#753 BC

[ducktoonsfanart]

Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit as Romulus and Remus, as the founders of Rome - Toon History - History in Duckverse and Mouseverse - Happy Birthday to the Best City!

Yes, it's time to change my plans now with my new project called Toon Historia, also History in Duckverse and Mouseverse in which our famous cartoon and comic characters play famous historical figures and will play in important historical events . And first I drew Oswald the Lucky Rabbit and Mickey Mouse as the founders of Rome, as Romulus and Remus. Romulus and Remus, according to Roman mythology and Roman tradition, were the sons of Rhea Sylvia and the god Mars and grandsons of King Numitor. Numitor's brother Amulius overthrew his brother and ordered the execution of his children, including the sons of Sylvia who were thrown into the Tiber River. However, according to legend, a she-wolf found them and raised them until the shepherd Faustulus came along and adopted them. Afterwards they grew up and when they heard the truth, they went to overthrow Amulius and succeeded and restored their grandfather Numitor to be king of the city of Alba. Afterwards, Romulus and Remus went to seven hills in the valley of the Tiber River and there on April 21, 753 BC they founded the eternal city, which will be called Rome. Yes, there was a conflict between the two in which Romulus killed his brother (a tragic event) and thus took the title of the first king of Rome.

Oswald and Mickey who were created by Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney in 1927 and 1928 also became the first Disney icons, however the conflict between Iwerks and Disney resulted in Oswald being part of Universal, until in 2006 Disney bought the rights to Oswald. Yes, that's why I drew Mickey and Oswald as Romulus and Remus, because of that parallel, but don't worry, Mickey won't kill his brother, even though mice and rabbits are not the same species, they are still considered brothers because of Epic Mickey. As Romulus and Remus were the founders of Rome, so Oswald and Mickey were the founders of the new world.

I drew this last year, but I waited for this moment to publish now and I drew it as a redraw from an illustration by Tancredi Scarpelli (1866–1937) for Storia d'Italia by Paolo Giudici (Nerbini, 1929). I drew Mickey in my own style, while I left the old look for Oswald, because I still like him better with dot eyes. And yes, I drew this on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the creation of Disney as well as the 75th anniversary of Topolino magazine, which is published in Italy, and the capital of Italy is definitely Rome. Yes, Rome, the eternal city and capital of one of the greatest empires and greatest civilizations of all time. As well as related to the birthday of the City of Rome, which is celebrated on April 21 every year. Happy Rome Day! Roma Aeterna!

I hope you like this drawing and this idea and if you want to support feel free to like and reblog this! I just ask that you don't copy my same ideas without mentioning me and without my permission. Thank you! Happy Rome Day, my favorite city in the world!

[ywpd-translations]

Ride 753: Bird's eye-view

Pag 18

5: That day, three people climbed on the Minegayama

Pag 19

1: The first one to arrive, surpassing by 10 seconds the course record made three years before on that same mountain by Makishima Yuusuke

2: was the man wearing the blue jersey

Pag 20

3: 12 seconds after him, was the man wearing the yellow jersey

4: And then, 48 seconds after, appeared the figure of the mean riding a mountain bike

Pag 21

1: One week after this

2: Those three people will move the stage to Kyuushu

3: and fight again

Pag 22

1: For Onoda Sakamichi is the start of his last summer Inter High

[hauntingblue]

Koala: well sabo and luffy helped

Dragon: so how's robin

[lamusique1]

Ancient Rome. Romantic Techno Mix DJ Francuz

[memories-of-ancients]

BC/AD or BCE/CE ????

I've been using BC/AD just because I'm old skool and I don't really care about the religious connotations whatsoever and honestly I don't care one way or the other. In fact I would rather use the Roman dating system with the year 753 BC as year zero (just kidding). But some people passionately have a stance on this.

So I'm going to hold a week long official poll in order to leave it to you.. The People. Note that if BCE/CE wins changes won't happen overnight as I'm not going through my 650 post queue to change everything.

[mikashisus]

OLDER : 10. cut the bullshit

prev. | next | masterlist

NOTES: AND THUS ENDS ACT ONE HOLY SHIT !!! um… u guys might hate me bc of the next 2 chapters teehee 💋 anyw kuni is the only one the mc feels comfy with talking to abt her worries and often vents to him. they’re extremely close and consider themselves platonic soulmates. that’s why kuni says that he’s the only one she can talk to abt stuff, and it’s actually true 👍

SUMMARY: when your acting career booms, the stress of the spotlight and your every move being watched starts to drown you whole. the only escape from a complete all time low comes in the form of your attractive coworker, zhongli— a distinguished and slightly older man that you can't seem to stop thinking about.

TAGLIST — open @theprinceofkhaos @bella-sams @yourfavoritefreakyhan @shadowheads-shitshow @obervation-subject-753 @kaitfae @wonderland-fan @abundanceofcloves

[giamee]

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐕! BRO THINK HE LONE

<- prev masterlist next ->

𖦹 dehya noticed that when you fell asleep, your head was leaning in cyno's direction, and decided to guide it onto her shoulder instead. cyno seemed disappointed at this.

𖦹 gia's notes ⌨ idk why the emojis are so petite dawg 😭 anyways DOUBLE UPDATE bc i feel bad about it taking so long to update the series + this is kinda filler anyway

𖦹 taglist ( let me know if you want to be added / your username changed! ) -> @makimakimi @aeongiies @sukunasrealgf @ssoliva @sakiimeo @eggn0gcookie @yxcade @fiona782 @heartswonder @eunchaeluvr @clumsyphuq @pinksodacan @aelxr @themusingsofmany @obervation-subject-753 @kittycasie @aimno256 @maxineshearts @mafuyuslover @meigalaxy @mintydump

[jenniferjareauwife]

But You're Drunk

pairing: jennifer jareau x fem reader

category: fluff

warnings: none

word count: 753

summary: you're drunk and wanna have sex but jj says no bc you're too drunk to give consent

request by @pidgeispunk: what about after a night out w the team, r gets pretty drunk and jj has to take care of them, get them home and ready for bed etc. r keeps trying to get jj into if ykwim😏 but jj won’t do anything since r is drunk and doesn’t want to take advantage. r is all whiny and begging, but jj just gets her into bed and to sleep

I pinched JJ's cheeks, wiggling then around with my fingers. "Cutie patootie." I giggled, hiccuping before leaning forward to hug her as tight as I could.

"You think I'm a cutie patootie?"

"Mhm. Cute. You cute. Boobs." I looked down at her boobs and licked my lips.

"Ok baby let's get you home."

"Why?"

"You're drunk."

"What? Nooooo." I laughed and stumbled back a bit.

"I've got her." I heard a familiar voice and turned around. It was Penelope!

"Penelope! Don't you think she's cute?" I pinched JJ's cheeks again and she grabbed my hands, pulling them off of her face.

"Ok baby we're gonna go home."

"She's so funny like this."

"JJ...don't wanna go home." I wrapped my arms around her neck and leaned my full body weight against her.

"But we have to babe." I groaned and the rest was a blur but I think Penelope got me to take one more shot.

When we got home JJ insisted that she undressed me. "Noooo just wanna kiss you."

"Baby I'll kiss you but only after you take off your dress, ok?"

"I can't reach." She sighed and unzipped my dress for me. I made no move to go and grab my pajamas.

"What pajamas do you want."

"Naked."

"You wanna sleep naked?"

"No." I giggled and hopped over to her. "Wanna be naked with you. In bed."

"Baby no." She caught onto what I was saying and quickly shot it down.

"Pleaseeeee. I can be quick. I promise." I jumped on the balls of my feet and almost fell over.

"No."

"Pleaseee." She put a finger on my lips and kissed my forehead.

"You're drunk honey. I'm not gonna have sex with you when you're drunk."

"But whyyyy? I want it."

"You're not in the right mind to give me real consent."

"But I said yes though."

"But you're drunk. It's a no honey. And I'm not going to apologize for it." I whined and jumped up and down stubbornly like a toddler. JJ picked me up and put me in bed. "Stay here honey, I'll be back."

"You said you'd give me kisses though."

"I'll give you kisses after you drink some water." I whined but nodded, waiting impatiently on the bed.

When she came back with water I chugged the whole thing just so I could have kisses. JJ kissed my forehead first, cradling my face in her hands. I whined and pouted, squeezing my legs together. "Pretty please? I'll be good."

"I know you'd be good. You're always good for me baby I know that." I blushed. "You're such a good girl baby. But right now I just need you to go to sleep, ok?" I whined but nodded. I wanted to be good for her.

"I want cuddles though."

"You'll always get cuddles my love." I scooted back until JJ could fit on her side of the bed and then hugged her like a koala. I nuzzled my head into her neck and smiled.

"I love you."

"I love you too." I wiggled around as I tried to find a comfortable position, gently kissing and nipping at her neck to keep myself busy. She giggled and ran her fingers through my hair. "Whatcha doing baby?"

"Not comfortable."

"Want me to spoon you instead?"

"Too hot." She sighed and took the covers off of me. I gave her my best puppy eyes and she shook her head.

"Baby I said no. You have to listen to me, ok?" My bottom lip trembled but I didn't want to cry over this. I hid my face in her neck. My emotions were even harder to regulate when I was drunk. "Hey...hey baby? Are you crying?"

"Mhm." I sniffled against her neck.

"What's wrong? Am I making you feel unwanted right now?" I shrugged.

"Just wanna be close to you."

"You are close to me."

"But in a different way." I whined.

"If I took my clothes off would it make you feel better?" I nodded eagerly and moved off of her a bit so she could strip. Once she was naked I crawled on top of her and used her as my mattress.

"Thank you." I mumbled against her skin.

"Of course." She stroked my back and my hair. "Just tell me if you need anything. There's some Advil on your nightstand for the morning, ok?" I nodded and looked up at her with soft eyes.

"I love you." I mumbled. "I love you so much."

"I love you more."

[cityof2morrow]

Gallery Collection 001

Published: 2-21-2024 | Updated: N/A SUMMARY This is the first in a series of upcoming investment objects for Sims 2 – things your sims can use to generate income over time. From 1975-2000, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. commissioned 30 paintings of African kings and queens for an extended outreach and marketing campaign. This set of paintings features artwork from this amazing series. Celebrate Black History Month 2024! #co2bhm #bhm2024 #sims2bhm.   *No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images.

DETAILS Requires Sims 2. Requires Apartment Life for shiftability. §1K-15K | Buy > Deco > Wall Hangings Paintings are centered on 1-tile but cover more tiles than that. They come in various gallery sizes and images have been edited to fit the mesh. After purchase, their value increases by approximately 2% daily – watch out for burglars! Files with “MESH” in their name are REQUIRED. Frame recolors include EA/Maxis and yeti textures. Frame and painting recolors are merged into two files so you’ll have to take them or leave them. ITEMS Great Kings & Queens of Africa: Paintings 001-006 (92-764 poly) DOWNLOAD (choose one) from SFS | from MEGA

IMAGES

Akhenaton Pharaoh of Egypt (1375-1358 BC) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Alfonso I King of the Kongo (circa 1486-1543) by Carl Owens (1929-2002)

Askia Muhammaed Toure King of Songhay (1493-1529) by Leo Dillon

Benhanzin Hossu Bowelle—The King Shark (1841-1906) by Thomas Blackshear II

Cleopatra VII Queen of Egypt (69-30 BC) by Ann Marshall

Hannibal Ruler of Carthage (247-183 BC) by Charles Lilly

Hatshepsut The Ablest Queen of Far Antiquity (1503-1482 BC) by Dean Mitchell

Idris Alooma Sultan of Bornu (1580-1617) by Charles Lilly (1949-)

Ja Ja King of the Opobo (1821-1891) by Jonathan Knight

Khama III The Good King of Bechuanaland (1819-1923) by Carl Owens

Makeda Queen of Sheba (960 BC) by Debra Edgerton

Mansa Kankan Musa King of Mali (1306-1337) by Barbara Higgins Bond

Menelek II King of Kings of Abyssinia (1844-1913) by Dow Miller

Moshoeshoe King of Batsutoland (circa 1786-1870) by Jerry Pinkney

Mwana Ngana Ndumba Tembo—Ruler of the Angolan Tchokwe (1840-1880 circa) by Kenneth Calvert

Nandi Queen of Zululand (1778-1826 AD) by HM Rahsaan Fort II

Nefertari Nubian Queen of Egypt (192-1225 BC) by Steve Clay

Nehanda of Zimbabwe (1862-1898) by Lydia Thompson

Nzingha—Amazon Queen of Matambo (1582-1663) by Dorothy Carter

Osei Tutu King of Asante (circa 1650-1717) by Alfred Smith

Queen Amina of Zaria (1588-1589) by Floyd Cooper

Samory Toure The Black Napoleon of the Sudan (1830-1900) by Ezra Tucker

Shaka-King of the Zulus (1787-1828) by Paul Collins

Shamba Bolongongo African King of Peace (1600-1620) by Roy LaGrone

Sunni Ali Beer King of Songhay (circa 1442-1492) by Leo Dillon

Taharqa King of Nubia (710-664 BC) by John Thomas Biggers

Tenkamenin King of Ghana (1037-1075 AD) by Alexander Bostic

Thutmose III Pharaoh of Egypt (753-712 BC) by Antonio Wade

Tiye The Nubian Queen of Egypt (circa 1415-1340 BC) by Leonard Jenkins

Yaa Asantewa Queen of Ghana (1863-1923) by Barbara Higgins Bond CREDITS No copyright infringement intended – I own no rights to these images. Artwork and trademarks are the property of their respective creators and/or owners. If this exceeds fair use, please contact me via private message. Thanks: Simming and Sketchfab Communities. Sources: Any Color You Like (CuriousB, 2010), Beyno (Korn via BBFonts), Console Certificates (d_dgjdhh, 2019; 2011), EA/Maxis, Gyeongbokgung Sajeongjeon Painting (National Heritage Administration, 2024 via CCA; Sketchfab), Great Kings and Queens of Africa Series (Anheuser-Busch, Inc., 1975-2000; Kentake, 2016), Offuturistic Infographic (Freepik), Painting by Zdzislaw Beksinski (Sosnowski, 2018 via CCA), Yeti Metals (Shastakiss, 2017).

[study-core-101]

Highlighting Information in Textbooks.

Highligthing is always a key part of studying, it help us finding the important informantion faster and easier. But it is a doble-edge sword. If done right, it's amazing. If done wrong, it just makes studying more complicate and make us miss important informantion

How NOT to do it

Highlight entire paragraphs

Higlight with one colour

Highlight only the answers of practise tests questions

How to do it

Have different colours to higlight different things (for example, I use orange for key words, thick lines of yellow for key word's definitions/primary ideas, and thin lines of yellow for secondary ideas and examples)

Dont highlight unnesary words. The important information will stand out without filler words. Example: instead of "Rome was built on 753 BC" hightlight "Rome was built on 753 BC" Now, the key information (Rome/built/753BC) stands out in the sentence. Also, having the sentences reduced to key words without connection forces you to create those conections in your head and can help to get better in redaction of texts.

Highlight the information necessary to understand the topic, not what sentences you need to memorize (understanding is ten times better than memorizing)

How do you highlight?

[cameronspecial]

Insta Connection (Part 2)

Pairing: Drew Starkey x Reader

Warnings: None of the pictures used are my own. They are found on Google or Pinterest.

Pronouns: She/Her

Masterlist

Tagged: @drewstarkey, @madelyncline, @madisonbaileybabe, @austinnorth55

Liked by beatriceY/L/N, allthingsY/N, and 9, 346, 421 others

Y/N_Y/L/N Breaking News: Drew is slow as fuck. Don’t race with him.

Comments:

obxismylife I love the shenanigans they get up to!

drewstarkey you were the one that distracted me

     → Y/N_Y/L/N I wasn’t doing anything!

     → drewstarkey you and i know that isn’t true

austinnorth55 Maddie, Madison, and I absolutely creamed you guys.

claireisaqueen Are they hanging out bc they are filming season 2 of obx?

    → knowallouterbanks Yes!

Tagged: @drewstarkey, @Y/N_Y/L/N

Liked by lutzmake, starkeyismyhusband, and 3, 234 others

starkeyupdates Drew spotted in Italy at the same time that we know Y/N is filming season five of Teenage Assassin 

Comments:

assassinforlife Ahhh, can’t wait for the new season! Anatasia and Grace have to get together this season!

lidtheliv He looks so good in this picture. 

Y/Nismyfave They have to be dating!!!

     → maplemable he could just be her friend

     → Y/Nismyfave I’m pretty sure that is her purse over his shoulder so…

     → maplemable that doesn’t mean anything

     → Y/Nismyfave Whatever, you are just jealous. 

Tagged: @Y/N_Y/L/N, @hichasestokes, @rudeth, @jonathandavissofficial

Liked by nokookhate, rudeth, and 3, 531, 854 others

drewstarkey never let Y/N take a picture of you. happy birthday rudster

Comments:

Y/N_Y/L/N Where is my photo credit?

     → drewstarkey i think making fun of your photography skills is the credit

     → rudeth Idk what you are talking about. I look great.

     → Y/N_Y/L/N ⬆️See it’s the subject that was the problem, not the artist.

     → drewstarkey i’m hurt pumpkin

obxobsessedgirl Happy Birthday Rudy!

drewsgirl JD’s shoes are so shiny

itshaileylu my bff can take great pictures!

Tagged: @Y/N_Y/L/N

Liked by Y/N_Y/L/N, lupeter, and 34, 753 others

itshaileylu rain days are better with your bff 🌧️☔

Comments:

onthehunt4Y/L/N Rumours has it that Drew was with the girls

haileybiggestfan more people need to get onto her music and stop seeing her as just Y/N’s best friend. her music slaps. 

dejitops You should wear more revealing clothes.

     → lupeter Get out of my sister’s comments creep

Taglist: @loves0phelia @thelomlisrafecameron @wickedlovely121 @thepatriarchykeychain @drewsmusee @starkowswife @maybankslover @forstarkey @loving-and-dreaming

[15-lizards]

How much do you imagien fashion changed in westeros? Like, the time spans we are given are crazy (like the starks being kings for 8000 years), so do you think it changes slower because of that? Like, how much did style, preferred silhuettes etc change from the conquest to the dance to the war of five kings?

The length of the timeline for the history of Westeros is fucking ridiculous if I'm being honest like...to put it in perspective Rome (as a kingdom to the fallen western empire) lasted from 753 BC to 476 AD, which is just over 1000 full years. And the Starks lasted 8 of those George is so unserious. So to shape it so that it fits my historical realism standards I imagine everything developed much slower than in real life (which was already pretty slow pre-industrial revolution) if we are only just getting to pseudo-medieval fashion by the current time period and there's already been more than 10,000 years of recorded history.

So in the age of heroes, clothing was very slow to evolve due to the need to put other things first. It still developed according to need, but not rapidly. 200 years could pass and someone would be wearing clothing really similar to their ancestors. By the coming of the andals, when there's slightly more stability but still heavy turmoil, there starts to be significant developments that sprout out of both practical environmental needs, and the need to be seen as different from your enemy across the border. By the time of the conquest, things are moving moderately faster, due to the lands being settled and more trade probably going back and forth. Its development has peaks and valleys depending on the Targ king, but for the most part it accelerates much quicker, thanks to the unification of the lands.

[mapsontheweb]

The expansion of the Roman Empire to AD 117.

by Undevicesimus

From its humble origins as a group of villages on the Tiber in the plains of Latium, Rome came to control one of the greatest empires in history, reaching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Tigris and from the North Sea to the Sahara Desert. Its extensive legacy continues to serve as a lowest common denominator not only for the nations and peoples within its erstwhile borders, but much of the modern world at large. Roman law is the foundation for present-day legal systems across the globe, the Latin language survives in the Romance languages spoken on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and beyond, Roman settlements developed into some of Europe’s most important cities and stood model for many others, Roman architecture left some of history’s finest manmade landmarks, Christianity – the Roman state religion from AD 395 – remains the world’s dominant faith and Rome continues to feature prominently in Western popular culture… Rome rose in a geographically favourable location: on the left bank of the Tiber, not too far from the sea but far enough inland to be able to control important trade routes in central Italy: southwest from the Apennines alongside the Tiber, and from Etruria southeast into Latium and Campania. In later ages, the Romans always had much to tell about the founding and early history of their city: tales about the twin brothers Romulus and Remus being raised by a she-wolf, the founding of Rome by Romulus on 21 April 753 BC and the reign of the Seven Kings (of which Romulus was the first). According to Roman accounts, the last King of Rome – Tarquinius Superbus – was expelled in 510 BC, after which the Roman aristocracy established a republic ruled by two annually elected magistrates (Latin: pl. consulis) with the support of the Senate (Latin: senatus), a council made up of the leaders of the most prominent Roman families. Often at odds with their neighbours, the Romans considered military service one of the greatest contributions common people could make to the state and the easiest way for a consul to gain both power and prestige by protecting the republic. The Romans booked their first major triumph by conquering the Etruscan city Veii in 396 BC and went on to defeat most of the Latin cities in central Italy by 338 BC, despite the Celtic sack of Rome in 387 BC. Throughout the second half of the fourth century BC, the republic expanded in two different ways: direct annexation of enemy territory and the creation of a complex system of alliances with the peoples and cities of Italy. Shortly after 300 BC, nearly all the peoples of Italy united to stop Roman expansion once and for all – among them the Samnites, Umbrians, Etruscans and Celts. Rome obliterated the coalition in the decisive Battle of Sentinum (295 BC) and thus became the strongest power in Italy. By 264 BC, Rome controlled the Italian peninsula up to the Po Valley and was powerful enough to challenge its principal rival in the western Mediterranean: Carthage. The First Punic War began when the Italic people of Messana called for Roman help against both Carthage and the Greeks of Syracuse, a request which was accepted surprisingly quickly. The Romans allied with Syracuse, conquered most of Sicily and narrowly defeated the Carthaginian navy at Mylae in 264 BC and Ecnomus in 256 BC – the largest naval battles of Antiquity. Roman fleets gained a decisive victory off the Aegates Islands in 241 BC, ending the war and forcing the Carthaginians to abandon Sicily. Taking advantage of Carthage’s internal troubles, Rome seized Sardinia and Corsica in 238 BC. Rome’s frustration at Carthage’s resurgence and subsequent conquests in Spain sparked the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian commander Hannibal crossed the Alps and invaded the Italian peninsula. The Romans suffered massive defeats at the Trebia in 218 BC, Lake Trasimene in 217 BC and most famously at Cannae in 216 BC where over 50,000 Romans were slain – the largest military loss in one day in any army until the First World War. However, Hannibal failed to press his advantage and continued an increasingly pointless campaign in Italy while the Romans conquered the Carthaginian territory in Spain and ultimately brought the war to Africa. Hannibal’s army made it back home but was decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, securing Rome’s hard-fought victory in arguably the most important war in Roman history. Firmly in command of much of the western Mediterranean, Rome turned its attention eastwards to Greece. Less than fifty years after the Second Punic War, Rome had crushed the Macedonian kingdom – an erstwhile ally of Hannibal – and formally annexed the Greek city-states after the destruction of Corinth in 146 BC. That very same year, the Romans finished off the helpless Carthaginians in much the same way, burning the city of Carthage to the ground and annexing its remaining territory into the new province of Africa. With Carthage, Macedon and the Greek cities out of the way, Rome was free to deal with the Hellenic kingdoms in Asia Minor and the Middle East, the remnants of Alexander the Great’s empire. In 133 BC, Attalus III of Pergamum left his realm to Rome by testament, gaining the Romans their first foothold in Asia. As the Romans expanded their borders, the unrest back in Rome and Italy increased accordingly. The wars against Carthage and the Greeks had seriously crippled the Roman peasants whom abandoned their home to campaign for years in distant lands, only to come back and find their farmland turned into a wilderness. Many peasants were thus forced to sell their land at a ridiculously low price, causing the emergence of an impoverished proletarian mass in Rome and an agricultural elite in control of vast swathes of countryside. This in turn disrupted army recruitment, which heavily relied on middle class peasants who were able to afford their own arms and armour. Two possible solutions could remove this problem: a redistribution of the land so that the peasantry remained wealthy and large enough to be able to afford their military equipment and serve in the army, or else allowing the proletarian masses to enter military service and make the army into a professional body. However, both options would threaten the position of the Roman Senate: a powerful peasantry could press calls for more political influence and a professional army would bind soldiers’ loyalty to their commander instead of the Senate. The senatorial elite thus stubbornly clung to the existing institutions which were undermining the republic they wanted to uphold. More importantly, the Senate’s attitude and increasingly shaky position, in addition to the growing internal tensions, created a perfect climate for overly ambitious commanders seeking to turn military prestige gained abroad into political power back home. Roman successes on the frontline nevertheless continued: Pergamum was turned into the province of Asia in 129 BC, Roman forces sacked the city of Numantia in Spain that same year, the Balearic Islands were conquered in 123 BC, southern Gaul became the new province of Gallia Narbonensis in 121 BC and the Berber kingdom of Numidia was dealt a defeat in the Jughurtine War (112 – 106 BC). The latter conflict provided Gaius Marius the opportunity to reform his army without senatorial approval, allowing proletarians to enlist and creating a force of professional soldiers who were loyal to him before the Senate. Marius’ legions proved their efficiency at the Battles of Aquae Sextiae in 102 BC and Vercellae in 101 BC, virtually annihilating the migratory invasions of the Germanic Cimbri and Teutones. Marius subsequently used his power and prestige to secure a land distribution for his victorious forces, thus setting a precedent: any successful commander with an army behind him could now manipulate the political theatre back in Rome. Marius was succeeded as Rome’s leading commander by Lucius Cornelius Sulla, who gained renown when Rome’s Italic allies – fed up with their unequal status – attempted to renounce their allegiance. Rome narrowly won the ensuing Social War (91 – 88 BC) and granted the Italic peoples full Roman citizenship. Sulla left for the east in 86 BC, where he drove back King Mithridates of Pontus, whom had sought to benefit from the Social War by invading Roman territories in Asia and Greece. Sulla marched on Rome itself in 82 BC, executed many of his political enemies in a bloody purge and passed reforms to strengthen the Senate before voluntarily stepping down in 79 BC. Sulla’s retirement and death one year later allowed his general Pompey to begin his own rise to prominence. Following his victory in the Sertorian War in 72 BC, Pompey eradicated piracy in the Mediterranean Sea in 67 BC and led a campaign against Rome’s remaining eastern enemies in 66 BC. Pompey drove Mithridates of Pontus to flight, annexed Pontic lands into the new province of Bithynia et Pontus and created the province of Cilicia in southern Asia Minor. He proceeded to destroy the crumbling Seleucid Empire and turned it into the new province of Syria in 64 BC, causing Armenia to surrender and become a vassal of Rome. Pompey’s legions then advanced south, took Jerusalem and turned the Hasmonean Kingdom in Judea into a Roman vassal as well. Upon his triumphant return to Rome in 61 BC, Pompey made the significant mistake of disbanding his army with the promise of a land distribution, which was refused by the Senate in an attempt to isolate him. Pompey then concluded a political alliance with the rich Marcus Licinius Crassus and a young, ambitious politician: Gaius Julius Caesar. The purpose of this political alliance – known in later times as the First Triumvirate – was to get Caesar elected as consul in 59 BC, so that he could arrange the land distribution for Pompey’s veterans. In return, Pompey would use his influence to make Caesar proconsul and thus give him the chance to levy his own legions and become a man of power in the Roman Republic. Crassus, the richest man in Rome, funded the election campaign and easily got Caesar elected as consul, after which Caesar secured Pompey’s land distribution. Everything went according to plan and Caesar was made proconsul of Gaul for five years, starting in 58 BC. In the following years, Caesar and his legions systematically conquered all of Gaul in a war which has been immortalised in the accounts of Caesar himself (‘Commentarii De Bello Gallico’). Despite fierce resistance and massive revolts led by the Gallic warlord Vercingetorix, the Gallic tribes proved unable to inflict a decisive defeat on the Romans and were all subdued or annihilated by 51 BC, leaving Caesar’s power and prestige at unprecedented heights. With Crassus having fallen at the Battle of Carrhae against the Parthians in 53 BC, Pompey was left to try and mediate between Caesar and the radicalised Roman proletariat on one side and the politically hard-pressed Senate on the other. However, Pompey had once been where Caesar was now – the champion of Rome – and ultimately chose to side with the Senate, realising his own greatness had become overshadowed by Caesar’s staggering military successes and popularity among the masses. When Caesar’s term as proconsul ended, the Senate demanded that he step down, disband his armies and return to Rome as a mere citizen. Though it was tradition for a Roman commander to do so, rendering Caesar theoretically immune from any senatorial prosecution, the existing political situation made such demands hard to meet. Caesar instead offered the Senate to extend his term as proconsul and leave him in command of two legions until he could be legally elected as consul again. When the Senate refused, Caesar responded by crossing the Rubicon – the northern border of Roman Italy which no Roman commander should cross with an army – and marched on Rome itself in 49 BC. Pompey and most of the senators fled to Dyrrhachium in Greece and assembled their forces while Caesar turned around and conducted a lightning campaign in Spain, defeating the legions loyal to Pompey at the Battle of Ilerda. Caesar crossed the Adriatic Sea in 48 BC, narrowly escaping defeat by Pompey at Dyrrhachium and retreating south. Pompey clumsily failed to press his advantage and his forces were in turn decisively defeated by Caesar at the Battle of Pharsalus on 6 June 48 BC. Pompey fled to Egypt in hopes of being granted sanctuary by the young king Ptolemy XIII, who instead had him assassinated in an attempt at pleasing Caesar, who was in pursuit. Ptolemy XIII was driven from power in favour of his older sister Cleopatra VII, with whom Caesar had a brief romance and his only known son, Caesarion. In the spring and summer of 47 BC, another lightning campaign was launched northwards through Syria and Cappadocia into Pontus, securing Caesar’s hold on Rome’s eastern reaches and decisively defeating the forces of Pharnaces II of Pontus, who had attempted to profit from Rome’s internal strife. Caesar invaded Africa in 46 BC and cleared Pompeian forces from the region at the Battles of Ruspina and Thapsus before returning to Spain and defeating the last resistance at the Battle of Munda in 45 BC. Caesar subsequently began transforming the Roman government from a republican one meant for a city-state to an imperial one meant for an empire. Major reforms were required to achieve this, many of which would be opposed by Caesar’s political enemies. This was a problem because several of these people enjoyed significant political influence and popular support (cf. Cicero) and while none of them could really challenge Caesar individually and publicly, collectively and secretly they could be a serious threat. To render his enemies politically impotent, Caesar consolidated his popularity among the Roman masses by passing reforms beneficial to the proletariat and enlarging the Senate to ensure his supporters had the upper hand. He then manipulated the Senate into granting him a number of legislative powers, most prominently the office of dictator for ten years, soon changed to dictator perpetuus. Though widely welcomed by the masses, Caesar’s reforms and legislative powers dismayed his political opponents, whom assembled a conspiracy to murder him and ‘liberate’ Rome. The conspirators, of whom Brutus and Cassius are the most famous, were successful and Caesar was brutally stabbed to death on 15 March 44 BC. Caesar’s death left a power vacuum which plunged the Roman world into yet another civil war. In his testament, Caesar adopted as his sole heir his grandnephew Gaius Octavius, henceforth known as Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (Octavian, in English). Despite being only eighteen, Octavian quickly secured the support of Caesar’s legions and forced the Senate to grant him several legislative powers, including the consulship. In 43 BC, Octavian established a military dictatorship known as the Second Triumvirate with Caesar’s former generals Mark Antony and Marcus Lepidus. Caesar’s assassins had meanwhile fled to the eastern provinces, where they assembled forces of their own and subsequently moved into Greece. Octavian and Antony in turn invaded Greece in 42 BC and defeated them at the Battles of Philippi. Octavian, Antony and Lepidus then divided the Roman world between them: Octavian would rule the west, Antony the east and Lepidus the south with Italy as a joint-ruled territory. However, Octavian soon proved himself a brilliant politician and strategist by quickly consolidating his hold on both the western provinces and Italy, smashing the Sicilian Revolt of Sextus Pompey (son of) in 36 BC and ousting Lepidus from the Triumvirate that same year. Meanwhile, Antony consolidated his position in the east but made the fatal mistake of becoming the lover of Cleopatra VII. In 32 BC, Octavian manipulated the Senate into a declaration of war upon Cleopatra’s realm, correctly expecting Antony would come to her aid. The two sides battled at Actium on 2 September 31 BC, resulting in a crushing victory for Octavian, despite Antony and Cleopatra escaping back to Egypt. Octavian crossed into Asia the following year and marched through Asia Minor, Syria and Judea into Egypt, subjugating the eastern territories along the way. On 1 August 30 BC, the forces of Octavian entered Alexandria. Both Antony and Cleopatra perished by their own hand, leaving Octavian as the undisputed master of the Roman world. Octavian assumed the title of Augustus in January 27 BC and officially restored the Roman Republic, although in reality he reduced it to little more than a facade for a new imperial regime. Thus began the era of the Principate, named after the constitutional framework which made Augustus and his successors princeps (first citizen), commonly referred to as ‘emperor’, and which would last approximately two centuries. Augustus nevertheless refrained from giving himself absolute power vested in a single title, instead subtly spreading imperial authority throughout the republican constitution while simultaneously relying on pure prestige. Thus he avoided stomping any senatorial toes too hard, remembering what had happened to Julius Caesar. Augustus and his successors drew most of their power from two republican offices. The title of tribunicia potestes ensured the emperor political immunity, veto rights in the Senate and the right to call meetings in both the Senate and the concilium plebis (people’s assembly). This gave the emperor the opportunity to present himself as the guardian of the empire and the Roman people, a significant ideological boost to his prestige. Secondly, the emperor held imperium proconsulare. Imperium implied the emperor’s governorship of the so-called imperial provinces, which were typically border provinces, provinces prone to revolt and/or exceptionally rich provinces. These provinces obviously required a major military presence, thereby securing the emperor’s command of most of the Roman legions. The title was proconsulare because the emperor enjoyed imperium even without being a consul. The emperor furthermore interfered in the affairs of the (non-imperial) senatorial provinces on a regular basis and gave literally every person in the empire the theoretical right to request his personal judgement in court cases. Roman religion was also brought under the emperor’s wings by means of him becoming pontifex maximus (supreme priest), a position of major ideological importance. On top of all this, the Senate frequently granted the emperor additional rights which enhanced his power even more: supervision over coinage, the right to declare war or conclude peace treaties, the right to grant Roman citizenship, control over Roman colonisation across the Mediterranean, etc. The emperor was thus the supreme administrator, commander, priest and judge of the empire – a de facto absolute ruler, but without actually being named as such. It is worth noting that Augustus and most of his immediate successors worked hard to play along in the empire’s republican theatre, which gradually faded as the centuries passed. The most important questions nonetheless remained the same for a long time after Augustus’ death in AD 14. Could the emperor keep himself in the Senate’s good graces by preserving the republican mask? Or did he choose an open conflict with the Senate by ruling all too autocratically? Even a de facto absolute ruler required the support and acceptance of the empire’s elite class, the lack of which could prove to be a serious obstacle to any imperial policies. The relationship between the emperor and the Senate was therefore of significant importance in maintaining the political work of Augustus, particularly under his immediate successors. The first four of these were Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero – the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Tiberius was chosen by Augustus as successor on account of his impressive military service and proved to be a capable (if gloomy) ruler, continuing along the political lines of Augustus and implementing financial policies which left the imperial treasuries in decent shape at his death in AD 37 and Caligula’s accession. Despite having suffered a harsh youth full of intrigues and plotting, Caligula quickly gained the respect of the Senate, the army and the people, making a hopeful entry into the Principate. Yet continuous personal setbacks turned Caligula bitter and autocratic, not to say tyrannical, causing him to hurl his imperial power head-first into the senatorial elite and any dissenting groups (most notably the Jews). After Caligula’s assassination in AD 41, the position of emperor fell to his uncle Claudius who, despite a strained relationship with the Senate, managed to play the republican charade well enough to implement further administrative reforms and successfully invade the British Isles to establish the province of Britannia from AD 43 onward. But the Roman drive for expansion had been somewhat tempered after Augustus’ consolidating conquests in Spain, along the Danube and in the east. The Romans had practically turned the Mediterranean Sea into their own internal sea (Mare Internum or Mare Nostrum) and thus switched to territorial consolidation rather than expansion. However, the former was still often accomplished by the latter as multiple vassal states (Judea, Cappadocia, Mauretania, Thrace etc.) were gradually annexed as new Roman provinces. Actual wars of aggression nevertheless ceased to be a main item on the Roman agenda and indeed, the policies of consolidation and pacification paved the way for a long period of internal peace and stability during the first and second centuries AD – the Pax Romana. This should not be idealised, though. On the local level, violence was often one of the few stable elements in the lives of the common people across the empire. Especially among the lowest ranks of society, crimes such as murder and thievery were the order of the day but were typically either ignored by the Roman authorities or answered with brute force. Moreover, the Romans focused on safeguarding cities and places of major strategic or economic importance and often cared little about maintaining order in the vast countryside. Unpleasant encounters with brigands, deserters or marauders were therefore likely for those who travelled long distances without an armed escort. At the empire’s frontiers, the Roman legions regularly fought skirmishes with their local enemies, most notably the Germanic tribes across the Rhine-Danube frontier and the Parthians across the Euphrates. Despite all this, the big picture of the Roman world in the first and second centuries AD is indeed one of lasting stability which could not be discredited so easily. The real threat to the Pax Romana existed not so much in local violence, shady neighbourhoods or frontier skirmishes but rather in the highest ranks of the imperial court. The lack of both dynastic and elective succession mechanisms had been the Principate’s weakest point from the outset and would be the cause of major internal turmoil on several occasions. Claudius’ successor Nero succeeded in provoking both the Senate and the army to such an extent that several provincial governors rose up in open revolt. The chaos surrounding Nero’s flight from Rome and death by his own hand plunged the empire into its first major succession crisis. If the emperor lost the respect and loyalty of both the Senate and the army, he could not choose a successor, giving senators and soldiers a free hand to appoint the persons they considered suitable to be the new emperor. This being the exact situation upon Nero’s death in AD 68, the result was nothing short of a new civil war. To further add to the catastrophe, the civil war of AD 68/69 (the Year of Four Emperors) allowed for two major uprisings to get out of hand – the Batavian Revolt near the mouths of the Rhine and the First Jewish-Roman War in Judea. Both of these were ultimately crushed with significant difficulties, especially in Judea where Jewish religious-nationalist sentiments capitalised on existing political and economic unrest. Though the Romans achieved victory with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 and the expulsion of the Jews from the city, Judea would remain a hotbed for revolts until deep into the second century AD. The fact that major uprisings arose at the first sign of trouble within the empire might cause one to wonder about the true nature of the Pax Romana. Was it truly the strong internal stability it is popularly known to be? Or was it little more than a forced peace, continuously threatened by socio-economic and political discontent among the many different peoples under the Roman yoke? Though a bit of both, the answer definitely leans towards the former hypothesis. While the Pax Romana lasted, unrest within the empire remained limited to a few hotbeds with a history of resisting foreign conquerors. Besides the obvious example of the Jewish people in Judea, whose anti-Roman sentiments largely stemmed from their unique messianic doctrines, large-scale resistance against the Romans was scarce. It is true that the incorporation and Romanisation of unique societies near the empire’s northern frontiers led to severe socio-economic problems and subsequent uprisings, most notably Boudica’s Rebellion in Britain (AD 60 – 61) and the aforementioned Batavian Revolt near the mouths of the Rhine. Nevertheless, it is safe to assume that the Pax Romana was strong enough to outlast a few pockets of rebellion and even a major succession crisis like the one of AD 68/69. The Year of the Four Emperors ultimately brought to power Vespasian, founder of the Flavian dynasty (AD 69 – 96) and architect of an intensified pacification policy throughout the empire. These policies were fruitful and strengthened the constitutional position of the emperor, not in the least owing to the fact that Vespasian’s sons and successors Titus and Domitian were as capable as their father. However, their skills did not prevent Titus and especially Domitian from bickering with the senatorial elite over the increasingly obvious monarchical powers of the emperor. In the case of the all too authoritarian Domitian, the conflict escalated again and despite his competent (if ruthless) statesmanship, Domitian was murdered in AD 96. A new civil war was prevented by diplomatic means: Nerva emerged as an acceptable emperor to both the Senate and the army, especially when he adopted the popular Trajan as his son and heir. Thus began the reign of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty (AD 96 – 192). Having succeeded Nerva in AD 98, Trajan once more steered the empire onto the path of aggressive expansion, leading the Roman legions across the Danube to crush the Dacians and establish the rich province of Dacia in AD 106. Subsequently, the Romans seized the initiative in the east, drove back the Parthians and advanced all the way to the Persian Gulf (Sinus Persicus). Trajan annexed Armenia in AD 114 and turned the conquered Parthian lands into the new provinces of Mesopotamia and Assyria in AD 116. Trajan died less than a year later on 9 August AD 117, his staggering military successes having brought the Roman Empire to its greatest extent ever…

[eolas-cruthachadh-and-aislingean]

Greece: culture (pt1)

culture in Greece, Part one. there's alot to unpack so I'm slitting this into 2, maybe even 3 or 4 parts Lmao.

Greek culture had alot of moving parts. “Greece '' itself was a loose collection of culturally and linguistically related cities and were only unified once, under the banner of alexander the great in 336 BC. Greece consisted of hundreds of city-states, unlike many other contemporary societies which ruled in Tribes or Kingdoms. Despite this, they were “one people”: that is, same religion, culture and language. The greeks were also aware of their tribal origins and it was very possible to categorize the city states to their origin tribes. Despite their unity without unification, that aspect of Greece didn't really play into Greece’s politics. Independence of the city-states were fiercely defended and unification was not contemplated, though smaller States were inevitably conquered or absorbed by larger neighbors. The Greeks were, well, Greek, and that was all that matters in terms of being a People.

Because of this, greece was rather fragmented(as previously mentioned). Focus was put on urban centers in otherwise tiny states, and even their colonies were considered independent. And rather than direct conquest, the greeks grouped themselves into groups/leagues, who’s members would constantly fluctuate. Later into greece’s history, these leagues would eventually become dominated primary by larger cities with Athens, Sparta, Thebes being the big ones.

Greek City-states initially were Petty(minor) kingdoms which quickly evolved into Aristocratic Oligarchies(a nation where a small group of people ran the state; a council). To put simply, through each stage, power moved away from one individual and to a group of people as a whole, in this case, the aristocracy. Athens, for example, the kingship had been reduced to a hereditary, lifelong chief magistracy by around 1050 BC and by 753 BC this had become a decennial, elected archonship, with it finally becoming an elected annual archonship in  683 BC. 

It was not uncommon for a Tyrant* to seize control of the government through dominant politics and other means, often through the help of a populist agenda(aka, the corrupt elite would take over). 

Athens fell to tyranny in the second half of the 6th century BC. after the tyranny ended, Athens formed the first democracy as a solution to preventing aristocrats from regaining power. A citizen’s assembly had been present for quite some time for the discussion of city policies, but the poor could not adress the assemly nor run for office. With the change to democracy, it became the Legally recognized or De jure form of government: all citizens had equal privileges to vote. The key word here is Citizens: non citizens or foreigners living in athens had 0 political power whatsoever.

After the rise of democracy in Athens, other City-states began adopting it as their form of De jure(remember, this means legally recognized) government. Except SPARTA wanted to be DIFFERENT. No, Sparta wasn't like the other girls. Through all of this, Sparta was led by a Diarchy: in other words, Sparta was led by not one but TWO monarchs. The two kings of sparta were believed to be twin sons of Aristodemus, a heraclid(descendants of hercules). The power of these two kings was kept in check by a council of elders, and magistrates appointed to watch over the kings. 

Owning land in Greece was decided by citizenship. If you were a free citizen(not a slave), you were entitled to the ful protection of the law in that City-states. Family prominence did nothing for you in greece(unlike in Rome).  In Athens, the population was divided into four social classes based on wealth and it was very possible to move up or down in rank if you made more money In Sparta, all male citizens were called homoioi, or “peers". However, Spartan kings, who served as the city-state's dual military and religious leaders, came primarily from two families.

Small section dedicated to Sparta now, since Athena's has been the topic of discussion up until now. Sparta was unique for its social system and constitution, which were supposedly introduced by the semi-mythical legislator Lycurgus. His laws configured the Spartan society to maximize military proficiency at all costs, focusing all social institutions on military training and physical development. As you can imagine, this Made Sparta’s land military immensely powerful and was in rivalry with the Naval power of Athens. Spartan men were all trained from birth, and women in Sparta enjoyed considerably more rights than anywhere else during this era. Specifically, female citizens were treated with much more power/status and respect than the rest of the classical world. For one, they were literate and enumerate(Gasp!). They were also rather notorious for speaking their mind in public. and while Athenian women were usually confined to their homes, fed differently, and married off at around the ages of 12-13, ladies in Sparta often exercised and participated in sports alongside their brothers, enjoyed the same food, and were forbidden to marry until their late teens or early 20’s. This was primarily done to ensure healthy children(as pregnancy during adolescence is. Not good for you. Unfortunately, Athenians did not suffer the same moral problems as us.) their clothing was also different: Athenian women usually wore concealing clothes, spartan women wore dresses with a slit up the side to allow free movement. (Spartans boys and girls potentially may have exercised in the Nude.) 

Marriage in Sparta was primarily meant to produce children. Because of this(and this is going to sound really weird), Spartans shared wives. No, don’t check again, you read that right. Older men would sometimes allow younger, more fit men to bear children with their wives. While this sounds strange, this practice was encouraged in order that women bear as many strong-bodied children as they could because Spartan men died a lot and were often absent from home, as well as the fact that many infants were killed during the intense inspection for Training. 

*absolute sovereign who came to power without constitutional right, not the modern definition. Tyrant in greece usually had a rather neutral connotation.

Pt2 here

Tags: @aesthetic-writer18

[fluffypotatey]

Monkie Destiny Challenge 2023 Day 4

yes i am 3 days late to this prompt but i am here now >:)

so actually this little ficlet will be a part of another installment in my tournament arc, but i am too tired rn to write the second half of this (bc day 4 is a flashback and the 2nd half is day 5). so! have this "sneak peak" of my tournament arc under the narration of Macky <3

prompt: Peaches//Thief

word count: 753

* * * * * * *

“How much do you want to bet the peaches in Heaven taste like?”

The Six Eared Macaque gave his friend, the Monkey King, an incredulous look. Said friend huffed in response. 

“What?”

“Seriously?”

“I’m just asking—”

“About Heaven’s immortal peaches? Casually? I’m not an idiot, Wukong.”

It had only been a couple days after Sun Wukong arrived back from Heaven. He hadn’t given Macaque any real information over what went down or why he arrived in such a rush— cheeks flushed dark red, breath heavy and fast, eyes wild and ravenous, excited, exhilarated— 

Macaque mentally shook the image away. Wukong was his friend. His only friend, actually. He could never really count the Brotherhood as a group he would trust implicitly like Wukong. Feel comfortable around or even know wholeheartedly like Wukong.

Speaking of knowing Wukong wholeheartedly, Macaque recognizes the signs for when his friend is hiding something. He had been ignoring it ever since Wukong came back, assured that the monkey king would tell him, and it looked like today was the day Wukong chose to come clean.

Sun Wukong pouts, bottom lip jutted out exaggeratedly with his eyes blown wide and adorable. He would always complain about how Macaque always ruined his surprises with his need to know everything. Macaque liked to call it his incredible observation skills, Wukong called him a creeper (which absolutely did not hurt his ego that first time at all). 

“J-just answer the question!” The monkey crossed his arms and looked away, cheeks flushed and tail twitching.

Macaque sighed with a smile. It was so hard to stay annoyed when he did that. It wasn’t even on purpose and yet there Wukong was, acting childish and fussy in the cutest way possible. Macaque couldn’t help but cave.

“Alright, okay, um…” He pursed his lips. “They taste like peaches?”

“Mac!” Wukong whined

“Okay, okay! Sorry, couldn’t help it.” 

This time, Macaque actually sat down and thought it over. 

“Well,” he began, “I’m guessing they taste sweeter? Never under or overripe, yeah? And you don’t have to worry about the pit because it's an immortal tree.”

Wukong giggled, tail now wagging to and fro.

“What?” Macaque could feel his face heating up. “What did I say?”

“Nothing! Nothing!” That goofy smile was still on his face. “These are very astute assumptions.”

“Astute? Really, Wukong.”

The giggle was now a full-body laugh. Ugh, and Macaque still couldn’t find it in himself to stay mad. He should be embarrassed, feel like his intelligence was being mocked, but…Wukong would never do something like that on purpose.

Not to him.

“So”— Ah, here it is— “what if I told you, you could test your theory?”

Macaque gave the monkey a blank stare. Wukong stayed firm despite his fidgeting nature and how much he was smiling. Macaque could not believe what his friend was insinuating.

“You don’t mean—”

“SO I HAVE THIS BAG!”

* * *

The peaches were amazing. Better than Macaque ever expected. Sure, they still had the pit at the center and they were still messy enough to annoy him, but they were (and excuse his pun) heavenly. Even if no one told him of their immortal properties, Macaque would have imagined that just from taste alone, these peaches were magic itself.

Delicious magic, if Macaque says so. 

“So?” Wukong waits with barely contained excitement. “Better than your wildest dreams?”

“Oh, I’ve had wild dreams.”

“Mac, come on!” He whines again.

“Sorry, sorry!” He laughs. “You make it too easy.”

Wukong grumbled something about I’ll make you too easy as if Macaque wouldn’t hear him. Which he did, but it was so confusing that he just laughed some more. Of course that simply led to the monkey king whining at Macaque once more, and the cycle repeated.

“Next time I steal peaches, I ain’t giving you nothing!” Wukong said with a huff. “And to think, I offered them out of the kindness of my heart.”

“Next time?” Macaque chuckled. “You honestly think Heaven would even let you in after this?”

“Why not? I’m adorable!”

Macaque didn’t even bother to answer that one, too amused by how Wukong played up his innocence in all this. Sure, he was worried about Heaven’s reaction when they finally realized who stole the peaches and trashed their peach festival, but with Wukong smiling so brightly and acting so nonchalantly, Macaque decided it was better to place this issue on the back burner. For now.

The mortal realm moved a lot faster than Heaven. They had plenty of time.