#im tagging you butterfly because i'm curious what you think

[obscure-nonhumancultureis]

hi hi hi hello :3

I'm Maxen :3 Im a butterfly alterhuman and I do NOT see enough obscure alterhuman posts...so here we are :3

I use he/they/it pronouns!! I am a part of @thehaunteddollhouse-sys if you wanna casually talk to me you should go there instead

This blog is for alterhumans / nonhumans, which include really anything under the umbrella!! Therians, otherkin, uhh other terms I definitely know (I am willing to learn), this could also work for pet regressors if you regress into an obscure pet (I think that's how it works, if not just tell me and I'll fix it) and any systems as well :3 Questioning and curious humans welcome too, if you need advice :3

I do NOT want any discourse on this blog. the only dni/s are: homophonic, transphobic, nsfw, anti-alterhuman (which includes anti-therian and anti-otherkin). others will be added as time goes on (and i remember them)

I really hope this blog goes well because I just want to connect with people like me :3

I am autistic and I have a hard time knowing if what i have posted is wrong/right (and i have a hard time without tone tags so if you post sarcasm without /sarc i will take it as genuine), i also have a really bad memory :(

[joannalannister]

Bright and many-colored are the webs the dream-spiders weave.

I finished “The Tower of Ashes” and, let me tell you, if you love the psychedelic horror aspects of ASOIAF, this one’s for you. 

This story... I can’t tell you if I love “Tower of Ashes” or if I hate it. This story fucked me up, in a weird way, and I’m not sure I like it. I think it’s a Beauty and the Beast story... Or Phantom of the Opera... idk. It’s horror, I know that much.

Spoilers below. Srsly, spoilers.

Someone please read this and tell me if my theory is crazy. Please. It’s like I’ve just theorized that Aegon VI is a fake in ADWD, and I have no one to turn to. Please talk to me.

First, a point of clarification. In my previous post on “Tower of Ashes” I said the narrator was a dealer of dreams, but in truth he only supplies raw materials to the actual dealers. His name is John, evoking the idea of a John Doe figure. He’s such a vague character that I’m not entirely sure who he is ... or what. 

I first started questioning what was going on right at the beginning, when the narrator introduces his pet, named Squirrel. Squirrel’s a cat. “With ears like a fox.” Allegedly Squirrel’s a cat, if you believe the narrator. I don’t. 

Squirrel’s described as much smaller than a normal cat. (btw, an average dream-spider is “the size of a big man’s fist”.) And at the end:

Sometimes when Squirrel comes behind me up the stairs, scraping the sooty bricks with his eight white legs, the wrongness of it all hits me, and I know I’ve dwelt with dreams too long. Yet the dreams are often better than the waking, the stories so much finer than the lives. 

This is one of two things: 

John’s too addicted to the dream drug and he can’t ~wake~ to reality properly anymore.

Squirrel’s a spider. Did I mention the dream-spiders are deadly predators that live in pairs?

Anyways, GRRM immediately introduces this dissonance, this idea that things aren’t as they first seem.

John lives alone on the mainland, where no other human lives. There’s this sense that he’s trapped there, in a prison of his own making. “The mainland’s no use to anyone, except the spider-men.” Spider-men here refers to the drug dealers / dream dealers, but ... what if it means something more? The people in the story repeatedly ask whether there’s sentient life on the mainland. 

There’s some language and sentence structure and words that just -- they don’t jive with the narrator as human, as if the fantasy he’s spinning for himself has slipped away momentarily, letting us see through the glamour:

I was down … 

… and sinking.

It’s this WTF moment that you just slide by on first read. But coming back to it a second time ... knowing the dream-spiders are up there in the canopy, and they sink down to hunt, scuttling along the ground... It’s creepy, my friends. 

John eschews the laser guns, preferring to hunt with a bow and arrow, and a knife, weapons strangely akin to the spider venom and barbs. 

I had, all unthinking, built myself another fantasy.

“I’d spun a pretty web, bright and alluring as the trap of any dream-spider”

“I lived from twilight to dawn, as the dream-spiders do.”

I know all this is metaphor. I know. But.

I know this sounds like crazy reddit tinfoil crack. But 

I think John is a spider. 

Yeah, I said it. I think this guy’s a giant fucking spider. 

Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the story is better if he’s a spider. I promise it jives with the themes and all that good stuff. Just hear me out. 

IF John is a spider ... he’s the Beast. 

“I wanted Crys to be happy, simply, and she could not be happy with me” 

The love interest, Crystal, doesn’t have much to her character, but I think that’s the point. She’s a crystal, a bright beautiful rainbow of longing for John. She’s his fantasy. (Fantasy helps us “find the colors again”.) The nickname John gives her (“Crys”) made me think of Christine, from Phantom. 

He takes Crystal (and us) to this land of enchantment, a fairyland of bluemoss that glows in the darkness, before Gerry (a Gaston figure if ever I saw one) ruins it all. Gerry wants to kill the Beast(s), you see; he wants to spray the continent with napalm and eradicate all the spiders and the bluemoss and everything else wondrous and beautiful. 

Maybe Crystal is supposed to be Belle / Beauty, but I don’t think so. I don’t think Crystal even exists as anything more than a story John told himself, to soften the darkness and make his loneliness a little more bearable. 

I think the readers are meant to be Beauty. We’re the ones who see the humanity in Spider!John and feel his longing and realize he isn’t different from us at all. In fact, he’s so much like us that we couldn’t even see through his glamour in the beginning. We’re the ones who stay with him, long after Crystal has vanished. (Or he stays with us, lingering in our nightmares.) 

Come on, my friends, we’ve built more from a rusty piece of metal washing up on the banks of the Trident. Surely it’s not absurd to think that John is secretly a giant spider, dreaming of his life as a human and of winning back his lady love?

ANYWAYS GRRM’s definitely playing with the idea of fantasy as something “more real than real” here. It leads to questions about the nature of reality, viewed through a highly unreliable narrator. It’s also a story about storytelling, as so many of GRRM’s stories are. (Remember the Frog Prince in ADWD? Remember all those allusions to other fantasy stories in ASOIAF? GRRM loves to talk about stories.)

“I wanted to think myself a hero”

I hear echoes of Tyrion in these lines.

John (surely a spider? one of the most evil creatures in all of fantasy) wanted to play the hero. He wanted to love, and be loved. He wanted those simple human things, like Tyrion’s dreams of a snug cottage by the sea with Tysha.

John can’t play the hero. As Crystal makes clear, he has no choice, he doesn’t get to go out in a blaze of glory. Instead he lingers, grotesquely, long after his story, this fantasy he built for himself, has run out. 

have you ever known anybody to die at the right time? No, don’t happen that way. Some guys fall over before their lives have properly gotten started, some right in the middle of the best part. Others kinda linger on after everything is really over.

But even spiders feel loneliness. Even spiders can sit on the roof, under the stars and look out across the water at the city lights and wonder about the stories over there:

Each night I return from the cool forests, my arrows black with the caked blood of the dream-spiders and my bag heavy with their poison sacs, and I set aside my bow and wash my hands and then climb up to the roof to spend the last few hours before dawn. Across the narrow salt channel, the lights of Port Jamison burn on the island [...]. The square black buildings wear a bright romantic glow at night; the lights, all smoky orange and muted blue, speak of mystery and silent song and more than a little loneliness

Even spiders can dream.

...SO...

GRRM MADE ME FEEL EMPATHY FOR A GIANT SENTIENT SPIDER

FUCK YOU GEORGE

//SHRIEKS IN HORROR//

[h0neyjaehyun]

☁︎ 𝐓𝐰𝐢𝐧 ☁︎

Summary // Tali gets an unexpected visitor and Chenle decides to tag along.

Characters // Talia Flores + Zhong Chenle +Miguel (ft. Nct Dream)

Era / Year // March 2018

Word Count //

"NOONA!"

"Yeah!"

"Someones here for you."

Tali's head perked up thinking of who it could be. All she know right now its 10am, Jaemin, Jeno, are out biking, Renjun and Jisung went to get groceries and Chenle just came. Then Straykids are too intimidated by the dreamies to come to visit her. She went out and saw someone who she hasnt seen since maybe the beginning of 2017.

"MIGUEL" She jumped up on him for a hug and he hugged her back he grunted for a second. Chenle was surprised at her action while her brother was expecting it. Even though they bicker a lot they miss each other.

"Hey Butterfly." He hugged her back. Chenle was now taken aback who he is, and also why everyone close to her that are not nct or who they know personally call her Butterfly, what does it mean??

"Chenle."

He hummed, as now he was focused on Tali.

"Chenle, this is my brother Miguel, and Miguel this is Chenle, he is Chinese and a 01 liner." Miguel made an :0 face and shook Chenle's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Tali has talked a lot about your group."

"Really? Tali doesn't mention you much at all."

"Yeah, I asked her not to, I find it weird thats all, I wanna know you guys personally and see who my sister is around you know?"

"Yeah, here let me show you around."

Chenle was nervous, he didn't show it, but he was. Miguel was a tall man, who was quite intimidating, plus he has his only sister around 18 guys (at the time), he is bound to worry no?

Tali looked at them with a smile, she didn't know her brother would come today, good thing she clean before he came. Now at the moment she is wondering when the boys are gonna come, and if they were what most likely gonna happen is chaos.

Jaemin would yell for Jisung and flop on the couch sweaty from being dragged to bike around. Jeno would probably take off his shirt. Then Jisung would come whining about not getting his favourite snack while Renjun is just done. She thought about all of that in that moment and she said....nah, they need to prepare I can't scar them like that.

"Hey guys, lets go get coffee, I haven't been out for a bit." Miguel raised an eyebrow.

"When was the last time you went out anyway?" He questioned her knowing damn well she probably hasn't left the building in a good week or 2.

"Ha, funny Im gonna go get ready." She ran away not wanting to get questioned. He shook his head and faced Chenle, he seemed nervous which he understood but wanted him to be comfortable so he can get close, and also to make him snitch on Tali for not taking care for herself.

"You don't need to be nervous, yeah I can tell you are." Chenle chuckled and nodded his head.

"Yeah I'm nervous, Im hoping to get a good impression on my friends brother and I can tell you this much, we love her we really do...but she's-

"distant, yeah I know, she knows too, she is just scared thats all." He clairfied.

"She is trying though, thats what counts." He seems to reassure Chenle and also him, that she will be able to get though it.

"Im ready~" She came out, and smiled at them. The two boys turned to her and gave her a smile right back.

"Alright Tali~, where to now? The coffee shop?" Chenle asked, Tali nodded her head, you can see the excitement running though her as she skips down the block. Chenle is a little behind her making sure she doesn't bump into someone or anything. Then Miguel is alittle more behind them, mostly observe Chenle and his relationship with Tali, thats what he mainly came for, to see dream but of course to his luck, they are "busy".

Tali described Chenle as confidence and a sweet boy, who is down to earth and energetic. He can see that, and he can also see the love Chenle has for his sister, he doubted them he wasn't gonna lie, he was scared for her not wanting her to go through more trauma then they already have. But the way Chenle looks at his sister is something else, like he would do anything for her, he can tell not in a crush way more of a older precious sister.

They arrived at the shop, they ordered and Tali was about to pay, then Miguel smacked her hand away about to give the cashier his card but then Tali pushed him, then Tali got holden back by Chenle and payed for the coffee.

Chenle shook his head at them. She got up and grab their coffee and then stuck her tongue out at Miguel and Miguel just glared at her since they are in a public space he decided not to "fight" here. She just looked him are you kidding me face. Honestly thats the first time Chenle has seen Tali somewhat hostile, but yet playful side.

They went to the park and walked around a bit while the two boys talked amongs themselves to get to know each other Tali was abit more ahead of them.

"So you are a singer correct?"

"Yeah Im a singer, I heard you were a model?"

"Yup, so what do you guys usually have days off, I was planning on a surprise visit but obviously no one was really there." Miguel said in a obvious tone.

"Yeah they are all doing their own things right now, let me check when we are available...NOONA!"

Tali turned.

"Yeah?"

"You off Wednesday?"

"Let me check.....yeah."

Chenle turned back to Miguel.

"Yeah we are available Wednesday. "

Miguel laughed, he started to like Chenle, now all he is wondering if the other guys are good, cause he knows there are like more then 7 guys at that worries him abit how overwhelmed she might feel. They noticed Tali on the phone and decided to sit on the bench while she was on the phone so they won't lose her.

"Yeah I'm out with Chenle...around 2 I guess...yeah see you." Tali walked back to the two.

"Who was it?"

"It was Mark, he was asking for the lyrics but I said I wasn't home so he will get them later."

"Whens later?"

"2."

"Ah, good cause I have a photoshoot to go to at 2 which is 30 minutes it takes..15 minutes to get there.....so-"

"You gotta go???"

"..yeah"

She sadly smiled at him.

"Bye bye." And she gave him a big hug.

"Bye bye my butterfly." He kissed her head and waved by to Chenle. Then the two started to head back home.

"So that was your brother?"

"Yup."

"He tall."

"I know."

"And intimidating."

"Yeah.....I wonder if the boys are home."

"WE ARE HER-"

What they see is what exactly Tali predicted, Jaemin was sweating on the couch but this time shirtless, Jeno was shirtless, Jisung was on the couch playing games and whining about not getting his favorite snack while Renjun was in his room.

Jeno first noticed them home and went to give a hug to Tali but Tali dogged and ran, while Jeno was after her. Chenle just looked at the chaos and shook his head. Jeno finally caught her while Tali was whinning about him being sweaty, and him laughing at her.

"So where did you guys go?"

"Coffee shop."

"Why?"

"Because we had an unexpected visitor~" Tali sang while she escaped Jenos grasp and sat next to Jisung that now was cuddling up to her. Jaemin raised an eyebrow.

"Who is the visitor?" Expecting it to be one of the straykids members.

"...."

"Tali.." Jeno warned her, they love Tali but they were still protective over her.

"My brother..." she whispered but they all heard her.

".....WHAT" They all said in disbelief. Then Renjun came out of his room.

"Whats with all the noise?"

"TALIS BROTHER CAME OVER."

"WHAT!"

"Yeah, he came over unexpectedly." She nodded her head slowly while make a :[ face.

"Yeah I met him." Chenle commented, then the 4 boys looked over at him with wide eyes.

"YOU WHAT?"

"Did you say anything stupid about us?!" Jisung asked worried.

"Nooo, listen I may make fun of us, but I'm trying to gain trust of Noona's brother okay? He's tall and intimidating." Chenle said while making his eyes big while saying tall and intimidating.

"Noona?"

"Hmm?"

She turned to a curious Jisung.

"How old is he?"

"Ohhh yeah how old is he, like is he older than you or younger??" Renjun continued.

"Uh, he is younger than me-"

"Oh so we are older?"

"No not exactly.."

"So is he adopted?"

"Nope, he is my twin he is just like 12 minutes younger than me..."

There was silence

"HE IS YOUR TWIN??"

"Yeah...."

"By the way."

Everyone looked at Chenle.

"He is coming over Wednesday..."

"Chenle...."

"Yeah?"

"Thats tomorrow..."

"I know.."

".....fuck"