#another goat poem/

[pilferingapples]

..well if I had to have a post go feral, I'm glad it's the one getting Endless Poetry Filk About Goats

nonetheless *crying in crashed notifs*

[hellishrebukesystem]

I made it through 2023-I made to the other side/ I'll be singing this same song come New Year again/ mountain goats and ethel cain/ brought a little catharsis to my Texas plains/here's to all the mes in years before/here's to celebrating 2024.

[lunadook]

Human Replacement Therapy Extended Universe (and inspired) Link Collection Part 1

EDIT: We've hit the Inline Link Limit! I've linked to a reblog containing more links. (The google doc linked at the bottom of the post will still contain everything in one place.)

Been seeing a lot of those Human Replacement Therapy comics and stories going around and I wanted to try and make a list of the first (?) panels/chapters of each one me (and helpful community members) have found so far, so..........

Part 2

Dragon [by ayviedoesthings] Fish [by welldrawnfish] Bat [by kaylasartwork] Puppy [by nyxisart] Mouse [by prettiestplatypus] Worm (I can't find the first one I'm too lazy) [by shaveyoureyebrows] Axolotl [by bubbleverseart] Goat [by kontonord] Elf [by squiretilde] Eldritch [by dawning-mars] Bird [by vy-canis-melodis] Slime [by pollypoirate] Slime (Written) [by mint-and-authoress] Slime (Written) [by scrubbinn] Slime (Written) [by sandyca5tle] Shifter (Written) [by calliecwrites] Cow (Written) [by josphitia] Bovine [by pennymations] Wolf [by gracewolfing] Coyote [by vanillayoteart] Werewolf [by tobydoeswrite] Werewolf [by cyberbeast99] Tiger (Written) [by tigergirltail] Mermaid HRT Poem [by ashleyrowanthewriter] Kitsune (Written) [by mothduchess] ??? [by home-sweet-hive] Sonic [by sonic-spirit] *break so tumblr will let this post*

Aves [by cozy-kitty-corner] Cat [by entroart] King Cobra [by thecrystalmountainsystem] Polymorph [by probablyplural] Human [by deadeyedfae] Werewolf [by lycans-art-kingdom] Mermaid [by noreo-oreo] Puppy [by noreo-oreo] Deer [by aster-is-confused] Lamia [by ariathelamia] Moth [by hyacinthdoll1315] Skunk [by sundaysstrawberrykombucha] Void [by v-draws-whatever] Dragon [by zykeroth] ??? [by transpandaart] Jaguarfolk [by jaguarfolkhrt] Sheep [by cr1zz0] Bunny [by grumpybunny-edith] Fox [by disappointedcreeper] Sparrow [by lylaslilacss] Animal? [by cutepastelstarsailor] Cow [by megamoonerjenny] Bug [by thebugautistic] Vrastelian [by silliestcreature196] Elf [by siimplyapril] Demon [by shockpulse] Wolf and Crow [by sunification] Bird [by tiredtiresias] Shoggoth [by aiden-nevada]

*break so tumblr will let this post*

Bird [by comfeeeeeeee] Bird [by nuclearraven-woman] Manticore [by redroversendjayover] Spider [by sweetspidergirl] Mouse [by alice-arty] Zombie [by sunnyrabbit05] Cat [by v0vivi0v] Cyberdemon [by kazsartcorner] Troll [by artvil-gang] Polar Bear [by frostehburr] Lamia [by robins-warudo] Shapeshifter [by maxine302] Vulture [by prollymad] Dragon [by a-being-that-just-is] Slug [by a-being-that-just-is] Cryptid [by thejaded0nes] Robot [by lavender-inkwell-99] Monkey [by mechanical-sunchild] Eldritch Dragon [by your-pal-nebula] Time Lord [by joyfulbeatrix] Digimon [by reticent-fate] Plant [by jalopytheplant] Slime [by ruckeysquared] Fox [by super-sayian-kitty64] Demon [by pugsofwriting] Weasel [by alice-of-heart] Sylveon [by constellarcreator] Robot [by squiddotmid] Eevee [by darlingsuperstition] Chimera [by gate4043]

*another pause weee*

Swolbold [by flowershakur] Type Green [by scpwiki-official] Dragon [by tresenellaart] Dragon [by theinsidiousdice] Robot [by raptorbricksart] Dragon [by koalaphoenix] Gem [by techno-toister] Hybrid [by ehksidian] Ktletaccete [by fenmere] Slime [by madelinemccoolname] Succubus [by lariumbreon]

Please feel free to let me know of any you know of that I missed or ones you have created and want added! I'll periodically update the post with anything I get links to.

I have also made a Google Doc containing all of the links, including the ones that aren't fitting in this post. Part 2 of this post, with more links, is here.

[candiedspit]

my favorite pieces of writing I did in 2024

GRB-0803196; a short story about a manic depressive

when I was lucid; a short story from the perspective of the only daughter in a family of mobsters

I killed a deer in Wisconsin; a poem about a loser at the end of his life

excerpt from a book I wrote in the spring titled MOON IN SPEED about a young man who lives in a hotel making porn and doing drugs

goat; a poem about a monk’s sex dream

1948 Antarctica; a love poem from the middle of nowhere

Smear Frame 1992; a short story about a young man freshly out of the mental hospital

elephant man no 81; another love poem about a troubled relationship

[lazyflower48]

So I just saw something really interesting. We know that the next episode is titled "Twilight Goodbye"

Well, in Nakahara Chuuya's "Poems of the Goat" there are two poems called "The Terrible Twilight" and "The Twilight of This Spring Day"

Another thing to note is that Dazai Osamu's very last work was called "Goodbye" which was left unfinished because of his death

One thing that's also on my mind is what Kisho Taniyama (Chuuya's VA) said in an interview regarding s5:

"If you watch this fifth season all the way to the end, i think you will be able to feel more of the depth of the relationship that Dazai and Chuuya have established."

Emphasis on "all the way to the end"

I'm not too sure as to what to make of this honestly cause my mind is a mess after this episode

[ballad-of-birdy-lamb]

there needs to be more lucy gray stuff on tumblr i swear 😭😭 it’s actually hurting me, im in love with her. anyways…could you write some fluff headcanons w lucy gray and a fem!reader pls? thx :)

I ❤️ Lucy Gray

Lucy Gray Baird x Fem! Reader (headcanons, fluff, romantic)

She is likely the type of person to not care if someone is a man or a woman. If she likes you, you're around her age, and you're kind, you might as well date

Before dating, she was very willing to drop hints. If there was a sign of interest you had in her, she took the opportunity

After dating, she is just as sweet as before, a bit toned down but still loving

Lucy Gray expects you to go to her shows, all of them if you can

Piggybacking off the last one, she'll write songs for and about you. They'll be ballads talking about your kindness and the things you give her

Roses are some of her favorite gifts, she loves the taste and they always smell good. Another good option is handmade gifts, letters, poems, hell, food is all she adores

If you give her poems, she is very willing to turn them into songs. But only sings them for you since they're special

She has sung to you and played the guitar for you. But in a cool way

She NEEDS to feel like she can trust you. She couldn't trust Billy Taupe and she couldn't trust anyone in the arena, so you still have time to prove to her that you're trustworthy

After the Games, violence was an absolute no in her life (it was a no before but it's absolute after everything). If you find a way to bring that brutality back into her life, she'll leave as quickly as she had come

If you get her gifts that are a bit expensive, she'll send you some goat cheese for free!

__

To all that have requested before this post was, I’m working on several longer fanfics and plan to release the headcanons first then the full fanfics when I finish them!!

Link to my tbosas masterlist

[vidavalor]

No Nightingales

What I think Crowley thinks he's saying here is that he's been using their coded language-- speaking in Nightingales-- for basically this whole scene and Aziraphale isn't hearing what he's saying and he really, really, really needs to hear it in Crowley's mind because Crowley thinks the (really non-existent) threat of The Book of Life is looming. He thinks if Aziraphale goes with The Metatron that Aziraphale will be erased into a state of non-existence and Crowley's proposal is actually a plan to stop that from happening.

Crowley, by the "no nightingales" portion of the scene, is desperate, and his last play is to, in his mind, directly refer to their secret language using what is obviously coded language by saying nightingales directly and just hope that The Metatron takes it as some sort of in-joke and not a coded message.

He asks if Aziraphale can "hear that" when no sound exists and points up as a way of making the point that Aziraphale isn't hearing the wordplay in what he's been saying. He is actually referencing two types of birds at once-- the nightingales of their hidden language and the crows from their first, fumbling attempts at forming what would become their nightingale speak back in Job's courtyard and from which Crowley took his name.

He's referring to this:

He's trying to directly reference the moment that he let Aziraphale hear the crows bleating like goats and Aziraphale realized the true meaning of what Crowley had just said the moment before. He's trying to say that something like that needs to happen again, even if the end result of this scene is, ultimately, that it does not.

Crowley is trying to get Aziraphale to rewind mentally for a moment to everything that Crowley has said previously in this scene and, instead of taking it on a surface level, run it through the filter of it being wordplay in his mind so that he'll understand what Crowley was trying to say.

Seems like a smart move, right? How could there be more confusion if the word being referenced is the word they use to refer to the language in the first place?

What Crowley doesn't take into account is the fact that he's saying this while being about to walk out while they're both upset and that, because nightingales is the secret language shorthand word? It *also* means-- to both of them-- their love for one another.

So, what Aziraphale sees and hears here is not baby, please listen and realize that you didn't hear the real words I've been saying...

What Aziraphale sees and hears here is:

You don't love me. You and your Heaven bullshit-- there were never any nightingales. This was never love. It wasn't real. It's over.

And Aziraphale?

It would have been less painful if Crowley had physically ripped Aziraphale's heart straight out of his chest.

He's heartbroken and he's furious and every emotion along that spectrum because-- funny story-- Crowley hasn't heard a bloody word in nightingale speak that Aziraphale has been saying in this scene, either.

A series of unfortunate events fucked this conversation from the start because the beginnings of it involved things that made them both assume that the other wasn't using the language at all.

They each thought the other didn't see Coffee Dude watching them as a threat and started to try to convince one another there was trouble and what they each thought that trouble was and what their plans were to overcome it. They have been only taking one another's words on the surface level and so they don't really understand what one another has been saying.

So, Aziraphale hears "no nightingales" and he's thinking of all the human art into which he's put the word for their language and their love because, to them, that is the same thing... the centuries of mythology and stories and poems and the part of Romeo & Juliet about the secret nights spent together and their damn song... and how dare Crowley say this isn't love?

They've spent millennia loving each other with their secret birdsong language and now, to Aziraphale, Crowley's wielding the one word that means to them just that as the weapon to end them. How dare he use that of all words to say that this love isn't real and that whatever it was is done when it means thousands of years of singing that love to one another?

You could torture Aziraphale for a millennia and he would find it less painful than what he thinks Crowley just said.

So, ya know... when Aziraphale thinks what is happening is that Crowley just went from "marry me" to "you don't love me and it's over" in about four minutes flat with a waking nightmare of misunderstandings in between and is now about to leave him just when Aziraphale needs him most...

....maybe the reason why Aziraphale is taken aback by the kiss is not because it's the first but because he's just got emotional whiplash and this is an unexpected last kiss that is coming seconds after, in Aziraphale's mind, Crowley having just accused Aziraphale of not loving him.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Reference: 5 Symbols

for your next poem/story (pt. 3)

CAULDRON

In understanding symbols, sometimes it is useful to simply look at the shape and see what it resembles.

The traditional cauldron represents nothing so much as the belly of a pregnant woman and, unsurprisingly, it is an important female symbol all over the world.

The circular shape of the cauldron gives another clue; the circle is a symbol of never-ending life and regeneration, and these themes recur repeatedly in stories containing cauldron symbolism.

The way the cauldron is used also gives a hint about its symbolic meaning.

Things are put into the cauldron, heated, and something different is taken out; the basic ingredients are transformed.

Therefore, the cauldron also symbolizes germination and transformation.

Traditionally, cauldrons have three legs:

The number 3 in this instance represents the triple aspect of the Great Goddess, or the three fates.

Shakespeare alludes to this when the three Weird Sisters—arguably the most famous witches in literature—cook up trouble at the beginning of Macbeth.

In pre-Christian literature, countless legends feature magical cauldrons, and it may be because of this that the cauldron has its witchy associations.

Celtic tales tell of cauldrons that contain an unending supply of food or of knowledge.

The dead are frequently thrown into a magical Cauldron of Rebirth and climb out the next day, alive once more.

Mythical warriors and heroes who died in battle are restored to life in this way.

Ceridwen (one of the most powerful witches in all of Celtic mythology and is typically depicted as simultaneously a mother and a wise woman) had a cauldron full of inspiration and magical powers.

In India, a magic life-giving food, called Soma, was brewed in three huge bottomless cauldrons.

In Greece, there are tales in which an ordeal of initiation involves the person boiling in a cauldron, but after the rite, the initiate emerges with magical powers, including the gift of immortality.

CHNOUBIS

The Chnoubis is a hybrid creature, with the head of a lion and the tail of a serpent.

It was carved onto stones for use as an amulet, providing protection against poisons in particular.

Amulets featuring the Chnoubis date back to the first century and it is supposed that this odd-looking creature may be related to Abraxas, whose image was used in a similar way.

CLADDAGH

The Claddagh is a popular symbol, often incorporated into the design of rings.

Traditionally used as a wedding ring, it is so-called because it was originally made in a Galway fishing village of the same name in 17th century Ireland.

However, the elements of the design are much older, stretching back into pre-Christian Celtic history.

The Romans had a popular ring design, the Fede, which featured clasped hands.

“Fede” means “fidelity.”

The Claddagh symbol features a heart held by a pair of hands.

A crown usually surmounts the heart.

These features represent love, friendship, and loyalty.

CORNUCOPIA

Also called the Horn of Plenty, the cornucopia is often depicted in paintings and on friezes where it symbolizes the notion of boundless abundance, as flowers, fruits, sheaves of wheat, and other produce spill out of a hollow horn or a twisting basket woven in the shape of the horn.

The origin of the cornucopia is found in the Greek myth of Amalthea.

Amalthea fed the infant Zeus a drink of goat’s milk and was given the brimming goat’s horn as a reward.

Sometimes the infant Zeus is depicted being fed the milk from the horn itself.

The Cornucopia, as a symbol of a bounteous harvest, is also associated with Ceres, the Goddess of corn, and also with Fortuna, Goddess of good fortune.

CROSSROADS

In fairy stories and myths, it is often at the crossroads where mischief awaits, usually in the form of other-worldly spirits.

Effectively, the crossroads symbolizes the intersection of two paths, making four potential routes, and a place where a decision must be made, not only practically, but metaphorically too.

The X of the crossroads marks a spot where two worlds meet.

The origins of this story go back to African folklore, where a deity called Esu was the guardian of the crossroads.

When Christianity took over, these old Gods were, quite literally, demonized, and Esu was transformed into the Devil.

Hecate, too, personified as the Queen of the Witches, was called the Goddess of the Crossroads.

In Celtic mythology, corpses belonging to those considered “unholy” were buried at crossroads in order to prevent them coming back to life and because the crossroads was a Gate to the Otherworld. Gibbets were placed at crossroads for the same reason.

Source ⚜ More: On Symbols ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[superkooku]

Favorite character from Greek mythology + favorite myth from Greek mythology?

Favorite characters

I'll turn this into a tag game : @margaretkart @dootznbootz @sarafangirlart @aliciavance4228 @katerinaaqu @hermesmoly @go-rocksquadsfan @sanska @vint-knight .

And @anon (you can give your answer in another ask 😉).

So, I have a loooooooot of faves. This list is long.

Here are mine :

Nobody. Yeah, in reality, I hate mythology and just pretend I like it. Or I just love making puns about my favorite lying war criminal. Who didn't cheat btw.

Penelope. These two are soulmates, no ifs or buts. I always found her underrated and @dootznbootz 's ramblings on her confirm that. Cunning and sassy half-naiad queen.

"The delian twins", as I like to call them. Idk I really love their multifaceted natures of protectors and deadly huntress/inflictor of illnesses (with an affinity towards plague). And their familial bond is precious. And I like them both equally, even though I talk about Apollo a bit more ig.

Leto. She's precious. They're always ready to defend each other. Like when Apollo and Artemis killed Niobe's kids because she was disrespectful to Leto. Or when Leto came in to save her son from being thrown in Tartarus by Zeus. Or when baby Artemis helped her mother deliver her brother. She fought for her children and now they fight for her.

Hestia. Too bad there isn't more about her because I relate a lot to the concept of chilling at home and staying away from drama.

Ariadne. Because of her family's tragic history, her healing from it with Dionysus (in most versions) and overall, she's great. Also, it's funny how Theseus wanted to marry a child of Zeus but his ex girlfriend actually succeeded 😂. Speaking of her family tragedy...

Asterius. I bet most adaptation authors don't know who I am referring to 🤣. He's a man-eating monster, yes, but he grew up isolated, trapped and unloved. I feel so bad for him.

Perseus. The GOAT. Partly thanks to @sarafangirlart. I already liked him since I always knew he wanted to save his mother, but he genuinely grew on me since I read her posts. That and when I learned of his war against Dionysus. Extremely underrated story.

Athena. Idk I don't think I need to elaborate on why she's cool.

Hades. In retellings, I often hate him because he's either woobified or made into "Greek Satan" (at least in Disney he's fun), but he's genuinely cool in mythology. Morally gray Hades save me.

Hermes. From birth, he was always a little trickster. I love how many functions he has (messenger of the gods, god of merchants, thieves, communication, also a psychopomp btw). A very energetic and helpful god.

Asclepius. I think I should make a post explaining why he's great because, yeah, I don't talk much about him even though there are things to say (yeah it's because I did a lot of research on him).

And... finally... Dionysus 🤣. Of course he made it in this list. I dedicated a whole essay series about this god, come on !

Honorable mentions : Hector, Andromache, Menelaus, Demeter, Telemachus, Hephaestus, Hippolytus, Danae, Ares and many others.

Favorite myths/plays/poems

I already answered that but can't find the post. So I'll do it again, with some new answers in mind. Basically "the myths with the characters on the list".

It's either because they're that compelling or just hilarious.

The homeric cycle. Ok, an easy one.

The Bacchae by Euripides (mandatory reading if you want to understand Dionysus imo. No excuses).

The frogs by Aristophanes. Because it's funny.

Asclepius' story. Seriously I'll elaborate on it one day.

Hermes' birth story. Him stealing Apollo's cows and Apollo getting mad at his scallywag of a brother 🤣🤣. And then just him winning Apollo over with the lyre.

Pirithous and Theseus getting their asses stuck on a chair (yes this is my title for this story). I love to mock these two, especially Pirithous because... give this man a Darwin award please. No thoughts and no survival instincts in his brain 😂.

Orpheus and Eurydice. Simple but powerful.

The Argonautica. Aka a huge crossover. Seeing more interactions between all these heroes would be awesome (especially if we take every version into account 👀. So many faces...). It's funny how I love the Argonautica but never talk about Jason himself 🤣🤣. The embodiment of the protagonist who's less interesting than the other characters.

Perseus' war against Dionysus. A potential retelling about this myth would go so hard !! Especially since we could get a scary Dionysus. Hopefully it doesn't get ruined :(

Edit : some English mistakes I had to correct.

[littlemisspascal]

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of my fic The Infinity Cube. I can still remember posting the first chapter, hoping at least one person out there liked it, and I can still remember how it felt to reach the end, a feat that wouldn't have been possible without the support of so many kind souls 💗 I wanted to make something for the occasion and having seen so many amazing web weavings out there, I thought I'd give it my best shot 😊

THE INFINITY CUBE: a journey home

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis // I Choose You by Adam Melchor // When Did It Happen? by Mary Oliver // First Love by Jennifer Franklin // The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde // The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons // The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman // 10 a.m Is When You Come To Me by Louise Bourgeois // Maybe In Another Universe, I Deserve You by Gaby Dunn // Maybe When the Time is Right You Will Find Me Again - K. Tolnoe // We Were Missing the Present by Mahmoud Darwish // Persona (1966) // Matched by Ally Condie // In the Pines by Alice Notley // It Wasn't Love // La Pointe Courte (1955) // "My better half" by Pablo J. Davis // The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller // Bioshock Infinite // Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar // Oh It Was Meant to Be - Kate McGahan // Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell // If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird // Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens // Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore // The Blinding Star by Blanca Varela // Wild Spirit, Soft Heart by Butterflies Rising // Finding You by Kesha // Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths // Web weaving about the untold story in you // "Feel like making a deal with the devil?" // A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara // Reborn: Journals ad Notebooks by Susan Sontag // I love you like a rotten dog // Sax Rohmer #1 by The Mountain Goats // The Bubble (2022) // Rabbit Hole (2010) // Beginning with O by Olga Broumas // How many times can the same thing break your heart? // War of the Foxes by Richard Siken // On Death in Heartbreak // Lonely Day by System of A Down // This Road (The Mirror is a Trap) by Poe // Memory for Forgetfulness by Mahmoud Darwish // "Do you think we're soulmates in another universe?" // Radio Silence by Alice Oseman // "In one timeline we kiss" - Elizabeth Hewer // Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed // Almond Blossoms and Beyond by Mahmoud Darwish // X // The Collected Poems of Alvaro de Campos by Fernando Pessoa // Excerpt from Moony Moonless Sky's 'I am an observer, but not by choice' // @/lookoflove // Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg // "Do you know what it's like to live somewhere that loves you back?" - Danez Smith // Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros // The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White // Home // You and Me

All Pedro Photos - Pinterest // Reader in my story is physically a blank slate, I just really like the photo of Javi + Gabriela touching foreheads

[queer-ragnelle]

i’m new to arthuriana but love your posts nonetheless

i am just curious about the many references to gawain sleeping with so many people when, to my understanding, in sir gawain and the green knight he specifically breaks this promiscuous behaviour and makes sure he doesn’t sleep with the wife of the duke

(i apologize if this is a stupid question!)

hello anon!

welcome to arthuriana and thank you so much for the kind words. this is not a stupid question at all! the truth is gawain is nothing if not inconsistent between texts haha. he's different from other knights such as lancelot who pines solely for guinevere across text after text, in that it seems every author wanted to create their own special gal for gawain. he therefore has numerous women attached to him, and when readers try to reconcile those many texts into a single story thread, it gives the impression our mans gawain gets around! (and he does!) i have several examples here to illustrate this so i'll put it below a cut.

for all the textual variance, sir gawain and the green knight is the exception that proves the rule—meaning that it's perhaps the only text in which gawain is abstinent. we know this because one of the five virtues attributed to the five points of his pentacle crest on his shield is chastity.

furthermore, on the wife's second seduction attempt, gawain pleas his own inexperience with "love" (ie: women).

whether or not that's true is up for debate, but it's worth mentioning, as it's a departure from other texts where his virile prowess is well-known, and in the knight of the two swords, he openly boasts about his own attractiveness and popularity. (humble guy, that gawain!)

there are several examples of gawain's reputation with the ladies preceding him and actually benefitting his odds of getting laid. one of my favorites is from lancelot part II in the vulgate. gawain had just cured his brother agravaine of an illness and agravaine's amie basically wingwoman's her sister.

goated of her. so gawain pencils it in on his calendar. later, he locates the castle, sneaks in, and succeeds in bedding the maiden. she's not named here, although malory later refers to her as "the lady of lys," and accredits her as the mother of gawain's three sons, (although the couple never formally wed).

among the strangest of examples is the middle english text the carle of carlisle, in which the carle brings gawain to the bedchamber and orders him to make out with his wife. but things quickly heat up...

so the carle stops gawain from outright cuckholding him, then leads gawain to his daughter's chambers, gives them his blessing, and locks them inside. at the end of the text, gawain marries her.

now i would be remiss not to mention my beloved the wedding of sir gawain and dame ragnelle. i think it's notable that ragnelle specifically asks for gawain by name, much like the lady of lys did (according to her sister and her warm reception of him).

now the conclusion of this poem brings us to another theme of gawain's which ties into his many partners, and that is his consistent subservience to ladies. he breaks the curse on ragnelle by granting her "sovereignty" in the relationship. this seems to be another aspect of character which sets gawain apart from other knights, as this is not a chaste expression of courtly love, but a precursor to fornication, and draws the attention of strong-willed ladies, such as ragnelle, with whom he is "a coward," or according to the translation notes, "submissive."

then again in roman van walewein, he's already famous by the time he meets his ladylove, ysabele, and whilst tied up in her father's prison, he leaves the decision of his own life in her hands.

which then results in their coming together because this is a gawain story and he always gets the girl.

even in the post vulgate, which we can all agree portrays every single character at their absolute worst (and is therefore invalid<3), gawain's choice of words consistently upholds the lady's desires above his own. at first, gawain intended wingman for pelleas by pretending he, pelleas, was dead to begrieve arcade. he discovers instead that she's elated by pelleas's supposed passing, so she and gawain fall in love. but even after admitting his feelings, he still takes great pains to frame the final crossing of that line as her choice, and only relents when she makes her intentions plain.

he might also just like it when women boss him around if his treatment from orgeluse in parzival by wolfram von eschenbach is any indication.

similarly to the knight of two swords, in parzival, gawain is aware of his fame, fosters it, and then employs his orgeluse brain worms as a motivation for sparing lives instead of like...morality.

i think what's particularly interesting about gawain's relationship history is that many of his partners are named, whereas it's pretty common for damsels and maidens in medieval texts to exist without identities of their own. there are so, so many named, interesting, fully developed women linked to gawain, it's actually pretty awesome! here are a few more:

lunette in yvain: knight of the lion by chrétien de troyes...

amurfina in the crown by heinrich von dem türlin...

bloiesine in the 4th perceval continuation by gerbert de montreuil...

marjorie in gawain and marjorie by oscar fay adams (if we extend our search through the 20th century!)...

and on and on forever! so in conclusion, gawain has been pulling bitches for many hundreds of slutty, slutty years, and from what modern retellings i've read, authors have no intention of interrupting this trend. i hope that helps clear things up somewhat. thanks for the ask!

[unhonestlymirror]

Mavka and Perelesnyk by Sofiia Karaffa-Korbut.

I appreciate that she drew Perelesnyk almost the same way as Lukash.

Perelesnyk - an evil spirit, a seducer - for Christians - a "defiler of the marriage bed" who seduces married women - a flying spirit of seduction that lures women, makes love with them at night and takes away strength and beauty. He is imagined as a handsome, ardent young man with "wildly blown hair like the wind, with black eyebrows, with sparkling eyes".

In "The Forest song", it was, in fact, Lukash who seduced Mavka, used her and then left her for another woman. Which is surprising because mavky, the forest spirits, are usually the one to seduce humans. Athough the poem itself is trying to prove that Kylyna is a vile, evil vixen who stole someone else’s man - it's not really Kylyna's fault. And, of course, it’s offensive when the person you love leaves you for another simply because (s)he is richer, but this rather speaks about the character of the person you love, and not about the richer one. What kind of woman will give in to another simply because she is in love with the same guy? This is a rather positive quality for a person: go towards your goal, no matter what. It's not Kylyna's fault that she wants a family, and Lukash is not a goat on a string that needs to be led along. From Mavka's perspective: on the one hand, you need to fight for your love, but on the other hand, such "love" is not really worth fighting for. Even Lukash is not really to blame here, because there is no point in staying with someone you don’t want to be with. In this whole situation, no one is really to blame.

Anyway, about Perelesnyk. Athough he's supposed to be the seducer of MORTAL HUMAN women, "the one who drains woman's powers out" - he's here for Mavka, a forest spirit, when she feels really down after her break-up, and he basically drags her out of depression. Well, he tries his best. He doesn't actually get any benefit from this, he just wants to console his... coworker, even though she's in love with a human. Honestly, if I was being consoled by such a person after me being cheated on, even when he is not obliged to console me, I would probably think that I've made the wrong choice from the very start. But again, Lawless Heart, Pure Human-Spirit love.

The evil spirit who's being kind and the good human who's being cruel. Lukash and Perelesnyk are antipodes to each other and simultaneously, the two sides of the same coin. Sofiia Karaffa-Korbut is a genius.

For me, the moral of the story was that you need to choose not the one who gives you butterflies in your stomach for their exoticism, but the one who suits your nature.

If I was the writer, I'd name this poem "Wrong Choice or The Lost Opportunities" - athough, such a name would not attract a big audience, of course. XD

[severus-snaps]

Snape and Poison

I got distracted whilst writing a different meta so just thought I'd list every time I've come across that Snape was associated with poison in the series.

I first started thinking about all of this because Lucius was trying to get rid of poison in Borgin & Burkes at the beginning of CoS:

“ — and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear — ” “I understand, sir, of course,” said Mr. Borgin. “Let me see …”

...and I liked the idea that Snape was originally the one to brew it. Although unlikely, I also enjoy the idea that Snape had a hand in both the poison Draco attempted to use to kill Dumbledore, and Voldemort's emerald potion which ultimately did kill Dumbledore - because how sad if, no matter what he did, Snape was always the one destined to end Dumbledore's life?

It's obvious that Snape is most closely associated with potions in the books, but Snape is also the most consistently associated character with poison (with the notable exception perhaps being Slughorn - but even then it's shown that Harry is mostly learning from the Prince):

Philosopher's Stone Snape's introductory lesson outlines how a bezoar will save you from most poisons; he brews poisons for the PS riddle; his introductory speech includes how to "stopper death":

Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar? ... For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. … I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death

From WebMD: Aconite contains a strong, fast-acting poison that causes severe side effects such as nausea, vomiting, breathing problems, heart problems, and death.

Snape's riddle/poem:

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide You will always find some on nettle wine’s left side

Chamber of Secrets Snape looks as though anyone who approached him about a love potion would be force-fed poison in CoS:

“My friendly, card-carrying cupids!” beamed Lockhart. “They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn’t stop here! I’m sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you’re at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I’ve ever met, the sly old dog!” Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

Prisoner of Azkaban The trio think Snape is trying to poison Lupin in PoA; Snape sets an essay on undetectable poisons; Snape warns that potions brewed incorrectly can turn to poisons (revisited when the Trio visit Arthur in hospital in OotP post-Nagini, and a sign reads: "A clean cauldron keeps potions from becoming poisons."), and threatens to 'poison' Trevor.

Harry looked curiously at the goblet ... Professor Lupin took another sip and Harry had a crazy urge to knock the goblet out of his hands. “Professor Snape’s very interested in the Dark Arts,” he blurted out. “Some people reckon — ” Harry hesitated, then plunged recklessly on, “some people reckon he’d do anything to get the Defense Against the Dark Arts job.” “But if he — you know” — Hermione dropped her voice, glancing nervously around — “if he was trying to — to poison Lupin — he wouldn’t have done it in front of Harry.” Harry sat finishing a nasty essay on Undetectable Poisons for Snape. “Everyone gather ’round,” said Snape, his black eyes glittering, “and watch what happens to Longbottom’s toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don’t doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned.”

Goblet of Fire Snape implies he'll poison someone, and Harry absolutely thinks that Snape wants to poison him in GoF; Moody says Dark wizards can poison an unattended cup, and regularly checks his food for poison (wouldn't do him any good if they were undetectable however); Snape later threatens to practically do the same thing to Harry that Moody is trying to avoid by only drinking from a flask, and slip something into Harry's drink [only with Veritaserum this time, not poison] when he thinks Harry has broken into his potions supplies again

“Brilliant!” said Harry. “It’s Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won’t have time to poison us all!” “Antidotes!” said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. “You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one. …” Snape’s eyes met Harry’s, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison him. Moody had told them all during their last Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson that he preferred to prepare his own food and drink at all times, as it was so easy for Dark wizards to poison an unattended cup. [“It is Veritaserum — a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class to hear,” said Snape viciously. “Now, the use of this potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch your step, you might just find that my hand slips” — he shook the crystal bottle slightly — “right over your evening pumpkin juice. And then, Potter … then we’ll find out whether you’ve been in my office or not.” - interesting also because Moody had also been in Snape's office] Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too, and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry. Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term. He found it hard to concentrate on Snape’s Potions test, and consequently forgot to add the key ingredient — a bezoar — meaning that he received bottom marks... Snape handed Dumbledore a small glass bottle of completely clear liquid: the Veritaserum with which he had threatened Harry in class.

Order of the Phoenix Ron says "Poisonous toadstools don’t change their spots" when discussing Snape, his general personality, and whether Snape ever truly stopped working for Voldemort (echoes leopards never change their spots/Moody's "spots that don't come off" in GoF); Snape discusses the use of Veritaserum, poison, and venom on Harry with Umbridge, and expresses his 'sympathy' (read: apparent desire) to use poison on Harry; when advising Harry to continue Potions during his careers discussion, McGonagall said that poisons and antidotes were essential study for Aurors, and that Snape would not accept students below an Outstanding

“I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!” “I have already told you,” said Snape smoothly, “that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter — and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did — I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling…” “...Then you ought to do Charms, always useful, and Potions. Yes, Potter, Potions,” she added, with the merest flicker of a smile. “Poisons and antidotes are essential study for Aurors. And I must tell you that Professor Snape absolutely refuses to take students who get anything other than ‘Outstanding’ in their O.W.L.s, so — ”

Half-Blood Prince The Prince inherently understood Golpalott’s Third Law on antidotes to poisons, and then the plot revisits the bezoar from PS both as a means of helping Harry in class but also to save Ron.

“You sure the Prince hasn’t got any tips?” Ron muttered to Harry. Harry pulled out his trusty copy of Advanced Potion-Making and turned to the chapter on antidotes. There was Golpalott’s Third Law, stated word for word as Hermione had recited it, but not a single illuminating note in the Prince’s hand to explain what it meant. Apparently the Prince, like Hermione, had had no difficulty understanding it. And there it was, scrawled right across a long list of antidotes: Just shove a bezoar down their throats. Harry stared at these words for a moment. Hadn’t he once, long ago, heard of bezoars? Hadn’t Snape mentioned them in their first-ever Potions lesson? “A stone taken from the stomach of a goat, which will protect from most poisons.” It was not an answer to the Golpalott problem, and had Snape still been their teacher, Harry would not have dared do it... He hurtled back to Ron’s side, wrenched open his jaw, and thrust the bezoar into his mouth.

Not rooted in reality at all but a theory I once came across that I cradle like a fascinating little animal that I just can't stop looking at, is that Snape and Dumbledore somehow switch bodies before 'Dumbledore' takes Harry to the cave, and then switch back in time for Dumbledore to actually die at Snape's hand.

And, of course, the (separate but works here too) theory that back as a 'real' Death Eater, Snape helped Voldemort with the emerald potion that was already killing Dumbledore when Snape finished the job.

Deathly Hallows More tenuously, Aberforth asks "where will you lot traffick potions and poisons when my pub’s closed down", and it was the Hog's Head where Snape was lurking when he overheard the prophecy - whether that was as part of his role as spy/he was applying for a job like Trelawney said, or because he was an opportunist with a sideline in poisons - I enjoy both ideas).

Not just poison: Snape and venom

The series also mixes up (or at least uses interchangeably at times) venom and poison; although to a lesser extent associated with venom, Snape does have his moments where he is associated with venom - ultimately, of course, his final moments are spent under the influence of Nagini's.

Snape is described as shooting Harry (and Ron) "a look of pure venom" in CoS; he sets an essay on antivenoms in OotP; "Harry’s anger at Snape continued to pound through his veins like venom" during Occlumency lessons in OotP; "The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling" says Snape, two books before attempting to find a way to tell the truth no matter how fast-acting Nagini's venom is; when Harry sees Arthur dying of Nagini's bite, it is Snape who has to teach Harry Occlumency to prevent such a thing from happening again, and Snape who ultimately dies of the same attack - but he does not, due to timing (mid-Battle and all) or ill will receive the same rush from the entire Order to attempt to save him, and despite all of his knowledge of poisons and venoms and antidotes, also does not save himself - despite Slughorn being described as carrying around antidotes to things like Veritaserum on the off chance that Dumbledore tries to get a memory out of him, so carrying antidotes for a well-prepared and cunning Slytherin of a certain level of skill is not unheard of, or impossible.

[rainbowolfe]

The Goats Reign

I don't think anyone came to any solid conclusions on this, so imma take a crack at it. They told us to put our detective hats on, and I assume they're referring to this. Didn't see anything else on their Twitter that could be sleuthed. No secret alt text or anything. So...

When the Lamb is drowned and torn asunder, It awakens the G.O.A.T from their slumber. To fight tooth and claw; Side by side. What's alone and lost, now aligned. The stare, a look and dead behind-the-eyes grin. Let the Goat's reign of suffering begin.

[BG Music] Pestilence. Kill the light.

"Drowned and Torn Asunder" = DATA "Greatest of All Time" = GOAT "Tooth and Claw" = TAC "Dead Behind the Eyes" = DBTE "Reign of Suffering" = ROS

Now, I tried a few different ways to try and decode these letters using ciphers and such, but to no results. So I'll tentatively check that off as "not that kind of puzzle".

However.

All of these are song titles. This would not be the first time they've referenced lyrics to hint at the story/what's coming next. The other time was to a poem called "The Phoenix and the Turtle Dove". Theory on that still pending.

Five songs. Five points to a pentagram. Five portents of doom. Five siblings. Five gods. Five becomes four becomes three becomes two becomes one becomes nothing. Nothing at all.

Its five, always five. These five songs likely relate back to the Bishops, but they could just as well be referring to the Five Gods I theorized about here. As I hold firm that the five siblings weren't the original five bishops. They themselves were usurpers.

But for the sake of simplicity and organization, I'll just label with the Bishop's names lol. I'll do speculation another day, but I just wanted to share my findings with everyone! The order I'm using here is based on the order Shamura/The Fanatic lists them in. (Its also the order you're intended to fight them in)

//also if anyone more deeply familiar with metal music has knowledge or suggestions for songs that have these titles, please let me know!

Methodology

Some of these songs had duplicates. Some had more than others. >_> I tried to narrow things down based on certain criteria. Mostly cross-referencing for any similarities with songs 1 and 5, which didn't have any duplicates.

A pattern I was able to find was: A) The genre (metalcore or its relatives); B) Their 'presence' in Australia (even though some originate in the US); C) The use of religious iconography/imagery in either the album art, album name, or music video; and D) It being the band's first album (some of them are technicalities). Bonus points if any goat imagery is used anywhere.

Let's dive right in!

1 - Leshy Drowned and Torn Asunder

By Trivium, from the album Ascendancy.

Force-feed them your ways Dictate up a blinded swarm Society's afraid

A song about revenge set in the midst of a conflict. Sounds like the opposing side is winning/otherwise has the upper hand, but the POV character intends to turn things around.

Deconstructing their hold Our vengeance will be tenfold; Our enemies will be drowned The opposing torn asunder

2 - Kallamar G.O.A.T

This one actually has me pretty stumped. Because there are, quite literally, only two options. And both of them are entirely different genres from the rest of these songs. And I'm pretty heavily leaning towards the one by Polyphia, even though it doesn't have lyrics.

It checks most of the criteria boxes, but I'm not actually sure if this band has a presence in Australia. And it's also not from their first album.

The one by Theory is. Technically. See, they were originally called Theory of a Deadman, but they changed their name. And "Wake Up Call" is their first album released under that name. They also have a presence in Australia despite being Canadian in origin. (They're actually under the same record label as Trivium!)

Polyphia

The MV presents us with two locations that mirror each other. A church represented with red and white banners. You can already see why I'm so inclined towards this one. In the "upright" reality, there are angels depicted in the stain glass window, and the performers wear black. In the "reversed" reality, the plain/clear windows show instead the nature outside, and the performers wear white.

The two sides are doing a (wordless) duet that has the same underlying melody but different vibes. The upright side presents a brighter environment where things are upbeat/triumphant, even though those present are dressed in dark colors. While the reversed (or mirrored) side presents a dark environment with a solemn/serious vibe despite those present being dressed in light colors.

Theory

A rather... triumphant/reflective song despite its gentler, sad-sounding beat. Sort of like, things were super good and the POV character accomplished a lot. They were the greatest that ever was. Emphasis on the past-tense.

Props to the gods as they watch from above Your enemies line up for miles You crush them all with your hope and a smile When you win, put your fists in the air Your fans cheer you on while your victims stare

Despite opening with a list of accomplishments, telling the tale of a Hercules-esque hero who did everything they set out to do, the song transitions into accepting what they have and preserving that. Since, you know. They did it. They crossed the finish line in first place, so to say. They don't have to keep running to prove they were the best.

You never settle for less than gold You're the best that the world will know No one'd ever guess how far you'd go You're the greatest, the greatest that ever was

3 - Heket Tooth and Claw

I'm pretty confident it's the one by Ghoul, but there's another that was a close second. It tells the story of a group of townspeople being shown an eye that corrupts their minds and inflicts them with an insatiable hunger that drives them to compulsive cannibalism. They can't actually keep it down, which means all of this death and violence ultimately amounts to nothing. They're all still hungry.

Shattering glass in the throne room As the multitudes seek to be fed The Basilisk flees into the swamp His acolytes are ripped to shreds

A Basilisk is the opposite of a Cockatrice. A toad or serpent egg incubated by and hatched from a cockerel. It's incredibly venomous and looking it in the eye kills you.

But in the context of this song, he's a sort of overlord responsible for the fall of many pseudo-deities (which is what Crown Bearers are). He broadcasts a transmission (the aforementioned eye) with the intent of controlling the minds of all the citizens of the land. It does not go as planned.

Really, I might need to go back and analyze the entire album for this one. Skimming the lyrics of the tracks before and after this one, there are mentions of fungoid tunnels, an unwilling sacrifice turned unwilling god, cultists, decay, and rot.

4 - Shamura Dead Behind the Eyes

This one I'm also between two. They're both about self-destruction and giving up, just expressed differently.

Oceans Ate Alaska

It breaks the established formula I was using for literally all the other songs, but if this isn't the intended song then this is the most brutal coincidence I have ever had the misfortune of discovering. Because what do you mean the song that perfectly describes Shamura isn't about Shamura.

Web-weaver You are weak, as hollow as those words you speak All for show with a lack of backbone The biggest hypocrite I have ever known You are weak, tangled in the webs you weave Parasite takes control of my mind

I can't tell if it's heaven or hell with you I'm paralyzed, dead behind the eyes

The very first line of the song being "web-weaver". Lyrics about letting the parasite win. Themes of self-hatred and regret. Also the line about being tangled in webs is a sentiment reflected in the album 'Tooth and Claw' comes from.

Soulfly

The only criteria this one breaks is that it's their eleventh album, and not their first. However, they were also under the same label as Trivium and Theory, so there's yet another connecting piece. It's also sung by Randy Blythe, who's from a band called Lamb of God. So that feels. Pointed.

Endless, deathless A cryptic inner fear What’s left, the wretched And those who speak in your ear Eviscerate your own impressions Die along with your transgressions Menace, penance Horrific path to ascension

Cenobites I know your kind Dead behind the eyes

This song is explicitly about/inspired by Hellraiser. It's a cliffnotes of what the Cenobites represent. They are former humans turned demons (though they just see themselves as higher beings) that exist in a version of Hell. They're masochistic hedonists to the extreme who stopped differentiating between pain and pleasure.

5 - Narinder Reign of Suffering

By Malevolence, from the album of the same name. Like the first song, it presents a conflict the POV character is in the middle of. They are dishing out a punishment in line with what they believe to be a righteous cause. And nothing's going to stop them from doing it. Not even death.

Down with the weak One chance to make a stand The hooded reaper will meet you at your end Unveiling wounds of whispered lies I am the proof of living hell

And as for the music at the end... it doesn't exist yet. It seems to be an (unreleased) original piece created for Cult of the Lamb by Pick Up Goliath. The COTL Twitter wouldn't answer any questions regarding what the song is, but he can be seen in the comments being coy.

Joined August 2024... seems he made this account solely to repost this amv/teaser. Has no tweets before OR after it.

Anyways, what we're given seems very straight forward. "Pestilence" is being told to "kill The Light".

While the axolotls regard Lamb as The Light once they fix the lighthouse, Monch says outright that they aren't that. She seeks "the truth and the light". Based on the info we have now, 'the truth' is the Ancient Tablets. And by extension, The Fanatic. Monch's statement is vague enough that I can't say whether she's looking for one or two people. Lets assume the Light is someone else.

This entity is associated with fire, which may suggest a connection to the Cursed Crusade Fleece—a damaged fleece with a fire-pattern. But could just as well be connected to the Fervour's Favor fleece, as Fervour is often depicted using fire imagery.

Whoever this entity was, Kallamar killed them. Directly? Indirectly? Who's to say. But he is Pestilence.

Aaand that's all I got. For now, anyways.

[c-u-c-koo-4-40k]

Child of the Sea, Child of the Land (Oops all Mythicals!)

Edit 2: Tis Finished! ENJOY!!!

Edit: Tumblr did it again dammit don't read yet its not finished!

Oops! All Mythical edition, and as a regular story instead of a poem!

Featuring a saytr reader with a posterior of a horse. Reader is a literal horses ass. And a human torso. But they're very pleasant otherwise. Why not a centaur? Cause Satyrs need more love!

Also a cameo from Lenora and Erriox who are ocs from @egrets-not-regrets ! They're great check our their stuff!

Warning: Flirting, Abrupt proposal that Kinda equates to marriage, violence, threats of getting eaten, descriptions of blinding, the word Whore, description of burning.

Notes: The mythical creatures are the humans of this world they can own other animals who are still just animals. No weird inter species stuff going on. The mythical creatures with human features just exist, as do the regular animals.

Tag: @kit-williams @sleepyfan-blog @egrets-not-regrets @barn-anon @bleedingichorhearts @gallifreyianrosearkytiorsusan

Ahem!

Long ago in a world not unlike our own, their lived vast communities of strange and wonderful creatures.

There were the harpies that patrolled the skys, hunting and chorusing with their fellows. Each taking after the bird that shared their features in form and function.

There were the land dwellers, who tilled the soil, and raised the creatures of their farms to suit their needs. They came in many shapes and variances of limbs.

A centaur with the body of an Elephant who watched over the inland waterways, a drider who wove fine their silks in clothing, and most commonly, those land folk who we would call saytrs.

But more than deer or goats, they walked and ran with a plethora of mammalian hindquarters.

It is in this group we find, a very dutiful satyr. Their hind quarters were strong, resembling a horse, but enchanting with their feathered ends that contrasted their complexion.

Each day they tended to their farm, alongside their parents. With love and care and only Occasional outbursts of frustration.

Splash!

"Oh Dammit!"

Language!

"Um...sorry?" They snorted before grabbing a drying towel to mop the wet from their legs.

Anyway! However devoted...and dampened, this particular land dweller was, they did their work with a smile. For it truly brought them joy.

Crash!

"Fucking Dammit! Get back here!"

Languag- Oh Nevermind!

You got ahold of the wayward gelding before he could cause even More damage than he already had.

"Honestly Gemstone," You sighed, leading him back to his pen. You'd need a new chain...and a new fence panel.

The idiot had knocked the whole setup over trying to reach for a bit of graze on the other side.

You sighed heavily, another log to the pile. "What am I supposed to do with you huh?" You asked the rhetorical, as you tied Gemstone off to the side.

Huffing, you hefted a less destroyed panel over, followed by dismantling the first, fetching a new chain, and finally setting everything back together to your satisfaction.

You glanced back at the offending party.

"Well? Got anything to say for yourself?"

The gelding's dark eyes simply staired back. Before he slipped his tongue out and followed that up with a huge Yaaaaaaaawn.

Your serious facade broke. "Pfft! Ha..." You sighed, gently taking his head again and scratching his face the way he liked. "Guess I can't stay mad at you. Even if you are a silly bugger bear! Silly Silly bugoo be-wawr!" You cooed before returning him to his place.

"And stay there! Goofball." You shook your head and smiled, as your mother approached.

"That old fence panel finally gave up the ghost huh?" She asked, walking over.

You snorted, not unlike the horses you shared features with. "Yep, had to redo it." You huffed. "Cause somebody was a greedy Fart!" You scolded the horse again.

Gemstone simply went on munching his hay, unbothered.

Your mother chuckled, "Well it seems you've got this well in hand," She surmised, before handing you a bundle and a pitcher.

"Hm?" You took it, smelling something delightful.

"Your favorite," Your mother explained. "And some lemonade to help you stay hydrated. Go ahead and eat your lunch."

"Awww, thanks mom."

"You've more than earned it sweetie. mwah." She replied, with a kiss on your cheek, before walking back to your cottage.

As you watched her go, you felt an odd twisting in your heart.

"Her next birthday is pretty soon." You spoke, to no one in particular, maybe Gemstone could listen to your thoughts.

"I want to get her something special. I still remember when she showed me her collections of shells." You mused. "Some of those are even older than me..."

Your mother Loved the beach, and the ocean, after all she was born and raised with it practically next door. She'd spend hours at your age combing the beach for shells and sea glass.

But now...now it was so much more difficult for her. Between age and farm work, you couldn't even remember the last time You went swimming, let alone to the oceanside.

But...if your idea worked out, you'd be able to present her with a beautiful gift! A genuine piece of coral, and one in her favorite color no less!

There's was just one...small issue. Even at your best, you would not be able to dive long enough to retrieve it.

And even with your strength, you doubted you could break a piece from a creature that was more or less living rock.

And even if you Could, you'd run the risk of offending....one of them.

You felt a shiver pass through you.

Ah yes, the third and final group of this strange world's denizens. And by far the Most dangerous.

The sea folk.

Among their numbers were your typical mermaids, selkies, even the occasional crustacean-kin. Those honestly weren't frightening at all, no more so than any other stranger would be you mean.

But the most dangerous, most deadly, and most mysterious beings of the ocean, were those known as The Mer Astartes.

Armored, huge, stoic and nearly unknowable...but not completely.

Word was they Could be propositioned, for the right price.

That problem being that price, or rather the nature of the payment, varied Wildly depending on what mer you managed to contact.

You could end up trading something as banal as some land food items, to being demanded your own severed foreleg.

Again you shuddered.

But you would not be deterred! After all you knew where to gathe all the necessary ingredients. Those would be easy.

Well...all but...one.

As you sat beneath the shade of a tree, you gathered your long, luxurious tail into your lap.

The hair was wirey, strong, but well kept. It was a matter of pride for horse folk like yourself.

With the seasons changing, and biting flies soon to be a factor, you didn't want any of your precious equines to go without.

Besides...well kept satyr tail hair would be seen as more valuable...you hoped.

You turned your gaze toward the sea, though you could not see it. With your anticipation you could almost catch the faintest hint of salt brine.

You hoped the objects you would gather would be enough.

You hoped the old stories about the merfolk's preferences were true.

You sighed. "Another log to the pile..." You mumbled.

You left your tail unchanged for now. You didn't want your mother noticing.

You finished your lunch and the days work, and turned in early. You had a long day ahead of you.

...

The port city was Bustling with activity, even as early as you had set out.

You'd let your parents know you'd be away running errands, and the farm had another of your village's neighbors looking after it today.

Meaning you could focus solely on your task.

The crowds of different animal folk buzzed about with purpose.

Ox and cattle folk carrying Huge burdens, and drawing carts through the city streets.

Harpies of many kinds, flitting and squawking their trade and barter above in the open air and in the air market.

Like the Vulture and Eagle harpies displaying a variety of bone trinkets, and dried salted meats.

Hummingbird harpies tending to and selling flowers.

A hippo centaur carrying water with its little calf following close behind.

Adorable.

But you had two particular items in mind. And you wanted Prime quality for the task at hand.

You surveyed with not just your eyes, but your sharp nose as well, until-

"Oysters!" A voice cried out. "Fresh fish and oysters! Caught only this morning!"

Perfect!

You approached the calls, and what greeted you was an Osprey harpy. The bird woman stood behind a stall filled with fish and other marine delicacies.

"Greetings and welcome! Please have a look at our wares." She entreated as you approached.

"Hello," You replied, scanning over the offerings.

Mussels of various sizes were displayed in boxes filled with clear salt water. And many dried salted fish hung in bundles around the stall.

Plenty to chose from!

Maybe...too many.

Well, this might be harder than you first thought.

What type of Oyster and Fish Skin would most appeal to a mer Astarte?

"Something on your mind dear?"

You were woke from your thoughts by the Osprey women, the experienced seller clearly seeing your hesitation.

"Ah well..." You felt awkward, not sure how to explain your reasoning for Needing these things.

"You see...I need an Oyster and some fish skin, but I'm not sure what particular..."

"You're trying to contact an Astarte?"

You froze before stammering over your words. "How did- I mean no- I."

The Osprey harpy smiled and held up one of her taloned hands. "It's alright dear, you're not the first to go snooping for things based on the old stories."

You relaxed a bit.

Only for her demeanor to become strict. "You're not trying to lure one in to poach it are you?"

You?

Poach an Astarte?

On your own!?

"Pffffffft! Ha!" You couldn't help the outburst, only to see the Osprey's face was still serious.

You quickly tamped down your laughter. "Oh ah, sorry no. No no no, I need to ask one for help you see."

The harpy's posture immediately relaxed. "Oh?"

"Mmhm," You nodded before retrieving a piece of parchment from your satchel.

"I want to give my mother a piece of this coral." You explained, showing the image and information you'd copied from a book.

The Osprey looked over the image, examining it closely. "This Coral..."

"Is only found in the waters controlled by the mer astartes, I know." You completed her thought, returning the page to your bag.

"I know it's risky...but my mother hasn't gotten to see the ocean in so long, and it's hard for her to make the journey." You explained. "I was hoping I could bring a small part of the ocean to her."

The osprey harpy's gaze softened, clearly moved by your wish. She seemed to be mulling over her next words.

"Well...I think I can help you. At least a little bit."

You perked up.

The Osprey pulled up something from behind the counter, and laid it down so you could view it.

It was a map of the port city and nearby shorelines.

"Your best bet is to go here." She explained, pointing to a particular spot.

The name scrawled across the parchment stared back at you.

Fire Drake Shore

You paused for a moment. "Why there exactly?"

The Osprey smiled wryly. "You'll have the best chance finding someone willing to help with your quest."

"Really!?" You asked excitedly, the Osprey nodded.

"But," Your joy was interrupted buy the harpy's shift in tone back to serious. "You Must go during the day, and stay no later than sunset." She explained further. "Different mers are more active at different times of the day. You might end up contacting something far more dangerous if you don't heed these warnings."

You nodded, letting the words sink in. "Fire Drake Shore, during the day, no later than sunset. Got it!"

"Alright," The Osprey once again relaxed, placing her clawed hands on her hips. "Now, how's about I get you set up with a proper oyster and the finest shimmering pickled fish skin." She crowed, reaching into the oyster box and for her knife. "I'll even give you a discount!"

"Really? You don't have to-"

"Think about it as being for your mother." The Osprey said, gathering your purchased items together.

Well...you supposed you wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. "Thank you, thank you so much! Um...what is your name?"

The Osprey woman smiled. "It's Lenora, sweetie."

"Well...thank you so much Lenora!" You said gratefully as you payed.

Once your items were secure, you bid Lenora the Osprey woman farewell, as you excitedly made your way to Fire Drake Shore.

As she watched you leave, the Osprey harpy felt happy, but still a little concerned.

"I wish I could've helped you more." Unbeknowst to most, Lenora had...a certain relationship with a mer astarte she'd helped by chance.

Had he not been on an extended hunting trip Erriox could have been convinced to help. He'd have grumbled and groused, but he'd have done it. Maybe even would have smiled at the adorable Horse folk getting to give their mother a beautiful gift, before acting like it didn't affect him at all.

The Osprey harpy smiled at the thought of her companions rough, but sweet demeanor. But as her thoughts went on she found herself troubled.

Fire Drake Shore was the best place that Horse saytr could go...but even there wasn't completely safe.

She hoped things would work out.

By the stars, and the ancient mothers, she hoped it would work out.

...

The crashing of waves, and salty brine met your ears and nose as you approached the shoreline.

Fire Drake Shore...

You're not sure why it was named such, nothing about it spoke to you as very...fire drakey.

But as your approached the gently rolling waves, and breathed in the salty air, you couldn't deny this place was beautiful!

Serene, and yet lively. With the call of gulls in the air, you made your way down to the water.

You stood before the waves, watching as their reach came just far enough to touch your hooves.

And for a moment, you gave yourself permission to just...enjoy the present.

The way the water would run up the sand, before seeming to vanish and melt into the beach as it receded. The salty brine that filled your nose and lungs. The way the water stretched so far out it was nearly impossible to tell where the water ended and the sky began.

But you couldn't dwell on that for much longer. There was...something else that had to be done.

One more piece to prepare...or rather two.

You gathered a chunk, about one third of you precious tail, into one hand. With your other, you took out a knife.

It wasn't even all of it...but the piece would be noticeable in its absence.

But it Would grow back. And the struggle would be worth it, it would all be worth it.

With careful precision, you began to cut through the strands of your own tail.

Snip, by snip, broken severed hair, by severed hair. You winced, but did not falter until at last you held the separated hair in you hand.

"No turning back now." You muttered, pulling out the oyster and fish skin.

You used your knife again, plunging it into the gap of the oyster and carving it open. Then, you sprinkled a bit of vinegar into the gap from a small flask you'd bought.

But rather than use your knife for the final ingredient, you chose a less painful method.

You'd intentionally let your lips become chapped and plucked and picked at the dry skin until you tasted Iron.

You carefully wrapped the now opened oyster, the fish skin and the horse hair into a bundle, much like a gift.

You pressed your bleeding lip to the parcel.

"Please, Please let this work." You whispered your prayer, feeling your heart race despite your quiet.

And with that, you reared back and Threw your bundle as Hard as you could into the sea, where it splashed and sank below the waves.

...

.........

.................

Nothing. But maybe you just needed to wait longer. You paced back and forth a bit, looking out into waves, hoping to see something come from them.

....

.............

.............................

You felt your heart sink.

All that preparation, all that hope...and for what?!

Part of you wanted to scream, the other half wanted to cry.

"RrrraAGHH!" You let the frustration out, kicking the sand and stomping about. Snorting and head tossing, and flicking what remained of your tail!

Only to slip and fall ass over tea kettle onto the sand. "WOah-oOOF!"

You laid there in disbelief for a moment. "UuURghaaaaAh!" You let out an odd mix of growl and shout in frustration, covering your eyes with your hands and thrashing for a minute before...

Before you just, slumped down, defeated.

You let out a sigh, and laid there.

The sounds of the waves and the gulls, the scent of the brine and the sluggish sparse clouds above....all was Just as peaceful and as beautiful as when you first arrived.

Maybe you could wait longer?

But maybe that wouldn't help.

Lenora had said this beach was the best option. Wouldn't that mean the old stories of summoning Astartes were true?

True doesn't mean a certain method would always work...the ocean was avert place after all.

Maybe no mer astartes had seen your offering.

You brought yourself up and sat, facing the waves still rolling.

The waves your mother used to love, the same ones that went on even without her being here...

If waves could love...would they love even when no one was watching? When the people who once adored them left and some never came back?

You felt a twinge and sniffed as some tears began to form at the corners of your eyes, you wiped them away quickly. And sighed.

Well...at least the view was pretty.

You sat there for a bit, before bringing yourself back up to stand.

There was no use dwelling on something that couldn't be changed. You'd find something else to give your mother, even if the disappointment of your failure still stung.

You turned to walk back into town, perhaps you could find something nice at one of the stalls-

SPLASH!

A damp wave of water suddenly doused you, soaking you from head to hoof in brine.

"P-pthoo! What the-" Your shout was cut off as you realized you were enveloped in a shadow much larger than you.

Your eyes trailed up at the imposing figure before you.

Long marine tail? Check, it was the color of cooled molten rock and had bright red orange veins.

Armored torso? Check, it was plated a deep green color, with dragon like insignias on the chest and shoulder pauldron.

Inscrutable, helmeted gaze? Check, the large marine had red lenses that peered down at you intensely, regarding you with curiosity, as you regarded Him with trepidation.

Neither of you spoke for a moment. The only sound passing between you his breathing. Until you decided to break the ice.

"Um...he-hello?"

The Astarte tilted his head slightly before bringing up his hand between the two of you.

You found yourself bewildered as you were presented with the parcel you'd just thrown into the sea.

Was he...trying to return it to you? "...oh...Oh, no!" You replied, gently pushing it back towards him, his arm didn't even budge. "It's for you!"

The slight twitch backwards he did is response was more readable. He was confused.

"Ah sorry Sorry, what I mean is...I need your help. And...I was told that the best way to contact you was buy...throwing this into the ocean." You hurriedly explained.

This seemed to give the marine pause, before he lifted his other hand to his helm.

Click, hiss

With a practiced ease he removed his helm, and you were taken aback by what greeted you.

A skin as dark as charcoal, but eyes that were surprisingly soft despite them being totally red. And his hair! Long and pale and curly, it seemed to bounce as it came free.

You felt a slight blush creep over your skin. He was...very attractive.

And when he spoke his voice was warm, and smooth.

"I see," He replied to you. "Though this method is a bit...outdated, To serve and to aid is the most honorable of acts. How may I assist you this day, child of the land?"

You had to force yourself to respond. "I well...I was hoping to contact an Astarte so I could get my hands on some of this. Ah one sec let me find it."

As you fumbled in your bag you had no idea Pyrus, the large Salamander, was secretly enjoying how adorable you looked.

Land dwellers were always so funny. Though he Did wish you didn't appear so frightened, but he supposed it was natural, all things considered.

You finally pulled the coral parchment from you satchel, gladdened that it wasn't too soaked, and displayed it for the marine.

As he looked over the image you continued to explain. "I want to give it to my mother as a gift. She's...always loved the ocean."

The marine looked to your face, some of your apprehension was replaced with melancholy. It tugged on his two hearts.

"It's...hard for her...she can't travel as easily these days so...I wanted to bring a bit of the ocean to her." You explained. "This coral is her Favorite color, and I wanted to give it to her for her birthday. So...in exchange for these items...do you think you could help me?"

Pyrus felt his chest swell. The Salamanders prided themselves on the virtues of love and camaraderie. To see your concern and desire to please your loved one was not only sweet, it was very attractive indeed.

He was a Slight oddity in his pod. Most of his kind didn't really...feel attraction in the sense that most baseline creatures did.

Those that did preferred the features of sea folk, which was fine, but...it did leave him a bit isolated in the fact he much preferred the features of land walkers.

He just found them so...fascinating! He'd spend hours watching at a distance as the port city buzzed with life. The music, the food, the inurmerable sights and sounds and experiences to be had.

And him...stuck out there in the ocean. Oh sure he had the ability to swim through air but if he took one step in that town the people would scatter in fear.

Not...like he blamed them.

Between his preferences and his hobbies, he often felt...alone.

Even amongst his brothers, but maybe...he didn't have to be as alone anymore?

"Indeed, this is a task I can take well in hand." He proclaimed. And he saw your ears perk up.

"You can! Oh thank you!"

Pyrus held up his gauntleted hand, he may be about to ask something...much in return, but he would not get your hopes up or lie to you.

"But...I must ask for one more thing in return."

You waited, unsure of what he'd ask for, but you'd gotten this far.

"The truth is...it is quite Lonely, below the waves." He began, now himself feeling awkward. "I hold each of my brother close to my heart but...we do not share the same interests."

"As your mother yearns for the sea, I yearn for a connection I cannot obtain within it." Pyrus continued. "So I wanted to ask, if I grant you this request of your heart, would you grant me mine?"

You tilted your head. What could you offer the heart of an Astarte?

Pyrus squared his shoulders, he would do this right! Even if it was sudden. "Dear child of the land...would you join me beneath the waves, soothe my lonely heart, as I will soothe yours. You kindness and devotion have smitten me. If I grant you this favor, this is what I ask in return."

He...he what now?

You shook your head in confusion. "I'm...sorry, did you just ask me...to...Join you under the waves?"

Pyrus nodded, a bit worried about your tone. You didn't seem to like the idea.

"Yes, we Astarte possess the ability to change others into our kind. Granting the ability to live in the water as we do."

Well...shoot.

You didn't know how to respond. But, you didn't want to lie to him.

"I...um...I'm sorry." You replied. "I mean...your offer is Very flattering." Very flattering, an ungodly attractive and kind man just essentially...proposed to you out of nowhere???

"But...I have to say no." You stated. "As much as I love this place...it isn't my home. My home is back on the farm, with my mom and dad and our creatures...I can't just up and leave them. They Need me." You explained.

Oh...oh...Pyrus felt his dark skin flush with embarassment. Of course you couldn't just up and leave the family you cared so much for, what was he thinking!? Stupid Pyrus, absolutley stupid! "Oh..."

You saw his dejection, and you felt your heart twist. He really did seem so sweet.

"Hey," You entreated, getting his attention. "Even though I can't Live with you...I'd love to get to Know you."

Pyrus perked up a bit at that.

"We just met, so the living beneath the waves together isn't the best idea. I mean...what if we found out two weeks in we were terrible room mates." You jested, trying to lighten the mood.

Pyrus did feel a slight smile turn the corners of his mouth and he chuckled. "I...suppose that is true."

"But I do want to learn more about the ocean, and I'd be happy to come and visit! Heck, if possible we could even find a way for you to visit my home!" You offered.

Pyrus could sense your earnestness, and it made him so happy. A place where he'd already have a friend, and be able to explore without worrying about scaring others.

He felt a buzzing excitement light in him. But he kept his composure.

"I...would like that very much."

"Perfect! Then let's start with proper introductions." You held out your hand and shared your name to the marine.

Pyrus took your small hand in his, rejoicing in this new connection. "I am Pyrus, son of Vulcan," He stated. "And I will grant you this favor, in return that you will visit and teach me of your home, as I teach you of mine." He stated.

"You will return...won't you?" He asked softly, knowing he technically couldn't Force you to uphold this vow.

You smiled, and gestured for him to lean down a bit. He acquiesced.

"Mwah," You placed a sweet kiss on his forehead, causing the son of Vulcan to freeze in surprise for a moment.

"I do solemnly swear!" You stated proudly.

Pyrus felt that blush return, all about his face and neck. But again he reined in his response.

"Thank you, landling." He hummed returning his helm to his head, and taking the originally offered bundle of items.

Pickled fish skin was a rare treat, as was the vinegar oyster, and the horse hair was useful as string was difficult to come by underwater. He stowed these items away and turned toward the open sea.

"It will take some time to retrieve this coral. Please wait here until I return." He asked, and you nodded.

"I'll be here." You assured.

...

After a number of hours had passed, you were Really wishing Pyrus had given you a better idea of when he'd be back beside, some time.

Good lord you were bored. You'd forgotten to bring a book or journal or even a sketch pad. And you could only take so many naps in the shade before your body refused to fall back asleep.

At least the beach was peaceful, and you marveled at the shift from bright day, to hazy evening and finally the sunset-

Sunset.

That...that made you more worried.

But...it was probably fine. Pyrus and his brothers were out there, and if his brother's were anything like him, you'd have nothing to worry about.

As you sat back pondering these troubling thoughts, you saw a large shape begin to emerge from the water.

Your heart leapt, and you quickly stood up. Finally!

"Pyrus!" You called. "I'm so glad to see yo-"

The shape broke through the surface and your gut felt like a brick of ice dropped into it.

That...that wasn't Pyrus...

The sun's dipping rays illuminated the purple pink armor, rimmed with gold, as the unknown Astarte continued to advance, languidly drawing closer.

You didn't move. You almost couldn't bear to breathe.

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Running might only make things worse...especially now that you were in his sights.

The Astarte emerged completely from the water, just off to one side of you. Unlike Pyrus who had come to you, talked to you, like an actual living being.

This one instead eyed you, and began circling you where you stood with a curiosity that felt...predatory. Swimming through the air in a way that felt so...targeted.

As if daring you to move...to flinch.

"Well...well....welllllll." The Astarte cooed with a sick glee in his voice, slightly modulated as it came through his helmet. "What have we heeeeere?"

Suddenly his hand shot out and grabbed your face roughly forcing you to look him in the eyes.

"A cute little saytr, all alone. How sad...how pitiful...how..." He hummed and the image of him licking his lips came to mind. "appetizing."

Oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck, oh fuck.

"Me? Ah pfft nope!" He responded nervously, as best you could with your chin in his grasp.

He seemed a bit stunned you could respond, but quickly recovered. "Oh? And why is that my little...morsel?"

Think fast think fast. "Ah I mean...have you actually ever Had horse meat? It's really not that good." You explained. "Mostly grisle and wirey muscle, very stringy, not at all appetizing." You stated, as if critiquing a five star dish. And one you'd never actually eaten, only hearing about it from others.

"PFFtt ha Ha HA!" Well you weren't sure if that was positive but you'll roll with it. His laughter had caused him to let go of your chin.

"And the torso bit isn't much better!" You continued. "Far too much adipose, and so low on nutrients. Dare I say you'd be better off eating sand and tree bark. At least then you'd been getting fiber."

The Astarte continued to laugh. Full on shaking cackles as you Slowly stepped back. "Oh My...you're quite funny." He said as he calmed, and removed his helmet.

Beneath you saw a beautiful but terrifying appearance. His face was pale, his eyes a luxurious but cold looking purple with unnaturally shaped pupils.

His Teeth. Sharp, fanged, with marks on his chin you weren't sure if they were makeup or...blood trails from previous meals.

And his hair...it wasn't hair. It was long tendrils with sharp mouthed ends. Like a Medusa but with carnivorous eels instead of snakes.

"Oh go ahead, enjoy the visage~" He cooed, brushing back his...locks. "I'll allow it since you entertained me. Most land folk just scream and cry and beg for their lives. Not nearly so entertaining after a while."

You swallowed dryly. "I mean...why lose your sense of humor am I right?" You shrugged nervously, still carefully working your way back.

You couldn't outrun him, but maybe you could keep him distracted till-OOf!

You suddenly found yourself pinned to the sand, the large Astarte floating above you.

Those eyes, those eyes, they looked down at you with a sadistic glee, as his hair fanned out in different directions.

"Ah, ah A-ah~." He sing-songed. "Tsk, tsk, I didn't say you could leave. How Rude to try and break from a conversation without proper decorum."

He held you down effortlessly with one hand, Just hard enough to be uncomfortable. The other tapped your nose as if you were a naughty child.

"Hmm~ Well, this has been fun." He conceded. "But I really Am hungry, and I think a sweet little treat like you, would just perfectly Hit the Spot~" His jaw unhinged, revealing a second set of jaws behind the first, as his eely locks began swarming revealing their own nashing teeth.

"And the Sweetest part will be your screams! Please be as loud as you can! It makes the meal even more thrilling!" He chortled planting his other hand in the sand next to your head.

You couldn't move, the pressure was too much, but you did still have your satchel.

You reached in feeling the small bottle of vinegar you'd brought. You grasped it tightly and in one quick motion, broke the bottle into his face!

"RWAGGGG!" He cried and hissed as the glass and acidic liquid went into his eyes, causing him to rear back.

You scrambled away as his hands came up to his face, he fumbled over to the sea water, desperately splashing it into his eyes and dipping his face.

"You little Whore!" He snarled, still doubled over, his eyes and face had blood running down them.

CRACK!

That...that move had been pure adrenaline. You capitalized on his weakness and disbelief, cracking him square in the face with a downward kick.

Now blood ran over his mouth from his broken nose, as he sputtered and choked.

You did it again, rapid repetitive strikes with your hooves.

CRACK! SPLASH! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

You might've even broken some of his teeth.

Still flush with rage and adrenaline, you shouted. "How's that taste you deep sea, punk ass fish breath Bitch!"

Only to Immediately remember what you were up against when the marine caught your next strike.

"WOAH!" You suddenly found yourself upside down, looking up at your attacker as he held you by the leg.

The blood made his expression even more deranged as he smiled, oh no.

"AAAAH-O-OOF!!! Next thing you knew you were being flung away and down like a rag doll, right into the middle of the beach. Even on sand the impact knocked the wind from your lungs, and you worried briefly about broken ribs.

Briefly because you saw the violent violet marine approaching, stalking toward you like a cat hunting a mouse. You scrambled to your feet though it hurt.

Everything hurt.

You stepped back slowly as the marine advanced, enjoying your rapidly deteriorating courage.

He towered above you. "I'm going to enjoy, ripping you apart piece by piece." He said lashing out with his claws. It left a shallow but long and stinging cut on your face. You stumbled back.

"I'm going to enjoy Flaying your skin inch by inch." He laughed lapping the fresh blood from his claws.

He raised them again as you had nowhere left to go. No hope of escape. You braced for the worst.

"And I'm going to Relish keeping you alive as I Devour you -OUGh!"

His speech was cut off as a blur of green and orange suddenly burst from the ocean, tackling your assailant.

Even in the more dim light you saw the red helmet lenses, the burning firey veins on that molten rock like tail. And you saw the steam rising from the grappling marines.

"Ah-ah-ah AHhhhhAh!" The purple marine actually shrieked as the the coils smothered and burned him. You could smell the burning fish flesh...

The gauntleted arm of the second marine held his head in a vice grip headlock. The purple marine struggled and slashed and bit, with both his limbs and his living hair.

But soon his struggles weakened and ebbed into nothing, the last tremoring shakes of life as he finally stilled.

There was a moment of pause before the green marine made a sudden swift jerk.

You heard a sickening crack! And the purple marine'a body dropped to the sand.

Limp.

Lifeless.

You could see the green marine's heaving breaths.

You hoped you weren't wrong this time. "P-pyrus?" You asked hesitantly.

The marine did not answer verbally, but instead reached into his pack, and pulled out a fist size lump of coral.

Your mother's coral.

You couldn't believe your eyes.

"Pyrus!" You cried jumping past the object and wrapping your arms around your Astarte.

You pushed and nuzzled into his chest plate. Rubbing your head up and down it in glee. "I knew you'd come back!"

Pyrus removed his helmet with his free hand and dropped it, before leaning down and bringing his arm around you.

He nuzzled close to you, feeling your skin and heartbeat. The same precious heartbeat he'd been seconds away from never hearing again. "I'm so sorry! Had I known, I would've protected you better. I thought you were safe here."

He'd need to contact his captain and chapter master. A Chaos marine making it this far in their territory, could not and would not be tolerated.

But for now he brought his large hand to your face examining the damage.

It was then you realized you'd rubbed your bloody cheek on his chest plate.

"Oh! Sorry."

"Thanks." You sighed, utterly exhausted. You did take the coral from Pyrus, examining it closely.

"No...you have nothing to apologize for." Pyrus assured. He even noted the Slannesh marine's broken nose and teeth. His hearts swelled with pride. "You fought well, Here."

You hesitated for a moment, as Pyrus leaned down, only to relax when he simply laved his tongue over your cheek.

His saliva soothed the sting of your cut, helping the wound close.

"Its even more beautiful in the water." He stated, noting your fondness. "I would love to show you when you next visit...if you wish to."

He wouldn't blame you for not wanting to.

Instead, you smiled, tired but genuine. "I'd like that very much...and hey, maybe with the right prep, my mom and dad could see it too."

Pyrus smiled. "I will help in whatever way I can, to make it a reality." He assured nuzzling you again.

You both stood there, watching the waves crest and roll in the newly fallen night.

You could go back into town, find a inn to stay at, but you didn't fancy being alone.

"Pyrus, is there somewhere...we can stay the night together?"

The marine seemed surprised by your request, but nodded. "Of course, follow me."

He led you a little ways down the beach, to a sheltered cave where sand met surf.

It would've been cold in the night, if not for the living heater that coiled around you as you settled in for sleep.

As you laid down, you felt a great peace overcome you.

"Sleep now my dear child of land." He cooed, petting your head. "I will guard you."

You smiled and cuddled into him. "And I will keep you -yaaaawn- from feeling too alone."

Outside the waves and winds rolled in. The brine of the sea carried inland, as the seabirds hunkered down in their nests.

The horses rested safe in their pens, and the winds gently waved the leaves of the trees.

And two lonely souls rested well, as they didn't feel so alone anymore.

[deadlandsqueen]

Found you through your tiktok and I genuinely would love to hear you talk all about sun wukon as much as you want

Ahhhh! That makes me so happy. Genuinely was getting overwhelmed in comments cause so many wanted to hear XD

The thing is it's all about where I would start- *presure in on staring at the universe like "how did I get here?"*

-cause I could easily direct someone to watch something on him (Like Overly sarcastic production they are the goat of explaining who this little guy is and they have an ongoing series which focuses on more of the exciting tales).

But also I feel I haven't scratched the surface of adaptations. I know about the famous ones like Dragon ball (which I do find funny that Goku is not the first anime Goku there's another anime where it's jttw but pretty anime boys), and Lego Monkie kid.

However to go more obscure outside of America, one of my favorite adaptation -just from premise alone- is a Korean drama where Sun Wukong and Demon bull king are roommates ( A Korean Odyssey).

And there's like one thing from overly sarcastic Monkey King video that I could even add to is The Lumberjack scene (Which has no affect to the story and really you can argue there was no need to bring them u0 (Or maybe they are JUST ion The monkey and the monk)) But I got attached to that scene for the sheer potential of a Lumberjack who lives down the mountain from the immortals (aka Wukong's soon to be Mentor, Master Subhuti). Just a regular dude living his life them BOOM Monkey.

(I drew this after I read about him. Man was singing a poem and Wukong confused the man for being an immortal. beautiful)

Im so sorry for just dropping this but again Thank you I don't want to make you read a novel. There's almost a temptation to make a video on my thoughts but for now I'm trying to make some Jttw content that can express my love for this little guy. But I can say this if you know about how Wukong Scratched his name out of the book of the dead then you'll what my next animatic will be on (hopefully i just scribbled my thoughts out today so it's in pre-production)

I have a lot of thoughts get I still feel like im missiing so much. BUT IM GETTING THERE!

Also I cant talk about Black Myth Wukong. 50% of it is me dying in game. 30% staring at pretty visuals, or 10% me whining that I cant climb stuff even though Im monkey so I should have the right to climb or the last 10% is me finding a character, grabbing him and trying to make a character of them cause i think they're neat.

Im so sorry again for this novel but thank you again XD