#Maine Mosquito Control | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

morbidsmenagerie · 9 months

Text

Making Better State Insects

So at some point I stumbled across a list of State Insects. Honestly I wasn't even aware states had "state insects", but as I looked down the list my disappointment grew. A vast majority of states had selected the European honeybee (which is not even native) as their state insect, with monarch butterflies and ladybugs being the two runner ups. I thought this was a damn shame because there's so many interesting insects in the US, so I'm making a better official new list of state insects.

For this list my criteria are:

Insect must be native to the state

No repeats

Insect must be easily observable to the naked eye

I also had general guidelines of picking insects that were relatively common (based on inaturalist heat maps of observation) and picking insects that were cool or interesting. Some of these insects I picked because I thought they were important parts of the areas culture and experience (lovebugs, toebiters, and periodical cicadas) and some insects I picked just to raise awareness that they exist in the US.

I also don't think I gave anyone huge L's, no mosquitoes, louses, cockroaches, ect, because my goal of this list is to get people interested in their native insects and I want it to be fun to find and observe your state insect.

Also some states get gold stars for picking state insects that already meet these criteria and are cool so they get to keep theirs. Some states also have "state butterflies" or "state agricultural insect" which for this list I'm ignoring, you can keep those I'm just focused on state insects. Slight disclaimer also, I've only ever lived in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and South Carolina, and all these states are keeping their original state insect. So all the insects I'm choosing are for states I haven't lived in. Also I'm not including photos in this post just for my own sanity.

List under the cut!

Alabama

Old: Monarch Butterfly

New: Giant Leaf-footed Bug (Acanthocephala declivis)

Leaf-footed bugs are cute, they're big, they're stanced up, the males have big back legs, you've probably seen them. Being true bugs they have piercing mouthparts and suck plant juices.

Alaska

Four-spot Skimmer (Libellula quadrimaculata)

Alaska gets to keep their old state insect, it's a cool dragonfly and apparently was partially chosen to honor bush pilots who fly to deliver supplies in the Alaskan wilderness, so really cool!

Arizona

Two-tailed swallowtail butterfly (Papilio multicaudata)

Arizona also gets to keep their state insect. Kind of a shame because Arizona has a lot of cool species, but it did meet my requirements and they get points for choosing a different kind of butterfly.

Arkansas

Old: European honeybee

New: North American Wheel Bug (Arilus cristatus)

One of the largest assassin bugs in the US, these guys are appreciated by gardeners for their environmentally friendly pest control. They also look badass.

California

California Dogface Butterfly (Zerene eurydice)

Endemic to California and on a stamp! Again, kind of a shame because there's a lot of cool insects in California, but I respect this choice, especially since California was the first state to designate a state insect (1929).

Colorado

Colorado Hairstreak Butterfly (Hypaurotis crysalus)

Same deal as California, the state's name is in the common name, unique butterfly found in the four corners region. Just get a stamp or something soon!

Connecticut

Old: European Praying Mantis

New: Cecropia Moth (Hyalophora cecropia)

You picked a state insect no one else had but went with a nonnative mantis? Here's an insect that'll make you stand out and it's a native species. Lesser known than some of the other giant silk moths, the Cecropia moth is the largest native moth and has some truly stunning colors.

Delaware

Old: Convergent Ladybeetle

New: Periodical Cicada (Magicicada septendecim)

Cicada's had to be somewhere on this list and Delaware was one of the main hotspots for brood X, one of the largest broods of the multiple staggered brood cycles. Hey, they have a lot of history in America. Accounts go back as early as 1733, with Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin making a note of them.

District of Columbia

Old: None

New: Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

The Entomological Society of America is trying to get the Monarch Butterfly added as our national insect, so I think that's reason enough to let DOC claim it.

Florida

Zebra Butterfly (Heliconius charithonia)

Florida gets to keep their state butterfly, but the populations that have existed in Florida are in steep decline. Ideally I would want being the official state insect to come with some protections, hopefully people can get invested in reintroducing them.

Georgia

Old: European Honeybee

New: Horned Passalus Beetle (Odontotaenius disjunctus)

Also called bess beetles or patent-leather beetles, these cute guys are important for forest systems because they eat decaying wood, helping to break down felled trees. They're cute beetles that squeak when disturbed.

Hawaii

Kamehameha Butterfly (Vanessa tameamea)

An endemic Hawaiian butterfly named after a ruling dynasty of Hawaii. Their population is under threat, as with a lot of native Hawaiian species, so I think this is a good state insect to build protections and activism around.

Idaho

Old: Monarch Butterfly

New: Ice Crawler (Grylloblatta sp. "Polaris Peak")

Look Idaho, I have to admit that even though I've traveled extensively through WA, OR, CA, and NV I've never stepped foot in Idaho and I don't intend to. Your state exists in a weird liminal zone, not really the pacific northwest but not really whatever Montana is either. Your state isn't even all in one time zone. So look, I really wanted ice crawlers to be on this list, but they're exclusively found on mountains in the pacific northwest and Sierra Nevadas. Normally I would've given them to Washington or Oregon, but those states already have state insects that work for them. So your state gets ice crawlers, and they do exist in Idaho in the panhandle. It's not an L, ice crawlers are amazing extremophiles that crawl over snow in high elevation mountain peaks. They exist in their own unique order and theres only one genus in the US, with different species being region locked, sometimes onto specific mountains. Their thermoregulation is so delicate, the warmth of someones hand holding them causes them to over heat and die. They're cool, unique, and weird, and let's face it so is your state. At least I didn't take a cop out by picking the potato bug.

Illinois

Old: Monarch Butterfly

New: Red-banded Leafhopper (Graphocephala coccinea)

Leafhopper done Chicago style.

Indiana

Old: Say's Firefly

New: Common True Katydid (Pterophylla camellifolia)

I wanted to give you Say's Firefly. I really did. But when I looked on Inaturalist not A SINGLE OBSERVATION was listed for the species in Indiana. I'm even going to post pictures.

So even though this is extremely funny I'm giving your state the Common True Katydid instead. Large, loud, and easy to spot, these guys can frequently be heard chirping in trees. Not only do different populations have different rates of chirp, but the rate of chirp is also so predictably dependent on temperature that you could make an equation to tell the temperature based on chirp rate.

Iowa

Old: None

New: Westfall's Snaketail (Ophiogomphus westfalli)

Really cool clubtail dragonfly that's almost exclusively found in Iowa, Missouri, and Arkansas.

Kansas

Old: European Honeybee

New: Rainbow Scarab (Phanaeus vindex)

A kind of true dung beetle, they play an important role in removing waste. And although they don't roll waste like the stereotypical dung beetles, they are extremely pretty.

Kentucky

Viceroy Butterfly (Limenitis archippus)

This is fine.

Louisiana

Old: European Honeybee

New: Lovebug (Plecia nearartica)

Look, one of the southern states was going to get this one and Louisiana has a majority of the observations for them. Although annoying, it's things like having to scrape thousands of flies off your car that makes the Southern experience. Embrace it!

Maine

Old: European Honeybee

New: Brown Wasp Mantidfly (Climaciella brunnea)

I really wanted these guys to be somewhere on the list. Neither a wasp, mantis, or fly, these are predatory neuropterans related to lacewings. They have raptorial front legs (resembling a mantis) and their coloration resembles paper wasps that they live alongside. Weird, unique, and wonderful!

Maryland

Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly (Euphydryas phaeton)

This butterfly might've been picked for the resemblance of the state flag. It's in decline in it's native range, so hopefully more awareness and consideration to state insects will help push conservation efforts.

Massachusetts

Old: Ladybug

New: Hornet Clearwing Moth (Paranthrene simulans)

Hornet mimic moth, the caterpillars feed on chestnuts and oaks. All lepidopterans (moths and butterflies) have modified hairs on their wings that form the "scales" that give this order their name. For this moth though, parts of it's wings don't have any scales so it more convincingly resembles a hornet. Underneath the scales, butterfly and moth wings look pretty much like any other insect's wing. Cool!

Michigan

Old: None

New: American Salmonfly (Pteronarcys dorsata)

The biggest salmonfly in North America. They make excellent fishing bait, and several fly fisherman use salmonfly lures to catch trout. Their nymphs are also an important indicator of water quality, with them being one of the first species to disappear in the presence of pollution or contaminants.

Minnesota

Old: Monarch Butterfly

New: American Giant Water Bug (Lethocerus americanus)

Also one of the ones that had to be on the list somewhere, and the Inat heatmap says Minnesota. Toebiters are part of the experience, and they are cool and ferocious looking.

Mississippi

Old: European Honeybee

New: Eastern Eyed Click Beetle (Alaus oculatus)

Click beetles have a cool adaption that allows them to launch themselves in the air to avoid predators. This makes an audible sound, hence their common name. The Eastern Eyed Click Beetle is one of the largest and most striking click beetles in the US, with large false eyespots on their thorax.

Missouri

Old: European Honeybee

New: Goldenrod Soldier Beetle (Chauliognathus pensylvanicus)

A soldier beetle that feeds on aphids and small plant pests, these beetles also eat pollen and nectar from flowers. They don't harm the flower, and though their common name reflects their preference for goldenrod flowers, they're also an important pollinator of the prairie onion (Allium stellatum). This is a native species of onion that grows from Minnesota to Arkansas.

Montana

Old: Mourning Cloak

New: Western Sheep Moth (Hemileuca eglanterina)

Mourning Cloak butterflies do technically work for my criteria, but I wanted to showcase some more regional insects in this as well, as Mourning Cloaks are found throughout North America and Eurasia. The Western Sheep Moth is an absolutely stunning giant silk moth, found throughout the western United States. Although not as big as some other silk moths, the bold orange and black coloration on these make them absolutely stand out.

Nebraska

Old: European Honeybee

New: Blowout Tiger Beetle (Cicindela lengi)

A tiger beetle with unique patterns, these guys are active predators and are particularly difficult to spot because they run extremely quickly. They seem to be pretty cold tolerant and exist from Colorado up into Canada.

Nevada

Vivid Dancer Damselfly (Argia Vivida)

This damselfly was picked as Nevada's state insect because it's widespread throughout the state and matches the state colors, silver and blue. That gets my seal of approval!

New Hampshire

Two-spotted Lady Beetle (Adalia bipunctata)

This is fine.

New Jersey

Old: European Honeybee

New: Margined Calligrapher (Toxomerus marginatus)

A pretty hoverfly, they strongly resemble bees in both looks and behavior. Larvae feed on common plant pests such as thrips and aphids, while the adults sip nectar and pollinate flowers. These helpful attributes make it something the Garden State can appreciate!

New Mexico

Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis grossa)

New Mexico wins the official state insect list by a landslide. Not only is the tarantula hawk a super cool and formidable insect to showcase, but New Mexico's state butterfly (Sandia Hairstreak) was discovered in New Mexico. No notes 10/10!

New York

Nine-spotted Lady Beetle (Coccinella novemnotata)

A native species of lady beetle that's been in decline in recent years, New York is one of the last remaining states where they've been spotted. I also appreciate that New York designated a specific ladybug species instead of just saying "Coccinellidae species".

North Carolina

Old: European Honeybee

New: Eastern Rhinoceros Beetle (Xyloryctes jamaicensis)

A large native species of rhinoceros beetle. They breed in ash trees, and are under threat due to competition from the Emerald Ash Borer.

North Dakota

Old: None

New: Nuttall's Blister Beetle (Lytta nuttalli)

As with all blister beetles, these guys have a chemical defense. Unlike the more famous Bombardier Beetle thought, instead of being black and red they are iridescent red/purple and green.

Ohio

Old: Ladybug

New: Bald-faced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)

Look, when the one thing everyone knows about your state is that it sucks, it's time to lean into it. Bald-faced hornets, everyone knows them, everyone has opinions about them, and they get a lot of attention. I don't think I have to explain this one anymore.

Oklahoma

Old: European Honeybee

New: Giant Walking Stick (Megaphasma denticrus)

The largest insect in the United States. Being a native walking stick, they're less damaging than the imported invasive walking sticks that are heavily controlled.

Oregon

Oregon Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio oregonius)

Oregon in the common name and in the species name, and also has a stamp!

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Firefly (Photuris pensylvanica)

Pennsylvania in the common name and species name. If fireflies weren't already on this list I would've made sure to include them somewhere.

Rhode Island

American Burying Beetle (Nicrophorus americanus)

When I saw this on the list I was worried. American Burying Beetles are one of my favorite insects, but they're extremely endangered now. I also thought they existed more in the midwest, so I was worried I would have to change this one because it violated the "native to the region" rule. But! To my pleasant surprise, not only did their historic range extend to Rhode Island, but there is actually a carefully maintained wild population on Block Island. They estimate between 750-1000 individuals live there, making it one of the few remaining places where the American Burying Beetle still exists. Excellent work Rhode Island!

South Carolina

Carolina Mantis (Stagmomantis carolina)

This is fine. I wanted to give South Carolina the Palmetto bug but they're actually not native.

South Dakota

Old: European Honeybee

New: Golden Northern Bumble Bee (Bombus fervidus)

"Save the bees" should really be focused on native pollinators, many of whom are in decline. There are a lot of species of native bee you can feature as a state insect, with the Golden Northern Bumble Bee being a particularly large and striking species.

Tennessee

Old: Firefly and ladybug

New: Black-waved Flannel Moth (Megalopyge crispata)

Seriously look them up, these guys are adorable.

Texas

Old: Monarch Butterfly

New: Rainbow Grasshopper (Dactylotum bicolor)

It was really hard to pick an insect for your state. The Texas Unicorn Mantis was a contender but I eliminated it because it's really only found in the southern part of Texas, so it was between the Rainbow Grasshopper and the Eastern Velvet Ant (or Cow Killer). I went with the Rainbow Grasshopper because it's more wide spread and common, and occurs everywhere except the east part of Texas. But the Eastern Velvet Ant only occurs on the east part of Texas, maybe you should get an East and West Texas insect? I also thought more people have probably already heard of the Eastern Velvet Ant than the Rainbow Grasshopper, which is a shame because they're super interesting to look at.

Utah

Old: European Honeybee

New: Mormon Cricket (Anabrus simplex)

Mormon Crickets are not true crickets, and instead closer related to katydids. Their common name comes from an early account of Latter-day Saint settlers in Utah. In 1848, a swarm of Mormon Crickets decimated the settler's crops, so the legend goes that they prayed for relief from this plague of insects. Later that year, a swarm of gulls appeared and ate the crickets, thus saving the crops. This is recounted in the "miracle of the gulls" story. To recognize their contributions, the California Gull is commemorated as Utah's state bird. I thought it was fitting then that the Mormon Cricket be recognized as your state insect.

Vermont

Old: European Honeybee

New: Long-tailed Giant Ichneumon Wasp (Megarhyssa macrurus)

A pretty wasp with an extremely long ovipositor, these wasps are common in deciduous forests across the eastern United States. They can't sting, and instead use their long ovipositor to stab into tree bark and deposit eggs on the horntail larvae that burrow into the trees.

Virginia

Old: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

New: Giant Stag Beetle (Lucanus elaphus)

A large stag beetle native to the Eastern United States. Although not as well known as their similar looking fellow stag beetles from Japan, these guys are a lovely chocolate brown instead of solid black. Like most stag beetles, they breed in decaying wood.

Washington

Green Darner Dragonfly (Anax junius)

I imagine this was chosen because it matches the flag.

West Virginia

Old: European Honeybee

New: Appalachian Tiger Beetle (Cicindela ancocisconensis)

This tiger beetle likes hilly terrain. As with all tiger beetles, they can be hard to spot because they run across the ground in search of prey. They are fast! But this can make it more rewarding when you finally catch up to one.

Wisconsin

Old: European Honeybee

New: Phantom Crane Fly (Bittacomorpha clavipes)

Don't believe old wive's tales about crane flies drinking gallons of blood, they are nonbiting. Those striking black and white legs are hollow, and are held out when they fly, making an extremely distinct sight that's been likened to sparklers or snowflakes.

Wyoming

Sheridan's Hairstreak (Callophrys sheridanii)

This is fine.

#insect #insects #state insect #long post #list #text post #entomology #bugblr #invertebrates #invertiblr #inverts #invert

197 notes · View notes

oh-hell-help-me · 1 year

Text

July 27: Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day

Before moving into the Koopa Kingdom’s castle, Luigi took pride in the garden he cultivated next to his and Mario’s little house.

Most of his plants were useful herbs and power ups, although his eclectic tastes have led to him getting miniature Piranha Plants (who were such good girls as they wanted pets more than anything), some Nippers (who kept the garden mosquito-free as he waited for them to mature), and other various plants he and his brother encountered.

And then he married Bowser.

One thing led to another, but Luigi held little regret in practically transplanting his whole garden into a climate controlled greenhouse- practically screaming to anyone who knew Luigi that he had every intention of staying.

And he did, spending many years adding to the collection with potted native species like Heart Plants (gifted to him by Mario after a year in the Koopa Kingdom) and Calm Volcano Lotuses (as a wedding gift from Peach).

However, unlike the species of his original garden, native plants had a particularity of needing to be exposed to regular high temperatures and annual additions of volcanic soot. Both are unfortunately (or fortunately for him) not found inside the castle.

So, Luigi decided to break out the old wheelbarrow and wheel each potted plant outside the castle walls, placing them near the local cinder cones every week.

It was a routine he did alone- until Roy took up an interest in gardening.

While definitely a bit of a muscle head, what with his enthusiasm for fighting, the Koopaling had been equally fascinated by the quieter activities of feeding, potting, watering, and pruning of plants.

When asked, Roy would insist that it was because of the native plants- how they tended to have their own violent spunk in order to survive their natural habitat.

But, in the moments where he and Luigi were enclosed in the Royal Greenhouse, his attention lay with the plainer vegetation- herbs, berry bushes, nut trees, and especially sunflowers.

Privately, Luigi thinks it’s because sunflowers are the only large plants that don’t try to eat people’s faces off, but he’s sure that there’s another reason as well.

Whatever it may be, Luigi is likely the first to notice how the other Koopalings started to poke around as well- usually taking the time to ‘bother’ Roy with questions about certain plants, maybe even asking to help (which usually consists of collecting fruits and nuts).

Still, he loved the way Roy lit up at each question. How his eyes sparkled with seldom-seen excitement, and how his grin was more relaxed than the sharp-toothed smiles he gave to opponents.

It was little things like that which had him and his husband watch the kids in silence, sharing looks of fondness as the kids got absorbed into their bubble in the garden.

It was the main reason that Luigi loved and prided in his garden, and the motivation which he drew on for days that were a bit more difficult.

It was what made him wonder if he ever could get any happier than in moments like this.

#bowuigi #NATIONAL HOLIDAY #in which I am living off little time and many thoughts

70 notes · View notes

wisecrackingeric-2 · 1 year

Text

My thoughts on Resident Evil Death Island: spoilers ahead!!!!

I made a spoiler-free post on my page talking about my opinions on Death island, but here’s my spoiler-filled summary and thoughts on the whole movie!!!!!! This isn’t a one-to-one summary/explanation of what happens in the movie, if that’s what you want, you can find it on @highball66 ‘s page!!!!

Spoilers ahead under cut!!!

When people said this was Jills movie and she was THE main character i didint really believe them. But they were RIGHT. She IS THE MOMENT. SHES THE REAL STAR OF THIS MOVIE. She goes off H A R D

Ok first off. THE BEGINNING????????? I went absolutely F E R A L when I saw we were seeing the POV of umbrella soldiers during the initial Racoon City Outbreak oh my GOD IT WAS SO STRESSFUL. The harsh cut from the two dudes talking in the car, fighting back against civilians to having to isolate their friends after they got infected inside of a meat fridge(???) it was SO INTENSE I WAS GOING ABSOLUTELY FERAL. Basically the main villain was an Umbrella solider named Dylan and was working alongside his best friend JJ, and they were sent to Raccoon City to deal with people trying to break out, but it cuts to all their team members hiding in a meat fridge all having been infected while him and his best friend are the only ones who’re ok, and when they asked for backup to figure out what to do with their infected teammates, the comms come back telling them to lock them in a room and kill them all. The main villain is BEGGING his friend not to and all hell breaks loose as his friend kills all of them, because once they turn into zombies they manage to break out of the room and attack him, and Dylan is literally on the ground screaming for his friend not to and for all of it to stop and it’s PAINFULL. HES LITERALLY CURLED UP CRYING BEHIND A TABLE BEGGING HIS FRIEND TO STOP. T H E N his FRIEND (who is TOTALLY HIS GAY LOVER BY THE WAY. THEY WERE D E F I N I T E L Y GAY) gets infected and he’s FORCED TO KILL HIM OH MY GOD IT WAS SO AHANDHDNXHXNX IT WAS SO GENUIENLY TENSE

Also the Villains motivations were actually really decent??????? It wasn’t his intention to kill random innocent people like Glenn Arias, he specifically made T-Virus filled mosquitos he able to be controlled by his command so he could pick out and specify who to kill, and he wanted to kill SPECIFICALLY people in power or in governments or the BSAA/Terrasave etc etc etc, and he even bought up a few REALLY good points, like how they in the end don’t actually help innocent civilians and how it’s just a big money-making venture for them. Of all the RE villains, this guy was actually really compelling and interesting and genuinely intimidating

He has this repeated thing he does throughout the movie where he’ll get his gun, unload the bullets, point it to his head and pull the trigger just to get that feeling cuz he feels so guilty for killing his “””best friend””” (Totally his boyfriend) and it was s o unnerving to watch.

Also, Dr Taylor’s back!!! And there’s this one REALLY genuinely tense scene where he’s being forced to finish making the weird mosquito thingies, and as the villain (his named Dylan) is congratulating him he’s also pointing a gun to his head and it’s set up in such a way that’s so tense my friend next to me was audibly holding her breath in fright chsnxhsnxjns

Anyways,, LEON ON HIS MOTORCYCLE!!!!!! AND HUNNIGAN IS THERE!!! We never see her face but we hear her voice heaps!!!!!!! He chases after Glenn Arias’ daughter Maria but in classic Leon fashion, he is DESTROYED by her choke-slamming him with her thighs and he crashes the bike. Classic silly goose Leon

Also when Claire goes onto the beach to investigate the orcas, the locals are hesitant of her once she tells them she’s from Terrasave which is a reoccurring theme in the movie

There’s this REALLY AWESOME super tense scene that’s probably the only truly scary scene in the movie where Jills investigating a house for survivors after a zombie attack, and a zombie jumpscares her and she smashed it into a table (which is where the scene from the trailer comes from,) and Chris breaks in with us team and tries to tell her off for going in on her own and being reckless

Later on, Chris is talking with Rebecca and he’s like “I’m making Jill do the mission report for this mission cuz she went in recklessly >:((“ and Rebecca was like “oooooh. Punishment :)” and Chris was like “huh??? Whuh?? No!!” Which made me crack up laughing HCNDHDNDISN but then Rebecca tries to explain that she’s probably struggling with what happened when Wesker brainwashed her, and how she was probably taking that anger out on herself. Chris obviously goes to comfort her at the shooting range, and there’s this cute moment where he walks in covering his ears going 🥺 cuz she’s shooting, and he tries to comfort her and tell her about how he was planning for PIERS NIVANS TO TAKE OVER AND HOW HE FEELS GUILTY FOR HIS DEATH WAAAHHHHH and he tries to tell her that in their line of work death is inevitable, and that it’s worth it to keep going, and Jill opens up about how awful it was to be under Weskers control, and that she felt like she wanted nothing more than to kill them all. She opened up about how all she wanted to do was save innocent lives but now after everything she’s seen she just feels numb, which was SUCH an impactful scene for her, and Chris tried to tell her it’s not worth becoming numb because that’s how you loose your humanity, but she ignores him to keep shooting.

Spoilers, her trauma is never really truly resolved by the end of the movie, which is a real shame; but it’s nice to see it being acknowledged at all, and the scene was really sweet (also while Chris watches her wistfully shooting while ignoring him this time he d o e s n t cover his ears??? You’re gonna go deaf old man!!)

Next, Chris, Claire and Jill are all hanging out in Rebecca’s office talking about life and how boring having to beat up bad guys is over coffee and it’s SO CUTE AND DOMESTIC RAGH and then they all go to meet up with Claire and talk about how the T-Virus is infecting people only on Alcatraz and how more cases are spreading blah blah blah plot stuff but next scene they arrive on a boat to Alcatraz DISGUISED AS TOURISTS AND CHRIS HAS THE FULL HAWAIIAN SHIRT GOIN ON ITS SO CUTE AAAAAAA and Jill has this cute lil cardigan on meanwhile Claire didint even bother trying to disguise herself???

There’s this scene where this YouTuber dude is being recorded and he’s being all loud and annoying and it FEELS like an obvious dig at Mr Beast and it was SO FUNNY my friend and I were SHITTING ourself laughing the whole time, and then booyah everyone gets infected from mosquitoes and turns into zombies except for the three main guys, and they CLIMB AROUND THE PRISON LIKE FUCKING MONKEYS????? IT WAS S O SILLY AND FUNNY I WAS LAUGHING SO HARD and as Chris and Claire are mowing down the zombies Jill gets seperated from them and falls into the sewers, where she gets lost and runs into Leon- she thinks he’s a zombie at first so they have this really cool mini fight-scene before they finally meet eye-to-eye and she’s like “:00 Leon??” And he responds “Well whaddya know. It’s Jill Valentine!” And it was SO CUTE WAH and he tells her that he’s been looking for the one and only Doctor Taylor and in his words says “he’s wanted by the US-Of-A” oh my god I love this man so much he’s so goofy and these weird marine lickers come out of the water and they have to stay quiet and there’s this one moment where the lickers tongue slides up Jill’s body and my friend and I were looking at each other like 😀 the whole time HCNSHDNSUD before Leon eventually shoots it and summons more.

Their dynamic is S O GOOD I CANT EXPRESS ENOUGH HOW GREAT THEIR DYNAMIC IS Leon asks if Jill has a gun and she says she lost it, so he does this funky lil gun trip and twirls it before giving it to her and she’s like “thanks :)” and as more Lickers arrive she immediately tells him to DUCK and he just leaps in the opposite y direction, and as they’re running away from them Jill asks;

“How many are there?!”

And Leon responds

“I ain’t stoppin’ to count em’!”

And my friend and I were S H I T T I N G OURSELVES LAUGJING and when they FINALLY manage to blow them up Leon goes

“Zero”

“Huh???”

“You asked how many there were. Zero, now :)” HES SO GOOFY I WANNA MARRY HIM

Their dynamic is SO GOOD

Then, Chris and Claire find Dr Taylor hiding in a little box, who introduces himself with a fake name and is CLEARLY pretending to be a good guy. Claire tells him she’s with Terrasave and his first reaction IS TO CALL HER A TERRORIST AND SAY TERRASAVE WAS BEHIND HARVARDVILLE?????? Claire obviously CHEWS HIM OUT and Chris stops them but goddamn I think homegirl deserved to destroy him. Claire tends to his wounds anyways, and she and Chris tells him they’d help him even if he was one of the bad guys and in that moment my friend turned to me and I’m a really goofy voice said “I am the bad guy” and I shit myself laughing

Then Chris and Claire are bit by the T-Virus mosquitoes, and they’re officially out of service for a good portion of the movie. One of my only VERY VERY FEW negatives abt this movie is that Claire and Chris were thrown away for the better part of the middle half, but it’s ABSOLUTELY made up for by the fact that we get to see Jill kick ass and the fact that we get to see Claire and Chris on seen hanging out together just in general

Jill and Leon are still stuck in the sewers and Leon uses his air bender powers to feel a draft, pushes a brick and reveals a secret passageway oooooOOoOoOoo, but Jill is hesitant to go inside and Leon’s like “Hey don’t worry, it’ll be just like a prison break :)” AND I WAS JUST AGAGSGDHXUSH

As they’re crawling on their hands and knees through the passageway Jill says something sarcastic that made me laugh (I don’t remember what it was grrrr) and Leon does this little half giggle and a smile and just :))) ARGAGAGAGAGAH

Then the two of them find the big main Lab, and Leon’s like “this must be where they’re making the virus” and Jill in THE MOST SARCASTIC VOICE EVER goes “Woah, really? You think??” IT MADE ME LAUGH SO HARD and Jill IMMEDIATELY suggests that they simply just. Blow it up. And Leon agrees. God I love them. Then Dylan talks over the speaker teasing them to come rescue their friends like Teehehehe Hohoho :)))) it was so silly

Then. Hooooooooo boy. It was THE ship scene of ALL TIME.

Claire and Chris are in seperate cells and find out their are slowly mutating, Claire quicker than Chris, and Dr Taylor is stuck inside with her. Jill immediately runs to Chris’ bars to hold his hand aaaawwwee and Leon isn’t far behind her, and Dylan reveals his evil secret plan to unleash the Mosquitoes ro specifically kill people he wants to turn into zombies. Dylan infects Leon, but spares Jill from it. Dylan then teases her, talking about how he wants her to experience the same pain he felt during Raccoon City and he SPECIFICALLY teases her need to save innocent people by tRYING TO FORCE HER TO KILL CLAIRE AND SAVE DR TAYLOR and she’s getting flashbacks to when she was brainwashed by Wesker and was gonna kill everyone and UGH IT WAS SO GOOD JILLS TRAUMA IS ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT but ofc Jill refuses (because they’re lesbian girlfriends and in love actually) so Dylan kills Dr Taylor and Claire’s heartstrings are ALSO played on when he thanks her for showing him mercy, and says that she is actually helping people and that she needs to keep doing what she’s doing ARGH IT WAS SO SWEET WAH. And the whole thing with Jill not killing Claire?????? Gay. Gay gay gay

T H E N Leon and Chris have this LONG HEART-TO-HEART WHILE SITTING BACK TO BACK about how the world is fucked, but Chris reassures Leon that they’re doing the right thing, and Leon says that they can’t save the world by killing it, and it’s SUCH a sweet wholesome call back to Leon’s state in Vendetta and he’s clearly doing a lot better now :))

THEN as Dr Taylor’s dying and Claire is having her own emotional scene, he asks them all how they’re staying so positive, and Leon responds;

“We’ve got Jill :)”

MY FRIEND AND I BOTH AUDIBLY WENT AAAAWWWWEEE THEYVE GOT JILL WHEN WE HEARD IT AGSBXYSNXHDHXH

Dylan then explains how he wants to force the group to experience the same pain of having to kill his best friend (gay lover) in Raccoon City like he did, and he specifically makes snide comments to Claire about how Terrasave just puts a bandage over the metaphorical wound and doesn’t actually help innocent people, how Leon just works for corrupt government officials- and Leon just replies with “Yeah just makin’ a livin’ out of it sarcastically while literally dying LEON YOU'RE SO GOOFY STOP BEING SO UNSERIOUS- and then Dylan goes off at Chris for how he throws his teammates into danger and how so many of them die and he still keeps going which OUCH?????? HELLO??? RIP PIERS AND ETHAN IG

Dylan ACTUALLY HAD GOOD POINTS and was a really compelling villain!!!!!! Like his motivations made sense!!!!!!!!!! His sense of vengeance and feeling that the group were a bunch of hypocrites was understandable and compelling!! Especially with his backstory in RC!!!!!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!

Dylan also goes specifically teases them about how they’re all Pawns for their respective organisations, and hones in on Leon specifically about how he’s a weapon, and them all being ‘Pawns’ is repeated quite a bit throughout the beginning of the movie and the credits which makes me think that may come into play in the future more???? People have theorised that Leon being treated as a government weapon will come back as a plot point in a future game, but with Dylan making actually decent arguments about their respective organisations and the emphasis on all of them being pawns makes me wonder if it’s intentional and will be a big plot point in a future game or something

Also, Leon tries to ask how he’s connected to Glenn Arias, and Dylan just says he was “good friends with him” and that’s how Maria’s there?????? Ok random plot hole but whatever I’m gonna assume they were also gay lovers. Leon then throws a flash Grenade at Maria so Jill has time to escape and kick ass

Meanwhile, Rebecca gets a call from Hunnigan explaining what’s been going on and Rebecca picks up the vaccine and travels to Alcatraz with a squad, but they ALL somehow get killed by the big marine lickers?????? And Rebecca just,,, somehow survives???????? Again, my only negative with this movie is that AGAIN Rebecca has almost no role. I’m S O glad she was there so the whole gang could be in a movie together but it was like her role was reversed from Vendetta but not in a good way. She just,, randomly shows up to save the day, give them the virus, and do nothing else. Capcom WHY do you butcher my baby so badly WHY

Rebecca arrives with her vaccine and heals everybody in a very cute scene and Leon is immediately gone- like bro just teleports- and Chris, Claire and Rebecca have this little shot that screams “Besties…… attack !!!!!!!”

Then Leon runs into Maria, and it’s THAT SCENE. They have a fight and Maria is dodging around like she’s Albert Wesker or something and she CHOKES LEON WITH HER THIGHS AND LEON RESPONDS BY SHOVING HIS NOSE IN HER PUSSY. EVERYONES SEEN THAT SCENE and when she’s like “You killed my father. Prepare to die” he’s like “yeah well,,,,, your dad was kind of a dick” Leon said absolutely Z E R O serious lines in this movie. I genuinely think that all of his lines in this film had at least ONE quippy little quote it’s so good. Then he kills her by stabbing her with a pole lawl

Jill and Dylan then have a stand off at the main entrance, and Dylan does the callback to that reoccurring thing he’s been doing the whole movie where he points his own gun to his head, but this time he shouts himself and he falls into the water in slo-mo in a shot that’s actually really cool, and then a BIG MARINE LICKER CREATURE JUST COMES UP AND EATS HIM????? IT WAS SO GOOFY MY FRIEND AND I WERE LAIGHING SO HARD and then he turns INTO A GIANT FUCKING BOW.

AND IT LOOKS E X A C T L Y LIKE THAT MY HORSE PRINCE MOBILE GAME AD

He had this human face with these horse hoof hands and everytime there was a closeup of his weirdly human teeth I could help but shit myself laighing it was way too funny

Then the whole group gangs up together, and they have an avengers endgame moment where they all team up to take down the beast in a big group shot. Claire and Rebecca go back fo the lab to stop the mosquitoes from escaping, Leon rams a car into the beast, Jill and Chris run away and Chris says “that is one tough cookie” while handing Jill a giant bazooka to kill it with, and Leon hangs upside down from the ceiling like a monkey for a lil bit before leaping off of his car, then Jill and Claire get seperated cuz they get FLUNG ACROSS THE ROOM AND SOMEHOW SURVIVE and Leon teams up with Chris to make an EXTRA LARGE BAZOOKA THAT NEEDS TWO SETS OF HANDS AND THEYRE STANDING BACK TO BACK WHILE FIRING IT AND AGSGXHSSB SO GAY

Jill then distracts the beast by grabbing a lighter as a VERY obvious reference to Jurassic park and yells “COME HERE UGLY COME CATCH ME” and runs away for it to follow her, again, VERY obvious Jurassic park reference, while Leon drives a car with Chris and his GIANT BAZOOKA on top (that looks SUSPICIOUSLY like the one Carlos uses in re3) and Leon says “definitely going on vacation after this” WHILE YOU CAN J U S T BARELY SEE HIS TINY LIL HEAD OVER THE STEERING WHEEL AGSHDHSHDHXU and then JILL gets a GIANT ELECTRIC ROCKET LAUNCHED, A G A IN JUST LIKE IN RE3 (pleasently suprised by all the re3 and re2 references in this movie!!) and it’s not enough to kill it BUT it does fall into the water, dragging Jill in with it in this REALLY goofy scene where you can see a closeup of its teeth, and the gang shuts the Alcatraz doors on it to finally kill it. Rebecca and Claire even have this cute little high-five moment in the lab :)))

The movie ends with the gang all standing outside Alcatraz, watching as rescue helicopters come in, and Leon says “after this, I definitely hate prison tours” WHICH,, KING STOP BEING SO SILLY CHSNSJDN and Chris and Jill have this one last sweet moment where he says “I’m glad you’re back :)” and gives her a fist bump which made me CRY.

Also, completely forgot to mention, but when Dylan inevitably has to kill JJ, JJ first tries to pry his own gun to kill himself out of Dylan’s hands, but Dylan fights him back refusing to kill him until he fully turns into a zombie and Dylan has to SMASH HIS SKULL OPEN WITH HIS HEAVY MEDICAL BAG. IT IS S O BRUTAL OH MY G O D

My overall thoughts;

AMAZING. INCREDIBLE. BEST RE MOVIE EVER. DEFINITELY LIVED UP TO MY STANDARDS.

I’ve said this already but again, I wish Rebecca had a more active role. It felt exactly like what happened with her in Vendetta, but in reverse where she just randomly showed up to save everybody. She was barely in this movie for all the important bits

Also, again, the Redfield siblings kinda dissapeared during the middle of the movie but so does Leon I guess.

Jill was truly the star of this movie, it felt like it was her moment to shine and it was GREAT. She popped off like crazy and I couldn’t ask for any more

Also, as awesome and really cool as it was to see everyone’s traumas being directly addressed, it never gets resolved; Jill’s kinda does, as her final words to Dylan are “GET OVER IT” (referring to how he projects his issues onto everybody) and she has that neat fist bump with Chris (But I think they’re saving that fully fleshed out trauma exploration for a future game)

Again, Dylan was also really the star of the movie. He’s easily one of the best villains in RE, and his backstory in Raccoon City was SUCH a cool callback and a realistic motivation. All the references to the games was just cool in general. And he was SCARY, too. Like all the stuff with his guns and the threatening??? It was spooky!!!!

I do wish that this movie ended on a cliffanger and we got to see a sequel, though. I would’ve LOVED to see what would’ve happened if the mosquitoes got out and infected the BSAA, Terrasave and the Governemt like Dylan wanted (again, he actually had a good point in hating all those organisations)

Also, speaking of, the whole reoccurring thing of the gang being called ‘Pawns’ was REALLY interesting??? Like Leon was called the governments secret weapon a lot, Claire was often berated for being apart of Terrasave, etc etc, which makes me think that that might be an important plot point in a future game???? Like maybe they all realise their respective originations are also evil somehow and they’ve all been pawns in a big game????? I’m REALLY excited to see if that goes anywhere

Lastly, man, this movie lived up to its expectations with all the cool character interactions. Ranging from domestic to heartfelt to gay to awesome, it was so neat- Jill and Leon had amazing back-and-fourth chemistry that was SO FUNNY, Chris and Claire FINALLY had some screen time together, Jill + Claire and Leon + Chris had their own adorable gay moments, EVERYTHING with Chris and Jill was PERFECT, Rebecca absolutely teasing everybody and anybody in their little gang- chefs kiss. Mwuah. Couldn’t ask for anything better. Capcom PLEASE put all of your characters together like this again this movie was SO GOOD I LOVED seeing them all interact so much

Also, Dylan and JJ were absolutely gay lovers. That is a hill I will unironically die on

71 notes · View notes

meabh-mcinness · 1 year

Text

Peppermint

(Alternatively known as 'Pest Control')

Main Masterlist

Living in the human world had meant learning tips and tricks to keep pests at bay while still enjoying small luxuries. Such as using lavender to deter bed bugs the one time you bought and forgot to clean a comforter at a thrift store, or peppermint around windows and doors to keep spiders outside. You hadn't known, of course, that such tricks could apply to pests in the Netherworld too. You couldn't decide whether you were happy or not to discover they did in fact do so.

TW! There is technically a torture scene in here? A character gets a bottle full of peppermint oil to their face, which is known to cause skin irritation and rashes on humans when used too much, and does slightly worse due to him rather special heritage and lack of exposure to it. Also light descriptions of gore, or at least I think it falls under the gore category? Maybe?

Also, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF EVERYTHING HOLY AND UNHOLY, DO NOT TAKE THE PLANT AND OTHER FACTS AT FACE VALUE!!! I am not a trained botanist nor biologist (I haven't even started my college courses yet!) and everything in here is based on research I've found in books, oral stories, online research, and personal findings. ALWAYS check in with professionals before using or consuming something you don't know about. I use some of the things in here because it's what I grew up with, BUT it does not mean it's actually true or safe. Please take caution in the things you use!

Also, the MC in this is a tad bit of a hater of insects, which in no way reflects my views. So if you're like me and actually find the bug world terribly fascinating, you may not like some of this. Hopefully, you enjoy the rest, though! Also, there's some Shiida X reader, and Balam x reader if you squint, really hard.

The taking down of one Atori had been both incredulous and laughably easy for you.

In hindsight, you supposed it wouldn't have been as easy if you hadn't known a little bit of basic human world biology and been a bit of a hoarder.

In the human world, spiders and other bugs are a bit of (read, incredibly) a hindrance. You understood they were needed for the ecosystem to thrive, and you did enjoy a fair few (snails in particular were very cute, for example), but for the most part, they were an annoyance in your daily life. When they weren't posing a danger, that is.

To keep such annoyances at bay, you had taken to making 'herbal potions' that smelt good to you, but that most bugs hated. Even taking to wearing it as hairsprays, body oils, and lotions to keep them away from your person while working your various jobs or just going out and about. The added health benefits you gained from soft, clear skin and full, shiny hair were merely a nice bonus you wouldn't complain about.

It had been incredibly easy to squirrel away unwanted seedlings from farming gigs or dumped herbs that had fallen on the floor from your serving jobs. The thrown-away herbs were the hardest to save, but you always felt so proud to see the cuttings growing tiny roots after a few weeks in water-filled cups. Such plants were then cleaned and went through various lengthy processes depending on what you wanted at the time.

Lavender oil to spray on and around your bed, because you failed to clean one comforter from a thrift store, basil lotion to repel mosquitoes, and large amounts of various types of mint along with others. The mints were mostly used to spray around the doors, windows, and the general perimeter of your tiny home, to keep bugs from invading in the first place. You even used the extra for your hair specifically, both to promote growth and just because it smelt nice.

You had even just finished a fresh batch, of newly sealed vials and bottles in your old, patched bag to transfer when Sullivan had invaded your home and essentially kidnapped you. Granted, you had willingly gone once he motioned to a bound Iruma, but still. You had been non-too-pleased when you discovered Iruma's parents had sold both of your souls to the demon, vowing revenge if it was the last thing you did.

Regardless, because you had this batch and no bugs to use them on (Opera did an excellent job of keeping the mansion pest free, and that was assuming the Netherworld even had those kinds of bugs, to begin with), they had been delegated to strictly hair product use until you ran out.

It had been rather surprising, and humorous, for you to find out that this world had a similar-smelling plant. That apparently only high-rankers and rich folk used, due to how difficult it was to grow and harvest, along with how volatile it was, and its rather fond taste for flesh.

A misunderstanding had eventually arisen that you were as, or at least close to, as powerful as Sullivan was and simply hiding your rank when Suzie-sensei had asked how you acquired the oils. Your confusion, briefly forgetting that you were not in the human world any more, led to you confessing that you simply used to grow them from cuttings before crushing them into oils and pastes yourself, and how you were quite sad that you no longer had access to them due to moving in with Sullivan. The awed and calculating looks everyone had given you had lasted for days until the Battler party, and Iruma took centre stage again with his "fireworks".

Although you could still hear the occasional whispers about how powerful you must be to have Sullivan as a father, and, the quickly rising through the ranks, Iruma as a son. You quite often wanted to bang your head on a wall when you heard those because of that one slip of a mistake. Especially when, for your birthday, after bemoaning the fact you were running low, the Babyls teachers had banded together to get you a couple of cuttings from the actual Netherworld peppermint plant counterpart, the Geagpian.

You had quickly understood why others feared it so much. Smelling almost disgustingly minty up close, it rather reminded you of a stinking corpse lily in looks. If a stinking corpse lily was far smaller, had sharp teeth surrounding the inside of its petals and sentient vines covered in sharp hollow thorns filled with paralysing venom and grew multiple flowers along a tall cactus-like stem. The three, foot-long cuttings they had given you had apparently almost eaten Robin and a couple of curious students in the few days they were hiding it from you. When one of the Geagpian tried to do so again, your rather firm smack on its creeping vines only cemented their ideals of you being powerful when it quickly drew back again. Despite your apprehensive feelings about having such a dangerous gift, you had almost cried that they had tried to be so thoughtful.

The Geagpians were then lovingly planted in a corner of the mansion's outer garden, far away from the other plants, where you happily took care of them. The nauseating in-your-face mint smell, a small comfort of your old home. Not that you wanted to go back.

Now, though, a year into your stay here in the Netherworld, hunched over Sabro and the first years, checking them for serious injuries, as Shichirou fought Atori, you were rather glad that you had a few of your original hair oils left. And even happier that you had a full bottle in your pocket thanks to Shiida.

(You glanced up when a sudden shadow crossed over the table you were sitting at in the teacher's break room. One of the newest teachers, Shiida, you thought her name was, staring at you before flumping down in the seat next to you. You blinked in surprise before internally shrugging and going back to the book you were reading.

It was as obvious as the two moons in the night sky that the girl was bad at social interactions, and as a fellow 'no social skills' person, you could understand how hard it could be to make friends with your new co-workers. If this was her attempt to break out of her mould and make new relationships, you were most certainly not going to stop her.

You sat together in relative silence, the occasional flipping of a page in your book, the sound of fabric as she shifted, or another teacher wandering in briefly to say hello, being the only sounds to interrupt your peace. Over the course of your break, however, her shifting increased. Hands wringing together, bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she seemed to contemplate something. Taking pity on the poor girl, you slid a silk ribbon bookmark, a gift courtesy of Kalego who had been annoyed at the constant crinkling of the random papers you had shoved in between the pages, and closed your book.

"Is something bothering you, Shiida-sensei?" She startled, turning towards you with wide eyes and the slightest parting of lips. You gave her what you hoped was a comforting smile, "While I'm not certain I can help, I will certainly try."

"Your scent..." she said suddenly. You paused in surprise, not actually expecting an answer beyond 'I'm fine'.

Then your thoughts took over. Your scent? Had you forgotten your perfume today? You had been in a rush having woken up late, but no, you were certain Shichirou would have said something if you had when you joined him for a jointly taught class this morning. Or even one of the students, they weren't exactly known for keeping their mouths shut after all. (The one time you switched up scents just to try something new, everyone demanded to know if you were courting someone. That had taken forever to clear up, and you hadn't worn anything else sense.) Demons, it turned out, were especially blunt creatures by nature. Rarely talking with constant double-wording that humans so favoured unless they were especially manipulative, or a member of the succubus battler.

"It....smells good... What is...the scent?" A faint blush was appearing on her face, and she appeared to be about five seconds away from bolting. A giggle left you before you could stop it. She was actually very adorable, wasn't she?

"Oh, is that all? It's a Geagpian mixture. I grow and make it myself."

"I see... Atori-san hates it... I like it." She nodded to herself, "Where...can I find?" You blinked in surprise. Atori hated the scent of your hair oils? That explains why he always avoided you, even taking positions as far from you as possible when you had to share space in meetings. Your first meeting made exceptional sense now.

When you had first met, Atori had attempted to greet you from behind, only to get a face full of your hair when you turned around. You had assumed the rather violent reaction of his body jerking and entire face seizing up had been because of the surprise at a rather hearty amount of hair suddenly in his face.

You had long since wondered if you had offended him somehow with the hair slap, but everyone had drawn blanks because Momonoki had done the same thing only a few hours later, and much harder considering the absolute length of hair and speed she had done it with, and he was still perfectly fine with her. Though, you considered it a blessing in disguise the longer you watched him. There was just something about him that creeped you out, especially after Shichirou confessed that he was certain they were hiding something.

"I can give you some of mine to try if you would like. I have a couple of extras since it lasts for three-four years in a bottle, and I've just pruned mine to be able to make more." And hadn't that been a pain to try and figure out? You couldn't ask any of the teachers at Babyls what parts to make into the oils since they were under the impression you already knew, and most breeders were rather tight-lipped in their secrets in fear that you were a competitor.

Well until Opera decided to get involved, and then you had not only which parts were safe to use but also formulas for the best things to mix with them and brand-new equipment to get started.

"Although I'm surprised you would want to smell like me if your friend hates it."

"Friend...?" Ah, right, you had forgotten that was a human word.

"Friends are people who enjoy spending time together and help one another, but in a non-romantic or familial sense. Like how Iruma, Alice, and Clara do or Shichirou and Kalego. It's like allies but stronger, if that makes sense. If you want, we can be friends?" You held out your hand towards her and were rather reminded of the scene from the first Harry Potter film.

The longer she stared wide-eyed at your hand, the more you started to worry you would end up like Draco. Spurned before even being given a chance. Until slowly but surely her hand rose up and took yours. Eyes alight in wonder as she looks fixedly at your joined hands.

"Not friends...with Atori...forced...companionship....coworkers on various jobs...no one else....to really talk to..."

"Well, now you can talk to me!" You declared brightly, a large smile gracing your face. "Whenever you want to spend time together or need some help, just come to me and I'll be there."

"Can we...pet chicks...?"

"Of course! I'll even ask Shichirou if he knows of any petting zoos around here, and we can visit to pet lots of animals if so. And to cement this newfound friendship, how about I bring a bottle of my hair oil tomorrow to give you after the exam? As a way to celebrate our obvious winnings as well."

"I would...like that."

"Then it's a deal!")

Looking up from your position, fingering the bottle in your pocket, your mind racing with what to do. You had three terrified students, two of which were injured, and at least one deranged intruder. Potentially two if he and Shiida were working together. And wasn't that a sad thought? Your possible new friend could actually be an enemy in disguise.

Though as you watched Shichirou smack down Atori with a giant fist made of vines, you could at least be assured you wouldn't have to attempt to fight. Shichrou had it well in hand, and eveidently he thought so as well as he turned back and gave you a nod, hellphone already in hand to contact the others.

You started to turn back to the students to get them ready to be transferred when you noticed movement out of the corner of your eye. Whirling back around you saw it again. Thin shimmering strands of something were protruding out of where Atori's body lay before. You dared a glance at Shichirou who hadn't yet noticed, back still turned to the danger.

You cried out his name in panic, right before a multitude of the strands poured out and wrapped around the fallen demon. Shichirou whirled around and you both watched, stunned, as the strands seemed to undulate, as if something was moving underneath. Were...were they healing him? No, your eyes darted about the shapes, counting each one and cataloguing how they move.

It wasn't healing Atori, it was changing him.

You risked another glance at Shichirou who was still standing there surprised. He wasn't doing anything, why wasn't he doing anything? Strike, burn, crush, something before-!

The threads tore apart, and your gaze was forced back to the suddenly mutated body before you. Atori stood slowly, shakily rising, his body with that came equipped with two extra sets of limbs. He hadn't just changed slightly, he had metamorphised. Like....like a bug, you suddenly realized. A giant spider that had been humanized.

Your hands flexed around the bottle in your pocket again. Should you? Could you? There was no guarantee it would do anything, and even if it did, you only had one shot. One shot to make this work when you were lucky to throw something straight on your best days. But would it even work, or would you just be in the way?

Shiida's words rang in your mind, "Atori-san hates it". If that were true and really what reason would she have to lie about that of all things? If he really did hate it and that was before the change, then maybe...just maybe.

You forced yourself out of your thoughts right as Atori started to bring his hand up. Your hand clench around the bottle harder, bringing it out of your pocket as your body moved to exit the egg shaped shield Shichirou had thrown up in the beginning. All thoughts focused on your task, it never registered that you shouldn't have been able to leave it all, and yet your body flowed through like it wasn't even there.

You had seconds, Atori's hand already at his mouth, lips forming an o-shape as if blowing. You saw it in slow motion as more threads, webs, spurred out and flew at Shichirou’s face. Sliding past him, you ducked underneath, far from the splash zone, and continued on your way. You could already see Atori starting to turn to get away. You were so close, just a little more, and there! Hand whipping out, you felt the bottle leave you, flying in an arch right towards its target.

Smack!

The bottle struck the side of Atori's head, glass shards flying as the liquid poured out directly onto his skin. His loud screech of pain echoed across the courtyard, pausing in his retreat to use his multiple hands to scratch at his face. You watched horrified, scrambling backwards again to get towards safety, as Atori fell to his knees, screams never fading. You felt large hands grab at your arms and almost panicked until you saw the tale-tell sign of green gloves. Shichirou.

You let yourself be pulled against his chest as he jumped further away from the still screeching demon, more vines being produced to wrap around Atori's body once more. This time staying there to hold him in place. With Atori's arms held in place and no longer covering his face, you finally saw what damage you had done. The entire right side of his face was bright red and bulging, some areas far darker than others, an obvious sign of where the oils had hit first and stayed the longest. His left eye, that was still open, rolled about its socket manically as if he couldn't focus it at all.

Once a considerable distance away, Shichirou put you down, but still hovered about directly behind you. You stood frozen, still staring at the carnage you had wrought on the spider demon. Completely ignoring the gargoyle behind you as he tried to check you over, a rant about dangers spilling from his lips, your eyes stayed locked on Atori. Adrenaline making it, so you couldn’t take your eyes away from the possible danger. It wasn’t until Shichirou forced your head to look at him that you finally took your gaze away.

“Are you alright?” He asked softly. Were you? No, you were not alright. Your senses, still so high-strung, still screamed of danger. That turning your back was perilousness. All of your inner instincts clamouring and fighting to rip out of you and take care of the threat. Or at least run away.

To run...run? Run! Your entire body jerked forward instinctively, Shichirou's arms wrapping around you, his wings bursting forth in a flurry of feathers ready to block whatever was coming to your back as he lept away again. Your hands clutched his shirt tightly, eyes scrunching shut in fear at being so exposed and not being able to see the danger, much less attack back. Pulse racing, you waited for the attack to hit.

Only, it never did.

There was a loud cracking noise, that rather reminded you of bones snapping, and a pained yowl by the time Shichirou touched down again. Most of his body stayed tense, but the arms holding you loosened just enough that you could look to see what happened. Turning around, the first thing you noticed was Shiida, with a rather more exposed outfit than you remembered seeing her in this morning, lowering her leg back toward the ground. Stepping on top of a knocked-down Atori, a spray of web trailed from his mouth to fall only a few inches short of where you had been. She easily dug her heel into his back, exactly where you assumed his wing roots were...

"You will....not hurt....my friend," Shiida growled, digging her foot further into his back. His body spasmed out of instinct, but it was obvious to tell from the way his body had fallen, she had fully snapped his spine.

"Shiidaaaaa..." Atori growled out, "How… could you?!"

"Friends help...one another...when needed... You...threatened friend... I end...the threat," Shiida explained before locking eyes with you, "I help...my friend."

My allegiance lies with you.

Your eyes teared up from all the emotions stirring in you like a cyclone, the most prominent being relief and something akin to affection blooming across your chest. You understood her message and nodded at her with a watery smile.

A wall of fire surrounded the four of you, followed by what appeared to be a wall of flower guns crawling up the side of the building, Ifirit-sensei and Suzy-sensei. You heard the door to the side of you slam open and the pounding of footsteps as more and more teachers filed in as backup.

Your body almost collapsed from the amount of relief that flowed through you, and if Shichirou’s arms weren’t still holding you close, you probably would have. You and the others were safe, there was simply no way Atori could take on the entire staff of Babyls if he had issues with two, technically three, of you. When the heavy pressure of Sullivan’s aura arrived long before you saw his tall, lean form, it merely confirmed what you already knew.

Atori would not be getting away this day.

"Hey, Shichirou?" He hummed in response, Shiida walking closer to you guys after finally getting off of Atori’s battered body, and Sullivan got to work questioning him. "Do you know of any petting zoos around here? Specifically, one with chicks?"

The crazed look he gave you was more than worth the slightly hysterical laugh that left your throat as he went about checking your head for injuries.

Cross posted on Wattpad and AO3!

#mairimashita manga #mairimashita! iruma kun #mairimashita iruma kun #mairuma #welcome to demon school spoilers #welcome to the demon school #welcome to demon school! iruma kun #welcome to demon school iruma kun #welcome to demon school #mairimashita iruma kun spoilers #mairimashita! iruma kun x reader #balam shichiro #balam sicirue #balam sensei #balam shichirou #balam #shiida #atori #welcome to demon school iruma x reader

133 notes · View notes

practically-an-x-man · 1 month

Note

I won't lie. I got distracted watching a video of a guy who's tent was being torn apart by leaf cutter ants and began researching the logistics of that.

BUT I'M BACK with an ask ONCE AGAIN. And it's bugged themed. For definitely unrelated reasons.

Your characters gain the ability to control one species of bug (specific species, not all of ants or all of wasps), and they have as much time as they need to research what bug they'd like. What qualifies as a bug in this case is subjective. Anything in class insecta is fair game but arachnida is cool too.

First of all, that documentary sounds fascinating and I can totally appreciate going down a research rabbithole like that :D

Second, I love this ask, let's dive right in!!

Rae: Copidosoma floridanum - a type of cosmopolitan wasp. The main reason she'd choose it is for it being cosmopolitan, she can utilize this power regardless of her travels.

Robin: Reticulitermes flavipes - the eastern subterranean termite. She'd pretty much exclusively use this power to keep them away from the operahouse and its wooden sets (same with her parents' house, since it's pretty old)

Madison: Pachydiplax longipennis - the blue dasher dragonfly. Technically any dragonfly would suffice, but blue dashers are common where she lives so she wouldn't have trouble finding them. Either way - semiaquatic, predatory, and edible in a pinch.

Ophelia: Camponotus pennsylvanicus - the black carpenter ant. Am I stealing this from Ant-Man? Maybe. But she'd find a way to use them in her lab, for sure.

Gia: Apis mellifera - the Western honey bee. Having an infinite supply of pollinators is a surefire way to keep her shop, and her clover, as healthy as possible.

Jasper: Melolontha vulgaris - the May beetle. Oil from their larvae is sometimes used as a topical treatment for scratches, abrasions, and rheumatism in traditional medicine - it's not quite Neosporin, but it'll work in a pinch

Kestrel: Eristalis tenax - the common drone fly. Another cosmopolitan species, good for use on their travels, but small and unassuming enough that could be good for some quiet espionage.

Katherine: Anthrenus scrophulariae - the common carpet beetle. They're one of the four common species of beetles that cause damage to textiles and other artifacts in museums, so that's a 25% lower chance that they'll get damaged on her watch

Quinn: Pepsis grossa - a North American tarantula hawk moth. Its sting is said to be incredibly painful and is among the highest ranked on the Schmidt pain index - she'd go with the bullet ant, but she's a lot less likely to find those in the California desert.

Eris: Paraponera clavata - there's the bullet ant. Eris just wants to cause as much pain as possible, when they need to. What kind of bug could double as a weapon to be used in battle? Bullet ant.

Nikoletta: Periplaneta americana - the American cockroach. It's gross, and she honestly hates roaches (and half of this power would just be used keeping them away from her home), but they're so common in big cities like New Orleans that she's always got a few around to control. It's a similar strategy to Cleo and her rats, really.

Jimmy: Drosophilia melanogaster - fruit flies. Look, here's his logic: they were first used in genetics back in 1910, and they were a big deal, and he works with scientists now too... maybe they'd have use for this power of his? (also credit to the one scientific name I did not have to look up beforehand because I had it memorized lol)

Vivienne: Aedes aegypti - the yellow fever mosquito. Disease is... kind of a big deal in her time, there aren't a lot of cures for these horrific ailments, and while Vivienne itself is largely immune by being a siren, she doesn't want Wojchek or his crew stricken ill by some tiny little bug.

Spider: Sigh... I'd been so careful about strictly insects this whole time, but it would be wrong to give him anything but a spider. Hogna carolinensis - the wolf spider, and the largest wolf spider species to be found in America. He just thinks it would be cool to freak people out by having this massive wolf spider crawl out of his mouth or something. He's... an odd one, that for sure.

#my friends!!!#answered asks #my ocs #ophelia octavius #oc quinn/aces #madison douglas #oc kestrel #jasper wilson #rae mckinney #robin cassidy #oc eris #nikoletta bordeaux #oc katherine johnson #jimmy luciano #gia pantazis #oc vivienne #oc spider #souriya prakash-cooper

8 notes · View notes

greenpestdefense · 1 year

Text

Ways To Find Termite Infestation at Your Homes

For so many of us, it is hard to find out regardless of whether our homes are invaded by termites.

How might one treat termites without knowing regardless of whether they are available and where they are precisely?

Not at all like what the vast majority would figure termites don't come from the soil, food sources, or mud tubes. To have the option to recognize termites you should know a smidgen about them first. There are two sorts that can infest:

Termites that depend on wood for endurance and those that live underground. The previous is called dry wood and the last option is underground. Dry wood termites are not really tracked down in kindling; they can be available in that wooden edge that hangs in your parlor or the furniture that decorates your home.

The lamentable thing with termites is that in over 80% of the cases, individuals don't see them until they see harmed furniture or run over a multitude of these. You ought to be searching for mud tubes with little, white bugs. You may not see any termite harm now yet you can constantly verify whether they have multiplied by:

You can test wood for empty spots. On the off chance that you notice breaks or upset paint coat on a wooden surface seal it if not, it will offer amassing termites the chance to enter.

You may not see the termites but rather you might have the option to see a lot of disposed wings. Termite swarms fly together to make new provinces. The underground termites do that in the spring while the dry wood doesn't make some set memories. In the event that you notice a multitude or simply the wings, you really want to call for Auburn pest control experts as quickly as possible.

Underground termites like to construct mud tubes in surfaces like a home's establishment so that while they look for food there is dampness accessible. To counter this you can begin putting mulch, wood chips, or kindling away from your home with the goal that there is no dampness-rich environment to draw in any termites.

Then again Dry wood termites are known to make droppings called frass while they eat through wood. This is additionally wood hued as is difficult to recognize.

Termites feed on wood yet not on its surface since they favor dull and moist conditions and stay stowed away. To check for them you really want to check for emptied wood. No matter what the smooth surface of the wood you should check regardless of whether any harm is being incurred there.

Termites are a colossal danger to your home which is your greatest speculation. Consequently, in the event that you see any of the signs recorded above make it a point to a decent pest control organization. Going to suitable lengths currently will guarantee your home remaining parts bother and particularly termite free saving you from stress and superfluous expenses.

For additional services and information go ahead and reach us, or visit us at https://greenpestdefense.com/ a reputed Auburn Pest Control agency in ME.

#maine pest control #Maine Cockroach Control #exterminator midcoast maine #Maine Mosquito Control #auburn pest control #pest control auburn #Auburn pest Inspection ME

0 notes

sonicasura · 3 months

Note

The mosquito kaiju being Kafka's ancestor isn't something I'd really thought about. Not to mention how fucked up that would indeed be. Though it could work in my first hc.

However, I'd most likely have to make it a new hc instead, as both my first and second hcs have somethings figured out already.

In the first one for example, I've already decided that the kaiju grandparent is actually a failed prototype by kaiju no 9.

About a good 70 to 100 years before the main story began, 9 was working on a series of prototype kkaijus that would eventually lead to the creation of 10.

The kaiju that is Kafka's grandparent, is a kaiju that 9 had little interest in or straight up found unusable, despite being a kaiju that could adapt to a lot of different things. And much like 9, abosrb and shapeshift to boot. Though not as good as its creator.

Though the main reason 9 found this kaiju unusable was that something went wrong in its creation, making it not only weaker physically but was also somewhat resistanced to 9's control and manipulation.

This made it actually a small threath to him, so he destroyed it. Or so he thought. The kaiju managed to barely survive and somehow destroy what little connection there was between them in its entirely. Making it free to explore the world as a whole and think for itself.

And how said kaiju somehow meet Kafka's other grandparent? Well, I'm still figuring that one out. Among other things.

I'm putting down a spoiler tag just in case!

Considering how No 9 acts, this is definitely something he would do. I also imagine Kafka's grandmother/grandfather finding the newly freed Kaiju. Instead of being scared, they show the strange fellow kindness and compassion which sets eventually leads to our man's unique heritage.

Wait, wouldn't this make 9 Kafka's great grandpa and 10 his grand uncle? My god our himbo's Kaiju side of his family are mostly nutters. And the only chill one is dormant inside him after awakening his power.

11 notes · View notes

tavtiers · 8 months

Note

prince of blood/life analysis

The Prince of Blood [symbols: crown, bleeding cut]

The Prince class has its basis in Machiavelli’s The Prince. An example would be Prince Hamlet from the Shakespeare play.

The Blood aspect’s main theme is connection. You can find its official description here.

A Prince of Blood is among those who alter paths, drive, and passion. This is the “classpect group” they belong to. Members include: the Sylph, Maid, Bard, and Prince of Breath/Blood. These classes are all opposites or inverses of each other that alter the Breath/Blood dichotomy (paths, drive, and passion). A description of classpect groupings can be found here.

The Prince of Blood actively destroys the Blood aspect. Active classes tell themselves what to do and do so for their own benefit. They are more likely to stand up for themselves, but more likely to be cruel. Princes and Bards destroy their aspect and everything it symbolizes, while using that same aspect as a weapon. In doing so, they leave their opposite aspect in their wake. Due to their actions, they come across as their opposite aspect. Simplified, the Prince of Blood is motivated by themselves to destroy connection. In personality, they come across as the Breath aspect, seemingly defined by freedom.

On the subject of personality, the Prince of Blood wants to have control over things and has a strong sense of responsibility. Personality descriptions can be found here.

Their archetype is the True Promised, defined by control and connection. Archetypes are explained here.

Their opposite is the Bard of Breath, who passively destroys freedom.

Their inverse is the Sylph of Breath, who passively assists freedom.

A classpect or “god tier” is an individual’s best self. All classpects go through a journey from unrealized, to struggle, to realized. When a character is unrealized, they neutrally exist as their inverse. On their struggle, they will wildly flip back and forth between their inverse and true classpect. In their worst moments they will act as their inverse, in their best their true classpect. When realized, they will stabilize as their true classpect. They will still have room to grow, but will become happier, more successful people.

This means that the Prince of Blood begins life motivated by others to assist freedom. When their struggle arrives and they are at their worst, they will continue this behavior in negative extremes. However, when at their best, they will find purpose in instead destroying connection for themselves. When realized, they will stabilize and continue to destroy the Blood aspect actively, in a positive way.

They share their archetype with no one, being the truest representation of their type.

The Prince of Blood would quest on a planet similar to the Land of Breath [Opposite Aspect] and Blood [Aspect]. An example would be the Land of Rebellion and Barbed Wire. An explanation of planet naming conventions can be found here.

Two possible gods, or denizens, to reign over their planet would be Hera (Goddess of Marriage Vows) or Prometheus (Deliverer of Civilization). Other Blood aspect denizens can be found here.

When the Prince of Blood completes their planet quests and dies on their quest bed, they would rise to ascension on the wings of mosquitoes (symbols of blood). A list of soul animals can be found here.

The characters that I have currently classpected as Princes of Blood are: Jack Noir from Homestuck, Spades Slick from Homestuck, Red Hood from Batman, Arthur Maxson from Fallout, Leo Johnson from Twin Peaks, Hanzo from Overwatch, Thranduil from Lord of the Rings, Loghain Mac Tir from Dragon Age, Magneto from X-Men, Marcus Junius Brutus from The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, and Brutus from HBO Rome.

If any of the links not connected to my blog break, the content can be found on my Google Drive.

Official Aspect Descriptions Personality Descriptions Aspect Denizens

Prince of Life analysis can be found here.

12 notes · View notes

usafphantom2 · 2 months

Text

SAC Crew Dog Shenanigans: A Cruel Prank on the Aircraft Commander

It was late May in 1989, a time of year when the sun barely goes down in Fairbanks Alaska. Our crew, R-122, with the 42d Air Refueling Squadron, had flown from our home base, Loring AFB, Maine, to Eielson AFB, Alaska in our KC-135 A model for an Alaska Tanker Task Force tour.

The Strategic Air Command (SAC) was still in control and the KC-135s still used “hard crews.” That meant, you got put on a crew and you stayed there. They were the only people you really flew with. You got to know them well, for better or worse.

We were a young crew, the Aircraft Commander (AC) was a newly assigned Captain who’d previously been a FAIP (First Assignment Instructor Pilot). FAIP went straight to the left seat and never flew as copilots. Our Copilot, who was more experienced than the AC, had around 1,000 hours. The Navigator and I were pretty green, only being recently qualified. Three Officers, AC was a Captain, the Copilot was a 1st Lieutenant and the Nav was a 2nd Lieutenant (or Butter Bars as we called them.) I was a lowly A1C, Airmen First Class.

After arriving, we settled in, getting all our localization briefings. These were so that we knew what we could and could not do while in town, both operationally and just in general. Stay away from the moose which were taking care of their newly born calves, don’t mess with the bears, avoid a DWI at all costs, and of course, don’t screw up any airplanes. We were staying at the BOQ, or quarters, on base for the TDY crews and the one thing I noticed about our quarters was the blackout curtains in all the rooms. We found out, over time, they were definitely needed. Another thing we found out; the unofficial State Bird of Alaska is the Mosquito. Those things were brutal.

Getting around on base wasn’t a big deal as you could usually get a ride, but getting off base could be a problem. There was a “shared” vehicle that a local Boom Operator maintained for the crews to borrow. It was a beat-up old station wagon with wood paneling and sharks’ teeth painted on the front fenders, like they do on fighter aircraft. It worked, if it was available, but demand was high.

We were allowed to take an Air Force vehicle, usually an AF blue 4-door pickup truck, but there were restrictions because it was an “Official” vehicle. One of the more important rules was that you could not park at a bar. Sneaky aircrews had figured out a way to get around this rule. While you couldn’t park at a bar, you could park at a restaurant that happened to have a bar. This was our loophole.

One day, we ventured out around town. The guys wanted to sample the local cuisine, so we found a place with freshly caught and cooked salmon for lunch. Then, we drove up the road to visit the “North Pole”, not the real one, but a very small town north of the base that took about two minutes to drive through. Remember that Garth Brooks song, “Nobody Gets Off In This Town”? Pretty much described the entire area, with one exception… most people actually like it up there, even with all the hardship.

One of the things that amazed us while we were driving around was how much junk was laying around. Along the highways you could see piles of cars, airplanes, equipment and just plain junk, but the scenery was still awe inspiring, even with all the trash.

Towards the evening, we decided to head to a local restaurant that “happened” to have a bar. We planned on having dinner and then over to the bar for a few drinks, maybe even finding some suitable company. Well, most of us anyways, the AC was married and a pretty strait-laced guy, so he was just enjoying the scenery.

Driving under the influence of alcohol was a very big no-no, and the Air Force was really cracking down around that time. A DWI was a career ender for officers and enlisted alike. So, I was elected to be the Designated Driver. It was tradition that the Boom Operator drove and the Officers liked to be chauffeured around. This night, I didn’t mind not being able to drink and was happy to drive the crew around.

So, we sit down to eat, and everybody orders beers, Coronas to be precise, and the conversation turns to drinking stories. I’m not sure why he wanted to tempt fate, but the AC started bragging that he had never been drunk. He drank, he wasn’t a teetotaler, but he’d never gotten drunk.

The Copilot, who was a bit of a prankster, took this as a challenge. So he decided that the AC had waited long enough. He left the table, and grabbed our waitress ask her to add a shot of vodka to every beer given to the AC. She obviously didn’t have a problem with it. Our poor commander never suspected a thing.

Fast forward an hour or two and our prim and proper AC is lit up like a Christmas tree. So much so, he asked me for the keys to our pickup so he could go pass out. Thinking it was unlocked, I told him so, and off he went stumbling out to the parking lot. Unfortunately (for him), I was wrong, the truck wasn’t unlocked, but he was so drunk he decided to just pass out in the bed of the truck. Of course, before he passed out, he’d gotten sick and threw up all over the side of our nice clean, blue “Official” Air Force pickup. Remember that salmon we’d had for lunch, yup, the side of the truck was covered with it. Pink shows up really well on blue.

A few hours later, with the sun still lighting up the sky, we come out and discover him, wake him up, razz him for a bit, and climb in the truck to head back to the BOQ. He takes the normal AC seat when driving, which is the front right seat, with the Nav and Copilot in the back, and, still drunk as a skunk, proceeds to constantly ask us what happened. A few minutes into the drive, a moose walked out on the road ahead of us, but we were in no danger of hitting it. It was still several hundred yards in front of us, but our fearless leader started screaming “Watch out for the moose, watch out for the moose”. Nearly scared me right off the road. He spent the rest of the ride apologizing like only drunks can. He kept saying, “I ate dinner, and I only had a few beers, why am I so drunk?”

He was thoroughly confused and a bit embarrassed for the next few days. He was constantly asking us what had happened and how he had gotten so drunk. He really had no clue. Finally, feeling bad for him, I let him know what had happened. His reaction was priceless, but he really was a good sport about it. He did vow to return the favor to our mischievous Copilot, but in the end, he never got his revenge. Fortunately, he didn’t hold a grudge either.

We had a great six weeks on that trip with many accomplishments. We were able to go to Shemya AFB, on the Alaskan Aleutian Islands. While there we got to fly on an RC-135S, and the AC was able to get his first experience at Receiver Air Refueling. Later, we flew a Russian Bear Bomber intercept mission, and then on the day before my birthday, we flew a mission over the International Date Line, so I got to experience my 21st birthday twice.

We returned to Loring six weeks later, having learned a lot about ourselves, our aircraft, and our jobs.

Note: I didn't take any pictures on this trip, I don't think I even owned a camera at the time, so I've included some relevant patches.

@tcamp202 via X

4 notes · View notes

mysticstarlightduck · 1 year

Text

Incorrect Quotes Tag!

Tagged by the very cool, @rickie-the-storyteller! Find her post here!

This is the link to the generator.

Since the last time I did this, I used my characters from The Last Wrath, this time, I did this tag for my main cast of Tales of Wilted Flowers!

It is mostly platonic, the only ships here are: Rylisan/Eiralis, and Xarian/Lorelai.

Micah, Caladin, Arista, and Neoma'ka are their friends and adventuring companions. Kaellel is Eiralis' estranged older brother and Niven is one of Rylisan's many siblings.

Xarian: Is something burning?

Lorelai (leaning seductively on the counter): Just my desire for you.

Xarian: Lorelai, the toaster is literally on fire.

-----

Kaellel (flying down to camp like nothing’s wrong in the world): Sorry I'm late, I was doing stuff.

Rylisan: YOU PUSHED ME DOWN THE FUCKING STAIRS!

-----

Eiralis to Rylisan: Turn that frown upside-down!

*a little while later*

Eiralis: What are you doing?

Rylisan, trying to do a handstand: You told me to “turn that frown upside-down” but it is not working.

-----

Xarian: I'm going to ask you to be respectful.

Caladin: I will politely decline.

-----

Rylisan: Did you just refer to a knife as a “people-opener”?

Arista (a dhampir with issues): …

Arista: …Should I not have?

-----

Neoma’ka: While you were caught up in your heterosexuality, I studied the way of the blade!

------

Lorelai: Do you have a self-care routine?

Kaellel: "Keep going bitch,” said to myself in different accents.

Eiralis, coming into the room: Kaellel, no.

-------

Rylisan, stoically amused: Do you need help getting up?

Caladin, after a drunken brawl: Nah, I'm cool down here on the floor.

------

Eiralis: Sometimes I'll start a sentence and I don't even know where it's going. I just hope I find it along the way.

------

Xarian, incredulous:... You’re giving me a sticker?

Lorelai: Not just a sticker. That is a sticker of a kitty saying “me-wow!”

Xarian: …

Xarian: I’m not a preschooler.

Lorelai: Fine, I’ll take it back-

Xarian: I earned this, back off!

-------

Kaellel, eyeing Rylisan with a death glare: It’s not that I don’t trust Eiralis, I just... don’t trust my sister's impulse control. Especially when it comes to you.

-------

Eiralis: *eating a cinnamon roll*

Rylisan, feigning shock: Cannibalism.

Eiralis: *confused chewing noises*

--------

Micah: Now, if I may speak for good-looking people everywhere...

Kaellel, walks past: Only as their rodeo clown.

--------

Lorelai: Neoma’ka, no.

Neoma’ka, cracking her knuckles, walking towards a fight: Neoma’ka, yes.

--------

Lorelai: Why do humans have different blood groups?

Caladin, looking at Arista: So mosquitoes can enjoy different flavors.

Arista: *vampiric hiss*

-------

Rylisan: What can therapy do for me that screaming for 30 minutes can’t?

Niven: I have several questions... Namely why are you like this?

-------

Micah: Maybe the true treasure was friendship all along. But I hope not, because I can’t spend my friendship on new clothes.

-------

Rylisan: You're violent.

Arista: Yeah but I'm also short and that's adorable.

--------

Caladin: I was arrested for being too cool.

Xarian: The charges were dropped due to a lack of supporting evidence.

--------

Xarian: Isn’t it a bit dangerous?

Lorelai: Xarian, please. We’ve been in a lot of unexpected predicaments before and we always escape unhurt.

Xarian: …

Lorelai: Okay, we sometimes escape unhurt.

Xarian, narrows his eyes: ...

Lorelai: Alright, we escaped unhurt once... Then we hurt ourselves on the way home.

---------

Rylisan: Do we have any orange juice left?

Kaellel: *pours the remaining juice into their cup without breaking eye contact*

Kaellel: Sorry, we’re all out.

---------

Xarian: What is the most illegal thing you can do with one gold?

Neoma’ka: Exchange it for a hundred copper, put them all in a sock, and then beat someone to death with it.

----------

Rylisan: Niven, I screwed up, big time.

Niven (downing a glass of wine, done with life): Brother dearest, given your daily life experiences, you’re gonna have to be more specific.

---------

Arista: Now it's time for some witty back and forth banter. You go first.

Caladin: *sobbing*

Arista: Look, my dude, I'm not sure where to go with that.

---------

Lorelai: That was so hot, Xarian.

Xarian: I literally called the person who just flirted with you a degenterate dog and told them I hope they get dragged through the streets.

Lorelai: I'm so in love with you.

---------

Kaellel: You know, Micah, you are the sun in my life.

Micah: Why? Cause I'm smoking hot?

Kaellel: Because it hurts my eyes looking at you. LEAVE MY HOUSE-

---------

Neoma’ka: What do you do for a living?

Rylisan: I exist against my will.

---------

Eiralis: Hey, Rylisan, do you have any hobbies?

Rylisan: Swimming..

Eiralis: Really? That’s cool. I never expected you to-

Rylisan: In a pool of self-hatred and regret.

---------

Micah: As a responsible adult-

Caladin: *chuckles*

Micah:… As a responsible adult—

----------

Lorelai: Wow, that was quick thinking on that phony sacrifice stuff.

Xarian: Oh, that was all real.

Rylisan (interrupts): Wait, you were trying to help them kill us?!

Xarian: Well, If I’m gonna be sacrificed, I’m gonna do it right!

Lorelai:... He has a point.

---------

Tagging: @writernopal, @tabswrites, @cabbojage, @clairelsonao3 and @liv-is.

#writing #writeblr #writers #writerblr #my wips #character writing #my characters #my writing #writers on tumblr #incorrect quotes #tag games!#funny!#wip: Tales of Wilted Flowers

14 notes · View notes

proton-wobbler · 1 year

Text

Round 1, Poll 7

Gray Vireo vs Dusky Seaside Sparrow

sources under cut

Gray Vireo Propaganda:

Noted as being one of the most plain looking birds in North America, Gray Vireo live in the Southwest in various scrublands: pinyon-juniper, mesquite, and oak.

Like other vireos, they will use the slight hook in their bill to help tear apart the insects they capture, typically beating them against branches before holding down the bug and ripping into it. Also like other vireos, they sometimes sing while sitting on their nest!

They're monogamous throughout the breeding season, with males singing consistantly from dawn til noon and running circles around their territory multiple times per day. Sometimes on these rounds, the female will wander with him, only singing if there is a territorial conflict with another pair. Both male and female will incubate eggs, and feed the young.

(this is my current focal species for work I promise I'm not biased, they're just perfect in every way)

Dusky Seaside Sparrow:

"extinct; RIP little guy :(" - declared officially extinct in December 1990

A subspecies of the Seaside Sparrow, this specific type was found in saltmarshes of Florida's Atlantic Coast on Merritt Island and the upper St. Johns River.

The main cause for extinction is likely linked to mosquito control measures: DDT use, the creature of "mosquito impoundments" that destroyed saltmarsh habitat, and finally the flooding of the marshes on Merritt Island after the Kennedy Space Center was built. Another huge blow was when the marshes were drained to facilitate highway construction.

As a species, Seaside Sparrows are incredible habitat specialists that remain in saltmarshes and brackish marshes their entire life. They nest in the tall grass of riverbanks, creating an orb-shaped nests just high enough from the water to keep from flooding daily. Once the chicks have fledged and been cared for by their parents, they will often form small flocks in order to forage together.

Image Source: All About Birds

#hipster bird main bracket #round 1 #polls #gray vireo #seaside sparrow #dusky seaside sparrow #listen if gray vireo lose I'll be sad but I love Duskies too #bracket: fave a

28 notes · View notes

alyjojo · 2 months

Text

August 🥵 2024 Monthly - Gemini

Preshuffle: Justice is coming in love, someone you care deeply for is doing the right thing either with family or regarding work, or more likely - you are, and clearing the way for love to take center stage. You could just be making more time for family this month, work will be there when you get back to it.

Meditation: Sitting outside at a bonfire with a bunch of people you love, you are getting eaten alive by mosquitos, which is taking away from the fun. After far too long, you finally spray on some repellant and when they leave you alone, you wonder why you didn’t do that sooner. Back to celebrating 🎊

Main energy: The Hermit rev

Oof. You could be the sign with the ex coming back around, there’s always at least one during a retrograde, and being squared your sign I suppose Gemini makes sense. Saturn is retrograde in Pisces as well, it’s a double whammy where the past is concerned. Ultimately for the purpose of moving on, letting go (which is at the bottom of the oracles), seeing how far you’ve come…you don’t have any interest in that though, it’s a bother to you. Getting in your feelings was not on your bingo card, it’s a mosquito 🦟 you’d like to spray away. It’s possible there’s some bitterness because you don’t want there to be closure, you don’t want something to end in the first place. The ex could be distant or fresh and you’re trying to heal a connection that someone else may be returning to talk about, but ultimately move on from. Manipulation and Drama being the oracles with Struggle isn’t a good time but…you wish it was.

What’s going on in August:

3 Swords rev:

You’re over it from what I see, if not you then the other person. Someone walked away from conflict and drama altogether, abandoned the situation, and continued living their life without speaking to other parties involved. It could be someone you have kids with, The Emperor rev at the bottom could show a baby-daddy that ain’t shit. Or your own dad even, doesn’t have to be a romantic story. Or just not taking control of the situation (or ending), not setting necessary boundaries and acting grown - immaturity is being made clear with Page of Cups rev, and that could be a child too. Bailing on a family, not speaking to any kids, not being there for anyone, maybe not even paying child support which would be showing up as well with 6 Pentacles. Some of you are or are dealing with someone that’s trying to escape the legal system, and that’s probably what the Manipulation is regarding. Especially where finances or debts are concerned, that could be what’s making a return and it’s not a person at all. Or it was accrued with an ex, something that’s their responsibility but it’s in your name, so you’re back at their door like “pay this bill”. Some of you may be at the tail end of a relationship and are finalizing divorce, custody, and any other legal/financial ties, because you’re not paying some $800 electric bill and fk them, that’s the vibe. It’s like you’ve healed the emotional parts but the rest is still kind of a mess.

Ace of Swords rev:

The Empress at the bottom, the strongest story coming through is dealing with someone that’s bailed on their kids/spouse/co-parent and they don’t want to be held accountable or pay child support. Could be lying and bs’ing their way through with excuses on why they can’t, trying to draaaag something out longer than it needs to be, because the hope is that the other person will just give up and stop trying. If it’s avoided forever, surely this person will stop bothering me about it. You could be dealing with someone very immature, and for some crosswatcher, it’s probably the Gemini. You just want it over, or someone does, I can hear someone saying “go away.” There is a lot of Taurus in this reading, you could be dealing with one, have that in your own chart, or the issue itself is financial. Creditors harassing you possibly. Someone on your case about what you buy or don’t, could be a parent or romantic partner. One person is acting shady when it comes to finances, if this is an active relationship. I’m also seeing like…you know those people that abuse government assistance? That 💯 Now that’s not saying everyone does or anything political, it would literally be that story if it applies, and known, the person is fine and they take advantage of anything they can. I’m also seeing workers comp. Resourcefulness at the bottom of the oracles would show that being the mindset, who turns down free help? But then also may be dodging other legal crap with excuses & bs. Whew, this one is involved.

6 Pentacles:

Mutual give and take, reciprocity, gifts, giving back perhaps - this isn’t part of the plan. 4 Cups clarifying shows this is an irritant to someone that wants no part of this operation because it’s not part of their plan. If someone wants an apology, it’s not coming. If someone is trying to makeup, it’s not happening. If someone is being hounded for money, debts, step in and be a parent tf, the other person can’t be forced to care and it’s irritating. Or immature, that’s what’s showing up, this person is childish and uninterested in being equal anything. Someone could be attempting to dodge a contractual agreement and you’re going to have to hold their feet to the fire, or someone’s doing that to you and it’s pissing you off. You’re/They’re trying to plan your way forward logically, but manipulatively, because the goal here is: how to get out of something.

Page of Cups rev:

If these are children then you’re dealing with sad children. If you’ve had a coparent bail on you and act like they don’t give af, it’s because they’re childish and opportunistic, they’re not thinking of anyone other than themselves. But you could have broken hearts to deal with, which just irritates you more because your own heartbreak is healed, you just want someone to cooperate with you and they not only won’t but won’t even talk to you? Or they’re full of shit, Page of Swords rev is a liar. Ace of Swords rev is a lie. This whole situation is one that is very sad for someone, probably you - or crosswatcher because I’m getting clearly that this is the Gemini for someone. Are they sorry? No. Will they communicate with you? No. If they do it’s excuse excuse, duck, dodge, gotta go ✌️

6 Cups rev:

Healing the past, getting over the heartbreak, drama, manipulation, and everything else that’s gone down in this chaos. Queen of Pentacles is you, for those of you holding the bag and maintaining life for you and anyone else you’re caring for. You’ve got this 💯 because she’s got this. This Queen cooks, cleans, works, raises kids, hand makes her own socks from yarn, has a perfectly white house and doesn’t even break a sweat (on the outside.) You may be a single parent, because she can be, and her other half is nowhere to be seen in this reading. You could be chasing someone legally for child support or something they owe you, someone has a bill to pay and they aren’t doing so. The Justice in the preshuffle with this World and not wanting to may simply be you’ve had enough of someone’s bs and it’s time to take legal action. You didn’t want to but they want to play games. The focus is heavily on money and needing to watch your spending, budget, and think ahead as much as you can, because whoever around you is unreliable and you never know what bs excuse you’ll get for why they can’t do whatever they’re not doing. In fact the only thing you can probably rely on with them - is that they’re going to act like this.

Advice: The Hanged Man & Wheel of Fortune, you’ll get perspective with time. You might end up very glad things went the way they’re going now, there are things you may not know or understand yet - but you can have faith Spirit has your back, and you’re on the right path. The future is like “you’ll see”, and the Wheel upright brings blessings. It’s destiny, there’s karma involved with this, and someday you’re going to look back and see this completely different than you do right now, hang in there 🩶

Signs you may be dealing with:

Taurus, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces & Capricorn

Oracle: ✨

32 Struggle 🥴

Struggle is a part of life - so much so that you probably know people who seem to constantly attract one struggle after another into their lives. This is their comfort zone. While struggle is natural, it is natural only so far as it lends itself to learning lessons and overcoming inner personal challenges. Beneath every one of these struggles is the gift of enlightenment. The satisfaction of a lesson learned. Use this knowledge as the light at the end of your dark tunnel. What lesson is this struggle teaching you? Alternately, after a brief setback, this situation will start to right itself.

Jupiter Scorpio - Manipulation 😏

Mercury Leo - Drama 😫

Jupiter Scorpio uses their power of manipulation in a way that’s usually beneficial for them, and they tend to get away with a lot. Where other Scorpion placements may get in trouble for sneakiness, and it’s a means of self-sabotage, Jupiter makes it an attractive quality and people find them to be magnetic, cute & clever, because they’re always up to something. To them it’s a gift. This placement also comes with drama as people don’t like being manipulated, it’s a Scorpion struggle and one not easy to control…because again, they get away with it. Charm, lying, it can go many ways and all of them bring dramatic - especially in how it’s been presented verbally or the reactions - and I’m getting that’s who this person is. Born that way. And the message that’s here is…you always knew that.

We enter into August as:

Ivory Tower 👨‍🎨 :

“They won’t use me.”

Ivory Tower reflects the way we function in a world with values that are different from our own. While we might not fit into the world as it is, we are aware of it and accept the differences, for those differences also benefit us on some level. If you are considering moving away from “the norm” you will not be unhappy. Like the artist that chooses to express himself with paint, you too must express yourself, even if it means “they” won’t use you. Rejection is Spirit’s way of protecting us. Whether or not you are accepted, you must do it anyway. This card can also represent a teacher or mentor being sent to you by Spirit, they may not be who you would’ve thought, or even picked, but they will teach you a lot. Hold your judgement.

What is to be learned in August:

Shadow Grey Storm ⛈:

“I can no longer hold your secrets.”

In the most direct way, Shadow Grey Storm is about taking responsibility and not blaming others for your situation in life. This Storm was created to clear away the debris preventing us from moving forward. It could be something you are angry about (but have chosen to bury) is about to be re-revealed to you. This is an inevitable awakening, whether by conscious choice or not, you cannot hide and move forward at the same time. While this comes without judgement, it brings judgement day. Whether it is a pleasant experience or not, you will feel an awakening, a refreshing release from your bonds. This is a blessing. No matter the background, we all have secrets we hide. Your best protection is honesty. The rays of light in Shadow Grey Storm are piercing knowledge and hidden truth, and there is a great discovery coming to you too.

Gray may be a lucky color 🩶

#Gemini #monthly tarot reading #august 2024 #astrology #monthly #tarot

3 notes · View notes

knyplotrewrite · 2 years

Note

Do you have any headcanons about the demons (as a collective/species) you are willing to share ?

Can’t taste anything that isn’t blood

A Demon’s clothes is made of their flesh/cells

Have supernatural control of their blood and can manipulate it to a small extent (This causes their heart to pump erratically and inconsistently, which Zenitsu picks up on)

Have naturally colder body temperatures (Exception is Nezuko)

Have enhanced senses of smell, similar to Tanjirou

Muzan is deathly allergic to wisteria and the allergy manifested into a severe weakness (Demons are allergic to it by extension)

Tamayo has most likely removed her weakness to wisteria through intense experimentation

Yushiro is not weak to wisteria

To Demons, wisteria smells like cat piss

A popular rumor amongst Demon Slayers is that mosquitoes are believed to be created by Muzan which is why the bugs like blood so much

Marechi blood has a rose-like fragrance to Demons

Demon eyes have tapetum lucidum, which causes them to glow in the dark

Demon Moons or other strong Demons inherited Muzan’s main PTSD triggers (Flame-shaped forehead Mark, long red hair, hanafuda earrings)

#i probably posted some of these in hc posts but might as well collect them all in one #kny #hcs #lavender-rosa #asks #tee hee ty for the ask btw

85 notes · View notes

aphroditesknife · 1 year

Text

There are still quite a lot of people who are grateful for the Spanish and American colonisation of the Philippines. I can see you rolling your eyes right now, but you don't have to dig deep on the web to find these kinds of people. But while I've seen some people being very critical of the Spanish, the American one seems... diluted? Like people don't know how seriously fucked up the Americans were to the Filipino people.

So here's some details about those things they did in the Philippines. Keep in mind that this is only some and not the whole of the history of American colonisation.

>The Philippine-American War (1899-1902)

Considered by many historians to be the first counterinsurgency fought by the U.S

Featured guerrilla warfare by the Filipinos

Americans used torture, mutilation, killing prisoners, and other genocidal moves.

Intensely criticized in the U.S. by anti-imperialists like Mark Twain and Democratic Party leader William Jennings Bryan, who were the most notable critics of the war and the way it was fought

Military dissenters were also prominent critics.

Tortures included “water cure” where a prisoner’s mouth and nose were flooded with torrents of water from tanks funneled through syringes. Today we call this waterboarding.

4,200 US soldiers died

20,000 Filipino soldiers died

250,000-750,000 civilians died from violence, famine, and disease.

>Colonisation

Self-described imperialists insisted that America had a duty to bring order and civilization to what Indiana senator Alfred Beveridge called a "barbarous race." As the senator insisted, "The Philippines are ours forever. We will not repudiate our duty in the archipelago. We will not abandon our duty in the Orient. We will not renounce our part in the mission of our race, trustee under God, of the civilization of the world."

Racism was rampant, especially from American veterans. Some racial slurs often used were the "n" word, "monkey men", and "gugus", used to dehumanise Filipinos.

Images of Filipinos as animals, or displaying animalistic qualities were common in popular magazines in the United States like: Harper’s Weekly or Judge. Images of Filipinos as dogs, mosquitos, or trained monkeys underscore the qualities associated with Filipinos: trophies, an annoyance, or as pets.

Education used to "civilize" Filipinos and make them more like Americans. After the war, white teachers would come to the Philippines to "educate" the next generation of Filipinos. Either by eliminating the Filipino “half devil” or educating the “half child,” the United States had discovered a method of "cleansing the savagery" of the Filipino peoples: through violence or an American education.

Villages were burned and resulted in the displacement of 3,000-4,000 Filipinos who were forced to abandon their homes and possessions and flee without any idea of where to go next.

American soldiers were some of the first to develop and use concentration camps in their “war” against the Filipinos Additionally, the “dead line” surrounding the camp kept all the natives in check and prevented them from leaving the camp on the threat of death.

In the Coney Island amusement park in 1905, a band of Igorrote (Igorot) were taken to the United States, performing mock tribal ceremonies and consuming dog meat in front of Americans in a human zoo.

From the big bourgeoisie and landlords, US imperialism chose their main political agents to train them as capitalist bureaucrats, benefiting from government colonial loot

Puppet politicians performed the role of deceiving the people during the colonial rule of US imperialism.

The US imperialists extorted the patriotic and revolutionary spirit and spread the narrative of worshipping foreigners so they can control the thinking of the people.

Public education system was used, English language was imposed and taught submissiveness in the minds of the people to US imperialism.

Sent many pensioners to the US to train reliable puppets and propagandist.

Cinema, radio, newspapers, and literature used to discredit the Philippine revolution

Let the Catholic church continue to spread the feudal mentality and superstitions.

Filipinos who continued to be a part of armed resistance were called "bandits".

Brought by the rapid development of trade and use of money, the farmers became even more poor. The bankrupt farmers who owned farmlands were forced to sell their land to landlords, merchants, and rich farmers. Basically during the American era, the evils of Spanish era continued.

Throughout the 1920s, there were many outbreaks spontaneous resistance of the working masses and farmer. This is a result of the continuous intensification of exploitation by foreign and local ruling classes.

In Manila, many strikes broke out. Farmers went on strike in large numbers part of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

If you keep up with Philippine politics, you can see some very obvious similarities to present day and history. Hence why remembering these atrocities is very important.

#feel free to add more to this #philippines #philippine history #history #usa #america #united states #filipino #imperialism #us imperialism

3 notes · View notes