#roman AND cass???? A BLESSING

[ashoss]

I'm thinking about the different angsty mess that comes from the bats as demigods.

Dick who becomes a hero and does have powers, but most people don't assume so at first and he feels like a fraud because he does have powers but people don't know that and could he actually do the things he does without the boast from being a demigod. [Imposter syndrome]. There's also the angsty idea that he tried to hide the demigod stuff at first because well Bruce wasn't the most communicative. Could also have a bit of angst in the idea that Hermes kids aren't the most rare demigod. Him also has issues in feeling like any one of his demigod siblings could replace him.

Babs being clearsighted and without blessing yet. She who will constantly have to work harder than all of them. Who doesn't have any sort of leg up in the Devine world. She who didn't have to keep fighting even after knowing she could see. She wasn't part of their world but chose to be. The way that she is punished for it. She is the only one of them permanently injured. Bond to a wheelchair. She who continues to fight in her own ways, battling her issues and everyone else. She who becomes blessed by Apollo later on. Earns the respect of the mythological world, but will always be the one who could have walked away.

Cass as a legacy of Hades who feels when people die. Knowing exactly the moment she killed someone. When by her hand she sent someone to the underworld. She can sense death. That and a very slight affinity towards the shadows is the extent of those powers. It makes her death wish and temporary death all the more interesting because it can play into both the Hades and the Nemesis thing. Nemesis is the goddess associated with balance, retribution, and revenge. Cass, who feels the deep seeded, needs to balance out the death she caused by experiencing death. She thinks about being mediocre for a lifetime or perfect for a year.' Knowing the trade she is making for that. That in trade of being Mediocre, she will live, but in being perfect, she will die. She dies. Even if just briefly. It also connects her and her mother Shiva closer together. Shiva being of Hades legacy can also feel death and wants to be killed only by the best. She seeks out death but will only die to one she considers worthy. Cass, being a daughter of Nemesis, wouldn't do this anyway, even if it was against her morals because Shiva has an excess of hubris. Cass is the perfect person to kill her, her own daughter, but in retribution, she will not be the one to kill her.

Jason also being a son of Nemesis and the angst that brings. He who sees it as balance to kill the one who killed him. Who sees it as the ultimate revenge to go against Bruce in the way he does, knowing that it will hurt, but him also failing in the end because he demands to much, is asking for something in which he cannot have and ergo by his own nature, by his own Devine mother he will not have it. [Ethan Nakamura traded an eye for a weapon that could change the balance of the war, It's not to far out there to assume Jason in a fit of desperation in a deep seeded need to seek revenge to find some sort of balance would trade something for a leg up.] Him being the legacy of a god who heals. Something he didn't know about. The connection he now shares with the mother he ran after to in Ethiopia. That woman was a disgraced doctor, and now he finds out he is the legacy of a healer. He who instinctively heals Bruce. Doesn't realize he is doing it. That also plays into the balance. For as much as he hurts Bruce, he is also healing him.

Tim being the first Roman. That makes him an outsider in the beginning. He who has to work a bit harder in the beginning for this. Who in the beginning doesn't know how to apply hid skills, let alone what skills he does have. He who loves deeply and cares deeply. Who brings people together even through grief. He who created the Batfamily. He who becomes a cornerstone to the hero world, having a piece of himself in every corner. Child of Venus who brings honor back to her name. Child who didn't have to fight, who didn't have to pick up a weapon. Who's ability could have been used equally as well elsewhere but picked one up anyway and said I will be what is needed. He with his words and actions that can change the world. Venus will never be the first one people think for. They will think Athena, because of his brain, not remembering that his mom was a goddess of war, who has started wars. They will think Ares for his mastery over weapons for the viciousness he can show in the field. Not knowing that his mother may be a goddess of love, but love can be just as cruel as it is kind. The will say Hephestus for the tools he wields, not knowing that words and actions are just as mighty as any blade can be. One called him a child of Victoria. Not recognizing that his mother too is a goddess of victory.

Stephanie, the second Roman. The daughter of Cardea. Of hinges. A goddess so minor that monsters even ignore her. Is she even a real demigod? She asks herself at night alone as she is forgotten again. She trains so hard, but she's not Cass who senses death or fights for something much larger than they are. She's not Tim, whose mother is the mother of Rome. She is not Dick who has survived as an Olympian child for decades now. She's not Babs, who was so outstanding of a mortal that she received blessing. She can't even be a proper Roman. She who wards off evil though, whose Powers work amazingly for vigilante work. She can break open doors with the slight manipulation of the hinge, who can open filing cabinets because not everything can be found online. She who instinctively has skills others have to practice and learn. She who will always feel like an outsider.

Damian, who has a lot of legacy to live up to. He's not a halfblood, and he's less of a demigod than everyone else. He values his blood connection to his father so much because it's one of the few things he has over everyone else. He who is the only one who has a connection to the magicians and other West Asian religions and what that entails. He knows of the Greeks and Romans..he knows of the Irish and the Norse. He stands outside and inside it all. He brings more or less thrown into a whole new world when he ends up in Gotham. It tests only his skills but his ability to adapt because things are different here. More dangerous and less dangerous.

--

Dick resenting Jason a bit because he thinks Bruce taking in a child of Nemesis was him taking in someone better suited for the sort of job Vruce wants to do. Jason feeling inadequate because Dick was the child of an Olympian whose father had domains that helped physically with fighting..

Jason is angry at Bruce because the kid that took his spot is the child of an Olympian. He went and found a Roman kid. The Roman's were more disappointed, they were better at following orders, they would make better soldiers. Tim who is angered slightly because Jason took a part of Bruce with him when he died, and no matter what he can do, nothing will bring in back. Jason got the ultimate revenge in that.

Jason and Cass will never see eye to eye. They are hslfdiblings. Jason has a halfsibling, Cass has a halfsibling, but they won't ever get along. Not in the way that matters. They represent the best and worst of the other. Cass won't kill again, Jason will kill. Jason doesn't intentionally heal, Cass yearns to. They see balance as something different. One was dead without wanting to be. One yearned for death but ended up living.

Stephanie and Tim find companionship in being the only Romans among the Greeks. They, however, represent something the other could never be. Stephanie sees Tim as a model Roman. Even when angry at his father, at Bruce, at the position he's in, he still refers to that person in the father role. He still plays into the roles of society. Tim sees Steph rebel against that. He sees her best up her father, rebel against Bruce, against authority. She resents him, and he fears what could happen to her. He is the son of the mother, and she is someone minor. She has a freedom he never will have. He has a position she will never have.

Just all of them trying to measure up to the others around them always find something missing.

[Also, random fun fact Duke already has an immortal father in canon. It's true. Look it up.]

Annon AK

OOH MY GOD. YOU GET IT.

i genuinely dont think i can add to this. you have absolutely nailed everything about each of their dynamics. i dont think this will leave my head anytime soon

[megamindsupremacy]

Heyyyy so about that pjo/batfam au.... I love it.

I wonder if any of the bat kids are legacies or half bloods? Like, they'd be ripe for urgent adoption and training, given the inherent risk of monsters! Not to mention the specially bred deep rooted battle/hero instincts. Would only some be half bloods? Any? How would that affect the dynamics, to have some (or just B) be aware of and able to interact with this whole secret world complete with monsters hidden in plain sight?? There's got to be tons of secret pjo resource stashes like different metals, foods, weapons, armour hidden everywhere hehe.

Ooh, would a bat kid ever have accidentally eaten ambrosia/nectar (or gotten close) without knowing what it is? Is Alfred a legacy?? A satyr?!! That'd be so so cool. (and it'd be an explanation for how long lived he is lmao)

If the batkids were all legacies/half bloods, who would be who? Would there be a mix of greek/roman? Is Bruce aware of the Egyptians or Norse lot?? I'm so curioussssss

ooo okay so the batkids! i explained it like... a year ago (jeez) in this post but here's the basic rundown:

Bruce: Athena (three parents, complicated situation)

Dick: Hermes (three parents, uncomplicated situation)

Babs: mortal, clearsighted, not The Oracle but calls herself Oracle

Jason: Nemesis (still working this one out)

Cass: Shiva/Nike, raised by David Cain

Tim: Bellona/Janet (who is a legacy of zeus)

Steph: Apollo

Damian: Legacy Athena/Hades

Duke: normal ("normal") meta but everyone up to and including Apollo thinks he's Apollo's kid

-

There are definitely stashes of demigod resources! most of the stock is in the Batcave, but they definitely have stashes in all the safehouses. They're basically like any other resource- medical supplies, celestial bronze dagger, batarangs, smoke pellets, ambrosia, etc. Considering that celestial bronze and nectar/ambrosia are pretty rare, i doubt they're using them daily, but everyone definitely has emergency demigod equipment on them. I'm also making Gotham a Land Beyond Gods, a la Alaska in SoN, so there's less of a monster problem than other cities. Gotham kinda like the trash dump of the demigod world- all the weird fucked up stuff ends up there for our intrepid heroes to get chased by.

-

Most of the Batkids are aware of who they are, eventually! Bruce, Cass, and Damian always know, Dick and Jason figure it out pretty quickly after living with Bruce, Tim figures it out himself before becoming Robin, and Steph only figures it out after she "dies" (poor guy). Bruce isn't very good with the Mist, and monsters aren't like, a huge problem in Gotham, so it's not really a big deal to them if they are/aren't demigods. Babs kept up just fine as a mortal, after all. Like i said earlier, ambrosia/nectar are in short supply in Gotham (bruce doesn't really have a consistent way of getting more besides through diana, who also doesnt really have a consistent way of getting more), so nobody's eating any by accident.

-

I have literally no idea what's going on with Alfred. I joked a while back that he's a minor god, which I'm not opposed to, I'd just have to work that one out a bit more. The satyr idea is fun and works really well, except imagining Alfred with goat legs and eating aluminum cans freaks me out and I don't know what to do about that. He could also just be a mortal blessed by [insert god here] to have a longer lifespan, or someone who made a deal with [insert god here] to be alive as long as Bruce/the Wayne family needs him. It'll be interesting to figure out, whenever I end up doing that!

-

Bruce and Co. are NOT aware of the other pantheons! As in, they are so unaware of the other pantheons that nobody can figure out who the fuck Tim's godly parent is. Bellona is on nobody's radar, everyone is split between Ares/Dionysus/Athena/????. They also haven't figured out he's a Zeus legacy, because his ancestor fled to Gotham during WW2 and then did their best to hide their heritage for their and their kids' safety. Poor guy doesn't know what the fuck is going on, basically. Bruce is actually pretty cut off from CHB, so he's not super up-to-date about the demigod world. He tends to focus more on the superhero side of things. His kids have varying levels of interest/affiliation with the demigods, but they're definitely not on the "first to know" end of news whenever things happen. It takes a hot minute for anyone to figure out the Romans exist, and considering that Percy and Annabeth try pretty hard to conceal the Egyptian and presumably Norse pantheons, we can assume the Batfam isn't aware of those guys for quite a bit after the Greeks learn about them.

[uppastthejelliclemoon]

Girl help I have recently been CONSUMED by a Percy Jackson Cats au.

Cass and Munk are children of Athena, because they're both smart but can also kick your ass. I'm picturing Munk as sort of a head-camper figure? Not sure if that's a thing but it is now!

Jerrie and Teazer are children of Hermes, because OBVIOUSLY who else but the trickster god??

Alonzo and Mac are sons of Ares, and Plato a son of Hephaestus - idk why, I'm just vibing with it.

Demeter, daughter of Demeter because I can't resist that. She rolls her eyes so hard at her dad for it. Bomba is a daughter of Aphrodite, and also a better warrior than all the Ares kids. Also a champion matchmaker.

Tugger is a son of Apollo and has inherited every single bit of the showman and musician. I also like Cori and Tanto as children of Apollo, and with Cori taking on the oracle role.

Misto is a son of Hekate and Victoria is a daughter of Nike. They're besties because minor gods solidarity 💪

There's no plot at the moment but hhnngggghhhh I had to share this with someone before I exploded.

NO BC SAME IT’S ALL I THINK ABOUT

Obsessed with both of us making Munk a son of Athena and Tugger a son of Apollo, we truly share a single braincell lmao but it makes SO much sense!!

And yes, head campers are 100% a thing!! Munkustrap would absolutely be the head of the Athena cabin!!!

Keeping Griz as Tugger’s mom and Deut as Munk’s mom, I also love the idea of Apollo and Athena guiding their children and their mortal parents towards each other!! They want their family to be happy!!

And if we want to bring Roman gods into it with specifics, I’d see Alonzo as a son of Mars, and Mac as a son of Ares. Alonzo is someone I see as having a personality closer to Frank Zhang in the Heroes of Olympus series!!

Plato as a son of Hephaestus my beloved… so good… thinking about him 😌

MINOR GODS SUPREMACY FOR MISTO AND VIC BLESS and if we want to keep them related imagine Bustopher landing TWO different goddesses he’s iconic

[brookston]

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Crazy Rich Asians (Film; 2018)

Dancing Queen, by ABBA (Song; 1976)

Fly Me to the Moon (Animated Film; 2008)

The Full Monty (Film; 1997)

Garbage, by Garbage (Album; 1995)

How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren (Book; 1972)

I Me ine, by George Harrison (Autobiography; 1980)

In Through the Out Door, by Led Zeppelin (Album; 1979)

The Larry Sanders Show (TV Series; 1992)

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Macarena, by Los del Rio (Song; 1993)

Make Mine Music (Animated Disney Film; 1946)

Notorious (Film; 1946)

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The Sinking of Lusitania (Windsor McKay Cartoon; 1918)

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Today is Also…

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[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 8.15

Holidays

Acadian Day (Canada)

Air Conditioning Appreciation Days end

Armed Forces Day (Poland)

Asunción Foundation Day (Paraguay)

Awa Dance Festival (Japan)

Best Friend's Day

Cass Elliot Day (Baltimore, Maryland)

Caveernova Awareness Day (UK)

Chant at the Moon Day

Chauvin Day (a.k.a. Nicolas Chauvin Day)

Check the Chip Day

City Hall Selfie Day

Constitution Day (Equatorial Guinea)

Dog Days of Summer end

815 Day

Ferragosto (Oven of August; Italy)

Flooding of the Nile (Egypt)

Flower Festival begins (Colombia)

Fool’s Dance (Japan)

Green Data Day

Hello Day

I Love Cowboys and Cowgirls Day

International Apostrophe Day

International Neonatal Nurses Day

International Play Lax Day

Jogukhaebangui nal (a.k.a. Fatherland Liberation Day; North Korea)

Khalistan Day

La Vieja Day (Panama)

Loaded Dice Day

Lupin Day (French Republic)

Memorial Day For the End of the War (終戦記念日 Shūsen-kinenbi; Japan)

Moms Equal Pay Day 2023 ( website )

Mother’s Day (Antwerp, Belgium)

National Back-to-School Prep Day

National Day (Liechtenstein)

National Failures Day

National Jean Day

National Leathercraft Day

National Liberation Day of Korea

National Mourning Day (Bangladesh)

National No Spongebob Day (SpongeBob)

National Philip Day

National Relaxation Day

National Sunflower Day (Canada)

Neighbor’s Day (Mexico)

Oscar Peterson Day

Panama Canal Day

Panama La Vieja Day (Panama)

Rockford Day (Illinois)

Sandakan Day (Malaysia)

Sang Marie (Gambia)

Shoro Nagashi Nagasaki (Japan)

Sit Back and Relax Day

SJS Memorial Day

Staatsfeiertag (Liechtenstein)

Stadium Rock Day

Tuva Republic Day (Russia)

Velika Gospa (Croatia)

Victory Over Japan Day (UK)

Woodstock Day

World Child Abuse & Neglect Awareness Day

World Reiki Day

World Greatness Day

Wow! Signal Anniversary Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Fresh Poke Day

National Ginseng Day

National Lemon Meringue Pie Day

3rd Tuesday in August

International Chalk the Walks Day [3rd Tuesday]

Independence Days

Gwangbokjeol or Kwang Bok Jul (Liberation Day; South Korea, redeclared independence from Japan; 1945)

Bahrain (from UK, 1971)

India (from UK, 1947)

Republic of the Congo (from Belgium, 1960)

Feast Days

Alypius of Thagaste (a.k.a. Alipius; Christian; Saint)

Assumption (a.k.a. ... 

Assomption (Belgium, Croatia, Haiti, Slovenia)

Feast of the Assumption

Feast of the Assumption of Mary

Fête Nationale of the Acadians (Canada)

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches)

Feast of Saint Mary the Virgin

Feralia X (Day of Purification; Pagan)

Festival of the Outremeuse (Liege, Belgium)

Ferragosto (Italy)

Holy Day of Obligation (Catholic Church)

Irmandade da Nossa Senhora da Boa Morte Fiesta (Festival of the Order of Our Lady of the Good Death; Bahia, Brazil)

Lady's Day (Ireland)

Lunes siguiente a la Asunción de la Virgen (Spain)

Māras (Latvia)

Marilyn Chambers Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Mother's Day (Antwerp and Costa Rica)

National Acadian Day (Acadians)

Navy Day (Romania)

Virgin of Candelaria, patron of the Canary Islands. (Tenerife, Spain)

Zoline (Lithuania)

Bob (Muppetism)

Bon Festival (a.k.a. Obon; Japan)

Condom Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of the Formation of the Theotokos (Eastern Orthodox)

Festival of Vesta (Ancient Roman Goddess of the Hearth)

Francesco Zuccarelli (Artology)

Great Mother Goddess Day

Herbal Holy Day

Maras Diena (Ancient Latvia)

McCartin (Christian; Saint)

San La Muerte (Paraguayan Folk Catholicism)

Santa Muerte (Mexican Folk Catholicism)

Sproshinki (Slavic Pagan End of the Hay Harvest Festival)

Stanislaus Kostka (Christian; Saint)

Tarcisius (Christian; Saint)

Vasco de Gama (Positivist; Saint)

Wafaa El-Nil (a.k.a. Flooding of the Nile; Ancient Egypt)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Fatal Day (Pagan) [16 of 24]

Historically Bad Day (Buddha died & 6 other tragedies) [6 of 11]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [23 of 32]

Prime Number Day: 227 [49 of 72]

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [42 of 57]

Premieres

Alice’s Tin Pony (Disney Cartoon; 1925)

American Splendor (Film; 2003)

Americathon (Film; 1979)

Apocalypse Now (Film; 1979)

Bambi, a Life in the Woods, by Felix Salten (Novel; 1922)

Batman and Harley Quinn (WB Animated Film; 2017)

Cat’s Paw (WB LT Cartoon; 1959)

Crazy Rich Asians (Film; 2018)

Dancing Queen, by ABBA (Song; 1976)

Fly Me to the Moon (Animated Film; 2008)

The Full Monty (Film; 1997)

Garbage, by Garbage (Album; 1995)

How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren (Book; 1972)

I Me ine, by George Harrison (Autobiography; 1980)

In Through the Out Door, by Led Zeppelin (Album; 1979)

The Larry Sanders Show (TV Series; 1992)

Living My Life, by Emma Goldman (Biography; 1931)

Macarena, by Los del Rio (Song; 1993)

Make Mine Music (Animated Disney Film; 1946)

Notorious (Film; 1946)

A Place in the Sun (Film; 1951)

Player Piano, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Novel; 1952)

The Sinking of Lusitania (Windsor McKay Cartoon; 1918)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars (Animated Film; 2008)

Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Film; 2008)

The Wizard of Oz (Film; 1939)

Wizard’s First Rule, by Terry Goodkind (Novel; 1994)

Woodstock Festival begins (Music Festival; 1969)

You Shook Me All Night Long, by AC/DC (Song; 1980)

Today’s Name Days

Maria Himmelfahrt, Tarsitius (Austria)

Mariya (Bulgaria)

Julijana, Mara, Marija (Croatia)

Hana (Czech Republic)

Maria (Denmark)

Hanna, Jaana, Jaanika, Jana, Janika, Janne, Jenny, Johanna, Nanna (Estonia)

Jaana, Jatta, Marianna, Marianne, Marita, Maritta, Marja, Marjaana, Marjatta, Marjo, Marjukka, Marjut (Finland)

Alfred, Marie (France)

Maria Himmelfahrt, Steven (Germany)

Despoina, Maria, Panagiotis, Panayotis (Greece)

Mária (Hungary)

Assunta, Maria (Italy)

Dzelde, Zamuels, Zenta (Latvia)

Napalys, Napoleonas, Sigita, Visvilas, Vydenė (Lithuania)

Margot, Marielle, Mary (Norway)

Maria, Napoleon, Stefan, Stella, Trzebimir (Poland)

Marcela (Slovakia)

Alba, Asunción, Azucena, Mar, María, Patrocinio, Prado, Reyes (Spain)

Estelle, Stella (Sweden)

Madonna, Malia, Mara, Maria, Mariah, Marian, Mariana, Maribel, Marie, Marisa, Marissa, Maritza, Marla, Mary, Maryann, Mimi, Miriam, Mitzy, Molly, Napoleon, Polly (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 227 of 2024; 138 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 33 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Ji-Wei), Day 29 (Yi-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 28 Av 5783

Islamic: 28 Muharram 1445

J Cal: 17 Hasa; Threesday [17 of 30]

Julian: 2 August 2023

Moon: 1%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 3 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Vasco de Gama]

Runic Half Month: As (Gods) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 55 of 94)

Zodiac: Leo (Day 24 of 31)

[soysaucevictim]

“it feels like my brain (was floating in a fishtank)”

(See warnings/summary on Ao3.)

[ Prologue/Start ] [ Previous ]

Chapter 4: Circuits of The Imagination

Vee had to work and Feed himself.

Ellis was staying in his study.

Janus always had “affairs” to attend to.

Roman said he dropped Remus off at Huntington Beach, again. Roman said he was going to a climbing gym to Feed, after that.

Vic was having a long shift at the zoo.

Carrie had the weekend off, so it was just her, Patton, and the help in Janus’s estate. She was trying to distract herself from the Dream, reading over technical manuals. She hated having new insight on what had to be going on in Steve’s mind, for who knew how long. To take his perspective as he nearly tore her family apart.

Patton, having caught up with his homeschooling, walked up to her, “Mrs. Espinoza?”

“Hm?”

“Are you feeling sad?”

“… I suppose.”

“Want to do something fun with me?”

“What would you suggest?”

“Can we go to the fair place?”

“Which one?”

“The one with the princesses and knights!”

She smiled, “Sure, let me just get ready for that, then.”

Patton grinning widely made her heart melt.

-

Remus was back at the beach, he immediately tried to swim again. It didn’t last very long, he felt his Horror was still sluggish after that meal from the yacht party. He had to swim more like a human, needing to actually hold his breath and he wasn’t as quick in the water. It wasn’t as fun.

So, he pouted at the shore line, still soothed by the waves.

After a while sitting there, Remus noticed Cass approaching him once more.

“You look particularly sullen this afternoon.”

Remus flopped backwards onto the sand, “It’s boring when FUN TIMES doesn’t want out.”

“Say, how familiar are you with your capabilities?”

“I’ve only known I was a Beast for like, a little over a year? Sooo…”

“Not much?”

“What? No! Well, kind of?”

“Hmm?”

Remus hesitated but told them about some of the things he did to Steve. He started with how he reached into the guy's mind to plant a potent Nightmare.

-

The eldritch form of his Horror loomed over the “Hero”. His uncountable eyes stared deeply into the puny thing, floating in the water and struggling to hold his breath. Threatening, inhuman noises resonated from his entire being. Remus beheld him, snaking the tip of one of his many tentacles into Steve’s mouth. The nuisance’s delicious fear was drowned out by knowing Roman could be d-

-

Remus shook his head and chose not to mention the part about his brother.

“Let’s just say that could’ve happened in much better circumstances.”

He wondered about discussing Horrorspawn. Jude was really fun to have around. It was like having some weird pet-child-thing that’s also sort of you floating around. When its time ran out and came apart, he was a little sad. It bitter-sweetly reminded him of what it felt like having a whole soul again. He held back on that note.

“So, where would you like to go, to rouse you?”

Remus wasn’t sure, he didn’t have nearly as much experience with this side of being a Beast. He assumed he’d have to single out someone specific. He thought about returning to Edison’s AutoMart or Nemeseian Blessings Yacht Club.

“Can we flip a coin?”

-

It was quite a car ride over to the Renaissance Fair grounds, but Carrie didn’t mind humoring Patton along his wandering babble. Occasionally, perhaps more than her own kids at this age, he would grow quiet.

The child really grabbed at every sense he could. The colors, textures and patterns on the staff’s garb – rich, vibrant, and fanciful. He listened to harpists, flutists, and singers perform music – adoring their charisma and showmanship. He smelled all the delicious food everywhere and wanted to try nearly everything. 

His vocabulary didn’t have such words, but Carrie could appreciate the boundless enthusiasm.

Soon enough they sat down for lunch, Carrie ordering them a couple bread bowls. Patton was having some chicken noodle soup and she helped herself to broccoli cheddar. She was amused with him scrunching his nose at the broccoli part.

She let him take the lead, and didn’t mind letting that continue. As they nearly finished their food, he interrupted her by asking, “Miss-uss Espinoza, where d’you wanna go now?”

She looked around for a few moments. She found herself transfixed by a specific pair of joined stands: a bowyer and blacksmith. The Dream reminded her of what she wielded in her nightmares, her fingers itching. She didn’t want a repeat of the Rich situation.

“Hmmm, oh. I’d like to see those folks’ wares.”

He nodded and followed her over there.

The craftsmen immediately looked at her strangely, as she approached. She wasn’t sure who to greet first, the smith chuckled, “Wherefore holla thither, maiden! Mine own name is Giles, what doth thee desire?”

The bowyer rolled her eyes, “You can call me Tasha. As you can probably tell, I fashion the bow components around these parts. Let me know if anything catches your eye.”

Carrie was fast in saying, somewhat flushed about Tasha’s imposing and attractive figure, “Name’s Carrie. C-can I have a crossbow, Tasha?”

Tasha raised an eyebrow, “Do you know how to use one, ma’am?”

Carrie straightened up, “Well, I’ve had some firearms training, when I was in the Air Force. But-.”

Her throat closed up, she didn’t want to touch a gun, but she needed this.

Tasha shrugged, “You’re in luck, I have something ready to go behind the bench.”

Tasha was quick to start giving her some pointers and running down the thing’s specifications, “Normally, this would cost you a couple grand, but we can negotiate a generous discount on it. You can also have a quiver of bolts on the house. I highly recommend you practice on the range while you’re here.”

Carrie glanced around, “Do you normally do this for customers?”

Tasha smiled at her, “I- we know-”

Giles bellowed cheerily, “Tasha, art thee trying to steal business hence from me? Shame on thee!”

Tasha had a look of endearment, “Honey, please. You take all this far too seriously.��

“Yet, thee did marry me!”

Carrie was entertained by this banter, it did make her think of Vic’s own charm.

Giles turned to face her, “Art thee eke interest'd in one of mine own fine blades, as well?”

“This might sound weirdly specific, but do you have anything like a rapier?”

“Alas, an estoc is the closest thing I has't to eft. I wilt asketh something about these purchases.  Art thee planning on most wondrous deeds, slaying the savage beasts of this realm?”

That froze her a moment, she felt something in these two. They weren’t Beasts but- she whispered to them, “A-are you two Heroes?”

Giles sobered, hushed and out of character, “Yes. We are. I warn you, if you abuse our courtesy, you’ll regret it.”

Tasha simply said, “We have our ways.”

Carrie nodded, “T-trust me. I just want to protect- protect-”

She looked around to see Patton had wandered off.

She panicked as she completed her transaction and gathered everything up. Estoc sheathed at her belt, the crossbow and ammunition in their cases.  The craftsmen gave her an understanding look, “If anyone asks, you’re just a family friend of ours.”

She had to find him.

-

Remus was back in Cass’s car.

The coin flip had Remus gleefully telling Cass about how he upturned a certain used car dealership before they met. He wondered if the business recovered after that mess, after seeing the news coverage on it.

Remus mentioned, “I don’t know WHAT you did back at the yacht club, but I’m so looking forward to seeing how the BOTH of us can go rile them up.”

Cass recited a few more verses in response:

“Who hath woe? Who hath sorrow? Who hath contentions? Who hath babbling? Who hath wounds without cause? Who hath redness of eyes?

They that tarry long at wine, they that go to seek mixed wine.”

Remus snorted, “Must’ve been some good shit.”

“You could say that.”

There was silence so Remus fiddled with the radio, Cass didn’t seem to care about being asked. Remus’s tastes were eclectic, but he was in the mood for the station that played a lot of indie rock.

And if you leave here, you leave me broken, shattered I lie I'm just a crosshair, I'm just a shot, then we can die

They had some luck catching strings of green lights heading deeper into Santa Ana. Cass was taking the scenic route to get there.

“Which of the Edisons do you think will be the most... appreciative of our services?”

“I guess the guy with the BlackBerry?”

“Duly noted.”

I know that starting over's not what life's about But my thoughts were so loud I couldn't hear my mouth My thoughts were so loud-

“Oh, and I’ve been meaning to ask if you can tell me more about yourself?”

“Well, I-”

Their conversation was cut short by one garishly hot pink SUV careening through the intersection at their side.

Before he knew it, Remus lost consciousness with an unbearably loud crash.

- 

After some frantic scanning, Carrie saw Patton again, across the lane through the stands.

One moment, he was giggling and clapping at a singing lute player. The other, his attention taken by a stranger with a camera, crouching down and tapping his shoulder. This stranger seemed so friendly, but she felt the Dream’s whispers kicking up on approach.

Said stranger had Patton following her.

Carrie started running toward them, fearing for the child. 

Alerted, the stranger gripped his arm far too tightly, making him whine in pain as they sped away from Carrie. The Dream was nearly screaming at her, “You know what she is, kill her. Kill. Her. KILL HER!”

She shook her head, thinking, “I can’t, not here! I just need to protect my- the child.”

She still gripped the estoc, not caring what others would think, hoping to corner the stranger.

They were running toward the park side of the venue, where the attendees grew sparse. Carrie was grateful when they finally started to slow down. It was clear the Beast had more stamina than the child, since Patton had to stop and catch his breath a few times. Her angry yanking and dragging him along only made so much progress.

Eventually, Carrie closed the distance, unsheathed her estoc, and pointed it at the kidnapper, “Let. Him. Go.”

Carrie noticed a strangely dull look in Patton as he stared expectantly at the Beast.

“Who might you be?”

Carrie practically growled, inching closer to the Beast, “What does it matter?”

“Why? I’m this ever so precious child’s mother!”

Carrie glanced at the two of them, not seeing any resemblance whatsoever. A rational part of her mind could drum up plausible reasons, but, “I don’t believe you.”

The Beast crouched in front of Patton, cradling his face to look at her, “Pattycake, sweetie. You believe me right?”

Patton hummed, “I-”

Carrie thrust the estoc closer, nearly puncturing her neck.

The Beast pulled her hands away from Patton, startled. Her gaze still went back to the child, “O-okay, I’m just his auntie Roxie! Do you remember that time-”

Carrie broke, “I will find you and turn you into a PIN CUSHION, if you so much as TOUCH that child OR ANY other. And I will RELISH it.”

A quiet part of Carrie was disturbed about the notion, drowned out by the Dream beckoning her forward. Suddenly Roxie’s expression dropped and she leapt away from Patton, wearing the same terror Rich did. Roxie stammered, “P-please, I-I need my family… I-I need…”

“DON’T make me kill you where you stand, fiend.”

Carrie was fighting the beckoning urge to destroy her utterly. The only thing resisting that was not wanting Patton to witness it.

“A-alright, alright. F-fine. D-don’t kill me. I’ll-I’ll get out of your hair…”

Roxie scrambled away from them, quickly getting far enough to have the Dream grow quiet again.

Carrie looked down to Patton, knelt to rest her hands on his shoulders, “Kiddo, a-are you alright?”

Patton seemed to shake out of the daze, wincing about the bruising on his arm, “She did something. Everything got so quiet, I-I could only hear her voice. I was scared and I couldn’t- couldn’t-”

Patton broke into tears and clung to her, she held him comfortingly, “Shhh, I won’t let this happen to you ever again. Not under my watch. You’re safe, now.”

“I wanna go home.”

“I understand. Let’s go, then.”

-

It was a miracle that the SUV didn’t hit square on Cass’s car, but toward the rear half of the sedan. It was the driver’s side too, narrowly avoiding a direct hit to Cass and barely dampened some of the force on Remus.

As all the airbags deployed, Cass fish-tailed to their left and came to a screeching halt. In moments, both vehicles had to’ve slammed the brakes.

Remus stirred moments after that. He was dizzy and nauseous, his vision swimming between blinks. He slurred, confused and disoriented, “W-what happened?”

Cass was surprisingly more alert, eyeing the other vehicle.

Remus thought, “Oh yeah, we got hit, didn’t we?”

Cass looked back at Remus, “Be careful, don’t move.”

Remus swore he was tasting blood. It took a lot of energy just to try to focus on his surroundings. He wondered if he was going to die.

Cass summoned some unearthly strength ramming open the partially caved in door and stepped out to confront the other driver. The SUV wasn’t nearly as crumpled up as the sedan, but she really shouldn’t have been able to walk out of this like she did.

As she stepped toward their vehicle and the airbags started to deflate, Remus vaguely recognized her from somewhere. Thinking made his head hurt. Did he just see a holster on her? Keeping his eyes open for a very long time hurt.

Cass got in between her and Remus, “Oh, it’s a relief that you were alright after that. Shall we exchange insurance information and settle this amicably?”

Cass sounded so calm, and so did the other driver, almost sweet-sounding, “I do apologize, Father. Oh! It seems you had a passenger, is he quite alright?”

“I will call for help, after we’ve done this formality. You may call me Cass, for now.”

She craned her neck around to see Remus more closely, her fake smile trembled slightly, glancing back to Cass, “Oh, you can just call me Di, and-”

Remus moaned, “… that… name…?”

Her eye started twitching, ever so slightly, “Gosh, is that one of those… day laborers?”

Remus thought some less-than savory things about that, but he still listened to Cass.

“Child, what does that have to do with-”

She shoved Cass aside and stared at Remus with a creepy, subdued smile, “Ah, I knew the vermin behind ruining my beloved hubby’s big day was around here somewhere. I was looking EVERYWHERE, for you! This can’t stand, you see?”

Remus swallowed some more blood, feeling a familiar wrongness about her.

Cass was stern, “You’re over the line.”

“And you’re going to regret intervening on my MISSION.”

She stepped back and the space in front of her rippled. Remus’s guts twisted, peering into the gate. It was a familiar deep sea crevasse, shimmering in a tiny crack in reality. He feared what she would do if she got inside his Lair, but couldn’t make himself move or think to stop her.

She was about to enter it before Cass yanked her away, “I know the game you’re playing here, but I will not let one of my charges be harmed by one such as yourself.”

In between Remus’s blinks, Cass turned into something incomprehensible in his stupor.

Diane’s eyes became saucers, “W-what ARE y-!?”

Cass wrapped something around her neck and lifted her up. She desperately tried clawing herself free. The mass was somehow both solid enough to squeeze the life out of her, but not enough for her hands to find any purchase.

Cass’s voice seemed to reverberate from their entire body, distorted, yet serene:

“A good man takes care of his animals. But even the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.”

She gagged and fought uselessly, before going slack in their grip.

The intense emotions that wafted from her had quieted, as Cass dropped her unceremoniously. Remus wasn’t even sure if Cass was looking at him, until they shifted back to their “human” form.

Cass swiftly tapped something on their phone, “Yes, Emergency? I’m over at… I just witnessed a car accident. Someone is badly injured. Please, you have to-!”

Cass crushed the device in front of Remus and told him, “Don’t tell them anything.”

Remus slurred, “¿Quiiién? ”

He couldn’t keep his eyes open. The question went unanswered.

The last things he heard was the sound of something being dragged along, doors opening and closing, and a car driving away.

He felt an overwhelming tiredness cloaking him from there.

-

It was a long and quiet car ride back to the estate for Carrie and Patton.

She grimaced whenever she glanced at the kid favoring his injured arm. She muttered to him once, “I’m sure Vic can help you feel a little better. I’m sorry-”

Patton smiled at her despite the wincing, “’sokay. She-”

He gulped, Carrie nodded, “No. It was my responsibility to make sure that didn’t happen.”

“You’re sad again.”

Carrie was mentally repeating to herself that this wasn’t going to happen again.

Patton carefully touched her arm as she drove, “I know you care about me, Miss-us Espinoza.”

She smiled a little and was caught off guard by him saying, “It’s like Vee says, ‘shit happens and then you die’.”

She sputtered at that, “Young man, language!”

Patton gave an all-too innocent shrug.

When they arrived, Vee was there and clearly restless. Patton was quick to run to him for a hug. Vee was smiling until he saw the subtly darkening bruise on his brother’s arm. The older brother was glaring daggers at Carrie immediately.

“On your life, you BETTER not’ve laid a hand on him.”

Carrie waved her hands in placation, “Patton just asked me to take him to the-”

Patton supported her, “The Renaissance fair, Vee! It was a lot of fun!”

Vee was snarling, Carrie knew it was about her but he was facing Patton, “Fun? Why are you HURT.”

He then turned to Carrie, “And why are you armed to the TEETH now!?”

Patton wasn’t fazed, “She scared off a bad lady. Who did something weird to my head, I think?”

Vee desisted, barely, “Bad. Lady?”

��She was kind of like you and Mama Jannie – but… scary?”

Vee looked almost insulted a moment, Carrie would’ve snorted if the tension wasn’t so thick.

The older brother looked at her, cautiously glancing at her weapons, “Did you kill her?”

“No. I think I found something that she feared? Or…”

Vee went rigid, “You inflicted that on her.”

She retreated for a moment, “I-I had to do something!”

Vee slackened and sighed, “I don’t smell any new blood on you. I don’t really see that kind of restraint. Ever. In people like you.”

Patton looked up at Vee and smiled encouragingly, “It was amazing, V-!”

Vee seemed to melt, “Look. Maybe I should tell you m-”

Carrie’s phone buzzed. She hesitated a moment, but her gut told her to answer it.

“We’re with the Providence Saint Anne Hospital, is this Carrie Espinoza?”

“Speaking.”

“Are you Remus Espinoza’s mother?”

Carrie felt a cold pit settle in her stomach, “Yes, why?”

“He was in an accident and admitted to our care a few hours ago. His condition is stable but still being monitored. We have already contacted your husband, will the two of you be available to come here to see him?”

“Y-yes, of course! I can go right now. A-and I’ll try to get his brother there too.”

“Okay, do you have something to write down the phone and room numbers?”

She shakily pulled out a notepad and pen from her bag and jotted everything down before the call ended. Patton tugged at her pant leg, “Is Remus okay?”

Vee seemed caught off guard and concerned. She briefly wondered if it was for her.

Carrie simply said to the two of them, “I can only hope so.”

-

“Thank you for giving us some more detailed history to add to Remus’s charts, Mr. And Mrs. Espinoza.”

Carrie, Vic, and Roman stood near Remus’s room, talking with his doctor.

Vic asked, “How is he?”

The doctor answered, “Remus experienced some whiplash injuries and a concussion from a side-on impact. Given some of his test scores, we just ordered a CT scan and would like to hold him for a couple days.”

Carrie asked, “What happened?”

The doctor glanced at some charts before answering, “The first responders were admittedly puzzled by it. It looked like a hit and run, both drivers involved weren’t on the scene. And the vehicle your son was found in was registered to… an out of state missing person. You might get more information from the police department on that.”

Roman fidgeted, “Is he going to be okay? Can we see him?”

“We still have to wait a little bit to be certain, but Remus appears to be in better shape than expected. But, yes, take it easy with him. We don’t want to-”

Remus shouted from his room, “I can hear you!… ow.”

They filed in quietly and orderly.

Vic held the hand that didn’t have an IV in it and ruffled Remus’s hair, “Oh, mijo. What have you gotten yourself into?”

Remus winced in thought before shrugging, “I… don’t remember?”

Carrie’s demeanor softened, “Easy, Rejoe. You can tell us when you do.”

-

The moon was waxing outside.

Remus didn’t remember when he last fell asleep. Or if he had passed out.

He was lying in a hospital bed, confused why he was there a moment, before his senses caught up. He was told not to strain himself physically or mentally. As much of a contrarian he liked to be, when he tried to claw at what happened in the car accident his headache flared up.

Teeth. He remembered seeing too many of them. But nothing coherent to connect with it- it was like a nightmare. But then, Remus knew he couldn’t have those anymore. 

He regretted immediately his impulse to shake his head to clear it. All he got from that was an intense dizzy spell. He laid back, to quell the predictable nausea, and huffed, “This sucks ass.”

It was a small miracle he didn’t break anything else in the crash, that’s what the nurses said to him, anyways. Remus tended to avoid that growing up – he guessed being an actual monster just made him weirdly flexible.

His bed was pretty close to the window.

When he turned to face it one of the several times hoping for the scenery to change faster - Cass showed up, turned back to him and looked outside. Cass simply said, almost embarrassed, “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“Huh?”

In a few more blinks, Cass was gone.

When asked, the nurse told him his last visitors were hospital staff and family, no one else.

-

@milktea531 @r0sethrills

Feel free to ask to be on a tag list, if you wish!

(I’ll probably tag every other cross-post.)

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[ Next ]

[unolvrs]

uno i miss you so much you don't even know <//3 also when are we getting a new boo ( no pressure! take your time :) ily )

is this like 'new book' bc i'm going to interpret it like that.

and honestly... i have way too many drafts. look, my way of releasing stress is making ocs through wikia-formats, and making a whole ass timeline for the plot. in a span of a month, i've made a lot. and recently, i've been on a hardcore batfam phase, yeah? and recently, this happened too:

i have ... i may have hyperfixated which i'm working on and lost a couple of hours researching the timeline. so, yes, i'm working on not one, but two batfam fics: one's oc-insert found family with the batfam, and the other's a dick grayson/reader ... and i honestly want to add a third one that's going to be cass-centric and a marvel crossover but hnggg, do i really wanna indulge myself? yes. yes, i do.

pushing the whole batfam aside (and ignoring my venom!oc in batfam idea), i also have a very long-length avengers + xmen + oc fic in my drafts with the complete timeline and all ... i've been stressed the past few weeks and this is how i vent, mbmb.

AND if you guys were there during my 'shinto pantheon in pjo' ... don't even get me started. and i had another phase right after that which i call my 'angel phase' wherein i got really interested in nephilims and the book of enoch, and may or may not have made another timeline and world-building details for a nephilims (not supernatural nephilims btw) in pjo ... so, uh, there's that.

confirmed upcoming:

kimetsu no yaiba + jujutsu kaisen:

no 'missing itadori' this time! ... just 'itadori getting mistaken as a demon' angst. lots of angst, and first year bonding and found family!

tentative:

oc-insert batfam + found family

this one, i really want to write, mostly because of the religious imagery and roman catholic references. it's going to be called our father's venison, and i'm already excited just thinking about it but i still have no idea how the ending will go and that's stressing me out.

dick grayson + serial killer!cannibal!reader

now, the thought is very, very appealing. i can imagine how it'll go but i have no idea how it will work ... but i want to wing it. i really, really do. set in bludhaven, so i really want this to work out. i genuinely do, but for now, very unlikely any time soon.

cassandra cain-centric + mcu

i have no plans for this. all i know is that cass is my favorite batkid and i like mcu a lot ... more than dcu, but the batfam have a special place in my heart. and just thinking about cute, dimension-hopping misadventures? i love cass, bye. maybe it’s going to be a one-shot or a short story at best.

xmen + marvel + oc

least likely to be posted because it’s long and entirely self-indulgent. the plot is complete and the ending, the specifics, and the whole timeline with everything considered, and fixed, but no. it’s just ... so long.

shinto pantheon + pjo

ok,, this ... i want to wing. i have the worldbuilding fixed too, the characters, and how the meeting will go, and i’m screaming, that’s all.

nephilims + pjo

and by ‘nephilims’, i don’t mean supernatural’s nephilims (i love spn), but nephilims there are way too overpowered and this ones are going to be a bit more biblically accurate. just a bit, but i really, really enjoyed world-building for this. made me really excited. the plot for the meeting is also ... somewhat planned.

WAIT

i should just make a plot dump ... like those short drabbles in one book but i just dump plots. that would be convenient. and then i can just decide after if i want to keep them. okok, i’ll do that. brb, gonna write froggie and rain :DD BLESS YOU ANON

[thesibyllinebooks]

Percabeth Parenting: Percy the Sparring Coach

Percy stood between his twins in the backyard. “I want a good fight,” he said. “Clean? Who am I kidding?” Cassie and Theo stood on other side of him, dressed in helmets, breastplates, braces and greaves. Cassie and Theo bumped knuckles, then each took a few steps back. Alex watched from a patio chair, glancing up from his strategy papers every few seconds. Annabeth sat next to him with a look of dismay. She hated watching her children fight. So did Percy, but he understood the necessity of them training, especially against each other. 

“You know the rules,” Percy said. “No stabbing, no intentional bone-breaking, and no using the pool.” 

Through their helmets, Percy could see their fierce grey eyes. Though his twins were close as two siblings could be, their eyes always filled with determination and wrath when they sparred, almost as if they didn’t know each other and were real enemies. Percy never had to fight against a sibling so he supposed to make it easier for them, they had to forget all of that when they fought.

“On my mark,” Percy said. “One, two three. Go.”

Cassie and Theo circled each other. For the first time in their sixteen years of life, Theo was finally taller than Cassie. Both of Percy’s twins were tall, though, and muscular from years of training and playing school sports.

Just like Percy thought she would, Cassie swung first. She slashed her sword at Theo, taking a heavy lunge forward. He blocked her with Riptide. Percy had always wondered how he’d handle passing Riptide down to his children. He had come to the conclusion that if both of them wanted it, neither of them would get it, just to be fair. But Cassie had assured her father she hadn’t wanted the sword. She fought with a Celestial Bronze Spartan blade, preferring a curved blade to a straighter one.

“Stop always swinging first. It’s predictable,” Percy chastised. “Theo, take the offense for once.”

Theo brought his blade down on top of Cassie’s. Before he could lift it back up, Cassie planted her foot and kicked Theo hard in his right shoulder. He staggered backward. 

“Oooh!” Alex shouted. Though he wasn’t much of a fighter himself, he loved watching his siblings spar. Annabeth banned Cassie and Theo from sparring with him, considering how needlessly violent they got. Alex didn’t seem to mind, preferring strategizing to actually fighting.

Cassie charged at Theo again with the point of her blade instead of the side. “Cassie!” Percy reprimanded. She immediately switched her approach. Percy wondered what it felt like for his children to fight. Sure, he’d had his own share of sparring matches and very real duels. But they’d received Ares’ blessing upon birth, which manifested itself in unnatural strength- even for a demigod- and clearly, pure, unadulterated anger when fighting. 

Theo shot forward, cutting off Cassie’s frontal strike with the bottom of his blade. To a skilled fighter like Percy, Theo’s second of hesitation was clear as day. Percy feared for his son in battle. He always wanted to be logical and fight with strategy, much like Annabeth. It served him well sometimes, but he needed a bit more of Cassie’s instinct. Each of his children had what the other lacked in battle. 

Cassie cursed loudly as Theo drew back his blade, ducked, then hit her in the chest with the butt of his sword in one swift motion. 

“Good!” Percy said. “Hit her again. Don’t stop!” He glanced at Annabeth. She was watching her children intently too, making mental notes to share with them after the fight.

Theo crushed the butt of Riptide against Cassie’s chest again. In retaliation, Cassie brought her boot down on Theo’s knee, forcing it in the opposite direction. Theo yelled in pain. 

Cassie put her sword to Theo’s neck. “Yield,” she ordered. 

Instead of responding, Theo slashed at her again, driving her sword away from his face. He stood up and took a few steps backyard, clearly feeling how much weight he could put on his knee. He worked hard to defend himself, doing his best to disarm Cassie. Cassie fought like her sword was an extension of herself. Sparring with the Ares Cabin, and the Romans when they visited, made her a notorious warrior at both camps, definitely more formidable than Percy. If he was being honest, both of his children were better sworsdmen than he’d ever been. 

Cassie jabbed her sword near Theo again. Their blades caught in the air with a loud clang. With his free hand, Theo reached up and twisted Cassie’s wrist backward. She grunted, then cursed again when he pulled her sword out of her hand and threw it. 

“Aw, come on, Cassie!” Percy shouted.

“Yield,” Theo commanded. 

Cassie was about to do no such thing. She reached down and unstrapped a dagger from her thigh. “Yeah!” Alex cheered again. Not too many kids were lucky enough to get a front row seat to a death match between their older siblings. 

Cassie bounced on her feet, keeping light. She waited for Theo to attack. Theo clearly had pause, wondering whether he was walking into a trap. Percy watched with interest too. Cassie had just recently began training with her dagger, so he hadn’t seen her fight with it much. 

Theo swung half-heartedly, as if he was trying to draw Cassie out and see how she would react. She swung back. Percy noticed her footing was off and the swing was rather lazy, which wasn’t normal for her. Theo swung again, sure of himself this time. Through her helmet, Percy heard Cassie laugh, which confirmed what he had thought earlier. It had been a trap.

With savage speed, she met Theo’s sword with the side of her blade and pushed his arm to the side and upward. Cassie threw her dagger. With the awkward angle his arm was at, it was easy for Cassie to snatch Riptide from Theo’s hand and throw the sword. She flipped Theo over the shoulder. He hit the ground hard. 

“Great move, Cassie!” Annabeth said encouragingly. Percy had to admit he was impressed too. 

Now, the twins were engaged in hand-to-hand combat. That was Theo’s area of expertise more than Cassie’s, but he’d taken a beating. Cassie scrambled on top of Theo. She pinned his arms under her knees and dug her fingers under his breastplate. Repeatedly, she lifted him by the chest and slammed him on the ground, causing his head to rattle around inside his helmet. 

“Very dirty move, Cass,” Percy noted, though he knew his daughter wouldn’t care. Were his kids not half-god, Theo probably would have gotten his first TBI by the time he was twelve.

“YIELD, THEO!” Cassie screamed, slamming Theo’s head into the ground yet again with such rage, Percy felt uncomfortable. As uncomfortable as it made him, he knew telling his kids to ease up on one another wouldn’t be training them well. If Theo didn’t want to yield, Percy had to let that be his problem, as hard as it was to watch. 

Not one to give up, Theo brought one of his knees up into Cassie’s back. She let go of him with one hand, which threw her off balance just enough for Theo to roll on top of her. He pulled her helmet off. Her curly black braid spilled out of her helmet. She looked so much like Annabeth, but with such a look of hatred, Percy almost didn’t recognize his daughter. He wondered if this is how she looked when she fought on quests. 

Theo gripped the top of Cassie’s breastplate tightly with his left hand. “Yield,” Theo said in a warning tone, lifting her up.

Cassie narrowed her eyes at him, looking at her twin brother like he was an idiot. “Gods, no,” she said.

Theo brought his fist down on her jaw, punching her hard. 

“Right in the face,” Alex commented.

Percy and Annabeth shared a look. Annabeth’s eyes held concern but Percy knew they had the same idea. They wouldn’t be any sort of parents if they didn’t allow Theo to fight Cassie like an equal. She could hold her own. Monsters and enemies certainly didn’t care that she was a girl, so why should they?

“Yield,” Theo ordered again. Cassie shook her head. Theo punched her in the face again. When he brought his fist up, his knuckles were covered in Cassie’s blood. “Yield, Cassie.”

“No,” Cassie spat. Theo punched her a third time. Percy winced. Cassie’s head lulled back. Regardless, Theo raised his hand to hit her again. If he had to beat her into submission, he certainly would. Cassie reached for the hand holding her shirt. She bent two of Theo’s fingers back hard enough to make him let go of her. Theo yelled in pain.

Cassie regained her position on top of Theo. Her mouth was bloody. She pulled Theo’s helmet off and brought her elbow down on his face. She just missed his nose. 

“I’ll leave you pretty,” Cassie taunted her brother. She reached out with both her hands and squeezed them around his neck. “Don’t make me kill you, Theo. Yield.”

She squeezed harder, choking him and slamming him into the ground at the same time. Theo’s face turned red. Theo struggled to throw Cassie off him to no avail. “Y-yield,” he finally choked out. Cassie let go, grinning with satisfaction and showing off her bloody teeth. “I yield.”

Cassie let go of her brother. She climbed off him and stood, offering him her hand and pulling him up. For a second, they stared at each other, seemingly comparing their injuries. Percy saw the fondness return to their eyes. Cassie and Theo enveloped each other in a tight hung. 

“Pretty sure you broke my jaw,” Cassie said matter-of-factly when they let go.

Theo shrugged. He was still breathing raggedly from being choked. “Pretty sure you broke my kneecap.”

Cassie raised an eyebrow at her brother. “Good fight, Jackson.”

“You too, Jackson.” Theo threw his arm around Cassie’s shoulder. She helped him limp over to their parents. 

“I’ll go get the nectar,” Alex offered. “And band-aids.” He disappeared inside. Theo took his spot in the chair, stretching out his hurt leg. 

“You know we don’t choke,” Percy chastised his daughter.

“Oh my gods,” Cassie said, unstrapping her armor. “That wasn’t a rule. Besides, I couldn’t think straight after Theo punched the crap out of me." She accepted a water bottle from Annabeth. She swished the water around in her mouth and spat out more blood. 

Percy eyed his twins with concern. “The way you two fight, I get that you’re taking your sparring seriously but one of you is going to kill the other one day,” he said. 

Cassie shrugged. “If you wanna be the best you gotta beat the best,” she said, clapping Theo on the shoulder she kicked. “It’s all in fun.”

Annabeth smiled uneasily. “Well, at least we know you two can protect yourselves. Your father and I are proud of you guys. Just a little worried. You two don’t know what you look like when you fight each other.”

“Well, I’m sure I look like a hot, warrior princess that all the Ares boy want to ask out,” Cassie said nonchalantly. Theo made a gagging gesture. 

Percy rolled his eyes at his daughter. Alex returned with two squares of nectar and some band-aids and washcloths. 

“That was awesome,” he said. “Theo, I thought you were going to beat Cassie this time. You should have punched her harder. Remember when Jake got his neck broken in one punch at the arena? Like that.”

“Jeez, thanks, little bro,” Cassie said. She looked at Theo. “I mean we can go best two out of three-”

“That’s enough for today,” Percy interrupted. “Let’s heal these bruises first.”

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, CASS! You’ve been accepted for the role of ROMEO. Admin Rosey: Whew -- while reading the application, we couldn’t help but come back to one significant theme that was very much R O M A N. There was the Roman that he presented to the world and the Roman that he actually is. All that talk about Roman getting his heart broken and here he was, breaking ours. Cass, I’m so incredibly excited to have you fill this role and bring us the Montague heir that we’ve been longing for. The one that is full of possibilities, flaws, hopes, and love. Please, everyone, read this application and listen to that song at the end so ya’ll can cry with me, thnx.  Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Cass

Age | 23 for approximately one more week!

Preferred Pronouns | She/Her

Activity Level | I am drenched in grad school, but our course load is a little lighter this summer and I’ve missed writing like the devil so I’ll probably check in every day and have replies up every couple of days (but I promise to bring the heartache every time I post, no worries).

Timezone | US EST (GMT -5)

Current/Past RP Accounts | I played Bellamy for a little while before stepping down to hellish classes! This account that I’m applying with is also an old RP account.

In Character

Character | Roman Montague (ROMEO)

THE LOVER: Roman’s heart has betrayed him more than anything else in Verona. He’s trusted the wrong people, fell in love with something beautiful only to pull back the curtain. Yet his heart still bleeds, and there is crimson pooling at his feet. Everything that he does, he does out of love. Even when love has hardened him, twisted him, made him convinced of a future he once never envisioned, he fights because he loves this city, his family, the mob. Love is not always pure and sweet. Sometimes, love is the greatest weapon of all.

THE KING: Not crowned yet, not truly, but the coronation is lingering, and each day is another step towards the throne. There is a future for Verona, one on the other side of this wretched storm, and he’s learning how to shape it. He’s learning what to say, who to convince, who to– well, there’s still some lessons yet to be taught.

THE MAN: As much as Verona believes in gods amongst men, there are nights where Roman feels more human than deity. He fells the heartache, the hope, the joy, the loss. He’s known every emotion there is to write poetry about, and he’s experienced it a thousand times over. Born with a heart destined to bleed, Roman can’t fully eradicate the human parts of him. Whether it’s a blessing or a curse has yet to be seen.

What drew you to this character?

So I’ve always been interested in Roman but there is so much to his character that I had previously been rather apprehensive to dive in and build up each layer (the love, the pain, the tragedy, the heroism, the martyrdom, the humanism in the face of deification), but I haven’t been able to shake this boy, so here I am! There’s been so much thought put into him, and there have been so many wisps of muse that don’t make sense. It was frustrated, but then it dawned on me – Roman isn’t a character that can be pinned down. Try as he might to use his head, the boy leads with his heart. That hasn’t changed even after all the fractures and scars and bruises that have befallen it, so how can he be predictable? How can he be justified? He can’t. In a way, Roman’s the most human character I’ve ever seen, and it’s for that reason (the frustration and the intrigue and the sheer force of possibility) that I’ve been drawn towards him.

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

USE YOUR HEAD, BOY: It’s a dangerous move to demand the dissociation of head and heart. Leaders have toppled, lovers have lost their minds, martyrs have simply become John Smiths. Roman has made dozens of mistakes by following his heart, yet none are as dangerous as the ones he makes when he uses his head. He’s brilliant, always has been, and he knows how to hit where it hurts – but what is the cost of falling upon the sword of strategy and apathy? Roman has the opportunity to be a phenomenal leader if only he can balance head and heart, and seeing him fall too far into his own head, to make decisions that make sense on paper rather than within his chest, is a path that I would love to pursue. He still has more to learn before he can become the hero that Verona needs, and that includes making mistakes tied to the man Damiano envisions him to be and the man that he is.

HOW DO YOU FOLLOW A BROKEN HEART? It’s no secret that Roman is made of pure emotion. He is a god, but he was one meant to break hearts rather than bones – though he never expected to break his own, not this suddenly, or this violently. He used to claim that he’d rather suffer a thousand broken hearts than live a life without love, but now that he’s felt the bludgeoning, the tragedy that struck him like a shotgun pellet, he’s wondering if he still has a heart at all. The pieces are all still there, yes, but one can’t follow a broken compass. I think this will come into play with Roman’s personal relationships. A year ago, he was able to offer his entire heart whenever anyone needed it. Now, he still longs to do that, but he can’t offer what he doesn’t have. Delving into how Roman’s interpersonal relations have shifted since the crown upon his head has grown heavier and heavier is a perfect opportunity for pain and therefore a huge interest of mine.

AT LAST, SUCCESS. One cannot be a god if all he does is misstep. Roman may be a disappointment to Damiano, but there are small victories, ones that will eventually culminate in triumph – but at what cost? There’s a fine line between winning the war and suffering as Pyrrhus did. At the end of the day, success must be golden and shining, and there must be people present to admire its gleam. The way I visualize a plot such as this is long and meandering, starting with an idea of Roman’s to somehow change the world, and an earnest desire to see it through, to do something right, to be the leader that his friends, that his family, that Verona so desperately needs. As such, I can see it easily incorporating the previous two bullets, and drawing in a wide cast of characters.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character?

Bring on the pain. I’ll be fine. I think.

In Depth

In-Character Interview:

What is your favorite place in Verona? | We recommend looking at the location page and reading it over to figure out where your character’s favorite place is – if it’s not their own house/room.

There’s a spark that ignites in Roman’s eyes as he leans back in his seat, one hand coming to his chin as if musing over a perfect answer. He’d always been told to think more, to hesitate in the name of answering strategically, and while the answer had been on the tip of his tongue as soon as the interviewer had raised a brow, Roman knew that he ought to at leastappear introspective. Wasn’t Verona all about appearances these days?

“There isn’t just one place,” he said. Despite his previous demeanor, the corners of his mouth were lifting. He’d never been able to keep his heart from bleeding for this city. “It’s the entirety of it. There’s a thrill amongst the streets, within the people. The city feels alive despite all those horrible news stories. To pick a single place is to say that you only prefer to hold hands when you’re in love. It’s just a part of the story.”

Somehow, he’d shifted so he was leaning forward, moving from sociable interaction to intimate. He wasn’t quire sure when he’d done it, or how he’d ended up smiling despite the ghosts clawing at his back. Everything he said was true, at least once upon a time. Now the streets were silent with a fog that seemed to cling to the cobblestones. The city was somber, as if respecting the funerals occurring within. But this was a temporary pause, a purgatory following months of hell. It had to be.

What does your typical day look like?

The continuation of the interview came as a slight surprise to Roman, and it showed in the way his brows rose, easily furrowing along lines that hadn’t been there half a year ago. He brushed it off with a laugh, and it filled the room as effortless as melody. For a second, things seemed brighter.

“Is there really such a thing as a typical day?” For all of Roman’s shortcomings, he’d always been a brilliant actor. It was a skill born of a desire to please and an optimism bred of love. He never meant to lie, but he was damned good at pretending that life was better than the cut of cloth before them. “Sometimes it starts at To Tame a Soup, sometimes it starts with sleeping in. I just finished coursework through the University of Verona for the fall, so I’m trying to enjoy the winter months as much as possible. Would be lying if I said I wasn’t scrambling to buy last minute gifts some days.”

If only his life were so effortless. He often woke with circles under his eyes so dark he’s started concealing them with creams. His tongue would be dry, longing for either water or another drink of scotch, and his head will be buzzing with the sort of cloudiness that ought to only exist in literature. He felt least like himself in the morning, and it was for that reason that waking up was often the easiest part of his day. As hours dredged on, as the sun climbed higher, he felt the pressure to be golden. Each day was another step towards destiny, another task to accomplish, another part of himself to leave behind. Some nights, with Bellamy and Marcelo and Lawrence nearby, he was able to reclaim a small part of who he used to be. He was able to feel, as if his soul were filling his body and reinvigorating him with purpose. He’d had a night like that less than nine hours ago, and it was the only reason his smile translated as happiness.

So a usual day? Waking up between his past and his future, digging bloodied trenches towards a unified Verona, and occasionally remembering that glimmer of love and rosebuds nestled within his chest. A usual day was, in essence, evolution.

What has been your biggest mistake thus far?

It took everything in him not to laugh at the question. What mistakes hadn’t he made? He was far more infamous for his missteps than his talents.

Roman thought back to his previous answers, to the the lies by omission, to the act of vibrancy. Maybe it was time for a dash of honesty. “Like many people, my biggest mistake is falling in love with the wrong person.” Because that’s where the tragedy began, no? By giving his heart away and then having to build it anew when she stole off with it? “I’ve fallen in love with several of the right people since then, but there’s always that one that breaks your heart, eh?” He remembered those nights, waiting for her to call, checking his phone, calling her after he’d had a drink too many. He’d written letters, done everything he could to ask for his heart back. She’d never sent it.

“Be lying if I said I wouldn’t do it all again, though.”

What has been the most difficult task asked of you?

Become the person that Verona needs. Stepping into shoes that are still too large to wear. Losing himself. Finding himself. A thousand answers flitted through Roman’s head, and they were the same demons that kept him up until sunrise after dragging him through a day of steps he wished he’d never taken. The most difficult hadn’t been asked, not explicitly, but he knew it was coming. Part of being a Veronan was to kill for what you wanted.

“You know, I still haven’t quite sorted out what to pack for my vacation.”

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

This time, Roman didn’t hold back his laughter. “You know how to get some incendiary comments, don’t you?” He shook his head and took a drink of water. He wanted it to be colder than it was. “There are some things that you can’t go on record saying. As much as I’d love for your story to make the front page, I’m afraid all these comments will have to be redacted.”

He wasn’t an idiot. He knew that he needed to start laying down his own foundations for the future. The war was necessary, as much as he hated it. He’d play the part he needed to in order to ensure the success of his family, of his friends, of Verona. Thrones were rarely won without war, and he had no plans to be on the losing side of history. There were too many people that depended on him to let them down by simply dodging bullets and working towards unanimous posterity. He may not be the bloodied general his father was, but he would be a king in his own right. The future of Verona weighs upon his shoulders, and his alone.

Extras:

I was going to make a playlist, but there’s really one song in particular the strikes me as perfectly Roman. I couldn’t get away from it, so please accept my single-track Roman EP.

I’ve also made a Pinterest Board!

[amrenofvelaris]

Listen, I'm not saying that Roman Reigns would be the perfect Cassian, but(t)

[yggdrasilbohdi]

Stunning Old-Fashioned Names for Boys and Girls

There is a certain charm to vintage or old-fashioned names. They breathe a sense of ancestral strength and tradition into today’s modern world. This is especially true if the old name comes from a specific ancestor or from a family line’s homeland.  

A meaningful name can remind children of their deeper identity. It can remind them of their place in their family (such as patronymics) and of honorable values. To help you in your search, we have gathered thirty old-fashioned names from a variety of different cultures. Each has a unique meaning that can serve as a guide to your children and can also provide insight into the names of family members that came before you.  

15 Old-Fashioned Boy Names 

Historically, old-fashioned boy names were symbols of strength. After all, in most cases it was the young men who would become leaders, provide for the family, or march off to battle. Young men today face a myriad of challenges. They need just as much strength now as preceding generations. Here are some emboldening old boy names from all over the world. 

Arthur 

This Celtic name means both “bear” and “king.” Many associate the name with the Arthurian legends surrounding a king from the sixth century. The jury is still out on whether a figure like King Arthur actually existed, but the strong meaning of this old name still rings true.  

Ambrose 

The Greek derivation of this name means “immortal” and is a name still used today. This powerful name belonged to Saint Ambrose, a charitable government and church leader in fourth-century Italy who courageously spoke up in defense of his beliefs.  

Beau 

This short and sweet French name means “handsome,” or a masculine version of “beautiful” in the French language. It’s the perfect old-fashioned boy name if you are looking for something simple and unique.  

Byron 

Byron is an English name. Originally, the name indicated that the person was from a farm or the “cow sheds.” However, more recently it has become more associated with the celebrated poet Lord Byron who, despite childhood hardships, later became a multi-talented and expressive writer. 

Charles 

Charles comes from Germanic etymology and means “free man” or “warrior.” It is also a popular name among powerful leaders, writers, and thinkers such as Charles Darwin, Charles Dickens, Charles de Guelle, and even Peanuts creator, Charles Schulz. 

Clyde 

The origins of this Scottish name are not as well-known as other vintage names included in this list, but it is believed to mean “keeper of the keys.” The name became popular in America during the nineteenth century and has belonged to many successful entertainers and athletes. 

Dimitri 

Dimitri is a Russian name that comes from the name “Demetrius.” This old name is easily recognizable for any scholar or scientist. Historically, it belonged to Dmitri Mendeleev, the inventor and chemist who created the periodic table of elements that we still use today.  

Ezra 

Ezra is a Hebrew name from the Old Testament. The name means “help,” which is fitting since the author of the Book of Ezra sought to help God’s people to overcome obstacles and past mistakes in order to create a better future.  

Felix 

Not all old-fashioned boy names need to sound classic or dusty. Felix is a Roman and Italian name meaning “happy,” “successful,” or “lucky.” This name is mentioned in the New Testament and became a popular name for parents to name their boys during the medieval era.  

Garrett 

Garrett is an English name that also derived from the medieval era. The name means “hard” or “brave,” which suits many of its popular bearers. Several professional athletes are named Garrett, and it was the last name of Pat Garrett, the sheriff who took down Billy the Kid. 

Josiah 

Josiah is an old name that dates all the way back to an ancient Hebrew dialect and means “God supports.” This name has a gentle sound to it, but it also carries the strength and gravity of generations. 

Louis 

Louis is a French name that comes from the name Ludwig, meaning “warrior.” Over 15 kings of France bore the name Louis. It is also the middle name of Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote the loved classics Treasure Island and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. 

Micah  

Micah is a Hebrew name that is listed several times throughout the Old Testament, including the Book of Micah in which a prophet recorded many of his prophecies. It’s an ancient name that has only recently become popular and means “Who is like God?” 

Miguel 

The English version of this name would be “Michael.” In Spanish and Portuguese, Miguel actually has the same meaning as Micah: “Who is like God?” One of the most prominent bearers of this name, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, became the author of the famed Don Quixote novel.  

Nicholi 

Nicholi is a Russian name that means “victorious” or “victory of the people.” It is the Russian or Bulgarian form of “Nicholas,” which has a similar meaning in English. This is a strong, masculine name that is both formal and unique.  

Owais 

The name Owais comes from Arabia. In Urdu, it means “companion of the prophet” or “little wolf.” It comes from the name Uwais, which belonged to a sixth century scholar named Uwais al-Qarani.  

15 Old-Fashioned Girl Names 

Old-fashioned girl names also carry a sense of strength. They spell out themes such as light, influence, and wisdom. Each of these themes are a great testament to women throughout the ages for their ability to maintain hope and to make the world a better place, even during the darkest chapters of history. They were—and still are—a vital force in our families and communities. 

Ada 

The name Ada is chiefly from Germany. It comes from other names you might recognize such as Adelaide or Adelina. One of the first inventors of the mechanical computer was named Ada, Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, to be exact. The name itself means “noble.” 

Annette 

Annette is an old French name. It comes from the name “Anne” and means “mercy” or “grace.” This beautiful vintage girl’s name became popular after 1950s actress Annette Funicello began stealing the spotlight in film. Most of her audience knew her simply by her first name.  

Bonnie 

This Scottish name carries a simple and peppy tone. It calls to mind the wildflowers and fields of Scotland itself, which is fitting since the name means “pretty.” This old-fashioned girl name grew in popularity when it was used as the nickname for Scarlett’s daughter in the film Gone with the Wind. 

Cassandra 

Cassandra is an ancient Greek name that means “to shine” or “to excel” and was the name of a mythical Trojan princess. This powerful name carries a sense of grace and independence. Cute nicknames for Cassandra might include “Cass” or “Cassie.”  

Clarabelle 

Clarabelle has Latin origins and means “clear” or “bright.” The name has a pleasant and vintage ring to it, which could be perfect for your little one. It was especially a popular name in America during the 1920s and was even the name of one of Walt Disney’s earliest animated characters. 

Emilia 

The name Emilia spells success for any little girl. It has Latin roots and literally means “to excel” or “to strive.” It’s no wonder this old name has belonged to so many successful athletes and artists. Even Shakespeare chose this name for one of his characters in his play Othello. 

Florence 

Florence is a Latin name meaning “flowering” and “prosperous” and has a long history dating back to medieval times. However, most will recognize this name from Florence Nightingale, a diligent nurse who helped save British lives during the Crimean War. Much medical progress that we have made today started with her efforts. 

Gemma  

The meaning of the Italian name Gemma is in the name itself. As you might have guessed, it means “precious stone.” Gemma also dates back to the medieval period and was the name of famed poet Dante Alighieri’s wife. This is a perfect old-fashioned girl name for reminding your little one that she carries great worth. 

Hannah  

Hannah is a Hebrew name that means “grace” or “favor.” This beautiful and historic name belonged to the mother of the prophet Samuel, as recorded in the Old Testament. She was a powerful woman who understood what it meant to trust God, even at great cost. 

Irina 

The name Irina has Greek origins. It has a gentle sound to it and means “peace.” This name has grown in popularity, especially during the 2000s. It comes from the name “Irene” and is the perfect name to give your precious little one that will not become outdated. 

Leylah 

The name Leylah is actually a Modern English variant of the Arabic name “Leila,” which means “night” or “dark.” While this name may not historically be as vintage as some of the others on the list, it carries the same melodic tone. 

Marjorie 

This cheerful and classic Greek name is a variant of the name “Margaret,” which means “pearl.” Marjorie has both a timeless and a unique tone, certain to help your daughter stand out—just like a shiny, beautiful pearl. 

Penelope 

While the name Penelope might be considered an English name, the name means “weaver” in Greek and comes from Greek mythology. Penelope is the name of the great hero Odysseus’s wife, a strong woman who worked to protect herself during her husband’s absence. It’s a great vintage name with some pep. 

Rosa 

Rosa is a name of Spanish origin. As you may have already guessed, it means “rose.” Rosa is an old name that has helped shape history, from Rosa Parks standing up for civil rights to Rosa Bonheur, a French painter who achieved a worldwide reputation, one of the earliest women to do so.  

Winnie (Winifred) 

Winnie, or Winifred, comes from the Welsh language as well as Old English. It means “holy,” “blessed,” “joy,” and “peace.” One particularly influential woman with this name was Saint Winifred, a Welsh princess who was martyred.  

Old-Fashioned Names in Your Family

Still struggling to find the perfect old name? Sometimes the best place to look is in your own family. Peruse generations of your family tree, and discover the names of individuals and stories nested there. You might be surprised by how much personal meaning—and unique, old names—you find.  

[ashoss]

i wanna jump in on the bat x pjo au! (absolutely obsessed with it btw… the jason and cass being kids of nemesis……… galaxy brain)

(and forgive me if youve already said in a prev maybe)

but do any of the kids have additional demigod powers? like beyond the good at battle, understands greek, stronger than the average bear etc but like how percy can create hurricanes :)

i might have gone over some of their powers in separate posts but ive never really gone into depth on any of them :)

i don’t really want to give them super strong powers (like nothing on the level as the Seven lol). i think them having small sway over things would be best. (btw im going through each cabin's abilities on the pjo wiki :D)

dick as a child of hermes has a bit of increased speed, im not sure how much though lol. definitely stealthier and can sense traps and different locks and stuff. hes probably also pretty persuasive.

babs- since she isn't a demigod but instead a blessed mortal is a bit different from all of them. @pooky-chan sent me a great ask about apollo and babs and her blessing which i thought was very yummy! so babs just finds it easier to find information and find connections between things a bit easier. as they put it apollo "greases the wheels".

jason and cass's powers would be similar to eachother, since theyre both nemesis kids. they both have tychokinesis (what ethan nakamura has on his wiki - so directly controlling "the likelihood of things good and bad things happening to individuals to even out supposed good luck and bad luck") they can sense when people want revenge/vengeance on something.

(theres actually not a lot to go based on for powers for the children of nemesis so im not all sure on it)

its mostly their legacy powers that stick out- cass as a hades legacy can sense death and can actually feel or see a soul leaving a body. she could probably talk to the dead but it causes a physical strain on her. while not as potent as nico's, she could faintly see someones life aura. she can also blend into the shadows easier. (she cant shadow travel or have actual control over the dead.) shes basically Nico Lite (tm) (i also like to think she unconsciously makes the temperature colder when shes around :))

and jason as an asclepius legacy would be able to tell at a glance if there is something medically wrong with someone and has pretty good medical knowledge. (basically jason is a godsend in the medbay). he does have healing powers, but he probably doesnt figure them out until after he's revived. i think it would be interesting if he could only heal other people and not himself :)))) (he also unconsciously heals people) ((also also to foil cass he probably makes the temperature a bit warmer. like how being healed feels warm :DD)

(tim im a little unsure on atm. hes def a child of aphrodite but i do also want to incorperate athena in there too. i dont know if i want him to be like,, 25% aphrodite or 25% athena - basically his parents were demigods- but im still debating a bit between that and child of Venus, as the roman equivalent of aphrodite has more warlike associations - i.e battle strategy... soooo) he has better emotional insight and can sense peoples emotions. he has a light form of charmspeak thats mostly more about sounding Intelligent more than actually influencing people (like an authority bias. people are more likely to listen to him because he sounds intelligent and he knows what he's talking about- ex: if tim were to suggest someone clean something up, they probably would because well, why else would he be suggesting it? he knows what needs to be done.) hes also pretty crafty and has some more strategic intelligence in addition to his bat training lol.

stephanie i think im set on being a child of Cardea (minor roman goddess of hinges). if thats the case, pooky-chan sent another ask where they went over how broad hinges really were. so steph could manipulate hinges and since so many different things contain hinges it could really be a pretty powerful ability.

however i do like child of veritas (roman goddess of truth). in this case she would basically be a human lie detector, and also people would probably feel the need to NOT lie to her.

damian i legit have no clue. hes the one i have the least ideas on lmao. because for him i would also have to go into the LoA and bruce's parents, and both i dont really have anything im set on yet :p. definitely something with magic from the al ghul side tho!

[ariyadaivaris]

backlash is weird because they had a week or two to set up feuds and it shows..why are bobby and braun going to fight against kevin and sami at this ppv? everyone in this match is cool but it feels like a throwaway match. where are the tag teams? (although tbf matt and bray literally just got the titles and the bb are kinda booked into a corner until SAnitY or the bar challenge them) and there are just no cruiserweights to be found. it's probably gonna be an ok ppv but i'm just so confused

i feel like most of the men’s title feuds are just like…cleaning up loose ends? the ic is a rematch clause and the us title match is payoff for a contendership that’s had like, zero buildup otherwise because it was originally with a different person and it’s just. nothing? and aj v shinsuke like, again, this is probably shinsuke’s last shot in this current title feud but it’s still…it still feels like just cleaning up loose ends? and that loose end shouldn’t have BEEN there, having shinsuke turn heel without even winning the damn title could NOT have been more of a mistake and while heel!shinsuke gives shinsuke a lot more purpose and verve its just like. like this? it happening like this? cheap! bad! shinsuke was Right! 

braun and bobby v sami and kevin is also weird and baffling, i love these men but i don’t understand exactly, bobby and sami seem to have something being set up but i don’t know if we’re ever gonna like…see sami or kevin fighting in singles matches again

roman v joe is gonna be cool but it’s still weirdly defined? why are they still feuding! there was a whole authority storyline where joe was triple h’s guard dog, and clearly the authority loves brock so joe could be taking down roman instead of brock because he’s got their blessing and he’s gotta uphold status quo, AND you could say joe gave UP on pursuing the universal title after losing to brock twice and he’s disgusted with roman for not giving up on beating brock after YEARS, because joe DID give up? BUT LIKE WE’VE NEVER GOTTEN FURTHER JUSTIFICATION FOR IT, there’s a deep-running resentment there and i truly do FUCKING wish we got to expand on that. also cass v dbry is happening, whatever, that’s still fucken baffling, we’re probably getting into miz v dbry soon after this i hope but. yknow. Why

then we finally get the women’s title rematches which are the only non-rushed feuds on the card because they didn’t have the payoff at the grr a week ago, but it’s still been awhile since the title actions and wins Happened so we’re picking up after the record skipped around a bit and it feels odd pacing-wise but still, good. then hopefully we can get fully into new title feuds, but, well, dubya is very bad at booking women so we’ll see what happens. at least bayley and ruby have a non-title match, even if it’s on the preshow and even though it’s probably…a device to further bayley v sasha even though we’ve been waiting since, what, february for that to go anywhere and it hasn’t? 

hoo sorry this got long i’m just. big thinking emoji but sad. wrestling…..bad? where cruiserweights. like marina said is it even a payperview without the cruiserweights like……whats the point……..why did i even come……….where is champion and king cedric alexander defending his title…………..i miss him

[realtalk-princeton]

any book recs for the summer?

Response from Clover:

If you’re into sci-fi, you’ve most likely heard of Ender’s Game, but there’s another set of books set in the same universe starting with Ender’s Shadow. It’s the events of Ender’s Game told from the perspective of another character and is seriously awesome. Both really great books that I would highly reccomend, and it’s nice for the summer because if you end up liking them there are many more that come afterwards (like Shadow of the Hegemon, which is also 10/10).

Response from Opal:

Nothing curated, just some of my favorite books that I read in the past year or so: Fun Home (Alison Bechdel), Watchmen (Alan Moore), Autobiography of Red (Anne Carson), The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt), Dune (Frank Herbert), An Indigenous People’s History of the United States (Roxane Ortiz), Whereas (Layli Long Soldier), Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoevsky), Orientalism (Edward Said), God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (Kurt Vonnegut).

Response from Alito:

Here are some books that come to mind that I have previously read:

Friedrich von Hayek: The Road to Serfdom

Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America

A. Huxley: Brave New World

Ayn Rand: Atlas Shrugged

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Black Swan

Cass Sunstein: Impeachment

Keith Whittington: Speak Freely (I’m serious…for ‘23, it was the ‘22 preread and I enthusiastically recommend it.)

Dr. Suess (even tho he’s a Dartmouth ‘25): Green Eggs and Ham

I’d also heavily recommend books by Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, Robert P. George, etc.!

Response from Winnie P:

10 of my favorite fiction (non-inclusive and list not ordered):

Italo Calvino’s Invisible CitiesWilla Cathers’ O Pioneers!TH White’s The Once and Future King (this is more for kids tho)Joseph Heller’s Catch 22Marguerite Yourcenar’s Memoirs of HadrianStendhal’s The Red and the BlackFedor Dostoevsky’s The IdiotAnatole France’s The Gods Will Have BloodBoris Vassilyev’s The Dawns Here are Quiet and Tomorrow Was the WarRacine’s AndromaqueErnst Junger’s Storm of SteelDino Buzzati’s The Tartar Steppe

10 of my favorite nonfiction (heavily tilted towards interests in Russia lol):

CS Lewis’s Mere ChristianityFelix Chuev’s Molotov Remembers: Inside Kremlin PoliticsEdward Luttwack’s Grand Strategy of the Roman EmpireStephen Kotkin’s Stalin series (2 books so far) and Uncivil Society: 1989 and the Implosion of the Communist EstablishmentDe Tocqueville’s Old Regime and the RevolutionWilliam Buckley’s God and Man at YaleAlexander Zinoviev’s Flight of Our Youth (idk if this exists in English tho)Peter Brown’s The Rise of Western ChristendomCarl Schmitt’s The Concept of the Political

[brookston]

Holidays 7.27

Holidays

Bagpipe Appreciation Day

Barbie-In-A-Blender Day

Blackberry Day (French Republic)

Bugs Bunny Day

Conmemoración del Asalto a Moncada (Cuba)

Cross-Atlantic Communication Day

Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War (North Korea)

Dodge City Days begin (Kansas)

Expose Lying Ministers Day

Form A Company Quartet Day

Gary Gygax Day

Iglesia Ni Cristo Day (Philippines)

José Celso Barbosa Day (Puerto Rico)

Love is Kind Day

Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers Day (Vietnam)

Miracle Treat Day

National Blunt Object Day

National Carson Day

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

National Nancy Day

National New Jersey Day

National Renée Day

National Roanoke Community Beautification Day

National Sheila Day

National Sleepy Head Day (Finland)

Norfolk Day (UK)

Over the Moon Night (Cows and Spoons)

Pediatrics Day (Brazil)

Remembrance Fay of the Children-Victims of War in Donbass (Donetsk People’s Republic)

Seven Sleepers Day (Ancient Latvia)

Siebenschläfer (if it rains today, 7 more weeks of rain; Germany)

Stargate SG-1 Day

Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day

Take Your Pants For A Walk Day

Tasoua Hosseini (Iram)

Victory Day (North Korea)

Walk On Stilts Day

War Martyrs’ and Invalids’ Day (Vietnam)

World Head & Neck Cancer Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Crème Brûlée Day (also 7.21)

National Chicken Tender Day (a.k.a. National Chicken Finger Day)

National Scotch Day (a.k.a. Scotch Whisky Day)

National Seltzer Day

Single Malt Day

4th & Last Thursday in July

Berne Swiss Festival begins (ends Saturday; Indiana) [4th Thursday

Great Texas Mosquito Festival begins (ends Saturday) [4th Thursday]

International Digital Adoption Professionals Day [Last Thursday]

National Chili Dog Day [Last Thursday]

National Intern Day [Last Thursday]

National Refreshment Day [4th Thursday]

Shiraz Day [4th Thursday]

Independence Days

Domolica (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Guanduania (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Anansi’s Day (Pagan)

Arethas (Western Christianity)

Aurelius and Natalia and companions of the Martyrs of Córdoba (Christian; Martyrs)

Birthday of Osiris (Ancient Egypt)

Bob Mortmorkson (Muppetism)

Confuse a Cat Day (Pastafarian)

Congall, Abbot of Iabhnallivin, Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus

Feast of Hanseath (Dwarven God of Alcohol, Dungeons & Dragons)

Festival of the Seven Sleepers

Ipip Festival (Ancient Egypt)

Joseph Anton Koch (Artology)

Lucian of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Madonna Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Maurus, Pantalemon, and Sergius (Christian; Saint)

Maximian, Malthus, Martinian, Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantine (The Seven Sleepers)

Pantaleon (Christian; Saint)

Say No to Negativity Day (Pastafarian)

Seven Sleepers of Ephesus (Roman Martyrology)

Theobald of Marly (Christian; Saint)

Titus Brandsma, Blessed (Order of the Carmelites)

Velasquez (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (WB Animated Film; 2021)

Batman: Under the Red Hood (WB Animated Film; 2010)

Colombiana (Film; 2011)

Dream A Little Dream of Me, by Mama Cass Elliot (Song; 1968)

The Flying Jalopy (Disney Cartoon; 1943)

Highway to Hell, by AC/DC (Album; 1979)

In the Bag (Disney Cartoon; 1956)

Jumping’ Jack Flash, recorded by The Rolling Stones (Song; 1968)

KooKoo, by Debbie Harry (Album; 1981)

Little Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway Musical; 1982)

Madonna, by Madonna (Album; 1983)

Magic Bus, by The Who (Song; 1968)

Mission Impossible: Fallout (Film; 2018)

Never Gonna Give You Up, by Rock Astley (Song; 1987)

New York Dolls, by the New York Dolls (Album; 1973)

People Got To Be Free, by The Rascals (Song; 1968)

Planet of the Apes (Film; 2001)

Presumed Innocent (Film; 1990)

Purple Rain, by Prince (Album; 1984)

Purple Rain (Film; 1984)

Ride the Lightning, by Metallica (Album; 1984)

Searching for Sugar Man (Documentary Film; 2012)

Sex & Religion, by Steve Van (Album; 1993)

Siamese Dream, by Smashing Pumpkins (Album; 1993)

The Simpsons Movie (Animated Film; 2007)

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (Animated Film; 2018)

The Watch (Film; 2012)

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Why Don’t You Do Right, recorded by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee (Song; 1942)

Wild Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1940) [1st Bug Bunny]

The Wild Party, by Joseph Moncure March (Poem; 1926)

Today’s Name Days

Berthold, Natalie, Pantaleon, Rudolf (Austria)

Dobra, Dobri, Dobrina, Dobrinka, Pancho, Panka (Bulgaria)

Celestin, Klement, Ljerka, Ljiljana (Croatia)

Věroslav (Czech Republic)

Marta, Martha (Denmark)

Marta, Marve, Marvi (Estonia)

Heidi (Finland)

Aurèle, Nathalie (France)

Berthold (Germany)

Pantelis (Greece)

Liliána, Olga (Hungary)

Celestino, Pantaleone (Italy)

Dita, Mariona, Marta (Latvia)

Natalija, Sergijus, Svalia, Žintautas (Lithuania)

Marita, Rita (Norway)

Alfons, Alfonsyna, Aureli, Julia, Laurenty, Lilla, Marta, Natalia, Natalis, Pantaleon, Rudolf, Rudolfa, Rudolfina, Wszebor (Poland)

Božena (Slovakia)

Natalia, Pantaleón (Spain)

Marta (Sweden)

Joy, Joyce, Lila, Lilac, Liliana, Lillian, Lillie, Lilly, Lily (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 208 of 2024; 157 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 30 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 18 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Ji-Wei), Day 10 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 9 Av 5783

Islamic: 9 Muharram 1445

J Cal: 28 Lux; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 14 July 2023

Moon: 69%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 12 Dante (8th Month) [Velasquez]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 37 of 94)

Zodiac: Leo (Day 6 of 31)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 7.27

Holidays

Bagpipe Appreciation Day

Barbie-In-A-Blender Day

Blackberry Day (French Republic)

Bugs Bunny Day

Conmemoración del Asalto a Moncada (Cuba)

Cross-Atlantic Communication Day

Day of Victory in the Great Fatherland Liberation War (North Korea)

Dodge City Days begin (Kansas)

Expose Lying Ministers Day

Form A Company Quartet Day

Gary Gygax Day

Iglesia Ni Cristo Day (Philippines)

José Celso Barbosa Day (Puerto Rico)

Love is Kind Day

Martyrs and Wounded Soldiers Day (Vietnam)

Miracle Treat Day

National Blunt Object Day

National Carson Day

National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day

National Nancy Day

National New Jersey Day

National Renée Day

National Roanoke Community Beautification Day

National Sheila Day

National Sleepy Head Day (Finland)

Norfolk Day (UK)

Over the Moon Night (Cows and Spoons)

Pediatrics Day (Brazil)

Remembrance Fay of the Children-Victims of War in Donbass (Donetsk People’s Republic)

Seven Sleepers Day (Ancient Latvia)

Siebenschläfer (if it rains today, 7 more weeks of rain; Germany)

Stargate SG-1 Day

Take Your Houseplants For A Walk Day

Take Your Pants For A Walk Day

Tasoua Hosseini (Iram)

Victory Day (North Korea)

Walk On Stilts Day

War Martyrs’ and Invalids’ Day (Vietnam)

World Head & Neck Cancer Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Crème Brûlée Day (also 7.21)

National Chicken Tender Day (a.k.a. National Chicken Finger Day)

National Scotch Day (a.k.a. Scotch Whisky Day)

National Seltzer Day

Single Malt Day

4th & Last Thursday in July

Berne Swiss Festival begins (ends Saturday; Indiana) [4th Thursday

Great Texas Mosquito Festival begins (ends Saturday) [4th Thursday]

International Digital Adoption Professionals Day [Last Thursday]

National Chili Dog Day [Last Thursday]

National Intern Day [Last Thursday]

National Refreshment Day [4th Thursday]

Shiraz Day [4th Thursday]

Independence Days

Domolica (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Guanduania (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Anansi’s Day (Pagan)

Arethas (Western Christianity)

Aurelius and Natalia and companions of the Martyrs of Córdoba (Christian; Martyrs)

Birthday of Osiris (Ancient Egypt)

Bob Mortmorkson (Muppetism)

Confuse a Cat Day (Pastafarian)

Congall, Abbot of Iabhnallivin, Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Day of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus

Feast of Hanseath (Dwarven God of Alcohol, Dungeons & Dragons)

Festival of the Seven Sleepers

Ipip Festival (Ancient Egypt)

Joseph Anton Koch (Artology)

Lucian of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Madonna Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Maurus, Pantalemon, and Sergius (Christian; Saint)

Maximian, Malthus, Martinian, Dionysius, John, Serapion, and Constantine (The Seven Sleepers)

Pantaleon (Christian; Saint)

Say No to Negativity Day (Pastafarian)

Seven Sleepers of Ephesus (Roman Martyrology)

Theobald of Marly (Christian; Saint)

Titus Brandsma, Blessed (Order of the Carmelites)

Velasquez (Positivist; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Batman: The Long Halloween, Part Two (WB Animated Film; 2021)

Batman: Under the Red Hood (WB Animated Film; 2010)

Colombiana (Film; 2011)

Dream A Little Dream of Me, by Mama Cass Elliot (Song; 1968)

The Flying Jalopy (Disney Cartoon; 1943)

Highway to Hell, by AC/DC (Album; 1979)

In the Bag (Disney Cartoon; 1956)

Jumping’ Jack Flash, recorded by The Rolling Stones (Song; 1968)

KooKoo, by Debbie Harry (Album; 1981)

Little Shop of Horrors (Off-Broadway Musical; 1982)

Madonna, by Madonna (Album; 1983)

Magic Bus, by The Who (Song; 1968)

Mission Impossible: Fallout (Film; 2018)

Never Gonna Give You Up, by Rock Astley (Song; 1987)

New York Dolls, by the New York Dolls (Album; 1973)

People Got To Be Free, by The Rascals (Song; 1968)

Planet of the Apes (Film; 2001)

Presumed Innocent (Film; 1990)

Purple Rain, by Prince (Album; 1984)

Purple Rain (Film; 1984)

Ride the Lightning, by Metallica (Album; 1984)

Searching for Sugar Man (Documentary Film; 2012)

Sex & Religion, by Steve Van (Album; 1993)

Siamese Dream, by Smashing Pumpkins (Album; 1993)

The Simpsons Movie (Animated Film; 2007)

Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (Animated Film; 2018)

The Watch (Film; 2012)

Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Why Don’t You Do Right, recorded by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee (Song; 1942)

Wild Hare (WB MM Cartoon; 1940) [1st Bug Bunny]

The Wild Party, by Joseph Moncure March (Poem; 1926)

Today’s Name Days

Berthold, Natalie, Pantaleon, Rudolf (Austria)

Dobra, Dobri, Dobrina, Dobrinka, Pancho, Panka (Bulgaria)

Celestin, Klement, Ljerka, Ljiljana (Croatia)

Věroslav (Czech Republic)

Marta, Martha (Denmark)

Marta, Marve, Marvi (Estonia)

Heidi (Finland)

Aurèle, Nathalie (France)

Berthold (Germany)

Pantelis (Greece)

Liliána, Olga (Hungary)

Celestino, Pantaleone (Italy)

Dita, Mariona, Marta (Latvia)

Natalija, Sergijus, Svalia, Žintautas (Lithuania)

Marita, Rita (Norway)

Alfons, Alfonsyna, Aureli, Julia, Laurenty, Lilla, Marta, Natalia, Natalis, Pantaleon, Rudolf, Rudolfa, Rudolfina, Wszebor (Poland)

Božena (Slovakia)

Natalia, Pantaleón (Spain)

Marta (Sweden)

Joy, Joyce, Lila, Lilac, Liliana, Lillian, Lillie, Lilly, Lily (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 208 of 2024; 157 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 4 of week 30 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Tinne (Holly) [Day 18 of 28]

Chinese: Month 6 (Ji-Wei), Day 10 (Bing-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 9 Av 5783

Islamic: 9 Muharram 1445

J Cal: 28 Lux; Sevenday [28 of 30]

Julian: 14 July 2023

Moon: 69%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 12 Dante (8th Month) [Velasquez]

Runic Half Month: Ur (Primal Strength) [Day 14 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 37 of 94)

Zodiac: Leo (Day 6 of 31)