#rd anticosmo

Obligatory reminder that this is a non-human society with non-human biology and social norms based on eusocial insects.

Alarm Scents

Pixies are eusocial. They swarm to protect the injured (specifically, once the scent of blood hits the air).

Injured pixies produce a scent that's been described as "Mint, warm butter, and wet dog" along with the banana alarm pheromone.

Pixies swarmed in "This Is a Box" after Chloe kicked H.P. in the face.

Mature Scents

When Seelie Courters are no longer virgins, they gain an underlying scent of caviar. This boosts their social status, deepens the scent of their other pheromones, and makes them much more attractive to drones and potential mates.

This parallels many real-life insects, who can detect a scent change (and favor non-virgin mates)

Poof was embarrassed in "All I Ever Wanted" when roommates and family confirmed they'd noticed his scent change.

Since the mature scent boosts dominance, gyne rivalry is much more vicious among mature individuals than virgin ones- It's just part of their biology to get more aggressive (and it's a lot harder to calm down when a rival has strong pheromones).

- Vice President Longwood is under strict orders to remain a virgin, lest the Head Pixie kill him (H.P. has a hard enough time not killing Longwood just for being a gyne even when he is a virgin). - Tension spiked between Poof and another gyne he grew up with (Finley) once Poof was no longer a virgin. - Finley is a tomte: a Fae who can't use magic. This means he's guaranteed to die during mating since his body wouldn't be able to survive it... but Finley has always been more dominant than Poof, so there's a lot of increased paranoia and aggression there.

Mindsets

There are three Fairy mindsets- the gyne, the kabouter, and the drone. Gynes and drones are two sides of the same coin.

Gyne - A Fairy or pixie drake who has freckles and gives off powerful pheromones that drone Fairies and pixies are attracted to.

In insect colonies that have queens, “gyne” is the word for the virgin “princess” insect who will either leave her mother’s colony to form her own, or seek to kill her mother and take over her colony instead. Similar instincts exist in Fairy or pixie gynes, who are rather territorial.

Wilcox listed the following responsibilities for gynes in “The Facts of Life”:

Appreciate your subordinates

Care for them when they’re sick

Ensure they have food and shelter before yourself

Culture Note - In Fairy World, it's the dominant individual who provides and serves food. In Anti-Fairy World, a host will provide food, but it's served by submissive individuals.

Gynes and drones are more easily manipulated by pheromones as they're much more connected to their insect biology, so they're more likely to cringe away or submit to dominant individuals (and gynes often fight to the death for dominance).

You can identify a dominant gyne because they'll float higher than others and people tend to defer to them (i.e. glancing, asking permission, keeping alert).

IRL, eusocial insects outgrow the term "gyne" when they become queens, but in my lore, the term sticks for life.

Two dominant gynes can't stay dominant in the same area for long. On neutral ground (like Fairy Con's sparring ring), they can maintain their respective dominance. When visiting each other's property - or sometimes even when meeting up for lunch - the more submissive one will get flipped. -> See the chapters "Made to Be Broken," "Senseless," and "Almost" respectively for examples from Origin of the Pixies. -> A young H.P. was required to wear a scarf to conceal his pheromones when he lived in the Earthside town of Bayard- "Mature" "Getting flipped" means mannerisms, dialogue, dress code, and thoughts shift to reflect that of the dominant individual. This happens to Sanderson in "Minion" when he and H.P. visit the Fairy Elder and Sanderson gets flipped to his "yellow butler" persona; more info on this in the "Minion" section below. - The top image for this post depicts Sanderson in different colors, including the yellow butler one and navy blue while under Anti-Cosmo's influence In "Senseless and Almost" (see above), H.P. changes his shirt from lavender to Reddinski's red. He shifts into a highly anxious "apologizing and asking permission" state that mirrors his behavior when he was in high school with Jean Reddinski, who took advantage of him back then (i.e. flirting with and brushing fingers across skin, setting up tension years later when Reddinski is actively abusing his drones by taking advantage of them when they can't leave and H.P. struggles to face his old bully on their behalf).

Gyne Pheromones

🍌 All gynes have a banana undertone to their pheromones. It's specifically the banana scent that becomes stronger when a gyne has mature pheromones, and strongest of all if they're the dominant gyne in the area (the aldra mór). See also:

"Mostly 9-oxo-2-decenoic acid, but your 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl ethanol is rather strong too, sir." Keefe looked at him in horror. "The answer I expected was bananas, but close enough. That's right. Since I'm the boss, you'll smell the 9O2D on me, but not on a younger gyne like Longwood. That's the specific scent you like, Sanderson, along with the 10H2D."

Origin of the Pixies Chapter 36, "Senseless"

Only dominant gynes are capable of conceiving. Subordinate gynes have their fertility suppressed until they become dominant (Queen bee vs. worker bee).

Poof was subordinate for most of his life, but becomes dominant when away from Finley in Hawthorn Haven.

Rupert Roebeam (ishigaq) and Walter Keefe (pixie) are drones born with dysolfactya: the inability to organize scents in their head. This renders them immune to pheromone cues; they'll just look at you if you try to lure them in "because it's instinct."

This also leaves them prone to falling off clouds or wandering into dangerous caves since they can't smell border warnings.

In Baby, You're a Rich Man Chapter 10, Keefe is the pixie who manages the file organizing computer: a job that keeps him safely indoors and doesn't require smelling anything.

The Anti-Fairy parallel of a gyne is a pilot. The Refracted parallel is a plume. They don't produce special pheromones, attract drones, or fight to the death. However, they're more likely to express bat or bird behavior (such as preening wings with teeth or building nests). They're often considered attractive in their communities.

Poof is a gyne, Foop is a pilot, and Poppy is a plume

- Drones are drakes who are overly sensitive to pheromones (and are drawn to dominant individuals who produce them). They tend to be calmer, more organized, and clearer of mind when exposed to pheromones; they risk falling into anxiety or depression without regular exposure.

Drones make up retinues: groups of worker bees that clean, feed, and care for the queen of an insect colony (or gynes, in this case).

Most pixies are drones, so Sanderson is a great example. In "Grooming," he describes the caretaking process for H.P., which includes things like wing brushing.

Wilcox listed these responsibilities for drones in “The Facts of Life”:

Be loyal

Be trustworthy

Don’t hurt your superiors

Fight to defend your family

Culturally, they're stereotyped as simpleminded, but that's not part of their biology. During Fairy World's medieval era, drones weren't allowed to own property, hold eye contact, work most jobs, leave rooms without being directly dismissed, and were required to wear muted grays or browns (and wear bracelets that matched one worn by their gyne.

At the end of this era, the court case Canterbury v. Oakwing granted drones additional rights, though some (like marriage) wouldn't be gained for another two generations (by Waterberry v. Reddinski).

The Fairywinkle family have a history of smuggling drones out of families (both upon request of those who wanted them removed from the inheritance order and upon request of drones seeking a better life). Legally, they “disappeared,” though few were actually killed- Most were relocated to new gynes. Notably, as Poof (a gyne himself) grows older, he works to revive this practice, combining his Fairywinkle heritage with the business know-how he picked up from interning at Pixies Inc.; Poof's dream is to create a legal, transparent "exchange program" of matching compatible gynes and drones.

The Head Pixie and Santa are both examples of gynes with a lot of drones under their care- H.P. has his pixies and Santa has his elves. Pixies represent paper wasps in Cloudlands AU and elves represent honeybees- two eusocial insect species this worldbuilding was largely based on.

- Kabouters can smell pheromones, but are less influenced by them since they're more human-like than insect-like in their behaviors. They don't fight to the death and are not as ingrained in social traditions that can be traced back to insect biology.

The term kabouter does not have any connection to insect biology. It's a friendly creature akin to a gnome (Dutch folklore).

Damsels with ZW chromosomes can't* develop into gynes or drones. Instead, they come in two flavors: "can have sons" and "can't have sons." Wanda is an exposed kabouter, so she can have sons.

Fairy births are biased in favor of damsels, with a roughly 75%-25% split. Sons are less common, but not rare. Again, the vibe here is "haplodiploid reproductive system, but it follows the 'male Fairies give birth' canon from the show and I don't claim to know everything about it, so if there are mistakes, 'It's because magic.'" Fairy World doesn't learn about the jelly connection until Foop connects the dots in young adulthood. Fairy World doesn't really know what's going on with their bodies. * See Smith's info below

Gynes and drones can only produce gyne or drone sons, not kabouter sons (although they can produce kabouter daughters). This mirrors the haplodiploid reproduction of eusocial insects.

Reminder: The mother needs to be an exposed kabouter to produce sons in the first place.

Jorgen's father (Frost) refused to believe in the "gynes can't have kabouter sons" rule of biology. Jorgen was born without freckles (and is a drone), but his father refused to admit that as he considered it shameful. Jorgen was very pleased to announce himself as a drone during the eulogy he gave for his father (after a lifetime of living in shame and suppressed emotions).

Jorgen and Binky are a gyne-drone pair, and while there's sometimes tension between them, they're very content with their set-up overall. Jorgen's happy to be himself with someone who doesn't judge or shame him, and Binky enjoys the company of his long-time friend.

See "7 Billion Years in 15,000 Words" for more about how cloudland perceptions of drones have shifted over the years.

Fairies cannot reproduce with Anti-Fairies (or Refracts). Their bodies are shaped differently (Fairies having systems based on insect anatomy, Anti-Fairies ones based on bat anatomy, Refracts on bird anatomy). Additionally, their chromosomes are incompatible, so in vitro doesn't work either.

Pixies and Anti-Fairies can't reproduce either- Pixies are also bug-based.

"Minion"

H.P. values hard work, rigid body posture, a straight face, and showing little emotion. When Sanderson is under the influence of H.P.’s pheromones, these are the traits he shows.

He was raised by H.P. from birth, so he grew up under these expectations anyway, pheromones or no pheromones. However, he defaults to H.P.’s values more naturally when “in H.P.’s service,” as we would say.

130 Prompt #14 - "Minion" depicts H.P. and Sanderson visiting the Fairy Elder: a presumably powerful being namedropped in "Timmy's Secret Wish." In Cloudlands AU, she's an ancient being who stands about 20 feet tall and wears yellow robes- Thus, Fairy World's rainbow designs pay homage to her even though there is no Yellow Robe sitting on the Fairy Council with the other colors.

Being the Fairy Elder, she has very powerful pheromones, even more so than H.P. In the Castle, H.P. was unable to maintain his usual influence over Sanderson, who felt instinctively prompted to turn his gray suit into a yellow one. Even H.P. fell under the Fairy Elder’s charm, turning his own suit yellow and showing more emotion (in this case, romantic affections) than we would usually expect from him.

While under the Fairy Elder’s influence, Sanderson took on a slightly different persona: checking for smears of dust, gesturing with sweeps of his arms, wearing white gloves, and folding his hands behind his back, and refusing to acknowledge H.P. as his boss. As far as he was concerned, the Fairy Elder was his boss now.

The relationship between H.P. and Sanderson is very boss & employee in nature. Sanderson calls H.P. “sir” and expects to be treated as a valued employee who receives a paycheck for his services and can be promoted and demoted in the company as appropriate. However, the relationship between Sanderson and the Fairy Elder is very butler & proud mistress of the household. Instinctively, Sanderson can sense this, even though he’d be hard pressed to explain how if you asked him to. That’s the nature of being a drone: he can sense what his superiors expect of him, and his natural instinct is to conform to their expectations. No longer under the influence of H.P.'s pheromones, Sanderson gestured more than usual and even shrugged- An act unusual for a stiff, professional pixie. He also hung his shades from the collar of his suit. He makes a point of referring to H.P. by his full title, “the Head Pixie,” and refers to the Fairy Elder as “his boss.” Other things Sanderson tends to do more frequently when he isn’t under H.P.’s influence include rolling his eyes and interrupting conversations (even when H.P. is the one speaking).

Notably, Sanderson warned H.P. that he would be flipped by the Fairy Elder's pheromones before it actually happened.

Once he did flip, he struggled to comprehend a future where he would return to H.P.'s service. He mentions that logically, he knew the Fairy Elder wouldn't force him to stay because she's always dismissed him back to H.P. in the past, but it was difficult to wrap his mind around the thought because it felt so right to be in her service.

He even described H.P. as his “former boss” and mused that he “can’t go crawling back to his ex” despite the fact that he was never fired from Pixies Inc. and technically still has a job there.

So, what exactly is going on in Sanderson’s mind right now? And what does he think of H.P. while in the Fairy Elder’s service?

All of a sudden, my body felt three sizes too small. Not even caring that I was breaking Pixie tradition, I made a fast, observable movement and scratched furiously at the crook of my left arm. Oh, it was a snatter of a place to be, trapped between a gyne and a god. On the one hand, the Elder’s pheromones gleamed on my tongue like sparkling suns that I could stare at without flinching away, but on the other, even she couldn’t overpower two and a half hundred millennia of scent layers quite so easily. Though my body and actions were hers, my brain longed to stand safely beside the Head Pixie again. But I didn’t make a move to do so. As a drone, I had little choice but to passionately serve the most dominant source of pheromones in the area, and for now, that dominant source was a deity, not a dear old friend.

Sanderson recognizes his loyalty to the Head Pixie, and regrets his inability to go against his own instincts and stand beside him, the way he would be standing if the Fairy Elder weren’t so influential. The part of him that’s speaking is the part of him that was raised by and which loves the Head Pixie, not a part of him prompted purely by pheromones. It’s the part of him that sees H.P. as both a father and a friend.

Additionally,

Obsession, now that I could comprehend. By the distinct natures of our biology, my own “infatuation” with the Fairy Elder manifested differently than his. Drones were natural fair-weather friends and sycophant servants. Even I, though minutes ago I’d loved him fiercely, had no power to alter my fate. For kabouters (and, especially, gynes) it was confusing to watch our colors change in a snap. Hurtful, even, that we could so easily abandon someone who fed and cared for us in instant favor of someone we’d never met. Yes, hurtful even for pixies, pallbearers of emotion they may claim to be. Even a pixie gyne must be hurting to see me now. Hurting, and lonely, and confused, and dripping with lust and fearful anxiety. And thus, I looked back at the flushing Head Pixie with pity in my brain, without a thought of blame or hypocrisy. This was not my fault. This was not his fault. It did not matter whose fault it was. Neither of us mattered to each other right now. One thing alone mattered, and she was the Fairy Elder.

Here, Sanderson explains that switching sides is, for him, a natural part of life. It’s something that he goes through life expecting it to happen, and so he is rarely surprised when it does. In his detached way, he understands that he might be hurting H.P.’s feelings, but he is pitying rather than sympathetic.

In sometimes subtle ways, the Fairy Elder’s influence has gotten under Sanderson’s skin. He is making the shift from valuing H.P. above all else to valuing the Fairy Elder above all else.

During the conversation between H.P. and Jorgen’s mother (Adelinda von Strangle), Sanderson demonstrates that even under the Fairy Elder’s influence, he is still his own person with the ability to think for himself, and explains he can’t be forced to reveal any secrets he doesn’t want to:

He lifted his eyebrows. “Does that bother you, dame? It’s fine if it does. It would bother me. But the fact remains, dumb Fairy laws prevent you from getting in my way. Even if I’ve confirmed I will be launching one of my revenge schemes this year, and even if you know where I will likely act and who I may be utilizing as a pawn, you can’t stop me.” Each of those last few words, he spit like their own sentence, wings beating rapidly until their noses were nearly bumping. “My son and I will not be taking our eyes off Dimmsdale for a second.” “Do it,” he said, softly. “Send in your patrol of godkids to stop me. March them straight through the Learn-A-Torium doors and onto Pixies Inc. property. Maybe you’ll find a find a weak point in our plan that Sanderson and I didn’t catch and correct.” That was my name. And… that was my old job. Adelinda realized it at the same time I did. As I inhaled sickly pheromones through my nose, she turned and stared down at me. Her fingers snapped once. “Spill your guts, pixie.” I stayed quiet, glaring up at her as the Head Pixie widened his eyes behind her shoulder. When she made as though she might leap down and approach, it was a steady process- not the quick, unexpected lunges forward that the Head Pixie (more than Anti-Sanderson, or even the Dame Head) were well known for. Apart from shifting her staff in my arms, I didn’t move. The wingless Adelinda positioned herself, fuming, at the tip of the Elder’s knee. “Pixie, you wear the colors of our goddess. For the good of the Fairy nation, reveal to us what you know.” “Adelinda, I’m gone, but I’m not that far gone. I’m a drone. Not a computer program. While my present loyalties lie with the Fairy Elder over the Head Pixie, I’m able to perceive that if he should accept me back upon her leaving, I will again belong to him. In this likely scenario, it would no longer benefit me to share that information with you. I don’t discuss my ex with current employers.”

Other Sanderson Personas

Like most drones, Sanderson has a slightly different persona for every dominant figure he ends up in the service of. Briefly, here are two other dominant figures who trigger unique personas:

“Can’t we preen just one last time before you go?” “Sanderson,” Smith said, making exaggerated rustling noises as he moved the boxes around, “I’m busy right now. Why don’t you ask Cresswell or Chidlow?” “Because they don’t preen the way you do.” Sanderson walked his fingers between the coffee filters and black straws. “You know… Besides H.P., you’re the only gyne I’ve ever given myself to on purpose. Cresswell and Chidlow get paralyzed by awkward fears of getting caught, and they fumble around. You’re the only one who never lets on he cares if he’s found out. Whenever we preen…” Sanderson narrowed his eyes in thought. “You actually exude an aura like you’re in charge. You’re just so dominant that way.” Smith set the box he had just picked up back on the floor. “Go on…”

Smith - Every once in awhile, the name Mr. Smith comes up in my pixie-related works (in this case, the above scene is from a piece called “The Other One” that we won’t be seeing again for quite awhile).

Smith is H.P.’s second-eldest gyne offspring, and his “spare” to his “heir.” Sanderson finds Smith’s pheromones nearly as favorable to smell as H.P.’s. He considers Smith a good friend, and occasionally seeks him out when working on a project or struggling with a task he’d rather not admit to H.P. that he’s struggling with.

Smith, in turn, finds Sanderson more entertaining than annoying, and sees him as a little brother despite the fact that Sanderson is slightly older than he is. So every once in awhile, Smith’s pheromones do overpower Sanderson’s mind more than the Head Pixie’s do.

It’s technically against both company policy and social norms for Sanderson to walk around with pheromones all over him that don’t belong to the Head Pixie. As a result, such behavior is considered scandalous, and that’s affected the persona Sanderson takes on around Smith. He tends to be more coy and silver-tongued about getting his way, rather than defaulting to the entitled and somewhat whiny persona he often falls into around the Head Pixie.

The second figure is Anti-Cosmo-

Mr. Sanderson actually frowned, eyebrows descending. He took half a step back. His wings bumped against the nightstand. The candle dish rattled. “Preen you like I preen the Head Pixie?” “Is that a problem?” He paused again. “Yeah, actually, yeah. I’m going to refuse, sir. What the Head Pixie and I have is special. I’m totally bound to you for now, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. I sort of have to be over here and stick around because you’re attractive, but that doesn’t mean I’ve been mind controlled. I fully realize and understand what I’m doing, and I’m not willing to give you that part of me. Pick a different way to do the ritual.”

Sanderson doesn’t view Anti-Cosmo as someone he cares about impressing. Simply put, if he’s in Anti-Cosmo’s service, it’s not because he intentionally got himself into that mess. It has happened on occasion, but Sanderson always considers the relationship between the two to be a nuisance.

In Sanderson’s mind, Anti-Cosmo is a friend of H.P., but not of him. H.P. tends to keep his friendship with Sanderson separate from his friendship with Anti-Cosmo. If Anti-Cosmo is around, then H.P. pays attention to him, and Sanderson ends up pushed into the background like a bodyguard. He hardly acknowledges Sanderson’s presence then, meaning that Anti-Cosmo, in turn, hardly acknowledges Sanderson either. Thus, being around Anti-Cosmo makes Sanderson feel like an unimportant child who isn’t wanted at an important business meeting in the living room, and his persona is more childish too.

Overall, he is more casual around Anti-Cosmo than you might expect, and more forthcoming in conversations with him than he is with anyone else (although this has just as much to do with Anti-Cosmo being a good listener who carefully coaxes things out of him as it has to do with anything).

While Sanderson still thinks twice about letting company secrets out of his mouth, he does tend to be slightly more open about his (gasp!) feelings. Especially those concerning his frustrations with H.P., which are usually out of his mind when he’s in H.P.’s service, but which Anti-Cosmo’s aura seems to bring to the forefront of his mind.

This openness, of course, reflects Anti-Cosmo being a more emotional person than H.P. is. His influence prompts Sanderson to lower his guard.

On the flipside, because many of his filters are down around Anti-Cosmo, Sanderson also tends to be more critical, stubborn, and bossy around the anti-fairy than he is around H.P.

While Sanderson still “sort of has to stick around” Anti-Cosmo, he tends to fall into a persona that could best be described as “sneering, self-righteous butler.” He’s again more expressive with his body language while in Anti-Cosmo’s service than he is around H.P.

Sanderson Without Pheromone Influence

So if at least part of a drone’s personality can be attributed to the influence of pheromones, what happens if we strip them of pheromones entirely? Here's another scene from "Minion"-

I held her gaze for several beats, then dropped it to the pillow in my lap again. The tension in my legs and hands eased. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be saying these things. Back in Pixie World, the heaters and air conditioning units push the Head Pixie’s smell everywhere at all times of the day. Even after we shower, we just fall into them again. I’m not used to this. Being without." My eyes latched onto a glass bowl on the coffee table. I clicked my teeth. "Smoof. Is this who I really am when all the pheromones come off? Bitter and sassy and critical of everyone and everything? It doesn’t happen often, but it’s unprofessional and demeaning when it does. Do I not really like him? The Head Pixie is my boss. He’s the founder of our company. I have to like him. So where did all of these flaws I see in him suddenly come from? I shouldn’t say that. Don’t tell him I said that.” I clenched my fists to my ears, this time without the spider. “Sanderson is not a fan-derson when the Head goes subordinate. All of a sudden he’s not… He doesn’t seem… I don’t view him as… I start spreading negative gossip about him. Like this. I ought to be ashamed, but I’m just not in the state of mind to be ashamed. Do you regular kabouters ever get like this, Adelinda, or is this the curse of drones?” “I can relate. It is called being annoyed, pixie. It’s an emotion.” I fumed for a few seconds, unable to think up a clever response for her rebuttal. My hands slid down my face and then dropped into my lap. “Well, I don’t like it. I hate the ‘freedom’ of being a drone without a gyne. I’m nothing without one." My voice splintered. Reaching for my knee, I finished, "And I wish I’d remember that. But without pheromones, my brain doesn’t want to. Thank you for the towel. My thoughts are clearer without conflicting scents raging in my head. However, there’s still an empty deadness inside me. Blankness. Lostness. It’s not natural, Adelinda, to look upon the world and hate your own workplace. To criticize your employer. How can kabouters ever get by holding positions and doing part-time work like it’s some passing fling, not devoting every ounce of their passion to what they do? How can they serve someone and contentedly work side by side in a company doing a job they don’t like with people they don’t like either? I could never live that way.” No, I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. I ran my hands up and down my pant leg. “If this is what it’s like to be a kabouter, to live life hating the daily grind, never pleased with what you have, spotting flaws everywhere and griping about them after-hours, then I’d take being a drone in a wingbeat. But it’s just not natural, to be an independent drone. No one should have to be frustrated with someone they admire.”

Sanderson’s “au naturel” persona is, as he described himself, “Bitter and sassy and critical of everyone and everything” to a higher degree than he is when under the influence of most dominant figures, whose pheromones tend to suppress the part of him that snarks back (Exception being Anti-Cosmo, who as a bat instead of an insect, doesn’t produce impressive pheromones).

“Blank slate” Sanderson is more nervous and questioning, seeking approval from outside sources and constantly second-guessing himself. He’s more active with his hands: covering his ears, touching his face, holding his knee to his chest, and expressing himself through more body language than H.P.’s influence typically allows. His voice even cracks.

Without the presence of pheromones, Sanderson feels like a small child separated from his parent in a shoe store... unsure and overwhelmed. He acted in a similar way during Chapter 8 of Baby, You’re a Rich Man when he hadn’t been exposed to pheromones for days.

Although Fairy society may look down on drones, sometimes viewing them as cowards or as oddballs who gain masochistic pleasure from their “servitude,” in Sanderson’s mind (and in the mind of many drones), this is simply his role in life, and he accepts it. He lacks any desire to strike out on his own and raise his own family, because he prioritizes H.P.’s happiness- and, by extension, his own financial and shelter-related security. He simply enjoys being around H.P.

A drone is a creature who will loyally follow his gyne everywhere, and even raise his gyne’s children if he’s asked to. A gyne’s life consists of balancing his own needs with those of the drones who are subordinate to him, not to mention the needs of a potential wife and children.

Drones desire loyalty and intimate affection from their gyne much the way a romantic partner does, albeit in a slightly different way. There’s no question that H.P. has his work cut out for him, balancing so many pixie drones. No surprise, perhaps, that he isn’t married.

Wolbachia Notes

The bacteria Wolbachia pipientis has several properties, known as phenotypes. These are:

- Feminization -> Masculinization, to mirror FOP reproductive lore (During prenatal development, unborn children have their ZW sex traits overwritten with ZZ sex traits) - Parthenogenesis (Asexual reproduction; genetically identical offspring) - Male killing -> Female killing (Damsels who contract Wolbachia don't survive; Pixies with ZW chromosomes do because of aforementioned masculinization making them look like ZZs to the bacteria) - Cytoplasmic incompatibility (Inability to reproduce non-asexually, except with infected males females)

The masculinization phenotype of the Pixies' Wolbachia pipientis messes with the reproductive system. There ARE pixie kabouters, but they don't know they're kabouters because they're raised believing they're drones. Some pixies have ZW sex chromosomes, but were masculinized: looking at their outer body and internal reproductive system, you might assume they're also ZZ.

In other words, pixies are described as an "all-male species." Some have ZZ chromosomes and some have ZW. Chromosomes are pretty irrelevant for them; most don't know which set they have.

The pixie Smith is an unusual case: he had ZW chromosomes during prenatal development. He was masculinized by Wolbachia, exposed to jelly at a very young age, and ended up a ZW gyne.

Smith's pheromones are overpowering. He has conflicting hormones trying to express him as both a kabouter and a gyne. In other words, he has "double pheromones" and turns a lot of heads- Even the Anti-Fairies can smell him easily.

Clarifying note- Masculinized pixies don't get their sex chromosomes replaced with new ones- They get their hormones and such replaced so their body expresses the sex traits associated with ZZ chromosomes. Or in Smith's case, you get ALL the sex traits fighting for space and the body does its best to make that work.

- Many Fairies gossip about how attractive Smith is (despite shunning Pixies in general). In "Dignity," he's married off (unhappily) to a korrigan named Montana Powers. - Smith isn't H.P.'s heir, but he's next in line if Vice President Longwood loses the position. Smith is a rebellious braggart who flaunts his pheromones and challenges H.P.'s authority. "Letters and Numbers" is a good example. - H.P.'s non-identical daughter (Commelina) is the only ZW pixie who identifies as a damsel. She was born through an incredibly specific Wolbachia situation discussed in the Origin of the Pixies chapter "The Fading of Light" (Major story spoilers) - Commelina does not have Wolbachia and - like a Fairy damsel - would die if she came into contact with it. - In the Origin of the Pixies chapter "Fruitful Fruition," the cherubs bypassed H.P.'s cytoplasmic incompatibility by placing an egg directly in his uterus (Eggs are usually stored in the head and travel down).

Additional Chromosome Notes

- Witches are born with XXZ or XYZ chromosomes. Those with XXZ may or may not be sterile, but those with XYZ are always sterile (as far as studies have shown). - Juandissimo has no sex chromosomes; he was finger-snapped into existence by a genie, so his internal systems run on genie-given magic. On paper, he and his counterparts are listed as 00. He's infertile because even though he has reproductive anatomy shaped like a Fairy's, his chromosomes are incompatible. - Poof and Foop DO have sex chromosomes since they were conceived by their parents (not summoned without pregnancy). They won't have any chromosome-related issues when it comes to reproducing.

Poof can only reproduce if he's a dominant gyne. When he's submissive, his fertility switches off. Foop's ability to reproduce is in Poof's hands- He's unable to have children unless Poof has a child, at which point he's magically forced to have a child too. Further reading on that in the honey-lock section of Class Overview: Anti-Fairies.

Closing Note

These sex chromosomes apply to several AUs of mine, such as Cloudlands and City Lights.

Reedfilter Rules AU is notable for fluidity with their bodies. The RR Fae are shapeshifters, can change species, and reproduce freely with any Fairy, Anti-Fairy, or Pixie. It's not likely they know what chromosomes are (let alone sex chromosomes) apart from a thing they need to learn about so they can shapeshift into various living things.

Related Posts:

- Class Overview: Fairies - Class Overview: Pixies - Freckle Distribution in Gyne Fairies - Preening Signals - H.P. and Sanderson's Short Bios - Commelina's Short Bio - Jorgen and Binky's Short Bios - The 130 Summaries page uses the 🔷 to mark works that contain non-sexual intimacy, with gyne-drone relationships being one example.

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OVERVIEW

Full Name: Anti-Cosmo Julius Anti-Cosma (née Anti-Lunifly)

Title(s): High Count / Vürstlik / Creche father of the Anti-Fairywinkle colony

Preferred Form of Address: Anti-Cosmo

Alternate Forms of Address: Esteemed High Count / Sunnie’s champion / Julius / Anti-Cozzie / A.C. / Father / Papa

Vatajasa Name: Pag-sün d'eskel (Eskel) - Conceived under milbark trees

Aspiration: Be a good example by striving for equality and encouraging the next generation to do the same

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Born: Summer of the Black Lake

Zodiac: Water

Birthday: July 13th (Flight’s Honour Festival)

Hometown: Luna’s Landing - Raised in the Blue Castle near the Anti-Fairy capital city

Came Into Adult Wings: 159,223 (Average)

Age During Frozen Timestream: 381,444 (Mentally 34)

Age As of “Live For the Moment”: 528,875 (Mentally 47)

Age As of Devil’s Backbone: 544,704 (Mentally 48)

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Race: Fae (Unseelie Court)

Species: Anti-Fairy

Ethnicity: 3/4 common anti-fairy (Faeumbra fae), 1/4 anti-brownie (Faeumbra mundus)

Nationality: Hy-Brasilian (Obtained at birth)

Patron Bat: Tadarida brasiliensis (Mexican free-tailed bat)

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Gender: Drake

For part of his youth, Anti-Cosmo was referred to with they/them pronouns. This is due to the Anti-Fairy belief that his mood swings are the result of a nature spirit named Clarice living in his head.

Anti-Cosmo prefers he/him over they/them and refers to himself as such. While most Anti-Fairies don’t know he was ever addressed like this as a child, a few people in the know still insist on using they/them (despite his protests).

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Mindset: Kabouter

As a kabouter, Anti-Cosmo is less prone to expressing bat behaviors than pilots are.

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Counterparts: Cosmo > Dame Cosmo > Anti-Cosmo 

Core: Storage space - Easily overlooked, doesn't attract high expectations, but incredibly versatile (and lifechanging, too)

Core Color: Green

Core Trait: Keep an open mind and strive to make choices that lead to happiness, even if it’s not what others say is best for them

Primary Fairy: Shy, goofy idiot with occasional genius flashes

Fairy Refract: Flighty kleptomaniac with incredible street smarts

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Stats:

Power: Below Average

Endurance: Average

Wisdom: Above Average

Adaptability: Above Average

Charisma: Average

Openness: Above Average

Conscientiousness: Below Average

Neuroticism: Above Average

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Magic:  Tomte  |  Unstable  |  Weak  |  Average  |  Strong  |  Luz Mala

Crown Lift: Low

Karmic Weave:  Frayed  |  Sparse  |  Plain  |  Average  |  Thick  |  Elaborate  | Royal  |  At Equilibrium  ||  Manifests as ballgown (Unstable)

Fagiggly Color: Blue

Preferred Shapeshifting Form: Rat (Formerly fox)

Signature Tactic: Demon’s Tooth - Anti-Cosmo’s long-distance magic leaves something to be desired, but his strength lies in knife-wielding. He’s rather dangerous up close, especially since he can regenerate (and hosting Sunnie gives him an agility boost).

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Wand Type: Pumice

Requires a brief recharge between wand blasts; cap is loose and worn because Anti-Cosmo has a nervous habit of twisting it on and off

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Family: High status through marriage to the Anti-Coppertalon line (Anti-Lunifly)

Creed: Quil sa jujin relniva quilla s’raju - “Calm the spirits and they will calm your storms.”

Caretaker Spirits: Her Glory Cadema (The fox) and His Glory Perez (The rat)

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Permanent Residence: Blue Castle, Luna’s Landing; Anti-Fairy World

- High South Region (Navy)

- Also has a private jail cell

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Occupation: High Count; genie breeder; babysitter of demigods; Foop’s mentor in the ways of ruling Anti-Fairy World (Allegedly)

Ruled: Year of the Red Dirt - Present day

Former Heir: Talon Anti-Lunifly

Heir Presumptive: Foop Anti-Cosma-Anti-Fairywinkle

Previous Employment: Worked at the Sugarslew Chocolate Factory as a teen; interned under Venus Eros at the Eros Nest after that; First General under Anti-Bryndin for many years

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BACKGROUND

Self-Perception: A hard-working, skittish, and socially awkward leader of his people who is very aware of his limitations but does his best anyway.

Alignment: Chaotic Good

MBTI: ENTP

Deadly Sin: Lust

Heavenly Virtue: Temperance

Love Language: Physical touch

Reinforcers: Assurance; he needs verbal approval to feel good about himself and his decisions

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History: Born the son of a concubine and a castle servant, Anti-Cosmo was never expected to amount to much (despite technically being High Count Anti-Bryndin’s stepson).

After a rebellious phase in his youth he never quite grew out of and a failed stint in studying godparenting at the Academy, he turned to a life of breeding some of the last known genies in the universe. This attracted the attention of his creche father (High Count Anti-Bryndin), catapulting the young anti-fairy into the coveted position of First General just before the War of the Angels.

Eventually, Anti-Cosmo usurped Anti-Bryndin’s position and took over as High Count. He’ll go down in history for the Anti-Cosma v. Adelinda von Strangle case, founding the Genie Conservation Program, reorganizing Anti-Fairy World’s entire food supply, sealing away the anti-pixies, technically being responsible for Anti-Fairies becoming visible on Earth again, and his infamous scheme to outwit the honey-lock.

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Personality: Very deliberate in his actions, even the impulsive ones. Knows exactly what he wants and is very difficult to turn off from an idea. Tries to remain smooth, but often comes off as nervous- ranges between charming and socially awkward depending on his impression of the other party’s mood. Will argue, shriek, and lash out at objects when upset.

Rather scattered and disorganized, but this doesn’t stop him from working on a million more plans when he has alone time (not that many of these plans ever see the light of day). Has manic and depressive mood swings. He’s the type to plan things out in advance but jump the gun, miss a crucial step, and run with it anyway.

Anti-Cosmo desperately wants a godkid, hoping to mold a child who’ll actually listen to him (unlike his Anti-Fairy children). As a side hobby, he views conquering the universe (well, mostly just Fairy World and Earth) as an intriguing prize that gives him purpose. He prefers circling these targets for weak points and making moves piece by piece.

He’d much prefer to gain experience by completing side quests before throwing himself into a direct boss fight, the way H.P. prefers.

Anti-Cosmo doesn’t enjoy being in the line of fire; direct confrontation isn’t his strong suit. He’d rather shove you down the stairs like a slinky, taking advantage of external social and political factors that prevent you from clawing your way back up to seize command. And he’ll brag about it all the while, too; there’s no glory in success unless accompanied by recognition.

Anti-Cosmo isn’t one to rest on laurels. He’s achieved many successes in the past, from overthrowing the former leader of the Anti-Fairies to achieving his dream of fathering biological children, but finds no satisfaction in life unless he’s working towards his next big bragging opportunity.

He’s caught in a constant loop of striving for grand successes and feeling like a failure each time he falls short, always looking ahead instead of admiring how far he’s come.

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Special Note - Divus Displacement Disorder (D3): Anti-Cosmo has a magical parallel of bipolar disorder. He experiences mood swings, energy swings, and hypersexuality. Rather than taking lithium (a drug helpful for bipolar disorder), he paints bottled Fairy pheromones on his cheeks and forehead. These soothe his fluctuating energy periods. Unfortunately, he enjoys the emotional highs so much that he rarely wants to give them up.

Anti-Cosmo has struggled with hypersexuality since his early adolescence. His impulsive desires often damage his relationships or otherwise get him into trouble (socially, emotionally, or politically).

Just as with his other pursuits in life, Anti-Cosmo constantly looks ahead to the next success he can win, yet fails to find satisfaction every time. He assures himself his next dangerous escapade will delight him, but thrills are always fleeting. He’s easily bored, easily distracted, and never settles down.

Lack of achievement makes him feel shameful and helpless, leading him to plunge into anxiety. Anti-Wanda supports her husband as best she can and they’re working through it together.

Anti-Cosmo is the protagonist of Frayed Knots, which depicts many of his struggles in life (especially in regards to D3 and hypersexuality)

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Education: Young Julius was specifically selected to attend Spellementary School despite Anti-Fairy children not being allowed to after the War of the Sunset Divide; High Count Anti-Bryndin paid handsomely so he could go and test the waters for Anti-Bryndin’s son Anti-Phillip (Winslow) to potentially attend in the future.

Julius didn’t last long in Spellementary, but did receive special one-on-one architectural and interior design training from several Anti-Fairy experts.

Despite many bumps in the road, Anti-Cosmo eventually studied genies and is widely known as a genie expert in modern times.

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Spellementary School: Was specially invited to Spellementary School (in contrast to Cosmo Prime being homeschooled). Only attended for a day before he embarrassed himself and refused to return. He interacted with many Fairies at school and, upon being judged, began developing prejudice towards Fairies himself.

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Middle School: Attended Frederick Shinesworth and easily established himself as more of an academic than a jock. Notably, he was roommates with Anti-Lance, another very intelligent Anti-Fairy who had been permitted to gain a Fairy education.

Julius performed very well in his studies and also interned at the Eros Nest during this time, where he studied pixie behavior and learned more about genies (since up until now his knowledge of genies was self-taught).

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High School: After a hiatus from his education, Anti-Cosmo attended Carl Poofypants High, where he befriended Wanda and Blonda and finally met Cosmo. Once again, Anti-Cosmo established himself as very intelligent. However, while many Fairies were happy to study with him during middle school, his braggart attitude during high school put many people off.

Anti-Cosmo planned to specialize in art history, but switched his focus to godparenting in an attempt to get closer to Wanda; the two were roommates and partners during a study abroad godparenting program.

He and Blonda were good friends in high school. They were briefly in an interspecies relationship despite social disapproval

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Further Education: Anti-Cosmo did not graduate from any further Fairy education facilities; however, he continued learning about genies, founded the Genie Conservation Program, and is regarded today as an expert authority on genies.

He rose through the ranks of Anti-Fairy society and became First General after Anti-Buster, and went on to become High Count of the Anti-Fairies after that.

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Favorite Magic Subject: Cloudscaping and Terraforming

Least Favorite Magic Subject: Flying Carpet Weaving

Favorite Non-Magic Subject: Hospitality and Tourism

Least Favorite Non-Magic Subject: Electricity and Magnetism

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Notable Likes:

- Tea

- Reading

- Creating and buying art (Paintings and strange sculptures especially)

- Poetry

- Friendly animals

- The color blue

- White chocolate

- Gothic and art deco architecture

- Elegant clothes

- Genies

- Traveling for vacations

- People who listen to him talk

- Bragging about his plans

- Moments he and Foop get along and feel like part of a happy family

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Goals:

- Satisfy Anti-Wanda with anything her soul desires

- Argue for the rights of his people

- Distribute balance throughout the universe

- Raise an heir for the High Count seat

- Find his kids good significant others

- Preserve the genie race

- Finally beat H.P. in golf or fidchell

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Beliefs:

- Believes in the Zodii teachings (e.g. reincarnation, fate, evolution)

- All things are alive and even inanimate objects ought to be treated with respect

- Fairies are spoiled, arrogant bullies who are quick to overreact

- Dealing with a bad seed is worth winning over the garden

- Anti-Fairy World may be doomed when Foop takes over, so he must doom Fairy World first

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Fears:

- Being buried alive. He refuses to go underground (or undercloud) if it can be avoided, though he makes an exception for zodiac temples

- Outliving his children (He fears for both their well-being and his nation’s)

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Upsets:

- Frustrated by snark and disobedience (especially from a certain spoiled brat)

- Fairy news riles him up, but he can’t stop watching it

- Stressed when people don’t like him, don’t seem to be paying attention to him in conversation, or don’t show up on time

- Very annoyed when people are late (Especially if it’s him)

- Flustered when people ask him complicated questions in public and when he feels he’s made a social blunder

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Comforts: Snuggles, gentle kisses, near-constant reassurance, the unwavering support of his people behind him.

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Indulgences: Loves reading and romance; his secret weakness is white chocolate.

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EXTERNAL

Verbal Notes: Anti-Cosmo is very loud, often yelling. He has a tendency to shriek, plead, and whine, and generally expects people to pity him. His temper often gets the better of him. When in his manic state, he’s an enormous braggart. When in a depressive state, he’s more self-deprecating. He uses an advanced level of vocabulary.

One of Anti-Cosmo’s quirks is using phrases such as “you and I” at the ends of his sentences when the correct phrase would be “you and me.” He frequently ends sentences with the stereotypical British phrase, “You know what I mean?” or begins them with the phrase “I say!” Another common line is “For smoke’s sake!” or “Good smoke.”

Anti-Cosmo is very literal and answers rhetorical questions. He’ll also jump in and answer for other people. He can pick up new slang quickly, but language barriers still trip him up.

He’s still mortified over this one time he implied he and the Head Pixie had an affair... Sleeping together has a much more platonic meaning for Anti-Fairies than for Fairies.

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Language: Anti-Cosmo has a High Southian accent. He speaks Snobbish fluently, can get by awkwardly in Vatajasa, knows some Milesian, and knows some Gaideliac.

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Physical Notes: He’s very short and light; H.P. can easily carry him over one shoulder. Blind in his other eye. Prone to flushing. Poorly-healed right wing means he limps, leaning to that side when he floats.

Handedness: Favors his left hand, except when wielding his wand or other weapons while in a serious mindset. Has a tendency to switch things to his left hand after picking them up, even if it means throwing something that was already in that hand over his shoulder.

Body Language: Overly expressive with his arms. Kicks up his heels when irritated or delighted. Splays his fingers when alarmed, clenches his fists when angry or gleeful. Folds one arm behind his head while in a cocky mood. Regularly crosses one leg over the other while he sits.

Puffs his cheeks when annoyed; has a habit of tapping his wand against his knee at the same time. When uneasy, he twists the cap of his wand around. Often huffs upwards, making his bangs billow. Frequently sets his hands to his hips when sassy or irritated.

Hair: Blue and permanently scruffy just like his father’s. He has a bald spot in the middle due to having a scent gland there, like a sugar glider. His hair is long in the back and reaches his shoulders in messy curls, but there isn’t quite enough to tie it up.

As with Cosmo, I draw Anti-Cosmo with a 'C' tuft in the back of his hair. However, Anti-Cosmo's usually remains in the C direction while Cosmo's follows the position of his head.

Teeth: Has large fangs for an Anti-Fairy and is considered highly attractive in Anti-Fairy society because of it.

Wings: Wings are based on the Mexican free-tailed bat. Anti-Cosmo limps on his right side when he flies, allegedly from jumping out a castle window the day he was born. It never quite healed. He has three small punctures near the edge of each wing, mirroring the commitment notches in Cosmo’s wings.

Iris Virus: Inherited (Maternal)

Scars: He’s completely blind in his left eye, though it hasn’t lost its bright green color. Additionally, the Water zodiac symbol is branded into the underside of his right wrist. His ears are scruffy at the tips because he cut them with a knife as a child.

Has a blatant star-shaped scar below his chest (in the belly area, above his stomach pouch) due to his fagiggly gland transplant (S5′s “The Gland Plan”).

Tattoos: Not entirely a tattoo, but several ultraviolet spirals can be found along the left side of his neck, down his collar, and across the upper part of his chest. They glow turquoise in the dark.

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Style: Tries to look prim and proper, but often comes off as scatterbrained.

Regular Clothing: Wears a navy blue morning coat along with his famous cravat.

Casual Clothing: Black undershirt with seven colored patches arranged in a circle, symbolizing the Fae zodiac.

Nightwear: Black silk tops and bottoms. His favorite nightwear is actually a black nightshirt, but he only wears it when Anti-Wanda is out travelling or he’s away from Anti-Fairy World, when he’ll be sleeping lying down rather than roosting.

Ceremonial Clothing: Fond of black robes. Likes wearing silver during elegant affairs.

Other: Wears a blue robe with silver crescent moons during very serious meetings with high-ranking people.

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Height: 2′11″ (Short for a fae)

Hygiene: Scruffy and disorganized in private. Constantly forgets to bathe and brush his teeth, and has been known to dunk himself in acid or lava before a meeting in order to burn off the dirt.

That said, his clothes are always clean. When in public, he makes an effort to appear cleaner than he is behind closed doors. Has many servants who keep the Blue Castle nice and tidy.

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Morning Schedule: Assuming he actually slept, Anti-Cosmo wakes up late since chances are he stayed up working on something outrageous (or alternatively, wooing Anti-Wanda).

Anti-Cosmo doesn’t like being seen in improper clothing at the wrong time, so he always splashes water on his face, runs his claws through his hair, and dresses before he leaves the camarilla roosting room. He does take pride in his appearance, even if he still comes off as messy.

It’s uncommon for him to be awake in time to join the rest of the Castle at breakfast, so the servants deliver meals to his office.

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Typical Day Schedule: If Anti-Cosmo had his way, he’d design new evil plans all week and throw them into action over the weekend. He still does this when he can, but he’s also High Count of the Anti-Fairy race and has to do boring government-oriented things too. During and after breakfast, he’ll review whatever paperwork he was looking at the previous night and try to make decisions that are best for his people.

His job mostly entails reading memos written by the camarilla court and deciding whether or not to give them his stamp of approval. Sometimes he prepares and practices speeches, or writes letters to the Fairy Council. Occasionally he may join an important figurehead for lunch. He also keeps an eye on a few genies who are part of the conservation program he runs.

As creche father of his colony, it’s Anti-Cosmo’s responsibility to look after the pups who live in the castle. Their parents take care of them in the morning and Anti-Fairy pups can provide for themselves for the most part, but he always checks in on them before noon and several times throughout the day to provide healthy snacks, teach a daily class about life and the world, and just generally socialize with them and answer any questions they may have.

He and Foop don’t get along; he prefers to avoid his son when possible, but often can’t. Irritating brat or not, Foop is still his heir and job-shadows him every few days so he can prepare to take over as High Count in the future. 

He and H.P. share custody over an anti-fairy child named Talon who is an acolyte at the Water Temple; occasionally, Talon stays at the Blue Castle for weeks or months at a time, being a broody teenager who doesn’t get along well with Foop (who replaced him as heir presumptive).

Anti-Cosmo frequently visits the Water Temple in Pixie World (often spending a week there) and sometimes meets with H.P., sometimes doesn’t.

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Evening Schedule: Anti-Cosmo receives new papers to look over in the evenings, and will read them once before making decisions in the morning. He’s athletic and strives to stay that way- he gets stir-crazy after hours of sitting inside, he’s the medium for the nature spirit of agility, and keeping in shape for the next Fairy World Games never hurt anyone.

He frequently leaves the Castle in the evenings to run, swim, or fly around the nearby area (something which the other nobles frown at as dangerous since he could easily be kidnapped or hurt).

If Anti-Wanda is home, she generally goes with him (and listens to him chatter about his current projects); otherwise, he may go by himself or possibly drag Foop along in an attempt to bond with or educate him.

Evenings after exercise is the typical time for him to wash up (Anti-Wanda may join him on occasions or may not). Generally the last one up and about, he gives the Castle corridors a final sweep before heading to the camarilla roosting room.

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Sleep Schedule: Anti-Cosmo’s sleep schedule is a wreck. He tends to stay up late or not go to sleep at all, and often wakes up earlier than planned due to the noise that can fill the roosting room in the morning. He’s a deep sleeper, at least, but once woken, it’s impossible to get to sleep again.

He hates naps, so if he isn’t well-rested he’s often cranky all day. He always stays up late when in prison or during the weeks Anti-Wanda is out traveling. However, when she’s home, he often follows her to roost and is, if nothing else, IN bed at a reasonable time (though he might stay up for another few hours enthusing over something, ranting about something, or wooing her).

If he didn’t sleep the night before he generally goes to bed early the following night; when Anti-Wanda isn’t in the Castle, he sometimes sleeps in the nursery with the pups (or with the juveniles if there’s someone he particularly wants to keep an eye on).

On colder nights, he’ll snuggle up with other members of the camarilla court (most likely his cousin and loyal First General, Anti-Poof Anti-Everwish).

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PERSONAL

Relationship Status:

- Married to Anti-Wanda

- Wedding Anniversary: October 13th

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Ideal Relationship: Regular physical touch when he’s in the mood is a must, but someone who’ll give him personal space when he wants it is equally important.

Anti-Cosmo needs a partner interested in his ideas and supportive of his dreams. Someone who can run wild with him while he’s energetic, but is gentle enough to comfort him at his low points.

Flexibility is crucial, and he found that in Anti-Wanda.

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Sexuality: Romantically and sexually attracted to many sentient species in the universe; demisexual.

On paper, he’s panromantic graysexual (generally referred to as demisexual) and struggles with hypersexuality (one of his D3 symptoms)

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Attractiveness: Anti-Cosmo is considered a somewhat attractive anti-fairy by Anti-Fairy standards. His brains and noble upbringing win him many points, but his shorter-than-average stature and general “off-ness” have long made potential partners hesitate.

The fact that he’s High Count has made him desirable for those seeking one-night stands; his hypersexuality is widely known, and many curious Anti-Fairies daydream about what it would be like to have the High Count sweep them off their feet on a day his energy is at its highest.

By Fairy standards, Anti-Cosmo is far from attractive. He’s physically weak, magically weak, and unpredictable to the point of chaos. Chaotic does not an attractive figure make in Fairy eyes.

By Pixie standards, Anti-Cosmo holds a pleasantly high rank in society, but his wildly fluctuating moods affect his dominance. At his most confident he’s considered quite attractive, but Anti-Wanda is seen as more attractive during long periods of time when Anti-Cosmo crumples into an anxious, self-loathing mood.

Many would argue Anti-Wanda’s reliable stability makes her the more desirable catch all the time, so pixies are often confused by gossip suggesting that Anti-Cosmo and H.P. have had romantic affairs. No...? Why would their boss go for Anti-Cosmo when he could have Anti-Wanda instead? How illogical.

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Intimate History: Regular sociosexual interaction with fellow Anti-Fairies, in line with their culture. Was groomed and taken advantage of by his lifelong friend and later boyfriend (Anti-Kanin). He’s still in denial this happened and vehemently defends his friend.

Considers his first “real” sexual experience to be a fling he had with a drake named Anti-Apollo. Later, when imprisoned in the Anti-Fairy enclosure at the Eros Nest - a zoo run by Cupid’s family - he had a fling with a damsel named Il d'ijärv [Anti-Pine]. Had a few more flings after that, including a relationship with Blonda. Was regularly intimate with his first wife (Anti-Saffron), whom he passed the iris virus to. 

Anti-Cosmo has a long string of partners lurking in his past, but he strives to be faithful to Anti-Wanda (apart from a few dozen flings he’s had when his hypersexuality proved difficult to fight).

Anti-Cosmo cheats on Anti-Wanda, especially when she’s away traveling. He zigzags between “She wouldn’t leave me if she loved me” and “I have needs” and “I’m a horrible person” and “I don’t deserve her.

Anti-Fairy society has an interesting view of sex (as their culture is sociosexual); Anti-Cosmo is a unique case with hypersexuality in a world where it’s not easy to find information or get help. Anti-Wanda forgives him and shows love without hesitation; she’s far more interested in where his  mind and heart lie than his physical touch.

It’s worth pointing out that as High Count, he’s preened occasionally with political figureheads, so there’s some intimate history between him and H.P. Fairies and Anti-Fairies alike suspect Anti-Cosmo has regular affairs with H.P. behind Anti-Wanda’s back.

Anti-Cosmo tends to wave such questions off with cryptic amusement and a chuckle, neither wholly confirming nor denying it (to the Head Pixie’s irritation, since it casts doubt on his own denials).

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Turn-Ons: Anti-Cosmo is a very physical person who likes to let his hands wander. He likes tracing them along Anti-Wanda’s hips, or playing with her wings... he has a thing for wings.

He loves it when Anti-Wanda draws patterns across his skin with her fingertips, and we haven’t even mentioned the kisses. He’s a man of spontaneity who lives for wild, playful encounters (especially when his hypersexuality kicks in).

His biggest turn-on is being the more submissive one in a relationship; he can be charming and make the first move and whatnot, but he loves it when Anti-Wanda toys with him.

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Kiff-Tie: Anti-Cosmo currently hosts the nature spirit Prince Sunday (“Sunnie”), the zodiac spirit who wields control over water. The gem he wears on his cravat is evidence of this fact. Sunnie can take control of Anti-Cosmo’s body, but only in one of the other six Zodiac Temples or if Anti-Cosmo grants him explicit permission (i.e. he can’t simply seize control if Anti-Cosmo happens to be tired or hurt).

Taking full control of Anti-Cosmo’s body is rare; normally Anti-Cosmo will only allow him a hand to gesture with or a mouth to speak with.

For the most part, however, Anti-Cosmo and Sunnie simply share a mental link. Anti-Cosmo is essentially Sunnie’s yoo-doo doll, and Sunnie experiences all the physical and emotional sensations that Anti-Cosmo does while the two are tied. The two cannot have mental conversations, although Anti-Cosmo can sense when Sunnie becomes restless, upset, or excited.

Sometimes Anti-Cosmo wakes up in the middle of the night, groggy, and wanders off to take care of whatever got the spirit agitated (Like turning off a faucet that was left on, picking a book off the floor, pulling the drapes shut in some room on another floor of the castle, or getting a midnight snack). Sunnie can be pretty picky and easily upset, and Anti-Cosmo does a lot of strange little things at random times of the day.

Anti-Cosmo has described the sensation of being tied with a nature spirit as “feeling permanently turned on” (See the Frayed Knots chapter “Sunnie Rise”).

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Honey-Lock Partner: Anti-Wanda

Bound by honey-lock 3 months after their counterparts mate (No more than once every 500 years due to common fairy heat cycles and biology).

I heard rumor something else happened once, but I’m sure it’s nothing important.....

Anti-Cosmo’s Family Tree: HERE

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Father: Anti-Robin Sr. Tiberius Anti-Cosma

Grandfather: Anti-Gonzo Anti-Cosma

Grandmother: Anti-Starling Anti-Cosma (née Anti-Lilytail)

Uncle: Anti-Hawk Anti-Cosma

Notable Ancestors: Anti-Ky Anti-Braddocki (Anti-brownie holotype)

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Mother: Anti-Florensa Eleanor Anti-Lunifly

Grandfather: Anti-Jasper Anti-Lunifly

Grandmother: Anti-Miranda Anti-Twigfall

Grandmother’s Civil Fairy Partner: Lucas Rainwings

Aunt: Anti-Joanie Anti-Lunifly

Cousin: Anti-Poof Anti-Everwish

Uncle: Anti-Harold Anti-Lunifly

Cousin: Anti-Estella Anti-Lunifly

Notable Ancestors: Distantly related to the Anti-von Strangle family

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Brother: Anti-Robin Jr. “Anti-Schnozmo” Augustus Anti-Lunifly

Sister-In-Law: Anti-Ingrid Anti-Wandflick

Niece: Anti-Snowball Anti-Lunifly

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Ex-Boyfriend: Anti-Kanin Caden Anti-Fairywinkle

Met just after birth

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Ex-Wife: Anti-Saffron Mona Anti-Feldspar

Met at age 4

Stepdaughter: Anti-Miranda Eurydice Anti-Feldspar

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Wife: Anti-Wanda Venus Anti-Fairywinkle

Met at age 21

Sons: Anti-Poof (Foop), Anti-Poof (Hiccup), Anti-Dusty (Smoky)

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Major Political Ally: Head Pixie the First

Met at age 128,288

“Nephew”: Talon Anti-Lunifly - See Frayed Knots

“Niece”: Larkspur Mayfleet - See “Health Bars”

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Current Love Interest: Anti-Wanda; has a secret crush on Wanda Prime too

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Nature Spirits: Anti-Cosmo is also referred to as “Sunnie’s champion” as he is medium for Prince Sunday, the zodiac spirit of water, focus, and agility. They share a physical, mental, and magical bond known as a kiff-tie.

Whenever Anti-Cosmo sees, smells, touches, tastes, or hears a thing, Sunnie can also sense that thing. Though the two cannot communicate telepathically, Anti-Cosmo can generally get an idea of Sunnie’s desires since he can feel the spirit’s emotions.

Sunnie is extremely picky and whines when he doesn’t get what he wants (which is often a swim, dessert, soft animal, shiny object, or kisses); the emotions can become overwhelming for Anti-Cosmo when Sunnie is upset.

Sunnie cannot take over Anti-Cosmo’s body unless Anti-Cosmo freely offers it to him and cannot use any nature spirit magic unless in harmony with his medium, but the mental link they share can wreck Anti-Cosmo’s unstable emotions on top of his usual mood swings. All of this makes Anti-Cosmo a chaotic and unpredictable being who still has a passionate, hardworking soul at his core.

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Other Important Relationships: Considers Cosmo his cousin (and Poof & Dusty his nephews). He doesn’t get along well with Jorgen or with Anti-Sanderson, but he does have a rocky friendship with Dame Artemis Cairo.

He’s raised many genies as part of the genie conservation program and is very fond of almost all of them.

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TRIVIA

- As High Count, he owns an official stamp that he uses to approve important documents. It also functions as a credit card. The stamp is identical to Anti-Wanda’s since they’re legally equals, but Anti-Cosmo uses green ink whereas Anti-Wanda uses pink.

- Like all Anti-Fairy drakes, he has a scent gland on his head. He doesn’t consciously think about it, but he nuzzles his head against people (or doors) he considers “his” in order to mark them as such.

- Cosmo’s middle name was revealed to be Julius in the printed comic “Baby Factory” (March 2007) and confirmed again in “77 Secrets of ‘The Fairly OddParents’ (Revealed)”

- Frequently dissociates and will either withdraw or wander off on his own for long periods of time; occasionally suffers from dissociative amnesia.

- Has strong legs; would sooner kick than punch. He’s able to take off from the ground, which many Anti-Fairies can’t do.

- Has an extremely long tongue pierced with several studs in the back.

- Paces while floating (in contrast with Foop, who paces while walking).

- Can’t use magic if Cosmo hasn’t been drinking his milk.

- Bottles his emotions until they explode.

- His lifelong rival (Anti-Phillip) has the same name as Cosmo’s beloved nickel (although Philip is a girl nickel).

- Really doesn’t like his food touching.

- Raised Talon as his heir until Foop came along (See the latter half of Frayed Knots for more details); Talon is meant to be the anti-fairy child Anti-Cosmo and H.P. were implied to have raised together in “Fairly Odd Baby.”

- Dots his Is and Js with hearts

- The small nose is fake; he disguises it with magic.

- Secret Pokémon nerd.

APPEARANCES

Main Blog Tag - #The bat with the hat

Sideblog Tag - #RD AntiCosmo

Sideblog Masterpost

AO3 Tag - #Anti-Cosmo

130 Reasons Why I’m Fairy Trash - 130 Prompts series

BASICS

It should come as no surprise that Anti-Fairies, being bat people, live in colonies. Some travel, others stay still, and some are divided into categories such as unmarried or nursing individuals. We cover them all below!

Subcultures may vary, but traditionally, damsels can speak to other Anti-Fairies, but are forbidden to speak directly to all but the lowest-ranked Fairies.

Colonies share the creche father's family name.

Anti-Fairy society as a whole welcomes same-sex couples. They're all about living freely and partnering with whomever you like- They cannot become pregnant until their Fairy counterparts do, and it's expected someday, most people will experience the honey-lock instinct and mate with a potential stranger... possibly becoming pregnant in the process. Since the Fairies pull the puppet strings, why not live your own life wherever you can?

Honey-lock: The flood of hormones that hits an Anti-Fairy pair 3 months after their counterparts mate, driving them to find each other and mate in response).

Anti-Fairy society is very patriarchal- It always has been and likely will be far into the future. Colonies are headed by a drake - the creche father - whose duty is to look after the damsels and pups born into his colony.

Drake and damsel are gendered terms for fae

The creche father speaks for his colony. Where Fairy society is big on honesty, straightforward communication, and occasional fights to the death, Anti-Fairy society is a game of mind and politeness, not brute strength. They consider direct confrontation rude, so most avoid it when possible. Instead, low-rank Anti-Fairies will convey their feelings to more dominant members (such as a creche father or parent), who then convey that message to another individual- Likely the creche father or parent of the offender.

Anti-Fairy society draws inspiration not just from bats, but also bonobos- A social species known for turning to their mothers for education, matchmaking, and protection.

This plays into many Anti-Fairies growing up with their mothers rather than fathers. Some fathers raise the children they sire, but in a society where mating and pregnancy lie with the whims of your Fairy counterpart, families are complicated. Most children are raised by the mother and those she lives with, which may or may not include the biological sire.

In turn, children born into a drake's existing marriage - As in, those born to a damsel he's married to - are legally his to raise, whether or not he sired them.

Ex: Anti-Cosmo was born into the marriage of his mother and her legal partner, who was not his sire. Foop was born into the marriage of two honey-lock partners (Anti-Cosmo and Anti-Wanda).

TYPES OF COLONIES

Live Colony - Any colony that regularly travels the land. Most colonies fall into this category.

The term "traveling colony" is also valid, but less common.

Standing Colony - Any colony that does not regularly travel the land. The Blue Castle colony is a prime example- They stay near the government building (which was once a place of study akin to an abbey or monestary before it was repurposed).

Colonies in the Eros Nest likewise do not travel.

Half Rotation - Any colony that restricts mating choice to a few dominant individuals ("Mating" refers to mating outside the honey-lock).

In other words, it is NOT socially acceptable for servants or damsels to initiate interest in mating; they're expected to be submissive to high-ranked individuals. Traditionally, the Blue Castle is a standing colony in half rotation.

In most half rotation colonies, unmarried individuals are expected to reciprocate if approached. Rejecting the creche father is a very tense gray area; do so at your own risk. Legal marriage to another individual provides a social safety blanket where rejecting another's advances is much more acceptable.

Full Rotation - Any colony that permits all individuals to mate with any colony member of their choosing (with consent). In other words, it IS socially acceptable for servants and damsels to initiate interest.

Joining rotation as a damsel is opt-in. It is always socially acceptable to refuse in a full rotation colony.

The above four labels are applied to the following three colony types. For instance, you would describe a colony as “a full rotation traditional colony” or “a standing nursing colony.”

Traditional Colony - A colony headed by a creche father, who has a follower drake and either a king or queen (Ruling partner). Beyond the follower drake and a possible king, additional drakes are uncommon.

The majority of the colony consists of damsels. Unmarried damsels "belong" to the creche father; damsels are either in half or full rotation. Traditionally, only the creche father mates with the damsels in his colony- The follower drake is encouraged to slip away and mate with damsels (or drakes) of other colonies. Much less tension with the people you live with that way.

Anti-Fairy births are biased in favor of damsels (with a roughly 75%-25% split).

As a stereotype, creche fathers with fruit bat heritage are more welcoming of low-rank drakes. Creche fathers without fruit bat heritage are more likely to drive rival males from the colony, forcing them to join or form bachelor colonies instead.

Traditional colonies range in size, but you can expect them to fall between 8 and 200 individuals. Some colonies may be even smaller, especially if led by a less experienced creche father.

Bachelor Colony - A colony consisting only of unpartnered drakes (or drakes in long-distance relationships who have not physically settled down) - usually young - who travel together.

It’s rare for an Anti-Fairy drake to go their whole life without joining a bachelor colony. In fact, many subcultures consider such travel to be a rite of passage and/or an important stage of life and growth. If you hope to impress a mate, having travel and personal caretaking experience looks better on you than staying with your birth colony long-term... especially if you still live with Mama.

Some drakes may never settle with a non-bachelor colony. Bachelor colonies are constantly in motion; they are always live and only settle in one spot if there are only two or three individuals.

Bachelor colonies usually have 8 to 20 individuals, but groups of about 5 aren't uncommon. A colony can have as few as 2 members and still be considered a colony.

Nursing Colony - A colony consisting only of damsels, usually ones with young pups and no mate to help them. Such colonies are rare since Anti-Fairy society frowns on damsels who travel without a creche father; society encourages them to join a drake-headed colony as soon as possible. After all, they're not equipped to look after themselves!

Young damsels may travel together even when not nursing pups. If so, they're still categorized as a nursing colony... implication being it's expected at least one of them will have a baby soon enough.

Nursing colonies aren't as common in modern times as they were a few generations back, but they do exist. They most likely have between 5 and 20 damsels in their ranks.

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COLONY RANKS

The Creche Father - Head of an Anti-Fairy colony; often addressed as "Father" by those within the colony, though this isn't required (and some prefer personal names). If you have a favor to ask - or are here to visit someone - you should speak to the creche father so he can assess you before you go about your business. Beelining for someone else first will cause immediate tension in the colony, even if they're a relative.

The High Count is always creche father of the Blue Castle colony. The Blue Castle is a government building, so the titles go hand in hand.

- High Count Anti-Bryndin - Pictured at top with H.P. - was succeeded by High Count Anti-Cosmo. Foop is studying to take over after his father (and will presumably adopt the name High Count Anti-Poof). - Prior Foop's birth, Anti-Cosmo's heir presumptive was Talon Anti-Lunifly, who would've gone on to be High Count Anti-Westley. - Foop's inheritance is not assured. He's kept in check by the threat of losing his inheritance... Most probably, to his younger brother Smoky (Anti-Dusty). He also has several second cousins who could take over as well.

It's the creche father's duty to watch over his colony: he settles disputes, organizes meals, chooses travel routes, and leads the colony to mingle with others during migration season.

Being a sociosexual species (like bonobos), Anti-Fairies often soothe each other with physical touch (Like hugs, nuzzling, or touching a leg under the table). It's widely inappropriate for most to use violence directly towards another person. However, the creche father has a little more leeway when it comes to keeping the colony in line. Cuffing someone behind the wings or head is common, with nipping someone's wing or ear (with fangs) slightly more dramatic. Full-on violence is still rare even for a creche father, but they're expected to defend themselves - and those in their care - in a magical fight if required to do so.

He's expected to raise any pups in the colony with the same care he would as if they're his own... or perhaps as a third parent rather than a second, depending on how many people are involved in the pup's direct care.

The creche father has the right to mate with all drakes and damsels in his colony, with individual colonies outlining their own rules for opt-in and opt-out. While full rotation colonies can reject advances with little concern, it is not socially acceptable to reject the creche father if he initiates in a half rotation colony- You're his. Is that how you react to someone who takes such good care of you?

It’s also not acceptable to initiate towards the creche father... He is, after all, the most dominant individual in the colony.

Traditions are more lax in very small colonies with only a handful of members. In large colonies, traditions are expectations.

The Colony King / Queen - The king or queen is the officially acknowledged mate or ruling partner of the creche father- Presumably a legally married one, though unmarried partners are acceptable.

The king or queen may have special privileges such as emotional intimacy as well as minor responsibilities such as assisting their partner. However, they do not speak for the colony and are not held to the same expectations of duty that a creche father is.

King and queen are not royal titles. They are not inherited by birth and they do not outrank the High Count or High Countess titles- They simply indicate partnership with the creche father.

- High Countess Anti-Wanda is queen of the Blue Castle colony. During Anti-Cosmo's mysterious disappearance in "You'll Never Know," she chose a new king to rule beside until his return. - Throughout Cloudlands AU works, Foop waffles between whether he should select a king or queen as his ruling partner, as he's more interested in finding someone skilled in politics or colony management than an intimate partner to rule beside... He has his mistress Anti-Marigold for that. - In the one-shot "No Absolutes," Anti-Wanda asked Anti-Cosmo if he'd put the pups under his care to bed. Anti-Cosmo protested that their mothers could do that; after all, he was busy. Towards the end of that 'fic, Anti-Cosmo complained that the pups and many other members of the Blue Castle colony like Anti-Wanda more than him. While she may not be held to the same parental expectations, she tends to play the role better than the easily distracted Anti-Cosmo.

The Follower Drake - The follower drake is a single high-ranking male just below the creche father in authority. His role is to assist and support the creche father, especially if the creche father has no king or queen. Drakes are often shooed out of colonies due to rivalry, but the follower drake is protected from that fate and permitted to stay.

While the creche father is expected to look after young pups, the follower drake is expected to teach young juveniles life skills (such as hunting, cooking, reading, bathing on their own, or spreading bad luck). This frees up the creche father so he can continue managing the colony, but he's likely bonded close enough with the pups that they respect him.

- In Anti-Cosmo's youth, High Count Anti-Bryndin chose Anti-Buster as his follower drake. - Anti-Cosmo later climbed the ranks and was named the follower himself (under the special title First General in the Blue Castle colony). - High Count Anti-Cosmo's follower drake is his cousin, Anti-Poof Anti-Everwish.

The follower drake does NOT have the right to mate with the drakes and damsels of the colony except their honey-lock partner. However, some colonies may be more lenient with this tradition than others. When colonies mingle, follower drakes will often flirt with members of another colony under the rival creche father’s nose.

A creche father and follower drake may be intimate or non-intimate partners; relationships vary between colonies. However, someone who is treated like a mate is likely to be ranked a king, not a follower.

The position of follower drake usually requires experience with a colony. Not necessarily - After all, some drakes become creche fathers by simply starting their own colony - but a follower drake is likely the most experienced drake in the flock (barring the creche father), which reduces infighting.

Ranking Drakes - Drakes that hold high rank and are not chased out of the colony by the creche father. This is much more common in standing colonies than live colonies.

Ranking drakes are often school students, scholars, aristocrats, or politicians. Anti-Fairy World highly values architects as well as demon summoners. Mediums to the nature spirits are also people you may not want to shoo off.

The honey-lock partner of a high-ranking Anti-Fairy within the colony might be considered a ranking drake as well. If Foop joined a bachelor colony, he'd likely not be chased out because he's considered an aristocrat.

Ranking drakes are likely older or more experienced than serving drakes.

Claimed Damsels - Legally married damsels who will follow their mates to other colonies. Marriage shifts responsibility for their care to their partner and thus, they can freely withhold the "benefits" of caretaking - i.e. the sex - from their creche father.

Many damsels look forward to marriage due to many legal protections and opportunities within Anti-Fairy society.

However, rejecting a very high-ranking creche father (like the High Count) is still a wobbly gray area. Such is Anti-Fairy life.

Damsels in Rotation - Damsels the creche father permits others to mate with. They may be offered to creche fathers (or follower drakes) of other colonies as a gesture of peace and goodwill.

Consent and rejection may be socially acceptable in some cases, but cause tension in others.

A damsel living with a creche father she's related to is most likely in rotation and avoiding the creche father's advances. What's mating on rare occasion with a foreign drake in return for living in a colony where you won't be pressured into sex on the regular?

Unclaimed Damsels - Unmarried damsels of any age who stay with their birth colony (or similar caretaking colony) if their family and/or mate leave. When they come of age, they become the creche father’s concubines by default. It is usually not acceptable for anyone besides the creche father to mate with them.

- Technically, a dame named Anti-Scarlett is classed as Anti-Cosmo's concubine for one simple reason: she's unmarried and lives at the Blue Castle (for her job in politics). On paper, she's under Anti-Cosmo's care and he helps with her kids. - All other damsels on the camarilla are married (See Modern Camarilla Court).

Serving Drakes - Drakes who aren't chased from a colony, but don't hold high rank. Instead, they provide services such as childcare and food preparation. Such drakes are more common in standing colonies, but not unheard of in live colonies.

Generally, serving drakes end up in this position because they came of age to leave with a bachelor colony, but never did.

Serving drakes are the lowest-ranked individuals. They aren't typecast for any specific reason- they just didn't leave and are given the chance to pull their weight if they want to stay. In return for the food, shelter, socialization, and care they receive from the creche father, serving drakes are forbidden from mating with the colony's damsels.

Anti-Cosmo's father was a serving drake in the Blue Castle colony.

Some drakes prefer the serving lifestyle as it's low-risk and doesn't require thinking much for yourself. Other drakes are eager to start their own colony. Some do start their own while others may opt to serve for a time so they can see how a colony works in practice before setting off on their own.