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#also the chicken over any other bird is very on purpose
druid-for-hire · 1 year
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[image id: a four-page comic. it is titled "immortality” after the poem by clare harner (more popularly known as “do not stand at my grave and weep”). the first page shows paleontologists digging up fossils at a dig. it reads, “do not stand at my grave and weep. i am not there. i do not sleep.” page two features several prehistoric creatures living in the wild. not featured but notable, each have modern descendants: horses, cetaceans, horsetail plants, and crocodilians. it reads, “i am a thousand winds that blow. i am the diamond glints on snow. i am the sunlight on ripened grain. i am the gentle autumn rain.” the third page shows archaeopteryx in the treetops and the skies, then a modern museum-goer reading the placard on a fossil display. it reads, “when you awaken in the morning’s hush, i am the swift uplifting rush, of quiet birds in circled flight. i am the soft stars that shine at night. do not stand at my grave and cry.” the fourth page shows a chicken in a field. it reads, “i am not there. i did not die” / end id]
a comic i made in about 15 hours for my school’s comic anthology. the theme was “evolution”
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jellybeanfeind · 1 year
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Magic in Astrozoda behaves less like an innate force of nature and more like a coding language that hasn’t been updated since it was originally written. This means that spellcrafting is an extremely powerful but extremely dangerous line of study; amazing discoveries have been made entirely on accident, but so have a lot of…less fortunate occurrences. But for every For loop that ends in catastrophic disaster, there are a dozen misspelt attributes or misread commands that lead to Astrozoda’s cultures, landscapes, and wildlife being peppered with the screw-ups of spellcrafters past. And chickens, being plentiful, are often tragic test subjects.
The cockatrice is among the most populous and ancient of these screw-ups. Whoever first made one did so well over five hundred years ago, so their exact intentions are unknown, but very few modern scholars entertain the idea that the cockatrice was what they were actually trying to make. Cockatrices can occur if a snake nests eggs in magically-enhanced henhouses, but with improvements to homesteading magic, this has become rare. Nonetheless, breeding populations of cockatrices are well-established in warm-temperate regions where poultry farms and wild snakes co-occur. In some of these regions, they have out-competed other mid-sized carnivores to the point that some areas have experienced local extinctions of foxes or bobcats.
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The chunk and the long chicken are more modern in origin. Both are the work of (in)famous spellcrafter Atticus Owle, whose various discoveries (and screw-ups) over his career ended in his sudden disappearance about thirty years ago. Both of these animals were crafted with the original intention of increasing the meat output of domestic poultry without selective breeding to the point of debilitating deformity; he’d hoped that the long chicken in particular would replace the popular broiler chicken breed, and that the chunk would reduce hunting stress on ducks. Unfortunately, long chickens are far too dangerous to farm, and chunks are much better at hiding than ducks, in addition to not being any bigger.
The chunk lives in rivers and shallow lakes, where it hides close to the bottom to ambush prey that ventures too close. When no fish are nearby, chunks will swim slowly in the direction of the water’s flow, allowing their markings to help disguise their movement. Chunks beach only to nest, but they will rarely do so in the territories of humanoids; they are apparently quite intelligent, and only a few safe locations are known to hide their nests. Fishers in regions with established populations of chunks will often leave fishmeal bait a few hundred paces away from their fishing spots, to keep the birds well-sated so as to leave the largest fish for the fishers.
Long chickens are quite the mystery all of their own. The spell creating them was apparently supposed to simply create “large” chickens, but clearly, something went wrong. Owle reportedly hypothesized that chickens are descended of much larger animals, but in trying to unearth the supposed ancestor, made something far more difficult to farm. Long chickens are cooperative hunters, living in disorganized packs of around thirty individuals, and they primarily use their immense speed and high numbers to simply overwhelm prey animals. Though they are only about two feet tall at the shoulder, flocks of long chickens have reportedly been sighted felling moose.
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Chittens and nuggets are the result of more elementary-level spellcrafting errors, but simplicity in the mistake does not equate simplicity in the consequences. Chittens were intended to be a sort of “designer” pet, to retain kitten-like cuteness its whole life and to come in a variety of colors. While they do certainly live up to this purpose, and indeed are very popular pets, feral populations are also now established, and these feral colonies have led to the discovery of some previously-unknown effects of their origins.
To dissuade potential animal abuse, a condition was written in their creation spell which could inflict immense dread upon someone knowingly harming a chitten. This had additional conditions attached to it, such that the condition would not affect anyone acting in self-defense, or in the chitten’s best interests, or for the safety of others, but these components were written in less-stable terms, and some feral populations of chittens have become nearly impossible to remove as a result. Even local predators cannot face them; wolves living near feral chitten colonies not only avoid chittens, but they secondarily will avoid anything that looks or smells like one. This has led to some interesting changes in these areas, where cuteness has converged on an aposematic condition, and other prey animals will mimic the round head and colorful eyes of a chitten to avoid being eaten.
Nuggets, on the other hand, are harmlessly filling an ecological niche they found completely on accident. Like every other animal featured here, nuggets were created on accident by a spellcrafter’s poor proofreading, however they have no exceptional features that endow them with the ability to out-compete much of anything. They’re basically hamsters. Conveniently enough, their invention coincided with a terrible plague which had devastated a small region’s populations of mice and squirrels. Releasing nuggets into the area prevented the drop in rodent population from negatively impacting higher trophic levels, and now they are a staple worldwide, as common as mice.
More “important” information on Astrozoda to come, I was just possessed by the need to make sure these chickens were seen.
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jainenkept · 11 months
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GET TO KNOW THE MUN .
what’s your phone wallpaper : some fanart of hawke that i find nice. i haven't changed my wallpaper in years.
last song you listened to :  i started filling this out while listening to los angeles by the midnight and i'm ending it with wolf totem by the hu.
currently reading : i was reading the stolen throne, and then i stopped for some reason. lmao
last movie : i'm trying so hard to remember but i can't. rip
last show : the b.astard son and the d.evil himself, for e.milien purposes.
craving : some pennsylvania dutch chicken pot pie made by someone who's not me would be lovely right now.
what are you wearing right now : some grey sweatpants and a roomy t-shirt.
how tall are you ? : 5'3 and angry about it.
piercings / tattoos ? : i have one singular ear gauged to a 00. it baffles people that it's just the one and that's why i won't pierce the other. i had my lip pierced? i took that out last year, so now i just have scar tissue there. i have the shittiest flash sale tattoo on my forearm because a friend wanted me to go with them when they got theirs. ugliest fucking rabbit you've ever seen, folks.
glasses ? contacts ? : glasses. i have contacts but haven't used them in a while.
last thing you ate ? : palmer's chocolate. that factory exploded very recently.
favorite color(s) : gun to my head, i'd say brown. or a nice dusty pink.
current obsession : it's been dragon age consistently for over ten years.
any pets : i have... two dogs, a few cats, and a snake.
do you have a crush right now ? : nah.
favorite fictional character :  garrett hawke. everyone better pretend to be surprised.
last place you traveled : the local park just up the street, because i was looking for a particular bird's nest.
tagged by: @vhenann asked very nicely for everyone to steal it. tagging: i am also asking you very nicely to steal it.
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anonymousewrites · 2 years
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Portal to My Heart (Book 2) Chapter Six
Chapter Six: To Uncover Truths
            (Y/N) looked out across the soon-to-be-destroyed town. In the undisturbed landscape, the infamous Mount Vesuvius loomed. It was hard to believe such beauty would cause such damage. Well, hearing the distant rumble certainly gave a clue.
            “Here we go,” said Loki excitedly.
            “Any minute now,” said Mobius. He had kept the group in an alley to avoid attention.
“Until this entire town is wiped off the face of this planet,” said Loki.
            “Boom!” (Y/N) mimed an explosion.
            “Imagine: All that volcanic ash…!” A large grin was on Loki’s face.
            “I know. We don’t want to get too giddy, though,” said Mobius, though he himself was also getting strangely excited. They all were.
            “Oh, come on. It’s cool,” pointed out Loki.
            “I mean, yeah…” admitted (Y/N).
            Mobius half-frowned. “No, it is cool, but it’s just not in good taste because…”
            “They’re all going to die anyway,” said Loki.
            “I know.” Mobius pulled out his Tempad. “Now listen, I’m gonna watch the Tempad for any variance energy.”
            “Okay.” (Y/N) nodded.
            “Okay, because we gotta be careful,” said Mobius. “If you’re wrong, and there’s a good chance you are, anything we do can create a huge branch.”
            “Oh, Mobius! You make even the end of the world sound boring,” complained the God of Mischief.
            “Live a little! We can do anything here!” said (Y/N) brightly. If we’re right. Which we are. Definitely.
“Listen!” Mobius leaned closer to them. “Okay, we’re not meant to be here! Okay?”
            Loki and (Y/N) sighed. “Okay.”
            “Anything we do can impact the course of history. Do you get that?” questioned Mobius.
            “Yes.”
            “So we’re gonna start with very small disturbances,” decided Mobius. “Very small. Can either of you make a bird noise?”
            “No, but I can do this!” (Y/N) ran out into the square and jumped onto a cart. She freed the many chickens in the back, sending them clucking about the road. “Be free you egg-laying shits! Be free!”
            Brightening, Loki ran up next to her. In what (Y/N) now knew was Latin (the training had taught her a little bit of a bunch of languages, she remembered only bits and pieces), he began speaking. He motioned to himself and to his companions before pointing to the volcano. Clearly, he was telling them about what was about to happen. Satisfied with himself, Loki grinned. (Y/N) snatched up two apples and began eating one while offering the other to Loki. He accepted it, and the pair smiled at an exhausted Mobius.
            Boom! Vesuvius erupted.
            “Right on cue!” cried Loki excitedly. He dropped his apple and grabbed (Y/N)’s hand. He jumped down from the cart, pulling her over to a fruit stand. “Enjoy your last meal while you can!” He threw food in the air.
            “Nothing matters!” cheered (Y/N), spinning around in the square.
            “Nothing has any consequences!” Loki laughed. “Dance while you still can!” He took (Y/N)’s hands. (Y/N) laughed and began dancing with him. The two spun until another boom echoed through the air. They grinned at Mobius and bowed dramatically.
            “I don’t believe it. Zero variance energy,” said Mobius, incredulous. “No branching in the timeline.”
            “The TVA would never even know we’d come,” said (Y/N).
            “If it were me, this is where I would hide,” said Loki.
            “Alright, alright, you were right. Let’s get out of here,” said Mobius, activating a door as ash began to cover the ground.
            As (Y/N) and Loki walked towards the door, they realized they still hadn’t let go of each other’s hands. Awkwardly, they let go and walked through the door. However, neither could kill the slight smile that remained on their lips.
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            “Doomsdays.” Mobius strode through the TVA’s halls with a purpose. “The Variant’s been ambushing our soldiers and hiding out in doomsdays to cover his tracks.”
            “You’re welcome!” chirped (Y/N).
            “For this theory to hold, the disasters have to be naturally-occurring, sudden, no warning, no survivors,” said Mobius, turning on his computer at his desk.
            “How many could there be?” asked Loki.
            “I don’t know,” said Mobius. “We’re gonna find out.”
            That, unfortunately, meant more reading, more files. (Y/N) worked for hours and finally just put her head down and knocked out. Her excuse was “I figured out how the Variant is hiding, figure out where he is yourself.” Loki just chuckled while Mobius sighed. The two men continued working.
            Eventually, Mobius put down his files and glanced over at Loki, who seemed more interested in looking at (Y/N) than he did reading. The senior TVA agent smiled, if not a little sadly, to himself. “Hey. Let’s take a break.” Loki reached over and shook (Y/N)’s shoulder.
            Grumbling, she raised her head. “What?”
            “Come on, let’s get a snack,” said Mobius. He led them into the mess hall once again. After grabbing coffee, they sat down.
            “Here, you have a bit…your collar,” said Loki to (Y/N), motioning to her shirt collar.
            “Huh?” She furrowed her brow and look down at her shirt. “Did I spill some coffee?”
            “Here.” Loki reached out and straightened her collar. “You should at least look presentable.”
            (Y/N) scowled and sullenly took a sip of her coffee. She stubbornly ignored the way her skin burned where Loki had touched her. It wasn’t a feeling she wanted to face. It would make things complicated.
            Loki cleared his throat and looked to Mobius. “So…at your desk, why do you have that magazine?”
            “The one on jet skis?” said Mobius. He smiled. “Because they’re awesome.”
            “I suppose they are,” admitted Loki.
            (Y/N) nodded. “I saw people racing them, and it was super cool.”
            “You know, some things…Actually, most things in history are kinda dumb, and everything gets ruined eventually,” said Mobius. “But in the early 1900s, for a brief, shining moment, there was a beautiful union of form and function, which we call the jet ski, and a reasonable man cannot differ.” Mobius was very happy to talk about jet skis.
            “Have you ever ridden one?” asked (Y/N).
            Mobius looked down mournfully. “No…No.” He chuckled. “I think a TVA agent showing up on a jet ski on the Sacred Timeline, that would create a branch for sure.”
            “Not if we found an apocalypse,” pointed out (Y/N), laughing.
            Loki grinned. “It would be fun.”
            “Yeah, it’d be really fun,” agreed Mobius.
            “So why read about them?” asked (Y/N).
            Mobius paused before answering. “Just helps remind me of what we’re fighting for.”
            Loki looked around them. “I mean, you really believe in all this stuff, don’t you?”
            Mobius shrugged. “I don’t get hung up on ‘believe, not believe.’ I just accept what is.”
            “Without proof?” questioned (Y/N). “You just accept that three space lizard-gods—”
            Mobius interjected, “Time-Keepers.”
            “—created the TVA and everyone in it?”
            “Right.”
            “Including yourself?”
            “Including me.”
            Loki furrowed his brow and shook his head in dramatic mournfulness. “Every time I start to admire your intelligence, you say something like that.”
            “Okay, who created you, Loki?” challenged Mobius.
            “A Frost Giant of Jotunheim,” said Loki.
            “And who raised you?”
            “Odin of Asgard.”
            “Odin, God of the Heavens,” reiterated Mobius. “Asgard, mystical realm beyond the stars. Frost giants…Listen to yourself!”
            “It’s not the same,” pointed out Loki. “It’s completely different.”
            (Y/N) nodded. “It is. We have tangible proof that Asgard and the Gods of Asgard exist. So far, we haven’t actually seen any Time-Keepers.”
            “Well, when we think where any of us came from, it ends up sounding ridiculous,” said Mobius.
            (Y/N) raised a hand. “Born and raised by two humans on planet Earth.”
            “You got powers from a stone that opens portals in space,” cried Mobius. “Existence is chaos! Nothing makes any sense, so we try to make some sense of it. I’m just lucky that the chaos I emerged into gave me all this.” He smirked. “My own glorious purpose.” (Y/N) snorted while Loki scoffed. “Cause the TVA is my life. And it’s real because I believe it’s real.”
            “Fair enough. You believe it’s real,” said Loki. “So everything is written. Past, present, future. There’s no such thing as free will.”
            Mobius frowned. “Well, I mean, you know, it’s an oversimplification…”
            “It’s not,” said (Y/N).
            Loki continued. “In fact, in a way, we here at the TVA, we’re the only ones who are actually free.”
            “A sad but true point,” said (Y/N).
            “Where are you going with this?” asked Mobius curiously.
            “How does it all end?” asked Loki.
            “That’s a work in progress,” said Mobius.
            (Y/N) burst out laughing. “It’s a work in progress?!”
            Loki tsked. “Oh, those lazy Time-Keepers. What are they waiting for?”
            “Au contraire. No, because while we protect what came before, they’re toiling away in their chamber, untangling the epilogue from its infinite branches,” said Mobius.
            “So once again, we go back to just believing that the Time-Keeper’s are somewhere working. But nobody sees them,” said (Y/N). Mobius frowned, so (Y/N) sighed and continued. “Alright, alright. They’re there. So what happens after they’ve finished?”
            “So are we,” said Mobius. “No more nexus events. Just order. And we meet in peace at the end of time.”
            “Just order? No chaos? Sounds dull,” said Loki.
            “Bo-ring,” said (Y/N).
            “I’m sure it is to you,” teased Mobius.
            “You called me a scared little boy,” said Loki.
            “I did, too,” said (Y/N), deadpanning.
            “Well, I also insulted you, so it was more warranted.”
            “I called you a lot of things,” said Mobius.
            “You’re wrong, though,” said Loki. “You see, I know something children don’t.” (Y/N) looked up in interest.
            “What’s that?” questioned Mobius.
            “That no one bad is ever truly bad. And no one good is ever truly good.”
            “Scared little boy,” murmured Mobius, furrowing his brow.
            “Yes, it was quite patronizing. I thought it was a bit far, actually,” said Loki.
            “I think calling me a pawn was rude,” commented (Y/N) playfully.
            “I believe I made amends for that,” said Loki. “It’s actually you who never apologized for punching me.”
            “Fine, I’m sorry for punching you,” said (Y/N), obviously not sorry.
            “Now, it doesn’t actually sound like you’re sor—”
            “Scared little boy!” realized Mobius, standing up suddenly. “You two are clever!” He walked off.
            Loki and (Y/N) looked at each other in confusion. They shrugged before following. On a mission, Mobius strode through the library.
            “The Variant left something behind at an old crime scene,” he explained. “A cathedral. A candy box. An obvious anachronism. I gave it to Analysis, but they couldn’t find anything real.”
            (Y/N) ohed in understanding. “We have two variables we can pay attention to.”
            “Right!” Mobius rummaged through the box. “Apocalyptic natural disasters and…” He pulled out a small candy labeled “KABLOOiE.” “Kablooie.”
            “What is that?” asked Loki.
            “Candy? Have you never seen chewing gum? Doesn’t Asgard have candy?” questioned (Y/N).
            “Yeah. Grapes, nuts,” said Loki.
            “You poor thing,” said (Y/N). “Next apocalypse we’re getting you some candy.”
            “No wonder he’s bitter,” remarked Mobius as he pulled out files and returned to their table. “Okay. Kablooie was only sold regionally on Earth from 2047 to 2051. We need to cross-reference that with every apocalyptic event. We’ll each take a third. It’ll be a competition, see who finds it.”
            (Y/N) perked up. “Ooh, some actual!”
            “Sure,” said Loki. He was competitive as well.
            “You guys wanna bet?” asked Mobius. His associates agreed. “Alright, gentleman’s bet. Let’s play for pride. Okay, may the best man win. Go.” They opened their files and began.
            “It’s not the climate disaster of 2048!” said (Y/N).
            “Or the tsunami of 2051,” said Loki.
            “Let’s go, let’s go, come on,” said Mobius.
            “2050, the extinction of the swallow…Is that a thing?” asked Loki.
            “Completely screwed up the ecosystem,” answered Mobius.
            “That sucks…” said (Y/N).
“Krakatoa erupted in 2049. No Kablooie,” said Loki.
            “It’s just one thing after another,” said Mobius. “Cyclone, famine, volcanoes, floods—”
            “Found it!” said (Y/N) excitedly. She held up the page so the men could read it. “Alabama, 2050.”
            Mobius smiled. “You’re gonna take my job if I’m not careful.”
            (Y/N) beamed at the compliment.
            “Good job,” said Loki sincerely.
            A tenderer smile than the one she had graced her lips. “Thanks.”
            Mobius watched the interaction and felt his heart clench painfully.
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            “Gather round for a briefing,” said B-15, the hunter they were (unfortunately) paired with. “Roxxcart is a vast superstore common to the era. It consists of a series of sprawling sections, including a large warehouse. This warehouse is being used by civilians as a shelter trying to ride out the storm. Remember: this is a Class Ten apocalypse. While the Variant shouldn’t know we’re coming, he could be hiding anywhere and should be considered hostile. So stay alert. Every time there is an attack, the Variant steals a reset charge. He’s planning something. We just don’t know what. So keep an eye out for the missing charges, and if you see a Loki, prune it.”
            “Not an it.”
            “The bad Loki, preferably.”
            (Y/N) and Loki spoke simultaneously, making Mobius smile amusedly.
            “Alright.” Mobius clapped his hands. “Let’s go catch a Variant.”
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tonkikiosk · 1 year
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Golden comet chicken
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The anticipated lifetime is 10– 15 years, but 7 is typical for a lot of dual objective types. They are crossed mostly for the convenience of sexing chicks at hatching, all female chicks being golden, but additionally good egg production. The Golden Comet is a cross bred: New Hampshire and White Plymouth Rock, both hearty twin purpose breeds. These chickens originated in the USA as well as they were established with the intention of production adequate supply of eggs throughout the country. The type of chicken established as a result of breeding pure New Hampshire fowl and a White Rock hen. What age do golden comets start laying eggs? Watch on them, because when they hit 16 weeks, they simply might stun you with your very first egg! Origin Unlike other types, Golden Comet chickens are chilly durable (in fact, they do excellent with extremes of both cold and heat) and also you’ll likely have eggs all year. If you’re not planning on eating all these eggs instantly, having an ideal storage unit for them all is a must. Golden Comets lay brown eggs, and also they’re so prolific (they go down between 250 and also 320 eggs annually), that you can anticipate to have a fresh egg in your coop for each hen you have practically every day. In effect, to maintain your flock of you require a flock of White Rocks and also a number of New Hampshire roosters. If you intend to ‘develop’ a Golden Comet, this is the pairing you require. Remember the initial pairing was a New Hampshire fowl over a White Rock hen. You will certainly not get Golden Comet chicks from Golden Comet chickens, the spawn will be cross types. This is where the ‘crossbreed’ component comes to be vital. it has actually been bred out of them so if you intend to hatch out some chicks you will have to fire up the incubator. Real to their reputation for manufacturing, these girls can begin laying at 16 weeks and will continue to be extremely efficient as much as around both year mark, afterwards egg production will leave significantly. They have the ability to put out a whopping 330 eggs annually– that’s practically an egg everyday! They can lay from 5-6 eggs weekly which places them comparable with the Rhode Island Red hen. Golden Comets are superb layers of tool to large brownish eggs. As adults, hens are reddish brownish and also white, as well as fowls are all white to white with a scattering of red feathers. Female chicks are bronzy buff color with stripes, and men are light yellow. They are superb around kids and are a great novice type for anybody wanting to start their very own backyard flock of chickens. Golden Comet chickens are sociable with strangers as well as don’t mind being held by a person they have never ever satisfied before. In the video clip, Marsala attempts to bully one of the meaties and also as soon as Rosemary, the Golden Comet, saw what was happening, she moved away. They are rarely entailed in “arguments” with other chickens.Įven when they were more youthful, both Golden Comets in my flock never obtained involved in any scuffles. They will certainly stroll right up to you just because of the easy reality you are there.įrom what I have actually observed in my own flock, when there is a scuffle going on, the Golden Comet hens are nowhere around it. The chickens are incredibly pleasant as well as curious concerning everything they see. My chickens don’t fuss in any way when I pick them up. Speaking from my own individual experience, this breed of chicken is very laid back. They get along and also proactively pursue forage. These energetic birds exhibit confidence and also persistence. Regardless of which name you know them by, this info will relate to all due to the fact that they coincide chicken breed. Some of the alternate names that you might hear for this type of chicken are: These chickens go by other breed names as well. These chickens seldom go broody so hatching eggs from this breed will certainly need to be completed through an incubator. The resulting chick will certainly be a second generation of mixed breed chicken. A Golden Comet will certainly not create an additional Golden Comet if her eggs are hatched that have actually been fed by a Golden Comet rooster. The one actual downside to this type is breeding itself. As a result of their smaller size, they are ruled out an excellent choice as meat birds. The hens are seldom larger than four extra pounds and the fowls seldom get to a dimension above 6 extra pounds. Golden Comet chickens are a smaller type that makes them good for egg manufacturing just.
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hcgdietinfodotcom · 2 years
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Pounds & Inches: The Diet - 500 Calorie Diet (VLCD Menu and Guidelines)
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This is an exact excerpt from the 500 calorie diet, from the Original Hcg Diet Manuscript, as written by Dr. A.T.W. Simeons in Pounds and Inches.  Notes may be added at the bottom of the excerpt by the Hcg Diet Info editor or an Hcg Diet Info Forums coach, to clarify or answer commonly asked questions for this particular section of the manuscript. Return to the Pounds and Inches manuscript table of contents.  Hcg Diet Protocol summary.Hcg Diet Foods List (Phase 2 and 3 with calories.)Hcg Diet Foods ListGuide to the Hcg Diet Plan The 500 Calorie VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) - Hcg Manuscript, Pounds and Inches The Diet.The 500 Calorie diet is explained on the day of the second injection to those patients who will be preparing their own food, and it is most important that the person who will actually cook is present - the wife, the mother or the cook, as the case may be. Here in Italy patients are given the following diet sheet.Breakfast:Tea or coffee in any quantity without sugar. Only one tablespoonful of milk allowed in 24 hours. Saccharin or Stevia may be used.Lunch:1.    100 grams of veal, beef, chicken breast, fresh white fish, lobster, crab, or shrimp. All visible fat must be carefully removed before cooking, and the meat must be weighed raw. It must be boiled or grilled without additional fat. Salmon, eel, tuna, herring, dried or pickled fish are not allowed. The chicken breast must be removed from the bird.2.    One type of vegetable only to be chosen from the following: spinach, chard, chicory, beet-greens, green salad, tomatoes, celery, fennel, onions, red radishes, cucumbers, asparagus, cabbage.3.    One breadstick (grissino) or one Melba toast.4.    An apple, orange, or a handful of strawberries or one-half grapefruit.Dinner :The same four choices as lunch (above.)The juice of one lemon daily is allowed for all purposes. Salt, pepper,  vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweet basil, parsley, thyme, majoram, etc., may be used for seasoning, but no oil, butter or dressing.Tea, coffee, plain water, or mineral water are the only drinks allowed, but they may be taken in any quantity and at all times.In fact, the patient should drink about 2 liters of these fluids per day. Many patients are afraid to drink so much because they fear that this may make them retain more water. This is a wrong notion as the body is more inclined to store water when the intake falls below its normal requirements.The fruit or the breadstick may be eaten between meals instead of with lunch or dinner, but not more than than four items listed for lunch and dinner may be eaten at one meal.No medicines or cosmetics other than lipstick, eyebrow pencil and powder may be used without special permission.Every item in the list is gone over carefully, continually stressing the point that no variations other than those listed may be introduced. All things not listed are forbidden, and the patient is assured that nothing permissible has been left out. The 100 grams of meat must he scrupulously weighed raw after all visible fat has been removed.  To do this accurately the patient must have a letter-scale, as kitchen scales are not sufficiently accurate and the butcher should certainly not be relied upon. Those not uncommon patients who feel that even so little food is too much for them, can omit anything they wish.There is no objection to breaking up the two meals. For instance having a breadstick and an apple for breakfast or an orange before going to bed, provided they are deducted from the regular meals. The whole daily ration of two breadsticks or two fruits may not be eaten at the same time, nor can any item saved from the previous day be added on the following day. In the beginning patients are advised to check every meal against their diet sheet before starting to eat and not to rely on their memory. It is also worth pointing out that any attempt to observe this diet without HCG will lead to trouble in two to three days. We have had cases in which patients have proudly flaunted their dieting powers in front of their friends without mentioning the fact that they are also receiving treatment with HCG. They let their friends try the same diet, and when this proves to be a failure - as it necessarily must - the patient starts raking in unmerited kudos for superhuman willpower.It should also be mentioned that two small apples weighing as much as one large one never the less have a higher caloric value and are therefore not allowed though there is no restriction on the size of one apple. Some people do not realize that a tangerine is not an orange and that chicken breast does not mean the breast of any other fowl, nor does it mean a wing or drumstick.The most tiresome patients are those who start counting Calories and then come up with all manner of ingenious variations which they compile from their little books. When one has spent years of weary research trying to make a diet as attractive as possible without jeopardizing the loss of weight, culinary geniuses who are out to improve their unhappy lot are hard to take.Editor's Note on Hcg Diet and  vegetable portions:  Dr. Simeons does not specify portions or calories allowed for vegetables specifically. What is usually advised, is to have a normal serving with each meal (and for snacks) while reducing as needed to stay within the allotted daily calorie limit. As an example:  Leafy lettuce (romaine iceberg, spinach) and cabbage 2 cups, asparagus or radishes 1 cup.  For more information, please see the following articles: Hcg Diet Vegetables GuideHcg Diet Foods ListHcg Diet Expanded Foods List Source: Hcg Diet book: Pounds and Inches Read the full article
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Okay for supernatural/demon lads and ghosthunting MC though.... imagine one of their haunted house sleepovers. The guys torn between scaring off the actual hauntings and *also* liking the way MC snuggles up close when spooky sounds and blips on her camera/sound equipment/etc happen.... Maybe a ouija board session at the witching hour where some narc ghost tries to warn her about three demons clinging to her >:Dc
WAAA omg. omg. omg this gave me an idea i had to-
“... The collapse of the roof in 1755 crushed 4 residents of the asylum.” You were deliberately using your spookiest voice, drained of all but the bare essentials of emotion to get the point across, flashlight in hand. “Since the accident they’ve cleared the damage and fixed the ceiling... but some say the spirits of those killed still wander the halls today, trapped not by rubble... but by the pain that binds their energy to this location.” 
You were still amazed at how steadily Skull could hold a camera. Whenever you looked through footage, even the stuff taken when he was walking, it was as if you had it on a professional electronic rig... you honestly had no idea what you’d do without him. It was pretty damn cold in the building, as it was completely derelict and abandoned, with no windows to furnishings to retain heat- only the concrete foundations remained.
“Visitors to the site have reported tapping on the walls, footsteps, shadows in the corridors, and the smell of brick dus-”
At the sound of tapping very nearby on the old plaster asylum wall, you spun around in shock, shining your flashlight...
... On Red, who was grinning like a bastard, rapping his phalanges on the wall.
“... s’pretty sturdy for an old ass wall.” He purred, pulling an ‘innocent’ face and putting his hand back in his pocket.
“hearing creaks and smelling dust in an old building.” Sans said, with his usual unbothered smile, like all this was just a bad haunted house attraction. “shocking. must be ghosts.”
“Oh, sure, act smug now, you’ll be apologising later when I get paranormal activity on camera.” You mumbled, deliberately shining the light into his face for a moment. You removed your spirit box from your pocket, ignoring the little joking vampire-like hissing sound he made.
The spirit box was your prized possession, your favourite method of communicating with spirits. It was a small black device that somewhat resembled an old walkie talkie; its purpose was to rapidly cycle between radio stations, producing static noise that ghosts could communicate directly with you through. It sounded sharp and horrible and always made the ugliest jittering sound, but even just holding it in your hands made you feel more and more excited.
“... I’ve got a device in my hand.” You said, addressing the room, the building... this was the part you never got over. The part where you spoke directly into the darkness that somehow seemed both smoggy and veil-thin, the part where you could almost feel the unseen eyes in the area turn to you. A shiver ran up your spine... you were certain that if you weren’t flanked by the comforting presences of Sans, Red and Skull, you’d chicken out before you could capture any video. “It’s going to play static that’ll allow you to communicate with us. If you want to, please speak, tell us what happened here.”
“geez. i hate this thing...
... You turned it on. Sans pulled a face, but didn’t make any of his usual complaints, which you appreciated. You stood there, waiting, all four of you staring at the device in your hand... it usually took a little while for something to come through so you weren’t expecting-
“ - - D E M O - N S -”
It blurted out of the box, clear as day, the clearest voice you’d ever heard coming from the box with only a slight jitter from the skipping. It sounded like a man. You jumped, your chest and your eyes widening- “Oh my God... I- what did it say? Did you say demons?”
“- E M O N S - - - I - N - -”
Your hands were shaking- he repeated it. Your full attention was on the box now, your heart was starting to pound. “There are demons here? In the building?”
“- YES-”
It was the same voice, giving you clear replies! This was huge! You couldn’t believe it! You were holding the box like it was a winning lottery ticket, just about losing your mind. “What’s your name? Tell me your name.”
“- -  PLE A S E -” 
You didn’t see the expressions on the guys’ faces. You didn’t notice Red and Sans slip away into the dark, too exhilarated to be expecting their usual cutthroat humour and cynicism.
"Where are the demons? Are they in the building? Can you tell me where they are?”
Something came through the box, but it was too mangled by the static, too impossible to make out. “What did you say? Say that again!”
“- W - - TH -” It was like something was interfering with the transmission. “W I T H - Y O U.”
... What?
“... With me?”
“ T H E - S K E L E T - ”
... It turned off.
...
Everything turned off. Your fully charged torch went dead, Skull’s torch went dead, the camera's lights blinked out. Suddenly, all the noise in the world had vanished... it was so, so deafeningly quiet...
... and the only light was Skull’s blood red iris, staring at you.
...
“... All the stuff just...” 
... You looked around the room, trying to see something in the murky darkness, as if searching the shadows for a reason for the sudden powercut to all your individual devices at once.
“... something wrong?” Skull asked. 
His voice was incredibly gentle.
... It was as if a cloud descended over your mind. Suddenly, just like that, you felt like you’d been plunged into a dream. Nothing seemed... real. You couldn’t think, you couldn’t process... a horrible wave of dizziness accompanied the cloud, creeping over you, prickling at your temples and muddying everything that was going in and out of your brain.
“I-I...” You stopped being able to feel your hands or your death grip on the useless flashlight. The pitch black room was beginning to spin, slowly... “I don’t...”
“hm?” 
“Where’s...” Your eyes were darting about. Pounding head, like it’d been stuffed full of cotton... your lips weighed too much, it was hard to speak. “Where... Sans... Red...?”
“... shh... it’s okay.” 
A big hand softly closed over yours. You knew Skull had big hands, that was something you loved about him... but the one that held you was huge. Your tiny appendage was swallowed whole by thick bones with long, cruel claws... it felt like him, but it didn’t... feel like him...
... What’s going on? Where am I?
... The hand gently led you closer, easily moving you like you were little more than a confused child. His eyelight was in view... his huge, red eyelight... your own eyes were stinging, strained, wide and afraid. The other hand moved close to you but you didn’t even have the presence of mind to flinch as it gently brushed hair out of your face... you just stared up into the eyelight.
He had horns. Skull’s silhouette had huge, curved horns.
“it’s alright.” He murmured, cupping you like a precious baby bird. His voice had become distorted, warped... and even in your state of delirium, you were certain it wasn’t from the headache. “you’re with me. you can let go.” 
The dizziness was becoming too much to bear. You couldn’t even focus on his iris anymore, you couldn’t see, you were either going to pass out or be sick. The distant sound of your flashlight hitting the floor... You pressed your eyes shut to relieve the aching, and tried to say something, but it was just a bleary mumble...
“that’s it.” He purred, the hand holding yours instead moving to your back to support your swaying body. You couldn’t open your eyes again... you didn’t want to. It felt so much nicer closed, the discomfort was muffled. “don’t need fight. none of this... ever happened.”
... You were vaguely aware of him catching your tipping body and scooping you up into his arms before everything went completely dark.
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nho-jungle · 3 years
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this is my addition to the hermitcraft propaganda. this is focused at dsmp fans bc i am one. 
hermitcraft is a long running smp that started in 2012. it runs in seasons, with each season lasting around a year, often just over. they are currently on season 8, and started fairly recently. 
the players on hermitcraft tend to change each season, but i have compiled a list of who i think you might enjoy, based off of your favourite dsmp member!
(feel free to add ur own suggestions too!)
IF YOU LIKE... TOMMYINNIT- 
MumboJumbo: have you got ADHD? do you love how tommyinnit says Things and other people get confused? well then MumboJumbo is the hermit for you! he's absolutely absurd. a spoon. he's also over 6ft tall and built like a brick shit house. insane. this man is an enigma. he's also a cinematographer. who even is this guy. (he also does cool redstone builds and always sounds surprised when they work even tho he's been doing this since 2012.)
BdoubleO100: a rabid chihuahua in the body of a human. truly follows that feral energy that makes up tommyinnit. mans built an entire mountain last season and he's doing it again! crazy! he's also the king of sleep. night is a rare phenomenon on hermitcraft, since bdubs starts clicking his bed at the barest hint of sunset. gotta shweep!
Grian: the stereotypical pick. he's the prankster man, everyone seems to think he's pretty childish and he often has the younger brother role even though he's not the youngest on the server. has started/been majorly involved in two wars. had an alter ego called poultry man who would fly around dropping eggs and spawning chickens everywhere.
RANBOO-
Rendog: lore man lore man!!!! he has a bunch of fun and interesting characters and he puts a lot of thought into his episodes, from his builds to his mc skin, to make sure everything comes together perfectly. I don't watch his hermitcraft stuff but I've seen him via other hermit's povs and he rlly does pick a role and throw himself into it. it's amazing.
PHILZA-
EthosLab: do you like anime kinnies? do you like old gods of minecraft? well let me introduce you to ethoslab! i want to study him in a lab. he causes problems on purposes. he builds super random redstone things. he messes with noteblocks. he was head of shennanigans. his minecraft skin is kakashi hatake from naruto. there was a block named after him in the 2013 april fools update (the EthoSlab). who is this man. i think he also has the longest running minecraft lets play. what the heck.
Grian: bird man. good at flying. chaotic bitch. idk some of the vibes are there.
SAPNAP-
Tangotek: crazy redstone man. builds crazy minigames. idk there aren't actually many similarities here other than they're both often associated with fire in fanworks despite not actually having that much to do with it.
FUNDY-
EthosLab: aforementioned anime kinnie. crazy redstone. idk. Zedaph: in season 7 he built a cave of contraptions which contained these amazing redstone machines that found the most complicated and convoluted ways to perform regular tasks, just for the hell of it. what a guy! Iskall85: they're friends :3. that is all. (actually they both just have very similar Vibes. I have no other way to describe it. it's just Vibes).
SCHLATT-
Cubfan135: (specifically season 6). evil capitalist man (/lh). ran a big corporation with scar. they made profit from a war. idk i dont watch cub, thats all i could think of. GoodTimesWithScar: evil capitalist man with cub in season 6. in season 7 he got voted mayor and then started charging the shops to allow them to be accessed from the road. there was also a big "war" over mycelium. fun times. he's actually a very genuine and sweet guy. also his cat jellie is in the game bc he won a competition or smthin. idk man he loves his cat so much. you know what builds belong to scar bc there's just jelies everywhere.
TECHNOBLADE-
FalseSymmetry: okay listen the mcc teams are being announced as I'm typing this so my brain started thinkin mcc and basically they're both well known for being good at pvp. i dont watch false but i know she has a tumblr so i'd trust her with a knife.
Grian: thinkin mcc again. they teamed for mcc pride. you can go watch that if u want to get grians Vibes while still having a dsmp member present for some familiarity. idk.
NIHACHU-
GeminiTay: a lot of ppl say they like niki's streams bc of the comforting vibes and general chill atmosphere, and I think gem matches that pretty well. cy once said she sounds like fluttershy and tbh i sorta agree. shes an awesome builder and insanely smart and even though she's new this season im already incredibly attatched to her.
TUBBO-
Zedaph: aforementioned cave of contraptions rlly fits tubbo's vibe. i think he's going the mad scientist route this season too. Docm77: another mad scientist. already early on he made this super weird lighting farm thing? i dont even know but i've seen the clip and its MAD. even if you dont watch hermitcraft you should check out that individual clip.
FOOLISH-
literally any of them bc i genuinely belive wholeheartedly that foolish would fit perfectly on hermitcraft if he could manage not to swear. (altho maybe cub bc last season he build a giant pyramid.)
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You think that the birds in hatoful boyfriend have pets like we do? Because i cant stop thinking about an adorable Robin with a massive St Bernard being dragged across the field and everybirdies like:
"Oh, there's Steve again walking Lucky"
Short answer: Big Yes, but they're probably not super common. Your little Robin is totally plausible, and likely!
Long answer: Okay, so we see that the birds in Hatoful absolutely do have the "Pet" instinct to take care of animals of other species. 1. Because irl birds do this too, especially chickens who are kind of famous for fostering kittens and other such wildly incompatible species. And 2. Ryuuji's reaction to Miru and Kaku. They serve no purpose really, aren't birds, and aren't actually his kids. But he takes them in like they are. That's the pet instinct right there! So the Hatoful birds DO have that in common with humans. Real life birds are also very social, and tend to enjoy physical bonding like snuggling and preening eachother. That is perfect for wanting pets.
So why do we not see any actual pets over the course of the games? Well, let's consider common human pets for a second.
Dogs - Potentially WAY bigger and stronger than birds, no matter which of their canon suggested sizes. Some breeds are even bred specifically to hunt birds. They'd probably be pretty difficult to keep, since they may regard birds as prey, and are so much bigger and stronger, and thus difficult to safely control. Probably a bit like having a big cat as a pet as a human, so mostly for the very brave.
Cats - Well, obviously cats eat birds. That's kind of a no-go right out the gate.
Mice or rats - A LOT of birds eat mice or rats, and rats also eat smaller birds. Again, weird food chain relationships there, as well as potentially serious danger if the birds are actually bird sized. I'd be willing to bet on mice still being commonly eaten in the Hatoful world, they're probably considered livestock. Food animals, not pets.
Snakes - Again, commonly eat birds. A hard no-go if the birds are bird sized, but a pretty solid contender if the birds are human sized like in the manga! Although, snakes are usually terrarium pets, and not a free reign in the house, snuggle them up kind of pets like cats and dogs are.
You'll run into these same kinds of problems with, like, basically any animal you can think of. This is because our pet animals were domesticated to be partners for humans. The birds in Hatoful simply haven't been around long enough to have domesticated any companion animals of their own yet. Existing companion animals were domesticated by and for humans. They simply aren't going to be very good partners, their needs and lifestyles are too different. So basically, all pets are going to be the same for birds as exotic pets are for us. They're functionally undomesticated. But we still keep exotic pets, and birds will too! Probably common pets for birds will differ a bit from common pets for us, since they'll naturally bond with animals with similar needs and lifestyles (like humans and dogs both being social diurnal omnivores)
I bet if you fast forwarded the Hatoful timeline to like, a couple hundred years ahead, you'd find a bunch of new domestic breeds of whatever animal wound up falling into that place. Super fascinating stuff!!
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sweetestlamb · 3 years
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If You Leave Me Now
Summary: Ms. Oh’s letter gives Cha-young courage to say what’s in her heart. 
Author’s Note: Back with another Chayenzo fic and surprisingly no angst this time, today’s episode inspired me to write this. Also fulfilled my Chayenzo fic prompt, this is what you call efficiency ladies and gents LOL I wanted to write sweet emotionally stunted Vinny and brave CY trying to let him know that he deserves love, hope you enjoy! 
She doesn’t know what she had been expecting from the letter, initially she had thought it would simply be a thank you note-though it was unnecessary Ms. Oh was always very grateful and seemed to think that her mere existence was a nuisance to those around her. The woman had been so beaten down by life and she feels a sense of pride that her father spent all these years caring for someone that all others had all but thrown away after destroying her. She would never be as intrinsically good and right as her late father, she had too much blood and bad deeds on her hands to be sanctified but helping the powerless, she had enough heart left to see that this was something she cared about.
She had spent years following her mother’s untimely death hardening herself and convincing herself that others didn’t matter to her. She was an island and she needed no one else. This was her mantra as she worked her way up the social ladder at Wusang and purchased more and more temporary happiness in the form of bags and pretty suits, materialism filled the void that was left by her lack of any true love in her life.
She gently folds back up the letter, letting the tears cascade down her cheeks the words still tugging at her heart.
The woman had come to terms with her fate, knowing that while we are all essentially dying each day her days were numbered and their was an expiration date lingering in the imminent future. But it wasn’t those words that made her cry it was the words she has never seen coming.
It seemed the only people they were lying to were each other.
Ms. Oh knew.
Had known all this time and hadn’t deigned herself worthy of revealing the secret and getting the opportunity to hear that sacred word that only one person could anoint her with.
Eomeoni. 
“It’s enough that I get to see him. He has grown up so well without me.” 
It must have been torture for the poor woman to see the very son she had given away and not be able to hold him or hear his voice as he called her mother, her smile never quite reached her eyes when he called her Ms. Oh. It was as if she was quietly waiting and suffering for the day when he would slip and reveal their true relationship but if her partner was anything he was steadfast and stubborn. He wouldn’t be saying a word, at least without a nudge. 
His words echo in her memory, “People like me don’t deserve love.”  
it was such bullshit and cop out but she recognized it for what it was, a convenient shield from his feelings. If he believed that he didn’t have any right to love then he would avoid the pain that came from loving someone, the expectations and the vulnerability. 
Squeezing the papers between her shivering fingers she grabs her phone before she can second guess herself, his number is the most recent in her call list. She had called him earlier today to see what he wanted to eat for breakfast tomorrow, it was his day to choose she had chosen last time. 
The phone only rings once before he’s answering, his voice is warm honey through the speaker she knows he is laying down in his ridiculously expensive silk pajamas. She absently wonders how it would feel on her skin. 
“Hmm what is it?” He answers groggily, sounding sleepy but patient and she can detect no annoyance at her calling so late, instead he sounds concerned and she can hear the faint sounds of him moving. 
“I’m okay. You don’t need to get dressed.” He sighs in response, the sounds of movement fading and then it’s silent except the faint coos of Inzaghi in the background. “is Inzaghi keeping you up again? Maybe you should get someone to get rid of him?” 
“No! How could I-- I mean no, it’s fine. His coos don’t bother me anymore. I find them soothing.” He replies more passionately than she had expected, he had been many hours cursing the pigeon in the past much to her chagrin but lately it was like he had found a new appreciation for the bird. It was weird. It wasn’t like the bird had saved him or something ludicrous like that so she had no idea why he was behaving like this. 
“Okay.” 
“What’s wrong? Why are you calling so late?” He hums on the other line, sounds of the kitchen reaching her ears now, he’s probably making tea he wasn’t much of a fan before but it had slowly grown on him.  She had obnoxiously bought him a huge box of tea while she had been staying with him after he’d told her how he only enjoyed coffee- real coffee not the garbage she drank, she forced him to drink them with her every morning until he started making them on his own much to her amusement. 
“Drink the chamomile tea, it’ll help you fall asleep.” 
After a small pause he answers, “I don’t have trouble falling asleep.” 
He lies and she doesn’t call him out, both recalling that night he had woken up sweaty and panicked after a dream. She hadn't questioned him seeing the terror on his face, knowing it wasn’t the right time. She had quietly made him tea and stayed up until he fell asleep, tucking the blanket more snuggly around him. 
She listens as the kettle whistles signaling it’s readiness and suddenly she feels ready too, despite the consequences. 
“Are you still planning on leaving Korea after you get the gold?” She asks suddenly, a familiar fear pressing on her chest the longer he goes without answering her and she can almost see his face- his wide eyes and the purposeful stoic look firmly in place. 
“Why do you keep asking me that?” His voice is tired, desperately so and she can hear the hidden message, “why are you making me face my emotions?” and honestly she doesn’t know why herself, she has never been one to face her own emotions not with matters of the heart. She spent years pretending not to need her father’s approval or love whilst secretly pining and desperate for any attention from him even though she had been the one to push him away first. 
It’s your fault she’s dead! 
With those vicious words she had ripped her father’s beating heart from his chest and stomped on it with her stiletto heels. Then she had joined Wusang and fought against him, using money and influence to snuff out the hope of innocent people. Maybe Vincenzo was right and people like them didn’t deserve love. 
But she was greedy and entitled and others might see that as a flaw but she didn’t care, she wanted this and she deserved it. 
“Because I want you to stay.” 
There’s no taking it back, the truth is now out there suspended between them and she can hear his gasp on the other line, she’s caught him off guard. Hell, he’s not the only one but she has already shot herself in the foot so there’s no turning back now. 
She’s all in. 
“I like you.” That’s a lie, the feelings she has for him have mowed past “like” a long time ago and are dangerously close to another L word she’s too chicken shit to admit to him or herself, she has some sense of self preservation and despite those lips devouring her own and stealing any doubts she had about his reciprocation of her feelings, she knows that he is scared of this and he could push her away in some blindsided decision to keep her safe. 
“Wh--what?” He stutters out dumbfounded and far less eloquent than the smooth mafia member she has come to know. 
It makes her smile softly, she feels honored to get to see this side of him. A side that he only shows to her. 
“I’m happy that you came to Korea and that we met. That you met my father and for a little while you were on his side. That you accepted me after everything and that you have never judged me. Meeting you as been the best luck I’ve ever stumbled on, Vincenzo Cassano.” 
The silence is deafening and she vaguely wonders if he has hung up too overwhelmed with her sudden confession and fleeing instead but the screen still says his name, “Corn Salad” when she pulls it back to peer at the screen. 
“I know you don’t think you belong here in Korea, you don’t think it’s your home. But I’m learning that home doesn’t have to be a place, it can be people too and the feeling you get around them. You showed me that.” Her heart is thundering now but she feels relieved to say this out loud too, if anything were to happen to either one of them it would break her if he never knew how she felt, what he meant to her. 
“Me? I showed you that?” He whispers stunned and she can hear the soft rustle of him sitting down, had she made him weak in the knees? She can only hope so. 
“Yes. I have lived here my whole life but I never felt as seen or accepted until I met you. You feel like home.” 
“Cha-young ah.” 
She waits to see if there will be more but that’s all he says, her name like it’s a sermon. It’s the first time he has called her by her first name despite how close they’ve grown in the past months. It sounds like music to her ears, not that opera noise he’s always listening to despite her complaining-loudly- each time she comes over but real music, the kind you would put on during those summer days where you let your hair whip in the breeze. The kind that remains in your heart even after summer has long ended and fall creeps around the corner with a cool entrance. 
“I’m happy you’re here and I want this to be your home now. I don’t want you to run away, we both want you to stay.” 
His breath is erratic over the line, even more so than when she had found him injured in the underpass. She lets him process her words giving him time that nobody else has ever received from her in the past, with him she wants to be someone who can be patient, he is worth the wait. 
“Why are you telling me all this? Why now?” He pleads sounding tortured and when he sniffles she wants nothing more than to reach through the phone and wrap him up in her arms, he sounds so young and confused. 
“I don’t want to have any regrets. Not with you.” She answers honestly, the letter staring at her from the table words catching her eyes. 
“I can’t let him know how much he means to me. I know it is not my place to ask this but please love him dearly and let him know he is important and needed everyday. Letting him go was my biggest regret, I hope you will be stronger than I was.” 
Like she had a choice anyway, she had told herself many times that she shouldn’t have feelings for him but every time she saw him smile or watched him torture someone to get them closer to taking down Babel all of her logic went out the window and she couldn’t help but imagine a life for them after this was all over. Korea, Italy, Malta, it didn't matter where they went as long as they were together. She had no intention of letting him go, not without a fight. 
 If that made her a villian so be it, he had been the one to train her how to be one in the first place. 
“You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know how I feel about you. I’m sorry if I kept you up.” 
A long pause follows her apology and with a sigh she goes to end the call, he hadn’t outright rejected her and that was more than she had been expecting. She would regroup and make a thorough presentation of why they belonged together and why exactly he should either stay in Korea or let her go with him after they defeated those corrupt scumbags. 
“It’s okay. I couldn’t sleep anyway.” He admits, forgetting his earlier denial of this very fact. 
“Are you drinking the tea?” 
“Yes, I am. You left so many of them here. I told you I’m not a tea drinker.” He states contrary with the loud slurping she hears over the phone. 
If she were anyone else his seeming dismissal through ignoring her confession would be heart breaking but she knows him too well now, is too aware of the dark inner workings of his mind and much he is overthinking every word she has uttered and cataloguing every reason that they shouldn’t be together, her safety is most likely top of the list. Old habits die hard and regardless of her constantly telling him that they should face everything together, she knows that there is still a lot that he hides from her in a guise of protecting her. His story about a nail pulling his suit plays out in her head. 
“Tea is best for insomnia. Get some rest, I’ll see you tomorrow.” 
She hangs up first, staring at the picture she had sneakily taken of him when he had been distracted in the office. It had been a long day and he had abandoned his jacket and loosened his tie, a sign that the day had taken its toll on him. She didn’t know what came over her but she found herself picking up her phone and snapping a picture of his side profile, he looked so handsome. When he had looked up and seen her on the phone, she pretended to be texting someone and walked away, her heart racing until he shrugged and looked away. 
“I won’t give up on you Vincenzo Cassano.” She promises, putting the letter back into the envelope and making her way to the bathroom to complete her nightly routines. 
Face scrubbed and teeth brushed to minty perfection, she walks across the moonlit room tugging down the sheets and crawling in, being so open and honest had been emotionally exhausting. 
The things she did for him. 
Getting comfortable in her bed she reaches out to plug in her phone to charge, but the tiny envelope icon on her phone catches her attention, she must have received a message while she was in the bathroom. Curious, she swipes her phone open before clicking on the message, she tells herself not to be too hopeful it’s probably not him and she’s going to be disappointed when it’s just a telemarketer trying to get her to switch tv providers. 
“Oh,” She stares at the message, the light from the phone the sole source of illumination in the dark room besides the moon glowing through her curtains. She has no words, no thoughts either all she can do is feel and even that is difficult with too many varying emotions raging war in her body. She had tried her damnest not to expect anything, knew that he wasn’t ready to face his feelings and he might never be able to say how he felt about her, his actions would have to be enough. She would have accepted it as enough, having him was more than enough. 
But as the message stares up at her, she realizes she had been lying to herself when the wave of unfiltered joy that crashes over her washes away her sandcastles of lies. 
You are already my home.  
It’s not the passionate confessions that are glorified in dramas, there’s no rain or dramatic slowing down of time, he hasn’t even said those coveted three oh so special words; on the surface he has barely said anything at all but to her his words are a blanket on a cold wintery day,  she has only ever wanted someone to stay and now she has found that. 
Loving him feels like coming home. 
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Writeblr Introduction (even though I’ve been here for 6 years oops)
Hi folks! I’ve been posting writeblr content to this blog for over 6 years, but haven’t done a formal introduction since my very first post! So here we go!
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(Image description: a photo of a pale blue to orange sunset above a field of green plants and trees that line an embankment. Written on the sky in a green serif font reads “rachel’s writeblr intro” /end ID)
About Me
I am a 19-year-old (nearly 20 oml) writer from Toronto!
I started this blog, Coffee and Calligraphy, when I was 13, and have posted ever since!
I love: green tea, true crime, highlight bloom (lol)
I am also: an artist, a guitarist, a graphic designer, a photographer, and a YouTuber (I make writing vlogs, craft vids, book cover design speedpaints, and more)!
My writing background
I’ve been writing for 7 years. I started writing YA dystopian but now primarily write adult literary fiction (though I do have a few genre WIPs in the works). I also write and publish poetry.
I’ve written 10 books and am at work on the eleventh (and twelfth, and thirteenth, oops)!
I will be entering my third year as a creative writing undergrad at a Canadian university in the fall.
My writing has been published in magazines across Canada such as Minola Review, Grain Magazine, The Malahat Review, Augur Magazine, carte blanche, filling Station (forthcoming) and elsewhere!
My WIPs
Just a reminder: This is my original work and plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated.
Feeding Habits
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(Image description: a photo of 8 sheep in a field positioned toward a tree line with the text “Feeding Habits” written in an all-caps cream serif font on top /end ID)
Feeding Habits is my eleventh novel, and the second book of the Moth Work series, which is a spinoff of my six-book series, Fostered.
Genre: Adult literary fiction/contemporary/romance/LGBTQ+
POV: Third person, present tense.
Status: Currently drafting
Logline: Lonan, stuck in a toxic relationship, and Harrison, disappointed by his New York City restart, find themselves on separate trajectories toward inevitable isolation until Lonan finds purpose in helping out an old friend, and Harrison realizes his dull reboot could be revitalized if he seeks out what—or who—is missing.
You can read more about it HERE, where all the writing updates are linked.
Seventh Virtue
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(Image description: a photo of two ravens in profile, each facing the other with the text “Seventh Virtue” written in a navy blue all-caps serif font on top /end ID)
Seventh Virtue is my thirteenth novel (if I do finish it!) and an alternate-reality spinoff of the Fostered series. So, the same characters, but in a different world!
Genre: Adult urban fantasy
POV: Third person, present tense.
Status: Currently drafting
Logline: After being tormented by nightmares of his ex-lover Lonan, Harrison seeks a magical intervention from old friend, Reeve. When she reveals she and Lonan are members of the Seventh Roost, one of seven magical families that coincide with the 7 Virtues and 7 Capital Sins, she also unveils another secret: Lonan is part Virtue, the immortal bird that represents each house, and her family is holding him captive in hopes of extrapolating his power. Harrison must choose to continue life as he knows it or rekindle relationships he thought he’d left behind to save someone he once loved.
She is Also Dead
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(Image description: a photo of a woman in a pool floating face-up with the text “She is Also Dead” written in a white all-caps serif font on top /end ID)
She is Also Dead is my twelfth book and my first short story collection.
Genre: Adult literary fiction, short fiction
Status: Currently drafting, 14 stories
Logline: In SHE IS ALSO DEAD, a small town turns murderous when their local invasive species, the Janices, begin dying. A child struggles to understand her mother’s suicide. A mother acknowledges her daughter’s homicidal tendencies after her backyard chickens mysteriously die, and a murderous brother and sister upkeep their yearly tradition of abducting a young girl. These stories follow characters who navigate death, violent impulses, womanhood, and loss, both self-imposed and otherwise.
If you’d like to keep updated on my short stories, I tag all relevant posts HERE.
That’s it for me! Welcome if you’re new here, and hello again if you’ve been here for a while! Look out for new content soon.
--Rachel
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bomberqueen17 · 2 years
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layers of mild pain
So yesterday was the final chicken processing day of the season. Yay! We were all excited to be done. The workload on the farm drops significantly once the meat chickens are all gone. And it usually coincides with other reductions in livestock, too. Most of the employees are only here April to October; we’ll lose two people at the end of the week. The only two who’ve really stuck around, alas. Including the one who lives in the cabin on the back of the property, so then that reduces traffic and crowdedness on the farm, and also reduces worry, though this year as there hasn’t been any snow or frost yet it hasn’t been so bad. (There comes a time when the road’s impassable to cars, so.) 
cut for discussion of chicken processing, animal death etc, though nothing particularly gory I don’t think but just best to elide here
Unfortunately, we had one person out sick, one person out due to weather (couldn’t ride her bike in the rain), and one person out due to new mom problems (her infant didn’t sleep so neither did she). And we had a full slate of chickens-- not just the normal complement of broilers, we also were culling the laying flock a little. Not actually hens-- we used an incubator to hatch out a batch of laying hens and of course 50% of them were male, so we were culling those unneeded cockerels to reduce crowding over the winter. While we were at it, we thinned out the number of roosters in the main flock, as there are more than necessary in there and if there are too many they just fight each other. (You do need roosters-- for one if you want to incubate any more those need to be fertile eggs, but for another, in a big pastured flock the roosters do important crowd control and predator deterrence-- if they’re good roosters. Your backyard flock doesn’t need roosters but for our purposes they’re useful to have about.)
They were such a pain in the ass. The young cockerels were hard enough to deal with-- they’re built so narrow and spare-- but the mature roosters, crikey. They’re just. A meat chicken is a young bird bred for fast growth, and as such is just this pile of soft meat. A mature chicken from an egg-laying breed-- I mean those guys have been out there for over a year now-- anyway they’re put together pretty solidly. It is hard as heck to get their organs out of their bodies. Also chickens have internal testicles that in many cases are as large as, or larger than, their hearts, and they’re attached real firmly to the spine pretty directly, and it’s, well. a lot. (The meat chickens are so young at processing time their reproductive systems haven’t really developed so it’s not a big deal.)
So that got us off to a slow start in the evisceration room and we just spent the entire rest of the morning trying to catch up. We had a good enough time, but there was just-- a lot of work to do.
And then yet one more person begged off for packaging; the assistant livestock manager has already gone very part-time, and he had started a new medication on top of that and had to go lie down. So I had to do two jobs at packaging, and Sister already does three or four jobs so she was just running around like a crazy person, and I had to do those two jobs plus locating and cleaning various equipment we needed (mostly tubs to transport quite a lot of the meat directly to a freezer storage facility tomorrow-- the tubs are resting in the walk-in cooler right now but as we rarely use them I had to start off by locating matched sets of tubs and lids and anyway it was a lot.)
Also also my period had started at 3am the night before, with severe enough cramps to wake me from a sound sleep, so. I was already sore and today i’m like sore-on-sore and would like to lie down for a while.
We finished at like. 5:45. And I did a halfassed job cleaning the slaughterhouse floor but this morning it actually seemed pretty good so I’m wondering if the fairies helped me out, or if the rodents that sometimes steal cracked eggs did me a solid and picked up the organ bits there too, or if it just wasn’t as dirty as I remembered when I gave up and left it.
So.... it could be naptime, that’d be keen, but it’s not. At least I’m sitting right now, which I appreciate. Spent the early morning putting the kid onto the bus and then going and really tidying the slaughterhouse, putting the tools away for the season, refilling the soap and bleach sprayers. I might go out a bit later and actually put everything away for winter, as we won’t need it again until turkey processing time in late November and it’d be best to have it all buttoned up. But also I have to do lunch and I’m tired and I just want to sit here a minute.
I have to make lunch too, and it’s gotta be vegan, and I think it’s just going to be a whole pile of roasted vegetables since that’s what’s getting harvested today-- the winter storage stuff. I have a huge rutabaga sitting here and I’m not sure how one actually prepares one but when in doubt cube it and put it in the oven for an hour.
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My ‘unhealthy’ chickens
My blog has a lot of cute chicken photos on it, and sometimes I get comments such as “wow I want a chicken like that!” Which is lovely! I’m glad to spread the chicken love! However I want to take a second to address this. Just like with dogs, there are many breeds of chicken which are unhealthy and have health consequences because of this. I have a couple of birds like this. I just want to make people aware that if they seriously want a bird like this, to take into account what health issues may come with them.
Sooty - Frizzle feathers
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Sooty is a fan favourite, and one of my favourites too. I do admit that I love the frizzle feather gene, it just looks so cool! However frizzle feathering causes some issues and I didn’t intentionally get a frizzle, Sooty hatched from a mystery egg. Her Dad was the only frizzle in the flock, with 13 other roosters, so she was a surprise to say the least!
Weather intolerance: Due to the feathers sticking out like that, birds can’t warm up in the cold since their feathers don’t provide a protective barrier and body heat escapes. This also means they have no natural shelter from rain and wind. Sooty doesn’t have to worry about any of this, it’s never cold where I live and she lives inside. She really struggles in the heat, however that’s likely due to her leg and foot feathering which I’ll discuss later, rather than the frizzle feathering.
Flight: Birds can’t fly well, since their primary wing feathers are curled or brittle. This puts them at risk of leg and spinal injuries if they try to fly from too large a height. Sooty did severe nervous damage to her spine when she was 8 weeks old, causing her to become paralysed in the legs for 3 months. Thankfully, she fully recovered after 5 months of physiotherapy.
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Sooty’s wings look like this. Not all frizzle feathered birds have flights this poor, however it is a potential consequence of the feather type.
Communication: Another issue frizzle feathers cause is communication within a flock. Sooty used to get pecked a lot by her top hen Kath, because Kath thinks Sooty is always challenging her to fight! Chickens use their neck feathers, called hackle feathers, to communicate a whole bunch of things. From fear, to aggression, to even asking another flock member to clean their feathers. Since frizzle feathers stick out like that, the bird struggles to move them into the positions used for communication so can’t talk to their flock very well. Sooty’s curled hackle feathers make it look like she’s always challenging another hen to a fight
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You can see how those raised hackles kinda look like Sooty’s ‘mane’ of curled neck feathers! Thankfully, Sooty is second in command and her head hen, Kath, seems to have learnt that Sooty just looks like that! So she doesn’t get attacked very frequently anymore.
Unethical breeding: The gene which causes frizzle feathers in homozygous form (two copies of the gene) also causes serious issues. These birds are called Frazzles or ‘over frizzled’ and their feathers are very weak, often falling out and leaving the bird naked. It can be painful for them, and if they’re left outside, they certainly wouldn’t survive. Therefore frizzles should never be bred together. To breed frizzles you should use a frizzle feathered bird with a smooth feathered bird. However, this means you hatch only 50% frizzles, so some unethical breeders breed frizzle x frizzle to reduce the amount of smooth feathered birds they get.
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A Frazzle chicken
Heart failure: These feathers have also been linked with enlarged hearts, increasing risk of heart failure. Since the feathers cause loss of body heat, it causes an increase in metabolism and other physiological functions to keep the body temperature at the appropriate level. This means the heart has to work harder, increasing its size and putting more strain on it. Sooty tires out easier, and when she used to be out ranging she’d frequently come inside to sleep on the couch while her flock was still outside having fun. I could see this putting them more at risk of predation, since if they’re already tired they don’t have the same stamina of another bird to flee a predator.
Solo - Heavy foot/leg feathering
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Not the most flattering photo of her but the best one I have to show her foot feathering! As you can see she was quite cranky with me! She’s a Silkie X Pekin, which are both breeds known to have heavily feathered legs. There are many breeds with healthy foot feathering, such as Langshans
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But some like the show-type Pekin bantam, have a number of issues associated with their foot feathering. Here’s a Pekin in comparison to the Langshan above
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As you can see the feathering is much much heavier!
Mobility: Very heavy leg and foot feathering significantly reduces mobility. The large feathers make it harder to move toes, making perching more difficult, and are a tripping hazard. Solo is always tripping over, stumbling, and ‘shuffling’ when she walks since her feet impair her movement a significant amount. I’m probably going to cut her foot feathers off so she can move about easier. They’d never hindered her movement until now, this molt they grew in humongous for some reason. Obviously having a built in tripping hazard isn’t a good idea, since it predisposes the bird to a higher risk of leg injuries.
Thermotegulation: As mentioned above, legs and feet are very important in helping a bird regulate their temperature. Lightly feathered legs like the Langshan has don’t have this issue, since the bird has majority of its foot free to cool down with. Heavily feathered legs like the pekin provide little surface area to cool down with, so the birds can really struggle in hot weather. Solo is one of our least heat tolerant birds, and she thankfully has wattles and a comb unlike poor Silkies!
Cleanliness: Heavily feathered feet get disgusting! They’re more prone to getting dirty and are harder for the birds to keep clean. Solo always has poop, sticks, food, mud, and all sorts of other gunk crusted into her foot feathering. I have to clean them quite frequently so that she doesn’t get bacterial build up.
Other health ailments: In my experience, heavily feathered feet tend to be a beacon for related leg and foot health issues. We don’t have to worry about this where I live, but foot feathers can get wet in snow and heighten frostbite risk for toes. Although I don’t have to worry about the cold, sadly these foot feathers also have heat related issues! I live in a sub-tropical environment, so humidity levels get pretty high here. Bacteria loves humidity. Solo has had a bad case of Bumblefoot which was really hard to treat due to this humidity. Sweep, another bird with heavy foot feathering, has had 2 cases of bumblefoot now. I’ve never had a clean-legged bird get bumblefoot, so it’s definitely linked to trapping bacteria and humidity. I haven’t had to deal with this parasite myself, but apparently feather-legged breeds are more prone to Scaly-leg mite too.
Cujo - Heavy layer breeds
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Cujo is a Hamburg, sometimes referrred to as ‘Everlayers’ since they have a reputation for reliably laying an egg every day. They rarely go broody, and if they do are very easy to dissuade. I am very against production breeds if they’re not within an agricultural industry, where they have a purpose, since it tragically shortens their lives so much. The Hamburgs lay on average 200 eggs annually, which isn’t too bad and makes them a healthier layer breed, but it’s certainly heavier laying than most of the other breeds I have. Cujo is actually very healthy, I took great care in picking a breeder to get her from and most of his birds are lighter layers than they ‘should’ be. Cujo was laying 3-4 eggs a week before her current molt, much better than the 5-7 her breed has a reputation for.
Heart failure: One of the most frequent ends to laying birds is heart failure. Their bodies are under so much stress to make an egg every day that their bodies eventually just give up, usually from heart failure.
They don’t go broody: A lot of people don’t like broody hens, since they stop laying and sit on their nest all day, however I really like them. A broody hen gets a much needed break from laying eggs! Some breeds continue to lay eggs over winter, and some birds don’t stop laying when they molt if it’s a light one. So broodies give the bird a choice to stop laying and sit on eggs when she wants, if she didn’t get a break over winter or molt. Breeding this behaviour out of production breeds contributes to their issues, since they can’t take that break.
Shortened life span: Due to the strain mass egg production puts on their bodies, average lifespan is 3-4 years compared to the 6-10+ of healthy heritage breeds. I had a utility leghorn as a pet many years ago, her heart tragically gave out on her one day while I wasn’t home. She was dirtbathing in her favourite spot when it happened, so I hope to think it was a peaceful end. She was only 2 years old.
Reproductive complications: Heavy layer breeds are more prone to experiencing issues with their reproductive tract. This includes cancers, tumours, prolapses, egg binding, and egg yolk peritonitis (infection). They’re also more prone to nutrient deficiencies, especially with calcium, since it takes so much out of them to lay eggs. This is easily preventable with a balanced diet, however if calcium deficiency does occur the hen can suffer from brittle bones.
Sweep - Aggressive breeds
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Now Sweep isn’t nearly as bad as this title frames her to be, but it’s still worth a mention. We can only guess what her parentage is since she came from mystery eggs, but we think Sweep is an Old English Game cross Pekin. In Australia, Old English Game are a hyper aggressive breed. They were bred for the cruel sport of cockfighting, where two roosters are forced to fight to the death. Thankfully this sport is now criminalised, but nobody bred the aggressiveness out of this breed.
Injury risk: hyper aggressive breeds pose a greater risk of injury mainly to other flock mates, but also to themselves. These birds often antagonise others despite there not really being a reason to, resulting in more fighting, disharmony, and injury within a flock. If another bird is stronger than them and gets sick of their shit, they themselves could be seriously hurt since they often don’t know when to back down from a fight like non-aggressive birds do. Sweep has to be housed separate from my main flock with her mother, Solo for company. She has tried many times to outrank birds in my main flock but her fighting is very brutal compared to the normal pecking order fights. She aims for the eyes, and came close to blinding a bird once before, I can’t risk that sort of injury.
Mortality risk: continuing on from that first point, some individuals will take their aggressiveness too far and kill fellow flock mates. What might start out as a simple pecking order fight can turn very bloody and very brutal with these breeds fast. Roosters can kill hens and hens can kill hens. This obviously should never happen in well bred, good tempered birds. I do not say this jokingly when I say that Sweep and Sooty would kill each other if I let them. They’re both Pekin X Old English, and although Sooty is good with other birds, she’s terrible with Sweep. I’m hoping Sweep will mellow with age (she’s currently 2) and I can integrate her and Solo as part of Blossom’s flock.
Social interaction: I think this is something a lot of people don’t seem to consider, but having hyper aggressive birds which have to be housed seperate will obviously hugely impact upon their social needs. It doesn’t matter how aggressive the bird is, a chicken is, and always will be, a social animal. They need companionship, and while this can be provided by us, it’s easiest to provide it with other chickens. Keeping a social animal by itself, never letting it interact with others, and not providing that companionship yourself is incredibly inhumane in my opinion. It doesn’t matter if that bird is incapable of interacting without trying to kill the others, the fact is that this animal is still hardwired to live in a social group. By breeding such aggressive animals, it’s very cruel since it deprives them of such a basic need.
Now this post isn’t to say people can’t get a breed if they like it but it has health consequences, because something like those heavy foot feathers don’t cause the bird any harm or pain in itself, it’s just a consequence of poor management. So if you’re willing to do the work to ensure those features don’t hinder the animals quality of life, then excellent! Go ahead and get those basketball-shaped Pekin lads! This post was merely a reminder to think critically and research any animal/breed before you get them, and to make sure you’re prepared for any future consequences or adjustments for that animal/breed. Sooty and Solo need fans set up on their pens during the Summer, Sweep needs a seperate coop, and all three need adjusted perches and weekly foot health checks because of their heavily feathered feet. Once again, the importance of you screening for ethical, responsible breeders is crucial when deciding to bring a new family member home.
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Thanks for reading!
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enhypenwriters · 3 years
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It All Started With A Bang
☆Pairing: Niki X Reader
☆Genre: Fluff, Lil Angst
☆Warnings: Minor injury..?
☆Synopsis: What happens when you finally interact with your long time crush?
☆Word Count: 3.8k
By Admin Anna🦦
——————
How to do describe Niki? Perfection? God’s work? Talented? All of the above was your answer. You had never talked to him. You always wanted to start a conversation, but were too shy. This is the guy you had been crushing for a year and a half now. Niki and his friends were know for their looks and dancing skills. He was friends with a lot of older boys who were in the dance team with him. You on the other hand weren’t very popular. You had friends, but didn’t run with the “popular” crew. You had the blessing of seeing Niki a few times a day, as you guys were locker buddies.
-
The last bell of the day finally rang. You had a sigh of relief. You walked to your locker and saw your friend, Lena. “Hey Y/N!” You smiled in response. “So...what are doing after school today?” “Umm....I gotta do my homework.” You said as you put your things away. “Come on...you need to have fun in life and live a little.” You closed your locker and looked her, “I also want to finish school.” You teased.
Looking at Lena and not in front of you, you ran in to the locker door next you. It made a bang sound that silenced the crowed hallway. “Owww...” you groaned rubbing your nose. “Are you okay?” Lena worried. “Oh my gosh! Are you okay?” You heard a voice in front of you say. You opened your eyes and saw Niki himself. You froze, “Uhhh...” was all that came out. Niki kept staring at you, “Hello?” He waved his hand. You snapped to back reality. You looked at Lena and bolted down the hallway. “Y/N WAIT!”
-
Niki just stood there. He turned around and saw Jungwon and Sunghoon walking up to him. “Why is everyone staring at you?” Sunghoon asked. “I accidentally hit Y/N with my locker door and when I asked if she was okay...she ran away...?” Jungwon raised an eyebrow “What...? Why would you hit her?” “It’s not like I did it on purpose!”
-
Once you were out of the school gates you dropped to the floor. “Oh my gosh....that was so embarrassing.” Lena snickered. She had known about your crush on Niki for while. “Well you interacted with him.” Lena teased. “It’s better than your usual of just staring from afar.” You glared at her, “Let’s go.”
-
You woke up the loud sound of your phone alarm. You groaned. After the incident with Niki you never wanted to show your face in school again. You stumbled to the bathroom. You brother came out just as you walked in. “Why is you face uglier than usual?” He said walking past you. You were used to comments like that so you just ignored him, until you saw yourself in the mirror. You had a red bump the bridge of your nose. You sighed and decided to put a bandaid over hoping it would conceal it a little bit.
When you got to school, you and your brother parted ways. You two had one rule: at school you don’t know each other. As you walked you hoped you wouldn’t see Niki. You successfully made it to class. You sat down next to Lena. “Hey Y/N!” She chirped. “Is your nose okay?” You nodded. “Are you okay?” You put your head down, “No....” you muttered “I’m beyond mortified....I mean who runs into a locker and then runs away?” “You do.” She replied. You and Lena had a very playful friendship. You had known her since you were eight. You knew she never meant any harm in her teasing.
“Hey, did you hear for gym we have another class joining us.” She said changing the subject. You shook your head, “Why?” “Mr. J is absent today.” You hummed in response and let roll off your back.
-
You and Lena had all but two class together. Luckily gym was one you had with her. Which was good because she could safe you from embarrassing yourself. You two walked out of the locker room and into the gymnasium. When you walked in you saw the class that was joining yours. You saw Niki among the other people. You stopped and walked right back out. “Y/N?” Lena followed you. “What’s wrong?” “Niki’s in Mr. J’s class!” She looked back in and looked back at you, “You’ll be fine. Just try to avoid him.” She linked your arms together and dragged you back in.
Ms. K blew her whistle behind the class. “Alright class, as you can see today we have Mr. J’s class with us. Today we will be doing laps on the track. Once you complete ten, you may walk around or go play basketball.”
To your luck Niki hadn’t noticed you yet. When you arrive at the track everyone gathered at the starting line. When Ms. K blew her whistle everyone started.
You and Lena were on your tenth lap when Niki saw you and called your name. You looked at Lena with a panicked face. “Just run!” You whispered to her. As you ran faster. Niki stopped and just stood there confused.
-
“Yo! Niki over here.” Jake called out in the cafeteria. Even though his closest friends were in other grades, he still got to see them at lunch and during Dance Club. He sat down next to Sunoo. “So what new bro?” Jay asked. “Well, yesterday I hit Y/N with my locker door an-...” “I remember and then Y/N ran away!” Jungwon interrupted him with his mouth full. “Jungwon, close your mouth!” Heeseung scolded.
Niki rolled his eyes, “Anyways...I hit her and she ran away. Then when I saw her in gym today and she ran away again, and I know she saw me.” “Maybe you’re just repulsive” Sunoo shrugged. Niki shoved him off the seat. “Niki, next time you see her, just try and apologize.” Jake said, stuffing some food in his mouth. “Dude look, now’s you’re chance.” Sunghoon said pointing to you across the cafeteria.
-
“I am starving.” You sang as you sat down at a table with Lena. As you started eating another one of your friends sat down across from you. “Hey guys!” Lily said. “Y/N....what happened to your nose?” Lena started to laugh. You gave her a look, “I ran into Niki’s locker yesterday...” Lily stared at you, “Niki..? As in the guy you’ve been crushing for over a year?” You looked down and nodded. “Well that’s one way to talk to him.” “That’s what I said!” Lena exclaimed. Lena nudged you, “Don’t look, but Niki twelve o’clock.” Lily instantly turned around. “Lily, I just said don’t look.”
You saw Niki coming over. How could one person be so pretty? You didn’t want to face him, “I’m gonna go...” You whispered. You slid your tray to Lily and got up and scurried away. “Hey what about-...ohh free food.” Lily said.
-
Does she have something against me? Niki thought. Did I do something to offend her? What you didn’t know was, Niki has actually been crushing on you as well. It started at during the middle of last year when he noticed that you came to all the of the Dance Club’s performances. He thought of you as his good luck charm. Before every show, he would secretly look at the audience and when he saw you there, his nerves calmed. Then when he saw you were his locker buddy this year he was even more excited. Niki always wanted to talk to you but neither of you had the same classes and he was kind of scared. You were like a goddess to him. So beautiful, so kind, and untouchable.
-
When the last bell rang, you rushed to your locker hoping to not run into him. As you were gathering your stuff, you felt a tap on your shoulder. You turned around and saw exactly who you didn’t want to see. “Hi Y/N.” Niki said shyly. “Umm...I just wanted to apologize for yesterday...I-...is that a bandaid?” Niki covered his mouth. “Did I hit you that hard..? Oh my gosh...I’m so sorry.” “Niki, I’m fine. You don’t need to apologize it’s my fault. I mean who runs into locker? Me...” You chuckled trying make him feel more at ease. Niki smiled, “Umm...so...you don’t have to say yes but...uhh...I really want to try and make it up to you and...I was uhh...wondering if you wanted to get dinner..? My treat.” You were stunned. Were you dreaming? Did Niki just ask you to hang out? “You don’t have to..” “I would love to” You said smiling. “Really?!? Wow...I didn’t expect you to say yes. I have Dance Club practice until 4:30. You’re welcome to come watch.” “Yeah, are you sure I’m not intruding?” You asked. “Nah, it’ll be more fun.”
-
As You and Niki walked into the the Music Room, his friends started giggling. “Heeyyy Niki, who’d you bring mmmm? Sunoo teased. Niki rolled his eyes. He took you’re hand and led you forward. “Y/N, this is Jay, Heeseung, Jake, Sunoo, Jungwon, and Sunghoon.” “Hi, I’m Y/N. I actually know who all of you are...I mean who doesn’t. But wow....you guys are much cuter up close.” You eyes widened, “Did I just say that all out loud...?”
Sunoo walked over to you and put his arm around your shoulders. “Y/N I like you already, I love anyone who acknowledges my beauty!” You laughed. What you didn’t see was Niki sending daggers at Sunoo. The boys thought it was adorable to see their little Niki getting jealous.
Watching them practice was so cool. Who knew people could be so talented. You danced with two left feet. You eyes always went back to Niki. He looked so focused and so passionate. He danced as if his life depended on it.
-
When practice was over Niki walked over to you and said, “We’re done for the day. Are you ready to go?” You nodded in response. “Sooo where are our two love birds going?” Heeseung teased. The other guys turned around and smirked. “We’re not love birds and I’m just making up for hitting her.” “Right, but you never know where love takes you, hehehe.” Niki took his towel threw it at Jay. He took your hand and left.
“So what are you in the mood for?” You asked. Niki put his hand on his chin, “Hmmm, what about fried chicken?” “I’m down.” “Great! I know this great place next to my old dance studio.” Niki said excitedly.
-
The walk over was full of awkwardness. You wanted to talk to him but you didn’t know what to say. Also, how could he look so handsome in the sunlight? Walking into the restaurant, you were engulfed in a warming smell. A older lady came rushing over and hugged Niki. “My Niki! You’re back! I’ve missed you!” “Hi May!” She looked over at you and smiled, “Who is this young lady?” “I’m Y/N. It’s nice to meet you.” You put your hand out to shake, but she pulled you in for a hug. “I don’t do shakes, I do hugs.” May had such a sweet warm energy to her. She felt like a grandmother.
“So Niki, is this your girlfriend?” She asked. Niki shook his head, “No she’s just my friend.” You blushed. Niki said you were friends. “Well I’m going to get your usual, but don’t let this one go! She’s a beauty!” She patted your check and went to the back. You and Niki sat down at a table. “Sorry about her.” He said rubbing is neck. “It’s okay, she’s sweet.” “But she is right....you are a beautiful.” You felt like your heard was gonna beat out of your chest. Niki just called you beautiful. Was he flirting? You’re mind was going all over the place.
-
Over the next few weeks You and Niki got a lot closer. He would wait at his locker for you before school and then walk you to class. You guys would walk home together and when you could you would go to his dance practices.
“So, I’ve noticed You and Niki have become besties.” Lena said as she sat down next to you in the court yard. “Yeah, I guess.” “I guess? You mean yes. You are almost attached at the hip.” You rolled your eyes at her exaggeration. “Are hoping he’ll ask you to the Valentines Dance?” You looked at her, “Oh my gosh...I completely forgot about that. When is it?” “This Friday. Why don’t you ask him?” “Nah, I don’t think he likes me that way.” You sighed. “Are you serious? Anyone with eyes can see he likes you that way.”
When school was over, You started thinking. Maybe you could ask him? That wouldn’t be weird right? You could just go as friends. Or does he like you? As you walked out of the school doors, you saw Niki and another girl talking. You started to head over but stopped when you heard the girl say, “Niki, I really like you and I to ask do you wanna go to the Valentines Dance with me?” Well there went you chances of asking him. “I’m sorry, but I already have someone I like and I’m gonna ask them.” Niki replied. The girl looked down, “Okay, I understand.” “But I hope you find someone to go with.” He said walking away.
Niki liked someone, you thought. You felt this pain in your heart. He was allowed to like someone. You can’t stop him you told yourself. It just hurts.
-
The next day at lunch, Niki came over. “Hey guys. Y/N can I talk you for a second?” You looked over at Lily and Lena. Lena rubbed you back and whispered, “Just see what he has to say.” After you went home yesterday you called them up and told them what happened. Lily tried you cheer you up and saying maybe you’re the one he likes, but you told her you highly doubt that.
“Want do you want to talk about?” You asked as you walked into the hallway. “Umm...I wanted to know if you were going to the dance on Friday?” You remembered what he said yesterday. You didn’t want to go because it would hurt to see him with another girl. “Probably not.” You said. “Oh okay. Are you coming to watch practice today?” “No, I have a thing today, bye.” Niki was taken back at your bluntness. As he watched you walk away he noticed you seemed really upset.
Over the next two days you tried your best to keep a distance between you and Niki. You would rush out of school earlier instead of waiting to walk home with him. You stopped texting him and when you saw him in the hallway you would walk the other way. It hurt you to avoid him but you didn’t want to deepen your crush when you knew he liked someone else. Whoever they are, they’re very lucky, you thought.
-
Friday afternoon Lena and Lily came over to your house to get ready for the dance that evening. “Y/N, please come tonight.” Lily pleaded. “Please come! I got a ticket and brought you a dress. You can’t miss this. Don’t mind Niki. We’ll have fun, just us three.” Lena said giving you puppy eyes. You thought for a minute and smiled, “Alright.” The girls cheered and hugged you. “Let’s do this!” Lena said holding up her curling iron.
You wore a light pink lace dress with spaghetti straps. It fell just above your knee. Your shoes were a rose gold heel. Lena curled your hair and did a half up half down down hairstyle. Lily did very light makeup, with pink eyeshadow to match the dress.
Lily’s Dad dropped you guys off at the school. You walked to the gym with a knot in your stomach. You felt guilty about blowing Niki off the past few days. You decided whoever he’s with, you should be happy for him. Looking around for a minute you finally spotted him. Seriously how could he look so good in a tux. His hair was styled to where his forehead was showing and wow...he look...wow. You wanted to go talk to him but you were worried he wouldn’t want to talk you anymore. Honestly you could see why.
“Y/N come one let’s dance!” Lily said as she pulled onto the dance floor. You tried to let lose and dance but your mind kept wondering to Niki. You kept stealing glaces at him. He seemed to be having a good time, but you didn’t see him with anyone yet, just his usual friends. A few times you caught him looking at you as well.
After dancing for a bit you decided to take break and get a drink. You saw a girl walking over to Niki. Maybe that was his date? You tried to non suspiciously walk over. “Hi Niki.” Niki smiled in response. She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I saw you’re here alone...do you wanna dance?” “Thank you, but I’m okay. Enjoy your night though.” He walked back to his friends table. The girl sighed. Her friends came over to her, “Don’t feel bad, we heard he said no to all the girls who asked him to dance tonight.” That made you feel a little better, but who did he want to ask?
-
“Niki who do you keep looking for?” Sunghoon asked. “Who do you think? Y/N.” Jay said sarcastically. “Look there she is.” Sunoo joked. Niki’s head whipped around, “Where?” “I’m just kidding.” Sunoo laughed. “Haha...” Niki said sarcastically. “I just don’t know why she stopped talking to me, I thought we were going somewhere.” He said sadly. Jungwon patted his friend shoulder in sympathy, “Try talking her to night.” “No, she’ll probably just ignore me again.” He still kept looking for you. He spotted you come in a little bit later. You look unreal to him. How could one person hold so much beauty. The way you’re hair framed your face and your dress perfectly complemented your body.
You looked like you were having so much fun without him. He tried dancing but he kept focusing on you. When he could he tried to look at you without being too obvious. A lot of girls tried asking him to dance but he rejected them all. He didn’t want any girl, he wanted you.
“Niki” Jake said, “if you’re not gonna talk to Y/N, I’m going to matters into my own hands.” Niki thought for a second. “Okay, I will.” Jake decided walking away. “I didn’t say-..” Niki started but Jake was already at your table.
-
You sat down at an empty table and eventually Lena and Lily joined you. “Whew! That was exhausting.” Lena said flopping down. “Can I have some of you’re drink?” Lily asked as she took it and finished it. “Why ask if you’re gonna take it?” You laughed. “Alright everyone,” the DJ spoke into the mic, “We’re gonna slow things down. Grab your date and get on the dance floor.” “At My Worst” by Pink Sweat$ featuring Kehlani started playing. Lily sighed, “I think we forgot to get dates.” “Hey we don’t need a date, we can dance with each other.” Lena stood up. “May have this dance?” She said holding out her hands to you two. “Actually it looks like Y/N has someone coming over.” Lily pointed to Jake. “Hi ladies, Y/N can I have a dance with you?” The girls pushed you forward, “Yes she will.” They said in unison.
Jake took your hand and lead you to the dance floor. He put his hands on your waist and you put your hands on his shoulders. “So why’d you ask me to dance?” You said raising your eyebrows. “I wanted to talk to you.” He said. “About what?” “Why did you stop talking to Niki?” You sighed, “Honestly?” Jake nodded. “Because I’m selfish.” Jake gave you a confused expression. “On Monday...” You continued, “I heard him talking to a girl and she asked him to the dance and he rejected her and said he already had someone he liked and wanted to go with.” Jake grinned, “That’s all?” “Yeah” You said quietly. “Go talk to him, you’ll be surprised.” Jake said gently. “But I don’t think-...” Jake put his finger on your lips, “Shhhhh, just go.”
-
You gathered up all the courage and went over. Heeseung spotted you coming over and tapped Niki. He looked at you and hesitated, but he came over. “Hi.” You said. He had a stone look on his face. “I’m sorry Niki.” You looked at the floor. “Why? Why did you stop talking to me?” He asked. “Because I was being selfish. On Monday I heard you talking to the girl who asked you to the dance and I heard you say that you liked someone and it hurt me....” you fiddle with your fingers, “it hurt me because I like you and I didn’t like the idea of you being with someone else. I was only think about my feelings and I’m truly sorry. Whoever you like, I’ll like them too. I want you to be happy.” You looked back at Niki and saw him smiling. He stepped towards you and took your hands, “Thank you. I’m glad you want me to be happy. But you wanna know something?” You nodded. “You’re the one I like. You’re the one I wanted to ask.” You stared at him. Your brain was trying to process this information. Did Niki just confess to you? Did you just confess to him? “Y/N, will you go the dance with me?” You blushed and smiled, “I would love too.” You pulled him in for a hug. Niki whispered in your ear, “You look stunningly by the way.”
As you came apart, “Beautiful” by Bazzi with Camila Cabello started playing. “May I have this dance?” You took his hand and headed to the dance floor. Niki put one hand on your back and held your hand in the other. You rested you head in his shoulder. You felt as if it was just the two of you on floor. The rest of the world faded away. As the song ended you looked at each other. Niki slowly came close. He put his hand on your check and held you as if you were a porcelain doll. You could feel his breath on your lips. “Can I kiss you?” He asked softly. “You don’t even need to ask.” You whispered. His lips were gentle, soft, and sweet. When you pulled away Niki smiled, “Y/N, do you wanna know secret?” “What?” “I’ve actually liked you since last year.” You felt like your heart was gonna explode. “Do you wanna know a secret too?” You asked. “I’ve liked you last year.” Niki looked at you shock. You giggled. The night was filled with love and laughter. Niki was the best Valentine ever.
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heretic-altias · 3 years
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Still thinking about chocobos, I’ve always seen them as a fusion between horses and chickens as someone with experience with both animals, so have some fun headcanons. Below a cut bc my list is long. Feel free to add on, I’d imagine some stuff from larger birds like emus and ostriches would make nice additions but my family doesn’t own ostriches, we own chickens so that’s what I know about.
- Despite the ingame sleeping model for them laying down, they probably sleep standing up like horses most of the time and just lay down sometimes. Roosting would be a bit impractical for birds this big lol. That being said, they are built much better for laying down and getting back up than horses so they could potentially lay down more often than horses do. They'd certainly sit on a nest if they're brooding eggs, so honestly any amount of laying down you headcanon probably would make sense anyway. They probably mostly lay down to sunbathe, chickens do that irl.
- Chocobos dust bathe bathe like chickens do. It’s very cute.
- There are competitions other than racing for them, maybe similar to horse shows irl. Imagine a chocobo cross country jumping course or chocobo dressage, or for western riding reining or barrel racing (I suggest YouTubing/Googling any of these you don’t know to see what they are)
- Chocobo breeds can vary. Some are bred for riding or driving purposes more like irl horses while others are bred for egg laying or meat (I could never eat one, but in world people probably do unless it’s a cultural Nope) more like chickens are. Some are also bred for interesting color combinations. You should absolutely google different chicken breeds and imagine chocobos with those feathers, I especially like the ones with poofy head feathers. Since chocobos ingame have even more colors than I’ve seen in chickens though, I’ll dip into my knowledge of parrots too and suggest those as color ideas as well. My family has a blue and gold macaw, African gray, and my little black capped conure, all of which would look fantastic as chocobo colors in my opinion. Anything is possible really, not just the solid colors we get ingame or specific irl birds.
- Much like a lot of irl kids go through a ‘horse phase’, lots of eorzean kids go through a ‘chocobo phase’ where they’re absolutely obsessed. Those who discover it’s not just a phase like myself are the ones who will work with chocobos for life, be it as a hobby or career path.
- Chocobos aren’t as bad as chickens with their pecking order, but even horses might clash a little when first introduced. Turn out groups are planned pretty carefully. Between hens mostly though, see further down for why roosters are Problematic.
- There are trail ride places that offer chocobo rides for people with 0 experience. Much like irl, this causes people to insist it’s easy to ride them bc they ‘did it once on vacation’ or 'took a chocobo porter once'
- You cannot geld a bird. To my knowledge anyway, and honestly I don’t really want to know how if I’m wrong lol. This means male chocobos are like roosters. Rooster chocobos probably have the longer fancier looking tail feathers, and probably longer fancier feathers on their head too since the ingame model has a little crest there. They also have spurs. Roos are way meaner than hens usually, so most casual riding birds are probably hens. Some show circuits might not even allow roos to enter. It also means you can only keep one roo with a group of hens usually unless it’s a really big group. Roosters irl can be ok together if there are no hens, and the grand companies probably do this since roos would have the spurs to better attack with in battle. Probably a specific breed of chocobo, bred for well tempered roos to ride into battle. They’d still have to check who they’re turning out with who carefully to make sure they get along, but it is doable. So casual riding birds, mostly hens, war birds, mostly roos. People with very large pastures might keep a roo with their hens for protection though.
- Some breeds of hen might get broody fairly often. It means they’ll sit on eggs or in a nest if there are no eggs bc they really wanna hatch some. They’re probably brats and near impossible to ride unless you manage to drag them out of their nest so they’re on their feet. Some people dunk their chicken’s butt in cold water to try and break the broodiness irl, but with a chocobo you’d probably need to just take a hose and spray it bc they’re too big to dunk. I’d imagine the broody breeds aren’t really the riding breeds though, they’re probably used for hatching eggs laid by the desired breed. They probably breed for less broodiness in riding bird breeds.
- Roosters absolutely crow. I doubt it would sound exactly like an irl rooster, some loud drawn out variation of the kweh or the little whistle sound they make maybe? I’ll leave the exact sound of it up to your imagination. Good luck sleeping on the chocobo farm.
- Just like chickens I don't think theres really a way to tell a roo from a hen on hatch until they grow their feathers in and start to crow. Unless you get a specific breed that you can tell at birth, but most chickens it's a wait and see thing. We've got two chicks rn that my family is praying to the irl genetic rng gods to be girls since we can't keep them if they're roos. I'm sure similar situations have arisen hatching chocobos before, where someone can only keep the chick if it turns out to be a hen. Potential for a Tragic Backstory if your character raised and bonded with a chick that turned out to be a roo and had to give it up.
- They probably grow at a rate closer to horses than chickens. This could really be head cannoned either way, so feel free to say they grow as fast as chickens or ostriches or something if you wanna but as riding animals this just feels too fast in my opinion. That means you probably won't be saddling your chocobo till it's at least 3 or so. Egg incubation however is probably closer to birds since horses don't lay eggs. Chickens take 21 days to incubate and hatch, google says ostriches and emus take closer to the 40-50 day range and personally that longer time feels better to me since they're much larger than chickens. Looks like there was an ostrich fact in here after all huh.
- Lifespan is probably closer to horses, chickens don't actually live very long. Horses can live 25-30 years. I knew one that lived to be well over 30 though, so there are exceptions.
- If a baby chick is raised without a mother hen irl, they need to be raised in a pair or larger group or they'll get lonely as flock animals. With our chickens, the sibling they were raised with is usually their best buddy and they'll stick together when out free ranging fairly often. Chocobos are probably like this too. Horses are also herd animals and prefer to be kept in groups usually, so really it just makes sense for chocobos to be flock oriented.
- Paddocks and/or stalls probably need a big nest box type setup for the birds to lay their eggs in. But I doubt all chocobo breeds lay year round. Second ostrich fact, google says they only lay during breeding season. Chocos not bred for laying might work more like this, but I could see it varying based on breed. Most chickens actually stop producing eggs entirely when they're older, unless they're death layers. That's a specific type of chicken that'll lay for their entire life.
This is all I can think of for now, will add more if I think of anything else. I'm open to questions about horses or chickens if people want information for their own headcanons. I'm no expert, but my family keeps chickens and I own a horse so I at least have experience working around both that others out there might not have. Don't ask me about ostriches though. Find an ostrich farmer for that.
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master-sass-blast · 3 years
Text
Picnics and Planning.
Hi, I hurt my back and I have no idea how; have some plot free fluff.
Summary: You and Piotr decide to have a picnic dinner in your backyard --and have some important life conversations while you're at it.
Pairing(s): Piotr Rasputin x Reader.
Rating: G for fluff.
Word count: 1.2k.
Set after “It’s Truly Magical” and before “Period Pains.”
Taglist:  @marvel-is-perfection, @chromecutie, @girl-obsessed-with-things, @super-darkcloudstudent, @dandyqueen, @leo-writer
You grin when you hear the front door open and close, followed by Piotr’s signature heavy stride. “Hey, honey! How was work today?”
“Not bad.” His keys clatter against the dish you guys keep by the front door for holding essentials. “Russell passed Russian language final with flying colors.”
“Hooray! That’s great!” You pad out of the kitchen, smiling sunnily as you step into your husband’s waiting embrace. You sigh, melting against his burly chest. “Hi.”
“Privet, myshka.” Piotr kisses the top of your head, then tips your chin up so he can press his lips against yours. After a moment, he breaks the kiss and asks, “How was your day?”
“Good. Did some grading, reviewed some essays for the freshmen writing course –oh, we’re out of grapes. I ate the last of them for lunch.”
Piotr chuckles. “I guess we will have to make run to store soon.”
“And here I thought you had a lifetime supply of protein bars squirrelled away in your office.”
Piotr arches an eyebrow at you, grinning whilst you giggle. “Very funny, myshka.”
“Thank you; I certainly thought so.” You squeal when he tickles your ribs, then settle back against him, laughing breathlessly. “Does anything sound good for dinner?”
“We have mac and cheese—”
“Not anymore. I ate that for lunch, too.”
“Ah. We could make pancakes—”
“We’re out of eggs. You polished them off for breakfast yesterday.”
“Oh.” Piotr ‘hmms,’ fingers idly playing with your hair. “We could do pizza –no, finished box on Saturday.”
“Yeah.” You look up at him, smiling hopefully. “We could get take-out.”
He grimaces. “Nyet. Pozhaluysta.”
“Okay. Well, I think that leaves… sandwiches.”
“Sandwich is fine,” he says with a shrug.
“Sandwiches it is. You want to have a picnic outside?”
Piotr grins down at you. “I want nothing more.”
“Sounds good.” You grin back, then roll up on the balls of your feet to kiss him.
 ***
 The two of you settle on the lawn space just off the back deck. You lay out a massive, fluffy, light green quilt while Piotr carries out a basket with your sandwiches, some chips and other sides, and a couple of water bottles. It’s early evening in the beginning of May, meaning that the air is balmy against your skin and that the air is still filled with the sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing.
You flop down onto the blanket, letting out a content, relieved sigh. You gaze up at the early evening sky, smiling as the world slowly goes golden in the warm summer light. “This is nice.”
“Da.” Piotr sets the basket down on the center of the blanket, then sits down next to you. He smiles softly at you, stroking his fingers through your hair. “You look happy.”
“I am happy.” You beam up at him, then sit up so you can kiss his cheek. “I’ve got you. Of course, I’m happy.”
Piotr ducks his head, cheeks flushing. His mouth curves into a pleased smile, and then he turns his head and kisses your lips. “Ya tebya lyublyu, myshka.”
“I love you, too, baby.” You kiss him again, then grin up at him. “Sandwiches?”
Piotr chuckles and nods; he reaches for the basket. “Sandwiches.”
It’s a simple affair. There’s a couple of plates tucked in the basket –because your husband packed the basket, so of course he included plates—to set your sandwiches on, but the two of you largely just kick back and relax. Take in the outside weather. Bask in the summer warmth and your love for one another.
It’s perfect.
“How’s lesson planning going?” you ask between bites of your chicken salad sandwich.
Piotr nods as he chews his bite, then swallows and washes it down with some water before replying. “Is good. Kurt and I are redesigning foreign language and culture program in school for upcoming term. We want to include more projects for students, make courses more interactive.”
“Ooh, very cool,” you say as you pluck a few grapes off a larger cluster. “What do you guys have in mind?”
“Cooking projects, more assignments involving music and film –perhaps couple of field trips, if school can afford them.”
You grin. “That sounds like fun. I’m sure your students will love that.”
He smiles back. “Spasibo, myshka.”
The two of you lapse into silence, instead enjoying the sounds of the birds chirping and the breeze rustling the leaves in the trees.
“What happens when I get pregnant?” you ask.
Piotr blinks, then stares over at you. “Chto?”
“Like—” you shrug “—do I stop being an X-Woman? Do we both stop to take care of the baby? Like… what’s the plan?”
“I guess we would have to talk about this,” Piotr says, shrugging back at you. “Where—” He chuckles. “Where did this come from?”
“I don’t know,” you say, shrugging again. “We were talking about school and the upcoming year and your ‘kids,’ so my mind went to babies. It makes sense to me.” You stick your tongue out at him when he laughs again. “Laugh all you want, dorkus. It’s still a valid question.”
“It is,” Piotr agrees, nodding. He lays back on the blanket and looks up at you. “You will be one carrying and giving birth to baby. What do you want?”
“We’re both raising the baby –or babies, depending on how many we have. We both need to have input on this,” you fire back. You lean back, support your weight on your palms. “I know you love being an X-Man.”
“I do.” He reaches over and takes your hand in his. “But pregnancy and birth will have larger impact on you than me. I want to make sure you are supported.”
You squeeze his hand and smile down at him. “Thank you, baby. And I know you’ll take good care of me while I’m pregnant. I’m more worried about while the kid –or kids—is growing up. Like… what do we do while they’re in school? Is it right of us to keep running missions while they need us to raise them and be around to take care of them?”
“Aah.” Piotr nods to himself, staring up at the sky as he mulls your question over. “I… am conflicted.”
“How come?”
“I love being X-Men,” Piotr says, watching birds fly overhead. “Gives me purpose, sense of role in society. But… I do not think it would be right to our future children if their lives are always turned upside down by being X-Men. They deserve stability. Security.”
“But is that any different from parents who serve in the military? Or as firefighters? Or any other number of ‘risky’ jobs?” you ask. “Are we being irresponsible by being on the duty roster, considering that there are thousands of families in similar situations as us?”
“I do not know, myshka,” Piotr says after a moment. “I do not think we will find answer tonight.”
“I know. I just think we need to settle on an answer before we decide to have kids.”
“Agreed.”
You sigh, then lay down next to him, pillowing your head on his chest. You sling one leg over his hips, nestling yourself against him. “Love you, baby.”
Piotr puts an arm around you and kisses the top of your head. “I love you, also, dorogoy.”
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