#but at the same time…there are physiological differences that are Good to Learn

[cosmicpuzzle]

6th Lord in Houses ✔️

1st House: You are a complicated and a very self-critical person, with more tendency to see the flaws in life than the good. Possibly you suffer from some health-related problems on and off, due to accumulation of different dysfunctions in the physiology or mind. You might pay great attention to health-related diets or activities, and quite possibly you might have a career connected to the medical field. Due to misunderstandings and other complications, you might have a hard time keeping your reputation clear and therefore meet with several obstacles.

2nd House: You can be quite economical because your critical mind is very aware of the fluctuation or accumulations of resources in your life. Therefore, you pay great detailed attention and interest to your work, and you will, with such diligence, accumulate substantial income. Beware of expressing yourself in an irritated way and try to eat healthy food.

3rd House: Negative self-criticism, irritation and lack of hope may hold back on your initiative to act for the fulfillment of your desires. The fact that you are more aware of the limitations that the possibilities take away from you the courage needed to forge ahead and succeed. You may fall into the trap of being constantly irritated and quarrelsome. If you have any siblings, you probably don't get along with them.

4th House: Your need for comfort and inner security is often threatened by irritable self-criticism that you bring onto yourself. Your self image may be distorted and weak and therefore it appears hard for you be content and comfortable with yourself. Gains like a good educational degree, real estate or land seem hard for you to come by. Your relationship with your mother may be annoying and irritable.

5th House: Your mind is often restless and irritable in particular when you find that you can't access the learning or information that you seek. You may pay more attention to what's wrong than what goes right. Your finances constantly fluctuate, and you may have a hard time relating to your children.

6th House: You have a good ability to survive obstacles and overcome oppression. Any competitor or enemy has to keep a close eye on you, but in the end you are the one who is likely to overcome his/her opponents. You have a good sense of service and you might dwell into some medical field in order to help your fellow human beings.

7th House: Frequently you may find yourself in an unnecessary argument with your spouse, something that started as an irritation but escalated into a fight. And even if you hide your irritation, it may subliminally get transmitted to your spouse giving rise to a new irritation. Your spouse may actually suffer from some health ailments and may also have a hard time in financial management. Your own health can be weak as well.

8th House: You may often be frustrated because you cannot get what you want. Then again, what you want may not be in your reach at all. It might be another person's property. Mentally you are often vulnerable to annoying irritation. Maybe you should try to be of service to others by finding solutions for previously unsolved problems and putting the pieces together. Your mind has a critical faculty that could possibly be used to research, exploring and uncovering things.

9th House: You may feel frustrated when you pursue a higher education, and you may feel unjustly criticized by your teacher. Gaining higher education may be a source of suffering for you, and the same applies to religious studies, philosophy and ethics. If you are service oriented, you will in time acquire contentment and comfort.

10th House:You use your critical mind quite a bit to succeed in your career. It may need hard work and a lapse of time but in the end you will succeed in creating professional reputation for yourself. You will still have a good deal of opponents, competitors and critics who may disturb the process of success, but you are likely to overcome them.

11th House: You may find that many of the opportunities you have for gaining resources is through your opponents or competitors. Surprising as it may seem you are likely to earn well through these avenues. Other opportunities might actually have more obstacles for you. Your older sibling may be your rival, or your relationship may be characterized with rivalry. Your children may have health problems.

12th House: There is a possibility that you have hidden rivals or enemies that work against you without you knowing. You may also experience a hopeless irritation often without knowing why or where it is coming from. In order to escape this vicious circle, you may find that selfless service to those in need will give you more than you bargained for.

For Readings DM

[creatingblackcharacters]

a while back I sent an ill-worded question about words used to describe skin complexion, so first of all I want to apologise for how my question came across for you, the anger it caused and how careless my phrasing was in that regard. it wasn't meant that way, but of course that doesn't negate the damage done.

I've been debating what to say and how to say it, or whether I should just silently take the L on this miscommunication and leave it, because ultimately that's what it was. I never meant "how does that read to you?" as in "do you understand the words I'm saying?", frankly it didn't even cross my mind that questioning your understanding could be a genuine meaning of my words. that's just not how it makes sense to me.

I meant "how does that read to you?" as in "how does the very use of those words rooted in whiteness come across to Black readers when applied to Black characters by white writers?" (could I have been this clear? sure, if it had occurred to me that my question without explaining my full entire thought process could be terribly misconstrued, but it obviously did not occur to me, so here we are. all I can do is try to do better and I am trying).

though I have to say, in its own way the reply you gave me sheds light on that question. the descriptors all carry an implication, regardless of whether we have begrudging understanding that we all know what they are supposed to convey because we've learned the words and their meanings and we can use our brains to decipher context. though it brings me back to my question - how does the use of descriptors like paling/blanching/deathly pallor/etc. come across for Black readers? does it show the intent and care this blog is advocating for? is that something that takes people out of the story, especially when they know the author is white? and in that sense, are physiological descriptions preferred then?

ideally writers would make the effort to actually figure out how to describe Black complexion, it seems like the natural conclusion here, but for me it also begs the question what the equivalent to "to pale" for dark skin is, and I suspect the answer is there is none. (or maybe I just haven't encountered it?)

ultimately, I want to use my words in a good way, in a way that makes my Black readers feel seen, but language is hard and I don't always get it right. (as we have seen). and I'm thinking a step towards writing better descriptions is actually knowing what Black readers take away from them, and the impressions they leave behind. sure, there are probably some potentially obvious answers to this, but I think there is merit in making sure that we're all on the same page with things like this. after all we can't look into each other's heads.

I hope I was able to word my thoughts better this time around.

If this is about the ask that I think it is, I appreciate your apology. I wasn't actually mad at you, and i apologize if my response seemed to be at you directly. I was moreso upset at the ease of the use of your language and the concept itself. It's incredibly dehumanizing to realize just how many people don't seem to think that Black people function as human beings, or that we are somehow so innately different from white bodies that extrapolations cannot be made, or that it's not even something that y'all have to consider at all. Like, the idea that Black people change skin colors as if we're chameleons in pain or sickness is far too common and comfortable an idea with the implication that is "I dont think you are human like me". It makes me sad.

I'll let others answer your question, this time, though, so you can get that feedback!

[writers-potion]

I have a character that is more of an entity than a human being, so he doesn’t have a heart, nor can he sweat or have any organs

It’s hard for me to describe things like “he felt his heart sink” or other expressions like that, since in the back of my mind I’m thinking “he doesn’t have a heart” ya know? Even if it’s figurative speech

My ask is: any tips on how I can describe his feelings in more impactful ways, working around the fact he’s not human? (Detail, he wants to be human)

Human Feelings for the Non-Human Character

So, I take it that you have a character who:

Lacks physiological features usually associated with expressing emotions,

But is overall humanoid, which means he doesn't have other special body features (like a tail that he can wag) that allows him to convey his feelings.

Limit the Range of Emotions

Does the fact that your character lacks organs mean that he cannot feel the full range of human emotions?

If yes, broadly categorize the emotion groups into: (1) Feelings he understands, and (2) Feelings he doesn't understand.

For Feelings Understood by Him:

Use body language

Use quirky habits

Use other body features

For Feelings NOT Understood by Him:

Describing shock, surprise and confusion

Borrow other characters' expressions

Use Body Language

Body language is a great indicator of emotion. Even if your character cannot truly feel the bodily effects of an emotion, he may exhibit the same body language displayed by normal humans. This is especially if he lives around other, "normal" people.

Instead of his "heart sinking", he may "start shaking", "feel his throat clench", "find himself wordless", "go completely still", etc. to express shock.

Use Quirky Habits

Describe a few quirky things that your reader can rely on to see how your character is doing. This is a good place to describe how he's different, or wants to be human, too.

Shredding tissue/paper to bits and eating it (I mean, he doesn't have organs, so I'm supposing he can't get sick from this) when he's nervous.

Listening to heartbeat sounds on YouTube when he's happy, imagining the sound coming from his chest.

Running non-stop for hours and hours when he's worried and want to clear his mind

Use Other Body Features

Even if he doesn't have typical body parts, we must make do with what he does have. Since he has fewer organs, all of his senses would be highly concentrated on those:

Feeling the fluids in his abdominal cavity churning when he's nervous (no organs, but I'm assuming his middle is filled with something?)

Feeling all the specific bones ache/creaking when he is angry

All of his hairs standing up, etc.

Describing shock, surprise and confusion

All other feelings that's not fully understood, or one that is being felt by him for the first time will just be shock and confusion.

In addition to the three strategies above, focus more on the mental panic that he will feel, being confronted with a situation where he doesn't know himself.

If he's in a situation where he desperately wants to feel what the others are feeling, make him try his best to mimic them, observing them in detail.

Borrow other characters' expressions

Just because someone doesn't feel something doesn't mean he cannot understand it logically. We humans "know" that we should be feeling a particular way in given situations even without sympathizing with the other fully.

Thus, let your character use stock phrases like "my heart sank" by borrowing the words of someone he spends a lot of time with. Perhaps his mother, who was afraid he'd get bullied as a child, actually taught him to express himself like others, memorizing the "right" emotional reactions like how you'd learn vocabulary.

Hope this helps! :)

[thejournallo]

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE VOID STATE AND THE VOID:

tag: @aestheticlizalis

As always, I will love to hear your thoughts! and if you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them! If you liked it, leave a comment or reblog (that is always appreciated!). if you are intrested in more method check the masterlist!

Every time I end up talking about the void state, there is a part of me that tends to raise awareness about the void itself. It is a thing the void does not help you manifest, like the void state. In this post, I will try my best to explain how much these two things are truly different.

WARNING: COGNITO HAZARD (For those who do not know, a cognito hazard is a term used to describe an image, pattern, sound, or any other kind of sensory signal that directly causes harmful or undesired physiological or physical effects to one who senses or perceives it. (It is specifically used as a warning when talking about "forced awakening" things like the void.)

You are free to believe or not believe every word I will say in this post, and you are free to not believe every word I say. If, while reading this, you start to feel a negative emotion or a sensation as if you are lost or bodily or emotionally sick, DO NOT CONTINUE READING.

let's get deeper in this rabbit hole shall we? 

i will talk breefly about the void state and then i will get in a more detailed way into what the void is, just because i aready explained the void state many times.

the void state:

is a state of deep meditation where you feel like floating and feel nothingness embodies you, making you feel one with the universe helping you to manifest. (Click the name if you actually want to know more.)

the void:

The void is nothing and everything at the same time. Let me explain better: the void is a place where everything is possible and exists, but at the same time is impossible and does not exist.  The thing is, the void in itself is a pass to every other dimension because every dimension resides in the void, even the cursed ones or the ones that never will be or never were timelines.  As a person with a lot of experience in the void itself, I will tell you that it is not a nice place.  Every kind of entity can catch you, good or evil, whatever they might be. As mere humans in the void, we are exposed to a lot of deep-rooted energy that corrupts our bodies in the long run. 

As humans, in the void, we can only "survive" in the backrooms.

what is a backroom?

One thing that is definitely more popular than the void itself are the backrooms that reside in the void. The backrooms became popular around 2012 as a SCP thing as images of liminal spaces. But I assure you, they are pretty much real, and they have many levels, not in a specific order. On every level, we can find different things and different entities, as mentioned before. We can find the good ones that will try to keep you safe and the bad ones that will literally try to kill you. 

I will also add that the backroom exists because we are the front room, so for every timeline in existence, there is a backroom, and much like the universe, the void is pretty much endless, so there are infinite possibilities for the frontroom and the backroom.

why im i telling you this?

because I talk from experience, and let me tell you some of them were not fun. Still to this day, when I go to sleep, I find myself in the void. Bruh, I don't know how it simply happens. And that's been my life since I was 14 years old. I had my time to understand and learn a few rules to exit the backrooms fast enough or not to be killed. 

I will put them at the end, but first, a little check on the main differences that we found out about the void state and the void itself:

The void state is a meditation; the void is an "endless place.".

The void can be a dangerous place, but the void state is harmless.

The void state helps us connect with the universe; the void is not used to manifest.

The void is a constant state of rooted energy, which means, in more basic words, that the energy in the void is dirty, and on the long run, a normal human will not "survaive.". In the void state, it is your energy.

In the void state, we find only ourselves; in the void, we can find an endless amount of dimensions, timelines, frontrooms and backrooms, entities, and liminal spaces. Some are all put together.

If you decide to go into the void state, it is a conscious decision. You can mistakenly enter the void by just falling asleep.

Those are the main differences, just because I can't say much more about the void itself because, as said before, it is a forced awakening, and I don't want people to feel sick with too much information. 

if by mystake you enter the backrooms here some rules that will help you get out faster:

Don't scream; you will give off your location to any type of entity. In whatever level you enter, you will find the exit in the same level.

Not every level is scary. Some have flowers and are pretty; others are simple rooms. Those levels are safe as long as you don't hurt yourself. Be careful.

Don't take stairs, and don't jump in holes or on poles. Again, you will find the exit on the same level as you entered.

If you see fluffy entities, look at their eyes first. If the eyes are blue, they are friendly; any other color is to be avoided.

There is only one entity that is 100% friendly and will help you. It looks like a shadow with no features; it does not talk, but you will understand her.

If you hear a sound, go in the opposite direction; if you feel like a sound surrounds you, hide and stay still no matter what; some entities don't have eyes.

If you can't find the exit, pray to whatever god you believe in, and good entities will find you and help you.

On rare occasions, you might find other humans; don't trust them; they are no longer humans.

and I think that I said everything that has to be said. If you have any questions, I will be more than happy to answer them, and I hope you did not feel sick or do any negative things from this post.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

If a timelord had one functioning heart as well as a mechanical/robot/prosthetic heart, would their respiratory bypass system be functional? Or would it require two 100% organic hearts?

If a Time Lord had one organic heart and one mechanical one, could they still use the respiratory bypass?

Yes—with a large asterisk.

Contrary to popular belief, the respiratory bypass isn't some innate Gallifreyan system. It's a learned technique—equal parts meditation, biological override, and sheer bloody-mindedness.

📚 How It Works (Sort of)

The bypass is a survival trick that lets Gallifreyans go without breathing in hostile environments—think gas, smoke, space, or an afternoon trapped in Lush.

It begins when they voluntarily seal off their upper airways, and the lungs continue to function, scavenging oxygen from their body and even reclaiming it from CO₂ molecules.

To make this possible, the rest of the body powers down—heart rates drop, blood pressure falls, and the metabolic rate dips. All of it is controlled by conscious override of the autonomic nervous system.

🦾 So… Can a Mechanical Heart Keep Up?

Here's the catch: this isn't about just keeping the blood moving. The second heart is an equal partner in a tightly choreographed effort to keep the body going on minimal resources.

A suitable prosthetic would need to:

Synchronise with the biological heart

Respond to neural commands in real-time

Handle fluctuating pressure

If your artificial heart is just a glorified pump with a single gear, then sorry—no bypass for you. You'll be lucky to get 30 seconds before things go medically pear-shaped.

🧟 Bonus Round: Undying Isn't the Same as Alive

There is a precedent for Gallifreyans surviving with only one heart. If one's removed but still beating elsewhere, the body can refuse to die. Sounds cool—until you realise it's not really superhero immortality, it's more like being an undead Victorian child ghost.

In this state:

The body weakens with lethargy, plus nausea

Cold fingers and toes

The body's more susceptible to injury

Senses diminish to human levels

So yes, you’re alive, but only in the technical sense.

🏫 So...

If your second heart is a state-of-the-art neural-synced prosthetic, then you're good to go—probably. If it's anything less, you're in trouble.

Related:

💬|🫁😮‍💨How do Oxygen levels affect Time Lords?: The effects of different oxygen levels on Time Lords and their respiratory resilience.

🤔|🫀🧟Can Gallifreyans ever be undead?: How you can easily get an ‘undying’ Time Lord.

💬|🫁🏊Can Gallifreyans drown?: Limitations of the respiratory bypass.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features: ⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[midnightshindig]

Hi would you be willing to write a fluffy Drabble of established Shapesmith x transmasc reader where reader comes out and is scared shapesmith will leave him only to have to explain what that is. Shapesmith quickly comforts reader in his own Shapesmith way.

Sorry if you don’t like this or it’s too long either way thank you for writing for Shapesmith at all.

Shapesmith x Transmasc!Reader

alright guys i'm gonna try and get back into the swing of things, posting probably only a few times a week.

We're back in business, baby!!!

Considering opening up to Vox Machina and/or Pantheon requests? Is that something anyone would want? lmk <3

hcs below the cut!!

Shapesmith and you had been dating for a couple of weeks by now, slowly but surely

Throughout that time you'd come to realize some things about yourself, about the kind of person you are.

And after a lot of hesitance and soul searching and what have you, you decided it was time to tell your partner that you were transgender.

You knew he was a good man, he knew what it was like to be.... different.

He was so in his own world, maybe Martians didn't even have a concept of gender

Coming out is a wrenching thing, the anxiety of knowing your closest relationships sit in the tender cradle of another persons political and social beliefs

and praying they didn't contradict with their love for you

and praying you wouldn't have to answer stupid questions, or that you would have to bare yourself naked emotionally and spiritually to be respected.

it's hard.

You were scared.

But,

deep breath,

this is Shapesmith we're talking about

your boyfriend, your sweet boyfriend who has only ever wanted good things for you

who protects you in battle and who covers you in day to day

You tried to keep this in mind as you stood before him in your dorm, after telling him you needed to tell him something

He sat on your bed, visibly nervous

It was always easy to tell when he was nervous, because he talked. A lot.

"Y/n- you have a great room, I love the decorations and the colors and everything. Have I told you how much I love your taste? Have I told you how much I love you? You're so great. Soooooo great!"

It wasn't helping your nerves at all

"Ah- yes honey, I love you too- that's... I have to tell you something"

the both of you braced for impact

both scared of what happened next

"I'm-- I don't feel like a woman. This- That label, doesn't apply to me." You gestured vaguely as you spoke, trying to articulate your point

"In the future, I might choose to take physical steps to altercate my appearance, voice, etc to more closely align with male physiology, or I might not. I haven't... sorted it all out yet. I might want to try out new names, and change my name legally, and I want you to start referring to me by he/him pronouns."

a deep, long, agonizing silence filled the claustrophobic dorm

"...shapesmith?"

He tilted his head and let out a deep exhale, a sigh of utmost relief

"Whew- I thought you were breaking up with me." he smiled candidly, like nothing had just happened

it kind of pissed you off

"Wha- Shapesmith! I just told you something really important." Your anger cooled back into anxiety "How... does that make you feel?"

"Hm... You're the same you you've always been. And I love you." He stood up, walking over to you and wrapping you up into a hug

"I don't really understand what being a man or being a woman really means, or how you beings who cannot shapeshift are able to shapeshift from one to the other, but I'm sure I can learn about it."

You winced, bracing for him to load you up with invasive questions, but they never came

He just held you, stroking your hair lovingly and humming a tune

After a while of this, you pulled back

just enough to hold his face in your hands

"I want to be honest with you."

He nodded "And I want youuuu to be yourself. I wouldn't want to be with you any other way."

And that was that

He would go on to thoroughly enjoy all the pampering that came along with transitioning

In his own, unique way

When you express interest in getting new clothes, he's ecstatic to finally experience an indoor mall for the first time

You get haircuts together and he FREAKS when they cut his hair

"Ahhhh my flesh!!" He warbles, his fingers twitching as he tried to remain stationary in the salon chair

"Noooooo honey- it's dead cells. They're allowed to go away."

He's learning how to be a man just as much as you are, in a lot of ways

lets be fr he hasn't had human male biology for very long

you guys get to learn and grow together <3

[ballgame]

I'm going to ramble a little on my thoughts on magic in Deltarune, but I'd like to preface this by saying that a lot of this falls more under the realm of speculation (and at times headcanons) rather than genuine theory-crafting. I'm fully prepared to have some of these ideas be completely blown to smithereens come later chapters.

I'm not exagerrating when I call this rambling, so I'm putting it under a read-more.

I like to think that the Deltarune reality is the way it is because its Earth is just innately less magical. This is of course working under the assumption that Undertale's Earth is innately magical in some sense, with both monsters and humans pulling from that innate magic in their own ways.

DR monsters are still likely largely physiologically the same as UT monsters, but they can't effectively use their magic because almost all of it goes into sustaining their bodies. I'd wager that the limited magic they do have isn't even quite understood in-universe as being magic, if it's observed at all it's likely called something else. This difference is potentially also why they're more "sturdy" than their UT counterparts, since they never adapted to relying on environmental magic, potentially having slightly more physicality (although they presumably still turn to dust, so not too much more).

Humans on the other hand do not use magic at all, since there's no readily available source to draw it from. Hypothetically they could get and use magic in other ways, since it still exists outside of Dark Worlds to an extent, but I'd reckon these methods are either completely unknown due to a lack of research or are extremely underground/taboo (think about how Kris turned to "occult" stuff when trying to learn magic).

Less magic could potentially also help explain why the functionality of SOULS is unknown in Deltarune. In Undertale, monsters are said to be attuned to their SOULS due to their body being composed mostly of magic. So if DR monsters have less magic than UT monsters, or rather their bodies use it more stringently, this attunement might be dampened or outright nonexistent. This would then majorly stunt the study of souls in early history and limit the wider understanding of them.

Hell, I actually think that the line of logic I've presented here could even explain why Dark Fountains can be created in Deltarune in the first place. This was never a conclusion I was planning to come to, but the more I think about it the more it makes sense to me. Let me explain:

So there's a good possibility that "Darkness," the force that Deltarune's plot revolves around, also exists in Undertale. Entry No. 17 seems to imply this, since it's most likely from Gaster when he was the royal scientist. The very scant concrete, official information we have about Gaster actually does well to explain why he would know about it, since researching ways to draw energy from the Earth to create and maintain the CORE would naturally lead him to learning about darkness if it does indeed exist in Undertale. Now, if Gaster needed something like the CORE to even scratch the surface of what darkness is, then that would seem to suggest that it exists as a layer under the Earth's magic (not in a literal physical sense, I'm speaking metaphysically here). Normally, to draw power from the Earth you need determination, but I would assume the amount of DT an individual would need to reach past magic and into darkness is insurmountable for even the most determined human. But, in a world virtually without magic, one like Deltarune's, darkness is allowed to bubble up from the depths.

[painterofhorizons]

„Did you notice?“ Steve Cortez was already up and moving by quite some time when James Vega crawled out of bed in the morning.

To James, it felt like that guy never slept. At all. Not a single hour. And it wasn‘t like James spent a long time in bed either, but Steve? It was a miracle how he was able to stand on his own two feet and still be the best damn shuttle pilot James ever met. Maybe he was not only that but a real physiological miracle, too. The first human to not need sleep or something. Or he was on really good drugs. Whatever it was, sometimes James caught himself being envious on that guy.

„Notice what, Esteban?“ James replied, still tired and not yet near to where his brain would be after he’d had his first coffee.

„That she‘s spending her nights in the Kodiak.“

„Who?“

Steve folded his arms and shot James an uncomprehending look. „The Commander?“

James shrugged. „Maybe you and her share the same parents. Seems none of you need sleep. Not like the super-loser-rest of us.“

Steve shook his head, but didn‘t expect James to actually be a real help here. Not before he had his coffee, or until it was a matter of life and death, or he would personally trip over the Commander in the Kodiak and break his toe. „I don‘t think she‘s working there at night, Jimmy.“

„But?“

„Sleeping.“

James snorted, a he shuffled past Steve to reach the coffee maker. „Why would she sleep in the Kodiak?“

It wasn‘t like James actually didn‘t care about this or that he hadn‘t noticed. Of course he had noticed. Nothing stayed a secret in his cargo bay. But he knew the Commander, and he knew she wouldn‘t want this to be made a matter of public interest. Not even between Steve and himself. He had been a witness to her sleeping troubles back on Earth for months, and he had soon learned to not give it too much attention. Again, not that he didn‘t care. He felt for her, especially in this matter. He had seen it. She didn‘t just have some mild and minor annoying nightmares every now and then. He couldn‘t remember too many nights on Earth when she actually slept well and through. But in the end they all had those things that were haunting them in their sleep. He had his share, Steve had them, Shepard was no exception. One should rather worry about those who were able to sleep well these days.

„You really don‘t care?“ Steve raised his brows.

„You should know me better, Esteban.“ For a second, James pursed his lips, low-key annoyed that Steve would even consider that. Then he shrugged it off. „What do you wanna do? Pamper her?“

„No, James. But, I don‘t know, maybe get her a blanket? A pillow? I spend enough time in the Kodiak to know it‘s not the most comfortable place to sleep in.“ Steve knew this wasn‘t a big thing, and probably neither an important one, compared to what they were up to. But even the thought of sleeping in the Kodiak for more than one or two stranded nights gave him backache - and for Shepard it was a week now, if he counted right.

He‘d expected some kind of backtalk from James, but instead got some thoughtful silence and a slow nod. „Yeah. Yeah, I guess, that‘s kinda nice. Guess we could do that.“

There was a difference between not making a deal of something and completely ignoring it. And a blanket and a pillow probably wouldn‘t fall in the category of pampering the Commander against her will.

[progenycursed]

Just wanna say that I love your Wyrm headcanons. I feel like not many people explore the idea that the pale king is basically an alien compared to normal bugs.

I look forward to his interactions with the other bugs, specifically Herrah and Hornet, in the future.

I love the idea of the Pale King being more like an alien, god, eldritch horror kind of being. He is a so vastly different to mortal bugs that it would like comparing a blue whale to an mouse. Biologically, mentally, and behaviorally. Nothing is the same. Which means that miscommunication and misunderstandings are the norm. What he would consider to be polite, they could interpret as a upset or even homicidal. What he thinks is a perfect mirroring of mortals bugs, is seen as dead center of the uncanny valley levels of creepy, and down right horrifying when he still moves and acts like a wrym.

It was so bad, that in the beginning, he was not a good god. Not out of malice, he just didn’t know. For example:

The concept that mortals, beings a fraction of a fraction of his size, needed to eat multiple times in a day was just baffling to him. Famine and starvation was common until he understood that.

Normal wrym vocalizations that he did absentmindedly were terrifying to mortals. Many thinking it meant he was angry. Leading to some nasty ‘rituals’ the mortals come up with the try and appease the not actually angry god.

Even after he cast off his shell to better study the mortals without disrupting them, the problems were still present. Sure, the god king is now mortal size, but why doesn’t he emote? Gesture? Breath!?

But thanks to a select few mortals who were willing to speak up, he learned over the cycles how to be a better god king and less creepy. In fact, he goes out of his way to have as many of these individuals around him as he can. People who aren’t afraid to tell him he’s doing something wrong.

I want to make a post at some point with a more extensive list of some of the advice these Kings’ Keepers have given him over the cycles. From the ones at the start of it all telling him how to not kill his people, to the later ones explaining the concept of art.

And while he can always change his behaviors, he can’t change his physiology. Even gods are subject to the laws of biology. So he will always be as alien as the day he cast off his shell. He just got better at masking it.

And I’m so glad to hear you like the concept. As you said, its one that isn’t explored often. A god trying to act mortal, it’s a fun idea. And I am greatly looking forward to the reveal of the Pale King with his bindings off and full feral mode on.

[imitationgame77]

ART and Human Adolescents

~ Reason Why ART Befriended Murderbot in AC ~

A sort of theory...

In Network Effect, Murderbot notes several times that ART likes adolescent humans. For instance,

I'd noted that ART's tone when it spoke to Amena was completely different than it was to the other humans. [...] Whatever else ART was, the classroom space and bunk-rooms said it was actually, on a regular basis, a teaching vessel. And before this when I was stupid and we were still friends it had talked about human adolescents in an indulgent way.

[Network Effect, Chapter 9]

Murderbot uses ART's soft spot for adolescents to its advantage!

And then, a couple of chapters later,

Amena still had questions. "Then why did you do it? You didn't - you don't care about me. You didn't really even know me then."

Why does ART like adolescent humans? This was exhausting.

[...]

ART must be recovering because it had to butt in with, Tell her you care about her. Use those words, don't tell her you'll eviscerate anything that tries to hurt her.

[Network Effect, Chapter 10]

ART does show protectiveness towards Amena's feelings, and urges MB to do the same.

ART also shows indulgence towards young people, who probably have left adolescent recently. In Artificial Condition, Murderbot's young client Tapan gets herself into a dangerous situation (again), then in a relatively safe environment of a hotel accommodation, inadvertently upsets MB with personal questions. ART helps MB calm down by playing its comfort media's soundtrack, then

In my feed, ART turned down the soundtrack to say, Young humans can be impulsive. The trick is keeping them around long enough to become old humans. This is what my crew tells me and my own observations seem to confirm it.

[Artificial Condition, Chapter 7]

An American psychoanalyst Erik Erikson has developed a theory of personality development which consists of 8 stages from infancy to old age. Each stage has a central theme with basic conflict. Successful resolution of conflicts at each stage results in development of healthy personality and acquisition of virtues.

Adolescence (12-18 years) is defined by its conflict of Identity vs. Role Confusion. Adolescents search for a sense of self and personal identity, through exploring values, goals, interests, and so on. If they are not given enough support and/or restricted in their exploration, they are left with role confusion - struggle to identify their purpose in life, not knowing who they are and what they want. Social relationships are also important in finding their roles in society. Successful resolution of this stage will lead to the virtue of fidelity that involves being able to commit one's self to others on the basis of accepting others even with differences.

The next stage is Early Adulthood (19-29 years), whose basic conflict is Intimacy vs. Isolation. This is when people learn to establish intimacy and relationships with others. If an individual can successfully form intimate, reciprocal relationships with others, love is the virtue to be gained. But, unsuccessful resolution in earlier stages can cause failure in this stage, resulting in isolation. Isolation can be the result of unresolved identity crises, fear of rejection, etc.

This stage thoery was developed in the 1950s. Since then, societies have changed somewhat and many young people can afford to be in "not a child, but not quite grown-up yet" stage for longer.

Presumably, machine intelligences, however sophisticated like ART, do not need to be influenced by physiological changes associated with hormones. Humans are largely influenced by nature part of nature/nurture, but for AIs, nurture (experience) is a lot more significant in forming their personalities. Having been "brought up" in loving human family environment with Iris as its "sibling", ART has developed very good understandings of human development as well as enormous tolerance. Having been interacting with many, many university students (presumably still 18-22 ish), it knows how important adolescent is to their later development in their characters.

One of the fundamental reasons why ART immediately took to Murderbot, in my view, is that it recognised adolescence in it. Whatever its human-equivalent chronological age was when they met, MB had only been governor-module-free for 4 years or so, and its experience of interacting with real people autonomously was very limited. MB was smart and competent in its functions, but also extremely vulnerable and awkward. It fits the definition of adolescence of not knowing its new role (not an appliance anymore)in the world.

So, ART's initial interaction with MB and protectiveness it exhibited were largely because ART was basically kind to vulnerable young people and MB was one. (Their 'relationship' evolves rapidly, but it is getting too long, so I stop. For now.)

----

Addendum

ART was not exactly gentle to Three which had had less-than-1-cycle of experience at being autonomous. It was more like a colt than a human adolescent. Must have been stress and anxiety talking.

Does an advanced AI have an equivalent of adolescence?? (probably mild, being hormone-free)

[gxthicupid]

LMK OC REVEAL?!

(Totally didn't make the blue look green during the colour theory process -)

BASIC INFORMATION

Name: Hai, Dajing [海 大 靖]

Alias: The Water Serpent Demon

Age: 36 [Biological] 2,643 [Chronological]

Gender: Female ♀

Pronouns: She/Her

Height: 150 cm [4’11ft]

Nationality: Chinese

Status: Semi-Immortal

PERSONAL DETAILS

Personality: Courageous, Bubbly, Optimistic, Patient, Calm, Empathetic and Kind

Quirks: Awkward, Meek, and a Nervous Wreck

Likes: Marine Animals, Summer Days, Playing Pípá, & Calligraphy

Dislikes: Negative Emotions, Cold Weather, Violence & Loud Noises

Alignment: Good

Abilities: Demon Physiology, Snake Physiology, Regenerative Healing Factor, Hydrokinesis, Hydroportation, Shapeshifting, Enhance Strength, Enhance Agility, Heat Detection & Aquatic Breathing

RELATIONSHIPS

PRINCESS IRON FAN

● Dajing has considered Princess Iron Fan as one of her closest and trustworthy friends, so much so she views her as a sister.

● Princess Iron Fan is the older and stricter archetype yet deeply cares for her family, while Dajing is the younger and carefree archetype, but does get serious when it's needed.

● She often advises Princess Iron Fan once she met her family and understood their intentions with the Monkey King and his successor but isn’t fond of their evil schemes.

“You have certainly changed…”

“I wouldn’t say the same to you.”

DEMON BULL KING

● Dajing does not interact much with Demon Bull King since they’d have nothing to discuss, but she does accept him as a suitable spouse of Princess Iron Fan.

● Since Dajing never met Demon Bull King before, sp he does not have any grudges from the past and is on good terms with Dajing.

● Both of them do talk every now and then, but their conversations don’t go anywhere.

“So… how have you been?”

“I am fine”

REDSON

● Redson’s relationship with Dajing was complicated in the beginning, since Redson, at first, doesn’t view her as someone worthy to talk to anyone in the Demon Bull King Fortress, but for his mother’s sake, attempts to build a bond.

● She tries to get along with him, and whenever either Demon Bull King or Princess Iron Fan tends to talk about his failures, she is willing to listen or comfort him.

● However, over time, Redson and Dajing have built an aunt-nephew relationship, as she’s the only one who smothers him with affection (familial) despite his embarrassment.

“Why must you… comfort me? I don’t need this form of sympathy.”

“Because I do not like to see you feeling sad.”

SANDY

● Outside the Demon Bull Family, Sandy is one of the first and strongest friendships out of MK and his friends, since they both have the same belief of “violence isn’t the answer” and often want to ensure their friends are okay.

● They also hang out the most, as they’d often be in his home at the cargo and would have tea sessions, and Dajing would even bring new ingredients for him to try.

● Whenever Dajing is in the city, she’d often cling onto Sandy, as the futuristic appeal of cities scares her from how different the world looked from thousands of years ago.

“I’m glad you can make it, Ms. Hai. I just recently got delivered new types of tea. What would you like? I got yellow tea, oolong, lavender tea, green tea-”

“I would like lavender tea, thank you very much”

MEI

● Dajing really likes Mei, as her eccentric and snarkiness intrigues Dajing since she doesn't know or meet many people who have such a young and lively personality.

● Mei also sees her as a good friend, someone to hang out with whenever MK would go training with Monkey King, and a person who helps her forget about her family’s expectations.

● Both of them explore the city (as Dajing disguises herself as a small snake and hides inside Mei’s jacket), and Mei shows all the new locations, foods, clothes, etc. Dajing is curious about learning about the new world.

“Goodness…These buildings seem to be reaching for the skies. Are you sure these are not reserved for the ruler of this city?”

“Nah, they’re mostly shopping malls, arcades, stores - you know, all that sorta stuff.”

MK

● Whenever Sandy wasn't hanging out with Dajing, it led to Dajing hanging out with MK when he’s on break from delivering noodles.

● Oftentimes, he’d treat him similarly to Redson. As someone who'd lend an ear to listen or try being so protective and gentle towards MK, Dajing sees and treats him like he's her child.

● For MK, he sees Dajing similar to the way he sees Pigsy, as she takes a more maternal role into his life, and over time, he begins to view her as his mother figure.

“Wait - If you’re just as old as Princess Iron Fan, have you ever met Monkey King?”

“I am afraid not. I was not around when Monkey King and his friends were travelling the west.”

PIGSY

● Pigsy did not trust Dajing at first, considering that she was close to Princess Iron Fan, as well as the rest of the Demon Bull Family, and assumed she’s evil.

● However, Dajing proved him wrong and showed she wasn’t intending to hurt or fight against MK before the truce between the Demon Bull Family and the Monkie Gang.

● Both Pigsy and Dajing don’t talk as much, but do have a passion for food and love the show, Cooking with Chang’e.

“I must say, your technique in cooking is quite remarkable. I haven't seen someone use such old methods in a long time."

“I prefer to cook the right way. Cooking is a form of art when you create the noodle, the broth, and the flavour!"

TANG

● When Tang first met Dajing, he wanted to ask her SO MANY QUESTIONS about demons, if she knew anything about the Celestial Realm and other related topics; and Dajing didn’t mind talking to Tang.

● Dajing is fond of Tang, and she adores his passion for the history and tales from the Journey to the West, and likes listening to him whenever he wants to talk about new information.

● When Mei and MK are having fun, Dajing does talk to Pigsy and Tang since Sandy will either be busy with fixing his vehicle or other things.

“Really?! I can't believe that's how it really worked back?”

“Yes, it is quite an interesting fact, if I do say so.”

SUN WUKONG

● At first, Dajing was warned by Princess Iron Fan about Wukong and his reputation, making her worried and often stayed close to MK whenever he’s near.

● However, the more time she spent with MK, the more she saw how much Wukong cared for him and led Dajing to warm up, but was still cautious.

● Wukong and Dajing don’t talk too much, but do like talking about MK, and how he’s doing in his training, job, etc.

“Yup! The kid’s getting better every lesson.”

“That IS impressive, but please don’t push him too far. He’s still quite young.”

MACAQUE

● Dajing has a lot of mixed feelings about him, considering she first knew him as someone working with the Lady Bone Demon and actively putting MK and his friends in danger, but also helping MK defeat the enemy at the last minute; something doesn't feel right.

● After Macaque joins their side, she tries to act nice towards him. However, deep down, she can not forgive him for all the trouble he has caused.

● Unlike Wukong, she does not talk to him at all and hides her dislike for Macaque from everyone in order to not draw unwanted attention.

[DIALOGUE UNAVAILABLE]

A/N: (Wow, this took longer than i would to post this) Sorry for all the people who have voted the LMK OC at the and again sorry for keeping you all waiting. (Also, hi @keykittygirl I finally posted my OC if you want to check it out ) I'll be posting another poll about my OC very soon. Stay tuned for that ;)

[brainbombs]

A short introduction to dream interpretation For @necroticvampire

Dream interpretation is, at its core, a symbolic reinterpretation of subconscious phenomena. The symbolic, according to Lacan, refers to the words and imagery that we use to refer to the world around us; the subconscious, while an erratic object of study in psychoanalysis, can be understood – only as far as this short introduction is concerned – as the mental activity that lie beyond our cognitive perception. In Freud's words: what exists “beyond waking life”. In the dream state, all that has been perceived in waking life – consciously or not – is selected to be represented by the subconscious in symbolic forms. How these events – from day-to-day glimpses to life-changing events – are chosen is entirely dependant on your body's physiological situation, as well as on your mind's psychological state. That is to say: stressful days will provoke equally stressful situations in your sleeping mind. Inquietude begets inquietude, and so on. However, not everything can be ascribed to the body's physiological activity; it would be reductionistic to claim so. This is where dream interpretation comes in: this unfurling of underground symbolic dances, where memories are either distorted or replaced, but never forgotten.

For this practice, I recommend: 1. Engaging with literary works of any kind. Through reading, we learn that words can have different meanings which are entirely dependant on context, language and its branches. Oneiric symbolism works in a similar way – language is a type of symbolism, anyway! – by offering multiple interpretations to dream events. As such, the two – dreaming and reading – are intimately connected. 2. Dream journaling. By paying attention to your dreams, you turn your perception to your subconscious – as far within its realm as perception can reach – and provide the back of your mind with different ways to represent conscious events and imagery. In practical terms, it means that you will remember your dreams more, and thus your mind begins to share your subconscious dreams with your conscious memory. 3. Meditation. It is not unlike dreaming in the sense that it will offer you a glimpse into your subconscious mind – you may notice that patterns, which often seek refuge in our subconscious, will become more easily recognisable, for example. In an oneiric context, meditation will aid in realising these same abstract patterns, and will help in conveying a linguistic structure to your dreams. There are also added benefits: meditation suppresses anxiety, for example, which is a psychopathological symptom that may impair your cognitive capacities. 4. Finally, dream interpretation. The answer to your question; yet one that I, personally, would never be able to reach without taking the aforementioned steps. Dream interpretation, or dream analysis, consists of relating oneiric events to the symbolic narrative that you've constructed in your conscious – that is to say, it is much like solving a puzzle, except the pieces are scattered around your mind. Although not easy at first, it gets easier with time – especially when paired with dream journaling and your own annotations.

Additionally, you may also read about dream interpretation as it is understood by various epistemological points of views: historical, anthropological and psychoanalytical, for example. If you're interested, there are plenty of good books in the field of psychoanalysis regarding symbolism, oneiric or otherwise: “The Interpretation of Dreams” by Sigmund Freud, although a frankly outdated text from 1899, may offer you various insights. “Man and his Symbols” by Carl Jung is another great view of symbolism in an analytical context. Lacan and his various seminaries, although dense reads, are very expositive in the topic of linguistics – once again, intimately connected with the topic of dream analysis.

In sum, the essence of dream interpretation lies within your own cognitive ability to relate symbolic abstractions and concepts to their correlating subjects in waking life. Those decodifiable signs may come in the forms of oneiric narratives, events, or, as Freud once defined dreams to be, “realisations”: glimpses into burrowed truths that need to be excavated. In deciphering these symbols, you learn something new about yourself; perhaps something you subconsciously knew, but never realised. That's the beauty of dream analysis – that's what makes this task worth undertaking.

[juls-pools]

Tzuyu and her relationship with other girls in Twice

Hi again! This is the next part after a long break, because no one wanted to talk to me lmao But here I am! Today's post about Tzuyu and her relationship with her bandmates in Twice. Let's get it started :)

Disclaimer: it's just for funzies. Don't take it seriously. And never ever make your life choices based on readings. Also I am asking a permission to do readings before even start them in the first place.

Tzuyu x Nayeon

A card: 9 of wands

The first pair and I am already sweating and confused. So while Nayeon is treating her maknae as a queen she is, our maknae wants to distance herself from unnie lmao Tzuyu might want to build some sort of resilience between them, she feels like she needs to protect herself, what true to her near Nayeon. Maybe Nayeon is being too pushy and giving her unnecessary advices, so that's why Tzuyu is feeling this kind of feeling like "Hey, get off me, step back!" It's a fire and feisty kind of relationship. They might like to bicker over and get all snappy towards each other. Or she's really acting like an emo child near Nayeon and saying things like "omg, you just don't get it!" (lol it's so funny to me) Anyway I think their bond is quite good even though Tzuyu wants to step back from this relationship, it's just natural and this kind of dynamic can come and go. Nothing too extreme here, just fun, playful and sister-like bond.

Tzuyu x Jeongyeon

A card: Knight of pentacles

They are definitely compatible as friends. Such an earthy vibe, I like it ahahah Definitely intellectually stimulating for both of them. Tzuyu feels appreciated, seen and understood in this relationship. She's learning a lot, they can talk pretty straight forward and openly with each other and no one is gonna be offended. Good teammates and colleagues. They probably could talk a lot about work, projects, education, since and physiology. Tzuyu can trust Jeongyeon, she can count on her and rely on her in the most hard times. In Tzuyu's eyes Jeongyeon is a good friend, she's a caring and loveable bean for her. But from time to time I think Tzuyu is thinking that her unnie is too slow for her own good, can't make up her mind on things, she's too anxious and needs a lot of time to feel prepared and change something in her life. I think that's why Tzuyu is good advicer for her.

Tzuyu x Momo

A card: 2 of wands

So, our trickster maknae is playing with Momo's feelings? lol They are definitely not that close. For Tzuyu, Momo is another option. Like if she's bored she might hang out with her, but most of the time she's not paying too much attention to her. She's fun and might be an interesting person but that's not enough for Tzuyu's liking, I guess. Maybe it's because she prefers other people or maybe they don't click off well but it is what it is. Fun, but at the same time boring relationship for Tzuyu. I would say they are more of good old buddies, not even friends or sisters. A little bit more than colleagues, maybe something like that. Momo might got used to that and just distance herself. Good for her, it's a right choice lol

Tzuyu x Sana

A card: 8 of pentacles

Ah, so I was sensing it right. They are good colleagues after all. I think we should wait for them to collaborate in the future lmao It's a good kind and open relationship, but it requires some work for Tzuyu. It's a mature approach for friendship, like she knows that they are different and she needs to put an effort for their communication and she's willing to do so. I think that's why Sana appreciated Tzuyu. It can be too robotic or too boring from time to time, like Tzuyu might like to talk about work and projects with Sana, but I think that's okay for both of them. Overall it's a beautiful, solid and grounding force. They are definitely a good kind of friends and even better colleagues.

Tzuyu x Jihyo

A card: The Chariot

Yeah, as I was saying here while Jihyo is having these fears inside her head and feeling trapped, Tzuyu is enjoying her life with her leader lmao For Tzuyu this relationship is always moving, changing. She might like to hang out with Jihyo a lot, go on trips together. For Tzuyu this friendship is motivating and pushing her to work harder, look around wider and open up her eyes to the new things in this world. It's funny because I'm sensing that the true leader in this relationship might be Tzuyu and not Jihyo, which could be an odd and strange feeling for the second woman. Overall Tzuyu feels confident and great near Jihyo lol She's making plans and emotionally getting involved in this relationship.

Tzuyu x Mina

A card: The Devil

That's interesting. So Tzuyu is having the most deep and twisted relationship with 97 line, I see... Tzuyu sees Mina as some sort of bad influence in her life? Or maybe someone who's codependent and unhealthy for her. She's sensing some sort of dark energy from Mina. She might be feeling like Mina is trying to seduce her to some bad stuff, or Mina might be an energy vampire, feeding off Tzuyu's energy. Or Mina might be struggling with balance in her life. Tzuyu sees her right through and might be afraid of her lol It's a scary and dark kind of energy for Tzuyu even though for Mina it's one of the good relationships in the group. It's the most alluring and charismatic bond that could ever be between two people, they are drawn to each other. They might like to gossip with each other or get involved in some sort of trouble together. Maybe like to drink or smoke or do drugs together lmao (it's my imagination, I don't know them, so I am just saying, don't come for me) It can be unpredictable and unhealthy for Tzuyu's liking and I think they definitely need to talk about that. The energy is an odd one between them for sure.

Tzuyu x Dahyun

A card: 4 of pentacles

Aha, so while Dahyun feels like a poor kitten near Tzuyu, she in return feels all grumpy, jealous and greedy near Dahyun lmao It's an odd situation, I originally thought that they are in this struggle together, but with this card, I think it's not mutual for Tzuyu. Their friendship might be unbalanced right now. Dahyun being the giving one and Tzuyu the selfish receiving one. She's protecting her energy and doesn't want to get involved in this friendship and work on it right now. I don't know why, maybe it's because of Dahyun's pessimistic vibe in their relationship, maybe it's something completely different. But the thing is that they are unbalanced and Tzuyu is the greedy one for now. I hope it's gonna change pretty soon.

Tzuyu x Chaeyoung

A card: 4 of swords

They're chilling? Meditating? Are they dead? lol sorry

It's hard to tell, but I think that for Tzuyu this friendship is a safe place to take a deep breath and rest. They are out of drama, they are not fighting or arguing that's for sure. For Tzuyu this is a great opportunity to let go and just calm down. They definitely like to hang out under the closed doors of apartments. Tzuyu might even likes Chae's home or go to her. They could literally be lazy together and relax, doing something or doing nothing at all. It could feel like this relationship might be stagnant and boring, like they are not doing and just being lazy. But, hey, with their crazy schedule, I think they deserve to let go and just chill with each other. Everybody deserves a rest. And you too 💕

---------------------------------------------------------------------

That was an interesting reading. I was surprised to get such an earthy vibe cards for her tbh. I got a vibe of a materialistic, pragmatic and analytic woman from this cards. She knows too much and she thinks too much (not that much as a Mina but still lol) I am gonna do Chae next. Stay tuned ~~

[youquzhiji]

WIP Share!

First time getting tagged! by @blood-on-the-phoenix-crown (senpai noticed me lol)

This is from a road movie-ish story I'm doing, my attempt to write Firefly in 40k but with sillier elves, and an adopted unsanctioned psyker girl.

The mornings aboard the ship always began with the voices of Mirellia and Syril. "Again—this symbol is pronounced 'Asuryan.' He was once the greatest god of our people." "A…su…ryan." "Very good! Just link the syllables. Right, just like that! Colata, you're doing great!" The lighting in the mess hall was soft and gentle. Colata sat cross-legged on a cushion, her lips slightly parted as she mimicked Syril's pronunciation over and over. Her fingers traced the curves of Aeldari script on a floating slate, brows furrowed in concentration. Mirellia leaned against the doorway, holding a medical report in her arms. She interjected occasionally, "Shouldn't we start with some simpler concepts? Instead of launching straight into a lesson of cultural history?" Ithirion was leaning on the doorframe as well, casting a glance at Colata as she diligently copied the symbols. "It's not like we don't have a translator. Just stick one in her ear and be done with it." Syril rolled his eyes. "You don't get it. Do you know how much information gets lost in translation? Besides, according to the human neurodevelopment model, she's currently in the golden period for language learning. Her brain is still malleable—give it a few more years, and her language center will be less pilable." Ithirion grunted impatiently. "You sounded just like Ellasar when you were talking about mon-keighs. What is it with you Eolans?” Syril proudly straightened his posture. "It's our respect for knowledge! Language, culture, physiology—they're all subjects worth studying. If we choose to deal with humans, we need to understand them. You should try learning Low Gothic too." "Not a chance," Ithirion replied curtly. "I've heard enough mon-keigh howling back in Commorragh to last a lifetime." "Can you at least not say 'mon-keigh' in front of her?" Across the bridge, Lirae cut in without mercy while reviewing sensor data. "Low Gothic is an inherently chaotic language—illogical word construction, unpredictable spelling, inconsistent pronunciation. Why would anyone want to learn that mess?" Syril shot back immediately, "You haven't seen High Gothic yet. That got rules, sure, and everything ends with '-um' or '-us.' Say anything in High Gothic and it sounds like you're casting a spell." Meanwhile, in a corner of the room, Kaelor and Thalan were flipping through a Low Gothic dictionary. Kaelor raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying these runes mean nothing by themselves, but when combined they form meanings? And the same combinations can be pronounced differently depending on context?" Thalan nodded calmly. "Yes. Though most of the time, there's a pattern. Theoretically." Kaelor paused for a moment, thoughtful. "Even our crazy cousins in Commorragh shouldn't torture their slaves with something like this."

I guess I won't be tagging anyone but for anyone seeing this and want to share your wip, just dew it!

[vampirerealll]

Random rant abt my cool af parents

1. When my parents got married, my mom was in bright red, sparkly converse, and my dad in a kilt

2. My, now 51 y/o, father is an anime fan, plays video games extensively, and got me into Cowboy Bebop, Trigun, Sailor Moon, rdr2, and DnD.

3. My mother used to work as a stage hand when she was younger, for a whole bunch of famous bands. Off the top of my head, she worked Kiss, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, and Alice Cooper shows.

4. Because of my mother's experience with music equipment, she has been able to find good equipment for my brother and I, when we started playing our instruments. This has also lead us to have a collection of various, cables, amplifiers, and instruments in our basement.

5. Dad works in IT, and has been so strong over the years, with my mother's difficulty in keeping jobs. He found an area he works best in, and is our personal technician for software shit no one else in the house understands!

6. My dad has a full head of long, brown hair. Again, he's 51. Barely any balding. He was destined to be a girl dad from the start, since he had to learn how to deal with his own hair when he was younger. He has this one specific brand of hair products that he exclusively uses. And - get this - he DESPISES 2-in-1 hair products. Thank you, father for teaching my brother and I, how to properly take care of our heads.

7. I see a lot of myself in my mother. She's kind, and always looks out for other people, even when she doesn't need to, and even if she takes on too much responsibility in a situation. She cares about the world around her, because growing up, she never saw that care in her own world. She's give anything for my brother and I, as any mother should- and I'd do the same for her.

8. They both have goated music tastes. My dad is primarily a mix of punk, and power metal, while my mom is much more musical theater and classic rock. My brother and I get our appreciation of different forms of punk music from Dad. Along with an intense interest in musicals that our mom cultivated from the start!

9. Both my brother and I share a special interest with one of our parents. My brother shares his interest in politics and law with our dad, we while I share my interest in human anatomy, physiology, and psychology with our mom!

10. Whenever I see my parents indulging in their special interests, or current hyperfixations (even though they deny that they have special interests or hyperfixations) it fills my heart with joy. It reminds me, that I'm not alone in my neueodivergance, and my parents share these same traits. My mom's special interests include; music, medical science, plane crashes, human atrocities in recent history, and natural disasters. She is currently taking a course to become a medical assistant, has gone to collage for music and is ALWAYS happy to teach me music theory, and watches SO MANY videos on the other topics I've listed. She even installed a mechanism in our house so she can measure recent storms.

My dad gets hyperfixated on video games, primarily. He doesn't act on his hyperfixations in ways like I do, like buying copious amounts of merchandise, or saving thousands of pictures of the fixation to my phone. But he has spent almost every hour of his free time playing a new favorite game, we which he had fixated on. Although, he had also spent a large amount of money on a Horizon Lego set, which he put together in 3 days, and whenever I came to see his progress, would always start rambling about the game. Some other honorable mentions of my father's previous hyperfixations have been; the Fallout games, the Fallout show, Cyberpunk (i think he played through it like, twice), and Blue Prince.

[darylsdelts]

in your opinion, do you think you would get along better with Norman or Daryl?

Tricky!! I think with Norman it would be good because he seems to have a way of making people feel comfortable, I know that realistically, if I knew him irl, he’d straight away be a sort of father figure person. We’d have a lot to talk about, we share the same favourite movies and albums and I think he’s just super interesting and friendly… but he is 55 and I’m 19, I don’t think he’d find ME interesting but I would have tons of questions (not weird or gross ones, he’s a real person!)

However‼️

I actually think I’d get along VERY well with Daryl like fr and here’s why:

I’m a very shy and quiet person, as is he. I can easily just enjoy silence with someone. I am alone 99% of the time and I like it. I know there’d be no pressure to talk about ANYTHING but again if there was something I wanted/needed to talk about, I could AND he wouldn’t give some extravagant answer! Which for me is good. For some reason, if I tell someone a problem I’m having, rare, and they give me an educated answer on how to help myself, even if they’re being helpful it makes me feel weird but I know it wouldn’t with Daryl.

He’s not fluffy about feelings which is very much me, we both don’t talk about them and much less show them. We would get along because we both like alone time and wouldn’t pry into each others quiet time.

He’s educated on the things he enjoys and is good at. He knows everything about hunting and all that. I know a lot and love learning about my things I enjoy (anatomy and physiology 🙄). I could listen to him all day, and he’s good at listening too!

Even though neither of us are very openly emotional, we’d still be there for each other if we needed it and we’d never pry or try to get the other to talk.

We both have a shitty father and not nice things happened in our childhood.

We both have an older brother we can’t see anymore for different reasons who we both miss even when maybe we shouldn’t.

We both find it hard to believe people genuinely want us around.

We both don’t do great with change or unfamiliarity.

Takes us both a while to warm up to people.

I could go on forever.

Anyways I love this question!! Thank you!!!