#also ignore that epic is bald

[taxavoider]

they so #silly

they do make me smile

[zvtara-was-never-canon]

I saw the anon who sent the link to the post by the burst person that said aang used katara and argued with the anon- but that person is a big example of the weird amount of racism towards tibetan culture in the zk fandom. And I sat this generally, I just mentioned them bc that anon reminded me, but the constant mocking of Aangs culture, from his bald head, to his food, to his beliefs and carefree attitude, is so weird. Because its based on a real culture. The tibetan are a REAL group of people who have been victim to real genocide and it is so weird that zk think it is okay to be blatantly racist towards them just bc they don't like one character.

That's what happens to people that treat shipping like activism. They think "I like this pairing" is the same as "This is being progressive, so not liking it is the same hating minorities" - and by consequences, the rival ship is "bigoted"... so it's totally okay to say actual bigoted stuff to make it look bad.

Plus, I'd say it also connects with the fact that most of the fandom is western - and american - and thus tend to ignore any message that doesn't fit the typical american tropes of dealing with the bad guys: Bombing the shit out of them or shooting everyone in a battle field.

Aang is the protagonist, so naturally he embodies the show's message of "Don't take ANY life. Not an animal, not of a good person, not even of a bad person. To truly end this conflict, the cicle of violence and death needs to be broken." But they are so used to seeing that kind of protagonist eventually "get" that the hollywood, epic battle with nearly everyone dying, is the only way to fix everything... that when it DOESN'T happen they think it's a mistake/wasted opportunity, instead of just a case of "This story has a different philosophy as it's core theme."

And let's not forget the constant "Tibetan Monks = Free Love Hippies." Hence them constantly having bullshit headcanons of "Oh, Aang could never settle down with anyone so he'd inevitably cheat on Katara/never marry her/force her to be in an open relationship." It just never registers to them that they can't just take a real, foreign culture and replace it with some american "equivalent." It's the same reason why so many people think Zeus and Hades are the Greek versions of the christian God and Satan.

I wouldn't be surprised if most of these people don't know ANYTHING about any eastern culture/religion besides just the most stereotypical stuff ever. If they were ever told that these religions have gods whose whole deal is "destruction and death" and they are NOT the bad guys, they'd think you're lying since they think these religions boil down to "Make love not war." If you asked them where Tibet, specifically, is , they likely wouldn't be able to point it out on a map.

Seriously, even ignoring the Zutara aspect, so much of the "criticism" towards Aang comes from people that just not understanding Avatar's message at all, and it pisses me off.

[waterfish123]

okay epic im so so silly in the brain about this and im so sorry for how long this is gonna be i think about this constantly and never get to talk about it

scouts a puppy; super excited and energetic and always ready to play or go on walks and so so eager to please even if he acts a little bratty

while spys a cat; only interacts when he wants, will attack you on sight, and insists on getting extra special treatment simply because he exists

they cant be in the same room though, both have major jealousy issues and will fight over who deserves attention (spy tends to win but its a rather nasty fight no matter the winner)

spy likes to lounge around engie and heavy's spaces since theyre the calmest and dont seek out his attention but also dont ignore him when he Does want attention. sometimes he does visit medic and soldier but they both can be too much some days

scout on the other hand basically hangs out with everyone, but sniper and soldier are his favorite. sniper almost always has some kinda task for him to do and always rewards him for a job well done. when he doesnt snipes is content just giving him casual affection while he does other things. then soldier is always, Always ready to rough house with scout so hes the team assigned scout wrangler especially since hes the only one who can exhaust scout

scouts also super super clingy and absolutely hates sleeping alone, easiest way to get him to listen is to threaten to leave him in his room that night

then thats all i got for now please enjoy my nonsense <3

Holy fuck this is so cute, it's a good thing they didn't meet me or I would have kissed them until they were bald (especially spy) 😭😭😭😭😭

I can even imagine scout wagging his tail and scratching sniper's car door in the middle of the night 🥰🥰🥰🥰 Thank you! Thank you! Now these will be etched in my brain and notebook forever! Thank you!

[thefamilyeldritchabomination]

Chapter Eighteen: Forever Autumn Pt. 1

Roy Mustang was in hell, complete and utter hell. His days of being with the scar faced serial killer with the self proclaimed name of ‘George’ and the feral piranha homunculus  wasn’t something Roy had been hoping for at all. A part of Roy had wished he had brought along Riza for some semblance of normalcy instead of this demented odd couples situation. All of this was supposed to be an epic battle between Roy himself and the nefarious Fuhrer that clearly had gone off the deep end over a loose experiment. Clearly things were piled against Roy as ‘George’ offered him a piece of roasted rabbit after a long journey to find this monstrous nation’s leader. With a grunt of annoyance, Roy accepted the roasted rabbit piece to eat, afterall protein was protein, he was going to need the strength for this ordeal.  The Homunculus child called ‘Wrath’, was forced to sniff along the ground to trace where the Fuhrer was to only be led back to Central.

 “What the hell is this Wrath!? We’re back at Central!”  Roy was ready to burn the horrible creature right on the spot over this.

 “Calm yourself Mustang, there are others out here.” ‘George’ cautioned as he wasn’t going to let Mustang kill off their only lead and have their position exposed.

“Who the hell would be camping right outside the gate with a homicide happy Fuhrer on the loose?!” Roy was in disbelief over the unfolding situation and the fact they’ll likely be court martialed if discovered. 

 “Clearly the cannibal looking couple…” Wrath finally spoke words that weren’t growls or yowls, shocking the two men to the core.

 “....okay I’ll give a point to Wrath as that is pretty on point.” ‘George’ was impressed that the couple did in fact look like a pair of cannibals out in the open. 

 Confused, Roy looked over to the supposed cannibal couple and was mortified by what he was seeing. There was a bald man with a thick beard sharpening meat hooks by the fire while a red haired woman with an automail arm was preparing some heavy military equipment. Clearly, they were ready to brutally murder someone when the bearded man spotted them and motioned for them to come over. They were spotted and clearly being so close to the city would be a terrible idea to commence combat. The Four Horsemen of Bad Decision Making struck once again when Wrath got loose from his lead and started making his gremlin-like crawl towards the murder couple. There was some sputtering from Roy as he watched Wrath make his way towards the weirdos out in the open before being picked up by ‘George’ and making a jog towards the couple. The tension was high when the pair arrived towards the creepy married couple with illegally obtained military weapons as they were given an oddly cheerful reception. 

 “Well hello there! Lovely night for a camp out, isn’t it?” The Bearded Man greeted with a wide tooth grin, ignoring the fact he was still wielding the meat hooks.

 “You look starved! Please come by the fire, I made lamb stew tonight.” The lady offered as she motioned towards the cauldron hanging over the flames. 

 “Are you also out to murder the Fuhrer too?” Wrath blabbed as he sniffed a bit at the lamb stew.

 “Oh this is fortunate! We are looking to exterminate the Fuhrer and collect his remains for our trophy room. With that said, we wouldn’t mind the extra help with that task.” The woman exclaimed rather happily as if she had been offered help to bake cookies for a holiday event. 

 “I guess we got more people on board with murdering the Fuhrer, we’ll appreciate the assistance with getting rid of King Bradley.” ‘George’ was relieved that there were in fact others that were on board with murdering the terrible Fuhrer to make life easier.

 “I can’t believe how fast this alliance happened…” Roy commented at just how quickly the two new team members for ‘Murder the Fuhrer’ had happened. 

 “Don’t look at a blessing of god in the mouth Mustang, the more people we have on board, the easier it’ll be for us to overpower the Fuhrer.” ‘George’ carefully placed the Colonel Mustang down to the ground like a bag of potatoes. 

[darkmasterofcupcakes]

DHMIS Review: TV Episode 3, Family

This review has admittedly taken a while, just because I will fully admit this is not an episode I tend to rewatch much. It’s still entertaining, but something about it just makes it a little hard to come back to, personally.

But, I’m happy to be back and talk about another episode of one of my favorite shows, so let’s get to it:

I think the variant verse of this episode’s opening amuses me a little too much with the way they avoid the more obvious rhyme scheme of tall-bald-small, in favor of having Yellow Guy just claim that he’s going bald as well after Duck claims that he’s going bald. Especially with the way that Yellow’s hair literally looks like two halves of his hair split up and went on separate sides of his head just to give him a stereotypical balding look. 

A small detail I never noticed until now: there’s a picture of the trio  - the same one as their “Missing” poster in the “Love” short, from the looks of it, on the back of a milk carton as Red and Yellow are watching TV. Apparently nobody ever bothered to report them as found. 

I can’t deny loving how Duck takes the whole “three guesses” thing so seriously, though I imagine he mostly did it as an ego thing? Like, he wanted to prove he could outsmart his friends, so when Red guessed the answer with only his second guess, Duck just acted like he “won” because his friend didn’t get the answer in the “correct” number of guesses. Also, the ‘warm lasagna” flavor for the Chuddle Dollops isn’t really as odd as I initially thought, considering there’s pizza-flavored chips and the flavor profiles would be similar in what’s basically chip form. 

I also just realized that the lasagna flavor is probably a nod to the first episode, since they were having lasagna for lunch during the work day break.

The way Yellow Guy actually questions when Duck mentions that “People are dying to know what your third guess would have been” is really interesting to me, especially in light of the sixth episode. Maybe even when he’s not fully charged he’s a little more...aware of things than he normally seems to be? At least enough to question when his friends say something that seems to be hinting at something more. 

Kind of wondering if it could also be a slight nod to theories that the original web series was a show within a show of sorts, with the characters being actors. Duck just kind of broke the fourth wall...and his friends either ignore what he said or just question what he’s talking about. Because whatever’s going on in that house, it doesn’t seem to be just something happening for an in-universe show.  

So, what happened to the Apple teacher was basically just like, a more violent version of when Colin interrupted what was apparently going to be Gilbert’s lesson, right? 

Roy getting thrown in the trash is correct, but not because he’s “just a dad” and not a family; but because of the whole reveal that he’s apparently been horrible to Yellow and wanted to punish him for apparently being ignorant and rude - things we’ve never really seen. Unless Roy’s somehow mixed up his actual son with Duck, who apparently does have quite an ego. 

Please tell me I’m not the only one who wonders if the Lillie and Todney puppets having...lazy eyes is an intentional design choice, or if the puppets broke as they were filming and they decided to keep it in because, honestly, it just adds to the unsettling nature of the characters?

I love Todney’s outburst when Duck says family is “just a word” - both because he just says his family “likes” him, and his epic jump and flail in anger. Still not a fan of the pee jokes, which is probably another reason why I don’t particularly like this episode, since it’s got two - though one is pretty subtle, during the song. 

Speaking of the song, I do like it - not one of the best, but still pretty good. Even if the funniest part is just when Duck lampshades the fact that after a certain point, they just gave up spelling “Family” and just made up a word. I honestly didn’t even notice when first watching, because I was distracted by the imagery. Also, apparently almost nobody has a family anymore, if landline phones are a requirement. 

Love how when the twins do their little “on the count of fifteen” bit, Lillie actually is shown moving like she’s walking, while apparently whoever was puppeting Todney decided the boy was just skipping leg day and made it look like he was just like, gliding across the floor.

The way they have the twins try to talk in unison but have them be just slightly off so it ends up being like one is the other’s echo is just so unsettling, but obviously it works perfectly for the series? Really, these two are just the classic “Creepy Twins” trope turned up to eleven. 

Man, Red Guy just really hates the other two in this episode, doesn’t he? He’s very quick to say he wants to get away from them because they’re not his family, and dismisses any sort of suggestion that they’re even friends. It really does seem like the only reason he hangs around them is because something prevents him from actually leaving for good. 

I do wonder if there’s any particular reason why Duck didn’t seem to be at all effected by whatever it was that Lillie and Todney were doing to the others? It’s especially strange since, in the shorts, Red Guy was usually the one who didn’t want to go along with anything, while Duck was usually pretty much up for anything. But here, Red Guy seems the most eager to learn about families while Duck just wants to leave almost immediately.

Only now did I notice the possible foreshadowing with the plan to force Yellow into the role of the Mother of the family, with the way he was allowed to use the mother’s game piece despite the grandmother later freaking out when Duck touches it, and the twins saying that the mother’s game piece could only be used by “Mother”.

I really do wonder what’s up with the Twins and their family. The ending makes it clear they’re some kind of monster, and stuff like them being able to send Duck back to the House indicates they have some kind of powers that might be comparable to the Teachers. But are they actually Teachers? I don’t actually know if I’m supposed to count them or not. 

The whole thing with Red Guy noticing that the pictures were all framed feels like it was supposed to be treated as a bait and switch...but what were we supposed to assume he was noticing before the punchline? Honestly, my biggest issue with the episode so far is it does feel like it’s got too few jokes that really land for how creepy the horror aspects are? And they’re not even like “fun-creepy” like the best shorts and episodes tend to be.

The whole “Uncle Terry died”, “He went on fire” joke might be one of the best examples of comedic timing. Like, they had just a long enough pause after Yellow’s innocent question and Lillie and Todney’s response to genuinely make me laugh a little.

Gotta love Duck just casually burning a child alive in front of their parent and then just walking away and singing a song about how much he’s in denial about wanting a family. No, literally, that’s basically what happened - he put the Bread Slice, a child of the Bread Loaf into the toaster, and while the mother was screaming in horror, he just walks away and starts his song? That’s dark but might be one of the funniest moments in this whole episode. 

I have to admit, I don’t feel like there’s much to say about the episode for a while after Red Guy leaves the Twins’ house? It’s kind of just...creepy stuff happening with the Twins and Yellow Guy, and another reminder that, despite Red Guy’s instance that he wants to be with his family that looks like him....he really doesn’t fit in with other Red Guys, both in terms of personality and just him apparently being a nudist. 

This really is the most convoluted and creepy solution to a problem like this I’ve ever seen, them forcing Yellow to be the “Mother” so they can get a “Family Pack” meal. I do wonder if they actually couldn’t order the meal or if they were just so focused on what they thought a “family” was that they never bothered trying? 

Okay, the actual funniest moment in the episode is Yellow learning who the Father of the Family is....but I don’t know if the reason why it’s so funny is intentional? Because the humor doesn’t just come from his reaction....It comes from the fact that his voice actor completely drops his usual way of speaking for Yellow, where he’s obviously meant to sound....not super bright. Making it sound like the voice actor was also unaware of the reveal and got so surprised they messed up the delivery slightly and Becky and Joe just kept it. 

Or maybe Yellow was just so shocked by what he learned that his batteries got enough charge to have his voice start to “sound smart” for a moment. Who knows?

I like how Roy showing up at the end can either be seen as solely him wanting a meal....or possibly a bit of hypocritical heartwarming, with him shoving Yellow away and letting him leave before he starts eating. Obviously Roy is a horrible father, but I think it is plausible to view this as him kind of being like “I’m the only one allowed to mess with my son”. Again, still horrible, but kind of hard to say what the idea is supposed to be. 

Okay, the joke at the end of them finally being able to open the Family Pack of Dollaps because I guess now they realize they basically are a family...only for there to only be two pieces in the whole bag, and Duck immediately screaming he wants both when Red even starts to suggest they share...That got a chuckle of out me.

Yeah, overall, not my favorite episode. A couple jokes/moments made me chuckle, but a lot of it was just....disturbing and not in an entertaining way. 

[piracycomments]

this is a blog dedicated to funny screenshots of comments on piracy sites (torrents, direct download, free streaming, etc) nothing more nothing less run by a system (admin data) and we all share a body. alters who mod the blog include mod rev, mod tessyr, mod syd, mod charlie and mod amber, in no particular order. this blog was started by/this post was written by mod rev there are no other admins/mods outside of our system right now block "#not a comment" if you dont want to see asks/misc posting

submission rules:

please do not include any links, names, etc. of piracy sites. we'll censor them when we can, but just make our job easier, please. we dont want this blog taken down its just for funnies

dont send in screenshots of normal uninteresting scam/phishing comments. you can if its weird/absurd/niche though

keep it pg-13. dick jokes are fine but if its describing sex acts in detail it wont be posted

racism, ableism, queerphobia, etc. isnt funny. wdgaf if you wanna get an Epic Own on a bigot, we're not going to give them a platform here.

dont submit through asks.

hate/ragebait/general dumbassery will just be deleted/ignored, and sometimes additionally made fun of in private on discord for laughs. you will not see a response.

rules subject to change

questions/statements/whatever:

piracy is wrong! no why wasnt my submission posted? still in the queue/didnt follow the rules/we have to censor it/we're bald im blocked the block button is free and we like to use it

do you have any piracy resources? loose lips sink ships. if you are in a discord server with like, 15 people, we guarantee you One of them knows about piracy. just ask privately. why did you make this blog? i (mod rev) dont have hobbies so i started this blog to have one so i can be healthy and normal. other alters (who do have hobbies and are more well-adjusted than me) wanted to join in. also digital archiving is important to us and we see funny comments while looking for things to add to our datahoard sometimes.

[justnailli]

relationship with other idols

jungkook (bts)

- they are close as siblings.

- when eunji said to him that she wants to be a kpop idol like him, jungkook opposed her at first.

- he was worried for his sister to experience such hates, pressure and hardships of being a kpop idol but eventually let eunji do what she really want.

- he gives her a lot of advices and supports her back in i-land and up until now as an enhypen member.

- when eunji's name got called as an i-lander to be part of the debut group, jungkook can't avoid to looked proudly at her and give eunji a thumbs up.

- they love to imitate and tease each other.

- jungkook's phone have a lot of eunji's epic photos.

- he always give eunji every bts' albums with the autograph of the members.

- eunji always smack his brother's arm everytime she's laughing and he'll just stay quiet even though it hurts like hell.

- when jungkook did a vlive on his birthday, eunji greeted him and wished jungkook to not be bald.

- jungkook said to an interview that there's no bts member he wants to introduce to her sister.

- jungkook once lied that eunji's favorite bts member is him when it was actually j-hope.

j-hope (bts)

- they are close friends.

- when eunji first attended his brother's group concert, she gave each members a written letter and her letter for j-hope has the longest message.

- j-hope always greet eunji on her birthday and give her gifts.

- eunji once said that she really want to have a dance collaboration with j-hope someday.

- they will give endless compliments to each other.

- j-hope adores eunji so much and treat her as his younger sister.

- eunji and j-hope will do weird noises when meet each other.

arin (oh my girl)

- they are besties.

- they are both an infp.

- arin and eunji have a lot of similarities so they clicked to each other.

- they are both from busan and studied at seoul school of performing arts.

- they were seen sometimes shopping and eating at restaurant together.

- these two both have a habit of spacing out.

- eunji sometimes tease her unnie for being smaller than her by 3 centimeters despite of arin being 3 years older than eunji.

- arin was the one who approached eunji ignoring the fact that she's a shy person.

ningning (aespa)

- they are friends with the same age.

- eunji always find ningning's personality unique but at the same time adorable.

- ningning is just eunji but in extroverted version.

- ningning always try to tiptoe every time she's standing next to eunji to lessen their 6 centimeters gap in height.

- eunji and ningning loves to sing together.

- ningning sometimes teach eunji some chinese words as her request.

- eunji loves to do makeup and cook with ningning.

- eunji loves imitating ningning's iconic meme face every time they meet each other's eyes.

i.n (stray kids)

- they are close since eunji pre debut because they attended the same class on sopa.

- they became very close when they learned that both of them are from busan.

- eunji loves to dance with i.n during their free time.

- jeongin really likes it whenever eunji call him "oppa".

- one of their fellow classmates admitted that jeongin once gave a pepero to eunji on pepero day, which she accepted.

- it means he has a crush on eunji and she's not aware of that even though it was a bit obvious.

- i.n is totally inlove with eunji's good vocals.

- they may have different personalities but they really get along well.

- they supported each other when they both joined survival shows.

- there might be no interactions between them on cam but they frequently message each other behind the cameras.

yedam (treasure)

- they also attended the same class on sopa.

- jeongin, yedam and eunji frequently hang out together.

- yedam and eunji are both infp so they really get along so well.

- there was an uploaded video by their classmate wherein they are are singing yedam's viral cover on skz survival show which is "there's nothing holding me back" by shawn mendes.

[izukult]

haiykuu boys react to a long distance partner surprising them

characters: hinata, kageyama, oikawa, sugawara, nishinoya, tsukishima

established relationship | warnings: swearing, my fan behavior, why are my head canons so long in this gd it’s like a tiny story without structure

hinata shōyō

-SUNSHINE BOY (i went crazy for this one i’m so sorry)

-you were sugawara’s old middle school penpal which turned online friend

-so obviously you’d heard about his volleyball team and the new first year star players

-and one thing led to another where he introduced you to hinata

-actually you were facetiming suga and you saw hinata and told your old friend you thought the tangerine boy was cute and then koushi “accidentally” put you in a gc together

-you and hinata have been dating for about four months

-you’ve heard everything to a t, including small little remarks from tsukishima to every toss, kill, and miss your boyfriend and kageyama managed

-side note but it’s so cute this boy is so whipped for you if you don’t respond for a certain amount of time he’ll find some dumb excuse to talk to suga just so he can shift the convo to making sure you’re safe

-anyway

-so you’re going to meet suga finally

-like FINALLY you’re so excited

-but you’re also boutta see your boyfriend!!!!!!

-buuuuuuuuuut your boyfriend didn’t know

-so it’s safe to say you were a little nervous about it

-you made suga swear up and down that he wouldn’t tell any of his teammates that you specifically were coming, but he did ask to make sure it was okay to have a semi open practice

-so you’re standing outside the volleyball gym with sugawara, backpack with hinatas favorite snacks over your shoulder. practice had already started so suga was late, but he still stood outside with you and let you prepare yourself

-you felt like you were about to throw up even though that’s shoyo’s thing

-suga walks in before you and you follow shortly after, holding in a sharp breath.

-there he was. standing on the other side of the gym, talking to who you knew as kageyama

-he hadn’t seen you yet, but other member of karasuno had

-”yoo who’s this hottie” bald, flirtatious, you had to assume its tanaka

-hinata was in the middle of jumping for a spike when he saw you, and he froze and fell to the ground, stumbling to keep his balance

-the gym got quiet at the tangerines reaction, but he was just staring at you.

-and then he was doing that “woosh” run he always told you about and before you knew it his arms were around your waist and his head was buried in your shoulder.

-everyone (literally EVERYONE) was looking at you two but you just laughed and placed a hand in his hair (which, holy fuck, is soft)

-you mouthed an apology to suga and he shrugged you off, and focused your attention back on the boy in front of you

he pulled back just enough to look at you, leaving his hands to rest on your back. his eyes were filled with tears (cute) and he offered you a smile.

“you’re here” his voice was quiet, for once, but it didn’t have any lag this time. and it was so fucking beautiful.

“i’m here.” you nodded, eyes scanning the features of his face. he chuckled lightly, a tear falling to his cheek as he shook his head.

“you’re so pretty.” his voice was watery and he moved his head back in your shoulder before you could utter a compliment back.

-he stayed attached to you for like minutes okay and this man completely ignored the teasing of his classmates.

-eventually you tried to pull him off you so he could get on with practice (and so you could watch him practice) but he refused to get off

-”bubs. babe. honey. you gotta get up”

-”hey hey hey, what about showing me a cool spike?”

-”i am literally asking you to do your favorite thing in the world sho,”

-”new favorite thing is holding you.”

-YOUR HEART

-eventually you did get him off of you and he practiced the HARDEST he had

-after practice he introduced you to everyone as his girlfriend even though you’d literally been introduced to them like an hour before

-his eyes stay on you and he constantly tells you how pretty you are face to face and how you smell good and how soft your hands are

-it would sound stalkerish if you werent whipped

-its ok hes whipped too

kageyama tobio

-no idea how youd meet this mf online

-maybe some volleyball forum or like arguing over which setter was betting in youtube comments

-or if you know nothing about volleyball,,,,

-i have no fucking clue BUT

-he doesnt mind long distance honestly

-he doesnt have to get worried about completely embarrassing himself and he never has to make like physical moves

-but he does wish he could hold your hand sometimes.

-but he ignores it🙄

-so you are like obsessed w this bitch u r in love w him🤢🤢

-and ur a good 90% sure he luv u too

-so you plan a trip to him

-you do it all out. you talk to his mom, you find the cheapest hotel that’s perfect distance between his house and his school bc ur just that cool

-and you even make up an excuse to kageyama for why you won’t be on your phone during the flight

-you know he’s gonna be at practice bc you know his schedule cos gf things

-you stocked up on banana milk (aka you brought like four)

-you hit him up yknow yknow

- “hey bubs i’m back<3 how’s practice going?” you’re literally standing outside the gym but you want to make sure you’re not coming in at a bad time

-after like three minutes he texted u “good:). just got done with a practice set.”

-so now you’re going and you’re excited and you’re Nervous

-you open the door and you’re met with a rly tall guy with a headband on

-“hi, can i help you?”

-“uh, is kageyama here?” and he turns his head, and you follow his eyes, and there he is

-and he’s already staring at you

-a ball is lightly held in his hands

-if anyone who didn’t know him saw him they would genuinely think he’s angry

-but it was kinda the same look he’d give you when you talked about things you cared about on facetime

-so maybe that’s love? 😳😳😳

you give him a little wave

-“sup kags”

-he’s just staring

-blankly staring

-which you should’ve expected

-“sorry, are you mad? i should’ve told you i was coming, that’s my bad i just thought i could surprise you and it would be really nice and then you wouldn’t be stressed out sorry-“

-literally why are you saying all this all of his teammates just like “wtf”

-he shook his head quickly and opened his mouth to say no but just continued to stare

-“i- uh- you want to watch me set?”

-you LAUGH. and i mean LAUGH girly and he just turns all kinds of red and you know his team is gonna be on him for that

-“yea! if that’s like, allowed?” daichi doesn’t care so you are literally balling

-you watch him play and like at first he’s REALLY awful like rly bad but then he kind of tunes everything out (i.e. you) and gets back in his groove

-afterwards he comes over to you and asks you what you think and he’s looking at you like this is normal but you can tell he’s shaking and he kisses your forehead REALLY REALLY FAST and mumbles a quiet “i’m glad you’re here”

-he opens up w affection more along the trip

-he appreciates the banana milk. sm.

-from then on out he constantly brags ab having a gf to the team

oikawa tooru

-he suspects smth is up to be honest

-he’s like “ohhh shawty gon do sum😫”

-(he doesn’t fucking call you shawty)

-but to be fair he figured more like you were gonna send him smth rather than send yourself

-surprise again he’s AT PRACTICE who would’ve guessed

-but this time you come at the end of practice because seijoh has like set schedules and oikawa tells you everything so

-you’re just standing by the door waiting for him to come out, ignoring the literal group of girls forming at the end of the hall knowing dAmn well they are your bf’s fangirls

-oh well

-you hear his voice before you actually see him

-he’s giving someone tips on their serves and you hear someone make a snide remark at him and you only assume its iwa

-he’s in the middle of a sentence and he just stops.

-there’s a good couple of seconds where he completely loses composure

-which is not tooru like

-you took a step closer and smiled

-”is this the oikawa tooru fanclub?”

-”nah it’s actually the oilykawa hate club” it’s the same voice from earlier and it’s definitely iwa

-you laugh a little and keep looking at your boyfriend

-”that’s even better”

-he just walks up to you and gives you a real, genuine smile

-pushes a piece of hair behind your ear

-and KISSES u

-EPIC MOMENT GAMERS

-”what are you doing here, pretty? come to see me play? if so, i hate to break it to you, but you’re late”

-you just roll your eyes and kiss him again

-once you two are alone he literally cries

-LMAO

sugawara koushi

-literally the only one who can keep his cool out of all these mfs (aside from tsukishima)

-however, when you show up to his practice wearing the hoodie he sent you like two months earlier, he lost his shit

-you set it up with daichi and everything beforehand.

-(and daichi literally made sure suga would look like a setting genius the day you showed up)

-he had just made a really good set when you walked in and you clapped

-”nice one, koushi”

-he looks at you like 😦 & is just like “you- what- you’re- how- why?”

-lol and then he goes on “not why like i’m not happy you’re here just how”

-and all the third years think it’s so funny to be honest, because typically suga can keep his cool

-he eventually gains his cool and shines you one his signature amazing smiles (which, is somehow better face to face)

-omg he goes over to you and once he gets there he turns to his teammates and like

-”this is my s/o!!!”

-mf is BEAMING

-he’s so happy

-you find out right after he gives literally the best hugs ever i live by that and i will die by that

-he doesn’t kiss you til you two are alone

-and its so fucking sweet and personal he puts his forehead on yours and tells you you’re the most beautiful person hes ever seen

-he is literally so in love w you

-ew

-i love him.

nishinoya yü

-ok he’s so loud

-literally the second he gets a gf everyone knows

-he shows the team pictures of you literally anytime one of them will look

-he luvs u

-he is your BIGGEST fan no doubt

-you make a nice meal? he wants to post about it

-you have a nice outfit? he will put it on his story

-you breathe? expect an “omg baby im so proud of u”

-so when you show up, he reacts the way you expect him to

-so like obviously this man isnt checking his phone during practice

-but he puts his phone on dnd and has you as his only favorite contact

-so you can text him if its an emergency during practice

-you know that, he knows it, the team knows it

-he gets the little ping!

-and he’s out the game

-no one is recovering the ball #peaceout

-he jogs over to check because you never text his number during practice bc you respect his passion for volleyball

-the text just says “come outside:))”

-he’s like wtf?? but bitch gonna do what u say😐

-he sees you and he just yells “holy shit” so loud dude

-daichi goes to call him on his language but steps outside and sees the short libero hugging the person they’d all seen in the photos, he just goes quiet

-nishinoya will not shut up as he hugs you

-he’s literally just hyping you up and asking you literally every single detail about how you’re there, where you’re staying, when you’re leaving, how your flight was, everything

-you just kiss his forehead :)

-literally only good vibes

-you guys have such a good trip bruh

-after you leave he literally just cries while looking at pics of you two together

-^ he took so many pics and vids of you pls

tsukishima kei

-unlike the others, you wouldn’t meet him at practice

-you don’t really know his team, nor does he tell you about them outside of mostly complaining

-you do know tadashi, but like you’ve only talked to him in a gc all three of you are in and never like alone

-you did not tell him you were coming because you’re 100% convinced he would’ve accidentally told tsuki even though he can keep his own shit secret lol

-you just show up at his door when you know he’s home

-and he’s texting you as you’re there and he had actually had a moderately rough day so you told him you were gonna order him food from his favorite restaurant

-which, technically wasn’t a lie you just had to make an extra stop

-you knock on his door (once you’ve prepared yourself because you honestly have no idea how he’s going to react)

-and he opens it ready to give a half hearted thank you to some delivery guy

-but instead his s/o

-he just stares at you

-he looks like a fish

-after like fifteen seconds you decide to try to break the ice bc you are nervous

-”delivery here for uh one…” you pretend to look at the paper, you’re doin a whole skit here “one dumb bitch. are you dumb bitch?”

-he just rolls his eyes and shoves your head

-he walks back but he leaves the door open

-”take your shoes off”

-he’s not even looking at you smh but you smile so fucking wide bc that’s the kind of reaction you were honestly hoping for

-(what you don’t know is he will literally break his whole hard exterior act if he looks at you right now and he is not ready for that)

-you put the food on the table and move to stand next to him

-and after a bit he finally looks at you

-and you look at him

-and you smile

-and he does too,, kind of

-(which is so fucking cute,)

-and you just keep starin at him and bite your lip to keep from grinning

-and after a couple minutes you clear your throat

-”can i hug you?”

-bro he’s so fucking whipped he doesnt even answer he just wraps his arms around you and puts his head on top of yours

-and he mumbles a thank you and its so fucking SWEET

-he does open up more the longer you’re there and u have a very good trip mwah in luv

[imbellarosa]

Let’s Talk Calm-ly about Two Loves

OR: When you’re a grown man who writes stories for a living, you definitely wrote your own weird bedtime story, too. 

The TLDR here is that H has taken one specific listener around the globe, notably to Tokyo and Jamaica. He quotes an old Victorian Poet who was an awful human but who’s lasting legacy is the phrase “a love that dare not speak its name” which is - you guessed it - a reference to queer love. He also is super excited to spend what seems like the foreseeable future with this listener and has bought a little house with a garden of daisies with them and it’s very sweet and domestic. Anyways this is a wild time and it’s all under a cut because it’s...really a lot. 

Anyways I think the people I owe thank yous this times around to are @queenlokibeth​ who had to listen to me scream about this for a while, Astrid, who screamed with me when this came out, and “M” who convinced me to finally get to work in this fandom. And, of course, all of the lovely people tagged below who’s work I used to build my argument. 

1.) Who Wrote “Dream With Me”? 

Well, not H, or so the story goes. Two other people (Steve Cleverly and Sanj Sen) did! I mean, right, okay, for a while I was like...that seems like an odd choice for a man who didn’t want to hand Two Ghosts over to his own band because it seemed too personal. He wrote on every song in both albums’ he’s released thus far, because he seems to be passionate about telling the stories he wants to tell (even if he won’t tell you explicitly what they’re about). But for a while, I was totally going with the flow there, and the rest of this analysis would still stand: the writer of this story definitely referenced a poem by Lord Alfred Douglas and Harry’s own songs. 

However, I then read this fun quote from the Co-founder and CEO of Calm: 

“Well,” he said, “The the Harry Styles one is interesting because that came purely from Harry Styles himself...we took the approach of creating a sort of musical epic poem – he doesn’t sing, it’s spoken with poetry, but there’s a sort of musical sound bed to it and it’s pulling on things and themes that Harry’s fans really adore about him and associate with him. So his story was driven really by him – we really created a concept around him.” 

-  Chris Advansun, July 7th, 2020 via @hlupdate​

And I thought, hmmm. This does not sound like a project that he was not involved in creating. From this point on (July, 7th 2020), I began to think of it as a three way co-collaboration between him and the other two authors. But this confused me a bit, because there was largely a nonreaction from the fandom. I was waiting for an actual transcript, because I always fall asleep to these meditation stories, but it was being referenced to as some sort of Y/N fic, which was...honestly not what I expected, but also not implausible, thanks to the ~lovely~ image this man has had since the age of sixteen. But also, twitter seemed to be concerned by other things at the moment, and no one was analyzing the story. . 

In fact, I messaged a friend the day that this story dropped, because it had been kind of a shit show day on Twitter. Rumors were sort of flying about everyone and everything: had Liam shaved his head? Was he engaged? Had he and Maya broken up? Were Zayn and Gigi engaged? Had they broken up? Did Niall have a girlfriend? (this one was true lol). Were Elounor engaged? Were they pregnant? Had they broken up??? My personal fav was the bald Liam rumor, which he promptly put to rest in LP Act 1 by...having a huge mane of hair. 

So then I thought - huh. Why has today looked like this? I’m not saying that there aren’t days that twitter goes wild because of boredom, because there definitely is - the articles about secret meetings in Italy that are coming out this week (8/12/2020) are proof positive. So that definitely does happen, but it doesn’t usually happen on the days that there’s a lot of content. And maybe I’ve just been starved for content in this fandom, but I would consider a 40 minute video quite a bit of content. 

Then the transcript dropped. I’m using two as references - this one on Wattpad and also @carl-and-pearl ‘s version here (thank you so much for the transcript!!). We’re going to get into a more detailed description of what’s going on in the story, but the first thing I recognized immediately is that it was first person POV. I knew that going in, based on the number of Y/N jokes going around on twitter. Then I read it aloud, and I realized that it read like a letter. Like an experience specific to the writer and the reader. And while that’s not super uncommon to write about an experience from the author’s POV - I listen to a podcast called Nothing Much Happens: bedtime stories for adults which has a similar concept - I thought it was odd that they were trying to include both the author and the listener. I completely understood why the y/n jokes were pertinent. But at the same time, it felt like something had snagged in my mind - like a particularly annoying splinter. 

The conversations I was having around this story - completely based on the content, concept, and my own instinct - was that this story contained specific references to one person. I thought that it did read like a love letter, and that most identifying features would have been taken out, but the essence remained. Which, once I thought about it, was something that H excelled at doing. Think about Sunflower Vol 6 and Adore You and Canyon Moon and even Watermelon Sugar and Golden.  Ask yourself, What do I know about the person they are about? They have skin that browns, they have a secret, they have mesmerizing eyes, they’re willing to dance in the kitchen with him (to dancehall), they have a belly, they’ve been through hard times, they’re witty, they have an accent, and they have lips. I know - super specific right?

So the splinter grew into a thorn - what was I missing? And then - when I was looking for something completely different - I stumbled upon this old interview Harry did with Zach Sang and the Gang Show back in 2017.  For context, he was being asked about Sweet Creature. As you can imagine, it’s hard for people to believe he wrote such a beautiful love song when he hadn’t ever really had a long term relationship (two hearts in one home?? Who did you move in with, you can imagine them asking. When did you have time?). So what did he have to say about this?

"In my opinion,” he explained, “I think most songs are written for one listener. Maybe there's one thing in there that only they'll notice about them.... It's so much easier to say something in a song than it is to say it to someone and I think it's really amazing to be able to communicate through that and be able to wrap up everything that you want to say in three and a half minutes and say it in a song."

- HS, May 3 2017

By this time, please believe that I was screeching. Seeing this felt like he put into words the exact feeling I had about “Dream With Me”. It felt like a nod to someone that I didn’t know, which made the story hard to listen to, tbh. Although, I will say that when I did finally listen to it, it knocked me out and gave me odd dreams so. Once was enough for me haha! 

So my new operating theory is exactly what Advansun said: I think that H was the primary writer/the driving force behind the story. Because of the references I’m about to run through, because it feels like the way he tells stories, and because they admitted to him being more involved than they originally claimed. That’s going to be how I write the rest of the analysis - under the impression that H had a direct hand in the story that was being put forth. However, I think that the analysis itself would stand whether or not he wrote any of it. It would just be a more tenuous reflection of him than I believe it to be. 

2.) How Do I Love Thee? In Two Ways. 

Before I jump into the story, let’s talk a little about the poem that I want to compare it to: Two Loves, by Lord Alfred Douglas.  Let’s be clear this is not at all a defense of who Bosie was - he was a terrible person, particularly in his later years, when he’d converted to Catholicism and turned his back on his younger self, and his partner, Oscar Wilde. He was violently anti-Semitic, and turned his back on his own community. I want to get this out of the way because I very much believe that we should examine artists for who they are. That is, after all, what I am trying to do here. 

But his poem Two Loves has often been used - much to his disappointment, I’m sure - as an exploration of queer love in Victorian times. A line that I will be exploring more deeply in a second was in fact used against Oscar Wilde in his trail for indecency . He attempted - unsuccessfully - to explain it away, but it was too blatantly about their relationship for even the British Victorian society to ignore. I really, really recommend a read of this poem, because it is - despite it’s author - a good piece of work, which explores the themes of shame and love and longing between two men in that time. 

I’m going to start with my own background, as someone who’s analyzed fandoms before. I first came across this poem in the Sherlock fandom, with this analysis by @the-7-percent-solution​, when I was running in that fandom, and she explains the poem brilliantly in just a few lines. I’m going to take a little longer to run through it, but if you want a concise explanation and a brilliant meta, I encourage you to run to their blog and check it out. That fandom taught me most everything I know about catching symbols and recurring themes and “clueing for looks” and I love it desperately, still. 

But we’re here to talk about this fandom, so on with the poem! Essentially, the poem outlines a dream the speaker had: In his dream, he’s standing in a field with flowers - beautiful ones of all kind - and he meets this young man with clear blue eyes and bright red lips and they kiss a bit and have a picnic, and it’s all lovely. If you think I’m kidding, I’m really not. Please, read it for yourself. 

Anyways, after they did they did the whole picnic thing, the speaker and his date go on a walk in this field, where they come across two figures. The first is described as, 

“...fair and blooming, and a sweet refrain Came from his lips; he sang of pretty maids And joyous love of comely girl and boy, His eyes were bright, and 'mid the dancing blades Of golden grass his feet did trip for joy; And in his hand he held an ivory lute With strings of gold that were as maidens' hair, And sang with voice as tuneful as a flute, And round his neck three chains of roses were.” 

- Two Loves, 1894

The speaker, however, was drawn to the second figure: 

“He was full sad and sweet, and his large eyes Were strange with wondrous brightness, staring wide With gazing; and he sighed with many sighs That moved me, and his cheeks were wan and white Like pallid lilies, and his lips were red Like poppies, and his hands he clenched tight, And yet again unclenched, and his head Was wreathed with moon-flowers pale as lips of death. A purple robe he wore, o'erwrought in gold With the device of a great snake, whose breath Was fiery flame..”

- Two Loves, 1984

Of course, the speaker immediately asks the second man who he is. The second man says, “My name is Love”. The first man corrects him quickly: 

“ He lieth, for his name is Shame, But I am Love, and I was wont to be Alone in this fair garden, till he came Unasked by night; I am true Love, I fill The hearts of boy and girl with mutual flame.”

-Two Loves, 1984

The second man sighs and acquiesces, “Have thy will. I am the love that dare not speak its name.” 

It was, of course, this last line that really gave the meaning of the poem away. It was the line that was put to Oscar Wilde as proof of a romantic relationship, it was the line that went down in history as a way to refer to queer love, and it was the line that first stuck out to me when I was reading “Dream With Me”. 

The reading here is clearly that “Love” is the love that is acceptable to society - easy, sweet, and cherished. “Shame” is the love that happens in secret - beautiful, alluring to the speaker, passionate, anxious ( as can be seen in the clenching and unclenching of his hands), and proud. He refuses to call himself as anything but what he is. The first man may call him Shame, but he refuses the name, and instead, offers a qualifier to his own descriptor. He is still love, he is just the love that can’t be spoken about. 

3.) Walking in Golden Fields of Sunflowers

Now let’s talk about “Dream With Me”. I’m ignoring the first few stanzas (from the line “Have you ever wondered” to “What the two of us can find”.) because those are pretty standard introductory paragraphs to a guided meditation. So we start with the line “Let’s travel now to moonlit valleys...”. 

I’m going to do the same thing I did with “Two Loves” first. I am going to describe literally, in general terms, what happens in the story. Warning, I change pronouns from “they” to “you” because the whole thing confuses me, but note that I’m always talking about the speaker and the listener: 

So after doing the standard intro, the speaker and the listener take a walk through the woods enjoying nature, particularly the grass, the trees, and the blue sky above. You’re already clearly in love. Then you’re magically on a raft, with cherry blossoms all around you. If you want a good visual for that, here’s a site that has pictures from a boat rental in Tokyo where you can snuggle on a raft in the  Chidorigafuchi moat. And then suddenly it starts raining, and they (you) watch the rain for a hot second, and then the scene magically shifts again, and you’re under a porch (although I guess it could be the boat rental’s porch. They do usually have covered areas). 

Kind of furthering that theory, they then lounge by the shoreline, skipping stones and hanging out, looking at the snow capped mountains. In case you’re curious, because at this point I sure was, you can see mountains from certain areas in the city of Tokyo. 

Anyways, then it’s snowing, and you’re magically in a cabin, just chilling by the fire, and you fall asleep again. You wake up somewhere else.

Where are you now? Well, you’re on a tropical island filled with palm trees. As an American, my mind immediately jumps to the Caribbean, but I suppose it could absolutely be in the Mediterranean as well. The island has white beaches, mangroves, a turquoise ocean, and a gorgeous, peaceful atmosphere. 

If you’re curious as to what a mangrove looks like - and I certainly was - they are a group of trees and shrubs that live in the coastal intertidal zone and Jamaica is doing a massive restoration project involving primary school children to regrow this vital part of their ecosystem. More interestingly, there currently exist no mangrove forests in the Mediterranean, so my initial feeling that this scene would take place in the Caribbean was correct. On that note - again, because I was curious - Jamaica has gorgeous white sand beaches with turquoise oceans. 

But I’ve gone off topic again! After you’re minds are “in tune” once more (trying to find a heartbeat, anyone?), you reappear in a meadow, with beautiful flowers of all kind, where you are now walking hand in hand through a field of sunflowers, which give the feeling a “warm and golden hue”. Then you come across a little farmhouse with daisies poking out (clearly I have no way of locating this anywhere in the world, but I assume that the UK has both sunflowers and daisies). It’s an empty house which was loved and left because of the passage of time, which inspires my favorite line in the poem: “ The thought of passing time inspires/A feeling that grows stronger”. It’s just...really sweet to me. 

So, of course, they do what anyone would do when they come across an empty farmhouse, they go inside. And there, they begin to fall asleep, reflecting on all they have just seen, referencing other scenes of the poem: “ Moonlit valleys, Burdened forests, Gazing at the ocean. Summer meadows, Tranquil sunsets steeped in emotion”. 

The next few stanzas are just going to be copy-pasted, and then I’ll go into them a bit, but this is the end of the poem, so they’re the final reflections;

“The tenderness we feel When we are close Two minds as one Surrounds us and connects us But we’ve only just begun.

For now we dream together Of all there is to follow. And know that sleep will keep us safe From now until tomorrow.

Maybe all the memories That we’ve gathered here tonight Are all dreams now remembered Or wishes in plain sight.

No matter what They’re with us now. For this night and forever. And every time we close our eyes They’re yours and mine to treasure.” 

- HS, Dream With Me, via @carl-and-pearl​

And that’s it! The literal story, in short, is that you started in a forest, then went to Tokyo (maybe) and then Jamaica (perhaps) and then back to a field of sunflowers and daisies in the UK (which is also a guess, it could be Italy or France or Idaho for all I know, but let’s call it an educated guess). 

4.) My Dream Journal

So now that we know what happens in the story, how do we interpret this? Well, There are a few lines in the poem that I want to draw your attention to: the first takes place in the first part of this story, when you’re still in the forest. This is, I must say, the most direct reference to Two Loves in the whole poem/song/story. Both works are describing a walk in the woods with your loved one, and, in a fun reference in the middle of the story, Dream With Me says

The shimmering reflection Shows us smiling from above. But what we think But dare not speak is L-O-V-E love.

-Dream With Me, 2020

Remember that line I mentioned before? I am the love that dare not speak its name. Right, so that’s almost a direct quote. It also has a really fun nod to “I Would” (Would he say he’s in L-O-V-E?/Well if it was me then I would), but I digress. 

This first part of the narrative, I feel, really sets up what the rest of it will look and feel like, in the same way that “Golden” sets the tone for Fine Line. (You didn’t think I was going to make a post about Harry and NOT mention Golden, did you?? If you did, I’m disappointed!!). So  let’s take a look at what’s happening, and the language he’s using to describe it. 

One of the best things about this poem is how vivid it feels. Of course, I’m about to argue that it’s vivid because it was based in reality, but let’s talk about the sheer amount of detail he uses to describe the place he’s walking through. The valley (canyon lmao) is moonlit, the grass and the leaves make mosaics of green, you’re walking by the heather (the symbolism of heather is good luck, admiration, and protection), the sepia sunlight breaks through the trees. 

You know what it kind of sounds like? Sweet Creature. You’re about to roll your eyes at me! I can feel it! But listen, okay?  

“Sweet creature Running through the garden Oh, where nothing bothered us But we're still young I always think about you and how we don't speak enough”

Which, to be honest, sounds like what they’re doing. They’re walking through the garden in the sun, not daring to speak about the Love that he (they both) feel, and instead refering to it in veiled Victorian terms. 

And then we head to Tokyo! I know that you’re about to ask me why I think it’s Tokyo versus...idk, anywhere else? Well, for one, he went to Tokyo (to let it go) publicly in 2019. He was there for a few months, and there are some great pictures of that time: 

Look! Here he is with his club owner friend and his dog, and a fun red bandanna! But let’s be honest, the dog really steals the show here. But wait! there’s more! More dog content, too!

This was on Jan 31st, 2019, and he’s taking the dog for a walk! Very cute! If nothing else, he spent a lot of time with dogs in Tokyo! And the city fits the description of the story. So I feel rather comfortable with my interpretation that this first date is a memory of this trip - or another - to Tokyo. 

So what did “you both”do in Tokyo? Well, chill on a raft while the cherry blossoms flutter around you, clearly. You also refocused your purpose. What did he do in Tokyo in 2019? Well, he took time to think about and write songs for the album he was about to go record. Kind of like refocusing on what’s next, right? And then, in the story when “you both” had time to think amongst the lake and the water and the rain and the moon, and you’d come to the conclusions you needed to, you left. What did he do when he did the things he needed to? Well, he left, too. 

And where did he go? Well, in real life, I suppose he went to do his job. But, in the story, you’re meant to be falling deeper and deeper into sleep, so it’s sort of like traveling backwards, you see? Like counting down to one. So you end up on this island with turquoise ocean and mangrove forests. I’m calling this Jamaica. Why? Well, the description fits, for one, down to the four types of mangroves that exists within its ecosystem. 

And - probably the biggest reason - I can place him there, too. Here’s him in 2017:

I added this picture because the water around him....looks rather turquoise, doesn’t it? Kind of like he’s enjoying his time on a tropical island by the beach?? Oh, and here’s another one!: 

The red bandanna makes a comeback! 

So what are you doing in Jamaica, according to the story? Well, you’re hanging out, basically. Enjoying the beach and each other, of course!  What else? To be exact, “[Your] thoughts dovetail and unify/ In tune two minds together”. I’m so glad that you’re tuned like an old guitar now! Congrats! Really happy for you! 

What was he doing in Jamaica three years ago? Why, he was recording his first album, or so the story goes. I’ll tell you something: finding press for that album was literally the most difficult part of this whole analysis. I got a fair bit of the tattoo roulette with Kendall Jenner, and some things about Carolina, but the interview with Zach Sang took me like an hour and a half to find again to link. The fact that a lot of it has been buried is...not great, for posterity purposes. He’s going to want that one day. 

But I’ve gotten off track again! We gotta go back and finish our story, right? What happens now? Well, this does: 

hahahaha okay, I’m really sorry, but I had to. I’m not, actually, making it up though! According to the story: 

“ As minutes turn to hours We drift off somewhere new. And visualize a stairway To a door we now walk through”

- Dream With Me, 2020

So maybe Louis was just...demonstrating for you. 

Anyways! Where do you walk out to? A golden field full of sunflowers. You walk for a minute, then come across an old house with daisies popping up out of the garden. And that’s where the story ends. I guess you’ve made that farmhouse feel like home. 

Now to the little reflection he does on the outro. The lines I want to bring your attention are: “The tenderness we feel when we are close two minds as one surrounds us and connects us but we’ve only just begun” and “Maybe all the memories that we’ve gathered here tonight are all dreams now remembered or wishes in plain sight.”

Let’s talk about the first sentence first. In the context of finding a home that could be a shared home, and a future, this is very much an “end of the story, beginning of our lives” sort of thing. You’re back from all over, and it’s time to settle down, and see what’s next. 

And now the second sentence. I think this is the one that really drives my point about this story being a collection of memories he has - that’s what he calls it. The story is “gathered memories” that might also be called “remembered dreams” (think of how people say of vacations, “oh it was a dream!”) or you might call it “wishes in plain sight”. This feels in line with the rest of the story. In this stanza, he’s sort of letting you in a bit. If I’ve read this right - and I really think that I have - he’s giving the larger context for the story. It’s a collection of memories he’s had with someone he loves. 

5.) Cool! Can you prove it? 

I mean, I’d argue that if you read this far, I have proved it, but let’s make some more links, shall we? This was called a “muscial epic” that was “driven by him”. I’d argue that if I know my Victorian literature (thank you, Sherlock!), then he definitely does. Then there’s the fact that he quoted it, so. That did happen. And he knows what it means. And even if he didn’t, there were two other people on the story. Someone was more than capable of catching that one, and the fact that they didn’t speaks to intent. They want you to think of that phrase when you read this poem. They want you to think of that walk in the woods while you’re going on this one. 

And, as for my assumption that this is for and about one person, well. Think about it. He said that he writes his songs for a single listener. I’m not saying it’s the same listener each time, let’s get that right, but it is always just for one person. With that, and with the assumption that he’s been involved in the writing of this story, I’d say that the same rule applies. He went with someone to Japan and Jamaica (J^2 haha). And, if I had to guess, it was the same person. 

Why, you ask? Well, for one, if that weren’t the case, then this poem would no longer be for one listener, it would be for multiple. And, for another, imagine how awkward it would be to listen to it with his current partner and have to explain “oh, yeah that was the super romantic vacation I took with someone else” . And, I suppose that because I think that attitude of “refocusing” and “dovetailing” and “tuning” and getting excited about imagining all of the tomorrows with your partner speaks to a long term relationship breathing easily, you know? 

I’m also going to argue that describing the aura around the house as “golden” was intentional, especially when paired with the location - in the middle of a field of sunflowers. Those are both direct references to his songs. And those two songs are particularly linked by the number 28. The third song that features 28 is Fine Line the song, but that’s a different story. Anywho! “Golden”’s bridge just repeats the word ‘golden’ twenty eight times (if you go here , you can count the bridge) and “Sunflower Vol. 6″ ends the song with 28 “boops” (believe me, I wish I was making this up. I’m not.). So then, once again, you’ve linked a story to two already linked songs. 

And, even if you don’t buy the intentional repetition, they’re linked another way, aren’t they? The color scheme and the sun symbol. Sunflowers were named because of their sun-like appearance. They turn to face it. They symbolize loyalty and adoration. And then, of course, the sun is - say it with me - golden. And it - like the person in golden - waits in the sky, beautiful and dangerous and constant. And here that symbol is, in a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. At home. 

This whole story feels like you’re taking the time to find that heartbeat that you think you might have lost, and sort of coming back to a space where you understand that this is what you want, now and forever. It feels like finding a home that could be yours forever, and it feels like walking through some of the moments that remind him of that. 

It really is rather lovely, if you think about it, especially since he has a tendency to attribute “home” to people rather than place, in his songs. So it’s like. Going all around the world and always being at home. 

[waumpel]

ADHD STUDY TIPS

I have adhd. I'm taking all online classes this semester for college. Somehow, I'm not failing. Here's what I do that works for me!

1. I have an alarm that makes me do math every morning to turn it off, it's called Alarmy! 📚

2. It also plays a different loud sound every day from random-- I have several hundred(?) ringtones downloaded from Zedge, things like songs from shows I like or Pokemon cries or MBMBAM lines, and this helps me wake up to a different sound I'm bound to like which my brain can't get used to (and then ignore). I highly suggest godzilla roars if you need to be startled awake. 📚

3. This is SUPER HARD but I always try to force myself to sit up in bed when I'm turning off my alarm or checking my phone or whatever, so I'm not tempted to pass out again. I also like to get up and loudly tell my cats "good morning" so I wake us both up 📚

4. PLEASE STOP EATING CEREAL AND BAGELS AND STUFF. You would not BELIEVE the difference it makes when you eat things like fruits and eggs in the morning. NO MORE 10AM NAPS, I'M WATCHING YOU 📚

5. I literally schedule in Duolingo time. If you aren't learning a language you can do some other enriching activity like this, idk. I force myself to do it on my computer, not phone, so I can't lay down in bed when I'm doin it. I have a 101-day streak!! 📚

6. ik this isn't available to everyone but SPACE MATTERS SO MUCH!! I got a gaming desk that we put in our living room and I do ALL of my homework there. I also got a second monitor for my laptop with is SOOOO important if you're multitasking (and we all are, bc we're adhders ibdusvcjkn) 📚

7. HAND WRITE YOUR NOTES!!! I know this is super hard for many people-- I have carpal tunnel so I get it lmao. If you can't, at least type them. YOU THINK YOU CAN MEMORIZE INFO BUT YOU'RE WRONG!! Please write as much as you can i swear it will change ur life 📚

8. COLOURED! PENS!!! These changed the game for me y'all. I take all my notes in at least 2 colours, and I cycle through them a lot. My favs are Pilot Frixions because u can erase them :) (the highlighters are epic too) 📚

9. Make your space fun, but NOT DISTRACTING. I have a plant (his name is Yoshi) and a desk Godzilla (his name is Godzilla) on my desk, but they're out of the way so I can't zone out starin at em. But also, when I'm bored outta my gourd, I can smile at Yoshi and tell him how my day is goin :] 📚

10. SNACKING BAD *BUT*... sometimes i do it anyway... i try to associate certain foods with subjects, like I eat cocoa M&Ms (which are awesome) when I'm reading my Kaqchikel textbook. On the upside, I think it helps me recall Kaqchikel better? but also the language makes me crave mnms adkldigurvn 📚

11. LISTEN TO... CERTAIN MUSIC. I have learned that music with words, even in LANGS I DO NOT KNOW, is HELL for my adhd. Right now I'm listening to stuff like "Pokemon and Chill" (lofi album on YT), Studio Ghibli violin covers, and Night on Bald Mountain 5x on repeat ibjnvc.... I highly suggest songs/videos that are, like, 20+ minutes or else you'll get distracted with the constant change. Also, that No One's Around To Help 1hr vid is REALLY REPETITIVE and therefore PERFECT for when I'm reading textbooks. 📚

12.  EVERY NIGHT... i make a super detailed timetable schedule for the next day, down to the half hour. I don't always follow it but it's a really good reminder of what I gotta do. I write it on a whiteboard but sometimes I also write it on a sticky note and on social media so I don't forget. To do lists are so epic you guys 📚

13. THIS HAS SAVED MY L I F E: at the beginning of the semester I looked at ALL of my syllabi and wrote down EVERY daily task, test, homework, etc BY DATE. this is essentially a premade to do list EVERY DAY for MONTHS and oh my gosh it is the best thing I have ever done. 📚

14. I use the Forest app to track my productivity AND lock me out of apps ndsjv... podomoro timers work well too!!! 📚

15. Ok so for me this is like... a religious thing bc my Patron (my God) is a deity of fire AND working, but I like to light a candle (scented like FALL!!) and do a little prayer on it and I have it next to me when I'm workin on terrible, terrible homework. It helps me feel like my Patron is here with me, but also it’s GREAT for grounding and I can just kinda. Stare blankly at the flame and then get back to tryin to focus. 📚

16. Please drink water lmao, to make sure I drink enough I set little goals like "take a sip after every paragraph you read" 📚

17. Each of my classes has a different coloured notebook which I'm consistent with! Like, all my German notebooks through the years have been green! Also I take notes w green pens a lot in Deutsch 📚

18. HELLA STICKY NOTES... I put em on the bottom of my monitor, on a shelf by my desk, in my books as bookmarks (bad idea lol), on Yoshi. When I wanna go look up something random but I need to focus, I like to write it down on sticky notes to look at later. 📚

19. I'm the most annoying student ever. I like to do a bunch of assignments at once so I don't have to budget my time later, so I'll turn in like 5 things in an hour and then NOTHING for a week. ALSO i email my teachers constantly if I have any questions at all. I work at a pace that works for me!!! 📚

20. I turn off my sound on my phone until I'm done with work bc otherwise I WILL open that notification 📚

22. I make a loooot of chai (and also some overpriced herbal teas). It makes me feel fancy, it's better for me than coffee, and it helps me ground and focus! Plus it's a samefood! 📚

23. Hyperfixating on classic literature would be awesome, except I'm hyperfixating on Gothic and I'm taking a lit class for More Than Just Gothic. But I'm figuring out ways to connect them, which is really helpful, cause I get to enjoy my hyperfixation while learning for school! PLZ TRY TO DO THIS (harder when you're hyperfixating on godzilla :pensivecowboy:) 📚

21. When I have extra time I write my notes like I'm plannin to put em on Tumblr and taggin em as #darkacademia... I never post my notes, but when they look nice it's easier for me to look over em later. Plus it takes me longer to write so I remember it a lil better!! 📚

24. I'm in an awesome academia + studyspo server!! We sometimes study together on call and it's SUCH a good motivator! Here's an invite link if u wanna join, we are nice https://discord.gg/fjuX7TN (this wasn’t meant to be a promo post I just really like this group lol) 📚

OK I hope that helps!!! Feel free to add more if you have any tips that work for you :) Neurotypicals, feel free to RB respectfully!

(pics are: syllabus list, daily schedule, Yoshi the plant, and some fancy notes)

[skinsharpenedteeth]

Coming Up Easy - First Sightings

I am *SO* sorry this is so hella late this week. It's been... a fucking week. CW: One mention of a homophobic slur.

You can also read this on AO3!

CUE - First Sightings

Unpacking boxes was not one of Alex’s favorite activities. He hadn’t had many when he’d moved because he hadn’t wanted to rent a truck or deal with shipping things, so the twelve boxes he’d been able to load into the late nineties Ford Explorer encompassed all his worldly possessions. He’d finally gotten a chance to start unpacking the miscellaneous boxes after a trip to Ikea for bookshelves, a bed, and a couch. Furthermore, he’d promised himself he’d explore his new city more and find second-hand shops for other household furniture and accessories, but the bookshelves would be enough to finally clear away the last of his unpacked boxes.

Alex opened the last box and looked inside. His heart softened a little as he saw the small shoebox of photographs he kept. Promising himself he’d look through it later, he unpacked the few other knick-knacks out of the box and took them to the bookshelves to start placing them. The box didn’t reenter his mind until after dinner when he found himself lounging across his new sofa with a cold beer in his hand. The box stared at him from the floor where he’d left it. Setting down his beer on the floor, he quickly got up and grabbed the box, and brought it back over to the couch. He flipped open the top and gingerly picked up the pile closest to him.

Michael and him in the desert with guitars. Liz, Max, Michael, and him at a church car wash. Michael, Kyle, and him all leaning against a bathroom wall in various stages of being phenomenally sick from drinking too much. Him and Michael hanging out at the UFO Emporium. Him and Michael eating pizza and playing video games at Max and Isobel’s. Him and Michael in college at a frat party. Him and Michael. Him and Michael. Him and Michael…

It hit Alex quite suddenly that basically since he and Michael had become friends they’d been fairly inseparable. They’d dated other people and had friends that the other didn’t like, but as a rule, it was always the two of them against the world and it had been since they were fifteen. He picked up his phone and snapped a photo of the photograph he held in his hand where they were sixteen, pimply, awkward, and bent over laughing outside the high school band room.

Me 8:46 p.m.>> Who the fuck are these dorks? <<Picture sent at 8:46 p.m.>> <<Michael 8:50 p.m.>> Holy shit, look at those nerds!! <<Michael 8:51 p.m.>> Though I gotta say, the emo one is pretty hot. If I were sixteen, I’d definitely have a crush on him. Me 8:52 p.m.>> You did not have a crush on me at 16! I was so tragic! <<Michael 8:53 p.m.>> You were not. You were fucking feral. You took exactly zero percent shit from anyone. It was hot as fuck. Me 8:55 p.m.>> You are definitely misremembering the amount of bullshit I put up with. <<Michael 9:00 p.m.>> Do you know what you were doing the first time I saw you?

Alex cast back in his memory. He remembered the first time he was aware of Michael, but not necessarily the first time Michael was aware of him. He always assumed it was at the same time.

Me 9:02 p.m.>> Uh? Scribbling emo song lyrics on my bio lab notebook? <<Michael 9:03 p.m.>> Nope. <<Michael 9:03 p.m.>> You were having a fight with Kyle during gym because he tagged your gym shirt with the word “faggot” in pink sharpie.

“Mr. Manes, you cannot wear shirts with inappropriate text on them. This is the gym. White shirts only,” Coach Heim called at Alex as soon as he walked out of the locker room and started towards where the rest of the class was lounging in the middle of the basketball court. Alex could see Kyle elbowing his football buddies and smirking, barely containing their laughter. Alex felt his face grow hot with embarrassment and fury. He kept walking towards the group.

“MR. MANES! GO CHANGE YOUR SHIRT!” the coach yelled, putting more authority into his deep baritone. He was a fit, balding adult who generally was an alright guy, but Alex was swelling with indignation. He stopped a few feet away from the group so he didn’t have to yell to be heard.

“I don’t have another shirt, sir. This is my gym shirt,” Alex explained through clenched teeth. As the rest of the class got a good look at the words emblazoned across his chest and stomach, he heard them begin to snicker and giggle quietly.

“Well, you can’t wear that one. You’re smarter than this, Alex, why would you wear this out of the locker room?” the coach asked, not sounding unkind. He shot the gathered students a dirty look and they quieted their laughter.

“Because it’s all I had to wear and it’s not my fault it was defaced. Some pink-fingered fucking COWARD of a football player must’ve thought it’d be REAL FUNNY to break into my locker and--” Alex started, voice growing louder as he let the heat behind his cheeks infuse his voice.

“I did no such thing!” Kyle yelled, cutting in on Alex. Coach Heim looked over at him, eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth to say something, maybe to tell Kyle to sit down, but as soon as Kyle stepped forward away from his buddies, Alex pounced. He landed the first hit on Kyle’s cheek, the meaty smack of their skin satisfying to him. Kyle shook it off and came at him. Before he knew it, they were rolling on the ground hitting each other as hard as they could in anyplace visible. The pain was nothing new for Alex and he kept his head clear as he tried to aim for spots that would hurt long after he was pulled off.

Too soon, arms were wrapped around his chest and a much bigger body than his was pulling him back and off of where he’d pinned Valenti to the ground. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, his ears still ringing with rage, but he could see the thin trickle of blood from Kyle’s split lip and he felt himself smile at the shock on everyone else’s face as they watched him get dragged back. He would not take Kyle’s shit this year. He would not take anyone’s shit.

Alex rubbed his fingers across his eyebrows and sighed deeply. He had been so ready to cause someone else pain by then. His dad had only gotten worse towards him when Kyle started to pull away because it meant that his “unnaturalness” was evident to everyone. His fight then and the fights in the following year always had more to do with his dad than with him being ashamed of being gay. He put the photos down in the box and went to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. His phone chimed as he unscrewed the top and after a deep drink, he checked the message.

<<Michael 9:13 p.m.>> Uh oh, you’ve left me on read. You okay? Me 9:14 p.m.>> I’m fine. Sorry. Just got wrapped up in my head for a minute. Me 9:15 p.m.>> How did you see that? You weren’t in my gym class? <<Michael 9:16 p.m.>> I was hiding under the bleachers skipping english. Me 9:17 p.m.>> THAT WAS THE FIRST DAY! <<Michael 9:17 p.m.>> Right? Nothing to do anyway. It was fine. It’s in the past. I graduated high school, didn’t I? No harm, no foul.

Alex laughed quietly to himself, staring at the message screen. He went back to the couch and flopped back down across the cushions with a sigh.

Me 9:20 p.m.>> You did. Even graduated college. I guess you’re right. <<Michael 9:21 p.m.>> When do you remember seeing me for the first time? Me 9: 23 p.m.>> I feel like it was biology when we were lab partners. I was supposed to be with Max, remember? <<Michael 9:24 p.m.>> Yeah, I was with Liz. Max had no chill back then. How the fuck did it take Liz until senior year to notice that he liked her? Me 9:35 p.m.>> Had no chill? *Has* no chill.

“Michael! MI-CHAEL!” Max hissed loudly from his seat next to Alex two rows behind where Liz was sitting. The class period was just getting started and everyone was still milling around trying to find their assigned seats. Michael looked over his shoulder at Max who was looking desperately at him. Michael mouthed ‘what?!’ and gave Max an irritated glare.

“Switch with me!” Max whisper screamed. Alex was smirking into his notebook as he watched the exchange through the side of his eye. He hadn’t really noticed the curly-haired boy before, but the eye roll he gave Max was epic. He started to turn back to the front when Max whispered again. “I’ll pay you!”

Michael turned back around abruptly and narrowed his eyes.

“How much?” Michael asked, not whispering but keeping his voice low enough not to carry to the teacher who was about to start taking roll. Max looked desperately towards the front of the class at Liz’s back where she was ignoring what was happening beside her in favor of actually paying attention. She was about the only one.

“Fifty,” Max called out.

“Seventy-five and you buy my lunch for a week,” Michael countered. Alex was highly amused. Max darted his eyes over to Liz’s back again and nodded. Michael grabbed his stuff and moved quickly towards the back of the classroom while Max grabbed his stuff to go forward.

“Sorry!” Max called out to Alex softly before he left. Alex watched him slide into the seat next to Liz smoothly and take out his notebook. She looked over and smiled at him in confusion, turning to look back at where Michael was now taking his seat next to Alex. Alex looked over at him and was struck full in the face with his mischievous grin.

“That sucker, I would’ve done it for twenty-five,” Michael shared with Alex conspiratorially, leaning closer to him while he spoke so his voice wouldn’t reach Max’s ears. Alex felt himself blushing a little at the somewhat flirtatious smirk Michael was giving him. He’d been aware of Michael, but hadn’t really ever paid him any mind. Now he was near him, he could see the interesting light brown of his eyes somewhere between gold and green. He also smelled a little like lake water and the woodsy, spicy deodorant Alex had smelled on Mr. Valenti. It was weirdly comforting.

“So he has a thing for Liz or is he that afraid of failing bio that badly? I’m not stupid,” Alex asked, clearing his throat and trying not to seem offended by Max’s desperation to switch partners.

“Oh, he has a major thing for Liz. It’s gross. Like, she’s pretty, don’t get me wrong. But he’s been writing Mr. and Mrs. Ortecho-Evans in his notebook since third grade or some shit like that,” Michael revealed, taking out his own bio notebook from his bag and setting in on the lab table in front of him. Alex took in what he was saying and nodded.

“So it’s not cause everyone says I’m gay?” Alex asked, voice low and a little nervous to see Michael’s reaction. Michael looked over at him, eyebrows drawn together and something like sympathy passing over his expression before he responded.

“No, man. Max doesn’t give a shit about that and neither do I. You weren’t planning on trying to date him, were you?” Michael asked, shooting him a grin. Alex grinned back, relieved to hear that someone in the school who was so upstanding and obviously straight like Max wasn’t a complete jerk. Michael didn’t seem too bad either.

“Nah. He’s not my type. I like musicians,” Alex joked, shooting Michael a side-grin.

“You don’t say? Do you play?” Michael asked, eyes forward now in a semblance of paying attention to the teacher. Alex glanced up towards the board, but continued slouching over his lyrics notebook.

“Guitar,” he replied shortly as the teacher started explaining their first lab assignment.

“Cool. Me too,” Michael said. Alex could see him studying him out of the corner of his eye. “We should jam sometime.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

And they did jam together eventually. A week later they’d gotten together and Alex had learned that Michael did not know one end of a guitar from the other. He’d let Michael borrow his brother Greg’s guitar and then taught him everything he knew over the course of the next three months.

Me 9:40 p.m.>> Man. Who knew we’d still be friends this long after. <<Michael 9:45 p.m.>> I did. Once you taught me to play guitar, you were stuck with me for life. There’s an unbreakable bond built when one dude teaches another dude how to finger... Me 9:46 p.m.>> Jesus Christ. That was terrible. <<Michael 9:47 p.m.>> Bet you’re laughing though. Me 9:48 p.m.>> I plead the fifth. Also, I gotta get to bed. Early day tomorrow. <<Michael 9:50 p.m.>> That’s some responsible adult behavior right there. Gross. Me 9:51 p.m.>> You’re gross. <<Michael 9:52 p.m.>> I am gross. I’m going to take a shower and change that, however. When will you be young and fun again? Me 9:53 p.m. >> Shut up. Go take your shower. <<Michael 9:53 p.m.>> Fine. Go to bed. Think about me in bed. Me 9:54 p.m.>> *You* think about me in bed. <<Michael 9:55 p.m.>> Always do. Night Me 9:56 p.m.>> Night.

Alex heaved himself off the couch and went to his room. The apartment always seemed so dark and lonely when he finished talking with Michael. He needed to work on making friends. That would help him not miss him so much.

[thegeneralguy]

The Champion of Olympus - Ares’s Arrogance

By thegeneralguy

Revised by @amalianetwork​

The chariot of the sun was finishing its daily round over Mount Olympus, leaving a crimson trail in its path. The beautiful sky was painted red, the golden rooftops of the monumental temples and lavish palaces reflecting the majestic sunset´s light. In the inner circle of heaven, the faint sound of metal clashes resonated through the cloudy hills, where all the Olympian´s residences stood proudly watching over the vast extent of the celestial realm. The furious battle cries were coming from the dominion of the god of war. The magnificent mansion stood out of the rest of the buildings due to the dark marble composing its solemn columns, along with a vibrant bronze rooftop that illuminated the surroundings in a permanent hue of carmine.

The aggressive cacophony was coming from the inner courtyard, which occupied the biggest part of the palace. Ares was in the middle of a fierce battle against two other gods, wielding his giant golden spear to strike them with fury over and over again. His extremely muscular body did not impede his battle prowess, as he gracefully danced with the spear as an extension of his limbs. Both lesser gods brandished two identical golden swords, masterfully avoiding and countering the bigger deity's attacks. With the might of his enormous arm, the god of war planted his weapon on the ground propelling himself into a somersault and successfully jumping over the two surprised beings. Suspended on the air he then knocked down both his foes with a fast sweep of his powerful leg, landing gracefully on top of them.

"Again."

He said in a gruff bass voice, his fiery crimson eyes glaring down at the two defeated gods struggling to get back on their feet. Just as they were getting ready to clash weapons again, a bright pink flash replaced the bloody red atmosphere for an instant, leaving behind the most beautiful woman in existence. Ares put down his spear and walked towards his past lover, Aphrodite. She stared seductively at her forbidden object for desire. After all the eons resisting the urge to touch again, the mighty god of war still looked as imposing as the first time they fell for each other. His white robe was perched over one shoulder, exposing one half of his titanic chest. The enormous arms he once used to crack the skulls of his enemies rippled with power, thick veins pumping the holy ichor inside of them. His legs looked stronger than the dark marble columns supporting the palace. Many mementos from his previous battles decorated his bronze skin in the form of many little marks left by the few weapons that were able to harm him.

His brutish face was half concealed by a dense black beard and had a big scar that ran across from his hanging brow, through his eye, and got lost in the hair on his square chin. His intimidating appearance was only accentuated by his bald head, along with the piercing red eyes that flared with the rage of a thousand wars underneath. He approached the goddess, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close, only to be pushed back by her slender arm.

"You know how he gets when he knows we're together, Ares."

The beautiful deity could barely hold her urge to make love with the masculine god in front of her, but the fear was greater than any other primal instinct she could feel. Ares grunted annoyed, and let the woman out of his embrace.

"I could take on him you know, and you would be finally free. Free to be with me for the rest of eternity."

Aphrodite looked at her former lover with a deep-rooted sadness behind her dark pink eyes and raised her elegant hand to caress the god's rough cheek. Ares took her hand delicately, like a gorilla grabbing the most delicate of a rose's petals, and planted a kiss full of passion and nostalgia of an immemorial time, when they were together, on her palm. They both stood still for a moment, and then Aphrodite removed her hand from his grip and took a step back.

"You know that can't be. Even though you're the god of war and combat, you're still no match for Hephaestus's might. Remember what happened last time."

Ares's winced for a moment, his melancholic visage quickly returning to its natural angry sneer. Of course, he remembered the humiliation his brother put his own wife and him through, exposing their affair to the rest of the gods. The animosity both of his parents felt for him only increased, making the god even more of an outcast than he already was. Only his desire for the goddess of beauty was stronger than his undying loyalty for his father, trying desperately to gain his favor in every conflict. But all his attempts failed miserably, especially when his sister Athena was involved. Zeus, although prideful and violent, was a brilliant strategist and he always sided with his wiser and more intelligent daughter, often leaving the god of war hurt in his pride. He looked back at Aphrodite reproachingly, wondering what the goddess's visit truly meant.

"What are you looking for Aphrodite? If you know Hephaestus doesn't like to see you with me, what is it that brings you to interrupt my training?"

"I know how these situations tend to put you under too much pressure. I just wanted to ask what you were planning to do concerning the trial of the Champion."

"It's been a long time since father has put a challenge on all of us. This might be my opportunity to prove once and for all that I'm the one he should be turning to in troubling times, not Athena."

The god of war was a force to be reckoned with. His prowess in battle was matched by no one in Mount Olympus, and his sheer force was only rivaled by few other deities. But although he was a fearsome opponent for whoever dared in challenging him, he had one fatal flaw: his arrogance. His thirst for blood and violence, when combined with his superiority complex, bred poor choices in and out of battle, often resulting in the mighty god being ridiculed. All the emotions from defeat were only magnified by his enormous ego, creating a bitter outcast who was often ignored by the rest of his fellow deities. Aphrodite knew that deep inside that glorious body and arrogant demeanor was a deep sadness product of rejection from his own family.

"I know how you feel Ares, but I would advise you not to waste too much energy in this affair. You know how Zeus can be when it comes to a world-ending crisis. I don't want you to get more hurt…"

She then took a step forward to put her hand on his gargantuan chest. Ares quickly turned his back towards Aphrodite, unable to keep the emotions from projecting on his face.

"What do you, the goddess of beauty, know about rejection? Father is completely blind to my superior power, and it's my duty to show him he has the most mighty ally for whatever challenge he might face. I have to eclipse the other competitors to take my rightful place on his side. Especially Athena."

The rivalry between the god of war and the goddess of wisdom was not unheard of in Mount Olympus. Even the epic tales from the terrestrial plane depicted the many victories Athena had against Ares. The big scar on the god's face was an eternal reminder of the goddess's superior abilities, often fueling the god's rage in battle every time he caught a glimpse of it in the reflection of a shield. Aphrodite wasn't very keen on Athena either, often clashing with her because of their separate views on vices and virtues, but it was nothing compared to the strong hatred Ares felt for her. The goddess of beauty then took a few steps forward to stand next to the strong deity.

"I guess there is no point in trying to stop you. I would advise you to be careful though. I don't know if you noticed, but Zeus's demeanor seemed very strange during the reunion. You'd be deceiving yourself if you didn't think the ascension of a new champion is not something out of the ordinary."

The god of war stood quiet for some time, reflecting on Aphrodite's words. It was true that the ritual of ascension was a holy ceremony, reserved for heroic acts of celebration instead of an emergency of this type. The last time he tried to gift a mortal with the divine essence, he watched helplessly as his devotee was consumed by its power, obliterating him. He couldn't even remember when was the last time the ritual was successful. But all these concerns were of little meaning for Ares. Before he stood a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his power and to show his abnegation for his father.

"I already made up my mind, Aphrodite. I will personally descend to the Earth and create the best Champion there is. No one will be able to stand against him, for he will be forged by my superior power."

Aphrodite let out a frustrated sigh, knowing her attempts of dissuading the god from taking part in this ridiculous plan were pointless. This whole plot seemed very suspicious for her, but she couldn't exactly point out what was going on. If Ares wasn't going to help her find out, she'll have to resort to other more extreme means. She then looked at the two godlings standing firmly waiting for Ares's command. Both looked practically identical, standing tall and strong like their father, but their handsome faces devoid of their progenitor's magnificent beard. They also had heads full of thick dark brown curls, encasing their more youthful faces. Their muscular bodies were also covered by numerous scars, mostly done by their father's spear.

"Look at my poor children. What have you done to them, Ares?"

Phobos and Deimos were the twin children of beauty and war, born out of human's innermost primal instinct: fear. Both godlings owed an undying loyalty to their father, often accompanying him in each of his affairs. Ares walked towards them, inspecting every inch of his two soldiers, who stood there firmly in silence awaiting their father's command.

"I made them into what they're right now. Two war weapons capable of sowing despair out of mortal hearts. And it seems I'll make use of their service once again. I'm going to make use of a couple of tricks you've shown me."

"If you already made your decision, it is useless to remain here and try to convince you otherwise. Just a word of advice Ares, don't let your pride be your downfall once again."

The goddess disappeared then with a flash, leaving Ares and the two godlings alone once again. The god of war then pondered on the goddess's words, wondering if he should change his mind and challenge his father, like many members of his family were going to. He remembered an ancient saying from another mortal cult: pride goes before the fall. But he quickly dismissed any doubt circling his mind. An opportunity to gain Zeus's grace wasn't going to present itself that easily again. It was his chance to demonstrate his superior existence, and take Athena's place right next to their father. His rugged face was drawn with a sinister smile. He was going to reap a human from his sister's flock, proving once and for all who the most powerful warrior of Olympus was.

It was an unusually agitated day for Athens High. The days before summer vacation were always received with enthusiasm by the students, and relief by the faculty members. Colorful school banners announcing the graduation ceremony for the seniors decorated the hallways, proudly signifying another school year's death. Every student was filled to the brim of school spirit, enthusiastically signing yearbooks, taking pictures, and joking with their soon to be former teachers. All except one. Leon Machiavelli sat quietly at his desk, tapping his feet nervously while he waited for the ultimate call for freedom that was the ringing of the bell on the last school day.

High school could be harsh for someone like Leon. The 19-year-old always felt like a fish out of water when it came to socializing with his classmates, most of his time spent on furthering his knowledge and improving his chances of getting into an Ivy League college, finally ridding himself of the shackles that an upbringing in a small rural town in the middle of nowhere could bring. The few friendships he managed to make over the course of his years through school were few and far too insignificant to regret his choice in moving to the other side of the country and never hearing from them again. Not to mention his troubled relationship with his parents, who were concerned by their son's more hermit nature. His family had been living in that town for a few generations, owning some small businesses in the surrounding area and establishing itself as one of the most aristocratic families in the county.

The swan song of the school year chimed in the form of the bell's ring, causing excited screams and cheers from all students. Notebooks were propelled into the air, paper falling everywhere painting the floor with white. Girls exchanged teary hugs, immortalizing their last moments in the classroom with their smartphones and guys hollered and smashed against each other in fraternal hugs. Leon swiftly picked up his backpack and made a beeline towards the exit, already feeling claustrophobic in the middle of the chaos. He made his way through the sea of students, already feeling the scorching hot summer air blowing at his face. When he was just a step away from freedom, he felt a meaty hand on his shoulder pulling him back inside. He turned around with an exasperated look on his face, only to find out the hand belonged to Kevin Volker, the varsity football captain.

"Leon, bro, what's up? I haven't seen you all day."

The relationship between the hunky jock and the hermit bookworm was, to say the least, complicated. Both boys practically grew up together, their families living next to each other and going to the same school from kindergarten all through to high school. Childish wonder pushed them to form a very good friendship in their first years of development. Family barbeques, playdates, camping trips, both boys had all the necessary qualities to become the best of friends. The fact that their parents were also friends and business partners was also a good advantage for them to keep interacting almost like brothers. All their years of primary school were spent joyfully carefree, with both boys enjoying the wonder of practically living together and embarking on whichever childish adventure they wanted.

But things got different once Kevin's biological clock sent him spiraling into puberty. The gorgeous blonde boy became an athletic teenager, and his energetic nature combined with his newly acquired physical prowess turned him into a social sensation in school. The allure of the childish fantasies he used to share with his best friend was slowly replaced by the enjoyment a real-life circle of friends could bring. Kevin naturally went up the ladder of the monstrous social scale that was high school. The sports teams didn't waste any time in hunting him down, but it was the school's most prided one that caught him in the end: the football team. After just four years the cute teen had developed into a strapping young man, with an all-American jock face and a body to die for.

Watching his best friend turn into the king of school wasn't easy for Leon. The slow abandonment combined with his frustrations over his very delayed development slowly bittered him. Instead of growing up big and strong like Kevin, Leon just gained a few inches in height, but a lot of pounds in weight. He resented his friend for getting the attention of their peers and leaving him alone to fuel their fantasy world on his own. He resented his friend for gaining the grace of other students, and soon cut all ties to him. The chubby red-head grew up alone in the darkness of his bedroom, while the blonde stud dwelled in the sunlight. His natural curiosity pushed him into pursuing knowledge, far prioritizing the cultivation of the mind instead of the body. His academic achievements mixed in with his hidden frustrations bred an arrogance delusion. Leon convinced himself that he was too good for other people, shielding himself from the pain of rejection. Completely dismissing any attempt of remaining active took a toll on his body, turning the chubby teen into an overweight young man with a disheveled appearance. Every time he saw Kevin, he remembered their lost childhood and caught a glimpse of his true reality. The muscular jock served as a window of truth in Leon's arrogant delusion: his loneliness was a product of his own doing.

"I was just busy getting my things ready for tomorrow's speech. Can I help you with anything?"

He bitterly stared into the jock's blue eyes and saw exactly the look that he hated. Even though Kevin grew dismissive towards him, he never once participated in the occasional bullying red-head suffered, often offering to help out with whatever he needed. His usual cocky gaze hid a deep-set sympathy for the lonely nerd, and Leon hated that. He didn't need the sympathy of someone he considered inferior.

"No, it's all good thanks. I'm going to drive home first to pick up my gym bag, and I wanted to offer you a ride. It's too fucking hot out there, man,” said Kevin with a burst of awkward laughter. His deep voice vibrated on his chest, which twitched playfully from time to time. Leon scanned his former friend with a resentful gaze. The heavily muscled jock was encased in the trendiest designer clothes, his bulging arms threatening to rip his polo's sleeves apart, and the tree trunks he had for legs wrapped in skin-tight chinos, showcasing the deep definition within the heavy muscles. He tried his best not to stare too much into the body and kept his apathetic frown fixed on his piercing blue eyes.

"Thank you, but I'm gonna take the bus. There's some stuff in town I need to sort out first."

"That's ok, guess I'll see you tomorrow in the graduation ceremony then,” said Kevin with a subdued sigh. Leon turned around without saying anything and headed outside towards the searing sunlight. Even though he kept a straight face during the exchange with his former friend, his fists were clenched due to the anger he felt. Even after all those years, Leon's heart still skipped a beat every time the jock was nearby. No matter how much he tried to deceive himself into thinking he was the superior of the two, he couldn't get rid of the feelings he had for his former friend.

"Congratulations on the valedictorian thing by the way!"

He managed to scream before Leon was outside the door. The chubby red-head barely turned around, and with a weak thanks, he was lost in the blinding light.

The little town's main street was buzzing with activity on the hot summer afternoon. Families paraded themselves on the sidewalk, eating ice cream and letting the kids play on the numerous water fountains around the place. Little restaurants and boutiques decorated the sides of the street, offering a colorful option of both local and imported goods to the town's small population. The Machiavelli family owned many of those businesses and almost every convenience store in town. Leon was heading to the family's favored tailor to meet his mother to get his outfit for the graduation ready. After all, the son of one of the town's most important families couldn't show up in his usual disheveled state to his high school graduation. Leon always thought things like fashion and social status were frivolities, intellectually inferior people used to feel better about themselves, so he gave little importance to them. Even now on the threshold of the rest of his life, he could care less about how he looked, but his mother insisted so much that he gave in to her requests to keep her from nagging him any longer.

The little bell on top of the door chimed in when he entered the door, attracting the attention of his mother, who was enthusiastically discussing ties and bows with the tailor.

"Honey, you made it! Step in front of the mirror please, Mr. Schneider will take your final measurements."

No one would think the chubby teenager was related to the elegant woman standing next to the counter. She looked flawless despite her age and dressed impeccably no matter if she was at a charity ball or going to the supermarket. The only trait that tied both of them to each other was their fiery red hair, which she kept in a perfect updo fully solidifying her upper-class status. Without saying a word, Leon stepped up to the little platform surrounded by three body-sized mirrors. The tailor approached him, fully armed with his measuring tape and a set of pins to hold the seams and folds in place.

"What do you think of this tie honey? I think the green would highlight your…"

The excited chatter of his mother soon faded away, as Leon focused more and more on his reflection of the three pieced mirrors. It looked like puberty forgot about him in the middle of the way. He never really grew that much in height, topping at a shorter 5'5. The prominent curve of his stomach was visible through the simple black t-shirt he was wearing, deforming The legend of Zelda's Triforce symbol together with his sagging chest. His stubby arms laid powerless on his sides, and his chubby legs were hidden under a pair of oversized jeans. His pale freckled face was covered by pimples, accentuating his unclean appearance, and it still sported the signs of infancy he never outgrew, with chubby cheeks and a small nose. The most prominent feature on him was his bright green eyes, courtesy of his mother's Irish heritage, along with his unkempt red curls. He had convinced himself long ago that an unkept body was not a problem as long as the mind flourished, so he gave up on any attempt in bettering his appearance. Dwelling in his thoughts he didn't realize the tailor was done measuring and was discussing the suit's finishing touches with his mother, who didn't wait for her son's approval on the rest of the accessories.

"Is that all mom?"

He asked a bit annoyed whilst grabbing his belongings and heading to the door.

"Yes honey, I'll arrange the rest with Mr. Schneider. You will look so handsome tomorrow. I'll see you at home later."

She answered without even looking at him. Leon sighed and headed outside, not wanting to spend another second thinking in tomorrow's ceremony, and made his way towards his house.

The Machiavelli family's estate consisted of a big two-story house, a big garden with a swimming pool, and a small guest house. There was no doubt that it belonged to very affluent people. The mansion's pearl white walls reflected the afternoon sunlight, almost giving it an incandescent glow. Leon entered through the massive oak doors and headed straight for his room. On his way there he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the massive family portrait in the house's foyer. A younger Leon smiled faintly back at him; his chubby body encased in a black suit just like his father. The elegant man looked imposing with his strong physique and masculine features. The only common thing Leon and his father had was their last name because no one would say the pale red-head was related to the mature Italian stud that was his father. His mom looked perfect as usual, leaving Leon sticking out like a sore thumb between his two impressive progenitors. He tried his best to ignore the picture like he always did and enclosed himself in his private sanctuary.

His room was decorated with posters of antique temples, beautiful palaces, and imposing sculptures. Leon's love for fantasy had slowly driven him into researching the origin of human imagination itself, and therefore human's creative history. His ultimate goal was to become erudite of anthropology, teaching and researching in the most lauded institutions on the field and finally gaining the recognition of better people than the small-town folk he loved to look down upon. He sat down on his desk to revise his prepared speech for the graduation ceremony one last time. Despite his parent's best effort to dissuade him, Leon was willing to perform a bitter soliloquy expressing his frustrations against his classmates and solidifying his status as the class' arrogant intellectual. Beneath the snarky remarks and morality lectures written on paper, laid a profound pain product of his loneliness. His train of thought slowly brought the image of Kevin into his head again. Leon was going to finally be free of watching him blossom more and more every day. But even if he moved across the country, he was still unsure he would ever be able to forget the handsome jock. After all, despite the endless hours he spent convincing himself Kevin abandoned him out of malice, he was the only person Leon ever loved.

The chubby red-head barely gave any thought to his sexuality. He considered any kind of lust as a distraction, a primal burden that impeded the full growth of the human psyche. Unlike practically all of his classmates, he wore his virginity as a badge of honor, his mind completely clean of the stain of sex. But despite trying his best to suppress his natural urges, the thought of Kevin always came through inside his head. The connection they shared when they were children still transcended the barriers Leon tried to put up to elevate himself. And the fact that the handsome jock looked like a classical Greek sculpture come to life didn't help the lascivious thoughts leave the nerd's mind. Leon tried to hate Kevin as much as he could because if he didn't, he would become the ultimate shackles preventing him from breaking free from his small-town life once and for all. The last golden rays of sunset light came into the room through the big windows, illuminating the red-head's face. His gaze was glued to the sheet of paper in front of him. This speech was an ode to intellectual growth, and a farewell to the life Leon chose to leave behind. He went into bed exhausted, nervous about the events coming up the next day. It was going to be the last time Leon Machiavelli graced his classmates with his thoughts. Afterward, the only way they could catch a glimpse of his brilliant mind was either buying his future publications or listening to his TED talks.

It was past midnight when Leon was woken up by a shiver down his spine. The pale moonlight illuminated his bedroom, casting out gruesome shadows out of every corner. The nerd had the feeling something was staring at him from the darkness. The entire room was scorching hot, despite the cold night air flowing through an open window. A low animal growl attracted Leon's attention towards the darkest corner in the bedroom. His face went pale with fear when he discovered the two big glowing red eyes staring at him maliciously. A black figure slowly crept out of the shadows, making itself visible thanks to the white moonlight. Leon stared speechless at the giant black dog growling at him menacingly from the other side of the room. His big snout was curled up into an angry snarl, making the dagger sized fangs visible. The terrified nerd was petrified in his bed, unable to muster the minimal courage to even scream for help. Without taking his eyes off of him, the black dog spoke with a deep man's voice.

"When the time comes, follow me. I will give you what you want"

And as soon as it appeared, it melted into the shadows, leaving the red-head alone to faint out of the fear he just experienced.

  The golden rays of sunlight in the late morning woke Leon up, who groggily rubbed his eyes and got up. Despite sleeping through the night, he felt exhausted. He was unsure if what he saw in the darkness had been real or just a product of the stress before graduation. He looked at the clock on his nightstand, only to realize he had slept through his alarm and was already running late.

"Damn it"

He yelled exasperated as he jumped out of bed to get ready for his ceremony. He splashed some water face and combed his red curls a little bit just to hide the mark the pillow had left on his head. One of the maids brought up the finished suit his mother had bought the previous day. It was a beautiful dark grey suit, Italian cut, with an emerald green tie and a handkerchief to match. He quickly put it on, feeling it snug against his body. Despite the suit being tailored to his exact fit, the outward curve of his prominent stomach was still visible, putting a slight strain on the buttons. The emerald green tie did highlight his eyes, just like his mother told him before buying it. He took the cards for his upcoming speech and made sure he had everything ready for the ceremony. On his way out, he looked at his reflection on the big mirror in the hallway. Even after neglecting his appearance today, the beauty of the suit made him look almost distinguished. He felt strong, ready to sever his ties to this town and his past. It was going to be a memorable day, marking the beginning of his new life.

He arrived at the ground floor of the mansion, only to find it empty. A small note was laying on top of the little table next to the entrance.

"Your father and I went to the club for a quick workout. We'll see you later at school. Tell Charlie to drive you there if you don't want to take one of the cars."

He crushed the little note on his hands, feeling a pang of pain due to his parents' absence. It wasn't unusual for his mother to delegate accompanying him to the chauffeur, but Leon thought the day of his high school graduation was going to be different. He quickly dismissed any sorrow from his head, replacing it with a fiery determination. His speech today was also inspired by his aloof parents, who barely gave their only son a second thought. He looked at the big family portrait one last time. With this suit, he might have looked a bit like he belonged, but he knew the truth. His destiny was far away from this little town, which was below his expectations.

The school was buzzing with activity, with teachers running everywhere getting every last detail prepared, and students getting their graduation robes ready for the ceremony. Colorful banners decorated the main courtyard, where a scenario with a podium and a line of seats was built. The many rows of chairs in front of it were already filling themselves up with enthusiastic families, readying their cameras for their children's special moments. Leon scoffed at the scene, thinking how sad it was that this was going to be the only highlight in their offspring's life. He picked up his robe and valedictorian sash and headed towards his seat. In the distance, he saw Kevin arrive with both of his parents. The gorgeous stud was impeccably dressed in a beautiful sapphire blue suit. Every muscle was perfectly framed and enveloped in the expensive fabric, accentuating the dramatic angles his body formed. His dirty blond hair was perfectly styled in his usual messy style, and his white smile beamed stronger than the sun itself. Leon couldn't take his eyes off from his former friend, making an inhumane effort to remain focused on his goal. This day was going to be about him for the first time, not about Kevin.

The ceremony began after all the attendants took their seats, with the principal opening the day with a generic speech about school spirit and class fraternity. Leon fiddled with his cards nervously, the pressure of his big moment slowly starting to overcome him. He couldn't help but ask himself if he was willing to pull through it. After all, his classmates were still people deserving of respect, even if he considered them intellectually inferior. But then the memory of Kevin laughing with all of them, sharing the fabled fraternal bond the principal was talking about, and excluding Leon from their circle solidified his decision. The words he was going to say could be harsh, but it was something he felt entitled to share.

"And now, please welcome the Athens High class of 2019 valedictorian, Leon Machiavelli."

The sound of the applause woke Leon up from his daze, as he stood up and made his way to the podium. All the eyes in the audience were for the first time focused on him. The scorching sunlight made him feel a little light-headed, his hair matted with sweat, and his body sticking uncomfortably to his suit. He looked at the seats below him, squinting his eyes due to the sun's intense shine. All of the chairs were occupied, except two, very close to the front rows. Leon let out a sorrowful sigh, the last ember of hope of sharing this moment with his parents dying. He put his cards down, took a big breath, and started speaking.

"My fellow students of Athens High. The promised day is finally upon us, the day when we will finally take flight and begin the rest of our lives. Most of you don't even know who I am, but after today you will never forget my name. When I was writing this speech, I couldn't help but notice a few ironic facts that I would like to share with you. It is fitting that our school mascot is an owl because that is how I've felt all these years. I've dedicated countless hours to quietly observing your behavior, your desires, and every intricate social structure in our school, and I can't help but feel immense gratitude. Thanks to all of you, I've blossomed into the epitome of human intelligence and wisdom that I am today. And let me tell you why. After a long analysis, I've come up with the conclusion that my greatest fear is becoming as simple as one of you…."

Something beyond the sun's glare caught his attention. At first, he thought it might be a mirage caused by the burning heat, but the more he focused on it, the clearer it became. A shadow beneath a far tree looked eerily familiar. Leon's hands started to tremble in fear, as he recognized the black dog from last night staring at him from the distance, its glowing red eyes visible through the blinding sunlight. His entire speech suddenly vanished from his mind, together with the fleeting empowerment he was feeling moments ago. He fumbled nervously with the cards, only to drop them by accident.

"You….uh…..I…"

The echoes of his nervous words coming from the speakers resonated through the courtyard. Curious eyes focused on Leon, who quickly turned into a sweaty mess. He looked at Kevin in the front row, who had a worried look on his face. He felt a shame he had never felt before. Being humiliated in front of half the town was the last thing Leon wanted. He searched for the dog again, only for it to vanish without a trace. He looked at the public in defeat and managed to scavenge some last words to minimize the embarrassment.

"I want to thank you all for coming. Enjoy the rest of the ceremony."

With those last words, Leon left the podium and sank into his seat, wishing for the earth to swallow him. The principal took the microphone again and followed through with the protocol.

"Thank you, Leon, for those, uh, inspiring words. And now, we will present the students with their diplomas."

Leon sat in his place quietly, staring at the green grass. In his mind, the only thing that was present was the horrible feeling of embarrassment. Everything he had planned; all the preparation and previous excitement had been for nothing. The muffled sound of pomp and circumstance blasting out of the speakers was all he could hear, as the principal went through the line of students calling each of them to the podium and shaking hands with them. One face still stood out from the rest: Kevin's. One thing was failing in front of his classmates, but failing in the presence of the person he wanted to impress the most made everything worse. Now Kevin would never find out how well-off Leon thought he was despite being abandoned by the handsome jock. Somewhere inside the cacophony governing the courtyard, he heard his name, and without taking his gaze off the ground he stood up and picked up his diploma. He gave the principal a weak handshake and quickly slid back into his chair. This moment was indeed immortalized in his mind, but not in the way he intended.

Once all students got their respective acknowledgments, the ceremony ended with Oxford caps decorating the sky accompanied by deafening applause. Families reunited in the whole courtyard, hugging and blasting pictures everywhere. Leon was still in his seat when he saw both his parents approaching him.

"Honey, sorry we're late. How was your speech,” asked his mother without any hint of remorse in her voice. Leon was used to being left behind by his family, but this time he felt actual pain. If his parents were there, the only people with whom he shared some kind of superficial connection, he wouldn't have felt so helpless in the aftermath of his speech debacle. He looked up at his parents with cold wrath in his eyes, tears starting to slowly well up inside them.

"I don't ask much of you. I don't mind when you hide me at your parties, or when you go on extravagant trips without me. I just asked for your presence for one day. One day."

His reproaches were met by the unchanging poised faces of his progenitors. His mother was the first one to speak.

"Honey, not here. People are looking,” She said with a simulated smile.

"I don't care about your deluded picture of perfection, mother. You ruined the last time we were going to connect as a family. And for what? A sauna bath in your pretentious club."

His father's petrified face showed a glimpse of anger. The Machiavelli patriarch had never been very fond of his only child, considering him a nuisance and a liability for their public image. Leon just didn't fit well as the heir of the family's fortune, completely lacking charisma and skill to lead. In his eyes, the only thing his son did was cower behind his infinite collection of books in his room.

"Quit whining, Leon. You should be thankful your mother and I made time to come and congratulate you. Now, let's take a picture. We will discuss this back at home."

Leon's last hope of acceptance from his family died as soon as the flash from the camera was gone, his young heart completely overtaken by the coldness of rejection. His aloof parents then proceeded to greet the rest of the attendants. The young nerd felt completely lost inside the crowd. All he wanted to do was to get back home, pack his bags and leave on the next bus out of town. While he was analyzing the best way to scurry out of there, a sapphire flash caught his attention. He then looked towards it, only to find out the colorful splash of light came from Kevin, who was heading into the school through a side entrance. At first, he didn't pay too much attention to it, but then he saw the black dog from earlier following the handsome jock. After some consideration, Leon managed to conjure the courage to follow Kevin into the building, worried about what that black creature could do to his former friend. He pushed the door and entered the school's auditorium, only to find it dark and empty. The light to the locker rooms was on, so he made his way through the big hall towards it.

"Kevin? Are you in here?"

His nervous voice echoed through the rows of metal lockers. The air in the room felt damp and heavy, the lingering musky smell of sweaty athletes permanently staining the atmosphere. Something else was mixed in the aromas, a metallic scent, like rusted metal. He hesitantly stepped further into the locker room, his only companion being the sound of his footsteps on the tiled floor. The cold lights flickered from time to time, giving the entire scene a very ominous appearance. He turned around the corner and finally found Kevin in front of the sinks. He was staring emptily into the mirror, completely unaware of Leon's presence. The young nerd was terrified but kept approaching the young jock.

"Hey Kevin, are you alright?"

He said as he put a sweaty hand on Kevin's shoulder. He was able to perceive a red flicker on the jock's icy blue eyes, and then Kevin reacted to his touch.

"Leon, what's up? You look scared bro, are you alright?"

He said casually beaming his celebrity smile towards Leon, who just stared completely puzzled at the handsome jock.

"I saw a black dog follow you into the auditorium. Have you seen it?"

"Black dog? Bro, I really think the heat has started to affect you. I just came inside to freshen up a bit, but I haven't seen any black dog."

"But I swear I saw it come inside, I was a bit concerned it would attack you or anything. That thing has been roaming around school premises since the ceremony. I saw it during my...."

He made a pause, remembering the events that had just taken place moments before during the ceremony. The rage product of his humiliation returned to him.

"During my speech. Never mind, I can't say I'm surprised you're unable to notice even the most obvious things."

Kevin's smile faded from his face, his gorgeous gaze gaining the depth that bothered Leon so much because it made him care for a person he had convinced himself was below him.

"Leon, bro, I know things haven't been okay between us for a while. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel bad or something. I was just going with the flow, I never intended to hurt you. But I can't keep myself away anymore. If today is about a cycle, then there is something I need to set straight between us."

Leon's cold gaze lightened up a bit, curious about what he was talking about. He had never seen Kevin this nervous before. The young jock stared at the floor and fiddled nervously with his hands. The words came out a bit forced out of his mouth like someone was making him recite a memorized confession.

"I need to tell you something, but not here. Come to my place tonight for the party. Everyone will be there."

"I don't know Kevin. Parties aren't really my cup of tea…."

The handsome jock put his strong hand on Leon's shoulder and gave him a mischievous smile that not even the nerd's toughest defenses could resist.

"I promise to make it worth your while."

Leon hesitated for a second, completely incredulous for what he was hearing. He had already decided not to go to the party, but the day was not going according to plan. He could feel his heart beating almost out of his chest, excited and intrigued for whatever the jock was going to tell him.

"Sure, I'll see you there."

An eerie spark lit up behind Kevin's blue eyes, but Leon was so dumbstruck he completely missed it.

"Sweet bro, I'll see you later then. Nice clothes by the way."

Kevin then pulled the smaller man up for a hug, smothering him with his strong body. Leon could feel the hardness of his muscles through the expensive blue fabric. The jock then made his way towards the exit, leaving Leon in a disoriented haze. For a moment he completely forgot about the gruesome black dog and his failed speech, all he could see in his mind was Kevin's gorgeous smile.

  The sun was already setting when Leon arrived at the Volker residence. Many groups of his fellow students were approaching the mansion through the extensive courtyard, already with some drinks on their hands. The young nerd hesitated, his social anxiety crippling him for a moment. He still despised the rest of his class and saw no point in trying to interact with them. If he was going to this party, it was for Kevin only. Maybe something good would come out of this terrible day after all. When he crossed through the house's massive portal, he was immediately assaulted by an explosion of light and sound completely overwhelming his senses. A sea of young adults covered the big parlor and the adjacent rooms, drinking and dancing like there was no tomorrow. The big chandelier hanging from the ceiling was adapted to flash beams of light of different colors in all directions, and a DJ booth was installed on the far end of the formal living room, blasting some modern music Leon couldn't recognize. He was an absolute amateur when it came to partying, so he felt lost and scared inside the crowd. He tried looking for Kevin everywhere, but due to his short height, he wasn't able to look past a few heads before him.

Leon approached the drinking table and ordered a soda. He tried to find a quiet corner to drink in peace before resuming his search for his former friend, but everywhere he looked was swarmed by the inebriated guests. He was quickly losing his patience, as he was pushed around by the dancing crowd over and over again. Somehow, he found his way to the big spiral staircase leading to the upper floors and jumping over the barrier to keep attendants on the ground floor, he quickly went up a few steps to get a better overview. Despite gaining the higher ground, his attempts in finding his friend proved unsuccessful. He was about to give up and head back home defeated when something caught his attention through the mahogany banister. The monstrous-looking black dog was staring at him from above, its glowing red eyes visible despite the chaotic party atmosphere. After making sure the nerd saw it, it walked further up the stairs into the second floor.

Leon remembered what the beast had told him the night before, and followed it into the higher level of the mansion. Once he made it to the upper floor, he saw the dog walking through a long hallway and entering the furthest room. The young nerd continued his pursuit and found himself in what he assumed was Kevin's room. The lavish bedroom was decorated with all sorts of trophies and medals, as well as an entertainment system appropriate for an active teenager. Leon's attention was drawn to the row of portraits on the big bookshelf. Pictures of young Kevin in all sorts of family trips and sports events were displayed in delicate frames. One picture, in particular, stood out from the rest. Leon couldn't believe his eyes as he took the silver frame in his hands and stared at the photograph. A young Kevin had his arm wrapped around a young Leon, both sitting on top of a rock next to a river. They were laughing, radiating genuine happiness through the picture. Leon couldn't believe that after all those years, Kevin kept memories from their childhood so close to him. The young man the nerd considered his bitter rival and enemy never antagonized him.

The big glass door to the balcony opened suddenly, letting a warm gust of wind into the room. Leon put the picture back in its place and headed outside. The stunning twilight sky was painted in different shades of red, showering the scenery with crimson rays of light. The hot summer breeze rustled the leaves on the trees surrounding the properties, producing a serene sound that drowned the music from downstairs. The nerd stepped on the balcony, and finally found what he was looking for. Kevin was standing on the edge of the marble banister, watching the beautiful sunset.

"Kevin?"

The handsome jock turned around to face Leon. The only thing the young nerd could see were the icy blue eyes inside his former friend's shadow, his silhouette completely encased in a red halo product of the dying sunset.

"I knew you would come. Come here, I want you to look at this."

Leon stepped forward, taking place right next to the handsome jock. Kevin flashed his regular charming smile at the nerd, who instantly turned red as a beet. For an instant, he was thankful for this unusually bright sunset that hid the blush on his cheeks.

"I wanted this evening to go perfectly. And now that you're here it's finally complete."

"Just tell me what you want Kevin. We haven't talked in years and suddenly you take interest in me. I just want to know why."

Kevin diverted his gaze into the sunset, suddenly turning serious. Leon could see the distress in his eyes.

"I never lost interest in you Leon. It was you who pushed me away. You were the one that decided to stop hanging out with me."

Leon clenched his fists in anger, the painful memories of his friend exchanging him for more popular friends still poisoning his mind.

"How dare you say that! You were the one that went away, that grew into…."

He made a nervous pause, uncertain about what he was about to say. The wrath inside of him made him spill out the words without thinking.

"Into a mindless meathead. Look at us, Kevin. Your physical prowess is unparalleled, that's a fact. But I got what truly matters: a brilliant mind. I have preserved my psyche in the best way possible. I've resisted the allure of petty teenage necessities. And now, I'm in the way of becoming one of the most brilliant thinkers in recent years!"

Kevin turned around to face the angry nerd, who was on the brink of tears due to the pent-up rage he was feeling.

"Is that what you truly want bro? It sounds very lonely to me."

"I don't need anyone. Soon, I'll be where I'm supposed to. I don't mind being alone."

Kevin grabbed Leon's arm, pulling him closer. The nerd could feel the intense heat radiating from the hunk's body. He stared directly into his former friend's blue eyes.

"Are you sure you want to be alone? I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I got all the attention I want, from anyone. When you look like me, it's an easy task."

He said flexing his meaty arm, straining the soft blue fabric on the sleeves of his suit. Leon couldn't take his eyes off of Kevin's body, completely mesmerized by the jock's posing show. He failed to notice his friend's eyes shining in a dark red shade from time to time. The jock's voice turned from warm and concerned, into cold and aggressive.

"No matter how much you lie to yourself Leon, you want to be like me. To finally be accepted by everyone, including your parents. Picture it for a second. Finally, be worthy of being called your father's son. What use is your intelligence to the Machiavelli family, when you lack the courage to destroy your fears? Truth is, you're no more than a resentful dweeb."

Kevin continued flexing, taking off his suit's jacket, his movements starting to take on a seductive flair.

"Stop it. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course I know. I know everything about you bro, including your darkest secret."

Leon suddenly opened his eyes like plates, completely incredulous for what was coming out of the jock's mouth. It was impossible anyone knew how he felt about Kevin, he didn't tell anyone. Kevin smiled with a hint of malice, knowing he had Leon right where he wanted him. His blue eyes now shone in a permanent crimson hue.

"That's right, I know that you like me. Your mind is indeed a complex maze, but no psyche cannot be cracked open. I could feel the fear of being discovered practically pouring out of your pores."

Leon looked down in defeat, feeling the embarrassment bubble out of him. He knew this was too good to be true. Kevin approached Leon once again, taking his chubby face with his hands and pulling it up to face him. The nerd's green eyes were pooled with tears.

"There's no reason to be miserable. The reason I called you here tonight was to tell you I feel the same way about you."

Leon couldn't help but open his mouth incredulously, his mind still registering the words that just came out of the jock's mouth.

"Wha—what?"

"I've also never connected with anyone the way I connected with you. You know the real me, buried beneath this sculptural body. That means I also know the real you. You don't have to be alone."

The young nerd's sad frown slowly turned into a smile. His face was inches away from his friend's, feeling the jock's hot breath on his skin. And then he smelled it. The same metallic smelled he caught in the locker room back at school, only this time it was much more intense. He also took notice of Kevin's glowing red eyes.

"Wait, this is not right. What's happened to you?"

Kevin's grip on Leon's face tightened, his face gaining a sinister flair.

"I'm exactly who I'm supposed to be. The question here is: are you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you who you are supposed to be? I know the real you is buried beneath this intellectual façade. We just gotta pull him out."

Kevin started caressing Leon's overweight body, rubbing his torso over the suit's jacket. The young nerd was giving in to the moment, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation of his friend's strong hands on his body. One last glimmer of resistance made him suddenly pull away.

"No. I don't want this. I'm above these carnal sensations. I've never done anything with anyone."

Kevin smiled, unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt, exposing the ripped divide of his upper chest.

"I know you're a virgin, I don't have any problems with that."

"But I do. I don't want it to be this way. If it ever comes to it, I want it to be special."

Kevin's confident smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a displeased scowl.

"Look at this Leon. The sunset, the balcony, the hot summer air. You said it yourself, this is the end of one phase of our lives. Isn't this special enough for you?"

"I don't know Kevin; this doesn't feel right."

"Look, it's very simple. I want to be with you, and I know you want to be with me. I just need you to renounce this ridiculous virtuous perception of your virginity. Give in to your flesh, and your body will become what you truly desire."

"My body is okay as it is."

Said Leon embarrassed by the remark of the increasingly impatient jock.

"You know it isn't. All these years you have deceived yourself in thinking you value the brilliance of your mind when in reality it's what has alienated you from everyone. Relinquish that notion, and you shall have everything you desire."

The nerd looked at his friend nervously, completely unsure about what he wanted. He thought he was sure about who he was, but what Kevin said was true. What's the point of intelligence if all you need to be accepted is purely physical? Was brilliant wisdom worth the loneliness? While Leon dwelled in his thoughts, a shadow materialized on the corner behind him. What first looked like a black dog slowly grew into a human form, taking the appearance of an extremely muscular young man, his body full of scars. He planted his crimson red eyes on Kevin, who nodded in agreement as his face grew more sinister.

"I'll make it easy for you. Kiss me. If you do, I'll know you're ready to take the next step and leave your old self behind. You'll finally be better than anyone else, just like you wish. Be warned though, there will be no turning back."

Leon was then assaulted by all the painful memories of his past. The loneliness of growing up as an outcast, the abandonment of his parents, and the disconnection from everything and everyone started crushing him. He had an opportunity to have what he truly wanted, not what he convinced himself he wanted. Hypnotized by the jock's supernatural gaze, he approached his friend with determination. Standing on the tip of his feet, he placed his lips on his. Black smoke started enveloping them, completely encasing the entire balcony and isolating it from the world. Leon felt butterflies in his stomach, as the kiss continued to gain intensity. A scorching hot feeling started seeping into his being, product of Kevin's mouth. When he realized what he had done, it was too late. He was completely under the control of the handsome jock, who started to take on a dominant role, aggressively pushing his tongue into the nerd's mouth. The last thing he consciously realized was what that taste in Kevin's mouth was: blood.

Energy started seeping into Leon's body, slowly impregnating his being. He was lost in the intense feeling his connection with Kevin was causing. The waves of power-hitting his body started making his blood boil, turning his body into an incandescent mass. He was sweating profusely, as the energy coursing through his veins unleashed different chain reactions in his cells, resulting in a vastly increased metabolic rate. The fatty deposits inside of him started to melt away, vaporized to fuel the nerd's body's incredible energy demand. His pants fell, as the rest of the suit started to hang loosely from his body. The formerly chubby red-head was left practically only in skin and bones. Kevin broke the kiss and looked at what his friend had become. His green eyes were dull and lifeless, and his formerly round face was left looking severely malnourished. He smiled victorious, knowing the spell was doing its job. He needed the man in the back to complete the transference, so he called him forward to participate in the passionate scene.

Kevin took his finger, rubbing it on his friend's lips seductively, as the muscular man in the back slowly pushed down the shoulders of the now skinny nerd to the ground. In one swift motion, the handsome jock ripped his pants off his legs, exposing a menacing bulge that was quickly gaining size in front of Leon's entranced gaze.

"Is this what you wanted? To serve and pleasure me?"

Asked Kevin dominantly, looking down at his friend. Even though Leon was still watching everything going on, the sensations in his body were driving him like an automaton. A part of his consciousness still resisted, yelling desperately that he was better than what he was becoming, but it was slowly getting smaller as if it were burned away by the divine energy coursing through his veins. He answered in a stupefied voice, unable to resist the temptation

"Yes."

"Wrong answer."

Said Kevin fishing out his manhood from his briefs and putting it on the nerd's open mouth. The same metallic taste accompanied by other muskier aromas immediately assaulted Leon's senses. He licked and tasted the meaty tube inside of him, desperately worshipping it with his tongue. The scarred man behind him then pushed his head further into the jock's crotch, making him swallow the entire seven thick inches at once. Kevin then proceeded to drill inside his friend's mouth with aggressive thrusts back and forth. Each time the phallus penetrated the nerd's mouth, the pressure inside of him caused his bones to elongate. Each limb stretched several inches, along with his spine, leaving the nerd with over a foot and a half extra height. The hands holding the jock's legs cracked and grew, along with his formerly small feet. Once his skeleton stopped breaking, the scarred man pulled Leon to his feet, his pants staying on the floor. There was a fight between bliss and misery inside of him, causing a blast of emotions that quickly flooded his head. It was like his mind was inside a pressurized pot ready to explode.

"You are the one that has to be served and pleasured. You have to conquer fear."

Kevin lifted the now taller red-head with supernatural strength and flipped him around, exposing his naked rear. Leon fell forward, grabbing on to the scarred man to remain on his feet, and felt the scorching hot head of his friend's member rub menacingly on his crack. He desired him more than anything in the world, his carnal passion completely overtaking his puritanical nature.

"Once we finally break your mind, you'll be able to become the god you were chosen to be."

And with those last words, Kevin impaled his friend mercilessly, getting one last howl of agony out of the nerd. Leon felt as if a dam had broken inside his head, flooding his mind and washing his old self away. Kevin's thrusts started pumping more divine energy into the red-head, which traveled inside his body filling out his newfound emptiness. Pure pleasure caused him to moan loudly. His blood pumped new power into his whole body, causing his muscles to twitch and ripple responding to the strength. His glutes were the first part of his body to expand. The handsome jock's phallus was quickly being swallowed further by two inflating globes of muscle. It looked like he was humping a pair of overgrown watermelons. The growth spread down his legs, filling out his quads and hamstrings with thick columns of muscle, growing as thick as two oak trees. Deep cuts were etched painfully on them, the skin stretched to its limits over the massive muscles. His calves grew to match the upper legs, gaining enough size to rival a football. His feet expanded to accommodate the still coming weight.

The pumped energy seeped simultaneously into his core muscles. Veins started gaining thickness the more power flowed in them, changing the muscle underneath. His lower back took the form of a large spearhead, two pillars of muscle slowly crawling up his back. His lower abs popped into existence, framed by two increasingly large obliques. First two, then four, then six, and ending in eight grenade-sized bumps on his stomach. The muscular pillars on his back started flaring like two flags, spreading growth into the red-head's lat muscles. The suit's jacket couldn't resist the growth for long, shredding itself to pieces revealing the sweaty skin underneath. Kevin grabbed the growing back with lust, feeling the searing hot muscle underneath move and inflate. The man's lats spread wide like a fighter plane, the muscle fibers fighting to fit into the already large frame. Mountains and valleys decorated the expanse of the magnificent back before the thrusting jock.

His chest was the next to grow as if gravity was pulling the muscle downwards. Two massive slabs of flesh etched themselves in Leon's upper torso, increasing his weight and making him widen his stance to find his new balance. The inflating pecs rose higher too like they were trying to reach his chin, while the lower parts expanded themselves reaching the limit of the red-head's anatomy. Once the veins reached his shoulders, these exploded in growth, reaching the size of an ancient Grecian helmet. Divine blood pumped into his arms, his biceps swelling to the size of big cannonballs. His triceps expanded underneath his arms, quickly adding girth to the now powerful limbs, reaching the size of a Howitzer cannon. His lower arms etched themselves with strong sinews, growing as wide as baseball bats. His hands hardened and swelled with new strength, gaining the power to crush the hardest skull with ease.

Thick veins traveled up his neck, followed by thick muscle cords making it seem more like a bull's neck than a human's. Once his Adam's apple finished its transformation, his high moans of pleasure slowly turned into a low manly grunt. Muscle piled into the squaring jaw, giving him a cartoonishly hyper-masculine look. His cheekbones rose higher, and his nose grew and broke, filling in with thick tissue. His forehead expanded further, hooding his eyes and giving him a menacing look. Kevin accelerated the rhythm, reaching the mortal limits of his body.

"Taste true power brother, and take your place above those beings you always deemed inferior."

With one final thrust, he emptied his burning load into the titan in front of him. The divine seed seeped into every tissue, making his body gain even more thickness than before. The muscles gained the strength and prowess of the best warrior the world had ever seen. The essence then corrupted what was left of his being, turning him into a new deity. Blood flowed out of his pupils, forever turning the former green eyes to an intense crimson hue. A new personality engraved itself in his head, growing increasingly aggressive the more he became aware of his existence. His puritanical nature was replaced with an insatiable lust for flesh, either in sex or in battle. His enviable knowledge was replaced by a killer instinct that made him a fearsome foe for whoever was misfortunate enough to challenge him. Eons of battle techniques and combat prowess flourished inside of him, aging him into a man in his masculine prime. The former erudite was reborn in the form of the fiercest warrior in the world. And as such, his nature turned dominant, making him displeased about the situation he was in. He stood up, now much larger than the two other men next to him.

"That's more like it,” He said in a deep voice, flexing his new muscles. Kevin and the other man stared triumphantly at their creation, watching the giant relish in his raw strength. They both felt a psychic bond form with the titan, now that he gained dominion over them. The former Leon turned to face them, his glowing red eyes staring at the scarred man with lust.

"I'm still not quite there yet. Come, brother. It's your time to serve me."

He pushed the muscular man on the banister and grabbed his own still tiny penis. He could barely hold it with his massive hands, the 4 inches stuck out barely enough for his fingers to grab. With inhuman strength he pulled the muscular man's ass apart, exposing the coveted goal for his manhood. He managed to penetrate the scarred man, and another wave of pleasure assaulted him, making him roar in bliss. He started thrusting into the man with such force it started cracking the solid banister underneath. The lesser deity moaned delighted, as he felt the member inside of him grow further, pushing deeper into his body. The titan's phallus grew to heroic proportions, gaining almost 8 inches in length and resembling a thick torpedo. The balls slapping the man's muscular thighs expanded as well, dropping lower to bovine proportions. New hormones started pumping into the giant, altering its appearance even further. Kevin watched smiling as his red curls receded a bit on his head and turned pitch black, along with his eyebrows, which grew thick and arched themselves upwards. His face started taking on a more exotic look, his lips thickening and his nose growing a bit more. The black bubble around the fornicating gods started breaking, dark smoke seeping into every pore of the giant. His pale skin darkened to a light brown, and dark follicles started popping out of his entire body. His manly jaw was quickly covered by a shadow, which grew into a magnificent black beard. The hair was so thick the skin underneath was not visible. A carpet of black hair covered his body, growing thicker on his crotch and under his arms. He kept thrusting with increased fury, feeling his own divine seed churn in his balls. He was drenched in sweat, a manly aroma quickly surrounding him. He smelled like old iron, like burnt gunpowder, like a warrior in his prime. With a powerful roar, he exploded inside the scarred man, fully cementing his new birth as Assad, the king of war.

The scarred man dropped to the ground completely exhausted, leaving Assad standing naked under the crepuscular sky. The jock scanned the titan from top to bottom, savoring every aspect of the new god before him. Assad barely gave him a second look, his old knowledge and memories gone.

"Father will be very pleased."

"Indeed I am."

A bone-chilling voice came out of the shadows in front of them. Assad watched as the god of war emerged from the darkness in his full glory. Ares rarely smiled, but he couldn't help to curl his lips up a little bit once he saw his sons' creation. He was right in delegating his power and the transference to them. Assad immediately fell on one knee, bowing respectfully before his master.

"You bred it into a full warrior, well done."

Kevin just smiled solemnly, accepting the god's compliments. Ares suspected the chosen one had to renounce voluntarily to his virtue to achieve its fullest potential. That is why he let the natural lust do his task for him. He provided the essence; the rest came from the new champion.

"Ready to serve milord.” Said Assad without lifting his gaze.

"And you will. I gave you a new life as a descendant of humanity's most powerful warriors, and in exchange, I own you now. There's something I need you to do. If you succeed, you will be allowed to take a place next to me as a worthy god. I want you to destroy the goddess Athena."

Ares then took his spear and cut his arm open. Ichor fell to the ground, taking the shape of a golden sword. Assad took the weapon in his hand, feeling its power course through him. A shining bronze armor formed around his torso, along with a helmet and a red cape. Ares was satisfied by the look of his new pawn.

"Meet me in Greece, by the feet of Mount Olympus the night of the next full moon."

"Yes, milord. I won't fail you."

With a powerful kick of his legs, the giant leaped into the sky, disappearing in the red horizon. Ares approached the banister and stood next to his sons, watching his creation advance towards his destiny.

"You can get off that meat suit now, Phobos."

Kevin's face produced one last sinister smile, as a dark shadow stepped out of him, his body falling to the ground completely unconscious. The black mass took the form of another overly muscular scared man, identical to the one still laying on the ground.

"This was way too easy, father."

"Don't be arrogant. Influencing a mortal's free will is no easy task. It's different than just persuading them with fear, as you might know."

"I didn't have to do much. This mortal in particular had very strong feelings for the champion. I just had to break his self-control barrier a bit. And I admit I let him feel some of the pleasure too, although I'm sure Deimos there had way more enjoyment."

Ares stood silently staring into the sunset. He made sure he created the best warrior of them all. He proved that the virtues so dearly preached by his stuck-up sister were vulnerable to his raw strength. He chose to let the champion be corrupted by his own desire. This was going to be his opportunity to eclipse his siblings and get his father's acceptance. He looked at his son, able to see the beauty underneath the godling's intimidating appearance. Aphrodite's image came back to him, remembering the unbreakable bond both gods possessed. He wondered if she would be capable of moving against Zeus. The goddess of beauty was not to be underestimated, so Ares spared no effort in creating the best Champion he could to compete.

"So, you interfered with the mortal's love interest. Your mother wouldn't approve."

[thecreaturecodex]

Grigori

“Uatu” © Felipe Sobreiro, accessed at his deviantArt page here

[Commissioned by @thetygre​. The Immortal’s Handbook is a weird relic of the d20 boom, a phenomenally ambitious book written and illustrated by a single individual, Craig Cochran. It attempted to unify D&D planar cosmology with accounts of Christian angelology and Jewish apocrypha, as well as provide statistics for literally planet-destroying creatures. It’s based off the Epic Level Handbook rules, and mechanically it is perhaps the ultimate example of that book’s “just make the numbers higher” philosophy. The neutronium golem, for example, is a living neutron star with a CR of 9721. What makes it that CR instead of, say, CR 9720, is perhaps known only to Mr. Cochran

These grigori are one of the few monsters of lower CR in the book, as part of its Book of Enoch fanfiction feel. The commissioner requested that I tie them into Pathfinder’s Weird Cosmology, with the Material Plane being the laboratory of competing groups of Ancient Aliens.  I stripped off the original’s sorcerer casting, as well as its ability to steal XP from characters. The former to replace with more thematic class abilities in PFRPG, and the latter because that’s just a dick move.

Note that a watcher archon drawing on the same tropes already appears in the Codex. If you’re intending to use both creatures, maybe strip the mention of the name “grigori” from the archon. Or don’t--perhaps confusion over the two creatures has arisen in your game world.]

Grigori CR 14 N Outsider (native) This being is a bald giant with opalescent skin and a swollen head. It appears maimed—its eye sockets are empty holes, and the stumps of wings grow from its shoulders. Despite this, it seems calm and collected, even serene.

The grigori are also known as watchers, and are often mistaken for angels. They roam the world observing events, interfering only under the rarest of circumstances. They are attracted to areas of mythic potential, the deeds of great heroes and villains, and unique or extremely rare creatures. Few mortals have conversed with a watcher, instead catching merely a glimpse of the maimed giant at a distance before it disappears. Those who manage to talk to them find them great repositories of information, but often distracted and sad.

Grigori prefer to avoid combat except in the most dire of circumstances. They know that their appearances are alarming, and if they must approach a mortal, often do so under cloak of invisibility or with a calm emotions spell at the ready. If pressed into battle, they are reactive opponents, waiting until their enemies have acted before reacting—such delays grant them great defensive insights, and they can focus their superior intellects on offensive strikes as well. Those that a watcher touches with hostile intent are struck blind, but a foe that surrenders and behaves honorably may find its sight restored by the creature after negotiations finish.

The grigori are an ancient race, a relic of the beginnings of creation. The elohim crafted them from quintessence and deposited them on the worlds of the Material Plane, where they served as reporters and correspondents. Each watcher observed a particular species or culture, sending missives on their uninterrupted development to the elohim. The annunaki, however, interfered; these strange beings were more interested in uplifting civilizations than allowing them to develop normally, and through slow and subtle persuasion convinced a contingent of grigori to interbreed with mortals, to donate their magical power into a bloodline. The descendents of these unions are now known as the nephilim. Offended and horrified by the disruption to their experiment, the elohim killed the offending grigori and maimed the rest, taking their eyes, wings and mythic power as a reminder of the consequences of interference. The elohim did not bother to create replacements, and the line of the grigori has been winnowed by violence and fate over the course of the ensuing millennia. Most of the grigori in existence are still loyal to the elohim, but a few renegades do exist—some are malefactors of the greatest rank, whereas others actively assist the forces of good.

Grigori    CR 14 XP 38,400 N Large outsider (native) Init +4; special (see patient insight); Senses all-around vision, darkvision 60 ft., Perception +24, true seeing Defense AC 29, touch 19, flat-footed 25 (-1 size, +4 natural, +10 natural, +6 insight) hp 195 (17d10+102); fast healing 5 Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +22 DR 10/epic; Immune ability damage, ability drain, blindness, cold, energy drain, petrifaction; Resist acid 10, electricity 10, fire 10; SR 25 Defensive Abilities karmic link, patient insight, sightless vision Offense Speed 40 ft., air walk Melee 2 slams +22 (2d6+6 plus blindness) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. Special Attacks studied combatant (+8 or +7d6, 7 rounds) Spell-like Abilities CL 14th, concentration +20 (+24 casting defensively) Constant—air walk, tongues At will—analyze aura, calm emotions (DC 18), clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect thoughts (DC 18), greater dispel magic, sanctuary (DC 17), sending 3/day—arcane eye, invisibility, teleport 1/day—discern location, find the path, greater scrying (DC 23), heal, vision Statistics Str 22, Dex 19, Con 22, Int 25, Wis 23, Cha 22 Base Atk +17; CMB +24; CMD 39 Feats Alertness, Combat Expertise, Combat Casting, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Skill Focus (Knowledge: history) (B), Spring Attack, Whirlwind Attack Skills Diplomacy +20, Knowledge (arcana, dungeoneering, engineering, geography, local, nature, nobility, planes, religion) +21, Knowledge (history) +27, Linguistics +21, Perception +24, Spellcraft +21, Sense Motive +24, Stealth +14, Use Magic Device +20 Languages Aklo, Common, Draconic, Giant, 11 others, tongues SQ area of expertise, no breath Ecology Environment any Organization solitary or council (2-12) Treasure standard Special Abilities Area of Expertise (Ex) A grigori treats all Knowledge skills as class skills, and gains Skill Focus in one Knowledge skill of its choice as a bonus feat. Blindness (Su) A creature struck by a grigori’s slam attack must succeed a DC 24 Fortitude save or be rendered permanently blind. Karmic Link (Su) A grigori can cause creatures within 60 feet that harm it to take the damage they dealt. This does not take an action on the grigori’s part, but costs it an attack of opportunity. A creature can resist this with a successful DC 24 Will save. This damage ignores all forms of damage reduction or immunity, and the save DC is Charisma based. Patient Insight (Su) If a grigori delays its action until the end of a turn, it gains an insight bonus to Armor Class and saving throws equal to its Wisdom modifier. These bonuses are included in its statistics above. Sightless Vision (Su) Although a grigori’s eyes do not work, its entire body functions as an eye. This grants it all-around vision and true seeing as supernatural abilities, and it is immune to blindness effects. A grigori is treated as being completely blind in the area of an antimagic field, and cannot avert its gaze for the purposes of gaze attacks. Studied Combatant (Ex) A grigori gains the studied combat and studied strike abilities of an investigator with a class level equal to its Hit Dice. Grigori hit dice stack with investigator levels for the purposes of studied combat and studied strike bonuses.

[roseprincesskristina]

Zero's Delicious Revenge

((Hey guys and gals. Just wanna revamp a few sentences to make really clear and steamy for ya. Once again for those who are young, you don't need to read this fiction. It's for adults only. So without any further ado, please enjoy the story! 😊))

Downwards into the dark yet unknown torture room, somewhere hidden or secret underneath the Hunter Base, that no one, not even the pacifist hunter would even try to find out about it. For it is unlike any other styles that anyone saw into a horror movie or shows watched on TV. Someone crazed for domination to arrive towards humanity to become rid of from earth before the true beginning of a new world for only the strongest reploids to stand by his side until there's nothing left. A former commander of the Maverick Hunters whose morality have morphed from sane to mad due to the unavoidable Wily Virus, have been chained against or to the walls built with auto control restraints just to cease him from planning to flee. He is known as Sigma, supreme king of the Mavericks. He would slowly open his eyes to regain his consciousness. The last thing that he had remembered is from the previous battle with Zero, now becoming stronger than he was in the past and won. Secondly, thinking about trying to become victorious until the continuation of his usual schemes by erasing the existence of all organic individuals once and for all. Before delivering the drastic finale, the fire colored hunter would then pull out a powerful trick from his sleeve, by transforming into the unstoppable Absolute Zero. Ending the epic duel at once with a quick swift of his Calamitous Arts, damaging his arch foe without hesitation thus far. Humiliation has clothed him for his arrogance against the Class A sword wielder, the sins poured upon his greatness as punishment for the destruction of mankind while his enemy calls for backup to arrest him. 

"This is not over yet, hunter... In return, I will regain my dream of creating a new world for only the strongest reploids to become free of the disdainful humans..." Pledged the defeated boss, growling of vengeance. Before escorting him to the containment jail, the scarlet crusaders proceeded toward him with hands planted on the hips and smirked at him mockingly.

"Honestly, I hardly felt bad for you, Sigma. For your so called dreams for a grand world, always end up being turned into ruin by us Maverick Hunters. And yet, you still don't learn. But don't worry, I'm sure you'll earn yourself a private underground cell for not so long time until you're a good boy." He chuckled. "And by the way, I'll be your harden warden from now on." Then he patted the bald villain's head until snapping his fingers as a signal for the other hunters to take him away to HQ.

And now, here he is. Trapped within the doorless shack of a prison facility, covered into the wounds of his nemesis's claws and arms completely destroyed or hacked off permanently.

"Argh.... C...Curse him.... I had almost dismantled him if I didn't gain the chance to strike him down before his transformation...." Staggered the irregular boss, coughing up a few drops of blood while trying to speak clearly. "W...Where am I? And....what happened to my arms?!"

His answers to a few mysterious questions was right above him the entire time, from the last fight as he was hanging upside down like a bat into the cave. But this time, he's the repli-fied version.

"He he he he he he...... Oh poor useless commander... You still haven't learn, have you? Always posing yourself as the large hotshot whose too perfect to clean his pride... Or maybe to wash his own ass..." Said the unknown reploid. Chuckling darkly at his failure.

"You... Show yourself this instant and face me!" Screamed the big boss of the Maverick society, looking into a slow condition to view who is was.

A surprise has rained down upon him when the blacked themed android hovers by land, revealing himself to him as, you guest it, Zero. He grinned with a menacing plot in store for the scarred villain in chains, with no arsenal or hands to protect him from his deadly claws.

"Peek-a-boo...."

"So it is you, Zero..."

"Hello, Sigma... How do you like your new home? It suits your doomed misery quite well, obviously. But enough of that. Because I'm your worst nightmare now and this time, my revenge for turning me against my boyfriend by your pathetic control is strongly personal.... "

"Hmph... Ignorant hunter.... Do you really think your feeble threats would even phase me, the unbeatable Sigma? You're completely out of your elements..." He scoffed. "No one would ever hope to defeat m-!"

Then, he was interrupted by the clawed hand grasping violently just to shut him up. But the goth themed vampire was still calm with expression, not even amazed by his gloating whatsoever.

"Sigma Sigma Sigma... Seriously, are you even listening to yourself? That sad attempted speech of yours is always humiliating to me. Plus, it really annoys the hell out of me completely more than Axl's immaturity. No matter what you always do in order to change the world for your disgusting amusement, it will always fail by my hands, including X's. Using me as your so called "prized creation" just to force my decisions into beating my beloved boyfriend, but not this time. Nor ever. From now on, I'm in control of my own self today, and let's just say, that you're positively shit out of luck here. Without your precious minions to cover your helpless ass or anything that you hold dear within your pockets, it's all gone. Every. Single. One. And guess what, big boy? You're gonna be much more fun to play with when nobody's even around to interrupt our alone time... And additionally, my bitch..."

Proceeding his face and body towards him into a close action while placing the claws onto his chest, grinning once more but showing his devious white diamond fangs. Ready to pierce some flesh and synthetics. Before doing to what Sigma would've thought of his opponent would do, he whispers into his ear port with a flirtatious manner.

"But you know what, I think you're actually kinda hot when you're vaguely miserable and weak in that naughty condition~ In fact, it makes me very, VERY horny to just suck your wounded lips right now~ And mostly, I find you aggressively attractive~" He said with a quiet yet sultry tone, placing his hands onto the big bad wolf's cheeks. Staring into his eyes before the beginning of this "tortuous interrogation". "How about a little fun, or maybe perhaps, a kiss~?"

"W...What?!" He said in a surprised state, weakly blushing. Hardly anything in his mind to reply, but alas, he was silenced by the biting kiss in the mouth.

"Hissssssssssssss~ Hush your shitty tongue, "commander"~ And let me drain your glorious bravery from your broken chatterbox...sexually~" Hissed the terrifying blood sucker silently, attempting to zip his trap by pressing his mouth into the former commanding officer's.

And finally during the horrifying talk towards him, the blond demon would desperately began to make out with his enemy all over as well as the jacked neck. Hands stroking from behind the back so smoothly, running his tongue across the face and travels into his mouth by a deep kiss. So hungrily that the core inside of him is pleading for more, but his revenge needs it instead.

"Mmmph! Mmmph!" He once again shouted, trying to break away the unbreakable mouth lock.

"Mmmm~ Oh yes~ I want to hear your crying squeals, big boy~ It really increases my thirsty needs~" Moaned Zero, craving for more of such delectable hollers. How it does represent the music to his hearing ports. Much more beautiful to enjoy.

In difficult situations like the ones during a kidnapping scene, where a victim was abducted by a criminal for a proper beating of sexual abuse in order to get what they want. Right now, it's almost similar to what the winged Wily bot is doing to the irregular king, but with a tortuous seduction with no conclusion until vengeance has been earned immediately. He is strongly mad for such a massive neck like Sigma's during his love making madness. Scratching his bald head into a circulatory motion, slurping in his mouth all forcibly as the starving loin waiting for his prey to appear for dinner. Such depraved agony for the doomed ex commander, now trapped within the palms of his vampiric warden.

He finally started to shiver in cowardice increasingly due to the visions he had. Now, that nightmare has came true to scare away his soul, if he had one. Attempting to retrieve his bravery by shrugging his head to get away, but a futile trickery such as that will grant him the maximum dose of terrorized punishment.

"It's effortless to think about fighting back in your weak condition, big man~ In fact, there isn't gonna BE any hope for you now~ He he he he~" Chuckled the menacing android. Continuously slobbering more pain and destruction upon the crushed master of evil. Instead, with a passionate position during his permanent mouth to mouth kiss.

"Mmmmph....!  Mmmmmmmph!"

"Mmm~ Mmmmmm~ God, your bruised lips are so hot, papa~ It's just the way I like it for the first time~ The desirable pain from you has gotten me REALLY satisfied~" For he's quite right, this torturing phenomenon was incredibly intriguing to him. "Give it to me, ya big bitch~"

"You are...foolishly insane, Zero...." Coughed the battered evil doer, whose spirit will be crushed soon until the nightmare was over.

"That's right~ I'm correctly bat shit for your helplessness showering all over me, running all over my crotch just to please me~ But now, I want more from you~" Licking his pale lips of a starving attitude, he approached himself to the large baddie for a second of his weaken but scrumptious kiss.

"Pucker up, daddy~" Whispered the hard killing droid, yearning for some kinky tongue to tongue action. Inserting his into the enemy for a slow search of his cowardice to eat. Deeper than ever before.

Sigma, also known as the ultimate leader of all things irregular who rules with a powerful yet gruesome fist than iron, has now become the frantic victim of unlimited chaos which is standing in front of him. No hope, dreams, weapons or arms. All that he have ever possessed was already taken from him by force. Along with his rank, popularity, fearlessness and spirit, now belonging to the evil dark themed hunter to steal. It was all over for him as he began to talon his whole body, instead of ripping it off. Having his entire armor to freeze with more restraint. Greatly scared for his life, Zero forcibly pins him to the wall for some delectable playtime at last. Or otherwise, his dinner.

"Well, Sigma~ I'd really hate to stop our get together activity so soon, however, there's nothing more better than to snack onto something....fierce~ Ah~ And finally it was there in front of me the whole time~"

"No.... P...Please.... I beg of you.... Anything but this...." He shattered with fear.

"Shhh~ Don't worry, big bear~ I'm fully aware that it won't hurt....much~" Purred the onyx incubus, with red eyes glowing unlike the dangerous monster in the closet.

The grand finale has made its appearance, for the long patience has been concluded at last. He tilted his head closely to the neck of a muscular maverick who is permanently victimized and surrounded by the ghosts of Nightmare Viruses floating above him, taunting his failures for not destroying the elite forces or to achieve his desires for a paradise world for reploids only. All will go against him for eternity when it comes to weaknesses. For he had no other choice but to give in of being a slave.

"Do as you wish.... For I lack the reason to live without the purpose... You have won... Maverick Hunter Zero..." He finally admitted towards him. Losing his chances to establish a new world to rid the humans from hoping to ever exist alongside reploids.

"Now that's more like it~... But unfortunately, it's too late for apologies this time~"

Then, finally, he have inserted his fangs deeply into his opponent's neck, sexually feasting in peace until Sigma began to scream loudly just to satisfy his extreme vengeance forever.

"ARRRRRRRRRRRGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Yeeeeeeeeessss~ Scream for me now, big daddy~" He whispered, impaling the pointed fangs deeper.  Ohh, you're such a naughty maverick, aren't ya~? Looks like I'm gonna have to punish you more~" Aroused Zero.

He kept preying even harder, but moans in complete and utter silence while holding the threatening villain down. Wrapping his arms around the body to claw diagonally into a calm pace to full his enjoyment. Grinding his black armored anatomy onto his with extreme lust, grasping his enormous ass with one of his hands and slaps it into a hot way during his fun time. Secondly, participated into the tongue lock as well before folding his wings around both of them for a darker privacy in mind. WIthout interferences.

"Mmmmmm~ Oh Sigma~ Sweet Sigma~ How I love your terrifying squeals of the night~ For it bounds before my superiority as the new and true badass of Abel City to welcome my powerfulness~ Feed me more of your fear~ For my hunger for revenge has reached its end~ But my meal will never become the conclusion~" He spoke, licking his ear port all the way. Once again, hissing very loudly to return to the neck for an endless supper.

"No.... It couldn't be....No! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

"He he he.... Keep howling, Sigma boy~ But nobody's gonna hear it from you~ And now, it's dinner time~" Running his extended tongue once more and across his decimated body before going back on his dinner. Caressing over his steel crotch by interest has shown a lustful smirk upon his pale face for just a little scavenger hunt.

"Damn, Sigma~ That's a nice looking bolt you got down here~" Impressed the shadowed blonde, soothing the maverick lord's glory box.

"U...Ugh...." Groaned the threatening villain whose throat have been crippled, felt of his rival's bladed claws tighten of the grasp by the crotch.

"Mmm~ You know, it would be very bad of me just to ruin a sexy piece of massiveness, but it makes a perfect chance for me to punish it~" And so, with that of a remarkable thought in mind of interrogation, he grips the golden treasure of his arch enemy due to the extreme hardness, provoking the scarred eyed devastator to groan of a scream for a clear taste. Including a few slappings, motioning, etc to force him to cry.

"Oh yes~ I wanna hear more of your agonizing squeals, big baby~ it makes my body feel so hot~" Intrigued the black clad vampire. "Even your low hardness really inspires my interests when I "abuse" it~"

And so, he does that when dominating the large superior's hard bolt so sensually. Caressing, groping along with a little thirsty cheek licking to rise up the mood of this dungeon as well as his interests. 

"Man, you must've been exercising that brave box quite a lot, Sigma~" He meowed, while running his tongue all over the face. "But, I bet it can hardly survive against my bloody palms~"

"Grr...." He snarled, like an impatient toddler. 

"Oh there's no need to get all pouty, my commanding slave~ While I'm the king of this jungle, all I can do now is torment your fragile yet gorgeous body with mine~ All the time~" Leaning his body against the enemy's for an even fascinating fun, secondly with his hand remained attached towards the harden maverick jewel by grip. Purring rapidly into his ear port and advancing his tongue all over him including the neck, legs, lips and ears. Grinding endlessly, anatomy to anatomy into a sensually condition. Every single time or day and night. 

"U...Unh..." Moaned the irregular predator, who either enjoys the torment or despise it. 

"Mmmm~ Come on, big bitch~ You know you love it when I ground you for being a naughty maverick~" He hissed seductively, taking the other hand to spank his massive ass. "Unh~ Mmm~ Now who's your master~? 

"H...Hmph..." He refused. But without his bravery or fearlessness to save him from the clad hunter. "You are...."

"Good boy~ Now let me kiss you and everything you have, so violently~" He purred again, pulling his face towards for an aggressive lip to lip in order to please his hunger. Deeply with force all over with no stopping whatsoever, along with the grabbing of the ass and polishing his body by smooth grinding. 

"Unh.... U... Unh...."

"Oh yes~ Yes~ Give it to me, big boy~ Unh~ Unh~ God, you're even more sexier in your disintegrated state~" He moaned without ever needing to rest. 

Then, the enormous overlord have descended his heartbroken tears from his peers, wanting the ex maverick to wipe them all out by his tongue and silencing his sobbing with a relaxing mouth lock once more. Returning to yet another of his private torture by sensually neck kissing all the way before it's done.

"Mmm~ Your bold neck is so delectable and yet, very sexy as hell, big daddy~" He said to the leader of the mavericks with an invigorating tone, making love to it. "Somehow, I'm amused of its crippled feature right now, but I still think of it as honestly hot~"

And that, it's absolutely true. For the horrid neck does look very tasty at its best for the shadow armored hunter's sexual liking. For his attempt to abuse it for a slight minute would even cause him to blush of naughtiness. Or perhaps something else. But no matter to him anyway for his continuation of the victim's neck will be the most scrumptious meal of all.

"C...Curse you once more, Zero.... Curse your impudent foolishness for destroying my schemes...." Growled the half broken mad maverick weakly.

"Aww, tryna burf out your little insults at me~? Now that's not very nice at all~ But since you've been an honest prick of a maverick, I'll decide to let you off with a warning~" Spoke the reploid demon. Slurping his tongue all across the ear port and the bulk chest before going back to his playful supper.

"I'm gonna enjoy violating you in your dreams so badly, bitch~" He said, continuously crippling the ex superior by punishing his body after everything he took away that was dear to him, sucking on his nose and mouth very hard.

"Y...You barbaric maniac..." He spilled. All cramped and battered from an endless torture. 

"Mmm~ I love it when your low level insults kept pouring all over me~ It feels so hot~" The blond was intrigued, caressing his body while imagining himself being showered by his bald nemesis's crappy ridicules. Rocking his tongue around like crazy. Resuming his private business by slobbering once more all over the irregular king by fangs, pleasuring his iron crotch into a loop while breathing a sultry hiss towards his face. 

"Hisssssssssssss~"

"U...Ugh... Argh...."

Unfortunately, his endless playtime with Sigma had almost arrive to a close, but not until it's over as the blonde blade wielder could punish him again by granting a poisonous smooch by the mouth, in order to drain his strategies and movements along. Without any hope not freedom to slice off the unbreakable chains of trapped seduction. He have felt the deadly serum venturing inside his mind or traveling everywhere, losing his consciousness that quickly.

"That's for ruining everyone and both mine as well as my friend's lives by your damn stench of human obliteration.... " Hissed Zero, extending his clawed hand into a reach to grab his prisoner's chin before "cursing" him with one last kiss.

He chuckled as his final words before meeting his critical demise by death.

"Sleep tight forever, my former commander~" He grinned menacingly, pushing his pale yet frost lips with a deep force into the irregular king's. Laying his hands upon his boned face for an icy love/torture making of a lifetime before the gruesome decapitation to shut his existence for good.

"And good riddance~" Before ending the crumbled maverick villain's existence, he offered the frosty smooch once more into the lips for the last time. Never to look or think about his devious comeback no longer.

"Mmmm~ Ahhh~" Gifting him this frosted "curse" should be able to permanently force the arrogant ex leader of HQ to slumber for all eternity until the final decapitation. By a quick swipe of his claws to end the life of Sigma, severing his head from the body. "And lastly, thanks for the perfect meal~" The deed has been finished. No mavericks, no problems. He then taste his blood by licking his hand. Finger by finger. 

"Mmmm~ Delicious~"

And thus, his revenge has purposely created a new ending. Perhaps a peaceful version, to be exact. However, the full course was no longer done just yet until every drip of blood was driven dry from his body. Thankfully, his very schemes have been declined for good this time. And tranquility had once again return to embrace all beings as well as reploids and humanity. All thanks to the heroic Maverick Hunters.

Few days later when nighttime arises, peace has regain its true colors once more due to the rigorous defeat of the insanely mastermind of the mavericks, plus, to allow all civilians and reploids to live as equals forever. At least for now. Hovering above the building in front of the blissfully snow themed moon,  The dark vampiric droid would be able to live free from the horrid shackles of bad memories grappling him down, or to become a mindless puppet to use for trying to kill the blue B Class. But it's all over. Within his hand, grasps the head of his frighten victim after his "interrogation" from earlier. However, it was quite intriguing. Before descending towards a new mission, he lifted it up and closely to make love by kissing it one last time.

"Thanks again for the wonderful evening we have together, big boy~ Quite a shame that you won't be around to view my victories after all~" He purred, pressing his lips softly and hard deeply into Sigma's. Sadly, that was his first and last tongue kiss he had with the bat themed individual, even though that he is decapitated from his body. Deserting the broken head by hurling it faraway into the ocean of force. 

"And good bye, you sexy bitch~" He blew a kiss after tossing his enemy's damaged head for good, never to be seen again until he heads for a new reconnaissance. 

In conclusion, the war was completely done with as we speak. Not only justice was decently served at last, but his vengeance as well. To him, revenge is the most scrumptious dish ever made cold.

The End

[mysterylover123]

BNHA Rewatch: Two Heroes

mysterylover123

And before we start Season 3, one more road stop: The Big Freaking Movie, Two Heroes, last year’s surprise anime blockbuster and HeroAca’s first excursion onto the big screen. Time to share my thoughts and rewatch this very entertaining film!

We open with bald eagles, deserts, and cowpoke themes, to make sure we know we’re in America. We fly into “California” which looks more like Las Vegas (not really complaining, I loooove that they picked my hometown state for this) to find young, white schlera eye-having All Might and his hunky bro David Shield kicking ass and taking names. My state’s name, to be precise. 

Some exposition follows, basically recapping the premise of HeroAca, as I’m reminded of what a stroke of genius Hori had when he decided to make the MC an easy expositor thanks to his geeky knowledge of all things Hero. Deku will always be Captain Exposition.

Melissa! She’s fun and adorable and amazing, and I just love that the first HeroAca movie chooses to focus on a geeky, kind and energetic lady. 

Deku looking back and forth between Melissa’s breasts and All Might’s crotch belt is peak Bi energy.

I’m so jealous that Melissa gets to touch Deku’s hand.

Melissa describing All Might as someone David ‘loves’ is just throwing away all pretence of his heterosexuality, if it ever existed. How the hell did this guy end up with a kid?

Deku blushing around and enthusing over both Melissa and David is max bi energy.

Uraraka’s Annoying Crush Counter: 5

But I’m glad the girls are here! The Bones animators clearly know well what the fanbase wants to see, choosing to give all 6 class 1-A girls at least a cameo in the film, and three of them involved in the main plot. I especially love that, despite being initially pitted against each other, Uraraka and Melissa develop a bit of a womance in the film. OchaLissa ship!

My one major regret about this film is that Mineta is included in the Main Cast. I wish either Mina or Tsuyu had come along for the ride instead - one, they’re better, more lovable characters who could do the same job he does, and two, then we’d have a nearly gender-even cast! (6 Boys: Deku, Katsuki, Tenya, Shoto, Kiri, Kaminari; 5 Girls: Ochaco, Momo, Jiro, Melissa, Mina or Tsu). 

Kacchan makes his appearance! This bit was leaked online before the film’s release and drew quite a lot of ire from BKDK shippers and Bakugo fans. I’m mostly annoyed that Deku is acting OOC here; this is Post-Final Exam Deku, post Hero Killer Deku. Would the guy who punched All Might in the face and Bakugo in the face and the Hero Killer in the face be cowering in fear behind Iida, the guy whose life he saved, from the guy he, only a few weeks ago, punched in the face?! Badass Deku Rights!

Ooh a wild Todobaku moment! I always love when they bicker. Or rather, Katsuki bickers and Shoto ignores him.

OH NO you cannot slap me with the Ingenium OST theme and hardcore feels out of nowhere! God this scene is heartbreaking. I love, however, the cut to the whole of Class 1-A and Melissa when they talk about the future.

AH Bakugo’s feet! Why are we staring up his crotch? So this movie has a lot of KiriBaku scenes, and I should probably talk about them a little, since their friendship is a big deal in S3. They’re the only major HeroAca ship I’ve never shipped as a romantic pairing, per se. Like, in this scene, I see Kiri as Katsuki’s wingman, his bro, the guy who teases him about his obvious feelings from someone, not as the guy he has feelings for.

And for Kiri’s sake, I kinda dislike making him basically Bakugo’s sidekick. He willingly hangs out with the guy, when he wants to, in canon, he doesn’t follow him around and become the butt of the joke, and he has lots of other relationships in canon to draw from, so this dynamic between them doesn’t appeal to me.

Melissa being a quirkless kid like Deku is a great idea for the film, especially since she and David still find a way to help others. They’re a brighter image of the person Izuku could have been. 

Full Gauntlet is pretty cool

Everyone dresses up pretty! The movie suits/dresses are awesome and (almost) everyone looks great. Why Deku is wearing a baggy zoot-suity mess is beyond me, but hey, he sheds it pretty quickly so I’m not complaining. 

If by ‘female assassin’ you mean Beauty Queen. Jiro is gorgeous.

OK the plot ensues! Darn, I could’ve easily enjoyed a movie that was just everyone hanging out and goofing off...ah well, I still love what we got.

This villain does what neither Tomura nor All for One could ever do! Subdue All Might! My god he’s a criminal mastermind!

Deku wants to help, and everyone but Shoto basically piles on the bandwagon afterwards. “And me!” “And me!” “Me too!” “And Me” “Nobody cares Mineta.” I like how they bring up the Powers dilemma, since that’s a big deal in Season 3.

I was pretty impressed by the amount of level grinding our heroes had to do to make it to the top floor. 200 freaking floors, that’s impressive.

Todoroki saved Bakugo! Yay! BTW I love all the tactical planning stuff in this portion, and how lots of characters get to contribute.

10 little superheroes, trying to save the day. Two got lost and then there were eight.

8 little superheroes, escaping from the garden. One saved the others and then there were seven.

7 little superheroes running against the sea, four were trapped by robots and then there were three. (i don’t count mineta). 

Three little superheroes, reached the top and flew; one had to float them so then there were two. (she’s fine, Bakugo saved her. Save to win!)

Two little superheroes, faced with a gun. One fell out the window and then there was - never mind, she saved him, he’s fine.

That was fun. Anyway, to sum, the group gets split up as they work to get to the top, leaving only Deku and Melissa to reach the final boss dungeon. Highlights include the usual Kamijiro bantering, Todobaku making an awesome combat move, Uraraka standing against the coming onslaught of robots in a weirdly dramatic scene, and Reciproburst.

Dislikes include Kirishima being portrayed as not much use and kind of stupid (c’mon, he can do better than that!) and Uraraka not getting to kick any real ass other than floating Melissa and Deku. 

So we make it to Dramatic Plot Twist Tower and find out that David set up the whole thing. I joke, but I actually didn’t see this coming the first time around and was genuinely surprised. I also think it fits really well with the story they’re telling here: about trying to hold onto the past and forgetting to look to the future. I usually measure good plot twists in terms of how they change the story, characters and themes, and this one does.

On the other hand, Sam betraying him is just kind of silly. “Oh no, not...that guy!”

The villain being named Wolfram makes me wonder if there are any secret Buffyverse fans on Bones’ writing staff. With the next movie’s villain be named Hart?

I love how Melissa is a quirkless character who gets to save the day every bit as much as the powered ones. Also, Deku is freaking awesome in this scene, ngl. It has vibes of his fight with Muscular, that “pinned by an unstoppable wall” thing.

And this has vibes of Deku vs Overhaul trying to save Eri. OMG S4 IS GONNA KILL ME. Anyway Deku tries really really hard to save David Shield and does lots of cool leaps and gets beaten up while doing it, enough to earn some of Wolfram’s respect, but is unable to. Fortunately...

Watashi Ga Kita!

But then...duh duh duh! Wolfram has that power-enhancer-plot MacGuffin! Actually, it’s not a MacGuffin now, because now we the audience kind of care about it. It has weight, it’s significant. The characters care about it, but there’s more to it than just being an interchangeable object.

I LOVE how they animated the metal on this guy. That’s Metalbending. OMG. 

Class 1-A showing up and kicking ass as always. I just wanna quibble for a second with how this movie uses Howitzer Impact: a giant mind-blowing explosion in manga canon, a small underwhelming fizzle here.

DUH DUH DUH DRAMATIC PLOT TWIST. Again this one floored me the first time around. My jaw actually dropped when AFO’s theme started playing. Holy crap WHAH How what how. I’m not as excited about this plot twist, as it basically just happens for the sake of being shocking, but hey, that is clearly something AFO would do, and I like seeing him and hearing his theme here anyway, so who cares. Just roll with it!

And now, the reason this movie was made and the premise behind it. We never, in the canon of the manga, actually get to see All Might and Deku fight the same villain at the same time, so the movie I think was made for that purpose: DOUBLE DELAWARE DETROIT SMASH + YSR

OH YOU SAY RUN. You could soundtrack a scene of people sitting around staring at the wall and turn it into the most epic thing ever. I will never get tired of this beautiful, peerless, impossibly good composition. And this is honestly one of my favorite YSR scenes, because dayum, you can’t get much cooler than the Double DD smash. 

Visual storytelling here is on point. David Shield’s image of All Might turning into Deku is perfect.

We end on a sunrise, fittingly, and Long Hope Philia sountracked credits - with a small bit of depressing to end on, as we see David is probably gonna get arrested and All Might can’t do nothing about it.

Two Heroes is great. My quibbles with it are all minor. It’s the perfect first movie for BNHA; it is big and bombastic and action-packed, but more important, it gets what MHA is about at it’s core. BNHA is a story about the prior generation of heroes (and villains) passing the torch down to the next one. You know, like how teachers pass info onto their students in Academia. The movie gets that, and it delivers it with aplomb. It’s a great script, every scene and moment is necessary and everything happens in the right place and right order. It’s a thrill to watch, and I can’t even begin to imagine what insane stuff they’re gonna put in Movie #2 BKDK Boogaloo. Starting S3 tomorrow!

BKDK CORNER:

On a rewatch, I’m a little more OK with this scene, because Deku pretty quickly bucks up and takes the challenge - and he doesn’t exactly cower from Kacchan, Iida just gets in the way. I also love that gay sounding “Kacchan, people are watching!” line in the sub. 

All of Deku’s Love interests where white flowers on their fancy wear.

NGL this is my favorite part of the movie. That is the sweetest, softest, most endearing smile Bakugo has ever had, and Todoroki seeing it and smirking is just perfect. Baku is peak Tsundere in this scene.

RANKER: The Formal Wear

Girls:

4. Momo - I like the tiara, and the dress is kind of a nice color.

3. Melissa - pretty but a little birthday cake-y.

2. Ochaco - Very cute and well-tailored. The tights really sell it.

1. Jiro - unconventional is the winner of the day here.

Boys:

6. Izuku - Deku where the f did you get that suit? Take it off, please. Why is your taste in clothing so bad.

5. Kirishima - it’s ok, but a little generic.

4. Kaminari - the waiter look isn’t half bad on him

3. Iida - sharp dressed, of course. It looks nice!

2. Todoroki - perfectly handsome, and of course his suit is white.

1. Bakugo - that vest tho. damn. 

[thathpheadcanongirl]

Why the Weasley’s are “Blood Traitors”

((I recommend treating this like a little chapter of the Black Family History Book. It coincides with the Bellatrix headcanon I posted a while ago. You don’t have to read it if you haven’t already, but it’s good to know some backstory before we get into another backstory. Anyway, below the “Keep Reading” tab, is a VERY in-depth speculation of why and how the Weasley family became “Blood Traitors”. Enjoy!))

Here’s the Black Family Tree for reference:

This is all speculation and guessing, but I believe that the Weasley family was a respected family in the Wizarding Community from the beginning of the 19th century until 1959. They had a good hundred years under their belt. Humble folk, the Weasley Family earned their keep by owning many successful farms and being the main agricultural resource for the Wizarding World. Their produce and livestock were always top-notch; they created many magical techniques and spells for the perfect product.

They were not “rich”, but respected. And respect, at the time, was all that was needed to be part of the “Sacred” families. That’s not to say they were poor; on the contrary, they were well-off. But of course, there were some shallow people in the exclusive group that were not very keen to share the same title as farmers. Still, the first generation of Weasleys would attend many a party, feeling a little out of place, but always courteous.

Their views on Muggles were more or less the same as everyone around them: Muggles did not have the advantage of magic; therefore, Wizards were superior. Did they seek out Muggles to trick them or cause them harm? No. I don’t think the first generation went too close to Muggleborns, but then again, there weren’t many Muggleborns revealing themselves at the time. If the Weasleys came across a Muggleborn, I believe they’d be a bit ignorant, but never intentionally.

Fast-forwarding to maybe the third generation of Weasley (assuming we’re following the Black Family Tree)… Cedrella Black was born between 1916-1918. Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, Cedrella was born 1917. We could speculate that Septimus Weasley was around the same age.

To give a brief summary of what we think the Black Family was like during that time… Arcturus (Cedrella’s father), Sirius II (Cedrella’s uncle) and Regulus (Cedrella’s first cousin from her Uncle Sirius) must’ve been very big advocates for blood purity (probably active Grindelwald supporters) and had to have done extraordinary things in the name of the Black Family to inspire Orion and Walburga to name their sons after them. Keeping that in mind, I believe the three of them were insanely bigoted and sadistic, quite like Bellatrix or what we could imagine Walburga was like.

To the Black family, the Weasley family was not extravagant enough to be accepted into the family easily. Besides the abundant success the Weasleys had with magical agriculture, they were “plain” and “simple”. (They were also almost all Gryffindors, which was received with big eye rolls from every Black.) But listen, Cedrella was quiet, so she was often put in the “plain” category too. I like to think Cedrella met Septimus in their mid-twenties, so in the 1930s. Despite their “plain” and “simple” stereotypes, Cedrella and Septimus end up hitting it off and remembered as the “life of the party”.

It wasn’t long before Septimus asked Arcturus for Cedrella’s hand. Arcturus initially said no because Cedrella was betrothed to her cousin, Regulus. (Oh, yeah! Regulus is, like, too gross-looking and too pro-Grindelwald for any outside suitor and Cedrella is too passive to say anything against her father’s wishes.) He also passive aggressively said that he didn’t think Septimus could take care of his daughter with the “little fortune” he has inherited. And he was also pretty sure that Septimus was only asking just so he could have a ration of the Black family inheritance. So, being the Gryffindor he was, he said “I’d rather be a poor man and in love than rich and heartless.” And that mere ripple started a very spiteful rivalry.

Septimus refused any and all of Cedrella’s inheritance for his personal gain. He encouraged Cedrella to keep it and use it when she wanted to, but he never touched it. He wanted to show Arcturus that he can make his own fortune.

He had inherited a portion of the Weasley farms (assuming he had other siblings before and/or after him). It wasn’t much, but he used creative means to make his portion flourish above the other portions. Only then did Arcturus give his daughter to Septimus (and yes, being the Weasley man he was, he damn-well waited for Arcturus’s approval).

Very shortly after getting married, Septimus and Cedrella had their first son out of maybe three. (The youngest of which was none other than Arthur Weasley.) They lived a “plain” and “simple” life with their successful farm.

At some point, possibly in the mid-1940s, times were getting a bit harder economically. Grindelwald’s infamy fragmented the socio-economic system, leaving the Wizarding World divided by class. That meant more “rich and influential” had the notion that they were so superior to Muggles and Muggleborns that anyone with magical blood who associated with them were just as inferior. And after Obscuri became public knowledge, there were task forces in every country centered on locating any magical activity coming from any household. This lead to many more Muggleborns being exposed and accepted into magical schools. ((I think I accidentally explained the whole FB epic plot lol!))

 After Muggleborns left school, most of them were forced to go back into the Muggle World because the segregation was REAL. No one wanted to hire them and it was really sad that most of them were super talented. Septimus’s business needed workers, and work was work regardless of “blood status”. This earned much hate from his in-laws and other people in the “Sacred” families. His fellow Weasley clan didn’t seem to mind, but it was tough on business for them to sell their goods as well. Nevertheless, his Muggleborn workers were friendly, happy to work and, dare he say it, better than he would have done. He paid all of his workers equally.

Business was bad on the Weasley farm in the mid to late 1940’s. Septimus was baffled to see such a decline in produce quality and quantity. Cedrella offered to help out with her inheritance, and, with that Gryffindor stubbornness, Septimus refused to touch it still. Cedrella tried to reason with him; they had another child on the way, and they had workers to pay. They couldn’t afford to do both. Septimus studied day and night on how to regrow his produce in time for harvest season. Just as he found a way, he woke up to all of his livestock dead in his fields. One of his Muggleborn workers was said to have poisoned them with the wrong food. (Some of the workers of “Wizard Decent” were passive blood purists and didn’t want to share the same place with “Mudbloods”. So, they “framed” the Muggleborns.) Septimus had no choice but to fire the men that were framed because of all the evidence pointing them to the crime. In doing so, Arcturus welcomed him with open arms. It was strange to be on his father-in-law’s good graces, especially now. And quite honestly, he wasn’t going to ruin it.

Cedrella was the one that thought it was wrong. She explained that her father liked him because he thought he had picked a side. She, for one, didn’t like sides and would have rather stayed in the grey area.

Septimus was okay with it until Arcturus invited him to the ritzy parties. And these parties were all full of influential people that supported Grindelwald’s hierarchy. Tom Riddle was a welcomed guest as well, with his few intimidating followers. Septimus felt uneasy sitting in on these dinners; they were full of bigots and loud elitists, and he wanted no part of it.

At some point, Septimus found a good time to start fighting back. Arcturus gloated about how his son-in-law fired all of his “Mudblood” employees, and Septimus boldly fires back that he had to clean house entirely.

 “Unfortunately, I had to let go the men who had falsely accused my good workers. But, luckily, I have those workers back. Bless them, for being so forgiving.”

 The whole hall went silent. Arcturus laughed to cut the tension.

 “Oh, Septimus,” barked Arcturus. “Always the kidder of the family. My daughter sought you humor, surely.”

 “She suggested it.”

 Arcturus’s laughter dwindled down to a low chuckle, then stopped completely. They had an awkward spat. Then, it came down to that line, whether he was on their side or the other. Septimus tried to reason that taking sides was a waste of time…

 “We teach Muggleborns for what reason? To make sure they don’t kill us with their power? What rubbish!”

 “We shouldn’t be teaching Muggleborns anything! Magic should be kept within the families it has been in for genereations.”

 “Magic had to have started somewhere. What if they are the first in their family?”

 “Bah…”

 “Frankly, Arcturus, I think your belief in preserving the Black family line is as outdated as the wig you wear to keep people from seeing your bald spot. There are potion remedies for that, or have you tried that already?”

Thoroughly insulted, Arcturus kicks Septimus out of the party until he was ready to apologize for embarrassing him. But that’s the thing: Septimus never planned on apologizing. He was forced to pick a side, so he chose not to pick sides. In not choosing a side, the Weasley side was chosen for. They were now against the regime, unless they renounced their name in favor of elitism.

 The Weasley farms were targeted by many extreme followers. Their crops were scarce and their employees were quitting left and right. Some were quitting to keep their families safe and some were quitting because they were prejudice. Either way, it was bad business for the farm. Pretty soon, the farm consisted of a huge garden, protected against any spells that might poison or harm it. He had a few faithful workers, most of whom he promised to keep safe from terrorists. Pretty soon, he was basically harboring Muggleborns in his home.

 Around this time, Arthur was born. While growing up, he was exposed to a few Muggle things here and there because of the “visitors” living in his home. Cedrella was okay with this; she had no issues with the people living in her home… Until she started getting threats from extreme followers.

 Don’t get me wrong, there were extremists on both sides. Septimus and Cedrella would kick anyone out who came home talking about how they were going to start an uprising in the other direction. At one point, one of the Muggleborns in hiding confessed to being part of a resistance group (there were many small ones at the time) and saw one of his group members kill Sirius Black. Septimus shouted at the man to leave, asking why he thought it was appropriate to come back to his home with this knowledge. He and his family could be targets. They already were, but now they would be targets to kill.

 After Cedrella’s uncle died, her father told her that she had a few chances to leave Septimus and marry her cousin, Regulus, like she was intended to in the first place as penance for Sirius’s death. He even promised that she could keep her youngest son, since he was too young to actually obtain anything Muggle related yet. Cedrella didn’t reply to any of the pleas. She loved her family; she wasn’t going to give them up for anything in the world. Besides, being with Septimus had given her more of a voice and she wasn’t afraid to spout her opinions anymore. This only gave Arcturus more incentive to “erase” her off of the family tree, but there wasn’t real evidence to them being absolute blood traitors, since the Weasley farm was essentially out of commission from terrorism.

 It was 1959. The Weasleys’ whereabouts were hidden, but the oldest sons were in Hogwarts already. I believe they were in Fourth Year and First Year respectively. Arthur was nine. Septimus’s business went belly-up by this point. Any crops or livestock he produced was for his family’s use only. Ironically, the family used Cedrella’s portion of the Black family fortune to survive for a while.

 Around wintertime, Cedrella and Septimus received a letter from the Deputy Head Master, Albus Dumbledore, that their sons have been part of a huge duel between some Slytherins and they were very badly injured. Some of them were part of the Black family in some way or another. Probably a Crabbe or Rosier. (If it was a Crabbe, it would have been Cedrella’s Uncle Cygnus’s first son’s wife’s relative. If it was a Rosier, it would have been Cedrella’s Uncle Cygnus’s first son’s third son’s future wife’s relative, aka Druella Rosier’s relative. As I’m typing this, I like the idea of connecting their stories in some way. Like, around this time, Druella has had Narcissa, but is still making up for her “mistakes”. Her family makes a statement by being super supporters and terrorizing anyone they were taught were not on their side. Yup… that’s what happened.)

 Cedrella and Septimus are forced to sit in with the Rosier’s (and, fuck it, the Crabbe’s are there too). The Rosier’s and Crabbe’s look at Cedrella and Septimus like they are scum. They argue that “boys will be boys” and it’s left at that. Dumbledore gives his two cents, fully aware that the divide is REAL.

 “Here’s to a better world in which fighting is a thing of the past. And may your sons learn from your mistakes.” There was an uneasiness in the air after that meeting.

 Cedrella and Septimus, along with Arthur, I guess, visit their oldest two in the Hospital Wing. They look terrible; they almost looked like they were beat with fists instead of wands.

 (I have now named Arthur’s brothers Walter and Bilius because those are also simple Medieval names and one is confirmed.) Walter was known for being a spitfire and Bilius liked excitement. That combination with their secret made for a recipe for disaster. Cedrella was SO cross with them for fighting, and Septimus was about ready to give them even more bruises for spilling their secret. However, they couldn’t help but be proud of them for sticking up for “what was right”.

Because of them telling the secret, Cedrella and Septimus did their best to protect the small fortune and property they had left. It was only a matter of time before Tom Riddle’s supporters came knocking again. This time, they were in masks. They came in the middle of the night, ready to murder the Muggleborns and the Weasley family in their sleep. Luckily, Cedrella had basically become an insomniac at that point; she wasn’t able to sleep, afraid that something bad would happen to her family.

 They came bursting through the door, masks and all. Cedrella was at the ready and flew spells in every direction, killing nearly half of the masked intruders. Some Muggleborns were too late and perished. Septimus helped Cedrella fight off some more masked intruders. They heard a scream come from Arthur’s bedroom. As quick as lightning, Cedrella burst through Arthur’s room and didn’t hesitate to kill the hooded figure about to take her son away.

 As the man thudded to the floor, she grabbed Arthur into her arms and said no harm would ever come to him. Septimus ran to Arthur’s door with another masked figure chasing him. Cedrella immediately cast a shield charm on the door (and idk, some of Arthur’s untapped magic solidified some walls too). Septimus stepped through it, but the masked figure halted in his tracks.

 “Uncle…” said the masked figure.

 Cedrella’s heart stopped. The hooded figure was her father, Arcturus. She had killed her father without hesitation to save her son.

 The man on the other side of the door unmasked himself to reveal her betrothed cousin, Regulus. His yellow teeth and cold, black eyes burned into her very soul. “Traitor!” he declared shrilly. “Blood traitor, Weasley! Blood trai-”

 And some Muggleborn killed Regulus from behind. The rest of the masked figures still alive Disapparated, and it was forever known that the Weasleys were blood traitors. No one knew that Cedrella had killed her own father; as far as anyone knew, the Weasleys harbored Muggleborns that were in for questioning and those Muggleborns had killed Arcturus and Regulus in a raid. In the Black family (and among Tom Riddle’s supporters), Arcturus and Regulus were honored like heroes to their cause. They had managed to kill nearly three whole families that night. Cedrella had lost all of her fortune from the Black family, as she was officially disowned from the family.

 The Weasleys were humble folk, forced to take a side. And they chose love over duty, pride over prejudice, if you will, whether they meant to or not. They were known as Blood Traitors and Cedrella had chosen to stay with a Blood Traitor family, which is why she is marked off of the Black family tree for marrying Septimus Weasley. Septimus was always on thin ice, and this event was the proof they needed.

 I think Arcturus’s intent was to kidnap Arthur and teach him the Black family way of thinking, just like the Rosier’s did to Bellatrix, which seemed “successful enough”.  Arthur was old enough to remember the Muggle stuff, too young to be able to process what had happened that fateful night. Walter and Bilius protected Arthur through their time at Hogwarts, not to say that he couldn’t stick up for himself. He has only known that he was part of a Blood Traitor family and they were proud. They encourage Arthur’s Muggle fascination; if anything, they think it’s endearing. Walter turns out to be a bit of a drunk, because he was old enough to remember too much (tying in the Weasley Uncle who almost thought Polyjuiced Harry was “one of his” at Bill and Fleur’s wedding), and Bilius was also old enough to remember some dark stuff, but ultimately uses physical comedy as a coping mechanism (as per what Fred and George had said was their muse for pranks).

So, that’s it! I didn’t have much of a narrative ending to the explanation. But we now have one more chapter completed in the Black Family History Book. More to come soon!