#prometheus part three
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Prometheus x Corinthian Playlist Analysis (Part Three)
This might end up getting long (or longer), but I'm going to try and get this analysis wrapped up in this part, so we'll see how it turns out. Here we go!
Heart's on Fire - Passenger
Notable lyrics:
Well, I don't have many and I don't have much/ In fact, I don't have any but I got enough/ 'Cause I know those eyes and I know that touch - That last line... let's just say we're starting off strong here.
And then there's the repeated refrain of "oh darlin', my heart's on fire" which to me makes this song feel a bit like a call-and-response. It seems to me like the verses are from Prometheus' perspective, and the chorus is the Corinthian.
(also, this is completely random but the chorus of this song always makes me think of the river-baptism scene in Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?. It's in the same key and and everything)
The Light Behind Your Eyes - My Chemical Romance
More angst for you >:)
Notable lyrics:
Never let them take the light behind your eyes/ One day, I'll lose this fight/ As we fade in the dark/ Just remember you will always burn as bright - Corruption ending my beloved...
We'll say goodbye today/ And I'm sorry how it ends this way - More of the Corruption ending here...
Sometimes, we must grow stronger/ And you can't be stronger when I'm gone/ When I'm here, no longer/ You must be stronger - I read this line as Prometheus's perspective in reference to the Corinthian, and the way Prometheus' return to the darkness leads to his own slip back into it (and eventually would segue into the canon Sandman timeline)
Cradles - Sub Urban
Notable lyrics:
I live inside my own world of make-believe/ Kids screaming in their cradles, profanities - This would reference their status as dreams, particularly as nightmares, living in the "world of make-believe" that is the Dreaming
I love everything/ Fire's spreading all around my room/ My world's so bright - More fire symbolism to represent Prometheus, of course
Hear the children sing aloud/ It's music 'til the wick burns out/ Hush - Prometheus comforts the children from their nightmares, but there's no comfort once they lose their spark - once the "wick burns out"
Falling Away With You - Muse
This could be a bit more angst from the Corruption ending, I think. Let's check it out.
Notable lyrics:
Staying awake to chase a dream/ Tasting the air you're breathing in/ I hope I won't forgot a thing - The Corinthian's quite literally "chasing a dream" - Prometheus - but in the case of the Corruption ending, eventually all he'll have of them is memories
And I'll feel my world crumbling down/ Feel my life crumbling now/ Feel my soul crumbling away/ And falling away/ Falling away with you - Back to the Corruption ending, particularly the Corinthian's reaction when he realizes Prometheus has been sent back into the dark - that he's lost them
Stay - As Everything Unfolds - This is another one where there's not as much overt symbolism in the lyrics (which probably means I should've put it in the first part but eh, I'm lazy. I just really like this song, and there's a lot of intense emotion in it that I feel is reflected in the fic.
Every Night - Paul McCartney - again, less directly relating to the lyrics, just the idea that they meet up every night and develop a connection
Calypso - Suzanne Vega - the lyrics are a little tough to analyze for this one, given it's in first-person perspective AND deals with an entirely different Greek myth than the one I based my character on. However, the idea of Calypso (representing Prometheus) reaching out for a struggling traveler and helping him up to his feet was enough of a connection in my eyes, and onto the playlist it goes.
All Eyes - Imagine Dragons
First of all: eyes. Enough said. But aside from that,
Notable lyrics:
Where the people are awake, to chase a dream that isn't real/ And we pose to be something that we're not - Oh boy, so much here. The reference to dreams, and then the "posing to be something we're not", the in-between stage between full-dream and full-nightmare, the initial gathering of that spark...
Now, will the sun come up tonight?/ Because your eyes, they burn so bright/ I'm all you've got when you say that you want it all - Now the "sun" obviously would reference Prometheus, but as far as the "burning eyes"... I'll leave that up to you to decide. It is the Corinthian speaking to Prometheus? Is it the reverse, particularly in the Redemption ending? Who knows?
Burn Out - Imagine Dragons
Notable lyrics:
It's just another downpour, don't let it get the best of you/ It's only up from the floor, light everything inside of you/ Don't burn out, don't burn out on me - To me, this is the Corruption ending - "Find the light."
(and no, I did not think about how similar that is to "Beware the light" from Logan when I wrote it... whoops. My favorite fandom snuck up on me, actor and all...)
Icarus - Bastille
Notable lyrics:
Your hands protect the flames/ From the wild winds around you - This is Prometheus, of course, protecting the light and the dreamers from the "wild winds" of the surrounding nightmares
You put up your defenses when you leave/ You leave because you're certain/ Of who you want to be - I love this line in particular because it really could be both the Corruption ending or the Redemption ending - either leaving the Dreaming itself and choosing "who you want to be" in that darker sense, or leaving the act of being a nightmare and choosing to be a dream instead.
Two more songs! Almost done!
My Selene - Sonata Arctica
This is another song where it feels like just about every single lyric could link back to this story, and I'd absolutely recommend it! This almost reads as a personification of the story itself, but here's the thing - I'd never heard of this song when I wrote it, I only listened to it for the first time today!
Notable lyrics:
But until we unite/ I live for that night/ Wait for time/ Two souls entwine/ In the break of new dawn - Much like Every Night and a few of the other songs, this line mainly relates to the development of their relationship as they meet every night
Shadows they will fade/ But I'm always in the shade/ Without you... - And we're back to the Corruption ending, I suppose. There's also a line later on that reads "I'm still alone in the dead of night" that calls back to this one.
Hidden from daylight I'm sealed in my cave/ Trapped in a dream that is slowly turning to nightmare/ Where I'm all alone - LOOK AT THIS! Just look at it! I don't think there's a single more fitting line in this entire analysis, because this is just the entire fic right here! Or at least the Corruption ending of it!
Venial is life when you're but a dream/ The book is still open the pages as empty as me - This line is a little less about the fic itself, but the books In Lucienne's library do go blank when Morpheus is captured, so it still links to Sandman. And of course, the personification of a dream, which is the chief note of the story
This is my final call/ My evenfall/ Drowning into time/ I become the night/ By the light of new day/ I'll fade away - This would be Prometheus' descent back into the darkness, right at the start of the Corruption ending
Leave the City - Twenty One Pilots
I could put just about every lyric of this song into this analysis, which means it's really a perfect one to end on. And so rather than typing out all of the lyrics for you, I'd recommend that you listen to the song, look up the lyrics yourself, soak up the harmonies, and think about the themes of the story as you listen. Perhaps think of the Corruption ending as you listen, or perhaps think of the Redemption ending. It's a bittersweet and uncertain song, perfect for a story with two endings. And this is where I'll leave you.
And that concludes this playlist and its analysis! I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you'll consider either taking a listen or reading the fic itself (or, if you're feeling generous, maybe both?). Have a wonderful day, friends!
(Part One) (Part Two)
#prometheus playlist analysis#character playlist#prometheus part three#Spotify#fandom#fanfic#fanfic author#the sandman netflix
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NAMI NEEDS TO GO UP THERE AND FIGHT BIG MOM I AM SO SERIOUS!!! THIS IS A BATTLE FOR THE ROMANCE DOWN TRIO!! SANJI DO NOT DARE TAKE HER SPOT!!!
#big mom just giving birth here on the battlefield.....#do i comment on the incestuous relationship between clouds made of the same soul??? no?? okay...#oh jesus.... goodbye kid and killer.... nami needs to get up there and take control of zeus and i am so serious#HER SKILL IS SO POWERFUL AND SO PERFECT FOR THIS FIGHT AGAINST BIG MOM BUT BECAUSE SHE IS NOT PART OF THE STRONG TRIO SHE GETS STUCK WITH#THE B LIST VILLAINS!!!! LKKE WHY DOES SHE NEED TO FIGHT ULTI?? OKAY THAT WAS MEANINGFUL BUT THAT COULD END THERE!!!!#SANJI GO FIGHT PAGE ONE!!! SOMEONE TAKE CARE OF ULTI AND LET LUFFY ZORO AND NAMI TAKE CARE OF KAIDO AND BIG MOM!!! I AM SERIOUS!!!#big mom is inside the castle.... maybe i will get my wish granted (kinda...)#kid and nami against big mom.... maybe sanji can join... i can see it so clearly.... come on now.....#if namo knew armor haki she would have gone up there and taken zeus and dealt with prometheus and his sister wife. let the others w/ big mom#fucking hawkins... end him killer.... calling him domesticated lmao... end his pathetic ass#using conqueror's haki on the weapons..... also zoro having it too.... the flower petals symbolism..... OHHHHHHHHH#nani indeed...... BREAK THAT MACE!!!! YEAAHHH!!!! law is completely baffled#KAIDO GOT SENT BACK!!!! LETSGOOOOO AND THE OG INTRO MUSIC QUICKS IN!!!! law just saw god again....#he said fuck off i got this.... omg.... he is either gonna nearly die and doesn't want them to follow or doesn't want to worry about them#while he fights and they try to defend him.... no other explaination (apart for 4 the plot reasons)#talking tag#watching one piece#episode 1028#luffy king of everything that was such a slay#they changed luffy chiquito's design....#i was gonna say luffy swimming...... but he can't yet akdhajsj#yasopp taking care of everyones children but his own...... i see how it is....#WHY WOULD SHANKS STAY IN GOA IF NOT TO TALK WITH GARP WHO LIVES THERE!!! I AM TELLING YOU SHANKS IS IN KAHOOTS WITH THE MARINES!!!!#i was thinking about shanks scar... and thought it might be from buggy with his three knives in between his fingers you know#but it is too small... like the knives would take more space.... but maybei might be reaching and it is from buggy and not like a little paw#or little hand.... however much distrubing you want to paint it....#shanks is testing little luffy's intelligence... he knows his weak spot already akdhjasj#uta calling herself a diva.... ajshaksn might this be the reason luffy was so inclined to having a musician since the start???#episode 1029#that was like a perfectly realistic relationship between an older smartass girl and a younger boy lmao it was spot on
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Okay if I'm going to enter this whole clay sculpting thing into ArtPrize--because why the hell not--it's going to be all three parts of the minotaur series, plus Prometheus and Icarus. I think I want a third single-figure sculpt, also from greek mythology, and I was leaning towards Medusa but I'm not fully decided. It would have to be a relatively well known one. Suggestions?
#part of me says that the third standalone should be somehow water related#we have prometheus for fire#icarus for air#the minotaur for earth
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Facts about Greek Myths?
There are a great many figures in Greek myth and they can be hard to keep track of, so here is a quick guide to which is which:
Ajax- Warrior who invented detergent.
Antigone- Funeral enthusiast who invented civil disobedience.
Atlas- First winner of the Olympic strong titan competition.
Bellerophon- Plot point in Mission Impossible 2.
Cerberus- 7 headed dog tragically born with only 3 heads.
Charon- Lead rower for Styx.
Cratus- God of strength, but not THAT god of strength.
Cyclops- Inventor of the monocle.
Daedalus- Inventor of the Labyrinth, and thus of David Bowie.
Dionysus- Drank 24/7 but very responsibly never drove.
Eris- Goddess of fighting with each other.
Eros- God of doing something else with each other.
Euronymous- God of Mayhem.
Fates- Least creatively named destiny gods ever.
Hera- Goddess of marriage yet only Zeus's third wife.
Hylia- Goddess of triangles and disjointed timelines.
Icarus- God of disappointing ones father.
Io- Space captain and epic 3D short film, still not on blu-ray.
Jocasta- Originator of Jo Mama jokes, mother of Oedipus.
Leda- Swan enthusiast and feathery-fandom originator.
Medea- Even worse mom than Jocasta.
Medusa- Inventor of reptile-safe shampoo.
Megaclite- LOL her name is "Megaclite." Pronounced like "Clitty."
Narcissus- Basically Trump.
Odysseus- Sailor who refused to ask for directions.
Orpheus- Inventor of impatiently checking the download bar.
Ouranos- Spelling that could've avoided a lot of planet butt jokes.
Pallas- Inventor of weird looking cats.
Persephone- Pomegranate fan, looked like Monica Bellucci.
Prometheus- Stupid fucking movie, especially for using some of H.R. Giger's original designs then putting them up next to a fucking plain white squid. Also let's make the space jockey a tall guy in a suit. How did Scott think that was a good idea? Fuck that shit and double fuck Covenant for somehow doing even fucking worse.
Rhode- Sea nymph yet not technically an island.
Siren- Inverse groupie.
Sisyphus- Limp Biscuit fan who never stopped rolling.
Tantalus- I'll tell you in a minute...
Thanatos- God of dying as easily as snapping your fingers.
Zeus- When the earth was still flat and the clouds made of fire, and mountains stretched up to the sky, sometimes higher- Folks roamed the earth like big rolling kegs. They had two sets of arms, they had two sets of legs. They had two faces peering out of one giant head so they could watch all around them as they talked and they read. And they never knew nothing of love. It was before the origin of love. There were three sexes then: One that looked like two men glued up back to back, called the children of the sun. Similar in shape and girth were the children of the earth. They looked like two girls rolled up in one. The children of the moon were like a fork shoved on a spoon, they were part sun, part earth- Part daughter, part son. Now the gods grew quite scared of our strength and defiance and Thor said, "I'm gonna kill them all with my hammer, like I killed the giants." And Zeus said, "No, you better let me use my lightening like scissors, like I cut the legs off the whales, and dinosaurs into lizards." Then he grabbed up some bolts and he let out a laugh, and said, "I'll split them right down the middle. Gonna cut them right up in half." And then storm clouds gathered above into great balls of fire, and fire shot down from the sky in bolts like shining blades of a knife and it ripped right through the flesh of the children of the sun and the moon and the earth. If you want the rest, see Hedwig and the Angry Inch cuz this is taking way longer to type than I expected.
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JMJ: Frankenstein; or, the Modem Prometheus
Originally this was going to be titled "So Your Favourite Couple is Dead." but that would probably be a better outcome.
Spoilers for The Magnus Protocol episode 1, and all of The Magnus Archives by implication, below the cut.
This is going to be building on a couple of ideas I've seen throw around. Too often to cite any particular source, unfortunately, but I've not seen this conclusion reached and I think it might have more backing to it. Additionally, it's built upon the assumption that because "Chester" and "Norris" share VA's with Jon and Martin that they are Jon and Martin. Which naturally leaves that other J for "Augustus" being Jonah.
A very common thread in the conversations around episode 1's incident reports is that they're foreshadowing the major themes/beats of the show. The second one is obvious enough; don't got to the Magnus Institute. A sentiment we can all get behind. The other, a story of partial reanimation, has been taken to be a warning that the people you love don't always come back the same. I think that's likely the implication but a potential clue hasn't seen any attention AFAIK.
Before we get there though I need to briefly explain the history of JMJ. If you were a part of the ARG you'll know all about Colin's Code Collection. For those who don't know out favourite OIAR code monkey kept a selection of projects on the OIAR servers and through some covert means we gained access to this. Lots of it was normal stuff like Colin thinking he could improve Linux. However there were several encoded strings left by _6A1F7106A_$. These strings contained a few things but of importance for us is a few code blocks encoded in a monoalphabetic substitution cipher where the ciphertext was alchemic symbols. 6A1F7106A itself is an encoded string but unlike the rest of the ARG it was encoded in three layers. 6A is hexadecimal for "J", while 1F710 is Unicode for "🜐", and 🜐 was "M" in the aforementioned alchemic cipher. JMJ.
Now back to that incident. Coming back wrong was the entire premise of why that incident was scary. JMJ have come back too., and as that incident was about partial reanimation everyone ran with that idea mapping onto JMJ. But "Reanimation (Partial)" wasn't the only option for it as it could have bee "Reanimation (Amalgamative)".
This whole time they've been saying JMJ. It's not ever just been J, or M. Even before we knew it was JMJ it was 6A1F7106A. Always one string; like one name. We've been talking about how shunting the Fears through the portal could've mixed them together but they're not the only ones that could've happened to. So what if it's not about JMJ coming back wrong, but coming back pieced together into a new whole?
It's not just the naming either but how they act. An amalgamation of Jon, Martin, and Jonah vying for control. Jonah, again presuming Augustus is Jonah, is the rarest of the three because it's 2-on-1. Jon and Martin can try to suppress him. Additionally, the .jmj error also makes more sense if you treat them as a single entity rather than three entirely separate ones. The trailer initialises them all as separate things but any effects of them we see is a single name and given all the above they don't seem to be able to act independently. The reason the trailer mentions errors and undefined drives for the master–slave drives would then be because there is no singular consciousness in control of the whole. There is a lack of authority, no truly dominant aspect to them, no hierarchy. So they're vying for control and causing those errors. The .jmj error, the encrypted text when plaintext would have been more useful, Fr3-d1 breaking down, the fact they seemingly can only manifest single personalities at once, Jonah's rare appearances. There is an obvious conflict at play here.
The opening to this wasn't a joke either. I was planning on writing about how they're likely dead for real. We've known Elias' VA wasn't coming back for a long long time so if it's Jonah in there it's OG Jonah. OG Jonah who doesn't have a body, which means more than likely whatever has trapped them hasn't stored their bodies. They're in there forever. No getting out. No returning to life at all. Just a cyberspace hell.
But at least they've got some close company.
#I didn't make a typo#The title is a pun#It's like an ogre#the magnus protocol#tmagp speculation#tmagp theory#tmagp#the magnus archives#klaus = kl4-u5
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AMERICAN PROMETHEUS AND HIS ATHENA - CHAPTER 2
Pairing: J. Robert Oppenheimer x Female Indentifying! Reader
Summary: You and Robert fall into a routine of your Friday Physics meetings with the never skipped dinner after. But as the tension grows stronger, the meetings suddenly cease to be about Physics with a newfound realization; and sudden change
Word Count: 3.4k
Warnings: N/A
Notes: GOD, HE LOOKS SO HOT THERE!!! Anyways! Not even twenty-four hours later. I know, I'm very unwell and couldn't help myself. Thank you so much for all the love and support so much! The next part should be coming out very soon. And let me say, it may or may not get spicy *insert evil cackling*. I am also working on a new and refined masterlist! It'll be linked here, along with a taglist if you are interested.
Masterlist | Taglist
The image of you and Robert formed, and your Friday afternoon meetings with him soon became a little routine between the two of you. However, this barrier created a bond and broke through the force of physics into something else.
You would always arrive ten minutes before, and Robert certainly noticed this. He enrolled you in watering his flowers outside, which you had no issue doing. Robert insisted on paying you ten dollars, which you felt guilty for taking. Every Friday, when you walk down Shasta Road, the flowers are more giant in bloom, full and radiant in their muted colors. Robert had even put a tiny vase of pomegranate flowers on his desk. In one of your meetings, he confessed that he didn’t know such a plant was growing in his garden. You told him now he had pomegranates to make with his meals. After each session, Robert gave you a pomegranate to go home with. Like him, they were hard to resist.
The first hour of your meeting would be about physics, but the length of an hour began to shorten down to thirty minutes, forty-five minutes sometimes. You could sense that Robert wanted to get out of Physics much as you on your late Friday afternoons together.
And then Robert would ask that same old question of wanting to stay for dinner. He’d preface it with the meal he was making, which was starting to fall into the pattern of recipes you recommended.
And without fail, you would always say yes, lacking hesitation.
In the first set of meetings, Robert would cook. He’d ask you to go into his living room to turn on one of the records. You’d ask what record, and he answered with any since he would like what you would put on. In the third week of meetings, Robert stopped directing you to his record player, as you soon could locate the record in the middle of his bookshelf.
Simeusolty putting on a Prokofiev’s Cinderella Record, Summer Fairy began to play low. The intricate and angular melodies to powerful and dramatic orchestration played as you ran your fingers across the bookshelf, observing the elective collection of books Robert had collected. Running your fingers against the thin pages, you looked down at his coach. Two pillows were propped up, and you could see his coffee table in the light. A copy of Sentimental Education rested beside the ashtray of many burnt-out cigarette buds. Robert was in the same chapter as you were.
Most of the time, you would get bored sitting at the island table as Robert smoked, cut, and cooked. All you would do is drink his Martinis, which you hated before but now loved. Without asking, you simply started to help Robert with the cooking. Robert never protested against this.
As the two of you cooked, your conversations ranged in topic and vulnerability.
Robert asked about your family life and hobbies. You told him you had family in New York City but spent a lot of time hiking in Europe or the Southeastern United States being outdoors. Your mother was much older than your father, but it was never an issue. You were the youngest of three much older siblings, two of whom were your step-siblings. You were into reading and art outside the classroom but absolutely loved the outdoors. Some things you didn't even share with Hatomi, you ended up sharing with Robert.
Robert also shared parts of his life; in each part, you two learned that you were somewhat similar, as Robert would say, “kindred souls” who have found each other. Robert was also from New York City, but like you, wanted to escape the East and came out West for a change and its natural beauty. He also enjoyed the outdoors, a found horseback rider. In his youth, he was an avid rock collector and even told you that when he applied for a club, they asked him to come to be a keynote speaker. It fits his character.
One night, as you cut vegetables and Robert sauteed the chicken, he blatantly asked if you have a boyfriend.
You turn to him, and instead of being flustered and embarrassed, you deadpan and say no, before asking if he has a wife.
“Had,” Robert corrected.
Robert had been married to a woman named Kitty, whom Robert said was similar, yet harsher than you. They had divorced three years back, and two had two children together who were three years apart, Peter and Toni. Kitty had moved out to Pittsburgh with their two children but would visit with them every month. Robert did not seem sad by the divorce, saying they still cared for each other but no longer loved one another.
The two of you remained silent until dinner was ready that night.
Your meetings further continued with no issue after that conversation.
It was like any other Friday night meeting. You closed your Physics notebook as Robert got up to prepare dinner, which would be chicken with pomegranate seeds, asparagus, and mashed potatoes which you taught him to cook. You got up and snuck beside Robert, taking pomegranate seeds and putting them in between your lips.
He looked over and smiled, shaking his head. He mumbled something under his breath in which you missed.
“Robert, you must stop asking if I will stay for dinner,” You casually teased, bringing another seed to your lips. You moved the bubbly and wet seed around your lips, adding a glossy red color to the center of your lips, “Especially when you know the answer.”
Your playful words hung in the air, accompanied by a faint smile that danced at the corners of your mouth. The atmosphere was light, and the tension between you and Robert was more of an enjoyable banter than anything serious. The act of painting your lips with the seed was oddly captivating, a unique blend of sensuality and playfulness that added to the moment.
On the other hand, Robert appeared slightly flustered but still managed a sheepish grin. "Well then, why do you always stay, y/n?”
You chuckled softly, savoring the gentle rhythm of your exchange. "Maybe it's your irresistible cooking that keeps me coming back, or perhaps it's the charm and wit of the company."
In mock astonishment, Robert feigned a dramatic sigh, his hand on his chest. "Ah, so you're saying it's not my dashing good looks that have you hooked?"
You playfully rolled your eyes, a mock expression of disbelief on your face. "Oh yes, Robert, your dashing good looks are definitely a bonus. But it's the entire package that keeps me intrigued."
The two of you shared a lighthearted laugh, the energy between you bubbling with a mix of familiarity and affection. Clearly, this banter was a delightful ritual you both enjoyed, a way to express your fondness for each other without saying it outright.
Robert leaned in a little closer, his voice dropping to a more intimate tone. "I might have to keep asking about dinner just to hear your flattering reasons."
You raised an eyebrow, a mischievous glint in your eye. "Well, if that's your plan, then I'll just have to keep giving you reasons, won't I?"
The playful challenge hung in the air, the unspoken understanding between you both weaving a tapestry of shared moments and shared jokes. As the evening continued, the seed on your lips became a symbol of this unique connection, a touch of color that spoke volumes about the newfound chemistry you shared with Robert.
After finishing dinner and cleanup, Robert invited you to his living space. From what you have seen in his house, the living room was by far the biggest. The room smelt like oakwood with its Mahogany shelves of aged books and artifacts from Europe. Prokofiev’s Cinderella plays slowly as Robert and you rest on the couch, only a few inches apart.
In a quiet moment that exudes an air of undeniable allure, Robert reaches into his pants pocket to fetch another box of cigarettes. His fingers move with a graceful confidence, effortlessly withdrawing a sleek pack of cigarettes. The soft glow of ambient light plays upon his lean features, enhancing the sharp angles of his jawline and the subtle smirk that graces his lips.
As he taps the pack against the palm of his hand, a sense of anticipation seems to envelop the surroundings. The action is as deliberate as it is captivating, every movement purposeful and measured. With a smooth and calculated gesture, he slides a cigarette from its sanctuary within the pack, drawing attention to the meticulous attention to detail that defines his every action.
Bringing the slender cylinder to his lips, his eyes remain fixed on the horizon, an enigmatic gaze that hints at depths of both experience and mystery. His fingers deftly produce a matchbox, which, when opened, reveals a single matchstick ready for ignition. The flame is brought to life with a flick of his thumb, illuminating his features momentarily and casting an enchanting glint in his eyes.
The first inhalation is a languid dance between his lips and the cigarette, an intimate connection that only accentuates his innate allure. A plume of smoke curls gracefully from his lips, an ethereal veil that frames his visage like a work of art. The atmosphere seems to pulse with his intoxicating energy as if drawn into the magnetic pull of this captivating moment.
As he exhales, the tendrils of smoke disperse into the air, a testament to his ability to command the space around him and the elements that entwine with his presence. The remaining smoke dances and swirls in the air, mimicking the invisible threads of attraction that weave between observer and observed.
You watch the smoke dance across the dark room in its dark and light hues. Robert sees you in admiration of the smoke (and him, but that’s a secret you keep to yourself) and pulls a stick out, holding it out in front of you. There’s no need to respond verbally; you let him put the cigarette between your lips.
Robert’s fingers, capable and elegant, hold the cigarette with a reverence that speaks of his attentiveness to the details that matter. The slender cylinder is presented not as a mere object but as a gesture of connection, a bridge between the worlds of conversation and quiet contemplation.
He raises the matchbox, its lid flipping open with a soft whisper of anticipation ember at the tip of the match glows with an ephemeral beauty, casting a warm radiance that highlights the contours of his hands and the contours of your cheek.
Drawing the match to the cigarette, the flame bends obediently to his command, transferring its life to the waiting tobacco. As the cigarette ignites, its end glowing with an ember-like intensity, Robert's eyes meet yours, a silent acknowledgment of the shared moment.
Robert brings the cigarette to your lips with a tender elegance, his fingers barely grazing your cheek in a caress that sets the heart aflutter. The touch is fleeting but leaves a lingering impression, a sensation of connection that transcends the physical realm. The smoke dances gracefully from the lit end, curling into the atmosphere like a wisp of shared conversation.
The gesture encapsulates more than a simple offering; it encapsulates his genuine nature and ability to infuse even the most ordinary moments with a touch of extraordinary intimacy. In this ephemeral exchange, the barley touch of Robert’s fingers against your cheek lingers like an echo, a reminder of the subtle and beautiful connections forged through the simplest gestures.
You fall back and take a drag into the cigarette, exhaling the smoke. It was your first time with a cigarette, so you inhaled too much smoke and coughed slightly.
Robert looks back at you, and like a sly predator watching its prey, he too leans back. You can feel the weight of the pillow sink back. Your mouth nearly drops the cigarette as you look over, goosebumps now appearing over your legs. Shifting in your position, you don’t move farther away. Oppenheimer’s another atom bond, in which you feel connected, despite your differences.
Hearing your mother’s and older sister's voice ridiculing dating a man who could be one of your brother’s ages, you take another drag and exhale smoke as the nicotine soothes your anxiety.
“I understand now why people smoke.”
You can feel Oppenheimer’s intense stare, not that it bothers you at all.
There’s a small silence for a few minutes. The two of you bask in the setting sun, watching the smoke play against the hues of the sun. You swear you feel your eyes get heavy, both from the buzz of the alcohol and the nicotine of the cigarette.
The couch feels lighter as you feel Robert get up and walk over to the bookcase. Admiration mingles with a sense of awe as you watch your professor navigate the rows of tomes. His movements are measured and deliberate as he selects a book that promises to unfurl a tapestry of thoughts and ideas. The act itself is a testament to his insatiable thirst for knowledge, a quality that you have deemed extremely handsome to the tall and slender man.
He walks in front of you and flips through the pages, putting the book down in your lap.
You put your cigarette in the ashtray and hold the book to examine it, “Les Fleurs Del Mal.”
“One of my recommendations to you,” Robert responded as he sat back on the couch. The room suddenly got hotter as he felt closer than he did before, “It’s scattered poetry. You can skim, but I don’t recommend it unless you want to enjoy it.”
Your speculation proved to be true when Robert pointed to a page in the book, feeling his thigh scrap against yours. Butterflies danced in your stomach as your cheeks got that burning sensation again.
“These are some of my favorites,” Robert pointed, his finger gracing the page, “That I want you to read.”
Halting your breath, you look at him, and he’s looking right at you. More like right into you. Robert's eyes are like an ocean; they're truly the bluest you have seen. They hold a depth that draws you in, in which you find yourself lost, embraced by an intimate connection that speaks volumes without a single word.
“Read?” You almost stutter, “to myself?”
“Outloud, dear.” Robert’s smooth voice politely commands.
Suddenly, your limbs feel both hot and weak. Robert leans in closer, taking another drag of his cigarette. His gaze does not once leave you.
You put one hand on the page and the other on the soft pillow as your fingers soften the material. Clearing your throat, you look at the first poem and take in a deep breath to contain a noise of ecstasy and pleasure.
I know your heart, which overflows With outworn loves long cast aside, Still like a furnace flames and glows, And you within your breast enclose A damned soul's unbending pride;
But till your dreams without release
Reflect the leaping flames of hell;
Till in a nightmare without cease
You dream of poison to bring peace, And love cold steel and powder well;
And tremble at each opened door, And feel for every man distrust, And shudder at the striking hour - Till then you have not felt the power Of Irresistible Disgust.
My queen, my slave, whose love is fear, When you awaken shuddering, Until that awful hour be here,
You cannot say at midnight drear :
"I am your equal, O my King!"
Robert only responds by turning the page to the following poem, A Carcass. In the corner of your eye, his hand rests on the couch, only an inch away from yours. Before looking back at the page, you uncurl your fist, lying all of your finger against the couch, less than an inch away from Robert’s.
Recall to mind the sight we saw, my soul,
That soft, sweet summer day:
Upon a bed of flints a carrion foul,
Just as we turn'd the way,
Its legs erected, wanton-like, in air,
Burning and sweating pest,
In unconcern'd and cynic sort laid bare
To view its noisome breast.
The sun lit up the rottenness with gold, To bake it well inclined,
And give great Nature back a hundredfold
All she together join'd.
The sky regarded as the carcass proud
Oped flower-like to the day;
So strong the odour, on the grass you vow'd You thought to faint away.
Robert’s index finger is now hooking onto your smaller pinkie. You relax your hand as his hand covers yours, his touch gentle and alluring. You don’t know much you’ll be able to read in a controlled state. Robert turns to the next poem as his hand covers yours, his thumb stroking the top of your hand.
“My personal favorite,” He murmurs—Love’s Lighting.
Gulping, you proceed to read, slowly breaking down.
Last night as I lay awake in bed A flash of you came into my head And into my heart, and straightway fled.
It passed from the chamber suddenly,
Leaving no trace to know it by
But a tightened breast and a wet, glad eye.
Like a moonray soft it came and went,
Which glimmers through where the cloud-wrack's
rent,
Hovers a moment and then is spent;
Or a bee against a window-pane,
Which taps but once and never again, Some autumn day, before the rain.
For one brief moment I felt it stealing Along the verge of thought and feeling
As though some great vague thing revealing,
As though for that moment sad and sweet
My soul was out in the infinite, And Life and Death were as one to it.
You close the book and look at Robert, catching his eyes before looking at your intertwined hands. His hand covers yours, his fingers laced within yours. He gently squeezes your hand, propelling you to move closer to him, which you do.
“Your eyes,” You murmur as Robert brings you closer to him, your faces an inch apart, “There blue. But there’s something in them. There’s a spark, an explosion. There’s a burning desire, surrounded by the never-ending sea.”
Robert is just as enchanted as you are. He brings his free hand to your cheek, stroking your smooth skin like you are a fragile China doll.
“If there is a god, he spent more time on you,” Robert confessed, moving to the back of your hair, entangling and losing himself within the silkiness.
“Y/n, you are among the most beautiful creatures I have seen. Can you let me kiss you?”
Your hand moves to Robert’s cheek, and he leans into your touch.
"If there is a god, he spent more time on you," Robert confessed, his voice a warm breath against your skin as his fingers delicately traced the contours of your hair, entangling and losing himself within the silkiness.
"Y/n, you are among the most beautiful creatures I have seen," he murmured, his gaze locked onto your lips with a mixture of desire and reverence. His thumb brushed your lower lip in a gentle, teasing caress. "Can you let me kiss you?"
Your heart fluttered in response, your chest rising and falling with each anticipatory breath. Your fingers moved to cup his cheek, feeling the slight stubble against your palm as you leaned in, your lips drawing closer to his. The world around you seemed to melt away, leaving only the soft, charged atmosphere between you.
His lips met yours in a tender, lingering kiss. It had been your first, so you let him overtake as you enjoyed. It was a dance of sensations, a slow exploration of desire and affection. The touch was gentle, as if he was savoring every moment, every nuance of the connection that formed between your lips. His mouth moved against yours with delicate precision, a symphony of longing and intimacy that left you breathless.
As the kiss deepened, you could feel the possessiveness in the way he held you, his fingers threading through your hair, anchoring you closer. His hand, which held yours found the small of your back, a reassuring pressure that drew you impossibly nearer.
Time lost meaning as your lips moved together, a rhythm that spoke of shared longing and a connection beyond the physical. It was a kiss that whispered promises of intimacy and trust, an unspoken understanding that bound you together in that stolen moment of tenderness and desire.
As Robert kissed and held you, you loved the sensation of being adored. The romance between you, too, however, was forbidden. He was thirty, and you were a teenager, albeit legal, but recently, a little girl. But you couldn’t resist, and he couldn’t control his desire. After all, Life and Death were as one to it.
#carrie writes#cillian murphy#cillian murphy fanfiction#cillian murphy imagine#cillian murphy x reader#oppenheimer#oppenheimer x reader#robert j oppenheimer x reader#j robert oppenheimer
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12/?? Things come to a head
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⛬
We return to that shambling mass of a film, Prometheus.
Content warnings for body horror, contagion-y stuff, something that loosely be described as medical horror, It’s Been 0 Days Since Our Last Incident, and me, going on a ramble about movie gore to distract myself from The Madness.
There's a lady in this scene who's had a number of speaking lines so far–the maybe-chemist. She has a name, but it doesn’t matter.
But I'm going to call her Doctor Frankenstein.
They have just got the helmet off the head, revealing that it’s truly, unmistakably humanoid. They have noted that there are “new cells” on the head. In the business, we call that “decomposition”, but Doctor Frankenstein is not concerned with this. In fact, she immediately proposes a new plan.
Doctor Frankenstein has had the brilliant idea to plug a big cable into the head like it’s a guitar amp, and zap it with electricity to wake it up.
Yes. This is what the movie goes with.
You know, Alien included a similarly shambolic first examination of an alien subject, but it was performed because said alien was attached to a man’s face, and all they had to try and fix that was the contents of a cargo ship’s medbay, with the only qualified personnel being the corporate android who had been ordered to consider the crew expendable. The crew of the Prometheus has no such excuse.
Well, except for David, he has precisely the same excuse, but he’s not trying to poke wires in anybody’s ears.
Doctor Frankenstein calls for enough amperage to run three electric kettles (cite 3), then all the way up to two Titan RTX graphics cards before the head starts to get what appears to be a massive migraine.
I know this expression well, migraines can feel very much like someone is subjecting me to unnatural horrors.
This is getting a little extreme, though. Yes, when the head starts pulsing, they realize they may have made a mistake.
I’d say this was inexplicable behavior on their part, unbelievably hasty and foolish–and I will say it, actually, it deserves to be said. But in context, this is the team that did so little prep for entering the alien structure that they didn’t notice the giant fuckoff skull carved into the outside of it.
Knowing how much Shaw and Holloway read into the intentions of the Engineers from the depictions they found on Earth, they probably would’ve interpreted this as a good sign, somehow.
Anyway, they put a sneezeguard down over the head before it explodes.
Good job everyone. This is like what would’ve happened if Napoleon’s savants took one look at the Rosetta Stone and decided “maybe we should try hitting it with hammers. Surely that’ll make the knowledge fall out.”
From a horror perspective, this scene only works in two contexts: First, gross-out. Generally found in schlock, exploitation, and outsider art flicks, the tone of gross-out content can be highly variable, but there are two general trends I'd mention, which are of relevance to this movie.
First, gross-out tends to exist in that weird alternate space where lots of comedy movies do: characters will behave in unreasonable ways for no apparent reason. Within the film, this is treated as the universal norm, besides maybe a straight man character who highlights the absurdity. Gross-out is often like that, but pushes different boundaries of acceptable behavior than a traditional comedy.
This is, bafflingly, what Prometheus increasingly feels like. It feels like it's transitioning into gross-out schlock, and yet it never goes all the way.
Second: the audience for gross-out is largely self-selecting. If you're watching John Waters' Pink Flamingos, you expect things to get messy. You are looking forward to things getting messy. A head exploding is perfectly par for the course in gross-out horror. One might even be disappointed if there wasn't an exploding head.
But again, this movie was not marketed on gross-out. It was marketed as a tense, Alien-esque horror movie. If you followed that premise like I did, you're not in the theater to view a debauched spectacle, you're there for the movie to put a well-paced squeeze on the characters and your nerves, where half the horror comes from having the room to really think about how frightening the core concepts of the series are.
Does Alien involve some shocking gore? Sure does! But in Alien, Kane's fate is not there to make you laugh and exclaim "ewww!" at how far the film's gone, the film tries to make you very aware of how horrifying his demise is.
So, there's an alternate way this scene works, if you're coming in from that perspective. I don't think the movie intended this as much as the gross-out, but it's what I drew from it at the time: the scene works if you decide not to focus your sympathies on the human characters at all, or even David, and think about it from the perspective of the head.
It’s patently impossible that what they did actually “woke up” the brain inside that skull. But if we sink to the movie’s level and entertain the idea for a moment, what in the hell have they just done to this Engineer? The last thing the head would’ve remembered was running, falling, decapitation, and then this. They just tortured this poor bastard for no adequately explained reason. There’s none! “I think we can trick the nervous system into thinking it's still alive” is the entirety of the explanation. It makes about as much sense and seems as thoughtlessly violent as anything in Mad God (2021, content warning for body horror).
I already spent all my anger about desecrating bodies in the name of shambolic pseudoscience, I have no more rage to give for now. And similarly in the theater, I hit my limit. I’d already hit a different limit back when they landed the Prometheus on top of some archaeology, but now I’d fully given up on this movie being what I’d hoped it would be.
The maddening thing that keeps me obsessed with it is that it keeps throwing random scraps of that hypothetical movie into the mix anyway, bouncing me like a yo-yo between scenes.
But for right now, the yo-yo is still on the descent. Having exploded the first sample of alien biology ever touched by science, they apparently stuck some of it in a generic, science-y DNA machine. What does the DNA machine tell them?
“DNA match”.
The movie does not actually explain what this means. It thinks it does, but in a very vague and handwave-y way that ends up being even more hilarious than if they’d just been out-and-out wrong. Because this is what I do for a living, I want to science at this for a bit.
But I’ve written enough about it for an entire post on its own, so that will wait until next time.
⛬
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⛬
Citations for alt-text rambles, as well as some text-text rambles:
1. https://www.behance.net/gallery/78297841/Semiotic-Standard (contains a high-quality download for the symbols, should ye wish them for yourselves)
2. https://www.sculpturedepot.net/clay-wax-tools/product.asp?Steel_Tools
3. Doctor Frankenstein calls for 30 amps first, then 40, then 50 in the space of several seconds. According to wikipedia, an electric kettle is about 16.6A, and a 288W high-performance graphics card would require 24A. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_(current) That graphics card isn’t mentioned by name, but it matches up with the wattage reported by Tom’s Hardware for a Titan RTX (cite 4). Running with two of these things, you might be able to run 4k Ultra settings on some games without tanking your framerate. They could’ve been playing video games and seen way more exploding heads.
4. https://www.tomshardware.com/features/graphics-card-power-consumption-tested
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(film)#Design
6. https://www.reddit.com/r/MovieDetails/comments/f4rf63/for_the_chestburster_scene_in_alien_1979_the/
7. https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8e/2f/9b/8e2f9b0716746aac7ce5b2f369bf4082--aliens--scene.jpg
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karyotype#Human_karyogram
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centromere
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centromere#Telocentric
11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G_banding
12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteinogenic_amino_acid
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hula_language
#Prometheus 2012#Prometheus (2012)#This movie is a study in so much tonal dissonance#It was so pretty and yet so broken#insert Benoit Blanc “compels me though” meme here
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'"Oppenheimer" is the summer blockbuster of the year. The visually and sonically compelling film does a lot of things right from examining the existential dread associated with our feeble humanity and analyzing the moral qualms with human ingenuity and its devastating outcomes that showcase we are the culprits of our own destruction.
But it also does some things wrong too. It has a woman problem.
Christopher Nolan's three-hour-long biopic tells the story of the brilliant quantum physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) based on the biography "American Prometheus." The Oppenheimer we uncover in Nolan's film stresses that he is a charmer – he's a womanizer. Nolan wants the audience to know that not only is Oppenheimer one of the most important historical figures in the 20th century, but he also can pull a Communist female Stanford grad student.
One of the most polarizing aspects of the film is Oppenheimer's on again, off again relationship with said grad student, Jean Tatlock (Florence Pugh). Some would say the way Nolan portrays the relationship and Jean, and her inevitable death by suicide is indicative of a larger issue with the depiction of women in his films.
In their first encounter, they quickly find themselves in bed together. In a controversial scene, Jean and Oppenheimer are having sex while he reads Bhagavad Gita, a sacred text in Hinduism. He reads the line, "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds," during the act itself. Hindu right-wing nationalists called the scene an "attack on Hinduism."
But that isn't the only sex scene between the two in the film. Further into the behemoth of a film, in McCarthy-era America, a room full of government officials question Oppenheimer's former communist ties. He reveals to the board his previous relationship with Jean and how it evolved into an affair. He's now married to Kitty Oppenheimer (Emily Blunt), who is there in the room as he admits to his extramarital affair.
Nolan portrays this confession in the most blatant way possible. Without warning or explanation, a naked Jean is seen straddling and having sex with Oppenheimer as he sits in the chair being interrogated. Is it his imagination? Is it Nolan's one-the-nose way of showing the impact of the confession? Regardless, the audience sees this as the couple going at it while Oppenheimer is staring at the board of men questioning him. It's creepy. The imaginary Jean even glances directly at his wife – his wife who just found out Oppenheimer had been cheating on her for years. Is this storytelling device attention-grabbing? Absolutely, but not in a good way.
It's vital to point out the flaws in a filmmaker's perspective when it's used to only service a man's story and nothing else. As an audience member, the context of the scene and what it does for the larger narrative matters; it is a part of the moviegoer's entire film experience. And as I was watching the second sex scene with Oppenheimer and Jean, I gasped at how disjointed it felt from the larger story Nolan was attempting to illustrate. Sex scenes aren't inherently controversial, nor do they have to be, especially if they are filmed with appropriate boundaries and respect toward the actors and characters. But in "Oppenheimer" something about the audience watching the sex scene in the same way the characters in the interrogation room watched it – feels icky and voyeuristic. And also puzzling.
"Oppenheimer" is an engrossing film. Its riveting acting and nonlinear storytelling infused with cinematic shots of the galaxy and stars hold the audience in a trance. Well, that is until you watch that ill-advised foray into filmmaking voyeurism. It completely snatches you out of the film and puts you back into your body.
Moreso, the scene wouldn't be so jarring if there wasn't such little Jean in the film. Pugh's talents are wasted as she attempts to embody an emotionally embattled intellectual. Jean is a seemingly dark, unconventional type of woman from the 1940s. She is studying to be a psychiatrist but also struggles with depression, and it was speculated that she was queer. But we don't really receive any of this information from the film. We can tell that she's stubborn, volatile and complicated but we are more or less told that through Oppenheimer's perspective of her as his love interest.
This also counts for his wife, Kitty – another female character with unbridled, untapped potential. But of course, she only exists in the roles of love interest, mother and Oppenheimer's conscience. The film only slightly touches on Kitty's tragic past, potential mental health issues and rejection of motherhood. Thankfully, Blunt's acting makes the role feel fuller than it is written to be.
If we address Nolan's track record with female characters, he is known for two tropes: Dead Wife and Woman in A Refrigerator. Across the filmmaker's extensive work, he has a proclivity for fridging, that is killing off a female love interest – in films like "Memento," "The Prestige," "Inception" and "The Dark Knight" – as an alluring and tragic backstory for his male protagonists just like he did with Jean. Of course, she is based on a real person, but Nolan's treatment of her and her tragic death is the same as if she were fictional. The audience is left with very little understanding of Jean, not even with her tragic death. Instead, her most indelible scenes are as Oppenheimer's sex object or in death, a way to humanize the physicist. (And when Nolan doesn't get around to killing off his female characters, he sidelines them like Kitty or Elizabeth Delicki's character in "Tenet.")
Sure, you can argue the film being named "Oppenheimer" means it's entirely about him, and all the supporting characters should only act to elevate his story. The script was even written in first person to convey that every character is just a piece in Oppenheimer's narrative.
However, just because the story is titled "Oppenheimer" doesn't mean one has to adhere to such tunnel vision in storytelling. Case in point is another film named for a singular person – that came out on the same day as " Oppenheimer" in fact – and proves that argument flimsy at best.
"Barbie" does what "Oppenheimer" fails to do.
"Barbie" follows the journey of the human-sized doll (embodied by Margot Robbie) through her existential awakening, crisis and eventual empowerment. But it also spends a significant chunk of its runtime to give her counterpart Ken (Ryan Gosling) space to explore his "neediness, loneliness and identity crisis." Gary Kramer writes for Salon that Ken "hijack[s] the plot for long stretches and force[s] Barbie to help him, not the reverse."
Ken is Barbie's accessory boyfriend but he isn't treated as just her accessory boyfriend. In the writing, Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach allow Ken ample room for self-discovery. Ken is allowed to explore the human world without the need to be attached to Barbie's hip. He searches for his purpose and identity. He's even given a whole musical dance number to dive into his interiority. "Barbie" does what "Oppenheimer" fails to do. It gives purpose and depth to a supporting character's arc – depth that is entirely crucial to the emotional center, vulnerability and gravitas of a character like Barbie.
Ultimately, Nolan barely scratches the surface with his female ensemble and doesn't do their larger-than-life experiences justice. It just feels like a tired attempt to show us Nolan knows women exist but the catch is they do not exist outside of their relationships to men. (Sorry, Bechdel.) Their pain and suffering are a way to transform a man into the protagonist of his story, not hers.'
#Oppenheimer#Christopher Nolan#Cillian Murphy#Florence Pugh#Jean Tatlock#Kitty#Emily Blunt#Barbie#Greta Gerwig#Noah Baumbach#American Prometheus#Bhagavad Gita#Memento#The Prestige#Inception#The Dark Knight#Tenet#Margot Robbie#Ryan Gosling
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Suffer Does The Wolf (Crawling to Thee) i
Summary: Simon knew the exact moment when he knew he had to have you for himself. It was only a matter of time before his military skills allowed himself into your home, into your life. And once he stuck — he wasn’t going to let you back out of his webs.
Tags: non-con, stalker!Ghost, fem reader, mature content
MINORS DNI
next part ➡️
You were nothing but a civilian, or at least you should have been. But you were standing so pretty behind the bar top counter, coffee with a throw away name Simon had used on it instead of his own. Your handwriting was always decorative, with a heart over the i’s.
He had to cut into your presence and sew himself into the holes he’d torn out — just to have you.
The first time he approached the counter and you’d caught his eye; you wore a pale blue nail polish that reminded him of the chipping paint off his walls.
"What can I get for you?" Six words that seared into his mind unnecessarily. But you looked at him like a human being, despite his masked face, despite the uncanny resemblance of a Leviathan of legends, or Prometheus himself. You just gazed up at him with a smile, head swiveled so far up at him.
And then he'd realized he was standing before you, without having said a single thing. Then — he was spewing sense.
"Coffee." He grumbled.
"One coffee. Hot or iced?"
"Hot."
"What size?"
"Medium."
"Cream and sugar?"
"Black."
You glanced up at him, "Just to clarify; medium hot coffee, no cream or sugar, no flavor shots."
Simon's eyes flickered down to your apron. Pins and patches sewn into it, a nametag with a bold delicate cursive of your name along with how long you'd been working there.
Three months. And he hadn't seen you until just now, well into Autumn.
"Yes." Simon hummed as he dragged his eyes from your apron and to your face. He was already sliding his money across the counter before you could even ring him out completely. You'd thanked him and held his change back out to him.
You hadn't expected his hands to be so warm, or big, but you flashed a smile at him. "Your coffee will be right up, just stand under the pick-up sign, and we'll make that up for you, John." And you smiled at him again as he moved over to allow the long line of customers to continue.
He wanted for his coffee and sulked over to his unoccupied corner, one he favored. People didn't usually sit in the armchair because it had worn down leather on it's back, and it sat in the corner where it was dark with no wall sockets.
But he had appreciation for the dark.
He also had appreciation for the direct line of sight between tables at the register.
Simon gently hoisted his hot cup of coffee to his mouth, bringing his mask up just to free his lips before taking a gulp of the horrid thing. It was scalding, but he could hardly focus on it. He focused on your honey sweet smiles, your bright flash of quick glances, and chipper voice.
He normally would have found that despicable, would have wanted to squash it in any private he'd met, but you? He wanted it in the palm of his hands. He took his time with his coffee, using it as an excuse to stay longer. But duties had called him away.
The second time he'd come to the shop, he'd been mindful of the time. If you were on a fixed schedule, he would see you this time around if you weren't late. You'd have on some new nail polish because the old polish, he'd come to find as Coral Blue, had been a part of the summer collection from the mall.
He'd spotted it when he was passing the Sephora boutique, a display of their Summer collection on sale since the new season was on.
It was Autumn, Halloween was coming, you had to love Halloween.
Halloween was everyone's favorite holiday.
And he was right.
The new color you'd picked out was a purple matte shade, Cruel Intentions, he discovered later that week. And your eyes seemed to light up at first sight of his frame.
"Hello?" You gleamed. "What'll it be today?"
Simon met your eyes. "Coffee."
You nodded, "Hot or iced?"
"Hot."
It was the same parade every time.
"What size?"
"Medium."
"Black, right?"
Simon kept his stare firm on yours. "Yeah."
You nodded, ringing it up, and before he could even utter his false name, you set his coffee before him. "Medium hot black for John." You smiled up at him.
Simon didn't say a thing; any normal person would've been disturbed on why someone would know their order. But Simon was absolutely floored that you'd remembered him, recognized him, stuffed him into the forefront of your mind enough times to have receipts overflowing. You remembered him. But it didn't help that Simon had started coming around the same times now, same days you'd worked.
He'd hoped no one else caught on and whispered their worries to you.
Even if they did, he hoped you disregarded them and considered him just a usual customer.
He didn't want to pull the curtains back just yet. He wanted to remain in your obliviousness for a stretch of time longer, if anything, never.
Simon took the coffee from the countertop and set his money on the surface. He turned away, maybe too proud or too shy to say anything about it.
But the next time he'd come into the shop, he was going to be sure to say something. Anything. As he was coming through the front door, holding it open for another customer, he came to notice that the store had been fairly empty.
Sure, it was raining and the drive thru was packed but someone must've wanted to come inside under the cover of this rain.
He followed the dividers to the counter, and waited a moment. No one standing at the counter.
"I'll be right with you!" Simon heard and his heart lept in his chest.
You came into sight from the drive thru window, a light jacket on, and a lingering smile that only reappeared as you approached. "I'll get your coffee in just a sec—"
"Take your time." He uttered.
You gave him a thankful smile and turned back for the drive thru. You cleared two cars before returning to him with his medium hot black coffee. "One hot black coffee for you." You smiled. "Sorry for the wait, it's been non-stop in drive thru."
His eyes panned along the bar top. "Where is everyone else?"
There were usually baristas, cooks making sandwiches behind the bakery bar. But none.
"It's just me today." You shrugged. "There were a few callouts, one person is sick. We're just short staffed." You waved your hand dismissively. "It's nothing I'm not used to."
Despite being stretched in every direction, you were still standing there smiling at him. Holding the world on your shoulders and still showing your dedication to the gods.
Simon didn't put the money on the counter this time, opting to hold it out to you.
"Thank you." You hummed, flashing him your changed nails. They were that same shade of blue again.
"Coral Blue." Simon found himself mumbling under his mask.
You looked at him with a look of shock, "Hm?"
He shook his head once as you offered out the change to him. He pointed to your nails. "Coral Blue." He said again, this time with more depth. "The color."
And you glowed so beautifully. "They are." You blushed, giving them a glance over. "They're my favorite color of blue actually. I'm—" you chuckled, "I'm surprised anyone knows the exact shade. What are you, a nail tech?"
That must've been a joke. You were joking right.
You were laughing so it must've been a joke; a big guy like him, hunched over someone's nails as he added precise details. "I'm actually searching for this one shade, and I've been keeping my eye out for it all over." You waved your hand about. "It's called The Pale Horseman in the Revelations collection at Sephora. Morbid, I know. But, it's a really nice set. I just wish it wasn't so expensive."
Simon would pay any and all amounts of money to get you those sets, those shades, even call the chemist who makes them and bottles them. "I'll keep an eye out for you."
You chuckled. "That's a high price."
"I'm willing."
You nodded, your headset going off. "Well, if you do see it, let me know where it is. Tuck it away for me somewhere hidden so I can find it." You smiled, "I have to take this." You gestured to the headset. "It was nice talking to you, John." You turned for the window.
Simon didn't stay that day to drink his coffee, though he wanted to sit in his corner and drink his coffee. Watch you go from each station to make people's coffees, sharing smiles and polite greetings. But he had an assignment due.
He would find you those shades, wrap it in a nice box, and deliver it to your doorstep if he had to.
But he needed to remain nonchalant. He couldn't follow you home just yet. He needed to limit his self control.
You got into work late the next day, your shift had started an hour ago, and Simon had already come and gone. But he was worried. You were never late. Not in the two weeks he'd been watching you.
"Hey, there's a package for you here."
You turned to the comment, furrowed brows, and hummed. "For me?"
"Yeah, some guy came by, like, fifteen minutes before you came in and told us to give it to you. It's in the office."
In more confusion, you moved for the office. A small white box sat by the telephone, a red silk ribbon was been tied around it to keep the lid secure. With one pull, it was falling apart in your palm and you carefully removed the lid like you were taking apart a bomb.
You didn't know what to expect. You didn't know anyone there.
But at the center, stuffed inside of tissue paper with flakes of glitter, was a single nail polish jar of The Pale Horseman. A card had been signed and left on the underside of the lid reading: " The price is one medium black coffee -Simon "
You stared at the card and back at the nail polish, only knowing two people you'd spoken about this nail polish with recently. You were absolutely shocked that you had it in hand, knowing it was nearly impossible to find, but wielded it in your hand.
You smiled as you repackaged the nail polish, sure to wear it that night.
Fic Masterlist
Do not copy my works and post elsewhere.
#izgnanik-a#cod mw x reader#cod mw2#cod mwii#simon ghost riley#simon riley#simon riley x you#cod modern warfare
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Papa Emeritus III: The analysis of mythological references
Here are my thoughts of Terzo as a character, finally translated to English. Thank you to @osirisiii-bc who is so kind and gracious!
Read on AO3
Note: The author strongly recommends you to check out the Third Era's "policy document" - The Prologue and Introduction by Peter Bebergal before reading this article. This promotional material was sent out to the media by the label on the occasion of the Meliora release.
This analysis is based on the Prologue to Meliora written by Peter Bebergal. At first glance, this text may seem like a set of nonconnected paragraphs, as well as the music video "From the Pinnacle to the Pit" can be considered as a simple cutting of scenes from old movies. But together these two materials can shed light on the mythology of the Meliora Era and the story of Papa Emeritus III - his origin, background and motives. Let's try to understand how it happened that in the image of Papa combined three mythological characters: Prometheus, Icarus and Lucifer.
This is what the author of this analysis looked like when she wrote it
First, let's take a superficial look at the plot. The action of the video takes place in a fictional retrofuturistic city decorated in Art Deco style. The Prologue even gives us the name of this location - Meloria (not to be confused with the album title - Meliora). The city is ruled by a totalitarian cult, something like a Masonic lodge, located in the highest building of the city, which is often struck by lightning.
The protagonist is invited to take part in a cult meeting and to undergo initiation. There he meets a sultry demonic woman who gives him a magic potion (the commentary to the song "Spirit" hints that it was absinthe). The protagonist experiences a vision in which he sees how the city is actually run. Upon awakening from his trance, he escapes from the meeting and throws himself off the roof of a skyscraper. Crashing to the ground, he is reborn into the ghost of Papa Emeritus III, to whom a crowd of people flock. Papa proclaims that the light should belong to the people and rises above the city. By the way, this character has a special name, or rather, a nickname given to him by the press - Mysterious Spectre. This can be read from the page of the newspaper that Papa holds in another clip thematically related to this storyline, "Square Hammer". The headline states: "Mysterious Spectre wrestles power supply from oligarchs". Papa Emeritus in full vestments can be seen in the photo.
Now, let's dig a level deeper. From the very beginning, the video gives us a hint of the concept behind it. The words "pinnacle" and "pit" appear in the splash screen, inscribed in two triangles. The upper word is written in the style of lightning bolts, while the lower one reminds us of stone catacombs. Besides the fact that it is a Masonic symbol (and not the only one in this video, and in Ghost's art in general), it symbolizes the contrast of the heavenly and underground worlds, sacred and profane spheres.
That's what the Prologue says as well:
“Rock and roll exists in two worlds: the sacred and the profane. In the first, it harkens back to a time when people worshipped their gods by wearing masks, dancing, and often in the throes of ecstatic intoxication. In the second, rock exists in the here and now, as an expression of rebellion, sex, power, and even fame. In the realm of the sacred, the ego is destroyed when the god is seen face to face. In the profane, ego is the energy that gets things done. This is the eternal spiritual conflict: the will of the gods versus human will. Those who can keep a foot in both the sacred and the profane can change the world.“
Freemasons are everywhere!
Considering Meliora, we are inevitably faced with its duality: on the one hand, it’s a down-to-earth story about a satanic musical group controlled by the Clergy. On the other hand it’s a legend of the city of Meloria, a kind of Gotham of this fictional universe. Even Papa seems to have two incarnations: a physical and a spiritual one. But the two worlds are not only the dichotomy of matter and spirit. The video shows two levels of the metropolis: the celestial - the world of thunder and lightning, power and electricity, and the subterranean - the world of the poor and the catacombs, the underground temples "under the streets". The society of Meloria is stratified, the upper classes exist at the expense of the lower classes, who bust their hump, generating electricity for their masters and covering the foot of skyscrapers with their bones. The totalitarian regime described in the pages of the Prologue is the oligarchy's way of keeping power in its hands and suppressing any expression of free will from the enslaved people.
“Spies are everywhere. Their eyes are behind the screens of your televisions and devices, their ears attentive to every frequency in the air. Everything is mediated, pre-packaged, and pressure sealed, your lives pre-ordained.”
The watchful airships in the video are labeled grucifixes, but don't let that put us off: they are "angels," agents of the ruling class, an enemy force opposed to Papa Emeritus.
"What if man could harness the power of a god?" the Headmaster asks the protagonist. "In a sense, he would need god no longer." It may be recalled here that Meliora is essentially an album about a world without God. That's exactly how the Nameless Ghoul put it in an interview, which is cited in Revolver magazine. “Spirit Absent” ("spirit absinthe") is “Deus in Absentia”, absent God. It is a world in which man is doomed to choose his own path without prompting from above. Modern man, the man of the era of modernism, seeks to curb the laws of physics, to put heavenly fire at his service. We are getting very close to the image of Prometheus in this story.
“You have been chosen to wield this power,” the Headmaster tells the boy. “Here we are the gods.” Then he sends the protagonist to the top of the building on what looks like an elevator, which symbolizes his ascent through the lodge ranks.
The woman reveals to the protagonist that the deity called demi-surge is the source of the power that moves the gears of the city. And the same power is used to enslave its people. It is their backs that we see bowed before Moloch. The vision is replaced by the sight of a lavish ball. “Through industry, man can harness this power and attain all that which he desires!” - the woman tells and invites the character to join.
This situation is also described in the Prologue:
"The world since he was last seen has changed. Called Moloch by some, the great industrial machine has been grinding away, grinding everything and everyone down in the process."
Historically, Moloch was an ancient Semitic deity to whom human sacrifices had to be made. In the 1927 film "Metropolis" Moloch is represented by an industrial machine with an insatiable maw that devours people who labor in its bowels. And since the music video shows us the 20s of the 20th century, this machine operates on electric power. So, in this story Moloch symbolizes the dark side of progress turned against people.
Moloch in the “Metropolis” movie
The protagonist realizes that the lodge is using ordinary people as fuel for its luxurious life. He is not ready to accept this, so he pushes the woman away and, scattering, jumps from the roof of the skyscraper, from the pinnacle to the pit. There's an important element not to miss here: while he's climbing to the top of the tower before jumping, he's struck by lightning. In that moment he perhaps becomes heir to the mystical power of the demi-surge. By this Papa gains the dramatic ability to shoot lightning from his hands (and a little from his eyes).
As a man of the modern era and a resident of godless Meloria, the protagonist is free to choose how to dispose of this power. Therefore, when he becomes Papa Emeritus, already at the base of the skyscraper, he proclaims that the light should belong to the people. Like Prometheus, who stole the divine fire, he is ready to give it selflessly to the people, so that they can curb the natural force themselves. This similarity must be what the following the Prologue fragment hints at:
“…some still remember the old tales of those who tried to defy the gods. It was said they stole the fire from heaven, or called themselves equal.”
The people who rally around the sacrificed hero become Papa's flock, which is mentioned in the text:
“He is a shepherd of black sheep, the sewers are his cathedral. Here in the darkness they follow the path of the hero’s journey, the necessary travel to the underworld to become transfigured, to become something new.”
The Hero's Journey is a concept invented by Joseph Campbell to describe a monomyth. This archetypal story depicts the way of personality formation, accompanied by psychological transformation. According to the plot, the hero goes on a journey, meets a mentor, passes through a gateway where temptations await, which he must resist. Then he goes to the abyss, where he undergoes a transformation, along with acquiring the gift of the gods, and eventually returns reborn.
Doesn't that ring a bell?
Probably "From the Pinnacle to the Pit" is also a statement about art. Electricity can be perceived as a metaphor for creativity. It is a bit of heavenly power, which the creator (musician) draws from somewhere in the higher spheres and gives to his audience for free. Here Tobias himself appears as a giver of light.
The story of Mysterious Spectre will be continued in the "Square Hammer" video, where we are told that he successfully wages war with local oligarchs, wresting power from them. Let's wish him luck and pay attention to the similarity of Papa's story to two other mythological characters.
Mysterious Spectre in the background of the moon. Handsome as hell.
The cover of the single "From the Pinnacle to the Pit" shows us Papa as Icarus. Let us recall that this ancient Greek young man daringly ascended to the sun, scorched his wings with its heat and fell from heaven to earth, losing too many feathers attached with the easily melting wax. Here we can exclaim after the prophet Isaiah: "How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn!" Because the image of Icarus in this song is combined with the image of Lucifer. In Wikipedia we can read: "Lucifer is the Latin name for the morning appearances of the planet Venus. It corresponds to the Greek names Phosphorus Φωσφόρος, "light-bringer", and Eosphorus Ἑωσφόρος, "dawn-bringer". The entity's Latin name was subsequently absorbed into Christianity as a name for the devil."
Or maybe he didn't fall, but jumped, as the Prologue directly tells us. A man of the modern era is free to choose his own destiny. And it is up to him to decide whether he will be thrown down from heaven or will take a step into the precipice himself, without waiting for a kick from above. Because there is no other way than "from the pinnacle to the pit". Such is the Hero's Journey.
“One figure was considered so prideful he was imprisoned in a pit where he gathered a legion to plan a great rebellion. Now they are merely stories to scare children, to remind them that defiance is a sin. Papa Emeritus III will steal your breath, the parents say. He will unscrew your hands and feet. He will take your eyes.”
Here the image of Papa is so merged with the image of Lucifer that it is difficult to understand who the text is talking about. It seems that the figure of Papa has been defamed: now he is a monster of the underworld, who is used to scare children to make them obedient. He was transformed from a light-bearer into an evil character through slander. Once again we are faced with an almost direct analogy with the Devil. By the way, isn't that why Papa addresses Cirice with the words "I know your soul is not tainted even though you've been told so" that he himself has been stigmatized, presented as a villain? Isn't this the essence of the fall and the punishment?
However Papa Emeritus appears to us: whether he is a rebel, a Melorian revolutionary who made the oligarchs tremble in their skyscrapers, a hero of the common people who brings the light of electricity and freedom to the populace, a fallen angel banished from heaven for his defiant thoughts, or a chthonic demon to scare children, he is a figure who appeals to our unconscious layers through mythological archetypes. Only one question remains: are you, dear reader, ready to follow Papa Emeritus into the abyss, taking the path of rebirth, feeling the halo above your head melting and being replaced by a mitre with an inverted cross?
#papa emeritus iii#terzo#the band ghost#ghost#papa emeritus#papa emeritus 3#papa emeritus lll#ghost band#ghost bc#meliora#meloria#ghost lore#ghost theory#papa terzo#papa iii#terzo emeritus#tobias forge#mysterious spectre
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Friendship is Magic (Post-Toa Version)
About a year ago I made a couple posts about some niche gods I wanted Apollo to become friends with and now I’m back at it! Have some more post-toa relationships for our dear boy. (Warning, this is really long)
Prometheus: Ok, so I actually already said I want Apollo and Prometheus to be friends, but over the last year I have only grown to find this idea to be so interesting. I see the two of them as being so similar, with a strong love and respect for mortals, and a bleeding heart that ostracizes them from their family, who are more easily able to turn a blind eye to any tragedies that occur. But while I think their base personalities and motivations are similar, I think their tactics differ just enough to cause conflict. But the two respect each other so much that they can push and pull at each other enough to find a middle ground. Apollo has always been impressed by Prometheus’ craftiness, and lengths he’s willing to go for his own beliefs. Prometheus has held affection for Apollo for a long time, mainly bc he’s Leto’s son and he pleaded with Zeus to let Prometheus out of his punishment. Recently tho, Prometheus has been relieved to finally see another immortal who is just as against the state of Olympus as he is.
Idk if I’m explaining this right, but like. Apollo’s going to spend a lot of time trying to bring his family around to accepting the flaws of Olympus and the way they treat mortals. And that’s good! And he wants to do that! But when you’ve been a victim of a corrupt system, and then you have to spend a lot of mental energy helping other people realize how much this system hurts people, it can be such a relief to talk with someone who already agrees with you that things are fucked. LIke, “yeah, you don’t have to convince me that you’ve been hurt, I’m not going to challenge you on that at all, or try to justify it, I just believe you, and I agree that things need to change.” That’s what I want these two to be for each other.
Menoitios: The brother of Prometheus, and Titan of violent rage and rashness. If Prometheus allows Apollo to air out his hurt, Menoitios helps him to work with the violent, and often terrifying responses he’s had to the trauma he’s ignored. Apollo has not been a good person, and he is often horrified by the actions he’s taken in the past. Instead of letting him spiral, Menoitios tells him that he can’t stop these behaviors until he finds the reasons behind them. He also tells Apollo that the emotion that often led to him lashing out and hurting or even killing others, that feral rage that came from being raised up in such a toxic society and being harmed on such a deep level, does not have to be inherently harmful. They work through coping mechanisms, and work on using that rage to make real change. Oftentimes, Apollo and Menoitios can be found sparring, no holds barred. They go until their energy is spent, and then Menoitios carts Apollo over to Prometheus and caringly forces him to talk it out.
Aporia: Aporia is one of Nyx’s kids! I picked her specifically bc while there are a lot of Nyx’s children that I think would be interesting for Apollo to interact with, Aporia’s domain is especially interesting to me. Aporia is the personification of want, difficulty and powerlessness. These are three things that Apollo has definitely struggled with, and will continue to struggle with as he goes on post-toa. It’s especially hard for him because these three emotions are so heavily looked down upon on Olympus. Gods are not allowed to desperately want, or to struggle, or to be powerless. Apollo has hidden these feelings away for so long, and then he was forced back into them during the trials. It’s jarring, and he hasn’t really found peace with it yet. So when he starts getting visits from a literal representation of the parts of himself he wants to push down the most, he freaks out. But Aporia is not there to make him more powerless, or wanting. Instead, she wants him to embrace these parts of himself, to understand how they make him whole. The two of them struggle to connect, but when they do, their friendship is so impactful.
Boreas: I have been introduced to this ship and I actually love it oml. With Boreas, Apollo gets the one thing that he really needs after the trials. REST. Boreas pulls Apollo away from Olympus, and lets him get some good rest in his palace. It helps that the two of them have a very peaceful, slow and steady sort of relationship, where there are very little expectations on either side. (Basically, you’re hot, I’m hot, we wanna make out sometimes, let's just do that and be chill about it) Boreas is calm, but can be very stern at times. When he knows what needs to be done, he gets it done. Oftentimes this no-nonsense attitude helps Apollo to start moving too. When Apollo wants to give in, Boreas is the type to be like “You can rest for a while here, and when you get up again, I’ll help you figure out what to do.” And especially post-toa this is really helpful for Apollo. They cute <3.
Euphrosyne: Apollo’s half-sister! She’s the daughter of Zeus and Eurynome. She’s also one of the Kharites (Charities, or Graces) and she’s the goddess of Mirth. I think after Jason, Apollo reached out to some of his half-siblings, honestly just wanting to make sure they’re all doing ok. He and Euphrosyne hit it off quickly, and the two of them really just have fun together. Apollo is a person who feels his emotions so strongly, both sorrow and joy. So while he needs people around him to help him through his tragedies, he also needs someone who can match him at the levels of wonder and delight. These two hype each other up a lot, and while that might be two much for others, it’s what the two of them need to work through the emotions they have. They watch movies and listen to music that they rant about for hours, gush about their closest friends and family, and just sit and bask in it all sometimes. It’s just a lil bubble of joy and comfort.
Haha psych! Got you! I disguised this as a friends post, but it’s actually my roundabout way of giving Apollo therapy while there’s no god of therapy!! Heehee I’m such a prankster!!
#trials of apollo#toa apollo#lester papadopoulos#sunny speaks#long post#shut up sunny#I wrote this all rly quick so it's a bit all over the place but yeah#friends
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Round 2
Propaganda why Victor Frankenstein is insufferable:
Victor Frankenstein is so pathetic not even tumblr could love him. The best parts of Frankenstein are the ones where your blessedly saved from being in his whiny, self deprecating, self centered pov. He’s so conceited that when his creation tells him directly “In revenge for killing the wife you were making for me I’m going to kill YOUR wife to see how YOU like it!”, Victor Frankenstein thinks that the creation is going to kill him and *only* him. (A decision And on top of it, he’s a shitty dad. Truly the worst.
this fucker has zero self awareness, which could maybe be fun to read about! except that 3/4 of the book consists of him constantly woe-is-me-ing about his own mistakes and how he shouldn't be responsible for any of his own actions.
He's not irredeemable, but his refusal to take accountability til it's too late is irritating
Propaganda why Caillou is insufferable:
Horrible, whiny, mean (I know they're like three but that's no excuse)
He's the absolute worst bratty child I've ever seen in a kids show, his voice is suuuper annoying.
You know and I know why, he's the poll's icon for a reason.
More propaganda
#victor frankenstein#frankenstein or the modern prometheus#caillou#insufferable protagonist poll#insufferable protagonist tournament#tournament poll
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Hello dear angle.
I'm back with an ask that idk if it's wierd or not.
Actaully I'm trying to start a fanfic about a civilizade xenomorph society and I'm turing everthing I like to these cute little parasites. So… I wanted to ask what do you think about an android Desmond with his three white xenomorph ancestors?
I've read several comics and novels of alien and what I discovered was that xenomorphs were created to be a biological weapon. So I was thinking what if Desmond android was created by abstergo to controll the xenemorphs.
He is like a queen to them because of the DNA they share.
In this au the assassin-templair war is not still over. And even in the sky they are trying to take cotroll over the galaxy.
What if Desmond works in one of abstergo's labs. Until he saw a xenomorph for the first time in his life. It was pure white with a strange looking mark on its forhead. Some thing about this mark was familiar to him which he didn't know why.
The first time he saw it he felt a strong bond between them. He felt so safe around that monster. It felt like family. Like home. He put his hand on the glass.
The creature came closer with curiosity and placed its hand where was desmond's. And suddenly something flashed before Desmond's eyes. A face. A man with white cloak that was standing there and staring at him in a kind smile. And then he was in the lab again. He stared at the monster and smiled. "Ezio. So it's your name."
I will leave it from here for you. I belive in you. You can turn this to a movie that worths watching. And mabey it's ezides? I love ezides fanfics and i don't know why. They're kinda apposite but still cute. Your blog is wonderful 🤩
(Thank you! While I cannot promise I can make this a movie worth watching, I will do my best to make this something monster fuckers would at the very least be curious about XD)
It’s not weird. I mean, I’m fine with weird ideas XD
Also, Alien is one of my favorite horror movies.
For this one, what if we just throw away Alien/Prometheus canon and spin this into another AU (mainly because this gives us an excuse to not use the canon explanation of white xenomorphs and the proto xenomorphs.
For this one, let’s set up Abstergo as being sorta in a decline after humanity decided to live among the stars. While they had been focused on profiting and trying to eradicate the Brotherhood, Weyland-Yutani slips pass them and became the juggernaut corporation that more or less controlled human settlements.
DESMOND was meant to be the prototype of an android line that should have exceeded everything Weyland-Yutani approved androids could.
But there were a bit of problem with DESMOND. For one, he appeared too cold, less expressive than the cheapest android and has a hard time understanding orders.
It was a failure.
So Abstergo had to pivot and create a new product. They manage to get samples of Weyland-Yutani’s ‘prized’ secret project and a basic ‘overview’ of what it’s meant to be.
Unfortunately, the samples didn’t have enough genetic information to complete their version and they thought, “Hey, you know what we have? The DNA sample of some dude that died during the 21st century! That might work!”
In their defense, the lead of the project, Dr. Vidic (relation to the late Warren Vidic is unknown), believed in this ‘rumor’ that Sample 17 is the golden ticket to Abstergo’s success. It was the key to the success of the Animus Project. Why not this project as well?
If the human DNA is unusable for this project, Sample 17’s Isu DNA might be what they needed.
For this one, they made three Prototypes to use for different ‘experiments’.
They were called Zero-One, Zero-Two and Zero-Three.
Zero-One is taken to the deepest part of the space station to be experimented on.
Zero-Two is kept in one of the more secured floors to be observed with limited ‘contact’.
Zero-Three is kept on stasis while Zero-One and Zero-Two are being ‘observed’. Once the observation period is over, Zero-Three will be eliminated and dissected to gather more data using what data they gathered from Zero-One and Zero-Two.
DESMOND has been turned into a messenger android, delivering devices and other items and acting similar to someone who takes picture of the person who took a package.
It was one of the few things it could do without having to be supervised the entire time.
It is during one of its delivery to Dr. Vidic that it sees Zero-Two.
There was something about Zero-Two that makes it feel something.
Makes him feel something.
Their first meeting ends with him calling Zero-Two ‘Ezio’.
His Ezio.
DESMOND starts visiting him whenever he has the chance.
And Abstergo sees this all.
Hard not to considering the floor Ezio is in is covered in surveillance tech.
Dr. Vidic thinks this is a good thing.
DESMOND can communicate with Zero-Two. With enough time, DESMOND can be used to control Zero-Two.
No.
Control an army of them.
So he takes DESMOND under his wing and starts to supervise the meetings.
The tried and true method of carrot-and-stick.
With DESMOND being the carrot.
During that time, the team in charge of experimenting of Zero-One fuck up big time.
Maybe they didn’t take in consideration the idea that Zero-One would use its acid blood to destroy its cage.
Maybe they underestimated Zero-One’s intellect and it manages to get them to open the cage by pretending to be sick or dead.
Whatever the reason will be, the end result is the same.
Zero-One kills the team that has been experimenting on it and starts to hunt down everyone in the Space Station.
During this time, Dr Vidic gets the idea of hunting Zero-One using Zero-Two.
And he does it by having DESMOND become bait because he knows Zero-Two will protect DESMOND.
He didn’t take in consideration that DESMOND’s connection might not be exclusive to Zero-Two alone.
So when DESMOND sees Zero-One, he sees him about to kill another Abstergo personnel.
The personnel begged for help but DESMOND simply stood there.
Dr. Vidic thought (as he watched the feeds from a drone) that DESMOND is doing as ordered, to find Zero-One and to place himself in danger until Zero-Two gets to his position (Zero-Two has been fashioned with a device that would push a strong sedative inside him in a push of a button, deliberately placed in a part of his body that he cannot use his acid blood to dissolve it)
Zero-One kills the personnel and starts moving to DESMOND’s position on all fours. A predator slowly making its way to its next kill.
That’s when Dr. Vidic sees DESMOND take a step towards Zero-One and reach a hand.
Without any mirror, DESMOND touches Zero-One as he says, “Altaïr?”
“You want to kill them all? Okay.”
“… We can do that.”
.
Unorganized Notes:
They take Ratonhnhaké:ton out of stasis during Altaïr’s rampage and DESMOND stays with him because he hasn’t gotten used to moving yet and is the most vulnerable of the three.
Considering it’s me, I would suggest we just turn this into all three main couples (AltDes, EziDes, ConDes) for triple the ‘fun’.
They feel a connection to DESMOND because he is created to be a complete copy of Sample 17 with an android body. Technically, his ‘genetics’ is more or less in that ‘white fuel’ he creates himself and a bunch of 1s and 0s makes up Sample 17’s entire DNA.
In a more… ‘strange’ level, they feel a connection to DESMOND and DESMOND feels a connection with them because they’re the closest species to one another. Both created from Sample 17.
If you want smut in this one, well, they see DESMOND as their Queen and they have the instinct to mate with their Queen because Sample 17’s genetic code had a hardwired ‘order’ of needing to reproduce sexually. (to create Desmond Miles but the order is still there). Otherwise, they feel the need to protect DESMOND and to satisfy his every desire.
The xenomorphs take one more and more characteristics of the ‘target’ ancestor in terms of personality and habits. On the flipside, DESMOND starts acting more… ‘selfish’ the longer he stays with the three.
This would end with the space station succumbing to the xenomorphs but Dr. Vidic manages to send out an SOS before he dies.
This is the part where we can focus on developing DESMOND’s relationship with the xenomorphs (insert smut here if you want).
Then… an Abstergo rescue ship is pinged on the radar and… more cannon fodders as well as the possibility of finally leaving the space station.
The twist is there’s an Assassin aboard the rescue ship and this Assassin would get in contact with DESMOND and realize who he is based on because the Brotherhood never forgot Desmond Miles. (this gives us the chance to make this either (1) DESMOND and the xenomorphs joining the Brotherhood for a sorta morally gray good guys scenario or (2) they kill the Assassin and go on full on corrupted “the world against us” setup)
#xenomorph and android au#no usual tags because#altdes#ezides#condes#teecup writes/has a plot#fic idea: assassin's creed#ask and answer#i swear i did a xenomorph desmond ask before#but i can't seem to find it TTATT
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fanfiction masterlist
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masterlists
sfw masterlist | nsfw masterlist | headcanons & imagines
art [rocket & your OCs] | writing thoughts & "advice"
recommended works (writers, artists, etc)
full masterlist below the cut.
banners & dividers are by @saradika-graphics and @v6que ♡ thanks to them!
everything is in alphabetical order with pending works at the end, but if you can think of a better way to organize, feel free to hit me up ♡
what to expect from my fanfiction
⋆ ˖ ⁺ ‧₊ ☽ anthology ☾₊‧⁺˖⋆
varies | no use of y/n | complete | word count: varies.
miscellaneous one-shots belonging to no specific collections or series. gender of reader varies. collects three oneshots.
adorations | Autopilot Systems Check | overheard on the bowie | the raccoon, the witch, & the roadtrip | rocket raccoon prompt week | tomorrow | warm compress
♡‧₊˚✩ Blackmail Material ✩˚₊‧ ♡
18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n | f!reader | 3/3 parts | complete | word count: 30,591.
a classic tale of "that fuckin raccoon found your sex toy." post-endgame friends-to-lovers smut with feelings, fluff, & love confessions.
Blackmail Material | Self-Sufficience | Bioluminescent
⋆⊰∙∘⋆❆ borealis ❆⋆∘∙⊱⋆ winter collection
varies | no use of y/n | complete | word count: varies.
an anthology of various winter-themed/holiday one-shots. gender of reader varies.
collect four 2023 winter oneshots.
traditions. | ugly sweater. | frostnip. | snow & stars. | winter across the galaxy
꧁･:☁︎⋆. cicatrix .⋆☁︎ :･꧂
18+ only MDNI | rocket x f!oc | wip | 4/25+ | word count: pending.
a story about scars. inspired by mary shelley’s frankenstein; or, the modern prometheus. a freakish little monster visits the high evolutionary’s bride on her wedding night. please pay attention to all ao3 warnings/tags for every chapter.
nemotia | ambedo | rasque | anthrodynia | o'erpine | lockheartedness | starlorn |
Domestic Scenes in Space Travel ✩°｡ ⋆ [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]
The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl
18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n | f!reader | word count: varies.
reader x rocket domestic fluff & smut with feelings. comics-based but you don't need any comics background knowledge to ride this ride.
collects Installments 1-5 and an Interlude.
The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl | Outer Space Safety & Spaceship Maintenance Training | Reconnaissance for Beginners: An Instruction Manual | Critical Interview Questions for Potential Room & Crewmates [explicit & smut-free versions] | Proof: A Moment in Space | Untitled Installment 6
florescence❀ ˖⁺‧₊˚ (a meetgroot)
18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n | f!reader | 3/6 years | wip | word count: pending.
Rocket & Groot leave their friends behind on Knowhere, despite the latter’s protests, and end up hiding out on a nothing-planet (with a non-extradition policy) at the edge of the Shi’ar Galaxy. It was the flowers that drew you in. mcu-based, slight au, medium-burn, eventual smut circa Year Four. tentative allies to friends to lovers. the middle is angsty but there are only happy endings here.
Year Zero: Seed | Year One: Sprout | Year Two: Growth | Year Three: Flowering | Year Four: Formation | Year Five: Dispersal
˚₊‧✶ headcanons & imagines ✶‧₊˚
smut-free | no use of y/n | gn reader | oneshots & drabbles
various guardians of the galaxy headcanons, minifics, and more.
°˖✧˚♡ kinktober 2023 ♡˚✧˖°
18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n | f!reader | oneshots | word count: varies.
based on @flightlessangelwings Kinktober 2023 prompt list. please read all warnings.
rocket raccoon prompt week ✷.⁺⋆˚₊
smut-free | no use of y/n | gn reader | oneshots & drabbles | word count: varies.
based on @rocketraccoonpromptweek. most can be read platonically, with only some brief mentions of romance or spice.
explosives | hurts | emotionalistic | family | machinery | bite | home
✩࿐࿔ take what you need
smut-free | gn reader | no use of y/n | 11 complete reminders | word count: varies.
the world is hard, and sometimes it's difficult to complete daily tasks & take care of yourself. rocket bullies you for your own good. non-smutty. reader is gender-neutral. accepting requests via reblogs, asks, and tumblr & ao3 comments.
collects various Reminders (ongoing)
࿔ eat somethin ࿔ go to frickin bed ࿔ get outta bed & get your shit done ࿔ take a damn bath ࿔ leave your frickin skin alone ࿔ take a fuckin study break ࿔ drink some goddamn water ࿔ stop destroying your fricking clothes ࿔ just buy the damn thing already ࿔ it's frickin laundry day ࿔ get some goddamn sunshine ࿔ have you taken your meds today? ࿔ schedule your fuckin appointments ࿔ do the goddamn dishes ࿔ brush your frickin teeth ࿔
⭑˚.⚘𖡼𖥧𖤣 windfall 𖤣𖥧𖡼⚘.˚⭑ (a meetgroot)
18+ only MDNI | no use of y/n | f!reader | 2/3 parts | wip | word count: pending.
wind·fall /ˈwin(d)ˌfôl/ noun. an apple or other fruit blown down from a tree or bush by the wind; an unexpected piece of good fortune.
semi-shy ultrafeminine touch-deprived reader tries to avoid meeting knowhere’s intimidating captain. is profoundly unsuccessful.
Sugared Violets. | Crystallized Ginger. | Candied Apples.
Window Across the Galaxy *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
18+ only MDNI | rocket x f!oc | 27/27 chapters | complete | word count: 235,940.
girl falls first; raccoon falls harder. Rocket is captured by a Ravager crew hoping to get rich off the excessively large bounty on his head. Throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans is the Terran girl they hired to do some freelance assessing on a recent haul of goods they’ve seized from a Xandaran luxury liner. Oops.
slight AU starting pre-GOTG volume 1 (but will hit most of the same major plot points). slow burn + eventual smut with a lot of pining in the middle. kinda enemies-to-lovers? (but only one of these idiots thinks they're enemies).
collects Chapters I-XXVII. *:･ﾟ✧
what's on the horizon?
future projects
#rfh fanfic#fanfiction masterlist#rocket raccoon fanfic#rocket raccoon fanfiction#rocket raccoon#gotg fanfiction#guardians of the galaxy#rocket raccoon x oc#rocket raccoon x you#rocket x you#rocket racoon x reader#rocket raccoon fanart#gotg oc#gotg rocket#rocket gotg#rocket raccoon x reader#rfh masterlist#blackmail material#take what you need#rfh kinktober#window across the galaxy#domestic scenes in space travel#sweatshirt girl#adventures of space pilot & sweatshirt girl#florescence
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Misc PJO Fic Recs (Part 4)
The Stolen God by TsarinaTorment
Python is defeated. The prophecies are restored, and Nero has fallen. Apollo has not been seen since. His trials are over; why isn’t he back on Olympus?
-
Baby Blofis College Fund by zipadeea
Valerie calls her an hour later.
“Sally, what the hell?”
“That bad, huh?”
“Bad? Sally, it’s gold. I went from squirming in my seat to crying genuine tears. And that twist, making him a Greek god, it’s exactly what we’re looking for right now. How soon can you get me the next chapter?”
***
In which Sally Jackson realizes by the time the new baby is eighteen, a semester of college will cost an arm and a leg. And those Fifty Shades of Grey books sure did make a lot of money.
-
to bet on losing dogs by furnaceglow
The thing is,” Apollo said, the coolest prisoner of war in all of time. Prometheus wasn't prone to jealousy, but even he felt a drop of envy at how relaxed Apollo was in maximum security. "How to define a man…are we talking ontology here? That’s broad scope, bigger picture. We can include ourselves in that definition. Philosophy otherwise! Our good man Diogenes. You remember Diogenes! Or are we specifically talking about man for the sake of man? Is this about anthropology, is what I’m saying.”
“I’m open to all interpretation,” Prometheus said. “Been a while since I’ve had good conversationalists here. Krios is all grunting, and Hyperion is solely interested in making his quarters nicer.”
“Well, he has an eye for interior design, I’ll give him that,” Apollo said.
In which Percy Jackson ascends to a reluctant godhood, his mother loses the war but wins a battle, and for once, Prometheus picks the winning horse.
-
and if your eyes don't speak by Pixelfun20
Estelle Jackson is seven years old when she meets her nephew for the first time, over a grainy Facetime call.
OR
Estelle grew up with stories of Percy Jackson, but it takes meeting his son to realize who he really was.
-
the carriage held but just ourselves by Writeous
The official story is this: Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase, just two months shy of their seventh wedding anniversary, hurtle off a cliff on a lonely mountain road. A tragic accident, a sharp turn taken too quickly. Their 2023 Prius was found buried under debris, three hundred feet below where witnesses claim they fell. Paramedics declared them dead upon arrival, suffering blunt force trauma as their car collapsed with them inside.
The real story is this: Percy and Annabeth watch as Hecate’s children create perfect duplicates of them that are promptly hurled off a cliff. Percy loved that Prius.
(Or: at the end of the Titan War, Zeus offered Percy immortality. Percy was mistaken in thinking it was an actual choice.)
-
Dawn Rises From The East by TsarinaTorment
During the Battle of Manhattan, Michael Yew fell into the East River; his body was never found. Two years later, a homeless kid known only as Ferret has a chance encounter that changes everything he knows.
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Annabeth and the Nine Step Career Plan by feeling_the_aster_9145
Annabeth Chase does not accept limitations. Everyone knows that. If she wants something, no matter how impossible, she will find a way to make it happen. Though, perhaps she will allow Bruce Wayne and his ridiculous paranoia-induced company restrictions a small portion of the credit.
Actually… now that she thinks about it, the man may have had a point in his worries.
Wayne Technologies does not accept college interns. Annabeth always has a plan B.
-
is it really a crime if you don't exist? by MidnightBunny
"So, what you're saying is," Percy said, staring at the man in front of him. "you're me from the future."
The man took a drink out of the coffee cup in his hand. "Yup."
"And you're here," Percy said slowly. "Because Annabeth's brother's boyfriend is trying to prove the existence of the multiverse."
The man nodded.
"And you got sucked in when he turned it on."
Nod.
"And now you don't know how to get home."
Nod.
"And how did you get sucked in, again?"
The man mumbled something.
"What?"
"I was coming back from the bathroom and opened the wrong door."
-
(I'm so excited this one is back y'all, the author privated all her works but just unprivated them a few weeks back so now I'm recommending you read all of her stuff, especially this fic)
Son of Sea Foam by CaffeinatedFlumadiddle
“She’ll never claim me,” he whispered. Silena shook her head, eyes wild as she looked around for anyone who could be watching.
“My mother doesn’t remember half of her children as it is,” she said with a note of bitterness. “If you do something to impress her, it won’t matter. Return the bolt in her name. She’ll claim you if you act the part. If you stay unclaimed then they'll figure out what you really are," she said, squeezing his hands tightly. Percy's heart sped up.
"I - I don't know the first thing about Aphrodite-"
"My mother was born of sea foam," Silena cut him off. "And if you're really who I think you are... you are the sea. You can pull this off," she said and touched his cheek. "Get the bolt. Survive," she said. Percy swallowed.
"What if I can't act the part?" He asked. Silena's expression went blank for a moment. Slowly, she slipped off her bracelet and placed it in his hands.
"If you're going to be one of us... you better learn."
Or
AU where Percy has to hide the fact he's a Big Three kid otherwise he'll be killed on the spot. Unfortunately for him, unclaimed kids tend to raise the most suspicion... but he might have found a loophole in the form of Aphrodite.
#mads posts#percy jackson#pjo fic recs#fic recs#pjo fic rec list#riordanverse fic rec list#riordanverse fic recs
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Mishapocalypse: what the-
Hey, former redditors! Welcome to the hellsite, we're all glad that you're here (especially you 196 folk you warm my dead, frozen heart). While on the whole you seem to be adapting AMAZINGLY fast to site culture, if any of you are confused over one of our founding myths this may help.
(or if you're a veteran tumblrina and just want to read an essay that's fine too)
(others key parts of our national identity to learn about if you're curious include Goncharov, I Love You, Color of the Sky, My Three Girlfriends, and many more)
also if you don't want to read my entire fucking essay take this and run
but if you want to know the deal with this man, read on!
Mishorigins
Supernatural is a 2000s-ass TV series that ran on the CW from 2005 to 2020. It's about two brothers, Sam and Dean Winchester, who are "hunters" that protect people from various supernatural entities. The show was originally planned to last five seasons, with an angel character named Castiel (this is important) slated to be revealed as God in the finale. Castiel (nicknamed Cass by the CW and Cas by objectively correct people) was introduced in S4.
left: Castiel, the gay angel of our collective dreams. right: Misha Collins.
The Man Behind the Mish
Misha Collins is a straight man who was forced by a cruel and uncaring god to play a heavily queer coded angel on a TV series intended for any demographic BUT gay teens (which is what it became). His performance as Castiel, and the large queer teen fanbase he drew, were a driving force behind a show would ultimately continue for three times longer its original plan.
I don't have anywhere else to put these facts so they go here
he was an intern in the Clinton administration during the Lewinsky scandal
he knows Tibetan throat singing
he was arrested for climbing onto a bank roof (he was trying to... read a book? 👀👀👀)
he probably made Jensen Ackles (the guy who played Dean less homophobic? Maybe?
he held a scavenger hunt called GISHWHES several times for his charity, Random Acts
cool guy
he later played Harvey Dent on Gotham Knights this very year (2023)
there's icebergs of this shit
he farted on an airplane once
Mishion: Impossible
April 1st, 2013 is a date that will live in mishinfamy. Tumblr a main hub of the SuperWhoLock fandom (a mega-fandom amalgamating Supernatural, Sherlock BBC, and Doctor Who), was the only place the Mishapocalypse could happen.
For boring deets I'll redirect you to the KnowYourMeme page but these images should sum it up.
left: a list of Tumblr users, circa 2013. right: a fine example of Misha culture
There are two takeaways here:
You cannot outrun Misha.
You will become him.
On April 1, 2013, a significant portion of Tumblr changed their avatar to the now-iconic Mishapocalypse photo and their handle to "Misha Collins", followed by similar waves of Mish across other social media sites.
above: the modern Prometheus
This beautiful event was emblematic of pre-Dashcon Tumblr, an era as far away from us now as 1200 AD was from 1208 AD. You'll be pleased to know that the Mishapocalypse returns every April 1st to grace these ancient halls, a small group of pilgrims tracing new paths on the well-worn floor of the Church of Misha.
(this isn't to say the Supernatural fandom is dead, it's just somewhat diminished from it's glory days.
Thanks for reading! Reblog if you liked. I'll leave you with a bunch of Mishimages of my own that I posted for Mishapocalypse 23 (the 10th anniversary). Shameless self-promotion!!!
in clockwise order:
The Mona Misha
Mishius
Misha's extra hour in the ball pit
The Mishian (with Mish Damon)
Future ideas include Salvator Misha. Feel free to ask any questions you have, and I hope you enjoy Tumblr.
Happy Mishing!
ps I have not actually watched supernatural you just learn all of this via osmosis
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