#rusa threads.

[gravesung]

[gravesung-moving]

“I’ve got you” // from sukuna to rusa <333333

send “I’ve got you”  to carry my injured & nearly unconscious muse / accepting

THE FIRST THING THAT REGISTERS, as rusalka's lead-heavy eyes finally drift open, is the smell of burning flesh.

memories dance at the edges of her perception like sparks, flickering and dying as soon as they appear. faces and voices and hands. the woman was a regular at the tea rose; she always ordered a vanilla bean scone and a shot of espresso in the mornings. sometimes she would stay the whole day, ordering new drinks and pastries every few hours and packing up her laptop ten minutes before closing.

she said her name was minako. when rusa recognized the jujutsu tech pin on her wrist cuff, her face lit up and they talked for hours and hours about sorcery: yes, she knew other sorcerers — several, in fact, on her visits overseas — and oh, yes, those names do sound familiar, and yes, she has a technique but isn't suited to the lifestyle of a true sorcerer, and yes, her friends(?) tried to convince her already. when she was feeling chatty, minako sat at the bar top and talked with rusa instead of doing remote work. she asked questions before rusa could: about the teahouse, and her life, and her hobbies, and her technique —

— and when she brought her friends to the tea rose one day, rusa thought nothing of it, not until it was closing time and they hadn't moved from their table by the door. rusa has never quite been courageous enough to urge customers out when they stayed right up to close or even past it, but when half an hour rolled by and their table was clean and the rest of the place was completely shut down, she finally allowed herself to look in the face the instincts that had been screaming run since they'd first come in. something was wrong. when her eyes met minako's and she found not pity, not blankness or boredom, but a horrible, gut-wrenchingly familiar fixation, she realized exactly what they were here for.

she doesn't remember exactly how it shook out. thinking back through the pounding ache in her head, it feels like the walls, the ceiling, all of it folded away like it was made of cardboard, and she plunged downward into a well of drowned memories. half-dreams, there and gone. she was underwater, tasting salt. she was on a ship, rocking, rocking. she was crying and her sister's hands were pulling at her hair and her mother was lulling her to sleep, rocking, rocking.

she remembers trying to hold them off. backed into a corner with the only exit blocked by a massive body, she remembers letting out a scream that shattered all of the windows and destroyed the pastry case; she remembers kicking and striking and biting, a level of brutality she had never exhibited in her entire life, and in her head, sukuna's fire; in her head his voice, low and growling and urgent: fight.

when she came to, there was blood under her nails. ash in her teeth. voices drifting in and out, one familiar and many new. they had to keep the girl semi-sedated: awake enough to provoke a conduit reaction, docile enough that she did not destroy the entire facility and then some. the paradox of something wild in captivity, as if you can truly preserve its power in chains. she remembers a siphon, something huge and towering and radiating enough cursed energy to make her sick, connected to her skin and her muscles and her spine and her soul through a device that bit painfully into the spot between her shoulder-blades like a lamprey's teeth. she remembers developing a physical reaction to the buzz of it powering up. the way her pain flared her power and the flare of her power caused more pain, the way she writhed and her body pulsed with light and impassive eyes watched from above and away, and minako's hand in her hair, stroking away the sweat-soaked strands so gently, and the way rusa cried into her shirt and she was assured you're doing so well, we're learning so much from you, i'm sorry that it has to hurt, and the way rusa believed her.

the time in-between these sessions was a painless blur, stretching together sweetly, mostly the sighing candy-kiss of dream and memory. she found herself thinking of sukuna more often than not. sukuna and gojo and geto at school, the latter two crafting lesson plans, the former bored as ever and chiming in with jabs and corrections. in her dreams, she rested her head in the crook of his neck and his arms encircled her like a vice, the safety of a lion's den for the one who pulled the thorn. in her dreams, she arches her back for him and threads her fingers into his hair.

it is impossible to tell how long it's been by the time sukuna finds her. a few days? a few weeks? maybe, maybe. and perhaps some deeper part of her believed he would, or it was a hope so strong it bled into conviction, or perhaps it's simply a burning desire to not let anything break her — the iron will rusalka never thought she had. but he finds her at the worst possible time. this is a state she hoped he would never have to see her in, the writhing, screaming weakness of it all, the thing she would hold her hands over his eyes and ears to keep from him if only she could do anything but stay alive.

and she smells burning flesh, now, as the pain subsides. the screams that fill her ears are no longer her own. when she comes to, the device is broken and the lamprey-mouth is no longer attached to her back and there are the arms underneath her, the ones she has been dreaming of. maybe this is nothing more than that: another hallucination in the fog, a fantasy that will never come to pass, knights on horseback lulling a child to sleep before they learn that no one is coming to save them. and they turn cruel. and they turn cold.

but, no, this is all wrong — her dreams are warm and painless and fuzzy around the edges. this is all —

— real.

the terrible things weren't a nightmare; the salvation from them isn't a dream. rusa sucks in a breath as her eyes drift into focus, sharpen, blink through saltwater tears at a face she never thought she would see again — a face that she wasn't sure, for a while, if she had ever truly seen in the first place, or if she had made him up and spun out of orbit into a haze of delusion under the spell of this place.

i've got you.

and it's real. oh, it's real. sukuna is so careful with her aching body; she doesn't know if she's ever seen him so careful before, like he's picking up a butterfly with the intent to keep its wings intact. a hand finds his chest, rests there, just to feel the thump-thump of his heart through skin and muscle and bone. the thing sukuna holds to him like a broken bird thrums with power; this vessel that shakes and presses its face into the fabric of his haori has always been too small for what burns inside it. never before have the seams been stretched so perilously thin. the glowing cracks that spiderweb from face to arms to body to legs have been a constant presence for so long rusa has forgotten how it feels to be in the dark.

❝ i fought, ❞ she murmurs into him, peels her face from his clothing to let moonlight meet inferno, power on power, light on light. her thrashed vocal cords score deep scratches into her voice. ❝ i did, i tried. ❞

[gravesung-moving]

❝ HONESTLY, YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE ME IF I TOLD YOU, ❞ the officer says with a laugh as he clicks on a flashlight. ❝ these here fellas are from a... partnered agency, shall we say. deals with what i like to call, if you'll pardon my language, weird shit. they'll help us out here. far as i know, the signs you're looking for are lights behaving weirdly, windows breaking... ❞

one of the two hunters, the one that had been headed for the quarters anyway, accompanies him inside. ❝ strong conduit presence twelve o-clock, ❞ he warns, and stashes the radar in its case at his hip so that he can pull from a back holster some sort of thin-barreled firearm.

❝ just a stun gun, ❞ the coast guard officer interjects, ❝ nothing to worry about. jeremiah here is a little jumpy. are we sure it's —❞ before he can finish, the light in his hand flickers, flares incredibly bright, then winks out.

RUSALKA, tucked into the crawlspace with barely enough room to breathe, frantically pulls her pelt over her shoulders to stop what she knows is about to happen. no, no, no — but the fear only makes the reaction worse. the light her body absorbed from the officer's flashlight begins to flood through her, leaking from her face in tiny hairline cracks that grow brighter by the second. the air itself seems to tense, pulse, vibrate with the gathering of electromagnetic energy into the battery that is her soul. consequently, unfortunately, this causes a pale glow to highlight the seams in the berth's hatch door.

❝ well, shit, ❞ the officer breathes. ❝ looks like you may have a stowaway, sir. for your own safety, i'll need you to step away from the berth. ❞

This isn’t good, not in the slightest. “Right...” Clearly, he’s not happy about the request. But again, he has to comply. There’s too much risk with all of them splitting in separate areas. So for now..

Adal winces when something goes apeshit. Might not be the loudest thing, but his ears are akin to those of a bloodhound. “Got a harpoon in the back, few knives in the galley— the usual.” Not including, well, himself. And with the way things are playing out.. They’ll be witness of that first hand.

“A fugitive?” This news startles him, genuinely. It’s very possible that the lass is, in fact, wanted for serious crimes. But what’s done is done, and he gave his unspoken word to help her. So, for now, he gives a solemn nod and turn towards the cabin. “Here, lemme get that open for ya. Damn thing swings open at the slightest sway and the constant bangin’ gets of m’nerves.” More half-truths, more seconds spent to form a plan.

He makes quick work of undoing the lock and unknowingly takes the lead. Just by a step ahead, but still with the clueless composure. “Sorry the lights don’t work. Never got ‘round to fixin’ them bulbs.” Adal just so happens to position himself between the strange man and the berth. Keep to the darkest part as he watches. “There, uh, anythin’ I can help y’look for?” Silently, he wills the other half to awaken. Be at the ready to deal with any unsavory turn of events.

[huntershowl-moving]

Positivity hour! Tell us about your favourite RP partner and your favourite thread! <3

OOH! i love positivity hour! cut for length because WORDY BITCH DISEASE STRIKES AGAIN APPARENTLY!

i don't think i could pin down just one favorite because i'm so incredibly lucky to have so many amazing partners during this sephblog golden age. this is only a few of the ppl who have touched my presence here and live in my brain rent free rn, i wish i could remember all of them but a shortlist will have to do o7

i will shoutout @harerazor and @tewwor for being my OGs, my rp besties, the truest mfs who always stick around through my year-long (sometimes years-long) absences and whenever i come back to discord or the dash, it's like we never left <3 AND for following me into my hyperfixation zones omg. writing windbreaker and jjk muses would be so much more lonely without u two in my life. <3

on the topic of OGs, @spiritcrown, @never-surrender and @bcdomens are the CREW!!!!!!!! THE FIRST PPL I EVER WROTE WITH AND SOME OF MY FAV FOLKS ON THIS HELLSITE you guys are the best. ily. connecting with u guys again felt like coming home.

@favorskill has ascended past the title of rp partner and into the title of friend. rio is one of my favorite people ever, genuinely, he's so cool and so skilled with writing/worldbuilding/watching his DICE MAKING SKILLS GROW has been so amazing too??? i care u so much rio. biting u. even when my brain is hopelessly deep in the fixation hole i am thinking about u and ur muses always <3

also shoutout to my wife @vsagis / @theixth (bc ik uve been on this one today) for just being like??? overall such a lovely person and an amazing writer??? our main dynamic is so deep and expansive we're starting to develop an extended universe for them. i love them i LOVE THEM TO DEATH. alex u match my freak ily i hope i get this job so we can hang out irl <3

speaking of matching my freak, @koseigu and i get along like a house on fire, and i don't think the world is truly ready for us. the more dynamics we develop, the more dangerous we become. everything we do with geto & sephsho ROCKS and i am terrified (excited) to see where seph and sukuna lead us in our newest explorations. we get up to some absolutely nasty (hot) shit with our creatures and it's always an amazing time. hehe

@chaoslulled hol you are so so so special to me. i owe u so many things and im so sorry omg but i literally never stop thinking about our threads & dynamics they're soooo good. i think you're one of the only partners i've actually been able to maintain Main Threads with over a long period of time?? there's something about the way we write together that makes that actually work in my brain which is super unusual JSDKJDHJKD i'm not complaining though, i love it so much. also your ocs are spinning around in my head on a daily basis, especially char because seph, chiaki and geto all like her very much. <3 ALSO. U ARE THE REASON I WRITE GETO. I HATE IT HERE HE WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE HOW COULD U DO THIS TO ME (affectionate). ur satoru is always the one he and seph come back to first because he is the original.

@quillheel and i have been mutuals for a while but didn't start regularly chatting until recently, and geto has been keeping me hostage in our 1x1 server over the last week or so, it's a problem, please help me. please. my crops are dying. also ur my current record breaker on "most fucked up start to an rp dynamic" with sukuna and rusa and im gonna be real i think u might hold that title for a while KJSDHIUSDHSJDHSJKDHJSKDH

@hinodae gray i think i would follow u to the ends of the earth. our little accidental threads have been some of my favorites ever, and i love to PIECES every one of our ship dynamics so far. thank u for being just as much of a slut for ships as i am, i feel like we match each other's energy and vibe so well!! TUMBLR BETTER UN-SHADOWBAN U SOON OR IM GONNA THROW HANDS >:'O

@eraserisms and @rcguish u two are like a package deal in my brain. D.A., the fact that we exist on the same chef wavelength always makes me so happy. i love seph and shota so much, they make me Hurt in all the best ways and i'm lookin forward to getting more into todoroki's voice so we can keep building out shota becoming his dad i mean mentoring him! and rys!!! i know ur absolutely going thru it rn so we haven't been talking as much lately, but i'm still just as feral for our dynamics as ever. seph and shouta's broken friendship. shou and orion's blossoming romance. seph has so many feelings and thoughts about silver that i don't even know how to articulate but that might need its own separate post. blowing u kisses.

lastly but not leastly, @gomannakami we only connected recently but we've already got this absolutely TRAGIC AND BEAUTIFUL set of pairings going on. satoru and chiaki are so stupidly cute and so so sad. seph and suguru are still in the beginning stages but i LOVE writing them sort of dancing around each other, the mutual pining is so spicy and delicious.

AS FOR THREADS!!!!!

ooh. hm. fuck. i think my first thought is always gonna be my longer-running threads with @chaoslulled — the one that stands out the most in my mind rn is the thread where satoru found seph on the brink of collapse after a hellhound kill. it was only the second thread we ever wrote together, and i ACUTELY remember how nervous i was that it was too intense and i was gonna scare hol away with it because that's happened so many times before. SJDHKSJHD

another one that comes to mind is one of my first threads with @tewwor's litho, which started with the simple inbox prompt "can't sleep?" and ended up turning into one of our longest threads to date and spiraling out into the longest fucking slowburn of this blog's career. i loved it. i'll never stop thinking about that apple.

[tewwor]

SHIPPING INFO // ANSWER THE FOLLOWING FOR YOUR MUSES SO PEOPLE KNOW HOW SHIPPING WORKS ON YOUR BLOG.

WHAT IS YOUR OTP FOR YOUR CHARACTER(S)?

🧍 you know how long that'd take me to list out??? anyways, i'll limit the ones that have made me the most feral over the years —

@huntershowl + litho : yall want to talk about slow burn? that moment where we both clapped and they mushed faces together will forever be ingrained in my brain. 4 entire years worth of waiting....

@hnjwn / @cordoliae + chanyeol : insane. they're insane! the sheer depth they somehow fumbled into is just.. outstanding tbh. even though they're both hibernating, i had to mention them

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?

i'm personally only comfortable with romantic age gaps of around 10ish years. and, yes, i'll admit that does bleed into my characters a lot.

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY ARE CONSIDERED NSFT?

just before sexual foreplay + more. not that i really delve into that a lot anymore. but hey! if the stars align and the mood's right, then it still might happen.

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?

with mutuals? no..... god no........ granted, chemistry is still a very big thing. not every random pair of muses will stick and that's okay! but if you have even an inkling of joy with a romantic ship between our muses, i'm almost always on the same exact boat. so please never, ever be afraid to voice that!

WHO ARE OTHER CHARACTERS YOU SHIP YOUR CHARACTER WITH?

**please know that i probably missed a ton ( rip my work shocked brain ), but these are just the first ships i can think of where we've had in threads or yapped ooc!**

currently established:

@huntershowl / @icarusplunged + seph/litho & seph/jie/ricochet & seph/adal/lior & rusa/ricochet — need i say more? the original marked dating sim hard launch tbh OHGAWOIGH anyways, doesn't matter how long either of us go on hiatus. one of us keeps crawling back

@miidnighters + bella/jie & hartley/cruor/iris — the way both of them just stuck? it's amazing, jaw dropping, heart warming!!! every aspect of a robust, well rounded relationship can be hit in either, i love them both so, so much.

just starting ( and super excited for ):

@xinxiins + jie — don't get me started on how many times my heart's ached already. there's such a cultural connection that guts me Every Time 😭

@chth0nia + cruor — every time i think of them, i think of that crying dog pic you sent. exactly how i feel about them!!!!

@bloodykneestm + whoever you want lbr — i've yet to write those starters for iggy and alastair but just you Wait……

@interxstitial + literally anyone — like, okay yeah there's ravi sure ( i do love them though ), but if there's anyone else that piques your interest... you just let me know and i'll fedex express ship them over. i'll even cover the cost dw

past:

@temporalobjects + botan/clarence/pildo & iwai + chanyeol : i don't think i've ever had a canon latch onto a ship so quickly before? and the fact that it's technically post canon and he's lumped with two sunshiny loveable dorks! then there's... yknow.. the other two that keep dancing around each other. shed many tears from angst and laughter over both ships, drawn at least 1 or 2 things for each ♡

@womanlives + mercy/jie & dez/clarence : my 'missing you' letter. i hope you know that those two ships have brought me such immense joy and tears at the same time. truly have a special place in my heart ♡♡♡

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?

more like showing interest, i feel like? asking can be sooooo anxiety inducing ( i know it can be the same with just mentioning it ), but there's a very good chance i'm already jumping up and down in glee with the exact same thought so! just let me know!!

ARE YOU SHIP-OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?

it's toned down a bit ( barely ) ever since i've been overtaken with how dear and important other types of connections are. but yeah, still love ships with all my heart

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?

n/a

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?

just let a clown know. yall know where to find me in my lil' clown corner. if you're more plot heavy, then hell yeah! we can chat up a storm! if you're more 'throw things at the wall and see what sticks' intensive, then hell yeah! i love punting these idiots out and see what happens in the weirdest ( or saddest ) situations. applies to both monogamous and polyamorous ships!

tagged by : i was tagged... in it so that counts right? ( thnkx @huntershowl muah muah )

[chvemin]

‘¡Todo se ve delicioso! No sé por dónde comenzar a comer.’ / @adrievl​

‘ tampoco yo. ’ musita, tal vez, con más pesar del que debería. mesa expone platillos y todos, sin excepción, vistosos y tentadores a la vista. ‘ de acuerdo, cierra los ojos y escoge algo. ’ propone. ‘ así sabrás con cual comenzar. ’

[gravesung]

rusa & her body, self-image, and related psyche.

I THINK it's so interesting the way rusa views herself/body/sexuality/romance bc like. THIS GIRL? LOVES OPEN NECKLINES AND A LOTTA CLEAVAGE. AND CINCHES HER WAIST HARD WITH CORSETS TO CREATE THAT TWO-STACKED-CIRCLES LOOK. but like... she does not At All view that as a sexual thing or an attraction thing. she just likes the way her tittos look when they're all squished up contrasted against the open neck and shoulders. it looks graceful and elegant and playful. especially when paired with a long skirt / an otherwise modest but detailed outfit. it's just a VIBE ok

i know that ppl view it as an annoying trope when a femme character is sexy + doesnt know it, so i'm SORRY if that's smth people feel abt her, but for me it comes less from a "more Attractive and Virtuous bc she doesn't know she's sexy" standpoint (cough. cough. l.or.e oly.mp.us cough cough—) and more from a "girl used to be a selkie (it's complicated¹), so there is something Wild in her that sees Body as something that isn't taboo to expose" context. like, if it weren't clear as day that walking around nude is Not an Okay Thing To Do, she would 100% be walking around nude. or in like one sheer half-wet cloth wrap, wandering the moors. though she's lost her memories and her pelt (and with it, a chunk of her soul), she hasn't lost those wild instincts.

AT THE SAME TIME, upon being spat out in london, she is taken in (lol get it) by a seamstress and learns to help her tailor clothes as an apprentice. rusa immediately takes a liking to the styling of very feminine (and, yes, a little dated) swishy skirts and corsets and bustiers.

over time, as she migrates to shelter island or whatever other area the thread takes place in, i think... because of the traps she falls into for her passivity and naïveté ( aka felix, violet, god only knows what next ), mad scientist manipulation bad relationship after mad scientist kidnapping gaslighting and experimentation bad relationship kind of acted as the ice pick wedging itself into her self-image and cracking away at it until it crumbled. useless unless used.

because she's a big ol prude, this never manifested in terms of flinging herself at anyone who wanted her like it did for anah and layla; rather, it manifested, alongside the constant yawning chasm in her soul left behind by her pelt, as wanting to be needed. because like. man. girl does not believe anyone would realistically want her just to want her — they'd only want her for what she can do for them. how she can be Useful. being america's most wanted: mage edition (a conduit) kind of just. confirms this.

so that kind of seeps out into her body image as well. feeling spiritually unwanted led her to feel physically unwanted and she ended up burying ALL OF THAT in the Repression Hole and building the best happymask the world has ever seen KJSDHFKSHDFKJ. but ... i don't think she's been truly happy for a long time. she's felt joy, bursts of it, and contentment, but on a base level there's always the sense of uselessness/emptiness² gnawing at the edges of her psyche. it's an emptiness that, so far, only the unwavering red-flag Singular Attention from toxic people has been able to fill, because it feels like someone reaching into the emptiness inside of her and twisting their hands in it. hurts, sure. but it's something.

anyway. those are her emotional support gahungalungas, thank u. her licensed therapy gohonkdonkeroos. she squisha them when she feels stressy.

¹ from rusa's bio: Born into the same pod of selkies as her sister Lelyah, Rusalka was the slightly-younger of the two. She came out different from Lelyah despite their striking physical similarity: small and timid, passive to a fault. Her parents and their aunts instantly showed favoritism to Rusa over Lelyah due to Lelyah's 'difficult child' behaviors. However, Rusa was also born a Conduit, her body a natural magical battery that could cause great damage if she threw a tantrum (and did, especially as a toddler.) ... their souls shine bright on radars that detect magical beings, breaking through cloaking spells and alerting hunters to their presence from miles away. A run-in with a hunter close to the surface caused Rusa's abilities to react to her fear, expelling stored sunlight far enough to alert the hunter's outpost and sending them after her pod almost faster than they could flee. There were casualties – two elders, an uncle, a family friend. The pod's matriarchs met. Lelyah, with hurt and anger at her sister festering over decades, voted to kill Rusa for the safety of the pod. ... Rusa was sent to the surface. Her pod pooled their magical energy to cast a transmutation spell and turn her into a human, severing her connection to the seal pelt she once wore. ... They gave her false memories: a mother back in Ireland, a fight that left her a runaway. ... Lelyah – soon to rename herself Layla – was cast out with no such safety precautions, only the warning that she would be considered a threat if she ever showed her face again.

² there's a reason the song empty vessels fits her SO well

My belly filled with rich anointing oils You snap me by the neck to break the seal You touch me to your tongue and call it holy The loss reminds me what it is to feel (I guess it means that's worth the time it takes to heal) Empty vessels Fill me, fill me I was made to pour out all my insides, fill me I've been sitting in your highest cupboard, fill me I was built to hold the weight of safety, fill me Fill me, otherwise I'm empty I am not a wellspring, not a fountain I don't keep what I've been given It's my lot to pour it out again, untouched I will give it sanctuary I will hold it deep inside me For a time until you're thirsty, you're so thirsty I'm so thirsty, I'm so -

[gravesung-moving]

THE SMELL OF freshly-baked sweets wafts through the open doorway of the tea rose. ooh you want to come get a cookie sooo bad.

[djinah]

* ——— ‘ me gusta tu atuendo.   ’   /   @rmprk​

‘ ¿el mío? ’ por inercia baja la mirada hacia sus ropas, frunciendo ligeramente el entrecejo al no encontrar nada extraordinario en tan simple diseño. ‘ gracias, conseguí rentarlo a un precio bajísimo porque supuestamente está pasado de moda, lo que sea que eso signifique, aunque no puedo respirar bien en él. ’ ni comer demasiado, lo cual le resta todos los puntos que podría darle. ‘ ¿a que me veo buena? sólo por eso lo elegí. ’ a ver, que tampoco va a ir por ahí de modesta; las cosas como son. ‘ me gusta el tuyo. ¿es rentado también? ’

[sayuriiz]

‘ oh, ’ es lo único que dice. supone desde la perspectiva de binna siempre hubo un desbalance entonces. al no decirle si nombre real, podia interpretarlo como que no la veía más que una simple humana. nada que hacerle. si conversación algo le está dejando claro es que tiene un duelo por realizar todavía, no están en la misma página. aún. y que para estarlo debía de sacrificar esa humanidad a la que tanto se aferra con uñas y dientes ¿valía la pena? tampoco parecía ser tenía otra opción más que asumir aquello que ahora era, con lo bueno, lo malo, lo peor. en ese punto tal vez también encontraria lo mejor ¿existiría sino punto medio? ‘ de momento, es la idea. es estúpido ahora que lo digo en voz alta, pero... ’ ¿estaría atada a azumi allí en tokyo hasta que sus padres murieran? se pregunta si, en su intento de protegerlos, no está también ofendiendo su legado. criaron una hija destinada a grandeza, poderosa, orgullosa, segura de sí, de espíritu indomable. tal vez los está decepcionando con actitud frente a nueva no-vida… es conflicto interno el que la lleva a fruncir el ceño. ni siquiera se defiende cuando le echa en cara el montón de excusas. ‘ estoy cansada de ser débil, sentir cualquiera puede pisotearme ’ confiesa en un murmullo. cabeza le duele de tanto pensar. no era algo que resolvería aquí y ahora, era proceso que le tomaría trabajo antes de decidir nada. y aquella realización en parte le alegra. sentir tiene poder de decisión.

de cualquier modo, vira los ojos ante sugerencia. sabe debe beber para subsistir, para vivir. aquello era como decirle a alguien que dejase de tener sed solo porque así le decían. no era tan sencillo, escapaba de propia voluntad. aunque sabe, por más que le pese en la conciencia y la moral, binna tiene razón en que sino comenzaba a obligarse acabaría estúpidamente encontrando un pésimo final para sí misma por capricho. ya estaba siendo una total neurotica en ese viaje. se guarda dilemas, aún así, no tiene tiempo de nada cuando le lanza aquello tan escandaloso. ‘ ew, no ¡no! ’ negativa es absoluta, descolocada por mera idea de estar bajo su supervisión, que le protegiese, ser una damisela en apuros, eww ¡que estaba siendo sarcástica! ‘ no, no. eso sería humillante ’ deja muy en claro. y es en eso que consigue descifrar un poco de maraña incomprensible sobre pretensiones con quien está hablando. ‘ quiero ser tu igual ’ asegura, alzando su mentón. tiene su orgullo, poco tolera ser mirada por encima del hombro. pronto atención recae en historia que le comparte, viendose sorprendida ¿o no? de algún modo, aquello cuadra con cada cosa que ella le ha expresado. se pregunta entonces si todo habría sido distinto de haber tenido opción. si en lugar de imposición, hubiera podido escoger ascender a tan llamado ser superior con convicción en lugar de aborrecer situación. si sire le proponía de igual a igual, ¿habría dicho que sí? está divagando en propio pensar, por lo que vuelve a concentrarse en la lasombra: ‘ te quejas de mí, pero no soy la única mentirosa entre las dos para conseguir lo que queremos ’ se mete con ella, pues la ha estado crucificando por acciones deshonestas cuando también supo jugar así sus cartas en su momento. ‘ ¿y qué hiciste con tu... novia una vez conseguiste lo que deseabas? ’ ahora le intriga el saber cómo la historia acabó. y allí iba de nuevo, llamándole mentirosa. pestañea en cuanto la tiene demasiado cerca tan de repente, sin lugar de escapatoria al quedar atrapada entre su anatomía y mesa. si sangre corriese por venas, tal vez estaría ruborizada. es sayuri quien piensa maldita desgraciada cuando delicado toque en mejilla le recuerda golpe anterior, dolor y sangre que persistian pese a que nebulosa mental y brote de honestidad le tuvieron lo suficiente distraída de ello. la está poniendo a prueba. lo sabe cuando se limpia por encajes blancos del vestido. mandíbula se tensa ligeramente y afirma agarre sobre el borde de madera, pero mirada permanece imbatible en ojos ajenos. no actuarámiserablemente como aquella noche en tormenta, donde se dejó en evidencia de manera tan patética. ‘ mentirosa ’ acusa sin quitarle la atención de encima para resistir la urgencia de limpiarse prendas. aquello era un juego, uno que no quería perder. era más que una llorona, no quiere la mire con pena ni como si fuera debil. se arma de valor y pasa dorso de zurda por mejilla como si nada y se limpia por negra tela (si no lo veía no era un problema, a fin de cuentas). entonces mueve su rostro hacia delante, acercándose con descaro como si el gesto no tuviese impacto para nada ¡pero vaya si se está esforzando! ‘ nadie me conoce mejor que tú ahora, te expuse mi alma hoy ’ le concede. era la verdad, solo un poco exagerada la expresión. ‘ y te sigo gustando, eso me gusta ’ un tantito burlona es que asume por sus dichos. sayuri entonces humedece sus labios y traga saliva, divisando ajenos por un instante… no, ¿por qué ha pensado en ello? no podía ser ¿siente deseo por binna? … ¿era eso parte de conflicto que no sabía explicarse, que no comprendía? ¿o solo la excusa perfecta para ocupar su mente lejos de sangre? como sea. lo usaría, ignorarla sangre al ocupar mente en ella. ' así que cállate y deséame aún más ' susurra, luego eliminando toda distancia que permanecía entre ambas, capturando sus labios en un tosco beso. @binnas

' lo es. ' asegura y no miente, ¿por qué cambiárselo? ella no es la misma que antes pero su esencia sigue intacta y le gusta su nombre. ' solo utilizo un alias con humanos. ' no tiene interés ninguno en ellos, lo suficiente como para mentirles acerca de su identidad y esconderse detrás de un personaje que no existe. reserva el honor de conocerla en serio solo para quienes son como ella, inmortales, seres elevados. se remueve en su silla cuando historia se pone interesante, ¿cuanto le estuvo ocultando realmente, joder? con cada palabra nueva y honesta que agrega, más y más se sorprende. ' ¿entonces planeas esconderte y esperar el tiempo suficiente hasta que todos te olviden? ¿solo entonces serás libre finalmente? ' palabras son duras, no se percata en ello ya que binna no tuvo que padecer lo mismo, en su caso todo fue mucho más rápido aunque muy traumático. de estar en zapatos contrarios, tomaría sus cosas y se marcharía bien lejos. es lo que comenzó a hacer cuando corea del sur dejó de llenarle por completo, demasiados recuerdos y fantasmeas. le dejó temporalmente a cargo su negocio a mano derecha y comenzó a recorrer el mundo hasta que se asentó en tokio, habiéndole encantado la ciudad y las noches allí. ' tienes miedo de estar por tu cuenta. ' es todo lo que escucha, excusas y más excusas, aunque en cierto sentido lo comprende, ¿le hubiesen sido más fáciles las cosas de tener a alguien en quien apoyarse? por supuesto, pero nunca hubiese logrado fortalecerse tanto como ahora. al quedarse sola en el mundo no existieron más caminos, puertas se cerraron, su no-vida la empujo directo a cruda realidad sin darle opción a elegir y no tuvo tiempo de pensar siquiera. cambio radical sucedió rápido y el temor a salir de su zona de confort no existió. ' ahora gozas de un gran poder, no eres débil e indefensa, puedes hacer lo que te plazca. ' también lo entendió luego, cuando comenzó a entrenar sus disciplinas y comenzó a utilizarlas para su beneficio. cuando tomó las riendas de sus negocios e hizo mucho dinero, volviendo a su vida de lujos, esta vez solventada solo por su propio esfuerzo.  binna realmente cree en la superioridad de los vástagos por encima de los mortales, tan simples, tan básicos, y si sayuri realmente es una lasombra por dentro (incluso si aún no se da cuenta) lo comprenderá también. aceptarse no es lo más sencillo al principio pero, una vez que lo haces, nada vuelve a ser lo mismo. sed de poder que experimenta actualmente se lo demuestra, siempre quiso divertirse y pasarla bien sin preocupaciones, y nada más. al ser abrazada, eso cambió, se dio cuenta de su valor, de sus capacidades y actualmente ambiciones son grandísimas, siendo el puesto en el trono la más alocada, casi imposible, pero quien sabe, tiene lo necesario y todo puede pasar.

' no interesa, tienes que lograrlo de igual forma, obligarte, pasarla mal hasta que te acostumbres. ¿quieres morir? ¿es lo que buscas? ' lanza sin anestesia, alzándose de la silla en donde estaba sentada cuando lo dice y acercándose unos pasos mientras la observa a los ojos, queriendo transmitirle que no es un juego, que realmente podría suceder. si no se alimenta correctamente energías bajan y la bestia comienza a controlarte por completo. para nada bueno, está poniéndose en peligro gratuitamente. ' yo no soy niñera de nadie. ' aclara cortante, que se sienta dichosa que aún le dirige la palabra luego de todo lo que hizo, que el golpe que le brindó logró desahogar su enojo —en parte— y que puede hablarle sincera, sin pasar la línea de lo cruel para lastimarla por rencor y venganza. así es binna, todo lo toma personal y lo magnifica, exagerada y dramática, así vive la vida, nada es tranquilo y sencillo a su lado. ' ¿eso quieres de mí? ¿que te cuide y sea tu caballero de armadura plateada? ' alza ambas cejas incrédula, nunca cuidó de nadie, para ser sincera, ni siquiera de una mascota y definitivamente no de su sire, gyeong es muy fuerte y autosuficiente. sonríe cuando escucha su pregunta, aparentemente curiosa, si tan solo supiera… ' mi sire era mi novia en aquel tiempo, la seduje y manipulé para convencerla de convertirme. ' confiesa sin pudor alguno, ¿en algún momento estuvo arrepentida? no, ni siquiera cuando le rompió el corazón a la pobre. convertirse fue de las mejores decisiones que tomó, su mente y su mundo se expandieron y comenzó a tener un propósito, algo que importaba más allá de su propio ego y que antes faltaba. ' siempre supe que este era mi destino. ' cuando gyeong se lo contó en la intimidad su mente no lo dudó ni un segundo, siendo oportunidad perfecta para alcanzar ideales de perfección y para librarse de sus padres, convirtiéndose en alguien cien por ciento libre, incluso si no lo necesitó después, muerte trágica de ambos marcando su camino. rueda los ojos cuando la escucha, insatisfecha, ¿es que siempre tiene que escuchar lo mismo? ya ni siquiera le sorprende, sabe que está rota y que por eso nadie la entiende. que atrae pero repele al mismo tiempo. al final, es mejor así, quedarse aislada y sola, sin permitir que nadie entre de verdad. ' porque eres una desgraciada. ' camina unos pasos más, parándose enfrente a su acompañante, viéndola con detenimiento, analizándola. ' y lograste tu objetivo, lograste engañarme y que me gustaras. ' estira el brazo para limpiar con el pulgar sangre de su mejilla, suavemente, acercándose aún más para reducir su espacio personal. ¿una conquista? viéndola de cerca, es preciosa, ¿una aliada? pensando en todo lo que hizo, es una maldita loca. ambas opciones igual de peligrosas. ' pero ya no sé quien eres en verdad, lo cual es una pena, tú y yo podríamos habernos divertido muchísimo. ' limpia gotas rojas de sus dedos en prendas ajenas, apropósito, sabiendo que le causa asco más empujándola a aguantarlo, si hay algo real en su interior, algún tipo de fortaleza y conexión con los de su especie, entonces le demostrará que no es una niña llorona, que puede con eso. @sayuriiz

[sciencespies]

Large terrestrial mammals are more vulnerable to the acoustic impact of drones than to the visual impact, study finds

https://sciencespies.com/nature/large-terrestrial-mammals-are-more-vulnerable-to-the-acoustic-impact-of-drones-than-to-the-visual-impact-study-finds/

Large terrestrial mammals are more vulnerable to the acoustic impact of drones than to the visual impact, study finds

Large terrestrial mammals are vulnerable to the acoustic sounds of drones, technological systems which are increasingly used to study the wildlife in open habitats such as the savanna and marshes. This is one of the conclusions revealed in a new study published in the journal Drones, which has been led by the experts José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro, from the Faculty of Biology and the Biodiversity Research Institute of the University of Barcelona (IRBio); Margarita Mulero-Pázmány, from the University of Malaga, and Serge A. Wich, from the Liverpool John Moores University (United Kingdom).

Several studies state that drones that are used for scientific and recreational purposes can become a new source of disturbance for many animal species. However, there are still few studies identifying the actual factors associated with these devices that can negatively affect the animals’ behaviour.

Drones and wildlife: opportunity or thread?

The use of unmanned aerial systems (UAVs or drones) is becoming increasingly widespread in wildlife monitoring and conservation studies. Obtaining scientific data with a high spatial and temporal resolution, low operational costs, and simple logistics — without compromising the physical safety of researchers — would explain the widespread scientific use of this technology, especially in the study of large mammals in open or inaccessible areas.

The first author of the new study is Geison Pires Mesquita, from the Baguaçu Institute for Biodiversity Research (IBPBio, Brazil), an organisation committed to research, environmental education and biodiversity conservation. The study analyses the reaction of 18 species of large mammals to noise emitted by a drone in the large ex situ areas of the São Paulo Zoo (Brazil).

The 18 species studied belong to 14 families, namely: addax (Addax nasomaculatus); cattle (Bos taurus); waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus); dromedary (Camelus dromedarius); maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus); red deer (Cervus elaphus); sambar (Rusa unicolor); Asian elephant (Elephas maximus); imperial zebra (Equus grevyi); jaguar (Panthera onca); Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris); giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis); hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius); giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla); white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum); warthog (Phacochoerus africanus); tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus).

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Birds and mammals, the most studied using drones

Birds and mammals are the two groups of animals most studied with drones and the most affected by the recreational use of these devices. “Especially, large mammals are the most studied with drones because of their size, as they are easier to identify using aerial images,” says Geison Pires Mesquida, postdoctoral researcher, who included this study in his doctoral thesis defended in February 2022. “In addition to size — he adds — the type of habitat of the species is another determining factor for using drones in wildlife studies.”

The drone survey of wildlife was adapted to the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) regulations, which limit drone flights to a maximum of 120 metres. In addition, all flights were VLOS (Visual Line-Of-Sight) flights, i.e. they were required to be within the pilot’s line of sight. All flights were conducted at times when there were no visits to the zoo in order to avoid any disturbance due to external factors. Audiograms were also available in the scientific literature for 12 of the 18 species analysed — of the same or similar species — allowing for a more specific analysis of the influence of the frequency and intensity of drone-generated sleep.

The flights started at a maximum altitude of 120 metres. Once the drone was over the individuals, it began to descend until the animal showed an atypical behaviour. “A limit of 10 metres above the animals was established if the animal showed no behavioural changes, but in no case did the drone descend to that height because the animals showed behavioural changes at a higher altitude,” says Pires Mezquita.

The Asian elephant, sensitive to low-frequency sounds

In general, species with higher biomass — elephants, rhinos, giraffes, zebras and the waterbucks — showed a change in behaviour with drones at higher altitudes (and therefore lower decibels). As this group of animals is the most studied on land using drones — especially in open habitats such as the African savannah — terrestrial mammalian megafauna would be more likely to suffer from the effects of drone noises.

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The results reveal that the low-frequency sound pressure level particularly affected the behaviour of the Asian elephant, but not that of the other species studied, which were more sensitive to noise at medium and high frequencies.

“These results explain why the elephant is one of the few mammal species capable of hearing low-frequency sounds (below 0.25 kHz), or infrasound (frequencies below 0.0125 kHz). Both the size of the tympanic membrane and the size of the ossicular chain and the spaces in the middle ear are compatible with sensitivity to low frequencies,” says José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro, professor emeritus in the UB’s Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences.

“Low-frequency sounds — the expert continues — propagate more easily due to the physical characteristics of their sound waves than high-frequency sounds. It is believed that elephants can communicate more than 10 kilometres away by emitting and receiving these infrasounds.”

Each type of animal exhibits a specific behaviour of caution, irritation or escape. In addition, animals in ex situ environments — such as zoos — may exhibit even more specific behaviours. For this reason, the study involved the participation of Luan Henrique Morais, the zoo’s head of mammal management. This expert has known each of the animals for years and informed the team if he noticed that any animal was affected by the noise of the drone.

In the case of the Asian elephant, head-shaking movements were observed in the presence of the drone. In the felines, grunting and sudden body movements; in the spectacled bear, sudden leg and head movements. In the case of deer and warthogs, attempts to escape from their location are examples of behaviours that showed adverse reactions in response to the drone noise.

It is noteworthy that “most of the species we studied did not show any behavioural reactions to the presence of the drone at an altitude of 100 metres or higher, which is the altitude at which it usually flies over the ground to carry out wildlife censuses. This confirms that the responsible use of these systems is a low-impact tool for the study of mammals,” says lecturer Margarita Mulero-Pázmány (UMA).

Visual versus acoustic impact

Although this experiment does not allow us to fully discriminate between the effects generated by the impact of the acoustic or visual stimulus of the drone on the fauna, it was possible to indirectly deduce that the first effect caused by the drone on the species is acoustic. This conclusion was reached through the analysis of visual acuity — measured in cycles per degree (c/g) — which determines the ability to detect, discriminate and recognise objects against a background.

“All the species studied have a visual acuity of less than 50% of that of the human species (60 c/g). We can therefore deduce that the first impact caused by the drone on the species was acoustic, if we take into account the reduced visual capacity of the mammals analysed, the difficult detection of the drone used by the human eye at 50 metres, and the fact that the heights at which changes in behaviour occurred were on average higher than 50 metres,” says the researcher.

“According to the available information — the researcher continues — , this is the first time this factor has been analysed. Understanding that drone noise has an impact on some mammal species earlier than visual noise can help to improve current drone studies on these species and minimise the negative effects of recreational use in areas where these species are present.”

In wildlife studies, the sound profile of the drone model should also be considered, it is a factor that has so far not been considered if its negative impact is to be minimised. “Although there are many drone models on the market, there are still few commercial models being used to study wildlife. Trying to understand how much noise these models generate is a necessary step to make the use of drones in wildlife studies more effective,” concludes José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro.

#Nature

[huvtao]

Viendo que este año mi actividad ha vuelto a ser muy montaña rusa debido a mis ánimos, he decidido remarcar el punto de low activity en mis reglas y mobile theme. Por mucho que esto sea un hobbie, todavía me cuesta no exigirme y agobiarme cuando apenas me paso por aquí... Así que espero que esto me deje la consciencia un poco tranquila. Aprovecho para recordar que, si quieren dejar algún thread, pueden decírmelo sin problema. Gracias por su paciencia y comprensión 💗.

[tallowbone-blog]

Kill or Be Killed

[ @antlered-deity ]

The forest was dark and pointy and miserable. The water was tainted, the flowers poisonous or carnivorous, the ground sharp and bristly on bare feet. And honestly, he would have run anywhere else if he had anywhere else to run. As it was, this was a last resort -- too tired from being chased by a pack of dog monsters to keep running or think of a better solution.

The little skeleton pushed himself into a pile of thorny brambles, antlers snagging and clothes catching. This was not his daddy’s forest, merely a dark mockery of it, and he was so scared and so tired and so hurt. But the monsters couldn’t reach him. They barked and bayed, paws reaching in but withdrawing with yelps and growls.

“Come out of there, you little shit!”

“So much for easy XP.”

“Shut yer yap, Cani and help me drag ‘im out!”

“You shut it!”

“All of you shut it!”

They scarcely noticed the approaching figure, nor that they had stumbled into a dangerous place.

[bowwies]

'¿te sentiste identificado?' si bien expresión es risueña, no está burlándose de él. interés es genuino. 'yo tampoco. habrá estado metida en un lío con la discográfica y esas cosas. típico' no que sea una experta, porque recién firma su primer contrato profesional. se lo piensa un poco cuando pregunta sobre la película, dándose cuenta de que no la pegado del todo. 'bueno, el parque en general. cuando llega tarde al cumpleaños de la mejor amiga — ¿no es esta rueda de la fortuna la que sale?' señala atracción enorme que se impone a unos cuantos metros suyo.

' esa canción pega distinto cuando la escuchas en vivo, ¿no? no sabía nada de ella desde i really like you ' también porque se había sumergido tanto en los estudios que se puede atribuir la culpa de no haberle seguido el hilo a la cantante. ' ¿la película de--? ' se detiene un segundo, pensando en dónde había visto una montaña rusa. ' ¿lo es? ' le pregunta entonces, algo confundido. ' digo, si he visto hannah montana pero no recuerdo la montaña rusa. '

[missingmorethanmyskull-arch-blog]

The Flames of War

@antlered-deity from here x

A rather tall skeleon, and his average height brother, wandered up to the shrine, squabbling the whole way.

‘this is stupid.”

“IT’S NOT STUPID.”

“yes it is, there’s no such th- ow!”

“QUIET. DON’T FINISH THAT SENTENCE. YOUR BLASPHEMY WILL FUCK UP MY PRAYER.”

“tch...” Arum rubbed his now-throbbing skull as he walked with his brother, glaring. Tox was bringing along a red, high-quality sword.

When they reached the shrine, Tox nodded to the priest, whom he’d seen betore, then went to where offerings were set down to present the sword, which he had forged himself.

Arum glared daggers after his brother, then turned his glare to the short skeleton cleaning up around the shrine, hostility coming off of him in waves.

“tch... what a waste of mountain space.”

[incorrect-pokespe-quotes]

Clearing Out the Askbox

She sure is! I love early SwSh theorizing :)

(hands you the arc) here you’ll do it better. 

Are you implying there are space huskies that you haven’t told me about? Spill the secrets of the alien dogs

This is unintentionally the funniest ask I have ever received, thank you. Spe not respecting women is more of a joke since the manga isn’t really misogynistic in any meaningful way, but it does have an issue I like to call FDS, or Female Dexholder Syndrome. If you read all the arcs you’ll notice a pattern: the girls don’t do ANYTHING in the final battle (Yellow being an exception but she’s a special case). Blue is eliminated from the tournament by Oak, Crystal gets frozen in ice in Ilex and really just doesn’t move the entire scene, Sapphire gets locked in an aircar, Platinum never actually fights the bad guys (seriously, every fight she’s in someone else is battling Team Galactic she’s just standing there), White was kidnapped, Whitley was also just kinda standing there, Y had a bit of a role but I forgot it, and Moon was locked in a literal dog cage.  The joke is thus that all the female dexholders have FDS and are nerfed in order to make their male counterparts look cooler in the finale when facing off against the big cad guys, so spe doesn’t respect women (also all the female dexholders who are focused on battling are overshadowed narratively by their male counterparts with the exception of Platinum, so there’s that too). 

“Are you a boy or a girl?” “Yes”

100% agreed. Sadly Crystal’s debut was a bit of a transition period-- Crystal came out after GS so it’s likely that Crystal wasn’t planned for the original draft of the story and had to be added in last minute (which is likely why there’s a massive tonal shift and her introduction hits like a freight train). Not only that, but when Crystal showed up the manga switched artists, which probably didn’t help things as Yama was still getting his bearings. So yeah... GSC could’ve handled Crystal a lot better. 

This is the fourth time you’ve sent this ask

I like the idea of a remake arc pushing Yellow’s abilities but “overzealous to the point of endangering others” isn’t really Yellow’s MO. She’s willing to put herself in danger and go with wacky plans, but she’s not stupid and she doesn’t abuse her powers in the slightest. Also I really don’t think Red OR Green is really in a position where they have the moral or actual authority to take back her dex

I stg I’ve gotten this exact ask before and like? That’s kinda rude of them :/

I’m getting Deja Vu

haha gay

Half the asks I get are legitimate nonsense so at this point I almost DO miss Jimmy Neutron

Honestly same and I really need to brush up on my ORAS, but yeah I agree. I don’t really know what it is that makes them seem so... off in the ORAS arc, but I attribute it to being sort of a step backwards from their partnership in Emerald. Maybe it’s because in ORAS they never really get a chance to breathe and be themselves in a non-stressful situation, but Sapphire acts almost uncharacteristically sensitive to Ruby’s moods and actions towards her whereas Ruby is very serious and angsty. Idk. 

That being said, seeing them doing field research and being just... good friends who care about and trust each other is something I wanted to see more of too because I think the best parts of their relationship shine when they get to enjoy each others’ company like that

Oh absolutely, Kusaka is a genius at weaving in different plot threads / events into one (typically) cohesive story. With the exception of SMUSUM / ORAS, he does it flawlessly imo.  If I had to tweak ORAS, I would have Blaise and Amber disguise themselves as this “new Archie and Maxie” to try and round up the old team Magma / Aqua members, giving them hope and an opportunity to fight for what’s right this time. Instead we got them coming back to life AGAIN and dying for the THIRD TIME, which. ok Kusaka. Ok. 

ORAS should’ve had Ruby and Sapphire doing field work and being cute together while Emerald and Wally saved the day because Wally deserves to be a hero and RuSa deserve a goddamn nap. Send Tweet.