#benefits of asset tracking

[assetinfinity01]

Enhancing Workplace Efficiency with Asset Tracking Software

Are you aiming to enhance efficiency in your workplace? Asset tracking software could be the solution you're looking for. This tool helps streamline operations by keeping tabs on all your assets in real-time. Let’s dive into how this technology works and the various benefits it brings to the table.

Understanding Asset Tracking Software

Asset tracking software utilizes barcodes, QR codes, RFID tags, and GPS tracking to monitor and manage company assets. Everything is tracked, from office equipment to crucial data, to optimize usage and prevent misplacement or theft. This software supports asset management and integrates with asset maintenance systems to ensure everything is working smoothly.

Ways Asset Tracking Software Improves Your Workplace Efficiency

Implementing asset tracking software in your workplace isn't just about keeping tabs on physical items; it's a strategic move towards enhanced operational efficiency. It leverages technologies like barcodes, QR codes, RFID tags, and GPS to monitor and manage assets effectively. 

This integration streamlines management and aligns with asset maintenance best practices, maximizing equipment efficiency. Here’s how asset management software elevates workplace efficiency:

Real-Time Data: The system utilizes GPS and RFID tags for asset tracking to provide real-time updates on the whereabouts and status of assets. This timely information enables quicker decision-making and significantly cuts down on time spent searching for assets.

Maintenance Alerts: Integration with asset maintenance software allows for the scheduling of routine maintenance checks. This proactive approach helps avoid unexpected equipment failures and reduces downtime, keeping operations smooth.

Theft Prevention: With detailed tracking through barcode and QR code systems, every movement of an asset is logged, enhancing security measures and substantially lowering the risk of loss or theft.

Cost Management: The software offers detailed insights into asset usage and lifecycle, aiding in precise budget planning and helping avoid unnecessary expenditures on underutilized assets.

Conclusion

Leveraging reliable asset-tracking software is a game-changer for enhancing workplace efficiency. Implementing such technologies simplifies asset management and propels your company towards more streamlined operations and cost savings. Ready to upgrade your asset management approach? Consider the various benefits of asset tracking to decide how best to apply this powerful tool in your organization.

[kneejerknuck]

i want to make a spreadsheet using trade information to calculate the fair market value of draft picks in each round and then use the year over year decreases to determine the average interest rate but unfortunately i have to do my JOB instead

[sapphia]

USA please listen to me: the price of “teaching them a lesson” is too high. take it from New Zealand, who voted our Labour government out in the last election because they weren’t doing exactly what we wanted and got facism instead.

Trans rights are being attacked, public transport has been defunded, tax cuts issued for the wealthy, they've mass-defunded public services, cut and attacked the disability funding model, cut benefits, diverted transport funding to roads, cut all recent public transport subsidies, cancelled massive important infrastructure projects like damns and ferries (we are three ISLANDS), fast tracked mining, oil, and other massive environmentally detrimental projects and gave the power the to approve these projects singularly to three ministers who have been wined and dined by lobbyists of the companies that have put the bids in to approve them while one of the main minister infers he will not prioritise the protection of endangered species like the archeys frog over mining projects that do massive environmental harm. They have attacked indigenous rights in an attempt to negate the Treaty of Waitangi by “redefining it”; as a backup, they are also trying to remove all mentions of the treaty from legislation starting with our Child Protection laws no longer requiring social workers to consider the importance of Maori children’s culture when placing those children; when the Waitangi Tribunal who oversees indigenous matters sought to enquire about this, the Minister for Children blocked their enquiry in a breach of comity that was condemned in a ruling — too late to do anything — by our Supreme Court. They have repealed labour protections around pay and 90 day trials, reversed our smoking ban, cancelled our EV subsidy, cancelled our water infrastructure scheme that would have given Maori iwi a say in water asset management, cancelled our biggest city’s fuel tax, made our treasury and inland revenue departments less accountable, dispensed of our Productivity Commission, begun work on charter schools and military boot camps in an obvious push towards privatisation, cancelled grants for first home buyers, reduced access to emergency housing, allowed no cause evictions, cancelled our Maori health system that would have given Maori control over their own public medical care and funding, cut funding of services like budgeting advice and food banks, cancelled the consumer advocacy council, cancelled our medicine regulations, repealed free prescriptions, deferred multiple hospital builds, failed to deliver on pre-election medical promises, reversed a gun ban created in response to the mosque shootings, brought back three strikes = life sentence policy, increased minimum wage by half the recommended amount, cancelled fair pay for disabled workers, reduced wheelchair services, reversed our oil and gas exploration ban, cancelled our climate emergency fund, cut science research funding including climate research, removed limits on killing sea lions, cut funding for the climate change commission, weakened our methane targets, cancelled Significant National Areas protections, have begun reversing our ban on live exports. Much of this was passed under urgency.

It’s been six months.

[sbcdh]

On the morning of August 19th 1966, the merchant marine vessel Pelican unloaded its cargo into the port of Los Angeles. Recently declassified information about the Pelican’s ship manifest confirms that the ship was carrying experimental materials for a nascent project Clover. Of the 425 drums of material, only 424 were accounted for. 

While government officials have not confirmed exactly what was in the lost barrel, its contents are believed to be approximately 55 gallons of an experimental substance similar to LSD. 

To anyone with a passing interest in the 1970’s music scene, this will not come as news. Tall tales of a lost ship full of experimental drugs were as common as disco, though the stories have been exaggerated. The most common form of the story features a drunk crane operator loading a shipping crate onto the wrong train, though in reality it was only a single barrel that went unaccounted for. The more outlandish forms of the legend include everything from a daring heist by a crew of rocker-pirates to shadowy government entities vanishing the entire ship for their own nefarious purposes. 

The reality was a simple logistical mixup, a mistake that can be tracked back to a simple addition error on an inventory sheet, an ordinary yet deeply embarrassing mistake on part of the government. Additionally, The information that revealed the lost barrel came alongside a report detailing project clovers lost asset tracking protocol. Protocol that reads as comically naive in hindsight, with guidelines including “monitoring local jazz bars” or keeping an eye out for “feminist thought.” With the benefit of retrospective, it is no surprise that agents were not able to track the barrel. 

Declassification of the Pelican’s manifest prompted an unexpected crossover with another niche legend of the 1970s Los Angeles music scene: the disappearance of the Knights of Altonia. 

Even today, many consider the Knights of Altonia to be a myth, but scant references to their existence can be found. According to a review from a 1977 issue of Jam! Magazine, the Knights of Altonia were a “D-List psychedelic glam metal outfit with more style than skill, known more for their disappearance than their music.” Though a 1997 retrospective from Tempo calls them “A band too ahead of their time to be properly appreciated” noting their flamboyant stage costuming and its significant influence on the aesthetics of the genre. 

To the frustration of music historians seeking to separate fact from fiction, the band featured an elaborate mythology, with each member claiming to be a “Wizard-Knight of the Mystic Tower” who traveled from their world to ours “on a journey through the Nine Realms to find the secret stone.” This has been the source of innumerable urban legends around the band. A common joke among hobbyist historians at the time claimed that the Knights did not vanish, but simply “returned to the Nine Realms.” Information on the band is so muddled that many music historians doubt their existence entirely. In fact, the only confirmed, physical evidence of the band’s existence is a photograph at the bottom of the Jam! Review, it features:

Lead singer and guitarist Donald Hawkins as his stage persona “Zozimos the Wise.” He sports a mane of dreadlocks, and a classic blue wizard hat and robe decorated with yellow stars.The robe is worn open to reveal Donald’s bare chest, along with velvet short-shorts and a pair of thigh-high leather boots. The article states that the glittery bright purple guitar in his hands was named “Excelsior.”

Rhythm guitarist Jon Todachine as “Wan the Witch King.” He wears a deerskin jacket, also open at the front, decorated with what appear to be crow feathers and small animal bones. The theme of bones continues to his belt buckle, which features an as-of-yet unidentified animal skull. This figure is presumed to be Jon, although it should be noted that the broad hat he wears features a curtain of beads that obscures his face. 

Bassist Riley Knox as “Chulainn the Horned.” He wears a full deer skull, along with a lit candle that appears to be slowly melting down over the mask. Most of his upper body is obscured by what appears to be a cloak of leaves. Beneath the cloak he appears to be wearing a pair of Nike Blazers. 

Drummer Marcus Wilson as “Magnus Fire-Weaver.” He wears a viking helmet over intricately braided red hair, a chain-maille loincloth, a pair of medieval bracers on his wrists, and nothing else. 

Most notably, a speaker on stage left is placed upon a large steel drum identical to the ones used by project clover. 

Study is ongoing. 

[the-trinket-witch]

OK TWST FANDOM

We as artists and writers like having sources for stuff, right? And we like giving credit to other artists for their work, right? Well, I've compiled a collection of resources I've personally used and thoroughly believe would benefit others.

[NOTE: THIS LIST IS UNDERSTANDABLY GOING TO BE INCOMPLETE. IF YOU HAVE OTHER RESOURCES TO ADD, PREFERABLY BY A PRIMARY SOURCE, PLEASE ADD IT IN REBLOGS]

Alchemivich's collection:

Ripped Assets Backgrounds SD Sprites (navigate via Excel Sheet) Login Font (free download site)

Robo-Milky: (Info Pulled from TWST Discord server)

TWST Game Font list

MonstroLoungeOfficial (HD Card uploads/limited sprite assets)

Stestylius-arts:

Blank OC Assets Magical Archive Profile Blanks

WolfLover10's Transparent Heartslabyul Uniform

TheDoughWorks (Twitter) Fanslated Prefect Profile (Original via DisneyJPGames)

TwiwOnCrackPopcorn's similar Prefect Profile fanslation

Twisted-Tech's Hair rendering tutorial

SilvyPretty_ (Twitter) Color Rendering guide (photos from Official Visual Books)

Szynkaaa's Pomefiore uniform lining

RubyPearl31's Club Badges:

Equestrian Pop Music Club Magift Science Film Studies Track/Field Gargoyle Research Society Basketball Mountain Lovers Board Game

Unfinished-Projects-Galore:

Blank Intro Cards OC Profile Template Birthday Jacket Card Blanks

AraRoseheart's Broomquet Card Blank

Fumikomiyasaki's Platinum Jacket Card Blank

TomatoWar (Twitter) 妄想 Ramshackle Dorm Floorplan

Estcaligo's Cleaned Dorm Bedrooms

(my own Ramshackle 'cleaned' room)

Fanslations:

OtomeAyui Shel_BB Ekala

TAGLIST: (lemme know if you want added/removed)

@ceruleancattail @squidwen @thecosmicjackalope @vaporvipermedia@writing-heiress

@oya-oya-okay @k-looking-glass-house @thehollowwriter @rainesol @cyn-write

@heartscrypt @honey-milk-depresso @br3adtoasty @jackiecronefield @ruggiethethuggie

@hoboyherewego @achy-boo @oreoskys @oseathepebble @oathofoaks

@tunabesimpin @hamstergal @fumikomiyasaki@valse-a-mille-temps

@hallowed-delights @kimikitti @plutos-hell @thetwstwildcard @atwstedstory

@comingyourlugubriousness @ice-cweam-sod4 @twst-the-night-away @nammanarin

[mbta-unofficial]

I might be asking the wrong person here, but why is the Acela so expensive? I need to travel from Boston to DC for a week for work so I compared costs and convenience of driving, flying, and taking the Acela and was surprised to find that the Acela costs more than flying (I was able to find round trip flights BOS-DCA for about $170, the Acela starts at about $140 each way) despite being significantly slower. Why does it cost so much?

I will concede that the Northeast Regional is cheaper than flying (about $60 each way), but it's also even slower than the Acela.

The Acela has several problems compared to analogous systems in other countries, and as a business problems mean costs and costs means prices.

Making a direct comparison to air travel also requires talking a little bit about the economics of air travel, since there are surprising number of weird things about that business compared to rail.

Part 1. Amtrak doesn’t own most of its own tracks. While it does own most of the North East Corridor, it leases track rights for the boston-providence leg from ME MOTHERFUCKER I’M THE PROBLEM and also the states of NY and CT own a section between NYC and New Haven. Now, when you are trying to have trains at up to 160mph, you need maintenance to be done within extremely tight tolerances, you need signaling to be extremely precise and consistent, and small mistakes can be deadly. Signaling and Maintenance on rented tracks are not literally impossible but they are a huge pain in the ass. These sections are slower and make the whole network much more expensive.

Part Two! Electification: this is one of the oldest rail corridors in the world and that means there’s a lot of old DNA in the network that it would not have if there was a full rebuild. One of these design “features” is that when the line was built, electricity wasn’t standardized and different plants would churn out different voltages and AC frequencies.

Between NYC and Washington there is a catenary system that operates at 11kv, 25hz that was built in 1905. This is insane. The modern grid runs at 60hz, and transforming power from a modern plant into 11kv, 25hz is a huge project in and of itself. But of course, the Boston to Providence section, electrified in 1990, has only the most cutting edge technology. It’s electrified with 60hz, 12.5kv, 10 years ahead of its time which was 35 years ago. And, when the Acela was first planned and operated in 2000, it was planned and operated with the now modern standard of 60hz, 25kv. So there are three different electrification systems and, to not have to switch trains, each train needs to be able to run with all 3 of them.

This is deeply stupid and only something you would have to deal with if you were hacking together increasingly expensive short term repairs onto a system that would be cheaper in 20-50 years to completely overhaul but in the present would cost 10s of billions to meaningfully bring up to 20th century operating standards. It’s a good thing we did the smart thing in the 1970s when Amtrak nationalized the collapsing private passenger rail companies and Conrail nationalized the collapsing freight rail companies and we recognized that running these crucial services with public money could generate huge amounts of economic activity and benefit society even if they ran at a fiscal loss, and properly funded the systems to build reliable and interoperable infrastructure for the next generation. Hold on I have to take this phone call.

………….

Yep.

…………..

Yeah ok.

…………..

They did WHAT?

Part Three: Ronald reagan is not dead enough

So yeah the main reason that none of this shit got fixed in the last 50 years is that for 4 successive administrations between Reagan and Bush 2 electric boogaloo the government has been slobbing on that Neoliberal knob like its subsidized corn on a subsidized cob. Private operators immediately saw the potential for infinitely lucrative federal contracts when the US seized the assets of Erie Lackawanna and Penn Central during their bankruptcy and formed Conrail. This was mainly Norfolk southern and CSX, former competitors who pushed hard for the reagan, bush, and clinton organizations to refurbish the lines at taxpayer expense before selling them to absolute corporate bottomfeeders so they could snap up lines that had been the main sources of revenue for these defunct companies at kleptocratic rates. But we’re not done. Freight companies hate two things more than even paying taxes, and these are OSHA and Passenger rail.

You see, it’s actually very hard to run freight and passenger on the same tracks. Freight is slow with long trains, long sidings, and loose schedules. Freight is optimized to get there, you know, sometime as cheap as possible. However, if you have passenger rail, those people have places to be. They need things like advanced signaling to move faster than 15 miles an hour, sidings long enough to pass at speed, and even, gasp, rails that don’t have holes in them so they don’t derail on corners. It’s not hard for a freight train to move along a track that is 85% rust, they just go slow and if they derail you’re only looking at maybe 2 superfund sites. But passenger rail, there will be bumps and passengers will complain. Customers are so unreasonable.

So when the federal government acquired all the tracks that became conrail, what did they do? Cut sidings, cut double tracks down to single tracks, cut maintenance, sold land. None of these bothered their future freight owner-operators. But they did undermine American passenger rail, on purpose, for 50 years. As soon as the work was done, the tracks were unfit for anything other than 400 box trucks of nitroglycerin pulled by two locomotives with one operator. How do you run passenger rail on that? Well, you play by CSX and Norfolk Bastard’s rules. Fuck your schedule. Fuck it slow. Fuck it for so long that it hurts. And, when you’ve bled enough revenue, complain to the federal government that you can’t possibly keep going and need to be sold off to private equity for parts.

So yeah. Freight rail in the 70s, the ruthless march of neoliberal capitalism, a frankenstein’s monster of a network, and a complete lack of revenue from either public subsidy or ridership to fix either problem.

Oh and there’s the fact that every single Major airline operates their flights at a loss and use credit cards as their primary source of income. The scheme is you take out a credit card, they run like a normal credit card company, except whereas most banks give you cash back they give you “miles” or “points” the vast majority of which will never get spent. It’s almost a license to print money as long as you have enough people you can convince will someday be able to afford to go on vacation with that fancy credit card they paid for. Budget Airlines who don’t run this scheme are folding both in the sense that they are going under financially and also in the sense that you better hope that your spine lets you compress into the overhead compartment if you want to get to your destination.

[callalillywrites]

His Best Efforts

Written for @steverogersbingo. A5 - Gifts.

Steve Rogers Masterlist | Steve Rogers Bingo | Main Masterlist

Pairing: Steve Rogers x F!Reader (platonic with hopes of more)

Word Count: 880

Summary: It's your fourth anniversary as friends, and Steve's determined to make sure you know just how much he appreciates (and loves) you.

Warnings: none; just a lot of fluff

I do not give permission to have my works copied, translated, reposted, or fed into an AI machine.

****

Your fourth anniversary as friends neared.

Steve had no idea what to get you, either.

The whole tradition had been solely your idea.

He hadn't known you'd do anything for the day, not even really marking it himself. It would've been just another day if not for you, but you'd been so sweet and so emphatic about its impact on your life. He honestly couldn't recall anyone besides his ma or Bucky who'd ever considered him a benefit in their life rather than an unnecessary risk (or necessary asset after the serum).

That first year, you'd surprised him with a new watch as soon as you saw him that morning. It'd been something you noticed he liked more than checking a cell phone. It was more second nature to him to check his wrist than his pocket for the time of day. So, you'd done your research and sought out the best one within your somewhat limited price range. Its little box still rested on his bedside table, waiting for him to lay the watch in it each night.

He'd done what he could to reciprocate your sweet generosity with a dinner at your favorite restaurant and a bouquet of your favorite flowers. The smile that lit up your features almost made up for the fact his gift wasn't anything near as good as yours had been. Not in his mind anyway.

The second year, he tried to do better. He really did.

After getting your gift of new sketching supplies, he'd done slightly better by gifting you a first edition of your favorite book. It'd taken several different trips to every used bookstore in the city as well as Tony's connections to track it down. Even as he balked at the exorbitant price, he'd busted his behind to get the money for it. He'd have lost it, too, if Tony hadn't also stepped in and offered him a small loan to cover the rest.

Like the first year, your face had lit up like you'd been handed the entire world. Still, it wasn't anything like what you'd given him. He could do better. He would do better.

Last year, you'd gone above and beyond.

While he'd been on a mission, you'd tracked down all the old photos you could find. You didn't stop until you had filled the shelves surrounding his room's fireplace. Photos he'd thought completely lost to time, you'd managed to recover. A photo of his mom. One of him and Bucky at Coney Island. You'd even found some of his lost baby pictures.

You didn't stop there though.

No, you blended in photos of his new friends and his new family he'd created with the Avengers. You had photos of him with Nat, with Sam, and with Tony. New photos of him and Bucky. Even a photo or two of him with you. You'd tucked those off to the side, but he'd moved them later that evening. Long after you'd gone back to your room. He had no intention of keeping you tucked away.

Little knickknacks sat strategically between the photos. They told the story of his life, both old and new. How he'd never give up until the 'war' was done. How he valued loyalty, family, and friendship above all. You'd managed to capture him so well in just a few shelves.

He'd been almost too embarrassed at his sad gift in return. Even contemplated tucking it away and promising you a trip to see your favorite musical on Broadway in exchange. A small pittance really compared to all you'd done for him in return, but it would've been better than the framed sketch he'd planned on giving you.

His great mistake was underestimating how well you knew him.

You'd seen him trying to hide the gift, showing the briefest flash of something flit across your features. To this day, he still couldn't name the emotion though he silently prayed it hadn't been hurt. He'd rather rip his heart from his chest and hand it to you than hurt you in any way.

It'd been easy enough then to have him handing over his measly offering to you. Like the previous two years, your face had lit up with so much joy at the sketch he'd made just for you. It was a simple one overall, but he'd taken his time to get all the details he'd wanted just right. The same details that delighted you when you finally saw it.

Yet, the thought never left him though to treat you to your favorite Broadway musical and make a night of it with you. In fact, he'd even gotten the tickets with some help for the following evening, stating it was the second part of your gift. He'd been adamant about making the night all about you, too.

The teasing he endured from the other Avengers was mere background noise compared to the joy he got to witness from you. Your reaction made all of their teasing worth it.

Now that this new year has come along, he refused to give you anything but the absolute best.

This was the year he was going to make sure you knew exactly how much he cherished you.

As a friend.

And maybe something a little bit more.

[honeytonedhottie]

starting a collection⋆.ೃ࿔*:･🎀

BENEFITS OF STARTING A COLLECTION ; collecting things is SO much fun, but not only is it fun but it actually has lots of benefits for you. it can be a stress reliever, a mind stimulator. plus, the social aspect of collecting, where collectors meet and exchange items, fosters a sense of community and shared interest.

and BESIDES, who doesn't want a lot of cute stuff that belongs to them? i love to have lots and lots of my favorite things.

THINGS TO COLLECT ;

lipglosses - i collect lipglosses bcuz i LOVE lipgloss and since i use it so much, i like to have a variety at my finger tips. some of my favorite glosses include the dior lipglow oil and the victoria's secret candy baby.

music albums and vinyls

clothing articles

and anything you want ofc, just find whatever it is that you like and collect that. collect what sparks joy and happiness.

HOW TO KEEP TRACK OF UR COLLECTION ;

keep an adorable collections binder that u can decorate with glitter and charms etc. if u want you can use a journal or your diary to keep track of new additions to the collections. you can organize your collection into sections -> editions depending on what it is that you collect. here's the step by step guide to organizing ;

categorize - you might categorize by date, author, genre, or origin. categorizing the collection makes it presentable and easy to locate when u need to.

storage - the way that u store ur item depends on the size and nature of your collection. for smaller things -> use binders or display boxes. for larger things -> they can be stored on shelves or in dedicated display cabinets

documentation - keep a record of each item in your collection, its origin, value, and any other relevant details. use a binder, journal or digital tools like spreadsheets.

THINGS THAT I COLLECT ;

lip glosses

kpop albums

i collect tomorrow by together albums bcuz they're my favorite boy group. i collect twice albums bcuz they're my favorite girl group.

hello kitty collectible figures

i can't remember what they're called exactly but they're very soft and very cute. i have pompompurin and a hello kitty one.

stickers

tea flavors and tea blends

flavors of gum

fragrances

whether physical objects or digital assets, collecting is a rewarding hobby that combines the thrill of the hunt with the satisfaction of ownership. starting a collection gives u a sense of control over what u have.

[fancygremlin]

I love how Warren, Gordon AND Clive are character foils of one another. Interestingly, all three of them is assigned the colour gold. The colour implies relevance… which contrasts pretty well how they are viewed or treated by the other characters.

Warren is the “golden egg”.

He is the most important asset Overhead ever obtained and YET— despite all that, he is not treated like a person... he barely classifies as human by the people working at Overhead. In most instances, people talk for him, over him, and as if he’s not even in the room... and no one (except Gordon) seem to find that bothersome. At the start of the podcast he is set to follow a trail of breadcrumbs to return to the Red Valley Research Facility, which led him to discover that everything he thought he knew (his wife, his co-workers, his job, EVERYTHING) was fake. Overnight, his life was ruined and everyone was treating this event as if they managed to pull off a surprise birthday party for him (there was even cake! Oh, how lucky!). He later drives a scalpel through his own hand and people are worried for maybe a minute about him before they decide to use the self inflicted injury as a fantastic opportunity to test the pod’s potential benefits for medical urgencies. Warren is dehumanised and reduced to nothing at every turn, even before taking part to the project.

Warren is seen as nothing more than just a "fun" science project. Comparing him to a lab rat would be too kind, because that would imply that the people carrying out the experiments care about his wellbeing and are tracking his health (mental and physical) and ensuring his safety at each and every step of the way. Instead, he is simply viewed as nothing more than a test tube, a petri dish, a limited stock of valuable cells to routinely freeze over and thaw.

Gordon has a car that he lovingly calls the “golden bullet”.

He is always shoved in the background, belittled and treated poorly by his colleagues. He receives the most hostile comments from the people around him... quite routinely, too. When he worked at Overhead, he was considered as nothing but a corporate drone. Clive calls him "stillwater" to demonstrate how inconsequential and invisible he was to the company. Later, when he becomes the archivist at Red Valley, he is described as a man-child and treated like he has zero brain functions (he even gets called Igor, in reference to the character of the Frankenstein movie), he is made fun of constantly. No one expects anything of him... and Gordon internalised this, too. No one sees his importance, and as a result Gordon doesn't either. In reality he IS the one at the heart of the story: he was researching the seed vault way before anyone else, he is the one that records everything and subsequently provids the material that sacks Bryony, he is the one that explores the secret tunnel to aid Aubrey's plan and he is Warren's lifeline and only safe space while he continues to go in and out of hypersleep. He is the ONE person that helps Warren realise he doesn't deserve the harsh treatment he had to endure.

How fitting that Gordon, a character that struggles to find their purpose and their usefulness, is not even directly tied to the motif himself... his car is. And how interesting that the car is only lovingly referred to as golden, when in reality it is just coppery in colour.

Clive is the "golden boy".

He is at the front of the Kontinue project, and yet, no one really takes him seriously. He hires assistants for the project putting more importance on their appearance, rather than their qualifications. He dresses up in expensive clothes and suits to show how important he is to the company, only for the actual relevant people to not care what he thinks. During the meeting with Malcolm and Hester he was talked over, ordered around, treated more like a waiter than the important R&D person he is supposed to be... and I can't tell if he actually doesn't see this, or if he is refusing to face this reality. Bryony was fired because she was too smart for her own good and too dangerous, Clive was kept on the Kontinue project because he is being promised status and relevance, if he keeps doing what he is being told. He routinely threatens people, and still he never commits to the extremely graphic (and creative) threats he throws around: he is not the one that used the gun that one time, it was Bryony. After he is shot in the knee, his “get well soon” card is bland, generic and unsympathetic. No affection or warmth was being conveyed from his co-workers, despite the fact that he has been referred to as “the man of the hour” on multiple occasions before. And most importantly… he is recovering (seemingly) all on his lonesome. Just a Blue Sky to keep him company, while eating sad ready-meals and microwave lasagna. Where are his beloved wife and kid?

Clive is all appearance and no substance, all bark and no bite.

These characters seem to not be quite enough to classify as gold, they may be pyrite, or fool's gold instead:

Warren is the pyrite from which a lot of gold can be extracted. However, once all the gold is gone, he is going to be tossed aside, as his value is limited to and tied solely to its gold contents.

Gordon is the pyrite that was found by people who only see value in gold. No matter what, the people at Overhead will never appreciate the properties and qualities and uses of pyrite when they are so hellbent in digging and mining for gold.

Clive is the pyrite that is trying so hard to pass as real gold and wants to be treated as just as worthy. He is able to fool people for a bit, but pyrite might shine as brightly as gold and share some qualities and properties... but he'll never be the real deal... and some people might have started to notice.

[dragonroilz]

The Lifesurger: Genetic Anomaly

**Given my track record, I'd like to state that there are no further plans for this concept.**

this concept was made because i hate how there's not a true support character in this game which i understand why thats the case. if youre in singleplayer theres no point for it. the medimarker and feedback loop passive gives a reason to want to pick up allies and heal people. maybe this game will never fit a true support archetype but as a permanent support class mf in games like OW, TF2, and LOL it scratches an itch in my brain lmao

Feedback Loop - Passive

Healing yourself(via items) or others will make your attacks stronger. Decays over time. Amount charged is proportional to healing done.

Feedback Pulse - Alternative Passive

Healing past a certain threshold creates a burst of healing around you, harming enemies and healing allies. The threshold increases with level.

Stimshot - Primary

A single shot that can be held down to do more damage. The projectile heals and pierces through allies, while dealing damage to enemies. A fully charged shot pierces enemies and heals more damage. While an uncharged shot is a projectile with gravity, the charged shot is hitscan.

DIRECTORY: MARK - Secondary

The Medimarker targets a selected enemy and attacks it. Additionally, all damage done to the target is tripled.

DIRECTORY: BLOCK - Alternative Secondary

The Medimarker targets an ally and shields them. The target is only able to take an amount of damage up to 50% of their max HP in one hit.

DIRECTORY: ESCORT - Utility

Recall the Medimarker and grab onto it to ascend upward. This skill recalls your secondary.

DIRECTORY: MOUNT - Alternative Utility

Recall the Medumarker and ride it. The drone is weighed down by you, but can be controlled for ten seconds. The drone has less gravity and is faster than your sprint speed.

Pulse Accelerator - Special

Empower yourself and surrounding allies, giving a 50% chance to critical hit chance, removing all debuffs(except void kills, cooldown debuffs like rings, etc.), and a slight healing aura to anyone within range of the skill.

THE MEDIMARKER V1.0.0 LOGBOOK ENTRY:

The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is a prototype firearm that is meant for quick healing on the battlefield. The Lifesurger(Patent pending) excels in its ability to both heal organic creatures and repair machines, meaning that cybernetic enhancements can benefit from the effects of the firearm.

The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is also able to hurt enemy combatants by disrupting cardiovascular tissue, genetic material, and electronic signals. Through the help of an accompanying MED-E to identify friendly and hostile entities, the Lifesurger(Patent pending) is slated to be one of the greatest supporting assets on the battlefield.

Side effects may include: Vomiting, nausea, soreness, sudden bruising, death, genetic scrambling of previous users, limb loss, fever symptoms.

-

LIFESURGER LOGBOOK:

[CAM 3]

Patient 4-B is seen through the facility. She is escorted by a damaged MED-E.

4-B: COME ON MED-E. JUST A BIT FURTHER.

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM 4]

Patient 4-B is seen using Dr. A. Kurosawa's keycard to access Restricted Section 2.

[Unauthorized access. Security has been alerted. No response received.]

Patient 4-B is seen entering Restricted Section B.

[Unauthorized access. Security has been alerted. No response. Automatic alert issued to UESC authorities. This is the last alert they receive from this station.]

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM B-1]

Patient 4-B is seen running down the hall. Her IV is disconnected as she trips. The MED-E helps her up. They continue running. 4-B's vital signals are dropping as a result of loss of ?????.

She stops in front of ROOM 1.

Something is pursuing them.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[CAM ROOM 1]

The door opens.

[Admin has been alerted to the breach. No response.]

Patient 4-B pulls the Lifesurger(Patent Pending) off of the wall. She misfires into her chest and falls unconscious.

The MED-E prods her body with stimulants. There is no response.

Something is pressed up against the glass. It's cracking.

[Connection to this camera has been lost.]

[EXT. CAM A]

Dr. A. Kurosawa is seen standing over the corpse of an unidentified creature. Her hands are up as UESC-dispatched enforcers approach her. The Lifesurger(Patent pending) is strapped over her back.

Enforcer: IDENTIFY YOURSELF.

KUROSAWA: I AM DOCTOR KUROSAWA.

Enforcer: DOCTOR KUROSAWA. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?

KUROSAWA: I DON'T KNOW. THERE ARE MORE INSIDE.

Enforcer: GET TO THE SHIP.

Three enforcers enter the facility. Dr. A. Kurosawa moves out of the FOV. The escorting MED-E follows her.

[Post analysis: Patient 4-B did not report to UESC authorities following this encounter. Her current location is unknown.]

Detective's Notes: I don't know how, but she somehow passed the genetic and facial recognition tests. Someone please let Captain ???? know about the background of his alleged "doctor". Although somehow I doubt he'll really care, seeing as how he's got some real screwballs on board.

[metalheadsagainstfascism]

If the government wants to save money, this is the type of shit it should be looking at.

Failed audits and missing assets in the TRILLIONS. (Law of big numbers that's a million million dollars or a thousand billion dollars to conceptualize what a trillion is).

Not cutting jobs of essential safety positions and removing benefits Americans rely on to... you know... live.

-fae

[sexy-monster-fucker]

And I Won't Confess That I Waited

Peter Strahm x Detective!Reader

Summary: Direct sequel to my other Strahm fic. Learning more about how their relationship has changed since that night.

CW: mentions of oral and fingering, drinking, idiots in love but won’t admit it

Read Previous <- -> FINAL

title track 🎶❤️‍🩹

~~~

"How'd it go?" Agent Perez questioned after hearing your sigh as you sat at your desk.

"False lead," you huffed, laying your badge in front of your keyboard. Looking over the thick monitor to see familiar blue eyes peering at you through the window in the hall. Conversing with your superior, arms folded firmly over his chest. Sleeves still wrinkled against his elbows from your endeavor in the cruiser earlier. Muscles on his forearms flexing when your eyes met. Quickly darting back down below the horizon of the screen. Fingers massaging your temples.

"I meant with Strahm," Perez smirked. Causing you to whip your head around to her. Cheeks flushing momentarily. Neither of you agreeing on a lie. Pretending the image of him panting above you did not cause your insides to flutter. Swallowing the lump bubbling in your throat.

"Fine," you squawked under your breath.

She laughed at you. Shoving you slightly as she spoke, "That bad, huh? Got you worried he may be over there tattling to our boss? We can always talk about it outside of work."

~

"Some delinquents prank calling a police department? Jeez," your boss sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"They're just kids. Saw a badly mutilated body and thought they had the next break in our case. We have to take every report seriously. Detective Y/L/N knows that. Any of us would have done the same thing," Strahm shook his head with his words.

"You're right. She's the best we've ever had in her position," your boss admitted, "How was the ride?"

Strahm smiled momentarily. Not realizing how telling his expression was. "You can put her and I together more often. She's an important asset to this case," Strahm stated matter-of-factly. Lying to himself that he had grown fond of you. Body craving to keep itself near you.

Enemies.

With some benefits.

~~~

Days melted into weeks.

Having to do deeper research into each report you received after the last turned out to be a dead end. Reviewing the areas to make sure they were within range of the previous killings. Not chasing some far off reports. Digging for any correlation between victims. Perhaps some connection to the late John Kramer. Learning more of the killer's tells as time went on.

If it was him, he would make sure you knew it.

Strahm had became a more frequent partner to you. Spending hours almost every day together. Confused on why you continued being paired together for every single investigation. Early mornings and late nights together hard at work the new status quo for you. Still each other's worst nightmare. Lots of ‘asshole’s and ‘fuck you’s shared on a daily basis. Being at each other's throats a never changing battle.

Well. A few things had changed.

Both of you learning the way the other liked their coffee. Pretending to not notice the first time he had a cup waiting for you on your desk. Still warm, knowing how punctual you were. Morphing into carpooling together because "why waste money on gas when you only live a few blocks away." Cultivating the turns and redlights that led to your apartment into the valley of his mind. Leaving cash on his desk because he refused to let you pay for gas. Slipping in some joke about you feeling like a whore-for-hire. Causing him to roll his eyes and call you some slanderous innuendo that somehow had become a pseudo nickname.

Physical interactions had become more frequent. Hiding away in storage closets far too tight for two people to be in. Lips growing accustomed to the rhythm of one another. Smell of his musky cologne becoming a comfort instead of an annoyance. His fingers had perfectly learned the intricate details of your body. Enamored by the quiet moans that would swell in your chest when they would find the place inside you that was just right. Consumed by how sweetly his name fell from your tongue. Dripping down his skin when your eyes would meet his with a want that only he knew. Knocking softly on his door, ocean-like gaze softening when he saw it was you. Leading to your knees burning against the linoleum as you sucked him off. Hands lacing through your hair as he breathed heavily. “I knew that mouth was good for something,” slipping darkly from him. Keeping your interactions strictly at work. Refusing to cross the boundary into one another’s homes.

Never willing to admit there was something deeper happening between you.

From the outside, you both despised each other. Arguing over how to handle cases. Never able to compromise on, insisting it had to be done a specific way. Sharp gazes fighting a pointless staring contest for victory. Worse days ending with completely silent car rides to your home. Sitting in the parking garage without a word to say. Knowing neither of you could look at the other without dropping your facades. But still always saying goodnight.

Not tonight though.

It was your first one away from Agent Strahm. Deciding to visit your old favorite bar for some fresh air. Getting an early start to your day off. Sitting at the counter still in your work clothes. Swirling the tiny straw around your second glass. Lindsey Perez on the stool beside you. Beaming with alcohol on her cheeks as she talked with her hands. Different from her usual calm and collected demeanor at work.

“And she didn’t even offer to walk me up to my apartment! What a way to end a date, am I right? So much for ‘broadening my horizons’ or whatever I said my New Year’s Resolution was,” Lindsey sighed, finishing off her drink in a long gulp. Shaking your head with widened eyes.

“That’s so shallow,” you agreed. Looking up and catching the bartender’s eyes. Smiling when you saw his dark orbs glaze down your figure for a moment. A new face in your familiar dwelling. Younger than the old bartender you were used to. Handsome with a beard and tattoos up one of his arms, revealed by his sleeves rolled up to his shoulders.

Strahm’s eyes were prettier.

Catching Lindsey’s attention when your face darkened. Leaning closer to you with a smirk, “He’s cute, right?”

Your brows jumped. Mouth slacking as you rolled your eyes, “I don— I mean— yeah, I guess.”

She laughed, firmly grabbing your shoulder for support. Causing your face to flush deeper. Finally smiling with your teeth as you cupped your cheek with embarrassment.

“Want me to ask for his number?”

“Absolutely not,” you pleaded. Laughing together. Leaning back in your stool. Readjusting when your legs grew uncomfortable. Attention being drawn to the entrance. Blood running cold when you saw him.

“Fuck,” you muttered, quickly turning your back to him and hiding your face with your hand. Elbows rested upon the counter. Lindsey leaned to match your new height, “What?”

“You will not believe who just walked in.”

She quickly glanced over her shoulder to see what was such a big deal. Her smile falling into awe.

Peter Strahm.

“I thought he was working late tonight,” you said under your breath. Straightening up to get the bartender’s attention. Ordering two tequila shots. Throwing yours back before Lindsey had even realized it was in front of her. Sucking your teeth as the liquor burned down your throat.

“I did open the invite to everyone as we left,” Lindsey admitted, face full of guilt before quickly taking her shot.

“Lindsey!” You gritted your teeth as you chastised her.

“I didn’t think anyone would actually show up! I was just being nice!” She defended herself. Earning a groan from you as you returned to your previous position. Closing your eyes and hoping maybe he did not see you. Begging for one singular night away from him.

“Don’t act like you aren’t happy he’s here,” Lindsey leaned over, bumping shoulders with you as she teased.

“What?”

“Come on! I’ve seen the way you brighten up when he walks into the room. The way you both pretend to fight so all of us think you hate each other. You’ve got everyone else fooled by not me Y/N Y/L/N,” she grinned.

Heat flooding through your body at her words. Stammering for a defense that you did not have. Awkwardly fanning your face as you pushed your lips together. Eyebrows resting heavily against your forehead as you looked her in the eyes. Darting quickly between them. A certain twinkle in them at her realization that she had caught you red handed.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” you grumbled. Swallowing the lump in your throat knowing he would spot you any moment. Joining you on what was supposed to be your one night away from him. A singular night without hearing his nasally complaints about God only knows what. Unable to talk about anything but work.

“Jack and Coke,” familiar cologne filled your senses. Voice ringing low in your ears. Watching as the bartender nodded, walking away to prepare the drink. Darting your eyes to the side to see his same old hands. Large and veins popping, hair decorating all the way up his wrist. Refusing to face him. Almost embarrassed to see him here.

“Hi, ladies,” Strahm finally broke the awkward silence amongst coworkers.

Lindsey faked a toothy smile as panic was written all over her face. Acting like a preteen when your best friend’s crush walked by. Unable to speak properly or articulate a full sentence.

“Agent Strahm, didn’t expect to see you here,” Lindsey awkwardly said as she eyeballed you. Begging for you to make things less tense. You sucked your lip between your teeth. Racking your brain for a proper response.

“Hi, Agent Strahm,” you quickly glanced over to him. Meeting his gaze for a brief moment. Eyes like the summer sky fixated on yours. Noticing he did not bear a tie as he normally did. Sleeves rolled up like you liked and shirt unbuttoned. Thick chest hair peaking out the top.

The Bartender returned with two drinks. Passing one to you. Pulling a perplexed look from you. Beginning to question him before he cut you off, “Special treat for the pretty lady. On the house.” Ending his sentence with a wink. Walking over to attend to the other patrons. Making you blush at the compliment.

Lindsey’s elbow sunk into your side, “I told you!” You both chuckled together. Almost forgetting your hook-up buddy sitting to the other side of you. Turning forward again, catching a peak at him. Jaw locked and nostrils flaring. Piercing blue eyes profiling the young man. Thickening the tension between you all once again.

The sound of a phone vibrating caught your attention. Flattening your hand against your pocket to see if it was yours.

“Oh! I’ve gotta go—“ Lindsey rose quickly to her feet. Not giving the time to explain to either of you why she was leaving. Flashing a strange look at you before walking away. Knowing she hated awkward conversations. Feeling like she abandoned you. Throwing you to the wolves. Silence loomed over the bar as she exited.

“What was that about?”

“She probably didn’t want to stay around to hear us argue,” you smirked at him. Taking a sip of the fruity cocktail you had been gifted. Pulling a deep chuckle from Agent Strahm.

“I didn’t mean to intrude—“

“No, Lindsey is a flake anyway,” you quickly replied. Unintentionally over-expressing yourself to him. Finally turning your body to fully face his. Seeing how his eyes softened. Causing your skin to warm up.

“I hope you don’t mind I came by… I know we’ve been spending a lot of time together lately,” he took a swig of his own drink. Watching how his lips wrapped around the rim.

“It’s okay. You can just admit you missed me,” you scrunched your nose as you smirked. Causing Strahm to roll his eyes. Fighting the smile that tugged at his lips. Opting in for another taste of his drink instead. Adam’s Apple bobbing in his throat as he swallowed. Large hands making the glass look smaller than it already did.

“Don’t start, Y/L/N,” Strahm cocked an eyebrow at you. Eyes darkening when they met yours. Alcohol making you braver than normal. Fingers danced up his large thigh, resting midway. Causing him to straighten his back at the physical contact. Lips parting as his eyes darted down to where you touched him. Tongue parting his lips and wetting them.

“I’m not starting anything,” you played dumb. Digits closing in on his groin. Strahm’s eyebrows contorted. Not used to you being so bold especially in public. Most of the time, you only got physical after an investigation or a rather harsh fight.

“Do you get stupid when you’re drunk?” Strahm leaned in closer. Smirk crawling across his face. Voice hushed and husky, clearing flirting.

You squinted at him. Trying to come up with a quip when he continued, “I thought you only got like that when my cock was inside you.”

Your face flushed. Strahm was being bolder tonight than normal. No worry of coworkers interfering with the two of you. Being able to have some alone time outside of hiding away in his vehicle. You smacked his thigh in response, “Agent Peter Strahm!”

And he laughed. A real laugh. The kind of laugh reserved for couples. Where one of them knows exactly what will make the other break. Victory clear when their face flushes and they cannot come up with a response.

He never laughed. Especially wide enough to show off his teeth in an upturned smile. Cheeks pink and lines beside his eyes. Making sure to memorize every feature he never showed you. Engraving them into your mind.

Maybe you did get stupid when you were drunk

“Can I get you anything else?”

The Bartender broke you both away from the private moment you were having. Jumping clean out of your skin when his voice boomed in your ear. Tone slightly annoyed. You shook your head no. Looking over to see Strahm’s expression sharpening. Anger heavy on his strong shoulders. Feeling your stomach flip with mixed feelings for your partner enemy.

“I think we’re good,” he sternly replied.

Sending the Bartender away with an eye roll. A smile crept upon your face at the men’s clear jealousy. Trying to hide the laugh that begged to escape you.

“Here are those tickets for you. See you around,” the Bartender winked as he slid the paper in front of you. Eyes widening at what you saw. His phone number written in red ink with ‘call me when he’s not around’ next to the digits. Covering your mouth as a drunken giggle escaped you. Catching Strahm’s attention. Quickly, he snatched the paper from you. Taking the pen out of his pocket and scribbling over the numbers. Crumbling up the paper in frustration. Throwing some loose cash onto the counter before standing off his stool. Shoulders firm as they rose and fell quickly. Extending an arm to help support you down. Interlocking arms with him as you exited the quiet bar.

Legs wobbly from alcohol and how quickly you had stood up. Leaning your weight against him as you walked up the concrete stairs to the street. No words being spoken between you. Shoes clicking against the cold stone. Feeling engulfed by his body heat. Hardly noticing how lively the streets were this late at night. Partiers and people just starting their shifts walking the streets. Music leaking out of each bar entryway.

“Thank you for paying, Peter,” you softly said. Receiving a shallow nod in response. Finally reaching his cruiser. Opening the door for you, hand tenderly holding yours until you got sat down. Your eyes fluttered up at him. Mouth hanging open slightly. Lingering in the doorway for a moment before gently closing it for you.

Remaining mute as he got into the driver’s seat. Eyes growing heavy when the heat comfortably filled the cab. Leaning your seat back and resting your head. Facing your body towards the man driving you home. Hooded eyes admired his side profile. Strong force gripping the steering wheel. Eyes focused on the road.

Peter’s hand wordlessly reached for yours. Rough thumb pad rubbing circles into your soft skin. Slowly intertwining your fingers into his. Hands fitting together as if they were meant to be. Both of you simply enjoying the other’s company. Routine of starting and ending your days together became the norm.

Why change it tonight?

~~~

[END]

// Thank you so much for reading! I’m enjoying writing this shorter series and hope you are enjoying reading it. Comments and Reblogs are appreciated! //

{tags}

@heif ~ @egoknives ~ @petercutiekittenstrahm ~ @angelus-osculum ~ @macabrebatz ~ @gayhorrormen ~ @iwmflbb ~ @l0sercat ~ @klovercrown ~ @21yearsolldd

[rafecameronssl4t]

Why didn’t arranged marriage Reader’s parents wed her to another old money family? What did they offer the Cameron family and what did the Cameron family offer them?

Good question!!!! Also check out #forced marriage au q&a to read all questions and answers related to this au!!!

Reader's parents chose to wed her to the Cameron family instead of another old-money family for a mix of strategic and social reasons. Although reader's family comes from a long-standing dynasty of old money, marrying into the Cameron family brought certain advantages, particularly in terms of power and social influence.

Reader’s family saw Ward Cameron as a rising figure in business, someone whose aggressive ambition and financial expansion could benefit them in ways that traditional old-money families could not. Readers family offered a lot and so it would have been stupid for Ward to turn this opportunity down.

Reader’s family offered the Cameron family prestige and social legitimacy. The Cameron’s were considered “new money” and so this marriage would be granting them access to old-money circles that valued tradition. They also provided influential connections, helping the Camerons expand their business and social standing. Additionally, the marriage involved a financial dowry, such as land/assets, further strengthening the alliance and solidifying the Camerons’ position among the elite. This alliance also reinforced the appearance of class unity, with reader's family continuing to be seen as part of an exclusive, powerful elite.

In return, the Cameron family offered financial security and business expansion opportunities. Ward’s expanding business empire and wealth, while newer, provided a substantial financial boost to reader's family, allowing them to preserve and expand their own wealth and assets in an ever-changing financial sorld. Rafe was an appealing match as well, having achieved significant success at a young age and being on track for even greater accomplishments.

Though he wasn’t initially happy about the arrangement, his success made him an ideal choice, creating a powerful alliance that exchanged wealth, power, and social prestige for mutual dominance among the elite. Essentially, this marriage was not just about maintaining tradition but was a calculated move on both sides.

[seven-snails]

im so weirdly stuck on killua asking morel for help in tracking down illumi. i've been thinking on and off a little bit lately about how killua's understanding of/outlook on the hunter association might change as he gets older, and i've been leaning towards the idea that he starts to see its atrocities for what they are and ceases to have any use for the association, and while watching him leverage the power he does currently have in that institution for what's essentially personal gain i had to make myself stop and interrogate that impulse, and ask whether that was something i decided on just because it makes him more sympathetic to me personally, or if it's something i really think is believable about his character.

it's like. a mutual pointed out in its own post recently that killua has this very strong in-group/out-group kind of view of the world, likely because of how he was raised as part of the zoldyck clan, and so his idea of standing up for what's right is very much centered around the people he personally cares about, and having empathy for like. People In General as a group deserving of respect and compassion is something he's had to learn after the fact, and has been picking up fairly slowly - arguably the only time we see this informing his actions even marginally is when he tries to disrupt the ants' regime in east gorteau because most of the rest of the time he is just so dead focused on gon's well-being, and even in that one case it does have some benefit to him beyond just the virtue of performing a greater moral good in the world. killua does seem very aware of his own place in the world, what his assets and disadvantages are, and what systemic power he has and how he can leverage it; they discussed on mcp today how the line "we really are father and son" is kind of a recognition, and a challenge to silva, that killua is capable of acting on a level that can directly threaten his family, and we also see how killua is aware of the political factions competing in the hunter election, and how his own actions could sway those platforms, and by using that insight to benefit alluka, he's just playing back into that in-group/out-group way of thinking - he doesn't actually seem all that concerned for the well-being of the needlemen themselves outside of a broad recognition that the way illumi uses his nen is "wrong." but we've also seen killua undergoing this immense change throughout hxh, and that in-group has been slowly expanding as his capacity for empathy grows - and while i do think killua is ultimately always going to be a little cliquey in the way he makes connections and chooses who he wants to be close to, i also believe this journey he's been on is one that will ultimately lead him to have a more open heart and mind for the strangers around him. and so while there's a part of me that despairs at watching killua use his own political power like this, i still think my initial impulse is at least pointed in the right direction; a killua who's aware of the power he has and continues to use it for his own gain regardless of the effect his actions have on the population at large is, to put it simply, if reductively, an "evil" killua, and a killua i think we've already left behind - i do believe that the trajectory of his development has been moving him away from this space, and i also think it's important to the continuation of that development that he's choosing to stay with alluka, who wouldn't want him acting like that either and who he respects enough to listen to when she protests; even beyond that, his own family acknowledges that he wouldn't be happy to heal gon if it was at the expense of tens of thousands of lives (even if only out of consideration for gon's feelings on the matter). so like. yes it does feel shitty to watch killua using his own systemic sway for the sole benefit of his in-group, but also he's thirteen, and weird about intimacy and who "counts" as a person, and at the same time has also visibly been walking down a path that will likely end up leading him away from that way of thinking, so i have faith that he'll figure it out lol

[rookamell]

Propoganda:

Amelie: Orlesian noblewoman, helped fund a civil war for the benefit of a religious organisation in exchange for political power, turned her 7 year old daughter over to the templars, left same daughter to the mercy of previously mentioned religious organization, racist, married for love and immediately regretted it and made it everyone else's problem, toxic mother in law and boy mom, religious, is a woman over the age of 40

Cora: Orlesian as well, is a mage, spied on and helped assassinate the empress of orlais for the benefit of a religious organisation, has killed mutliple templars for self preservation, will do and has done blood magic, (allegedly) set loose a pair of ancient elven gods and started a blight, has and will torture if necessary, her boyfriend is 5 years older than her and a lot richer, doesn't think Anders did anything wrong, is religious. Still a virgin at age 29.

Nastasia: Head of aforementioned religious organisation, let the empress of orlais be murdered to place own figurehead on throne, suggested a mage be elected as Divine, conscripted mages to the Inquisition and forced them back in Circles even though she herself is a mage, turned more than one mage tranquil as Inquisitor, left the Champion of Kirkwall in the Fade, married a templar. Does not want Solas to die even tho he stole her arm. Thinks Vivienne is The Best.

Aidan: Is a mage. Wants mage freedom. Let swamp witch wife do dark magic in order to save his own life, left the southern Wardens without their commander for months while he tracked down said swamp wife, kept general who attempted to stage a coup and take over Ferelden alive and put his daughter on the throne, laughs whenever anyone says Wardens don't take part in politics, kept half the Wardens in Thedas away from Weisshaupt and significantly weakened it before Ghilan'nain's attack

Orso Dellamorte: Married Caterina Dellamorte and put her in the seat of First Talon purely because he thought she was a good asset to house Dellamorte. Illario Dellamorte but with no inferiority complex. Was planning a coup of the Antivan throne. Remorselessly tortured his own children as 'training'. Bought and sold assassins, fledgelings, and slaves. Saw nothing wrong with that. Atrocious sense of fashion tbh. Age gap relationship.

[lassieposting]

So like, Poppy Playtime is one of those things that I enjoy watching whenever a new section drops, but don't usually get particularly invested in, but if there's one thing guaranteed to give me brainrot, it's a codependent friendship between a deeply damaged, morally questionable killer and a lonely, mixed-up kid who idolises him. So naturally Chapter 3 has me in my feelings about the Prototype and Theodore Grambell.

And that got me thinking in general, which gave me a theory.

The Prototype - or, at least, whoever became the Prototype - had a military background.

If you think about it, the Prototype's skillset - while horrifying in an escaped monster on the rampage - would be an asset in a soldier, and more than once we see him use abilities that would probably be best explained by military training.

We know he's tech-savvy, mechanically skilled and good at improvising under pressure and time limits: he strips down an alarm clock in his cell - which he'd have to do quickly, because he's under constant surveillance - and makes a laser pointer from its parts to disable the cameras. These seem like skills that would benefit a soldier, who would be familiar with stripping his equipment - his gun, for example - down to parts to clean and reassemble them, and who might need to know how to fix a vehicle or a radio or use improvised parts in an escape from hostile territory.

Based on the fact that he's appeared unexpectedly multiple times now to claim the bodies of dead and dying mascots at exactly the right time, it's likely that he's been tracking the Player - silently and without being seen - since they entered the facility. He's doing recon, watching to see what the Player does, what their goals are, whether he needs to worry about them, and whether or how he can use them to his own benefit.

He can stay silent under torture. The tapes confirm that Sawyer continued experimenting on him even post-transformation, and the Prototype's description of these sessions makes it clear that there is nothing ethical or humane about them: "You stick us...beat us...tear at flesh." But Sawyer himself confirms that - other than snarking at him on that one tape we see - the Prototype has been silent, stubborn and uncooperative throughout. Soldiers can undergo Resistance to Interrogation training to teach them to cope with torture tactics; the only thing they're allowed to reveal is their name, rank and ID number. If the Prototype has already had this kind of training, it would make a lot more sense why he's able to keep silent when most people, adult or no, would be desperately cooperating and begging for mercy.

He's fiercely intelligent, excels at manipulating situations to his advantage, and is shown in Project Playtime to be capable of marshalling and directing the other fight-capable mascots. He's also a creative, ruthless tactician who seems to favour surprise attacks - the Hour of Joy works because it takes the entire facility unawares. The escape attempt where he hides from the camera relies on the security specialists panicking at his having vanished in a matter of seconds and rushing to do damage control, forgetting the camera has a blind spot. This thing is a strategist, and he's good at it.

Now, from what I've seen, it seems to be a popular theory that the Prototype was created from Elliot Ludwig. I'm not sure whether I really buy into that, but if it were true, it would actually work well with this little theory of mine.

We know that Ludwig was a young adult - probably in his 20s and 30s - in the 1930s and 1940s. He's old enough to have gotten married and to get divorced, and to have started his own company.

And where were all the 20- and 30-something men of America during the 1930s and 40s?

Conscripted. Fighting World War II.

So if he was created from Ludwig, or from any adult in Ludwig's age bracket, it is very likely that this is not the Prototype's first ugly war. Playtime Co are not the first monsters he's ever seen doing horrific human experimentation on captives and trying to cover it up. He'd have seen it all before, and he'd know there would be no stopping any of it without collateral damage. So when he gets his opportunity - the Hour of Joy - he's ruthless about it. He wipes out every human in the Playtime factory. If he fought in one of the major wars of the 20th century - WWII, Vietnam, etc, depending on the age of whoever was used - that would also explain why he goes to that extreme. Plenty of guilty, awful people escaped justice after those major conflicts, and he doesn't want that for the Playtime scientists. He'd rather massacre every employee, whether or not they knew about the experiments, than risk one who deserves death getting away.

idk I just think that whole idea makes his behaviour and motivations make a lot more sense