#i'm SO IN on wherever this saga is going

[i-am-trying-my-best-okay]

I love Sofia and I want her to get everything ever; but I feel like with leaving Gia alive, she might accidently have created a cycle, and if she were to break it, then she'd lose everything.

Sofia killed Gia's parents, and I assume intends to lie about it, claim the gas leak was some sort of unfortunate accident. And while Gia might accept this now, as she's too young to know otherwise, as years go by and Gia gets older, she might start to look back and question things; why did Sofia lead them out to the Greenhouse the exact night there was that gas leak? Why'd it happen that exact night Gia had to leave the room when Sofia wanted to confront the family about something? She might begin to wonder, and this has a striking resemblance to how Sofia began to wonder and remember things from her mother's supposed suicide. Just as Sofia began to question her father's involvement in her mother's death, Gia might begin to question Sofia's involvement in her parent's deaths.

And that kind of questioning would be dangerous for Sofia; it could cause the power she'd gained to crumble apart if the truth were to come out. So if she can't put a stop to Gia's suspicious, she has a choice to make; will she allow her power to come to ruin, or will she be forced to silence Gia, just as her father had silenced her.

[littlestarxmilkyway]

SaGa 2 is the one game I still haven't started, DS version or even the Collection version. But I just really like it and think it's special?

I was really hyped for this banner on the JP side and I'm so happy they kept it as is and didn't combine it with any other banners!

My first pull, just like that. Esper Gals never fail me! And I'm so happy Esper Boy came home ASAP too!! (´；/////；｀)

[parismemes]

SENTENCE STARTERS FROM EPIC: THE MUSICAL - THE TROY SAGA

feel free to change/adjust sentences as needed !

THE HORSE AND THE INFANT.

"now we'll be the ones to slay." "do what i say and you'll see them again." "find that inner strength." "fight through every pain." "what do you live for?" "what do you try for?" "what do you wish for?" "what do you fight for?" "i fight for us." "i'm on my way." "who was that?" "i don't think you're ready." "i know that i'm ready." "what sort of imminent threat does he pose that i cannot avoid?" "if you don't end him now, you'll have no one left to save." "i could raise him as my own." "he'll find you wherever you roam." "this is the will of the gods." "please don't make me do this!" "the blood on your hands is something you won't lose; all you can choose is whose."

JUST A MAN.

"you're as old as he was." "will these actions haunt my days?" "close your eyes and spare yourself the view." "how could i hurt you?" "i'm just a man." "when does a man become a monster?" "when does the reason become the blame?" "forgive me."

FULL SPEED AHEAD.

"the problem's not the distance, it's what lies in between." "my kingdom is waiting." "full speed ahead." "we've run out of supplies to eat." "captain, what's the plan?" "watch where the birds fly; they will lead us to land." "there in the distance, i see an island!" "maybe they'll share some food, who knows?" "something feels off here." "i say we strike first, we don't have time to waste." "you and i'll go ahead." "we should try to find a way no one ends up dead." "we don't know what's ahead."

OPEN ARMS.

"you can relax, my friend." "i can tell you're getting nervous." "we'll survive what we get into." "tell me, is this how we're supposed to live?" "why should we take when we can give?" "this life is amazing when you greet it with open arms." "we'll be fine if we're leading from the heart." "we're only here for food." "stay back, i'm warning you." "i wish that i could say that i agree." "that's what we'd get with open arms." "i see in your face, there is so much guilt inside your heart."

WARRIOR OF THE MIND.

"have you forgotten the lessons i taught you?" "i see you changing from how i've designed you." "have you forgotten your purpose?" "show yourself." "i can see you." "how can you see through my spell?" "i was lying, and you fell for my bluff." "nice try, but two can play this game." "if you're looking for a mentor, i'll make sure your time's well spent." "we'll see where it ends." "i know we'll change the world." "maybe one day we'll reach them." "i still intend to make sure you don't fall behind." "don't disappoint me."

[moongothic]

You know I was wondering if Crocodile ever did have any kind of involvement with the Revolutionary Army in secret (lest the Government finds out and revokes his Shichibukai status), what kind of involvement would that even have been

And now, with both the Vegapunk/Ohara flashback and Kuma's flashback, it's being made very clear to us that the Revolutionary Army was broke as hell 22 years ago. Like the fact that this has been brought up twice now in a relatively short span of time is interesting to me, that's usually a sign it's not an unimportant plotpoint

But you know who would have had money to help fund the Army

A funny little warlord who would eventually go and build a fucking casino to run for funsies. A warlord who had to give the Government some of his Pirating Income to keep his warlord-status

Like Crocodile hated the Government anyways so why not help fund the Revolutionary Army in secret, out of spite if for no other reason

Vaguely related, but I keep on remembering this scene (post-Enies Lobby), which at first glance just seems like a basic Lore Dump

But then there's the

"Yet..."

(Or "however", she says "no ni" in Japanese and you could translate that in many ways, I would probably have gone with "however" but that wouldn't have fit into the speechbubble)

Mind you, the conversation just kind of ends there, next we see Garp realize he probably shouldn't have mentioned Dragon infront of such a massive audience, so wherever that "yet" was going to lead to we will never find out, because Oda conveniently changed the subject before we got to it

And you know. Like yes, Robin could be just expressing her shock over finding out that the leader of the Revolutionary Army had a child with someone

But also, Robin was a part of an organization that was trying to overthrow one of the founding countries of the World Government in an explicit attempt to go against said Government (compared to like, Blackbeard, who currently wants to make Fullalead into a "pirate country" that's a part OF the World Government)

Like you don't have to be a genius to look at Crocodile's ultimate goals and compare that to what Dragon is doing and find a few similarities here and there maybe

(Also like, Crocodile's equivalent in Romancing SaGa 2 is meant to be Wagnas, the queer-coded leader of the Seven Heroes (whom the OG Shichibukai are based on) who "hoped to help the world". You know, an interesting detail and all.)

Not to mention, during the time Robin spent with Baroque Works, if Crocodile was ever in contact with the Revolutionary Army at all, considdering she has the ability to easily spy on people and that she didn't trust Crocodile one bit, it wouldn't be unsurprising if she ever spied on Crocodile and/or just overheard a phone call or knew about Crocodile having secret spending habits or something

(Mind you, I'm not saying "she knew" Crocodile was involved with the Revolutionaries, more that she might've been Suspecting Things, that "yet" being about her connecting the dots while unsure if her conclusion was right or not)

Of course Crocodile's plans can't have been Dragon Approved by any means, especially considdering the Army had been looking for Robin for over 10 years (pre-timeskip)

Four years of which were with Crocodile. Like if he was FULLY allied with the Army and KNEW they were looking for Robin, surely he would've called Dragon and been like "hey I found the kid from Ohara, wanna come hang out" or something. But no, he had bigger plans and kept Robin a secret from the Revolutionaries and the Government alike

Also like, I have seen people question why the Revolutionaries weren't involved with Alabasta's rebellion at all, and "Oda hadn't come up with the Revolutionaries yet at the time of writing" (/"OP was meant to end at Alabasta at one point so there would've been no reason to introduce the subplot at that point") aside Between Baroque Works being a secret organization working undercover (thus the Army might not have been aware of the civil war being manufactured), the framing of the King making him look bad and very much the type of monarch that deserved to be overthrown in the Army's eyes, and Crocodile maybe lying through his teeth about what was happening in the country... Yeah, the Army's lack of involvement with Alabasta suddenly makes sense

EDIT Minor addition: Just realized that because Crocodile was technically working for the Government, if the Revs ever did send forces to participate in Alabasta's civil army and taking down the throne, the Government could've easily ordered Crocodile to step in to stop the rebellion and take down the Revolutionaries, right? Because he was supposed to be on the Government's side, right? And surely the Army wouldn't have wanted to fight against Crocodile if they were secretly allied (Croc's secret betrayal aside), and if Crocodile refused to fight the Revs the Government could've seen that as a reason to revoke his Shichibukai rights (which wouldn't be great if they wanted to keep Crocodile in a position where he could fund the Army?). So it could've also been a case of it being for the best for everyone's sake to let this one play out "naturally"

But my point is

I'm just deeply intriqued by these little details and wonder if I'm Actually Masterfully Connecting The Dots Like a True Genius or just seeing a pattern where there's none. Like this is far from confirming the theory, I'm just saying, the pieces do kinda fit together do they not

[amazingmsme]

Restless ‘Til We Reach Home

A Lamb in Wolf’s Clothing (ch. 2)

AN: The long awaited second chapter & thunder saga is heeeere! I was getting ready to post it but stopped in my tracks when the thunder saga trailer dropped & realized how close it was & I knew what I had to do. Gotta say, Odysseus is real mean in this one. But hey, at least Hermes is there to balance it out!

Ch. 1 Ch. 3 Ch. 3.5 Ch. 4

Polites felt as though he really needed to clear the air with Odysseus, but where to even start?

The captain was nowhere in sight, so he floated around the deck in search of him. He was still trying to get used to his new way of travel, but he liked to think he was getting the hang of it pretty well.

In the underworld, he couldn't fly. Then again, that was a place made for people like him. It was meant as a bastardized recreation of home, to provide the comfort of solid ground and company.

Polites thought back to Hades, and how despite how horrible he thought he looked, there was always someone around the corner who was worse. He had gotten used to the gruesome sights after a while. And as awful as it was to say, seeing them kept him humble. Because yes, things were bad, but at least he didn't have his entrails dragging behind him. Eurydice was one of the few who looked just as beautiful in death as she did in life.

Eurydice...

He wondered how she was holding up. It'd been hours for him since he'd left, but for her, who knows? Had only seconds passed, leaving her on the bank as she wondered what awaited him? Or had it already been a day, the loneliness beginning to set in? Even with the perspective of the real world, Polites found it difficult to gauge the passage of time down there. So wherever she was, however long it had been, he hoped she was doing well.

The sun was getting lower in the sky, inching towards the horizon. It would be dark soon. For now, the light shifted, reflecting off the clouds in vibrant golds and orangey pinks. It was the first sunset of his new life, signaling an end of an era and a new dawn on its way.

Night fell quickly, enveloping them in a blanket of stars and darkness. Polites looked for the moon in the sky, but it was nowhere to be found. Ah, a new moon.

If you were to ask him, he would say that the moonless sky was just as beautiful as a full moon night. He'd started various debates about it with other soldiers, encouraging them to just hear him out. Of course the full moon is beautiful, he never said it wasn't! The new moon may lack her silvery glow, but doesn't her absence make it all the more beautiful when she comes back? The darkness on nights like these provide the most clarity, offering to you all the stars you could ever wish to see.

Most people thought the night sky was only black, but oh how wrong they were. These are the impatient ones: those who never allow their eyes the time to adjust before they give up, going on about their night. But when you lay back and just allow yourself to study the canvas before you, the work of art will reveal itself with bold blues, greens, purples, and yes, even pinks.

Polites floated on his back, hovering mere inches above the deck as he stared up at the sky. By the Gods, how he'd missed it.

He didn't know he'd been crying until he heard heavy steps coming up the stairs, and he frantically wiped them away. He sat up just in time to see who was approaching.

Odysseus let out a startled yelp when he saw his friend's crumpled form lying on the deck, just as he looked before he died.

"Dear Zeus, you scared the shit out of me. What the hell are you still doing here?" he snapped, keeping his distance.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you, Captain," he said earnestly. "I-I was just watching the stars. It's such a beautiful night..." he mused, gaze turning upwards once more.

"I didn't mean why are you out here. I mean why didn't you go back to where you belong?" Odysseus asked in a harsh growl.

The warm, soft smile that had found his face was gone in an instant, "W-What?"

"If you're really Polites, you should be in the underworld. Isn't that right?" he cocked his head to the side, taking a threatening step forward.

Polites stared at him in complete and utter shock. "Odysseus... Why would you say such a thing?"

"Answer the question."

"I WAS IN THE UNDERWORLD! You were in the underworld! But- we made it out, together-"

"No, you stowed away," he clarified harshly. "There's a difference." He had backed Polites against the rail, continuing to advance until he was so close, their noses were almost touching.

"I-I thought you'd be happy to see me again!" he cried defensively. There was a flash of sadness, of forlorn longing across Odysseus's face, but it was gone in an instant. Polites continued, "I know I sure was... until you opened your mouth."

Odysseus scowled, "If you really are Polites... and I seriously fucking doubt it, then you have no idea what we've all been through since you left. So I don't much care for your holier than thou judgment."

Holier than thou-

"Is that what you think of me?" he asked, genuine hurt laced in his voice. "That I thought I was better than you?" His voice began to tremble, but he fought against it, although his words still came out in a wavering rasp through his weakened vocal cords. "Because I would never think that." He couldn't believe he actually had to tell him this...

Odysseus didn't speak for a long moment. Despite their close proximity, Polites had never felt farther away from his friend.

"I don't know what to think anymore."

Polites shook his head, eyes flying wide open. "No! Odysseus, you know me! You know better than to think that!" Said man rolled his head to the side, glaring at him from the corner of his eyes.

"Do I now?"

"You should..."

Another long stretch of silence. The only sound was the gentle breeze catching in the closed sails, swaying them about and flapping the fabric. Small waves lapped at the hull of the ship, creating a soothing sloshing sound.

"Yeah well, like I said. Things have changed." He inhaled deeply, letting out a long, suffering sigh. "I really wish I could believe you," he said, eyes closed as he addressed him. He shook his head, the movement barely noticeable. "But I just can't."

"But you can!" Polites reached out instinctively to hold his hand, but Odysseus jerked his arm away before he could. And then he noticed the way he was staring at him, as if he was some kind of threat- some kind of monster.

The captain quickly schooled his emotions, taking a moment to himself before addressing Polites.

"So... what made you follow us?" he finally asked. A hopeful smile broke out on the spirit's face. Maybe he could convince him to see the truth through the haze of paranoia.

"Honestly, it wasn't my idea, but my friend down there, she told me I needed to go. A-and I thought... just maybe... you were looking for me," he admitted shyly, staring at the ground. He didn't like the way he could see through his own feet to the deck below.

Odysseus let out a shaky breath. "I knew it..." This was it!

"You really aren't the Polites I knew."

And just like that, the world came crashing down on him. His eyes were welling with tears fast.

"H-ho-how can you even say that?" he asked as he slowly sank to the floor.

"Because Polites wouldn't be so stupid as to think I'd risk the lives of my crew to rescue a dead man!" he screamed, spit flying from his lips with the passion of his outburst.

Polites took a step back: through the railing. He held his hands out in front of him, as if to protect him. But there's nothing to be protected from anymore. Nothing except the newfound cruelty of his old friend.

Tears threatened to spill over, but he blinked them away, shaking his head frantically. "Nonono, you don't really mean that. Y-you're just upset! Odysseus, please tell me you didn't mean it like that," he all but pleaded.

Odysseus opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself short. He tried once more, but all he could muster was a simple, "I'm sorry." He hesitated before turning his back on him, marching off to patrol the ship.

Polites was left floating there, completely heartbroken by his reaction. Never in a million years would he have expected the venom shooting from Odysseus's mouth to be aimed at him of all people.

Polites let himself fade from reality, disappearing completely as he drifted up towards the crows nest. It had always been the most peaceful place on the ship, and tonight was no exception.

He floated on until he reached the top, sitting down in the tightest ball he could manage. He buried his face in his knees as sobs completely wracked his body.

Why would he say such horrible things? He knew he couldn't even begin to fathom how their journey's gone up until now, but it was hard to believe it would prompt such a dramatic change.

But the alternative; the idea that he had never truly know Odysseus, was a far worse thought.

He looked up at the dozens and dozens of stars stretching before him from every which way. He felt as if he were flying, falling up, spiraling out of control towards them. Would he be falling for an eternity? Or would the stars catch him in their net, allowing the darkness to swallow him whole and consume his soul?

How wonderful it must be, turning to stardust.

"Oh Eurydice... you were wrong. I never should've left." His voice was weak and strangled as he spoke, just as it had been in his final moments. He gasped through his sobs, swallowing the snot that rolled down his throat, making him shudder. His whole body shook with convulsions as he cried.

"They don't w-want me a-around anymore. I'm nothing b-but a f-freak to them," he spoke barely above a whisper, frantically wiping away tears and blood. He hung his head low in defeat and shame, "I should've just stayed in Hades with you."

"And she's what? Girlfriend, friend, come on fill me in," an unexpected voice rudely interrupted. Polites screeched in surprise, turning visible once more as he whipped around to meet the intruder. How the hell did someone climb up without a sound?

"If you'd like, I'll even give her a little message from you," the strange man smirked wider, twirling his long curly hair around a finger. Polites gasped and looked down to the man's feet just to be sure, and just as he thought: wings.

"Hermes? I-I'm sorry, but uh, what are you doing here, exactly?" he asked, his previous breakdown quickly replaced with confusion. Something he did not appreciate. He wanted, no needed to cry after all that. But even the Gods wanted him to suffer, it would seem.

"Well excuse you! Taking a page from the captain's book, I take?" he taunted before bursting into a fit of giggles. Polites stiffened and glared at the God.

"No. I'm just trying to mind my own business, can't you do the same?" he huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. Hermes squinted in the dark and gasped when he recognized the man before him.

"You're his little dead friend, aren't you? The one that used to be cute," he clarified in a teasing manner.

Used to be cute... That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Hermes froze, mostly out of fear, when he first saw tears. "Um, what are you doing? Stop that," Hermes ordered, sitting on the edge of the crows nest. Polites looked at him in utter disbelief.

"I'm crying Hermes, what's it look like?" he snapped, and true enough, tears were once again rolling down his cheeks.

"Well, it's not a good look. Nope, doesn't suit you at all, really," he mused, looking the mortal up and down. Polites chewed the inside of his cheek, trying to be patient as he continued to glare.

"Oh really? And what, pray tell, would suit a face like this?" Polites asked bitterly, pointing at himself as he blinked back more tears.

"A smile, for one!" Hermes cheered, plopping down next to Polites and throwing an arm around his shoulders, pulling him in close. Polites squirmed and shoved him away angrily.

"Leave me alone! I don't want to smile, okay? There's nothing to smile about! And you know what? Yeah, I'll say it! I was happier in the underworld!" Polites screamed, not caring how loud he was. In fact, he hoped a certain captain with his head up his ass heard him. He hoped the guilt ate him alive.

Polites hated the fact that he didn't really feel that way, that he was self aware enough to know it was just his anger talking. Because once it blows over, he'll be the one wracked with guilt.

Hermes reeled back from his words, a hand flying up to cover his mouth as he gasped in shock.

"Oh Polites, you shouldn't say such a thing! I mean, what if the Gods themselves heard you? Ahahaha!" he threw his head back, cackling at his own joke.

"I don't care anymore! Clearly I don't belong here! I-I should've just stayed..."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know it was such a touché subject," Hermes apologized, seemingly meaning it. Polites remained skeptical. "But I'm truly shocked by your little outburst. You were always the happy one, were you not? So what's changed?"

"Everything!" Polites cried. "Are you blind? How can you not see that everything's gone to shit?"

"Careful now, don't forget who you're talking to," he warned through pursed lips, trying to hide his growing amusement.

Polites sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry Hermes, sir, but I don't really care right now."

Hermes shook his head, a small frown etching its way onto his face. "Oh my, this really is worse than I thought," he muttered to himself, resting a hand on his cheek. Polites couldn't help but roll his eyes and turn away.

"Tell me something I don't know..."

Hermes sighed, staring at the back of his head with pity. "Odysseus can be... stubborn at the best of times. He'll come back around. You just have to show him that same, chipper, adorable Polites he knows and loves," he tried to encourage him.

"But that didn't work..." he said, voice shy and meek.

"Oh! Um, well then... keep at it!" he chirped, slapping a hand on his back.

Polites was more than ready to tell him to get lost, but the touch on his back stole away all of his attention. He turned to meet Hermes face to face, eyes wide in a mix of shock and excitement.

"How did you do that?"

"Do what?"

Polites gestured at him wildly. "You just touched me! I mean like, actually touched me! I thought that was impossible!" Hermes opened his mouth to speak, but he rambled on, "Is that a God thing? Or can-"

"Shh, if you'll let me answer, I'll tell you!" he said before breaking off into giggles. Polites quickly shut up, hanging on his every word.

"It all comes down to intent. And, it works both ways. Here, shake my hand," he explained, offering holding it out for him to take. Polites looked at him skeptically before reaching out.

He tried to grasp his hand in his own, but phased completely through. "This is hopeless!" he whined in defeat. Hermes whistled and smacked him upside the head.

"Ow!" Polites yelped and flinched away, rubbing his head, more for show than anything. Hermes rolled his eyes at the dramatics.

"Oh please, I know that didn't hurt. Quit whining and try again." Polites grumbled under his breath, growing frustrated when he phased through once more.

"Try harder."

"I am!" he growled before taking a grounding breath. He tried again, and this time his hand firmly clasped around Hermes's wrist. A bright smile lit up his face as he met his gaze, "I-I did it!"

"Yeees, congratulations... You can let go now..." he prompted with a smirk.

"Sorry!" he immediately let go, yanking his arm back as if he'd been burned. Hermes chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"You're lucky it's me," he teased, breaking off into even more laughter. Polites couldn't help but giggle along with the infectious sound.

"I guess I am... So uh, t-thanks, for all that. I needed it."

"Desperately so," Hermes agreed. "But I single handedly saved the day, so you're welcome."

Polites snorted, "I wouldn't go that far, but you did make me feel a little better." Hermes cocked his head with an exaggerated pout.

"Aww, just a little? Are you sure about that?" he asked, and before he could answer, Hermes reached up to flutter a few fingers under his chin. Polites scrunched his neck with a barely choked back giggle, and the look he gave the messenger God was priceless. Hermes burst into hysterical giggles, flashing a sly grin his way, "Like I said Polites, it all comes down to intent."

He fished around in his bag, pulling out a gold drachma. "Catch," he said, tossing the coin his way. Polites reached out, snatching it in the air. Hermes gave an impressed grin, nodding in approval. "I expect you to practice. 'Til we meet again, ta-ta!" he waved farewell, hopping up on the edge of the crows nest and stepped off backwards. He swooped up in a backflip, definitely showing off as he flew away.

Polites stared at the coin in his hand, smiling softly. Maybe things would turn out okay.

~~~

Things always seemed better in the morning, Polites told himself. In the light of day, he would have a fresh start, a unique perspective. He just needed everyone else to come to terms with their new normal. So he went about the day like any other, floating down to the deck when the crew was called for breakfast.

He saw the few men spread out across two long mess tables, and he quickly spotted Eurylochus. He smirked and turned invisible, making his way over to him. He waited until he reached for his glass, and Polites placed his hand atop the cup, preventing it from being lifted.

Eurylochus stared at the cup with furrowed brows, giving it another tug. It barely budged under his hold. He looked around the table at the men around him, wondering if they had something to do with this. A few began to take notice and were just as confused as he was.

"Having a bit of trouble this morning?" Elpenor teased from across the table.

"Haha very funny," he said sarcastically, tugging on his glass one more time. Polites didn't fight back, and water splashed right in his friend's face. Anyone seated around Eurylochus had ended up in the splash zone as well.

The men who got drenched cried out angrily while everyone else erupted in wild laughter, and Polites joined them. But his laugh was loud and distinct, and a sound Eurylochus knew all too well.

He froze looked around the room, glaring at thin air. "Polites? Was that you?" he dared to ask. The unruly crowd suddenly grew silent, unsure if they wanted an answer. Then, a fork launched off of a plate, spinning in the air before it clattered to the table. Excited screams and cries broke out as some gathered around the fork, while the rest scattered as far away as possible.

"You think it really is him?"

"He answered us, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but what if it's a trick?"

"You're all playing with fire!

Not everyone was swayed, but it certainly planted the idea in their minds.

Polites liked pulling off these small, ghostly pranks. Mostly because, to him, it felt like magic. Just focus, and you can turn invisible. Focus even harder, and you can make things move. He had his favorite tricks of course: a self rowing oar, a lone mop swabbing the deck, but the funniest thing was when he'd hold something behind someone, only to hide it as soon as they turned around. And his audience seemed more than amused by all of this.

Up until the moment he decides to show his face again. Then it's all hushed whispers and adverted gazes, even from his best friends.

Elpenor frantically looked around his room for his other sandal. It had just been there a second ago, but now only one remained.

"O-okay, very funny. Now give it back," he demanded. He gasped and went stiff when he felt the mattress sink next to him, as if someone sat next to him. The temperature shifted.

"Looking for this?"

Elpenor chanced a glance in his direction. His missing sandal dangled from a mostly transparent hand. He gulped.

"Yes."

He reached for his shoe, but it was yanked out of reach at the last second, and again when he made another grab for it.

"Give it!"

"Then look at me!"

The request took Elpenor off guard. Polites sounded... desperate and sad. He had to look, no matter what the captain said. He wasn't here anyways.

He hesitated, but ultimately caved and looked at Polites. He didn't know what he was expecting, but it wasn't this.

Polites was smirking at him, a warm look in his glazed eyes. Yeah, he didn't look the same, but he still looked like himself. A sob caught in Elpenor's throat.

He snatched his sandal without warning, quickly lacing them up before rushing out of the room.

~~~

"I don't get it Eurylochus. Are they really that afraid of me?" Polites asked after five days of strategic avoidance from everyone on board. He took a deep breath, thinking about how he'd answer the question.

"Maybe so." Polites scoffed and looked him up and down.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked, deciding to put him on the spot. He stiffened, keeping his gaze trained on the floor, and he didn't speak. Polites deflated, "I knew it."

"Polites, trust me, it isn't like that," he tried in vein to reassure him.

"Oh please. None of you can even look at me," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Have you even seen yourself?" Eurylochus barked back, going on the defensive immediately. Polites floated a little lower to the ground, bottom lip trembling.

"Polites, wait-"

"No, no, I get it. I wouldn't want me around either."

Eurylochus had to force himself not to roll his eyes at the theatrics on display. This was typical for Odysseus, but Polites?

"I didn't mean it like that."

He looked up at him, and for the first time outside of battle, Eurylochus saw him look truly upset.

"There's not many other ways to take it, Eurylochus..."

Neither dared to speak for a long time. Polites took a shaky breath and finally broke the silence. "I guess I'll be seeing you around. But... you don't have to worry about seeing me," his voice sounded weak and strangled.

"Wait I'm-" Eurylochus spun around to stop his friend, but he was left alone on the deck. "Sorry..." he finished lamely, dropping his arm by his side.

He flinched when a hand squeezed his shoulder, but immediately relaxed after the initial surprise.

"It's okay, really. I-I think it's for the best if no one sees me for a while," he said, and despite being invisible, Eurylochus could hear the emotion in his voice.

"Are you sure?"

"M-mhm. I think if I stay, it'll just make things worse."

Eurylochus stared at the empty space the voice was coming from. "If you say so..." he reluctantly caved.

Barely anyone had seen Polites since. Sure, he made his presence known in other ways, and most of the crew seemed better off for it. But that's what hurt the most: he'd been right. Eurylochus was wracked with guilt, knowing it was their own reactions that drove him away. Even worse still, their captain didn't seem to care at all. In fact, it only seemed to upset him more with every interaction Polites attempted.

He stood behind Odysseus as he steered the ship. The men were gathered below deck for meal time, leaving the two of them alone for a rare moment.

"I know you're there."

"You should go down there. You need to eat too, y'know."

Odysseus couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What, and let you take the wheel?" Polites furrowed his brows.

"Would that really be so bad? I handled her plenty of times!"

"No, the real Polites did!" he snapped. For once, Polites snapped back, refusing to back down.

"I AM THE REAL POLITES!" he screamed, on the verge of tears. Odysseus merely gave him a cold, empty stare.

"Maybe if you were the first one we ran into down there, I could believe you," he admitted in defeat. There was something a softness behind his eyes that hadn't been there before, his shoulders heavy with grief.

"What will it take?"

"Huh?"

"Tell me what it'll take to prove myself," he pleaded.

They stared at each other for a long moment, seconds passing by in silence. "I don't think you can."

Polites refused to let it end like this.

"Your favorite color is red," he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. Odysseus froze and turned to face him, a puzzled expression in place. He locked eyes with him and continued, "And your favorite food is Penelope's stew with fresh baked bread."

By now, Odysseus knew what he was trying to do, so he quickly closed his eyes in hopes of drowning him out. "Don't."

"You have a mole on your shoulder that looks like a comet, a-and you like sunsets more than sunrises, and you used to go pick flowers for Penelo-"

"Please, for the love of the Gods, just shut up!" he cut him off harshly. Polites snapped his mouth shut, obeying the command. Odysseus slowly opened his eyes and stared at his friend. "Why are you doing this to me?" he asked as tears finally spilled down his cheeks.

"I just want you to believe me," Polites insisted. Odysseus shook his head.

"I told you, I can't-"

"WHAT WILL IT TAKE?" he repeated, voice straining against crushed vocal chords. He was crying, and he didn't care if he was shouting. "You say you can't believe me, but you don't give me a fucking reason! And you won't tell me how I can win your trust back, and I just- I don't know what you want from me."

Odysseus thought long and hard about his answer. "I wish I could tell you."

"Then why don't you?" he pleaded.

Odysseus avoided looking directly at him, choosing instead to stare at a crack in the wall just over his shoulder. It was insulting how he thought Polites wouldn't notice.

"I don't know." Then, as if to add insult to injury, he marched straight ahead, walking right through Polites. It was just another way for Odysseus to assert the fact that he wasn't really "there." To prove to himself that he was right. And that hurt more than it had any right to.

But he was nothing if not persistent. When it became clear that Odysseus wasn't looking for a conversation, he thought maybe a few light hearted pranks were just what he needed to jog his memory, to open his fucking eyes and see that he was right there.

Polites could've sworn he saw him smile when he noticed the way he was making his cape billow behind him. The old Odysseus was still in there somewhere, no matter how hard he may be hiding.

But he was still more than skeptical.

~~~

Odysseus was making his way down to his quarters when he felt someone step on the back of his sandal. He turned around in annoyance, ready to chew out the culprit, but he was alone. He thought nothing of it and continued on his way. Then it happened again.

Odysseus sighed heavily, closing his eyes as he tilted his head back. "That you?" he asked in a disgruntled tone.

"What, can't even say my name?" he sassed in order to hide his true nerves when confronting his friend. He appeared behind him, arms crossed.

"Not sure it's really yours to say," he countered easily, the retort sliding off his tongue with ease. The smile he flashed him was cocky and vindictive; nothing like the way he used to grin at him.

Polites decided to go out on a limb and risk it, "Why are you so adamant it's not me?"

"Because if something's too good to be true, it is. But you know all about that, don't you?" he spat, words laced with poison. No, no, there was no way he was talking about that.

"Captain? What do you mean?"

"Oh I think you know," he said darkly. Polites didn't dare to answer. He only shook his head.

"The sheep, Polites. I'm talking about the sheep."

Polites couldn't believe his ears. He sucked in a sharp, shuttering breath in shock. "A-are you trying to say it's my fault that I was killed?" he asked in complete and utter disbelief.

"... If that's how you wanna take it."

He had no hope of fighting off the tears welling in his eyes.

"H-how can you be so- so cruel? It was a mistake!" he pleaded.

"Yeah? Well that mistake cost you your life! And not just your life! You think you can greet world with open arms, but you just can't. Only the strongest survive. And that's why I'm still here, and you're not."

The tears rolled fat and heavy down his cheeks, drawing clean streaks through the blood and grime smeared on his face.

"I-if that's how you r-really f-feel, then fine! B-be that way!" Polites was a blubbering mess as he tried to speak, and he couldn't stand it. He balled his hands into fists by his sides, squeezing his eyes shut as tight as possible. "Y-you'll never have to see me again, if that's what you really want!" he screamed back, allowing his own hurt and anger to boil out of him.

"Good!" Odysseus snapped, completely exasperated.

Polites was frozen in shock. "I don't even know you anymore..." he whispered, mostly to himself. Odysseus glared harder before he turned his back on him, marching down the hall to his cabin and slammed the door behind him. Polites was left alone in the room, feeling hollow and hurt.

Polites took a shaky breath. Why bother to fight a losing battle?

~~~

If barely anyone had seen Polites in the days prior, then he must have made himself truly scarce after his last confrontation with the captain. The playful, if unexplained, shenanigans were no more, and the crew fell back into their monotonous routine.

But remaining invisible for so long takes its toll, and he needs his moments of peace and quiet. And so, the crew took notice of the man sitting alone in the crows nest, his presence never faltering. At least this way, he can still be of some use to the crew while completely isolating himself.

By now, Polites hadn't moved from the crows nest in over a week. Even his practice with the coin was getting weaker. He sat with his knees pressed to his chest, desperately trying to shove the drachma across the planks. His finger phased through, making no impact on the piece of gold.

"How have you possibly gotten more pathetic than the last time we met?"

Fucking great.

[glitchy-anime-fan]

This might be just me, maybe I’m missing something, but I feel like some people who criticise EPIC!Odysseus for killing an infant but drawing the line at sleeping with Circe might not be taking into consideration how literally every event Odysseus has face since Troy has affected him as a person and how much guilt he’s continually facing.

To preface; THIS IS NOT ME HATING ON OTHER FANS!! I’m not trying to bully anyone or make fun of anyone, this is just something that has been in my head and I need to rant about it. This also only pertains to EPIC’s depiction of Odysseus, not any other interpretation of the character/story!

[minor grammatical edits made on 2/25/2024)

I saw a discussion on here the other day where the parties involved were talking about the changes made between the original Homeric story and EPIC. One of the main points of contention that I remember was how one of them said it rubbed them the wrong way that Odysseus was fine with killing an infant but didn’t want to sleep with Circe. I can totally understand why this may be an odd choice of morality to make, however, we have to keep in mind that the Odysseus from the Troy Saga is VERY different than the Odysseus in the Circe saga. Troy Saga Odysseus appears to be far more confident in himself and his plans; one could even argue that he’s a bit cocky. As stated by Odysseus in the ocean saga, NONE of his own men died in the battle which would add to Odysseus’ confidence and pride. This is vastly different than the grief stricken Odysseus later in the story, but more on that later.

Now the infant scene in question doesn’t necessarily set in stone Odysseus’ moral/ethical code; one could say the situation itself is an ethical dilemma (a problem with no one right answer). Odysseus is told by Zeus, king of the gods, that if he doesn’t kill Hector’s baby than Odysseus’ entire family (perhaps even kingdom) is in grave danger. However, Odysseus doesn’t make a decision right away, I’m mean the entire second song of the saga is Odysseus mulling over his options; kill an infant or risk his families safety. Neither option is preferable and I think “Just a Man” is meant to show that Odysseus isn’t a man who would readily kill a child, no questions asked, just because he was told to. In “The Infant and the Horse” Odysseus is ready to comply until he discovers that the “foe” he’s meant to kill is an infant. I mean, he literally pleads with Zeus to give him another option;

[ODYSSEUS, ZEUS]

I could raise him as my own (He will burn your house and throne)

Or send him far away from home (He'll find you wherever you go)

Make sure his past is never known (The gods will make it known)

I'd rather bleed for ya, down on my knees for ya (He's bringing you down on your knees for ya)

I'm begging please

Oh, this is the will of the gods

Please don't make me do this, don't make me do this

This part alone shows that Odysseus is, in fact, NOT fine with killing a child. Again, the second song in the saga is Odysseus going over his options and even asks for forgiveness when he finally makes his decision. I don’t know about you all, but I don’t think someone who’s okay with killing a child would ask for forgiveness. In this situation it’s very likely that Odysseus made the choice to protect his family and kingdom above all else, which I feel like is a valid choice in this situation. Odysseus was told, by a god, that him and his family would be killed should the baby live, I highly doubt Odysseus at this point was readily willing to try and call Zeus’ bluff.

It’s also not like the action didn’t affect Odysseus later. Again, I’m sure someone who wouldn’t have a guilty conscience about such a heinous act would ask for forgiveness. Similarly, two songs later in “Open Arms”, Polites brings up Odysseus’ guilt at the end when he says “I see in your face, there is so much guilt inside your heart”. Odysseus is clearly guilty about what he’s done, once again reinforcing that he is not “okay with killing an infant”. You can also pick up on it in the way Jay sings Odysseus’ songs following “Just a Man”; Odysseus seems to be more distracted or distant likely due to the shock of his own actions.

Similarly, we have to take into consideration literally every new traumatic incident Odysseus is faced with between the Cyclops and Ocean sagas. In the Cyclops Saga, Polyphemus kills a large number of Odysseus’ crew which would make this the first heavy loss Odysseus’ army would have faced since the war. I can imagine that this loss would have been a huge blow to Odysseus’ pride given the fact that none of his men died in the war. Similarly, since Odysseus is their captain and king, it’s fair to assume that Odysseus may see the deaths as his fault adding to his guilt.

Not only does he lose many in his crew, Odysseus also loses his best friend Polites which greatly effects Odysseus throughout the rest of the musical. In “Keep Your Friends Close” when the crew is scheming to open the bag of wind from Aeolus, they say “Everything's changed since Polites,” referring to how much Polites’ death not only effected Odysseus but also the crew. Odysseus becomes more and more closed off and distrusting which makes sense since it seems Polites was the one that mainly pushed Odysseus to be more open. This is another death that Odysseus can tack onto the growing list of reasons his guilt is eating him alive.

Side note: Odysseus also looses the support of Athena, his patron goddess following “My Goodby”. Athena has been someone who we can assume (given Athena’s story during “Warrior of the mind”) has been guiding Odysseus since he was a child so, even if Odysseus is no longer happy with Athena’s view on being a good warrior, it likely hurt him on some level to loose her. We have to keep in mind; Odysseus also thought of Athena as a friend not just a goddess and has thought this way since he met Athena. If we assume that Athena and Odysseus have never had a fight this bad until “My Goodby” then I think it’s fair to say that the outcome of the fight would negatively impact Odysseus. He may be too prideful to admit it at the time, but I can only imagine how awful it would feel to loose the support of a friend and patron deity at the same time.

I think one of the biggest blows yet for Odysseus comes during “Ruthlessness” when Poseidon and/or the Laestrygonians sink and kill everyone but Odysseus and his immediate crew mates (as in, the crew on Odysseus ship as apposed to those on the other twelve ships). As I mentioned earlier, throughout the ten years Odysseus and his army were in Troy not one of his men died. This changed when they faced Polyphemus, and only worsens when Poseidon attacks. Odysseus goes from having a crew of 600 (at the start of the musical) to 43 following this attack. Not only does he loose nearly all his men, it’s directly Odysseus’ fault it happened in the first place. Poseidon tells Odysseus directly that they “totally could have avoided all this had [Odysseus] just killed [Poseidon’s] son”.

Had Odysseus just listened to Athena at the time and killed Polyphemus, there would have been no one left to tell Poseidon about the attack; the god likely wouldn’t have known. Likewise, had Odysseus not let his hubris get the better of him and not told Polyphemus his full name, even if Poseidon found out his son had died or was left blind, he wouldn’t have known who did it. The whole situation is directly Odysseus’ fault and Poseidon is very clear in letting him know that. This obviously is going to add to Odysseus’ guilt exponentially since this time it truly was his own actions that lead to this scenario. Not to mention that had Odysseus just apologised, Poseidon might have been gracious to the crew.

Now there’s no saying what that would look like for Poseidon, maybe he would have only sunk one or two ships or maybe he was lying, who knows. The main point is that Odysseus was given another chance to get out of this peacefully, but he can’t swallow his pride long enough to say “I’m sorry”. Odysseus instead tries to talk his way out of it and Poseidon isn’t having it; this is another instance of Odysseus’ actions resulting casualties. All of this happens before the Circe saga mind you.

So let’s review all the instances that would be causing Odysseus guilt so far:

He’s been forced to kill a child to save his family and kingdom

He’s lost his best friend and a chunk of his crew to Polyphemus

He’s lost the support of his patron goddess who he has also seen as a friend since childhood

He’s lost 90% of his crew (give or take) due to his own actions

You cannot look at this and tell me that it would not greatly affect your mental health in any way. Odysseus is being weighed down by an immense about of grief and guilt as the story continues. It gets to be so much that in Puppeteer Odysseus tells Eurylochus that while he would like to leave Circe’s island, he can “hardly sleep now knowing everything [they’ve] done”, directly referring to the guilt that keeps weighing on his mind. By this point in the story Odysseus is so wracked with guilt that he would rather risk his own life to save the few men he has left that add anymore to his guilty conscience.

I see this as one reason why Odysseus rejects Circe’s advances. Odysseus went to save his men who were transformed because he already can’t sleep and doesn’t want to add any more guilt onto his mind. Do we really think he would change this stance just so he could sleep with a goddess? The thought of cheating on Penelope would likely cause Odysseus just as much guilt as leaving his men. This situation poses a similar dilemma to the very beginning of the story; Odysseus can either comply and free his men or not. In this moment Odysseus is in a lose-lose situation, however, he doesn’t let that stop him from trying to essentially create a third option that doesn’t add to his guilt.

And he’s successful this time.

Unlike he pleaded with Zeus, is seems that for one reason or another Odysseus is successful in pleading with Circe; he is able to create a third option for himself and his crew. He’s able to create a reality where his remaining crew survives and Odysseus doesn’t add anymore to his guilt.

Again, this is not about the original story, or other interpretations, this is solely based on what we know from EPIC. In short; Odysseus pleaded and begged with Zeus not to make him kill Astyanax, to give him a third peaceful option but failed. Odysseus is given a whole song about his own moral struggle in the options given to him and is then haunted by the guilt of his actions. He is then faced with the death of his crew due to his own actions, becoming not only a point of further guilt but also a shot at his pride. Odysseus looses Athena’s favour and looses Polities. While Odysseus may have begun to cave to Circe, I believe it was ultimately his love for his family and his desire to not add to his guilt that made him reject Circe.

Odysseus was never okay with killing an infant, he felt guilty likely from the moment he made his final decision. By the time he meets Circe, Odysseus would rather attempt to talk his way out (something that hasn’t actually worked till now) than add to his guilt. I’m truly not sure what I’m missing that, in the context of the musical, this isn’t obvious. Maybe it’s because I’m taking EPIC as its own story and not a one-to-one with the source material, who knows.

Sorry this got really long, I just needed to get it out somewhere before it plaques my mind anymore. Once again, I’m not trying to hate on anyone or bully anyone, this is just my own opinion on the matter!

[memekais]

epic the musical sentence starters. the circe saga. feel free to change pronouns as needed!

puppeteer

i have something that i must confess, something that i must get off my chest. until it is said, i cannot rest.

there's only so much left we can endure.

whatever you need to say can wait some more - of that, i'm sure.

[name], back so soon? where's the rest of your crew?

we came across a palace. inside we heard a voice.

nothing could prepare us for the power that awaited inside...

sir, since we left home we've faced a variety of foes from a wide range of places - gods, monsters, you know the roster, hostile creatures that we could resist.

this was a hell of a twist, cause we are weak to a power like this.

welcome to the best part of your lives.

go ahead and rest wherever you like.

i got you, don't worry [name]'s got you now.

i bet you're tired from the years spent on your feet.

think of your past and your mistakes.. they'll be the last mistakes you'll make.

i got all the power, yeah, i got all the power.

no, i'm not a player, i'm a puppeteer.

they transformed... and it wasn't quick.

this is the price we pay to live.

the world does not tend to forgive.

look at all we've lost and all we've learned, every single cost is so much more than what we've earned.

think about the men we have left before there are none.

let's just cut our losses, you and i, and let's run.

i can hardly sleep now knowing everything we've done.

there's no length i wouldn't go if it was you i had to save. i can only hope you'd do the same.

what if she can't be killed? will you choose to leave?

no one will find their way between my nymphs and i, their loving queen.

it's a game of wits but you don't have to play.

wouldn't you like

i must say what a brilliant speech you gave.

you wanna beat her? you'll need the blessing of a certain god.

[silly little laugh]

wouldn't you like a taste of the power? wouldn't you like to use more than words?

deep in the night the fight lasts for hours.

you can be hurt or you can beat her.

wouldn't you like to have some of thе magic? wouldn't you like your outcome prefеrred?

deep in the night the fight can be tragic.

i'll help you conquer her.

she can turn you into an animal that'll end up on her plate. she can all but make you fall in love like you're on your hundredth date!

she can conjure up a monster that'll grind you to the bones.

she has all the ways to haunt ya when you take her on alone.

here in the root of this flower, there lies such a power to take her on.

don’t thank me friend, you very well may die. haha, good luck!

done for

i sent out some scouts to take a look around through here and they wound up at your door.

through the years we seldom get a warm welcome, so i must ask just to be sure... did you do something to them?

all i did was reveal their true forms.

i don't know who you are nor why you're here but let me make this one thing clear: i've got people to protect, nymphs i can't nеglect so i'm not taking chances, dear.

if you makе one wrong move, then you're done for.

anything i don't approve, then you're done for.

i could put a spell on you and you're done for.

boy, you better run or soon you will done for.

i don't mean to tip your scale but you will fail at placing any spells on me.

you better cower now and flee.

you must be a liar. mortals can't acquire moly without dire consequence.

then i must be a god like you cause i got this root from the ground with my bare hands.

you and i are now evenly matched. our fates are intertwined, they're attached.

i've got people to protect, friends i can't neglect so now there is no turning back.

you've made your one wrong move, now you're done for.

i will be the one to prove that you're done for.

not even a spell saves you, cause you're done for.

the last time we let strangers live, we faced a heavy loss.

you've given me no reason to bestow you with my trust.

everyone's true colours are revealed in acts of lust.

there are other ways

there are other ways of persuasion, there are other modes of control...

there are other means of deceit, there are other roads to the soul...

there are other actions of passion you have so much left to learn.

want to save your men from the fire? show me that you're willing to burn.

who's to say with the mistakes i've made that they will be the last mistakes i ever make?

there is so much power but there's puppet here.

this is the price we pay to love.

i'm just a man, forgive me.

back at home, my wife awaits for me.

she is my everything, my [name]... and she is all my power.

the god of tides is out to end my life.

so i beg you, [name], grant us mercy.

let us puppets leave.

there might be a way to evade him, there might be a way to get home though this other way’s very dangerous.

it might be your one final hope.

i can’t get you home, but I’ll get you to the underworld instead.

maybe showing one act of kindness leads to kinder souls down the road.

i remember actions of passion... i have been in love once before.

maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no more.

maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer more.

[tobiasdrake]

Highly subjective question: I'm not sure this is entirely true but I've heard that DB was originally meant to end after the Frieza saga, and that's why the series gets kind of weird later on, the publisher basically just kept asking for more.

Do you think the series would have been better if it had stuck to that original ending?

There are tons of rumors about where Dragon Ball was "intended" to end. So many, in fact, that Kanzenshuu dedicated an entire comprehensive section to examining them in detail. Most are baseless.

Short of it is, "Toriyama meant the series to end here," gets passed around the fandom for various points in the series because it carries more weight than "This is what I think the best stopping place would be."

Now, it's generally true that he didn't plan to go further. But that's because he rarely planned much of anything. He was the kind of writer who sits down and just goes wherever the wind will take him. His plan was to keep writing Dragon Ball until he didn't feel like writing Dragon Ball anymore, wherever that may be.

As for me, personally... I'm typically in favor of more content over less for something like this. I can be back and forth sometimes; Like, when a character or story has a clear and intended endpoint, I'd rather they go out on that high note instead of hang around spinning their wheels as a pale imitation of the amazing story they once were.

Even Goku and Vegeta have fallen into that trap as of the Buu arc and DBS respectively.

But on the whole, Dragon Ball wasn't made with a finite endpoint in mind. I have many qualms with the Android arc and Buu arc but, at the end of the day, I don't want those arcs gone. I just want them to be better.

[kindred-spirit-93]

grace siblings x the ithaca saga

hear me out. disclaimer for severe sibling angst ahead so be warned. also! special thanks to and blame on @xixovart for the original idea :')

aight so, unreleased ithaca saga number i cant help bit wonder fits them and both of them extraordinarily well, allow me to demonstate:

All my life, I'd have died to meet you Thought about your name so much it hurts For twenty years I'd dreamt of how I'd greet you Oh, and now you're here I can't find the words

i havent read the books so pls correct me if im wrong, but i dont think the siblings saw much of each other after they were seperated.

thalia: perhaps here jason passes her tree unknowingly and she just feels him. and she thinks to herself all what could have been..

jason: hes heard so much about his older sister only now learning of her death, and it breaks him

--

All my life I'd have died to know you Days and nights I wish that I could show you For twenty years I never could outgrow you Oh, and now you're here

thalia: living on the streets perhaps her thoughts where with her baby brother whom she had to look after for so long, the price of ensuring his well being and growth stunting her own

jason: holding onto the idea of his warrior older sister, trying to live up to the image he has of her in his mind. he stands now helpless infront of her tree, unsure what to do. what to think

--

I can't help but wonder What your world must be If we're like each other If I have your strength in me

jason: now learning of the immense hardship his upbringing had entailed, the years of neglect and abuse followed by running away and not knowing his fate. jason is overwhelmed with what it mustve been like to live years not knowing if she will live to see the next sunrise

I can't help but feel like Sorrow's all I've known And I can't help but realize For so long I've felt alone

thalia: maybe as a tree maybe before that wherever she is or may be, thalia knows her brother didnt have the easiest childhood. he may not be on the streets like she once was but in many ways he had to learn how to fend for himself

both: reflecting on how theyve been doomed from the start. no child of the big three could ever have as we say in arabic مرور الكرام - muroor al kiram (lit. gracious passage) i.e to go unnoticed; they were never going to get the endings they deserved. its the price they were forced to pay for their fathers' mistakes and shortcomings.

-------

this next part is more father son oriented so ill skip the first verse lol

Used to say I'd make the storm clouds cry for you Used to say I'd capture wind and sky for you Held you in my arms prepared to die for you, oh How times has flown

thalia: once again thinking of the child she held in her arms, her baby brother, whom she loved more than anything, but served as a harsh reminder of the reality of their living conditions.

I can only wonder What your world has been Things you've had to suffer And the strength you hold within

jason: need i say more?

All I've ever wanted Was to reunite with my own 20 years we've wandered But today you're not alone

both: in her strange state of being and in his half living state, thalias leaves rustle in the wind, jason reaches to feel the bark under his fingertips. it hardly counts for an embrace, but its all they have

I'm finally home

both: jason cries and the morning dew falls and the skies weep for the siblings that could have had it all but were given nothing and stripped of everything

--

fun fact i originally had just jason be telemachus and thalia ody but decided it works well for both so i split them into two different interpretations sort of?

idk in my minds eye it reads like how in movies 2 people reach out to each other at the same time unkowingly and like hold hands kinda but are sperated by a wall or sum lol.

yeah. them.

[kanmom51]

Hi, thanks as always for your incredible hard work. So, seeing JKs live today totally made me feel that he really doesn't live in his apartment. Looks like he converted his living room to a workout space, empty hangers, looks totally unlived in. Could very well be a privacy thing for him, or the fact he likes to workout at midnight lol.

Anyway, probably just me projecting that he lives at Jimin's.

Take care!💜

No projecting being had.

Well, at least the first part.

Let's start with Brunnen not being under JK's name. We know that for a fact. We know that Hybe has leased that unit.

Another thing we do know is that it's furnished with dorm furniture. Table and chairs, sofa, clothes rack I believe too, at the very least.

The walls are bare. Cold even. Everywhere we've seen so far. Kitchen, lounge, bedroom (what we saw of it).

Lounge room turned into a gym.

But not only is it all so bare, did we see this?

Everything just laid down on the floor. Would kind of make you wonder if he even lives there permanently, no?

Or this:

That clearly damaged table.

All the laughter about him being thrifty and minimal and bullshit really, lol. The man is thrifty yes, and then he wears clothes that cost thousands of dollars or accessories that cost the same or drives a luxury car that costs as much as an apartment. This is supposedly his home, his safe haven, the place he feels most comfortable and safe and happy to be in. Not an extra tube of toothpaste he might swipe from the ITS2 set. There is a difference.

So nah, that man is not living in that unit. He is visiting it. He is staying there like you stay at a hotel. I'd say that when JM was busy and away it's a place for him to be. It's a place he does his lives. It's a place, now, where he can also workout when there, it's a place he has been establishing is his residence (and spending some time there too) because he has to.

I'm not going to go into the whole JK property saga at the moment. All I will say is that I, for one, do not believe this is his main residence, nor the place he spends most of his time when not busy at work or out wherever.

As for where he is mostly residing, that one I'm not getting into.

Also, that house he's building in Itaewon, that's going to be a lovely home for them.

[parismemes]

SENTENCE STARTERS FROM EPIC: THE MUSICAL - THE CIRCE SAGA

feel free to change/adjust sentences as needed !

PUPPETEER

"i have something that i must confess." "there's only so much left we can endure." "whatever you need to say can wait some more." "back so soon?" "by the gods, what happened to you?" "we are weak to a power like this." "what was it?" "come inside." "welcome to the best part of your life." "go ahead and rest wherever you like." "let me bring you something to eat." "i've got all the power." "i'm not a player, i'm a puppeteer." "this is the price we pay to live." "the world does not tend to forgive." "we have to go save them." "look at all we've lost and all we've learned." "let's just cut our losses, you and i, and let's run." "i can hardly sleep now knowing everything we've done." "what if she can't be killed?" "this is the price we pay to love." "i have to try."

WOULDN'T YOU LIKE

"i must say, what a brilliant speech you gave." "who goes there?" "wouldn't you like a taste of the power?" "wouldn't you like to use more than words?" "i'll help you conquer her." "all you need's imagination." "don't thank me, friend, you very well may die." "good luck!"

DONE FOR

"i hope that i've been misinformed." "did you do something to them?" "i've got people to protect." "i'm not taking chances, dear." "if you make one wrong move, then you're done for." "you must be a liar." "you and i are now evenly matched." "now there is no turning back." "you've lost." "you've given me no reason to bestow you with my trust." "everyone's true colors are revealed in acts of lust."

THERE ARE OTHER WAYS

"there are other ways of persuasion." "there are other means of deceit." "there are other roads to the soul." "you have so much left to learn." "show me that you're willing to burn." "who's to say with the mistakes i've made that they will be the last mistakes i'll ever make?" "don't be afraid." "i'm just a man." "there might be a way to evade him." "wait, you're helping us?" "maybe showing one act of kindness leads to kinder souls down the road." "i have been in love once before." "maybe one day the world will need a puppeteer no more."

[tornioduva]

A thought on Botw's items

So, first of all, if you were left dissatisfied and somewhat angry by Totk, go watch this wonderful video and enjoy your catharsis:

So, after watching this my mind started to fix upon this godforsaken series again and, a thought about how the wild saga handles things and why.

Now, i'm not a seasoned game designer, i don't know shit on how to deliver these massive projects, and i'll admit i haven't done proper research like in interviews, manuals, artbook, ecc., this is all very much a stream of consciousness.

What i reflected on is how many of us struggled to really bite deep with criticism into the structural exploration systems of this games, because it apparently "works", and in a somewhat elegant and cohesive way. It's much more difficult to critique the decision of adding shrines, of the dungeons, of the pad tools, of the rewards, because it easily justifies itself with the various "time limits, sacrifices needed to be made, streamlined exploration" and so on; it's much easier instead to go to the throat of the story, or characters, or the durability, because it's a much more direct frustration i think.

But then again, thinking about Botw: was giving the player all of their tools right away really the only right decision?

I honestly think that having the player roam around hyrule, letting them explore and find obstacles for which the tools are required, and then giving them said tools, would've been much better. You would accumulate small frustrations here and there, places to return to, for which you would use those pins in the map, and then you'd have the satisfaction of having finally found the solution to your troubles and a unique reward from wherever you might've taken them.

"Sure", you might say, "but then all the major dungeon and "story areas" should take into accoutn wether you have them or not". ....Yes. what's the problem in that? maybe a character, like one of the descendant could say something along the lines of "if only we had a way to freeze the water to resolve this issue that i feel might be present in the divina beast" or similar, that way the beasts would be centered around fleshing out one mechanic. i guess that might make them a bit more monotonous, but i think not; they are already kind short and boring, they might as well be a a dungeon designed around fleshing out just one of your tools in a satisfying way.

That to me would've resolved a good amount of issues i have with it with the game already, because part of the joy of exploring, at least in the first like 10 to 20 hours, would've been the anticipation of finding a tool and to finally use it! and i'd have something more memorable to remember while roaming around than just pretty sunsets.

Also, this would resolve the B I G issue i have with the intro of both of this game, of it being an unskippable slog. If you remove all of the tutorial aspect out of it, and outsource it to a later, further away area of the game, you can reduce all the time the plateau takes out of you to like, an introduction to combat, crafting, effects and that's it, you're free after that.

plus i always found stupid that the game won't let you have the paraglider before finishing it. like, just leave the tutorial there if someone wants it, but le me find the paraglider as an object and then let me go down, it's not an essential item, just a convenient one; plus, if players went around hyrule without the paraglider, you could just remind them in other ways later on that they might find one on the plateau, or let them find another one in other areas of the game. that could've been fun: "where did you find the glider? here? really? wow, these devs really thought of everything, i found it there instead, and mike down south".

i dunno, i just don't want to think about botw as the only correct way of doing this kind of game.

[firespirited]

Sis changing her meds back isn't a magic solution BTW, it's not even a piece of the puzzle that is the character changes.

But finding out that she's meddling with meds when that was an issue before (sifrol withdrawal saga) and historically was a massive issue with dad is just another slap in the face.

We have common courtesies for eachother or at least I thought, I'm also abiding by a bunch of new and semi arbitrary rules that I had to turn into habits immediately or it was proof that I don't care. Been told that it's unbearable to live with me but not exactly why or anything I could change and withdrawing is also seen as abandonment.

I made a massive effort to minimise the impact of my seasonal depression only to find out that she was getting what seems like bpd paranoid rages at both my lack of affect AND my other methods of communication (emojis, sign, notes, photos...) to compensate.

And like, clearly there are rules/courtesies for me and rules/courtesies for thee.

I don't have the luxury of moving out or opting out and I definitely don't get the option to be open and honest here because she's really not well and it would make her iller.

So I vent to you nice people while I wait for a psychologist appointment later this month.

At this point, we have no clue if this is a bad phase or something long-term, we're preparing like she might need to move out and the complex finances and logistics of that while not knowing the why or if it's some kind of dream scenario where a change of location changes everything (wherever you go, there you still are).

And, like, some of us have had to be responsible, forgiving, extra thoughtful extra careful since childhood and the pattern continues and you wonder why you'd lose everything if you acted out once and others get a dozen chances. Grace and safety nets for thee and none for me and it's so stupid that that's the way the world works.

[teecupangel]

Consider:

Not a specific story idea or pitch. An overarching umbrella idea with a common set of rules, like Yew Branches.

Desmond Miles has come unstuck from reality.

Of course, there are many versions of Desmond Miles, and many have ended up on other worlds, in other stories. AO3 can attest to that, you can attest to that. The Eye makes such a handy button for throwing Desmond headlong at the barrier between realities until he breaks through somewhere interesting.

What unites this Desmond, these Desmonds, all under one theme, is that he doesn't travel alone. Whether he ends up in Westeros, in deep space, flying dragons in a war with France or trying to take down the Shinra corporation, he always arrives with a companion.

A *small* companion. One might even say, a toddler-sized companion. Because they are, in fact, toddlers.

ie, imagine that whenever and wherever you try to cross Desmond over somewhere after the Eye, he ends up with one or more other characters from the AC canon as toddlers dragged along in his wake.

Rules for the companions:

- They always start out somewhere in the age range of 2-5

- only people who at some point handled a piece of Eden can be companions

- They don't start out remembering their entire first life, but gradually remember it as they grow older, at about the age they experienced it. ex, Ezio would remember the hangings when he's 17. But once they reach the age where they first made contact with a piece of Eden, they remember the rest of their former life all at once.

- Desmond instinctually pings as "safe" to them, even if they have no idea who he is

.

But yeah I don't have a specific story idea I'm throwing your way

I was just sitting here thinking man

it would be really interesting if in all the various let's crossover Desmond with other properties fic

he wasn't alone

and then I thought, I know, let's make him responsible for small children he has a pre established emotional attachment to in dangerous environments

that will be fun for everyone

If you add in ‘pre-established emotional attachment’ then we’d be cutting off any character after the Desmond saga. Although…

To be completely honest, Desmond would be dumb enough to form an attachment to a random baby he finds next to him because of his own sucky upbringing and you did specify that this could have crossovers so just imagine (on the top of my head)…

Desmond taking care of a very curious and prone to wandering around baby Altaïr while trying to wonder where the hell all these weirdass creatures are coming from? Oh… and apparently there’s this dude who has this weirdass dagger that can control time for a bit but Desmond and Altaïr are immune to it? “Also… who the hell just calls themselves ‘Prince’? Do you not have a name?! Altaïr, don’t touch tha-! Ah, crap.”

Really, really, reeeaaaallllly out there idea: So Ezio’s voice actor also voices Sonic in most games… how about Desmond and Ezio being stranded in one of the Sonic games and Desmond is still human so he’s super confused at what the hell is happening but Ezio seems to like the blue hedgehog who really goes fast which is nice, he guess?

Put Desmond and Ratonhnhaké:ton in Hamilton! Like, it acts and feels like they’re in the right timeline for the American Revolution but there are no Assassins or Templars and Desmond can’t even find Ratonhnhaké:ton’s village so he doesn’t know if Ratonhnhaké:ton even exists in this world. Hell, Davenport Homestead is just a goddamn empty field that Desmond got after asking around and now he’s building a homestead, he guesses??? Then comes the singing! Just singing coming from different places at different times like it’s the goddamn musical episode of Scrubs and Desmond and Ratonhnhaké:ton are just there going “What. The. Fuck.”

It would be so easy to push Desmond and baby Edward into a Pirates in the Caribbean crossover and, yeah, it would definitely work but… if I may… Desmond wakes up stranded in a small boat with baby Edward in his hands. The first ship to find them? the Revenge… being sailed by Captain Bonnet… who was kind enough to let them stay and be part of the crew. Also, Bonnet just being awkward around Edward because baby Edward thinks something is terribly wrong, that this isn’t the Bonnet he knows but that’s weird because he doesn’t know any other Bonnet. He only knows Desmond will keep him safe. Then they get first-row seats of Thatch and Bonnet falling in love and… well… they’re definitely not in Black Flag, that’s for sure. XD

You know, I was thinking of maybe one of the Joan of Arcs movie could be a good backdrop to punt Desmond and baby Shay in it. Then I realize… how can I make Desmond just go “fuck it, I’m done. I’m just done with everything. We’re going to live as hermits.” and I realize that throwing him into something that has fantasy-bullshit in it would be fun. Like… Jeanne d'Arc video game… complete will all those monsters as the backdrop for the Hundred Year War XD (and maybe, just maybe… Desmond gets his own transformations as well much to his chagrin)

Desmond having to deal with baby Arno while there’s a freaking rat plague in A Plague Tale: Innocence and joining forces with Amicia and Hugo as they run away from… well… pretty much everything. (look, it’s not set in French Revolutions but I kinda like the idea of Desmond and Amicia interacting. Otherwise, go Les Mis I guess?)

Desmond becoming a better father to Evie and Jacob Fyre while he’s in some kind of gothic-inspired setting like maybe Dishonored or Bloodborne? Dishonored would be entertaining because he would definitely be the stabby-stab-stab option that even Corvo goes “… maybe tone it down a bit?”.

And now, for something different: Desmond waking up in the middle of the desert surrounded by dudes in black robes and a baby in his arms that he’s pretty sure is named Bayek but he doesn’t know why he knows that’s the baby’s name. Then he finds out he’s in Egypt and he’s being interrogated by these people called the medjays if he knows anything about a curse and someone called Imhotep and he’s just confused. Then he finds out he’s in freaking 1926 and apparently there’s some mummy dude who can do the nine plagues (really? Like why? How???) and he gets sucked into this whole deal for reasons he doesn’t even understand.

Now, it would be easy to, you know, push Desmond and Kassandra to something like Disney’s Hercules or maybe 300 but, if I may suggest, throwing them into the world of Ubisoft’s Immortals Fenyx Rising? Hey, it’s made by the people who made Odyssey so Kassandra would be in her element and Desmond would be the tired dad just trying to stop his daughter from flying into the goddamn sun… literally. (And if you’re itching for a Percy Jackson x Assassin’s Creed AU with Desmond in it, there’s one in AO3 :))

Look. I was bound to make a God of War crossover idea and it was either Kassandra or Eivor. I had been contemplating a The Last Kingdom crossover with Desmond and Eivor but that’s mainly just me being a Harry McEntire fan so GoW crossover with Desmond and Eivor it is, with Kratos now having to deal with being a single dad to Atreus AND helping Desmond be a single dad to Eivor who may or may not like kicking Atreus for some unknown reason.

Of course, this doesn't just have to be crossovers.

You can have something like:

Desmond being the single father of Ezio and Ratonhnhaké:ton while the Third Crusades is happening and it's really hard not to get sucked into that, especially when Ezio brings Altaïr to their little house just a few weeks after his demotion because he looks 'lonely'

The entire plot of AC3 gets derailed because Desmond is there with a baby that Haytham is pretty sure is his father having been reincarnated

The angst potential of baby Arno growing up knowing only of papa Desmond and uncle Shay and getting his memories of Shay killing Charles Dorian later on.

Becoming part of the Alamut Assassins and having to go "No, Eivor, stop kicking him!" every time his adopted daughter sees the new recruit. What was his name again? Basil? Was it Basil? Desmond is pretty sure it's Basil ("It's Basim." "Yeah, sure, whatever you say, Roshan.")

Elijah being able to resurrect his supposed father but now has to deal with the fact that he apparently has three younger brothers and, seriously, being a Sage did not prepare Elijah for the strange family he's supposed to be a part of

[stunie]

Aahh I hope I didn't miss your matchups!!

So a bit about me: I'm pretty extroverted!! But tbh my extrovertedness usually gets increased when I'm with friends! I love love love dressing up all cute and pink, also absolutely adore kitties and binge watching shows/anime ((love me anything that has like a million episodes!)) Outfit coordinating is such a hobby too!! Like I get all giddy just thinking abt mix n matching clothing 🤧 jewelry is a must with my fits.. the coordinating saga continues.. I'm kind of a night owl && I love binge watching at midnight 🤭 my fav genres are definitely psychological thrillers/ psychological horrors.. I always force myself to watch those creepy anime/movies, just to end up awake in bed trying to figure out whether that jacket of mine really is a jacket or a silhouette of something 😭

anyway one thing I hate, like absolutely detest are insects... like wdym it has 1000 legs and can fly????

(Aahh I'm really excited to see who you match me up with!!) ♡

HI ANON you are the cutest human alive i wanna come hug you right now actually. if you have thriller / horror recs you should stop by my inbox again btw !!! <3 ANYWAYS. IM THINKING.

the pink . couple . he’s pink and you’re dressed in pink and anytime the two of you go out with friends, they use you two to regroup. “meet up in 30 minutes?” “where?” “wherever those two are.” HSJSND THAT WOULD BE SO CUTE HELLO. i think he would be great at helping you coordinate …. whether it’s just a little suggestion / idea -> “oh. this would look good with the ___, don’t you think?” OR he’s actually buying you something “wanna see what i found on my way home? i thought of you right away.~” AAAA 🥺🥺 and he’s so gentle with you when you’re a little on edge from the thrillers lol, gentle rubs to calm your nerves and his voice is so soothing ….

[demonstars]

shakira & dnf; a saga

whenever, wherever / donde estás, corazón / quiero / día de enero / que me quedes tú

translation under the cut ! (all done by me)

And I want to think (And I want to think) / That you won't take long (That you won't take long) / Because there's no one else in the planet / Anyone else I could love — donde estás corazón, pies descalzos

And now that you're here, I'm happy again / I can understand you're the one for me

Let me kiss you so much, until you're out of breath / And hug you so tight that I break your bones — quiero, pies descalzos

And now that we go around the world / Just like Mutt and Jeff

I've already found some scratches / that you got from around here / But my crazy love / It's the best doctor — día de enero, oral fixation vol. 1

Let our friends leave one by one / and decimate my bit of consciousness

May they consume the words on the lips / may they pollute all the water on the planet

But that you stay / And your hug stay / And the kisses you invent every day / And that I'm allowed to stay after sunset — que me quedes tu, laundry service

soon you'll see the sun shine / more than anyone, you deserve to be happy — día de enero, oral fixation vol. 1