#Cortex Curious

[unbearable-lightness-of-ink]

ok idk how many people have had an mri recently enough to answer, but does anyone else start seeing dark undulating spots, like a lava lamp, while having an mri?

this has happened every time I've had one and it's not the same shape or movement pattern as my usual eyes-closed hallucinations (there's a name for them but I forget what it is). I tried looking it up but the internet started telling me about getting a brain mri to diagnose spots in your vision which is the opposite of what I'm curious about

[the-weeping-dawn]

I am so interested in trying this at some point just for that part of my brain in a panic that first run taking the time frame seriously for a bit too long to also be playing the spell slot resource management game while scrambling to see how much could one even finish in the time stated

[alchemist-of-life]

I’m curious how binary cant work for admech since day 1. At first, I thought it’s just high speed alternation in frequencies of sounds to denote 0 and 1, just like how computer cable does with voltage. So I wrote a python script to convert natural language to binary code then to sound based on the idea (so that I can curse in binary in ttrpg). However, since the human auditory cortex can only distinguish sound about 20ms apart, the current commonly used binary coding method (Unicode) that requires 8 bits to encode for one letter (16 bits for one character in Mandarin) would make binary cant less efficient than natural language through the bare ear. As a result, binary cant users not only need vocal implants but also auditory implants to receive info (or perhaps cortex implants to decode). Based on these assumptions, binary cant would be able to happen in sound frequencies not perceivable by the original human cochlea so techpriests conversation can be extremely quiet. And more efficiently, just through data cables.

Or it could be the other way around, scientists might develop more efficient binary language without basing it on the symbol system of natural languages (I’m not that familiar with linguistics so I don’t know if this is possible or not).

However, the sound techpriests made in the game mechanicus doesn’t sound like my assumption. There are definitely more than 2 pitches used in the conversations (which makes it less binary...) and they seem to be faster than natural language. I still couldn’t figure out what’s happening here. Do the twisting pitches actually encode more than one bit? Is binary cant actually an analog signal encoding a digital signal? Or is the sound effect just mean to sound better for the game?

The binary curse program (turn the sound on!):

[kiwi-on-ice]

Favourite pictures of you headcannons with Ashe, Moira, Ramattra, and Lifeweaver with fem!reader

Word count: 700

Warnings: mixture of nsfw and fluff, mentions of sextapes

Notes: Surprise! A small little treat before kinktober arrives and you all get sick of me posting.

Ashe:

Lets get the horny thoughts out the way, she definitely has a few pictures of you that she keeps in the private folder of her phone.

Her favourite being a photo of you on your back against the silk sheets, hair messy and slightly sticking to your forehead. Your lingerie is half torn, bra pulled hastily down so your tits are spilling out, inner thighs parted and glistening with your arousal. But what Ashe loves the most; the red lipstick marks scattered all over your skin, painting you in beautiful salacious brushstrokes.

But she has more sfw ones too. Taped to her new motorcycle was a picture of you both, a candid shot from a bar when deadlock were celebrating a heist. Her arm was around your waist, keeping you pressed against her side. She was giving a smile to the camera, red lips illuminated, but you. Your eyes were firmly on her, gazing at her with such adoration, it gives her a fuzzy feeling in her chest whenever she sees it.

Moira:

she doesn't have a lot of photos period, she finds it unnecessary, society’s need to document everything. So the photos she does have are deemed important for her to keep.

Moira has exactly one photo of you in her lab, framed and away from any chemicals or corrosive materials. It's of the two of you at a scientific gala, her wearing a crisp suit and you wearing a form fitting dress that matched her. You’re holding on to her arm, nails gently pressing into the material of her sleeve, and she loves how relaxed your body looks against her.

You're the one who has more pictures, candids of her while she works. But when you introduced her to your polaroid camera, she's curious.

That's how she ends up with her other favourite picture, tucked away in her wallet. A polaroid of you on your back, her hand wrapped around your throat. Your neck and collarbones are littered with marks and bites, but its your eyes she loves. Despite her choking you, holding your life in her hand, your eyes are bright and excited as you gaze up past the polaroid at her.

Ramattra:

Omnics have photographic memories, incapable of forgetting something they've processed. Because of this, initially he makes fun of you humans and your petty memory cortexes, needing a physical copy to remember in detail.

It's only when you attempt to explain it, that it's not about forgetting but about remembering, of reminiscing, of the feeling the photo gives you, that he starts to understand just a little.

He demands to see your phone, to look at the many pictures you have of eachother, but one photo caught his eye. It's of you on his lap, or more specifically his thigh. The angle of the selfie only serves to exemplify the size difference, making you look so small and puny.

Printing it off, he keeps a small version of it on him at all times, gazing at it when he's alone.

Lifeweaver:

Oh this man is always taking pictures of you. Always.

His phone is always pointed at you, taking snaps of you, posed or candid. Now don't get me wrong, he's always taking pictures when you're dolled up for a date, capturing you in the best lighting to accentuate your dress and makeup. But he especially loves taking pictures of you in your pyjamas, sweatpants and a loose shirt, his hoodie underneath your messy hair. Anytime you look casual, he thinks you're the most beautiful woman on the planet.

His personal favourite of these is you watering a lily he'd bought you, wearing his hoodie that reached the middle of your thighs.

And when he actually bought a proper camera? The reels were just completely you (and the occasional flowers he likes to grow).

But god if you'd let him, he'd 100% be into recording a sextape. He just thinks you're so gorgeous, why would he not want to replay how you look in ecstasy over and over again.

Although his favourite is a teasing selfie you took while he was fucking you from behind. His hands are grasping at your tits, while you're giving a cheeky smile to the camera. He loves it so much he'd have it as is lock-screen if society didn't deem it so inappropriate.

[libraryofolive]

in your dreams

featuring: Satoru Gojo x reader

genre: drabble, starts fluffy, hurt/comfort, got a bit angsty towards the end? this one got away from me icl

word count: 2.7k

synopsis: You have a romantic dream about your best friend, Gojo Satoru, that changes how you see him overnight. The next day, you can hardly look him in the eye, and it starts to bring up some bad memories in the man.

warnings: language, i don't think there's anything else? lmk if I missed anything <3

Like this? You can find my smaus here and my drabbles and other fiics here!

Do you have a request? You can find my rules for requesting here!

Some claim Satoru Gojo is insufferable. Conceited. Annoying. At best, an acquired taste. You on the other hand, were always seen as a sweetheart, lovely and likeable to everyone you meet. So a close friendship between the two of you had always been seen as well, odd.

Especially when you factor in your places in the world of Jujutsu. You weren’t from a sorcerer family, a solid grade 2 sorcerer. Satoru, however, was well, Satoru Gojo. The strongest sorcerer in the modern age. The special grade heir to the Gojo clan. No one had expected he’d befriend someone with the likes of you.

It had all started on your first day of your first year at Jujutsu Tech. He, being an already experienced, powerful sorcerer swaggered his way into the room, not caring about his three classmates. When he had offhandedly insulted you - for being weak, of all things - you had bitten back with some choice words of your own. An unusual way for a friendship to form, but your ferocity had him curious and you begrudgingly realised you had an eerily similar sense of humour. From then on, the two of you had been thick as thieves, often to those around you’s dismay.

Your closeness to the other sorcerer led to many speculations, as many close friendships do. The two of you were hounded with questions about your (non-existent) romantic feelings for one another, which were always met with grimaces and disgusted guffaws from the two of you. You were best friends, and loved each other to bits, but you weren’t in love. That was something entirely different, no matter that the first thing either of you did in the morning was message the other, or that the two of you instinctively sought out the other after a bad day. Or the pit of negative feelings you felt every time someone fawned over the attractive Gojo heir, which you had reasoned away as being irritated his admirers were interrupting your conversations.

You loved Satoru Gojo. You weren’t in love with him.

It was your mantra. The two simple sentences flowed around your cortex at all times, doubly so when in your best friend’s company. And even more so when you had dreamed about him.

It wasn’t a sexual dream in the slightest. That’s what unnerved you the most - the romantic aspects of it all. A wet dream could have been explained away by your recent pent-up energy being released by your subconscious, and the easiest target for the aforementioned frustration being your handsome best friend. But no, the dream wasn’t about a quick fuck, two friends screwing for a release and nothing more. It had been so much more intimate.

The two of you were sat in an idyllic field full of wildflowers - you perched in his lap, his long legs framing yours as they splayed out onto the blanket underneath the two of you . His hands had found a spot on your waist, his chin resting on his shoulder as he looked at the array of chocolate dipped fruits that you had packed. The sun, and his affection, heated your face, a smile ever present on it. His expression mirrored your own, smile only disappearing when puckering his lips to place loud, dramatic pecks on your shoulder and face, a loud ‘muah’ sounding after every one. You had laughed at his antics, before feeding him a slice of banana and kissing away the chocolate that had somehow been smeared onto his cheek. The whole scene had felt like something from the romance films the two of you cried at together, the warm feelings of being both loved and in love filling your heart.

Your eyes had shot open, you being suddenly awoken by your blaring alarm, and the minute details of the dream had started to fuzz. But the emotions of it lingered, leaving a deeper feeling toward your best friend that you didn’t want to think about and a deep disappointment that the scene had been fictitious.

You decided to ignore the dream. You had just been sleep deprived, and your brain was making up whacky scenarios. There was no way you actually liked Satoru, right? You were aware he was attractive, hell, you had eyes. But he was your best friend. And only that. It didn’t matter that everyone always predicted that the two of you would end up married one day, the more extreme conversations claiming that the two of you would make beautiful children.

However, when you strolled into the Staff Room of Jujutsu Tech, being greeted by the wide smirk of the man plaguing your dreams had your cheeks heating in a way they never had before. He bounded up to you, standing right next to you, your shoulders rubbing together- did he always stand this close to you? He held out a cup of coffee towards you, having bought one for you on his own way into work. You took it, thanking him and took a sip - it was sweet, way too sweet for your liking.

“Er, I think you got these mixed up, Toru. This tastes like yours.”

“Oops, my bad, here.” He swapped the cups, taking a long drink out of the one you had just sipped from. You stared at his lips meeting the lid of the drink - an indirect kiss. You shook the thought out of your head, taking a sip of your own beverage, which was much more to your liking. An indirect kiss? What were you, 12? The two of you didn’t share drinks often, sure, but that was only because of Satoru’s extreme sweet tooth. Why were you freaking out over this?

“You good?” Gojo’s voice pulled you from your thought spiral, a finger prodding your cheek.

“You’re so annoying.” You scoffed, batting his hand away, trying to ignore the slight fluster you felt.

“Yeah, but you love me for it.” Your friend grinned back at you, causing your heart to stop momentarily.

“Shut up. Don’t you have a class to teach or something? Go annoy your students.” You grumbled.

“What? But you just love it when I annoy you.” His prodding resumed, this time on your shoulder.

“Satoru.”

“Oh, sorry, I meant that I just love annoying you. The world does revolve around me, after all.” He quickened his pace, leaving you to feel like the parent of a needy toddler. You glared at him, taking another swig of your drink to give yourself something to do as to not focus on the fact that you could feel his breath on your skin. It reminded of your subconscious picnic, the way his breath tickled your cheek as he leaned in to kiss it.

“I’m going to do my job. You should too.” Your voice was sterner than you intended it, and you brushed away from the tall man. You left the staffroom, heading towards your classroom, not even offering a goodbye as you left. What you didn’t see in your storm of confusing emotion was the disappointment Satoru’s face was riddled with at your actions, his shoulders slumping and a frown forming. Were you mad at him for something? He couldn’t think of anything he had recently done to warrant that reaction. Well, whatever it was, he decided, he had to put it right.

His first attempt was at lunch time. After a hectic morning of various classes, you were excited to tuck into the bento box you had packed for yourself the night earlier. But, when you opened the fridge to retrieve it, it was gone. Instead, there was a note in Satoru’s signature chicken scratch handwriting.

I have your precious lunch hostage. Come to my classroom.

You were not in the mood for his antics right now. Your morning had been busy, but you had been unable to focus the entire time - up in your classroom, you had had the perfect view of Satoru and his students on the field outside. It was distracting, an omnipresent reminder of the unsettling dream that was having much more of an effect on you than you wanted. He was your best friend, for fuck’s sake - and had reacted to any confusion over the two of you dating with as much contempt as you had previously displayed.

Still, you trudged to Satoru's classroom , mentally preparing for what he could be up to. You peeked in through the window in the door to the room, trying to gage what he could possibly be up to. He had his back to the door, and he was bending down, setting up what looked like a - oh, fuck no. The few desks that normally sat in the middle of the room had been pushed to the side, and a large blanket had been put in the middle, two lunches sitting atop it. A fucking indoor picnic? What sick joke was the universe playing on you? As the realisation hit, you ran off, deciding to leave your packed lunch behind and forfeit it for a much lesser one out of a vending machine. No lunch was worth the emotional mess that Satoru’s little plan would bring, you decided.

To say Gojo was confused when he saw you take off after seeing his picnic (the six eyes sure were helpful sometimes) would be an understatement. The two of you always had lunch together, and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t taken your lunch hostage to make you go along with his sometimes stupid ideas. He had to admit, it stung a little. To put it plainly, Satoru Gojo had been in love with you since you yelled at him on the very first day you met. For you to not go along with what he said just because he was ‘the strongest’, to meet someone that wasn’t an ass-kissing sycophant was so refreshing that he found himself falling deep into a pit he didn’t think he ever wanted to escape from. Just being near you was enchanting: the way your eyes would light up when you smiled; the laugh you hated but he loved because it was so genuine; the way you improved his day just by looking at him. Satoru Gojo was sickeningly obsessed with you, often to the detriment of those around him - not that you were aware of it.

That obsession was why the idea of you being upset with him had him simply distraught. You were Satoru Gojo’s sole weakness, and you had no fucking clue. He just had to have you in his life - sure, the most ideal outcome would be you by his side as his partner, his lover, his one and only, but he would have you in any way he possibly could. If being your best friend, and nothing more, meant still being by your side in 10, 20, 30, 50 years down the line, then he’d keep himself in check and admire you from afar. But you were mad at him. That was the only logical explanation that he could come up with. That’s why you were colder than normal earlier. Snappier than usual. Yet what had he done? What mistake could he have possibly made to make you pull away from him, even by a millimetre? It wasn’t because you were finally tired of him, right? You hadn’t finally succumbed to the opinions of so many around you, had you? Finally gotten fed up of his antics, didn’t want to be around him any more? He couldn’t handle that. He could kill some of the strongest of curses as easily as he breathed. He could handle being the crutch that the entire of Jujutsu society relied on to stay upright. But being without you? He’d been left by a best friend before - he wasn’t going to let it happen again without a fight.

You hadn’t seen Gojo for the rest of the day. Not whilst teaching, not whilst lesson planning in the staffroom after the day’s classes. There hadn’t been a hint of white hair anywhere. You should have been relieved, but his absence only seemed to worsen things. There was no escape from your paranoia, half-expecting him to jump out a every turn or from every dark corner - you could picture his crooked smirk as a sudden appearance of his made you jump out of your skin. Alas, the scare never came, and as the day went on, you found your paranoia turning into something much more akin to… longing? As the hours flew by, you found yourself wishing that he’d sneak up on you, scare you senseless, just so you could hear that roaring laugh that always followed his antics. You missed him, in a way you never had before. Jesus Christ, it’s been five hours. Get a hold of yourself. No mater how much you internally scolded yourself though, a longing was making your heart ache. You wanted to see him, desperately. Embarrassment be damned.

You needn’t hold on to that thought for long though, because as you reached you flat, opening up your front door, a set of piercing blue eyes were shining in the dark.

“Satoru? What the hell are you doing sat in my living room, in the dark?” You flicked on the light switch, closing the door behind you and kicking your shoes off. Gojo’s eyes didn’t leave the wall they were staring at, his posture rigid on your couch. He mumbled something quietly.

“I don’t have a six ears technique, Toru. You’re gonna have to speak up.” You made your way towards him, positioning yourself on the sofa next to him. Your heart sank in your chest as he shuffled away from you.

“You’ve avoided me all day.” You managed to make sense of his mumbling this time, “are you… done, with me?”

Your eyes widened at his words, your head shaking furiously. “What? No, absolutely not! What gave you that idea?”

“You ran away, at lunch earlier. I saw you.” His eyes finally met yours. It had your face heating as the entire reason why you’d been avoiding hit you like a ton of bricks. But you could’ve sworn there were tears lining your friend’s lower lashes.

“No, I…” You sighed, deeply, “it’s, er, complicated.”

“Don’t- just don’t leave me. Please. I know I’m annoying, but I can tone it down, I can change- just please, don’t leave me.”

You tucked your legs under yourself, propping up into a kneeling position. Tremors wracked your hands as you reached out, cupping Satoru’s face in them.

“Don’t you dare. Don’t you ever, ever ‘tone yourself down’ because someone called you annoying.” Your voice was as shaky as your hands.

Tears started falling down the man’s face, his eyes not daring to look away from yours. “I can’t lose you, though. Ever. I love you too much for that.” Your small gasp filled the deafening silence of the room at his words. His face dropped, and he pulled away from you, out of your hold. Panic filled his features.

“Shit, sorry, I’ll go, don’t hate me, please, I’m so, so sorry-” He stood up, turning to leave, but you grabbed his arm before he could go anywhere, still kneeling on the couch.

“You love me?” It was barely above a whisper.

“Have for a long time, sweets.” Sadness plagued his words.

“I- I think I’m in love with you too.” The two of you were so still, it was almost as if you we’re posing for a painting. You, on the sofa, reaching out to him. Him being pulled back by you, tear stains and a small smile decorating your faces. A Sorrowful Confession, the artist would call it.

“You think?”

“I- it’s complicated. But I can’t see you as just my best friend anymore, Toru.” He closed the distance between the two of you, his hands finding your waist. Your own found a place on his chest, your faces so close your breaths were mingling.

“Can I kiss you?” He muttered.

“Please.” You nodded, and his lips found yours in an instant. It was slow, passionate, full of everything the two of you couldn’t find it in yourselves to talk about. You begrudgingly pulled away, but pressed your forehead against his.

“’m not going anywhere, Satoru.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

likes, reblogs and comments are appreciated!

[honeygrahambitch]

Will walked into the living room without saying a word and placed a bottle of limoncello on the table. He crossed his arms as he waited for a reaction from Hannibal.

"Welcome back. Anything interesting?" He asked as he lowered the book he was reading, looking at Will past the bottle that was evidently obvious.

"I brought limoncello. The best on the island. You are not avoiding it anymore," Will said, the accusation not making Hannibal have any reaction.

"I haven't been avoiding it."

"You like lemons. You like drinks that have a lot of flavor. You like alcohol. You like Italy. What's wrong with it?"

"It is indeed a special one," Hannibal agreed, the weak smile on his face annoying Will even more. "I just don't feel like having it."

"We've been living in Italy for six months. I consumed bottles of limoncello in front of you. You refuse me every single time. It won't kill you," Will insisted as he walked into the kitchen to get glasses.

"I think limoncello is wonderful. I really appreciate it. It's nothing personal, Will."

"Why are you being so enigmatic about it? You can tell me if it makes you sick or stuff like that. Remember when we learnt about my aperol aversion?"

"How could I forget? I loved that particular suit. What a fascinating night." Hannibal said thoughtfully. "It's nothing of that sort. Limoncello doesn't make me sick."

"Perfect. Then we are drinking together tonight. It will go well with the tiramisu you made this morning." He said as he poured the yellow content into the glasses, about two fingers in each.

Hannibal could already feel the sweet perfume in the air. A drink he really used to enjoy. Was it the time to share something with Will?

"There is something very particular about limoncello," he said as he stared at the contents of his glass, "I find it delightful. However, it turns out, I have never been able to build tolerance for it."

Will arched an eyebrow. "There's no way. You are alcohol-resistant. I have only seen you slightly tipsy when we finished three bottles of wine when we got this place."

"I'm surprised you have memories from that night. You blacked out, after all."

"Don't change the subject," Will said while changing the subject, "Limoncello gets you drunk?"

"Yes. And I am not used to the feeling. Especially because I am not really myself when I'm drunk."

As a response, Will pushed the glass towards Hannibal. "You got me curious now. It's a safe space, I am here. Knock yourself out."

"No." Hannibal refused. "I don't know what I am capable of when I have zero control of my prefrontal cortex."

"Well, you murder and cannibalize people when you are in control of your prefrontal cortex. It can't get any worse."

"It will. You won't like it. I am not funny."

"I have a feeling you'd be quite entertaining," Will argued. "I have seen so many sides of you during the last years. I don't hate any of them. And," Will pauses "this is natural, Hannibal. Everyone gets drunk now and then."

Hannibal looked at his glass then at Will, then again at his glass. He was being emotionally manipulated into making himself vulnerable. There was something savory about losing all control in front of Will. At the same time, there was something terrifying in showing Will that side of himself.

"I apologize for my future actions."

(To be continued)

[glassbirdfeather]

Mohg's Brain

(This is an essay on Mohg, Lord of Blood, from hit video game Elden Ring. It just takes a bit to get there.)

There is a story often repeated in Psychology classes, Physiology classes, pop psych media like YouTube, podcasts, and garbage daytime television on channels that used to be scientifically rigorous: about a man with an incredible brain injury. For those of you who haven't heard the story or are not yet sick of hearing it, I've included it from memory below, because I have heard it just that many times.

If you've heard this story already, you can skip to the subtitle: "Can We Even Learn Anything From Gage?"

If you already know the controversies about Phineas Gage or just want to jump to the part about the video game character, you can skip to the subtitle: "Let's FINALLY talk about Video Game"

----

"The Curious Case of Phineas Gage"

Phineas Gage was a railroad worker who would help clear land with explosives. The dubious and definitely wouldn't-have-been-OSHA-approved method of laying these explosives was to chip a hole into the mountainside, place the explosives, and then tamp it down using some sort of implement like a railroad spike. What happened next was predictable and it's surprising this didn't happen much more often--when packing the explosives, they detonated in Gage's face. Specifically, this launched the spike underneath his left eye and out of the top of his head. Less predictably, Phineas stood up afterwards. When a doctor arrived, said doctor did not believe what had occurred until Gage vomited approximately a "teacupful of brain matter" onto the street.

Due to lack of effective sterilization and antibiotics at the time, poor Phineas Gage was bedridden for several months, where he continued to lose further brain matter to infection. Eventually, he did recover, although he would continue to experience migraines and seizures for the rest of his life. While he lost his job for the railroad service, he went on to work in a sideshow attraction, carrying around the very railroad spike that went through his head. Eventually, he got a job and worked as a taxi driver and lived for several more years before dying of a seizure.

Phineas Gage was never the same after this life-altering injury: he was belligerent, drunk, lied frequently, and lost his job for the railroad company because of his new personality. And I do say NEW personality--Phineas had become like a completely different person and was, in essence, "no longer Gage" (they love quoting that). The damage to regions of the prefrontal cortex made him unable to make moral judgements, and impaired his impulse control.

OR MAYBE THAT LAST PART ISN'T TRUE.

Phineas Gage was NOT much changed by this life-altering injury. Though he lost his job at the railway company, the cause of this job loss is unknown. He MAY have had severe alterations to his personality due to this injury, but whether these changes were due to physical damage or emotional trauma--or whether personality changes ACTUALLY occurred at all--are disputed.

----

Can We Even Learn Anything From Gage?

Though I am uncertain if we have exact data on which parts of his brain he was left with when accounting for what was later lost to infection, the trajectory and angle of the injury suggests he initially lost much of his prefrontal cortex. Which of the previous versions of the story are told or over/under-emphasized is dependent on the point the teller is trying to make in the age-old debate of nature vs. nurture.

Some psychologists argue that Gage's personality change demonstrates the Global Workspace Model, where different parts of the brain are responsible for different parts of consciousness, and that by changing or removing parts of the brain, you change consciousness.

Other psychologists will argue that the LACK of change is evidence of the brain's incredible plasticity--its ability to adapt and compensate for missing parts by shifting the functions of those parts to be performed by different regions.

Most reasonably, he probably experienced some cognitive differences while still being effectively the same person and is an example of both points of view. But we don't have concrete enough evidence to say.

Any class in which a teacher or textbook needs evidence to support whatever point they're trying to make about how changes to the brain affects personality, addiction, emotional regulation, decision making, etc., they'll use Gage to make that point, no matter what stance they take. So really, Gage isn't a useful case study beyond what we could actually observe: he lost some of his brain and lived, while also experiencing migraines and seizures for the rest of his life.

With all of that said, if we assume that Gage experienced no changes to cognitive function or personality, I just typed out a story I am very sick of hearing for no reason. So let's assume that at least some of those observations were true.

----

Let's FINALLY Talk About Video Game

Her are some potentially useful images to reference if you want. Left: general brain regions and their functions. Right: paranasal sinus cavities.

Unlike a nice, straight tamping iron, Mohg's horns curl in unpredictable directions. Some assumptions must be made about length, depth, and diameter to determine what region and volume of his skull is occupied by his horn. The minimum I expect is that the horn occupies the region of his frontal lobe in any scenario. Let's also set a maximum limit: I believe it is reasonable to assume it has not reached the primary motor cortex, where it would disrupt body control and physical movement... unless one wants to suggest he is puppetting himself in his boss fight like a bloodbender. Which, let's be real, IS a really badass concept, someone should write that fanfiction.

Though I argue that Gage is a bad example to use given our lack of reliable data on his personality and lived experiences, we DO know that disrupting the function of the prefrontal cortex can affect judgment, planning, concentration, and any type of higher processing you might call a uniquely 'human' mental ability (I acknowledge the mental abilities of birds and primates but they are beyond the scope of this essay). It may be safe to assume that, in Mohg's case, these mental processes are harmed regardless of any further extrapolation I make. One other brain region of note is the motor speech (Broca) area, located on the left side directly behind the prefrontal cortex and controls muscle movements for speech.

On the topic of pain, migraines, and seizures: He has a horn in his head, it probably hurts. Obstructions (like cysts) can cause buildup of cerebrospinal fluid, which can cause pain and is a common cause of seizures. It is difficult to say how many people have benign brain tumors, but there is speculation that benign tumors in the brain are unexpectedly common. People only typically get brain scans when they've already noticed a problem, but there have been cases of perfectly healthy people having (non-cancerous) brain tumors, so a mass being present in the brain does NOT guarantee seizures will occur. This being said, that horn is significantly larger than a typical benign brain tumor. Migraines and seizures are very reasonable to assume.

I don't know what to say about illness and disease. In theory, if the horn grew at any point after birth, I would say he should have died from any pathogens that were introduced during its corkscrewing into his skull. Phineas Gage was bedridden for months due to infection, was under the care of a doctor, and he wasn't living in a sewer. Do the Lands Between understand the germ theory of disease? It may at least know that poop in the brain is bad, but I listen to Sawbones, so I know that isn't something we can just assume. It's possible he's lost some impossible-to-estimate amount of brain matter to infection. Feel free to speculate about Omen resistance to pathogens, but I don't feel that is the point of this essay. I'll say it's safe to assume his body has healed closed around it, but anything else I won't try to extrapolate.

----

Specificity from Horn Trajectory

Possibility 1:

If we estimate the continued trajectory from the visible part of the horn, it actually continues medially, towards the center of the body, and curls downward. This might even miss most of the brain and instead disrupt the frontal, ethmoidal, and maxillary sinus cavities of the skull.

It may possibly even pierce the roof of the mouth, if we roughly estimate the rate at which the horn tapers and where it likely ends. I argue that this is the most optimistic scenario in terms of his health, because although the horn almost certainly penetrates the prefrontal cortex, it may not be as deep as other possibilities.

In this horn trajectory case, he probably experiences constant sinus pressure similar to a permanent head cold, obstruction to his sense of smell, and by extension his sense of taste. Even if the horn does not completely block his nasal cavity, it may have damaged his olfactory nerve and thus disabled his sense of smell anyway. Should the horn obstruct his mouth he may experience physical difficulties eating and speaking.

Possibility 2:

A worse scenario may be to assume this horn instead extends directly backwards. This would likely pass through the motor speech area, and may have caused him to lose the ability to talk, forcing him to relearn how to speak by having another part of the brain learn to do this function (similar to how anyone learns a second language after very early childhood). It may also reach the LEFT temporal lobe, which processes hearing and smell for the RIGHT side of the body, and therefore he could be deaf in his right ear. Again, the olfactory nerve is potentially in the path of the horn, and loss of sense of smell is frequently considered a symptom of brain damage, so regardless of the angle of the horn this is a high possibility.

----

What Time of Horn Growth Could Tell Us

Children are more likely to recover well from brain damage. The older he was when the horn entered his brain, the more likely he would be to experience cognitive impairment.

Should Mohg's horn have developed that way before birth, his brain may have formed around it without issue, or obstructed regions may have simply remained underdeveloped. His skull would also have developed to more 'comfortably' accommodate this horn, rather than having to break and re-heal around a later intrusion. If the horn is shallow enough and its growth occurred during fetal development or very early childhood before the fusing of the bones in the skull, it is possible that left eye blindness and mild discomfort are the only effects. The timing of the horn's growth being before birth or in early infancy is supported by the Regal Omen Bairn, which shows Morgott with seemingly all of his horns, suggesting that omens horns are largely present upon birth and that those horns grow in proportion with them.

However, given the themes associated with the Formless Mother, here is another--vastly more speculative--hypothesis: Mohg's horn was grown deliberately into his skull by the influence of the Formless Mother, perhaps with or without his consent. I find it hard to believe that a force claimed to be the "mother of truth" which "desires a wound" would be unaware of the possible effects of this type of wound.

I posit that the Formless Mother intended to compromise Mohg's consciousness and sense of reason to make him easier to manipulate. If we assume that they were not working together (debatable), the abduction of Miquella and potential interruption and sabotage of his ascension puts an empyrean under the Formless Mother's control, and works counter to the dynasty Mohg desires. Damage to his ability to plan, make rational decisions, and his sense of morality could explain how Mohg seems to want a place for outcast and hated people, likely seeing a kinship with Miquella, but has created something that is the antithesis to the Haligtree.

Furthermore, should we assume that Mohg and Miquella met previously and Miquella had the opportunity to do so, the power Miquella purportedly has to compel adoration in others may have interacted poorly with Mohg's potentially impaired emotional processing, and could have caused an obsessive outcome that the Formless Mother did not predict.

Of course, I don't believe every awful and cruel decision someone makes is the result of brain damage, but this may explain the incongruity between what Mohg seems to want and what he has made. Whether Mohg is "the reigning lord and hierarch of the coming dynasty of Mohgwyn" or "a raving lunatic" may not be an incompatible dichotomy. It may be sequential.

----

Glassbirdfeather you're so wrong, why did you say ___?

I am not a doctor. I am a chemistry student with a biology lean (clinical laboratory science) and am drawing my conclusions from what I've learned in Anatomy, Physiology, and Psychology classes at an introductory level, and I glanced back at my anatomy and psychology textbooks as my sole academic sources. Please don't take this as a well-researched essay, none of the claims I make about mental or physical health are properly cited. This is just fandom theorizing; it's as academically rigorous as fanfiction. Any doctor/member of the medical profession who would like to correct me is invited to do so, I would love to hear more accurate and informed observations.

----

Bibliography

(literally just 2 references, man)

Grison, Sarah and Michael S. Gazzaniga. Psychology in Your Life. Third Edition, W. W. Norton & Company, 2019.

McKinley, Michael P. and Valerie Dean O'Loughlin. Human Anatomy. Fifth Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2017.

[doodledrawsthings]

Opinions on the Sols from Nine Sols immediately. Please. Your au is delish.

Keep in mind these are my very off-the-top-of-my-head, surface level impressions of them after having recently beaten the game on story mode once, while streaming. I won’t be giving any deep analysis or anything lol so the tone will be pretty jokey and unserious.

MAJOR major Nine Sols spoilers under the cut. Please do not read if you haven’t finished the game.

Kuafu: second favorite character. I love him so much. He’s such a pal, everybody likes him. Hou Yi left him as the final sun standing after shooting down the other nine cuz he’s just a stand up guy. The fact that he’s the one who pled keep Abacus around and set his settings to High Sympathy and kept coming in to talk to him out of guilt over what happened to Yi kills me. Smart, silly, handsome, the last remaining Solarian in existence and he can never go home for the remainder of his life. He’s my ride or die bestie, he’s one of my several husbands who babysit my little brother while I go off on a revenge murder spree and I’m kissing him on the mouth.

Goumang: I like her design and concepts and think she’s a fun character. She was the first boss I fought and i thought she was pretty fun, though I didn’t find the fight as memorable as others. I wish she had more presence throughout the game, I heard from a friend she had some more stuff that was cut apparently? Curious about her rivalry with Yi and relationship with Eigong. And since Yi technically never killled her I’ve considered including her in the Dont Worry About It AU.

Yanlao: Grampa!! I think he and Yi’s back and forth throughout the warehouse area was pretty funny. I was so ready to kick his ass the entire time, especially after the segment where he’s shooting at you as you navigate a maze. Loved his bossfight, first fight of the first three i started with where I really felt the parry/dodge/attack rhythm for the first time. Rip gramps.

Jiequan: BASTARD!! (Half-affectionate but only half) he’s giving Fruity Disney Villain Who Flirts With You As He Stabs You In The Chest. He sucks <3 but he’s such a FUN character, what a great antagonist. His fake out fight is so intense, the prison scene is so intense, his boss fight kicked my ass and his theme goes hard. He’s a war criminal, he’s a freak, he looks like All Might MHA and he regularly irradiates himself as part of his body building routine. “Heroes are forged in agony!” 10/10 Disney villain, very stylish. Defeating him was so satisfying especially after the Kanghui fight in the prison and learning what happened with THAT horror show.

Lady Ethereal: I LOVE HER!! SO MUCH!!! UGH!!! she makes me so sad! But everything about her is SO cool! Her fate! Her backstory!! Her design! Her boss fight! Her entire platforming area!!! Just!!! Aah! I won’t say too much but it’s just so good she had my favorite fight in the game, the dance for that one is so much fun. I was streaming the game on discord for my partner and another friend and when we first went into the cortex, she was like “oh you should keep going left and see what’s over there ;)” and then I did and just!!! So cool that Red Candle started off making horror games, it’s really great. Love it. Awesome character, awesome boss, awesome theme.

Fuxi and Nuwa: Rich asshole twins!! These two suck lol but I do think they’re fun characters. The entire empyrean district is experiencing a resident evil style zombie infection and Nuwa is throwing a rager at the club for the rich cryosleepers only. It’s really eerie over there though, I love the vibe of the east side and the discovery of the mutants and destruction of the west half is spooky as hell. And then I got to the area where you get Fuxi’s sol seal and didn’t even notice he was sitting there until my partner pointed him out. I thought he was furniture lol. She’s really puppeting around her brother’s pustule-riddled zombie corpse Weekend at Bernie’s style cuz she’s that much in denial. Also absolutely horrifying that the district supposedly once held 100,000 sleeping solarians that is whittled down to 300 after the mutated virus wreaks havoc through the area. Personally, I’m mixed on their bossfight, the first half with just Fuxi was fun once I got the rhythm but the 2nd half when Nuwa comes in with her attacks gets a bit too chaotic for me. Their boss theme, however, is probably my favorite in the game. I love the opera samples, it’s so cool.

Ji: I think about them a lot. Like, wow what a guy. I think a lot about his immortality, and that if he had not left Penglai with the council he would have been stuck there, alone for eternity. I think about the fact that because they will never get Tianhuo, there would be no need for them to be in cryosleep, which probably means that in the 502 years that Yi was recovering, he was probably up and about the entire time, probably wandering around new Kunlun mostly alone. I wonder if they ever hung out with the dusk guardians, or if they just stayed in the grotto for the most part. Their boss fight felt the most like a dance to me, or like friends sparring. Do you think they thought of Lear as you attacked them with the moves he taught you in the spiritual realm? He makes me sad, but he is very stylish!

Eigong: FUCK HER! SHES SO COOL, BUT FUCK HER!!! EVIL GRANDMA! this games story is like peeling back an onion of horrors where each layer you peel back brings new, mortifying understanding of the situation at large until it ALL. COMES BACK. TO HER! AND HER FRUITLESS PURSUIT OF IMMORTALITY! Her boss fight KICKED MY ASS. I was streaming my first playthrough, so I was already prone to doing worse than I probably would without an audience (emphasis on probably) but in my first attempt I was fighting her for like 6 HOURS STRAIGHT. And for the true ending too, which meant three boss phases. I just could not get her pattern down and my hands were cramping but i really wanted to finish the game that weekend so I could finally talk about it so I ended up turning up the accessibility options to one punch man her. I did eventually go back and do her fight by myself with the story mode settings and MAN what a fun boss battle once you get the dance down (I’m still so bad at unbound counter), and it is SO satisfying to beat. Incredible character, we love fictional old women who commit atrocities in the name of science.

Yi: and finally we have the man, the myth, the legend. I could probably write a whole separate post about him and Heng and his relationships with the other characters but to keep it short- I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! BUT IM ALSO BITING HIM AND PUTTING HIM IN A BLENDER AND RUNNING HIM THROUGH THE DISHWASHER AND HANGING HIM UP TO DRY. Just UGH! It’s not common for the main character of a thing to be my favorite character but Yi is my favorite character. It’s the fact that he is his own character, and we, the player, must gradually find out things that HE already knows. And his budding and flowering relationships with the other characters, especially those who set up shop in the pavillion which leads into his character development is just AUGH. AND THE ENDINGS. YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT GHE ENDINGS. THEYRE GOOD BUT AUGH. I love him, I’m rotating him in my mind on a skewer, he’s my little manlet, my poor little “I’m not a good person” shadow the hedgehog energy meow meow cat boy. I love him so much, I’m so distraught over his terrible life choices. Incredible character.

Ok hope that was entertaining to read, bye.

[please1mistress]

THIS IS NOT HYPNOTIC or EROTIC

If you are curious about what hypnosis does to the brain, you might be interested in learning about the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC). This is a part of the brain that helps us stay alert and aware of our surroundings. It also plays a role in self-consciousness and emotional regulation. But what happens to the DACC when we are hypnotized? According to a groundbreaking study by Stanford University, hypnosis reduces the activity of the DACC, making us less vigilant and more relaxed. This also means that we are more open to suggestions and less inhibited by our usual worries or fears. Hypnosis can also change the way different brain regions communicate with each other. For example, hypnosis can increase the connection between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the insula, which are involved in executive control and interception, respectively. This can help us focus on our inner sensations and feelings, and ignore external distractions. On the other hand, hypnosis can decrease the connection between the DLPFC and the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), which are part of the default mode network (DMN). The DMN is active when we are not engaged in any specific task, and it is associated with self-referential thinking and mind-wandering. By weakening the link between the DLPFC and the PCC, hypnosis can reduce our tendency to ruminate or daydream, and make us more attentive to the present moment. These changes in brain activity and connectivity can explain why hypnosis can be a powerful tool for pain management, anxiety relief, trauma recovery, and many other applications. Hypnosis can help us access a state of mind that is more receptive, flexible, and creative. Isn't that amazing?

[rin-and-jade]

What's Going On?! : A Guide on Dissociative Barriers

Too many time blindness, meals missed, work untouched, stuff's disappearing to nowhere, now feeling dehydrated from who knows when--EVERYTHING'S ALL OVER THE PLACE!!

The fact systems struggle with these things everyday.. It's definitely frustrating to keep things consistent, let alone make some progress. But is this forever? Definitely not, or else this post wouldn't even exist.

Let's get to reading or else it's Joever.

Fast Pass: Unavailable - every word is important!

What are Dissociative Barriers?

In simple terms,, it can be explained as mental disconnections from knowledge/skills, memories, or experiences--they are not gone, but barricaded and unable to be accessed due to defensive/protective measures to isolate potential stressors or threat from a person.

This is caused by multiple brain regions being unsynchronized which interrupts the natural process of integrating awareness (either sensory or mentally) and recalling memories. It is not a real 'wall' to be honest, though it is actually closer of a cognitive split.

Not a real.. wall?

Well, yeah, because dissociative barriers are mainly correlated with poor/disrupted communication between the prefrontal cortex which is responsible for control over memory and attention, the amygdala which is responsible for emotional processing and memory formation, and lastly the hippocampus which is important for consolidating and organizing how memories are kept and retrieved. In short, these barriers are caused by limited memory function in the brain instead of something keeping up barricades inside there.

Can the severity change?

Absolutely, and it's a wildcard that can change your system's routine or healing phases for the better or worse. I wouldn't say that dissociative barriers affect all system functions, but it's one of the main reasons--especially a tough one to tackle with, that makes integration/healthy multiplicity/final fusion difficult.

With that being said, there's various factors that influence the tides of your barriers:

Stressors (can be internal, external, or both)

Emotional regulation (better regulation means lower, so is the opposite)

Dissociative and Maladaptive coping mechanisms (being less grounded will breed more barriers)

Mental rigidity or flexibility (being curious and open about your system does lower barriers)

(Un)regulated nervous system (your vagal tone compliments the ability to control fight/flight response, which disrupts many cognitive functions)

Your level of awareness (higher means less affected by potential barriers)

Take notes that sometimes, your barriers will still be holding strong and high even if you have worked on most, if not all these factors above. If this happens, consider working on unfinished pain you have been gripping on to finally relieve the need to wall it up with dissociation, which will generate a significant difference.

Ah ok.. Tell me the difference please!

Alright, ill simplify it as both High and Low severity:

High barriers are associated with;

More distinction - alters have drastic differences in behavior, beliefs, or memory

Shifts in demeanor - which people can often notice while system lack insight about it

Severe amnesia - unexplained gaps in memory oftentimes

A high barrier is where survival is still prioritized over growth or healing, and temporarily blocks them from learning emotional regulation.

Low barriers are associated with;

More similarities - sharing same goals despite maintaining self-agencies and their own preferences

Less shifts in demeanor - systems gain insight and able to control external impression, maintaining a more stable 'singlet persona'

Lower amnesia - due to better communication and cooperation, gaps are not the main issue now

A low barrier is where growth starts and when you're no longer just surviving, but also thriving. It can also be seen by having more fluid switches and less dissociative 'hangovers' .

But, aren't barriers helpful..(?)

I know what you're trying to say, and i agree true it can be helpful--although it is never always going to be beneficial. It may have been the first go-to when you're facing something that you could not process or handle, but over time things will change and the current solution couldn't provide you the same benefits as it should be,, or even, create more issues in the long run.

This can be a tough pill for some people to swallow: dissociative barriers are not there to solve your problems. They're only here to postpone it until you can go back and finish what's not done. If you were to utilize dissociation to function on a daily basis, it could be a sign of avoidance or an outdated coping mechanism until it is replaced with a healthier one.

Added, there's have many reasons why this is a bad thing to maintain--one of them (and most important) is how it keeps everyone separated (which means trauma isn't processed) and comfortable in their own identities (which removes the priority to clear this deep-seated dissonance) . When you're happy that way, it'll mean missing out or being unaware of what's the deeper problem, which often roots back to splitting or forming new alters to tank pre-existing issues, rather than truly solving it--the very thing perpetuating the disorder.

Lastly, i am putting emphasis on how it is derived from coping mechanisms such as compartmentalization and suppression. Lowering dissociative barriers are not just for reprocessing trauma, but to also learn feel safe, and working through the mess without relying on more damaging methods.

How do you tackle this then?

Glad you ask, it won't be a guide without solutions,, i'll explain them in just three simple phases:

Learn how to ground before anything else. This helps you train resilience so dissociation will not hinder you as much than the usual

Document and/or communicate. Jot down anything traumatic that any alters hold, this will serve as your own homework to process thoroughly to prevent relapse or any other negative habits

Finally process them. This ensures the last phase where dissociative barriers are actively tackled, in addition to solving unfinished pain which is hindering your function and daily life

It takes time and skills, so don't rush them,, and do it in your own pace.

Takeaway

Before i even say a closing... yes, im alive,, yes i did enjoy my long break! In fact, it is what inspires me to make this post and an upcoming one at late march/early april--it'll be about fictives.

Also thanks to @ratinacoat for beta reading this guide, who helps ensure the utmost quality and prevent misinformation that's written here <3

--

Your parts are not enemies, the disconnection is. Although dissociative barriers are made to protect a person from overwhelming stress, it doesn't have to define your future too.

What will be your next step to implement this knowledge after reading this post in your healing journey? Let me know if you have any questions regarding this topic in the comments.

- c

[gothcowgrrl]

i know you said you dramatized your twd intro thing but do people like glenn and abraham actually die? in front of you? are you okay with your friends dying in front of you? sorry, please dont take this as hate, im just really curious and a little confused 𐔌՞. .՞𐦯

don't worry, it's totally understandable why you're curious/confused! for my dr, i'm scripting that grief is different.

in the apocalypse, especially in a world like twd, the human brain has adapted to constant threat, trauma, and loss. there's actually research that suggests repeated exposure to trauma can cause emotional numbing or desensitisation - not because the person doesn't care, but because the brain starts prioritising survival over emotional processing.

the amygdala (responsible for emotional reactions) and the prefrontal cortex (which regulates reasoning) work together differently under chronic stress. so instead of a drawn-out grieving process, the brain shifts straight to: "what do i need to do to survive now?" that doesn't mean you don't feel - you just feel it in waves, more controlled, more internal.

so yeah, it's a loss. glenn and abraham's deaths still hit. they should hit. but in this reality, acceptance comes fast - because it has to. mourning openly could get you or someone else killed.

so for everyone, it is a much different reaction than it is in the show.

for me specifically, i've already witnessed it from the sidelines - so when it happens again, i'm already partially desensitised. and for that moment specifically, i've scripted that i'll close my eyes and cover my ears - and when i do, it blocks it out completely. i don't need to relive every brutal detail. i just need to acknowledge the loss and survive it.

and most importantly - i scripted that they don't feel it. due to shock, adrenaline, and neural shutdown (which does happen in real life during severe trauma), their bodies go into dissociative states. it's like the brain detaches from the pain. it's a known phenomenon in people who experience severe injury or violent trauma: they often report not feeling anything at all until later. that was really important to me - because if i knew they died in awful pain i honestly couldn't do it.

i know some people in the shifting community think it's "wrong" or "dark" to keep scenes like this in. i get that. but here's the thing: death and trauma is inevitable in that world. it's built into the fabric of the reality. and for me, removing the known losses actually creates more fear because then i don't know who's safe, who might die next, or how the timeline might spiral. sticking to certain fixed events gives me a strange sense of stability, because in my subconscious i already know. i can brace for them. i can prepare emotionally. and scripting around them gives me control over how they affect me and everyone else.

some people are probs wanting my head on a spear rn!! but this is the dr i chose. if you're worried about the trauma aspect, i recommend reading my explanation on it, which explains everything

[gongustheawsome01]

Pretty please tell me more about how you see Nina and Cortexes relationship. I think it’s so interesting because of the big glaringly obvious ‘he took her hands, and her one joy, ruining her life’ but then he’s like, kindof protective of her in Twin-sanity??? Calling her his daughter 😭????? And then she immediately turns on him and tries to take over in Crash of the Titans [good for her]; he says he’s proud of her for it but punishes her anyways and sends her to public school like—He’s so hot and cold with her [also if you wanted to add her relationship with any of the other Ns too—I know there’s a bunch of headcanons around that N. Gin would be like an actual ‘good’ parent to her but canonically he hates her ass in most of the games the two interact in 😭]

OH MY GOD I HAVE LIKE 20 MILLION THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS I'M LITERALLY WRITING A DOC ON IT RIGHT NOW I FIND THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO INTERESTING IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY DUDE I THINK ABOUT IT EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. OKAY LET ME START.

OKAY SO I LOVE TWINSANITY'S INTERPRETATION OF NINA AND IS MAINLY WHAT MY INTERPRETATION OF NINA IS BASED OFF SO LET ME START WITH THAT. THIS IS ALSO GONNA BE REALLY SELF INDULGENT AND FULL OF HEADCANNONS I AM SO SORRY FOR THAT!!! 💦💦💦 ALSO I'M SO SO SO SORRY IF THIS IS RAMBLEY OR MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL AND SMELLS LIKE BUTTS AHHHHH OKAY NOW READ!!!

When it comes to Nina I GENUINELY believe she looks up to Cortex. She never got to meet her real parents and has been raised by him ( and the other N's ) most of her life and sees him as a father she never got to have. I feel like her mischievous behavior stems from this too as seen in the first intro we get of her in Twinsanity where one of the first things we literally see her do is prank Cortex. In a way not only is she impressing the man she looks up to and has raised her to act and be this way but she also gets to be herself SILLLYYYYY BLEEEHHH!!!  

Of course though she does also find her mischief HILARIOUS and finds how people’s faces contort whenever they’re mad or sad at her for her pranks really funny it isn’t just “oh no!!! I need to be evil to impress my uncle but I’m kind on the inside.” She IS kind on the inside but she’s been raised this way all her life and she isn’t really aware what good and evil is sense Cortex believes that what he’s doing isn’t evil so she doesn’t either. 

When she was a child she was definitely very curious because y’know… Kids… And their whole only being on earth under like 10 years thing… I genuinely believe Cortex would ENCOURAGE her to ask questions but most responses she would get were BIASED!!! And based on his worldview like I genuinely believe if she asked about the world and the other people around it she’d be met with. “The world is a CRUEL HELL full of people that wish to hurt you. You can only trust me and N.Brio” Followed by propaganda on why the Cortex family will reign supreme over the world and correct the wrong that has been brought upon THEM. ( Uhmmm projecting much on your niece, much OLD MAN??? ) I mean he also would give the correct answer to obvious questions like “Why’s the sky blue?” He’s a mad scientist, not an idiot. 

I actually think Cortex’s protective nature has been around since her childhood which as stated before is probably from his own projection of himself onto her. She’d definitely become very VERY afraid and shy of other people and yet also have a distaste towards them which is why I think is actually one of the reasons she started to take an interest in animals. But also oddly enough… Genuinely believes he both cares for her and sees her as a part of a “plan” to rule the world rather than an actual person with goals and ambitions. Like he sees her as an actual person with FEELING… But… Just not ambitions other than his own. Keep that in mind.

In other words she’d ABSORB this misinformation and Cortex propaganda sense yet again he’s really the only parental figure around and really really REALLY smart guy she knows she genuinely can’t wait for the day she grows up and can rule the world with her super awesome uncle and then once he’s gone allllllll by herself until the cycle continues on and on and on! I like to imagine that she used to LOVE just staring at blueprints or projects knowing one day she’d be as smart as him to do big complex numbers and drawings!

Actually, funny thing I kind of see her kindness as unintentional and I think that’s what scares Cortex, like if she was OBVIOUSLY bloating about being kind he’d probably just go. “Oh TEENAGERS! You know how they are and their “phases”” And just assume she’s trying to put authority over him or something. But the fact that she gently holds and pets the animals brave enough to walk up to her and trust her? The fact that instead of squishing a bug once spotted she gently holds it and examines it as carefully as she can before calmly letting it outside? The fact that she admires all around her as beauty even things cruel in nature? THAT’S what scares the life out of him.

 BUT NOT BECAUSE HE VIEWS THOSE THINGS AS “KIND” BUT BECAUSE THEY GO AGAINST THE IDEA THAT HE’S MADE UP OF HER IN HIS HEAD. Like I KNOW the Twinsanity manual specifically states that she showed disturbing signs of kindness in her heart… But DUDE CORTEX DOES NOT VIEW HIMSELF OF EVIL OR HIS ACTIONS.

AND I THINK THAT’S THE REALLY INTERESTING PART ABOUT HIS PERSONAL VIEW OF NINA AND HOW HE TREATS HER??? HIS ACTIONS ARE SELFISH AND OUT OF INTEREST FOR HIM ONLY AND YET HE IS ALSO AWARE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND HIM BUT JUST ASSUMES HOW THEY ARE GOING TO FEEL ABOUT THINGS???BECAUSE THAT’S THE PART THAT ALWAYS GOT TO ME WITH THE WHOLE “ARM REMOVAL SURGERY THING”  IT’S THE FACT THAT FOR ONCE IN HIS LIFE HE’S FINALLY REALIZED SOMEONE CAN GO AGAINST THE IDEA HE’S ALREADY MADE OF THEM IN HIS HEAD IT’S THE FACT THAT NOT JUST ANYONE CAN GO AGAINST THE PLANS HE’S MADE FOR THEM BUT HIS OWN BLOOD. WHICH IS WHAT I WANTED TO GET BACK ON ON THE WHOLE “HE SEES HER AS BOTH A PERSON AND A PLAN.” HE DIDN’T SEE WHAT HE DID TO HER AS “RUINING HER LIFE.” HE SAW IT AS A WAY TO “CORRECT” HER AND KEEP HER “ON LINE” AND IT HAHAHAHUSHDUASDUHASUDHASHUDSAHCUDSGVYGADUYGVDSHVIDBVIASUHDVIADSVHSDVHAOHDVIAUHDVUHADSIVUHASI. Sorry guys passion took over my whole body what happened I didn’t black out it was just pure red ahhaha sorry guys. HE DOESN’T GET IT IS THE THING. I feel like sending her off to school was just a whole other thing to like, imagine basically having one of your joys in life metaphorically and LITERALLY ripped away from you. And then you have to go to a place to be “trained” to be something that your soul does not want to be like how f’d up is that. Thing is though I 100% believe she blocked this whole thing out of her memory because I highly doubt she could believe it. Cortex. The only man she had been raised and cared about for all these years, the one man that told her all she knows about the world, the only man there to listen to her ramble on about how excited she is for her future AND encourage it and be excited alongside with her, him, that guy, that same fucking guy just took everything from her. And she’s just going to plug her ears like a child and drown out ANY possibility that that’s true. I believe after losing one of the things she began to realize that she truly LOVED she was stunted. Like she was finally beginning to realize that maybe there are other paths and ways to live and that she’s her own person and it’s gone now!!! Isn’t that CRAZY and she’s basically regressed back to that child all over AGAIN!!! ISN’T THAT INSANE GUYS??? DOESN’T THAT MAKE YOU WANNA TAKE A FULLY LOADED SAWED OFF SHOTGUN AND POINT IT AT A CERTAIN SOMEONE'S HEAD??? I WANNA SAY SO MUCH MORE BUT MY LAPTOP RANDOMLY BUGGED AND IS MOVING SUPER SLOW GENUINELY REALLY HAPPY SOMEONE WANTED TO HEAR MY VIEW ON NINA AND CORTEX’S RELATIONSHIP IT’S SO SO SO COOL TO ME AND SAD AND WE NEED TO KILL CORTEX AND OKAY BYEEEE!!! 

[otomotoelzhinee]

What is Crash's IQ in your case?

So, I know that in canon and majority of interpretations, Crash is seen as stupid cause that's part of the "crazy cartoon character" persona he was created as. And I love seeing it! I think Crash 4 is a perfect mix of him staying silly and adorable, something unique to him.

However, to me, Crash is simply naive. This comes from the fact that he continues to trust Cortex over and over again, thinking he might change this time. But I don't see him as a stupid character. He's just kind, sometimes too kind. He believes in second, third, all the chances a person needs to become better, he has too much love inside his heart to give up on people.

(A little unrelated, but I also see this as something Crash and Rayman can work on. Crash teaches Rayman to guide his anger better and show kindness, and in return Rayman teaches Crash to put limits. To show him when enough is enough.)

He might not know how to count without his fingers, technology, equations, chemistry, it's things Crash doesn't grasp and I don't think he's particularly interested in. He also struggles with social cues at times, but he's very intuitive and curious, he has the interest of learning even if it's hard! And he will know when something is off, even if you try to hide it from him. He won't pry, but he will do his best to make you feel better until you're ready to share.

He can also be cocky and competitive, which is something I took insp from the disney comics.

But, it's all in good fun! He doesn't hold a single hair of malice in him. I like seeing Crash being silly, but I also like to explore other aspects of him. I don't think my view of him fits any canon, it's just a mix up of what I like about his character taken from different Crash media, and what I simply like in a character in general.

In another unrelated note, if we're talking crazy shenanigans, I think both of them can get stupid together :^) I don't think Rayman is smarter than Crash, nor that Crash is smarter than him. They both have their strengths and weaknesses, and complement each other based on that. But sometimes they can share a braincell, which might not be ideal, but they have fun! And that's the most important thing about their relationship, that they can have fun together no matter what. They are Autism❤️ADHD

[juleszzz]

I'm very curious about Nina Cortex's scientific field. I bet she's good at gymnastic and acrobatics thanks to her robotic hands, but other than that, what else she knows? It's never been stated as far as I'm aware. (Though I can't even imagine how she holds equipment with those giant metal mittens of hers)

[utopians]

I don't want to be that guy but that's not pseudoscience? The prefrontal cortex isn't fully developed until around the mid to late twenties bc the synaptic connections between neurons in that part of the brain are the last to develop. Source: https:// doi.org /10.1038/ s41386-021-01137-9

I think there might be a miscommunication happening here -- the pseudoscience isn't the assertion that synaptic development continues into adulthood, it's the assertion that synaptic development defines adulthood.

I have now read this whole article and the only assertion that it makes that's relevant to this discussion is that synaptic development continues "into the 3rd decade of life". this doesn't -- at least in my opinion -- give any meaningful credence to the idea that the brain isn't fully 'mature' until this point, bc this idea relies on the assumption that 'maturity' is a static biochemical state that the brain organically reaches and not a complex interplay of life experience, societal conceptions of 'maturity' and 'adulthood', and individual variations in development/cognition in addition to the broader process of brain development. additionally, 'brain development' is far more complicated than just the synapses of the prefrontal cortex finishing development, and is a process that continues throughout one's life.

CONTINUED below the cut bc I don't want to annihilate everyone's dash with this but I have a lot more to say

continuing the previous thought: if we're measuring maturity strictly by brain development, then things get extremely dicey, because the brain continues changing beyond your twenties and throughout adulthood! consider this study, which finds that the age of peak performance for different cognitive abilities varies widely, with some peaking around 20 and others closer to 50. the brain doesn't reach a state of 'maturity' in its cognitive functions at age 25 that it then maintains consistently through adulthood, it's far more complicated than that.

essentially, while synapses in the prefrontal cortex keep developing into your 20s (curious as to where you got 'mid to late twenties' from as well; the study only references 'the third decade of life', which could mean anything from 20 to 30), the idea that this development means anything particularly concrete about maturity or adulthood is based on (imo) a faulty and oversimplified understanding of both the brain and what 'maturity' actually means in the context of society. if your conception of 'maturity' asserts that adulthood begins in the late twenties, this conception may be due for a serious reevaluation.

and the reason I'm concerned about all this isn't because I'm a pedant -- it's because this matters in our current political climate. conservative politicians in the UK are currently trying to raise the legal age at which one can transition to 25 based on exactly this faulty conception of maturity, which argues that trans people can't make 'adult' decisions about their own bodies until this point. this is wildly infantilizing and patronizing, and I imagine I don't have to explain why it's a problem, but to elaborate: adulthood and maturity aren't apolitical concepts, and the assertion that adults don't have the right to bodily autonomy because they have been deemed medically incompetent by a truly arbitrary metric is an act of political violence.

I highly recommend this slate article: it goes into this topic in a lot more depth than I do, and features commentary from a lot of neuroscientists who know a lot more about this than me.