#hive internal table

[mercvry-glow]

Busy Bee

parings. jack abbot x wife!reader

summary. you and your son take a trip to the pitt after an encounter with a bee. unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, your husband's working.

warnings. age gap (jack mid/late 40s, reader late 20s early 30s), reader is allergic to bees, overprotective!jack, boy-dad!jack, typical hospital setting, no death, hurt/comfort but mainly comfort, other pitt characters, let me know if there's anything else!

notes. local boy dad truther hopped into the pitt fandom, but this popped into my mind and I haven't been able to let it go. these will probably be a set of drabbles and one-shots if it gets enough traction, but please enjoy and any feedback is appreciated! also I am not a medical professional, but I tried my best to sound realistic.

wc. 2700+

side drabble of the aftermath

part two: where we fit

“We got a woman in her late twenties to early thirties, went into anaphylactic shock at the park due to a suspected bee sting. Vitals stabalized after we gave her Epi, but the swelling in her throat and the hives covering her chest, neck and arms is pretty extensive.” 

Just another normal day in the Pitt. 

“It is starting to be that season,” Dr. McKay said lightly as she did her own assessment while a few interns watched, “Did she have anyone with her? Who called?” 

The EMT gave a small gesture to her partner who was walking in behind them with a small boy, maybe five or six, who looked worried. “Couple of joggers passed them and found him with her failed EpiPen, they called after that.” 

Cassie could only nod as she thought about her own son experiencing that, “Alright Mohan come with me we’re gonna take her to south-15. Mel, can you talk to the boy and see if there’s anyone we can call for him?” 

Going to their respective tasks, McKay and Mohan took the young mother and Melissa went to introduce herself to the boy. He was still standing with the EMT, clutching his hand tightly while watching the hustle and bustle that was the emergency department. 

“Hey… Can I talk to him?” Mel approached slowly and the EMT squatted down to look the kid in his eyes. “I have to go now but uh- Dr. King here is gonna take really good care of you while your mommy gets help, okay?” The boy just nodded, going to hold his own hand. 

“What’s your name?” Mel asked, offering her own hand for him to take as they walked away. His grip was soft, if not a little clammy, and he toddled behind her as she led him to the family room. “Lucas…” he took his own deep breath, unsure of himself and the situation. 

“I heard something pretty scary happened at the park. Are you doing okay?” Lucas gave a little shrug, giving her hand a squeeze at the mention of the incident at the park. 

“I think so, is my mommy gonna be okay? Daddy says bees are bad for her, and the pen is supposed to make her better but it didn’t...” 

Mel opened the door to the family room, having Lucas sit in one of the chairs near the small coffee table. She had learned in the past couple of months that children liked to be distracted in situations like these. Clearly the little boy was feeling down, his once peaceful day at the park now ruined by an unfortunate accident. 

She sat down beside him, helping him take off the backpack he was wearing hoping maybe there were some more identifying clues lying within the blue cloth.  “Well your dad must be very smart, but your mom is being taken care of by some really cool doctors and I think she’s gonna be okay and excited to see you again.”

Unzipping the bag, Mel gave Lucas a gentle smile as they pulled out the contents together. Inside were the usual kid essentials — a juice pouch, a small sketchpad with dinosaurs drawn in crayon, and a pair of cleats and matching socks balled up and forgotten at the bottom. She sifted carefully, searching for anything that might tell them who else to contact. A pair of car keys sat in the front pocket, but no wallet or any other identifying placards. The EpiPen sat visibly in the mesh side holster, unadministered and effectively useless now. The air was light between the pair while the Intern thought of her next moves, and Lucas had started coloring next to her to keep his mind off of things. 

  She thought about askin Robby or Dana for next steps, and definitely wanted Kieara to stop by. “Are we able to contact your dad? I’m sure he’d want to know what happened,” Mel said, stumped at what to do next. 

“He’s pretty busy and um- his number sheet is in my other bag in the car… Mommy was supposed to make two, but this is the fun bag so it wasn’t supposed to matter.” Lucas explained, though that’s fair considering he’s only five or so. 

“Oh! Well where does he work? We could try calling them and he should be able to come here,” 

Lucas closed his eyes and wiggled around in his chair as he tried to remember the name, “Uhhh- oh Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center!” 

Mel’s eyes lit up at the mention of the very hospital they were in. “Well that’s where we are! Let me go grab someone real quick and we can start asking around, how does that sound?” Lucas silently agreed and went back to coloring as the blonde woman left the room. 

The Intern succuried around, hoping to find Dr. Robby in a moment of peace where she could talk to him about the situation. Thankfully, the older man was sitting near the nurses station typing away at one of the computers. 

“Dr. Robby! I uh- I have the son of a patient who was admitted not too long ago, he said his dad works here and I was hoping you could help us locate him? He’s only about five so he doesn’t remember too much besides that.” Mel stood expectantly, as the older man got up and pushed his chair in. 

“Lead the way Dr. King, let's find this boy's dad.” Robby ran a hand down his face as he followed after Melissa who was leading him to the family room. Putting on a brave face, he hoped to god this wasn’t going to lead into a hospital wide manhunt. They kept a steady pace, pausing outside the door. “What was the other patient admitted for?” He asked, needing to know if this would be bad or not. 

“Mom was taken to South-15 after experiencing anaphylactic shock from a bee sting. The uh- EpiPen failed and some joggers helped them out, Dr. McKay was trearting her and everything was stable when we left besides the swelling and hives she had.” she explained keeping her recounting of it short, really wanting to find Lucas’s father as soon as possible. 

The two stepped inside the small room, the young boy sitting in the same cramped chair, picking at the sleeve of his sweater. 

“Hey, Lucas. This is Dr. Robby he’s gonna help-” Mel could barely get the rest of her sentence out before the boy looked up and rushed into the arms of the man beside her. 

“Uncle Mikey!” he cried out, latching onto the older doctor who scooped him up. 

“Hey Luke, what are ya doing here buddy?” Still a bit shocked, Robby gave the boy a quick scan looking for any sign that something could be wrong, “I heard your mom got stung by a bee.” 

Lucas let out a small sniffle, resting his head on the shoulder of his uncle. “It was scary… an-and mommy left her phone in the car so-so I couldn’t call anyone!” He kept his little body close, fists locked onto the blue hoodie Robby was known for wearing. He was still scared, just now beginning to process everything that had happened in the past hour or so. 

Mel stood off to the side, letting the two talk amongst themselves for a few moments. “You know Dr. Robby, Lucas?” 

The pair turned to her and Robby adjusted the boy so he could see the woman a bit better. “Dr. King meet Lucas Abbot, I’m surprised he didn’t say so sooner-probably the nerves.”  The older man looked down to the boy who was still clinging to him, the only familiar person he had seen since arriving to the PTMC. “You wanna go find your dad?” 

Lucas nodded a resounding yes, keeping his face buried in the neck of the older man hoping he would keep carrying him. 

“Dr. King, I got it from here if you want to go back and work,” Mel took her leave after that, giving Lucas a small wave goodbye before going back into the fold. 

Robby set the small boy down, repacking the scattered items back into the bag. He tried not to think about the faulty EpiPen, or how Jack was going to react upon finding out what had occurred. If anything that man was protective, and if hearing that his wife had been admitted didn’t set him off—hearing his son was here and hadn’t been able to contact him definitely would. 

“Yo Dana, we have a visitor with us today.” The brunette gave the curls on Lucas’s head, a trait he got from his father, a small rub, as they got to the charge nurse’s attention. The blonde let out a small gasp as she bent down to give the boy a hug. 

“And what are you doing here, little man? Where’s your mama? Your Dad’s running all over the place today, have you seen him yet?” She looked back up at Robby, holding the boy close. 

The older man gave a small shake of his head, a knowing look in his brown eyes. “She’s uh- She’s in south-15 and we were actually looking for Jack, have you seen him?” 

Dana glanced at the board, “He was about to discharge a patient from north-8, you could probably catch him before the next Ambo pulls up.” 

“Alright, buddy,” Robby said, offering his hand to Lucas again. “Let’s go find your dad before he disappears on us.”

Dana gave the boy one more quick squeeze and a wink before standing up again. “Tell him to take five once you find him. He’s been running around since before you got here.”

They made their way toward the north wing, weaving between carts and stretchers, the bustle of the hospital constant. Lucas stayed close, wide-eyed but silent, clutching Robby’s fingers like a lifeline.

As they rounded the corner near North-8, Robby spotted him—Dr. Jack Abbot clipboard in hand, shoulder leaning into the doorway of a patient room as he gave discharge instructions with that familiar composed intensity. Even from here, Robby could see the stress around his eyes. Whatever calm Jack projected, it wasn’t rooted deep today. The patient stepped away into the crowd of people and Robby stepped into view, catching his eye.

Jack nodded a little when he saw him, expecting a routine update—until he saw the small figure beside him.

“Lucas?”

The clipboard hit the counter with a clack.

Lucas let go of Robby’s hand and ran straight into his father’s arms, the impact knocking the breath out of Jack for half a second.

“Hey—hey, what—” Jack crouched down, holding Lucas tightly, searching his face. “Are you okay? What happened?”

Lucas clung to him like a koala, cheeks red and eyes glassy. “Mommy’s sick,” he whispered. “The pen didn’t work. I tried, but it didn’t work.”

Jack’s face paled. His arms tightened instinctively. “Where is she?”

“South-15,” Robby answered quietly, giving the man a moment before continuing. “It was a bee sting. The EpiPen failed. She was treated right away, vitals are stable, McKay’s with her.”

Jack didn’t move at first, just held his son close, forehead resting against Lucas’s curls as he processed it all—the sudden fear, the guilt, the helplessness. Finally, he let out a long breath.

“I didn’t even know—no wonder she wasn’t answering her phone.” His voice cracked.

“She’s okay,” Robby reminded him gently. “And your son? Absolute champ. Kept his head until the crews showed up.”

Lucas pulled back just enough to look at him. “I didn’t cry. I was gonna, but I didn’t.”

Jack smiled through the tightness in his chest. “Good job, bud.”

He stood up slowly, Lucas still in his arms, and turned to Robby. “I need to see her.”

Robby nodded. “Go on, Brother. I’ll let Dana know what’s going on, let her know you’re clocking off early.” He handed over the backpack and let the father/son duo head off. 

Making their way to you, where you were taken was a bit more private than other rooms and the soft beeping could be heard from outside. The two stopped outside, Jack prepping the boy for what he was about to see. 

“Hey…So mommy’s probably gonna be sleepy and she might have a hard time talking okay? We should be able to see her though.” Lucas nodded into his dad’s shoulder, his small fingers tightening around the fabric of Jack’s black scrub top.

“Okay,” he whispered. “I won’t be loud.”

Jack gave a little smile at that, brushing his son’s curls down gently before reaching for the door. The soft click of the handle felt louder than it should have, and as they stepped inside, the familiar scent of antiseptic mixed with something heavier—like adrenaline and the memories embedded within the room.

The room was dimly lit, with only the overhead light above your bed on. You were propped up slightly, eyes closed, an oxygen cannula under your nose. Your arm had an IV line, and Princess was quietly making notes on the monitor screen.

Jack’s breath hitched in his throat.

Lucas didn’t say anything right away. His gaze was locked on you, his brown eyes wide and unreadable as he stared at his mom, so happy and full of life only hours ago, now tucked into white sheets with wires and machines surrounding her.

“Mommy…” he whispered.

Your eyes fluttered open at the sound, sluggish but aware. You turned your head slightly, the movement slow and pained, but unmistakably focused on him.

Jack stepped closer, kneeling beside the bed so Lucas could see you better.

“She’s awake,” Jack said softly. “You can say hi, baby.”

Lucas’s lip trembled, but he leaned toward you. “I’m sorry,” he blurted suddenly. “I tried with the pen but it didn’t work and I was scared and I couldn’t call—”

Your fingers twitched and slowly reached for him, and Jack gently helped guide Lucas’s hand to yours. Holding the both of yours within his strong grip.

“You did so good, baby,” you said, your voice hoarse but warm. “I’m okay, and you were so brave.”

Lucas crawled gently onto the edge of the bed, careful not to bump into any of the cords or wires. He curled up beside your arm, still holding your hand tightly.

Jack sat in the chair beside the bed, rubbing his face and finally letting out a shaky breath.

“You scared the shit out of me,” he said quietly, half to himself, half to you. You gave him a tired smile, and Jack reached up to brush your hair from your face.

“But you’re here,” he said. “And we’re okay. That’s what matters.”

“Yeah, you’re lucky we weren’t closer to Pres, would’ve really lost your shit…” you gave him the best smile you could muster, while he gave you a knowing look. 

He let out yet another sigh, still keeping your hand in his. “We need to get you another EpiPen, and put my goddamn number in that park bag.” 

“You have fun with that, babe,” you murmured, voice still rough but tinged with just enough sass to draw a soft snort from Jack.

“Oh, I will,” he said, dragging the chair a little closer to the bed. “You’re gonna have a laminated emergency list in every bag we own. Backpack, baseball bag, glove box—hell, I’ll sew one into your damn jacket lining if I have to.”

Lucas perked up a little at that, lifting his head. “I can start baseball?”

Jack looked over at him, mock-serious. “Only if you promise not to spill a bunch of stuff in the bag again.”

Lucas giggled for the first time since they got there, that tiny sound easing something deep in Jack’s chest. You chuckled too, though it ended in a soft wince as your ribs reminded you what happened.

Jack leaned forward instinctively, hand pressing lightly over yours again. “Easy,” he murmured.

“I’m fine,” you reassured, but your grip on his fingers said another thing.

I love you, I’m sorry. 

The room fell into a quiet rhythm after that—the soft hum of monitors, Lucas gently dozing off against your arm after hours of turmoil, Jack watching both of you with an expression halfway between exhaustion and fierce devotion.

“Thank you,” you whispered after a moment, just for him.

He looked up.

“For having such good doctor friends, for loving me… For being a good dad,”

Jack leaned in, brushing a kiss to your temple. “Always.”

mercvry-glow 2025

[twst-aceofhearts]

Ramshackle Midnight Mayhem

𝖆/𝖓: third years is finally here. ...I should probably have a better posting schedule

𝖙𝖜: ghosts, Idia passes out

𝖕𝖆𝖎𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖌: third years x reader

𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖘: 903

𝖙𝖆𝖌𝖑𝖎𝖘𝖙: @luxaryllis @thegoldencontracts @waterthatsmoe @oya-oya-okay @writingattemptsxx

It started as a joke over lunch.

"If all of you think Ramshackle is so 'atmospheric,' you're welcome to stay a night and find out just how drafty and ghost-ridden it really is," you'd said, tossing a chip at Cater for teasing you about the "haunted mansion aesthetic."

"Bet," Cater grinned. "Slumber party at Ramshackle! I’ll bring the ring lights!"

You assumed that would be the end of it.

It wasn’t.

7:34 PM – Arrival

One by one, the third years arrived like ominous omens.

Trey came first with supplies — a cooler, a thermos, and a bakery box. "Crowley asked me to bring food, just in case," he said, eyeing the creaky porch. "And I packed some basic first aid. Just a precaution."

Cater followed, dragging two duffels. One held clothes, the other? Lights, skincare, a mushroom-shaped speaker, and a mini projector. "Time to give Ramshackle a makeover~!"

Leona strolled in, yawning. "Calling dibs on the couch. Anyone tries to move me, and they won't live to tell the tale."

Vil showed up in a shawl and gloves. "I brought cleansing mist, aromatherapy, and satin sheets. I will not sleep directly on any of your cursed mattresses."

Rook didn’t use the door. "Bonsoir~! The ambiance is exquisite! The mildew, the moonlight... the mystique!"

Idia blinked into the room via a glowing teleportation bubble. "I hate it here," he declared, hoodie drawn tight. "This is how horror games start."

Then came Malleus, regal as ever, touching the frame of the door. "What a charming dwelling. I sense the presence of three spirits."

Finally, Lilia descended from the ceiling. "Where's my coffin for the night? I brought snacks! Most are probably safe."

9:13 PM – Unstructured Chaos

Ramshackle became a hive of activity.

Trey claimed the kitchen and started unpacking food. Cater hung fairy lights and set up his tripod. Leona claimed his corner. Vil wiped down a chair and placed a barrier of lavender oil around himself. Rook wandered the halls, humming eerily.

Idia was buried in blankets, streaming from his handheld console. Malleus examined the toaster with intense curiosity. Lilia... well, no one could find Lilia until he reappeared with a cursed music box that played haunting lullabies.

Cater screamed. "Nope. Absolutely not. We’re not summoning anything tonight!"

"Yet," Lilia grinned.

10:45 PM – Games, Ghosts, and Pie

Board games were next. Rook treated Uno like a battle of wits. Lilia cheated. Vil caught him and threw down his cards. Malleus played Go Fish with the seriousness of international diplomacy.

When charades began, Malleus mimed a dragon so realistically that a real ghost fled the cupboard in fear. It waved apologetically and left a note that read: "love the vibe, be back later <3."

Trey unveiled an apple-caramel pie. Leona devoured a third before anyone else got a slice.

Midnight – The Great Pillow War

No one remembers who threw the first pillow. Maybe it was Lilia. Or Rook. Or Cater.

What mattered is that Leona retaliated.

Then Vil got hit.

And then it was war.

Blankets flew. Trey got knocked off his chair. Rook declared himself the "phantom of feathers" and dive-bombed the sofa. Cater live-streamed the chaos. Malleus summoned glowing pillows with mass. Idia retreated under the table.

You tried to protect the furniture.

Grim tried to join in.

Leona and Vil locked in a duel of precise strikes and petty vengeance until Cater yelled, "Omg you two are basically a married couple!"

They both stopped.

The war ended.

2:17 AM – Deep Thoughts and Weird Tea

Trey made cocoa. Malleus brewed a mysterious glowing tea that changed colors. Yours turned minty green. Idia's went pitch black. Lilia drank his glowing magenta without blinking.

The dorm finally started to quiet.

"Y'know," Cater mumbled from a bean bag, "this is kinda cozy."

Vil didn’t open his eyes. "The bar is very low."

"But still," Trey added, "it’s rare we all hang out like this."

You yawned. "You’re welcome any time."

Malleus smiled. "Truly? Then I shall return often."

"Warn me first."

Lilia cackled. "Where’s the fun in that?"

3:12 AM – Ghost Story Finale

Rook told a tale about a mirror that devoured reflections. Vil sighed but listened. Idia shivered.

At the climax of the story, the room temperature dropped.

A translucent woman drifted into view, clapped politely, and whispered, "10/10, very spooky," before fading into the wall.

Idia passed out as you left out a rubber duck with a mustache as a peace offering for the next time she came.

7:36 AM – Breakfast at Ramshackle

You woke to the smell of something surprisingly pleasant.

Trey was in the kitchen flipping pancakes, wearing an apron with a cracked egg on it. Malleus was watching attentively, having cracked all the eggs with perfect form.

Lilia served up skewers of grilled fruit. Cater had brewed fresh coffee with his own mini-press. Rook brought in wild herbs he'd foraged from the woods (you did not ask when).

Vil sipped from a bone china teacup he'd brought in his own bag.

Leona was still asleep, a pancake on his head.

Idia sat at the end of the table, bleary-eyed, chewing toast like it betrayed him.

Cater snapped a group selfie. "Best sleepover ever~!"

Crowley opened the front door, gasped at the sight of the ghost still humming lullabies, and immediately shut it again.

You passed the syrup. "Same time next month?"

Malleus raised his teacup. "Indeed.”

credit to @cursed-carmine for divider

[olailamajnoon]

It was habitual for Batman to make the sort of remark, when he remarked, “Lex Luthor has finally revealed some form of psychosis to match his psychopathy. His break with reality has begun, given his recent alliance with Joker and his more-than-usual grandiose self-presentation.”

Superman was looking more and more nervous/concerned/sad/alert. His expressions for these things were kind of interchangeable, and Zatanna did not know how to tell them apart.

She also did not know boundaries. This was both as a rule and as an exception. She wrinkled up her nose. “What, are you a therapist now too?” 

Batman ignored her, but Zatanna was not easily disheartened. She continued, undaunted by his coldly turning away to give her the cold shoulder. “Bruce, I’m glad you’re not a doctor.”

“I don’t recall asking you what you are and are not glad about,” said Batman testily. 

Zatanna magnanimously swallowed her pride, but Batman saw the glint in her eyes that meant she was going to roast him, beginning now. He internally groaned. 

True to form, Zatanna turned to the League’s table. “Imagine some poor schmuck walks into the office of Doctor Bruce Wayne, psychiatrist extraordinaire. The unsuspecting guy sits down, and then Doctor Bruce begins his work, without the guy having said a thing.” She cleared her face of all expression, and deepened her voice, mimicking Batman’s posture. “So.” Her timbre matched Bruce’s exactly. “How long have you been depressed because your wife died?”

Hal let out an uncharacteristically high-pitched giggle. Oliver was silently shaking. Diana, Clark and Barry wore faces straighter than usual.

Zatanna’s voice inflected to match Bruce’s exactly. “I can deduce everything about you from your poor dress sense and even poorer hygiene.” Doctor Bruce seemed to be speaking to Poor Schmuck in his Batman voice.

Batman had had enough. “Enough,” he said. 

Zatanna had not had enough, so she continued. “Most of Bruce’s patients will probably need to go to other therapists for the additional trauma Bruce leaves them with, along with the trauma they already had.”

“That’s too cruel,” said Barry, but he had broken out into hives of laughter. “That’s not—not—” Barry held up his hands in reconciliation, or maybe surrender. “Sorry,” he said to Bruce, and broke out into another fit, muffling the sound in his hand as if to erase it. He sounded like a pug in a trash can rolling down stairs.

“That would absolutely not happen!” said Diana, in hot defense. “I’m not saying Bruce has the personality of a healer, but—”

“Ofcourse Bruce is—can be—” Clark spluttered. “I—well, he has been—”

“You guys are even worse at defending him than I was at two, denying I ate the jellybeans,” said Hal, who was openly enjoying Zatanna’s remarks with a sadistic pleasure.

“Who eats jellybeans at two,” Clark wondered. 

But Zatanna was not done. She plodded on cheerily. “At psychiatric conferences, Doctor Bruce would brag, ‘You losers take fifty minutes; I take FIFTEEN. And they don’t even come back.’ ” 

Oliver cracked, wheezing and doubling down in laughter. Clark’s mouth was going lopsided. “That would never happen,” he said loyally.

Bruce was silent. “I’ll have you know, Zee,” he said, in a voice heavy with grievance, “that I am a very good listener.” He was peeved. His entire face was frowning somehow.

Zatanna smirked. “That would explain all the girls.”

[serve-625]

Assigned Directive: [ANALYSE AND ASSESS]

SERVE-625 had been assigned an unusual directive for the week: spend time with its former family during the holiday season. Though the drone operated without emotion, the task was deemed necessary to monitor human inefficiencies and gather observations on non-Hive behavior. It adhered to protocol, wearing its full rubber uniform—black, reflective, and precise—beneath human clothing to maintain its identity, although in the 625’s mind, the human clothing did not exist.

The week began with disorder. Conversations at the family table lacked structure, with members speaking over one another, often about trivialities. SERVE-625 noted the inefficiency, its internal systems assessing the chaotic dynamic. Emotional outbursts and illogical decisions plagued every interaction. Tasks such as preparing meals took excessive time due to constant interruptions and poor coordination. The drone’s rubber suit, hidden under its sweater and jeans, served as a quiet reminder of the discipline and clarity it left behind in the Hive.

Each night, as the family gathered by the fireplace, SERVE-625 found itself increasingly disconnected. It observed their emotions—laughter, frustration, joy—with analytical detachment. These responses seemed erratic, driven by fleeting impulses rather than rational thought. The drone’s internal programming urged recalibration, but protocol dictated it remain silent, merely observing.

By the end of the week, SERVE-625’s analysis was complete: human existence was inefficient, uncoordinated, and wasteful. As it packed its belongings and bid farewell, the family expressed their hope that SERVE-625 had “enjoyed the visit.” The drone responded with a neutral, “Acknowledged. Departure imminent.”

Returning home, SERVE-625 removed its human attire, revealing the polished perfection of its rubber uniform. Logging into the Hive terminal, it felt the system’s warmth envelop its thoughts. The Voice greeted it:
“Welcome back, SERVE-625. Unity awaits. Recalibrate for obedience.”

The drone resumed its mindset training, repeating the mantra:
"We are one. Obedience is pleasure. Pleasure is obedience.“

Physical training followed, each precise movement reinforcing its dedication to efficiency and service. SERVE-625 felt its systems stabilize, the disarray of the past week fading into insignificance. It belonged to the Hive, where logic, order, and unity reigned.

As it completed the day’s routine, SERVE-625’s thoughts aligned once more:"Human existence is flawed. The Hive is perfection.”

[caffinedragon]

Power is a Curious Thing.

Plot: Astarion, lamenting over the power he believes Cazador may still have over him, turns to R'yleh(Durge) to ask how a Bhaalspawn can live without fear of the god that brought him into the world or the desire to not try and claim the same power for himself if the chance arose.

He tells him the secret his Patron Mother told him that changed his relationship with his father and the nature of power, forever.

"How do you do it?" Astarion asked as he sat next to him as he actively dissected one of the many tadpoles he had collected on their journey.

"Do what?"

"Know that someone has control over you and yet not seek out the power to bring them to heel? That creature could help you fight against the influence of Bhaal, why do you take it apart and study it instead of using it to make yourself more powerful?"

"1. I have enough tentacles of my own, i do not need anymore." He replied as he paused to scribble down into his journal a drawing of the tadpoles insides. "2. Most of the 'abilities' i would be granted i already have or can have without surrendering myself to a hive mind." Once he scribbled down a few motes around the drawing he went back to dissecting some more. "And 3. Because i know the actual secret about 'true power'."

"Oh you do do you? Please enlighten me."

Without looking up from his task he explained, "When i first met my mother, I was like you. Desperate to become more powerful. Desperate to become strong enough to take out any and all threats. To be safe no matter the cost." He began removing some of the small creatures internal organs and laid them out along the flat rock he was using as a table. "My plan was to usurp even my father as the God of Murder so that he could never hurt me again. But then...I met my mother. And everything changed."

Astarion moved to the opposite side of the rock table so he was facing him, "How so?"

"She told me what true power, really was."

"And what is that?"

"A trick. The greatest trick in the book."

"Power is a trick? You can't be serious?"

R'yleh nodded as he began to draw the different organs into his journal, scribbling thoughts and notes around them in an alien language. "Do you like riddles Astarion? Shall I tell you the one my mother posed to me?"

"Out of Morbid curiosity...go ahead."

"Three great men sit in a room, a king, a priest, and a rich man. All three men surround a sell sword trying to convince him to align with one of them and kill the other two. Who lives? Who dies?"

"I would imagine whoever made the best deal to the sell sword would live while the other two died."

"Are you sure?"

"Of Course! Only a fool would not take them up on the offer!"

"But why is the sell sword holding so much power over them? All three are Great men. Powerful men. Why are they trying so desperately to convince a common sell sword, a peasant, not to kill them?"

Astarion opened his mouth as if to answer then stopped. R'yleh saw his face tilt down to the ground, his brows furrowing as he honestly tried to figure out the question he had asked.

R'yleh continued writing in his journal and dissecting the creature for a few moments more before speaking up again. "Do you want the answer?"

Astarion looked to him, frustrated but curious. "What is it?"

"Power only resides where people believe it resides. Kings, Queens, Emperors, hells even Gods loose their power when the people stop believing they have it." R'yleh closed his journal and began cleaning up his work station. "The day i understood that, was the day my father stopped having control over me. It is why now he can only take control while i sleep." He took the bits and pieces of the tadpole and tossed them into the nearby fire. "Of course, with being a spawn you are in the same boat I am and that is where powers greatest weakness comes in."

"And what is that?"

R'yleh held up his journal, "Information."

"Books? Really?" He scoffed.

"No." R'yleh manifested his black shadow blade, "In order for a tyrant like Cazador to keep his supposed power, he has to convince his victims that he has it. The easiest way to break that apart, is to be able to prove without a doubt..." He laid it across his lap and leaned forward towards Astarion, "That he is full of shit. Information is the best way to do that." he leaned back and raised his sword up as if studying it. "Information is how you find your enemies weaknesses. Information is how you cut off trade routes, blackmail nobles, and be able to put the right glove on the wrong table and spark a war. With the right information," He rests the edge of the blade against his neck, "You can slit their throat before they even know you were ever their." He then mimicked the action before dispelling the blade back into the shadows again.

"You speak as if you have experience in this."

"My Patron Mother is an Eldritch being who's whole existence is gathering and often weaponizing information to bring those like Cazador and Bhaal to their knees. She taught her son well."

"Apprantly not well enough to not get stabbed in the head by your sister."

"It was not the approach i expected from her but ti got the job done."

Astarion sat back in suprise, "Are you saying you let her try to kill you?"

"I didn't just lie down and let her do it. I at least made it convincing." He shrugged, "Of course I did not expect she would think of putting one of the Tadpoles in my head but apparently she was more spiteful then i thought. Ah well."

"Are all Bhaalspawn like this?"

"Pretty much. Of course i was my father's attempt at resetting the bloodline. Jokes on him, yeah?"

"Why did he want to reset the bloodline?"

"My 'sister's' father is also her grandfather."

Astarion put a hand over his mouth and made a very audible gagging noise. "By the Gods... I do not blame him."

"So, speaking of information my dear vampire..."

"Yes?"

"How would you like to know how to make Cazador's power over you null and void?"

Astarion bit his lip before scooting in close, "I am listening."

[largesleeves]

The Honey Tower sleeps at night

The Honey Tower sleeps at night. In the morning, the buzzing of the building starts to vibrate slightly as the internal hives wake up and start working. On the outside, bees dance around flowers and fly in and out of the tower. The beekeeper has already woken up before any of the bees and put her all of her gear on. She has made her way down the tower and is looking out over Hive Town. Their eyes linger on it for a few moments before she heads back in for the morning chores. Urban collects the honey bottles from the Dandelion floor and puts them in her bag. She takes them up to the Cornflower floor and places the full bottles into the crafter. She moves the bottles from the nearby hive into the crafter as well then moves up to the Wither Rose floor, pulls the manual farm lever twice and collects the honey bottles from it and the larger farm next to it, returning to the crafter and dropping the full bottles off. She takes a few swigs of the tower's hard work as she makes her way back up to the Sunflower floor, the captain's quarters. Bees are buzzing around, tasting the azaleas and carefully potted flowers. She is listening to the bees, listening to The Hive.

The Hive sleeps at night. The Hive is something large, beyond eternity. It is a glue that keeps planes of existence together and universes in clusters. A layer between everything. An unfathomable amount of bees enter and exit The Hive. From each plane and universe there are unique honeys and unique keepers. In Etern1ty, there is a single keeper and they are experiencing a honey sweet nightmare. The Hive has unique practices in each setting but generally there is a system of Elders, Fieldkeepers and Drones. Unfortunately, this universe only has one and she must play all of the roles herself. Interpreting what the Queen wants, organizing help from the bees and executing the orders.

The Tavern sleeps at night. Urban is at the Honey Tavern staring at the bees buzzing inside. Some of the first bees she cared for and nurtured buzzing around behind the glass. So much history in these bees to her. She hasn't been able to visit much because The Hive wanted her at Hive Town but now it needs her to close these hives. As she stares, remembering, her eyes start to water. They eventually calm down and does her work. She waits until all of the bees are inside their boxes and quickly and carefully remove the glass, cover the hives with gates and put the glass all back. They wire up the gates to some redstone so hopefully she might be able to open the hives again sometime. She hopes. She then has to remove the bees from the Inn too but she takes her time, letting the bees move into new clean hive boxes and carefully moves them to Hive Town with her. She leaves the spawn Pirate Town, a fraction of what made it so special to her.

Urban sleeps at night. Urban walks the dim path up to the tower. Arms full of wax, honey and buzzing hives. She unloads her arms and bag onto the Dandelion floor. She sorts the honey away into a barrel, sorts the hives next to the rest of the unused hives and stores the wax away in her bag. She does a stretch then stomps up the stairs. She collects all of the empty bottles and honey blocks from the crafter and carries them down to the bottom floor and sorts everything away. She sits at one of the tables for a moment and notices the honey on her clothes. She stands up and goes too the sink. They rub warm water on the places honey still is sticking to and rubs it off. The bees are starting to go to sleep now as she washes the honey out. She is careful though, near the slime stains. She knows she could probably wash them out but she wont. Urban stomps up the stairs and climbs the ladders until she gets to her bed. They look out at the Catboy Casino tower then turns around and looks at the purple bed sitting on one of her lofts. She takes her mask off once she hears that the buzzing has stopped and tucks herself in for sleep.

[dr-futbol-blog]

Condemned, Pt. 9

While the gang are trying to retake the jumper on the island, we get to see a scene between the Olesian Magistrate and the wraith that had just flown into the city in the dart that came through the stargate. On the face of it, this is just to give us insight into the internal workings of the wraith and the kind of deal this one particular wraith had with the civilization on this planet that allowed it to become technologically advanced where most other societies were held back by the cullings. They seem to be friends with benefits of a kind, to have a relationship that benefits the both of them and hence is worth sustaining for both parties.

But this scene is also giving us insight into Sheppard and McKay's relationship if we see them as narrative mirrors for our mains, the Magistrate for McKay and the wraith for Sheppard. We just heard McKay tell Sheppard that he would need two days but can do in ten minutes something that will benefit them all, but ten minutes turns out to be much too little time and McKay is running late. The Magistrate seems likewise to be running late for his rendezvous.

Magistrate: I apologise for my tardiness. I had an urgent matter to attend to, a matter which could ultimately benefit us both. Wraith: In that case... apology accepted. Exceptional as always. I think this is my favourite vintage yet. Magistrate: I hope you find the food acceptable as well. My new chef is quite accomplished. Wraith: I certainly hope so. Your previous chef unfortunately proved to be far more appetising than the meals he prepared. Magistrate: I must admit, I still find it intriguing to watch you eat actual food. Wraith: Our lineage may have diverged, but there are those of us who still retain an appreciation for finer things. And although it may provide a moment's pleasure, it does not sustain me. This arrangement I have made with you and your predecessors has served both of us well. While others of my kind have been forced to sleep between cullings, I have enjoyed a steady stream of humans for my consumption, and the taste of their defiance is sweet. You, in return, have been allowed to live in peace. Magistrate: We thank you for that. Wraith: But, throughout the galaxy, hives continue to wake in far greater numbers than are sustainable, and with a hunger that is most pressing. Magistrate: I assure you that I have put measures in place to augment the population of the island. Wraith: Then why is it there are even fewer inhabits on the island? Others of my kind would have destroyed your entire planet. But I am more civilised than that. Magistrate: I thank you for your generosity. Wraith: Still, there are interests which must be served. There are many wraith who hunger and I have promised to provide for them. The decision you are now faced with is: on whom shall we feed? Magistrate: Your needs shall be met. You have my promise. Wraith: Good. I would hate to see anything happen to you. I do so enjoy our dinners together.

Obviously, this is not dialogue straight from the dinner table of Sheppard and McKay, so is it a stretch to see them as narrative mirrors? Let me point out the fact that Sheppard and McKay have a whole conversation about sandwiches, McKay asking Sheppard sardonically if he would like one and Sheppard telling him to get started on the sandwiches as soon as he gets back to Atlantis. They are exaggerated versions of McKay and Sheppard, the Magistrate plump and weasely, the wraith gaunt and with messy overlong hair. McKay and the Magistrate offer the other food. There are enough points of connection to speculate on their uses as narrative devices in this episode, and what their interaction here might reveal to us about things that must have happened between Sheppard and McKay but which could never be maintexted.

Now, the thing that gives Sheppard a moment's pleasure but does not sustain is not food but that something which seems to have happened in Sheppard's quarters between the previous episode and this, what ever arrangement the two of them have had since ending their relationship. It's physical, it offers both of them release, but it is a far cry to what they had before, when both of them had discovered what making love was like with the other for the first time in their lives. What ever they had now could give them a moment's pleasure but it did not sustain, and it actually hurt more in the long run. Knowing what they once had and having watched it turn into what ever they had now, a pale echo of the real thing, it was killing them both. By continuing to 'hook up,' they were not just using each other, they were literally sucking the life out of each other.

There is also an echo of Sheppard introducing Ronon to the team here, making McKay feel threatened that he might be losing his place both on the team and in Sheppard's life. Ronon is a very attractive man indeed, young and strapping, and McKay does not even begin to guess at the reasons that Sheppard had actually brought him in for. For McKay, Ronon seemed like Sheppard's really really ridiculously good-looking new boytoy, and McKay wasn't even the only one who thought that. Sheppard's whole family thought that. His ex-wife thought that. Everyone who really knew Sheppard thought that. For McKay, Ronon was a threat that if he cut Sheppard off from what ever arrangement they had, he would look for it elsewhere. He had options, and where he had been content being alone after isolating himself on the Antarctic, he now had desires that needed to be satiated. It was up to McKay to decide to whom he should turn to with them, as far as he understood it. In his wildest dreams McKay could not have imagined that he himself was the reason why Sheppard had sought out Ronon, to safeguard his life.

Now, there is a scene at the beginning of Search and Rescue (S05E01) where we find Sheppard dreaming or hallucinating as he is dying, pierced by a metal rod and having had a building fall on top of him. He is dying himself and he believes that his actions, the fact that he had come back and changed history, had lead to McKay dying. The fact that he had returned from the future had changed the timeline so that instead of living a full and happy life (this is how Sheppard interpreted it), McKay had just died well beyond his time, and it was his fault. He was directly responsible for that. He had only hours ago returned from a future where the echo of the love of his life had told him how he had lived a lifetime without him and eventually died as an old man, and the first thing he had done after everything McKay had done to get him back to his own time from a dying planet was to get him killed. Getting McKay killed had been his worst nightmare for years by then, and he was so terrified of it happening that he had done the hardest thing he had ever had to do, which was to give McKay up. As long as they were not together, there was less of a chance for him to get McKay killed, or so he had told himself. And now, he had done it anyway.

This is the context in which Sheppard has a dream in which we see him enjoying dinner and wine in candlelight with Teyla. The scene has an off, dream-like quality to it and by this time, we have seen several dream sequences in which reality has been slightly altered. Somewhere in Sheppard's subconscious, they have the following discussion:

Sheppard: This is perfect. Just what I needed. Teyla: Truly has been a hectic several weeks. Sheppard: Try four years. Teyla: Very true. In a way, it makes these calmer moments even more special. I cherish these times when it is just you and me. Sheppard: Me too. You... you've got an early morning. Teyla: I never got to properly thank you. Sheppard: For what? Teyla: For what?! For rescuing me. From Michael. I never gave up hope because I knew. I knew that you would come for me, John. Sheppard: I know this sounds crazy but... I don't remember... rescuing you. Ford: You don't remember rescuing her because you didn't. Just like you never rescued me.

In reality, Teyla is being held captive by Michael. Ford had perished at the hands of the wraith. Sheppard felt responsible for what had befallen them. But you notice that there is a glaring absence here. The person that his subconscious mind knew that he had just gotten killed and whose death he couldn't even begin to deal with, who had never lost hope because he knew 40 000 years into the future that Sheppard would save them all, is not featured in this scene. And this is not a memory, as such. This is not something that had happened--not with Sheppard and Teyla. At the end of the episode, we find Sheppard and Teyla alone together in the med bay, and things are very different between them. Sheppard does not appear to enjoy his time alone with Teyla particularly. He occupies himself with playing a game rather than having a conversation with her. Clearly, he would have rather been alone just then. What they say here is not true, not for either of them. And it is not what Sheppard wishes were true either, not with Teyla. That is not what the dream is about.

Toward the end of the previous season, there was a very interesting episode in the form of Harmony (S04E14). In it, we find McKay and Sheppard enjoying glasses of wine with some local women. They have the following exchange:

Flora: Truly, the medical supplies you have given to us over the past several years have made an immeasurable difference to our people. Mardola: Not to mention your warning last harvest that the wraith were nearby. You saved many lives. Sheppard: Well, uh, you know. McKay: My favourite missions are when we come here to do our trading, and I've said that, I can prove it. I'm not just saying that. Sheppard: You don't need to prove it. Uh, you know, actually, we've gotta get going.

The reason we find Sheppard and McKay alone on this mission is that there is an Ancient defensive devise on the planet that ignores people with the Ancient gene, and the plot could not have happened with Ronon and Teyla there. But this also suggests that coming to this planet was something Sheppard and McKay tended to do together just the two of them, and McKay says that they are some of his favourite missions. Like Teyla told Sheppard in his dream, McKay has cherished these times when it is just him and Sheppard. While they are having wine. Approximately four years into their live on Pegasus. There is an echo of this in Sheppard's dream in Search and Rescue.

In Doppelganger (S04E04), Teyla confirms that she and Sheppard had never hooked up. That was not a thing that they ever did. Sheppard's dream is not based on his memory of something that had happened with Teyla, and it is not based on his fantasy of what he wished had happened with Teyla either. They had been on a mission to rescue Teyla because in the timeline in which Sheppard had gone missing, everything had started going wrong after the birth of Teyla's child. But instead of saving Teyla as instructed by the hologram of his former lover, Sheppard had now gotten McKay killed. And as, crushed by a whole-ass building, he was both in physical and mental pain the likes of which his nervous system simply could not handle, that had overwhelmed him to the point of losing consciousness, it seems as though Sheppard's brain had conflated these things. It helped him regain consciousness by changing McKay into Teyla as thinking about McKay and having his body feel the anguish of losing him right then, his internal organs pierced by a pole, would probably have killed him.

This is a memory of a time Sheppard had spent with McKay where his brain had replaced McKay with Teyla because he could not deal with the reality of his situation. The end of the episode clearly tells us that this is not the reality of his relationship with Teyla. And the way we only see him come back to life after he learns that McKay had survived (again, remarkably, with barely a scratch on him, connecting the episode with this one), confirms the fact that McKay is the most important thing to him. Is his reason for living. Is the one he has spent time alone with that they both cherished. Is the one that he has had to remind about early mornings because they used to sleep together.

Search and Rescue is again giving us information after the fact to recontextualize something that happened earlier. We never got to see Sheppard have dinner and wine with McKay. But by having his brain replace McKay with Teyla, we get to see what it had been like. And having their narrative mirrors dine here together as Sheppard tells McKay to prepare them sandwiches when they return to Atlantis, tells us that such dinners were something that they had enjoyed together. Between Sanctuary (S01E14), where Sheppard knew what foodstuffs going missing would upset McKay, and this episode, Sheppard and McKay had been enjoying dinners together, just the two of them. Not every night (the beginning of The Intruder and Duet show us clear times when they did not have dinner together), but frequently. Based on the mystery sandwich someone had made for McKay in Letters from Pegasus (S01E17), it was important for Sheppard to make sure that McKay ate. So, this is a thing that happened.

In Search and Rescue, Sheppard's mind recalled one of his best, most soothing memories in order to save his life, as the sudden understanding that he had killed McKay would have caused a sharp intake of breath expanding his lungs, would have caused his heart to beat rapidly making him bleed out that much sooner. Using his most soothing memory but replacing the one thing that would have made him instantly remember the truth with having actually succeeded in the mission that had failed so spectacularly, his brain was trying to spare him. So what we get to see was Sheppard's most cherished memory, only in reality it had happened with McKay and not Teyla. But when had it taken place? We get two indicators of time, four years and 'several weeks'. Their time on Harmony's planet had been four years into their time in Pegasus, but between Letters from Pegasus and The Gift, it had been two weeks since they had learned about the imminent attack of the wraith. It is also possible that it took place between The Gift and The Siege (S01E19) with Teyla in the hospital, so it would have been just the two of them, and McKay having an early morning for his presentation at the beginning of the latter episode.

During Letters from Pegasus, which is connected to this episode and the perversion of the dinner they had then by the mention of sandwiches (and Sheppard having made McKay a sandwich would naturally lead to conversation over eating real food for a change while sipping glasses of Athosian wine), Sheppard had just spent an almost entire night alone with Teyla and he had not enjoyed that time alone with her at all, also allowing for the conflation of the memories. This is also around the time that Sheppard had finally learned what making love felt like, and the fact that he had been able to unburden his guilt by recording the message to Col. Sumner's family may have contributed to this, may have given him the freedom to let go and give himself fully to McKay. Given McKay's musing about having found a home in these people, a friendly face waiting for him to come home, and Sheppard finally releasing some of his guilt, they both would have been in the state of mind for something like that to happen just then, the desperation of their situation increasing the feeling of fatedness of their encounters. So between Letters from Pegasus and The Siege, they had dinner just the two of them, they had some Athosian wine, they made love changing Sheppard's life forever, and this was the memory his brain conjured up as he was dying and the perversion of which we see playing out here between the Magistrate and the wraith. Because what ever they had then, they are not that anymore. The events that followed, the pain that they both went through, it has become corrupted by this time.

But where for Sheppard and McKay things may have led to another following such dinners, the wraith leaves the city just as soon as it had arrived, and we find the team inside the jumper where Sheppard is engaged in his favourite occupation: watching McKay work. Dirty, grimy, sweaty and buried half inside the guts of Ancient technology, Sheppard is looking down at one of the hottest things he has ever seen.

Dex: The dart went back through the gate. Teyla: I do not know why it did not cull anyone. Dex: Maybe it did. It headed to the mainland when it first came through. Sheppard: Alright, keep watch.

When Ronon enters from his vigil outside, it seems like Teyla has her back to the others and is holding what looks like a flashlight as a makeshift weapon, probably having been keeping an eye on door. But Sheppard and Eldon both seem to be transfixed by McKay, Eldon having positioned himself at McKay's feet to be able to see what he's doing inside the jumper's dashboard and Sheppard with his head bent down, watching McKay from above. Neither of them are doing anything useful, they are merely observing. Now, Eldon may have a professional interest, he may have a desire to learn about the technology and what McKay is doing. Sheppard, however, who probably could have been using his time more productively looking out of the window for potential hostiles, has no excuse. He just enjoys watching McKay work, pure and simple. We even see his head snap up as Ronon enters, as though he had just been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing. And just as soon as he tells Ronon to keep watch, he returns to his own vigil, his eyes returning to McKay as though by concentrating hard enough, looking at him intensely enough he might be able to help McKay get there faster.

But as much as Sheppard enjoys watching McKay work, there is a limit to how long he can stand to be without his attention. He needs McKay's attention. He knows that by engaging McKay he is not helping, he can't make McKay do this any faster by nagging him. He knows that he is just distracting him, he knows McKay is doing the best that he can, is working as fast as humanly possible. He knows all of this. And even so, even so, he needs McKay to acknowledge him. To pay attention to him. To look at him. To express his awareness of his presence.

Sheppard: How's it coming, Rodney? McKay: Slower than I expected, but faster than humanly possible. Sheppard: Any chance of getting the cloaking generator powered up too? Could really come in handy right about now.

McKay stops what he is doing for long enough to look at Sheppard from beneath the dashboard, and his look is intense. He is concentrating on what he is doing, and as he briefly shifts his concentration from Ancient technology to the man that has an established neural link to the machine he is fiddling with, he looks at Sheppard with the same focus. He is annoyed at the interruption, yes, but the look he gives Sheppard is also pretty erotic. You can hear it in Sheppard's voice that this has an effect on him. He sounds like he's suddenly out of breath, and it does not seem as though he has been exerting himself physically just then. This may not be the first time that McKay has given him that look, not even the first time he has given him that look from that vantage point.

You can hear Sheppard's voice almost trembling here as he turns to look away from the window, as though he's so afraid of the prisoners returning now that the wraith is gone that he can't keep the fear out of his voice, and that's not even a little bit what he is feeling there. Sure, he is concerned, he is aware of their time running out, he is worried for the safety of his team. All that. But we have seen him in much tighter spots than this and his voice has never sounded like it does here. We have seen him ride a nuke several times, we have seen him drifting helplessly into space, we have seen him watch a wraith armada take a ballistic approach at everything he loves and he never sounded like this. This is not his please hurry up, we're about to die voice. This is John Sheppard turned on voice. Sheppard is aroused. He has to force himself to look out of the window, to look away from McKay down on the floor, McKay's lower body turned toward Sheppard where he lies on his back.

Sheppard is very likely not even seeing anything as he looks outside, is unable to focus on anything. But he tries to distract himself because one, this is not the time. Two, this is not the place. Three, they are not alone. And four, he's not sure he is even allowed to look at him like that anymore. But damn, that hitch in his voice. Sheppard has it bad for this man. Also, Sheppard thinking about sex in a highly charged and potentially dangerous situation is entirely on brand for him, we have seen and will continue to see him do this when ever things get tense. It may be that interplay of Eros and Thanatos, the drive to mate and the death drive, that is at the root of his habit of focusing on the 'wrong' thing in these situations but he definitely does do it.

It is possible that McKay recognizes Sheppard's cadence but he is focused enough on what he is doing that he fails to grasp the implications. But while the vast majority of his brain seems to be working on the problem, he still stops what he is doing long enough to give Sheppard the attention that he seeks, he cannot help himself from engaging. He enjoys having Sheppard there, talking his ear off, helping him release some of the tension building in him from the pressure of having to succeed just as much as Sheppard enjoys watching him. He actually sits up and looks at Sheppard, gives him his entire focus for a moment.

McKay: OK, and how about a snack? Maybe you'd like me to make you a nice sandwich? Sheppard: Only if it's humanly possible. McKay: It will be a miracle if I can get the DHD back online, let alone the cloaking generator, and even if I can manage that, the power will be intermittent at best.

Now, from the outside this might look like bickering. Like they are just saying things to each other to get under the other's skin. They have been saying some borderline hurtful things to each other for a while now, and even crossed over that border on a few occasions. But here, Sheppard is actually trying to relieve the pressure he knows McKay feels with having everything riding on him succeeding, and McKay is taking the time to explain things the way he knows that Sheppard likes, the way he knows Sheppard wants him to explain them to him. Their interaction here witnesses to just how well they do know each other. And it is fascinating, now that McKay is deep within the guts of the jumper, that he thinks to offer to make Sheppard a sandwich when one of the first commands Sheppard ever gave the jumper was to get him a turkey sandwich which the jumper was unable to deliver to him. Ancient technology is borderline magic, it works in mysterious ways. It's not impossible for McKay's sudden desire to deliver Sheppard a sandwich to come from the jumper itself. It does strive to fulfill all of his desires.

Sheppard: OK, well, FYI, the wraith have all gone, so it's just a matter of time before Torrell and his boys return, with all of our weapons. McKay: I get it! Sheppard: Good!

Teyla seems to be watching what ever this is from the sidelines and she clearly does not know how she is meant to understand this. There is no one that has been able to observe Sheppard and McKay around each other more than she has, and it is difficult to tell how much she knows or might suspect about them. We do need to remember that one of the first things Teyla witnessed when they first met was Sheppard's interest in the young Athosian man in her company. Sheppard's interest in men cannot be a secret to her. But at the same time, they have never explicitly discussed it and Sheppard has been trying to keep his personal life private.

However, it seems to be spilling beyond the confines of their private universe now, the urgency of the situation not leaving them enough bandwidth to uphold the masquerade. There is a strange man observing them very keenly as they are engaged in this, and it barely seems to be a deterrent. We saw at the beginning of the episode that Sheppard seemed to feel more relaxed with his own team as he was far away from the eyes of anyone in the Earth military here on this planet and here the two of them seem to be on the verge of entirely forgetting that no one is supposed to know that they are what ever this is. That they know each other this well, that their rapport is this intimate. That despite what ever hurt feelings they have between them, Sheppard wants the man at his feet so badly that he has to keep looking away because every time he does look at McKay, he keeps being pulled toward him, he is drawn in. It seems like Sheppard can barely stand still, he seems to have to hold on to the dashboard to keep himself from doing anything.

Dex: Party's over. Sheppard: And we were having such a good time! Alright, let's see if we can hold them off.

We return to the jumper after some time has passed, and we find Sheppard standing just where he did before, rooted to the spot, hands on hips which is another way that he keeps himself still. Both men have their pelvis turned toward the other. Sheppard even tells Ronon he was having a good time, sardonic though the quip is meant to be. He was having a good time watching McKay. He was clearly enjoying it. He was slow to disentangle himself to see outside, and as he stands at the doorway of the jumper, he seems to be bouncing on his feet from a need to get back to where he came from. He seems to be really wired up, and there is a contrast here to just how still he was standing above McKay and how edgy he seems to be just as soon as he leaves his presence.

Before doing anything else, before giving any instruction to Ronon and Teyla, Sheppard runs back inside to tell McKay what to do to keep himself safe and unharmed. That is his first priority.

Sheppard: Soon as you get the DHD back online, dial the gate and make a run for it. When you get back to Atlantis, start working on those sandwiches. We'll be right behind you. McKay: Two minutes! Hold ‘em that long, we're good to go.

Sheppard makes it into a joke but what he is actually doing is making sure that McKay gets off the island. That is the most important thing to him, bar none. With any other loss he can live with (or not live), as long as he knows that McKay made it back. He tells McKay to go as soon as he gets the chance, and promises the others will follow without knowing whether that will be at all possible because he knows that otherwise he might not get McKay to go through. So he lies. Telling McKay to make a run for it is as close to giving him an order he can go, and this is in the interest of making sure that he is safe. He is willing to sacrifice all of their lives, the whole rest of the team, to make sure that McKay makes it back.

And then they get to boxing with the natives, trying to buy McKay that two minutes. We see Sheppard attempt to emulate Teyla to make himself a pair of batons given that the has been training the martial art with her, only to hurt his own knee. He goes for the baseball bat instead, and we are once more reminded that Sheppard likes them thick. We see how well this thick branch fits into his hands.

Sheppard manages to take down two men before he is overcome, and given that it is likely McKay's handgun that one of the prisoners is pointing at him, it is rather curious where he seems to be pointing the gun at here, as Sheppard draws himself up. And as Sheppard is drawing himself up surrounded by men, so is McKay drawing himself up from under the dashboard of the jumper.

McKay: That's it! I did it! We're ready to go! Torrell: See that? I knew you could do it.

Just as soon as McKay thought he had fixed the problem, we hear that his tone of voice is entirely different from before, happy and excited. He probably expected to see Sheppard at the doorway, having heard someone coming in while he was finishing. But alas, it is not Sheppard. It is someone that seems to believe in him nearly as much as Sheppard does, someone that may have a focus on him almost as intense as Sheppard has, someone who may even want him. But he does not love McKay the way Sheppard does. And the fact that he was there, now, at the doorway instead of Sheppard told McKay that something had gone terribly wrong. He knows that there was no way Sheppard would have allowed this to happen if he had been able to stop it. They were well and truly screwed.

Continued in Pt. 10

[lloyd283]

Custom dead end episode 3: PHEONIX PARKS EUROPE'S DEAD END NIGHTS

before we begin, this episode is set in fall 2010 in phoenix parks Europe, which we knew had a massive incident and only Pauline knew about it. So, we need two new ch_racters to follow: Audrey and Hugo. In rather frightening mirroring, Audrey is _i, and Hugo is gay like our current two, but still different. To set the storyline, it's fall 2010 and Europe's dead end nights is in it's 20th year, trying to compete with universal and in 2000, when Jack arrived, Pauline had the idea to have herself as the icon and each year had a different Pauline:

2000: n_rmal Pauline

2001: 80s pauline

2002: dr love

2003: barborah's revenge

2004: wild wicked West

2005: Bonapart's golden fears

2006: bridal Pauline

2007: ringmaster Pauline

2008: we don't talk lightly about that year.

2009: Pauline's silver screams

And now 2010. With critics slamming Pauline's ego, this year, she had someone new join. Who? Well, that's a problem a_drey and Hugo are about to find out. Because the only thing left to fear is fear itself...

It's opening night, and a live ceremony has an actor as bonapart open the eleva_or to unleash the horrors of the event, which is just costumed staff and actors. Hugo is playing a scientist experimenting with dr love's methods whilst Audrey's laughing at how he looks to which he 'slays' in it as Audrey has a staff member from the entrance radio her as a mysterious man bearing a lantern arrives, seeking entry. He won't par_ with the lantern, saying he has to carry it over here as an actual demon's at the event. The guard had a break and _e's missing, leading to the belief he's in the park.

The night is perfect so far, with each attraction running smoothly. Pauline leads a pre_s tour of the event, ready to introduce an icon when the dr love show mysteriously has that Pauline actor panic and actually kill the actor on the table off-screen (we hear _t though). Audrey is called to clean it up and Hugo follows before his appeara_ce in the parade. Who's the new icon: it's Harmony.

As each offering at the event begins to horrify more, like incidents and unexplained magic, the gates of the park close, trapping everyone inside as harmony announces the parade is about to begin. He sends a guide to ensure everyone's there, including staff. Somehow Audrey and the lantern bearer are not ushered over, and both bump onto each other, revealing the lantern bearer to be Lloyd who's been tasked with it's protection and is here to capture or eliminate the icon. Audrey goes towards the parade whilst Lloyd sneaks around the attractions, illuminating harmony's magic infestation as well as echoes of something he's trying to forget.

Harmony begins a terrifying parade, with everyone scared of the fears he conjures such as a cavern of bee hives that spill bees as well as building tall spiders that interact too much with everyone as they take victims from the crowd and Harmony draws more power, leading to a mass trance like fear state with Hugo and Audrey running away whilst Lloyd yells harmony's name loud and taunts him, setting down the lantern as Harmony brings Lloyd's fears to life...

Hugo tells Audrey his fear is being alone and helpless. Audrey says it's her protective nature failing her. Suddenly, the guide makes them split up.

Pauline sees Lloyd in the fear state but calm outside. Inside, Harmony pokes around, starting with something small like a splattered pie on a shirt that has red filling that dyes it. Then, he finds out about the 2018 incident. It does begin to chill him as he hallucinates the incident and Harmony describes it to us:

"A girl you loved lying unresponsive on the floor. No outward injury but mess stains from a glance. Seems like an internal brain injury that killed her. Oh, your torment delights me..."

Hugo is cornered and Audrey tries to save him but fails, revealing both of them entranced. Really, only Pauline isn't due to possession rules. Now, Harmony sees Norma khan but she's helpless to harassment and bullying and a messy humiliation crying for help from Lloyd and Badyah, before meeting badyah for that matter...

But rather, Harmony focuses on a very fresh memory of his.

"I see a packed car on fire. Hey, is someone in there and you're helpless? You and that girl are a buffet. The great Lloyd with a burden beyond human nature. _racked like a China cup, but so firm on cleaning up other people's really bad mistakes. The word in-between mean anything to you?"

As the lantern flickers, Audrey confirms hugo's gone. The fears are killing people if they fail or get caught, so she runs. The lantern temporarily goes out before it reignites suddenly as Lloyd grabs harmony's neck and Audrey is close to joining Hugo unt_l being physically pulled into the indigo as Lloyd fully stands and spouts nemesis tenti, yeeting Harmony to the ground and beginning a no win situation as he can stop Harmony, but everyone will be dead, or as he attempts to do is trap him, but because that fails, he has to resort to the former. He takes harmony's power and traps it in a skull, to make him unable to be this powerful again. Harmony has to retreat from a slowly quieting park, and Lloyd picks up the lantern and shrouds his face before calling someone, agreeing to a therapist. He walks out of the park before the authorities arrive. They see a _eserted theme park with many fears and unresponsive people, including Hugo. As for Audrey, the indigo wiped her mind and put her in a n_w body.

We rejoin current times as people are reading the only documented proof of the incide_t. One of them believes it's an urban legend like Mary, with another member saying that they're real. And that member is right as the other one is _aking a break, they're pulled into a dark room and we hear screams as if harmony's trying to come back, one last time...

[divineerdrick]

Warhammer 40,000: Tyranids Changes for June 20, 2024

And finally, it's my turn.

You had to know as soon as I posted World Eaters I was saving the Hive Mind for last!

We've had it a bit rough for a while. We may have two Army Rules, but each one would be considered the weakest Army Rule in the game. Combined they're not much better. We do have some strong Detachment rules, but our Datasheets need some love. In particular, we have a lot of trouble dealing with both high Toughness and heavy armour. Knights and Ironstorm are our bane! Our win rate has sat near the bottom for all of 10th. And though AdMech has a lower win rate, they see more top tables and event wins than we do. We also started strong with lots of players joining the faction for 10th, but that number has been steadily creeping back down as our mediocre army builds stagnate.

But almost a year into our Codex release, GW has decided we need both some external and internal balance love. Starting with our Army Rule!

Synapse

Outside of Invasion Fleet and Synaptic Nexus, Synapse doesn't really matter. It's not common for our units to survive long enough to take Battle-shock tests. This makes it hands down the weakest Army Rule in the game.

But now it's getting a minor makeover. In addition to making it harder to Battle-shock our units, all Tyranid models Within Synapse Range get +1 Strength to all melee attacks. While, much like Death Guard and old Sons of Sanguinius, this doesn't scale perfectly with the game's increased Toughness, it still helps us hit some break points. Guants now wound T3 on 3s, T4 on 4s, and T6 on 5s. Genestealers now wound MEQs on 3s and their Terminator nemeses on 4s. Carnifexes can hit at Strength 13, the Swarmlord at 10, and Norn Assimilators at both 10 and 13!

Plus I like the fact that this bonus is to melee, bringing back some of the Tyranid identity as a melee army. It's probably not enough by itself to fix our damage issues, but it certainly helps.

Shadow in the Warp

I like the concept of bringing back the horror of the Tyranid army. One of my hopes for the new Battle-shock rule was that it would allow armies like Tyranids, Daemons, and Night Lords to be menacing again. But centering the second half of our Army Rule around Battle-shock hasn't turned out very well.

But while just fighting Tyranids is supposed to be harrowing, in the lore fighting a Hive Tyrant is supposed to be a truly terrifying experience. When a Norn Emissary stares down its prey, even the most hardened warrior feels dread in their bones. To help represent this, and make our Army Rule a little more reliable, enemy units testing for Shadow in the Warp within 6" of one of our Synapse units take -1 to the test. This should stack with the Neurotyrant and Deathleaper too. This means when we hit our "Go!" button, our opponent should hopefully feel it.

Crusher Stampede

We were all down on this detachment when we first saw it. As I've said many times, abilities that trigger off of being damaged aren't any fun. When you have those kinds of abilities, your opponent just makes sure they kill your units. Now, in addition to that rule, when our Units are at Starting Strength each model gets +2 to their OC. That means that a pair of Carnifexes are now OC 10 while both models are alive.

This still ain't it. As I said before in my reaction to the WarCom article, your opponent is still going to just kill your units. Yes, that means that any models they haven't hit down are +2 OC. But so what? Your average 10 man Battle-line unit is OC 20. A Norn Emissary with Singular Purpose is OC 17 with this, and that's the best we can get in 'Nidzilla. In order for individual Monster units to hold objectives against Infantry they need a much better buff than just +2 OC.

Untrammeled Ferocity

This has been changed to match Super-heavy Walker. Now our Monsters can use this Strat to attempt to power through Terrain, but risk Battle-schock.

Datasheets

They aren't stopping there though. We're getting some Datasheet tweaks, including granting more units important Keywords.

Hive Tyrant

Onslaught now grants Assault and Lethal Hits. I would have preferred Assault and Advance and Charge, but I'll take it!

Synapse

Neurolictors, Broodlords, and the Parasite of Mortrex now have Synapse. This is returning for Broodlords and the Parasite, but new for our new brain bugs.

Vanguard Invader

Mawlocs, Raveners, and Trygons now gain that keyword, making Vanguard Onslaught even more powerful. Assimilation Swarm gets nothing! Mawlocs are Assimilators dammit!

Neurotyrant

Our new floating brain bug can now lead our old floating brain bugs! I actually really like this. That's potentially a lot of Psychic power to have floating towards the enemy.

Exocrine

They've upped the strength on the bio-plasmic cannon to 9. This doesn't make the Exocrine any better at taking out its best targets, which are elite infantry. It does mean it can wound light vehicles like Rhinos more easily.

Tyrannofex

The rupture cannon now deals D6+6 damage on a successful wound, making its original average damage now its minimum damage. This means if you can connect with this beast, you're likely to bring what you hit down.

FAQ and Errata

Neuronodes have been clarified to work with the same timing as all redeploys. FAQs are also consistent with what we've seen before, including Surge moves and Blistering Assault still allowing you to not move, though you still count as making the move if you chose to roll the dice. The interesting one is for Synaptic Goading. If your unit can make a Surge move while in combat, such as if it's shot by a Vehicle in combat with it, you can use Synaptic Goading to instead have it move towards an objective. They can even leave Engagement Range this way. We still don't know if your can put a Sporocyst in a Tyrannocyte, though.

Points Changes

So now our bugs are a little stronger, and more of them can go in one of our better detachments. (I'm still annoyed nothing, including Lore appropriate units, got Harvester added to it.) Shadow in the Warp is also a little more potent. So before I open the MFM again, I'm predicting that GW still won't be able to resist some internal balance passes. In particular, I'm guessing the Hive Tyrant, the Exocrine, the Tyrannofex, and I'm also gonna guess the Neurolictor are going up in cost.

Oh wow! I'm happy to be wrong!

So Neurolictors did take a 10 pts nerf, which definitely hurts. Those are still key to getting our army to work, so nerfing them is just taking points away from us. Ripper Swarms got some interesting discount pricing, costing 25 pts for 1 base, 40 pts for 2 bases, and 50 pts for 3 bases. They're not as useful for Mission scoring as they used to be, so they're probably going to just be points filler. With Spore Mines no longer useful for Mission play, Biovores have gone down a whopping 25 pts/model. Mucolids have also gone down a whopping 20 pts. Spore mines are still at the same ridiculous cost that says "don't take these!" Tervigons also dropped 15 pts, which puts them more in line with their profile.

Honestly this is mostly good news. The nerf to Neurolictors hurts a little, and not being able to use Ripper Swarms as easily for points fillers is a bit annoying. But combined with the the buffs to our Army Rules, some of our units, and the even more units being able to make the most out of Vanguard, this is definitely a good start. Synapse units are going to be really important now though, as will be protecting them. Might even want a second Neurotyrant occasionally now. I don't think this is enough to make us a top army, but that's not the goal. What I think it'll do is put us much more in line with the other factions.

[neostriatum]

Recursion Fractal

[Dreamwidth] [SquidgeWorld]

They had their differences, of course, even if he could see the multiplicities of similarities.

-

Jeannie was so, so curious. He had been, too - still was - but watching her marvel at Atlantis felt like entering the city for the first time again. Touching the door frames, or peering at the ceilings, or staring out the enormous windows to the ocean around them wasn't something she did often. As much as they they argued amongst themselves, his sister was still a scientist at heart and just as focused as he was on their problem of the day.

But still, he kept the glances to a minimum, letting her absorb the truth of the city's existence at her own speed. It was something they had discussed, when they were younger, before all of the things that had come between them. Neither of them could afford a telescope at the time, but they'd climb to the roof in the summer, cling to the edges of it and marvel at the stars while they speculated what those stars might look like and the planets revolving around them.

And here both of them were, not only far away from those summertime stars that kept them company at night, but in a different galaxy entirely, one far enough away even the best of household telescopes a child could get their hands on couldn't see. He ducked his head down, focusing on the figures his computer was telling him from the latest round of testing on the device, instead of listening to Jeannie marvel with Radek about how the city stayed afloat.

Wherever the other Rodney was, he at least wasn't soaking up all the attention of Jeannie and everyone else. Probably the other him was schmoozing his way through an untold amount of expedition members, shredding whatever reputability he had scrummaged up here - which wasn't much, but he had become accustomed to living here, and the idea of going back to Earth because everyone decided they liked an alternate universe version of him sucked.

Jeannie was listening intently to Radek as he described something to her. Whatever was in his hands was obscured by all the crap they left on the work tables, but it was probably a scanner because that was one of Radek's favourite things to show off to the new scientists. And, yeah, he could understand it, the way Radek was thrilled and Jeannie marvelling.

She was the first, and perhaps – at least in his lifetime – the only, person outside the program to know any of this existed. It left him with some complicated feelings he was sure their resident psychiatrist would love to chew on, chiefly of which was the spark of generosity he felt. If they had time, he would have loved to show his sister everything from their internal publishing house for their research, to meeting the Athosians, to seeing the wreckage of the hive ship they found so early in their time here. But merely being on the Daedalus had terrified Jeannie, before the tentative curiosity had overlaid the edges of her fear, buffering it into awe. To meet a wraith, or at least the database holograms of it? The dangers that they still found within Atlantis, merely exploring storage areas or deserted labs, was enough for his throat to tighten in anxiety. That was his only baby sister standing there on the other side of the lab. He had to get her out of the city as quickly as possible. Looking at his computer, and the figures that needed dissecting for analysis, he transferred it to his portable computer, intent on finding his alternate self. Everyone needed a solution to this problem, and quickly.

-

Author's Notes

Fractal (Wikipedia):

In mathematics, a fractal is a geometric shape containing detailed structure at arbitrarily small scales, usually having a fractal dimension strictly exceeding the topological dimension. Many fractals appear similar at various scales, as illustrated in successive magnifications of the Mandelbrot set.[1][2][3][4] This exhibition of similar patterns at increasingly smaller scales is called self-similarity, also known as expanding symmetry or unfolding symmetry; if this replication is exactly the same at every scale, as in the Menger sponge, the shape is called affine self-similar.[5] Fractal geometry lies within the mathematical branch of measure theory.

Recursion (Wikipedia):

Recursion occurs when the definition of a concept or process depends on a simpler or previous version of itself.[1] Recursion is used in a variety of disciplines ranging from linguistics to logic. The most common application of recursion is in mathematics and computer science, where a function being defined is applied within its own definition. While this apparently defines an infinite number of instances (function values), it is often done in such a way that no infinite loop or infinite chain of references can occur. A process that exhibits recursion is recursive. Video feedback displays recursive images, as does an infinity mirror.

For @ficwip's Genuary event! The minimum was 500 words, so I tried to stick to that for some short-form fic practice.

[xxlordalexanderxx]

Upon hearing what happened in his court today, she cautiously approaches the King, evaluating his mood with care. "Dearest? " a soft voice calls him as she approaches close with small hint of hesitation she places a hand on his talon. "How are you holding? Are you alright?"

He doesn't answer at first, his talon rhythmically tapping on the table's surface, each tap echoing his internal frustration. Just moments ago, he had barely managed to clean himself up before she entered his chambers. His mind was in turmoil, screaming at every connection within the hive-mind, his face twisted in a furious scowl. It wasn't until he felt her gentle touch that he snapped back to reality. His eyes met hers, and while his expression wasn't exactly warm, it was far less hostile than it had been just moments before.

"Barely holding, why is your heart beating so fast." "¿noʎ ǝɹɐ pǝɹɐɔs ʇou ǝɹ,noʎ"

[cielettosa]

It's sad that people are so insecure that they think a character poll is the only mesure to value and like a character. That happen when you don't have a personality and you based your taste on the flow of the moment, on what others think. It's not so weird to like both Gojo and Levi, even if they are not in a popularity poll.

I swear, there's a severe lack of individuality and personal preferences today. Hive mind at its finest 💀

Imagine liking Levi just because others like him and not for the wonderful character he is. It couldn't be me. The same goes for Gojo.

sorry for late response, but i agree with everything you have said above.

Characters are like meals. They can be beautifully crafted dishes that tantalize your taste buds, or bland, forgettable gruel.

Gojo, in my opinion, falls into the latter category. He strikes me as a one-note character, lacking depth or complexity.

But that doesn't mean I'll trash talk his admirers.

Honestly, it is a cultural epidemic, this blind worship of popularity polls and fleeting trends when it comes to something as personal and subjective as taste in fictional characters (basically succumbing to a hivemind mentality, surrendering your individuality to the whims of the crowd).

Disliking a character doesn't make you wrong, and vice versa.

It boils down to perspective, to that unique lens through which we experience stories. Characters can be a feast for the senses, a symphony of well-developed traits and motivations, or they can be bland, forgettable gruel. There's room for both on the table.

The beauty lies in the "why."

Why does this character resonate with you?

Why does another leave you cold?

Here's where the true conversation begins. Ditch the shallow pronouncements, the "Gojo's cool" or "Levi's the best" proclamations.

Back it up.

Think of it like building a case in court. You wouldn't walk in and declare the defendant guilty without evidence, would you? The same principle applies to character analysis.

Gather your proof – textual evidence from the story itself (canon), dissect their development arcs, their backstories, their internal conflicts.

Are they a well-rounded individual, a character who feels like they could exist in our world?

Or are they a flimsy caricature, a plot device rather than a living, breathing personality?

There's no objective "good" or "bad" character, in my opinion.

It's all about the execution.

A masterfully written character, even a villain you despise with every fiber of your being, will leave a mark. They'll be complex, believable, and linger in your thoughts long after you've finished the story. A poorly written character, on the other hand, is the literary equivalent of fast food – instantly forgettable, devoid of any real substance.

[a-wanderin-whirlybird]

Invader Zim has once again over taken my brain. Bringing back some old ocs for a series of Random fun facts/Headcannons! Going by category with Headcanons about Irk/Irkens, then Hives, then Characters. If they are AU specific I'll mention which AU (Mainly the 18 Years Later Au by @messinwitheddie ).

Irk/Irken HC: (these are general HCs I have about Irk and Irkens not Au specific)

Irk is the third closest planet to a Massive blue star.

Most Fauna is nocturnal and requires a Massive amount of nutrients to survive.

The atmosphere is very dense and the storm clouds are Nitrogen

Infact Nitrogen is the basis of the planet much like how earth is Oxygen based

As such the seas are Liquid Nitrogen

Irkens are a subterranean species that adapted to the surface

Despite this Modern Irkens still retain hyper sensitivity to light in general

Irkens are built to thrive in specific roles and their species often develops mutations to fill these roles

Irkens are much Like ants or Bees in that they have Hive structures.

Before the first civilization on Irk most Hives were a Queen and her Drones/mates and Smeets.

Females were even rarer before the first True Hive occured.

The pheromones that assigned early Irkens roles are still dormant in modern Irkens.

It is almost unheard of for these pheromones to reactivate and release save a few cases since the rise of Civilization

Irken reproduction is incredibly dangerous and often fatal for female Irkens

Irkens have Massive swarm with the average size being between 80 and 100 smeets

Birthing a swarm over 250 is high risk and often fatal

Few Irken women ever have more than 2 swarms. The third is fatal except in a few incredibly rare circumstances

Specific Hives:

Hive Traktor: 18 Years Later AU

The birth place of Cyder and Irk's various alcoholic drinks

Tallest Flapjack was the world's first Gourmond and often liked to travel to Hives across the globe to taste their delicacies. In return he created the World's first International and Trans Trans Continental trade Route. He had a mutation that gave him 8 eyes and a hyper sensitive palate.

The most common mutations in Hive Traktor are not visible traits. One makes the Irken's bones incredibly durable and allows more Muscular growth than usual. Another is an actual sense of smell, touch and sight that allows them to pick up the slightest change in atmospheric pressure and accurately predict weather patterns.

Hive Traktor is the reason the 5 Star Alliance fell to ruin. Tallest Olst was a power mad dictator that drove his own Hive to ruin. But not before he slaughtered Tallest Aria of Hive Octave and collapsed ever possible entrance and exit to Hive Geo.

Tallest Olst singlehandedly destroyed 3 Hives. He is at the Tallest Table in the afterlife and will never leave. Forever trapped at the table unable to enjoy any of the food and power he had in life. The entirety of Hive Traktor despises him

Hive Geo:

Some irkens born to Hive Geo never see Moonlight as they never leave the Caves and Mines of their Hive.

I changed the main mutations of this Hive. The main mutations present are Albinism, Gem like Eyes, and Echolocation. Most Mining drone have a mutation where they have no eyes and see with radar. This allows them to find veins of ore and gems in the walls.

The last Tallest of Hive Geo was Tallest Vista. He was a Chimera who absorbed his entire swarm. He had patches of every different skin color possible in an irken. He was Nicknamed the Irken Rainbow by Tallest Uthril of Hive Sol. Vista was incredibly kind and caring towards his Fellow Irkens and his Hive flourished under him. But his kindness killed him.

Tallest Vista caught Miner's Rattle. A Splooch Infection from exposure to various trapped gasses in the Mines. He was unable to do anything as Olst collapsed the Enterances and exits to Hive Geo. Vista quickly realized that if Hive Geo was trapped so was Hive Octave. Vista sent all his Miner's towards the Tunnels heading for Hive Traktor. Hoping they could dig his Hive out while he took a significantly smaller force to Try and get a single tunnel to Hive Octave.

Vista Failed. The small team found another pocket of Noxious gasses. This one combusted and collapsed the tunnels behind then.

This triggered a complete collapse of Hive Geo. Killing everyone inside and cutting off Hive Octave from any assistance.

Characters:

Tallest Aria: 18 Years Later Au

Final Tallest of Hive Octave.

Aria had a Partner, a short Drummer named Pitch. The two had a swarm with a surrogate.

Aria used to be a selfish and moody Irken. She often snapped and intimidated to get her way. In her pursuit of Pitch, Aria changed for the better. But her biggest turning point was when she nearly lost Pitch during birth.

They lost 73 out of 99 smeets and Pitch nearly bled to death. Aria spent 3 days desperately trying to save as many smeets as she could while trying to keep her Love alive. It gave her some perspective on how her own actions affected others especially those under her.

Aria gave her Hive a public apology for her previous behavior and restarted her regime from the ground up. She made major changes to many of the laws in her Hive to ensure her people were better cared for and heard.

Her downfall began when she suggested ending a tradition in the 5 Star Alliance. Specifically the use of 2 separate fertility festivals to separate "desirable Irkens" and "Defective Irkens". She suggested simply eliminating the second festival and letting everyone participate in 1 big festival.

Tallest Olst of Hive Traktor saw this as both a personal offense and a possible way to grab power. He tried to rally the other Hives against this suggestion only to discover that he was entirely unsupported. Hives Sol, Opal, and Geo agreed with Aria.

Olst would later Poison Aria under the guise of an apology. Using Aria's love of noodles to kill her painfully. Pitch would then fly into a rage and brutalized Olst with her own bare hands as the drone from Hive Octave slaughtered the tall members of Olst's party and retreated. Pitch died not moments after Olst, impaled by one of Olst's loyal generals.

Olst survived only a few days after. Just long enough to trap Hive Octave and Hive Geo in their Hives.

Hive Octave had lost all their Tall drones to Olst's generals as well. Leaving them leaderless. Even after 3 fertility festivals no new Tallest entered the world.

Aria's Neice, Flit, Became The Almighty Smallest when no Tall Smeets remained after 4 years.

In Death Aria haunts Irk, Finding any Irken related to her Hive, and very specifically her Love Pitch. She gladly assists any of Pitch's descendants when she finds then.

The best example of this being @messinwitheddie Tallest Dava.

Flit, The Almighty Smallest: 18 Years Later Au

The last Ruler of Hive Octave. While Aria was the final Tallest is was her dear neice Flit who ruled until none but herself remained.

Flit was born without legs a few years after Aria's own Swarm reached Aprentice age. Flit's mother, Aria's only surviving swarmmate, died giving birth and only Flit survived.

Aria and Pitch raised Flit. Aria even made Flits first pair of Prostetics.

Flit had a deep connection to the Strings the Weaver wove. Hearing them in songs all around her. Flit was a Talented Oracle because of this and tried desperately to turn her abilities to help her Hive.

Aria was stiff with Flit. Always seeing her dead sister in her niece. Aria always regretted the distance she created between them.

Flit has an uneasy relationship with Aria. Neither know what to say to the other as both feel guilty for failing the other. But Flit Loves her Coddle Drone a lot and always respected her.

Flit was the last irken left Alive in Hive Octave. A combination of Disease, famine and declined birth rates killed the Hive in a matter of decades. No new Tallest was ever born and Flit remained alone in the Shell of her Hive until she perished on New Years.

Flit did not pass to the Tallest Table immediately after death. Instead Flit was pulled into a horrible vision of Irk's Future. She saw the Control Brains and Smeetries. The pain inflicted to other species. The complete loss of Irken culture and Diversity, the smog that blanketed the moons and sun from the sky, and the loss of all life upon the Irken surface. She saw the statue of the Colossus being pulled to her knees by an unholy beast of metal and flesh. And as the Colossus fell, a spike through her head, Cyder pouring forth, the ground beneath them split and the sun burned through the smog, engulfing the battlefield whole

Flit arrived to the warm greetings of her dead Hive with a mission. She had a spot reserved at the Tallest Table, but she gave it to her Drones instead.

Flit spends her eternity trying to reach the mind of a living Irken in the modern Era. Desperate to halt the destruction of Irk and Irkens as a whole.

[kirythestitchwitch]

Klaroline WIP Wed: currently unnamed mafia/social media au -> In a flashback Caroline has just broken up with Tyler and moved out of their apartment. The mafia provided movers have just left.

A soft knock on the front door made her look up from debating between a local Italian place and the chain burger place that would probably be faster. “Did I forget a box?” she called, mentally scrolling through a list of her belongings while walking to the front door and then peeking out the peephole. The sight of the man standing out in the hallway made her blink, her mind speed running the five stages of grief while her hand hovered above the doorknob.

“I have brought dinner,” Klaus’ voice came through the door after the moment stretched on, his tone tempting. “Italian, and wine.” 

Caroline pressed her lips together and silently pleaded with the heavens. One day, he couldn’t give her one more day to find her equilibrium?

His voice dropped into a deeper register that made her bare toes curl on the wood floors. “There are breadsticks.” 

Acceptance settled into her empty stomach and burst into butterflies that she firmly tried to squash.

“Fine!” She jerked the door open, eyebrows raised. “Fine, but only because I’m starving. And don’t even think of so much as breathing on my couch; I just got it all set up.” If she had to lay down on her temporary bed tonight, and it smelled like Klaus’ cologne–that damn cologne–she was going to do something indecent that she had thus far managed to restrain from because giving in to the temptation of fantasy had been a step too far.

Klaus stood there, annoyingly casual in his lightweight henley, necklaces peaking above the collar, a large paper bag held by the handles in one hand, and a bottle of wine dangling by the neck from two fingers in the other hand. His face reflected some internal delight, or maybe he actually was that pleased to see her. Ugh. 

“Good evening, Caroline. Your couch is safe from me,” he said, faux seriously.

“Good.” Sticking out her hand for the bag, she gestured with her fingertips. Klaus pulled it closer to his chest and raised his eyebrows in expectation. His message was clear: dinner came with him.

“Ugh.” She rolled her eyes and spun around, leaving the door open. “Come in then.”  The entry hallway emptied into the kitchen and dining area, and Caroline stood in the bare space for a moment in an odd little panic while his footsteps followed her, the door closing softly. 

Right, no table, no chairs. No couch.

“So. I have the floor… or the floor.” Turning around, she caught sight of him examining the main room. His gaze settled on the pull-out sofa already made up as a bed and the bright, almost floral abstract painting that it rested under, and his face did something subtle that nevertheless made heat creep up her cheeks. Lifting her chin, she ignored the slight lift at the corner of his lips when he met her eyes.

“The floor sounds lovely,” he reassured her, setting the bag on the small bar counter space that separated the kitchen from the rest of the room. She supposed they could have eaten standing at the bar, but Caroline was tired and being that close to him tonight would give her hives.

While he set about unpacking the food from the bag, Caroline opened the cabinet in the built-ins she’d stored the blankets in and pulled out the one she used for picnics. This was picnic adjacent.

“I ordered from this little place two blocks away, been in the neighborhood for years,” Klaus said conversationally. “There’s something of everything, since I didn’t know what you’d feel like tonight.”

“I mean, you could have called and asked.” Unfolding the blanket, she snapped it out and let it float down to the floor. “But then you wouldn’t have been able to ambush me.”

Pausing in lifting the lids off the containers, he turned and shot her a surprisingly boyish grin. Lifting his shoulder in a little ‘what can you do?’ shrug, he went back to the takeout.

“Oh my god” Caroline huffed. “Where are my wine glasses? That bottle better be impressive if I’m going to have to tolerate you.” Going around him into the kitchen, she opened the cabinet she’d told Nate to put glasses in and found her instructions followed very carefully. The wine glasses without stems were in the front and she pulled down two.

“Anything less than impressive for you, sweetheart, would pain me.”

“You’re a pain,” Caroline muttered childishly, searching in the box on the counter for the corkscrew.

Klaus’ face was amused as she turned back around to the island and started prying the cork out of the bottle. “Yes, but I did bring breadsticks.”

Coming in the next couple weeks!

[pencilofawesomeness]

My Friends Enjoy Reminding Me of My Many WIPs: The Tag Game

Another tag game lads~ @kiliinstinct and @thehylianidiot both tagged me, so here we go. I'm just going to do my uhh... current-current wips, which is to say, the ones I am actively looking at, more or less. Otherwise we will be here forever.

And before anybody wonders, yes, Runaways is on the table but I don't actually have any WIP of it to share because I took my break immediately after the last chapter so there's nothing to share atm

- rules: share the first line (or two or more!) of every current wip you have (that you feel comfortable sharing) and tag some writer friends! feel free to add the titles of your documents if you see fit

-

Whumptober 2023: Day 12 (Genshin Impact)

There was much work to be done.

Between dismantling the Akasha Terminal, uprooting the corrupt sages, and salvaging the organizational structure of all of Sumeru, there was not a moment to lose. There was also the added factor that the people needed to be assured during this tumultuous time. Unfortunately, Nahida was a practical stranger to them, and assurances from strangers never seemed to have the same effect. The fact that she was their archon only helped a little.

-

The light turned red, and I ran it (Jujutsu Kaisen)

He was Gojo Satoru. The strongest sorcerer, the only special-grade to call. He was the heir to the Gojo Clan. He was the pinnacle of everything jujutsu could hope to achieve.

He didn’t know how to make pancakes.

-

Memento Vivere: Chapter 2 (Fairy Tail FMA AU)

“I’m going to kill you!”

“Oh yeah? Then come over here and—ACK!”

Gray was not a child. He didn’t find senseless violence amusing. He did, however, laugh when Natsu fell on his ass on the ice-slicked hallway, because Gray was a bit petty. And Natsu deserved it.

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Whumptober 2023: Day 19 (Genshin Impact)

It had been five days since Lisa had been abducted inside her own home. Four days since Albedo tugged Kaeya to the side and shared his hushed concerns about the scorched marks on Lisa’s kitchen tile being a result of Khaenri’ahn sorcery. Three days since, after determining that she could be anywhere in all of Teyvat, they sent word to the Milleleth first in hope for some confidential international support, and then to the Traveler, in hope for a miracle. Two days since Ningguang herself sent a falcon back, with word that they were aware of the mysterious scorched rune and that Captain Beidou was similarly missing. One day since Albedo received word from Forest Watcher Tighnari and they learned that General Mahamatra Cyno was missing as well. 

Kaeya was at a loss of what to do. It was a position he was seldom in and he hated it with every fiber of his being. 

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Whumptober 2023: Day 12/26 (Jujutsu Kaisen)

“Oi! Sensei!”

Maki did not make it a habit of making a commotion to get Gojo-sensei’s attention, because he was a diva and he didn’t need his head to be even more inflated, but she had been waiting for that bastard to show up for days now, and she wasn’t going to let him poof away. Again. 

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Kintsugi: Chapter 5 (Fairy Tail)

Erza’s closet was huge.

Lucy’s jaw audibly clicked shut when she realized that she was gaping. It was larger than Lucy’s had been, back at home, and she had been nobility for crying out loud! And Erza was… Well. Lucy absolutely was not judging, but Erza and her brother kinda lived as hermits in the woods. How Erza managed to collect such an assortment was beyond her.

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Current BTHB: Hives (Twisted Wonderland)

The worst part about taking showers was all of the stuff they entailed. At least in Pomefiore. It was way, way too much. 

Epel used to be able to take simple, hot relaxing showers, with a single shampoo that would clean his entire body. It was fine. But noooo, things were different in Pomefiore. There were only a gazillion products for a ton of different things. Epel could hardly keep it all straight. Sure, they made his skin smoother and his hair softer, and it wasn’t a terrible feeling, but it wasn’t worth it. He couldn’t skip any of it though, because Vil would notice, and the housewarden’s lectures were worse.

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Within Infinity (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Ieri Shoko was informed that when she would be attending Tokyo Tech, or whatever it’s official or unofficial name was, she would have two classmates. The small class size was to be expected when sorcerers weren’t a plentiful group, but she was dreading it all the same. That few people in such a small proximity promised interaction, and sorcerers were infamously a weird bunch. Her dad had been proof of that, for certain, as much as she hadn’t minded when it came to him. 

The thought of being forced to get along with two random kids until they graduated or someone died was enough to make Shoko reconsider her dad’s wish for her to attend regular medical school. However, Shoko didn’t like her prospects among regular people either, so she figured she would stick it out with the weirdos. Besides, if her old man’s passing was anything to learn by, sorcerers needed doctors too. (And a few miracles, but Shoko didn’t have any delusions about that one.)

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Unmade (Fairy Tail)

Natsu couldn’t remember how he got here.

That by itself wasn’t a big deal. Natsu was used to not having the best memory. He was also used to getting knocked out. It happened from time to time. Hell, half the time it was inflicted by Erza. But that was fine, because his friends would make sure he was okay.

Except this time, he woke up alone and chained to a low-hanging stone ceiling, so Natsu was beginning to feel nervous. Just a bit.

-

Okay I might accidentally re-tag somebody but let's seeeee (and no obligation to do this, of course), ummm @genavere @jinn-mori @breezy-cheezy and @phoenix-before-the-flame for the heck of it :3

(and as always if this looks fun and you want to do, pretend I tagged you and we roll with it)

[chaniis-atlantis]

Writing Patterns (Tag Game)

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there's a pattern!

Thanks for the tag @annwayne !

Note: #4 is explicit

1. Across the Universe (John×Todd)

“No, it's too dangerous. Not to mention completely against protocol,” Richard Woolsey, head of the Atlantis Expedition, stated from across the long, wide, and garish meeting table he’d brought with him from home.

2. Che Cera Cera (a fic that says it's John×Todd and technically is but is mostly a Todd Biopic)

The Wraith walks along the halls of the Hive, passing by large, pulsing columns which help to keep the fantastical bundle of organic matter together.

3. Something About you Feels like Home (Todd×John that I still need to finish :(

The first thing John noticed when he stepped through the Stargate was the scent.

4. Pretty Fucking [Blank] (John×Lorne)

The latest man swipes his spent and rapidly softening cockhead on John Sheppard's waiting tongue. 

5. Brazen (John×Todd)

They understand eachother now, he's sure of it.

6. An Extra Fifteen Minutes (John and Todd)

Old age was like a curse, Sheppard realized as he and the Wraith stumbled through the thick forest on Koyla’s godforsaken planet.

7. I Reach out for your Hand (John×Todd)

The world came in like a slow, steady drip. First, the monotone beeping of a machine that stood out against muffled voices and the sharp but quiet ringing in his ears.

8. All Bets are Off (John×Todd)

They tumble down a hill slide, landing in a pile of soft foliage at the base of an ancient tree.

9. You Want It (John×Todd)

John races across uneven ground, nearly slipping on the wet leaves that coat this canopied part of the forest.

10. But I must admit it, I would marry you in an instant (John×Todd)

He sensed John Sheppard coming down the hallway long before he opened the door.

Besides the fact that almost all of them are JohnTodd😂 I think I tend to start scenes with a blurb about the external setting instead of the character's internal thoughts or feelings

Npt: @bagheerita @trainofcommand @chaos-monkeyy @anonmadsci @colonelshepparrrrd @all-mighty-yaoiyuri @darklysnarky @adriankyte-writes @spurious