#which we will hopefully get in hades ii

[hermesmoly]

What do you think about the Hades Game ship of Hermes and Charon?

I like it! I haven't read any fics centered on them but if you have any recommends feel free to send my way!

[hadestownreconstruction]

So I finally got to see Hadestown live when it toured in my town and now I'm back on my Hadestown bullshit, and to find out you are compiling lost songs and everything from the show just has me over the moon!! I've seen several posts where you encourage folks to ask questions and I don't even know where to begin-- I want to know everything!!

Do you have a Google drive or anything where you keep notes and lyrics and stuff as you find it? I have a copy of working on a song but do you also have lyrics that were not included in that? And were there actually different possible endings to the show?

Okay I know this is late and I’m SO sorry about that, but I’ll answer what I can?

- No, I don’t have anywhere I keep my stuff. Since you sent this I made a folder in Google drive with some useful links (thx for that idea btw lol), and if I remember to do so, I’ll keep adding things on! But for now the only organization is the disorganization of my mind, alas.

- There is a little bit of direct content that’s not in WoaS, but that stuff’s hard to find. I’d suggest starting with the highlight reel from 2007 HT, and the 2007 and 2006 photo archives. Also, check out ‘#cerberus hadestown’ on this blog for more info on them.

- There were other endings, sort of. At the end of the day, Orpheus has always turned around. But what bits we have of the 2012 workshop show a little bit post-turn with Hermes and Orpheus (the precursor to Road II, I suspect), and according to Ben t. Matchstick’s Instagram in another version (which I also heavily suspect to be 2012) has Hades’s guards (the Cerberus triad, as opposed to Sara Grace’s Cerberus) deciding to stop protecting him from the rioting Workers. But at the end of the day, Orpheus turns. He must always turn.

I get the feeling of having so many questions, but no clue what to ask. Hopefully this has given you something to stand on, so to speak. You got follow up questions, you know where to ask! Enjoy!

[zilllathegod]

Mass Effect Trilogy Mission Order

With the release of the Mass Effect Legendary edition I decided to gather a mission list so I can guide myself through the games efficiently. This guide should include the base missions and the DLC. Through the years I have glanced at list like this during my playthroughs so I figured if it was useful for me it may be useful for the internet also.

*Planet scanning between missions

Eden Prime

Therum

Feros

Noveria

UNC Side Missions - Citadel side missions (loads of cool stuff) - (Garrus/Tali/Wrex) specific missions

DLC: Bring Down the Sky

Virmire

Ilos/Endgame

*Planet scanning between missions

Prologue / Freedom's Progress

Citadel - Pick up Kasumi from DLC

Omega - Pick up Zaeed from DLC

Omega: The Scientist

Kasumi: Stolen Memory - Kasumi's loyalty mission rewards you with the Locust SMG, a really nice SMG.

Dossier: Archangel

Dossier: The Convict

Dossier: The Warlord

Horizon - will automatically trigger. Don't miss the Particle Beam weapon on the ground about halfway through the level, it's really nice for dealing with the Praetorian enemies.

Recruit Tali

Dossier: The Justicar - While on Ilium, you can talk to Liara to get some help but don't start the Lair of the Shadow Broker stuff yet.

Dossier: The Assassin

-- Now you've got all your recruits, so start doing loyalty missions.--

Tuchanka: Mordin's Loyalty - I always recommend keeping the data, as it opens up way more branches of story in ME3, but it's ultimately up to you.

Tuchanka: Grunt's Loyalty

Collector Vessel - This triggers after you complete Horizon and then 5 other missions. So now.

Illium - Miranda's Loyalty

Aeia: Jacob's Loyalty

Citadel: Garrus's Loyalty

Citadel: Thane's Loyalty

Illium: Samara's Loyalty

Zaeed's Loyalty - Warning: If you want to go Paragon during this mission you've got to beat a really high Charm check to keep his loyalty. I usually just look the other way on this one and hate myself for it later, to make sure he stays on board.

-- The next missions all involve high Paragon/Renegade checks, so we save them for now --

Pragia: Jack's Loyalty - Afterwards, you'll need to break up a fight. Use your Paragon or Renegade option to keep both characters loyal.

Quarian Fleet: Tali's Loyalty - This mission has a big impact in ME3. To keep her loyal, use Paragon/Renegade options whenever possible, and don't use the data to defend her innocence. If you sent Veetor with Tali back on Freedom's Progress, and Kal'Reegar survived Tali's recruitment mission, you can successfully use the "Rally the Crowd" option to get the best outcome here. Otherwise, you'll need to use Paragon/Renegade all the way through to make it happen. Hopefully your scores are high enough for that, which is why we saved it for here.

DLC: Overlord - This is a good point to put this in. You've just killed a lot of geth, so let's go kill some more!

DLC: Normandy Crash Site - If you picked this up, now is a good time for a nostalgic flashback before you head off on a suicide mission. -- POINT OF NO RETURN: Make sure everyone is loyal and you've done any side missions that you want to --

Mnemosyne: Reaper IFF

Geth Base: Legion's Loyalty - Take Tali for interesting dialogue. This mission's decision also plays heavily into ME3. Afterwards, you'll need to break up another fight. Just like last time, use Paragon/Renegade to keep both characters loyal.

Normandy Interlude

Omega 4: Suicide Mission - The following composition always gets everyone out alive for me, but again, it's your call, and I know there are other workable options as well: Fire Team Leader (Garrus), Tech Expert (Tali), Escort (Mordin), Biotic Expert (Samara). Take Miranda to the final fight for some interesting dialogue, and be sure to always leave Grunt, Zaeed, and Garrus to hold the line. They have a higher internal success score for that job, so it'll help make sure your whole team makes it out.

DLC: Lair of the Shadow Broker - This should be played right here, as the information you get from it is integral to ME3

DLC: Arrival - Very last, as ME3 picks up right afterwards

Prologue: Earth

Priority: Mars

Priority: Citadel I - During this mission, players can visit Ashley or Kaidan and Thane at the hospital, recruit the reporter Diana Allers, and recruit either Dr. Chakwas or Dr. Michel.

Normandy: First Visit

N7: Cerberus Labs & Citadel: Alien Medi-Gel Formula

Priority: Palaven - Following this mission, return to the Citadel to deliver items.

Aria: Blood Pack

Aria: Blue Suns

Aria: Eclipse

Citadel: Hanar Diplomat (Kasumi)

Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation (Jack) & Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces - This mission must be completed ahead of Priority: Citadel II or there are dire consequences. Players can also choose to complete this mission as soon as they receive it.

Priority: Eden Prime (From the Ashes DLC) - Players can recruit Javik as a squadmate.

Meet the Diplomats & Priority: Sur'Kesh (Mordin)

Attican Traverse: Krogan Team (Grunt) & Citadel: Krogan Dying Message

Tuchanka: Turian Platoon - Players need to be careful, as three missions will be available on Tuchanka. They should not choose Priority: Tuchanka yet. Immediately following this mission, players need to go straight to the next mission to avoid disastrous consequences.

Tuchanka: Bomb & Citadel: Cerberus Automated Turret Schematics

N7: Cerberus Attack & Citadel: Improved Power Grid

N7: Cerberus Abductions & Benning: Evidence

Priority: Tuchanka

Players can find items for characters on the Citadel in the following systems: Apien Crest: Banner of the First Regiment Kite's Nest: Pillars of Strength Ismar Frontier: Prototype Components Shrike Abyssal: Prothean Obelisk

N7: Cerberus Fighter Base & Citadel: Heating Unit Stabilizers

Priority: Citadel II - Players should make sure they have spoken to Thane at the hospital ahead of this mission.

Mesana: Distress Signal

Ardat-Yakshi Monastery (Samara) & Citadel: Asari Widow

Citadel: Aria T'Loak (Omega DLC) - Once players choose to join Aria's fleet at the Citadel, they will not have the option to return until the full DLC is completed.

Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists (Jacob) & Citadel: Cerberus Turian Poison

Citadel: Volus Ambassador (Zaeed)

Priority: Perseus Veil

Priority: Geth Dreadnought

Rannoch: Admiral Koris & Citadel: Target Jamming Technology - When landing on Rannoch, players need to be careful not to choose Priority: Rannoch. Players need to make sure to rescue the Admiral, no matter what, to have the best chance at a compromise between the Geth and Quarians.

Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons (Legion) & Citadel: Reaper Code Fragments

N7: Fuel Reactors & Citadel: Chemical Treatment - Players should be sure not to confuse this mission with the one to Destroy the Reaper Base. Following this, Shepard can return to the Citadel to deliver items.

Priority: Rannoch - To broker peace between the Geth and Quarians, the following conditions must have been met: Tali and Legion must both be alive; Tali was not exiled in Mass Effect 2; Legion's loyalty mission was completed, and the Heretics must have been destroyed; Shepard must have broken up the fight between Legion and Tali in Mass Effect 2 without taking sides (i.e., using Charm/Intimidate); Shepard must have four bars of Reputation; Koris must have been rescued on Rannoch; Shepard must have completed Geth Fighter Squadrons. If any of these conditions were not met, players will be forced to choose a side.

Players can find items for characters on the Citadel in the following systems:

Nimbus Cluster: Library of Asha Athena Nebula: Hesperia-Period Statue Irune: Book of Plenix Valhallan Threshold: Prothean Data Drives Argos Rho: Kaklisaur Fossil Silean Nebula: Rings of Alune Dekuuna: Elcor Extraction Dekuuna: Code of the Ancients Hades Nexus: Obelisk of Karza Hades Nexus: Prothean Sphere

Priority: Citadel III

Priority: Thessia - Bring Javik and Liara for additional lore and a few important discoveries.

N7 Communication Hub & Citadel: Cerberus Ciphers

Priority: Horizon - To ensure Miranda survives, players need to do the following: Shepard must talk to Miranda on the Citadel Docks; they must warn her about Kai Leng in the Specter office; Shepard must have met with Miranda in the apartment on the Citadel and given her access to Alliance resources.

Citadel: Dr. Bryson (Leviathan DLC)

Citadel: Shore Leave (Citadel DLC) - Avoid leaving the Citadel until after the party

Priority: Cerberus Headquarters - This is the Point of No Return. Following this mission, players will go straight into the endgame.

Priority: Earth  - For the best possible outcome, players need 3,100 EMS prior to this mission.

[alyona11]

Hades and emotional distancing in Hadestown

This might be my first meta, I’m sorry if it’s been said before, but I’m recently in the fandom so I might have missed the discussion. So, few days ago I saw this post and it made me think about the use of set design in Hadestown in terms of showing Hades’ distance from the other characters. This meta might be a little bit long so I gonna hide it under a cut. Sorry for the grammar mistakes in advance.

So while almost everyone around me was watching Hamilton, I was rewatching Hadestown bootlegs and it came to me that Hades spends most of the show on his balcony which is obviously the way to make him seem higher than everyone and to show his god status and his ego. So Hades sets a distance between himself and the world, shielding himself in the way he holds himself, dresses and even speaks. He doesn’t allow anyone on his level. Well, exept for his wife. Well, partly.

The show starts with Hades and Persephone sitting on the balcony, they are still on the same level. Hades is both happy to be with her and sad she's going away but still wanting to be near her, he’s clearly showing his emotions (aka smiling and sitting in a depressed way):

The first time Hades comes down is to collect Persephone during Way Down Hadestown. So he has to descend to the mortal level. But like he still keeps the barrier with his ridiculous glasses, his leather coat and even gloves? Oh man, so closed, so unreachable. The distance betweet him and everybody around (still kinda except Persephone? I guess) is pretty visible.

Then in Chant they are starting at the same level, but once Hades gets offended he puts his shields up and Persephone goes down under the stage. His trust is betrayed (from his perspective) and he keeps distancing from Persephone and tries to hide his offense by all these “I don’t care, that doesn’t bothering me, I gonna find myself somebody else to make my wife understand who she lost”. Well, you know, same old story.

In Why We Build The Wall Persephone is beside him, BUT she's in the shadow so there's a distance again. Plus Hades is in the spotlight building both real and metaphorical walls around himself. He really doesn’t look like he cares about his relationship, no sir, no feelings just capitalism. 

Then in the act 2 he's again on his balcony while Persephone is down below. We can clearly see it in Papers where he has the position of power, above everyone else including Persephone who he dismisses without even looking at her. Rude.

And then there’s How Long: Hades is forced to talk with Persephone about emotions and his pretty bad actions. And like in the beginning of the show they’re on the same level, and they even become closer in the end of the song yet still keeping the distance. 

This distance remains in Chant Reprise where Hades has to climb up and down the stairs to speak about his feelings and motivation. He kinda tries to catch up with Persephone at some point, but once he gets too close to her she starts to go faster to keep a safe distance. In the end of Chant II Hades tries to make a joke of his hurt feelings: he climbs to his balcony and speaks about love in a dismissive manner (clearly hiding his pain) like "this love of yours is for naive fools, I have power - you have your silly feelings". 

Finally he comes down to listen to Epic III and...he never goes back to his balcony again. He just can't. His emotions broke away and there's no point in showing the façade if he wants to stay with Persephone. He's finally just "a man in love with a woman". He had to come down to face his actions and see his egoism and blindness. That’s the only way he can redeem himself and potentionally fix his relationship, by stating that something is wrong and it needs changing. And hopefully it’ll bring the world back into tune.

[ladyzayinwonderland]

Hiya Zay! So I noticed you posted about a Hadestown crossover and I wanted to ask you what you love about the musical! Favorite song? Favorite quality? What about the story/songs/costumes/characters/choreography/atmosphere/etc evokes Feelings? What is/are the primary mood(s) it inspires in you? Favorite headcanon or tender moment? Favorite line/lyric? (FYI I know you're not on here regularly and I RESPECT that, so if you want to answer, feel utterly free to take your time)... ❤️ Poly

Okay this has been a long time coming (I just didn’t realize how long it would take) but I finally have an answer! Thank you for your patience, dear Poly, and thank you for the super ask! I’m always willing to gush about Hadestown and it was so fun to have the opportunity ^_^

It is, however, a very long answer... it kinda got away from me in the process, hehe.

Favorite song: I feel like it might be cliché to say Wait for Me, but… all the versions of the song are gorgeous in different ways. If I had to be more original, then I would have to say We Raise Our Cups. I tear up every time I listen to it.

Favorite Quality: In the words of Hermes, “it’s a love song.” Orpheus loves Eurydice enough to go to hell to get her. Eurydice loves Orpheus enough to follow him out, though the way is hard. Hades loves Persephone, though he doesn’t know how to show it and is afraid to lose her. Persephone loves Hades enough to keep coming back to him to “try again”. I know that some of those loves are flawed, but they’re human. The beacon of that love and what it represents is important.

Story: I adore the inevitability of Hadestown. We know from the very beginning how this is going to end and yet we still hope that maybe it might just be different this time. We can’t help but hope. I think it speaks to the quality of the musical that it can still pull you in every time. Very cathartic.

Songs: My favorite thing about the songs is having been able to witness their growth and maturity from album to album! Themes, lyrics, and melodies have so many subtle changes that only seem to ring more true with time. It’s also so cool to see how it needed 10+ years to ruminate into the musical we have now. (But this might also be subjective to me because I found out about Hadestown when there was only a concept album, then kept up with each new development until my husband and I were able to see it on Broadway just after its premier.) And I’m very excited to see how the national tour turns out!!

Costumes: I love the tattered/steampunk/industrial look of the OBC show. But I also love what I’ve seen of the off-broadway show, the whimsical costumes of Nabiyah’s Eurydice and early Persephone’s dresses and boldness of Damon’s red jacket (bring! it! back!). The costumes definitely change the vibes of the show though, which is just fascinating to me. Mostly in Eurydice’s character, so…….

Characters: Eurydice. Has. Character. She is three-dimensional, rounded out, and can stand on her own. (this was always something I wished had been different with the myth) It’s interesting to note how her character is portrayed slightly differently depending on the show though? I can’t speak so much to Nabiyah’s portrayal because I didn’t see it, but the music makes me think that she’s harsher and angrier than Eva’s softer and more hopeful version. Orpheus too experiences subtle shifts between Damon and Reeve, specifically bolder to more naïve, which… I don’t hate, but I miss Damon’s Oprheus. I also love that all the main players experience change/growth! They all have agency!

Choreography: I love the transition between carefree in the world above to stark and sharp down below. Tbh Livin’ It Up On Top is not my ~fav~ choreography-wise, however, I recognize it’s a chance for the cast to let loose and have a good time, and it’s important to show just how different things are between the two settings. But the moment we are down below? Stellar. Sharp, synchronized movements that immediately remind you of the cogs of a machine. And I do love how the movements become more human by the time we get to If It’s True and Wait for Me II.

Bonus—the lamp choreo in Wait for Me. I sobbed when I saw them swinging and being used to light an otherwise dark space, leading Orpheus deeper underground.

Atmosphere: slight steampunk vibes my beloved. The off-broadway and Canadian productions’ Tree is something I wish had stayed for the OBC production. In addition to being gorgeous, it adds an element of nature to juxtapose to Hades’ cold, harshly lit, industrial underground. The OBC loses that little bit of earth by taking place in a train station bar. That said, I do enjoy the bar setting in parallel to Persephone’s dismal speakeasy down below. The presence of the band on stage, motley but involved in the story beyond just the music.

Inspired moods: I like angst, for better or for worse. I’ve always been drawn to Orpheus and Eurydice because of how tragic it is. I think it’s very Romantic™. Therefore, any incarnation or representation of the story is automatically my jam. I like that, regardless of how many times I have listened to the album, I still hold on to the hope that it might turn out differently. Just once. That hope is something so precious, something that still deserves to be passed on even if it’s been dashed to pieces. It’s never in vain, you can always try again.

(And, this probably isn’t as relevant, but I think there’s something to be said from a Christian perspective on the show as well. Orpheus is just a man and prone to doubt, as the show illustrates. He fails. We all fail. But there is hope found in One who literally can’t fail in bringing the lost back to Him, and that is an encouraging thought.)

Headcanon: I hold to this one interpretation of the tale that Orpheus looking back was a sign of love (though I don’t discount it being an act of doubt or weakness). I like to think that he was just wanted to see her again, wanted to make sure she made it too, but he was just a fraction of a moment too soon. It almost makes her “death” more tragic.

Tender Moment: my favorite tender moments from the show are 1) when Orpheus runs to the stage through the audience to reach Eurydice again in the second act. Mostly because I didn’t expect it. I was focused on her when a white and red blur with a guitar ran down the aisle to peek his head above the edge of the stage with a joyful “come home with me?” My Heart. 2) when Orpheus finishes Epic III and Hermes says “and you know what they did? They danced.” There is a twenty second bit of acoustic guitar and violin while Hades and Persephone dance for the first time together in ages. It wasn’t a grand or sweeping moment—it was just an old man stumbling through a rusty dance with his wife, and it felt genuine.

Favorite Line/Lyric: starting off strong with the first words of the show. There’s no introduction to Hadestown, no warning it’s about to start. Just Hermes sauntering onstage, looking you straight in the eye, and saying “Alright?” Then the band starts playing and the show begins. Incredible. Unprecedented. But also I weep for all of the Epics. Such solid poetry. So soft.

So anyway, those are my thoughts! They may be a little repetitive, but hopefully I conveyed myself decently enough. Thank you again, lovely!! <3

[1heartfanfics]

Do you remember somewhere in Blood of Olympus Percy gets poisoned by that underwater guy I cant remember the name of? If you do, can you do a story where someone unlikely takes care of him? If you don't, I completely understand😊

Yes omg, another example of Rick Riordan being one of us because after that incident he talks about Percy having to go throw up several times. It was Kymopoleia and Polybotes who poisoned him.

 Side note though, I kind of hated that scene because Riordan made Percy so useless even though he was in his domain while Jason, who was very much out of his, was the hero. I’m not saying Percy has to be the hero all the time (although he is the main character really so like kind of) but I love the way he was always written as being so powerful (near water especially). Like at the end of House of Hades Nico says that Percy is the most powerful demigod he’s ever known, so I just felt like it was dumb for him to be rendered useless so easily in that scene. 

Anyway, enough of my rant. Here’s the part you came for:

TW: spoilers for blood of olympus I guess and depictions of vomit

“Percy are you okay?!?” Jason yelled, darting over to him once the poison dissipated. 

“Gah, yeah I think so,” Percy coughed and sputtered, stumbling around in the water.

“Alright, come on, lets get back up there. Hopefully the Argo II is okay,” Jason said. He could feel the air getting thin. His wind storm was thinning. 

“Could we, uh, maybe not mention exactly what happened down here? The son of the sky god saving the son of the sea god underwater thing?” Percy asked. 

“Yeah, sure bro,” Jason nodded, smiling sympathetically at his friend. He understood where Percy was coming from. They were supposed to be the leaders of this quest, but Jason seemed to just keep getting knocked unconscious, needing rescued. He’d felt useless many times along their journey. 

“Great. Thanks,” Percy said, still sounding out of breath. Normally he could breathe underwater just like it was air but he seemed to be struggling right now. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Jason asked, “You’re looking a little green,” he said. He was sure it was more than just the tint of the water that was tinging Percy’s face. 

“Mhmm, fine,” Percy mumbled, stroking upwards to swim toward the surface, but his limbs weren’t coordinated enough so he didn’t go anywhere. Jason reached through his air bubble to grab Percy’s arm, willing the winds to take them to the surface before they ran out of air. 

Jason gasped for air as they reached the surface, not having realized just how shallowly he’d been having to breathe. He managed a few deep breaths, finally filling his lungs, before Percy suddenly gripped his arm. 

“Jas-” Percy said frantically, before his body convulsed and he vomited into the water.

“Oh Gods, okay,” Jason muttered to himself, kicking forward to move behind Percy. He wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him afloat while he brought up his stomach contents. Jason knew Percy had looked pretty green. 

Percy was limp against him, which worried Jason. Normally he could keep himself afloat just by willing the water to support him, but he was clearly in too bad of shape to even use that power, which was concerning. He didn’t seem to have it in him to even keep himself up the normal way, by kicking. Percy slumped forward of Jason’s arm, almost pitching into the water completely. 

“Ookay, come on. We’ve gotta get you above deck Perce,” Jason said, pulling Percy back against his chest until his head was resting on Jason’s shoulder. He kept one arm wrapped firmly around Percy’s waist, using his other arm to swim toward the boat. 

He managed to get them over to the Argo II, which took a lot longer than he’d expected. It hadn’t looked that far, but with Percy’s dead weight it felt like miles, and he was exhausted. 

“Gonna need a little help here,” Jason panted as they reached the ladder. His muscles were aching and his breath was coming in gasps. 

Thankfully, Percy seemed to have recovered some, because he was able to grab the ladder, hauling himself out of the water. Once he climbed to the top he leaned over and offered Jason a hand, pulling him the rest of the way to the deck, where both boys collapsed. 

Immediately, all of their friends rushed over. A myriad of hands pulled them both up off of the deck and into chairs. Percy forced his eyes open, wincing as his vision swam (pun intended), making him feel dizzy and sick all over again. 

“What in Hades happened down there?” 

Percy blinked a few times, taking some slow deep breaths until the worried faces of his friends came into view. He forced himself to focus on the calming motion of the waves below him, trying to settle his stomach, which was still churning queasily. 

“It was the goddess Kymopoleia. She was working for Polybotes. But we got her to turn against him and help um, help us kill him. But Percy got poisoned. My uh, my venti cloud protected me from it I guess,” Jason explained, still breathing hard. 

His friends all murmured a collection of sympathies and sighs of relief, but Percy couldn’t focus on any of them. He still felt too sick. 

“Where’s Annabeth?” he croaked. 

“She’s helping Leo man the wheel while he does some repairs,” someone answered, Piper maybe. 

“Maybe someone should go switch her out,” Jason said, glancing worriedly over at Percy. He needed his girlfriend right now.

“No,” Percy said quickly. “No don’t worry her,” he shook his head. 

“Are you sure?” Hazel asked, placing a hand on Percy’s arm. Jason was right, he really didn’t look so good. 

“I’m fine,” Percy insisted, although his ashen complexion said otherwise. “Could someone just help me to my room?” he asked weakly. 

“I will,” a small voice spoke up from behind the rest of the group. Nico?

Everyone parted for him to come forward, looking surprised. He didn’t really speak all that often. In fact, they often times forgot that he was even there, lurking in the shadows. 

“Come on, let’s go,” Nico said, stepping in front of Percy. He grabbed Percy’s wrist, pulling his arm around his own shoulders to prop him up. Although Percy was still a handful of inches taller than Nico, he was stronger than he looked, so he began to half drag half pull Percy down the hall toward the below deck quarters. 

“You doing okay?” NIco asked when Percy let out a soft groan, leaning even more heavily on Nico. 

“Not feeling so hot,” Percy shook his head.

Nico realized how chalky Percy’s complexion had become, mouth hanging open slightly and his eyes unforced. He had his free hand clutched to his stomach, hunched forward over it slightly.

“Are you going to throw up?” Nico asked, putting the pieces together. Percy nodded miserably, rubbing his hand back and forth across his stomach.

“Okay, come on,” Nico began dragging Percy again, this time with the destination of the bathroom instead of his room. 

“Ohh my stomach,” Percy moaned. His hand moved up to cover his mouth, fighting back nausea.

Nico pushed their way into the bathroom, lowering Percy down onto the floor in front of the toilet as gently as he could. As soon as Percy’s knees hit the ground he lurched forward over the toilet and heaved up a mouthful of seawater and green sludge. The poison, Nico thought, wincing. 

“You’re okay,” Nico said, crouching down behind Percy and placing a hand on his back. He was surprised to find that Percy’s clothes were wet, which he’d failed to notice before. He must really be feeling bad if his powers couldn’t even keep him dry. 

Percy continued to pant over the toilet, clutching the rim with white knuckles. Nothing happened, though, so Nico pulled him away from the bowl to lean against the wall behind them. 

“Let’s get you into some dry clothes and in bed,” Nico said, positioning Percy’s arm around him again so he could get him up.

“Nooo,” Percy groaned, shaking his head, “Feel nauseous.”

“Yeah you were poisoned Percy, might take a while to wear off. I’ll put a trash bin beside your bed, okay? You need to get some rest,” Nico argued, hauling Percy’s limp body off the ground with some difficulty. He was all dead weight now. 

Nico and Percy managed to slowly limp their way down the hall to Percy’s room, which he had to admit, instantly made him feel a bit better, Just to be surrounded by his things. 

“Here, get changed,” Nico said, tossing Percy a dry t-shirt and a pair of shorts. While Percy got out of his wet clothes, Nico pulled the trash over to sit beside Percy’s bed, laying a towel underneath it just in case his aim was off. 

When Percy was finished he helped him climb into bed, pulling the covers up over him to still his shivering. This poison had really done a number on him it seemed. He watched as Percy closed his eyes, clearly exhausted. 

“You need anything else Percy?” Nico asked, leaning against the wall. Percy cracked an eye open to look up at him with an expression Nico had never seen on him before, fear. 

“Could you-? Could you stay? Just for a minute,” Percy asked quietly, averting his eyes. He sounded so young, despite being almost 5 years older than Nico. 

“Yeah. Yeah of course,” he said, moving to sit at the edge of Percy’s bed as he closed his eyes again. 

Nico had a feeling that Percy and Jason hadn’t exactly been honest about what had happened on their underwater adventure. Whatever really went down, it had clearly shaken Percy up pretty good. As much as Nico looked up to Percy, it made him feel slightly better about his own life to know that even someone as strong and as brave as Percy Jackson had his vulnerable moments. 

[buoyantsaturn]

Yeehaw (1/1)

summary: Or 5 times Will had a secret power and 1 time he didn't

word count: 1,704

read on ao3

I.

The teams for capture the flag were on the move to the woods in clusters, whispering strategies to their teammates and trash talking their opponents. Will walked side by side with Chiron, having volunteered to sit out for the duration of the game and acting as medic instead, while Chiron acted as referee.

They’d made it to the edge of the woods before someone jogged up behind Will and grabbed his hand. Will’s head snapped down, and immediately broke out into a brilliant smile. “Nico!” He stopped in his tracks, dropping Nico’s hand, and wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. “When did you get back?”

“Just now,” Nico replied, and Will noticed the dark circles under Nico’s eyes when they pulled apart.

Will frowned, cupping Nico’s cheek and swiping his thumb under Nico’s eye. “You weren’t going to jump into this game, were you? Because you should definitely rest--”

“No, no,” Nico replied, lacing his fingers with Will’s and tugging lightly until Will continued to walk. “I just wanted to stay with you on the sidelines for a little while before I go take a nap.”

“Aww, you missed me, didn’t you?” Will teased, bumping Nico’s shoulder with his own.

Nico rolled his eyes, bumping him back. “Of course I did.”

They continued into the woods, Will’s smile bright enough to illuminate the shadows around them, before they stilled beside Chiron on the makeshift sideline of the capture the flag grounds.

Chiron cleared his throat to get their attention, then said, “Will, whenever you’re ready.”

“Yes, sir!” Will replied. He leaned toward Nico and pressed a kiss to the side of his head before whispering to him, “You’re going to want to cover your ears.”

Nico frowned, but released Will’s hand to cover his ears. Will seemed to be waiting for him to do so before he put his index finger and thumb between his lips, then let out a piercing whistle that hurt to hear even with his ears covered.

Nico lowered his hands slowly once the sound had stopped echoing around them. “Holy Hades, how did you do that?”

Will shrugged, reaching for Nico’s hand again. “It’s a gift.”

II.

Will refused to do any paperwork in the infirmary without his lucky pen. This usually wasn’t a problem seeing as all of his siblings - and Nico - knew that they should never touch this pen. However, not everyone knew that misplacing this specific pen would force Will to turn the entire infirmary upside down in search for it.

Nico was laying on the floor, looking under cabinets and desks and cots, though with the fading light of the setting sun, it was too dark for him to see through the shadows. He sat up off the floor and looked toward Will who had taken everything out of the nearest desk’s drawers to no avail.

“It’s too dark to see underneath anything,” Nico told him. “Is there a flashlight in here somewhere?”

Will hummed. “You could check the storage room.”

As Nico stood and left the room in search of a flashlight, Will rose from his spot at the desk, and took Nico’s place on the floor. He couldn’t see anything either due to the darkness, but with a flick of his wrist, Will pulled a beam of sunlight through the window, shining it directly under the cabinets, then the desks, then the cots, until he finally saw something underneath one of the beds. He reached underneath to the furthest corner of the cot, and his fingers grazed the smooth, familiar surface of his lucky pen. Will pulled it out with an, “Ah-ha!”

As he sat up, he saw Nico returning to the room with a flashlight in his hand, stopping in his tracks when he saw Will with the pen in his hand. “How did you find it?”

“Luck, of course,” Will told him. “It’s my lucky pen!”

III.

Nico sat down at the Apollo table for dinner, knowing that Will wasn’t far behind. Once he finally arrived, Will had to sit across from Nico because it was the only available seat. Unfortunately, it meant that they couldn’t hold hands under the table like usual, but Will hooked his foot around Nico’s ankle to make up for the lack of contact.

They tried to join in on the conversations going on at the table, though for the most part the two preferred a comfortable quiet while they enjoyed their meals. During a lull in conversation, Nico caught Will trying to stifle a laugh, and nudged his foot with his own. Will looked up at him with a smile that was still fighting off laughter, and Nico noticed that his eyes appeared to be glowing green.

Nico frowned. “What’s going on?”

Will shook his head, and when he finally stilled again, his eyes were back to their beautiful bright blue. “It’s nothing.”

“Will.”

He rolled his eyes fondly and tipped his head to the left as though he was pointing toward the walkway between tables. “That Hephaestus kid is about to trip.”

Nico glanced over in a hopefully-subtle way, and his eyes locked on a newer camper who had an untied shoe. Nico turned back to Will and cocked his head in confusion. “I mean, probably, since his shoe is untied.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Will replied, and so Nico turned his attention back to the new camper. He watched as the camper knelt down to tie his shoe, then stood up and proceeded to trip over nothing and fall flat on his face.

Nico looked back to Will to see him hiding his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking to show that he was still laughing. He kicked at Will under the table. “How did you know that would happen?”

Will dropped his hands and winked. “I had a feeling.”

IV.

Nico searched the entire camp before he finally found Will at the archery range - Nico had never seen Will there before, which was why it ended up being the last place he checked. As he approached, he saw that Will wasn’t actually practicing his archery, instead throwing knives at the target across the range.

Every time, he hit the bullseye.

Will noticed him approaching and stopped throwing once Nico came close, instead wrapping an arm around his boyfriend and pressing a kiss to his forehead. “Hey, babe, what are you doing around here?”

“Teach me how to do that,” Nico replied rather than answering.

“What? Throw knives?” Will asked, and Nico nodded. “Alright, come here. Take this.” He handed Nico one of the knives and moved him until he was standing in the place from which Will had just moved. Will shifted Nico’s feet into the correct stance with his own, and set one hand on his waist as the other wrapped around Nico’s throwing hand. “It’s almost like throwing a dart. Just pull back, throw, and flick your wrist to give it a good spin.”

Will helped with his first throw, resting his chin on Nico’s shoulder as he guided Nico’s hand to throw, and the knife bounced off the bottom edge of the target. Will handed him another knife then stepped away, saying, “Now try on your own.”

Nico raised his arm and threw the knife, though it fell short of the target by about a foot. From behind him, Will picked up another knife and threw it - his aim was completely off, even Nico could tell that much, yet it still hit the target dead-on.

“You’re cheating!” Nico exclaimed, spinning around to shove at Will’s chest.

Will laughed. “How am I cheating? I’m just throwing.”

“I don’t know, but you are! It curved! That’s not possible!”

Will set his hands on Nico’s waist and turned him back around. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It just takes practice.” He handed Nico another knife. “Here, try again.”

V.

The infirmary flooded with injured campers after an argument in the arena led to a full-on fight. As the fight was broken up, campers were escorted to the infirmary, where Nico was responsible for directing them to open beds while the Apollo campers did any possible healing.

While Nico was trying to find an open bed, the argument resurfaced between the two that had started the fight. Before Nico could get between them, he saw Will approach them and drop a hand onto their shoulders to push them apart while also holding them in place with his grip. “Stop shouting,” he said, voice booming and silencing the room around them, “and sit down.There’s no arguing in my infirmary.”

Without another word, both campers dropped into the nearest seats, appearing as though they’d never argued at all. Will started to walk away, though Nico caught him before he left the room. “What was that? How did you do that? It’s like you charmspoke them or something!”

Will gave him a tired smile. “No, I just have that effect on people.”

+I

Nico was helping Will patch up a pretty nasty wound in the infirmary when Nyssa came knocking on the open doorway.

“Hey, Will, Nico,” she greeted. “I just came to check on Jake. How are things going in here?”

“Oh, I’m great,” Jake replied, at the same time that Will said, “Things could be better.”

“But we’ve got it under control,” Nico said quickly. “Will knows what he’s doing.”

“Oh, I know he does,” Nyssa said, and patted Will gently on the shoulder. “We all really appreciate how hard you work here. I know you aren’t that great of a fighter, and your powers aren’t all that useful in a battle, but you really are an incredibly talented healer, and I think that’s amazing.”

She turned to leave, but Nico felt ready to jump out of his seat, prepared to throw down and defend his boyfriend when Will tapped the toe of Nico’s shoe with his own. “Don’t worry about it, she can think whatever she wants. You and I both know the truth that I could probably even take you out in a fight if I wanted to.”

Nico huffed, still glaring at the now-empty doorway. “Yeah, I guess so… Wait, what?”

thanks for reading!!

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[lunaemia]

About Thomas More’s “Utopia”

I finished my reread of Utopia by Thomas More. The reason I reread it was more or less to refresh my memory in anticipation of future FFXIV patches. I had originally not thought much about the Ancients’ city being called “Amaurot,” but ever since I read this post about Emet-Selch’s costume, I’ve wondered if there might be more influences from Utopia besides names.

This is honestly for my own benefit to go back to during future patches (where we’ll hopefully learn more about the Ancients’ society 🙏), but since I’m probably going to share it with other FFXIV friends regardless, I figured I’ll add some disclaimers:

FFXIV!Amaurot was called “Atlantis” in early development. So, some of the more... on-the-nose passages might just be a coincidence, albeit one the devs may happily use.

Related to the above point, it’s important to note that Thomas More himself coined the term “utopia” with this book. This is the granddaddy of fictional utopias. A lot of common tropes probably started here.

The headers (Book I, Book II - Of Their Magistrates, etc) come directly from the book, except for the Interludes. Interlude sections are of my own making, either linking related passages from different chapters or isolating certain sections of a chapter.

MISC.

Here’s a list of terms and names from Utopia.

Copying some of the most interesting ones:

Utopia – “noplace” in Greek (Eutopia would have been “happy place.”)

Mithra - name of Persian gnostic god and of Utopia's god (this one is discussed more later in this post)

Amaurot (name of a Utopian city) – “[made]* dark” (but I’ve read elsewhere that it means “foggy or phantom”)

Probably important to note that Utopia is satire.

Also, I find the visuals of FFXIV!Amaurot quite interesting when you compare it to Utopia. Art deco is not exactly the architectural style you might associate with proto-communism, heh.

BOOK I.

Raphael Hythloday is a philosopher and globe-trotter. He lived amongst the Utopians for five years.

Because of his worldly knowledge, More and Gillis (both of whom are real people, unlike Hythloday) suggest that he become a sort of counsellor to a king, an idea which he passionately refuses.

From Hades’ Tales from the Shadows story, we know that Hythlodaeus had initially been asked to become the new Emet-Selch. He refused, so the role went to Hades instead.

1. “I think my friends ought to rest contended with this, and not to expect that for their sakes I should enslave myself to any king whatsoever.”

2. “The change of the word,” said he, “does not alter the matter.”

3. “and if all other things failed, then they would fly to this, that such or such things pleased our ancestors, and it were well for us if we could but match them. They would set up their rest on such an answer, as a sufficient confutation of all that could be said; as if it were a great misfortune, that any should be found wiser than his ancestors; but though they willingly let go all the good things that were among those of former ages, yet if better things are proposed they cover themselves obstinately with this excuse of reverence to past times.”

4. “For you spoil and corrupt the play that is in hand when you mix with it things of an opposite nature, even though they are much better.”

5. “... for the same reasons you should not forsake the ship in a storm because you cannot command the winds.”

6. “in a complication of diseases, that by applying a remedy to one sore, you will provoke another; and that which removes the one ill symptom produces others, while the strengthening one part of the body weakens the rest”

BOOK II. OF THEIR TOWNS, PARTICULARLY OF AMAUROT

The island of Utopia is located somewhere in the New World, and because of its geography, it’s also fairly isolated.

Amaurot is its capital.

The island has 54 cities. They are all more or less the same. Hythloday makes a point in saying that when he describes Amaurot, he describes the other Utopian cities as well.

There is no private property in Amaurot. Also, apparently the most beautiful of gardens can be found there.

BOOK II. OF THEIR MAGISTRATES

1. “It is a fundamental rule of their government, that no conclusion can be made in anything that relates to the public, till it has been first debated three several days in their council”

2. “One rule observed in their council, is, never to debate a thing on the same day in which it is first proposed; for that is always referred to the next meeting, that so men may not rashly, and in the heat of discourse, engage themselves too soon, which might bias them so much, that instead of consulting the good of the public, they might rather study to support their first opinions, and by a perverse and preposterous sort of shame, hazard their country rather than endanger their own reputation, or venture the being suspected to have wanted foresight in the expedients that they at first proposed”

BOOK II. OF THEIR TRADES, AND MANNER OF LIFE

Every citizen has a particular trade that they focus on - such as the manufacture of wool, masonry, carpentry, etc. There is no particular trade that’s held in higher regard than the others.

Trade often passes from parent to child, but if anyone’s skills are better suited to a different trade, they are moved to a family that deals in that trade.

The people all wear the same types of basic clothes. The only distinction in dress is between the sexes, and the married and unmarried.

They appoint 6 hours to work each day (3 before dinner, 3 after).

Despite the lower number of working hours compared to other societies, they find themselves with a “great abundance of all things among them.” This is due to the fact that no citizen remains idle.

BOOK II. OF THEIR TRAFFIC

They think that the greatest happiness of life comes from improving their minds.

None of their cities may contain above 6000 families, besides those of the country around it. No family may have less than 10 and more than 16 people within them. This rule is observed by moving children around, should it be necessary.

They have large, functioning hospitals. It’s said that their hospitals are so large that they may pass for little towns. They take care of their sick much more than other societies.

INTERLUDE. ON BUTCHERS

“There are also, without their towns, places appointed near some running water, for killing their beasts, and for washing away their filth; which is done by their slaves: for they suffer none of their citizens to kill their cattle, because they think that pity and good-nature, which are among the best of those affections that are born with us, are much impaired by the butchering of animals”

“Therefore all this business of hunting is, among the Utopians, turned over to their butchers; and those, as has already been said, are all slaves; and they look on hunting as one of the basest parts of a butcher’s work: for they account it both more profitable and more decent to kill those beasts that are more necessary and useful to mankind; whereas the killing and tearing of so small and miserable an animal can only attract the huntsman with a false show of pleasure, from which he can reap but small advantage. They look on the desire of the bloodshed, even of beasts, as a mark of a mind that is already corrupted with cruelty, or that at least by the frequent returns of so brutal a pleasure must degenerate into it.”

BOOK II. OF THE TRAVELLING OF THE UTOPIANS

If they have an over-plus of resources, they export it. They often do send out great quantities to other nations. They order a seventh of these goods to be given out to the poor of foreign nations; the rest are sold at moderate rates.

1. “There are no taverns, no alehouses nor stews among them; nor any other occasions of corrupting each other, of getting into corners, or forming themselves into parties: all men live in full view, so that all are obliged, both to perform their ordinary task, and to employ themselves well in their spare hours”

2. “And on the contrary, they think it a sign of a gentle and good soul, for a man to dispense with his own advantage for the good of others;”

INTERLUDE. ON THE VALUE OF GOLD

Linking this post again due to its relevance.

1. “But one who can judge aright, will not wonder to find, that since their constitution differs so much from ours, their value of gold and silver should be measured by a very different standard; for since they have no use for money among themselves, but keep it as a provision against events which seldom happen, and between which there are generally long intervening intervals; they value it no farther than it deserves, that is, in proportion to its use. So that it is plain, they must prefer iron either to gold or silver: for men can no more live without iron, than without fire or water”

2. “The folly of men has enhanced the value of gold and silver, because of their scarcity. Whereas, on the contrary, it is their opinion that Nature, as an indulgent parent, has freely given us all the best things in great abundance, such as water and earth, but has laid up and hid from us the things that are vain and useless.”

3. “... while they make their chamber-pots and close-stools of gold and silver; and that not only in their public halls, but in their private houses: of the same metals they likewise make chains and fetters for their slaves; to some of which, as a badge of infamy, they hang an ear-ring of gold, and make others wear a chain or a coronet of the same metal; and thus they care care, by all possible means, to render gold and silver of no esteem.”

4. “They find pearls on their coast; and diamonds and carbuncles on their rocks; they do not look after them, but if they find them by chance, they polish them, and with them they adorn their children, who are delighted with them, and glory in them during their childhood; but when they grow to years, and see that none but children use such baubles, they of their own accord, without being bid by their parents, lay them aside; and would be as much ashamed to use them afterwards, as children among us, when they come to years, are of their puppets and other toys.”

5. “This three ambassadors made their entry with an hundred attendants, all clad in garments of different colours, and the greater part in silk; the ambassadors themselves, who were of the nobility of their country, were in cloth of gold, and adorned with massy chains, ear-rings and rings of gold: their caps were covered with bracelets set full of pearls and other gems: in a word, they were set out with all those things that, among the Utopians, were either the badges of slavery, the marks of infamy, or the playthings of children.”

6. “The Utopians wonder how any man should be so much taken with the glaring doubtful lustre of a jewel or a stone, that can look up to a star, or to the sun himself ...”

BOOK II. OF THEIR SLAVES, AND OF THEIR MARRIAGES

They have no lawyers. They think it’s best for everyone to plead their own case and understand their own laws. Fortunately, their laws are few in number and easy to understand.

1. “If any man aspires to any office, he is sure never to compass it”

This also reminded me of Hades’ Tales from the Shadows story. Granted, it’s a very short story, but I didn’t get the impression that Hades actively pursued his office (Hythlodaeus obviously didn’t). It’s possible that none of the Convocation did if this bit from Utopia was worked in.

2. “THEY do not make slaves of prisoners of war, except those that are taken in battle; nor of the sons of their slaves, nor of those of other nations: the slaves among them are only such as are condemned to that state of life for the commission of some crime, or, which is more common, such as their merchants find condemned to die in those parts to which they trade, whom they sometimes redeem at low rates; and in other places have them for nothing. They are kept at perpetual labour, and are always chained, but with this difference, that their own natives are treated much worse than others; they are considered as more profligate than the rest, and since they could not be restrained by the advantage of so excellent an education, are judged worthy of harder usage”

3. “Another sort of slaves are the poor of the neighbouring countries, who offer of their own accord to come and server them; they treat these better, and use them in all other respects as well as their own countrymen, except their imposing more labour upon them, which is no hard task to those that have been accustomed to it; and if any of these have a mind to go back to their own country, which indeed falls out but seldom, as they do not force them to stay, so they do not send them away empty-handed.”

4. “For the most part, slavery is the punishment even of the greatest crimes; for as that is no less terrible to the criminals themselves than death, so they think the preserving them in a state of servitude is more for the interest of the commonwealth than killing them; since as their labour is a greater benefit to the public than their death could be, so the sight of their misery is a more lasting terror to other men than that which would be given by their death”

5. “If their slaves rebel, and will not bear their yoke, and submit to the labour that is enjoined them, they are treated as wild beasts that cannot be kept in order, neither by a prison, nor by their chains; and are at last put to death”

6. “They think leagues are useless things, and believe that if the common ties of humanity do not knit men together, the faith of promises will have no great effect”

BOOK II. OF THEIR MILITARY DISCIPLINE

I suppose it’s worth pointing out that a true utopia likely wouldn’t be possible unless the whole world was one. The Utopians despise war, but they train their military all the same.

1. “for the certainty that their children will be well looked after when they are dead, frees them from all that anxiety concerning them which often masters men of great courage; and thus they are animated by a noble and invincible resolution” 

2. “... yet they do not rashly engage in war, unless it be either to defend themselves, or their friends, from any injust aggressors; or out of good-nature or in compassion assist an oppressed nation in shaking off the yoke of tyranny”

Emet, probably:

3. “THEY detest war as a very brutal thing; and which, to the reproach of human nature, is more practised by men than by any sort of beasts.”

4. “in opposition to the sentiments of almost all other nations, think that there is nothing more inglorious than that glory that is gained by war.”

5. “They would be both troubled and ashamed of a bloody victory over their enemies, and think it would be as foolish a purchase as to buy the most valuable goods at too high a rate. And in no victory do they glory so much as in that which is gained by dexterity and good conduct, without bloodshed”

6. “If this method does not succeed with them, then they sow seeds of contention among their enemies, and animate the prince’s brother, or some of the nobility, to aspire to the crown”

7. “for as they do not undervalue life so as prodigally to throw it away, they are not so indecently fond of it as to preserve it by base and unbecoming methods”

BOOK II. OF THE RELIGIONS OF THE UTOPIANS

There are 13 priests per town.

1. “And indeed, though they differ concerning other things, yet all agree in this, that they think there is one supreme Being that made and governs the world, whom they call in the language of their country Mithras.”

Mithras is an ancient Iranian god of light. Futhermore, according to Wikipedia: “Together with the Vedic common noun mitra, the Avestan common noun miθra derives from Proto-Indo-Iranian *mitrám, from the root *mi- "to bind", with the "tool suffix" -tra- "causing to". Thus, etymologically mitra/miθra means "that which causes binding", preserved in the Avestan word for "Covenant, Contract, Oath”.

It’ll be a missed opportunity if this name isn’t worked into the story, tbh.

2. “They have magnificent temples, that are not only nobly built, but extremely spacious; which is the more necessary, as they have so few of them; they are a little dark within, which proceeds not from any error in the architecture, but is done with design; for their priests think that too much light dissipates the thoughts, and that a more moderate degree of it both recollects the mind and raises devotion”

Lolz.

3. “They offer up no living creature in sacrifice, nor do they think it suitable to the divine Being, from whose bounty it is that these creatures have derived their lives, to take pleasure in their deaths, or the offering up their blood.”

Well, that’s certainly interesting within the context of FFXIV. A plainer way of saying this is, “we don’t sacrifice animals, because without them, we wouldn’t be able to live.” 

4. “THERE are several sort of religions, not only in different parts of the island, but even in every town; some worshipping the sun, others the moon, or one of the planets: some worship such men as have been eminent in former times for virtue, or glory, not only as ordinary deities, but as the supreme God: yet the greater and wiser sort of them worship none of these, but adore one eternal, invisible, infinite, and incomprehensible Deity; as a Being that is far above all our apprehensions, that is spread over the whole universe, not by His bulk, but by His power and virtue; Him they call the Father of All, and acknowledge that the beginnings, the increase, the progress, the vicissitudes, and the end of all things come only from Him; nor do they offer divine honours to any but to Him alone.”

5. “... for this is one of their most ancient laws, that no man ought to be punished for his religion.”

6. “He judged it not fit to determine anything rashly, and seemed to doubt whether those different forms of religion might not all come from God, who might inspire men in a different manner, and be pleased with this variety;”

[reblogthiscrapkay]

What Got Better In Hadestown on Broadway (And What Got Worse)

So I saw Hadestown in London last December and I just saw it in New York last weekend (I’m not crazy rich; my boyfriend lives in London and I live a fairly reasonable drive from New York). Here is my hopefully somewhat concise breakdown of what has changed.

For my overly long analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my concise list analysis of Hadestown in London, click here.

For my favorite essay on Hades’ politics, click here.

Good Changes:

1. Hermes’ role has been reinstated. In the original Hermes very much was the intermediary between the humans and the gods and was especially friendly with Orpheus and Persephone. In London he was weirdly distrant from everyone, standing in the corner the whole time and being very detatched. Now he’s more like Orpheus’ mentor and is very clearly a friend of Persephone in addition to his role as narrator (oh, and he’s no longer an unreliable narrator too).

2. More mythology stuff. In the beginning Hermes gives a bit more mythology stuff to the beginning. I don’t like how he straight up explains the myth of Hades and Persephone (Epic I existed for this reason, guys) but I like the background about Orpheus’ mom. Persephone’s mom gets more shout outs too.

3. Overall the first act is tighter. They didn’t change much from London but everything feels smoother somehow. One of my favorite examples of this is “All I’ve Ever Known.” I hated the choreography in London but they really fixed it. Now it’s much simplier and follows a very logical progression. When Eurydice first sings, “Now I wanna hold you” she does so while gripping his arms as if she’s fighting the desire because she’s still unsure. By the music breakdown they do the simulated sex thing (although it felt less weird than in London), showing her accepting her feelings, and the last verse involves her sitting up from the floor as if she can’t sleep because she’s genuinely afraid he may leave her. It’s beautiful.

4. The costumes are more cohesive. I said that I liked the human costumes in London as clothes but they drove me nuts because they were so anachronistic with the gods costumes. Now they’re all looking more “vaguely early 20th century.” I love how Eurydice’s costume looks like she literally bought a nightgown and a vest from a thrift shop. Also, minor details but I think they added wings to Hermes’ suit (didn’t notice before if they did) and Hades’ nylon sleeve wall tattoo doesn’t look as bad as I thought it would. Although Hades’ hair is slightly different and it’s not better.

5. More humor. They’ve added in some humor and it mostly all works. There’s a moment when Hermes says to Orpheus, “Don’t come on too strong” and he responds with, “Come home with me!” Persephone before singng “Our Lady of the Underground” drunkenly stumbs out and shouts “Step into MY office.” Also after two lines of “Epic III” Hades interrupts with, “Oh, it’s about me” which made everyone laugh.

6. The Fates. I think I forget about them a lot but I was startled by how much they KILLED it in this show.

7. They brought back most of the original New York musicians. I just thought this was cute. When Persephone is naming them in “Our Lady of the Underground” I was shook.

8. Amber Gray grabs her boob. To explain, in London “Our Lady of The Underground” was performed with the workers and they raid her bag. Now it’s just her onstage, singing moreso to us. They clearly have it set up so that the chorus parts should be sung by the audience, and there was just enough audience who knew the lines to make it happen (this will probably improve over time). Instead of having her bag and wine bottles, she just has a flask on a string which she puts in her bra at the beginning of the song. At the line “I’ve got the wind right here in a jar” she grabs her boob where the flask is. Overall, I don’t know if this staging is an improvement, but this moment amused me.

Bad Things:

A lot of the bad things can be broken down by the phrase, “Why does she love him.” Also unfortunately, the bad things had really profund consequences.

1. Orpheus is an idiot now. He is a deer in headlights the whole dang show. I’ve thought it over and even with the lines that seemingly make him look stupid, if they were simply acted more sincerely and less awkwardly there wouldn’t be a problem. Because he is so dumb now, it makes no sense why Eurydice falls for him aside from the fact that he’s vaguely magic. The guy sitting to my right HATED him and blamed Reeve. I don’t know who’s responsible for this change but it really undermines the quality of the show and all the decent things I said about Reeve in London.

2. Hades is meaner. In London Hades and Persephone’s relationship was easily one of the strongest parts of the show. Now what used to be a lot of genuine sadness on Hades’ part seems to have turned into anger. “The girl means nothing to me” used to be a line that kind of hurt but it was said a bit too maliciously here. They’ve also added in other bits where they snip at each other and it makes me uncomfortable. Persephone is now present when Orpheus shows up in Hadestown and tries to speak for him and Hades tells her to be quiet. He also, very condescendingly, tells her, “Oh, go have another drink” before “How Long.” If this line had been said sadly, this would have read so differently. Persephone snips back at him in “Epic III” when she demands that he let Orpheus finish. They also cut the bit where Persephone is present when you find out the Eurydice didn’t sleep with Hades and her crying when Hades takes Eurydice to his office is WAY more subtle. They also cut her verse in “Chant II” which really affects their relationship. I didn’t even cry at any of their parts and I usually cry at all of them. I am worried.

3. Lots of the songs in Act II has been shortened. I thought something like this might happen but I’m still sad about it. First they came for “Promises.” Now they also cut down “Chant II” (Persephone doesn’t even have a part in it anymore, why), “His Kiss, The Riot” “If It’s True” “Epic III” and “Way Down Hadestown II” and “Doubt Comes In” felt shorter too but I could be wrong. “Lover’s Desire” didn’t even sound like the same song which majorly messed me up because that song usually makes me bawl like a baby. Also, all the “Epic” s are now the same song over and over. I hate this because the “Epic”s before showed this nice progression of Orpheus writing about the gods in general to realizing that he needs to tell the story of their love. Now he realizes this in “Chant I” but at least they made it seem like he realized this on his own and didn’t tell Eurydice so her leaving has gone back to being a reasonable solution. In London she seemed like she didn’t care he was trying to fix the world, but now she doesn’t know about it.

4. They still haven’t really integrated the worker subplot. And they probably won’t. I think you’d have to pry this out of someone’s cold dead hands at this point, which sucks because it still feels like a hastily slapped on “We have been left behind by the system” concept. Perhaps even worse, Persephone is now frequently positioned on the side of the workers instead of being an intermediary between them and Hades, which further weakens her relationship with Hades. Hades isn’t supposed to be the bad guy! Doubt is!

So anyway, Anais Mitchell walked past me during intermission and my friend Alex was like, “Are you going to talk to her” and I, a person who can’t ever talk to people if I think I may be bothering them, said, “Hell no, What would I even say.” “Just ‘thank you for the show.’” “I would definitely fuck up and say ‘Thank you for the show but please stop messing with it.’”

The joke later became me sidling up to her and saying, “One socialist to another, how much corporate nonsense is making you change things that didn’t need fixing.” I don’t think that would go over well though.

Anyway, they gave me a flower before I left and the shows not locked in until April 16th so I can dream for the next few days that they might fix it.

[mareshmallow]

Second Time’s a Charm? pt III

(pt i) (pt ii) (pt iv)

Without warning I follow him and Cal scrambles to follow. He blessedly keeps quiet as we make our way to the caf. Or more specifically the door leading to the stage, except we only needed to get under it. We were responsible for providing an exit from the caf if we needed to avoid anyone in the room and get out quickly.

There was a reason I was responsible for this. I easily twist through the passage unlike Cal who curses after bumping his head for the third time. This time I don't snicker. The first time he'd turned bright red and as satisfying as it had been it was wasting time.

The passage comes to a stop and this is the difficult part; opening the hatch. It was well out of my reach and a ladder was usually used but it wasn't here now like I thought it would be. "Fuck," I breathed. I hear a louder 'shit" behind me as Cal takes this in as well. "Who the hell took out the ladder?"

"You've been here before?" I ask, too surprised to keep the silent treatment up.

"Yes," is the only reply he gives without any further explanation.

I grimace at the thought of my next words, of what would have to be done. "I need you to boost me up."

He whips his head at me. "Relax," I snap. "I already got my cootie shot if that's what you were worried about."

His nostrils flare. "That's not what I'm worried about."

Oh? "So what is it then?"

He stares at me like I'm an idiot. I gesture for him to get out with it. He sighs and mutters something under his breath. I tilt my ear at him in an exaggerated movement. "I'm sorry, I didn't hear that Tiberias. Could you speak a little louder?"

"You could get hurt."

I make a sound between a laugh and scoff. "I'm sure that would haunt you for all your days, now hurry."

"Fine," he grinds out. "But it's your funeral."

You're already dressed for it, I think.

"Oh please, a little fall won't hurt me, I've had worse."

He kneels and I place my foot in the cradle of his arms. "On the count of three," I tell him. "One, two-- wait!"

"What?" he asks. "Oh seriously, right now?" he huffs out as I take out my phone. I shoot him a glare. "It's dark and unless you have fucking night vision then how else do you expect me to see?"

"You got a new phone," he murmurs before snapping back to the task at hand. I shift uncomfortably. I didn't expect him to remember but he did.

I shine the light in his eyes and he recoils. "Good it works, now get down."

His eyebrows lift suggestively and I smack him. "Not that like that you dirty minded creep."

I struggle to find my balance in his arms this time while holding the light. The sensation of my skin on his isn't helping either. "One," I begin, "two, three!" He lifts me up and and I shine the light upwards. There it was, the handle to the hatch. I push against it as hard as I can but it won't budge. Again, again. This time I hear a creak and with a final shove it opens. I let out a little cheer as Cal lowers me back down. He smiles as well. "Nice job, I guess."

"Mhmm. You did okay too. Now let's go."

He chuckles at my reluctant praise.

That was only one of our tasks. Next were the fog machines. There should be four in the caf, each in a different corner which was a little more difficult. But there was two of us so it should be quite easy.

We get in the line to enter and a girl at the door hand us our blue bracelets that grace the wrist of everyone inside. "So what are you two supposed to be?" she asks.

"I'm Zeus and he's--"

"Hades," he cuts in looking at me with puzzlement. Hm. He was the god of fire? I thought he got back from a funeral with all that god-awful black. It also happened to be very distracting.

"Huh," the girl says. "That's an odd couple's costume."

"Oh no she's not--"

"Really, I would never--"

"Never, really? That's--"

"Okay well enjoy the dance," she says a little too loudly as if despairing of us. "Next!" I hear her shout as we enter. Luckily the darkness conceals my flush. "You take the far end and meet me by the snacks table." He nods slowly, still reeling I assume. "Nice position."

"Really? I chose it because after all this I'm feeling a little hungry."

He laughs loudly. "I'd forgotten about that appetite of yours. See you later, Barrow"

As I make my way to the first machine I realize I've been grinning ever since I walked away. I try and fail to to wipe it away.

Slinking amongst the shadows is a specialty of mine so it's fairly easy to get to the machine. A soft blanket of mist covers the floor and I cackle to myself. It was about to get much more interesting in here. I instructed Cal to set them to medium. High would be way too much and there was four of them. Plus I needed it to take a while so Maven and Thomas could arrive. Hopefully Shade, Farley and Kilorn were all doing well.

I move onto the next machine as I scan for Cal. I see him finishing up on his second one and heading towards the snack table. Somehow he senses my stare and turns. I pull my gaze away and ahead of me to see a chest slam into mine. "Shit!" the person exclaims. "I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was--" I look up to see Will gazing at me with shock. Punch drips off the both of us and it smells of alcohol. "Uh...hey, Mare," he says after what feels like forever of us staring at each other.

"Hey," I croak. I rush to clear my throat. "Hey, uh, how's it..going?" He laughs awkwardly. "Well we're both covered in what I'm sure is ninety- nine percent alcohol, which again, I'm really sorry for."

"It's my fault too, I was--"

"Looking for someone?"

"Yeah..."

Ugh this is so awkward. Please earth swallow me now.

"Hey, babe," Cal says behind me. He puts an arm around me and smiles casually. "Who's your friend?"

"Just leaving actually," Will says. He smiles at me. "It was nice seeing you again, and I'm sorry..for everything." The words have an effect on us both.

When he leaves, I pull myself out from Cal's grip. He wipes his hands on his pants and I wrinkle my nose. "Was that necessary?"

"No," he replies. Cal begins to shrug off his jacket and hands it to me. Before I can protest he stops me. "It looks like you murdered someone."

"Thanks," I mutter. The punch was drying now and was all sticky. Cal sees this of course.

"I guess you just got yourself into--"

"Don't fucking finish that--"

"a sticky situation," he finishes with a goofy smile. I sigh loudly. "More than you know," I mutter.

My phone buzzes and I take it out, doing my best to not get punch all over it. "Shit!" I exclaim when I read the text.

"What is it?" Cal asks. He sneaks a glance at my phone.

"Kilorn was caught. Apparently a group of kids heard him coughing and reported him after they found him tampering with the lights." I was concerned for Kilorn and pissed at myself for not only not thinking about that but jeopardizing this plan.

"Who texted you then?"

"Shade. They finished up and were coming to check on him when they saw the principal walking him out." I groan in frustration.

I text him back quickly.

"What are you typing?"

"I'm telling them to get Kilorn out and take him home. He's sick and I should've insisted on him staying home.

"Soo, what now? "

I look up as if the ceiling held the right answer. Putting an end to this and going home would be the easiest thing to do. But it was something of a tradition for Shade, Kilorn and I. Shade especially would be disappointed if we gave up. Sure there would be other dances but I knew that Halloween was special to him as well as Farley being here.

"I think we should call it off," I say slowly, not believing my own words. Neither does Cal. "You don't give up, not like this." I whirl around ready to snap at him but his soft gaze stops me. This wasn't right. He shouldn't be looking at me like that. Not when I was the one who had messed up.

"There's something you should know," I say quietly. I needed to get this done and over with. The plan was off anyway with everyone else gone.

His eyebrows raise at the change in subject. Still he waits for me to continue.

"Do remember the guy I bumped into?"

"Kinda hard to forget when you smell like fruit salad and an LCBO store."

"That was Will...my...ex."

Confusion is what I see flash first. Then understanding.

"The guy who stood you up," he states. It wasn't a question.

"Yes."

This was the difficult part. My fingers twitched as I restrained myself from running.

"A few months ago," I continue, "I was out at a party. Typical night except that...it wasn't."

I suck in a breath. There was no stopping now. Still, the words refused to pass my lips.

Cal inches closer. His thumb grazes my hand and his lips part. "God, you're freezing Mare." His arms encircle me and I pull away. I don't miss the hurt in eyes before they go blank. It was better this way. At least now it wouldn't hurt so much.

"I slept with him Cal. I wasn't thinking straight...neither was he. It was a mistake. I'm--" my throat closes up and I struggle to keep tears from falling. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "You deserve so much more. That's why I couldn't and still can't talk to you. It hurts to even look at you," I add softly.

I want to look away from the storm of emotions flashing across his face but I force myself to watch. This is what I deserved for my foolish actions.

He's silent for a while. So am I. The words were still sinking in. There was no way he could forgive me. But still, I feel the hope rising in my chest before I'm forced to shove it down.

"I..I need to go," he forces out. I swear I see the glimmer of tears in his eyes. Cal turns away sharply before twisting through the crowd. I feel the piercing gaze of fellow students as they stopped to stare. I got a few sympathetic smiles and I let out an defeated sigh at the sight of them. I really knew how to pick my spots.

"Was that Tiberias Calore?" a soft voice at my right asks. I turn to face them and find Elane Haven watching his retreating form now swallowed up by the crowd. "Unfortunately so," I reply. I look her in the eyes. "What do you want? To gloat over my failed love life?"

Elane snorts. "If only I had enough energy to care." Her brown eyes soften slightly as she says, "But I do know how screwed up a relationship can be. It's worth it in the end though, the tears and the pain. You just have to be willing to fight for them, even if that means risking your pride."

I'm taken off guard. Never would I have expected Elane Haven to be giving me advice on love. Maybe on my outfit with a sneer but not this.

She places a hesitant hand on my, arm the touch so light that it's almost unrecognizable. "You should go after him."

I bite my lip and laugh, shaking my head mockingly. "I'm sorry, but why the hell are you doing this? What happened to 'thrift store fashion died two years ago Barrow, take a hint?' What kind of twisted game are you playing now, Haven?"

She sniffs. "And yet you still dress like a-" I clear my throat. "Okay look, the same thing happened with me and Evangeline. But it was your brother who told me the same thing I'm telling you now. If he hadn't..." she trails off. "I love Eve so much that hurts to think what would be now if I hadn't fought for her and with her," she laughs a little. Her gaze is solemn. "You care about him, so go before you lose him forever."

I let out a shaky breath. Shade comforted Elane and encouraged her to go after Evangeline? That was something new. Perhaps a piece in the puzzle if what had really happened. But her words rang true. It sounded like something Shade would say if he were here right now. Well...if he and Cal were on better terms.

"Thanks Elane." The words unsettle us both.

"Don't mention it," she smiles though it's strained. "Seriously, don't ever mention this again. To anyone."

I laugh lightly, sniffing a little. My cheeks feel wet from tears I hadn't even known had been there. "If only you extend the same courtesy."

"I will, believe me. Now hurry, if he's not gone by now."

Then I'm off. Running through the halls. They whip past me, locker after locker. Rain pours in sheets outside and distantly thunder rumbles. A storm.

I can't see him anywhere. It's so impossibly dark and clouds roll overhead, blocking out the faint glow of the moon. This is it, he's gone. I'm breathing heavily now, breaking down into sobs. My dress is soaked through probably making it sheer. I wrap myself tighter in his jacket and inhale the scent. He'd forgotten it, I think weakly. How could I be so stupid? I kick at the soda cans littering the parking lot in frustration. In my haze of self pity I barely even notice the car that comes to a screeching halt in front of me. The bright lights momentarily blind me from seeing the driver. They get out of the car and the door slams shut.

"Oh my god are you-" the words freeze on their tongue and I wait for the flashes of white to disappear.

"I'm really sorry," I croak out. "I don't even know why I came out here in the first place." I laugh sarcastically. "Actually I do know, see, I was running out here all rom-com like in the rain hoping to stop the guy I love from leaving. But he's gone so-"

"The guy you love?" the stranger says so softly I barely hear him.

"Mhm, it's all very terribly romantic I'm afraid. Anyways, I'm sorry-"

[slow-smiles]

Dark Swan Rising by slow-smiles

III: Small Things

Under Hades’ guidance, Emma’s actions as the Dark Swan escalate, and Regina and Robin are shaken by their predicament with Zelena. Henry finds himself dragged into a drama far more complex than a black and white game of heroes and villains while Belle and Killian search for a breakthrough in light of new revelations. The Knights of the Round Table are keeping secrets as the tension in Storybrooke draws toward an inevitable explosion.

A (somewhat) rewrite of 5A in four parts.

Part I / II / III

Also on AO3.

“It’s like a sleeping curse, in a way. They’ll be locked into the vision you’re giving them, no way to escape or wake up. Well, True Love’s kiss, of course, but since they’ll both be under at the same time, there’s no risk of that happening.

“You’re lucky your parents share a heart,” Hades continues, “considering how tricky some of the ingredients will be to obtain. You’ll only need to make one spell to affect them both,” Hades says.

“What kind of ingredients?”

“For one thing, you’ll need the crushed dust of an untainted heart. I think you know where we can get one.”

Emma breathes out, a fierce smile cutting across her face. “Rumplestiltskin.”

“He’s unconscious in his shop,” Emma says. “No one will protect him. I don’t think even Belle has any sympathy left in her. He’s done too much for that.”

She turns to go, but halts when Hades suddenly appears directly in her path. “Not so fast, Savior. You can’t just kill him,” he says.

She feels her rage bubble up inside of her as she approaches him and hisses, “I will just kill him. Do you have any idea what he’s done to the people I love? He deserves every bit of the pathetic death that’s coming for him.”

Hades is unruffled. “I’m not discouraging you from ending his long and bloody life. I’d personally love to see the man blundering his way through the Underworld, given how many of its residents he personally put there. No, there’s simply a small hitch that comes along with the untainted heart.”

“And that is?”

“The exact words in the spell are ‘an untainted heart willingly given.’ Rumplestiltsken needs to give you his heart of his own free will, or else your spell goes nowhere. And unless there’s a baby somewhere in Storybrooke whose untainted heart you’d be willing to sacrifice, the old Dark One is your only choice.”

Emma’s rage is replaced by the feeling of deep illness and she steps back as though she’s been slapped. “A baby?” she chokes.

Hades answers blithely, “Children are born already willing to give their hearts. How their heart grows depends on who they happen to give it to.” He shrugs, nonchalant. “Quite a tragedy in some cases, but such is life. So unless you’d like to make a sweep through Storybrooke’s maternity ward, I’d start thinking of ways to get Rumplestiltsken to give you his heart.”

“Belle,” she says immediately. “He’ll give it up for Belle.”

Hades raises a brow. “And how do you plan on orchestrating this grand exchange?”

Emma feels her light magic stirring, the weaker version of you, Emma Swan, and feels like she should be regretting what she’s about to say. She should be feeling a sympathetic response, that frisson of moral disquiet running through her heart.

You are no longer nothing, Emma Swan, we made sure of that. The whisper of the darkness once felt so out of place, an intrusion in her mind. Now it’s--

It’s a part of herself she didn’t know was missing.

“I’ll find Belle. Take her quietly so no one comes looking for her. We find a way to wake Gold. He’ll exchange his life for hers.” It’s easy. It’s so easy, and Emma wants to laugh because she’d never even opened her eyes before this. There’s always been a clear path to what she wants, she just never had the strength to take it.

Hades looks pleased. “Concise, neat, with that lovely Dark One twist. I think you’re getting a hang of this, Emma.”

She can’t help but smile.

Belle veritably bursts into the library, startling Hook and Henry out of their attempts to continue researching.

Henry’s mom and his grandparents are orchestrating repair efforts to fix the damage done to the city by Zelena and her minions, while Robin is coordinating the Merry Men and the Camelot knights in search and rescue efforts.

The hunt for Emma is temporarily postponed while they recover.

Henry’s more than a bit sour on that. He knows Hook feels similarly, but it seems the pirate has focused his frustrated energies into researching as quickly and effectively as possible. Henry wishes that he could do the same, but all he feels is worry and angry impatience deep in his gut. Hopefully whatever Belle has will make him feel like they are being productive.

“I have something,” is all she says at first, stalking over to their table, dubbed ‘Command Central,’ with singular purpose.

“What is it?” Henry and Hook ask in unison, abandoning their current pursuits in favor of listening to Belle.

Command Central is organized chaos with sections of books and papers separated by realm of origin, and subsections dedicated to fiction, non-fiction, and unknown. Anyone who doesn’t know Hook’s and Belle’s system would just see a mess, Henry supposes.

Belle starts sorting through the pile dedicated to fiction from Camelot. “Do we…” she mutters something to herself. She looks at Killian. “The Epic Histories of Merlin. I know I saw it somewhere--”

Hook immediately reaches for the Misthaven pile and slides one of the older books from underneath. “The author was from Misthaven,” he reminds gently.

“Right,” Belle nods, and takes the book from him. She mutters something else as she begins to flip.

“Perhaps speaking so that we can hear you would help, love,” Killian quips.

“Oh,” she looks up. “Yeah, sorry. It’s just that this,” she lays her finger down on a page, “is the only story that we’ve found that mentions the Dark One in relation to Excalibur.”

Henry leans over to look at the page Belle is referencing. The War of Humans and Hades. “Hades?” Henry asks.

“Excalibur?” Hook asks.

Belle says, “I’m not sure about Hades, but Excalibur is the important part. Ruby inferred that there’s a connection between the Dark One and Excalibur.”

Henry’s brow furrows. “‘Inferred?’”

Belle sighs. “It seems like the Knights of the Round Table, or the Council of Merlin, aren’t very generous with what information they share.”

Hook scoffs. “Bad form to ask for trust but offer none in return.”

“I don’t disagree with you,” Belle says, “but if Ruby is with them, then I don’t think we should distrust them either.” Hook bristles a little. “Look, they helped us when Zelena attacked. You wouldn’t risk life and limb for a group of people you don’t know unless you had good in you.”

Henry interrupts before Hook can voice more dissent, “We can talk about whether to trust them or not later. What does it say in the story?”

Belle flips a couple of pages, “There’s a bit on the Underworld and Hades… the build up to this war… um… here it is:

“‘To save the realms and the cause of the human race, the great wizard Merlin wove the darkness wielded by the god of the Underworld into a curse. He planned to destroy it and restore the balance with the sword of power, Excalibur. Unfortunately, the Godkiller agent of Hades shattered the sword in two, changing its magic and destroying the great wizard’s plans.

“‘With the sword broken and it’s power fractured, a brave soul was forced to step forward and take the curse, acting as a vessel for the Darkness which the two pieces of Excalibur would contain.’”

“I think I heard about this,” Hook says suddenly. “Well, not this exactly, but in my quest to destroy the Dark One, I’d heard whispers of another dagger, one that could kill the Dark One and not pass on the curse. I’d always assumed it was just a story.”

Belle nods. “Listen: ‘If the sword, broken, it’s forger long dead, could be rejoined, it could end the Dark One for all of time.’”

Hook growls, “Sounds an awful lot like killing to me.”

Belle gives him a look. “It could mean that, but you know how magic has back doors.”

Henry says, “Okay, whatever it does, wouldn’t it be helpful to figure out where Excalibur was?”

“Oh!” Belle exclaims. “That’s the other thing. Emrys has it.”

“Emrys,” Henry says. “The wizard with Ruby?”

Nodding, she pushes the book over to Henry. “I’m thinking… the other ‘dagger’ that you heard about, Hook, is Excalibur.”

Killian drags a hand over his chin in contemplation. “If the sword Emrys carries is broken, we would never know. He didn’t take it out once during the fighting.”

“If they have a way to stop Emma and end the Dark One curse,” Belle wonders, “then why wouldn’t they just tell us?”

Hook scoffs again. “They likely know we’d object to killing her, I’d imagine.”

Belle looks at him sharply. “Ruby said they’re going to do everything they can to keep it from coming to that.”

“A fancy way of saying, ‘We’re leaving enough room for failure.’”

She gives him another look. He appears only slightly chastened. Henry feels a bit out of place as Belle softens and says, “Look, I understand what you’re feeling better than anyone, but your fatalism isn’t going to help Emma. But you know what will?” She turns, grabs the biggest book that she can find, and plops it down in front of him. “More research.”

They settle into their system, and Henry truly feels like a third wheel now, but at least they have a bit more direction after Ruby’s veiled revelations: find more information on how the Dark One and Excalibur are related. The War of Humans and Hades is unhelpfully vague, as it doesn’t include any new information about the Dark One, Hades’ place in all this, or how to reunite Excalibur. Belle takes the book to scour it for more clues in other stories while Killian starts filing through some of the other books they’ve gathered.

Henry, as usual, is relegated to fetching duty. He feels like he has a good enough grasp on the Dewey Decimal System at this point to be a librarian in the Library of Congress. At least at that job he wouldn’t feel as though Belle and Hook were awkwardly trying to include them in their operation.

Right, and his mom was still missing. With no one looking for her. He thought he’d at least have an ally in Killian for that particular crisis, but it looks like he’s decided to clench his jaw and wait.

“Hey Henry?” Belle’s soft voice breaks him out of his reverie, and when he looks up he has to bite down the urge to scream because she’s holding up a little piece of paper with a call number written on it. “Would you mind getting this book for us?”

He has to swallow down the snarky retort and an eyeroll. “Sure,” he replies flatly, and walks into the shelves.

The book is in a back corner, Hook’s and Belle’s voices dampened by the thick tomes of paper surrounding him. He pulls it off the shelf--the library sticker on the spine is new in contrast to the worn leather cover, and the title is in some language Henry doesn’t know. He tucks it under his arm and takes a step towards the front of the library when there’s a shimmer of magic, a red dome sealing over him, and then:

“Hello.”

Henry nearly jumps straight out of his skin and the book falls to the floor with a slap, and Henry whirls around to see Emrys standing behind him. He breathes in relief, but only just. Hook hadn’t been wrong about Storybrooke’s newcomers--sometimes people aren’t as trustworthy as they seem. His eyes go immediately to the sword at Emrys’ side, the red gem at the base glowing faintly. Excalibur.

“Sorry if I startled you,” Emrys says. Henry’s gaze then darts towards where Hook and Belle appear frozen in place, bent over the table. “No need to worry,” Emrys assures, “I’ve frozen us in a moment of time. We can converse without being heard or missed.”

He looks around them pointedly. “The privacy bubble doesn’t really inspire confidence in your trustworthiness, buddy.”

His shoulders rise and fall in a sigh. “I need you to hear me out, and I’m afraid your companions over there might not be so accommodating. You are important, Henry, more than you can possibly know.”

“Last time I believed someone when they said that, it almost got my whole family killed,” Henry says, remembering Neverland and the heady rush he got when Pan told him that he was the Savior. That he would be the one to save everyone.

“That was before you were the Author,” Emrys replies.

“Wait, how do you know about that?” Henry asks, backing up until he is at the very edge of the bubble.

“Well, my Apprentice was in charge of overseeing all of you. I always know exactly who has the pen.”

It takes an instant for the answer to fall into place for Henry. “You’re Merlin.”

He smiles. “Got it in one. Knew it was a good choice to make you the Author. Creating that quill was no easy task, so it’s good to see it in promising hands.”

Henry’s brow furrows. “Wait, creating... The way my mom explains it makes it sound like magic is energy transference. You know, Newton’s Third Law, can’t be created or destroyed and all that.”

“I’m unaware of this sorcerer you speak of, but he is correct. Magic cannot be created nor destroyed. Unless, of course,” Merlin says, halting Henry’s protest, “you’re you.” Merlin seems to find that amusing and smiles broadly, but Henry doesn’t share his mirth.

“What?”

“I did not create the magic in the pen, merely harnessed the power of creation.”

“I still don’t-- I can create magic?”

Merlin gives a small shrug. “If done carefully.”

“That’s-- but--”

“It’s a lot to take in,” Merlin concedes. “I’m the first human who was given magic and have been alive longer than you can comprehend, and even I still can’t always fully explain its ways.”

Henry’s mind is reeling, a dozen questions coming to mind, but feeling a bit dumb when the first thing that tumbles out of his mouth is, “Is that how you look so young?”

He smiles, if a bit sadly, and gestures to his face. “I have Zeus to thank for this.”

Henry almost laughs. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Next thing you’re going to tell me is that Prometheus and Athena and Jupiter are all real.”

“They were,” Merlin answers, “until all the gods of old were slain because of the savage ambition of one brother who felt he’d been looked down upon.”

He doesn’t need much more than a bare knowledge of Greek mythology and popular culture to know that one. “Hades?”

If Merlin is surprised by Henry’s knowledge, it doesn’t show. “Hades razed the entire realm and joined it with the Underworld.”

“So how did you get your powers if Hades destroyed all the gods?”

Merlin seemed to settle in, and Henry got the sense that he needed to pay close attention to what he was about to say. “Zeus escaped, and managed to find his way to one of the realms of the humans; you know it as the Enchanted Forest.

“Prometheus had risked his godhood many years before to give us fire. Artemis had been secretly blessing hunts for centuries. Many gods over the years had used their power to help us, even though it was forbidden.

“These gods sang many praises of the human capabilities of strength, resilience, and their surprising capacity for goodness. Zeus had once dismissed these praises, but once Olympus was gone…”

“He had to listen,” Henry deduces. Merlin nods. “So… he gives you magic. You… give it to other people? And why did you create the Author?”

Merlin grimaces ever so slightly. “I was not the only one to whom magic was given. And the way magic spread...”

“Let me guess,” Henry asks drily, “It’s a long story?”

Merlin has the decency to look a little sheepish. “I’m afraid there’s much you don’t know, and that I do not have the time to share with you.”

“Well, considering you told me we’re in a suspended time bubble, I’d say this is probably the most time we’re going to get in Storybrooke with Zelena and my mom still out there,” Henry says.

“I cannot hold this spell forever,” Merlin says. “It is similar to the magic that went into creating Pandora’s box,” he explains, “and that was truly an undertaking without compare.”

“Was that you too?” Henry asks.

The dark look crosses Merlin’s face again. “Pandora’s Box was not a creation of mine, no.” He waves a hand. “But we’re getting off track. Henry, as the Author, you hold the key to ending the Dark One curse forever.”

Merlin’s declaration is met with Henry’s sharp intake of breath. “But I--I broke the Author’s quill, I can’t--”

With a simple gesture, Merlin reproduces the quill in his fingers and holds it out to Henry. “Magic, as your sorcerer Newton said, isn’t created nor destroyed, but transferred. Generally back to the person who cast it. Now,” he wiggles the quill in his fingers, “care to take this back? It is rightfully yours, after all.”

Henry takes the quill back, and it feels like coming home, in a way. Like he never should have let it go in the first place. “So what do I need to do to save my mom?”

Merlin looks around at the bubble. “I seem to have wasted quite a good deal of time telling you about my history, so I will have to be brief--”

Henry feels a flash of annoyance. “No, you need to explain everything to me now. My mother is tied to the Dark One curse. She took it on to save all of us! And now we need to save her.”

Merlin gives him a tight smile, and Henry sees him wave a hand across the arc of the bubble. It shimmers once again. Merlin shudders, ever so slightly, but the momentary lapse is gone in a moment. “There is a way to save your mother and destroy the Dark One forever. You know that the curse is tied to the Dark One dagger, yes?” Henry nods. “That is the lost piece of Excalibur,” Merlin says, the intensity of his gaze pinning Henry like a moth to a board. The wizard reaches for his belt, and Henry hears the sharp <i>sling</i> of metal on scabbard.

The intricately crafted sword reeks of ancient power, the designs on the blade reaching from the base to the end, where the sword abruptly ends. Where it is shattered, Henry can see the beginnings of the wave-blade and black-burned etchings characteristic of the Dark One’s dagger.

“This is no ordinary sword. It was forged by Prometheus himself to be powerful enough to hold the darkness. I can’t simply take the dagger and put them together back, not even with my magic.” He resheathes the sword and places a hand on Henry’s shoulder. “The only person who can reforge them is the Author, using the pen to write them together.”

Henry’s brow furrows. “Wait, but that’s--” He looks down at the pen in his hand and back at Merlin. “You’re asking me to change things.”

“Not things, Henry. Just one.”

He steps away from Merlin, shaking the wizard’s hand from his shoulder. “That’s exactly what I’m not supposed to do! The Apprentice told me altering reality will have consequences.”

“It can, if done improperly. Look at the last Author. We’re not trying to create a different reality, but very slightly alter this one. And by doing so, you will save your mother.”

“There has to be another way,” Henry insists.

“Perhaps there is,” Merlin says, “but we don’t have the time to find it. Right now, this is the best solution.”

Henry bristles. “You keep using ‘not having time’ as an excuse, and I don’t get it. I don’t trust you, and I won’t trust you until you find the time to actually explain to me what’s really going on.”

“There’s no time, Henry,” Merlin says slowly, “because the longer I’m here, the more likely it is that the Dark One will discover that fact. We’re acquainted, and it won’t be happy to see me again. And if the Dark One finds out I’m here…” Merlin visibly shivers. “Something much worse won’t be far behind.”

“Something worse?” Henry asks.

“The being I helped lead a war against. The god who is responsible for the creation of the Dark One curse. He’s the reason Zeus granted me eternal youth--so that I could keep him and the Dark One in check.”

Hades, Henry realizes. Hades is responsible for all of this.

Merlin continues, “If Hades comes here…” He shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter now. We must prevent it from happening, and the only way we can do that is by saving your mother.

“Emma Swan is a part of something much larger than you realize. Being the Savior is no small thing,” Merlin says, tone flat and commanding, “This is the only opportunity we will have to destroy this curse without taking a life until another Savior voluntarily takes it on. That has not happened since its inception. We cannot afford to fail, and our success hinges on you.”

“You’re saying… that since she’s the Savior you can destroy the Dark One without killing her?”

Merlin nods. “If we can find a way to pull the curse from her, we can destroy it.”

“What about True Love’s Kiss?” Henry asks.

“Possible, but unlikely. The Dark One curse is a strange beast. Loving is still possible, but hard to keep pure.”

Henry feels a pang deep in his chest, and it’s not pride; not this time.

It’s fear. He doesn’t want to be the one to have to do this. In this moment, he would give anything to go back to before he was the Author.

“I know you and your family have been working non-stop to free Emma,” Merlin continues, reaching down to the floor to pick up the book Henry had dropped. Merlin holds it out to him. “but you are only hitting dead ends. And you’ll continue to hit dead ends until you decide to help me. You’re a brave young man, Henry. I have faith you’ll make the right decision.”

Henry takes the book back, but before he can say anything else, the magical dome deteriorates, and Merlin disappears right along with it. A cold brush of air sweeps past him as he rejoins the normal flow of time. An errant scrap of paper swoops past him, fluttering and settling a few feet in front of him.

“Henry? What was that?” Hook calls, but Henry barely hears him.

His eyes are still locked on the space Merlin had just been occupying. “It was nothing,” he answers, barely remembering why they sent him back here in the first place as he shuffles the book beneath his arm and turns back towards the front of the library.

But if what Merlin told him was true, then this book would hold no answers.

Several hours had passed since they’d reengaged their research efforts on finding Merlin, and Killian’s already thin patience had vacated him around hour two. If yet another suggestion given by his research partners fails to produce the mythical wizard himself in front of them, Killian can’t promise that he won’t snap.

Beneath his annoyance lies an undercurrent of worry. Henry had been strangely reticent for most of those hours. When he did speak, he was curt and a bit rude. Killian and Belle had shared a few looks over these moments, both assuming his attitude was simply the result of teenage maturity and the stress that they were all under, but Killian suspects it might be more than that.

Adding to his worry, Belle had received a call from the fairies watching over Rumplestiltsken just under an hour ago. Something about their services being needed with an individual infected by one of Zelena’s flying minions, and wondered if Belle wanted to come keep an eye on her comatose husband. “I shouldn’t be gone too long,” she had said, but as the clock ticks closer to the hour mark, Killian feels his worry begin to outweigh his annoyance.

The door of the library opens, and Killian looks up eagerly, hoping to see Belle back safe and sound. Instead, he sees Ruby, concern etched on her features.

“Hey, is Belle around here?”

Killian shakes his head. “She was called to her husband’s side so the fairies could visit a victim of Zelena’s spell. I imagine you’d find her there.”

“What? All the victims are out of the hospital. I was just with the fairies. They’re still with Rumplestiltsken and we haven’t seen Belle.”

“But she said--” He meets Henry’s gaze over the table and feels his stomach drop. “That’s not possible,” he says urgently, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

He swiftly dials Belle’s number, trying to keep his hand steady despite the tension creeping up his neck. Each passing second sees fear being etched onto Ruby’s face.

With each tinny ring, his flimsy hope that maybe this is all just an innocent misunderstanding disintigrates. Ruby steps closer. “Anything?”

He swears when he hears Hi, you’ve reached Belle French and slams his phone to the table.

“We’ve got to find her,” Ruby says, her eyes glowing faintly yellow.

Killian can feel his anger and frustration beginning to boil. “We don’t even know where she is. Why would Zelena lure Belle into a trap?”

“Zelena?” Ruby asks.

Henry replies, “Who else would want to take her?”

Ruby laughs harshly. “Emma’s the Dark One! Belle knows more about magic than just about anyone, and we have no idea what is up her sleeve.”

“But if Zelena wanted to hurt Rumple,” Henry says, “the best way to do that is through Belle.”

“She’s not just some bargaining chip!” Ruby shouts. Her eyes flash bright yellow before she closes them, taking a calming breath. “We do not have time to sit here arguing about who took her and why. All we know is that someone lured Belle out and now we can’t find her.” Ruby’s eyes open again, their natural brown once more. “I’m going to look for her. If I can pick up her scent, I can track her down.”

“I’m coming with you,” Henry and Killian say at the same time.

Belle moans as she comes to, her head feeling like it’s filled with cotton. She’s seated, her back pressed against something rough, solid, and cold with her hands lying limply at her sides. A shiver zips up her legs and she curses herself for wearing a skirt. Her eyes flicker open and she tips her head forward, the aftereffects of whatever magical knockout potion took her down quickly slinking away.

She’s in some sort of cave--if she had to guess, she’d say she was in the mines, but mysterious caves seem to pop up all over the place in Storybrooke. There’s some sort of magical barrier blocking the only entrance to the cavern, a spell that she doesn’t recognize. It ripples like water, glimmering iridescent in the near darkness. The only sources of light are two torches high on the walls--Belle wonders if she might be able to reach one.

“Wake him up,” Belle hears, and she whips her head around to see Emma Swan standing against the right side of the cavern.

Next to her, underneath a thick blanket and lying on a stone pedestal, is Belle’s husband.

Her first instinct is to shout. Stop. Don’t hurt him.

She doesn’t act on that instinct. She rises to her feet, unsteady as the effects of the magic wear off, and instead says earnestly, “Emma, whatever you’re doing, it’s not worth darkening your heart. We can help you fix this. We can find a way to save you.”

Emma fixes Belle with a coldly condescending look and for a startlingly selfish moment, Belle is glad it’s Emma holding the curse rather than her husband. She couldn’t handle it if he was the one imprisoning her. Again.

“Everyone seems to want to fix me these days. Tell me, Belle,” Emma says, pacing in front of her leisurely. “Why couldn’t Rumplestiltsken give up this curse? Hm?”

Belle’s breath catches. “A curse isn’t a curse if the afflicted wants it.”

Emma nods sagely. “What would you have done?” she asks. “What would you have done to snag yourself a completely uncursed Rumple? Quite a lot, I imagine, given how much you seemed to love him. Still love him, maybe.”

Belle doesn’t answer, pressing her lips together in a stubborn show.

Emma is not amused. “Regardless of how you now feel about him, I need him, and I need him awake.” She considers. “Would a True Love’s kiss work, do you think? I’m sure his love for you is plenty, but what about yours for him?” Emma shrugs. “I wouldn’t blame you for not loving him anymore. He’s treated you like an object for so long, someone that he can just bring along for his ride no matter how battered and bruised you get from being dragged behind him. But it was never enough,” Emma says, voice going soft, almost understanding. “You were never enough.”

“Stop,” Belle protests weakly.

“No,” Emma replies. “I need him awake, and I need to know if True Love’s kiss can do it. So, dearest Belle, if you still truly love him, call me a liar and wake him up.”

She remembers her marriage vows as though they were said yesterday. Yearns for the simplicity of their short honeymoon, for the blissful early days of their marriage when she was completely unaware of what kind of man her husband really was.

Which isn’t--

That’s not right. She’s always known, she’d just always managed to convince herself that she would be enough.

Something falls into place for Belle in that cave, with a new Dark One staring down at her with quiet menace and the man she thought she’d always wanted with his life in her hands.

A lone tear falls when she finally answers, “I can’t.”

Deep relief swells in her, so strong and potent she nearly gasps, the power of admitting that she doesn’t love him anymore, that she doesn’t forgive him for everything he’s done, everything he’s done to her, nearly knocks the wind out of her.

(She’ll never be lied to again, controlled or manipulated or invaded by him, will finally feel safe in her own skin.)

“I was afraid of that,” Emma says. Before Belle can blink, Emma is in front of her and plunging her hand into Belle’s chest and pulling out her heart. “If your love won’t awaken him,” she says, “perhaps your pain will.”

A pain unlike anything Belle has ever known radiates from her chest and through her body. She groans, strained and heavy, as her knees give out beneath her. She doesn’t even feel the rough stone cutting into her knees, focused as she is on the hot, bitter, deep pain radiating from her chest. Through it, her eyes remain open, fixated on where Rumple still lies dormant. Emma is standing over him, the red of her heart lighting his face with its proximity.

The seconds stretch for hours, as Emma carefully watches Rumple.

He does not move.

Emma growls, nearly crushing Belle’s heart in her frustration. “This should’ve worked,” she whispers. With a shout of rage and a sudden lunge, she jams Belle’s heart back into her chest.

Belle gasps in pain at the roughness, and clasps a hand over her chest protectively as Emma swoops away just as suddenly as she’d drawn close.

Emma is murmuring something under her breath, and Belle can’t quite make it out. All she knows is that the Dark One is angry, and she’s been on the receiving end of a Dark One’s ire enough to last several lifetimes. She scrambles backwards into the wall, the rough stone scratching at her palms as her heart flutters, settling back into her chest in a way that makes her feel short of breath.

She’s not eager to prod the beast any more than she has to, but Belle has had enough of letting the Dark One control her.

“They’ll find us, you know,” she says. “When they realize both Rumple and I are gone, they’ll figure out your plan.”

Emma laughs, sounding unhinged. “No, they’ll just think you’re missing. Him? I made a replica. Perfect projection magic. They won’t even know he’s gone until it’s too late.”

“There’s no such thing as too late,” Belle says. “Even for you.”

Emma laughs again. “Even for me? I don’t need your pity sympathy. I’ve already gotten enough of that to last a lifetime,” she finishes softly, contemplative.

Belle studies Emma in the silence that follows, trying to pick out differences between the Emma she knew and the one in front of her now. She’s still in her Storybrooke clothes, none of the extravagances of an Enchanted Forest Dark One. Her skin doesn’t bare the scaly glimmer that had been Rumplestiltsken’s signature, and her long blonde hair remained unchanged.

Although--

“I’ll be back,” Emma says suddenly. “Try not to get into too much trouble while I’m gone,” she adds, and it’s almost like old Emma when she says it, light, with a hint of a smile.

Before Emma teleports away, Belle could swear she sees a streak of pure white through the pristine blonde.

The Dark One coalesces in a swirl of black and white smoke next to Zelena. Emma’s visit isn’t surprising, but still a bit unexpected.

The Wicked Witch had been pleased to find her farmhouse in the same condition that she’d left it in. A bit of dust here and there, but nothing her magic hadn’t been able to fix. She’d been idly wondering about setting up a nursery when the crackle of powerful magic caused her to turn to the resident Dark One-slash-Savior.

“The Dark Swan,” Zelena says. “To what do I owe this honor? I was under the impression that our deal was fulfilled.”

Emma seems to be only half-listening as she walks slowly around the room. The only outward reflection of the curse she holds is a wide streak of silver running down the left side of her hair, disrupting the golden curls. The silver streak, plus the distractingly powerful and confusing magic signature she’s giving off. Otherwise, she looks much the same as she ever did, sensible boots and jeans paired with a black leather jacket.

The Dark One does not cease her slow perusal of the living room.

“I know this isn’t a social call,” Zelena observes dryly. “What do you want?”

Emma half smiles. “Direct. I’ve always liked that,” she says quietly, almost to herself. “Tell me something,” she says, turning to face Zelena and coming to a standstill by the window. “How are your cravings?”

“What?”

“When I was pregnant with Henry, the only thing I wanted were jelly beans. The prison commissary had a cheap kind that were half way satisfying, but I couldn’t afford them most of the time.”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

Emma’s smile is thin. “If there’s anyone who can be sympathetic to being pregnant behind bars, it’s me.”

Zelena remembers Regina’s god awful eating restrictions and the way the mute janitor had secretly slipped her the children’s book against her sister’s orders and bristles. She doesn’t let it show, and she uses her magic to conjure a bag of onion rings and sits in an armchair. “Well, I’m not behind bars any longer, thanks you to.”

She takes a bite of one of the fried rings and sighs. Still hot, just the right amount of crispy. Sometimes her magical abilities truly still delight.

Emma cocks her head. “Can I have one?”

“Seriously?”

She shrugs, looking for all the world like she isn’t carrying evil incarnate inside of her. “I like onion rings.”

After a moment, Zelena holds the bag out. Emma steps forward, reaching carefully in and pulls one out. “Thank you,” she says, sounding genuine before she bites in.

Another moment of silence follows, the rustle of greasy paper filling the silence.

“I ask again, what is it that you want?”

“I’d like for us to be allies.”

“Allies?” Zelena says dubiously.

“At some point you’ll need one to protect your baby from Robin and Regina. They won’t just let the kid go without a fight.”

Zelena growls. “They won’t get to my child. I won’t let them.”

Emma scoffs. “Right, the same way you weren’t going to let Regina take your pendant when she beat you the first time?”

“The light magic caught me off guard,” Zelena acknowledges, “but it won’t happen again.” She eats another onion ring, her satisfaction sullied somewhat at the thought of Robin and Regina. Despite her confidence in her abilities, Emma isn’t exactly wrong. Regina has a team of heroes behind her. Zelena has no one. Or, perhaps one. “What exactly does me being allies with you look like?”

Emma just smiles, a secret, dark little smirk that does little to settle Zelena. “When I call, you answer.”

Zelena hates vagaries, unless she’s the one giving them. Dropping her onion rings to the coffee table and crossing her arms over her chest, she says, “I’m not your errand girl.”

Emma looks unconcerned. “You’re whatever I want you to be as long as you’re afraid of something.”

A fire roars up in Zelena. “I killed Neal,” she reminds. “I killed him and I loved every minute of it.”

Zelena expects anger, or forced stoicism concealing hidden menace. What she does not expect is a chuckle, a smile that looks almost genuine. “I should thank you for that.”

“I’m sorry?”

The smile drops off the Dark One’s face. “The kind of adult man who would get a seventeen year old girl pregnant and sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit isn’t the type of man I ever want around my son. It took me a long time to realize that. Too long,” she finishes quietly.

Zelena pauses, thinking. “Your parents don’t know about this do they?” She laughs. “Oh this is rich; they even named their little whelp after him. Does your son know?”

Emma doesn’t answer but her grimace is visible. Zelena is pleased. The Dark One isn’t the only one with tricks, now.

Zelena raises her eyebrows tauntingly. “How awkward for you.”

The Dark One does not seem amused. “Consider my offer. You’ll want to take me up on it sooner rather than later.”

Zelena chuckles. “I think I see what this is now.”

“This?”

“The difference between you and me, Emma, is that I don’t mind being alone.”

Her expression remains as blank as ever, but Zelena can feel Emma’s darkness stirring and eclipsing the flagging light magic, inner anger and insecurity stoking an already chaotic fire.

Emma looks back at Zelena’s front door. “You’ll want to answer that,” is all she says before she teleports away in a swirl of black and white smoke.

A knock sounds through the house moments later.

BREAK

Regina supposes she could’ve just teleported to her sister’s house, but the drive allows her to clear her head and gather her wits about her. She doesn’t quite know what to expect from this encounter but is hopeful Zelena’s condition will make her less likely to start a physical fight.

As she locks her Mercedes, taking her time in placing the keys in her pocket, she layers on her emotional armor that she wore for years as the Evil Queen, steps up to the door, and knocks.

A few moments past an awkward length of time, the door opens to reveal the Wicked Witch herself, dressed down from when Regina last saw her at the head of an army of flying monkeys.

Despite lack of black dresses and green gloves, Zelena still looks prepared for a battle. She opens the door just enough to lean her head and shoulders out. “Why are you here?” Her tone matches her posture, brittle and untrusting.

Regina sighs, eyes tilted up for a moment. “A lot of reasons,” she answers before shaking her head. “Do you mind if I come in?”

“I do mind, actually,” Zelena answers. “Why should I let you into my home?”

Regina fights back her annoyance. Along with the armor comes the Evil Queen’s sharp tongue, and she knows that won’t help the situation if she falls back into that persona. “Because we need to have a talk where we aren’t actively trying to kill each other.”

Zelena seems to consider slamming the door in Regina’s face for a few moments, but doesn’t move.

Regina tries again, “Despite…. everything, we’re sisters. And even if we weren’t, we’re family now in a way that can’t be undone.” She looks meaningfully at Zelena’s hidden stomach.

Mentioning the child changes Zelena. Where she once looked ready for battle, now she seems prepared for a siege. “This child is mine,” she snaps. “You and your pathetic thief of a lover will never touch them.”

Regina can’t stop the anger that courses through her. “If this is how it’s going to be--” A flick of her fingers sends Zelena stumbling back, the door listing backwards on its hinges. Regina strides into the house and closes the door behind her before Zelena can recover. “Thanks for inviting me in,” she comments dryly before venturing towards the kitchen.

“You bloody fucking bitch,” Zelena snarls, and Regina can feel her sister gathering magic, preparing a strike. Before it can come to fruition, Regina passes into the kitchen and casts a protection spell over the room.

Regina can hear the offensive spell fizzle out on the barrier before she even turns around. “Best protection spell I know that doesn’t include blood magic,” she explains. “You’re not getting me out of this house until I choose to leave.” The spell is completely transparent, but the magical sisters can feel the film of it as though it was an actual barrier between them.

Zelena looks ready to just knock the house down on top of Regina, but slowly her posture straightens, her fingers uncurl. Then she snorts a harsh laugh. “You’re unbelievable.”

Regina summons one of the kitchen chairs and sits down facing the doorway. “Might want to pull up a chair,” she suggests.

Zelena’s mouth is slightly gaped, and Regina supposes it’s since she’s living up to her bloody fucking bitch reputation. Zelena doesn’t complain out loud, but every single bit of body language screams it as she copies Regina’s action, summoning one of her living room chairs and seating herself in it.

“So how is this going to work?” Zelena asks. “You want to hammer out a custody agreement. Will my refusal need to be in writing, or will a series of verbal insults work well enough for you?”

Regina’s temper flares. “I’m doing this for you. Believe me, it would be much, much easier to just cut you out of our lives once the baby is born. But you…” Regina takes a steeling breath. “You’re my sister, and you didn’t do half the things that I did. I’m no more deserving of a redemption than you are. All it took was Henry, and having that unconditional love in my life made me my best self.”

“You don’t want me,” Zelena sneers. “I’m just an inconvenience to you and your happiness with Robin. That’s all I will ever be to you.”

Regina’s lips righten. “Please don’t bring Robin into this right now. I’m trying very hard to forgive you, and the things you have done to him and his family aren’t making that easy for me.”

Zelena is silent--Regina hopes contemplative.

“I led a terribly lonely life as a child,” Regina begins, Zelena’s predictable scoff only spurring her onwards. “Our mother…” Regina struggles to conjure the proper words to describe Cora. She sighs. “Our mother was not a kind woman. She was manipulative and frightening and not afraid to use her magic to make sure I stayed in line. And I know that the family you ended up with wasn’t sunshine and roses either.”

“Is this supposed to make me like you?” Zelena asks. “Share our tragic childhoods and magically we’re the best of friends? Would you like for us to exchange stickers and braid each others’ hair? Please, Regina, you’re not that naive.”

“I’m not trying to fix everything between us. I’m trying to give you a reason to do better.”

“I don’t need my ‘better’ being measured by the heroes’ yardstick. I might have started this to hurt you, but this child is mine.”

Regina tenses. “No, they’re not. They also have a father.”

“Who clearly doesn’t want them.”

“Don’t you dare insinuate that Robin does not love his child,” Regina snaps. She softens, memory and sympathy rolling through her. “You know, we have a word for what you did to Robin in this land. Rape. In the Enchanted Forest, we didn’t have a term for it, it was just… done, and rarely with consequences.” Regina’s own tangled past with Graham makes it difficult for her to maintain her place on her high horse, but she also remembers being the barely-adult bride of a much older man. Doesn’t have to reach back that far to remember Robin’s difficulty sleeping since he came back to Storybrooke. (If there was nothing else that made her regret what she did to Graham, Robin’s suffering would’ve done it.)

Regina continues, “I don’t know if you can properly imagine what you are putting him through. He is so devoted to his children it takes my breath away. But here he is, torn between his love for his child and his hatred of you.” She wonders if she shouldn’t have revealed so much about Robin, but it’s already been said. She supposes that however they heal, it has to start with honesty.

“Robin wants sole custody,” Regina says, “and I’m not inclined to argue with him on that.”

Zelena shoots to her feet. “How could you? You’re a mother! How could you do that to me?”

“Right there is exactly why,” Regina responds, pointing an accusing finger at Zelena. “Because you’re only thinking about yourself. This will hurt you, but I’d rather it be you than your child.”

“Then it seems you’ve already decided. You’re going to take them away from me.”

“That’s why you’re going to do better,” Regina presses, “Not for me, not for yourself, but the child we won’t allow you to see until you drop this wicked charade and just be their mom.”

Zelena riles, tensing like a spring coiled. “This isn’t a charade. I just learned a long time ago that if you want any modicum of respect in this world, simpering and smiling won’t get it for you.”

“I understand that more than you know,” Regina says. “But there’s a difference between commanding respect and being cruel.”

“The way I see it, you can’t have one without the other.”

Regina squeezes her eyes shut, pinching at the bridge of her nose. “Look, what it comes down to is this: I’d rather take them away from you if it meant saving another child from an unfit mother.”

Zelena leans forward against the magical barrier between them. “Don’t you dare make this about you, Regina.”

“I can’t not make this about me, because you have entangled all of us in this goddamn web of yours, and you can’t ask me to divorce what Cora did to me from my decision making.”

“Mother left me,” Zelena hisses. “I would never leave my child.”

“At least you were spared from her.”

Zelena lets out an incredulous breath. “How much do you really know of my family? The family I ended up with after Cora left me to die?”

“Enough,” Regina says, but Zelena is already shaking her head.

“Clearly not if you think our mother leaving me spared me from anything.” She sits back down, as though all the wind has left her sails.

A heavy silence settles between them.

Regina feels a tug at her heart. “I’m sorry.” She may not have Emma’s superpower, but Zelena seems the most sincere she’s ever been.  “Neither one of us…” Regina sighs. “Neither one of us had the upbringing we might have deserved. And it helped put us on a path to doing terrible things. But we don’t have to keep following that same path. Like I said, once I had Henry--”

“It made you your best self,” Zelena finishes.

Regina smiles, just a little bit. “Yeah. But Henry wasn’t the only reason I was able to change. I also found a remarkable group of people who were willing to forgive me, and I think there’s a part of you that wants the same.”

“Maybe.” Zelena looks thoughtful, quiet. Her faces pinches for a moment, and she rubs a hand across her belly.

“Are you okay?”

Zelena nods. “Yeah, I’ve just been feeling a bit odd after I ate those onion rings. It’s nothing.” She continues, “I’m willing to… to try.”

Regina lets out a relieved breath. “That’s all I’m asking for,” she says, a genuine grin blooming across her face.

Zelena grimaces again, a strangled sound coming from her. Her hand goes once again to her stomach.

Regina rises. “Zelena?”

“I don’t underst-” A scream rips out of her throat as she bends forward in her chair.

“Oh god,” Regina takes the magical barrier down between them and crosses the threshold to her ailing sister. “Zelena, talk to me.”

“I don’t know what’s happening,�� Zelena cries, leaning back again, and Regina’s jaw drops.

Zelena is only a month into her pregnancy. Judging by the now-apparent curve to her belly, she’s got to be at least seven.

“What the hell,” Regina breathes.

Zelena grinds out another sound of pain. “Something is wrong. I’m--” She falls silent as another wave of pain goes through her.

Regina suddenly knows. A contraction. Zelena is having contractions.

“Hey,” Regina says firmly, “look at me.” She takes Zelena’s hand. “It’s going to be okay. You and the baby are going to be just fine.”

Zelena’s breathing is erratic and her eyes wildly panicked, but she nods at Regina’s sure words.

“I’m taking us to the hospital, all right?” She squeezes Zelena’s hand. “Don’t let go.”

The sisters are enveloped in a cloud of smoke, and within a moment, they are gone.

BREAK

Considering that they have no idea how this happened, Zelena’s labor progressed without issue. Regina only let go of Zelena’s hand long enough to call Robin.

(“But it’s--it’s too early. It’s not even--”

“It got accelerated somehow but now she’s full term and having the baby, so you need to get here right now.”)

The labor itself was even accelerated, only lasting about two hours. And looking back, Regina realizes what an awkward two hours those really were. Robin, standing in the corner watching the woman he loves coaching the woman who raped him through the birth of his child (and assisted by Dr. Frankenstein himself, but that was neither here nor there.)

In truth, Regina had almost forgotten Robin was there at all until the baby’s cries announced her arrival into the world and Dr. Whale told them it’s a girl.

Robin had laughed a little in the corner, a relieved, quiet thing, and said, “A girl.”

“Is she okay?” Zelena had asked, frantic in that way all new mothers are. She stayed awake long enough for them to place her daughter on her chest, assure her that everything is okay, that Zelena herself is okay too, even though she might pass out from exhaustion given the magical strain of growing a full-term child in less than an hour.

In a few minutes, Zelena does just that; her hand had been curled over her daughter’s head, awe and shock and love in her eyes, and it slides away as she falls unconscious.

A nurse takes the baby so that she can be washed and wrapped and Regina steps backwards until her back collides with Robin’s chest. His arms automatically go around her waist and she turns into his embrace.

Regina is at a complete loss for words. There’s a maelstrom brewing in her heart, emotion making her uneasy and on edge. There’s only one person in Storybrooke who would’ve done something like this, and Dark Ones aren’t known to do things without a plan.

Emma has a plan for this baby, and if Regina knows anything about Dark Ones, no part of that plan is good.

“Does Dad want to hold her?” comes the voice of the nurse who had taken the baby, disrupting Regina’s thoughts. She’s wrapped up in a pink blanket, her puffy, red face peeking out.

“Yes,” Robin breathes. “Yes.” Regina steps away to give Robin free rein to take his daughter in his arms.

He holds her with the confidence and ease of someone who’s done this before but with all the reverence of a new parent. “Hello, my sweet,” he murmurs, and Regina’s heart melts, worries disappearing for a brief moment. His expression is blindingly happy, awestruck and humbled and thrilled and Regina has never seen anything like it on his face.

She wishes she could be that happy, but a shot of jealousy creeps into her belly.

And then it hurts all over again because the experience of having a child is what I always imagined having with you.

He looks up at Regina, and she forces a smile onto her face. “I have a daughter,” he says--whispers, really, a stunned, reverent thing that matches his expression.

“She’s beautiful,” Regina replies softly. Regina reaches out hesitantly, not really sure what her end goal is. She ends up placing a hand on Robin’s arm and squeezing.

Regina feels the prickle of powerful magic creep up the back of her neck and raise the hair on her arms the split second before a swirling storm of black and white smoke coalesces in the middle of the hospital room.

Zelena, even unconscious, must have felt it, because she lets out a soft moan and shifts on the bed.

“Get behind me,” Regina orders Robin tersely. He follows her directive immediately and cradles his daughter closer to his chest, almost tucking her into his jacket.

Her own magic sizzles in her palms as the teleportation spell dissipates and the former Savior is revealed.

She looks--remarkably like Emma. If it weren’t for the new white streaks running through her hair, then she could pass as being the same old sheriff of Storybrooke. When she turns her gaze on Regina, any semblance of familiarity seems to dry up.

Emma smiles, almost; it’s more of a sneer, a gleeful little expression of twisted delight that Regina most certainly recognizes.

“Hello, Regina,” she says. And it’s-- it’s not Emma.

It hurts more than Regina could have ever anticipated.

“You’re not getting your hands on this baby,” Regina replies.

Emma smiles again, this time like a parent whose child refuses to understand. “Oh I don’t need her.” She laughs. “That is, unless her mother doesn’t cooperate. Then I might need her. Oh, Zelena,” she singsongs. “Time to wake up.” A snap of her fingers, and Regina feels a jolt of magic run through the room. Zelena bursts awake with a gasping breath.

“There she is,” Emma says. “Now, I need you to come with me. And no one else will have to get involved.”

Zelena’s eyes are panicked as they flick between Emma and where Regina stands between her and Robin and the baby. “But you said that I’d get to keep her,” Zelena says. “You said that if I helped you, I would get to keep my baby.”

Emma just keeps smiling. “Yes. If you help me.”

Zelena’s panic settles into determination, mingled with some white hot anger. “Fine.”

“Wonderful,” Emma says, and with a flick of her wrist and a swirl of black and white smoke, both she and Zelena are gone.

Belle sits across the cavern from the comatose Rumple.

Once upon a time, she might have thought that she did love him truly enough to break any curse. She supposes she should’ve always known--they’d married and in any of their kisses, she’d never managed to free him from the Dark One curse. She’d poured everything she had into their relationship, poured everything she had in her heart and soul into making him a better man and it--

It never worked.

“Maybe I should’ve just accepted that I was never going to fix you,” she says, and then laughs, harsh and self-deprecating. “Listen to me. Talking about fixing you. As though that’s…”

She sighs again. “We were never meant to be, were we? How many good relationships you know of start with a kidnapping? Or, well, technically more of a hostage situation. And then everything with the Queens of Darkness? It was bad enough that you lied to me about the dagger and then you tried to kill someone I consider a friend. I didn’t even recognize you anymore. You became more obsessed with your power than… than anything and I can’t…” She closes her eyes and tips her head back against the wall. “I was afraid of my own husband. I was afraid of what you would do to me, what you would do to Will, what you would do to any of our friends. What kind of life is that?

“And now you don’t have it. The curse is gone, and for years that’s all I ever wanted.” Even though there’s no chance he can answer, she can’t look at him as she says, “But even though I know that, I’m still afraid of you. I’m afraid of what you’ll do without it, of who you’ll become trying to get it back. All these years I could just… blame it on the curse. That there was a good man beneath it all. But there’s--” She breaks off when her voice shakes, tears threatening her eyes. “I don’t think I want to know what the man underneath the curse is like anymore.”

“Heartbreaking,” says Emma and Belle nearly leaps out of her skin. She hadn’t heard her captor return, and she scrambles to her feet so that she can retain some sense of her dignity and turns to face her.

She gasps when she sees that Emma has brought a visitor.

Zelena, dressed in a thin hospital gown and looking for all the world like she’s beyond exhausted but still willing to fight tooth and nail, is on her knees next to the Dark One.

The Wicked Witch growls, “I’m here. So what do you need me for?”

Emma takes a few contemplative paces around the space. Belle swears she feels the temperature drop as Emma walks past her, a study in serenity, and it makes Belle feel sick to her stomach for what must be coming.

Finally pausing over Rumplestiltsken’s prone form, Emma speaks. “As a student of magic, Zelena, what would you say is wrong with this man?” She turns to face Zelena, a teacher awaiting answer.

“Are you kidding me? You dragged me out of my hospital bed and away from my daughter for a little bit of magic consultation?”

Daughter? Belle thinks. Zelena was only one or two months pregnant, last Belle knew. What could’ve--

Belle bites down on her tongue when she realizes. Emma must’ve sped it up. An image of the Dark One’s plan begins to shape in Belle’s mind against her will. She doesn’t want to imagine how this will end, doesn’t want to imagine how Emma is going to get Zelena to cooperate, can’t--

“I’ll drag you out of wherever whenever I please,” Emma replies harshly. “Now tell me. Why isn’t Rumplestiltsken waking up?”

Zelena still looks annoyed, but she gingerly lifts herself off the floor and limps over to where Rumple lies on the stone.

The way Zelena looks over him looks almost medical, checking his eyes and pulse, save for a faint glow in the palms of her hands. Her mouth purses in frustration--she clearly didn’t find what she’d expected to. Then she places a hand over his forehead, tilting her face downwards and closing her eyes. The light in her palm changes to purple, glowing bright for a half a second before it fades.

“It’s like he’s not even there,” Zelena says quietly, almost in wonder. When she realizes she’s spoken aloud, she turns to Emma, who waits expectantly.

“I tried to find his consciousness,” Zelena explains. “The essence of being, the spark of life. Name your metaphor. But it’s like there’s nothing knocking around in there anymore. Just empty brain activity.”

Belle’s heart wrenches.

Emma doesn’t seem surprised, and asks, “That’s because he’s here,” she says, tapping her temple. “All the past Dark Ones are.”

Zelena’s brows furrow. “Then why did you bring me here if you already know what’s wrong with him?”

“I need him awake,” Emma answers, matter-of-fact.

“Well I can’t do that,” Zelena answers in frustration. “I can’t just magic his consciousness back into his body--”

Emma cuts her off with a laugh. “That’s not what I need you for.”

“Bloody hell, then stop speaking in goddamn riddles and just tell me so I can go back to my daughter.”

Emma tilts her head to the side, studying Zelena. “If you think about it for a moment, I’m sure you’ll get it.”

But Belle understands what she wants first. “She wants to swap your life for his,” she says, the realization of what Emma has planned starting to dawn on her. “That’s why she accelerated your pregnancy. A life for a life, isn’t that right, Emma? Just like the spell Snow used to kill Cora.”

Emma smiles. “I knew Rumple kept you around for more than just a plaything.”

Belle recognizes it for what it is--a carefully placed barb meant to shut her up--but her angry reply is only cut off by Zelena’s outraged, “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, I would,” Emma assures. “Being the Dark One wasn’t exactly in my life plans, but now that I have it, I’m seeing a much clearer path to what I want. And what I want is for you to die.”

“But you said I’d get to keep my daughter!”

Emma shrugs. “Unlike the last Dark One, I’m not much for contracts.”

“You can’t make me do this,” Zelena says, and suddenly hurls a ball of green energy at Emma.

The Dark One looks unconcerned, redirecting the blast at the wall of the cavern. The impact shakes the walls, and Belle looks up at the ceiling, praying it doesn’t come down on them.

Zelena growls, and releases a barrage of green offensive spells that Emma deflects much like before. Belle has only had a passing familiarity with Emma’s magical abilities before, but this still looks beyond any of the skills she’d possessed as the Savior. Either being the Dark One has fully granted her several lifetimes-worth of new knowledge, or someone’s been teaching her (but Belle can’t possibly imagine who that could be.)

“That’s enough!” Emma eventually shouts, and lets loose a blast of black and white magic that makes the hair on the back of Belle’s neck stand on end. It forces Zelena back against the wall and holds her there.

Even immobilized, the fight doesn’t go out of Zelena. The tendons in her neck press hard against her skin, her jaw clenches as she leans against the invisible force pinning her down.

“You can’t make me do this,” she growls.

Emma still looks unconcerned. “I won’t be forcing you to do anything.”

That makes Zelena pause, confusion flickering across her face.

The Dark One examines her nails and says, “I need an untainted heart willingly given,” she says. “So I have two options. One, revive Rumplestiltsken and take his. All scrubbed clean. My second option,” she strides towards Zelena slowly, purposefully, “is your daughter’s heart.”

Zelena’s face goes white. Belle feels as though a knife has pierced her chest.

“What?” Zelena chokes out.

Emma simply stares.

“You--you…. You wouldn’t do that,” Zelena stammers. “She’s just a baby.”

“Exactly. Her heart would serve just as well as Rumplestiltsken’s. You simply get to decide which one I use.”

“They--Regina will protect her,” Zelena says. “They won’t let you get her.”

Emma snorts a soft laugh. “Just like you just tried to?”

A tear slides down Zelena’s cheek. “I didn’t even--” she breaks off in a breathy sob. “I didn’t even get to hold her.”

Belle looks at Emma, denial running through her. Emma wouldn’t do this. Emma would never. Emma is the Savior, even being the Dark One couldn’t possibly erase all that, it’s not--

“And if you don’t do this, no one ever will.”

Tears fall freely from Zelena’s eyes now. All the fight and bluster she’d had goes out of her all at once, her body sagging against the magical bonds. Softly, shakily, she says, “You’re a monster.”

The Dark One smiles. “Only on the inside.”

The small placard on the open crib reads “Baby Girl Hood” and that alone is enough to make Regina smile, at least a little.

She is smaller than Henry was. Face puffier, skin still red and little eyes nearly swollen shut. She’s managed to free her hands from her swaddling, small fingers grasping around nothing and Regina reaches down on impulse. Her breath catches when little fingers wrap around one of hers, and she can’t stop staring at those tiny little fingernails. The little one opens her mouth, a yawn (maybe her first) and Regina can’t help but melt at the little squeak that comes from her mouth. It’s when she lets go and her face pinches up that Regina knows what’s coming. She’s been a mother for far too long to not know what the little pants mean, that they’re slowly going to build into whimpers, then cries, so she moves on instinct, picking her up and cradling her in close.

When she got Henry, he was old enough that he could support his own head, but she’d done enough reading going through the adoption process that she knows exactly what to do. Robin’s daughter squirms just the slightest bit before Regina tucks her in closer, whispering, “It’s okay, little one. No need for that, now.” She frees up one of her hands, letting the baby grasp her pinky with her newborn strength. Regina gives into the temptation to gently stroke the little girl’s cheek, and her baby soft skin is warm against her fingertips.

“That’s a good look on you,” she hears quietly from the doorway, and she startles slightly, but not for long because she knows Robin’s voice anywhere. “Sorry,” he apologizes.

“It’s fine. Usually people can’t sneak up on me.”

“I am very skilled at sneaking.”

She smiles. “I know, Mr. Thief.”

“And,” he adds gently, warmly, “you seemed a bit distracted.”

She looks back down at the baby in her arms, then back at Robin. “She’s beautiful.”

She can hear the pride in his voice when he answers, “I know.”

“Have you thought of any names yet?” she asks. She can hardly keep calling her ‘little one.’

He scratches the back of his neck, mussing his hair as he says sheepishly, “Not in the slightest. I’m afraid that one of the few advantages of pregnancies being nine months is that you’ve nine months to decide on a name. I was hoping you might have some suggestions.”

“Me?”

“Of course, you.”

“I--I just… I didn’t expect…” She looks down at the infant in her arms, suddenly feeling all sorts of things for this child that isn’t hers. (But she’s been down that road before, and she knows where it got her.)

“You’re going to be a part of her life, Regina,” he says, and adds, far less certain, “That is, if… if you want to be.”

“I do,” she answers. The little one yawns again, but she seems very content to stay where she is in Regina’s arms. She laughs a little then, looking back at Robin, “I thought we would have more time to talk about this. Now she’s here, and we’ve barely had time to sit down and talk to each other.”

“We have been a bit busy,” he says with that understanding smile, “What with the new Dark One and all.”

“Speaking of, are there any leads on where Emma may have taken Zelena? And has there been any sign of Belle?”

His lips tighten, so slight and unnoticeable that she would’ve missed it if she didn’t know him so well. “There are groups in the woods and in the mines, but so far there’s been no luck. Ruby and Hook returned to ask Emrys about a locator spell, but wherever they are being held, they’re hidden from that magic.”

Regina exhales, coming to a decision and setting Robin’s daughter back in the open crib. They need to do this sooner or later, and she’d rather not have a baby in her arms for it. “We need to talk about her. Zelena.”

His jaw clenches, his eyes going angry, and she hates what this is doing to him, but there’s no more putting it off. “Then perhaps we should take this somewhere more private.”

They don’t go far. Despite Emma’s claim that she didn’t need her, Regina isn’t comfortable leaving the child with no protection. (She casts a protection spell over the nursery doorway to keep anyone with bad intentions out just in case.) The deserted hospital corridor affords them a sightline on the viewing window, but is far enough that they wouldn’t disturb anyone.

Robin clearly doesn’t intend to start this conversation which bristles her just a little bit. This is his daughter’s future they are considering. “I know you don’t like talking about what Zelena did to you--”

“Damn right I don’t.”

Regina breathes in. Out. Tries to not think of the consequences of what she’s about to suggest. “But I’d like to give her visitation rights.”

Robin snaps immediately to attention, going completely still. “I’m sorry? I don’t think I quite got that. You’d like to <i>what</i>?”

“I’d like to give her visitation rights,” she says again. “Heavily monitored by one or both of us. We’ll set up wards so that she can’t teleport away. I’ll layer as many protection spells as I can to make sure you feel safe--”

“I’m sorry,” he interrupts, not sounding sorry in the least, “I’m sure you have a very detailed plan, but I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that you would give Zelena visitation to my daughter. That you would make me hand her over to that bloody witch at all.” His voice is rising, and Regina can feel her own temper starting to flare. “I don’t care how many protection spells are between me and her. I don’t care if there’s a hundred foot thick stone wall between us, or if she’s in a damned different realm. I can’t forgive what she did to my family. I can’t forgive that for a while, Roland thought he had his mother back. I can’t forgive that I had to give my own son a forgetting potion because not remembering would be less painful than the reality. And I know I can’t…” His voice drops out, posture withdrawing. “I can’t face her every week for the rest of my life. I can’t do that, Regina.”

“Then I won’t make you face her. I’ll handle everything.”

That makes him snap again, “See, you don’t get it. No matter what happens, she’s always going to be in my life if we do this. I’m always going to have to hand my daughter over to you to go and give to <i>her.</i> She’s always going to be on the periphery of my life, reminding me of what happened, and I’m not--” Robin’s breath catches, just the slightest bit, and she wants so badly to reach out to him. “I’m not strong enough to face that. No distance you could put between us would make what she did any easier for me to deal with.”

“Robin, she deserves a chance to be good.”

“She’s had a chance to be good. You’ve given her more second chances than anyone deserves. I don’t know how anyone can call you the Evil Queen anymore because this is damn well near <i>sainthood.</i>”

“You don’t understand--”

“What I <i>understand</i> is that Zelena murdered my wife, masqueraded as her for months in order to--” he cuts himself off painfully. His voice picks up again a few moments later, cold. “I had to live with her for months. I had to share my bed with a woman who deceived me to get there. I understand that you want to give her another chance. It’s because I understand that I am so bloody angry. I don’t want her near my daughter, I don’t want her near my family, I don’t want her near me.”

“Everything you’ve accused her of, I’ve done doubly worse. She murdered your wife? So did I in some alternate world before Emma and the pirate messed it up. She manipulated and used you? I couldn’t even give you the names of all the people I’ve done that to. I have murdered, I have tortured, I have cast curses that would make the darkest of souls quiver in their boots. She might be wicked, but wicked’s got <i>nothing</i> on evil.”

“She is not you, Regina. She does not have a good heart.”

“You’ve seen my heart. It’s not good.”

“No amount of blackness I’ve seen can change what I see in you, what Roland sees in you, what your son sees in you. But her?” he spits, “She’s said it herself, time and time again. She’s wicked and she’s no intention of changing. Even if she had, I’d want no part in it. And I certainly don’t want my daughter to be a part of it, either.”

“Robin, can you--”

He holds up a hand, and she can see his eyes close, his breathing coming slow and heavy. “Regina, I can’t right now. I’d rather not say something I’d regret.” Then he turns and paces back towards the room. Back towards his daughter.

Regina swallows heavily and lets him go.

“Emma always told me you have rum,” Regina says on approach.

“Lovely to see you too, Madame Mayor.”

“Shut up. Do you have any or not?”

Hook stares hard at her for a moment, a quirk in his brow before he removes a flask from his jacket. “And here I thought you ‘didn’t do rum.’ Any particular reason you’re seeking out my liquor?”

“It’s 2 in the afternoon on a Sunday. I might have created this town, but our liquor stores are still closed, and I’m not going to show my face at the Rabbit Hole.” She snatches the flask out of his hand, unscrews the cap, and takes a long pull.

She knows how to handle her liquor, but she struggles to not make a face. Hook must notice anyway. “Bit stronger than your usual?”

“I prefer whiskey,” she says, and the sour mood that particular statement brings prompts her to tilt the flask back for another long drink.

“This about your quandary with your sister and Robin?”

She shouldn’t answer. She owes him nothing, yet she nods anyway.

“I heard the little lass was born. I feel like I should extend some sort of congratulations to you.”

“Why?”

“Well, you and Robin are going to raise the child, are you not?”

“We--we talked about it. Sort of.”

“Sort of?”

“The due date being moved up eight months didn’t leave much time for that. Besides, there’s not much down time when the resident Savior has become the Dark One. But we… talked today. I want to give Zelena at least some sort of visitation.”

“And how does your beloved feel about that?”

“Not as enthusiastic.”

“Well, you’re far more charitable than I, love. Had someone done to Emma what Zelena did to Robin I would have no qualms disemboweling them with my hook.”

Regina could laugh, but drinks instead. “She’s got nothing on me.”

“I’d heard the queen entertained unwilling bedfellows.”

Regina’s blood goes icy, her jaw clenching. “Just one. I’m not proud of it. You’re a pirate, I can’t imagine you haven’t done the same.”

“Much as it may surprise you to hear, no. Even at my worst, I believed in good form. Didn’t always uphold that in my quest for revenge, but in that way I did. And quite frankly, with a face like this it was hardly a fight to find company.”

Regina rolls her eyes. “And you wonder why I don’t want you giving my son advice on girls.”

“No, I don’t wonder at all,” he answers, surprisingly quick. “I admit, that you allow him near me at all is somewhat of a surprise.”

“He likes you. And it would be hypocritical of me to call him my son if I wouldn’t let him be around you. I’m sure my body count is higher than yours.”

“Wouldn’t want to wager money on it. I have been around for several centuries longer than you, love, but I see your point.”

She takes another drink before she says, “That’s why I feel like I can’t keep Robin’s daughter away from Zelena. Since when did I become righteous enough to decide who gets a shot at redemption?”

“Regina,” Hook says in a teasing tone. “Are you asking for my advice?”

“I don’t ask for advice,” she shoots back. The alcohol is making her warm, and she can feel it swimming in her brain and eyes, but she’s far from drunk. It’s exactly what she came here for. “Why am I even talking to you?” she mutters and moves to turn away.

“Because in our little band of heroes, I’m the only other villain,” he says simply.

That stops her. Her fingers tighten around his flask.

“Unless you count the Crocodile, which I sincerely doubt.” She doesn’t turn back, but he keeps speaking. “No matter how much good you do, no matter how hard you try, you still wonder if they have as much faith in you as you do in them.”

She turns back to him then. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” A pause, and it’s probably the alcohol that prompts her to say, “All of them love you. They keep you around even when they don’t need you.”

Hook responds, “Emma’s family has offered me far more charity than I deserve, something I’ll forever be grateful for, but don’t count yourself out. They all care very much about you.”

She holds back a scoff. “Maybe.”

He looks like he wants to say something else on the subject, but instead says, “Look, regardless of your apparent desire to wheedle away your afternoon drinking my alcohol, you came here for my advice and I’m going to give it to you.” She notices him turning his gaudy rings with his thumb. “It was only when I met Emma that I felt I was worthy of redemption. Because she saw someone worthwhile in me, I realized that I might be able to one day see what she saw. It feels like all your sins can be forgiven when someone loves you, and feeling like that… It’s like feeling the sun on your skin for the first time in centuries.”

Regina nods in understanding. “I know.”

“I never dared to expect that she would love me back.”

“Didn’t you?”

“I certainly hoped, and after Neverland it seemed…” He shakes himself out of some sort of reverie. “It was the first time I’d hoped for something good in centuries. That’s a powerful thing.”

“I don’t think Robin will ever see it that way.”

“I don’t expect he will. I should clarify, I’m on his side of this.”

“After what you just told me, how can you say that?”

“Our situations vary vastly from your sister’s. Zelena doesn’t want to change. She wants someone that will have no choice but to love her despite whatever villainous path she takes, and I’ve no sympathy for parents like that.”

“Because of what your father did to you?”

He ignores her prod and says, “Parents are supposed to protect their children, to hell and back. The only thing I can see Zelena protecting is herself.”

Regina holds the flask out to Hook, and he shakes his head. “I’m not imbibing today, thank you.”

She silently watches as he carefully keeps his eyes forward, notices the way his fingernails scrape across the top of the dock barrier and the muscle tic in his jaw. She can feel the significance of his answer, and screws the cap back into place. “Want it back?”

He nods wordlessly, still not looking at the flask as he stuffs it back into his jacket.

They simply stand in quiet companionship, listening to the churning waves. It feels like it’s been so long since Regina has felt like she hasn’t needed to be anywhere, or protect someone, or prove herself, or confront the painful reality that is her life. She never thought she’d find this sort of solace with the pirate, but life has never gone completely as expected for Regina Mills.

“Thank you, Killian,” Regina says simply. She’s fairly certain none of this would be happening without his rum loosening her tongue, but she doesn’t regret the catharsis.

He laughs, not at all what she was expecting. She turns, seeing that he’s wearing a pleasantly surprised grin, a complete reversal from earlier. “What, no ‘Captain Guyliner?’ No ‘One Hand Wonder?’ Where are the bon mots tonight?”

She rolls her eyes. “Don’t be an ass. Let me thank you and we’ll just be done with it.”

“Fine, then. You’re more than welcome, Regina.”

She feels like she could laugh at the sheer force of sass he manages to put behind the words, and his sincerity makes it break free.

It’s been too long since she’s laughed like this. No matter how short lived it will be, Regina relishes every moment.

And short lived it is; a minute later, both Regina and Killian turn towards the sound of running feet pounding against the pier. It’s Ruby, slightly breathless and with her eyes fixed on Regina. “Zelena was spotted in the woods. It looked like she was heading for the wishing well.”

Regina turns back to Killian, panic in her eyes and urgency opening up a chasm in her stomach.

“Go,” he says. “I’ll hold down the fort.”

“I’m coming with you,” Ruby says to Regina. “She might know where Emma is holding Belle.”

Regina has no desire to waste time talking the wolf out of it, so without fanfare, she grabs Ruby’s arm and envelops them in magic.

When they coalesce near the well, and Regina can feel the weight of dark magic over the small clearing. Zelena stands next to the stone structure, her hands held over the mouth as though she were conjuring something. It looks like she already has--a blue light emanates up from the well, lighting Zelena’s features. She looks distraught, her eyes swollen and face drawn and pale, and she looks up in surprise when the two figures materialize in front of her.

“Regina?”

“Zelena, what are you doing?” Regina asks as she steps towards her sister, motioning for Ruby to hang back.

“Stop!” she shouts, and Regina freezes. “This magic is hard to control. I don’t want you to--” Zelena seems to cut herself off when she realizes what she was about to say.

Regina takes a moment to try to decipher what sort of spell Zelena has performed. It looks unfamiliar to her, and while she can feel some sort of transference magic in it, it’s beyond anything she’s ever seen. It feels old. It feels ancient and powerful and almost malicious, and Regina wants her sister away from it now.

Ruby asks, “How did you get away from Emma?”

Zelena laughs. “She let me go.”

“Why on Earth would she--” Regina starts but Zelena doesn’t let her finish.

“Because she needs me to die,” she says flatly. “She gave me this enchantment because she needs Rumplestiltsken awake for her own goddamn spell, and she’s keeping Belle as leverage--”

“Where?” Ruby demands, stepping even with Regina. “Where is she keeping Belle?”

“Ruby--” Regina says, but is cut off again.

“No, she’s been through enough because of goddamned Dark Ones. Where the hell is she?”

“I didn’t exactly get the grand tour,” Zelena says sharply. She winces when a tendril of the spell leaps out, licking at her hand. “If I had to guess, somewhere in the mines. An offshooting cavern of some kind. There was a protection spell over it, so you probably won’t find it until Emma wants you to.”

“I don’t care,” Ruby replies, and she morphs from woman to wolf in a blink. The massive werewolf doesn’t spare a second glance at the sisters and bolts to the west, towards the nearest entrance to the mines she can find, Regina imagines.

A heavy silence settles over them for a few moments.

It’s broken by a thin chuckle from Zelena. “This isn’t exactly how I imagined I’d earn my Best Heroics Girl Scout badge.”

“Why are you doing this Zelena? What could Emma have possibly done to make you decide to give yourself up for that man’s life?”

Zelena’s answer is prompt and straightforward. “She threatened my daughter.”

“She what?”

Zelena looks down at the spell at the well’s mouth, the incandescence of it shining off her face. “She said that she needed an untainted heart willingly given.”

Regina knows enough magic theory to understand the context of the threat. She feels like she could vomit.

“Emma would never--”

“Yeah, well, she’s not exactly just Emma anymore, is she? And you and I have plenty of experience with the last Dark One to know exactly what they’re capable of when they want something.”

Regina’s mind reels. “So we--we protect her. We’ll take her out of town, or we can ask the fairies and the Knights of the Round Table to help us. Emrys has strong light magic, maybe even as strong as Emma’s, and I trained her. How much does she know that I can’t counter--”

“And that’s all well and good, but have you considered that she’s more powerful than any protective measure you can conjure? Who knows if the town line is even open to cross anymore, and the remaining fairies are so weak any sorceress with half a month of training could cut them down. We know nothing about this Emrys bloke, and you? Regina, you’re talented, but I threw everything I had at her and she didn’t even--” Zelena breaks off in a self-deprecating scoff. “She didn’t even flinch.” A heavy beat. “This is the only way.”

“Zelena, it doesn’t have to end like this. We can find another way, it’ll just take some time--”

“Time that we don’t have,” she snaps. “With my daughter on the line, I’m not willing to risk it.” Zelena looks down at the well again, the spell crackling away under her palms. She closes her eyes and says, “What you said about redemption--” she looks up to meet Regina’s gaze. “Did you mean it?”

“Of course I did,” Regina replies, voice thin and eyes burning. More words of hope are on Regina’s lips, possible solutions whirling through her head faster than she could truly comprehend, but Zelena sees this and interrupts her.

“I need to do this. If the choice is that she lives and I don’t…” The rest remains unspoken. It’s a quiet understanding between mothers, and it’s not in Regina’s nature anymore to give up, to submit, to accept defeat, but this isn’t something that she can fight against. She knows that if Henry were the one in danger, Regina would be doing the exact same thing.

“Just make sure she remembers me?” Zelena says, a tear trailing down her cheek. “When she gets old enough, tell her I’m sorry I wasn’t there. Tell her I love her no matter what.”

Regina can only nod as her own tears start to fall.

“And…. And I want you to tell Robin that I’m sorry. He didn’t deserve….” She swallows heavily. “Just tell him?”

“I will.”

A long, heavy pause precedes Zelena’s final request. “I want her to have a mum.”

That startles Regina.

Zelena just nods. “I want her to have a real, proper mum who will love her and--and make her sweets and give her advice and show her how to use her magic if she has it and--and….” She meets Regina’s eyes again, more urgency in this appeal than any of her others. “Give her what we never had.”

Regina will never remember what her response was. Years later, when she thinks back on this moment, she will remember saying something, remember Zelena’s resolute nod.

They never said I love you, that Regina knows. It wasn’t the right time for it, too soon, their last conversations not doing enough to stitch together all the raw and gaping wounds they’d caused each other in the years of their acquaintance. And while it hadn’t been enough it was still--

It was still something. It was the promise of more. It was a small spark that could painstakingly grow out of the darkness if they just tried.

Later, when Regina makes her peace with that day at the well, after she makes her peace with Emma for being responsible for Zelena’s death, she’ll be able to appreciate that.

But at that moment as Regina watches her sister, the last living member of her family, plunge her hands into the shimmering blue web of the spell, she does not feel peace or relief. It’s effect is nearly instantaneous, the spell running up her arms and over her body like an electric shock before withdrawing back into the opening and down into the depths of the earth.

A shockwave pulses from the well, a clear, magical tremor that Regina hardly notices as she runs to her sister’s side, catching her before she hits the ground.

At that moment, Regina watches that spark fade before her eyes.

At that moment, the profound feeling of loss carving a canyon in her chest is filled with the familiar river of rage.

Emma feels the moment Zelena dies--Rumplestiltsken’s consciousness is plucked out of the thousands of lives within the Dark One and within one breath and the next, his body reanimates in front of her.

She hears Belle’s quiet gasp of shock behind her but ignores her entirely.

His eyes flicker open, confusion written across his face.

Emma smiles down at him.

“I’ve been waiting for this.”

[shiningnorthernlights]

some fairly incoherent thoughts on hadestown (ocr)

well, first of all, let’s get the complaints out of the way! the first thing you’ll notice while reading the tracklist is that they let out a huge ton of new material, which is a pity. I think that, if they had to respect some time restraints, they could’ve decided to cut the songs that already were on the ep or on the concept album (even though it would’ve been a shame not hearing them sung by this amazing cast!) so they could’ve let us listen to more numbers from the stage production. the cuts sometimes don’t make a lot of sense and leave the story uncomplete, making it even more difficult to follow if you didn’t know it beforehand. hopefully the show will open on broadway where they’ll have enough budget to give us the complete score we deserve 💪

the audio quality is gorgeous, crystal clear, and everyone’s voices blend so well together, true, but they’re also so unique that you can recognize each character even during the ensemble parts!

the lyrics are powerful, meaningful, heart-breaking, no word is out of place, while the orchestrations are so wonderful and rich that no 👢 will ever do them justice. you can totally tell that anais mitchell is an incredibly gifted composer and lyricist and one can’t help wondering how she improved this already amazing material for broadway.

here’s some non-serious fangirling:

ROAD TO HELL

- I love orpheus’s small comments now and then

- and how you can hear amber gray in the chorus parts

- I love amber gray, mainstream musical theatre needs more amber gray

- I don’t know if it’s the recording, but I wish the audience were more enthusiastic!

- the person who whistles after hermes introduces himself is very relatable btw

LIVING IT UP ON TOP

- well, it’s like he said, I’m an outdoor girl (livin’ it, livin’ it up!) / married to the king of the underworld (living it up on top!)

- who’s he? When did he say you’re an outdoor girl? 😮

- some quality sibling-bonding time, yas

- “he’s talking about your man!” “you think I give a damn?”

*narrator* she did give many damns, indeed

EPIC II / CHANT I

- wow, transitions!

- from now on, take a shot every time they sing la la la la. RIP.

- I’m pretty sure damon daunno’s high range has mystical powers

- in the coldest time of year, why is it so hot down here? / hotter than a crucible… it ain’t right and it ain’t natural!

- mr. hades calls his wife lover. it’s canon. I want to call this my future bae, too.

- PERSEPHONE, HE WAS LONESOME

- lover, when you feel that fire / think of it as my desire / think of it as my desire for you

- this would be such a good “and now kiss” moment for hades and persephone, if only they weren’t, y'know, arguing

- ooorpheus, all the pretty songs you sing / ain’t gonna sheeelter us / from the wind, the wind, the wiiind

- “did you think I’d be impressed with this neon acropolis?” I swear I couldn’t understand the last word, english not being my first language and all, I always thought she said “crap-less” (??) even though I was aware it’s not a word that exists. and now I know it’s an ancient greece reference. kudos.

HEY, LITTLE SONGBIRD

- give patrick page all the awards 2k18

- he also liked my gifs of him singing this on twitter, bless him

- why are people laughing at the beginning, I want to know what’s happening

WHY WE BUILD THE WALL

- best act one finale ever

- damn, that part after the song and the applause

- am I imagining the undertones of hades inviting eurydice into his office??

- that’s despicable anyway

- “… when the foreman turns his back” chills

- and then persephone!!

- “anybody want a drink?” MARRY ME, GIRL

OUR LADY OF THE UNDERGROUND

- instrumentals!!

- yay, all the due credit to the band, please!

- amber gray’s low notes

- amber gray’s growl

- amber gray’s voice

- amber gray’s take on the character

- amber gray

- never realized patrick page sang bass even in the chorus parts

- brother, what’s my name? I’ll tell you my name… per-se-pho-ne

- the whistles and uuuh’s afterwards are all me

- who harmonizes with her on “right here waiting in my pay-per-view”?

WAY DOWN HADESTOWN II

- hermes’s range

- harmonies!!

- “mr. hades set us free” “mR hADeS sET YoU fREe” I swear it’s like that spongebob meme

- wow the lyrics are so relevant

- thought you’d lay your burdens down / and rest in peace in paradise / but there ain’t no rest for your weary soul

- “but don’t you see? it’s different with me!” “different than who? they thought they were different, too!”

- “and hades laid his hands on you and gave you everlasting life” told you there are undertones!!

- “eurydice was a hungry young girl / but she wasn’t hungry anymore / what she was, instead, was dead” rude

CHANT II

- they cut a bazillion songs in between but this is worth it

- the is it truuue echo!

- hades’s “evil” laugh

- wow, that’s kinda… violent imaginery

- I’m gonna count to three / and then I’ll raise my head singing / one! two! is it true? / is it true what he said?

- “now you know how it tastes / the fruit of mr. hades’s ways / sister, it’s a bitter wine / spread it out while you still have time!” delivery!!

- “take it from a woman of my age…” y'know, if I’m not mistaken the actors are like 20-something years apart in age, but gods don’t grow old, could she be considered a trophy wife or wat [non-sense]

- “love is when he came to me / begging on his bended knees / to please have pity on his heart / and let him lay me in the dirt…” you’re telling me he asked you directly if you wanted to sleep with him?? so… romantic

- young man, you can sing your ditty / I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY!

- am I imagining it here or does it sound like he’s holding back laughter?! lovely

WORD TO THE WISE

- “damned if you don’t, damned if you do” who am I? can I condemn this man to- ah, wrong musical

- let’s be honest, the fates have a sweet spot for hades, screw the rest of olympus or whatever the heck is its equivalent in this universe

- “men are fools, men are frail, give them the rope and they’ll hang themselves” love this

PROMISES

- wow, finally a pure orpheus/eurydice moment, you wouldn’t expect that of a musical ABOUT THEM

- so sweet yet freaking harsher in hindsight™

WAIT FOR ME II

- “you think they’ll make it?” “I don’t know” “hades, you let them go” “I let them try” “then how about you and I? are we gonna try again?” “it’s almost spring, we’ll try again next fall” “wait for me?” “I will” NOW KISS

- what’s the staging like, I’m dying to know

- the harmonies are so beautiful, I’m crying

- wait, wait, wait… WAIT!

DOUBT COMES IN

- where are you? where are you now?

- eurydice’s gasp

- I’m not crying, you are

- what happened to “you’re early?” “I missed you”

- it was a very good parallelism, damn

ROAD TO HELL II

- won't tell anything about this one 'cause I miss I raise my cup like crazy

- and we deserved it sung by amber gray

I REALLY CAN’T WRITE THESE, ANYWAY I LOVE THIS MUSICAL SO MUCH, BYE.

[mikaey43]

#14 Percy Jackson & the Olympians:

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

Rating: 4/5

Pages: 361 (with a brief excerpt from the final book: The Last Olympian)

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books (an imprint of Disney Book Group)

It's a new year and I'm reviewing a book I finished at the end of December 2016. (And let's face it, by the time I crank out this  review it'll be New Year's Day again...) I will preface this review by stating that while I do have reading goals, I don't necessarily have a numerical goal. I don't really like to place numerical goals on reading since, for me, it deters from the reason I read—absorbing the story—(basically: quality over quantity). But I do like to review books and I completed my goal of posting five book reviews. I did read way more than five books in 2016 but I didn’t review them because of reasons (mostly life). This year I upped my goal to six books reviews. It does seem like a tiny goal but because of life, if I do more than six I will be very happy. My other reading goal would be to post a review at least within a week after I've finished reading a book that (in my opinion) is worthy of a review. (UPDATE: I’ve already failed hard in that resolution.) Other goals this year include: finishing posting a month's worth of  pictures on Instagram as part of a monthly challenge. (UPDATE: perhaps every other month, beginning with February!) My last goal for this year is to organize myself better. (UPDATE: although this last resolution is vague, it's the one that has worked out the best so far. Weird.) Anyway, Happy New Year!

During the last week of December I was taken on such a great adventure! I actually don't have any anecdotes about this book. It’s completely brand new in the sense that nothing eventful happened prior to reading it nor do I have any news on a new Percy Jackson film, or reboot. Not even rumors on a television series. (In my opinion, it would make such a great series—if done right.) In a way this fourth book is in keeping with the theme of this post of a new year, new feelings, and new experiences and it is, of course, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan.

(WARNING: Reader discretion is advised. Spoilers up ahead of PJO.)

In this story, we're back in the summer months, and just two seasons after the events of The Titan's Curse. We open as Percy attends his ninth grade orientation at Goode High School. (They grow up so fast.) As always, ancient monsters show up and try to destroy him. But we come to learn that Camp Half-Blood is in danger of being invaded by Kronos's army. The war with the titan king is drawing to a head and the only way to stop the attack on the campus is to journey into the belly of the earth through the mythical labyrinth. And unfortunately, things aren't looking too good for Grover and his search for Lord Pan.

Although there were a few new characters in this book I actually want to talk about a a few that have already been established and introduced to us. As promised, we have Nico di Angelo, Bianca’s younger brother. Unfortunately, he's still angry at Percy after the events of The Titan's Curse. We found out that he and Bianca are Hades' children, who were born before the World War II pact. I can’t see the impact—if there is any—on the overall picture of this story line. Then there's Rachel Dare. She was introduced to us during the pit stop at the Hoover Dam. She rescued Percy from an army of skeletons. The surprise came when we learned that she is a mortal who can see through the “Mist.” We get to know her a little bit more this time since she'll be attending the same high school as Percy. I couldn’t be happier. I like her. This brings me to the character I've wanted to discuss for a while: Sally Jackson. She was the first mortal we know who can see through the “Mist.” Aside from that, she is always there for her son, does her best to both protect him and support his destiny. I'm sure that as his mother Sally is worried about Percy. I'm glad to see that she's growing as a character and living her own life. She sets and reaches her goals. We only see Sally's development in bits and pieces through Percy but she has come a long way.

This book, for me, is a series of cinematic proportions. It has the slow buildup of plot, story and character arcs that span these four books but everything appears on a grander scale (case in point: defeat the titan king … but apparently save Luke whom Kronos has now possessed). The actions is amplified; the stakes—already high to begin—just becomes intense. I'd like to think that I have that good of an imagination; however, I like to know that it's Riordan who has done a wonderful job of having this story streaming through my mind with each word I read. I know that as a “good reader” you are supposed to be able to have this type of visualization in your mind, but it's the job of the author to help you construct the scenery, speak through the dialogue and react through the action.

Another thing about this book is the running theme about heroes and their fans (that “heroes rarely live up to our own expectations”). There were three characters who failed to live up to the expectations of our three main characters: Tyson with the hekatonchires, Briares, Annabeth with Daedalus, and Grover with Lord Pan. This disillusion had our main cast becoming their own heroes and ironically inspires Briares and Daedalus (Lord Pan is another story.) It was a very nice message to the readers revealing that you are more than enough as heroes. While it's nice to look up to others, “heroes” make mistakes, fail, and fall apart. Begin a hero doesn’t just mean triumphs and battle stories but having the courage to try again, having compassion for others, and doing the right thing. That is why heroes never fade.

After reading That Titan's Curse, I honestly thought that there wouldn’t be any other competition against The Sea of Monsters and that the story line would be a straight shot through without much climax or dip. But I was wrong. This adventure resembles the second book in the series insomuch that while there is a specific goal in mind, the route to this mythological place doesn’t have a set location on the surface of the contiguous United States. Therefore this makes the journey grander. There were occasions where they did pop back in different cities across the country but quickly returned to the labyrinth. Time also travels differently above and below the earth. It runs slower in the tunnels and faster on the surface. This helps the story move further away from reality making it more magical, mystical, and mythical without really leaving the present time.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. This series has definitely been a roller coaster. It has many ups and downs, loop-de-loops and steep drops. This pattern through the series (book 1: 3.5 stars, book 2: 4 stars, book 3: 3.5 stars, and now book 4: 4 stars) leads me to believe that while the ending will be satisfying it won't bee anything extraordinarily great, which is fine with me. As long as things have been constructed logically toward the endgame I don’t think it'll let me down. I am very pleased with Riordan's weaving of intricate detail into plot and his great use of characters and their roles (both gods and mortals). He does not forget them. I am very curious to see how he finishes this tale and ultimately Percy's fate. Until next time (hopefully very soon with the final book review).

Happy New Year!

Thanks for reading.

[inexcon]

RSI Comm-Link: DISCOVERED: The Best Mistake

The Best Mistake

Today’s Discovered pulls an excerpt from the Imperial Cartography Center archives to share a story from the fledgling days of the organization (when it was still known as the Government Cartography Agency.) We’ll hear firsthand from expedition leader Seline Novikov on the mysteries uncovered during the initial charting of Hades II.

BEGIN RECORDS:

2534.07.11_02:27 SET

After eighty-five hours of silence, I finally got word from the home office. Turns out there’s a reason the comm drones have been so spotty. Seems the initial jump charts aren’t proving as stable as first thought. Real comforting to hear that after you’ve already gone through, right? Donovan’s attempting to rechart a more secure path, but it’s going to take time. We should be fine with limited communications and we definitely have enough supplies to last till they can get a shipment through — even if there might be a few complaints about having to eat nothing but heat-em-ups for the last week or so. No, our biggest problem is that we won’t get the extra equipment we need to start doing the detailed surface scans of the third and second planet. Not quite the start I was hoping for my first time as lead.

Out of curiosity, I had Jans rig up two of our normal scan-packages with some extra environmental protections to see if we could get any worthwhile information while we waited. However, the package dropped onto world two got clogged within a few minutes and stopped broadcasting, and the world three package didn’t even make it to the surface. Guess we’ll have to leave the reports as “ash” and “craters” respectively for now. It’s going to put the resource analysis way behind schedule, but I’m hoping the brass will understand.

On the brighter side, until the jump gets sorted, we will have a legitimate excuse to focus significant additional resources on the data returns from the split world. Who knows, maybe before any of the other teams arrive we’ll be able to figure out what caused the fourth planet to break in half.

2534.07.13_22.44 SET

Jans just nearly took my hatch off its hinges trying to wake me up. I was going to start yelling about bothering me off-shift, when I saw the datapad that he was excitedly shoving in my face. The world two probe had survived. It’s a weak signal, but it’s there. The best theory that we’ve put together is that the atmospheric ash has traces of kherium in it and as the storm moves, it disrupts the broadcast signal. We didn’t get much this time before the ash bank blocked the signal again, but the weather forecast shows that we might have another break in about four hours.

2534.07.14_07:03 SET

I’m absolutely exhausted, but am still too wired to sleep. The forecast was right and we were able to get another burst of data before the window closed again. When we took a quick glance through the packet, Gibson pointed out that what we had initially taken for land deformations in the orbital scans actually had a pattern to them. Fast forward through three hours of intense arguing and analysis, and Gibs had convinced all of us — they’re not naturally occurring. Which means whatever’s down there is probably manmade. Well, not “man” made. I mean, unless we found where the Artemis crashed, we’re potentially talking about a sapient xeno-species.

Jans wanted to pull together a team to go down and have a look, but no way we’re cleared for that. I pointed out that we’ve been listening since we got here and haven’t heard a single peep from the surface, so if anything is down there, they don’t exactly seem eager to talk. Plus, after what happened with the Xi’an aliens, I’m pretty sure we’d not only lose our jobs, but possibly be jailed for making unauthorized first contact. Both Gibson and Jans gave impassioned speeches about how this was our once-in-a-lifetime chance to make history. Even Lace said that we should go, and Lace won’t even listen to music on shift because it’s against policy.

I held firm. As much as I want to go check out what’s down there, our job is data analysis. Maybe once the surface team arrives and has a chance to do a full sec by sec, we’ll get the green light to check it out ourselves.

2534.07.14_07:37 SET

I’ve been looking at the scans. The pattern creates almost a network. You can start to see hubs and branches that connect and spin off. I wonder if they’re some sort of mine? Perhaps they’re a massive earthworks project that’s used for transportation? Agriculture? To be honest they remind me of how our town was arranged around the initial colony outpost at its hub, but if this is a settlement or a city of some kind then —

I really need to stop sitting here speculating. It’s not getting me anywhere and I’m sure once someone goes down there they can figure it out. Not that it will be easy. You park anything down there for too long without the right shield and you can basically kiss it goodbye. You would probably have to set up —

And there I go again. Okay, I’m gonna grab a can of coffee and see where we are with the drone launch for this afternoon.

2534.07.14_07:41 SET

I just realized that the surface team will need to really hurry when they arrive to try to preserve anything at risk. I mean, imagine finding out that we missed being able to study important alien artifacts because the caustic atmosphere got to it before we could. It’s probably not a huge risk. Who knows? Maybe it’s all been there for centuries. But on the other hand, maybe there’s a clock counting down and we just don’t know it yet. Hopefully, the jump point will open soon.

2534.07.14_08:16 SET

Screw it. We’re going to go take a look. What’s the point of exploring the unknown if you don’t actually go explore the unknown?

2534.17.16_19:12 SET

Definitely not first contact. It was like we had accidentally wandered into some forgotten pit of hell. Ash everywhere. Everything in ruins. Nothing alive.

We had waited for another break in the storm, and set down near the package drop site. Jans had hoped to be able to do some maintenance on the scanner before we left. We knew at most we’d have three or four hours down there. Our suits’ oxygen wasn’t the problem, it was the corrosive ash. Stepping out of the shuttle, we had almost no visibility through the dense atmosphere. Our lights penetrated only a few meters before they were swallowed by the darkness. It didn’t help that our comm range was a tenth of what it should be thanks to residual kherium. We tied a lifeline to make sure no one got lost, and set an excruciatingly slow pace.

Even with those constraints, we came upon signs of life almost immediately, but not any life itself. The surface was terribly scarred, seemingly torn apart by impact, but there was no mistaking the manufactured fragments that were littered throughout the debris. Initial scans of the pieces came up with question marks. We collected samples where we could. I found a smooth piece slightly bigger than my hand that had a peculiar non-repeating pattern etched into it. I stared at it the whole ride back and I couldn’t tell you if it’s some language, an intricate aesthetic design, a natural feature of the strange material or some combination of the three.

It was Lace who found the first intact entrance. The structure lead deep underground, but it had collapsed in on itself almost entirely. Standing there looking around at the size of the archway and the dimensions of the architecture made me feel like an alien for the first time in my life. It was clear that this was a world where Humans didn’t belong.

We were debating if we should proceed farther when Jans sprang a leak in his suit. We had to quickly reseal it and even with the patch in place and holding, we hurried back as fast as we could. It looked like enough things had died on that world without Jans needing to join them.

As I sit here, my head is spinning trying to process everything we saw. One question, though, keeps returning — how soon can we go back?

END OF RECORDS

Seline Novikov, one of the first Humans to ever step foot inside a Hadesian ruin, was removed as expedition leader a week later when the jump point re-charting was finished and the GCA received word of the unauthorized landing party. When asked if the decision to go down to the planet was a mistake, Seline replied, “Oh, yeah. Best one I ever made, too.”

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