#I drew future Leo and it just branched from there

[meggalice]

Call this one a warm up before I worked on commissions today.

[leoslosttoolbelt]

What I think the demigods would major as and why

these are personal head canons dont take them too seriously :)

Percy: Education. I know that we usually hc as a Marin biology kinda guy but I genuinely think that he wouldn't be too fond of the workload but instead want to work towards being a teacher and being the kind of teacher he needed as a kid, y'know? Alternatively, I can see him being into something like baking and pastry art to take over Sally's shop.

Annabeth: Architecture. I really don't think I need to explain this one to y'all but yeah she's an architecture girly. But if we want to branch out I can also see her studying law and working in the area of Child Protection.

Leo: Astrophysics. I have this head canon of him panicking because of the sheer amount of choices that he's presented with and choosing the first one of the alphabetical list. Lucky for him, he's insanely good at it AND it'll pay well in the future. He minors in mechanical engineering and realises that although he has all the practical knowledge because of his father, his theoretical knowledge isn't as strong lol.

Piper: Food Science. I'm trying to be unique here because yeah, she could do environmental studies but I also think it would be super cool to see her learning about food and developing new vegetarian versions of food because it's something she's visibly passionate about in the books.

Nico: I can see him getting a history / philosophy related degree for his bachelors just for him to get a  doctor of philosophy (Ph. D.) in mythology or folklore. His hyperfixation runs deep and he sure as hell is going to fuel it as much as he can.

Jason: Doesn't go to college!! Is severely burnt out <3. No but like idk man I think he'd legitimately want to take it chill if that makes sense? Maybe he'd do a business major just so that he can get a job somewhere but I can't think of somewhere he'd fit in nicely. Jason does have a lot of part time jobs though!!

Frank: Nurse! Nursing school! Despite being the son of Mars I can see him being in the medical field because he wants to help people in need. It's a long journey with lots of ups and downs but finally getting his degree makes it all worth it.

Hazel: Geology because rocks. And also women in STEM!! This one directly correlates to her powers in the books as well as both of her parents! On the other hand, I can see definitely see Hazel studying in the field of archeology with the goal of being an archeologist and then eventually a museum curator :)

Reyna: Psychology!! Listen, I know this seems out of the blue but Reyna gives me the right vibes. Everyone is skeptical at first because they don't think she'd fit the mold of a clinical psychologist but that's okay because Reyna wants to further herself in research! She studies Neuropsychology and becomes a prominent researcher in her field! Please tell me you see the vision.

Will: From what I can see in the books, Emergency Medical Services degree seems like the right field for him. He's already basically a paramedic at Camp Half Blood so he knows it's naturally the right step for him. On the other hand, for something a little different - he seems like the kind of guy who might be interested in studying cinematography or art history maybe.

Travis: He studies Economics because he's so fucking convinced that he can become the next Elon Musk if he studies this. Alternatively, he studies music because he wants to travel the world and like sing with the wind and all that shit.

Connor: he's a communications major because he's a really popular youtube and technically doesn't really need to go to college but oh well he can study communications.

Drew: She goes to cosmetology school as the first step to start her own makeup and skincare empire. She's super nice to all of her clients and helps out all of the other students when they're having trouble with something! I will not tolerate any Drew slander let my girl breathe.

Pollux: Chemical Engineering. He got influenced by watching breaking bad and somehow landed himself a degree in chemical engineering. He doesn't know how he survived that degree but it doesn't matter because he decides to not give a fuck and open a coffee shop that becomes really popular because all the drinks are to die for.

Thalia: I don't really know the right terminology but she has an art related degree / tattoo apprentice so that she can work as a tattoo artist!! It fits with the thalis vision and also she is the eldest daughter who loses it lowkey so she doesn't follow your usual education route. Tattoo artist Thalia for the win!!

[10yrsyart]

Signs of Jesus return

i felt lead recently to compile some of the signs and current events pointing to Jesus’ soon return. i don’t know who this is meant for, but i know it’s for someone. so i hope that whoever reads this finds it helpful and informative 💙 (this is not complete either, as there are too many to list)

The Fig Tree Generation:

Jesus often used a fig tree to describe the country of Israel in His prophecies. “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know His return is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.” (Matthew 24:32-34)

In Psalm 90, Moses describes a generation being “70-80 years,' and Isaiah 66:7-8 says, “Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son. Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment?” This did happen. In 1948, Israel became a nation in a day, after almost 2000 years. Israel needed to be a nation to fulfill its part in the Tribulation, so the countdown couldn't start without them. The imagery of birth pains is used in the Bible to describe the troubles that the world will go through before the Day of the Lord, meaning Israel must become a nation before the Lord's return.

1948+80 year generation= 2028. But since Jesus said “everything” (Rapture and Tribulation) would happen before the fig tree generation passed away (turns 81), we have to take away 7 years from the 2028 final count. That leads us to 2021-May 2022 approximately (right before they turn 74).

The Jewish Temple:

The book of Daniel speaks of the time during the 7 year Tribulation, when the Antichrist will come and take over Israel. “The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven, but after half this time, he will put an end to the (daily) sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds, he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration, until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.” (Daniel 9:27) “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about- the sacrilegious object that causes desecration standing in the Holy Place.” (Matthew 24:15)

The second Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., and hasn't been rebuilt since. The Holy Place is a specific spot inside the Temple, and the daily sacrifices and offerings that go along with the Jewish Law are only performed with the Temple in use.

As of 2021, the preparations for the Third Temple are nearly complete. The plans are laid out, the priests have been trained in the rules and rituals, the materials are all gathered. One source even says that theoretically the Temple could be built in a matter of 3-6 months. All they are waiting for is the go ahead. Those of the Jewish faith don't believe that Jesus is their Messiah, and many expect that the building of Third Temple will coincide with their own messiah making his appearance.. It's noteworthy that they're so close to building it after all this time.

The Abraham Accords:

In September 2020 the Abraham Accords were officially signed, setting up a peace deal with multiple Middle Eastern countries, including the United States. Since then other countries have added themselves to the peace treaty. There hasn't been a deal like this in the Middle East in a long time, much less centered around Israel. When the Antichrist comes to power, he strengthens a treaty or proposal of peace that already exists, and so the Abraham Accords have come at a significant time.

“Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom (ethnicity) against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and there will be famines and plagues in many lands, and there will be terrifying things and great miraculous signs from heaven.” (Luke 10-11)

Wars:

So many of the great wars in history have been within the last hundred years. War is not an uncommon thing for humanity, but the impact is much greater now, as is the frequency of wars on the horizon. Currently, many of the World Powers are already declaring war and/or making preparations. China threatening war against Taiwan and it's allies, Iran desiring to destroy the US and wipe Israel out as a nation, and many more threatened. It's not a question of if but of when.

Earthquakes:

The frequency of earthquakes has drastically gone up over the last couple years, not only in numbers but also in magnitude power. As I'm writing this (8/22/2021), we've had over twelve 7.0+ earthquakes in the last two weeks. That's not a normal level, not even taking into account all the earthquakes of lower magnitudes. Volcanic activity is rising as well. Many volcanoes that were previously thought to be dormant are awakening, some even erupting. Iceland's volcano Fagradalsfjall was thought to be dormant for 6000 years, until it erupted last March. (“Dutchsinse” on Youtube is a good source for seismic activity.)

Famines:

Because of the change in weather patterns, with flooding and wildfires and droughts, many of the worlds “bread baskets” (where a large portion of their food is grown) are not producing enough food. A shortage is already coming on America, not to mention all the other nations that are in the midst of one. Greece, Turkey, Australia, Italy, California and Oregon (US) are all burning at record rates. And mass  flooding is impacting just as much area, like Indonesia, China, New York (US), Haiti, Germany, and more.

Plagues/ Diseases:

Everyone is aware of the effect of the C Virus on the world, and now a new variant is appearing. Diseases like Ebola and the Bubonic Plague are re-emerging. Animals are experiencing these effects as well. Massive animal die offs are happening all over the world, from mysterious diseases and unknown causes. Various plagues have swarmed countries, for instance the mass attacks of locusts that have eaten through parts of Africa, and the infestation of billions of mice in Australia.

Signs in the Heavens:

“And I will cause wonders in the heavens and on the earth- blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun will become dark, and the moon will turn blood red before that great and terrible day of the Lord arrives.” (Joel 2:30-31)  

As I mentioned earlier, volcanoes all over the world are waking up and erupting at an alarming rate. The super volcano centered in Yellowstone Wyoming (US) has been showing worrying signs of stirring as well.

In 2014, two Blood Moons landed on two of God's Feasts, which carry significance. Then in 2015 there was a Solar Eclipse, followed by another two Blood Moons that landed on the same Feasts as the previous year. In 2017, the Great American Solar Eclipse drew a line across the US. In 2020, the “Bethlehem Star” made an appearance as Jupiter and Saturn almost merged in the sky. Though it's not the same cosmic event as the true “Star” that heralded Christ's birth, its rarity and symbolism is important. This August 2021 we just had a rare Blue Moon.

The Revelation 12 Sign:

“Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.” (Revelation 12:1-2)

In September 2017, this sign appeared in the sky for the first time ever. The constellation Virgo represents the woman, and the nine stars of Leo plus 3 wandering stars lined up as her crown. The moon was near her feet in the constellation and the sun was at her shoulder shining on her “clothes.” Then Jupiter entered the middle of the constellation (her stomach) and stayed there for nine months and left. Jupiter is generally considered to represent a ruler, and the child in Revelation is believed to represent the Church (Jesus' Body). The rest of Revelation 12: 3-5 speaks of the child being snatched away from the Dragon (the devil), which represents the Rapture of the Church before the Tribulation. So it's incredibly significant that the first part of this prophecy was fulfilled in the stars. (There's also a type of 4 year grace period before judgment in scripture (Luke 13:6-9), so 2017+ 4 years warning = 2021).

The Vaxx System:

“He required everyone- small and great, rich and poor, free and slave- to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing the name.” (Revelation 13:16-17)

This is not about whether or not to take the vaxx, it's about the mentality around it. The animosity in the world media keeps growing towards those who don't wish to take it. The results don't add up to how single minded they are becoming, and it's easily paving the way for regulations to be carried out by brute force. There are stricter and stricter limitations to those who don't feel safe taking it, like being unable to shop at a grocery story or go to work... In the future, the world won't blink twice about a universal Mark of much greater magnitude and greater consequences. The consequences of refusing won't just mean an inability to buy or sell, but death.  

Alien Disclosure:

As of 2021, the US government has released the information they have on Unidentified Flying Objects, confirming the possibility of aliens. The first main stream event involving the alien conspiracy was the Roswell Incident of 1947, about a year before Israel became a nation. The reason why this is so significant is because 1) the Fig Tree prophecy was about to start when Israel revived, beginning the End Times countdown and 2) 2 Thessalonians 2:11 says the people left after the Rapture will believe a “Great Delusion.” Even a couple years ago, the thought of aliens coming down and taking people away would have been laughed at, but not now. Satan is the Prince of the Air; he uses his demons and spirits to appear as other things, so as to lead people away from the Truth of God. He knew when Israel became a nation the clock was ticking for the need of a believable lie. Now people could easily believe that all the Christians that disappeared were “beamed up” by aliens. (We don't know specifically what the Delusion will be yet, but this is certainly a possibility.)

Dreams and Visions:

“ 'In the Last Days,' God says, 'I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophecy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out My Spirit even on my servants- men and women alike- and they will prophecy.' “ (Acts 2:17-18)

Around the end of 2019 to the beginning of 2020, End Times dreams skyrocketed. The sheer amount that can be found on Youtube is astounding and it continues to grow. Dreams about the Rapture, dreams from Jesus, dreams about disasters that are coming; people from all over the world are sounding the alarm. And these aren't internet celebrities or self proclaimed prophets; these are every day normal people, some of which weren't even Christian to begin with. The amount of non-Believers that have had Jesus appear to them to save them continues to grow as well.

I personally felt an awakening through the Holy Spirit sometime around early 2020, that Jesus was returning soon. And the more I've studied Bible prophecies and current events I know that it's fast approaching. Although it's important to test the spirits of dreams to see if it's really from God or not, the message of the majority is clear. Time is short.

(This was just a small selection of the MANY signs that God continues to send as warnings. The frequency and intensity is rising like it never has before. A more in depth list can be found, along with Bible references and news sources, at https://www.ithasbeenwritten.com/ )

To You:

For those of you who are un-Believers, I am not writing this to be a fear monger. When evidence and reports come in that there's a bomb in a building, the people inside need to know about it. Even if it ends up being fake, the risk isn't worth it. This isn't just one fanatic Christian with a dream trying to convince everyone the end is near, this is the whole world. No matter what you believe about Bible prophecies, these current events are real things that are happening, and show no signs of slowing down. The good news is that Jesus died to save you from all this. He died to clear our sin debt and give us the hope of Heaven, a place we could never get to on our own. And His signs are saying He's coming soon to rescue everyone who accepted His sacrifice and entered His family.

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

For those Believers that don't think Jesus is returning soon, please pray about it and study His word. He was angry at the Pharisees of the generation of His first coming, because He said, “You know how to interpret the weather signs in the sky, but you don't know the how to interpret the signs of the times!” (Matthew 16:3).

Matthew 24's “no one knows the day/hour” is not saying that we won't know the season in which He will return. If it were, He wouldn't have gone to all the trouble of giving so many signs of the closeness of the event. “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don't know what day your Lord is coming.” (Matthew 24:42) “But you aren't in the dark about these things (signs), dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the Day of the Lord comes like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:4) Are you watching? Let's do our best to be a light as much as possible before it's too late.

“So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation draws near!” (Luke 21:28)

[arcana-dumpster-on-fire]

✧･ﾟ: *Ignis Maikori*:･ﾟ✧

At some point I will add some more info&details to it - I promise! But before that, feel free to ask questions, I’d love to answer them for sure haha

The wild and free-spirited magician with a great love for gold and luxury, always looking for a new spotlight to jump under ♌ 

Favorite Food: Couscous Favorite Drink: Palm Wine Favorite Flower: Gazania

Height: 5′10.87″   Age: around 27-29 years (bday ~ August 14th) Gender: Cis Female Sexuality: Polysexual MBTI: ESTP Zodiac Sign: Leo

LI: Lucio, Nahara and other OCs

Familiar: Jafari (hafa-ri) the lion Uncommon Abilities: Circus Arts Magical Abilities: Pyrokinesis, divination, and basic spells

Begining: In the distant south, where the ground is roasted by the sun every day, and the rainfall is worth its weight in gold, many centuries ago a city was founded, whose origins have long been consumed by waves of oblivion. However, magic has accompanied it from its very beginnings and it has managed to remain a present, inseparable part of society. In itself, it was seen as an ability to manipulate natural powers, a pure and unstigmatized activity. Only the intentions of the magician made it possible for it to be judged as bad or good. The first one marked itself on the pages of history bringing a lot of suffering and pain, and every time it came, there was a shadow of death and destruction - that is why after years people managed to push it out of the kingdom. After that, it was filled with magic associated with goodness, well-being and help. Not everyone, however, had the ability to perform it, so those affected by magic talents were highlighted above all others by their unique class and role in the society. There were four families marked out in this way, each representing a completely different subjugation of supernatural forces. Medicine - although it was a field of science, here was deeply connected with magic and herbalism. There were not many doctors, but thanks to innovative solutions and treatments, there were also proportionally few patients. The Rain-Makers were thought to possess magical powers, which were given them by the Sky God. Rituals performed by people of this rank required not only the usage of enormous quantities of magic, but also the spiritual support of the public. They were a monthly ceremony celebrated by the entire city, and a big ball was held at which everyone was invited to attend, celebrating not only the coming rains but also the close-knited community that was the kingdom. Another of the houses specialization was called divinaton, an attempt to form, and possess, an understanding of reality in the present also to predict events and reality of a future time. Ignis family was one of them. The last class was the most respected of all magical arts, and its members were called priest-magicians. They had to keep reality in balance in many different ways; understanding the nature of the climates, forms of energy in the universe, the functioning of material objects and the hyper-natural ones. Standing by the rulers and with the help of the other three classes, they tame all the magical elements to help their people. Moreover, it was their eldest representatives who were part of a high council, one of whose duties was to gather at every birth of a child in a magical family and look at its future, its destiny - to read what aura accompanies conception and to give a proper name to the newborn child. On the day when Ignis was born, everything was screaming “fire”, “conflagration”, announcing the arrival of a free soul, devouring everything that stands in its path. In another place that kind of omen might have been received as unlucky, but it must be remembered that the people of Ignis city did not weigh the magic, but the intentions of the user. With a fiery name, the girl grew up far from the title of “head of the family”. From her very branch, a brother and two sisters stood in line in front of her, so the necessity of fulfilling her role was not so oppressive. During her childhood, she avoided learning, preferring to wander around the kingdom, more willingly sitting in the palace than in her own backyard. She was always attracted to what was comfy & luxurious, and from an early age she loved the gold ornaments and rich jewelry of the royal family. So it is logical that in order to stay close to luxury, Ignis did her best to win the sympathy of the royal children. Fortunately, she had an natural talent for it - charisma, a sense of humour and impressive magic arts, which fascinated everyone at the court. It was due to this that she became deeply interested in magic, discovering very quickly her deep connection with the element of Fire. Like every magician in the kingdom, from the day she was born she attracted a particular element, but rarely did anyone focused on it, preferring to devote years to the practice of powers useful to society. Luckily, the young pyrokinetic girl saw only the tip of her own nose and let herself be swallowed up by the flame, to the displeasure of family members. Equally annoying was the lack of a familiar, despite the approaching nineteenth spring, she still did not make up her mind on this subject. Her younger brothers, twins born five years after her, managed to find their spiritual connection before her! Luck in misfortune, it was only a matter of time when she feels her own connection…

Circus Life: It was an unusually hot day, and ahead of Ignis some very productive hours of hard intellectual work on a pile of books brought by her grandma. However, it took a split second for the young woman to run out of the building, seeing in the distance a completely new object that she had never noticed before. It would be hard for her to miss the big colourful tent for nineteen years of life in this city, so she, driven by a burning curiosity, she run to see what a new attraction has been put up. The Circus. She assumed that it was the royal family who brought it to the occasion of the upcoming Rain Celebration, so the guests had an original spectacle before a big ball. The closer to the place fenced off by the text “entrance for performers only”, the more strongly Ignis felt a strange tingling in her stomach. It was a completely new feeling, as if something was watching her from hiding, playing cat and mouse. She had been wanting to go behind the fence, ready to explore the whole camp set up behind a huge tent, when suddenly, as if from under the ground, the owner of the whole circus had grown up before her. She was quite literally informed by him where she belongs and how to leave the circus, preferably immediately. It was an incredibly foolish thing on the part of the man, as he only offended Ignis’ blown-up ego and made himself problems for the opening night. Motivated no longer by the desire to discover to a strange inner feeling causes, but with a simple envy, woman came back in the evening. She managed to fight herself a place in the front row and quietly let herself get stunned by the astonishing and breathtaking circus shows. It’s funny how a small fire can cause a big stir, and even more hilarious when the audience assumes that the burning scene is part of the show. The great horror and panic has swept over the performers, while Ignis was having a great fun manipulating the big flames as she wanted, ending this little show with a picturesque scatter of sparks all over the public, as if suddenly all the stars fell from the sky. Shortly after the show ended, a large man with whom the magician saw herself on the same morning took a keen interest in her - her powers precisely. The offer to stand in the spotlight, to focus all attention on herself, crowds paying huge prices to see her - these were arguments that Ignis’ nature could not reject. The woman was hungry for attention, fame and general love of the audience. For this reasons, she accepted the proposal to join the circus troupe almost immediately, making only one condition. Before she agreed, she wanted to walk around the camp. The owner of the business smelled an income per kilometer, so he instantly accepted her conditions, inviting her on a tour. Passing smaller tents lit by lanterns, laughing people congratulating her on her performance, slowly passing exotic animals so friendly and eager to stroke - the woman immediately fell in love with the circus atmosphere, more than with the palace walls or her own home. She never felt so sure she found herself in the right place. She has always felt different from the rest, although probably everyone thought so when looking for more reasons for their uniqueness. Nevertheless, she could not get rid of the feeling of finding more happiness in this place than the kingdom had ever offered her. What for are her banquet romances and charmed faces when someone offers her the whole world right at her feet?! Besides, she was still tingling, not just her stomach but her whole body this time. Something drew her, attracted her, desired her on a spiritual level. That night Ignis not only decided to give her life to the circus craft, but she also condemned herself to a lack of sleep and loud quarrels heard all over the city - about the abuse of her power, about her crying for attention, about signing a contract with a stranger and her whole persona. Fortunately, in the morning, when the whole family was preparing for the Ceremony of Summoning the Rain, instead of hateful looks, she was met with a shadow of resignation and a sad smiles. When she left her hometown, she was leaving in contractual agreement with a mute promise to return when her inner fire would burn out completely. As the troupe left behind the city, she left the princes who fell for her charms and the worried family, and a whole new chapter in her life began - with the release of the animals from their cages. Circassians travelled together, which meant that “dangerous” animals on the road could freely walk between the members, caged up only when a camp was set up close to the inhabited place in order to protect the residents from the beast’s unpredictable behaviour. Jafari ran into Ignis - literally. He jumped on the woman from behind, nailed her to the ground, causing general horror and the belief that the troupe would lose a new member. Instead of tearing the magician’s face apart, a wild cat licked her face with a rough tongue, seeking petting and attention. This is how Ignis found out about her familiar and the reason for the mysterious draw to the camp. With a big lion at her side, Ignis quickly became one of the main circus attractions, which forced her to learn circus arts in an expressive way. She had to understand basic tricks on the trapeze, acrobatics - the worst in all of this was stretching her body and merciless muscle soreness. Luckily, all these efforts were mitigated by the kind and warm atmosphere between her and the other artists. In fact, she won their hearts and minds within the first week and this friendly attitude paid off when her new family showed Ignis unconventional means to deal with inhumane training. This is where the pyrokinetic experience with psychoactive substances began. By that moment she had already dealt with them - during the spiritualistic séances, for example - but she herself had never snorted, consumed or smoked such things. As it turns out, the best choreographies and tricks are created on drugs. For years, travelling with circus artists, the woman has visited a large part of the world. She was in the freezing north, the wooded east, she hooked up to the west and even performed at sea. She was sure she would never leave the stage and the performance would continue uninterrupted until her death. Fate revised these plans, introducing her to Vesuvia. Count Lucio paid a high price to bring the renowned circus in which Ignis performed, as one of the entertainment for the Masquerade, which he organized. The magician had no idea that this would be her last performance - fortunately giving the best of herself anyway, as she did every time the eyes of an audience fell on her standing in flames body.

Pre-Plague Vesuvia: It was an unusual sight - a woman coming out of the flames unharmed with a big lion by her side. Certainly a thrilling and dangerous performance of Ignis impressed the Count, who in contrast did not evoke the same feelings in the magician. A self-centered, attentive and artificially complimented ruler - she knew such a kind for handfuls! Fur, gold, and power were the advantages that spoke for an innocent flirting, as was the artist’s habit when she performed for the upper classes, but something effectively distracted her from this action. It took a good few hours before Lucio managed to catch her on her own, during which she managed to fall in love with the people of Vesuvia. She moved from room to room with Jafari at her side, joining the people enjoying themselves, getting most of the spotlight on herself. She liked all the gossiping and the hectolitres of greate tasty alcohol - there was no better combination at such parties! But Ignis had the greatest fun at a poker game in one of the halls, where she won half of the Vesuvian shop, waving her hand at the slate, with a confident “I won’t stay here for more than a few days anyway”. A few days became a few years, thanks to the Count, who was so unhappy with the lack of attention of the crowd in the confrontation of the unknown sorceress. His attitude, though naturally repulsive, amused Ignis frankly and it would probably have ended there if Jafari hadn’t been interested in Lucio. Familiars are always right to see more than an ordinary man, so this friendly lion curiosity of a man automatically triggered woman’s interest. Her furry friend was calm only in her company or among circus performers, to strangers as a general matter of principle - negative (not without reason he was locked in a cage for years). Wanting to look at this phenomenon, she managed to convince the owner to keep the circus in town one more night. Instead of the desired answers, an unwanted feeling came, because of which intrigued Ignis decided to stay in Vesuvia, taking the opportunity of a poker win. The contract was not binding, she could resign at any moment, but this did not change the pain of separation from the performers. Ignis was afraid that she would regret her decision, and the only comfort was that she could return to “her people” at any time. And that’s how the pyrokineticist moved in with the older woman, finding a third place she could call home. She spent her days entertaining children on the street with her tricks, just like she did during her teenage years in her hometown. In the evenings, she would spend time enjoying herself in taverns, and if lucky enough, she would sneak into the palace dinners or lunches. Jafari stayed in the flat, or run around the forest by himself - he lived as happily as his fiery friend. All relations with LI were passionate and on fire - unfortunately, like every fire, they finally had to burn out, and the biggest bucket of water poured into this love fire was the coming plague…

Plague Vesuvia: From a series of dumb bets, one of them surely was to bet with the Count on the fact that Ignis would be able to learn the medical arts in less than two months. Lucio as way of taking it easy on her, recommended her to a “friend” - Julian Devorak’s, who was very difficult for a woman to get apprenticeship with. Actually, she was going to study at his side, but all that mattered was to rub the Count’s nose and prove to herself that she was smarter than she had expected. The doctor completely disapproved of such an attitude to the matter, especially as the hard times came and the number of patients for unknown reasons tripled. These were the beginnings of the Red Plague, which completely destroyed the lives of many of the people of Vesuvia. It was the worst possible time to train medicine - especially when it was so different from the one known from her home town. There was no magic at all in this art, which annoyed the woman who was forced to look through books and remember an infinite variety of strange useless medical terms. And to top it all off, there was a disease that nobody could find the cause, not to mention the cure! Everything started to fall apart, starting with the great stress put on the shoulders of the fresh nurse that Ignis accidentally became, and ending with an exhausting coughing she couldn’t get rid of at the moment it started. Lucio was dying, it was obvious at first glance, this was yet another distressing pressure on the magician, already in total disarray. She wasn’t even surprised when she noticed one of the one of palace mirrors, when she passed by, her eyes were flooded with blood. She knew what awaited her, but she didn’t want to die in disgrace like others - she was not willing to die at all. The thought of passing away, leaving Jafari alone, paralyzed her with pure fear. All Lucio could do was complain, repeating all her anxieties, making everything worse by supposed “worrying about her”. When the woman looked more like a corpse than a human being, she decided to put an end to her own suffering by freeing herself from her infirm body. She sent letters to her two families - the circus and the blood one. Those friends living in Vesuvia could guess what happened to the talented pyrokinetic. She was supposed to visit Lucio that evening, the man supposedly wanted to tell her something very important, but instead of the palace,  woman went to the island to which the sick people were transported. There was no rescue for her, Jafari sensed it too, and yet he decided to stay by her side, although Ignis expressed great dislike for his presence. She did not want the animal to die because of her, she would not forgive herself even posthumously. On the island, she did not wait for death to get to her, she helped her [death] by committing suicide in the most poetic way that came to her dying mind. She literally burned herself out from the inside, leading to the denaturation of protein in the body, painlessly taking her own life away. A faithful lion remained at her side long after the woman took her last breath. Apparently he felt that this wasn’t the end of the story, and when the story continues, Ignis will need him like never did before in her life.

Main Story: Amnesia is the worst thing that can happen to a man in Ignis’ opinion. Without memories you cannot be yourself, because it is the past that shapes character and person. How can one exist without knowing how a dish that reminds of one’s childhood tastes - what’s worse, without remembering said childhood at all! From the moment she woke up on a grim island, surrounded by unknown characters, Ignis lived in a constant state of fear. She was tortured by nightmares, constant headaches and a bad fear of fire. She had no idea where it came from or why the flames made her so afraid, but she assumed it might have something to do with the strange scars on the inside of her cheeks. As if someone put burning coals in her mouth, or something like that. She devoted every moment of her existence searching for her roots, grasping every letter she could find in her apartment, every little thing that seemed to have a story behind them. In the moments of her greatest anxiety, Jafari was with her - Ignis wasn’t sure how she knew that this was the name of a lion, but something told her that she was right. Animal seemed to be with her long before she lost her memory. A few months before the Countess came to her door in the dark evening, the Magician discovered her connection to the element of fire by accident causing a small conflagration in one of the coastal taverns, drunk falling into the flames. Not only did she leave the fireplace without much damage to her body (not counting the burnt clothes), but she managed to silence the fire caused by the alcohol spilled over the floor. Some people have already told her that they remember her amazing tricks, but the woman never believed them, thinking they were making fun of her. At Countess Nadia’s request, she agreed very confidently, quickly - enthusiastically ready to work. One visit to the palace was enough for this enthusiasm to fall diametrically. The Countess’s dogs seemed to know her, and even liked her, similarly, some of the staff seemed to remember her, although Ignis would not recall ever being there. The wing in which the Count died (nomen omen in the fire - how convenient…) had aroused the great aversion to the woman, mainly because she felt as if something was preferring her from there. She did not want to get involved in spiritualistic séances, avoiding this place as much as she could, trying to fully focus on the task entrusted to her, hoping to find out more about her past, but a visit to the godforsaken wing was inevitable. Jafari took care of this by running there at the first occasion when he found himself with Ignis in the palace - oh the damned lion.

[lost-tanuki-tales]

Poisoned

Prompts: Hidden Wound, Delayed Realization. Cast: The Disaster Five Word count: 3k

* * *

They shouldn't have been so far from the ship and Arkady should've seen it coming. It was really stupid, in retrospect; he'd noticed the shifty eyes and the twitches. He'd seen that behaviour plenty of times before and just because it wasn't in a dark alley didn't mean it couldn't happen elsewhere. It was Grenelant who'd wanted to fuck off in the goddamn forest to get some supplies he said they wouldn't find on the market and Leo had decided he'd teach both humans what he knew about local wildlife in case they needed it in the future and he wasn't there to help. This planet was going to be a pretty long stop so Arkady understood her reasoning; what he didn't understand was why they needed to go so goddamn far into the forest. Grenelant had to be able to find his stuff closer to their ship. Arkady was pretty sure he was only forcing them to go deeper to fuck with them, and he was ready to admit it was fucking with him. This place was super creepy.

Apparently Arkady was the only one to notice that. Neither of the two others were ones to be unsettled by creepy forests and he figured it made sense that they didn't care. They weren't regular old humans like him, they didn't need to care because they didn't die as easily. It was bullshit and Arkady hated it.

Grenelant found his shit in one of the darker places, a few feet deep inside a cave. Arkady only half-listened to the boring stuff he was spouting about the number of petals the plant he was holding had, what kind of soil it needed to grow and its addictive properties. Leonida listened intently. Arkady kept twitching at every abnormal sound he heard. He felt like there were shadows within the darkness that surrounded them but he couldn't see them, and he could just feel that this place was bad news. He didn't even know why Leonida thought it was a good idea for him to be here, it wasn't like he had her super efficient memory and he still had the ship to fix after their encounter with a meteor shower during their latest trip. He needed to get out of here, out of this black, stinky cave and into a somewhat sunnier exterior.

"Fuck this," he suddenly said out loud and started leaving.

"Where do you think you're going?" Leonida asked him sternly. She wasn't often stern. Obviously she found this plant stuff super important to know.

"Going some place where I won't feel like I'm going vampire," he retorted as he continued walking.

"You're staying right here."

The order wasn't said in a loud voice but its finality rang like a bell and Arkady had no choice but to stop in his tracks. He sighed and turned around to face the two others. "Well can I at least stand next to the entrance? I swear, I feel like I'm going to choke in here."

Leo shrugged. "I don't care what you do, just listen."

"Okay, okay, I will," grumbled Arkady as he shuffled off. They were out of his view moments later but he could still hear their voices, and he leaned up against the wall, staring out at the greenery. It wasn't much brighter there but at least the surroundings looked alive. Grenelant continued droning on in the background and Arkady did try his hardest to concentrate on what he was saying, but it was really fucking boring. He ended up gazing up at the branches and searching for hidden birds, absent-mindedly wondering if they were anything like those on his and Leonida's home planet.

A long, weaselly dirty face suddenly appeared in front of him and he stumbled back in surprise, barely stifling a scream. The thing let out a series of clicks and hisses, its frame tensed in menace and agitated by weird tics. It was wearing a loincloth as dirty as its face and Arkady noticed its eyes were sunken and red-rimmed, constantly shifting around like it was watching out for anything that would jump it.

Arkady didn't want to alert it to the others' presence by calling for help so he decided to try and appease it, hoping his two teamates had heard the commotion. "Look man, I have no idea-"

The beast jolted like Arkady had assaulted it by simply speaking and it suddenly pushed him against the wall of what he instantly realized was probably a burrow rather than a cave. The hissing became louder and Arkady was assaulted by the disgusting odour of its mouth which he could now see was covered in sores and blisters, and then he felt a horrible stinging sensation in his chest and thigh. He opened his mouth to shout but the beast landed a heavy blow to his head and he hit the ground hard, stunned.

"Arkady!"

He blinked, head ringing, and saw Leonida tackle the beast to the ground. Grenelant crouched next to him to help him up and Arkady snarled through his confusion as soon as he felt hands on him. "Get off me!"

Grenelant retrieved his webbed hands looking genuinely confused, and Arkady resisted the urge to yell at him. What was so difficult to understand about not needing help? It wasn't the first time Arkady refused to be held up and he thought he'd made it pretty obvious that he hated when people thought he needed their pity. Leonida grunted on the side and Arkady looked over there as sharp, needling pain suffused the spots on his body where he'd been stung.

"Shit," he said, and he jumped back to his feet to help her. His fingers quickly found his gun and he drew it out, aiming it steadily at the beast's head. "Stop moving or I'll shoot!"

"Just shoot it!" yelled Leonida as she narrowly avoided wickedly sharp claws. They hadn't looked like that when the beast had first approached Arkady. He didn't need to be told twice and his bullet instantly found its mark. The beast slumped, blood splattering beneath its skull. Arkady lowered his gun.

"Darn," muttered Grenelant. He didn't sound happy that they'd killed the stupid thing.

Leonida was standing up in an instant and she marched up to Arkady. "Where did he get you?"

"What?" said Arkady in confusion as he put away his gun.

"Where did he get you? Did he sting you?"

Arkady nodded and started gesturing to his thigh as he let go of his holster. "Yeah, he got me-"

Leonida moved in a blur and Arkady found himself pantsless in a second. He felt his face heat up and yelled: "What the f-"

"Shut up," ordered Leonida as her fingers pressed into red divots where the beast's claws had stung him. "Did it get you elsewhere?"

"What, are you gonna strip me naked if I say yes?"

She narrowed her eyes at him as she kept that same pressure into the sting wounds. "Arkady."

"No, okay!" lied Arkady. Had he been stung anywhere other than the chest, maybe he wouldn't have minded. It wasn't the case. "What's gonna happen anyway? I don't feel weird, it just hurts."

Leonida pressed her lips together and nodded, then pulled his pants back up and took a step back. "We'll probably be fine if we start going back to the ship right now, that way we'll have the pod at our disposal if something goes wrong."

Grenelant had moved towards the beast and was kneeling next to it, pressing precise spots on its paws. He shook his head and muttered: "Shame."

"It was going to kill us," Leo stated. "You can't guilt-trip me. Now get up and let's go."

"Fine," grumbled the opiel, but he didn't follow them immediately. Arkady didn't care what he was up to, he was kind of spooked that Leo had been so quick to check the sting wounds and that she thought there was a possibility for something to go wrong. Even if his thigh already hurt less, he wanted to get back to the ship like she'd said they should. Just to be safe.

"What was up with that thing, anyway?" asked Arkady as he made his way across the forest with her.

"It was under the influence of that plant Gren picked up. We were probably in its home and I wouldn't be surprised if it got aggressive over defending its stash. He said that stuff's very addictive."

"Well shit. I thought its behavior was kinda familiar."

Leo smiled at him. "Bad experiences?"

"Yeah," answered Arkady. He didn't say anything else. The pain was fading completely now, both in his thigh and his chest.

Grenelant joined up with them soon after and Arkady distractedly listened as he struck up the conversation with Leonida once more. His skin felt kind of numb where he'd been stung but he didn't feel weird otherwise. Hopefully the beast hadn't stung him deep enough for his venom... or poison... or whatever it was to have an effect, however it worked. Arkady was a soldier and a technician, not a biologist. He knew how to fight and defend, he knew how to fix delicate technology, but he didn't have much knowledge that wouldn't serve him in either of those ways.

It was several minutes later that he started feeling hot. Everything was louder, he felt jumpy, his heart was beating in his ears. He was all sweaty. Arkady blinked the salt out of his eyes and looked up at the sky, but there was no sky, only high branches arching over his head. He felt closed in. He didn't like it.

"Arkady?"

He looked back down and saw Leo staring at him. Grenelant too, shortly after.

Arkady said: "I hate this place."

Leonida looked half-amused, half-impatient. "I can tell. If you walk faster we'll be out sooner."

Arkady nodded and they all resumed their progress.

Grenelant and Leonida started talking about plants again.

Arkady stopped feeling hot and started feeling cold instead, but only for a short moment. The heat returned full force seconds later in a scorching wave that burned his heart and he felt it skip a beat, and the world spun around him, and he had to catch himself against a nearby tree. The bark hurt his fingers. He blinked wildly and looked up at the sky again, but it was still obscured by the dark canopy of leaves. He couldn't see the sky and the forest was going to crush him. Arkady looked back ahead and noticed the others were going out of focus.

"Uh, Leo... I think something's..."

His voice wasn't as loud as it normally was. He  thought he saw them turn around but he wasn't sure. Arkady's stomach hurt, his chest was caught in a vice, his heart skipped another beat and then sped up to compensate. The shapes hadn't turned around. Maybe they hadn't noticed he'd stopped, maybe he'd been too quiet to get their attention.

"Something's..."

One of them looked over their shoulder. He knew it was Leo because of the blonde hair, but the rest of her features were completely blurry now. He felt out of breath, his heart was going too fast and it hurt.

"Leo," he said.

The wild thing in his chest tripped and Arkady felt his legs give out beneath him. He heard a shout ahead of him. His hand felt like it was ripping up where it dragged across the bark in his fall and his body hit the ground with a dull thud that resounded through his head in a disorienting echo. The twigs were spikes against his skin, even the cool dirt pressed up against his face felt like gravel.

"Arkady!" Hands gripped his clothes and rolled him over, and as he laid with his back against the ground he realized he really couldn't breathe very well. Leonida was above him, her brown eyes the only feature he could focus on. They looked worried but mostly determined, and she turned away from him to talk to the tall shape by her side. "He's going into cardiac arrest, you said the poison wouldn't act this fast!"

"He might've gotten stung elsewhere."

Leonida's gaze returned to his face. "Arkady, you moron, where else did you get stung?"

Arkady realized what she was asking of him and shook his head. He felt faint, he couldn't stop gasping. His heart was giving up on him. For some reason he was more scared of what she was going to do than of dying- and he knew he was dying. He could feel it.

"Fine, be that way," she sharply said.

Arkady's eyes widened when he felt his clothes be ripped apart and he desperately tried to stop her, choking out: "No!" His hand shot up to curl around her wrist, but his grip was weak and he couldn't hold his arm up longer than a few seconds before it ended up falling back to the ground. It was too late, anyway. He knew she'd seen it from the surprised look on her face when she lifted the flaps of his half-torn shirt.

She stopped pulling on his clothes. Her brown gaze flew up to his face and she studied him closely, calmly ordering: "Grenelant, turn around."

Out of the corner of his eye, Arkady saw the tall shape shift.

Leonida then offered Arkady an understanding smile as she lowered her hand to his chest, and he jerked beneath her touch. He hated this. He hated that touch, he hated the sympathy in her eyes, hated that she suddenly knew what was only supposed to be his.

"It's okay, Arkady. I'm the only one who saw."

"It's not... okay," he whispered through gritted teeth.

"It will be," she said with certainty. Her face was so honest that Arkady wanted to claw it off.

"Shut up, shut your damn mouth!"

Leonida pressed her lips together and Arkady saw her other hand appear above his head. It hovered over his face and came closer and closer until the cool fingers gently brushed against his forehead, softly enough that it didn't hurt.

"Then if you want it to be, it can all be a bad dream."

Arkady wanted to answer, but his voice didn't come when he opened his mouth. His agitation had worked his throbbing heart into an uncontrollable frenzy and it was tumbling in its erratic race against his ribcage. His throat was empty, and his chest was a frantic hollow, and his heart hiccuped again and again beneath Leonida's solid palm. Then all of a sudden, Arkady's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he didn't want anything anymore.

Something rested against his face, heavy and uncomfortable. Someone spoke next to him but Arkady was falling back into a black void.

A single thought drifted through his mind. He noticed that he was very tired. He didn't want to ever move again.

Arkady floated back to consciousness. There was beeping. It was loud in his ears. He floated away once more.

Someone was speaking again but Arkady couldn't understand any of it. He was annoyed. He wanted to sleep. The person shut up and so he fell asleep.

Arkady opened his eyes in his room. He was very confused when his brain told him this wasn't where he was supposed to be, and it took him a moment to remember why his brain was telling him that. Hadn't he been in the forest?

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Arkady looked over to the side in surprise and saw that Leonida was sitting next to his bed. He frowned and croaked: "... Leo?"

"That's me," she happily said.

Arkady pushed himself up. "What the fuck happened? Why are you here?"

Leonida's expression suddenly turned serious. "You got attacked in the forest where we accompanied Grenelant. Remember? You almost died."

Arkady's brow creased even deeper in concentration. He remembered killing the beast. Leonida checking on him. The forest tightening its hold around his chest, falling to the ground, being unable to move. Arkady slowly nodded. "It's a bit hazy after I fell."

"Do you often lie to your superiors, Arkady?"

Arkady sharply looked up to his captain. She'd said it calmly, she was almost always calm. In the months he'd spent together with her carefree personality and her informal ways, it had been easy to forget that she could pull rank on him. He quickly sat upright and straightened his spine.

"No, Captain."

"You lied to me."

"Yes, Captain. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

"It's one thing to be dishonest with me. It's completely idiotic doing what you did when your life was in danger, and if we weren't so far from home you'd already be going back as we speak for not telling me you'd been stung in the chest too. I don't waste my time on soldiers with a death wish."

"Yes, Captain."

"Do you have a death wish?"

"No, Captain."

She continued staring at him and he kept the same rigid posture. Leonida then said: "You know what I am, Arkady. You know me inside out and you've never had a problem with that. What made you think I'd have a problem with you?"

Arkady felt a rush of dread when more of his memories returned to him and he was struck with the abrupt reminder that Leonida... had seen. He was rocked by a surge of anxious nausea but refused to look away from her intense brown eyes. "It wasn't you in particular. I didn't want anyone to know."

"Some people must have known."

A distant memory flashed in Arkady's mind but he distracted himself from it and asked: "Does Grenelant know?"

Leonida smiled brightly and petted Arkady's thigh. "Why would he know about a bad dream?" Then she reached out and pushed him back down, and he couldn't go against her strength. He was unable to resist the way his tired muscles relaxed against the mattress. "Now close your eyes and count to ten. You can only open them again once you've reached that number."

Arkady frowned at her. "Wh-"

"An order, Arkady," she chidingly said, all traces of her earlier stern demeanor entirely gone. "It's an order."

But as light-hearted as she suddenly sounded, Arkady had been reminded of his position beneath hers and he immediately complied. While he counted to ten he heard her stand up, walk up to the door, and leave. In the last seconds he spent counting up to the last number, all that surrounded him was darkness and silence. And then Arkady opened his eyes in an empty room. His gaze landed on the empty chair and then drifted up to the closed door, and it was like Leonida had never been here at all; like he'd just had one very long nightmare.

(The Disaster Five are also on AO3.)

[bionicragdoll]

Family Thanksgiving

For @thoughtmirror 

A/N My first every request fic! I know it’s a little bit early for Thanksgiving and holiday themed stories but we had such beautiful chilly fall weather last week that I couldn’t resist. I apologize it took me a week to write it but Comic Con kept me pretty busy last weekend. Anyway here you are! And requests are still open!

Tucked away on the edge of North Hampton at the end of a long, winding driveway was an old farm house. A cold November wind blew across the wide open lawn and through the woods, trying to force the last few stubborn leaves from their branches. With it came the slightest hint of frost reminding everyone that winter was not far away. Inside, safe from the bitter weather an unusual assortment of humans and mutants were taking advantage of the quiet morning to rest and relax for a change with one exception.

April stood in front of the long rustic table that dominated the center of the kitchen, fragrant hot coffee in hand. The table groaned under the weight of all of the food laid out on top of it, waiting to be prepared for the day’s feast. Taking a long drink of her coffee she pulled the massive turkey toward her and got to work. Methodically she seasoned the main course inside and out before stuffing it with her homemade blend. No sooner had she washed her hand and put the turkey in the over, than April realized she was no longer alone. She turned to find Master Splinter standing in the doorway, hunched over his walking stick. “Good morning!” She said brightly and began to prepare him a cup of tea.

“Good morning,” The old rat replied, easing himself into the chair closest to him. “I see you are getting an early start on our Thanksgiving meal.”

She set the steaming mug in front of him, “I wanted to get as much done before the boys wake up and try helping.” A shudder went down her spine as she remembered all of the broken china and antiques that had been sacrificed over the years. “You know, trying to minimize the damage.”

A fond smile came over Master Splinter’s face as he remembered the more modest holidays they had held when the turtles were children. “Yes making any kind of meal with four rambunctious boys in the kitchen is always a challenge; especially when they get old enough to try and offer their assistance. But, despite the many inedible meals and ruined dishes those are some of my fondest memories of my sons. Each of them wanted to help for their own reasons. Leonardo always wanted to be in the kitchen and help because I worked so hard. Raphael of course wanted to prove he could do everything that Leonardo could. Michelangelo with his endless appetite and creativity loved to experiment with me; it was the joy of creating new things that drew him to the kitchen, although his attention span can make cooking difficult at times. Donatello of course loved the chemistry of it. Those afternoons allowed me to get to know each of my sons in a new way.”

April paused, thoughtful. “I never thought about it like that.” She sat down across from Master Splinter, holding her own mug. “Do you think I’m too hard on them sometimes?”

“No child. Being a parent to four teenage boys is difficult at the best of times. As much as I love all of my sons I will not sit here and say that raising them was easy. You have the added challenge of not having raised them from babies. They were already teenagers when you met them. As such they see you as more of an aunt or sister than a mother. Now, let me help you with dinner. It has been too long since I have cooked a feast for my sons.” The pair of adoptive parents stood up from the table and continued preparing all of the side dishes and desserts that would later be inhaled by four teenage ninjas and one adult vigilante.

The pies had just been slid into the oven when April heard the telltale sounds of four pairs of feet shuffling down the stairs with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Mikey came into the kitchen first, filling the room with his customary enthusiasm, “Good morning Master Splinter. Hi April!”

Leonardo followed close behind. Like Master Splinter he eyed the future feast that was laid out, waiting to be prepared. He didn’t say anything but looked at April with a raised eyebrow, she just responded with a shrug. Raph and Donnie filed in behind them still bleary eyed. Don headed straight for the coffee pot while Raph just eased himself into a chair before finally noticing the food laden table. “Well that’s quite the spread.”

“Yeah,” Donnie agreed, “Do you want any help?”

April paused and shared a knowing look with Master Splinter. “Sure,” she said turning to the brothers. “Mikey and Raph you’re on breakfast duty, keep it light because we have a lot of food to eat later. Donnie you’re making the pies: apple, pumpkin, and pecan. Leo, you can help me with the side dishes. And I expect you all to clean as you go. It will make everything easier later.” With only minimal groaning at the prospect of cleaning later they all got to work.

Soon sweet and savory smells were wafting out of the kitchen. And if at the end of the day a few more plates were broken and the potatoes were a little lumpy April brushed it off because Master Splinter was right, the fun of cooking as a family was worth a little chaos.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, LEO! You’ve been accepted for the role of CASSIUS. Admin Kass: leo! words cannot describe how excited we are to have our cassius. the way you portrayed him was so raw, you really portrayed every aspect of his personality beautifully. he’s a difficult character to get, so multi-faceted, forged by a life he had little control in, desperate for control now, so dry and cold to so many, so desperate for power. you truly and completely understood him, i loved every second of your app, and i can’t wait to plot with you! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Leo

Age | 21

Preferred Pronouns | They/them

Activity Level | 5.5; I’m currently studying for the LSAT and I work 3 part-time internships.

Timezone | EST

How did you find the rp?  |  A member recommended it

Current/Past RP Accounts | Kingsley, Sirius

** CW for homophobia and drug use

In Character

Character | Cassius; Cassian Bhatt

What drew you to this character? | I read Julius Caesar when I was a freshman in high school, and Cassius has stayed with me ever since. How can someone be so consumed by jealousy? How can someone know exactly the right words to say to sway a man into betraying a beloved friend? And to what extent is Cassius’s hatred of tyrants real? I’ve always thought that in many ways, Cassius is motivated by conviction just as much as he is by his lust for power. Maybe his need to be in control is a side-effect of his will to impose his vision over Rome (and now, Italy).

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

ONE. He has forgotten himself more than once. It began when he was twenty-one. Entranced by the promise of a new world he could mold in his image, and fresh out of the University of Bologna, he followed the young son of a member of the regional council past Castelvecchio Bridge. The night was intoxicating, and he was drunk on the promise of his own power. So when the politician’s son offered to slip something in their pilfered wine, Cassian didn’t hesitate, and the river, the stars, and moon blurred until all was sugar-spun.

Later, he blamed the weakness on his father – an inheritance he never asked for. Even then, Cassian knew the rumors – the uncles who vacationed in Mykonos and returned pale and shaking, their hands forever reaching for shadows, his grandfather’s long trips to France and the “fits” of his young adulthood. Of course, he could never fully allow himself to continue the tradition. And so it ended that same year. Years later, a swallow carried a long-forgotten picture to The Dark Lady.

Cassian knows her as Queen Mab, collector of dreams and spinner of lies, but his new job has taught him that anyone can die. And Cassian knows one thing: he’ll be the one to do it. One day, she’ll watch her sparrows burn. Reckoning will come to all those who dared trade in his secrets, and Mona will be its epicenter. Amidst the chaos, the pieces are beginning to fall into place.

TWO. Beneath the jokes over cocktails and the cutting comments about austerity and Matteo Salvini, there is little more Cassian loves than Italy. As the son of Renata Bhatt and Luciano Esposito, two well-known patrons lovers of the arts, Cassian’s childhood was filled with Puccini, with Pico della Mirandola and Gentileschi. It’s no wonder he’s fooled himself into crafting the image of the perfect, concerned citizen. Even with his work for the Capulets, he’s never thought of himself as anything other than a firebrand liberal – a proponent of democracy at all costs.

And, despite his fascination with his own ability to wield words, has it not all been for a just cause? His campaign to save his mother, the whispers he clings to of contacts in South Africa, and his frenzied thoughts of expanding and using the Capulets’ network to the rest of Southern Africa, governments and armed groups alike, of tearing down the ANC  – yes, so what if blood is spilled? Is it not for a greater good? One could say that Cassian loves Italy, or even the world – that he’s egalitarian, and that he loves freedom. To some extent, it’s even true. After all, to love something is to possess it.

THREE. Lust is a strange shape that Cassian has never managed to glimpse. It suits him well. He has no need for uncontrollable fancies, so he built himself something sustainable: a history of brief, proper relationships with a few girls in college and his bar association, and a picture-perfect relationship with Lillian Wen. He’d be hard pressed to find a better partner. With his mother’s haughty demeanor and his father’s angular features, Cassian knows that he’s unapproachable, that he’s not quite as established as someone who was born into a life of wealth. But with someone like Lillian on his arm, he’s found that attorneys and executives who’d once shied from him now welcomed him with open arms. A man in love is always considered less dangerous than someone unattached.

There’s also the matter of his ambition. As a promising district attorney, there are few places he can’t go. But then his mother approached him with an offer, silencing his protests with a question that made him shiver. Are there many successful politicians without an opposite sex spouse? Already, she said, there were rumors that Cassian’s stances on gay marriage extended to his personal life. It was the sort of thing, she said, that ricocheted through entire governmental branches as a bargaining chip. With the matter so framed, it was impossible to say no. Besides, it is not as if Cassian has ever been attracted to members of any sex – so what does it matter?

Still, sometimes he wonders if his mission to push Lillian – if only to see how far she’ll go – is born from curiosity or from resentment.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Yes! I’d be interested exploring how any version of Cassius deals with death.

In Depth

Para: “Leave Verona?” Cassian doesn’t exactly freeze, but he frowns. By the time he catches his slip of expression, it’s too late; he can tell that Professor Moretti has spotted his displeasure. Of course, it’s irrational to feel such an attachment to one’s hometown. Nostalgia has never done anything but dull the senses. But something about that shithole – its cesspool of invisible wars, the scent of blood that sometimes rises from the cobblestones after it rains, the lazy yellow moon over the murky water – a man can hardly be a man without his shadow. “Will you reconsider?”

It’s not like he’s asking for too much. Moretti’s lips have thinned into a line of worry. And it’s true, the local press is inundated with reports of gang violence. But he’d planned for this in asking the university’s biggest pacifist to write his letter of recommendation. Cassian only needs to be patient. But God, these professors are made of nothing but cobwebs and soft spines. He counts to five, pauses, then softens his tone. He’s the top student of Bologna, after all, and there is little that he ought to be denied. “I understand your concern, Sir, and I know that there are many more opportunities awaiting me in Rome.”

Here, he widened his eyes and lowers his voice. There – that will do it. Old man Moretti has always had a weak spot for earnest do-gooders, and Cassian has long-since learned to remake himself in a kaleidoscope of ever-changing images. “But I can’t abandon my hometown. My mom is there and so is my dad.” Cassian looks down, as if it’s hard to meet Moretti’s eyes. He twists his hands till his knuckles turn white. “I want to be there for them when they grow old. And it’s like you said in your first lecture. What good’s a law degree if I can’t make a difference where it matters?”

There – he had him. Even with his eyes trained on the falling dust, Cassian can sense a change in the air. Finally, he meets the old professor’s eyes. They are blue-grey, he notices, blurred by years of reading and writing. He decides that Moretti is admirable, in his own way. “Besides, what danger would I in, as a clerk?”

Extras:

INSPIRED BY:

Satan (Paradise Lost by Milton)

Eve Polastri (Killing Eve)

Milo Minderbender (Catch-22)

Fyodor Dolokhov (War and Peace)

Tywin Lannister (A Song of Ice and Fire)

PERSONALITY TYPES: ENTJ, Type 8