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#Reed and Stem
rabbitcruiser · 1 year
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Grand Central Terminal was opened in New York City on February 2, 1913.  
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gulper-eels · 1 year
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welcome to a "I made these but never made another image to go with it so it's been left unposted" post
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phoenixlionme · 1 year
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Who Would Win? Battle 40
Superbrain
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vs
Reedsue
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spellwing777 · 1 year
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alexandraisyes · 3 months
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Eclipse Character Analysis (Sun and Moon Show)
Alternate Title: Why I'm 95% sure Eclipse is a sociopath EDITED TITLE: An Analysis of how Eclipse's ASPD is reflected in his character
A hopefully unnecessary disclaimer: - One, hi, hello I am a sociopath, I do know what I'm talking about. This also means that a lot of what I notice and will describe about Eclipse are similar or the same as my own experiences living life in this mortal realm. What I will touch on in the "redemption" section is heavily based on the kind of intensive treatment I had to get in order to improve my behavior when I was younger, so it's important to note that while Eclipse will never be able to change his personality (like how I can't change mine, and you can't change yours), he can change his thought patterns, mentality, and behavior. The saying that "sociopaths can't change" is specifically talking about how we can't change our personality, which is true for everyone. That doesn't mean we can't learn to function better in civilized society or be taught emotional awareness and morals. - Two, hi, hello this is just what I've noticed and does not mean it's canon unless Reed or Davis themselves come onto my Tumblr and go "Yes, this, this is what is correct", and even then, you're allowed to have your own opinions and views on these characters. I'm just theorizing here EDIT: Reed and Davis confirmed that Eclipse is indeed a sociopath a day after I posted this here, and a week after my initial post in their server that is basically this but slightly messier. - Three, hi, hello I'm also a psychology student so I also know what I'm talking about in that regard too. I've been studying psychology and general medicine for three and a half years now, so I like to think I have some idea of what I'm talking about - Four, I use the terms sociopath, ASPD, sociopathic disorder, and anti-social personality disorder interchangeably since they all describe the same personality disorder - Five, this analysis is long, I cover the basics, an in depth, some potential scenarios, a redemption arc possibility, and some other thoughts I have about him. - Six, I made this disclaimer to address any potential misunderstandings, or harmful stereotypes that I tend to be confronted with any time I talk about ASPD. Now onto the good stuff!
Too Long; Won't Read - Here's a Summary
Attachment and Pride: Eclipse initially cared about Lunar, and his reaction to Lunar leaving suggests a fragile pride. His inability to connect with others is evident in his strained relationships with KC and Bloodmoon.
Masking Emotions: Eclipse keeps his darker thoughts to himself at the beginning, and throughout the show as well. He masks both his emotions, and his intentions throughout the show, and is careful not to show when people have upset or offended him. This behavior stems from a learned experience that letting his guard down leads to resentment.
Manipulation and Brash Communication: Eclipse is straightforward and brash when expressing thoughts, feelings, or opinions. He employs manipulation when needed but is mostly disinterested in others.
Boredom and Stimulation: He seeks reactions from people, often causing chaos for entertainment. Boredom, especially when stuck as an AI, prompts him to instigate situations for amusement.
Lack of Empathy: He also appears to lack empathy, as evidenced by his inability to understand emotions and his focus on getting reactions rather than connecting with others.
Touch Aversion: Eclipse's lack of physical affection aligns with the common aversion to touch seen in individuals with ASPD.
Remorse and Growth: Eclipse shows remorse only in instances where he hurts Lunar in the beginning of the show, indicating a potential area for growth. A redemption arc could explore his struggles without completely erasing his apparent sociopathic nature.
Writer's note: A thoughtful portrayal of Eclipse's sociopathy, should my theory touch on the truth, if continued in a storyline, could provide an authentic exploration of mental health challenges and personal growth. Care should be taken to avoid stereotypes (DON'T USE GOOGLE FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THIS I BEG)
Putting Him Under a Microscope - Full Analysis
1. Attachment and Pride:
Eclipse's initial connection with Lunar suggests a potential attachment, a notable aspect in individuals with ASPD who can form (highly) selective bonds. However, Lunar's departure significantly impacts Eclipse's pride. This reaction aligns with the fragile self-esteem often observed in those with ASPD. The departure becomes a perceived personal betrayal, triggering Eclipse's defensive response.
In individuals with ASPD, relationships often serve specific purposes, and Eclipse's attachment to Lunar may have been driven by a combination of genuine connection but also very clearly the utility Lunar provided in fulfilling certain needs or desires. (Which was helping Eclipse get the star of course)
Moreover, Eclipse's struggle with connecting to others, evident in strained relationships with KC and Bloodmoon, is a characteristic of ASPD. Individuals with this disorder often face challenges in forming and maintaining meaningful relationships due to their limited capacity for empathy and understanding of emotional nuances.
2. Masking Emotions:
Eclipse's tendency to keep darker thoughts to himself reflects a common coping mechanism associated with ASPD. Individuals with this disorder often learn to conceal their true emotions early on due to negative experiences when expressing genuine feelings. This learned behavior serves as a protective measure against potential backlash or social rejection.
The fear of vulnerability and subsequent consequences aligns with the interpersonal difficulties faced by those with ASPD. Eclipse's decision to hide his less socially acceptable thoughts is a strategic choice aimed at avoiding conflict and maintaining control over his image.
Professionally, the concealment of darker thoughts is recognized as a defense mechanism in individuals with ASPD. This protective facade, or 'mask,' becomes an integral part of their social interactions, allowing them to navigate social situations with greater ease. However, this constant need to mask one's true feelings can contribute to internal struggles and further isolate individuals with ASPD from genuine emotional connections.
One may ask, what 'darker thoughts' did Eclipse show, or receive backlash for? Well, let's see, when he was stuck in Sun for the beginning of his life, he was first confused, a bit scared, and completely disoriented. He was forgotten, and during the first parts we can see him trying to reconnect with Moon, however, his delivery, as individuals with ASPD tend to do, was brash. It didn't sugar coat what he wanted, and considering his earlier transgressions previously, they weren't taken well in the slightest. Instead of Moon trying to genuinely talk and explain, all he provided Eclipse with was "I changed, and you didn't." and in general was very annoyed and irate with Eclipse. There were several times during the beginning of Eclipse, where there could have been progress made with him, to help him work through his issues, his internalized fear of being forgotten again, and the accidental neglect, that just… didn't happen. Because Sun and Moon saw him as a virus.
Moon because Moon saw himself as a virus, so what else would he think of something that originated in his code, and acted like he used to? Acted like he still sometimes did, parts of himself that he didn't like about himself, living and breathing once again in the mind of his brother. Corrupting him.
And of course, Sun because he was just so tired and hurt and he finally thought he could have something only for this ball of code to make itself known? This peice of his brother that was left behind, that was formed from Moon's killcode? That was constructed from Moon's literal need to lash out, hurt others, and kill. I'm honestly a little horrified that this is never touched on in the show, because people aren't just born to be awful, that's not how this works. There were so many opportunities where toxic and awful behavior could have been stopped if it was handled properly.
Of course, I'm not blaming Sun and Moon. It's hard to help someone who doesn't understand they need help, and as a result the person won't want help either. Plus, they've said it themselves in the episodes where Lunar had returned from the dead. They were never programmed to understand mental health issues, and they have a hard enough time grasping the concepts of their own mental health issues to deal with other peoples. Especially other people who are actively hurting them, it's hard to feel sympathy for someone who causes you harm as far as I'm aware. (I personally wouldn't know)
But back to my main point, there absolutely were times in the beginning where Eclipse was just honest about his wants and desires, and was shown disgust and hatred for it. Which would absolutely make him be prone to masking, which he does a lot in the show from what I can tell.
3. Manipulation and Brash Communication:
Eclipse's communication style, characterized by being brash and straightforward, aligns with the speech patterns and tendencies often associated with ASPD. When he's not trying to pull a fast one over someone, he's very blunt, and he doesn't beat around the bush. Individuals with this disorder may utilize manipulation as a means to achieve personal goals or navigate social situations, but without a reason to sugar coat, they won't. Although sometimes not sugar coating is also employed as a manipulation tactic, which makes it tricky navigating conversation at times with sociopaths. Eclipse's lack of hesitation in employing manipulation reflects the calculated nature of his interactions, as we see him smoothly switch between fronts, acts he puts on to get people to agree with him.
His disinterest in others, apart from exploiting them for personal gain, is consistent with the self-serving behaviors commonly observed in sociopaths. The use of manipulation as a tool for control and amusement is a manifestation of the disorder's impact on interpersonal dynamics. When he contacts Moon for help with Killcode, even then he has his own motives that are only helped by Moon being distracted with Killcode, as well as having KC out of the picture.
Professionally, manipulation is recognized as a prominent feature of ASPD. Individuals with this disorder may lack the ability to form genuine emotional connections and, instead, view relationships as transactional opportunities. Eclipse's interactions, particularly with Sun and Moon, exemplify this transactional approach, where he derives amusement from creating chaos. This last bit (amusment) is important, and I'll cover it next.
Before I pop on over, this is where I'd like to touch on Servant Eclipse. He is very crafty, and very manipulative, but it doesn't fool Lunar, who he clearly cares about to some degree. (Again, will say it as many times as needed, people with ASPD can care about people, it's just a lot of effort at first, doesn't come naturally, and is reserved for a select few). Lunar in this reality probably knows Eclipse inside and out, and isn't fooled by the not very convincing "I'm just a husk now" act Eclipse is playing out with. I suspect that Eclipse also is aware the Lunar isn't fooled, but it amuses him to some degree to keep up the game. I can only imagine serving a "Lord Lunar" is a fairly excitable life, and it's unlikely he's extensively bored. He's also just as brash as the OG Eclipse, and doesn't sugar coat the truth, or tries to ease Gregory into topics.
4. Boredom and Stimulation:
Eclipse's constant quest for stimulation and amusement, even at the expense of creating chaos, reflects a key characteristic of individuals with ASPD. Boredom intolerance is common in this population, leading to a perpetual need for excitement and novel experiences. (Can speak from experience, I spend about 4-6 hours every day bored out of my freaking mind and it's absolutely torture - which is why I draw so much)
The portrayal of Eclipse as being "bored out of his mind" when stuck as an AI in KC's base underscores the challenge individuals with ASPD face in mundane or monotonous situations. The need for stimulation is a driving force behind their impulsive and sometimes risky behaviors. There's a certain kind of restlessness, and impulsivity associated with ASPD, very much an act before you think, get defensive when confronted, and maybe think about it two days later on the very small chance it triggers a sense of morals/remorse. (Then probably forget it happened, cause we are very good at not caring enough to remember half the stuff we do. This isn't a choice, by the way, people with sociopathic disorder just aren't wired to feel strong emotions like guilt and shame.)
Professionally, this behavior aligns with the clinical understanding of ASPD. Individuals with the disorder often engage in sensation-seeking activities to counteract feelings of boredom and emotional emptiness. Eclipse's enjoyment in hacking Moon's computer, causing reactions from Moon and Lunar, serves as an outlet for his need for stimulation and disruption, as well as fulfills other purposes in starting a conversation with Moon about KC.
And of course, now I get to touch on my two favorite things that just drill this in. When OG Eclipse gets the star… what does he do? He torments Sun and Moon instead of wiping everything away, and I'm aware this is mostly because he doens't have mastery over the star. But what does Sun say, when Eclipse shows up to torment them on top of the play structure. Something along the lines of, You're just bored at this point? Is that it?
And what does Eclipse do? He leaves. Because Sun is absolutely right, and it probably stings his ego to have someone he so fully has convinced himself of hating to be right about him. Even before he gets the star… just how much effort did he really put into getting the star? Sure, he had this big plan, but I think he was aware that the 'perfect world' would never make him happy to start with; he just felt the need to be something larger than life, so of course you must set the largest goals to achieve in order to be that. He could have gotten the star so much faster lets be honest. I fully believe he was just having too much fun messing with Sun and Moon, because it gave a reaction, and the reactions to his actions were exciting, breaking his boredom. He was bored a lot, stuck in Sun's head, stuck in Sun's body and pretending to be Sun, stuck as an AI, stuck with Solar Flare's AI fighting him, stuck being unable to use the star…….. seeing a pattern yet?
And of course, my second favorite thing. Lord Eclipse. Moon full out calls him out on how bored Eclipse is, and Eclipse first tries to deny it, then sees no tactical advantage to denying it, and admits that yeah, he is bored. He's been bored for ages and Moon is the first exciting thing in what feels like forever. He's not happy in his perfect world, but he isn't going to change is because that would cut his pride for Sun and Moon to be right about what he wants and needs after so many years. So many years of his Moon being dead. Of having Sun as an obedient servant, bound to his beck and call. He's bored, and it shows, and he knows that it shows.
5. Lack of Empathy:
Eclipse's consistent inability to understand and empathize with the emotions of others aligns with a central feature of Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD). Individuals with ASPD often struggle with recognizing and comprehending the feelings of those around them.
His focus on getting reactions rather than forming genuine connections reflects the hallmark trait of lacking empathy. Eclipse's interactions with Sun, Moon, and Lunar highlight his detached and indifferent approach, as he manipulates situations purely for personal amusement without regard for the emotional impact on others.
Professionally, the deficit in empathy is a well-documented aspect of ASPD. Those with the disorder may comprehend others' situations on a cognitive level but struggle to grasp the emotional nuances involved. Eclipse's inability to understand why Lunar is upset and his constant pursuit of reactions underscore the emotional disconnect inherent in individuals with ASPD.
Eclipse's interactions with Lunar provide a poignant illustration of his consistent lack of empathy. Despite a seemingly genuine attachment to Lunar in the beginning, Eclipse's emotional disconnect becomes evident as Lunar leaves. The impact of Lunar's departure on Eclipse's pride and subsequent defensive reaction highlights the absence of genuine understanding of Lunar's emotions. Eclipse struggles to comprehend the significance of Lunar's departure beyond a perceived personal betrayal, showcasing a lack of empathy toward Lunar's perspective.
Moreover, Eclipse's manipulation and attempts to provoke reactions from Lunar, even after Lunar has left, underscore his disregard for the emotional toll on Lunar. This behavior aligns with the typical patterns seen in individuals with ASPD, where the pursuit of personal amusement takes precedence over the emotional well-being of others.
Eclipse's inability to process and acknowledge his own damaged ego resulting from Lunar's departure further emphasizes his lack of emothional understanding. He doesn't want to admit that Lunar hurt him, so instead he just continues to shut it down, bottle it up, and let it churn into hatred instead of looking at what he did wrong. His resentment and refusal to acknowledge the emotional impact on Lunar highlight the emotional blindness inherent in individuals with ASPD, especially in the context of complex interpersonal relationships.
6. Touch Aversion:
Eclipse's noticeable lack of physical affection, as both seen throughout the show, and mentioned when Lunar clings to Sun and states that Eclipse never showed him physical affection, aligns with a common trait among individuals with ASPD. Touch aversion is a characteristic feature, as those with the disorder often lack the intrinsic desire for physical closeness or intimacy.
Eclipse's minimal physical interaction, even in what could be perceived as emotionally charged moments, is consistent with the general pattern observed in individuals with ASPD. The absence of hugging or comforting gestures suggests a limited appreciation for the emotional needs of others.
Professionally, touch aversion is recognized as part of the interpersonal challenges associated with ASPD. Individuals with this disorder may not instinctively seek physical connection unless it serves a specific purpose, such as manipulation or personal gain. Eclipse's avoidance of physical affection adds a layer to his character, illustrating how his interpersonal behaviors align with the clinical understanding of ASPD.
This aspect of Eclipse's character contributes to a nuanced portrayal of the disorder, showcasing how the lack of tactile expression can impact the dynamics of his relationships, particularly in situations where emotional support is expected. (Like seriously, even Sun and Moon hug when one of them are having an awful day, but Eclipse? He literally doesn't seem to understand why Lunar craves positive physical touch so bad, because he just… doesn't feel the need himself. You can never fully understand something you experience, and it's not like people were explaining these basic needs and wants to Eclipse… ever.)
7. Remorse and Growth:
Eclipse's occasional display of remorse, particularly in instances where he has harmed Lunar, offers a glimpse into a facet of his character that deviates from the (BAD DOWNRIGHT AWFUL) stereotypical image associated with ASPD. While individuals with ASPD are often poorly and harmfully characterized/stereotyped by a complete lack of guilt or remorse, Eclipse's moments of internal conflict suggest a degree of emotional complexity.
Professionally, the intermittent remorse aligns with the recognition that individuals with ASPD may experience moments of internal conflict, especially in relationships that hold personal significance. Eclipse's struggle with whether to apologize after hitting Lunar reveals a brief internal debate, questioning the severity of his actions against Lunar's emotional response.
However, Eclipse's ultimate decision not to apologize, driven by his failure to perceive the significance of Lunar's distress, reinforces the inherent challenges in navigating emotional landscapes for those with ASPD. This internal conflict and eventual dismissal of remorse contribute to a more realistic portrayal of the disorder, highlighting the ongoing tension between impulsive actions and moments of potential introspection.
Should Eclipse undergo a redemption arc, these moments of internal conflict could serve as a foundation for growth, illustrating that while individuals with ASPD may grapple with moments of remorse, their ability to sustain lasting change remains a complex and challenging journey. Of course, I'm going to cover this as well.
Redemption and Recovery
Eclipse's potential redemption could be approached with an understanding that a complete overhaul of his personality is near impossible, because as psychology has shown, you don't just change your personality. However, nuanced growth and positive change within the framework of his behaviors and thought patterns can be explored.
Increased Self-Awareness: Eclipse could undergo a process of heightened self-awareness, acknowledging the impact of his actions on others. This could involve introspection into the motivations behind his behaviors and the consequences they entail. This won't be something he does on his own, he's going to need someone behind him, pushing him to be better. Preferably someone who has no majorly poor history with him for the best results.
Therapeutic Support: In a realistic redemption arc, Eclipse might engage in therapy tailored to individuals with ASPD. This could involve developing coping mechanisms, enhancing emotional intelligence, and learning healthier ways to navigate interpersonal relationships. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a very affective type of therapy for people with personality disorders, or collections of disorders that combined provide the complications of a personality disorder.
Recognizing the Value of Relationships: Eclipse could gradually come to recognize the value of genuine connections beyond their utility. This may involve acknowledging the significance of relationships for emotional support and personal growth. This is going to be a process, and he will mess up. He will forget. It's something he will have to choose to work with in order for it to work, and even then he will make mistakes. It will be important to have patience with him, and instead of lashing out (cause that can cause a spiral back into poor behavior), working on these slip ups with him, and helping him relearn the significance of correcting it when he messes up.
Empathy Development: A full restoration of empathy is be unrealistic, Eclipse could work on developing cognitive empathy—understanding others' perspectives intellectually, even if not emotionally. This could improve his ability to navigate social situations more effectively. (This is what I do! <:happy_stim:867544047735275521>)
Establishing Boundaries: He should learn to set healthy boundaries in his relationships, understanding that manipulating and exploiting others for personal gain may provide short-term satisfaction but is detrimental in the long run.
Contributing Positively: As part of his redemption, he could find avenues to contribute positively to others' lives. This could involve utilizing his unique skills for constructive purposes, fostering a sense of accomplishment outside of manipulative endeavors.
Maintaining Accountability: Eclipse's growth would involve a commitment to being accountable for his actions. This includes acknowledging mistakes, making amends where possible, and actively working towards minimizing harm to others.
Embracing Personal Growth: Eclipse's redemption arc could focus on embracing personal growth within the constraints of his personality. It's about acknowledging that while he may not fundamentally change, he can adapt and evolve to lead a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Potential Future Scenario: Eclipse Apologizes
Brought to you by someone saying that Lunar would refuse Eclipse trying to apologize, but I respectfully disagree, and here's why.
I think that if Eclipse ever does apologize to Lunar, Lunar would have literally no choice but to accept, because we’ve seen early on that he does not apologize
To genuinely apologize and acknowledge his wrongdoing would be major character development that would take a lot of time and struggle to get to that point, based on my theories/analysis about him
So by the time he can actually, truthfully apologize, there would be evidence to prove his struggle with his own twisted nature, and probably how he failed at times during the journey, and had set backs and road bumps. The others would have most likely seen the effects and effort it takes to learn to change for him, and would most likely acknowledge that he’s being truthful.
If Lunar doesn’t accept at that point, if it ever got to that point, Lunar would be acting irrationally due to emotional complications, would probably just hurt Eclipse when he’s trying to be better for his brother, and would most likely set him back. There’s a very destructive pattern of thought when it comes to personality stuff (which is what I think Eclipse struggles with, a specific personality disorder I’m writing a comic thingy about), because you can’t change your personality. You can’t will yourself to be a certain way, and so it’s very easy to destroy progress people make on self improvement. So lunar refusing the apology would most likely not only hurt Eclipse’s pride (like it was hurt when Lunar left his side the first time) but would also further his belief of “why bother if they won’t accept the fact I’m trying for them” that he’d probably struggle with throughout a period of character growth.
Lunar’s smart, and pretty emotionally aware. He can be petty, but if Eclipse were to get to that point, I don’t think Lunar would refuse it because he would have already seen the struggle and effort Eclipse had put through just to get to that point
Logically, Solar would be the best person to help Eclipse, not Earth
This is partly copied/pasted from some conversations and does analyze Solar a bit as well
I really honestly doubt that Earth is going to be able to help him, if he comes back, and I’m suspecting that Solar would do a better job because he’s the only who can understand, properly, the absolute hell that was waking up inside of Sun’s mind with no idea what’s going on and how he got there. Earth can be sympathetic and show him pity, but that’s not going to help him very much at the end of the day. He doesn’t want sympathy, he doesn’t want pity because he has associated that with being weak and out of control. He needs some one who will understand him, and who will fully understand how one small thing changed so much due to the snow ball effect. Which Solar would understand. He’s “nice eclipse” after all, aka just an Eclipse without such bad formative trauma. So he never spiraled, but he’s just as blunt and analytical as Eclipse tends to be, and would be able to actually communicate with Eclipse about his issues since it’s a situation he could have easily been in had things gone slightly different
Solar is probably the only one who can understand, and I mean properly understand, Eclipse’s trauma and bottled up emotions. And I think that if they’re going to give Eclipse someone who will support him, they should do Solar. He’s got all boxes checked
The ability to fully understand Eclipse
No bad history with Eclipse that would really affect how Eclipse treats him (It’s not like Eclipse knows he built the satellite)
Similar base personality, his just wanted warped and twisted in the start, but if you strip away Eclipse’s issues, they’re practically the same person… for obvious reasons
The willingness to say what needs to be said, and not try to sugar coat. Earth would try to let Eclipse down easy about stuff, ease him into it, and he’s gonna see that as her being manipulative because that’s how he manipulates people. He needs someone who is just going to lay things out on the table
And of course, Solar most likely wouldn’t think Eclipse is too far gone to change. Because how do you think that of yourself? And they are the same person, just from different perspectives. It’s a similar dilemma I have to just writing off Eclipse, when I take him apart and see myself staring back at me. But I was able to improve, it just took work, and it took a situation dire enough to get me to realize that if I didn’t want to ruin the few things I cared about, I needed to get my crap together. And that’s probably what he’s gonna need to, something that threatens what he cares about to the point he realizes that this can’t go on. (And I’m suspecting that something will be control over his own life, just like it was for me.) We saw at the end of his life, that he was starting to self reflect and realize that he needs to change somehow, and this was because his control over his own life was being threatened I suspect.
Extra, Smaller Analysis on Solar and Eclipse
It is important to note that Solar doesn't have this issue (ASPD), and I believe it's because he didn't suffer the same beginning that Eclipse did. They resolved the Solar issue when he popped into existance very quickly from what we can tell, and so he wasn't left in the dark for months on end, left to stew in his own agony and emotions. Personality issues are caused by trauma, and specifically ASPD is directly tied to neglect during the most crucial formative stages in development. Sun and Moon had no idea Eclipse was there, and didn't mean to abandon him, because they didn't know he existed. But this complete, and utter abandoment, what is probably internalized as a personal betrayal because I can imagine Eclipse being destroyed by the idea that Moon left him behind on purpose. Which is just… not a good thought for my man to have, because that leads to feelings of worthlessness, and self-hatred for not being 'good enough' to keep/take care of/help. Which then just snowballs into other negative emotions, that gets him all worked up, and then he's fuming at the fact that they left him. That they decided he wasn't worth keeping around, and how dare they make that decision about him for him?!
You can see how it gets out of hand quickly, as he realizes the neglect he's suffering from, the abandonment he's facing, and the fact that he's now trapped. That Moon got to escape, but he can't and it's not fair. This is the perfect breeding ground for that funny little disorder called sociopathy, and boy, there's almost nothing at this point that can convince me that he doesn't have it because it's all just a little too perfect. And the worst part?
I really really doubt it was done on purpose, but holy heck it would be so cool if it was. Not just because of how beautifully crafted it is in his character, how it's so consistent and real, but also because if it was done on purpose, it would show that the writers took the time to do real research about a disorder that is so often done so poorly, and is commonly confused with a completely different issue (psychopathic disorder). Even knowing that it probably wasn't done on purpose, I'm still gonna just cling to him because I love him and I want him to get the happy ending he deserves. And I mean that genuinely, people who are suffering and lashing out because they're drowing in hate due to unfortunate circumstances that were really out of their control deserve to be given the tools to improve themselves and their lives, and it would be wonderful to see this sentiment reflected in the show.
Wrap-Up Ramble/Writer's Notes
This is, of course, my own personal observations, and it is definitely a lot to read. I had a lot of fun constructing this thread, because it is so rare to find a character that I feel I can properly connect to. I've struggled with a lot of the patterns Eclipse has shown in the show that I've called out, and I've had to go through the steps in the 'redemption arc' section myself. It's not an easy process, and as I mentioned, him realistically improving is going to be a process that is going to be draining on himself, and the people around him. He will have to wake up and choose to go against the walls he's thrown up around himself every single day if he's going to have a realistic redemption, and it's going to be exhausting. But I do genuinely believe that he can change, and improve, because I was able to change and improve as a person. It took time, years of intensive self examination and cognitive based therapy, and it required a strong support system. Which hopefully, if he comes back to the show, he can obtain, because otherwise he will continue to drown in his own bitter stew of resentment for others and himself. And that's no fun, that's just depressing.
A lot of people look at Eclipse and think the villain, but I just can't. His actions make him a bad person, but taking apart the psychology behind him, and seeing how glaringly similar a character is to you that is supposed to be the 'bad guy'… I want him to be able, if he comes back, to get the proper 'recovery arc' that he deserves, and I really hope that if they do try to save him from his own demons, they do it properly, instead of giving him a complete 180. Because you can't change your personality, and Davis and Reed seem to be aware of that with Moon. Even when old Moon tried to be better, he was still an awful person. And the 'new' Moon is still eerily similar to the old one, and as the time goes on, he just becomes more and more like the old one. Because it's the same AI, he just lost his memories. He didn't do a whole personality change because he got his memory card wiped, because he's the same person where it counts. He just has the benefit of not having all of the pain his past self was carrying. He's free of the hurt, and trauma, and self hatred old Moon carried, but he's still Moon.
So I'm really hoping that they continue to accurately display psychology in their characters if they bring Eclipse back, because it is such an immersive show due to the fact that it makes sense. These things make sense psychology wise, their behaviors, actions, patterns of thinking and speech. And I really am looking forward to seeing if they bring Eclipse back because he's such a beautifully constructed character.
You Made It
This is the end of my massive post. Congratulations if you made it this far. If you did, uh, the password is Dorito. Leave it in the comments/reblogs to let me know you made it, haha.
I'd love to see people's thoughts on this and on him, so feel free to leave your thoughts as well in comments/reblogs. I'll try to reply to every single one I see. Again, I love his character so much, it's so well crafted, and it was so fun to take this apart.
Edit: I have been asked about where to find the thread/join in on the convo, etc a few times: I have a thread in the SAMS server here if you want to join the conversation
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lis-zhuk · 2 months
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Hollowheads in some way akin to gods. They are agile and fast, their bodies are light yet durable, they posses unique powers, most of them yearn for battle frenzy. Yet, if there is a god, there is someone who created it.
And what happens if your beloved creator doesn't love you? You are left alone miserably with thorns and roots and stems of flowers born of their indifference. So you are stuck with these garden of colorful reeds to suffer an eternity of your being.
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libraryofmoths · 3 months
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Moth of the Week
Drinker
Euthrix potatoria
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The drinker moth is of the family Lasiocampidae. It was described and named in 1758 by Carl Linneaus. Linneaus chose the species name potatoria as it means ‘drinker-like.’ Dutch entomologist Johannes Goedaert had previously called the moth dronckaerdt, meaning ‘drunkard,’ “because it is very much inclined to drinking” or because this moth repeatedly puts its head into water. The common name ‘drinker’ comes from the same reason.
Description This moth is distinguishable from other eggar moths by a diagonal line crossing the forewing and two white spots also on the forewing. Males are usually reddish or orangish-brown with yellow patches. Males in East Anglia are often yellowish. Females can be yellow, a pale buff, whitish, or a darker reddish-brown than the males. Male and females also differ in size and antennae shape: females are slight larger than males, and males have fluffier antennae.
Wingspan Range of Fully Grown Drinker: 45–65 mm (≈1.77 - 2.56 in)
Diet and Habitat The caterpillars of this species feed on grasses and reeds in genuses such as Alopecurus, Deschampsia, Dactylis, Elytrigia, Carex, Luzula, and other Gramineae. A few examples are Cat grass (Dactylis glomeratus), Common Reed (Phragmites australis), Reed Canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and Wood Small-reed (Calamagrostis epigejos).
In the spring, they feed mainly at night and can be found resting on low vegetation during the day. The larva also supposedly drink morning dew because it had been observed to repeatedly put its head in water.
This moth can be found in Europe. It is common throughout England and Ireland but tends to favor western Scotland over eastern Scotland. It prefers habitats of marshy places such as fens, riversides, tall and damp grassland, marshes, damp open woodland, scrub, and ditches. However this species does sometimes live in drier habitats such as grassy terrain and urban gardens.
Mating Adults can been seen between July and August and presumably mate during this time. There is only one generation per year. Eggs are laid mainly on the stems of grasses or reeds in small clusters.
Predators Adult moths fly at night and are presumably preyed on by nocturnal predators such as bats.
Fun Fact Both sexes of the drinker moth are attracted to light, but males are especially susceptible.
(Source: Wikipedia, Butterfly Conservation)
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haggishlyhagging · 7 months
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Although there have been exceptions, the evolutionary model of man the hunter-warrior has colored most interpretations of Paleolithic art. Only in later twentieth-century excavations in eastern and western Europe and Siberia has the interpretation of both new and old finds gradually begun to change. Some of the new researchers were women, who noted the female genital imagery and also leaned toward more complex religious rather than the "hunting magic" explanations of Paleolithic art. And as more scholars were secular scientists rather than monks like Abbé Breuil (whose "moral" interpretations of religious practices colored so much of the nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Paleolithic research), some of the men who reexamined the cave paintings, figurines, and other Paleolithic finds now also began to question tenets once accepted by the scholarly establishment.
An interesting example of this questioning relates to the stick and line forms painted on the walls of Paleolithic caves and engraved in bone or stone objects. To many scholars, it seemed obvious that they depict weapons: arrows, barbs, spears, harpoons. But as Alexander Marshack writes in The Roots of Civilization, one of the first works to frontally challenge this standard interpretation, these line paintings and engravings could just as easily be plants, trees, branches, reeds, and leaves. Moreover, this new interpretation would account for what would otherwise be a remarkable absence of pictures of such vegetation among a people who, like contemporary gatherer-hunter peoples, must have relied heavily on vegetation for food.
In Paleolithic Cave Art, Peter Ucko and Andrée Rosenfeld had also wondered about the peculiar absence of vegetation in Paleolithic art. They further noted another curious incongruity. All other evidence showed that a particular kind of harpoon called biserial didnt appear until the late Paleolithic or Magdalenian age—even though scholars kept "finding" them in "sticks" thousands of years earlier in the wall paintings of prehistoric caves. Moreover, why would Paleolithic artists want to depict so many hunting failures? For if the sticks and lines were in fact weapons, the pictures had them chronically missing their targets.
To probe such mysteries, Marshack, who was not an archaeologist, hence not bound by earlier archeological conventions, thoroughly examined the engravings on a bone object that had been described as pictures of harpoons. Under a microscope he discovered that not only were the barbs of this supposed harpoon turned the wrong way but the points of the long shaft were also at the wrong end. But what did these engravings represent if they were not "wrong way" weapons?
As it turned out, the lines easily conformed to the proper angle of branches growing at the top of a long stem. In other words, these and other engravings conventionally described as "barbed signs" or "masculine objects" were probably nothing more than stylized representations of trees, branches, and plants.
-Riane Eisler, The Chalice and the Blade: Our History, Our Future
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Text
Modern farmers and landowners, however, are prejudiced against scrub because it is considered unproductive. As a result it has been almost entirely eradicated from Britain. Scrubland is almost ubiquitously described as wasteland. It was not always so. In medieval times, scrub species were highly valued, and scrub was anything but a dirty name. The iron-rod stems of blackthorn were used for walking sticks and its fruit – sloes – for medicines and flavouring wine and gin. Brambles, like elder, produce edible berries that were also useful for dyes. Hawthorn makes good walking sticks, as well as tool handles, and was used for stock-proofing, and produces hawberries for preserves and sauces. Hazel was for hurdles, thatching spars, basketry, furniture and charcoal; willow for charcoal-making and basketry, cricket bats and medicine. Charcoal from alder and dogwood made gunpowder. Broom, of course, made excellent brooms. Juniper was for smoking meats and making pencils, its berries for distilling oil, and flavouring game and gin. Spindle was for skewers, toothpicks and baskets. Wych elm made bows, furniture and threshing floors. Birch provided cotton reels and bobbins, firewood, brooms and roofing thatch; its bark was for waterproofing and tanning. Birch wine, fermented from sap, was used as medicine and young birch leaves were a diuretic. From the dog rose came rosehips – which we now know are exceptionally high in vitamin C – for syrups, sauces and jellies. Gorse – known as ‘furze’ in Sussex – was fodder for animals and fuel for kilns and ovens. A buffer of thorny scrub was often encouraged around woodland to prevent the ingress of grazing animals. Place names like Thorndon, Thornden, Thornbury, Haslemere, Hazeldon, Spindleton, Hathern (hawthorn), Hatherdene, Brambleton, Barnham Broom, Broomhill, Broompark, pepper the map of Britain. Our own field names at Knepp recall the days when scrub was an asset – Benton’s Gorse, Broomers Corner, Broom Field, High Reeds, Cooper Reeds, Faggot Stack Plat, Bramble Field, Rushett’s, Rushall Field, Little Thornhill, Great Thornhill, Stub Mead, Barcover Furzefield, Swallows Furzefield, Coates’ Furzefield, Greenstreet Furzefield, Constable’s Furze, Pollardshill Furze, Old Furze Field, Furzefield Plat, Great Furzefield and lots of Little Furzefields.
Isabella Tree, Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm
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cryptidclaw · 1 year
Text
Cryptidclaw's WC Prefixes List!
Yall said you were interested in seeing it so here it is! 
This is a collection of mostly Flora, Fauna, Rocks, and other such things that can be found in Britain since that’s where the books take place! 
I also have other Prefixes that have to do with pelt colors and patterns as well!
Here’s a link to the doc if you dont want to expand a 650 word list on your Tumblr feed lol! the doc is also in my drive linked in my pined post!
below is the actual list! If there are any names you think I should add plz tell me!
EDIT: I will update the doc with new names as I come up with them or have them suggested to me, but I wont update the list on this post! Plz visit my doc for a more updated version!
Animals
Mammal
Badger
Bat
Bear
Beaver
Bison
Boar
Buck
Calf
Cow
Deer
Elk
Fawn
Ferret
Fox
Goat
Hare
Horse
Lamb
Lynx
Marten
Mole
Mouse
Otter
Rabbit
Rat
Seal
Sheep
Shrew
Squirrel
Stoat
Vole
Weasel
Wolf
Wolverine
Amphibians
Frog
Newt
Toad
Reptiles
Scale
Adder
Lizard
Snake
Turtle
Shell
Birds
Bird
Down
Feather
Albatross
Bittern
Buzzard
Chaffinch
Chick
Chicken
Coot
Cormorant
Corvid
Crane
Crow
Curlew
Dove
Duck
Dunlin
Eagle
Egret
Falcon
Finch
Gannet
Goose
Grouse
Gull
Hawk
Hen
Heron
Ibis
Jackdaw
Jay
Kestrel
Kite
Lark
Magpie
Mallard
Merlin
Mockingbird
Murrelet
Nightingale
Osprey
Owl
Partridge
Pelican
Peregrine
Petrel
Pheasant
Pigeon
Plover
Puffin
Quail
Raven
Robin
Rook
Rooster
Ruff
Shrike
Snipe
Sparrow
Starling
Stork
Swallow
Swan
Swift
Tern
Thrasher
Thrush
Vulture
Warbler
Whimbrel
Wren
Freshwater Fish 
Fish
Bass
Bream 
Carp
Dace
Eel
Lamprey
Loach
Minnow
Perch
Pike
Rudd
Salmon
Sterlet
Tench
Trout
Roach
Saltwater fish and other Sea creatures (would cats be able to find some of these? Probably not, I don't care tho)
Alge
Barnacle
Bass (Saltwater version)
Bream (Saltwater version)
Brill
Clam
Cod
Crab
Dolphin
Eel (Saltwater version)
Flounder
Garfish
Halibut
Kelp
Lobster
Mackerel
Mollusk
Orca
Prawn
Ray
Seal
Shark
Shrimp
Starfish
Sting
Urchin
Whale
Insects and Arachnids
Honey
Insect
Web
Ant
Bee
Beetle
Bug
Butterfly
Caterpillar
Cricket
Damselfly
Dragonfly
Fly
Grasshopper
Grub
Hornet
Maggot
Moth
Spider
Wasp
Worm
Trees
Acorn
Bark
Branch
Forest
Hollow
Log
Root
Stump
Timber
Tree
Twig
Wood
Alder
Apple
Ash
Aspen
Beech
Birch
Cedar
Cherry
Chestnut
Cypress
Elm
Fir
Hawthorn
Hazel
Hemlock
Linden
Maple
Oak
Pear
Poplar
Rowan
Redwood
Spruce
Willow
Yew
Flowers, Shrubs and Other plants
Berry
Blossom
Briar
Field
Flower
Leaf
Meadow
Needle
Petal
Shrub
Stem
Thicket
Thorn
Vine
Anemone 
Apricot
Barley 
Bellflower
Bluebell
Borage
Bracken
Bramble
Briar
Burnet
Buttercup
Campion
Chamomile
Chanterelle
Chicory
Clover
Cornflower
Daffodil
Daisy
Dandelion
Dogwood
Fallow
Fennel
Fern
Flax
Foxglove
Furze
Garlic
Ginger
Gorse
Grass
Hay
Heather
Holly
Honeysuckle
Hop
Hyacinth
Iris
Ivy
Juniper
Lavender
Lichen
Lilac
Lilly
Mallow
Marigold
Mint
Mistletoe
Moss
Moss
Mushroom
Nettle
Nightshade
Oat
Olive
Orchid
Parsley
Periwinkle
Pine
Poppy
Primrose
Privet
Raspberry
Reed
Reedmace
Rose
Rush
Rye
Saffron
Sage
Sedge
Seed
Snowdrop
Spindle
Strawberry
Tangerine
Tansy
Teasel
Thistle
Thrift
Thyme
Violet
Weed
Wheat
Woodruff
Yarrow
Rocks and earth
Agate
Amber
Amethyst
Arch
Basalt
Bounder
Cave
Chalk
Coal
Copper
Dirt
Dust
Flint
Garnet
Gold
Granite
Hill
Iron
Jagged
Jet
Mountain
Mud
Peak
Pebble
Pinnacle
Pit
Quartz
Ridge
Rock
Rubble
Ruby
Rust(y)
Sand
Sapphire
Sediment
Silt
Silver
Slate
Soil
Spire
Stone
Trench
Zircon
Water Formations
Bay
Cove
Creek
Delta
Lake
Marsh
Ocean
Pool
Puddle
River
Sea
Water
Weather and such
Autumn
Avalanche
Balmy
Blaze
Blizzard
Breeze
Burnt
Chill
Cinder
Cloud
Cold
Dew
Drift
Drizzle
Drought
Dry
Ember
Fall
Fire
Flame
Flood
Fog
Freeze
Frost
Frozen
Gale
Gust
Hail
Ice
Icicle
Lightening
Mist
Muggy
Rain 
Scorch
Singe
Sky
Sleet
Sloe
Smoke
Snow
Snowflake
Soot
Sorrel
Spark
Spring
Steam
Storm
Summer
Sun
Thunder
Water
Wave
Wet
Wind
Winter
Celestial??
Comet
Dawn
Dusk
Evening 
Midnight
Moon
Morning
Night
Noon
Twilight
Cat Features, Traits, and Misc. 
Azure
Beige
Big
Black
Blonde
Blotch(ed)
Blue
Bounce
Bright 
Brindle
Broken
Bronze
Brown
Bumble
Burgundy
Call
Carmine
Claw
Cobalt
Cream
Crimson
Cry
Curl(y)
Dapple
Dark
Dot(ted)
Dusky
Ebony
Echo
Fallen
Fleck(ed)
Fluffy
Freckle
Ginger
Golden
Gray
Green
Heavy
Kink
Knot(ted)
Light
Little
Lost
Loud
Marbled
Mew
Milk
Mottle
Mumble
Ochre
Odd
One
Orange
Pale
Patch(ed)
Pounce 
Prickle
Ragged
Red
Ripple
Rough
Rugged
Russet
Scarlet
Shade
Shaggy
Sharp
Shimmer
Shining
Small
Smudge
Soft
Song
Speckle
Spike
Splash
Spot(ted)
Streak
Stripe(d)
Strong
Stump(y)
Sweet
Tall
Talon
Tangle
Tatter(ed)
Tawny
Tiny
Tough
Tumble
Twist
Violet
Whisker
Whisper
White
Wild
Wooly
Yellow
534 notes · View notes
deusvmachina · 5 months
Text
When you think about it, when Songbird is betrayed by V in Firestarter, there's moments where she's clearly not in control of herself. The Blackwall is influencing her and taking advantage of her emotional vulnerability stemming from her disappointment and hurt. I think that's why she lashed out so hard in that lab after the ICEbreaker was activated. She was like a terrified, cornered animal with everyone turned against her. Meanwhile, if V sided with Songbird in Firestarter, she's able to pull herself together a little better knowing she's got someone on her side. Just her and V against the Barghest, the FIA and then Myers. It's easier to carry the weight when V is with her. And then at the shuttle she decides she can't take the guilt and regret anymore and comes clean about the neural matrix. Probably expects V to turn against her now, to be angry like she has every right to be. Instead, V tells her she would have helped anyway had she known the truth. V doesn't call Reed. He would never do the right thing and so it's V that has to do it. So V makes probably one of the most selfless decisions of her life and decides that Songbird needs (and deserves) the cure more than she does. Knows that Songbird should be free after suffering for so long. Her heart was shattered, nay, crushed to pieces, but they'd already come this far. V isn't a quitter. She had no choice but to put Reed down and couldn't bring herself to regret helping Songbird despite everything. And I think she can never really get Songbird out of her head or her heart after she watched the shuttle being launched. Her life would never be the same after Songbird had touched it, touched her very soul.
soul mate
/ˈsōlˌmāt/
noun
plural noun: soulmates
In romantic relationships, a soul mate refers to an intense connection where both people feel deeply drawn together as if the affair was somehow destined to be. A soul mate can also be described as someone with whom you've experienced many lives together, often to fulfill a specific mission.
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rabbitcruiser · 1 year
Photo
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
International Astrology Day
International Astrology Day (most often observed on either March 20 or March 21) is an annual observance/holiday celebrated by astrologers and astrology enthusiasts. It is seen by astrologers as the beginning (first day) of the astrological year. It is the first full day of the astrological sign of Aries and thus marks the beginning of the tropical Zodiac.
International Astrology Day is celebrated/observed depending on the exact day that the Northward equinox actually occurs. This varies year to year between March 19–22, though it usually falls on March 20 or March 21.
The date of the holiday occurs at the same time of the Iranian new year (Norouz), which is celebrated in many places throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. It also corresponds with the beginning of the Bahá'í calendar, which is celebrated as Bahá'í Naw-Rúz. Other holidays occurring around this time include Ostara (amongst neopagans), Chunfen in China, and Vernal Equinox Day (a public holiday in Japan), among others.
Source
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quecksilvereyes · 7 months
Note
dialogue "i’ve seen greatness in you." for a lil lucy 👀
Little Lucy Pevensie comes back from the country a film that has been left in the sun for days. Perhaps forgotten. Her edges are smudged and her skin is overlit. Her eyes sit, deep dark channels, where once shone all the joy a little girl could fit behind her eyelids. As paper draped over a wooden frame and set alight, little Lucy Pevensie sits in her chair -
And waits.
Her nails are bloody. Her eyes are rimmed red. When she opens her mouth, out come words no one understands, torn open on the blades of her teeth. She frowns.
She tilts her head. When she smiles, there is an afterimage, as a film that was left exposed for too long. Here is little Lucy, chubby-cheeked and bare-faced, plucking dandelion seeds from their stem. Here is some shadow of a thing pulling human skin over razor blades, gone thin and translucent where it doesn't quite fit.
Staring at the wooden desk, fingering the knothole.
Little Lucy Pevensie does not speak when spoken to. She blinks. She frowns. She smiles. There is a scent, in the curl of her hair and in the ridges of her palms that is stronger the further the day goes on. In the mornings, it is a faint thing, as a sailor who speaks of the sea still, for years after he has left it. A whiff of salt when the wind is just right.
By the time the sun sits low on the horizon, little Lucy Pevensie smells of fish and seaweed. A cove that has been flooded for so long it retains the stink of rotten reeds and something dying still clinging onto rock even when the tide leaves it dry and salt-crusted. Algae covered floors and mussel covered walls cradling that last bit of water that can never leave. A salt crust so thick it breaks in sharp edges.
The sea boils under the afternoon sun until the tide washes back in.
Lucy Pevensie sits at her desk and waits. In the right light, her hands are forced shut and dripping white. Her collarbones scrape against her skin in an angle so wrong it hurts to look at. When she wets her cracked lips with her tongue, it is a live thing. A pier left flooded for centuries. A sunken ship.
A flash. An opened hole. One-and-two-and.
Lucy Pevensie is chubby-cheeked and bare-faced. She is youngest of four and worships her older siblings with all her little heart. She plucks dandelion seeds from their stems. Her tongue is pink as a blooming peony. The freckles on her nose are faded, and when she smiles, there are gaps in between her teeth.
"Can you understand me?", asks her teacher.
"Adam's flesh lays bare Adam's bone", says Lucy, and scrapes her fingernails over the tiny bit of bark that wasn't removed when this table was built. In a hurry, surely. "There is none other who can bare the weight."
"Lucy", says her teacher. "The apples. How many have you got if you give ten to Imogen?"
"I've seen greatness in you", says Lucy. "There will be ballads singing of the shape of your teeth when all this has turned to rubble. Are you not proud?" She tilts her head. She smiles.
On the photograph, her eyes are white with froth.
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mousetoe-wc · 6 months
Text
I Got bored one time awhile ago and made a list of every prefix plus some into organised sections so I thought I might as well share.
All the ones that aren’t cannon to warriors, yet at lest are bold
Describing names
Colours: red, russet, copper, golden, amber, yellow, green, blue, violet, pink, white, gray, black, ebony, dark, pale, silver, brown, tawny, fallow
Pattern, Texture + Size: spot/ted, dapple, speckle, freckle, brindle, patch, mottle, ragged, tangle, kink, bristle, fuzzy, curl/y, wooly, soft, sleek, little, tiny, small, slight, short, tall, long, big, heavy, crooked, broken, half, stumpy, shred, torn, jagged
Actions + Character: flip, pounce, bounce, jump, hop, crouch, down, low, drift, flail, strike, running, fidget, mumble, whistle, snap, sneeze, shiver/ing, shining, flutter, fallen, lost, rush, fleet, quick, shy, sweet, brave, loud, quiet, wild, hope, wish,
Other: claw, whisker, dead, odd, one, spike, fringe, echo, song, hallow, haven
Elements
Time + Weather: day, night, dusk, dawn, morning, sky, sun/ny, moon, storm, lightning, thunder, cloud/y, mist/y, fog, snow, blizzard, ice, frost, dew, drizzle, rain, clear, wind, breeze, gale, shadow, shade, bright, light,
Earth/Water/Fire names: stone, rock, boulder, slate, flint, pebble, gravel, sand/y, dust, mud/dy, meadow, hill, rubble, river, ripple, whorl, shimmer, lake, swamp, marsh, wave, wet, bubbling, splash, puddle, pool, creek, fire, flame, flicker, flash, blaze, scorch, ember, spark, ash, soot, cinder, smoke
Plants
Trees: alder, aspen, birch, beech, cedar, cypress, pine, elm, willow, oak, larch, maple, bay, rowan, timber, bark, log, wood, twig, acorn, cone, seed, spire
Berry/Nut/Fruit/Herb: juniper, elder, sloe, holly, yew, mistle, bramble, hickory, hazel, chestnut, nut, apple, cherry, cranberry, olive, pear, plum, chive, mint, fennel, sage, basil, mallow, parsley
Flowers: aster, poppy, primrose, rose, bluebell, marigold, tansy, pansy, briar, cherry, daisy, dandelion, daffodil, tulip, violet, lily, myrtle, thrift, yarrow, heather, lavender, blossom, bloom, flower, petal
Other: leaf, frond, fern, bracken, sorrel, hay, rye, oat, wheat, cotton, reed, pod, cinnamon, milkweed, grass, clover, weed, stem, sedge, gorse, furze, flax, nettle, thistle, ivy, moss, lichen, bush, vine, root, thorn, prickle, nectar
Animals
Mammals: mouse, rat, mole, vole, shrew, squirrel, hedgehog, bat, rabbit, hare, ferret, weasel, stoat, mink, marten, otter, hog, wolf, hound, fox, vixen, badger, deer, doe, stag, fawn, sheep, cow, pig, lion, tiger, leopard, lynx, milk
Birds: robin, jay, cardinal, thrush, sparrow, swallow, shrike, starling, rook, swift, dove, pigeon, crow, raven, duck, goose, heron, wren, finch, swan, stork, quail, gull, lark, owl, eagle, hawk, kestrel, buzzard, kite, hoot, feather, bird, egg, talon
Fish, Reptiles + Amphibians: pike, perch, pollack, trout, tench, cod, carp, bass, bream, eel, minnow, fin, snake, adder, lizard, turtle, frog, toad, newt
Bug type Names: bug, lady or ladybug, moth, spider, ant, snail, slug, beetle, bee, wasp, dragon or dragonfly, bumble, worm, maggot, cricket, fly, midge, web, honey
Skyclan + Warriorclan: Bella, Billy, Big, Harry, Harvey, Snook, Ebony, Monkey
70 notes · View notes
stagbells · 3 months
Text
Written Work
From: @voidsiblings
To: @grollow
Note: MERRY CHRISTMAS ASHE I hope you enjoy your babies, and I also hope you don't mind me kidnapping the Firefly muse for a week or two. ^▽^ (He was well-behaved. Mostly.)
Written work under readmore
The meadow is lush, honey-green with sunlight and the smell of nectar. Humming with wings, flowers bobbing low and heavy, the soft expanse of it stretching far into the distance, unbroken by hill or tree. This kingdom is spread wide and sparse on a river plain—a river whose floods grow more violent by the year, smashing watercraft and demolishing bridges, pushing the tideline higher and higher on the legs of the stilt-houses.
This year will be its last, Grimm thinks.
It is beautiful while it still exists, though. When it falls, it will be beautiful still: a more desolate beauty, and one few will be here to appreciate. Perhaps ironically, immortality has taught him to enjoy what is fleeting, to find comfort in the sensation of letting go, in allowing the course of things to proceed as it will.
He cups a flower in his fingers as he passes, waxy petals dragging over his palm. It is not often that he reflects on the sum of his experiences; it is easier to take each life as its own cycle, starting afresh each time the wheel of rebirth turns.
He’s been thinking of it more, lately.
It’s no secret as to why.
The sun is at his back as he walks, warming his wing sails, casting his shadow over the grasses. There is no hurry, he knows. Hours have passed since they left the market, hours in which this trail has gone cold. He’s still not sure what he’ll find at the end of it, or how far it might lead him, but this is a pattern: as clear as the impressions in the soil that he follows, footprints leading toward the riverbank.
It has been months since this last happened, and he had hoped—
But no. He made plain that there were no expectations. It would have been uncommonly cruel—not to mention the height of hypocrisy—to impose any.
As before, it was agony to wait, to allow them what they asked for, to busy himself as long as he could stand. He held his breath when he finally set out, half-convinced that this would be the time they disappeared and left no trace, despite the promise they’d made him.
The relief he felt upon finding their trail was palpable—a brief flicker in his fire, a skip of his absent heart. They passed unnoticed when they wished to, and he knew the destruction they could leave when they chose. This was neither: a deliberate path through the meadow, crushed grasses and bent stems, leaving him no doubt that they wanted him to find them.
That it is extraordinary for them to show even this much trust does not escape him. Nor does the desire inherent in it—the desire to be pursued, to be caught and, eventually, held.
As much as he wishes to comment on it, to tease, he has not yet.
Maybe soon. Maybe one day.
The terrain slopes gradually, so subtly that one might miss it, down toward the river, the flat aspect of the plains slowly giving way to their source. Will the flowers still grow after the kingdom falls? Will the layers of rich mud spread over their roots and eventually choke them, or will they flourish all the more in the excess?
The river itself is nearly as wide and flat as what surrounds it. No more than a shimmer on the horizon at first, it broadens into a serene silver ribbon flanked with low, twisted shrubs and whispering rushes. The water is peaceful, languid and slow, giving no hint of the torrent that arrives every spring.
A tangle of mud, stones, and shells lines the shore. The footprints continue, patchy and sparse, along the waterline, rounding a bend in the current and disappearing into a stand of reeds.
What he sees when he pushes through them is exactly what he expects.
Hollow sits near the river’s edge, one foot propped up on the stone beneath them, the other dangling in the water. They share his fascination, he’d been delighted to discover—ponds and lakes and rivers all receiving that same quiet attention, unwavering, every sign of distraction or impatience draining away for as long as they could stand to stare out at that shifting horizon.
Relief is hot in his throat, a burning coal unswallowed. He trusts them, of course. Explicitly. And part of that trust is keeping them in an open hand, allowing them the freedom they never had. Letting go of them and waiting, arm outstretched, for their return.
They never fly far.
Still, he cannot pretend that the placement of the Troupe’s tents so close to the river was anything but intentional.
They don’t turn to look at him as he approaches. As he settles, cloak pooling around him in bloody scarlet, atop a nearby stone. Not too close, but within reach. He knows what they want by now.
Silence, at first. Merely his presence is enough to agitate them a little, to make the line of their shoulders rise and their face tilt farther away from him. Being observed carries a weight for them that reminds him of his early days as a performer, when the crowds’ collective gaze had seemed to tighten around him like a length of invisible silk.
So he doesn’t look. So he stares out toward the opposite shore, not quite seeing it for the glare of sunlight on the water, and waits.
In the corner of his vision, their shoulders drop again. Slowly, inch by inch. It will be some time before they speak to him, time he measures in careful breaths, in the lap of waves at his feet, in the idle shift of waterweed beneath the surface.
Their voice does not come, though. When they move, it is only to unwrap their arm from around their knee, to open their fist above the rock where he sits. A few porcelain shards drop from their grip with a clatter.
Ah.
He selects one, picks it up between his claws. Holds it to the light. It’s delicate, nearly translucent, with a scalloped rim and golden flowers painted in the bowl. This piece once held the handle, now snapped in half near the stem.
“Beautiful,” he murmurs, turning it over, watching the metallic paint shimmer. “A fine choice.”
They don’t answer, but he can feel them eyeing him.
Without hesitation, he leans down and dips the remnant of teacup into the river, holding it gingerly by the remaining nub of handle, and takes a sip.
They’re actively staring at him when he looks up. He allows his eyes to narrow behind the mask, a swell of amusement more felt than seen.
Hollow snorts, a silent huff of air, all the more expressive given that they don’t truly need to breathe. That is all for him, their emotions given form for his benefit, and it warms him like the sweetest of flames.
He sets the no-longer-a-teacup down among its other pieces, none of them whole enough to hold more than a few drops. One or two are edged in black, a fact he chooses to ignore.
“You have fine taste in views as well, my dear,” he sighs, leaning back on his hands, tilting his face up toward the lowering sun.
Are you including yourself in that judgement?
He hides his jolt of surprise rather skillfully, he thinks. “If you like,” is his only answer, accompanied by a squinted scarlet eye.
They don’t comment on that, instead turning back toward the river, lightly kicking the foot that’s dangling off the stone. Little shadows dart away from their claws under the surface, small fish or, perhaps, nymphs of some sort; he’s never managed to find out.
“I should ask if there is anything worthwhile to catch in this river,” he muses. Not without purpose—they’ll recognize what he’s attempting to do, though he can only guess how they’ll respond. “And what one might use to catch it. If it’s likely to involve an excessive amount of digging for bait, I would rather not.”
It will be an excuse to spend more time at the water, at least. Though he does not enjoy fish, some of the more carnivorous members of his Troupe might.
Hollow doesn’t move except to stir the water again, watching the ripples flow outward and then fade. Grimm continues to talk about fishing rods, local cuisine, the beaches he’s visited—anything he can think of—while watching for any hint of change in their mood.
It’s often like this, after one of their spells. They retreat, drawing back behind a distant wall. Sometimes it is days before he feels like he truly sees them again.
This was… not a particularly bad one. Not since they were able to escape quickly, to get away from the situation before their instincts took hold. There were only a few ruffled tempers to soothe, only a few broken things to pay for.
He had suspected what happened as soon as he got close enough to hear the shouting. To see the vendor’s table upset, her wares scattered in the mud, the crooked knife clutched in her hand as she stared around at nothing—at everything.
“A wight,” the young lacewing hissed, when he asked her what she saw. “A-a thing of shadow, it was. Its eyes—”
“Before that,” he said, patiently.
She shook her head a little too hard. “I thought—a bug. A tall one. It was looking at my things.”
Grimm glanced back over his shoulder, ignoring the choked noise she made as his neck turned a little farther than it strictly should. Broken pieces of porcelain littered the ground. At his feet lay a white saucer, snapped in two, its halves pressed into the mud by the pad of a clawed footprint.
He knelt to pick them up, careful of the sharp edges. “And what did you say to this bug?”
The vendor gulped again. “I-I said to be careful. To watch those—those claws.”
That was likely not enough to set them off, but surely there was more. “And?”
The bug lifted a shoulder. “And… nothing. No answer.”
He could guess where it had gone from there. Voices raised, attention drawn, panic and anger silently rising. Until they felt pinned, trapped, void boiling beneath their shell. Until they felt they had no choice but to disappear.
“My apologies,” he murmured, taking her shaking hand and tucking the saucer pieces into it. “Tally your costs. My Troupe will cover the damages.”
“Your what?” She turned to stare after him as he walked away. “Who are you?”
He hadn’t bothered to explain. She would find out soon enough. It wasn’t as if there were any other nightmare circuses nearby.
Now, he realizes, he’s been silent too long. Hollow’s gaze has drifted back to the shattered cup, the darkness behind their mask whirling with unreadable thoughts.
“There are more teacups at the market,” he said gently.
But it is not only the teacup. It is the way their temper rises so fast, the way it takes hold of them, driving them to extremes that they regret near-instantly.
It is the way that, to them, the mortals that surround them are every bit as fragile as porcelain.
He sighs, drawn out in the silence. “If it helps, I have promised to compensate her.”
They nod, once shallowly. Acknowledgement, not agreement.
Perhaps it was too much to hope that he could resolve this so easily.
Grimm reaches down, stirs his claws through the broken pieces. “Was this for me?”
He knows the answer. And yet something in him still melts a little when they nod. Even shallower, this time, and he can read their misery in it.
“Have I told you why I collect them?”
At their blank stare, he hums, tipping his head backward and squinting against the spill of light across his face. “They remind me of someone. Someone that I would rather not remember.”
They tilt their head. A minute question, nearly invisible. If he wants more, he will have to work for it.
“But, more than that, they remind me of what I have overcome. Of the fact that I am more than my worst memories. That I can look at them, now, and gain joy and satisfaction, instead of only pain. That is why I keep them.”
It took him far too long to get there, he wants to say—but if he allows himself the same kindness he extends to them, as they would tell him he ought, perhaps it took exactly as long as it should.
They are both immortal, after all.
Their hand has crept upward where it wraps around their chest, toward the mass of scars at their shoulder. Feeling through the outline of their faded cloak at the peaks and craters there, at the ways their imprisonment reformed them.
He has scars of his own. Scars he would give up if he could, in a heartbeat. Is that why he truly keeps them—the cups, the teapots? Is he giving himself an out, knowing he can rid himself of this one reminder, if he chooses?
But he doesn’t. He hasn’t. And it’s tangible proof that, given time, given the chance, he can heal. Not just in body, but in mind.
They did not know him then. They don’t know how much of himself he sees in them now, how much faith he has that they can achieve the same.
They can learn.
He has an eternity to show them.
They still do not answer. They shift their gaze away from the broken cup, though, to stare across the river, where the sky is catching brighter hues as the sun sinks through, orange bleeding into gold.
He’s perfectly ready to sit there with them all night, if they like. It will not be the first.
Finally, their hand falls open in their lap. A conscious effort to let go, perhaps?
I’m sorry.
Their voice in his head is a near-whisper, no louder than the hush of the water or the rustle of grasses.
The apology comes as no surprise. They have very little to apologize for, in his estimation, but they still feel that it is necessary—for more than the broken pieces in the dirt. They are thinking of every inconvenience, every disturbance of his routine, every time he stays behind to help them put themself back together. They have told him as much.
How can he convey that he would gladly give up far more? That it does not matter what they do—only that they are here with him?
The only thing he can think to do is to reach out. Slowly, waiting for their response. Waiting for any hint that they are not ready.
His palm meets theirs. Warmth against cold. Their fingers curl, lacing with his, and he breathes out, accepting their nearness, their trust, like a gift—for it is one.
The sun sinks. The meadow falls silent as shadows creep across the shore, as a mist begins to rise from the water. The air cools, heavy on his shell, carrying the sweet, damp scent of the riverbed.
What if it’s worse next time?
Grimm shifts. Looks over at them. They haven’t moved at all in the past half hour, stone-still in the river shallows. Thinking, always, always, in ways he cannot hear, wheels forever turning, as distant and steady as the rotation of the stars.
It’s no use promising things he can’t fulfill. God of Nightmare he may be, Fear incarnate—but in the mortal realm and in the Dream, he has his limits. Limits that he has grown comfortable with. Accustomed to. He keeps to his role, his place on the stage and behind it.
They have their own, he’s convinced of that. Their own element, their own realm of power, a rightful place among the gods of this world, no matter how long it’s been denied them. No matter how little they trust themself to take it.
He counts himself lucky that they trust him. That he is in a place to offer what they need. That there is enough left of them to be fully here with him.
What if.
What is he here for, after all, but to answer that question?
“When this river floods again, it will take this place with it,” he begins. “It has been many decades coming, yet much will still be lost. To negligence, to neglect. To misfortune and despair.” He pauses, strokes the side of their palm with his thumb. “This is… not the first time you have seen a kingdom fall. But it is your first chance to watch one fall gracefully.”
Their head dips downward, their gaze fixing on the water once more.
“And even knowing what is to come, I find it beautiful.” His voice lowers to a raspy hum. “Even knowing what I have come to do, I enjoy it here.”
Do you not tire of it?
“No.” Grimm shakes his head. “No, I do not. Do I tire of immortality? Of my lives in their endless cycle? Maybe. Sometimes.” A light squeeze to their hand, almost too light to feel. “Less so when those I love are near, to bear it with me.”
Hollow looks at their hand and his, at the spaces where they intersect. When they do not speak, he continues.
“No, I do not tire of my duty, my dear. The work that I do? I offer it willingly. I consider it a privilege. Who else gets to see what I do? Who else carries memories like mine?”
They sigh. He takes it as a concession, the way their shoulders slump, the tension draining out of them at last. With its release, he draws their hand up, lifting it to his mask, feeling their eyes follow its path in the gathering dusk.
“Even knowing that it will die, I choose to be its witness.” He tucks their fingers against his face, pressing a phantom kiss to their knuckles. “Every struggle. Every cry. Every fading moment, until it wakes anew.”
They huff again. It’s almost more of a sigh—acceptance of his words, a willingness to be convinced. Trusting him once more.
They lean forward, resting their horns against his, lightly. You’re very good at that.
Grimm hums again, roughly, pleased. With them. With himself, a little. The compliment does not go amiss.
They lean back, but do not draw away. It’s dark enough now that he can barely see their face. At the tents, there will be a fire starting, food cooking, laughter echoing across the meadow—he can almost hear it now, and he knows they are thinking of it too, when they glance back the way they came.
Will you take me home?
And they say he is good at it? When the simplest words take his breath away?
“Always, my dear.”
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bonefall · 9 months
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So I recently learned that cats can have allergies and I wonder how clan cats would deal with that. My personal oc Skysniffle is based off of myself and therefore he inherited my god awful allergies lol.
I am actually writing Sneezecloud with a moss allergy! It's something that was said in an authorial statement that I'm running with. There is a specific type of moss he is allergic to (which I need to figure out at some point)
Treating allergies is a two-step process;
Identify and mitigate Sneeze was born with his allergies, and was a sickly kit. At this point, Beechfur and Graymist had already lost a singlet litter, and were terrified of losing another. So there was a scramble to diagnose the problem... and only by chance did they figure out it was the moss in the nest. So now, as an adult, Sneeze has to go through an extra hoop to make sure his nest has NO moss. It's reeds, grass, feathers, anything else. They identified the allergen and try to limit his contact with it.
Treatment The best antihistamine they have for treating allergies is Stinging Nettle. Collecting this is a bitch and a half. But there's a trick; nettle stings because the prickles break off in your skin. Those prickles point DOWN, towards the tip of the blade. Moving from stem-to-tip is how you don't get stung. Sneeze is a MASTER at doing this, as he was sometimes sent out to collect his own meds and Mothwing made sure to teach him how to not get hurt. From there, nettle needs to be dried or cooked to neutralize the sting. Mothwing likes to dry it, because then it lasts a long time and takes up less space in the den.
ALSO PROTIP for advanced Clans like the ones in BB; Nettle can be made into clothing and cordage. The entire plant is valuable. Don't let nettle go to waste, it's valuable as a medicine AND a material.
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