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====Arkham City====
*Cages. They're keeping us in cages. God, it's like the Asylum. But it's worse than that. Me and Len were separated from Blake. They put him somewhere secure, Julian too. Us? We were put in with Condiment King. Len isn't too pleased about that. They've been releasing people in groups of ten or so. I suppose it's to avoid huge riots. Most of the A-List are in there somewhere. Scarecrow. The Penguin. The Joker too undoubtedly, but no one's seen him. Sometimes Lock-Up and the guards take one of us out the cells. They arm us. Then they beat us. They give us guns and they don't even see us as a threat. The conditions... Mitch has thrown up twice already. It must be weeks since Day. Longer maybe, I don't know. I'm starving. All we get is a couple of cereal bars and a bottle of water a day. The door opens. There's six guards and-*
Len- You pricks! You fucking-!
Guard- Shut it inmate. You got yourselves a new bunkmate.
Chuck- Please, we've barely got enough water for the three of us-
Guard- It's a good job you won't be here for long then. Insertion is in two hours. Don't kill each other before then.
*Oh hell... It's Ten. Drury's Blackgate cellmate*
Ten- Where... where am I?
Chuck- Ten! It's Chuck! I... how did they get you?
Ten- Said they.... said they just needed to talk. Didn't think much of it. Then they threw a bag over my head. I didn't fight in Iraq for this. I didn't lose my sight or my hands for this.
Len- Nazis. The lot of them.
Chuck- Can we blame them? They're scared.
Mayo- I'm scared.
Chuck- They thought they were safe, that we were safe. Then Jules attacked the city. If The Calendar Man can do that, who else can?
Len- They're waiting on us. Outside. Every single villain in Gotham just waiting for a chance to kill and rape the weak.
*Mayo vomits again*
Len- Get a grip of yourself Mayo. Fuck it all. Who's supposed to pay for my bar? Is it just going to shut down?
Ten- There are worse things to worry about.
Len- For you maybe. But that bar was everything to me.
====Butchinsky's====
*Len may be gone, but we've kept the bar running in honour of him. Miranda's in and out due to work, and Gar often brings Josie with him. We've left Cammy with Simon tonight. It needs to be just the three of us tonight. I pour out the glasses and lie them out on the counter. We wear our costumes in his honour. The door rings, and Chancer enters*
Drury- Chancer-?
Chancer- Hey Drury.
*He takes one of the glasses and gulps it down in seconds, then he wipes his mouth*
Chancer- Sorry, you expecting someone?
Drury- Yeah. Sorry. It's just something we've been doing lately. Me, Gar and Miranda that is.
Chancer- Ah, like a memorial service?
Drury- Yeah. Kinda I guess.
Chancer- Well I won't be staying.
Drury- Chancer- Monty. Do you *want* to stay?
*He smiles. Then sits back down*
Chancer- I could do with another drink, sure.
*I nod, and pour him one*
Drury- That one's for when the others get here, ok?
Chancer- Course. Of course.
*Monty and I sit together in silence for a bit. It hasn't just been the two of us in years, not since he, y'know, tried killing me*
Drury- How are you?
Chancer- Fine. Fine. I found a dollar outside.
Drury- Hmm.
*After a while Miranda comes in. She's tired. We both are. We hug, and sit together*
Miranda- What's he doing here?
Drury- He's lonely. All his friends are locked up.
Miranda- All our friends are too. ... They got Meghan.
*I hold her hand*
Drury- Dragonfly? Aw no.
Miranda- Yeah... One of these days it's going to be us, and I think that maybe it'll be better, because we'll have them.
Drury- Yeah. Yeah maybe. Did... Did you get the promotion?
*She shakes her head*
Miranda- No. No, they didn't want the attention, promoting a C-Lister after all... this
Drury- That's... that's too bad. Who needs them anyway. Besides, you're not a C-Lister. You're at the very least a B-Lister
Miranda- Drury...
Drury- No, no, to me you're an A-Lister, who cares what they say. You're great!
*She smiles. It always gets me when she smiles. Monty sighs as we hug again. Then the door opens*
Gar- Rigger's gone.
...
*We all look at him, giving silent condolences. I get up from the booth and distribute the drinks. Gar is the first to speak, clutching the glass in his hand*
Gar- To everyone who ain't here.
*We all nod*
Drury- To Ten.
Gar- To Rigger.
Miranda- To Meghan.
Chancer- To Chuck.
*We all drink, and I turn to Miranda*
Drury- To Len. Who, without him, and without his dreams we would never have met.
====
*It's like a walk of shame. There's a mile walk from the cells, and as we move, other prisoners scream at us. Above, I catch a glance at the warden- Lock-Up. Like a principal or something watching naughty kids. The guards continue to ruffle us up. Then we're thrown in another small space, the doors close behind us. There's a few other people in here with us. Dragonfly, Firebug, Two-Face even it looks like, and another guy I didn't know, but he's quick to introduce himself as Aaron Black. This is it*
Mayo- No more small spaces, no more small spaces
Len- Keep your pants on for crying out loud.
*The doors begin to whir. Lights flash on and off as the gears grind and we're welcomed into a world of death and chaos. Len is grabbed almost instantly by people in penguin suits. Ten stumbles his way through the welcoming committee, while Mayo scales a nearby fire escape. I'm not going down like this. I'm not going to die here for crimes I didn't commit. For once in my life, I'm going to fight. I'm going to fight for my friends, and I'm going to fight for Charlie. Bring it on*
Inmate- You're dead Brown!
Inmate 2- I've been waiting for this!
Chuck- Kite-Man. Hell Yeah.
EXPLORE # 66
Phyrrhocoridae is a family of insects with more than 300 species world-wide. A common species in parts of Europe is the firebug. They are part of the order Hemiptera which are also known as the 'true bugs'. A few are important crop pests. They are called cotton stainers because their red bodies get crushed along with the cotton they eat when it is harvested, and these stains are difficult to remove. Their feeding mechanism also cuts the fibres and hence affects the growth of the cotton ball. They caused massive problems in the United States during the industrial revolution.
My apologies to Tedt ( Rundstedt B. Rovillos ) for my use of his description of the phyrrhocoridae insect.
Photographed at the Ninoy Aquino Park and Wildlife Center during the Pinoy Macro Anniversary, February 7, 2009.
A Firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) Eldlus, decides to eat his colleague! :~) , I known about this behaviour but I was not expecting this to happen in October and @ only +6c degrees!
(I only had my mobile home available (Samsung Galaxy S9+) but the result were OK I think)
Lenny parks outside of 130 Wien and Novik Blvd, where his first job as ‘The Eraser’ shall occur. It’s a pity he is dressed as a pencil. Jumping out of his van, he grabs a bucket of his patented cleeratol, a mop and bucket, and a pack of chicken bites (this is hungry work). All these supplies in tow, he runs towards the abandoned house. Having expected a cabal of low looking gangsters, Lenny is surprised to come face to face with a figure in a red and gold winged suit.
Firebug: “Umm… are you the guy?”
Lenny freezes like an antelope in headlights (marvel reference in a DC product, what is this the CW?). Gangsters are easy, but with supervillains… they are unpredictable.
Eraser: “Hi, I’m Len-RASER, I’m Le Eraser!”
The figure looks at Lenny, slightly confused.
Firebug: “Well I’m Le Firebug, but you can call me Joey Rigger, Len.”
Eraser: “What did you want me for, Joey!”
Firebug glances towards the corner of the room, where a heavily burnt body lies.
Eraser: “Jesus f*** Christ, dude… did you do that?”
Joey: Well, my friend Harlan helped a little. Can you do something about it?”
Eraser: “Sir, they don’t just call me The Eraser because I dress as a number 2 pencil!”
Joey: “Are you sure?
Eraser: “Yes, can you just let me get on with the job!”
Joey: “Sure, I’ll just boink my girlfriend upstairs!”
Lenny doesn’t answer, preferring not to let that sentence sink in. Once Joey has gotten upstairs, Lenny pulls out a piece of apparatus. He jams a pipe into the crispy, crispy neck, and before plugging the other end to a cannister of cleeratol and turns a dial at the end of it. Cleeretol slowly pumps into the body, and the body begins to dissolve, the previous crispiness aiding in the reaction. Anticipating a long wait, Lenny calls Firebug twice, the first time resulting in uncomfortable creaking, and the second time producing and exclamation of-
Firebug: “SHUT THE F*** UP PENCIL NECK I’M TRYING TO-!
Lenny cuts it off before anything more is said.
Lenny: “Well if I’m going to be here for a while!”
He pulls out his phone and dials in a number.
Ossie: “Len?”
Lenny: “I have a lot of waiting to do Oz…”
Ossie: “You don’t mean…”
Lenny: “Bring the bags!”
2 Hours Later…
While Oz escapes through the window, not realising they were on the second floor, Lenny clears away any Marijuana smoke that remained, as Firebug makes his way down the stairs.
Firebug: “Sorry to keep you waiting, me and my girlfriend were-”
Lenny: “La-la-la-la, I am not listening! Well, the body is gone, though I did call some…”
Lenny engages in the stoner trope of examining his hands for a moment.
Lenny: “…Help! Now I for the matter of payment!”
Firebug pulls out his wallet, inadvertently dropping it in the process. Courteously, Lenny picks it up, noting a photograph inside it.
Eraser: “Oh, you know Tiger Moth?”
Firebug nods insincerely as Lenny notes the angle at which the photo is taken.
Eraser: “She doesn’t seem to know you are there… is that… CALENDAR MAN!”
Firebug snatches the photo from Lenny’s hands, and babbles defensively.
Eraser: “Where were you when you took that?”
Firebug: “…hiding in her closet.”
Eraser: “… … … how quaint!”
---------------------------
The Cookie rises…
Een vuurwants balanceert op het blad van de kerrieplant .
A fire bug balances on the leaves of the curry plant.
====Beneath Arkham====
"Drury, can you hear that?"
Drury- Like a-
Miranda- Like a heartbeat.
She draws her sword. Whatever's nearby, it's loud, and it's powerful. Before Drury can shine a torch up at it, a ball of brown and yellow slashes his back, and he stumbles forwards. Miranda and Norbert turn around, just barely dodging a series of sharp shurikens. Bearded and crazed, their attacker jumps down.
"It's true. Cats always land on their feet."
Miranda- Blake. Strange send you here?
Blake- Wasn't hard sweetheart, I'd recognise your scent, anywhere. The pineapple shampoo, the coconut perfume, the copper blood- A-Positve.
Drury- Blake, we're friends!
Blake- Friends! Is that us? Now, I bet you've already told Chuck and Rigger and Len the good news, that you're getting them out, right? Maybe even Jules! But, you were planning to leave *me*, weren't you? All because I tried "sleeping with your wife"
Drury- You... Did?
He looks at Blake, betrayed, then at Miranda.
Miranda- Shot him in the leg. It's fine.
Blake- That hurt! Thinking maybe I deserve a little compensation...
Miranda- Compensation? I call my sword that, maybe-
Drury- Wait, just shut it. Sorry. ... You're arrogant, yeah, you're a womaniser, yeah, but you're not some tacky rapist. You don't beat women, you don't force yourself on- I mean, you're much better than that, surely? You aren't an *actual* cat, you don't even have green eyes, you-
Drury squints his eyes. Blake has brown eyes. He's always had brown eyes, so why... Why are they green?
"You aren't Blake."
The Faux-Blake licks his lips
Drury- Oh no.
"In a sea of other Misfits, it's the Cat who's King"
Norbert- I don't understand, he's not the cat man?
Drury- Worse.
Miranda- Much worse.
The King of Cats laughs, his green eyes the only light source.
"Oh, you can't imagine how long I've been inside that Pretender! Sometimes, he protests... But he doesn't even know what's going on... You brought me my sister, Mr Drury. And when she and I are together, I will be whole again, and you might have Mr Thomas. What's left of him
Miranda- You can't believe-
Kyle- The Fireman. The Rat-Man. The Bouncer. The Zodiac. Each have tried to snuff me out. But five, five lives are left. Not even you, Ms Miranda, can kill me five-
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.
Four bullets. And with that, four lives are gone, and Drury Walker drops a mask of his own.
Drury- I want you to know, I could damn well have shot you again. But, you're alive, because there's a chance, a small chance the real Tom Blake's in there. Now get the hell out of here.
Kyle grins, Blake's smile perverted by him. Then slinks off into the abyss.
Miranda- Drury-
Drury- I'm just- I'm just getting sick of damn betrayals.
Composing himself, he grabs his torch and shines down the tunnel. A dark figure illuminated by it.
====The Belfry====
Selina- Bruce, look.
Bodies everywhere... Someone did this with their bare hands.
"Tread lightly."
She winks, replying slyly, "It's like you don't even know me," before going on her tip toes. "There was a cell block this way, ran into a wonderful, not-at-all Hannibal inmate."
Batman- Day?
"That's the one"
From his cell, Julian stares at Batman, with utter contempt. It's true, some C-Listers respected him, some, like Walker, even admired him, but the Calendar Man? Julian Day felt nothing but hatred for the Bat. Many did. He nods to Selina, and they walk past. As they near the guard's room, an empty bottle of beer rolls along the ground towards them. Slumped across the table, Abner Krill dozes peacefully, either ignorant or uncaring of the massacre. The duo, still very much in sync, sneak past him, and enter the elevator. Bruce pauses, then puts his hand to his ear.
"Walker?"
=========
"Uh, Batman, I think we found your pulse..."
He doesn't even look human. Large metal wires are plugged into his chest, cables strap him into a generator, with electricity crackling through his veins. If not for the tattered remains of his red and yellow costume, Drury might not have even recognised him.
"Cobb."
Norbert- Who... What is he?
Drury- Signal Man, he's a supervillain, a real asshole-
Miranda- A terrorist. Let's say it how it is.
Drury- A terrorist with cancer... Jesus, what did they do to him?
"Only what was necessary. Never more. Never less."
The lights flick on, illuminating the ancient architecture. They're in the Court of Owls, and they've been expecting them.
Ubu is wheeling Ra's in, flanked by Talia, and two masked ninjas. Above them, hundreds of Owls watch, heckling them,
"Hello Mr Walker, I believe you've been looking for me."
=====Warehouse Six====
"They've been gone too long." Chuck's failed, Firebug and the Ten-Eyed Man are dead and the Penguin's still in power. That's the only thing Needham can think, as he stands watch over the warehouse. But, once again, as if someone had been listening to his thoughts, Rigger, Reardon and Sharpe arrive at the camp, panting for breath, but very much alive.
Needham- Sharpe? Rigger, what's-
Rigger mumbles something about Evil Ninjas as Reardon starts to remove Zeiss' bonds.
Needham- What the hell are you-
Rigger takes a deep breath.
"Some weirdo's following us, Rachel Ghoul wants to kill everyone, Drury's here to stop him, and he probably will, but failing that, we're leaving. We need to move, and that includes *him*"
Meghan- That bastard tried to kill us! And where's Chuck?
Ten- Oh, god knows...
"My guess is he went to visit Black Mask." Zeiss is on his feet, brushing the dirt off of himself. "Which means Penguin's secrets are likely out." Which means... Which means... I've failed my contract!" He draws a knife, Mayo in his grasp. He turns to Chancer.
Mayo- Rigger, help!
Zeiss- How rude of me. You're new. You must be one of the accomplices Lock-Up mentioned.
Chancer- Chancer.
Zeiss pushes Mayo over, and drops his knife, raising a hand to Chancer.
"Zeiss. Philo Zeiss." "You must know about the owls."
Chancer- I do.
Zeiss- Good. We don't have long, your pursuer will be here soon, but I'll hold him off as long as possible.
"But-"
Zeiss- Penguin will be at Pike Munitions, it's not far and you'll find your friend, Charles there. ... What? I'm an assassin, I'm not unreasonable. Go.
As the Misfits depart, a purple clad figure drops to the ground, his purple cape flapping in the wind. He smiles at Zeiss, and calls out, rather cheerily, "Hey!" Zeiss picks up his pistol and turns around to meet his assailant, this would be his final stand, a challenge worth his mettle. Him... and Prometheus.
"I like your glasses."
=====The Court of Owls=====
"How long?"
Ra's smiles, faintly. "You mean, how long I have been meddling in your affairs? Since you failed me. Since my Lazarus Pit was destroyed, and you left me a decrepit, dying old man. I warned you, Mr Walker. Fail me, and I would kill everyone you loved. I started with your boy, Axel, sending Cain to eliminate him. It is... fortunate, that he had Cain's daughter by his side. He might not have lived otherwise. And, of course, if not for Cypher."
He points to Cypher, standing among the other Assassins, his eyes pleading with Drury's. His limbs replaced with cybernetics, no doubt a consequence of defying Ra's.
"He urged me to reconsider. Told me of your bravery, of your honour, when you saved Ms Pike using the Pit's waters. I admit, I was impressed, perhaps I wrote you off too quickly, a mere insect. Or... perhaps not. Maybe it always was the company you keep."
His gaze wanders over to Miranda, and then to Norbert.
"I've allowed you to come here, the three of you, as a professional courtesy. Because you deserve to know your enemy, and to know exactly what is going to happen.
In this past decade of rising supervillany, and their growing need for fame and power, do you know who has done the most damage to this accursed city? Not the Joker, no. Not Bane, or Doctor Crane, or that ridiculous cabal of supervillains- the Secret Society I believe... No. Mother Nature. Where were you when the first earthquake hit Gotham, insect? In the comfort of your home? In that basement of yours? I recall where I was. Toppling the corrupt governments of Qurac. It was... inspiring, I'll admit, to watch the world itself do what thousands have tried and failed to accomplish. Hundreds dead in one destructive stroke. And in their hour of need, where was your government? They were planting signs.
Miranda- You're going to create an earthquake?
====The Belfry====
"Oracle, I'm sending you everything from the Arkham database. Get this to Mayor Grange now."
Oracle- Is that-?
"Cobb... They're using him as a generator, and given enough time... He'll explode, taking half of Arkham with him, just-"
Oracle- Cassie's on it. Bruce, if Drury can't- I'm sorry.
Bruce sighs, and turning away from the console, finds Selina unconscious on the ground.
Batman- You killed those guards...
"She's right. You can't save everyone. If you don't open those gates, the inmates will die. Buried in rubble, if they haven't killed *themselves* first. But if you do..."
Batman- The inmates run free. And with enough firepower to level the city. Whatever I do, people will die.
"And you will be their killer. The Gangsters, or Gotham. This, is the Demon's Trap Batman."
Batman- They won't fail. The inmates will evacuate. Safely.
"Yes. The little people. But Two-Face? Black Mask? The Penguin? Would they listen when they are too busy fighting each other? No. You've put your faith in the hands of Killer Moth and men of his ilk. You've put them up against The Demon's Head, and the League of Assassins. I wonder if, they too, will die buried by the city they called home."
Batman- Why are you here, Bane? To gloat? Kick me while I'm down?
Bane- No. I have come to help you. The Society-
Batman- Please. You're a figurehead who built his reputation off of my back. You're nothing to them.
Bane- Lies! I am Bane! I have power, more than I have ever-
Batman- And you think that gives you leverage on Sinestro? Grodd? Ocean Master? They'll abandon you just like they did Luthor
Bane- The choice is yours Batman. Killer Moth can not save Arkham. I can.
Batman- And in doing so, you'll have recruited another hundred agents to the Society.
Bane- Yes.
Batman- No. I don't want your help.
Bane- I thought not. And I am still disappointed. Those who have not taken a life do not understand the value of it. Or it's meaning.
Batman- And those who have, are placed on a path where they're liable to take another. And another. And another.
Bane- You can't still be so naive. Yes, Walker may save some, but not all of them- they'd be souls, Batman, you would have let die. No one would blame you. They wouldn't even have to know. But I know you would. You are Batman. Just one death is too many, isn't it?
Or save them all.
====The Court=====
"Yes. One that envelops Arkham City, and it's population of thieves and rapists. Earth can not sustain its people, I've seen it first hand. It is running out of resources, and running out of space. The least we could do, is remove the undesirables sucking up air. And there are... other benefits."
He gestures to another machine, greyish liquid moves about, it's shifting, transforming. The device looks familiar, almost like the Cloudburst.
Drury- But what's stopping you from getting buried with the rest of them?
"Nth metal. The Owls built this complex centuries ago, in the days of false gods and metal. The vibrations will move through the facility, but not harming those of us within.
Of course, with the inmates too busy hunting rogue snipers and killing each other, our work here has remained relatively undisturbed. It takes immense energy, to power such a machine... Fortunately, we have the perfect battery. All we needed was to move Mr Cobb from his home in the Belfry's generator room, to here. ... Nothing more to say?"
Drury kneels before Ra's, then swallowing, looks up, and grabs his hand.
"I challenge you to trial by combat."
===Over 20 Years Ago===
Norbert- Please... Stop.
*The assassin grimaced beneath his orange mask. He pulled Norbert up by his arm, then he hurled him over his shoulder, straight through a brick wall*
"Do you think your enemies will stop? Do you want them to? To take pity on you, to treat you like a weakling, so that you're just another nobody? So that you're just a waste of my time? Because I don't. Get. Up."
*They called him Deathstroke, even back then. He had still had two eyes, and his mask reflected that in it's design. The Injustice Society reached out to him almost as soon as he was out of the military. Slade Wilson was a war hero, and there was value in that. His own enhancements made the ideal handler and trainer for their newest weapon, The Killer Wasp*
Slade- The JSA will keep winning, I will keep winning, boy, if you don't get yourself a backbone! Understand?
*Through a tight and brutal training regime- a never ending barrage of insults and injuries, Wilson crafted the young, tender hearted Walker into the monster the Society needed. The Wasp rose to his feet, and nodded. The assassin, now unmasked to reveal his blonde hair and chiseled jaw, smirked, and handed him a file.*
Slade- Good. Your target is Richard Sionis, entrepreneur, business man, and arms dealer, currently staying in the Opal City Arms, room 237A. Recently, he found himself a new mask for his collection. The Mask of Sorrows. He doesn't understand it's true power. We do. Bring it back for us, as part of your... Initiation.
Wasp- Yes, sir.
====Now====
*20 years on, and master and pupil are reunited.*
Slade- Krill can be erratic. Moronic at times. But when he's in his element... Well, I'd almost call him brilliant. Why, he brought you both here without fail. To me.
Norbert- Where... Are the others?
Slade- The task force? On standby. They served their purpose, separated you from the herd. Your friends are just distractions. I've seen it in action- you two, you are the real trouble makers.
Drury- Oh, come on Slade, how much, how much are they paying you?
Slade- Don't insult me Walker. You could never pay my fee, not when you're working in... a fudge factory, was it?
*Drury looks at the ground, and scuffs his shoes on the concrete*
...
Drury- I'm trying my best.
Slade- Well, heh, we'll see about that.
*With a swift strike to the throat, Drury's coughing up blood on the floor. As he goes in for the kill Norbert reaches out, and catches Slade's sword in his hands*
Norbert- Leave... Leave him alone. It's me you want.
Slade- No, boy, it's really not. It's Strange who's really interested in you. Don't know why, I don't ask questions, but... I heard your last reunion didn't go so well. Heh. Me, on the other hand, I'm over you. You may've gotten your soul back, but, at the end of the day you're just another weak, insignificant speck.
*Norbert looked at his brother, still a stranger to him in many ways, and then back to Deathstroke*
Norbert- Drury....
Slade- Go on boy, show me what you've got.
====GCPD====
Miranda- Selina! You ok?
Selina- Well, was almost swallowed whole, but aside from that? Dandy. Where'd they even go?
*Selina brushes the grime and snake venom off of her catsuit, then stretches her back out, purring while doing so. "Do they all have to act like damn cats?" thought Miranda, thinking of Blake, and King of Cats*
Miranda- Krill took them. Norbert went after him, but... We don't even know where *he's* gone.
*Chancer looked into the distance, looking mature, for the first time in a while. "So, uh, what now?" he asked his companions, who simply shrugged, only for his question to be answered by a familiar voice. "Well, if you're not too busy, I was hoping you could catch us up," Ten said, him and Rigger ambling towards them, armed and weary.*
Chancer- Rigger! What're you doing here?
Ten- We saw the signal, wanted to check things out. Charles sends his regards.
*Miranda laughs relieved, pausing upon seeing the bone pertruding from Rigger's leg, and the sparks flicking around Ten's bionics*
Miranda- *Ahem* Looking a little worse for there, there fellas.
Rigger- Ah, it's just splintered. You, still look pretty as anything.
*But Rigger wasn't really paying all that attention to Miranda, having stared, unsure about the woman by her side, he'd concluded that she was not a mirage, and he would not waste this chance. There was a lump stuck in his throat as he hobbled past Tiger Moth, and towards Selina*
Rigger- You're Catwoman.
Selina- I am. And you're Firebug, right?
Rigger- Yeah, yeah. That's me. (She knows who I am.)
Ten- Congratulations.
=====Gar's House=====
*Gar came home laden with shopping, baby Josie tied to his back. He placed her in her crib, and opened his bags, just the essentials- bread, milk, cheese, and... a packet of firelighters. He held them in his charred hands, no recollection of having bought them. They called out to him, urging him to use them, and... He threw them in the bin, and collapsed onto the kitchen floor. The urges had become less frequent since his daughter entered his life, but every now and then, he'd wake up from a day dream holding something- A lit match, a tank of gas, a carton of fireworks. If there was a single doctor who *hadn't* gone crazy in Gotham, maybe he could have gotten therapy. Another bloody Monday, he sighed, rising to his feet, and picking his bags up. He opened the fridge, and- *
Gar- What the hell-?
*There was a tin-foiled package in there, and he was certain he hadn't put it there. Something, was wrong. He opened the living room door, the foil package under one arm, his revolver in the other, and pointed it at the gaunt, skinny figure sat in his chair, playing "Bop-It" of all things
Joker- Heh. Hello there. Decided to pop in to see you- you weren't in, but I thought I'd stick around.
Gar- What the hell are you doing here?
Joker- Simple! Heard you hated Mondays, so I brought you something to cheer you up.
*He points a long white finger at the foil tray and cackles. Making sure he isn't playing some kind of game, Gar takes a peak under the wrapper*
Gar- This is lasagna.
Joker- Yep. Made it myself Garfield! Well, technically Jon did.
Gar- Who the hell is Jon?
Joker- Heha. Honestly! When you read the paper, you don't read the funny pages? Ha! That's *all* I read! And the odd murder hoohoohahaha.
Gar- Get out of my house.
*Joker rises from the seat, and places a gloved hand over Gar's gun, brushing it aside*
"If the lasagna isn't doing it, how about a joke?"
• Feuerwanzen ( Lat.: Pyrrhocoridae ) sind eine Familie der Wanzen ( Lat.: Heteroptera ) •
• Länge ca. / Length approx 15mm •
• Von ihnen gibt es ungefähr 340 Arten in etwa 33 Gattungen ! •
• Feuerwanzen • Pyrrhocoridae • ( Lat.: Pyrrhocoris apterus ) • Beetle • NL : Vuurwantsen •
• Photographed in the free nature in Lower Franconia, Bavaria / Germany •
I always wonder why firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) are found in these small groups. It looks kind of funny.
© 2010 Monique van Someren * all rights reserved * please do not use without permission
Heteroptera. Pyrrhocoridae.
P. apterus was the subject of an unexpected discovery in the 1960s when researchers who had for ten years been rearing the bugs in Prague, Czechoslovakia attempted to do the same at Harvard University in the United States. After the 5th larval instar, instead of developing into adults, the bugs either entered a 6th instar stage, or became adults with larval characteristics; some of the 6th instars went on to a 7th instar. All specimens died without reaching maturity.
The source of the problem was eventually proven to be the paper towels used in the rearing process; the effect only happened if the paper towels were made in America. The researchers could replicate these results with American newspapers such as the New York Times, but not European newspapers such as The Times. The cause was found to be hormones found in the native balsam fir tree (Abies balsamea) used to manufacture paper and related products in America, and in some other North American conifers. This hormone happened to have a profound effect on P. apterus, but not on other insect species, showing the diversification of hormone receptors in the insects.
Pyrrhocoridae -Dysdercus sp.
Pyrrhocoridae is a family of insects with more than 300 species world-wide. any are red coloured and are known as red bugs and some species are called cotton stainers because their feeding activities leave an indelible brownish-yellow stain on cotton crops. A common species in parts of Europe is the firebug, and its genus name Pyrrhocoris and the family name are derived from the Greek roots for fire "pyrrho-" and bug "coris". Members of this family can be quickly separated from the Lygaeidae by the lack of ocelli (simple eyes).
Continuing my quest on building frames from the MFZ 2017 frame catalog!
I was making a mk III Twank, and thought: "Huh, you could put another set of legs here. Oh hey, here as well!"
And the rear ones are easy to remove as a movement system.
All rights reserved. Copyright 2018 © Bert Meijers. All my images are protected under international authors copyright laws and may not be downloaded, reproduced, copied, transmitted or manipulated without my written explicit permission. All rights reserved - Copyright 2018 © Bert Meijers
In early Spring here are many of them everywhere... :)
The firebug (Pyrrhocoris apterus) is a common insect of the family Pyrrhocoridae, about 1 cm. long. Firebugs generally mate in April and May. Their diet consists primarily of seeds from lime trees and mallows. They can often be found in groups near the base of lime tree trunks, on the sunny side. They can be seen in tandem formation when mating which can take from 12 hours up to 7 days. The long period of copulating is probably used by the males as a form of ejaculate-guarding under high competition with other males.
Wiosna wszędzie widać te czerwone robaczki... :)
Kowal bezskrzydły, kowal dwuplamek (Pyrrhocoris apterus) – gatunek pluskwiaka z rodziny kowalowatych, pospolity w Polsce. Osiąga długość około 1 cm. Często pojawia się w dużych gromadach u podstawy pni drzew liściastych, szczególnie lipy. Jest gatunkiem zazwyczaj nieszkodliwym dla środowiska, choć może uszkadzać młode drzewka w szkółkach i wyrządzać szkody w winnicach. Wczesną wiosną owady te budzą się i gromadzą w nasłonecznionych miejscach. Ich kopulacja trwa długo – często ponad 12 godzin, niekiedy nawet do 7 dni. W jej trakcie samiec i samica często poruszają się sczepione odwłokami. Z tego powodu kowale bezskrzydłe bywają popularnie nazywane tramwajami.
Araignée captive depuis cinq mois et demi et nourrie essentiellement de gendarmes (Pyrrhocoris apterus,) disponibles toute la saison hivernale. Le cocon d'une deuxième ponte est visible en arrière-plan. Photo prise deux jours avant une troisième ponte.
Captive spider for five months and a half. Mostly fed with Firebugs (Pyrrhocoris apterus) available the whole winter season. The cocoon of a second laying can be seen behind. photo taken two days before a third laying.