#as a result of the area they live in. how they would adapt to their environment

[holographicbutch]

Sending my players a block of text for worlbuilding like feast, my children

[mahg-stuff]

Hi. Can I request a big daddy elvis (late 70s) in which he and female reader are having an argument and he says something really mean so she heads into the bedroom and cries. He goes into the bedroom to apologize and then make out. Smut, detailed if you can and also some aftercare. Thanks

Tysm for the request! Enjoy it lovee! ♡

Kiss'n make it better

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Word count: 6.4k (quick) Summary: Bde grows stuffy as he witnesses you playing a card game with the guys, but not only that, you are in your delicate bed attire while you do it. Pairing: (1976)bd!elvis x afab!reader Warnings: 18+!, smut, p in v, elvis finally fully takes the reader, cherry cream pie (if you know what I mean...), kissing whilst bodily fluids are present on the mouth, tasting of bodily fluids, playing around with spit?oral fixation?, mention of elvis’ medications/pill use & dr. nick (im sorry), elvis’ standards for his women, toxicity, once again elvis being volatile, use of the word daddy, & of course fluff + baby talk!!

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AN: Hello there! I was off and on while writing this since I was eager to let it out soon bc I felt I’d left the anon hanging for too long so, certain areas may seem rushed/lack context but I did my best with the details! I hope it’s not a bother, but overall I enjoyed writing this little piece. Anywho, my dear anon I hope you are pleased with this! And to the rest of you loves, enjoy! ♡ (keep the requests coming!!😚)

- pls excuse any errors, your girl got tired half way through cleaning it up 🥹💋

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Elvis was, as of now, getting his day-by-day measurements of meds from Dr. Nick within the master bathroom in his room. In the meantime, you held up in his bed, twiddling your thumbs as you waited, you both had just woken up. He would always make sure to do it in a different room, given that you had eventually told him that you didn't enjoy seeing everything they put in him. When you witnessed firsthand how much his body had to ingest, you expressed your concern, but he waved you off, saying everything was always under control.

At some point, you stopped showing concern upfront to him because it had resulted in the first argument between the two of you, however, you'd unconsciously always be pinching away at your arm's flesh as you worried about him. You were still relatively new to his lifestyle, but you were gradually adapting.

Things were taking quite a while, so you began wandering around his room. You'd only been together for a few months now, so you were still trying to settle in. Elvis asked you to move in right away, and you soon found out he didn't like being left alone. As you moved around the room, you were still in your night slip. It was a look that he found especially appealing. You tip-toed barefoot to the door, peeking outside, and then back over to the closed bathroom door in the bedroom. 

You heard them mumbling inside and decided, Why not go downstairs? 

Making your entrance to the living room and taking in more glances of the house you hadn't paid much attention to before, your eyes shot up towards the voices in the kitchen. As you peered into the kitchen, you saw two of his guys sitting there chatting with some cards in their hands. They took notice of your presence and glanced over at you, their eyes lingering on your attire. Going quite unnoticed by you. 

One clears his throat.

"Hey there, y/n, ya need anythin'?" 

You shrug, not really knowing what you need or want, but feeling a bit restless. 

"No, just bored waiting on El," you reply absentmindedly. 

One of the guys chuckles and nudges the other, whispering something to him. You catch a snippet of their conversation and wonder if they're talking about you.

"What's so funny?" you ask, tilting your head in confusion. 

The guys exchange glances before one of them speaks up, struggling to find the right words. 

"Oh, nothin', just...you know...we were just talkin' 'bout how...um...how fashionable you look today." 

You give them a skeptical look, not fully convinced by their compliment. 

"Really? They're just my pajamas, the first thing I found in the closet last night," you admit with a sheepish shrug as you look down at your delicate garments. 

They both burst into laughter, causing you to giggle along. The guys exchange knowing glances, struggling to contain their amusement at your naivety. Being new in Elvis' life and feeling a bit clueless around the guys sometimes—I mean, you'd never been surrounded by so many men before, so it was uncommon for you to catch their brash ways.

 

One of the guys begins talking, "Since you're bored, why don't ya join us? We're playin’ a card game." 

You happily agree and take a seat at the table. They explain the rules to you as one of them shuffles the deck of cards. The game soon progresses, and the guys bring out their competitive sides, teasing each other and making playful taunts. Even though they might’ve been acting a little abruptly, it was clear that they were enjoying themselves. Amidst the banter, one of the guys turns to you with a mischievous grin. 

"Hey, watch out, I wouldn't want ya to get too confused with all these cards. It might be a bit too much for a girl to handle," he says snarkily. 

You titter and shake your head, clearly letting the comment go over and past your head. 

"I can handle." 

You say it humbly.

***

Elvis, grumbling his way downstairs to look where you'd wandered off, stops at the bottom of the stairway as he hears his precious girl's laughter from the kitchen. He stalks quietly towards the doorframe of the kitchen, there he sees you sitting pretty with his men. He scans your body until he gets to your bare, wriggling sooties that are dangled just above the ground in the chair. Elvis clenches his fists, feeling his irritation rise at the sight of you playing with the guys.

As he watches, he can't help but notice the unkempt yet alluring exterior you possess. Your tousled hair and streaked makeup from the night before only seem to enhance your beauty, giving you a tempting appeal that could captivate those around you. He had set certain expectations for you, and seeing you in this compromising situation with the guys confirms that you were not fulfilling them. He storms in, his footsteps echoing through the room as he confronts the scene before him. 

"Darlin', you know bedder than to be gallivantin' 'round in your night attire with these fellas." He narrows his eyes, his southern accent thickening as he speaks.

Your head quickly turned to that familiar gruff voice, his appearance matching the roughness in his tone. There he stood, portly and only in a silk robe, a region of dark hair trailing down his navel from the open slit and his luscious sideburns framing his face. His noir hair, slightly disheveled from a restless night, completed the picture of a man who demanded attentiveness. As you caught his gaze, you could see a mix of disappointment and fret in his eyes. You instinctively straightened up, feeling a twinge of shame creeping into your conscience for some reason as you looked down at your attire and then back at him. 

"Well, I thought it'd be okay. I mean, I do live here now. Shouldn't I be comfortable, El?" You voiced cunningly, not purposefully trying to provoke him but unable to resist the urge to justify yourself. 

But there was an inimitable standard he held you to, one that required impeccability and grace. 

"Goddammit!" He started. 

"No man's woman should be 'round men in such whorey showin' garments. 'Specially not mah women!" 

You blinked in surprise, taken aback by his strong reaction. The atmosphere in the room suddenly grew tense, and you could feel the weight of his disapproval pressing down on you. 

His pride was unexpected for you. 

As you searched for words to respond, his intense gaze never wavered, making you feel insecure and exposed. 

"W-Well, the guys think otherwise!" You spoke aloud as your throat tightened. Well, at least you thought they didn't find your attire whorey—a word Elvis had introduced to you when he saw an outfit you picked out while shopping with him. 

Elvis glared over at them, and they both quickly stood up from their positions, some cards falling off the table as they did so. 

"That right?" 

"N-No Ep, 'course not." They stood there longer than they should have. 

"The hell y'all still doin' standin' here, for?! Go on an' do sumn then." Elvis spoke sternly as he pointed, his robe falling more open with his motion. 

The guys hastily scampered away, not wanting to further incur Elvis' anger. You look at Elvis, noticing his neglected appearance and glazed eyes. Nervous, you place your cards down, your eyebrows puckering in disarray. 

"What was that, Elvis?" you ask softly, but your voice is filled with slight perplexity. 

"They didn't do anything." You squeaked. 

"Didn't do anyhtin'." He scoffed under his breath. He shook his head and met your gaze again. 

"Matter uh fact, the hell were you thinkin' wonderin' off?" His words were a bit slurred. 

"Know all yur attention should be on me, 'n only me." Elvis' words hung in the air, heavy with a mix of fury and vulnerability. 

You could sense an ache behind his harsh tone, and it struck a chord within you. 

"Elvis." You delicately said his name, the concern evident in your voice.

But before you could continue, he raised his voice again, his drooping eyes glaring. 

"Kept mah eyes off ya for just uh moment, den I find you playin' bimbo wit' 'em fellas." 

Your heart sank as Elvis' words echoed in the room. 

This wasn't your Elvis. 

Your bottom lip quivered as you stood up from your seat, covering your face with one hand as you moved to leave the room. 

"The hell are ya goin'." He says this as he tries to stop you, but you pull away forcefully and hastily walk upstairs. 

Elvis hears your faint sniffle from the hallway, followed by the sound of a door slamming shut. He paced around, mumbling words to himself as he held his forehead, trying to make sense of what just happened. 

It was clear that his head wasn't in the right place. 

***

As Elvis continued to pace, he barely grasps the impact of his words and considers the hurt he may have caused. 

"Baby," he muffles to himself as he looks around. 

He rubs his eyes and begins to walk towards the staircase. 

"Baby." He muffled again, as if he were whispering a plea into the empty space. 

He reaches the top step and hesitates, unsure of whether to knock on the closed bedroom door or barge right in. 

"B-Baby, a-a-ah wannas come in," he says gently in his gruff voice. 

"W-Wanna come in." Elvis stands in front of the door, his voice quivering with desperation. 

His babyish tone reveals the depth of his regret. Your ears perk up on the other side of the door, straining to catch every word. You can sense the turmoil in his voice, the vulnerability, and the longing.

It's a side of him you were weak for, and it tugs at your heartstrings.

Slowly, you rise from the bed, your footsteps barely audible as you make your way to the door. With a shaken hand, you turn the knob and open the door, revealing Elvis standing there, his eyes filled with a mix of hope and fear. He takes in your appearance—your tear stained cheeks, red, fuzzy nose, and the slight puffiness of your eyes. His face softens with concern, and without a word, he pulls you into a tight embrace. Your face buried into his exposed, hairy, warm torso through the opening of his robe. 

Feverishly, he brings his large palms up to either side of your face and pulls your face upwards. Taking in your babyfaced features. Your damp lashes flutter as you meet his gaze. 

"A-Ah made my little 'un cry." he mumbles as he grazes the pad of his thumb under your eye. 

"Y-Ya know ah ain't meant what I said back dere," he continues, his voice filled with veracity. 

"M-My temper… mah words came out wrong. A-Ah, wudnit wha I meant—", he trails off just before he wavers off, trying to focus his eyesight all of a sudden. 

As his eyelids droop, a gentle sigh escapes his lips. You can see the drowsiness etched across his weathered face, the lines deepening in the dim light of the room. 

It always tortured you when you saw him like this. 

You noticed it was one of the many effects the pills had on him, before starting him up, they'd slow him down first. 

Even with his abrupt weariness, you recognize that sincerity in his voice and the sorryness in his slumped eyes. You reached out and took his wrist, wrapping your fingers around it, offering a silent reassurance that you understood what he was trying to get out. 

You cared deeply for him, so forgiving him always came in a hurry for you.

***

As you both stood there, the grogginess began to fade, and his eyes soon became more and more focused. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale. He gave your cheek a gentle squeeze. His gaze lingered on your face as he continued to graze his thumb gently on your cheek. 

"Let me m-make it up t-ta mah sweet girl, hmm." He says it so softly with that drawl of his.

As you listen to his soft voice, filled with tenderness and warmth, it becomes evident that he was speaking to you with the same affection one would reserve for a baby. One of his traits you had gotten used to and valued thoroughly. Your cheeks fill with warmth. He holds you by the waist, turning you over, and fully enters the bedroom with you. Shutting the door, he then leads you to the bed, helping you sit down on the edge. Elvis sits down beside you, and you feel the bed sink from his weight. 

He turns your face over to him, and he places a hand on your cheek. He begins caressing your face ever so lightly, as if you were made of spun glass. 

"Kiss'n make it better." He mumbles pouty-lippedly as his thumb runs over your lips. 

You stare into his hollow eyes, nodding, as he begins to push his thumb into your small mouth. Politely opening your mouth for him, the taste of his skin lingers on your tongue as his thumb explores the contours of your mouth. You both hold each other's gaze, and you lightly suckle on it, watching his eyes light up at your action. He gently brings his thumb out, a string of saliva dribbling down your lip. Elvis smudges your saliva all around your soft pout, making your lips appear glossy, then brings his thumb up to his lips to suck off your slobber. As you both continue your intimate encounter, the air around you seems to grow heavier. His fingers then work their way down your torso, tracing your dainty body. With a famished mutter, he slides his hand beneath your slip, teasingly grazing over your soft, small chest, giving one of your nipples a tug. You can't help but whimper at his action.

And want grows between you, feeling a surge of heat run from your face down to your toes. 

"C'mere, let ol’ daddy kiss ya," he leans in, capturing your lips in a fervent, persistent kiss. 

The taste of him fills your palate as he slips his tongue inside your pretty mouth. You find yourself feeling fuzzy in the rush of the moment, willingly giving into his actions. His large hands begin gripping your small waist, pulling you closer as he deepens the kiss. His supple kisses had always been tender and gentle, but this one was different. It left you almost breathless. His touch was heavy, and you found yourself slipping in the heat of the moment. Your slip rises upwards at his action, revealing the pair of tiny matching ruffled shorts. 

He breaks the kiss for a moment, his pillowy lips glistening. His eyes lock onto yours—a look of want. Elvis' hefty hand goes down to your upper thigh, and he grazes the fabric of your shorts. 

"Take 'em off, 'ittle." He rasps quietly, the bass of his voice sending shivers down your spine. 

Your breath hitches with a half-laugh. "Kay." You gently get off the bed and look over at him as he keenly stares at you with his still-glazed-over eyes. 

A look you may never get used to. 

You began pulling down at the hem of your waistband until the fabric hit the ground, being completely bare underneath. 

While the length of your slip fell just enough to cover your most delicate parts, he whispered, "Lemme see her." 

His voice is playful as he motions for you to come closer.

You take a step toward him. He reaches out and gently tugs at your hip, his thumb rubbing your hipbone, sending a muzzy feeling to your belly. With his other hand, he reaches over to the hem of the fabric, pulling it up—he throbs between his legs.

From his view, he could see all of you. Your narrow hips and thighs and the smallest patch of curls that covered your pussy. The little crease in the middle—so sweet, you were puffy, and sticky just from his kisses. You looked over at his garb—his robe now fully undone from all his movement, also nothing underneath. You took in as the section of his body hair went from his pudgy chest to his soft belly, which hung just barely over his waistline, and then turned into thick curls at his mound. His corpulent and hard, leaky cock presently standing tall just for you against his paunch. You gazed at the ridge of his pretty, purplish, rosy tip weep as it peeked from his foreskin.

Suddenly, you jolted as you felt his thumb at your swollen clit, a splotchy pink filling your cheeks. His touch was gentle yet firm, his fingers perfectly caressing your sensitive nub. You couldn't help but whimper, the lovely sound escaping your pursed lips as your hips instinctively bucked against his digit. 

"Ain't nothin' more purdy than seein' you all pink 'n warmed up. Could spend all day thumbin' away at that ‘dorable clit uh yours." He babbled as he applied more pressure and quickened the pace of his movements. 

Making you even more rosy. 

You could feel the heat building between your legs, the ache for release becoming almost unbearable. Every swipe of his thumb seemed to bring you closer to the edge, pushing you towards the brink of ecstasy. Your back began to arch as you leaned into his touch, but just as you were almost there, he pulled his thumb away. You let out a frustrated whimper, desperately wanting him to continue, then you went to cup yourself until he swiftly stopped you. 

"Dun cha get greedy on me now," he whispered, his voice coated with directness and a hint of humor. 

You couldn't help but pout, your need for satisfaction overwhelmed your senses. You ached. He had never stopped on the brink of your release like this before. His hand left your trembling body, resulting in you feeling empty and yearning for more. You watched as he brought his thumb to his lips, tasting the remnants of your sweet desire, a sly smile playing on his lips. The rosiness in your cheeks seems to grow darker with his action.

"Ah can't have ya fallin' apart jus yet," he murmured, his voice low. 

You looked at him doe-eyed as you clamped your legs, standing there. 

"Little 'un." Elvis whispered as he reached out for a hand. 

"Idenit time for ya to blossom," he continued as he pulled you closer, his warm breath hitting your cheek. "'ittle flower of yours needs ta bloom." Elvis gave you a nod as he spoke and guided you. 

"Bloom," you repeated as you held his strong gaze, and he began helping you lay on the bed. 

"Mhm, correct baby." He cooed as he helped you lie down. 

When you finally understood what he had said, your heart seemed to race. Staring up at the mirror above you on the ceiling, you took in as you laid delicately on his silk bedding. You began recalling the past nights and days of glancing up at yourself while Elvis rutted against your tummy when he cuddled you until he came, or when he'd only do little more than barely let the tip of his cock pierce your tiny hole—but never more than that. 

Now, he indicated that he wanted to take things further. You were both a little afraid and excited by it. Even so, you were genuinely more willing than ever. It made you rub your legs together thinking about it. You would constantly pester him for more, but he would tell you that it wasn't the right moment and that he knew when it would be. Thinking of his words from earlier, you thought maybe this would be his way of making it better after he'd lashed out. Maybe, he wanted to make it up to you by fully fulfilling your needs. You beamed at the thought.

Lost in your little mind, you were interrupted as you felt the bed sink next to you.

There he lay, still in his loose, silky garb, fully open, his hairy manliness laying solid against his belly while his balls were perfectly nestled below his shaft. You looked over at him as he began lying on his side to face you. His jawline was soft and his cheeks full, adding to the suppleness of his overall appearance. His overgrown sideburns adding to his rugged allure. The word ‘mesmerizing’ repeating in your head.

"Rest on yur side f'me, baby." You began turning over for him, but before you could, he stopped you—he saw the mild unease in your eyes. 

His hand cradled the side of your cheek as your eyes stared into his. However, he couldn't help but smile, thinking your muddled face looked adorable. 

"Hers dudden needs to be afraid." He whispered softly and patted your head now. 

With each light pat on your head, his warmth enveloped you, making you feel comforted in his presence. You smiled back at him softly, it sort of surprised you when he caught it. 

"H-Her knows." You whispered back in the same way he spoke to you. 

It was really rubbing off on you, for sure.

He leaned in, placed a gentle kiss on your cheek, and then motioned for you to rest on your side. Such a baby, you thought as you gave his chubby face one last glance. As you shifted onto your side, he scooted in closer, so he was spooning you, his round stomach pressing into you. You felt the hardness of his length up against your lower back, feeling the warmth radiating off as it throbbed against the thin fabric of your slip. You couldn't deny the growing ache between your legs, yearning for his touch and for him to take control. 

Elvis began lifting the hem of your garment, exposing your bare, pretty, round backside to him. His hand rested on the curve of your hip, his touch both firm and gentle. A shiver ran down your spine as his palm traced delicate patterns on your skin, sending those funny feelings through your body. You felt him move your leg a bit, so your pussy lips were peeking out between your thighs from his view. You felt him pulsing along your rear now, slick already forming at your petals. You couldn't help but arch your back, offering yourself to him completely. You heard him snicker behind you, bringing a blush to your cheeks. Elvis grabbed his thick shaft in one hand and brought it between your thighs, your slick and his precum mixing into one as he rubbed the ridge of his cock along your lips. 

Eagerly, you try to slide down, so his tip pushes up towards your entrance. 

"Careful, too big for yuh to take so fast," he warns as you bare down on his leaky tip. 

You move back unconsciously, and the head of cock grazes at your swollen clit causing you to shudder. 

Trying again, you huff, "Won't fit." 

Elvis is quite amused by this, and he tittered as he leaned into your neck for a quick peck. 

You feel his warm breath against your skin as he whispers, "Baby, needa take time t'stretch ya out properly." 

He trails his fingers along your inner thighs, teasingly rubbing circles on your sensitive heat. Your body reacts, flushing with chills and impatience. You can feel yourself clenching at nothing. Elvis raises the leg you weren’t resting on with his other arm, and you blush at how vulnerable you seem in the pose. He moves the hand he was massaging you with toward your mouth. You understood what he meant, of course. Carefully, you used your hand to hold the back of his large one as you carefully spit into it. You watch as Elvis gruffly giggles at your compliance as you gaze up at the mirror, his eyes peeking over you as he watches his hand lower back down.

Bringing his hand back down to your throbbing core, now slick with both your juices and saliva. His fingers glide along your folds, applying just the right amount of pressure to make you gasp. As his thumb brushes against your clit, a shudder runs through your body, aching for more. You arch your back, silently begging for his touch to become more demanding, more intense. His finger begins to pry at your snug cunt, slipping inside with ease from all your wetness. You feel him begin to inch a second finger inside of you, stretching you further and filling you completely. The sensation is overwhelming, his fingers deeper than you were used to. He would only nag at your hole in the past. You whimper as he starts to move his fingers in and out—a slow and deliberate rhythm. Your hips instinctively press down on his hand, seeking more friction and more of his lengthy fingers. You can't help but squeal, the sound escaping your lips as he curls his fingers inside you, hitting a sweet spot that makes your whole body shiver. You try closing your legs, but he still holds one up. He feels your leg shift and hears your cute squeal. Elvis lets go, letting your leg rest down, with a snicker as he looks over at you with a mischievous grin. Soothing his palm up and down against your thigh, he leaned to kiss your upper arm. 

"Ya kay, 'ittle?" he whispered in his southern drawl. 

You nod, unable to form words, as the sensations overwhelm you. 

Slowly, he removes his fingers from inside you, leaving you aching for more. But before you have a chance to say anything, Elvis is already positioning himself between your legs from behind. He catches a glimpse of your sweet little gaping hole that was dripping with want. He begins rubbing the ridge of his cock along your pussy, you feel his chest vibrate behind you from a low groan. His tip begins to ease in as he coos in your ear slowly. Without delay, he plunges inside you halfway, his lip curling at your tightness. You wail as he bucks his hips further, and you try to get away due to the harsh feeling of the big stretch. He carefully moves the arm he was resting on to go under your waist to hold you from your firm stomach as he hitches up the rest of your babydoll. Pulling you towards him, his gut pressing into you more. 

Taking a glance at your clenched fists and shut eyes, he grumbles, "S'okay baby, breathe." 

You gulp down and gasp, "'S't-too much." 

"Needa bit more little 'un." He croons and brings his empty hand to swipe at your clit from the front in order to break you in with more ease. 

With a final buck of his hips, he fills your sweet cunt completely, taking him all in. You cry out at the forceful pinch, your hand gripping at his hand that held you from your tummy. Elvis grunts loudly when you clench at his cock. 

"M-Mah god, baby, let loose f'me. You'll break me off wit' all tha squeezin'." He blurts out, his voice strained with pleasure and urgency.

Your body trembles against his, and he continues to swipe at your tender nub, wanting to bring any type of pleasure to you right now. Elvis glanced up at your face, a tear dribbling down from the corner of yours. He leaned in, kissing it away. Gently opening your glossy eyes, you look up towards the mirror, taking in the way you were both at last bound. His robe was still hanging loosely on his body, and his hair was tousled as he pressed his face into your nape. As you gripped him with your hand, you felt him grab hold of it and start pulling it down to your heat. Placing it between your thighs, where you and him connected, you traced his weighty balls over with your small hand. Indicating he was practically balls deep inside your dear little hole. 

"Yuh feel him inside ya." He whispered airily into your nape, the bass of his voice rumbling against your back. 

You blushed at his words, feeling a mixture of shyness and alertness. You nodded, unable to find the words to respond, as you focused on the sensation of him filling you completely. His hand remained on yours, guiding your movements as you continued to explore the intimate connection between your bodies. Your digits now covered by both yours and his fluids. Elvis let his hand loose and moved it over to your waist, both of his arms now holding you in a spoon position. As the initial sting began to fade and pleasure took its place, you began moving, slowly your movements against him became more confident. Each motion became braver as desire continued to build between you both. Your whimpers got louder, and you felt the hairs on your nape stand as you heard a little huff come from Elvis behind you. His grip on your waist tightens slightly, his breath warm against your skin as he buries his face into the crook of your neck. Pulling himself out slightly and then bucking into you again, causing you to let out a high-pitched moan as you experienced the overwhelming sensation for the first time. A dance of pain and pleasure intertwined within you. You were sure a trickle of blood had stained the satin sheets beneath you both as you felt the warm wetness building between you two. You were too busy taking in the feeling of his hardness inside you, he noticed as he peeked up at the mirror and saw you lying there with your small mouth gaping and your hand buried between your thighs where he had left it. 

"Touch yuh'self sweetheart." He grunted into your ear as he strained himself from moving his hips too harshly, his grip on your waist still firmly in his arms.

You complied, your fingers danced over your sensitive folds, slick with arousal, and maybe more, until they found your swollen clit. As you began to rub circles around it, your moans grew louder and more dire, echoing through the room. The mirror gave you a clear view of your own flushed face, your eyes filled with desire and vulnerability. The way he watched you, his dark eyes smoldering with lust, only fueled the fire burning within you. Every movement caused the robe to sway gently, revealing hints of his luscious curves beneath. As your fingers continued their rhythmic dance upon your clit, you couldn't help but imagine his hands—those strong and skilled hands—taking over. The thought of his touch, his fingers tracing the same patterns you were now creating, made your toes wriggle. Your breath hitched as you quivered as the warm, fuzzy feeling in your lower abdomen became more and more unbearable. His thrusts became more vigorous, matching the intensity building within you. The room was filled with the symphony of your moans mingling with his low grunts. As he maintained his relentless pace, you surrendered yourself completely to what your body was feeling. The tension in your body coiled tighter and tighter until, finally, with one strong thrust, you unraveled into a state of euphoria on his cock. Your body trembled with sheer bliss as he continued to move inside you, he watched as your pretty face contorted and your blush deepened. 

"O-Oh god." You whined loudly, tightening around him, and the throbbing of his girthy cock became even more pronounced. 

His grip on your hips tightened as he thrust into you with renewed vigor, looking for his own release. Each movement sent shockwaves of pleasure through your body, making you moan prettily but uncontrollably. He glared over at you, bringing one hand up to grasp your jaw, his thumb once again finding its way into your mouth.

"N-Not so loud baby. Ain't want no 'un else hearin' ya gone like this, only me." He spoke between each heavy breath, sounding imposing. 

You nodded, unable to say any words. 

His thumb pressed against your tongue, silencing your moans as he continued to pound into you relentlessly. The room was filled with the sound of skin pushing against skin, blending with your muffled cries of pleasure. You felt your ears grow hotter as his grunts turned into gruff whines, it made you wonder how such a man could make such pretty sounds. He pressed into you harder, the suppleness of his hair-filled belly now squished into your lower back. Elvis' grip on you toughens under you, his fingers digging into the skin of your tummy as he pulls you closer, seeking an even deeper connection. His other hand now filled with your drool. Watching as his lip was now curled, you couldn't tear your gaze away from his beautiful expression slipping into that o-face of his through the mirror. With one final thrust, he let out a garish whine, emptying himself inside of your now-tamed pussy, filling you completely with his essence. You couldn't help but muffle a sob and bite down on his thumb as you felt his scorching seed paint your walls. 

He was still so far buried inside you as he let out heavy sighs. Elvis slowly began to withdraw his upper body from you, looking down at the slight space between his belly and your back, shifting his hips slowly to pull out, the base of his cock streaked with your pure blood. He paused as he felt your tongue pushing at his thumb and looked over, your eyes were watery. 

He withdrew his large hand, you turned your head over to him, the position putting a little discomfort on your neck as he was still spooning you. You were in awe of his blushed face and matted, lush hair sticking to his forehead from all his sweat. Bringing the hand you still held between your thighs over to hold the side of his face, your eyes widened as you focused on the redness of your blood on your digits, which had now smudged a bit on his cheek. Elvis took in your expression and glanced over at your small hand against his cheek, he snickered. Grabbing ahold of it, he brought it over to his mouth, giving it a soft kiss and even a subtle lick. Your purity now smudged along his soft lips. 

"A fine 'ittle flower 'as bloomed," he mumbled as he leaned his face into you. 

Your heart raced as his lips pushed against yours gently. The taste of his kiss, a mixture of your blood and his own essence, sent warmth down your spine. He steadily pulled away, enjoying the fact that your lips were stained right along with his. 

It left you brain-scattered and your hind eyes in a fuzzy state.

You were brought back when you felt him pulling his practically flaccid cock out of you. You winced as a dull ache shot through your body. Quickly sensing soreness, but a satisfied, weak smile tugged at the corners of your lips, knowing he'd finally gone completely with you. You stiffened as the warmth of his spew slowly oozed out of your snug, bruised hole. 

Elvis' view was a delight, he thought, watching as the scarlet milky mess glazed your puffed-up pussy lips, running down your inner thigh. Slumbering on your back now, your babydoll still pushed up but remained covering your small chest. 

But before you could turn to fully face him, you panicked as he stood up from the bed abruptly. 

"E-Elvis," you sputtered out, even reaching your hand out for him. 

He ignored your plea as he hurriedly walked towards the bathroom. His footsteps echoed in the silence, and you suddenly felt anxious. Moments later, he emerged with a damp towel in his hand. As he approached you, he saw the look on your face as you laid on your back. 

"Hey, what's wit' da worried eyes baby," he asked gently while gently leaning over at you. 

You still felt the pang of fret in your chest as Elvis leaned over you, his concern evident in his eyes. 

"I-I just got scared. Thought you w-were leaving," you admitted, your voice shaky. 

Elvis' expression softened, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair off your face. 

"Aww, don' worry, sweetheart. Am here now, ain't goin' anywhere," he reassured you, his voice smooth and reassuring in his drawl. 

His touch was comforting, and you felt yourself relax under his calm presence. 

As his hand lingered on your cheek, he spoke again. "Ah's needs ta clean my little girl now, kay." 

You nodded as Elvis stood in front of you while you lay splayed on the bed. He softly lifted your legs and began to gently wipe away the sticky residue, his touch sending shivers down your spine. His sunken eyes met yours briefly, a glimmer of tenderness, before he focused back on cleaning you up. You flinched as he swiped at your tender bud, and he couldn't help but grin. Finishing up, he tossed the used rag aside. Elvis had always been thorough in his caretaking when it came to you. As he gently began tugging your delicate top down to cover you, he paused and scrunched it up, revealing your small, supple chest and your soft pink meek nipples. 

Leaning down to give both of your petite mounds delicate kisses, "Almost forgot 'bout 'em sweet lil' things," he muffled as he kissed your warm skin. 

You found yourself giggling as you ran a hand through his tousled-up hair. One of the things he had made you become—a giggler. 

He stood back up and fixed your babydoll fully now as he smiled at you.

"All done, my little 'un," he whispered softly, his voice filled with pride and adoration. 

Collapsing beside you, his hand tenderly stroked your hair, whispering, "We'll get tha rest uh us cleaned up later." 

He then continued as you moved over to fully face him, his robe now imperfectly tied. "Needa hold ya darlin’, ah know how emotional you puny things can be after experiencin' this kinda thing." 

You snuggled closer to him with a giggle, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort in his embrace. The tubbiness of him being all the more cozy. As you both basked in each other, you felt the palm of his hand smooth down at your lower abdomen. 

"Yuh sore?" His voice held that babyish tone. 

"Bits," you mumbled as your cheek rested against him, feeling the rise and fall of his chest with each breath. 

His hand continued to caress your belly, his touch gentle. “Love her lots,” he suddenly blurted and leaned in to give your forehead a kiss. 

You gazed up at him, leaning in to kiss the fullness between his neck and chin. “Loves daddy lots too,” you whispered as you followed up with another kiss before you snuggled into him again. 

• Master List

₊ ⊹ Taglist: @fallinlovewithurlove @presleyenterprise @doll-elvis @j-v-9-2 @codalysssssworld @caitskywalker14 @claire-elvisgirl @jaqueline19997 @ash-omalley @spooky-hazex @presleysweetheart @littlehoneyposts @dkayfixates @that-hotdog

₊ ⊹ Get added to Taglist for future stories here.

[bethanythebogwitch]

It's October and I want to talk about something creepy, so this Wet Beast Wednesday is about the lancetfish. These things look like what would happen if a fish became a vampire. Lancetfish are the only members of their family, Alepisauridae and consist of two species: The longnose lancetfish Apleisaurus ferox and the shortnose lancetfish Apleisaurus brevirostris. While they are often caught as bycatch, there is still a lot we don't know about them.

(image: a lancetfish held by an angler. Its body is long, skinny, and silvery. Its dorsal fin extends down most of its back and is supported by a series of long, thin spines. Its head is pointed and the moth is very wide. It has a large, green eye. The tail is out of frame)

Lancetfish are long and skinny fish capable of reaching up to 2.08 meters (6.8 ft). Their dorsal fins are especially notable, stretching down most of their backs and being spiny, resulting in one common name for them being the "handsaw fish". The fin likely gives stability when the fish swims fast and can fold down. The fin is situated in a groove so when it folds down, the top of the fish is smooth and reduces drag. Lancetfish are also one of the relatively few fish to have an adipose fin. The mouth is large and opens very wide. It has long, skinny teeth that point backwards and are adapted to hold onto struggling prey. Their bodies have no scales, only smooth skin with pores for the lateral line. The name "Alepisaurus" means "scaleless lizard", a reference to their body shape and lack of scales. The stomach can expand to hold a very large volume. Lancetfish lack swim bladders and are simultaneous hermaphrodites, posessing male and female gonads at the same time. They show some anatomical differences from other hermaphroditic fish, including testicles that are independent from the ovaries.

(image: a lancetfish held by a child on a boat. More detain can be seen on the dorsal fin, which includes four spines that grow long past the webbing. The tail ends in a forked fin.

Lancetfish are found worldwide except for arctic regions and are more common in temperate to tropical waters, but have been found as far north as Greenland. They are found in the mesopelagic (twilight) and bathypelagic (midnight) zones, but sometimes swim closer to the surface and can be found at a huge variety of depths. They are unusually large for fish that live in those areas. They are generally believed to be solitary, but may gather together to mate. They may also be migratory, as they have been reported seasonally appearing and disappearing in some locations. Lancetfish do also travel to colder waters if food is scarce. They are predators with extremely wide diets that include fish, cephalopods, tunicates, and crustaceans. They are also notoriously cannibalistic, as lancetfish show up in the stomachs of other lancetfish very frequently. There have even beec cases of scientists finding a lancetfish inside of a lancetfish inside of a lancetfish. They are so well known for cannibalism that they are often named "cannibal fish". Lancetfish are likely ambush predators. Their muscles are gelatinous, which is unsuitable for chases but does work for sudden bursts of speed. They most likely hang motionless in the water, waiting for prey to pass. How lancetfish reproduce is unknown, but they are probably broadcast spawners.

(image: a lancetfish in its natural habitat. It is suspended vertically in the water, with the head pointing up. Its dorsal fin is folded back)

One interesting feature of lancetfish is how slow their digestion is. Lancetfish are often found with undigested or partially digested food in their stomachs. One hypothesis is that They digest food slowly wile living a low-energy lifestyle to make the energy gained from each meal last as long as possible. Another is that the stomach acts like storage and will only begin digestion if the fish is low on energy. This provides an interesting avenue of research. Lancetfish caught as bycatch or that was up on beaches can be dissected to investigate their stomach contents, which are so much more pristine than those of other species. This means each lancetfish acts as a net, containing tons of specimens that give us a good (if biased) look at the bathypelagic food web and local biodiversity. Scientists are starting to find a lot of plastic in lancetfish stomachs. It is hypothesized that some of this plastic may be ingested by prey who practice daily vertical migration bringing tiny pieces of plastic down into deeper waters where they are ingested by larger predators. Some plastic pieces found may be too large to be explained by this method alone, such as a fragment of a black plastic bag around the same size as a hand towel found in one lancetfish. This is part of growing evidence that shows plastic pollution is not just a problem for the surface as was previously though, but exists throughout the water column.

I told you, its a vampire fish (image: a close-up of a lancetfish head. Its mouth is open, showing the teeth. They are long, skinny, and sharp. Most are short, but a few on the top and bottom are much larger than the others)

Lancetfish are not commercially caught as there is no market for them. Their gelatinous meat is considered unappetizing, though it is also said to taste sweet. They are considered pests in longline fishing industries for taking bait intended for other species. The amount of lancetfish bycatch is increasing, possibly indicating population growth due to overfishing of their competition and prey. Known predators of lancetfish include tuna, cod, opah, salmon sharks, and sea lions. Because of how deep they live, not much is known about any conservation needs

(image: a juvenile lancetfih. Its body is green and translucent and much shorter than that of the adult. The head has the same shape as the adult. The dorsal fin is much smaller and less distinct. The body is curved at the spine and the internal organs are visible through the skin)

[theambitiouswoman]

How To Spot Opportunities

Opportunities are all around us, waiting to be recognized and seized. In conversation, in something you see, even in your own thoughts. Learning how to spot opportunities can lead you to growth and success. People often tend to overlook them, believing that they only come to certain people. The truth is that opportunities are available to everyone. We just need to change our perspective and learn how to identify them.

The Mindset:

Openness to Possibilities: Adopt a mindset that looks for possibilities in any situation. Instead of focusing solely on obstacles, view every challenge as an opportunity to innovate and grow. This shift in perspective opens the door to potential breakthroughs.

Adaptability: Being flexible and adaptable is key to spotting opportunities. Embrace change and be willing to venture outside your comfort zone. Adaptability helps you see potential where others might only see disruptions.

Positive Attitude: A positive attitude can work wonders in identifying opportunities. When you maintain optimism, you're more likely to recognize the silver lining in challenging circumstances, leading to the discovery of new pathways.

Always Learning: Embrace a curious mindset. Continuing to learn exposes you to new ideas and helps you stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, enabling you to recognize emerging opportunities before others do.

Examples of Spotting Opportunities:

The Airbnb Story: In 2008, two struggling entrepreneurs, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, saw a unique opportunity in the midst of a sold-out conference in their city. With hotels fully booked, they decided to rent out air mattresses in their living room, turning their apartment into an "air bed and breakfast." This marked the inception of Airbnb, which has since become a multi-billion dollar global enterprise, disrupting the hospitality industry.

From Hobby to Empire: Many successful businesses have started as hobbies. For example, Dov Charney, the founder of American Apparel, began making simple t-shirts for himself. When people showed interest in his designs, he realized the opportunity to create a clothing brand that offered stylish basics, catapulting his hobby into a thriving fashion empire.

Turning Failure into Success: Walt Disney's first animation studio went bankrupt. While many would have given up, Disney saw an opportunity to learn from his mistakes and create a new, revolutionary entertainment venture. The result? The birth of Mickey Mouse and the eventual establishment of the global Disney empire.

Networking: Opportunities often lie within our social circles. A chance encounter at a networking event led to the founding of YouTube when Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim connected with early PayPal employees who provided funding for their video-sharing platform.

You can train yourself to spot opportunities in the most unexpected places. The examples shared above show that success often comes from recognizing potential in everyday situations.

How to train your mind to spot opportunities:

1. Actively Listen: Listen to what the other person is saying. Avoid interrupting or preoccupying your mind with what you will say next. Paying full attention allows you to pick up on cues, insights, and potential areas of mutual interest.

2. Identify Pain Points: While you are listening, look for challenges or frustrations the other person may mention.These pain points could represent opportunities for you to provide a solution or offer assistance.

3. Explore people's Interests: Discover the other person's passions and interests. You might find common ground, or their interests might spark ideas for potential collaborations or projects.

4. Ask Questions: Ask open-ended questions that encourage the other person to share more about themselves and their goals. Ask them about their aspirations and how they plan to achieve them. Seeing how people arrive from one point to another will better help you exercise your minds and use problem solving strategies as a way of looking at things moving forward.

5. Be Curious: Approach conversations with a curious and open mindset. Be receptive to new ideas and different perspectives.

6. Networking: Use conversations as an opportunity to network and build relationships. Meaningful connections often lead to new opportunities down the road, whether it's a job opportunity, collabs, or a chance to participate in new projects.

7. Body Language: Pay attention to non-verbal cues and body language. Sometimes, opportunities can be inferred from the other person's gestures, expressions, or tone of voice.

8. Problem-Solving and Offering Help: If the conversation veers towards a problem the other person is facing, think about how you might be able to help.

9. Be Proactive: Don't be afraid to share your own aspirations and ideas during the conversation. Sometimes, expressing your interests and goals can lead you to opportunities when the other person sees potential in working with you in some capacity.

10. Following-Up and Staying Connected: After a productive conversation, make an effort to follow up and stay connected. This can potentially lead to more opportunities as you continue to build a better relationship with the other person.

[lyzsaphrodite]

☾ ⋆*･ﾟI Love You, I Promise :⋆*･ﾟ

Summer DaCosta x fem!reader

synopsis: After Bella die you and Summer break up because it was so hard on the both of you. But during your trip to Ghost Island where you have to share a bed and a failed game of charlie charlie brings feelings back to the light.

warnings: angst, one bed, and ghosts

a/n: hey guys I'm back and finally posting the Summer fic I've been writing since feburary. I had terrible writers block then forgot about it. This definitely isn't the best but I wanted to get it out to y'all because you guys have been waiting months.

wc: 1.7k

It's been a couple of months since you and Summer broke up. You guys broke up tight after Bella passed away. Bella was the one who got you two together in the first place. She knew you both had liked each other since the seventh grade, but were too scared to confess to each other and risk ruining your friendship. Eventually Bella convinced both of you to go to Winter Formal together sophomore year which led to more dates and finally you guys got together. Bella was one of your best friends, so when she died it was like a piece of you died. It was like that for everyone in the friend group. It was like with this piece missing, your heart didn't know how to act and neither did Summer’s. Which resulted in her snapping at you that then turned into a bad fight which resulted in a break up. _____________________________ Now you are on the boat to Ghost Island. Bella always wanted you all to go there together, with or without her. So that's what you were doing. Currently Summer and Leo are acting out the titanic, Ferris is hitting on Summer’s older cousin, and Kayla is sitting next to you. You finally reached the Island and arrived at the Veil Hotel. . Bella had always talked about visiting this eerie island with her friends, and despite her absence, you were determined to honor her memory by making this trip.

The evening was tinged with a sense of unease. The old hotel’s faded elegance seemed to echo with the ghosts of the past. As the night descended, you all made your way to the grand hotel suite you had reserved. The excitement of exploring the grand old building quickly turned into confusion as you entered the suite and realized something was off.

The suite was beautifully decorated, but there was a problem—there were not enough beds to accommodate everyone comfortably. The realization dawned on the group as you began unpacking.

“I thought we had more rooms,” Leo said, frowning as he surveyed the space.

“It must be a mistake,” Summer said, her voice tinged with frustration as she looked around. “There’s no way we can all fit.”

Ferris, ever the opportunist, quipped, “Looks like we’re going to have to get cozy.”

You and Summer exchanged glances. The arrangement meant that you two would have to share a bed—a prospect that felt like a cruel twist of fate given your unresolved issues.

“I can’t believe I have to share a bed with Summer,” you muttered, a mix of disbelief and frustration in your tone.

Kayla tried to diffuse the tension. “We can figure this out. It’s only for a few nights.”

The group made the best of the situation, setting up makeshift sleeping arrangements in the living area and trying to adapt to the unexpected scenario. You and Summer, though, were left with the task of facing the reality of sharing a bed.

As the night fell, you both tried to find some semblance of comfort in the cramped space. The bed felt smaller than it had before, the physical closeness a stark reminder of the emotional distance between you. Every rustle of the sheets and every shift in position felt amplified, and the silence between you was heavy with unspoken words.

Hours passed, and the emotional exhaustion from the day began to take its toll. The discomfort of the bed and the tension between you seemed to fade as sleep overtook you. In the quiet of the night, the proximity and shared warmth became a comfort rather than a burden.

You awoke the next morning to the surprising and intimate reality of being wrapped in Summer’s arms. Her body was pressed against yours, her breath warm on your neck. For a moment, you lay still, absorbing the closeness and the odd sense of peace it brought. The shared bed had, in the quiet hours of the night, become a cocoon where the walls between you felt softer.

Summer stirred beside you, her eyes blinking open. The realization of the situation seemed to hit her instantly. Her eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly pulled away, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

“Oh, um, good morning,” she stammered, her voice tinged with awkwardness. “Sorry about that.”

You turned to face her, trying to mask your frustration with a sigh. “Seriously, Summer? We’re sharing a bed. It happened while we were asleep. It’s fine.”

Summer looked at you with a mix of relief and lingering awkwardness. “I just... I didn’t want to overstep boundaries, you know? Things have been weird between us.”

You shook your head, your tone softening. “It’s okay. Just... let’s not make this more complicated than it is.”

Throughout the day, there was an unspoken tension between you and Summer that everyone in the group seemed to notice. Conversations felt stilted, and the usual camaraderie of the group was overshadowed by the weight of the unresolved issues between you two. You both tried to act normally, but the awkwardness was palpable, affecting the dynamics of the group.

After the ghostly encounters and attempts to connect with Bella, the group decided to try something different. They decided to play a game of Charlie Charlie, but with a twist—invoking Bella’s spirit. The mood was a mix of apprehension and hope as everyone gathered in the hotel’s grand living area, setting up the game in the center of the room.

The planchette was carefully placed on the notebook, the words “Yes” and “No” written out. You all took your places, hands trembling slightly as you prepared to ask questions.

“Bella, are you here with us?” Summer asked, her voice wavering with a mix of hope and anxiety.

The planchette moved slowly, settling on “Yes.” A collective breath was held as you all exchanged glances, the tension of the day momentarily forgotten in the face of this new attempt to connect with Bella.

“Bella, are you happy we’re here?” Kayla asked next. The planchette moved again to “Yes.”

The group continued asking questions, hoping to find some comfort or guidance. Then Summer, with a trembling voice, asked, “Bella, who am I in love with?”

The planchette moved, its path deliberate and unyielding. It stopped, pointing directly at Leo. The room fell into a heavy silence. Summer’s face fell, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of confusion and hurt. She stared at the board, unable to comprehend the message. “This isn’t Bella,” she said softly, her voice cracking with emotion.

Unable to bear the weight of the moment, Summer abruptly stood up and left the room in a hurry. The sound of her footsteps echoed down the hall, leaving behind a tense silence.

You quickly followed after her, your heart pounding as you navigated the dimly lit corridors of the hotel. You found her in the hallway, leaning against the wall, her face buried in her hands. Her body shook with silent sobs.

“Why did you ask that question?” you demanded, your voice sharp with frustration. “If you didn’t want Leo to know, you shouldn’t have asked.”

“That’s the thing though!” Summer snapped back, her voice rising with a mix of desperation and anger. ���I’m not in love with Leo. I’m in love with you. God, you’re so stupid, Y/N!”

Her outburst was a mix of frustration and vulnerability, the raw emotion in her declaration cutting through your already fragile heart. You turned away, unable to keep the tears at bay, and headed to Kayla’s room. The comfort of her presence was a small solace, but it wasn’t enough to erase the hurt.

When you entered Kayla’s room, she looked up with concern but didn’t press you for details. You lay on her bed, curling up in an attempt to find some semblance of peace. Kayla offered a reassuring hand on your shoulder before quietly leaving the room, giving you the space you needed.

Later, Summer knocked on Kayla’s door, her face a canvas of regret and weariness. Kayla gave you a sympathetic look before stepping out, leaving you alone with Summer.

"I need to talk to you," Summer said, her voice trembling with vulnerability. Her eyes were red from crying, a stark contrast to the vibrant energy she usually exuded.

You looked at her, your heart aching at the sight of her distress. "Okay," you replied quietly, trying to steady your emotions.

Summer took a deep breath, her hands wringing together nervously. "I’m sorry for how I’ve been acting. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I’ve been lost since everything happened. I’ve been trying to keep it together, but I'm messed up."

You remained silent, listening intently as Summer struggled to find the right words.

"I love you," she finally said, her voice breaking. "I love you, and I’m so sorry. I should’ve never ended things like that. I was scared and angry and... I didn’t know how to handle it. But I love you, and I want to make things right."

The sincerity in her voice, the raw emotion in her eyes, cut through the confusion and hurt you had been feeling. Your own tears began to fall, mingling with the tears of regret and longing in Summer’s eyes.

"I miss you, too," you said, your voice choked with emotion. "It’s been so hard without you."

Summer’s eyes softened as she took a step closer, her hands reaching out to yours. "I know," she whispered. "I know I made mistakes, and I’m sorry. I want to fix things between us. I want to be with you."

In that moment, the pain and confusion seemed to melt away, replaced by a fragile hope for reconciliation. You embraced each other, holding on tightly as if trying to anchor yourselves in the midst of the storm. The past was painful, but in each other’s arms, you found a glimmer of healing and a promise of rebuilding what had been lost.

def not my best work I swear my Clarisse fic will be better

taglist: @asvterias , @mira-belcul18 , @ang5289 , @symp4nat

[ranticore]

aerated water and extremely stratified standing water on Siren

image: a pelagic phocid trapped under a flow of aerated water, unable to reach the surface to breathe

I had to whip up a picture REALLY quick because this is text heavy and it turned out nice :) not so nice for this guy but hey. I'm going to talk about the deadliest natural phenomenon on Siren.

First things first some basic Earth limnology, if there are no tides and the wind is not blowing, standing water doesn't move. Water which is not mixed by either a current, wind, or a tide, or some other mixing factor, will stratify. It separates into layers. There'll usually be an oxygenated layer on top and an anoxic layer underneath, which can only be inhabited by certain extremophiles adapted to low or no oxygen conditions.

This is the normal way of things on Siren when the tides aren't moving; the ridges of land formed by glaciation that break up the sea are effective wind barriers and mixing is minimal. It doesn't make a difference to phocids and selkies because these people are air-breathing; in fact this stratification is why all attempts at a human with gills never really made it off the drawing board, they would be less suited to live in this water than an air breathing human. The sea never gets that deep on most of the planet's surface.

Vents in the sea floor are usually inactive or minimally active, letting out thin streams of gas (same as what makes up the atmosphere; oxygen, nitrogen, etc). However occasionally, an earthquake or other geological event will cause a vent to force out what lies beneath the crust; aerated water. Aerated water is low-density water. It's used in wastewater treatment plants on Earth right now. And if you fall in, you can't swim. You go straight through it. (These treatment plants have mechanisms to detect anything entering the water, and a mobile floor will rise up to lift you out of the water)

Aerated water on Siren is known by a variety of ominous regional names as it's pretty universally feared by sea people. In the stratified water, the aerated layer sits on top of the normal oxygenated later, creating an interface where the less dense water sits on top of the denser water. In particularly rapid flows of aerated water, it can form thick currents on the surface which do not disperse for days or even weeks at a time, and they can be so large and so sudden that entire villages could be wiped out instantly. You can't swim through aerated water, so you become trapped underneath it. You can't see the interface easily from below, so it's hard to judge its edges, it's hard to see how far it stretches. At best, you might have just taken a breath and you'll have 30 minutes to find the edge of the flow, but what if you swim in the wrong direction? What results, if people are particularly unlucky, is a mass drowning event of all air-breathing creatures in the area.

The flow usually starts in a linear shape and if it encounters open water with no land ridges, it will slowly begin to spread into a roughly round shape, getting thinner and thinner as it widens out until the layer is too thin to pose any risk. The gas discharge into the normal water can be significant and provides a nice boost for the oxygenated layer. Pelagic people have to be alert for this danger and have drilled responses and emergency flotation devices at their villages, just in case (in fact they make their own underwater hot air balloons to quickly rise to the surface using lighter than air flight)

It's not just aquatic people who are at risk. Flying people who might think to land on the sea to rest in the middle of a long journey risk landing on an aerated flow that won't support them, causing them to sink immediately. Ships with the correct displacing hulls and hydrofoil arms that penetrate to the layer of normal water can traverse aerated flows, but rafts and canoes, used by most of the population, are in danger of vanishing below the surface. Most modern whaling vessels are hydrofoils.

The final effect of the flow is incredibly rare but it has happened enough to provide fuel for superstitious rumours about flying phocids and selkies; if you're directly above the vent when the aerated water explodes out, you will be airborne very quickly and also concussed and/or dead from bludgeoning damage.

The first recorded death from aerated water occurred during year 16, when a settler human unwittingly piped a swimming pool's worth of it into a test chamber. the beta phocid test subject, Ambla, was supposed to be doing some basic aquatic locomotion studies. they were taken completely by surprise and died before the pool could be drained to save them (beta phocid lung capacity was not impressive). Ambla was the first recorded death of a genetically modified human (technically the second, but the first failed to be born and died in the deep dream so was never really alive) and initially the lab workers blamed a malfunctioning pressure generator, thinking that it had somehow increased the weight of water on Ambla and pinned them. The other beta phocids were distraught, in retribution began a campaign to sabotage the pressure pumps and other atmospheric systems at the settlement so that nobody else would die in such a manner. It was their first act of rebellion.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Summer COVID surge shows we may have to return to 2020 pandemic measures - Published Aug 29, 2024

As summer 2024 draws to a close, the U.S. finds itself once again grappling with a surge in COVID-19 infections.

This wave has taken many people by surprise, particularly as the country has largely consigned the pandemic to the past. While public life has pretty much returned to pre-pandemic norms — something almost none of us would have believed in the summer of 2020 — the virus itself has not.

Mutations of the virus continue to occur, and new variants are emerging, posing ongoing challenges to public health and safety. As we look ahead to the remainder of 2024 and into early 2025, we need to take stock of where we are, understand the factors driving this resurgence and better anticipate how the pandemic might evolve.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has disrupted summer travel plans, overwhelmed healthcare facilities in certain areas, and left many Americans dealing with the familiar symptoms of fever, cough and fatigue. The summer months, typically associated with lower respiratory virus activity, have instead seen a significant uptick in COVID-19 infections. Several factors contribute to this unexpected surge.

One factor is the high transmissibility of newer variants. The virus has continued to mutate, with certain variants displaying enhanced ability to spread, even among populations with high vaccination rates. While vaccines remain effective at preventing severe disease and death, breakthrough infections are becoming more common, especially as immunity from earlier vaccinations wanes.

Second, the widespread relaxation of public health measures has created an environment conducive to transmission. Mask mandates, social distancing guidelines and restrictions on large gatherings have all but disappeared. This return to normalcy, while massively psychologically and economically beneficial, has provided the virus with ample opportunities to spread.

Finally, the pervasive sense of pandemic fatigue has led to a serious decline in vigilance. Many people, weary of the pandemic’s disruptions to their lives, have become markedly less cautious. This complacency, coupled with the underestimation of the virus’s ability to adapt, has allowed COVID-19 to regain a foothold.

The federal government’s response to the latest surge has been tepid at best. After years of intense focus on COVID-19, there is a palpable desire in Washington to move on. This has resulted in a fragmented approach, with responsibility for managing the current wave largely devolving to state and local governments. While some have reinstated certain precautions, others have continued with business as usual, leading to inconsistent messaging and outcomes.

Moreover, the federal government’s decision to end the public health emergency earlier this year has had unintended consequences. The end of the emergency declaration led to a reduction in federal funding for testing, contact tracing, and vaccination efforts, just as these tools are once again needed. The lack of a coordinated national strategy has hampered efforts to control the surge and has left healthcare providers scrambling to manage increased caseloads with fewer resources.

Looking ahead, the trajectory of the pandemic remains uncertain, but there are several key trends and scenarios to consider.

The virus is likely to continue mutating, with new variants emerging that could potentially evade immunity from previous infections or vaccinations. This means that COVID-19 will remain a moving target, requiring ongoing surveillance and adaptation of public health strategies. The development of updated vaccines and treatments will be critical in staying ahead of the virus, but the speed at which these can be rolled out will determine their effectiveness.

We can and should also expect periodic surges in COVID-19 cases, particularly in the fall and winter months, when respiratory viruses typically thrive. These surges may not reach the levels seen during the height of the pandemic, but they could still cause significant disruption, particularly in areas with low vaccination rates or limited healthcare capacity. Localized outbreaks, driven by specific variants or super-spreader events, will likely become regular features of the landscape.

The healthcare system, already strained from years of dealing with the pandemic, is also going to face additional pressure if the current surge continues into the fall and winter. Hospitals and clinics will need to balance the demands of COVID-19 patients with the resumption of regular medical care that had been postponed during the pandemic’s earlier phases. This balancing act could lead to increased wait times, resource shortages and burnout among healthcare workers.

And we can’t underestimate how public fatigue with COVID-19 precautions will grow, making it more difficult to reimpose restrictions or encourage preventive behaviors. This resistance could be particularly strong in regions that have experienced relatively low case numbers or where political leaders have downplayed the severity of the virus. Overcoming this fatigue will require clear and consistent communication from public health officials, as well as community-level engagement to reinforce the importance of ongoing vigilance.

We are also making a big mistake if we ignore the economic and social implications of continued COVID-19. The virus’s persistence may lead to renewed disruptions in the travel industry, supply chains and workforce participation. Along with this, the psychological toll of a prolonged pandemic, with the associated uncertainty and anxiety, could have lasting effects on mental health and societal cohesion. Policymakers will need to address these challenges proactively, with a focus on resilience and support for affected populations.

So where do we realistically go from here, given that it is clear that COVD-19 is far from over? While much progress has been made in terms of vaccination and treatment, the current surge is a stark reminder that complacency is not an option. The road ahead will require a renewed commitment to public health, both from government leaders and from individuals.

We all need to prepare for not only the possibility of continued disruptions but for another new normal that might be a little closer to 2020 than how we’ve recently been living. That means preparing for future waves and the long-term implications of a world in which COVID-19 remains a persistent, if manageable, threat.

Aron Solomon is the chief strategy officer for Amplify. He has taught entrepreneurship at McGill University and the University of Pennsylvania.

[saint-ambrosef]

climate change fatalism is so exhausting. it easily becomes a ecological scapegoat to blame instead of humans taking accountability for how their individual actions affect the environment.

i had a conversation earlier in a fb garden group where a women told me that since desertification was changing her local landscape and making it harder to grow native plants, it was actually okay and even good of her to be planting invasive exotic species that could adapt to the "new normal" climate in her area so that the wildlife would have at least something for shade/shelter/food. in the same message she mentioned trying to eradicate native weeds on their acreage because it had no personal use to her or her non-native livestock.

and i was like. no girl. the desertification in your area has been caused by decades of bad agricultural land management practices, something that is fully reversible. those weeds you are ripping out provide more benefit to wildlife than your nasty exotics, and ranchers removing these "undesirable" natives for decades is why the land has grown barren. planting invasive exotics to replace the artificial loss of biodiversity will only hasten the problem you seek to fix.

but the point of my post isn't this specific woman, it's the general attitude she represents. it's a lot easier to blame the nebulous figure of climate change than to work toward ecological restoration. it's simpler to plant invasive exotics than to reverse decades of poor land management. it's more enjoyable to grow a pretty flowering shrub and pretend it's necessary due to climate change than to allow native ragweed to grow even though the allergies suck because it feeds the birds and pollinators. and it's a helluva lot easier to blame climate change for the worsening of your local environment than to admit that overgrazing your livestock and ripping out native plants just because they have no immediate value to you might have contributed heavily to the decline of your microbiome.

climate change has quickly become this collective responsibility that no one individual is responsible for, because it's so easy to blame the slightest change in environment on it. "we're running out of water because of climate change!" it's because urban landscaping practices channel away water instead of letting it soak into the groundwater wells, and turf lawns use 80% of the city water. "the city is so much hotter now!" yeah because twenty years ago developers planted fast-growing but short-lived/weak trees which have now all died, meaning our roads and neighborhoods have way less shade and foliage to absorb the heat. "the bees are disappearing because of climate change!" sharon it's because there's not a single thing in your yard that a native pollinator would recognize as a food source.

anyways i don't know where exactly i'm going with this. i guess i'm just tired of climate change fatalism because it removes personal incentive to do anything to reverse environmental harm that we could be fixing on an individual level. but "global warming" has become a very convenient excuse for many people, unfortunately.

just makes me wonder how often things blamed on climate change are actually a result of direct human actions that are reversible

[elbiotipo]

What would be the main differences between a template forest and a tropical jungle for fantasy? I guess that things like iron armor pieces would never become a thing since historically they weren't popular in other hot climates, winters without snow might be less feared but summers with big floods might be more worrisome? I guess that cuisine and farming would also be massively different although I don't know exactly how.

Out of the top of my head:

Equatorial climates are notoriously stable, since it's always the same day lenght there are no seasons, especially if you live near the ocean which estabilizes the temperature. You will get dry and wet seasons (and sometimes even hurricane seasons) depending on particular geographic conditions

Tropical/subtropical climates often have harsher seasons the farther away from the ocean they are, but never snow (that's the difference actually; temperate climates can get snow, subtropical can get frost but not snow, tropical neither). So yes, in general in a tropical or subtropical the main difference between seasons is rain, and perhaps frost which does play a role in some plants like citrics. Rainforests, of course, get it all year, subtropical forests have dry and rainy seasons. You can see a mixture of both: in my home (Northern Argentina) we do get marked winters with ocassional frost, but the main fact is that they're dry compared to summer.

ANYWAYS. Cultural stuff! Yes, one of the main differences you will find is clothing. It's difficult to make generalizations, but overall, tropical cultures just wear less, if there is armor at all. Don't get mistaken and say that it's because they don't have metallurgy, though, it's just that metal armor is indeed heavy, hot, and not much use if the opponet isn't wearing anything either. At most, you would see padded cloth armor (cotton mostly) or hide/leather at most. If you look at soldiers from, for example, Mesoamerica or Southeast Asia, you will find little armor.

Similarily, while you can go wild with noble clothing and colors, and the preferred materials are indeed cotton or silk, you will find very simple clothes among the general population. To give you an idea, here's a sample of Aztec clothes (including armor!)

Note how simple and lightweight they are, even for rulers. They are colorful too (the artist, Daniel Parada, has more pictures like this for other cultures based on historical records) but although tropical enviroments might seem to have greater access to dyes, medieval european did also have dyes, often not as vibrant as carmine though.

Farming, of course, affects cuisine. I think that instead of thinking about a "pan-tropical" farming, we could analyze this by centers of origin of crops:

From Southeast Asia we got soy, several types of beans (or Fabaceae if you wanna get technical), all citrics, mango, banana, pear, cherry,, but this pales in comparison to rice, of course. Rice defines the tropical and subtropical diet of Asia, being what wheat is to the Mediterranean. Rice cultivation is particular in that is labor extensive, much more productive by area compared to other crops (so smaller plots) and requires extensive irrigation, resulting in complex managed enviroments.

From tropical America we got manioc, squashes (all sorts of curcubita actually), beans, peppers, pineapples, papaya, so much more, but it's especifically from Mesoamerica we got corn, and from the Andes we got potatoes. Potatoes are key in cold climates. Meanwhile, the corn-beans-squash trio, that is known in North America as "three sisters" and in Latin America as "milpa" is spread all over the continent. These three kinds of plants are very adaptable to tropical and subtropical conditions, and combined are very productive.

I will admit that my knowledge about tropical Africa is less than ideal. There are native species of rice that can be found in Western Africa, Ethiopia has traditionally grown barley and sorghum (and is the home of coffee), and millet, like corn for the Americas, seem to be widespread.

As for spices, tropical areas do seem to be blessed with spices, this is true. I recommend this guy to tell you about it. Hell, I recommend his channel in general.

What IS a common theme, regardless, is that jungles are NOT pristine enviroments or wild enviroments untouched by human activity. Jungles have been managed, in overt ways (like for example, rice cultivation) or more subtle ways (planting domesticated species inside the forest) for thousands of years. This is also done by controlled burns, conscious planting, or even accidental things, like, for example, peoples settling in a place and bringing domesticated plants to that place that then grow semi-wildly.

THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE EVEN IF I STUDY THIS EXACT THING, I HAVE NO REAL DEFINITION OF IT YOU CAN SEARCH. You can find about this phenomenon of "humans managing and changing forest enviroments" by lots of terms, like agroforestry, silviculture, and so many more. The term I use is "landscape management" (no, not "landscaping") where a "landscape" is a term for an enviroment were both humans and natural factors build it (like I said, there is no thing as "pristine nature" ALL natural enviroments have been managed and modified by humans, and you can find evidence of that in tropical America, Asia, and Africa).

In fact, the reason why those enviroments seem "natural" and unchanged to Western views is precisely, because tropical cultures often use wood and adobe to build structures (if they have them at all), which don'r preserve well at all. But also, jungles are fast growing and often eat everything, remaining, interestingly, these subtle domestication and managment efforts in what once were thriving settlements.

Which doesn't mean you haven't tropical cultures to study. THERE ARE PLENTY. You got, like I said, the whole of tropical America, tropical Africa, and tropical Asia and Oceania. It is getting very difficult to me to generalize, and yet, one can see some similarities.

Since this post is general enough, I encourage you to ask more about what you want. What would you like me to focus on?

oh, and you can throw me a tip, if you want! Sorry for selling out, but I'm living under an insane libertarian president right now, so every bit helps!

[ideavian]

Every time you post I just wanna know more about EE and Rarity. This is your excuse to just talk about it, I wanna read whatever you say

Ahhh that means a lot! I’m glad you like them :D I’m just going to use this ask for general trivia alsjsksk thanks for the opportunity to ramble!

1. EE was heavily inspired by Ludwig II of Bavaria and his architectural projects! EE takes after a lot of the aesthetics and elements associated with him in both the puppet and the superstructure. He also shares his idealisation of past eras and focus on preserving beauty, to the point of neglecting functional/material concerns.

2. Originally my idea for the campaign was supposed to revolve more around Rarity’s purpose as a mobile memory conflux, so it was more about going to different areas and documenting the environment. Each area successfully documented was supposed to symbolise a corresponding tie with the world, so that Rarity would essentially carry the world within its cells. This would mean that it wouldn’t be able to ascend after entering the void but would simply continue to record until it returned to the material plane with its newfound knowledge. Anyway I scrapped this idea because I had no idea how it would work gameplay wise and also couldn’t come up with that many unique areas :’)

3. The pearl garden region was a result of EE trying to create Rarity. His first attempt of merging biological tissue with pearls was successful but uncontrolled, and the result was too unstable to be any useful in retaining information. The material has high reproductive capacity but an extremely short lifespan, so it infects any living being and basically turns them to pearl statues. Over time, the material spread from the test site and covered the island EE is situated on, wiping out the ecosystem and beginning to strangle the superstructure. EE appreciates the aesthetic value of the infection even though he is very dying.

4. The echo which gives Rarity max Karma, Ten Chimes over Deep Water, was a member of EE’s maintenance crew and also EE’s favourite musician. They were very attached to EE and admired his artistic capabilities, but didn’t share his philosophy that beautiful things should be preserved forever, alive or dead. Chimes was, like other Ancients, used to the world, and they found its lack of novelty tiring. They were therefore enthusiastic about ascension and curious about the world beyond. Nevertheless, they were the last to leave EE’s superstructure for mass ascension. EE viewed their departure as a betrayal and forbade them from ever returning, so Chimes’ echo lingers on the far shore.

5. Rarity is solar powered and well adapted to the barrenness of EE’s surroundings. It likes sleeping in the sun :3 The rain in the region is gentle but floods are common due to poor drainage, so hibernating is still occasionally necessary.

That’s about all I’ve got for now! Might add on more if anything comes to me aldjsksk thanks for the ask!! Also feel free to ask question from here if there’s anything you’d like to know :D

[universe-friday]

EXCERPT #45:

Hello. I hope somebody is listening.

[…]

Not much time to talk, old sport. We have a pretty big problem on our hands.

Do you remember the sinkholes I mentioned? In my last call? 

Well, they’re not showing any signs of stopping.

The government isn’t doing anything, in fact, I think they just announced an election to avoid addressing it…?

On the other hand, I can’t tell if the agency was attempting to combat the sinkholes, but I think they were successfully distracted by the election, considering their goal to overthrow the government, and all.

So, who does that leave to deal with it then…? Take a guess!

[…]

I mentioned how I haven’t truly the ‘heroic’ self that I used to be in a while. I thought what I used to do wasn’t that big of a deal.

Until I stopped.

Suddenly my impact on the City had never been clearer. Ever since I stopped fighting, the monsters have evolved and adapted to their environment even further than before.

I thought I must be much too out of practice to fight these newly upgraded monsters. So, to train, if you will, I sought out as many cyborgs as I could find. I halved their population in one night.

Y’know, as a warm-up, of course.

[...]

It was essential for me to upgrade my current setup.

In fact, I visited Nightcrawler’s place, as it has since been abandoned. I could tell he was recruited when that telephone box no longer rang every night anymore. It stopped about a month ago.

I stole… Borrowed his monitors, and found the notes he made when he discovered how to gain access to the CCTV footage. It’s only a temporary setup, of course, just until he comes back. Although, personally, I’m not counting on it (nor hoping it, either. I just hope Thalia doesn’t have to deal with him…)

Finally, with this equipment, I could conduct night patrols just as he did… But better.

[...]

So many of the cameras seem to have already lost connection due to being swallowed by a sinkhole.

Luckily, none of them are near my current location. But, at the speed they are growing, I ought to keep an eye out my own window.

There are two main sinkholes. Sinkholes A and B, if you will. They are on two completely different sides of the City. Conveniently, these are perfectly placed away from the government’s residence, where I believe the agency is based.

However, there are smaller sinkholes, ones which are just beginning; C, D, and E. Sinkholes C and D occupy two different corners of the City centre. They are small in size currently, however, they are rapidly expanding.

Sinkhole E has not yet formed. I formally investigated the City’s busiest areas in concern for the clueless residents who continue to live their daily lives in the City. Many of which have already fallen down sinkholes C and D.

I noticed cracks in the concrete of the City’s most infamous street. I thought back to the many times I had been here before, thinking it may just be the rampant crowds of the City leaving their mark.

But no, these were new. If this sinkhole began to form it would result in hundreds, possibly thousands of casualties.

I truly have no idea what would be causing these sinkholes.

But I know that the only one who can fight this is me.

[...]

[haveyouseenthisskeleton]

How strong are your skeleton's bones? How much would it take for them to break one? Has any of them already break one?

Undertale Sans - Despite his low HP, he's pretty average. His bones are as solid as those of a human. He broke a few during his teenage years because he was quite reckless, mainly in his arms. But never a big big fracture. He has a beginning of scoliosis though, that guy is definitely never sitting straight.

Undertale Papyrus - Despite having phenomenal strength, Papyrus' bones are quite fragile. It's mainly because of his growth during his teenage years, and the long size of his spine. It's actually pretty thin and he got a few scares growing up every time he fell badly on his back. He only broke his ankle once, after Undyne accidentally sent a spear through it while they were playfighting. She felt terrible and he used this to force her to do things he really wants to do when she's getting too stubborn.

Underswap Sans - He has bones of steel, quite literally. He can break rocks by crushing them against some of his bones. He never broke a bone and his hard training since he was a teenager definitely helped making them strong.

Underswap Papyrus - Honey always struggled to coordinate his bones since he was a kid, and that resulted in a lot, a lot, A LOT of fractures. Sometimes several at the same time, but not done at the same moment lol. His bones are fragile because of how many times he broke them. Arms, legs, pelvis, ribs... He pretty much broke everything at least once and still has a few scars as a memory of them. He almost broke his skull once by falling off the bridge of Snowdin which was actually not a bridge but a cliff Blue painted to look like a bridge to make a human fall the cliff :D

Underfell Sans - His bones are quite thick and very hard to break. His body kinda adapted to the horrible conditions he was living in. He still has a lot of broken bones in his life, mainly from stronger monsters trying to kill him, and he has a lot of scars. He actually misses two ribs as well near his soul because a monster ripped them off to try and grab it. Red hates people touching him near that area as that's a big weak spot he's scared people can find out. Like Sans, he has a beginning of scoliosis too, and it's even worse because even standing up, Red is not standing straight lol. Edge usually kicks him in the pelvis every time he catches him standing the wrong way but Edge is not here every hour of his life so who cares.

Underfell Papyrus - Edge has thick bones as well and can take a lot of hits, that's why he's mainly a soldier who fights hand-to-hand, unlike Undyne who is better at fighting at close distance. That's why they're so complementary even though they hate it. He broke a few here and there, but that idiot never told anyone so they kinda heal on their own. Some of his bones are not very straight, others have really bad scars, including his face, but that's fine. He's still not telling if he's breaking something on the Surface by the way.

Horrortale Sans - Oak's bones are extremely fragile. Unlike his brother, he never ate human meat and so he took the 14 years of famine in the face. Added to that, he lacks the ability to feel pain, so when he injures himself, he usually doesn't notice right away. The list of fractures is quite long, starting with his head, obviously, but also his ribs. Undyne forced him still by throwing spears in his ribs, and he broke some in the panic, as he was convulsing on the floor after she exploded his face. He misses a good 20% of his ribcage, that dusted. He also has only four fingers on the right hand, because the fifth one got stuck into one of his brother's bear traps, oopsie. He broke his arms and legs multiple times since to the point that Toriel actually put health reinforcement spells on his legs and arms lol because she was tired of fixing them.

Horrortale Papyrus - Willow's bones are very fragile as well, both because of his growth as a kid and the famine, but he's recovering well. All of his spine is badly damaged because of his last fight against Undyne, where he tanked most of the attacks. He has to be very careful and follow all the doctor's recommendations as if he receives another powerful hit, they warn him he might end up paralyzed for life. His pelvis broke in several pieces as well and it didn't heal properly, which is why he's limping a little and uses a stick to walk.

Swapfell Sans - He has really thin bones, but he compensates by being extremely good at dodging and attacking straight in the weak spots of his opponents. Nox was refused several times in the Royal Guard because they judged him too weak, but that didn't stop him from killing all of them to earn his place. He never broke anything, and he's imposing himself long daily sessions of exercise to avoid any injury. He's at the top of his form. He looks weak but he is really not. No one can land a hit on him, he specialized in dodging to be sure it never happens. At least he hopes it will never happen...

Swapfell Papyrus - He has pretty average bones, despite being a walking disaster. That's actually quite a miracle he's still alive since he broke everything at least one, spine and skull included, but somehow always had enough luck to recover without any consequence. Most of these injuries are either because he was too drunk Underground or doing stupid things. It's not his fault, he doesn't know how to not put himself in danger.

Fellswap Gold Sans - He has bones of steel as well. You can headbutt him at full force and knock yourself out without him even flinching. Wine is scarily strong, no one is really sure if he's bluffing on his abilities or not. He's terrifyingly fast, super strong and it's hard to see him struggling in any fight. He broke a few bones in his childhood fighting random monsters in the streets, but that never stopped him.

Fellswap Gold Papyrus - Coffee looks like a weak monster to everyone who ever met him, so it's easy to think his bones are fragile. He has actually bones of steel as well and a scary strength. He's just not using it because he doesn't feel like it and has no self confidence whatsoever. But yes. Sweet Coffee can tear a human in half if he really wants to. Why do you think Wine is so frustrated about his wasted potential?

Some bonuses with the rest of the Horror brothers because why not:

Horrorswap Sans - His bones are weaker after the famine, but he still has extremely strong bones. He suffered a lot of injuries during the famine, as not all humans were actually happy to get killed by him and fought back. He may have lost a leg in his fight against Alphys, but he manages pretty fine without it. He adapted his prosthetic leg really fast and he is barely limping, it's hard to tell he has only one leg.

Horrorswap Papyrus - Obviously, both the famine and the torture Alphys inflicted on him didn't help with his already fragile bones. Pumpkin has huge problems with his bones, as some of them are so damaged they're slowly dusting. He has a ton of fractures that didn't heal properly, and so most of his bones are in weird angles, with bumps and old broken parts sticking out in some places. The doctors also had to break again several too damaged bones to assure him of a better quality of life later. There's obviously the irredeemable damage caused by the loss of his inferior jaws added to that, which makes eating very difficult and he lost his ability to talk. He has days where he's in so much pain he can't walk, but it's getting rarer. He still has to walk with a stick, and he can't do a lot of things, like climbing stairs or hopping over surfaces taller than his knees.

Horrorfell Sans - He still has thick bones and got out of the famine with not that much injuries. His body already adapted to extreme survival, and there was already famine in Underfell way before the CORE crashed so he was ready. Sure, he lost an arm in the last battle, and he's still very salty about it, but that's fine. Who needs two arms anyway, that's so overrated. He keeps inventing stories of how he lost his arm. He doesn't want to tell his kids that Undyne cut it in the first 10 seconds of the battle and then he hid behind a wall for the rest of the fight cheering his brother lmao.

Horrorfell Papyrus - Chief still has thick bones, but he's not using them that much anymore. Undyne almost fully sectioned his spine and without Grillby's quick thinking and powerful healing spell, he would have probably died. That's still a miracle he has legs actually. Yes, they're not moving, but at least he still has them. The doctors are hopeful he will be able to walk again someday, so he tries his best to keep his spirit up.

[ghostshipernr1]

In my opinion, ghouls are a kind of hybrids of different animals, they retain their features, such as wings, tail, horns, as well as some behaviors: purring, chirping.

it looks like this:

Swiss - Tasmanian devil

He definitely inherited his wild and chaotic nature from this animal. He has strong fangs and sharp claws. It's hard to deal with during the day, but at night? Good luck. At night, hes hunting instincts are active thanks to its extraordinary sense of smell and well-adapted eyesight.

Cirrus - raven

At first glance, it's easy to guess what animal she's related to by looking at the large pair of black wings on her back. If you don't even guess? Just wear something shiny, like a silver ring or necklace, and you'll be able to see her looking at you all day long. It's very likely that at some point she won't be able to take it anymore and when you look the other way she will try to steal it from you. (Most often with positive results) (Seriously, how does she even do that?)

Mountain - St. Bernard

Personally, I believe that every earth ghoul is in some way related to a specific breed of dog. Just like his dog side, he is reflected in features such as loyalty, friendliness and great patience. Everyone wonders how he always seems so calm and collected even when Swiss, Phantom and Dew are bothering him and guess what? Even he doesn't know that.

Although everyone knows one thing, if you ever hurt someone in his pack, there is no place to hide. And when he finds you? Well, no one knows because no one has lived to tell about it yet.

Yup he's a really good boy

Rain - otter

A fluffy ball in the middle of the lake, that's how you can describe our water ghoul. But don't let appearances fool you, sometimes it can be a real nuisance, like when he accidentally lost his favorite stone and didn't want to leave the lake area until he got it back (after an hour and a half search involving at least 20 people, it turned out that the stone was still was in his pocket) (oopsie:3).

Once Dew played him a documentary about Giant River Otters and he had to sleep with him for a week because he had nightmares (not nice Dew)

Phantom - bat

As anyone would expect, our little gothic boy is most closely associated with bats. For this reason, it is impossible to miss a large pair of (as he calls it) "vampire" wings on his back.

Every year, the ministry holds a Halloween competition for the best costume. Every year since his call, his elaborate costumes have won at least the podium.

Aurora - opossum

I know, I know, what does Aurora opossum sound like? Would such a sweet little ghoulette be an ugly half-rat from the trash? Now go to Cumulus or Mountain and say the exact same words and see what happens.

Immediately after visiting earth, Aurora had problems with self-esteem, which was not helped by her bald rat tail and gray, nondescript fur. The rest of the ghoulettes noticed this immediately and decided to change it. For a good week, none of them left Cirrus's room until Sunshine called an urgent meeting in the living room where, together with the rest, they presented the new face of Aurora. The previously bald tail is now covered in colorful ribbons, just like her beautifull hair, small claws covered with red nail polish, all the makeup well matched to her complexion and finally a beautiful dress that Mountain couldn't take his eyes off. The first moment Aurora noticed the proud and happy faces of her companions, she immediately ran to the mirror and immediately cried, but this time they were not tears of sadness, but tears of happiness.

Since then, everyone has made her realize how beautiful she is at every step (and she believes it every time).

Dewdrop - rabbit

Really a rabbit? Damn rabbit? From the beginning of its life, Dewdrop has been asking himself this question. After all, how could this big scary ghoul be related to something so... Cute? No wonder, after all, it's hard to take someone seriously with big fluffy ears that just beg to be pet. But don't make Swiss' mistake and don't underestimate him, after all, he is still a fiery ghoul and that element of heat still makes itself felt. (Poor Swiss, after calling Dew a snowflake, he has been knocked out for 10 minutes because he got hit in his balls so hard). Despite his fluffy white fur and cute little tail, Dew knows how to defend himself well - after all, it's not for nothing that nature gave him damn strong legs and even stronger teeth. However, this does not change the fact that, just like Aurora, he still has many problems with self-esteem (If they could, they would gladly switch animals). What Dew doesn't like the most in the world are the sweet looks people gave him when he tries to walk down the hall as if nothing happened and, even worse, when they try to touch him. (But don't worry, Aether knows how to deal with them).

It took him a long time to get used to his own appearance, and even now, when he notices many advantages in himself (for example, teasing Aether in his favorite shorts that perfectly fit his god gift ass), he still has a lot of doubts. But don't worry, on such days there will always be a ghouls ready to prove him that he is perfect the way he is.

Aether - grizzly bear

Try to guess who in the ministry gives the best hugs?

Any ideas?

NO?

Then I will answer you of course its Aether!!!

The mix of his thick brown fur and soft belly gives us the perfect material for afternoon naps. Aether is the type of person who, when he sees someone having a bad day, immediately brews a good cup of tea, turns on a comfortable movie and engages the person in a long cuddle session. Despite his comfortable nature and generally good view of the world, as soon as someone tries to harm his herd, in less than a second this sweet cuddly Teddy bear can turn into a bloodthirsty beast and nothing can stop him. Sometimes when he sees members of his family arguing and it escalates to possible harm to each other, he has to react. He personally hates himself for this because his greatest fear is that in the eyes of ghouls he loves, he will become a monster.

Cumulus - snow owl

For the first month that Rain and the ghoulett met, he could only describe her as absolutely terrifying. Don't get him wrong Cumulus is like a sister to him but... the way despite her huge snow-white wings, she is able to sneak up on him and scare him is absolutely terrifying.

Once, when he went to the kitchen at 2 a.m. to get a glass of water, he noticed her standing by the fridge. He called her and she turned her head 180 degrees and asked what was going on. He ran out of the kitchen in terror and couldn't sleep that night. The next day he discover flowers on his desk and a card with an apology (where did she get the flowers at 2 a.m.?). Fortunately, after a year of living together, Rain know that there is nothing to be afraid of and Lulu is one of the nicest people he knows.

In appearance, apart from the previously described wings, Cumulus has pearly snow skin, white fluff surrounding its neck and ankles, and large white curly hair resembling a cloud. Despite her elegant appearance, Cumulus isn't afraid to get down and dirty and is more than willing to do some spontaneous mud wrestling with Mountain or roll around in the gurney with Swiss. (Poor Cirrus who then has to take care of her tangled feathers)

Sunshine - pony

She loves racing. And when I say she loves it, I don't mean racing once im a while. NO. Every day, she, Dew and Swiss (aka the fastest ghouls in the Ministry) have to compete with each other every time. No matters of its of who takes the bathroom faster, who takes someone else's seat, who gives Copia the documents from his desk faster. She just loves it.

She, Dew and Swiss are a real danger.

Besides, she's a really good girl, really...

While the rest of the ghouls have paws or claws, she is the only one with hooves, poor Cirrus has a really hard time cleaning them from dirt, grass and mud.

When we talk about the sunshine, one fact cannot be omitted... She has a beautiful blonde ponytail and every day she devotes at least an hour to its care so that she can wave it proudly.

I hope you liked it, if you want a story about one of the ghouls, don't be afraid to ask :3

[thechillsquid]

Suina- ‘Swine of the Nether and Overworld’

Suina— Those of the pig or pig-like grouping

The swine of the Nether and overworld are some of the most curious species seen within minecraft severs, for while the overworld pig itself is often considered with little thought or interest, their lineage has found a notable root within the Nether dimension.

Thought to either derive from a shared ancestor with the modern overworld pig or to be direct descendants from overworld pigs, the Nether piglins and hoglins are a result of prehistoric Suina being transferred from the overworld into the harsh climate of the Nether dimension. Dimensional travel is known to have occurred several times in the past either to transfer varying civilizations across dimensions to traveling of varying species, etc., allowing for a great change in the affected species when they find an environment open for colonization and adaption.

However, the history of these species, particularly of the piglin are currently clouded in mystery, as even the piglin race itself seems to be struggling to reclaim not only a damaged culture, but a species that had been plagued by a deadly disease. When first encountered, most players knew of the piglins as ‘the pigmen’ particularly as the ‘zombie pigmen’ for that was of the limited showcasing seen of this race and species for some time.

Zombie pigmen (not showcased as they are simply piglin that have fallen victim to a ‘zombie’ infection like what can be observed in the overworld, though overworld zombies are a curious endeavor in themselves and shall be discussed in the future as well as their possible lead into the hypothesis of the lost civilizations of the past) were initially noted for being tuskless, blank eyed, and for the most part, harmless unless one of their groups were attacked.

They offered what was thought to be the only evidence of an extinct swine race with ancient fortress further solidifying this lost intelligence, however, this would be proven to be false when contact was made with unaffected piglin. These piglin seem to have been either in hiding or living within underground systems, though these exact settlements have been yet to be found by or shown to players.

Either way, piglins themsleves can showcase curious variance. Piglin are noted as follows; common, brutes, and proto.

Common piglin are the most often noted piglin after the society’s re-emergence to the Nether surface, tusk shapes and tusk sizes varying from differing families and areas, fur showcasing differing colors though most commonly ranging from dark maroons to pale pinks, and all having odd pale eyes. They hold a very guarded view of their hunting or roaming grounds though they will overlook those that wear gold or can be bribed for safe passage with gold ingots (which they will readily accept for trades of any knick-knacks they may be carrying with themsleves at the time of trade). Brute piglin are the second most common piglin groups and the most deadly of this group, though they are not another species or subtype and rather are an elite class of common piglin. They often train throughout childhood to best excel at direct fighting, using axes often as their choice of weapon, often differentiated from other more casual traders or hunters or explorers due to their specialized armor and noted eye-scars. All brutes, when they’ve finished their training as brutes, will be ceremonial marked with a blade over their left eye. Brutes will be commonly found guarding fortresses believed to be either sacred areas or remnants of their race’s ancient civilization (whichever it turns out to be, all that should be noted is these areas will be defended to the death and hoard notable treasure troves within their dark armored walls).

Finally there is the tuskless piglin, or the original ‘pigmen.’ They are one of the rarest variant and unlike the brute or common, they lack tusks and often have darker eyes than the pale gazes seen on other piglins. They however, are also one of the most peaceful, seeming to be almost outcasts as they will rarely wear gold themselves and tend to be found more isolated than others in their journeying. It is thought that they are some of the last ‘pure-blooded’ piglins left, the tusked variety actually being descended from those that had been infected with the deadly disease but instead of rotting away, seemed unaffected majorly. However, their pale eyes is what gives credit to this, for only those piglin infected have pale eyes and it seems as though while the ancient disease itself has either been overcome or became unable to further infect its hosts, remainders of the causer of this disease’s DNA remains through the generations, producing these pale eyes into the modern age as a byproduct of this ancient infection.

It’s unknown why the tuskless piglin and tusked piglin refuse to interact with one another, but it may have been due to some groups hiding away from anyone of their civilization that showcases even a possibilty of being infectious and when the groups re-emerged they had unintentionally changed so greatly from one another that cultural clashes and differences prevent effective remingling.

While I could go into the possible theories into what exactly this infection was (my personal theory involves the odd fungus seen within the Nether), I will save that tangent for another time and instead bring up the other curious species of swine in the Nether: the hoglin.

Hoglin, unlike piglin, are not so much a sentient race but rather feared predators that came back around the re-emergence of the piglins. The two races have a great rivalry between them and will readily hunt the other (though young of both species will intermingle and have been seen playing with one another until encountering one of the parties pissed off parents).

Hoglins themselves rely heavily on scent and hearing for they are nearly completely blind (though it is doubted that this is because of the ancient disease that killed off a majority of the piglin race and rather a result of increased use of scent and hearing and the eyes being practically useless with heavy smoke and sulfur in the air), ramming anything they believe to be food with their massive and muscular heads to gorge them on its sharp, forward curving tusks.

They are incredible deadly and territorial and it is often a mass celebration by piglins when witnessing the death of one of these creatures. Notable elsewise is that unlike the bipedal piglin, the hoglin remains quadpedal like its kin, the overworld pig. They however have very large and spread out feet rather than the more precise footing of the overworld pig, as they travel far distances to find food and often travel harsh distances across rough terrain.

Overall, Suina are a facsianting example of how easily organisms will thrive when given an opportunity. Possibly their ancestors came from the overworld following hexapod migrations into these areas, or perhaps they were leftovers from traveling past civilizations that spawned their own development and societies.

Perhaps the fortresses and strongholds noted today aren’t even of piglin construction and could infact be evidence of the lost civilizations that fled the overworld so many millennia ago, either way, the more we look into these races and species, the more opportunity we have to learn about the past of these varying dimensions.

[sarcophagid]

ithaqua backstory related headcanons/analysis

THE PLATEAU OF LENG:

Ithaqua's 5th deduction refers to the area where he lives as a 'barbaric land'. 

'Plateau of Leng'/'Leng' is also a place name in the Lovecraft mythos.

I think we can infer that the Plateau is very geographically and socially isolated from the rest of 'civilization'. They are likely behind on understanding of major world events and technological advances. It is also difficult to travel in and out of the area due to environmental conditions and/or social, economic, and legal limitations. This isolation results in the cultural bubble we see in Ithaqua's story. 

While Ithaqua's weibo intro post describes the area as the 'far north', I think it's still located somewhere in the UK, similar to the origins of most of the IDV cast (if only for the practical reason that Nightwatch would be going to the manor on foot). The surname 'Norwell' is also English/Scottish in origin. 

addendum: It's been mentioned to me that Leng is also possibly located somewhere in the mountain ranges near lakeside village!

RELIGION:

While there are many references to christianity in the game, I don't think the dominant religion in the Plateau of Leng is a 1:1 adaptation of christianity irl, although it may reference it or be inspired by it.

Given the mentions of 'lies' and 'barbarism', as well as the mention that the practices in Leng are now archaic, I also think the religion could be an offshoot from whatever dominant religions and cultures are seen in the mainland, similar (but probably not the same) to some insular cults. 

note: an example of this 'original' religious culture would be the one associated with Gravekeeper's backstory, since he presumably lives in the mainland. (also apparently Ann isn't actually a nun she just dresses like that 🤔)

Ithaqua's trailer refers to 'gods' plural, so it's also possible they don't have a monotheistic religion at all. But this could also refer to the fact there were multiple aggressors during the night of the attack, and he's conflating 'gods' with 'holy people'. 

Regardless, I think there are still a lot of undeniable similarities to christianity in Ithaqua's backstory, and even direct references in essence lore like Morningstar. 

WITCH HUNTS: 

I think it's possible that the magistrate's persecution of Ithaqua's mother and the 'hunt' in general was more to secure social power than born out of actual religious belief. The other townspeople may truly think there are demons, but I doubt the Norwell family was genuine. If the magistrate truly believed stillborn babies were caused by the devil, and/or truly thought he was doing this for the 'good of the people', then he wouldn't quietly cover the case up and pretend nothing happened.

Creating an atmosphere of suspicion and fear of punishment based on arbitrary rules would benefit those responsible for 'justice'. Since anyone could be accused, everyone would have to tread carefully - except for the judge, who decides who is or isn't condemned. 

The resulting chaos would be a good opportunity to seize a leadership role. Leng was already superstitious, and these beliefs could be leveraged and amplified to bring the people to the state it is today. 

This practice of manipulating the townspeople with fear also parallels how Ithaqua later creates a persona of a 'monster' and feeds these rumours with violence in order to scare away intruders and protect his mother - although they have different motivations and goals, they're playing a similar game. 

Leveraging false beliefs is also referenced in Ithaqua and Nathaniel's roles in both Morningstar lore and the Truth & Inference lore (although T&I wasn't as accurate to their characters)

[would-this-pokemon-be-a-friend]

Would A Trubbish Be A Good Pet?

Remember the other day when I called venomoths “living, breathing biohazards”? Well, I probably should have held onto that title for trubbishes, everyone’s favorite literal living, breathing biohazards. As much as it may sadden those who, like myself, see a little charm in these little stinky monsters, keeping a trubbish as a pet would be a truly disastrous idea.

I always thought that trubbishes were simply creatures that resembled trash bags. My dismay at discovering how wrong I was hit me about as hard as the stink of walking within twelve feet of one of these pokémon. Trubbishes are, in fact, literally trash bags which have been given life through the power of toxic industrial waste (White, Shield). Are they radioactive? Maybe. It probably depends on the individual. I can tell you this much, though: anything that has been in contact with toxic waste powerful enough to create life is not something to cuddle. Goodness gracious, please do not cuddle a trubbish!

Trubbishes feed on garbage, which on first examination may be a great thing (Black2/White2, Moon). However, much like in the case of Alolan grimers, trubbishes don’t eliminate trash without creating a dangerous byproduct: as a result of consuming garbage, trubbishes generate a toxic gas that they release into the air by belching (Black, Moon). This gas, if inhaled, is enough to send an adult into a week-long coma (Black) requiring a hospital visit (Moon). If inhaled by a young person or pokémon, however, this gas can be lethal (Ultra Moon). It is not a good idea to bring a trubbish into an enclosed, indoor space.

Sure, if you keep your trubbish outdoors and avoid breathing in this gas, you may be able to avoid being sent into a coma by spending time with your little buddy. There’s an unfortunate side effect to keeping a trubbish outdoors too: the stench of their gas attracts other poisonous and toxic pokémon. In the Alola region, trubbishes are known to attract the deadly Alolan variants of grimer and muk (Sun, Ultra Sun), while in Galar their gas attract the region’s variant of weezing (Shield). If a trubbish alone isn’t poisonous enough, they’re likely to attract other poisonous pokémon in your area right to your home. Outdoors or indoors, trubbishes are a lose-lose situation.

They may not be a particularly violent species, but trubbishes can be pretty formidable if they need to attack. They have a truly startling barrage of moves that can induce poisoning, both through physical contact with toxic materials with moves like Toxic Spikes or Gunk Shot and through the inhalation of poison gas with moves like Belch. Again, like I said, living, breathing biohazard.

Look, I know trubbishes are kinda cute, in their own trash-goblin way. They’re really friendly with humans too, as they have adapted the instinct to know that we are the best sources of their food around (Black2/White2). Unfortunately, they are simply too dangerous for anyone to keep as a pet, unless you’re willing to live your life in a hazmat suit while putting all of your neighbors at risk. All of this analysis is pretty mute though, for one reason: I think a lot of people won’t want a trubbish as a pet because they are stinky. Very stinky. You won’t be a very popular person if you share your home with a sentient trash bag.