#which makes it likely one of the longest-lived animals on earth!!!!

[satowooo]

A DAY IN THE LIFE... WITH A CAT

Wherein Sukuna takes care of your cat for a day, despite his indifferences with it.

warning: animal cruelty

Your boyfriend, Ryomen Sukuna, is obviously not very fond of cats. Or to any living and breathing creature at all. But most especially your cat.

Sukuna hates it. Despise it even. He wishes it to be gone with just one flick of his finger just so the silly furball wouldn't take his time away from you. He hopes it'll get tired of you and run away someday because why are you always up on its face?

But then, that would make you sad. So he won't actually do anything to harm it, as much as he can.

To Sukuna, your cat is the most unearthly being that has ever walked on earth. Always tailing you around like a constant shadow, a menacing shadow. He dislikes it so much that it gets more of your attention than his.

“So cute!”

Sukuna watches the way your eyes glint in delight, squealing and feet kicking in the air while you're turned to your stomach right by the floor, playing with the little kitten you adopted. You had the most beautiful and widest grin spread on your face, and all because of an animal.

You can't seriously be so happy over that?

It has been a month since that kitten entered your life, and you hadn't been the same since. Well, you are the same, it's just Sukuna being exaggerated.

Why wouldn't he? You barely even look at him anymore because you're too focused on doting and feeding that animal, to the point that he's already making it a silent competition between him and the kitten about who wins your affections. And the cat wins every time. Every fucking time.

You're so head over heels about the white-furred kitten and he will never understand why. It's just another responsibility for you, another creature that will just distract you from your daily living, the daily living in question being the time that you're supposed to be doing with him instead.

“Look, Kuna!” You cheered, holding the cat by its arms to show the kitten to him, the said animal wearing small little glasses that would fit its little face.

Sukuna could only sneer, a frown obviously etched in his lip. “He looks pathetic. Get him out.”

“That's mean. Don't listen to him.” You turned the cat to face you and covered its ears, as if it'll understand what Sukuna says. The cat in return hisses at Sukuna, which made him scoff in disbelief.

Why are you even treating the kitten like a real baby? It looks so ugly!

But despite his inner thoughts, he actually finds himself caring for the cat, begrudgingly.

It's a furry dirty cat. He would only bring chaos all around your shared apartment. It probably doesn't even know how to clean itself. Sukuna would always think.

But he never really had a choice whenever you're gone at home, and he's left tending to the cat’s crazy needs.

“Will you fucking stay still?” Sukuna holds the cat by its scruff, not too tight though, just enough to hold him up to meet his gaze. The white kitten was all wet after Sukuna just gave him a bath. It meowed at him helplessly, making him smirk to finally see it in distress. “You're a handful, kitten. Why does she like you so much?”

This must've been the longest day for him yet, with you leaving Sukuna with the task to shower the kitten in your place because you'll be out the whole day. Who's he to disobey you anyway?

He wrapped the kitten in a towel, then took him by the counter. He let it sit there for a moment while it was licking its paws, while he rummaged through the cabinets to look for the hair dryer that you always used for the cat. Once he had it in hand, he faced the kitten again, his eyes glaring at the small creature who's just looking at him curiously.

This? This is the cat that you fawn over? He looks even ugly when he's drenched.

He could only shake his head at the thought, before plugging in the hair dryer so he could do his work. The cat tried to run away when he pulled him close, the hair dryer making a loud blowing sound as he fanned it all over the cat's body. A smile would tug on Sukuna's lips, finding the cat's helpless state funny whenever it meows in discomfort at his presence.

Well, let's just say it wasn't a very pleasant experience for the poor animal. As much as it is for Sukuna.

“Yeah, you look horrible. I know.” He chuckled darkly, gazing at the now dried-and-furry-again cat, all thanks to him.

He carried the cat and put it down the floor, letting it run away. He sighs, brushing a tired hand on his nape before he goes over to slump on the couch, resting his eyes for a moment. He could hear the thumps of the kitten running around, stumbling over who knows what, but he couldn't care less. Right now, Sukuna needs to have a moment. It was surely a new experience for him, and something that he will never do again.

It didn't take long for the kitten to go back to him though. It easily jumped on the couch, climbing straight to his lap. He groaned, feeling the cat tapping its little paws on his skin, opening his eyes to see it looking at him, expecting, or perhaps, asking for something?

“What do you want now?”

The kitten meowed, before jumping off his lap and heading straight to a little cabinet by the wall, where his cat food was hidden.

Oh, it's smart. He'll give him that.

“You're hungry?” He asked, raising an eyebrow at it. “Go starve yourself.”

Which wouldn't happen really, because the kitten started meowing furiously at him, which jolted all his senses awake. He cursed underneath his breath, letting out a grunt, standing up so he could give whatever the thing that the creature needed.

It was a very long and tiring day for him indeed. But at the end of the day, he's got the cat settled right above his chest, and he's petting its head softly as it lets out a purr. The cat’s tail would brush across his wrist, a sign that the cat must've been pleased with the gesture.

“I'll let you live longer.” He frowned, a low huff escaping from his lips as the cat only looked at him. “Just remember your place in this house.” Flicking the cat’s forehead softly as a finality, before he pushes it off and lets it fall on the floor, the cat swiftly landing on its feet.

After all, his pleasure is not his top priority, but yours. So, if keeping you happy would mean having this little cat between the two of you, then he might just let it for a while. For a while. Maybe. Depends if the cat crosses a line.

[moociaoafterdark]

Primarchs and the birds I think they would be able transform into (and why)

1) Lion - Golden Eagle. Just like lions are called "Kings of Jungle", golden eagles are sometimes called "Kings of Birds". Aside from the naming, I think Lion would love such a magnificent, pompous bird.

2) Fulgrim - Albino/White Peacock. Do I even need to say anything here? Lord Shen looking bastard. Flaunts his gorgeous tail feathers to everyone. Will start screaming at you very loudly if you don't pay him enough attention. That is especially the case if you are one of his brothers. Especially if you are Ferrus. Sorry Ferrus. Surprisingly, though, Fulgrim doesn't turn into a bird very often. Some speculate he regrets choosing the peacock as his transformation. Others believe he loves his human form way more.

3) Perturabo - Red Tailed Hawk. Just like the Heresy is named after Horus, despite Perturabo being the sole reason it got this bad for the Imperium in the first place, red tailed hawk's screech is attributed to a completely different bird. Perturabo will feel a spiritual connection with this bird species, which is why he is able to transform into it in the first place. He does wish the bird was bigger.

4) Jaghatai Khan - Peregrine. Peregrine falcons are the world's fastest birds, and one of the fastest animals on Earth. There's literally no better bird for Jaghatai than this falcon. Probably yells "falcon punch" when he dives in (The Emperor told him to do that to "intimidate his enemies")

5) Leman Russ - Pigeons. Now, fun fact - crows/ravens have a symbiotic relationship with wolves, as they often hunt together and share the spoils. As you probably guessed by now, the ravens/crows are kinda already taken by another primarch (in canon even), so I had to improvise. Enter pigeons. Just like wolves, pigeons got domesticated by humanity and have been our companions for many centuries. Pigeons, just like crows and ravens, are social birds, meaning they live in one big flock and help take care of each other. This is as close as one gets to a wolf pack dynamic in the bird world, so there we have it! Leman does use his transformation mostly for pranks or "party tricks". Never in battle. If you propose him to do that for a surprise attack, you can spot a little bit of a blush, before he angrily tells you off.

6) Rogal Dorn - Arctic Tern. I think Rogal would find the fact that those birds have the longest migration distance (48,700 km to 70,900 km) REALLY fascinating. He surprisingly takes this form very often and for a reason. Up above in the sky he gets a good look at both his own defences as well as those of the Imperium's enemies. Though he doesn't like admitting it, he simply just really likes flying and letting the wind carry him.

6) Konrad Curze - Bearded Vulture. Those fuckers EAT BONES and look like fucking dinosaurs. Konrad would LOVE to terrorize people as this bird. He'll take off the skin and meaty bits in his human form, then transform into a bird to finish the job. By the time he is done - NOTHING will be left of you... GOD I love bearded vultures. FUCKING LOOK AT THEM!!!

7) Sanguinius - Swan. Graceful. Beautiful. A symbol of love. Will break human bones with a flap of the wings (or at the very least make you bleed). Nuff said, even if the choice is a little basic. If you can't find him anywhere, chances are, he is chilling in the garden, swimming in the pond. Make sure to bring bread with you, the good one. You know, the one that's all fresh and soft. If you're still unsure, just call Warmaster Horus, he knows what bread his brother likes.

(Yes, this how swans are rescued. In Sanguinius' case, this is how he is restrained when he is being a tiny bit of a nuisance)

8) Ferrus Manus - Hummingbird. Similar to Rogal and the Arctic Tern, Ferrus would find hummingbirds fascinating by how strong and fast their wings are (and how they're the only birds able to fly backwards). Despite the birds being smaller than some insects, they have caught the attention of one of the biggest primarchs... Which is why it's hilarious when Ferrus, this gruff giant of a man, able to move mountains and wrestle wyrms, transforms into a tiiiiiny bird mid-fight. Well, it's hilarious until you are his opponent and realize you just completely lost sight of Ferrus, until he transforms back into his human form but, by then, it's too late. On the more lighter note, Ferrus loves resting while, in his bird form, nestled somewhere in Fulgrim's hair. Warm, soft AND he can be sure he wouldn't be bothered.

9) Angron - Roosters. Hoo boy. So, roosters kinda have a reputation for being aggressive, easily provoked AND also having a history of being used in bloodsports. However, roosters are very valuable if you intend to keep chickens, as they take care of the hens, protect them and, if raised properly, can actually be great pets. So, over all, we have a loving, protective and loyal bird, who is unfortunately often mistreated and misunderstood, as well as used in bloodsports even to this day, which often leaves the birds aggressive and traumatized... Sounds familiar?

God, I hate thinking about Angron, because the more I think about him, the more I want to cry. I'm actually kinda teary eyed as I'm typing this, haha.

Anyway, to lighten the mood, Angron, with nails or without them, is a local alarm clock. It doesn't matter where you are, you WILL hear his crowing and you WILL get your ass up.

10) Roboute Guilliman - Harpy Eagle. The only bird I don't have explanation for other than it looks cool. And I'm not even a huge Rowboat Girlyman fan. Would love to hear your opinion on why this does or doesn't work. And if it doesn't, I'm eager to hear your alternatives.

11) Mortarion - The Marabou Stork. If you know anything about those birds - you know they were handcrafted by Satan himself. Or, Nurgle, I guess. Morty would love them.

(Above is an attached photo of a very private meeting of the Death Guard Legion. Lord Mortarion is on the white pedestal.)

12) Magnus The Red - The Scarlet Macaw. I swear, Magnus' daemon form is supposed to resemble the scarlet macaw. The resemblance is uncanny. Perhaps he was always meant to be the Emperor's "parrot on the shoulder", instead of, what, powering the Golden Throne instead of the Emperor? Yes, he sits on his dad's shoulder and makes snarky remarks to everyone. Malcador once threw a shoe at him for that.

13) Horus Lupercal - Bald Eagle. Actually NOT bald, just like Horus isn't actually naturally bald, because he SHAVES. The fandom lied to me, this whole time I thought Horus was jealous of his father's and some of his brothers' hair, when in reality he CHOSE to be bald!

... Anyway, high key Horus (before the heresy) is the Imperium's poster boy, so it's only logical to give him the bird that is essentialy a US mascot. He loves perching very high and enjoying the winds stroke his feathers. Also, if you kiss him on his forehead, while he is in the eagle form, he will get all giddy and happy. Horus also takes his bird form to play with Sanguinius, trying to race with him in the skies. Goofs.

14) Lorgar Aurelian - The Mourning Dove. In Christianity, the mourning dove is used to represent the Holy Spirit. It's generally a bird that is associated with spirituality, being a symbol of peace, love and faith. It would be a crime for me not to assign this bird to Lorgar. In the early hours of the morning, Lorgar would take this form to coo prayers in the language no one will ever understand, making it somewhat safe for him.

15) Vulkan - Crested Auklet. These birds are mostly found nesting on volcanic islands, such as Kuril Islands and Sakhalin island. They also live in huge colonies and can form strong bonds with each other. I think this bird would remind Vulkan less of himself and more of Nocturne... Which is exactly why he would choose this bird for transformation. He is very cuddly in the bird form and smells like tangerines too. Just... Don't hold him for too long. Vulkan, even as a bird, is still a living furnace.

16) Corvus Corax - Common Raven.

... Do I need to say anything?

17) Alpharius and Omegon - Emus. What better birds for the local "Just according to plan" guys than the ones that literally won a war against humans. Seriously, what the fuck, Australia?

And as a little bonus:

The Emperor of Mankind - Cassowary. You thought it would be another eagle? Or, perhaps, the emperor penguin with the "penguins of Madagascar" joke thrown somewhere in there? Nah. He gets the bird that is literally THE tired single father of the birds. On the other hand, though, the Emperor gets to harass people in the cassowary form. Imagine having the honor of being invited to the Imperial Palace itself and as you explore you get approached by a huge, dangerous looking cassowary. You manage to befriend it, even fed it some food you had on you, before you hear panicked Custodes running in your direction, screaming for the Emperor to stop harassing the guests. The cassowary then proceeds to book it, screaming back in the very human voice that he can do whatever he wants. And now you have an idea of what a normal Monday in the Imperial Palace looks like to the Custodes.

[bestanimal]

Round 3 - Reptilia - Pelecaniformes

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our last order of waterbirds are the Pelecaniformes, comprised of the families Threskiornithidae (“ibises” and “spoonbills”), Ardeidae (“herons”), Scopidae (“Hamerkop”), Balaenicipitidae (“Shoebill”), and Pelecanidae (“pelicans”).

Pelecaniformes are mainly semi-aquatic birds that hunt on or near water, though some have adapted to forage in grasslands. They have large bills, long necks, and many have long legs for wading. Most have a bare throat patch, and their nostrils have evolved into dysfunctional slits, forcing them to breathe through their mouths. They also have a pectinate (comb-like) nail on their longest toe, which is used to brush out and separate their feathers. They are carnivorous, feeding on fish, squid, invertebrates, and other aquatic animals, with a variety of beak adaptations. They are distributed worldwide, except in Antarctica.

Most pelecaniformes are colonial nesters, sometimes in colonies formed of multiple species, usually in trees or on the ground near or above water. Hamerkops (image 3) are known for their huge, unique nests with a tunnel inside, while Shoebills (gif below) build floating nests. Pelecaniformes form monogamous pairs, at least for one breeding season. Generally, the male will bring sticks or other nesting material while the female builds the nest. In many herons, the male will begin to build the nest before pairing up with a female, and then the two will continue building the nest together after courtship. Clutch size varies between species. Both parents incubate the eggs and feed the chicks via regurgitation.

The pelecaniform lineages appear to have originated around the end of the Cretaceous, appearing to belong to a clade of "higher waterbirds" which also includes groups such as penguins and Procellariiformes. They split into their modern groups by the Late Eocene, around 37.17 million years ago.

Propaganda under the cut:

The African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) is so named for its role in Ancient Egyptian religion, where it was linked to the god Thoth, considered his living incarnation on Earth. The species was commonly mummified, and the birds were given different burials according to their status: as pets, offerings, or holy individuals. By 1850, the species was locally extinct in Egypt, though it is common in Africa and Asia, and has been introduced to Europe.

The Australian White Ibis (Threskiornis molucca) is a relative of the Sacred Ibis that is native to Australia. Pushed out of its wetland habitat by human development, the bird eventually adapted to urban environments on the East Coast of Australia. The bird’s preferred diet is aquatic invertebrates like crayfish and mussels, which it obtains by digging with its long bill, however, a loss of wetland habitat has led to the Australian White Ibis adapting its diet to include human food waste, earning it the nickname “Bin Chicken”. These native birds have also been observed eating the invasive Cane Toads (Rhinella marina), flicking them to make them secrete their poisonous toxin and then washing them off in water, something many other native carnivores have not figured out.

The Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber) (image 4) is the only waterbird with primarily bright red coloration, which comes from Astaxanthin, a keto-carotenoid, derived from a diet of shrimp and other red shellfish. But unlike flamingos, Scarlet Ibises have a more varied diet, preferring scarabs and other ground beetles.

Likewise, the Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) gets its pink coloration from the same carotenoid as flamingos: canthaxanthin. Like other spoonbills, its spoon-shaped bill allows it to sift through water for crustaceans, bits of plant material, aquatic insects, mollusks, frogs, newts, and very small fish (such as minnows), that would be ignored by larger waders.

The critically endangered São Tomé Ibis (Bostrychia bocagei) is the smallest Threskiornithid, at 45 cm (1.5 ft) long and weighing 450 g (1 lb). The São Tomé Ibis only lives on the island of São Tomé, with 19 other species of endemic birds, 10 of which are threatened with extinction. Threats include overhunting and habitat loss, especially of the trees the ibis uses to roost and nest in. While conservation efforts are becoming more prominent on São Tomé in recent years, including the establishment of a National Park, no conservation plan has been enacted specifically to protect the tiny ibis.

Like the smallest Threskiornithid, the largest Threskiornithid, the Giant Ibis (Pseudibis gigantea) is also critically endangered. Adults are 102–106 cm (3.3–3.5 ft) long and weigh about 4.2 kg (9.3 lb). It lives mainly in Northern Cambodia, with a few birds possibly surviving in Southern Laos and Vietnam. Its primary threat is habitat loss due to the drainage of wetlands for cultivation and clear-cutting of forest for rubber, cassava, wood pulp, and teak plantations. Some conservation efforts have been undertaken, including protecting nests by the installation of metal belts that prevent predators from accessing them, but the protection of ideal habitat and the increasing human populations in Cambodia continues to be a challenge.

Some herons use their wings to frighten prey, attract it to shade, or reduce glare on the water. The most extreme example of this is exhibited by the Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca), which forms a full canopy with its wings over its body. The Black Heron creates shade with its wing canopy, attracting fish to what they think is shelter. This technique was documented on episode 5 of the BBC's The Life of Birds, and parodied by the "Nighttime Daytime" sketch from BBC's Walk on the Wild Side.

The largest species of heron is the Goliath Heron (Ardea goliath), which stands up to 152 cm (5 ft) tall.

Some species of heron, such as the Little Egret (Egretta garzetta), Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea), and Striated Heron (Butorides striata) have been documented using bait such as bread, seeds, insects, flowers, and leaves to lure fish to the surface. This is a type of tool used and considered a sign of greater intelligence.

Some ornithologists have reported observing female herons bonding with impotent males while seeking sexual gratification elsewhere.

In Buddhism, the heron symbolizes purity, transformation, and the wisdom of the Buddha. In addition, as a bird that transcends elements (earth, water, and air), the heron symbolizes the expansion of awareness and the ubiquity of consciousness.

The Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) (image 3) is most known for its enormous nests, which contain a tunnel into a breeding chamber. The nests can be more than 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) across, and strong enough to support a man's weight. The pair will start by making a platform of sticks held together with mud, then build walls and a domed roof. After completion, they may also add an odd collection of random items such as bones, hide, and human trash. Hamerkops are compulsive nest builders, constructing three to five nests per year whether they are breeding or not. Many other animals may use these nests, such as owls, snakes, genets, and other various birds. Weaver birds, starlings, and pigeons may also attach their nests to the outside of a Hamerkop nest.

The Shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) (see gif above) cools its eggs by pouring water over them from its beak.

Shoebills are considered to be one of the five most desirable birds in Africa by birdwatchers. They move slowly, standing still for long periods of time, but are docile with humans and show no threatening behavior.

The Dalmatian Pelican (Pelecanus crispus) is the largest pelican, and one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, with a body length of 1.6–1.8 m (5.2–5.9 ft), a wingspan typically ranging between 2.7 and 3.2 m (8.9–10.5 ft), and an average weight of about 11 kg (24 lb).

Pelicans have been persecuted by humans for their perceived competition for fish, despite the fact that their diet overlaps little with the species of fish caught by humans. Starting in the 1880s, American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) were clubbed and shot, their eggs and young were deliberately destroyed, and their feeding and nesting sites were degraded by water management schemes and wetland drainage. Even as late as the 21st century, an increase in the population of American White Pelicans in southeastern Idaho in the US was seen to threaten the recreational Cutthroat Trout (genus Oncorhynchus) fishery, leading to official attempts to reduce pelican numbers through systematic harassment and culling.

The pelican was one of the most popular symbols for Jesus Christ in the Middle Ages. The association was first made in the “Physiologus”, an Ancient Greek compilation of moralized animal lore written (probably around the year 200 AD) in Alexandria. The author claimed that a mother pelican would pierce her own chest to save her children from death, letting her blood spill over them. The legend may have arisen from pelicans preening their chests, or the appearance of a reddish tinge on the beak tip and/or breast of some pelicans, but zoological accuracy wasn’t really the point of these writings. Art depicting a pelican piercing her own breast in front of her chicks still exists in many churches dating back to the Middle Ages (though the pelican was an exotic bird that most 3rd century artists had never seen in person, so the “pelican-ness” of these depictions vary).

Pelecaniformes are vulnerable to disturbance at their breeding colonies by birdwatchers, photographers, and other curious visitors. Human presence alone can cause the birds to accidentally displace or destroy their eggs, leave hatchlings exposed to predators and adverse weather, or even abandon their colonies completely.

[chungledown-bimothy]

The Fix's Facts

The Big Guy:

-For every snake, there is one snake dick. Snakes have 2 dicks. (said thrice)

The Scattered Mind:

-The tails on a swallowtail butterfly's wings don't serve any aerodynamic purpose. They're there so birds will grab them, at which point they'll break off and the swallowtail can escape.

-Eyes can't be itchy. They, unlike the membranes around them, don't have itch receptors.

-More than half the bones in your body are in your hands and feet.

F For Freezer: (and for facts!)

-The urethra contains taste receptors

-When eagles grip onto something, they have to flex a muscle to let go. An eagle can hold onto something so hard that even after it dies, it never lets go.

-Most of the pyramids on Earth are in Sudan.

-Pelicans have three stomachs, one of which is just for bones.

-Acids are easy to detect, oxygen and carbon dioxide are not. But when carbon dioxide meets water, like it does in our blood, it creates carbonic acid. This means our bodies can detect the presence of carbon dioxide, but not the presence or absence of oxygen.

If we are deprived of oxygen, we have no idea that that is happening as long as we are breathing out carbon dioxide. If we are not breathing oxygen, we just go to sleep and die. But if we allow the CO2 to build up, we panic. We flail. We break. Until finally, we die.

Grappling With Death:

-People can have constipation so bad that it will back up and impact their vagus nerve. As they are eliminating that impacted stool, it can have an effect on the nervous system so great that they forget who they are. Constipation-related amnesia. A woman in Tokyo forgot who she was for 8 hours.

-Bones are living.

-The reason we produce blood inside of our bones is because it's one of the places that's safest from UV radiation.

-There are some birds that can produce a nutritious substance that's a kind of milk. It's almost like lactation, but it evolved separately (convergent evolution). Pigeons do it.

-There are some salamanders that feed their babies their own skin

BONUS ROUND: Brennan "Bird Facts" Lee Mulligan

-There are some species of birds that have a secondary pouch in their esophagus/digestive tract where they have what's called a craw, that has stones or other hard material to help break up food matter before it passes into the rest of their digestive tract.

-Woodpeckers have a tongue bone called a hyoid bone that wraps around their brain because it needs to protect their brain from the impact of pounding into trees to devour their common meal items, grubs and larval insects.

Emergency Powers:

-You can't hum while you're blocking your nose.

-The longest animal is the bootlace worm.

-There are some reptiles that have a light-sensing organ on the top of their head so they can sense shadows that might be coming from something that's coming for them.

BONUS ROUND 2: Brennan's Back, Baby

-The black mamba has been observed at top speeds of 12.5 miles per hour. At that speed, it would almost certainly catch even some of the fastest humans on the planet. Even faster people wouldn't have the stamina, because resting or average speed is 7.5 miles an hour, which is faster than the human average, which is 6, and that's for healthy adults.

-The reticulated python is the longest snake in the world. The biggest is the anaconda.

Case Closed:

-There's little creatures in the sea that make pretty little lights. Why would they do that? It attracts little fishes who suck them up, and the light makes the fish glow. This attracts more little fish.

-The North Pole is actually a South Pole, because when you look at a compass, it points north. But the north pole of the compass is what's pointing north, and north poles point to the south poles.

BONUS ROUND 3: Once More, With Feeling

-Diners originate from dining cars on trains. The first diners were the dining cars of trains that had been taken out of service and were used stationarily as restaurants.

[mah-o-daryaa]

Avatar Cycle Trivia

Avatar Wan

Wan's name translates to "ten thousand" in Mandarin Chinese, as he lived ten thousand years before Avatar Korra. His name is also a pun on "one", as in Avatar number one.

Wan wore the colour of each of the four nations during his battle against Vaatu. His robes were yellow and orange (air), his armbands were green (earth), his sash was blue (water), and his scarf was red (fire).

In addition to becoming the first Avatar, Wan is also the first true firebender, as he was the first person to learn firebending from a dragon.

By fusing with Raava during Harmonic Convergence, Wan is technically the oldest Avatar to be identified, being 21 at the time.

The Earth Kingdom battlefield where Wan died is the same field that Zuko visits millennia later in Zuko Alone (Book 2: Episode 7). Interestingly, Wan first appeared in Beginnings, Part 1, which was the seventh episode of Legend of Korra, Book 2: Spirits.

Avatar Yangchen

Yangchen is the only known Avatar to have a sibling (Jetsun).

Yangchen is technically the first Avatar to have an established Team Avatar (not counting Wan and Raava).

Yangchen had split-personality disorder with her past lives, where she essentially suffered from nightmares of her past lives bleeding into her present self.

Yangchen's companion Kavik is the first person ever seen get chi-blocked.

Yangchen did not like the idea of people creating statues of herself in the future. Ironically, she was greatly revered in the Four Nations, and a statue each was built in both the Eastern and Western Air Temples.

Avatar Kuruk

Kuruk is currently the only known Avatar whose predecessor and successor were both women (Yangchen and Kyoshi respectively).

Kuruk had more lovers in 3 decades than Kyoshi did in over 2 centuries (the true story is more tragic).

Kuruk had a habit of challenging random people to feats of strength, which makes him the only known Avatar in history to have participated in an Agni Kai.

Kuruk was the best hunter and tracker in the history of the Four Nations. It's said there was nothing he couldn't hunt or track down (that includes spirits).

Kuruk is the only known Avatar to enter the Spirit World after death. Considering that only people with a special connection to the Spirit World can enter at death (such as Iroh and Yue), this means Kuruk must have had a spiritual connection rivalling that of most Air Nomad monks or nuns.

Avatar Kyoshi

Kyoshi is the only known Avatar known to be of mixed nationality; her father was from the Earth Kingdom, while her mother was a renegade Air Nomad.

Kyoshi had a rare condition with her earthbending where she could move large objects with ease but had difficulty in moving smaller objects (Suffering From Success).

Kyoshi has witnessed more passings of Sozin's Comet than anyone else, with three (not counting Lao Ge).

Kyoshi learned the secret to immortality from Lao Ge, which led her to have the longest lifespan of any Avatar.

Kyoshi has threatened both the Earth King and the Firelord.

Avatar Roku

Roku and Firelord Sozin share the same birthday.

Roku has been featured in the introduction sequences of both Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra.

Roku is the only known Avatar to appear old when he was called upon by the current Avatar.

When Roku entered the Avatar State for the first time, he destroyed the Fire Sage Temple.

Roku's dragon Fang is the only animal companion ever seen in the Spirit World.

Avatar Aang

It took Aang longer than any Avatar in history to become fully realized, being over a century old.

Aang has a scar on his back and on his foot, because of how electricity works.

Aang choosing four toys out of thousands – to identify him as the Avatar as these four toys were the same ones that past Avatars had chosen for generations when they were children – was the same procedure used by the Tibetan Buddhist monks to recognize the next reincarnation of the Tulku Lama.

Aang has met the original source of every bending art: a flying bison for air, the Moon Spirit for water, badgermoles for earth, and two dragons for fire.

Aang is the first Avatar to have his picture taken.

Avatar Korra

At four years old, Korra is the youngest Avatar in history to be identified.

Korra is the first Avatar to learn spiritbending.

Korra is the only Avatar to break out of bloodbending without the use of the Avatar State (sorry, Aang).

Korra is the only Avatar to have killed a member of her own family (Unalaq).

Korra is the first known person to ever tame a polar bear-dog (Naga).

Miscellaneous

Wan and Roku are the only two Avatars to die in combat.

Roku and Aang are the only two Avatars to fight a volcano. Aang was successful, while Roku died.

Aang and Korra are the only two Avatars to ever be defeated in the Avatar State.

Aang and Kyoshi are the only two Avatars to ever get hit by lightning. Ironically, when Kyoshi was hit by lightning, her chakras were opened and she gained the ability to enter the Avatar State; conversely, Aang's chakras were blocked and he was unable to enter the Avatar State.

Kuruk and Roku are the only two Avatars to have been identified the "traditional" way in their respective nations at 16; Wan fused with Raava at 21, Kyoshi was identified at 16 when she recited Kuruk's poem, and Yangchen, Aang and Korra were identified at younger ages.

Yangchen, Aang, and Korra are the only Avatars to have been identified at younger ages than 16.

Wan, Aang, and Korra are the only Avatars who are modeled after real-life people. Wan is modeled after co-creator Bryan Konietzko (but with cooler hair); young Aang is modeled after Arjuna, Sifu Kisu's son (but Aang is bald), while adult Aang is modeled after co-creator Mike DiMartino; and Korra is modeled after various female MMA fighters, most notably Gina Carrano.

Roku and Korra are the only two Avatars who have worn an outfit from each of the four nations on-screen.

Roku and Korra are the only two Avatars to have connections to royalty. Firelord Zuko, and thus every following Firelord, are descendants of both Roku and Sozin, whereas Korra's father was a member of the Northern Water Tribe's royal family, and was later elected as the chief of the newly independent Southern Water Tribe.

When Kyoshi first met Yangchen, she (Kyoshi) mistook Yangchen for her own mother.

When Kyoshi first met Kuruk, she almost drowned her physical body trying to communicate with him.

Roku and Yangchen are the only two Avatars to have hugged the current Avatar at the time (Aang and Kyoshi respectively).

Wan, Korra, and Kuruk are the only Avatars to refer to Raava by name, although the latter (Kuruk) had never met Raava.

Yangchen, Kuruk, and Aang are the only Avatars to have invented an airbending technique. By extension, Kuruk is the only person outside of the Air Nomads to invent an airbending technique (he didn't get his mastery tattoos, what a shame).

Aang and Korra are the only two Avatars to learn energybending.

Kyoshi, Roku, and Aang are the only Avatars to use bending after their respective deaths.

Kyoshi, Roku, and Aang are also the only Avatars to have descendants (but let's be realistic, so did Kuruk).

Aang and Korra both learned their native element from a companion of the previous Avatar, and their final element from a descendant of the previous Avatar. Aang learned airbending from Monk Gyatso, a companion of Roku, and learned firebending from Zuko, Roku's great-grandson. Korra learned waterbending from Katara, Aang's wife, and learned airbending from Tenzin, Aang and Katara's youngest son.

That's all the fun facts I could find.

[dougdimmadodo]

Lion's Mane Jellyfish (Cyanea capillata)

Family: Cyaneid Jellyfish Family (Cyaneidae)

IUCN Conservation Status: Unassessed

Named for its frilly "mane" made up of over 1,200 long, stinging tentacles, the Lion's Mane Jellyfish is among the largest known jellyfish species; while this viral image showing a diver next to a Lion's Mane Jellyfish has been edited to make the jellyfish appear far larger than it actually is, members of this species still dwarf most of their relatives, with a bell ("main body") diameter of over 2.4 meters (7.89 feet) and a tentacle length of as much as 30 meters (98.4 feet), making it one the longest animals on earth. Typically found near the surface in the Arctic, northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Ocean regions, Lion's Mane Jellyfishes, like all jellyfishes, lack brains, eyes, hearts or respiratory organs (instead exchanging gasses directly between the water around them and their extremely thin tissues,) and rely heavily on waves and ocean tides to travel, but are able to slowly propel themselves in a given direction by expanding the 8 bag-like lobes of their bodies to take in water and then forcing it out again to push themselves along (although they can also to some extent detect and react to their orientation and surroundings owing to a series of frilly sensory structures located around their body's rim, know as rhopalia.) Like most jellyfishes the long, trailing tentacles of a Lion's Mane Jellyfish are lined with touch-sensitive, harpoon-like cells called cnidocytes that fire venomous barbs into any animal that touches them, and after a tentacle has stung and ensnared suitable prey (mainly fish, large plankton and smaller jellyfishes) it is pulled back towards the body where the prey is passed through a mouth-like opening on the jellyfish's underside and into a simple body cavity where it is digested, with any indigestible matter, such as shells or bones, later being ejected from the body through the same opening it entered through. The life cycle of the Lion's Mane Jellyfish, like that of most jellyfishes, takes place in 4 distinct stages and seems highly elaborate compared to that of most animals; the bag-like adults that we typically think of as jellyfishes, known as medusas, are either male or female and reproduce sexually by releasing gametes into the water around them, and should these gametes meet they fuse and develop into tiny larvae. The larvae then settle onto a solid surface and develop into polyps (a second, immobile life stage resembling a sea anemone,) and each polyp then asexually reproduces several times, with genetically identical, slow-swimming young splitting off of its body as buds. Each of these asexually-produced individuals will then develop into a medusa, continuing the cycle and meaning that each single instance of sexual reproduction in Lion's Mane Jellyfishes produces multiple asexually-produced offspring. Despite their massive size medusas of this species only live for around a year, although their polyps, which only reproduce under ideal environmental conditions, may remain dormant for longer than this.

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Image Source: here

[godsofhumanity]

I need to know your Ra and Thoth headcanons 👁 (if you have any (please (also don't delete this blog I love your posts too much....)))

love LOVE LOVE talking about Ra and i do have some ideas for Thoth i cannot believe i haven't made hc's for him yet so, this will mostly be about Thoth. for more Ra, please check my hc masterlist.

ok. let's start at the START! egyptian myth, imo, is even more difficult than greek myth to trace down. everybody seems to have their own myths about things... like for some people, Atem was the ultimate creator, then for others it was Ptah. who even knows.

so with Thoth, generally speaking, he doesn't have any clearly identified parents, it's either like. he ALWAYS existed or Ra made him.

to me, if you just spawned at the beginning of time, then you're kinda like. ancient and primordial, but my version of Thoth is not like that.. so i personally think he was made by Ra without any mother goddess, just sculpted from the earth or something. this is the same as Hathor and Sekhmet and Bastet, etc.

technically speaking, i guess they'd be siblings, but i think their bonds are more complicated (?) than just traditional brothers and sisters, and i don't think they were "raised" together if you can even call it that.

i think Thoth was Ra's second "child", after Ma'at, who was made "in place" of chaos. and i think, like Ma'at, he was born fully grown.

because he's fully grown, i think there wasn't a "socialising" period for him? like. Thoth, to me, is a numbers guy. a logic guy. everything is equations to him, it's not emotional.

Ra creates Thoth to be a knowledge-keeper. he's supposed to be... in a sense... omniscient. all-knowing. story-wise, i think being omniscient doesn't make too much sense because like, if he knew everything, why didn't he stop Set from chopping up Osiris? so i think that, in the regular form that Thoth takes to walk in Egypt amongst men and gods, his powers are sort of... limited.

i think he has some sort of deeper, more chaotic form in which he truly can access every bit of knowledge he has.

there is an item in Egyptian mythology called the book of Thoth. actually, lore says it contains spells to perceive the gods and to talk to animals, but in my opinion, it is actually a book which contains all the knowledge of the universe.

myth says that the book was entrusted by Thoth to the ghost of a mortal scribe, Neferkaptah, never to be used by another mortal, and i think any other gods. so i think that this book is directly linked to Thoth's conscience.

therefore, when Thoth interacts with other gods, i think he doesn't really know everything because all his knowledge is locked away in the Book. but he's still super smart and can figure things out. he locks away the knowledge i think because it is too much information to be handled by any one god, and it interferes with fate.

lore usually says that Thoth travels with Ra on his barque, but i disagree with this. i believe Thoth remains in Egypt as an advisor to the king-- he has advised Geb, and Osiris... begrudingly Set for his temporary take-over, and eventually Horus. he's the go-to on matters concerning the law and counsel.

linked to this, his wife is Ma'at, who is justice. i actually think of her as being a lot of fun.. she's lively and basically the opposite of Thoth,,, but i think they are united by their strong sense of morality, and they are both as old as each other-- therefore they have been companions for the longest time and know each other intimately.

in saying that, Thoth has gone on the barque many times. but i just think he's more useful as an advisor to the pharaoh.

when Set takes over Egypt, i believe Thoth does everything within the law to help Isis. lore says he gives her the spell to revive Osiris.

but while Nephthys and Isis fight because they don't think Set is good for Egypt and also because he's a bit of a bitch, Thoth's motivations are purely logical-- Set acquires the throne illegally and needs to be reprimanded.

Thoth would not lie. not even to Set.

uhmmm. anyways. so yeah. that is Thoth in my head!!!

[artist-issues]

So if you could tell everyone about your favorite movie, what would you tell them about it?

PS I love your blog and your media deep dives

Thank you! So kind! Anything good I have to say is really just because of Jesus, not me. I'd tarnish and ruin good things, left on my own.

I keep trying to tell everyone about my favorite movie, but I get so choked with all the things I want to say—and knowing that the more deep I make it seem the less they'll like it because they're not accustomed to deep-diving into children's media and that'll skew their enjoyment of it—that I wind up falling back on the tried and true "it's so good, you have to see it, I can't believe you've never seen it before, we have to watch it!"

It's Lilo & Stitch.

Lilo & Stitch is incredible for so many reasons.

It was an underdog in the Disney Studio. One of their lowest-budget movies, in their B-Team Shabby Florida Studio, and only a handful of higher-ups really believed in it. And now it's one of their biggest, longest-lasting, farthest reaching worldwide franchises.

Disney was stuck in a rut of making only a certain handful of movies; Triumph-of-Humans Adventures, or Princess-Fantasies. And Chris Sanders, the guy who basically invented their Story Department during the "renaissance" period, came along and said, "let's break the mold. Let's just try something small, quirky, bold, and new. Let's flip the script on everything except good storytelling." Instead of Princesses, you get Normal Humans Living in a 2002 rural beach town. Instead of Magic you get Sci Fi—but only like five minutes of Sci-Fi. Instead of a Romance you get Family. And when we say "family," no, we don't mean, "Epic Lion King or Tarzan Coming-of-Age Destiny Stories—" we mean "orphans about to be split up by the foster care system, needing a friend." Instead of Lassie (pet movies, like 101 Dalmatians or Lady & the Tramp.) you get something closer to Gremlins meets E.T. Instead of an Epic Adventure, you get Smalltown Sister Tries to Find a Job. Instead of Dashing or Loveable Main Character you get Mildly Disgusting Main Character who picks his nose and pushes little orphan girls down, for fun. Instead of a Namable Famous City on Earth, like New York or London in their old movies, you get Nameless Town in Hawaii. Instead of Hero Triumphs, you get Villain Redeemed.

The style. All the alien ships look like fish, all the alien creatures look like some take on small-town animals like armadillos or pigs or bobcats, or more aquatic life. And then it matches with what? Small Town Hawaiian Imagery. So you get the idea that not only, stylistically, do the visuals of the movie blend well, but, Stitch not only doesn't belong in outer space among those aliens—he doesn't belong on Hawaii, where even the locals have something in common with the Galactic People, and he does not.

Watercolor backgrounds. Nobody was doing that. Nobody is doing that. They didn't have to do that. It's just beautiful, and soft.

Stitch. As a character. Name one other character whose arc starts with "you can never belong; there is nothing inside of you that is good." and then ends with "loved unconditionally, adopted into a family that loves him in spite of the trouble he brings them. In spite of his inability, at first, to love them back."

Lilo. Lilo is loved that same way by Nani. Nani willingly invites trouble into her already fraught life if it'll make Lilo the tiniest bit happier. Even though Lilo already makes Nani's life hard. Lilo, too, is about to go into the next phase of life with nothing—if the social worker takes her away, she'll have lost her parents, her sister, her home, and her hometown, which she's shown to know and love—and we've already seen how feeling lost and like she doesn't belong causes Lilo to act destructively, because her classmates treat her like she doesn't belong and Lilo beats the crap out of them. The directors said it like this: "Lilo is a future Stitch," if she's taken away.

All these characters have holding them together is this commitment to this definition of family: "Nobody gets left behind or forgotten." Lilo and Nani were "left behind" by their parents, because their parents died. Or they could think of it that way. But Nani doesn't. She does whatever she can to keep Lilo with her, and refuse to "leave Lilo behind." She's eighteen, nineteen—she could go on to college, live in a dorm, while her troublemaking sister goes to foster care. She has all these surf trophies on her nightstand—she could've been somebody if she'd left her family behind. But she doesn't. Whether Lilo loves her back or not, she won't leave Lilo behind. And guess what? Whether David, the surfer boy, gets Nani's love back or not, he loves her and is there for her. Whether Stitch loves Lilo back or not, she sticks with him—until she almost doesn't, but guess what, by then it's okay, because he's learned. He's been transformed by the idea "nobody gets left behind," which is just another term for "unconditional love."

The commitment to FOCUS. Chris Sanders is always good at this. But this movie could've been about, or addressed, DOZENS of social issues. It could've picked up the "government worker" flag. It could've picked up the "racism" flag, or the "classism" flag. It easily could've picked up the "feminism" flag, or the "be yourself" flag, or the "find who you truly are," or the "you're worth everything" flag. But it didn't. It CUT OUT previous scenes that would've addressed racism or classism. It JUST later-focused on one, universal, unifying theme that every human on this planet can understand, and relate to, and needs to be reminded of: "family loves unconditionally."

This movie is why I looked into being a storyteller. Just this movie; no other movie did it for me.

[kittyplushy]

House Guest lore? Oh yes, House Guest lore <3

For context House Guest is the ship name for my Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees self ship! It's a fairly new self ship so this will be updated as keep up with the new content IDW has been releasing for it!

Ship name is based on Nothing Painted Blue's House Guest which is often covered by The Mountain Goats. You should listen to this song.

Also you should read BTTWNS. Thanks.

Basing around this interview, the timeline of these events take place a year after the murders in Woodbrook have been resolved. Sam now runs the hardware store alone and babysits Charlie's kids every now and then. For the longest time Lola and Charlie were what she considered as friends in the lifetime she's spent in town. But with both of them gone, there's an air of sudden loneliness in her life. She does like the peace but then that just makes her impulses louder. More slip ups. This lingering feeling of fear or anger still brews inside her- how can it go away? Thankfully the residents are understanding of her condition. They did after all frame her for killing their neighbors for a time.

It's fair she'd be mad at them somehow. She doesn't show the grudge but the lack of any real relationship with people dented her and so she makes more trips to the city to hunt.

On a particular field trip, she stumbles upon her old camp. The earth broken with messy bald sinks. Grass had started growing over the sunken ground. She scoffs, this obviously was a job done by Nigel. She cleans back up the land and patches up the uneven soil. As she does she contemplates why he did it. Love? Obsession? Admiration?

How odd that a guy she's seen since he was a teenager decided to make advances on her.

Maybe it's norm. Nigel is 27. He's got a life to live and around that time people start to think about marriage or moving in or starting families. Maybe he could have gotten a crazy girlfriend back at his university. Maybe if he was not so dedicated he'd have a wife and a child today. He used to be a nice kid. He could have done something better than to disrupt the natural order of things.

Sam is 45. She's lived her entire life alone but not without experience. That's unnatural. In her travels she has had flings with girls and only had a serious relationship with 2 when she had to prolong her stay in some towns. Nobody in Woodbrook mind that she was childless or not romantically involved. But there were occasional condolances or pity parties thrown for her by old ladies. Why didn't she? Well it's probably because she's never really found the need to. And second, she's been only interested in women.

But it's not like there was a demand for her to be in a relationship anytime. These little women and men were her playthings. They couldn't possibly tell her how to settle down. But maybe to ease the tension and break the ice after a year of grieving and moving on. Sam thinks about dating for the purpose that she'll appear better off. Happier. Maybe with the added novelty that she's a lesbian.

It's a lot more positive association, isn't it? Sam had gotten tired of the apologies that punctuated every sentence directed at her. Why yes, tell me about my wife. Tell me about how nice it must be.

But like the wild animals people migrate in and out of Woodbrook. The women she found interest in either had married or went to the city. But people sometimes come in as a tourist or as a permanent resident. One of those people is Julianne, an illustrator who moved across the country to live in a more rural area.

Julianne is a stressed artist who dreams of living slowly and romantically. She chose Woodbrook because of how local and tight knit it was and because not much people are willing to come and invest in it yet after the horrors of 1986.

She bought an apartment suite to live in with big ambitions or visions of how she wants it to look like. One morning she came to the Burly Brown Bear with a binder full of sketches and magazine clippings. It's a grounded concept, she said as Sam flipped through the pages of the bestrewed book. It's as grounded as a maximalist can get. Mostly wood. Warm tones. Unique carvings and custom European windows.

Oh but we don't need to do that part, she laughs.

It's an eye opening pitch, but Sam decides to help her anyway excited to do another full scale project after a while.

This is perfect. They work on the project together growing to be close friends. Then the relationship breaches past a project partnership and they find themselves in parks, taking strolls around the forest that covers the town, drinking cider in Sam's truck or sleeping on the floor of the half finished apartment.

The town pick up on how close the two are becoming. And it's welcomed and encouraged, warming Julianne into the community from merely just being city folk and supporting Sam's bold open secret.

Her prop is useful. So useful. Too useful. That she forgets this is to save face. She feels the same primal satisfaction she feels when she kills with Julianne. A warm soothing hand that muffles the mouth of her soul.

Well. Sometimes Julianne still visits the city. She needs to go to work when it physically demands her. Or she just goes because she oddly enough feels comfort being blended in a crowd of faces. She goes there to ponder. And this overlap in schedule happens with Sam's "business trips". Sam panics realizing they're headed out too but. I mean she's probably on another side of the city. She won't see at all.

So she goes and she asks a deer for help bringing in her groceries. She chokes the doe and begins her usual routine. Ties. Hangs. Nails. Grinder. It's all there.

Nearby is a cat with a canvas bag eating lunch alone. She brought herself a strawberry sandwich and bought a cranberry slice to gift to her girlfriend later. She looks for a nice isolated spot near a river, but across the river is a silhouette of someone familiar. Is it? What a coincidence! Come eat lunch with me, silly.

A ritual is performed across the water. It's quiet and precise. Curiosity gets the better of Julianne and she crosses that stream, locking eyes with a bear slicing an incision on a deer's artery.

There's a silence that deafens.

[fairytail-multishipper]

Tell me about the celestial spirits in your rewrite, are you going to rework the magic?

THANK YOU GREEK I NEED TO TALK ABOUT THEM!!!!!!!!!

rewrite stuff ⬇️

The Silver Spirit keys are the beings born of the Celestial Spirit world. There are hundreds of Spirits for each constellation, each with their own key. They only have one life, and if a Silver Key spirit dies, they will become part of their constellation and their key will turn to dust

The Zodiac were all once like the Silver Keys, but were granted 12 lives. Once a Zodiac Key passes for the 12th time, they are reincarnated. It used to be that the most powerful Silver Key would take their place, but as wizards started to become more powerful, soon, wizards started to outclass Silver Keys. You can read more on it here! If you read this and leave a comment saying you came from this post, I’ll write a drabble of your choosing!

Onto specific spirits!

Aries ♈️

Aries is the second youngest of the Zodiac at this point. She practices wool magic, and part of that is that she can change the physical properties of the wool she handles. For example, she can make the wool solid, liquid, or a gas. She’s at the most powerful during the Aries season in the Human World. Given she is a Fire Sign, she can also use fire magic, though it’s not as powerful as most human fire wizards. She uses a shepard’s staff as a weapon if she requires one, and she can use it to aide her magic.

For the longest time, Aries was a very submissive and shy spirit, and she let her key holders do whatever they wanted to her. This changed after Leo stood up to Karen and subsequently got her killed by Angel, Aries took it upon herself to make sure none of her other friends would suffer because of her weakness. By the time we meet her in canon, Aries is much more outgoing and outspoken to her Key Holder, and very protective of her Silver Keys.

While Leo was gone, she became the “Queen of the Zodiac” and that stuck even after he came back, making her the head of the Zodiac.

Her human name was Mary, and she became the Aries Spirit in the year X272

Taurus ♉️

Taurus uses his Labrys, but he can also use Earth magic. Think Thor with his hammer, that’s kind of what Taurus’s earth magic is like, he needs his Labrys. His Earth magic is very rudimentary, and he can create earthquakes.

He’s not a creepy towards Lucy, he’s very respectful and gentle with her. He wears blue overalls and has a very subtle southern accent.

His human name was Garrett, and he doesn’t remember the year he became the Bull Spirit.

Gemini ♊️

I really like the Eclipse designs for them, so that’s how they look in my rewrite

Being very young human twins, under the age of 10, they are considered lucky to not remember their human lives

The other Zodiac are very protective of them because they’re very easily influenced

They still use Copy/Transformation magic, but they can also use flight magic

Gemi’s human name was Castor, and Mimi’s human name was Aura

One of three spirits that does not have animal traits or attributes

Cancer ♋️

Cancer takes on more of a swordsman appearance than a hairdresser, using one of his blades as a sword, but he can combine them to make big scissors. He picked up hair dressing while serving under Layla and Lucy, though.

His water magic is basically non-existent, but he is considered the most skilled swordsman in the Celestial world

He’s got six arms that he can fold away and can also turn into crab legs.

His human name was Abyl.

Leo ♌️

Leo has feline ears and a tail because i said so.

Leo is the youngest of the zodiac. He became the Lion spirit in the year X344. His human name was Loke.

Leo used Ring magic as a human, which he then translated into Regulus when he became the Leo spirit. He can use Regulus without his rings, and he can use it throughout his whole body, but it’s stronger when channeled through an item.

His rings can take many forms, and he even likes to use brass knuckles sometimes.

His fire magic isn’t really fire magic, but more of a fire hazard. He can light his tail on fire, as well as his hair if he’s in a tight spot, which will likely make an attacker let up.

Virgo ♍️

Virgo isn’t a maid in my rewrite

Her magic is the same as in the original

She’s a shapeshifter and is also, the only spirit with a gender bias. A man could never reincarnate into the Virgo spirit, but if Virgo wanted too, she could appear as a man.

One of three spirits that does not have animal traits or attributes

Her human name was Rosemary.

Libra ♎️

Gravity Magic is a sub category of Air magic, so she can use Air magic just as well, making her very hard to escape from.

One of three spirits that does not have animal traits or attributes

Her human name was Vidya.

Scorpio ♏️

Scorpio’s tail is actually a scorpio’s tail, but it has armor around it that gives the appearance of a cannon.

He uses sand magic like in canon, but he can also use water magic.

Scorpio is not dating Aquarius.

His human name was Ezio.

Sagittarius ♐️

Also like his Eclipse design better than the canon one, so he’s a centaur

His fire magic translates into fire arrows that he can summon and fire without his bow, but it’s easier to aim with the bow.

His human name was Phillip

Capricorn ♑️

Capricorn is the second eldest of the Zodiac.

Capricorn still practices his Human Subordination Magic, but he can also use Earth magic. It’s quite a deadly combination if your magic suddenly stops working and he then smacks you with a big ass rock.

For the longest time, he’s looked down on his Key Holders, but that changed when he met Layla Heartfilia, and again when he met Lucy

His human name has been forgotten

Aquarius ♒️

She’s the oldest of the Zodiac and is rumored to be the original Aquarius

She’s actually the original Ophiuchus, but was punished by the Zodiac King for meddling in human affairs and going to earth without permission

Her constellation was destroyed and she was passed over to the Aquarius constellation despite knowing Air magic instead of water magic

She quickly learned Water magic and uses Air magic for her urn, which she uses to store and transfer all the water stored in it

Pisces ♓️

The mother of the Pisces set has been around a long time, but her son was born and became the Pisces spirit not long before Aries took the mantle

The mother (Eta) was originally partnered with her brother, but he lost all his lives shortly before her son (Omicron) was born

He became the second Pisces, but he was originally half human because Eta had a relationship with one of her old Key Holders

Both practices water magic

Omicron was named after his late uncle and has always had that name

Eta’s human name was Calypso

[jezabatlovesbats]

I’d like to change the names of Marevi and its locations so that it’s not based on any Latin words. How does Marili (mar-EE-lie, marine and life mushed together) sound?

Long post warning!

Marevian Values:

Life

Kindness

Respect

Courtesy

Cooperation

Community

Caring for the ocean

Living in harmony with nature

No harm to any living thing

Competition, for the most part, is frowned upon

Mythology, Folklore and Stories:

Baby pieces come from the earth itself. (In this world, people build babies with Lego pieces)

You are a part of the earth. There is no afterlife.

What other lands call ghosts are not called ghosts in Marevi. That’s someone’s life essence.

An octopus pulled sunlight and wind down from the sky so that the ocean could also experience weather. This is the reason why ocean currents exist.

Sea serpents are lucky animals to Marevians. They are also a prominent symbol of life and growth.

Marevian Naming Customs:

Names are much more proper, and they are not based on someone’s species or what they are.

Names can come from nature, something one feels connected to, attributes associated with someone’s species, or realistic proper names.

People have surnames that often indicate their species. (Waterlily’s last name is Coelenta; being a hybrid of two types of jellyfish, she is a coelenterate. Shelltop’s surname, Molluskas, is based on him being a mollusk. Spike’s surname, Cecae, is based on the word cecaelia, which is a common term for an octopus merperson. Cream’s surname, Pygmae, is based on him being a pygmy seahorse.)

Sea urchins in Marevi are typically named after sharpness, or things that are sharp. (Hence Spike’s name. His father is named Needle. He has an uncle named Spear and a cousin named Pin.)

The names of Marevi’s regions are made-up fantasy names, that are based on Latin words. I’d like to change that.

Nicknames are used. (Marcella nicknames herself “Butterpearl.”)

People can have middle names. (Spike’s is Lucian.)

First names are given by parents.

Middle names can be given by extended family.

Some Marevians’ names are similar to their parents’ (Waterlily’s mom’s name is Moonlily, and Shelltop’s dad’s name is Snailtop)

Geography of Marevi:

Located in the south.

Marevi is located out in the open ocean. It is very lush, and there are multiple undersea biomes that it plays host to.

Vigra is at the center of Marevi. It is a wide green field of seagrass. There are large rocks and giant seashells all around in it.

Basacan is a stony, rocky, craggy area with submarine volcanoes everywhere. It’s in the northeast.

Lankep is a kelp forest in the northwest. There are lots and lots of kelp stalks.

Orenas is in the southwest. It is a sparkly sand bed, where the sand is yellow like gold. It’s kind of like an undersea desert.

Gorel is a colorful coral reef in the southeast. It resembles a city.

Promor is a deep-sea trench, and Marevi’s widest, deepest and longest trench. People like deep-sea animals live down there. It’s somewhere between Vigra and Orenas.

Menthi is a biome of extensive undersea benthic caves. It is also a deep-sea region.

Negma Lagoon and Subra Atoll are part of Marevi. Negma Lagoon is a lush, bright, and sorta mysterious lagoon. Subra Atoll, which is Marevi’s only land area, is an island with lots of sandbars.

Flora and Fauna of Marevi:

Ocean animals of all kinds

Sea serpents

Ocean plants

Seagrass

Kelp

Seaweed

Coral

Algae

Ocean flowers

Bioluminescent/glowing plants and animals

Maybe they have their own marine versions of white water lilies? (They are a symbolic plant.)

Marevian Architecture:

Marevians are all about living with the ocean.

Interiors are built within coral, the sides of cliffs, colossal seashells, or other naturally occurring habitats.

No construction is done with anything except for stone, since stone is not a living thing.

They also use sand to make sandstone and glass to build with.

The Castle of Marevi is built entirely out of stone and glass.

Windows and skylights are common, and they are almost always round.

Dyed glass is used.

There aren’t any ceiling fans in Marevi.

Marevians like to decorate their homes inside and out.

I wrote that the Seagang sleep in beds, but I also drew them all sleeping on mats.

Marevian Society:

Marevi is ruled by King Nettle Coelenta and Queen Moonlily. But, they consider themselves to be merely figureheads. They regularly interact with their citizens like Unikitty does, and they are viewed as cool neighbors with knowledge about the earth. They are called the Givers of Life. Their royal status is almost never acknowledged.

Nettle and Moonlily’s daughter is Waterlily. She is called the Young Giver.

They are assisted by Shelltop’s parents. They’ve been good friends with them for a long time. Waterlily and Shelltop themselves have been lifelong best friends since they were hatchlings. (They even consider themselves sibling figures to each other.)

The Givers’ child inherits the throne. It can be any kid who wants to. The kid can pass on the throne to a sibling, a relative, or to someone else if so desired.

Marevi is strongly allied with Botania. Their alliance is like a pair of unbreakable best friends.

Marevi is served by the stonespeople. They keep threats from ruining the kingdom, but don’t hurt anyone.

There are strategists that come up with ways to keep people safe and protect the ocean and earth

Instead of incarceration, Marevi sends their worst offenders to a banishment hold just outside of Botania to be rehabilitated

Marevi has SOME kind of legal system. It can handle divorces.

Marevi uses a different calendar than the Gregorian-ish calendar the Unikingdom uses. (I called it the Unicorny calendar for this AU.)

In Marevi, everyone is paid the same and is treated equally.

Their currency is shells, which are these dome-shaped coins and bills made of plants.

Marevians have no concept of wealth.

Marevians buy everything from outdoor farmer’s markets.

There are plenty of libraries

There are plenty of museums

Lots of restaurants, many of which are dinner theaters

Lots of bakeries and confectioneries as well

I had the idea that there was a theme park in Marevi themed around land biomes

People can be athletes

Explorers

Jewelers

Bakers/confectioners

Meteorologists

Engineers (which keep appliances running in earth-friendly ways)

Musicians

Artists (painters, potters, ceramics artists, etc.)

Filmmakers (animators, storyboard artists, cinematographers, screenwriters)

Directors (of plays and films)

Coaches (for sports teams)

Authors

Therapists? (The Seagang and their families often go to see a mako shark for help.)

Actors

Hairstylists and spinestylists

There aren’t that many astronomers. Marevians focus more on caring for the life of their planet than exploring faraway ones. That’s not to say that there aren’t any Marevian astronomers- it’s just not a very common or sought-after job.

People can live in the places they work at

Magic exists in this world, but it’s not called magic in Marevi. Marevians see it as manipulating the forces of life and nature to your will. Marevians call magic users lifewielders.

They have SOME kind of news program if people are meteorologists

Instead of taking baths and showers (since they’re in the ocean), people clean themselves in boxes that generate warmth and bubbles. They scrub themselves with exfoliating, earth-friendly towels.

Marevi is prone to sea monster attacks.

There are Going-on-Land Departments that make leg pieces for people to go on land with. They detach their sea animal limbs and put on the leg pieces, which gives them the ability to breathe air. Going-on-Land Departments were made for the purpose of Marevians visiting Botania, but now are used for any time Marevians would like to visit land.

I also had the idea that there are reverse Going-on-Land Departments, which make sea animal fins and limbs for land people who want to visit the ocean. When they put them on, it gives them the ability to breathe underwater.

Marevian Demographics:

Merfolk. They look like humanoid figures (i.e. they look like whatever Master Frown is), and they can be any type of sea animal.

Anthropomorphic sea animals. They don’t look like humanoid figures, looking like their non-anthropomorphic counterparts.

Anthropomorphic sea plants. They also look like their non-anthro counterparts.

Symbolism in Marevi

White water lilies. One of these managed to float out into the ocean long ago, and it’s an important symbol to Marevians. They call it the Persistent Lily.

Sea serpents represent good luck, life, and growth.

Weather symbols are worn by octopi and other cephalopods.

There are many different symbols, depending on what natural things people feel connected to. (Waterlily - plants and colors. Shelltop - stones and volcanoes. Spike - the sun and sound. Marcella - gold and pearls. Cream - seaweed and foods.)

Touching hands with someone symbolizes that you acknowledge their presence, you care about them, and you share the life of the world with them.

Trenches are associated with death, and the cycle of life and death.

Art in Marevi:

Music is an integral part of Marevian culture. They see it as a way of spreading life essence.

Marevian opera is their most popular/well known performing art. Performers of Marevian opera tell stories about Marevi and its history with singing, music, dramatic makeup, and costumes.

They play music with orchestras. Each section (brasses, woodwinds, strings, percussion, conductor training) is taught differently.

Marevi’s traditional instruments are ocean drums, marimbas, conch horns, harp guitars, and upright string instruments. They are often combined with the orchestras.

I imagined that traditional Marevian music features fast marimba rhythms, called Marevian current movements…

I also had the idea that traditional Marevian music itself is called Marevian cherish

Orchestra teachers are not called directors, they are conductors

Singing

Flutes

Guitars

Drums/drumsets

Ukuleles

Trombones

Violins

Acting

Spoken word

Stand-up comedy

Poetry (Spike occasionally writes it)

Choirs, but they are different from Unikingdom and Frowntown choirs. Instead of choral risers, the singers sit down at tables. Instead of conducting them, the director (who is called the maestro) sings with them. There are lots of arm movements and call-and-response bits between the maestro and other singers.

Musical theater, but it’s different from Unikingdom and Elegancian musical theater. In this AU, the Unikingdom has a theater district called Hugway, and Elegancia has one called Spessartine Square. Marevi doesn’t have an equivalent to that. And in contrast to Unikingdom and Elegancian shows, Marevian musicals are mostly very action-heavy and sung-through. Also, it’s considered a subgenre of Marevian opera rather than its own genre.

They have personal music players (and phones) shaped like seashells. They also have undersea headphones and earbuds

Cultural Marevian dances include the Dance of the Waving Coral Fan (which involves two big fans) and the Dance of the Sunbringer (which involves a glowing stick)

Marevians put really heavy emphasis on supporting local entertainment.

Statues and sculptures (I imagine that they have a Persistent Lily statue)

Decorating your home (Marevians like to do that)

Painting

Ceramics

Pottery

Makeup art

Film

Traditions, Holidays and Customs in Marevi:

Touching hands is also a customary greeting in Marevi

Marevian New Year is anywhere from February 28 to March 3 on the Unicorny calendar. Their new year is at the start of spring.

People tidy up their homes and throw out things they don’t want anymore to represent their growth from the last year.

They celebrate with dancing and music from traditional bands.

The significance of the Sea Serpent Festival is people living in harmony with wildlife.

People ride sea serpents and race with them like horse racing.

Earth Day is a VERY important holiday to Marevians. They call it the Day of the Earth. It happens in the summertime, when the sea is most fertile.

People spend time with people they love and trust. If they can, they pay visits to the king and queen to thank them for sharing their knowledge of the earth with them.

Weather Festival is a holiday introduced by the cephalopods. It’s based upon the octopus weather myth I mentioned earlier.

It’s celebrated outside in the elements, dancing and eating weather-themed foods.

Halloween is there, but it’s not important or a major holiday. It was very recently introduced to them, and they just see it as a day to cosplay. That’s it- no spooky stuff.

I imagined that Marevi’s only winter holiday is their Children’s Day. It isn’t a very big holiday like Earth Day or the Weather Festival. It involves spending quality time with your family, particularly your younger relatives. It’s meant for Marevians to celebrate their faith in the next generation.

Birthdays are observed by connecting with nature and your loved ones. It’s focused on life, what makes that person them, and making their life the best it can be.

They do their favorite things, do-overs of something that went wrong or that they regret, or trying new things.

They put emphasis on how long someone has lived life, so nobody says how old they’re turning.

A week after someone is born, extended family comes to see them in a place close to where they were born. Here, the kid receives their name.

I already said how naming customs work. Parents give the first name, and extended families can give them a surname.

Marevians don’t take their spouse(s)’s surname(s) when marrying. Children can use whichever of their parents’ surnames.

Marevians have an entire engagement ritual. The proposer invites their partner(s) and their family(ies) to their family’s home. The families spend some time mingling and getting to know one another.

Then, they gather around. The proposer reaches out to the other(s). If they accept, they return the gesture, resulting in their hands touching.

They touch hands with their family members. Then, the family members proceed to make a ring around them with things they like or feel connected to, officially marking them as engaged.

Leading up to a wedding, and on the day of, people eat zesty, tangy foods to show their anticipation.

They parade down the road on their wedding day with nature-themed decor in tow.

There are no officiants at Marevian weddings. The marrying people do everything themselves.

They decorate a spot where they’ll be living together with their nature decor. They touch hands with their relatives, all of them doing it at the same time. The marrying people will eat fruits from the biomes they’re from, and they’ll touch hands with something from the earth between their hands.

Afterwards, the newlyweds will spend fun, celebratory nights with each other’s in-laws before going to the place they’ll live in.

In Marevi, when people die, they return their pieces to the earth so that they can be a part of it again. Pieces are not washed or embalmed; nothing is done with them so the person can return to the earth as they were.

The dead person’s family goes to the nearest trench. They hold onto their pieces, and they touch them one last time, thanking the earth for giving life to the dead person.

There are no officiants at funerals either.

The person’s family lets their pieces sink to the bottom of the trench, as well as any prized possessions they wanted to be thrown down with them.

Someone swims down to put an image of the dead person on the trench wall.

Afterwards, they touch or sit by whatever they can sense the dead person’s essence in.

The person’s family has an intimate night celebrating the dead person by singing their favorite songs, eating foods they liked, and doing their favorite activities to remember them.

Mannerisms and Etiquette in Marevi:

Marevians customarily treat others like friends and family.

It’s considered polite to treat everyone as your equal.

Touching hands with others is very polite, as was implied

Light fin/hand taps is much more likely done by people who just met, but people who are close with one another casually do it as well.

Holding hands and pressing palms are done by family, friends, and lovers.

Groups put their arms in to show that they care about each other and signify their friendship.

But, it’s not that team thing where they stack their hands and then raise them in the air while saying something in unison. I imagine Marevians really don’t like it when non-Marevians assume it is.

”I am with you.” is a polite and caring phrase.

Education in Marevi:

Children first go to what’s called a general school, where they learn important things for daily life, as well as how not to be a jerk.

After that, they attend schools entirely based around what their interests are. There are schools for athletics, food, language, visual arts, performing arts, science, and more.

They can attend one interest school, more than one, or none at all.

The Marevian school year starts in the middle of spring and ends in the middle of autumn/fall.

Elementary, primary, middle, junior high, high, secondary, university, and college are not terms used in Marevi. None of them are a thing here.

Any Language?:

I’m going to remind you that Unikitty is set in a world where Everyone Speaks English™️, or whatever language you’re watching the show in.

Marevians have pronoun terms unique to them. This will be explained in the Queer Culture section.

Fighting Styles and Weaponry:

Marevians are about defense and keeping threats at bay while also not hurting the attacker.

Their styles attempt to calm their opponent down or scare them away. The goal is to subdue them without harming them.

In Marevi, they’ve got thin swords that look kinda like katanas, but not really. These swords can’t stab anything or anyone. They’re made of stone, hence why Marevi’s defenders are called stonespeople.

Wrestling? Boxing? (Shelltop’s into that stuff.)

Celina, Spike’s mom, used to be a swordswoman. Her style in particular consisted of stealth, blending in with her surroundings (she can camouflage, by the way), swift movements, and illusory techniques.

Food in Marevi:

Seaweed hugs. They’re arguably the most Marevian food ever. They serve them in restaurants and shops for people to take for free. They’re served on round trays right by the door, and you don’t even need to eat at the restaurant to take one. They’re very easy to make; they’re seaweed bits rolled and folded into a bread bun. People who can’t cook for crap can make them. They’re named that way because eating them is like receiving a warm embrace from someone.

Lots of seaweed is used in the foods that Marevians cook and bake.

Mixed-fruit pies

Cookies

Golden batter cake

Tiramisu?

Cream

Heavy whipping cream (the basis for the names of Cream and his older brother, Whip)

Yogurt

Meringue (Cream’s dads are named Yogurt and Meringue)

Donuts (Marevians call them sand rings)

Pasta (angel hair)

Noodles in soup

Noodles (in general)

Flatbread pizza

Honey

Gyro? (I once had Spike say he enjoys it)

Lavender fruit (a fruit endemic to Marevi)

Mango juice

Yes, there are drinks in Marevi. They are very thick and paste-like so that people can drink them in the ocean. They are served in glasses.

There are no frozen foods in Marevi.

Bowls

Spoons

Marevians have their own utensils. They’ve got these sticks with round bottoms that let you wrap things around it.

Fashion and Dress Code in Marevi:

Marevi is usually warm, so people usually don’t wear clothes, except for jewelry and accessories.

Many people have skin on their bodies that act as clothing. If they go on land and put on land legs, it’ll actually turn into clothing.

People in the deep-sea areas (or visiting them) DO wear clothes like coats, since it gets colder the deeper you get.

Wristbands are a popular fashion choice. (I had the idea that they represent someone holding onto you even when they aren’t there.)

Waist sashes

Glasses

Sleeveless tunics

Wavy, jellyfish frilly collars on Nettle’s tunic

Pearly diadems

Nettle wears a water lily-shaped crown

Moonlily and Waterlily wear pearly diadems. Moonlily’s has a water lily-shaped charm on it

Pearly necklaces (Moonlily’s has another water lily-shaped charm)

Pearly earrings

Belts

Chokers

Necklaces

Whistles on necklaces

Headbands

Hairbands/hair ties

Hair clips and hairpieces (can be sea plants, shells, starfish, or something else)

Augment glasses

Gloves

Armbands

Sleeves that aren’t attached to any top

Dorsal fin piercings?

Lip/beak piercings?

Pearl strings

Pebble strings

Wearing flowers

Satchels

Striped, long-sleeved shirts

Sleeveless sweatshirts

Sleeveless sweaters

Bandeaus/tube tops

Tail/leg tubes (that they wear on their tails or legs like leggings)

Skirts

Hats

Ponchos

Tied skirts

Scarves

Vests

Aprons

Loose, sleeveless shirts

Suspenders

Bandoliers

Goggles (that function as glasses)

Jackets? (Leather jackets?)

Buttoned shirts?

Bow ties? Top hats? Tailcoats? (I drew Spike wearing these as his formal clothes. It’s meant to blend those fashions with traditional Marevian clothes.)

Sleeveless dresses

Strapless dresses

Bonnets (Waterlily’s land form outfit is a strapless dress and a sunbonnet, with her sash and necklace. I was thinking of changing the bonnet to some sort of hat.)

Shirts/T-shirts

Pants

Shoes (Shelltop’s land form outfit is a shirt, his shell as a hat, some pants, and shoes that look like seashells.)

Unitards (Spike’s land form outfit is a sleeveless dance unitard, with his sash and wristbands.)

Maxi dresses (Marcella’s land form outfit is a long-sleeved, floor-length dress with her necklace and hair clip.)

Sleeveless suits (Cream’s land form outfit is a sleeveless jumpsuit.)

At weddings, Marevians’ families dress them up in what they’ll be married in. They can wear traditional robes, or whatever they like.

At funerals, people wear robes with trench patterns on them. They also wear robes with things the dead person felt connected to on them.

Formal clothes:

Marevi’s traditional clothes are robes made of light fabrics. They have different hem and sleeve lengths. They’re not based on any real cultural robes; I gave them robes because I wanted their traditional clothes to be flowy like ocean waves/currents.

The robes are patterned with nature patterns. People customarily wear makeup of matching nature patterns with them.

Some people get land swimsuits to swim in freshwater with when they go on land. They can only breathe normally when they’re in saltwater.

One-piece swimsuits

Full-body wetsuits

Swim trunks

Tank tops

Pajamas:

Night slips

Transparent garments that sea snails wear to bed to absorb the mucus they shed

Tank tops

Spine guards (worn by sea urchins and other spiny animals)

Shirts

Hair bonnets (Cream sleeps with one)

Winter/deep-sea clothes:

Ponchos

Headbands

Long coats

Round caps

Jackets with puffy collars

Double-breasted coats

To Marevians, tacky/stereotypical tourist outfits are diving gear with tacky swimsuits, or bad seaweed haircuts with tacky sundresses.

Marevian Queer Culture:

Some Marevians use it/its and they/them.

Queer people can marry and have kids.

Some Marevians are unlabeled.

Marevians have pronoun terms unique to them:

Mer-Se (Mr./Male/He/Him)

Mer-La (Mrs./Ms./Miss/She/Her)

Mer-Nul (Mx./Gender neutral and nonbinary prefixes/Nonbinary/They/Them/It/Its/Anything that isn’t he or she/Anything that isn’t female or male)

Mer (No pronouns/No gender/Agender/Genderless/Unspecified/Person doesn’t want to specify pronouns or identity)

Marevian History:

The earliest merfolk and sea animals didn’t take good care of the earth. What is now Marevi weren’t very safe waters to live in.

They were concerned with taking and surviving with no concern for their environment. A viperfish pressured them into doing this.

One day, they saw a very strange something bobbing along the surface.

It’s a white water lily, and everyone’s shocked at how gorgeous and healthy it looks.

It shriveled up sometime later. But a mermaid tells them it couldn’t have lived that long, especially not in saltwater, without proper care. She said that people need to nurture the life of their world, and it will give them as much energy as that lily had.

People treated each other and their ocean with more respect from then on. It weakened the viperfish’s influence.

As the kingdom grew, they realized that the different biomes needed to be cared for in different ways. For instance, a kelp forest would need to be given more attention than a golden sand bed. So, the biomes became the different regions.

Back in the 20s, Marevi was ruled by a harsh king who wanted to bring the kingdom back to a pre-technological state. He thought the ever-advancing tech was “not respectful of life enough,” even though innovation and research were genuinely benefiting the people. He treated them badly and discouraged them from it “for the greater good of the land.” During this time, the people turned to electricity and electric eels as symbols of rebellion, freedom, and goodwill. Waterlily’s great-grandparents took the throne right after that king was made to step down.

Multiple species have ruled over Marevi over the years. Waterlily’s jellyfish family are the current rulers. They are called the Medusozoa Royal Family of Marevi.

Sports and Games in Marevi:

Volleyball

Wrestling? Boxing? (As I said, Shelltop’s into that)

Badminton

Cricket

Board games. I never established any specific ones that they play, but they have them.

Sports are the only competition you will see in Marevi. Like I said, it’s discouraged for the most part.

Transportation in Marevi:

Marevians usually swim around from place to place.

They also get around with undersea bikes, trikes, and other eco-friendly vehicles.

Marevians are really big on public transportation, such as their undersea monorail system.

Their equivalent of flying on a plane is traveling in a submarine.

[bestanimal]

Round 2 - Arthropoda - Insecta

(Sources - 1, 2, 3, 4)

Our last athropods, the hexapod crustacean class Insecta, is one of the most successful groups of animal on earth. They are the most diverse, with over a million known species, comprising more than half of all eukaryote (animals, plants, fungi, etc) species, making them the “Default Animal.” They are comprised of three main groups: Archaeognatha (“Jumping Bristletails”), Zygentoma (“Silverfish” and “Firebrats”), and Pterygota (winged or secondarily wingless insects).

As hexapods, insects have a three-part body plan: head, thorax with 6 legs, and abdomen. They have compound eyes (some in addition to ocelli) and a pair of antennae. Many groups have 1-2 pairs of wings as adults. Insects have many means of perceiving the world: compound eyes and ocelli for seeing, tympanal organs for hearing, and receptors on the antennae and mouthparts for smelling. They live in almost every environment and occupy almost every niche. Many are aquatic, or have aquatic larvae. They are the first animals to have evolved flight. Some are solitary, some are social, some live in large, well-organized colonies. Some communicate with pheromones, some with sounds, some with bioluminescence. Some are venomous, some are poisonous. Most insects hatch from eggs, though some are birthed live. Some hatch as miniature adults, some go through a partial metamorphosis in which the larval stage looks vastly different from the adults, and some go through a complete metamorphosis in which a nearly immobile pupa is formed. Some insects provide maternal care. Some are carnivores, some herbivores, some omnivores, some parasites. Some spend most of their lives in their larval stage, and don’t even feed as adults. Due to the high diversity of insects, it would be impossible for me to summarize them further!

Fossil insects are known from the Paleozoic Era, during which they achieved large sizes, such as the giant dragonfly-like Meganeuropsis permiana, with an estimated wingspan of up to 710 millimetres (28 in), and a body length from head to tail of almost 430 millimetres (17 in).

Propaganda under the cut:

Insects are absolutely critical in all ecosystems, forming the base of the food chain, turning and aerating soil, controlling pests, encouraging or controlling the growth of plants, scavenging and recycling biological materials, and creating topsoil. Without insects, our planet would die.

There are many contenders for “largest insect.” The Giant Stick Insect (Phobaeticus serratipes) is the longest insect in the world, with specimens recorded at over 56 cm (22 inches), including their legs. The Giant Weta (Deinacrida heteracantha) is the heaviest, with a record of 2.5 ounces. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) has the largest wingspan, which reaches up to 30 cm (1 foot) wide.

Meanwhile, the smallest known adult insect is a parasitic wasp, Dicopomorpha echmepterygis, commonly called “Fairyflies”. Males are wingless, blind and measure only 0.127 mm long.

Many insects are popular pets, including various species of mantis, cockroach, beetle, moth, and ant! Some are even domesticated, including silk moths and honeybees.

Many insects are eaten by humans, and farming insects for food is considered more sustainable than farming large chordates. These farmed arthropods are referred to as “minilivestock.”

Shellac is a resin secreted by the female Lac Bug (Kerria lacca) on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. It is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze, natural primer, sanding sealant, tannin-blocker, odour-blocker, stain, and high-gloss varnish. It was once used in electrical applications as an insulator, and was used to make phonograph and gramophone records until it was replaced by vinyl.

One of the biggest ecosystem services insects provide for humans is pollination. Crops where pollinator insects are essential include brazil nuts, cocoa beans, and fruits including kiwi, melons, and pumpkins. Crops where pollinator insects provide 40-90% of pollination include avocados, nuts like cashews and almonds, and fruits like apples, apricots, blueberries, cherries, mangoes, peaches, plums, pears, and raspberries. In crops where pollinators are not essential they still increase production and yield. Important pollinators include bees, flies, wasps, butterflies, and moths.

Many insects are sacred to humans. In Ancient Egypt, scarab beetles were used in art, religious ceremonies, and funerary practices, and were represented by the god Khepri. Bees supposedly grew from the tears of the sun god Ra, spilled across the desert sand. The Kalahari Desert's San People tell of a legendary hero, Mantis, who asked a bee to guide him to find the purpose of life. When the bee became weary from their search, he left the mantis on a floating flower, and planted a seed within him before passing from his exhaustion. The first human was born from this seed. Dragonflies symbolize pure water in Navajo tradition. In an Ancient Greek hymn, Eos, the goddess of the dawn, requests of Zeus to let her lover Tithonus live forever as an immortal. Tithonus became immortal, but not ageless, and eventually became so small, old, and shriveled that he turned into the first cicada. Another hymn sings of the Thriae, a trinity of Aegean bee nymphs. Native Athenians wore golden grasshopper brooches to symbolize that they were of pure, Athenian lineage. In an Ancient Sumerian poem, a fly helps the goddess Inanna when her husband Dumuzid is being chased by galla demons. In Japanese culture, butterflies carry many meanings, from being the souls of humans to symbols of youth to guides into the afterlife. Ancient Romans also believed that butterflies were the souls of the dead. Some of the Nagas of Manipur claim ancestry from a butterfly. Many cultures use the butterfly as a symbol of rebirth. And the list goes on…

[absurdly-overpowered-astronaut]

for the ask game!!

morgan with 🍁 🌸🌾☀️

:P

Yayayayayayayayayyaardfghhhhghhyuihghj THANK YOU! THANK YOU! LEMON TYSM!!!

What's this oc's favorite genre of movies/tv shows/books/etc? 🍁

I think she likes things that are feel good and escapist. She doesn’t want to conform uncomfortable realities in real life let alone willingly subject herself to them in fiction. So I think she seeks out stories that are simple and clean.

Her ideal story is probably one that is quite superficial and funny with a light tone and characters who care about each other but don’t establish any especially deep emotional or physical intimacy. A story that lets her escape from reality but not one that provides a safe environment to approach uncomfortable topics it would be one that is pure escapism.

I don’t think she has a specific genre or taste in media before she arcs because she isn’t really living just trying not to die so she doesn’t really have hobbies outside of her one track fixation. I think it’s after her arc she really starts to develop a specific taste.

After going through her character arc she comes to take on and enjoy a lot of her friends tastes. Grey gets them to watch art house films together , Tolver loans her some old noir films and Alex and Kat probably get her into some anime at some point.

After her arc she enjoys real arty films and develops an interest in time loop fiction.

What's this oc's favorite and least favorite colour? 🌸

You’ll never guess……GREEN! She has developed an affinity for it because of her cloak and how it protects her but also I think she just finds it calming and pleasant. Her least favourite is definitely red because blood (She has undiagnosed Hemophobia)but also because of a secret reason >:3 I find it funny its the opposite on the colour wheel to green as well.

How does this oc get along with people they just met?

Not great. Mori has trust/intimacy issues even with the people she has known the longest. She only gets along with one person on the whole of planet earth at the start of the story let alone someone she just meet. Her fear of death has progressed to the point where it makes her suspicious of everyone and I won’t go too much onto her background here but she knew someone and then saw a completely different side to them which further resulted in her distrusting , distancing herself from others and developing an avoidant , quiet and cold approach to her relationships. Unluckily for her she is in a anti-doomed yuri and is blessed by the narrative to love herself , her girl friend and her friends >:3

Does this oc make good or bad first impressions?

Mori has a strange stunted way of communicating she often speaks in morbid metaphors or double negatives. If you where to go to restaurant with her she'd be more likely to list off all the things she doesn't want and expect you to work out from there what it is she dose. That on top of her cold demeanor and strange clothing choices means most people get a bad first impression and often a bad second impression too.

[sharenadraculea]

Some thoughts on Lu Ten

A lot of people have been talking about the live action avatar show and how the scene of Iroh and Zuko sitting next to Lu Tens casket made them very sad. Which made me think about how I was never sad about Lu Ten dying, even with quite a few scenes tailored to make watchers sad about his death and me liking Uncle Iroh quite a bit. So I did some thinking:

First, let‘s collect what we know about Lu Ten from the show as well as what we know about the Siege of Ba Sing Se (it‘s not a lot). Lu Ten was the son of Iroh and significantly older cousin of Zuko and Azula, making him prince of the fire nation. Iroh loved him a lot and Zuko has fond memories of him. Lu Ten was a officer in the fire nation army and died in the siege of Ba Sing Se, which made Iroh very sad and stop the siege. The Siege itself was part of the hundredyear war and a attempt to take Ba Sing Se. It lasted for 600 days, let me repeat sixhundred days, and conditions were so bad that water had to be rationed. At least one of the walls was damaged or broken. It was lead by Iroh.

From this we can extrapolate some more stuff: living in the besieged city was hell on earth and a lot of people -mostly civilians- died, likely of hunger. Lu Ten was not a kid when he died -I personally estimate that he was probally in his twenties- and he was probally quite important in the Siege on the attacking side.

Which is why I don‘t feel particularly sorry for Lu Tens death. People die in war, it‘s a thing that happens, and the fire nation started that war and they started the siege. They are the genocidal imperialist faction. (I also have the headcanon that they wanted to starve out and kill most of Ba Sing Se, as taking it with less losses and a much shorter time is possible, as demostrated by Azula) And as far as we (or at least I) know Lu Ten was complacent in the siege. Honestly, his death was probally a net-positive, because thanks to it the siege was stopped and if it hadn‘t a lot more people -especially earth kingdom civilians- would have died.

And I think this is absolutly fascinating! Both how I see this thing of a story so diffrent from most people and the implications this has for the charcter of Lu Ten and also Iroh. (On a sidenote, I think a large part of me seeing this aspect diffrent is that I only watched atla around a year ago, so not as a kid, and that ww2 is one of my special interests and for a while it was specifically the siege of leningrad, longest recorded siege, lasting more than 800 days, during which one million civilians starved too death, and starvation is a very long, often agonizing death).

But back to atla and Iroh: we only meet Iroh in the middle/end of his redemtion arc, once he allready chilled out, and with the animated show beeing for kids, we are never given many details on his past and what happend in Ba Sing Se. To me his story feels very „Well, I never thought the leopards would eat my face too!“. Which is honestly a fascinating story for a morally grey character with a dark past to have. How did Iroh turn from beeing most likely really into the fire nations ideology to figthing against them? Because his turn lasted for years, starting at Lu Tens death, not when we first meet him in the show.

Also there are so many more interpretation of who Lu Ten was other than the „cooler older cousin“-one I usually see! Was he super behind what the fire nation was doing, possibly even dragging Iroh along with him? Or was it the opposit? What effect did seeing the horrors of the siege have on him? Did he see those starving civilians even as people? And also all the options if he started rebelling! What effect did it have on Iroh? Did he just think stuff or did he try to save people? What if his death was a assasination because he started doing those things?

I have so many thoughts on this and I should really write some fics about it, to explore that stuff further.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

A is for Azerbaijan

The headwaters of the Kura River, Azerbaijan’s longest waterway, lie in the mountains of northeastern Türkiye. From there, the Kura winds through the forested hills and valleys of the Lesser Caucuses before turning east and heading toward Tbilisi, Georgia’s capital. The river continues westward into Azerbaijan and drains eventually into the Mingachevir and Varvara reservoirs, which were built by the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the 1940s and 1950s, respectively.

Suspended sediment, silty banks, and a shallow downstream gradient encourage growth of the winding, snake-like curves and bends in the river known as meanders. Water flowing through these bends tends to be deeper and flow more quickly along the outer edge, where it carves a cutbank, while shallower, slower-moving water deposits a point bar along the inner edge. Over time, the bends can become so sharp and elongated that the river loops back onto itself and cuts the meander off, forming a separate U-shaped (or C-shaped) body of water called an oxbow lake.These erosional processes formed the curvy, A-shaped lake shown above. The A’s cross-hatch likely formed before the lake separated from the main river channel. As the bend elongated, the river likely formed a new, more direct channel bisecting the bend. The OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager) on Landsat 9 acquired this image on September 2, 2024. The image below shows a broader view of the same area.

That A-shaped lake, known locally as Ozero Akhmaz, is one of several oxbow lakes flanking the main channel of the river. These isolated features typically display darker blue water because they contain less suspended sediment than the main channel of the river.

While natural processes often form meanders and oxbow lakes, human activity has also transformed the landscape. In addition to dams, a network of canals runs through the scene on both sides of the river, conveying water to farmland and towns. This irrigation system makes it easier to grow a variety of crops, including cotton, barley, millet, wheat, sunflowers, fruits, and vegetables, in the region’s cold, semi-arid climate.

Industry including textiles, manufacturing, and mining are also present, particularly in and around Mingachevir, a growing city that is now the fourth-largest city in Azerbaijan. Fishing and intensive use of the river have reduced the number of species that live in the Kura, but there are efforts to replenish some species. The fish farm visible on the north bank of the river (top image), for instance, raises sturgeon and herring to bolster populations of these prized animals.

Lake Akhmaz is one of dozens of letter-shaped features on Earth’s surface curated by NASA’s Landsat outreach team. The images are part of an interactive tool that allows users to compose names or other words using Landsat images of Earth. For more information about some of the letters, see Earth Observatory’s 2012 Reading the ABCs from Space story.

NASA Earth Observatory images by Wanmei Liang, using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey. Story by Adam Voiland.

[demonsfate]

Magnolia Peony Violet

botanical headcanons // accepting . . .

magnolia : describe your muse’s relationship with nature & the natural world .

Like most, if not all, Kazamas, Jin has a very strong connection with nature. Nature is soothing and healing to him. It's why Jin's favorite hobby is forest bathing. Because when he's feeling weak, or feeling distressed, it calms him. Not only does Jin feel stronger around the trees, but like his mother - he does have that same connection with animals. However, for the longest time after Devil awoken, most animals would avoid him because of that dark aura within. Now that Devil's been purified, animals flock to Jin once again.

Even before purification, Devil always enjoyed nature. Which may seem contradictory, considering his old affinity for destruction. He never really thought why he felt this way toward woods and forests. But maybe it's because Jin felt at home deep in the woods and those feelings affect Devil. Or it could be that even Azazel fancied the natures of earth. After all, Azazel did once rule the earth, and seemed to want to end humanity for their sins and destruction. It could be that Azazel liked earth and believed humans were ruining it. One reason why Azazel wanted to "start over".

peony : what would a ‘ happy life ’ look like in your muse’s eyes ?

Living somewhere nearby the woods, married with a decent sized family, and lots and lots and LOTS of pets. Sometimes Jin does love living a little on the wild side, but after everything he's been through... he thinks he has enough excitement now. He just wants a nice house and a domestic life.

Devil doesn't really know. Before he used to think he wouldn't be happy until he's obtained ultimate power and had supreme control over the world. He wanted to be worshipped as a god. Now he's no longer interested in that. Whilst he's not sure what he wants for the future anymore, he feels happy right now.

violet : how does your muse respond to betrayal ?

Depends on the context of the betrayal. Clearly with Heihachi, Jin reacted with homicidal rage and a strong need for revenge. Although I mentioned Jin isn't actually very untrusting, he doesn't take revenge well. Even now, somebody like Lars and Lee would probably have to calm him if it were to happen.

I've been saying Jin and Devil are usually polar opposites. But this time, like Jin, Devil also doesn't take BETRAYAL well. That makes sense for an emotional creature. Obvs when like over half his soldiers betrayed him and created Yggdrasil, Devil wanted them all dead. Especially Lars. In Devil's eyes, betrayal was punishable by death. Even after being purified, Devil still has a problem controlling his rage when being betrayed. This time it's because he felt that person could've put Jin or his "friends" in danger, and that enrages him. Like Jin, somebody would have to calm him... except, since he's more emotional than Jin, that would probably be harder to do.