#so she sees them as human too? and where she can't “adapt” her vision with previous life experience some two concepts get

[jellyloveru]

ough. little known book series. ough

[mamaito]

What are the most surreal and macabre movies you ever watched? Your favorites?

It's hard to actually find more movies where it is both surreal and macabre at the same time, but there's possibly somewhere out there that I haven't seen yet so here's the ones I've personally watched. Some of them are only surreal and the other just macabre so browse at your leisure.

I seem to have forgotten other movies, my bad. I can't really remember some even if I try to put my head around it. I'll be putting a ✯ symbol to signify that it's my favorite:

Alice (1988) - [✯] A surreal, live action mixed with stop motion animation that is a loose adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It's goal is to create a more surreal and dreamlike adaptation as the director was disappointed that other movies of Alice in Wonderland don't bother leaning into it. It is as you'd expect it to be, it is like having a fever dream but the animations of the various character's and design are amazing.

Eraserhead (1977) - [] Those who are a fan of surreal movies will no doubt mention you Eraserhead as it is a more well known one. It is a black and white movie about a man going to his girlfriend's house to ask for not wanting to visit anymore, he gets invited to a dinner with the family only to then find out she got pregnant and had a kid so now they have to marry.

You should experience it for yourself lol, the fun part is just seeing the over exaggerated menial things to the bizarre. This is not my favorite as I prefer something more interesting to analyze and theorize.

Fantastic Planet (1973) - [] Animated film about large blue aliens with human pets. But the human pet then learns of a group of other living humans with no owners forming a resistance against the blue tyrants and go to an all out war. What is there to say other than you should go watch it and see for yourself, the colors are nice.

Hope / Wish (2013) - [] Korean drama film that's about this young girl, So-won, who was assaulted severely to the point of death and the effects of it on her family. Her life has drastically changed and has started to fear men that her own father can't even hold her so he dresses up in this cartoon character just to be close to her. It is very heart wrenching and depressing.

This is based on the real events that happened which is the "Na-young case", and yes the man who disabled and assaulted her is still alive and free. Yes, he is protected by the government like a president. Yes, I will never visit korea because of this.

It's such a beautiful day (2012) - [✯] an animated film that relies sorely on it's narrator and the stick figures shown to you, it is about a man who is suffering from an unknown illness as his memories and vision slowly disintegrates; I really love this movie as it is relatable, I still remember the trailer I watched on youtube and I was entranced by it (I was engrossed by stick figure animations during that time).

This is a movie that you need to experience for yourself as me just describing it to you won't give it much justice, there's also surreal imagery but I don't think it's leaning too hard on it, just down to earth enough to show you the protagonist's decaying mental state.

Guinea Pig Series: Mermaid in the manhole (1988) - [✯] A live action film about an artist looking for inspiration finds an injured mermaid under a manhole. As expected from a gore movie, it is not without nudity and mutilation. What I like about it is the concept of a mermaid being found in such a filthy location of all things rather interesting as I'm so used to seeing them always in either a vast ocean or a certain magical place.

Mad God (2021) - [✯] Another surreal and macabre stop motion film, the plot or rather the perspective of different characters sewed together to create a film is about these assassins sent from above to head down and search for something to prolong their dying world despite it no longer being a redeemable one.

It is a feast for eye pleasing visuals and the dark atmosphere is pretty good, I really miss these kind of animations, most tend to only be short films but this one was made in over 30 years and managed to finish the entirety of it. Just like Alice and It's such a beautiful day, you should experience it for yourself.

Martrys (2008) - [] Live action psychological horror film, a girl from a young age is found and rescued, only to grow up and take revenge against the people who tormented her that day. Another woman, who also grew up alongside her is also abused but grew dependent on the other as she tries to keep the other from succumbing to the psychological torment she is going through. After all that hardship, many things comes to unravel and the woman is left to see it all and then is chosen as a martyr.

There is a lot of plot twists in this film and it doesn't bother to let you catch your breath. There are many things not said to you out loud but the ending is where almost everyone who saw it keeps debating about. If you also want to know what this movie's about, you should go watch it. This could've been one of my favorites but I feel something is missing but I'm not sure what.

Marquis (1989) - [✯] A surreal live action french film, about the life of Marquis De Sade (Where the word sadism came from) in the bastille prison. Most of the actors are wearing animal masks and this movie has a rather unique sense of humor, if we can call it that.. You see, the main character has a talking penis (Yes..) and it is also a character in itself because Marquis De Sade is a known sexual deviant in real life and so in this film he is contemplating and arguing with his penis, Colin, on whether to succumb to his desires or remain in control and focus on his work, letting his sexual desires remain only in erotic literature, which is writing depraved stories like 120 days of Sodom.

I remember seeing a screenshot from this movie on a chan board years ago, about a female cow being tortured and there was a lot of milk being churned out and I knew right away that I needed to watch it. It took me years to find it but here it is lol. Anyway, I liked it because it's just out there.

Mr. Arashi's Amazing Freak Show / Shoujo Tsubaki (1992) - [✯] Japanese animated eroguro film. This is a story about a young girl named Midori, who has become an orphan after her mother passed, she is then taken by a travelling circus as their own and with no other place to go, she complies. There are all kinds of abuse occurring, especially towards Midori, even when she is given an opportunity to lead a better life, it is taken from her right away. The concept of love is questioned, especially in a lawless place where it is the only option for a lesser evil and to a good life.

I cannot stress enough how much I love this film, especially the eroguro movement. I also admire the creator's dedication to fund and finish his own movie by himself. Eroguro movement tackles taboo subjects that the common people do not want to see or acknowledge. It is about a child led astray too soon and left to her own devices for people to take advantage of, when it comes to choosing a partner, she lacks the ability to assess those around her and in turn leaves her up to be abused by one. At the same time it is asking you if you'll deny Midori the right to be with the dwarf when it is the lesser evil that she will ever experience.

It is not for everyone, but as a fan I love it. There is also a live action one, it has a different ending and it has fleshed out Masamitsu, the dwarf further with some changes to it if you're ever interested.

Paprika (2006) - [✯] Animated surreal japanese film, the plot is very hard to understand at first but it is about these researchers who is studying about dreams using a device called DC and record them. But one of these devices got stolen and now this thief has been invading other people's dream and is trying to bring these said dreams into reality.

Now it is up to Paprika, a persona of one of the lead researchers to enter dreams and find who's causing it with the help of a detective, of course. The music is great too because of course it is, Hirasawa Susumu is the one making the music.

The Lighthouse (2019) - [] Black and white live action film about two lighthouse keepers stuck in a remote island together, but due to the weather, their return back home is constantly delayed. The story focuses on their unequal relationship between boss and worker, the secrets they keep to one another and the eventual decline of their sanity.

Throughout the film, you will question everything you'll hear because the two of them are not trustworthy narrators with stories constantly changing without whim. It is hard to tell who exactly is telling the truth but that's the fun of it.

The Lobster (2015) - [✯] A surreal dark comedy movie about a man looking for love in this world where you are punished for not having a partner in 45 days otherwise you'll turn into an animal of your choosing. The movie criticizes both of the extreme sides, those who believe that happiness can be found through having a partner and the individualists who believe that happiness is found where you are alone. People going out of their way to lie just to find a common interest out of fear of being alone and those punishing others just because you are alone and want others to comply with your beliefs.

It is a funny movie, I give you that. The best part for me is when the isolationists are celebrating and they have to bring their own music and dance by themselves and the movie doesn't bother to put a music of it's own. The ending is left to our interpretation on whether the protagonist really went with it or not and whether his lover will continue to wait for him in that diner alone.

The Thief And The Cobbler (1993) - [] An unfinished animated film. It has surreal visuals but it is not macabre. It is a complete feast for the eyes at how much detail and color it has.

The plot is centered around, as you'd expect, the thief and the cobbler. The thief steals from the cobbler and the man tries to get back at the thief but comes across Zigzag, a powerful advisor of the king.

The wolf house / La Casa Lobo (2020) - [] Surreal stop animation film about a german woman, Maria, seeking refuge in Chile, entering a abandoned house so that she can hide from the wolf looking for her only to find two children, symbolizing as pigs and taking them as her own. It is referencing the Nazi's influence in Chile, though I am not fully well informed regarding the political side of what happened in the country, what I did gather from my viewing is a rather oppressive one that's built from propaganda and the like.

Though she claims to mean well in caring for them, the film shows that she thinks lowly of them and that without her, they wouldn't become civilized or human. To Maria, only when they resemble or look like her are they considered as people and the path to happiness which may also be viewed as the remnants of the cult still rubbing off on her to see it that way. At the same time, she is constantly harassed by said wolf, critizing her abilities to be independent from the cult she was once a part of and her ability to take care of two children on her own.

The ending leaves an ambigious conclusion to the three, and whether she survived or not is up for debate. It presents itself as a fairytale like story telling while letting the clausthrophobic atmosphere of the film give off a constant uneasy feeling.

When the wind blows (1986) - [] An animated film about an elderly british couple living in their home till they hear the news of a incoming nuclear attack, you watch as they try to find ways to keep themselves safe in albeit useless and naive attempts as they are clearly not prepared nor knowledgeable against it, even with the help of their pamphlets where the government advises them what to do during it is rather ill informed and gives out confusing instructions.

You get to watch them slowly disintegrate from the effects of the nuclear fallout and die. I do like the art style though, makes me interested in seeing the creators comic version of this movie, eventually.

120 days of sodom (1975) - [] It is a live action film about the ruling people, the government, deciding to take young boys and girls in a secluded castle in order to commit their depraved fantasies into reality. I would say this is a loose adaptation as the director of this movie has decided to put his own interpretations and turning it as a critique on the italian government on how it treats it citizens.

This is one of those unique films that you would never consider having such high quality production to it, and though many people who are just casual viewers would not think twice on what it's trying to say, it may come off as just typical shock value. It is not my favorite but I get the message it's trying to say.

[canonicallysoulmates]

I have read Queen of the Damned. I really liked it, it was fun to see the different POV's but I kinda wish we had gotten to see Gabrielle's or Louis's I would have happily read an extra 50 or 100 pages if it meant seeing how they feel about the whole thing instead of just getting small glimpses of it through the other characters, or to have gotten their POV instead of the Baby Jenks chapter which to be sincere I did not care for, but anyways, I really enjoyed the mystery aspect of what the story of the twins was and the meaning of the dreams/visions, that was probably my favorite part. I know this gets messed with in later books in the series but for now, I get to enjoy learning the story of how vampires came to be in this world.

I feel so bad for Lestat, he got himself into one of those fuck you up for life toxic relationships and he already had issues this did not help him. So many times reading this I was like Lestat, baby, run don't walk, run. That being said I like Akasha as a villain, I can't help but feel a little sorry for her and I can understand why she reached the conclusion she did but I, myself, have questions regarding her plan, I can't forgive her messing with Lestat's mind the way she did, and most importantly I can never forgive her for what she did to Mekare, Maharet, and Khayman like she had points but how is she gonna judge anyone with the shit she pulled when she, herself, was a human. Also, I can't picture her with the alabaster skin so I'm choosing to ignore that.

As for the other characters/relationships.

Devil's Minion 💖💖💖 I love them. Highlight of this book, favorite chapter, new favorite romantic pairing after Louis and Lestat, they are so cute together; yeah there are some very messed up aspects to their relationship but they are also weirdly sweet, and there was domesticity and they built a life together! And Armand loves Daniel so much, and he wants to keep him safe, and Daniel loves Armand completely even the most fucked up parts of him- I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it, but I really do think this relationship was good for Armand, I feel like we see him grow. And, actually, this is the most I have enjoyed reading Armand so far, if you know me you know I'm actually not a big fan of this character but progress was made in a positive way in this book. I do know that sadly this relationship isn't something we see a lot of in the next books but at least I have their chapter to cling to and nobody can take them from me.

Speaking of favorite romantic pairings: Louis and Lestat, my OTP, my favorite vampires, my babies, the hold they have on me increases with every book. The fact that Louis is the first person Lestat showed his new powers too, I am screaming. Also Khayman saying that Louis was at Lestat's concert out of love and that "Louis would go where Lestat led him. Louis would perish if Lestat perished." Khayman is a Loustat shipper pass it on.

I really liked Khayman (not just because of that line!) he wants companionship so badly, someone please get him a friend. He's like a golden retriever, every fellow vampire he meets he wants to befriend.

I ended up liking Jesse a surprising amount, her chapter was one of my favorites and I really hope that when this gets adapted to the show we get that moment of her exploring Louis and Lestat's old apartment and encountering Claudia's ghost because it's one of my favorite scenes, it was so creepy.

I love Maharet, she has so been through so much but she is so resilient, and she never stopped looking out for her family and her daughter, and connection for her is so important.

I'm glad for Mekare that she got to defeat Akasha, it took thousands of years but she finally made her pay for what she did to her and her sister.

Gabrielle, not nearly enough of her, but I continue to love her.

Marius...I have complicated feelings about Marius. I like how he is with Lestat, I like their relationship and that he's sort of like a father figure to him. But at the same time, there's something that keeps me from fully liking him, and part of that might be his relationship with Armand cause I don't really like it.....

All that being said, I wish Rolin Jones the best of luck adapting this book when the time comes, I don't know how he and the rest of the writers are going to do it because it's a lot happening all at the same time but I very much look forward to seeing this be properly adapted.

And with this, I am officially done with the OG trilogy! Ranking-wise, for me, I would say it goes: TVL, IWTV, and then this one.

Now it is time for me to hop into the rollercoaster that is the rest of this series....

[newhologram]

2023 Overview Hologram Tarot

Year 4… It feels completely wrong to say. The unreality of time is undeniable now. How did last year change you? Take what you learned and use it because our overarching energy for this year is The Fool, representing new beginnings and limitless potential. Kronk is enthusiastic about this new journey, with his head held high. But he's also easily distracted and can become confused by the little devil and angel on his shoulder. Should you feel overwhelmed by conflicting inner dialogues, just take a moment to gather yourself before proceeding. Double-check that your shoelaces are tied before you take that leap.

January-April: We start with the Magician, which is fittingly the energy that follows the Fool's journey. We also got this card in the January spread, so take this as a confirmation of your power. Harness your creativity, Dr. Facilier says, because it's finally your time to shine. If you find you're feeling backed into a corner creatively, take a look at the options available to you. You may realize there's more than one way to accomplish your goal. Stay fluid, like Flotsam and Jetsom. Going with the flow doesn't mean just to let the sea carry you; it also reminds you to adapt. Use the currents to your advantage, and stay calm. What seems like a wrong turn at first could turn out to be a fateful redirection. Enjoy the ride without stressing about where you're heading. You never know who you might meet, so keep your heart open to love in all forms.

May-August: You've taken the initial steps and gotten your plan together, but you can't do this alone. Collaboration is key. Find others who understand your vision and who can use their own resources and skills to help you. You've gathered a lot of wounds over the years. You've learned so much from your pain, but now it's time to release what you don't need anymore, one sword at a time. Remember that endings can be painful, so be patient with yourself as you process what you've been through, especially if these past pains tend to play out as self-sabotage. Recall how Chernabog summoned his minions only to toss them into the flames. You deserve support and success, so don't be the one push others away. The tediousness and burdens of human life can be draining, so build a routine to care for your bodymind. This is especially important if you're taking on some new responsibilities. Be mindful of carrying too much and do what you can to avoid burn-out. You're no good to your dreams if you run yourself into the ground.

September-December: If we want a new way of life, naturally this means the death of the old way. Sometimes this transition is so scary that it keeps us stuck. Embrace the destruction of your old life with a sense of humor like Hades. On the other side of transformation lies renewal. You've gone through the acidity of the Underworld and can stand before the Mirror with clarity. You've been stripped bare of your old views and beliefs and can now see straight into your own core. Your heart is open and you're ready for this new life. Having gone through an intense cycle of death and rebirth, this open heart of yours feels strongly. By staying in touch with your sensitive center, you can help those in need, even just by being yourself. But an open heart doesn't mean you have to take on everyone's pain and projections. Stay grounded in your power, and know that even if others shit-talk your way of living, it says nothing about you and everything about them. Focus on your vision. You've come too far to betray yourself now.

Leliel, Angel of Night: This beautiful angel represents the glimmers of the unseen. She dances across the sky, kissing each star to life, to light the night. Through the constellations, she sings to us, filling our dreams with stories. She also rules over conception and pregnancy, and it is her job to harvest souls from the Garden of Eden for their purpose. In the womb, she reads the possible life paths available to the soul for this incarnation, but then wipes the child's memory before birth. She is aided by a wolfhound in protecting children from Lilith, battling in the realm of dreams.

The starry night sky reminds us that the universe is one big cosmic womb. What unseen battles are going on inside you? What messages does Leliel leave in the mythology of the stars for you to interpret? Listen to her lullabies and pay attention to your dreams. Feel her caress in the wind and know her love in the shining moon.

[dylanlila]

Since you've reading and watching the Age of Innocence lately, I've sometimes had the thought that Newland Archer's character is so similar to Rory and how she fretted over the choice between Jess and Dean. Torn between passion (and a choice that would upset everyone) and a comfortable, if boring, life that would please everyone else BUT her, and how her attempts to keep everyone happy ended up ensuring that NO ONE was happy in the end.

This. is. everything.

It's also enlightening to me because I haven't really thought about it while reading the book (I mostly had Dan and Blair from the other GG in mind), but you are definitely right. Something else that I would like to point out is that both Rory and Newland feel somewhat scared of everything that Jess and Ellen respectively represent. There is a great level of resentment directed towards the social surroundings of each character, but I also think that Rory and Newland enjoyed the safety and sometimes even the dullness of the lifestyle that was expected of them to lead (quote, in relation to Newland Archer: "And in spite of the cosmopolitan views on which he prided himself, he thanked heaven that he was a New Yorker."), which is completely understandable and human. Ultimately they don't want anybody to end up hurt, which you've already pointed out. I also love the parallels between Jess & Ellen (both viewed as social outcasts, both representing change, a hurricane to the lives of the protagonists, embodying wildness of spirit and freedom of thought) and Dean & May (both bound to tradition, "the way that things ought to be done", representing safety and familiarity to the protagonists) that are inevitably to be drawn here.

Let's go through some The Age of Innocence quotes, shall we:

"His whole future seemed suddenly to be unrolled before him; and passing down its endless emptiness he saw the dwindling figure of a man to whom nothing was ever to happen."

I think this to be true to Rory in a lot of ways. Especially if you approach it while having her Yale drop out storyline in mind. I don't think the Mitchum incident was all there was to that decision of hers and the quote explains my take on the situation extremely well (it also explains why Rory found Logan so appealing in the first place), therefore I won't be adding anything else.

"I want - I want somehow to get away with you into a world where words like that -categories like that- won't exist. Where we shall be simply two human beings who love each other, who are the whole of life to each other; and nothing else on earth will matter."

This takes me right back to my Literati escapism train, which I talk about on my Dair/Literati side blog here if anybody wants to read it in detail. Another parallel between Olenska/Archer (the quote above taken from one of the conversations between them) and Literati would be their ability to communicate with no words shared at all. I would also like to highlight how for Newland/Rory the relationship brought realness, a password to the "real world" and for Jess/Ellen the relationship is more like an escape from reality, a vision, as Ellen refers to it (and we'll look, not at visions, but at realities/we can't behave like people in novels, though, can we?), something too good to be true, too good for them to deserve it. Rather painful, isn't it? It might be my favourite part of the novel, the conflict between what's real and what's not and in the end what's real enough to be worthy of settling for. I talk a bit about the manner in which the 1993 adaptation of The Age Of Innocence handles that visually in my tags here, for anybody who might be interested.

"You see, Monsieur, it's worth everything, isn't it, to keep one's intellectual liberty, not to enslave one's powers of appreciation, one's critical independence?......... And when one hears good talk one can join in it without compromising any opinions but one's own; or one can listen, and answer it inwardly. Ah, good conversation—there's nothing like it, is there? The air of ideas is the only air worth breathing."

The owner of the words (Mr. Riviere in this case) is not that relevant to "Rory Gilmore is Newland Archer" agenda I am trying to promote here, so I won't be paying much attention to him in the sentences that follow. What I want to focus on is the individual reaction of both May (the one we associate with Dean in this setting) and Newland (the one we associate with Rory) to this kind of view. Newland finds it to be fascinating, liberating and worth admiring. May thinks it to be foreign. I think the quote can be connected to Rory, and to an extent her relationship with Jess, in a sense that it expresses what Rory ultimately wants from life (and all that, the intellectual conversations, the complete freedom of thought, the challenge on both emotional and intellectual levels, Jess offers to her).

*Quick note, a bit off topic: I sympathise with both May and Dean and I might get cancelled for it, but I honestly do. Breaking out of your own reality is possible only if you consider the existence of any other reality different than your own. And why would you do that if you never have a reason to consider it and feel comfortable in the environment that you were raised in? (not denying their flaws and mistakes here, just pointing out how nothing is only black and white, people are neither good or bad, they're just people.)

"I swear I only want to hear about you, to know what you've been doing. It's a hundred years since we've met-it may be another hundred before we meet again."

I chose this quote solely because of that Literati scene in 6x08. I saw some people complain about the "The years don't seem to have hardened you " line and I think this quote explains how I feel about the scene (actually, 6x08 is one of my favourite Literati centred episodes). Technically, it wasn't a long time since Jess and Rory crossed paths, but it certainly felt like that for them. Given the character journey they both went through during the years in which they were apart, the time illusion is understandable and let us not forget the awkwardness that naturally came with the encounter. Lastly, they were too engrossed in each other to worry about any of this, it's mostly about the 💫Austenian glances💫 and 🎇longing stares🎇 and 💖havoc of the senses💖 and of course the "each time you happen to me all over again" (which I talk about in my tags both here and here and will probably write more about it in the future because I find the physical aspect of it incredibly interesting being someone whose head is stuck in the clouds most of the time and all).

A great majority of this is from the top of my head and the quotes are mostly the ones I was able to underline while reading, so there's probably a lot more to this theory. I might come back to it later, once I give it more thought. Thank you so much for the ask and sorry for the long answer!

[notfeelingthyaster]

Imagine (based on the incomplete fanfic Son of the Underworld) (4/5) (Son of Hades! Percy AU)

Before you read it, check the masterpost - I continue into HOO. Check the warnings before proceeding :)) Good reading!

Percy stalls to see his father while he can. He doesn't want to see other demigods nor his mother until he is better. Until he can protect them. He won't see any of them die because of the gods again. But his father hurt him. So he stalls.

Eventually, he wanders to Persephone's garden. Ripe pomegranates tempt him, and he just wants to lay his head upon the soft grass and stay.

There's where the goddess of Spring finds him: basking in the beauty of her garden.

She smiles. That's not only her husband's bastard: that's Sally's son. And while Hades loved the woman, like he loved many, Kore adored her.

She wasn't Persephone or Proserpina with Sally. There was no destruction in their love. Kore smiles, and she remembers the fields of flowers they walked together.

Then, Perseus wakes up, and she is Persephone again. Kore is her past, her innocence that she gave up willingly when she followed her husband to the darkness.

"Lady Persephone" It's the first time he treats a god with true respect.

Persephone hesitates. He has green eyes - he is Hades' son but he is her champion, the closest she can have to a son after her mother cursed her with barrenness.

Perseus smiles.

"Call me Kore"

"My name is Kore, and I bring the spring"

They walk together. Plants turn to look at them, but Perseus doesn't leave a trail of death in his wake. He isn't his father. He is not a destroyer - he is a protector.

She talks to him. About the blessing she put on him, about the flowers she plants in her garden, about her childhood.

He talks back. He tells her about Sally, about the hobbit hole. Perseus tells her how he doesn't belong anywhere.

Kore shows him Gabe's statue. She kisses his forehead, and tells him he doesn't need to fear her touch - he can't hurt her.

They stick together for two weeks before crossing paths with Hades. The Underworld is vast, and Kore had many gardens to show him.

Stepmother and stepson walk barefoot and bare-chested throughout the trails of stone and grass and sleep under the shade of trees, the part of the land of the dead that was now full of life.

Kore shows him how to weave crowns of flowers and how to grow vines under his feet. She teaches him patience, and the flowers glow in his presence.

Persephone teaches him how to make the soil sing. She teaches him control, and the earth purrs under their fingertips.

Proserpina trains him to make the shadows obey. She teaches him resilience, and the darkness is his to command.

They go to the palace together, hand in hand. Percy doesn't question her many facades - he adapts to it. To her skin being green or brown or black, to her ever-changing eye color, to her hair made of vines.

He doesn't dare voice it - but he thinks her more beautiful than Aphrodite.

Perseus is happy here. He leaves his human clothes behind - there's no need for them - and put on togas and chitons.

He stands tall before his father, and the god apologizes with an ax made of stygian iron. Hades says it's a prize for his last three successful quests.

He doesn't let the grudge go, but accepts the bribe anyways.

They dine together. Perseus loves it here - but eventually, he has to go back to his mother and his human life.

His school has one more week of break, and he is spending it with his father. Persephone, Kore, and Proserpina taught him much - but only his father can hone him.

It's against the old laws for godly parents to spend time with their children - Hades is in his own dominion and he doesn't give a damn.

Hades teach him how to call for the Underworld. Teaches him how to curve metal around his arms like water, and teaches him politics the best he can in a week.

Perseus goes back home. He soothes his mother - who, swarmed by calls of Annabeth and Thalia and Chiron, is too worried - and tells her to not visit this year - he'll come home by himself at least once a month and will be spending the rest of his time in the Underworld.

He pleads for her to not tell anyone. Percy needs space.

Sally understands, kisses the crown of his head, and tells him to be safe. He bundles himself up in sweaters instead of togas, and go back to Yancy.

His grades continue to be awesome in Math and awful in English. He keeps getting tutored - and when he gets a B- in Language Arts, it's enough to boost his GPA for the scholarship in Phillip's Academy.

He goes back to the Underworld every weekend. Ghosts teach him how to kill best with his hammer and ax, and some say he would do better with a shield instead of with double weapons, but he doesn't care.

Percy gets muscle - he is a soon to be fourteen years old, and his godly blood helps. He fills his sweaters now, and his new roommate tells him that he looks like a bodyguard. A wall of intimidation - Perseus likes it.

He perfects shadow travel. He gets tired if he goes further than his mother's house and back, and more than one person is still a little off, but he is getting there. Blackjack helps a lot - he is like a shadow charger.

He bends metal and he tries to summon green fire - he only gets sparks, but it's okay - he'll get there.

He uses more white and stronger shades of green and blue - they remind him of Persephone.

Once, he takes his mom to see his stepmom - it's teary, and they spend the whole evening in each other's arms, talking. Mom tells him this goodbye is for real - she tells him she met someone new, and he rejoices.

He starts to differentiate Persephone from Kore and Proserpina - and they are all amazing in their own right.

He takes his finals earlier because of the scholarship. Percy finally says goodbye to Yancy Academy.

This summer, he doesn't go back to Camp - he has no reason to. Everyone is fine, he is not having nightmares, there have been no monster sightings nearby.

He spends half his time in the Underworld. The other half, he spends with Luke.

After two years of taking care of half his friends, it's time to care for the other side.

He doesn't meet Kronos - he doesn't want a master - but he sits down in San Francisco with Luke and Ethan and Alabaster, and they ignore the war that rages around them.

Ethan and Alabaster are dating - Percy is happy for them. They look at him and Luke, and they know Percy loves him.

But Luke is twenty to Percy's fourteen, and he tells himself it's just infatuation, a teacher's crush.

Percy bakes with his Mom and walks Blackjack, and spends most of his weeks with Persephone in new gardens everywhere - it's summer, her time with her mother - but his Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for his friends.

Luke asks him only once if he'll join them. Percy says someone has to protect Annabeth, and Luke is clearly incapable of doing it. They don't talk about it again.

Soon, it's September. He takes a road trip with his newly graduated Mom to see the school - and learns that his mother's new beau is a teacher named Paola Blofis.

In the freshman introduction he meets her - Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She sticks to him like glue.

She is a fiery little girl, and Perseus had crushes before - Annabeth, Luke - but he has never been flustered. It's funny for Rachel, seeing the solid wall of sophomore muscles in her front stutter like a middle schooler.

They become friends. He explains the vision to her - she barely believes him, until one day they're out on town and Percy has to kill three empousai. Blackjack shows - and Rachel makes fast friends with the hellhound.

He moves in with a boy named Matt Sloan, and they don't talk at all - they have their own space, and don't ask questions.

Percy keeps visiting the Underworld. He tries to keep contact with Luke - but the boy gets erratic and his humor floats between exhilaration and blind rage.

When Luke punches him in the face two months into the school year after he denies knowing where Annabeth lives, he says his goodbyes to Ethan and Alabaster and leaves.

Perseus worries for Rachel. She is fiery and strong - but she is not a fighter. He teaches her how to stab with a dagger - he has no idea if Celestial Bronze works for her, but the Minotaur horn should.

He is the only black freshman in the whole Academy.

But people don't mess with him nor with Rachel. Percy looks like he could break someone in half like a twig, he disappears for a number of hours for who knows where he is a math genius even though he barely studies. He was involved with shady things three years ago. He barely talks with anyone but the strange girl - and never smiles in public.

Racist people call him a thug and drug trafficker. Persephone gives him a very realistic cherry earring - and rumors grow.

Perseus has to deal with much worse. So he keeps his facade, and sits with the other people of color of this place: It's segregation all over again, and Rachel is the only one who ever approaches them.

And the fact there's only fifteen people of color in the whole Academy? It says a lot about this country.

There are three black boys (including him), four black girls, two desi girls, three boys of oriental descent (mixed Japanese, Korean and Chinese), one Native-American boy and two Latinos, one with a black mom and a Cuban dad and another with all grandparents from French Guyana.

Most of them have scholarships, and just some of the girls interact with the white people - and he with his constant redhead attachment - racism is in an all-time high for such a northern state.

Percy starts paying attention in other minorities - and is not surprised when he finds almost nothing in this nazi paradise. If there's anyone anything other than cis straight, they're in the closet.

He rarely sees any of the girls in the pants version of the uniform if it's not for sports. There are one or two rebels - but it's mostly emo rich kids with no significant problems.

Rachel tells him she's not sure if she likes boys or girls. Six months into their friendship, they kiss - It's weird and wet. They try again - it gets better.

Rachel is still not sure if she likes anything at all. Everyone thinks they're dating - they don't deny it.

Most of them are catholic or protestant, Jewish people live in silence, and there's not one Muslim person in this whole school.

It's 2007, but it feels like 1940. Percy is fourteen - fifteen next August - but he feels like a hundred.

He meets Demeter in the Underworld twice. He is not impressed, and really happy they didn't cross during summertime.

Demeter is like most gods, a super-powered being throwing a tantrum. She is not happy that Hades married her daughter - even though it has been a thousand years and she cursed their marriage with barrenness. She looks at Perseus once - and force-feeds cereal to him.

He hates cereal.

But she doesn't tell any of the other gods Perseus and his father are meeting - so props for her.

He ignores any Iris Messaging that doesn't come from Persephone or Hades. He has no idea what's happening with the war - and right now, he doesn't care.

Perseus receives two calls from Yancy saying that weird people were there, after him - he doesn't care.

He isn't having visions - so everyone is just fine. They'll deal.

His powers grow. Hellish fire, earth, stone, skeletons, metal, gems, shadows - he does it all. Some better than others, and he is always tired, but he is managing.

Rachel and he grow closer and closer. She meets Persephone once. He hasn't heard from Camp in a year and a half now. It's been six months since he talked to Luke.

Persephone and Rachel start weaning him off the gloves. He still uses his sweaters, but his hands are freer now. He has control, and his touch isn't poisonous - he isn't a bringer of death.

Percy has a vision of Luke talking to Kronos about preparing his body and the Labyrinth. He can't lose Luke for an all-powerful being.

A month before his finals, he finds the entrance to the Labyrinth. Persephone tells him about Ariadne - but he can't risk Rachel with Luke. Luke is unstable, he might kill her.

He passes all his classes. Some with A+, some with C-, but it's okay. He'll be on AP Maths next year. It's going to be just fine.

Perseus goes home - he hugs his mother, eats some cookies, packs a bag and goes to the Labyrinth - if anyone can navigate it, it's him - Percy Jackson, son of Hades.

He wanders. Perseus passes by Alcatraz - and there's nothing he hates more than people who can do something and do nothing, and he isn't powerful enough to free Briares alone. So he goes back to the Labyrinth.

Perseus meets Hermes. He has no idea what the god is trying to do. He pleads for Percy to save Luke, he tells him he'll find help in the way, and points him the direction to a place connected to the Titan's war effort.

He pays Geryon a lot of money. Perseus knows he is being double-crossed, but whatever - he has a Stygian Iron ax, a Warhammer, could win in a wrestling match against Eurytion - probably - and has a giant hellhound at his beck and call.

Perseus asks about Luke. They tell him what they can - or else, the basic of the basic. He learns Luke has an army, that he is marching to CHB and that he is recruiting.

Percy lies - he says he is after Luke to join him. No one doubts him - not Geryon, not Eurytion, not some of Luke's minions who are loitering there - after all, he is lying low since December of 2006 - and it's summer of 2008. He is fifteen in August - he was thirteen and a half when he left.

No one knows that he hasn't talked with Luke since November of 2007, except Ethan and Alabaster. And they're not here, so it doesn't matter.

Perseus is not vain - but he is a child of the Big Three, the oldest mortal one. He is realistic: They know who he is. They keep tabs on him.

He is in Triple G Ranch for two weeks - still trying to pry where the hell is Luke - when Annabeth, Nico, Grover, and a freaking cyclops appear from the same entrance he did.

Percy is not there when they come out - he is talking to a son of Morpheus about Alabaster.

He is having lunch - Sun Cows hamburgers, because he really couldn't care less - when Eurytion brings them in.

They don't recognize him at first - he has his back turned to them, he is taller and larger, his gloves are gone, and his hair is fuller. Persephone says he looks a lot like his father now.

"Long time, no see," He thinks Annabeth is going to punch him. She comes to hug him - but it's been a long time, and he is not ready for it yet, so she just sits near him.

She tells him that they looked everywhere for him, that their hope lied on Grover's empathy bond, that Percy didn't even know existed. Nico doesn't look at him - Perseus thinks he still blames him for Bianca's death.

Percy doesn't trust the cyclops. They tell him Tyson - because the monster has a name - is Thalia's brother. He can't judge much, because he has a hellhound, but he does it anyway.

And the fact that most cyclops answer to Poseidon? Explains a lot.

Grover is the one to kill Geryon this time - they don't clean any stables. Annabeth pleads Percy to come with them since they have the same mission.

Oh, how he missed the way she assumes.

"I'm not after Daedalus Workshop"

And she just keeps on assuming. She can't blame her - it's her mother's curse.

"Luke is alive" She tells him.

"I know, I'm here for him" It feels like a betrayal, but he lets them think what they will think.

Nico tries. It's cute - Percy thinks - how he starts by saying he doesn't blame Percy, and that the Camp misses him, but a second later is using his sister to try and guilt him into complying.

Grover asks him how could he, after everything Luke has done.

"He is my friend"

"So was I"

They think he is going to join Luke - he doesn't disagree. They barely know him anymore.

And he loves them, but Luke needs him.

They go back to the Labyrinth. Percy does too - alone. He follows a group of demigods to Antaeus' arena.

Luke isn't Luke anymore, not where it matters. He welcomes Percy with open arms - but he isn't the Luke that Percy loves.

He says that he has to prove himself. The son of Hermes caresses his cheek and calls him Perseus - Percy hates him.

Ethan and Alabaster are there too. They are never together - Ethan tells him he is afraid the monsters will discover they matter to each other.

Luke Castellan - Lucas Castellan, one of his oldest friends, his first mentor, his first love - makes him fight for his life. Against monsters, like the gods that he fights against do.

And Percy does. Percy kills cyclops, dracaenas, empousai, hellhounds - anything Luke throws at him. He is tired when he meets Annabeth again - her little quest has fallen into their hands.

Luke pits them against each other - and Percy hates him. Something festers inside him - this time, it's not guilt.

Annabeth cuts him - but he doesn't care. He wins quickly enough - and instead of killing her, helps the four of them escape.

"Why did you do it?!"

"I thought I could save him" He confides in her.

They sit somewhere in the mess that is the Labyrinth, and they talk. He tells her about the Underworld and Rachel - somehow avoiding any details about the nature of their relationship - and she tells him about Chris Rodriguez and Tyson, and he still doesn't like the cyclops - but what can he do.

Nico apologizes, but Percy's heart was made for holding grudges, and Nico's throat was full of pride. It doesn't seem like conciliation - but it feels like a start.

Nico tells him about Lotus Hotel. Tells him that he discovered that Hera killed his mother in 1942 - and Zeus hid him and Bianca from her ever since. He talks about meeting her in the Labyrinth - and the way he hates Hera but doesn't blame Percy anymore for Bianca - his sister made her own choices.

Annabeth says they have an automaton that can take them to Hephaestus Forge, but they were unable to follow it. She tells him that they need his help to navigate the Labyrinth.

He can only do so much. They go in circles for a while before they reach the Forge, and then they separate - Grover and Tyson go one way; Nico, Annabeth, and Percy go to Mt. Etna.

Everything goes the same - Percy is mildly resistant to flames - he has his own. The telekhines try to kill them.

Percy feels it in his gut - the strength of this mountain, the earth beneath him. He sends Annabeth and Nico away.

Annabeth kisses him. It's weird - he doesn't have anything with Rachel, not for real, and he has been tong-tied around Annabeth for a long time now - but it's still weird. He has just lost any hope on Luke, they're about to die, it's a very adrenaline-fueled situation.

Nico looks strangely forlorn, he notices, as the two of them leave. It's weird because they barely know each other and every single one of their interactions is filled with resentment.

He doesn't have time to think about it. Percy gives them fifteen minutes - and then the world explodes around him.

Being dead never hurt so much. He wakes up for a second - and there's a beautiful girl there. Oh, Persephone must be visiting him in Elysium.

He wakes up again - that girl is not Persephone. She tells him to rest - and rest he does.

Perseus wakes up in Ogygia. The first thing he notices is that his chest is almost bare - the only thing covering him at all is a loose chiton.

He panics until the girl touches him softly and tells him she is immortal - he can't hurt her. She tells him her name, and she tells him she can feel death in him - but also life.

He knows the story - he knows Calypso.

Calypso is a Titaness. She touches and touches and touches him - they roll in the soft grass and they play on the mud like kids.

Their connection is above Annabeth, Rachel, Grover, Charles, Clarisse, Connor - these are his friends, no matter how much time has passed, but he didn't trust him with touch - he thinks he should start to.

It's above Ethan, Alabaster, and Luke - these are also his friends, even if they betrayed him. It pains him to think of them, even if he understands somehow their motives.

Calypso teaches him to trust. It's a very difficult thing to teach to a son of Hades, but he is more open now - there are still grudges pressing at his heart, but he trusts now.

Hephaestus come, and he can't stay. He loves Calypso (although not in a romantic way), and he has stayed for a month.

She gives him moonshade and kisses his forehead. He can't take her now - but he'll be back for her, gods be damned.

He doesn't bother to cover up when he takes the raft - Perseus still hates the ocean, by the way.

Percy shows up at Camp Half-Blood with no sweaters, no gloves, no barriers. He knows which side of the war he is on, and it's time for him to trust.

Camp is empty. He sees smoke curling out of the amphitheater - and Perseus walks to it. It's a bit earlier for a bonfire, did someone die?

He fears it was Annabeth or Nico. Or both. Percy runs to the amphitheater.

There's a black burial shroud. Something is warm at the bottom of his stomach.

Nico is crying on Will Solace's shoulder. Clarisse and Connor are holding hands. Annabeth is sobbing. Charles is hugging her - and finishing a eulogy for him. Percy is in the door, semi-naked, and really confused.

"He was my mentee and an amazing friend to all of those who knew him. He was-" Charles doesn't finish it.

"Don't bother with my presence, continue please" And Percy chooses this moment to be cheeky.

Everyone gapes at him for a second. He is almost Charles height, he is as muscular as Clarisse, he is wearing only a chiton and his weapons. There's a flower crown in his head.

Then, he is tackled by a very furious Charles Beckendorf.

"TWO YEARS"

"NO PHONECALLS, NO LETTERS, NOT A GODDAMNED SMOKE SIGNAL"

"AND THEN YOU DIE"

"AND COME HERE WITH THAT CHEEK"

Percy has no sense of self-preservation.

"It was only a year and a half"

Clarisse punches his arm, and Connor slaps him upside the head. Nico looks like he is about to murder him.

"Where were you?" Asks Annabeth, but he just shakes his head. He is not ready to talk about Calypso.

Will Solace manhandles him to the infirmary - his touch still startles Percy. The boy didn't really talk with him since he was claimed, after the whole Golden Fleece situation.

The son of Apollo apologizes. Perseus is surprised it still hurts - but keeping grudges is his specialty.

People keep looking at his bare chest and the flower crown he doesn't get off the whole week he is in Camp. They tell him they didn't tell his mother - and for that, he is grateful.

They go back to the Labyrinth with Rachel, who looks really cool in gold. It's weird. It was pretty easy to convince her, but there's this tension between Annabeth, Rachel, and Nico that he doesn't care about right now, and doesn't want for it to inflict on his mission.

They're all teenagers - Nico is thirteen (or eighty, buy who is counting) and the rest of them are fourteen - Drama is expected, but not welcome.

He has no idea the reason for it either.

Perseus has his own drama going on - or at least, there's a lot of drama being directed at him - and he is still confused why.

Annabeth stole a kiss from him - big deal, if she didn't mention until now, he was not going to - and is now acting like a headless deer every time they talk.

He and Rachel kiss sometimes - but she said she was still confused about her sexuality. Percy researched a bit - he thinks she might be ace, but that's a realization she has to make herself.

Nico and he have a lot of bad blood between them and very few interactions to drawn upon. The boy is an oyster - but Percy thinks he might like Annabeth. He seems a little envious of Percy's arms - it's really strange the way he looks at them sometimes.

They get caught in Antaeus' arena again. This time, there's no chance they can escape - there's a dagger pressed very close to Rachel's throat.

Luke says his champion is back, full of mockery. Something rages inside of Percy - he hates the blonde, even if he also loves him more than he can explain.

Luke pits him against Ethan. Percy can't kill one of his best friends.

He does kill Antaeus though. The giant has a lot of power over the earth, but Percy sends him straight to the Underworld.

Perseus calls for Blackjack, Nico calls for his own hellhound (Perseus had no idea he had one), and then he shadow travels them as far as he can. They find Grover and Tyson - and Pan. Percy loves the feeling of life all around him this time because it reminds him of Persephone.

They eventually find Daedalus Workshop. Annabeth recognizes the man: she says he is Quintus, that his body is metal, that she has been dreaming about him.

Daedalus betrays them, the Workshop explodes, Rachel, Grover, Tyson, and Annabeth fly in mechanic wings. Nico flies without any help, and takes Percy with him - Percy thinks Zeus will be less prone to kill him if he is with his son.

He feels a little like a damsel in distress - and they have to land quickly, because Percy is twice Nico's weight, even if the boy says the wind drafts help.

Turns out Rachel is richer than Perseus' first thought. She basically clicks her fingers and they have a limo. It's weird, but he is grateful.

Percy kisses Rachel cheek and promises her that he'll call her if he survives - he knows her number by heart after a year of knowing her.

Annabeth and Nico keep being weird - he doesn't even try and understand anymore.

In the middle of battle preparations, he sends two Iris Messages - one for his mom, one for Persephone. They cry, but - for very different reasons - can't interfere.

Perseus thinks it's wrong the gods can't help with their battle. It's their war the demigods are fighting - this battle is in their name.

He uses his drachma in the bare privacy of the empty Cabin 11, the drachma, their drachma. He still has faith - the last summer, when they all held hands and walked in the suburbs of San Francisco, it's burning in his mind - in Luke, in his protection of other demigods. He wants to convince him that his enemies are the gods - CHB has only half-bloods, pawns, children.

The rainbow shows what it seems like a horror movie. Ethan pledges his loyalty to a golden sarcophagus. Luke isn't anywhere to be seen - and when he is, it's not Luke anymore. It's Kronos.

Kronos desecrated the body of his friend. Kronos took pieces of Ethan's and Alabaster's souls. Kronos is making children fight his battles, just like the gods. Kronos is going to kill his friends.

Percy knows, right there, that he has chosen the right side.

They draw their battle lines. Percy raises skeleton armies from all centuries and all sides - Clarisse helps. He gets extra happy when he raises his half-brother soldiers - and they have to answer to a black person.

The fist of Zeus opens - and hundreds of monsters come through. Percy is mounting Blackjack - the ground shakes and stone spikes kill the first round of empousai. People rally behind him.

Nico flies around, thunder brimming in his hands. Sometimes, a monster dies and there's no one there - it's either Annabeth or one of Hermes children able to run faster than the wind.

Tyson saves him from another cyclops - Percy thinks there's an exception for every rule.

Everyone on their side has earplugs made by Cabin 9 - they filter the dangerous sound waves the Apollo children are making. Dryads and naiads defend the forest together - The river nymphs protecting the trees from damage.

Both the Demeter's and the Dionysus' kids use vines to keep the monsters at bay - only a few can come at a time. The Aphrodite Cabin rallies together with the best strategy ever: The stronger lure the monsters with their mother's charm, and then make them turn around and impale themselves in the spears and daggers of those whose charms are weaker.

Not all undetermined children deserted - He sees Lou Ellen kill a monster with a burst of fire magic, most of her siblings right beside her. Clovis is half asleep - no monster can get within five meters of him without falling asleep.

Briares comes and fights alongside Tyson - and they kill Kampe. Grover screams - it's the worst thing Percy has ever felt, and he has seen his father's Helm.

The monsters flee. This time around they had more time to prepare - and more time to rally. Fewer people die. Some are inevitable: Castor is gone, killed by Ethan's hand - something in Percy is filled with guilt - If he had killed Ethan, Castor might be alive.

He would never be able to kill Ethan.

Lee Fletcher is not dead - but he is missing an arm now. He is in shock - but the Hephaestus Cabin is rallying around to build him one.

Quintus - Daedalus - is there. He should be dead - it's disgusting to be near him. Percy isn't good with the spirit/ghostly part of it - but he picks up the last of his energy and sends - banishes - Quintus to the Underworld.

Nico and Percy can now bond over having hellhounds - well, they could. But Percy is not staying. He just listened to the Prophecy. He still has one more year before he is sixteen, and he wants to live.

"You have a place in camp, you know" Nico says, but Perseus shakes his head.

"I have school"

Annabeth, Nico, Clarisse, everyone thinks he is joking. He is very much not. He stays for the burning of the shrouds, and leaves.

This summer, he was a leader. Perseus Jackson, son of Hades, it's the leader of Camp Half-Blood - and he'll lead them to victory when the time comes.

Until then, he has sophomore year, a summer road trip with Rachel, garden visits with Persephone, training with his father, and movie nights with his mom and Paola.

And, of course, now he has to come to Camp once a month so everyone knows he is alive. One would think you can't disappear for a year and a half without everyone on his ass about it.

His birthday is a blast. Charles, Connor, Nico, Annabeth, Grover, Tyson, Rachel, and even Travis, Will, Lou, and Silena are there.

Percy sees a hole that no one else does, one filled by Alabaster, Ethan and Calypso, and Luke - but he doesn't complain. Moonshade grows at his windowsill, and the others made their own choices.

Percy eats blue cake and wonders - Four years ago, he had no friends. Now, he has a dozen - a dozen people who care about him, who care about his well-being. A dozen people who touch him, because he doesn't have the plague.

He is a leader, and a friend, and a hero. And it's totally awesome.

[eventidespirits]

Name: Laci Lydia Brighton-Lee

Nicknames/Aliases: None.

True Age: 41

Apparent Age: 22

Emotional Age: 6-22 (average of about 13-17)

Concept: Age Sliding Oracle

Species: Vampire (Revenant)

Gender: Cis Girl

Sexuality: Asexual Heteroromantic

Birthday: January 8th 1976

Death Day: October 31st 1998

Residence: Santa Marta, California

Universe: Primarily Original Universe but also Vampire the Masquerade (where she is Clan Malkavian).

Appearance:

Height: 4'7

Build: Petite and quite thin, Laci looks almost frail to most people and can be easily mistaken for a teen or preteen. She has a short torso and long limbs for her height.

Face Shape: Laci has a rounded face with a pointed chin, full cheeks and high cheekbones.

Eye Color/Shape: bright amber/Hazel. Deep-set with heavy, almost droopy eyelids and very thick lashes. Laci usually has a sort of sleepy look to her eyes, accentuated by her permanent dark circles and under eye bags.

Hair Color/Style: About shoulder length with a natural 2B/2C curl pattern. Her hair is naturally black but she has a badly bleached portion in the front that looks bright orange. Has very short, somewhat uneven bangs and her hair is a little shorter in the front than the back. Usually worn up in pigtails or twin buns.

Skin Tone/Texture: Unnaturally smooth and pale with an under-saturated yellow undertone. Doesn't look particularly healthy.

Distinguishing Features: Laci is very short and this is usually the first thing people notice about her -- she also has very large, expressive eyes. She has both eyebrows pierced, a nostril piercing on her left side and snakebites. Both ears have triple lobe piercings and two helix piercings.

Posture: Depends on her current emotional age but as a general rule, Laci's posture is somewhat folded in on herself, somewhat shy and insecure. When she's at an older emotional age, her posture is more confident and open. Laci's body language is dreamy and distant, her steps usually slow and unsure. She walks through the world like she's in an endless dream.

Voice: Somewhat nasal but with a distinct huskiness/vocal fry -- her actual pitch is somewhat higher and definitely comes across as a little bit childish.

Clothing Style: Laci is very much a goth -- she's almost always wearing at least one piece of clothing with mesh or fishnet (she doesn't like lace as much) -- the primary colors in her wardrobe are black, charcoal gray and purple, with occasional hints of neon green. She prefers pants and shorts with tights over skirts and dresses. She tends to prefer lays -- wearing tank tops over mesh shirts under hooded sweat shirts and so on. She has a fondness for collars and very high platform boots. An average outfit for Laci would be a pair of shorts with striped tights and knee-high socks, 4 inch platform boots, a mesh shirt under a tank top and a short sleeved hoodie with several bracelets, fingerless gloves and a collar of some sort.

Notable Mannerisms: Laci is often chewing on her lower lip or playing with her piercings. She often curls her hair around her fingers or plays with the hem of her short. Despite being a vampire and getting no real benefit or harm from it, Laci still smokes clove cigarettes (a habit she had as a human). Laci also has a tendency to sort of bounce in place when she's bored.

Skills:

Physical: Self-Defense, gymnastics, pickpocketing, small firearms

Social: Social Media, Bullshitting, Sweet-talking, Blame-Shifting, Persuasion

Talents: breaking & entering, stealth, being cute, dancing

Knowledges: Santa Marta Underground, Streets & Back Alleys, Hacking, Computers, Social Media manipulation, explosives, Revenant Signs & Grafitti

Hobbies: Pickpocketing assholes at cafes/coffeeshops, preventing the apocalypse, clubbing, coloring books, dancing, photography/instagram

Special: The Sight, precognition, increased speed & strength, darkvision/nightsight, some minor telepathy/empathy, some emotional influence, "immortality"

Psyche

Strengths: Clever, quick-witted, good at lying, adaptive, quick-learner, strong sense of justice, compassionate, sweet, dedicated/tenacious, in touch with her emotions, good with kids, generally empathetic

Weaknesses: overly-emotional, immature, irresponsible, stubborn, impatient, overly curious, has trouble understanding rationality, has difficulty understanding the motives/perspectives of others even if she can understand their feelings, hot-headed, prone to fits of mania and/or depression, way too fucking blunt at times, bad at explaining herself, bad at understanding her own motives at times.

Mental Health Issues: Bipolar Disorder, Age Regression, Hallucinations, Anxiety, Possible ADHD?

Goals: Stop the God-Damned Apocalypse, have fun, make friends, help people

Guiding Philosophies: Do your best to preserve life but know that in the end you'll have to hurt people to stop the apocalypse, try your best to make people laugh and improve their lives, make the world a better place, punish evil whenever you see it, offer help to the helpless and compassion to the weak and downtrodden of society, bash the fash

Sense of Humor: Laci delights in pulling pranks on her friends or making absolutely random, inane comments that leave others confused. She also likes puns and dumb memes.

Overall Personality:Chaotic and trickster-ish. Laci is an enigma to most of the people around her, often including herself. She is bright and spontaneous most of the time but can become somber and serious at the drop of a hat. Her general mood and energy are frantic, high energy and unpredictable. When she comes to care about someone, she's incredibly protective of them to the extent that she can be and will do about anything to make them happy or keep them safe.

Deep down, Laci is frustrated with her inability to remember most of her human life and desperately wishes she could regain it -- however, most of her efforts are currently focused on preventing the Awakening of a being she knows only as The Myriad Eyes, which Laci believes will cause the end of the world if it does wake from it's slumber. Her methods of doing so are...erratic and often nonsensical due to her lack of general knowledge about the thing, seeing only glimpses of it through her precognition and sight.

Little Laci: Mostly the same as Big Laci (described above) but less able to focus on her goals, more dependent on others and more emotional.

-In Love: Laci can't remember being in love. She knows vaguely that she was dating someone who had broken up with her just before she became a vampire but more than that is blurry. When she does crush on someone (which is rare) she's usually very shy around them, having difficulty speaking and becoming very awkward (think moe anime girl)

-Under Stress: Erratic, irritable and far more emotional than usual. Laci becomes inconsolably upset when under stress very quickly -- prone to lashing out in anger and having complete breaks from reality of the stress is severe enough. Stress is also the number one trigger for Laci's age regression, the more intense the stress, the further back she slides.

-Alone: Laci doesn't really get to be alone due to being haunted by her best friend as a human who she accidentally killed after her Change...When it's just Laci and Amy, Laci can be very quiet and withdrawn, just focusing on whatever task is at hand and desperately hoping Amy doesn't decide to cause any problems.

Life

Best Memory: Becoming part of the Revenant Vampire Community under Santa Marta

Worst Memory: Waking up after being Changed and killing her best friend.

Biggest Accomplishment: Hitting 100 cellphones stolen from assholes at Eventide Coffee

Prized Possession: her spiderweb mug

Favorite Color: Black, Purple, Lime Green

Favorite Food:

-Mortal Food: Mocha Frappe, Triple Chocolate Muffins, Cherry Soda, Monster Energy, Tiramisu, Fried Oreos

-Blood: She doesn't care, all the bagged stuff tastes like shit anyway.

Favorite Scents: Cloves, Cotton Candy, Bubblegum, Gunpowder, Fresh Coffee, Freshly Baked Bread, Coconut, Vanilla, Lime, Grapefruit

Favorite Songs: Hunger - Ayria, The Girl Anachronism - Dresden Dolls, I'm So Sick - Flyleaf, Counting Bodies Like Sheep - A Perfect Circle, Looking Glass - The Birthday Massacre, Placebo Effect - Siouxsie and the Banshees, Amnesia - Mind.In.A.Box

Can’t Leave Home Without: Her phone, her cigarette case, a few packets of blood

History

Birthplace: Santa Marta, California

Childhood:: Laci can remember her fifth birthday where she had her first vision of the future and of the party being ended prematurely. She also remembers starting therapy at twelve.

Adolescence: Laci remembers her first day of middle school -- which went rather badly, remembers going to anti-prom and getting kicked out of her parents' house at 18.

Adulthood: What little Laci can remember of her adulthood, she was working as a barista at a local coffee shop while working with a group of friends on a local anarchist zine. She was dating one of the editors on the zine until he cheated on her and broke up with her on October 20th 1998. During a manic episode that followed, she cut her hair and bleached her bangs (with the intent of dyeing them purple). She and her best friend were kidnapped by a vampire outside a local goth club on Halloween.The vampire would turn Laci and leave Amy in the room with her to kill during her first feeding. The trauma of her change (which occurred fully within only three hours) and subsequently murdering her best friend seems to have induced age regression and severe amnesia in Laci. She cannot recall the name or appearance of her Sire or even the majority of her life, outside of small snippets from here and there.

Recent: Laci has been living in Santa Marta in the Revenant Community since they found her in 2002. It's not sure if she's actually part of the Revenant bloodline or not but they don't really care about that. She's got a small apartment in Bram Park, not far from the Sidetracks bar, which contains one of the main entrances to the Underground.

Relationships

Family: Sanity (Adopted Sister, a fellow vampire)

Lovers: None

Friends: Art ??? (a local hacker and vampire), Alex Hyde (Revenant Vampire, clubbing and goth buddy), Louis DeFantome (Siren Vampire, local goth artist), Maggie Rodriguez (Local Witch)

Enemies: Amy (Ghost, haunting), Ella DuChamps (Local cultist), The Myriad Eyes (???)

Acquaintances: ???

Resources

Income: Working Poor

Vehicles: None

Residences: A 1br/1ba apartment in the attic of a Victorian house that's been converted into a triplex in the Bram Park neighborhood.

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of DC: Week of August 7th, 2019

Best of this Week: DCeased #4 - Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Stefano Gaudiano, Rain Beredo and Saida Temofonte

This book went out with a bang and it’s only been four issues of the six!

Captain Atom is one of the strongest heroes of the DC Universe. He’s right on par with Superman and under the reigns of the government, he’s an asset that they have complete authority over. The Atom, likely Ray Palmer, has dived into the body of an infected girl to see if there were a way to solve the crisis before it gets any worse, but then he goes dark. Captain Atom tells Amanda Waller to just way for The Atom to chime back in, but she orders him to go outside and clean the mess up. 

He does so, but soon realizes that something is horribly wrong. The next thing we see is The Atom tearing his way through Captain Atom's body, infecting him with the Anti-Life Virus.

We cut to the aftermath of the last issue with Clark bringing Martha Kent to the Daily Planet, crying about Jonathan as the entire Kent Family embraces each other over the loss. One of the big themes of this issue is the loss of family as there will he two big examples later on, each feeling more devastating than the last. 

Soon after Superman returns, he's ready to go back out there and rescue more people, but Dinah reminds him of the danger everyone could be in if he were to become infected. He counters that with the fact that he's been using x-ray vision to counter the effects of the virus as it's transmitted through screens. Lois makes a transmission to any hero or villain still alive and tells them to all come to the Daily Planet building. 

It's one of the few bits of hope that we get in this issue as we see that some people have boarded up their homes, some of the Titans are still alive and even Lex Luthor is listening in. Best of all, the transmission makes it to Themyscira and Wonder Woman makes her presence felt as she tells her mother and an arriving Mera that she's going to Metropolis. 

In Keystone City, Superman and Green Lantern Canary find Flash and Kid Flash who are doing their best to stay down as them becoming infected would be a nightmare for the world. In Gotham, Harley is being rescued by Ivy, who kills the infected versions of Catwoman, Huntress, Batwoman and Batgirl. I really liked this because, on top of finally getting one over on the Joker, Harley is saved by the true love of her life, albeit in a gory and bloody manner that I'd hoped I'd never have to see for some of my other favorite characters. But they do make for a really adorable couple. 

Back in Metropolis, however, things have taken a horrible turn for the worse. Hairsine struts his stuff in an amazing double page spread that shows an infected Giganta tearing her way through the city like a Kaiju. She looks absolutely monstrous with a giant scar running down her face, eyes and clothes caked with the blood of untold tens or hundreds of people that she's likely killed or eaten. With only Black Lightning, his daughters, Green Arrow, Robin and Superboy to defend the Planet, things look incredibly dire.

That is, until a surprise Batwing appears and distracts her… only to get knocked out of the sky, but saved by a returning Canary, Superman and the two Flashes. Wonder Woman also appears and prepares to cut the head off of the infected Giganta as she is knocked over by Superman. However, he stops her, pleading that there may still be something left there.

The little bit of hope that he may have had is crushed as Cyborg reappears and blows a hole straight through her head, explaining that none of them are alive anymore. While it's a mostly clean shot, the few bits and blood that do fall out feel gnarly as hell and her dead eyed expression is enough to send chills down the spine. 

While the other heroes are talking, the Batwing's hatch opens and Damian somehow expects it to be Batman only to be met by Alfred. He hugs his grandson and tells him Bruce's last words before his untimely passing and we're brought back to another tearful embrace.

*HEAVY SPOILERS AHEAD*

But this somber moment doesn't last as Hawkgirl appears, crashing down into Diana's arms, telling everyone that Captain Atom is infected and that he's about to explode. Superman and Wonder Woman do their best to contain it, but the sheer power of Captain Atom proves too much as his eruption destroyed Washington DC, then Baltimore and eventually...Metropolis where Black Lightning tells his daughters to close their eyes as he embraces them, the bright light engulfing them all.

*SPOILERS OVER: PRESS ON*

DCeased has gone way beyond the gimmick that a lot of us thought it might have been. Exploring themes like the loss of family, love and hope versus hopelessness, we see these characters placed in a new light where they have to adapt to a harrowing situation that no one was prepared for. Black Canary taking over as Green Lantern after Hal gets infected is a new and fresh take for her and she absolutely fits the role like a glove. Superman having to dissociate in order to keep himself focused on saving people gives him more depth as it clashes with who he is as a hero. Diana is far more willing to cut the head off of Giganta where normally she would try to talk her down or knock her out, she’s ready for the high stake over the situation. Also seeing Damian actually show his feelings, crying as Alfred hands him the briefcase of Batman’s gear, gives a lot more humanity as he’s been showing a lot of it because this is legit one of the first times he’s been truly afraid and didn’t have a plan. 

Trevor Hairsine’s art by itself is enough to sell the book on. It has a flavor of horror that hearkens back to some of DCs Vertigo stories, but also has the color and flair of normal superhero stories. The feelings of despair are very clearly shown and the gore, for how little there is in this issue is still unsettling to see. It’s all very high quality and appropriate for the story. Unlike most Marvel Zombies books, I’m actually scared for everyone here and I love it. High recommend. 

---------------------------------------------------

Jarro is the best new member of the Justice League and I will not be persuaded of the otherwise. 

Runner Up: Justice League #29 - Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Bruno Redondo, Hi-Fi and Tom Napolitano

Since the events of No Justice (2018), the Universe has been without Starro, the sentient and powerful telepathic starfish that served as the Justice League's first ever villain. In an uncharacteristic act of heroism, the conqueror sacrificed his life in an effort to save the universe from being destroyed. All that was left a small part of him that was kept in a jar and maintained his sense of heroism, becoming Batman's newest son, Jarro.

Jarro is the epitome of "doing his best" as this book involves him single handedly taking on the Legion of Doom. 

Lurking in the shadows of the Hall of Doom, listening to their top secret plans, lies Jarro dressed as Robin! He waits for the perfect moment and strikes at Lex and the others! They're all stunned that someone had the knowledge of their location and the gall to attack them. They all think that they can overpower him, but forget that Jarro still has all of the memories of his former self and creates an energy weapon that knocks them all back, including Sinestro and his constructs.

Though things take a turn, even after Jarro manages to take control of Braniac for a moment, and Lex gains the upper hand, pinning Jarro to a wall. As he's about to lay the final blow, the Justice League arrives to save their companion!

Throughout the book, however, there are numerous questionable things that makes it seem like it's just too good to be true. Jarro is referred to as Batman's favorite Robin by Sinestro. How did Jarro even find the Hall of Doom and how did the League track him? Hell, when Batman sees Jarro, he SMILES. That's a huge red flag. 

When Jarro begins to spawn more stars and takes over the minds of the Legion, Batman chides him for his actions and eventually realizes that he's had a star on his face the whole time. Jarro had been showing the good guys a vision where the League wins after deciding that control is the only path to victory after the shared vision he had with Starman in the last issue. 

It's all very reminiscent of any time that the Black Mercy plant is used and while what Jarro did was horrible, Batman manages to convince him that everything will be okay. So he releases the hold on everyone, jumps on Batman's shoulder and tells the others to prepare for war. 

What this book does best is simply allude to the idea that not everything is as it seems. It has little hints planted with things that only a could would say about themselves or their parents thoughts. Told through Jarro's perspective, it's good to see that Batman has raised him to be a being of hope and a cute one at that. Even his little Robin costume made me absolutely giddy and excited for the little guy.

Once again, it's Batman that has to save the day because he's always the most sound of mind. Though what this story does is shine a light on just how powerful Jarro could be. He managed to take over the minds of the Justice League without anyone being the wiser and shows just what an asset he is. It's even implied that he has a potential that even he can't see yet and I'm excited for his future.

[aslaton8-blog]

Character Creation

I really wanted to talk about this yesterday but I was at work so all I had time for was short posts.

I woke up yesterday thinking about alien worlds. Well actually I woke up thinking about rape but on a more positive note I also thought about character creation for my story. My head is always in this negative place because there's just so much that needs to be done and it's like all I want to think about, solutions to problems. But there's no sense in overwhelming yourself with negativity... it makes one bitter after a time... so I spent the whole day avoiding negative thoughts yesterday since I stay steeped in them normally. I need that break during this time. It's Christmas Eve! I spent the last 7-8 years being extremely pessimistic about Christmas. My family ruined it for me. Now I'm trying to get that feeling back with a new baby on the way. Tradition is food for community and soul. We need it. Without it I feel so disconnected from my Society.

I remember watching this documentary but I don't remember the name of it of course cuz that's usually how it goes for me. But it was about constructing an alien world and all the different animals that would come out of it.

Oh I remember what prompted the thought now. I was thinking about chimeras. I was also thinking about the time that I saw the vision of a dragon in a church on Easter Sunday.. It felt real. I don't know if you've ever heard the songs "the shape" from Slipknot or "shape of you" from Ed Sheeran? Well that's how I would describe this dragon it was a shape or a silhouette of a dragon.

Other people were moving with its movement. Perhaps they saw something else like Jesus or God or an angel. But I saw a dragon. It reminded me of religion and how people see divinity and spiritual connectivity. They say something in their head and then immediately think that's it. If I was not an agnostic atheist, a dragon would be my God and we would still be worshiping the same God. I love it too because a dragon is a made-up creature, fitting.

The metaphor of the chimera aligns with pantheism or Hinduism too, other ideas I feel among life. I think all of these ideas are really intertwined and we always think that only one person has the answer to it and that only one religion exactly describes what God is. If God is something that complex it would take a whole world to describe it. It's something we reflect out of this world.

But what if dragons really existed? What if we are imagining a real creature? They may not exist on planet Earth but what if something just like it evolved on another planet? This is inspiring and it reminds me that I need to also come up with an ecology on these planets. I know I can't do this alone. I have a close group of friends who live for stories and we just started a writers workshop. I can't wait until the next one. I want the mental space to be able to brainstorm these characters and a writers workshop would be perfect!

I have four main characters so far. The first one is inspired by myself and one of my favorite anime characters, Lucy. Her name is Genivia. These creatures are not human. I want them to look a little more human-like so that people can relate to them but I also want them to have an alien vibe. I'm even okay with sticking to the fantasy plane. I love elves very much. All of my characters on my utopian planet, Oauvyss, are going to be elf-like. All of the characters on Avera, my hell planet, will be more human-like but I still want them to have alien features. I might give some of them horns. I've given all the plants poisonous and spiny features because all the plants have turned on their greedy animals. The people on avera can no longer harvest plants they have to live off of a kind of algae that they created in a lab. Oh I can't wait to continue working on this story. I need the mental space. For now this blog spot is a great place to meditate on these ideas at least.

The next character I created was inspired solely by link. His name is Orin which of course is inspired by The NeverEnding story. I blame link for leading me to my husband among several other forces in the world. Fantasizing about link with my ex-husband in hindsight feels like I was fantasizing about my future husband. 😂 I feel like I'm with Orin. Ryan is Orin in my world. He's my hero. 🖤🖤🖤 Orin is also becomes Genivia's lover later in the story after a war plays out between my two other main characters.

Abella was inspired by a Zelda character too. She owns a cute shop like Agitha too. Before Genivia reaches Oauvyss, neither Orin nor Abella have any knowledge of her existence so a little friendship romance starts between them. Of course when Genivia gets there she breaks it up when Orin sees all of the signs that identify her as his star-crossed love. Abella gets severely jealous and protective of Orin after that. Genivia came to Oauvyss by escaping Avera. When she arrived the demons followed her and are now manifesting in the people on this planet starting with a Abella. So in Abella's blind fear, she blames the demons on Genivia and considers them hers. But how did that happen? How did Genivia get there?

Well Genivia has a half-brother who is a chemist and is also born on Avera. He was inspired by this character, Ike. He was also inspired by my step brother, Brandon. This is a lot what Brandon looked like. I named him Jorath. Well actually that was the name that my husband came up with and I liked it so much that I kept it. Jorath's is a physics major and a chemistry nerd. He's also a bit mischievous. In my story Genivia's soul represents the Queen of the universe so her soul is pure. Joris is only her half-brother and is only a half pure soul. He will face some trials.

Genivia was stolen by the main demon inspired by Satan whom I named S'var and he forced her to be born on Avera. He wanted her to be destroyed along with the planet that he was destroying...err...well her father was destroying (one in the same). Her father is the King of Avera. He owns the entire planet including the people and resources. Jorath is born of a different mother, the King's mistress. He is considered a bastard son to the hierarchy and Genivia is considered the heir to the throne. Jorath and his father get in a major fight one day and the father threatens to rape Genivia so that she could bear a "son worth carrying the throne." After this fight Jorath escapes into the woods and disappears for a time where he thinks for a while. Eventually he comes back by sneaking Genivia out of her room and stealing a dimensional travel contraption that was invented by a team on Avera that nobody ever successfully got to work. Jorath had an epiphany and figured out how to get it to work. He stole Genivia and took her with him while trying to escape Avera and save them from their father.

Genivia successfully leave the planet in travels to another planet and she happens to land on her destined planet she was supposed to be born on. She also transforms from human to elf in order to be adapted to this planet. Jorath, however, gets stuck between dimensions and becomes a ghost. His soul was too heavy to pass through all the way. He is now stuck in an interdimensional realm that is chaotic and manic and full of color; a stark difference from where he was. When he gets here he meets a new character.

Baedra was inspired by many different things. One was a dragon one of my friends envisioned. He said that the ceiling fan above him turned into this colorful dragon and began to describe it. I tried to deliver the face that I could see as well as I could from his description plus my own interpretation of it. This dragon will have characteristics in personality of the luck dragon and the Cheshire cat and that is exactly the role that he serves for Jorath as he walks through the trials of this new realm. He stays lost for a while but this dragon helps him stay on path so that eventually he conquers and passes through to Oauvyss to be with his sister he saved. He's also going to be Abella's lover. He not only stops the conflict between Genivia and her father but he also stops the conflict between Genivia and Abella upon his arrival. So that makes him Orin's hero. I always felt bad for the heroes in the stories because I always was like well who's their hero? So I have four main protagonists now and I love them all. I can't wait for this story to develop more. 🖤🖤🖤