#trait: mineral

[digi-lov]

Tlalocmon EX7-037 by Alternative Art by koki from EX-07 Extra Booster Digimon Liberator

[bambiraptorx]

okay important (silly) question that's been rattling around in my head for a while now

in a mood to make a stupid poll lol, reblogs and discussion encouraged

[bullforgery]

2am rant cause idgaf.

[fudanshiatlas]

.

[pressureplus]

Not sure if you have done it or if anyone have already requested it.. but I do like to see a headcanons (NSFW?) on the ovipositor of Sebastian. Like if reader finally agrees to let him pregnant them with his eggs. Kinda stuff like how would it feel like during/after breeding? does it will hurt? How long long does it take? How those eggs/babies develop? And how does the giving birth would be and feel like? Anything like that.

Btw, I love your headcanons and oneshots! <3

So glad you asked! I've been dealing with pain lately so Ive needed consistent care. As per usual we are writing, this one just happened to be finished first. Also, thank you for the compliment <3

♡Sebastian Solace Ovipositor Headcannons♡

Warnings: Describing this Non-Erotically, Implied Sex, Oviposition/Ovipositor, AFAB and AMAB Cannons (God Im Sorry), Pregnancy/Birth Vaguely Mentioned, M!Preg Mentioned

◞꒷◟ ͜ ͜ ◞ྀི◟୨୧◞ྀི◟ ͜ ͜ ◞꒷◟◞꒷◟ ͜ ͜ ◞ྀི◟୨୧◞ྀི◟ ͜

Starting off strong, the moment you agree to have that mans babies he is all over you

Excited, yes, and at the mention of his Ovipositor being put to use he’ll be a little shy but happy to oblige! How can he not be? The idea of having a family almost makes him feel…normal. Happy and normal.

As his tendril is always sheathed, it stays very slick, which makes insertion easier. Despite his absurdly large length (he is well over twice your size) he doesn't need to be all the way inside your body to use said Ovipositor

During the process of actually putting those eggs in your body, it feels…odd. The best way I can describe this is like swallowing those Boba Pearls in drinks? But like…obviously not with your mouth

Doesn't hurt! The eggs arent too large, about an inch in length and diameter, but still not painful! You’d think they would be, right?

This is due to both the slightly muscle relaxant features of said slick, and the flexible nature of his eggs

Despite their size they can easily compress to be smaller if pressure is applied…too much pressure will pop them and make them no longer viable but yes they can get a bit smaller

They're like little jelly balls with a turquoise color

After the fact, you'll really just feel oddly full for the next day or two. These things are decently sticky and almost parasitic in nature so those that are going to continue to develop will be burying themselves into your body

Not a painful process either, by the way

Those that don't end up attaching to anything are not particularly viable as they can't take any of your DNA to make anything. So those really just have to be removed. This can be done decently easily with some pressure applied to your stomach and a bit of pushing

Produces 6-12 eggs on average, but may produce more or less, so you never really know how many actually stuck

The way these eggs develop is rather unnatural to say the least.

If you're AFAB then they'll attempt to fill your uterus much like a normal baby would. They also take as much ‘code’ from your DNA as possible, feeding off your blood for minerals similar to how Anglerfish pairs function

If you're AMAB things get a bit..sticky for you. They'll hollow out their own space inside you, kind of like a very small faux womb. This is NOT painful, but does leave a sort of dull ache like you've just worked out for a while. This small little wound will close behind the eggs as well so they won't be disturbed. They feed off you the same way as they do for those who are AFAB

This pregnancy can last anywhere from 6-9 months depending on how large the batch of eggs is. They do technically ‘share’ their meals so they'll all be ready to hatch at the same time. Think of it like an evolutionary trait for a better chance at survival.

Doesn't entirely feel like pregnancy, you'll feel weaker, bloaty, and maybe a bit sick mostly due to lower mineral/vitamin counts. But as long as you take some kind of supplements or eat healthy you'll be fine

You don't get particularly round or anything either, just a small bump that could easily be passed off as weight gain

On the Plus side for the AFABS, your body does not continue to have its menstrual cycle during these months. They release their own chemicals into your body/bloodstream for a better latch and less chances to be ‘rejected’

As for having these babies? There's conractions/cramping for sure and a bit of blood from where those eggs detach. I wouldn't call them particularly bad contractions, as they're slower and a lot less painful than normal child birth

The body doesn't have to prep as much since they're not normal sized human babies.

If you're AFAB, they'll come out the natural way. If you're AMAB, you're going to need surgery

Surgery is of course an option for both if preferred.

They pop their eggs and are ready to go the second they break, now for the most part the body can just absorb the nutrients in these empty ‘shells’ but they can also be removed. It won't cause additional harm either way

These babies aren't very big when they're taken out

In fact, they're all about palms sized. They're warm to the touch, covered in a bit of blood and whatever liquid is inside those eggs, so they're a bit sticky. But just fine to wipe clean

They’ll be oddly…blue and pale for the first while as they learn to breathe oxygen with their very small lungs. Don't worry, they'll figure it out. They look almost like normal babies aside from this, well, not including those that look more like Sebastian

They’ll develop faster than normal babies as well. Some may even be born with sharp teeth, others will get their set within the first two months.

They're already up and ready to go in about a year or less, as if they're made for survival like wild animals. However this will come at a cost. Your sanity mostly when your 1 year old is chewing through the casings of wires and chair legs.

By the time they're around 5-6 they'll be just a little smaller than the size of a normal human child.

As teenagers getting their growth spurts? Many of your children may end up BIGGER than average humans!

Overall your children will be different, as was the process of having them, but they're still perfectly healthy

[the-one-and-only-elita]

While I still feel like we should have gotten way more of Elita in TFOne, I do like what we saw of her and how she serves as a contrast to D-16. This especially goes for their respective relationships with Orion.

D-16 and Elita are pretty similar when you think about it. They are both pretty serious and driven people who both earnestly committed themselves to the system in hopes of climbing the latter.

Though its worth noting that while Elita is very proactive when it comes to climbing the latter, constantly chasing promotions, D-16 is much more passive, choosing to keep his head low and slowly but steadily work his way up.

When they learn the truth about Sentinel Prime's rule and how they were deceived and exploited, Elita does not lose herself to anger the way D-16 does, despite her intense devotion to succeeding within the system being her defining trait up until this point. I wish her feelings on the matter were explored more, but its clear her focus purely becomes about exposing Sentinel and freeing her fellow miners.

This is where Elita and D-16 go in complete opposite directions in terms of character development, which is illustrated in how they treat Orion.

D-16 completely shuts Orion out, even becoming aggressive towards him and blaming him for the pain of learning the truth. He completely disregards anything Orion has to say, paying no mind to any plan or strategy Orion proposes. He starts to treat him as a hindrance, and even before their relationship began to degrade, he was very reluctant to take part in Orion's "schemes." This of course, is what culminates in "I'm not saving you anymore" and D-16 deciding to drop Orion.

Then there is Elita, who in Orion's darkest hour, takes it upon herself to try and uplift him despite her inexperience with any sort of emotional intimacy. She makes it clear that she values his plans, his optimism, and his rebellious nature, everything D-16 grew to resent him for.

Both Elita and D-16 have very aggressive personalities, but while D-16 uses his to dominate his way to the top of the decepticon hierarchy, Elita uses her's to uplift Orion. She commands the attention of the other miners when Orion is too soft spoken to do so himself, and together they lead their people against their shared tyrant (much like what Orion wanted to do with D-16).

I personally love this dynamic between them. Elita having already mastered the assertive aspect of leadership, without the ability to adequately inspire or be charismatic; whereas Orion/Optimus brings the ideology and charisma to the equation, without the ability to properly assert himself in a way that leadership requires. (If I'm allowed to be unserious for a second, its very "Excuse me! He asked for no pickles")

While it's unclear if the writers intend to pursue a romantic arc between Optimus and Elita in the sequel, it's obvious by Optimus' decision to make Elita his Major that they will be working very closely with together going forward. While Orion may have been powerless to preserve his relationship with D-16, Optimus' relationship with Elita is the one he will be forging going into the future.

[quirekey]

Hi can I request for Orion Pax with femme s/o who acts like fluttershy from mlp

Hey, you're the B127 requester, welcome back! I love your silly concepts so i’m honoured to write for you again :3

[ ORION PAX ] x [ FEMME!READER ]

[ orion pax x cybertronian!femme!shy!reader ]

HEADCANONS

- The way you both met was when Orion was running away from trouble. You were just minding your business, resting against your stasis pod. Suddenly, Orion pushed you aside and hid behind you and your stasis pod. A high-guard confronted you and you were not made for this. The high-guard knew Orion was hiding behind you and Orion just ran off again with the High guard chasing from behind.

- Orion came up to you a while after the ‘incident’ happened, curious about you. He thought you looked way cleaner than the average miner, and he has never seen you before. Orion knew every-bot and every-bot knew him, but you. Orion liked this, it’s another chance to make a friend that won’t hate him for his troubles.

- At first, you were extremely quiet and timid. Orion was a ray of optimism and sunshine and his activity was a bit much for you. Orion caught onto your uncomfortable state pretty quickly and toned down his antics. Orion was way more patient and caring than others make it seem to be.

- Fast forward to you guys being together, you two were a pretty cute couple. Orion was a ray of sunshine who shined over the clouds while you were a bright star with potential who hid away from the others.

- Orion never would bring you into his troubles. He knew you didn’t do good when it came to authority and pressure. He only used you as a small excuse or a shield when it’s really needed. You do try to stop him from getting into so much trouble because it’s unnecessary, but it’s Orion so he doesn’t stop.

- You definitely call him pax just like D16. You saw D16’s habit with Orion, how he only called him Pax. You thought it was adorable so you slowly soaked into the nickname too.

- When Orion introduced you to D16, you both were really shy. D16 was an introverted fella and you were a shy one. You guys were actually pretty similar to a simple level. After some pushing and shoving by Orion, you both got along and actually had a proper conversation without Orion needing to fill in the silence.

- PDA ( publicly displayed affection ) is something you definitely and absolutely hate. You hated the thought of others seeing you and Orion show love to one another. You prefered to use love privately, like it’s a secret. When you two are far from other miners, Orion gives you a little nudge and you give him a nuzzle. Nobody but D16 knows about your little secret relationship, Orion enjoys the thrill of keeping such a big thing a secret.

- The dynamic with you both is a lot like an Extrovert x Introvert type of relation. Orion was always outgoing, loud and optimistic about his troubles, never taking anything seriously. You were afraid, considerate and preferred a quiet and mild environment. Though both of your flaws and traits were extremely opposing, you both stuck with magnets and it was very adorable!

I had many ideas but i am currently in a rush, if you wanna know the rest feel free to ask!

[catcake24]

Oh god, I just had a brilliant TFOne KO/BD fic idea.

So you know how G1 Knockout is a construction worker and G1 Breakdown is a racer?? Well, in TFOne we see Breakdown is one of the racers in the Iacon 5000 (I don’t have the screenshot, but I do remember seeing his name along with the other Stunticons).

So… what if Knockout in TFOne is one of the many cogless miners???

So, here’s my idea (spoilers below):

Knockout is one of the few on-site medics for the miners, there for work related injuries (like Jazz’s leg in the movie). He’s not a worker because he has a processor bug, where he faints whenever he gets overwhelmed or too excited - which wouldn’t be a good trait for working in the dangerous mines.

Because of this relatively safer position, he tends to be cleaner and shinier than his fellow workers - cleaning and buffing his plating during work hours. He’s not the most well liked, but he’s good enough at his job that people just deal with it.

Knockout is a racer fan, and wishes he could compete in them very badly. Like many miners (at least in my fanfic), he feels like a piece of him is missing and would love to race if he could transform. He’s much like his TFP version in personality, sassy mean girl personality, maybe a bit nicer since he’s younger and already treated like shit.

Breakdown meanwhile, he’s a somewhat cocky racer who’s been apart of the Stunticons (who are basically just brothers who are all racers) since he was born. Due to being a transforming mech though, he hasn’t had much contact with cogless bots.

This changes when the Stunticons decide to go drag racing in a cogless residential area, a somewhat common thing since the roads are clear of other cars and the locals can see some drag racing without needing to get time off work. Knockout is one of these spectators, though only because he had a rough shift and needed something to blow off steam.

During the race though, there’s a crash and Breakdown needs medical attention - and the closest medic is Knockout.

Knockout ends up repairing Breakdown, who was curious about meeting a cogless bot, and from there it’s pretty typical KOBD I imagine. Breakdown might be more cocky here, but Knockout can match it easily and sass him for overworking his engine during the race Breakdown likes a mech who can talk down to him, and ends up flirting with KO… who faints from surprise and excitement.

Idk where to go from here, but I really like the idea of this being a bit of a roleswap au for the typical TFP KOBD and to mimic the “lower and higher class romance” stuff we see in tfp megop. I feel like these two would totally carry on a star crossed romance, meeting in semi-secret and Breakdown learning about KO’s life as a cogless bot and taking him on dates to places he could never access before.

BUT!!! After the events of the movie, Breakdown sees it all go down from the broadcast and rushes to see if KO is okay. He hasn’t seen him in awhile since all the miners were suddenly pulling mandatory extra shifts and injuries had increased exponentially. He bumps into a red racer on the way, trying to squeeze past, but then realized it’s Knockout who now has a t-cog. He came looking for Breakdown to show him.

Breakdown happily lifts up KO, who narrowly avoids fainting this time, and they go on their first racing date - and Breakdown is only more smitten when Knockout narrowly beats him.

(Please feel free to use or expand on this, i haven’t written knockout before so I would love some input on how he would act lol)

[officialbruciewayne]

Observations on Kryptonians:

Their Biology, Behavior and its Dynamic with Beauty

An anecdotal entry by Bruce T. Wayne, regarding his experiences with the Kryptonian People.

Over the course of the last century, Earth and Humanity has become aware that not only are we not alone in our universe- but that we are not alone on our world. At an undisclosed moment in our history, our homeworld became a refuge for the last children of Krypton, a world that was lost to unknown disaster.

Kryptonians are mysterious and alien, a recipe for rejection and prejudice on this planet. Not only this, but they have exceptional powers, which lure our worst impulses of greed and exploitation. We have not always treated them with kindness.

Despite our own lack of humanity, the most notable Kryptonians of our society continue to share their unique gifts and perspectives, choosing to help wherever they can.

As a Jewish man, and a Father, the legacy of the Kryptonian people, both in entrusting our world with their children, but with it, their future in the face of diaspora, humbles me.

I would like to offer my voice of support to our kin from beyond the stars. I have some personal experience with Kryptonians, and will attempt to demystify their habits and nature, to present them to you not as strangers from the skies, but as part of the infinite diversity of our world.

Not to be feared, not be used, but to be welcomed.

ברוכים הבאים לבית שלנו

Caveat on Kryptonian Powers

Most discussions of Kryptonian biology begin and typically conclude with a long list of the powers typical to Kryptonians. These powers are considerable, but are generally used to justify how they are treated. There is no value in me lingering on this much-speculated aspect of our Kryptonian kin.

Instead, I would like to discuss the lesser known traits that I have found to be personally charming.

Diurnalism and Sun-seeking

Kryptonians are naturally diurnal by nature, and are drawn to sunlight. When relaxed, they enjoy basking in our sun's warmth and when injured, or unwell, should rest in either natural sunlight, or be placed near a sunlamp.

Many Kryptonians display a tanned or dark-skinned complexion, which I found initially counterintuitive since it indicates protective melanin in Humans. In a Kryptonian, this coloration is actually indicative of stored solar radiation. In layman's terms, it's a sign of good health in your local Kryptonian.

(Art credit to @domnorian, please support the original work here, it is used here as an example)

Dentition and Diet

The intense demands of the Kryptonian body are supported by an incredibly high metabolism. Although they are primarily sustained by solar radiation, they can and do display a remarkable appetite. This energy is readily burned off by their bodies, so it should be considered offensive to shame or draw attention to how hungry a Kryptonian may appear to a Human.

Instead, attention should be paid to the variety of their diet. I have concerns that Kryptonian nutrition is not necessarily met by traditional human foods, and believe that supplements of various metals, sillica and crystalized minerals may be of great use to them. Further research is indicated, but consider they may not be fully satisfied.

This viewpoint is supported by the Kryptonian dentition, which features a diminutive but handsome set of fangs. As this is one of the more readily visible distinguishing features, some Kryptonians experience self-consciousness when smiling.

If it is of comfort to any Kryptonians reading this, Humans enjoy 'teefies' and like to remark upon the canine teeth of our companion cats and dogs. We find it 'cute'.

Ocular Notes

It has come to my attention that Kryptonian vision is more specialized for use during flight. It has great telescopic capacity, amongst its other various modes, but this can put them at a disadvantage in our society. Being so far-sighted, Kryptonians may struggle to read letters, smaller signs and newspapers without assistance.

If you see a Kryptonian puzzling over a piece of paper, and holding it at arms' length, any offers to help should be gently made. However, Kryptonians are notoriously friendly and inclined to offer help as much as receive it. You may well make a new best friend. In fact you probably will. Statistically.

A smaller note is that Kryptonian eyes- on account of the multiple facets to their vision -all appear to be a unique type of blue. This particular shade is potentially a generative emission of scattered sunlight, though it would require more detailed research and a far longer examination on my part to confirm.

They Purr

Yes, it is true. Kryptonians purr. It is a delight to listen to.

From my observations it seems readily triggered by the presence of children, or a desire to comfort others. As well as by their own contentment, whether physical, emotional and often both.

The frequency of the oscillations seem to differ between the two circumstances, supporting my current theory that this purring is both a form of communication, but separately resonant to encourage bone growth and soft tissue repair in the sick and injured.

Reproduction and Courtship

Having not conducted a relationship with a Kryptonian, I speak from a limited capacity of research. That said, to Humans looking to court Kryptonians, they appear to be receptive to forms of lip contact, and saliva exchange.

Further erogenous zones are speculative, but there is marked sensitivity along the length of the throat and just below the occipital bone.

Love

I put it to you that Kryptonians are not powerful - they are uniquely vulnerable. An endangered culture and people who have shown us compassion alone. They deserve our protection and understanding.

This is the only home they have ever known. They are not strangers from the stars, they are our friends sharing the same sunlight.

They love us. We should love them in return.

B.T.W

PS. @official-clark-kent I am no reporter, but I did enjoy trying my hand at a small thinkpiece. Perhaps we could go fishing sometime?

[galehowl]

Another Digimon often seen in Aurora's setting, Seadramon

These large aquatic serpents are another common inhabitants of the Digital World, and can be found in various bodies of water, from rivers and lakes to seas and oceans.

They're excellent swimmers, unsurprisingly, and can dive to impressive depths. A very noticeable feature all Seadramon possess is the metal helmet-like armor on their heads, which is a part of their body, something observed pretty often in many different Digimon species, where various metals and minerals grow naturally on them. The beak and fins of the helmet keep growing with age, and it loses its shine the older the serpent gets.

They also come in a variety of colors, though the most common ones are blues and greens with white undersides, and red tailfins and jaw markings. Purple, grey and white of various hues were observed, along with some minor differences in appearance, which is attributed to different habitats. There have been cases of Seadramon found with bioluminescence, those who seem to prefer living in caves or at greater depths - another trait of Digimon - fast evolving adaptation - compared to any life forms of Earth. They can breathe on land, but they're slow and somewhat clumsy, moving around with the help of their front flippers and powerful tails.

Seadramon, though not all, are known to be more dangerous and territorial than some other Digimon humans encountered, and are somewhat prone to attacking without asking questions first. Any smaller Digimon or animal, including humans, are potentially on the menu, as Seadramon are near-exclusive carnivores, though mostly hunt fish and other aquatic life forms. Digimon can be sought after as a source of pure energy, rather than food. They attack by strangling their opponents and dragging them underwater if they can drown, or breathing out a cone of frost and ice.

Despite this, several non-partnered ones are known to work on Earth, in the organization alongside humans and other Digimon, namely helping with marine biology research, human-Digimon tech development, and issues like climate change and pollution. Later on, as Digimon become more publicly known, they take on the roles of helping in cases of natural disasters, sinking ships, and also patrol of coastal lines in case of aquatic hostile Digimon appearance, as well.

[digi-lov]

Close EX8-067 by Shin Sasaki, Sunarizamon EX8-047, Landramon EX8-048, Proganomon EX8-051, and Pyramidimon EX8-055 by GOSSAN from EX-08 Extra Booster Chains of Liberation

[mysterywriter2187]

Transformers: One - What's In A Kneel?

!!!!!MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!

With the responsibility of leadership and the dangers of pedestals and hero worship being such major themes, it only makes sense that all three of the film's leaders would show their true characters, and in doing so seal their fates, in moments where they have to kneel/bow.

Sentinel Prime essentially sets the entire second half of the film in motion when both the heroes and we as the viewer see him kneel to the Quintessons. It confirms everything that Alpha Trion was just telling them/us about him, and it's also the very thing that ends up getting broadcast to Iacon in order to finally expose Sentinel and turn the public against their False Prime.

For all his superficial charisma and his talk of looking out for the little guys, Sentinel himself is truly nothing more than a self-centred, spineless coward, who couldn't care less for the needs of the many and gladly bends to the will of bigger bullies/oppressors in order to keep himself in power.

After learning of Sentinel's betrayal and being subsequently captured with the High Guard, D-16 makes a point to stand while in custody and adamantly refuses to kneel. Even when Sentinel begins beating and torturing him, D-16 makes it abundantly clear that he has no intention of bowing to him or anyone else ever again.

In better circumstances this could be a heroic trait, a courageous defiance and the willingness to stand up in the face of injustice. But it just as becomes a negative one, and it's one of the last warning signs to the kind of leader that Megatron is going to be.

He may have started out with good and heroic intentions, but because of this Megatron sees himself as superior, and whether by choice or by force, he expects his fellow Cybetronians to rally behind him just as they did with Sentinel. While he sees himself as a revolutionary, in the end he's just going to become another tyrant.

And then we have Orion Pax. For much of the film, he's a far cry from the noble, legendary leader that we know and love from other iterations, but he starts to grow into it as he devises the rescue mission, and is tasked with rallying his fellow miners to help.

Having gotten a major upgrade since the last time he saw them, Orion now towers over his former peers and they're utterly awed by the sight of him. Rather than trying to take advantage of their admiration or even intimidate them with his new size and strength, Orion almost seems frustrated by the new height difference, and before beginning his speech he kneels down to literally speak to them on their level.

Orion doesn't make a point to do this, no one has to ask or prompt him to, in fact he himself doesn't even give that much thought to it, it's just his first instinct for how to best communicate. He may look larger and stronger now, but he still values the miners as his friends and his equals, and nothing is ever going to change that.

Gaining the Matrix later on may have gotten him the name, but it's this moment when Orion truly begins to embody the true core and heart of Optimus Prime. Powerful and inspiring, yet humble and caring. Or perhaps, as the legendary Peter Cullen himself has always said:

"Strong enough to be gentle."

[o-craven-canto]

Filters in the way of technologically advanced life in the universe and how likely I think they are

1. Abiogenesis (4.4-3-8 billion years ago): Total mystery. The fact that it happened so quickly on Earth (possibly as soon as there was abundant liquid water) is a tiny bit of evidence for it being easy. Amino acids and polycyclic hydrocarbons are very common in space, but nucleotides aren't, and all hypothetic models I've seen require very specific conditions and a precise sequence of steps. (It would be funny if the dozen different mechanisms proposed for abiogenesis were all happening independently somewhere.)

2. Oxygenic photosynthesis (3.5 billion years ago) (to fuel abundant biomass, and provide oxygen or some other oxidizer for fast metabolism): Not so sure. Photosynthesis is just good business sense -- sunlight is right there -- and appeared several times among bacteria. But the specific type of ultra-energetic photosynthesis that cracks water and releases oxygen appeared only once, in Cyanobacteria. That required merging two different photosynthetic apparati in a rather complex way; and all later adoptions of oxygenic photosynthesis involved incorporating Cyanobacteria by endosymbiosis. For all that it's so useful, I don't know if I'd expect to see it on every living planet.

3. Eukaryotic cell (2.4 billion years ago?): Probably the narrowest bottleneck on the list. Segregated mitochondria with their own genes and a nucleus protecting the main genome are extremely useful both for energy production (decentralized control to maximize production without overloading) and for genetic storage (less DNA damage due to reactive metabolic waste). But there's a chicken-and-egg problem in which incorporating mitochondria to make energy requires an adjustable cytoskeleton, but that consumes so much energy it would require mitochondria already in place. Current models have found solutions that involve a very specific series of events. Or maybe not? Metabolic symbiosis, per se, is common, and there may have been other ways to gene-energy segregation. Besides, after the origin of eukaryotes, endosymbiosis occurred at least nine more times, and even some bacteria can incorporate smaller cells.

4. Sexual reproduction (by 1.2 billion years ago): Without meiotic sex (combining mutations from different lineages, decoupling useful traits from harmful ones, translating a gene in multiple way), the evolution of complex beings is going to be painfully slow. Bacteria already swap genes to an extent, and sexual recombination is bundled in with the origin of eukaryotes so I probably shouldn't count it separately (meiosis is just as energy-intensive as any other use of the cytoskeleton). Once you have recombination, life cycles with spores or gametes and sex differentiation probably follow almost inevitably.

5. Multicellularity (800 million years ago?): Quite common, actually. Happens all the time among eukaryotes, and once in a very limited form even among bacteria. Now we'd want complex organized bodies with geometry-defining genes, but even that happened thrice: in plants, fungi, and animals. As far as I know, various groups of yeasts are the only regressions to unicellularity.

6. Brains and sense organs (600 million years ago): Nerve cells arose either once or twice, depending on whether Ctenophora (comb-jellies) and Eumetazoa (all other animals except sponges) form a single clade or not. Some form of cellular sensing and communication is universal in life, though, so a tissue specialized for signal transmission is probably near inevitable once you have multicellular organisms whose lifestyle depends on moving and interacting with the environment. Sense organs that work at a distance are also needed, but image-forming eyes evolved in six phyla, so no danger there (and there's so many other potential forms of communication!). Just to be safe, you'll also want muscles and maybe mineralized skeletons on the list, but I don't think either is particularly problematic. An articulated skeleton is probably better than a rigid shell, but we still have multiple examples of that (polyplacophorans, brittle stars, arthropods, vertebrates).

7. Life on land (400 million years ago): (Adding this because air has a lot more oxygen to fuel brains than water (the most intelligent aquatic beings are air-breathers), and technology in water has the issue of fire.) You're going to need a waterproof integument, some kind of rigid support system, and kidneys to regulate water balance. Plenty of animal lineages moved on land: vertebrates, insects, millipedes, spiders, scorpions, multiple types of crabs, snails, earthworms, etc. Note that most of those are arthropods: this step seems to favor exoskeletons, which help a great deal in retaining water. Of course this depends on plants getting on land first, which on Earth happened only once, and required the invention of spores and cuticles. (Actually there are polar environments where all photosynthesis occurs in water, but they are recently settled and hardly the most productive.)

8. Human-like intelligence (a few million years ago?): There seems to a be a general trend in which the max intelligence attainable by animals on Earth has increased over time. There's quite a lot of animals today that approach or rival apes in intelligence: elephants, toothed cetaceans, various carnivorans, corvids, parrots, octopodes, and there's even intriguing data about jumping spiders. Birds seem to have developed neocortex-like brain structures independently. Of course humans got much farther, but the fact that even other human species are gone suggests that a planet is not big enough for more than one sophont, so the uniqueness of humans might not necessarily imply low probability. (We seem to exist about halfway through the habitability span of Earth land, FWIW.) The evolution of sociality should probably be lumped here: we'll want a species that can teach skills to its offspring and cooperate on tasks. But sociality is also a common and useful adaptation: many species on our list (octopodes are a glaring exception) are intensely social and care for their offspring. I mentioned above that the land-step favors exoskeletal beings, which in turns favors small size; but the size ranges of large land arthropods and very intelligent birds overlap, so that's not disqualifying.

9. Agriculture and urban civilization (11,000 years ago): Agriculture arrived quite late in the history of our species, but when it arrived -- i.e. at the end of the Wurm glaciation -- it arrived independently in four to eight different places around the world, in different biogeographic realms and climates, so I must assume that at least some climate regimes are great for it (glacial cycles are a minority of Earth's history; but did agriculture need to come after glaciations? Maybe a shock of seasonality did the trick). And once you have agriculture, complex urbanized societies follow most of the time, just a few millennia later. Even writing arose at least three times (Near East, China, and Mexico), and then spread quickly.

10. Scientific method and industrialization (300 years ago): We're getting too far from my expertise here, but whatever. The Eurasian Axial Age suggests that all civilizations with a certain degree of wealth, literacy, and interconnection will spawn a variety of philosophies. Philosophical schools that focus on material causes and effects like the Ionians or Charvaka have appeared sometimes, but often didn't win over more supernaturalist schools. Perhaps in pre-industrial times pure materialism isn't as useful! You may need to thread a needle between interconnected enough to exchange and combine ideas, and also decentralized enough that the intellectual elite can't quash heterodoxy. As for industrialization, that too happened only once, though that's another case in which the first achiever would snuff out any other. I hear Song China is a popular contender for alternative Industrial Revolutions (with coal-powered steelworks!); Imperial Rome and the Abbasid Caliphate are less convincing ones. For whatever reason, it didn't take until 18th century Britain.

11. Not dying randomly along the way: Mass extinctions killing off a majority of species happened over and over -- the Permian Great Dying, the Chicxulub impact, the early Oxygen Crisis -- but life has always rebounded fairly quickly and effectively. It's hard enough to sterilize an agar plate, let alone a planet. Disasters on this scale are also unlikely to happen in the lifespan of planet-bound civilizations, unless of course the civilizations are causing them. A civilization might still face catastrophic climate change, mega-pandemics, and nuclear war, not to mention lesser setbacks like culture-wide stagnation or collapse, and I couldn't begin to estimate how common, or ruinous, they would actually be.

****

I have no idea how common the origin of life is, but the vast majority of planets with life will only have bacterial mats and stromatolites. Of the tiny sliver that evolved complex cells, a good chunk will have their equivalents of plants and animals, most of which may have intelligent life at least on primate- or cetacean-level at some later point. At any given time, a tiny fraction of those will have agricultural civilizations, at an even tinier fraction of that will have post-industrial science and technology. Let's say maybe 1 planet with industrial technology out of 100 with agriculture, 100,000 with hominid-level intelligence, 10 million with animal-like organisms, 100 millions with complex cells, and 10 billions with life at all?

[bethanythebogwitch]

It's big, it's strong, its scaly, it's this week's Wet Beast Wednesday topic! An arapaima, also known as a pirarucu or paiche, is any of four species of fish in the genus Arapaima in the order of bony-tongued fish. There is som ongoing debate about the classification of the species, so to keep thing simple, I'm going to use the most common species names of Arapaima gigas (the type species and most well known, and the one with the most confusion about its classification), Arapaima agassizii, Arapaima leptosoma, and Arapaima mapae. Because A. gigas is the most well-studied of the species, unless I say otherwise you can assume everything I say in this post applies to it.

(image: an arapaima)

Arapaimas are bony fish that retain several primitive traits, causing them to sometimes be identified as "living fossils". They are most notable for their size, with A. gigas being a contender for the largest freshwater fish in the world. The maximum recorded size for one was 3.7 meters (10 ft) and 200 kg (400 lbs), but most get to around 2 meters (6.6 ft) long and 200 kg (440 lbs). That average length is decreasing as overfishing of the largest individuals is resulting in a selective pressure for smaller sizes. In addition to their size, they are extremely strong and can move fast if needed. Arapaima are fully capable of leaping out of the water if disturbed or they feel their current pond in unsuitable. Because of their strength, specimens in captivity must be handled with care as they can easy break bones if they slap someone. They live in rivers and lakes in South America, where they are often the top predators.

(image: several anglers with an arapaima)

Arapaimas are obligate air-breathers and will drown if they can't get to the surface to breathe. This is accomplished with a specialized swim bladder. The swim bladder is filled with highly vascularized tissue, letting it act like a lung. This pseudo-lung opens into the mouth using a modified gill arch known as the labyrinth organ. Arapaima gills are too small to sustain them, but they can supplement their oxygen intake with the gills. Juveniles are born exclusively using their gills and transition into air-breathers shortly after hatching. Arapaimas can survive up to a full day out of the water. They typically surface to gulp in air every 15-20 minutes. Breathing makes a loud gulping sound that anglers use to target them.

(image: an arapaima at the surface)

Because of their ability to breathe air, arapaimas are top predators in low-oxygen environments. Non-air breathing fish are forced to slow down in water with low levels of dissolved oxygen as they can't get enough oxygen through their gills. Since Arapaimas breathe air, they can easily chase down lethargic smaller fish. They are especially potent predators during the low season, when water levels lower. A combination of rotting vegetation reducing oxygen levels and ponds getting cut off from rivers and losing a supply of oxygen lets the arapaima reign supreme. Arapaimas are primarily predators that feed on smaller fish, though they will hunt other types of animals and eat fruits and seeds. Even land animals aren't safe as arapaimas have been known to launch themselves out of the water to catch animals near the shore. A combination of sharp teeth and their bony tongues are used to debilitate prey.

(image: an arapaima with its mouth open)

Not content with powerleveling their attack stat, arapaimas also have excellent defense. Their scales have been compared to bullet proof vests. Each has a hard, mineralized outer layer over multiple layers of collagen fibers. These layers are all oriented at an angle to each other to provide extra strength. This orientation of layers is called a Bouligand-type arrangement and is similar to how plywood is assembled. The harder outer layers and flexible inner layers work together to allow for both strength and flexibility. These scales help provide protection form large predators such as caiman and small threats like biting piranha. They also like provide protection from other arapaima, as the fish are aggressive and will fight each other.

(image: a diagram showing the composition of arapaima scales. source)

You probably wouldn't expect a swimming tank of an animal to be a good parent, but you'd be wrong. Arapaimas work together in mated pairs to build nests for their eggs, then cooperate to guard the nest. Once the eggs hatch, the male will practice mouth brooding, keeping his young safe in his mouth. The female will also help by patrolling the area around the male to ward off predators. They secrete pheromones from their heads to ensure the young don't swim too far away. Eggs are laid either in in the low season or as water levels are starting to rise, ensuring that the young become independent during the high season.

(Image: baby arapaimas)

Arapaima are classified as "data deficient" by the IUCN. This means there isn't enough data to properly assess their conservation needs. They are known to be threatened by overfishing. Arapaima make up a large part of the diet of many South American populations. Habitat loss and pollution are also believed to threaten them. They have been introduced to many areas out of their native range and are an invasive species in placed like Florida, Malaysia, and India.

Does anyone else remember these cards? (image: the arapaima card from Weird n' Wild Creatures)

[ahamkara-apologist]

finally got the chance to draw so I kinda went ham with drawing up a headcanon sheet for the Eliksni, in which I blatantly disregarded the canon skintones and just had fun (i don't really enjoy how pink they are in canon personally- I think they should have more natural colour variation)

Some notes:

-The freckles on Eramis and Variks are just freckles, they're not due to age. As for the alarming amount of minor scratches scarred into Eramis's neck and, to an extent, Misraaks- those are marks from hatchling claws! They're traditionally considered marks of beauty and wisdom in Eliksni society. Eramis has many to mirror her many litters, while Misraaks only has a couple from Eido

-I drew everyone but Taniks bald because I drew Taniks first and then realized later that it kinda obscured my hcs for their individual head shapes, so their setae is on the bottom. Setae is someting that only fully sexually mature adults develop, and is much closer in texture to a horse's mane than human hair. It also runs all the way down the back of their neck, much like a mane, and in some cases (like Taniks) has barbs or hooks along its strands so that ornaments can be woven into it, which is inspiration that I took from decorator crabs

-Eramis's facial scars were given to her by a Guardian at Twilight Gap, and are deep enough that they cut into her nasal cavity. Luckily, it's right near the nostrils anyways so she isn't impacted too bad, but she does have to be careful about keeping it clear of debris. Deep in her eye sockets, she's also had some electrodes installed that link to sensors in her helmet and give her little buzzes/shocks whenever something passes in front of it to help compensate for being half-blind, but it's a pretty crude device that doesn't work all that well on small objects

-Each Eliksni's ethnicity is written below their names, which is why Eido has a question mark. She's a mixed kid- try to guess which Houses her parents might have been from ::3

-The horns/shoulder spines were extra spikes of mineralized chitin that were common on adults in Riis, and were traits that were lost during the Drift. They often were calcium/mineral stores used to show age and fitness, but since resources in Sol are scarce, they no longer grow during molts. Riisborn Eliksni still have horn nubs, but that's about it

-As for the sexual dimorphism thing: that's more just me musing about how slight it would be with my hcs about their reproduction (which involves females laying fertilized eggs into a specialized broodpouch in the male, who then builds on their yolk supply and gives them the calcium needed to form eggshells, and thus needs to be bigger). When given actual Eliksni with a natural range of bodily variation, it would be near-impossible to distinguish them

[tmwcs]

The Little Mermaid

Part One

Warnings: None…yet.

The surface of the sea presented a contradiction between logic and beauty. It was both calm and raging, the smooth glass reflection of the rolling waves was like a mirror for the Gods residing above the clouds. The seagulls swoon and swirled, admiring the glistening shine of the sun’s rays reflecting off the deep blue. Your body rests on the flat top of the massive rock. It was warm and mostly dry–only the ocean spray graced its mineral surface and quickly dried under the warm light. The scales of your tale was a blend of Pear green, sky blue, lavender, and blush pink. They shined like diamonds and looked more precious than the jewels found on the ocean floor. The strands of your locks reflected a similar pastel blend, just brighter thanks to the unique silver and gold coating that graced each layer. Like tinsel, they reflected a shimmering hue that made your hair sparkle. Your eyes–much like all mermaids, reflected rainbow tints under heavy lashes.

Mermaids were never allowed to cry, it was a customary trait that became innate–since the very first mermaid swore off tears after accidentally slaying her only lover. Atargatis became the goddess of fertility, but her sadness was too much to bear. Once her beautiful legs transformed after she threw herself into the sea, she forbade all descendents of the sea to ever shed tears, so that no one would ever have to relive the sadness she endured. Therefore, all mermaids of her descending bloodline inherited the rainbow eyes–too beautiful to ever shed tears, and forever fulfilling Atargatis’s decree. However, just because you were not capable of doing so, it didn’t mean you wanted to. After longing to inherit those beautiful stilts that the humans would flare whenever they pounced and leaped upon the wooden board of the ships. They looked so joyful and happy–the way they could move and looked as if they flew in mid air each time they jumped.

If only…

You longed for legs of your own. Which is why you took up on the sea witch’s offer when she approached you during a delightful swim to the surface. She claimed that all she wanted was the Pearl you wore on your hair, it was a gift upon coming of age and your sisters all received the same. Despite being the youngest, you received the largest pearl. You cherished it, however, when you were tempted with the thought of frolicking through the dry sand with legs of your own, you gave it up–even if it was just for one day of being human. You didn’t care if you had to face hundreds of years facing the consequences and lectures from your family, so long as you could live out a dream that every mermaid yearned for. You take the miraculous potion from her hands. You couldn’t help but notice the abnormal structures of her fingers–then again, her entire form was abnormal. As you took the spiral conch shell that contained the elixir of her own recipe, you noticed the large gold ring that graced her index. It had a scripture in the human language–something that was unique to any creature that resides in the sea. “My—that ring is interesting, madam sea witch.”

She chuckles deviously. “Ah yes…it would be interesting to the likes of a mermaid, wouldn’t it? After all, you and your kind only witness the language engraved on ships and speak it through tales of song.” Her voice cackled and sounded as dead as driftwood. “A new piece that I am quite fond of. I’m sure once you inherit your beautiful legs, you’ll be able to see many languages, won't you?” she spoke in a demeaning tone. You neverminded her words and handed over your pearl. A seldom look takes over your soft face. You developed a sense of attachment to the pearl–the same one your grandmother wore during her coming of age. It wasn’t ideal, but it was the price to pay for a day of something you’ll never again be able to experience. Everyone knew that the sea witch never does anything free of cost, and she was known to demand the most endearing treasures in exchange for a wish. In your case, the family pearl.

You beached yourself–just hundreds of feet affront the dark marbled castle. You drank the potion that the witch presented. Its taste did not match its appearance–what with the smooth and metallic purple liquid looking like satin, you figured it would taste similar to the essence of coral marrow. However, the taste was rather poisonous. The bitterness was too unbearable, even by immortal standards. You gripped your throat and moaned in pain as you felt yourself choking–it became harder to breathe. Not long after the consumption, you fell into a state of unconsciousness.

You felt the warm air hit your skin—you felt so dry and almost dusty. The debris of sand dust coats your skin along with satin. You inhaled the scent of dark licorice and velvet as you slowly opened your eyes–and there you saw…

“You’re awake?”

His voice was as deep as the Mariana Trench, yet the smoothness and delicate features of his face did not match. He was so beautiful–more than any God you’ve read about in the old tales scripted on stone pillars that were once residing above the ocean ground. He looked as light as air and as gentle as the shallow water. “Can you speak?” His voice goes lower as he presents a softer and more gentler tone. It wouldn’t seem possible except with you witnessing it first hand, you became a believer. How could a human look like this? Was he even human?

“M..mmm…” you moaned in pain as the after taste of the potion rests in your esophagus. Finally, you managed to spill out broken words. Out of habit, the words came out sweet and in tune of a song. Mermaids were always singing and it was the only time when your kind communicated in human languages. “My…name…”

His eyes widened for a second at the beauty of your voice soothing his ears. You tried your best to refrain from singing out your words, and barely managed. “My name is y/n.”

He couldn’t find the words to respond–at least not right away. How golden was it to hear such a voice paired with a visual sight of something as remarkable as you. “What a pretty name.”

You shyly nodded. He breaks eye contact and looks ahead as he breaches the long stairway to the grand entrance. Immediately, the court staff all greeted you and the handsome stranger. “Your majesty! Where have you gone off to? And–”

An elderly gentleman who led the group displayed a look of shock as he questioned your carrier. “Who is this?”

You watched as the handsome man raised an eyebrow and presented a strict look over to the staff member. The elder quickly bowed and lowered his sight to the ground. “My apologies to your majesty!”

“Just get her to a spare room and have the handmaidens help clean her up.”

The elder raises his head. “As you wish for your majesty.” He turns around and snaps his fingers over to the remaining crew “Quickly! Take the young lady into the castle and cover his majesty at once!”

Two women rush over and open their arms welcomingly as they watch the man lower you. From what you understand, this man was of noble blood and was rendered with only the highest respect. You’ve never seen anyone garnish such instant obedience with just a single look, it was as if they were terrified of his presence. It made you wonder if he was a cruel ruler or just overly authoritative. Your mind snaps back once you find yourself falling. “Oh my!” one of the ladies gasped as they both knelt down to aid you back up. They had good intentions, however, they presented puzzling looks when they realized that you kept falling—you couldn’t stand.

“Your majesty, is she injured? She can’t manage to stand on her own.”

The royal man merely kept watching your pitiful attempts with his hands placed firmly on his hips. He did look strict, despite being so incredibly handsome. However, once again you were caught off guard as he softly chuckled and spoke softly. “I don’t think she can walk.” his hands remained on his hips. Paired with his smirk and that deep chuckle, you found yourself feeling something deep in your gut. He was leaving such an impression on you. You suddenly felt the need to try and impress him. You looked over to one of the handmaidens with pleading eyes and grabbed her arms as you pulled yourself up. Once you felt stabilized on flat feet, you slowly released your grip. Overcoming the challenge of standing, you felt a sense of accomplishment and was too joyful to notice as the oversized satin shirt fell off your body. You didn’t think of it as odd, after all, mermaids are always presenting bare skin above the hip line. Naturally, when the handsome stranger carried you it didn’t seem abnormal for him to be shirtless. Yet, you were puzzled when the handmaidens quickly covered you and repeatedly apologized to the man for your display. He merely chuckles again and dismisses it with a subtle wave of his hand. “She’s fine. Take her to the grand room–closest to my chambers.”

They nod in obedience and quickly help you up each step. It took a while for you to gain the momentum of walking, however, the handmaidens were ever so patient. Fortunately, after repeating the motions of placing one foot in front of the other, you caught on and found yourself enjoying the simple sense of walking. “Slow down, my lady. You’ll fall again if you lose your balance!” they warned, yet that didn't stop you. This was everything you dreamed of! You walked, ran, and even jumped on occasion. The satin shirt fell off once more, yet you paid no mind. You kept going ahead with the handmaidens quickly following after begging you to come back to them to provide proper coverage.

After the adventure of the stairway, the staff collected all around–hundreds of them. The castle was enormous, considering it was on land. It was natural to find palaces underwater, since mermaids used the aid of large creatures such as whales and even mythological ones that rarely appear above the surface. But on land, there were no creatures you saw that were large or strong enough to aid in the architecture of such a grand castle. The room you were taken to was lavished with coral pink silk and satin wallpaper. A large bed and vanity rests side by side, with graceful antique furniture decorating the entire room. Large vases filled with land flowers that reflected many colors—just like the coral reef.

After submerging you in a large marbled area that they called a ‘bath’, you were dried and prepped. Every second was an experience worth looking back to when you return to the sea. You chuckled as the handmaidens combed through your hair, remarking the beautiful colored strands. They bickered over trying to ascertain which color fabric looks best with your eyes, since the rainbow hues made it difficult to pick out one solid color. Finally, they settle on a silk threaded dress adorned with floral patterns in gold, blue, green and purple. The base color was a peach and beige stain that complimented your pastel features. They fashioned your long hair with loose waves and adorned it with beautiful flowers and jewels. You sparkled and looked glamorous, and wondered if your dear sisters would ever believe this moment when you tell them.

“My! She looks more beautiful than any princess or queen I've seen.” The handmaid's all whispered around, completely amazed by your grace and polished beauty. Mermaids are known to have an ethereal appearance, however, you wondered if the tales of your kind died off and if this was the first time these humans ever saw a mermaid. You felt compelled to speak and tell them, but refrained. You reserved your tranquil voice for when you converse with the royal man who found you. He piqued your interest and you felt a sense of excitement of seeing him again.

Part Two coming soon.

Taglist: @strxwbloody • @nshmrarki • @aquariushiiiii • @addictedtohobi • @nuriicata • @lilyuwon • @aanniikkaa •