#retired prometheus

[limetameta]

Delphini doing a little get ready with me video but her dad voice overs what shes putting on her face and it's just Voldemort being deeply confused how many products this one girl owns. Gets to the lash curler and hes like A ha, I finally know what this is - you tossed this in as a joke to see if we were paying attention it's an auror interrogation tool- why are you putting it on your eyes... why are you spreying your face now you have water in the bathroom sink - oh excuse me, it's special "setting water", i did not know i raised a bourgeois that is above sink water. Care to explain to me what the deal with these metallic water bottles these days is, why is your generation obsessed with water - my generation was not dehydrated it was starved. *video cuts off, voice over of voldemort going on a whole great depression and wwii food scarcity rant continues over a black screen*

[piastrixpole]

i. bahrain

pairing: logan sargeant x fem!oc (daisy shaw)

genre: written

based on the 2023 season

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daisyshaw   off-season (feat danny ric)

Contrary to what her name would suggest Daisy Shaw was anything but pure and joyful when she was first exposed to the pinnacle of motorsport. When the discourse surrounding whether or not a woman should be allowed ascend to the highest level of motorsport first circulated on the internet there was of course mixed reactions. One thing was for certain though - nobody had been expecting it to be someone like Daisy.

The not so fittingly named Daisy who had been hardened beyond recognition on her journey to the top. The Daisy who had emerged from the flames of the underworld which had sought to burn her alive like a re-coming of Prometheus himself. The Daisy who projected a cold front to those around her but was achingly lonely.

Becoming a sort of poster girl for acceptance and inclusivity within Formula One was an unfortunate side effect of finally getting a seat at the table. Daisy hated all the attention she received purely for being there and the questions which didn't even attempt to cover her driving, the only thing that made her slightly happy was that she definitely wasn't the kind of girl the FIA wanted to be the first female driver on the grid. She was icy, detached and unafraid to call out the blatant sexists she encountered even if it didn't make her popular with the public who just wanted a well tempered, sunshine of a girl.

She wasn't exactly approachable so despite the terrible loneliness eroding through her veins with each awkward smile shared with a fellow driver she knew it was her own doing, and for the better. Last year in her rookie season she had been paired up with Henry Downing, a fellow British driver 8 years her senior who had retired at the end of the year. Daisy had ended up outperforming him by the end of the season which hadn't helped their already tense relationship so she wasn't overly upset to see him go.

And now in an all too ironic twist of fate she was joining sunshine personified himself, Daniel Ricciardo. Daisy's sharp edges and brash words didn't faze him. Not when one of his best friends was a slightly prickly Max Verstappen. Daniel was determined to make Daisy admit they were best friends at some point over the season, and truth be told she could see it happening. It was hard not to when he was so infuriatingly positive and welcoming to her. She wasn't going to be voicing it aloud anytime soon though. He already had enough of an ego and she wasn't quite ready to open up to him just yet.

"Daisy," a now familiar voice boomed from further up the track and a quick glance up from the data she'd been reviewing with her race engineer "how's my favourite rain cloud??"

As Daniel approached with his trademark grin, Daisy couldn't help but roll her eyes internally. His relentless positivity was like a ray of sunshine piercing through her carefully constructed storm clouds. She appreciated his efforts, she really did, but sometimes she wished he could just let her be. That and she'd been hoping that Daniel wasn't going to make that nickname stick but apparently all that longing was futile. "So much worse now that you're here," she gave him a sickly sweet smile in return, knowing he wouldn't actually take her words seriously.

Rain cloud had come around from the first time her and Daniel had met after he signed for Porsche. Despite being on the grid together the year before Daniel had never spoken to the young girl and it wasn't as if Daisy was running around introducing herself to everyone either. The only person she had really gotten to know was Zhou, her fellow rookie, as she could talk freely with him far easier and without generating dating rumours about herself.

She'd learnt that the hard way when the Lewis Hamilton had gone out of his way to meet her and the next day she woke up to every media outlet running a story accusing her of sleeping with him to get her seat. Was it kind of flattering? Definitely. It was Lewis Hamilton for crying out loud. But she wasn't going to give them any more ammunition so Daisy had kept to herself after that.

Daniel chuckled, unfazed by her sardonic response. He'd gotten well acquainted with the way Daisy talked during testing and when he'd seen her around in the factory. "Ah, you wound me, Daisy," he said, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "You know you love having me around to brighten up your day."

Daisy resisted the urge to shrug off his touch, instead offering him a wry smile. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, Ricciardo," she retorted, her gaze flickering towards the track. "We've got a qualifying session to focus on, remember?"

Undeterred by her dismissive tone, Daniel grinned. "Always so serious little rain cloud," he said, falling into step beside her as they made their way towards the garage. "But hey, no hard feelings when I beat you out there, yeah?"

Daisy raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Oh, you wish, Ricciardo," she shot back, a competitive fire igniting in her eyes. "I'll see you on the track – and may the best driver win."

Getting back into the car to race was thrill like no other. Adrenaline pumped through Daisy at a remarkable speed as the anticipation grew. Her trusty pair of headphones were still resting on the crown of her head as she blasted music through them to hype herself up. Daisy's music choices before racing had been a long running joke on Twitter as they were strictly depressing, a stark contrast to the rest of the grid. It was either that or something so British that it out George Russell to shame.

As she finished dancing away in her seat to Phoebe Bridgers, Daniel waved at her from the other side of the garage. They had been putting in similar lap times during free practice but she wanted to be better in qualifying. It wasn't going to be easy though. Not when they were both hungry for a win and desperate to prove themselves. Daniel had a rough season last year at McLaren and was determined to show that he still had it. And Daisy bore the burden of proving her gender's competency to drive in F1 every time she got in the car, along with her individual desire to perform to the highest standard.

Both Porsche drivers were in a precarious position. Teetering on the verge of greatness but with each less than optimal finish, with every practice that could have gone better the tightrope they were balancing on grew less stable. Now Daisy would never claim to be immune to pressure, it was quite the opposite in fact. She welcomed the high expectations placed on her shoulders and the highly critical eyes zoned in on her performance. She thrived because of it all. It had always been that way. Ever since she was a young girl she had lived for the thrill of proving everyone wrong and that trait had transitioned into adulthood and only grown.

As the moon cast its silver hues over the Bahrain International Circuit Daisy slipped into the cockpit of her car, her heartbeat echoing in her ears as she got into position. The roar of the engine reverberated through her bones as she navigated the pit lane, her mind focused and unyielding. That was something Daisy adored about driving. As soon as she was behind that wheel it was as if everything else ceased to exist. Time rather ironically slowed down and all that was left was her. Before she knew it, Daisy was approaching the start of her first flying lap around the circuit and the comforting surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins, reigniting the fire within her that had been dormant since the end of last season.

Behind the wheel, Daisy felt the car come alive beneath her, its power and agility responding to her every command. Yet, as she pushed harder, she encountered her first challenge – a sharp turn that demanded precision and finesse. With a deft touch on the brakes and a calculated flick of the steering wheel she weaved swiftly around the corner, her heart pounding with exhilaration.

The relentless heat became more of an issue as the laps wore on. Daisy was incredibly grateful for the experience she'd gained racing this track last year in her rookie season but she definitely hadn't missed the sweltering heat it brought even in the night. Considering that she'd been born and raised in North England most of her life and then only moved to Germany once she signed with Porsche, she didn't cope well with warm climates. However she was determined to not show weakness nor to let it get to her. So she continued to work with the car, searching for that elusive sweet spot where speed and control converged.

Amidst the chaos of the track, Daisy found solace in the voice of her race engineer whose instructions crackled through the radio like a lifeline. "Try braking later into turn 4 Daisy, you're gaining time there," Anja advised, her voice cutting through the cacophony that was the engine's roar.

One of Daisy's conditions when she had signed for the team the prior year was that she wanted a female team around her. If she was going to be the unwilling poster girl for diversity in the sport, she at least wanted to surround herself with more girls and Anja had been stellar last year so Daisy was thrilled to have her alongside again. Taking her advice, Daisy adjusted her approach, pushing the car to its limits as she attacked the corner with newfound aggression. The sensation of the G-forces pressing against her body only propelled her forward with unwavering resolve.

It was nearing the end of qualifying and Daisy was about to embark upon her final lap of the session. Heart racing with anticipation, Daisy gave it her all as she navigated the turns and the straights with precision.

"Keep pushing Daisy, you're doing great." Anja reassured her.

As she rounded the final corner and charged towards the finish line, Daisy poured every last ounce of energy she had left into her for the final push. Then breathless but exhilarated Daisy waited with bated breath for Anja to deliver the verdict of her efforts.

"That's P9 Daisy," Anja informed her over the radio "P9, good job."

While that wasn't quite the result Daisy had been hoping for, she was still satisfied that she'd done absolutely everything she could with the car and her performance couldn't have been better. "Thanks Anja, where's Daniel."

There was a pause on the other end before the other girl replied "P7."

"Not a bad start from us huh," Daisy hummed as she guided her Porsche into its designated spot. P9 could be a lot better but she was prepared to fight tooth and nail on the track the next day and hopefully gain some ground over the course of the race.

The fact that Daniel had outqualified her did gnaw at her confidence a little. But she kept that beneath the surface, fighting to bottle away the lingering disappointment as she congratulated him and the team. It wasn't as though she cared that he personally outplaced her and was now in a better starting position and Daisy was genuinely happy for his success after his previous rough year but she yearned to prove herself on equal footing. Never mind the fact that Daniel was a highly gifted and seasoned driver, Daisy had to show the world that she was more than just a diversity quota – that she belonged amongst the elite.

Anja seemed to be able to read between the lines without Daisy even mentioning the slight envy she felt "Do you want to know the order Daisy?"

She contemplated it momentarily but her curiosity was more important than her ego then "sure, go on."

"Top 10 are Verstappen, Perez, Leclerc, Sainz, Alonso, Russel, Daniel, Hamilton, you and Stroll."

"Redbull front row lockout," Daisy remarked, voice dripping with sarcasm "who could've seen that coming? But anyways, good job everyone – appreciate it."

As the hustle and bustle of parc ferme enveloped her, Daisy forced a small smile onto her lips, determined not to let her inner doubts be visible to the rest of the grid. She congratulated Daniel again with a small smile and exchanged nods with those around her, masking her disappointment behind a façade of confidence. Her mind was racing already in preparation for the following day as she still had something to prove. And if there was one thing that fuelled her, it was spite.

There was something so captivating about night races to Daisy. The way the stars and night sky provided such a dramatic backdrop for the spectacle of the race. Under the dazzling lights surrounding the circuit, Daisy was sitting in P9, practically jumping in her seat with anticipation for the race to start. While her qualifying hadn't exactly gone to plan Daisy still had her eyes set on the podium. Maybe it was a little unrealistic a goal considering how dominant the two redbulls had been in practice and the day before but she still hoped to bring back a result the team could be proud of.

As the lights slowly dimmed and the roar of twenty engines filled the air in synchrony, Daisy inhaled sharply to focus, her heart pounding so intensely she half expected it to rip through the pericardium and her ribs. A rush of adrenaline surged through every nerve of her body as she gunned the throttle, launching her car forward with precision and determination.

If she had to describe her driving style in one word, Daisy would say aggressive. Her ability to put pressure on other drivers and seize any open opportunities had shocked people in her debut race last year. It was something Daisy was rather proud of. They had seemingly expected her to be more gentle, hesitant even with competing - as if she were a doormat of a girl, and oh had she relished in being the exact opposite.

She could practically hear the commentary in her head as Max predictably took a quick lead but she wasn't going to get distracted by him. To make it a closer battle she'd have to somehow manage getting out of the mess that was the midfield. Her usual nonchalance was replaced by steely focus as she fought tooth and nail for every inch of tarmac.

Daisy had managed to make it out of the constant back and forth switching of positions she'd found herself trapped in towards the start as she finally gained some pace on Albon's Williams. Things were starting to work out smoothly for Daisy as Ocon was suddenly out of the race and there was now nobody left between her and Daniel.

Lap by lap Daisy found herself locked in an intense battle with her teammate. They were racing side by side along the straights of the circuit, both of them trying to pull ahead of the other coming out of a corner so they could leave them in the dust. She was half expecting an order to come over the radio telling her not to fight Daniel and to just let him have it because that had occurred a few times last year with Henry but to her surprise there was nothing.

Until Anja finally called for her to pit so they could send her back out on fresh tires. There was a decent gap between her and Alex so as long as the pitstop went smoothly she'd be able to get back out and re-join the race before he could overtake her in the standings.

With the race hanging in the balance, every second counted as Daisy navigated her way towards the pit lane. As she approached her designated pit box, Daisy braced herself for the flurry of activity that awaited her. The anticipation coiled in her stomach, a potent mix of excitement and nerves as she brought her car to a halt with pinpoint precision.

In an instant, her crew swarmed around her car like a well-oiled machine, their movements a blur of activity as they worked with surgical precision to execute the tire change. Swiftly removing the warm tires and switching them out for fresh wheels. Every movement was performed with a practiced ease that she had gotten familiar with over the past year.

Then once the tire change was complete and she was given the signal to go, Daisy revved her engine and shot out of the pit lane with renewed vigour. The fresh tires gripped the asphalt beneath her, propelling her forward with newfound speed and confidence as she re-joined the race.

Merging back into the racing line Daisy prepared herself for the challenges ahead. Asking Anja quickly "Gap to Dan?"

"1.2 Daisy, that's 1.2," Anja's voice replied on the other end, calm as always.

Despite her best efforts at warming her tires, closing the gap proved to be a daunting ordeal. Daniel's pace was relentless and he temporarily had the advantage of not being on fresh tires. The only thing keeping Daisy going was the fact that he still had to pit at some point and the end of the race was inching closer so her window of opportunity hadn't quite slipped from her grasp, not yet.

With determination burning bright in her eyes, Daisy threw caution to the wind and dialled up the aggression, pushing her Porsche to its absolute limit. Each corner became a calculated risk, each straight a chance to gain ground on her teammate.

But as the laps wore on, Daniel's tire degradation began to take its toll, his pace faltering ever so slightly as the wear on his tires became apparent. Sensing an opportunity, Daisy seized the moment, closing the gap with each passing lap as she hunted down her prey with unwavering focus.

Finally, with Daniel's pit stop looming on the horizon, Daisy made her move, diving deep into a corner and executing a daring overtake to claim the position ahead of her teammate. The crowd erupted into cheers as she completed the manoeuvre, her heart pounding with exhilaration as she surged ahead.

As Daniel peeled off into the pit lane for his long-awaited stop, Daisy pressed on, her sights set on the cars ahead. In the end it was Daisy who crossed the finish line first, Daniel hot on her heels after an even faster stop than her own. But she had done it! P7 was a respectable result and certainly nothing to scoff at, and the insecure part of herself was thrilled to have beaten her teammate even if it was by a tiny margin and only one position.

Daisy's face was alight with a mix of pure exhaustion and exhilaration as her mechanics helped her out of the car. Daniel hopping out right beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he whooped loudly. Stiffening momentarily at the unexpected contact, her instinctive reaction was to pull away from his embrace. But after a moments hesitation she relented and allowed herself to be drawn into a hug, not letting the reluctant smile past her cool facade.

"I guess the best driver did win," she hummed cheekily, glancing up at Daniel, calling back to their little jabs before qualifying

"Yeah...Max did win," Daniel retorted and that actually drew a grin from Daisy. Daniel's constant energy did mentally jade her a lot of the time but she really loved that he got her humour and was able to give it back to her as well.

"The rain cloud smiles," Daniel gasped, a vision of melodrama "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Yeah, yeah," Daisy was keen to brush it off and change the subject away from her "don't get used to it or you're going to be severely disappointed."

They stood amongst the sea of drivers crowded below the podium, observing Max hoist his trophy into the air and the Dutch national anthem rang out, for what was likely the first out of many times. Checo and Fernando to his sides.

Daisy couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude pass over her. In moments like these where she got to slow down she was always reminded of how lucky she was to be able to compete at this level and the support from her team. All she hoped now was that this season would be worthy of their admiration and unwavering support.

The Porsche team had a solid start. Both drivers finishing and ending in the points had set them up with a good, sturdy foundation. They just needed to keep building upon it every week. However good wasn't what Daisy was in formula 1 to achieve. As a girl, as the only girl it was all or nothing. Talent and potential was only so much to offer. It wasn't genius or winning and no amount of sponsors or decent results could make it so.

It was cutthroat but she had to win. Otherwise she was nothing. And Daisy Shaw was determined to make them all remember her name, whatever it took.

[ariel-seagull-wings]

CARLY ANNE CROCKER: HEADCANONS

@thealmightyemprex

@moonshinenum @exoticb-utters @positivelybeastly @voxxgrimly

01º Carly was born and grew up in Hannibal, Missouri; 

02º Her father, Carter, was a firefighter, and the family of her late mother, Enid, owned a diner;

03º Became blind as an infant due to congenital glaucoma;

04º Was homeschooled until the age of eight years old;

05º After retiring from the Fire Department, her father became the new owner and manager of his wife’s family diner, working on management duties while friends and in-law relatives work in the kitchen and serving tables;

06º Her father wanted her to go to college in Saint Louis or Kansas City, but Carly always dreamed of going to college in New York, and her mother was supportive of her independence;

07º Came to live in New York at age seventeen when she applied for college;

08º Majored in Drama and English in Vassar College, and Law and Education in New York University;

09º Is a professional actress, storyteller and puppeteer;

10º Carly was twenty three years old when her mother died;

11º At the age of twenty seven, she received the surgery that cured her blindness;

12º Overalls, dungarees and jumpsuits are her favorite pieces of clothing;

13º Has German and Irish ancestry on her father’s side, and French-Canadian (Acadian) ancestry on her mother’s side;

14º Can be conversational in french;

15º Is a fan of the fairy tale radio anthology series Let’s Pretend;

16º At the time she was a patient in the hospital for the blind, Carly started to bond with Hank McCoy when she told him she was from Hannibal, and he referred to it as “the city of Mark Twain.” 

17º From that moment onward, they started a conversation about the Twain family, Joseph Médard Carrière, Rosemary Hyde Thomas, Marie Campbell, Washington Irving, L. Frank Baum, Tall Tales, Walt Disney and Americana;

18º Makes volunteer work as a theater educator, puppeteer and storyteller in several shelters and hospitals for blind people, as a way to give people the same support she received when she was blind;

19º Is bisexual;

20º Uses her knowledge of Law and Education to become an activist for Disabled, LGBTQIA+ and Mutant Rights;

21º Cheese based dishes are her comfort food;

22º Loves both cats and dogs;

23º Her Zodiac Signs is Libra; 

24º Her favorite Shakespeare plays are Measure for Measure, Troilus and Cressida, Love’s Labour's Lost, Much Ado About Nothing, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Othello, Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and The Tempest;

25º Her favorite books are: Tales from the French Folk-Lore of Missouri, It’s Good to Tell You: French Folktales from Missouri, Tales from the Cloud Walking Country, The Last Unicorn, The Once and Future King, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Father Christmas Letters, Bambi a Life in the Woods, Bambi’s Children, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, Watership Down, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Les Miserables, The One Thousand and One Nights, The Canterbury Tales, The Decameron, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, The Sea Fairies, Sky Island, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Diaries of Adam and Eve, The Mysterious Stranger, Fairy Tales, New Tales, or Fairies in Fashion, The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories and Stories or Tales from Past Times, with Morals;

26º Her favorite colors are Green, Red, Pink, Violet and Blue;

27º Carly’s favorite flowers are myrtle, rosemary, rue, daffodils, violets, primroses, oxlips, carnations, gillyvors, flower-de-luce , hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram and marigold;

28º Voice, scent, hands and pulses are the first things she notices as attractive in another person;

29º  Is allergic to pine and eucalyptus;

30º Her favorite movies are The Adventures of Prince Achmed, The Thief of Bagdad, Pinocchio, Bambi, Fantasia, The Fox and the Hound, Powell and Pressburger A Matter of Life and Death and The Tales of Hoffman, Black Orpheus, Jason and the Argonauts, The Golden Voyage of Sinbad, Donkeyskin, The Wicker Man, Babette’s Feast, Watership Down, The Last Unicorn, Legend, Willow, Ladyhawke and Wings of Desire.

[meirimerens]

silly question. do you have any favorite famous horses?

never silly. don't you even fret. particularly fan of brooklynn fucking supreme (not actually his name. his name was brooklynn supreme)

belgian draft horse that could have been the heaviest horse ever seen at 1,451.5 kg or 3,200lbs (but not the tallest). i say "could" because the horse that is believed to have been the tallest ever, Sampson renamed Mammoth, has alledgedly been recorded at 1,524 kg (3,360 lbs). however i prefer brooklynn supreme because his name is silly and i love the massivity on this beast which looks like pure raw chonk, whereas shires, which sampson was, tend to be finer in features.

i also love Prometea... the first ever cloned horse... here with her mom

she was born in 2003 so she should be turning 21 this year. i love her in the same way i love Dolly the first cloned mammal but even more because she's a horse. & she made it into adulthood & even middle age (20+ is that for a horse). also her name makes me smile. like prometheus who defied the gods to give humanity our fire and was bound to eternal punishment... but she never was punished and has thrived and even had a baby of her own (a normal one not a clone).

OH AND VALEGRO

it is on his back that Charlotte Dujardin broke the world's Grand Prix, Grand Prix Special, and Free Style Dressage records in the span of 3 years. & still holding strong. he was able to retire before he got completely exhausted, which is what the other record-holding horse before him (Totilas) went through over years of intense competition.

[agendergorgon]

Alien Vs Predator Vs Gender TW for SA discussed as it relates to stupid sci fi franchises that we've been stuck with since the 80s.

--- --- ---

Alien Vs Predator is a weird crossover/comparison to me because Alien is about cyclical stories of abuse and predation and control where corporations and governments and a monster with a penis for a head (and a second, smaller penis for a tongue (and a third, larger penis for a tail for when they really need to penetrate someone in front of horrified onlookers)) conspire to control the bodies of women and Predator is a series of films that ask you if you're a bad enough dude to beat up a big sassy lad in fishnets and a skirt with a vagina dentata for a mouth.

In Predator a big guy killed your mates for fun and now he's here to have an epic 1v1 with you bro because you got 1 hit in on him after he soloed everybody else. Whatever horror there is is from some sort of sexless macho man slasher with something to prove having to face a big sassy lad who is better at the masculine criteria of being an untouchable 80s action hero.

In Prometheus a lady has something slipped in her drink and later finds out she was impregnated against her will. Alien (franchise) is a very different kind of fear of a big strong dude stalking you and your friends.

No Predator is worried about the psychosexual or SA themes of the Xenomorph, they think its cool and they want to kill it and look cool killing it. In Predator (2018) a big cool predator kills a bunch of dudes and then a bigger predator comes and kills him. Predator (franchise) is to me the male fear of a bigger stronger dude. In AVP (2004) a lady has to step up and become the protagonist of a Predator film, by tag teaming a bunch of Aliens with the help of a The Predator. There are nods to the sexual violence of the Alien films, like a lady comparing the to a condom ("I'd rather have one and not need it then need it and not have one.") who then needs said gun to avoid having her face hugged. But the action hero lead ends up feeling like another action dude in the same vain as (in descending order of macho cred and strangely also ascending order of film recency) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny Glover, Adrian Brody or whoever that dude in Predator (2018) that my brain kept telling me looked like Matt Damon was, just also happening to be a woman, vs Prey being a film that actually makes something of the added friction of being a woman in a Predator film. In AVPR (2007) our lead lad is a pizza boy who watches everyone around him die and has to rise to the circumstances like an Alien film protagonist... but doesn't face any of the same sexual violence. This dude gets bullied, fuck it, make the bullies call him faggot all movie, give him some horrific shower room trauma, there are ways to make this boy go through an Alien story. Holy shit, put a trans lad in an Alien film and the psychosexual horror of the facehugger/chestburster etc ratchets even further as far as the properties of this thing robbing you of control of your body, without resorting to whatever the fuck the writers were thinking with the maternity ward scene (don't google it if you don't know). I think a lot of Alien and Predator stuff is dragged down by the Predator's inclusion, forced to multiply the Aliens so more can get killed at every opportunity and give humans and Predators alike a chance to prove they're really cool. I think Predator and Alien are both about being afraid of a big dude, but the Predator is a big dude that makes you feel inadequate, unable to match up, and ends in the idea that you're cool, you win, you beat him. A Predator protagonist wins. They retire. They don't get another film. An Alien protagonist survives, and thinks she might be safe, and then wakes to find she's in another film, and that she gets to lose everything. She gets to be cut up and taken apart by a man who views her as his property or plaything. I grew up with these films, one's I was shown when I was way too young for it and laughed at gore and glowing green blood going everywhere. I read comics and played games and allsorts and I never thought enough about it until I was going through the wrong puberty and wishing I could look like Ripley and be anything other than the wankers in any Predator film without knowing any words to describe that feeling other than faggot. I worked stuff out and when my family stuffed me back in the closet so they didn't have to have awkward conversations with family friends I watched Alien Resurrection because that stupid film informs half my dress sense. I bitch to friends constantly that I wish I could find fishnets as thick as the ones in Predator so mine won't keep snapping all the time. I think about these films more than I think I do, and in the stupidest ways, and I know I'm going to see them until the end of time because franchises never die. But one of these series is about trying to survive as a woman, and the other is about trying to prove you're not a faggot, and I already made my choice there.

[oasis-nadrama]

"The Alien is cooked": A Theory of Franchise Renaissance

Oasis Nadrama, 23/09/2024

[Warning: Body horror, general spoilers for the Alien movies and for Prometheus]

H.R. Giger's Alien Monster IV

In 2014, early in the preproduction stages of the Prometheus sequel which would become Alien: Covenant, Ridley Scott declared "The beast is done. Cooked". He then gave in to fan and studio pressure and gave the new movie the "Alien" label, commenting "I'll give them fucking aliens!".

It may be a mistake.

What if the Alien franchise let go of of Aliens altogether?

Giger's painting Necronom IV, the ancestor to his legendary "Big Chap" creature design, better known as "the Alien", "the xenomorph", "the adult drone" or "Kane's Son"

When Alien hit the silver screen in 1979, a huge part of its impact was due to the fact Kane's Son was a never-seen-before creature (both aesthetically and conceptually), an unknown entity, and a total Eldritch abomination. It was inspired by a variety of real animal species, including parasitoid wasps, and various previous tales and flicks of space horror (Van Vog's The Voyage of the Space Beagle, Planet of Vampires and It! The Terror From Beyond Space are the most commonly indicated influences, although O'Bannon didn't have a specific source in mind when writing). But it was still a powerfully original entity, further strengthened by H.R. Giger's nightmarish and subversive creature design.

In the first movie, we don't know the limits of the Alien's life cycle. Alan Dean Foster, in the novelization, suggests that the crew of the Nostromo has no reason to hope that what we call today the "adult drone" form is the final stage, an idea I always found striking. And indeed Giger designed an unseen Alien Monster IV, which seems to be the hypothetical stage IV (and later was used by Cameron as an inspiration for the Alien Queen). There was also the suggestion by Ridley that Big Chap was about to naturally die by the end of the movie - it was oxydizing, and retired to the Narcissus for its last moments. We don't know the limits of its intelligence. O'Bannon thought the star beast was from a population which once had a developed culture, while Ridley had this unused idea for an epilogue where the Alien would use Ripley's voice to contact Earth (strangely reminiscent of a scene we would come to see in The Terminator five years later). We don't know its history, if it was a specimen, a weapon or even somehow part of the same ecosystem as the Space Jockey. we don't know its resistance. Until the all-new interquel, we didn't even know if Kane's Son survived the reactor burn or not.

This mystery is a huge part of the appeal of the movie, a titanic part of its sheer heaviness, and strangely part of the enigma remains intact even after seeing the entire series.

Big Chap, the face of the unknown

It is hard to deny that James Cameron's angle for a sequel banalizes the Alien. Love or hate AlienS, it is just a fact: we now know the Alien can be killed, and even killed by things as mundane as bullets, grenades or flamethrowers. We now know the limits of its intelligence, it is similar to a dog or a chimpanzee maybe, and only interested in killing and reproduction. We know it has a social structure. We know a gestation will always result in the same creature. We see an apparently closed life cycle, both in terms of successive transformations and reproduction. We see a complete hive, the endgame of the cycle, and the Queen reigning over it all. (I personally think Cameron's entire approach is a large mistake, which had sad consequences on the entire franchise, but I understand people who absolutely love this movie, and I think it's a matter of taste.)

Since then, the creature kept appearing. In the extended universe, it "diversified" into various castes generally playing with the same limitations, or simply trying to imagine "stronger Aliens" - the Praetorian, with all due respect, is just a Big Chap with more muscles. In the movies particularly, the classical Alien became the absolute star and the focus of the franchise.

The Alien hive: an iconic idea with diminishing returns?

By this point movies containing the original Alien (or a close approximation) are generally good DESPITE featuring the original Alien creature and close approximations, not BECAUSE it features it. (We will count the Neomorphs, Praetomorph, Newborn, Offspring and even the Deacon as "close approximations".)

Prometheus had it right all along. Despite its writing flaws, and the erratic quality of the creatures featured - we all hate Zombie Fifield, and regarding the Space Jockeys retconned as almost entirely humanoid Engineers, your mileage may vary -, the Prometheus project had its heart in the right place: it is time to look elsewhere.

But to look elsewhere does NOT mean to lose the focus. It does NOT mean the Alien movies should stop being about the main threat. It does NOT mean they should now propose corporate thrillers, fights against random and unrelated extraterrestrial lifeforms, etc.

It merely means to explore the same concepts from different angles. Do you remember what you felt when you saw the Trilobite serenely collapse upon the vainquished Engineer, and you recognized its typical posture?

Would ANYONE deny it was an incredible moment? Like, you may not like anything else in Prometheus, the themes, photography, bestiary, characters, etc, may not speak to you, but would you deny the power of this instant? When we finally see the facehugger in the Trilobite?

Don't you want more of it? Don't you want creative explorations of body horror, other disgusting biological processes - as Engineer bioweapons, as new stages of the Alien creature, as different incarnations of Plagiarus praepotens, whatever?

We could have creatures like the Vang which are created through the assemblage of multiple repurposed human beings. We could have parasites similar in process to the Half-Life headcrabs, who take control of a human body by merging with the head and then work from there. We could have creatures which eat human beings by vomiting their stomach in our mouth, starfish style. We could have anything.

Why not head towards a larger Alien universe, a sea of unknown nightmares which, while closely tied to the mythology as we know it, would make the experience alien once again?

Detail of the cover for the second book of The Vang trilogy by Christopher Rowley

[foundationhq]

EMPLOYEE ID 5027-0983-1; 𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇.

𝐍𝐚𝐦𝐞 Vivien Huifen Jiāng 𝐀𝐠𝐞 31 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫/𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬 cis woman, she/her 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 Stephanie Hsu 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬 retired

PROFILE.

The prudent and perceptive [𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇] understands better than anyone that there is no secret that should be shielded from the Committee’s watchful eyes. They proved their commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Foundation when they cut ties with their very own father, a Foundation Administrator at the Decommissioning Department, by blowing the whistle on an underhanded deal he had with Andersen Robotics and Prometheus Labs for the sale of anomalous objects slated for decommissioning. Their part in that bombshell exposé earned them the credibility they needed to shed the accusations that their advancement through the ranks was due to the efforts of family and friends in high places. It certainly was enough for the Foundation to heed their call to preemptively apprehend [𝐾𝐼𝑁𝐺'𝑆 𝐺𝐴𝑀𝐵𝐼𝑇], a prior mentor, on charges of [REDACTED]. If it were anyone other than [𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇], many would have suspected personal resentments were behind their damning report. However, there is no doubt that they have been a useful, if self-appointed, asset to the Committee’s efforts. Now they will serve this purpose in an official capacity, imbued with exceptional powers despite being a rather junior member within the Broken Scales of Themis. If the agents assembled to form MTF Chi-00 disappoint their mandate, [𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇] can be counted upon to drag their indiscretions to light. — Internal Memo from the Ethics Committee.

LAST ASSIGNMENT.

JR. ARCHIVIST;  Site-7,  Recordkeeping  and  Information  Security  Administration  (RAISA). Preservation of digital archives, amending and updating SCiPNET pages, providing ticket support, and catching cybersecurity leaks and potential infohazards.

INTERRELATIONS OF NOTE.

𝑂𝐿𝐷 𝑆𝑃𝑂𝑅𝑇. You’ve heard of the agent with the “perfect record” but this will be the first time you get to meet with them 1-on-1 — and you must admit, you’re dying to talk to them. Any tips and tricks they’d be willing to give a junior member of Chi-00 are bound to come in handy for your future career at the Foundation. Unless, of course, the good 𝑂𝐿𝐷 𝑆𝑃𝑂𝑅𝑇 turns out to be less than the absolute paragon of protocol they make themselves out to be. In which case, your sense of justice always comes first.

𝐹𝐿𝐼𝑀𝐹𝐿𝐴𝑀. You observed this star’s meteoric rise, and while some questioned their success story you could not disagree more. How could anyone doubt them when they come from such a brilliant legacy, and were mentored by the esteemed 𝑅𝐸𝑉𝐸𝑅𝑆𝐸 𝐸𝑁𝐺𝐼𝑁𝐸𝐸𝑅? Yes, their ostentatious self-obsession grates a little, but you just know in your heart the two of you are birds of a feather. This certainly isn’t motivated by anything so humiliating as projection, but maybe they just need a little help to outgrow their inheritance — like you did.

𝑄𝑈𝑂𝑇𝐸 𝑈𝑁𝑄𝑈𝑂𝑇𝐸. You were the first human to notice this hacker within the Foundation’s cyberspace so the fact that you are on a team with them is… intriguing, to say the least. After the special briefing you received regarding this new acquisition, you’ve found yourself in the position of their private warden, not that the newly minted “𝑄𝑈𝑂𝑇𝐸 𝑈𝑁𝑄𝑈𝑂𝑇𝐸” is aware of this fact. In any case, you’ll take on this secret assignment with the same dedication you put into all your work — because while it was never said outright, you’re well aware that the consequences of a poor peer review will be… final.

EPILOGUE.

[𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇]'s combat assessment results did not meet the mark for field mission deployment. After a lengthy deliberation period between the Ethics Committee and Site-φ Director Buckley Osterholz, the Committee has agreed to transfer the operative out of the mission team and monitor [𝐴𝑈 𝐹𝐴𝐼𝑇]'s progress as a research and archive member of Site-φ instead. The operative is tasked still with keeping an eye on members of MTF Chi-00, looking out for any inconsistencies that may arise within their personnel files and submitted papers. — Internal Memo from the Ethics Committee.

[bacon-neko]

SoM Dec 25

let's wrap up that convo on olympus and get back to my boy!

Apollo cocked a brow at that and then shrugged. “I won’t stop you,” he said over the rim of his cup as he took a sip. “But you’re wasting your time.”

“I’m sure he’d appreciate a diplomatic gesture,” said Athena.

“He’d appreciate being left alone,” he said lightly. “But suit yourself. He’s on Mount Strobilos.”

“Mount Stro—” Athena cut herself off with a cough, clearing her throat, buying herself time. “That’s uh. Rather far away. Isn’t it?”

“That would be the point,” replied Apollo.

“Still. Not the best place for a retirement,” she continued.

“Well, he’s an old badger,” he said. “Gave up on comfort years ago.” Then he tossed her a grin and carried on brightly. “But you can ask him all that yourself when you get there! I have a party to get back to, if you don’t mind.”

Athena rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, your adoring public awaits.”

“You say that like it’s an exaggeration,” he teased as he strutted off and slipped into the crowd, effortlessly welcomed into the throng by fresh cheers and laughter.

The war goddess turned away and left the grand hall for the stables. She didn’t need frivolity especially when there were questions to be answered, work that needed to be done. The others were busy celebrating the arrival of a prince when their youngest had just been born and summarily cast out. Athena had no time for parties, not now. Possibly not for the next decade or so if all hell broke loose, but there was nothing a bit of forethought couldn’t help.

How fortunate then for her to visit Prometheus, forethought himself. Hermes would’ve laughed at that. His trips to the underworld always took so long, even with his talents. She missed her brother when he left, they all did, but most of all, she missed having an ally. She’d bring the others into the fold sooner or later when the time was right, when there weren’t predators lurking in the corners of parties, waiting for the chance to strike. She’d tell them, certainly. Just not now. So for now, she readied her chariot, settled her horses, and rode off towards the east, bracing for the rising sun that would soon blind her.

Along that path but outside of Athena’s purview and knowledge—however expansive that may be—Keraunos lay dreaming.

In the dream, darkness enveloped him—thick and warm and all-consuming. A melody brushed against the back of his mind—a familiar lullaby—while fingers carded through his hair, digging gently into his scalp. He reached for the hand, towards the voice, just as they pulled back. He reached again, certain the person was right there, they had just been singing to him, holding him, comforting him in this great dark, and still nothing. Grasping, twisting, lungs shaking with effort, the boy tore through the black, ripping into light, and then—

He snapped awake with a gasp.

Sweat clung to his hair and forehead. He folded in on himself, burying his face in his lap, breathing heavily as he raked his fingers through his hair.

Blankets stirred nearby. He turned and spotted Alkidike shifting in her sleep, nestling deeper into her mother’s embrace while the hearth burned low beside them, gentle and warm.

Keraunos pressed his hands to his face and exhaled against his palms before kicking off his blankets and tossing on his clothes.

[netteliax]

@prometheanpiero location: Temple of Saturn, Winter Festival notes: :) :)

It had been her curse for a long time to linger on the fringes, Nettelia had tried for a time to join in on these sorts of things. There had once been a time where she'd danced in Eden, when they observed the solstice, decorated their homes, lined the trees with ornaments, and howled under the light of the winter moon. It was lifetimes ago now, that woman hadn't existed in a long time. The nature changed but many of the festivities remained the same; as the wedding came to a close there were many eyes that were wet with memories and well wishes... Many whom Nettelia assumed didn't even know the couple. Still, there had been a great deal of wine so that coupled with the present Roman need for hope likely served as reason enough for people to celebrate, make merry, and rejoice.

She saw another lost soul and before Nettelia left the festivities for the night to retire elsewhere, the archdruidess moved to stand beside Prometheus. The Romans were tossing effigies into a great fire, letting go of pieces of the past and moving forward into the future. She had no desire to fight, to profess anything deep seeded or undying... The two had done enough of that already. Instead Nettelia just stood beside him, because there was some comfort in that act alone. "Have you made your offering yet?"

[theuntamedangel]

Freak Show

I had no clue that glycerin or whatever Bakugou secretes can cause people to come back to life. It was unknown to me until now that an explosion in the heart can cause the dead man to not only come back to life but also pick up right from where he left off. Education has failed us all and both Bakugou and Hori is here to reveal us the true knowledge like the Greek mythical figure Prometheus sharing the fire of knowledge to mankind. No need for rest and recuperations, no need to treat the body with care and attention after sustaining injuries. It's god's work and Bakugou has proved he is above god. I'm dead sure Midnight will still remain 6 feet under when the manga ends despite Bakugou's abilities to perform God like miracles. It's more than likely that Deku vs Shigaraki can never take place because Bakugou might perform another god like actions and he might be the one to kill/finish off Shigaraki, not Deku, you know, the guy who actually wants to save him. Hori should just retire after the manga ends and NEVER EVER attempt to write anything in the future.

@theloganator101

@nutzgunray-lvt

[limetameta]

I wish you could just pin a fic of yours on your ao3 profile like no matter when you finish it you pin that bad boy on the fridge and say This one. If you wanna start reading my stuff start with THIS one

[emma-dennehy-presents]

Rewatching Xena was such a good idea. Im on the first season's Hercules episode and its a fucking event. There are super sentai lizard dudes busting out of eggs, with mixed material axes and swords, while making various mammal noises. Some 90s CGI to the max bird/dragon/pterodactyl thing that is supposed to be terrorizing Prometheus just picked Xena up and flew away into the wide blue screen yonder (were they on to green screen by 95?). Will probably go watch the Xena episodes of Hercules, before continuing with S1, but not much interest in the Hercules series otherwise. Sorbo will always be Captain Dylan Hunt to me. I could totally see Hunt being a conservative douchecanoe that makes shit like Gods Not Dead, after he retires.

[engin-program]

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👨‍🎓 Fedir holds a degree in Financial Management and Economy from Prometheus and has also completed two professional courses from American universities: Financial Planning for Young Adults course from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Personal and Family Financial Planning from the University of Florida.

👉 Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZIkcu6hrjMtGtVJ46...

[mobydickering]

Yuletide 2024

Author letter ahead!

Hello! Thank you so much for writing for me!

General Likes: gremlins in love, character-driven fic, fake relationships turning into real relationships, accidental dating, aggressively requited pining, pining while they’re sleeping together, pining before they’re sleeping together, found family, being badass together, crying during sex, complete trust in each other, banter/teasing/flirting, small/unspoken displays of affection.

In general, I really love happy endings and people being soft and in love and happy together!

General Dislikes: unrealistic dialogue and OOC fic, sexual petplay, furry, vore, scat, full bdsm relationship, a/b/o, mpreg, infidelity, gaslighting, major character death, permanent amnesia, serious illness or death as plot devices, eating disorders, major depression, non-con, bestiality, rape, ageplay, non-consensual powerplays/imbalance of power, canon or AU stories focused on the coronavirus, anything unrequited.

Specific requests:

Kaos:

God I love the show so much and I'm so mad at Neflix that we don't get to see what the next stage of The Plan will be!

Some things I'd love to see (but honestly, I'm happy to read anything at all!):

I really loved Riddy and Caeneus and want so much more about both their individual journeys, and their eventual reunion! Give me absolutely anything relating to them and how they survive and thrive.

I also really, really love everything about the underworld and the bureaucracy in it. I would love to read anything about Medusa and Charon, and how the entire system of the underworld is held together by a couple of very tired people waiting for Prometheus' plan to come to pass.

Prometheus and Charon's first meeting after Prometheus is released.

Dionysius finding his purpose, ideally while making himself Ari's problem (affectionate).

Specific DNWs: any AUs. I really, really love the world they've built and would love to see stories within them.

Bend it like Beckham:

It's been 7 million years and I still think about Jess and Jules regularly. I really just crave more stories about them, but would love to see:

them in love and thriving in the world of professional football!

their families interacting with each other and with them as they take on the WPS and maybe go to the World Cup?

what retirement might look like for them!

Time of the Ghost:

I have been obsessed with this story since I first read it, and would love to read anything involving the four sisters after the events of the book. If you want something more specific: I'd love to see anything about how they rebuild their lives, and whether Monigan regains any hold on them at all.

Sports Night:

I have a giant bone to pick with Aaron Sorkin and about 5 million things I'd love to see in this 'verse. Here are a few, but please feel free to write whatever moves you:

Dana deserved so much (I'm still mad about the just-date-other-women-but-WANT-to-date-me-Casey storyline), and I'd love to read fic that gives her everything she deserves. I'd love any and all Dana-centric fic, but especially something that lets her just have fun and do her job! If you want to throw any romance in there (ideally not with Casey, because. Hooboy.) please do!

I also love Dana's dynamic with Natalie and Kim and would love to read that!

I love Dan&Casey and Dan/Casey. I'd love to read fic about those lines blurring and how they don't deal with. (I assume they would eventually deal with it, especially if other people were forcing them to.)

I would LOVE to read an outsider's POV on whatever Dan & Casey (romantically ideally) have going on!

I also welcome any treats at all! Thank you!

[medecca-tales]

Which Tale to Tell?

I intend to create a series of Tales, each centered around a character that will, or has, left ripples within the world of Medecca.

The characters I have available are Arendel, Athena, Gideon, Lex, Nickle, and Theodore.

It feel important to note that these will all be smut focused stories.

Do any of these characters, and their situations sound entertaining enough to attract attention?

Arendel Luma, captured by the guards of Norcas for theft, was sold to the Goblin Prison of Gol'Gatha. She'll have to use her street-rat wits, and her limited wizard knowledge to make ends meet in this deep underground place.

Athena Doe, a legendary - and now retired - Elven adventurer has settled on a Farmless island of the Central Plains, using the grand riches she's collected to enjoy a life of leisure. But when a young Dragon comes along trying to collect her head for the fame it would bring, Athena has a very fascinating change of pace in her relaxing life.

Gideon Redawn, a trans ftm vampire, has had no place to escape to for a long, long time. Using his alluring form and charisma to lure victims to himself to get through the roughest parts of life. But when rumours of a Vampire come across the busy city of Redwall within the catacombs of Drach Bine, he must seek unexpected allies to hide - and pay the price.

Prometheus Lex Tethyrian, the Lion of Man. A former gladiator turned religious mercenary that leads the Midnight Mercenaries. But when a contract has him escorting a wealthy and dangerous woman his skilled prowess on the battlefield are of little use in the battle she intends to take him in for the duration of the journey.

Ka Nickle Endero Habble Pus Zendero Magnanimus, or Nickle if you so please. A Goblin-Kitsune, and Archfey of Legends, Stories and Heroes, has gotten bored. But fortunately for him, a travelling band of merchants have brought with them a cleric that seems just interesting enough for Nickle to try to tempt to his own coven of worshippers - by what ever convincing means he needs to resort to.

Theodore Cable, from the fallen Cable house of Cheschire's Grin, has managed to save enough money to get himself into the mightiest educational establishment of the world: The Last Library, built to record the truths of the world and collect knowledge from every part of the world to raise the greatest minds to build a stronger tomorrow. Theo's great mind puts him at odds with another student that has given their all and still falls behind Theo. But young Master Cable will soon realize that the competition feels like this is a more serious topic to visit than what Theo realizes.

I'd love to hear feedback on which of these sound weak or sound like they'd be awesome.

[malfiora]

I second all of this!

It would be so much more interesting for Bruce to have to reconcile constantly with feeling fear, anger, hurt, confusion, doubt, etc., with having to play the stoic, infallible character he created for himself. That would shift the definition of a hero from "one who is perfect" (which it has never meant) to "one who always fights."

In this, Bruce would be the first person to admit he's capable of being wrong, but he can't show doubt or hesitation because that's how people die. He wouldn't want any of his kids to be Batman after him, would cheer the day any one of them decides to retire, is genuinely glad when they move out/change names/form teams because that means they've escaped the black hole he's sucked them into.

When I think of Bruce As A Hero, I think of Heracles being tricked into holding up the heavens. I think of Prometheus bringing light to man only to have his liver eaten for eternity. Being a hero isn't about being right and perfect. It's about being good and resolute. That's what's missing from these iterations.

There is no such thing as a good tyrant.

The thing is that DC’s consistent choice to have Jason Todd blame himself for his own murder comes across less as maturity (the intent) and more like his self-esteem is so far down the toilet it’s been filtered through the Gotham water treatment facility and is currently being sprayed over Wayne Manor’s lawn.