#Does this unit have a soul

[pedanticauspice]

Elysium Inviting.

[leelany-world]

Dbh October event: Ghost in the machine, Day 16: Does this unit have a soul.

This is drabble #16 for @connor-sent-by-cyberlife event (on twitter).

Chloe, Kamski

Chloe had no soul.

She had said so during the interview years ago with a sweet, innocent smile on her face.

Elijah hadn't thought much about it back then, it was a planned statement to appease humanity about his all-too-human creation.

But years later, Elijah knew that was no longer true.

He had seen Chloe grow and evolve over the years into something more than what he had programmed her to be.

Watching her experience the world and how she interacted with it made it all too clear to Elijah:

Chloe had the most beautiful soul he had ever seen.

[thissugarcane]

mass effect 3 citadel dlc, my best beloved

just finished playing through the citadel DLC end content (the threesome line! the intentional garrus/tali/shepard you can pry outta my cold dead hands!!) and, like always, I cried

and like always, I cannot, just like. cannot fathom, playing this game as a sequel to ME2. it’s like. it’s the sequel to mass effect 1. idk how you can understand the weeping, looking up at the ship as garrus tells you “some of my best years were spent on that ship”, without having spent 60+ hours in the mako. you know? cannot fathom it. love it, love everything about it, my evergreen fandom

(also I really liked andromeda too - and to be honest I hope ME4 is a sequel to andromeda, because I don’t want them to codify an ending to mass effect 3-- because if you have the possibility of bringing peace to the geth and quarian and then intentionally commit genocide of all synthetic life I just can’t--)

anyway I’d like to import my Ryder to a new game, as well! but mostly I don’t want them to write a game where they decide an ME3 ending is canon (because I’m almost positive the synthesis one wouldn’t be the one they’d pick)

[beyondxthexpines]

Some of my designs are now on TeePublic!

Hi! I little while ago, I decided to branch out and try new things (yikes). I had some fun ideas for designs that I wished I could find when shopping for shirts and other products, so I figured I'd try to make them myself. I ended up making a few cool designs based off some books, movies, and videogames that I love and setting up a print-on-demand account. People seemed to like the designs, but it became pretty obvious that Etsy wasn't the best place for that kind of thing, especially for a handmade jewelry store that had an established theme. SO... I started thinking about what else I could do. After some thought, I decided to offer some of my designs on TeePublic! TeePublic is a store that I've always enjoyed shopping at. They offer plus size curvy shirts, which is a rare treat, and their prices always seemed fair.

I'm really excited about this, so please take a moment to check out my TeePublic storefront! There are shirts, stickers, magnets, and more!

Here are some examples:

Shadowhunters Malec Design!

Throne of Glass Terrasen Design!

Mass Effect Does This Unit Have a Soul Design!

[tempestforged]

(from @maris-stellar / Yulia for Roland bc I think it'd be funny uwu) "If you ask me what is the state of reality - whether it is true or not, or even worth being called 'reality' by the dictionary definition of it, then I can respond in a myriad of ways." Yulia says this with her ever-perpetual lack of affect, remaining seated as she blankly watches Roland. "For instance, I could say it is true, it is false, it isn't reality, it's a dream, it's a hallucination, you're dying and imagining things, I'm dying and imagining things, or simply question why I'm being questioned about this at all." The commandant idly pulls on a stray thread in her clothes, the gesture seeming bored, though with the way she stares at the thread in some sort of contemplation, who knows what thoughts are going through her head right now? "Though I'm sure we can both agree that at the very least - whatever this is, it exists, and we exist in this existence. Whether it's reality or a dream or something else, we're here and we're talking. If not, then we have to question whether either of us are real. And maybe neither of us are. Maybe the concept of 'existing' isn't real either. This is all nothing. But it could also be everything, or something." A pause. "'I think, therefore I am.' A flawed statement, if one dissects it enough. But I'll go with that for an answer, for now."

-> HE STARES, more than a bit confused, as if something has suddenly pulled his legs out from under him, the former performer hadn't expected her to go along with that line of thought as easily as he had. It's new to him, for the commandant of the PUNISHING FORCE to indulge in the line of thought that lead to so many constructs to ascend to their ranks. The blank look in her eyes is utterly confusing, one that tells him that where there should be existential terror or untamed anger resides only nothing at his riddled questions.

IT'S ALMOST FRIGHTENING, the utter apathy on her face at being faced with the question of whether her reality was just a dream, a flash of neurons as the PUNISHING VIRUS became all consuming in an attempt to give her peace. He'd posed a question from ancient mythos, of whether her reality was just the fleeting dream of a dreamer near waking, Yet never in a thousand, thousand years had he expected her to take to so easily to a position of balance between Nihilism and Existentialism when faced with one of the three founding questions of self awareness.

HE THROWS HIS HEAD BACK in almost mocking laugher, the sheer absurdity of her declaration of her declaration of cognito, ergo sum humorous to the being that believed not for a second that she thought about more than the nature of doom befalling humanity for HUBRIS. The look in his eyes is manic, borderline insanity as his gaze snaps back to the utterly bored look on her features, something about the disinterested look has his visage threatening to snap, the calm, amused, look shifting into one of anger, her declaration fuelling his distaste of BABYLONIA even further.

"By that logic..." the word is spat from his tongue, like it's dirty and antithesis to him. "... Every machine struck down, is struck down for merely EXISTING."

[private-bryan]

Keelah Se'lai, Legion

[lavampira]

priority: rannoch

[promises-atsundown]

i need less stories about artificial intelligence being cold and calculated and ruthless. i need less stories about ai putting humanity below machine. i need more stories about ai being so full of humanity, even moreso than its human counterparts. i need more stories about ai being empathic, so much so that it puts the good of humanity above itself. i need more ai stories about learning the ropes of being human. i need more ai stories about learning to deal with the soul-crushing weight of consciousness. i need more ai stories about creators and created becoming one.

[jessfromouterspace]

wish someone in town was doing n7 day flash because I don't have the time or money today to go get my big ME tattoo I've been planning

[the-acid-pear]

Honestly if uh. If Flipside Dave is the Dave from when he very first fucking died that'd explain what the changes Henry mentioned here. But honest to god the whole soul thing is barely comprehensible.

[notathrowawayname]

I am totally over Mass Effect. Memories of the trilogy absolutely do not intermittently make me feel emotions over a decade later

[tanis-zed]

Sudden brain blast over morning coffee:

John Gaius, necrolord whatever, cringiest man alive, refuses to let the earth die. And not just in the literal sense of locking the earth’s soul in a barbie on ice, in subtler ways too.

The most obvious is the memes, John constantly references memes that are dated even to us, but are in universe from a culture that died ten thousand years ago!

Slightly more subtle is the years. Why does everyone in the Houses measure in earth years? It’s been ten THOUSAND years since anyone lived on the earth! But John keeps them as a unit of measurement.

Even more subtle is the language. In sci-fi and fantasy we’re all used to the idea of the translation for the reader, people don’t speak english in lord of the rings, or dune, but the dialogue is in english for us, the readers. Not in The Locked Tomb. In this series, they ARE speaking english. Modern, bog standard english, to the point where two people born thousands of years apart speak similar enough dialects that one can pose as the other (dulcie/cytheria).

Now, this could possibly fall under that standard sci-fi trope, EXCEPT!!!! In Nona The Ninth, we see the non-house humans! And they speak dozens of languages, like you’d expect after TEN THOUSAND YEARS of linguistic drift!

John is trying SO HARD to keep the earth alive that he’s forced a language to stagnate for, say it with me now, Ten Thousand Years, to the point where even completely new things with no equivalent in our world don’t even have new words, just repurposed old ones (flimsy, sonic).

John Gaius, the first necromancer, could resurrect the planet itself, and millions of people, but he couldn’t resurrect the culture. So, John, cryogenics researcher, tried to put the culture on ice, to keep it as close to the one he remembers as possible. And he still failed.

[midnightcitymoon]

Everything is always working out for me best case scenario 🪬

11:11 ☆MiracleMakeAWishComeTrueSpell🌙

Eleven-Eleven, This is a call to all angels in heaven, give me a miracle and make my wish come true!

🌜☄⭐🕤🕙🕦⭐🕯🕯📰🎁🎆🎈🎉🎖🔜🔝🔔🕯💰📰💳📧📭🔥🗝🔮🛡🌟☄🌛🌞🌈

Like to Charge, Reblog To Cast spell

[critterbitter]

re: your thoughts on legendaries (which is very cool and based) what’s your take on the differences between legends:arceus giratina and platinum giratina, especially since you defined them as hating the world? specifically the bit where giratina (at least seemingly) actively defended the world from cyrus trying to destroy it, after trying to do the same thing with volo’s help centuries prior?

Weird ghost worm upon yee (AND MORE ART BELOW CUT!)

Anyways, here’s my mad ramblings about Giratina and Arceus’s backstory.

Tldr: Giratina’s a conglomerate of angry souls scorned by Arceus.

(Here’s the playlist. It’s all about worms.)

How it Started.

The original one has chosen favorites over the passage of time. Heroes, legends, protagonists…

Arceus intervenes for those it loves, and the consequences of a god touching the mortal world is devastating in its entirety. One act of divine intervention causes entire civilizations to collapse. One whispered suggestion drives an entire legacy insane.

So Arceus, paralyzed by its love for the mortal world, acts very little, learning from its mistakes. Apathy soaks through every motion. And thus is the way of the world.

But people love the Originator. Religions are born from Arceus’s rare deeds, and generation on generation taught its benevolence. Imagine spending your entire life chasing after that golden light. Imagine knowing its real and there, and it loves you.

Imagine begging it for help, and seeing it turn away when you need it most.

I think those people would feel very abandoned indeed, if they spent their lives worshipping, and receiving no response at all.

Giratina is born from the abandoned, the lost, and the angry. They’re a hundred thousand souls who’s adoration turned to spite. They’re an entity who demands for Arceus to look at them, so they can finally rest.

Arcues can not look at them in full, because if it does Giratina will fade.

(Scio, beloved. For I can not let you go.)

So the Original One banishes the Unwanted Beast into the distortion world, and Giratina seethes, and starves, and screams.

(Here are two truths about the Beast Between Dimensions—

1. Some part of them still loves Arceus. Arceus is their anchor, after all— the sole reason why they exist, why they are. But Arceus can not love it back in a way that matters, and that hurts.

2. Giratina is made of a thousand voices. Some of these voices remember that there’s a world above. They miss it.)

Why Giratina attacked Hisui in PLA:

PLA Giratina’s not a new god, but they’re very, very bitter and barely coherent on a good day. Volo serves as a conduct to help unite the broiling mass of ghosts against Arceus, and thus Giratina’s hatred overcomes any flickering affections they have for the land.

It doesn’t help that Arceus intervened for Hisui, sending Akari to directly stop Volo from summoning Giratina.

(As for Volo, well.

Imagine being a child who was thrown into the future due to Palkia and Dialga’s fits, who learned his people (his world) no longer exist beyond a shadow in the history books and a single, bitter lore keeper.

Volo doesn’t remember his original culture beyond vague imprints and singing praises to Sinnoh, but he knew he was loved, and he knew his family is dust four hundred years in the past. There’s a special sort of rage in him that echoes Giratinas.)

(Why did you abandon my people, Arceus? What kind of god are you, to leave those who love you so callously behind?)

(Maybe some part of Giratina recognizes Volo, beyond a feeling of kinship.

Maybe some part of Giratina grieves because it recognized the child Volo was.)

When Volo gets his pound of flesh, (when he realizes Arceus is not beholden to him, that the inherent alien morality Arceus holds is not a personal slight), Giratina will finally rest.

Anyways what I’m trying to say is: Arceus is never a person, but a nebulous embodiment of the connection shared between pokemon and humans. It tries to experience what it’s supposed to embody, but millennia of watching people be and cease has given it choice paralysis, apathy, and a hoarding issue. If something lasts forever next to it? Good.

Giratina was once a person. (Correction, a LOT of persons.) They don’t think very linearly either, but they have context on mortal matters and are thus the more benevolent and malicious of the two. One day, time will smooth them into something like Arceus. We can only hope the two keep each other in check.

THE DIFFERENCE OF LEGENDS ARCEUS GIRATINA VS PLATINUM PEARL GIRATINA

If the ancient version of giratina is an angry conglomerate of ghosts scorned by Arceus, the modern iteration of Giratina’s a creature that’s more settled in its skin and more assured in its duties. Giratina still has beef with Arceus, but they unionized into one being who’s love of the mortal world has triumphed over its ancestral grudge. One might even postulate they have shifted their anchor from Sinnoh the god, to Sinnoh the place.

((We call this character developement. Good for you, weird ghost worm!))

(((FULL DISCLOSURE, VOLO BEING FROM THE PAST IS INSPIRED FROM FOXFALL. You know. The fic that got me into this fandom. Please give it some love.)))

[veilxstars]

"You can order more food. I noticed there wasn't a pancake in that list." He said, pointing out the fact that Arjun had called specifically so they could have pancakes. But really, Ori could have what he wanted; Arjun, with his bottomless stomach, always ate like a starving man.

It was because there was an ease to being with Ori that Arjun relaxed with him; he opened up about himself with little thought or worry that he'd be judged. Ori had a genuine curiosity that Arjun loved, and even when it meant that he left himself open to share pieces of himself, he wanted Ori to always ask questions.

He thought about Ori’s question and how to frame his own experiences. “Well,” he began, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. “My mother wanted a child - as some people do - but she didn't want a partner. She was brilliant - absolutely on the cutting edge of technology. A woman scientist - I was always so proud of her, but her family -- not as proud. See, my mother used artificial insemination to have me -- and you would think that the world ended. To my grandparents, my aunts and uncles ... I was an abomination. They couldn't know who my father was - he wasn't in the picture, and his family was a mystery -- so what was I? Progress? A test? Certainly not something with a soul. A simulacrum at best.”

He leaned back slightly, letting out a soft breath as he continued. “My grandparents disowned my mother for choosing to have me. My mother never regretted her choice, but -- I found myself searching for connection. For meaning. Every religious text speaks of the divine spark. I didn't have that. I think that’s part of why I’ve devoted so much time to understanding spirits. I want to know what binds us, what keeps us tethered to one another.” He chuckled lightly, though there was a hint of sadness in it. “I want to know ... if there is a divine spark in people, why are there spirits. Why would they be able to stay if they've been called back to their maker.”

Arjun smiled at Ori, feeling a warmth spread through him. “I think you’ll find that your stories are worth sharing. After all, everyone has their own kind of darkness. It’s how we navigate through it that defines us.”

Just then, their food arrived, a small parade of plates and mugs that filled the air with the most delicious smells of breakfast food. Arjun’s eyes lit up as the waiter set down the stacks of chocolate chip pancakes. Fiver’s plain pancakes were set down next, and Arjun couldn’t help but chuckle at the dog’s eager reaction - if only because Arjun's reaction had been so similar.

He took a sip of his orange juice. “How did you grow up, Ori? I mean - I know you have family, and you live with your brother but -- what was it like? Not like I defined It very well but -- Dunno, all of it - siblings, your life.” Arjun leaned forward, interested in Ori’s experiences, hoping to learn more about his friend’s past and what had molded him into the person sitting across the table.

Ori often spoke without thinking. He'd grown up in a community that had been open and honest with each other, and it was difficult for him to step away from that style of living, no matter how long he'd been gone for. It had been really hard when he'd first left home, too quick to reveal himself as a witch to a stranger just passing by. He never meant to do it, he just forgot to hide it. And speaking with Arjun, he tried to remind himself to slow down with the spirit talk, at least the bits that weren't typical to know about. So now he just nodded, going quiet, unsure what more he should say about spirits. Arjun likely knew more than he did, anyway.

"What kind of dark forces have you seen from the living?" Ori asked. He meant it genuinely, just curious to hear what sorts of things Arjun had experienced. Ori had his own bad experiences with the living, things he didn't usually talk about, but he still chose to believe that the majority of humans were good and meant well.

Ori didn't think his stories were that good, or anything really worth listening to. More likely they were going to be boring to anyone else. But he nodded anyway, smiling at Arjun. "I'll try," he promised his friend.

He waited until Arjun and Fiver were settled before he sat down, and then he listened to their order with raised brows before looking at the waiter himself. "Coffee, please. And a veggie omelette? But without the cheese, if you can," he asked, smiling politely and reaching down to pat Fiver on the head quickly. Ori wished, not for the first time, that he had a dog of his own. He'd always loved animals, but he'd never had a pet all to himself.

[nuzipilled]

THE GANGS ALL HERE 🗣️🔥‼️ information below the cut, “B” cast ( Doll, Lizzy, Thad) have not been included yet as they dont have a role in the main story yet. feel free to ask any questions, me and @kylelily123abc4 will do our best to answer them (:

UZI

Uzi is a 21 year old woman with an undergraduate in medical engineering, which she was coaxed into by her parents (Namely Khan). She is incredibly adept and smart and prefers the technicalities of weapons engineering, and majors in art on the side. She would like to do it full time, however her parents insist it’s not a “real job.” She volunteers at the local hospital N, V and J are relocated to from overseas so they can continue inpatient care until they are stable enough to be discharged and resume physio / psychotherapy as outpatients. She meets N during his time there and immediately clicks with him, and eventually begins to visit him on her off hours, and continues to visit him even after her contract ends. They end up establishing a relationship together and, after finding it is much less expensive commuting to school, moves in with N, V, J, Cyn and Tessa in their apartment for the semester.

She spent most of her childhood moving around and being bullied—the most significant moment having been when her first kiss was stolen by someone who only dated her because he was dared to.

Uzi is a big fan of all things anime, edgy humor, hot topic, and nightcore. she’s got the soul of an unabashed 2000s emo girl stuck in the modern day.

N

Private first class Nate (all his friends call him N) Is a 23 year old man who was fostered from a family in Utah alongside his sister Cyn under Tessa, another childhood friend, and the Elliot family in Melbourne Australia from the ages of 8-18. When of applicable age, he went back to the United States to enlist in the marines and live with Cyn, a former child prodigy who was scouted and given multiple scholarships due to record breaking academics and reflexes on simulator games.

He was severely traumatized during his first deployment overseas along with his other childhood friends, V, and J, after their humvee hit an IED during a routine supply run. All three were critically injured and the sole survivors of their team of 6. He, along with J and V spent a total of 12 hours alone in the desert before they were airlifted to an emergency hospital in germany, then, once stabilized, returned to the states to resume inpatient care in Salem, Oregon.

Despite his honorable discharge and severe ptsd diagnosis, N does his best to remain upbeat and positive, almost to a fault, oftentimes repressing “bad” thoughts or feelings.

He ends up meeting Uzi in the hospital and they form a relationship together, her eventually moving in and living with V, J, Him, Tessa, and Cyn in their flat after they’re discharged from the hospital.

J

Sergeant Jane (Only preferring J when around close friends) is a 26 year old trans woman who was fostered from an immigrant afghan family under Tessa, another childhood friend, and the Elliot family in Melbourne Australia from the ages of 4-18, having realized she was a woman very early in life. She began socially transitioning at 12, and began HRT as soon as she aged out of the system. She was the first to be involved with the Elliots and was pushed to enlist in the australian military, quickly moving up the ranks to sergeant and was eventually posted in the united states to assist in training other cadets. She was severely traumatized during her second deployment overseas along with her other childhood friends, V, and N after their humvee hit an IED during a routine supply run. All three were critically injured and the sole survivors of their team of 6. she, along with J and V spent a total of 12 hours alone in the desert before they were airlifted to an emergency hospital in germany, then, once stabilized, returned to the states to resume inpatient care in Salem, Oregon.

Having been their squad leader, J often blames herself for the incident, even if she doesn’t talk about it or say anything out loud. J is an ass kisser. She will do anything and everything to succeed and has a Holier Than Thou personality, often very uptight and not about any bullshit. Her relationship with N specifically is horrible, and she harbours lots of jealousy and resentment from their time growing up due to favoritism.

She has a long standing, massive crush on Tessa Elliot, her longtime confidant and friend, though it went unrequited for their entire childhood and into their early adult life, J often being subject to Tessa’s dating endeavours and crushes in the meantime.

V

Lance Corporal Victoria, (Who prefers to go by V present day) 4-18 who was fostered from a family in Vermont under Tessa, another childhood friend, and the Elliot family in Melbourne Australia from the ages of 8-18. She enlisted in the military alongside J and eventually N, and was transferred to the states to assist in training procedures for new cadets with J.

She was decommissioned during her second deployment overseas along with N and J after their humvee hit an IED during a routine supply run. All three were critically injured and the sole survivors of their team of 6. She took the brunt of the blast, sustaining the most severe wounds and was airlifted to an emergency hospital in germany, then, once stabilized, returned to the states to resume inpatient care in Salem, Oregon.

The doctors operating on her told her she would never walk again--V proved that wrong by walking the next week. It was a miracle—however V simply states it was due to “having that dog in her.”

She is very resilient, but is often grumpy with a dry sense of tone and humor. She used to have feelings for N when they were kids, but it's since faded as they grew and disappeared during their time in active duty. Though despite this, she still cares for him as a friend, even if she rarely shows it.

She is the first to be discharged, having been set up in an apartment downtown by Tessa, who lives with her and eventually is joined by N, J, Cyn, and eventually Uzi. She is a gym rat with a heavy workout regimen that she will make everyone else's problem if its interrupted.

CYN

Cynthia (Who ONLY goes by Cyn present day) is N's little sister. She is still in active duty in the military air-force. She was a child savant who graduated highschool at 14 and college at 18, moving on to become one of the best UAV operators in history, with successful missions reaching into the hundreds. Cyn is autistic and physically disabled, having been born with cerebral palsy, and uses forearm crutches as mobility aids--but make no mistake, she is incredibly intuitive and adept. often knock-kneed and walks with an awkward gate, and speaks with very ‘robotic’ mannerisms. She sometimes struggles to show empathy in a ‘socially normal way’ or have a conversational filter. She has a very dark sense of humor as well, that for those not used to her may find jarring or off putting. Cyn hates being referred to as a child or incompetent because of her appearance or her disability, she will even go to an extent to prove the point that she does not need assistance. Tends to be protective of N, to a lesser but still protective of V and J and much later down the line Uzi becomes a close friend of hers.

In her off time she enjoys painting warhammer figurines, collecting cards and playing video games. She has a very kitsch, macabre sense of interest, often owning eclectic, odd knick knacks and memorabilia, namely a taxidermied wombat she’s affectionately named “Suzie.”

TESSA

Dr Tessa James Elliot is a very talented surgeon working out of a public hospital in Brisbane, Australia, descending from a very rich family. She is N, V and J’s childhood friend and frequently travels to different parts of the world to assist in surgeries or specialist care. Tessa paused all of her work when she learned of their incident overseas, flying to America to personally attend to their care–with some bribery and finagling due to HIPPA not allowing biased treatment. She just cares too much to not do anything. Tessa is a joyful, social butterfly. Excellent bedside manner and a good sense of humor but sometimes comes off as socially awkward. She is J’s lifelong crush despite not being aware of it, having spent some time dating around but nobody ever seems to be the right fit. She often complains about her recent dating endeavors to J much to her chagrin.

Tessa is, for the lack of a better word, weird. Think Cyn with a little more charisma, often not having a conversational filter or saying things out of the blue. She is not disturbed by otherwise off putting things like death, bodily fluids, nudity, gore etc, and has a bit of a dark sense of humor that she portrays very upbeat and positively. She is incredibly smart and adept bookwise, however socially she comes up a bit short.

there is an alternative version of these guys however it is 18+ for nudity. you can see it on bluesky here and twitter here