#animal sensitivity to earthquakes

[maxgicalgirl]

Is there anything in nature that naturally makes that insufferable bass sound that a semi-truck makes or did we as humans just invent that sound because we like suffering ?

[vixstarria]

Kinktober Day 8 - Stuck in a hole

For every day of the month of October I will be posting a little snippet following prompts listed in this post. Most of these will not be full fics, but rather short snippets, set-ups, and, in a few cases, copied bits and pieces of fics I have already published. But, if there is a lot of interest and feedback on any of the snippets, they might just evolve into full fics, so keep that in mind.

Disclaimer / TW: This is a crackfic and I laughed like a hyena writing parts of it. You have been warned.

Lae’zel was not having a good day. Wound tight as a string that was about to snap, the last dregs of her patience slipping through her fingers, she yearned for the peace that could only be found in her blade’s slashing through the flesh of her foes.

Their k'chakhi ‘leader’ was off investigating or, more likely, robbing a bank with her two pet elves and the harper Jaheira - that woman, at least, could be trusted to keep the istik nonsense to a minimum.

In the meantime, Lae’zel had volunteered to lead the wizard, warlock and cleric on a reconnaissance mission within Wyrm’s Rock Fortress. Alas, through no fault of her own - it was the wizard’s ever-crackling knees that blew their cover - they were caught and placed in a holding cell.

At least their captors shared the usual istik lack of discipline and common sense - they were not even taken to separate cells. And now, with some help from the wizard’s spells, they were making their way back out of the keep.

The warlock guided the group through the halls and passageways of the fortress - he was familiar with the layout. They had reached a wall which contained a gap large enough to crawl through (careless, these city dwellers, allowing such breaches to remain within their structures). Lae’zel allowed the two men to go through ahead of her, with the cleric trailing behind, but just as she was halfway through, an earthquake shook the keep, dislodging yet more of the bricks and stones that lined the wall and ceiling above, and trapping her in place. The stones had collapsed in a way that made it impossible to simply lift them from her. Miraculously, she was unharmed, praise be to Vl- chk! - but she was, undeniably, stuck between the two chambers separated by the crumbling wall.

“Have you any spells that might be of use, in your arsenal?” Wyll directed at Gale, once it was determined that manual extraction methods would not suffice, and once it was confirmed that Shadowheart was also unharmed - no one could see her behind the wall that separated the chambers.

“I’m afraid I’ve exhausted all the cunning tricks I had stashed up my sleeve getting us this far… But perhaps we have a scroll for the occasion?” said Gale.

"There’s got to be a scroll of gaseous form here somewhere,” Wyll said, digging through a bag of supplies. “Animal friendship… Colour spray… Why do we even carry these useless things?”

As the two mages (inept, both of them!) continued to rifle through their inventory of scrolls and trinkets, Lae’zel felt soft touches on the backs of her thighs. Shadowheart ran her fingers over Lae’zel’s bare skin, lightly brushing it with the blunt of her nails.

Lae’zel squirmed at the touch. Tsk’va, why had she ever divulged to the cleric that she was ticklish? It was so unlike her, so unwise to disclose a weakness… And this was not the time for such frivolities!

Lae’zel attempted to kick Shadowheart away, but the cleric easily dodged her without pausing her increasingly ribald caresses.

“Lae’zel?” Wyll asked.

“What?” she said, curtly, as Shadowheart continued to trace her thighs with her fingertips, feather light, making her skin tingle.

“There is a scroll of grease…” he said, hesitantly. “Perhaps if we-”

“No.”

Shadowheart’s hands moved up along the insides of Lae’zel’s thighs, playfully caressing the sensitive skin there, and continued to creep up. Lae’zel had to admit that it felt pleasant, even if the occasion was completely inappropriate for it.

Just as she thought the cleric would finally cease her foolishness, instead, Lae’zel felt the cleric fiddling with the clasps of her under-harness.

No. She wouldn’t dare.

Her mind had barely finished formulating that thought when her harness came undone, exposing her core. Lae’zel’s eyes shot wide open.

She dared.

Shadowheart’s fingers continued on their path along Lae’zel’s sex - gliding along the edges but refusing to slip inside.

Lae’zel knew she should’ve fought or at the very least ignored and refused to succumb to the cleric’s touch, and yet, despite herself, she felt a needful pulsing between her legs, blood rushing to all her most sensitive parts. She knew she would be dripping with slick in no time, if she wasn’t already. There was no use trying to hide it.

She was bested. It was undeniable. At this point there would be more honour, more dignity, in submission. She would accept defeat, this time, and use it as an opportunity to learn from the victor.

Lae’zel spread her legs and lifted her hips higher, presenting herself to the cleric.

Just a few feet away from her, Gale continued digging through his supplies.

“Ah, I have a scroll of goodberry!” he said. “Perchance you would like a snack while we search for solutions?”

Lae’zel all but hissed at the wizard in reply.

The cleric had wasted no time in accepting Lae’zel’s gesture of submission, and slid two fingers inside Lae’zel’s throbbing hole - stroking, but also searching and prying. Tsk’va! She had taught her too well.

Lae’zel sobbed as Shadowheart’s fingers located and curled into her t’rac spot.

Curses, she thought. Another weakness she had thoughtlessly disclosed prior, in a moment of foolhardiness.

“Lae’zel, are you alright?” Wyll said, with worry. The cleric must have heard her outcry, for her fingers continued their relentless assault with renewed, excited vigour.

“It’s nothing!” Lae’zel panted. “I… I do not do well in enclosed spaces.”

The spot within her pulsated with each stroke of the cleric’s fingers - a delicious sting, a palpitating itch that demanded more and more pressure, driving her to the edge of madness.

“It is important that you do not panic,” said Wyll, crouching down by Lae’zel. “We will get you out.”

“I am not panicking,” Lae’zel managed, breathlessly.

“No, of course not,” Wyll said, kindly. “Now… Lae’zel? Can you look at me?”

Assuming that he would not let the matter lie, Lae’zel lifted her gaze to meet the warlock’s, all the while arching her back and spreading her legs wider for Shadowheart.

“I am with you, and I will not leave you,” he said.

Lae’zel swore under her breath.

“Nice, deep breaths now. You are a mighty githyanki warrior, this is nothing you can’t handle.”

Lae’zel breathed deep, trying to keep her breaths level instead of gasping and gulping for air like she wanted to. The cleric’s ministrations had brought her to the very cusp of release. Only a little bit more… Only a little bit- A desperate whine, completely unexpected even by Lae’zel herself, tore from her throat as the cleric landed a sharp slap on her rear, without ceasing the stroking motions.

“Take my hand, Lae’zel!” Wyll urged her.

She cursed again but took his hand, nearly crushing it with the force of her grasp.

The warlock winced, but continued his efforts in uplifting her spirits.

“You are doing so well!”

With a sob, Lae’zel hid her face in the crook of her elbow, lying face down on the ground.

The blasted cleric had reached around her hips with her free hand, and began to rub around her exposed clitoris.

“There is no shame in being claustrophobic.”

As the words left Wyll’s mouth, Lae’zel’s whole world seemed to shake, and she released an animalistic scream from deep within her chest, just as she knew a generous spray of release squirted from between her shaking legs, continuing to be urged on by Shadowheart’s strokes. Somewhere in the back of her mind, spitefully, Lae’zel hoped it landed on the cleric.

It took some moments, but Lae’zel soon realised that her earth-shattering orgasm had, indeed, been accompanied by yet more tremors which shook everything around them.

And then all was still.

Lae’zel still panted when she felt Shadowheart refastening the clasps of her harness. A light, playful smack landed on her rump, before the cleric adjusted the strips of pteruges on her armour back in place, and retreated.

“It seems more of the stones have been dislodged, perhaps we can pull her out now?” said Gale, after he and Wyll had ascertained that Lae’zel remained unharmed.

She thought she would be inclined to murder all three of her companions on regaining her freedom, and yet when they finally pulled her out by her arms, Lae’zel felt oddly at peace. She met Shadowheart’s eyes when she followed her out through the crevice, and only let out a soft ‘chk’ at the sight of the smirking cleric.

She would exact skilful, precise revenge on her, later. On her honour as a warrior, yes she would.

My Kinktober masterlist and prompts post

[gofancyninjaworld]

Thinking about Garou

Question: "Compared to the first season, which draws attention to Saitama's exhilarating punches, the second season focuses on story development. Did you have any specific goals while drawing the story?" Murata: "There was one thing that I requested from ONE Sensei before drawing my re-illustrated manga. At first, there were plans to cut out Garou's childhood with the bully in my version, but that scene really left an impression on me. I thought it was a vital part of understanding Garou's position, so I discussed it with ONE Sensei and requested that I be able to leave it in for y version. And it was paced so well in the anime! I believe it ended up being a very high-quality scene." -- From the liner notes of One-Punch Man Season 2.

I'm including this because I feel it's fundamental to really talk about Garou with any depth. Garou without context does not make sense. He is a kind, sensitive, and thoughtful young man who wants to do good in the world. Yet, he caused a horrifying amount of harm, both directly and indirectly, and ultimately undermined his own goals.

I'm glad that ONE listened to Murata about keeping Garou's childhood flashback. Without it, he'd just have been a thug attacking heroes for no reason to us (pretty much as the heroes saw him). Not only that, but ONE has gone a lot further in the manga in showing us the context in which Garou grew up that's been very helpful for understanding who Garou is, what he saw, and making some sense of his powerful yet contradictory desires.

Ultimately Garou is Garou. He's his own person and the buck for his actions firmly stops with him. No matter what, I can't imagine him not being an independent thinker with the determination to put his thoughts into action.

But...

...the tragedy of his thinking becomes clear when we see his thinking of monsters as metaphors for what is misunderstood or unacceptable in ourselves (a popular enough one IRL where monsters aren't real) and compare it with the reality of his world in which monsters have won, successfully restricting humans to one continent, and people like heroes because they are reminders that sometimes, even apparently overwhelming evil can be defeated. Nothing good happens when you deny the reality around you.

You know Garou's rant about uniting the world with fear? It's a standalone rant in the webcomic. The manga gives us a snapshot of the context in which he came to this conclusion. As this is a place that is no stranger to natural disasters -- forget the monsters -- Garou has no doubt experienced at least one big storm, or flood, or earthquake, or volcanic eruption in his life. In those days and weeks that follow, he's no longer an outcast. Nobody cares about where you come from or who you are: people help each other. At least until normalcy is restored. That's something he's directly experienced.

That's just human nature: even in individualistic societies, for every report of looting in the wake of a natural disaster, there are hundreds of people trying to help. And this is a much more collectivist society that has to deal with disasters semi-regularly. That's the sense of looking out for each other in the face of a tragedy bigger than any person he wanted to recreate—only permanently.

Then we get bits of Garou through the people around him. We got nothing about his parents in the webcomic but in the manga, his parents refuse to see him or get him out of custody. They've given up on him. To make it worse, the audience ONE is writing for understands that Garou is a minor until he's 20 (the law recently changed in Japan but it wasn't even up for debate when ONE started writing OPM). So they've done the equivalent of washing their hands of a 16-year-old. That's got to have hit Garou very, very hard, even if he was estranged from them. He'd have liked it if his father cared enough to tell him what to do.

We see how Bang has literally taken on the role of in loco parentis. It's been interesting to see that the reason Bang has chased after Garou so relentlessly is because he sees himself in the young man. However, we also see that he deeply misunderstands Garou too. Bang beat up people because he was an extremely selfish young man who felt he was entitled to everything.

Garou beat up people because he is an extremely thoughtful young man who sees himself as bringing a great good into the world at the expense of some heroes.

It's definitely going to cause trouble but that's okay -- nothing in life is smooth and such differences are inevitable. With love, such struggles are worthwhile.

Garou's an object lesson in why the energy to do things in the world rarely comes with the power to make those changes. His overly simple solutions were disastrous. But one thing we can also say about Garou: he's a fast learner. He's literally rebuilding his life little by little in the webcomic by rebuilding the world around him. In the manga, he's been given the opportunity to sift through his thinking and find what's genuinely good. We'll see how it all shakes out.

[rollfordexterity]

wrote a statement fic in transcript format that takes place in The Entwined Archives, a tma au that myself and the wonderful @simcardiac-arrested came up with! the characters featured are their ocs and can be found on the askblog @dj-wayback. this au obviously is not canon compliant to the original askblog (and no, it's not really canon compliant to tma either, but there are a few minor spoilers). big spoilers for cream's askblog though. fic is under the cut, trigger warnings are listed below

List of content warnings: abuse, graphic animal abuse, animal experimentation, dehumanisation, unethical science, overworking and burnout, hallucinations, dissociation, migraines, shock (medical), burning, descriptions of death by immolation, toxic workplace environment, canon-typical Buried and Desolation content, slightly implied cannibalism (kinda), emetophobia, suffocation, gore, blood, memory loss

Stress Testing

INT. NEEDLESS SEPARATION’S SMALL FLAT - NIGHT, RAINING (TAPE RECORDER)

NEEDLESS SEPARATION

(slightly frantic, almost whispered) …Is this working? Good. I need to - I just - I have to record this somehow. I need to be sure of this. There’s something wrong, it’s all missing, I am all missing, and if I do not say this now it might go missing too. I don’t know what happened but it’s all gone.

[BEAT. THEY TAKE A MOMENT TO COMPOSE THEMSELF.]

I… my apologies. These are not the ramblings of a drunkard or a child with an overactive imagination, I swear it. My memory of these events is lacking, I will admit, but I know that something happened, even if I cannot prove it. I was perfectly healthy before, I would not just hallucinate this, no matter what the doctors may believe.

I should start at the beginning. This started… up to six months ago, I believe. Possibly longer. My sense of time is quite distorted now. At the time, I was fresh out of school, having just completed my Masters in Theoretical Physics. It was a competitive field, but I did eventually manage to find a position as a research assistant with the company Transcendent Life Labs. The job description was a little vague, but I applied anyway, and after an unexpectedly short interview process I was hired. It was mostly the standard interview fare, about work ethic and prioritisation, strengths and weaknesses, et cetera, but there were a number of more personal questions. Asking about my social life, my hobbies, that sort of thing. It did strike me as a little odd, but some workplaces do have a more casual atmosphere.

The supervisor I was assigned to was an accomplished scientist named Finite Waves. My position as their assistant meant that I worked directly with them at an isolated research facility for some time. There was barely anything for miles around and no roads, so I had to stay at the facility in a small room. I had few personal effects, but I did not mind so much given that I did not spend much time there anyway. As we were located quite far out, the lab’s surroundings were surprisingly untouched by people and I faintly recall thinking it was quite beautiful. The other researchers were generally affable, though I rarely interacted with them. Admittedly, the cafeteria food was... lacking, and usually a little burnt, but it was altogether not an unpleasant environment at first.

Finite Waves’ research was about critical phenomena in natural sciences. Critical points are a concept originally from thermodynamics: the point at which a liquid and a vapour can coexist. If you increase the pressure, the equilibrium is broken and the vapour will condense to a liquid. A simple comparison might be that friction can build up at a tectonic fault until it has to give, resulting in earthquakes. There is an idea in criticality that the brain might operate in a similar way in order to make itself more sensitive to certain inputs and stimuli, but prevents itself from completely reaching the critical point. Finite Waves wanted to study how the brain might be pushed past that critical point, how a complete and irreversible change might be induced.

Admittedly, this was not my area of expertise: I am a specialist in quantum mechanics and when I accepted the job offer I had assumed I would be assigned to a department where they were actually doing that. I certainly wasn’t expecting neuroscience. Then again, I do not recall my interviewer actually asking what I had studied. Nor can I remember, well, anything else about them. At the time, I simply accepted that I was lucky to have found a job, and that I should treat this as a learning experience. So in the weeks before my employment was due to begin, I read everything I could find on the subject. I was quite tired by the end, but I concluded that I had a reasonable base of knowledge and if I was missing something I could find out more later.

It turned out to be gruelling, tedious work, but I have always been an efficient researcher and in the beginning I even completed some tasks with time to spare. I used to carry a small sketchbook with me, an old, battered thing I’d used so much that one half of the cover was practically hanging off it, so once my work was finished I would take a break and spend some time drawing. At the time, I reasoned that this was perfectly acceptable — there was no work left, so it would not matter if I was doing this during my lab hours. It helped to alleviate some of the stress of the job, in any case. Finite Waves walked in while I was drawing once, and although he did not reprimand me for it, the look of disapproval he gave me was enough that I was sure to keep the sketchbook in my desk when I was not using it and I became more wary about listening for their footsteps when I was on a break.

However, as the… weeks? Months? As I said, I cannot remember how long I was there — as time passed, Finite Waves increased my workload, and I found that I had far less time for breaks. I started staying in the labs after hours, writing report after report. I was also assigned various tests to run, but they were exceedingly strange. Essentially, I was performing materials testing, looking for the aforementioned critical point at which various items were supposed to “change”. The methodology was somewhat unique, however.

To begin with, I could not understand why I was being given materials like the toys and shelters from the animal specimens’ pens, and it seemed like a waste since the tests I was being asked to run usually damaged or destroyed them. It always felt like I was killing them when that happened, though I could not explain why. They were just objects. Half of the equipment I was using looked like it would be better suited to an abattoir and the other half involved using natural materials to test factors like environmental degradation. On one memorable occasion, I had a small tub of swirling molten golden fluid that completely dissolved the chewed wicker toy I was testing. Finite Waves was in high spirits that day.

It was also unclear what results I was meant to be looking for — I am certain there was a reason for it, but perhaps I have forgotten it.

Finite Waves seemed quite certain about it though. I wondered if the methodology had been approved by an ethics board, especially given the… ah, conditions of the animals. While I was not testing anything on them directly, their health often worsened significantly with the removal of such items and they were not kept together despite being a social species. Many did not even have bedding in their cages. Their keeping and observation was not part of my responsibilities; Finite Waves observed them instead and I believe he was running some other tests that I was not involved in, but I know the creatures were pushed completely to the edge of stability. I certainly noticed symptoms such as fur loss, lack of appetite and sudden bouts of aggression on the few occasions that I had to enter the containment room.

As the project wore on, Finite Waves seemed more on edge, and I will admit his behaviour was disconcerting. Sometimes I would see him performing a dissection on one of those unfortunate specimens after hours, usually a rabbit. He always seemed… slow. Methodical and drawn out, in the way that one might savour a delicious meal. I never saw him smile, but I got the sense that he relished it nonetheless. No one else seemed particularly perturbed by this, so I chose to ignore it for the time being. You meet plenty of eccentrics in this field after all, and while it was a little sickening at times I could hardly ask him about it. Not when I felt as if when he looked at me, he was simply performing another dissection.

The work was exhausting. I did question it at times; what I was doing had moved far beyond the scope of the simple theoretical physics research I had expected, and likely had little to do with proper neuroscience as well. Finite Waves tended to keep me too busy to think about it much, though. I have never been one to shy away from work, but it was far more than I had ever had to do, even during my degree. Soon, I began losing track of time. I would begin a report at two, and come to my senses well into the night with no idea how long I had been sitting there and a splitting migraine that felt as if my head would melt from the pain. More than once, I forgot what day it was, and simply kept going through the motions in a fugue state with black spots at the edges of my vision. Other times, I would bury myself in work with feverish dedication, only to finally finish a report and instantly be overcome with a wave of burning pain. On the rare occasion that I ventured to the cafeteria, I found that everything I ate was bitter and chalky, more ash than food. Curiously, there never seemed to be anyone in there. I assumed it was simply that my hours were odd, and I could hardly focus on the minutiae like that. My mouth was always dry and I could barely stand. The few nights I spent in bed were sleepless, as I spent the entire time curled up with a fan activated to try and cool my searing skin and head. Working could usually distract me from it, though, or at least I felt that it was better to be in pain and doing something rather than sitting around in agony and accomplishing nothing, so I resorted to staying hunched over stacks of meaningless paperwork. My sketchbook went all but forgotten in the drawer of my desk.

I do not know how long this continued. The calendars in the facility blurred into the background until eventually they were gone altogether. Clocks seemed to melt when I looked at them, although this was likely because of the exhaustion impairing my vision and the blistering sensation behind my eyes. My senses constantly rebelled against me; every light was near-blinding, every footstep sounded like a scream. I went days without seeing anyone except for Finite Waves. Longer, maybe. It often felt as if the facility was entirely empty.

Eventually, this came to a head. The irony that I recall this part fairly well is not lost on me. It was one of the few brief moments of clarity I had. I think I could tell that something was off that night.

It was long past dark, so myself and Finite Waves were the only ones still in the main facility. For once, he had requested that I be present for one of his experiments. Although I’m sure I had worked there for some considerable time, it was highly unusual that I was there for any of his testing when it came to the animals themselves. When I entered the laboratory, I immediately noticed the bizarre setup. There was a rabbit with a couple of nodes attached to its head locked in a cage on the central table, frantically trying to dig. It looked at me for a moment, wide-eyed and piercing. Like it knew me. It was so emaciated I barely recognised it as an animal at first, all shivering skin and bones and eyes.

I wanted to run. I should have run. But Finite Waves stared at me and I felt rooted to the spot.

As I approached the table, the rabbit began digging again. Just digging. It scrabbled at the surface of the table as if it could claw its way through the steel, its mangled paws covered in oozing scabs and sores that had clearly been reopened. How long had it been digging? With a growing feeling of pressure behind my eyes and a little sick to my stomach, I watched as Finite Waves activated what looked like an elaborate heating element on the desk, emitting an oppressive warmth which worsened my now-pulsing headache. The pressure was starting to feel crushing — and then I looked back to the rabbit. It kept digging, no longer just frantic but frenzied. The steel table was heating up, causing its paws to blister and bleed, but it just wouldn’t stop digging. Finite Waves seemed indifferent to its struggle, motioning for me to start writing down whatever result he seemed to be getting from this torture. I complied.

I wrote it all down. I noted how the welts on the rabbit’s skin began to tear and ooze dark liquid that evaporated the second it hit the table, how the melting flesh pulled back to reveal a ribcage cracking under the strain of the quickly-mounting pressure that now descended over the room, how it heaved on the bloodstained soil that spilled from its mouth, how it just kept digging -

[THEY BREAK OFF WITH A GASP, TAKING A MOMENT TO SHAKE THE INCREASINGLY FRANTIC TONE.]

- how, when it finally collapsed with a horrible shriek, golden flowers bloomed from the grave that it dug itself and burst into flame from the scorching heat.

The lab was still. The heat and pressure did not abate, but for a second I hoped that it was over. It seemed so fragile, lying there on the table, still blistering and bleeding. The stench of burnt flesh and fur was overwhelming, and the intense heat emanating from the carcass only made my head feel like it was going to split open. I tried to speak, to scream, maybe, but no sound passed my lips. When I glanced towards Finite Waves, though, they looked furious. Trying to keep my composure, I turned back to face them properly, but I am sure they saw through it. The way they looked at me… it was like I was the one lying burned and broken on the steel slab.

They started to march around the room, rifling through desks — looking for something to salvage the experiment, I assumed, although I did not know what. I stayed in the middle of the room watching them. I am not certain what I was expecting to happen, but something deep within me wanted to bolt. Except for the sound of their footsteps on the tiled floor and the quiet crackle of the still-burning corpse, it was agonisingly quiet. Finally, they brandished a small, tattered book from a drawer. It took me far too long to realise what precisely they were holding, but before I could register the dread of seeing them clutching my sketchbook, it was far too late to do anything about it. They stalked back to the central table, and I could only stare in horror and confusion as they set it alight.

It felt like time itself was melting. I was stuck in that moment for ages, watching years of progress go up in flames. As he held my sketchbook in the fire, I saw the pages begin to bubble and blister — I barely understood it at the time, but I am now certain that the dark liquid that dripped from it was blood. I think I heard screaming. Perhaps it was mine, or the book itself. Watching the flames lick the sides of my sketchbook as the pages curled and writhed like tearing skin, I felt the ache behind my eyes become sharper, stabbing until it was scorching, incinerating every neuron and synapse and leaving nothing in its wake.

I cannot possibly convey the pain I felt with mere words. There are dozens of articles online on what happens to you when you burn, reporting every gory detail with morbid fascination, basking in the horror of how the capillaries burst, how the fat melts and how the muscles contract. I read every single one I could find. None of them felt like what happened to me. None of them could grasp how it feels for your brain to cook inside your skull.

I passed out, I think. When I came to, I was lying on the floor. A person whose name I regrettably no longer remember had put me into a safer position — I had gone into shock, apparently. They had been trying to call an ambulance. As it turns out, it is quite difficult for emergency services to reach a lab in the middle of nowhere. I don’t believe they were a coworker of mine; the Hawaiian shirt was hardly appropriate lab attire, but I am grateful for their presence nonetheless. Even if I did initially mistake them for Finite Waves in my confusion. Eventually, an Air Ambulance arrived and I was taken to hospital. My case completely baffled the doctors, as I was uninjured and they could not identify why I went into shock. Eventually, they concluded that I must have been severely dehydrated and gone into hypovolemic shock as a result, that I had just hallucinated all of… that.

I had to stay in hospital for several weeks to recover, but I did return to the research facility to collect my things and resign. Finite Waves was completely absent, and according to sign-in records, had not come in on the day of this incident, nor any day after that. No one recognised my description of the person who called the ambulance either. Aside from my own testimony, there was little to suggest anything had actually happened, save for the charred remains of my sketchbook unceremoniously tossed in a waste paper basket, covered in some dark, dried substance that seemed to have leaked from between the mutilated pages. I tried not to think about it too much.

I cannot shake the feeling that I should have felt more grief in that moment. I had spent a great deal of time perfecting my art, learning how to express rather than merely copy what I saw. And yet it was as if I had never seen it before in my life. I could remember nothing about the drawings within, or how I had done them. My sketchbook was unrecognisable, and all I felt was… empty. As if the very concept of art had burned to ash within me, and taken a part of me with it.

I left rather quickly after that.

Getting back on my feet has been challenging. A number of my possessions seem to be missing, including my phone and laptop, and it is not as if I have any connections at the moment. Even my emergency contact was missing, apparently. I have only vague memories of faceless people who were… perhaps my friends and family. There seems to be very little chance that I might get another job in scientific research — having to leave your last job after having a breakdown and claiming you were violently assaulted by a senior member of staff will do that to a CV.

I did have a stroke of luck, though. Recently, I left my flat to visit a nearby café, and while I was there I ran into a person named Cognitive Dissonance, who seemed to recognise me from… when I was an undergraduate, I think she said? The encounter as a whole was somewhat overwhelming, and I couldn’t remember her at all besides a faint echo of endearment, but the broad strokes seemed to be that we had done some kind of art workshop together and been fairly close. When I mentioned that I was out of work, she suggested I join her at a research job for some kind of paranormal investigations organisation. Fitting, really. I do not think I really have anything to lose at this point, and working for ghosthunters is better than becoming homeless. I was lucky my lease was still going, and my sick leave plus the astounding overtime I was apparently owed paid most of my various debts.

[BEAT. THEY SEEM TO SNAP OUT OF THEIR STORY.]

Ah, I… think that is all of it. My interview for the new job is tomorrow. With any luck, it won’t be such a disaster, and I will have something to do again. These days are getting unbearable with nothing to do except lay down with another wretched headache.

[TAPE RECORDER CLICKS OFF.]

INT. NEEDLESS SEPARATION’S SMALL FLAT - NIGHT, DRY (TAPE RECORDER)

[TAPE RECORDER CLICKS BACK ON.]

NEEDLESS SEPARATION

…I was unsure if I still had this. Wayback’s investigation into Finite Waves reminded me of it. Evidently, my younger self was right to record it: some of these details did disappear from my mind. I had forgotten about the flowers, for example. Hardly makes for a credible statement, but we are far past that point by now.

It is unusual to hear myself talk about Cognitive Dissonance, though. Although we did maintain a good relationship, I never recovered any memories of them and we did not spend much time together. There was so much work to do, of course. They did not remember a great deal of me either then, and now they certainly do not.

It has been several years since my incident now. I have not heard anything further from Transcendent Life Labs, nor Finite Waves. For the most part, I did put it out of my mind. Though I do occasionally wonder if I might have been able to do something. Perhaps if I had hidden my sketchbook better, or left it in my room… No. It is of little relevance.

[THEY COUGH, TRYING TO CHANGE THE TOPIC.]

In some ways, the work I do now is not so different to what I did back then; my job is still to explain and predict strange occurrences. I am just as efficient and hardworking as I ever was — more, even. It is not as if I have anything else to do on the job now. Without any distractions, I get far more done. More recently, I have endeavoured to make sense of these beings that we call Entities. My colleagues believe them inscrutable, but I cannot accept such a lacklustre answer. If these beings must feed, then it stands to reason that they are to some extent living, and can therefore be observed. Categorised. Understood.

It is then perhaps bitterly ironic that for all my tireless research, all those sleepless nights I have dedicated to unpicking the patterns that emerge from supernatural phenomena, I am yet to find a clear answer as to what happened to me, or why. I don't... perhaps it was just another form of test. Perhaps I will never understand at all. And my headaches are getting worse.

…I know something is wrong. My skin is cracked and peeling, and I cannot rid my mouth of the taste of ash. Weaving Tales attempted to send me home last week with a temperature, of all things. Hah.

[A CLIPPED, HUMOURLESS LAUGH.]

But it is of no concern. While these conditions are admittedly unpleasant, they are livable. Sometimes you have to deal with things you dislike to get any work done, after all. I cannot stop now.

[TAPE RECORDER CLICKS OFF.]

[emyluwinter]

This thought has been bothering me for the devil knows how long.

Alright-alright.

Listen.

Sage Island is located in the middle of the sea, right?

They are not close to the North, so the climate there is definitely not cold as I think. And that means…

How often will Sage Island be exposed to different typhoons-tsunamis and various storms? Earthquakes?

Are Sage Island near any volcanoes nearby? Active or sleeping? Is there movement nearby in tectonic Earth plates?

Based on my knowledge, some islands definitely go through this nightmare at certain times of the year.

The same "Rainy Seasons" in summer as in Korea and Japan. Or other island countries and states. (If someone enlightens me about smaller Asian countries and cultures, I will send a universal blessing to you!) I will explain to those who do not know this season begins presumably with the beginning of June and ends either in early July or in the middle. About a month or a month and a half there is a very depressing humidity and constant rains from time to time. (Humidity can reach up to 70%!!)

So….If the Night Raven College is surrounded by a magical barrier. And it is definitely higher than the port town and the RSA. (how they haven't been flooded and washed away yet is a mystery to me. Because the NRC is on the mountain. And the RSA is at sea level. Maybe a couple of meters higher to slow down the destruction of the foundation due to the encirclement of sea waves. I wonder if their premises are protected from mold and mildew?)

Does magic protection also work for weather or natural conditions?

For example, are college classes canceled if there is a threat of a typhoon or heavy rains?Tsunami threats?

Do the senior courses of the second and third year participate as a voluntary aid to the Port Town when natural hazards or problems come? (although, rather, these are additional mandatory classes for training how to act in certain critical situations. Based on the information in Chapter 6, students are necessarily taught this in their curriculum)

Perhaps there are different magical units specializing in this work! It would be great to see how students make various fortifications in the city, help citizens and ordinary people with their magic. Create separate group projects, perhaps magic items? to reduce the possibility of damage or danger to local residents. Senior courses - more complex magic formulas, spells, structures and strategies. Volunteers (or rather workers) from junior courses perform simpler but nevertheless important work.

From here, you can also increase the reputation of the college and magicians. Director Crowley is definitely listening to me now and recording everything. Ahaha.

Also, animals are more sensitive to weather changes. Beastmen or Merfolk, fairies would definitely be very tense and were all on pins and needles because of the impending severe weather!

Let's say if there are typhoons and all students are asked not to leave the dorms until the end of the natural threat….

Then imagine what a nightmare it would be for Yuu and Grimm at the beginning of life in TWST The Onboro building was held on the thin hope of the Yuu that they would not be crushed by the wreckage of an old unkempt building.

The roof looks like a colander with some it is hardly even possible to say "salvation" from the weather. Several retaining beams in the attic collapsed and pierced through the attic floor.

Grimm, starting from the very warning about the typhoon, looks like a tangle of nerves and anxiety. And he is unable to remove it or calm down, because he instinctively seeks refuge or wants to escape somewhere safe. Even if it's under Yuu's T-shirt, curled up like a bagel on their stomach.

Perhaps Yuu is asking the teachers to spend the night at least in a more fortified dining room next to the fireplace. With the wild howling of the wind, they will definitely not be able to sleep even despite all their efforts. (Although I am more inclined to the version that when Crewel and Train see Yuu and Grimm completely without any strength because these two could not sleep because of the storm and the onslaught of bad weather outside…. The Director is waiting for a very harsh and long conversation.)

By the way, are there any "forbidden" places on the Twst world map damaged due to magical wars, or phantoms? Remember the same Titans from Chapter 6. Their destruction and consequences should be simply terrifying.

Neither magicians nor people are allowed to enter or even approach such places. I'm also interested in the fact that phantoms leave poisonous miasma. How dangerous is it for living beings?

Oh so many questions..

[kxttsstuff]

Survival-oriented special mechanisms Borrowers have evolved. (1)

(also called cool superpowers by humans…)

🐿️;; Borrowers have evolved different biological abilities that help them ensure their thrive through a world full of dangers. Among humans, these abilities could be considered superpowers on their own, but for them, they're their very own natural shields, weapons and tools against hardships.

👂🏻;; Enhanced hearing and smell, these two are incredibly important since they allow the borrower to detect nearby predators, track prey and smell poison in food. Their enhanced hearing allows them to speak in really quiet voices with each other and thus go unnoticed by humans or bigger animals. However this makes them sensitive to loud noise and strong smells like citrus scents, coffee, vinegar, mustard and tobacco. This also gives them a limited ability to predict the incoming weather. Some borrowers can even smell illnesses in people.

🐜;; Control of their own pheromones. Why do borrowers smell good? Because of this. They can control (to a very limited extent) their own scent, making them more difficult to track by smell, as well as smelling ‘friendlier’ to calm animals/bugs, or smell ‘horrible’ to at least try to ward off predators. At long exposure, a borrower is able to differentiate between human scents, recognizing who is about to come into the room and prepare for either a chitchat or to run away.

🌌;; Night vision. Borrowers see good (in green and blue shades) in low-light environments and at a moderate level in complete darkness. This is both evolved and inherited from their fae ancestors. This makes them sensitive to flashing lights though.

🧭;; Borrowers are expert navigators, not just because they're taught how to navigate, but they also have a very subtle ability to sense magnetic fields (like dogs and birds); they will always find North regardless where they are, and generally have a good spatial awareness and memory. This also gives them the uncanny ability to predict major disturbances like earthquakes or tsunamis, or just big storms a short time before they happen, to take shelter.

🐿️;; A pretty unique psyche gives them cool perks. Sure, borrowers are small and that is a big enough disadvantage. To compensate, borrowers are strong, they can lift up to five times their weight, which isn't much in numbers, but is extremely useful to carry things that are heavy.

(actually missed some stuff so I'll be continuing~)

[myhauntedsalem]

8 Different Empaths

Empaths are highly sensitive individuals, who have a keen ability to sense what people around them are thinking and feeling.

1. Physical empath

Physical empathy is when you’re attuned to other people’s physical symptoms and you tend to absorb them into your own body. This goes beyond naturally contagious gestures, like laughter and yawning. If your friend is in the throes of a screamingly painful migraine headache then expect to feel tension in your temples as well. You can also be energized by someone else’s sense of well being. Physical empaths might be wise to get themselves a dedicated gym buddy.

2. Emotional empath

An emotional empath is someone who picks up on the emotions of others. This can be lovely in effect, like when your friend gets a promotion and you can feel their happiness. However, emotional empaths can get truly exhausted by friends who are constant complainers who dwell in the negative, or narcissists who suck up all the attention and never reciprocate when they’re feeling down. Emotional empaths tend to be the first people to get drained by emotional vampires. So make sure to practice self care and learn how to differentiate other people’s emotions from your own.

3. Intuitive empath

Emotional empathy is often a component of being an intuitive empath without it being the defining factor. Intuitive empaths generally can sense the unspoken in terms of what’s going on, and that can encompass many qualities. Emotional empaths simply pick up the emotions of others, but an intuitive empath can sense the unspoken in terms of what’s going on. Think of it as having a very thorough, almost holistic kind of superpower. Intuitive empaths experience extraordinary perceptions, such as heightened intuition, messages in threes, animal and plant communication, as well as pick up other people’s emotions.

4. Dream empath

Dream empaths can receive intuitive information from dreams that helps themselves and others. That’s because these types of empaths are typically gifted at clearly remembering dreams. They are able to source wisdom from a deceased relative. A dream empath is also someone who’s able to read between the lines and tease meaning from their own dreams and those of others.

5. Psychometric empath

These empaths feel their connection with inanimate objects, receiving energy, impressions, and information from various belongings such as photographs, clothing, jewelry, furniture and more. It is said that everything we interact is infused with our energy, and while most find no difference with inanimate objects, Psychometric Empaths believe that an object can tell a story.

6. Plant empath

If you’re a plant empath, you can accurately feel the needs of plants and connect with their essence. People who wilt with their blooms and drink with their succulents aren’t just the best Plant Moms ever, They also probably make for great people friends. One of the benefits of being a plant-lover is that offering tenderness to saplings may help you become more compassionate in other areas of life.

7. Earth empath

Earth empaths are rocking a similar vibe to the plant empaths in that both have their hearts tuned to nature. But while your garden-variety plant empath is more attuned to indoor ferns, earth empaths more so relate to what’s going on with the whole universe. The earth empaths are attuned to changes in our planet and our solar system and the weather, so let’s say there’s an earthquake. They can sometimes feel it beforehand or if the Amazon forest is being ravaged, it feels like pain in their body.

8. Animal empath

Animal empaths are the people who are always hanging with the pet at the party. They have a special connection with animals in that they can often feel their needs and communicate with them in a soothing manner. They cannot stomach any violence toward animals.

[winxbutbetterimo-ovo]

Flora long ver 1

(some stuff is from the fan wiki i just tweaked)

Name: Flora Anabille Rosales

Looks: muscular legs and arms because she likes to not use magic to grow her favourite plants often. tan-skinned, with long 3a brunette with dirty blond highlights that has bangs framing on either side of her face where the blonde streaks are most apparent, with a single small hair strand sticking up and narrow green-jade eyes.

Relationships: Her soulmate is Helia and she is the closest with Aisha and Techna (they love studying together and info-dumping about their interests). Chatta is her bonded pixie.

She shines in her normal, charmix, Enchantix and Sophix forms the most.

Personality: Nerd, kind, a little anxious. She can feel the life force of plants AND summon animals??? healer , potionology goat. mom friend. Flora is very calm, soft-spoken, caring, sweet, shy and genuine girl who loves plants and vegetation of all kinds. Being interested in experimenting with her plants, Flora became the potion master of the group who specialises in brewing and creating remedies and medicines from the uses of her magical plants. Due to that, she has a full scholarship to Alphea. Her gentle and caring personality, Flora is strongly connected to nature and loves helping people. She is shown to have a sensitive personality to the point where she would instinctively care for her friends as well as her plants when they are in distress.

Flora is the most mature member of the Winx as she possesses a deep sense of love, peace, happiness and tranquillity. However, it is shown that Flora has an insecure side to her personality, sometimes causing her to hide most of her feelings to the point where she would have problems expressing them. Flora is one of the most diligent students at Alfea and is cautious of her actions. Although she has a kind-hearted side, She is very responsible and a mediator. She doesn't hold grudges coz it's a waste of energy and time, so when she is mad at you (or her enemies), she is reALLY mad and shows a more aggressive side of herself.

As an older sister, she is shown to be quite overprotective, often forgets that people are mature and can protect themselves. Miele often has to deal with this side of Flora. In which case, Flora has demonstrated some level of ignorance as this attitude tends to hurt Miele's feelings.

History: She was born in Linphea to Alyssa and Rollos. she had 5 years to herself before Miele was born. She loved Miele the moment she laid eyes on her and took it on herself to be her protector from then on. which results in her overprotectiveness. other than that as nice as her parents were, they were a little passive in their parenting style, which led flora to learn their temperment, but actively take others under her wing.

Powers: Her magic is green in colour. As the Fairy of Nature, she has nature-based powers. Flora can generate, grow, and control various vegetation, but she mainly uses vines for defensive moves such as creating barriers, entangling opponents, and supporting heavy objects. Aside from her vines, she is often seen controlling flowers to use as diverse attacks using pollen and dust to provide distractions, producing swirls of petals/leaves, conjuring food (namely fruits/vegetables), altering the growth plants such as growing a tomato crop from an already existing tomato, and even summoning animals.

her strength relies on her surrounding environment and requires her to be at one with nature. Flora is able to hear the voice of nature speaking to her, more so than in anyone. Rather, she is able to use her magic to listen to the voice of the forest. This skill can be a disadvantage at times, as the destruction of nearby nature will cause excruciating pain to her and weaken her own self and her ability to focus her magic properly, even her flight.

Flora in terms of elemental power represents earth which she displays by setting off earthquakes and smashing a boulder with her mind. Her source of power is life itself. She also has a connection with the air being capable of using plants to absorb smoke and produce oxygen, and producing fragrances that can be used to repel an enemy or calm them down. Flora has developed the ability to physically heal other beings mostly after they have experienced a recent trauma, when spells dont work she also mixes potions to heal people. Flora will also develop the ability to alter the seasons.

[cyberrat]

87th Batch Of Fics: 12th Fill

Alastor/Husk – Part 2/2 – hate sex; heat sex – Even when getting hate fucked Alastor somehow manages to get out on top? What's that about?

---

Alastor isn’t like them. He isn’t like those horny masses, those animals that can’t walk three steps without thinking about when they might be able to get their next gratification from. He is better than them. He does not need any of these trappings, his mind is clear, he can scheme and plan and not be bound to any base urges that will trip him up because of unnecessary feelings.

Except when he’s in heat, he absolutely, definitely is one of them. He realizes that every time anew. It’s so easy to forget when he is two months out of heat and he crushes Husker beneath his heel for something-or-other.

But it’s also so easy to be reminded of it when he is speared on the barbed cock of his kitty cat and fucked so fast and so hard that tears of overstimulation are itching at the corners of his eyes and his whole body is burning up with desperate, pathetic need.

A need that he doesn’t usually feel. Only when his own biology is betraying him. When his insides produce so much slick that it is seeping through his clothes, and his skin becomes so sensitive that it feels like it will soon split open to let everybody see his tender, swollen insides.

He’s whining as Husker fucks him; punched out and high-pitched with sharp static making it warble every now and then – but Husk has no empathy for his distress. There is not a word of comfort, nor a gentle lick grooming his hair after it’s been left horribly disheveled from Husk’s harsh grip.

No, all Husker does is to fuck him even harder. He’s rammed his claws into the soft wood of the bar right next to Alastor’s scrabbling fingers and is digging them in deeper and deeper by the minute. His voice is deep and strained sounding, fucking him in bone rattling, teeth-clacking thrusts that rush through Alastor’s body like the tremors of an earthquake.

“Take it-” Husker’s voice is growling right next to Alastor’s ear. It sends sharp, brittle tremors of arousal down his spine and makes his deer tail press harder against the cat’s lower stomach. “Take my fuckin’ cock you goddamn asshole- Take it and shut the fuck up for once in your miserable, grinning afterlife-”

He keeps fucking Alastor as he spews his filth. The hate radiating off of Husker is palpable, and yet all it manages to do is twist Alastor up into a tighter, needier ball of arousal. He feels like prey at the mercy of the predator and that’s such an insanely new and exciting feeling that he literally can’t help how his cock dribbles with submissive need and his insides squeeze down on Husk tight enough to make him grunt and rear back his head.

“That doin’ it for you, you freak?” the other grits out through his teeth. “You get off on someone finally showing you your damn place?!”

Husker rams in harder, bruising Alastor’s hips against the rounded edge of the bar and forcing a rough cry of distress out of the radio demon. He couldn’t even say where it came from. It just sounds so… guttural, even to his own ears, as his heart pumps hard and fast in his chest all of a sudden. It’s like Husker finally found the right button to push, though Alastor couldn’t say what exactly that button was.

From how Husker remains quiet for a second, he seems to be just as confused as the other, though he gathers himself far quicker than Alastor could in his current sorry state that he finds himself in.

He makes a sound of disgust, his chest pressing against Alastor’s back as he picks up his thrusts again. With every outward motion the fine barbs on his cock fan open and make his shaft feel immediately double as big as it actually is.

It’s going to drive Alastor insane. His fur is standing on end, his insides squeezing down desperately, trying to milk the feline cock but unable to really get a good grip on it due to its… unique traits. It’s thoroughly frustrating and, paired with the fact that Husker does not give a single fuck about his pleasure and comfort, exactly what Alastor needs in that moment.

He keens softly, his body still trying to endear himself to the old tomcat. What he is rewarded with are Husker’s teeth in the back of his neck, digging in where his fur starts in earnest and giving him a sharp point of pain to focus on.

His hips snap against Alastor, intent on fucking the attitude out of him, he is sure… if only Husk knew that what he is doing is feeding right into the radio demon’s ego.

If he can’t work against his own body’s pitiful biological needs, then Alastor will simply move with the punches. He closes his eyes, a trembling grin on his face as he curls his hands around Husker’s wrists and holds on for dear life. He attempts to somewhat pull away from the scruffing bite the tomcat has on him, though only to feel him slice into his skin and draw blood.

Husk, as expected, just goes along with it. It must feel to him as if his prey has capitulated in the face of his assault. Like he’s caught himself a nice little deer in heat and will be able to go in for the kill at any moment now.

His hips smack against Alastor’s ass in a fast staccato. If it weren’t for their fur, he is sure that it would produce quite the filthy background noise. In lieu of the fast plap plap plap, the air is filled with Husk’s low, angry growls – as well as the wet sounds of his cock drilling Alastor deep and desperate.

An absolute shame that he would have to debase himself thusly – but goodness the feeling of Husk’s cock reaming his passage, swollen and oversensitive with heat… Alastor could almost understand why so many of these imbeciles are slaves to their own bodily needs.

“Take it. T-Take it- fuck-”

Alastor closes his eyes, drool and blood trailing down his chin. His muscles ache from the manic grin stretched over his face and yet he makes himself talk anyway: “Sir, please- more!”

It’s a genius stroke on his part, of course. He can feel Husker’s hips stuttering as he briefly loses his own rhythm, then hisses low, vile expletives under his breath. He stops clutching at the bar and instead wraps his arms around Alastor’s waist, holding him in a tight, near inescapable grip as he grinds his cock into the tight, wet clutch of his hole.

He bites him again when he comes, teeth piercing through Alastor’s shoulder and pushing him over the edge as well.

It is absolute bliss… finally being able to release this pressure that had been driving him up the walls of his own domain for the past hours.

His eyes roll up into his skull, his tail trembling where it is pressed against Husker’s stomach. Husk is growling in triumph – but it is Alastor who is smiling.

[schismusic]

On June 13th the Biografilm Festival in Bologna hosted the world preview of Uzeda: Do It Yourself by documentary director Maria Arena. Apart from the fact that calling it a "world preview" implies a level of attention to the movie that we could define as slightly oversold to the unwitting audiences, I was one of the expectant ones, having been following the project ever since it started its crowdfunding campaign. Much to my surprise, the campaign actually did grant enough money to proceed with the production. The reason why I'm so surprised has nothing to do with the actual quality of the output, including the short excerpts they were, at the time, already posting on social media — more on this later, but the gist of it is: it's great and we knew it. That is exactly why I was so worried at first: such a good project, with high production values for an independent documentary, about a band that just about no one gives a fuck about in Italy save for a very passionate ten or so people? I was afraid that, despite all my best hopes, the crowdfunding would barely scrape by at best.

I have never been happier to be proven wrong.

According to what Maria Arena herself said after the showing, the doc had been in the making (and I mean in the actual making, as in Arena was already going around Catania with the band shooting video of them and of PJ — a musicologist from UCLA who wrote a whole ass PhD dissertation about lo-fi and independent rock) as far back as 2016. Leonardo Sciascia would have probably argued that such an endeavour is "very Sicilian", which of course reflects very well on the approach taken by Uzeda themselves. For starters, the band name. The Duke of Uceda — Italianized into "Uzeda", of course, and take a deep breath before you go on — Juan Francisco Antonio Alonso María José Domingo Pacheco y Téllez-Girón was the one to reconstruct Val di Noto after the 1693 earthquake and subsequent Etna eruption which destroyed the city of Catania. Of course, the southern gateway into the city of Catania itself is also named Porta Uzeda. If that wasn't enough, on more than one occasion the band themselves, and especially drummer Davide Oliveri, the band noted how growing up where they did proved crucial to their music. It was pretty special (for me, but I assume for him as well) to see Davide be complimented, on the site of the showing, by a literal eightysix-year-old from Syracuse, Sicily.

That's what gets me: this isn't exactly music you would show your grandfather, per se. I know I wouldn't show it to mine, for example. And yet this dude waltzed into a projection room and still managed to pull some relevant insight out of the proverbial top hat. Call it genius loci, gut-feeling intuition, shared sensitivity informed by coexistence or, simply, good predisposition. This eightysix-year-old gets Uzeda, possibly much deeper than you or I ever will. Which I guess stands as a testament to what it means to do what you like, to stick to your guns and yet at the same time to find a way to stand within the grooves of consummate professionalism. Uzeda are all trained musicians, and this is a very important distinction to make in the context of punk and punk-adjacent music. Throughout the film the band insist on how studying with someone, learning to play music from someone else was a crucial experience that did not in any way, shape or form stop them or prevent them from playing exactly the music they wanted. Meeting a band like Bastro at a festival in Berlin was an opportunity to unlock a new style of music to play; churning scales over and over throughout the whole fretboard led Agostino Tilotta to start looking for what he himself calls "non-scales", if anything. And studying with other musicians certainly gave the rhythm section of this band an impulse to professionalism: Oliveri, at the very least, worked as a composer for an animated musical and as a songwriter on Gianna Nannini's Aria album; Raffaele Gulisano, bassist, also doubles as a high school teacher, while Tilotta and Cacciola choose not to make of this music their own profession.

Tilotta especially is often framed by Arena, or her director of photography whose name I don't remember off the top of my head, like a Sergio Leone character: a unique face capable of powerful expressions standing in stark contrast to and at the same time in perfect complementarity with the surrounding environment. This brings to mind how Leone himself would cast extras based solely on their faces, without really asking them to act. I can only imagine just how dazzling, for a director such as Arena, or for any director really, it must have been to have someone with a face like Tilotta's to work with. And with his endeavor: the man is a riot, a one-man show. The legendary Albini skit about Fake Italian makes a whole lot more sense when you hear Tilotta himself speak his ornate, calculated English.

But of course Uzeda is almost inseparable from their own Steve Albini connections. The single opening credit of the movie ("To Steve") hits incredibly harder than expected. According to Arena and her editor, the movie was left untouched even after May 8th, 2024: a testament to poignant editing and beautiful personalities. Oliveri spent a good five minutes constantly underlining just how profoundly good, kind, approachable, just how much of a friend Albini had been to them since the very earliest days working together — and just how much of a void he leaves behind in the wake of his passing. And of course I believe their friendship stems from a number of core values the band and their producer — rather, engineer, as he would have preferred — shared, chief amongst them the idea that one must persist. Like I said in my Joy Division post, and just like Coil and Israel Regardie. The capability to stay true to one's self implies understanding that there is no one-self to abide by except the one present at any given time.

As for the band themselves? Well, they were with Shellac on May 26, 2015. And that's not the sort of show you can ever complain about. Go watch this fucking movie when it's out.

[anumberofhobbies]

Rats' brain waves could find trapped people

By Emily Singer

22 September 2004

Rats equipped with radios that transmit their brainwaves could soon be helping to locate earthquake survivors buried in the wreckage of collapsed buildings.

Rats have an exquisitely sensitive sense of smell and can crawl just about anywhere. This combination makes them ideal candidates for sniffing out buried survivors. For that, the animals need to be taught to home in on people, and they must also signal their position to rescuers on the surface.

In a project funded by DARPA, the Pentagon’s research arm, Linda and Ray Hermer-Vazquez of the University of Florida in Gainesville have worked out a way to achieve this.

...  Signals from the rat’s brain will be relayed to a radio transmitter pack strapped to the animal’s back, which Chapin is developing. Rescuers will be able to follow the rat’s position by tracking these signals. They are also developing software that will recognise the “aha!” moment when the rat has found its target, so rescuers will know where to start digging. The team hope to create a working system within nine months.

Other teams looking at ways to seek people trapped under debris have designed wheeled, tracked or even snake-like robots that can slither into wrecked buildings (New Scientist print edition, 10 November 2001).

But rats have several advantages. “Artificial noses don’t work well when there are other smells around,” says Christiane Linster, an olfaction expert at Cornell University in New York. “Rats are good at that.” Rats are also adept at navigating over unexpected obstacles, and of course they do not need an electricity supply.

Rescue teams welcome the idea. “It would be absolutely fantastic,” says Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland, which flies rescuers to disaster zones around the world. “A rat could get into areas and spaces we couldn’t get to. And a rat would try to get out if it didn’t feel safe.”

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6429-rats-brain-waves-could-find-trapped-people/

Imagine being buried alive and then seeing this little guy with a backpack suddenly arrive

[reolf]

History challenge: Prehistory

Laghou and Mana have moved into their own shelter on the Moon land. Mana mostly goes out during the day to gather herbs for food and healing. Laghou uses his time to make the best tools out of crystals and stones. Their wolf brings them meat sometimes as well and together they all go down to the river to fish.

One of their friends, Ossai Moss, came to visit. He and his wife, Kushti live on the Bear Land, which is Laghou’s original home. Kushti and Laghou are cousins.

It doesn’t take long when Mana finds out she is pregnant with their first child. When they go to visit the Bear Clan, Kushti proudly presents her bump to Mana as well.

Mana gives birth to a baby girl, whom they call Anou.

Anou is a healthy baby to the relief of her parents.

She becomes a sensitive infant and an inquisitive toddler. She follows her parents everywhere and loves their wolf, who is very gentle with her.

Laghou makes her a little wooden bear toy to remind Anou that she is both a descendant of the Bear Clan as the Moon Clan.

The years pass in relative bliss of happiness.

But one day they wake up to a terrible earthquake, and meteorites fall down from the sky. They destroy part of the shelter and little Anou who was lying right to the side where it was hit, got burned on her side. Luckily, Mana could heal her burns but her skin was scarred.

No one died and that is what matters. The meteorites brought loads of metal and crystals with them. Laghou was fascinated and started experimenting with them.

But his main priority was teaching Anou about animals and which ones were safe now she started to walk further away from her parents. She has a curious mind.

During the winter , Mana got pregnant again. She gave birth early to a baby boy, whom they named Kozamh after Laghou’s eldest brother.

Sadly, Kozamh passed away not long after he was born. Is the name cursed?

Laghou and Mana are heartbroken as well as Anou, who was so happy to have a little brother.

It was not long after when Mana got pregnant again. This time she was more careful and didn’t go out much to gather or hunt. Laghou didn’t mind, he loved caring for her.

He really looked forward to have another baby.

Anou ages up into a child. She is a smart girl, like her mother.

Mana tells her about the baby and Anou declares she is to have another brother!

During Midwinter when the people gather around the fires to tell stories about the ancestors, Laghou gives his daughter another wooden Bear. This time it is a real protection totem.

And then when the evening falls, Mana goes into labour. She gives birth to another girl, named Lagni. The blue lights from the ancestors shine around her crib. Mana hopes it is a blessing for her future.

[stardustmagicalnews]

Nature Witches: Guardians of the Verdant Realms

Welcome to Stardust Magical News! In this post, Nature Witches: Guardians of the Verdant Realms, we delve into the enchanting world of Nature Witches. Known for their deep connection to the earth and their profound magical abilities, Nature Witches are the protectors of the natural world. We will explore their unique powers, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as their magical kingdom. From their charming homes and majestic castles to the famous parks, lakes, and rivers, we’ll uncover the secrets of the Nature Witches and their verdant realms.

Powers of the Nature Witches

Nature Witches possess a wide range of magical abilities that draw their power from the natural world. Their primary power is plant manipulation, which allows them to grow, control, and communicate with all forms of plant life. This ability is used to heal the land, create powerful herbal remedies, and even summon plants to aid in defense or attack. Nature Witches can also harness elemental magic, particularly earth, water, and air, to influence the weather, control water bodies, and shape the terrain.

Another significant power of Nature Witches is their affinity for animals. They can communicate with and understand animals, often forming strong bonds with them. This ability allows them to summon animal companions, seek guidance from wildlife, and use animal senses for scouting or protection. Nature Witches are also skilled in healing magic, using their knowledge of herbs and plants to create potent potions and salves that can cure ailments and injuries. Their connection to the natural world enhances their magical strength, making them formidable protectors of the earth.

Strengths of the Nature Witches

The strengths of Nature Witches lie in their deep understanding of the natural world and their ability to harness its power. Their plant manipulation abilities enable them to heal and protect the environment, ensuring the land remains fertile and vibrant. This skill also allows them to create powerful defenses, using plants to create barriers, traps, and weapons. Nature Witches' elemental magic provides them with control over the weather and terrain, giving them the ability to summon storms, cause earthquakes, and manipulate water bodies.

Nature Witches' affinity for animals grants them loyal companions and valuable allies. Their animal bonds allow them to scout, gather information, and receive warnings about potential threats. The healing magic of Nature Witches is another significant strength, providing them with the ability to cure ailments and injuries quickly and effectively. This skill makes them invaluable to their communities, as they can provide medical care and create potent remedies. Overall, the strengths of Nature Witches make them powerful protectors of the natural world and their communities.

Weaknesses of the Nature Witches

Despite their impressive powers, Nature Witches have their weaknesses. Their reliance on the natural world can make them vulnerable in environments where nature is scarce or damaged. Urban areas, deserts, and other inhospitable terrains can weaken their abilities and limit their magical strength. Additionally, their deep connection to the earth can make them susceptible to environmental changes and pollution, which can harm their health and reduce their magical effectiveness.

Nature Witches' strong bonds with animals and plants can also be a weakness. If their companions or the environment they protect are harmed, it can affect their emotional and magical stability. Their empathy for the natural world can make them sensitive to the suffering of the earth, leading to emotional distress and difficulty focusing on their magic. Finally, Nature Witches' healing abilities, while powerful, require time and resources to be effective. In emergency situations, their healing magic may not be enough to save lives or prevent further harm.

The Kingdom of Verdantia

The kingdom of Verdantia is the enchanted realm of the Nature Witches. This lush and vibrant land is filled with ancient forests, rolling hills, and sparkling rivers. Verdantia is a place of unparalleled natural beauty, where the air is filled with the scent of blooming flowers and the songs of birds. The kingdom is protected by powerful enchantments that ensure the land remains fertile and the environment thrives.

Verdantia is divided into several regions, each with its unique ecological and magical significance. The capital city, Arboris, is the heart of the kingdom and the center of its magical activities. Here, Nature Witches gather to study, practice, and share their knowledge of the natural world. The city is home to numerous botanical gardens, herbalist shops, and temples dedicated to various aspects of nature and magic. Verdantia's overall design creates a harmonious and nurturing environment, perfect for the Nature Witches and their magical practices.

Homes of the Nature Witches

The homes of Nature Witches are as enchanting and diverse as the natural world itself. Typically built within ancient trees, alongside serene lakes, or in the heart of lush meadows, these homes blend seamlessly with the environment. Each dwelling is uniquely designed to reflect the personality and magical inclinations of its inhabitants.

Inside, the homes are filled with natural materials, enchanted objects, and cozy nooks for meditation and spellcasting. Windows are often designed to let in ample natural light, and many homes feature indoor gardens or atriums where magical plants and herbs are cultivated. Rooms are adorned with nature-inspired decorations, such as floral tapestries, wooden furniture, and crystal chandeliers that cast soft, ethereal light. The overall design creates a serene and nurturing environment, perfect for practicing and honing magical skills.

Castles of Verdantia

The castles of Verdantia are grand and majestic, serving as both the homes of the royal family and important centers for magical governance. These castles are often located in the most magical and scenic parts of the kingdom, such as atop enchanted hills or beside mystical lakes. The architecture is both elegant and imposing, with soaring towers, intricate carvings, and vast halls adorned with magical symbols and nature-inspired motifs.

Inside, the castles are filled with rooms dedicated to various magical practices, from herbology chambers to elemental sanctuaries. The royal family's private quarters are luxurious and comfortable, featuring enchanted furniture, ornate decorations, and private gardens. The castles also include grand ballrooms, banquet halls, and audience chambers where the royal family hosts important events and receives visitors from other realms. The overall design reflects the power and prestige of the royal family, making the castles true masterpieces of nature-inspired architecture.

Famous Parks in Verdantia

Verdantia is home to several famous parks, each known for its unique beauty and magical significance. The Enchanted Grove, located in the heart of Arboris, is one of the most renowned parks in the kingdom. This park features a vast array of magical plants and flowers, each imbued with special properties. The grove is designed to reflect the seasons, with pathways and flower beds arranged to mimic the changing cycles of nature.

Another famous park is the Whispering Woods, a serene and mystical forest filled with ancient trees and magical creatures. The woods are a popular spot for meditation and magical practice, offering a peaceful and enchanting environment. The trees are said to be enchanted with ancient magic, providing protection and wisdom to those who visit. The overall design of the parks creates a magical and serene environment, perfect for relaxation and magical study.

Famous Lakes and Rivers in Verdantia

Verdantia is blessed with several beautiful lakes and rivers, each with its own magical properties and significance. The Lake of Serenity, located near the capital city of Arboris, is known for its crystal-clear waters that reflect the true nature of those who look into it. This lake is often used for divination and meditation, providing a serene and magical environment.

The River of Life is another famous waterway in Verdantia. This river flows through the heart of the kingdom, its waters infused with magical energies that enhance life and growth. Nature Witches often visit the river to perform rituals and ceremonies, using its waters to strengthen their connection to the natural world. The overall design of the lakes and rivers in Verdantia creates a harmonious and enchanting environment, perfect for magical practice and relaxation.

Famous Nature Witches

Verdantia has produced many famous Nature Witches throughout its history, each known for their unique contributions to the magical arts. One of the most renowned is Liora Greenleaf, a powerful healer and advisor to the royal family. Her extensive knowledge of herbalism and healing magic has saved countless lives and ensured the prosperity of the kingdom.

Another famous Nature Witch is Thorne Oakheart, known for his mastery of elemental magic and his ability to communicate with animals. His contributions to the study of elemental magic and animal communication have made him a revered figure in Verdantia's magical community. These famous Nature Witches, along with many others, have helped to shape the magical heritage of Verdantia and ensure its continued success.

We hope you enjoyed this enchanting journey through the world of Nature Witches and their magical kingdom of Verdantia. From their extraordinary powers and unique homes to their majestic castles and famous parks, lakes, and rivers, the Nature Witches' realm is a place of wonder and enchantment. If you have any questions or want to share your thoughts on Nature Witches, feel free to leave a comment. Until next time, may your own life be as magical and verdant as the world of the Nature Witches! Love -Stardust Magical News

[flutterclouds]

This was such a great chapter, Tesh! I really loved getting to read about Nia and Toby trying to get their real first lead into the earthquakes. I also really liked reading about the tense scene in the rain between Calder and Kern. I do wonder if the Girafarig that slipped away will show up again. I do have to wonder what they might be up to.

I also loved seeing Samir team up with Team Scarlet in this chapter. Toby internally noting how Nia attracts lonely people to her was such a cute touch. I thought the narration’s noting of the the town having so much rain to be quite interesting. Perhaps a Pokemon is using Rain Dance? On that note, Earthquake is a TM, and a large number of Pokemon can learn it, including Girafarig. I’m not sure on how TMs might factor into the world of Seekers of Soul, so I’ll just have to wait to see if any of my move theories might be have some truth to them.

Another part of this chapter I really loved was the worldbuilding. Toby being sensitive to contact with water due to being a Fire type is so interesting to me. Does he drink water at all, or does he only stay hydrated through hydration berries? I also loved the little detail of Deidra being more sensitive to the quakes since she is a Lopunny and thus has pretty good hearing. Nia having the wherewithal to get under the saloon was also such a good detail since I know some places in the our world have extensive earthquake education. That makes me think that Nia must have lived somewhere near an earthquake fault, or at least learned about it at some point.

I think you’ve done such a great job expanding the world of Seekers of Soul, especially when it comes to the mythos and geography. The towns and locations visited so far feel very lived in. The Xylem Guild is a cozy community of Seekers, Ghatha is a lively city of colorful stone, and Asra is a desert mining town that comes alive at night after the day’s work is done.

Finally, I want to say I loved seeing more of Toby’s softer side this chapter. It was especially clear when he absorbed the Oricorio’s words, letting them take precedent for a moment over his need to find information about Team Zenith. He’s really come such a long way. Nia too, she would have never have gathered the courage to chase after Samir in the rain after an earthquake at the start of the story. You’ve done such a great job with their character development. I’m so excited to see where their adventures lead them next, with the matter of Giratina hanging over their heads and all. There’s also the matter of Will. At this point, I do not trust him and going by an animation you posted a few years ago, he’s definitely connected to Giratina in some way. Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing what Nia, Tobias, and Samir find in the mines next time.

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Seekers of Soul

[Chapter 43] (34 Pages)

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Trouble crops up in Asra. Tobias and Nia find a new lead.

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Can the Oarfish Predict Earthquakes and Tsunamis?

Japanese legends have it that there is a fish that can predict earthquakes and tsunamis. The prophet appears on the water's surface for several days before the natural phenomenon strikes. Unlike the human prophet Jonah of the Bible, the prophecies of this creature, always come true. Before you laugh out loud or toss this aside, why not let the facts help you decide? Can the oarfish predict natural disasters? What Is an Oarfish? It is commonly known as the remo fish, or oarfish.  This serpent-like creature has an average length of 8 m (26 ft.) and some sightings have reported remos of up to 17 m (26 ft.). It is scientifically known as the oarfish and lives in moderate temperatures below the seabed (Encyclopedia Britannica, The Oarfish). Oarfish are the largest known species of bonefish. History of the Prophet Fish Japanese fishermen first reported this strange fish during the early first century. The report stated that the fish surfaced for more than three days, close to the shore waters. Shortly afterward a huge tsunami destroyed most of the Japanese Village. 

During the winter of 2010, scientists recorded unusual numbers of oarfishes near the Japanese waters. A few months later, the city of Fukushima was devasted by an earthquake and a giant tsunami.  The disaster killed over 20,000 people. Needless to say, the media and the people pointed to the appearance of the oarfish, as a prophetic warning. In June 2023, another remofish was spotted near the coast of Taiwan.  The sighting created concern and media buzz about the possibility of an earthquake or Tsunami. A month later the Daily Mail UK published an article indicating the lack of scientific proof that supports this theory.  Scientific Response to Oarfish Warnings  The 2011 tsunami got the scientific world’s attention.  Scientists started more studies on these mythical creatures. They are conducting studies to better understand how remo fish work. Animal Planet would not be left behind, and in 2016, included an underwater experience with an oarfish.   The filmmaker Jeremy Wade actually bumped into the animal before swimming alongside the fish for a while (TV episode River Monsters).  Japanese seismologist Kiyoshi Wadatsumi believes that this is very possible. He said: "deep-sea fish—such as oarfish—live near the bottom of the sea and are highly sensitive to active fault movements." More and more scientists are pooling into the possibility that this fish could be an alarm clock for mankind. Scientists have noted that animals seem to have a six-sense ability to detect natural disasters. Professor of Animal Biology at Anglia Ruskin University  Rachel Grant was more specific in her explanation. She said: "It is theoretically possible because when an earthquake occurs there can be a build-up of pressure in the rocks that can cause electrostatic charges, generating electrically charged ions that will then be transmitted in the water."  According to both scientists, the remo fish can sense the prelude to an earthquake. This prompts it to leave its natural habitat and seek safer waters. Since earthquakes occur on the seafloor, this brings it to the shore. The oarfish may not be able to speak our language and explain its weird behavior. Nonetheless, there is obviously some relation between its unusual presence in surface waters and earthquakes. Maybe it’s all myths and legends, but scientists are delving deeper. Very soon we will know more. Read the full article