#simian pattern

[thegodemperorsmycopilot]

[fanged-fanfics]

hii!! could you possibly do mystic monkey (or unspecified species) reader (gender neutral OR fem) x chubby sun wukong? reader is already close with sun wukong, is very much a fan of being touchy with him and absolutely loves the dad bod. SO sorry if this is oddly specific

🧡👑 A King's Form — Wukong x Mystic Monkey!GN Reader Fic 👑🧡

Genre: Fluff || they/them pronouns for reader || No warnings needed

A/N: This takes place around the end of S4 at the beach ep cause that's where we saw his stomach for the first time :D

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆˚｡⋆୨👑୧⋆˚｡⋆✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖

At the end of a successful mission to save the world, you were able to relax on a beach trip with Wukong and the rest of the Monkey Crew. Unlike a certain dark furred simian, you had actually been invited to join along in the wind down day. The sun was bright, the winds were warm, and you were positioned in the beach chair right beside the King himself.

As you fiddled with your sunglasses, you saw movement in your peripheral vision. Wukong's tail was extended towards you, offering up a colorful tropical drink, as he regarded you with a wide grin. You smiled back, accepting the drink with your own tail. "Having fun, bud?" The Sage asked you as you took a sip. "As much as I can" you replied with a little snort "It's so hot out here. I wouldn't be surprised if it somehow sunburns through my fur" you joked.

To your surprise, you felt shade over you soon after. Wukong had pulled up his umbrella from the sand, placing it between you two instead. He tilted it a bit to make sure you were both covered. "There! Much better, huh?" He asked brightly. You shifted your chair closer to his "Yeah, thanks Wu". Wukong folded his hands behind his head, tilting it towards the sky to breathe in a huff of the fresh air.

As he did so, you could see a clear view of his stomach, especially due to his shirt being left unbuttoned. You had mostly ever seen him in his armor, even with all your years of companionship. He seemed to feel your gaze lingering under his torso, and he shifted in his seat as a result. "Ah, uh... haven't really been hitting the stone gym as much these days" he joked, a small and awkward chuckle following "Not really a hero's physique". You shook your head, sitting up a little "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Wu" you reassured "The whole point of being a hero is anyone can do it, right? Even a destructive self-proclaimed Sage" you teased. Wukong snorted a bit. "Thanks, bud, but still-"

"I'm serious," You added in gently. You scooted in more, to where your chairs were pressed as close as they could be "There's nothing wrong with how you look, Wukong. You're still the scourge of heaven and hero to Megapolis no matter what". As you spoke, you gently intertwined your tail with his, which he nervously reciprocated with a small chuckle. "Alright, I get it" he said lightheartedly. "Besides," You added, leaning in to rest your head on his shoulder the best you could, "I think it's attractive "

"Re-wuh-really?" Wukong asked, stammering a little. "Mhm" you hummed in confirmation "I love how it looks on you. Haven't you been keeping up with the mortals? 'Dad bods' are a very 'in' look right now". "Hah, but uh- do you- really not mind it?" Wukong asked tentatively. You hummed the affirmative, nuzzling into his arm. "Especially this here," You said, tracing the heart pattern on his chest with your claw. His breath hitched a bit, cheeks flushing warm at the contact. His tail swatted nervously as it stayed wrapped up with yours. "Oh yeah-!" He began, voice cracking from how flustered he got "Just one of the, uh- g-great things about me! Pssh, there's a lot of that, y'know!"

"You okay?" You asked, a bit of a knowing smirk on your lips "You seem kinda flushed". "Just the sun" Wukong replied, taking off his hat and waving it in front of his face to get some air "Man this umbrella really isn't doing much, want a popsicle?" He said quickly to divert the topic. He pulled out a popsicle shaped like an apple, holding it out to you with a crooked grin. You chuckled, accepting the treat "Thanks!". You sat back in your chair, absentmindedly gnawing on the cool snack as Wukong ate his own peach one. You looked out the corner of your eye, seeing how nervous he still was.

"I mean it, you know" you began softly, and Wukong looked at you curiously "hm?". "You really do look great" you said, smiling gently. Wukong returned the look. "If you like it that much, maybe I should wear an open shirt more often" he joked. He was surprised when he felt your tail sway excitedly against his "I mean, I wouldn't be against it" you said, attempting to keep it cool. Wukong smiled a little wider "I'll keep that in mind then"

[itsabouttimex2]

Could you write something for shadowpeach with yandere wukong? Maybe it takes place right after wukong sees macaque for the first time since he killed him or maybe it takes place during season 4 when wukong gets trapped inside the scroll and sees their relationship before he killed macaque and once he gets out of the scroll he got full on yandere? :3

(Hai, im rlly sorry. i just realized i sent this originally when your inbox was closed. im super sorry😭)

(Hey, no big deal! It’s sweet that you remembered your request!)

Lost and Found

“…you hurt a lot of people,” the Great Sage starts, plucking at the hair around his wrists, “and you don’t even feel bad, huh?”

“I’ve got nothing to feel bad for,” returns his rival, rolling a drupe pit between his palms- a remnant of the peaches that Sun Wukong so adores. “None of this was my fault.”

It’s hard to tell whether or not Macaque is being sincere right now- he’s more guarded now than ever before, even as rays of sunlight spill softly across his pitch-black fur and his stomach fills with sweet fruit.

He’s like shattered obsidian, inky blackness casting rainbows in the glinting light.

“Bud, you made a deal with the literal most powerful demon in the world, and didn’t even try to-

“Keep this up,” cuts in the umbrakinetic, “and I’m gonna leave.”

Wukong springs to his feet suddenly, crushing a few pink-white petals under his reckless soles, squashed into mangled clumps of cellulose under the reckless monkey- then crushes a few dozen more as he charges to Macaque and slings himself over the startled simian.

“No, no, no! Bud, you said we would-“

“Get off me! Dammit, I’m not some kind of toy!”

“No! Lay down and listen to me!”

Macaque struggles under Wukong’s iron grip, his claws digging into golden arms as the tension between them crackles like static. The multi-eared monkey snarls, his claws scraping at Wukong’s clothes and fur, but the Great Sage’s skin is long hardened by fire and trial- it remains unblemished.

“Listen,” Wukong huffs, his voice trembling somewhere between desperation and long-baked sorrow. “You can’t just walk away every time someone calls you out! That’s not how this works, Mac! That’s not how we work!”

Macaque’s pupils narrow to slits, his breath heavy as he glares into Wukong’s golden eyes. The sunlight dances on them, warm and radiant. “You think- you think a little chat will make ‘us’ work? ‘Us’ never worked!”

“It can! We can make this work, if you would just try!”

Macaque stills, his claws frozen mid-scratch against Wukong’s wrist. The afternoon sunlight filters through the cherry blossoms, casting fractured patterns across their fur. For a moment, the only sound is the wind rustling the petals around them.

He gives, eventually. The sable simian huffs and deflates under his old mate’s grip, going slack against the meadow’s grass.

There’s a moment where Macaque leans in, ruffled black fur thrown askew with effort and sweat, still flecked with debris from the Lady Bone Demon’s final push for utter “perfection”.

He’s tired, worn, spent from battle and spent from a lifetime of old regrets circling his heart.

But he’s still Macaque.

“…not in a thousand years, Wukong.”

Even though the rejection is tempered, the king wilts under it, golden fur dimming under the weight of his mate’s refusal.

“Mac... you can’t just-“

“I can. I make my own choices now, Wukong,” the darker monkey snaps, lips pulling back to reveal his sharp canines- a threat, if the matter is pushed.

...but the king just can’t let this go. Not after centuries spent waiting and wanting.

“...there’s no one else who can protect you.”

A harsh snort comes from Macaque’s creased snout, the unpleasant sound smoothing into chuckles.

“From what, O’ Great Sage? What do I need to protected from?”

“The Celestial Realm, bud. You think they haven’t already figured out who you threw your lot in with? That you made a deal with the Lady Bone Demon?”

A pause, sharp and stiff- he’s hit a nerve.

“...they wouldn��t. Not after I helped defeat her. Not after I put my life on the line,” he almost pleads, as though the court could hear his defenses. “They wouldn’t.”

“After what they did to me? You’re not off the menu, bud- you never are. Not after you’ve wronged the Celestial Court.”

There’s a dread rush of panic that starts to race through Macaque’s cold veins, an icy chill radiating slowly through his skin.

“They wouldn’t.”

Right after he says it, Wukong signs and rolls off of Macaque, offering a hand to help him up.

“They never let go, bud. The moment we sieged their home, there was no way they’d ever stop looking for a way to ‘repay’ us.”

His old rival sits up with panic in his shrouded eyes, slapping away Wukong’s hand.

“No,” he snaps, bolting upright under a shower of plink petals. “You’re right. They won’t. Which means I-“

“You’re leaving,” the king sighs. “You’re running away, again. You’re gonna leave me, just like every one always does.”

Macaque pulls his face into a nasty sneer, dark and creased. “You don’t get to try and pull me into some little pity part, Monkey King. Not after you put me in the ground.”

To his surprise, one of Wukong’s golden eyes twitch, lit with a sudden anger.

“You know what? No. No, you aren’t going anywhere,” the monkey snaps, snaring one of Macaque’s wrists in his hand. “Not until you’ve actually started to change. You spent five centuries down in the underworld and don’t even start to think “Hey, maybe there’s a reason I ended up down here?!” Not even for a second, Macaque?!”

The umbrakinetic pulls back a little, eyes wide with surprise at having his usual shit-slinging slung back at him.

“That’s not- shut your damn mouth. I don’t deserve to be yelled at, and-“

“Did I “deserve” to be alone under a mountain for five hundred years after one fight? Did I “deserve” to be abandoned while I was fighting the Jade Emperor? Did I “deserve” to be collared by the Celestial Realm while you got to run around wreaking havoc?”

Things are going wrong, Macaque faintly realizes. He’s not usually the one get reamed out for centuries old mistakes, a dynamic he was quite fond of- Wukong takes all the blame, and he slinks off to hide in the shadows. That’s what he likes.

And he realizes more and more with each passing second that things are going further south- especially when he see the way that Wukong’s hand dips into his pocket.

From it, he procures a gleaming circlet.

No. No. No.

It’s wound with the image of branching vines and flowers, a step up from Wukong’s own in term of design- perhaps someone had grown bored with it

The golden hoop exudes a warm, almost soothing aura- it’d be calming if Macaque didn’t know what it could do.

But he knows almost everything about it. He knows how it works. He knows who made it.

Guanyin.

She had been like a mother to the Monkey King during his short stay in the Celestial Realm, one of the very few gods that he thought of fondly- and one of the even fewer who looked on him fondly in turn.

“My dear Monkey,” she had cooed to the intruding demon, both her warm hands cusping his furry cheeks, “what have you come for today?”

“Guanyin, I… I found my old mate,” he admitted to her, his palms nervously clasping over her own. “And I don’t know what to do. I want him back, but...”

“Oh, my little pilgrim... you wish to reunite with... wasn’t his name Macaque, then? Well, if you do desire this... shadowy little imp... I will lend you my aid.”

Her head had dipped forehead, lips gentle on his forehead, a blessing born of warmth and love- a blue sigil etches across the skin-warmed spot, riding the king good luck and protection. “Anything for you, my dear Monkey. Take my blessings, and take this... this circlet. I trust that you will do good with them.

But Macaque hadn’t know that.

That Wukong had a plan all along, that it was backed up by an adoring goddess of mercy, that he had a damned tightening fillet from the start and was never above using it-

All he knows at this moment, frozen in place form shock- is the tightness around his forehead as Wukong snaps the hoop into place.

“We can still fix this, Moonbeam. I’m not losing you again.”

[zillabean]

A really fun and unique commission I've been asked for recently - Jobe wanted me to design his simian superhero - a gorilla patterned after Vanilla Ice x Evel Knievel with ice powers! So fun to design!

[smilesthroughfandoms]

A Big Stink, Chapter Preview

I'm back on my main story bs! And as a treat, let's make this preview a little... peachy?

“What the brick are you doing here, Wukong?” Macaque’s voice dripped with thinly concealed contempt. “I know for a fact that you weren’t invited.”

Wukong rolled his eyes before turning around. “And surprise, surprise, you’re here. Probably to mooch off of the snack table or somethi—aaaaah…”

The Great Sage hadn’t been expecting to see Macaque at all, but he definitely wasn’t expecting the dark-furred simian to look like this. The Shadow Master was wearing a Hanfu with a dual red and white top (with the white having some branching clouds patterns stitched in red thread on its half) and black metal cuffs on the sleeves, a long, black skirt, and a red ribbon belt tied against his waist. He had also put a small, sparkly white lily hair pin on the right side of his head, put some smokey eyeshadow, and painted his lips with black lipstick and a red gloss. 

To put it lightly, Wukong was a bit shocked at just how well Macaque cleaned up. The Great Sage’s mouth suddenly felt dry, his heart was pounding a mile a minute, and a pleasantly uncomfortable feeling bloomed in his stomach. 

Wukong—being to stunned to speak—didn’t quite notice the look Macaque was giving him as well. A bit stunned at how well The Great Sage could clean up if the mood suited him. The gold was a nice touch, it was like looking at the last sparkle of sunlight on an ocean. Macaque quickly shook himself out of his musings, remembering why he was angry. 

“You need to leave right now.” Macaque told Wukong firmly. “I can’t deal with you and whatever the heck PB is texting me about.”

Wukong—with an embarrassed blush—shook himself out of the daze he stumbled into. Only to stare at Macaque in shock once the words registered to him. “Wait, wait, wait. Bai He invited PB?”

“They’re friends Pebbles for Brains, of course Pops was invited. MK and his friends too.”

“So she invited MK and his friends here and you as well? What the heck? Why wasn’t I invited?”

“I’m her mentor, Wukong. I was the first one she invited.”

“You’re her mentor?!”

“You didn’t know?” Macaque asked, surprised.

[dailycharacteroption]

Races Among the Stars 11: Maraquoi

On the Brethedan moon of Marata, known for its dry yet lush forests, lives a sapient species with a deep connection to the land and one of the most unique reproductive systems I’ve ever seen in science fiction. I present the monkey-like Maraquoi.

These simians sport a total of seven sexes (which must make the transgender and nonseptary options absolutely bananas), three to impregnate a fourth, which then implants the gestating embryo into the fifth to gestate, who then hands the born child to the sixth, nursing and carrying them in a pouch. Meanwhile, the seventh provides a constant psychic influence that helps the young of the develop at all stages.

These genders, called ilsha, qsha, susha, uisha, klsha, mesha, and zysha respectively, represent a reproductive system which I can only describe as fascinating, the sheer biological implications of what sort of evolutionary pressures led to such a convoluted gestation boggle the mind.

No matter how it came about, the nature of that cycle informs many aspects of the hunter-gatherer society that the majority of their kind prefer, one that they seek to preserve as they fight against corporations trying to exploit the bounty of their home, both legalistically, and very literally.

Maraquoi resemble fully bipedal monkeys with tails, with one distinctly non-mammalian feature in the form of their eyes, which are compound eyes similar to insects. They also lack ears, instead using their entire bodies to sense audio stimuli. Additionally, their various genders have their own forms of sexual dimorphism, with kisha and meshas being stouter, zysha being taller and willowy, uisha having shorter tails, and ilsha, qsha, and susha having distinct fur patterns unique to their genders.

Given how every single gender of this species is required for reproduction, it should come as no surprise that the maraquoi abhor violence and warfare, treating them as last resorts. After all, any one conflict could result in both sides losing all members of a particular gender, dooming themselves to extinction. Factor in how scarce resources can be in the deserts beyond their forests, and we can see a species that disdains rash decisions.

That being said, they also stand their ground in what they believe in, and the species is currently divided into two camps, the former being eager to become part of the galactic community, while the latter wish nothing to do with it and desire to return to the hunter-gatherer society that has been traditional since time immemorial. Both agree that they cannot let offworld corporations take advantage of them, but they disagree on how to do so. Expansionists insist that becoming a part of the Pact Worlds proper will help secure their rights in the future, while traditionalists seek to refuse all outside contact as they did in ancient times with other interstellar visitors.

Maraquoi boast the toughness of a species that thrives with minimal water and the wisdom of tradition, however, they lack the speed and agility of other species.

Their whole bodies are sensitive to sound and vibration, allowing them to sense nearby creatures based on subtle audio cues.

As simian creatures, maraquoi are quite adept climbers as well.

Their compound eyes are also well-suited for seeing in low-light conditions.

With hunting being an integral part of their culture, maraquoi learn the basics of survival from an early age.

Their tails are fully prehensile as well, acting as a crude third limb to not just aid in climbing, but hold additional equipment.

Tough as they are, maraquoi are well-suited for tanky roles such as vanguard or nanocyte, as well as beefy builds with soldier, solarian, and evolutionist. That survival mentality also makes them adept as scout operatives despite the dex penalty as well. On that note, their wisdom means mystic is the preferred casting class, especially with their ancestral worship and traditions, but others are perfectly viable as well. Among those eager to explore the new technologies being made available to them, biohacker (especially intuitive ones) and mechanic are good possibilities, as are envoys eager to explore new horizons. Their weakness of dexterity means ranged builds will have problems, but not insurmountable ones, especially since their climbing and tail make them well-suited for attacking from unexpected angles.

And that does it for today, but next time, we have a blast from Golarion’s past, particularly from the city that shares a name with Absalom Station!

[mythologyfolklore]

Dragon Tears - Ch. 09

Chapter nine: Return to monke

.

Around four in the morning he woke up. A consequence of having gone to bed so early.

He was thirsty, so after giving his snoozing lotus a kiss on each eyelid, he decided to go to the kitchen and make himself some tea.

On the way downstairs he passed by Èrláng Shén's bedroom, when the sound of distressed chirping made him pause.

When he saw that the bedroom door was open a crack, he dared to peak in.

The Monkey King was curled up in his husband's arms, chirping, whimpering and shaking like a leaf, while Èrláng ran his hands through the beige fur and tried to comfort him.

“Shhh, shhh. Don't cry, my qīn'ài de. It was just a nightmare, nothing more”, Èrláng cooed. “My dear lăogōng¹, my brightest star, my soulmate. Don't be afraid. You're free. There is nothing in this world that can restrain you anymore. Shhh, shhh.”

Sūn Wùkōng chirped a little more quietly and tightened his grip on his husband, like his eight immortalities depended on him.

Áo Bĭng decided to leave them be and continued his way to the kitchen.

Once there, it took him a few minutes to remember where the tea was (and also not to touch the porcelain box with his host's Dà Hóng Páo), before he could make himself a nice cup.

He was on his third one, when Èrláng came in, still in his own pyjamas.

“Oh, good morning, Dragon Prince!”, he greeted him. “Did you sleep well?”

“Oh yes, quite. Partly in thanks to the pets a certain someone gave me last evening, instead of waking me up like he had said he would”, the dragon smiled innocently (to his amusement, Èrláng fidgeted a little bit), “And you? I heard the Great Sage sound distressed, when I came downstairs. Is he alright?”

“I'm fine”, Èrláng said. “As for my husband, he had a terrible nightmare. But he'll be fine in time. Right now he's regressing though, so don't be surprised that he's … returned to monkey.”

With that he turned a bit, revealing the Monkey King clinging to his back like a baby monkey to his mother, looking much more at peace than before and even letting out soft coos.

Áo Bĭng gasped at the sight. “That's so cute!”, he whispered.

“He is, isn't he?”, Èrláng smiled fondly and stroked the tail that was wrapped around his waist.

When he's asleep or regressing maybe, Áo Bĭng thought dryly, but kept that thought to himself.

Meanwhile the older god was performing some impressive gymnastics, as he reached behind himself and scratched the simian Buddha's head, making him purr.

“You're very flexible”, the Dragon Prince remarked.

Èrláng chuckled: “Any person with able arms can do this, if they exercise properly. You could too, in this form at least.”

So Áo Bĭng tried it, but failed to reach between his shoulder blades and was laughed at by the older god.

“You can be so mean”, he grumbled, making the other laugh even harder.

“Yes, that's a vice I've been known to have!”, Èrláng snickered.

The noise elicited a disgruntled chitter from Sūn Wùkōng, whereupon his husband lowered his voice. The Great Sage purred in satisfaction and cooed something that made Èrláng blush and chitter something back in monkey, which in turn made the enlightened macaque's purring intensify.

“What did you say?”, Áo Bĭng asked curiously.

“He asked me to tone it down, I did, he thanked me and called me beautiful in a dozen ways and I told him he pleases my heart. That's it.”

“Aha. Remember three days ago, when you poked fun at me and your son for being heads over heels in love? You're a hypocrite!”, the dragon couldn't help but snipe.

The Celestial raised a finger in protest, but stopped himself and put it back down. “You know what, you're right.”

“Of course I'm right! I'm the second oldest person in this house!”

“Well, I'm the oldest and that doesn't mean I'm always right.”

While that was true, it wasn't what Áo Bĭng actually meant. “No, I mean, I'm just reminding you of that, because I've noticed a pattern.”

Èrláng tilted his head, visibly confused. “Care to explain?”

Áo Bĭng hesitated a little.

He really didn't want to start a conflict, especially at 4:45 in the morning, but this was something that had been nagging at him for several days and he wanted it sorted out.

“Qīngyuán Miàodào Zhēnjūn². For your hospitality and your compassion towards me in my hour of need, you have my eternal gratitude.”

“But?”

“It appears to me, that you're treating me like a child”, he said quietly. “I'm older than your son and your husband; but I've been getting the impression, that you see me as a youngster you feel responsible for.”

“It's hard not to. You've been screwed over so much and been left in such a vulnerable position, that I cannot help but want to take care of you.”

“… You're not even denying it.”

“No.”

This bothered Áo Bĭng. It bothered him a lot. And while he wasn't looking for a fight, he wasn't willing to tolerate condescention. Sure, it was obvious that Èrláng Shén didn't mean to be condescending, but the point stood and the dragon wasn't going to let it slide. If his future father-in-law really respected him as much as he claimed he did, he would accept that – and if he didn't, then he could go fuck himself.

So the dragon prince expressed his displeasure: “I'm not a child. I'm an over 3600 year old sea dragon. Your husband, great and powerful as he may be, is at least 1600 years younger than you, yet you treat him as your equal. I don't begrudge him your respect, but I'm only 500 years your junior. Why can't you afford me the same courtesy?”

Although he was trying to be as non-confrontational as possible, he couldn't completely banish the embitterment from his voice.

Èrláng seemed thrown off by what he had just heard.

But judging by the way he was frowning, it seemed that rather than being offended, he was actually considering what he'd just been told.

They sat in silence for a while, as the dragon waited for the older god to respond.

It took a while, as the latter seemed to carefully weigh his words, before speaking them.

“I apologise”, he eventually said. “It wasn't my intention to come across as the patronising elder. I just wanted to make you feel cared for and safe, because you were in a vulnerable situation. I know how it feels to be unsafe, lost and alone; like you have no one to turn to. It was my husband and his friends, who finally made me internalise that I wasn't, and I wanted to do the same for you. I didn't realise how condescending my behaviour was.”

He sounded genuinely upset, like he felt he had messed up.

Oh.

Èrláng had just wanted to be kind to him. And now what he had heard made him feel like he had completely failed someone (again).

Welp, now Áo Bĭng felt like an arsehole.

“I accept your apology”, he said. “And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause you distress.”

“No, no, it's fine”, Èrláng assured him. “Thank you for pointing it out to me. I might not have realised it on my own, until it was too late. Hey now. Chin up, Dragon Prince”, he added, when he saw how Áo Bĭng's ears drooped. “I mean it. You're doing me a favour by pointing it out to me. My social awareness and self perception are a little … screwed.”

I've noticed, the prince thought, but didn't say that. After all, nobody was always aware of the impact their words and behaviour had on others.

Well. The Buddhas maybe. Awareness and enlightenment were their whole thing, after all.

And speaking of Buddhas …

“Is the Buddha Victorious in Strife okay?”, Áo Bĭng asked. “He's being so still the whole time.”

Eeeep!

The noise came completely out of nowhere and made him jump.

Èrláng chuckled: “He's okay. He was just dozing- oh!”

The macaque finally moved, to climb around his husband's body from the back to his front.

Èrláng had to hold onto his pyjamas, so his breasts wouldn't be exposed because of the tugging. He chittered something at Sūn Wùkōng, probably some admonishment to be more careful not to tear the other's clothes – at least Áo Bĭng assumed that was what he was saying, judging by his tone and expression.

Chirp, chitter, coo?, made the monkey.

Chirp, cheep, coohoo!, responded the three-eyed god.

Áo Bĭng really wished he could understand what they were saying.

What was easy to understand though, was when Sūn Wùkōng, now clinging to his husband's front, nestled his head in the crook of the other's neck and started purring. His husband smiled fondly and started combing through his fur, which made the purring grow louder. There seemed to be method to the gesture and Èrláng kept checking the monkey's scalp.

“What is that you're doing now?”, the sea dragon whispered.

“I'm delousing him”, explained Èrláng. “Of course he has no lice, but that's a thing monkeys do not just for hygene. It's for communication purposes too and often it's also to make political alliances. Normal macaques are political, demonic ones even more so.”

“But you're not doing this for political purposes, right?”

The three-eyed god laughed: “Of course not! But it can also be a gesture of intimacy. Wùkōng's love language is body contact, but he doesn't just let anyone put their hands on him. He allows me to hold him, because he trusts me.”

“Does he ever … uh, delouse you too?”

“Sometimes. Of course, if anyone other than him tried to do that, I would make them regret it. But my dear husband here is one of a handful of people, who have hair touching privileges.”

Awww!

Who would have thought that two overpowered former nemeses would be such a lovely couple? Especially when only one loved the other romantically, while the other loved him back queerplatonically. Áo Bĭng was genuinely impressed and moved by how mutually supportive and respectful this relationship was.

“You two are beautiful together”, he told his future father-in-law.

Èrláng's smile widened. “Thank you. You know, as long as both parties cherish and respect each other and always communicate their wishes and thoughts properly, it's actually pretty easy to keep up a functional marriage. As long as the mutual support and respect are there, putting in the effort to make the rest work is much easier than it would be otherwise. Remember that, Áo Bĭng.”

The prince smiled back. “Of course.”

“Of course we still fight once in a while. But that's nothing a battle to exhaustion to get it out of our system can't fix. Fortunately, he and I are the same kind of crazy.”

Áo Bĭng felt his left eye twitch. “You just freaking ruined it. Why are you both so battle-hungry?”

Èrláng Shén shrugged: “Well, if our bloodthirsty nature is off-putting to you, then you better prepare to be crowned the least insane person in our extended family.” His eyes narrowed. “And if you're about to say you're not crazy at all, then I'm afraid to inform you that there is no way you're completely sane, if you fell in love with my son of all people.”

“… You win.”

“You know, some people still say I'm out of his league, because he's a Yāoguài.” He scoffed, seemingly channelling his maximum sass level. “Hah! Those fools! My husband is victory himself! He's the only one in my league!”

Wow. The overwhelming amount of attitude here was astounding.

And to top it off, the monkey menace added to it by muttering into the crook of his husband's neck: “And don't you fucking forget it.”

Then he shifted to look Èrláng in the eyes. “Morning, beautiful!”

The older god let out a small giggle, before replying: “Good morning, dear. Glad to have you back with us. Are you feeling better?”

Sūn Wùkōng purred and nustled the other's forehead, then nodded and climbed off his husband.

Èrláng took a few deep breaths and fanned himself. “Phoo! At last, relief from the heat! I'm married to a living furnace!”

The Monkey King snickered: “Oh, you love my warm monkey hugs, Little Sage! Just like I love your soft hugs and pets! Oh! Thanks for delousing me! Fucking love when you do that too!”

“You're welcome. Although …” He arched an eyebrow and held up something tiny. “I found this pebble behind your ear, my dear. Care to explain how it got there?”

The Buddha Victorious in Strife scratched his head and chuckled awkwardly: “Uhm, during the quake. Some rocks fell on my head, as I was getting my little monkeys to safety. Didn't notice rocks getting stuck in my fur.”

“Are you okay? Physically, I mean”, Èrláng asked gently, to which the Monkey King nodded smiling.

“Yes, yes! Everything's fine!”

“That's good. Uhm, I forgot to ask … how are your grandchildren?”

The macaque tilted his head in surprise, but then his face grew sombre. “You know, I think this might be the first time you're asking me that, ever. To answer your question, most of them are mostly okay, but I couldn't save all of them from the tsunami or the rockslides. By the way, how are your brothers doing?”

“They've travelled to the east to help the affected. They're … physically okay, but yesterday Zhāng called me and he was crying on the phone.”

Sūn Wùkōng nodded earnestly and his tail drooped in sadness.

But the conversation reminded Áo Bĭng of something.

“Oh!”, he cried. “That reminds me, I think I have found a way I could help the earthquake victims after all! Wait a minute, I'll be right back!”

The Dragon Prince got up from his chair, hurried to the living room, grabbed the jar filled with the tear pearls he had wept since his arrival and returned to the kitchen.

First the other two looked curious, then shocked as comprehension set in.

“Áo Bĭng, are you sure about this?”, Èrláng asked gently. “Tear Peals are a special gift among dragons. Do you really want to give them to strangers?”

“Yes. They're the most valuable thing I have now. I've thought this through, don't worry”, Áo Bĭng assured them, even though the thought of giving his own pearls away left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Because Èrláng was right: Tear Pearls were the most intimate present a dragon could make. Áo Bĭng's engagement gift to Nézhā had been a necklace made of Tear Pearls (he hadn't told his beloved, that the pearls were born from heartbreak).

He nodded, both to reassure them and himself. “Yes. I've made up my mind. If those pearls can help survivors build a new existence, I'm willing to part with them.”

“Well, if you say so.”

“I say so.”

Èrláng gave him a small smile, acknowledging his decision.

The Monkey King let out a chitter that sounded like approval?

Áo Bĭng arched an eyebrow. “Great Sage, I don't speak monkey.”

Sūn Wùkōng laughed: “I said, 'You're doing amazing, Dragon Prince!'”

The dragon did absolutely not swish his tail in delight at hearing that!

An hour later, the three were joined by Nézhā and Xiàotiān.

Nézhā immediately went to cuddling his financé and smooching his face, while Xiàotiān greeted Èrláng by licking his hand, then sniffed at the Monkey King, to the latter's slight discomfort.

“Do I smell bad?”, Sūn Wùkōng asked and promptly sniffed himself to check.

Èrláng laughed at his husband's antics. “Don't worry, I would tell you, if you did.”

“As would I”, said Áo Bĭng. “But no, you're not stinky. It's just that you still smell a little of the distress you suffered from earlier. Dragons can smell that, so I guess dogs can too?”

As if to confirm his theory, the Sky-Howler nustled his owner's husband's hand and whined in audible concern.

The Great Sage smiled tiredly and scratched Xiàotiān behind the ears. “I'm fine, buddy. Your master had my back and I'm all better.”

“What happened? Are you sure you're okay?”, Nézhā asked worriedly.

The rhesus macaque coughed awkwardly: “This is embarrassing … I had a nightmare that scared me really bad, so that I woke up and everything was just too much. So much so, that I regressed to monkey instinct. But like I said, your dad had me the entire time, until I was back to normal. Nothing like my dear husband's warm embrace to make me feel safe and loved.” He smiled warmly at Èrláng. “I'm glad I married you.”

The Illustrious Sage blushed bright scarlet and his divine aura started to show as a rose red glow from the sheer joy he was feeling. And then he suddenly burst into flames. Wow, was he that flustered?

“Awww!”, gushed Nézhā and grinned at his father. “After years of marriage, you still blush like a teenager experiencing their first crush! He just told you that he's happy to be your husband!”

“Sh-shut up!”, stuttered the older god and burned even brighter.

“There's no escape, dad!”, snickered the Lotus Prince. “Feel the love! Face the happiness! Embrace the beautiful feeling of being loved by someone and knowing that someone is happy to spend their immortal life with you!”

“Stoooop!”, groaned Èrláng and brushed his long hair into his face to hide behind the bangs.

To his great misfortune, his husband joined in on the teasing: “It's true! Take the praise, my good King Consort! Accept the fact that you're a wonderful husband! You're making my life much richer and happier and you best believe it!”

A host of overwhelmed noises came from behind the hair curtain.

Sūn Wùkōng cooed: “Oh, you're so damn cute!”

“… Cute yourself”, came the flustered response and charmed a light blush onto the Monkey King's face.

“Well, I'm glad I can profess my love for you without you bursting into flames!”, Áo Bĭng laughed and gave his fiancé a kiss on the cheek.

Nézhā gave him a dopey smile in return. “And I can profess my love for you without you making it snow from being so overwhelmed!”

Áo Bĭng purred in response. Oh, how he loved this man!

Sūn Wùkōng gave them a quick smile, then turned back to his husband, who had suddenly grown suspiciously quiet.

“Ā'Jiăn? My one and only chosen mate? Hey, look at me!”

He brushed the older man's hair to the side, only for his smile to freeze instantly, as he was greeted with the sight of tears.

“Oh. Oh no.”

He started to wipe Èrláng's tears away – a futile attempt, because they kept coming – and gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead, where the Heavenly Eye was.

“Dearest, don't cry. It's okay. It's okay. Don't be sad. Hey. Why don't we shower and get dressed and then have some breakfast, hm?”

Once that was said, he shooed his husband out of the kitchen, leaving Áo Bĭng and Nézhā alone.

“What just happened? Will he be okay?”, the Dragon Prince worriedly inquired.

“Dad hates himself”, explained Nézhā. “I don't think he has ever even learned how to genuinely love himself. It's only just starting to sink in, that it's okay for him to be happy. That he deserves to be loved and cherished.” In a softer tone, he added: “I know Yáng Chán would want her brother to be happy too.”

“I'll take your word for that”, said Áo Bĭng. After all, he hadn't known Sānshèng Mŭ the way her brother and his son had known her.

But he did hope that Èrláng Shén could learnt to be kinder to himself in the future. Just like he had been to Áo Bĭng.

Would it help him, if I told him he could learn to love himself by loving others?

Because it could work, Áo Bĭng knew. Sometimes it helped him and he knew it also helped his sweet Nézhā more than often.

.

---

.

1) husband 2) True Monarch of the Marvellous Way of the Pure Source.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Charles Q. Choi

Published: Mar 7, 2012

Chimpanzees have police, too. Now, researchers are discovering what makes these simian enforcers of the peace step into conflicts, findings that could help shed light on the roots of policing in humans.

Animals handle conflicts within groups in a variety of ways, such as policing, where impartial bystanders intercede when disputes crop up. Policing, which has been seen in chimps, gorillas, orangutans and other primates, differs from other forms of intervention in that such arbiters are neither biased nor aggressive — they are neither supporting allies nor punishing wrongdoers.

Policing is risky, however, since it involves approaching two or more combative squabblers, which may lead to would-be arbiters becoming the targets of aggression themselves. To find out why primate policing evolved despite such risk, scientists took a closer look at pol.

The researchers analyzed one group of chimpanzees in a zoo in Gossau, Switzerland, for nearly 600 hours over two years. This group experienced a great deal of social tumult — zookeepers there introduced three new adult female chimps, upsetting the former order, and a power struggle also led to a new alpha male. The investigators also looked at records of chimp policing behavior at three other zoos.

The scientists monitored ape social interactions, such as aggressive conflicts, friendly grooming and policing behavior. Policing could involve threatening both quarrelers in a conflict, or running between the antagonists to break up the squabble.

The researchers explored a couple of potential explanations for policing. For instance, policing might help high-ranking members of a group control rivals to keep themselves dominant, or to help keep potential mates from leaving the group. However, both explanations would require high-ranking males to be the arbiters — female chimps usually do not fight over rank, and female chimps are the most likely members to leave groups, not males. In contrast, the researchers found that police chimps were of both sexes. [8 Ways Chimps Act Like Us]

The researchers suggest policing helps improve the stability of groups, thus providing the arbiters with a healthy community to live in. Supporting this notion is the fact that arbiters were more willing to intervene impartially if several quarrelers were involved in a dispute, probably because such conflicts are more likely to jeopardize group peace.

"The interest in community concern that is highly developed in us humans and forms the basis for our moral behavior is deeply rooted — it can also be observed in our closest relatives," said researcher Claudia Rudolf von Rohr at the University of Zurich.

The scientists detailed their findings online today (March 7) in the journal PLoS ONE.

--

Abstract

Because conflicts among social group members are inevitable, their management is crucial for group stability. The rarest and most interesting form of conflict management is policing, i.e., impartial interventions by bystanders, which is of considerable interest due to its potentially moral nature. Here, we provide descriptive and quantitative data on policing in captive chimpanzees. First, we report on a high rate of policing in one captive group characterized by recently introduced females and a rank reversal between two males. We explored the influence of various factors on the occurrence of policing. The results show that only the alpha and beta males acted as arbitrators using manifold tactics to control conflicts, and that their interventions strongly depended on conflict complexity. Secondly, we compared the policing patterns in three other captive chimpanzee groups. We found that although rare, policing was more prevalent at times of increased social instability, both high-ranking males and females performed policing, and conflicts of all sex-dyad combinations were policed. These results suggest that the primary function of policing is to increase group stability. It may thus reflect prosocial behaviour based upon “community concern.” However, policing remains a rare behaviour and more data are needed to test the generality of this hypothesis.

==

"mOrALiTy cOmEs FrOm GoD!!1!"

Even chimps know you don't "defund the police."

[captainswaglord500]

Common Sea Monkey/Mermaid

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Primates

Suborder: Haplorhini

Infraorder: Simiiformes

Clade: Hydropithecoidea

Family: Hydropithecidae

Genus: Hydropithecus

Speices: H. ichthyophilus (“fish-loving water ape")

Ancestral species: possibly Eosimias sinensis

Temporal range: Pliocene to recent (3.0 mya - present)

Information:

Though seal-like in appearance, H. ichthyophilus, better known by the natives as *sunsaapali* and to the English-speaking world as the mermaid or common sea monkey, is, as its name suggests, not a pinniped, but rather, an aquatic primate. A member of a broader clade known as the hypdropithecoids or sea monkeys, the ancestors of this clade were likely basal simians (though its exact placement in the primate family tree cannot be determined by morphology alone since it shows a mosaic of features found in both the New World and Old World clades of monkeys, as well as features which point to a stem-simian origin) which made the transition from land to sea sometime in the late Miocene (though the common sea monkey itself is a relatively young species, with the oldest fossil material dated to around 3 million years ago in the late Pliocene). Around 10 feet in length and around 800 lbs in weight, this creature is among the larger members of its clade. Sexual dimorphism is minimal, with males being only slightly larger than females and sporting larger canines. It is also the most widely-distributed member of its clade, being found in open ocean habitats all across Archaeonesia with a total wild population of around 90,000 mature individuals, whereas most of its relatives are confined to the deep coastal waters east of the Isle of Perils.  Primarily a pelagic predator, this creature’s diet is incredibly varied, going after small marine reptiles (including venomous sea snakes), a wide assortment of open ocean fish, cephalopods (including ammonites), flying sea birds, pterosaurs, and even flightless birds like penguins and some varieties of auks. This species is known to dive to the twilight zone, as far as 2,000 feet deep, in the search for food, where it hunts large deep-sea arthropods. Most of the water it needs to survive is obtained through its food. Coloration in this species is highly varied. The most common color variant is the “skipjack” one, named after its similarity to the color patterns of the skipjack tuna with its blue and white countershading. However, other color morphs exist, including a melanistic, leucistic, dark brown, light/sandy brown, “humpback” (gray and white like the whale it’s named after), mottled grey and white, and a piebald one.

A highly social and intelligent aquatic primate, the common sea monkey has a highly complex matriarchal social structure, living in family groups of up to 30 individuals. Pack-hunting is a common phenomenon and typically occurs when hunting larger prey, the younger and more limber juveniles corralling prey towards the larger and more powerful adults. Orphaned young are often cared for by other female members of the group, and young are frequently passed around from adult to adult when the respective parents of the young sea monkeys are off foraging. Though a formidable predator in its own right, it is still subject to predation from other ocean-going predators, namely whales, sharks, and large marine reptiles. To counter this, the common sea monkey uses a variety of “songs” to indicate both the identity of the predator as well as how close it is to the group. A highly vocal animal, this species communicates with a wide variety of sounds other than just “singing”. Clicking is a common vocalization, seemingly a form of echolocation as is seen in dolphins. Barking and gurgling are both used to convey aggression. This creature’s eyesight is superb, allowing it to see in pitch black seas. Like dolphins, it sleeps with one eye open and can hold its breath for hours at a time. A swift swimmer, it relies on its speed and maneuverability to escape predators, though it will attack if seemingly cornered, biting its attacker viciously. Another common way to evade predators is to spontaneously void its bowels, clouding the way with a noxious cloud of feces which both disorients its attacker and overwhelms its sense of smell. Breaching is a frequent behavior and appears to be done to swiftly grab seabirds or pterosaurs out of the air. Curious animals, they will readily approach divers and may also jump onto boats to escape predators. Some may even offer divers fish or crustaceans seemingly as a peace offering, a common gesture between sea monkey family groups. 

This species mates year-round, although it occurs most frequently during November and December. The large tusks of the male are a secondary sex characteristic and are typically merely for show rather than function. The larger the tusks, the more attractive he is to females. Unusually for mammals, this species exhibits polyandry, with females having multiple mates. Gestation takes around 6 months, and the babies are born without claws or teeth to avoid injuring the mother during birth, being born feet first as well to prevent the risk of drowning during birth. Full size is reached by 2.5-3 years old and sexual maturity by 4. Young males are kicked out of the group by this period, which leads them to seek out other family groups to join, while the females typically stay with their original family group. In the wild, they can live as long as 26-30 years and in captivity, they can easily live to 34-40 years.

Though it primarily dwells in open oceans, these creatures are known to occasionally enter coastal waters and come ashore, particularly during tropical storms, which has led to a belief in many regions that these animals bring storms. Despite this association, these animals are seen rather positively by the natives. In other regions, these creatures are believed to be the reincarnated souls of sailors who died at sea. On the eastern coast, their tendency to swim alongside the outrigger canoes of the Banguani people, a culturally Polynesian minority in the region, up and down the coastline in search of food has led to a more humorous name amongst some as “Banguani sea dogs”, the idea based on the belief that the Banguani had a special association with these animals. Indeed, there is some truth to this. The Banguani people consider the common sea monkey to be the spirits of their ancestors and sometimes pay tribute to the animals by offering them some of their catches. In some areas, this species was also a historic food source, being heavily hunted in antiquity, with cave paintings all throughout the region directly depicting this. In the modern day, few people eat these animals, namely due to the fact that since they’re now known to be distantly related to humans, there is a fear of pathogens spreading from common sea monkeys to our own species, but many still hunt them for their teeth and tusks or to take their young, which are highly sought-after by aquariums and wildlife institutions abroad for their unique biology. Nicknamed the “mermaid” for its passing resemblance to the mythical creature, fringe theories suggest that a population of these creatures which escaped Archaeonesia when the border mountains crumbled back into the sea might be responsible for myths of mermaids and selkies. Interestingly, along the southern seas of the Isle of Perils, this creature is very rare, possibly due to the presence of seals and sea lions, which suggests that there may be an element of competitive exclusion between the two groups. It is sympatric with most other species in its clade, though there appears to be little interspecies competition between them, suggesting some level of niche partitioning. Remains of common sea monkeys have occasionally been found in the stomachs of giant deep-sea cephalopods, suggesting that some deep-sea creatures may prey on them. When dying, these animals are known to isolate themselves, seemingly swimming to shallow waters or nearby shorelines to die, a behavior suggested to have an evolutionary basis: by isolating themselves, the smell of their dead body will not attract predators to the larger group and therefore risk additional casualties.

[haggishlyhagging]

Acquiring an externally based mind required early humans to connect to something outside of themselves as a frame of reference, to connect physically; and this was accomplished when the females evolved a menstrual cycle capable of synchronous rhythm, or entrainment. Entrainment is the quality of two similarly timed beats to link up and become synchronized in each other's presence. Non-digital clocks behave this way, and so do drums. This quality of interactive rhythm, being not mechanical, applies as well to the periodicity of menstruation. As has been demonstrated by women volunteers and observers, menstrual periods are highly affected by the environment. Periods are easily disrupted by changes of light, travel through time zones, and severe exercise or dietary deprivation. Menstruation is a malleable cycle, but menstrual periodicity is also able to entrain; women living together and in similar circumstances will often spontaneously synchronize their periods with each other and evidently with any light source that imitates the moon's dark and light cycles. Menstruation has been disrupted by the urban environment, with its irregular lighting. The flexibility of menstrual cycles, their ability to entrain to another regular rhythm, gave ancestral females the inner tool to entrain with other females enough to notice the commonality of blood flow, and to entrain with the moon closely enough to notice it as a source of light and to differentiate its effect from darkness.

This unique cycle in correspondence with the cycles of an outside body, the waxing and waning of the moon far beyond the surface of the earth, taught humans to see from outside of their animal bodies, and to display that knowledge externally, in physical culture. The menstrual mind, became externalized because females were forced to teach its perspective to members of the family who did not menstruate. Males, in learning the pattern, greatly extended it, rearranged it, demonstrated their comprehension one further step, and mirrored back to the females: an ongoing dance of mind between the genders. The consequences of the menstrual/lunar correspondence is what has divided us, for good and ill, from the other animals. Unlike our simian relatives, unlike any other creature, humans use external measurement, the gift of menstruation. We have a lunar/menstrual lever that enables us to move our senses back and forth between the subjective and the objective, and to embody our ideas in external form.

When during the hundreds of thousands of times the ancestral prehumans secluded themselves during what was at least some of the time a collective menstruation at the dark of the moon, they noticed that the light was also hiding. They may also have come to notice that the light at times (dawn) was the same color as their blood. While they were menstruating, they noticed darkness was different from light. Darkness thus had a source: menstruation. At the end of each menstruation, they "created" light when they emerged from darkness, from hiding. And to continue its remembrance and to reinforce the principle, they began emerging from seclusion exactly at dawn, emerging "into the light." They synchronized with darkness and light. And because of the back-and-forth road that is cause and effect, since menstruation "created" light as it "created" dark, so it could also destroy them. The menstruant, especially at menarche, was not allowed to look at light—lest in her condition she destroy it, allowing her society to fall back into Chaos. Menstrual separation was the first step to differentiating light from darkness, and of displaying and remembering the knowledge.

-Judy Grahn, Blood, Bread, and Roses: How Menstruation Created the World

[earth-updates]

earth update v1.1, patch 4

effect: vampiric sheep plague (VSP) infection rate increased by 1.5%

television remotes invisibility effect duration increased by 30 seconds when individual sits down, unless held

simian entities goal point for next evolution stage now set: visible below the [hunger] meter on the HUD, quest self explanatory

fixed ranking system that placed hamsters at the top of the food chain algorithm - predetors should no longer cower in fear upon sighting one

added toggleable ability for florida bat population to identify republicans via speech patterns [e.g "i just wish they wouldn't flaunt it like that in public" or "its just that I don't think they should be allowed to participate in competitions, they have an innate advantage"]. detection turns all nearby bat entities hostile

territory of france reduced by another three(3) pixels, atlantic ocean tide increased by 0.0008%/year on the french coast

[hidelias]

Chapter 5: The stolen box | A bend in space-time (season 1)

Chapter 5: The stolen box | A bend in space-time (season 1) The Umbrella Academy

March 25, 2019 - 10:09 am

My mind is still sizzling from the conversation I just had with Five. Because of his complicated quantum physics words? I don't think so. No, it's more to do with the realization that - after all - we're less alike than we'd thought. I'll need to think about that, but first things first. Right now, I'm going to pick up Klaus when he wakes up from his lethargy.

It's hard to see outside when walking through Hargreeves Mansion, but the few rays of light seeping through the stained-glass windows let me know that the rain has stopped. It really only lasted long enough to wash away the memory of Reginald Hargreeves.

As I reach the bottom of the grand staircase, in the hall, I see Pogo. His simian features are drawn into a deeply disgruntled expression, and he scans me as I pass with a form of suspicion. I hope he's not associating me with whatever stupid thing Klaus might have done.

I find him again in the reception living room, as I pass through the large door under the gallery balcony. He's there, sitting on the sofa. Talking… to a lamp. His dignity isn't much greater than it was the day before: he's still without his clothes, except for that horrid rainbow leopard brief. I sigh. At least he doesn't look like he's in a coma anymore. I enter silently, my footsteps muffled by the felt of the carpets, and stand in front of him, pointing an accusing index finger at him:

"You missed the Rocky Horror Picture Show".

On hearing this, he flinches a little but then turns to me. His first reflex is to check that he's not 'completely' naked, and quite frankly I can't decide whether that's thoughtful or pathetic. Plus, I'm quite convinced he's super proud of his choice of pattern.

"Oh. Rin. Hey," he stammers, holding onto the lampshade. "You were talking to that lamp. And by that, I mean 'really', to the lamp: not to whatever ghost might be lurking beyond. He shrugs. "No, I swear I don't. Besides, his conversation is lousy."

(…)

↝↝↝↝ Read 'A bend in space-time' ↜↜↜↜ Full chapter : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN Full story : AO3 - Wattpad - FFN

I chose to insert an OC - Rin - into the plot of The Umbrella Academy season 2, appearing almost only in deleted scenes. I try to give her an interesting story on her own. What to expect: digging into the psychology of the canon characters, seeing their daily lives through the eyes of an outsider, deciphering what's only skimmed over in the original series. A bit of fun, too, uh?

Any comment will make my day! ♡

[shaniadsouza]

The Rise of Mobile Health Apps: Transforming Healthcare Delivery

In the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, where the pace of life matches the speed of the local trains, the landscape of healthcare services is undergoing a profound transformation. The advent of mobile health apps is not just a technological advancement; it's a revolution that's reshaping the way healthcare is delivered and accessed. In this digital era, where information is at our fingertips, the synergy between healthcare services and mobile health apps is at the forefront of this transformative journey.

Introduction:

In a city as dynamic as Mumbai, where every second counts, traditional healthcare services are evolving to meet the needs of a fast-paced society. Enter the era of mobile health apps – a game-changer in the healthcare industry. As we delve into this transformative phenomenon, let's explore the ways in which mobile health apps are redefining healthcare delivery.

Accessibility and Convenience:

Tech Simians, a pioneering force in this digital revolution, understands the value of accessibility in a city as vast and diverse as Mumbai. Mobile health apps bridge the gap between healthcare service and individuals, offering unprecedented accessibility. With a simple tap on a smartphone, residents of Mumbai can access a plethora of healthcare services, from booking appointments to consulting with healthcare professionals virtually.

Personalized Healthcare Solutions:

One of the remarkable aspects of mobile health apps is their ability to provide personalized healthcare solutions. Tech Simians, a company committed to innovation, has developed cutting-edge apps that cater to individual health needs. Whether it's monitoring vital signs, tracking fitness goals, or managing chronic conditions, these apps empower users to take control of their health in a personalized and informed manner.

Remote Consultations:

In a city where traffic jams are a common occurrence, the concept of remote consultations through mobile health apps is a breath of fresh air. Tech Simians' commitment to healthcare services in Mumbai extends beyond the physical boundaries of clinics and hospitals. Through their mobile health apps, individuals can consult with healthcare professionals from the comfort of their homes, saving time and reducing the stress associated with commuting.

Real-time Health Monitoring:

Tech Simians recognizes the importance of real-time health monitoring, especially in a city known for its fast-paced lifestyle. Their mobile health apps are equipped with features that enable users to monitor their health in real time. From tracking daily steps to monitoring heart rate and sleep patterns, these apps empower individuals to make informed decisions about their well-being.

Integration of Telemedicine:

As Mumbai embraces the digital age, the integration of telemedicine into mobile health apps becomes a crucial aspect of transforming healthcare delivery. Tech Simians leads the way by seamlessly incorporating telemedicine services into their apps. This ensures that individuals not only have access to healthcare information but also to professional medical advice whenever and wherever they need it.

Conclusion:

In the heart of Mumbai, where the pulse of the city beats with energy and vitality, Tech Simians is spearheading the transformation of healthcare delivery through mobile health apps. The seamless integration of healthcare services in Mumbai with innovative mobile apps is not just a convenience but a necessity in the evolving landscape of healthcare.

[fgrobichiko]

Subject 1997M-150: Urodens

[[DESCRIPTION: BIOLOGICAL LINEAGE FORMERLY CONSIDERED CRYPTOZOOLOGICAL]]

The following is an anomalous species of terrestrial creature, which we believe is a valid grouping under typical phylogeny.

URODII:

A clade thought to be most closely related to Batrachomorpha, Urodii followed a similar evolutionary road to the Reptiliformes. They show an amount of genetic adaptability common among other Batrachomorpha, some species remaining in a "larval" form similar to Axolotl Efts' for their entire lives, while rarer species may develop into a typically more intelligent "adult" state. Several are capable of spontaneous morphological changes depending on various stressors and factors, but these commonly revert within a short amount of time.

Of note is their increased concentration of ganglia, necessary for the use of psychic/psionic powers. These continue along their tails and are occasionally stored in additional structures auxiliary to their spines or skulls. Only some have true ears, while most have some form of nodule, ridges or horns filled with ganglia.

URODII FELIFORMES:

The eldest groups appear to be the Feliformes, with the known species Minoris and Majoris, the phenotypical bases for the genera. Feliformes Minoris is among the most difficult creatures to study, as it is naturally shy and avoidant and able to simply teleport away, but with continued research it was discovered it actually possesses extremely advanced shapeshifting capabilities, meaning this species may be more common than once thought. Initially, Feliformes Majoris was believed to be a trio of separate species, but with continued observation it was discovered that they simply undertake at least two common metamorphoses of a single base form, dependant on environmental factors.

From these two are descended the far more numerous Feliformes Aipus, which seems to be almost entirely non-psionic, instead using its tail ganglia as an additional manipulator, and Feliformes Mystica, which is terrestrial but retains its ganglia both through earlike structures and in its thick, stubby tail, the fur pattern of which makes it appear as pair of tails.

• Feliformes Minoris

• F. Majoris

• F. Aipus

• F. Mystica

URODII LACUNA:

A closely related group is the Lacuna, a highly avoidant and psychically-dependant family formerly considered to be examples of F. Minoris, which consist of a pair of families with significant levels of intraspecies variance.

These creatures are curious, typically non-combative, and are identified by their colourful gangliae crests and twinned gangliae tails that travel past their spines and resorbed ancestral tails. From these are descended Triumps, notable for its much-reduced tail and heavier coat.

• Lacuna Cogitatio

• L. Triumps

URODII LUPIRAPTOR:

A related genera is Urodii Lupiraptor, a carnivorous, almost Carnivoran genera whose ganglial psychic powers allowed it to focus primarily on hunting in (or, using a kind of psionic hydrophobia, atop) aquatic environments, leading to primarily bipedal, cold-weather adapted semi-psionic species which typically rely far more on physical strength than other Urodens, and are almost universally covered in picnofibers similar to those theorised to have covered various Arcosaurs - whether this is a case of convergent evolution, or proof that Picnofibers predate Reptiliformes, is unclear.

The history of this genus is particularly strife-filled, with only three known species, all three of which are significantly divergent from each other in appearance and ecological niche, surviving into the modern day. All members bare twinned ganglial apparatus despite their relative lack of reliance on psychic manipulation.

The type specimen is Lupiraptor Walkiak, a large carnivore noted for its impressive mane and head crest. Other members of the U. Lupiraptor genus include Buoyi, a musteliform specimen whose psychic skills have been much reduced, and the simian (some say ursine) Virio, a specimen previously thought to derive from a protomammalian lineage, whose ganglial apparatus increase significantly with age alongside a powerful electromagnesic psionic ability.

• Lupiraptor Walkiak

• L. Buoyi

• L. Virio

[[DESCRIPTION ENDS]]

[bewitchingbooktours]

Tales of the Wythenwood by J.W. Hawkins #DarkFantasy

Tales of the Wythenwood

Book One

J.W. Hawkins

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Publisher: Wilderwood Press

Date of Publication: 31 August

ISBN: 9798334501188

ASIN: B0D752QM73

Number of pages: 296

Word Count: 74,000

Book Description:

J.W. Hawkins' "Tales of the Wythenwood" masterfully blends whimsy with darkness, capturing the essence of dark fantasy and classic fairy tales while infusing them with modern sensibilities. The collection is rich in themes of nature, survival, morality, and the complex interplay between good and evil. The author’s love for rhythmic and descriptive language breathes life into the Wythenwood, making it a character in its own right. Each story, while unique, contributes to a cohesive world where the fantastical and the real intertwine seamlessly.

Great Oak, an omnipotent power, hatches plans to crush dissent. Injured Desideria is helped by a mysterious creature—but what is its real intent? The Taker of Faces stalks the night for her next victim. Will this be the one that sates her need and provides all that she craves? Indoli, a benevolent master of manipulation learns the consequences of teaching his ways too well—and soon the fate of the entire wood is at stake. 

Amazon     Amazon UK

Excerpt From Tales of the Wythenwood: The Artfulness of Stupidity Prologue

The eagle sat watchfully, the wind ruffling its feathers as it swirled unimpeded atop of the spindle of rocks on which the eyrie sat. The foliage below swirled hither and thither in a great maelstrom of assorted detritus. Yet none came so high as to bother the winged guardian as he remained alert upon his perch looking down on the outstretched canopy of the seemingly endless Wythenwood below.

Hand over hand, foot over foot the troupe climbed upwards; silently. Their simian faces grimaced as the cold gusts of air bombarded them in a continuous effort to break their will. Never had they climbed so high, yet they knew not why they climbed and knew not what they sought. All that was known were the tempting whispers of a prize beyond prizes, the reward of all rewards that could be found uttered in the darkest nooks and deepest crannies of the Wythenwood, where all utterances came under hushed breath.

The eagle was as eagle-eyed as eagles are and had long since espied the intruders, yet he waited until the baboons had climbed high enough to ensure that any fall would return them to the soil once more, to nourish the roots of the endless number of trees that was the Wythenwood. He must send a message to those who would consider trespassing on the hallowed stones of Eramana’s needle he thought. The message needed be to clear— and final.

Higher and higher they climbed up the thrusting edifice; wrought by rain, winds and eons passed. The eagle looked down over its beak and upon its sacred charge, a ward that it had been born to guard and would also die to do just so. It bore the mottled patterning common to all eggs of eagle kind, yet this egg was swollen to an enormous size, large enough for an eagle fully grown at birth to erupt from its dappled shell. Though the shell itself was interspersed with a multitude of tiny holes and through every hole; like the most intricate and ornate of weavings grew the most impossible of vines. Leaves of red, leaves of gold and green, nestled amongst them was every shade between. Leaves of oak, leaves of acacia, pine and yew holding every color from spring to fall. It was not one tree; it was them all.

Although it seemed that the vine belonged perhaps to every tree that ever was, in some ways it belonged to none at all. For no roots did it bare to earth, instead it just lay wreathen around the great egg from which it protruded with the long tentacular strands of the chimaera vine smothering all the other eggs nesting within the eyrie in a nurturing, motherly embrace.

The eagle dipped its beak so that it all but touched the leaves of the wreathen egg and whispered so gently that even the air itself, through which the eagle’s words did pass could have barely heard.

Hand over hand, foot over foot still the baboons climbed on, eyes wild with the greed of anticipation, up and up they rose. And then it happened…

Yellow beaks and wings as black as the reaper’s cowl descended from the mists above. Gray tendrils of cloud ran amok as flailing arms grasped for them in panicked desperation, only for their brief hope of salvation to disappear into corporeal nothingness upon little more than the promise of a touch. Wrenched from the rocks by ferocity and talon the baboons one-by-one began to fall. A final glint of life dancing in their eyes with maddened fright as they plummeted to the swiftly encroaching ground.

The intruders lay motionless with eyes now glazed by death. The soil shall have them once more thought Reinhardt.

About the Author: 

J.W. Hawkins is a writer of Dark and Epic Fantasy, best known as the author of Tales of the Wythenwood. He is noted for his florid and descriptive use language and use of fantastical allegory that mirrors the empirical world. He lives in the UK with his wife Michelle and two boys Graham and Mark.

Email Sign Up: https://bit.ly/4dTexqs 

Website: www.jwhawkinsbooks.com  

 X/Twitter: https://x.com/JWHawkinsBooks 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/talesofthewythenwood/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216658635-tales-of-the-wythenwood

[amplexadversary]

More Utena. Ep 23, 24

holy shit we go from Mikage treating Utena as if she's Tokiko, to hey, Mamiya isn't showing up "in-person" anymore that's a break in pattern, to Mamiya actually looks completely different than he does in Mikage's mind, to actually, it would be "looked."

I guess that explains why the Mamiya that Mikage saw doesn't look anything like his sister.

That does not explain though why he looks like Anthy, Akio, and the Prince. It could be similar to the way that several duelists seem to be projecting someone else onto Anthy. Though I think maybe Mikage is projecting more onto the prince sitting atop whatever that "egg" is. The one who possesses Utena.

Now instead of a rebuilt hall that 100 people and a professor died in, the "memorial hall" remains nameless, and in ruins, and no one was hurt?

Wait, WHAT. Not!Mamiya is

We just went from a reveal of "Mamiya doesn't actually exist" to "actually, the fake Mamiya is real, but now we're implying Mikage somehow isn't," to "also, jsyk, Fake!Mamiya is actually Anthy????"

I guess that explains why she kept disappearing??? And why Not!Mamiya looks like Akio and Anthy. Does that mean Mikage's intent to "kill" her might have been forcing her to stay in the "Mamiya" persona indefinitely?

Also, Mikage "stopped time for himself" in a way that Akio could use??? That was kind of sandwiched in between other reveals but that's also weird??? I'm not sure if that's just referring to Mikage being delusional or if there's something else to it? Maybe in a way that explains some of the reality changing going on?

--------------------------------------------

After watching episode 24, I feel like I understand what's going on even less.

We've harkened back to some of the shadow chorus imagery we've seen before (the simian-hunting robot, the ufos), and learned that Tsuwabuki is one of those people writing cow tf on deviantart.

And that he's more stalkery than previously shown.

Normally with characters like these two who are both kind of creeps I'd be going "the two of you deserve each other, pair up," but... we kind of have demonstrable evidence that that wouldn't keep the awful behavior to each other.

Also Tsuwabuki is like, 10 (which is also kind of the reason why I feel more sorry for him than for Nanami. Like, they're both operating at a similar level of terrible decision making, but one of them has had more time to grow out of it than the other.)