#especially solitary bees!

[bestanimal]

Round 2 - Arthropoda - Chilopoda

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Chilopoda is a class of arthropods commonly called “Centipedes”. They include the Scutigeromorphs (“House Centipedes”), Lithobiomorphs (“Stone Centipedes”), Scolopendromorphs (“Tropical Centipedes”), Geophilomorphs (“Soil Centipedes”), and the Craterostigmomorphs which consists of only two living species.

Centipede means “hundred feet”, though no species of centipede actually has exactly 100 feet, as their pairs of legs are always an odd number, ranging from 15 to 191 pairs of legs! All centipedes are venomous predators, delivering venom through a pair of fang-like front legs called forcipules. Prey include other invertebrates like earthworms, fly larvae, collembolans, and other centipedes. The giant Scolopendromorphs are able to tackle larger prey including vertebrates such as lizards, frogs, birds, mice, snakes, and even bats. They live in tropical or desert habitats worldwide, but only in moist environments, meaning they must be more active under cover or at night. Many species lack eyes, though some have simple eyes that allow them to distinguish light from dark. Some species use their first pair of legs similarly to antennae, sensing vibrations and even using them to “hear.” Their bodies consist of 15 or more segments, with one pair of legs attached to the sides of each segment. Their back legs, called “ultimate legs”, are modified depending on species, and can be elongated and thin, thickened, or pincer-like. They are not used for walking, but instead can be used in defensive displays, for hunting, or for interspecies fighting, and they often play a role in mating rituals and are usually sexually dimorphic. Centipedes range from a few millimetres to 30 cm (1 foot) long.

Centipedes are generally solitary, not even meeting up to mate. Males will leave spermatophores on the ground for females to pick up. However, females provide parental care, coiling around both their eggs and young and grooming them (first image). Some species grow anamorphically: adding on segments with each moult until they reach their adult number of segments. Some species grow epimorphically: growing all their segments and legs as an embryo before hatching, and not adding on any more when they moult.

Centipedes arose during the Late Silurian, but were considerably rare until the Triassic Period. The modern Scolopendromorphs and Scutigeromorphs appeared in the Cretaceous.

Propaganda under the cut:

In my desire to show just how colorful and beautiful centipedes could be, my first rendition of this post featured 3 Scolopendromorphs and 1 House Centipede. I then realized how unfair that was and changed it to include most of the major types of centipede, which reduced a lot of the color of this post unfortunately. I believe the centipedes I’ve chosen are still beautiful regardless, but if you want to see some pretty colorful centipedes, check out the rest of Scolopendromorpha!

Similarly to spiders, while all centipedes are venomous, none are particularly deadly to humans. Most small centipedes’ jaws are too small to break human skin, but large tropical centipedes’ bites can be quite painful: causing swelling, chills, fever, and weakness, especially in children and those allergic to bee stings. These bites are always in defense, so if you leave them alone, they have no reason to bite.

Some large centipedes are consumed in China, usually skewered and grilled or deep fried. Thailand produces centipede vodka: large centipedes steeped in alcohol.

The common house centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) originated in caves in the Mediterranean, but has evolved alongside us to live inside human homes. The dark and humid corners of buildings are literally their habitat! They are beneficial predators, feeding on many species humans consider pests such as cockroaches, termites, ants, bed bugs, spiders, and silverfish.

Centipedes have long lifespans for arthropods, some living up to 10 years.

They are friends! Or maybe… lovers?

[theheirofthesharingan]

I might be dumb, but I don't get why Sishui killed himself. I really don't think there was need for such drama. He left Itachi completely alone, he left a cryptic letter to the Uchiha that only made them distrust Itachi and he allowed Danzo to get away with stealing his eye. In the novel he was supposed to be poisoned (I guess they had to add some reason for such a extreme decision), but still, he could have tried to get medical attention, right? It just feels so silly. Sorry, Itachi, I failed. I don't know what else I can do so I will kill myself now to traumatize you so you get extra powers (anime only) and leave you alone in this mess.

Sorry for the rant. Nice blog, by the way!

I didn't think I'd live to see Shisui slander in my ask box one day.

But it is an interesting question and I've seen this discussed before as well.

Speaking of the novel, Shisui was going to die anyway whether he did or did not seek any medical help.

This is an excerpt from their last conversation. Shisui makes it abundantly clear that he's not going to live. So the little time he had left he used it to relay his final message to Itachi.

Now, in manga things are left vague, and like you said, the change in the novel could have been made to give his death more justification as well as more context. However, even without it, even if we remove the whole poison thing for a moment, Shisui's death still makes perfect sense.

We know Danzo took his eye, and things were already bad enough. If Shisui, instead of dying, went to the Uchiha district, the clan members would want to know what happened to his one eye. Shisui's MS was quite famous because one man in the Five Kage Summit arc and then Killer Bee mention him. It wouldn't be hard to zero in to Danzo or any Konoha leader, because you can't keep things like this hidden for long. In those circumstances, Itachi wouldn't come under suspicion for sure.

If Uchiha found out Shisui's MS had been taken by an enemy - a Konoha leader, no less - it would add fuel to the fire. Shisui was trying to stop the coup, not be the catalyst to an already delicate situation. Things would escalate quickly, resulting in everything he and Itachi were trying to stop.

If he died instead, Itachi would still have some time in his hand, and he could find a way. I think Shisui hoped Itachi would find a way, even if he didn't truly believe it himself.

But it all backfired, obviously. Itachi was left alone afterwards, and everything was too much. Danzo wanted them all dead. It wasn't Shisui's letter, but lack of support from his family, and especially Fugaku giving up on him eventually that things came to the point they did. Maybe if he still stayed in touch with his parents they could have been saved, because it was Danzo preying on a solitary child.

No worries about the rant and thank you. :)

[technocheese]

Happy pride! Made with gouache, ink, and gel pens.

This is a project I've been working on for a while for an anti-hate campaign. I chose to rebut the argument that homosexuality and non-cis gender identities are "unnatural" by providing examples of animals that are regularly seen to exhibit these so called "unnatural" behaviors with no human influence. What's more natural than nature itself?

Since the majority of animals have no concept of gender and many do not exhibit romantic attraction (namely reptiles, but just solitary animals in general), it was really difficult to specify what animal might fit in what category, especially gender-wise. This was definitely a thinking exercise, lol.

Here are my explanations for everything. I wish I could write this out a little better, but I've been working on this all day and my brain is completely fried but I wanted to get it out before pride month ended. I also have footage of the process I need to turn into a timelapse but its like 15 hours of video and it's going to take forever to render. I'll probably link it here eventually.

--------

Lesbian: Mourning geckos are an all female species of gecko that reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis. Even though they can lay eggs alone, they engage in pseudocopulation with other females, which seems to trigger ovulation.

Female koalas engage in all female "sex sessions," attempting to mate with each other prolifically. They reject males during this time.

Gay: Penguins have been observed to form same-sex partnerships, even going as far as hatching eggs and raising chicks together.

Male giraffes exhibit striking amounts of homosexual behavior. In one study, sexual activity between males made up 90 percent of all observed mating attempts.

Bisexual: 18-22 percent of rams are bisexual. They also seem to exhibit asexuality, in addition to homosexuality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2668810/

Transgender: Hens will sometimes stop producing eggs, grow spurs, have increased wattle growth, and begin exhibiting male specific behaviors, like crowing.

Clownfish are born male and become females later in life if no other dominant female is present. They are sequential hermaphrodites.

Intersex: The gene that gives calico cats their coat pattern is linked to two X chromosomes. Male presenting calico cats will have an extra X chromosome, and can be considered intersex. (Sorry that the cat also has white, it's hard to color a calico with only two colors lol)

Asexual: Bees and naked mole rats both live in communities where only the most dominant matriarch (and patriarch, for mole rats) breed. Both male and female mole rats exhibit this behavior. The nonbreeding individuals benefit the community by gathering resources and rasing young.

Aromantic: Reptiles, as a general rule, feel no romantic attraction. Tortoises are solitary by nature and do not form bonds with their mates.

Pansexual: Lovebirds can be non-discriminatory with the mates they choose, and it is not uncommon to see individuals match up regardless of sex.

Agender: Ochre sea stars show no sexual dimorphism at all. Most animals have no concept of gender, but they are especially genderless. The only way to determine their sex is to examine their internal gonads.

Genderfluid: Gobies are one of the few animals that change their sex multiple times in their life.

Nonbinary: African land snails are hermaphrodites. They have both male and female sexual organs.

[anipgarden]

What Kind of Plants to Add

This is my sixth post in a series I’ll be making on how to increase biodiversity on a budget! I’m not an expert–just an enthusiast–but I hope something you find here helps! 

I’d love to be able to give a quick and easy list of things to add, but frankly I can’t do that. I can strongly encourage you, however, to look at these categories of plants and do further research to discover what’s native to your area, so you can plant things that’ll have the most impact in your particular area.

With that being said, I will mention a few plants as examples. This is in no way, shape, or form me telling you that you have to or even should buy these specific plants. Not every plant works well in every place in every garden, not to even mention across countries. Above all, if you’re wondering what plants you should be adding, I can wholeheartedly say plants that are native to your area--or at least nonnative non-invasive.

Flowers

Flowers are some of the most common ways people work to increase biodiversity in their gardens, and who can blame them? Seeing pops of color out your window, and directly seeing the impact via butterflies and bees visiting the garden? It’s a win-win for us and the wildlife!

Flowers--especially native wildflowers--are a quick, easy, and cheap way to increase wildlife traffic in your garden. Perennial gardens are more likely to get you the most bang for your buck, as they’ll come back year after year if you treat them well. But don’t dismiss annuals--if you get ones that easily reseed, they’ll eagerly return on their own! If you can, do your best to ensure that the flowers you plant all have different blooming periods--that way, your garden can support wildlife throughout the year instead of for just one brief season. 

Flowers are environmental super boosters. Their nectar and pollen can feed insects and birds, their stems and leaves can provide nesting materials for all sorts of creatures, and their seeds are a popular food source among birds at all times of the year.

Climbing Plants

Climbing plants can be fantastic options for maximizing your impact. If you have limited ground space, growing up can provide interest as well as additional habitat for all kinds of creatures.

Training plants up a trellis, fence, or bare wall offers food, shelter, and habitat. Trumpet vines, passionflowers, honeysuckles, and more will provide sweet nectar for pollinators as well as nesting and hiding spaces for other wildlife like birds, bugs, and lizards. Do note that in some cases, climbing plants can actually affect the structural integrity of walls and roofs if allowed to climb too much and too far along a house, so be careful. 

Bushes/Shrubs

Bushes provide shelter for creatures, which then provides hunting grounds for other animals. Their fallen leaves and petals can be food and shelter for detritivores, amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals--and they also provide good cover for moving around the garden, for creatures who like to stay hidden. They can be a bit more pricey to obtain--unless you get cuttings or seeds and are willing to wait--but they’ll definitely be worth it, and they’re typically low-maintenance once they’re established.

Bonus points if you get a flowering and fruiting bush, like bottlebrush, serviceberry, lilac, or others. This’ll make your bushes not only a place of shelter, but a food source as well--and depending on the kind you pick, may be food for you too! Making a garden border with a series of bushes can be a great option to providing lots of habitat, if you can manage it.

Shrubs with pithy or hollow stems are excellent options for supporting solitary bees. Some examples you could look into are elderberry, raspberry, blackberry, or sumac.

Trees

Trees have a high up-front cost and take awhile to grow, but once they’re settled in place they provide crucial habitat to all kinds of creatures! Insects will be attracted to flowers they may provide, or to nest in the wood. Others may eat the leaves as food, or use them as nesting materials. Birds will perch and nest in trees, and feed off the fruits and seeds and insects that also use the tree. Squirrels also use trees as nesting places, piling up dead leaves into huge clusters to raise their young in, and will absolutely feast on any nuts the tree may provide. Mice, badgers, and more will feast on fallen fruits or seeds, and bats roost in the trunks when given the chance. Detritivores eat fallen leaves and decomposing fruits, providing further food for hunting creatures. Trees can also be good for us--they help block out noise and air pollution, and are the poster child for taking CO2 and making it breathable oxygen. Not to mention they can provide plenty of food for us, too. Nesting grounds, hunting grounds, shelter from weather, and more--trees are, in my opinion, likely to be the best way to boost biodiversity long-term. If you can get your hands on a sapling for cheap and can care for it for awhile, I’d definitely give it a shot! Make sure the tree won’t get too big for where you’re growing it, though--you’ve definitely gotta plan for the long-term before you plant any. 

Some trees can be grown in containers. Though they won’t become gigantic branching behemoths, they’ll still do their part to support all the life that depends on them. Growing a tree from seed may take awhile, but could be an easy option to getting one if you have the patience--the trees are more than happy to help you, as they drop tons of seeds and fruit in fall for you to gather. 

Groundcover

Bare soil is the enemy of microbial life in the soil, and while small pockets of bare soil can be great nesting places for bees and other insects, having swaths of empty soil should be avoided. Groundcover plants grow low to the ground in a sprawling habit, and will often spread quite easily on their own. This is a great way to provide shelter, keep soil temperatures cool, block out weeds, and give your soil life a chance to thrive.

Sometimes, ground covers don’t even have to be planted in the ground. Shallow-rooted plants like succulents, ferns, and alyssum can be planted into cracks in stone walls, and moss can be planted by making moss graffiti and painting it onto a surface. As with climbing plants, do make sure that you don’t cause extra damage to important walls and housing foundations.

Host Plants

Host plants get their own section, because plants of all kinds can be host plants for different creatures! It’s common to think only flowers can be host plants in the beginning, but in reality, many bushes and trees are host plants to dozens of species of butterflies and moths. Honestly, I feel that factor's not talked about enough. Look up what insects live in your area and what kind of host plants they need, and plant some if you can! Bonus points if you can plant a variety of them--I know that there’s hundreds of kinds of milkweed, each one flowering and leafing up around different times of the year. Planting several varieties of milkweed, then, would provide monarchs with food through several seasons, allowing many more of them to grow up in your garden!

Nectar Plants

Plants that provide nectar to insects is a great foundation to increasing biodiversity! This is, of course, many native wildflowers (and even nonnative wildflowers, though be sure they aren’t invasives who’ll do more harm than good), but many native bushes, vines, and trees will also provide nectar to hungry pollinators! 

Keystone Species

To be frank, some plants can have a bigger impact than others in a landscape. By all means, every bit helps, but if you want to boost biodiversity quickly there are a few plants that can essentially serve as the backbone of local ecosystems that you can grow in anything from a balcony pot to a small patch of your backyard. These plants can be different depending on where you are, so do your research to find out what would be best to grow in your area. If you can’t get them all? That’s alright! But even hitting just a few of these target species really can do a lot.

That’s the end of this post! My next post is gonna be about things to keep in mind/continue to do once you get plants in the ground! Until then, I hope this advice was helpful! Feel free to reply with any questions, your success stories, or anything you think I may have forgotten to add in!

[jupiterswasphouse]

WASP REVIEW - WAR WASPS (METROID PRIME)

[Image IDs: Two pieces of official artwork for the War Wasps from Metroid Prime, the first from the remaster while the second is from the original game /End IDs.]

This is actually the first wasp I'm covering from a game I haven't played, although I do plan on getting around to it, so forgive me if I misinterpret! With that out of the way, my first impression of these alien wasps is that, visually, in terms of shape, especially with their stinger sticking out in the way it does, they most resemble ichneumons, with the remaster version especially looking like Megarhyssa greenei!

[Image Source: bugguide.net | Image ID: A photo of greene's giant ichneumonid wasp, a large brown, yellow, and black ichneumon wasp with translucent wings and an exceptionally long ovipositor /End IDs.]

Except for a few details of this wasp's silhouette that are clear in both the remaster art and models in a good chunk of the games from what I can see, that being the almost beetle elytra-like protrusions above the translucent wings on the thorax, the spines on the abdomen and thorax, the lack of a third pair of legs, and, perhaps most obviously, the bird-like eye shape and beak they have for a mouth.

Although the last point is notably different in the art of the original game as well as the species shown in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which has no legs as well as a rounder head with 9 eyes, in three groups, each almost resembling how the ocelli are assembled on the top of a real world wasp's head.

[Image ID A screenshot of the War Wasp from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes /End IDs.]

Although, the resemblance to ichneumons seems to be entirely visual, as ichneumons are solitary, and these guys are eusocial! They build hives and mainly attack in defense of the hive, this hive being built over existing crevices and made of whatever material they can get their hands on, gluing pieces into place with "adhesives secreted from their abdomens", a process which is seemingly similar to how a honey bee (actually technically, taxonomically another eusocial wasp itself, bees having evolved from other wasps as a sister lineage of Ammoplanidae) would produce wax from its abdomen, similarly sharing the aspect of "royal jelly" production with bees.

[Image ID: A 3D render of the hive of a War Wasp colony from Metroid Prime 2: Echoes /End ID.]

In fact, they're possibly even more than eusocial, as the logbook entry for the green and red variant found in the Hive Totem of Tallon IV, Ram War Wasps, states: "The War Wasps are the only species on Tallon IV to evolve a true hive mind", as well as "Striking from all sides as a single intelligence, they can fell huge organisms". Although it is unclear whether the consciousness of the War Wasps being a hive mind is true for all species or just the Ram War Wasps, as both regular War Wasps (Prime 1 and Echoes both being different) and Barbed War Wasps display notably different behavior.

On the topic of said behavior, however, on top of the ramming behavior of the Ram War Wasps, the standard War Wasps in the original Metroid Prime seem similar to notable stinging eusocial species of wasps, namely Vespids, in that, upon spotting a threat to the hive, they divebomb and attempt to directly sting the threat. Although they're a bit more territorial than even eusocial Vespids, as, in the real world, you would be able to get fairly close to their nest without being attacked if you know what you're doing (See a previous ask I received for more information about my experience with this), while War Wasps attack from much, much further away!

Meanwhile, the standard War Wasps in Echoes and the Barbed War Wasps in Prime 1 actually fire projectiles, a feature found in very few wasps, namely ants like some Formica wood ants and yellow crazy ants (Ants having evolved from wasps in a similar way as bees, taxonomically being wasps). Although whereas these ants spray acid, the projectile firing War Wasps fire beams of pure energy (Standard, Echoes) or their stingers (Barbed, Prime 1).

The logbook entry for Barbed War Wasps states: "This insect can propel the tip of its stinger up to 20 meters. The stinger tips regrow seconds after launch and contain an acidic compound designed to predigest prey". Obviously, while shockingly efficient and fascinating as many things real wasps do possess, this isn't something found in real world wasps. Even the aspect of predigestion is something more akin to assassin bugs, who inject venom via their "beaks" to predigest the prey that they hunt.

In conclusion, however, being aliens, I can't exactly rank them on their merit of being "accurate to real wasps", instead, it's best I score them just based on how neat I find them! and honestly, I find the War Wasps to be very interesting, it's clear the writers of Metroid put quite a bit of thought into how they behave, and they just have cool designs!

-

Overall: 8/10

-

This wasp was suggested by @coleopterabyte , leave your wasp review suggestion in the replies, tags, or askbox!

[backyardentomologist]

A Blue Mud Wasp, also known as the nearctic blue mud-dauber, takes a quick break on a milkweed leaf. Mud daubers are solitary wasps, meaning that they live on their own, and get their name from their use of mud in the construction of their nests. These nests often resemble tiny clay pots, and it is not unusual to see mud daubers busily collecting mud from open dirt following a rain storm.

While blue mud daubers can (and do) build their own nests, they prefer to steal the nests of other wasps and bees, especially nests made by other species of mud dauber.

While mud daubers primarily eat nectar from flowers, they also predate on spiders, using their powerful stingers to paralyze their prey. Different species of mud dauber have different hunting styles, and as a result will target specific species of spider.

The blue mud dauber is famous for its predation of the extremely dangerous black widow spider, which is one of only two species of spider in North America that is capable of killing a human.

[mgarmagedon]

It's one shot time again baby >:3

English:

Magnus walked through the prison corridor. The noise from the echoing cells was overwhelming, and despite them being fully soundproofed, the sight of the highest judge surrounded by inmates in that place caused sheer madness.

Unmoved by it all, Ultra Magnus walked silently, tapping his cane on the ground.

The man didn't have the opportunity to frequent such places outside the court, where he interacted with convicts, but this occasion was exceptional due to one prisoner, the son of his former leader – Bumblebee.

He couldn't believe that it was Bumblebee from all of the people that he needed to ask for help, especially considering how this young man had fallen and become a disgrace to the entire Optimus legend in Ultra Magnus's opinion.

He slowly entered the closed special wing, where prisoners were isolated from the rest, for various reasons, but Bee had been transferred here for the safety of other inmates.

Magnus took a chair standing in front of one of the empty cells, dragged it into one of the dark alcoves, delicately placed it in front of the solitary cell, and sat down slowly. He tossed his coat back, rested his hands and arms on the cane, looking into the dark cell.

A quiet cough to draw attention, hoping for something to finally happen in the dark cell illuminated only by blue floor lamps.

He could hear a faint rumble from the cell, reacting to the man's presence. This sound was followed by another – the shooting of the spine, getting up from the prison cot, and the quiet sliding of headphones from his head to the ground. Slowly and lazily, the dark figure stood up, concluding the entire procedure with a loud yawn and a scratch on the lower part of his back.

"Maybe you could show some manners in front of others," he remarked, looking at the dark figure. "Such unscrupulous behavior doesn't suit you, especially."

The figure in the darkness hunched slightly and sighed quietly. The man in the shadows approached the bluish glow.

"Do you care that much about my behavior, since when? Since the day you spat in Ratchet's face, blaming him for my whole behavior?" he crossed his arms.

The man standing before the barrier, who was shorter than Ultra Magnus, wore an orange jumpsuit, dirty from sweat and slightly torn, with food stains. His hairstyle was a messy mass of brown strands going in all directions. He wore no shoes, only socks with a hole through which a toe protruded. Due to a lack of care, he had grown a beard, and his previously well-toned figure had given way to a slightly protruding stomach.

Ultra Magnus scrutinized Bumblebee, who lost his touch since he got into prison.

"I see you haven't spared yourself during your time here," he said, despite the sarcasm, in a cold and serious tone, to the point that he meant it literally.

"And what about you? Is the cane and glasses a new thing to make you seem more dignified, or are you slowly deteriorating?"

"Without malice, Bumblebee, considering who you're still talking to, I can submit a request to extend your sentence for insulting a public servant of my high rank."

"Just tell me what you want from me? If it's about any capabilities to fight or lead, Arcee has all the qualifications to do it better and faster than me!"

The gray-haired man simply sighed at Bee's words and shook his head disapprovingly.

"If I could, I would have done it long ago. Currently, your sister is busy as she holds a higher position in the Senate."

"Even better," he scoffed at the news, behaving like an offended little child.

"Anyway," Magnus cleared his throat to interrupt Bee, "I come to you today with a kind of proposition that I rarely apply..." He struggled to get it through his pride. "Due to the fact that you are a trained soldier, an excellent agent, ready for any possible situation, where we need people like you the most in these times. I want to give you the opportunity for rehabilitation through community service. By fulfilling them satisfactorily, you would repay your social debt and become a free man again."

"Do you really want to release me so easily?" Shocked by the older man's words, Bee widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows.

"Unfortunately, I have to..." he hissed through his teeth.

Bee grabbed his chin and pondered intensely over Magnus's words.

"And what exactly does this 'community service' entail?" Bumblebee crossed his arms again, looking into the eyes of the graying man on the chair.

"Something simple, where you'll have to communicate with young people and teach others your naturally acquired knowledge from the battlefield. You shouldn't have a big problem with that. Of course, we'll hire you in the central police station as a lieutenant for a while so you can get the necessary permissions."

"Wait," the man in the cell stopped him. "What do you mean by 'communicating with young people and teaching others my knowledge'?"

This was a question that Magnus wanted to avoid as much as possible.

"To teach my daughter a few skills. She has great potential and amazing abilities, but due to recent events, I realized that she doesn't cope well in the real world. With her knowledge and your skills, she would quickly learn how to function in real society, not just in theoretical situations. Besides... She needs to spend some more time with someone she won't take such an example from, like you." 

The words spoken by the black man only disgusted Bee. He couldn't believe what Ultra Magnus was proposing to him. He approached the barrier separating him from Magnus, looked him straight in the eyes, and furrowed his brow.

"Are you mocking me?" He chuckled slightly in anger. "Now I have to take care of your brat, which you accidentally made, and you don't even want to take care of her yourself? Just because you think you're doing me a favor now by offering me to become a nanny for my own freedom? I have no idea what Optimus saw in you appointing you as his right hand; you're a messed-up piece of shit. Not to mention what state you've brought Cybertron to with your 'great council' after the war." He said mockingly. "Let me tell you one thing, Magnus, I'm NOT SUITABLE for taking responsibility for anything. Look at the state I've brought myself to! It's a miracle I haven't died in some ditch, becoming an anonymous corpse of some hobo, like every war veteran lately. And now, find yourself a better sucker! I don't know, maybe Bulkhead is free, or convince your ass-kisser Smokescreen. He'll surely agree, after sucking your dick for almost 10 years to get to a good position."

Bee turned on his heel and disappeared in the semi-darkness of the cell, lying on his cot with his face to the wall. Just so Ultra Magnus would finally leave him alone. He grumbled something under his breath. The older man just stood up, took the chair under his arm.

"I got the message. Well then, I guess Ratchet won't be able to see you anytime soon." He began to walk away slowly.

Bee moved towards the barrier at Magnus's words, pressing against it with all his might.

"What do you mean by 'meet'?" he shouted in his direction. 

"I intended to let you meet your father shortly after joining your service as a reward for your conduct. It's amazing how your family misses you, even Arcee and that con, Knock Out, are asking about you. After all, for the first time in a long time, they all know where you are, and that you are safe."

"Do you really think attempting to force me to become your lackey will accomplish anything? They don't need me, and everyone knows it well. I'm just garbage in their eyes and in the eyes of the whole society! Stop, just... I..." he rubbed his face with his hand. He sighed loudly; his head was already a mess from this conversation.

He didn't know what to say or do anymore. He also missed everyone, but he sincerely believed he was just a burden that had to be dragged along. He kept telling himself that he was a failure and the reason for all the misfortune in his and others' lives. Now he was wrestling with himself, and didn't want to sell himself so easily to Magnus, on the other hand, it sounded so easy to be free again and escape far from here once again. 'But does it make any sense at this point?' he asked himself this question, slowly bending down to the ground to sit crouched. Clutching himself as much as he could, he hid his head between his knees.

"So what's your final decision?" Magnus after he came back to Bee, raised an eyebrow standing in front of Bee. "This is not the time for such behavior; just say yes or no."

Bee froze in this position for a moment, unable to utter a single word because with every scream thrown into the space of his mind, tears were gathering in his eyes.

"Will it make anything better at all?" he said, staying in his crouched position.

"You'll have a chance to finally stabilize and perhaps change your life for the better," Magnus stared blankly into the space in front of him, noticing how Bee's cell was neglected.

Torn papers were scattered everywhere, and the photos attached to the wall had strings made of shoelaces connecting them. Clean clothes were piled under his cot in an indeterminate mass, remaining untouched for a while. On Bumblebee's bed, there was a discman covered with slightly yellowed stickers.

"When should it start?" the brunette whispered. "In about 3 months, the new semester will begin at the academy, and that's when I plan to take my daughter, Strongarm, for homeschooling, which you will take care of. Of course, I'll take care of your repair, medical care, and psychiatrist. I'll also make sure you return to your prime form by then," he cast his gaze back on Bee, slowly getting up from the ground. "I understand that this is your consent, Bumblebee."

"I guess so..." he replied uncertainty. 

"Great. In a week, my secretary will come with documents for you to sign." he walked away with the chair under his arm, leaving Bee without further explanations.

Bee was left alone, shaken by the whole situation, not knowing what to do and why such situations only happened to him. He lay down again on his cot, put on his headphones, and immersed himself again in his world of music

Polish:

Magnus szedł przez korytarz więzienny. Szum z unoszących się cel był wszechmogący i mimo tego że cele były w pełni wyciszone, widok sędzi najwyższego zbiorem zamkniętym w tamtym przybytku powodowało czyste szaleństwo. 

Ultra Magnus niewzruszony tym wszystkim cicho szedł przed siebie postukując swoją laską o ziemię. 

Mężczyzna nie miał okazji zbyt często przebywać w tych samych przybytkach poza sądem, gdzie widział się ze skazanymi, ale ta okazja była wyjątkowa, z powodu jednego więźnia, którym był syn jego byłego przywódcy- Bumblebee.

Sam nie był w stanie uwierzyć, że był skazany na taki, a nie inny wybór, zwłaszcza przez to jak stoczył się ten chłopak i stał się wstydem dla całej legendy Optimusa zdaniem Ultra Magnusa.

Powoli wszedł do zamkniętego skrzydła specjalnego, gdzie więźniowie byli odizolowani od reszty przybytku, z wszelakich powodów, ale w tym został tutaj przeniesiony dla bezpieczeństwa innych więźniów.

Magnus wziął krzesło stojące przed jedną z pustych cel i zaciągnął je w jedno z ciemnych rozgałęzień. Po czym delikatnie je ustawił przed jedyną celą i usiadł powoli, zarzucając swój płaszcz do tyłu, a swoje ręce i ramiona oparł o laskę patrząc w głąb ciemnej celi.

Cicho kaszlnął by zwrócić na siebie uwagę, by coś się w końcu wydarzyło w ciemnej celi, podświetlanej jedynie niebieskimi lampami przy podłodze. 

Można było usłyszeć cichy pomruk unoszący się celi, reagujący na obecność mężczyzny. Tym dźwięku nastąpił kolejny- strzelania kości, przez wstawanie z więziennej pryczy i cichego zsunięcia słuchawek z jego głowy na ziemię. Powoli i leniwie czarna postura wstała, kończąc tą całą procedurę głośnym ziewnięciem na koniec i podrapaniem się po dolnej partii pleców.

- Może zachowałbyś trochę kultury przy innych.- stwierdził patrząc na czarną posturę mężczyzny.- Takie bezpruderyjne zachowanie nie przystoi zwłaszcza tobie.

Postura w ciemności jedynie jedynie nieco zgarbił i cicho westchnął. Mężczyzną w cieniu podszedł do promieniującej na niebiesko.

- Aż tak ci zależy na moim zachowaniu, od kiedy? Od wtedy kiedy splunąłeś w twarz Ratchetowi, że to jego wina i jestem wstydem dla Optimusa i niego? - skrzyżował ręce.

Mężczyzna stojący przed barierą, był niższy od Ultra Magnusa i był w pomarańczowym stroju, brudnym od potu i nieco podartym, posiadającym plamy od jedzenia. Jego fryzura za to była tylko rozczochraną masą brązowych pasm włosów, które niezgrabnie rozchodziły się we wszystkie strony. Nie nosił żadnego obuwia, jedynie skarpetki z jedną dziurą przez którą wystawał palec. Brunetowi przez brak ochoty na większe dbanie o siebie urósł zarost. A jego ówcześnie wysportowana sylwetka oklapła i zastąpił ją delikatnie wystający brzuch.

Ultra Magnus dokładnie przyjrzał się Bumblebee, który wyszedł z formy przez zastanie i ogólny brak woli do robienia czegokolwiek.

- Widzę, że się nie oszczędzałeś przez ostatnie lata pobyty tutaj.- Mimo, że jego wypowiedź była sarkastyczna, powiedział zimnym i poważnie, do stopnia, że mówił to dosłownie.

- Ty chyba też? Ta laska i okulary to nowa, rzecz która ma ci dodawać powagi i respektu czy już powoli niedomagasz? 

- Bez złośliwości Bumblebee, widz z kim nadal rozmawiasz, mogę dodać wniosek o wydłużenie ci wyroku za obrazę funkcjonariusza publicznego tak wysokiego stopnia jak mój.

- Powiedz mi po prostu czego chcesz ode mnie? Bo jeśli chodzi o jakiekolwiek możliwości do walki lub by coś poprowadzić, ona ma wszystkie predyspozycje by zrobić to lepiej i szybciej ode mnie!

Siwy mężczyzna jedynie westchnął na słowa Bee i pokiwał głową z dezaprobatą. 

- Gdybym mógł to bym dawno to zrobił. Aktualnie twoją siostra jest zajęta, bo obejmuje wyższe stanowisko w senacie-

- Jeszcze lepiej.-prychnął na tą wiadomość, zachowując się jak obrażone małe dziecko.

- Wracając.- odchrząknął by przerwać Bee.- Przychodzę dzisiaj do ciebie z pewnego rodzaju propozycją, której nie stosuje prawie nigdy...- ciężko mu przez jego dumę przechodzi to przez gardło.- Z powodu dlatego iż jestem wyszkolonym żołnierzem, świetnym agentem, gotowy na wszelkie możliwe sytuację, gdzie potrzebujemy takich ludzi jak ty najbardziej w tych czasach. Chcę ci dać możliwość na rehabilitację swoich czynów poprzez pracę społeczne, dzięki którym po wypełnieniu ich w satysfakcjonujący sposób, spłacił byś swój dług społeczny i byłbyś spowrotem wolnym człowiekiem.

- Naprawdę chcesz mnie tak łatwo wypuścić?- zszokowany na słowa starszego mężczyzny, Bee zrobił duże oczy i podniósł brwi.

- Niestety muszę...-wysyczał przez zęby cicho.

Bee chwycił się za brodę i zaczął się intensywnie zastanawiać nad słowamis Magnusa. 

- A na czym mają polegać te "pracę społeczne"?- Bumblebee ponownie skrzyżował ręce i spojrzał w oczy siwiejącego mężczyźnie na krześle.

- Coś prostego, do czego będziesz musiał komunikować się z młodzieżą i jedynie uczyć innych swojej naturalnie nabytej wiedzy z pola walki. Nie powinieneś mieć z tym większego problemu, oczywiście przez to zatrudnimy cię tam jako porucznika na jakiś czas, byś dostał potrzebne pozwolenia-

- Poczekaj.- zatrzymał go mężczyzna w celi.- Co masz na myśli przez "komunikację z młodzieżą i uczenie innych mojej wiedzy"? 

To pytanie, które Magnus chciał ominąć jak najszerszym łukiem. Aczkolwiek również nie zamierzał go w tym temacie okładamć, bardziej uniknąć tego szczegółu. 

- Uczyć moją córkę fachu. Ma wielki potencjał i niesamowite zdolności, ale przez ostatnie wydarzenia, zrozumiałem, że nie zbyt dobrze sobie radzi w prawdziwym świecie. A z jej wiedzą i twoimi umiejętnościami, szybko by się nauczyła jak funkcjonować w prawdziwym społeczeństwie, a nie teoretycznych sytuacjach. Poza tym... Musi trochę pospędzać więcej czasu z kimś z kogo nie będzie brać takiego przykładu, przez jak skończyłeś.- słowa wypowiadane przez czarnoskórego mężczyznę, jedynie zniesmaczyły Bee.

Bee nie mógł uwierzyć w to co mu proponuję Ultra Magnus. Podszedł bliżej do bariery oddzielającej go od niego. Spojrzał mu prosto w oczy i zmarszczył brwi.

- Kpisz sobie ze mnie?- zaśmiał się lekko w złości.- Teraz mam jeszcze zajmować się twoim bachorem, którego sobie zrobiłeś przez przypadek I nawet nie chce ci się nią zajmować? Tylko dlatego, że myślisz, że robisz mi teraz Primus wie jaką łaskę proponując mi zostanie niańką za własną wolność? Nie mam pojęcia co w tobie widział Optimus mianując cię swoją prawą ręką, jesteś skurwiałym śmieciem. Nie mówiąc już do jakiego stanu doprowadziłeś Cybetron po wojnie s "wszechwspaniałą radą".- powiedział to kpiąco.- Powiem ci jedno Magnus, ja się NIE NADAJE na branie odpowiedzialności za cokolwiek, spójrz do jakiego stanu się dopuściłem! Cud, że jeszcze nie umarłem w jakimś rowie, zostając bezimiennym truchłem jakiegoś żula, jak każdy weteran wojenny ostatnio. A teraz znajdź sobie lepszego frajera! Nie wiem może Bulkhead jest wolny albo weź zmuś do tego swojego lizodupca- Smokescreena. On na pewno się na to zgodzi, w końcu od prawie 10 lat ssie ci pałę, by dość do dobrego stanowiska.

Bee odwrócił się na pięcie i zniknął w półmroku celi, kładąc się na swoją pryczę twarzą do ściany. Tak by w końcu Ultra Magnus dał mu święty spokój. Burczał coś sobie pod nosem. A starszy mężczyzna jedynie wstał i wziął krzesło pod pachę.

- Zrozumiałem ten przekaz. W takim razie, chyba Ratchet nie będzie się w stanie z tobą zobaczyć w najbliższym czasie.- zaczął powoli odchodzić.

Bee ruszył do bariery na te słowa Magnusa. Przycisnął się do niej z całej siły.

- Co masz na myśli spotkać się?-wykrzyczał w jego stronę.

- Miałem zamiar cię puścić na spotkanie z twoim ojcem w niedługim czasie po przystąpieniu do twojej służby jako nagrodę za Twoje sprawowanie. To zadziwiające jak twoją rodzina za tobą tęskni, nawet Arcee i ten con- Knock Out się o ciebie dopominają. W końcu pierwszy raz od dawna wiadomo chociaż gdzie jesteś i że jesteś chociaż tutaj bezpieczny.

- Serio myślisz, że próba wymuszenia na mnie zostania twoim sługuskiem coś da? Oni mnie nie potrzebują i wszyscy o tym dobrze wiedzą. Jestem zwykłym śmieciem w ich oczach jak i całego społeczeństwa! Przestań, po prostu... ja...- przetarł swoją dłonią twarz. Głośno westchnął mają już mentlik w głowie przez tą rozmowę. 

Nie wiedział już co ma powiedzieć, ani co robić. On również tęskniłem za każdym, ale szczerze wierzył, że jest jedynie męczącym workiem mięsa który trzeba za sobą ciągnąć. Ciągle sobie powtarzał w głowie, że jest nieudacznikiem i to on jest powodem wszystkich nieszczęście w jego i innych życiach. Sam się teraz gryzł ze samym sobą, nie chciał się tak łatwo sprzedać Magnusowi, z drugiej strony, brzmiało to bardzo łatwo by znowu być wolnym i uciec daleko stąd ponownie 'ale czy to ma już jakikolwiek sens w tym momencie?', sam sobie zadawał to pytanie, powoli schylając się ku ziemi by usiąść skulonemu. Ściskając się jak najbardziej tylko mógł, ukryła głowę między kolanami.

- To jaka jest w końcu twoją finalna decyzja?- Magnus podniósł jedną brew stając przed Bee.- To nie czas na takie zachowanie, powiedz po prostu tak czy nie.

Bee zastygł w tej pozycji na chwilę, nie potrafiąc wypowiedzieć jednego słowa, bo za każdym okrzykiem wyrzuconym w przestrzeń jego umysłu, zbierało mu się na łzy. 

- A czy to jakkolwiek sprawi, że będzie lepiej...?- powiedział to zostając w swojej skulonej pozycji.

- Będziesz miał szansę w końcu się ustabilizować i być może zmienić swoje życie na lepsze.- Magnus patrzył pusto w przestrzeń przed nim, zauważając jak cela Bee jest zaniedbana.

Wszędzie leżały poszarpane papiery, a zdjęcia przylepione do ściany, miały że sobą powiązane sznurki zrobione że sznurówek. Czyste ubrania były ubite pod jego pryczą w jedną nieokreśloną masę i pozostając nieruszone od dłuższego czasu. Za to na pryczy Bumblebee leżał discman obklejony nieco przyżółkłymi naklejkami. 

- Kiedy by miało się to zacząć...?- szepnął brunet.

- Za około 3 miesiąc zaczną się nowy semestr, w akademii, wtedy właśnie zamierzam zabrać moją córkę- Strongarm na nauczanie domowe, którym ty się zajmiesz. Oczywiście zajmę się twoim zakwaterowaniem, lekarzem i psychiatrą. Również zadbam o to byś do tego czasu wrócił do swojej najwyższej formy.- zarzucił swój wzrok znowu na Bee powoli wstającym z gleby.- Rozumiem, że to twoja zgoda Bumblebee.

- Tak sądzę, że tak...?- odpowiedział niepewnie.

- Świetnie. Za tydzień moja sekretarka przyjdzie z dokumentami dla ciebie do podpisu.- odszedł z krzesłem podpachą, zostawiając Bee bez większych wyjaśnień.

Bee został sam w jednej chwili roztrzęsiony całą tą sytuacją, nie wiedząc co zrobić i czemu takie sytuacje tylko mu się przytrafiają, położył się znowu na swojej pryczy, założył słuchawki i oddał się ponownie w swój świat muzyki.

[thatdruidgal]

06.04 spirit guides

Spirits + Fae

Below are the 15 archangels and their areas of influence in our lives. These archangels are spirit guides that assist our lives in a similar way to pantheistic gods, and comparisons are often drawn.

For more information about archangels, see this post

Animal Guides, Ancestor Guides, and Guardian Angels are not included here because they are personal guides that are staying private knowledge.

Archangel Michael – The Great Defender and Protector

Call for: strength, courage, protection, healing of the mind, body, and spirit including loss of a loved one, addictions, physical ailments, depression, the restoration of faith, assistance with cutting relationships

Sign of: being protected and loved, reassurance

Animal: birds of prey, such as falcons and hawks

Witchcraft types:

Grey Witch

Cottage Witch

Sun Witch

Archangel Raphael – The Divine Healer of Physical Ailments

Call for: physical healing

Sign of: reassurance regarding healing, a reminder to be gentle with the self and others as you go through the healing process

Animal: wolves or deer

Witchcraft types:

Crystal Witch

Green Witch

Kitchen Witch

Archangel Azrael – The Benevolent Transformer of Mental and Emotional Anxieties

Call for: healing from loss of a loved one, depression, mental and emotional illnesses, transitioning from life to death

Animal: doves

Witchcraft types:

Shadow Witch

Divination Witch

Moon Witch

Archangel Uriel – The Divine Pillar of Solitary Strength

Call for: learning how to be alone and appreciate our own company, mysteries of our existence and of the universe

Animal: blue birds or blue jays

Witchcraft types:

Solitary Witch

Cosmic Witch

Literary Witch

Archangel Chamuel – The Divine Benefactor of Unconditional Love

Call for: loving and appreciating who you are, help with all relationships in your life

Animal: rabbit or hare

Witchcraft types:

Faery Witch

Art Witch

Elemental Witch

Archangel Haniel – The Divine Healer of Families and Relationships

Call for: healing family bonds and relationships, open communication

Animal: turtle

Witchcraft types:

Cottage Witch

Moon Witch

Forest Witch

Archangel Gabriel – The Great Messenger

Call for: creativity, belief in oneself, motivation

Animal: crows and ravens, and sometimes a lion

Witchcraft types:

Literary Witch

Music Witch

Sun Witch

Archangel Ariel – The Great Earth Mother

Call for: prevention and recovery of natural disasters, health of animals and plants, bringing peace to your life through natural means, acceptance of life and death

Animal: swans, geese, and ducks

Witchcraft types:

Green Witch

Elemental Witch

Natural Witch

Archangel Zadkiel/Jegudiel – The Divine Guide of Life Paths and Sexuality

Call for: forgiveness, healing from abuse, occupations, productive use of time, issues surrounding sexuality, when looking for a job, establishing a better work/life balance

Animal: beavers and otters

Witchcraft types:

Eclectic Witch

Solitary Witch

Chaos Witch

Archangel Jeremiel – The Divine Deliverer of Mercy and Grace

Call for: spiritual cleansing of your soul, swift transformation especially for pending lawsuits and legal issues

Animal: owls or large felines, such as the cheetah, leopard, and pumas

Witchcraft types:

Religious Witch

Forest Witch

Sea Witch

Archangel Jophiel – The Great Giver of Joy

Call for: joy, positive transformations, discovery of soul, specific solutions for your life’s passions, unconditional love

Animal: herons or dolphins

Witchcraft types:

Sun Witch

Faery Witch

Art Witch

Archangel Raguel – The Divine Peacekeeper of Synchronicity

Call for: balance and harmony

Animal: mice, groundhogs, opossums, skunks, bees, ants, and raccoons

Witchcraft types:

Forest Witch

Eclectic Witch

Swamp Witch

Archangel Raziel – The Divine Keeper of Mysteries

Call for: the veil between the worlds, the subconscious, spirit communication, mysteries of the universe, interpretation of dreams

Animal: birds with white feathers or fish

Witchcraft types:

Cosmic Witch

Shadow Witch

Divination Witch

Archangel Sandalphon/Selaphiel – The Divine Nurturer

Call for: sending and receiving of prayers, creation of music, clarity and understanding, sleep and relaxation issues, anxiety, meditation, swift delivery of prayers

Animal: frogs, crickets, cicadas, birds, and other animals and insects that sing

Witchcraft types:

Music Witch

Kitchen Witch

Moon Witch

Archangel Barachiel – The Divine Facilitator of Miraculous Occurrences

Call for: confidence and morale, positive outlook, miracles, letting go of circumstances from the past

Animal: ladybugs, dragonflies, hummingbirds, and butterflies

Witchcraft types:

Chaos Witch

Sun Witch

Secular Witch

Like what you see? Consider supporting me! ko-fi.com/thatdruidgal

[wilted3sunflowers]

subjects you to warden essence b tier talk

okay so like, i really love the b tiers of wardens essence the design for all the characters is strongly tied together, i enjoy our b tier cast is all in there as prisoners and matching i have a lot of say actually about each and the insects/arachnid theyre subjected to i love majority of all the cast and need to gush about it i have a lot of say actually about each and the insects/arachnid theyre subjected to i love majority of all the cast and need to gush about it

even altrusitic ganji is there, as worker bee

mirroring his true backstory, the description especially "They praise my patience while pulling out my stinger." bees only attack once feeling threatened, to defend the hive and queen that worker bees quote " They act as nurse bees taking care of the young bees and the queen, as housekeepers who work to clean and expand the hive and as foragers and scouts who bring back food and seek out new hive locations. As a worker ages, it takes on different roles inside and outside of the hive." taking care of the young, who seek out new locations, it just makes me think of his trailer particularly for the 'pulling out my stinger' its not just that bees die once their stingers are used…Bees can actually sting insects multiple times "they also have stingers, but they can only sting mammals once and then they die. They can, however, sting other insects over and over again to protect the hive." that mammals have thick skin that they cant pull their stinger out of. causing them to die when trying to pull it out that theyre pulling out the stinger, these 'gentleman' [the wolves theyre portrayed as in his trailer his stinger to be caught] he only struck out of necessity- out of hostility from the other even when he waited to strike, his patience can only last so long

Vera [my love and personal favorite girl] as scorpion all about reflection of the self- of who/what she isnt "When I look at myself in the mirror, I wonder if I should show more kindness to others." in her description

a woman cast out continually by others around treated as lesser of the two sisters and odd, to have her interests dashed by her own parents over and over, that no one 'cared' Chloe Nair disappeared, that she could play the part of vera "The vast majority of scorpions are nonsocial, solitary animals that interact only at birth, during courtship, or for cannibalism." cannibalism, to not just eating another but if we want we can even infer the whole 'there can only be one scorpion. eating the twin. taking that place of territory.

jack as a centipede- which are natural hunters and aggressive by nature purposeful in chasing prey Description: "Mind your temperance in hunting; only then can you enjoy everlasting fun." the painted on red grin of his face. he's remorseless. this is all ripper and how he thrives as the predator, that for him this is his entertainment. its almost funny hes a prisoner here to be 'reformed' when he shows no sign of care for his prey or what he did. The only one with a painted smile - red that could have been made to symbolize how he eats his prey and thats blood

Norton as Ant Description: "What has group living taught me? To enjoy competition and embrace pressure? Or one should possess charity to avoid being perceived as evil."

the 2nd blatant piece of information before fools gold drop about how being around those other miners weren't that nice, competition and pressure? how he would help his family before fully leaving when he seemed to be a caring boy

like a miner ants both dig under the ground in careful crafted tunnels and hard workers but are also looked on upon with no empathy by many from kids to adults and regarded with disgust, trying to take the scraps to live and survive. That their lives hold no worth- especially with how many there are seen as pests even though they dont bite [except fire ants of course but this is just a regular ant]

naiad as a mayfly which "They usually come out of the water at dawn or just before nightfall to transform into adults, but some species leave the water at midday. Males usually surface well before the females" they are completely water 'born' bugs if you want to say. they went so far to make sure all these insects/arachnids [scorpions are arachnids did you know] are so well thought out to fit these characters

Description: "If fate favors those with diligence, why do I remain drifting on treacherous waters?" Shes the only one who in this line up hasnt been clearly identified as a 'killer' however thinking back to her original story is the drought enough reason to place the charge of manslaughter on her if people are deprived of enough resources they starve? or will we find something later

what we will find in future grace letters, her debut S shes to take the lives of the wretched in her b tier here she had to have killed someone to end up here matching the other prisoners in that regard

in rosemary shes aligned with uriel labs and the death of bella donna among who knows who else that dm caused from the employees work

[syn4k]

Doc chronic ilness/pain that man works too hard or he has to take his mech arm off for pain/fatigue reasons and is trying to do shit anyway even though he needs rest. Also have this song it's related in my brain https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=0hEQi-cmnQY&si=SBkzpTLoj12w4Yw5

He's also a system 2 me <3 hivemimd supremacy

(that is a girl-tier take on the hivemind whats it like having a huge brain)

Doc sighed frustratedly as he tried and failed once again to weld a piece of metal with one hand.

The Hivemind had been cajoling him to take a break and rest, dammit, especially since the whole reason he was working with one hand at all was because his arm had started to dig into his shoulder and sting and it was going to draw blood soon if he hadn't tossed it aside with a low growl and his vision was blurry and his back ached and his muscles were leaden and-

You need to take a break, They hissed. The Hivemind's constant bee buzz in the back of Doc's mind tickled sometimes, but he'd gotten used to it over the years.

"It's fine, guys," he muttered with a small chuckle that he didn't quite feel. He always responded out loud when he was alone. It was easier than having distinguish between his thoughts and Theirs, anyways, and They could hear. "I'm just tired, that's all."

You're about to burn your finger, a quiet solitary voice chimed in, and Doc snapped to and adjusted his grip on the welder before dropping it and veritably growling with frustration. He felt the muscles in his legs start to work, and he desperately fought to stay in the chair. "Guys. Guys! It's fine! Let me- give it back!"

No, They hummed smugly.

"We only grind here, remember?" said Doc through gritted teeth, finding himself standing up suddenly as the buzzing in his mind grew louder. "Twenty-four seven."

Can't grind forever without taking a break, said the Hivemind, sing-song. You may be the G.O.A.T, but you're still mortal, and that means you have to sleep sometimes.

"No," said Doc, losing his grip on the chair and, briefly, his vision, as he saw from a distance (it felt like) himself going to the closet, his hand opening the door and grabbing a blanket, then shutting the door and walking over to his bed. "Dude, give my body back. I was in the middle of a project, guys."

You can finish it tomorrow, said one voice.

Or next week, suggested another. Anyways, no, you're getting a nap.

"One day I will kick you guys out of here and you will have nowhere to go," mumbled Doc, who was now tucked into bed. "No one to come home to."

And you won't have your 73,492 braincells, They responded cheekily. No, make that 73,493. Another one just joined the Hive. Good night, Doc.

The last thing Doc remembered before he passed out completely was a vague sense of grudging affection towards the Hive that populated his mind, and a chorus of quiet laughter that was laughing at him but for him at the same time.

[nova--spark]

We’ve had a lot of questions about the autobots (especially the Brady Oplita Bunch). But what have the decepticons doing?

Last we saw them…

Megatron is somewhere (likely still on Cybertron)

Starscream was in a coma and will probably get sent to prison as soon as he wakes up l

Soundwave is still in the alternate dimension (how has he not run out of Energon?)

I have no idea where Shockwave ended up

Knockout switched sides at the last second

And Arachnid is on Cybertron’s moon

Oh goodness, ok so I briefly covered it in passing, when asked about Knockout when the Trio visited Cybertron but.

Megatron

For the large majority, Megatron has remained in his self imposed exile, off world. He has made no effort to make contact to Cybertron, only once in fact did he return, before his exile resumed. It was to make a final denouncement of the Decepticon faction, that all who still followed him were not ordered nor encouraged by him any longer.

There are passing rumors sometimes, from smaller colonies, that a war frame of gold and steel roams the planets, as if trying to find purpose. Optimus hopes that perhaps, one day his former brother may regain one.

Starscream

Has been indeed kept in a stasis lock/comatose state, largely due to the damage that came from the Mini-Cons he forced into his command. As a result, he is monitored by Elite Guards and highly ranked medics, in the event he wakes up. Knockout has paid a visit or two, if only to think of how the 'mighty' have fallen.

Soundwave and Shockwave

Soundwave has remained in custody, likewise, of the Elite Guard, after his break out and arrest for his crimes during and after the war, even if he was unaware the war had ended at the times of his attacks and battles with Team Bee. He is kept isolated from other prisoners, and is heavily guarded due to the dangers he posed.

Shockwave has also been imprisoned, for his crimes against Cybertronian life, and is kept in a high security facility.

Knockout

Knockout adjusted decently enough in the rebuilding of Cybertron. He took his medical skills more seriously, and began a mods/cosmetics practice of his own.

Ranging form custom paint jobs to added modifications, he's also done work in prosthetic surgery. To honor Breakdown's memory.

He does well enough for himself, having sided in the end and fully changed to become an Autobot in frame and spark. Sure he gets the odd snark from veterans but...he takes it on the chin with honor, knowing he did indeed cause pain to others. So, he tries his best to heal that pain now. Not many know, but he managed to salvage a spacebridge with coordinates to Earth. Sometimes, when he most misses Breakdown, he goes there to visit the old dusty deserts of Jasper, if only to reminisce or join the odd street race or two, maybe catch a movie in a drive in.

Airachnid

Having little to no escape off Cybertron's moon, she has indeed resorted to syphoning the Energon of her many troops to fuel herself, which has sustained her thus far.

It will not last forvever though, and she has taken to scouring the solitary celestial site for whatever she can to either fuel herself, or get herself off planet.

The first thing she plans to do once back where she belongs :

Syphon every living thing with Energon in it's veins.

[bonefall]

I wanted to submit a few of the clanmew names that I enjoy and thought were really fun!! I took some liberties considering come translations either don't exist or aren't applicable to my ocs.

(Context: My Clans are stationed in Utah, and the specific clan featured in these names is in a desert/cliff esque landscape. Their Clan, JuniperClan, is named after the Utah Juniper, which looks significantly different from a normal juniper.)

Starting with one of my favorite ocs first; Skipperleap - Skepbyiao! I was super happy his prefix had a translation, especially since it's for the "Large Skipper" variety, as it's a little funny, considering Skipperleap is a larger than average cat. I decided on -yiao as the suffix (-spring, straight upward leap) because it sorta fits his personality as well? He is a good natured cat, with a positive attitude, and brings a "spring" to someones step.

Coottail - Ubobufr - A bit harder, but settled with Ubo because of his dark brown-black fur color. I also just really liked the sound of it. Originally I was going to go with -swash, as his name is pretty simple in general, but -bufr seemed more fun considering its a tail feather from a bird, which would connect to the fact his name is Coot-. Again, it just sounds neat :]!

Beechfang - Chokki - Since Beech- isn't in the lexicon, I decided upon "Chok-", or Trunk. It symbolizes Beechfang in the sense that he is solid and strong, a good cat to rely on in stressful situations. He doesn't faulter from conflict, and is reliable. -ki, meaning canine fangs, was another easy choice, since Beechfang is known for his prowess in hunting (and ocassionally fighting). Plus. Chokki just sounds EXTREMELY cute. One of my favorite names by far.

Another Favorite oc of mine, Orchidthroat - Palifuhpi. Since Orchid isn't really used, I settled on Palifuh (Purple) since Orchidthroat has a blue-gray coat, and in lighting it comes across as purple. Orchidthroat is a magnificent speaker, usually bringing conflict to an end and being direct with what he means. -pi was chosen because "Used to indicate someone saw or heard and reported directly" sounds pretty accurate to how Orchidthroat does things.

Finally, Thymeclaw - Hhasskachkubo. Thymeclaw is an elder, and a very respected one at that, as she used to be one of the Clan's most skilled fighters. Hhass was chosen primarily because it means sneaky, and I was trying to reference "creeping thyme", as it's the only thyme I can see native to the UK? There is a varient of Red creeping thyme that can be found in North America, but I'm not too sure on if it'd be present in the region I'm basing this in. -kachkubo specifically being used was to reference Thymeclaw's fierce power, in how she'd strike her enemies physically and emotionally during combat.

It's funny, you're on a totally different continent but all of these names could be 100% region-compliant, from Coots to Orchids! You just happened to perfectly hit a bunch of things I haven't yet translated LMAO how did you do that

BUT ANYWAY! Feel free to make your own translations for Utah species, or modify the words I'm about to give you! Great job btw!

Coot (Fulica atra) = Nio Black, red-eyed waterbirds similar to moorhens which look like ducks when swimming. Known for being devoted parents.

Beech (Fagus sylvatica) = Choo Trunk + Smooth. Known for its very smooth bark, absolutely perfect for carving glyphs on. Not so much a "satisfying" tree to get a scratch on, though! They also produce nuts that squirrels like to eat. These are actually planted purposefully in this area. At the Lake, only ThunderClan has access to them. RiverClan used to have a small orchard of them near the twolegplace, which was where Beechfur got his name from.

Bee Orchid (Ophrys apifera) = Fefsue There's actually a ton of orchids in this part of England, but I picked my favorite. It's the self-pollinating bee orchid, which mimics a species of solitary bee that may have gone extinct. You probably know of it from the famous xkcd comic about it, but I WILL give you a little bit of hope! The bee orchid has a ton of morphs and in the warmer parts of its range, DOES actually have bees that still pollinate it. What's weirder is that this far north, they don't seem to have one? So... Bee Orchid, how did you Get here? Is YOUR bee gone? What happened to YOUR bee...

I am ALSO taken aback by the fact that thyme apparently doesn't grow here. Weird. But anyway I got your back; here's two roundabout translations for OTHER, non-Thyme plants that are common in the modeled region, but reference thyme.

Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) = Kukon A delicate little flower beloved by pollinators, and can grow in thick mats across the land. Deceptively quick and hardy, it can become a weed if unmanaged, and hides seeds in the pelt of any cat that comes by it so it can spread further. Very fitting for your girl, I think!

Dotted Thyme-Moss (Rhizomnium punctatum) = Mwarfum Blooming + Moss. Has distinct little egg-shaped leaves and rising tendrils. Considered pretty, but not a particularly useful type of moss. For anyone seeking a more "herbal" vibe for thyme.

[thecreaturecodex]

Tenukh

"DINOSAPIEN: THE DIGGERS" © deviantArt user Taliesaurus, accessed at his gallery here

[Sponsored by @glarnboudin. These are the antagonists from Dinosapien, a Discovery channel TV show after my time. They have three canon names, and I hate all of them. I've spoken before about my irritation with monsters that swipe names from mythology thoughtlessly. The unktehi is a horned aquatic serpent in Lakota lore, and this is 0 for 3. And since the term "digger" was used as an ethnic slur for a different group of native Americans, the name seems especially tone-deaf. If you're going to be making a TV show with Native terminology (misued), you should at least double check to make sure you're not using any slurs! A scientist character refers to them as "ornithosapiens", I guess because they're ornithischians, but that name should probably go to, you know, birds. I ended up creating my own name rearranging the letters of unktehi.]

Tenukh CR 4 CN Monstrous Humanoid This creature is a bipedal reptile the size of a bison. It is as broad as it is tall, with an armored carapace and a domed head. Its forelimbs end in clawed hands, and it carries a spear.

Tenukhs are cave-dwelling sapient dinosaurs, descended from ankylosaurians. They are insectivorous, and much of their lives revolve around tending to and harvesting colonial insects such as termites, ants, bees and wasps. They supplement these foods with other insects, roots and herbs, especially during the winter in regions where hives go dormant in cold weather. Tenukhs are clannish, xenophobic and territorial, and a creature that disturbs their hives (or worse, steals honey or larvae from them) may be chased to the ends of the earth.

Tenukhs are straight forward combatants. They typically fight in pairs, with one charging headfirst into melee with the other providing backup with a spear. They have short arms, and so have limited reach despite their size, so favor polearms when wielding melee weapons. Tenukhs are fascinated by explosives, and may beg borrow or steal to get them, even if they do not fully understand their use.

The tenukh language is spoken through the nose, as the creatures have complicated, muscular sinuses. They can learn to speak other languages with some effort, and especially intelligent or practiced tenukh may speak Aklo, Common, Dwarven, Goblin, or Undercommon.

Tenukh   CR 4 XP 1,200 CN Large monstrous humanoid Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +8, scent Defense AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (-1 size, +8 natural) hp 37 (5d10+10) Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +6 Resist acid 10 Defensive Abilities fortification (50%); Weakness light blindness Offense Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft. Melee masterwork longspear +8 (2d6+4/x3), slam +2 (1d8+1) or 2 claws +7 (1d6+3), slam +7 (1d8+3) Ranged chakram +4 (2d6+4) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with longspear) Special Attacks powerful charge (slam, 2d8+4 plus stun), stun Statistics Str 16, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 9 Base Atk +5; CMB +9; CMD 29 (33 vs. bull rush, overrun, trip) Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Martial Weapon Proficiency (chakram) (B) Skills Climb +9, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +2, Intimidate +8, Perception +8, Survival +8 Languages Tenukh Ecology Environment underground Organization solitary, pair or clan (3-12) Treasure standard (masterwork longspear, 3 chakram, other treasure) Special Attacks Stun (Ex) A creature struck by a tenukh’s slam attack on a powerful charge or a critical hit must succeed a DC 15 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DC is Strength based.

[imthepunchlord]

Just out of curiosity but if you do go through by having including 2 then which pairs do you think could work?

Hm, well, that could be a good placement for Ladybug and Cat who are an established duo. And while I'm going to try and not have any one Miraculous more powerful than the other, that technically would be the "highest" position.

But they also work really well in the Seven as both are heavily tied to stepping up to protect humanity. I'm also not sure if I would want to keep in them being so "elevated".

For other options...

There is Bee and Tiger. Works off color opposites (or close as Tiger's that in between purple and red/pink). And both have stripes and both work off themes of order and chaos, and are tied to leadership and authority. And there's a nice different with Bee being more teamwork oriented vs Tiger being more independent/solitary.

Another option is Peafowl and Fox. They can play off the blue-orange morality, as well as Truth vs Deception, another echo of order and chaos. Peafowl could stand for justice and excellence while Fox is more flexibility and empathy.

So these pair would be the most likely for 2.

Which I am thinking of referring to these groups with specific names:

Virtuous Twelve (playing off virtues)

Auspicious Eight (playing off quality of life improvements to come)

Prodigious Seven (playing off being a decent numbered group, being extraordinary, and can be ominous in terms of power, also working off a term the Special has brought in)

Numinous Five (to play off their role in preserving nature)

So if there was a 2, they'd probably be known as the Harmonious Two.

While it would mean just cutting one Miraculous out, I'm not sure if I do want to do a "two most vital". Especially with most Miraculous pretty set up. Shifting to include the Harmonious would mean doing more moving around.

[bananonbinary]

Bee person dropping in to divulge some of the Secret Lore - there's about 20000 bee species, most of which (~85%) are solitary, meaning they live their entire life on their own. Most of these species are far less aggressive and territorial since it doesn't pay off for them to die in defense of their nest if they can just make a new one instead and still have at least a couple offspring. They're also much more vulnerable to the negative effects of climate change, pesticides, and loss of floral resources and habitats than a lot of social bees because they don't have a bunch of siblings to do teamwork with, so if the going gets tough for them, they have to go it alone - so they're especially dependent on us getting our shit together.

On a less depressing note, for anyone who wants to see some cool pictures of non-honeybee-looking bees, look up orchid bees, blood bees, carpenter bees, mason bees, mining bees, leafcutter bees, fairy bees, masked bees, sweat bees, digger bees, ... Not all of these are solitary, but they're all rad as hell. (The males often have quite fancy facial hair/markings too!)

In terms of that bumblebee, it depends - bumblebee colonies are quite small compared to what people will expect given the usual reference of comparatively giant honeybee hives (most bumblebee colonies don't tend to go above ~300 members) and their life histories are also quite different, as bumblebee colonies aren't perennial - young queens emerge from their winter diapause (a type of hibernation) in early spring, found their nests and rear the first workers, who then take over many of the tasks in the colony (such as foraging and brood care) until late summer, when they switch from rearing workers to new queens and males, who then get out and mate. The males and workers eventually die in fall, while the newly mated young queens find a cozy spot to while away the winter (usually underground, but pretty close to the surface, so don't clean up your green spaces too much and be gentle) to start the cycle again the next year. While isolation can have some negative effects on social bees like bumblebees, the severity of these effects depends on a lot of factors. Bumblebees, in my experience, are pretty tough though - for example, they can cope very well with randomly being dropped into an entirely new colony, which I know I certainly couldn't (I can barely handle phone calls on a good day). So long as they're given ample access to sugar water, they can live pretty long lives (for bees, anyway). If you find a flightless one, taking care of it is definitely the better alternative though. Keep them in a clean box (you can put a tissue on the bottom for easy cleaning/changing) in the shade for most of the day, at consistent room temperatures, give them sugar water and occasionally some flowers and they'll be fine. Just be careful as they can (and will) still sting in self-defense.

However, there actually are also stingless bees (Meliponini - more then 500 species worldwide) - they're another really cool group to look up. Like bumblebees and honeybees they are also social bess, and (like bumblebees) they build crazy cool nests. They're also the only group of bees that can produce honey outside of the honeybess (genus Apis - only 9 species worldwide) and can be found all over the world (the Americas, Australia, Africa, ...). They've been used for traditional honey production for centuries in a lot of South American countries, for example (off the top of my head I know of Mexico and Brazil). Their honey is also quite different to Apis honey in terms of chemical composition (and, speaking as a completely objective third party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter, is much tastier).

I'll stop now because otherwise I never will, but if there's anyone I haven't scared off yet, feel free to drop by and send me a message and I'll happily answer any and all bee-related questions you may have! I also really recommend the nonhoneybees (.) com blog, which is run by a wild bee researcher - they have really cute bee cartoons and lots of interesting facts about bees (and don't post at an overwhelming rate).

:o

🐝

[warriors-rewritten-chaos]

Warrior Cats Suffixes- B

I had a WC Name Generator on Perchance that I made but I don't seem to have access anymore, so I'm remaking it here as just a simple list. The definitions used are the ones that Clan cats have for those things, and thus are the origins of the names. Definitions used are whatever I found when I googled it.

-bark: "[noun] an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick; [noun] the sharp explosive cry of certain animals, especially a dog, fox, or seal"

-beak: "[noun] the hard, pointed part of a bird's mouth"

-beam: "[noun] a ray or shaft of light; [verb] (of a light or light source) shine brightly"

-bee: "[noun] a honeybee; [noun] an insect of a large group to which the honeybee belongs, including many solitary as well as social kinds"

-beetle: "[noun] an insect of an order distinguished by forewings typically modified into hard wing cases that cover and protect the hind wings and abdomen"

-bellow: "[verb] (of an animal) emit a deep loud roar, typically in pain or anger; [noun] a deep roaring shout or sound"

-belly: "[noun] the front part of the cat trunk below the ribs, containing the stomach and bowels"

-berry: "[noun] a small roundish juicy fruit without a stone"

-bill: "[noun] the jaws of a bird together with their horny covering. A duck's bill; [noun] a mouthpart (such as the beak of a turtle) that resembles a bird's bill"

-billow: "[noun] a large undulating mass of something, typically cloud, smoke, or steam; [verb] fill with air and swell outward"

-birch: "[noun] a slender, fast-growing tree that has thin bark (often peeling) and bears catkins"

-bird: "[noun] a warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, and a beak and (typically) by being able to fly"

-bite: "[verb] (of a person or animal) use the teeth to cut into or through something"

-blade: "[noun] one of the elongated linear leaves of a typical grass"

-blaze: "[noun] a very large or fiercely burning fire; [verb] burn fiercely or brightly"

-blight: "[noun] a plant disease, typically one caused by fungi such as mildews, rusts, and smuts (smut as defined as a fungal disease of grains); [verb] infect (plants) with blight"

-bloom: "[noun] a flower, especially one cultivated for its beauty; [noun] a delicate powdery surface deposit on certain fresh fruits, leaves, or stems; [verb] to produce flowers, to be in flower"

-blossom: "[noun] a flower or a mass of flowers, especially on a tree or bush; [verb] (of a tree or bush) produce flowers or masses of flowers"

-blotch: "[noun] an irregular patch or patches on a surface, typically the fur"

-blur: "[verb] make or become unclear or less distinct; [noun] a thing that cannot be seen or heard clearly"

-boar: "[noun] a tusked Eurasian wild pig from which domestic pigs are descended; [noun] a male domestic pig"

-bolt: "[verb] (of an animal) run away suddenly out of control; [noun] thunderbolt"

-bone: "[noun] any of the pieces of hard whitish tissue making up the skeleton in vertebrates; [noun] the calcified material of which bones consist"

-bough: "[noun] a main branch of a tree"

-boulder: "[noun] a large rock, typically one that has been worn smooth by erosion"

-bounce: "[verb] (of a cat) jump repeatedly up and down; [noun] an act of jumping or an instance of being moved up and down"

-bound: "[verb] walk or run with leaping strides; [noun] a leaping movement upward"

-bramble: "[noun] a prickly scrambling vine or shrub, especially a blackberry or other wild shrub of the rose family"

-branch: "[noun] a part of a tree which grows out from the trunk or from a bough"

-breeze: [noun] a gentle wind"

-briar: "[noun] any of a number of prickly scrambling shrubs, especially the sweetbriar and other wild roses"

-bright: "[adj] giving out or reflecting a lot of light, shining; [adj] (of a cat) intelligent and quick-witted"

-bristle: "[noun] a short stiff hair, typically one of those on an animal's skin or a plant; [verb] (of hair or fur) stand upright away from the skin, especially in anger or fear"

-brook: "[noun] a small stream"

-brush: "[noun] scrub vegetation"

-bubble: "[noun] a thin sphere of liquid enclosing air or another gas"

-bud: "[noun] a compact growth on a plant that develops into a leaf, flower, or shoot"

-bug: "[noun] an insect of a large order distinguished by having mouthparts that are modified for piercing and sucking; [noun] a small insect"

-burn: "[verb] (of a fire) produce flames and heat while consuming a material such as coal or wood; [verb] destroy, damage, or injure by heat or fire"

-burr: "[noun] a seed or dry fruit or infructescence that has hooks or teeth"

-burrow: "[noun] a hole or tunnel dug by a small animal, especially a rabbit, as a dwelling; [verb] (of an animal) make a hole or tunnel, typically for use as a dwelling"

-bush: "[noun] a shrub or clump of shrubs with stems of moderate length"

-buzz: "[noun] a low, continuous humming or murmuring sound, made by or similar to that made by an insect"