna in place to create a base. And in later movies revealed to be even more fucked up combinations of DNA to keep the publics interest.

They're monsters made to look like dinosaurs, where intelligent and dangerous are key factors that the scientists like putting into creatures that weren't meant to exhibit such thoughts at such a level.

The premise of these animals in the movies was always "Are they actually alive?"

Because yes dinosaur, but also not dinosaur.

They're talked about constantly like objects, even though they are very much alive and living. Yet are constantly in a state of being created to look and act scarier in order to keep the quota that they're nothing but assets on a building board.

But really the scariest part is "Oh, what's scarier than teeth?"

Teeth and intelligence.

As the movies move on, these scientists create the dinosaurs to be stronger and smarter. Feeding into the amalgamation with the idea of a dinosaur in order to create what would be a marvel; not a stability.

Instead of mindless killings, the dinosaurs are aware of what they're doing. Which is considerably worse than if they ever were just instinctual actions.

Both Jurassic world movies had at least someone point something out, basically just saying that the splices of DNA weren't real dinosaurs.

Notice how it's quite often pointed out with subtleness of a simple sentence yet is used to determine the point of the movies. That once again, they aren't dinosaurs.

Both Indos were there in order to bring the plot point to closure, making it simpler to understand.

That amalgamations of DNA will never be a real dinosaur no matter how much it resembles one.

The books did a much better job getting this point across though I must say, as they enjoyed bringing the horror aspect of it all there. Just showing even more how they're obviously lab created monsters.

Anyways shout out to all the little kids out there who were absolutely convinced the dilo could spit venom because of Jurassic Park. (Me fr) 🥰

[zippy-reacts]

Sonic the Comic Liveblog: Issue 94

I really like this cover art! I can't put my finger on it, but there's a certain je ne sais quoi about this art that really identifies it as belonging to a British comic.

Oh okay, cover art was by Elson, explains why I liked it then. Anyway, we see once again that the price of StC is being raised. I've said before I feel StC is expensive, especially in comparison to late 2000s era Beano, but I suppose when you compare it to something more comtemporary like IDW Sonic it's a good price? Then again, who knows how it stacks up when you account for inflation. Annnnnd final note about this image - I wonder if that sonic spinner toy works like a fidget spinner?

It might be because this is a whole different planet from Mobius, but it feels really odd that we're seeing like… Disney-esque dog humans as secondary and background characters rather than more traditional anthromorphic animals.

Anyway, professor dude turned into reverse colour scheme Hulk. They're not even hiding it, his name is literally Bulk.

Ah yes, Sonic's "spin really really fast to solve any problem" tactic! Haven't seen that one in a good few issues.

Lol that's some pretty good snark.

Hey, that's pretty close to my main blog's URL!

Hmm. Starting to get Totally Spies vibes.

Nice monochrome colouring! And it's pretty interesting to see Vector characterised as being smart in this way, even if the explaination does sound like it fits right in with Classic era Doctor Who lmao

A review of Fighting Vipers, and look, there's Honey! I bet this reviewer never would've guessed that character with later be connected to the Sonic series

Ooooooh! Did not expect to be introduced to Ebony and Pyjamas today! I am quite aware these two are fan-favourites. Btw, I'm loving that outfit Ebony is wearing, never seen art of her wearing anything modern and casual like that before.

Ok! I guess she can change her outfit instantly! But man, I can already see that people must've fallen in love with this character quickly, just this one panel is great show of personality.

You have my heart, Ms Ebony <3

I haven't really brought it up much, but for a good while by this point, StC has become more or less just a Sonic comic (jeez, who would imagine considering it's name). The only other Sega comics they do anymore is the occassional run of Decap Attack comics. I guess out of all of them this one must've been a favourite among readers.

I about to make a joke sugguesting Johnny's drink is alcoholic, but I wonder how old he actually is? Legal drinking age is 18 so he could potentially be old enough? But even if he wasn't, the UK is not exactly know for having teenagers who always follow drinking laws.

Gonna file this one under "sentences that sound a lot more racist if we weren't talking about animals"

It's kinda funny that Knuckles just like… randomly has a pet dinosaur now. …oh my god this issue is from 1997 so means Underground (released 1999) wasn't the first one to give him a dinosaur for no reason.

You know what mate? I'd be pissed off too.

A third of the back page which is otherwise dedicated to reminding you when the next issue releases? oh god yeah, such a waste of space. Totally unbelivable. 🙄

The word of a kid who probably also enjoys burning ants under a magnifying glass.

[the-starry-seas]

Comfy-Vember Day 7

Prompt: Eye of the storm — Sleeping on shoulder — First hug

Jurassic Park, Ellie Sattler & Ian Malcolm

Check out this post to request a prompt!

She finally stops pacing to lean over Ian and press the back of her hand to his forehead. He's still hot, but better than before. She really doesn't know what they would have done if he developed a fever. Of course, Hammond hadn't had any idea if the T Rex could have transmitted some kind of infection.

When she came here, she loved this place - and part of her still does - but she's become fully aware of its limitations. Of how quickly things could go wrong, the way a domino effect could bring everything crashing down around them.

Chaos theory. She's sure Ian would be insufferably smug if he was lucid enough to string together a complicated-enough sentence.

"You," he drawls, "are very beautiful."

It's not the first time she's heard this.

"Thank you, Ian," she says patiently, "but I think you should stay laying down."

He tried to get up three times before he finally managed it, and had actually caused himself enough pain to banish any further thoughts of moving around. She's not exactly glad he got hurt, but she's glad that he's calmed down.

"Yes, yes," Hammond interjects. "Stay right there, and we'll have this all figured out in a jiffy. Once we get it straightened out, it won't be long before Jurassic Park is up and running, just like before!"

She bites her lip and looks away. Not the time to argue with anyone, but oh, does she have a lot of thoughts about that.

"When's the power going to come back on?" Ian asks, not for the first time.

"Well, we're in the eye of the storm," Hammond explains. "So we're already halfway to the other side. Muldoon and i did consider that we should make a move now, but there's no telling if the rest of the compound is accessible, and being caught outside when the storm returns would surely be a tragedy. So we'll be staying here."

Unable to look for Alan, Ellie can't help thinking. She should probably be more worried about the kids, but Alan... He was so excited to come here. It must be breaking his heart to see it all fall apart around him.

"I gotta say," Ian mumbles, "I'm a little worried about how long it's been."

She wonders if he's afraid of the dark. This isn't the first comment he's made about the timeline. And even though part of that is doubtlessly because of the painkillers making him forgetful, she doesn't think that that's all of it.

She sits down next to him and wraps an arm around his shoulder, careful not to jostle him. He leans into her side and lets out a huge sigh.

"Everything will be okay," she assures him.

"Oh, sure, sure, what's so bad about, uh, about a few dinosaurs, you know, maybe getting out? Can't be all of them, can it?"

She really hopes not.

She doesn't stay put for him, but more because it's the only way she'll stop pacing. Besides, Hammond and Muldoon don't exactly seem to have much interest in looking after him. Talking with him helps her keep her mind off... things, and missing people, and it seems to help tire him out.

He falls asleep on her shoulder. She decides she won't tease him too much about drooling all over her shirt.

But she does flinch when thunder booms above them. The lightning can't hurt anything, can it? There were lightning rods on some of the towers, but she's not sure if a power surge could affect the electronics even when they're turned off. Even if they get to the maintenance shed, what if it doesn't work?

It'll be fine. Alan and the kids, they'll be fine. And the dinosaurs... well, she can't blame animals for following their instincts. She just hopes that they keep their distance.

"Is he doing all right?" Hammond asks. He looks like he's leaning more heavily on his cane than before.

"I think so. He'll probably be due for another shot when he wakes up."

"Ah, well, I'm sure he'll be in the best of hands."

So was the park.

"We spared no expense," Hammond continues, smiling like he did before. "So I'm sure you'll find everything you need in the first aid kit."

"I'm sure," she echoes, and bites her lip, and waits for the rain to stop.

[simplegenius042]

Late Poll Loser WIPs

May as well put this here while I have the chance. Here is the non-winners voting sentence post from this poll and this poll.

Saw @adelaidedrubman do this for WIP Wednesday so I got inspired to do so as well.

Tagging @socially-awkward-skeleton @cassietrn @voidika @strangefable @chazz-anova @inafieldofdaisies @shallow-gravy @direwombat @josephslittledeputy @poisonedtruth @josephseedismyfather @g0dspeeed @detectivelokis @a-rose-in-a-garden-of-weeds @vampireninjabunnies-blog @ladyofedens-blog and @little-wolf-seed + anyone else interested in sharing/reading.

These WIPs go in order of highest vote to lowest vote. These WIPs are from my @the-untitledverse-blog @the-silver-chronicles and @life-despair-and-monsters-blog .

Continue below the cut to read more:

No Snake, Only A Boa In The Garden: 2 VOTES. This FC5 WIP puts heavy focus on the motif of "Adam and Eve" (which also includes elements in regards to "Lilith", "Original Sin" and the "Garden of Eden") that I don't believe Silva's Hope will be able to do so. I won't go into too much detail as this is still under construction. Snippet below:

The narrative of Adam and Eve’s story was both a warning and a threat to those who doubted the Lord’s plan, showing what happens when everyone strays from their role and accept the “deceptions” of the evil Snake. The end of the story was interpreted as grim by most, given Adam’s unfortunate fate.

This cautionary tale was propagandised, showing what happens when one betrays the Lord’s teachings, like Eve had done when she accepted the temptation of the Snake.

The True Sinners: 1 VOTE. This FC5 WIP is a little scenario is if Silva chose not to become a deputy but still had the worst luck in meeting the Seeds some time before the Reaping begins. And instead of Silva developing the likes of Stockholm Syndrome, the Seeds like Silva a bit too much and develop Lima Syndrome. Featuring a side plot of Kamski having to socialise with the Resistance to get Silva back. Snippet below:

According to his sources, the local cult was becoming anxious and more aggressive. Just like the Enforcers stationed down in the Minas had been. It was a major red flag for the both of them, and it had been enough to push Silva out of bed to grab her rifle and kick her skills back into gear.

Jurassic World: Before The Storm: 1 VOTE. Chapter 2 of my published Jurassic World fic (chapter 1 is pinned in my The UnTitledverse blog on Tumblr but can be alternatively found on AO3, fanfiction.net and Wattpad, links provided in the pinned post. The fic focuses on the bond of siblings and its importance (even with those who aren't blood related) and explores the worldview (both human and dinosaur) of the science and nature behind Jurassic World, but is also a slow-burn tragedy in the making as we get closer and closer to canon complicity. Snippet below:

Following the dark-haired brunette woman to the station, Joaquin couldn’t help but look in awe at how well the surrounding nature and man-made structures fit together. Smoothly combined to fill the station with life.

La Última En Pie: 1 VOTE. The prequel to Silva's Hope. Silva wasn't always Silva, you know? She was once known as Sylvester. A single mother trying to balance raising her 5-year-old hija Persephone and keeping her late hermana's floristry afloat, in a community she was still a stranger in. But she was free, and so was her ever curious and energetic hija who liked planes and was a fan of the celebrity bear, Cheeseburger. Living a normal life. Until Paul returned. But he had changed. And in six excruciating months, he changed her. Snippet below:

"Something is coming. You can feel it," Father glanced down next to him, where Sylvester's small frame stood, head bowed and body still, listening to the cold warm in his voice as he addressed her, "Can't you, Daughter?" Did she? Should she have? Sylvester knew something was coming, as she had been told for years. But could she feel it as Father did? She didn't answer, nor did she question, for to do either would be to insult Father and doubt his word, and he never tolerated such behaviour. He was always pleased with her silence. Sylvester could almost feel Father's gaze return to the window, satisfied by the lack of reply from her, as he continued.

And lastly, Miraculous Miracles: 1 VOTE. Here is a Miraculous Ladybug series where Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste are trained by Fu and a De-facto Guardian, an inter-dimensional warping plant-parasite (with limbs) named Hatter who uses magic cards to beat people up and cause property damage, along with his avatar(s) who get no benefit from switching places with Hatter in the "Other Dimension" while the hero himself hogs his time in their realm, hoping humans can survive on rocks. There is character development but Hatter does everything in his power to deter it (spoilers: he fails). This is only scratching the lighthearted surface, things in fact do get worse much later. Snippet below:

Hatter tilted his head at the pair of youth, wind from outside brushing against his leaves and roots. He looked around the hotel lobby; the pillars toppled, the stairs crumbled, the gaping hole in the front doors and the glass chandelier smashed on top of the unconscious akumatised victim. He nodded his head in faux agreement, and simply replied, "Quite."

[halidaia]

How did people who died before 1991 think the dinosaurs went extinct?

The first dinosaur fossils were discovered in 1824, but it wasn’t until 1991 that the Chicxulub impact site was finally linked to their extinction. So 167 years passed in which we knew dinosaurs existed, but had no clue how they went extinct. As you can imagine, people had all kinds of guesses and ideas

My mother found a book of stories and nursery rhymes for children that she had growing up, and one of the stories was about the dinosaurs. At the end, it says we don’t know about what happened to the dinosaurs. One of the theories it proposes is that the dinosaurs may have starved from overconsumption of resources, because they’re so big that they must take a lot of food to sustain. My grandmother and another old person I asked both said that they learned a little bit about dinosaurs in school, but the subject of how they went extinct was conveniently left out

I have a book from 1901, entitled “The World’s Book Of Knowledge And Universal Educator”. This book is actually how I came up with this subject, because it has a very, very interesting theory for how dinosaurs went extinct. And honestly, for the time period, this theory makes quite a lot of sense. I love how creative it is. They did what they could with the knowledge they had

On page 593, the book says “In the days before the flood, the ikhthyosaurius existed with eyes measuring one foot in diameter”

You likely noticed something about that

First, I seem to have misspelled “ichthyosaurus”. Actually, I didn’t, for two reasons: first, “ichthyosaurus” comes from Ancient Greek, and the Ancient Greek alphabet had a letter K, but no letter C. it’s better to spell the Greek word with the Greek spelling. So we replaced the CH with the more accurate KH. Second way I misspelled it is —saurius and not —saurus. I was surprised by this too, but the book actually spells it “—saurius”. Strange

Now, finally, what you were probably waiting for me to address: the sentence starts with “In the days before the flood”. This was my main point in all this. Here is what some people thought happened to the dinosaurs before we discovered the crater in Mexico. Notice anything? “In the days before the FLOOD, the IKHTHYOSAURIUS existED…”. Some people thought the dinosaurs died out in the Noah’s Ark flood!

Does this seem like jumping to conclusions? Well, it is. But, I mean, what other ancient flood that killed 99% of the life on earth could they possibly be referring to? Especially when the ikhthyosaurus was literally a fish dinosaur. Back in 1901, they had no working theories on floods killing dinosaurs, except for the Noah’s Ark flood. Back then, people were far more religious, and people turned to religion and god for help with stuff and answers to questions

Although it has been disproven, I really like this theory because of how resourceful it was. People noticed large skeletons underground, and couldn’t figure out how the animals died, so they created a working theory with the facts that were accessible at the time. I myself would’ve never made the Noah’s Ark flood connection. Whoever put two and two together like that was an absolute genius, even if they were wrong

[jjackfrost]

1, 3, 13

How many books did you read this year? 24 ! reading the 25th rn. (booktube has poisoned me into thinking this isn't a lot, but i had a lot more fun reading when i didn't pressure myself into reading more like i did last year lol)

3. What were your top five books of the year?

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir (reread - it was my fav last year as well lol. This is my FAVORITE BOOK EVER.)

The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (THIS IS VERY CLOSE BEHIND PHM. THIS IS THE REASON I CANT STOP THINKING ABOUT OCTOPUSES)

Our Hideous Progeny by C. E. McGill (this book means so much to me, please read it. ESPECIALLY if you like frankenstein. AND dinosaurs.)

Dracula's Child by J. S. Barnes (a sequel to Dracula that I did not expect to like as much as I did. He's currently writing a sequel to Frankenstein too and I'm like pissing myself)

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon (talked about this in the previous ask. It's a biography, about what it says on the tin. It's so good)

13. What were your least favorite books of the year?

I thought I didn't have many books I super didn't like but then I went on a rant about one of them so I guess I do

The Space Between Us by Doug Johnstone seemed on first glance to have all the ingredients to be a favorite of mine, but it completely failed to make me care about the characters, and the sci-fi aspect of it was pretty underwhelming. Also, the run-on sentences were horrible. Ig it was a style thing, but I hate that so much lol.

The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery was on of the four octopus-related books I read this year after falling under The Mountain in the Sea's spell (The Space Between Us is also one of them, though the octopus in that one isn't really an octopus). It is a non-fiction book about Sy Montgomery learning about octopuses. The beginning was promising, where she first goes to the aquarium to meet an octopus called Athena, and she gets to hold Athena's arms and stuff - but then this just keeps happening. Athena dies and is replaced by another octopus, who Sy holds hands with for a bit, and then that octopus gets sick and is replaced by another octopus, and they hold hands a bit more. Then, maybe I didn't like it as much because it had a lot to do with other animals and learning how to scuba dive, which probably is interesting for other people, but my one-tracked mind was only there for the octopuses, so I just found it tedious. And then even when it was about octopuses, it always felt more like Sy was writing like "wow this is so amazing for ME," like about how it made her feel, and not so much about the actual octopuses ?? And there was something really uncomfortable about reading about them keeping an octopus in a bucket for several months because they were waiting for the other octopus to die, WHILE talking about how incredibly intelligent octopuses are like...isn't this just animal abuse at this point? They BRIEFLY mention the ethics of aquariums and capturing wild octopuses for no reason except to put them in an exhibit, not to rehabilitate them or anything, but it feels like the problematic aspects of this just kinda gets brushed away..... Anyway, didn't do it for me, and by the third time she writes "octopus time" (describing how time seems to flow differently while she's over the aquarium holding the octopus' arms) I was just kinda annoyed lol. Anyway, rant over

Autonomous by Annalee Newitz. This book isn't actually on the bottom of my list because I ranked it both by how much I enjoyed it, just pure entertainment value, and how much I admired the work that went into it. The Soul of an Octopus and The Space Between Us are at the very bottom, but there's still four books between them and Autonomous (The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee, The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness, The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox by Claire Gradidge, and Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater). The reason I'm talking about Autonomous and not any the ones I ranked lower is because I did find the book compelling and entertaining like 80% of the time -- meanwhile, those other books were just fine. They were okay, the didn't really make an impression. I didn't dislike them, there were just other books I enjoyed more. THE THING IS. Autonomous did something so fucking weird at the end that it kind of ruined the whole book for me?? Like, please message me if you've read this in case something has just gone over my head, because like I swear to god there's a character who is gay but refuses to acknowledge it and instead says some really homophobic shit, who never comes to terms with his sexuality and instead puts the label Woman on the genderless character he has a crush on (who knows this isn't correct, but this character is kinda like, "well if it makes him like me then I guess I don't mind," which could have been interesting to explore if it weren't at the end of the book and it never goes anywhere??) and that's just how it ends? Huh????

Anyway, this became a lot longer than I thought it would, hope that answers the questions LMAO

[enlightenedrobot]

I'm like... 80% sure that the comic/ picture book project I'm working on is low concept, but I feel like there's not really any good lists of examples of "low concept sci-fi" for me to compare .

Like the destinction is less than meaningless... high concept and low concept are mostly marketing industry terms... but like... the topic still interests me.

I understand that "High Concept" fiction is stuff that's easy to summarize in one or two sentences. Jurassic Park, for example, is about a theme park filled with living reanimated Dinosaurs. And if you look up the term on Wikipedia or TvTropes, you'll find some pretty decent lists of examples.

But the only examples of Low Concept shows anybody seems to bring up are slice of life stories and dramadies. Like... both Little Miss Sunshine and Roseanne are low concept works of fiction.

But like... can science fiction be low concept?

Like... if you put a gun up to my head, I'd tell you that Doom x Sugar Cookies is the misadventures of a former Evil Teen Genius... but that description is so... off.

It's a postmodern story that kinda at first looks like Powerpuff Girls from the villains' perspective, but Limit City has more in common with Toon Town or Elmore than it necessarily does with Townsville, and I don't really work with fight scenes.

It's kinda a murder mystery and it's kinda a superhero story and it's kinda cyberpunk... but it's mostly metafiction... like... that sounds pretentious... but like it's metafiction in the same way Undertale and Deadpool are kinda meta.

And like... that's kinda the problem with talking about this. I sound very unsure of what I'm trying to make, but I actually have a not insignificant portion of this story written and mapped out. There's a pretty solid story arc I'm working towards and some romantic drama I really wanna get Kickstart.

I feel like I have a strong grasp on the characters I'm writing and the tone and plot

The problem is that the "Misadventures of a Former Evil Teen Genius" fails to communicate what I'm actually valuing in my writing. The Powerpuff Girls stuff is just set dressing.

[beaversatemygrandma]

Some yapping. Just because.

Hi. Yes. Is it right back to that guy? Yeah. Also i yelled at kids at work and got praised for it somehow. Idk how this works but people need to not make a group of six 12yos our problem while they day drink. I know this is your margaritaville town but i personally will kick your ass. Your kids are dicks. And we lost a safety operator for a fucking hour. Not just any operator, the manager one. So fuck you guys. Your kids don't listen and that comprised their safety and our manager. Because i can't get into the safe for change because you paid in Very Large bills and my other option to yelling at your child was to elbow them in the face because they didn't respect my bubble as i was taking photos. (This was yelling point #2 out of 3 total. These kids don't listen otherwise.) I'm getting commends about me sent towards the boss. Idk what i did, but i swear they love the moments where i get possessed by an angry teacher and/or my mom and take control of entire situations using that VoiceTM. Tbf, i didn't realize i could do that until like a month ago.

But holy shit. The guy. So we've been literally planning a damn date. This is a whole damn thing. (there's a level of planning that involves knowing the exact whereabouts he has by each tuesday and i kind of totally forgot that he's got like 7 months left of parole and going randomly isn't an option. oops... yeah. that sentence is as bad as it sounds. shit.) Either way, I'm going to try to nail that down at some point for next weekend. He seems pretty excited for this plan. He got really affectionate after i brought it up again but with actual intent. (Back to the talking shit about him having feelings. Like yeah, no, you have that long of parole left. Let me get to figure you out entirely and i'm not going to actually date you until that's done and you know it. Besides the friends phase is good for these things anyways.)

It's just interesting how tonight went. Super affectionate, super talkative, and weirdly deeper conversations. Dipped into weird stories about experiences with christianity. And how i used to argue with youth pastors about dinosaurs as a child. (It's shocking how nobody knew that i'm likely autistic. And that this conversation didn't prove that i was. Besides, i know this man masks something fierce anyways.) Hell, even the whole weird life plan conversation. Like. That doesn't normally kick in with this kind of situation relationship thing. I mean, we even went inside at one point and he was calling me babe in front of his kid. I didn't respond at first bc it didn't click, but yeah, that flub in front of somebody he shouldn't talk to me like that in front of was definitely a big one. He does actively do that now apparently. (Which is actually a first for me. Ever.)

Then when i first got there, i was just introduced with a whole thing of getting me on the motorcycle. He said he needed to warm it up to check fluid levels so he was about to go around the neighborhood a bit and just asked. So I'm just "why the hell not" having never even been on one before. (The rear seat is uncomfortably high i might add.) And i first get offered the padded leather jacket he bought to ride it, then eventually just handed it and told to put it on in a "I swear to god you're being protected on this" kind of way. It basically turned into being driven around with my head on his shoulder (mostly so i could hear him) and exploring a neighborhood that i haven't been in since the last time i trick or treated (i was 15... it was the rich neighborhood with a bunch of full size candy. So. Valid.) Then we get back, we end up setting up a fire bc it's Cold, and he forgets about the fluids entirely because we just started talking and kind of didn't stop. So yeah, I'm pretty sure that this guy is entirely fallen for me at this point. And I think i accidentally pressed it further with an idea that i'd probably do with any friendly coworker that just so happened to get the same gift card from a work party. (My intention was "hey, we have it so might as well" his was "oh shit, if i say this i'm asking her out." and i said it. So.)

But jeez, the sheer casual fun of just sitting by a fire and talking. The casual affection and just excitedly talking about random shit that just kind of comes up somehow. I haven't had this kind of thing in so damn long. It's somebody who actually wants to treat me right (me just avoiding eye contact with obvious red flags), and just enjoy the time that's there. Actual actions that show that there's something. Things that actually happen. Things that this guy does makes me realize just how Dead my actual relationship is. It's stagnant. Nothing is being done. I've never actually been on a date with him. We haven't talked like that since before i moved in with him. I haven't enjoyed my time with him in forever. Maybe not since the super long phone calls we'd have before i even back in actual contact with him. I swear most of what all this is doing is That. Just the realization that I'm, again, in a relationship that is going nowhere. I hate how it'd coming from somebody that i really shouldn't be doing this with, but hell, I'm enjoying it and he goes out of the way to make sure i feel safe and to be fully honest with me.

Well, seven months of this i guess. Just gonna keep going until there's a reason not to. I mean, even without the situation i've put myself in here, he does keep my car running and give me a good way to chill for a few minutes after work. And cracks my back to an often enough extent that it actually hasn't been hurting as often lately. I mean, there's solid benefits here. The cons list is actually surprisingly short in comparison to the pros. Somehow. Still enjoying myself here though. It's going well i swear.

[starlightswitch]

An Otherwordly Creature

(for Writer's Month day 22 prompts beast and motel. I didn't even know how to use ONE of those prompts, and then out of nowhere I knew how to use both)

“It’s like an inn,” Carr explained, “but instead of the rooms all having their doors inside the building, the building is spread out and the doors are all on the outside.”

“Oh,” said Becca. “A motel.”

“That’s what you call it where you’re from?”

“Yeah. We call an inn a hotel, so a motel is a…” She felt like she should know this. She’d started the sentence thinking she knew it. “Mobile hotel? That doesn’t make sense—it’s not moving. I’m not sure where the name came from actually, except it definitely came from ‘hotel’.”

“Hm,” said Carr with a shrug. “So you can picture it. The beast is in the area the doors open into, which is frightening away the guys.”

“And it’s just moved in?”

“Right. It’s just eating the vegetation there, apparently.”

Becca couldn’t imagine something eating vegetation being that frightening, but then some of the herbivore dinosaurs had been very large. A brontosaurus or whatever could probably take you out with its tail without even noticing you.

Expecting something that large, she was surprised not to see anything as they approached the building. As they came around the end of it towards the side with the doors, Carr put an arm out to stop her and pointed with his other hand. “There!”

Becca looked, stared, blinked. “A cow?”

Carr stared, blinking, at her. “You’ve seen such things before?”

“Yeah?” said Becca. She glanced at the thing again. Definitely a cow. Black-and-white, even, like it had walked right out of an illustration for “Old McDonald Had a Farm.” “You don’t have cows here?”

Carr shook his head, wide-eyed.

“They’re farm animals, where I’m from,” said Becca. “When you travel you see herds of them in fields beside the road.”

“Herds of them?” Now Carr glanced at it, quickly, with a slight shudder. “People eat them?”

“Yeah. It’s a very common meat, actually. Although a lot of them are raised for their milk, instead.”

“To feed to your babies?”

Becca shrugged. “And to make dairy products.”

“Dairy?”

Oh. Well. Yeah. “Dairy—it’s a word for things made from cow’s milk.” Things, she suddenly realized, she had not seen in this world: “Cheese, which is like a hard… or soft… savory thing you can put on bread. Ice cream, that’s like a creamy… Oh, you wouldn’t even know what cream is! It’s like thicker, rich milk. And we have thicker, richer versions of slush drinks and snow-sweets. And lots of people put milk in their morning hot drinks. And their morning grains.”

Carr was staring at her with respect and a hint of fear. “It sounds like a major food group where you’re from is from these beasts.”

Becca laughed. “Literally, yes.”

“Have you… milked one yourself? Do you know how to tame it?”

“Um… No, my family didn’t have one ourselves. Like I said, they’re a farm animal. But it’s not going to eat us. They eat plants. I think the trick is just not to freak it out—you know, scare it. I think they only hurt people by accident, if they’re scared.” She tried to think. “I bet someone who knows how to handle horses could handle it.”

It wasn’t until they had made their way inside—Carr practically tiptoeing with sidelong glances at the cow who could not have appeared less interested in him—and talked to the outerkeeper about contacting a horsewrangler to wrangle the cow that Becca finished the train of thought.

They didn’t have cows here. But there was a cow here.

Did it get here the same way she got here?

Did someone bring it here?

If someone brought it here, did they get here the same way she got here? Did they know how to get back?

Did she want to try to find them and ask?

If she could find out how to get back, she’d actually have to think about whether she wanted to.

--

2020 day 22: Just Looking (pet shop AU)

2021 day 22: Secure (house)

2022 day 22: Don’t Look Away (forest + horror AU)

2022 day 23: The Girl in the Woods (human/non-human)

[malamai]

I feel like a dinosaur with anxiety today.

So today was a lot of firsts. Elijah had his first induction day at secondary/high school and Aura went on her first date with her little boyfriend! I have been a wreck all day not knowing where to put myself, I got up at 7am, made sure Elijah was okay and ready and then went down to the bus stand with him, he did great despite being nervous, I texted him when he got on the bus saying "let me know how you're getting on, I love you son." His reply was "pee off". 😂😂😂 so that was that!

On the way home my mam had see me and pulled over her car, she had just finished her night shift and wanted a coffee with me, so I went to my parents house with Aura and had a coffee, and it was a very quick coffee because she kept nodding off mid sentence numerous times as I was chatting to her! There's nothing like making me feel interesting! 😂 I got sick of poking her to wake up so I went home and got Aura ready for her first date.

Aura was then picked up by her little boyfriend and his dad (who I turned out to be friendly with, I did not realise Aura's boyfriend was his son! 😂) so we chatted and they went off to the cinema together, her boyfriend even held the car door open as she got in with her boyfriend! It was adorable! 🥺🥺🥺

My anxiety between all that, general life and work had been on top form today, I am old and anxiety filled. To add to everything we had massive family emergency last week and due to probably finding this fact out at work last week, I made a massive fuck up because I could not focus and now I'm anxious about that despite fixing it and being honest about it because any other way to handle it wouldn't have felt okay to me, I'm a honest and responsible person and I'd of been going against my own nature if I had buried the issue.

Life has been too much for my brain the past few days! I'm just riding the waves.