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percabeth4life · 3 years

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i want to know the original version of hades and persephone story. there are so many versions I've read and i wanted to know which one do you believe in or which one do you think is the real one?

Okay so to start with. If we wanna really go back, Hades came into existence after Persephone. But alas, we aren't speaking of this version.

We are talking about the version where Hades sweeps Persephone away without so much as a hello.

The problem is a lot of the stories of Ancient Greece are well... They're lost. They were primarily shared through oral tradition, and written down over time. And so many stories we may not know. On top of that, many that were written down were lost, destroyed or just vanished, to time. Plus, we don't know how to translate Linear A, but we do Linear B, and there may be a version somewhere in Linear A. Overall, it's just possible we don't know the earlier versions.

But the earliest version we do have is from the Homeric Hymn, from the 7th or 6th B.C.E. This hymn is actually one to Demeter, not Hades or Persephone. The myth, while speaking of the two, is actually about Demeter.

It is, for the time period it is from (and you must keep in mind the culture of the time to understand the myth) a feminist myth.

So the culture of the time.

In the time period women did not have the greatest of rights, something improved upon today, but it means that the Father (and/or King) had full rights to hand their daughters off to another man.

That is what happens in this myth, Zeus tells Hades he may have Persephone's hand... But Persephone did not wish to go. And likewise Demeter was not informed.

By the culture of the time that does not matter, but Demeter *makes* it matter. She searches for her daughter first, then when she discovers where Persephone was taken and who was the cause (Zeus) she is angered.

Demeter then refuses to step upon Olympus, not allow any plants to grow, until she sees her daughter again.

This is obviously a problem, so Zeus sends Hermes down to retrieve Persephone (who btw was unhappy and missed her mom). Persephone leaps up with joy to see her mother again and Hades agrees immediately. But he secretly feeds her pomegranate seeds just to be sure she would return.

The reason this is a feminist myth is because of Demeter, because she refused to accept her king and her daughter's father handing their daughter off in marriage. And she refused to such an extent that they had no choice but to compromise with her (and had Hades not forced Persephone to have the pomegranate seed she wouldn't have even had to compromise).

For the culture of the time, Zeus and Hades were taking actions that were more than okay, nothing they did would be considered wrong. But Demeter stood against it.

Demeter stood for her daughter to not be married off, and demanded she be returned, and Persephone (tho she came to love Hades) was relieved to return to her mother.

Many of the "new adaptions" have Persephone wanting to leave Demeter, wanting to be with her husband, and Demeter being overbearing. But originally it was mutual love, Mother and Daughter missing each other and the Mother fighting to get her daughter back when everything of the time said she had no right to.

And so the myth as we know occurs. This is the myth I ascribe too, being the oldest we have, and I do wish more realized how Demeter's actions are why the myth is so important.

I have copied the Hymn in it's entirety below the cut. It is fairly long and four parts. If you have questions about it, feel free to ask!

Homeric Hymn 2 to Demeter (abridged) (trans. Evelyn-White) (Greek epic C7th or 6th B.C.) :

I. HAIDES ABDUCTS PERSEPHONE

"[Demeter's] trim-ankled daughter whom Aidoneus [Haides] rapt away, given to him by all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer. Apart from Demeter, lady of the golden sword and glorious fruits, she was playing with the deep-bosomed daughters of Okeanos and gathering flowers over a soft meadow, roses and crocuses and beautiful violets, irises also and hyacinths and the narcissus, which Gaia (the Earth) made to grow at the will of Zeus and to please Polydektor (Host of Many), to be a snare for the bloom-like girl--a marvellous, radiant flower. It was a thing of awe whether for deathless gods or mortal men to see: from its root grew a hundred blooms and it smelled most sweetly, so that all wide heaven (ouranos) above and the whole earth (gaia) and the sea's (thalassa) salt swell laughed for joy. And the girl was amazed and reached out with both hands to take the lovely toy : but the wide-pathed earth yawned there in the plain of Nysa, and the lord, Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides], with his immortal horses sprang out upon her--the Son of Kronos (Cronus), Polynomos (He Who has Many Names).

He caught her up reluctant on his golden car and bare her away lamenting. Then she cried out shrilly with her voice, calling upon her father [Zeus], the Son of Kronos, who is most high and excellent. But no one, either of the deathless gods or mortal men, heard her voice, nor yet the olive-trees bearing rich fruit: only tender-hearted Hekate (Hecate), bright-coiffed, the daughter of Persaios (Persaeus), heard the girl from her cave, and the lord Helios (the Sun), Hyperion's bright son, as she cried to her father, the Son of Kronos. But he was sitting aloof, apart from the gods, in his temple where many pray, and receiving sweet offerings from mortal men. So he [Haides], that Son of Kronos, Polynomos (Of Many Names), Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) and Polydegmon (Host of Many), was bearing her away by leave of Zeus on his immortal chariot--his brother's child and all unwilling.

And so long as she, the goddess, yet beheld earth and starry heaven and the strong-flowing sea where fishes shoal, and the rays of the sun, and still hoped to see her dear mother and the tribes of the eternal gods, so long hope clamed her great heart for all her trouble . . . and the heights of the mountains and the depths of the sea ran with her immortal voice : and her queenly mother heard her.

II. DEMETER SEARCHES FOR PERSEPHONE

"Bitter pain seized her [Demeter's] heart, and she rent the covering upon her divine hair with her dear hands : her dark cloak she cast down from both her shoulders and sped, like a wild-bird, over the firm land and yielding sea, seeking her child. But no one would tell her the truth, neither god nor mortal man; and of the birds of omen none came with true news for her. Then for nine days queenly Deo wandered over the earth with flaming torches in her hands, so grieved that she never tasted ambrosia and the sweet draught of nektaros, nor sprinkled her body with water. But when the tenth enlightening dawn had come, Hekate, with a torch in her hands, met her, and spoke to her and told her news : ‘Queenly Demeter, bringer of seasons and giver of good gifts, what god of heaven (theon ouranion) or what mortal man has rapt away Persephone and pierced with sorrow your dear heart? For I heard her voice, yet saw not with my eyes who it was. But I tell you truly and shortly all I know.’

So, then, said Hekate. And [Demeter] the daughter of rich-haired Rheia answered her not, but sped swiftly with her, holding flaming torches in her hands. So they came to Helios (the Sun), who is watchman of both gods and men, and stood in front of his horses: and the bright goddess enquired of him : ‘Helios, do you at least regard me, goddess as I am, if ever by word or deed of mine I have cheered your heart and spirit. Through the fruitless air (aitheros) I heard the thrilling cry of my daughter whom I bare, sweet scion of my body and lovely in form, as of one seized violently; though with my eyes I saw nothing. But you--for with your beams you look down from the bright upper air (aitheros) over all the earth and sea--tell me truly of my dear child if you have seen her anywhere, what god or mortal man has violently seized her against her will and mine, and so made off.’

So said she. And the Son of Hyperion [Helios] answered her : ‘Queen Demeter, daughter of rich-haired Rheia, I will tell you the truth; for I greatly reverence and pity you in your grief for your trim-ankled daughter. None other of the deathless gods is to blame, but only cloud-gathering Zeus who gave her to Aides, her father's brother, to be called his buxom wife. And Aides seized her and took her loudly crying in his chariot down to his realm of mist and gloom. Yet, goddess, cease your loud lament and keep not vain anger unrelentingly : Aidoneus Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) is no unfitting husband among the deathless gods for your child, being your own brother and born of the same stock: also, for honour, he has that third share which he received when division was made at the first, and is appointed lord of those among whom he dwells.’

So he spake, and called to his horses: and at his chiding they quickly whirled the swift chariot along, like long-winged birds. But grief yet more terrible and savage came into the heart of Demeter, and thereafter she was so angered with [Zeus] the dark-clouded Son of Kronos that she avoided the gathering of the gods and high Olympos. She [Demeter] vowed that she would never set foot on fragrant Olympos nor let fruit spring out of the ground until she beheld with her eyes her own fair-faced daughter.

III. THE RETURN OF PERSEPHONE

"Now when all-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer heard this, he sent Argeiphontes [Hermes] whose wand is of gold to Erebos, so that having won over Aides with soft words, he might lead forth chaste Persephoneia to the light from the misty gloom to join the gods, and that her mother might see her with her eyes and cease from her anger. And Hermes obeyed, and leaving the house of Olympos, straightway sprang down with speed to the hidden places of the earth. And he found the lord Aides in his house seated upon a couch, and his shy mate with him, much reluctant, because she yearned for her mother. But she was afar off, brooding on her fell design becuase of the deeds of the blessed gods. And strong Argeiphontes [Hermes] drew near and said : ‘Dark-haired Aides, ruler over the departed, father Zeus bids me bring noble Persephone forth from Erebos unot the gods, that her mother may see her with her eyes and cease from her dread anger with the immortals; for now she plans an awful deed, to destroy the weakly tribes of earth-born men by keeping seed hidden beneath the earth, and so she makes an end of the honours of the undying gods. For she keeps fearful anger and does not consort with the gods, but sits aloof in her fragrant temple, dwelling in the rocky hold of Eleusis.’

So he said. And Aidoneus, ruler over the dead, smiled grimly and obeyed the behest of Zeus the king. For he straightway urged wise Persephone, saying : ‘Go now, Persephoneia, to your dark-robed mother, go, and feel kindly in your heart towards me : be not so exceedingly cast down; for I shall be no unfitting husband for you among the deathless dods, that am own brother to father Zeus. And while you are here, you shall rule all that lives and moves and shall have the greatest rights among the deathless gods : those who defraud you and do not appease your power with offerings, reverently performing rites and paying fit gifts, shall be punished for evermore.’

When he said this, wise Persephoneia was filled with joy and hastily sprang up for gladness. But he on his part secretly gave her sweet pomegranate seed to eat, taking care for himself that she might not remain continually with grave, dark-robed Demeter. Then Aidoneus Polysemantor (Ruler of Many) openly got ready his deathless horses beneath the golden chariot. And she mounted on the chariot, and strong Argeiphontes [Hermes] took reins and whip in his dear hands and drove forth from the hall, the horses speeding readily. Swiftly they traversed their long course, and neither the sea nor river-waters nor grassy glens nor mountain-peaks checked the career of the immortal horses, but they cleft the deep air above them as they went. And Hermes brought them to the place where rich-crowned Demeter was staying and checked them before her fragrant temple.

And when Demeter saw them, she rushed forth as does a Mainas (Maenad) down some thick-wooded mountain, while Persephone on the other side, when she saw her mother's sweet eyes, left the chariot and horses, and leaped down to run to her, and falling upon her neck, embraced her. But while Demeter was still holding her dear child in her arms, her heart suddenly misgave her for some snare, so that she feared greatly and ceased fondling her daughter and asked of her at once : ‘My child, tell me, surely you have not tasted any food while you were below? Speak out and hide nothing, but let us both know. For if you have not, you shall come back from loathly Aidao and live with me and your father [Zeus], the dark-clouded Son of Kronos and be honoured by all the deathless gods; but if you have tasted food, you must fo back again beneath the secret places of the earth, there to dwell a third part of the seasons every year: yet for the tow parts you shall be with me and the other deathless gods. But when the earth shall bloom with the fragrant flowers of spring in every kind, then from the realm of darkness and gloom thou shalt come up once more to be a wonder for gods and mortal men. And now tell me how he rapt you away to therealm of darkness and gloom, and by what trick did strong Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides] beguile you?’

Then beautiful Persephone answered her thus : ‘Mother, I will tell you all without error. When luck-bringing Hermes came, swift messenger from my father the Son of Kronos and the other Sons of Ouranos, bidding me come back from Erebos that you might see me with your eyes and so cease from your anger and fearful wrath against the gods, I sprang up at once for joy; but he secretly put in my mouth sweet food, a pomegranate seed, and forced me to taste against my will. Also I will tell how he rapt me away by the deep plan of my father [Zeus] the Son of Kronos and carried me off beneath the depths of the earth, and will relate the whole matter as you ask. All we were playing in a lovely meadow, Leukippe and Phaino and Elektra and Ianthe, Melite also and Iakhe with Rhodea and Kallirhoe and Melobosis and Tykhe and Okyrhoe, fair as a flower, Khryseis, Ianeira, Akaste and Admete and Rhodope and Plouto and charming Kalypso; Styx too was there and Ourania and lovely Galaxaure with Pallas who rouses battles and Artemis delighting in arrows: we were playing and gathering sweet flowers in our hands, soft crocuses mingled with irises and hyacinths, and rose-blooms and lilies, marvellous to see, and the narcissus which the wide earth caused to grow yellow as a crocus. That I plucked in my joy; but the earth parted beneath, and there the strong lord, Polydegmon (Host of Many) [Haides] sprang forth and in his golden chariot he bore me away, all unwilling, beneath the earth : then I cried with a shrill cry. All this is true, sore though it grieves me to tell this tale.’

So did they then, with hearts at one, greatly cheer each the other's soul and spirit with many an embrace: their hearts had relief from their griefs while each took and gave back joyousness. Then bright-coiffed Hekate came near to them, and often did she embrace the daughter of holy Demeter: and from that time the lady Hekate was minister and companion to Persephone.

IV. GIFT OF AGRICULTURE & THE ELEUSINIAN MYSTERIES

"And all-seeing Zeus sent a messenger to them, rich-haired Rheia, to bring dark-cloaked Demeter to join the families of the gods (phyla theon) : and he promised to give her what rights she should choose among the deathless gods and agreed that her daughter should go down for the third part of the circling year to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts should live with her mother and the other deathless gods. Thus he commanded. And the goddess did not disobey the message of Zeus; swiftly she rushed down from the peaks of Olympos and came to the plain of Rharos, rich, fertile corn-land once, but then in nowise fruitful, for it lay idle and utterly leafless, because the white grain was hidden by design of trim-ankled Demeter. But afterwards, as spring-time waxed, it was soon to be waving with long ears of corn, and its rich furrows to be loaded with grain upon the ground, while others would already be bound in sheaves. There first she landed from the fruitless upper air (aitheros) : and glad were the goddesses to see each other and cheered in heart. Then bright-coiffed Rheia said to Demeter : ‘Come, my daughter; for far-seeing Zeus the loud-thunderer calls you to join the families of the gods, and has promised to give you what rights you please among the deathless gods, and has agreed that for a third part of the circling year your daughter shall go down to darkness and gloom, but for the two parts shall be with you and the other deathless gods: so has he declared it shall be and has bowed his head in token. But come, my child, obey, and be not too angry unrelentingly with the dark-clouded Son of Kronos; but rather increase forthwith for men the fruit that gives them life.’

So spake Rheia. And rich-crowned Demeter did not refuse but straightway made fruit to spring up from the rich lands, so that the whole wide earth was laden with leaves and flowers.

Then she [Demeter] went to [the leaders of Eleusis] . . . she showed them the conduct of her rites and taught them all her mysteries . . . awful mysteries which no one may in any way transgress or pry into or utter, for deep awe of the gods checks the voice. Happy is he among men upon earth who has seen these mysteries; but he who is uninitiate and who has no part in them, never has lot of like good things once he is dead, down in the darkness and gloom. But when the bright goddess had taught them all, they went to Olympos to the gathering of the other gods. And there they dwell beside Zeus who delights in thunder, awful and reverend goddesses. Right blessed is he among men on earth whom they freely love: soon they do send Ploutos (Plutus, Wealth) as guest to his great house, Ploutos who gives wealth to mortal men.

And now . . . queen Deo, be gracious, you and your daughter all beauteous Persephoneia, and for my song grant me heart-cheering substance."

#demeterdeity #demeter deity #persephone deity #persphonedeity #hadesdeity #hades deity #anon asks #life answers #greek mythology #ancient greece #the hymn to demeter #the myth of hades and persphone #hades and persephone #hellenic chat

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godsofhumanity · 3 years

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12 titans headcanons please ❤️

yes ❤️

❤ warning: this is gonna be a very long post ❤

OCEANUS

Oceanus is the oldest of the Titans, and i really like the idea that he grew to adulthood within a day of being born.

i think i've mentioned this in some Gaia hc's previously, but i don't think that Gaia had any of her children in the "conventional" way that we're used to.. as in, none of her children were actually formed in her womb- instead, i imagine that she and Ouranos only had to place their hands on the Earth to cause their children to be born.

for the Titans in particular, i like the idea that Gaia caused a field of flowers to bloom, and within 12 of them were each of the Titans.

Oceanus bloomed first, and was named by Gaia (i think he's the only one who was actually named by her, herself- more on this later).

we know that Ouranos never cared for his children, so i think that the 12 Titans were originally born so that they could help Gaia take care of the Earth,, thus allowing Ouranos and Gaia to spend more time with each other.

so when Oceanus was born, he had to grow quickly so that he could take care of his siblings and raise them (Ouranos wasn't about to let Gaia go "wasting" her time taking care of children).

Oceanus builds the first village, and his primary motivation in everything he does, is to take care of his siblings.

i think he's very paternal,, though he doesn't like to show it.

Oceanus is very stoic as well... he hates brash decisions and always takes his time to think about things before he says something or does something.

also, in Gaia's absence, i think he named all his siblings, and i think that although all the Titans refer to him as their brother, they also have the understanding that Oceanus has been more of a parent than either Gaia or Ouranos, and they all look up to him a lot.

Oceanus isn't cowardly, but i don't think he likes fighting. he would much rather preserve the peace at the sake of his own freedom, than have said freedom but at the price of blood being spilled.

that said, he could definitely pack a punch if he chose to.

related to Oceanus’ unwillingness to fight, i think this is an important factor in why Cronus (who is the youngest) becomes King instead of Oceanus (who is the oldest).

technically, it’s Oceanus’ birthright to become King after Ouranos, but Oceanus doesn’t possess the qualities required to be a good king, and he knows it, which is why he never challenges Cronus’ authority or tries to take the throne for himself- he is absolutely okay with not being king, in fact, i think he’s grateful for it.

TETHYS

Tethys is, as the lore states, Oceanus' wife, and i think she's always been really close to Oceanus- the only one who truly understands Oceanus' deepest feelings.

since Oceanus doesn't really show much emotion physically, i think it's sometimes difficult for the other Titans to know exactly what he's thinking, but Tethys is very intuitive and understands Oceanus quite perfectly.

i think Tethys is slightly more energetic than Oceanus, but she's still the most quiet of all her sisters.

she too, prefers not to fight if she doesn't have to, but while Oceanus will wait for the very last opportunity to fight, i think Tethys can be persuaded to make a move earlier than she usually would.

i also think she's more adept at fighting than Oceanus.

when Oceanus and Tethys are referenced in poems and plays, they are usually described as the "primeval parents", and are often referred to as the "genesis for all" which i think is really cute, and although Tethys isn't the goddess of motherhood, i definitely think she's very maternal (i mean, she has 3000+ children, so we hope so, right?).

after the Titanomachy, it is said that Oceanus and Tethys became Hera's foster-parents, so i imagine that Tethys and Oceanus opened their home to many gods and goddesses, even if they were simply passing through.

Hera, in particular, i think had a closer bond with Oceanus and Tethys than with Rhea- and that of course is no fault of Rhea's, i just think that's how things happened.

everyone talks of this idea that Zeus would go around pestering Oceanus and Tethys when he was trying to court Hera, and i like that idea as well ^_^

i think Oceanus was particularly reluctant to let Zeus be with Hera because Oceanus has had sooo many daughters who have been effectively abandoned by their husbands (see: Metis, Asia/Clymene, Hesione, Eurynome, etc.) and he doesn't want that to happen to yet another one of his kids.. but Tethys, the sweet voice of reason whom Oceanus has a hard time saying "no" to, intervenes on Zeus' behalf perhaps because she sees something more in Zeus' proposals, which is why Oceanus finally concedes and allows him into his house.

CRONUS

now this guy >:)

i've said it before, but i just really really like the idea that Cronus is the epitome of "you either die the hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain".

before i said that Oceanus grew to adulthood within a day because he had to take care of his younger siblings, and following this logic, i think some of the younger Titans took more time to grew simply because there was no need for them to grow up quickly- they were going to be taken care of.

as the youngest, i think Cronus takes the most time to grow.

most of his life, his siblings are ordering him around which i think gets to him a little, so of course, Cronus has always been a little bit mischievous and a little sneaky.

i think he gets along really well with Iapetus. they are “terror twins” as Oceanus calls them, and as children, they would always get up to no good.

in terms of morality, i think initially, he’s actually quite sane and level-headed. he understands that war is brutal and should be avoided if it can, but he also understands that sometimes war is necessary. this is what makes him, initially, a good king- because he understands the need for balance.

but,, after sometime, i think he goes insane with Ouranos’ prophecy and he convinces himself that murdering his children is just a part of the job- it’s his duty.

i like the idea that Cronus sees himself first and foremost as King. being a husband and a father is second to kingship.

i always wondered what makes a man go so mad that he’d eat his own kids, especially after he literally deposed of his father for doing effectively the same thing- why would he willingly follow in the footsteps of the god he hated so much? well, i think it’s because Cronus is driven by this philosophy of being King before being anyone else.

he believes that it’s his job to protect the world, the way he did that first time when he rallied his siblings together to fight Ouranos. Cronus believes that his children are going to ruin the world and destroy his siblings, and he loves his family and the world too much to let that happen,, and if he has to choose between his children and the world that he has sworn to protect, well, as King, isn’t he obligated to choose the world?

and after that, he just goes downhill, and i think he loses sight of the bigger picture, and becomes the villain.

also- not relevant to the core of this section but i just wanted to talk a little about Philyra, the mother of Chiron by Cronus ^-^

so in the original myth, i’m pretty sure that Cronus and Rhea are still married when Cronus and Philyra get together,, and that’s why when Rhea catches them and gets pissed, Cronus panics and turns into a horse (which is why Chiron is half god, half horse- lololol Cronus, you absolute loser).

anyways, i love the myth because it’s funny, but i don’t like the idea that Cronus was actually cheating on Rhea- i mean, first you eat her children, and now you’re cheating on her?? c’mon, have some tact!

so i have my own little take on it, and that is that Chiron is born after Cronus gets disposed (so when Rhea and Cronus are pretty much divorced).

i like the Orphic version of events where Cronus gets sent to Nyx’s cave, so following from there, i imagine that Philyra must have somehow helped Cronus escape from Nyx’s cave (probably because she was manipulated by Cronus),, and when they escaped, they came to Mt Pelion, which coincidentally, is where Rhea, now happily retired, lives.

so that’s how Rhea accidentally discovered her ex-husband’s affairs (which is in line with the original myth where Rhea catches them).

of course, i don’t think Cronus ever cared about Philyra to begin with, i think he was just using her because i don’t think the “player” archetype suits Cronus- he’s not a romantic, that’d make him too similar to Zeus, and the last thing Cronus would want would be to be like his son.

anyways so where does Chiron’s equine nature come into my version of events? well, running from Nyx’s cave to Mt Pelion on foot sounds a little tiring, but luckily, Cronus is a god and can therefore turn into a stallion, so he and Philyra probably ran away like that.

i don’t think Cronus ever actually knows about Chiron. Philyra, in the myths, is ashamed about Chiron’s appearance (which is really rude and mean), so she abandons him, but i like the idea that she simply wasn’t ready to be a mother, much less a mother of a child born from a war-criminal, so she instead leaves Chiron on Rhea’s doorstep. and Rhea recognises immediately who Chiron is, but she’s the goddess of motherhood so she adopts him, until Apollo comes in a few days later and decides to take Chiron. anyways, so that was a little bit of a tangent but i just wanted to share that ^-^

another thing- i know we all like to make jokes about Cronus seeing children as good for only one thing- snacks- but in all seriousness, i don’t think that was the case. i’ve said before what i, personally, think his real motivations behind consuming his children were, but i don’t think he was averse to the concept of children and having a family entirely.

ok, i have to divert to the story of Prometheus to explain myself here, but bear with me for a sec- so Prometheus gets punished because he helps the humans- but why does he help them? why does he love them so much and why does he feel sorry for the way they’ve been treated by Zeus?

well,, we know that Prometheus was alive during Cronus’ reign. and during Cronus’ reign, Cronus made the Golden Age of Man where mortals lived in peace and harmony, free from interference by the gods, where no one did the “wrong” thing, and life was great. so couldn’t it be that Prometheus had seen what life for humanity could have been like?

my hc is that Prometheus had seen what Cronus had done for humanity and was appalled by what he now saw under Zeus’ rule.

so what does that have to do with Cronus and children? well, i like the idea that Prometheus grew up in the palace, and he had known Cronus all his life. i like the idea that Cronus actually spent time with his nephew, and was the one who first introduced Prometheus to the mortals. i think Prometheus and Cronus actually were rather close as uncle and nephew. so,, i don’t think that Cronus hated all children,, he just didn’t think he could have any of his own.

RHEA

Rhea is one of my favourites <3 i think she’s one of the cooler Titans.

i think her personality is defined by her courage, and her ambition- in fact, i’d call her the most ambitious of all the Titans.

as a young Titan, i think she got along best with Cronus and Iapetus, and i think she actually had a bit of a mischievous nature, similar to them. i think she enjoys pranks and good jokes.

she’s the kind of goddess who would do anything on a dare (i think she was pretty wild, and maybe a little shameless, in her youth, much to Oceanus’ distress).

in saying that, i think Rhea has also always been very headstrong. she’s not arrogant, or rude, but she if she has opinions, she will make sure you’re aware of them. you don’t have to agree, you just have to understand her point of view.

she’s also a little spitfire (a little like Hera tbh), and she is very good at fighting ^-^

but, Rhea is also incredibly kind and forgiving. considering what she goes through during her marriage, i think she is remarkably strong. while Cronus goes insane, Rhea remains standing tall- she survives Ouranos’ rule, Cronus’ rule, and is alive to witness Zeus’, and she is never on the losing side which is a testament to her character and strength of mind.

in the previous section, i said that Cronus follows the philosophy of “King first, husband/father second”, but i don’t think Rhea agrees with this at all.

there is never any way for her to justify to herself that her children needed to be killed- it’s a horrible and messed up idea and it’s honestly a wonder that she didn’t go insane after it happening to her children five freaking times.

i think that what makes Rhea a good queen is that she doesn’t work in absolutes- see, Cronus believes that either the world is saved, or his children are saved, but not both- but Rhea, who is always driven by courage and hope, believes that it is possible for the world to have peace and for her children to also be alive.

where Cronus is an architect of plans, and an executor, Rhea is the thought-process- the one who thinks things through carefully and evaluates the effects of the action... she’s more level-headed, and she doesn’t get angry easily.

after Cronus is deposed, i like the idea that Rhea remained on the throne a little longer- Zeus was simply too young to be allowed free reign immediately, so she kinda pulled the strings behind the scenes.

i don’t think that Rhea has favourites amongst her children. i think she is very protective of all of them and she loves them all very much, but i think the one she finds most difficult to get along with is Hera, maybe because Hera is the most similar to her (which is why Hera spends more time with Oceanus and Tethys than Rhea).

there are versions of the courtship of Zeus and Hera where Zeus and Hera keep their relationship a secret from Rhea because Rhea will disapprove of it, and i do like this version of the myth because i think it makes sense. i think Rhea has some fear that Zeus will repeat the mistakes of Cronus and Ouranos, and she doesn’t want Hera or Zeus, for that matter, to be hurt the way Rhea was hurt.

we know that Zeus had already swallowed Metis, so Rhea believing that Zeus could become like Cronus isn’t too hard to believe.

speaking of the Zeus x Metis myth, i don’t think Zeus swallowed Metis intentionally. i think that, at that time, Zeus was still incredibly young- he had only recently defeated his father, and was still finding his way around the world. so when Metis told him about the prophecy concerning her son defeating Zeus, i imagine that he must have panicked and lost control of his powers, and without meaning to, he had reduced Metis to her divine essence, and she disappeared before his sight (he thought she was simply dead, and didn’t realise that Metis and her child were dwelling within him). Rhea is the first one to discover what transpired between Metis and Zeus and she was probably pretty horrified.

but, Rhea knew that Zeus was still young, and of course, he’s her son, so she refuses to just give up on him straight away- instead, they work on things, and Zeus gets better, and they move on. but i’m sure that the incident gnawed on her mind, and she worried for both Zeus and Hera, hence why she was reluctant to allow them to marry. but as the story goes, she conceded, and Hera became queen ^-^

HYPERION

Hyperion is the fourth Titan, and i think that all-in-all, he’s a pretty chill guy.

generally speaking, Hyperion doesn’t really like to fight, mainly because he thinks it’s boring and the risk of his face getting ruined is just too great for him.

i think he is a little vain,, he loves flattery- he likes being complimented and he likes complimenting others.

i also think that he’s a little bit weak-willed, or rather, i think that when the Titans were all young, he would often be the butt of the jokes.

in saying that, i think Hyperion has good spirit, so although he’d be a little annoyed about all the jokes and the pranks, he never takes it to heart because he understands that it’s all just a joke.

in some myths, it’s said that after Ouranos was deposed, Cronus divided the world into four parts- Hyperion ruled in the West, Iapetus in the East, Coeus in the North, and Crius in the South, while Oceanus took the seas, and Cronus of course, ruled over time + the whole word in general- and i really like this idea.

after the Castration of Ouranos, i think it’s the first time that the Titans actually split apart and start living on their own and having families.

Hyperion and Theia live in the West, and have Selene, Eos, and Helios.

after the Titanomachy, it’s said that Cronus and all his brothers were placed in Tartarus, but given the importance of Selene, Eos, and Helios during Zeus’ role, i just can’t imagine that Hyperion was one of the Titans sent to Tartarus.

i don’t think he would’ve actively supported Cronus towards the end (i mean, he was very clearly insane and needed to be deposed), but i think at the same time, he would’ve been reluctant to oppose Cronus, given how powerful Cronus was. and again, there’s that conflict with the fact that it was Cronus who freed the Titans from Ouranos, so i guess things aren’t really that black and white for Hyperion.

if Hyperion did fight for Cronus, i think he would have done so only out of obligation (because Cronus is the king, and he defeated Ouranos).

THEIA

Theia’s the eldest of her sisters, and i think she has always been a bit of a natural-born leader.

i think she gets along best with Rhea ^-^

but while Rhea is a little more level-headed, i think Theia can be louder and more hot-headed, with a quicker temper.

given that she is the goddess “who endowed gold, silver and gems with their brilliance and intrinsic value ”, i think it’s a fair hc to say that she enjoys jewellery and pretty, shiny things, but, in saying that, i don’t think she could be bought over with gifts.

i think Theia is more strong-willed than Hyperion, and i think she is best reflected in Selene who takes after her the most.

i imagine Selene to be very graceful and elegant- willing to fight, but only once she’s carefully understood her opponents and her situation.

in the Theogony, Hesiod writes that all the Titans were hesitant about killing Ouranos, except Cronus who stood up and rallied them, and while i think Rhea was the first to agree with Cronus, i think Theia supported him next. but!! she wouldn’t have ever supported him during the Titanomachy- i think she would have taken Zeus’ side, if she was involved in the fighting.

also, this isn’t really relevant i guess, but i really like the idea that Theia’s weapon of choice is a whip. like one of those ones made out of a chain with the sharp blades at the end, so that it sparkles as it slices through the air. i just think it’d be neat :D

COEUS

alright, now, strictly speaking, Coeus doesn’t have much of a mythology- he’s pretty much only known as the father of Asteria (mother of Hecate) and Leto, and the guy who ruled in the North when Cronus first became king.

BUT!! very interestingly, in the Argonautica, it’s said that Coeus was thrown into Tartarus after the Titanomachy along with his bros, but he went insane and tried to escape, but Cerberus, being the good guard-dog he is, caught him and sent him back.

anyways, i think this is very interesting because none of the other Titans are really given such a myth.. i mean, none of the other Titans went so insane that they tried to escape from Tartarus (at least, not that I know of).

this myth fits in with my hc that Coeus has the least will/strength-of-mind from all the Titans.

to be honest though, in the same way that i don’t like the idea of Hyperion being sent to Tartarus, i don’t really like that Coeus would have been sent there either. his daughters are Asteria and Leto, and both of them must have been loved by Zeus.

Asteria’s daughter is Hecate, whom Hesiod says was honoured by Zeus above all others. so while Asteria isn’t listed as one of Zeus’ lovers, i think he had a lot of respect for her.

Leto, as we all know, was Zeus’ sixth wife and the mother of his beloved Apollo and Artemis, so there’s no doubt that he loved her.

and so, in light of this, i just can’t imagine that Coeus’ daughters didn’t appeal to Zeus and ask him to have mercy on Coeus, because if they didn’t plead for him, this might imply that they didn’t feel pity for him, which further implies that they might not have loved him as a father at all. and the natural conclusion of such a sentiment is that Coeus really wasn’t much of a father to them- and if that’s the case, then that means that NONE of Gaia’s Titan sons (except Oceanus) were good fathers. and idk, that just doesn’t sit well with me.

why is it that only the goddesses were spared? are they somehow naturally always gonna be on the hero’s side because they’re female? are the gods always gonna be on the villain’s side because they’re male... “boys stick together”? idk it’s dumb.

that’s why i like the idea that Asteria and Leto must have pleaded for him- i think he was a good father, and they did love him. did Zeus listen? i guess that’s another story.

but i do like the idea that Coeus didn’t really want to be on Cronus’ side, it’s just that he was scared of the consequences of opposing him- Coeus is regarded as the titan of “rational intelligence”, and if you ask me, it’d be pretty rational to not want to fight against a psycho when you have a family to think about.

also, i know it’s not a part of the actual myths, but i do like the idea that Coeus was a titan of magic/witchcraft as well, because that might explain where Hecate gets her abilities from.

PHOEBE

Phoebe is Coeus’ wife, and she’s also the titan goddess of prophetic wisdom.

once again, there really isn’t much lore for her beyond the idea that she was the oracle before Apollo.

this isn’t in the myths, but my hc is that Asteria and Leto represent Coeus and Phoebe’s domains- so while Coeus’ magic gets passed down to Asteria and then to Hecate, Phoebe’s prophetic powers are transferred to Leto and then to Apollo.

so, although, it’s not supported by the myths, i hc that Leto had prophetic powers as well, it just might have not been as strong as Phoebe’s or Apollo’s.

anyways, back to Phoebe- i think that the best word to describe Phoebe would be “sweet”. i think she’s very kind, and generous, and mild-mannered, where most of her sisters are a little more.. wild.

i don’t think she’s much of a fighter, nor is she devious or scheming. she’s really just quite innocent.

CRIUS

Crius is another Titan without much mythology.. his main role is as an ancestor of the gods, and apparently as the first to observe the constellations, thus why he was known as the titan of the constellations. which is pretty cool IMO.

i personally imagine Crius to be very intelligent and smart. i think, given his domain, he really enjoys stargazing <3

for the most part, he’s a very level-headed, calm, and reasonable guy, but i think he’s also quite aloof, and not very vocal about his emotions.

i think that he’s pretty comfortable with bending his morals to suit the bigger picture, and that’s why i think he does actively support Cronus during the Titanomachy (hence why he gets sent to Tartarus).

i don’t think he really cares for pranks or jokes. in a sense, he is very similar to Oceanus, and from all their siblings, i think growing up, he gave Oceanus the least amount of trouble.

Crius’ children are Pallas, Perses, and Astraeus.

i’d imagine that Crius has control over the stars and the constellations, and is capable of what i’d call “celestial magic”. and i think this ability is inherited by Perses, who becomes the father of Hecate by Asteria, and that’s how the magic gets passed down to Hecate, and why Hecate is so revered as the ultimate magic goddess.

just as i said earlier that Phoebe and Coeus aren’t really fighters, i don’t think Crius is a fighter either. he’s more of a strategist, and would rely on magic rather than using actual swords and stuff.

anyways, enough about the Titanomachy!! i think my third favourite pairing after Cronus x Rhea, and Oceanus x Tethys, is Crius x Eurybia!

there is no mythology concerning how they met or how they were married, but i like the idea that for most of her life, Eurybia was raised by Gaia and Pontus away from the rest of the Titans,, but Gaia, who is more risk-taking than Pontus, understood that Eurybia wouldn’t stay with them forever, so eventually Eurybia starts leaving their home more often and she goes out exploring the world.

and on one of these occasions, she stumbles into a forest in the South, which is part of Crius’ domain, and that’s where they meet for the first time.

i think that Eurybia is always more at ease with her feelings than Crius, and she’s very vocal about it,, which would make for a good comedy routine with the more conservative Crius, who’s less willing to let emotions rule his head, but under the guidance of love, eventually opens up more <3

+EURYBIA

Eurybia is not one of the 12 Titans, but she is the daughter of Gaia and Pontus, AND Crius’ wife, and i really like my idea of her so i’m including her here ^-^

in Hesiod’s Theogony, he describes Eurybia as having “a heart of flint within her”, which is a really cool idea!!! she’s also described as the goddess of “mastery over the seas”, which refers to the things that control the sea like the winds, and the Moon, etc.

her name also means “wide-forced”, so i imagine her to be a very headstrong and free-willed goddess.

because her father is Pontus (the sea), and she also has some control over the sea, i imagine her to be a little unpredictable, like the sea. i think she has moments where she can fly into an intense rage, or she could be absolutely calm.

i like this idea because she becomes almost the antithesis of Crius. where Crius is more calm and rational, Eurybia is more passionate and unpredictable. i think they balance each other out very nicely.

strictly speaking, Eurybia probably was not thrown into Tartarus at the end of the Titanomachy, but i hc that she was.

i think during the Titanomachy, she would have sided with Crius, and she would have fought on his side because she loved him and would have supported him in anything that he did (also once again, i don’t like the idea that Cronus only had the support of his bros, and that only the guys got thrown into Tartarus :/).

Astraeus is Eos’ husband, and Pallas is Styx’s husband, and both Eos and Styx, on many occasions in the actual myths, have been evidenced to be on Zeus’ side. so, although in reality, Pallas at the very least probably would’ve been on Cronus’ side (since, in the Theogony, Styx takes her children to Zeus first, and Pallas isn’t really mentioned), i like the idea that Astraeus and Pallas both fought on Zeus’ side instead, and escaped punishment.

which makes things tricky for Eurybia, because some of her sons are on one side, and then her husband and her other son are on the other side- what’s she supposed to do?

Eurybia is too headstrong to simply be passive and sit back and let her boys fight, so i think first she fights on Crius’ side, but then she also fights to save Astraeus and Pallas when they get into trouble.

i think she accepts that her children have grown up and made their decisions, but she also understands that she will always be their mother, and she will never bear them any resentment for fighting against their father.

also, one of Pallas’ children is named “Bia”, and i’d like to think that he named her after his mum <3

i think “Bia” is Crius’ nickname for Eurybia <3

IAPETUS

i hc Iapetus to be the supreme troublemaker amongst the Titans.

i think he has served as the largest source of headaches experienced by Oceanus when the Titans were young >:)

Iapetus loves jokes i think. he loves pranks.. all kinds of humour. he’s more street smart than book smart, and actually i think if he was trying to study, he’d lose focus after 2 minutes. but call him to participate in a prank? the guy is coming up with plans like a general preparing a war campaign.

i think as the second youngest of Gaia’s Titan sons, Iapetus has always gotten along the best with Cronus. prepare for trouble, and make it double :)

this is specific, but i’ve got this idea that when they were young, Iapetus and Cronus decided to slip some dye into Themis and Hyperion’s basins, so when they washed their hair, Themis’ hair turned pink, and Hyperion’s turned green,, but Oceanus caught Iapetus and Cronus and forced them to wash out the dye as punishment ^-^

anyways, what i’m saying is that Iapetus and Cronus have always been the closest of brothers.

i also think that Iapetus hates people who boast about themselves, or act as though they’re superior to everyone else, so he’s never really gotten along with Themis (who i imagine to be a little vain- more on that later), and that’s why he likes to play pranks on her (to irritate her).

Iapetus has five children- Prometheus, Atlas, Anchiale, Menoetius, and Epimetheus- by the Oceanid Asia... but i think that from all of them, Prometheus is the most like Iapetus.

i think Prometheus shares Iapetus’ mischievousness and his wit, which is exactly what causes him to end up being chained to a rock with eagles eating his liver :///

back to Iapetus though- i think he values loyalty a lot. so, during the Titanomachy, there is absolutely no question about him siding with Cronus- Cronus is his brother, and his King.. he set them free from Ouranos, and he even sacrificed his own children for the sake of peace, and, messed up as it is, i think Iapetus is pretty moved by that.

i think Cronus always had more guts than the rest of the Titans, and Iapetus always admired that,, which is why he supports Cronus till the end,, and i imagine he must have been really disappointed in Prometheus when he learnt that Prometheus had sided with Zeus :(

THEMIS

okay so in the above section i said that i hc Themis to be a little vain.

now by “vain”,, i don’t mean that she was a narcissist or that she was arrogant,, but i think sometimes her siblings,, especially Iapetus,, would mistake her advice and counsel as sounding a bit self-righteous.

Themis is the goddess of divine law and order,, so essentially- justice. and i think that from all the Titans, she has the purest sense of right and wrong, and she’s incredibly wise and sensible.

so for the Titans that tend to bend the rules a little- like Cronus and Iapetus, sometimes her advice doesn’t go down too well.

additionally, justice isn’t always what we want it to be- it’s not always nice, and it’s not always pleasant, and sometimes it doesn’t feel fair. and Themis embodies that concept, which is why she doesn’t always get along with her siblings (to clarify though- none of the Titans hate each other!! they’re still siblings, and they love each other, pre-Titanomachy).

as an individual though, i think Themis is very outspoken. she’s very loud, and i think she is just a little judgemental.

it’s said that Themis had oracular powers, and that when Cronus became King, he made her the oracle- and i like that idea, it makes sense.

although Themis can be harsh, she always gives good advice and wise counsel, and only a complete dumbass would hear her words and choose not to heed them.

during the Titanomachy, Themis undoubtedly sides with Zeus. and after that, i think she continues to serve Olympus with her wisdom and judgement.

this isn’t strictly related to anything, but in Egyptian mythology, the goddess of justice is Ma’at, and i love the idea of Themis and Ma’at hanging out together, doing social justice things... awesome ^-^

MNEMOSYNE

finally, Mnemosyne <3

“Mnemosyne” is such a lengthy name, so i have this hc that her siblings call her “Mnemo” instead (like, Nemo) :D

anyways, Mnemosyne is the titan of memory, and her children are the Muses, who pretty much embody every aspect of the Arts, and i think that really hints at Mnemosyne’s character.

i hc Mnemosyne to be extremely gifted at pretty much everything.

but, even though she knows that she’s really gifted, she isn’t the kind of person to show off about it. she’s always gracious and willing to teach others her talents.

i think she has a really superb voice, and when the Titans were young, i think she might’ve sung for her younger siblings.

Mnemosyne is also a little feisty i think. she’s short-tempered, but in saying that, i think it’s difficult to make her angry.

again, a kinda random hc here but i really like the idea that Mnemosyne’s weapon of choice is a battle-axe. i mean, she’s this sweet, kind-looking goddess, but she’s swinging her battle-axe and is about to wreak real havoc. it’s great ^-^

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mistaeq · 4 years

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Tuesday, 29th December

Greek Mythology!Duwang Gang AU: Headcanons

TW // sliiight nsfw-ish or non-con hints in dionysus' part. come on it's dionysus.

Today I offer you these babies. Tomorrow who knows. Hope you enjoy, I had fun with writing these.♡

Greek Mythology AU: Duwang Gang Headcanons. [includes: Higashikata Josuke, Nijimura Okuyasu, Kujo Jotaro, Hirose Koichi, Yamagishi Yukako, Kishibe Rohan]

WORD COUNT: 2k

HIGASHIKATA JOSUKE as APOLLO

Seen as the most beautiful god, Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, music and dance, truth and prophecy, healing and diseases, the Sun and light, poetry, and more. One of the most important and complex of the Greek gods, he is the son of Zeus (Joseph) and brother of Artemis (Holly). As the protector of young, Apollo is concerned with the health and education of children.

He's seen every early morning, on his chariot, to bring the sunlight up in the sky, all over the Olympus. Josuke's the dream of many nymphs, who look at him from afar, singing songs for the god with their sweet voices, a sound so sweet, a sound so celestial... which is covered up by Apollo's voice fucking around the Olympus with young Dionysus (Okuyasu), pulling pranks on Poseidon (Jotaro) or getting drunk.

You're the most envied creature out of everyone in the Olympus, because Josuke only has eyes for you. Envious nymphs stare at you, and comment on you, trying to convince themselves that they're way better than you are.

"Don't listen to their envy and their insults, they don't know how to cope with the fact that I have clear preferences..." he'd say, caressing your cheek and neck. "This is what poisons relationships and romances... envy... jealousy... but we don't have these useless problems, do we, love...?"

His relationship with other gods on the Olympus is usually fine, but it's not like he cares about hiding his feelings. Almost everyone who knows Josuke, will get to know after not even a week that the god is crushing on you, and that he wants to marry you. You sure hope he's not gonna behave the same way he did to Daphne...

It seems that he has healing powers, and if you happen to not to be a deity, he'll gladly use them on you, Josuke wouldn't forgive himself if anything happened to you.

NIJIMURA OKUYASU as DIONYSUS

Surely not known for his capability to reasonate, Dionysus was the ancient god of wine, fertility, ritual madness, theater, and ecstasy. The god is shown to be a beardless, sensuous, naked or semi-naked youth. Though Dionysus was mostly a kind and generous deity, he could be cruel when he needed it. For some reason, Aphrodite (Yukako) doesn't want to get close to him. She looks scared.

He doesn't do much, during the day. Let's say his favourite thing are feasts. Not really chaste ones, to be completely true. Okuyasu's mind is almost totally hedonistic, and won't feel guilty just because he spent a day watching dancing maenads and had fun teasing them with his Thyrsus instead of caring about whatever mortal dude needed him on Earth. Most of the time he's drunk, but Josuke has his back for some reason.

Many say they don't envy you for being the god's favourite creature, but you don't really care. You enjoy lying down with Okuyasu, caught in a ecstatic feeling as he turns you on with his touch and teaseful words whispered at you.

"Tell me, is it embarrassing for you to be the only one to lie beside me during feasts?" He'd run his lustful gaze and hand all over your body as he asks so, and smirk a little. "No? It isn't...? Sounds like you really like it instead, to be completely honest. Good... really good, in fact. Kiss me now."

He doesn't really have a brilliant relationship with other deities, apart from Apollo. He sometimes sees Echo (Koichi), but not much more. Still, everyone knows it when he has someone he's interested in. The man becomes possessive, Okuyasu will make sure everyone knows you're his. He might give a demonstration during feasts.

He likes to feed you grapes, and in case you liked wine, Okuyasu would want to hold the glass for you as you drink. He likes to do this for you, and you don't mind letting him.

KUJO JOTARO as POSEIDON

Poseidon is the violent and ill-tempered god of the sea. He is nowadays known exclusively as a sea god, but in ancient times, he may have been the god of the earth and fertility or even the supreme god of the sky. His huge height and strength come from his Titan parents, Cronus and Rhea. What he can't acquire with romance and gentleness, he does with violence and craftiness.

He sometimes uses the sea as a coping mechanism for his tiring life. Jotaro doesn't find his ocean so bad to be in, he concentrates and spends his time doing stuff gods... do? What does he really do, is not clear? Apollo and Dionysus tried to stick their heads into the water to spy on him several times, without any result. It's not like he's so happy when mortals need his help, but he can't pull back from his duty.

Poseidon probably noticed you because you weren't bugging him for pointless stuff. He likes pleasures too, like most of the deities do really, he just needs to find the right creature for him. Jotaro doesn't enjoy partners who talk too much.

"Don't worry about being a bother for me. You're the first one who isn't truly bothering me, I take it as a goal by now." he'd say, after he closed you in a bubble in order to bring you under the sea with him. "I never dare to show my realm to people who I judge as annoying, remember that."

It's not like he doesn't have a good relationship with other deities, he basically doesn't really care. He'll just be happy with being under the ocean whenever he feels Josuke and Okuyasu approaching, or not to be there during Apollo and Calliope (Rohan) debates. Give him some deserved peace and an ocean and he'll be grateful forever.

If Jotaro lets you in his private place which is the ocean, consider yourself special for him, for he hates having people there, above all people who are there for him purposely.

HIROSE KOICHI as ECHO

Echo is a mountain nymph, or oread. The myth says that Echo offended the goddess Hera by keeping her in conversation, in order to prevent her from spying on one of Zeus' lovers. To punish him, Hera deprived him of speech, except for the ability to repeat the last words of another. Because of this, his good heart is often misunderstood, but he managed to be appreciated nonetheless.

Koichi would rather have no conversations, for he's not able to say nothing more than the last words his interlocutor said. But he's down to make people understand what he wants to say, by writing it down or through gestures. Apollo approached him once, and brought Dionysus along. He doesn't know how to feel about hanging with gods, but since his issue isn't a problem to them, he'll keep them around. Until they misbehave...

When he gets to know you and notices you aren't willing to exclude him for he doesn't talk properly, his heart melts. Echo wants to spend most of his time with you now, since you make him feel comfortable about the problem Hera caused him.

"I love you, I love you, love you, love you, you, you..." he'd repeat, after you told him that. When he wants to say something like this, you say it for him, so that he can repeat it and say it as well. "You're important to me... important to me... important to me... to me... to me... me..."

Look, he's trying his best, really. Deities aren't known for their inclusive ways, and when he asked you if it was because of his past, you quickly said it wasn't. Nobody cared about it there. Deities were like that with every nymph. Echo had a chance to build up a good relationship with Calliope (Rohan). The muse taught him a lot.

He has fun bringing you to places where your voice echoes, to make you judge who does it better between him and the nature. Needless to say, Koichi always wins.

YAMAGISHI YUKAKO as APHRODITE

Aphrodite was known primarily as a goddess of sexual love, beauty, fertility and even occasionally presided over marriage. Even prostitutes considered Aphrodite their patron. She's had many mortal lovers, and none of them should have ever dared to make her upset. She won't be down for forgiveness, she's really never been. Still, Aphrodite found herself often in trouble due to her personality.

Differently from many other deities, Yukako's real fun consisted in watching humans' love stories bloom and wither. Sometimes she was the reason, sometimes she wasn't. Mortals were so easy to play with. It was when she thought that playing gods was just as simple, that she got caught into a trap. Since that mistake, she decided she would have been amused enough to be happy by mortals' love stories.

Oh, Aphrodite's so used to creatures - above all gods - who tried to stick around her for her body only, so that when you give an appreciation for her intelligence, she'll remember it and love you forever. It's like you signed up a free trial to be loved.

"You know, it's difficult to make me feel love so strong I don't even think about the lustful part... but apparently you managed to do so..." she'd say, sitting in the calm forest as she hands you a flower. "It's good to know someone doesn't love you for your body only but for yourself as well."

Yukako's relationship with other deities and creatures is just... ambiguous? She may never judge what's behind everyone's gaze. Hatred? Love? Lust? Who knows. All she knows, is that the only sight of Dionysus makes the ground under her feet disappear in fear. Compared to him, she'll just be fine in everyone else's company.

Everything she does, it's for the good. If it happens to harm you, Yukako definitely didn't mean it. It'll be enough to tell her, and believe me, it won't happen again.

KISHIBE ROHAN as CALLIOPE

In Greek mythology Calliope is the muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry. He's called the "Chief of all Muses". He's down to help every literate artist who needs him, gives inspiration and guides the mortals' talented hands, as far as they deserve his power. Calliope's used to be mentioned, and might happen to get upset if not. Even if he's only halfway a deity, he's known for his confidence.

The most famous out of the Muses, Rohan won't forgive anyone who's never heard about him before. He can be seen around Echo a lot lately, since he found the nymph's story interesting and won't hold back from inspiring a mortal with writing about what happened to Koichi. He's used to collect creatures' stories, in order to be written by someone who's talented enough to talk about them properly.

He probably got interested in your story first. Then, for some reason he grew possessive of it. Calliope won't let a mortal put their filthy hands on a story so pure. Let the Muse be the only one who can properly love you.

"This story of yours is so beautiful, I can never have enough... and it's mine only, is it, y/n? Is it?" he'd ask him forever until you answer yes, he'll find no peace at all. "Let me get inspiration from you. Let me be the only one who can properly appreciate your life... just like you deserve."

His relationship with other creatures and deities is... rather good? Rohan's used to have debates and discussions with Josuke, and most of the time they just disagree. Though, many envy his capability of being so creative and smart, mortal writers ask for his help several times. Aphrodite and him sometimes fight over Echo.

He'd write lots of poetries in order to edulcorate your feelings towards him and make you forgive him for his excessive possessiveness. Rohan often succeeds.

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antiloreolympus · 3 years

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8 Anti LO Asks

1. It doesn’t really make sense for a long term comic such as LO to have such a drastic change in the artstyle, and even more you can’t really call it an improvement when all the interesting parts of the art style are now gone and all that it is now it’s just some basic same-face and body art style with barely any backgrounds. RS is incredibly talented for illustrative artwork and it’s really a shame she’s not doing that anymore and instead has left it to her team, with leaving them very messy sketches. The artstyle in the beginning had life and glamour and now it’s just very dull and boring. That’s not an improvement

2. I genuinely can’t think of any man in LO that’s even half way decent. Poseidon maybe? Hephaestus? Those are the only two I can manage, meanwhile the rest are either Rachel purposely ruining them because of her own biases (Zeus, Apollo, Thanatos to an extent) or are “good” men who are just creeps who disrespect all the women around them and are super creepy and obsessed over a literal teenager who acts like a child (Hades, Ares, Hermee, Eros, etc). The women aren’t much better either.

3. About Perse making Hades childish: (this is no way defending him, just some speculation, and tbh I doubt that RS has thought this through haha) I wonder if he becomes a horny teenager around her because she’s a goddess of fertility? Would that have any affect on him? Doesn’t excuse his creepy ass behavior, but could explain it a bit, I guess?

4. Okay so I'll be honest I dont really see any reason to 'simp' over Any of the LO characters?

Also, not to start sh*t, but - I think part of the reason why some of the LO fandom does not like Zeus (and perhaps gives Hera more leeway - at least in terms of cheating) is because:

Mythologically Zeus is a known cheater / rapist (Io for example, or Semele)

They see Hera cheating a Zeus as okay (its not) because he's been known to cheat on her in the past / fans see Hera cheating on Zeus with Hades as 'justified revenge' for what he's (Zeus) put her through

I'll be honest I dont really see Zeus (or Hades for that matter) as good rulers because

Despite other deities (like Eros) doing 'acts of wrath' - they get away with it because they often have someone to back them up (like Aphrodite offering to sleep with Zeus to get her son out of trouble) - but the one time Persephone does something wrong (an act of wrath) - Zeus wants to give her the Prometheus treatment - mainly so he can feel like an in control king whos subjects respect him

The reason this sound so odd is because of RS writing choices. Zeus is a grade A d*ck who is willing to destroy a 'young girls promising career' because she made 1 mistake that one time. But at the same time the act of wrath is framed oddly because Demeter doesn't want her daughter to get in trouble so she covers it up (its like the equivalent of hiding a murder from the cops).

Zeus wanting to Prometheus Kore seems overly harsh because she is a Child. (Well a teenager) - so it adds to the "Zeus is a d*ck" card, because she doesnt have the life experience to "get away with" stuff like the other deities because she is young AND sheltered.

Like again, the whole concept of Human Laws applying to Gods is so confusing:

Would Zeus have been this harsh if Demeter had simply come forward in the first place about Persephone's murder rampage? Why did she blackmail / get other deities involved to cover it up? Is Zeus THAT much of a d*ck in Demeters eyes that she knows he would harshly punish a child for something "she didnt mean to do" (killed mortals based on a feeling?)

Why is there a motherf*cking trial in the first place? Do All the other deities get the right to a fair trial or is this a special case? (Like can any deity just offer to sleep with Zeus and he'll let them off the hook?). If the other deities had commited the same crime would the trial / punishment be the same or does Zeus just have a rage boner because he was lied to? If thats the case then why are the other deities taking Persephones side during the trial? (Ares I can maybe understand cause hes the God of War and stuff but everyone else is taking Perse's side because their either her personal friend or family member (Hecate, Hermes, Demeter, Hades etc).

Why are there certain laws like "Zeus cant get to Persephone because she has clemency in the underworld" but other deities - including Leto, Demeter and others (like Perse's nymph family) can just stroll into Hades house? Why is Hermes still on house arrest? Why are Hades + Persephone throwing a house party when shes on trial for scythe crimes??!!!

Why are the gods bound by such petty squabbles?

The way RS set up the governing "laws" in universe just doesnt make a whole lotta sense. Also, sorry this got ramblely.

5. Tbh i don’t think that Hades acting differently when he’s with Persephone is a bad thing, as a concept. But there are many issues with this such as the fact that Persephone is barely legal and Hades act like an actual child around her. Obviously when you’re with someone they are going to act different than they do when they are at work. The problem is that Hades essentially goes from the “cold-scary king” to a 17 year old hormonal boy when he’s with Persephone. And him making out with her in a middle of a store or them golfing with diamonds or him making out with Persephone again in front of his workplace is not exactly acceptable behaviour from a king. If Hades acts all lovey-dovey with Persephone when their at their home together it’s different, but when they’re at a public place they can’t really do that. I would say that he has to keep a status about him but from what we’ve seen all the citizens of the underworld hate him and don’t respect him at all, from yelling at him to actually fighting with him, so idk how much status there is actually attached to him

6. I swear, the majority of the “cute” HxP moments in LO just seem like a single father dealing with his hyperactive 8 year old over the supposed future intimidating rulers who Rachel is obsessed about talking and drawing their sex life. Is it really that hard to depict Persephone even acting like a smart teenager at the very least, as opposed to an airhead grade schooler? It doesn’t scream cute to me, it seems more like a father/daughter relationship. It’s just weird.

7. i mean, i have a LO oc who's persephone's brother (fertility god) between demeter and zeus. dude got thrown into tartyrus to cover up the affair and now serves cronus. he was the god of summer, and my reasoning was demeter's seasons/harvest + summer thunderstorms. wrote a whole minific i will never post about him and persephone realizing everyone around them are assholes and healing together. so the mistress-of-zeus oc isnt that weird.

8. I’m not a Zeus stan by any means, but I do find him one of the most interesting characters, and one that RS has, in her attempts to make him be the worst ever to make Hades look better, actually way more interesting and compelling than the majority of the cast. He doesn’t lie or whine to the audience he’s some good person like Hades when he’s not, he owns that he’s a dick and doesn’t bullshit the audience into thinking he’s someone he’s not. RS tries to show us he’s a “bad” king, yet we see no proof it beyond what, he wants to uphold the law P broke and doesnt kiss Hades’ butt? That’s not a bad king, it’s a good one that he doesn’t let family ties or lust cloud his judgement, unlike Hades or Hera, for example. I don’t condone his cheating either, but it’s not fair to hate him for it, but love it that Hades cheated on Minthe so he could get into a teenager’s skirt and praise Hera for sleeping with her brother in law while punishing Zeus’ mistresses because she’s being a fake “loyal” wife. Just because he’s a deeply flawed, even a bad person doesn’t make him a bad character. Hades and Hera and even Persephone are awful people who do worse than Zeus, yet they’re loved and praised for it, all while being written with the depth of a puddle.

#anti lo #anti lore olympus #lore olympus critical #lo critical

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timothypines · 4 years

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The Fire of Achilles (Essay)

“He was like a flame himself. He glittered, drew eyes.” (pg. 43, Miller) Throughout the novel The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller and the epic poem The Iliad, Achilles is often compared to fire. In The Iliad he is referred to as “brilliant Achilles”—meaning to sparkle with light or luster; however, this comparison is not always positive, as the destructive side of fire is not forgotten when describing his unstoppable rage. The double-sided nature of fire perfectly encapsulates Achilles. The brightness and openness he emulates, much like the welcoming of a controlled fire, attracts the soldiers to him, while uncontrolled his rage can destroy armies like a forest fire pushed by rushing wind. But while most people can only see the war in him, the rage in him, he would never have gotten as far as he had without his gentle warmth.

The Song of Achilles shows much more of the softer side of Achilles’ flame, however, I do not think this makes Madeline Miller’s interpretation any more or less correct in the characterization of Achilles; rather, it deepens what is shown to us in The Iliad. In the early moments of the book (The Song of Achilles), it is shown that just as Achilles speaks his mind freely and absolutely, he expects the same from all others; this leads to him being overly trusting in many ways. “He said what he meant; he was puzzled if you did not. Some people might have mistaken this for simplicity. But is it not a sort of genius to cut always to the heart?” (pg. 44, Miller). This is seen in The Iliad also, in his rage against Agamemnon when the king refused to return the priest’s daughter after the priest offered ransom. Most would never speak such things against a king, but he did not fear a thing, no, he was completely honest with Agamemnon, reminding the king that it was he who was needed, he who was asked to fight, “It wasn’t the Trojan spearmen who brought me here to fight. The Trojans never did me damage… we all followed you, to please you, to fight for you, to win your honor back from the Trojans.” (pg. 82, Book 1: The Rage of Achilles, Homer). Yes, the dishonoring of him is what causes this great rage, but his honesty is part of that too. But even though this rage appears to come from unbreakable pride, I feel that it came not from a place of pride, but rather rage at Agamemnon for not being at all reasonable. While he keeps his honor close to him, he is not prideful of his abilities. “‘I will be the best warrior of my generation.’ It sounded like something a child would claim, in make-believe. But he said it as simply as if he were giving his name.” (pg. 38, Miller). In this sense, I agree with Miller’s interpretation of Achilles’ feeling in this moment and how even though his honor is important to him, he is not particularly prideful. This rage, I feel, comes more from a great feeling of unfairness, which Achilles seems to value more than anyone else in the army. Agamemnon made the mistake of not returning the priest’s daughter, out of his unyielding pride, and now he is unwilling to admit to his mistake and is instead punishing Achilles, who was the only one trying to end the great plague. I am in no way saying that Achilles’ actions to call the gods to punish the entire army so relentlessly were justified, however, his feelings of rage toward Agamemnon cannot be blamed on just himself, and therefore, neither can the punishment that falls upon the army.

It seems silly to try to talk about Achilles and leave out what he loves most. Now, in The Iliad, before we get to the aftermath of the death of Patroclus, it could be fair to assume that what Achilles loves most is his honor; damage to his honor is what caused him to call for the army’s suffering and destruction, the very army he had been fighting with for nine years. However, it is very clear that after the death of Patroclus that it is he whom he loves most. Once Patroclus has died, Achilles does not care to act honorably, he does not care if Agamemnon apologizes, he simply wants the person who took his love from him to suffer. Even his own life does not seem precious to him anymore. For the brief moments that Patroclus is shown in the epic, his character is made very clear. He appears to be kind, gentle, to carry himself with a strong grace. No one has ill-will towards him; he is a good man universally in the eyes of the kings and soldiers. This is what makes his death so impactful. This version of Patroclus that we see in The Iliad I feel is lacking when reading The Song of Achilles. In the epic, Patroclus can fight, he is quite good at it and it does not feel a surprise, “And then and there the Achaeans might have taken Troy, her towering gates toppling under Patroclus’ power heading the vanguard, storming on with his spear.” (pg. 435, Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies, Homer). The Patroclus we find in The Song of Achilles is awkward, unwilling to fight, even just before this moment at Troy, “The wheels gave a little lurch, and I staggered, my spears rattling. ‘Balance them,’ he told me. ‘It will be easier.’ Everyone waited as I awkwardly transferred one spear to my left hand, swiping my helmet askew as I did so.” (pg. 327, Miller) When reading The Iliad, I felt none of this from Patroclus. While it may have been surprising that he ended up at the wall of Troy, it certainly wasn’t surprising that he had fought and fought well. I will say that both works made it heart-wrenching to see Patroclus slaughtering people, however, the epic held more integrity than the novel had. This can especially be seen when Patroclus and Hector meet on the battlefield. This is the interaction we get from The Iliad, “‘Hector! Now is your time to glory to the skies… now the victory is yours. A gift of the son of Cronus, Zeus—Apollo too—they brought me down with all their deathless ease, they are the ones who tore the armor off my back… You came third, and all you could do was finish off my life…” (pg. 440, Book 16: Patroclus Fights and Dies, Homer). And this is what we get from The Song of Achilles, “He is coming to kill me. Hector… He must live because his life, I think as I scrape backwards over the grass, is the final dam before Achilles’ own blood will flow. Desperately, I turn to the men around me and scrabble at their knees. Please, I croak. Please.” (pg. 334-335, Miller). Although Achilles’ stubbornness killed both versions of Patroclus, at least in The Iliad Patroclus died strong in himself, while the Patroclus from The Song of Achilles died a shell, lacking any self, just filled with thoughts of the fire that is Achilles.

One thing that no version of the story could ever take away is how much Achilles loves Patroclus (even if they decide to make them simply cousins for some reason). It is devastating to read Achilles discover that his lover is dead; this is not lacking in either version of the war. Something I especially enjoyed from The Song of Achilles is how much more deeply Miller built the relationship. While reading I could really tell that Patroclus was Achilles’ heart; he was the only one who was immune to Achilles’ rage and the only one who had a chance of getting through to him. “I had found a way through the endless corridors of his pride and fury. I would save the men; I would save him from himself.” (pg. 325, Miller). The building of their relationship before this moment where Patroclus begs for Achilles to fight made for a deeper understanding as to why, after so long, after so much suffering of the Achaeans, Achilles was willing to do something to help, no matter what that was. In The Iliad we are given a mention of how close they are and that is supposed to reason Achilles’ willingness to bend slightly. This deeper understanding of their relationship also makes Achilles’ reaction to Patroclus’ death all the more painful to watch happen and his actions during the beginning of his morning also make more sense to the reader.

Achilles’ relationship with the war of Troy is somehow both extremely complicated and overly simple. It is complicated in terms of what he should bring into the war, what he owes Menelaus and Agamemnon, and how fate plays into it all. It is simple, however, when it comes to him having to perform the act of war itself. I feel that what Miller added to the story regarding this area really deepened and strengthened Achilles’ character; she really tried to show the struggle in Achilles when he was dealing with all of these complexities that came with the politics of the war, between both the mortals and gods. This is the war he was fated to have such a large part of; he was to kill the Trojan’s greatest hero, Hector. But fate isn’t the only thing forcing him to back and fight in the war against Troy, the Achaean kings he fights along side with also feel entitled to him and his abilities. In the end, however, Achilles does not feel attached to the war in actuality. “‘The Trojans never did me damage.’” (pg. 82, Book 1: The Rage of Achilles, Homer). He doesn’t hold any rage toward the Trojans, that is until Hector kills Patroclus, and even then, his true rage is only toward Hector, it is only the magnitude of it that takes down the mountains of Trojans he slaughters. He is in a war he was expected to be in simply because of that fact, he was expected to fight. When discussing the war with Patroclus, Patroclus asks if he is afraid to fight, Achilles answers, “‘No… This is what I was born for.’” (pg. 220, Miller). So, if he was fated to be in the war, the Achaeans can only win if he fights, and every Greek kingdom expects him to fight, then what does he owe to his fellow Greeks? To Menelaus and Agamemnon? Simply put, in reality he owes them nothing, his father doesn’t even force him to go, telling him it’s his choice (The Song of Achilles), however, the issue and complexity doesn’t come from what he actually owes the kings, but from what they believe he owes them. Here are two interactions between Achilles and Agamemnon from both works. “Agamemnon stepped forward. He opened his hands in a gesture of welcome and stood regally expectant, waiting for the bows, obeisance, and oaths of loyalty he was owed. It was Achilles’ place to kneel and offer them. He did not kneel. He did not call out a greeting to the great king, or incline his head or offer a gift. He did nothing but stand straight, chin proudly lifted, before them all. Agamemnon’s jaw tightened.” (pg. 194, Miller). “‘This soldier wants to tower over the armies, he wants to rule over all, to lord it over all, give out orders to every man in sight. Well, there’s one, I trust, who will never yield to him! What if the everlasting gods have made a spearman of him? Have they entitled him to hurl abuse at me?’

‘Yes!’—blazing Achilles broke in quickly— ‘What a worthless, burnt-out coward I’d be called if I would submit to you and all your orders, whatever you blurt out.’” (pg. 87, Book 1: The Rage of Achilles, Homer). It doesn’t just matter what Achilles feels he owes Agamemnon because the king feels he is owed not only Achilles’ spear, but his total loyalty and an oath of such.

Despite this complexity with his motivations and responsibility to fight, when it comes to the fighting itself, it is as simple as breathing for him. As told in The Song of Achilles, “What he lived for were the charges, a cohort of men thundering towards him. There, amidst twenty stabbing swords he could finally, truly fight… With a fevered impossible grace he fought off ten, fifteen, twenty-five men. This, at last, is what I can really do.” (pg. 240, Miller). The war wasn’t truly a conflict for him, the true war was in the politics of men and gods; this notion agrees with what is shown in the epic.

While the men in power may not particularly like Achilles, the soldiers of the Achaean army do indeed, from the very beginning (at least in the interpretation that is The Song of Achilles). Here is the moment he introduces himself to the entire army, “‘I am Achilles, son of Peleus, god-born, best of the Greeks,’ he said. ‘I have come to bring you victory.’ A second startled silence, then the men roared their approval. Pride became us—heroes were never modest.” (pg. 194, Miller). Miller choosing to have the soldiers have these types of feelings towards Achilles makes sense. Up until the moment he declares he will no longer fight for the Achaeans, he is their hero, the one they look to and follow; in a society that values glory and heroes above almost all else, second only to the gods, he most-likely would have been viewed that way by the general public, those uninvolved in politics. An example of how deep this goes is shown just before the war begins, as the Phthians are sailing towards Troy’s beaches, “We stood at the prow with Phoinix and Automedon, watching the shore draw closer. Idly, Achilles tossed and caught his spear. The oarsmen had begun to set their strokes by it, the steady, repetitive slap of wood against his palm.” (pg. 212, Miller). Even subconsciously the men are following Achilles’ spear.

Achilles isn’t the only person for whom Miller develops a good relationship with the common soldiers—this is done for Patroclus as well. I also agree with her decision to do this; it helps solidify the emotions the people feel toward Patroclus which are only mentioned and implied in The Iliad. Miller decided to make Patroclus a healer, “I developed a reputation, a standing in the camp. I was asked for, known for my quick hands and how little pain I caused… I began to surprise Achilles, calling out to these men as we walked through the camp. I was always gratified at how they would raise a hand in return, point to a scar that had healed over well.” (pg. 261, Miller). This use of his character makes sense in my mind when regarding the character shown to us in the epic; being a gentle and kind man. It also makes his motivations when trying to convince Achilles to fight all the more authentic, “All around me are men carrying fallen comrades, limping on makeshift crutches, or crawling through the sand, dragging broken limbs behind them. I know them—their torsos full of scars my ointments have packed and sealed.” (pg. 319, Miller). So, even though I do disapprove of Miller’s decision to make Patroclus seem too awkward and weak to fight, I cannot say her making a healer of Patroclus is without any merit.

“What has Hector ever done to me?” This phrase is echoed throughout The Song of Achilles, creating a sort of foreshadowing sprinkled throughout the novel. This sentiment rings familiar from The Iliad where he expresses that he holds no feelings of hatred nor resentment towards the Trojans. The role that Hector plays in The Song of Achilles is slightly different than seen in the epic, though this is unsurprising as the novel is from the perspective of Patroclus and therefore cannot show much of Hector. Despite the lack of Hector, however, Miller included moments that are reminiscent of what we saw of Hector in The Iliad. Here is a domestic moment shared between Hector and his family when he returns from fighting, “shining Hector reached down for his son—but the boy recoiled, cringing against his nurse’s full breast, screaming out at the sight of his own father, terrified by the flashing bronze, the horsehair crest, the great ridge of the helmet nodding, bristling terror—so it struck his eyes. And his loving father laughed, his mother laughed as well, and glorious Hector, quickly lifting the helmet from his head, set it down on the ground, fiery in the sunlight, and raising his son he kissed him,” (pg. 211, Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy, Homer). Now here is a moment between Achilles and Patroclus when Achilles is coming back from battle, “I woke to his nose on mine, pressing insistently against me as I struggled from the webbing of my dreams. He smelled sharp and strange, and for a moment I was almost revolted at this creature that clung to me and shoved its face against mine. But then he sat back on his heels and was Achilles again.” (pg. 222, Miller). These are two moments of domesticity between warriors, great heroes, and the loved ones they returned to. In these moments war is more real, and it is harder to separate the men on the field and the men that return home.

None the less, the phrase “what has Hector ever done to me?” is also meant to show Achilles’ active struggle against his fate that came with the war. He wants glory but is unwilling to make sacrifices to gain it. It is only once Hector does personally harm him by killing Patroclus that he does not care to avoid fate, in fact he does not care about glory or honor after this. In a way, it is Patroclus’ sacrifice that gives Achilles glory, which is ironic seeing as he does not fight for glory anymore, but revenge. This can be best seen in how he treats Hector’s body after he defeats him. “He rises at dawn to drag Hector’s body around the walls of the city for all of Troy to see. He does it again at midday, and again at evening. He does not see the Greeks begin to avert their eyes from him. He does not see the lips thinning in disapproval as he passes.” (pg. 346, Miller). “The memories flooded over him, live tears flowing, and now he’d lie on his side, now flat on his back, now facedown again. At last he’d leap to his feet, wander in anguish, aimless along the surf, and dawn on dawn flaming over the sea and shore would find him pacing. Then he’d yoke his racing team to the chariot-harness, lash the corpse of Hector behind the car for dragging and haul him three times round the dead Patroclus’ tomb, and then he’d rest again in his tents and leave the body sprawled facedown in the dust. But Apollo pitied Hector—dead man though he was—and warded all corruption off from Hector’s corpse…” (pg. 589, Book 24: Achilles and Priam, Homer). In The Song of Achilles the Greeks, and gods, are not pleased. In The Iliad the gods see this as a disgrace.

Where Achilles redeems himself greatly in The Iliad is not as significant in The Song of Achilles which left me extremely disappointed. The moment when Achilles is meant to show what a great character he is and how willing he is to forgive, even after such a significant loss, is in Book 24: Achilles and Priam. It is here when Priam and Achilles share a very vulnerable moment with each other in which they hold no contempt towards one another and the people they have taken from each other, but they cry, together, for the horrible losses they have endured in this long war. Miller makes this moment so much less vulnerable and emotional, making it feel significantly less important and character defining as it had been in the epic. Here is the moment as shared in The Iliad, “‘I put to my lips the hands of the man who killed my son.’ Those words stirred withing Achilles a deep desire to grieve for his own father. Taking the old man’s hand he gently moved him back. And overpowered by memory both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely for man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching before Achilles’ feet as Achilles wept himself, now for his father, now for Patroclus once again, and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house.” (pg. 605, Book 24: Achilles and Priam, Homer). And this is the very same interaction as written in The Song of Achilles, “‘…it is worth my life, if there is a chance my son’s soul may be at rest.’ Achilles’ eyes fill; he looks away so the old man will not see.” (pg. 350, Miller). In Miller’s version there is not even a mention of the agreement that is come to in the epic that allows Priam to host a full funeral for Hector. This left Achilles feeling cold and unfeeling, which goes completely against his entire characterization in both the novel and the epic. For me, the watering down and diminishing of the conversation between Achilles and Priam was the biggest misstep in Miller’s novel and was a major disappointment especially since I felt she characterized Achilles so well for the majority of the novel.

“His anger was incandescent, a fire under his skin.” (pg. 283, Miller) The comparing of Achilles to flame and fire strikes most true. He is never an emotionless man, never achieving a moment of utter stillness, instead he is always flickering under the surface. Even in times of calm he radiates warmth, and in times of great anger he rages in a great blaze. It is fire that is the perfect essence of Achilles. But this is what also makes him so controversial in the eyes of modern men. Some today still find themselves drawn to his wild flame and the brilliance of it, while others see the ash trails of his destruction and feel he is no good man, no hero. Achilles himself, I think, would agree with the sentiment that he isn’t a hero. In the end with Priam he felt shame for how he treated Hector’s body, his greatest love died because he couldn’t let go of his honor. In class people questioned why Achilles is remembered the hero and not Hector or Diomedes. I think Achilles achieved the fame he has because he is a good man who let his emotions drive him to do bad things, things looked down upon even in times of war. However, in the end, he redeems himself. He is a brilliant, shining character with intense emotions who manages to redeem himself—of course he has become the main hero of the story. Madeline Miller, in my opinion, did a very good job with the interpretation of his character, however, there were a few missteps with him and other things that were very important to his development. But despite these missteps, she has managed to bring Achilles’ light back into the lives of modern people, which is a wonderful thing. “As if he heard me, he smiled, and his face was like the sun.” (pg. 47, Miller)

#essay #literary #writing #greek mythology #achilles #the song of achilles #the iliad #literary critique #homer #madeleine miller

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friend-me-harder · 4 years

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All below the cut because it got long!

Ampora - Very very rich, Dualscar is a mostly absent father but only physically. He has to be out a lot for business dealings. Dualscar figured he wouldn’t be too upset being away from them as grubs but seeing all the pictures and hearing about their development affected him more than he thought it would. He tries, he reaches out over the phone and through video to make sure he’s talking to his boys. As kids they looked forward to his calls but getting older means they are less interested. This kills Dualscar a little and while his stay-at-home partner assures him they’re just being teens it’s the kick in the pants he needs to take a job with less travel so he can be more involved in the boy’s lives. Eridan and Cronus are secretly appreciative of it, but Dualscar is also embarassing so they hate him talking to any of their friends.

Captor - A middle class family, Psiionic has always and will always work from home, he does tech support over the phone for a large company and when things are too broken to do over the phone he has them shipped to his house to work on. Since they were grubs Mituna and Sollux were not only allowed but encouraged to come into his work shop, mostly because he was the one watching them but also because he wants them to have an idea of technology. Mituna isn’t super into it, which made Psii kind of disappointed - but he goes to all Mituna’s skateboard competitions. So when Sollux wanted to learn Psii was very excited. This wasn’t lost on Mituna and added to him being naturally closer to his other parent who is a grub and infant mental health specialist. They are also more patient and gentle with Mituna after his accident, Psii tries but he isn’t a patient person and blames himself for his son’s TBI.

Nitram - lower-middle class Summoner is the closest of any parent to both his boys. He has had a few partners and his current one is Tavros’ while his ex-partner is Rufioh’s. Summoner worried this would cause a rift between the boys but Rufioh adores his little brother and while they occasionally snap at each other Rufioh is always looking out for Tavros and Tav looks up to Rufioh. Summoner’s current partner is close with both boys also and is a teacher. Summoner works as a mechanic at the shop owned by the Zahhaks. The family loves to go out and play Pokemon/Fiduspawn Go together and get ice cream. They all love watching Disney movies together and cooking together. They live in a small 2 bedroom home that is in a close knit neighborhood where there are cook outs and everyone looks out for one another. The Vantas’ live across the street.

Makara - Also very rich but not quite as rich as the Amporas. The Makara’s are old mobster money and as such GHB has a hard edge to him. He doesn’t have a partner currently but has been divorced a number of times from both trolls and humans. GHB works as hired muscle for Condy so he isn’t home much and when he is there’s usually a person or two on his arm to enjoy the night with. He is the head of the church and tends to preach through an online format so it can be broadcasts across the different congregations. Gamzee and Kurloz have a complex and negative relationship with him, they’re both very religious and resent that their father is in charge. Kurloz understands these feelings more and his goal is to take over and get his father out of the picture. Gamzee is less understanding but he is sad a lot of the time and that’s why he turned to sopor to numb that pain. Kurloz wants to be close to his little brother but Gamzee doesn’t trust him and that leads to more awkwardness. the house is generally very quiet as the boys are locked in their rooms.

Pyrope - Redglare is a lawyer and she works for some big wigs so they are fairly well off. She is married to a human who is a judge, they’re both very hard working and tend to be busy even when they are home. Redglare doesn’t turn off ever so she tends to be doing paperwork or on the phone all times of day. Terezi looks up to her mother like no other and wants to be just like her, she’s impressed by her other parent as well but her mother is Terezi’s be all end all. Redglare has a quick and sharp wit, she’s well liked and has won many more cases than she’s lost. Terezi sees her mother working the rooms at parties they host and sees the respect and fear she can pull, it’s all Terezi wants to be. Redglared adores Terezi and lets her help with her cases. Latula is the black-sheep of the family. She’s very nice and sweet and she and Terezi get along well, but Tula would rather throw down at the skate park than a court room. She and Mituna have been friends since middle school and will someday get married. Latula gets along with both her parents but isn’t close to either of them.

#terezi pyrope #gamzee makara #tavros nitram #Sollux Captor #eridan ampora #cronus ampora #mituna captor #rufioh nitram #kurloz makara #latula pyrope #neophyte redglare #the grand highblood #the summoner #the psiioniic #orphaner dualscar

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olympusnerd · 4 years

Text

Titanomachy: The Beginning

9000 words about the awkward first meeting of Zeus and his siblings. This takes place when Zeus releases the Olympians from their father Cronus and realize that a war is coming.

Now was the time.

Zeus was finally strong enough to face his father, Cronus, in a battle that would shake heaven and earth for a century. After years of cultivating his strength and learning the ways of the world, Metis and Amalthea felt that they had done all they could to prepare the young man to slay his father.

But he would need help.

He would need his brothers and sisters.

Zeus’s mother, Rhea, had told him countless times of his siblings being engulfed whole by Cronus, the proclaimed ruler of heaven, ocean and the earth. While it was true that they were immortal and had surely survived the endeavor, there was no way to know exactly what state they would be in once released from their dark prison.

“Hestia, she is your oldest sister,” Rhea said to him during one of their brief talks. “She is to be respected, as she has a power no others before her could ever wield. The power of flames.”

“What of the other’s?” he asked curiously. “What are the other’s like?”

Rhea’s eyes fell to the ground, as she struggled with the words, “I do not know. I was not granted the luxury of getting to know them as I did your sister. As soon as she showed her talents over flames, your father consumed her for fear of being defeated by his own progeny as he had defeated his father, Uranus. The rest he took out of my arms before they could so much as utter their first sounds of life.”

Zeus reflected on the conversation now, as he watched his mother hand the drugged laced goblet of fermented juice to his father.

What would they be like, his sisters, his brothers. Did they know the world that moved on while they lay dormant in the belly of a tyrant?

Could he convince them to be on his side, otherwise?

The act was crude to say the least when the king of all existence began to heave and gag up his supper. And though Zeus knew to expect it, the sight was no less appalling to see when the first body of a fully grown woman with long, tangled locks of walnut that stuck to her face from the wetness of Cronus's innards, no doubt. She was nude and gave a slight shiver at the chill on her damp, uncovered body.

When her radiant green eyes took in her surroundings, she looked like a frightened animal just released from a cage. Zeus felt an urge to go and comfort her, but there wasn’t time before another heave.

Another body, this one of a man with black matted hair, emerged from their father’s mouth. He wasn’t as frightened as the woman, perhaps understanding a little better by now what was happening.

They were being freed.

Another heave, and out came a woman with hair, skin and eyes the color of freshly tilled dirt. She also didn’t look frightened, but certainly confused.

Another heave, and a man emerged, this one looking unnervingly aware. His eyes as red as burning coals landed on Zeus’s and, to the young god’s surprise, the man gave a curt nod.

Like he understood what was happening, like he understood what was going on as well as Zeus himself.

A final, more violent heave and out came the only sibling Zeus had ever heard the name of: Hestia. Her smooth skin was the tone of ground sumac and her eyes and hair were as black as Nyx’s element. Unlike the others, she landed gracefully on her feet, just before turning towards Cronos. That’s when Zeus saw it, a radiation of light coming from one of her hands like she was holding a small whitish sun in her fingers.

Cronos, having been weakened by the drugs that forced him to regurgitate his devoured children, fled after spitting a curse to his wife Rhea.

He undoubtedly left for Mount Othrys to seek the aid of his fellow Titans.

The Olympians would have little time now. Decisions were to be made.

Zeus did not give chase. Instead he stood, in proud victory, over his freed siblings, though they were not the sight he had hoped to see. Though similar in structure of flesh and bone like he was, and close enough in size, Zeus was discomforted by the wild, animalistic sprawl of creatures before him covered in goo from their life giver, and masses of long, untamed wet hair clinging to unclothed bodies.

“What are we to do now?” the first woman to emerge asked, still sprawled out on the ground.

“You know what we must do, Hera,” answered the man who looked to Zeus earlier. “We have to fight.”

“But we don't know how to fight!” claimed the woman with dark features. “We barely have the strength to stand.”

Zeus wanted to speak, wanted to greet and even shake hands with the siblings he had heard so much about. After all, they were the reason he had done any of this.

He needed them.

They were his kind.

His brothers.

His sisters.

They were to fulfil this destiny of ruling the world with him, at his side. The Fates had seen it. Now they need only see it through.

Instead, his mother moved to his side, standing as all the titans did a great deal larger than he and her other children whom she hadn’t seen in such a long time. Her hand went around his shoulders and he felt her suggestion of patience wash over him.

“Hades is right.” It was Hestia who spoke this time, her eyes still watching the direction of their father, no, their captor had fled. “Demeter, I know you have fear. But we must. We have to fight.”

It was the other brother this time that cut in, standing erect and stretching out muscles that Zeus was surprised to find as well defined as his own. “We don’t have any reason to fight. We’re free now. Let’s go about our lives and be done with this. These are just politics, we’ve heard through that beast’s guts that this is just politics. I want to go find something to do, someone to do. I want to explore this world.”

“I want to fight, Poseidon. I’m going to fight.”

“Agh,” grunted the toned one.

Hades spoke up, a look of concentration on his face. “We must come up with a plan. He’s certainly gone to tell his followers what’s happened and they’ll be coming soon to slaughter us all.”

“Slaughter us!” cried Hera, struggling to stand on her thin, wobbling legs. It reminded Zeus of a newborn deer. “Then we must go, we must hide until we’re ready!”

“I can help.” All the heads turned to Zeus, which was enough to make them all go quiet. He was beautiful to say the least, dressed in a clean white shining chiton held up by a golden pin his grandmother Gaia had fastened him. All around him shone a radiance that would have made him difficult to stare at for too long by weaker eyes, but to his delight the others could take him in. His own silver eyes and wide toothy smile did little to ease the nerves of his siblings though. He realized they did not know who he was. No matter how many conversations they could have listened to, as they only knew what Cronus had seen, there was no way for them to have known Zeus was the sixth of the union between Cronus and Rhea.

“My children,” Rhea balled, walking with arms wide open towards what, to her, were miniature people. “I have longed for this day, the day that I could hold you in my arms and hear your sweet voice, a gift to mothers that I was denied!” She dropped to her knees and brought her arms around them, taking all but Zeus into her embrace as her whaling grew louder. “I have dreamed of this, I have dreamed you would be returned to me, and it is all thanks to your brother, your incredible baby brother.”

When everyone’s eyes instantly fell upon him, Zeus, for the first time in his life, blushed.

Baby brother indeed.

“And does this savior have a name?” asked the small Hera.

He smiled at the sound of her sweet voice.

She was becoming a quick favorite.

“I am Zeus.”

“How did you avoid our fate?” asked Poseidon, his brow furrowed as he stepped out of their mother’s embrace.

“I traded him with a boulder just before your wretched father tried to gobble him up,” she answered quickly, “Mother Gaia helped me plan it. Just as she and Father Sky helped plan this. The freedom of the Olympians.”

“Is that what we are?” asked Demeter timidly. “We’re Olympians. Not Titans?”

“No, not Titans,” spat Zeus. “We are better. And we will rise to better. But first, we must leave this place and devise a plan.”

“Then I suppose you could use all the help you could get, hm?”

The voice came from someone new, with a voice that was soft, tender and exceedingly feminine. Walking from the ocean that cast waves onto the rocks appeared a woman, but not just any woman.

This woman exuded an aroma of roses and salt water and flesh smooth, lightly oiled. She was draped in a sheer white linen that clung to the curves of her breasts and hips.

They all knew who she was, for the goddess needed no introduction with an entrance as show stopping as a comet crashing into the Earth.

“Aphrodite!” exclaimed Rhea, “I’m so glad you came!”

She stood between the Titaness and Olympians height, her breasts conveniently eye level with Zeus and Poseidon who had yet to tear their hungry eyes away from her ample bosom.

“I’m here with good news. Themis, Epimetheus and Prometheus said that they will join our cause.”

“You mean the Titans?” Zeus exclaimed, surprised by the alliance. “Mother, you said we couldn't’ trust any of the Titans.”

“No, son, I told you we shouldn’t ask for their aid. That is, until the time is right. And it needed to be done when, if someone were to betray us to Cronus, it would happen when we already freed your brothers and sisters. Themis and Prometheus are fine soldiers. I suppose they will do us a great good.” She turned back to Aphrodite, disturbed at the lack of names. “But what of Oceanus?” Surely her brother knew how important this was.

The goddess shook her beautiful head of burgundy curls. “He is unable to leave the seas to fight with us. But he sends his daughter Styx and her children Zelus, Nike, Cratos and Bia.”

Rhea crossed her arms, sticking the nail of her thumb in her mouth as she pondered aloud, “Yes, but will it be enough.”

It was Hestia who spoke up this time, her voice steady and well mannered as if she hadn’t spent her entire existence lost in a black abyss with her brothers and sisters. “If it’s alliances you seek, perhaps amongst your enemy is not who you need to implore. But rather, the enemy of the enemy.”

“Who do you have in mind?” asked Zeus curiously.

“Tell me, what do you know of the Hecatonchires and Cyclopes?”

“The-the Hecatonchires?” Rhea looked aghast at the suggestion. “Those monsters would do us no good, they would sooner rip us all to pieces with their hundred hands!”

“They hate your husband for hiding them away in Gaia,” Aphrodite pointed out. “They might prove a worthy ally.”

“They’re deep within Tartarus for all we know, how could we possibly find the, free them, and convince them to help us?”

“I can go,” offered Zeus. “I can do this, it’s my destiny to see this through.”

Before she could offer up an objection, the other Olympians agreed.

“You free them and we will meet with the defecting Titans,” Hestia decided. “We can begin preparations for battle by the time you get back.”

Rhea, Aphrodite noticed, looked somewhat clammy at the idea though not a word left her lips. The goddess wondered if the Titaness realized exactly what it was she had started.

A war was coming.

#greek #gods #greek gods #olympians #the sins of gods #aphrodite #zeus #hera #posiedon #hestia #demeter #the olympians #Olympus #Titans #Rhea #Cronus #Original #original writing #writing

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hadesglance · 5 years

Text

All hail the new queen... - 27 (Hades Original Story)

You fought your way through the maze of the underworld to make a deal with the King…intrigued the lonely king listens…

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight Part Nine Part Ten Part Eleven Part Twelve Part Thirteen Part Fourteen Part Fifteen Part Sixteen Part Seventeen Part Eighteen Part Nineteen Part Twenty Part Twenty-One Part Twenty-Two Part Twenty-Three Part Twenty-Four Part Twenty-Five Part Twenty-Six

*Gif credits unknown! Cause I used to be a horrible human! Sorry!!!! :(

Hades stared out the back windows at the river. How he envied the water and how it only had one purpose, to move forward. The river didn’t have emotions to deal with or anyone to protect. The river didn’t have a loved one angry with them for trying to do what was best for them.

“You did the right thing.” Hera put a hand on his arm pulling him from his thoughts, “She’ll be home before you know it.”

“It still doesn’t feel right…” He glanced at her crossing his arms over his chest, “She was so angry, Hera.”

Hera smiled trying to be reassuring, “Y/N, will forgive you. She knows that you’re doing all this to keep her and her family safe.”

Hades took in a deep breath shaking his head, “You know what she said when I told her that?”

“No, what?” She stared at him with curiosity.

“You’re my family, all of you.” Hades let his arms drop defeated, “It’s strange, I feel like a part of me is missing. We’ve rarely been apart since she arrived.”

Hera looked over at Zeus discussing something with Apollo, “I know what you mean.”

Hades looked at her again before looking at his brother, “After everything he’s done, you really forgave him, truly?”

“I did.” She smiled at Hades taking in a deep breath, “It wasn’t easy, and it certainly didn’t happen overnight, it didn’t even happen for several years. He did change, Hades and he tries so much harder…he is a good father and a wonderful husband, and I love him very much.”

“You always have. You always knew you two were meant for one another.” Hades pulled her into a hug kissing her forehead, “If you can forgive him, then there’s hope for me.”

“Hades…” He let Hera go turning to Zeus. His brother looked worn, something he wasn’t used to seeing, “I have Apollo meeting up with Hermes. They’re going back to the school, maybe there’s something he left that will indicate where he went.”

“Doubtful…” Hades sighed looking at Zeus as he took Hera’s hand in his. His heart ached as he longed for a simple touch from you. Your support had gotten him through so much this past year, “He’s been biding his time for this. Y/N said it herself, he wants me.”

“But why?” Hera shook her head confused, “He took all of us and tortured us. He lost, what good will it be to go after just you again?”

“Because I’m the first son…his failed prodigy.” Hades swallowed thinking back to earlier with you. He’d been so worried as he paced in the kitchen until you came in through the garage entrance.

“Y/N…” He pulled you into a hug after you took you helmet off. He pulled away looking at your tear stained face, “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m okay…he didn’t hurt me…he just talked to me.” You told him stepping into his chest again so he would hug you again, “I didn’t think he’d look so normal…”

Hades frowned shutting his eyes as he held your close allowing you a brief moment of solace, “I know…I don’t want to push you but…I need to ask you a few things.”

“Right…of course…” You pulled away as you heard barking down the hall worry filling your soft eyes, “Is everything okay here?”

He sighed nodding a little, “Yes…Poseidon and Apollo are here…”

“Are they okay?” Your eyes got wide.

“Yes, we were searching for Media and the others.” He told you quietly.

“Others…Cronus, h-he said something about keeping a few others…” He watched as you began to dissolve on him, “Who is it?”

“…Athena and Ares…” He spoke softly trying to keep you calm as he guided you to the dining room to sit, “They are capable and can survive this, and we will find them.”

You sat as he knelt in front of you keeping your hands in his. Despite everything you seemed to be taking everything as well as one could. He didn’t think he’d be able to if he was in your position.

“Y/N, I need you to tell me everything that happened, can you do that?” Hades squeezed your hands reassuringly.

You sniffed as a tear fell down your cheek striking his hand. It burned rolling down his skin as you began telling him everything. It did seem like Cronus was verifying until he had no doubt that you were his companion.

“It was like he was fact checking me…making sure I was who he really thought I was.” You looked at him frowning, “He made me feel so small.”

“He has that effect on people.” He brought your hands to his lips kissing them, “You won’t have to worry about him anymore.”

“Y-you found him?” Your eyes followed him as he stood up.

“No…but you’re going to go home until this is over.” He turned away from you preparing himself for what you had to say.

“…but I am home.” God…just a simple phrase broke his heart. He’d fought so hard to get you to that point. To accept that this place was safe, and comfortable, and where you could be when the world was ending. Where you could be with him.

But, he needed to send you away. To ensure nothing would happen to you or your family. You didn’t deserve this.

“And one day I hope you can return.” He could hear you stand up behind him.

“Hades…please don’t…” The pain in your voice was enough to make him reconsider, “Please don’t send me away…”

And this place just made everything you were feeling that much more. Agony rippled through him, “You’ll be safer with your family…”

You moved in front of him grabbing into his arms tears already falling once more, “You’re my family, all of you…please Hades, don’t…I need to be next to you through this…”

He wanted nothing more than to keep you by his side. He swallowed taking your hands away from him, “You will be safer…away from me…Cronus will only use you against me.”

“Don’t you see this is exactly what he wants!” You shook your head staring into his eyes, “He wants you to be alone, he wants you to feel isolated, please Hades don’t do this! Please…”

He did it anyway, sending you with Hermes to drop you off and set up a protection spell over your family’s homes. He knew he wouldn’t be able to let you go if he did it himself.

“Hades?” Zeus got his attention, “Where were you just now?”

Hades looked at him and Hera giving them a small sad smile, “With my heart…”

Hera quickly embraced him, “We will make fast work of this and bring everyone home.”

Charon popped in suddenly, “Forgive the intrusion, your majesties…I’ve just received word from Olympus. Athena is there.”

“What?” Zeus’ eyes widened as he stepped over to the gatekeeper, “Did they say if she was okay?”

“The message said she is hurt but managing and requesting an audience with her father.” Charon told him quickly.

“Go, both of you.” Hades told them as he handed Hera back to Zeus, “I won’t be long after.”

Zeus stepped over to him offer his arm to him, “Brother, we will get this bastard and reunite you with Y/N. I won’t let him live this time.”

Hades clasped his brother’s arm firmly giving him a nod, “Go to your daughter. I’m just closing up shop here.”

Zeus nodded letting go, “Don’t take long…none of this feels right.”

Hades had to agree with his brother as he watched them leave. After assuring him he’d be right there a few more time, they left leaving him alone to his thoughts. A dangerous scenario if there ever was one.

He wandered the halls from room to room seeing you everywhere. Little things that he hoped to bring you back to soon. You’d only been gone a few hours, yet it’s felt like eternity. You filled a hole inside of him that he'd grown so numb to until you began to heal it.

He went to each room shutting the doors. He’d already sent Cerberus back to his post in the Underworld. All that was left was the Shades and Charon.

He walked into his office to grab his work. Not even Cronus could stop the Underworld from working. Stepping over to his desk, his phone went off. He opened the text smiling a little despite the pain he felt reading it. You weren’t made enough to not text, it was a good sign.

At mom’s, Hermes just left…please be safe…

He took a moment to answer you. It was the least he could do.

I will, I promise this will be over soon. I love you.

He sniffed setting down the phone to look at everything he needed to bring. He heard a shuffling noise behind him assuming it was your favorite wandering soul, “Lilly, I'd like you to gather everyone in the foyer for a meeting, please.”

Hades felt his blood run cold at the response, as his phone buzzed on his desk going unattended.

You sat on the couch looking out the window rubbing your chest. It had been a week since you’d been forced to leave, and you were bitter. No matter what you did you couldn’t shake this ache in your heart.

He didn’t even have the decency to drop you off…now he was rarely texting you and when he did it was short. Merely hello…goodbye…good…ok…soon… It didn’t matter that Hades was a god, he was a typical man.

You let out a heavy sigh again making your mother speak up, “He’ll be home soon…”

“I know…I’m just worried. He said he had a lot of work and it might take longer.” You rambled off the story you created for her, “Just wish I could have gone with him.”

“Y/N…” You blinked looking over to her, she rarely ever used your name anymore, “I have never seen a man look at anyone like how Nick looks at you…not since your father…”

You got up walking over to where she sat, in your father’s chair, “Oh ma…there will never be a love as bright as you and dad’s.”

When you hugged her, she patted your arm, “Don’t worry…you and Nick will be fine. Distance always helps a relationship. My heart ached when your father went to a Greece, but he always returned.”

You smiled at her, “I know…it’s just hard. I feel like half of me is missing and I can tell he stressed out. I feel it right here.”

You pressed on your chest as this dull ache surged for a moment. Your mother put her hand over yours before smiling, “It’s probably heartburn, I’ll make you lunch!”

You let out a soft laugh as she got up. Of course, everything could be solved with food. You stretched as you walked back to the couch.

You were just about to sit down when the door burst open, “Y/N!”

You stood there startled as Zeus looked over to you holding on the doorknob, “Wh-what are you doing!?”

“We need you. You have to come.” He raced over to you plant his hands firmly in your arms, “Hades needs you.”

“...Hello boy...”

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asher-jones · 4 years

Text

Time after Time

weeks have turned to months and your journey to olympus, your acceptance of your life as a demigod, has lead up to this moment. it's been brutal, wrought with pain and close calls, thick with loss, but you've endured. as you begin to get ready to sleep, winding down for the night, something inside of you feels different. there's a strength that grows that you only dimly knew was there before. you feel stronger, faster, more attuned to your senses and your own inner power. if you ever doubted that you might have divine blood in your veins before, now, more than ever, you feel it.

as soon as your head hits the pillow you fall fast asleep, exhausted from the events that have lead up to this point. who knows however long later, you "awaken". you're not where you fell asleep, there's no familiar body curled beside yours, nothing is as it was when you slept. you have to blink a few times but you realize that you're in a place that seems familiar to you. describe this place? what does it look like, sound like, smell like?

There’s a swelling feeling in the pit of his stomach as Asher wakes up. Instinctively he reached to his side for Dane, expecting his boyfriend to be there, but when there is nothing, not even the tent he’d fallen asleep in. He darts awake, eyes, ears, senses alert to put together the pieces. He wasn’t in the Underworld anymore, that much he could just feel. He was somewhere else, back in New York.

Rich, honey brow eyes took in the area around him. He could smell the rich mahogany of the stage, each step he made echoed, carefully created acoustics magnified every step, every breath. He was in the middle of a stage, in an auditorium, empty. In the dark, he could just barely make out the stadium seats that splayed in front of him. He knew exactly where he was. A Broadway stage just a few miles from his penthouse apartment in New York.

the lights of the stage beam down on you, almost blotting out the rows upon rows of seats from your vision. you have to strain your eyes just to see them behind the threshold of the stage and the brilliant lights above. but it feels almost like home, a familiar sense of stability wafts over you in waves.

you take in the sights, the smells, the feelings that this place brings you and then, out of the corner of your eye, almost like flickering lights, you notice that there's someone or something watching you, standing off to the right. you turn to look at them and the large spotlights move to cast them in brilliant luminescence.

you can see the figure now. what do they look like? are they familiar to you? who or what is it? describe what you see.

There was a moment when all Asher wanted to do was close his eyes, take in deep breaths, savor the smell earthy aroma of the wood, revel in the echoed acoustics on stage, maybe belt out a showtune or two for old time sake. BUt there was something in the pit of his stomach that told him there was more to this. So, when he saw that flash of white off of the corner of his eye, he pulled himself back to the moment.

“Hello...” he trailed off, blinking in the bright light of the spotlight cast on him. As he moved toward the figure, he felt the light follow him, as if he were still the center of attention, that the empty seated audience had was directed to watch him. As he moved closer to the creature, he could see the flecks of snow white, glisten, even in the shadows of the wings of the stage.

A large wolf stood, now in it’s own spotlight, staring at him with interest. Asher didn’t recognize him, had never seen him before, and it was clear just from the juxtaposition of something that looked so fantastical and out of place on a broadway stage... that things weren’t as they seemed. “Who are you?”

the wolf sits still as you approach, snow white coat almost shimmering as the spotlight dances over its coat. large, dark eyes stare, transfixed, on you as if waiting for the show. when you speak, it simply lilts its head to the side, large head twisting before it leans forward.

it bares its teeth toward you in what could be mistaken as a smile and then it looks as if it's about to howl.

but instead of the cry of a wolf to the moon, you hear what sounds like a muffled voice. even with you standing closer, the voice is almost like it's trapped behind a glass display or maybe underwater. it's hard to distinguish what it's saying and, shocked, you find yourself straining your hearing to make out the words.

you focus and after a moment or two, you hear the voice, clear as day. "the question is not who am i, but who are you?"

before you answer, what does the voice sound like? is it a familiar voice to you? male, female, animalistic? how does hearing the voice make you feel? describe it in as much detail as you'd like.

The voice that rings through to him smooth, mature, wise. There are parts of Asher that can’t help but recognize that voice intimately. The clear annunciation, the dialect, the way he spoke, it almost reminded of him of his own voice, though much older, fuller, even warmer, as if time had shaped it, experience had warmed it to something far less exuberant and insecure, and almost more powerful. The creatures voice gave Asher a sense of anxiety for sure, it was a talking wolf for the gods’ sake, but there was a confidence and warmth that settled him.

“Asher Jones,” he answered back, as if that much was obvious. “You’re in my dream sequence, shouldn’t you know who I am?” He quipped back with almost a playful smirk. “Son of Cronus... demigod of time.”

the wolf only shakes his head, the voice of wisdom parting it's large canines once more. he stares a fixed, confident gaze on you, as if reading your soul.

"who says this is a dream, asher jones, son of cronus, demigod of time." he says it like a title, though his words also drip with something else, as if titles mean nothing here. then, he moves, standing on all fours and he's taller than you are, his large head looming over your own. he walks around you in a large circle, his white coat radiant and beautiful.

"i do not care for your name, demigod. who are you?"

His back stiffened up straighter, his posture morphed into something more defensive as the wolf stood and walked closer. “Clearly this is a dream. Last thing I remember I was going to bed in a tent in the Underworld, Sir. Now I’m in a theater on Broadway, talking to a magical white wolf?” Not that Asher would not have loved to be out of Undertown so easily. “Those eggs Dane gave me must have gone bad,” he winced, rubbing his stomach a bit, as if he felt nauseaus.

He felt fine. Better than fine if he was being honest with himself. It was clear in the falter in his gaze that he had his doubt that things were that simple.

He opened his mouth to answer the wolf’s question, as if it was a quick quip. When nothing came out, he closed it again. Who was he other than his titles? His accomplishments? His birthrights. “What do you...” he frowned. “I don’t understand the question.”

the wolf growls at your words, teeth bared, head down and ears back. "you speak as if you know what is real and what is not. you are the son of time, are you not? you understand how time can be effected so easily." the wolf continues to circle around you, your own matured voice being thrown back at you almost makes you unfocused, like you don't know what to believe.

he stands behind you now, large maw hanging just behind your ear. you can feel the wolf's warm breathe on your neck, on your back.

"who are you, really? inside. not a name. who are you at your core?" he explains, his voice almost a low growl.

There was a silence that fell over him as he watched the creature circle him. The growl should have terrified him, should have put him on alert. Instead, the voice that followed elicited a sinking feeling a shame in himself, as if he was letting himself down, not some magical mysterious wolf. "So I'm in another timeline? Another dimension or something?" he repeated, though he had a feeling he was drifting off the point.

Head tilted up as the wolf stalked behind him, the breath against his neck eliciting a shiver up and down his spine. "At my core?" he repeated, letting that point sink in. It was a question he never really asked himself, at least not outright. "A leader," he said instantly, like the word spilled out of somewhere. "But... flawed." He bit his lip, "I'm a controller, a manipulator, a performer," he closed his eyes for a moment as all of those words came out, and he had more still. "A hero, a selfish villain," he was a lot of things. He turned around to face the wolf, brown eyes locked onto the creatures with sapphire blue ones. "At my core though? A source of power, of change."

"are these who you are or who you have had to be? are they costumes you've put on in a show or are they really who you are?"

the wolf turns away from you now and walks to center stage. the lights go dim around the amphitheater, casting the rows of seats into darkness. the only lights that still shine brightly are the two spotlights. one on the wolf and one on you. his large, snow white tail wraps around him as he sits, his maw out toward the crowd.

"you wish to harness the power of change, a true manipulator. time, as you know, is a source of all change—both miniscule and finite, large and small. time causes things to live and die, start and stop; it is mutable, forever changing."

the wolf's head turns toward you now.

"are you strong enough for that power?"

Where typically Asher would have something snarky or sarcastic to throw back, he fell silent this time. Was he just a product of his surroundings? Was he more than just a manipulative socialite? Was that a role he'd just been casted for? If it was, surely it grew into a type cast as time went on. He left that question unasnwered for now. He didn't know how to answer those.

As the stage lights dimmed and the spotlights brightened, he felt that familiar fire in his belly, one he'd only ever gotten when he was in that very spot. On stage, with a spotlight on him, ready to perform for the world. A confidence surged through his viens as he turned to face the wolf. "I was born to wield it," he answered back. "If you asked me a few months ago I would have been terrified of it. But... my connection to it. How I can manipulate it to manipulate the world around me. There has to be more I can do with it."

"there is." the wolf states plainly, still gazing toward you.

the large wolf hits his large paw against the stage and three runways appear in the lights. one ot the right, one straight down the middle, and one to the left. he motions with his head toward each of them.

to you, they look like more of the stage, though you can see flickers of something at the end.

"you may look down the stage to see if you can decipher what you see or you may plunge into the unknown without knowing what lies ahead."

he stays where he is, looking forward now. "which do you choose?"

The second the paw hit the stage and the runways outstretched, Asher's gaze left the wolf, to peer out into the distance. "You know, at one point I might have just said fuck it and picked one without thinking," he mused, half to himself and half to the wolf. "I've seen too much, gone through too much to just rely on luck." Instead, he narrowed his eyes to see what lay at the end of each runway. "Are these three choices I have to make?" He asked the wolf, "What am I choosing between?"

"look and find out. the answers are before you."

the wolf says no more, just stands and watches you silently.

As instructed, Asher took a few steps to the edge of the runway, walking a little bit down the middle one first, studying intently what lay on the other side. It would seem that his wolf guide wasn’t planning on giving him any hints. So instead, he took matters into his own hands, and studied what lay at the end of the runway, what he’d be walking into.

PLEASE MAKE A PERCEPTION CHECK IN THE CRONUS CHANNEL. as you walk down the central runway, the lights begin to flicker in and out until they cast you in darkness. the spotlight above you is no longer there and, instead, you struggle to see your surroundings. then, there's something almost like a screen that looks like it's fading in and out. you squint your eyes, standing where you are, and focus.

slowly, the pieces begin to make sense to you.

you see the present. yourself among the demigods, somewhere outside of the underworld, you think. things look unchanged, for the most part, but you notice subtle differences. the small, mutable things that can be exploited in a current situation for you to gain favor in the end, for you to come out on top.

you take a step back from this path when the picture fades away.

which do you choose next?

Asher bites his bottom lip. "Manipulating time in the present," he said to himself, a tempting a choice, something he'd had been so tempted to focus on when he was first working with his abilities. Taking a few steps back, he moves to the far right runway. He moves halfway down and stops, peering to see what lay at the end of that path.(edited)

the wolf watches you as you move from one stretch of stage to the next, carefully considering your options. he almost looks pleased by it.

when you move a few steps down the far right runway, things take a surprising turn as you notice the lights speeding by you. it is a blur of motion, a blur of color that all meld into one like paint mixing together. you struggle to see glimpses of what is real and what is not.

there's you, standing victorious, a little older and looking wiser. there's you as an old man. there's you moving too quickly to be humanly possible but, somehow, you don't seem to be hurt or running into anything.

it begins to get confusing to you, as it all melts into one and you take a step back from the stage.

do you go to the last runway?

"The future," he says to himself. "The perks of seeing into the future... maybe getting to the future faster, moving faster..." it was another tempting route, one he had wanted when he'd first started all of this. Things they could accomplish if Asher had a clear reach to what was happening next, much like Dane had. Being able to see the future, move faster. He could see the allure, especially when it came to working with Dane's connection to foresight.

Tapping his chin, he moves the far left and last runway, and tries to peer past to see what lay in store for him.

you walk along the last runway and you feel as if you're walking forever. it's only been a few steps but it feels as if time itself has slowed around you. peering ahead, you notice images flashing before you that seem to take minutes to change from one slide to the next.

you lift your hand up, but you notice that your body doesn't react the same here. it's like moving through molasses, through mud. slow, painfully slow.

your stuck looking at the same thing for far too long, but you notice how other things, too, seem to have a difficult time. you see things missing, things veering off course because of the slowness, things more susceptible to change.

you turn and, after what feels like years, make your way back to the center stage with the large white wolf.

"do you understand?" he asks you, voice calm and collected.

The experience was jarring. From seeing things moving at such a fast paced speed, the jumble of lights and visions moving too fast to really comprehend, to this. Things so low, so heavy, so easy to see as they moved by him, it took him a moment to realize what was happening. "Slowing things down, creating more time," he reasoned out loud. "I can only go down one path?" he glanced asked, moving to stand beside the wolf, arms crossed over his chest as he regarded each path.

the wolf seems to almost hum at your question. he thumps his paw against the stage once more and the lights fade and the runways disappear.

"you have the power to do as you please, son of cronus. that is your gift." he starts to move again, this time back and forth across the stage, eyes focused on you as if he's watching prey.

"do you ask for permission or forgiveness? do you do what other's expect of you or what you want to make you happy?" more questions for you to think about, more thoughts that press into your mind.

"you can have it all or nothing or one of each. the choice is yours. but all choices, like time, have a consequence."

There was a nod of aproval to the wolf's statement. That was the answer he wanted to hear. "Forgiveness, if I'm being honest," he quipped back, sending his guide a half smile. Though once he gave it more thought, he tried to figure out where he stood with each decision. He knew that manipulating the present was the closest thing to meld with his strengths. That was what he was initially drawn to, and that was what felt right. But still, he couldn't get his mind off of the speed, and the freedom of the far right path. "I want the middle path, and the right path," he announced abruptly. "The last one, being slowed down, watching everything go down by so slowly just didn't feel right. So show me the path leading to a combination of the other two, please."

the wolf stares at you as you speak and then walks closer to you. his large body looms over you as he cranes his neck down and presses a wet nose to your forehead.

"i cannot show you that path, demigod. i can only be there with you as you write it yourself. i will lend you my power and we will meet each other again, soon."

there's a rush that flows through your veins and it feels like you're burning up from the inside out. you go to scream but instead, you wake up!

dane is still laying beside you, eyes closed and almost undisturbed by you sitting upright. you feel like you're burning up and exhausted, like you've been moving too fast for too long. he lay back down, trying to get your breathing to return to normal and it takes you a while. your thoughts go to what the wolf might have meant.

after too many minutes staring at the tent ceiling, you curl back against dane and fall asleep.

when you wake up, you feel more rested than you've felt since becoming a demigod. there's a new power thrumming through your veins and you can't wait to wield it.

#&.it is what it is #&. trial

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deusaeverythingcomestoanend · 4 years

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D. Series: The Pirate

Chapter 26

Final Thanks

I enjoyed watching you spin and twirl in your long skirt,

You captivate me like no else could,

I would laugh and tease you and you would smile and flirt,

We loved one another like no one should.

After months of gaining Lord Alfric’s trust he learned Ethon’s father’s name. He had been sired by a Dracove or so Lord Alfric suspected.

“The boy’s name was Johan Dracove. He was a very kind young man. It was so easy to see how Rebecca could have fallen for him. He would dry her tears when she cried. He used to make time just for her, and listen to what she had to say,” taunted Lord Alfric sitting down in his seat, “I ignored their little romance believing nothing more than a friendship could come out of it. After all she was betrothed to someone else. Then I walked into her room and there they were lying in bed. Exhausted from their lovemaking the night before. So spent were they that he had let himself awaken with her in his arms.

You should have been there! He cooed over her and held her close to his body trying to shield her in his arms. He turned his back at me and this infuriated me. How dare he turn him back on his Lord?! I kicked and kicked until I felt that I might have broken a rib. I was surprised to know that he could endure so much pain and still refuse to move. There must have been an animalistic instinct to protect my daughter. I did not know it at the time but soon my whore of a daughter would bear that person’s child.

I had him ripped from her side and threw them both into the hidden rooms in the estate. You do remember where Brutus brought both Rebecca and what name have you given that bastard?”

“Ethon Matthew Drataine, my Lord, I think you should try to make an effort in remembering MY brother’s name,” reminded Cronus, trying to also make it clear that Ethon was his brother, not Rebecca’s bastard child. Cronus did not want his little brother to be associated with Lord Alfric not now not ever.

“A Dracove being given the Drataine surname. I find it rather amusing. Do you know where your Surname comes from, Cronus?” Lord Alfric asked rhetorically.

After a pause beaming when he noticed the puzzled look on Cronus. Lord Alfric despised appearing like a fool in front of anyone. Thrilled in his belief that he had knowledge of something Cronus did not. He took in a deep and slow breath enjoying every second of it.

“ Dracove, Dracon, and Drataine each and every single one of those surnames have the first three letters. D... R... A... that is not all if we trace your own surname a few centuries more we learn that it was originally Dracotaine. The C and the O were both dropped for some unknown reason. Now having given you that information, which you obviously did not know, I can continue telling you. So all surnames had D... R... A... C... O in common. These five letters put together they spell draco, what Ancient Roman’s used to call a Dragon. Fascinating, no?” smirked Lord Alfric propping his feet up on the table.

“I already knew that my surname means dragon. Each and every single person bearing the name Dracove, Dracon and Drataine are well aware of this we are all told before we turn ten. What you just told me is something I had already been told by my parents, my Lord,” droned Cronus crossing his arms in pure boredom, “now, please continue telling me what happened to Johan and Rebecca Dracove.”

“I do not want to talk about it anymore,” scuffed Lord Alfric. He moved both his legs from the table on top of the right arm rest turning his back on Cronus in the process.

“Are you sure? I would actually like to learn more,” manipulated Cronus, understanding what he needed to do. He needed to make Lord Alfric believe that he was on his side. That way when he finally does stab him in the back it would be that much sweeter. Cronus could already see the look of utter betrayal on Lord Alfric’s face, as he plunged his sword into his heart. Though he did doubt that he even had a heart after all he did have a hand in killing his own daughter and the destruction of Cronus’ hometown.

“I had them both tortured endlessly. Each day I would go see them and tell them that they would soon be allowed to leave. I enjoyed the glimmer of hope filling their eyes as they looked at me then each other. A lie, Johan stopped trusting and he was the first to realize the truth. Instead of asking for their freedom he would beg for death instead. He would grovel on the floor clutching my leg. Only pieces of blood soaked rags clung to his body at this point. His eyes were void of any emotion, as he cried begging for death. He wasn’t fun anymore, so I gave him what he wanted. I had him dismembered right in front of Rebecca’s eyes. You should have been there the way she messaged her abdomen. Then it hit me...

She was with child. It did not matter if I got rid of her lover. There was no way I could pass her off as a virgin. I had to go find one and pass her off as my own flesh and blood. I thought that since it was a Dracove that had taken Rebecca’s purity then all of the people of that town should pay. I only planned on sparing your sister, but you... you just had to be of greater value. Didn’t you?” jested Lord Alfric as he drew a picture in the air with his right index finger.

Cronus ran into Sir Corneleos quarters. He crept inside and watched a sleeping Sir Corneleos breath in and out. Cronus could feel his blood boiling knowing that this bastard had killed his parent’s. He could kill him right then and there, but no he did not want him to pass away peacefully. Instead he waited patiently for Sir Corneleos to wake up.

After having been that angry and for that long amount of time, Cronus felt a rush of calm go through him. He watched as a startled Sir Corneleos jumped out of bed when he spotted Cronus staring at him. Cronus was quick on his feet as he tripped the giant man. He made a loud thud as he hit the floor face first. Sir Corneleos flipped himself over to look up at his assailant. He had broken his nose during the fall and was now dripping with blood.

“The FUCK do you want?!” cursed Sir Corneleos trying to mask his fear. He backed up as Cronus drew closer. He quickly calmed down when he realized that his assailant was much smaller than himself. He waited for his attacker to move closer so that way he could just tackle him to the grown.

“I just want to talk,” stated Cronus sitting down on the bed, “I will ask questions and you will answer them. Is that understood?”

“Have you forgotten that I am stronger than you? What makes you think I will?” seethed Sir Corneleos getting up from the floor.

Whoosh! Thud! Sir Corneleos took a trembling hand over to his right cheek that was now bleeding from a small scratch that appeared to have come out of thin air. He glanced back at the wall behind him and spotted a small circular hole that wasn’t there before. His eyes hit the floor and where he saw one small flattened metal sphere causing him to fall back down to the floor from shock.

“True you may be stronger than me, but I am on a league of my own when it comes to intelligence. You did not think I would just charge in here without a plan. Now did you?” questioned Cronus keeping his near pitch black eyes on Sir Corneleos.

“Ah... I..”

“Now, then let’s gets started shall we,” grinned Cronus as he stared down at Sir Corneleos, “what did you do to both Godiva and Clement Drataine?”

“On February 13th of last year I was given an order,” gulped Sir Corneleos as he looked at the blade in Cronus' grasp.

“What was that order?” demanded Cronus tightening his grip on the handel.

“I was to take them just beyond the estate and kill them using the weapons that were created here. Af-”

“WHAT?!” boomed Cronus as he jumped up from the bed.

“I was to kill them... using the weapons... their own son had created,” repeated Sir Corneleos backing away until his back was pressed up against the wall.

“Who. Gave. You. That. Order?” asked Cronus from in between his teeth.

“Who else? Lord Alfric of course,” replied Sir Corneleos as he looked at the darkness still outside his window. It felt as if the sun was being controlled by the emotions of the young man standing before him.

“Tell me everything you did that day,” snarled Cronus sitting back down.

“Well, I got up. Got dre-”

“Don’t try to be funny. I mean after you received your orders,” warned Cronus pointing his sword as he did so.

“I was called into Lord Alfric’s office, while Cronus was with them saying good-bye.

‘Sir Corneleos, just the man I wanted to see. I have a special request for you,’ Lord Alfric told me.

‘What is it?’ I asked, getting up from my bow.

‘I want you to use these guns to kill both of the Drataine parents,’ he ordered me.

‘What about their bodies and items?’ I asked, making sure not to make any mistake.

‘I could care less as to where you bury their bodies. As for their possessions you can easily sell it all in the next town over. Can’t you?’ he asked with a smirk on his mouth.

‘Very well, my Lord,’ I said, bowing down and leaving that room.

I waited for the Drataine parents outside the estate gates on my horse. I hid so they could not see me. I saw a rather weak looking Sir Clement taking the reins of the carriage. After having given them a ten minute head start, I chased. I shot an arrow at one of the horses pulling the carriage. It caused the other animals to panic and Sir Clement could not control them. They crashed into a pile of dirt. The carriage and horses tilted over to the side. I took this opportunity to trap them.

‘Clement! What just happened? Are you alright?!’ I heard Godiva calling from within the carriage as she swung its door open.

‘Stay inside, Godiva! Someone shot one of the horses with an arrow!’ Clement yelled, rushing over to her side. That was when he spotted me rushing to their side. He pulled Godiva out from the carriage and started to make a run for it. They did not go far, I don’t know what Clement was thinking. He was obviously still too weak from his fever and Godiva was practically carrying him as they ran.

I blocked their path and jumped off my horse. It's funny that even in his debilitated state Sir Clement was still capable of fighting,” remarked Sir Corneleos pointing at the scar right underneath his left jaw, “he swung at me so fast. I barely had any time at all to react. It was fortunate on my part that he was feeble for our duel ended in a few minutes. I wish I could have kept that sword.

Godiva ran to her husband trying to block him from me. Sir Clement weakly tried to push her away he cried into her arms.

‘Godiva, please... please run,’ Sir Clement begged.

‘No, I refuse to go without you. I am your wife! I am with you for better or worse! Right now, you need me by your side,’ Godiva cried looking into his eyes.

‘Do you remember when our son was born and I said I could never stop thanking you?’ Sir Clement asked with tears in his eyes.

‘Yes, and I told you to say one thing every day,’ Godiva sobbed. She wiped away his tears and then her own.

‘I am afraid this will be the last time I can thank you,’ Sir Clement cried. He pulled her close to him.

‘It’s pathetic seeing a grown man cry,’ I yawned but continued to let them have their moment.

Once there I sold all of their belongings. That beautiful sword, I regret not being able to keep that. I got paid and went back home. I did not arrive until the next day,” revealed Sir Corneleos looking up at Cronus. He hoped that by telling him all this he would let him live.

“You could have lied, and let them go,” observed Cronus pointing his blade at Sir Corneleos’ head.

“Lord Alfric would have asked for the gold I made after selling their stuff and the horses. I could not! I had no choice,” argued Sir Corneleos, his voice cracking in fear.

“Choice? Everyone has a choice in their actions. Like right now for just to name an example. I have a choice to make myself. Should I kill you? Or do I let you live?” questioned Cronus as he tapped his chin.

“Let me live,” begged Sir Corneleos tears leaking out of his eyes.

“I thought it was pathetic for a ‘grown man’ to cry. Or is it just pathetic when it’s not you,” teased Cronus, allowing the blade to wipe away the tear that escaped one of Sir Corneleos’ eyes.

“Mercy, please I beg of you... show mercy...” sobbed Sir Corneleos getting on his knees. Watery tears blinding his eyes as he did so.

“Mercy? Are you seriously asking me for mercy? Why should I give you mercy? When you did not show any compassion when you murdered my parents?” growled Cronus cutting him with the sword.

“Think of your parents... they... they would not want this,” reasoned Sir Corneleos backing up a bit, “they would want you to go after... the person who gave out the order. Not me!”

“It’s a shame all that time. You could have gotten to know my parents and you never bothered to do so. My parents greatly believed in the whole ‘an eye for an eye’ sort of thing. God have mercy on your soul, if you ever wronged my father. As for my mother, well you had better start praying to the Devil she never found you. I cannot complain, after all that is how they raised me.

Their moral code was different from the one you have. They always tried to be kind to those around them. If you hit them, the first time they would let that shit go. They knew that you might be having a few issues and could understand what you were going through. The second time around... you were as good as dead. So no, they would want me to get revenge,” sassed Cronus pointing his blade at Sir Croneleos’ skull, “by the way, BANG!”

Sir Corneleos clutched his neck unable to breath. He felt his own air pathways closing up. He looked up at Cronus desperate for an explanation but he only got up and left.

First Chapter:

https://deusaeverythingcomestoanend.tumblr.com/post/614218140111470592/d-series-the-pirate-i-said-i-was-going-to-do-it

Previous Chapter:

https://deusaeverythingcomestoanend.tumblr.com/post/618505932905791488/d-series-the-pirate

Next Chapter:

https://deusaeverythingcomestoanend.tumblr.com/post/618601469207298048/d-series-the-pirate

#the pirate #working on it #long reads

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faveficarchive · 5 years

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I, Conqueror: Part 7

By SwordnQuil

Pairing: Xena/Gabrielle

Rating: Mature

Synopsis: The best Conqueror tale I’ve ever read, this story follows a similar line to Remember Nothing (No violence alt-universe Xena). Gabrielle wakes up to find herself in a universe where Xena has conquered Greece, Callisto is her right-hand, and the world trembles at her feet. Can she set to rights this world turned upside-down?

Reality resolved itself in slow motion and Xena blinked into the bright sunshine, tightening her hold on Gabrielle, whose knees buckled beneath her. "Where are we?"

Swallowing several times to clear the nausea in her belly, the bard looked around at the vast, empty field they were currently standing in the middle of. "I don’t know," she replied finally, grateful for the support of Xena’s warm, strong body behind her.

Xena tightened her grip again, causing Gabrielle to gasp in pain. "What do you mean, ‘you don’t know’? You sent us here."

"Well, technically, I sent us to a ‘when’. Not exactly a ‘where’. I think." I hope.

Spinning the smaller woman in her arms, the Conqueror grabbed Gabrielle’s shoulders and shook her. "Explain yourself, Amazon. Now."

"I will, I promise—Xena, hurting me isn’t going to do anything but make me pass out right now, so if you could just loosen up a little..." She sighed in relief as the harsh grip on her shoulders lessened just slightly. A cool wind blew across the field, bending back the golden grasses and causing her to break out into gooseflesh. She spied a small copse of trees to the west and gestured with her head. "Could we just go over there for now?"

Looking in the indicated direction, the Conqueror’s eyes narrowed. Trees were where the Amazons felt most at home. "Why."

"Because it’s cold and I’m naked. I’d like to go somewhere where I’m not quite so exposed."

Staring into the trees, Xena extended her senses, tasting, listening and smelling for danger. Though she was acutely wary, all seemed quiet. Releasing Gabrielle’s shoulders, she spun the woman again, and, taking her upper arm in a firm grip, her free hand on her chakram, she marched her captive toward the copse, eyes ever vigilant for danger.

Gabrielle questioned her choice as soon as they stepped within the leafy shelter of the small wood. The grove was seeded with bramble bushes which tore at her unprotected flesh. "Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea," she mumbled, pulling a thorn the size of her thumb out of her bare thigh.

After a final, and thorough, examination of the area, Xena released her healer and, sighing, pulled her cape from the epaulets on her shoulder-guards. "Lift your arms."

As Gabrielle did so, the Conqueror twirled the cape in the freshening breeze, then wrapped it around the bard’s body like a sheath, pinning it closed over her right breast with the bejeweled throat closure.

Because of their vast differences in height, the cape fell to below Gabrielle’s knees, but at least she was protected from the ire of the woods, and just a bit warmer in the bargain. She smiled her thanks, smoothing the silk against her body.

"Now talk, Amazon. No diversions. No games. The truth. Now."

"Alright..."

"Now, Amazon. Where are we? Where is Alcmene?"

Gabrielle scratched at the back of her neck. "Well, you see, Alcmene isn’t exactly a ‘where’. It’s a ‘who’. A very pregnant ‘who’. At least I hope she is."

"Enough of this foolishness!"

"Xena, please. I’m not being foolish. It’s just...hard to explain. If you would just relax a moment and give me time to think..." She looked deep into icy, glaring eyes. "Or not."

Gabrielle took in a deep breath. "The stone transported us into the past. I think it’s about thirty years ago, maybe thirty five. I can’t be too sure. We’re - well I’m here to try and prevent Callisto from killing Alcmene."

The Conqueror’s eyes narrowed again. "Callisto? That’s not possible."

"Yes, Xena, it is possible. Remember, Callisto gave the Cronus Stone to you. That was after she had finished using it to murder Alcmene and change the tapestry of time."

"Explain." The command was sharp and brooked no argument.

Gabrielle breathed deeply again. "Callisto is - was - from another reality. A reality in which you, like she said, killed her family."

"How? How did I kill her family?"

"She’s from Cirra."

Xena’s eyes clouded as she sifted through her memories. The village name sounded familiar. Then she remembered. Once, on a raid, her men had accidentally set the town ablaze. She couldn’t recall any survivors and told Gabrielle as much.

"Maybe not in this reality, but where Callisto’s from, she survived. She blamed you for the death of her family and dedicated her life to hunting you down and killing you to make you pay for what you’d done."

"A very interesting tale, Amazon."

"It’s a true tale, Xena." Turning slightly, Gabrielle saw a fallen log and walked over to sit down. Her wound was throbbing and she felt weak and light-headed. She ran a hand over her brow, relieved to find it cool and dry. Then she looked back up at her impatient listener. "For whatever reason, instead of attacking you outright this time, she obtained the Cronus Stone, went back in time to where we are now, and killed Alcmene."

"And what purpose did this killing serve?"

"It changed the course of history."

Xena smiled slightly. "And how did it do that."

Gabrielle crossed her arms, hugging her body to try and ward off the coolness of the breeze. "Alcmene is a very beautiful woman. The bards say that Zeus was so enamored with her that he took the form of her husband and impregnated her. She bore a son who she named Hercules."

The Conqueror nodded. "Hercules. The same mythical demigod you used to regale my men in the healing tent." Her tone conveyed her disbelief.

"He’s not a myth. Or maybe he is, here. But I’m telling you, he did exist, before Callisto changed history by killing his mother."

"I’ll ask you again, Amazon. How did the death of one man, mythical beast slayer or not, supposedly change history?"

"There could be any number of ways, I suppose. But I only know of one for sure."

Xena raised an eyebrow. "And that was?"

A sudden rustling was heard in the treetops, and Xena looked up, her chakram already in her hand. A flock of birds set down to roost, and the Conqueror relaxed marginally, her weapon still at the ready. She stared down at the seated woman. "Your compatriots certainly seem in no great hurry to collect you, Amazon."

The young woman sighed, rubbing her arms to ward off the chill. "For the last time, Xena, I have no compatriots. It’s just me here, hoping against hope that I’ve done the right thing." She looked down, digging fitfully at a partially exposed root with her bare toe. "Anyway, getting back to your question. About four years or so ago, Hercules came upon a warlord who attempted to gain even more power by pitting him against his best friend and making off with the spoils." She looked up at the Conqueror, who, despite her demeanor, was listening intently. "It didn’t work. The warlord left, defeated."

Xena snorted. "Of course he did. With his tail between his legs while the enterprising duo was left to fight another day. That’s always the way these foolish tales end. With good yet again winning out over evil." Her eyes became diamond chips. "That doesn’t happen in reality, Amazon. Any reality."

Gabrielle decided that ignoring Xena’s snide remarks was the best strategy, for if she rose to the bait being dangled, Callisto would carve Alcmene in little pieces while she and the Conqueror will still arguing in the woods. "Some time passed and Hercules met the warlord again, though this time under much different circumstances. He found the warlord alone, after she," the bard took in a deep breath, "after she had been forced to run the gauntlet of her own army for saving a baby." White teeth were displayed as the bard pensively chewed at her lower lip. "The warlord was known as Xena: the Warrior Princess."

The world rushed crazily by as Gabrielle felt herself hauled to her feet by the front of her impromptu garment. Her face was so close to the Conqueror’s that she could smell the warm scent of Xena’s breath. "How do you know these things, Amazon? How!"

"You’ll have your answers if you put me down and let me finish the story."

Xena spun at a sound behind her, dropping the bard and unsheathing her sword. In the near distance, running as if for her very life, the Conqueror spied a very pregnant woman. The woman’s legs tangled in the remnants of her long peasant skirt and she tripped, disappearing from sight beneath the tall, swaying grasses. "Alcmene, I presume."

Gabrielle, who had never seen the woman before, could only hope and nod.

A split second later, a familiar form materialized as if from the very air, threw back her head, laughed, and, extending one thin arm, lit the grasses sheltering Alcmene aflame with a bolt that flew from her fingertips.

The bard rubbed at her chin. "Um, there’s something I forgot to mention about Callisto."

"So it would seem."

"She’s a god now."

Feeling Callisto turn to glance her way, Xena drew behind the thick trunk of a sheltering tree, her silvered eyes narrow and thoughtful.

"Now do you believe me?" Gabrielle asked, pressing herself flat behind the Conqueror.

"It will take a great deal more than that light show to make a believer out of me, Amazon." Xena’s body was tense as she cautiously peered around the trunk, watching intently as Callisto, laughing again, aimed another bolt at the now wildly running Alcmene. The bolt missed, but not by much.

If the Conqueror knew her second, and she did, Callisto was merely toying with the woman, having her sport before committing the act which would permanently end her enjoyment of the chase.

"Believer or not, we need to rescue her," Gabrielle whispered.

"And why is that," Xena returned, not taking her eyes off the action.

"Why?" Gabrielle repeated, stunned. "Xena, in case you didn’t notice, that woman is pregnant. And helpless against Callisto, god or not! She’s going to die!"

"Death happens, Amazon."

The bard gritted her teeth and gathered the cloak around her more tightly. "Not while I’m around to stop it."

Xena wrapped an arm around her before Gabrielle could even think to move away from the trees.

"Let me go!" she hissed.

"Be quiet," the Conqueror intoned, watching as the fleeing woman changed direction, now heading directly toward them as if drawn to their position.

Giggling delightedly, Callisto flicked out her finger and scorched the very tree Xena and Gabrielle were hiding behind.

"By the gods, that was close!" Gabrielle breathed, stepping back to allow Xena to get away from the smoking bark.

Turning from the tree, sword in hand, Xena bowed her head, her lips brushing Gabrielle’s ear. "Your friend is heading this way. When she enters the wood, grab her and run. I’ll deal with Callisto."

The bard clutched at Xena’s arms. "You can’t do that! Callisto’s a god! She’ll kill you too!"

One corner of the Conqueror’s mouth lifted in a wry smile. "Didn’t seem to stop you from wanting to do the very same thing a moment ago, did it."

Gabrielle scowled. "That’s different."

"We’ll discuss that later. Just do as I say."

"That’s not different," Gabrielle grumbled half under her breath as she pulled away from Xena. "Fine. Do you have any general direction in mind?"

Alcmene stumbled into the wood. Grabbing the nearly spent woman, the Conqueror thrust her into Gabrielle’s arms. "Just go!"

The bard clamped a hand over Alcmene’s mouth before the other woman had a chance to scream. "We’re here to help. I know you’re tired, but you need to run with me as fast as you can. We’ll get you to safety, I promise."

Alcmene’s eyes were wide with panic, but after a moment, she nodded.

Removing her hand from Alcmene’s mouth, Gabrielle smiled, and grabbed the other woman’s hand. "Great. Let’s go."

Xena waited until Gabrielle had left the wood, their guest in hand, then turned and stepped deliberately around the tree trunk and out into the brilliant sunshine. "Hello, Callisto," she purred, her sword tip resting against one broad shoulder.

The blonde goddess pulled up short, her dark eyes wide with shock. "Xena! Not that it isn’t a pleasant surprise, but what are you doing here?"

The Conqueror smiled. "I could ask you the same question, Callisto."

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that." Peering around Xena’s shoulder, she looked into the darkness of the wooded glen. "Where’s your beloved little bard brat? Somewhere safe, I trust?" Callisto smiled mockingly, tilting her head to one side. "I know how tethered through the nose she has you, poor dear."

Xena filed the apparent non-sequitor away for future reference and leveled the point of her sword at the hollow of Callisto’s neck.

Reaching up with disdain, Callisto merely flicked the blade away. "Oh, please. Surely you haven’t forgotten your little ambrosial gift to me already, have you, Xena? You can’t possibly think you could hurt me with that thing. Be a dear and put it away before someone gets hurt, won’t you?"

Xena’s mind was awash with confusion, knowing full well that she had never even seen ambrosia, and if she had, Callisto would be the last person to receive such a gift from her. Determined not to let that confusion show, she flipped the sword back to the blonde’s neck. "I thought, perhaps, a little sparring? For old times’ sake?"

Grinning, Callisto stepped back and withdrew her own sword. "Oh, why not. I never could resist a challenge, Xena. Especially not one from you. You always did bring out the worst in me."

She danced forward and their blades met, a waterfall of sparks raining down to skitter across the ground. They broke apart, then engaged again, their faces almost touching as their hilts locked and brute strength came into play.

The Conqueror was a bit taken aback when Callisto’s ambrosia-imbued strength matched hers, measure for measure, but she kept her grip locked tight against her adversary, determined not to yield.

Callisto giggled. "Oh Xena," she purred, licking her lips, "if I had known this was the way to get you grunting and straining, I would have stolen some ambrosia years ago!"

Shaking her head, Xena relaxed the slightest bit, and when Callisto responded, quickly broke the lock of their blades, dancing away from the goddess’ downstroke.

"Oh, very good, my sweet."

Xena trilled out her battle cry.

Callisto responded with a scream.

Soon the sounds of metal on metal overtook even wailing of the wind, which seemed to howl its approval of the combat taking place.

Xena ran toward Callisto, and, at the last second, flipped high above her head, forcing the goddess to turn and put her back to the trees. The Conqueror landed solidly, knees flexed, her blade ready to engage the enemy.

Grinning, Callisto waggled a finger in Xena’s direction. "As much as I’ve relished this little dance, my dear, I’ve allowed you to delay me long enough. I simply must dash. Business first, and all that." She pouted. "You’d think you could at least be happy for me, Xena. After all, I’m doing this for you."

"Oh you are, are you?"

"But of course, my darling! Without Hercules meddling in your affairs, all this will be yours!" She grinned. "And you’ll have me to thank for it." Dark eyes narrowed in challenge. "And what does your precious little Gabrielle have that could even begin to compete with that, hmm? All she offers is that scrawny little body of hers. While I, dear Xena, I offer you the world!"

While Callisto’s assertions weren’t making very much sense to a puzzled Conqueror, her words did serve to, at least in part, confirm some of the unbelievable stories Gabrielle had been telling her. Xena wondered anew if perhaps she hadn’t been right in her first assumption, that the two women were somehow in collusion with one another, working in tandem to instill some form of madness into her which would cause her downfall.

Shaking her head, she fought to regain her focus as Callisto stared at her, grinning wildly.

"So. Do I get a ‘thank you’ kiss?"

"Dream on, Callisto."

"I thought as much." The goddess flicked a bored finger, smirking as a bolt of blue light shot from it. "Just a little something to remember me by, darling."

Xena just managed to bring her sword up in time to deflect the blow. With blind luck, the Conqueror’s weapon sent the bolt back to its originator, blowing Callisto off her feet and knocking her into the very tree she had scorched earlier. The goddess slumped to the ground, unconscious, her leather smoking around the charred hole that was already starting to heal near her navel.

With steps borne of caution, Xena made her way to Callisto, prodding the fallen woman with the tip of her boot. When there was no reaction, Xena raised an eyebrow. "I’m gonna to have to remember that little trick."

Toeing Callisto once more for good measure, and nodding in satisfaction, Xena sheathed her sword and set off into the woods, keen eyes already scanning the leaf-strewn ground for signs of the two fleeing women.

***

When Alcmene stumbled for the third time in as many minutes, Gabrielle pulled the winded woman to a stop, looking at her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Alcmene leaned over, hands on her knees, trying desperately to get some air back into her straining lungs. "I think so. Just give me a minute to get my breath back." A bolt of pain shot through her middle. "Ow!"

"What is it? Are you alright?"

The pain receded. Then came again, doubled in its intensity. "I’m - ow! Not sure. I think the baby’s wanting out."

Gabrielle spun Alcmene around. "Are you sure?!"

"Well, I’ve never had a baby before, but that’s sure what it feels like."

The bard ran a hand through her hair. "Ok, ok. Um...we’ll just have to find a place for you to rest."

"That sounds—by the gods this kid has a tough kick!—really great right about now."

Nodding, the bard looked around. In the desperate flight, she’d led them down from the meadow and into a more rocky area bisected by a long ravine whose rocky walls towered menacingly over their heads. A narrow entrance was just visible to her, and she pointed, directing Alcmene’s gaze that way. "I doubt it’ll be very comfortable in there, but at least we’ll be out of the wind."

Gathering up her tattered skirt, Alcmene started forward. "What are we waiting for then? Let’s go!"

Shaking her head in bemusement, the bard broke into a quick trot so as to not be left behind.

***

"There," Gabrielle said, lowering Alcmene behind a natural rock barrier which would protect her from the bright sun shining down from overhead, its heat magnified within the natural bowl-effect of the ravine. "It’s not exactly a luxury suite in Athens’ best Inn, but it’s the best we’re gonna get on short notice."

Alcmene smiled, and the bard could readily see the woman’s soon-to-be son in the open expression. "It’s a grand place, um...I’m afraid I don’t know your name."

"It’s Gabrielle," the younger woman replied, reaching down to clasp Alcmene’s hand. "Pleased to meet you."

"Not half as pleased as I am," Alcmene replied, returning the clasp. "I was sure my baby would never see life with that woman chasing after me. Do you have any idea who she was?"

"Her name is Callisto. Not a very nice person."

Alcmene laughed. "You can say that again. Those things she did...is she a god? Why does she want to hurt me? I’m sure I haven’t done anything to offend her. I’ve never seen her before today."

"It’s not you. Not really. It’s her. She’s a very angry, very bitter woman."

"Well, your friend is very brave, staying behind like that to fight her so that I could get away. I hope she can find us. I’d like to thank her."

"She’ll be here." I hope. Oh, Xena, please be careful.

"You have a lot of faith in her."

"She’s worth it."

Alcmene nodded at the conviction in her young savior’s voice, then gasped as she felt something decidedly strange. "Gabrielle?"

Turning her head from the entrance, the bard noted the unusual expression on the other woman’s face. "What is it? Is something wrong?"

"I - I, um, think my water just broke."

Gabrielle squatted quickly. "Please tell me you’re kidding."

"Well, unless a spring suddenly opened up underneath me, I’m not kidding."

"Oh, boy."

Suddenly, a slight shuffle was heard from the entrance to the ravine. Gabrielle jumped to her feet. "Xena!" she cried out in relief.

The Conqueror nodded, eyeing the place the Amazon had chosen, impressed despite herself.

"Go to your friend, Gabrielle. I’ll be ok here."

The bard bent down, placing a warm hand on Alcmene’s arm. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. The pain seems to have disappeared for the moment, and I think it’s best if I just tried to relax. The worst is yet to come, right?"

Smiling in empathy, Gabrielle gently squeezed Alcmene’s arm, and when the young woman nodded, rose back to her feet and stepped around the rock shelter, walking to meet Xena halfway between the shelter and the entrance.

"Interesting choice," the Conqueror commented.

"Well, I figured it was easily defensible." Hand to the back of her neck, Gabrielle looked around. "Or it would be, if Callisto wasn’t a god." She gazed back at Xena. "Speaking of which, where is she?"

"Taken care of. For now. And the woman?"

"Safe."

"For now."

Gabrielle tensed at the warning tone in Xena’s voice. "What do you mean?"

"Callisto told me some interesting things while we were engaged."

"Interesting, huh?"

"Very interesting."

"Would you mind sharing?"

Xena’s face hardened. "That would be a job better left to you, Amazon. What, exactly, happened when your ‘Warrior Princess’ met Hercules."

"Well, you - she - Xena joined forces with Hercules and Iolaus to defeat Darfus’ attack against a nearby village. Xena killed Darfus, but Ares raised him from the dead and made him more powerful than before."

"But they managed to kill him again."

"Exactly."

Xena nodded. "And then?"

Gabrielle looked at the dirt under her feet. "Well, you - she - was always pretty quiet about what happened after, but she did say that he unchained her heart." She looked up again, her eyes blazing, intense. "Xena, Hercules made you see that you didn’t need to walk in the darkness any longer. He showed you that it was okay to be good; to help others instead of hurting them. You thanked him and left to make your own path in this world. A path of goodness. You call it ‘The Greater Good’."

"That Xena never existed, Amazon. Except in your fevered imagination."

"You’re wrong, Xena. That person does exist." She lifted her hand, placing her fingers on the warm flesh of the Conqueror’s chest. "Right here. In your heart. All you have to do is let her out."

Teeth bared, Xena grabbed Gabrielle’s wrist in a harsh grip and pulled the younger woman’s hand away. "It appears Ares was right."

Gabrielle refused to let the pain show. "About what?"

"You are my enemy. Because if what you say is true, and this Hercules is allowed to be born, I will lose my throne. I’ll lose everything I’ve spent my life fighting to gain."

"Xena, it’s not like that..."

"Who rules Greece in your reality, Amazon?"

"Well, no one, but..."

"Exactly. You’ve come to take Greece from me." Flinging Gabrielle away, Xena reached down and removed a dagger from her boot. "That’s not going to happen."

Gabrielle jumped back to her feet, watching in horror as the Conqueror moved unerringly toward Alcmene’s resting place, her knife hand swinging with every step she took.

Looking around desperately, the bard stooped down and grabbed a rock that fit comfortably in her hand. Straightening and drawing back her arm, she prayed to Artemis for true aim, and let fly the rock, watching as it sped toward its intended target.

Who turned at the last possible second, and caught the rock with her free hand, her angry strength crushing it to dust as she stared at Gabrielle with murderous intent. After a moment, however, Xena opened her hand, let the dust fall to the ground, and turned back toward her primary goal.

"Xena! Don’t!!"

Then came a bolt of blue fire which hit the target Gabrielle missed, sending the knife spinning away to shatter against one of the ravine’s rocky walls. With the bolt came an enraged scream which echoed off the walls and caused both women to stop and turn toward the source of the sound.

"Isn’t that just like you, Xe-na. Kicking a woman when she’s down, then walking away without a second glance." Callisto grinned. "You honestly didn’t think I was going to let you get away with that little slight to me, did you?"

The Conqueror stood ramrod straight and said nothing, her empty hands clenching and unclenching with the effort to contain her anger.

Callisto turned her head slightly. "Well hello, Gabrielle! I just knew you had to be around here somewhere, sniffing up Xena’s skirts. I believe you’re holding something of mine?"

"Forget it, Callisto," the bard snarled.

"Wish I could, dear. But the truth is, I can never forget the look on my mother’s face as her dress caught on fire and took the rest of her with it. Every time I close my eyes, I can hear her screaming. Begging for someone to help her." The goddess rubbed her chin with the back of her hand as her eyes gained their focus once again. "So be a dear and bring me Zeus’ little whore, would you?"

"You’ll have to go through me first, Callisto," Gabrielle warned.

The goddess beamed. "I was hoping you’d say that!"

A lick of fire shot from Callisto’s fingertip, but the bard was prepared and dropped to the ground, rolling to avoid the blow.

Missing its target, the bolt struck the rock shelter, and Alcmene screamed as the boulders exploded, littering her body with jagged pieces of debris.

Stopping her desperate roll, Gabrielle reversed direction and dove behind the shelter, covering the cowering woman’s body with her own as the air continued to rain rocks down over her.

Callisto’s laughter echoed again as she turned her head. "And here’s a little something to pay you back for being such a naughty girl, Xena."

Another bolt flew.

The Conqueror just managed to deflect it with the chakram that appeared in her hand.

Blue fire flicked again, and Xena deflected the bolt back to its owner, only to have Callisto dart out of the way. "Oh, Xena. You didn’t think I’d fall for the same trick twice, did you?"

Xena shrugged minutely. "It was worth a shot."

"True. It’s good to know some things never change, my darling. Always striving for the upper hand. Even in hopeless situations, like this one."

Both women released their weapons at the same time. Xena’s chakram impacted directly with Callisto’s energy bolt, and both combatants ducked as their own weapons ricocheted back on a direct path toward their heads.

The chakram hit the closest wall, showering sparks and loosening some small stones to roll to the floor below, before rebounding and heading back to its owner.

Callisto’s bolt hit the wall very near the entrance to the ravine, exploding the rockface and making the entire wall rumble threateningly.

Behind the much reduced rock shelter, Alcmene pushed Gabrielle off of her. "The baby’s coming!" she screamed, clawing at her hair in pain. "The baby’s coming!"

As Gabrielle scrambled over to try and help, Callisto laughed. "Did you hear that, Xena? Your destiny is being birthed before your very eyes. How many people can say that?" She grinned, raising her arms. "Last chance, Xena. You know what Hercules will do if he’s allowed to be born. Let me kill him, and the world will be yours!"

"And have to live knowing I’m beholden to you for my crown? Not a chance, Callisto."

The goddess shrugged. "Have it your way, then. I’ll just have to rule it without you."

She clenched her right hand tightly, then opened it to show a glowing, white ball which crackled, sending out fat sparks. "Goodbye, dear Xena. I wish I could say it’s been fun, but it hasn’t. Remember me fondly to Hades when you see him, won’t you?"

Thrusting out her hand, Callisto threw the energy ball.

Xena held her chakram in front of her, and when the blow hit, the power of it blew her off her feet, the chakram slipping from her hand as she flew the length of the ravine. She collided with the far wall and slumped to the ground, barely conscious.

"And now, for my prize. Come out, come out wherever you are, Alcmene. Time to face the music, my dear."

Gabrielle squatted next to the laboring woman, paralyzed with indecision. She desperately wanted to go to Xena, who lay unmoving against the ravine wall, blood streaming down her face, her eyes dazed and glassy.

Her absolute devotion to the greater good, however, stayed her steps, and as Callisto came closer, she rose to her feet and grabbed the chakram which had landed on what remained of the rock wall sheltering Alcmene. Her face was stony; her eyes, chips of jade shining with determination.

Callisto stopped, and smiled. "Well, well, well, if it isn’t brave little Gabrielle making a stand against the big, bad goddess." She cocked her head. "Put Xena’s toy away before you hurt yourself with it, hmmm?"

"You won’t win, Callisto."

"And just how do you intend on stopping me, dear?"

Behind her, Alcmene screamed in agony and Gabrielle turned, watching as the tendons in the woman’s neck stood out with the force of her pushing.

The bard turned back. "I’ll give up my life to see that Hercules has a chance to be born."

Callisto nodded. "And that’s exactly what I’ll take from you." She held out an arm, then dropped it suddenly, a slow smile blooming over her face. "No, killing you this way would be too easy." Reaching back, she pulled her sword and twirled it once. "I think I’d rather do this the old fashioned way. And this way, you and your dear dead husband can bear matching death wounds."

With a piercing shriek, Callisto attacked. Gabrielle defended herself, using the chakram to ward off the sword strikes that seemed to be coming from all directions at once.

Her arm burned in agony as the tip of Callisto’s sword traced a line across her flesh and, Alcmene’s pain filled cries pushing her on, the bard redoubled her efforts, deflecting stroke after stroke as she looked for a way to penetrate the goddess’ own defenses.

"Gabrielle! Help me! Please!" Alcmene wailed as her insides turned to flame with the strength of her contractions.

Gabrielle was weakening, and she knew it. Her heart was torn in too many directions and Callisto’s ambrosia-induced strength was becoming overwhelming. Gritting her teeth, her muscles bulging and straining with effort, she continued to deflect the blows until a lucky shot knocked the chakram from her hand.

"Game over, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle stood, chin lifted, staring Callisto straight in the eye as the goddess raised her sword for the final blow.

And then, with an almost mystic sense she’d developed over the years, she dropped flat to the ground as an airborne body flew directly over her and slammed, boots first, into Callisto’s stomach, sending the other woman flying across the ravine and to her own meeting with a rocky wall.

Xena landed, stooped, and grabbed her chakram, which she then flung at the barrier which had already been weakened by its meeting with Callisto’s bolt.

Thunder rumbled through the narrow ravine as the wall began to collapse, sending huge boulders toppling toward the ground at immense speeds.

Looking up, Callisto screamed.

Catching her weapon, Xena turned and pulled Gabrielle up from the ground. "Run!" she shouted to be heard over the din of the approaching rockslide.

"Not without Alcmene!"

"Run!" The Conqueror shouted again, giving the bard a healthy shove in the right direction.

The boulders began to close in, and Xena ran behind Gabrielle, who stopped, and turned. "You can’t just leave her there, Xena. She’s an innocent woman. Please. You have to help her."

Shoving Gabrielle once again, the Conqueror darted to her right, bent low, and scooped Alcmene up in her strong arms. The laboring woman squirmed in her arms, almost causing Xena to lose her balance and fall victim to the oncoming rocks. "Stay still, or I’ll kill you myself."

The threat was an empty one, however, as Xena regained her balance and just managed to step out of the path of destruction.

Like a flooded river, the boulders continued past, rumbling across the ravine floor until they met the far wall, where they crashed, were shattered, and lay still.

Then all was quiet, save for the dust that fell like rain, and the sounds of Alcmene’s urgent panting.

"Bring her over here!" Gabrielle pointed to a relatively level space of ground.

Xena walked her burden over to the area indicated, and laid her on the ground, before quickly turning away and scanning the area for Callisto’s presence.

Gabrielle quickly went to her knees, clasping Alcmene’s hand and wincing at the strength of the other woman’s ferocious grip.

"Oh gods...it’s coming...please...please...help me."

"Alright," the bard crooned, "it’s alright. Here, open your legs and let me see, ok?" Kneeling in between Alcmene’s cocked legs, she saw the head beginning to crown. "You’re doing great, Alcmene. I can just see the head. You’re doing fine."

"Can I push?"

"Yes. Give it all you’ve got. A great big push. Now."

As Alcmene bore down with all her might, Gabrielle slipped her hands under the head as it came forward, quickly followed by the rest of the body.

Alcmene screamed out her relief and Gabrielle laughed, holding the squirming infant in her hands. "It’s a boy!"

"Is he...is he alright?"

Confirmation was heard in the form of a loud, indignant wail.

"Oh, thank the gods."

At the sound of the infant’s cry, the Conqueror spun, staring down at the tiny, squalling body in Gabrielle’s hands. Her hand slowly went to her chakram and she took it from its hook on her leathers, her intense gaze focused on nothing but the child. The child who would take away everything that she was, everything she’d fought for, everything she’d gained. The sounds, scents and sights of many a bloody battle raced behind her eyes, her body responding to war’s seductive call.

The baby wailed again, shaking his fists, and Xena blinked, coming back into herself. He looked up at her with large, unblinking eyes as she remembered other times, other infants. The one she saved, causing her to walk the Gauntlet of her own army’s men. Her own son, Solon, placed in the strong, capable arms of the Centaurs as the son of their hero, Borias; only to be killed by the Amazons in their war with the Centaurs; a war that only ended with Velasca’s death and the decimation of the Amazons as a race.

She’d never allowed herself to mourn the loss of so tiny and so precious a life, knowing that to do so would only distract her from her ultimate focus: the conquest of Greece.

She allowed her gaze to move from infant to mother. Alcmene stared at her, her expression unsettled. Why should I allow your son to live when I let mine die without even a tear to mark his passing? Does the child of Zeus deserve more of a right to live than the child of a monster?

The Conqueror looked back at the tiny innocent held so tenderly in the arms of his deliverer. Will you be my ending? Or truly my beginning? If I lose all that I am, what is there to be gained?

She fingered the chakram absently, callused thumb playing over the razor-sharp edge, wondering why such a simple decision had become suddenly so hard.

Gabrielle eyed the Conqueror warily, unable to read the display of emotions in the chiseled face. "Xena?"

Xena slowly raised her gaze to meet deep green eyes looking calmly back at her. So many emotions in those beautiful eyes. So many. What do you see when you look at me, Amazon? Do you see the person I am? Or do you see the person you think I could become.

"Who are you?" she asked finally. And, more importantly, who am I?

"I’m Gabrielle. A woman who loves you."

"You...you love me?"

Nothing but absolute devotion shone from Gabrielle’s face. "Yes. And I always will."

"The greatest weakness."

Gabrielle shook her head. "No. The greatest strength Your greatest strength."

The Conqueror shook her head once, as if to negate the words, and, raising her weapon, stepped forward, her jaw tightly clenched, teeth gleaming white in the dusty air.

With a groan of pain, she brought the chakram down.

And severed the cord still tethering the infant to his mother.

Reaching down, she ripped a piece of fabric from Alcmene’s tattered skirt and quickly tied off the stump of the cord before stepping back once again, powerful emotions finally freed from the prison where she’d kept them locked tightly for so many dark and dangerous years.

The emotions overwhelmed her and brought the mighty Conqueror to her knees, her chakram falling from her hand to land on the dusty ground.

Gabrielle quickly handed Hercules off to his mother, then rushed to kneel before her soulmate. "Xena?" she asked again, quietly.

Xena’s head slowly lifted. In her eyes, a lost, broken soul cried out for comfort, and this Gabrielle gave without reservation, pulling Xena into a tight embrace and resting the taller woman’s head on her shoulder. "I’m here, Xena. I’ll always be here. Always."

After a moment, Xena pulled away. The smile she mustered was tiny, but it managed to reach her tear-sparkling eyes. "Thank you, Gabrielle," she whispered hoarsely.

The bard sobbed at the sound of her name, and reached up, gently guiding Xena’s lips to hers in a kiss of absolution, of devotion, of deep and utter love.

And the world went black once again.

***

When Gabrielle regained consciousness, it was to the sensation of warm, soft lips still pressing against her own. Lips whose taste was finer than the best Grecian wine, attached to a face that was more beautiful than any Olympian goddess, and a body that was just as stunning, and just as...naked?

The bard kept her eyes tightly shut, her hands continuing their unknowing trek down Xena’s smooth-muscled back. Yup. Naked.

Large hands roaming with sensual grace down her own body convinced Gabrielle that she was in a similar state of undress.

And laying on her back.

Partially covered by a thick, soft fur.

Her eyes popped open, huge with shock as her mind finally caught up to her raging hormones.

Loathe to break the passionate kiss, but helpless to do anything else, Gabrielle pushed Xena away and scrambled up from the bedroll, her entire body turning in circles as she scanned the wooded clearing she suddenly found herself in.

High above her head, birds twittered cheerfully, courting in the leafy canopy that sheltered the sun dappled grove. Off to her left, Argo threw her head and whinnied a cheerful, if grass-strewn, greeting her way. Behind her, a well-laid campfire burned its last, the fragrant smoke tickling her nostrils pleasantly.

She looked back down to see Xena, half on the bedroll, looking back up at her, an expression of tolerant amusement covering her face. "Was it something I said?" the low voice rumbled.

Gabrielle blushed a brilliant pink, and she shook her head, still unable to believe she was seeing what she thought she was seeing. "Um, no."

The warrior nodded slowly, her face creasing into a half smile. Gabrielle’s breath caught in her throat as the love shining from Xena’s so-pale eyes caused her heart to skip several beats.

Slowly lowering herself to her knees, Gabrielle reached out a shaking hand. Xena grasped the hand immediately, bringing it to her lips and brushing a gentle kiss against the bard’s palm. "Are you alright?" she murmured, using her free hand to tenderly cup Gabrielle’s cheek, trying to read the emotions flashing through the vibrant eyes.

"I’m...not sure. I think so. It’s just..." She took in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. "I love you, Xena."

The smile she received made her heart soar. "I love you too, Gabrielle."

"Say it again."

"I love you?"

"Well, that too. But I really meant my name. Say my name again?"

Xena’s eyebrow hid beneath her bangs, but she complied. "Gabrielle."

And suddenly found her arms full of warm, laughing, and crying bard. "By the gods, it’s good to be home!"

Xena allowed herself to be bowled over by her young lover, not understanding in the least what had just happened, but happy that, whatever it was, Gabrielle was warm, and safe, and whole in her arms.

As fervent lips melded to hers, the Warrior Princess stopped thinking of anything at all, and simply surrendered to the boundless love that enveloped her, heart and soul.

And somewhere, high above, the Fates continued their spinning, reweaving a world that had been torn asunder by hatred, and mended by the strongest force of all.

Love.

The End

#xena #xena warrior princess #xwp #femslash #xena/gabrielle #xena/gabrielle fanfiction #mature #author: swordnquil

14 notes · View notes

tired-wolfe · 6 years

Text

CGs Comfy Place

Large Pesterlog below cut

CHW RIGHT NOW opened memo on board GGS COMFY PLACE. CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCG: AYO IT'S KANKRI. CHW: Its alm9st danger9us h9w when I'm typing elsewhere and the mem9 69ard thing p9ps up, if I d9n't n9tice 6ecause im typing it'll just enter me int9 the mem9, haha, 6ut hell9, it is me. CURRENT gardenGnostic104 [CGG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGG: oh, hi there! CCG: SORRY FOR DISAPPEARING THE OTHER DAY... I...GOT WOKEN UP. CURRENT gallowsCalibratorr [CGC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGC: Y3S H1 CURRENT ectoBiologists [CEB] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CEB: hi! CURRENT timaeusTestified [CTT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTT: Hello, everyone. CGG: ok, i got a video, i don't know if you saw or heard it before CGG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se9TyhKuXqE CHW: Y9u are fine Karkat, I understand. Th9ugh I did miss y9u when y9u were g9ne. There was s9 much left I had t9 sh9w y9u. S9 we'll have t9 d9 that again, may6e when y9u d9n't have t9 6ash y9ur head int9 a desk t9 d9 s9. H9w, is y9ur head 6y the way? CCG: WOW. CGC: H4H4 1V3 S33N TH4T B3FOR3 CGC: FUNNY SH1T CCG: YOU JUST WHOLEASS TOLD AN ENTIRE MEMO ABOUT THE DESK INCIDENT. CCG: THAT WAS *CONFIDENTIAL*, KANKRI. CHW: 9h- CGC: H4H4HH4 CHW: s9rry CGC: BUST3D CGC: OOOH SN4P CHW: # I'm really 6ad at letting cats 9ut 9f 6ags CGC: 1T W4S WORTH 1T CEB: why are you bashing your head into desks?? CHW: # Y9u have t9 tell me 6ef9re hand that its c9nfidential 9therwise I assume its pu6lic kn9wledge CCG: TO FALL ASLEEP. CGC: DO YOU N33D 4 B4ND 41D FOR YOUR BOO BOO K4RK4T CCG: ):B CGC: H4H4H4 CHW: Karkey has sleeping pr96lems 6ut came t9 visit me in the 6u66le~ CCG: YOU'RE ALL ASSES. I'LL SMITE EVERYONE IN THIS MEMO. CCG: KANKRI SHUT UP. CCG: ANYWAYS. CEB: i mean, i guess that's one way to do it. have you tried laying in a troll slime bed thing and closing your eyes? CHW: # I'll shut up, s9rry CCG: NO, JOHN, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NEVER TRIED TO FALL ASLEEP BY NORMAL MEANS, NOT EVEN A SINGLE FUCKING TIME IN MY WHOLE LIFE. WHAT A RIDICULOUS CONCEPT! CHW: # sn9rt CEB: you should try it sometime. :B CHW: # y9ung me was the same CCG: I WANT TO THROTTLE YOU. CGC: C4LM 1T HOT HORNS CHW: Karkey d9n't use vi9lence CCG: YOU JUST CALLED ME KARKEY IN FRONT OF A GOOD NUMBER OF PEOPLE. CCG: I'M GOING TO TAKE YOUR FUCKING KNEECAPS. CHW: Yes? Is, that a pr96lem? I th9ught- 6ut, its just a cute nickname CHW: # sad CCG: I'M DYING INSIDE. CEB: rest in peace. </3 CGG: oh, gosh, i think we just derailed a bit CCG: I'M FORCING ERIDAN TO GET HIS ASS OUT OF BED SO HE CAN JOIN THIS MEMO. CGC: OH GOG CEB: i don't think there was ever any rails. CHW: 9h g9d CHW: Why 6ring the Amp9ra int9 this? CGC: 1M JUST SLOWLY F4D1BG 4W4Y CCG: HEY, ERIDAN IS PRETTY COOL, SHUT THE FUCK UP GUYS. CHW: # Please d9n't ask me t9 get Cr9nus 6ecause I'd s99ner d9u6le die CHW: /:6 CCG: NO ONE SAID SHIT ABOUT CRONUS. YOU'RE THE ONE WHOSE MIND ALWAYS GOES TO HIM. CEB: i don't know either of them. CCG: THERE HE IS. HEY ERIDAN. CHW: My mind isn't ALWAYS 9n him CCG: YOU SURE? CGG: hi, eridan! CHW: 9h g9d h9w c9uld say such gr9ss stuff CURRENT caligulasAquarium [CCA] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCA: hey CCG: IT REALLY SEEMS LIKE IT IS. CHW: Hell9 9ther amp9ra. CCG: YOU ALWAYS FUCKING TALK ABOUT HIM DUDE. CHW: N-n9 n9 I am n9t! CCG: HIS NAME IS ERIDAN, NOT "OTHER AMPORA". CHW: I d9 n9t always 6ring up Cr9nus. # excuse me while I g9 thr9w up CCG: DUDE. CCA: lets not talk about that primitivve praisin lump a grease in my prescence the read a such comparisons alone makes me wwanna throww up CCG: JEEZ, OK. SOMEBODY'S IN DENIAL. CCA: lets just CHANGE the topic entirely howw about that CCG: FOR ONCE I AGREE WITH ERIDAN. CHW: I agree with y9u CHW: Lets, talk a69ut instead, s9mething much less upsetting f9r all CEB: cats. CCG: EVERY TIME KANKRI SAYS A WORD THAT HAS THE LETTERS "BO" IN IT I LAUGH. CCG: I HAVE THE MINDSET OF A WRIGGLER. CGC: BO CHW: Yeah, sure, lets d9 that. Cats are nice, s9ft. CCG: 69. CHW: 699 CGC: W41T 1 FORGOT 1M NOT K4NKR1 CHW: hahaha CGC: FUCKS S4K3 CCG: YOU GOOD TEREZI? CHW: Terezi, are y9u 9kay CGC: Y34H CEH ceased responding to memo. CGG: ok, here's a cat video CGG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_S5cXbXe-4 CEB: ehehe. 69 CCA: its ignominious havvin to read evverythin you guys say to each other CCG: I WANT MY GAMZEE TO COME ONLINE SO HE CAN GET HIS ASS IN THIS MEMO BUT HE NEVER COMES ONLINE UNTIL LIKE. CCG: 3PM AT THE EARLIEST. CCG: AND CURRENTLY IT'S ONLY 1. CCG: UNFORTUNATE. CHW: 9h, its 4:13 here CTT ceased responding to memo. CHW: 9h, 6ake it, I supp9se CCG: WACK. CCG: SLAHOUDGIASUHKDHASDGEYRIUEJRFJDHSK CURRENT tidsopitmistTranquillity [CTT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTT: Uh. CCG: WHO THE FUCK IS THAT. CTT: Me. CTT: Thats whom CCG: WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU. CGG: oh, hi there! CTT: Hey owo CGC: WHO CCA: you havve no idea the extent i gotta crain my neck to be able to see your dastardly lightened text colour CCG: OWO. CCG: UWU. CHW: Karkat has s9me 9f the 6est reacti9ns CGC: TH3 FUCK 1S YOU CEB: gotta put my glasses on to read that color. CTT: Okay CTT: Has my family seriously forgotten me CCG: YOUR TEXT COLOR IS THE SAME COLOR AS A LEMON CANDY CANE I JUST GOT DONE BREAKING MY FUCKING TEETH ON. CHW: Even I am struggling, may6e its 6ecause my eyes d9n't exactly have pupils th9ugh CCG: YOUR FAMILY? CTT: That's sad as shit. CCG: YOU HAVE A FAMILY? CCG: I FEEL BAD FOR THEM, HOLY SHIT. CGC: HUH CGC: 1M SO CONFUS3D CCA: maybe its cause your busy ogglin that tommyrotted shitwwit alternate a myself CCG: ME TOO. CCA: evver think about that CGC: SOM3ON3 F1LL M3 1N WH4T TH3 FUCK SORT OF BR41N C3LL 4M 1 M1SS1NG CTT: Wow. CCG: ERIDAN, DON'T START SHIT. CCG: TEREZI I KIN THAT STATEMENT. CEB: karkat and i share -3 braincells. CCA: im not startin shit kar i am being nothin but CIVVLIZIED and PROPER here just by the basic vvirtue a me talkin CCG: YEAH. CCA: oh fuck CCA: my browwnies CCA: bee ar be CGC: 4LSO SHUT TH3 FUCK YOU F1SH WHY DONT YOU GO SUCK YOURS3LF L1K3 YOU DO 3V3RY N1GHT CCG: DEAR GOD. CEB: wow! damn. CTT: God damn it CGC: Y34H CCG: TEREZI SNAPPED. CGC: 1M 1N 4 B1T OF 4 B4D MOOD TOD4Y SORRY 3V3RYON3 CTT: I looked away for a bit and I return to chaos. Good god. CCG: JAMES CHARLES VOICE. SISTER SNAPPED. CTT: DAMN IT CTT: Stop. CEB: karkat please no. CTT: Fighting CTT: H CGC: R1GH TOK CGC: FORGOT HOW TO FUNCT1ON CCA: ivve hardly said anythin deservvin a vvitriol and scorn rez wwhy dont you shovve your tongue wwhere your crimson eyesockets are you are such a pain in my ass connivvin blueberry CCA: i mean i wwasnt evven TALKIN to you CCG: OK, EITHER DIRK OR THE LEMON GUY IS GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR TEXT COLOR. CCG: I CAN'T HANDLE THIS. CCA: mind your owwn business CTT ceased responding to memo. CCG: ONE OF YOU BITE THE BULLET AND CHANGE IT. CCG: OH. CCG: THAT WORKS TOO. CCG: BYE DIRK. CGG: :/ CEB: i thought dirk was the lemon guy damn. CGC: OK WH4T3V3R 3R1D4N CCG: NO, HE'S THE ORANGE GUY. CCA: hey kar CCG: HEY. CHW: W-wait ARE Y9U SAYING THAT I AM HAVING A HARD TIME SEEING 6ECAUSE IM F9CUSED 9N CR9NUS???? CGC: S4D S4CK CCG: WHAT. CCA: wwhy dont wwe ditch this popsickle stand CCG: FOR FUCK'S SAKE KANKRI, YOU'RE SLOW AS HELL. CCG: HUH? CTT: Son of a bitch CEB: at the bottom of the screen it looked the same okay? CGC: WH4T CCG: WE? AS A COLLECTIVE? CTT: What are you even fighting about CGC: OK4Y 1 G1V3 UP TRY1NG TO COMPR3H3ND CCG: ME TOO. CGG: i don't even know CHW: Im s9rry that p9rrim pestered me and this mem9 is flying CCA: im just sayin this display is nothin but a bloody mess a recalictrant scorn wwe might as wwell hang out or somethin you and i CHW: Im s9 fucking pissed right n9w CCA: plus CCA: past you DID say hed be wwillin to do so CTT: Trigger warning CCG: I MEAN CHW: # Fr9thing Rage CCG: OK. CGC: K4NKR1 SW34R1NG 1S 4 W34R OCC4S1ON WH4TS UP CHW: # literal fire in my eyes CCA: really you arent bee essin me here CCG: I DON'T MIND HANGING OUT IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO. CTT: EVERYONE BE TRIGGERED CCG: NO, I'M NOT. CGC: C4NT R3L4T3 CCG: KANKRI IS GOING OFF THE SHITS HELP. CGC: WHY CCA: my hivve or yours CTT: OH SHIT GUARD THE STAIRS CHW: Fucking I cant 6ELIEVE y9u w9uld say such gr9ss stuff CGC: WH4T CTT: They be FALLING DOWN THEM CHW: # Fucking flipping my literal shit CGC: W H 4 T CGC: HDU13F U1H RFR CGC: R3QFH1UCRH FRGHTVU 5G CGC: GTJ1 VRGT CTT: oh my God. CCA: wwoww that strawwberry shortcake is such a flippin drama machine it is truly pathetic CGC: V3GGU9TR CGC: GU9TRHY CTT: AUshdgdhd CTT: Jdhdbsnstshhdgd CGC: HTR9UHT3UH3 CTT: Dtthshshskwhe CTT: D CEB: what is CCA: shut the hell up CEB: stop CGC: 3UH9TRHUYR4U CHW: Eridan G9 FUCK Y9URSELF CTT: No CHW: Cause # N9 9ne else will CGC: BGT90YBH CCG: RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE TEXTUAL EQUIVALENT OF SCREAMING TO MAKE MY VOICE HEARD OVER A LOUD CROWD TO COMMUNICATE WITH ERIDAN. CCG: HELP. CTT: Uncle John what the fuck is good going on CCA: this is exactly wwhy you and i ought to be messagin each other separately CGC: W3LL TH3N HOW 4BOUT TH1S CCA: glad youre agreein wwith me bro i can alwways count on you CGG: oh, gosh! CEB: i'm sorry what? CCG: OK, FUCK, DM ME ERIDAN. CCG: I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING. CCA: wwhy dont you dee em me CCG: IT WAS YOUR IDEA! CCG: BUT FINE. I'LL BE THE MATURE ONE. CHW: Eridan said I c9uldn't see lem9n candy text 6ecause I was f9cused 9n Cr9nus. When we all had pr96lems with the c9l9r CGG: gamzee is here CGC: FOR FUCKS S4K3 CURRENT terminallyCapricious [CTC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTC: HeY. CTT: Oh honkY CCA: ugh CGC: OH H3LL NO CCG: KANKRI, SIT YOUR ASS DOWN AND COOL IT BEFORE I BAN YOU. CTT: HEY CCG: ERIDAN, DON'T PROVOKE HIM LIKE THAT. CTT: God damn it why are you so rude to each other CHW: H9w w9uld y9u feel if s9me9ne said such a thing a69ut y9u Karkat? CCG: NO ONE ASKED FOR YOUR OPINION, LEMON MAN. CCA: wwhat do you mean provvoke wwho CCG: GO SUCK A CACTUS. CTT: Yeah. CCA: i havve no idea wwho the hell you are talkin about CEB: i really have no idea what's happening. CGC: M3 4ND G4MZ33 DONT H4V3 4 GOOD H1STORY TOG3TH3R CCA: i havvent been provvokin no one wwhat a slanderous thing to imply CHW: # g9es t9 sweater t9wn CCG: EVERYONE STOP TALKING. CHW: # huffs CCG: LET ME GET MY SHIT TOGETHER. CGC: 1 TH1NK TH4TS 4 V4L1D 3NOUGH R34SON CCA: ill havve you knoww that crimson soaked sack a lard has been provvokin ME if anythin CTT: Okay. CCG: ERIDAN. CCG: SHUT. CCG: UP. CCG: FOR ONCE. CCG: PLEASE. CHW: Fucking WHAT CCA: ok fine CTT: #shooshpap CCA: wwhat do i care any wway CCG: KANKRI. CCG: DON'T START. CGC: TH1S 1S 4 M3SS CCG: I'M TRYING TO MEDIATE HERE. CTT: #shooshpap CCG: LEMON GUY, FUCK OFF. CHW: I'm N9T starting it, HE DID CHW: # Excuse CURRENT turntechGodhead [CTG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTG: "comfy place" my ass CTT: #SOOOooos- CCG: DAVE. CCG: HELP. CGC: YOU KNOW 1TS 4LL GON3 TO SH1T WH3N K4RK4T 1S TH3 ON3 TRY1NG TO M4K3 3V3RYON3 C4LM CCA: wwoah bro this is nothin if not flatterin but i dont think auspitizism is really the sorta establishment you should be sullyin yourself into at this moment no offense CTG: i wasn't even paying attention CTG: what's happening CCG: WAIT YOU'RE NOT THE DAVE I'M FAMILIAR WITH. I'M BLIND AND CAN'T READ HANDLES. CCG: ERIDAN I'LL KILL YOU. CTT: People being assholes CCA: uh CEB: it's, uh, chaotic. CHW: Please d9 CCA: wwoww CHW: WAIT CHW: D9NT CGG: the memo went crazy CCA: talk about straight forwward CHW: I d9nt want him in the 6u66les! CCG: I SWEAR I AM THIS CLOSE CCG: | | CCG: THAT CLOSE CCG: TO KICKING BOTH OF YOU. CCG: TEST ME. CHW: Karkat... CTT: I'm Dani terezi. Can ya use your like seer powers CCA: hmm CGC: H1T 1T F3RG13 CCA: wwell ok CCA: brb CHW: # p9uting CGC: D4N1 WHO CCG: CRY ABOUT IT, YOU LITTLE FUCK. CGC: WHO TH3 FUCK 1S YOU CTT: IM FROM EARTH C. CGC: 4H OK4Y CHW: I th9ught y9u cared a69ut me 9r s9mething.. I guess I was wr9ng. CGC: 1 KNOW SOM3ON3 C4LL3D D4N1 H4H4 CFL ceased responding to memo. CTT: Kankri. CCG: OH HERE WE FUCKING GO WITH THE GUILT TRIPPING. CEB: this is just what i needed to add a little spice to my afternoon. CCG: MARVELOUS. CTT: It's okay my boi CCG: THIS MEMO SINGLEHANDEDLY MANAGED TO KILL THE BRAIN CELLS I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE. CCA: hey im back CHW: # sulking CTT: Sometimes you gotta just go to sweater town CGG: :/ yeah, it's so crazy CEB: we just have -69 braincells now. CCG: KANKRI, I CARE MORE THAN ENOUGH ABOUT YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS MEMO FOR THAT MATTER, WHICH IS PRECISELY WHY I WANT YOU KNOCK THE BULLSHIT OFF AND STOP FIGHTING! CCG: I DON'T WANT ANYONE UPSET. CTT: #papshhosj CTT: Neither do i CCG: WELCOME BACK ERIDAN. CCG: OH FUCK GAMZEE IS ONLINE. CGC: C4N W3 JUST S4Y OK K4NKR1 YOU W3R3NT FOCUS1NG ON CRONUS TH3 T3XT W4S TOO H4RD TO R34D BUT TH4TS NO ON3S F4ULT CCA: thanks CTT: Let's back this up. CTG ceased responding to memo. CGC: 4ND 3R1D4N DONT G3T WORK3D UP OV3R K4NKR1 CHW: Thank y9u Terezi CGC: GOOD CCG: MY PURRBEAST IS STEPPING ONY M KEYYBOARD CCG: '; CCG: HELP. CTC: WhAt ThE MoThErFuCk Is EvEn HaPpEnInG. CGC: H4H4 CGC: TO MUCH TO B3 HON3ST CCG: GAMZEE DO YOU CARE IF I ADD ANOTHER GAMZEE TO THIS MEMO? THE MORE THE MERRIER, RIGHT? CCG: DOUBLE THE CLOWNERY? CGC: TW1C3 TH3 HONKS OH FUCK CTC: I DoNt CaRe. CTT: Okay. Mom Jade, of you remember hug me before I have a panic attack CGG: oh, gosh CHW: # deep 6reathing CCA: wworked up CCA: pshhh thats a fuckin laugh CCA: as if id let some detestable sack a ruddy text get me wworked up that foul no good pleb is hardly wworth steppin near my shadoww and at this point im findin all his petty references to my alternate to be nothin more than a salaicious display a utright denial CGC: WHY H4S TH1S 4LL GON3 TO SH1T -- CURRENT tidsopitmistTranquillity [CTT] seriously more confused then my session made me -- CTT ceased responding to memo. CHW: # Karkat he's starting it again CGC: 1 D1DNT KNOWHOW TO WORD 1T OK4Y SH33SH CURRENT tidsopitmistTranquillity [CTT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTT: Son of a bitch CTT: Better CGC: 3R1D4N JUST STOP OK4Y C4N W3 4GR33 TH4T 1T W4S NO ON3S F4ULT CTT: Can you see me now CCA: sure wwhat evver CTT: Am I less lemonade CGC: GOOD CCA: its not like i actually care about wwhat happens in this line a convversation anywway CCA: hes the one wwho started it CTT: Gucci CHW: # Watching y9u CGC: 4LR1GHTY CGC: OK4Y CEB: are you guys chill now? is that done? CTT: I guess. CEB: fantastic. CTT: But this hype train. CCA: wwhered kar go CGC: HOP3 SO CGG: i hope so, too CCG: NOWHERE. CTT: Oh fuc CCG: WHY? MISS ME? CCA: hey CTT: Shi CCG: HEY. CTT: Hey CHW: 9h- I think I just realized s9mething. # Lips l9cked tight CCG: HUH? CGC: WH4T CGC: T1GHT 4SSHOL3 CGC: H4H4 CHW: N9 n9, I d9n't want t9 start any drama. CCA: wwhy dont you lock your fingers tighter methinks theyre the ones causin all this repartee any wway CHW: I'll just, privately tr9ll karkat and tell him CCG: TELL ME IN DMS KANKRI. I'M YOUR DANCESTOR. CCG: OH. CCG: GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE. FUCK YEAH. CGC: HUH CEB: well now i'm curious. CGC: M3 TOO CCG: HEY IT'S ANOTHER GAMZEE. CCG: ONE I ACTUALLY AM FAMILIAR WITH. CGC: OH OK CTC: WeLcOmE BrOtHeR. CHW: Its s9mething that y9u all pr96a6ly c9uld have figured 9ut 9n y9ur 9wn, when thinking hard 9n what Amp9ras are very kn9wn f9r. CGC: SORRY 1F 1 S33M 4 B1T OFF CCG: OH GOD. PAST taciturnlyCataclysmal [PTC] 420 HOURS AGO responded to memo. PTC: HeLl yEaH, hOw'S It gOiNg? :o) CCG: WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU IN THE PAST CGG: hi there! CCG: WHAT THE FUCK CHW: I'm sure if y9ur g99d at paying attenti9n the pieces will f9rm the wh9le puzzle f9r y9u t99 CGG: ok, that's weird CCG: ALSO, KANKRI, THAT THING YOU JUST MESSAGED ME? WACK. CCA: soon enough ill be knowwn for slittin your detestable carcass ovver my owwn personal grubloaf bun if you dont keep my name from your ovverbitten mouth mutant CCG: I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE IT. CHW: True th9ugh CCA: howw about that CCG: ERIDAN WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? CCG: WHO IS THAT DIRECTED AT? CCG: I'M SO LOST. CGC: STOOOOP CHW: Thats at me CHW: Karkat CCA: kankri a course wwho else CCG: GAMZEE. HELP ME. CCG: PLEASE. CHW: he is attacking me CHW: again CHW: 6ut # I started it CHW: # r9lls eyes CGG: this is already too much... CGG: :/ CHW: # have t9 tell y9u im r9lling my eyes 6ecause, N9 pupils 6ut whatever CCG: OK, YOU KNOW WHAT? CHW: # Amp9ra is a castest prick CTC: CaN I HaVe ThE HeAdS ErIdAn BrO? CCG banned CCA from responding to memo: [TIME OUT.]. CCG banned CHW from responding to memo: [TIME OUT.]. CHW RIGHT NOW opened memo on board GGS COMFY PLACE.

---- Was kicked for time out ----

CHW RIGHT NOW opened memo on board GGS COMFY PLACE. CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCG: OH GOD. CURRENT gardenGnostic104 [CGG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGG: oh, again? CHW: # Excuse y9u PAST taciturnlyCataclysmal [PTC] 420 HOURS AGO responded to memo. PTC: So wHaT ThE MoThErFuCk'S ThIs mEmO AlL AbOuT? CCG: I SWEAR IF YOU TWO GO BACK AT IT I'LL FUCKING BAN YOU BOTH PERMANENTLY. CURRENT gallowsCalibratorr [CGC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGC: NO 1D34 CCG: WE'RE UH CCG: BONDING. CHW: He was the 9ne wh9 threatened t9 slit my thr9at CURRENT caligulasAquarium [CCA] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCA: no wworries CCG: GROUP BONDING TIME. CCA: i wwas just leavvin any wway CURRENT tidsopitmistTranquillity [CTT] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTT: The other kids are coming CCG: KANKRI SHUT UP. STOP DRAGGING IT ON. CTT: Yeet CCG: I'LL SCOLD HIM LATER. CGG: sorry, i meant to make this for fun stuff, but it went crazy over time CHW: Y9ud 6etter CCG: YOU TWO ARE LIKE FUCKING WRIGGLERS I SWEAR. CCA ceased responding to memo. CCG: I'M LOSING MY MIND. PTC: WeLl i gUeSs tHaT'S AlL GoOd, sHiT TeNdS To uP AnD GeT AlL FuCkIn cRaZy sOmEtImEs. CTT ceased responding to memo. CURRENT terminallyCapricious [CTC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTC: HoNk :O) PTC: HoNk CTC: HoNk PTC: HoNk CCG: HONK. CGC: OH NO CTC: HoNk CURRENT ectoBiologists [CEB] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CEB: oh jesus CCG: HONK. PTC: HoNk CGC: STOP CURRENT theJaceofspades [CTJ] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTJ: Haha I just broke into my sister's computer CTC: HoNk CGC: FUCK CCG: HONK. PTC: HoNk CHW: (( i didnt know it actually made the noise if you typed honk oh fuck that startled me xDD )) CTC: HoNk. CCG: HONK. CGC: HONK CTJ: Oh shit CCG: HONK. CHW: h9nk CHW: 9h CGC: 1T D1DNT WORK CTJ: ((shit man)) CEB: hehehe. CHW: quirks n9t all9wed CCG: THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS WHENEVER I GET IN A MEMO. CCG: EVERYONE STARTS HONKING. CGC: H4H4 CTJ: Oh CCG: IT HAPPENED IN FUCK BUCKETS TOO. I STILL FEEL BAD FOR JOHN. CCG: I ALSO FEEL BAD FOR EVERYONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW WHAT I MEAN BY FUCK BUCKETS. PTC: EvErYoNe aLl kNoWs yOuR FuCkIn mEaNiNg bEhInD ThAt. CTJ: I'm going to get a worshipper of the dark carnival CCG: NO. CCG: GAMZEE. CTJ: Then honk everyday bro CCG: IT WAS THE NAME OF A MEMO WE HAD ONCE. CTJ: I will do it PTC: HoNk CCG: I'M GOING TO FUCKING SLAM MY FACE INTO MY KEYBOARD. CTC: ThAt WaS A GrEaT MeMo. CTJ: I'm going to get her CGC: 1M GO1NG TO L1ST3N TO 4 SONG CEB: i know i was there, but what happened to be in fuckbuckets? PTC: HaHaHaHa, dOn'T Be dOiNg tHaT BeSt fRiEnD. jUsT GeT YoUr cHiLlS GoInG StRoNg. CTC: UnTiLl YoU MoThErFuCkInG KiCkEd Me. CGC: WH3N 1 COM3 B4CK HOP3FULLY 4LL 1S B3TT3R CHW: If y9u d9, may6e, y9u can visit Karkat? CTJ: I know. CCG: I KICKED YOU BECAUSE YOU WERE ABOUT TO EXPOSE ME, GAMZEE. CTJ: Wait CCG: ALSO. CCG: YEAH KANKRI. CCG: ALSO. CTC: EvErY OnE KnOwS. CTJ: If kankri has a Chum handle now CCG: TO THE OTHER GAMZEE. CCG: YEAH OK. CTJ: Then that means. CTJ: O. CCG: OH MY GOD. CTJ: Fuc CHW: ? CCG: GAMZEE I SWEAR I'LL KICK YOU FROM THIS MEMO TOO. CHW: It means I d9wnl9aded the alternian tr9llian CCG: CURRENT GAMZEE. CTJ ceased responding to memo. CCG: I CAN'T FUCKING WRAP MY HEAD AROUND THERE BEING TWO GAMZEES. THIS WAS A MISTAKE. PTC: AwWw dOn'T Be fUcKiN ThReAtEnInG A BrO. CCG: ONE OF YOU HAS TO GO. ANY VOLUNTEERS? CCG: NOT YOU! CCG: I'M THREATENING TO KICK THE OTHER GAMZEE. PTC: I'M KnOwInG, kArBrO. CURRENT stitchedSilence [CSS] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CSS: :o€ CCG: AAAAA MY THINKPAN IS ACHING. CCG: WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT EMOJI. CTC: NaH Im MoThErFuCkInG GoOd RiGhT HeRe. CCG: THEN. CCG: SHUT UP. CHW: C:6 CTC: HoNk BrO Is ChIlL. CCG: AND WE CAN ALL LIVE HAPPILY. CCG: WITH KARKAT'S SECRETS HIDDEN. CCG: OKAY? CHW: I mistyped CURRENT turntechDumbass [CTD] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTD: jade was right this is whack CSS: WHAT THE FUCK. IS HONKING UP IN THIS BITCH CCG: HONK. CHW: I saw 'kurl9z' and meant t9 type D:6 CTC: HoNk. CCG: OH FUCK IT'S DAVE. CCG: HONK. CTD: oh fuck its karkat CGG: honk CCG: GET OUT. CTC: HoNk. CSS: HONK! CTD: what no i just got here CSS: :o) CTD: bitch CCG: BITCH. CSS: #signlanguage

---- My computer glitched so it closed ----

CHW RIGHT NOW opened memo on board GGS COMFY PLACE. CURRENT carcinoGeneticist [CCG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCG: UH. CURRENT terminallyCapricious [CTC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTC: HoNk. CCG: LIKE WHO? CURRENT stitchedSilence [CSS] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CSS: :o) CSS: :o) CSS: ? CHW: My c9mputer decided that it wasn't happy, s9 it cl9sed. CURRENT gallowsCalibratorr [CGC] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGC: OK GUYS 1M H4V1NG 4 P4N1C 4TT4CK TH1S 1S SO STR3SSFUL BY3 CCG: OH SHIT. CSS: SO IS MY MOUTH CSS: Closed CSS: SHUT. CHW: D:6 CCG: IS THAT FUCKING KURLOZ I WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION CCG: I'M SO LOST. PAST taciturnlyCataclysmal [PTC] 420 HOURS AGO responded to memo. PTC: SeE Ya, fUcKiN BlInD AsS BiTcH. CHW: yes, thats Kurl9z... CHW: # shivers CCG: EW. CSS: Yeah tell me about it. CCG: WHO INVITED HIM HERE? CHW: N9t me CURRENT turntechDumbass [CTD] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CTD: god damn. CCG: NOT ME EITHER. CTD: trolls are whack CHW: I w9uld prefer t9 keep my distance fr9m any murder9us cl9wns CCG: YOU'RE WHACK. CCG: BAD WHACK. CCG: HEY. CSS: So are clowns :o) CHW: # After all, it feels t9 much like my culler... CTD: im the best whack CCG: GAMZEE IS RIGHT THERE. CCG: DON'T BE INSENSITIVE. CHW: I said murder9us CGC ceased responding to memo. CCG: YEAH? CHW: I think thats fair CCG: DID I STUTTER? CCG: ANYWAY. PTC: HaHaH. CURRENT gardenGnostic104 [CGG] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CGG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL-AVkOgO-k CHW: I think its fair t9 n9t want t9 6e near murderers CSS: Hey. Chill bros CTC: :O) CCG: WHY IS THE FUCKING O CCG: A CAPITAL? CCG: I HATE THAT. CHW: If meenah were in here, I'd 6e nerv9us a69ut that t99 CCG: FIX YOUR FUCKING EMOJI. CTC: My QuIrK Is GeTtInG In ThE MtHeRfUcKiNg WaY. PTC: WiSh i cOuLd bE KnOwInG. CHW: # pr96a6ly nerv9us ar9und any 9f my 'friends' that aren't p9rrim 9r latula. PTC: :o) PTC: :o) CCG: JUST FUCKING CSS: :o) CTC: :O) CCG: CONVERT :O TO :o PTC: HoNk CCG: PROBLEM SOLVED. CSS: Meulin is having otp cardiac arrest CCG: WHAT. CTD: the comfy place has turned into clown church CSS: I GOT TO GO HELP A BITCH CHW: 9ver which c9uple? CCG: FEAR. CSS: EH. CGG: oh, ss, you reminded me of something CCG: YEAH WHICH COUPLE? CSS: ERIDAN AND SOLLUX CCG: OH GOD. CTD: oh shit CSS: #SHIVERS CHW: # unc9mf9rta6le CSS: I got her into to much black shi CSS: Shit. CTC: :o) CGG: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ0HdydxuDo CHW: # 6etter them than s9me9ne else th9ugh CCG: MY PURRBEAST IS TICKLING MY NECK WITH HIS WHISKERHESHHSHDK CSS: It's personally my fault CCG: HHKJHGF CSS: Forgive me. CCG: I'M HAVING HEART FAILURE. CTD: tell your cat hes fucking cute as hell CSS: Ah. CCG: NO. CHW: Kurl9z, please, leave the 6lack stuff t9 y9u, she, already has s9 much 9n her plate with red r9m ships # l9l CSS: Hold on CTD: please he needs to know CSS: #l:ol CCG: HE'S A LITTLE BASTARD. CCG: KIND OF LIKE YOU. CSS: hold on. CTD: im only partially a bastard but still let him know CSS: What the ever loving motherfuck. CCG: EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THIS MEMO SUCKS EXCEPT FOR PAST GAMZEE. CSS: SHIT MY WRIGGLER IS HONKING MY HORN PILE CHW: # 9uch CSS: So proud CSS: #crie CURRENT ectoBiologists [CEB] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CEB: i have done nothing to deserve this! CCG: YOU EXISTED. CSS: #:o€ CSS: Neither have i CHW: # D9u6le 9uch CEB: damn, guess i'll stop existing. CGG: :( CCG: PLEASE DO. CSS: She grew up so fast CCG: KARKAT STOP BEING AN ASSHAT. CGG: please don't say that :( CSS: Karkat what be your problems CEB: :'B CSS: You need to chill before CHW: Karkat? Y9u just t9ld y9urself t9 st9p, are y9u 9kay? CCG: SORRY. CCG: YES. CCG: I'M FINE. CSS: #hedosomthing:o( CCG: I JUST REALIZED I WAS BEING A DICK. CHW: # C9ncerned Dancest9r CSS: Yeah. CCG: WAIT KANKRI CSS: #shooshpapthatfucker CCG: I HAVE TO ASK YOU SOMETHING. CHW: yes? CSS: Gamzee have you passed out CCG: GO TO DMS FOR A SEC. CSS: :o? CTC: No. CSS: God CSS: God. CSS: Meulin freaking son of- CSS ceased responding to memo. CCG: WHERE'D PAST GAMZEE GO? CTC: YoU MeAn ThE MeSsIaHs? PTC: :o) CCG: THERE HE IS. CTC: ThE ReAl MeSsIaHs. CCG: COMFORT ME. THIS MEMO IS GIVING ME CARDIAC ARREST. CTC: NoT ThE FaKe MeSsIaHs. PTC: YoU'Re fUcKiN SPECIAL YOU MOTHERFUCKIN mOtHeRfUcKeR. CURRENT cardiacOtps [CCO] RIGHT NOW responded to memo. CCO: 333333333333333!<3 PTC: YoU'Ve gOt tHe gReAtEsT Of fUcKiN SeLvEs iN YoU. :o) CCO: Inpuring! CTD: that wisdom CHW: I can certainly say that I am successfully triggered 6y t9days mem9 and events. CTD: i felt that shit PTC: Go fUcK YoUrSeLf, oThEr kArKaT. PTC: :o) PTC: HoNk hOnK CHW: Might even need t9 g9 talk t9 P9rrim CCO: Wow! CTC: :o) CHW: ...? w-why? CCO: Your just like kurlos CHW: # Fine. I'll leave CHW ceased responding to memo. PTC: GoOd sHiT. CCO: When he was a kid

---- I left because I didn’t want to start another fight ----

#cgs comfy place #memo #pesterlog #on pesterchum #pesterchum #trollian #roleplay #rp #kankri vantas

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bewitchthequeen · 7 years

Text

Caleo Makes Me Cringe And Here’s Why

Yet another Heroes of Olympus anti list for your asses so prepare your butts because I’m about to blow ‘em clean off.

Note: Usually things apply. If you like Caleo and don’t care to hear counter opinions and that makes you aggressive and mean then this isn’t something you’re interested in, I’m going to have to ask you to move along :D I’m entitled to my opinions as you are yours. Any aggression targeted at me because I don’t ship what you ship will be treated with demeaning responses

You have been warned

Side Note: I have nothing but love for Rick Riordan, these are solely my opinions, which I’m entitled to have.

If you have anything to include, feel free to add your own thoughts.

I’m putting this under a Read More so people who don’t want to see this doesn’t have to.

1. To the people who say that Caleo is the best ship because “it’s not incest”. You are wrong. Calypso is Atlas’ daughter, Leo is Hephaestus’ son. In Riordan verse, Atlas is Iapetus’ son, Iapetus is Kronos/Cronus’ brother, Kronos/Cronus is Zeus and Hera’s father, Hera is Hephaestus’ mother (and in some myths Zeus is his “biological” dad but we’ll ignore this for the riordan verse). If you’re using the incest card, it’s still incest as all gods and titans are related in some way as they all came from Gaea in some way, shape, or form. So kissing cousins apply here and that makes your argument invalid. Claiming it’s the only “healthy” or not gross ship is a lie or you could go along with Rick and his “genetics are a human thing”. The choice is yours.

2. They started out hating each other but skipped the whole tolerating/friendship stage and basically went straight into romance which doesn’t work for the short amount of time they were together. It was a weak build up and even now Leo looks like a lovestruck little boy while Calypso seems to be rather aloof and disengaged from the relationship. Kind of like now that people are around to see them she doesn’t want to be seen romantically with him? At least, that’s how it looks to me. This is my perception.

3. Calypso seems very angry still and I feel like it would be better for her to work on that solo rather than be in a relationship where she needs to kind of take it a lot slower than she would if she was alone. She has to take another person’s feelings into account so that’s not the best for someone with so much pent up anger. Take it from someone who has had something like that.

4. What would have been a more powerful story line for both of them would have been Leo realizing he doesn’t need to be in a relationship to feel validated and cared for. That being the 7th wheel isn’t a bad thing unless you perceive it that way. It’s a flaw with most books like this and young adult books. All the main characters simply have to be in a relationship. It seems like it’s a must and it’s not. A fair amount of people go through high school without dating. I had two boyfriends, one that lasted for a month (and he gave me fucking panic attacks) and then one that lasted about six months (before a tragedy), but I had friends who had been dating their S.O. since freshman year, some who chewed through boyfriends like no tomorrow, some who didn’t want to date, and some who just never dated. For what seems to be every young adult book ever, there are couples even if feelings don’t bloom until the very end of the book. So imagine my disappointment at how unrealistic these are becoming? It seems literally everyone in PJO/HoO/ToA are in a relationship even background and minor characters. I feel like it’s because people suspect this out of Rick now, and it makes me feel bad that he feels he needs to pair everyone up. I can’t imagine how stressful that must be. He shouldn’t have to do that. There’s this wonderful thing called fan fiction; you can read it, write it, and explore it. You don’t need to make that poor man feels like everyone needs to be in a relationship. It has negative affects/effects on people that age who reads them because then they feel like they need to be in a relationship to feel validated (like Leo) and could possibly end up in a bad relationship or feel like there’s something wrong with them for not being in one.

5. For Calypso because #4 was so long. Calypso’s story would have been a lot more powerful had she learned to love herself and the boat come for her. It would have been a real strong hit like “You don’t need someone to save you” and “You can save yourself” and self love promotion. (Honestly, both of their storylines could have done that but those opportunities were missed unless it gets horrendously retconned). In this day and age, I definitely feel like promoting self love is more powerful than Caleo unless you’re looking at it through rose colored glasses, like most shippers do. I’m guilty of this myself. I love Leo and I love Calypso, I just feel like there was a missed opportunity here.

6. Leo saving Calypso kind of made Percy look bad. This is a no-no. Making one character look bad for a relationship is a no-no. Percy usually keeps his promises. The only one I’ve seen him not keep was Bianca and even then I’m not 100% that was a promise? I don’t know. I just don’t like that Percy just “forgot” and basically made him like the other heroes that landed on Calypso’s island. I’m confident that’s not something that Percy would just “forget” but whatever. There’s a lot with HoO that I don’t like when it comes to Percy but that’s a post for another time.

7. Okay this is just because I seen a post from a pro caleo blog (and I’m not going to tag cause I don’t want to start a fight since this is a personal opinion and they made it clear they’re going to “defend caleo till they die”. I’m not trying to talk anyone out of anything. I’m stating my opinions, but claiming things about other ships without acknowledging your own ships faults is a no-no. (that’s the reasoning for the first reason on here). Here’s my defense (despite the fact I don’t really ship any of the canon ships but unfair attacks are unfair attacks) alright so here we go. a. “ Percabeth = Incest.” See #1 because Caleo is also incest and I explained it above making this a useless excuse to ship Caleo. b. “Tysella = Furry.” Okay, but Ella is a harpy and Tyson is a cyclopes. I don’t understand why furry is being claimed here but okay. You’re entitled to your opinion, but harpies were never considered animals as they are mythical creatures and I, personally, don’t include mythical creatures as furries but aiight. Furries have fur, not feathers. I haven’t seen any furries/fursonas with feathers. If I’m wrong all I ask is that you prove it without being vulgar. c. “Grover/Juniper = Furry” Okay. Grover is a satyr which doesn’t really strike me as Furry since it’s humanoid, same with Ella, so it’s not furry as furry are completely animals? And anyways Juniper is basically a fucking nature spirit? It’s basically similar to how a dog likes rolling around in the grass? Whatever though d. “Jason and Piper = Incest” again so is Caleo. skip Frank and Hazel because nothing was really said on this. e. “Paul and Sally = Sally’s probably traumatized by Gabe beating the shit out of her” Okay, what does that have to do with Paul and Sally? That’s completely irrelevant to Paul and Sally’s relationship especially since there’s no hint at Paul being abusive to Sally? Sure, Sally is probably traumatized, but I would think she’s working through that since she seems to have a functioning relationship. But what does Sally’s trauma have to do with Paul? Weak excuse. f. “Solangelo = Not only is Nico 85 while Will 14 but he’s possessive etc, etc”. Okay, but Nico is technically 14 himself? I mean, yes, he was born way back, but if we’re looking at age here Calypso is thousands of years older than Leo. And with possessive, I’m pretty sure Leo got mad at Percy about Calypso and was even kind of mad/jealous of Jason while he was trapped on the island because of Calypso not being interested in him and basically calling him scrawny or something like that. And Nico is in the body of a fourteen year old, he has the mind of a fourteen year old. He is a fourteen year old. He is in the mental state of a fourteen year old. Do you know how unsettling that would be if he dated someone “his own age”? His growth, mentally and physically, have been stunted thanks to the Lotus Hotel, so Nico di Angelo is a fucking fourteen year old. Let’s be clear that I don’t ship Solangelo, but after the shit that kid has been through he deserves to be happy. He lost all of his family, was forcibly outed by his sexuality by an asshole god, went through Tartarus by himself, and had to deal with feeling lost in a world that he didn’t feel accept him even among his peers/the people who should have understood him the most. If anyone deserves to be happy. It’s him. Fucking drop it. g. “Chris/Clarisse” we’re back at incest and I’m back at Caleo being incest. h. “Charles and Selena” again with incest because their parents are married. Atlas is Hephaestus’ great uncle so that’s seriously your kid dating your cousin. But Caleo isn’t creepy or incest. Okay thanks. Beckendorf and Silena are a ship that I actually enjoyed because they gave a shit about each other and loved each other despite parentage and then they died and it broke my heart. Honestly, if you find this creepy, a mother and daughter dated a police officer and his son in the Scream TV Series. That I found weird especially since that was all biological. Rick already said that genetics and gods aren’t a thing. The fact that I’m saying this more that once is exhausting. Just because your parents are married doesn’t mean it’s incest. To make this less creepy, Hephaestus and Aphrodite never had children and it’s a bullshit marriage anyways so. Whatever.

Honestly, if you’re going to be biased, at least know your facts.

That’s all I got now, feel free to start a discussion.

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