#which like. why would they? the Specifics of cat genetics DO NOT matter that much in the Real Life to Normal People

[since-times-long-forgotten]

does anyone get unreasonably aggravated when they see someone calling a normal split-faced tortie as a chimera? like it literally couldn’t matter less, but it matters to ME, so I feel an overwhelming need to explain how no, that is NOT a chimera, that is a normal tortie, cat genetics just do that sometimes during x-inactivation because of bilateral symmetry. yippee!

[lilflowerpot]

Do you think it's possible that hybrid children survive because they have galra instincts?

Cuz like, all of the hybrids we have met so far have the galra instincts, some have stronger while others not so much.

I'm not sure WHY that would work but I don't know everything about the alien race of giant purple cat/Lizard people

I wouldn't say so, no?

Instincts are commonly defined as inborn complex patterns of behaviour that exist as a general rule across a species, distinguished from reflexes which are simple responses of an organism to a specific stimulus; a behaviour is considered instinctive if it is performed without being based upon prior experience (that is, in the absence of learning), and is therefore an expression of innate biological factors. A simple example of instinctual behaviour on Earth is the way in which baby sea turtles will immediately dig their way out of the sand and move directly towards the ocean upon hatching.

So far as this presents in the behaviour of young galra, kitlings will (1) instinctively cling to adult figures as protection from both predators and Daibazaal's harsh environment, (2) latch on to / feed from proffered nipples as the sole food source their bodies are capable of processing during early life, and (3) ingratiate themselves by way of particular trilling/chirruping vocalisations that trigger the parental instincts of any adult galra in range. In this regard, galra instincts do somewhat establish themselves as a determining factor of survival, as without being provided for, galra kitlings (hybrid or no) are not remotely equipped to weather their earliest decaphoebs. Culturally, however, if a galra adult were to be presented with a child of any species, their instincts would almost certainly drive them to protect and care for their young charge irrespective of whether said charge exhibits galra behaviour in return.

All that being said, a determining factor is not the determining factor.

Truthfully, the low survival rates of hybrid children predate the stage of life at which instincts come into play, as it's primarily a matter of unstable genetics rather than behaviour:

“Galra DNA is notorious for a unique genetic hostility when it comes to cross-species relations: even if a compatible parent species is found and successful conception occurs, the foetus often commits autosarcophagy as a sort of innate defence mechanism to eliminate that which it deems to be foreign genetic material. […] If it survives the gestation period, the child born is often of ill health and more than likely to experience a significantly reduced lifespan due to what - in short - manifests as an accelerated aging process.”

The hybrids that survive do so simply because the DNA of their non-galra parent species is deemed compatible by its galra counterpart—not so different that it's deemed a threat and so triggers that extreme "seek and destroy" aggression that is innate to galra DNA, but not so malleable that it folds completely and proves too weak to endure in the womb (let alone outside of it)—though even these rare few suffer from an acute necrosis that functionally halves their lifespan. Essentially, the fact that the hybrids we've seen all exhibit galra behaviour could be indicative of nature (as a consequence of their biology), nurture (all but Keith having been raised in within the Empire), or a combination of the two, but our pool of subjects is far too limited to draw a concrete conclusion.

[capricioussun]

More for the blorbo!

Does he have a favorite genre of music or a favorite band? Is he right handed, left handed, ambidextrous, or cross-dominant? Does he play any musical instruments, either underground or topside? Do you HC him with claws or just like really sharp "nails" that can be filed down? How does he deal with those?

And of course, you can always save these for when you have time!

Taking a break from attack work so I will answer these!!

His music taste is…eclectic. The thing is, he’s kind of…weird? About music? It’s super hard to gauge what he will or won’t like because he will determine his opinion on a song with completely unknowable metrics. He might like a song sheerly because of the impressive number of brass instruments. He might hate a song because of the number of times they use a specific chord progression. This song is about lunar cycles? Ugh, tacky. This song accurately references a Greek parable others usually get wrong? 12/10 great song (please note the song could actually sound like virtually almost anything). Though he’s also not really a hater, so he’s pretty relaxed about most music, as long as it isn’t too…uh, extreme? (He’d probably hate stuff like msi) Though he does admittedly have a slight soft spot for classic rock, folk, and proper classic music because of the few cassettes and Walkman he had to fix he found at the dump a long time ago… He would like My Chem if for no other reason than the Aesthetic (he can respect commitment to the bit. He might also even genuinely like a few of their songs)

He is ambidextrous! This is a hc I share with all Papyri! It was simply a matter of needing to be able to use both hands with the same level of efficiency, which actually ties in well with the next question!

It’s also part of why he learned piano! To help with hand eye coordination and dexterity! So Edge can play the piano, but…he doesn’t anymore, or at least very very rarely…

He actually has claws!! And he hates them! /hj but to explain, Edge’s claws are very real and very annoying. Due to the genetic experimentation, they are incredibly sharp, and he actually has very mild regenerative abilities. What this essentially means is that his claws are virtually untrimmable. They grow back almost instantly, he’d have to pretty much declaw himself like a cat (surgically removing the entire last phalanx of each finger) to get rid of them, and that’s way more of an inconvenience than the claws themselves are. However when they first started getting that sharp (around the age of 11), they were a big problem, and it wasn’t long before Sans had to call in a favor with Alphys to help him make Special gloves for Edge that were pretty close to untearable, since they were catching on everything. Edge couldn’t even change his clothes or bathe himself properly without winding up covered in hairline scratches and ruining the fabric.

They’ve thankfully rugged-ed out a little with age, so they’re not still that crazy sharp, but they are still sharp enough he continues wearing the gloves all the time lest he risk nicking himself or destroying clothes. He could alternatively use claw caps to prevent unwanted cutting and tearing, but he also has sensory issues, and his hands especially can be super sensitive, so the gloves are very good for that, too (a headcanon I share for UT Papyrus as well!)

At least they come in handy with looking intimidating! (Pun intended)

[awintersrose]

I’m late but for kinkoctober but ur writing is so flawless, this suggestion will be an odd pair, little to no fanbase but Kabuto x Sasori. 🥺

Pairing: Kabuto/Sasori

Prompt: Anal Play/Coercion (originally Day 18 from this list of prompts) AND Dirty Little Secret for @naruto-smut-monday

Obvious warnings are obvious with the prompts above, also includes D/s play, biting/scratching, and rimming.

All Kinktober fills should be considered explicit unless stated otherwise!

AO3 LINK

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Waiting for an assignation is never a simple matter. Punctual to the point of arriving early at everything, Kabuto looks at his watch for perhaps the fifth time, and he counts down the minutes. His date was very specific in their instructions, and he prefers to make a good impression. Kabuto can respect a desire for punctuality, for exacting details intended to ensure obedience.

He knows himself to be just as exacting in his preferences when exerting control, and based on this similarity alone, he has high hopes for this meeting. The contact came highly recommended by his own current favorite - precisely because said favorite was known to turn Kabuto’s own reality on its very head and make him question which end was up and which was down.

If only it weren't so painfully obvious to his partner when such a feat was possible - but Obito had the uncanny ability to read him as quickly as a cheap novel, and just as easily. Obito, his switch of a partner who was meant to be and still mostly acts as Kabuto’s own submissive.

Secret needs will out, however, and these roles are now flipped with surprising regularity, which is what led him here in the first place. The fact still remains that Kabuto doesn't bend for just anyone, and he still gets tetchy about the prospect and process of exploring the depths of his own submission with a new Dominant. Obito, however, seems certain that this match will be the right fit.

And so Kabuto waits.

His new contact’s profile is sparse, with photographs that only display a slight figure masked in black, with brilliantly crimson hair that drew the eye at once. An artist by trade, 'Exploring', their status said, which leaves even more to the imagination.

It often only takes one strikingly unique feature to catch Kabuto's visual interest, to make him wonder; to call to his analytical side, which loves to break down each solitary detail of a play partner until the origin of its nature is revealed. Until their true nature is revealed right along with it.

Whether it is skin like a bleach-splashed canvas, or cat-like golden eyes, his long-term partners have always been unique. Both of the latter possessed features that were the result of rare conditions, or genetic mutations that made said partners even more captivating, whether under the lash... or wielding it.

With the prospect of a new connection, all Kabuto knows for sure is that his date has hair like spun garnets, a certain cruel twist to a delicate mouth, and eyes like a fine umeshu. Not exactly unique, but there is still something there that captures his imagination.

Perhaps the artist is merely very good at their trade, taking a skilled hand to the composition of their photographs. Looks can certainly be deceiving—he should have predicted that his expectations would be turned on their head.

Which is how Kabuto finds himself trussed and stripped and poised on his knees before said artist once their negotiations are dispensed with.

Finely manicured fingertips caress the line of his spine before nails scratch, three at once, raising lines of glowing sensation across his shoulder blades. And they don’t stop their downward trek, marking Kabuto, making him gasp. The air makes a sharp sound passing through his teeth.

“You’ll do, but for more reasons than you think. Reasons you may not expect.” Sasori says, “And for exactly those reasons, you’ll give me everything I want.”

“Will I?”

That hand takes hold of a generous handful of his hair and steadily pulls him back, forcing him to arch his spine. Those cruel lips brush Kabuto’s ear as Sasori speaks, his soft voice bright with amusement, “You will, or this little kingdom you’ve built for yourself will be winnowed away into dust and thrust into the wind for anyone to take. Admit it… you want me anyway.”

The words are smug even in their gentle tone, accented by soft puffs of humid breath against Kabuto’s neck, his loosened hair. He cannot see Sasori’s eyes, and a small, creeping desperation begins in the pit of his belly. Sasori pulls harder, making him twist, rubied lips nipping Kabuto’s own briefly, roughly.

“You should have known better than to seek me out when you’re entirely that snake’s creature… he did have rather delightful tastes though. Did you kneel for him too? Recount all your dirty little secrets for him?”

“You know I did,” Kabuto grits his teeth as Sasori’s dainty fist tightens harder in his hair.

“I know you did, which is why I’ll make sure he sees every lurid moment of this if you don’t do exactly as I like. And then you know he’ll cast you away for dallying with me, faithless boy...”

The threat feels real, so damn real that goosebumps chase the lengths of his limbs, and Kabuto shivers, allowing fear to catapult him closer to compliance. His pulse notches higher and his mouth runs dry. Sasori releases him as if throwing him back down again, but it’s only the effective toppling of his own weight. Every new touch is feather light, even as the artist’s hands explore his body, shoving him onto all fours, undignified, yet perfectly on display.

Sasori’s breath ripples down his spine, the wet heat of his tongue drifting along the lines his own nails followed in the moments prior. Blood rushes in Kabuto’s ears, and his pale hair falls forward, obscuring his burning cheeks as he sinks lower on his elbows, allowing Sasori full access to his body.

“Shameless and pretty all at once, just look at you, ready for anything,” Sasori muses, “I’d hate to keep you waiting.”

Sasori’s questing, tormenting hands begin to part him wide, exposing him further, nails digging into the softer flesh of his buttocks. Kabuto grits his teeth as Sasori’s wicked tongue plies at his hole, two deft fingers moving to spread wetness around the orifice before one of them dips inside him with ease.

“Ready for anything, indeed.”

A bottle clicks and cool slick drips over his skin, making Sasori’s next movements nearly effortless. He dips in and out with shallow strokes, toying at the edges of Kabuto’s passage, As Sasori bends to bite the curve of his hip, sharp and hot like a brand. He knows without knowing that the artist has marked him, and Kabuto gasps, placing a fist beneath his lips to muffle any noises which might come unbidden.

He fails, of course, when Sasori laughs against his skin, finding his prostate with near expert precision.

The pressure inside him shifts wider, deeper as digits spread and curl, scraping against nerves suddenly sensitized beyond compare. Kabuto’s sight wavers as if plunged underwater, his cock hard and already dripping, too much, too soon. Sasori’s methodical exploration only continues, with another finger wedging in place beside the others.

“You’re so needy that I’m almost thinking you could take my whole hand. You would if I wanted you too, wouldn’t you, greedy boy?” Sasori’s fingers drag and exploit every new bit of knowledge he’s gained until Kabuto is unable to stem the pleading noises that are not quite muffled by his fist.

“Use your words.”

“I--I can but it’s-it’s-too-much!” He blurts, his voice arching higher on the last few words. Kabuto’s face burns and his head swims, and he squeezes his eyes shut, fighting the urge to shove back anyway and chase the high that is just outside of his capability.

Sasori gives a chuffing little laugh, teasing his pinky finger just along the rim of him until Kabuto whines, and with a twist of his hand, all four enter to press and tease.

“Oh, good boy… you’re going to come just like this, only accepting what I give you for as long as it takes…”

It doesn’t take long at all for his voice to break the silence, for sticky heat to spatter his belly and the floor beneath him. For oblivion to cloud his mind and numb his awareness.

But it’s only the first part of their night.

Later, after Kabuto has been wrung out in every way he might have imagined, he is treated to a massage and a short rest wrapped in a warm blanket. His pretty new play partner fetches his things and offers him a drink. White tea, hot and perfect.

“So tell me, did we explore everything you wanted to?” Sasori appraises him from head to toe, searching for unease. The artist is more attentive than Kabuto had imagined, leaving no detail unexamined. It’s no wonder that he has connections with individuals that Kabuto respects among their circles.

“Ahh… yes, thank you for following the plan.”

"Any Dominant worth their salt would do no less. Your illustrious mentor failed you if he didn't set that expectation." Sasori sniffs, still maintaining physical contact.

Kabuto hazards a wry smile. "He did. I'd have stopped everything in its tracks if you'd been lacking. But as it stands I'd like to see you again."

Sasori gives a curt nod, but the softening of his mouth gives away his satisfaction. "So long as you never leave me waiting, we’ll have much to explore."

Perhaps it's a good thing that Kabuto's punctuality is a personal guarantee.

[mallowstep]

Genetics ask! I know that male torties/torbies are very rare and caused by a genetic mutation, but with those who do exist, are there any prerequisites with their parents? I’m assuming they’d have to carry the red gene since tortoiseshell is one red, one not-red, but I barely know anything. And based on this, is it better to just headcanon cats like Redtail as biologically female?

alright! hello, anon.

since i had to do more research than usual for this one, reminder that:

i am not an expert. i can and will be wrong. you can find my self-corrections under #corrections, but those are only things i or others have noticed, and that i've had the time to write a correction to and explain.

disclaimers out of the way, let's talk about tortie toms. (and torbie toms, and calico toms, it's all the same deal.)

if you know how ginger works, you can skip the next few paragraphs.

orange (ginger, red, etc.) is sex-linked in cats. what this means is that the gene that causes orange cats is on the x chromosome. it is also codominant, which means that having an orange x chromosome (Xo) and a non-orange x chromosome (X) is not black or orange, but both.

basically:

X or XX: black

Xo or XoXo: orange

XXo: tortoiseshell

yeah?

now, for the rest of this post, i'm going to be writing O and o instead of Xo and X because it's one less character and i don't run the risk of putting three x chromosomes together.

okay. so because torties need two x chromosomes, they're typically female. the way tortie itself works is basically, cells activate one of the genes (O or o) at random, creating patches. so you need two copies.

wikipedia says about a third of male torties have klinefelter's, which is the XXY karyotype. while this does have physical changes associated with it, the only way to confirm (humans have) klinefelter's is to test it genetically.

luckily, cats are very helpful about demonstrating it. what with them being tortie and all.

(we're also lumping in the variations of klinefelter's here. you can get XXYY, etc., and they all fit into the same broad idea.)

anyway, the extra x chromosome can come from either the mother or the father. this makes tortie toms...not quite easier, since the prereqs are the same, but y'know. if mom is Oo, dad doesn't matter. if mom is OO, dad has to be o, and if mom is oo, dad has to be O. same rules as usual.

XXY toms are going to be...not sterile, but pretty infertile. using human stats, about 50% can produce sperm, although the likelihood of them having kits is still low. humans with klinefelter's are also taller than average, so keep that in mind.

again, and this might be a correction on my part, i can't remember, but tortie toms aren't strictly going to be visibly different than other toms.

okay, so most people stop at klinefelter's, but there are two other ways to get tortie toms: mosiacism and chimerism. these are often confused/combined, but because i strive for generally being accurate, i'll go over them both.

mosaic cats carry multiple genetic lines, because of a mutation. this can either be somatic (happens in the body, is not hereditary), or germline (happens in reproductive cells of parents, is hereditary).

this is not always a gain of a line, you can lose a chromosome as well. the difference between somatic and germline and how it affects torties goes over my head, so i'm not going to speak to it, other than i'm pretty sure we're talking about somatic mosaicism. i think. again, not a biologist or geneticist, just a hobbyist with an internet connection.

right, so what happens is basically, some cells lose their extra x chromosome, giving you a cat with karyotype XXY/XY. these cats are more likely to be fertile and generally have less effects of klinefelter's. i'm not entirely sure how this affects tortie presentation, if at all, but it does happen.

i suppose you could also have some kind of mutation that gives you an extra x spontaneously, but that would be unlikely to cause torties, because it would also have to mutate into the other O allele.

again, i really want to stress that while i'm not bullshitting, i'm also not speaking definitively here.

last up is chimerism, where two embryos fuse in the womb, creating mixed genes.

i'm using a picture of a dog, here, because this is what goes through my head when i think of chimeras. you'll have to take my word for it, but while this would be a normal tortie cat, it can't really happen in dogs without some kind of mutation. and chimerism, given the extent of the patching, is pretty likely.

right! chimera torties are going to be, afaik, normal levels of fertile, although it's likely that they can pass on either black or red, not both.

(while i'm here, before we move on, there are a lot of types of chimeras. this type is called tetragametic chimerism, and it's rare in humans but more common in other animals. it's hard to know how common it is, because the differences are often very subtle, and hard to test. it's also not mutually exclusive with mosaics or klinefelter's, just to really muddy the waters.)

i don't have statistics for how common mosaics and chimeras are, and there's always, "a different type of mutation that doesn't fall into this category"

for mosaics and chimeras, the rules for inheritance seem to be the same as for klinefelter's. there's the added note that, because there can be multiple sires within one litter, a ginger queen could have kits with a ginger tom, and get a tortie son, as long as she also...ahem...with a black(/brown, etc.) tom. (or vice versa, with all brown and a ginger.)

okay! so that's basically how it happens.

as for the second part of this question, well. "is it better?" is a matter of opinion. i don't think anyone is wrong for having tortie toms. i don't care. (a) it is possible, and (b) we're all just having fun.

i, personally, do not think redtail is karyotype XX, because i like him being sandstorm's father with brindleface. idk. i like brindleface. yes, i know this raises huge genetic problems, and it's not very canon. i don't really care. i read that redtail fic where he thinks about sand&brindle as he's dying and it hasn't left me.

that said, i'm still a sucker for trans redtail. love it. idk, this is kind of hard to explain. like? it's not my headcanon, but i still appreciate it.

anyway! to the point: if you care about statistics and likelihoods and how many tortie toms you've had in the clan, yes, you're probably better off saving your chromosome anomalies for when they need to have kits, and using XX karyotype for the rest.

(under the cut: matthew rambles about trans cats and gender identity for a while)

i'm pretty sure cats don't have the western concept of gender. i don't think they have a human concept of gender, either, but at some point i need to be able to pin down something, and i think a third/fourth gender is closer to what they have.

i've been thinking about this a lot lately, because i decided i wasn't satisfied with my old approach to trans cats. i can do better than that. i decided cats don't have gendered pronouns, so why should the solution be, "trans cats don't really get to do anything about it"

no. i am dissatisfied with that.

at the same time, for specific reasons: i also don't think cats are trans in the western sense of the word.

because if for nothing else, remember that cat sexual dimorphism has a bigger effect on their life than in humans.

like, queens are going to be uncomfortable around male cats they don't hella trust and their kits. that doesn't go away if said male cat isn't a tom. y'know?

i'm in a constant state of tweaks with this, because i basically: form opinion, test opinion, refine opinion. my initial opinion was too harsh. and!

part of what's changed is i decided i wanted fernsong to be able to raise his kits in the nursery instead of ivypool. so i had to adjust how i think the nursery and queens work, slightly, to permit for that. now, i can turn back to gender and think about it some more.

i'm not going to coin any new terms, because i'm not in that kind of mood, but i think there is some idea of a female cat who is not a she-cat. i don't think the cats would call them a tom, but i'm not sure what they would say or how they would describe it.

i think they would just, on some level, get it.

actually okay you know what! i do need some lingo here. queens = cats who are raising kits in the nursery. she-cats = XX karyotype, considers self female (cis, if you will). toms = XY karyotype, considers self male (cis, again). and uh...we'll go with...

god i hate. i don't want anything i say in this ramble to be considered "words i am going to now use consistently" because i literally just need some way to describe this for my own sanity. with that in mind, let us use molly for XY karyotype, but not a tom, and...how about gib for XX karyotype, not a she-cat.

again, i don't want that to be considered permanent, i'm just fishing at words people use to describe cats so i can have something to work with.

right so, i don't think cats think gib and tom are equivalent, but i also don't think they (as a society) care about that.

like, okay, let's say redtail is XX, but not a she-cat. there's nothing to really be done (heck, if he wants to be a queen, that's still fine), cats don't have gendered pronouns or names, but at the same time, there's an intuitive understanding of what that means.

this kind of ties into the matriarchy, kind of? like, hm, queens are an important part of the matriarchy, but at the same time, she-cats inherit family lines. not that cats inherit much, but still.

i'm getting very abstract here. take, uh, like let's say a hypothetical trans mothwing. i think a lot of people have that headcanon?

and i think, like, mothwing would not be considered a tom. if cats had a concept of sexuality, leafpool would not be straight, because she likes mothwing, and mothwing is not a tom.

but! i would still think willowshine probably is the first line for nursery visits, at least when the kits are very young.

and i don't think anyone there would be unhappy with that deal.

right. i just kept rambling for a while, because i've been thinking about this and obviously it's semi-tied to the question.

tl/dr: cats don't care about gender, because they are cats meowing at each other in the woods. if a cat says they're not agab, everyone is just cool with that.

[schizosupport]

does it still count as a delusion if I think I'm stupid to believe that and that its obviously its not real but I still have like flight/fight/freeze to the thoughts/wrongly percieved event/things in the corner of my eye, or get really scared? Like I don't think that I'm correct in thinking the thing and I don't think it makes sense/has been proven wrong by the person and by testing it lol but also I have a reasoning behind it and still think it? Esp if some of the specific paranoias are very transient (or don't come back) and sometimes triggered by horror content (damn tma t-t) or v stress related ??? I'm trying to figure out if I'm just prodomal probably (bcus I have like a million environmental and genetic risks and Im 16) or actually having delusions now lol ¡¡p but it might be substance induced so :p this stuff has been going on since like, last june maybe and when I started smoking almost everyday since august

(2) HI IM THE PERSON TALKING ABT THE DELUSIONS AND POSSIBLY BEING SUBSTANCE INDUCED !! I think I've also had an increase in negative symptoms in that approximately 1 year time frame than before, even though I'm autistic so experience a lot of the things they list in that stuff :p but that could be because I went through a traumatic relationship or because I've been unmasking over time since I'm not in public and been trying to acknowledge my needs during quarantine :p (3)  hi sorry for using all caps yesterday :(((( I didn't mean to make anybody distressed in any way. Also is thinking as a kid that people may be controlled by larger beings like sims and whenever we die thats because they got bored with us normal weird kid beleifs or ?? Or like after watching truman show I was always thinking abt if I was like it and I still kinda act like there could possibly always be a camera on me or someones watching me but my dad talked about putting cameras around the house and one time when I was getting on my phone because he had taken it away from me a notification popped up on his computer that I was using my phone and if he wanted to look at my screen so maybe its just me being scared cus of that even tho I dont live with him anymore :p and I have no reason to believe he or anyone else actually has access to my phone but they do and its really scary :'((((

Hi anon!

No need to apologize, you’re good, and you didn’t distress me! 

I am very brain-tired there days which makes it hard for me to respond thoroughly, but I’m going to attempt anyways. 

The exact definition of delusions vs magical thinking, paranoid ideation and anxiety can be hard to figure out, and the professionals may have varying opinions as well. The main question, to me, would be - are you very distressed by these thoughts? Are they hindering your ability to live life to its fullest?

If the answer is yes, then I find it less important what they are, and rather I would urge you to look into getting some help managing these symptoms. At the end of the day, knowing the name of what’s going on with you can feel empowering, but it doesn’t actually help much if it isn’t accompanied by an increase in support, understanding and potentially treatment.

Another thing is, you said you’ve been smoking almost every day - from the context I’m guessing you’re talking about weed? 

I know that a lot of people do feel like weed can alleviate some discomfort, and I’m not the authority on drug-use by any means, but I think that a daily intake of any drug, can be a cause for alarm. - No matter if that’s alcohol, weed or “harder” drugs. Especially in people who are susceptible to psychosis (which you seem to be), weed can have a negative effect, and it can definitely increase some symptoms, or even increase the likelihood of a full-blown episode. 

I know it’s easier said than done, and you probably have your reasons for smoking as much as you do, but from a mental health perspective, it does blur the picture. And it can make it harder to get the help you need, because you risk either professional writing off your symptoms as “purely druginduced” or alternatively, they ignore the smoking, and think that you’re more psychotic than you would normally be, which could also lead to the wrong treatment.

(Say for example, you’re smoking to cope with a certain set of symptoms (eg. adhd)- then that smoking causes psychotic symptoms - they treat that with antipsychotics. Now if your original problem was adhd, you would have been better off with a prescription for that, instead of having to take two mind-altering substances as patches on patchwork solutions)

Honestly I’m not the best to ask about the border between delusion and anxiety - professionals have repeatedly told me I’ve long since crossed the border (hence why I’m diagnosed as schizophrenic) but in my own mind I’m still just “a very anxious person”...

I hope this was at least a bit helpful, my computer is lagging and so is my brain, so I’m going to wrap this up here.

Best of luck anon!

Cat

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #443

“it’s not a life sentence, but a death dream for you”

When was the last time you were in the hospital? Me personally, uhhh sometime in 2017? Why were you there? I had a cyst removal surgery. Do you like Cheez-Its or Cheese Nips better? Cheez-Its. Have you worn headphones at all today? Yeah, I pretty much always do because YouTube is always open and on a video. When was the last time you had blood drawn? A few months ago or something? I'll be getting some drawn shortly though for genetic testing; due to my mom having some dysfunctional cancer prevention gene, all her children are getting tests to see if we inherited it. The last time you got blood drawn, what was the reason? I want to say I was tested for anemia most recently. What color eyes does/did your father have? Brown. What do you daydream most about? Things I wish I didn't daydream about. What is your relation to the last child you spoke to? They're my niece and nephew. Do you believe the Holocaust happened? No fucking shit? Do you prefer zebra stripes, tiger stripes, or leopard spots? Tiger stripes, ig. When did you last see a dog? At my nephew's b-day party a couple weeks ago. Nicole brought her dog Zeke over. Have you ever been in the mountains when the moon and stars were up? No, but omg I wish!!!!!!!!!! Do you know anyone from Canada? Yep. Has a cat ever licked you? Yeah. Roman especially loves to give kisses. Where would you most like to go in your state, etc. that you haven’t been? The Wizard of Oz park, probs. Are you scared to look at your own organs on x-ray or ultrasound? No, that shit's rad. o: Have you ever walked on a frozen lake/river? No, that sketches me out. I'd be afraid of the ice breaking and me falling in. Have you ever seen a volcano? No. Have you ever met an Alaskan? Met in-person, no. But I do have an online friend who's from Alaska. Or may still live there? Idk. Have you ever mowed the lawn (even a little bit)? No. Have any unpleasant public transit stories to tell? Nah. Do you know any German words? Seeing as I took four semesters of the language in high school, I know a good deal. However, my skill has definitely atrophied with time and lack of application. Do you have a passport? No. Are your teeth straight? I mean, mostly. I had braces for too long, but I didn't wear my retainer, so they've moved back some. Would you mind dating someone significantly shorter than you? Yeah, sure. I've never understood why height is an issue for some people. Can you quote the movie Mean Girls? No. I personally never got the craze. Have you ever swam in the Atlantic Ocean? I have. The Pacific? No. Can you make yourself cry? No. Have you ever held a starfish? Not a live one. What would you do if you found out your ex was pregnant/fathered a child? Faint or vomit. Wail. All three. Are you very close to your siblings? No. :/ Can you do CPR? No. Favorite sport to watch in the summer Olympics? I don't care. Ever flushed a fish? Yes. Ever been paid for sex or a sexual favor? No. I wouldn't agree to that. Last friend you talked to online? Sara. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? No. What is the best ice cream flavor? Vanilla. You have so many topping options. What’s your favorite thing to do outside? Photograph nature, especially wild animals. What would you spend $1,000 on? A big, really pro tattoo. What was the best (non-romantic) night you’ve had? Hm. I don't know. Who did you last lay in a bed/couch/recliner with? Mom and I sat together on the couch some time ago. Do you keep a planner? No. What are you craving right now? I've got a seriously random craving for shell pasta with a nice, meaty tomato sauce. Do you want kids anytime soon? DEFINITELY not soon, but also never. Has anyone ever drunk called/texted you? No. Have you ever slept in the same bed with the last person you kissed? Yeah. What’s the best feeling in the world? Knowing you're in love and really feeling it. What’s something you really want right now, be honest. There's a lot of things. Who in your family do you act like the most? I don't know, really. Who has made the biggest sacrifice for you? My mom, 100%. Do you believe that your first true love can be your only love in life? Of course not. Have you ever kissed under water? Yes. Is there that one guy that you’ll always have feelings for no matter what? Suuuure is. Wish it wasn't like that, but I don't see it ever changing, to be real... Are you 100% over the last person you kissed? 100%? No, I can't say I am entirely. Have your parents ever caught you kissing a guy? "Caught me?" How old is this question meant for? Yes, they've seen me kiss a guy before. If you mean like, seriously kiss-kissing, no. Which one of your exes hates you the most? Probably Jason. Are you named after anyone? No. Well, my middle name has been passed down, but "Brittany" wasn't from anybody else in specific. What reminds you the most of your last relationship? The song "The Only Exception" by Paramore. Have you ever rejected someone but they still wouldn’t give up on you? In elementary school, yes. When growing up, did your family always eat at the dinner table together? Usually, yes, at least when growing up. Sometimes we'd use little tables to eat in the living room though while watching TV. What is the greatest source of happiness in your life? My mom, best friend, and pets. What was the last charity/cause you donated to? I'm unsure, actually. Who was the last person you got a handwritten letter from? Sara! :') Did your parents read bedtime stories to you when you were little? Mom did. Have any of your worst fears ever come true? Yes. The greatest fear I've ever had was losing Jason, and that happened. Is anyone in your family divorced? My parents, for one. My older half-sister has also be divorced because her ex is an absolute piece of manipulative horse shit. Has anyone in your family gotten pregnant as a teenager? I think my mom? No, maybe not... Idk. I ain't doing the math. What’s your greatest talent? If you want a serious answer and not something self-depracating, I suppose writing. Would you ever want to get a master’s degree? It'd be cool, but I've never *actually* wanted to pursue that. Have you ever worn revealing clothing in order to get attention? No. Have you ever been falsely accused of being racist? I've never been accused of being racist, because I'm not. To you, is sex just about physical pleasure, or do you see it as an expression of love and commitment? Absolutely the latter. I could never engage in sex without deep emotional commitment. How many times have you been drunk in the past 6 months? Zero. What’s your favorite French food? I have no idea. What’s the most elaborate recipe you know how to cook? Nothing. Which rooms of your house have doors that lead outside? The living room and kitchen. Best purchase you ever made? My snake. :') Is there anybody you think is hot over the age of 40? I haven't seen him a long time, but boy did I have a thing for James Hetfield in high school. There are defs others, but no one else immediately comes to mind. Have you ever been caught sneaking out? No, because I've never tried to. How many Facebooks have you had? Just the one I still use. Have you ever been punched in the face? No. When was the last time you talked to the first person you kissed? The beginning of February, 2017. What is the latest you have ever slept in? Past 5. Do you have to watch yourself in the mirror while you brush your teeth? No. Do you text when you drive? Fuck no. You couldn't pay me to. What movie do you really want to see that’s out? I don't even know what movies are out right now. Did America really put a man on the moon? Eventually, yes. Call me crazy, but I do believe the supposed first one was faked, though, to "beat" Russia in the space race. Do some research and it's pretty shocking. Would you like to date someone a lot purer than you? Idc. Do you turn your phone off at night when you go to sleep? No, but I turn the brightness down for if I wake up in the middle of the night and want to check the time. Have you slept in a bed with the last person you kissed? Yeah. Has anyone ever told you that they loved you, and you didn’t say it back? Yes. Has anyone ever played a prank on you? What happened? I don't believe so. Do you like tattoos and piercings? Helllll yes. :') What are you really into? Animals, art, some weird Korean guy on the Internet... Do your parents like your best friends? Yes. Have you ever taken a nap with a member of the opposite sex? Yeah. Do you have weak upper body strength? Yes. What color was the last cup you drank from? It's just clear glass. How old is your oldest sibling? I actually don't know her exact age. 30-something. What was the last thing you ate that had nuts in it? A Nature Valley cashew bar I had earlier today. How many pieces did the last puzzle you completed have? I have no idea. Who did you last shake hands with? uhhhhhhhh Has anybody asked you out on a date recently? Nah. When was the last time somebody asked you to be their girlfriend? When Girt asked me out a few years ago. Name something you’re picky about: Food. Who did you last ask for help? My mom. Do you like corn? Yeah. If you were offered to smoke some weed right now, would you accept? Right now I honestly probably would, believe it or not. Honestly, who is the last person to tell you that they love you? My mum. Have you ever made out for more than a half hour straight? Yeah. How do you earn money? The only occasions where I ever and very rarely earn money is if someone (non-family, of course) pays me to take pictures for them. Where were you raised? All you need to know is a crappy town in eastern NC. Are your ears gauged? No, but I want the first holes in my earlobes to be, but only with very small gauges. I just can't figure out how to do it myself, at least with the gauges I have. I think I'm missing something. Explain what triggered your last kiss? We were saying goodbye. Could you go a month without talking to your best friend? I mean I could, but it'd seriously fucking suck. Have you ever made out in a park? No, because I don't do that in public. What are you listening to? "Paint You With My Love" by Marilyn Manson. I wasn't big on the album when it came out, but this is one of the songs that's aight to me. Last thing you said out loud? I gave Venus a little wave and said "hey babe" or something like that like I do sometimes when she's slithering around and looks out towards me. Are you sad? Always at least a little bit. I have been kinda down this evening. Where is your dad? I would hope at home. He's probably watching TV, or maybe in bed.

[cs-discourse]

Hey, OG male calico/tortie anon again. I realized that my previous asks probably didn't get my thoughts on the matter through all that well because fighting through the character limit on asks is like trying to write a novel on twitter, so I thought I'd try a submission to sort of explain my side more clearly.

So, like I said in my response to lucifer's submission, I don't really mind when genetics-based ARPGs or adopts ban dmab calicos and torties. Genetics are weird enough as is without having to take into account conditions like klinefelter syndrome, chimerism, and so on, and honestly if I were to ever get into genetics enough to participate in a genetics-based adoptable, I wouldn't expect the staff to all know how to work with those conditions anyway. I know I sure wouldn't be able to manage how they pop up in breedings and such if I were in their position.

My issue really is more when adoptables that don't use genetics in their species ban dmab (or sometimes male in general) calicos and tortoiseshell cats, because if genetics don't play a part in the species otherwise, I don't see why they should have an impact on this One Part, if that makes sense. It feels overly restrictive, I guess. Like, any female calico or tortie I were to theoretically adopt from those species, unless specifically stated as being a chimera or something, has to be cisgender, and any male has to be trans. And I guess I feel like that limits the potential for characters within those species? Like, as a trans person, a lot of the time I explore identity through my characters, and with rules like those I could never have, say, a trans female calico questioning how much of her identity is really her own and how much is her trying to fit into a role society pushes on her because of the idea that "there are no male calicos" (which I do recognize is one that could be altered to fit a trans male calico/tortie, with the idea being "am I really a guy or am I just trying to stand out", but the fact that there's not really an option between the two grinds my gears), or a cisgender male one gaining a better understanding of his trans companions because he's constantly being mistaken for female due to his coat. Things like that.

And even if I were to enter for a calico or tortoiseshell and make them a trans male, rather than a cisgender male or a trans female, the very fact that they aren't that "normal" cisgender female could lead to bias in judging, be it due to bias against trans characters (or people) from the judge, the idea that by making them male and not female you're trying to make them this ~*~ uwu special unique mary sue uwu ~*~, the idea that you're trying to skirt the rules if you don't make it explicitly clear that they're trans (e.g. listing their gender as "Male" and not "Trans male") and eliminating you because of that, or what have you. I'd like to believe that's not something most people would do, but I also know there are people like that out there in the world, and it's not something I want to risk dealing with in a space that I'm in for fun.

I dunno. I guess I find it frustrating when people place restrictions on other people's characters needlessly. If realistic genetics are at play throughout the species, sure, I totally understand why you would ban characters that make running the species harder on yourself, your staff, and even your users, and honestly I'd probably do the same thing to make it easier on everyone if I were in that position. But when people restrict the sorts of characters a person can create on the basis of genetics that aren't even used in the species, that rubs me the wrong way.

Like, I said initially, it's a dumb thing to complain about, because I can easily just avoid those species (and I do), but at the same time, it's something that I started thinking about and had the urge to put out in the world, I guess. It feels to me sort of like... You know how sometimes people will make adopts with a little list of traits, like a gender and a sexuality and a personality and stuff, attached to the design? It feels like when you go to buy one of those adopts from someone because you like the design, but then their TOS says that you can't change those things on the ref that aren't even part of the design. At some point, it's less like owning the character yourself and more like you're just writing or drawing somebody else's, and while the gender issue with calicos and torties is a lot less extreme than being stuck with a whole personality that you can't change, I still don't enjoy feeling like I can't have that say in my characters.

[warriorsredux]

Do you still have the raw scraps, the scribbled notes, the heap of text documents, the outlines, the early drafts, the character/setting/narrative/whatever sketches you made when planning the Redux? If you do, can we have a look at them? I wanna see how Master Dullard does it.

Regrettably, all of that is on my old computer, and that bastard is not inclined to charge to let me get a hold of that stuff again. There are a couple sketches in an old sketchbook, but I have no idea which one (I have many old ones hurriedly shoved into a drawer so I can pretend they don’t exist). I faintly remember some things, and I’ll throw them here:

There were SO MANY documents trying to keep track of everyone’s personalities and roles in the story. Somehow I knew which ones were which. This is remarkable solely because I did not name a single document anything useful. 

Seriously, all the documents were random keysmashes, jokes, single words or lyrics, none of which had anything to do with their content. I always do this. I don’t know why. It’s not helpful. 

There were also documents dedicated solely to quotes and snippets of writing I wanted to eventually use in the story. Bluestar snapping at Darkstripe was written and rewritten several times because I wanted to get it just right, but it was in my head since the very first arc. Other ones were the first impressions of Scourge (noting his strange, jerky way of moving and unsettling stare among other things), several jokes and bits of banter between characters, and so on. I like to write down dialog when I have it in my head so I can perfect it over time. As a result, when the time comes to post it in the actual story, it’s as good as it can be. 

One bit of dialog that never got in that I did want to use was something along the lines of “We- we are bound by StarClan to-” “Damn all of StarClan”. This was meant to be with Fireheart and Bluestar, and was inspired by a near identical exchange in Vattu (which you all should read, by the way). I liked the idea of peppering in swears where effective, but I never really went down that road. Which I feel like I should have done? Oh well. Don’t matter now!

I had a sprite sheet of pixelated cats with the names of ThunderClan’s members. This was my initial way of trying to keep track of the bloodlines - the sprites would be connected to each other with lines. It was theoretically easier, but it just got overwhelming, so eventually I just used the sprites for my own reference of color. I did eventually get help with the familial ties, which... thank fucking God for that. Jesus. Those who helped me with genetics, colors and families, you are godsends. You know who you are.

One look through a random plot document would make it very clear that I have a very loose concept of “sticking to the script”. That is, I would write down how something happens, leave it, rewrite it because I forgot that version existed, combine the two or edit them haphazardly, then expand way over what I needed during the actual process of storytelling. For example, say a conversation was supposed to happen that would give plot relevant news, then we would move on to another event. I would end up writing that conversation with so many sidetracks and banter for the sake of it (casual banter is one of my favorite things within a narrative - it’s largely why I love ROTTMNT and Pulp Fiction so much) that the conversation would take over half of the chapter. This happened on so many occasions I cannot possibly list them all. You might as well count every single chapter I ever wrote for this fucking thing!

A lot of the worldbuilding given in response to asks was made up almost entirely on the spot. I had the answers in my head without my knowledge - they’d just come to me naturally when questioned, even though I hadn’t considered that part of the world - but that doesn’t detract from the fact that I was improvising quite a bit with a lot of the Redux. A lot. Most of it was improv. Is that apparent on a lookback?

That’s another thing - I didn’t write down a lot of the worldbuilding. Appearances, cultures, funerals, language stuff, a lot of it I developed it as I wrote the Amendment posts. I had vague ideas and notes in my sketchbook, but the specifics were made as I typed on the keyboard. That’s kind of how I roll with worldbuilding. It’s not a good idea. I’m amazed I didn’t contradict myself too hardcore in this universe.

That’s all I can think of for now. If you have specific questions, it might dredge up the memories and I can give a proper response, haha!

[rwby-redux]

Deconstruction

Worldbuilding: Genetics

If any of my Deconstruction posts were going to turn heads, I had a hunch it would be this one. You’ll probably find this topic incongruous with the others simply because—unlike Aura, Semblances, Dust, and Grimm—genetics isn’t one of RWBY’s unique gimmicks. If I’m being entirely honest, part of why this post exists is because I still had some miscellaneous talking points to address, but lacked a proper heading to file them under. Call it what it is: a dumping ground for wayward thoughts.

But there’s a bit more to it than just that. The reason why I want to talk about this is because, much like the other mechanical aspects, genetics does have a bearing on RWBY’s worldbuilding, and the stories that were subsequently built around it. It has an undeniable impact on the sociopolitical human-Faunus schism that set the stage for Remnant’s immediate past, and the present-day terrorist acts committed by the White Fang. Genetics is also an extension of RWBY’s adherence to color theory, reflected in the hair and eye color choices of the ensemble cast.

Before we can finally conclude Part 1 of the Worldbuilding posts, we need to discuss this topic from both a narrative and a production standpoint. Genetics is firmly rooted in the development and design choices of the writers—choices which, as you’ll quickly see, had long-lasting consequences for the show.

Today we’re going to be dividing this topic into two sections. Since I’m sure it’s already on your mind, let’s get the obvious one out of the way first:

The Genetics of the Faunus

The Faunus are going to have an entire post dedicated just to them, but it’s impossible to talk about genetics without at least a passing mention of one of Remnant’s two main species.

Subspecies.

Races?

Yeah. You can quickly see where this is going.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me provide some context. Just like the conception of the Maidens, the Faunus can trace their developmental history to a rather impulsive design choice:

“Monty really wanted a character with cat ears,” admits Miles Luna. Shawcross expands on how Blake Belladonna’s look resulted in a cornerstone of the show’s lore. “So if Blake has cat ears, does that mean anyone can have cat ears? Could they have other animal traits? It’d be cool to see someone with scales or a fox tail…” [1]

Let me clarify by saying that there’s nothing wrong with basing a decision on aesthetics (in principle, anyway). And RWBY isn’t the only franchise guilty of doing this. It only takes a few seconds of consulting TV Tropes to see that zoomorphism is extremely pervasive. And while I have a tendency to complain a lot on this blog, I’m not such a kvetch that I’ll deny that animal-people with lion tails and ram horns look fucking sweet.

The problem I have with Faunus (from a genetic standpoint) is the way they’re inconsistently described in relation to humans. While Qrow unambiguously refers to them as a separate species, [2] we have Faunus characters that contradict him by describing themselves as a race. [3] This leads to the inevitable issue of whose account do we trust? On one hand, the information provided to us by Qrow is through World of Remnant, a spin-off series whose entire purpose is to clarify information and teach the audience about core worldbuilding concepts. On the other hand, what we’re told about the Faunus being a race comes directly from Ghira Belladonna. In this context, who would you expect to be the better authority on Faunus—a human, or a Faunus?

Even if we set aside the complicated implications of an outgroup member talking over a minority, we’re still left with the issue of well, which is it? Are they a race or a species? And why does it even matter?

Before we can answer any of those questions, let’s quickly define both terms:

A species is a taxonomic rank used for classifying groups of organisms together on the basis of being able to participate in genetic interchange via sexual reproduction, to produce fertile offspring.

A race (in biology) is an informal/unrecognized taxonomic rank below subspecies, defined as unique subgroups with either geographic, physiological, or genetic distinctions from other subgroups within their species. In anthropology, however, a race is typically regarded as a social construct. In this case, it refers to an identity held by members of a population that share physical or social qualities that are seen as categorically distinct.

The answer, if we’re being objective, is probably something along the lines of “RWBY’s writers thought that the two terms were interchangeable, or they didn’t think the distinction mattered enough to do the research and settle on a definition.” Unless someone specifically reached out to a Rooster Teeth employee and asked, we’ll never truly know. Speculation will only get us so far, and where this blog is concerned, we need a definitive answer—or at the very least, we need to talk about why the distinction matters to us.

So, are Faunus their own race? Meaning, are they a self-identifying ethnic group with a common language, ancestry, history, culture, nation, or social treatment within their residing area?

Common language: That’s a definite no. RWBY still hasn’t managed to explain how everyone across the four kingdoms speaks the same language, let alone develop any conlangs.

Ancestry: We actually don’t have a canon answer for this. The show has yet to tell us where the Faunus came from, so we can’t make any assumptions about how related they are to one another.

History: Technically, yes. But the series has a gross tendency to homogenize the experience of Faunus across Remnant, so the history of Faunus in Vale is virtually identical to that of Mistral. This trend results in storytelling discrepancies, like the Faunus in culturally-unprejudiced Vacuo [4] being equally threatened by and involved with the Faunus Rights Revolution, when there shouldn’t have been an in-world basis for this scenario.

Culture: Don’t make me laugh. RWBY couldn’t even be bothered to give any of its four kingdoms distinct cultures. Apart from a few scenes in Menagerie where you see a bunch of background characters hanging out in the Shallow Sea district of Kuo Kuana, there really isn’t anything culturally unique to the Faunus.

Nation: I guess? I personally wouldn’t consider Menagerie a nation, simply because it’s not one the Faunus originated from, but were rather given in the aftermath of the Great War. As far as we know, Faunus have always been just as widespread across Remnant as humans.

Social treatment: We’re told that social treatment for the Faunus as a whole is shitty, but that the degree of shittiness varies from place to place. Forgive me if I don’t buy that. Not after we’ve seen students in Vale physically harass a Faunus, [5] shops in Mistral refuse service to Faunus, [6] and companies in Atlas extract labor from Faunus. [7] If social treatment is contingent on shared experiences, then why are we told that these experiences change depending on the kingdom? And if the kingdoms vary in levels of racial acceptance, then why are we repeatedly shown the exact opposite?

Based on the aforementioned criteria, I’m inclined to say that Faunus don’t fit the definition of race.

So, are the Faunus a separate species from humans?

“History gets a little fuzzy past a certain point, but we do know that their kind and ours are completely compatible, from a—a biological standpoint.” | Source: World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 6: “Faunus.”

That’s a resounding no.

As much as the taxonomist in me wants to talk about things like the multiple competing species concepts, or the fact that plants frequently violate the definition of species by producing fertile hybrids through polyploidy (chromosomal doubling), I have to restrain myself. For simplicity’s sake, we’re accepting that Faunus and humans are members of the same species on the basis that they’re not reproductively isolated.

The reason why genetics matters in regards to the race-species discourse is because we have yet to learn what the Faunus truly are. If we ignore the fact that they exist because Monty Oum wanted to stick cat ears on a girl, then we have to figure out what their existence means to Remnant’s past: Did the Brother Gods intervene in the early evolution of Humanity v2.0, by creating a subset of people with animal traits that would sow discord, for the sole purpose of giving Ozma another obstacle to overcome? Did Salem (who watched Humanity v2.0 evolve) try to influence their evolution, and somehow managed to bestow animalistic traits upon select groups of early hominids? Is Dust like a magically-radioactive fossil fuel that by pure chance mutated early people through exposure, resulting in their animalistic traits? Are the Faunus’ animal traits completely irrelevant to the plot, and are only there for the sake of style?

That’s why the Faunus’ genetic background matters—because as the story progresses, it’s going to inform what questions the audience asks.

There’s a good chance that all of this will end up being nitpicky conjecture, and there won’t be any storytelling payoff. But I think it’s still important to address, if for no other reason than to illustrate why pre-production worldbuilding is essential for telling a coherent story. But I digress.

Genetics, and Its Relationship with Color Theory

It goes without saying that RWBY is defined by color. It’s reflected in nearly every facet of the franchise—team names, wardrobe, Dust color, Aura color, emblems, characters’ names, even the show’s title—and it’s just as important from a worldbuilding standpoint as it is from a narrative one. [8]

Where color theory and genetics cross paths is in the field of character appearance—specifically, hair and eye color. For the moment, let’s set aside eye color as a visual device for foiling and paralleling characters (like Yang Xiao Long’s purple eyes compared to Blake Belladonna’s yellow eyes). Instead, we’re going to talk about these phenotypes from a hereditary perspective.

We’re going to streamline this discussion a bit by focusing on hair for the moment, and picking three colors that would be considered unnatural by our world’s standards. Let’s go with blue, green, and pink. Here’s a handful of characters who have these traits:

Blue hair: Neptune Vasilias, Ciel Soleil, Henry Marigold, May Marigold, Nebula Violette, Sky Lark, Trifa

Green hair: Emerald Sustrai, Marrow Amin, Bartholomew Oobleck, Reese Chloris, Russel Thrush, Sage Ayana

Pink hair: An Ren, May Zedong, Nadir Shiko

Now we’re going to take those lists and swap out the characters’ names for their inferred country of origin:

Blue hair: Mistral, Atlas, Atlas, Atlas, Vacuo, Vale, Menagerie

Green hair: Vale, Atlas, Vale, Mistral, Vale, Mistral

Pink hair: Mistral, Vacuo, Mistral

We can conclude that these hair colors are natural on the basis that we never see characters dying their hair, and that similarly unusual eye colors (red, pink, purple, yellow) would also be natural in Remnant. Unless we’re assuming that everyone is wearing custom contact lenses, then it’s safe to say they’re legit. With the example of hair color, you’ll notice that they’re distributed across a wide number of nationalities, with little hint of consistency among them.

At the end of the day, it’s easy to write this off as “the writers wanted to have cool character designs and not have to think too hard about the worldbuilding implications behind them.” But there is a worldbuilding implication behind them, and it’s one that I’ll be focusing on in later Deconstruction and Amendment posts, so I want to make sure we talk about it now:

RWBY has repeatedly shown us that people are fairly geographically isolated from each other, and travel between kingdoms has always been difficult due to the Grimm. It wasn’t until eighty years ago, when the Great War ended, that a combo of international political cooperation and technological advancements made travel safer and more commonplace. Keep in mind that when populations of humans are geographically isolated from each other over prolonged periods of time, it results in those populations evolving specific anatomical traits.

Let me give you a few real world examples. Epicanthic folds are predominantly found in East Asian, Polynesian, and North Asian ethnic groups. Red hair, while not exclusive to any one nationality, is statistically highest in people of Northwestern European ancestry. Darker complexion is most common in equatorial populations, where high melanin production (especially eumelanin) protects against UVR exposure.

RWBY has every reason under the sun to ascribe certain phenotypes to the ethnicities of each kingdom, and for some reason it just doesn’t. Like, why not make green hair a trait common to people with Sanus ancestry? How about red eyes originating from Anima?

Avatar: The Last Airbender pulled this off by making dark skin, brown hair, and blue/gray eyes features of the Water Tribes. The Fire Nation, to reflect its broader geographic distribution, has a much wider range of phenotypes, with both light and dark skin tones and black or brown hair. However, it still retained golden, amber, and bronze eyes as a distinguishing characteristic of people descended from this ancestry. Frankly, I love that the show took the time to establish those traits among its ethnic groups. Not only was it a great way to visually communicate to the audience the ethnicity of the characters, but those traits took on entirely new meanings in the sequel Avatar: The Legend of Korra. When we meet the brothers Mako and Bolin for the first time and see their respective eye colors—amber and green—we’re immediately able to deduce that they’re the products of successful multiculturalism, something that would’ve seemed impossible seventy years ago when the world was gripped by war. It’s a powerful statement that was conveyed through careful attention to detail and excellent worldbuilding. Given that RWBY also takes place several decades after a global war, the writers had the opportunity to pull off a similar feat. And I don’t think it ever occurred to them once.

At the end of the day, it’s not the worst thing RWBY could’ve done. I think I’m just disappointed by the missed opportunities. The show already has so little going for it when it comes to shaping the identities of its four main kingdoms, so with color being such a vital motif for the show, this feels like it should have been a natural progression of those ideas.

On a more positive note, we’ve finally reached the end of Worldbuilding (Part I) - Mechanical Aspects! Next time, we’ll get to introduce the second section of worldbuilding topics: history.

-

[1] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 42.

[2] World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 6: “Faunus.”

[3] Volume 5, Episode 3: “Unforeseen Complications.” Ghira Belladonna: “[Adam’s] actions not only tarnished the reputation of an organization originally created to bring peace and equality to all, but to our entire race.”

[4] World of Remnant, Volume 4, Episode 4: “Vacuo.”

[5] Volume 1, Episode 11: “Jaunedice - Part 1.”

[6] Volume 5, Episode 6: “Known by Its Song.”

[7] Volume 7, Episode 1: “The Greatest Kingdom.”

[8] Wallace, Daniel. The World of RWBY: The Official Companion. VIZ Media LLC, 2019, page 44.

[primordial0riginator]

WILFY AND LANE >:3c

Ah yeah two of the oldest bitches I GOT let’s GO!

Wilfy

Full Name: Winnifred Muneera | Wilfy as a nickname

Gender and Sexuality: cis female and bisexual

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: She’s a holy variation of a species I made when I was like 10 years old. This species is basically sentient magic and takes the physical appearance of any species it wants. Holy ones are called Skytopians. Wilfy takes the form of a little cat or half cat/half human most of the time.

Birthplace and Birthdate: She was born in Skytopia, which is basically a big kingdom that is located in the clouds. She’s the heir to the throne so she’s a princess. Her birthday is April 8th.

Guilty Pleasures:

-Goofing off on Earth rather than going and doing her princess duties in the sky

-Being lazy and napping on clouds

-Cooking, but moreso the act of it rather than eating anything so she mostly gives food away a lot.

Phobias:

-Death of herself and those around her

-Caverns, canyons, pits, caves, etc. Basically anything that’s dark and gaping and looks as if if you fall in it will suck you in and kill you. She feels like she’s suffocating around these kinds of things.

-Very unnatural and disturbing imagery, ESPECIALLY body horror. If there’s something bending the wrong way, even if it’s like a broken limb, she will probably cry lmao it freaks her out

What They Would Be Famous For: Just being a good person honestly. She does a lot of good and selfless things all the time

What They Would Get Arrested For: Helping the wrong kind of person and getting framed for something she didn’t do

OC You Ship Them With: no one rn. I really want someone for her but I have no idea what to do for a partner at the moment jdkskdks

OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Silverhaunt. It isn’t that he hates HER but he hates everything she’s directly connected to so yeah he’d try to kill her ass on sight if he could lmao

Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Probably comedy for both tbh

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: Horror anything for movies and the good ole “everything sucks and nothing gets better” book endings

Talents and/or Powers:

-Very good at flying with her wings. Maneuvers herself very well even against strong winds and storms and such

-Gets along with pretty much everyone unless they’re awful lmao

-Her magic type is healing and she’s very good at doing so, but she cannot heal herself ironically

-She surprisingly is good with swords, but that’s mostly a very little known fact

Why Someone Might Love Them: there is literally no reason to not love her I’m not gonna lie. I mean I’m biased but shhh-

I mean ok though I guess because she’s such a heavy optimist who sees the good in everything and everyone

Why Someone Might Hate Them: Idk you have bad taste or something?? /j

Ok but no realistically she does have a bad tendency to be naive and give chances to people who don’t deserve it and that is very annoying lmao

How They Change: She doesn’t change much at all if I’m being real, she’s always gonna be a relatively pure little ball of sunshine but I guess she matures a bit over time and maybe wisens up to the ways of the world at some point

Why You Love Them: she is my fucking baby. Also she encompasses a very beautiful and innocent time in my life.

Lane

Full Name: Delanie Ardere | Lane for a nickname

Gender and Sexuality: cis female and lesbian

Pronouns: she/her

Ethnicity/Species: Half of a species of angel that I made up, and half raposa which is a lil race of fox people from a video game lmao

Birthplace and Birthdate: She was born on a large and mostly isolated tropical island called Eptora. She was born October 26th

Guilty Pleasures:

-Reading. In fact she can mostly be found reading books somewhere about 99% of the time. Doesn’t really matter what genre most of the time

-Stargazing and astrology. She’s pretty hooked on that subject and is a major nerd about it

-Collecting weapons

Phobias:

-Being useless and weak

-Disappointing those closest to her

-Abandonment

-Burning out and dying from her magic defect

What They Would Be Famous For: Honestly? A lot of things. Bitch is kinda a badass and canonically tears down a whole ass corrupt monarchy (with help but is the general spearheader of it) just because the people involved were responsible for kidnapping her girlfriend. She’s what we call a very angry hero most of the time and that would be her claim to fame.

What They Would Get Arrested For: ....also a lot lmao. But mostly going against corrupt people and systems who would want her imprisoned for doing so. I would say other contenders are assault and property damage though

OC You Ship Them With: my dude Adam’s OC Althea. They’re very sweet together.

OC Most Likely To Murder Them: Buddy there’s a list of people likely who would line up for the opportunity

Favorite Movie/Book Genre: Movie I would say action/adventure and book I would say mystery/thriller

Least Favorite Movie/Book Cliche: Anything she finds boring for either tbh. There’s nothing specific, but if it doesn’t give her a sense of fulfillment for finishing the story she won’t like it

Talents and/or Powers:

-Physically strong

-Knows how to use a lot of different kinds of weapons, particularly guns and blades

-A good leader who knows how to bring out the strengths in each member of her team

-Her magic is generally unable to be used until she’s at a later stage in life because of a defect in her genetics, but when she can it’s a lot of celestial type magic. So lots of spacey magic that has fire and ice as a main base for its appearance and effect. Most of the time she’ll be using magical weapons tho.

Why Someone Might Love Them: I would say because she’s a badass tbh. She’s a tough punk with a strong set of morals who never gives up and you gotta respect what she stands for, which is generally protecting and uplifting innocents that get caught up in awful circumstances

Why Someone Might Hate Them: She’s one of those people that either respect for being a hotheaded punk or you hate for being a hotheaded punk. I can see why someone wouldn’t like her broody attitude sometimes

How They Change: She gains more confidence and sense of worth for herself throughout the story after originally starting off with about none. She’ll never stop growing and changing and that’s an important part of her overall character

Why You Love Them: She’s my first OC and obviously one of the ones I’m most attached to by default because she’s grown and changed with me so much. If I had to pick one OC to be known by it’d be her. I made her to be the strong female character I wanted to see in the world and idk I just love her

[wisdomrays]

TAFAKKUR: Part 135

Retina: The Mind-Boggler

One of the most mysterious layers of the eye, the retina has an elaborate structure with a slew of functions. Not every eye surgeon dares touch the retina, which houses the most sensitive and special cellular layers. It is a three dimensional, crescent-shaped structure located in the back of the eye and is made up of ten super thin layers of cells that span the exterior part of the eye abutting the veins and its interiors.

Retinal layers

The ten layers that form the retina are:

Pigment (coloring matter) layer

Layer of rods and cones

External limiting membrane

Outer nuclear layer comprising rod and cone cells

Outer plexiform layer

Inner nuclear layer

Inner plexiform layer

Ganglion layer

Nerve fiber layer

Inner limiting membrane

These layers are incredibly sensitive and elaborate, and studying their intricate structure give a sense of awe.

Light for sight

Light first arrives at and penetrates through the cornea, the living glassy layer at the outermost layer of the eye. It then goes through the frontal fluid (aquesous humor) and the aperture called the pupil (pupilla). It hits the internal wall of the retina (the inside of the crescent) after passing through the lens in the eye and then the optic fluid filling up the chamber in the back. This alone is an interesting fact because it is much later that the light that gets to the retina reaches the layer of sensitive cone and rod cells, which perceive light. As these cone and rod cells are lined one after another for their protection, light reaches this outer layer of the retina after the ganglion cells, retinal layers and nuclear layers. Such an alignment leads to a reduction of acuity in the peripheral regions of the retina.

We have theories about the many details – such as the perception and representation of mental images and their storage in the memory – but we still do not exactly know how the act of seeing works

The central pit (fovea centralis)

The inner layers at the center of the retina, on the other hand, are drawn to the sides to prevent any loss in visual acuity. Resembling a pit, this section is much thinner than the periphery of the retina, so the layers that are likely to obstruct the passage of the light, and hence reduce visual acuity, are aligned specifically to allow light to directly hit cone and rod cells. Besides, cone cells, which are in charge of exact, colored sight, exist in this region, whereas rod cells, which are in charge of rough and uncolored (black and white) sight, do not. The central pit where visual acuity is at its highest is for keen, colored, and exact sight. Why then is the rest of the retina not created for acute sight and why is this small section equipped with this ability?

As it turns out, if the entire retina had the ability to see keenly then it would not be possible for the eye to focus on a spot and accurately distinguish it from surrounding objects. If we could see the entire page of a book at a glance, for example, the lines would mix up in our brain. We would not be able to understand what we are reading. We normally start reading from the top of the written page and continue line by line as we focus on and take in each word. Our brain then can focus and perceive a single word accurately by restricting keen perception of the surrounding area.

The retinal pigment layer

The color black is known to absorb, not reflect, light. Thanks to such absorption, the layer made up of black pigments (melanin) or dyes prevents the reflection of light, which is crucial for visual acuity. This black substance functions like the black dye in the bellows of old cameras. If there were not any layer to absorb light, light would scatter off the wall inside the eyeball, thereby obscuring the sharpness between light and dark spots, which is essential for the formation of a clear image, and producing a blurry image due to the overall illumination of the retina.

People who lack this melanin pigment as a result of a genetic defect (Albinism disorder) have white hair, and they are oversensitive to light because the colored iris layer of the eye does not contain the melanin pigment, which refracts light. When an albino person enters a bright area, the light that hits the retina is reflected in all directions through the pigment-lacking retina and the white surfaces of the rigid layer underneath (sclera). Therefore, a ray of light that would normally stimulate a few cones or rods is scattered everywhere, stimulating all or most of the light receivers. As a result, visual acuity in albinos can only be between 20/100 and 20/200, even with the help of the best optical correction, which is a low value compared to 20/20 in normal sight. The joke that rabbits do not wear glasses because they eat carrots is based on the high concentration of vitamin A in this pigment, or black dye, layer of the eye. Indeed, vitamin A is a crucial factor for the health of these pigments.

Layer of rods and cones

Composed of 127 million light-sensitive receivers (photoreceptors), the retina is 0.2 mm thick at the yellow spot (macula lutea), where the image forms most clearly, and 0.1 mm thick at the edges of this area. The 120 million cylindrical rods in the retina are in charge of black and white sight (at twilight), and the 7 million tapered cones, of colored, colored and exact sight. The more common cylindrical rods are 50 µm (microns) in length and 1-5 µm in thickness. The less common cones are 40 µm (microns) in length and 3-5 µm in thickness.

The concentration of the cones increases toward the center of the retina and decreases toward the edges, to be outnumbered by the rods. In the cytoplasm of the cones and rods are stored substances that are sensitive to light (photosensitive) which break up when light contacts them and produce electricity in the cones and rods. In rods this chemical is called rhodopsin. In cones, on the other hand, are three substances corresponding to the colors red, green, and blue that are sensitive to the wavelengths of colored light. To be more exact, there are three separate cone cells that include one of these three substances. Chemically, the photosensitive substances in the cones are a little different from rhodopsins.

The destruction of rhodopsin by light energy

Rhodopsin, along with the color substances, fills up about 40% of rods and cones. They are made up of a protein called scotopsin and a molecule called retinene that is derived from vitamin A. When light energy is absorbed by rhodopsin or the color substances, rhodopsin starts to fade in as fast as one trillionth of a second. The underlying reason for this is that the electrons in the retinene (vitamin A) part of rhodopsin is activated by light, which alters the shape of the retinal molecule at a mind-boggling speed (one trillionth of a second). Extremely complicated and precise chemical and physical changes then take place. It is very difficult to monitor all of these biochemical changes, and they require specialization.

The regeneration of the rhodopsin destroyed by light

Rhodopsin destroyed by light is regenerated in the dark. Only in the twentieth century did we manage to partially identify the mechanism by which molecules with very specific geometric shapes decay at incredible speeds only to be regenerated later. It is wondrous that such knowledge and power are present in the cell allowing the light energy to destroy the molecule and the regeneration process is launched. The circulation between destruction and regeneration of the molecule continues throughout a lifetime. Vitamin A is assigned a crucial task in the generation of rhodopsin in the dark. All-trans retinal is converted in the retina into all-trans retinol, which is then converted into 11-cys retinol with the help of an isomerase enzyme. Finally, 11-cys retinol is converted into 11-cys retinal, which in turn combines with scotopsin to form rhodopsin. Vitamin A is present both in the cytoplasm of rods and in the pigment layer of the retina. In this way, vitamin A is kept in reserve to be used for generations of new retinal. If, on the other hand, there is an excess of vitamin A in the retina, the excess amount is converted into retinal, by which the amount of light-sensitive pigment in the retina is lowered.

Night blindness

Night blindness appears in anyone who suffers a serious deficiency of vitamin A. Because there is a lack of vitamin A to be converted into retinal, rhodopsin amounts decrease dramatically. This disease is called night blindness as it is noticeable only in the dark or at night and does not affect sight during the day, due to the reduction of light for proper seeing. In daylight, however, cones can still be stimulated despite a similar decrease in color pigments. Night blindness typically only appears in people that have a low vitamin A diet because huge reserves of vitamin A are normally stored in the liver to be used for the eyes.

The human retina contains 400,000 light receptive cells per square millimeter. For comparison, this number is 680,000 in the retina of the owl, which needs to perceive even the slightest glow when hunting in the night. As another example, with 397,000 such cells the amount in the cat’s retina is almost the same as ours.

An average of 130 sight cells in the retina are connected to a ganglion (nerve node) cell. Constituting the nerve of sight, or the optic nerve (nervus opticus), every nerve fiber is connected to a ganglion cell. It takes about 15-60 seconds for the retinal optic nerves to adapt from dark to light, while it takes as long as 30-45 minutes to adapt from light to dark. The visual range of optic cells, i.e. the lowest and highest amount of light the eye can perceive, is between 10-7 and 106 nanometers. Light that is below or above this range is invisible to us because of its insufficient or overwhelming wavelength.

All the colors we see in the world are named according to the wavelengths absorbed and reflected by optic cells. The spectrum of the optic cells lies between red and violet, which is the limit of visible light for humans. Light with a wavelength of 400 nm is perceived as violet, while light with a wavelength of 760 nm is perceived as red. Our eyes cannot see infrared and ultraviolet light. Some animals, however, are known to see light beyond these limits. For example, we know that bees can see certain shades of ultraviolet light, which helps them find flowers to pollenate.

Clearly, it is not an easy job to elaborate on the divine art manifested in such a small area as the retina. Complicated structures and reactions that require specialization even to comprehend keep taking place smoothly every moment we look around. At least we can be thankful for this amazing gift of vision given to us free of charge so that we can recognize the universe.

[beach-goth-baby]

i have a few new side blogs so i wanted to share this on them all so people following them can get to know me as well as people on my main!! thank u @nihilnovesubsole for doing this!! my side blogs are @ring-a-ding-broad @nightvision-of-thesoul , and @wiiild-wild-west !!

Who were you named after? no one. my mom and dad both liked the name lauren and saw it in a book so that’s why it’s my name! i do like it though. i think it’s weird when people call me by my full name though instead of like laur

Last time you cried? two nights ago when i was drinking by myself lmao good stuff

Do you like your handwriting? eh. i do like it sometimes but i have to hold my hand a certain way to get it to look the way i like it. it looks a lot like my moms which i think is cool because it’s just funny how genetics work that we even write the same way no matter how many times i tried to change it around when i was younger

What is your favorite lunch meat?  turkey babeyyy

Longest relationship? 6 years and counting

Do you still have your tonsils? yep!

What is your favorite kind of cereal? when i want to eat health(ier) cereal i always go for cinnamon life, but as far as unhealthier cereals go my fav forever will be eggo cereal whenever they have it in stores

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? uhhh truthfully i don’t think about this that much because my 4 shoes i wear are my clarks, crocs, birks and blundstones (tevas as well in the summer) and only the clarks lace up so i guess no??

Do you think you’re strong willed? i am strong willed on certain things, but generally i’m very reasonable

Favorite Ice Cream? mint chocolate chip or cherry garcia, partly for the grateful dead and party for the cherry cordials

What is the first thing you notice about a person? hair then eyes and then teeth/smile

Football or baseball? okay i HATE football with a burning, endless passion. i do not see the point or appeal at all. baseball is still slow, but i have a lot of fond memories tied to summer baseball games and the feeling of nostalgia lmao

Favorite donut? powdered all the WAY

Last thing you ate? a banana ;-)

What are you listening to? i’ve been listening to the growlers a lot again, and my golden oldies playlist which is mainly 60s-70s rock for the hippie bitch i aspire to be

If you were a crayon, what color would you be? a bright yellow !!!

What is your favorite smell? strawberries, the smell of the trees in the mountains, CAMPFIRES, roses, and one thing i miss tremendously is the smell of my boyfriend when i would hug him tightly and smell his hair and the little groove of his neck. he always smells so sweet!

Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? my brother! who misLEADINGLY told me that hereditary was NOT THAT SCARY right before i watched it last night

Hair color? brown/blonde! it was very very blonde when i was little and then has gotten browner as i’ve gotten older

Eye color? brown :-//

Favorite food to eat? i can always eat mac and cheese and baked beans. i will eat that as my last meal probs

Scary movies or happy ending?  scary movies, specifically ari aster lately because my boyfriend was murdered and he portrays grief really well, and i’m still resentful towards happy endings at the moment

Last movie you watched in a theater?: little women and let me tell you it can’t come out on dvd soon ENOUGH

What color shirt are you wearing? cream! it’s my john muir t shirt

Favorite holiday?: it used to be halloween when i was younger and still went trick or treating, but i think now it’s christmas, not for the day itself but for the days surrounding it where you’re cozy inside with a fire and (ideally) snow outside

Beer or wine?: beer 100% wine is NASTY

Night owl or morning person? night owl also 100%. i physically cannot go to bed before 1 in the morning on any given day. although i do appreciate the beauty of being awake and starting your day early! i just never do it

Favorite day of the week? unironically it’s monday, because i have been trying to work on myself a lot lately and monday always feels like a clean slate

Favorite animal? bears or pigs!!

Do you have a pet? 1 dog, josie, and one cat, maverick!

if you want to do this too, please do!!!

[ckret2]

What are your alien headcanon for ghidorah?

I didn’t realize that i desperately wanted somebody to ask about Ghidorah’s alienness until you did so thank you very much for this opportunity, I won’t let you down. I’ve tried to roughly divide paragraphs by topics and this is obscenely long so most of it is under a cut.

All of these are specific to MonsterVerse.

I know I’ve mentioned this before but I’ve decided that for the purposes of my fics, Legendary!Ghidorah’s backstory is a mix of Invasion of Astro-Monster (he’s been mind-controlled by aliens for the purpose of destroying other planets) and Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (he was made out of three tiny adorable mildly telepathic dragon-cat things). So put together: some unknown alien species in the distant past took three sweet little household pets, frankensteined them together, threw in a mountainload of genetic modifications, and trained/mindcontrolled the resulting abomination to be a flying apocalypse to destroy planets they want to conquer. (to stick with the Invasion of Astro Monster parallels, i might go with the aliens being Xiliens. undecided.)

At some point, Ghidorah escaped his handlers, went rogue, and has been bopping around the galaxy razing planets every since.

So this is why he’s a planet-destroyer: because 1) he was specially designed as a weapon that’s so good at planet-destroying he starts passively wrecking the environment simply by flying, and 2) he’s an escaped domesticated pet that was strenuously trained to destroy planets, so he’s kept doing the one thing he was trained to do. it’s the only thing he’s ever known, except for a couple years of being three dragon-kittens before getting experimented on. He doesn’t think it’s his manifest destiny to conquer and rule a private world, he’s not particularly keen on being King; he just, like… has no other hobbies besides mass murder, and is scared to try new things. He’s uh, probably got some trauma to work through.

Yes: he did, in fact, wreck Venus’s atmosphere. There may or may not be extraterrestrial refugees from Venus on Earth. He may or may not also be responsible for Jupiter’s red spot.

And he actually can fly without creating hurricanes, even in hurricane-prone atmospheres like Earth’s; it’s just harder and a lot less comfortable. Like imagine if it rained every time you walked—but not on you, just somewhere else—unless you walked sideways with your hands on your head. like, you COULD, but it’d be annoying.

His heads are not actually related, although all three did know each other before getting mad scienced together.

Because his original species was Domesticated Pet, and because his modifications allowed him to actually understand his “owner” species and what they said to/about him, he thinks of himself and other species that are disinclined toward tool-using, structure-building, and complicated-society-forming as “creatures” rather than “people”—i.e., a naturally inferior state of being. He thinks of himself as a “creature,” which is sorta messed up, because like, he’s definitely a person. Three people? At least one person. (This is in contrast to most Earth titans, who think of titans as highly diverse “people” and, on the other hand, think of humans and their cities as rather like rabbits and their warrens or bees and their hives—that is, most  usually don’t think about them at all, and certainly don’t consider such small critters to be “people.” There are a few rare exceptions—like Mothra—who consider humans to also be people like titans.)

Because of his awareness of “people” that are often much smaller than him, he’s got a capacity for sadism toward humans that titans who don’t even notice humans, like Rodan, lack. When Rodan flies over streets, he’s accidentally blowing around some ants. When Ghidorah flies over streets, he’s slaughtering living sentient individuals, knows it, and enjoys it.

Also because of his awareness of “people,” he’s far warier of their contraptions than other titans. Like, Rodan thinks jets are crunchy birds; but Ghidorah knows. At a glance he understands the rough purpose and use of most human machines based on analogous inventions he’s seen on other planets—he understands jets, drones, missiles, bombs, telephones, cameras, TVs, speakers, street lights, power grids, satellites…

He considers humans a class of people he refers to as “machine makers,” because that’s their defining trait to him, He considers machine maker species the most dangerous type of alien because they’re the ones who might conceivably have the capacity of inventing things that can put him back under mind control.

He can basically flap on up to the moon any time he wants, and probably does from time to time to get away from King Skreeonk and his insufferable friends. Who’s gonna go get him on the moon? SpaceX?

Ghidorah’s original species was genetically modified to be lightly empathic—able to read other living beings’ emotions—to help the pets care for their dear beloved owners’ emotional states; members of the species can also freely telegraph their emotions to each other. Ghidorah retained the power after being frankensteined, but it atrophied greatly over time. Possibly due to trauma, possibly due to three-people-aren’t-supposed-to-share-one-spinal-cord brain damage, who knows. He can still use it, but it only really fully works when he’s deeply sleeping/hibernating (i.e., when he was frozen in Antarctica, or when he’s traveling from one solar system to another and needs to pass time). When he’s awake, he’s got to press his foreheads directly to someone else’s head to sense their emotions. He can also transmit emotions this way. (He doesn’t need the ability to telegraph emotions between heads, since they’ve got a sorta interconnected brain system already.)

As an offshoot of this empath power, one of his multitude of apocalyptic powers that may or may not have been intended by his original designers: Ghidorah is capable of mild mind control—which is actually how he managed to control a whole planet of titans—by “singing.” It’s not direct control so much as it is a forced emotional state; what the victim does in that emotional state is up to them, although he can offer gentle suggestions that line up with their state. (i.e., “you’re extremely angry now; perhaps punch someone?” would function; “you’re extremely angry now; perhaps tenderly kiss someone?” would fall apart.)

This ability works directly on the brains of his targets, and since every evolutionary tree builds its brains different ways, when he lands on a new planet he has to put significant effort into studying the minds on the planet before he can figure out how to compose a song that will affect them at all, much less tune it to the specific emotions that he wants to cause. For this reason, he usually doesn’t consider it worth the effort, and he usually wrecks a planet and moves on long before figuring out how to sing to their minds. He probably wouldn’t have figured out how to sing to Earth’s titans if his battles with Godzilla hadn’t slowed him down from destroying the planet & motivated him to find other ways to get an advantage.

His song didn’t work on humans because titan brains are just too different for the same tune to work on both. His song didn’t work on Mothra because she’s telepathic herself, and a stronger telepath than Ghidorah. His song didn’t work on Godzilla because he was legally braindead at the time; otherwise, it probably would have. His song’s effectiveness is a matter of brain biology, not “alpha” ranking.

He can learn to sing other emotions, but right now the only one for Earth he’s figured out is “PANICRAGE AND DESTROY THINGS!!” because that’s the only one he wanted to figure out.

And I refer to it as “singing” partially because siren song parallels and partially because, from Ghidorah’s perspective, it is like, just singing. He also enjoys totally normal non-mind-control singing, like, just for fun.

When Ghidorah escaped his home planet, there were other “Ghidorahs” that had been made for the same purpose. He occasionally glimpsed them while bopping around the galaxy, but crossing paths with them was usually his signal to Get The Hell Out Of This Solar System because homeworld handlers might be with them. It’s not safe to stick around long enough to figure out whether they’re escaped like him or not.

He hasn’t seen any other “Ghidorahs” in a long time. He doesn’t know if any are still alive, or even if his homeworld is still alive & out conquering. He’s not interested in checking.

When he’s in parts of the galaxy with more well-traveled spacefaring aliens who recognize him as a world-ending weapon gone rogue, he’s sometimes hired as a mercenary to ravage planets. And by “hired” as a “mercenary” I mean “they ask him to destroy a specific planet and he says yeah okay because he was going to destroy a planet anyway and doesn’t care which one, and he doesn’t really have any material needs or keep any possessions so payment would be wasted on him.”

This is how he met Gigan, who is also a gigantic living war machine gone rogue from his homeworld and now occasionally doing mercenary work. Unlike Ghidorah, Gigan actually requests payment for flattening a world; but like, he’s also willing to flatten it per the client’s specifications—i.e. “please STOP flattening it if they pay our ransom” or such—which at times makes him a better hire than Ghidorah even at the extra cost. Being somewhat cyborg, Gigan can download and speak languages that aren’t technically supposed to be compatible with his anatomy, so he was able to strike up a conversation with Ghidorah a lot faster than most aliens because he already knew how to speak Ghidorah’s homeworld owner species’s language.

Along with understanding his owner species’ spoken language, Ghidorah can also read their written language, and possibly the languages of some other aliens too; and he can recognize what The Written Word is when he sees it even if he doesn’t know the language. He can, potentially, write—slowly and badly, like, if he’s got a long enough beach and a big enough stick to hold in his teeth and drag in the sand. He’s really not anatomically designed for writing, or even typing, in any easy way, and he’s never felt the need to find a method that works for him.

If, somehow, Ghidorah managed to spawn offspring, they would be of his original species: extremely small dragon-cats.

Being a deliberately designed weapon with a specific purpose, he probably wasn’t designed to reproduce, or even to simply be able to perform the physical act of mating. His creators did not, however, bother to remove his urge to do so. This has been a source of lifelong frustration. (That said though, he might still be capable in some fashion—if, y’know, it seems narratively interesting enough to pursue. But if so, it WILL be difficult to manage, full of complications and frustrations, and most likely require some creativity and/or unexpected wild accidents on Ghidorah’s part to achieve.)

Despite the fact that he’s a giant murderous asshole, Ghidorah is, in his heart, still just three domesticated pets, and so thinks that being an indoor pet with a loving owner taking care of all your needs is in fact A Fine And Good Thing To Be. All three parts of him were quite happy to be owned and taken care of—up until they got frankensteined and forced into mind-controlled giant monster boot camp.

So if he did spawn a bunch of extremely small dragon-cats and humans, being humans, started snatching them up and taking them home to be quirky exotic pets, he’d be like, “hell yeah. go, my children. this is your destiny.”

Ghidorah doesn’t consider himself as having any name at all. In fic when I call the heads “First,” “Second,” and “Third,” it’s more for the convenience of readers; they themselves don’t bother to think of themselves or each other by any names, even just numbers, because they always know who they’re thinking about already. He’s always surprised when someone gives him a name to go by—surprised and a little bit uncomfortable, because he feels like a name threatens to psychologically anchor him down to a “normal” life amid “normal” people. Homeworld may or may not have given him a name, or at least a code name; might have just him a serial number, idk. In any case he doesn’t remember it. His component parts had individual names before they were frankensteined, which none of them consciously remember, but if someone were to ever call them by their original names they’d probably start bawling like babies.

[secret-engima]

Yo! Are you still doing headcanons? Or answers? Whatever! What about others reactions on Starwish being Magnus/Jazz child/sparkmate?? Like, not the one you did for your side fic, but like. Seaspays thoughts when he meets her??? Am I making sense at all???

Hi!! I am still doing HCs and prompts (I’ll get to the Magnus Starwish platonic I swear I’m just- trying to make the muses SIT DOWN in the TF fandom long enough to hammer it out.

Okay so- lemme think. I think I get what you’re asking, you want to know HCs for how specific bots like Seaspray react to learning that she’s Magnus’s child and/or Jazz sparkmate? Lemme see if I do this right.

Seaspray: 

- A lot of things are going wrong when Seaspray meets (or at least sees) Starwish for the first time. Cybertron dying, Whirl going meltdown, slag is hitting the burners and he’s been in the Wreckers for a long enough time to know to brace himself for it to get worse. So when Ultra Magnus asks the Spec Ops mech that showed up out of thin air for the whereabouts of Starwish, Seaspray doesn’t think anything of it. By now, a lot of mechs have heard of Ratchet’s second apprentice, the tiny wonder femme Starwish. Whirl needs a medic, and Starwish is supposedly one of the best. It doesn’t occur to him to wonder how Ultra Magnus knew that Starwish was even in the area.

- Until a little white blur comes out of nowhere to tackle Ultra Magnus anyway. Seaspray and at least half the other Wreckers all brace to help fight off whatever had just gone after their commanding officer, but instead of flinging the attacker away, Ultra Magnus ... holds it close? Her. Holds her close. It’s a little white two-wheeler femme, fearlessly clinging to the Ultra Magnus’s armor like he’s the best thing she’s ever seen rather than a superior officer who threatens to brig people who get overcharged too often. It’s only about halfway through the short conversation that goes on between Ultra Magnus, the femme he’s cradling (cradling!) protectively against his armor, and the faintly bristly First Lieutenant Jazz that Seaspray figures out that 1. this is Starwish and 2. ... something is up. This femme knows these two mechs. Better than a medic to patient relationship allows. That maybe Ultra Magnus’s pet name of Little One is more than just a comment on her size but an endearment to his ... sparkchild?

-Primus below who would sparkmate a mech like him? Check that, since when was Ultra Magnus ever relaxed enough to sparkmate with someone? Seaspray and the rest of the Wreckers had all been of the unanimous opinion that Ultra Magnus had no social life to speak of, let alone a family unit.

-Seaspray is a little too busy trying to wrap his helm around the possibility and the fact that this little femme apparently figured out security codes in a cycle that Seaspray had been trying to hack for vorns to truly preen when she recognizes him as the Wrecker’s pilot. He’s also too busy wondering how in the world someone that tiny and friendly could be related to Ultra Magnus.

-His first clue is the overly innocent helm tilt as she confirms that she is, in fact, Ultra Magnus’s sparkchild and can’t they tell? A question delivered with perfect innocence, but with a faint glint in her optic that Seaspray knew from pranksters everywhere (including himself).

-Then Jazz casually reveals that the little femme is his sparkmate and underneath the spark attack that revelation almost causes, Seaspray goes “Ah. That explains everything.”

-Seaspray has no idea if Starwish is AllSpark forged or created from Ultra Magnus and some unknown sparkmate, but he does know that his commanding officer would be the only mech capable of surviving raising the One of the Autobot First Lieutenant. Seaspray has heard the stories, he knows that Jazz could run circles around the Wreckers if he wanted, no matter what the other Wreckers (and Seaspray) will vocally claim otherwise. Any sparkmate of his had to be at least that cunning and deadly to keep up. She just apparently hides it behind her tiny frame and innocent optics rather than jokes and music and laughter like Jazz.

-The femme trots off to go help Medix with Whirl and the rest are given orders about the ships in the dockyard, but Seaspray has time to exchange a few glances with the others and know that they’re all in agreement. Ultra Magnus had a lot more titanium in his struts than they’d given him credit for if he’d successfully survived raising that.

-And also that they were never going to frag off Ultra Magnus’s sparkchild. Never mind what she would do to them (and Seaspray is sure she could do quite a lot) but facing down the wrath of both their commanding officer and the First Lieutenant?

-Wreckers might be reckless and stupid like other Autobots claim, but none of them were outright suicidal.

Bonus - Jack Darby (Note this will probably become non-canon for AMOSC because it’s too far ahead for my notes, but hey it’s fun to imagine):

-Jack likes to believe he’s pretty adaptable by now. Because- well. Aliens. Giant robot aliens who turn into cars and trucks (and dragons!) living in hiding on Earth, waging a war over resources Jack didn’t know existed? It takes a lot to top that. Plus, for all the Autobots are friendly (most of them anyway), they’re still alien robots and so anything odd or weird about them Jack has learned to kinda just ... chalk up to “Cybertronian things”, move on with his life, and focus on not getting either grounded for life or killed by Decepticons.

-So when he first sees Ultra Magnus and Starwish interacting, Jack really doesn’t think anything of it. Starwish is a lot friendlier than Ratchet, and also a lot smaller, being only around Arcee’s size, and Ultra Magnus is huge. The first time he walks in and sees Starwish perched on Ultra Magnus’s shoulder, he blinks to get over his initial surprise and then just shrugs it off. Starwish is tiny. Ultra Magnus is tall. Ultra Magnus also seems to have a soft spot for her of some sort, so if she needed to climb up his frame to repair something or just to stay out from everyones’ feet, Jack supposes he could see Ultra Magnus accommodating her.

-Then one day he comes in and Ultra Magnus is ... sleeping. Which, okay, long night patrol. Arcee dozes off all the time in the sunshine when she can. The thing that makes him really stare is-

-Starwish is sleeping on top of him. Curled up on his chest plates like an oversized cat on their owner’s chest. Considering the only mech and femme he knows that are that ... cuddly with each other are Arcee and Hardwire and they’re sparkmates...

-Jack grabs Miko before she can screech over the scene and goes to quietly ask Arcee a few questions. Arcee smothers a laugh when Jack asks if Ultra Magnus and Starwish are a Thing (Jack personally thought she acted too young for Magnus but what does he know about alien robot aging) and then explains that Starwish is Magnus’s sparkchild. His daughter.

-Jack really, really never needed to know there was an robot alien version of the Birds and Bees, but if soul marriage is a thing for them then okay. More cybertronians have to get made somehow. Miko asks about who Starwish’s mom was and Arcee hems and haws for a bit before explaining that Ultra Magnus didn’t have a sparkmate and nobody knew who Starwish’s femme creator was. Starwish was ... adopted. Sort of. In a “my soul accepts you as my destined soul child” kind of way. Or something. English was really not up to handling the complexities of explaining an alien culture from space. But at least the adoption thing explains why Ultra Magnus is so much more massive than his adult daughter (unless of course height of the parents had no affect on the heights of the kids in cybertronian biology because they were- well- mechanical. Did they even have genetics to worry about passing on?).

-Honestly after that near-fiasco and brain melt, catching Jazz and Starwish kissing in the hall was nothing. Jazz had been a steady presence since before Starwish ever arrived on planet. Jack knows the quirky spy mech and frankly a vaguely sarcastic ninja medic is exactly the kind of femme Jack can see him going for.

-At least until Miko asks how they “married” and it comes out that Starwish bonded (married? is that really the best equivalent when it meant sharing part of your soul energy?) to Jazz on the battlefield in order to save his life after he got critically injured in the fighting. Miko and Raf think it’s the most romantic thing they’ve ever heard. Jack is a little too busy hearing the voice in his head that sounds a lot like his mom going off about “contaminants” and “danger” and “safety first” (or maybe that’s just Ratchet muttering away in his work station as the story gets told, that mech knows how to hold a grudge over his patients doing stupid things)

[birdybirp]

Birdy’s OC: Jordan

I’m writing down everything about the OCs I have, and I’m going to compile them on my blog. I can’t draw, so I’ll be including picrews that I have made over the last year or so. Unfortunately, I didn’t save what picrews I used, but they give a good visual of my girls.

I’m also putting most of this under a read more to not clog up everyone’s feed.

--

The other published girl! Jordan is so fun to write and I have so much I want to do with her and the mobster/Zenith AU as a whole. Maybe one day. 

Here is Jordan’s fic: 

Cirice and the Black Death:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/20653916/chapters/49047404

I didn’t get into her backstory much, since I was writing Black Death for the Big Bang last year and needed to keep it short. I’m excited to write more about my favorite songbird and give more context why she is Like That. 

Name: Jordan Clarke

Race: Human

Age: 29

Birthday: May 3rd

Height: 5’9”

Hair color: Black

Eye color: Blue

Character color: Blue

Other appearance related things: Jordan always wears her glasses. She’s pretty blind without them. They also help obscure her eyes when she’s under stage lights, which she says helps the audience connect with the music over her. 

Backstory: 

Jordan, her mother, and her little brother Russel lived in a poor part of Zenith for most of their lives. Her father left soon after Russel was born and Jordan’s mother worked double shifts to keep the family afloat, but they were all happy. 

Music was a constant in the home. The most valuable thing they had was a record player. They only turned it off to sleep, otherwise music was always playing. Jordan taught herself to sing by singing along to the songs she heard every day.

One day, when she was 17, a man named Zachary heard her singing as she walked and stopped her. He offered her half of his earnings of the day if she sang while he played guitar. They made a killing performing on the streets, and Jordan was proud of herself. Zak offered for her to come back every day and take half of whatever they earned. She instantly agreed. 

With her mother’s money and Jordan’s busking funds, they were doing much better. Still worse than a lot of families in Zenith, but they didn’t struggle as hard. 

Then Russel got sick. Some lung disease, possibly genetic on his father’s side. His life would be cut drastically short if he stayed in the city. He had to get out to the farmlands, that was the only place where the air was safe enough for him. But there were hardly any jobs out there. Jordan decided that she would take any savings she had, send her mother and brother to a cheap house in Papa I’s territory, and support all of them herself. Her mother had worked hard enough for a lifetime. She was 20 now. She could take care of herself. Her singing was making her a lot of money, anyway. It would be fine. 

A year after Russel and her mother left, Zak disappeared. She heard whispers that he was part of Repugnant and had been found out. She realized a little too late that she was in love with him. Her heart was broken, but she didn’t have the luxury of taking time to grieve. People depended on her. She took up smoking at 21 to help numb herself. 

She bought a guitar from a pawn shop and taught herself how to play, working odd jobs in the meantime. Once she was confident enough to play and had written some songs, she went back to busking. While she wasn’t nearly as good as Zak was, she still made some money. All of it went to her family. She kept only enough to pay rent. She wouldn’t eat most days. But she never complained. She did her best and was making money doing what she loved. 

There were times when Russel needed surgery and Jordan had to work twice as hard. She would say yes to any job that came her way, no matter how horrible it was. She was hurt, humiliated, and starving for months until she had made enough to cover the medical costs. She learned to shut herself off to keep herself safe, and to not trust anyone. She didn’t need anyone but herself, anyway. The welfare of her family was all that mattered. 

She never told her mom any of this. As far and they knew, Jordan was doing just fine. That’s how she wanted it. She deserved a good, quiet life with her son and Jordan was going to make sure that happened. 

Jordan had been scraping by for eight years until she was approached by a small, spunky girl named Elizabeth (Liz) Monson. She had just acquired a club and believed that Jordan was talented enough to headline it. Liz promised to handle everything. She’d run promotion, hire the band, run the club. All Jordan had to do was show up and sing. 

Jordan didn’t believe her. It sounded too good to be true. 

But Liz came back night after night to try and convince her. She would also just talk to Jordan. She spoke gently, like she was befriending a feral alley cat. In a way she was. Years of being mistreated left Jordan abrasive, defensive, and downright mean. But Liz never faltered in her belief that Jordan was who she needed. Eventually she wore her down enough to agree. 

Within months, Liz’s advertising skills had put Jordan’s stage name, Cirice, all over Zenith. They were bringing in packed houses almost every night. Jordan had never made so much money. 

But still, it all went to her family. 

She told her mother about her success, but not that she was still sending her entire paycheck to them. They thought she was living just as well as they were. But Jordan still slept on a bare mattress, only eating her free meal at Idolatrine every night. She was fine that way. It was what she was used to. 

As long as her family could live happily and comfortably, that’s all that mattered.

Fun facts about Jordan: 

She’s 2 inches taller than Copia. Taller in heels. I feel like I don’t touch on that enough. 

She sometimes goes back to the corner she used to busk and give a few dollars to any performer there. She knows how tough it is. They need it more than her, anyway. 

Her one indulgence (outside of cigarettes) are huge, dangly earrings. When she was younger, saw beautiful women wearing them in pictures, so she equates them to beauty. She’ll buy a pair from a thrift store maybe once or twice a year.

She’s my favorite to write. I’m sorry to every other girl, but I can’t be mean to anyone or I will cry, so it’s fun to write a confident, blunt person. 

What percentage of me is in Jordan?: When I started the Zenith AU, I was determined that Jordan would be nothing like me at all. Half way through writing her fic, I realized she’s a very specific part of me that has trouble asking for help. I can’t really put a percentage on it, but she is the personification of that character flaw that I have.

Bonus Liz bothering Jordan