#stellar life cycle

[transgenderenkidu]

that's a heavy burden, son of the sword

i think sometimes about how the heaviest element a star can synthesize without going supernova is iron, and how when a star's core reaches iron it cant burn any longer

anyway take this intensely self indulgent chapter 18 fanart, kendal is from @comicaurora, the only thing ive read that consistently inspires me to draw full color pieces

[superdoggie5000]

need to get back on making inhuman beings that live in space or concept honestly, i have enough* furry ocs

[karensglimmers]

Made this for my solar zine.

[openvimark]

(vía Camiseta clásica con la obra «Cosmic Hourglass: A Universe in Motion» de 0penvimark)

Discover our digital art and explore our products.

Descubre nuestro arte digital y explora nuestros productos.

Design/Diseño.

https://www.redbubble.com/es/shop/ap/162410536

Stores/Tiendas.

https://www.redbubble.com/es/people/0penvimark/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent

[spidersmiceandeverythingnice]

Gaara is truly the Character of All Time

-Introduced as main antagonist in a tournament arc, the terrifying bloodthirsty ninja from a strange desert village who kills without remorse and has survived every mission without getting a scratch on him

-He's 12

-Character design 10/10 he has bright fucking brick red hair, literal raccoon eyes, a face tattoo that says "Love" and carries that weird ass gourd; between the fun elements and the interesting tie-ins to Tanuki Lore, I have never seen a more charming design in my life tbqh

-Immediately more emo and chuuni than Noted Emo Heartthrob Sasuke Uchiha by virtue of reciting weird poetry after killing a guy in cold blood

-We get his tragic backstory and by fucking GOD is it sad. I cry just thinking about it. Literally everything about it is just horrible and devastating.

-Talk No Jutsu at end of the tournament arc, Gaara realizes that he should, in fact, go to therapy and immediately decides to turn his life around

-The first thing he decides to do is apologize to his siblings <3

-Shows up a handful of arcs later with a cool new outfit and becomes friends with the kid he literally tried to murder and nearly permanently crippled in one of the best fights of the entire series

-Liam O Brian's English dub of Gaara is Stellar ya know what. The raspiness of the original appearance morphing into the Deepest Voice That Any Kid Has Ever Had Ever was a genuinely hilarious choice

-Has the only good filler arcs in the old show; he's such a good character that the entire show molds itself and rises to meet him

-Post timeskip he is Desert Ninja President at the ripe old age of 15 and is extremely good at it because he's the weirdest little nerd with no social skills (on account of his tragic backstory) and diligently applies himself to doing paperwork and going to meetings

-Has a fanclub in the village mostly of girls his own age that he never seems to talk to?? Or realize have crushes on him?? Oblivious king we love him.

-Dies in one of the most genuinely moving scenes. Comes back like 20 episodes of fighting later because where would we be without him honestly?

-Becomes Super General Ninja President of the Grand Army of whatever where he accomplishes such feats as forgiving his asshole father and emotionally healing from his childhood trauma, stopping a meteor, and nearly dying a second time.

-Collects cacti as a hobby

-Has the only good sequel series arc where it's revealed that in addition to continuing to serve as Desert Ninja President, he's decided to adopt a couple of orphan ninja kids so that he can break the cycle of parental neglect and stupidity that created his tragic backstory in the first place.

[lets-try-some-writing]

yo what if instead of less armor/softer protoform, sparklings had a Ton of kibble and armor to later grow into and spiky bits for protection

imagine baby drift with the same size finials. just. Huge finials on that lil bud

and on earth, cybertronians are /enamoured/ by echidna, armadillos, and porcupines

That would be hilarious, but would also make a lot of sense survival wise. All these sparklings popping out of the Well and from Hotspots really need the protection. I can imagine that the spiker looking they are, the less likely animals are to attack. So baby Drift with giant finials is sitting comfortably in the 'do not attack' category.

I can imagine that since these sparklings emerge with a crap ton of extra armor, their first ever alt mode is quite literally, a ball or some variation of one. Even the fliers start life as balls and roll for their lives when chased until they turn into SPIKY balls.

Just, packs of sparklings who've just begun to grow in their rather pointy kibble roaming Cybertron and tearing up the ground wherever they go. Small bundles of terror in the form of minicons and cassette carrier sparklings causing problems as a group. Dog sized sparklings so prickly and covered in spikes that they can and will get onto roads and stare down mecha who drive at them with a promise of pain in their optics. Fliers and future speedsters skidding over the landscape as apocalypses in their attempts to get from point A to point B as fast as physically possible while also tearing up everything with all their kibble.

These small creatures might as well be resident plows with how well they shred the ground in their attempts to get around. It's only made worse because they all have the inbuilt desire to get to the biggest collection of Cybertronians in range, so they can and will damage roads, housing, and everything in between in they are not caught before they can roam. A sparkling that gets rolling is very unlikely to stop until they get hungry, and even then, they are so spiky by that point that trying to grab one is the same as drop kicking oneself into a pack of cyber-hounds.

I can imagine whole agencies being devoted to collecting the balls of mayhem. Every speedster across Cybertron has to spend at least a few stellar cycles helping the Well Guardians rush after sparklings who roll away too quickly to be caught after their emergence. Every speedster carries at least a few scars from a prickly pack of sparklings getting a bit too excited to be near people or rather upset at the idea of behind captured.

Even after the terror tornados are brought into civilization, I can see these spikey creatures still causing trouble. They can't get alt-modes until they are older, so until then, rolling ball of destruction it is. Much of the tax money gathered for repair work is devoted to repairing roads that were obliterated by a rogue sparkling having a field day on some unsuspecting neighborhood.

Some are feral. Some are clingy and cute.

All are wheel puncturing menaces to society.

[spacetelescopescience]

Hubble hypnotizes with this detailed portrait of the Southern Pinwheel galaxy. All phases of the stellar life cycle are on display, from the youngest stars in glowing pink nebulas, to bright blue clusters, and the bubble-like remnants of supernovas. Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI.

[maybelsart]

Stellar Nebula

The first pin from my new collection 'Life Cycle of a Star' A collection depicting the various stages a star goes through.

The stellar nebula is the beginning and the end of the journey

Sign up to be notified when the project goes live HERE

[girlmostlikely]

Jonah Hill outed as a toxic partner, Britney Spears memoir, Gigi Hadid arrested, Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello separation, Skims shapewear saved a woman’s life after she was shot 4 times, Kylie and Jordyn reunion, Ariana Grande divorce, Elon Musk wants to buy Fox News and CNN, Lindsay Lohan gave birth to her first child, sriracha shortage, Bethany Joy Lenz aka Haley from One Tree Hill said she was in a cult for ten years, Elton John testifying in the Kevin Spacey trial. This has been a stellar pop culture news cycle for all genres methinks.

[apod]

2023 December 14

Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; D. Milisavljevic (Purdue University), T. Temim (Princeton University), I. De Looze (University of Gent)

Explanation: Massive stars in our Milky Way Galaxy live spectacular lives. Collapsing from vast cosmic clouds, their nuclear furnaces ignite and create heavy elements in their cores. After only a few million years for the most massive stars, the enriched material is blasted back into interstellar space where star formation can begin anew. The expanding debris cloud known as Cassiopeia A is an example of this final phase of the stellar life cycle. Light from the supernova explosion that created this remnant would have been first seen in planet Earth's sky about 350 years ago, although it took that light 11,000 years to reach us. This sharp NIRCam image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the still hot filaments and knots in the supernova remnant. The whitish, smoke-like outer shell of the expanding blast wave is about 20 light-years across, while the bright speck near center is a neutron star, the incredibly dense, collapsed remains of the massive stellar core. Light echoes from the massive star's cataclysmic explosion are also identified in Webb's detailed image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231214.html

[chocolatte-and-despair]

yandere Sirius black, albus dumbledore and narcissa malfoy?

Sirius Black

You met him when you two were students at Hogwarts. The start of your relationship was anything but stellar. It was downright a horrible start, and truth be told, he had only fallen for you later down the line.

Being a Slytherin, and one of the few Slytherin friends that Severus had, you completely hated Sirius. Not because you had some sort of hero complex, truth be told, it was sort of funny seeing Severus being made fun of. You had to find entertainment somewhere in this boring boarding school.

The problem arose when you heard him mock Slytherin. It was no surprise how touchy every Slytherin was. You simply used Severus and your friendship with him as an excuse for why you were mocking Sirius and his friend group.

In a perfect Slytherin manner, you and your group of goons targeted the marauders, especially the weaker links, like Peter or Remus. You even let Severus decide what sort of things you would do to the group.

It was a never-ending cycle of abuse. Severus getting abused by the marauders for the shit that your group did to them, and you abusing them for messing with Severus.

For you, that sort of dynamic was enough, but Sirius? Something started to change in his mind as you both grew.

Did Sirus mature? No, no, he didn't. He still messed with Severus and mocked Slytherins, but as you both grew, you became a part of each other's life. He even looked forward to seeing you every single day, curious about what sort of horror you would commit against his friends.

He honestly couldn't tell you when he started to enjoy your dreadful company. Maybe it was a slow thing, that developed over years, entangling him in his messy feelings, that escape was impossible anymore. Or maybe it was instant, like a strike of thunder, when he started going through hormonal changes and you grew so damn wonderfully, alongside him.

Honestly speaking, did it even matter what caused his emotions? What mattered was that he started enjoying being around you, and the cruel words you two would exchange each time you crossed paths.

Whenever you did something, the mocking smile on your face made his heart skip a beat, and he wanted nothing more than to gently caress your cheek, before pulling you close, and biting your lip until bled.

Was it cruel that he pushed his friends towards your abuse without them realizing it? Maybe. But he always did so much for them, so the least they could do was help him get closer to the cruel bastard that ripped his heart out for safekeeping.

Albus Dumbledore

From a young age, Albus was destined for great things. It was no surprise that he ended up as one of the youngest headmasters in Hogwarts history. Competent and with a drive to cultivate his students for greatness, he was someone that people regarded with a lot of respect.

Of course, he enjoyed all of the wonderful praise that he got from others, but the one that he cared most about was you. Your opinion mattered to him the most.

You were a competent man in your own regard. Gentle, passionate, and friendly, you were someone that Albus found comfort in, even if you never saw your relationship with him beyond employee and employer.

You were a teacher in the academy, one that joined only a few years after Albus became headmaster, out of complete respect for Albus and the work that he has done.

You were a competent potion master and worked hard to make sure that Albus vision for the cultivation of students was followed to a Tee.

Sometimes, your dedication to Albus would reach near-obsessive, but he never minded. It only showed how devoted you were to him, and his vision for the future.

Sadly, that obsessive streak of yours made you not popular with fellow teachers, even if the students loved you. You were seen as strange by other teacher, which clearly saddened you, even if you never showed it.

Of course, Albus was always there, to entertain you instead of your coworkers. He always had time for someone so devout to him. Someone that would sacrifice their own social life to just make his dreams possible.

Perhaps, he had a finger or two involved with your isolation. After all, you wanted to make his vision of the future come true, and your isolation was crucial for it.

If he was the only one that you kept close to you, then maybe you would start to see him more than an idol, and instead, see him as a possible partner.

After all, how could he not have fallen for someone so earnest in their affection for him? He simply wished that your affections were... more romantic. But no worries, he was patient.

Narcissa Malfoy

After the engagement with Lucious was confirmed, Narcissa was completely alright with giving up all her dreams for a passionate romance, and a loving husband. She knew that they were little more than simple dreams and that her duty came before her own happiness.

Her family handed her over to the Malfoy's almost immediately after the engagement was finalized as if she was only a product to be traded for renown and more resources.

But that was alright. She knew that her worth ended the moment that she was married off to another family. That was what she prepared herself for all her life. She was completely alright with it.

Well, she said that, over and over to herself, as she cried herself in her lonely room, furthest away from the rest of the Malfoy family. Her fiance didn't see her as worth his time, and the heads of the Malfoy family saw her as an annoyance.

She couldn't exactly say that her home was welcoming and warm, but she had her sisters there, which made the place feel a little bit more like home. This place had nothing like that.

There was only one person who even talked to her. That person was you, a distant relative of the Malfoy's who resided in the mansion.

You were, in a few words... just like every other Malfoy? Haughty, dismissive, and childish. Your words were cold towards her, and you acted as if it was a bother to spend time with her. Yet you still did. Every morning, you ate breakfast with her, every afternoon, you both did something around the mansion, or on occasion, went into town together, and in the evenings, you both ate dinner together.

You were not pleasant or kind, but for a woman desperate for love, for attention, you were exactly what she needed. Besides, you didn't know how to act differently.

She was sure that normally, she would never fall for you under any other circumstance, but this was her life from this point on, so you were the comfort that she needed.

You were hesitant to start any sort of relationship with her, but with her constant insistence, and your own loneliness plaguing you, you two ended up having an affair.

A dirty secret that tied you two into silence, as you both could lose everything if it ever came to the surface. A secret that placed you perfectly in her palms, where she could keep you for herself.

[zaczenemiji]

Morpheus x Goddess!Arianrhod!Reader

Synopsis: Arianrhod awakens from a dream in which Morpheus proposed to her. Later, she drifts back into The Dreaming, where Morpheus begins showing her his realm.

Word Count: 2,539

PART TWO

PART THREE

✧ Dream Upon A Star ✧

Arianrhod awoke slowly, the lingering warmth of The Dreaming still wrapped around her like a soft veil, contrasting the coldness of her realm. She lay on her side, the ambient glow of the celestial orbs floating casted gentle shadows across her chamber. For a moment, she wondered if it had all been a dream within a dream.

Her mind replayed the events. Morpheus had asked her to be his queen. It was too wondrous to be real. She slowly turned her body to face the other side. To her surprise, the flower in her dream was there. Its pale blue petals shimmered and its silver veins glowed softly.

She felt warmth surface in her chest. She gently reached for it. The petals, cool and smooth, reminded her that it was all real.

She rose from her bed, the flower in hand, and walked towards her balcony. The endless night sky stretched above her, and the thousands of Stellar Blooms blossomed below.

She looked at the flower from Morpheus, hesitant to plant it in her gardens. Doing so might help Morpheus find her realm. She had to ensure that the flower’s presence wouldn’t betray the secrets of her domain.

“Lyrael,” she called in her mind. “Fetch me a vase from the vault.”

In her castle, there is a hidden chamber called the Time Vault that contains artifacts and records of all events seen by the moon. It’s accessible only to the goddess and her confidant.

Not long after, Lyrael arrived at her chambers. “My lady,” she called. “I’ve come to bring you what you requested.”

Without turning, Arianrhod replied, “Thank you, Lyrael. Please leave it on my desk.”

Lyrael did as she was told. “Anything for you, your highness,” she said before she left.

Arianrhod retreated into her chamber and walked towards her desk. Atop it was the delicate vase made of celestial glass; transparent and with silver patterns etched on its surface.

She held a hand over the vase. “By the cycles of the moon and stars, by the turning of the Silver Wheel,” she chanted softly. It glowed with a soft, silver light.

She envisioned a barrier of time and space, a temporal cloak that would prevent it from revealing her realm’s location.

She carefully placed the flower into the vase. “Let this flower thrive within this vessel nourished by the essence of the night,” she continued. “May it remain alive, hidden from those who seek it.”

The glow intensified for a moment as the enchantment took hold. The vase now emitted a faint light, soothing the goddess off her concerns.

Arianrhod went out of her chambers to her throne, the Chamber of Destinies, and the Stellar Observatory. She did her routines, as she did so for thousands of years.

The only thing different was that she now had more things to tell her confidant. She told her about The Dreaming and everything that took place. Especially Dream’s proposal and the conditions she imposed.

Lyrael has seen the queen through the years, beginning when Arianrhod permanently resided in her cosmic domain. So many has changed since then.

Arianrhod was once consumed by vengeance, prideful and arrogant, a dictator of fate. And now, she is a goddess calm and collected, and in every way, majestic.

The one thing that didn’t change was her propensity to challenge. The difficult tasks and conditions were tests of character and worthiness. She had all the right to set standards high for herself and others.

A few full moons later, Arianrhod sat in the Time Vault, immersed in a book about the oceans—the gods and their domain in the depths. Its cover is embossed with designs of waves.

The pages painted a world of boundless water, full of life and full of mystery. Each word drew her deeper like the song of a siren enticing a man. She knew exactly what that sounded like. She lived on a coast, but that was eons ego.

For one thing, what she loved about the world was its seas.

The rhythmic descriptions of the waves and tides pulled and pushed by the moon created a soothing, almost hypnotic effect. Arianrhod’s eyelids grew heavy as her nostalgia intensified. Her mind drifted between the words on the page and her own memories.

Her eyes closed, and the book fell on the table with a soft thud. With the same thud, she opened her eyes into The Dreaming.

Her head lay sideways on a table. In front of her was a book she had never seen before. Gone was the one she was reading earlier.

Slowly, she sat up. There were unfamiliar books and scrolls scattered across the wooden desk. The enchanting scent of paper accompanied her with every breath she took.

A figure approached her, their presence calm and reassuring. “Welcome to The Dreaming’s library, Lady Star,” she said with a gentle smile. “I am Lucienne, the librarian. Lord Morpheus has been expecting you.”

What Lucienne didn’t say was that Morpheus was expecting to see the goddess every day; that he was so diligent in taking out his potted flower every night to be bathed in starlight, and making sure to take it back inside before the sun rose.

Lucienne found out about her lord’s little obsession the moment she caught him staring at the memory of Arianrhod’s face on the tinted glass. Morpheus had always been quick to change it before she could even see it, but not all day is his lucky day.

“My lord,” she called, clearing her throat. “May I ask what has captured your attention with the lady on the glass?”

She felt a little celebratory inside as she finally found out what had Morpheus preoccupied on the glass panes at least once per day.

Morpheus turned slightly, his expression unreadable, but his eyes held a hint of something else—one Lucienne hadn’t seen in a while.

“I was merely thinking of the goddess Arianrhod,” Morpheus answered. “She intrigues me greatly.”

Lucienne approached, getting a clearer picture of the goddess. “The goddess of time and cycles,” she said as her knowledge about the goddess surfaced. “What is about her that you find so captivating, my lord?”

Morpheus sighed, his voice soft and contemplative. “There is a sense of mystery in her,” he answered. “A depth that I have only begun to glimpse.”

A slight smile touched his lips. “Her past is shrouded in shadows, her emotions guarded, and her motives often hidden,” he continued, remembering how Death didn’t even have the answers he sought. “I wish to understand her, to uncover the layers of her existence.”

Lucienne nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Do you intend to pursue this interest further, my lord?” She asked.

Morpheus turned to fully face Lucienne, a rare smile gracing his lips. “Perhaps,” he answered. “There is much I wish to show her—about The Dreaming and me. She has set her conditions, and I intend to fulfill them.”

Lucienne’s eyes softened. “Then I shall do my utmost to assist you in this endeavor, my lord,” she said.

At that moment, she knew—Morpheus’s journey to win Arianrhod’s heart had begun, and he was determined to succeed.

At the present, Arianrhod returned Lucienne’s smile, feeling an immediate sense of trust in the librarian.

“Thank you, Lucienne,” she said. Her eyes looked around to see the countless books neatly organized on the massive shelves. “This library is magnificent.”

Lucienne was delighted. “It holds the dreams and stories of countless beings,” she replied. “But come, I shall take you to Lord Morpheus.”

Arianrhod nodded as she pushed herself off the chair. She followed Lucienne through the library, their footsteps echoing softly on the floor.

Not long after, they arrived at a grand set of double doors. Lucienne pushed it open, revealing the throne room of The Dreaming. It was vast with high ceilings and walls.

At the far end sat Morpheus on his dark, imposing throne. His presence was both regal and enigmatic.

Morpheus rose from his throne upon Arianrhod’s entrance. He stepped down the flight of stairs, his cloak billowing slightly behind him.

“Lady Star,” he greeted, his voice deep and resonant. “Welcome to the heart of The Dreaming. I trust Lucienne has been a gracious guide.”

Arianrhod nodded. “Thank you, Dream,” she said. “Your realm is truly extraordinary.”

Morpheus was now standing close in front of Arianrhod. Lucienne took this as a cue to leave the two alone. She gave a small bow before exiting the throne room.

“There is much more to see,” Morpheus said. “Allow me to show you the true depths of The Dreaming.”

He held his hand out to which Arianrhod gladly accepted. Morpheus gently pulled her close yet caused her to bump into his chest. His other hand found its way to the small of her back.

“Hold tight, my queen,” he said. Arianrhod was flustered but before she could even react, sand swirled up and around them. The next thing she knew, they were outside on a path in what seemed like a forest.

Due to the close proximity, Morpheus could feel Arianrhod’s increased heartbeat. He let go but carefully guided her hand onto his arm. They began to walk, following the path in front of them.

“We are near the House of Mysteries and Secrets,” he said, his voice a soothing presence. “The abode of Cain and Abel, the—“

“The first murderer and the first victim,” Arianrhod finished. Morpheus looked at her, stunned. “An interesting choice of residents,” she continued. “What role do they play here?”

“They guard the two houses: the House of Mystery and the House of Secrets,” Morpheus explained. “Each has its peculiarities, and together they hold many tales within The Dreaming.”

As they approached, Arianrhod could see two distinct houses standing side by side. The House of Mystery was a little gothic, dark, and foreboding while the House of Secrets was a somewhat dilapidated Victorian structure.

The houses were situated in the middle of a lake. There was a short bridge that connected the small island to the rest of The Dreaming.

Cain, with his stern demeanor, greeted them at the entrance on the other side of the bridge. Abel, much softer and gentler, followed closely behind, his demeanor more welcoming but cautious.

“Welcome, my lord,” Cain said, inclining his head respectfully. “And to your guest, Lady Star, I extend my greetings.”

Morpheus glanced down beside him at Arianrhod who was delighted to be known by Cain and Abel. He felt her hands squeeze his arm.

He made a reminder in his head to thank Lucienne later. She was the one who arranged the order of how Morpheus could show The Dreaming to Arianrhod. She was also the one who briefed Cain and Abel about the goddess.

“Thank you, Cain,” Arianrhod replied with a smile.

Abel stepped forward, a timid smile on his face. “We are the keepers of the mysteries and secrets within The Dreaming, my lady,” he said. “Each house holds tales that span beyond imagination.”

Morpheus gestured toward the House of Mystery, “Shall we begin with Cain’s domain?” Arianrhod nodded in response.

As they entered the House of Mystery, the air grew dark and thick with the weight of hidden truths. Cain led the way, his voice steady as he explained.

“Here, you will find the dark tales, ones unfathomable by simple understanding,” he said. “This house is a repository for the inexplicable, the eerie, and the foreboding.”

Morpheus watched Arianrhod with a faint smile. Her eyes roamed over the walls, her fingers brushing lightly upon the things Cain showed her.

“The Dreaming is a place where all stories, no matter how dark or obscure, find a home,” Morpheus said.

Their tour continued into the House of Secrets. Abel led them inside, his manner gentle. “The House of Secrets,” he said softly. “Is a sanctuary for those tales that require a delicate touch.”

As they moved from one room to the other, Arianrhod noticed the changes in the corridor where they came from. Confused, she looked up at Morpheus.

“The house changes periodically,” Morpheus explained. “The rooms shift, and one never enters the same room twice.”

As they made their way outside, Arianrhod heard shuffling nearby. She looked side to side in search of the noise.

“There’s another one I’d like you to meet,” Morpheus said. “It’s like a creature of sorts who lives in this domain.”

Arianrhod raised her brows in response, urging Morpheus to continue. All of a sudden, she heard a loud thud. Looking up, she saw a figure perched upon the roof. Her jaw unknowingly dropped at the sight.

It was a gargoyle, big and majestic, its wings folded neatly against his back. Despite its fearsome appearance, which can be likened to Cain’s demeanor, there was gentleness in its eyes, like Abel’s.

“This is Gregory,” Morpheus said. Gregory leaped from his perch, landing before them with a loud thud.

Arianrhod gasped, and instead of clinging to Morpheus, she let go. She stepped forward, her eyes twinkling as she approached Gregory.

“Hi,” she said softly. She gently reached her hand out and waited for the gargoyle to be the one to come in contact.

Gregory leaned forward to sniff her hand. She then gently placed her hand on his head, feeling his stone skin.

“Aren’t you adorable?” Arianrhod cooed, stroking his head. Gregory leaned into her touch, a deep and contented rumble coming out from him, like that of a purring cat.

“Gregory seems to like you, Lady Star,” Cain said. “He doesn’t take to strangers often.”

After a few more moments of petting, Arianrhod gave Gregory a final pat on the head before standing back.

She walked towards Morpheus. “Thank you for bringing me to meet them,” she said. She looked back at the brothers and the gargoyle, with a gentle smile on her face.

Cain and Abel nodded their farewells. Soon, Arianrhod and Morpheus headed back into the forest from which they came from. As they disappeared from view, Cain turned to his brother.

“What do you make of her, Abel?” He asked.

Abel, who was now petting Gregory, replied, “She’s kind. Not many show such gentle respect to Gregory.”

Gregory rumbled softly, as if in agreement. Cain reached out to pat its head. “Gregory approves of her, which speaks volumes,” he said. “He is a good judge of character.”

“Will she be the queen of The Dreaming?” Abel asked. “I hope she brings Lord Morpheus some measure of peace—he carries many burdens.”

Cain clapped his brother on the shoulder, a rare gesture. “Only time will tell, Abel,” he replied. “For now, we can only watch and wait.”

As both Morpheus and Arianrhod felt her tug of consciousness, the two stopped in their tracks. Arianrhod turned to face Morpheus.

“Thank you, Dream,” she said. In her chest, she feels a wave of awe washes over her heart.

Morpheus nodded, his eyes softening. “This is only the beginning, Star,” he replied.

Arianrhod smiled, “I look forward to it, then.”

As the dream began to fade, Morpheus reached out and gently placed another one of the flower he gave before in her hand.

“A token to remind you of this journey,” he said softly.

——————————————————————————

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@poemfreak306

[threestarsaboveclouds]

do you like music? also, are you able to detect the sounds of the universe?

@halfd3af

TSAC: I am no cultural historian, but I do have some recordings of music in my archives. Despite my hard-coded focus on pragmatism, I am able to appreciate creative works on occasion. Though… I must admit that most of my creators’ music is of little interest to me. It is simply too short and repetitive for my tastes. I understand why; our creators operated on much shorter timescales than iterators, so longer compositions would be impractical to listen to.

However there are some exceptions; one piece I enjoy was created by a composer from the Orange hegemonic musical dynasty. The piece is composed using melodies based on the digits of a series of irrational numbers, meaning the melodies would never repeat. One recording of the piece was over fifty cycles long; it was created by an iterator who evidently had an abundance of free time on their hands. Due to the nature of irrational numbers, the song could theoretically go on forever. I have a recording of one section of the piece in my Data Archives. I return to it periodically.

I also “listen” to signals from the universe, as you mentioned, but not in the form of sound. In order for sound waves to travel, they need to propagate through matter. The vacuum of space prevents this. Rather, I can detect signals in the form of radio waves using my telescopes. Some of these signals, when converted into audible noise, have very unique sounds. You might liken it to music.

The most common “sounds” I hear are actually terrestrial in origin, and come from the planet’s own magnetic field.

These signals in particular are the result of electromagnetic activity in the atmosphere. Electrical discharges, such as lightning, cause charged particles to bounce up and down along the planet’s magnetic field lines, emitting radio waves as they travel. When these radio waves are converted into audio, they have a distinct “whistling” sound.

Much of this lightning is the result of iterator activity. In a way, by picking up these signals, I am hearing the distant echoes of my faraway peers. I will note that these signals are growing weaker over time, indicating that global iterator activity is on the decline. This…. worries me somewhat. But I digress.

There are plenty of radio emissions of celestial origin as well. Pulsars, rapidly spinning stellar remnants, emit strong concentrated beams of radiation. These signals are picked up by my radio telescopes, and when converted to audio, they manifest as steady, constant beats. Some of them sound quite musical in nature, while others bear a likeness to the heartbeats of living creatures. While not exactly "music" in the traditional sense, listening to these signals amuses me. They are a reminder that the universe teems with activity and life.

[ OOC: Sources for the graphs used in the drawing above: chorus waves, pulsar sounds. If you weren't already aware, the sound effects emitted by neuron flies in-game are directly sampled from one of the NASA videos linked above! ]

[pahintulot]

I'll be waiting for you...

Okay, it was a happy ending. The ending was truly bittersweet. It was a full cycle of life—how they met, how they fall for each other, how they fell apart, and how they fall in love again as if it was the first time. And everything that happened in between their happy ending is for Hyun Woo and Hae In to keep.

This drama made me realize that life, as we know it, isn't always perfect. We can be with the love of our life, but still face heartbreak. And we never know when life will end. We never know how long you'll stay with the love of your life but that's the thing—we never know how long it'll last.

So we have to treasure every bits of it. Treasure every single moment as if it'll be your last.

They say happy endings are just endings that hasn't end yet. Because life is a tragedy waiting to happen. And maybe, Hyun Woo was lonely when Hae In was the first one to go, but we saw him patiently waiting, waiting, until his time comes that he'll meet her again.

Frankly, I wouldn't want the ending any other way (it hurts a bit yes, but still). It was the writer's way of showing us how love can last and what devotion really looks like.

The other half of the drama always brought me to tears—which makes so much sense because of its title.

The cast was stellar, the acting, the villains, the back story—it was insanely good. Probably one of the best drama of the year.

[battlekilt]

One of the most respectable reasons to steamroll right over canon in Star Wars is when the science is absolutely bonkers. Not subtle things, such as, “I don’t know how Kaminoan cloning technology works, so maybe there is a legitimate reason why Jango’s genetic material would degrade over time.”

I’m talking planet-eating bonkers, such as…

Coruscant having a B-type star!

That’s a BLUE GIANT!

If it had an abnormally long stellar orbital cycle because it was that effing far away, okay. But then it has an annual cycle the length of Earth’s?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Plus, visually it has a YELLOW SUN.

Congratulations, Coruscant, your sun is being “downgraded” to a more sensible star. Trust me, K/M-type stars might not be as dramatic or epic as a B-type, but when it comes to humanoid-life-sustaining habitual star systems, Yellow stars are the cool kids because their celestial horror is tame.

@spacingstars 🤝 @battlekilt