#mackerel for sale

[tasmanstar]

Common Mistakes When Buying Mackeral and How to Avoid Them

Mackerel is a popular seafood choice, appreciated for its rich flavour and high nutritional value. Whether you’re a seasoned seafood enthusiast or a first-time buyer, selecting quality mackerel can be challenging without the right knowledge. Here are some common mistakes people make when purchasing mackerel and practical tips to help you avoid them.

Mistake 1: Overlooking Freshness

Freshness is the cornerstone of good seafood, and mackerel is no exception. One of the most frequent errors is purchasing fish that isn’t fresh, which can compromise its flavour and texture. Signs of freshness in mackerel include bright eyes, firm flesh, and a clean, ocean-like scent. Avoid fish with dull, cloudy eyes, or an overly fishy smell, as these are indicators of poor quality.

If you’re looking for high-quality mackerel for sale, Tasman Star Seafood Market offers fresh options that meet the highest standards.

Mistake 2: Not Knowing the Source

The origin of seafood plays a vital role in its taste and sustainability. Many buyers fail to inquire about the source, ending up with mackerel that might not align with their quality expectations. Always choose a trusted supplier that prioritises responsible fishing practices. Understanding where the fish comes from ensures that you’re buying a product that is both fresh and environmentally conscious.

Mistake 3: Ignoring Proper Storage and Handling

Improper storage can ruin even the freshest fish. A common oversight is purchasing mackerel that hasn’t been stored correctly. Fresh mackeral should always be kept on ice or at a consistently low temperature to maintain its quality. When buying, check if the fish has been stored in appropriate conditions, and transport it home in a cooler bag to keep it cold.

Mistake 4: Buying the Wrong Size or Cut

Choosing the wrong size or cut of mackerel can impact the outcome of your dish. Larger fish are ideal for grilling, while smaller ones work well for smoking or frying. Many buyers neglect to consider their cooking method when selecting mackerel. Discuss your requirements with the supplier to ensure you pick the right size for your recipe.

Mistake 5: Overlooking Seasonal Availability

Another common mistake is purchasing mackerel without considering its seasonal availability. Mackerel is best bought during its peak season when it’s at its freshest and most flavourful. Outside this period, the quality might not be as high, and prices can increase due to limited supply. Being aware of the seasonal nature of seafood ensures that you get the best product at the best price. If you’re unsure when mackerel is in season, consult your fishmonger or trusted supplier.

Final Thoughts

Once you’ve mastered the art of selecting quality mackerel or lobster tail raw, experimenting with recipes can add variety to your meals. From grilled mackerel with lemon and herbs to smoked mackerel pâté, the possibilities are endless. This versatile fish can be incorporated into salads, tacos, or even a hearty seafood stew, making it a favourite for home cooks and chefs alike. Buying mackerel doesn’t have to be complicated. Paying attention to freshness, sourcing, storage, and the right cut can significantly enhance your seafood experience. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to preparing delicious meals with mackerel as the centrepiece. Trust reliable suppliers for quality seafood and enjoy the difference fresh, well-handled fish makes to your cooking.

[wishiwasamallard]

Hello all!

This is some of my art that is for sale! Most of it is stickers, a few bookmarks and a painting. I have some more WIP waiting to be printed and some ideas waiting to be started 😅

All pieces are available on my Etsy but if you’d like to cut out the middleman feel free to DM me and we’ll see what we can do!

Thanks for taking a look guys 🦆🦆🦆

[earthlingartwork]

Holy Mackerel

[lorei-writes]

Book Club: The King's Secret (2022 Election Winner Story Sale)

Character: Chevalier Type: Story Sale; fully voiced Cost: 2200 diamonds Worth it? Absolutely. I would buy it again -- if Cybird ever brings it back, I'd recommend it to every Chev lover.

The story starts with a simple statement from Emma: Chevalier, the wise and capable ruler, has brought many a wish to fruition. However, he himself holds hardly any personal desires, which obviously bothers her. That becomes the topic of the story, as Emma is insistent on Chevalier being greedier and more indulgent. In her mind, it's an intolerable situation.

Scene #1: Library

Emma and Chevalier enjoy their time after work in the library. As per usual, he's able to tell exactly what she thinks... and Chevalier's not impressed.

I suppose that anything sounds pleasant in his voice, even being called a fool... Especially when you're sitting in his lap, as that's where Emma is.

In short, Chevalier tells her to spit her exact thoughts out -- he's going to find out what she thinks regardless (she's that easy to read) and holding onto a secret only increases the amount of time she will have wasted.

Emma cannot disagree (and I can't either; I mean, look at him. He got GENIUS written in his stats. You could show him a dried mackerel and somehow he'd figure out the precise make-up of your gut biome), so she finally says it: she knows that his greatest wish is to have her by his side, but it's starting to feel like her presence has become completely ordinary.

... You don't know what's wrong with that? No worries. Your boy Chev has got your back:

He later goes on to explain her thoughts: so you must feel like I'm devoted to my duties and get nothing in return.

At this point, Emma falls deep in thought. She considers the possibility of it all being for her sake rather than for him, or of it being just a silly worry... Which results in a forehead poke.

Chevalier decides to humour Emma and make a wish. He wants her to go into the town the following day. No further instructions. When she asks for clarifications, he even says that he wants her to go about it as she'd normally would.

Emma (perplexed) takes on the mission! After all, there MUST be some hidden reason behind it.

... And he might have had another wish also.

(Yes. There are kissing sounds.)

When Chevalier says that being kissed by her is more than enough, Emma revokes it by telling him he's not as greedy as he should be. According to Chevalier, she can only think so because she hasn't noticed the truth yet -- he's become more interested in fulfilling his own desires than he's ever been before. She considers his words carefully, but comes to no conclusion.

Which, if you really think about it, is rather sad. Yes, kissing your lover can be the full extent of your desires at a given moment, but should it replace the entire future full of them? I think this line hits all the harder once we learn why he requested Emma goes to the town. Thought: The "beast" in Chevalier lay not in the fact that he was (and is) capable of cruelty, but in the severed connection between his logical and emotional self, which additionally resulted in erasure of any personal desires. To be a human is to feel and to want. At the same time, it's only an apparent state; as we learn in Chapter 25 of Chevalier's route, Dramatic End, he's been simply unaware of his longing for love. (The true reason behind his collection of romance novels.)

Scene #2: Town

The next day Emma heads into the town, as requested. She meets various princes there:

Jin -- surrounded by breasts (and women. But mostly breasts),

Clavis -- surrounded by nobody, as people fled and shrieked (? Somebody send a pigeon to the Domestic Affairs Faction, this looks like a serious disruption to peace),

Licht & Yves -- while working (unspecified? Can't you apprehend Clavis before he blows something up?),

Leon -- just chatting joyfully (better than standing broodingly in the rain, I suppose?),

Sariel -- waiting for his glasses to be adjusted (? Why? Smells of bullshit, but -- spoiler alert -- we shall never find out hi true reasons).

She just has a good time doing familiar things. All fine and dandy.

Scene #3: Palace

It's late afternoon. The sun has already begun to set. Upon returning, Emma finds a letter in her room (in Chevalier's handwriting), telling her to go to the throne room. The idea of it makes her a little nervous. It has something to do with the general aura of the place.

Chevalier sits on the throne, chin propped on his hand. They're alone together in the grand, imposing room. The audiences must be over for the day... And even though she's his lover, Emma moves to kneel in front of the throne. Chevalier stops her and urges her to deliver her report.

Emma starts recounting the events of the day, gazing up at him from the bottom of the stairs. Chevalier listens intently the entire time. As times goes on, she starts to question whether she hasn't been supposed to do something while there (and has simply failed to realise as much).

Chevalier has his own charming way of calming that anxiety down. What a silver tongue, truly. With a sighs, he beckons her to come closer and pulls her into his lap.

Emma protests against the idea. It's the THRONE!

Well, to Chevalier it's a CHAIR.

I'm glad we're in agreement, because he does have a point.

Chevalier cups Emma's face to force him to look into his eyes. To focus on him and him only.

... And to forget about Clavis. Clavis in particular. Talking about his other brothers is fine. (A no-Clavis zone? ... A little jealous, perchance?)

Emma delivers her report. Chevalier claims it's more valuable than what he envisioned. She doesn't necessarily understand it, but he does seem to be genuinely content and satisfied. (He's smiling!)

That makes things click for her.

This line is sweet in the moment, as it displays the deep consideration Chevalier holds for Emma and her experiences... But when viewing it in the broader context of his events, it again becomes rather sad. He's surprised when somebody expresses concern over him being poisoned and wants to take care of him (Beadside Care for a Beast Collection Event). He expects children to cry at his sigh (Because of You Story Event). The only person who celebrated Christmas with him is Clavis (Memories of Christmas Story Event). He wants to be dotting, but it doesn't come to him naturally (His Ambition Come True Story Event). His mother feared him and resorted to physical harm (throwing items at him) to get him to go away (Dreams of a Beast Story Event; in the same story event it's revealed that, as a child, he would sometimes go to the abandoned part of the palace gardens and would consider it a suitable cage for a beast such as himself). Thought: Chevalier had everything, aside from what he needed most. Thought #2: No wonder he's permanently awkward and clumsy in terms of affection. No wonder he's a little rough -- but I don't believe it's roughness for the sake of being violent or otherwise primal. It speaks to me as being simply unacquainted with any form of gentleness. Tought #3: Chevalier is so far removed from the peaceful, mundane life that it's little different from fiction. It's not something that he can generally -- or could -- experience on his own. That is what love brings into his life. That is what he treasures so much.

He later goes to say that her stories hold even more value than books, as she's a part of them and he's intensely interested in her outlook on the world. Emma realises he's been enjoying her stories all along and feels moved by it. She can now see his desires clearly.

Emma kisses Chevalier, but rather than deepen the kiss, he bites her lower lip and grins at her.

(NOT NOW.)

Emma gets a little embarrassed... Especially when she realises that portraits (note to self: there are portraits there) of the former kings are staring at them.

Thought: So... Chevalier's father... His portrait is also there? And he was watching them...? Goodness. Imagine getting naughty on the throne and seeing your deceased father-in-law is staring at you. YIKES.

Good old times! To the bedroom!

(In truth, Emma complains and he carries her bridal style.)

Scene #4: Bedroom

They make love to each other as soon as they get there, but the focus lies elsewhere: Emma accepts Chevalier's mundane wish and expresses the desire to continue on fulfilling it.

Additionally:

Chevalier is so gentle with her. He brushes her hair back. He kisses her forehead.

Chevalier snort-laughs.

He suggests that there are other things he wants also, but he'd rather wait to see whether she can figure it out on her own than tell her.

The story continues after Emma falls asleep.

To him, there has never been anything more valuable than her love. Apparently, Chevalier has been telling Emma how he feels about her when she's asleep -- it's his secret and he has no intention of revealing it.

He wants her to stay with him. Just that.

[uovoc]

2024 Fish in review

Grass carp - mushy and tastes like dirt

Rockfish - excellent texture and mild flavor. Favorite so far.

Tilapia -mushy with nothing to add in terms of flavor

Pompano - Firm, keeps its shape, and conducive to pan frying. Generous fat deposits that render nicely into a tasty layer of grease. What tilapia wishes it could be.

Flounder - tilapia again.

Bighead carp - "Maybe not all carp are bad," I thought. Maybe not all carp are bad, but at least two kinds of carp are bad, and I have no desire to try a third.

Sardine - I wouldn't mind the strong fishy taste if it wasn't for the subpar texture and aggravating bones. Composted the rest.

Salmon - I respect it as the PNW's flagship fish but fresh salmon is just ok.

Rainbow trout - I ate too many trout in 2022 and am now in trout recovery, indefinitely.

Shad - see carp, with added aggravating bones.

Branzino - decent. Mild.

Halibut - mild with a meaty texture. Not worth the price, though.

Striped bass - similar to halibut, but cheaper. Pretty good.

Ocean perch - like rockfish. Good.

Turbot - the classic fishstick fish, but I think the one I bought wasn't very fresh. Which is probably why it was on sale

Beltfish - very good when I had it at a Korean restaurant. I've also had mediocre beltfish at a potluck. I'm willing to give DIY beltfish a shot in 2025.

Mackerel - Greasy and meaty in all the right ways. Grilled and deep fried were both great. Pan cooked was meh.

[lilac-5ky]

Roommates from Hell, pt.8 (Toji x Fem!Reader)

Chapter 8: Nine to Five

Chapter 7 | Story Masterlist | Masterlist | Requests | AO3

A/N: Don't come at me for the ending :)

Warning: fem. masturbation, sex toys, and mentions of explicit sexual content, MDNI!

“Again, thanks for everything, Shiu. Can’t even imagine what we would’ve done without you. No money, no car—”

“Don’t worry about it.” A loud chortle rumbled against the man’s chest as heavy smoke wafted from the cigarette dangling between his teeth. “Wouldn’t pass up the chance to see this failed Casanova humiliate himself for the world.”

Your exchange was cut short as Toji forced his way into the apartment, mumbling curses under his breath. You hadn’t made sense of a word he’d said since he gave into your pleas for calling for help (No way in hell we are hijacking a car, Toji!), refusing to acknowledge his friend’s kindness in the same hopeless way he refused to acknowledge their friendship.

You wondered what it was like between them when you weren’t around to calm the spirits. Neither screamed “chatty” exactly, and pulling words out of their mouths was slightly less excruciating than plucking out a wisdom tooth with pliers. Aside from work, they seemed to have little in common. Shiu’s pride and joy was his extensive collection of tropical fish, while Toji only knew the grilled mackerel you served with his rice every morning.

“You should stop by for dinner sometime. I’m sure Toji would—”

“He wouldn’t.” A gruff voice rang from a distance that defied an ordinary human’s hearing range.

You experienced all the embarrassment that came with excusing a difficult child’s behavior. But Shiu was understanding. After all, he and Toji went back even longer than you did.

“Make sure that idiot’s ready at 8. And tell him this is borrowed, not kept.” You received the garment bag from his hands and gently folded it over your arm. “Pulled enough strings to land him that job. He screws up; he’s on his own.”

You nodded, your curiosity beating him to the elevator. “What kind of job is it?”

“Zen’in didn’t tell you?” Shiu shook his head in amusement. “‘course he didn’t.” He flicked the cigarette butt and stubbed it with his sole, therefore mocking the no smoking sign on the concrete wall behind him.

“Look, don’t want any part in your sappy love story, but cut him some slack. That prideful bastard wouldn’t bow that stubborn head of his ‘less it was chopped off its place—you know how he is—yet he practically begged me to find his ass something respectful.”

Begged…?

“Point is, you don’t get into those companies without a bunch of glorified parchment, and a hit list doesn’t count as CV. He’ll have to work his way outta the mail room. He soaks up experience, and maybe he cracks it to sales. Just make sure he actually goes. Pay’s good, perks even better. Feel free to start pumping out kids.”

“You wouldn’t know why he needed the job, right?”

A cryptic smile accompanied him into the lift. Without answering, he reached for the crumpled Lucky Strike pack in his jacket’s inner pocket and pressed the button to the garage. The only times you saw him without a cigarette was in the short interval between his switching from a burnt-out to a new one.

“Eight sharp. Not a minute later.” He warned as he leaned back against the railing, fumbling with an unresponsive lighter. “Fucking ‘ell.”

You held the bag to your chest, practiced a small bow, and sincerely thanked him for all those years he took good care of Toji.

“Dinner offer’s still on! I can do Korean—how’s dakgalbi with lots of cheese sound?”

“Can’t believe how hard that bastard lucked out.”

The doors began to close before you could make out what he said, the final rings of smoke dispersing with his departure.

A trail of misplaced dirty laundry welcomed you into the apartment; slippers flipped and sweatpants scattered, with black boxers strewn outside the bathroom door like a doormat. You scrutinized the dried precum stain on the latter with near scientific interest, not being in any real hurry to stow them away until the water flow that streamed from the shower head dramatically decreased.

Shit, shit, fuck!

Sprinting across the hall, you dunked the clothes into the basket in time for Toji’s grand entrance with nothing but a towel his thumb and forefinger kept clipped low around his hip. Steam rolled in spirals from each contoured muscle that adorned his scarred skin, a light red coloring him from head to toe.

“That jackass left?”

You tried to block out the sensual slink of his hips as he strode to your shared wardrobe, focusing instead on the countless smudges that dressed your mirror. Still in view, he fished out a clean pair of boxers—one that he had no qualms changing into, the curve of his ass distinct as the fuzzy towel pooled around his feet.

“He—um.” Droplets of water rained from long obsidian strands while he shook off the excess moisture, the reflection of his jade eyes narrowing at the lack of follow-up. “What did you ask again?”

The sweet and spicy notes of a deodorant that could only be new took you by surprise as Toji towered over you with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. “I asked, when did ya turn into such a perv?”

You deserved that.

“Like what you see?” His tone was more inquisitive than condescending, like your answer actually mattered to him.

Even after an entire night of touching each other, you doubted you could ever get used to being with someone whose body fit both the requirements of a marbled statue and an action movie star. You felt stupidly giddy, longing to squeeze your head between his pecs and lick him up like an overly affectionate pup who knew neither shame nor boundaries.

Admitting to it was a different thing.

“You should let me cut your hair.” You begrudgingly looked up. Not that his face didn’t bring out the same primal instincts. “People will think you descended from the mountains.”

“Didn’t ask about people. Only care about you.”

Fuck it.

“You turn me on.”

“Yeah?” His voice turned into a low purr, hooded eyes locked with yours up until your lips connected.

The pleasant warmth of his fingertips as they tipped your chin clashed with the cold, damp hair that tickled your cheeks. It went both ways. He showed you when he pushed your hands from the hard ridges of his stomach to the harder erection his underwear packed, firmly cupping your smaller palms against it.

“Wanna be inside you so badly.” Toji murmured, nipping at your bottom lip while you rubbed at his bulge, long strokes earning you little sighs of satisfaction. “Feel you wrap around me. The things I want to do to you—fuck.”

Wetness leaked from his slit, ruining yet another pair of underwear. He was so achingly sensitive, his balls twitching for the sweet release that would either quench or worsen his thirst.

Eight sharp. Not a minute later.

“You are gonna hate me.” Your palms traveled up his chest, mostly failing to put distance between your mouth and his, as he snaked his arms around your waist and pulled your bodies together.

“Could never hate you.”

“Never?”

His tongue broke free from the kiss. He didn’t like the sound of that. “What did ya do?”

“Nothing!” You reassured him with a nervous smile, pecking his lips. “It’s just—it’s 7:30, you know?”

“Good. And I thought the telemarketing watch I ordered was lost in the mail.”

“Shut up!” You chuckled. “Shiu said I should have you ready by 8.”

“Don’t give a damn what he said.” Toji went back to littering your skin with kisses, starting from your cheek and slowly expanding to your neck. He tugged your shirt off your shoulder with his teeth, sturdy hips bucking against your flimsy shorts. “I can do with twenty minutes. No foreplay.”

“Toji—”

“Fifteen minutes.” His palm squeezed around your breast, wet tongue flicking right behind your earlobe. “Just bend over f’me and I’ll take care of the rest. Fuck you full with my cum.”

“Oh my god, Toji.” Your breath stuttered in your throat, your panties clinging to your slit as if you’d been standing under rain.

“Yeah? You’d like that?” He mouthed at your neck, sucking at least three more marks you had no way of concealing unless you scarfed up. “Ready to see what ten years of wanting to pound that pussy feels like?”

He practically begged me to find his ass something respectful.

He screws up; he’s on his own.

“Toji…”

His affections ran out at the same time his mood spoiled, forehead resigning against your shoulder. He knew what his name in that tone meant, and he hated it—more than you hated yourself for denying him.

“Y’are fucking killing me,” was the last thing he said before hopping into your bed, springs creaking beneath his weight. “Tell him I ain’t goin’.”

Of course he hadn’t bothered drying off, and of course your sheets soaked up the water from his body like a sponge. He buried his head in your pillow and stretched his limbs across the mattress. No sound. No movement. Like a corpse washed to the shore. He did say you killed him.

Such a baby.

You padded toward the bed and took a seat beside him, running your fingers through his choppy hair. He didn’t react. Not at first. You assumed this was him being pouty, but then you recalled all he had to deal with in the last 48 hours and felt incredibly sorry for him. Heading to work without a wink of sleep was the final nail in the coffin.

“What are you doing?” Green eyes blinked behind a veil of black as you brought the towel to his nape and gently wrung the lower tufts.

“You’ll get a crick in the neck if you nap with water in your hair.”

“Not trynna convince me to go?”

“Why would I? You said you’re not going and that’s it.”

Toji sat up against the headboard, the look on his face one of disbelief.

“I’m happy supporting you.” The bed dipped as you resumed your handiwork, brushing a strand away from his creased forehead. “It’s like having my very own kept man. Makes me feel rich.” You smiled.

He didn’t return it. But he did sigh. “We need money. Y’always whine about that.”

“You won’t hear me whine again. Besides, my schedule is too light. I can always ask that old man for a few extra shifts.” That was a lie. You bordered on exceeding the legal limit of working hours per week.

“And you’re fine with that.” He stated rather than asked, and when you didn’t reply, he simply rolled to the other side of the bed. “Fucking liar.”

“What happened to you not hating me?”

“I don’t. My balls do. They wanna smack your pussy.”

“You’re so damn vulgar!”

You still giggled as you nestled in the little pillow space he’d left, arm draped over his waist and fingers finding purchase somewhere between his abs. You kissed down his shoulders, closing your eyes and inhaling deeply into the scent laced through the pores of his skin. He’d gone a bit overboard with the quantity, but that wasn’t unheard of from someone who only used fragrance-free toiletries.

Still, it suited him.

“Said the tease.” He contemplated peeling your hand off him but decided against it when he felt you moving lower. Way lower than he thought you would without his guidance.

“Who said I’m teasing?” Your fingers dipped into the waistband of his underwear, feeling out the smoothness of skin and the coarseness of hair above the sole unexplored part of his body. “I want you, Toji. Not what you bring or don’t bring to the table. Just you. God, you’d probably laugh your ass off if you knew how much I actually want you.”

Tears prickled your eyes, swelling as emotion in your heart. Being this sincere scared you, especially with how rapidly your relationship was escalating. Ten years was a long time, and two days felt awfully short to recuperate all that was lost—to shake the image of his footprints slowly fading into snow eight years ago.

A hand closed around yours, thick fingers delicately squeezing between your knuckles, wary of the fresh nicks they donned. “I wouldn’t.”

“How can you be so sure?” Your voice a frail whisper made of glass. “I mean—”

“Because I want you more, dummy.”

“Didn’t realize this was a competition.”

“It is now.” Toji pulled your hand away from his body and pinned it to the mattress, his other arm crossing over your shoulders as he gently rolled you below him. “And I won.”

He gazed down at your face, all flustered with glassy eyes that fluctuated between overwhelming lust and unspoken worry. You think too much. You worry too much. You feel too much. He wanted to accuse you of every single one of those crimes but couldn’t find the words to do so, because he liked that about you.

He liked how your hands trembled with need when they touched him, how your voice broke like it couldn’t bear the weight of its words, how vulnerable and small you looked in his arms—but most of all, he liked what you breathed into him, what your puny fingers sculpted his soul into. Because he only ever liked himself when he was with you, and that was exactly why he wanted to offer you more than a tattered old shirt with rips around the seams.

“How much time?”

“Huh?” You gaped.

His scar twisted into a smirk as he lowered his face to yours—a crooked grin once you closed your eyes and puckered your lips in expectancy of his. So much more. He pressed down against your mouth, tugging at your bottom lip until his thumb slipped in and you gave his nail a firm, albeit painless, bite.

“Better not do that when my dick goes in there.” He tsked.

Immediately, you coughed out his finger along with an aggravated “Toji!”

“There she is,” the man in question chuckled. “Nearly had me fooled.”

You scoffed, part of you grateful that the tension between you was resolved, but not the part that showed. “If you must know, I spoke from my heart’s depths.” Your fist moved to your beating chest.

“Mhm, bet ya did.” Toji helped himself to a kiss, chaste enough for his tongue to remain in his mouth. “Sly wench.”

“Wench?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Prefer bitch?” He retorted.

“Wench is fine.”

The way his shoulder blades rolled while he was hunched above you had you sidetracking from the clock that ticked away your time. You figured he’d be an excellent salesman—supposing he made it to that point—because you were sold on staying there with him, spinning your entrapment by his bulky physique into the perfect excuse to play hooky. Sakurai would understand. Hopefully.

“Five. Lemme hold you for five minutes, and then y’are free to frill me up.”

You were the one who was now “killed,” and yet you accepted your death with grace as your positions were switched. Toji collapsed beside you, squeezing your clothed breasts against his naked chest (remorse for not ridding you of your shirt first) while you huddled together, legs tangled, and mouths inched too close not to meld into one.

For someone who claimed to do only what he wanted to, he succumbed to your will an awful lot.

“What’d you want a sly wench for?” You muttered, playing with the hair that hung low over his neck. “Regular wenches out of stock or something?”

“That eager to find out?” He drawled, both his voice and eyelids weighed down by exhaust. “I’ll show ya when I get back from work; everything a sly wench’s good for.”

“Sounds like quite the ordeal.”

“You’re a big girl. ‘m sure you can take it, and if not—well,” he ran his tongue along your lips. “No reason to talk about what ifs. You’ll be good for me, mm?”

“Depends on whether you actually put on the suit Shiu brought.”

“Women and your suits.”

“You said—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know what I said.” Toji scoffed, one of his hands sneaking under your shirt. “You’ll make it up to me.” He decided.

“I told you, you can just not go.” You objected.

“Oh, really? And ya would’ve let me stay home without breaking my balls?” He let a beat pass and added, “Thought so.”

“What would thine royal ass favor?” You humored him with a fake, posh accent.

“I’m easy to please.” You held back a snort. “You’re gonna lemme doll you up with however many or few clothes I want. Fair?”

“Is that all? Doesn’t sound too bad—”

“And then,” he continued, his smirk as sharp as the teeth behind it, “you’ll lemme strip ya. Nice and simple, huh?”

“Your five minutes are running out!”

While Toji was off brawling with a pair of cufflinks, you relocated to the kitchen and brewed two cups of coffee, figuring he could do with a sip before heading out.

A pink sticky note awaited you on the counter, your sister’s messy handwriting begging you to call her as soon as your windpipe reopened—whatever that was supposed to mean. You crumpled it and tossed it in the trash, resuming your coffee-making duties. She wanted details you had no intention of discussing, especially when you didn’t even know what to call him anymore. You felt like no word was descriptive enough of your current status.

“Whatcha thinking about?” A hand snatched the spare cup from your grasp, scarred lips rounding around the searing rim.

You turned around to a Toji you’d never seen before. Surely, his thin eyebrows were drawn together in the exact same scowl he wore when you first showed him the black slim-fit suit of Shiu’s choice. His hair was still damp, sticking to his forehead in wet tufts. The rest of his body was also physically there, boxed inside the narrow lapels and shoulder bite of his jacket—but that was where the similarities ended.

The difference between the Toji you left in your bedroom a mere ten minutes ago and the sharply dressed man in front of you was that you didn’t feel the need to pay a ticket simply for the honor of staring at the former.

“Just admiring how handsome you look.” You straightened out the creases on his lapels.

“Yeah right.” Toji rolled his eyes, continuing to swig coffee. “Just saying that to get into my pants.”

“Please, if I wanted to get into your pants, all I’d have to do is ask.” You wiped his chin before the liquid got to drip down his collar, sparing him an earful.

“At this point, you wouldn’t need to ask.” He glanced down at his suffocating thighs, the seams around his crotch threatening to burst at any given time. “This is ridiculous.”

“No, it’s not—”

“Looks like I’m in a damn sausage casing. ‘s too fucking small.”

“You’re just too big.” You smiled sympathetically, not realizing your blunder until that sly smirk you knew and hated (loved) made its reappearance. Oh no.

“Mm, am I?” Toji cooed, his smug tone making your fingers grab at the counter behind your back. “Even for you?”

You bit your lips into a straight line, your eyes following the hand that slotted a blue striped tie in your fist and ordered you to get it over with. He took a step back, allowing you to remove his jacket and loop the fabric once around his collar. That was pretty much the full extent of your tie-tying knowledge.

“Gonna keep staring at it?” He cracked under the pressure of your intense squinting.

“I… don’t know how to do it.” You admitted.

“Didn’t your dad wear one to work?”

“Didn’t yours?” An immediate glare. “Never mind. Forgot the Zen’ins are stuck in Edo period.”

He had nothing to say. The times when he sauntered around his family’s compound in that gloomy garb weren’t as far behind for him to forget they ever happened.

You carefully folded the tie in half and handed it to him. “Just ask Shiu to show you. But here, lemme—”

You fixed whatever minor detail could be fixed, combing his hair with your fingers, plucking out a couple of loose threads, and securing his cufflinks. He didn’t need the jacket. As long as no one gawked at his crotch, he passed as your average overworked thirty-year-old who’s yet to give up on their early retirement dream.

It was 7:58 when you and Toji argued over the few footwear choices in his possession. He settled for the combat boots he sported mostly during the winter, but scoffed once you reminded him you’d have to go shopping in the following days.

It was 7:59 when he lingered about the door frame like a harbinger of bad news who didn’t know how to break them down, eventually lifting a hand and giving your head a rough pat that suited a Pomeranian more than an actual human.

“Don’t miss me too much,” which in his language meant I’ll miss you.

“Remember Home Alone?” He nodded. Then he realized.

“Brat.” And with that, he hurried down the hallway, cussing at himself when his cellphone began ringing before he’d even caught the lift.

Your smile remained on your face as you closed the door and spotted the tie he’d accidentally left beside his mug.

I’ll miss you more.

You underestimated how much you would actually miss him.

Your first day apart was spent with you plugging every drain hole in the house. Toji might’ve told you to forget the incident ever happened, but even a regular centipede was capable of reducing you to tears. Curse or not, you weren’t prepared to confront another of those critters, and if peace of mind came at the cheap price of plastic, then so be it.

You didn’t have the chance to miss him yet.

At work, you kept staring at his vacant booth, wondering whether his workplace had a kitchen or a cafeteria—whether he had enough cash for a meal—and every time you did, you scolded yourself. He was a grown man. He could take care of himself without you babying him.

But you still hoped he’d call.

“You won’t believe what that new girl Noda did today.”

You made it home a little after sundown, Chinese takeout under one armpit and handbag under the other. “You’re gonna love this!” Chuckling, you kicked the door shut and stalked toward the kitchen, dropping both bags on the table with a labored huff. “Three words: vampire repellent fries. How someone mistakes garlic powder for salt is beyond me.”

No response. Weird.

You laid out the containers before casting a glance at the ongoing football match on your TV. A reel played between the first and second halves—mass hysteria from the crows that celebrated over their team’s scoring as opposed to the apathetic mop of tousled black hair that was spilled over your couch, expressing neither cheer nor jeer. Not even his usual grunt of acknowledgment.

“Did you not hear me? I said—”

Your eyes finally caught up with your mouth as you processed Toji’s sleeping form, his dress shirt unbuttoned and dangling from his slacks, with a belt unbuckled but not quite removed.

“To…ji?”

Again, nothing.

So much for a night of passion.

Rather than eating alone in the kitchen, you brought dinner to the couch and sat down beside him, secretly wishing the rich scent of Sichuan pork revived him. You switched to an overplayed romcom that’d otherwise have him barfing, only to find his content expression far more enticing than whatever vow the main couple exchanged.

When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

You watched over him as he stirred enough for his head to climb up your lap, a large palm engulfing your hip while he breathed in the bare skin of your thighs. More than once, you thought he was awake and tried to ask him about his day, but a snore was all you got in return, the quiet symphony eventually lulling you to sleep.

The rest of your life started when you met him.

Toji was already gone by the time you woke up, miraculously tucked under the covers of your bed, without an actual clue as to how you ended up there. The food you’d stashed in the fridge was gone with him, and so were your hopes of catching up over breakfast.

Your day was a reprise of the previous one. You drank coffee—alone. You did laundry—alone. You trapped a spider and carried it outside the window—alone. And then you met with your landlady—again, alone.

The house felt empty without his brooding figure leaning over the fridge to hurry you up; without his raspy voice calling you from across the house to fetch him the remote that lay on the coffee table; without his low whistles whenever you bent over to catch something from the bottom drawer. Things that once annoyed you, you’d started to miss.

On impulse, you drew your phone and began typing a message you deleted. He was finally acting responsible, and there you were, all butthurt because you didn’t get to talk to him for one day. Big deal.

You packed your bag and braced yourself for a torturous nine-hour shift at the diner, hanging onto the frail hope that once you closed shop, you’d be free to run to him.

Every kiss, every touch, every hug—every single moment of affection became a gale you rode on, reaching the apartment with your heart in your mouth. Surely enough, his shoes were parked by the front step. A good sign. The dubious smell of charred meat bubbling in a cauldron on the stove—not so much.

Hesitant to analyze the green broth’s origin, you searched for the dish’s chef in the other rooms, finding his remains splayed on your bed. Eyes shut, rumbling snore, and a tight grip around your pillow. The sight tugged at your heartstrings, convincing you that it was best to let him rest it out. You took off your clothes and squeezed in beside him, sleep not coming to you as easily as it did the night before.

You missed your conversations. The snarky remarks he’d have about his colleagues. The glint in his eyes that signaled his attentiveness, regardless of his snorting at everything he thought dumb. His bottled laughter. The suggestion in his tone. You’d never told him, but his voice was your favorite thing about him, and now you missed that too.

“Hope your dreams are worth it,” you mumbled against his shoulder, enveloping yourself in the warmth of his body even when you knew you’d wake up to a fistful of cold sheets.

That night, you missed him the most when he was right there with you.

“Not so fast, mister.”

If the sound of your voice wasn’t enough to stop Toji in his tracks, the Glock 22 aimed at his skull certainly was. He stepped away from the door, hands up in mock surrender, as a smirk carried him to where you stood in the middle of the living room, looking not-so intimidating in the pistachio-colored sleepshirt you’d hastily draped over your body.

“Where did ya find this?” He asked, his voice still groggy from sleep.

“I know you keep a gun taped under the nightstand.” You smiled, planting your fingers away from the trigger. “Busted.”

“Then y’know it ain’t loaded, right?”

“Really?” You thought you could tell by shaking it near your ear, only for Toji to leap forward and clasp your palms between his, directing the muzzle to the ceiling in the blink of an eye. “Thought you said it wasn’t loaded!”

“Hmm, let’s see.” The magazine popped out, empty except for a bullet he stowed in his pocket. “Won’t you look at that!” To your amazement (and horror), he reassembled the gun with a single move and returned it to you, defending himself with a “Shouldn’t trust a word outta your opponent’s mouth.”

“Art of war?” You pinched the grip and hurled it onto the couch. Sometimes you really questioned your decisions.

“More like, quit meddling with stuff you can’t handle. Although, if you threw some handcuffs into the mix,” he walked closer, pulling you onto him by the waist, “I could get behind this.” He kissed your lips and gave your ass a squeeze. “And that. Definitely that.”

Your fingers met behind his neck, heart fluttering in your chest. He smelled so nice. Just the right amount of intoxicating. “You’re all talk.”

“Missed me?” You nodded, unwilling to phrase those words out loud. “Then what’d ya want that gun for? Thought we got a lot friendlier these days.”

“Are we still friends?”

“Why?” His thumb brushed against your cheek. “Any plans to unfriend me?”

“Friends don’t do the things we do.”

“Really good friends do.” Toji insisted, his tongue slipping between your lips as if it never left—as if the past two days didn’t happen.

“Want more?” He tugged at your lip with his teeth. You weren’t sure whether he referred to kissing or something else, but whatever he offered, you wanted more of. “Me too.”

His cheek pressed against yours, burning with the same kind of fever you felt pooling in your stomach. You stayed like that for a good while, basking in the intimacy of an inconvenient hug until you felt bold enough to interrupt it. “If you ever avoid your girlfriend again, she’ll kill you.”

He huffed in your ear, then drew away after piecing a loose strand behind it. “My girlfriend can’t even use a gun.”

“Say it again.”

A grin.

“What part?” He asked coyly.

“You know what part!”

“Can’t even use a gun?” He sneered, holding your wrists as they tried to bat his chest. Your reddened complexion only added to his amusement. “Like being told you’re my girl?”

You didn’t answer him—a bad decision, really. It gave him the freedom to run his mouth on about how there were more things he could call you and a couple of other things you could moan back, sparing the details for the sake of the rising boner in his pants. While the premise excited you, the past two failures were hard to forget.

“And for the record, I wasn’t avoiding you.” Toji peered into your mind. A hand rubbed at the back of his neck, his dress shirt lifting from his slacks. “That place’s hell.”

“That bad? Is it the people, the job itself, or…?”

“Fucking everything.”

You could practically hear a can of worms cracking open; see the litany of complaints unfolding over your feet.

“Getting paid to spit on papers like a damn dog. My ass going sore from being glued to a chair all day long. Food tasting like coal briquettes. Dumb kids trynna strike a conversation every chance they get.”

“You poor thing!” You gasped dramatically. “Don’t tell me they also smile at you!”

His glare betrayed him. “Place’s like a fucking kindergarten.”

“Better zip your dirty mouth in front of the kids, then.”

He frowned, and you laughed, genuinely happy that his coworkers seemed to welcome him—a sight you decided you wanted to see with your own two eyes sooner rather than later.

“I won’t be late.” Toji promised once you’d escorted him to the front door.

Your arms folded in front of your chest. Eyebrows arched. “Right.”

“I mean it.”

“Sure you do.”

A sigh. Poking fun at him was always so much fun.

“What about you?” He abided by his little ritual of leaning against the frame, his stance mirroring yours. Unhurriedly since he’d gotten an early headstart on his day. “‘Today’s your day off.”

That’s a first, you thought. He never asked about your plans.

“Oh, you know me. Pilates at 9; golf course at 12. Might go yachting around 5 if you don’t come back early.” You quipped.

He rolled his eyes. “Stop fucking around.”

You poked his tongue at him, not wanting to admit that today would be ten times lonelier without a distraction, similarly to how you didn’t to spoil the surprise in the making.

Except your expression revealed something that your mouth didn’t.

Turning away from you, Toji began coughing like a cat with hair clogged in its throat, eventually spitting out a round, hairy lump of purple. Disgust was written in every line of your face, fading into recognition once the ball expanded into Wormie. The creature tried to wrap itself around its master, who seemed to have a better idea by offering it to you.

“Here. So you don’t die of boredom.” He explained.

You were skeptical at first, but Wormie robbed you of all options as he skipped to your arms and snuggled his head in the crook of your neck.

You never thought the day would come when you’d be hugging a worm, but the feeling wasn’t half as vile as one might expect. He had the weight of a feather and the scent of whatever bowl of cereal Toji had downed that morning. If you closed your eyes, you could think of him as a giant (exotic) pet.

“Hey there, little guy. Missed me?” You rubbed his back. Or what you thought was his back, anyway.

“Pretty sure he’s just trynna eat you up.”

“Shut up.” You glanced at Wormie’s mouth, just in case. “You’re simply jealous of what we have.”

“Sure.”

Satisfied with the image he left behind, Toji finally opened the door and walked out of the apartment.

“Don’t let that idiot get into trouble.”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“And I wasn’t talking to you.” He smirked. “Later.”

A moment passed before his comment registered, long enough for the elevator gates to separate his snickering from your dissonant complaints.

“You’re such a lousy boyfriend!”

In the hours that followed, two things became apparent. One, you’d probably make for a decent parent, because when you instructed Wormie to sit quiet on the counter while you cooked a meal for Toji, he did as told without protest, and two, he was the greatest sous chef you could’ve ever asked for.

“Wormie! Pitch me the ladle,” you’d say, and a second later the item would fall in your hands.

Not just that. You could cut away vegetables without walking to the trash whenever the counter became clogged with scraps. Wormie ate up everything you fed him, whether that was onion peels, lettuce butts, or a spoonful of the stewed beef that had him singing toot after toot like a trombone.

Toji was right. It wasn’t as lonely with Wormie around. But he was dead wrong about his pet only obeying him. The second you wiggled those leeks, the little glut switched loyalties.

You wondered whether you could train him to give paw.

Stacking a bunch of Toji’s favorite side dishes inside a lunch box, you phoned the one person who could give you an address. Shiu picked up right away, his tone lax as he accused you guys of having his number on speed dial. You profusely apologized and carried his words to a piece of paper, renewing his dinner invitation with little to no zeal. You were grateful toward Shiu, but all you looked forward to was a weekend alone with Toji.

You hung up the phone and turned to Wormie, gesturing for him to gobble up the tupperware.

“Let’s go see your dad, mm?”

Toji’s workplace turned out to be an impressive thirty-story building on the outskirts of Minato. It belonged to one of the largest telecommunication companies in the country, with an enormous silver plate that bared its three-lettered logotype. Shiu did claim he pulled some strings, but a lobby big enough to double as a landing zone was not what you expected.

The guards at the entrance welcomed you with a curt bow, seemingly undisturbed by the worm that hitched a ride on your shoulders. You remembered what Toji said. The vast majority were incapable of sensing cursed energy around them, and those who did would rather question their sanity than accept the notion that the folktales their grandmothers fed them were real.

You gave Toji’s name to one of the girls at the front desk, who in turn asked her colleagues, but none of them seemed to know him. You weren’t surprised. Thousands of people paraded through these doors on a daily basis, their only accomplishment being the white collars around their necks. You either made it big or died as a nameless corporate slave. Neither celebrated nor remembered.

The receptionist did, however, point you to your destination and provide you with a visitor card. You followed her directions to the elevator, barely finding a spot for yourself in the crammed space that, little by little, cleared up. Your reflection stared back at you—inaccurate, as Worm was nowhere to be found, despite shrieking your ear off a minute ago when you accidentally prodded his tail.

This doesn’t make any sense.

You navigated the maze of cubicle offices before reaching the mail room at the end of the fourth floor. Most employees ignored your presence, while some straight-up shot daggers at you like you were an intruder. You failed to notice the sickeningly amiable smiles Toji described until you saw him surrounded by a bunch of high-heeled man-eaters who vied for his attention.

He was making copies for each of those women, taking away their excuse to loiter around the copy machine and stomping on their confidence with one-worded replies. The less dedicated ones sorted themselves out, while the true contenders stayed back to help him with his workload.

You wished you could get closer and enjoy the show, but you didn’t want to interrupt. Instead, you knelt by an empty desk and placed Wormie on the ground, ushering him in Toji’s direction.

“Make sure he gets it, and I’ll fight for your rights!” You spoke in a hushed voice. “Good boy, Wormie. Now go!”

Certain of your partner’s success, you dashed to the elevator, leaving both him and the company grounds behind for good.

It never occurred to you how much time you spent with Toji since he moved in. And it never occurred to you how long it’d been since you’d last touched yourself either—not until you were lying naked in bed, legs arched and hands stuffed between your thighs, guiding the rabbit vibrator in and out of your sopping cunt while you panted out his name in broken moans.

The hows and whys were unclear. All you remembered was stripping so you could change into a comfier fit, and the next thing you knew, your toy was calling out to you from its hiding spot, fully charged despite its extended period of inertia. You didn’t dare use it when Toji was home—and he was always home. His keen senses trained on you, slashing through every illusion of privacy your bedroom’s paper-thin walls provided.

But he wasn’t there now. And he wouldn’t be there for hours to come. And he looked so damn sexy in his suit, that all you could think about was ripping it off.

“F-fuck, Toji.” You turned the ears speed up a notch.

Each little buzz circulated through your body as tingles of pleasure that enhanced the fantasies your mind crafted. You pictured him leaning over you, wearing nothing but the tie he’d finally mastered. The cocky smile that’d stretch wide on his lips as he’d part your knees with big, veiny arms and stick a thick finger in your pulsing hole, asking you whether that was all for him even when he knew it could only be his—you were only his. He’d ask you to say it out loud; have you repeat it countless times while drilling his cock into your pussy, discovering depths that neither your fingers nor the silicone were capable of.

He’d suggested he was big. God, you’d gotten so close to seeing for yourself. You wanted to touch it, lick it, kiss, bounce on it so many times that the room began to spin around you. Even if it was big, you’d make it fit. Even if it was too big, you’d let him split you open.

Your eyes squeezed shut as you thrust the bunny upward, trapping your clit between the little ears that flicked rabidly in sync.

You needed him to fill you up. You needed to somehow justify all those years of starvation for him, his body, and his cum—you needed to feel it running down your trembling thighs, hot and sticky, as you milked every drop he had to offer.

The tension in your guts finally snapped as you focused on the three little words you longed to hear the most. You didn’t care whether he whispered, moaned, or grunted them out. You wanted to hear them in his voice at least once in your life. You needed him to be yours just as you were his—to love you like you loved him too.

The sweat on your forehead barely had the chance to cool down, when your eyes opened to a sight far more palpable than your crumbling high.

“Is this what ya do when I’m not around?”

A/N: next chapter will have smut, i'm not that ruthless.

[akkivee]

The Yamada Family's Special Curry: Hypmic Curry Drama Track TL

Jiro: A curry battle huh…? They sure came up with a weird idea this time around…

Ichiro: I also think it’s a strange concept, but I still want to prove we’re the best. Will you two help me out?

Jiro & Saburo: Of course!!

Ichiro: Glad to hear it!

Saburo: We’re used to making curry so I think we should get started immediately!

Ichiro: Ah, about that… *places down a plate* I actually went ahead and made a prototype curry!

Saburo: As expected, Ichi-nii, you prepared something beforehand!

Ichiro: If we’re going to win over everyone, we can’t just use our usual curry. I was hoping you guys could help me perfect the ultimate curry!

Saburo: Then we’ll try the prototype so we can start ameliorating any flaws it may have!!

Jiro: A-Ameli…?? I don’t get what he just said but you can leave its flavour to me!!

Ichiro: Thanks, you two! Then, why don’t you go ahead and give it a taste?

Jiro & Saburo: Absolutely! *eats*

Jiro & Saburo: Mmm??

Jiro: This isn’t the flavour of our usual curry…! Did he really forget the most important part…??

Saburo: It’s greasy and tastes terrible…! I don’t want to say something Ichi-nii made is unpleasant but…!!

Ichiro: So how is it??

Jiro: I-I’ve never had anything like it before…

Saburo: W-what did you put in it?

Ichiro: *starts bringing out ingredients* So for the roux, I decided not to use anything you can buy from the store and made a completely original spice blend! I also used domestic A5 graded black beef and fatty mackerel!

Jiro: Yeah…?

Saburo: I see…

*phone rings*

Ichiro: Sorry, I gotta take this, it’s a work call. …Hello, how may I help you?

Jiro: *downs a glass of water* Hey Saburo, what did Nii-chan do to this curry??

Saburo: How am I supposed to know?? I can only assume he was so focused on beating the competition, failed to give it any rational thought.

Jiro: Damn it…! Even though Nii-chan’s usual curry is already the most delicious…!

Saburo: My thoughts exactly! He didn’t need to use these fancy ingredients, Ichi-nii’s curry is already exquisite…!

Jiro: We gotta bring Nii-chan back to his senses!

Saburo: As loathe as I am to work hand in hand with incompetence, there’s no other way…!

Ichiro: Sorry, guys, I’m back! So, what should I add to improve the curry?

Jiro & Saburo: *nods at each other*

Jiro: Aniki, I’ll give it to you straight. No matter what you add, this ain’t gonna be our curry!

Ichiro: What??

Jiro: I get where you’re coming from, but you shouldered this by yourself without even talking to us… Isn’t that messed up?

Saburo: I feel similarly to Jiro. If we’re going up against the other divisions, shouldn’t our bonds as brothers shine through?

Ichiro: Our bonds as brothers…?

Jiro & Saburo: And so, we should use our usual curry!

Ichiro: But, if we use our usual curry, wouldn’t you be able to tell the roux uses store bought curry and ingredients that were on sale? If we want to beat the others, then—

Jiro: But that’s what makes it our curry!

Saburo: Just like with our rap as the Buster Bros!!!, there wouldn’t be any point to winning if it’s not who we are!

Ichiro: You guys… *eats the curry* …Yeah, you’re right, this isn’t our curry. I understand what you mean!

Jiro & Saburo: …!!

Ichiro: Okay, let’s head out to the store to buy the stuff we usually use in our curry!

Jiro: Yeah! Once we hit up the shopping district, I’ll find the best bargain after a few rounds around the shops!

Saburo: According to my research, the type of roux that’s favoured across multiple age generations would be one that’s a bit sweet and hits the medium range in spiciness!

Ichiro: Thanks! I’m counting on you guys!

Saburo: Oh, there’s one more thing…

Jiro: What? We’re about to head out.

Saburo: No, it’s just, since we’re going to have to sell it, doesn’t that mean we need to come up with a name for our curry? I think the usual naming conventions revolve around the main ingredients used in the product.

Jiro: We got vegetables, fish, meat… If we go off of that, we’ve just got a variety curry.

Ichiro: We don’t even have to worry about that! No matter the ingredients, this is the “Yamada Family’s Special Curry”! And with it, the three of us will beat all the rest!!

[coldfrontoficeandsky]

So, I got low-key inspired by @littlehungrywarriorcats and her cat genetics videos, so I did the ClanGen challenge and decided to basically make adoptables using it. I've basically got two major families out of this, so some additional information below in-case you're curious. Forgive the intentionally poor quality of the images, I'll be giving the actual to scale high-quality renders to the buyer of this family tree. I'll have to make an actual commission sheet for my going rates or something, but I will say that this is about $2 per cat, which makes this $40 USD in total. You can pay through my Ko-Fi once I confirm the sale. I will not be taking commissions for making family trees of your already existing characters since Murphy's doing that and I don't wanna encroach on his business, so instead I'll just be occasionally making adoptable family trees using the generator.

Quick side-note: I had to do a significant amount of googling to figure out what 'pseudo-tabby' means. Since ginger is epistatic to solid (non-tabby), ginger cats will always look like tabbies even if they're genetically solid. So, a pseudo-tabby is a cat that looks like a tabby but is genetically not one. Also, I've been googling what 'sparse-haired/sparse-furred' means and all I can parse are like...rex cats and...Lykoi cats, which...no. I'm not doing that. They suffer from horrible skin issues and welts that are painful and show up when they're 3-5 years old and stays with them for life and the gene is pleotropic, so you cannot breed the skin problems out of the gene since the gene that causes the coat type also causes the skin problems. I've been doing this...for way too long. And the only way sparse hair has been described has been Lykoi and...again, no. So, I'm choosing to ignore it entirely and any 'sparse-haired' cats will just be treated as short haired. Cool? Cool.

I've left the other blanks in the family tree mostly blank, however I have their genomes filled in as necessary and some basic backstory stuff if anyone's interested. I also generated some kits since the website doesn't generate any. More under the cut (bolded letters are the genes that got passed down, blue is what was inherited from the dad and pink is what was inherited from the mom):

First tree:

Foxpelt:

?/? - The black base colour is invisible O/O - Ginger and not a tortoiseshell a/a - Since she's a "pseudo-tabby," she is genetically non-agouti (non-tabby) but still has stripes since ginger is epistatic to solid Mc/? - Dominant mackerel D/? - Dominant non-dilute W/W - No white L/? - Dominant shorthair

Rowanstar's Father: Foxpelt's dearly departed mate was a rogue who joined the clan

?/? - Rowanstar could have gotten black from either parent, but it has to have come from someone since it's dominant o/Y - Rowanstar is a tortoiseshell and her father can only have one X to pass, so he can't be ginger A/? - He has to pass a dominant A to Rowanstar in order for her to be a proper tabby, but it doesn't matter if he's homozygous or heterozygous on this locus and Foxpelt can only pass recessive a ?/mc - Foxpelt is already giving Rowanstar a dominant Mc, so he needs to carry a recessive mc to pass to Rowanstar so she can pass it to Fireheart but the hetero/homozygosity doesn't matter ?/? - Foxpelt is already giving Rowanstar a dominant D W/? - He must have a W to pass in order for Rowanstar to not have white, however it doesn't matter if he's homo or heterozygous ?/? - Foxpelt is already giving Rowanstar a dominant L

Rowanstar:

B/? - Dominant black, but she can get it from either since Foxpelt is ginger but is also capable of passing B since ginger is epistatic O/o - Tortoiseshell, since she gets an O from mom and an o from dad A/a - Not a pseudo-tabby, so she has to get an A from her dad and gets an a from her mom since that's all she can pass Mc/mc - Dominant mackerel w/ polygenetic gradient trait towards spots and carrying recessive classic to give to Fireheart which she would need to get from her dad since her mom's giving her an Mc for mackerel D/? - Dominant non-dilute she got from Foxpelt W/W - No white L/? - Dominant shorthair she got from Foxpelt

Fireheart's Father: Rowanstar's mate was a loner who had passed away when he helped her in a battle and gave his life to protect her despite not belonging to the clan

?/? - Fireheart's ginger, so his black locus is invisible ?/Y - Mom already gave Fireheart an O to make him ginger so all his dad can give is a Y ?/a - Rowanstar only has one a to pass so Fireheart has to get one from dad ?/mc - Rowanstar is already giving Fireheart a recessive mc, so his dad has to as well but it doesn't matter if he's hetero or homozygous on this locus ?/? - Fireheart is already getting a dominant D from his mom W/? - Rowanstar can only give Fireheart Ws so he has to get one from his dad regardless of zygosity ?/l - Rowanstar is giving Fireheart a dominant L, so his father has to pass a recessive l regardless of zygosity

Fireheart:

?/? - Since Fireheart's ginger, we can't see his black locus and since all of his kits are also ginger, we still can't tell O/Y - Dominant ginger since his dad's already giving him a Y and his mom only needs to give him one O on the X to make him ginger a/a - Since he's a "pseudo-tabby," he is genetically non-agouti but still has stripes since ginger is epistatic to solid ta/ta - Fireheart is not ticked and his mate is, so he's homozygous ta out of formality mc/mc - Classic stripes are recessive, so he needs to get one mc from both parents D/? - Rowanstar gives Fireheart a dominant D W/W - Rowanstar can only give him Ws and his father has to give him one, too L/l - Rowanstar is giving Fireheart a dominant L and Fireheart can get an l from his father to pass onto Plumpaw

Burnetpaw, Plumpaw, and Skipperpaw's mother: Fireheart had a thing going with a kittypet and she had to give up her kits to him so that her housefolk wouldn't abandon her or give her away, breaking things off with him while giving him her kits to raise in the clan

?/? - All of their kids are ginger, so we have no idea what's going on on the black locus O/? - Fireheart can pass an X with an O or a Y, but the mother doesn't have to be homozygous to pass an O A/? - Fireheart is a pseudo-tabby, so he can only pass an a, so the mother has to pass on an A to the kits, but she doesn't have to be homozygous Ta/ta - The mother has to be ticked to pass on a Ta to Plumpaw since it's dominant, but since her other kits are not ticked, she has to be heterozygous Mc/mc - Since Fireheart is a homozygous classic tabby, the mother has to have both a dominant Mc to pass to Burnetpaw and a recessive mc to pass to Skipperpaw ?/? - Fireheart's passing a D W/? - Fireheart's also passing a W, but the mother doesn't have to be homozygous to pass a W ?/l - Long hair is recessive, so Fireheart has to carry an l but the mother doesn't have to be homozygous to pass it

Burnetpaw:

O/Y - Dad's passing him a Y, so his mom has to pass an O on her X A/a - His dad is a pseudo-tabby, so he can only pass an a, which means his mom has to pass an A Mc/mc - His dad can only give him an mc, so his mom has to give him an Mc D/? - Fireheart's giving him a D W/W - Fireheart's also giving him a W, but his mom also has to give him a W L/? - Fireheart's giving him an L

Plumpaw:

O/O - Dad can pass her an X with an O and so can her mom A/a - Her dad is a pseudo-tabby, so he can only pass an a, which means her mom has to pass an A Ta/ta - She cannot be homozygous ticked since it's a dominant allele, so she has to be heterozygous and since her father isn't ticked, he can only pass a ta ?/? - Ticked is epistatic to all tabby types, so we have no idea what she's got under there until she has kids D/? - Fireheart's giving her a D W/W - Fireheart's also giving her a W, but her mom also has to give her a W l/l - Long hair is recessive, which means Fireheart has to be carrying it and so does her mom

Skipperpaw:

O/Y - Dad's passing him a Y, so his mom has to pass an O on her X A/a - His dad is a pseudo-tabby, so he can only pass an a, which means his mom has to pass an A mc/mc - His dad can only give him mc and his mom has to give him an mc D/? - Fireheart's giving him a D W/W - Fireheart's also giving him a W, but his mom also has to give him a W L/? - Fireheart's giving him an L

Second tree:

Cootcloud and Crowthroat were siblings from outside of the clan that were taken in and raised by the clan. They individually made a bet with each other over who could woo the most beautiful cat in the clan…and had completely different ideas of what that meant, so they both ended up being happy while being completely oblivious to specifically who the other was thinking/referring to until they succeeded.

Crowthroat:

B/? - He has to get a dominant B for black from at least one parent o/Y - No ginger A/? - Since he's not ginger, he has to be agouti in order to be ticked since ticked is a modifier of tabby Ta/ta - He has to be heterozygous in order to pass ta onto his daughters ?/mc - Ticked is epistatic to all types of tabby, but he has to carry an mc to pass to Nightbriar D/? - One parent has to give him a D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W l/l - Long hair is recessive, so he has to get one l from each parent

Cormorantberry & Nightbriar's Mother:

?/? - Crowthroat's giving a dominant B ?/o - She can either be non-ginger or tortoiseshell ?/? - Crowthroat's giving a dominant A ?/ta - She has to carry a ta to pass onto both daughters, but doesn't have to be homozygous ?/mc - She has to pass on an mc to Nightbriar ?/? - Crowthroat is giving a dominant D W/? - She has to pass on a W so that neither daughter has white ?/l - Long hair is recessive and both daughters are homozygous, so she has to carry an l

Nightbriar:

B/? - She can get dominant B from Crowthroat o/o - No ginger, so both parents have to pass an o on X A/? - Dominant agouti she gets from Crowthroat ta/ta - Not ticked, which means each parent has to carry a ta mc/mc - Both Crowthroat and her mother have to pass on an mc D/? - Crowthroat gives a dominant D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W l/l - Long hair is recessive, so she has to get one l from each parent

Cormorantberry:

B/? - She can get dominant B from Crowthroat o/o - No ginger, so both parents have to pass an o on X A/? - Dominant agouti she gets from Crowthroat ta/ta - Not ticked, which means each parent has to carry a ta Mc/? - Either parent could give her Mc D/? - Crowthroat gives a dominant D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W l/l - Long hair is recessive, so she has to get one l from each parent

Slugpaw's Father: Cormorantberry had a fling with a rogue

?/? - Cormorantberry is giving a dominant B ?/Y - Could be ginger, since he's giving a Y and not an X ?/? - Cormorantberry is giving a dominant A ?/ta - Has to carry a recessive ta to pass onto Slugpaw ?/? - Cormorantberry is giving a dominant Mc ?/? - Cormorantberry is giving a dominant D W/? - Has to pass on a W to Slugpaw ?/l - Has to pass on a recessive l

Slugpaw:

B/? - He can get dominant B from Cormorantberry o/Y - No ginger, since his father is passing on a Y A/? - He gets dominant agouti from Cormorantberry ta/ta - Not ticked, which means each parent has to carry a ta Mc/? - Cormorantberry gives him a dominant Mc D/? - Cormorantberry gives him a dominant D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W l/l - Long hair is recessive, so he has to get one l from each parent

Cootcloud:

B/? - He has to get a dominant B for black from at least one parent o/Y - No ginger A/a - Cootcloud has to pass on a recessive a to Shadowheart and Spiderberry Ta/Ta - Since he's ticked, he has to have a dominant Ta, but he can be homozygous no problem since both of his kids are solid, and thus aren't ticked ?/? - Ticked is epistatic to all types of tabby, so no idea D/? - One parent has to give him a D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/? - Short hair is dominant, so he could get one from either parent

Shadowheart & Spiderberry's Mother:

?/? - Cootcloud passes his dominant B on ?/o - Could be non-ginger or tortoiseshell so long as she has an o to pass ?/a - She has to pass on a recessive a in order for both kits to be solid ta/ta - Since none of Spiderberry's kits are ticked, we can assume her mother is homozygous recessive non-ticked so that she can pass down a ta ?/? - Since their kits are solid, we don't know what they inherited ?/d - Cootcloud passes on his dominant D, so his mate gives recessive d for Spiderberry to pass to Fennelkit W/? - She has to pass on a W for both kits to not have white ?/l - Cootcloud passed on dominant L to both kits, but she needs to pass on an l so that Spiderberry can pass it to Ravenkit

Shadowheart:

B/? - He can get dominant B from Cootcloud o/Y - No ginger, since his father is passing on a Y and his mother is passing the o on an X a/a - Cootcloud passes a recessive a and has to get another from his mother Ta/ta - His father can only pass down Ta, and his mother can only pass down ta ?/? - Since Shadowheart isn't a tabby, we don't know what stripes he inherited D/? - Cootcloud gives him a dominant D W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/? - Short hair is dominant, so Cootcloud can pass his on

Spiderberry:

B/? - She can get dominant B from Cootcloud, however in order for her kits to make any sense, she MUST be heterozygous o/o - No ginger, Cootcloud passes his o and so does her mother a/a - Cootcloud passes a recessive a and has to get another from her mother Ta/ta - Her father can only pass down Ta, and her mother can only pass down ta and she has to have a ta to pass down to her kits since none of them are ticked Mc/mc - Since her kits display both mackerel and classic stripes, she has to have both to pass on D/d - Cootcloud gives her a dominant D, but she has to pass on d for Fennelkit, so she gets recessive d from her mother W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/l - Short hair is dominant, so Cootcloud can pass his on and one of Spiderberry's kits is long haired, so she has to carry a recessive l from her mother

Chanterellebriar:

?/? - We don't know what's on his black locus due to epistatic ginger, but in order for his kits to make sense, he MUST be heterozygous O/Y - His father is passing on a Y and his mother is passing the O on an X a/a - Each parent has to pass on a recessive a mc/mc - Each parent has to pass on a recessive mc d/d - Each parent has to pass on a recessive d S/W - He has to give one S to Ravenkit in order for him to have white and blue eyes, but be able to pass a W to his daughters to keep them white free L/l - Short hair is dominant, so either parent could pass it on, but the other parent has to pass recessive l to give to Ravenkit

Copperkit: a red and chocolate, classic tortoiseshell she-cat, with short fur, and copper eyes

b/? - recessive chocolate could have come from either parent O/o - Tortoiseshell, O from dad and o from mom a/a - Neither parent has a single dominant A to pass, so it's recessive a all around mc/mc - In order for her to be classic, both parents have to pass on an mc D/d - Spiderberry gives a dominant D and Chanterellebriar can only give recessive d W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/? - Dominant L could have come from either parent

Ravenkit: a long haired, black tom, with a white chin, and blue eyes

B/? - Either parent could have passed dominant B o/Y - Spiderberry passes her non-ginger o and Chanterellebriar passes his Y a/a - Neither parent has a single dominant A to pass, so it's recessive a all around ?/mc - Since he's solid, we don't know what kind of stripes he inherited, though we do know that he's carrying mc since that's all his dad can give him D/d - Spiderberry gives a dominant D and Chanterellebriar can only give recessive d S/W - Since he has a very small amount of white, that means he has to get a W from mom and an S from dad which means he can have blue eyes l/l - Each parent has to give him a recessive l

Fennelkit: a cream and lilac, mackerel tortoiseshell she-cat, with short fur, and green eyes

b/? - recessive chocolate could have come from either parent O/o - Tortoiseshell, O from dad and o from mom a/a - Neither parent has a single dominant A to pass, so it's recessive a all around Mc/mc - Chanterellebriar can only give mc, which means Spiderberry is passing a dominant Mc d/d - Each parent has to pass on a recessive d W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/? - Dominant L could have come from either parent

Final Branch:

Chanterellebriar and Thymnecloud's parents are clanborn cats

Thymecloud & Chanterellebriar's father:

?/? - Either parent could pass on dominant B ?/Y - Could be ginger since he passed on his Y to both sons ?/a - Recessive a to pass onto their sons, dominant A could have come from either parent ?/mc - Has to pass on a recessive mc to both sons ?/d - Has to pass on a recessive d to both sons W/? - Has to pass a W onto both sons, but at least one parent has to pass on an S to Chanterellebriar (but not both) ?/? - Either parent could pass on dominant L or recessive l, but both sons MUST be heterozygous

Thymecloud & Chanterellebriar's mother:

?/? - Either parent could pass on dominant B O/o - Tortoiseshell in order to pass one of each to each son ?/a - Recessive a to pass onto their sons, dominant A could have come from either parent ?/mc - Has to pass on a recessive mc to both sons ?/d - Has to pass on a recessive d to both sons W/? - Has to pass a W onto both sons, but at least one parent has to pass on an S to Chanterellebriar (but not both) ?/? - Either parent could pass on dominant L or recessive l, but both sons MUST be heterozygous

Thymecloud:

B/? - He can get dominant B from his mother o/Y - No ginger, since his father is passing on a Y and his mother is passing the o on an X A/a - Dominant A could have come from either parent mc/mc - Each parent has to pass on a recessive mc d/d - Each parent has to pass on a recessive d in order for Thymecloud to be dilute W/W - No white, so each parent has to give a W L/l - Short hair is dominant, so either parent could pass it on

Eveningpaw & Orchidpaw's Mother: A loner whom Thymecloud was seeing for a little while and broke things off with him when she left her newly weaned kits with him to take to AlderClan

?/? - Thymecloud is passing on dominant B to both daughters O/o - Tortoiseshell so that she can pass each one to each daughter ?/a - Has to pass on a recessive a to both daughters Mc/? - Has to pass dominant Mc onto Eveningpaw ?/d - has to pass on recessive d onto both daughters S/W - has to pass a W onto Orchidpaw and then an S onto Eveningpaw ?/l - has to carry a recessive l to pass onto Orchidpaw

Eveningpaw:

B/? - Gets Thymecloud's dominant B for black O/o - Tortoiseshell and she gets the o from Thymecloud and the O from her mother a/a - She gets a recessive a from both parents Mc/mc - She gets dominant Mc from her mother and recessive mc from her father since that's all he can give her d/d - She gets recessive d for dilution from her father since that's all he can give and her mother since she's blue and cream S/W - She gets a W from Thymecloud and an S from her mother to give her white and so she can have blue eyes L/? - Her father can give her a dominant L for short hair

Orchidpaw:

B/? - Gets Thymecloud's dominant B for black o/o - She gets an o from both her mother and father a/a - She gets a recessive a from both parents ?/mc - Since she's solid, we only know that she's carrying recessive mc since that's all her father can give her d/d - She gets recessive d for dilution from her father since that's all he can give and her mother since she's blue and cream W/W - She gets a W from both parents l/l - Long hair is recessive, so both parents have to carry it in order to pass it to her

And finally, on a related note, Slugpaw is the oldest of the apprentices and is basically about to become a warrior with Orchidpaw and Eveningpaw just behind him in age and then Fireheart's kids are freshly apprenticed. Cootcloud and Crowthroat are quite up there in age (not ancient, but pretty old) while Foxpelt retired rather recently and was rather stubborn about it for a while.

[hqkurokenzine]

🐾🐈‍⬛ANNOUNCEMENT: PREORDERS MEOW OPEN! 🐈 

Celebrate our two favourite kitties, Kuroo Tetsurou and Kozume Kenma, and their timeskip life with Partners, a timeskip anthology. 

Preorders are officially open until October 1st!!

🛍: https://hqkurokenzine.bigcartel.com/

Read more down below for information on the bundles and add-ons!

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Calico Cat 🐾 Full Bundle -$65

 🛒Includes:

1 Physical A5 Book

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

2 Art Prints

2 Die-Cut Stickers

2 Sticker Sheets

1 Polaroid

1 Acrylic Standee

1 Acrylic Keychain

1 Lanyard

1 Washi Tape

😺 Eligible for ALL Stretch Goals!

Tuxedo Cat 🐾 Flat Bundle - $40

🛒Includes:

1 Physical A5 Book 

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

2 Art Prints

2 Die-Cut Stickers

2 Sticker Sheets

1 Polaroid

😺Eligible for Stretch Goals 1 & 2!

Black Cat 🐾 Anthology Only Bundle - $25

🛒Includes:

1 Physical A5 Book 

1 Digital Anthology PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

😺Eligible for Stretch Goal 1!

Digitabby Bundles 🐾

😸 Orange Tabby - SFW Bundle $15

Includes:

1 SFW PDF 

1 Coloring Book PDF

😻 Cream Tabby - NSFW Bundle $10

Includes:

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1 Coloring Book PDF

😽 Mackerel Tabby - Paired Bundle $20

Includes:

1 SFW PDF

1 NSFW PDF

1 Coloring Book PDF

😿Not eligible for Stretch Goals!

Make your bundles even meow-re interesting by adding our purr-fect double-sided tote bag!

Note: Extra tote bags can only be purchased alongside other bundles and are not for individual sale.

The NSFW anthology is also an add-on, and can be added to any bundle! 😽

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Unlock the mystery stretch goals after the anthology crosses a certain number of orders! 🎯⁉️

Please read the bundle descriptions to see which bundles are eligible for stretch goals!

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Shop now @ https://hqkurokenzine.bigcartel.com/ !! 😻

tags: [​​@haikyuubulletin @zineapps @haikyuu-community-board @zinecenter @fandomzines @zinefans @zineforall @zinesunlimited @zinesubmissions @welovezines @all-zine-apps @zine-scene]

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - May 1-7

Like these weekly compilations? Support me on Ko-fi! Also, if you tip me on Ko-fi, at the end of the month I'll send you a link to all of the articles I found but didn't use each week - almost double the content!

1. New study says conservation works, providing hope for biodiversity efforts

“A new study published in Science reveals that conservation works, with conservation actions improving or slowing the decline of biodiversity in two-thirds of the cases analyzed.”

2. Monk Seal Pup Debuts in Waikīkī on Lei Day

“Endangered Hawaiian monk seal RK96 (Kaiwi) gave birth to her sixth pup on popular Kaimana Beach in Waikīkī, Oʻahu! […] Hawaiian monk seals are one of the most endangered seal species in the world, so each pup represents hope for the species’ recovery.”

3. West Coast Indigenous-led marine conservation area gets global spotlight

“A coastal First Nation is celebrating global recognition of its marine protected area after recently snagging a “blue park” designation that highlights exemplary ocean conservation efforts around the world. […] Kitasu Bay supports one of the last abundant herring spawns along the central coast, vital to the nation’s communal herring roe on kelp (ROK) fishery - which harvests the protein-rich eggs but leaves the fish alive to flourish and spawn again.”

4. The number of fish on US overfishing list reaches an all-time low. Mackerel and snapper recover

“The report states that 94% of fish stocks are not subject to overfishing, which is slightly better than a year ago. The U.S. was able to remove several important fish stocks from the overfishing list, NOAA said in a statement. […] The removal of species from the overfishing list shows the U.S. is making progress, said Rick Spinrad, NOAA’s administrator.”

5. Researchers Collaborate with the Shipping Industry to Cut Costs, Fuel Consumption and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Shipping

“Through coordinated ship scheduling and an optimisation of ship operations and port services, the objective is to achieve a substantial increase in energy efficiency and a 10-20% reduction in fuel consumption, consequently resulting in lowered greenhouse gas emissions [and] leading to substantial economic benefits for shipping and environmental advantages for society[….]”

6. The city flower farm that is changing lives

“Heart of BS13 Flowers in Hartcliffe is part of the wider Heart of BS13 charity which tackles food insecurity in south Bristol. Profits from the flower sales to run workshops, offer volunteer and trainee placements, and create education opportunities for people from Hartcliffe.”

7. Four falcon chicks hatch in Glasgow university tower

“Members of the [Glasgow Peregrine] project hope to […] fit [the chicks] with electronic tags that will enable monitoring of their movements. Mr Simpson added: "With the identification tags we can see where they have gone, how high they fly and other information that would be really useful." In recent years the group have held peregrine watches at the university, allowing people to see the birds in their nest.”

8. 'Banana pingers' are saving whales and dolphins around the world

“[T]he Kibel brothers, Pete (a fisheries biologist) and Ben (an engineer) […] have been utilising light to protect turtles, sound to protect porpoises and electro pulses to protect sharks. [… Trials] showed reduced average catch rates of blue shark by 91%, and catch rates of pelagic stingray by 71% […as well as] a fall in the number of sea turtles being trapped by 42%.”

9. New vaccine effective against coronaviruses that haven't even emerged yet

“Researchers have developed a new vaccine technology that has been shown in mice to provide protection against a broad range of coronaviruses with potential for future disease outbreaks -- including ones we don't even know about. […] The new vaccine works by training the body's immune system to recognise specific regions of eight different coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and several that are currently circulating in bats and have potential to jump to humans and cause a pandemic.”

10. Grassland birds, Forest birds and Other Migratory Birds to Benefit from More Than $22 Million in Funding Throughout the Americas

“This year, more than $4.87 million in federal funds will be matched by more than $17 million in partner contributions going to 30 collaborative conservation projects in 19 countries across the Americas. “These investments will [… protect] millions of acres of diverse habitats needed by grassland birds, forest birds and shorebirds for wintering, breeding and migration,” said Service Director Martha Williams.”

April 22-28 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[asp1990]

Day 3: Thursday January 2nd, 2025 [Tokyo]

Breakfast: pork & egg Konbini sandwich

Lunch: Izakaya food and a Sochu wine

Dinner: Pork, egg & dipping noodles with a beer

Steps: 25,032

After a delightful 11 sleep, Morgan and I woke up at 9am, showered and head into Tokyo central to explore. The train only took about 20 minutes with one connection, so it was a breeze to navigate. Morgan was keen to get a Suica transit card but we were struggling to find any stations that sold them (I have a digital one on my iPhone that isn’t available for Samsung users). We spent almost 45 minutes walking around the ginormous Tokyo station trying to find the info centre. We finally found it and Morgan was able to buy a monthly card, which suited us just fine. We also got our second Eki train stamp which was very cute.

We were walking through Marunouchi shopping district and Morgan wanted to visit the Imperial Castle so we started walking in the direction Google Maps offered. We were almost immediately distracted by a Super Mario pop up store and went to check it out. Inside we bought a ¥200 Mario Bight Holiday Stamp Rally sheet which was a stamp scavenger hunt - cute! Without reading any of the directions, we headed outside and immediately found the first stamp. We then went to find the second and it took us about 45 minutes of going up and down the escalators trying to find the Princess Peach one. We decided to read the instructions and wouldn’t you believe it, the game became much easier. Walking around the shopping districts took us about 2 hours to complete and we delighted in seeing people of all ages carrying the same stamp booklets that we had. We only had to follow a family once in order to find the stamp station. In the middle of our hunt, we stopped at a stationary store to purchase a notebook to keep all of our stamps in. It took ages, but i was very happy with the one I chose. We finally finished the hunt at 2.30pm and returned to the starting point for our final stamp and prize.. which was stickers. Well worth the 2 hours of walking! Haha

We then went to get lunch but struggled to find a place to eat as most places closed around 2.30pm to tidy and reset for dinner service. Morgan found us a hole-in-the-wall restaurant with an English menu so we went inside. We ordered a delicious spread of edamame, fried tofu, karaage chicken and Morgan tried some panko crumbed horse mackerel - no thank you. We also had two drinks and the meal cost ¥3990 - not bad!

After lunch we walked over to the Imperial Castle. We had heard a lot of megaphone voices and saw a large police presence earlier in the day, but we weren’t sure what was going on. Morgan googled it and the 2nd is when the Imperial family address the public and open the grounds. Dammit! We could have gone, but also acknowledged that it was probably packed to the brim. The internet said it was the first proper address since pre-COVID so many people were expected to attend. We walked up as the police were leaving in drones and all crowds were gone, so we had no problems snapping a few pics of the palace as the sun set - the lighting was perfect! We were left wondering if the palace was build to be illuminated in that exact location with all interfering foliage removed. It seemed like it was the only thing the light was touching.

Whilst in the area, I wanted to check out the Uniqlo flagship store so we walked for 10 minutes and yet again were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of people shopping at once. They have the ‘Hatsu-uri’ new year sales which are similar to Aussie Boxing Day sales. It was chaotic! Morgan and I split up to visit our gendered sections. I am too tall to buy pants in Japan, which was a huge bummer, but I did buy a cute merlot-coloured bomber jacket, some thermals and a black long sleeved top. Morgan bought some pants and a green version of my travel bumbag. I also found us some coin organisers so that we didn’t just have loose coins in our pockets.

After walking around Uniqlo for an hour, our feet were tired and getting a bit sore. We tried to find a sake bar to have a drink but the two we googled were closed! We decided to get the train home and reset before heading out to dinner instead. Luckily we had accidentally walked right near a station that was a direct line back to our hotel. It was definitely time for a rest.

We went out for dinner at 7.30pm to a ramen place that Morgan had found online; a tiny restaurant called Roppongi Menya Musashi Kosho. There were only 12 seats that sat in a bar style around the kitchen where 3 men were cooking. It was a limited menu so all meals came out quickly. Instead of ordering ramen, we ordered “dipped noodles” instead and they were DELISH! The pork that came with it was roasted and seared on a hibachi grill and accompanied a boiled egg. The noodles looked a wee bit like fettuccine and the dipping sauce was thick with bone broth, chives and spices. I’m drooling just writing about it.

After dinner we decided to walk and see the Tokyo Tower - it was a 20 minute walk from near our accom. We drove past the tower on the way to our hotel on Day 1 but I didn’t realise that it’s nearly the same size as the Eiffel Tower. I was just going to take a photo of it lit up at night but Morgan wanted to go up and see the city from high up. With tickets only ¥1500 each, we went up. The views were gorgeous and it was packed. We got a souvenir photo taken and I bought Morgan and I some good luck charms from the gift shop. When we went to see our photo Morgan purchased the hard copy to take home with us.

The walk back up the hill seemed exhausting so we booked an ¥800 taxi back home and were glad to be able to get into our PJ’s and relax after an absolutely behemoth day of walking!

[tasmanstar]

Mackerel: A Top Choice for Omega-3 Rich Seafood

Mackerel is a highly nutritious fish that stands out as one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s play a significant role in supporting heart health, brain function, and inflammation reduction, making them essential for a balanced diet. Packed with flavour and boasting impressive health benefits, mackerel deserves a place on any seafood lover’s plate. If you’re interested in incorporating this beneficial fish into your diet, finding fresh mackerel is easy, with options like mackerel for sale from trusted suppliers.

Why Mackerel is Packed with Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids, specifically EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), are found in high concentrations in fatty fish like mackerel. These particular types of omega-3s have been shown to support cardiovascular health, improve cognitive function, and reduce inflammation. Unlike some other fish, mackerel contains high levels of these beneficial fats without excessive mercury, which can sometimes be a concern with larger predatory fish.

A single serving of mackerel provides a rich dose of omega-3s, making it easier to meet the recommended intake for these essential fats. Eating fresh mackerel regularly can help maintain a healthy balance of omega-3s, especially for those who don’t consume fish oils or other sources of these fatty acids.

Other Health Benefits of Mackerel

In addition to its omega-3 content, mackerel offers a variety of other nutrients. It’s an excellent source of protein, which supports muscle health and keeps you feeling full for longer. The fish is also rich in vitamins B12 and D, as well as minerals like selenium and iodine. Vitamin B12 is essential for energy production and brain function, while vitamin D supports bone health and immune function. Selenium acts as an antioxidant, and iodine is vital for thyroid function.

Including mackerel in your diet provides more than just omega-3s—it’s a nutrient-dense choice that supports various aspects of health. Many people find mackerel’s flavour appealing, with a richness that pairs well with a variety of herbs and spices. Grilled, baked, or even pan-seared, this fish is versatile enough to work in several recipes.

Cooking Ideas for Mackerel

Mackerel’s robust flavour makes it suitable for simple recipes that let the fish’s natural taste shine. A classic way to enjoy it is grilled with a sprinkle of sea salt and a squeeze of lemon juice. For those looking to try something different, a marinade of garlic, olive oil, and herbs before grilling can add depth. Paired with a side salad or steamed vegetables, it’s a meal that’s both nutritious and delicious.

For an alternative seafood option, products like lobster tail raw can add variety to your seafood dishes. Mixing different types of seafood, like mackerel with lobster or even monkfish, brings a wider range of nutrients and flavours to your meals. Options like fresh mackerel and other fresh seafood choices are perfect for building a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of omega-3s.

The Bottom Line

Mackerel is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to boost their omega-3 intake naturally. With its rich taste and impressive nutritional profile, mackerel adds a wholesome and flavourful element to meals. Whether you’re grilling it for a quick dinner or experimenting with new recipes, mackerel offers an easy way to enjoy the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and other essential nutrients.

[putschki1969]

2023/09/06 Instagram post by Wakana

“Kaiyukan” Part 4!! ️🌊🦈🌊 This will be the last Kaiyukan post 👏 In addition to all the animals, there were also interactive exhibits that I really enjoyed🤗✨ This time, I was able to walk around the museum while listening to various explanations of staff members 😆 I feel grateful! ️✨ There are still many things I don't know about the ocean and sea creatures🧐 My endless journey to discover aquariums continues...!! ️!! (Source)

Wakana's Talk Garden#1 「Summer Troubles」

»»—— CLICK ME 🎁 CLICK ME ——««

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ Do ❗NOT SHARE❗ on other sites ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

As announced a few days ago, Wakana is starting a podcast for Botanical Land members titled “Wakana’s Talk Garden”! A new episode will be posted once a month, the first one is already available on her fan club site! Episode #2 is scheduled to release on October 10. For future episodes, Wakana will let Botanical Land members contribute to the main talk topics and everyone can send in submissions (she's also thinking about small presents to those whose messages get picked up to be read during an episode). Be sure to join check it out!

The first episode was was quite reminiscent of YK's radio episodes, a lot calmer and toned down than what I would expect from Wakana XD. Wakana really enjoyed recording those "Sono Saki e" audio lyric essays she did for Uta Net so she is now trying to reproduce that atmosphere with her podcast. I'm glad she's getting some use out of the fancy microphone in her living room (although she is not using her special sound shield for these recordings even though it would probably be perfect for this purpose. She says she wanted the audio to be more casual and free-style). For next month, the topics are as follows =>

What comes to mind when you think of "autumn"?

Are you the type of person who takes comfort in things that don't change? Or are you the type who wants change?

2023/09/10 Blog post by Wakana おしゃべりガーデン始まりました！〜エアコンと新幹線とサバ美味しい〜

❗This is Fan Club EXCLUSIVE content❗ ❗PERSONAL USE ONLY❗ Do ❗NOT SHARE❗ on other sites ❗Join her FAN CLUB! Check out my detailed TUTORIAL ❗

Launch of My Talk Garden ! ~ Air cons, Shinkansen and Delicious Mackerels~

The first topic for my new podcast "Wakana's Talk Garden" was "Summer Troubles" so I had the chance to talk about lots of stuff with you😄Somehow I ended up talking for 30 minutes…🤔I hope you can listen to it when it's convenient for you, maybe while you are commuting or while doing something else. It seems like I make a lot of mistakes when I'm recording all by myself. When I listened to the audio after I had finished, I noticed so many little mistakes 😂😂 First of all, when I talked about my air conditioner being able to detect the outside temperature and start/stop the cooling function accordingly, I called this feature a "rest mode", but apparently, such a term does not exist.

And at one point I said "short-sleeved pajamas" although I meant to say "short-sleeved lounge-wear". I always wear long sleeves when I sleep, even in the summer *laughs*. I love these organic cotton pajamas and have been wearing them for about 10 years...😳Even though they're a little shabby, I still love them.

And I mentioned that the in-car wagon sales service on the Tokaido Shinkansen was no longer available but I was wrong! It is in fact still available but not for much longer, the service will end on October 31! So everyone, use that opportunity as long as the service is still available! Until then, let's all buy the infamous ultra hard ice cream\\\\٩( 'ω' )و ////

Speaking of October, episode #2 is scheduled for October 10th! The talk theme is:

What comes to mind when you think of "autumn"?

Are you the type of person who takes comfort in things that don't change? Or are you the type who wants change?

I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts related to autumn! As for the second question, you can tell me your habits, for example, if you like to move around a lot and change your environment? Or if you wear the same pajamas all the time? (that might just be me) By the way, I have lived in the same place for 12 years! I guess I am the type that feels comfort in things remaining stable 😂

Visit the fan club site to check out the first episode, to share your opinions/impressions and to send in submissions for the next episode! ↓↓↓↓↓ https://wakana-fc.jp/

＊＊＊Wakana＊＊＊

[msbarrows]

My ITA bag finally arrived! :D

It's shaped like a big book, with "Once Upon A Time" in gold print on the spine. It's actually big enough that I can put my 11" Samsung Galaxy tablet in it, which was one of my main goals in looking at bags, though only because the sides bow out enough to allow it. The bag is made of 'vegan leather' (say it with me - VINYL), so I probably won't be using it much during cold weather.

I'd also gone on a small spending spree on Etsy and @geekstudio for additional pins to join my existing pins, mostly buying ones I'd previously admired. I'm especially pleased with the ones I ordered all the way from TheGrumpyUnicornCo in Australia (figured I might as well order several I liked because the pins are light enough it didn't make any change to the shipping fee - also my timing was great and they were having a sale). To my disappointment they were out of their The Hobbit pin so I bought a Hitchhiker's Guide instead, along with a You Have My Sword and My Heart Has Joined The Thousand.

Ordered myself a new knife cat pin because it was losing my previous knife cat that made me decide I needed an ITA bag. Got the pin in grey instead of the black I had previously, then on other stores noticed black and sandy coloured cat pins that I also liked, and since my previous cats were a dark grey mackerel tabbie, a black cat, and a sandy coloured tabby, decided I clearly needed to get all three in memory of Little Demon, The Witch, and Sandtiger.

Most of the non-fandom pins on the bag are related to places I've worked or been educated in the past. The Nunavut inuksuk pin was one of my dad's, a souvenir of his travels during his retirement.

[lostlegendaerie]

Trick or treat 🎃 Anything you like!

send me a trick-or-treat and I'll write a mini fic for you!

---

He still feels like he has a lot to make up for, is the thing. And Rin does, he had a whole chunk of time where he was lashing out at everyone who loved him because his own expectations were killing him, and even if they say everything is fine he still feels. Guilty.

Which is why he's here.

"See?" he demands, trying not to move too much in the tailored maid outfit he'd borrowed from Samezuka. "You didn't miss out on much."

"It's not very beautiful on you, either," Rei mutters.

Rin glares at him; Rei had been the one to play the guilt card, and now he's complaining? "Hey."

"Huh," says Makoto, finger on his chin. "You were paler and skinnier last year. Maybe it fit you better, then?"

"Hey!"

Haruka strides forward, expression unreadable. Rin's heart thumps in his chest as he's examined like mackerel on sale, studied for flaws and firmness. (He half expects to get poked.) But instead, Haruka grabs the hem of Rin's skirt and lifts it.

"What the fuck, Haru?!"

"No swimsuit underneath. Mikoshiba did it better."

In the chaos that follows, no one hears the click of Nagisa's camera phone.

[foodandbeverages]

Canned Seafood Market Potential Growth, Share, Demand and Analysis of Key Players – Forecasts to 2033

The global canned seafood market (Marché de fruits de mer en conserve) is projected to have a moderate-paced CAGR of 3.7% during the forecast period. The current valuation of the canned seafood market is USD 33.6 billion in 2023. The value of the canned seafood market is anticipated to reach a high of USD 48.2 billion, by the year 2033.

The outcome of expanding consumer spending power is an increase in demand for notable and unusual culinary items. The market has more prospects as a result of the use of various types of seafood in restaurants and hotels in the United States. The canned seafood market is projected to expand due to the rising acceptance of plant-based seafood.

Scientists and marketers are developing nutritious, plant-based fish that tastes authentic due to the rise in demand for seafood alternatives. For example, the canned fish manufacturer Karavela created a range of yellow pea-based canned seafood items in December 2021.

Both small businesses and established businesses are exhibiting interest in fish made from plants. An alternative to tuna derived from soy, yeast, and sunflower extract was introduced by Atlantic Natural Foods. Additionally, Good Catch secured US$ 32 million in funding in January 2020 for their plant-based seafood, while another company, Impossible Foods, said in 2019 that it is working on plant-based fish.

As consumer awareness for ecologically and socially responsible seafood procurement grows, customers have begun choosing fish items that are acquired sustainably. As a result, more producers of canned salmon are attempting to get their raw materials from fisheries that have received certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council in an effort to support the sustainable movement (ASC). Additionally, it ultimately led to a rise in canned fish sales.

Numerous manufacturers and distributors are concentrating on sales through online channels and e-commerce platforms as a result of customers’ increased interest in and preference for online shopping, which is being fueled by convenience. Therefore, brands like F.C.F. Fishery’s Bumble Bee and Dongwon Group’s StarKist are working more and more closely with online retailing businesses like Amazon, Alibaba, ASDA, and Waitrose & Partners to offer items on their e-commerce platforms. Additionally, business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) activities are supported through the internet and e-commerce platforms. In addition, new companies are enhancing logistics and the supply chain to assist in the hassle-free delivery of canned seafood to customers.

However, during the projection period, illegal fishing and overfishing may provide a significant threat to the canned seafood industry. Despite being the market’s main driver, commercial fishing has had a negative impact on fish stocks. Thus, it has caused overfishing and the depletion of fisheries.

Information Source: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/canned-seafood-market

Key Takeaways:

Over the forecast period, the United Kingdom is anticipated to occupy a significant portion of the global canned seafood market. By purchasing fish solely during its season, British businesses are setting the standard for canning mackerel, tuna, sardines, anchovies, and salmon. Additionally, they obtain it mostly from the world’s most eco-friendly fisheries.

The canned seafood market in the United States is expected to grow significantly, over the projection period. All of the seafood that the key players buy comes from small-scale fishing villages in the United States, as well as Canada. They solely deal with fisheries that are managed responsibly to benefit both the environment and workers.

The caviar product category is anticipated to generate the most revenue throughout the course of the projection period because pharmaceutical businesses use it and the different extracts from its products to create tablets, capsules, and liquid medicines that assist patients overcome inadequacies.

As they offer discounts and deals to improve their sales results, the hypermarkets/supermarkets sales channel type, and is the most creative segment for key companies, accounting for a sizable portion.

Competitive Landscape:

The global canned seafood market is divided as a result of the presence of both international and local competitors. Significant market share is held by several corporations in their specialized industries. Leading firms frequently value organic developments, such as product approvals and the rise in demand for foods derived from animals, fats and oils, refined grains, and fruits and vegetables. The canned seafood market throughout the world is predicted to grow significantly as a result of these causes.

Key Players:

Nueva Pescanova

Marine Harvest ASA

Thai Union Frozen Products

Royal Greenlands

StarKist Co.

Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd.

Maruha Nichiro Corporation

Icicle Seafoods Inc.

LDH (La Doria) Ltd.

Wild Planet Foods

American Tuna Inc.

Universal Canning Inc.

Tri Marine Group

Trident Seafoods Corporation

Connors Bros. Ltd.

Recent Developments:

In May 2019, Rio de Oro, a Moroccan manufacturer of frozen fish, introduced a line of canned fish with a focus on the European market.

In August 2020, Golden Gate Capital and Thai Union Group PCL had agreed to sell each other the remaining stock interest in Red Lobster Seafood Co. Orlando is likely to continue to house Red Lobster’s headquarters.

Key Segments

By Product Type:

Caviar

Mackerel

Salmon

Sardines

Tuna

Others

By Sales Channel:

Hypermarkets/Supermarkets

Convenience Stores

Independent Grocery Stores

Specialty Stores

Online Retail

By Region:

North America

Latin America

Asia Pacific

MEA

Europe