#softer centipede!sans

[zenubi-scribbles]

@aka-indulgence

On Jan. 2nd, she made a random post asking for skelepede cuddles. I made this on the same night, but it’s very rough and inaccurate to centipede anatomy, so didn’t want to post it publicly. Sadly, I deleted the original art file, so I can’t easily fix it up. Some artists friends still wanted me to post it, so I finally caved. Anytime you crave Centipede!Sans, just msg me! It may not be a timely manner like this one, but I would do it.

[ryqoshay]

Unstable World: Attack on Prism

Flagship: EmmaKanaKarin Also Starring: Setsuna, Ai, Rina Rating: T Words: 584 AU: A war-torn dimension other than our own Time Frame: Sometime before the main story Event: Promptober 2022 Event Source: Idol Fanfic Heaven channel on Discord Prompt: Carapace

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Author’s Note: Bonus 2nd entry for Oct 28th

Summary: General Emma heads to Prism to defend the city from invasion

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“General Verde!” A corporal burst onto the bridge. “Reports coming in of rifts appearing near Prism City.”

Karin sneered. Had the Paragon discovered Rina’s new lab? She glanced over to see concern on Emma’s face, as she was liking thinking something similar.

“All hands!” Emma called. “Prepare for maglev transit to Prism City!” She then turned to Lieutenant General near her and asked in a softer voice, “Karin-chan, would you mind waking Kanata-chan?”

“Of course.” Karin nodded.

A tense half hour later, the Montagna and its battalion of smaller tanks arrived to find a city under siege. Prism’s defenses, with aid from Setsuna's Firestorm Chasers, appeared to be holding against the usual Paragon ground forces. However…

“What are those?” Kanata asked, popping her head out of the hatch of the Dream Buster.

“Bug… tanks?” Karin replied from the Vivid Striker.

Amid the rear ranks of the Paragon forces, behemoth creatures scuttled about, not on treads or wheels, but on giant legs. Tank-like turrets were mounted into the backs of some that could pass as ants, while the horns of… what were they called again? rhinoceros beetles? had been reconstructed as giant artillery cannons. And, skittering through toward the forward ranks were what appeared to be huge centipedes.

As if giant airborne sea creatures cursed into servitude as airships weren't enough. Karin thought to herself. Now they've found some giant bug world to raid?

“The cavalry has arrived!” Setsuna cheered, swooping low to hover between Kanata and Karin's tanks. “Ai-san and I have been having trouble with these big bugs. They seem to have ablative carapaces that are resistant to our plasma.”

“And despite their size, they seem pretty good at dodging Rinari's artillery.” Ai added over the comm, still engaging the enemy.

“Then we will have to see how they like Vesuvius.” Emma responded from the bridge of the Montagna. “Evergreen Battalion! Advance!”

The tanks tread forward. Kanata and Karin broke off with their squadrons to deal with the ant tank and centipede things while Emma directed the rest toward the beetle artillery units.

“Kanata-chan’s gonna squish you!” The brigade’s other Lieutenant General drawled as the Dream Buster rammed through the middle of a centipede.

Ablative armor or no, the creature crumpled with the force of the blow, earning cheers from nearby Prism troops. More cheers responded to the Vivid Striker firing point blank into the head of an ant, blasting straight through to its thorax and causing an explosion within.

Now it’s Emma’s turn. Karin swiveled her position to watch.

Sure enough, the Vesuvius canon was already glowing. Then, with a titanic rumble, molten lava sprayed the nearest beetle.

Well, it wasn’t actually lava, rather a lava-like substance invented by Rina that could be superheated beyond the normal range of the real volcanic stuff. Or something like that, Karin didn’t understand the specifics. But it also stuck to surfaces better than napalm, allowing it to melt through darn near anything. Even Paragon enhanced ablative giant insect carapaces.

The tides of battle had turned. More troops poured out of Prism, leaving their defensive positions to go on the offensive. In less time than it took to traverse the distance to the city, the Evergreen Battalion eliminated the invading Paragon.

“Thank you, Emma-san, Kanata-san, Karin-san.” Rina’s voice came over the comm as the battle came to its victorious conclusion. “Please come in to refuel and restock.”

The Prism City gates opened and the brigade made their way in to relax after a battle well won.

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Author’s Note Continued: Definitely need to expand this chapter.

[aka-indulgence]

What if Centipede Sans met someone who isn’t entirely creeped out by him at first sight , like say she has a fascination with bugs and invertebrates?

He’d be curious about her... she’s not immediately turning heel at the mere sight of him and his multitude of legs tapping around.

He thinks she’s either very brave... or very foolish. Like when you like housecats, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be afraid of tigers and lions. There’s a reason you should be afraid... he’s a predator, and though he quite likes the change of pace, to see someone actually admiring, fascinated by his biology... unfortunately, she still looks quite delectable.

He’s probably going to tease her much more, since she’s not as afraid, to see how far he can go before she recoils in fear. Thankfully for her, if you appeal to his vanity you might get a moment of levity as he shows himself off to you, coaxing you to give him more compliments. Mention how sturdy his plates look, his beautiful legs, and at the very least, you’ll have more time before he decides on whether to eat you or not. He likes having his ego stroked, especially by a pretty little human.

[rhysford]

A bit about Rhys Ford’s upcoming Urban Fantasy Romance, Dim Sum Asylum…

Okay, let’s talk Dim Sum Asylum. Or rather, let me ramble. About urban fantasy romances and well, a bit of world building. Or rather, species building.

Back in the beginning of this story, I was contemplating what to do with the urban fantasy aspect of it. I wanted something different but still familiar and as I kicked around a few ideas, I realized I’d never actually explored the idea of faeries.

And I’m talking full on insect wing, human-sized faeries. We have them in our stories, usually tiny sprite things intent on haranguing Lost Boys or stealing things right out from under your nose or even cobbling together shoes in the wee hours of the night. But nothing more involved in that. I’ve got the Sidhe and Unsidhe down over in San Diego and Kai’s world but that’s a pretty gritty, hard-scrabble life. I wanted something a little bit softer but with a hell of a lot more magic.

So, Roku MacCormick was born. And so were the faerie clans.

By the way, I’ve gotten some shit about Roku’s name from more than a few people. In a teasing way. Mostly because it was oddly used for a television box. Don’t know the reasoning behind that but hey, sometimes words just fit a situation and you run with it. In the MC’s case, his full name is Rokugi but shortened to Roku, it means six. More importantly, it also is a slang word for “rock” as in rock music and was a bit of a shout-out to Hyde, a Japanese musician I adore. His 666 (roku, roku, roku) album is fantastic and one of my mainstays. There’s odd things that happen along the way when naming characters. So there you go.

Back to the faerie. I wanted wings. I didn’t want my main character to have wings—although I debated it—but rather him to be marked as faerie through his eyes and some markings. There really isn’t a lot of differences between the humans and the fae in this world other than culture and a bit of language…okay and wings and magical ability and eyes looking a bit like insects but small things *grins*. That was important. We needed to be a species to the left and to the right in this. There’s some species tension but not overtly so. Undercurrents, some riots and pretty much a civil rights movement but nothing on the scale of the Human-Underhill wars in Kai’s world. I wanted something closer to our current situation but with a shit ton of magic and well, faerie clans.

It seems silly to base an entire story on wings but at the time, I really wanted to run with it. There’s a lot of… suppose this happens… in urban fantasy. I like having that little bit of shift off of the normal, mundane world to build from and in this case, the faerie were the perfect fit.

So much to play with.

The fae ended up having some pretty seriously cultural shifts, very different from what I’d originally imagined. One of the build about including an other race into a UF story comes at you from very odd angles. When writing the short story, I could sort of skip over them but in expanding out the story into a novel, I ended up having to dig through funeral practices, worship, symbology and keep them based on the cultural anchors the fae originated from. So, while the fae have a common wing rite following a death, its incorporation had to make sense for their ethnic origins. Scottish fae are still Scottish and so on. Complicating things are clan connections so an Odonata fae like Roku is connected to another Odonata even though they are ethnically disparate. That was a complication I needed to account for. A thread in the weaving of a world tapestry. And oddly enough, these are questions that are answered in the background of a book—in its bible—and may never ever see the light of day in the actual text.

I had wings and death rites and well, a bit of a tension between natural fae and kids who’d been spliced with fae DNA. There was a bit of questioning on why I introduced that into the original story but to be fair, I thought it was something humans would do. We like tinkering with our bodies. Let’s face it, some people would want butterfly wings. Or rather they would want their kids to have them. It’s what we do. We’re an odd species. Now the wings can’t support flight but still, someone would want them. I bowed to the logical humanness of who we are when I wrote that in. And well, the backlash that would soon follow. Because tinkering sometimes leads to odd, bad things.

This tells you nothing about the book. Okay. Something about the book.

I kill a few people but there are reasons! And honestly, there’s a bit of Roku’s life that’s more than a little bit out of control. He’s trapped between who he is to himself and who he is to other people. He’s kept himself a bit apart from life because he’s a shit storm waiting to happen and he’s doing the best he can to keep the people of his city safe, happy and able to live their lives because he can’t really live his. Then he’s given a new partner and this guy… Trent Leonard…challenges him. Pushes him to do more than live, eat and sleep. Up until Trent, Roku’s marking time, waiting for the other shoe to drop because really, he lives in a centipede wearing clogs kind of world.

Dim Sum Asylum is about that reboot, about that re-energizing and re-engaging in Roku’s life… and I had a hell of a lot of fun filling in all of the spaces I’d wanted to write about in the original. Hope you like it and it’ll be out in full, expanded wording on June 9th!

Dim Sum Asylum by Rhys Ford Welcome to Dim Sum Asylum: a San Francisco where it’s a ho-hum kind of case when a cop has to chase down an enchanted two-foot-tall shrine god statue with an impressive Fu Manchu mustache that’s running around Chinatown, trolling sex magic and chaos in its wake.

Senior Inspector Roku MacCormick of the Chinatown Arcane Crimes Division faces a pile of challenges far beyond his human-faerie heritage, snarling dragons guarding C-Town’s multiple gates, and exploding noodle factories. After a case goes sideways, Roku is saddled with Trent Leonard, a new partner he can’t trust, to add to the crime syndicate family he doesn’t want and a spell-casting serial killer he desperately needs to find.

While Roku would rather stay home with Bob the Cat and whiskey himself to sleep, he puts on his badge and gun every day, determined to serve and protect the city he loves. When Chinatown’s dark mystical underworld makes his life hell and the case turns deadly, Trent guards Roku’s back and, if Trent can be believed, his heart… even if from what Roku can see, Trent is as dangerous as the monsters and criminals they’re sworn to bring down.

Grab Dim Sum Asylum at Amazon (http://ift.tt/2pUm3Nm) and Barnes & Noble (http://ift.tt/2pVMlg6). Dreamspinner Press link to follow.

from A bit about Rhys Ford’s upcoming Urban Fantasy Romance, Dim Sum Asylum…

[justrightlawns12]

Best Grass for Lawns in Texas

What is the Best Grass for Texas Lawns?

Hot summers and mild winters make Texas a unique area for grass growth. The size of the state means that Texas residents span a few different climates.

In the panhandle, or the northern part of Texas, rainfall is more common, and winters come with snow and freezing temperatures. In central and southern Texas, near Austin, residents struggle through blazing hot summers and long periods without rain. West Texas weather is hot and dry. It resembles the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona.

The grasses that grow best in Texas are few. They need a combination of defensive properties that resist heat, cold, and drought.

What Grasses Grow in Texas?

The most common and healthy-growing grasses in Texas are:

Buffalo Grass

Bermuda Grass

Carpet Grass

Bent Grass

Blue Grass

Centipede Grass

St. Augustine

Best Grass for Texas Lawns

These grasses are good for high traffic areas with minimal shade. Just Right Lawns of Austin has extensive experience with these grass types.

Buffalo Grass

It’s one of the few grasses native to Texas. It grows wild in central and south Texas. The buffalo that used to populate the Great Plains used this grass as one of their main food sources. It grows in all seasons and stays low enough to ensure minimal maintenance. It can survive even in the drier, more desert-like places of Texas and is great for large expanses.

Bermuda Grass

Bermuda is durable, versatile, and easy to plant. It boasts superior heat and drought tolerance. Central and south Texans use this grass most often for their lawns, but it’s tough enough to cover athletic fields and parks. Even in hot, dry areas, it will maintain a green color year round. It also grows fast once planted, as long as it receives moderate maintenance.

Carpet Grass

You’ll find carpet grass growing most often in coastal areas. As another of Texas’s native grasses, it has an affinity for wet soil that is low in nutrition. Its blades are rigid and coarse, and it grows dense enough to resist insects. Mowing this grass is easy, but the grass thrives most when at its full length. Since it loves wet soil, lawns with carpet grass away from coastal areas will need regular watering.

Best Looking Grass for Low Traffic Areas

This grass is great for beautiful views and open areas. If you’re landscaping and area with low traffic, this grass might work for you.

Bent Grass

This grass is a low-growing, thin-bladed, extra-dense grass. When mowed, its density ends up uniform, forming a perfect carpet. Bent grass is most often used on golf courses in Texas. The top of the blade is soft and the bottom rigid, making it comfortable and strong at the same time.

Best Grass for Various Regions in Texas

For use only in certain regions of Texas.

Blue Grass

Better known as Kentucky Blue Grass, it grows best in the northernmost areas of Texas. It’s more tolerant of cold than heat and tends to absorb and use water well. It needs regular care but is resistant to traffic. Its soft blades make it great for lawns or use on athletic fields for many sports.

Centipede Grass

Some of its stalks resemble the segmented body of a centipede. It’s a low growing grass that comes from China. It survives well in mildly cold temperatures, so it works best in the south and southeast, and near San Antonio. It doesn’t go dormant and bounces back from Texas cold snaps with healthy, green blades.

St. Augustine

This grass is a widely used warm season grass. You’ll find it most often in tropical Africa, Australia, and Mexico. The moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and non-stop summer heat help St. Augustine reach its full potential. Its blades are wide for soaking up plenty of sunshine, but it will struggle in the winter.

What Features Does Texas Grass Need?

Unusual weather patterns in Texas mean that Texas grasses need to be:

Drought proof

Texas reached serious drought conditions in October 2010. 70 percent of Texas was in drought conditions in August 2014. The state is still under drought conditions today. To keep grass looking healthy year-round, you’ll need to plant a deep-rooted grass that can survive long periods without fresh rainfall.

Heat resistant

Most of Texas shares the long summers and short winters of Mexico. Temperatures reach beyond 110℉ on the hottest summer days. Your grass has to absorb and use that non-stop sunlight that shines from morning until dusk. Grass with wider blades is better at resisting heat.

Traffic tolerant

Texas’s long warm season means people use their lawns for most of the year. Grass can take some abuse from foot traffic, but it will eventually take too much damage to sustain its growth. Grasses with flexible blades in softer soil are more tolerant to year-round traffic.

Cold resistant

Even a single cold snap can destroy your lawn. Even though the Texas winter is mild, temperatures dip below freezing. Even people in the southern extremities of Texas need to prepare their lawns for deep cold. There are a few grasses that will struggle through the summer but flourish through the winter.

Make sure the grass you’re planting or maintaining is right for your region. Also check for characteristics that pertain to where you use the grass.

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