#but instead of having wings they were like flying squirrels

[kagender]

i think they need a better name than lizardbirds, but for now, its lizardbird time

[impishtubist]

trick or treat

(this is painfully American and no I'm not taking any criticism about that because frankly I don't care)

---

“Daddy, when is Harry coming?”

Sirius glanced at the clock. “In one hour, bug.” 

“How long is that?”

“That’s as long as one nap.” 

Teddy pouted. “That’s a long time.” 

Sirius grinned. “It’s not that long, I promise. Do you have your costume laid out?”

“Yes!”

“And you’ve got your bucket?”

“Uh-huh.” 

“Where are your shoes?”

Teddy pointed at the door, where he had carefully placed his shoes. 

Sirius wiped his hands on a towel. “Do you want to go to the park while we wait?”

“Yeah!” 

The least Sirius could do, he figured, was to try to run off some of Teddy’s energy before letting Harry take him for the night. He bundled Teddy into his coat and whistled for the dogs. They came running, and Sirius clipped on their leashes.

“I wanna walk Bowie!” Teddy demanded, and Sirius handed over the red leash. He had had several stern talks with the dogs as Padfoot when Teddy was a baby, telling them how fragile a human child could be and how they weren’t ever to jump on, pull, or knock Teddy over. The lectures were probably unnecessary, as all his dogs were intelligent and well-behaved, but it made him feel better about the whole thing. Bowie was larger than Teddy, but he walked calmly down the street, not even running after a squirrel when it darted in front of him. 

They played for half an hour in the park before walking back. Well, Sirius and the dogs walked, while Teddy ran ahead of them. So much for burning off his energy. 

Harry was already waiting for them at the house when they returned, and Teddy shouted in excitement.

“Harry!”

“Hi, Teds.” Harry dropped into a crouch as Teddy ran at him, catching the boy in a hug. “Are you ready to go?”

“No! I need my costume!” 

“Let’s go put it on then, shall we?” Harry straightened. “Hi, Sirius.”

“Hi, love. Thanks for doing this.” 

“It’s no problem.” 

Teddy dragged Harry off to his room, chattering at him a mile a minute. Sirius’s heart swelled as he listened to his kids, to Harry’s questions and Teddy’s excited answers. He fed the dogs while Harry helped Teddy with his costume, and then finished cleaning up the kitchen from dinner. 

The doorbell rang, and he went to answer it. 

“‘Lo, you two,” he said, standing back to let Ron and Hermione in. “Teddy’s already got Harry captive.” 

Feet pounded down the hallway, and Teddy ran into the room. Or, rather, a pteranodon with Teddy’s face ran into the room.

“Ron!” he cheered. “Hermy!” 

“My goodness,” Hermione said, taking in the elaborate costume that Sirius had spent hours magicking into existence using some clothes Teddy had grown out of. “What kind of dinosaur are you?”

“Not a dinosaur,” Teddy said, sounding offended. “‘s a flying reptile, Hermy.” 

“And what’s it called, Teds?” Sirius prompted.

“A ter-an-don.” 

“Pteranodon,” Sirius said.

“That’s what I said!” 

They went outside so Teddy could stretch out the wings of his costume and Sirius could take pictures.  

“Alright, Tedster.” Sirius knelt in front of the little boy. “You have fun tonight, okay?” 

“I will.”

“Good. Can I give you a hug?”

Teddy allowed a hug and a kiss, and then he ran to Harry, taking his hand and tugging him down the street. 

***

Sirius never visited James and Lily’s graves on Halloween.

He visited the cottage instead. 

He knelt in the entryway where he had found James’s body. He climbed the stairs to the nursery where he had found Lily’s, where he had scooped a bleeding and sobbing Harry from the wreckage of his crib. He sat in the kitchen, where he’d spent countless afternoons having Sunday lunch with his best friends. He lingered in the living room, where he’d played with Harry on hands and knees while James watched fondly from the sofa. 

He wandered the cottage like a ghost, haunted by the lives that had never unfolded here, by all the futures they could have had. 

After, he returned home, lit a fire in the fireplace, and sat on the sofa with a glass of wine. The dogs joined him--Bowie draped across his lap, Sasha and Zephyr curled up on either side. Demeter wandered out of Teddy’s room and leaped on the back of the sofa, purring as she rubbed her head against Sirius’s cheek. It was the only day of the year she ever paid him any attention. 

By the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned with Teddy, Sirius had had a good cry, finished his wine, and made a batch of hot cocoa for everyone. Teddy was only wearing half his costume, and Harry carried the other half while Ron carried his candy bucket.

“Daddy, look what I got!” Teddy exclaimed, running up to Sirius. Sirius hoisted him onto his hip and inspected the bucket.

“Very nice, Teddy,” he said. “Did you have fun?”

“Yeah, I wanna go again.”

“Next year, bug.” Sirius kissed his cheek and set him down again. "Let's get you some hot cocoa, you're freezing."

The kids then settled on the floor in the living room in a circle, Teddy on Harry’s lap. 

“Okay, Teds, let’s see what you got.”

Teddy upended the bucket on the floor, and sweets scattered everywhere. The dogs all lifted their heads, eyeing the sweets curiously. Sirius flicked his wand, and the candy all gathered in a neat pile.

“Three pieces only tonight, Teddy,” Sirius said. 

“Five?”

“Three.” 

“Four?”

Sirius dragged a hand down his face, trying to suppress a laugh. “Teddy.” 

“We can choose three,” Harry said. “Come on, Teds, we’ll help you pick out your three favorites. Then we’ll put the rest away for other special occasions. You remember how sick you got last year? That wasn’t any fun, was it?”

“No,” Teddy said sullenly. He heaved a great sigh. “Fine.” 

Harry, Ron, and Hermione spent the next half hour sorting through Teddy’s candy with him, separating out the toys and trinkets that some houses had handed out instead, and discarding the candy Teddy wouldn’t eat. Sirius retreated to his study but left the door open, warmed by the joy emanating from the other room.

“Teddy, where did you get all this licorice?” Ron asked at one point, laughing. “You hate licorice. Here, we’ll throw them out--” 

“No, Ron! Those are for Daddy.” 

“Sirius does like licorice,” Hermione said, and Sirius could hear the shrug in her voice.

“Yeah, an’ Daddy’s sad. So he gets licorice.” 

There was a beat of silence, and then Harry said, “You think Daddy’s sad?”

“Yeah, Halloween makes ‘im sad,” Teddy said. He lowered his voice and added, “I think it’s ‘cause he’s scared of the costumes.” 

“Maybe you’re right, Teds. Why don’t you go give him his candy to make him feel better?”

“Okay!” Teddy scampered into the study, holding a handful of licorice. “Daddy, I have presents for you.” 

“Thank you, Teddy.” Sirius absolutely was not going to cry again. He pressed a kiss to the crown of Teddy’s head. “I feel better already. Why don’t you go eat your treats, and then have Harry help brush your teeth? It’s almost time for bed.” 

In the end, Ron helped Teddy with his bath, Harry brushed his teeth, and Hermione read him a bedtime story. Sirius almost felt guilty about letting the kids take over so much tonight, but Harry had given him a stern talking-to two years ago when Teddy first started trick or treating. For one night, he and his partners could handle Teddy while Sirius gave over to his grief. 

Teddy was half-asleep when Sirius went to say goodnight to him. Demeter was curled up at his side. She flicked her tail lazily when Sirius came into the room, but otherwise didn’t acknowledge him. 

“Good night, Teddy,” he whispered, drawing the dinosaur-patterned blankets up to Teddy’s shoulders. “I hope you had a good Halloween.” 

“Daddy,” Teddy said sleepily, “will you come next year?”

Sirius stroked Teddy’s curls. “You want me to come with you?”

“Mmhmm.” Teddy snuggled into his pillow. “You can dress up.”

“Oh? And what would I dress up as?”

Teddy blinked open his eyes and gave him a perfectly innocent look. “Stubby Boardman?”

Sirius huffed. “Your big brother has been putting ideas into your head again, I see.” 

He leaned down and kissed Teddy’s cheek. “Sure, baby. I’ll go with you next year.”

---

(Remus isn't in this because I didn't feel like writing him. He's probably dead, but you can imagine they're divorced and this is Sirius's week with Teddy if that makes you feel better. Also Harry is definitely dating both Ron and Hermione okay bye).

[leahnardo-da-veggie]

For want of a flower

Iz came upon the spirit-vale to find it destroyed. The wooden tree houses were burned to a crisp, and ectoplasm, flesh of the twice-dead, soaked the soft grass. The reek of war, death and fire made her sick. 

It was obvious, she realised, that the Godhuntress had no plans to enslave the spirits. She wanted them all dead. Their corpses, translucent and childlike, piled up in corners, lovers clutching each other as they were massacred, warriors standing guard over the weak and innocent.

She stood in the clearing, the only soul save for a lone squirrel. The smouldering ruins seemed to mock her, laughing at her incompetence. What if she had come a week earlier? What if she had not dallied, had not gotten lost in the dense woods where the spirits made their home?

The spirits were a secretive group, lurking within the trees of the Celitane Forest. They had no love of humans, but neither did they care for the Gods. Yet Iz knew, deep in her bones, that the Godhuntress would come for them next.

And she has been right. Too right. Iz's fingers hunted for the thrill of magic amongst the masses of wrecked souls, the tell of a surviving spirit. "Damn it all," she muttered angrily. "Is anyone out there?

"Leave us be!" The shout was a boy's, defiant and terrified. Iz turned, ready to yell a reassurance, but a thought struck her.

What if the child was not yelling at her? The corpses were so fresh — Was the Godhuntress still there?

The notion struck fear in her heart. Her mot- mortal enemy, lurking just inches away from her. Iz crept towards the voice, pulling out her fateful arrow and slotting it into the shelf of her bow. 

She rounded a corner to find two children clutching each other, a boy and a girl, skin as translucent as frosted glass. The girl was a ghost, doomed as a child to never grow to adulthood. The boy, she suspected, was a spirit. 

He certainly was spirited, holding himself to the fore to protect his friend. His pale eyes held the same ferocity that possessed trapped rodents, and his lips were pulled back to reveal sharp canines. They were caught in a cage of fire, unable to flee without being burnt to a crisp. "Back off! Do you not know who I am? I am the ruler of this clan, and you have intruded upon my territory," he yelled in futile rage.

"I am not here for you, fool boy," the Godhuntress laughed. She loomed over them, blood-red braids whipping in the air, wings spread like a harpy death-bringer. "Surrender the girl, and I shall let you live."

"She is my vassal, and I am soul-sworn to defend her! You will have to kill me before I allow you to take her," he snapped back.

"She is the Goddess of Dreams, boy, and a being infinitely more powerful than you. Did you know that, when you took her in? She lied to you and used you," The Godhuntress told him mockingly. "Did you know that you were nothing more than a scrap compared to her glory? A wingless fly to her eagle?"

From the look of anguish on his face, the spirit boy did not know. He looked at the girl in betrayal. She shook her head frantically, hissing something to him, trying to pull herself away from his desperate clinging. Iz drew her now back, aiming carefully at the Godhuntress.

His face hardened. "I did not know, and I do not care. She is my vassal. I am sworn to protect her, in sickness or in health, in power or in weakness, in life or in death! You will have to claw my cold, dead, broken body from hers!" His voice cracked at that last sentence. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. "I, too, am a god. Will you not take me instead?"

"Stupid, stupid weakling of a boy. You're not even worth the blade I would kill you with. I might let you live, as an example of what happens to those who disobey me. Step aside now, and live. Or die like the rat you are," the Godhuntress warned, raising her sword.

"Hans! Let me go! Listen, it's okay," the girl murmured. "It'll be okay. You helped me all those years, Hans-el. You took me in, a strange ghost arriving on your doorstep one day. You gave me a life worth living. Consider this the repayment of my fealty." She hugged him tightly, and pulled herself away.

"Don't you dare!" The boy clawed at her desperately. "Berry, as your liege, I demand you stay here! You saved my life all those years ago. 'Tis I who owe you the world, and I will repay my debts, no matter the cost." Iz took a deep breath, steadying her aim. She only had one chance at it.

"She will kill you," the girl said with grim certainty. "And then she will take me and kill me too. And I will not allow that to happen, because I-"

Iz loosed her arrow, and it slammed into the Godhuntress' head. Blood blossomed from the wound, and she fell to her knees. For a moment, Iz could almost believe that she had felled the Godhuntress. 

Then she turned around. "You," she snarled, the word filled with ire. "You have challenged time and time again. You truly think yourself capable of stopping me with a mere arrow? You are a fool, then, as well as a traitor." Her eyes, red like glowing ash, gleamed with bloodlust. 

"Mother," Iz said, spitting the words out like a curse, "It is you who are the fool, and the traitor. Look at what you are doing. Our people were made to protect others. They are children, Mother. Children. Does that word not mean anything to you?"

The Godhuntress regarded her with cold fury. "They are a goddess and her servant," she replied, ignoring the boy's yelp of indignance. "And they are standing in the way of our liberation. For millennia, our people have been enslaved by these _gods_, and the other immortals have turned a blind eye. They sang songs in our praise, pretending that we were selfless philanthropists, rather than tormented slaves. Angels, they called us, and feigned ignorance to our agony. Is it not fair that we get revenge, daughter?"

Iz looked away, unable to respond. "They tore your wings away for befriending a Fae, daughter. They corrupted your soul and threw you down to mortality. How could you still support these monsters that style themselves deities? Is it not fair for our people to be free, and for them to be subjugated?" 

That Iz had an answer to. "No, Mother. The blood of innocents will not heal the wounds we have been dealt. Massacre will not return me my wings. Revenge will not bring peace to those who have suffered." 

"They treated us like animals! They ripped every hope and dream out of our people and played with us like toys! I will not rest— I will never rest until my people are restored to their former glory. I will never rest until I have made them pay for every indignity we suffered. I will never rest until every being that has wronged us has felt our pain," she said, daring Iz to defy her.

Iz stared at her with pity. "Mother, the gods are all dead. The Fae have fallen. The Spirits are shattered and scattered. Everyone who has harmed our people is long gone. Let Vengeance leave you. You have achieved your goal, and none will ever seek to harm our people again." She reached out with one hand.

"No! My work is not done. I must build a Haven for the Angels, and then I must secure it," the Godhuntress said, wenching herself away from Iz.

"Mother," Iz said, patience seeping out of her body, leaving sick, pained sadness in its wake. "You will build Heaven for our people out of the blood of others. You will secure it in the screams and deaths of the innocent, Mother. And they will remember you as a monster. Does it not concern you that they call you the Godhuntress, rather than the Guardian Angel?"

The Godhuntress paused, and Iz knew she had found a weak point. "They see your reign as drenched in blood, a mere continuation of the evils the gods perpetrated. The only way to stop this cycle is to find peace. You need to stop," Iz said. " 'Tis not too late, Mother. Take my hand, and we can make this better."

They looked into each other's eyes, and for a heartbeat Iz believed that it would all work out. Then the Godhuntress turned away. "My name is Ina. Do not call me your mother again, Isobel, for no daughter of mine would stand between me and a better world for mine."

Iz's breath caught in her throat. "Mo- Ina, please, do not do this. Your hands are already steeped in blood. Do not steel your heart in ice."

The Godhuntress laughed. "My heart? Ice? I have no heart, girl. You ripped it out of my chest when you turned on me. Now, put that bow down and leave, and pray I do not hunt you."

Iz did not move. "I will not move, Godhuntress," she said, though her heart ached. "I have a duty to fulfil."

"A duty to who? It certainly was not to the one who birthed you," Ina scoffed.

"Indeed, it was to my mother," Iz said. "To the woman who defended the innocent, who did not blame children for the cruelty of their predecessors. To the hero of the Celestials. I swore to her that if she ever lost sight of her path, I would bring her back to the light, and uphold her wish to protect the innocent." She took a deep breath and pulled out a sword from her belt. "And if my words will not sway you, perhaps my blade will." 

The weapon was a falchion, crafted from the metal of the Void, sharp enough to carve through steel and immune to magic. It was Iz's last hope of dissuading the Godhuntress, obtained at great cost. 

"So you show your true colours," the Godhuntress snarled. "Brute." Her sword was out of its sheath in a heartbeat, and the duel was on.

Behind them, completely unnoticed, the girl said, "I love thee, Hans. And that is why I cannot let you sacrifice yourself for naught." Gently, she pressed two fingers to his forehead. "Sleep, my liege. Let at least one of us live happily ever after." As the boy slumped, she planted a kiss on his cheek. "May you come to rule the world someday."

She got to her feet unsteadily, watching the duel in front of her. Iz was fast, faster than she thought possible, but the Godhuntress had parried every attack and then some. It was going to come down to who was willing to kill the other, she realised sadly. And the Godhuntress would kill anyone.

"Godhuntress! Let us settle our dispute like warriors. Face me in single combat!" The words escaped her lips in a yell.

The Godhuntress spun around, deflecting a final blow from Iz, then disengaging. Her lips spread into a grim smile. "So, you will die honourably, little goddess? Very well, then." With a flick of her wrist, the flames were dispelled, and the girl stepped through. 

She was small, and scared, but she knew what she had to do. Berry fetched a stick, just big enough for her to wield. She shook so much she could barely stand. "Ready," she said, though she was not.

The Godhuntress grinned. "Then it is time for you to die," she told the girl. 

This was less of a battle and more of a massacre. Iz could not stand by and watch the girl's painful attempts to ward off the Godhuntress' attacks. She was playing with the girl, Iz thought. She was distracted, overconfident. Iz had a shot at it. This time, she could not hesitate. This time, she could not pull her punch.

Iz gripped her falchion with white knuckles, waiting for the Godhuntress to turn her back to her. Then she charged. Her feet hit the floor silently, the world holding its breath as time tiptoed around that fateful moment. 

Quick as a flash, the Godhuntress' blade embedded itself in Iz's chest. "Fool girl," she said. "You thought I did not know you would try this?" Iz let out a choking rattle and spat out a thick clot of blood. "Any last words for me?"

Iz met her mother's gaze, held it with impenetrable emotion. "Forgive me, mother, for failing in my duty," she croaked, not bothering to push her guts back into her body. Blood pooled around her body. With her last breath, wracked with incredible agony, she said, "I wish I could have saved you."

The Godhuntress watched the lifeblood seep out of her dispassionately. As Iz let out a final sigh, she leaned down and retrieved her sword. Turning to the girl, she said, "Shall we continue?"

The girl stared at her in horror. "She was your daughter. Why would you kill her?" Her voice quavered.

"I killed her because she stood in my way," the Godhuntress said. "Just as I will kill you."

"And that's it? You will kill me simply because I was born into power? Though I have harmed none?" The girl clenched her twig-staff to her chest. "You're scum, Godhuntress. Worse than the beings you hunt."

"I have given you exactly what you gave me: the smallest of mercies. I will let your little boy live, and I will grant you a quick death, for you have not harmed me or mine," the Godhuntress said coldly. She raised her sword.

The girl turned to the boy, who slept peacefully. "You promise not to hurt him?"

"Yes."

"Alright then," she said, not turning around. "Can you do it without telling me? I- I do not think I can…" She trailed off, unsure. "I am scared. I have died once, when I thought the world would never be kind or warm. Then I was proven wrong. I… I love, loved, will always love this life. I do not wish to lose it. I am not ready to die." 

She began to turn around, then stopped herself. "Are you still there? Are you listening? Will it hurt?"

The Godhuntress said nothing, only sweeped her sword in a powerful arc.

[atheostic]

How to tell someone you know nothing about evolution without saying you know nothing about evolution (4/?)

"There are no transitional fossils!"

=-=-=-=

Tiktaalik - A fish with developing legs. Also appearance of ribs and neck.

Odontochelys Semitestacea— Partial formation of a turtle shell, showing how the hard underbelly, or plastron, formed first.

Archeopteryx

It’s the quintessential transitional fossil, which we have known about for 159 years as of 2019.

Archeopteryx is a stage in bird evolution after avian dinosaurs like t-rex and velociraptor evolved downy feathers and after they had developed true feathers, but before avian dinosaurs developed true flight. 

While velociraptor feathers were too fine and the wrong shape for helping it to fly (likely serving mostly as an extra source of warmth), Archeopteryx had proper flight feathers. However, its bones were still too dense for true flight, meaning it was more of a glider than an actual flier. 

Its forelimbs were a bit of a midway point between what you’d call a wing and an arm, with an elongated thumb-claw combo rather similar to that found in the wings of bats, which it used as tiny grappling hooks to climb up trees before gliding to lower heights when hunting or escaping a predator, much like how flying squirrels do today.

Anchiornis

Anchiornis is at the point in the transition where it’s hard to decide whether it falls in the bird or dinosaur side of the fence:

It has wings, but they’re symmetrical and rounded, probably not used for flight but instead are used to keep warm, for mating displays, and gliding. Its legs are more like that of other-bird-like dinos, but like birds and unlike bird-like dinos, Anchiornis had arms nearly the same length as the hind legs.

Its spine connects at the back of the skull instead of at the base like in birds, but it had flexible wrists, which is more a bird thing. It had a mostly bony tail, but also had primary and secondary contour feathers on both arms, legs, toes, and wrists.

[pokemonbiologyirlthetabletop]

Emolga

Emolga (#587)

Volansciurus electrisciurus

General Information: The flying squirrel Pokémon! These adorable rodents are found the world over on most continents except Antarctica and Australia (I’m sure there’s a sugar glider Pokémon over there).

Emolga’s are non-evolving Pokémon. The adults average in at 1’4 feet tall (0.4 M) and 11 pounds (5 kg).

Habitat: Emolga like living in Pikipek treeholes (or other tree burrows), and can be found anywhere where there are trees. They’re not as common as seeing squirrels or rabbits in our world, but still reasonably common, and their rarity falls under the category of, “Have you ever gone outside?” They can live in just about any type of forest as long as they can get enough food and shelter. In urban areas, Emolgas have been seen making nests atop tall buildings, and can sometimes be seen gliding from skyscraper to skyscraper.

Life Cycles: Emolgas reproduce once a year, laying eggs of 4-6 per clutch. Babies are subject to predation, and adults are sometimes prey to Manectrics, Boltunds, Ariadoses, or Galvantulas. Mating season occurs in the Fall, when the Emolgas will pair up for the winter for mutual warmth and nest defense, the in the Spring their eggs appear, and the babies hatch in summer. In the wild, Emolgas live an average of six years (if they reach adulthood), but in captivity they have been known to live as long as 40 years. They do not mate for life as a rule, but sometimes two (or three) Emolga will mate for more than one breeding season. Mating For Life has only been seen in captivity.

Behavior: Emolgas are shy, finicky, and evasive creatures. They may be found with some ease with enough time spent outdoors, but they are not easy to get into a battle with, and are in fact highly effective at evading the challenges of would-be battlers. In captivity they can be difficult to please, needing plenty of room and tall structures to jump from, and of course lots of food.

Flight: Emolga do not “fly” in the sense of powered flight in the bird or bug sense of it, but instead they glide through a combination of their membranous wings and the electricity that they release during flight. This electricity functions both as a way to help release stored electrical build up, and also provides the secondary effect of interacting with the earth’s magnetic field to a create a secondary lift through magnetism, thus allowing the Emolga to remain gliding even when gravity should have pulled them down already. However, this effect will only give them about three feet of airlift. Some scientists want to call this a different type of powered flight outside of what is seen in birds and bugs because the magnetism is powered by the Emolga itself and functionally serves as a weaker flight, but this is a hotly debated subject.

Diet: Emolga love to eat berries! They will roast berries (and bugs!) with the electricity stored in their cheek pouches, and eat them. In fact, they have been known to eat so many berries and stuff so many into their cheeks at once, that they’ve been unable to glide! Few other Pokémon will try bother an Emolga for its food, given the whole “they use electricity to fly,” but this sure hasn’t stopped Pachirisus and even a particularly greedy Skwovet from trying!

Conservation: Least Concern, but may be locally threatened or endangered in some parts of the world due to extensive logging. In these places, some cities have made an effort to introduce Emolgas to their skyscraper scene, in the hopes that they’ll establish a population there.

Relationship with Humans: Emolgas are creatures of the forest often included in old fairytales and children’s books, due to their cute but elusive nature. They have never been a particularly useful source of food, nor were they ever domesticated. At times they can be nuisances to berry and fruit crops, but not anymore obnoxious than squirrels are to us in our world. They have always simply existed, and folks have been fascinated by them for generations.

In the modern world, they’ve become symbols of whimsical forests. In cities where they have made new homes for themselves, most folks aren’t even aware of their presence. Its considered an astounding feat, a status symbol if you will, to have caught an Emolga for yourself—at least to younger trainers, though plenty of older trainers will marvel a bit at the capture, too!

Classification: Emolga is in a genus to itself. Its scientific name Volansciurus electrisciurus means “flying squirrel electric squirrel” or “flying electric squirrel.” It is distantly related to the other electric rodents.

[devi-nyx-elsword-theorist]

Hear me out, this is a far stretched idea. what if we get Johto remakes, but we get the unreleased Spaceworld demo Pokemon to fill the Johto dex.

Make the Johto Pokemon, MORE available in Johto instead of locking them to National Dex.

Increase the wild Pokemon level's in Kanto because mind you, those level gaps were abysmal.

The idea is how many Pokemon in the Johto dex from Johto is available.

So we can maybe have a few pokemon that evolved or had recently gotten a new typing in Gen 2 still be available in Gen 2, the Baby Pokemon who were available in Gen 2 as well So we'd get

Scyther, Onix, Magnemite,, Bellsprout (because of the Tower) Pikachu, Clefairy, Jigglypuff, Zubat, Golbat, Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Slowpoke, Slowbro, Eevee, Hitmonlee, Hitmonchan, Magmar, Electabuzz, Jynx, Oddish, Chansey, Porygon, Horsea, Seadra, I'll still leave in Magikarp for the Red Gyarados. and Dragonite (Because Lance and Claire has that line tho one uses Dragonairs but you get the picture.) and the fossils, I'll leave in Gengar line.

So the Dex is around 154 (Celebi is still a Johto mon) and still has some Kanto mon's. but if we split them we'd also get 47 Kanto Pokemon!

now to make sure this Johto dex is still a Johto Dex, is 107 Johto Pokemon now let's rank up that number.

We need the scrapped solo pokemon that was attached to Slowbro, make it a Water/Steel type.

the unreleased "branch" evolution of Weepinbell. it still a Grass/Poison

the Seal with a fireball. I like to see it being a mirror of Seel.

we need Kotora and Raitora they're cute electric types.

Norowara and Kyonpan these two would be fun for Morty being a Ghost type gym leader as he doesn't really use ANY Johto pokemon the first time not even a Misdreavus! also, GIVE HIM A MISDREAVUS!

Urufuman and Waaurufu, they're actually cute looking Yeti? I see a yeti in it, and it's an Ice type, so Pryce would definitely have these.

I also would like to add the unreleased 2 Starters making them become freely available but but! there's a better idea, if you visit Celebi's shrine there should be a Kimono wearing NPC who often visits the Ilex Forest Shrine and they simply challenge you with both of these Pokemon, and then they exclaim that after the battle they give you a choice of the 2 pokemon saying that " They're old Pokemon I've recently found, and I assure you would want to show them the world outside of my home, I'll give you a choice. The Fire Bear (Honooguma) or The Mystery Water Pokemon (Kurusu). " but there will be a reward where if you're a champion and you come back to the shrine, you will find a Pokeball, of the other Pokemon that you didn't choose but the NPC is gone, we won't know where they went.

These can be bred for multiples but this is to show us not only a little nod to the demo, but they're returning.

And if we go this route if we have a Chikorita line, and we visit the shrine with it, we get an event where Chikorita finds a mysterious Pokeball that has a Hanamogura. (the demo version before it was changed to be Bayleef) but it get's a second evolution since it will have around 415 BST, I know it's a little too high, but let me explain the evolution will have 552 BST.

Okay without counting the Kanto Pokedex that's still involved is 124 (even though Weepinbell branched evolution is a maybe but if we dont count it, its 123.)

the Pokedex now has 171 Pokemon in Johto when we add back the Kanto Pokemon.

Unless I miscounted so maybe around 170-174.

Edit!!!

there was more Pokemon that were cut I may of skipped over, so back at 124 Johto Pokedex.

So we have a ghost pokemon with a Hitaikakushi this one could represent well enough in Johto

A ball looking rabbit? could be interesting,

Gargoyle

the Drill looking Squid,

A literal Squirrel Ninja

the flaming Tanuki

there's a odd looking skeleton Pokemon so I guess we can have it as an "exclusively" rare fossil Johto Pokemon.

a Pokemon that is apparently a Flying Fish but with bird wings and legs.

the Scarecrow pokemon, I would like to say it scares off or taunts Murkrows.

a plant pokemon that's a ball? then it says here to evolve to Ball Sprout, with branched evolutions?

so 136 Johto Pokemon, add that, now we have 183 of a completed Dex, not counting Kanto if we didn't unlock Kanto, with Kanto unlocked

[lovevalley45]

#fictober23 day eleven

"You lost it. Well, we lost it."

original fiction (dungeons and dragons)

word count: 975

Many wondered how someone who was built as large and sturdy as the tree he was born from could make such an effective rogue. Darius’ answer for them was fairly simple - his first lessons in stealth had been trailing after his mother on her hunts. He had learned to make his footfalls light, to know the best shadows and nooks to find and stake out his prey. Even when fighting the great Kentimane, he had evaded his hits simply by slipping in and out of the abandoned buildings of Mytros. 

Although that battle had been the last big fight Darius had aimed his bow in for years, his stealth skills were not getting rusty. Well, not completely.  

In the thickets of the Old Woods, Darius crept towards a hare as it ate. His feet made no sound amongst the fallen leaves. Sarissa had asked him if he wanted her to craft his a cloak of elvenkind and he had refused, taking her up on her offer of a pair of silver bracers of archery instead. Underneath the deep purple fabric of his ordinary cloak, the thin threads of sunlight didn’t catch against the heart-shaped engravings, letting him blend further into the darkness of the forest. 

However, they did glint against a pair of silver dragon wings, coming in from behind him to try to take a dive at the hare. Olea’s swoop was met with disappointment, as the hare heard the rush of wind and scampered off. The wyrmling barely stopped herself from tumbling amongst the leaves, claws digging into the earth. 

“You lost it,” Darius said. “Well, we lost it.”

“Me? I’m not your tracking dragon,” Olea said. The dragon had grown substantially since he’d first been gifted her from Vallus. She could no longer drape herself around his shoulders, though she had tried for as long as she could until she nearly broken his back. 

“Then my training isn’t paying off.” 

She snorted, cold air blasting out of her nostrils. “You just don’t give me enough incentive.” 

“Incentive?” Darius asked. “What, letting you eat our dinner?”

Olea placed her front claws against one of the trees and stretched her back like a cat. “Exactly.”

He rubbed one of her ebony horns. “Let’s go back to the cottage and see if any of my sycophants are around, huh?

She grinned, sharp teeth peaking from her maws. “Wanna race?”

“That’s not fair, you’ll just beat me,” Darius said, slightly whining. 

Still grinning, she flew up to the lowest branch of the tree. “And you’re supposed to be one of the new Dragonlords.” With that, she launched herself into flight. 

“Fine. If that’s how it’s gonna be.” 

Darius shouldered his bow and started off in a sprint. He was swift when required of him, but by the time he lost sight of Olea, he had to stop to catch his breath. He adjusted his cloak, making sure the heart shaped pin was still in place, and hurried back to his cottage. 

Olea was already in her spot atop the roof when he arrived, tail dangling off the edge. 

“There you are, slowpoke,” she hissed in Draconic. 

“You know I’m a hiding rogue, not a running rogue,” he replied back. The sounds of Draconic were still hard for him to twist his tongue around, but Olea liked to make sure he kept with it. Just as he did with her Sylvan, switching to his native tongue to ask, “Percy didn’t get in, did he?”

“It’s 2 PM,” she replied, not missing a beat. “That’s way too late for him to be stumbling in.”

Darius wasn’t so sure about that, but he opened the door to find it empty. “Thank Vallus,” he muttered. 

Olea landed onto the ground beside him. “Isn’t it weird to still say prayers to your friend’s wife?”

He scrunched his nose. “Don’t remind me.” Turning to her, he said, “Go find yourself some squirrels or something to torment.”

“I’m above tormenting squirrels, thank you very much,” she said. “But if you want some peace, you can have it.”

Darius watched her fly back up to the roof, then launch herself into one of the trees surrounding his cottage. He knew that forests weren’t where silver dragons chose to dwell, but Olea had made herself comfortable.

He went inside, ready to close the door, when another dryad came running from the woods. It was hard to tell a dryad’s age, but she looked young, not fully mature. She stopped in front of his door, out of breath. “A letter. Someone sent you a letter, Captain Darius.”

He bit his tongue on correcting her as he took it. “Thanks. Who’s it from?”

“Another nymph. Oread.”

Darius turned it over to read the back. In fact, it was addressed to “Captain Darius”, but he knew the name of the sender. “Echo,” he muttered. “I wondered when we’d meet.” He looked back up at the dryad. “Would you like to come in for some water or tea or something?”

“I’d be honored, but I have to pass. I have to get back to the village.”

“Right,” he said. “Hold on a sec.” He dipped back inside, setting the letter down and pulling out the chest from under his bed. Darius opened it and pulled out a few gold pieces before he shoved it back. He went back to the door and held out the gold. “Here you go.”

The dryad’s eyes nearly popped out of her hand. “Oh, Captain, it’s too much.”

“Take it,” he said. “You came all the way out here.”

She accepted the gold, holding it close to her chest. “Thank you,” she said, still breathless but with joy. 

As he shut the door, Darius grabbed the dagger from his side and cut the envelope open.

Finally, some fun. Time to go back on the hunt.

[forthesanityofstorytellers]

Find the word!

I was tagged by both @kittensartswriting and @winterandwords, so I supposed I might just do them together!

My words to find were: cat, wound, hazy and wrong fight, fear, fly, and flow

Tagging! @mjjune, @sleepyowlwrites, @knmartinshouldbewriting, @magic-is-something-we-create, @agrimedena-drax

If you want to play go find the words Slam, House, Desk, and Silk

Cat (Couldn't find it or any variations)

Wound

Fiadris was more like a wild imp, and treated as such. The human called himself Bran, and had given her enough reason to think that he was different. Bran had found her after she’d been wounded, had dragged her back to his cabin near the edge of the woods and nursed her human side back to health. He hadn’t fought her when she ran out into the woods, and had been bringing food and drink out to her since she did so. He’d done nothing but be kind to her, and she was starting to like it.

Hazy: Nope, but I had Fog:

My coat added a sloppy circle around the coat rack as I slung it into place, hanging the squirrels above it and sliding my rifle against the doorframe. I nabbed a dirty towel from a nearby chair and wiped down, squeezing the rest of the rain from my black hair. The sun finally rose outside the window, golden light catching in the thick fog. I could barely see the street below. I switched on the nearby radio and began to change.

Wrong

“Bran!” the one in the lead called out again. Fiadris could just hear him above the rain. He had a different accent than Bran. “What’s this you called us about? Another little experiment gone wrong?”

Fight

She grabbed his arm and pulled back. “You can’t!” she hissed. “You promised not to use it!!” He shook her off, waving the gargoyle forward. It growled, but William gave a command word and it began to move. “I have to.” he said. “I’m not strong enough to fight that many mages of that level. I’ll need help.”

Fear

Steal some clothes. Ride out east. Survive without a reputation of fear to lean on, use her money in such a way the secure necessary supplies but without raising suspicion. Somehow keep small feral possibly-not-quite-all-human child alive until she was old enough to do so herself. That one was probably the hardest on the list. She wasn’t exactly the most motherly type. Then again, her own mother hadn’t exactly been the most tender and Jo had survived this long. She could at least do as good as her own parents, she was fairly sure of that.

Fly

The child screamed. The blanket was in his claws. A vine whipped out, wrapped around his ankle. Tethered him to the ground. Another yanked the blanket from his claws. Another wrapped around his waist, another around his chest and his wings. He couldn’t fly anymore, struggling as her vines held him in the air. Lifted him up. Slammed him back into the ground.

Flow

She grunted, waved at the breeze and disrupted its flow for a second, scattering the small form of wind around her. “It’s Fiadris,” she said. “And my father was–” she hesitated. Taeda had warned her against telling strange sprites about her heritage. She still wasn’t sure why, but both her parents had been firm on this. Unless it was a sprite or a human that they knew, she was not to speak of the fact that her mother was a sprite and her father was a human mage. So instead, she said, “my father was fine with me talking to humans, even mages. Besides, this is the first time you’ve come and spoken with me, while he has come to try and speak to me every day. Why should I believe you and not he?”

Thanks! ❤😁

[pumpkaaboo]

Elden Ring Daemon AU

just covers the main gods and demigods, under a cut because this is so long. might do some of the other characters later.

Marika: Maliketh originally settled as a bearded vulture. When Marika was chosen as the vassal of the greater will, it transformed him into a noble half-wolf, stripping him of his wings and granting him the ability to stray much farther from her. After all, what use would a queen of a kingdom of eternal life have for a creature that feasts on death?

Godfrey: Serosh the lion had always been his better half. By destroying Serosh's body in order for him to exist as a spirit, they hoped to bind themselves closer together, and exist as something approaching a measured unity.

Godwyn: His daemon settled as a massive golden eagle. Though he never knew it, his mother saw an echo of Maliketh's former self in her. They dreamed of the day she would be able to fly free, without the shadow of politics or war to threaten her. That day would never come, however, as she collapsed into dust the instant destined death touched his flesh.

The Omen Twins: Omens are born without daemons. It is thought by some scholars that their horns are the vessels for their souls instead. But they never experienced the childhood loneliness that plagues most daemonless; they had each other, after all, and thus never sought substitutes. True isolation was something they would only learn as adults.

Rennala: Her daemon is a magnificent blue peacock, whose markings are a striking moon-silver rather than gray. He had always been proud of his form, but eventually fell silent after Radagon's departure. He eventually asked to be reborn, and never reemerged from the amber egg.

Radagon: Brought a red wolf to Liurnia with him, and claimed it to be his daemon. Despite that, no one has ever heard it speak. He left it behind when he departed. Most are satisfied with the explanation that his ability to distance himself with it is the same magic that Marika uses to send Maliketh far away, but others aren't so sure.

Ranni: She was chosen by the Greater Will at birth, and thus Blaidd was trapped in half-wolf form from that very moment, never having the chance to experiment with what could have been possible. They don't know what he would have settled as had he been free of the Greater Will's influence, but Ranni secretly hopes he would have been something with wings.

Radahn: Leonard chose to settle as a horse, as both he and Radahn adored the image of themselves charging into battle together. This act of shortsightedness and ignorance of Radahn's eventual size ended up merely propelling their legend to even greater heights, and defining Radahn's mastery of gravity magic as a story of cleverness and overcoming adversity.

Rykard: His daemon was originally a clever opossum. She was consumed by the god-devouring serpent alongside him, but her face never appeared in its scales.

Malenia: Although she and her brother were both empyreans, the greater will waited to bestow its gifts on their daemons; it already had Ranni and Marika, and would come for them only if necessary. Malenia's daemon settled as a scarlet butterfly, a living reminder of her curse. Still, the strength of the wings she gained from mastering the blade more than made up for the fragility of her daemon's.

Miquella: As part of his curse, his daemon was doomed to never settle. But she often liked to stay the form of a red squirrel for days on end, pretending at reaching a state she couldn't.

[grapecaseschoices]

Band name, albums, and persona for all of your infamous mcs!! (Or whoever you’d like!!!)

Band name: How did they and the others come up with the band name? Has the name changed since it was founded?

I answered Lala here and Ori here.

Alana: Promised Promises.

Because I like pain, I feel the band name started with Alana and Seven. Essentially, just two young kids promising to be best friends forever (punctuated with their pinkies locked and kissing the other's thumb). Maybe they used to say cute things to each other like: 'Promisies?' (Alana probably started it and Seven fondly, exasperatedly, laughingly jumped into it because it made Alana laugh in turn) 'Are you a promiser?' Or 'I promised promised'. And so the band name came to be. Alana would rather die than change it.

Bethany Josnel: The Notations

No. I feel BJ's band name started the same reason I picked it oocly. It made me think of the Temptations, he's an r&b dude, and he plays the piano, lol.

I imagine people church probably played a lot of soul and OG R&B. Little Seven and BJ walking home from BJ's choir practice (that Seven hung around at) singing 'My Girl' to each other (not yet realizing my girl would mean my guy/my boy in about ten years). I think originally they had considered something more homage like, maybe something similar to the Ruinations (sounds pretty metal) or the Inclinations (they found a thesaurus) -- but maybe the wording 'musical notation' came up in a conversation, or they overheard it, and they looked at each other and new. And so it stuck.

Hiyam: The Vespas.

Yes. And surprisingly it was NOT after Seven left. Very early on the were known as Brimstones (aka Gonepteryx rhamni); Rown and Seven's urge to satisfy Hiyam's obsession with all flying/winged beings and still sound cool (she would rather die than admit it, but Hiyam thinks maybe it's a good thing they didn't go with Flying Squirrels). But it didn't last too long. Partially because people kept getting disappointed at a pop group called Brimstones and partially because people started calling Hiyam Bitches (instead of witch) and Brimstone .... and Seven couldn't fight everyone who insulted her girlfriend, so.

Albums: What are some of the albums the band has released? Are they a consistent style? What themes did they explore?

(Really making me dig up and ponder my notes huh? ;-P)

Lala

First EP was Pitchforks & Torches, First Album Here Kitty Kitty. P&T was really just a sample of sound. It was eclectic but not messy; it was eclectic in the sense that it was a nod to their origins and each song focused on two or more different band members' strengths. But the flow was good and the song titles followed the band theme. I think the best way to call it was alternate but the folk influences were there.

Then Here Kitty Kitty came out and though it was still alternative, still a bit folky, it veered hard into more an alternative hip hop sound. Though, the genre was different, the base was the same. You can definitely see that highlighting various band members vibe, still feel that twang, and that adventerous yet rebelliously nonchalant (nonchalantly rebellious) vibe of the EP. Their second album self titled DramaWh*re is another turn, away from the alternative and more folk, more twang, more southern. It focuses a bit more on Lala's vocals but not enough to push the band into acoustics land -- they've always been about supporting the group/doing what's best for it. It is a surprise but it's not a surprise.

As stated, there's a rebellious edge to a lot of DramaWh*re's songs. It is about making trouble and having fun, but not letting that overtake you. In the same name of having trouble and making fun, they like to dive into some ~sexiness~. Maybe a bit of spicy, a dip of romance. You can't fuck around without some fucking, after all. So DramaWhore's stuff (as the name implies) tends to be explicit.

Ori

Gains genre/vibe, as I like to term it is, Gympop or Himbro Punk Rock (aka synthpop). And though they've definitely touched into other genres (eletronic, indie pop/rock, pop punk etc), that's their heart. Whether they're singing about summertime sunshine, video games, doing reps, or badly flirting with people at a club, that's the base of their sound -- synthpop ........ and making sure people are having fun. While Lala's fun energy tends to read more let's bungee jump the grand canyon or yolo, let's go on stage half drunk and sing about our ex (daring, messy, a touch cocky); Ori's fun is more bonfire turn beach rave -- do a keg stand and pull out the glowsticks. It's silly, it's goofy, and it's energetic. Honestly, that's not just their vibe but also what they sing about (they probably have a song called glowstick ....)

A lot of their songs is about being down on your luck but still pushing through it: appreciate life, your loved ones, and everything in between. Maybe you're a loser but at least you're still living, dude.

Persona: How does their day-to-day personality compare to their on-stage persona?

Hiyam

Hiyam very much gives off the 'I'm the bitch you married' vibes (never seen gone girl, going off the gifs). And that is just a correct estimation of her personality. She might actually worse off stage? Like ruder. Because you want to beguile them on stage, right? On stage Hiyam is look at the sway of my hips, the turn of my hands, listen to my powerful vocals -- I make you want to come and go. Off stage Hiyam is MOVE BITCH GET OUT THE WAY.

Man, IDK. I'm tired. Personally I don't see them as overly too different. Hiyam struts on stage because she's just as arrogant off. She takes center and allures with her powerful vocals, and she's someone who will tell you what she feels (except if you're Orion) off stage. And because she knows she's the star. All eyes remain on her -- for better and for worse. She's audacious on and off. And she's definitely still a fashionista.

Actually, though, after doing this I really do think she's NICER on stage qwert lmao.

[neopronouns-in-action]

039: You Are What Eats You

Neopronouns: sie/sir/siris which follow the same rules as it/its/itself

Replace it with sie

Replace its with sir

Replace itself with siris

EX:

"It is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as it gets a fence set up around its yard so the puppy can go outside without it having to walk it. Its uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he's letting it use, since it lost its. It's going to buy toys and train the puppy itself. "

Becomes:

"Sie is going to adopt a new puppy soon, as soon as sie gets a fence set up around sir yard so the puppy can go outside without sie having to walk it. Sir uncle is going to help set up the fence, since he has a set of power tools he's letting sie use, since sie lost sir. Sie's going to buy toys and train the puppy siris."

= = =

They say you are what eats you.

Comet could remember the last time sie'd seen sir wolf family. It had been a warm spring day, and sir light parent, Squirrel, had just returned home from a successful hunt, but moving painfully from a mysterious injury to its side.

Comet had been tumbling through the grass, chasing a cricket. Raindrop and Aurora were on the other side of the den with their dark parent, Lightning, when Squirrel appeared in the distance, trotting down the hill into their little valley.

Sie had been excited to see it, and even more excited by the food it brought, and had been about to run up to greet it.

Then a shadow had passed by overhead. Squirrel, panic clear in its voice, had barked frantically, “Get in the den!”

Comet had seen Lightning grab Raindrop, who was too weak to move on their own, with Aurora huddling under zeir legs.

Squirrel was running towards Comet, but Comet was stricken by the first real terror sie had ever felt. This was the first threat sie had ever had to face, and all sir instincts were on fire. Sie hadn't been able to think clearly - - if sie had, sie would have run for Squirrel, to shelter under its legs like sir siblings were with Lightning, or sie would have run for the den, with its dark, warm embrace offering shelter from any harm.

But panic didn't listen to reason, and instead of running towards safety, Comet had found siris heading in the exact opposite direction - - right into the middle of the clearing, where there were no trees or parents or dens to offer protection.

Comet had heard sir parents shouting sir name, then...

Sie didn't remember anything else after that, until sie found siris enclosed in a warm, dark space. It was comforting, and sie didn't know how long sie just stayed there, almost asleep, but eventually, the urge to move began to make itself known, and the next thing sie could remember clearly, there was light, the sky overhead, and sir eagle parents were cooing over sie and welcoming sie to the world.

This time, sie had no siblings. Sie was the only chick in the nest, and, high up on the mountain side, there were no predators to watch for. The only eagles that approached were sir parents, Syssorie and Kiyavali. Sir name was not Comet anymore, it was Kiyarorie.

Kiyarorie was always safe in the nest. Sie was a golden eagle now, and nothing would be brave enough to hunt sir, not when one of sir parents was close by at all times while the other left to hunt. Not even other eagles dared to encroach upon sir parent's territory, and Kiyarorie, as the only chick, was well fed and well cared for. Sie never knew a moment of hunger or want.

Eventually it was sir turn to spread sir new wings and learn to fly, and a sudden gust of wind helped speed things along more abruptly than sie would have chosen otherwise.

It was a harrowing tumble out of the nest and into the open air, but it was a long way to fall, and Kiyarorie managed to get sir wings under control quickly, turning the out of control fall into a shaky glide with only a little trouble, though sir heart was racing in sir chest.

Syssorie took to the air and flew next to sie, offering encouragement and praise, and guiding sie down to a lower point on the rocky cliff where sie landed without falling off again.

After that, it felt like everything sped by quickly, with sir mastery over sir wings and the wind growing every time sie went out into the open air.

Once sir wings were steady enough, Kiyarorie's parents took sie out on a circuit around their whole territory, showing sie what sie would need to look for when establishing sir own, showing sie how to hunt, when to know to give up.

They brought sie to an open area, with a pile of rocks emerging from the ground in the middle, and a small line of trees on one side. There was a pack of wolves dozing around the rocks.

Kiyavali tilted one of awu wings down at the pack to draw Kiyarorie's attention to it, and said, “This is where my father caught a wolf cub for me when I was almost ready for my first flight. He brought it to me as a gift. I tried to bring you one, to continue the tradition, but they're clever, and I can never get close enough now. There, you see? They've spotted us.”

Kiyarorie looked, and saw that most of the bigger wolves had gotten to their feet, and, almost hidden beneath the bigger ones, Kiyarorie could just make out the smaller bodies of wolf pups being herded back towards the rocks. To the entrance of the den.

It was a sudden shock to recognize where sie was, looking at it from so far above rather than at the ground level, but no, this was where sie had been born in sir last life. These were the rocks that hid the den, those were the trees sie had spent so often playing under, and this - -

The sound rose up, clear and physical, like a new type of wind under sir wings.

This was the howl of Squirrel, one of sir wolf parents, rising up into the sky from below, strong and bold and filled with warning.

Kiyarorie looked down, and saw the familiar shape of what had once been sir parent, standing now on top of the rocks, looking up to meet sir gaze, tail held high, confidant and angry. It thought they were here to hunt the pups that were now safely ensconced inside the den, the other bigger wolves standing at the entrance to make sure none of them came out until it was safe.

And - -

Kiyarorie had to circle back around to get another look at two of those almost-adults.

Both of them had black fur, and sie didn't recognize the coat patterns. Neither of them were Lightning, sir other wolf parent, but something about them...

And then sie realized, these were sir siblings, grown up more than sie'd ever gotten to be as a wolf. This was Raindrop and Aurora, sir siblings, standing guard over the newest members of their pack, the pack sie had been born into, but never gotten the chance to grow up in.

Squirrel howled again, and this time Raindrop and Aurora joined in. Kiyarorie couldn't hear anything sie recognized in their howls, they were nothing like the squeaky, faltering puppy-howls sie'd heard from them in sir last life.

And, behind them all in the distance, came a faint answering howl, and this one was as familiar to sie as Squirrel's. It was Lightning, sir other wolf parent, probably returning from a hunting trip.

What could Kiyarorie do to communicate who sie was? Even if sie tried to speak to them, they wouldn't understand. Golden eagles couldn't make the same sounds as a wolf, and nothing about body language would match. If sie landed to try and tell them, sie would probably be ripped to pieces, thinking sie was trying to kill the newest puppies. Sir younger siblings.

No, sie couldn't land. Couldn't call down, they wouldn't understand.

But maybe sie could bring them a gift, just as a farewell. A thank you, for everything they'd done for sie while sie was a wolf.

Kiyarorie told sir parents sie wanted to fly on sir own for a while, and, sharing a glance, they told sir to be careful, and turned to head back to the nest. The sun would be starting to set soon, and the lighting would be too dim to see by.

This would be Kiyarorie's first hunt on sir own, and sie was going to dedicate it to sir past life.

The hare sie found an hour later stood out strongly against the grass, still holding onto its white winter coat long past when it should have shed it. Kiyarorie hit it dead-on, and killed it before sie was even in the air again, carrying it in sir talons. It probably hadn't even known it was in danger.

Sie carried sir kill back to the last home sie'd had, and made sure to call out before sie got too close, so they'd have warning. Squirrel, as before, was the first to spot sie, and it whuffed a sharp warning. Again, the cubs ran for the den, with bigger wolves running to fetch those further away, and standing over the entrance to protect them. Lightning was here this time, and Kiyarorie could feel zeir eyes burning into sir feathers as sie spiraled slowly overhead, still clutching the hare.

Knowing they didn't understand the words, but wanting to say them anyways, Kiyarorie waited until all the the pups were safely in the den, then called down, “I know you don't understand me, but I wanted to thank you. I wanted to say I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was taken from you, but I'm so glad Raindrop and Aurora survived. I hope my new siblings grow up to be just as strong and brave as you are, my first parents.”

Sie circled lower, still making sure to keep a safe distance above Lightning, who had taken the spot on the top of the rock pile this time. Kiyarorie hadn't had time to learn how high wolves could jump, but sie was not going to find out the hard way.

Once sie was low enough that sir next move would be unmistakable in its purposefulness, sie turned to fly over the area in front of the den, and dropped the dead hare.

It landed with a thud a wingspan in front of Squirrel, who only took its eyes off of Kiyarorie long enough to track the hare's fall. When it looked back up at sie, its expression had lost some of its fierceness, and gained some puzzlement in its place.

Squirrel tilted its head to one side, and its tail, before held straight up, was allowed to wave from side to side, almost questioningly.

Kiyarorie didn't know how to respond in any way sir old parent would understand, so sie simply called out again, “I hope it helps.” and made sure that when sie angled sir wings again, it was with the clear purpose of flying straight away in a direction sir old family would be able to see in, so they would know it wasn't a trap.

By the time sie got back to the nest, the sun had almost completely set, burning the sky orange above the horizon. Sie had caught another hare to share with sir parents, and after eating it, Kiyarorie fell asleep in the nest next to sir parents, knowing that soon enough, it would be sir turn to fly off on sir own to establish sir own territory and find sir own mate.

But for now, sleep called, and all sie had to do was dream of running on all fours as a wolf, then spreading sir golden wings and jumping up to play in the wind as seamlessly as breathing.

[hopskipandarump]

Yo hi there! I’m very sorry to bother you at this time of the day, just reaching out if you’d be so kind to check the post that I pinned on my blog and maybe give it a little help by boosting/sharing it? it’s for my cat :((( and we need help to get him the dental care he needs. It would really mean the world to me and I understand if you don’t, still appreciate you and stay safe! and btw, please do send me a msg to reply or answer the ask privately instead as I want avoid other blogs to think im a spambot or what, once again im sorry for asking this, praying you’d consider! 🫶🏽🥹

lmao no

nice scam dumbass

anyway

According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway because bees don't care what humans think is impossible. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little. Barry! Breakfast is ready! Coming! Hang on a second. Hello? Barry? Adam? Can you believe this is happening? I can't. I'll pick you up. Looking sharp. Use the stairs, Your father paid good money for those. Sorry. I'm excited. Here's the graduate. We're very proud of you, son. A perfect report card, all B's. Very proud. Ma! I got a thing going here. You got lint on your fuzz. Ow! That's me! Wave to us! We'll be in row 118,000. Bye! Barry, I told you, stop flying in the house! Hey, Adam. Hey, Barry. Is that fuzz gel? A little. Special day, graduation. Never thought I'd make it. Three days grade school, three days high school. Those were awkward. Three days college. I'm glad I took a day and hitchhiked around The Hive. You did come back different. Hi, Barry. Artie, growing a mustache? Looks good. Hear about Frankie? Yeah. You going to the funeral? No, I'm not going. Everybody knows, sting someone, you die. Don't waste it on a squirrel. Such a hothead. I guess he could have just gotten out of the way. I love this incorporating an amusement park into our day. That's why we don't need vacations. Boy, quite a bit of pomp under the circumstances. Well, Adam, today we are men. We are! Bee-men. Amen! Hallelujah! Students, faculty, distinguished bees, please welcome Dean Buzzwell. Welcome, New Hive City graduating class of 9:15. That concludes our ceremonies And begins your career at Honex Industries! Will we pick our job today? I heard it's just orientation. Heads up! Here we go. Keep your hands and antennas inside the tram at all times. Wonder what it'll be like? A little scary. Welcome to Honex, a division of Honesco and a part of the Hexagon Group. This is it! Wow. Wow. We know that you, as a bee, have worked your whole life to get to the point where you can work for your whole life. Honey begins when our valiant Pollen Jocks bring the nectar to The Hive. Our top-secret formula is automatically color-corrected, scent-adjusted and bubble-contoured into this soothing sweet syrup with its distinctive golden glow you know as... Honey! That girl was hot. She's my cousin! She is? Yes, we're all cousins. Right. You're right. At Honex, we constantly strive to improve every aspect of bee existence. These bees are stress-testing a new helmet technology. What do you think he makes? Not enough. Here we have our latest advancement, the Krelman. What does that do? Catches that little strand of honey that hangs after you pour it. Saves us millions. Can anyone work on the Krelman? Of course. Most bee jobs are small ones. But bees know that every small job, if it's done well, means a lot. But choose carefully because you'll stay in the job you pick for the rest of your life. The same job the rest of your life? I didn't know that. What's the difference? You'll be happy to know that bees, as a species, haven't had one day off in 27 million years. So you'll just work us to death? We'll sure try. Wow! That blew my mind! "What's the difference?" How can you say that? One job forever? That's an insane choice to have to make. I'm relieved. Now we only have to make one decision in life. But, Adam, how could they never have told us that? Why would you question anything? We're bees. We're the most perfectly functioning society on Earth. You ever think maybe things work a little too well here? Like what? Give me one example. I don't know. But you know what I'm talking about. Please clear the gate. Royal Nectar Force on approach. Wait a second. Check it out. Hey, those are Pollen Jocks! Wow. I've never seen them this close. They know what it's like outside The Hive. Yeah, but some don't come back. Hey, Jocks! Hi, Jocks! You guys did great! You're monsters! You're sky freaks! I love it! I love it!

[icewindandboringhorror]

Daily Log 6

Trying out (probably just temporarily) making short daily-ish notes about things, in an attempt to see if it helps me be more reflective or productive lol.

Activities: I always basically need a 'recovery day' after running errands or anything, so.. not very productive, relatively boring day, very sleepy and headachy lol..

Went to the store to pick up something essential that I forgot the day before. Also tried out a new boardgame/cardgame thing just to test the rules/see if I'd like to play it with people in the future.

Played a few of the wii sports resort and wii fit games (which I do every weekend lol.. my weekly Wii check in... I still love the wii so much even though it's an obsolete console to everyone or whatever hghj... shout out to anyone still actively playing the nintendo Wii). Though I cut it short and didn't do dancing games or anything all that active, since I felt so tired and sick-ish. TpT

The most productive things were watering some plants, and also cooking and doing a lot of food prep. I love chopping cabbage into really thin stringy ribbon slices, it's kind of mesmerizing to see how small and even you can get it. If I had enough social energy to have a group chat or something I would always be texting stuff like ''sliced up a cabbage today....... effervescent''.

Did a few maintenance tasks (clearing out online notifications, deleting spam emails, wrote out my weekly plan and to-do list/main goals for the upcoming week and organized a few papers, etc.)

Honestly the rest of the day I was just in a sleepy haze, or actually napping (fell asleep at my desk whilst trying to work on the tapestry translations lol), etc. Still very worldbuilding inspired and thinking about a lot of stories and ideas at once but sadly my physical energy does not match the energy in my brain.

Cutting cabbage today made me think of bligabata (one of the staples of the Avirre'thel diet, basically giant cabbages that grow along streams). I miss doing little posts like that. It's just hard to work in alongside bigger/longer term projects like the worldbuilding slideshow and games and stuff.

Notable sights: A very large bird perched on a comically tiny wobbling branch at the very top of a tree that looks like it wouldn't hold it's weight. Watched a squirrel pick through the grass under the spotty shade of a tree, it looked like it was leaping through little shapes in the shadows. Saw a different bird fly into a hole in a building next to a gutter and then heard a chorus of tiny little cheepy noises, so it might have been a parent bringing food to it's children. I've seen some bird eggs on the ground the past few weeks, perhaps babies are hatching. Came across the discarded bone of an eaten chicken wing laying in the middle of a sidewalk, an omen of the universe mocking me for my recent anemia fueled chicken wing cravings.

Goals moving forward: Focus on social activities, finding new friends in the places I want to move, communicating with ones I have. Physical therapy exercises. Plant nasturtiums!!! Finish and upload videos, edit costume pictures & etc. Do the new costumes I've planned. MAKE SCULPTURES at some point, I miss them.

Notable foods: Made kale chips. Also fish tacos, which included making a cabbage slaw and some pico de gallo. Had more asparagus too. >:3 A good day in terms of having foods that are actually somewhat enjoyable, though I think laboring for them sometimes makes them less good lol, like.. spending a hour on prep work and then having to clean up everything and feeling sick afterwards from being in a warm kitchen etc. - in return for maybe 20 minutes of eating..? The cost benefit analysis doesn't always work out in my head. Oh, also had one of my reserve cans of gingerale that I mostly just keep in case of stomach aches, but just had it as a treat because I was feeling overheated.. crispy ice cold ginger ale.. still an unbeatable experience.. .. pretending I am in the arctic instead of in doo doo stink usa where we have 85F days and heatwaves in spring and fires and shit every summer... icy icey, i am snow.. eooughhh

[larrysland]

This month’s post has two parts   First is this wood burning and staining of an eagle.  As I was creating the mountains I had images of the Grand Tetons in Wyoming that I have seen.  This is not an exact copy of them, just an image inspired by a memory.   

Besides being the national symbol of the U.S. eagles have inspired many thoughts.  Here are two that I like.

You need eagles wings to get over things that make no sense in this world.    Tom Petty

Don’t be a parrot in life, be an eagle.  A parrot talks way to much and can’t fly high.  but an eagle is silent and has the willpower to touch the sky.  Unknown 

***********************

The second part of this month’s post is based on the fact that tomorrow is Groundhog’s Day!  Attached below is a short story I wrote about it that might explain how it really came to be Groundhog’s Day instead of some other animal.  Hope you enjoy. 

GROUNDHOG DAY

A bear, a bat, and a groundhog walked into a bar on the December Solstice one week before Christmas, 1937 near the Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney.

After an hour of drinking at a corner table Joe Bear brought up the real reason they came here and that they had been avoiding talking about.  “Okay guys.  No putting it off we gotta decide which one of us is going to interrupt our hibernation on Candlemas Day, a little over 7 weeks away, so that the humans can determine how much longer winter will last.”    

“It obviously ain’t gonna be me,” said Slinky the Bat. “When I did that back a hundred years or so ago the humans freaked out and started stories about me being a vampire and drinking blood.  Me and all my relatives nearly got kilt a hundred times over.”

“Yeah, that was bad - ”

“BAD Phil?  Bad - that’s all you can say!?  They nearly murdered me!  Scared the wife and kids horribly!  I’m out of this rotation.  One of you guys will have to do it.  I’ll support you though and every year when we get together like this I’ll buy your drinks for the night.  I’ll buy enough booze for you to sleep real solid for 7 weeks till you got to get up.”

“Okay, okay Slinky, calm down.  Phil didn’t mean nothing bad,” said Joe.  

“Yeah buddy.  Ease down,” said Phil.  Now, Phil was keeping pace with Joe with the number of drinks he was having.  And since a groundhog is smaller than a bear the whiskey was really getting him buzzed.  

“Tell you what guys,” said Phil, “this deciding every year is getting old.  I read The Hobbit a week back.  You remember the riddle game that Bilbo had with Gollum?  Joe, why don’t you and I play riddles and the loser has to do the Candlemas wake-up for the next 200 years and then we will play it again.”

“Dude - you’re on, Let’s do it!  We’ll ask each other questions.  We each get the same number of questions so if we each get one wrong in the same round we have to keep going.  Slinky will be the judge if our answers are different than the one we were thinking of but are still good.  Deal?”

“Deal,” said Phil and they shook paws.

“Here’s your first riddle” said Joe:   A man was driving a black truck. His lights were not on. The moon was not out. A lady was crossing the street. How did the man see her?”

“Easy,” cackled Phil, “It was a bright sunny day - just like it’s gonna be when you have to wake up for Candlemas Day on February 2nd.”

“Shut up mouth.  Give me my riddle,” said Joe.

“Okay Joe, what asks but never answers?” said Phil.

“Hmm…oh, an owl! Yeah, an owl! Cuz it only says ‘who.”

“Okay, now I’m going to answer first in this round” said Joe, “Ask me your riddle Phil.” 

“Here is your riddle:  Take off my skin - I won’t cry, but you will.  What am I?” 

Thinking for over a minute about what made him cry in life Joe finally said, “An onion!  It made me cry when I was making dinner last week.”

“Rats, yeah, that’s it. Now you ask me” said Phil. 

As Joe was drinking and thinking the bar door opened and Dave Squirrel came in, sauntered up to the bar and started talking with the bartender and flirting with the waitress.  Joe saw him and muttered under his breath - “That guy - such a jerk.  I was hoping he wasn’t showing up tonight but I guess he is just late.  I hate how he shows off and tries to impress the girls.  I know how he can do it but it still makes me ask, how can a squirrel jump and move so far, so fast, so high, and at such angles?”

Not completely paying attention due to the booze and all, Phil only heard the last part, only the question.  “Wait - what!  That’s not a fair riddle!” snarled Phil. “No fair, no fair, ask me something else.”

Realizing that he had accidentally stumped Phil ,Joe said, “Yes it is a fair question.  Slinky do you think it is a fair question? Yes or no?”

Slinky felt really bad and uncomfortable at what was happening.  But thinking about it he decided that it was a fair question.  Phil had to answer it.  He also said that Phil could have three guesses instead of one since it was an unusual, but legal, question.  After five minutes of horrible wrenching and wrong guesses Joe was declared the winner but only if he gave them the correct answer as judged by Slinky.

“Squirrels are double jointed in the back legs and that gives them their mobility and strength,” said Joe.  “I win!  C’mon Phil.  It’s not all that bad.  You’re a light sleeper any way and now you’ll get free drinks from Slinky here when we do our Winter Solstice get-together.  I’ll even bring you vegetables and berries sprinkled with vanilla extract cuz I know you like that.

“Besides you do this regularly for a few years and you’ll be famous.  People will call you Punxsutawney Phil which sounds a lot better than Punxsutawney Joe.”

“Yeah, well, okay,” admitted Phil beginning to lighten up when he thought of the free drinks, the free food, and the fame.  Maybe he could even impress that waitress over there.  

But still not wanting to completely give in he glanced over his shoulder again at Dave, shook his head, turned back and muttered to his friends, “I was doing so good, and then there was this squirrel.” 

[pandoramusicbox]

Grandoria Grandora is made up of two diffrent kinds of sub-regions. there is the mountains of Grandora and then there are the foot hills of grandora, the mountain region is long and stretching up into the endless forest. the foothills are vast and are the more populated portion of the region. a relatively small region if not accounting for the mountain parts covered in the endless forest.without the region covered  in the forest the region is roughly the size of kansas or romania the area is a much dryer steps, that is too rocky to be great for agriculture. instead most people who live here are either herders or hunters, especially in the eastern part of the region. some farming is accomplished but most of it is concentrated around rivers and lakes, the close to torshii you go the more populous the region.  the largest library in the world is located at the bottom of the grandorian mountains. the library grandora, built back in the age of dragons it houses a great deal of guardians of knowledge, keepers of knowledge and seekers of knowledge. some species of the region -humans, there's also a good deal of faun and elven that live in the region as well. the most common phenotype among humans in the region is a person who has somewhat dark to lighter skin. they tend to have brown hair colors and red to maroon eyes, with a recessive trait of orange red hair and yellow eyes. there is a minority of people with white hair and red eyes but are not affected by albinism. the other two common phenotypes include the same range of skin tones, but one group has dark red, velvet red to maroon hair and dark eyes, the other phenotype as reddish golden to lime colored hair their eyes are generally green to teal in color. the faun of the region often have horns like a mountain goat. the elven of the region generally have blond to white hair. - rose winged angelics, they live in small flocks all throughout the mountains but the majority of the rose wings live within the given peninsula and down into the Northern iles of heaven. they have a particular reputation for being soft in demeanor and are known as excellent match makers. unlike other angelics a lot of them have an ability unique to them that allows them to understand true intentions and feelings of those who let them. they claim that this is an ability they got as a blessing from a holly named Chamuel. the rose winged angelics often have white wings but they are more well known for soft ping to rose gold wings. they often have browns in their wings.   -ink tip angelics, this is the furthest east they tend to fly as they genuinely live more in in the islands of a thousand bridges. they have mostly light colored wings and hair, but the wings tend to have grey or black wingtips. the same goes for the hair. - wis hares, rock rabbits, raccoons,  ground squirrels, pack rats, pika, and other small rodents are abundant, there is also a surprisingly large population of glacial river otters and in towards Torshii and Tiven there are beavers.   - giants, grandoria is the only area south of the endless forest in scalipia where they live, they are a bit smaller than other giants only stand around  -raquele: the raccoon people, distant relatives of both long ears and kamion, they have mask like patterns, there is evidence that they once were populous all over the scallipian continent but in the modern days they are only found around the grandorian mountains and east into aulkilir  - echos: an unusually large amount of echos exist in the grandorian mountains.   - night titans and storm titans. they are found in this region. - land crabs, and rock crabs, they are very similar to their giant land crab relatives that live throughout torshii, the land crabs of grandoria are notably smaller than their torshii cousins and all tend to congregate around watering holes, streams and the endless forest. the torch land crab are a bit of a tawny yellow in color and the males have blue legs while the females have white legs. they are roughly the size of large dogs. the rock crabs look a lot like rocks, or gravel, they live high in the mountains and scurry between the rocks and streams in the glaciers    -  grandorian prong horn, they are similar to the other prong horn in the drylands but they are much smaller in size they have longer horns and are hunted by snow leopards, lamia and drakes.  -lamia, the highly predatory Kentaurians, they have the lower bodies of lions and the upper bodies of humans. they used to be common throughout the region of torshii and the biggest preditor of wild horses and land crabs, but because they had a reputation of eating centaurs and humans, they where hunted to extinction in that region, and only the individuals that moved farther east  survived. - snow leopards, they are a lot like the ones we have in real life, they are large fluffy and will kill you while you carelessly try to scale a mountain. - cranes there's roughly 14 species of cranes that either live permanently or migrate to the area in a year.  - grey wolves, they travel around in small packs and dig dens to live in throughout the region. rose winged angelics have a legend that these wolves once were angelics themselves, with gray wings, but they angered the moons by eating the flesh of humans, so they were cured to become ground bound beings with an insatiable hunger. - drakes, especially the fearsome ice drakes who inhabit the glacier of the mountains, ice drakes are highly magical especially comaired to other drakes, a lot of them are thought to have strange precognitive and external viewing abilities from glancing into clear pools that gather in glaciers.  black spine drakes, and burrow drakes also live here though they are well known to be much less intelligent than ice drakes. - nerri hedgehogs and eastern hill hedgehogs,  - Pa’lli cats, similar in appearance to real world pallas cats, they have flat heads and faces an a lot of shaggy fur. Pa’lli cats are found in three mountain regions of the world and one of them is the gandoria mountains (the other two subspecies are found in the mono mountains of aukilir and the mountains naan region of  -temacrans, live all over the Grandorian foot hills, these underground dwelling creatures have long necks that they can stretch and retract as needed, they are opportunistic ambush predators, they look like creatures with goat heads, they have short tails, and flat bodies good for squeezing into burrows that other creatures make, they often make the space larder by using their horns to dig. despite popular belief temacrans are in fact omnivore and eat nearly one third of their body weight in grasses and moss in a day, they mainly supplement their diet with meat in spring and fall right before food becomes scares in winter. -corsac foxes, whitish tan foxes, they often go up the mountains. - there several species of deer and moose that live In the region. this inclueds korder elk, red speckled deer, small trail deer from torshi, along with predatory not-deer. other species that live in the region are the yellow back moose and the rosebud horned deer. - a lot of animals from torshii will migrate into the region every few years for different reasons. this includes wild horses, who roam the lands in abundance, rarely are woodland bison seen this Far East. orcs and wild swine are also found in the region digging up the many root plants that grow here.  (all photos are stock photos and are used only to help in visualization, if a photo is not a stock photo it was not known to me)

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Gavin’s Long Journey Date

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 长旅之约, which has not been released in EN! 🍒

[ This date was released on 8 July 2021 ]

Deers rest peacefully beside me, and birds caw from the branches.

All of a sudden, a rustling sound of flapping wings disrupts the peace in the forest.

Smiling subconsciously while tilting my head upwards, a gigantic griffin descends from the sky.

MC: Welcome back, Griffy! Have you been eating and sleeping well?

I walk up to it, burying my face in the griffin’s fluffy chest fur, letting out a happy sigh.

??: You’re only welcoming it?

The voice I’m most familiar with drifts from the griffin’s back. After that, a figure leaps down smoothly.

MC: Gavin, welcome home!

With a turn of my face, I smile while giving him a wave.

Gavin is wearing simple and informal clothes. However, the extraordinary way he carries himself and the exquisite crown on his forehead could only belong to a prince.

He bows before me in a teasing manner, handing me a small bag. Even without opening it, I can smell the fragrance of pastries.

Gavin: Goddess of Nature, I bring you this round of offerings. But stop sharing them with these animals. They’ve put on weight again.

MC: They’re only cute when they’re round and plump.

I retort, unconvinced. Even so, I pinch the squirrel on my shoulder, placing it back onto the tree.

MC: I have also mentioned that you don’t have to bring me any offerings. The person who made the agreement with me was your mother, and I've already accepted sufficient offerings from her.

Despite what I said, I open the little bag that Gavin gave me, grinning while taking out the pastries.

As a deity, I’m basically adept in everything within my own forest. However, I lack the skills and abilities to bake such snacks.

As such, I’m exceptionally happy whenever he brings me such food.

While eating, I continue speaking with unclear articulation.

MC: When your mother came to the forest that year with a jewel which had been passed down from generation to generation, as well as her crown your deity father once gave her...

Gavin: With those items as offerings, she hoped that you’d become my guardian deity who would keep me safe and train me till I became a passable king.

When deities accept human offerings, they reciprocate by bestowing blessings onto humans. This way, a wonderful transactional relationship is formed.

Back then, a queen had brought her son of around fourteen or fifteen years of age to my forest.

That elegant and dignified lady was smiling, but there was faint worry in her eyes.

She told me that her days were numbered, and that she wouldn’t be able to watch her son grow up.

The child’s father was a high-ranking deity who was busy maintaining the earth's order and rarely showed himself.

As such, she gave me offerings, hoping that I'd become her son’s guardian deity, and to protect this small prince.

Gavin does a stretch, then removes the saddle on Griffy.

Gavin: You’ve said it many times, and I remember it all. 

Gavin: Instead of these things, why don’t you eat quickly? I specially bought the basket which just came out from the stove, then rushed Griffy over. The pastries won’t taste good if they get cold.

Gavin draws out his tone, but a smile remains on his lips.

I turn my head towards Gavin, who is helping me manage the medicinal plants with a practised hand. I can’t help but ponder softly in my heart.

This person doesn’t let me protect him much...

Although this half deity obtained the added protection from the Goddess of Nature, he has never asked for assistance aside from guidance.

He has always strived for the things he wanted, and would persist through failure until he reaches his goal.

Later on, this prince who excels in both learning and military skills, and can even control wind, is the one who helps me out.

He always brings me all sorts of human food and small trinkets, calling them offerings.

Gavin: Why are the medicinal plants here turning bare again... did I water them too much?

I can’t help but laugh secretly while walking over to his side. Holding up those medicinal plants, I restore them to life.

Till this day, he only lets me help him in this area.

I think about how despite not having been coronated king, Gavin has long since been able to run a country.

As a guardian deity, I haven’t neglected my duties, have I?

MC: Come to think of it... Gavin, why haven’t you held a coronation ceremony?

Gavin pauses in his movements.

Gavin: Do you want me to become king?

MC: Of course.

Gavin: But if I become king, it means that you’d no longer be my guardian deity.

MC: That... is correct.

Gavin averts his line of sight, and he doesn’t seem to be in a good mood.

This seems to be the case every time I broach this topic with him.

Clearing my throat, I attempt to change the topic to break the awkward atmosphere.

MC: Oh yes, how many days will you be staying this time?

Gavin doesn’t respond. As though he has finally made a certain decision, he sighs deeply and lifts his head, meeting my eyes directly.

Gavin: The reason why I came this time is because there’s something important I needed to tell you. I’ve decided to succeed to the throne.

The overly abrupt news leaves me dumbfounded on the spot.

Gavin doesn’t elaborate further, and continues.

Gavin: Before that, I intend to follow the ancient text and collect the rumoured offerings that deities cannot refuse. That will allow a strong deity to become my new guardian deity, to protect me, and to protect this country.

Hearing his resolute words, my heart feels slightly upset.

Although completing my agreement is a good thing, why does my heart feel empty?

He even said he was going to find a new guardian deity...

I blink a few times, unable to comprehend the feelings churning in my heart.

Gavin: But right now, you’re my guardian deity. Which is why I hope you can accompany me on this journey. Is that okay?

Gavin looks straight at me, his eyes as transparently clear as a cloudless amber sky.

Facing such a him, I can only nod.

-

Despite not yet rationalising my emotions, I reluctantly embark on this journey with him.

The first stop of this journey is the forest in which fairies live.

Looking at the first treasure recorded in the ancient text, I heave a long sigh.

MC: A crystal which can counteract all sorts of curses. It only grows at the tip of the World Tree...

Gavin: What’s wrong? Deities don’t like it?

MC: It’s the opposite. No deities have refused such an offering. To be honest, even I want it. But...

I lift my head. Looking at the giant tree which plunges into the sky, I have a bad feeling.

MC: You have to know that even though I’m a deity, I was born from nature, and the source of my strength comes from the forest and the land. Which also means...

I’m not good at flying.

Likely hearing the implication of my words, Gavin doesn’t hold back, chuckling softly.

MC: Gavin! Don’t laugh! At that height, even a griffin would have difficulties flying up there. Furthermore, people are good at different-

Gavin: Get on.

Gavin leaps onto the griffin, lowering his head to look at me.

The griffin releases an excited caw, its wings flapping up and down.

Faint morning light caresses the side of his face, the gorgeous rosy glow wilfully painting the azure sky.

His hair and indigo cloak roll up with the air currents, the crown on his head reflecting arc lights.

And on his face, there’s a heroic valiance even clearer and more radiant than any jewel.

For a moment, I’m left slightly dazed.

As compared to any other moment, I can clearly sense that he is no longer that little child who had his brows tightly furrowed back then.

The person before me has shed off his childishness, is sufficiently intelligent, and sufficiently mature - a person who is about to become a young king.

I always knew that he was someone worth having faith in.

But there seems to be something else in his eyes that causes my heartbeat to accelerate uncontrollably.

Likely seeing that I haven’t moved in a long time, Gavin leans over, pulling me in front of him steadily, his arms wrapped securely around my waist.

Gavin: Let’s go.

With this soft statement, the griffin, which had been anticipating this for a very long time, flaps its wings, soaring towards the azure sky.

At the same time, a powerful gale whizzes under Gavin’s beckoning.

Using the wind as wings, we fly very, very high.

Gavin: I wanted to take you flying like this since a very long time ago. But I wasn’t able to find a suitable chance.

His words land on my ears amidst the fluttering sound of wind - high-spirited, clear, and without restraint.

I can hear the throbbing of my own heart, reminiscent of the bits of feathers in the air, drifting along with the breeze.

With Gavin around, Griffy doesn’t have to exert much effort, landing at the crown of the World Tree.

There is a rich display of light and colours on the dense and green treetop. Amidst the various lights, a cluster of dazzling crystals emit a tender and dream-like colour.

Gavin: Looks like this is it.

He plucks a crystal deftly, storing it in the travelling bag he carried along.

Seizing this chance, I take several deep breaths to calm the inexplicable throbbing in my chest.

MC: Since we’ve successfully obtained the first item, are we heading to the next destination? Or are we resting here for the night?

Gavin: We’ll set off straightaway. But give me a moment.

Gavin reaches out to pluck a few smaller crystals. Using a few branches around us, he weaves a simple bracelet, then clasps it around my wrist gently.

Gavin: Since you like it, bring a few more back.

Just as he finishes speaking, a few fairies who were grinning among the leaves earlier rush out towards us.

Fairy A: Congratulations! May the fruits of the World Tree protect the two of you forever!

Fairy B: Congratulations on your marriage! I wish you two everlasting sweetness!

MC: Huh?

Watching as the fairies start to sprinkle flower petals over our heads, my face burns with a “whoosh”.

MC: [blushing] What nonsense are you saying?

The fairy grins while speaking once again.

Fairy B: Firstly, don’t the two of you play together often, and like each other more than others?

Very few humans enter my forest. Aside from the small animals, the only one who visits me frequently, chats with me, and has fun with me is Gavin.

As compared to those small animals which aren’t able to talk or bring me snacks, it’s true that I like Gavin a little more.

With this thought in mind, I nod.

At the side, Gavin nods too. But for some reason, the tips of his ears are slightly red.

Fairy A: Secondly, didn’t the two of you make a unique agreement with each other?

Not knowing where this is heading, I nod again. After all, I’m Gavin’s guardian deity.

At the side, Gavin does a similar action.

Fairy A: Lastly, he made a bracelet for you using the crystals of the World Tree, then put it on for you personally. Doesn’t that symbolise that you’re destined for each other?

The fairy says this matter-of-factly, and the surrounding fairies agree in succession.

MC: Wait wait wait wait, this is a misunderstanding! We’re...

The words are at my lips, but I pause.

It seems that I’ve never considered how to define my relationship with Gavin.

I’m his guardian deity, but I can vaguely sense that it goes further than that.

In the end, Gavin takes half a step forward, blocking me from the celebrating fairies.

Gavin: That’s just the tradition of fairies. Humans and deities don’t have such rules. She’s a guardian deity belonging only to me.

-

The heating stove is bright red, and the sound of forging is unceasing.

??: Drink quickly, drink quickly! There are many more barrels!

The dizzying fragrance of alcohol permeates the air. Even if it’s dispelled by the breeze, it lingers for a long time.

??: You’ll only enjoy yourself to the fullest by accompanying it with the best quality cheese! Want a chunk of smoked meat too?

The bustling marketplace is rife with people hawking their wares, cheese, smoked meat, fruits and perfume. The dazzling lineup leaves one overwhelmed.

??: I didn’t expect that humans could drink as well as us! Not bad!

??: After all, he’s a half deity!

A circular table is in the middle of the lively marketplace, surrounded by dwarves who are adept in iron casting.

Aromatic mead courses through the crevices of the crowd and the small path, being sent to the table in a continuous stream.

MC: Gavin, are you sure you can still drink?

This is the first time I’m seeing Gavin drink this much. He wobbles a little while standing beside the table. Fortunately, his eyes are still sober and clear.

Gavin: I’m fine. 

Gavin: [to the dwarves] We agreed that as long as I can outdrink all of you, you’d give the rarest treasure of the dwarves to me - a golden belt praised by all the deities.

Dwarf A: We never lie!

Dwarf B: Goddess, try some! 

Before I can refuse politely, Gavin has already pulled over the wine cup offered to me, drinking it in one mouthful.

Gavin: I’m the one competing against all of you.

Whether it’s due to the mead or the nearby heating stove, my face grows slightly warm.

Another barrel of mead is finished, and the alcohol-loving dwarves at the table have already collapsed.

Gavin presses the wooden wine cup onto the table heavily. Arching a brow, he raises his volume slightly.

Gavin: You’ve lost.

Dwarf A: Fine, you win! The belt belongs to you! But...!

The dwarf stands up wobbly and burps. In front of Gavin, he pats his own chest.

Dwarf A: There’s... there’s something even more... important that I must do! Axe! I want to make an axe - the best axe - and give it to my beloved lady!

While saying this, he runs and staggers towards the forging stove. The dwarves in the surroundings cheer him on and whistle.

MC: What’s happening this time...

The dwarf is inebriated, but his limbs remain deft. He holds up a hammer and picks a chunk of steel which has been scorched red. Then, he begins hammering it with clanking sounds.

Dwarf A: Half Deity! Come here!

Dwarf B: Come and make something too!

The dwarves are rowdy, and they bring Gavin over to a forging stove, teaching him how to forge weapons.

I head over curiously. Gavin seems to think of something. He glances at me, a smile surfacing on his lips.

Then, he holds up a chunk of mithril and gives it a detailed look, as though visualising the shape he wants to carve it into.

After a while, Gavin picks up the iron hammer, hammering in a decisive manner.

Sparks dance in the air, and the flames from the stove are exuberant. The clamour and sounds of hammering are incessant, bringing the celebration of the marketplace to a climax.

Dwarf A: Done!

Cheers erupt from amongst the crowd. That drunk dwarf raises the axe he had forged, then runs towards a small stall in the marketplace.

Dwarf A: This axe is for you, my beautiful woman! Please marry me!

Even from across the marketplace, the loud voice of the dwarf drifts over clearly.

Dwarf B: Hahahaha! Not bad!

The dwarf at the side chuckles so hard that he isn’t able to straighten up. He takes several deep breaths to calm himself down, then turns around to speak to Gavin.

Dwarf B: Half Deity Lad, you too. Your skills are pretty good for a beginner! If you have a beloved lady, don’t hesitate. Just propose directly!

At the other side of the marketplace, the proposal succeeds. A brand new celebration and banquet has already begun.

I don’t bother about the joy which is about to drown us. I simply look at Gavin.

Perhaps he’s drunk a little too much. Right now, he’s staring fixedly at the short staff he forged, a look of contemplation on his face.

What the dwarf said earlier echos in my ears, akin to a mystical magic spell.

Looking at Gavin, I find myself wondering if he’d give that short staff to me.

Would he smile while looking straight into my eyes, or would he avert his gaze in embarrassment?

I’m left dumbfounded by these inexplicable thoughts.

Perhaps I’ve also drunk a little too much.

-

Early the second day, we bid farewell to the dwarves, preparing to continue the journey.

MC: I didn’t think we’d witness a wedding. It’s a pity that we couldn’t hear more about how they met and got to know each other.

Gavin: Mm. I’m also really curious.

MC: It’s rare to see you interested in such topics.

Gavin: After all, meetings are special things to me. Meetings and keeping each other company are very beautiful things.

Gavin’s tone is gentle, as though he’s recollecting his most treasured memories. Pale gold sunlight illuminates his eyes, which are even more dazzling than the most expensive jewels.

In this short trance, a fleeting yet unrealistic thought burrows into my mind without notice.

I shake my head forcefully, and decide to say something to distract myself.

My gaze quickly sweeps around the surroundings, then locks on a target.

MC: Gavin, do you still remember how we met Griffy?

As though he didn’t expect my sudden question, Gavin blinks a few times, then strokes the grown-up Griffy, chuckling as he speaks.

Gavin: Of course I remember.

Gavin: Back then, my mother had already passed on for a few years. And that deity father never appeared. 

Gavin: Perhaps because of those things, I had a pretty bad attitude towards you during that time. Sorry.

Till this day, I can still remember that period of time.

His amber eyes, which always sparkle and shine, were dyed with a heavy grey. Even his hair, which always sticks up, had drooped listlessly.

But it’s precisely because I was always by his side that I understood the heartbreak and struggles he faced during that period of time.

And I rejoiced that at the very least, I was there to keep him company.

I walk towards him, reaching out to tousle his hair. Gavin leans down and comes slightly closer to me, a peaceful smile on his face.

Gavin: In short, I came to the forest one day.

Gavin: It was raining that day. I walked to the vicinity of your small house, and discovered that you were taking care of a small, stray griffin which had wandered here from somewhere.

Gavin: You’re a goddess, but you didn’t care about yourself, and only cared about shielding the griffin from the rain.

Gavin: You treated its wounds and fed it, while getting drenched by the rain yourself.

Along with his depiction, memories surge into my heart, and they are dyed with a hazy colour of rain.

MC: I recall how you shielded me from the rain with a large leaf. Back then, I was thinking about how rare it was to see such gentle moments from you.

Gavin: Since then, I...

Gavin’s voice grows softer and softer. He turns his face away a little unnaturally.

MC: Since then?

Gavin ignores my question. He simply clears his throat and hands me something.

Gavin: MC, this is for you.

Accepting it subconsciously, the cold and smooth texture of metal causes me to hold my breath.

It’s the short staff he had personally forged yesterday.

His emblem is carved on the body of the staff, and a quality gem is mounted at the tip.

MC: This is...

Before I can say anything, Gavin hurriedly explains.

Gavin: I’m a human, so I don’t follow the traditions of dwarves. In the culture of humans, giving a handmade gift to someone is a form of etiquette to express gratitude. So... this is a thank you gift. Thank you for teaching me so much, and for taking such good care of me.

MC: I... I see!

Gavin speaks calmly and appears utterly composed.

Accepting the short staff, I turn around to pack my items. Recalling the image that surfaced in my mind earlier, my face burns again.

Clearing my throat, I ask Gavin a question tentatively.

MC: Gavin, according to your customs, what would you give to your bride?

Gavin: I’d craft a ring personally.

While saying this, he takes my travelling bag and fixes it onto Griffy’s back. Then, he picks up the ancient text to confirm our next destination.

MC: When that time comes, I’ll definitely pluck the most beautiful flowers in the forest and make a wedding bouquet for your bride.

Holding a wedding and having a partner - these are things worthy to be happy about.

But when I said this, I found that I couldn’t bring myself to smile.

It’s as though my heart is drowned in deep water. It feels acrid, and there’s also a tightening in my chest.

I’ve lived for a very long time on this land, witnessed the construction and destruction of many kingdoms, and experienced battles and peace since the ancient times till today.

Yet, I’m unable to understand the feelings I’m currently experiencing, and what they signify.

-

After that, we head to many other places together.

We cross the dessert, fly over the ocean, scale the highest mountain peak, and head to the deepest abyss.

We dance in a sea of flowers along with the odes of travelling bards, and bargain with a gigantic, greedy dragon.

The treasures in the travelling bag increase in number. Every treasure obtained makes it increasingly clearer that this dream-like journey is about to come to an end.

On an unknown empty island, Gavin and I sit side by side on the shore, watching as the waves at our feet lap against the rocks.

Looking at the pearl head ornament Gavin just gave me, my voice comes out hoarser than expected.

MC: What will you do once you become king?

Gavin: Quite a number of races are interested in humans. Perhaps I could try broadening trade. I also have to revolutionise the senate.

He talks about his responsibilities earnestly - from commerce to ruling the country, from art to food.

Gavin’s dead seriousness tickles me to laughter.

I console myself with the thought that even after he becomes king and I’m no longer his guardian deity, our relationship wouldn’t change that much. 

Gavin suddenly stops mid-speech, as though deliberating something.

I turn my head, only to see the reddened tips of his ears.

Gavin: Also... I want to marry the lady I like and make her my queen. This way, I can always be with her.

Gavin looks afar off, his gaze gentle, as though he can see his desired future.

For some reason, I want to rush towards that future with him.

And I suddenly realise what that acrid feeling twirling around in my heart is.

Without realising it, my feelings for Gavin have been intertwined and encased by a sense of possessiveness.

I don’t want him to have another guardian deity, nor do I want him to give these treasures we’ve collected together to another deity.

Most of all, I don’t want him to put a personally crafted ring on the finger of another lady.

The sea breeze rolls up tiny, light blue flowers on the beach. They dance in the air, floating towards the ocean.

At this moment, all the clamorous emotions and feelings quieten down, and are crowned a name and definition -

All of this is called “liking”.

-

The journey is about to end.

Griffy returns us to the ground.

Looking at my forest and at my little courtyard, I feel as though everything happened a lifetime ago.

Gavin: It’s nice to be home.

Gavin retrieves the travelling bag, then pats the fence at the door.

Gavin: Wait. Why do the medicinal plants look even healthier than before I left...

I tug onto Gavin before he can check on the medicinal plants.

MC: The journey has already ended, and you’ve collected sufficient treasures. Are you going to succeed to the throne after this? Looks like my agreement with your mother has been fulfilled.

Gavin: That’s right. But aren’t you going to let me rest at your place and have a drink of water?

MC: You have quite a number of things to handle after this. These treasures need to be offered to the deity. And you also have to... marry the lady you like. You should take action quickly and settle these things at one go!

I give him a stern expression, trying to conceal the childish impetuousness in my heart.

Gavin: Do you think the deity will really like these?

Gavin doesn’t leave. He stands in place, his words bringing with them a smile.

Looking at the full and bulging travelling bag, I feel tremendously envious.

MC: Of course. Who was the one who picked them with you? All right, go and offer them to your new deity. Who are you looking for? I could put in a good word for you so he or she would give you a little more blessings.

My voice grows softer and softer, and my gaze flits around.

Gavin: If she’ll like them, I can put my mind at ease. 

Gavin speaks softly, but doesn’t respond to my question. He takes the travelling bag, placing the treasures we’ve collected on the grass before me.

The crystal from the top of the World Tree, the golden belt crafted by the dwarves, the unwilting flower from the deepest part of the desert, the coral from the deepest oceanic trench...

Aside from the recorded treasures, there’s also cheese from the dwarves’ marketplace, a headscarf from sea nymphs, sun-dried jerky from the giants, and other miscellaneous items.

These items were brought along with Gavin because I liked them.

After setting down the last item, he takes half a step back.

Then, he gets down on one knee, tilting his head upwards to look at me.

Gavin: Goddess of Nature, I give you all of these offerings. Please bestow blessings upon me, protect my country, and crown me.

Gavin: And please make a long-lasting agreement with me, to become my queen, and to keep me company.

Gavin: Till death do us part.

Gavin looks at me, his sentiments and tenderness condensing into honey coloured amber.

Sunlight filters through the leaves, landing on his face like a kiss, making his eyes bright and glittering.

MC: [blushing] I...

Before I can respond, Griffy caws happily, giving me a nudge from behind, causing me to fall into Gavin’s arms.

MC: [blushing] Griffy! I didn’t raise you to be this big so you could do that!

I grumble, pretending to be stern. Then, I close my eyes defeatedly, burying my head in Gavin’s arms, not wanting him to have a clear view of my blushing face.

Gavin’s soft chuckle and his breaths land on my ears, akin to the first tender breeze in early summer.

Gavin: I used to worry that the reason for our interactions was due to that prior agreement. 

Gavin: Once the agreement ended, you would no longer have a connection to me. 

Gavin: I was troubled by this for a while, and also tried to delay that day from arriving. 

Gavin: But one day, I made a decision. 

Gavin: Instead of holding on to that past agreement, why don’t I make a new vow instead.

Gavin tilts his chin towards those treasures.

Gavin: But I don’t want you to simply be a goddess who responds to my prayers.

Gavin: This journey was meant for you to understand that my feelings for you aren’t simply the dependence humans have towards their guardian deities.

Gavin: I just don’t know how effective it was...

Gavins speaks, averting his gaze.

Recalling the hints and occasional bashfulness during the journey, I finally understand everything, and my face turns incomparably red.

MC: [blushing] Right from the beginning, you already...

Gavin coughs softly.

Gavin: So, are you willing?

Watching as his eyes draw increasingly nearer to me, it’s as though a pot of honey has been overturned in my heart, and all the flowers seem to be blooming at the same time.

I lift my hand.

MC: I’m the deity who controls the land, forests, and all the animals.

MC: I hereby make an agreement with you-

The forest seems to respond to my words. Birds outstretch their wings, trees rustle, and the land releases a faint humming sound.

Light flickers at my fingertips, akin to a sprouting bud as it flows and spreads over Gavin’s crown.

MC: I will always protect your kingdom. May your land be forever fertile, and may your kingdom forever be peaceful.

My power weaves my words into an unbreakable vow between us.

As a goddess, these are the strongest blessings I can give to him.

With a small smile, I continue speaking. Softly, I give him the blessings from me as MC, and also my response.

MC: I will also share my life with you, and my power.

MC: I will accompany you for a long time, until the destruction of the earth.

A light blooms, encasing us within it.

Gavin doesn’t speak, and simply looks at me.

I recall the day we saw the sea together, and recall the fluttering light blue petals, and the gaze he had when he stared afar off.

I’m guessing that his gaze has finally found a dwelling place.

The rays of light around us gradually recede, and the vow is established.

This isn’t a lengthy ceremony, nor does it involve complicated steps.

But we have cast a connection different from before - one which is unique in the world.

Having used my powers, I lean into Gavin’s arms, looking at the same sky together.

MC: Aren’t you going to say something?

Gavin: Erm... you really looked like a goddess earlier.

There doesn’t seem to be a change in or relationship. However, there’s a certain sweetness in our dialogue.

MC: I am a goddess! Wait, that’s not what I was referring to. May I invite Your Majesty, who has obtained the goddess’ blessings through his own strength, share his thoughts with us?

Gavin pretends to ponder over this seriously.

Gavin: I just remembered that there’s one thing I haven’t done. I plan to make another trip to the dwarves’ nation.

MC: Did you forget something?

Gavin pulls me up, and we stand together. He pats Griffy, getting it ready to set out.

Gavin: I mentioned before that I’d personally craft a ring for my queen.

Gavin: You also promised that you’d pluck the most beautiful flowers in the forest to make a wedding bouquet.

Gavin: I look forward to seeing it when I return.

🐦 MOMENTS 🐦

Gavin’s Post: If griffins really existed, they'd probably feel quite nice.

MC: Would a griffin’s fur feel like a bird’s or a lion’s?

Gavin: ...I have never thought about this question.

-

Gavin’s Post: If griffins really existed, they'd probably feel quite nice.

MC: If only we could rear one!

Gavin: We might need a larger courtyard to let it build a nest.

-

Gavin’s Post: If griffins really existed, they'd probably feel quite nice.

MC: I really want to bury my face in it...

Gavin: Even though we don’t have a griffin, we could ask Flyer if its willing.

🐦 Calls: First ll Second

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