#genetics and devices. ✣ history.

[natalievoncatte]

Lena watched their new visitor as she, in turn, watched the bier that lay beneath the healing power of the Purple Ray. It had been almost a full day and while she was breathing shallow breaths, Lena’s counterpart on the table was still not awake.

The cyborg stood just outside the perimeter of the beam, as still as a statue, just watching. At various times Kara, Nia, Alex, and Diana herself had all taken up silent watch next to her, along with the honor guard of Amazonian warriors.

Lena looked at… herself. Her doppleganger tapped the name tag on her leather jacket.

“It’s easier if you just call me by my number- 938. That’s how we keep track of each other.”

Lena nodded. “Others?”

“The other Lenas. There’s about fifty on the ship right now, the core membership. There’s about three hundred of us in total. We’re the ones who can’t, or won’t, go home.”

“I see,” said Lena. “Why can’t you go back?”

938 looked at her. “It’s not a fun story.”

“I’m listening.”

“Let me show you something.”

She held out her wrist. There was a piece of tech on her arm, like a bulky smart watch. When she activated it, a three dimensional holographic display appeared above the smooth surface. 938 pointed out the branches of what looked like a huge tree.

“The multiverse is much larger than you can imagine. I’ve spent some time charting a small section of it. See this branch?” she indicated one with a sweep of her finger. “This the reality cluster I come from. Our worlds are different from yours. I believe it’s because the divergence point, where the two universes split on a quantum continuity level, is further back in history. I think some of the changes can go all the way back to the Big Bang.”

“There’s so many,” said Lena.

998 nodded. “There are. There are worlds like yours, but many others like mine. We have no protectors. No Kryptonians. No Lanterns. There are worlds out there where no one has powers at all.”

“But not yours,” said Lena.

938 turned off the device, and turned away from the scene behind them. “For me it started with a lab accident. A genetically modified spider was irradiated and bit me before it died. It’d escaped from an enclosure in another lab and got zapped by my own experiment. I was sick for three days. When I came out of it, I had the proportionate strength, speed, and agility of an arachnid, plus a precognitive danger sense and spinarettes in my wrists.”

“You became a superhero?”

“Yes,” said 938. “For all the good it did. I fought the good fight for a few years and eventually ran afoul of a new gang in town. The problem was that it was led by my own brother.”

“Lex,” Lena spat.

“He’d experimented on himself. Used an unstable steroid. It drove him utterly insane and he started wearing a goblin costume and flying around on a rocket powered glider.”

“Oh God,” said Lena.

“My universe doesn’t have a Krypton. My Kara was human, only human, and I loved her with all my heart. I couldn’t breathe without her. She was my everything. I tried to keep her safe, so I kept my identity and my feelings from her, but it didn’t matter. Lex knew. He abducted her and threw her off the George Washington Bridge.”

938 looked away. “I thought I had her. I tried to use my webs to catch her but I didn’t think and the shock… I’m the one who killed her really. The sudden stop snapped her neck.”

Lena stared at her.

“I’m so sorry.”

938 shook her head. “I fought Lex after that. I was in a rage. I killed him in front of thousands of witnesses. I broke his neck, almost twisted his head off. It didn’t matter. She was still gone, and nothing would ever fill that void. I hung up my costume and turned back to science, trying to build something meaningful in Kara’s name, but no matter how many labs and fellowships I named after her it was never enough. That was how I stumbled across the multiverse, working on a portal device in my lab.”

“You found yourself, I take it. Or ourself.”

“No. I found another Kara, and in a world with no Lena. She was alone. I crossed over with some of my tech, never planning to go back. Then I realized, that woman wasn’t her. All I could ever be to her was someone grooming her to be a dead woman from another world. I despaired for a while, jumping from ‘verse to ‘verse, trying to find some reason to keep going.”

“What did you find?” said Lena.

“Lena 1467, the Sorcerer Supreme of her Earth. She’d lost her Kara too, in a car accident when they were med students. That was when the League of Lenas got going. We found more of us, started assembling a team.”

“To do what?”

998 looked at the cyborg. “Fix it. Save her.” She sighed. “Our main mission is to help out and protect as many Karas as we can, but also to protect the multiverse from rogue Karas or rogue Lenas that might breach the barriers between universes.”

“I’m assuming that’s to prevent wars between timelines.”

938 shook her heads. “No. Not long after I started traveling I had… an experience. I only vaguely remember it but there were these yellow aliens and they told me that we had to protect the branches from each other so that some kind of corruption won’t reach what they called the ‘core world’ or the ‘Ab-Juda-Earth.’ The multiverse needs superheroes. We have to exist to keep it alive.”

“So you’re here to help the cyborg?”

“Both of them.”

“You know,” said Lena. “The cyborg Kara mentioned something about yellow aliens when I first met her, but I didn’t think to ask-“

“She’s awake!” The cyborg was saying. “She’s awake, let me see her!”

Lena turned and found both her Kara and Diana holding the cyborg back.

“Shut off the Ray,” Diana commanded.

Once it was off, the pair released the cyborg. She lunged across the space, limping as her metal foot clacked on the floor, slowing as she reached the bier.

“Kara?”

Lena watched, 998 standing next to her. The cyborg kept her distance, suddenly apprehensive. The other Lena slowly sat up, finally prompting the cyborg to move.

“Lena?” she rasped.

The other Lena- thinner, visibly older with strands of gray shot through her hair, smiled and cupped the fleshy side of Kara’s face with her hand.

“You found me.”

“I found you. My love. My zhao. My red sunrise. I found you.”

“It’s going to be alright, baby,” said the other Lena. “I can fix you up. I’ll make you better.”

The cyborg took a deep, rasping breath, closed her eyes, and collapsed to the floor in a boneless heap.

“Move!” 938 shouted. “We don’t have time, we have to help her now. Princess, I need to jump my ship into your airspace. Please.”

“Who are you? What’s happening?” the other Lena demanded.

“Trust us, please,” said Lena. “You’re among friends here and we want to help you.”

938 was speaking into her watch.

“I need you now, hurry.”

Outside, a booming shockwave sent a blast of air through the open, airy temple, almost gusting Lena off her feet. Her Kara steadied her, then lifted her cyborg counterpart gently in her arms.

“Get her aboard my ship,” said 998.

[harridansibyl]

Personal associations/interpretations of the dark/mystical houses (4th, 6th, 8th, 12th)

4th house

twisted tree roots, cultural practices, heirlooms, photo albums, inherited features, traditions, the mother, past lives, generational trauma, picture books, garden beds, childhood homes, ancestor altars, hand written recipe books, hearth, squeaky wooden floorboards, genealogy archives, caves, oak trees, baby wrap carriers, emotional security, cultural heritage, building foundations, photo albums, genetics, laundry lines, swing sets, property, mines, crops, sanctuaries, the chest and heart, home steads, fields, farms, root cellars, harvests, pots on stoves, brooms, backyards, agriculture, vines on trellises, handmade blankets, grandparents house, laundry baskets, attachment styles, singing lullabies, history, deep emotions, instincts, the unconscious, summer, waxing moon, vase of flowers, bath time, picking berries, celebrating holidays, chicken coops, older sisters, family gatherings, stone paths, forest walks, ancient structures/buildings, ancestral languages, cupboards, staying in

6th house

vitamins and supplements, morning routines, pharmacies, tasks and lists, doctors offices, health food stores, stomach medicine, hygiene practices, journals and planners, schedules, herbal teas, personal rituals, emergency kits, dog walks, lymphatic drainage, caregiving, donating blood, examinations and checkups, meditation, colour coordination, sticky notes, gastrointestinal problems, folded laundry, labels on everything, retirement homes, hand washing, braided hair, herb gardens, filing cabinets, face masks, kombucha, detailed diagrams, volunteer work, medicine cabinets, cleaning supplies, shelves, acts of service, skin care, organic linen, gauze and stitches, stress-induced illnesses, essential oil/herb baths, house plants, instructions, repetition, holistic medicine, giving advice, yoga studios, "gut feeling," bone broth

8th house

altars, divination, near death experiences, candle wax, feeling crushed by a heavy weight, grave dirt, red/dim lighting, funerals, double income, control, the underworld, cheques, insurance, heirlooms, ghost sightings, power imbalances, crime documentaries, ouroboros, bank accounts, grief and loss, shadow work, the womb, manipulation, scrying mirrors, Russian nesting dolls, keys, mortuaries, tests from the universe, pendulums, crime scene tape, the phoenix, projections, credit scores, animal bones on a forest floor, blood stained sheets, metaphysical shops, spiritual attacks, deep emotions, snakes, dead flowers, late autumn, wedding veils, envelopes, full moon, muddy boots, shadows at the corners of your vision, scarab beetles, inner processing, experiencing crisis, inherited possessions, natural disasters, sexual trauma, psychological studies, ancestral connections, cracked dolls, veil between realms, mental illnesses, deep connections, intimacy, reincarnation, torture devices, keys, whirlpools, the sound of sirens, unconscious fears, intense first impressions, pushing limits, feeling bound, scratches on walls, ten of swords

12th house

abandoned places, liminal spaces, long winters, shadowy figures, reoccurring dreams, repeated patterns, fog-filled forests, self analysation, inner worlds, cave systems, unfinished basements, hallucinations, solitary confinement, empty parking garages, spiral staircases, substance abuse, trapped in purgatory, hidden beneath the surface, maladaptive daydreaming, hospital hallways, confines of society, waning moon, moths, wandering aimlessly, disconnection from the world, psych wards, healing others, tired eyes or dark circles, chronic mental illness, suppression, addictions, hiding places, overnight shifts, unexplainable experiences, past life karma, exhaustion, cobwebs, others projections, catacombs, bird cages, premonitions in dreams, prescription bottles, self destructive patterns, late night walks, misty lakes, the feeling of walking out of the movie theater at night, identity crises, blurred faces, empty public transport, astral projection, comas, diary entries, dissociative episodes, shape shifting, generational trauma, observing people, mirrors, padded rooms, the afterlife, chain link fences, paradoxes, feeling misunderstood, repression or memory loss, hikikomori, the freeze response, disappearance, waiting rooms

[alcrego]

Digital walls, but walls

I encourage you to have a seat and read this little 'essay' I wrote back in 2014 if you really want to understand what I'm doing today. I would be really grateful and I'm sure you'll have a much better understanding of my whole work.

Digital walls, but walls

On the way to space and public art | came across the digital walls. They can be "painted" but they also have the function of limiting, of delimiting, of separating...

A change of paradigm has been happening for some years now with the arrival of the internet, which has completely changed some aspects and concepts that have to do with the world of art and more specifically with urban art or public art. From the beginning, this type of art has been carried out in public places with the aim of being observed by anyone on the street and thus making it free, accessible and free from any premise or institution when it is created. (not considering the "warlike coexistence” with the advertising).

The appearance of the Internet has changed it. A vast majority of the art is seen online on a screen, what questions that the street is the natural canvas of this art discipline. While it is for the one who creates the piece, it is almost never for the one who looks at it. Public spaces are no longer just physical, in the same way that the plastic arts are no longer just plastic.

Due to the access to technology and its cheapness, nowadays it is inconceivable to think of art without considering the whole digital sphere, whether as a tool, a method of creation or of dissemination. But at the same time, all these centuries of art history condition the understanding of art, sometimes acting as a burden in terms of understanding what art is.

The dragging of already preconceived ideas and the weight of the genetic inheritance makes us repeat concepts about what art is and was. In the face of such a rapid change of paradigm, it seems that we find it difficult to understand that this whole new digital world is still the world. Both virtual and augmented reality are also reality, but the fact that it is appreciated through a screen sometimes causes it not to be considered as something artistic or even real. Thinking that way we could say that looking at a piece of art on the Internet does not have its complete experience, since we are not seeing it in the place for which it was devised, and neither are we perceiving it in a direct way, but with a screen as an intermediary. But at the same time, I think about all the content that we consume today with these devices - movies, series, photographs, news, and even art, current and classic - and not because of that we think or say that they are unreal.

At this point, where the analog space merges with the digital space, a new artistic expression is born that is entirely digital, where the final piece is born and ends up in the digital realm. Conceived through digital tools and deposited in the public digital space. These pieces of art suggest skipping the step of "existing" first in the ‘real reality’ to reach directly the virtual reality, which is also reality, and once from there, to have an impact on the analog reality.

It would also be curious to reflect on the parallelism between urban art and digital art, since, being in public places, both are susceptible to being stolen, altered or appropriated by other people for different purposes. And also, on the idea of anonymity, always used by urban artists to be able to work in the street without risk of infringement, and now also used in the digital environment. Either by often using copyrighted content that we find on the web (street 2.0) for an artistic purpose or by the "erosion of sharing” in which at some point someone does not credit the work, but it is still shared. In this case there should be a new word to define those people that everybody knows, but nobody knows who they are. “Famonimous" characters or the concept of "famonimity"; people or artists who are known precisely because they are anonymous.

Since the beginnings of urban art, the idea was to use public space to express oneself freely, but we must bear in mind that public space is nothing more than the remainder of the space divided by the private, the "leftovers" after the developers pass, the worthless places left open to the common people by institutions, etc., etc..... With the change of social, technological and artistic paradigm, urban art has been normalized and is now used as a method of decoration of places in poor condition, as a complement to a public road or simply as a means of open artistic expression as it has always been. Because if the initial objective was to make art accessible, direct and open to everyone, that idea has moved to the internet and, in some ways, the radical idea of urban art would no longer have that sense.

Therefore, if we understand urban or public art as a type of art accessible to everyone, free of charge and without any kind of condition, | believe that digital art fulfils this role today, since it inhabits all public places, whether analog or digital. Urban art needs this digital sphere to be able to expand and be visible. Because nowadays most urban art is seen through screens, not in the place where the piece has been created, which makes all these works more accessible to everyone at any time. And so, the ’paradox of the graffiti artist’ is born, the one who expresses his freedom in the walls that imprison him. These walls generate private spaces and what is outside them is considered public space by the mere fact of being spaces where people pass through. But it does not mean that this public space is open to intervention. Every public space is under the supervision of a privative entity, whether it is a municipality, a company or simply, the property of an individual. Public space does not exist, neither in the ‘real reality’, nor in the virtual one. It is always subject to something superior that manages it.

Within this dilemma, augmented reality becomes another alternative to the path of public art. It gives the possibility of creating art in public spaces, only seen on digital devices, and using the ‘real reality’ as the piece’s canvas. Until recently, photography and/or video were methods of capturing reality. Now, with this change of prism, these disciplines moved from being the purpose itself, to becoming raw material for the creation of other new artistic expressions. In this direction, | want to focus on the gif format. This format is strictly digital, so it gives us the option to edit, to add movement to pieces that, before, condemned to live still. We can spread in on the Internet and make it accessible to everyone at any time. When adding augmented reality, the two concepts intertwine, urban/public art and digital art, what gives rise to new artistic expressions that call into question deep rooted concepts such as museum, art and reality.

There are already many centuries researching, testing and creating the same type of art, whether sculpture, painting.... Except for the birth of new "isms" within these disciplines, it gives the impression that they are exhausted. At this point it would be convenient to think about the idea of unique work, copy, forgery, recreation... Thinking about the evolution of art we must consider that all new progress is born of the technological options that occur in each era. Nowadays, the difference is that progress happens every day, very fast, and it seems that it is difficult (or unwilling) to understand this change because of the speed of it. This cultural and genetic heritage blurs our vision and sometimes prevents us from conceiving new artistic expressions as such, since there are no previous references to support them.

But, at the end of the day, every new artistic expression, in its beginnings, was not art. "Science develops ideas that come from art that is inspired by science.” The world of classical art enjoys an aura of untouchable deity because when we are born it has always been there, but we cannot forget to think for a moment with perspective that all this classical art was created mainly by the entities of power of each era: kings, church, political powers...

This is why today (without underestimating the technique and the work of the artists) these types of classical art enjoy an invulnerability as, in the end, it was created by and for the power itself.

Then, this type of art collides with the urban and/or public art, along with digital art. In the public and digital space those who decide what is "art" are the people.

I am sure that the first Cro-Magnon who used a tuft of horse hairs instead of his own hands to paint was seen as an art/magic/belief apath.

Now we live in a new paradigm shift, but in this case it is not local or national, it is global and immediate.

A. L. Crego, 2014.

[darkskywishes]

Being disabled/chronically ill is expensive!

I don't know if people realize how freaking expensive it is to be disabled. I have a complex medical history, which includes two rare genetic illnesses, comorbidities associated with those two illnesses, and several mental health conditions. Just to give an idea of how expensive it is (USA-centric):

I'm forced into living in a specific city, since that's where the medical specialists for my illnesses are located in. On top of that, sometimes the specific specialists I need aren’t covered by my insurance, so I have to pay out-of-pocket. Each medical specialist (when covered by insurance) costs me $40/visit. I average 2-3 visits per month.

Wheelchairs and everything related to wheelchairs are ridiculously priced! If you’re a regular manual wheelchair user, for example, you likely need what’s referred to as a “custom ultra-lightweight wheelchair”. The main companies known for making these wheelchairs are TiLite, Quickie, RGK, Kuschall, and Ki Mobility. If you go on the websites for these manufacturers, you’ll see that just the frame will start you at $2,000+. Need titanium instead of aluminum to make the chair lighter? Extra $1,000. Need to add a seat cushion? More $$. Need to add a power assist device like a SmartDrive? Extra $6-7,000

Seriously, wheelchair parts are expensive. Manual wheelchair wheels will run you about $500 to $800 each (take a look at websites like Spinergy to see what I mean). Wheelchair tires will run at about $300 for the pair.

Mental healthcare! Competent psychiatric care is difficult to come by, at least where I live. Most psychiatrists are not contracted with any insurance companies. My own psychiatrist is $200 per visit, and that’s considered cheap in my area. Then, add on the cost of weekly therapy. My therapist is $150/session. Again, typical price for the area. Need residential treatment? As an example, my insurance quoted me $750 per day until the out-of-pocket max of $6,500 was met.

The monthly cost of medications! I take 7 medications. Even if each medication was “only” $10/month, that would total to $70/month.

The cost of specialized diets. Many chronic illnesses require special foods, supplements, and overall diets. A lot of these diets require extra time and expenses beyond what the average non-disabled person spends.

I wanted to spread some awareness on this issue because, even among my friend group, I regularly get surprised reactions on this topic. Disabled people are often low-income due to being unable to work consistently or at all, while also having some of the highest expenses—with many of those expenses having to be paid for completely out-of-pocket. While a lot of the examples I used above were specific to the US healthcare system, I’m aware that it’s still similarly expensive to be disabled in other countries as well.

A lot of this wasn’t even taking into consideration the cost of more expensive medical equipment, like power chairs, as well as irregular medical costs that occur more frequently among disabled people—like surgeries, hospitalizations, and the cost of diagnostic testing (MRIs, X-Rays, bloodwork, etc.).

Disabled people are taken advantage of when it comes to the price of medical equipment and medications because we don’t have a choice if we want to live and/or have any quality of life. We pay it, or we suffer.

[dioslesbianwife]

hiiii may i get jojos with a reader who is just. a Complete Nerd. a walking encyclopedia of weird, if you will. knows the most obscure and minute facts about science, physics, history, music, everything. and loves to share this knowledge with them?

hi! sure, i hope you enjoy and thank you for requesting!! <33333

Jonathan Joestar

Absolutely adores your knowledge.

He listens so attentively, nodding along with interest. He thinks it’s charming how much passion you have for learning.

Even if he doesn’t understand some of the more complex topics, he asks questions to engage with you.

“That’s truly fascinating! I had no idea sea cucumbers could liquefy their bodies to escape predators.”

Will try to remember your facts to impress you later.

Joseph Joestar 

Loves teasing you about it but secretly enjoys every second.

“Oh great, here comes another one of their ‘did-you-know’ moments.” (Grinning the entire time.)

He’ll jokingly interrupt you halfway through a random history fact with an exaggerated, “NERD.”

But when your knowledge actually helps them in a battle?

“I take it back. My s/o is a genius.”

Jotaro Kujo 

Acts indifferent but listens more than you think.

He won’t react much when you start sharing random marine biology facts. “Mm.” is the most you get out of him at first.

But one day, he casually references something you said weeks ago, proving he actually retained it.

If you tell him an interesting fact about dolphins, he will 100% go see for himself.

“Tch. If you’re right about this, I’ll owe you dinner.”

Josuke Higashikata 

“Wait, wait- say that again??” He’s so amazed by your knowledge.

He’s not a huge academic, but the fact that you know so much is insanely cool to him.

Will repeat your weirdest facts to Okuyasu later just to sound smart.

If you randomly say, “Did you know the human body produces enough saliva in a year to fill two bathtubs?”

He chokes on his drink. “WHY WOULD YOU TELL ME THAT?!”

Giorno Giovanna 

He genuinely enjoys your knowledge, especially about nature and biology.

If you start talking about plant genetics or animal behavior, he actively engages in the conversation.

If you tell him about something random, like “Octopuses have three hearts and blue blood”

He just gives you a knowing look. “Yes, I was aware.” (He’s just as nerdy)

If he ever learns something you don’t know, he will bring it up immediately. “Finally, something I get to teach you.”

Jolyne Cujoh 

“Oh no, here they go again…”

But she loves it. You’re adorable when you get excited about explaining something.

Will test you like a game- “Okay, tell me a weird fact about cockroaches. No, wait, tell me the weirdest one you know.”

When she’s having a bad day, she asks for a random fact just to hear you talk.

Johnny Joestar

Sometimes, he’s too tired to process it all.

“Babe, please, it’s too early for a lecture on how medieval torture devices worked.”

But other times? He’s completely fascinated.

If you keep him up late at night with your favorite fun facts, he loses his mind.

“You’re tellin’ me (insert whatever crazy information you just dumped on him)”

Josuke Higashikata

Constantly amazed by you.

He’ll just stare at you in awe whenever you start rattling off facts about literally anything.

If you tell him something creepy, like “A body can still move slightly even after decapitation”, he gets so weirded out.

“Why do you know that?” He’s both impressed and scared.

He might not remember every fact, but he loves listening to you talk.

[daikikaicommart28]

Spooky Month Before Christmas Commissions~

Protocultural Pondering

Commissioned by @michaelmac6072

The Space Emigration fleet in its intergalactic crossroads, are met by the retrofit Zentradi cruiser TALOS, in order to carry out a special assignment of great importance, one that requires a radical step in regards to diplomatic interactions with the inhabitants of the Oceanus drift.

The duet of captains behind the command of the Talos; Moroboshi and Oniboshi, they're no strangers when it comes to collaborating alongside their Terran and Zentran allies, their whole ship is a testimony to the phrase "mixed-up", much like most of the crews and fleets that were raised from the ashes of the great space war back on Earth. But amidst their interstellar exploits, the crew of the Talos have always pondered if the Zentradi's coveted bioengineering devices, could work for humans too, based on solid evidence regarding the genetics of humanity and Zentradi alike.

2/?? commissioned art

Today..

it was finally proven by Captain Misa Hayase herself, that there wasn't a large difference as the crew first thought, even when questioned whether there were unexpected side effects or factors into play that could place a strain on the human physiology, the impossible became possible...

With this action....it reinforces the relationship between these two civilizations...regardless of their origins, their differences, the events of the past and those to come, Zentradi and Human..are forever one..and in the right path..they can bring peace once again to the milky way.

=POST DATA=

• the captains of the Talos are essentially cameos of the main characters of Rumiko Takahashi's Urusei Yatsura, and if you know the history behind the creation of Macross during it's early stages...I bet you can understand the deep cut reference behind their inclusion, if not, TLDR, Urusei Yatsura influenced the shift for what was originally called Battle City Megaroad into Macross as we knew it, either in its original form or it's Robotech counterpart.

•Misa Hayase's uniform: without going into too much detail, let's just say that this is a sneak peak of sorts into something I'm working on in the future.

[madscientistshowdown]

Top 3 move onto main bracket

PROPAGANDA

Valentine:

Ninja nurse working for an even more evil scientist named Brain Drain. Partially responsible for turning Carol into the creature now known as Painwheel.

Zim:

Both a mad genius and a complete moron. Creates a time space object displacement device and accidentally replaces his own brain. Accidentally creates an explosion that explodes real slowly due to fusing with a time stasis field, and decides the best solution is to just speed up the explosion so it will explode and be gone forever (Thus blowing up the entire city).

Mojo Jojo:

Evil Monkey genius, Mojo is not only the most popular villain on the show, but one of the most popular villains and mad scientists in all of Cartoon Network

Rick Sanchez:

Nihilist, Drunkard, and smartest man in the universe. Literally made a tiny civilization in his ship, just so he doesn't have to worry about getting fuel. Also sometimes jumps universes and replaces alternate versions of himself in order to avoid the responsibilities of his actions.

Davros:

Dude literally genetically engineered the Daleks, the series main antagonists. He's basically an alien Dr. Mengele.

Victoria Van Gale:

She's a meteorologist who turned out to be a crazy insane mad scientist/inventor who used living baby clouds (or baby weather spirits) as a way to control the weather. Later on she created her own artificial Nisse to find a way to the Nowhere Space, a place restricted for Nisse, for girlboss reasons idk, and gaslit gatekept girlbossed three kids (two of which were present in the baby weather spirit incident and already had their trust broken by her, although to be fair David had a lot of suspicions she was up to no good here too) to find a way there. She then proceeded to enter the fairy realm (entirely by accident), and she made a deal with the Fairy Entity to stay there forever so she could proclaim herself as the new governor of the newly discovered "Vangalia". Also her name sounds kinda like a homage to THE mad scientist in fiction history (idk whether or not it was intentional but cool nonetheless)

Andonuts:

he abandons his little gay son to make stupid machines, although I suppose he does help save the world….

Mastermind:

Mastermind experimented on RainWings (a.k.a. a race of dragons) in order for his tribe to attack them (and genocide them) and take their home in order for his tribe to no longer live in a awful place where the air is coated with ash, there’s barely any food and is horrendously affecting his tribe’s health. So yeah, pretty fucked up. Also he loves science and literature ❤️

[brightlotusmoon]

This EO refers to autism and other disabilities as "a dire threat to the American people and our way of life."

They are testing you.

Look at this through the minds of those who deploy this kind of thing as a test case for how the American people will react. They create nonexistent situations needing solutions or pretend that solutions have never been sought for ongoing situations. They frame it all as response to a threat to "our way of life." And they start with the children they view as disposable.

This tactic relies on the idea that everyone has a threshold of "weird" they perceive in others, the line at which they stop caring about the other person and just want them out of sight, out of existence.

***The more accepting you are of what you find unfamiliar and of the idea that we are all going through this vale of tears together, the less susceptible you'll be to this manipulation.***

We are all in some way in their sights because they will use the willingness to look away from the "weird" to get you to look away from what they are doing, in the name of preserving "our way of life."

We know this because history has already shown it with the Nazi Aktion T4 program, which involved the direct murders of 300,000 people, consigned to death by Nazi doctors who designated them as "incurably sick." The dead included many, many children, among them autistic children; many people with physical disabilities; many people with medical conditions and age-related care needs; many people with mental health conditions; many people with inherited conditions; and many people with no identified condition at all.

The rationale was that killing these people was removing, yes, a threat to the German Aryan way of life.

Here's the thing: Hitler and Co. knew that just coming out and saying that would be unacceptable, at least at the start. So they began with a test case, a baby, just to see how people would react to his "mercy killing."

The infant, Gerhard Kretschmar, had multiple disabilities. His parents were "ardent Nazis." This case has since been called "trial balloon," a way of testing how people would react. You know how it went, given that a few years later, 300,000 people had been killed under this program alone.

All in the name of the "German way of life," of preventing their targets from "accelerating biological and cultural degeneration." The government required infants with apparent disabilities to be registered and killed, including infants with Down syndrome, epilepsy, evident physical disabilities, and hearing or sight impairment, among others.

They *started* with the children they figured most people would view as disposable. Then they moved on to adults.

The "reasons" for the killings expanded and expanded until anyone in the chain of command could just choose to consign someone to this death.

That's the point. They can use whatever language they choose and set the bar wherever the population will tolerate, wherever they find your willingness to "look away from the weird."

They're just starting with children they believe society views as "in the way" and trying to convince you that disability is a threat to "our way of life."

Disability *is* life. No one gets through life without it in their lives.

Don't look away.

They are eventually coming for you and your loved ones who:

--Have a medical condition known or perceived to be genetic

--Have asthma or allergies

--Have an autoimmune disease

--Have any form of diabetes

--Rely on medical treatments to stay alive

--Take antidepressants

--Use hearing aids

--Use sign language

--Rely on antipsychotics

--Have seizures or epilepsy

--Use hearing aids

--Use a mobility device

--Take medication for recurring/chronic pain

--Use supplemental oxygen

--Have dementia

--Have any kind of neurodevelopmental condition, including ADHD, autism, dyslexia

--And more.

Don't look away. Someday, you'll be the one they want to destroy.

[fifufkafifu]

Aot fan character!

Name: Angeli Everhart

Age: 15

Height: 156 cm

Eyes: Green

Hair: Red, cut short like a boy

Distinguishing features: Freckles, lively eyes, often looks a little confused

Subdivided

Angeli hails from a village inside Wall Rose. Her life was destroyed overnight when the Titans attacked her home.She hid in the basement, but was unable to save her younger brother, father and mother. Their screams haunt her to this day.

After the tragedy, Angeli decided to join the army to protect others. Despite her young age and apparent naivety, she trained to the point of exhaustion, turning herself into a physically strong and resilient fighter.

Strong in spirit, determined and courageous, but at the same time naive and a little sweetly silly - can believe in simple things and easily gets lost in complex explanations

Serious in battle, but outside of battle she can be absent-minded, ask ridiculous questions or say what she thinks without thinking.

Sees the good in people first and foremost, even if it is not always justified

Has a big heart and is always ready to help.

Excellent physical fitness: strong, resilient, good body control

Maneuvering device: confident, sharp, with a pronounced attacking manner

Good at close combat

Doesn't always grasp tactics the first time, but learns quickly as he goes along

Angeli often wears a red thread on her wrist as a memory of her brother. She also likes to write down "things to understand later" in a notebook.

Sometimes she might say something like:

"What if the titans just have really bad eyesight, so they attack? They just don't like us visually?"

"Is it possible to tame a titan if you feed it apples?"

Angeli Family Secret: "Echo's Blood"

The Angeli family came from an ancient, forgotten branch of the Ymir people. Not from the royal line, like Fritz, and not from those who wielded Titans - but from the vanished sideline that never received the power of a Titan, but...was associated with the “sound wave of memory,” called Echo in legends.

What is Echo?

This is a rare genetic legacy that allowed individual descendants of Ymir to resonate with the memory fields,the very ones that “contain” the memories, pain, experience and even fighting instincts of all bearers of titanic power over the centuries.

But unlike regular memory ciphers, which are only accessible through Titans, Echo carriers do not transform, do not mutate - their bodies simply “absorb” the shadow of experience. Sometimes it is passed down through generations, sometimes it freezes, sometimes… it awakens.

How did this affect Angeli?

Since childhood, she had good reactions, agility, and a sense of “what to do” in a dangerous situation.But only at the moment of the strongest emotional overload - when pain, fear, guilt and determination "exploded" in her, She activated Echo, and without realizing it, her body began to move with a precision that could not be trained. She intuitively repeated the movements of those who had already fought for centuries. As if she were their vessel.

Why didn't anyone know about this?

Her parents knew. They were hiding. Father was one of the last keepers of the ancient records of Echo, and when he began to notice that Angela was showing intuitive fights even in childhood (for example, she fell - but always like a soldier, without breaking her arms), he got scared.

So they moved, hid, lived quietly - until the titans came and destroyed their village. The one who could have told her the truth also died in the fire...

What now?

She doesn't know about it.

Hange might find some strange deviations in her reactions and nerve conduction someday, but she won't fully understand.

And if she ever touches the secrets of History, Zeke, or the ancient archives, she might awaken something else.

💞 The first art is a future comic, or rather just the first page of it! I want to show how echo works 💞

[therightrighthand]

And Pt.2 of the Fallout-Delv-erse lore! Because honestly, I couldn't pick between soft lovable herbo, and murder hobo, so we're getting both.

D.31-A, rouge Courser jerk of the Commonwealth.

Follow on from Dee & Rolls

~

Lore:

[???] "Audio recording, date [REDACTED] between Doctor Langstrum, Senior Institute Bio Division, and myself [REDACTED] regarding project D.31-A"

[D] "Again, I am going on record to state that there was plenty of oversights on project D.31-A and-"

[???] "Please Doctor, let keep to the questions. How about we start with what D.31-A is, and it's history."

[D] "Hmmph ... Fine. -sigh-, well we may as well start at the beguining with the Synth Program. After the sucessful test run of our 3rd generation Synth in the Capital Wasteland passing undercover as human in 'Rivet City', full production of next gerneration syths were approved for masss production."

"And whilst the topic of Synths seemed focused on under-cover intigration, security was also a keen concern. Our second genration synths, though tough, were far from subtle, and a militerised third generation synth seemed nessasery. The goal was to create something with a bit more bite, a single agent, rather than dozens of gen-1's and 2's littering the commonwealth."

"D3.1-A was the answer to this, our first official prototype of the Courser's we know today."

[???] "Why was D.31's biodata used for the Courser program? And can you explain in detail why they were so well equipped for a prototype?"

[D] "Well, obviously, D.31's DNA proved to create a natural resistance to radiation, so it only made sense to base D.31-A on their genetic makeup and memories, as we had done with Gen-3 synths so far."

"As for their ... 'equipment', you must understand that in the early days of testing, D.31-A wasn't built like our truly synthetic Coursers. They were designed to combine the most physically powerful elements of our Gen-2s with the outer fleshy coating of a Gen-3. Machine, wrapped in flesh."

"At the time, we believed Courser's would be going toe-to-toe against Death Claws and super mutants, so we ... built them to durable, strong and-"

[???] "Exessivly costly?"

[D] "Effective. We built them to be effective. However, as time went by, we realised that less was more, and discreet agents worked more effectively than super-powered assassins."

[???] "Can you tell me what led to losing D.31-A in the field?"

[D] "... again, I want to stress the oversight wasn't just on myself or my team at the tim- ok ok, fine."

"After successfully activating D.31-A and testing them rigorously for months, we felt it was time for a field test in the Commonwealth. So we fitted her with an old raider outfit, had her infiltrate an encampment, and simply let her get to work."

"Needless to say, she was effective—almost ferocious, in fact, if you could call it that."

"But, unfortunately, during the fight, a nuclear device was launched, which knocked out our communication with the Synth handlers observing the experiment. After several hours, we deployed security teams and mercenaries to scout the location and report back. There was no sign of D.31-A ... or her handlers, whom we believed to have been killed by D.31-A"

[???] "What led you to believe it was D.31-A?"

[D] "The entire team had been torn apart and stapled to a concrete bunker with steal poles through their chests and their power systems removed. The working theory is that the blast may have ... damaged ... D.31-A's hardware and left them to go-"

[???] "On a five-year-long murderous rampage of Institute assets, including research centres, 23 mercenaries, 12 staff members on the field, and 18 Courses?"

[D] "... Look, it's been months since we've heard from her, and this speculation that she is helping the railroad is preposterous. It's more than likely that her power core has started to falter, and any information on the institute has been damaged in the process."

[???] "Which brings us to the point of this interview: to uncover the lack of oversight that led to a hostile agent that we cannot stop with information on our most sensitive security protocols. What makes you so sure that information has been destroyed?"

[D] "Because I built her [REDACTED] and if she still had access to our location, our relay, and our defences, we would have been dead a long time ago..."

[INTERVIEW END]

-- Find my Discord and other sites: linktr.ee/The_red_right_hand Do not use, repost or claim (rp) my art/character  Art © The-Red-Right-Hand

[spiritluxray]

ALRIGHT I was gonna talk about this like a month ago but I forgor

Vocal digitalization is a very common condition in shapes, affecting around 35% of the total population. It has four distinct levels of intensity, and is basically when a shape's voice is naturally robotic or retro-sounding, and in rare cases can also have a natural autotune. Low intensity vocal digitalization is often harmless, and can even be beneficial in the perspective of some shapes.

The four levels of vocal digitalization are very distinct: light, moderate, heavy, and severe.

Light cases of vocal digitalization are often harmless to the shape. Their voice may sound slightly robotic, and they have a very large range of notes they can easily hit. Along with that, they also seem to have higher stamina in electronically charged areas of Paradise.

Moderate cases of vocal digitalization can be more prominent. The shape tends to have a very robotic voice, often sounding like chiptune. Talking can sometimes be difficult, as if the condition flares up, other shapes often can't understand what they're saying. These shapes can also make more erratic and quick movements, and can even weaponize their voice. Shapes with moderate or higher vocal digitalization can disorient other shapes without the condition, because when they scream it can sound like sharp chiptune effects, they often bounce through the air in a way that makes other shapes dizzy.

Heavy vocal digitalization has more downsides that benefits. Shapes with this often can't talk coherently, and their voices are almost completely robotic. Their own voices can become dizzying to them, though some shapes are more or less affected than others. A scream from a shape with heavy vocal digitalization can easily inflict headaches and disorient others, and of course that includes the shape screaming. Along with that, these shapes tend to have more difficulty breathing unless they're in electronically charged areas. Because of this, these shapes often have special devices if they aren't often in charged areas (they're basically special inhalers, that kind of resemble a Gameboy).

Finally, severe vocal digitalization. This level of extremity is very rare and quite dangerous. Shapes with this level can't at all be understood, their voices completely incoherent and sounding like nothing more than retro sound effects. The digital sounds are strong enough that it can be heard in their breathing, which can cause headaches to be a common occurrence. The digitalization is so strong that it's a chore to talk (or try to) any louder than the average talking volume, trying to go any louder often causes the shape to become lightheaded.

With how common the condition is, there's of course many ways that have been developed to help shapes out with the higher levels of digitalization. Along with the special inhalers, moderate and severe level shapes can get special translators that attach to their neck. They help correct the voice and make it so they can talk to others. Having this translator on for too long though can cause overheating, so it's advised to only use them while trying to talk. Heavy and severe level shapes also often wear strong headphones to tune out the sounds.

Some smaller things to note, shapes that could disorient others with their voice don't effect others with the condition as much. It depends on the level, but light and moderate levels are often very tolerant to the sharp sound. Low levels of vocal digitalization are also often wanted by many shapes, as a lot of shapes like the natural robotic sound, especially ones that like to sing. For those shapes though, there's external ways to achieve the sound, often through a microphone setting. Shapes that have a genetic history of vocal digitalization can also learn to make the sounds over time, even if they don't have the condition themselves. Being able to make these sound effects is also extremely sought after by many shapes.

One last thing, the four original heroes of Paradise all have light vocal digitalization. Cyanide, being part corrupt energy, has moderate.

[monarch-afterdark]

Titan History: Mothra

Welcome once again to Monarch: After Dark, the digital gateway between you and the organisation dedicated to understanding and navigating this troubled new world we live in.

While most of you reading may be unaware, statistics on this social platform tell us on the After Dark team that this will be our 100th total post made, between informational entries, special reports, and answering everyone's questions! What an achievement! To mark the milestone, let us return to talking all things Titans with the mysterious and beautiful Queen of the Monsters, Mothra!

(Pictured above: Mothra's larval form, enraged by Emma Russell's misuse of the ORCA device, circa. 2019)

Monarch Database File: Mothra

Monarch Designation: Titanus Mosura

Height: 50 feet (larva), 52 feet (imago)

Wingspan: 803 feet

Nature: Unknown

Behavioural Classification: Protector

-----

A Titan with an extensive lineage closely intwined with the history of humanity, Mothra is often heralded as the guardian queen of the natural world, a beautiful and ethereal creature that clears out the darkness with her light and provides crucial aid to the planet's other guardians. A close ally of Godzilla, their relationship shows through eye-like patterns on Mothra's wings, and the devastating gift she is able to bestow upon him should she perish in battle.

Technically an immortal organism, Mothra is able to continually live on through different bodies, memories passing on genetically to her offspring through the eggs she lays, effectively granting Mothra the ability to reincarnate over and over. Mothra was first discovered by Monarch in 2009, though a connection between her and Monarch's Chen family spans generations of the family within the organisation.

Perhaps one of the most extreme instances of a bioluminescent Titan, Mothra uses the light generated by her body to produce powerful "god rays" that can clear cloudy skies, and be used as an energy pulse attack against other Titans. Mothra's sharpened limbs and concealed stinger also serve as formidable weapons up-close. Despite being one of the more benevolent Titans, Mothra is not to be underestimated.

There is some speculation within Monarch as to whether or not the Mothra sighted in 2027 aiding Godzilla and Kong is the true successor to the one that died in 2019. Evidence from some accounts suggests that the Mothra that resides in Malenka is instead a "mother Mothra" that has remained in the city for millenia, laying eggs on the surface so other Mothras could guard humanity, and that the 2019 individual was one of her successors. Evidence for this comes from Malenka itself, where a prophecy refers to Mothra using the same terminology as it uses for the ancient Titan Shimo, pointing to the city's guardian as the "first Mothra". While Monarch remains unsure if this is the case, this entry will refer to both Mothras collectively as one for clarity.

(Pictured above: Mothra appearing before Monarch and using her "god rays" to show a path to Godzilla's temple, circa. 2019)

Mothra's history dates back several millenia, where her allyship to Godzilla and other members of his species led to her taking their side in an ancient Hollow Earth conflict with the Great Apes. Her involvement with this battle was documented through cave paintings. At least one incarnation of Mothra was worshipped by the Iwi tribe of Malenka in the Hollow Earth, while another was seen as a diety by a primitive tribe on the surface.

Mothra would face death and rebirth multiple times over the centuries, one egg laying unhatched for centuries as her surface worshippers slowly died out, leaving behind only a temple to protect her.

In 1961, members of the Chen family who were 'second-generation' Monarch staff would learn about Mothra on Infant Island, where she was referred to as 'Mosura', or 'giver of life'. At some unknown point in their history, the Chen family developed a unique bond with Mothra that would be passed along to each generation born.

In 2009, Monarch finally found Mothra's egg, hidden away within the Temple of the Moth, in the Yunnan Rainforest. Outpost 61 was established within the temple itself to study Mothra and the remnants of her worshippers.

(Pictured above: A pacified larval Mothra regards Emma and Madison Russell, circa. 2019)

In 2019, Mothra was awakened from her slumber after Alan Jonah's organisation began their sabotage of Outpost 61. Peaceful for but a few moments, Mothra quickly became agitated and lashed out at Monarch guards surrounding her. Emma Russell attempted to use her ORCA sonar device to calm Mothra, initially only succeeding in further angering her, before finally managing to halt Mothra's rage. Mothra allowed Emma's daughter Madison to briefly touch her face before Jonah and his men stormed the outpost.

Escaping the temple, Mothra would make her way to a nearby waterfall and cocooned herself, preparing her metamorphosis into her imago form. After Monster Zero assumed command over the other Titans, Mothra emerged and made her way to Monarch's Castle Bravo base, using her bioluminescent "god rays" to show them a path toward Godzilla's temple, enabling them to revitalise Godzilla with a nuclear warhead.

Mothra would briefly travel back to China and lay a new egg, ensuring she would be able to reincarnate should she die, before flying to Boston to assist Godzilla in his battle with Monster Zero. She immobilized the three-headed dragon long enough for Godzilla to ram him through a building, before the fiery Rodan appeared and tackled Mothra to keep her occupied. Their battle left Mothra's wings burned, though she managed to take Rodan out of the fight by impaling him through the shoulder with her stinger.

(Pictured above: An injured Mothra crawling on top of a heavily wounded Godzilla, circa. 2019)

After Monster Zero carried Godzilla almost up to space and dropped him, Mothra crawled on top of Godzilla's body in an attempt to protect him. Using the last of her strength, Mothra charged toward Monster Zero, who shot at and ultimately killed Mothra with a powerful blast from his gravity beams. Mothra's ashes rained down onto Godzilla's body, infusing him with energy.

Her posthumous gift to Godzilla enabled him to enter a temporary superpowered state, where he burned everything around him and expelled nuclear energy through a series of pulses that completely disintegrated Monster Zero's body, and levelled Boston in a thermonuclear explosion.

Following her death and Godzilla's claim as king of the monsters, Monarch would discover Mothra's egg in China and relocate it to Tokyo, where it would be overseen by the current Chen sisters working under Monarch.

(Pictured above: Mothra, alongside Godzilla and Kong, circa. 2027)

In 2027, the Mothra guarding the Hollow Earth city of Malenka was awakened by Skull Island survivor Jia as part of an ancient Iwi prophecy. Mothra raced to the surface and used her god rays to quickly end a battle between Godzilla and Kong before the former could kill the latter. Her presence almost immediately pacified Godzilla, and the three Titans came to an unspoken agreement to work together.

Down in the Hollow Earth, Mothra provided assistance during the first part of Godzilla and Kong's battle with the Skar King and Shimo, using her webbing to hold back some of the Skar King's ape army. She would use her god rays again to give Shimo pause from firing her frost breath, allowing Godzilla to thaw himself out and continue his attack. Mothra did not join Godzilla and Kong on the surface for the final phase of their battle.

After the battle, Mothra used her webbing to repair the organic wall isolating Malenka from the rest of Hollow Earth, before flying away to resume her protection of Hollow Earth and the city.

-----

And that's all she wrote for Mothra! In the chaos and danger of the Titans and other superspecies, it brings some comfort to Monarch and the world that there are Titans like Mothra who seek actively to protect humanity. As we continue to uncover Mothra's secrets, let us all wish her well in her duties down in Hollow Earth.

Until next time,

Monarch: After Dark

[dailycharacteroption]

Races Among the Stars 11: Nuar

Absalom Station is named after one of the biggest metropolises that ever existed on Lost Golarion, and it’s only slightly over the top to have called it the City at the Center of the World. It certainly was in the Inner Sea Region.

However, the space station doesn’t simply share a name with it for nothing. It too is a hub of trade and cultural exchange thanks to the natural perfect drift beacon created by the Starstone, as well as it’s many mysteries and intrigues.

It does, however, seem to have some direct links to the Absalom of old, particularly in the case of the Nuar. Seemingly descended from the minotaurs of old and named for a great leader of their kind back in Golarion’s ancient past, these figures are an ever-present sight on the station and the Pact Worlds in general, where their keen minds make for great feats of engineering.

However, the Nuar are, like many species, victims of the Gap, and they in particular have it bad since much of the history of how they went from being minotaurs to nuar have been muddled by that cosmic fugue, leaving them a people without a history, in deep need of some source of spirituality.

While Minotaurs were definitely large creatures, nuar are noticeably shorter, though still massive compared to your average human, being about seven to eight feet tall. They resembled white or off-white bovine figures with horns that can range in number from two up to eight, making for quite elaborate displays. Much like their minotaur ancestors, they retain cloven hooves, and most have bovine tails, though not all, curiously. Perhaps evidence of genetic alteration? In any case, their brains also sport an impressive capacity for analyzing patterns and arrangement of forms, making them spectacular engineers and very spatially aware.

With no history to call upon to guide them, nuar have had to develop their own philosophies from scratch. Many references are made to the concept of the “Maze of Life”, referring to the complex interplay between desire and duty. Additionally, nuar have developed a curious tradition called “personal legends”. As the name suggests, individual nuar will concoct stories and parables, either wholesale or more often taking inspiration from other stories and myths they have heard or read to concoct narratives on anything from their species origins to life lessons. The fact that these stories are “made up” or have no backing of history or tradition is of no consequence, since the entire point of them is to fill the void left by a lack of history. Every Nuar crafts their own personal legends, sometimes borrowing elements passed to them by their parents, but often adding parts that make sense to themselves personally.

Nuar engineering is something to behold as well, and they are particularly famous for their “mazecore” items: transforming devices that can shift between two forms and functions as needed, such as a plasma rifle that can unfold into a plasma doshko with a flick of the wrist, for example.

Nuar have the strength to match their bulky bodies, and keen minds, but being bigger does mean that they aren’t quite as precise in terms of hand-eye coordination.

Those horns aren’t for show though, and their durable keratin and enamel construction can really do some damage. What’s more, they’re quite adept at charging foes with both their horns and other weapons, not leaving themselves open.

Their analytical minds and spacial awareness prove very useful in orienting themselves while travelling overland, as well as keeping track of their surroundings when piloting vehicles of any size.

Despite their bulk, they are actually quite fast on their feet. Additionally, their eyes are adapted for night vision.

Strength and intelligence are a fun combination, the former paired with their charging makes melee classes and builds, anything from vanguards, evolutionists, as well as melee nanocytes, solarians, soldiers, and the like. Their intellect also makes skilled classes like envoy, operative, biohacker, and mechanic very viable (especially if the latter makes neat mazecore toys for the party), as well as technomancers. Other spellcasters, such as mystics seeking to understand their greater unity to precogs seeking to understand their future and witchwarpers exploring possibilities are all very viable as well. The only place they struggle is their dexterity, making ranged builds and the sneaky side of most operatives difficult, but not impossible.

That will do for today, but I hope you enjoyed this look at the nuar. Tune in tomorrow for one of my favorite late additions to the setting!

[tarithenurse]

Inhuman

Fandom: MCU Pairing: Eventually Bucky x fem!reader, Loki x fem!reader, Stucky, more (some canon, some not). Word count: 2206. Contents: History lessons, I guess. New friends. A/N: I know that I only have a few readers on this but I love sharing this story that got me started on the path of writing fanfic. Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag.

Chapter 10

Coulson and Daisy greet you the moment you step out of the quinjet, leaving Tony to take off on his own, and a rush of relief soothes you at the sight of the familiar, smiling faces. A feeling of home that isn’t diminished when the director leaves with the Avengers in tow after asking your former mentor and sparring partner to give you a proper tour now that your clearance level can open a lot more doors.

On the way, Daisy begins from scratch, telling about how the Kree, the alien race that created what now’s called Inhumans, before she plunges into an explanation about the Inhuman community existing in secrecy, and the abilities they each possess and how those are chosen to somehow support a need in the world or play a role as if faith was a real thing.

You try to keep up. Some of it you’ve heard before, but most is new. Daisy claims that she can make molecules vibrate to the point where she can cause earthquakes or propel herself into the air.

Passing the labs, you catch a glimpse of Simmons and Banner deeply enthralled in something a young man’s showing. He’s got a brain injury! In the middle of the glitters forming the mass of his head there’s an area with much less light and activity.

“You okay?”

The words make you realize you’ve stopped up and now the guide’s waiting for you further down the hall.

Not wanting to be tactless you moderate the answer. “Yes...just someone I recognized.”

“Simmons? She’s been fascinated by your healing skills, trying to see if she can replicate it somehow, but I don’t think she’s managed to so far.”

Daisy seems to know what’s going on everywhere. She’s been pointing out almost every person to her guest, telling you something about them, and by the end of the tour your head’s spinning with information about SHIELD, Inhumans, and the coalition between humans and gifted people of any kind.

“There’s a difference?” You have to interrupt her in a stream of tall tales. “I just kind of assumed that we were all the same type of crazy.”

“Ah. No. There’s a big difference.” The woman pushes her near-black hair out of gleaming eyes. “There are Inhumans, with the latent genetic marker. Then there are mutants, some calling themselves X-Men, which are humans that’ve developed further on their own.” Daisy waves her hands vaguely. “And finally there are people, like Captain America…they used to be normal but then something happened to them that drastically altered their DNA.” She looks like it should be common knowledge, but at least she’s courteous enough to not sound condescending. Grinning towards you she concludes, “So…three types of crazy.”

…

An hour later you’ve been abandoned to your own devices, apparently having been deemed safe enough to have wandering around and honestly your main goal is to find something to eat. While Daisy was showing you around, you’d passed a sort of cafeteria. Maybe it’s worth a visit in the attempt to scrounge some food. Now...where was it?

The place’s big and you’ve rounded a lot of corners on the way but eventually you find it...just as the lights over the counters are turned off. Crap timing. A few people are still sitting here and there, but most of them are getting up to leave.

“[Y/N]! Over here!”

Steve’s sitting over in a corner across the table from another guy. Walking over to them, you notice the stranger’s missing a left arm, instead wearing some kind of prosthetic...maybe like Coulson’s which is quite realistic looking. His silvery particles end where the shoulder should have been. He looks the same age as Steve (not in the hundreds but somewhere around 30) with dark hair reaching the level of the chiselled jaw and as he looks over in your direction you’re instantly sold.

Keep the head on straight, girl…and breathe. The air has caught in your chest as a warm, tingly sensation’s spreading through the body and speeds up as you meets his unruly grey eyes.

You know who that man is because you’ve read all the old files and intel from the beginning of SHIELD as Steve’s asked you to do. There were only a few pictures, but one of them showed Steve and James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes standing in front of a tank during the Second World War. Steve and this man.

Once you reach them, you realize James’ arm clearly is made of metal. Why would he keep it so obvious?

“[Y/N]. Don’t tell the others but…I asked her!”

You weren’t expecting this from Steve and have to rack your brains for a few moments before it makes sense. “You asked Sharon to marry you? I assume she said yes?”

Steve just smiles like a fool. Tony’s been working hard, throwing hints at Steve to get his act together for a long time, claiming a personal stake in planning the matter.

“Yeah, and she said yes, of course.” Barnes concedes with an equally playful and bored. “I don’t think there was any doubt that was going to happen once he build up the nerve to ask her.” His voice’s like molten steel, and it makes goosebumps spread down your spine.

Happy goosebumps, you realize. “Good to hear. Hi, by the way, I’m [Y/N].”

“Bucky Barnes.” Steve’s still grinning like an idiot, mentally floating on pink clouds somewhere. Barnes scoffs. “Romantics…it’s even supposed to be a secret and he’s telling everyone.”

“Not everyone!” Steve grumbles indignantly, “besides there is nothing wrong with romance, Bucky...” A smile plays in the bright blue eyes. “One day you’ll find someone too.”

“I’m aiming to be the oldest bachelor, Steve, and last time you set me up on a blind date it was a disaster.”

Grins on both of their faces, but Barnes’ nearly distracts you until you stomach growls loudly. Smooth...real smooth.

“Sorry...I was on a quest uhm to find some food. Guess I’d better keep searching though...”

“Shit happens...” He shrugs, unabashed by the unflattering sounds you’ve produced.

You’re already turning to go when Steve calls out for you. “Wait! Don’t say anything, okay?”

“Only if you’ll team up with me on Natasha next time she’s bossing us around.” A rare opportunity shouldn’t be discarded easily.

The blond man grimaces at the idea. “I’m pretty certain that won’t be smart.”

Oh no, not gonna let you off the hook that easily. “Sure it will. We just say t’was Banner’s idea then he can sort it out.”

“Steve, I like the way this girl’s thinking. You really should listen to her.” An impish smirk tickles the corners of Barnes’ mouth as well as your thoughts.

Nodding at him, you try to ignore the fluttering sensation in your chest. “Thank you.”

Steve’s still not looking convinced though. “No, I think we’d regret it. But I’ll try to go easy at least...” His eyes turn hard as he studies you briefly, ending any bartering. “How’s your training been going?”

Your cheeks stretch from the proud smile at your last achievements on that front. “I’ve managed to get her down a few times now but it’s still bloody difficult.” The smile grows as the captain nods proudly.

“Wait,” interjects Barnes, “you’re training what exactly with Romanoff and Steve?”

“Combat training of various sorts.” He looks at you incredulously. Oops, still have the purple hair. Even so... “What did you think my job was?”

“I...don’t know. Some sort of...communications...maybe.” His only defence’s the voice getting meek and insecure while his eyes are looking to Steve for help.

“Sorry buddy, you got yourself into that mess. I’m not getting involved there.” It’s always nice when someone else is being roasted for a change.

Meanwhile you’ve changed the hair and eye colour, now you’re blonde and short haired with brown eyes. When Barnes looks back, he looks confused for a moment until he seems to get it.

“It was a wig! It looked so real, nice going.”

Let’s go for blue eyes and brown hair now. “Never judge a book by its cover, Mr. Barnes.”

His facial expression is priceless as he sees the change happen in front of him. The jaw has landed somewhere on his broad chest and the stormy eyes are huge as they scan you, making you very self-conscious.

“Bucky, that’s no way to look at a dame!” Apparently, Steve has forgotten how he himself reacted first time he saw that trick.

Cheeks burning with a mixture of elating pride and shyness at the way the dark-haired man is looking at you, you have to get going or you’ll be reduced to a stammering mess. “I think you’ve better explain to him what’s going on here. I’m going to continue my search for food, if that’s oki? See you later.”

You feel how Barnes’ gaze’s locked on you all the way to the door...and damnit if you don’t like it.

... Bucky’s PoV …

There’s been a lot to take in after Bucky got back to New York. He’s crashing at HQ a lot more at the moment rather than being alone in his own home, but it’s awkward when Sharon’s there too, and somehow her presence’s lingering even when it’s just the two old friends. I shouldn’t have been surprised, Buck reminds himself, she went out of the way to help Steve. Thinking back to the first time he’d met the woman, it makes sense why the two blondes have become more than close friends, but some tiny grain of mistrust has buried itself in the back of Bucky’s mind, rearing it’s ugly head randomly.

That’s what he was thinking of when the door opened, and he hadn’t bothered to look around until his old friend (in both senses of the word) yelled out to someone…then he couldn’t take his eyes off the woman.

She was clearly new to the place, but she walked with a sway that oozed of self-assurance. Bucky’d seen that in other people, still her unnatural purple hair placed her in a category of young women that he couldn’t be bothered with.

When she got closer, though, he had to reconsider his verdict: a natural beauty, not covering her face in layers of makeup like so many other, just a tiny bit. Her body was perfect in his opinion, and her skin was nothing less than radiant, but her eyes…the eyes with the impossibly coloured flecks and that didn’t belong to someone young, proving his first assumption had been off.

Cursing silently at how easily she distracted him, he had refocused on the conversation while mentally evaluating all the pieces of information he’d gathered. That’s what he was conditioned to do. Observe, evaluate and determine if the person’s a threat or not. She wasn’t, he was sure…right until Steve revealed that she was being trained and then Bucky had stepped in it.

He never let strangers know when he was wrong but something about her made it impossible to lie and she’d called him out on his wrongful judgment. Not just that…she had taught him a lesson as she transformed and he’d not known what to make of it…it was mesmerizing, chilling, and her confidence stirred something deep inside that he had tugged away a long time ago, making his chest tighten in an attempt to keep the heart under control. She’d laughed, not mocking but amused but her own power before turning away…and Bucky was too baffled to say anything.

All he can do is watch as her hips sway, prefect legs carrying her away.

“Buck?” Steve’s voice is coming from far away.

“Who’s she?” He hopes to god that Steve doesn’t hear the breathlessness.

Arching a brow, the man across the table scrutinizes him. “She’s the newest member on our team. But perhaps I shouldn’t tell you too much…”

Bucky isn’t going to accept that, but he doesn’t want to come off as desperate either.

… Reader’s PoV …

A few hours later, three Avengers and you are back on the jet, bringing Steve with you instead of Tony. He’s being left behind in New York to spend time with Pepper, the business and who or what else demands his attention when he’s not being a hero.

With a floomph, something impacts with your face and your world goes dark for a second. Natasha’s thrown some sort of clothing at you and she and the guys are smiling broadly.

“Coulson’s alright with letting you stay on the team…so we thought ‘t’was ‘bout time you got a super-suit too,” says Bruce, “welcome on board!”

As you examine it, Natasha and Steve start explaining about Kevlar, Vibranium, elasticity and durability, most of which they admit Tony would’ve been better at making sense off, but to be honest you’re not paying much attention. The suit’s actually rather pretty. It’s shimmery like oil on water, changing hue all the time depending on the angle of the light while the shadowed parts are a deep black.

“It comes with boots and a belt for your equipment, of course, but we thought this was the coolest part to show you.” Natasha looks smug.

“So I’m...I’m an Avenger. For real?”

“For real,” Steve beams.

[gothtransandroid]

Contemplating: Clarity in Transhumanism

History has made it clear that the people who aligned themselves with Transhumanist philosophy are also people interested in Eugenics. I personally hate Eugenics because while I relate to the desire to have a body that functions better, i reject the ideal of breeding or augmenting the body before consent is possible. A person should be able to decide how they want to be and who they want to be, on all levels, and in an age where those who are transgendered are fighting to recieve recognition, and gaining it an inch at a time, I believe that those who do not identify with or find comfort in their current body should be free to explore ways to find that comfort.

What does that mean for tranhumanism then? Is it limited to machinery and genetic augmentation? Does it truly mean transcending "humanity" or is more about finding a positive, comfortable place in the world as yourself without changing morals. I cant speak for others who live in the space of those who use the word, and I really hope Im not trying to push conflicting beliefs into a space because it only makes sense to me, but after being diagnosed with mental health problems some years ago and becoming reliant on medication to have control over myself I feel like any small thing to bring me closer to being my ideal self is worth the effort.

I know medication is small in the face of bigger, broader issues of prosthesis and medical devices and hormone therapy but it still trick my body into fuctioning and I am a different person without my lithium. Or at least it feels that way. I think in the modern age of medicine and technology we all already pass bars that the past "thinkers" who argued about humanity and the reality of being physically different being something to fear or hold concern over, but so many people today are themselves again, or even for the first time, because of these aids and processes and procedures.

I'll probably never live to be the ideal self I think of in my mind, free of the stresses tied to being seen as what is seen instead of how I feel. The most myself I feel myself is online, where I can be a mind of thoughts and whats in my pants is a mausoleum, but its just easier for me to not fight the ease of being what is seen in public. I guess some of this is more about my gender than I thought, but I still wanna be the ghost in the machine on weekends and sleek steel skeleton on weekdays. Take that a literally as you want ;3. Seriously though, I don't know if transhumanism in the modern era can positively divorce itself from the past, and I may be changing my username soon because of it. But I still feel how I feel, and I still wanna explore how that feeling meets my writing.

[sunnylovescats]

Since men are so ready to take away women’s right to vote and say we’re sooo uneducated and need to know our places, please, have these inventions and scientific discoveries that were credited to men instead 🥰

Hedy Lamarr: Wireless communication. Hollywood actor Hedy Lamarr should actually be the person credited with the invention of wireless communication. During the second World War, Hedy worked closely with George Antheil to develop the idea of "frequency hopping," which would have prevented the bugging of military radios. Unfortunately, the U.S. Navy ignored her patent —and later used her findings to develop new technologies. Years later, her patent was re-discovered by a researcher, which led to Lamarr receiving the Electronic Frontier Foundation Award shortly before her death in 2000.

Alice Ball: Cure for leprosy. Alice Ball was a young chemist at Kalihi Hospital in Hawaii who focused on Hansen's disease, a.k.a. leprosy. Her research sought to find a cure for the disease by figuring out how to inject chaulmoogra oil directly into the bloodstream. Topical treatments worked, but had side effects patients weren't interested in. Sadly, Ball became sick and returned home, where she died in 1916. Arthur Dean took over her study, and Ball became a memory—until a medical journey now referred to the "Ball Method." Her method was used for over two decades all over the world to cure the disease.

Elizabeth Magie Philips: Monopoly. The invention of everyone's favorite board game has been credited to Charles Darrow, who sold it to Parker Brothers in 1935. But it was Elizabeth Magie Phillips who came up with the original inspiration, The Landlord's Game, in 1903. Ironically, she designed the game to protest against monopolists like Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller.

Marion Donovan: Disposable diapers. In the '40s, new mothers had very few options for diapers. There was cloth...and that was pretty much it. The daughter of an inventor, Marion's first patent was actually for a diaper cover. She later added buttons, eliminating the need for safety pins. Her original disposable diaper was made with shower curtains, with her final one made from nylon parachute cloth. This new method helped keep children and clothes cleaner and dryer, not to mention helping with rashes. But, of course, diaper companies at first ignored her patent.

Vera Rubin: Dark matter. Rubin is the astrophysicist who confirmed the existence of dark matter in the atmosphere. She worked with astronomer Kent Ford in the '60s and '70s, when they discovered the reasoning behind stars' movement outside of the galaxy. She's dubbed a "national treasure" but remains without a Nobel Peace Prize.

Margaret Knight: Square-bottomed paper bags. In 1868, Knight invented a machine that folded and formed flat, square-bottomed brown paper bags. She built a wooden model of the device, but couldn't apply for a patent until she made an iron model. While the model was being developed in the shop, a man named Charles Annan stole the idea and patented it. Though he received credit for it, Knight filed a lawsuit and finally won the rights to it in 1871.

Dr. Grace Hopper: Computer Programming Language. Hopper created the first computer language compiler tools to program the Harvard Mark I computer—IBM's computer that was often used for World War II efforts. Though it's noted in history that John von Neumann initiated the computer's first program, Hopper is the one who invented the codes to program it. One of the programming languages she pioneered, COBOL, is widely used today.

Ada Harris: Hair straightener. Marcel Grateau is often credited for the invention of the hair straightener, but it was Harris who first claimed the patent for it in 1893. (Grateau made his claim to fame with the curling iron around 1852, and we certainly know there's a difference.)

Esther Lederburg: Microbial Genetics. Lederberg played a large part in determining how genes are regulated, along with the process of making RNA from DNA. She often collaborated with her husband Joshua Lederberg on their work on microbial genetics, but it was Esther who discovered lambda phage—a virus that infects E. coli bacteria. Despite their collaboration, her husband claimed the 1958 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for discoveries on how bacteria mate.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell: Pulsars. Jocelyn Bell Burnell discovered irregular radio pulses while working as a research assistant at Cambridge. After showing the discovery of the pulses to her advisor, the team worked together to uncover what they truly were: Neuron stars, AKA pulsars. Burnell received zero credit for her discovery—instead, her advisor Antony Hewish and Martin Ryle received the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1974.

Chien-Shiung Wu: Nuclear Physics. Often compared to Marie Curie, Chien-Shiung Wu worked on the Manhattan Project, where she developed the process for separating uranium metal. In 1956, she conducted the Wu experiment that focused on electromagnetic interactions. After it yielded surprising results, Tsung-Dao Lee and Chen-Ning Yang, the physicists who originated a similar theory in the field, received credit for her work, winning the Nobel Prize for the experiment in 1957.

Ada Lovelace: Computer algorithm. In the mid-1800s, Ada Lovelace wrote the instructions for the first computer program. But mathematician and inventor Charles Babbage is often credited with the work because he invented the actual engine.

Rosalind Franklin: DNA Double Helix. Franklin's X-ray photographs of DNA revealed the molecule's true structure as a double helix, which was a theory denounced by scientists James Watson and Francis Crick at the time. However, since Watson and Crick originally discovered the (single) helix, they ended up receiving a Nobel Prize for their research.

The ENIAC Programmers: First electronic computer. The ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer) was the first computer ever built. In 1946, six women programmed this electronic computer as part of a secret World War II project. Inventor John Mauchly is often the only one who gets credit for its creation, but the programmers are the ones who fully developed the machine.

Lise Meitner: Nuclear Fission. Discovered the true power of uranium, noting that atomic nuclei split during some reactions. The discovery was credited to her lab partner Otto Han, who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1944

Katherine Johnson: Moon landing. She l discovered the exact path for the Freedom 7 spacecraft to successfully enter space for the first time in 1961 and later for the Apollo 11 mission to land on the moon in 1969. She often went unrecognized by her male colleagues and faced racial discrimination.

Mary Anderson: Windowshield wipers. Anderson first came up with the idea of windshield wipers while riding in a streetcar in the snow. She tried selling her device to companies after receiving the patent for it in 1903, but all of them rejected her invention. It wasn't until the '50s and '60s when faster automobiles were invented that companies took to the idea. By then, Anderson's patent had expired, and later, inventor Robert Kearns was credited with the idea.

Nettie Stevens: Sex chromosomes. Stevens discovered the connection between chromosomes and sex determination. Despite Stevens' breakthrough, her colleague and mentor E.B. Wilson published his papers before her and is often noted for the discovery.

Caresse Crosby: The modern bra. Caresse Crosby, who developed the modern bra. She was the first to acquire the patent for the modern bra, AKA a "Backless Brassiere," yet is often left in the shadows because she sold her patent to the Warner Brothers Corset Company.