#region NOA

[rricardo96]

"Pokemones legendarios por Argentina"

Santiago del Estero: Landorus en Villa Ojo de Agua.

[kelluinox]

Why does my family cling to Israel and Israel's continued existence? Simple. You see, when we were being persecuted and killed by the Nazis, and my family was chased out and was stripped of their citizenship, they tried to go to America. Only America turned them away. They had nowhere else to go. No one would accept them. No one wanted them. You know the only place that did? Israel

[minothtime]

Just finished the main story of Pokemon Violet and jesus FUCK i wasn't expecting to come out of this game with a little found family made of family issues incarnate, the quiet kid, a combat-crazed bimbo and the insane one (released ancient curses for fun)

[jujuygrafico]

Inauguración del vuelo Jujuy-Asunción: Un nuevo horizonte de conectividad

Inauguración del vuelo Jujuy-Asunción: Un nuevo horizonte de conectividad Jujuy inauguró vuelo internacional a Asunción, fortaleciendo la conectividad y el turismo entre Argentina y Paraguay.

El Aeropuerto Internacional “Horacio Guzmán” fue el escenario de la inauguración del nuevo servicio aerocomercial que conecta Jujuy con Asunción, la capital de Paraguay. Este evento, que marca el inicio de una nueva ruta aérea internacional, fue encabezado por el gobernador de la provincia, Carlos Sadir, junto a otras autoridades locales y representantes de la empresa Paranair. Un nuevo puente…

[ozzifrage]

I think people should look at splatoon lore more! A lot of the stuff you can see just in game is cool, but there’s actually a whole lot hidden in a bunch of other places! Heck, the dialogue for other regions usually has different wordings, but in a few cases it changes some parts of the lore!

Whether this makes you want to look more into lore or not, I sure had a fun time looking through all the dialogue.

[death---dealer]

Fur. ( POTA Headcanons. )

Caesar really likes it when you tuck your fingers deep into his fur, enjoying the sensation of your fingertips grasping at the skin that rested below. Goes absolutely nuts in those moments of intimacy where you're pulling in it in a desperate plea to be inside of his skin himself just to get more. Very good way to get his attention when he's torn in on himself in introspective. You'll sit next to him and run your fingers along the surface first, petting him to let him know you're there, but if that doesn't get you anything, you'll lightly bring your fingers in harder, against the grain, with the grain of the darkened fur and the look he'll give you, hard and intense around the edges as you knew he was deep in his own thoughts, softens along with his breathing as you bring him back to reality, away from drowning in the self-deprecation that occasionally sat in him if he were left alone with his own ideas at times. Caesar will lean into your touch, urging you to continue. And without fail, you do.

Noa finds pleasure in the way that your fingers dig into the thickness of his fur when he's got you against his back, your legs tucked against his tapered back, arms around him and you clasp at the fur around his collarbone to leverage yourself before you choose to clasp your own arms instead as it seems more secure. Takes delectation when your shoulder to shoulder with him and his fur it tickling at the very light lining of the skin on your shoulder and he's able to sense the reaction it garners from you. The heat against your face, your knees drawing together, lips falling open as you look over at him, right out of the corner of your eye to see if his movements were intentional or not. If you sense they are intentional, you'll place a hand on his thigh and let your fingers run against the grain of his fur before you sharply move your hand back upwards, against it just so you could embed your hand completely into the very thick fur that lined the taut muscles. It drives him crazy.

Blue Eyes likes the way your fingers feel against the fur that encases his scars. The scratches themselves have very dull feeling in them after they completely healed, the only way that you're going to garner a reaction from touching them at all is if your fingernails were to dig into the flesh. But, the fur around it? It felt hypersensitive, Blue Eyes watching in acute focus as you bring your hand towards his chest in the throes of quiet intimacy, lining from the pectoral region where it tapered into the fur of his actual chest, upwards towards his shoulders, right along the line of the deepest setting scar. The bristling hits his spine as he watches the movement, your fingers playing with the coarse fur that grew, soft against the rest of his body, growing in tuft means around his scars. He knows you like it though, Blue Eyes aware that you pay more attention to it even if you weren't willing to admit that out loud.

Koba will never willingly let you anywhere near his fur. He's preened it the way he likes, he's not really even a fan of other Apes touching it at all. If he had a favorite ( HEAVY IF HERE FRIENDS ), it would be the subtle grazing of his fur against you in the flurried moments of aggression that he'll show-boat in front of you.

Nothing really enjoyable about it Koba convinced himself of that, but if he gets you close enough and does manage to rub some part of his fur against you, then that means that he can transfer his own scent on you without your knowledge and Koba knows that it messes with the perceptions of any other Ape in the Colony who might, or who has, shown interest in you. You smell like Koba, sometimes not quite sure why some of the Apes looked at you with such fear for you in their eyes, usually chalking it up to the simple notion that you were just a Human. Never figuring out what was actually happening, Koba using the tactic to keep others away from you.

Anaya really caters to the feeling of your hands drifting themselves against the sensitive nature of his upper and lower navel. It tickles, surely and your teasing touches have lead to multiple snaps where the Ape does roll onto you and seeks revenge, dragging his hands down your sides to tickle you back. But, if it's the early morning and he's still teetering between sleep and consciousness, you enjoy the taut muscles of his thinned stomach as you draw shapes against his fur. Never hard enough to dig in, as you're afraid that it's going to wake him up and he'll go straight into regular Anaya behavior by trying to rebut, so you're gentle, more so than usual, watching in amusement as your hand rises and falls with his deep breathing, but the joke was on you. Anaya is aware that you're touching him but at the time, it doesn't feel ticklish, and it feels soothing and relaxing and often will lull him back to sleep.

Soona really likes it when you play with the fur on her head, especially when she's sitting in front of you and you're braiding the smooth nature of it. Braids are common amongst the female Apes, it surely is a form of grooming affection and you were happy to delve into it. She'll fall into soothing chatter, your eyes wanting nothing more than to see Soona's freckled cheeks express what she was saying, but with your fingers so entranced against her scalp, the smoothed threads falling in and out of your touch as you brought them draping into a few small braids, accompanied by a few small hair beads, you were content, especially when she's feeling playful and tilts her head back to look you in the eyes, leaving your heart jumping into your throat and you're suddenly not able to concentrate on the movements of your fingers.

[kidasthings]

Echoes of Eden by Kida

Noa x Mae - #omgisthisastorywithplot?

Chapter 2: Echoes of Eden by Kida – @kidasthings on Tumblr

Prologue

Three centuries after a catastrophic virus decimated human intelligence, turning the survivors into primal shadows of their former selves, the world has irrevocably changed. The ALZ virus, originally intended to combat Alzheimer's disease, not only ravaged humanity but inadvertently gave rise to a new dominant species: intelligent apes.

Near the ruins of what was once Los Angeles, Noa, a valiant chimpanzee of the Eagle clan, has just thwarted a power-hungry bonobo, Proximus Caesar, from enslaving his people. Guided by the teachings of a certain orangutan, Raka, who revered the nearly forgotten, peace-loving chimp Caesar, Noa believes in a world where apes and humans can coexist peacefully. However, during his quest, he encounters Mae, a human who defies his expectations. Mae, immune to the virus and possessing the ability to speak, challenges Noa's perceptions of humans as mere animals.

Together, Noa and Mae manage to prevent Proximus Caesar from seizing a cache of potent human technology by flooding an old bunker. In the process, Mae secures a crucial computer drive that enables her underground human community to reconnect with distant survivors, bridging isolated pockets of humanity; she also manages to betray Noa and his clan by leaving them to fend for themselves.

As Mae's group in Los Angeles prepares to merge with new allies from Fort Wayne, Indiana, tensions escalate. Unaware of Mae's bond with Noa, a small but well-armed scouting party from Fort Wayne comes across the Eagle Clan’s village on their way to Los Angeles to meet up with Mae’s people.

Far more adept on their own home turf, the scouting party is caught by the apes, rounded up, and held hostage. Their weapons are confiscated. Mae is called in when the scouting party never reports to the underground bunker where the rest of the intelligent humans in her group seek refuge. Caught between her origins and her convictions, Mae faces the ultimate choice during the tense encounter: stand with her human kin or protect Noa, the ape she has come to admire.

This story explores the fragile hope for reconciliation in a world torn apart by fear and prejudice. Can Noa and Mae forge a path toward peace, or will the shadows of old wars darken the future dreamed of by the legendary Caesar?

---------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1

In the dense shadows cast by the towering trees that skirt the Eagle clan's village, the air was thick with tension and the faint scent of smoke from distant fires. The setting sun bled red over the horizon, casting long shadows across the rough-hewn faces of the Eagle clan and their new captives. Five ALZ-immune humans from Fort Wayne sat bound and rigid, their eyes darting nervously as they listened to the low, ominous murmurs of the assembled apes.

Noa moved deliberately among the captives, his demeanor stern yet marked by an inherent fairness. Each human he approached met his gaze with a mix of defiance and fear, but none spoke. They clung to their silence like a shield, even under the weight of Noa's penetrating stare.

"No purpose here can be good if it starts with secrets," Noa stated, his voice resonating with a calm authority as he paused before a younger man whose jaw was stubbornly set.

The chants from the simian crowd grew louder, a discordant mix of anger and fear, with proposals of banishment or worse. They remembered what happened with Proximus Caesar, the obsession with human technology and worldly knowledge, and want none of it. Noa raised a hand, called for silence, but the restlessness was palpable, a living thing that fed on uncertainty and fear.

At the perimeter of the village, a human woman keeps a low profile in the brush. She had followed a single flare that burst bright in the sky to this location. It was a habitual thing, to bypass this region when doing her rounds in the forest. Immunity to the Simian Flu had bequeathed her the role of tracker, hunter, and scout after her initial mission was completed. Brown hair, blue eyes like the sky, Mae can only watch the scene unfold with a pounding heart. Worry lines were etched deeply into her brow, and her hand reached up to clutch at something around her neck - Raka's pendant - the symbol of peace promoted by an ape named Caesar long ago.

Noa gave her that pendant. For an inopportune moment, Mae was lost in reverie.

Without warning, a strong hand gripped her shoulder, yanked her from the shadows. Mae stumbled forward, dragged into the open. Her breath caught as she was thrown unceremoniously to the ground before Noa and his human captives. Dust and small stones bit into her palms as she caught herself, and a small grunt escaped her lips.

The sudden appearance of the human - a known and not particularly fondly remembered human - amongst them drew shocked gasps and murmurs.

Noa’s eyes widened in recognition, then narrowed in a complex tumult of emotion. The last time they parted, it was with a promise of peace, and yet here she was, thrown at his feet, disrupting the fragile balance he had fought to maintain.

Mae’s chest heaved as she pushed herself up slightly, her voice raspy but resolute as she met Noa's gaze. A single word hangs between them, charged with layers of meaning, a plea, a greeting, a reminder of shared dreams and bitter realities.

"Noa."

In that moment, the world narrowed to the space between them. Noa stood motionless, the voices around him faded into a distant hum. His heart fought a fierce battle within, torn between his duty to his clan and the undeniable pull he felt towards this woman who embodied both the past they shared and the future they might still forge. He can see Caesar’s pendant, an encircled diamond, as it swung from Mae’s neck wildly.

She still had it.

It is a symbol of ideals that suddenly seem so distant in the face of palpable tension and looming conflict.

The standoff stretched out, every breath, every silent plea, every hope and fear suspended in the dusty air of the dying day.

“Noa,” Mae tried again, defeated. She pulled herself up to stand on shaky, coltish legs. The Eagle Clan scout that initially seized her did not reach for her again as Noa lifted one hand to stay him.

Noa closed his eyes, as if in contemplation.

“What are you doing here?” he finally asked, as he reopened his eyes and shuttered his gaze.

Mae’s lips thinned out into a seamless line, and she cut a gaze over to the trussed-up humans attached to poles in the center of the village.

Noa nodded, once. He did not need much more than that as he added, “They approached our borders. We do not yet know their intention.”

The five Fort Wayne humans, still tied tight, share deliberate looks of fear between themselves. There is clear intelligence writ into their faces. They are not gagged, much to the chagrin of some of the villagers, as Noa would not have it. Still, they are oddly quiet. A few cast curious looks at Mae, no recognition in their eyes. The only woman in the group chewed her lower lip in frustration. Her blonde hair is cut short in a severe bob.

“Let them go, Noa.” Mae stated boldly, taking a step forward. Two other apes, positioned parallel to her, moved to intercept her advance towards the hero of the Eagle Clan. Once again, Noa lifted his calloused palm and gritted his sharp canines.

“Follow,” he told her, indicating something or someplace to the left with a sharp jerk of his head.

There is a short murmur of indignation from the gathered villagers, save for a small group which consisted of Soona, Anaya, and Noa’s mother. They appeared stuck in a shallower tumult of emotion. Noa’s mother took a step forward, unsure, but Soona placed her palm on the female ape’s furry shawl-covered shoulder and stopped her.

Mae’s eyes followed Noa, capturing his unique profile in a blink, and then dipped her head and hesitated. It is always that hesitation, caught between following an ape and leaving her kind behind, but with a reluctant glance at the captives she turned to follow.

He led her to a towering edifice of wood and natural materials that might be described as a tree house. Far above them, hawks circled in the sky, their soaring shadows blotting out the last rays of the sun. They landed at the top of the tower, a dizzying height, and screeched down at her.

Noa ascended a small ramp and stepped past a woven flap of material.

Mae did the same after taking a moment to peer backwards over her shoulder to ascertain the serious faces of a few apes herding her to the entrance.

Once inside, the darkness enveloped her, and the woman became hyper-aware of a dual pair of reflective eyes that watched her in the darkness of the interior.

“You came back,” he said, voice rough with something like emotion.

“Not by choice,” she quipped, and then stepped sideways away from the shaft of light thrown down by the door.

“Why?” It’s a simple question for a complex answer, and she wasn’t ready to answer it.

“I saw a distress signal in the sky,” she replied easily, eyes skating over the shadows and shapes in the interior of the newly rebuilt tower. “I had to see for myself. It looked like a human flare.”

“A flare?” he questioned; voice flat.

“It’s a human thing,” she sighed.

She heard him padding closer to her, his eerie eyes backlit by whatever reflective photo-sensitive cells nocturnal animals possessed. More of his face came into detail. After he stood about a few feet away, he stopped.

Mae froze.

“You have  ... it,” he informed her quietly.

“Yeah,” she agreed.

A hand reached out, seemingly disembodied in black space, and she felt the immediate lift of the small weight at her neck.

“Do you ... still believe .. in what it stands for?”

Her answer is the same as before, the same empty mantra. “I-I don’t know, Noa.”

A huff, a sigh. The weight on the back of the cord returned and he stepped back.

“Let them go,” Mae demanded, again.

He did not reply, not right away, but he did give her a long look. It was hard for her to discern in the dim dark, but it might be a soft rebuke. “I have to know … why they are … here.”

Mae’s mind shut down, because she wasn’t ready, or can’t tell him that. Her group of survivors had been expecting the Fort Wayne scouting party for months now. The underground bunker housing her people was the last of its kind for hundreds of miles. They had not come across any other intelligent humans in that time, so this must be the group they awaited. Mae was not an idiot; she had seen the sentry apes rifling through a small stockpile of guns on the ground when she was roughly manhandled to the ground.

She trusted Noa situationally, sure, but did she trust him with this?

There might have been a flash of hurt on his face but the dim interior concealed it well. “They belong with me,” is all she can muster.

“Tell the truth,” he parried back. There was a frustrated edge to his voice, nearly a growl.

“I am telling the truth,” she quipped stubbornly.

“Mae,” he refuted quietly, moving so fast that he is suddenly in her space again, too much and too soon. She gasped, caught off guard. His fingers found Raka’s necklace again, still around her neck. He was staring hard at it.

“Tell … me.”

Her tongue is nothing but a slug in her mouth, unable to form words. Noa had never been this close before, taking up her space, her attention, her very being. Caught between one moment and the next, she shook her head in utter disbelief. She could see his features more clearly, the craggy brow, the dark-light eyes, the slight downturn of his mouth beneath an inhuman nose. For a second, he gripped the pendant around her neck tightly, as if he wanted to hold it for some length of time, and then released it yet again to step past her.

Their shoulders brushed, and Mae forgot to breathe.

His voice carried over from somewhere behind her, close to the entrance. “If you will … not speak …  they will.” A rustle of fabric against fur, and he is gone.

Within the crude tower, Mae lets out the breath she held in a slow whoosh.

Noa.

[inkmonster21]

I know your spending time with your family so I thought I would leave a cute request for when you return.

How about the reader and Noa having their first child and reader turning sick a few days after the birth and Noa fearing for his mate. But Dar reassuring him that the ape doctors? Are doing everything and to bond with his son. But the reader is all good in the end.

I loved this! Thank you for your request. I hope you enjoy!

Fighting for Life

~o0o~

Birth, a pivotal event in one's life, is never a straightforward process. The physical and emotional challenges that come with bringing a new life into the world can be overwhelming. From the moment contractions begin to the incredible moment when a baby makes its grand entrance, the journey through labor and delivery is a testament to the resilience and strength of both mother and child.

Just as a devoted partner often does, Noa stood by and supported you throughout the entire birthing process. He was there through every contraction, every push, every moment of doubt and pain. His presence was unwavering, his support unfaltering.

You cry out, tears streaming down your face, as a powerful contraction rips through your body. Your muscles tense, your head thrown back in pain, and you let out a guttural groan filled with anguish. The pain is excruciating, overwhelming your senses, and your mind is consumed by the intensity of the moment.

Dar, a gentle soul, carefully dabs a cool, wet cloth across your forehead as you go through the intense pain of labor. Her touch is tender and caring, providing a modicum of comfort amidst the whirlwind of emotions. In a soothing voice, she offers words of reassurance and encouragement.

Dar continues to gently dab the cloth on your forehead, her voice is soft and steady. "They will be here soon," she whispers, her words carrying a soothing assurance. The tenderness in her voice and the confidence radiating from her presence offer a glimmer of hope and relief as you continue to battle the intensity of contractions.

The intensity of the contraction washes over you like a powerful wave, causing you to cry out and sit up in a burst of strength. Your voice trembles as you utter, "I can't do it," a moment of doubt and exhaustion overcoming you. As the pain escalates, despair momentarily overtakes you, making you question your ability to continue through the ordeal.

Noa gently positions your heads together, taking a moment to breathe with you through the overwhelming pain. His voice is calm and steady as he whispers words of reassurance. "Yes… you can," he repeats, his voice firm but gentle. "You are… strong." Noa's unwavering belief in your strength and resilience serves as a source of comfort and encouragement, reminding you of your inner strength and ability to push through the pain.

Dar and the clan's healer exchange a glance, their expressions focused as they assess your pelvic region. After a moment of silent examination, they nod to each other in agreement. The nod is a silent message, signaling that the moment has arrived. They were ready to assist you through the final stages of labor.

Noa moves to stand behind you, his chest pressing firmly against your back. He positions himself directly behind you, providing a much-needed source of support and strength. With his arms on either side of you, he offers a sense of stability and comfort as you prepare to push.

The healer's voice cuts through the air, a firm and authoritative command. "Push... now," they urge. The time has come for you to channel all your remaining strength and push with all your might. Noa's arms tighten around you subtly, his presence a steadying force as you bear down.

With a surge of energy, you throw your body backward, letting out a powerful cry filled with a mix of pain and determination. The intensity of the moment is palpable as life begins to take shape within you, the act of birth both painful and remarkably beautiful. Noa's arms tighten around you, a silent sign of support and encouragement as he bears witness to the miracle unfolding before him.

It was a long and arduous journey, a full hour of pushing with relentless fortitude. You sobbed loudly, the pain and exhaustion becoming almost unbearable, yet you persevered. Finally, in the last lengths of the process, the baby made its arrival into the world. It was a moment of triumph, the culmination of your resilience and determination.

A profound silence fell over the room, the seconds feeling like an eternity as everyone waited in bated breath. But then, the silence was broken by the sound of a baby crying loudly. The cry filled the air, signaling that the baby was indeed healthy and alive.

Noa's face spread into an elated smile as the baby hung in the healer's grasp, a healthy male. His eyes shone with pride and joy as he turned to you, his voice filled with love and admiration. "You did it… my love," he whispered, his arms wrapping around you tightly. Noa's words carried a mix of amazement and devotion, acknowledging your strength and resilience in bringing the child into the world.

The moment of joy and triumph was short-lived, as your condition began to deteriorate. Despite the immense happiness filling the air, you were teetering on the edge of consciousness. The exhaustion from the arduous labor had sapped away your strength, leaving you barely clinging to existence.

Noa's concern grows as he sees your struggle to stay awake. He calls out your name, his voice becoming more frantic and worried with each passing second. "Wake up! Wake up!" He shakes you softly at first, but his touch becomes more urgent and firm as he tries to rouse you from the precipice of unconsciousness.

Dar gently holds the child, cleaning him tenderly while keeping a watchful eye on your health. She's worried, her expression etched with concern.

The healer crouched down next to you, their expression serious as they closely examined your condition. They noticed your shallow breathing, your slowing heart rate, and the heat radiating from your feverish body.

The healer's voice cut through the tense atmosphere, their words directed at Noa. "You must go," she said firmly. Noa's attention snapped to the healer, his heart skipping a beat at the cryptic order.

Noa's response was immediate, his one-word firm and full of determination. "No,” his tone left no room for argument. He wasn't leaving your side, not when you were in such dire condition.

Dar gently kneels beside Noa, holding his son in her arms. Her voice is soft but firm as she speaks, her eyes filled with empathy. "Son, you must... for her to heal, she needs space," she says, her gaze falling upon the child, his son. "He needs you."

Noa is torn between his need to stay with you and his newfound responsibilities as a father. Her words pierced through his heart, the weight of her plea sinking in. Noa's heart is heavy, and he reluctantly departs with his child, leaving you alone with his mother and Dar. The act of walking away from you is almost physically painful, his love and concern for you are at odds with the necessity of allowing you space to heal.

Noa gazes down at his son, his eyes taking in the mixture of both Ape and human traits. The baby's fur-like hair lined his features and down his limbs, a unique fusion of two worlds. The infant squirms and wiggles in his grasp, his tiny form full of energy and life.

A smile spreads across Noa's face, the newfound emotions of fatherhood flooding his heart. He gazes at his child, feeling a strange sense of protective instincts and affection welling up within him. It's a foreign feeling, one he never thought he would experience, but it's undeniable and overwhelming.

Noa's mind drifts back to you, his thoughts consumed by worry and concern for your health. He can't shake off the thought of what would happen if you didn't make it through. The idea of losing you fills him with a desperate sense of fear, his heart aching at the mere possibility.

He tries to refocus his attention on his son, finding solace in the innocent gaze and delicate touch of the tiny life in his arms. But the worry for you remains at the back of his mind, refusing to subside completely.

You lay still, the energy and life seemingly drained from your body as a result of the prolonged and arduous labor. Your limbs feel heavy, your eyes are barely able to stay open, and your throat is parched. The exhaustion is all-consuming, every muscle in your body begging for respite.

Noa couldn't bear to stay away for more than an hour. He held his infant son tightly in his arms as he peeked into the room, his gaze falling upon your still form. The sight of you, exhausted and spent, only heightened his worry, his heart clenching in his chest.

Dar tenderly cradles your head, gently coaxing you to take small sips of water. Soona diligently wipes away the perspiration from your face and chest, her touch cool and comforting. The healer, with a watchful eye, diligently monitors your condition, ensuring that you remain stable and don't slip into unconsciousness again.

Noa enters the room, his worry etched in his voice as he asks, "Will she make it?" The words leave his lips in a hushed tone, his body tense with tension as he braces himself for the worst possible news.

The Healer raises her eyes, her gaze filled with a glimmer of hope. "She will be fine," she says, her voice firm and reassuring. "Exhausted. Needs long rest."

Noa's shoulders relax slightly upon hearing the news, a flicker of relief visible in his eyes. Dar gently pushes Noa once more, her voice laced with encouragement. "Go bond with your son. You can see her again at sunrise," she insists. "She is well."

Noa's resolve wavers, the urge to stay by your side and assure himself of your well-being almost overpowering. However, he nods, reluctantly agreeing to take care of his son for now.

Noa spends his time oscillating between worrying about you and adoring his newborn son. The joy and wonder of being a father, coupled with the concern and anxiety over your well-being, consumes him. Holding his son, he marvels at the infant's tiny features, his heart filled with paternal love. Yet, his thoughts constantly drift back to you.

The sun rises over the horizon, bathing the world in its warm morning glow. It marks the start of a new day, but Noa has not slept at all. His mind has been preoccupied with thoughts of you and his newborn son, making it impossible for him to find any rest.

Noa cradles his newborn son in his arms, his steps heavy with exhaustion yet full of anticipation. He makes his way towards the room where you delivered, his gaze fixed upon you. As he enters the room and sees you awake, a deep sigh of relief escapes his lips, his tension melting away.

Dar's face lights up with joy and excitement as she reaches for the child, her eyes sparkling with the prospect of holding her first grandchild. She takes the baby into her arms, enveloping him in her embrace, a wide smile on her face.

Noa moves to your side, his touch gentle as he caresses your cheek. He notices the color slowly returning to your skin, the sickly pallor fading. The sight of you recovering brings a wave of relief over him, a sense of comfort washing over his weary heart.

Noa's heart skips a beat as you lean into his touch, your voice whispering his name. "Noa," you utter, your eyes still closed.

His smile softens, and he runs his fingers through your hair tenderly. "I am here."

Noa returns your smile, his chest swelling with a mix of relief and contentment. He continues to brush his fingers through your hair, his touch gentle and soothing. "Rest," he whispers, his voice filled with tenderness.

You murmur faintly, still drifting on the edge of sleep. Noa watches over you, his gaze filled with unwavering devotion. He can't help but admire your beauty even in your weakened state. He continues to stroke your cheek and hair, his touch a gentle reassurance that he's there, guarding your recovery.

Your body tenses suddenly, concern evident in your voice as you ask, "The child?" Your question hangs in the air, a mixture of worry and trepidation.

Noa's heart aches at your question, realizing you're unaware of his safe arrival. He places a hand gently on your shoulder, trying to soothe your worry. "He is safe," he reassures you.

Your sigh of relief is tinged with a touch of happiness as a tear rolls down your cheek. The realization of what you had accomplished sinks in - you had given Noa a son. Despite the exhaustion and the strain of labor, a sense of satisfaction spreads within you. “Where is he?”

Noa smiles softly at your question, understanding your eagerness to meet your son. "With Mother," he replies, his voice filled with a mix of pride and excitement.

Dar approaches with a radiant smile, carrying your son in her arms. The baby wiggles and coos playfully, the sound filling the room with a sense of life and joy. Noa moves aside slightly, allowing Dar to bring the baby closer to you.

Dar gently sets your son in your arms, his tiny form radiating warmth and innocence as he nuzzles against you, his skin touching yours. He gazes up at you with eyes that seem to hold both trust and knowledge beyond his age.

Your heart melts at the sight of your son, the connection between you is both instant and profound. You hold him closely, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against your chest. The room seems to fade into the background, all your attention focused on the tiny being in your arms.

Noa moves closer, his hand lightly on your shoulder as he stands beside you. His gaze alternates between you and the baby in your arms, his eyes filled with love, pride, and protectiveness. He can't help but marvel at the sight of you holding your son for the first time, the image etching itself into his memory forever.

[sweet-old-hereafter]

APE ENGLISH RAMBLE PART I

The first rule of ape english is that the rules are fluid. This is partially for realism and partially because I cannot be expected to keep up with all of these rules even though I created them. My mind is not big enough.

You will notice a slight discrepancy in the spoken dialogue of the apes and Noa’s inner monologue; there are some non-diegetic reasons for this that I’ll be covering, but in-universe it is still physically uncomfortable for the apes to speak for long periods of time, despite the fact they have an understanding of language just as complex as modern humans at this point. The workarounds are regional; Eagle Clan would supplement with sign language, but the Coastals will speak to the point of vocal injury I’m derailing nevermind

Limited physiology is the main thing that governs the conventions of ape english. So, this dialect prioritizes two things; brevity and precision, the latter being the more important, because having to repeat or explain yourself is worse than adding on a few additional words for clarity. With that in mind, let’s get into it.

Warning: this doesn’t actually make sense

Exclusions/Omissions

There are two unwavering, hard and fast rules to ape english; NO ADVERBS, NO CONTRACTIONS. Let me explain-

Why no adverbs? I should clarify that I mean adverbs of degree or manner, which typical[ly] end in -ly (with the exception of only. They say this a lot.).

The -ly ending involves both a liquid consonant and a vowel glide, a structure that requires vocal dexterity unique to humans. Just as it is depicted in the films, the apes have an intense pharyngeal intonation that is just not capable of pulling off those delicate, flowing sounds, at least not with ease.

Not to mention, I think most of the time they are unnecessary. In cases where it would be necessary to utilize one (such as the example below; where the distinction between how much fur an ‘echo’ would have opposed to an ape) you would just drop the -ly. I do this a few times, sparingly.

From a white sheet, a limp arm thick and dusted light [not lightly] with fur flops with each step between them.

Why no contractions? Saying ‘don’t’ is a hell of a lot quicker and easier than saying ‘do not’. No it isn’t is not! As I said, they value precision over all else. Contractions involve a complex mechanism of dropping syllables, compressing vowels, merging consonants…this all involves fine motor control and it’s way easier just to round out those harsh consonants with the ‘o’.

Alright, moving on to some omissions that are utilized in a looser sense.

95% of the time, I will substitute fragmented sentence structure for actual article omissions in internal monologue to maintain the archaic feel. I have no real justification for this other than constant article omission is pretty much unreadable. I wrote a draft like this and it might as well have been reading oo oo ah ah.

However, subject/pronoun omission is much more tolerable! Particularly when referring to one’s self using (or not using) ‘I’. For example, it is always acceptable to drop the ‘I’ when introducing oneself or describing oneself using ‘am’.

‘Am Noa,’ I say.

I should not be nervous. Am not nervous - for myself.

This is acceptable because the use of ‘am’ is sufficient for conveying that you’re referring to yourself. Who else would you be referring to? In the second case, we also have ‘I” in the preceding sentence, and it’s proximity to the next one is more than enough. Here’s another example of an acceptable pronoun omission;

‘Mother’s voice hums through the wood of our home. Cannot hear what she says. Must be beckoning him back to rest.’

In the second sentence, its implied well enough that he is the one who cannot hear what she says, BUT even if that was missed, it’s not particularly important in the context of the sentence to understand WHO cannot hear her, just that she cannot be heard. The third sentence can omit the pronoun "she" because it directly follows two sentences where the subject—the mother—has already been established.

      ‘It is’ can be streamlined to just ‘is’ in most cases. ‘It’ can be implied from context, especially when the sentence follows a clear reference to what "it" refers to.

Is alright. Raka says it makes me look tough.

Is no one’s fault. Is only the way things are.

Here’s an example of when it would not be acceptable:

The way is narrow so that only two can walk side by side. [I] fall behind, lost in the cavern of my mind.

‘I’ is critical in this sentence because this sentence transitions to a whole new action, and the preceding sentence has a different subject. And no, ‘my’ in the same sentence doesn’t count because it’s a possessive pronoun, it doesn’t indicate anything about who is performing the action.

Dropping expletives is also fine in most cases.

‘Then is the hilly meadow,’ vs ‘Then there is the hilly meadow.’ An expletive like ‘there’ adds nothing to the sentence other than some structure, and the apes are not particularly worried about that.

Keep in mind these do not have to be omitted; they’re often not! It all depends on the cadence and the contextual continuity.

Confused? Me too. In the next installment I’ll go over sentence structure and vocabulary. So much parataxis!!!!

[the-eeveekins]

With Gundam March Madness coming to a close, one last look at some stats...

Suletta's crown is well earned. Not only did she finish with the highest average of votes received, 5 of her 6 opponents finished in the top 16 of average votes received. No one can say she took the easy route to the championship.

The Green Noa region was absolutely stacked. 5 of the top 7 characters came from the region, with a total of 6 in the top 16. The Moon Moon region didn't even produce a Top 10 character, and it's Final Four representative finished 16th overall.

Despite not making it to the Sweet 16, Amuro, Kamille and Domon all still managed to finish in the top 5. They simply ran into the incredibly strong G-Witch trio right away and were bounced early. Had they ended up on the other side of the bracket, they may have gone all the way to the finals.

The Suletta vs. Miorine semifinal was likely the match that determined the champion. Suletta barely squeaked by her wife by 17 votes, but she went on to defeat Haman by over 2,000 votes, the largest margin in the tournament.

I feel like this doesn't need to be repeated but: WFMs' performance should not come as a big surprise to anyone who has been objectively paying attention to the fandom. It was an incredibly popular show, with incredibly popular characters, especially Suletta. The new fans it brought in are still highly active and engaged in the community. Many of them have gone on and dived even further into the franchise in the 9 months since the series finished airing. Yes, the fact that it is the most recent series played a role in it's performance this year, but I think you're lying to yourself if you don't think Suletta at least will remain a popular character for many years to come.

[mandatory-blog-stop-asking]

fight for a future where Noa Amon visits Morning Glory to check in on Haruka and every once in a while sneak in some self-defense training into their customary dancing battles, just in case, because she doesn't trust the Daidoji and doesn't like how Jo is handling their relationship to the Kiryu family.

"It's just until Haruto's old enough that Haruka doesn't need to protect him" she lies to her family. "Then we'll have our final battle."

Auntie Noa is a staple at the orphanage. She starts teaching the girls, and then the boys, and then the women, and then the men, until they can all defend themselves. These are just ways to make Haruka invested, she tells herself. By involving her family, she won't lose interest.

As the orphan's children start coming in and the orphanage becomes a generational family home, she realizes, one day, she's the master of the greatest dojo in the Okinawa region. They have a dance-like style other dojos used to scoff at before they won every tournament, before they repelled every attack, and before their children started protecting the neighborhood from bullies. Now everyone knows of Morning Glory Style martial arts. Now everyone knows her.

Yes, at this point, she could probably fight Haruka. It would even be a good fight. The girl had grown wise to her tricks and took the "dances" seriously almost right away. She could end this and be the cold assassin her family wanted her to be.

But then she looks at the picture of the dojo they all took during Kiryu's last year with them, and she realizes she could have so much more.

[rricardo96]

"Pokemones legendarios por Argentina"

Jujuy: Palkia, en el extremo septentrional del país (La Quiaca)

[3600frames]

retranslation of the Expansion Pass Wave 1 dialogue which ended up mostly being for fun... but a couple points:

-NoA version saying the train station was finished being rebuilt vs JP only stating construction was done, which may mean it was being built for the first time. this would track with it being stressed that the two regions were more isolated from each other before the advent of Hammerhead Bridge.....

-they def softened the haikara beef a bit lol (whereas they translate it more 1:1 after this)

[eretzyisrael]

I

DF clears for publication that Master sergeant (res.) Zechariah Pesach Haber and Sergeant major (res.) Yair Katz fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip. Two reservists seriously injured.

Uzi Baruch

  Jan 17, 2024, 6:07 AM (GMT+2)

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit cleared for publication on Wednesday morning the names of two soldiers who fell in battle in the Gaza Strip and whose families have been notified.

Zechariah Pesach Haber and Yair Katz

Master sergeant (res.) Zechariah Pesach Haber, 32, from Jerusalem, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip.

Sergeant major (res.) Yair Katz, 34, from Holon, fell in battle in the northern Gaza Strip.

In addition, a reservist in the 52nd Battalion was seriously injured in battle in the northern Gaza Strip.

Also, a reservist medic was seriously injured in the Gaza border region.

On Tuesday evening, Kibbutz Be'eri announced the deaths of Itay Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi, two men who were kidnapped from the Kibbutz during the massacre of October 7 and who had been held hostage in Gaza for about three months.

On Sunday evening, Hamas released a video on the 100-day anniversary of the October 7 massacre featuring Svirsky, Sharabi, and a third hostage, Noa Argamani.

Hamas terrorists claimed that they would publish information regarding the fate of the three hostages seen in the video on Monday. When the second video was released on Monday evening, Hamas claimed that Svirsky and Sharabi were killed in an Israeli air strike. The IDF denied the allegation.

IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated following the release of the second video that the IDF feared that the two were no longer alive.

[bayofwolves]

Rereading Against the Tide

After two months... we're so back.

Apologies once again for the impromptu hiatus! I'm excited to get back to these rereads. It's been a while, so I'll explain the purpose of these posts again: This is not a full analysis, but rather a compilation of details I find interesting or missed when I was a younger reader. I'm rereading the whole series to gather information for A Revised History of Erdas, so there may be some commentary from time to time on how I plan to change or expand on certain plot points.

Let's find out what horrors are in store for our heroes this time!

Finally, Abeke gets her own cover! My girl!! They change how Uraza looks on every cover, but I like how she looks here. I especially love the purple wisps coming from her; how cool would it be if that happened every time your spirit animal appeared out of passive state?

Erdas has the Fahrenheit scale, apparently. Well, that's gotta go. The top of Muttering Rock is about 200 degrees, or 93 degrees Celsius -- leagues hotter than anything ever recorded on Earth.

I forgot how horrifying this opening chapter was. Gerathon pushing a little boy's body past its limits just to deliver a message to Kovo... awful.

Abeke seems to have scar tissue pain, possibly due to nerve damage, from the stab wound Tahlia dealt her in Fire and Ice. She mentions that even though it has mostly healed, she still experiences pain there, particularly in colder weather. If only this hadn't been forgotten by the next book -- it would have been super interesting, in my opinion, to see one of our protagonists deal with lasting effects from an injury they received.

Meilin referring to Shane as Abeke's "Conqueror boyfriend" has been occupying space in my head since 2015. We should have had more of this energy. (I need to have one of the Conquerors or Redcloaks call Abeke Shane's Greencloak girlfriend in return. Drina most definitely would.)

Kalani and her people share similarities with the Māori of Earth. They have the same tattoos and concept of tapu.

Tangaroa is the name of the Māori atua (god) of the sea. I love finding little references to the Earth culture a region of Erdas was inspired by. They did the same with Tiddalik, Tahlia's water-holding frog, who shares a name with the real-life Australian legend he is based on.

I wish Abeke had gotten the chance to see Leopard, the baby orangutan, again. They were so sweet. Also, the authors should have kept this habit she has of rescuing baby animals going for longer. Picture this: She encounters something a little more deadly this time. Dotes on it for a bit and nurses it back to health or helps it find its way back to its family. It remembers how Abeke helped it, and in her hour of need comes to her rescue.

At least there's a cleansing ceremony (this presumably refers to noa) to rid someone of tapu. Now why didn't the authors have Kalani do this for Rollan in The Evertree instead of having her go against her beliefs for his sake? Man... I should have been in the writers' room.

"This quest is leaving a lot of burned bridges in our wake. I fear we, and perhaps all Greencloaks by extension, will no longer be so welcome afterward in places like this." YES! Finally, someone considers the consequences of their actions. It's back to "the ends justify the means" in the next paragraph, but at least there was this fleeting moment of realization.

Nightshade Island was wiped from the world maps after the First Devourer War, along with Stetriol. I wonder if there were other places associated with the Conquerors and/or Kovo and Gerathon that were deemed "tainted" and erased from the history books. This also prompts a nitpick from me -- I wish the maps shown at the beginning of each book were more tailored to the book/arc. They added the Evertree and the Petral Mountain range in the second arc, which is great, but I want a whole lot more of that detail. In the first arc, the map could have had Stetriol missing from it. We could have had its first appearance on Immortal Guardians's map, once the Greencloaks could deny their existence no longer. Other important locations deserved to be on there too, maybe being added book by book. Glengavin. The Lake of the Elephant. Samis (perhaps disappearing without further comment after Fire and Ice). Cabaro's oasis. Muttering Rock. Zourtzi. The Place of Desolation. The list goes on. They all deserved to be put on the maps! I rest my case!

Meilin casually saying "I can still control Jhi" sent a shiver down my spine. It's so out of place. Like, how can she have spent so much time with the Greencloaks and still be so fundamentally wrong about the spirit animal bond?

So Timote was the heir to the Hundred Isles before the Conquerors captured him. And knowing how male-dominated monarchies work, the other brother, Piri, would likely have taken the throne before Kalani even if he is younger than her. The Conquerors knew what they were doing by killing the previous rulers and taking their two male children hostage. They wanted to leave the Hundred Islanders leaderless. To totally incapacitate them. I bet they were in for a shock when Kalani proved her capability as queen.

Feliandor is wearing a red cloak in Rollan's vision. Most certainly a throwaway detail, but it didn't stop me from sitting up and pointing at the page when I read it.

Rollan sees something vaguely familiar in Feliandor's face, and we have to wait an entire book before learning that he must have been reminded of Shane, his descendant. Seriously, the foreshadowing for multiple big events in the first arc is really well done. I love discovering all the little hints pointing towards Shane being the true Devourer, or Meilin being the mole. This is one thing the many authors successfully worked together on.

While the vision on Nightshade Island is one of my favourite parts of the book, something bugs me about it. Why did only Rollan have this vision? Despite Tarik and Meilin being right beside him as it happened, neither of them saw what he did. It would have been a lot better if they all had the same vision at once. If the echoes of what happened on that island centuries earlier still linger, shouldn't they appear to anyone who visits? Why would it only be one person out of three?

Peleke, the Komodo dragon, poses a brief threat to Abeke, Conor and Kalani on Sunlight Island. Except... his species should go by a different name in this world. Komodo dragons were named as such because they originate from Komodo Island on planet Earth. This is such an easy fix. Just name any one of the Hundred Isles and have the species come from there.

Abeke instinctively knows how to ride Uraza, despite it being her first time doing so. Was she Tembo in another life? Kidding. She is his direct descendant in ARHoE, though.

God, the scene with Tarik saying goodbye to the Four and begging them to come back to him haunts me. Tarik will never see Abeke or Meilin again, and he will die not knowing if they are alive or dead. He will die believing that he failed them.

I'm really glad to see some development of Tarik here. For all his appearances and importance to our protagonists, he is quite a flat character. But here, we get a good look into his headspace. He loves the Four deeply, like a father should love his children. He doesn't want them to go where he can't protect them. He wonders if the Greencloaks are doing the right thing by sending such young people into battles they might not return from, still thinking about what Barlow said all the way back in Wild Born. I need to see more of this Tarik.

"[Rollan] wondered if he and his friends would survive long enough to see a day when they could just enjoy a place like this -- the sunshine, swimming with seals, the warm water." As soon as the war was over, the Four definitely came back to Oceanus and had a beach day. They deserve a vacation after all of this, and I'm positive they took many of them. It'll be fun to figure out what they all got up to in the year between arcs for ARHoE.

I've talked about this before, but I love all the moments that suggest the Four Fallen will one day return to their old forms. I don't believe this would happen in their human partners' lifetimes, but in any case, it would be cool to see it come to pass.

Despite both Mulop and Briggan being visionary Great Beasts, neither of them foresaw Kovo using Feliandor to start a war. How convenient for him.

Abeke is able to spot Shane in the mass of Conquerors by his blond hair, which makes me wonder: What if blond people were considered a rarity in Erdas? What if golden hair was a trait exclusive to Stetriol, and most of the world had never seen it before? That would be kind of fun. (Yes, I know there's Conor, but he's more of a redhead in ARHoE.)

"Not far below her, Uraza was grappling with a huge doglike creature that Abeke thought might be a dingo." I know it's mentioned a few paragraphs later that Tarik used books to teach her about animals that were foreign to her (which is really cute), but dingoes are native to Stetriol, which the Greencloaks effectively erased from existence. There are probably no encyclopedias still in circulation that include Stetriolan flora or fauna. My headcanon is that Shane told Abeke about the animals that are native to his homeland, and that's how she knows about dingoes.

"She drew her bow back and aimed, trying to ignore her thudding heart. The man stood on an outcropping, shouting orders at the fighters scrambling up behind him. Her sharp arrow tip was pointed directly down at Zerif's heart." The way this scene directly parallels Abeke's attempt to shoot infected Zerif in The Burning Tide... wow. Ignoring canon and thinking of ARHoE where she does kill him in the end, this was written in the stars. It is her destiny.

"Stabbing, scratching pain seared through her, but she gained control of one hand --" So resisting Gerathon's mind control can cause physical pain. Interesting.

I know Rollan was kind of forced to leave Meilin, but couldn't he have swooped in on Great Essix and carried Abeke out of there AT LEAST? Not even Meilin can fight a giant gyrfalcon.

Gerathon is not any good at controlling people, damn. Maybe she's rusty after so many years.

This was a great read, as they all are. It was a nice refresher after Fire and Ice, with all the callbacks to what our heroes had faced in the previous books. Seriously, Fire and Ice was a mess in terms of continuity. But Tui understood the assignment. My favourite parts of this one were the beautiful butch lesbian that is Kalani, Abeke becoming mom to another baby animal and riding Great Uraza Tembo-style, the Feliandor vision and Mulop, ever a delight to read. I really enjoyed the people and culture of Oceanus; so excited for Kalani to reappear in the coming books. And, of course, the reveal of Meilin being the mole all along was utterly perfect. The amount of thought and planning that went into this decision, the layers of foreshadowing building up to this horrible truth... it deserves all the praise.

We're at the lowest point we've ever been, and it's about to get even lower.

This is part of an ongoing series.

Wild Born | Hunted | Blood Ties | Fire and Ice | Against the Tide | Rise and Fall | The Evertree

Immortal Guardians | Broken Ground | The Return | The Burning Tide

Heart of the Land | The Wildcat's Claw | Stormspeaker | The Dragon's Eye

Tales of the Great Beasts | The Book of Shane | Tales of the Fallen Beasts

[rassicas]

do you have any guesses/confirmed stuff about the timeline of events in-game? for example, how much time passed in splat2 throughout the splatfests, when exactly the octo expansion happened compared to the splat 1 & 2 campaigns, etc. (sorry if this is a dumb question that's already known btw, like I've heard the amount of time that passes between games is the same in-universe but during the games...?)

Events within the game also generally follow real time as well. However, the exact placement of octo expansion and hero mode 2 on the timeline were intentionally left vague so that players wouldn't feel like they were missing out on crucial story stuff if they played octo expansion before hero mode. all that's really solid is that the events of splatoon 1's story happened before splatoon 2's, and splatoon 3's happening after all of that from a 2018 famitsu interview:

Amano: We had to create a gameplay system that was different from Hero Mode in a short time, so we had to make some decisions. Otherwise, there could be inconsistencies. For example, if Pearl mentions Octolings when she doesn't know what an Octoling is, it would be strange.

side-eyes NOA for inserting in octopus jokes in the stage dialogue which they then had to backpedal in octo expansion by making up a totally different reason for why pearl was shocked to learn marina was an octoling

Nogami: The events in Hero Mode and Octo Expansion take place on the same timeline. Therefore, the stories of Hero Mode and Octo Expansion don’t interfere with each other, and you can play either one first. However, with the release of Octo Expansion and the increase of Octolings in the city, the time in the world of Splatoon 2 has moved forward a bit. But if you haven't played Octo Expansion and are just looking at Inkopolis Square, you'll think, "Wow, there are a lot of new hairstyles.” The Inklings are so hedonistic that they don't even notice the coming of the Octolings (laughs).

on one hand i understand the reasoning behind the decision to not explicitly put the hero mode before octo expansion... but on the other hand i speculate that this choice is potentially what held back octo expansion's story. several early concepts for the DLC show that it was going to be that story about an octoling leaving the octarian domes, which is a story id imagine would really only work with prior knowledge of the other hero modes.

so basically based on following updates and changes in the inkling world in late 2018, we can assume the "canon" time of octo expansion was sometime around the DLCs launch, and hero mode 2 is just. somewhere.

With splatfests we can also assume it's real time, but with how different regions have different splatfests at the same time there's some haziness there lol

For my sanity I just assume the global splatfests are the most "canon" splatfests, and everything else is '????'