#crabs are just big water spiders

[ajthinks]

Inktober Day 10

This is from the official daily Inktober 2022 prompt list that I have, once again, repurposed for my own writing uses.

Inktober Day 10: Crabby

Rin stared at the square slate. He frowned and cocked his head, as if the new angle would help him read the Common script. Finally he flicked his gaze over to Charli and raised an eyebrow. “Kreb?”

“Crab,” she corrected. “You know…” She wiggled her fingers over the table.

Rin studied her hands, eyes squinting in consideration, before he glanced back up. “No, I don’t.”

She sighed, but attempted an explanation. “It’s like…a watery…what’s the word?” She snapped her fingers several times, frowning up at the rafters of the Dockside pub.

Rin waited patiently. If there was one thing he’d learned it was that you either waited for the proper translation or made due with wrong information.

“You know…aranee?” Charli finished lamely.

Rin frowned. Aranee… “That’s…” No, he couldn’t have that right. “Bug?”

“No! Well– Sort of? They’re not the same. It’s–”

The waiter arrived, setting a covered metal dish on their table. She whisked away they’re slates and lifted the lid before vanishing.

Charli salivated.

Rin gasped and jerked back.

A giant, orange spider stared at him from its boiling bath.

[lolita-lollipop]

heyy! i just binged some of your avatar works and im so in love 🥹🫶

could i request a neteyam x reader where she goes with the Sully's to the metkayinas and there she is harrassed like Kiri and the Sully boys come to her rescue? like including neteyam, lo'ak and jake 🥺💟

it's totally fine if you don't wanna write it, no pressure 💝

have a lovely dayyyyy ❤️

NETEYAM X READER X SULLY FAMILY (platonic)

When neteyam had first told you about the sully family leaving, that they were being hunted, including you,  it came as such a shock, you'd known Neytiri all your life, and you'd also known that the goddess of a woman loved this land more than she loved her ikran. You were even further surprised when you learned that jake wanted you to come.

You were there when those Human-NAvi breeds had interrogated Lo-ak , those men yanked your hair and held you up like you were a slab of meat. That was when it all started, with a knife pressed to your throat, and spider being taken away, you knew something big was going to happen. 

You belonged to this family since you were very young, being that your own parents were killed off by the sky people, leaving you as a child with mo-at. Jake took you under his wing, after all, You were only a year younger than neteyam, so they couldn't turn you away. Eventually, sensing the strong relationship between you and their oldest son, you were declared his promised mate. 

Even so, you never truly felt like a part of the family, Jake and Neytiri tried their hardest, but often times you outcasted yourself, trying to prove yourself, trying to show them that they shouldn't regret taking you in. It didnt help that as you grew up, you and their oldest son developed some kind of complicated relationship, something neither of you could explain fully. 

So, even though you loved this land, loved your home, with all of your heart, you left. The clan leadership was passed along to another family, and you all packed up your things, boarded your ikrans, and left. The ride was long, and hard, you didn't dare look back at the forest once you crossed the shoreline, fearing that homesickness would overcome you. 

---

When you arrived at the metkayina tribe's village, you, along with the entire family, were greeted with a not-so-warm welcome, hostility was laced in every word they said. A woman, clearly pregnant, circled around your family, eyeing all of you down. You unknowingly caught the attention of the only son of the metkayina clan leader. 

“Why have you come upon our land? Forest people belong in the forest” she spoke, hissing out the words, and locking eyes with neytiri. boys behind you grabbed at your tail and arms, yanking you about, commenting on how skinny, how frail it was. Neteyam stepped behind you and wrapped an arm around your waist, shooting a look to the greenish-blue boys. 

“We are seeking refuge, and can't stay with the omaticaya clan.” Your father interjected, stepping in front of Neytiri, who was already hissing at the woman for touching tuk. For touching her. Obviously, you all were desperate, the different clans never mixed. 

“Your arms are skinny, along with your tails, you will move very slow in the water. And you have no knowledge of our ways, you all will be like babies.” She grabbed Neytiri's tail, and yanked. You willed yourself not to go forward and push her off. You were just so scared, and so tired, if they didn't accept you, then you would have no where else to go. You clutched neteyams hand tight, just trying to relieve any of the anxiety you had with his presence. 

“We can learn your ways, please. I’m just trying to protect my family.” Jake begged, locking eyes with you for a split second, then with the woman again, they held gazes for a few ominous moments. You stood in the back, wanting to cave in on yourself like a crab. 

“It is settled, my children will give theirs lessons on our ways, and we will give them a home, treat them like your brothers and sisters.”

---

It was rough at first, having to abandon all of your traditions, the way you ate, the way you lived, the way you breathed. But as days passed, you got used to it, proving yourself to be a quick learner, catching on to the way of water fairly quickly. You werent as good as tsireya or anuong of course, But you were certainly ahead of lo-ak.

Once the anxiety of moving left you, you were finally able to appreciate the world around. All the unfamiliar excitements that came with a new home. The water that filled your home, the fish, the sand, the plants, the corals, everything was so… beautiful. That was the only word you could use to describe it.

 Often you wished to live under the sea, be part of ey-wa, you grew to be absolutely fascinated with it.  How the ocean could be full of peace, or rage, how it could be as beautiful as it was terrifying. You didn't think that you'd ever been this content before, in a place that you loved, with the people you loved.  

But, there's always a yin to a yang. And for you, that happened to be the children of the clan leaders. Tsireya was kind, and so bubbly, the two of you got along very well, even being able to call yourself somewhat best friends, you would giggle about the sully boys being idiots or gossip about the village and it's people. 

But… anuong and roxto? They were much less than happy to help you and your family, anuong believed that forest people belonged in the forest (like mother like son), and  as roxto idolized his older brother, so did he. While anuong did harbor some strange feeling for you, which made him cut back on his teasing for you (and only you), he still made it a living hell for neteyam, and lo-ak, and kiri. 

They poked fun at the skinniness of your people's arms and legs and tails, bullying lo-ak for having a hard time, at kiri for being a strange girl, and especially at neteyam, just for having you. 

And you. Anuong couldn't find an ounce of reasoning why, but he hated you, because he couldn't stop liking you. Which resulted in only the most loving teasing and bullying from him  and his goonds. You couldn't tell the difference.

They always knew where to find you most of the time, with your head buried in the sand, or sitting on top of corral with a turtle, or picking seaweed for no reason at all. You had the strangest habits.

Like now, you floated on top of the shallow water, a few seashells sunbathing on your back, your hands stuck in the sand below. You didn't even notice the three boys coming up close, commenting on what the hell you thought you were doing. 

“She's looking at the sand! What kind of freak are you?” one of the boys yelled above the water, pulling your tail up, that you did hear. Your head perked up from under the water, and you kicked his hand away from you. Wiping your eyes, you let out a soft

“Huh?” confusion laced through your tone, you stared at the three, anuong stood in the middle, looking strangely meek, while the one pulling at your tail giggled at your “idiocy”, the sight of them towering over you explained enough, and brought fear to you. 

“Huh?” roxto mocked, splaying his hands out “I said- What kind of freak, are. You. “ he repeated, and as you stood up he got close to your face, and placed a hand on your shoulder, sticking his tongue out and hissing. You cowered back, and shrugged his hand off. 

“I’m not a freak.” you spoke, and began walking towards the village and shore, hoping you could lose them, or they would just give up. They didn't, and instead followed you, tugging at your braids, and your tail. 

“Are you sure, looking at stones, playing with fish. Freak.” anuong was the one this time to speak up, pointing at the little pile of seaweed and seashells on the shoreline. He leaned over, and hissed the word in your face, you were on the verge of tears at this point . Footsteps behind him were swift and soft as they came closer. 

“Back off man, leave her alone” Lo-ak smacked him across the back of his head, coming up in front of you to  serve as a barrier from anuong. He'd known that you weren't the most normal person, but it still pissed him off to no end that people like anuong could walk all over you. 

“Awwww, does the freak need her little brother to come and save her?”The boys around teased and pulled on lo-ak, grabbing at his “baby” tail and poking fun at him, lo-ak was dumb, you'd known this since he was young, he was reckless, and didnt think. But, his recklessness made him strong. But also gets him into situations like this. Where the two of you end up in an equal amount of trouble, tears threatening to spill from your eyes , and lo-akabout to set somebody on fire. 

You automatically felt safer seeing neteyam rise frm the ocean waves, clearly hearing the commotion on the beach, he had been out here with you and lo-ak, but the three of you separated for a short moment. Of course anuong had to start something when he wasnt there to protect you. 

“He said, leave her alone” Your mate shoved roxto back from you and set a hand on your shoulder, anuong raised a brow, but hushed his friend when he began mocking you for needing neteyam to come and save you too. The man you loved  locked eyes with you and grabbed your hand, clearly trying to rub it in anuongs face that you were his. Then, he walked, and lo-ak followed. 

“Demon blooded freaks, all of them. You don't belong here.” Anuong hissed, eyes narrowing at the three of you beginning to walk away. You held onto lo-ak, knowing that the remark would set him off the edge further, trying to pull him back when he turned around. He just shook your hand off, and hurried over to anuong. 

You didnt even care to listen to what Lo-ak was saying, knowing damn well that it would just end with him throwing punches, you were proved right when neteyam left a small kiss on your forehead, and sprinted over to jump into the mix. They yanked tails, and ears, and eventually, you sat in the sand and watched, laughing when they wined. 

When both sides had tired out, and anuong and his little trio had run away, neteyam and lo-ak returned, you already had your lecture prepared, which was just a soft version of what Jake and Neytiri would say. 

“What happened to not causing a ruckus? Dad is  going to kill you.”

“I Wouldn't let them talk to you like that, my y/n, not ever.”

---

You listened to Your father as he talked to the two boys, which turned out to be a lecture exactly as you had predicted, a-lot of yelling and “yes-sir’s”, you were praying to ey-wa that netetayam wouldnt take the blame again as he usually did, knowing that it would only make things worse. But as usual, he did the exact opposite of what you needed, 

“It was my fault, I started the fight. They called y/n a freak,

 told her she was strange.” He spoke, which only made jake angrier that his boys couldn't control themselves. Although he couldnt really blame neteyam, you were his mate, of course, the two of you hadn't completed the ritual, but you were head over heels for each other. Jake would certainly fight a metkayina boy for Neytiri. Anyday. By the end of the lecture, both lo-ak and neteyam were exhausted. 

“Go apologize, he's the clan leader's son, make it count.” lo-ak huffed at that but still walked out, you did feel bad for him, you always did. But there was nothing you could do to change your dad's mind about this. He would just have to do it. When neteyam began to leave the hut, you started sitting up to go talk to him, not before your father could stop him though. 

“Wait, neteyam. How did those other guys look?” 

“Worse.” 

“Good, thats good.”

You laughed. 

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

*extra*

Later that day, when the eclipse darkened the sea, the entire family was all inside, eating dinner and talking about their days. You stayed outside, preferring to watch the fish swim at your feet. You weren't upset, per se, just mildly off-put. You didn't think that anoung hated you THAT much. You did notice the loud footsteps behind you on the wooden peer, clearly belonging to your dad, but you didn't say anything. When he sat next to you, and you lay down with your head in his lap. 

“I heard about what happened today, did they hurt you? I'll beat them myself if they did” He threatened, a way-too serious look on his face for him to be joking. You let out a chuckle nonetheless, letting his hand place itself on the center of your back. 

“No. They just made fun of me.” your voice was hushed, and it was apparent you were at least a little embarrassed by the incident. You didn't think you were a freak, you didn't know as much about this place as the natives did, so you were obviously excited about everything. That's the only reason you liked to collect the seaweed or look at the sand. You let out a sigh. 

“Babygirl?” He spoke, beginning to rub circles into your back in a comforting motion.

“Yeah?” You were relaxed now, being in the arms of the only real father figure you've ever known. You swished your hand in the water  below, watching the glowing little guppies follow it around.

“If one of them boys ever speaks to you like that again, punch them so hard in the nose that they won't be able  breathe for a week.” He threatened, making a fist with his free hand and motioning a punch. You just stared up at him and snickered at how serious he was. 

“Okay, i’ll make sure to do that next time” you laughed at the thought of you even remotely trying to fight, you were good with arrows, knives,  and medicines, but not fists. 

“And if you don't want to, call me, or lo-ak, or even better, 

Neteyam” 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------wrote this at 5AM this morning with no sleep, so the grammar is probably not the best quality, however. ireallylikethisfic and I hope yall do too.

Anyway, thank you so much for requesting, I really REALLY enjoyed writing this, it kinda follows similar scenes in the movie and I really like writing like that.

ALSO, thank you for reading:) Have a great day, bye!

[lunamochii]

ageup!Lo’ak&Neteyam x fem!human reader

Their first time seeing you in a bikini, obviously they were taken back. Seeing you without you usual clothes, seeing your skin. It made them feel something. Throughout their life they are surrounded by omatikaya women but you… you’re different.

content warning; just a little intimate moment, implied threesome.

Lo’ak told you that at the end of the forest there’s a ocean. He knows you love the sea, you always mention it. Him and his brother always listen to your rambling that the river isn’t enough for you

“Who do you want to ride with?”

Neteyam ask as he form tsaheylu with his ikran, he heard Lo’ak scoff

“Obviously me, right ma Y/N?”

The older one rolled his eyes and they turn to look at you who is still checking your bag, Lo’ak instructed his ikran to nudge you to get your attention

“Oh! Sorry guys, Just making sure I bring the exact clothes I’ll be wearing! Can I ride with you Lo’ak?”

The younger one smirk and cheered sticking his tongue out towards his brother. Neteyam just scoff ignoring his brother. Lo’ak help you get on, placing his big hand against your stomach as the three of you took off

The moment you got off, you ran through the sand if not for the mask you’re wearing, you would have love to feel the sea water on your face. You were full of envy when Spider, your so called brother, told you that he once went to the ocean with Lo’ak knowing you’ve always loves to see it. It was introduced to you when Max was teaching about you things, not your fault for growing up here in Pandora. Well, the story Norm told you about ‘Earth’ and how that’s where you and Spider supposed to live, you didn’t really like the thought of it. You love it here, more peaceful and everything never fail to amaze you.

Plus you have Lo’ak and Neteyam. What’s there to ask for more?

“Hey! You two turn around! I’m gonna go change”

“Please, we are used to seeing women now”

Lo’ak reasoned but you just raised your eyebrows at him, you smirk and started unbuttoning your polo. You stare at the two of them and they were looking at you intently

“If stares could kill, I will be laying dead now.”

“Tsk. Just get it done”

Lo’ak responded and went to sit on a rock as he averted his gaze to the sand. Watching little crabs crawl. As for Neteyam, his eyes never left you. He watch you as you took off your polo and revealing a black cloth, good enough to cover your chest and then his eyes followed your hands when you took off your shorts, his eyes went back up and saw you now only wearing a black underwear

“W-What are you wearing?” He manage to blurt out

“Hm? This is called bikini! I found it from Norm’s magazine! I decided to make this since it will be easier to swim in these”

After putting your clothes on your back, you moved the little box which helped you breath through your mask. You jog up towards Lo’ak and put your hands on his lap and he immediately look at you. His jaw dropping

“Do you like it?! I know you like it!”

You beam and Lo’ak rolled his eyes as he lifted you up effortlessly and settling you on his lap, you blush feeling how your bodies are close together

“You look sexy, wouldn’t want anyone see you in this. This is for our eyes only.”

Lo’ak whispered on your ear and kiss you on your neck, you felt other hand wrapping around your waist and place a kiss on your shoulder

“Yeah, your too pretty and sexy to be seen by them.”

You almost let out a moan when Neteyam suck on your skin. If you let this go on, you will end up on their own pace again!

“Guys! Please! Can we enjoy the ocean first? Isn’t that why we went here?”

Lo’ak and Neteyam look at each other and bursted to laughter as Neteyam hoisted you up and place you on his shoulders, your legs dangling at each side of his shoulders. He scream before running towards the water with Lo’ak following behind and laughing

Well, they have to let you have this day to you. You were practically worshiping their cock days ago, begging that they would take you here and who are they to deny their woman’s needs? A good girl like you deserves a good reward.

[crow-n-tell]

I had a lot of trouble with this lil guy. Weird lil music men aren't easy to shift over when their body's are so... Weird. Still, here! Hermit Crab Music Men!

If you wanna see what went on in my mind for this come right this way...

So a lil info about these boys! These lil music men have adapted to live in the safe shallows, as well as some undersea areas if need be - having two different palettes which match... you've probably guessed by the additions of orange in the music mans usual pastels

Acid mushrooms! I realized as I was trying to get it all sorted that they are a nearly identical color scheme so it worked out that their colors are a little wacky. Not that real life crabs aren't a bit audacious in their colorings too. Actually the deep sea version of this guy is based off a purple crab called the Palawan Purple Crab who comes from the Philippines.

Their colors are more so for other crabs of their species to recognize them, or so I've read, but in this particular scenario it suits our lil music man as a sort of camouflage too.

Aside from it being a sort of camouflage, it also gives you insight into these lil guys diet. Most of what (I really need to come up with a name for these guys, but all I keep thinking of is crab rangboom. like crab rangoon? but a sound pun.) they eat are poisonous, which has directly affected how predators view them. Yea see, there are certain families of crabs which are toxic only because they are eating things that should not be eaten.

So music men don't have a lot of predators, other than those who have natural immunities to things like that... ahem, moon.

I imagine that the crabs closer to the surface tend to a little smaller than knee high for an average height human, where as deeper sea versions of them are a lot bigger... Like... I DONT KNOW, Leviathan big? After all these are just lil guys, lets not forget about the big music man!

Next topic is... oh yeah!

Seismic communication is basically communication through vibrations. Not just through the water, actually it's used by spiders which we can all sort of agree is what the OG music boys are. Spiders use seismic communication when it comes to their webs in particular, able to sense through vibrations in their web if they've captured prey.

Similarly a lot of sea creatures use vibrations as means of communication. Not only in the way spiders do, but sensing out prey; but by avoiding predators or talking to each other. Crabs in particular use all three, but in terms of communication to one another its been noted they will rub their legs together like crickets to talk to other crabs.

For our lil crabby boys, their claws are fashioned sort of like the the original music man has. Hollowed out in the center, they are able to click their lil crab claws together to make sounds and vibrations which distress and confuse their prey long enough to snatch em up and eat em.

Of course they also have the very on brand to SB behavior of just being a literal face hugger if they come out of the shell.

m...mmmmm..... no... noo....ooo.......

I guess the only thing left to mention is his lil

Barnacles!

I struggled with how i'd give this lil guy a top hat. Then. I remember how WEIRD barnacles are. You see a lot of barnacles that look a lil something like this:

But they come in many variations!

And I hate all of them! they are great for designs, helpful in this case, but I get nauseous when looking at them and I can't even begin to understand why.

Sorry if my adhd really popped out on this one, I am actually holding back some of the mostly irrelevant information about colors and uh, other stuff.

[stinkypeanutbutter]

silly headcanons pt 2‼️

here we go. . Yay

Whenever they go out, Ashlyn had to wear like a TON of sunscreen because she’s pale af (same)

Scratch what I said last time, Aiden actually likes spiders, but is scared of grasshoppers. Why? Because they keep jumping on him and towards him because they don’t mind their stupid business and are so big for no reason. Ashlyn agrees with this statement

Aiden is so scared of failing his parents, as they seem to have high expectations with him and he’s worried that whatever he does may not be good enough or doesn’t fit their criteria, even if his parents try and reassure him it’s fine to mess up something, referring to his past

Aiden and Taylor totally listen to vocaloid

Beach time? Ashlyn is hiding in the shade on her phone, occasionally going out to swim. . But goes back because the water is freakishly cold. Ben is making sand castles (with or without that little cousin I forgot her name) Logan is collecting shells and cool objects for the sand castle and observation purposes (nerd) Taylor and Tyler are splashing eachother and seeing who can swim faster (Tyler refuses to play but does anyway for her) And Aiden is catching sand crabs, swimming, and climbing the rocky areas to find creatures or lost items to show everyone else.

birthdays? Aiden buys the best gifts cause he rich and seems to know everyone the most because he’s intrusive. Ashlyn buys pretty good ones as well becuase of her hearing everything everywhere. Logan isn’t the best and struggles but pulls through well in the end. Ben makes his own birthday gifts from scratch like a pro!! Taylor and Tyler team up, and usually do well (especially with secret Santa)

Aiden never actually went trick or treating before (bozo) because of his constant traveling, so the most he could and would ever do is buy candy the night of and watch something alone. The buds got together for a day and all went trick or treating for Aidens sake and he loved it. (He scared many kids that day because he went as a clown lmao)

Aiden does graffiti art les go!!!! (Got in trouble once)

Aiden ALMOST went to jail, but it was just some old lady complaining about how he looked because he kept smiling at her and thought he was being cocky (he was)

Ben listens to metal (you just take a headphone from him and you hear screaming and a heavy instrumental 💀)

both Ashlyn and Ben also listen to orchestral music, Taylor occasionally because it appeases her mind.

Horror movies? Ben dos NOT like them, but watches for the others sake. Logan feels the same way, and covers his face anytime a jumpscare is coming up (fails each time, ends up seeing every jumpscare and screams, jumps into the arms of the nearest person) Ashlyn doesn’t get scared easily with them, but only when she can’t tell if one’s gonna happen or not. Tyler likes them, but doesn’t admit to being scared at times. Taylor and Aiden love them, actually talking about what parts they liked and what they could have done better on.

since people are doing these, here:

Bi Ashlyn, considers herself a girl, but also as nothing sometimes (idk the word)

Pan Aiden, doesn’t care who you are, just be able to tolerate him.

Tyler is a homophobic homosexual

Logan is bi, no major preferences.

Ben is a straight and ace

Taylor is ace and demi romantic

love how most people seemed to agree with Taylor and Ben being ace

Ashlyn and Taylor have girls nights sometimes, usually with Taylor taking a ton of photos and Ashlyn getting bombarded with questions from Aiden and Tyler (mostly Aiden)

TW!! SH

When it came to Aiden being a alone in his room and him moving around a lot, it was hard for him to feel anything besides loneliness, so he took to SH for a while, mostly on his upper thighs because he felt no one would see them as easily. Even now he starts it up again when he’s super upset and had really no way to get his frustration out, didn’t help with the constant mask he put up. He feels better, but every now and then his emotions slip and he starts it up again, going further without realizing. He wears a strong foundation to at least cover some of them up, but someone noticed. Who? That’s up for you to decide.

ok good bye thanks for reading!!11!! 😹🌝🤺

[sword-and-stars]

For all of our sakes, this list includes animals that are not strictly abyssal but just Very Deep Water In General. because reasons. Also because fuck you I do what I want.

9. Deep sea anglerfish

Listen, okay. This fish. This poor fucker. The deep sea anglerfish has a parasitic relationship with her man and eats everyone who gets to close to her. #staytoxic

8. Goblin shark

I hate this guy. Next.

7. Chimaera

This little guy is just happy to be included. Just a little guy. Just a little buddy!

6. Gulper eel

I love this fucker. He looks like a freaky shadow tadpole until you take a closer look and realize that his body is his whole mouth. He’s horrifying. 10/10.

5. Giant spider crabs

I don’t think I need to explain.

4. Vampire squid

There are few things better than a nontraditional cephalopod. The vampire squid is shaped like your favorite umbrella and is the only known cephalopod to be a scavenger over fresh food.

3. Giant isopod

This is the second best invertebrate in the deep sea and no I will not be taking criticism today. He’s huge. He scuttles. He’s basically a giant rolypoly that’s too big to give a fuck about fuck. 13/10

2. Dumbo octopus

Friend-shaped and the most most adorable fucker you’ve ever seen in your life.

1. Coelacanth

The coelacanth is not only the best fish on this list but in fact the best fish in existence. The coelacanth was thought he extinct until one was pulled up by chance off the coast of South Africa I wanna say. Coelacanths are part of the clade sarcopterygii, the lobe-finned fishes, which includes two types of fish currently alive today: coelacanths and lungfishes. In fact, tetrapods (critters with legs, ie amphibians, reptiles, and mammals) evolved from certain species of sarcopterygians and basically we learned a metric fuckton about how tetrapods evolved by studying coelacanths.

Also they stand on their heads to feed and it’s delightful.

12454825273/10 best fish, best sea critter, everyone else can go home.

[evolutionsvoid]

As I have gone on before, the coast can be just as dangerous as any murky bog or treacherous jungle, and that includes your pristine sunny beaches. I mean, it shouldn't be any surprise, seeing that the ocean is right there, and everyone accepts the fact that that is home to many a peril. But I guess when your only exposure to this specific biome is drawings on pamphlets from resorts or stories of romance set during a tropical vacation, people can get the wrong idea. Make no mistake, blood can and will spill on these sands. Being smart and observant of your surroundings is how you ensure it isn't yours. The beach is no sanctuary, it is just another ecosystem. Running to its shores can indeed protect you from aquatic predators, as we all know when someone yells "shark," but don't forget that not everything that lives in the ocean stays in it. Some things can live on both land and sea, and pursue through either of them. They can breathe water, they can breathe air. And one particular species can breathe something far more deadly...

If there is one name to worry most about when it comes to coastal regions, it should be this one: the Ushi-oni. Massive crustaceans that lurk between both worlds, spending its life in the depths and also on dry land. Identifying one will never be a problem, because when you see one emerging from the surface, your instincts will tell you to RUN. While I may not respond in this manner, I imagine many people tend to freak out when a huge black horned crab comes crawling out of the ocean. Appearance-wise, most people equate them to spiders, with a large abdomen and creepy crawly legs, but they are actually crustaceans. Though it looks like they only have six legs, they actually possess ten. The six spiked limbs are how they move, while another pair up front is modified into pincers. The last pair are reduced and in the back, used only for carrying eggs during the breeding season. While some see spider, others see a bull, and that is due to their large "horns." Ushi-oni possess impressive curved spikes upon their head, which when combined with their bulky size and black coloration, causes people to compare them to oxen. What purpose they serve, we can't really say. They can't really charge and gore people with them, as they don't move that fast. Rather, we believe that they prevent other giant beasts of the sea from chomping down on their heads. And perhaps it is used to advertise the individual's health and strength when it comes to finding a mate.

The big thing (ha) about Ushi-oni is their size. It is hard to give an average of what size they come in, as all ones encountered tend to vary quite a bit. There are some who, indeed, are as big as a full grown oxen. That size is seen a lot when one is found settled on the coast, but we know that this is not full grown. Rather, it appears these are the younger ones, who have recently matured and have come to land to try and set up a nest for the coming mating season. At other times, people have witnessed specimens as big as a hut, and these feel more like a full on adult. However, we believe that Ushi-oni do not stop growing once they reach a certain age, they just keep going. Stories tell of ones big as a house, emerging from the abyss and raining terror upon the coastal villages. Many are thankful that it appears that the older an Ushi-oni gets, the more time it spends in the deeper regions of the ocean. This is probably due to their fertility decreasing after passing their prime years, and thus don't come up as often to nest. This is good, because the rare instances where one of these ancient ones ascends to dry land usually result in a whole lot of death and destruction.

Typically, I am not one for fearmongering, or labeling species as "monsters." I will stick with that here, as I usually do, because the Ushi-oni is still an animal at the end of the day. However, I can clearly see the impacts they can have on the world around them, and there is no denying why they are feared. They are not "monsters," but they are very dangerous, so much so that I do my best to stay as far away as I can when it comes to observation. Ushi-oni are big, bulky and...powerful (Eucella, what is a word for "strong" that starts with b? I am blanking here). Their bodies are armored with thick plates of chitin, and beefy (aw dang it, that's the one) muscles power their limbs to make them deadly weapons. Their legs end in sharp points, which can totally skewer things they step on. That tends to be a favorite tactic of theirs when walking the shallows, using their limbs for a bit of spear fishing. Their front pincers may be small and mostly used to handle food for their monstrous maws, but do know they are very strong. They can tear you easily into nice little chunks, and a simple pinch can take off an arm. With such strength, and a shell that can ward off swords and arrows, you can see why they are a force to be reckoned with. But you haven't seen everything yet, because that isn't even their most deadly trait.

What makes Ushi-oni so feared and deadly is because their main weapon isn't brute strength (oh now I am busting out the strong b words) or their great mass: it is poison. Lots and lots of poison. Ushi-oni generate a toxic fluid in their bodies that they use for both offense and defense. From their maw and the vents running down their bodies can spew forth a terrible miasma. When under the sea, it mixes directly with the surrounding waters and turns a zone around it into pure death. When on land, it erupts from their bodies in plumes, releasing clouds of noxious poison. This toxin attacks the respiratory system, becoming corrosive when coming in contact with mucous membranes and other sensitive tissues. The throat and lungs tend to get hit the hardest, eventually damaging them so that the victim can no longer breath or drowns in their own boiling bodily fluids. Since it hits the respiratory system, it causes a lot of coughing and spitting up of fluids. This has led to the early belief that Ushi-oni spread disease, as people saw the coughing and wheezing of burning throats as symptoms of illness. Ushi-oni spew this poison from their maws to envelope prey in a deadly cloud. If they breathe in enough, they will die, but slowly. In most cases, the Ushi-oni will finish targets off before the nastier effects can set in, more so using the poison to slow them down. In scenarios where there is a lot of animals in the area, they will cover the whole place with poison and wait for all the morsels to eventually drop dead. Then they may feast on the corpses left behind.

It should be noted that this poison gas is also used for ridding its body of parasites, as it seems that is the main use of the side orifices. By hosing down their hide with this toxin, they can kill off critters clinging to their shell. It is used for warding off predators too, but clearly there comes a point where few beasts of the sea are willing to deal with such nasty titans.

While they possess a deadly weapon and savage strength, the Ushi-oni is not a foe to every living thing. In fact, these massive crabs appear to actually form a symbiosis with another coastal creature: the Nure-onna. Indeed, these nasty serpents seem to get along with these poison spewing crabs, and one of the reasons is because they appear to be resistant to the gas. How they developed this, we have no clue, but they certainly take advantage of this perk. Their partnership was probably born from Nure-onna diving into the noxious clouds to nab dying prey for themselves, resulting in these serpents following Ushi-oni about for a free meal. Eventually they wound up in the nests of the Ushi-oni, who set them up in coastal caves and holes bored into rock faces. Here is where egg-carrying Ushi-oni will deposit their unborn young, to keep them safe from the myriad of aquatic predators who would gobble them up. However, there are a few critters on the surface who could target these eggs too, so there is still a threat. The Ushi-oni can certainly use its gas to ward them off, but it can't watch its eggs constantly. A big creature like that needs food, and it must leave its cave from time to time to fetch a meal.

Here is where the Nure-onna come in, as they are more than happy to babysit if it means getting on the Ushi-oni's good side. They will watch over these eggs and devour any predators or parasites that may try their luck. This is especially helpful, because the crab's large size makes it a bit difficult dealing with small fast targets. The serpents cover that weakness, and take out foes who may evade the stabbing legs and grabbing claws. As a reward, they get a share of the food the Ushi-oni brings back home, a safe place to sleep and protection from predators. The Nure-onna also take advantage of their huge friend by playing as bait for their typical enemies. They leave themselves out in the open, lure a predator into a chase and then lead it right into the deadly maw of the Ushi-oni. Pretty clever! So keep that in mind if you ever find yourself hunting Nure-onna and one seems oddly cowardly. It isn't because you are a big scary hunter, it is more that it is testing you to see if you are dumb enough to give chase. Follow it, and you will find who the real big scary hunter is...

Needless to say, the Ushi-oni are a reviled species and are labeled as a major threat for these coastal regions. Those that setup shop out on wild beaches far from towns are left alone, with people more than happy to keep a very wide berth. But when one settles near coastal villages, it is a major problem. They greatly reduce local populations of food species, and can easily kill people. In fact, Ushi-oni are a species that see humans as prey, and won't hesitate to feed when they see them. Even if they weren't actively targeting sunbathers, their deadly gas clouds are capable of riding the winds and causing damage down wind. People standing in the wrong place at the wrong time can receive a nasty dose of poison. In diluted forms, it isn't deadly, but it will scorch your lungs and leave you coughing and wheezing for a very long time. Some folk never fully recover, scarred for life by its toxins. They kill a lot of animals and eat a lot too, so things are never pretty when they come to shore. Unfortunately, getting rid of them isn't all that easy.

With armored hide, most weapons do little against them. You need to target an opening in their shell, particularly their vents. However, that is where the poison comes out. So not only do you have to locate a weak point, you have to do so while dealing with a whole cloud of death surrounding it. Even if you get good masks and ways to filter out the toxins, it is still one big angry crab. Claws and spiky legs can tear through armor and skewer you like a chunk of meat. Their great bulk can straight up crush you beneath their bodies, so you won't find safety under them. Ushi-oni have been slain before, but often not without a few fatalities. And once they are dead, there isn't much to be gained. Their bits are steeped in poison, and their meat is inedible. While their shells could be cleaned and used, locals do not like that idea. They find Ushi-oni to be evil, vile creatures, and bearing their parts and visage will only bring forth curses. Part of me feels like this was born from people trying to use their chitin as armor, but didn't properly clean it and wound up getting exposed to traces of the poison. Their deteriorating health no doubt made others think they were stricken by something wicked for carrying such a horrid symbol.

On top of all that, keep in mind that the ones we typically see are the younger ones. Out there in the deep, there are massive Ushi-oni toiling in the muck and darkness. Their age makes them slow to return to shore, but when they do, it is practically a natural disaster. The emergence of an ancient Ushi-oni results in evacuations and miles of land being declared off limits. It gets to a point where they don't even send hunters or warriors to kill it, as it is a fool's errand. They merely wait for them to hatch their young and return to the depths. But Ushi-oni are hungry creatures, and they will scour the land for food. Though many people flee, not everyone can escape their toxic aura and ravenous gullet.

This has led to Ushi-oni being deemed a "dragon-level threat," essentially a species that is powerful and dangerous enough that it is akin to a great dragon burning down entire villages. While it certainly does a good job showing how deadly these creatures can be, you probably won't be surprised to hear that this irks me. "Dragon" is already a word that has practically lost all meaning to me, and now we are using them to measure threat levels? What kind of dragon we talking here? When you say "dragon-level threat" do you mean like a Sulfrik or Codrille, or is it more like a "Venom Dragon?" Mossy Sleepers have had people attempt to label them "Moss Dragons," so are they on the scale? Is an Ushi-oni as dangerous as a sleeping pile of moss and branches? Could be, because they are a "dragon-level threat!" It's nonsense, I tell you! Pure nonsense! Why don't we start calling Ushi-oni "Crab Dragons?!" It breathes deadly stuff, is dangerous and is big! So surely it be a dragon! You know what, yeah, why not!? How about I cash in on this stupid naming scheme and pioneer the name of "Crab Dragon!?" Get my name all over the papers and books! It's brilliant! What else can I name a dragon?! Oh, "Amber Eaters" are now "Amber Dragons!" And I get paid every time someone says it! I can do that! I have that power! That is my breath weapon! OH, THAT'S IT! I'M A DRAGON! A CHLORA DRAGON! THAT MEANS I AM A DRAGON-LEVEL THREAT! OH THE POWER! THE POWER! RAAAAAAAWR! HERE COMES THE CHLORA DRAGON!

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian (and DRAGON)

Okay, Chlora, looks like we need to have a sit down and little chat. Just want to check in to make sure everything is alright and that all this studying and working isn't causing you too much stress. When you have the time, please swing by my place because I would really like to know: what this is!?

Eucella Raviida

Editor & Therapist (apparently)

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

"Ushi-oni"

Was torn on what to make this beast: spider or crustacean. I know either option would have been fine, but crustacean won out in the end.

[swanmaids]

how big, how blue, how beautiful

written for the prompt “different” for @yearoftheotpevent prompts for february (just!). vignettes of earendil, elwing, and the sea. one line of implied sexual content.

i.

His father is the first to see the sea as it stretches along the horizon. They are a ragged chain of refugees, half-starved and weary, and Eärendil can scarcely remember the last time that he saw his parents properly smile, but all of a sudden his father is whooping and laughing and shouting the sea, the sea!

And then Eärendil sees it too.

The sea is not beautiful to him, not exactly. Eärendil, Sea-Lover, beholds the ocean before him for the first time ever, and feels- frightened, overwhelmed, faintly ill. His heart thumps and his stomach twists and his scalp tingles, and in that strange way of Knowing that all children, and this child more often than many, sometimes feel, he knows that something within him has been forever changed.

ii.

Eärendil has been told that the little queen of Sirion is just like him, but he isn’t so sure. For one, Elwing is a real queen, even though she’s only eight, the same as he is. Everyone who wants to live in Sirion has to kneel before her and kiss her tiny hand.

For another thing, Elwing doesn’t seem to like the sea. After a fortnight of splashing in the shallows with his father, screwing up his eyes and dunking his head under the water, he had asked her with his best Sindarin if she didn’t want to come and paddle with him; but Elwing had muttered who cares about the stupid sea? and stomped off, her nurse and guardswomen darting after her. Elwing thinks a lot of things are stupid. Eärendil isn’t allowed to call anything stupid - mother and father say that it’s rude- but as he watched Elwing leave, father had simply sighed and said poor little mite.

Eärendil feels sorry for her too. Everyone does.

And he feels sorry for himself, sometimes. Maybe it’s wrong - he has mother and father and uncle Voronwë, and Elwing has no mother, no father, no family - but he does. He misses how Ecthelion would play the flute for him to fall asleep to, and how grandfather would hold him on his shoulders on the balcony of the king. They would look over the whole of Gondolin together, and grandfather would say I love you more than all of this.

It’s only when he’s in the water, floating weightless, that Eärendil can forget. The roar of water and salt overwhelms all else.

iii.

Elwing sits beside him on the sand, making a spiral out of large, flat stones. She doesn’t speak. Occasionally she passes him bits of shell, to embed in the sand tower that he is building.

The waves rush against the shore. Soon the tide will come in.

iv.

The sand sucks against Eärendil’s feet, as he wades through the water, catching crabs. He likes the way they look, little red spiders piled atop each other in his little red bucket. Mother has noticed that the creatures of Ulmo’s domain seem to favour him- they flock to where he is, and allow him to catch them. Then he takes the best to his parents, and tips the rest back into the sea.

Sometimes Elwing joins him. She is less interested in the crabs- she lives by the sea yet will eat no flesh, like her grandfather would not- but she has taken to paddling more frequently lately. She has been smiling more too. When Elwing joins him, she is still quiet, but he feels the lack of presence when she does not.

Elwing is not like one of Ulmo’s creatures. She does not bend to Eärendil’s will- he does not think he would want her to. She is stubborn and grumpy and entirely herself.

v.

Eärendil is growing. Like a weed, his mother and uncle say. Like a man, his father says. The children that he left Gondolin with are children still, with round cheeks and squeaky voices, but Eärendil is growing up and out, his stomach flattening and his shoulders broadening, hair sprouting on his face and his voice changing like the weather.

He feels like a freak. He swims and swims, to escape the feeling.  The push and pull against the waves burns away the worst of it, but it lingers.

He spends his time with Men. Men, and Elwing. To the Men, he is almost normal - but his parents and his title mean he is never quite one of them. Only to Elwing is he truly alike.

Elwing is changing too. He tries not to notice, when she strips off her dresses to swim with him, but he does.

Some days she waits on the sand while he swims. He calls to her to join him, but she shakes her head firmly, one hand clasped over her stomach, her face pained.

vi.

They race down to the shore together after every council meeting. Elwing is a born stateswoman, and has sat in on every major decision Sirion has made since she was three, but Eärendil is restless and a poor listener. But mother and father and uncle will not be here forever- father’s hair is already the colour of salt and slate, and mother and uncle are frightened- so Eärendil must prepare to lead in their stead. He chases Elwing over the sand after every exhausting rountable discussion, both of them laughing as they run, and they run into the shallows, still fully clothed but for their shoes.

My best friend, Eärendil thinks, as he watches her. Her skirts are heavy with water, and her hair dances in the wind, going up and up and up.

vii.

They journey to Balar, to assist with the building of Eärámmë , and spend a summer there. Elwing rejoices at the sight of her old guardian Círdan, and Eärendil’s heart lifts at her happiness.

For a season, they chop wood and hammer nails. They count their calluses and splinters as proof written on the body of hard work well done. Eärendil listens to Círdan’s teachings, and hangs off of every one.

 He complains he is baking under the sun, and Elwing pushes him into the water, then jumps in after him. They laugh more with each other than with anyone else.

He rises with the sun each morning, to swim. The waters are blessed here, and the shallows carry an abundance of pearls. He gathers more each day, and fashions a headpiece. Elwing wears it as they bid farewell to his parents, and the white pearls in her dark hair shine.

viii.

He kisses her breasts, and listens to her heartbeat. He pushes his tongue inside of her, and tastes the ocean.

viiii.

He begins to dream of the ship he will build soon after the wedding. The great white sails, and the prow of the swan, of the Teleri and of his father. The ship will be a little bit elven, and a little bit not, just like him and his wife.

Every ship needs a name, and he knows at once what he will call his. Foam Flower, for the woman called Star Foam, who is the rarest and brightest-blooming flower that Eärendil has ever known.

[asfateentertwines]

Rotxo love

This is how I view Rotxo in my writing, he needs some focus

So first things first, physically, Rotxo is short for a na'vi

Poor boy is the na'vi equivalent of a human 5'8" - he's not really that short but also, he will be bullied relentlessly

However, he is b u i l t

He's bulky and puts on muscle easily. (Though he has a little bit of a dad bod cause as he should - like as close as fat muscular as a na'vi body can be lmao)

He keeps the sides of his head shaved and the top in a half braided, half curly look that reaches about his mid-shoulder blades

Google says na'vi are 10' so he's like ,,, 9'6"? short king

Partially why he relishes having a human mate cause like ,, he can't talk shit

He wears an obscene amount of beads and jewelry - he is the oldest brother of his 8 siblings (poor boy has three older sisters and three younger, he is one of two boys in the whole house) and they don't mess around in decorating their big brother

Onto personality, he's a big softie

But he's aggressively protective of his family - something he got from growing up with Ronal as his third mom

He grew up prepared to be Ao'nungs right hand, but he didn't always have the drive to be a warrior

He liked the idea but never felt connected to it. It was just a part of the future he was meant to reach

it wasn't until he was pulling desperately at a bomb on Payakans fin and watching Lo'ak sob over his bleeding brother that he realized why he was going to be a warrior

He always mentally attributes his finding reason in his training to Lo'ak and his strength

So he starts training and learning to fight with a newfound passion

Having always been Ao'nungs right hand, its his plan to follow at his side once he's chief and protect their people

Family is the most important thing in their culture and Tonowari has been such a prominent figure in his life that it's his goal to live and die for them

...he needs some help with the self-love and valuing his worth too man

It's part of how he and Spider bond

He's made a majority of his life around Ao'nung and being there for the clan that he forgot to care about himself or really learn about himself as his own person

He finds out he likes cooking while trying to figure out how to not poison Spider after an unfortunate courting accident

He and Lo'ak bond by combining fighting styles and their culture

It's the culture that also helps him bond with Kiri, a surprise to everyone except Spider who knew they'd get on from the start

However, his favorite hobby is fishing - which he gets teased for relentlessly

For all his mischief and jokes, he's an old man at heart

He 100% can and will disappear become he was just vibing out on the water for hours and lost track of time

During which he also attempts to bring home little gifts constantly

He gets it from his little siblings but he's the type to bring you a rock he found and say it was pretty and reminded him of you

So all of his friends have jars of shells, rocks, flowers, etc that he finds for them

However, he also has a habit of collecting strays

He just takes shit home

An octopus was the worst until he showed up two orphaned ash boys that never left

Spider is passionate that its why he fell for him and very smugly holds up that he has a solid argument

But honestly Rotxo just cannot stand someone being alone

He grew up surrounded by so much love and so many people he cared for that the thought of someone being alone when he could fix it makes him feel sick

He is fucking terrified of crabs tho

Tsireya hung one from his loincloth when they were children and ah...things got pinched

Ao'nung used it to torture him growing up and now the one thing he struggle to accept as Ewya's are crabs

Honestly crustaceans in general

He hates them

Learning Spider could eat them was a blessing and a curse

Cause one, easy food to find and two, he gets to see them die (sorry Ewya) but that also means he has to help catch crabs for his family

As teens, it wasn't horrible. But by the time they are grown with 4 kids, it's actually his nightmare

He is a practical joker

He brings it out in Ao'nung too and they can rival Lo'ak and Spider for the amount of mischief they get into

Though theirs is normally innocent and not death or war inducing

The worst thing they ever did was sink a fishing ship - Lo'ak and Spider got kidnapped, they're doing fine

Constantly torn between big brother instinct and little brother instinct

He's the big brother but also,,, 3 big sisters feels like he should have a pass

He isn't as close to them as he'd like

The oldest two are mated to other water clans and the oldest still home is distant, they don't get on super well, but he was close with all three when he was a child

Well, they played a lot.

His mothers are both very doting parents and very loving, but for some reason there was always a disconnect with his directly older sister

The other two are still friendly and loving when they visit, just not as common in his life anymore while she is just ... separate. She hasn't been herself in years

It makes him the acting oldest and he takes that very seriously

He has three little sisters and then the youngest of the family is another boy, all of which are a decent amount younger than him

It wasn't planned that way but he likes having the gap between them, it gives him enough distance to care for them but enough closeness to enjoy them still

They're as much the bane of his existence as they are the joy of it

He will boast about them relentlessly while also trying to drown one because 8 kids was simply 7 too many

Tuk loves the littles though and so he spends a lot of time babysitting with Spider or Neteyam - the two that really get the big brother thing in the two ways he normally expresses it

All in all, he is a big family-loving, lowkey gym buff, softie that needs to learn to love himself

But, until he does, he has a small army prepared to do it for him

I need to keep expanding on this but I needed these thoughts out. Rotxo really hasn't gotten the development he deserves and I can't wait to see how he gets fleshed out

[captawesomesauce]

Thoughts at 8pm...

Today was a _____ day! Still not sure what adjective to put there... good ... bad... both... weird?

We slept in until W woke me up because there was a giant spider on the ceiling of the living room.... that was BAD. .... both because of the disgusting spider and the fact that I got woken up. Boo.

After that we went to sams club to get an order. That was good. No problems with traffic, no problems with parking, even on a holiday, just a short wait for the pickup people to come out to the car. It was a small order anyways. So, like I said... that was good.

Sam's club is changing their plus policies though, and that's both good and bad... Good in that we can now get free same day delivery and don't have to schlep down there, but bad that we can't order small things willy nilly, like a thing of olives. $50 threshold now. So... that sucks.

After that, we had a little lunch and I dunno... I was feeling a bit off, but decided to just power through it.

We were going to go to the park and just chill but I got to thinking, with the holiday it's probably busy there, and why not go somewhere new? So we decided to go to the Bolsa Chica Wetlands! I'd never been even though I used to live like 5 miles from there for most of my childhood! 5 Miles... never even knew it existed really.

The main trail I wanted to go down was closed, but we did two of the other trails and ended up walking over 2 miles!!!! Seriously... 2 miles!!!

The trail was rather narrow at some points and I'm glad I wore pants or my legs would have been scraped up bad! We saw birds, we saw big pools of fish, we saw tiny crab, we saw lizards... it was fun!

My cane helped a lot, even if it got stuck in some areas, and some were so bushy I didn't have room for it, but I think we did pretty good - all things considered. We took our time, stopped often, we had water with us, both of us were wearing wide brimmed hats and sunglasses and we did good. No sunburns, no heat issues, the ocean breeze was awesome

W wore her mappy dress and a light covering on top cause of the wind and sun. But look! Mappy dress! I had on a UPF sun shirt... things rule! It was so isolated and few people around in spots we could even just chill without masks on and enjoy the smells of the ocean and fire pits across at the beach. And here's some pics

We drove home, I downed a glass of lemonade, and chilled out since.

The big bad part is that on the way home I started to get a really bad pain behind my right eye. Usually it's my left one, but this time, it's on the other side and I can't seem to shake it. Nothings really helping. It's so bad I can't watch anything with motion... like a tv show or anything... my eye just won't track and the headache gets worse with the flickering and stuff. This in addition to how bad my back, hip and shoulder hurt already. I did ok with the walk even with the bad pain. I just couldn't turn my head or twist my body. As long as I walked straight and moved my whole body, I was ok. Just no moving my neck or waist. It was limiting, and I had to ask W to look at things at times, but it worked well. I'm just sore... and the headache makes it worse.

So... good day with some not so good moments. lol.

[marinebiologyinfodump]

What's the greatest, bestest, sickest, coolest, aquatic organism?

Ooooohhhh I'm gonna regret answering this because I'll surely think of something later that I forgot... but here it goes! Some of the greatest, bestest, sickest, coolest, aquatic organisms:

Sharks (top tier)

Whales (evolved to go back in the water, which always amazes me when I think about it. look up the animation of a whale fall it's one of my favorite things ever)

Jellyfish (I got stung by one once and hated it but they are so so fascinating. did you know at least one species is immortal. do you know how big the lion's mane jelly is. look it up and ignore the photoshopped results.)

Crabs (I love them. look up a spider crab.)

Octopods and squid (that one squid with freakishly long tentacles. have you seen it. have you seen it)

Starfish (I love them. the Japanese word for starfish is hitode. the more appropriate name is sea star. they're predators.)

Brittle stars (like starfish but out of a nightmare)

Hagfish (like eels but gross)

Sharks are always the thing I think of first when I think of best ocean creatures but there is just no comparison between all of these. They are all so good and important <3

[thetinylittlespider]

GTWAC 15! LORE!!!!!!!!

BEFORE WE START! A LIL' DISCLAIMER!

Okay, so...Life got hard, not gonna lie. Phone is busted so that's another thing. And I don't think I'll ever finish #GTWAC before the month ends as I planned. (15 minutes as I'm typing this)

So, did I failed the speedrun I self-imposed myself with? Yes, Yes I did. And I'd like to end it with a self indulgent thingy. Besides, I will do some prompts from GTWAC at one point because I can fit them in my stories. Uvu

Did I had fun? Of frickin course I did! I've seen some new cool faces I wish to talk to one day (Whenever I get the courage and dont act like a coward, or if you want to hit my dms go ahead give me heart attack I would love to meet new friends quq)

And all in all, I liked to see how everyone joined these activities and had their own fun with it, thanks again to @entomolog-t for having this marvelous idea to give writers this month full of spotlights! and...Without further words from me....We go into some lore I guess!

Insert lore here: (From my main and only story atm)

KU-M9's inconvenient "skin condition.": He can not fluster like normal people do, and his "jumping spider" and "crab spider" genetics do something about it. When in a condition worth of fluster, his entire skin changes to a mess of random colors and pretty patterns, in an attempt of being attractive to the one he could feel love for, this ability of course...is yet to be seen, and completely involuntary.

The boy is carnivorous: As I have stated in one ask...The boy is designed for hunting and killing, his fangs are fully functional and he needs raw meat to survive and keep a sane mental state, no matter how much he refuses to it.

Caffeine is bad for him: An advance metabolism makes him immune to most shapes and forms of alcoholic beverages, but caffeine just shuts down most of his body and mental functions, getting him drunk! Even a few grains of the substance in a glass of water can cause severe impact on his body. Effects he rather forget the next morning.

World of Wonders: The world the story is being set in, is really...really small. Just the size of a big city with a small area of forest and limited sea. Surrounded by a shield of energy that prevents ANYONE from leaving or entering. In here, you can find to the most advanced technology to the weirdest of magic, is like every single living being here was pulled off from a different place. Is not always you can see a doctor with mechanical enhacements perform a ritual of healing and make it work thanks to a local benevolent spirit...yes, that stuff happens here! But dont be afraid! The great leader makes sure nobody doubts the status quo of things! UvU

[burnwater13]

Grogu looked across the water, through the window of the Razor Crest and wondered what his dad was thinking about. Whatever it was, they were making sure that he didn’t know about it. He sighed. He hoped his dad wasn’t planning on going swimming in the ocean without him. That just wouldn’t be right. 

Unlike the Mandalorians, Grogu had found the Mamacore to be fascinating. It had this gigantic mouth with lots of teeth and then it also had taloned claws. A lot of them. Grogu wasn’t really certain how they connected to the Mamacore’s body, but that was okay. They still worked in a horrific and effective way. He suspected that they were distantly related to Rathtars. 

As he was considering the mamacore, his thoughts turned to food, as they so often did. He wondered what kind of critters they ate. Certainly fish. The ocean had a lot of fish and that would be pretty typical. But why bother with a hard shelled item like his floaty chair? Were the fish not enough? Did the mamacore think Grogu was a crab or something like a crab? Hard shell on the outside, tasty protein on the inside?

Well, he was definitely made of protein, but he didn’t know if he species was considered tasty. The only thing he found tasty was licking his fingers after eating gorg on a stick or a bunch of frogs, or even those delicious frog eggs. But his fingers, all on their own, didn’t taste special to him. 

Plus, it wasn’t like there were so many of his kind zipping around the galaxy that the mamacore would have tasted them before and thought ‘Ooh, a Grogu! Yum. I just can’t wait.’, like he did with frogs. Nope. Usually critters sniffed and poked and prodded a thing before eating it because maybe it was bad for them. What if Grogu was poison to a mamacore? It just didn’t make sense to eat first and regret later. 

Was there something that looked a lot like a floaty chair among the vast diversity of ocean critters on Trask? Grogu thought that must be likely. Maybe some sort of clam or sea snail or even a crab. It must have had similar coloring and not smelled special at all. Nothing to warn the mamacore that they had selected the wrong object to eat.

He felt bad for the critter. It hadn’t asked to be captured and put in a hold and used for the entertainment of the Quarren crew members. Sure they fed it fish, but Grogu doubted that they had fed it regularly. It acted like it was really hungry. Poor critter.

When he was really hungry he’d eaten all sorts of things that he’d later regretted. His biggest regret was the time he ate Mandalorian chili with his dad and Peli. Apparently the recipe Din Djarin had shared with their friend required the use of 60 to 100 spicy hot peppers and only a kilo of protein. Din and Peli really liked the stuff.

The only problem was that Peli didn’t realize that you weren’t supposed to use the peppers whole. You were supposed to chop them up. Grogu was so eager to eat, he snuck some out of the pot and put a whole hot pepper in his mouth. As it burned his tongue he pulled it right back out, but his fingers tasted like peppers for days. He was just glad that he hadn’t touched his eyes like Peli had. He thought she was never going to stop crying.

Well, that mamacore had stopped crying, or shrieking, or whatever sound it made, because Koska Reeves was not having it, and she ended the mamacore so she could save Grogu. Grogu appreciated what she did, but he still wished that there had been a way to spare the bit critter. Like the Krayt dragon and the mudhorn, critters that were big and threatening were all too often killed, rather than wrangled. He supposed time was of the essence, but he didn’t like it. 

Which was why he didn’t really want the Mandalorian take a risk like that again. Based on the wide variety of big and scary critters they had met during their travels, like those horrible ice spiders (they didn’t end well either), who knew what other stuff was swimming around in the ocean on Trask just waiting to get a chance to taste test a Mandalorian or a Grogu. Grogu certainly didn’t want to find out and have Din Djarin put at risk yet again. 

Maybe the Mandos were all just talking about the Imperial freighter that was across the dock from them. They all liked ships and it made sense that they would talk about the ships that the Imps used. What harm was there in that? At least there wouldn’t be any dangerous critters on board.

[abimee]

Idk if you wanted people to ask these to you or not but 7 for all your wols if you're interested?

favorite animal? why?

HMMMMMMMMMMMMM I think Ryder says shes doesnt have a favorite animal and needs to be pressed on it, but if you bother her enough she'll say it's the Tailless Whip Scorpion, because ''those fuckers are hilarious'' and she loves the way theyre entirely harmless and just GRAB at you like dorks. I think she;d often gravitate towards ''scary sounding/looking animals/insects who are literally just doing whatever'' like the Camel Spider (chases you like nuts but its bite literally doesnt do anything besides pinch) and the Tailles Whip Scorpion

for Ruyan she might also have a hard time narrowing it down, often because she doesn't really have the concept of a ''favorite'' thing like color or animal or food, there's many things she likes and she feels bad picking a single one, but i think when he grows older he does gain a fondness for sea otters :] Ruyan HATES, HATES, HATES most lovey nicknames because they make her feel wrong, so chefant started calling her his ''signifigant otter'' after seeing a particularly corny greeting card when he got to visit Limsa Lominsa as a joke, but it went from a silly inside joke between them to a nickname Ruyan genuinely really loved and it like, influenced her love for otters because seeing them hold hands or float in the water with their babies just reminds ruyan of her husband, so now if you ask ruyan her favorite animal she'd say sea otter because they remind her of her signifigant otter :]

Tock LOVES SO MANY ANIMALS but her TOP THREE FAVORITE EVER ARE

SPIDER CRAB!!! she wants to meet one so bad she thinks theyre the cuuuutest things ever. and wants them to wear multiple shoes and sunglasses. she wants to live underwater like a mermaid and marry a spider crab prince and live in a big underwater castle with her spider crab nation

EMPORER PENGUINS!!! they remind her of urianger :] and she wants to hug one so bad

TARANTULA-HAWK WASP... she thinks these guys are like fairies and she thinks theyre soooo cool. she keeps her distance but she's rooting for them when theyre fighting tarantulas and loves watching them fly around

ALTHAEA picks no favorites. all bugs and insects are her favorite animal period. but just between you and her, she has a special fondness for T. Bisselliella

as the wikipedia article for Forensic Entomology puts it:

Moths (order Lepidoptera) specifically clothes-moths – Family Tineidae – are closely related to butterflies. Most species of moth are nocturnal, but there are crepuscular and diurnal species. During their larval stages, clothes moths tend to feed on mammalian hair.[32] They are amongst the final animals contributing to the decomposition of a corpse. This said, adult moths lay their legs on a carcass subsequently to fly larvae having had their presence on it

she also has a particular fondness for maggots in general, specifically the ones commonly used for maggot therapy (DO NOT click if you are sensitive to up front pictures of necrotic / open wounds, or bugs infesting open wounds) -- this means she has a specific love for Blowflies, as she performs maggot therapy and also watches insects like the blowflies and moths consume open flesh routinely. On one notable instance, Hades has even let her use her (named and disinfected) maggots to cleanse an open wound on his leg instead of using aether to heal it, and she has documented her findings on using insects to clean out necrotic tissue. So while she'd never claim that blowflies or cloth moths are her favorite, she does spend the most time caring for these ones :]

[pzos-amiserableidiot]

Strider Lavagante Lore!!!

With the new discovery of strider’s being lobsters, here’s a list of all the facts my wonderful girlfriend @imthatwannabeauthor informed me of, the next reblog will be a list of new headcanons formed from this.

[ID: A discord conversation between That Wannabe Author and SwingAnIdiot.

SwingAnIdiot: Please tell me everything you know about lobsters

That Wannabe Author: !!!!!!

ok ok ok ok so lobsters fucking love those guys

so they're crustations and arthropods

related to shrimp and crabs and barnacles

known for the armoring around them, and found along almost all coastlines (i think, I might be thinking or crabs)

they’re omnivores

they've been around for years and years and years, there’s a million differnet fossils on them

this one isn't a lobster fact but a crab one but the process of evolving to become a crab is called "carcinization" as it is the perfect evoltionary form

thats, about all that comes to mind when I think of them, I'm not all too knowledgeable when it comes to crustations yet

Reaction of a Purple Heart emoji

SwingAnIdiot: Uhhh what about temperatures they’re able to withstand

Can they handle the cold?

Family habits?? Mating? Like multiple partners or just one. Which parents raises the kid? Do they have funky genders like bees or frogs?

That Wannabe Author: I don't think so, I'm pretty sure they freeze pretty easily

Reaction of a Purple Heart emoji

SwingAnIdiot: How much pressure can their armor handle? If it breaks does it bleed? Is it part of their skin like a turtle?? I’ve never even eaten lobster before

Can their armor heal if damaged??

That Wannabe Author: ok ok I have to look up half of these but let me start with the ones I do know

Reaction of a thumbs up emoji

multiple partners, because I remember learning about how female lobsters will shed their skin to get with these like super strong "alpha" lobsters and then live with him until her skin grows back and then she just leaves

also, they have like a weird amount of peeing as a part of mating?

SwingAnIdiot: THEY CAN SHED SKIN????? EXPLAIN PLEASE

That Wannabe Author: they pee out of their faces, and also pee on one another to calm one another down, and also to fight, and also as like, a courting thing?

oh yeah they have molts

They like basically get too big for their exoskeleton and so they split it in half and grow a new one

they actually use this to mark female lobsters they are still fertile when fishing!

they like, put a notch in their tail if they find them with eggs so fishers down the line can see that this is a reprductive female and put them back in the water

evidentally they don't raise their young and instead nurture the eggs until they hatch and then just send them off into the wild to fend for themselves

so, neither parents raises the kid

they’re all just neglectful!

so, from what I'm reading they don't have funky genders? But they're genders are determined by a gland that they either can or cannot inherit, and without it they just become female

and also male lobsters can just. Lose the gland? over time? and then they just become female

So

SwingAnIdiot: Huh

That Wannabe Author: good for them

apparently the university of tasmaia is working on this tech that'll change the genders of lobsters

found an article on that

SwingAnIdiot: Wicked!! Help over poaching and fear of extinction!!

That Wannabe Author: !! yeah!

holy shit their armour is like

one of the strongest materials we've found in nature apparently

SwingAnIdiot: Stronger than spider webs or diamonds???????

That Wannabe Author sends a cropped screenshot that says, “The team’s results show that the lobster membrane is the toughest material of all natural hydrogels, including collagen, animal skins, and natural rubber. The membrane is about as” the rest is cut off.

SwingAnIdiot: Damn

That Wannabe Author sends a cropped screenshot that says, “According to Robert Bayer, Executive Director at the Lobster Institute, good-sized lobsters can raise a pressure clothing strength of 100 pounds per square inch. The crushen-” the rest is cut off.

huh, thats amazing

lobsters have blue blood

but they don’t bleed very much because theyre blood clots really quickly \

it’s actually apparently one of their biggest killers, (outside of predator's and us)

SwingAnIdiot: !!!

That Wannabe Author: their blood will just. clot in a bad spot, usually around the heart or halting the nervous system, and then it'll kill them

SwingAnIdiot: Will be noting lots of this down

SwingAnIdiot: So I imagine their armor can scar right? And is it like reptiles in how they shed? Do they have more or less kids than other like fish and stuff?? How sensitive is their antannae and armor and eyesight and hearing?? Can they regrow limbs?

That Wannabe Author: they can scar! but only under very specific circumstance where they start seeping various bacteria into their shell once theyre old enough to stop molting and it can cause scar tissue to form along their shell and make it so that they no longer able to heal scars along their shell

and not really like reptiles, because reptiles just kinda have it be like a big whole put together thing that slides off of them and they already have the new skin underneath (i might jsut be thinking about snakes) whereas lobsters rather split their old shell in half and it leaves them with no protection at all until they grow a new one back

I looked it up and it was like "only takes 2-3 hours to regrow." and then another was like "can take a week"

so, i’m gonna say depends on species

wayy less kids than fish

they have like 50,000 eggs in one go but only 2 -5 are expected to live

because after the eggs are released they float on the water surface and are usually ate before they have the chance to float to the bottom of the sea floor (4-6 weeks)

SwingAnIdiot: F

That Wannabe Author: they can regrow limbs!

especially claws and antennae

although it takes multiple years

and legs or other "less essential" limbs take slow

ok so lobster eyes basically work by reflecting light

so they can’t see in really bright areas, because it blinds them

and also they have thousands of "square tubes" that they use to see more in their eyes at a time,

and they use those as tiny right angles that reflect more like

they have a 180 degree field of view

and this website keeps telling me they have "x-ray" eyes and then not specifying what they mean?

a cropped screenshot that says, “How Lobster Eyes Work.

A lobster’s eye reflects the light beams, rather than by bending it through lenses found in human eyes. This reflected light sends all of the beams reflected by a particular light (like potential prey on the ocean floor) to the same focal point. Each eye, set on a movable stalk, has up to 10,000 facets that operate like many tiny eyes.

The lobster probably doesn’t see images, but its eyes can detect motion in dim light. In bright light, a lobster is probably blind. The long antennae are used to feel the area around a lobster. The four small antennae on the front of their heads are used to “smell” their food or chemicals in the water. The unique design of the lobster eye has been intensely studied to help researchers develop X-ray scanners.” There is a drawing of glasses with swirls in the lenses and lines exuding it, presumingly representing radiation, captioned, “Do Lobsters have x-ray vision?”

That Wannabe Author: so, yeah! very cool

Reaction of a Purple Heart emoji

ok so the antennae is really very sensitive

they use it for SO much

SwingAnIdiot: Any fun cool quirks?? Like penguins give pretty rocks or r they picky with living space or oooooo!! Sensitive antennae will fun to write societal norms around

That Wannabe Author: they use antennae for detecting like everything in their environment around them like salinity, Ph, they use it for smelling, andthey flick it around to figure out their surrondings along with flicking it to deterine what direction a smell is coming from

OK FUN QUIRKS

they have a dominent claw

they chew inside of their stomach (no teeth!)

poor vision (aside from movement)

they can change color between molts apparently

but not drastically, except for some few and far between species

they can be two toned! although its rare

a female lobster will carry male sperm with her until shes ready to mate

(this is usually immediently, as by this point she has likely already shed her skin to mate)

they can swim backwards using their tail!

lobsters will hold claws sometimes!

this is usually a older lobster leading a younger one to various places

they can have favorite sunning spots

and enjoy getting warm and laying in sun beams (like cats)

we are unsure if they feel pain the way we do

thats about all I can find for fun facts

what do you think?

SwingAnIdiot: One more question

Do they have any hair?

That Wannabe Author: they have tiny hairs along their bodies

SwingAnIdiot: Perfect

That Wannabe Author: they use these miniscule hairs for sensing changes int he water around them and they act as less effective and sensitive antenna

oo I found a fact you can use for angst purposes

they can't go into shock, and therefore, when experiencing significant pain they just have prolonged suffering

it can feel pain until all of it's nervous system is removed or the animal itself is dead

lobsters can feel anxiety and make spots for themselves that they can calm down in

SwingAnIdiot: D: Fucking damn

And also perfect

That Wannabe Author: so! there you are, many lobster facts

:) End ID]

[leo-and-jay-dreamers-duo]

Leo’s prophetic crab dream

Date: September 26 2023, 4:30AM-5:58AM

In this dream I’m in my room, trying to get ready for bed, but critters keep getting in the way.

First my dogs kept jumping on my bed, then there was a moth under my pillow, then a opossum in my roof.

When I got all of that taken care of I was about to turn my light off when I notice a small lanky crab sitting on my desk.

I try and take a picture of it with my laptop but it got me with its little crab claw. it startled me awake

When I woke up I went to the bathroom, and got some water.

And I thought to myself, still half asleep mind you, “man, there was just too many creatures in my room in that dream. I’m glad my real room doesn’t have so many critters to worry about”

But when I got back in bed, I turned around and saw a BIG flipping spider struggling to climb my wall.

I’m was so tired, it’s was five in the morning and I had just had a prophetic dream about creatures keeping me up so I just stared at it. For like ten minutes. And insulted it’s climbing abilities.

I didn’t try and catch it like I would normally do, because I didn’t want to get gotten like in the dream, so I just left it there and went to bed.