#well armed with camouflage abilities

[montereybayaquarium]

Little red octopus 🐙❤️

These little red octopus are sea-ternly the masters of disguise, thanks to their ability to change color and texture to blend seamlessly with their surroundings. Check out those inkredible hiding skills!

[base0h]

Smoker, Luffy and croco boy with a s/o who has the same devil fruit as them and uses it to annoy/prank them constantly.

Crack fic pls

Take care love<3

not me starting to laugh like doffy when I saw this💀💀 ew. anon thank you for allowing me to showcase my endless amount of crack in my mind 💜

warnings ⚠️ - g/n reader, crack

- the amount of times you’ve scared the shit out of this man is kind of sad. I’m assuming poor smoker gets spooked a lot because of your abilities, and sometimes you’re not even trying to scare him 💀

- you could be minding your own business, floating around and flying around the room during a break with a face mask on. Bro walks in and just dies bec the first thing he sees is a detached floating head with a white face

- “WHAT THE FU-?!”

- and when he gets scared he sets off a bunch of “traps” aka stubbing his toe on a chair that was clearly out of the way, and hitting his head on the doorway

- “IT’S ME!” -you

- I mean- what the fuck were you supposed to do? The man just kept falling backwards into things! He thought you were some kind of monster so he just kept running as he tripped over everything in his way 💀

- this is what he thought was happening:

- “SMOKER. IT’S LITERALLY ME STOP RUNNING!”

- “WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY GIRLFRIEND?!”

- Tashigi started chasing after him too because she was wondering something abt navy stuff so he kept getting more scared since he couldn’t see what was chasing him😭he just thought you were multiplying 💀

- I’d be scared too if some Smokey person is literally floating after me with a face mask 😂😂😂

- man smoked 56 cigarettes before finally calming down

- “I wish you didn’t have the same devilfruit as me y/n.”

- “OH COME ON I WASNT EVEN TRYING TO SCARE YOU!”

- “IT WORKED!” -him

- “Do you still love me tho?” -you

- “..yeah.”

- on your birthday he blew himself into a balloon and camouflaged into the numerous balloons you got from the crew before you woke up

- when you finally woke up (keep in mind, Luffy was so determined that he woke up early for this prank :0) you stared at the balloons with a smile, the crew was so nice!

- “Hey thanks guys!”

- you walked over to them and took the string of one of them in your hand. It’s amazing how you didn’t hear Luffy giggling like a maniac 😭

- he scooted behind you, making himself lose a bit of air so his blown up face was right behind your head, tapping your shoulder with his long arm

- “BOOO!”

- Nah you smacked the shit out of him, screaming as your fists were covered in haki, ready to punch the absolute soul out of him from fear

- “Luffy?! WHAT THE HELL?!”

- “Ow! Why did you punch me?!”

- “BECAUSE YOU SCARED ME!”

- Poor dude’s face was swollen for the whole day, and you apologized for hitting him after he said sorry for scaring you.

- can you imagine a Luffy balloon in your face? No I don’t mean just his stomach blowing up, I mean his fucking face blown up, and the rest of his body looking all skinny as the string 💀💀 pls I’d cry and shit my pants

- you really can’t beat him in pranks because he always seemed to get you better 😭 but you sure tried

- at night when he was snoring away, you attached yourself to the ceiling, your limbs stretching as your head stretched down to him. (You looked like my sleep demon) “Pssst, Luuuuuuffyyy!”

- “Hm???”

- ok when you’re half asleep you can’t really make out anything, so all the poor guy saw was a fucking demon

- the way he screamed and ran was hilarious, he did not sleep well for days, and clung onto you in bed or whenever he got a chance 🥲

- 100% done with your shit :)

- One time you pretended you were a sandcastle on the beach and waited for him to get closer before making your face pop out at him

- he smacked you with his hook. And… broke your nose 💀

- “…Sorry.”

- “…It’s fine. I’m sorry for trying to scare you.”

- you’re literally struggling to hold in your tears with blood pouring from your nose (BRO WHEN YOUR NOSE GETS SMACKED IT HURTS)

- he felt bad because you’re trying not to cry while sobbing. Poor guy didn’t mean to slap you with haki 💀 nor did he mean to break your nose in half

- he gave you a hug, and let you wear his coat as long as you want since it’s super cozy and fluffy. Also made sandcastles with you while you recovered

- after you felt better, and your nose was finally healed, you both went to the beach again to relax.

- He didn’t like going near the water so he just sat on a chair and watched you find seashells, little sea snails, and other stuff. You brought one back for him, and I swear you’re going to kill the poor guy because of how sweet you are 😭

- he found a mound of sand next to his chair and sighed, you’re trying to prank him again? Didn’t you ever learn?

- “y/n I know that’s you.”

- when there was no response, he grumbled and stood up, poking at the mound with a sigh.

- “Y/n. Please stop.”

- “Huh? Crocodile? Why are you poking that mound of sand?” -you

- his eyes widened as he turned around to see you standing there with a couple sea shells. Wait a damn minute, then what the fuck was this mound of sand doing here?!

- “CROCODILE THOSE ARE SAND SNAKES!”

- The snakes poked their heads out and poor Crocodile picked you up bridal style and started running as they chased you two

- “I THOUGHT IT WAS YOU!” -him

- “I’M NOT DUMB ENOUGH TO DO THAT AGAIN!”

- You gotta hand it to him, the first thing he did when he saw those snakes was pick you up and start running as fast as he could 😭 you were glad you had such a caring man :))) because doffy would’ve totally left you to die 💀

a/n - I feel bad for smoker

[kimmie2me]

Hi there! May you pretty please do deku x reader with a deer/fawn quirk! Headcannons or a story is fine you can choose🍒

Marks of a Hero

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀𓂅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Midoriya Izuku x AFAB!Reader with a fawn Quirk

.....

Izuku’s dorm room was filled with the soft amber glow of his desk lamp, casting a cozy warmth over the walls covered in hero posters and personal memorabilia. You sat cross-legged on his bed, smiling softly as he animatedly flipped through his notes, pointing out drawings and theories with a passion that seemed to set his eyes alight.

“…so, I guess that’s what fascinates me so much about quirks that alter someone’s physical form. Like Tsuyu-chan! She’s developed abilities that make her adaptable to so many situations—on land, underwater, high places,” he gushed, eyes sparkling with admiration. He moved on to mention quirks like Mirko’s remarkable rabbit agility and speed, Hawks’ feathered wings with all their hidden abilities, and finally… he paused, looking over at you, hesitant but with a trace of wonder in his expression.

“…And yours. I just think it’s incredible how graceful you are. There’s something different about the way you move, how attuned you seem to your surroundings. It’s like…” He trailed off, almost bashful, rubbing the back of his neck as he fumbled for words. “It’s like you’re connected to something beyond what we can see. I don’t know, maybe it sounds strange, but I’d love to understand it better. If that’s okay?”

You blinked, heart swelling at his openness and curiosity. His enthusiasm for quirks always inspired you, but hearing him speak so intently about yours had a different effect. You leaned forward, smiling gently.

“Why don’t you explore it yourself?” you offered, the suggestion so natural that it slipped out before you could second-guess it. “It might help your research if you could… well, take a closer look.”

Izuku’s eyes widened, cheeks flooding with color. “W-Wait, really? You’d… let me? I mean, here? Now?”

You nodded, a calm reassurance in your expression. “Yes. I trust you, Izuku. Besides, if it’ll help with your analysis, I’m happy to assist.”

“Right. Right, of course! Purely for research,” he stammered, trying to steady his nerves. With a deep breath, he inched closer, his fingers hovering just above your shoulders, hesitating. “This is… okay?”

You offered him a soft nod, and, at last, he began to reach out, his touch light as a feather at first, as if afraid to disturb something precious. His fingertips traced along the faint contours of your collarbone, where your skin bore subtle markings unique to your quirk. He’d always found these hints of animalistic strength mesmerizing, even in his sketches and notes. Up close, he seemed even more awestruck.

“This is… incredible,” he murmured, voice hushed with reverence. His fingertips followed the delicate tracings of darker pigmentation on your shoulders and arms—markings reminiscent of the patterns found on young fawns, subtle but unmistakably present. “It’s like these patterns… they almost mirror actual fawn spots. I wonder if they have any evolutionary purpose, like camouflage? Have you ever noticed if they shift in different seasons or adapt to your surroundings?”

You chuckled, unable to hide your amusement. “Not that I’ve noticed. But I do have enhanced senses, so maybe it’s just as useful that way.” His fingers brushed over a slight ridge along your shoulder, evidence of a minor quirk-related adjustment beneath the skin, and you saw his gaze sharpen with fascination.

“Your shoulders,” he observed, his voice soft and analytical, “they’re slightly more developed, like there’s an extra layer of muscle. It’s so subtle, but… is that how you can leap as high as you do?”

You nodded, impressed by his insight. “Exactly. I don’t even realize it sometimes, but it’s there. Helps with balance and power.” You could feel his hands relax as he grew more absorbed, each touch more confident, his focus trained on understanding rather than hesitation.

For a moment, he was lost in his analysis, fingertips exploring the faint curve of your spine and the sinewy strength you carried. There was a purity to his admiration—his complete and genuine awe of your abilities—and it warmed you to see him immersed in discovering this side of you.

And then, he stilled, drawing his hands back with a shy laugh. “I, uh… sorry. I got a little carried away.”

You shook your head, still smiling. “I don’t mind. Actually, Izuku, would it be okay if I… looked at you, too?”

His face reddened immediately, and he seemed to shrink back, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous reflex. “Uh… m-me? I mean… I… I don’t think there’s much to see.” He glanced down, his voice faltering. “It’s mostly just scars. Nothing like… like yours. I mean, there’s not much that’s…”

He trailed off, unable to bring himself to finish, and your heart softened. “Izuku,” you said gently, reaching out to take his hand, “these scars are part of you, too. They’re part of everything that makes you who you are. I’d like to see them, if you’d let me. I promise, I won’t judge. I just… want to understand more about you.”

He looked at you, and in his eyes, there was something so vulnerable, so open that it took your breath away. Slowly, he nodded, taking a shaky breath as he lifted his shirt, revealing the map of scars that crisscrossed his chest and torso—signs of battles and struggles, reminders of his journey.

Your hand hovered just above his skin, taking in the raw evidence of everything he’d been through. Carefully, you let your fingers rest over a thin, jagged scar running along his collarbone.

Izuku’s voice softened, almost as if he were telling you a secret. Maybe because, well, he was. “That one… it’s from the Hero Killer, Stain. When he attacked Iida in Hosu City, I… I knew I couldn’t just stand by. We were just supposed to be training, but I couldn’t let him hurt anyone else.”

You nodded, fingers tracing over the scar with gentle reverence. “You were so brave,” you whispered. He blushed, his eyes downcast but a small, almost bashful smile tugging at his lips.

“I didn’t feel brave,” he admitted, glancing up at you. “But in that moment, I just… I knew I had to act. I'm so glad Todoroki-kun came to help us.”

Your hand drifted to another mark, a deeper one just above his ribs, and he inhaled, recognizing the spot immediately. “That was from Overhaul,” he said, voice low. “When I… when I saved Eri. She was so scared. I remember feeling like I had to give everything I had, and then some.”

The memory hung between you both, heavy and sacred. You remembered that battle, the way he’d come back bruised and battered but with that quiet strength that had always set him apart. “Eri’s safe because of you, Izuku,” you murmured, a soft pride in your tone. “You’re a hero to her.”

He looked up, his green eyes softening as he watched you trace each mark with such care. “It wasn’t easy,” he admitted, “but seeing her smile afterward at the school festival… it was worth it.”

You moved lower, touching a scar on his side—a small one, but etched with a memory just as fierce. “This one?”

“That was… from Nine.” Izuku’s voice grew quiet, his gaze distant as he relived the memory. “On Nabu Island. Kacchan and I fought him together. He was so strong, but… I couldn’t let him hurt anyone. I couldn’t let anyone on the island suffer because of us.” He managed a small, shaky laugh. “Kacchan wouldn’t forgive me if I gave up anyway.”

The way he said it made you smile, knowing that even amid chaos and danger, his heart had been focused on protecting others. You took his hand, giving it a light squeeze. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

Izuku’s cheeks flushed as he scratched his neck, embarrassed. “I just… I did what I had to. What any hero would.”

But you shook your head. “No, Izuku. Not everyone would. That’s what makes you so special.”

You continued to explore each mark, reaching one on his upper arm next. He looked at it, a fond smile in his eyes. “This one… it’s from Kota. When we fought Muscular. I thought… I thought I might not make it, but he gave me a reason to fight, you know? He trusted me.” There was a warmth in his gaze, a memory he held dearly.

“He trusted you because he saw how strong you were,” you said, feeling the strength in his arm. “You’re someone people can rely on, Izuku. Kota, Eri… and me.”

He let out a small laugh, nervous but happy, eyes shining as he looked at you. “Thank you.”

You paused on a scar just below his ribs, softer than some of the others, almost hidden against his skin. He placed his hand over yours, looking down at it with a sad smile. “Flect Turn,” he said quietly. “It’s still… hard to think about that one. The way his quirk worked… it felt like I was being forced to face myself. To question everything I was trying to achieve.”

You met his gaze, voice steady. “But you didn’t back down.”

“No,” he said, his voice more certain this time. “I didn’t.”

For a moment, you just sat there, taking in the weight of his story, each scar a part of the journey that had shaped him. You ran your fingers over a few smaller ones, ones he didn’t mention, but you knew from the look in his eyes that each one had a tale to tell.

Finally, he looked up, the tension in his shoulders softened, the vulnerability you’d seen in his eyes replaced with a quiet confidence. “Thank you for… for wanting to know all of this,” he said, voice thick with emotion.

You took his hands, squeezing them gently. “Thank you for letting me in, Izuku. These scars—they’re not weaknesses. They’re your strength. Proof of every battle, every person you’ve helped, and every reason you’ve kept going.”

He looked at you, really looked at you, and in that moment, he felt seen, understood, in a way he never had before. His cheeks flushed again, but there was a warmth in his expression, one you knew he’d carry with him beyond this room, beyond these memories.

“Thank you,” he whispered again, and this time, you knew he meant it in a way only the two of you could understand.

Midoriya Headcanons

...

— Izuku is utterly fascinated by how graceful you are, often catching himself watching you move without realizing it. He’s taken by the way you seem to instinctively navigate through crowds and small spaces with ease, almost like you’re attuned to every small detail around you.

— His notebook is filled with little sketches of your quirk’s features, like the subtle fawn-like markings or unique muscle structure that helps with agility. He’s spent hours researching how animal traits like yours might benefit in hero work, adding little notes like, “Could be useful for enhanced evasion.”

— He’s always mindful about touching you, especially if he’s trying to understand your quirk’s physical differences. His fingers are soft and light, often tracing the markings on your skin with almost scientific reverence, as if he’s afraid to break something delicate.

—Izuku’s attentive enough to notice if your senses seem more heightened in certain seasons or environments. He’ll offer his jacket or scarf in the winter, thinking your quirk might make you more sensitive to cold, and will keep extra snacks on hand in case you need extra energy.

—On days when training has been intense, he’ll suggest taking you to quieter places, like an empty park or a spot on campus where you can unwind. He knows that your heightened senses might make crowded spaces overwhelming, so he loves giving you a peaceful place to recharge.

— IIzuku finds your presence calming in a way he can’t quite explain. When he’s stressed or overthinking, he’s drawn to you because your calm demeanor and gentle movements help him feel grounded, and he’s always grateful for that unspoken support.

— He’s curious about how your quirk can be applied in different scenarios, so you two spend time coming up with unique tactics for you in mock battles. You’ve even managed to startle Bakugou once by sneaking up quietly—Izuku was genuinely impressed because not everyone can just do that!

— Knowing how self-conscious he sometimes feels about his scars, you’ve started a quiet ritual of tracing them gently, assuring him that they’re a testament to his courage and resilience. It’s become one of his favorite gestures, even if he blushes each time you do it.

— Izuku takes notes on exercises that might help you develop your natural abilities even further. He’ll shyly suggest new routines designed specifically with your quirk in mind, encouraging you to experiment and improve in ways that feel uniquely suited to you.

— Some nights, after studying or training, you’ll sit together, sharing stories about your quirks and experiences. Izuku finds himself opening up about his insecurities and struggles, especially around those he’s saved, while you reassure him that he’s helped you feel seen and understood, too.

[ladykissingfish]

Sakura: Sensei … why is Gai-Sensei following us?

Kakashi: *sighs* The Hokage thought that, since I exhaust my chakra so much, it would be prudent for me, for our team, to have a … um, well, a body guard, during more difficult missions.

Sasuke: THAT’S who he assigned to protect us??

Kakashi: Eh? Gai is a splendid ninja! He —

Naruto: Sensei … he’s tripped over a rock like five times in the past hour.

Sakura: He’s been scratching at his arms all morning … do you think he ran into that poison ivy bush a few miles back?

Sasuke: *scoffs* Some body guard … well Naruto, Sakura, it was nice knowing you. But I’m pretty sure this mission will be our last.

Kakashi: Kids … have a little faith, huh? Although I have complete confidence in Gai’s abilities … I DO have a backup. Just in case.

Naruto: A backup? What do you me —

*Rock Lee suddenly falls out of a tree in front of them, decked out in camouflage*

Lee: Oops! Er … pretend you didn’t see me … *hurries away*

Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke:

Sakura: Looks like you were right, Sasuke-kun. This IS our last mission.

Sasuke: Hn.

[fishenjoyer1]

Fish of the Day

today's fish of the day is the giant pacific octopus!

The giant pacific octopus, also called the North Pacific Octopus, scientific name Enteroctopus dofleini, is known for being the largest species of octopus! Living exclusively in temperate waters, their range stretches from Southern California up to Alaska, and from the West coast of Northern America, to the Aleutian Islands, and East coast of Japan. Giant pacific octopi live along coral ranges, rocky outcroppings, and intertidal zones where catching prey is easier. The bite of the giant pacific octopus contains a venom that breaks down proteins in animals, softening muscle tissues and organs over the course of a few hours. Their diet consists of almost anything they can fit in their beak: fish, crabs, lobster, shrimp, some smaller sharks and dogfish, clams, snails, and seagulls. They can tear apart animals with far tougher skin than their own due to a beak structure that can be found on all octopi, made of chitin. This diet can support them getting sizes as large as 29 feet! Their arm span alone can reach 19 feet across, and the heaviest recorded specimen was almost 200 pounds!

Many scavengers predate on octopi, and the great pacific octopus is no different, even drawing in larger predators due to their size. Many marine mammals, such as harbor seals, sea otters, various dolphins, and sperm whales have been found hunting great pacific octopi, along with large sharks. Humans also hunt great pacific octopi with commercial fishing for consumption across the world, taking 3.3 million tons annually. However, great pacific octopi are especially known for their high intelligence, which is used to avoid many of these predators. Octopi are known for being able to survey their surroundings and camouflage at will in many different ways. These animals have 9 brains, one in each of their 8 arms and a central brain, which does more than the others, each of the arms controlling over 200 suckers, which they have the control over like we do of our individual fingers, giving them high control over their movements. Along with the ability to create havoc in research environments, dissasemling expensive equipment, and escaping. 

Like many other cephalopods, the giant pacific octopus can change colors, using this to blend into the rocks around their hiding caves. This color changing ability is quite interesting for study however, when the octopus is resting they turn a milky white color, and when the octopus is occupied by other worries, they turn a deep red color. However, it is found that throughout an octopus's rest they will change into molted patterns that are also found in alert octopi: leading to the theory that octopi too, can dream. In other situations, these octopi have been known to create molted patterns to seduce partners, and to confuse prey. Other than their color changing abilities, they also have been known to surround themselves in shells and other remains of previous meals, to disguise their body when venturing for food. These animals also possess the well known ability to squirt ink out of their siphon, used to confuse predators. They also have been known for changing the texture of their skin, to blend in better with their surroundings. Their intelligence is so high that it is thought the octopi are some of the only invertebrates that engage in play activities.

Giant pacific octopi spent around 90% of their time inside of dens, venturing out only to find prey, and bringing them back into the den to consume. This creates an 'octopus garden' on the outside of the den, where there are piles of bones and shells piling up. However, depending on population, throughout the year these octopi will migrate, in accordance to seasonal changes. Eastern populations tend to locate new dens when the water experiences temperature changes in summer and winter, whereas western populations will move dens to shallower waters in early summer and winter, and then move to deeper waters in the later summer and winter. Northern populations, both the Alaskan and Northeastern, do not seem to have migration patterns.

Their lifespan is relatively long compared to other octopi. Sexual maturity is achieved at 1-2 years of age, but the giant pacific octopus, with a lifespan of 3-5 years, will wait until it reaches a sufficient body mass. This is because a giant pacific octopus will only ever go through one sexual event in a lifetime. After laying eggs within their den, males will fertilize. The female octopi will then brood over these eggs for 6 months, refusing to leave the den for any purpose, eventually dying of starvation, just as the eggs hatch. Eggs are cared for, by having the mother keep them well aerated with cool water from her siphon, and she'll clean them to ensure algae or parasites wont prey on the eggs. Males will also die after reproduction, although they will do this in their own dens. After hatching, the eggs grow quickly, reaching adult sizes within a year. Thus, continuing the cycle.

Have a wonderful day, everyone!

[sonadowwiki]

The Intelligent Shadow

In Shadow Generations from Sonic x Shadow Generations, Shadow has the ability to morph into an octopus through the ability, "Doom Morph."

Though many confuse Shadow turning into a squid due to a meme from Sonic Frontiers with the mini boss "Squid," what Shadow morphs into in Shadow Generations is an octopus, not a squid. The main indicator in noticing this difference is the shape of Doom Morph and in the arms where it resembles more an octopus than a squid. This is also shown in posts from Sonic Team that mention Doom Morph with an octopus emoji, not a squid.

The difference between an octopus' arms and a squid's is that two of a squid's arms are different than the rest of the arms. Another difference is their head where a squid looks more to have an arrow shaped head with fins on the side versus an octopus having a round circular head with no fins. Doom Morph's arms are of all the same shape and Doom Morph has a round head without fins instead of a sharp pointed head with fins on the side.

Octopus vary depending on the species, but they are most well known for their intelligence. It has been studied that octopuses are one of the most intelligent species where they can solve puzzles, do problem solving, solve mazes, know how to use tools, are good at escaping, know how to play/have fun, are observational learners and can experience pain as sentient beings. An octopus could have been chosen for this reason to allude to Shadow being highly intelligent himself.

Octopus are also known for their ability to escape where they are able to create ink clouds to deter predators while they escape at high speed. Some are even known to camouflage to hide from predators or hunt for prey. Some even use deimatic behaviour to deter predators, which is a form of bluffing used to startle predators in order to make an escape. So like octopuses, Shadow is also quick and can even be said to show some signs of bluffing when he at times tries to make himself seem menacing or harsh despite being empathetic and caring deep down. Though Shadow has not shown to camouflage in games, in recent advertisements for the Sonic Movie 3, Shadow was shown to hide in the shadows before Knuckles shines a flashlight on him to which he then proceeds to scare him by saying, "Boo."

Another point about an octopus being used is the fact it relates to the number 8, which is a number that tends to relate to Shadow occasionally. Another place where the number 8 appears is Shadow's symbol where it has 8 points on it, which is also shown in the game Shadow Generations and is even in the title Sonic x Shadow Generations where the "O" for Shadow's name is.

[quietlyimplode]

ignite your bones

After the fall of General Dreykov, and the remnants of the Red Room still at large, Natasha first year at SHIELD is anything but healing. Labeled a traitor and a turncoat, Natasha tries to find her footing in a strange new world.

Whumptober 2024: Day 27 - Voiceless

Warnings: red room violence, mission like violence

Word Count: 2k (gif not mine - if you know who’s it is pls let me know)

Summary: missions in the red room are a little different - sometimes they lead to other things.

Masterlist

Whumptober Masterlist

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Fingers thread through braids, Natasha’s hands catching on a knot as the smaller girl turns to protest.

A nudge makes her turn around and they continue until the final braid is tight and pinned in place.

“Are you ready?” she whispers, like she’s not sending the girl into the woods.

Determination seems to fuel the child, hands touching the folds in her hair.

“It’ll be okay,” she says, more for herself than for the girl in front of her.

The forest of looming trees stands tall in front of the group of girls.

One of them adjusts her makeup, the deep browns and greens on her face like war paint.

The guards to the right and left of them stand still, eyes focused ahead, making Natasha feel more nervous.

With the last bits of preparation done, Natasha feels the weight of her own backpack.

She forces herself to take a calming breath and adjusts her gun.

This mission was important.

They had been promised a reward at the end.

Waiting for the starting gun, she glances to her right, and then her left.

Her team of five ranged from eight to ten years old. She knew the strengths and weaknesses of each girl, and as the team leader, she felt confident in their ability.

Capture the flag.

The other team was somewhere in the woods, armed and dangerous, protecting their flag against them.

It was Natasha’s idea to braid their hair, make sure they’d be completely camouflaged when needed and hold them back on purpose.

There was no time limit on the exercise, and she knew better than anyone the sense of foreboding that suspense brought.

The other team were likely to become more on edge the longer this went, the longer they didn’t hear sounds of movement through the woods.

Natasha nods to Iva. The girl moves forward, her sniper rifle armed with a rubber bullet cradled carefully in her arms.

Each of their guns only had a single bullet, so they were cautioned to use it wisely.

Natasha looks around.

She had set a perch the night before.

Sneaking out, and perhaps going against the rules, she knew it was necessary. The tree was the tallest and gave the best view.

She didn’t feel bad; she knew the other team had placed surprises for them too, not authorised, but everyone knew the generals didn’t care.

Three other girls hold their position, waiting for Natasha’s cue.

The two younger girls were small, but Natasha knew they could fight well enough.

Natasha steps forward first. Their formation the shape of a diamond.

Two girls behind her, and Vika behind them.

She motions for the girls behind her to scout left and right, respectively.

Vika winks, catching Natasha’s eye.

Natasha grins back.

This was fun.

She moves slowly forward and hears Iva shoot.

A cry of pain sounds in the woods and Natasha motions for them all to stop.

If one has been tagged, it means there were four left.

She doesn’t hear any noise.

Natasha leads her team forward again.

She knows approximately where the flag is, if they haven’t moved it.

“Two, six clicks left,” Iva shouts down.

Natasha whistles in acknowledgement.

She orders Vika to the right, telling her to sweep the area and circle round, to pick up Iva once she’s done.

She nods, and Natasha leads the other two left.

The youngest girl, Hannah, shoots, their position highlighted as the shot rings out.

She must have hit one of them, as a single bullet whizzes back, narrowly missing the girl to Natasha’s right. She motions for them run in opposite directions, as she looks around, finding the nearest climbing tree.

With two bounds, and a jump, she scales it, climbing up for a better view.

A twig catches her in the thigh, and she winces. Watching from above with her own gun ready, she knows that as soon as she shoots she’s a sitting duck.

She notices them straight away.

They had advanced in pairs.

She watches as Iva neatly disposes of the second girl in the pair, an elbow to the head knocking her down and out.

Two more left.

She whistles sharply, directing Iva and Vika right.

The two young girls hear and follow the direction changing their movement

The girls must see the pair and one shoots, hitting an opponent in the chest and then the other bursts through the brush to surprise the remaining girl.

Natasha takes her shot and hits the enemy square in the chest.

And… only one was left guarding the flag.

Natasha’s own team was working solo now. Five against one.

Hannah shouts as she falls into a trench pit, clearly dug out.

Natasha swears under her breath.

She should have thought of that.

She can’t do anything for her now

The last girl appears in view.

Natasha squats, waiting.

It can’t be this easy.

She whistles low.

Three whistles come back.

With that she judges that the girl is surrounded.

They have one bullet between them, and Natasha gives the order to shoot her.

But the girl doesn’t.

Iva moves to her, annoyed.

She takes the gun off the small girl with wide eyes and apologetic look.

Iva takes the shot.

It hits the girl left, and Iva is the first to move forward.

Natasha shouts for her to stop, but it's too late. She hears the click and then the mine goes off.

It’s not an explosion but gas.

It fills the immediate area, making Natasha’s eyes water.

She covers her mouth with her uniform.

She doesn’t care how many mines they’ve set, the flag wil be hers.

Stepping forward, she triggers another mine, smoke hazing in front of her, but still presses on.

A low whistle sounds in warning and Natasha’s vision blurs.

Another mine goes off.

The air is thick and clotted.

She doesn’t inhale.

It’s not far, she tells herself.

The flag comes into view; its green and red markings make her smile.

The world tips and she growls. Her body is heavy.

Her arm reaches out and her fingers just manage to grasp the material.

Successful mission, she thinks to herself, just before passing out.

.

Natasha wakes, her head strapped to a table.

She tries to call out but nothing happens.

She tries again, but nothing, not even a squeak.

She hears movement above her and she closes her eyes, pretending to be asleep.

If they think she’s asleep, they might just say something, to let her know what they’re planning.

She hears more footsteps.

She desperately wants to open her eyes.

The voices start low. As they move over to her head, she hears Dreykov.

Her body seizes up, and she feels herself holding her breath.

“When will she be ready?” She hears him say, his voice edging on anger.

“We are just planting the tracker now. We’ve numbed her throat.”

“Just get it done. The other one is ready and Melina wants to leave as soon as possible. Alexei is getting antsy.”

Was this her reward?

Her fists curl.

She completed the mission.

She won.

And now they’ve drugged her and taken away her voice.

They’re sending her into the unknown.

Tears of frustration and shame squeeze out her closed eyes.

Natasha can’t even make a noise as she openly cries and they drug her again.

.

[milk-crater]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @blizzardsuplex! I hope you had a great day and that the sushi was good! I was too excited to post this, and I can't wait anymore haha. Here's a Roddam fic where the ages are reversed, so a 21-year-old Roddy meets a 27-year-old Adam in ROH. I know when we talked about the idea before we agreed that maybe their friendship would be more of a slowburn in this world, but that didn't exactly pan out--I just like my happy endings :D. I'd also love it if you could help me out with a title so I could post it to AO3 :P Warning for fatphobia.

Roddy’s childhood had engendered him with various gifts. One of them was the ability to be physically present, shoulders square, body language confident, doing whatever it was he needed to do in that space all while his heart and mind were shuttered behind the lead walls of his muscle and bone. This kind of functional detachment had severed him well growing up, especially during those moments when all four members of the household were home and a crackling tension hung in the air. Roddy had learned that to attempt to retreat, to try and make himself small, that would just make him a target. Better to purposefully take up space but in an opaque way, playing with Lego while mom and dad argued.

He used that same air when in the locker room, smiling affably at people who greeted him but never too much too be presumptuous, never too faint to be called unfriendly. He chatted and laughed but that was just audio camouflage. He was still green, still the youngest guy in the company, and he knew that any misstep meant getting some so-called “locker room leader” up in his grill and ready to beat his ass.

Roddy’s stealth work seemed to be paying off. Even most of the ROH hard asses said he was a good worker and “a polite boy.”

But he knew better to relax. So when he heard Chuck Taylor talking shit about him, he didn’t flinch. Didn’t react. But he did listen.

“I’m not saying you’re the chubbiest guy in ROH. That honor goes to Roderick Strong.”

Roderick didn’t react as he pulled kinesiology tape off his own back. He couldn’t help but sneak a glance at the man Chuck was talking to.

Adam Cole. Adam Cole, in Roddy’s eyes, was ROH, the type of cool badass wrestler Roddy aspired to be. The man was only six years older than him, 27 to Roddy’s 21, but he seemed eons older, blue eyes reflecting out a flintiness that was a byproduct of succeeding in the wrestling industry. His had long, brown hair and a thin goatee that just highlighted the fine features of his pretty face.

Adam took Chuck’s comment with a mirthless chuckle, a small sound that hit Roddy like a bullet. He shouldn’t feel so hurt; Cole had barely talked to him aside from welcoming him to the company. But he’d waited so long for further acknowledgement from the man, it seemed like a cruel twist of fate for it to be this.

“But with Roddy, that’s all baby fat,” Chuck said. “It’ll melt off him if he keeps going hard in the gym and in the ring. But you? You’re getting close to thirty, pal. At our age it’s not so easy to lose those pounds once you pick them up.”

It went against every one of his survival instincts, but Roddy couldn’t help but look at Adam again, eyes staying longer this time. It was true that Adam had gained a couple pounds in the last month, and not in the bulking up sense of putting on muscle. He had a bit of a tummy, some love handles, extra flesh that could not be contained by his skimpy wrestling trunks.

Roddy considered his own body. Adam’s fat seemed to pool in ‘problem’ areas: hips, tummy. Roddy just felt big and bloated all over, a layer of flab that covered him like a stifling set of clothes. He figured he wore it well, but now, thanks to Chuck’s comment, he knew that wasn’t the case. Everyone looked at him and saw and fleshy, fat, child. 

“I get it,” Chuck continued, arm on the locker, smile wide and at odds with his sympathetic tone.  “Everyone feels the need to down a pallet of cupcakes after getting dumped. But stuffing your face isn’t going to win back Kevin.”

There was a shift in the room at the comment, and it occurred to Roddy that everyone else had been doing exactly what he was doing, pretending to be busy while listening closely. A month ago, Adam Cole and Kevin Owens had been ROH tag team champs. The two men had met early in their careers and called each other their wrestling soulmate. They formed a tag team called “Beauty and the Beast,” the gimmick being it featured a hot pretty guy and a brawling brute, two opposites. But that was just a feint: the truth was they were the same guy. The same ruthless bastard just in two different shapes. 

And yeah, Roddy had heard they were an item outside of the ring as well. They were pretty blatant about it: when they won the titles, Kevin had carried Adam bridal style out of the ring.

And then they’d lost the titles. And Kevin had won the “who’s a bigger bastard” contest between them by taking a steel chair to Adam’s back.

“But if you want to be ROH world champion, you can’t do it looking like that,” Chuck chided.

Adam had taken this all with a stoicism Roddy admired in an almost academic way, taking mental notes on his posture and expression. Adam nodded as he finished getting dressed. He threw his head back and gathered his hair into a bun.

“Fat or not, Chuck, you’d still hop on my dick if I so much as whistled,” Adam said casually.

Chuck scoffed, looking around the room, trying to make eye contact with someone, anyone, so he could gesture in a Can you believe this guy? way. But no one met his eyes.

Chuck’s smile dropped.

“Ha. You wish, Cole,” Chuck said, but it was weak, a too late kick out. The invisible ref of the locker room had already counted one-two-three, marking this match as a win for Cole. Adam smiled at Chuck, then grabbed his bag and left the locker room, not even glancing Roddy’s way.

For a moment Roddy worried Chuck would switch his focus over to him, but Chuck seemed cowed even with Adam gone. Roddy focused on getting dressed and putting his gear away, saying goodbye to the guys he’d wrestled with that night before leaving the locker room.

Adam Cole was waiting for him outside the building.

“Hey, Roderick,” he said, pushing himself off the brick wall of the armory. “Got a moment?”

Roddy made himself stop and smile. “Sure, Mr. Cole. What can I do for you?”

Adam rolled his eyes. “First off, don’t call me ‘mister.’ I’m not that much older than you.”

Roddy nodded, fidgeting with the strap of his gym bag as he waited for Adam to get to the point.

“Don’t let what Chuck said in there get to you--”

“It didn’t,” Roddy replied, too quick, too cheerful. Adam raised one perfect eyebrow.

“You sure?” Adam said. “Look, Chuck likes to run his mouth. The fact is, he’s really insecure about his own weight, so he’s just loving the fact that I’ve packed on a few pounds lately. That’s the only reason he made a dig at you. It wasn’t personal. You were just caught in the crossfire.”

Roddy let out a huff. “Yeah, well, that doesn’t exactly make me feel any better.”

Adam smiled softly. “I thought it didn’t get to you?”

Roddy shifted his weight from foot to foot, not sure what to say after being caught in a lie.

Adam laughed, an affectionate laugh as if Roddy was his simple but sweet younger brother.

“You’re a nice kid,” Adam said, looking at Roddy with fondness that he suspected was for someone else. Then the smile widened and Adam’s blue eyes sparkled, and it felt like he was actually looking at him. “And you can go in the ring! I watched your match tonight. You were fantastic. Really crisp. The cutter was perfectly executed.”

“You mean it? You actually watched my match?” Roddy said. He hated how nasally his voice got when he was sincere.

“Yeah, of course. I like to keep an eye on my competition. And I keep a real close eye if they’re cute.”

Roddy knew the cute bit was an empty line, just a balm to make Roddy feel better after Chuck’s locker room teasing, but he wasn’t able to withstand the first barrage from Cole’s charm offensive: Adam Cole thinks I’m competition!

“That’s right. Because I’m going after the championship belt too.” He sounded sure of himself, like he was cutting a promo instead of having a friendly chat with a colleague. Roddy was mentally kicking himself for being such a nerd, but Adam just smiled, seemingly pleased by Roddy’s response.

“Glad to hear it.” He gave Roddy a jaunty little salute and started to walk away.

Roddy felt his heart drop. He knew in his bones he couldn’t let it end here. Adam would pat himself on the back for being nice to the newbie and then never think about him again. And that was one of the worst things Roddy could ever imagine.

He wouldn’t let that happen. Even if it meant making himself known, even if it meant stepping up and calling attention to himself.

“Adam!” he called out. “You don’t need Kevin Owens.”

 Adam stopped, the tension in his shoulders the only other indication he’d heard him.

“But if you ever do need someone…maybe I could be that guy.” Roddy didn’t even know what he was saying, what he was pitching.

But Adam seemed to. The older man glanced over his shoulder, a thoughtful smile on his face. He gave Roddy a once over, serious assessment behind his gaze.

“Well, I am down a tag partner, so…I’ll keep you in mind.”

Roddy grinned. In that moment, that’s all he had ever wanted.

“Great, great,” he said, trying to stifle his smile. Adam chuckled and shook his head. Maybe he thought Roddy was a young idiot, but at least now Adam seemed to think of him as a useful idiot. And maybe if they hung out and trained together, who knows?

Adam himself suddenly seemed shy, an out of character look on his face.

“Hey, do you want to come over and do some tape study?” He asked. Roddy straightened up.

“Right now?” he asked incredulously.

Adam waved him off. “Right, stupid idea. You probably already have plans—”

“No, no, I want to do it,” Roddy said. “Let’s go.”

Adam smiled and gave what Roddy thought might be a sigh of relief. “Then let’s hit the road before those other bozos clear out of the locker room.”

Roddy bounded over, a new lightness to his step.

[valve3nthusiast]

Octomer Ratchet is so good. I can imagine any chromatophores he might have going wild while pursuing Drift, if he has any natural camouflage abilities.

Perhaps he plays a game with Drift, hiding among coral and rock formations in order to "sneak up" on him, his usual brights reds and whites distorting to match their environment-- Maybe arousal causes some colour changing as well?

IDK I just really like the idea of Ratchet changing colour (or at least hues) like a mood ring lmao maybe it even frustrates him a bit, like oh no my fucking chromatophores are going to give away this huge crush I have -- he might try to hide in corals or swirl up a bunch of sand with his tentacles initially

If Drift is a land dweller, then maybe they figure out Ratchet is interested in him by studying how Ratch's colours change, and what patterns/colours only appear when Drift is around...

...and maybe Ratchet's attempts at hiding/playing hide and seek (lol) are mistaken for aggression at first, because they don't know why he's doing it

and then they guess it's some kind of broody behaviour, like maybe he's trying to defend a nest or egg clutch that he doesn't really have?? Because Ratchet's grumpy but not usually aggressive and it's weird behaviour from him as far as they're aware. So then he gets a little pity from the facility staff but it's hilarious because he does want to Do It but all the guessing isn't quite right. Like yes it's about Doin It and Eventual Eggs but not in the way they think. Communication Issues lol

"stop giving me extra companion fish out of pity and just give me Drift, do you not see my cream and burgundy-red colouring, is this somehow not clear enough? Oh god here he comes, sand sand sand I need more sand why is this coral so small" no it is not clear to them, Ratchet. lmaooo

Anyway this is earthstellar but Tumblr will only let me send asks from my main blog and not my TF blog lol so ayyy just wanted to say, loving this mer AU situation 🐙💖

This is such a good concept,,, besotted Ratchet accidentally telling on himself with his own colors is genius. Also blushy Ratchet is adorable <3

Hmm a really clear concept just came to me... Security guard Drift at the marine research facility, Ratchet is the only mer there who constantly avoids him, so he just disappointedly assumes he gives Ratchet bad vibes

One night when he's on a skeleton shift, he passes by Ratchet's tank and suddenly notices that something is fucked up with the filtration pumps (or whatever I don't know how aquariums work)

He immediately makes an emergency call to the aquarium techs who are at home. They tell him to get Ratchet moved till someone arrives to fix it. So he's hesitantly going up to the tank like, "hey buddy I know you dont like me, but I gotta pull you out of here for a bit, it's not safe" Ratchet quickly pulls himself right into Drifts arms... and now he's carrying a big squirming octomer. Drift's pretty surprised, but he brushes it off as Ratchet wanting out of his tank

When Drift finally gets to the temporary tank he expects Ratchet to jump from his arms and signal for him to basically fuck off... instead, he goes to put Ratchet down, only to get pulled into the tank with him. Now he's sitting in chest high water, pinned by a heavy wiggling octomer in his lap

For Ratchet, life is good 😎👍

Drift, meanwhile, is mentally repeating "don't get hard" like a mantra, while a purring Ratchet's tentacles caress every inch of his plating. Since it was the middle of the night, they have to wait a good bit for someone who can fix the pumps to get there and make Ratchet's tank safe again...

Maybe, as the hours go on, Ratchet gets a bit friskier... or maybe he just leaves it at intimate exploration, because he's too busy watching Drift whimper and twitch underneath his tentacles <3

[rocklover719]

Redrew my Zorasona, Pebbles!

I see a lot of people saying that Yona’s domain may be a coral reef environment, and I think it would suit Pebbles to be from there as well! She’s a Geologist, and her tentacles (which reach her tailbone) are all functional as individual arms- which is perfect for holding for rocks and tools! I like to think she’s my normal height of 5’2, because octopi can shrink down to squeeze through small cracks. I imagine her small stature would help her hide in the reefs or squeeze around in underwater caves to find the things she’s looking for. I could imagine maybe she has that octopus ability to camouflage ever so slightly.

Perhaps she came to Zora’s Domain with Yona and her entourage. She was definitely convinced because “oooh active continental margin…. subduction zone with resulting volcanic arc ooooh” like any geologist would be. Take a break from the M.O.R.B’s and turbidites, Pebbles. After all, Ledo and Fronk could use some help locating and mining luminous stones.

She also definitely has a thing for guards- wink wink. (But who wouldn’t). And maybe Ledo-

I guess other factors would be she’s a young adult (early 20’s for a Zora), and she’s a biromantic asexual. She’s also afraid of the deep open ocean, the only thing keeping her going down there is the hunt for pillow basalts.

[intrigd-voyagr]

The Animalia world did not suffer from a mass extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs as our own did. Instead, large reptiles were allowed to continue to proliferate and evolve. They developed sentience and culture, as well as the ability to manipulate their environment much in the same way humans did. As their populations exploded, all the other "normal" species that we would be more familiar with under Reptilia shrank, unable to compete with their wittier counterparts.

For example, a new family under Serpentes emerged called Membrumidae, meaning "limbed." Within this family there became two subfamilies, Scalisinae, "True" fully scaled serpents, and Dimidiuminae, "New" or "Half" serpents.

[I was too lazy to draw the in-betweens for scalisinae; the arrow is pointing to an example of a modern individual (specifically a python) BUT their lineage starts earlier than depicted]

Both subfamilies consist of various species which all share equal intelligence. Despite many physical differences, both subfamilies interact amicably overall, individual beliefs notwithstanding.

Evolution notes:

A snake as we know them!!! :3

The introduction of membrumidae on the timeline sees a reintroduction of limbs. Changing environments and mutation create the perfect opportunity for legs and arms to become vital for survival once more. Scales near the head begin to elongate as a cosmetic trait to attract mates.

These creatures are highly intelligent, and have begun to form small tribes and rudimentary communication skills. Partial bipedalism is adopted for hunting, climbing, and evasion. Limbs and the connecting structures become more well-defined. Head scales continue to develop. Interestingly, many ancestors begin to display a mutation that results in a lack of scales around the hands and feet. Scalisinae and dimidiuminae begin to diverge around here.

Full bipedalism is adopted, with quadruped locomotion becoming the rarity. Scales near the head have begun to fray and become feather-like in texture. The amount of skin with no scales increases as the mutation becomes more prevalent. Tribes become villages.

Modern day serpents in this family present with varying amounts of scales all over the body, with the "feathers" on the head now as thin as mammalian hair. Notably, the tail and back remain scaled; likely due to retained use for camouflage.

6. Following a different path, these individuals retain a lot more of their early ancestral traits, including the snout and digitigrade legs.

[critter-of-the-day]

26th of September 2024: Dwarf Cuttlefish

After mostly having mammals in the last couple days, today we’re switching it up with a cuttlefish, specifically the Dwarf Cuttlefish (Sepia bandensis). They’re found in the Indo-Pacific [1] and are actually only around 6 cm long (8 if you include their arms) [2].

Cuttlefish in general are probably best known for their colour changing, which happens through chromatophores, which are essentially pixels in their skin controlled by the motor neurons projecting from their brain, meaning their skin essentially projects their brain activity. This allows them to quickly camouflage themselves within their environment. Their brains also have very large optic lobes [2]. A lot of knowledge about their brain has been discovered through an extensive research project which created a resource called cuttlebase.org, which contains 3D diagrams of their brains and anatomy [3].

One thing which made them very easy to study was their quick reproductive cycle. They live only 9 months, and reach sexual maturity in around 4 [4]. They start learning at a very young age as well. Dwarf Cuttlefish as young as 21 days have shown the ability to retain information over several days [5].

They are carnivores, feeding on shrimp, crabs, and fish. Here their camouflage helps a lot, as they tend to sneak up on their prey. If need be, they can also squirt out water jets to move around sand to reveal them [1]. Dwarf Cuttlefish can also regenerate their limbs. Thought that was also a fun fact to mention [4].

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [Image] 

[jean-dieu]

A Father's Love

"Malty?"

No answer whatsoever. The man narrows his eyes for he knows Malthus is near. If the kid doesn't answer to his name, it's always because he's hiding somewhere. That is something he's certain of, but where did the little tiefling manage to camouflage this time is a whole other question. The boy was good at being sneaky, for the best and for the worst. Keeping track of his son's hiding spots has been proven useless as he somehow always manages to find a new, better location.

"For Abadar's sake Malty, we're going to be late for today's service and I'm not going without you once again." He says in a stern, loud voice, hoping his natural authority would be enough to scare the child out of his secret little hideout. But the cleric's warning is only met by silence once again. Hopeless, he turns around, scrutinizing every cupboards, tables, chairs, curtains where the spade of a scaly tail or the point of small horns could maybe be spotted, but nothing.

He sighs. He knows they are getting late, and his position in the Church of Abadar can't allow him such leniency in his schedule. An idea crosses his mind, but bribing his own child, really? Is this his idea of education? He glances at the clock, and clenches his jaw. Time really isn't in his favour, and he needs to leave now.

"… Oh well. I suppose I'll leave without you. Too bad, I was planning to get a few cherry tarts after the service, but-"

He can't even finish his sentence that he feels something grabing his shoulders from above. It's enough to send shivers down his spine, and he swiftly raises his head, his eyes meeting with the little tiefling's one. And there he is, he mutters internally. Nimbly hiding between the wooden beams of the ceiling, securing himself with his tail, the soft glow of his yellow eyes betraying his position if only he had thought of looking up!

"Cherry tarts?" Malthus echoes enthusiastically, crawling back in his father's arms like a snake as the man reaches for him. "How did you even manage to get there…" He mutters for himself, both scared for his son's safety and impressed by his abilities. The cleric looks at him for a moment in silence, trying to keep a stern and angry face for the sake of it, before dropping the act. The little tiefling, on the other hand, looks half sorry, half very proud of himself. A small apologetic smile creeps on his face, flashing his sharp crooked teeth as he seems to await whatever punishment his father will deem fit for his unruly behaviour.

Silence again, then a sigh.

"Well, aren't you a mischievous little thing…" His father says in a defeated voice as he helps his son climbing on his shoulders as they both leaves for their usual church. "Come on. You delayed us more than enough, no need to waste more time."

"So, no cherry tarts I guess?" "Oh, you really don't deserve them, little rascal" His father frowns, before half-smiling "But I can't let my own son go hugry, can I?"

[scuttling-comfuddlement]

Welcome to my shop!

We have a lot of trinkets, tools, and pets! We can also have some things custom-made for you, if you'd like. Our door is always open, and we welcome anyone. Even if you don't buy anything.

The currency is coins, but we are willing to negotiate. We will often take items needed for crafting and such as payment.

Items:

We have cloaks of camouflage, which shift color to blend in to your surroundings.

We've got the lighthearted potions. A powder to make a person rhyme for a few hours, a candy that gives them a high voice for a day or two, and the kaleidoscope glasses cleaner. Makes em see everything like a kaleidoscope, obviously.

We've got the ones that alter emotions. Buy 2, get one free! Or you can mix and match to your heart's desire.

How about the soaps? One makes it so you never have to bathe again, it'll keep you clean. Another one makes mosquitoes terrified of you. Permanently.

Or there's the arm-band that gives you an outfit that morphs into whatever you deem fitting for the occasion.

As for the armband, I recommend wearing clothes underneath, just in case it malfunctions. Just leggings and a t-shirt. I've had angry customers wanting refunds and they were a pain in the knuckles.

Also, a pill that makes you not a loser. I take it daily. I don't think it's too effective.

There's the leaf crown that gives you the ability to photosynthesize... but your eyes will turn green while you're wearing it. Which isn't the worst of things. Green eyes are pretty.

There's a thermometer, it measures figurative warmth and cold.

We've got the magnet from the Shaggy Man in the Wizard of Oz. Makes people love you. Honestly, I think all the love potions are overrated.

We've also got bracelets with attachable charms including but not limited to: charisma, intelligence, stamina, strength, speed, stealth, wit, etc.

There is also a pocketknife that can never be lost, a notepad that takes notes for you, and a book that changes its story every time you finish it.

A pair of hair-pieces. You exchange it with a person, and it allows controlled, consensual telepathic communication. The simple ones are a button apeice. The multi-dimensional ones cost a seashell for a pair, but if you get the multiple dimension ones, I can offer you a discount.

We have nail polish that can turn your fingernails into claws that can cut through metal.

We've also got earrings that give you controlled selective hearing. And yes, we also carry the magnetic kind.

Pets:

Some new items!

Bags, that when you put something into it, it does not have any weight. Great for traveling.

Little metal beetles that can be programmed to detect almost anything you'd like; such as water, warmth, certain types of plants, or even tracking animals.

Mirrors that show not physical appearance, but personality.

Hourglasses that measure the time until your next sneeze.

Candles. You can put a memory you want to forget into them, and then when it burns out, the memory will be gone.

Fish eggs. They're for fish about the size of a minnow, but you can use them to relay messages. They whisper in your ear. And all of the species have a hive mind, so you could use them to spy.

Well, the fish, we've also got birds. The parakeets will pretty much do what you tell them to. They're smarter than most. We've got the axolotls, they basically just look cute and question everything you do. Our crabs are crabby, our frogs can make it rain, toads will selectively eat the bugs you don't like, and turtles are pretty wise. The squirrels are excellent trackers, and can find almost anything. But they'll never shut up.

We're not supposed to sell the hawks because they have an extremely keen sense of justice, and have injured their owners for being prejudiced or unjust. If I made an exception, you'd have to raise it from a fledgling, to raise it loyal to you.

We are currently working on getting larger animals. Ferrets coming soon!

You'd have to sigh a waiver for that though.

Some new pets!

Monkeys! They're pretty awesome. No magical abilities, but quite well behaved and very fun to spend time with. But they need a lot of enrichment.

Glow worms that can read books to you.

Caribou. Very friendly and great emotional support.

Hummingbirds. They bring better luck.

Sloths. They sleep so you don't have to. This is literal. If you let them sleep, you will not need sleep.

Employees:

If you're interested in buying something from my shop, feel welcome to come in! Speak to one of these people if you want to buy something, or have something custom made.

Firefly: Troubled past, silly, easy to please, cares deeply about people and is a fierce fighter. Gone most of the time on quests and such.

Ohtacaro: Quiet, smart, stereotypical ninja, has a cat named Randir. He and Otsi'stia have a sign language that they came up with for private conversations.

Otsi'stia: She is clever, practical, and the twin sister of Ohtacaro. She is less withdrawn than he is, but usually won't start a conversation for no reason. Hates small talk. Will get straight to the point.

Hotaru: Cheerful, hyper, enthusiastic. She's innocent and loves everyone. She just wants to help people. She is easily fascinated by little things. Especially koi fish.

Jon: Has a sense of humor, charming, and loves books. He is good at planning and dealing with people. He won't take abuse, and won't let you abuse his friends, either. He hates it when things get awkward.

Rena: A little bit bossy. She can be a grouch. You do NOT want to get on her bad side. But the number one way to get on her bad side is to be mean to Hotaru. She goes on runs to clear her head, and is currently taking anger management courses, because Jon and Lilian made her do it.

Lilian: The comforting, motherly one. She'll probably invite you in for a cup of tea, or babysit your pets or children or irresponsible friends. She wants you to be okay. She usually has calming music playing in the background, and she can be really poetic when she wants to be.

Soraya: The mechanic/scientist/inventor. Not a great fan of eye contact. Shy, as in, almost never speaks to anyone. Has her own space to work in, and stays there most of the time, but often goes to the library, or to the abandoned lot to test things out. She is extremely intelligent and a problem solver.

[gasha40k]

At long last! It’s been a while since my last post, although I’m sure I could probably start every post by saying that. Warhammer has taken a back-burner position in my life for the past few months. I haven’t played a game of 40k since October! If I’m honest, this is primarily because of money. I’ll spare everyone the rant and say that 40k’s prohibitively expensive nature has become, well, prohibiting, I guess. But that being said, the fixation always returns. And return it has! In the last however-many-months since my last post, I’ve spent most of my 40k time playing Kill Team and avoiding finishing my reading of Angron: The Red Angel, but I’ve done a little bit of fun stuff on the side that I’d like to share.

First time using colored primer went pretty well! Certainly saved me a lot of time and Mephiston Red paint

Angron is progressing! Since my last post I’ve primed him and most of his subassemblies. I’m painting him sort of in half, with his left arm and wing detached, as well as his bronze armor plating. I’m doing this so that I can get in and color the backsides of his wings properly.

This guy has been a big challenge so far. A model this large is both imposing and resource-intensive, and I’ve done literally no painting as of recent, so I’m likely not going to finish him for a long while, but I’m excited for when I eventually do.

Formerly known as Urayen’s Reavers, the Eclipse Cavaliers are a band of opportunistic Aeldari Corsairs who all seek one thing and one thing alone: profit

Moving on. As I mentioned previously, I started playing Kill Team this year, and I gotta say, KT fucking rocks! The rules are super approachable and the small scale of the game allows for much more focused and cinematic battles. It’s also a lot quicker, which makes it much easier to get pickup games in, which means I can actually play some 40k sometimes nowadays.

These xenos boys are known as the Eclipse Cavaliers. They’re a band of scumbag Corsairs and my squad of choice. I’ve written a lot of backstory for these boys so as to texture my games a bit more for myself, so I’m gonna put all that stuff in another post where I can talk about these characters in a bit more detail.

The 2nd Company is lead by the boisterous Captain Zaraf Gorfried Redfale. They specialize in the utilization of heavy war implements, such as Gravis armor, tanks, and artillery vehicles

Now that we’re onto more conceptual subject matter, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how the Thunderbearers actually function as a Chapter. Each Company of the Thunderbearers controls a massive warfleet—much larger than the average fleet of most Successor Chapters—and acts as a semi-autonomous fighting force in and of itself, with the ability to prosecute independent campaigns so long as they remain aligned and in accordance with the Chapter as a whole. The 1st Company is functionally the “core” of the Chapter, made up of the Chapter’s command fleet, veteran company, and portions of the 10th.

The 2nd Company is technically the first of the Chapter’s autonomous fighting forces, and they’re also the only Company for which I own a Captain (the big Gravis fucker who I show off pretty often). The 2nd Company’s culture can largely be sourced to that of a feudal desert world known as Manticore. As the 2nd Company makes up a good amount of the Chapter’s infantry regiments, I felt it necessary to give them their own heraldry.

The special heraldry on their armor pays respect to Manticore in a few different ways. First and foremost, the red armor is a visual homage to the cold, crimson dunes that cover Manticore, but secondarily, it is a holdover tradition that comes from Manticoran warrior culture, wherein it was standard practice to color one’s armor with any number of red pigments so as to camouflage themselves in the dunes. Over time, different colorations of red grew to signify different things, with the 2nd Company’s crimson and gold coming to represent wealth and nobility.

I think that having a squad or two with a splash of red will really make my Space Marines pop out a little bit, and will definitely add some variation into my annoyingly uniform army. I’m thinking of doing little streaks of red on a few of the vehicles, as well, which will make them stand out too.

Speaking of vehicles, the Thunderbearers have received some reinforcements!

This is a Ballistus Dreadnought that I got my hands on through a friend of mine who was selling his Astartes. I kitbashed him a little but tried not to overdo it with the baubles, since my Redemptor is a bit of a piece. Design-wise, I tried to make this a sort of “Primaris update” of one of my first models, Big Harold.

The Aurum Eternatus, one of the Chapter’s most sanctified relics, is a Venerable Dreadnought whose chassis contains the body of the previous fallen Chapter-Master

The thing that I like the most about the Venerable Dreadnought is the ornate look to it. It’s got a lot of trim and fancy panels everywhere and kind of looks like a church-mech.

This aesthetic choice is most noticeable in the lascannon, in my opinion. Combined with the gold trim, the cool indented archway designs on the side panel of the las sorta gives “Gothic castle wall.”

While I couldn’t really replicate the trim, I did use a bunch of bits from the Venerable Dreadnought kit to up the Gothic factor. There’s also a noticeable lack of purity seals on Big Harold, which was something that I absolutely had to remedy. There’s 7 seals! Now we’ve got a proper 7-times blessed Primaris-scale lascannon to snipe tanks with.

Harold has sort of fallen out of use in my lists recently because, uh, Venerable Dreadnoughts do not exist anymore. Awesome! The older Dreads just aren’t as good as Redemptors as well, so Harold has sort of retired to a more ritualistic position on the Chapter.

In his stead, though, we’ve got quite a few new additions to the army alongside our Ballistus. Not included here is another drop pod and a bunch of new infantry units.

Sternguard Veterans of the Thunderbearers 1st Company

Here’s one of ‘em! This is my first squad of Sternguard Veterans, but I’m in the process of building another. Like the Ballistus, these dudes are as of yet unnamed, but I like them quite a bit! To be critical, though, I think I overdid it with some of the bits, but I’m sure the silhouettes will look less obnoxious once they’re all painted and voluminous.

My favorite of the bunch is probably the Veteran Sergeant. His heroic pose and classic bits give “default Space Marine.” And the Veteran on the left is using a bit of a unique shoulder pad that may or may not be a cleansed and sanctified Chaos relic, which may or may not be a common practice in the Thunderbearers Reclusiam Cataegis.

Next post will include the Eclipse Cavaliers and a new Thunderbearers character guy.

[mage-witha-glock]

Consider: Zorian is a ninja

Characteristics of a ninja:

Zen-like calm - Zorian is rarely caught flat footed and he goes about his plans efficiently. He believes in his friends abilities and, more importantly, his craft so when enemy mages attack him? Yeah he isn't scared to put himself in a vulnerable position to summon a bunch of angels because Daimen is covering him and he has a nigh indestructible defense.

Ruthlessness - Zorian has killed a lot of people and generally doesn't really show remorse for it. He's handy with guns and knives and whips and spells and literally cut off a dudes arms once. He's not scared to mind rape people or puppeteer their bodies. He is willing to do what needs to be done. Alanic himself compliments him on this: "I can't believe I ever said you're not ruthless enough"

Weapon-savvy - He loves his guns and his knives. And his grenades, plus other alchemy.

Stealth and camouflage - He was sneaking around the whole city graffiti-ing scripts and spell formula for like a month. He's good at sneaking up behind enemies, or attacking them out of nowhere (when he was ambushing the cultists he got very good at this). He is able to scout places out, personally or via mind magic. He definitely learned camouflage because it's just a helpful thing to know.

Unorthodoxy - Fighting with guns and knives as a mage. You don't see it often and other mages are usually incredulous when he first uses them but then they learn that Zorian has spent a lot of time on these skills and he's actually as, if not more, dangerous in these areas as at combat magic

Agility - He is able to win hand to hand combat. Knife fights/close quarters combat in general isn't easy without agility. He's probably good at parkour seeing as he likes to ambush cultists and hunt wolves in the forests. After the time loop he definitely worked more in this area, working out his body and going through training to be able to be more efficient in the ability to: rapidly change body direction, accelerate, or decelerate. Which is all influenced by balance, strength, coordination, and skill level.

He also has astounding mental agility of course, in general but especially with his mental enhancements. He's good at thinking on his feet and thinking quickly and clearly.

Mindfulness - He learns this. He opens himself up to his sister's situation. He forgives Daimen (for the most part) over his childhood and isn't leery of asking him for help. He becomes a friendlier and generally more open person as he matures. And he's a mind mage so he knows a lot but usually doesn't judge on anything.

Preparedness - Zorian is always prepared. For everything. Plans, plan a plan b. You do something (release wraiths into Cyoria)? He already thought of it and placed contingencies (a wraith well). He knows he has low mana reserves? He's armed to the teeth with guns, knives and bombs. He is a golem maker that makes golem bodyguards that can literally wack spells out of the air in order to protect him.

In conclusion: Zorian is a ninja