#hive mind

[transhuman-priestess]

We asked 100 trans women what they think a hive mind is like and they all replied “let us show you” at the same time in perfect unison

[xaoca]

“Silent Patterns” as part of “The Space Between: Hive Mind” exhibition

by Manfredi Caracciolo

[simon-roy]

Beginning (free) serialization next week - a short story called "HALE-BOPP", about a dyson tree, some hive-men, and an interstellar vacuumorph...

[caprin-fishie]

situation I thought of for my hive mind slime mage

[pedroam-bang]

Dead Space Remake (2023)

[eowyn1986]

I just wanna say, it's so nice that I can read and watch an interview, freak out about a few of the parts, and then come online and see tons of other people having the same reaction to the same parts 🥹 We are one big, intense, deranged phamily, and I love us.

[sophieinwonderland]

Hiveminds and Multiplicity

When thinking about Hiveminds, I realized that hivemind connection is a spectrum, with many plural or plural-like experiences across it.

At the same time, both the beginning and end of this spectrum are singlet experiences. I decided to represent this with my own horseshoe theory.

Unconnected Individuals

This is pretty self-explanatory. These are totally separate individuals with their totally separate bodies. These are not even the slightest bit plural. Or, at least, not for any hivemind related reasons.

Mind-Linked

Now we drift into plural territory.

At this point, the individuals have some sort of mental link to each other. Mind links can range in levels of complexity.

At a low level, this may mean feeling each other's emotions or sensing when something really bad happens with no words or other communication. The most basic form of this might be "twintuition" in shows, where twins can magically sense when something happens to another no matter where they are.

At high levels, this can come with full verbal communication and other hallucinatory experiences.

Mind-linked systems often have strong barriers between them, only being able to transfer limited information, and maybe only in specific circumstances.

But the mind-linked are having plural experiences. They have someone else feeling their emotions, hearing their thoughts. It's very similar to sharing your mind with headmates. As this connection grows, they may end up becoming...

The Multiple Hivemind

At the top most point of the horseshoe, all mental barriers have been torn down.

They're still multiple people. They still have their own individual identities. But the link has become so great that they can read each other's thoughts whenever they want. They can share memories and skills freely between them, being both multiple and completely connected at the same time.

The Median Hivemind

Having achieved perfect connection, identity starts to erode. The median hivemind starts becoming its own collective identity.

Individuals in the median hivemind still retain agency and sense of self, but are also blending together more now and feel less like separate people.

The True Hivemind

At this point, there is no distinction between identity of the members. The hivemind is now one singlet spread across multiple bodies. A contrast and opposite to traditional plurality, which is multiple agents in one body.

...

We Can Get Weird With This...

Okay, that's a basic overview of how hiveminds work and evolve with singlets. But... what if some members of the hivemind aren't singlets?

Now things are going to get weird because hiveminds and mental links enable a lot of peculiar things that wouldn't be possible otherwise.

What if an old headmate goes dormant for years. In that time, the system becomes linked to a hivemind and specifically become either a median or true hivemind where they all identify as the same thing? What if that headmate comes back to find everyone else in the system is part of this hivemind with their identities melded into it, but the new headmate is still separate?

Or what if a multiple hivemind enabled headmates originating in the same body to front in multiple bodies at once, essentially allowing system hopping as a thing in those specific circumstances? What one of the members of an in-sys relationship used someone else's body (consensually) to be with their partner?

Or what if, for whatever reason, only one member of the system had the connection to the hivemind while the rest didn't?

Or... imagine that there are two systems with a strong mental link. They become a multiple hivemind with headmates able to speak freely to each other and even share an inner world. Then two headmates, one from each system, interact more and end up fusing. What does this mean? Which body is theirs? What happens if the link is severed?

Or in the same vein, what if a hivemind starts out as existing between 5 singlets? They become connected and end up being a multiple hivemind, and share an inner world. What if the hivemind created a tulpa together in this inner world, and none of the members are sure whose tulpa it actually counts as?

...

Anyway, if there's any takeaway from this, it should be that plurality is weird. Hiveminds are weird. And put them together and you get a weird sandwich. 😁

[macknus]

Febuwhump: Day Four

Prompt: Hivemind

Febuwhump Masterpost

Hero shouldn’t have been in HQ today. Superhero had insisted that Hero take a day off after the last fight with Other Villain, but what was the alternative? Stay at home and brood over their broken arm? Even if they managed to get sleep during the day, which they never did, they would be bored out of their mind. Better to come in and finish some lingering paperwork.

They smiled at receptionist as they took the lift up to their floor, noticing how quiet it was today. Maybe Superhero ordered everyone to stay home, even though Superhero would never take a day off.

Hero got out on their floor and walked down the empty halls towards their cubicle. Something unnerving about being in the building when it was this empty. It prickled at Hero’s senses, setting them on edge.

They heard voices coming from the meeting room. Hero stepped down the hallway and froze when they saw a familiar blond haired man standing in front of the heroes, giving a speech, a talk with a smile and nobody in the room was moving to attack or call for back up.

What… Hero blinked. But nope, Supervillain was still there! Still standing in front of Superhero and Other Hero and Strongest Hero… what the fuck was going on?

Hero ducked so nobody would see them and snuck down the hall. Thankfully they were in Board Room 1, which wasn’t soundproofed. When Hero got close enough they could hear Supervillain speaking.

“And I just want to say what a beautiful arrest on Other Villain yesterday everybody. Great work. You all deserve a clap. Just well done.”

“Well, Hero did most of the work,” Superhero fawned and were they— was Superhero blushing at Supervillain’s praise?!

“Hero huh?” Supervillain mused, tasting Hero’s name on their tongue. It sent shivers down Hero’s spine.

“Hero is a promising young Hero, Supervillain,” Strongest Hero said, and Hero would have blushed if Strongest Hero said that under different circumstances than this bizarre scenario that was playing out in front of them. “Maybe a little reckless, but definitely an asset to consider.”

Supervillain hummed. “Perhaps we should recruit them then into our ranks.”

“That would be a wonderful idea,” Superhero beamed. “They are a little too curious for their own good. Which is exactly why I kept them at home today.”

“How interesting…” Supervillain said, turning to face Hero’s hiding spot. Hero knew they wouldn’t be seen from here. No way, but it felt like Supervillain was staring straight at them.

A hand grabbed Hero by the scruff of their neck and dragged them to their feet. Hero whirled, slamming a hand out that got caught and twisted up their back. Hero cried out, throwing their head back and hitting their attacker in the nose. Once the grip loosened they turned, backing up away from—

“Sidekick?” Hero asked with a breath.

“This is Hero I presume,” Supervillain purred. Hero swallowed hard, backing up further into office, keeping all the heroes and more importantly Supervillain in their line of sight.

“What’s going on?” Hero demanded, their voice coming out stronger than they felt.

It was Superhero who answered, a little frustrated. “Hero, I told you to rest today.”

“Why are— why are you taking orders from Supervillain?” Hero asked, eyes widening as they walked into a desk and pivoted without dropping their gaze. Hero looked at their Sidekick, their heart breaking at the purple haze colouring their eyes; colouring all the heroes eyes the same purple as Supervillain…

Hero glared at Supervillain. “What did you do to them?!” They demanded, thankful that the office was an open circle. Though the heroes and Supervillain blocked their way to the lift in front, Hero could still run into the hallway and go for the lift that way and pray.

Their mouth was as dry as a desert.

“They’re not in pain, Hero,” Supervillain said diplomatically. “They’re happy. They still have their own thoughts—”

Hero stared. “You… you’re controlling them? Controlling the heroes? Why?”

Supervillain sighed. “Why?!” Hero pressed. It didn’t make sense. “Why would you have them order raids against villains… other villain?”

A muscle in Supervillain’s jaw feathered at the mention of Other Villain. “Well, if you must know Hero, Other Villain wasn’t willing to fall into line. I run this city. I have rules, and they decided to break those rules. So I had my hero friends arrest them. Which I hear is all thanks to you.”

Hero’s frown deepened.

“Hero,” Superhero said softly and it broke something in them. They were Superhero… they were still Superhero but… but not. Wrong. A pale imitation.

How hadn’t Hero seen it before? Noticed it.

“You’re not in a position to fight all of us,” Superhero said in that same soothing soft way of theirs. “Just come sit with us. Have some tea. We can talk this over.”

Hero shot a glare at Supervillain. “Is that how you do it? Do you spike their tea?”

Supervillain chuckled. “No, no. Hero, think of it more like a colony of ants. Or bees. And I am the Queen Bee, and all my worker bees listen to my commands so the hive can thrive.”

Hero stared and stared and stared. They stiffened their upper lip as they came to the hallway that would bring them to the lift. They met Superhero’s gaze, then Sidekick’s who was closing in. “I will save you from this.”

“Save them from—” but Hero took off before they could hear the rest of Supervillain’s poisoned words. They heard a sigh behind them. Then a tired, almost bored: “get them.”

Hero sprinted towards the lift, pumping their unbroken arm and legs, adrenaline pounding through their veins and spurring them on faster. They got to the lift and slammed a hand on the button before someone grabbed them by their arm splint and yanked them back.

Hero cried out as they fell back tumbling. A fire sparked in their arm as they roll back. Another hand was on them as Hero threw a fist out blindly, but a hand was in their hair and dragging them back as Hero struggled and screamed.

“Stop fighting, Hero. Supervillain just wants to improve the city,” Superhero cooed beside them as one of Hero’s colleagues dragged them back. Back towards Supervillain. Hero panicked, reaching for their power. They felt it surge within them, a light that got bright, bright, brighter and then—

Flung their hand behind them at the hero dragging them when they felt warm power dampeners snap onto their wrist. The light sputtered.

“No! NO!” Hero choked out as Superhero snapped on the second power dampener on the same wrist. “Superhero, please! Please! If you’re still in there, don’t let Supervillain do this please!”

“They can’t disobey, Hero,” Supervillain said blandly. “And either will you once I get my hands on you.”

“Superhero, please! PLEASE!” Hero begged as they were dragged into the centre of the hub. The lift dinged as if to mock Hero’s almost escape. Impossible escape.

Hero felt tears bubble and flow freely from their eyes. They didn’t want to be a zombie. They didn’t want to obey Supervillain. But looking at all those familiar faces, Other Hero, Superhero, Sidekick… hope turned to ash in their gut.

“It will be fine once you submit, Hero,” Superhero said, wiping away Hero’s tears with their thumb.

“Submit my ass.”

The entire room froze. Hero knew that voice. Before they could look to see who it was Supervillain let out an enraged shout and then there was an ear-shattering thrum of noise that shattered the glass dividers on the entire floor. The person holding Hero dropped them and someone was shouting but Hero couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in their ears.

Then black eyes were on them.

Black, not purple.

Hero blinked.

Villain. What was Villain—

But before Hero could finish the thought they were yanked up to their feet and then over Villain’s shoulder as they ran for the lift. The doors stayed open and Villain smashed the close doors button. Hero glanced up to see Supervillain running for the lift, his face the picture of fury as the glass doors slid shut and the lift started going down to the ground floor.

Villain set Hero down, an apologetic smile on their lips. Hero’s legs would have went from under them if they weren’t leaning against the wall. They could feel the vibrations of the lift as they went down, down, down. Away from Supervillain and his pack of yes-men zombies.

Villain clicked his fingers at Hero’s ears a couple times before Hero could focus on the sound. They raised their good hand and nodded. “I can hear you,” they said, but everything sounded underwater still. Even their own voice.

“Is your arm okay?” Villain asked, murky, but Hero could just about make the words out.

“Yeah… yeah… I mean, one of them grabbed me and I went down, but that was before you, so…”

Villain nodded. “Right. So you know Supervillain’s—”

“Controlling all of the strongest heroes in the city?” Hero snapped. “Yeah. Yeah I do.”

A moment passed between them. Then Villain said, “I’ve been trying to stop them, but they got to Superhero first, Hero. I— then he made me a villain to make me seem untrustworthy but I am trying to save this city.”

Hero blinked. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

Villain barked out a laugh, running his hands through his hair. “Would you have believed me if I had?”

Hero went silent. No. They wouldn’t have believed them. Not for a second. But that— Hero’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

“Did you follow me?” Villain’s cheeks went pink. Hero’s eyes widened.

“Yes, okay? Yes! I was going to tell you on your day off, but then you came here so… I decided to tail you. It took me a while to get in, but I knew Supervillain would be here today so I—”

Hero shoved Villain against the wall, good hand curling into Villain’s shirt. “So you let me get caught?! Let them attack me!”

“I needed someone to believe me, Hero!” Villain’s snapped, desperation colouring his features. “If you didn’t see it for yourself you would have told me I was crazy and I— I can’t stop them by myself!”

Hero stared and stared and stared.

But Villain was right. If Hero never saw them… their purple hazed over eyes they would have never believed Villain.

They let go of him and stepped back, running a hand down their face. “Fuck… what a mess.”

“Yeah,” Villain echoed as they stepped out of the lift and into the Hero HQ. “But… lucky for you I have a couple ideas of how to take Supervillain down.”

[lucyjung]

can I give fp white a hug?

sure.

[nyoomfruits]

ELLIEEEE! 🧡 8 & A for the drabble please 🥰

omegaverse au + “what do you mean it was an accident? how can that be an accident!”

“What do you mean it was an accident?” George’s voice howls down the line. Lando winces, holds the phone away from his face. “How can that be an accident!”

“I don’t know, it just fucking happened, didn’t it?” Lando mutters, wedging the phone between his ear and his shoulder again. “It’s not like I was planning on mating my fucking teammate.” He glances over to the kitchen, where said teammate is puttering around, making breakfast.

Oscar’s been weird, ever since Lando’s heat had subsided. He’s clearly blaming himself for what happened, angry and frustrated, but not at Lando, never at Lando. He has been nothing but the perfect Alpha to him, gently nudging Lando to take a shower and changing the sheets on his bed while he was gone, putting him on the couch wrapped in a blanket with a bottle of water after. And now he’s in the kitchen, making Lando breakfast. To provide. For his Omega.

And fuck. He’s Oscar’s omega. They are in so much shit.

“-bite guard?” George says, when Lando tunes back in.

“Slipped out,” Lando says. At the silence Lando shakes his head. “George, no, you know him, he wouldn’t. You should’ve seen his face, when he realized. Fucking mortified.”

George hisses at that. “Shit, do you think he would-“

“No,” Lando says. “No, he wouldn’t break the bond, he knows what would happen to me if-“ He swallows. “He’s not a bad guy, George. He’s making me pancakes.”

“Yeah,” George says. “But forever, mate. That’s a long time.”

Lando glances up. In the kitchen, Oscar is plating the pancakes. When he feels Lando watching Oscar looks up, smiles. It’s a brittle one, weighed down by the consequences of their actions. But. But maybe. He’s seen the way Oscar looks at him sometimes. The way he’d take an extra deep breath whenever Lando was near, like his scent was comforting.

The way he came, immediately and without question, when Lando called him in the middle of stress induced heat.

There’s many things they still need to work out. They’ll need to tell their parents, for starters. The team. Their friends. They’ll have to face the media, face the scrutiny from the world.

But, Lando thinks, they’ll do it together. And as Oscar places a plate of pancakes in front of him, thick fluffy ones topped with Nutella, just the way Lando likes them, he thinks. Maybe.

Maybe they’ll be okay.

[transhuman-priestess]

idk for a terrifying all-consuming monstrosity, the writers of star trek really went all out on making the borg sound warm and inviting to a bunch of weird autistic trans girls

[finding-pieces]

Hidden stories about finding pieces. There's White also exist in this AU.

We are not dead, just busy days 🫠

[girl4music]

Hive Minds creep the fuck out of me. As somebody that values their autonomy and individuality, that level of “connection” to others is just too frightening for me.

No wonder Catra betrayed Horde Prime and saved Glimmer. She took one look at that “community” and metaphorically shit herself. As anyone would or should.

HORDE PRIME: “Little Sister.”

*visibly shivers*

That was not going to be her future. Subjugation was never on Catra’s bucket list. It’s why she kept running off on her own to try to “defeat” Adora. It was purpose. Trying to convince herself of her own self-worth - even in the eyes of her friend-turned-enemy. Horde Prime really frightens Catra because he wants nothing from her but total allegiance and domination via Hive Mind.

They found the one thing that would scare her so thoroughly that she would drop the act of being the villain and fight for what’s right,… for who she loves.

[somnefarious]

It's ironic that having a slight resistance to their honey only makes you that much more desirable to the Hive.

(I had actually sketched this out around the same time as the original drawing, just took me a bit to polish it up)

[caprin-fishie]

Gumbi The Slime Hive Mind

Meets the slimes from Slime Rancher ✨