ABO Dynamics of the 'verse

In *the black and gold 'verse*, the ABO dynamics are very different from the traditional dynamics. There are 4 biological designations, otherwise known as secondary genders, within the 'verse: **Alpha**, **Beta**, **Omega**, and **Theta**. Additionally, there is a legal 5th designation, known as the **Delta**. Species or beings that do not fall into these dynamics, while referred to sometimes as deltas, are better described as being **Neuter**.

**Alphas** are people with the genotypes of either ΑΒ, ΑΩ, or ΑΘ. Both genders have penises, although female alphas' are retractible, resting in the vaginal canal when not in use, and their testicles are internal and where the ovaries would be; female alphas also do not have a clitoris. Alphas have ruts, which happen once a year in the spring, or from March-May, and last for around two weeks. As parents, male alphas are called fathers, and female alphas are called amithers. Notable alphas in the 'verse include:

* Bruce Wayne
* Rebecca 'Bucky' Barnes

**Betas** are people with the genotypes of either ΒΒ, ΒΩ, or ΒΘ. They are the most like us in terms of reproductive organs, although beta females still have heats every three months that last for about ~3 days, although these heats are much milder in comparison to an omega's. Beta males do not have ruts. Notable betas in the 'verse include:

* Rhodey
* Virginia 'Pepper' Potts
* Alfred Pennyworth
* Dinah Drake
* Jim Gordon

**Omegas** are people with the genotypes of either ΩΩ or ΩΘ. They can be either male or female. Omega males do have penises, however they are much smaller than that of either alphas or betas, and they do not have testicles at all; their ovaries are where they would traditionally be for women. Male omegas additionally have what is called a median, which is similar to the cloaca for birds, but is not the same; they do not possess vaginas. Like female alphas, male omegas do have their own name as parents, which is omither. Female omegas are known as well for having wider hips/larger breasts than female betas. Omegas experience heats every three months that last for ~4-7 days. Most of them are known to lose lucidity at this time, although not all do. Additionally, they have a higher rate for twins than beta women or thetas do. Notable omegas in the 'verse include:

* Tony Stark
* Dick Grayson
* Jason Todd
* The Joker
* Steve Rogers
* Clint Barton

**Thetas** are people who are almost always assigned female at birth that have the genotype of ΘΘ. The rarest biological designation, they are often described as having both alpha and omega parts, but this is perhaps an inaccurate description. Instead of a clitoris, they have what is called a peniform, which has many of the same functions as an alpha penis, including a knot. However, they also have a vagina, and instead of ovaries or testicles they have reproductive organs called the ovotestes, which generate both sperm and eggs. Because of this, thetas have both ruts and heats: they usually go into rut in the spring for a week, and into heat in the fall for a week. Their name comes from the fact that, during ancient Greek times, physicians did not know initially where to place them in the dynamics. They have "both parts," but it seemed inaccurate to place them as omegas. As such, they were treated as alphas for a long time, which led to the belief that the ΑΑ genotype was possible, when it is actually incompatible with life. This was changed when thetas rebelled and demanded to be named as the fourth designation that they were, and chose the Greek letter Θ as their name. Thetas are often called themithers as their parental names, although many now prefer to be called mothers instead, like Selina Kyle. Notable thetas in the 'verse include:

* Selina Kyle

**Deltas** are the fifth legal designation, but they are not actually a biological designation. Instead, deltas are either people who never presented after the age of sixteen, or for other reasons (usually war crimes and other crimes related to it, or medical reasons), had their reproductive organs removed. The term delta can also be used to describe beings that do not fall into the dynamics, eg. their species does not have secondary genders like how humanity originally was, but it is rather inaccurate since it does not reflect what the term was originally used for; **neuter** is the better term instead. Notable deltas within the 'verse include:

* Natasha Romanoff
* Laura Barton

**Neuter** (which in the original Latin means "not either") is the term to describe species and beings who do not have the secondary gender/designation dynamics that humans do, and/or early humans since they did not develop the designations until after a virus infected them about 40,000 years ago. For instance, Alfred the Cat would be described as neuter, as she is a cat and as such does not have a secondary gender. This term rarely comes up, though, due to most characters having a designation/the uncertainty of how to truly define the non-human but sapient and humanoid species that appear.

Although female alphas and thetas have XX chromosomes, with female betas/omegas/alphas (in the case of the thetas), they are able to have male offspring, as there is a roughly 25% chance of their X chromosome turning into a Y. Research also suggests that the same could be true for the other designation genotypes to a higher degree if environmental factors were severe enough (e.g., a theta/omega couple could have an alpha or beta child, even though it technically shouldn't be possible), albeit this is only limited to the offspring of thetas. The reasons for either of these are not currently known.

Presentation for all of the four designations almost always occurs between the ages of 12-16, although presentation can occur slightly earlier in betas and omegas. Generally speaking, omegas and female betas present earlier than their counterparts. Alphas will present in the spring, since that is when rut occurs, and thetas who have their heat first will present in the autumn. Omegas and betas can present at any time. For male betas, presentation is just a scent change, as well as the dropping of the testicles, as unpresented males do not have external physical indicators of them until shortly before/during presentation. This is also means that male deltas do not have testicles, although they do have the dropping of their voice, since presentation =/= puberty, strictly speaking.