For this summer event, we're doing a little something different: human/organic OCs and self-inserts are welcome along with canon characters! Link to Q & A here (minus the canon rule).
Random PHM thought that just occurred to me: for the sake of both controlling the spread of astrophage and also creating backups in the case of catastrophic extinction events, it makes sense to seed Taumoeba in every system that is being affected by astrophage. If nothing else, it makes it easier for any other races affected by astrophage in the future to find the cure. But that’s obviously an incredibly expensive undertaking, even with astrophage fuel.
So the only sensible way to do it is to add taumoeba-seeding probes, similar to the beetles but with an automatic deployment when they reach their destination, to missions that are on their way past other systems. And almost all the missions that will be launched in a post-taumoeba world will be to Erid.
Which means that, in time, the path of travel between Earth and Erid will be marked by a line of notably brighter stars. And if they ever are discovered by another species, eventually the paths between their world and the other two will also be brightened. Whenever a sentient species looks out to the sky, they’ll be able to see the bonds between peoples by looking for the connections of light.
Constellations made out of hope, shining against the darkness.
A Book of Creatures by @a-book-of-creatures doesn't update these days but is another thing along these lines, really huge, fully illustrated all by the author and cites all sources
nothing can break the bond between a friend who loves spoilers and a friend who just watched an amazing show and needs to tell someone the entire plot from start to finish
You actually cannot skip to being good at a creative endeavour that you haven't put much practice into. You cannot trick your way out of the 'knows that your work is not what you want it to be but don't know how to improve it' stage by planning or reading or talking about it really really hard. At some point you just have to craft through it until your brain finds it's own unique way back to the 'everything I make slaps' stage and be prepared to start the cycle all over again. You just have to make that project you're excited about slightly less good than you want it to be. (Says this standing in a pool of blood and covered in blood and also coughing up a little blood)
The textile book: okay here is some of the ways that textiles are important to human life
me: Okay!
The textile book: Clothes separate the vulnerable human body from the conditions of the outside world, and in doing so absorb the sweat and debris of human existence, accumulating wear and tear according to the lives we live. In this way, various lifestyles and professions are represented by clothing, and the clothing of a loved one retains the imprint of their physical body and their life being lived, as though the clothes absorb part of the wearer's soul
Me: ...oh
The textile book: The process of weaving a garment and the process of a child being formed in its mother's womb are often referred to using the same language. Likewise, when a baby is born, a blanket or other textile material is the first material object it encounters and protects it. Textiles can create the idea of two things being inextricable, as with being "woven together," or can create the sense of separateness, as with a curtain or veil that separates two rooms or spaces, even separating the living from the dead, or separating two realities, such as a performance ending when the curtain falls
Me: ...oh God
The textile book: Odysseus's wife Penelope undid her weaving in secret every night to delay the advances of her suitors. In this way she was able to turn back the passage of time to allow her husband to come home. Likewise the Lakota tell a story of an old woman embroidering time by embroidering a robe with porcupine quills. If she finishes the embroidery, the world will come to an end, but her faithful dog pulls out the quills whenever her back is turned, turning back the clock and allowing existence to continue.
me: ...is...is...is that why we refer to the fabric of space and time?
The textile book: The technological revolution of textile making is sadly underappreciated. The textile arts are possibly the most fundamental human technology, as once people created string and rope, they could create nets for catching fish and small animals, and bags and baskets for carrying food. In the earliest prehistoric times, the first string or cord perhaps came from sinew, found in the body of an animal. Because of this perhaps the body of a living being could be understood as made of a textile material. Indeed textiles have the function of preserving life, as with a surgeon stitching back together the human body or bandages being placed on a wound. Textile technologies are being used to create life-changing implants to restore function to injured parts of the body, as though a muscle or tendon can be woven and made in this way. Cloth can be used to create a parachute that will save a human's life as they plummet out of the sky. Ultimately, the textile technologies are used to enter new parts of the universe. [Photo of an astronaut and details explaining the astronaut's suit]
:D this is it! The post that got me to borrow this book from my library! This book is constantly rewiring my brain and parts of it constantly slap me in the face when I am going thru daily life and notice textiles.
Like, fiberglass ANYTHING can be considered a textile! Paper? Textile! Chain link fence? Textile!
And more than ever now when I see something like fabric on a couch or mosquito netting I wonder just how much work it would have taken if it was non-factory made. How many people have still had their hands in making it now.
I never understood why so many cultures placed such importance on textile gifts as ritual, like many native americans gifting blankets. I get it now.
Tons of other stuff too and it's all the time!
And I'm only halfway through!
Anyways OP thank you for bringing this into my life it's literally reshaping the way I think in a way I'm constantly in awe of <3
It functions as a digital library, so you have to sign in and wait your turn. I'm not sure why you have to do that with a digital book, but it's free so i don't care.
Do you think transformers draw dicks on each other?
Like, do you think there’s a world where there’s an Autobot in its alt-mode and a Decepticon comes by and draws a dick on them and then furiously runs away?
Because I do. And I think that’d be funny as hell.
this is just a potential headcanon i’ve been thinking about because i’ve watched literally 2.5 episodes of g1 and don’t know enough, but the concept of Galvatron spiritually Not being Megatron is hilarious. like it’s his body, maybe even some of his memories/knowledge, but Galvatron is a Different Person than Megatron and he doesn’t know what the fuck is going on, ever.
Megatron fought for a cause and worked towards a specific, overarching goal. Galvatron believes he was put on this world for the sole purpose of punching Ultra Magnus in the face, and he barely knows what a Great War is. people ask him about things Megatron did and he bluffs his way through it or threatens them until they shut up, depending on his mood, while internally looking like this:
at the age of two minutes old he decides to murder a god and watches a planet get eaten. he misses his own first birthday because he’s asleep in lava. he never has a chance to learn how to navigate the world and plays it by ear while acting like he’s much older and wiser than he really is. he’s at least born knowing how to read, and there’s no way his pride would allow him to Ask Questions, so he just reads a lot when nobody’s looking. if someone catches him with a book he pretends he was getting ready to burn it.
he almost gives himself away to Cyclonus once when he slips up and claims to have started the Great War against Rodimus Prime, not Optimus, but Cyclonus is so stupid he doesn’t even catch it. Galvatron keeps his secret for several years through sheer force of everyone around him being obtuse morons, except Soundwave of course, who knows exactly what’s going on and monotonously laughs himself to sleep every night.
bonus points: it’s not even anything big that gives him away. Cyclonus excitedly brings him some, idk, old music that Megatron enjoyed and is like “look at this! you love this right??” and Galvatron’s like “no this sucks” and Cyclonus, much like Todd Chavez deducing that Bojack sabotaged his rock opera using a convoluted and off-the-wall thought process that didn’t involve the receipt even a little but DID involve an ordinary house plant, immediately figures it out based on this alone.
When he met Blonde Blazer, after that horrible press conference--that reporter absolutely fucking deserved to get hit or worse--he had half a mind to not listen to her entirely. He had just had his ass kicked and he was tired and Beef was probably waiting with that perfect neighbor that still helped him feed Beef-
He didn't like rejecting her, so he just made excuses as to why he wasn't at home. Even if that did mean he wasn't able to have any home-cooked meals.
And he had to sleep on a plastic chair.
But Blonde Blazer was standing there in all her glowing glory, a kinda smile on her face, her hands extended slightly as if intending to fix his now dislocated shoulder, and Robert sighed, giving in.
They talked for a couple minutes and then somehow, she convinced him to go to a bar.
Beef and his neighbor were going to be so worried about him.
Blonde Blazer had got him buzzed, had got him talking, and he had spilled some things. He knew he talked about being Mecha Man, he knew he talked with Blazer about villains and other heroic things.
And then Blonde Blazer made a proposition. Or, she was going to at least. Before Robert spat some alcohol on her of course.
Guilt flooded through him. He had half a mind to just leave but...then he met Flambe. He recognized him almost immediately, a mixture of the voice being the same, and the fact that he kept his villain costume, which...
That low, dude?
That low?
Really?
Flambae says something, Robert says something back, turns around, dumps some alcohol on him, and then listens as he flounders about on fire, screaming and yelling as he tried to put himself out.
A really short man started calling out for him, stole a tray from a waiter, and Robert almost laughed when the person beside him said something about making it worse. The short man stopped, nodding his head before he turned towards where Flambae had ran, calling out to him about dropping and rolling.
Dublin then. That was interesting.
"I thought he was supposed to be immune to fire." He remarked drily, eyes flickering over to the person beside him. They smirked, saying something about babies or whatever and Robert breathed out a laugh, rolling her eyes as she walked away.
Then he got kicked out.
Did the bartender really have to call him the same thing Flambae did? There was no reason for that animosity.
Then again...he was basically a no one now.
No matter how many people he saved before.
Blazer found him outside, but he didn't notice she was really there until she leaned next to him, two glasses of something in her hand.
"What are you thinking about?" She finally asked when he refocused and guilt made him look down slightly. He wanted to tell her about Blue, Blazer would probably really love his mech, but...Blue was something he'd kept a secret for years. He'd actively tried to keep it a secret that Blue was alive, he tried to keep that a secret more than his own identity.
He felt like if he told Blazer now, he'd be losing the last thing he had left of her.
Besides of course, the mangled corpse in his apartment.
So instead he shrugged.
"Nothing much." He hummed, turning to give her a small smile as he shrugged. Her eyes narrowed, disbelief flickering over her face before a soft smile spread across her face.
"About that proposition."
Robert smiled, letting her tell him what to do as she then suddenly lifted him up, making him almost flounder. He probably would've if he hadn't been holding the drinks.
SDN, huh?
Being a dispatcher?
Maybe not for him, but if not dispatching, what would he do?
Robert turned towards Blazer, giving her a half smile as she floated off the billboard. She was smiling herself, and she seemed to glow, the lights of the city as her backdrop.
"I look forward to seeing you there, Robert." She muttered, nodding at him before flying off.
Robert waved slightly as he watched her go, his expression stalling briefly as he realized that he was stuck on top of a billboard.
"Great. I'm now stuck on a billboard."
The billboard buzzed, the lights flickering for a few seconds and then bathing both the picture of Phenomaman and Robert in pure blue light. Robert forze slightly, standing up and looking at the lights of the billboard before his mouth spread into a smile.
"Hey Bluebell. It's nice to know you're alright." He murmured, brushing his hands against the billboard. It hummed under his fingertips, warmth spreading through his body as if in reassurance before the blue disappeared quickly.
Robert leaned back once more, almost tripping and accidentally pushing the shot glass off the ledge.
"Damnit." He muttered, turning sharply to reach for the other things before he knocked them off too.
He heard the low noise of a cape flapping in the wind making him look up, and he widened his eyes as he did.
The very man(alien?) that was imprinted onto the billboard behind him floated in front of him, a large, if confused smile on his face.
"Hello there Man of Mechs."
Robert paused, hands outstretched to grab the cup and the glasses on the ledge of the board but entire body frozen.
"Uh, hey, Phenm- Phenoam...can I just call you Pheno?" Robert asked suddenly, exhaustion making him sound snappy, even to his own ears. The man tilted his head, floating forward as he scooped up the items Robert had intended to grab.
"Of course. I am well aware of how many have a hard time with my name, so I am not picky about what I am called."
Robert raised an eyebrow at the man, standing up as he tilted his head. Pheno looked up at him, his eyes shining a sharp mix of bright blue and silver that reminded him of Blue briefly, but he rid that from his mind quickly, instead addressing the other.
"Why'd you come all the way out here?" He asked, voice slightly dry as he gestured around. Pheno tilted his head, reminiscent of a dog, before he pointed at Robert.
"I saw that you were stranded here. Or, maybe not stranded, but I do not think there is an easy way to get down from this platform without serious bodily harm."
Robert nodded, letting out a low 'ah' as he looked back around towards the city. He felt Pheno move closer, making him look at the other man out of his peripheral.
He was kinda just floating there, the shot glass and patchy looking glasses in one hand, the other free and open. He seemed taut though, as if he was waiting for Robert to maybe jump off the billboard.
It wouldn't be that bad of an idea.
But then his neighbor would miss him.
And so would Beef.
And Blue would be lost without him.
So instead of stepping farther away from the man, he stepped closer, turning towards him walking so close to him he had to look up slightly to look the man in the eyes.
"Would you mind helping me down then?"
"Of course not Man of Mechs." Pheno smiled, his body relaxing minutely as he held his hand out. Robert took it, almost yelping when Pheno pulled him in close to his body and wrapped an arm around his waist.
"A little warning next time?"
"My apologies. I am going to lift you up now."
Robert nodded, forcing his body to relax as Pheno's arm tightened around his waist, as his feet left the safer platform the billboard was on. He squeezed one of his hands against Pheno's arm, trying to hold on with all his might, desperately hoping Pheno wouldn't drop him.
As the larger man lowered them to the ground quickly, Robert felt some sort of electrical energy in the air, making the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand up. He looked around, watching as the surrounding lights flashed the same pure blue color from before.
Pheno placed him down gently on the ground, looking around with a slightly furrowed brow.
"Huh. It seems there is something happening."
Before he could fly off, Robert grabbed his arm, shaking his head when Pheno looked at him.
"It's nothing, Pheno. Really. You don't need to investigate it. It'll be gone within the hour."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"Well, if you are quite sure there is no reason for me to question you." Pheno shrugged slightly, holding his other hand out to drop his acquired items into Robert's hand.
For a few seconds, there was silence between them, both of them looking at the lights that continued flicking to the blue color.
Then,
"It is my understanding Blonde Blazer was trying to recruit you for the SDN, am I right about that, the Third Robert Robertson?"
Shit.
So both Blazer and an alien who couldn't understand many social cues knew his secret identity.
"Does everyone at SDN know who I am then?"
"No. Well, I do not believe so. I know that I do, as well as Blonde Blazer, but that is mostly because she is what you would consider the 'boss' of this SDN branch."
"Ah. So it's only the important, contract superheroes who know. Got it."
Pheno looked at him, his expression pinched before he reached forward.
"I...apologize for being so forward. I was just hoping you would join us at SDN. It is not very often where those at SDN get to see or speak to a genuine hero such as yourself." His large hand gently encompassed Robert's shoulder.
Robert scoffed, rolling his eyes. He glanced at Pheno, just barely being able to hide the shock on his face at the sincerity on his face. Robert huffed, patting Pheno's hand.
"It's alright big guy. I don't really care that much. At least, not anymore."
"I hope I have not upset you." Pheno said, hanging his head slightly. Robert couldn't help the short burst of laughter that escaped him, patting Pheno's hand as he smiled.
"Like I said, it's fine. Really."
The lights around them glowed a richer blue, making Pheno look at them, and Robert was able to feel the electrical presence that seemed to shift around the two. He huffed another laugh, waving the presence away before looking towards the closet light to him that wasn't the billboard.
"I get it Blue, you're alive. Now stop scaring our poor hero. If you're gonna introduce yourself, be nice about it." He called, watching as the lights wavered. He saw out of the corner of his eyes Pheno give him a weird look, but he smiled at him as the electricity in the air gathered, forming a small, glowing ball of light.
"Y'know, I was trying to keep you hidden. You were supposed to be my little secret."
The ball buzzed, bumping into Robert before zipping towards Pheno, dancing across his suit and skin, gently zapping him across the hands, taking in everything about him.
Mecha Man Blue - The Trouble With Becoming a Hero So Early In Life
This idea was inspired by this video. I just heard it, and for some insane reason I thought about an idea that's been brewing in my head for a long while.
Hope you enjoy!
(Sorry for so much exposition but I'm writing this in the middle of the night and I really need to get this out.)
Robert Robertson III had been living a lonely, devoid life for years. A decade and a half at least. Well, he wasn't that alone, especially when you counted Beef.
And Blue.
Blue, the mech which had originally been his fathers. He had been called when the other members of the Brave Brigade had got to the murder scene. They had told him that the mech had gone haywire, wasn't listening to anyone, and that he needed to come down to see what he could do.
Being a fifteen year old, he didn't think he'd be able to do much, but he was being relied on by people he looked up to, so he pushed past his grief briefly and let Chase carry him towards the area.
The mech suit really had been going haywire. When Robert had got there, it had been slamming into walls, tripping over cars or sometimes nothing at all, and sparks kept on flaring out of its cockpit where Robert Robertson II had been yanked out.
Robert, at first, had no idea what to do. Chase had dropped him on the ground, and suddenly he was at a loss. The mech wasn't supposed to recognize him as a pilot, meaning that it would probably see him as an enemy instead and either try to kill him, or body slam him.
His fingers traveled up to the notch in his ear, where the suit had previously shot him, causing him to shudder slightly. Chase's hand settled on his shoulder, causing him to look up slightly startled.
"Listen kid. I know this is bad to ask of you, but you're the best option we've got. It's alright if you don't want to do it though, we can just wait until the Astral Pulse short circuits." Chase explained, gesturing towards the deep blue glow that flickered in the mechs cockpit. It signified that the Astral Pulse was currently being overloaded, that if no one typed in the correct sequence there was a possibility the Astral Pulse would pop itself out to not get destroyed.
But, the mech had ruined almost the entire block with the chaotic way it was moving, and there was a high possibility it'd ruin more things if it wasn't stopped quickly.
Robert placed his own hand on Chase's, gently lifting the speedsters hand off his shoulder and dropping it before cautiously taking a step forward. When there was no reaction, he continued forward until he was in the middle of the block, the mech a few dozen feet away from him.
It whirled around, helmet tilting up till its glowing visor was focused on him. He watched a gun fold out from its shoulder, aiming it at him, and just for a second, Robert felt frozen stiff with terror.
He clenched his fist though and reached out, staring directly into the mechs visor with his hand held out as he ever so slowly crept closer. The mech tilted its helmet to one side, slowly leaning forward the closer to Robert's hand until there was probably only an inch between them or so.
"Hey." Robert muttered, raising his other hand and placing both of them on the mechs helmet. "It's alright. It's okay. I'm here now."
The mech let out a low rumble, its visor flickering off as the gun on its shoulder folded away. Robert watched its entire body just slump, leaning slightly into his palms as its body jerked periodically from the residual sparks and the Astral Pulse.
Robert reached forward, slowly advancing towards the cockpit until he was standing right in front of it. Once he realized the mech wasn't going to try to kill him, he reached out, typing a few codes into the mech and pulling out the chamber that held the Astral Pulse. He took it then backed up once more, watched as the lights of the mech died down from lack of power.
"It's alright." He continued to mutter, smoothing a hand down the mechs helm. "Everything's gonna be alright."
That was the first time he actively talked to Blue.
It was not however, the last time. Nor did it become weird after only a few times.
Once Robert realized that the mech could answer basic 'yes' and 'no' questions, he quizzed it on everything he could think of.
That's when he started noticing the actual sentience of the mech.
The more Robert asked it the more it learned. The more it knew, the more it grew to have greater opinions.
It couldn't talk, it didn't have a voice box for that.
But it could make little beeps and chirrs and coos that told Robert exactly how it was feeling.
He only started calling it a 'her' and 'Blue' after a long, arduous mission where he almost lost her. It was not something he liked to think about, but it had changed him in more ways than one. It had changed both of them in more ways than one.
And then they were a team.
Mecha Man Blue. Seen as a man controlling a mech by the public and to them when they synced up. Otherwise, they were just Robert and Blue, which was fine for them.
It didn't damage anything when Beef came into the picture. In fact, for some time, it seemed that Robert's life was getting better. Their lives were getting better.
Of course they both still planned and schemed about how to take down the Red Ring, but that was besides the point, and not a part of their immediate attention.
Until Robert found a lead that was supposed to lead him to Shroud but instead led him to Blue getting blown up and Robert being put into a coma.
When he woke from the coma, the first things he thought about were Blue and Beef.
Blue because he wanted to know whether or not she still lived and Beef because he didn't know how long he had been out at the time.
Once he found out he'd been out for four months, it was like his entire life crumbled once more all around him. Except this was so much worse than before.
Instead of someone killing an absent father of his, it was like someone had forced him to kill his own older sister while forcing him to watch as his own pet starved.
The first option he got, he slipped out of the hospital and went back to his apartment, relief flooding him once he realized that one of his neighbors had taken it upon herself to feed Beef since she realized he hadn't been coming home much.
When he told her he'd been in a coma, her immediate response was to invite him in, the offer to make him some real, home cooked food leaving her before he even registered the first offer. He had intended to politely decline, but looking from his mostly devoid apartment to hers, which wasn't much better but at least had a couch and some greenery and company...
He wouldn't let himself turn it down. Just this once.
He'd allow himself to have at least one nice thing before he had to face his slowly crumbling world.
yousharknotpass
2087
ellievsbear
vaporwave
gracieabrams
blakekathryn
