#and obviously it would be in the aviary etc.

[birdmenmanga]

birdmutuals be honest. would you like to have a discord draw session sometime. doesn't have to be about birdmen obviously

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

how many video game ideas do you even have?

an incomplete list of the bajillion video game ideas I have had over the past ten years (if you want verification, @raptorcivilization is usually the schmuck I pitch to) that I can't do because I lack infrastructure and resources:

a redo of the eyewitness dinosaur hunter game for the modern era (but obviously without the eyewitness brand) - so a 3D virtual museum environment with an on-site dig that brings dinos back to life. would include the history of birds after the end-cretaceous.

a redo of the magic school bus explores the age of dinosaurs game (doesn't have to be associated with magic school bus, a cute kulinda protag will work fine) - so a point and click game where you go to different environments, learn about the history of life, play mini experiments and mini games to learn, etc.

a museum tycoon game (why the fuck doesn't this already exist) (I have an elaborate system in my head that would include ethical collection and museum reputation as important factors)

prehistoric photo safari - you go back in time to different ecosystems and take pictures of various things you're asked to take pictures of, like "a pennaraptoran preening" or "a tyrannosaur family group" that kind of thing

an aviary zootycoon/planet zoo esque game - basically you're creating a zoo but it's only birds. I'm not bitter about planet zoo, no, whose asking.

or just another zoo simulator that's a better spiritual successor to zoo tycoon than planet zoo is, so it would include aquatic and extinct stuff like the zoo tycoons always did >_> also more birds

the same idea as above but now it includes fossil/extinct birds too, you're welcome

a game where you go back in time and gather prehistoric life and bring them back to the present and try to recreate extinct ecosystems, with an emphasis on ecosystem dynamics

similarly, an ecosystem simulator like tyto-ecology except... better. and still being developed. and mostly focused on extinct ecosystems.

a stardew-style farming game but you're ravens in a post-human world, creating a new society from scratch. as birds.

a bajillion different @saurian-game - like games set in different environments including the Manda Beds of the Triassic, the Jiufotang Formation of the Jurassic, literally anything other than the red beds of the Permian, Fossil Lake in the Eocene... the list goes on

domesticated Kulindadromeus sheephearder game (@paleopinesofficial you can just steal this idea and put it in your game, that's fine)

fossil stories - basically you live the life of different extinct animals based on their fossils, so dueling/fighting dinosaurs and stuff like that. it would be your basic choose your own adventure story type dealio.

a dinotopia video game. that's it. that's the entire concept. maybe something like simcity or the sims but in dinotopia. there's something there.

jewish themed stardew valley (this isn't dinosaur/bird or prehistoric life related, I'm just annoyed at the christonormativity in stardew [why does xmas exist in this alternate universe] and want to make a jewish version out of spite)

pet parrot simulator. mainly so that people who love parrots but really can't care for them can play the game. also so people who are thinking of getting a parrot can play the game and find out if they really can take care of one. I recognize pet simulators exist but they're never really accurate when it comes to parrot care.

I know I have more but these are the best ones. The ones I come back to the most are the museum tycoon game, the prehistoric photo safari game, and the redo of the magic school bus dino game; and @raptorcivilization is keeping the dream alive for the remake of the eyewitness game.

[ehghtyseven]

Do you have recommendations for what to do and see in Pittsburgh? And is it easy to get around by bus/subway etc?

anon I’m so sorry, I started replying to this at the airport on my way home then saved it to drafts and forgot to go back and publish, oops! anyway…

ok, please bear in mind I am just a person who has visited a few times so this is in no way exhaustive, and will obviously be coloured by how easy things are to get to without a car and things I personally find interesting!

presented in no particular order…

heinz history centre & sports museum

go for a wander through the strip district

fort pitt museum & point state park

national aviary (fun on its own but would thoroughly recommend the penguin encounter as an extra)

andy warhol museum

carnegie science centre (though I just went to a specific exhibit so I don’t actually know about the museum as a whole but I liked what I visited)

walk the three rivers heritage trail along the north shore & visit the mister rogers statue (and I always enjoy walking over one or other of the three sisters bridges to get across from downtown and back afterwards)

take a trip on the inclines (duquesne is the prettiest and has the best views of the city at the top but personally I like to go up the mon - when it’s not closed that is - walk along grandview then come back down via duquesne)

point of view sculpture (just a bit further along grandview from the duquesne incline)

pittsburgh has a couple of theatres so it’s always worth checking out what’s on during your trip, and pittsburgh has some great restaurants/bars to check out too.

also, not really a “thing to do” but I will never get tired of arriving via the fort pitt tunnel when coming in from the airport and downtown just explodes in front of you as you emerge!

there are some other places I haven’t visited yet but are on my list, including the zoo & aquarium, phipps conservatory, carnegie museums of art and natural history, the frick, and randyland.

on the second question, downtown & the areas close by are very walkable but I find it is pretty easy to get around on public transport, yes. PRT now has an app (ready2ride) that includes a journey planner and live trackers (amongst other stuff), lets you buy a range of different types of pass that you then use by just scanning your phone when you get on, and which covers buses, light rail and the inclines. as someone who lives in london and is used to just tapping my phone to travel on public transport, this was way easier for me than having to think about paying fares every time and took a lot of anxiety out of using buses!

the T (light rail) is also free between downtown and the north shore - all the stops between first avenue and allegheny - which is handy! I also think it’s neat that most bus stops have a QR code you can scan for live arrivals info, which also helps you check you’re at the right stop :)

[cloverthecommongrackle]

this guy, as many would figure out by appearance alone, is a version of Wheatley. this au was originally a crossover between Avatar and Portal, and hes a newly discovered species called Aviarians. Full species info below

Aviarians(Elytro-sapiens aviari(variants would be like Elytro-sapiens aviari Quiscalus, Quiscalus being grackles.)) appear to be half human and half bird, but Aviarians aren't related to humans or birds, though they are mammals, like humans. They keep a mostly human appearance, but with feathers covering their neck and cheeks. They have wings, with a wingspan of four times their height. The skin on their arms from their elbows down is tough and almost scaly, like a bird. Despite the looks, it is simply thick grey skin, not actual scales. Instead of nails, they have long, hooked black claws, like an eagle. Most Aviarians have long tail feathers, long enough to drag on the ground. Aviarian legs are digitigrade, like a bird, with the same tough, grey, and almost scaly skin as their hands and forearms. That also means that their ankles are much higher, where the knees would be if they were plantigrade. It sort of gives the illusion that their knees are backwards, but their actual knees are higher up. They also have talons on their feet. And of course, they don't wear shoes, since nothing would be comfortable with bird feet. All Aviarians blush a different color, despite Aviarian blood being red. This is caused by different chemical reactions. It normally triggers a release of luciferin in the area, which makes Aviarian blush bioluminescent. Aviarians can also have bioluminescence in other places, even in feathers. It doesn't show up in light. All Aviarians have different bioluminescent patterns, but obviously twins and doppelgangers are an exception. Aviarians have the ability to purr when they're happy or comfortable enough. When Aviarians are angered, overwhelmed, or flustered, all of their feathers puff up and spread out, making them look bigger. Aviarians are able to jump double their height, and have very powerful wings to launch them further. They actually have 2 sets of shoulder blades, the "human" scapulae are also much smaller to accommodate the size of the wings, the avian scapulae(and the rest of the wing shoulder parts) stay between the primary shoulder blades. Continuing on the path of bone structure, the tail needs bones. Since they need the tailbone the same way humans do in order to sit properly, they evolved to have vertebrae-like extensions on the pelvis so that their tails could function. Aviarians do have to preen their feathers and clean them. Preening has the same effect on the body as when, for example, someone plays with your hair, gives you a massage, cuddling. etc. It's relaxing, lowers blood pressure, and results in a better attitude in general. Preening also builds up trust in relationships, whether with parents, siblings, other relatives or spouses. Aviarians are omnivorous, but they mostly avoid eating anything that comes from birds, excluding birds of prey such as vultures, eagles, hawks, etc. They would probably feel pretty uncomfortable in a place like KFC because of this. Like most living entities with feathers, Aviarians molt their feathers once a year. Aviarian children are referred to as Winglets, teen Aviarians would likely be Fledglings and adult Aviarians are just Aviarians. Aviarian feather development throughout childhood works the same as birds, they start off with no feathers, then they eventually grow fluffy feathers that could only be used for warmth, and then eventually, as they become teenagers, their normal feathers develop. Most Aviarians are able to fly by the age of 14.

(i accidentally made this one look miserable lol) SO. im pretty sure i can figure out a plot for this, as well as a language, probably. also biology and stuff like that. heck ton of new species too.

[apprentice-maliya]

From the ship questions: 2 and 4 for Mali’ya and both of her LIs. Thanks!

oh no, thank you for asking !! ♡ since i didn���t know which part i was supposed to do, i decided to answer to asks n. 2 and 4 for each of the four sections of the questionnaire. hope that’s okay! in that case please have a seat and a drink, if you want, ‘cause this is gonna be looong (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

ship questions can be found here!

asra

pre-relationship

2. what was their first impression of each other?

from the first moment they met, mali’ya thought asra was incredibly resourceful and somewhat looked up to him. i mean, he’d built a booth from scratch where he could sell his own wood carvings, knew a lot of magic tricks, didn’t fear authority, and was also independent and smart. but mali’ya thought he was also kind, since asra never mocked her for her poor language knowledge like the other kids did.

on the other hand, at first asra was simply amused by this shy little foreigner that watched him wide-eyed as though he’d done something amazing. he also thought she was too naive, foolishly so, but in getting to know her better asra realised mali’ya actually wasn’t but resilient and generous.

4. who felt romantic feelings at first?

mali’ya, though she didn’t know what to do with them! she knew she liked asra pretty early to be honest, but was afraid love would get in the way of their friendship. after all, she hadn’t yet warmed up to it (growing up in an abusive household, mali’ya wasn’t sure if that love, her parents’, was something she even wanted). something she also noticed when she started going out with a girl that had a crush on her, was that there was a nervousness there, a constant itch in her chest mali’ya had never felt with asra. and because she kept comparing that experience to her daily life with him at the shop, mali’ya was finally able to sort her feelings out!

more under the cut !

general

2. did they have an official first date? if so, what was it like?

asra would argue that every hangout with mali’ya is a date, though she would say that their first was actually the time they went to a travelling, open-air circus that had temporarily stopped in the city. it was a nice evening; there was singing and dancing and playing games, watching the artists perform... aside from the chaos, it was so much fun. they held hands and kissed and basically allowed themselves to be two teens in love (≧◡≦)

4. were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

for mali’ya, yes. for her, asra was the first of many things: her first friend, her first confidant, her first love (but not her first crush-crush)! as for asra, he’d already been in some reletionships before, though casual.

love

2. what are their primary love languages?

mali’ya manifests her affection through acts of service and physical touch (which is only reserved to the ones she’s close with), while appreciating words of affirmation in return. when receiving asra values quality time instead, but offers physical touch and words of affirmation as well (or at least, that’s my take on what his love language would be like!).

4. how often do they cuddle, engage in pda?

boy. once these two confess, touching gets more straightforward and natural. even though mali’ya has a bit of a hard time at the beginning, asra’s patience helps her overcome her self-consciousness so that she will at least hold hands and maybe, maybe, indulge herself into little kisses too.

domestic life

2. what’s the wedding like? who attends?

truthfully, i don’t see either of them wanting to get married in a canon setting. as far as we know, marriage in vesuvia isn’t mandatory for housing, adopting and such things, so mali’ya and asra’s relationship wouldn’t change in that sense. this is one of the reasons why neither of them ever brings up the subject, the other (in mali’ya’s case) being that she can’t also shake the feeling of ��marriage equals cage” off her. thank her parents.

in a modern au, though, things would be a bit different. if they were to marry, asra and mali’ya would totally organise an intimate, simple wedding. on the invitation list there would be aunt heralia, their closest friends and their partners, the ortega siblings because of course luz gets to be the flower child, asra’s parents and anichka (mali’ya’s older sister) with her husband and kids.

4. do they have any pets?

nope! not because they don’t like having animals around, but they’d just rather let them live free.

portia

pre-relationship

2. what was their first impression of each other?

meeting portia the day she had to get to the palace, mali’ya thought she was so easy-going and bright. maybe it was the glint of mischief in portia’s eyes, or the way she chatted animatedly as though they’d known each other for more than a morning; either way, mali’ya soon found herself to be fond of her already.

as for portia, well, she was struck by mali’ya’s aura–not because it was just a soothing feeling in the ruckus of the market, but for the secretive appeal it held. there was something to this young apothecary, portia thought, that didn’t sit right with her. mali’ya was calm, yet she seemed to be sealing away her true voice. so yeah, enthralling is how portia would have described her.

4. who felt romantic feelings at first?

portia, actually! mali’ya was very devoted to her duty to the countess, trying to wrap her head around lucio’s murder, that she would focus exclusively on the investigation and since portia couldn’t have that... she just found random escuses to spend some time with her. at first it was only to distract mali’ya from her hard work, but then she developed feelings.

general

2. did they have an official first date? if so, what was it like?

yes! portia suggested it as soon as mali’ya confirmed to be into her as well, so they decided to go for a picnic in portia’s garden as both a way to escape the frantic palace life and be by themselves. everything was going well: there were pies, cheese, lots of fruit. portia was telling mali’ya about her favourite book again when the rain started pouring down on them, so they quickly had to gather their things and take refuge in portia’s cottage. since she was disappointed that their date had been interrupted, mali’ya offered to re-arrange everything on the floor as though they were still picnicking. portia really appreciated that, and the night went on vivaciously with even more stories and cuddles! (๑˘︶˘๑)

4. were they each other’s first anything (kiss, relationship, etc.)?

neither of them are inexperienced, since portia did have a relationship or two before mali’ya, who was in love with asra (pre-plague).

love

2. what are their primary love languages?

for mali’ya they’re the same as my previous answer, whereas portia offers words of affirmation and physical touch. she’s very happy to spend quality time in return, and also enjoys gift receiving. no, she loves it.

4. how often do they cuddle, engage in pda?

again, mali’ya isn’t strong on pda in this route either. luckily for her, we have our fellow extrovert to make her feel comfortable and at ease when being affectionate in public! in private, though, that’s another story; portia is pretty physical and mali’ya can’t help but return her care and attention as well, eheh.

domestic life

2. what’s the wedding like? who attends?

after portia’s upright ending, mali’ya never gets her memories back and this allows her, three or four years later, to marry portia :]

knowing our little devorak, the wedding would absolutely be a blast and everyone, from hestion to the satrivana siblings, is obviously invited. (fun fact: nadia would do her best to make it grand and elegant, but she would have to reconsider as to appease mali’ya’s modest tastes). because of that i can see it being held outside in a natural location, on a sunny day that matches the smiles on their faces. after the kiss, porta’s catchphrase would totally be “have you seen my wife??? well now you have!”

4. do they have any pets?

sure thing! the ladies are all in for adopting at least two cats, a good compromise in terms of self-reliance; with them being two busy women, taking care of more delicate animals would be quite the challenge. mali’ya also fancies birds, but since nadia owns her own aviary she’ll gladly take care of it herself when she can.

[assortedmutts]

A X for the whole cast

Valentine’s headcanon meme.

A   :   AFFECTION.   how does your muse show affection?

Merc: affection, to him, means trust and loyalty above all. He likes for his partner to be able to rely on him, no matter what - be it in providing them with protection, comfort or support. He’ll lend them an ear and a shoulder to cry on and provide them with whatever acts of service he can think of - bring them food, take care of them (best he can) when they’re down, handle their enemies if such exist, back them up on anything and everything. Sometimes, it can be something as simple as removing their shoes from their feet after a long day, ironing their clothes, tidying up, or pampering them in bed if they’re up for it.

He’ll start taking pictures of places around the world that make him think of them, or buy them gifts. He likes putting thought into these and making sure they’re something special - something no one else would have thought to give them, a reference to a private joke or story, or something you cannot find anywhere else in the world.

Another way for Merc to display trust is that he gradually becomes more verbal and shares with them that way, be it in expressing his opinions or sharing stories from his past. Likewise, he’ll gradually become more comfortable with physical touch, and especially enjoys PDA (when he’s otherwise a very private person and likely would not have been seen with them publicly). He also likes taking them to his favorite spots around the city/country/world (depending on their mobility, I guess): skyscraper rooftops, places with pretty scenery, abandoned buildings that are fun to explore, his favorite food joints, markets, clubs, or the aviary where he keeps his pigeons. Anywhere that’s touched him or is dear to him in some way or another. 

Job: so much physical contact and PDA. He’s gonna have a hand on his partner wherever they are, whatever they’re doing, and he’s going to want to kiss them all the time. Likewise: all the sex they can possibly keep up with. Job’s sex drive is high at any given time and is his go-to way of showing affection, and it only becomes higher when he develops romantic feelings for another person. He’s also a service top through and through and will gladly do whatever his partner wants to please them. 

His loved ones are always on his mind and he likes showing them that whichever way he can: collecting little gifts for them from along the road, trinkets and jewelry/items of clothing from thrift shops, flowers he picks and dries among the pages of his books/journal, pretty rocks and seashells, etc. Since he’s unable to communicate with them regularly while he’s on the road, Job also likes writing to his partners - letters, postcards, love songs (which he will occasionally compose and perform for them upon his return). In addition to all the found/purchased gifts, Job’s favorite form of gift-giving is creating handmade things for his partners, if and when he can (say, if he’s working in construction and has access to woodworking tools). He may create little statues for them of things they like, pieces of jewelry or handy stuff for their home/kitchen like wooden bowls or chopping boards.

Additionally, he just loves hanging out with his favorite people and find activities for them to do together: he’ll take them out on picnics (both day and night; nothing more romantic than dinner under the open night skies), little concerts at parks or dive bars, thrift-shopping, etc., and there will always be food involved in these activities to some capacity or another. Little brings Job more joy than feeding his loved ones, and he will absolutely try to fatten them up with his home cooking if he can.

Saul: as he’s never been in love or involved in a romantic relationship, his means of showing affection lean more towards the platonic side. Like Job, Saul very much enjoys cooking for his loved ones and will happily labor in the kitchen the entire day just to see them enjoy their meal by the end of it, and he loves it all the more if/when they want to participate. He likes to include them in his family traditions if they’re not already part of them, such as inviting them over for Shabbos dinner or a major Jewish holiday and offer for them to partake by helping him recite prayers/practice rituals/even something as simple as offer them a yarmulke or head scarf so that they may show their respect to the occasion. While it’s worth nothing that he will respect their wishes if they don’t want to participate, it’ll likely be very difficult to impossible for him to maintain a romantic relationship with someone who never wishes to partake in his culture.

On the odd occasion that he does go on a date (more like did - don’t think he’s been on a date in, like, 10 years), Saul prefers to use his playing field (Manhattan) to his benefit - take his dates out for walks around Central Park (the High Line is also a favorite, especially at night), visit the MoMA or the Guggenheim, chat over a bottle of red wine and share a few courses in some cute little bistros he knows (LBR, he’s likely friends with the owners and gets to have some special shots/dishes sent over free of charge). 

It may also sound a bit funny but, Saul likes arguing? Maybe not arguing so much as debating. It’s no small part of Jewish culture and he loves sharp people who can keep up with his intellect and will always do his best to challenge them. Catch him debating something entirely theoretical and/or nonsensical to death just for the hell of it, just to see who can win the argument. On a similar note and, though he’s never done it before, he’ll also likely enjoy taking his date to his casino and watch them gamble the night away (wouldn’t mind paying for it, either). Bonus points if his date knows poker or blackjack and can challenge him at the table.

X   :   XOXO.   does your muse use / like pet names?

Merc: as is always the case with this edgelord, the answer is: outwardly no, but secretly yes. Obviously, pet names suggest an intimate relationship, which Merc very much prefers to avoid for obvious reasons.

He does appreciate being called pet names in both platonic and romantic relationships and is an absolute sucker for anything soft a partner might call him, such as baby, angel, princess etc., because he’s so often regarded as tough, monstrous, etc., and because his true identity is obviously a touchy subject. But it’s also worth mentioning that words - and names, at that, their meaning and the way that they’re used - mean a great deal to Merc, and that there’s value and intimacy in his friends and partners calling him by his real name. As he often introduces himself under either an alias or a nickname (even before he became Merc, he’s had more nicknames than he can count on both hands), this is a very rare occurrence and, depending on the circumstances, it could be either comforting or terrifying to be addressed by his real name.

With regards to his own use of pet names, he is far likelier to use derogatory terms as terms of endearment rather than actual pet names: rather than call someone baby or angel or what have you, he’s far more likely to call them a bitch, cunt, dickhead, cocksucker, etc. Helps ignore or come to terms with the level of intimacy that a pet name suggests if it’s derogatory or funny. He also often does the opposite and uses terms of endearment as derogatory terms - calling people darling, sweetheart etc. as a means of humiliating them and showing his disrespect.

With that said, though, it’s not beyond him to eventually drop the facade and use actual pet names for loved ones - namely love, pet, darling and sweetheart.

Job: yes to both!!! So much!!! He’s likely to address people by their official title upon introduction, as per his country manners, but he absolutely loves both using and being called pet names by friends, family and partners alike. Even in casual conversation, he’s likely to address someone as man, girl or dude (dude is used for all genders and is hence his go-to) rather than use their actual names. As for his partners, he tends not to prefer one particular pet name and will call them anything that he can possibly think of: darling, sweetheart, honey, sugar, baby... you get the gist. He also likes to play off of people’s names and create cater-made nicknames just for them.

Saul: yes, absolutely, and you can rest assured that they will be Yiddish pet names more often than not. His father used to do this all the time and, the older Saul gets, the more he takes after Menash, especially when it comes to speech patterns. I.e., he’ll often refer to Jess as boychik (as Menash used to refer to him). Among his favorite terms to use are zeeskeit (sweetness), sheifale (lamb), bubbeleh (doll), libe/r (love, female/male), oyster (treasure) and ketsele (kitten).

[stonks-consoomer]

5 Things that Scream “Stanley Uris”

For some reason I’ve always felt that instead of a bike, Stan Uris would longboard. I, know, I know, but hear me out. Imagine the rest of the Losers on their bikes, heading to the park, but behind them is Stan, on a longboard with a small bird on his shoulder.

He’s obviously ambidextrous. Because, why wouldn’t he be. He can go any way when it comes to using his hands, just like his romantic preferation.

Takes more time in the morning to get ready then ANY of the Losers. Fixing his hair, tucking in his shirt, tying his shoes, etc. Even though he picks out his clothes the night before he wears them.

He’s an Asexual, or at least a Grey-Ace. Most likely panromantic.

He loves the zoo, especially the aviaries. No explanation necessary. 

Absolutely adorable. 

[mikiruma]

im gonna talk abt tf2 and pokemon again bc i can.

scout of course would dig fast pokémon!!! he's probably got a jolteon he loves dearly, maybe even a crobat he was given (as a zubat) in childhood. from who? eyes emoji there are faster pokémon, sure, but a lot are legendaries or bugs- and he's still trying to warm up to bugs. when/if he did, you KNOW he'd be all over ninjask or accelgor. he usually fawns over pokémon he thinks would make him look cool or fit his fight style (ie hit ur opponents the hardest first & dont get touched) but has a weak spot for some of the "cuter" ones. probably tried to lick a vanillish. as staunch a believer i am he'd be from castelia city, i like the idea that he used to be a rocket grunt, or someone who wanted to join team rocket at one point. i was trying to decide if he'd have a type preference but i like to think he's a mixed bag, mostly because every pokémon is cool and exciting to him! if you did ask & he did have to pick, it'd definitely be electric. wait, dragon, obviously... nah, fighting is good. no wa

soldier's partner is obvious! zigzagoon! mostly bc its a raccoon-like lil dude... he probably gives nicknames to every pokémon he sees, not necessarily just the ones he tries to catch. because lets face it, his zigzagoon is the ONLY pokémon that matters to him. well, that and any that catches zhanna's eye. his zigzagoon carries an everstone and is probably stupid high levelled but nobody really keeps track. soldier does initiate a lot of battles, but they're more fun when zhanna's with him too! theyre an inseperable group who probably wreak enough havoc to be considered their own team of hooligans, but who's to stop a happy couple with their adorable op pokémon? also i kinda wrote all that down super quick buuuut zigzagoon also works as a support pokémon for him when his stability gets extra rough, laying on his lap and helping to keep him grounded. he doesnt have any desire to keep more pokémon since he's fine with just 1, but if he had more i think he might get along with loudred or chatot. (chatot would DEFINITELY take some warming up to on his end but i LOVE THE THOUGHT)

pyro loves fire types of course!!! theyre probably the only one brave enough to pet their hotter ones. engineer probably made em special gloves just so they could play with their slugma... its hard to pick favorites, but the ones theyre closest to are slugma and monferno. they also have a solosis who just loves to play! unlike other people who usually just have one pokémon walking with em at all times, pyro tends to keep all three of theirs out of their pokéballs. they worry about them getting cramped or bored, and while its good exercise, sometimes its difficult to wrangle them when solosis has someones hat and slugmas melting through the furniture and monferno found spy's disguise kit.. theyre a big happy family though!! i think pyro would also like fairy types a lot, but if they got a fourth pokémon, theyd probably keep it at a daycare for the sake of themselves and the rest of the team. just in case, they might really want a sylveon or snubbull.

demoman and any pokémon knowing any explosive moves is an obvious fit! i initially liked him and electrode for this, but since part of their biology is exploding unpredictably... maybe that ones saved for battling. or at least not kept at any of the bases. i like the idea of him keeping his battle partners & normal team separate. when he's not drunk, he's a very skilled trainer and actually took a handful of gym challenges when he was younger. of course it started getting tough to balance work and training, but he never intended to get far in gyms anyway- to him it was just a fun challenge where he got to bond with his pokémon. other than his electrode, he's probably also got a charmeleon (whos either causing mischief with pyro's monferno or keeping demo company while he works/naps) and a honedge (who he will spar with sometimes). he used to have several other pokémon, but he eventually didn't like keeping them all abandoned in pc boxes, and ended up rehoming a lot of them. scout probably has a meowth from him, but he wont tell you.

heavy never cared too much about setting up huge teams or amassing a large collection. he never carries pokéballs, but his party is made up of some impressive pokémon. unlike most of the team who catch their pokémon through normal means (trade/gift, fishing, etc), he befriended his naturally. its easy to say one is ursaring, so of course im going to say it. he wont share how they met, but i wanna say he found its egg abandoned and raised it from there. they probably wrestle a lot but theyre always careful not to seriously injure each other. he befriended his mamoswine (then swinub) shortly after, then his abomasnow much later, in between him busting his family out of the gulag & leaving to find work. he left all three in siberia in the care of his family, but has a teddiursa from his ursaring to think of them all by. probably spoils the crap out of em all every chance he gets though, he loves his pokémon as much as his human family and saves recipes for poképuffs & poffins.

engineer wasn't always on board w the idea of a partner pokémon, mainly because he was always into engineering and was sure he'd be too caught up in it to focus on.. well, anything else. sure, when he was younger, he was like most kids and dreamt of being a league champion, but it always seemed to fall through.. until he discovered steel types. he started his journey later than most, but more than anything he's thankful because they help immensely with his work and lighten the load. he has a magneton who.. isn't that bright, but he's cute and thats what matters. he's also got a rotom who occasionally helps experiment with new machines, but mostly just possesses dispensers and rubs itself on everyone and everything. yum, static cling! engie didn't get into battling as much as he thought he would, but he's essentially working his dream job with his best friends (and 8 other dorks) so things are pretty good. this doesnt mean he wont go for human help when hes stumped or burnt out, though! other partner thoughts i had were torkoal, raichu and porygon2.

sniper is probably the biggest pokémon expert out of everyone on the team (well, aside from medic probably.) he's basically a walking pokédex and can tell you all about type matchups. he's also way closer to his pokémon than people realize, and especially closer than any real people. this is especially noticeable with his baby kangaskhan- although with a heavier origin than simply "abandoned", he ended up bonding with heavy over the ordeal. even with more technical aspects memorized, raising this baby was a completely new venture- not one he hated though! he also collects bug pokémon (that he lets scout get close to,when he tries to get over his fear) & has a slakoth that just kinda.. fell asleep on him one time and just never went away. other choices include koamala or krokorok.

medic is like a pokémon professor but fucked up. while he was primarily a human doctor, after losing his medical license, he started to dedicate time to studying pokémon. he doesnt run inhumane experiments on them because i said so. he's working on filling up his pokédex more than anything, and loves listening to others talk about their partners or other species theyve seen. he has his own pokémon too of course! as the team healer its only natural he has healing pokémon like audino and blissey, but he has a soft spot for flying types, specifically the birds. he has way too many pidove. he probably has a massive aviary separate from his medical lab where he keeps more birds, namely pidgeotto, fearow and some starly. he used to travel a lot (especially after being chased out of his hometown), but he saw it as more chances to discover new pokémon. probably has a very illegal form of the pokémon boxes with no storage limit. also probably heard the stories about mew and mewtwo and actually got inspired. probably owns the most pokémon merc, specifically stationery- hey, if ur getting some unethical experiment performed on you by the german guy you tried to rob earlier that night, are you going to pay more attention to his shit eating smirk or his cool ass holographic pikachu pencils??? or perhaps the cutesy eeveelutions stickers on the back of his clipboard???? thats what i thought.

spy looks like the guy who would probably be the least into pokémon, but that couldn't be further from the truth. he's not as wild as scout or medic by any means, but back in his day he was "pretty decent" (a gym leader.) i like the idea of zoroark being his partner, but you know who else is cool??? cofagrigus. gengar. banette. probably the only one on the team to actually get into mega evolving. and the only one with a shiny, but its gengar so we dont talk about that. i wont imply he loves his pokémon over his own family, he's just had a lot on his plate. remember scouts crobat? while hes got a more methodical approach to battling, he doesnt do it nearly as often as he used to. he still keeps his gym team, and though they tend to be more serious than the other pokémon in the base, they do on occasion get into trouble with others, namely pyro's solosis and scout's jolteon. not misbehaving on purpose, just being curious :0 probably uses luxury balls to catch all his pokémon and has an unused love ball with scouts moms name engraved on the bottom. (either for the novelty, or maybe hes trying to find the right one to catch for her??)

[sarakuper]

Cartagena; Mom & Maria

Stop #7, January 22-28

Well, it’s clear I’ve gotten pretty bad at keeping up with journaling. But just telling you what we did each day is better than nothing!

Sean and I flew from Medellin to Cartagena on Wednesday the 22nd after parting ways with Josh at the international airport. I’m super grateful for the upgraded stay we had at the Hyatt Hotel in Bocagrande thanks to my mamma. My mom and my cousin Maria arrived the next day, but my mom got Sean and I our room a day sooner. After wandering along the local beach in the late afternoon we spoiled ourselves to room service and enjoyed the amenities of the hotel. Then a late night swim in the pool overlooking the ocean, yes please!

Mom and Maria arrived the next day. I decided to surprise them at the airport because even though it is a 15 minute ride to the hotel it’s not easy to get around without any Spanish. Plus, I knew my mom wouldn’t have any Colombian Pesos and exchanging currency at the airport costs way too much! After settling in and unpacking the four of us took a taxi into Old Town (aka The Old City or Walled City) to walk around and grab a bite for dinner. 

Friday morning we woke up for a free walking tour of Cartagena which was supposed to last about 2 hours. After about an hour in we were all terribly bored, feeling like the guide talked so much and yet we learned nothing. We gave him his tip early and ditched the tour, hitting up a local Panadería (bakery) whose smell brought us in from the streets. We bought a handful of breads/pastries for less than $3 and happily indulged. After shopping a little and walking around some more, the heat really kicked in. It was time to head back to the hotel to hang by the pool. Like many days on this leg of the trip, afternoons were spent at the hotel pool sipping mojitos. And again, like most nights, we ate out in The Old City. 

On Saturday we spent the morning exploring Castillo de San Felipe, a castle that protected the old city. There’s a lot of important history in Cartagena, but I won’t even attempt sharing my understanding of it because I only have so much brain capacity to get all the details right... let alone remember them. We did however pay a small price for a private tour guide so we wouldn’t blindly walk around the place making guesses about the history. Thankfully this tour guide was much better than our previous one 😂

The rest of the day, or at least until it got too hot, was about exploring the old city. I have to say it’s absolutely beautiful. It’s full of color, energy, history, tourists and locals and it really is just special. 

And once it got too hot... yup, we spent the late afternoon sun bathing and swimming at the hotel’s pool. 

Saturday morning we headed out to the Aviary, about an hour outside of the city, to check out the birds. It was such a wonderful visit and super cool to see such beautiful birds!! Of course we all loved seeing the flamingos up close. That was probably everyone’s favorite part if I had to guess.

After the Aviary we stopped at Playa Blanca which was super close to grab a quick bite on the beach. We didn’t plan this, and because of my poor Spanish I wrongly understood our driver and thought he would take us to the beach for lunch without extra charge. Well, the water was so gorgeous, it would have been a shame to be at this gorgeous beach and not swim in it! Me and Maria decided underwear would suffice as bathing suits. And even though I was wearing a thong, this is Colombia.. where all the woman dress as sexy as they want and no-one stares, cat calls, or even looks twice. It’s totally normal here to wear a thong bikini, etc. So I thought, no one will look twice at me.. if it weren't for my blaringly white behind. Maria, on the other hand, might as well be Latina with her sun kissed skin.

After our quick dip in the ocean, lunch was served. It was our first time eating the typical coastal dish of Colombia, which includes black coconut rice. And WOW was it delicious!! 

We headed back to the hotel where the driver told us the additional cost for the stop at Playa Blanca. It was that moment where I realized I better get back to school and learn more Spanish.. ASAP.

Monday was our last full day together and we decided to check our Rosario Islands. We took a speed boat for 1 hour and arrived at the island. Here Sean and I went on a snorkeling tour and mom and Maria held down some chairs at the beach. Snorkeling was fun, even though the corals don’t look as great as they probably should be. We got to see some cool fish, and of course take fun photos under water. 

When we got back to the island the 4 of us sat for our included lunch before relaxing back on the beach until it was time to leave. The boat ride back was a lot more rough than on the way there. Many people got totally soaked, and while my mom was freaking with fear, I couldn’t help but crack up at how soaked we were getting, like we were on a roller coaster in a water park. Eventually she couldn’t help but laugh too. 

That night we had our final dinner, back at the restaurant we loved the most while exploring The Old City. It’s very obviously a small family owned restaurant, and they had the most delicious food with the best service. Plus, it was women owned and run 💪🏽. And so I don’t forget, its called Portón de San Sebastián. 

Tuesday came, and after breakfast we packed, leaving us about an hour by the pool. It was so good to be with my mamma, and I know it was hard for her to say goodbye “leaving me” in Colombia, but I’m really glad her and Maria came and got a slice of our adventure. 

Next we’re headed to Santa Marta. Later fam! Love you all. 

[intpandistp]

Hey, I'm actually curious about ISTP and their ISFP buddies. Can you share stories about the dumb (and less dumb) things you've done (aka share more of your regret scale) ?

Well, we just tried some “Cranberry Muffin” flavored coffee. I don’t know that it registered on the regret scale, but it was bad. Just... bad.

We did put a Paslode fuel cell inside a ceramic piggy bank. Which we set in the burn pit. And lit. As we stood at the probably-safe-distance. Pig pieces whizzed past us and hit the house. I found a piece on the roof months later. Luckily, there was a log in front of the pig that shielded us. 10 of 10, would do again.

We have lots of plans. Our friendship really blossomed after I got married. Somehow INTP Kub was a catalyst. So now we want to build a gaming table, custom boardgame boxes, an aviary for my finches, create our own wood stain from walnuts.... build a flaming toiled roller coaster (as a means of our mutual deaths, should the need arise)... etc.

We also like to do lots of off-trail hiking in nice weather. ...and sometimes really heavy rain. We sometimes get lost. Or end up coated in tiny burs.

My ISFP buddy is all about, and I quote, “Doing ‘dumb’ they safe way.” Which I’m less about, but I’m flexible.

We also had “microwave day.”

We want to build a massive ice-cream maker powered by a lawn tractor.

We are trying to figure out how legal it is to build a forge in your backyard.

Essentially, all the bad ideas that are fleeting in either of our heads individually become actionable when we’re both present.

Story time:There’s this awesome summertime-only ice cream shop near his house that always serves the biggest portions. And if you order mix-ins, they FRICKIN’ LOAD THAT THING UP. Cookie dough? Enjoy all 4 entire unbaked cookies mixed in! And apparently, you can get Nerds as a mix-in. I always get cookie dough and nerds together. It was a Bad Idea that had to be tried. I liked it. It’s now standard.Now, bear in mind that the dense-packed mix-ins applies to the Nerds too. ...It gets a little intense, but I can handle my sugar. So, we had another Bad Idea... double Nerd mix-ins. Because, well, we can?So, it’s the end of the season. My INTP and I get there before ISFP does. I get the usual. But, like, I think they were trying to use up their mix-ins? So.... SO MANY NERDS IT HURT TO EAT IT but I had to eat the whole thing because I paid my own good money for it so I will suffer through it and down the entire 6 large boxes of Nerds surrounded by cookie dough and ice cream in this massive cup.So obviously, we ordered for ISFP. And obviously we ordered him double Nerds.And, I guess it surpassed the Death Chili on the Regret Scale, because ISFP was unable to finish that horrid monstrosity. It was... so dense. There was equal parts ice cream to Nerds. Maybe slightly less ice cream. It hurt to look at. I spent my own hard-earned money on that, and I do not regret this decision one bit.

Anyway, if more regrettable things come to mind, I can post them.

-ISTP Bub

[she-who-fights-and-writes]

This is a question that might have been asked before but I need help. I've been struggling to pick a pet for my original main character. Like if I should focus on matching it with the character's personality, or the pet's ability on the battlefield... Please help

How To Write Animals in Battle

Okay @ahtna-queen-of-fey, so I feel like I need a lil bit more information about your story to know which pet you should choose because there are a ton of differences between what a character in a realistic fiction story can get and a character in a fantasy or Sci-Fi story can get.

However, you said “usefulness on the battlefield” so I’m leaning towards either fantasy or Sci-Fi.

I’m not really sure what “Matching it with the character’s personality” means (I’m assuming that if they’re dark and brooding they have like a raven or something?) and if my assumptions are correct, then you should really steer clear from this path. Dark, brooding characters having dark, brooding pets is an overly-used trope that is borderline cheesy. 

Think about what YOUR character would want. Think about their personality. Do they not like reptiles or fantasy creatures because they’re too scary? Pick a pet that you think you’re character (not you) would want.

For example, I love reptiles. I have a bearded dragon, and I love snakes and crocodiles and the like. My main character, however, would probably be more of a bird person (not birds of prey, lil tiny pet birds and also parrots). I could see him having a whole aviary just so all of his lil birds could land on him.

Separate yourself from your character and decide what pet they would most likely desire, which could be one from the lists I’m making below:

1. Pets Not Used In Battle At All

These pets are also the “regular” pets. They’re not very useful in battle and would be if your character enjoys a friend rather than a comrade.

Note that is just an overall, broad census.(I know there are going to be people answering in the comments with links to a killer bunny used in warfare or saying “yeah, but if you trained them this way…” )

Bunnies

Parrots and songbirds

Cats

Lizards

Snakes

Toy dogs 

2. Pets Not Used For Combat

These pets would be useful in battle, but not for the actual fighting part.

Homing Pigeons- Used during World War I because of their incredible sense of direction and ability to always find their way back home- used for messages)

Horse/Pony/Donkey/Mule/Other pack animals-  Used for transportation over long distances, carrying loads, pulling carts, and providing extra speed in the midst of the fighting. 

Labradors/Other Medium-Sized Dogs- Carry medicine and messages, detect bombs, not really built for attacking as much as some other dogs.

Rodents- Used to sniff bombs.

Dolphins- Surprisingly enough, dolphins have been trained to detect mines for military boats.

3. Pets Used For Combat

These pets can be used for killing when it comes to battle.

Large/strong dogs- Can be trained to attack enemy troops. (Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, Pitbull, etc.)

Elephants- Obviously not used recently, but were most famously used by Hannibal, who fed them wine in order to keep them angry and irritable.

Horses- Can be used to trample enemy troops. 

Birds of Prey

Also, don’t be afraid to make up your own kinds of creatures if you’re in a fantasy setting, like ravens and the like.

Hope this helped!