#emu's wide world

[beautifulfaaces]

Nicholas Pinnock

Facts

September 2, 1973

English actor

He is of Saudi Arabian descent

Filmography

John [Django: 2022]

Aaron [For Life: 2020-2021]

Ian [Counterpart: 2018-2019]

Jason [Marcella: 2016-2018]

Leon [Top Boy: 2011]

Jerome [Grange Hill: 1995]

Nick [Emu's Wide World: 1987-1988]

Appearance

black hair

curls

brown eyes

1.85m

Roleplay

playable: teenager, young adult, adult

Icons: Marcella

[kariachi]

I've said it before, I say it a lot honestly, but I love the reasonable assumptions we can make about firelizards breeding and social habits based on what we see in primarily DragonsDawn.

Like, we've got the basic 'greens Rise a lot and don't tend their nests while golds Rise more rarely and fiercely tend their nests'. That's great, we love us some behavioral morphs in species. But then you also have to consider what would lead to such a thing, namely that both of these behaviors have to be successful, and successful in comparison to each other, in order for one to not completely take over from the other. Meaning that each option has benefits over the other.

For instance, in years or seasons where there's a large predator population, gold clutches are probably the most successful as they're the best guarded. But if you're dealing with horrible weather, or gods forbid a Pass, the fact green clutches are spread out far and wide means it's more likely one or more will survive, while a gold needs just one bad storm or Fall to wipe her whole year's breeding opportunities off the map.

But like, the most obvious one is a pure numbers game. If you don't invest in your eggs post-laying, that frees you up to get back into laying condition sooner and make more eggs. For instance in emus you'll see a female lay 5+ eggs in a single nest, but then she leaves that business to the male and runs off to eat well and find another guy to foist eggs on, ending up with sometimes even five nests in a season. But if you do invest in your eggs post-laying, you get more security in-so-far as assuring your eggs hatch. In emus the males do that, they get the best of both worlds there, but even more effective is to have multiple individuals looking out for the eggs.

Which is where their eusocial-style behavior comes in! By having the rest of the group dedicated to supporting the gold as she guards and tends her nest, the cost of nest tending is spread out, reducing the load on any one member of the group. The same thing happens with youngcare, which seems to be wholly communal, again reducing the cost for any individual member of the group. But eusocial behaviors are most efficient when members of a group are related, you don't want to waste your life raising young that don't share your genes.

Then you remember that firelizards form mental bonds at birth, bonds that they can break with no issue but that they can and do maintain throughout their lives. Taking this and the last paragraph into account, most likely collections of wild firelizards are mostly formed of sibling groups. Even if your bronze brother didn't catch the gold this year, helping with the clutch improves the odds he'll catch next year, and in the meantime you have plenty of opportunity with the greens.

This also probably plays into the fact they hum for all allied births. A green's nest doesn't get tended, but the young still need feeding at hatching. If you're a male then coming when you get the psychic 'birth here now' signals is an easy choice because there's the real chance these are your brother's offspring and his reproductive success is second only to your own. If you're a female, this nest is likely a sister's, in which case same deal, their success is only second to yours. On either side, having more babies around means a higher chance of any individual baby not being eaten by a predator, increasing the survival odds of your own children.

And then all this likely plays into the various male morphs and the color and size differences between ranks. I've mentioned elsewhere- the various male morphs are likely optimized to chase different female morphs. Blues can keep up with the quicker, more agile greens, bronzes with the slower, longer flying golds, and browns are a 'jack-of-all-trades' rank that doesn't specialize but instead can successfully chase either female morph, just with lower odds than the specialized males.

As far as size differences go, it's again all on the females to start. Golds lay larger clutches and defend them from things like wherries, they need to be larger to fit more eggs, to better defend their nests, and to drive off rival golds. Bronzes have to be large to keep up with the golds when they Rise. Greens specialize in laying more clutches and so likely smaller clutches, so they don't need to get as big and can instead focus on evading predators and even being able to lure predators from a freshly laid clutch without getting snatched up, small size is useful there. Blues are also small because it allows them the speed and maneuverability to chase greens. Presumably the reason they're larger than greens are is due for some reason to their being male, likely related to the complex genetics likely tied to rank*. Browns are in the middle because it allows them enough speed and maneuverability to go for greens, but also enough stamina to try for golds.

Color, meanwhile, is likely a camouflage thing. Blues, greens, and browns are all natural colors, perfect for making it harder for predators to notice you. According to the DLG firelizards come in a variety of shades, I wouldn't be surprised if there was even a degree of midtones between the various ranks. Golds and bronzes, meanwhile, I think are more likely a matter of reflective camouflage. A gold on a nest may be hard to look at in bright light, or at a glance appear to just be a patch of wet sand. If a gold has to leave the nest, more likely the sire would be left to guard it, and similar camouflage would fill a similar role. It might even, for some bronzes, give the impression that the larger gold is still on the nest, deterring predators that don't want to tangle with one. Since the smaller ranks are far less likely to be on a nest, more matte tones to mack dirt, wood, sky, foliage would be most effective.

It's all just fascinating and not quite like anything we have on Earth, though you can make parallels between several different Earth species. Absolutely love it.

[battle-of-the-birds]

Remember to read about the contestants before voting!

Kiwi

Ah, the Kiwi. Yet again another flightless bird from New Zealand, who is still recovering from the introduction of predators to its homeland. They are the smallest living ratites (which includes emus and cassowaries), and true to their name they are New Zealand's response to the lack of rats on the island. This niche was filled in by the kiwi. They are nocturnal and lay very large eggs compared to their body size. Learn More!

Barn Owl

With such a beautiful face, its no wonder people love the barn owl. It is one of the best hunters when it comes to relying solely on sound, using its wonderfully shaped face to pinpoint its prey's exact location. Its spread out all over the world, being one of the most widely distributed birds in the whole world. However, in a lot of cultures the barn owl is feared. Learn More!

(Kiwi photo by Scott Ritchie) (Barn Owl photo by Arpit Bansal)

[theguardianace]

hi bittersweet polyshow thing i came up with in the shower (tw death mention, but nothing that's not already discussed in canon)

EDIT ITS A FIC NOW GO READ THAT INSTEAD

one of the only things emu truly regrets never being able to do is introduce her partners to her grandfather. she wishes he could be there to watch tsukasa's performances, to listen to nene's singing, to admire rui's directions. he would have loved playing the piano with tsukasa, or boasting about nene's gaming high scores, or to mess around with rui's drones. he would have adored these three show idiots who made emu feel like the most special girl in the whole wide word. how emu wishes he could have met them.

emu confides this in tsukasa one day through a casual little remark. she only meant it as an off-hand thing, not really expecting him to remember it for very long.

(oh, how wrong she was.)

on the day of emu's grandpa's birthday, emu awoke to a text from nene asking if they could meet near a local cafe after school quick. when she arrived, it wasn't to find nene with a latte for herself and a hot chocolate for emu, but the rest of her troupe in slightly nicer outfits than usual (aka nene was wearing her favorite dress and rui had on a long skirt and knitted sweater instead of the hoodie designed to camouflage only in a roller skating arena). rui took them over to a nearby flower shop to pick out small bouquets (though none of them would tell her why, exactly). rui told them all about what flowers grew where, the species that pollinated them, the meanings we have given them, and anything else that could come to mind. once they had a satisfactory selection, they followed tsukasa over to pxl and through the secret back entrance of the wonder stage.

there, tsukasa explained how, when she mentioned it, he truly did wish he could meet her grandpa, too. how they all wished they could. he, rui, and nene had gone to emu's brothers soon after, asking if there was anything special they could do to honor his memory with her. they had chosen her grandpa's birthday over his death anniversary, partially because the date had only been a week away but mostly because he would have wanted to celebrate life, not passing. they wanted to go to his burial site or a memorial place, but turns out he never wanted one built in the first place. he had always been a free spirit, never tied to one place even in death. so, they chose the best place they could think of - the stage he loved so dearly, where emu fell in love with the world, and where they fell in love with emu.

the four of them set their flowers down on the front row of the audience. emu arranged them into a little heart. then, she tackled them in a massive bear hug and told them just how much this meant to her and how grateful she is to have met them and just how super mega epic wonderhoy this all was (though she spoke mostly through emuisms so the only person who really understood was rui). (and if they all started crying a little too, nobody but them had to know)

they went and got taiyaki afterward. it had never tasted so warm and sweet.

(thinking about it later, emu realized; though she may never have gotten to see his reaction to them, in a way, hadn't he already met the ones she loved? hadn't he been watching over them the whole time? the ones who brought smiles to that stage, who performed and laughed and grew there, who saved the dream he created? who saved the little girl he loved so much?)

[outofangband]

Birds of Maglor’s Gap and Lothlann

This completes my series on birds of the Fëanorian realms pre Amon Ereb!!

March of Maedhros, Himlad, Thargelion, Estolad

Flora, Fauna, geography and environment of Arda Masterlist

Maglor’s Gap was the widest break in the mountains and cliffs dividing Beleriand and the lands to the north. It lay between the blue mountains to the east and the March of Maedhros to the west. Lothlann was a wide expanse of plains to the north of the Gap. The rivers greater and little Gelion ran around the western and eastern borders.

Steppes and plains: Daurian, see see partridge, yellowhammer, black grouse, grey necked bunting, great rosefinch, imperial Eagle, steppe eagle, golden eagle, Mongolian ground jay (rare), greater short toed lark, upland buzzard, Pallas’s sandgrouse, laughing dove, great bustard, bush quail, gray, black and painted francolin, snowcock, little bustard, merlin, cheer pheasant, crested lark, painted sandgrouse, scrubfowl, common quail, brown accentor, ring necked pheasant, grey partridge, black bellied sandgrouse, common buzzard, black kite

By greater and little Gelion (stream/river): black faced bunting, Pallas’s bunting, pin tailed sandgrouse (summer only), white throated dipper, brown dipper, common kingfisher, hobby, swamphen

World building notes

--Laughing doves appear on the sigil of some of Maglor’s host who are particularly skilled in the use of song in battle

-Many of Maglor’s cavalry hunt or fight with birds including golden, steppe and imperial eagles.

-Game birds of the prairie steppes such as partridge make up much of the meat that the cavalry and scouts eat, along with hares.

-Most of the cavalry have horse hair plumes but some of the lieutenants and generals have feathers from pheasants or eagles.

-Emu are actually domesticated in some parts of the world and I love the idea of them being kept in both the Gap and Himlad as well as by peoples East of the Ered Luin. They have a huge variety of uses including leather, oil, eggs and meat. And the chicks are very cute 💙

-I am a huge proponent of prehistoric and extinct animals living throughout Arda, as per Tolkien’s comments about “all creatures which walk or have walked the earth”. I really like the idea of small brush moas living near the mountain borders of the Gap

[aroacewxs]

Idk if this has been asked before but Im curious to know how you think wxs all found out about their aroace identities? Personally I think Nene was the one to introduce the label to everyone else during like a group discussion where everyone is like 'yeah I just don't get the hype around romance' and nenes just like 'um. Guys are you all aromantic too?' followed by confused looks from everyone else, cueing Nene to explain it

cue me dancing around: I LOVE THIS QUESTION. this is a sign for anybody else to ask me about aroace wxs hehehe they make me happy. and i will answer in depth

starting off with tsukasa: i mentioned this here before but tsukasa to me is so oblivious aroace with sex repulsion. he doesn't particularly understand the sentiment attached to sex or romantic dates and is even more confused about the norms surrounding these things

i also don't think tsukasa will actually take the time to research what he's feeling. too much theatre in that brain. he wouldn't even consider that this feeling, feeling detached from romantic and sexual attraction, was not something everybody else experienced. he just assumes that this is how everybody lives, there's no way people actually go on dates, smash lips and all that. that only happens in plays and movies!!!!!! and then his world slightly falls apart/lh when he finds out all this is real

emu would just be like "okay!!!!!!!" and move on with her day i think. i like your thought about how nene would introduce the term to them first and everyone would be like "oh. OH" LMAO i think emu would accept it the quickest. look into it a bit maybe, consider a few of the experiences she's had regarding her lack of romantic and sexual attraction and go "ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" as a lightbulb flickers above her. and then she kisses her friends because she likes to do that

nene and rui would think about it the most. before knowing what the term aroace meant, they definitely thought they were broken, that they were falling behind. for rui, it went hand in hand with the alienation he experienced from his peers, and for nene, she believed that she just didn't have these feelings because she was embarrassed to make friends in the first place. forget romantic lovers. but it would catch up to her as she enters high school because she believed that by now, she should have some sort of desire to pursue a romantic relationship like how everyone else around her did.

they would both go on thorough internet deep dives, watching different videos about attraction, browsing the aroace subreddit, etc. this is a little silly but i think nene stumbled across jaiden animations' aroace video and had her life permanently changed by it (me). i like to imagine nene and rui walking home together one day and then nene suddenly saying "i think i'm aroace," to which a wide-eyed rui replies with "same. what the freak" and they'd quietly share their findings as the sun sets behind them.

tldr: nene and rui think about it the most -> emu and tsukasa remain oblivious -> nene and rui come out to each other -> they bond over their shared experiences -> nene comes out to wxs first -> introduces the term -> tsukasa and emu's lives are changed -> they move on. show must go on

thanks for the ask :D

[the-quiet-fire-of-defiance]

Te Hōkioi, and Speculation on the Dietary Habits of the Great Eagles

He Hōkioi, i runga, he Hōkioi, i runga, hū.

(The great eagle, from above, made a booming call)

Kei te āputa koe, nā, o te rangi, e noho ana,

(In the open space, there, in the sky, it dwells)

Te hoa moenga, nō whatitiri mātakataka;

(Death's companion, with crashing thunder)

Hei aha, tērā, e tararua mārire, ona hikumaro?

(Why, then, do its tail feathers no longer split the quiet in two?)

Rua maro tonu, ona hakikau;

(Two fathoms wide, its wings;)

E huhū nei, i runga te rangi,

(It called, above in the sky)

Hōkioi, Hōkioi.

(The sound: hōkioi, hōkioi.)

- poem/chant by the great Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha

For @tolkienofcolourweek, I'm spending seven days bringing Māoritanga and mātauranga Māori to the world of Tolkien! Starting off on day 1 with: what did Manwë's Eagles eat?

Such massive animals, especially flying ones, would have required a huge caloric intake. We have little evidence about what potential prey may have existed in Beleriand and Middle Earth. The Hobbit mentions them eating sheep, and it seems likely that they would hunt other large animals, such as deer or bison. But there's nothing in our modern world that compares to or fills an ecological niche like Manwë's Eagles.

This is where I draw on Māori oral history of the largest eagles to ever live.

In English they're called Haast's Eagles, but in Māori there are several names. Probably the most well-known of the Māori names is pouakai/poukai, but my people called them hōkioi.

They were massive, weighing as much as 17.8 kg (about 39 lbs) and with wingspans as large as 3 metres (about 10ft). Their feet and claws were the size of modern day tigers, capable of punching through bone. They hunted prey more than fifteen times their own size.

(Granted, the eagles of Manwë are much larger than even the hōkioi! Still, it's similar enough for me to draw inspiration.)

[Left image: an artist's rendition of a hōkioi perched on a rock. Right image: an artist's rendition of a hōkioi attacking the neck of a giant flightless bird.]

The hōkioi's primary prey was the moa, large flightless birds similar to ostriches or emus. With no large land mammals on the islands, hōkioi were the apex predators.

Then, circa 900 CE, large mammals came to Aotearoa for the first time. They also preyed on moa, reducing the hōkioi's food supply. So perhaps it was natural that the hōkioi began to hunt these mammals as new prey.

Unfortunately, those mammals were us.

[Left image: an artist's rendition of a hōkioi attacking a Māori man who holds a spear. Right image: an artist's rendition of a child running from a hōkioi.]

Our stories of the hōkioi, or pouakai, tell of giant birds that could swoop down from the sky to kill and eat even strong warriors. They were also known to carry off small children.

I'm not saying that the eagles of Manwë ate elves or humans. (I think they were probably given firm instructions not to!) It would make sense for them to prey on orcs and other creatures of Morgoth, though. And there's one other group who we know were hunted like animals in Beleriand, due to... misunderstandings. A group who the Eagles may not have initially recognized as sentient creatures. A group who would have been an ideal size to pick up and carry off as a snack.

I'm just saying, I think there may have been multiple reasons that dwarves chose to live underground.

-

(Sources for further information about te hōkioi:

The man-killer that fell from the sky

NZ Birds: Haast's Eagle)

[writing-in-sin]

Pattern in my OTPs: Sadistic! Top x Fearless! Bottom

Dont mind me, just self-indulging about my OTPs

Anyways!

Recently, I've noticed that I have a certain type when in comes to my OTPs which is a sadistic top paired with a fearless bottom. Granted, not all of my OTPs are of this type but I dont think its an exaggeration when I say that at least 90% of them are like this

GinHiji

Out of all of my OTPs, I'd say GinHiji pretty much embodies my favourite type of OTPs. Gintoki is canonically a Sadist and in fact, is known to be a Do-S alongside Sougo. Contrasting him is the fearless yet tsundere Hijikata. Another reason why I like them is the manzai combi they have. Hijikata is forever exasperated by Gintoki and cant help but be the tsukkomi to Gintoki's boke 🤣

BakuDeku

These 2 have a very complicated relationship but thankfully have improved a lot especially in recent years. Bakugou can be quite sadistic but considering what's happened between them and him canonically wants to do better, I think it'll take awhile for Bakugou to let out that sadistic side of him around Deku

With Deku though, he doesnt mind and I think we all can agree that Deku is a disastrous combination of fearless and reckless 😅

6927

One of my 1st OTPs since high school. Now, I dont think i need to tell anyone who's ever read or watched KHR that Mukuro is hands down quite terrifying and considering his introduction, has a sadistic streak a mile wide

For Tsuna, yeah....while its true that he tend to be more afraid than not but as time went on, it became more apparent that he's grown to be couragous and fearless when it comes to his Famiglia

KamuShin

granted, this is more of a crackship since Kamui and Shinpachi barely interacted but I like how their personalities mesh together. Kamui is another canonically sadistic chara in Gintama, anyone who's ever seen him fight in the Yoshiwara or Silver Soul arc can attest to that. Not to mentioned all of the shenanigans and mayhem he likes to cause with a deranged grin

Shinpachi is noted to be fearless in his own right, capable of accomplishing feats that other normal humans would feel impossible to even try. cant forget that he's also the one who made Utsuro pause before the timeskip

plus, they're also a manzai combi! a Do-S Yato boke with a glasses tsukkomi XD

ParaEmu

initially, i like them as a switch couple but recent years make me lean more of them as a fixed pair with Parad as a top. starting out as a villain, Parad was noted to be quite sadistic especially when he possessed Emu. He's since mellowed out but since we dont see much of how the charas are post-canon, its hard to say if he retained his more sadistic nature. i tend to hc that he does but only lets it out when needed

if anyone knows Emu's not so pleasant childhood and how he's risen to overcome many obstacles in life, then i think we can agree that he's become one of the most fearless charas in Ex-Aid

DeathPuss

okay, this one is pretty much on the nose. sadistic grim reaper hunting down everyone's favourite fearless hero anyone?

WangXian

Wei Wuxian is one of the most fearless charas I've ever had the pleasure to know about. the way he holds onto his morals and convictions even as the whole world turned against him is nothing short of inspiring. born with a smile and a noble heart that's matched by his beloved husband Lan Wangji

while he's not sadistic in the usual sense, Lan Wangji in the novel is known to mercilessly tease his husband especially in :ehem: bed. not to mentioned that when he deems it necessary, this man never hesitates to swiftly cut people down with just a few words right at jugular too

DazuShi

a suicidal former Port Mafia who's known to torture people paired with his steadily fearless were-tiger. i love their dynamic

MiSawa

Miyuki Kazuya is canonically known as twisted by both allies and opponents alike even feared to the point of petrifying the target of his ire with just a glare.

Sawamura Eijun? the fearless sunshine boy who overcome odds that would and have retired many players from the game. the Yips arc was remarkable in showing Eijun's strength and determination

KaiShin

the trickster who can easily manipulate law enforcements and enemies alike. its more noted in the early chapters of the manga, but Kaito was more callous. while thats no longer the case, Kaito is still quite unhinged

Shinichi? well, with all the reckless stunts he's pulled over the past 20+ years, i think fearless is an understatement for this detective

LawLu

the recent addition to my OTP list. LawLu is the one that made me realise that I tend to favour sadistic tops when I was trying to articulate Law's preference in my HC

thats when I realised that Law has a sadistic streak in canon. while its not explored all that much since he's an ally of the Straw Hats, we see hints of it. combined with the fact that he's a nerd, big on plans and control, he's a terrifying force. this is the same guy who cut opened 100 pirate hearts and sent them to the Marines

Luffy? he's fearless as they come. overcoming many hardships and coming out stronger. who fights for freedom and nakama even if it means facing death. hell, its canon that he's not afraid to face death for what he believes in

_____

With that said, I love my OTPs 🤩😍

.....Also, should I be worried that I'm a little too fond of sadistic tops for my OTPs? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[playroom-sekaii]

May I request little Rui and cg tsukasa?

Yup yup, on it!

-Rui's age range is normally around 4-6, he's not the littlest out there but he's not quite a big kid either. He's a bit scared of bringing up that he's a regressor to others, scared that they'll think he's weird and leave him, but Tsukasa (and Emu, Nene, and Mizuki, his other cgs) is doing all he can to show him that it's alright, it's important for him to be small when he needs to be, a fact Rui is slowly but surely trying to learn.

-Tsukasa likes to think that he's quite a good caregiver! Surely the best big brother in the world would be amazing at taking care of little ones, right? He knows that he has more to learn though, and he's working hard to become the best cg anyone's ever seen! Rui feels incredible flattered that he's willing to do this all for him, he's probably his main caregiver at this point.

-Rui mainly regresses due to how rough his actual childhood was, the bullying and isolation robbing him of the one he truly deserved. Overworking himself and strong emotions are normally what directly cause him to slip, him feeling overly upset, loved, or tired leads to a very little alchemist. He normally tries to hide that he's small, but the others have managed to figure out a few of his tells. He's much more clingy, and he's more likely to show his emotions, so even when he's doing all he can to pretend he's big Tsukasa and the rest of his cgs can see it clear as day.

-It's very common for Rui to slip while working on his inventions, leading to a lot of frustration from the poor little one. He's still quite smart when he's regressed, but these days his robotics and such are so complex, and he just can't seem to get them to work right, he should be able to do this...to prevent any unnecessary tears Tsukasa normally tries to keep Rui from working on his more complex projects while small.

-However, his little one still has that inventing itch, but Tsukasa knows how to help set it free! He's gotten Rui plenty of things such as blocks and other building toys for when he's small, and he helps him with arts and crafts sort of things too. Sometimes Rui gets an idea for an invention when he's little, and so he doesn't get hurt or upset by making it real Tsukasa will help him build it out of other things! The "bestest rocket in the whole wide world" became one made out of cardboard boxes, the "most amazing fort ever" was built out of pillows and blankets, they're perfect for his little inventor!

-Of course, even while small Rui still loves doing shows! He bases most of them on stories he's read, and Tsukasa is usually one of the first people he shows what he's done, either with his fellow little ones or plushies performing alongside him. His practical effects can't be as elaborate as when he's big, but he still does his best to work with that he can! This usually involves him going to the Virtual Singers for help, or basing his shows on things he can use around him (Emu has the sprinker set up today? He can do a show about the ocean! Oh, he has his blankie? He should do a show where he's a superhero!)

-Rui has a lot of electronic toys, but he's also quite attached to his plushies, mainly a cat named Hidari he's had since he was really young. He almost always has it with him, and if he's ever too embarrassed to tell Tsukasa something he'll have Hidari "say" it. When Tsukasa first saw his little cat it was in very bad shape, but he was able to sew it up good as new for a very grateful little guy <3

-Rui is still quite the dramatic, even when he's little X3 Tsukasa says he has to finish his dinner before having candy? Goodness, how could he hurt him like this?? He's the worst Papa in the whole wide world! How dare! He's a bit more shy with when Tsukasa does nice things for him, getting quiet and trying to insist that he doesn't need it, it's okay. ("Here, Rui, I fixed this hole in Hidari up!" "R-Really? Th-Thank you, don't deserve it..." "Of course you do! You deserve every good thing in the world, little comet!" "Papa...")

-Rui's very scared of making mistakes or causing people to get hurt or upset with him when he's little. Especially Tsukasa, he's terrified at the thought of him not wanting to take care of him anymore. If he ever breaks something or makes Tsukasa even the slightest bit unhappy while he's small, he panics, trying to hide or run away so he won't have to see him get mad or leave him. Luckily, Tsukasa would never do such a thing, and he's always willing to prove to Rui that it's alright, nothing could ever make him stop being his friend or taking care of him <3

-Tsukasa loves putting on shows for Rui when he's small, they always make his small one smile :D he's able to get Rui to do a lot of things he doesn't want to do by turning it into some sort of show or game, like cleaning or going to bed, though his attempts at doing so with getting him to eat his veggies have fallen flat TwT

-Rui's very, very cuddly, being held or snuggled makes him melt. Tsukasa's the only one that can pick him up, so uppies from his papa are very prevalent! One of the few ways to get him to fall asleep is to have Tsukasa beside him, especially with Hidari or a bedtime story <3

[tsukikoayanosuke]

Will You Be Okay in the Next Ten Years? - Ruikasa Week 2004

Day 6: Invention

(Inspired by Katekyo Hitman Reborn but no knowledge of said show is needed)

It was a sunny lunch break when Nene asked the question: “Have you ever wondered about the future?”

Emu, who was lying on her stomach, held her cheeks in her palm and elbow on the floor. Her legs swung back and forth as she asked back,  “Huee? The future?”

“Once we graduate from the academy,” Nene said again. “What do you want do you want to do?”

Tsukasa let out a chuckle. “Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it?” He struck a pose. “I WILL BE THE WORLD GREATEST HERO!”

“That’ll be so cool!” Emu leaped into a sitting position, eyes gleaming in excitement. “You’ll go in a Gundam and whoosh whoosh BOOM! Save the world!”

Tsukasa laughed loudly. “Exactly! To be heroes and protect everyone’s smile.” He grinned widely at the group surrounding him. “Isn’t that what Wonderland x Showtime does?” Emu followed his cheer while Rui and Nene just smiled. Tsukasa knew they could change the world; he believed in them.

It had been a year since Wonderland x Showtime was formed. All of them are students at Mikudemy Institute, a military academy in this age of advanced technology with giant robots as the main weapon. Both Tsukasa and Emu are pilots while Rui and Nene are scientist/maintenance. They had a bump in their first mission which nearly cost their early disbandment. But they worked it out and became stronger than ever.

“How about we take a peak into the future?” Rui suggested. “I’m also curious about what would happen.”

“You can do that?” Tsukasa asked, already feeling excited.

Rui chuckled. “I’m sure I can manage. Huh… Maybe I can…” He went off into his usual mumble, slipping into his own unique thinking space.

Nene let out an amused sigh. “There he goes again…”

“Let’s leave it to Rui!” Emu cheered.

Tsukasa couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Rui. His brilliant scientist will no doubt impress them once again, no matter how big or small in invention is. Tsukasa couldn’t imagine a world where he and Rui would never be together again, especially after that first fight. They said a lot of hurtful things to each other, but they managed to sort them out. If anything, they became much closer than before and Tsukasa wouldn’t trade it with anything.

*****

“TA-DAA! The Ten-Year Bazooka is done!”

“The what?!”

Rui, as he promised, came back three days later with a giant purple bazooka. They might be in a military school, but Tsukasa was sure that didn’t mean Rui could carry around a weapon without a license. 

“In theory, it can allow you to swap places with your future self,” Rui explained. “Like a time machine, but without the whole ‘two versions of you at the same time’ paradox.”

“Why ten years though?” Nene asked, still in disbelief.

“Well, the world of next week probably won't change that much, so why not far into the future?” Rui said. “And if it works, then maybe we can make a proper time machine.” 

“You haven’t tested it?!” Tsukasa shouted.

“That’s so cool!” Emu cheered. “I want to go! I want to go!”

“Hold on, Emu.” Tsukasa put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her from bouncing. “I’ll test it, just to make sure it’s safe.”

“Are you sure?” Rui asked. “The future is unpredictable.”

Tsukasa nodded determined. “I believe in you!” He took a deep breath and stretched his arms, “Hit me!”

Rui gave him a thankful smile and threw the bazooka at him. Almost automatically, it extended its mouth to swallow him whole. Tsukasa could hear a click and pink smoke covered his vision, causing him to cough. When the smoke subsided though, Tsukasa could finally see his surroundings.

He was in a room with white walls, ceiling, and floor. While the floor is clean, except for some trinkets here and there, the walls are covered with papers on every surface he could reach; printed articles with bold headlines, graphs and diagrams some crossed with a red marker, a pinboard with few photographs, sketches of what he could guess a human mecha armor (that Tsukasa remember is currently underdevelopment in his times). He was sitting on a bed whose sheet probably hadn’t been washed for the longest time. Beside it, there was an unrecognizable humming machine beside him and cables seemingly once stuck on something but were forcefully taken off. Beside where his head was supposed to be, there was a single worn-out platypus plushie that suspiciously looked like something Tsukasa sewed back then for Rui’s birthday.

There’s no way this is his room right? If Rui said that the bazooka was supposed to make him swap places with his version of ten years later, does that mean he’s going to be a slob?!

The metal door was suddenly opened, the light from outside hitting Tsukasa right on the eyes, making him cover his face with his hand. There was a breathy “What…” followed by the sound of shattered glass. 

There, standing by the doorway, was a man in their mid-twenties. Unkept purple hair with two cyan streaks tied in a sloppy low ponytail. His wrinkled lab coat hung on his skinny frame. Bags under his no-longer twinkling yellow eyes as if he hadn’t slept for years, but now those same eyes stared at Tsukasa with shock.

“Rui…?”

The man, ten-year-later Rui, crumbled. He sprinted to the bed and pulled Tsukasa into a hug so tight that Tsukasa could feel Rui’s ribcage.

“Tsukasa… Tsakasa…” Rui’s voice was hoarse, as if he hadn’t used it for a very long time (but why? Rui is always the lovable rambly one), yet filled with heavy emotions. He cradled his head, pressing kisses on his neck that made Tsukasa blush.

“R-Rui…?” Tsukasa tried to shift his position but Rui tightened his hug.

“Please…” he whispered tearfully. He was trembling. “Give me a moment…”

Tsukasa hummed, unable to deny Rui’s request. He brought his hand onto Rui’s hair, caressing him. Rui let out a whimper. Tsukasa didn’t have the heart to pull away.

It took a while but Rui finally let go of his hug. He cupped Tsukasa’s cheeks and Tsukasa could finally see how weary the man in front of him was. Has ten years really taken a toll on him?

“You look so young…” Rui whispered, his thumb caressing his cheeks. “How?”

Tsukasa gulped. “I’m not… I’m not your Tsukasa.”

Rui paused. “Not mine?”

“I’m from ten years ago. You- I mean, my Rui, made a Ten-Year Bazooka just for fun. So, we can, you know, take a glimpse for a few minutes.”

Rui’s eyes widened slightly before they softened. “Are you… Are you close with your Rui?”

“Aren’t we?” Tsukasa asked back, not really grasping between the words. “You’re still in Wonderland x Showtime, aren’t you?” 

Rui didn’t answer but Tsukasa could see a flicker in his eyes. A brief glimpse of melancholy. “What happened?”

Rui let out a huff, the closest thing Tsukasa took as a laugh. “Stuff happened. Your Rui accepted your apology, didn’t he?”

“Yeah… Didn’t you?”

Rui sighed through his nose. He leaned down, pressing his forehead onto Tsukasa’s in the gentlest cradle as if he would shatter. “You can make a different future. A future where everything will be okay. Where you can be safe.”

“But I have you. Why wouldn’t I be safe?”

“I made a stupid mistake.”

“Don’t blame yourself.” Tsukasa reached for Rui’s hand and leaned against his touch. “I’m sure my future self wouldn’t want that either.”

Rui’s eyes teared up from that and he gave a small nod. “He wouldn’t… He never would…” He pulled Tsukasa into another hug and Tsukasa could feel his shoulder getting wet. “I miss you… I promise I will fix this.”

“What happened?” He had to ask the same question, but like before, Rui never answered him instead he shook his head.

“The future is not set in stone. This timeline is nothing you need to worry about. You’re gonna be fine. You have to…”

Tsukasa didn’t have time to question again for his five minutes was almost up. His skin started to turn smokey as he stared at Rui in panic. “What’s happening?”

Rui must’ve felt it too because he pulled back, his eyes tearing up again. “Looks like it’s time for you to go home.”

“What will happen to you?”

Rui quickly grasped his shoulder, grounding him for the last few seconds. “I’ll stay here. I have so much work to do.” He shook him slightly. “Please promise me something.”

Tsukasa nodded. “Anything.”

“I know I can’t stop you from being a hero, but please, stay safe. Trust in others. Let them help you. Despite what you believe, you are not alone. If my feelings stay the same in your time, then come to me, I’ll do anything to help you.”

That was a big request but Tsukasa was never one to deny a promise. “Okay.”

Rui smiled. He leaned down for the last time to kiss him on the forehead. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry for everything… I love you… You’ll always going to be a star…”

Tsukasa puffed into the same pink smoke. When it slowly disappeared, he was back in the past, and the first thing he was the devastated faces of his comrades.

“Guys-”

“TSUKASA!” Emu immediately hugged him so tight that he thought his ribs cracked. She was sobbing loudly. “YOU’RE BACK!”

“Tsukasa, are you alright?!” Nene was never the one to lose his emotions, but Tsukasa could hear the desperate relief in her voice. She went down on her knees and clutched his shoulders.

“I-I’m fine.” Tsukasa returned Emu’s hug gently, causing her to cry even more. “Did you meet my future self?”

Nene froze. “We did…”

“How was he like?” None of them answered. “Guys?”

“You don’t have to worry about it.” Rui crouched down beside him as well and pulled the both of them close and Nene followed in. “I’m glad you’re back…”

They hugged him tight as if they were worried that he would switch places with his future self again. 

Tsukasa would never know about what the rest of Wonderland x Showtime had seen. Rui never told him about the state of his body ten years later: broken beyond repair but someone has been desperate to put him back with machinery. But ever since then, Rui had become more protective of him. Something changed in him.

He might’ve used the bazooka a couple of times after that, trying to look for clues of that bleak future from the news headlines: ‘Five years commemoration of the death of Emu Otori…’, ‘The peace treaty has been broken between Japan…’, ‘The Otori Cooperation will never be the same!’, ‘Scientists suggest of an approaching meteor…’, ‘The search for Pegasus’ body continues...’

Tsukasa could see it in Rui’s eyes: fearful yet determined. The future is not set in stone, so Rui swore they would never get to that future where the scientist Rui cradled what is left of hero Tsukasa in the crater that was his grave.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Round Two: Cryptogyps vs Miosurnia

Cryptogyps lacertosus

Artwork by @otussketching, written by @zygodactylus

Name Meaning: Powerful Hidden Vulture 

Time: 770,000 to 55,000 years ago (Chibanian to Tarantian stage of the Pleistocene epoch, Quaternary period) 

Location: Throughout Australia, including Kalamurina, the Wellington Caves, and the Nullarbor Plain 

Today, there are no vultures in Australia. In fact, until recently, it seemed fairly clear that no vultures had lived in Australia - but now, we know they did! Originally thought to be an eagle, Cryptogyps was on the small size for a vulture, only bigger than the living Hooded Vulture - though it was about the size of the wedge-tailed eagle. However, it was proportioned similarly to other vultures, and between that and its great range across the entirety of Australia, it is logical to conclude that it lived similarly to other vultures, feeding primarily on carrion and going great distances to find it. It did not have the right musculature to be an active hunter like eagles and hawks. As such, Cryptogyps was a vital part of its environment, reducing the spread of disease and recycling nutrients and energy back into the food web like vultures today. Cryptogyps lived alongside a wide variety of weird megafuana present in Australia during the last ice age, including marsupial lions, giant demon-ducks (mihirungs), giant hippo-sized wombats, sheep-sized and fossorial echidnas, short-faced kangaroos, giant koalas, thylacines, giant maleefowls, huge monitor lizards, large crocodilians, and giant pythons - as well as cassowaries, regular kangaroos, emus, and other large animals that remain today. It was a weird place of which Cryptogyps was a small and important part, and would have been a regular sight in the skies to the first Indigenous Australians to settle on the continent!

Miosurnia diurna

Artwork by @otussketching, written by @zygodactylus

Name Meaning: Diurnal Hawk-Owl from the Miocene 

Time: 7.25  to 11.1 million years old (Tortonian stage of the Miocene epoch, Neogene period)

Location: Liushu Formation, Gansu Province, China

Miosurnia was a small owl, weighing around 318 grams and having a similar overall size to its living relatives, the modern hawk-owls. And, like its living relatives, Miosurnia was diurnal (based on its eye shape) - a rarity in owls, mainly seen in Hawk-Owls and putative early members of the group. As such, this small clade of diurnal owls has a longer and more extensive range than previously thought. If so, it may have eaten a variety of small diurnal mammals, similar to small kestrels in many habitats today. This allowed it to live alongside a wide variety of other avian predators, including many Old World Vultures and falcons. Like other diurnal owls, Miosurnia lived in a large open habitat, and this was one right after the great grassland explosion of the Miocene. As the polar ice sheets grew, these large open habitats expanded across the planet, greatly affecting many ecologies. In addition to other birds of prey, Miosurnia shared its habitat with Panraogallus, ostriches, sandgrouse, Ergilornithids, and many mammals such as Cahlicotheris, Gomphotheres, horses, giraffids, and buff hyenas. 

[dutchessofcaladan]

Ghostbusters: Soul Resurgence

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3! This chapter's gonna be a bit more exciting than the last 2. We're also getting a new character! Once again, hope you guys enjoy and as always, a big thank you to @phantomoftheparadise0002 for beta-reading this!

Summary: When the spirit of Sumerian sorceress Ahassunu, daughter of Vigo, possesses Alexis, the Ghostbusters must band together to determine the fate of the world

TW: Some language, paranormal violence, major character death (don't hate me)

Translation for Sumerian:

Ma me nekel, ma su petu inu sessu kunkkum, ma annitu, rabum girabum. Ma inu utu emu salmu kima labasu, ma ina nanna emu kima saleme. Ma inu tamtu samsum isatum ma inu elenu maqatu:

And I looked, and he opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake. And the sun became as black as sack cloth, and the moon became as blood.

Ina nabu sina basu daku…dayyanum suluppu:

The prophecy to be fulfilled...judgment day

Alka:

Come

Taking another sip from his drink, Elis sighed, pulling out his phone. Jumping as it began to ring, he quickly answered.

“Hey, Ray.” He sighed again. “I was just about to call you. Do you have any idea where Alex is? I've called her five times already.” He froze, hearing Ray inform him about what had been going on. Quickly paying his tab, Elis raced to his car.

Arriving at the Firehouse, Elis immediately went inside, causing everyone to stop mid-movement. “What the hell happened?!” He shouted. “One minute I'm sitting in a bar, thinking my girlfriend of 3 years somehow forgot our anniversary, and the next I'm being told she's been possessed by some ghost and is going around blowing up buildings around New York.”

“Dr. Cristiano,” Ray said in an attempt to calm Elis’ nerves, “we have everything under control.” He sent him a reassuring smile.

“Under control? What do you mean?” Elis could feel his heart beginning to race.

Heaving his pack into the Ecto-1, Ray explained, “We’ll restrain her using our packs while Phoebe and Lars fire up the PSD-”

“PSD?” Elis asked, feeling lost.

“Portable Separation Device. All admit, it's not a very snappy name but-”

“Separation device?!” Elis nearly screamed. “What the hell are you going to do to her?!”

Ray sighed, putting a hand on the young man’s shoulder in an attempt to calm his ever increasing anxiety. “To even have a chance at saving Alex, we would need to separate the spirit from her.”

Elis nodded. “So, it’s safe, right? You’ve used this thing before?”

The look on Ray’s face was enough to cause Elis’ anxiety to return three-fold.

"My God, you haven’t even tested it, have you?!” His eyes were wide with fear.

“Well, no-” Ray began, not wanting to lie to him.

Quickly pulling his shoulder from the older man’s grasp, Elis’ hands flew to his hair, frantically running through the short strands. Blinking tears from his eyes, he asked, “So, so you have no idea if this thing will end up killing her?” He whimpered.

“No.” Ray admitted, no longer able to maintain eye contact.

The pained whimper that left Elis shattered the hearts of the team as they stood, stock still, only Janine going to comfort him.

“We’re gonna get her back.” She soothed, running a hand up and down his back as his tears dampened her jumpsuit. Turning back to the rest of the Ghostbusters, her gaze switching from one to another until it landed on Ray, who’s eyes now glistened with fresh, unshed tears. “Fight like hell and bring her back.” She commanded, voice faltering slightly.

Ray nodded, heading towards his bike as the rest headed to the Ecto.

The street had become complete chaos. People had abandoned their cars in the middle of the street and had begun to run in an effort to survive.

“Alka.” Alex commanded, her voice echoing in their heads.

The commotion ceased as the crowd turned and followed the order they’d been given. Slowly lowering herself to the ground, she began to speak.

“Ma me nekel, ma su petu inu sessu kunkkum, ma annitu, rabum girabum. Ma ina utu emu salmu kima labasu, ma ina nanna emu kima saleme. Ma ina tamtu samsum isatum ma ina elenu maqatu.” Looking out at the crowd, she smirked, enjoying that she had 100s under her control. “Ina nabu sina basu daku…dayyanum suluppu.”

“Dayyanum suluppu.” The crowd repeated.

With a raise of he hands, the souls of the crowd fled their bodies, transferring their life-force to Alex. Just as the ritual had finished, the siren of the Ecto-1 could be heard approaching fast. Watching as the car screeched to a stop a few blocks away, Alex became intrigued.

Firing up their packs, they created a barrier between Alex and the Ecto, where Phoebe and Lars continued to work on the PSD.

Stepping to the front of the group, Ray began to speak.

“Alexis!” He commanded.

Her sneer turned to him, slowly morphing to a smirk.

“In the name of the city, county, and state of New York, I command you under the National Invasive Species Act to depart this world immediately and return to your place of origin or to the nearest parallel dimension.”

This time, there were no snide remarks from Peter. No jokes. Each member of the Ghostbusters knew the severity of the situation. The power that this spirit had was unlike anything they’d seen before. Not in Garraka. Not in Vigo. Not even in Gozer.

Alex’s smirk grew as she began to levitate.

“Light ‘em up on 3! 1! 2!”

Before Ray had even finished the countdown, Peter had fired his pack.

The group stared in shock as, with a wave of her hand, Alex froze the proton stream in place.

The world went silent, seemingly moving in slow motion as she curled the stream back towards Peter.

Before anyone could react, a strangled noise left him as the white-hot energy stream ran through his chest.

“Venkman!” Ray shouted, catching him in his arms as Winston shut off the stream. Applying pressure to the wound in a vain attempt to save his friend, he watched through tear clouded eyes as Alex watched with a malicious glint in her eyes before flying off.

[pjsk-writin]

OHHHH OKAY OKAY THEN

I wanted to request polysho where tsukasa realized that he is inlove with his friends but he starts to suppress his emotions BUT because of him suppressing his love for them it starts to reflect on his sekai?

Like it starts to get hearts all over the place and when they all are going to do rehearsals his friends just all see the sekai and go ???? hearts everywhere what????

you can get creative with this have fun!!!

DVCNSKJCKAJC OKAY SO. OKAY SO I HEART THIS SM SCREAMS SOBS CRYING I HAD SO MUCH FUN !! this really do be the only card I use for polysho FHSKJD I hope u like this !!! <33

☆ TSUKASA AND THE INCREDIBLY WELL HIDDEN CRUSHES - Polysho Special!

As a future star, Tsukasa Tenma is prepared for everything! He's faced trials and tribulations, and he loves to shine on stage!

The one thing he wasn't prepared for? His...feelings.

He had always admired the other members of WxS, which made it even harder to pinpoint exactly when his feelings started. Since when did his heart start fluttering around them??

He thought he would be fine though! He's a great actor, he's sure they would never be able to notice how his face always flushed with them...or how he could barely speak properly...

Although, when the very place based off of his emotions started reflecting them for the world to see? He didn't know what to do-

For every moment he suppressed his feelings, more and more hearts would start floating around the Sekai

There were even heart balloons in their colors floating around the place! He almost melted in embarrassment when Nene pointed them out

"Hey, were there always these hearts around here?" Tsukasa immediately started sweating. "What?? Haha, of course they were!!"

"They're so cute!!" Emu started chasing a few through the air, and Tsukasa could only feel his heart flutter more.

"Hm..Interesting." Rui mused to himself, observing the balloons. Tsukasa could feel his heart racing faster and faster at the sight of them all looking at the hearts

All of a sudden, Rui observed that the Sekai was based on his feelings, and suddenly he would've preferred being launched out of a canon if it got him away from their curious stares

He tried to wave off their questions, but they kept crowding him closer, and closer, and closer, until he couldn't take it.

"I love all of you!! And not just as a close friend!!-" The confession practically exploded out of him, and the hearts around the Sekai suddenly seemed to swell even brighter.

They all watched him with wide eyes, before, much to his surprise, pulling him in for a group hug. His heart raced even faster as they all hugged him.

"We love you too!!" Emu squealed, and Nene and Rui nodded their agreement

Tsukasa could barely breathe from how giddy he was. All he knew was that god, he loved them so much. <3

[clouddrawsstuf]

A dance to forget.

Uhh Cw for (technically) canon character death nd stuff :3 be safe chat :3

(Boarder by sarkadia graphics)

"May I have this dance?"

...

The words rung loudly in his mind as he stared at the body that was below him. A dance. He asked for a final dance. The day before he died. Rui looked over at the troupe that was left behind. They all had the same look of abstract horror on their faces. Then he looked at Saki and Akito who were standing right next to each other, hands intertwined.

The girl was crying into the ginger's shirt as the scent of the day old body wafted through the room. Her sobs were the only thing they could hear over the static in their brains. In the dressing room of all places.

He was shot in the dressing room. His dressing room. The one he brought the troupe into to discuss their summer plans. The one he practiced restlessly in for their newest shows. The one he got a concussion in after slipping on a banana peel.

...

Why did the world have to forsake him.

...

"Rui-kun! Come dance with me!" The jester spoke, laughing maniacally. It swung from some sort of trapeze before jumping down right in front of the other. He put out his hand, grinning from ear to ear. His smile looked faker than the backdrop they were on. But Rui still took his hand. Rui still trusted him. He looked just like the love of his life so why wouldn't he?

The jester wrapped one of his hands around the cusp of Rui's waist and interlocked his hand with Rui's own. Their palms pressed together as they stepped to the middle of the circus tent. It smiled at Rui, one last time before starting to step. He just had to keep up with it. They waltzed for what seemed like hours and even gained a bit of an audience, made up of the vocal synths. They all looked so murder hungry, as if once they stopped dancing, it would be off with Rui's head.

But they kept going. The jester,, not only did he look like who Rui was infatuated with, he felt like it too. The same warmth that the purple haired man had felt when dancing with Tsukasa, he feels it here too. Almost like he's not fully gone.

Almost like he was there, dancing in spirit.

Just the thought alone was able to make him tear up.

"Wah!? Rui-kun, why are you crying? What's up with that?!" It spoke, haulting itself as it held Rui in the air, mid spin. He only shook his head, wiping away his tears, which smudged a bit of the makeup on his face. He wanted to be put down. He didn't like the air.

"I don't understand you when you don't use words, Rui-kun. Speak to me."

He promised he wouldn't, he can't use them he just can't. He covered his ears in a panic, tears still steadily flowing out of him. "I'm still here with you, so why don't you just talk?" It put him down. He wanted to run, he wanted to get away. He didn't like this thing, and he didn't want to.

"Pl...e."

He couldn't hear the other over the sounds of his sobs now. His ears ringing with sorrow.

"..ui"

No more, no more no more no more no more-

"..."

Silence. It was too much. Too overwhelming. He wanted something to happen, for someone to talk again and tell him it's all fine. He wanted to be held, to be comforted.

"Rui?" The pink haired girl spoke, walking up to him and tapping him on the back. There was glass shattered all around him. He.. oh. They were in a hall of mirrors. "Are you okay, Rui?" Emu crouched next to him, tilting her head, trying to sign as well, but failed.

He simply stood up and smiled at her. She smiled back and grabbed his hand to lead him out of the maze.

The jester watched from afar.

"They're so kind to each other, Tsukasa. They must've been friends for a while now.. hehe.." it spoke, staring at the spirit that sat in the corner. "I'm sorry you're caught in the middle of this conflict. I needed a body of some kind. You were just the closest host."

It smiled. Wide.

"Have fun watching the show now.." The jester laughed before running away, the bells on its hat jingling with every step.

[clairegregoryau]

Ten First Lines

ten first lines tagged by @ghostalservice! You should absolutely go check out her wonderful work ❤️

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway. All of these are Our Flag Means Death fics, mostly modern or historical AU, two canon-era. 1. It’s a dark, rain-damp night in the jungle, but the hunter is not alone. (Life Finds a Way, an OFMD x Jurassic Park AU) 2. Stede Bonnet stands on the ten-metre diving platform of the aquatic centre in Barbados, staring down at the blue depths of the pool far below. (Ordinary Magic, a Valentine's Day follow-up for Synchronicity (see below!) 3. Stede Bonnet stands outside the military hospital on the outskirts of London with a manila folder clutched in his hands, feeling suddenly very small against the enormous stone building. (Lost and Found, a WWI AU in which Stede's a searcher for the Red Cross, looking for information on missing-in-action Lucius) 4. Ed’s officially made it to his fifth Olympic Games, this time in Paris. (Synchronicity, my Olympic diving AU- unhinged smut meets incredibly tense diving action and a deep, deep love-at-first sight) 5. The thing about Stede’s dorm room is that it’s objectively insane. (I Want to Believe, The X-Files as Ed's bisexual awakening, co-authored by @ghostalservice- this line is hers!) 6. Lucky One Hundred, the website banner says. Could it be you? (Lucky One Hundred, camboy Ed x accidental subscriber Stede) 7. It’s a lazy afternoon on the island, as they all are these days, and Stede has Ed pressed up against the windows of the library, staring out across the whole wide ocean with his hands splayed on the glass, fucking slowly into him as he moans. (Eternal Stars and Endless Seas, a Here Be Monsters postscript (see below)- starts spicy, keeps going!) 8. Some days, when Ed feels like the world has thrown everything it possibly can at him, he’s reminded right quick that there’s fuckery out there to a level he’s never even imagined. (Birds of a Feather, a 1932 Great Emu War historical AU) 9. Ed wakes to the warm glow of morning light, and for a second he’s disoriented. (Tell Me on a Sunday, a fic-of-a-fic filling in extra 1987 detail about Ed's life for @faeeebaeee's Piña Coladas) 10. There’s a monster stalking the seas around the Leeward Isles. (Here Be Monsters, a post-canon reunion fic/ S2 possibility- my biggest and proudest work!) I don't know enough Tumblr handles off the top of my head to tag people! But I love to read these, so if you have a few works you'd like to talk about, please take this as your invitation to jump in on this trend ❤️

[outofangband]

More world building for Maglor’s Gap

This focuses mainly on agriculture and food production

Part one here

As always please feel free to ask more!

A lovely anon asked: “Have you done a world-building post on the land between Greater Gelion and Lesser Gelion, that belonged to Maglor? My headcanon sa ys it was economically important, providing food from its farmland for Maglor's followers.”

I had done a general world building post for the region but I’m always happy to do more because I love world building!

I think your headcanon is right! Though it’s difficult to say for certain as the environmental descriptions for the realms of the Fëanorians in Northeast Beleriand are vague, available maps and the brief descriptions we have do seem to suggest that much of the area between Greater and Little Gelion south of the actual Gap was wider and flatter lands presumably plains, steppe or scrublands.

Wide areas of grassland would certainly be important given the population of horses and the reliance on them for the cavalry and army. I think that Maglor also used the lands North of the Gap (Lothlann and part of Ard Galen) for grazing then had more formal agricultural projects South of the Gap.

During the Watchful Peace, the followers of Maglor grew rye and oats both of which could be used in a number of ways for both elves and horses.

Orchards, molded after a number of places including ones in Valinor as well as Mithrim and Ossiriand, are grown in the southern area of the Gap near the confluence of Little and Greater Gelion. Several species of apple, cherry, and stone fruits were grown here. Following the Dagor Bragollach, these became eerie graveyards of skeletal, twisted trees, avoided by both elves and most creatures.

Much of elven agricultural and food producing ventures, across different cultures, include the cultivation and protection of native species and the maintaining of ecological balance. This is no different in Maglor’s Gap where the host of Maglor relied heavily on hunting and foraging as well as their own introduced crops.

Alongside horses, sheep and goats are kept by some of the host. Wool is not produced on a wide scale as most textiles comes from imported linen, cotton and flax as well as leather and fur products produced in the Gap but it is spun on a small scale and especially used to supplement winter garments and in the making of bags and blankets. Goat is valued for wool more highly than sheep. A few of the higher ups in the gap wear sashes of pure white wool spun from goats.

Milk products are primarily through sheep and goat. Most from cows milk are from trade with Hithlum which is relatively unique in its population of bovines for Beleriand

Emu are actually domesticated in some parts of the world and I love the idea of them being kept in both the Gap and Himlad as well as by peoples East of the Ered Luin. They have a huge variety of uses including leather, oil, eggs and meat. And the chicks are very cute 💙

Trade is primarily with Thargelion, Himlad and Estolad, Hithlum and some parts of Ossiriand outside Finwëan rule.

I hope this answers your question, anon! As always please feel free to ask more!