AlteredTundra

♆ Divine Bloodlines: Immortal Bonds of Olympus ♆

_{Lili Reinhart | #daa520/Goldenrod}

"The only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are." —Goldie Hahn

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۞ Sunshine Princess ۞

_Name

Vivian Diana Lucasta
۞ Viv
۞ Vi
۞ Vivi
۞ Sunflower

_Age

18 || March 20th, 2004
_{Pisces(Sun)
Leo (Moon)
Taurus(Ascending)}

_Gender

Cisfemale || She/Her

_{Sexual Orientation}

Bisexual
_{۞ Crushing on Jules Emerson}

_Ethnicity

Swedish & Greek

_{Years at Camp Half-Blood}

Going on four years (4th being current) || Collected 3

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"I've got this feelin' in my bones, it goes electric, wavy when I turn it on." — Can't Stop This Feelin' by Justin Timberlake
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_Appearance

Hair: Dirty Blonde w/ lighter highlights| Somewhere between curly and straight | Mid-back in length, it is styled simply in ponytails, buns (even space buns on occasion).
Eyes: Hazel green
Height: 5’6”
Body Type: Slightly hourglass-shaped with modest features
Clothing Style: Boho-chic | Jeans, shorts of both denim and more cotton-based materials, sundresses for summer and spring seasons. Lots of neutral colors and summer colors like light orange, yellow and neutral colors such as beige, white, and black. She has tons of accessories such as bead bracelets, light scarfs with floral patterns for those chilly days, hats ranging from knit caps to berets. Winter season typically has Vivian donning jeans, long-sleeve shirts, heavier scarves, and knit caps. || Vivian Style
Makeup: Minimal applications but with colorful eyeshadow shades to compliment her blonde locks and hazel green eyes, flesh tones for lipstick (Vivian isn’t flashy about makeup).
Scars, Tattoos and/or Piercings: Vivian just has her earlobes pierced. She has one tattoo of a set of stars patterned like glitter on her right inner wrist, colored various shades of yellow and white.

_Personality

Bubbly ☼ Energetic ☼ Overtly Positive ☼ Easy to Please ☼ Friendly ☼ Lovable ☼ Carefree ☼ Overworries ☼ Prone to negative opinions about her ☼ Insecure ☼ Often forgetful ☼ Easily discouraged

Vivian embodies just about everything you or anyone could possibly imagine or want from a Daughter of the Greek God of Sun, Music, and Art. She embodies a liveliness that is infectious. Her smile and her laugh, the way she carries herself and how always - always - Vivian Lucasta can both make herself the life and center of the party (or any group/crowd for that matter) and not appear to be as though she wanted is both something that speaks to her character and how she never actively seeks attention. She also will never talk negatively about anyone or anything. A good girl to her core, Vivian believes there is good in just about anyone she meets. It doesn’t matter if they have been known to do bad things to people she has known to love or if they thought about doing these horrible things. Through it all, VIvian has been brought up to see the good in everyone and she continues to see the good in people now.

While Vivian is certainly the kind of person who will show an overly-positive demeanor with an engaging, lovable, and often abrasive niceness, she isn’t without some easily-influenceable aspects to her overall being. Particularly, Vivian has a lot of insecurities about how she can be perceived and most importantly, this happy-go-lucky valley girl is one of the easiest people to discourage and influence. Because she is so naive and so absolutely ignorant to a lot of things, to get her to see that one person might be good even when they are not is almost comical in how she will never see the truth coming. And even then, Vivian’s still pretty clueless and doesn’t know if so and so was actually a horrible person or not. That part of her brain has been wired to only see the light, never the darkness. It’s both a blessing and a curse.

There also seems to be a bit of an inner-airhead when it comes to the Daughter of Apollo. It’s not that she doesn’t have a brain or any sign of intelligence up in her noggin, but because she is easily influenced by anyone who would dare want to use her in such horrible ways, she is also quite forgetful. She doesn’t forget names or faces or anything like that, but some important information like tests, where she was told to meet people - or hell, even something so short term as for where the gym is can slip her mind. But she does it all in such a cute way that people just laugh it off. But if there’s one person who’ll always give her crap about this particular aspect about her.

_History

Lily’s Story

Vivian’s life can be summed up in three key events: her mother, Lily, meeting her father, Apollo and spending just shy of three months with him, and when she found out she not only had a sister, but that she had a twin sister named Tiffanie.

Lilian Ophelia Lucasta has always been a bright star wherever she went. A woman who could captivate those around her with a bright smile. Her positivity infectious and the love she had for those closest to her undoubable. She also incredibly represented exactly what it meant to be woman raised in the thick of California’s most free-spirited, forward-thinking, progressively-open city it had to offer: San Francisco. Lily came from a nomadic-like family, as her parents and her parents’ parents embraced fully the nomadic life, then known as being hippies. The 60s, for a lot, was a time of change. War was breaking out. Corruption at an all-time high, but those within the Lucasta bloodline had two things in common. They would always embrace the positive side of life and the connection to nature was everything to them.

So much so that Lily never knew the traditional life. Her values were all about peace, love, and harmony under the sun. But she also experienced life and went to high school. She had been homeschooled for the majority of her life and experienced a brand new adventure. She met so many friends and experienced love on superficial and emotionally mature levels. Lily never hid her heart from anyone, yet would always regret it because people saw her as an easy target.

After high school, she never lost her light and embarked on a personal journey to not be too trusting but eventually decided that nothing was ever going to change. People would still see her as who she was but she was raised on the belief that if you are without insecurities within yourself, then you can’t ever be sad. These were words she carried on in those next few years when she met the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on. Lily was never the kind of girl who saw appearances first. She looked within and loved the person they were inside before ever acknowledging their physical looks, but the man she saw at a coffee shop (cliche, she knows) she felt weak in the knees and stumbled on her words. When she met Lester Papadopoulos, it was love at first sight.

For clarification, Lily worked at a cafe that specialized in muffins, home-brewed coffee and the man she felt the heart in her chest beat faster than the max speed of terminal velocity spoke with the hottest accent she ever heard. It wasn’t just one instance where anytime she saw, heard, or thought of him, everything in her mind went blank. It was every day after that. For two weeks straight, he’d come in with the same order: blueberry muffins with chocolate mocha with 2 shots of espresso. And for two weeks, while the presence this man had around him, she felt like she had met the man of her dreams. A shining beacon of a person that would make all those years in high school of getting made fun of all worth it.

On the fifteenth day, Lily did something she hadn’t done since her first high school crush: she asked him out. To her surprise, he said yes.

Little did she know it, this man was no man at all.

For the next three months, the man she came to know as someone not just who could make any bad thought she had just go away with a single touch but as who he really was and that is Apollo, Greek God of Music and the Arts, Lily was at her everest. And on her birthday, they had the most passionate, yet sensual nights that she ever experienced. It was on the summer solstice of 2003, which coincided with her birthday. Three weeks later, she found out she was pregnant. But Apollo was gone.

Somewhere she understood the gravity of who she gave her heart to. He was a god who had chosen a simple barista. She understood and he took care of her, leaving her enough money so she wouldn’t be troubled with the troubles of childbirth. Halfway through the pregnancy, Lily came to know another thing. Her pregnancy wasn’t normal. Apollo came to her with the news that nearly broke her.

Their twin girls would need to be separated, for the Oracle of Delphi foretold a grim fate that their combined power would cause a cataclysmic event that would destroy the very fabric of space and time. A lot of it went over Lily’s head, but when she gave birth to her two girls, her two beautiful girls, one named Vivian for her grandmother and the other, who was named Tiffanie at the request of the couple who were adopting her, the Taccone’s who were just delightful. Lily picked them out herself. A cop and a meteorologist. She met them a few times. Actually quite a few times. She adored them. Mel was sweet and Tyson was strong but had a kind heart. He reminded Lily a lot of her one true love.

When both were born, Lily had all but one request. She wished she could tell Tiffanie about who her parents were and who her father was, but she only had minimal time with the two girls. She whispered things to them and made sure that when Tiffanie was old enough, she had that necklace. Her Tiffanie and Vivian. The twins she couldn’t raise together but they were in her heart. The sun and moon that Apollo would watch over and protect.

Vivian’s Story

As prophesied by the Oracle herself, the twin Daughters of the Sun, one bound by it, the other hindered by the moon, together they were dangerous. Too dangerous to be left unchecked, so during a special Solar Eclipse in the year of 2004, on the 20th day of the third month of the calendar year, those born on the last day of the fish sun sign, fitting for twins, they would be separated. Lily said her goodbyes and made her peace that her other daughter would be raised by a great couple and lived in Beverly Hills.

Vivian knew none of this prior to coming to Camp Half-Blood, of course. She was kept blissfully unaware of not just who her birth father was, but that she had a twin sister out there, living her own life. Vivian grew up as a normal bay area girl who was raised by her mostly single mother. She went to school in San Francisco, had friends, and enjoyed riding the cable cars up and down. She loved to bake and would always visit the coffee shops, bakeries, and cafes to experience the most her hometown had to offer.

Every spring, she and her mother would make the trip out to the redwoods in Transamerica Redwood Park. Every spring, when she was let out for spring break (and even long before then), mother and daughter (and eventually mother’s longtime boyfriend, Michael and the daughter they eventually had together, Tina) would take family vacations out to the park. The 200+-mile journey was made into a week-long venture. Some of Vivian’s happiest moments were spent in the RV Michael owned. Just them and their family dog, a golden retriever Angel.

Vivian knew heaven because of the life she lived and the sacrifices that her mother made to keep her safe. Yet for reasons Vivian couldn’t quite explain, she felt there was always something missing. Like a piece of her was away somewhere. Vivian’s head was always in the clouds. She didn't know it but it was due to her father and how he was a god of the clouds and sun. Every other week, on and off for the seven years leading up to when she found out everything, Vivian kept having these dreams that would paint a very small part of a picture. She was at some camp, surrounded by beautiful trees she didn’t recognize. There were other kids there. There was a boy with dark hair with the same name of her favorite character from Friends, a redheaded girl who swooned anytime an older boy who bore the exact opposite shade of skin that she had and a blonde that she felt the closest to for some reason. And then there was a man…horse with curly hair calling attention to them.

This dream was recurring. Every other Tuesday and with every odd-numbered month on the 20th day of those months, the days would go down. A Wednesday. A Thursday. Vivian never realized how the other pieces started to come together, yet no context. It got to the point that she was sent to see a therapist. Vivian was a skilled artist. Nothing to write home about, but she could draw and she drew all of these pieces of the dreams she could remember. Some details would be different every session and for years, she still couldn’t make any sense of it until the last dream she had…no they felt more like visions. The last one was one she had on her birthday.

It wasn’t like the ones before. This dream pieced every other dream together. The times she was walking in a forest with the other kids. The names “Chandler”, “Fiamma”, and “Tiffanie” all being heard clear. They called out her name, too and she smiled at them, excited and ecstatic. The horse-man from before was trying to calm them down and Vivian could feel herself become warmer and warmer. The sun was empowering her and she was able to give them peace.

And when she woke up that day, Vivian could feel that same warmth consume her. In the past, she could always feel something of a warmth outside of what her blankets gave her. Like something was watching over her, but this time it was different. She wasn't just warm, but when her mom came into room and saw a faint aura of gold wrapped around her and Vivian’s eyes tinted gold, one of two things struck the owner of the same cafe that she met Apollo at: It was time to tell Vivian the truth and that the day she feared most had arrived.

So when Michael and Tina were away, Michael, who knew the truth from the very beginning, Lily sat her daughter down and told her everything. She told her about how she met her father, a man named Lester. She wanted to ease Vivian in. She explained how it was love at first sight and how he knew exactly what to say. They both laughed at the fact they were the same: hopeless romantics who never knew how to properly emote their feelings to the boys…or in Vivian’s case, also girls, she liked. Lily explained they spent a few months off and on together, with him occasionally coming in and out of San FRancisco. She lamented how she thought he was just a busy man, but then she dropped the God-sized bomb on her daughter.

Vivian’s father was Apollo, Greek God of the Sun and a lot of other things.

It was a lot for Vivian. She had little time to process it, though. Just a few short months later and thanks to a rather hectic trip that was made less stressful due to the thought of one day seeing her father. Of one day being able to meet the man that Lily told her so much about and how he loved her. In New York, she spent the final moments at a cafe with her mother and someone she had always known in her life to be one of her best friends, a girl she befriended that was her next door neighbor when she was just five, Joey Hart..but that wasn’t her name. Ionna was her name and she wasn’t a girl at all…well that was only half true. Joey..Ionna was something called a Satyr, half human and half goat. She’d always been pretty, so it warmed Vivian’s non-judgemental heart where she had a moment that Joey’s human half was up top.

There would come a time that Vivian had to leave her mother. They drove the rental that Lily had secured since coming to NYC. They were in Long Island and before VIvian said her goodbyes, her mother gave her a few items. A couple gifts. One was, of course, a case for the necklace she’s had for years but another was a gold bracelet. She told her what it was and Vivian thought she was joking but Vivian would soon find out that wasn’t really the case. “Press on it firmly when you need help” were the words her mother told her after they shared a teary embrace that lasted for a few moments.

And then Vivian left with Joey.

As they walked through the forest and up the hill, Vivian started to piece all of the missing pieces from her dreams together. She saw the hill, the big tree, the house…it was this place: Camp Half-Blood. And there she eventually found the missing piece in her life. She came to find out and bond with her sisters and eventually a brother named Chandler. Not just that, but there was one sister she came to bond with even more, a girl her age. A girl who shared her birthday. A girl named Tiffanie Taccone that, while she looked slightly different, there was also something so very familiar about her.

Later that night, after she got herself settled into her room at the Apollo Cabin, the Horseman that Vivian came to know as Chiron told her that she needed to come with him. She wasn’t alone. She would also be joined by Tiffanie Taccone. They walked side by side, talking to each other, getting to know each other more and there they were met with a rather beautiful woman named Rachel Dare, but others simply call her “The Oracle”. They weren’t alone. In unison, they saw Apollo.

A lot was happening but there were three main takeaways: both Tiffanie and Vivian knew they were sisters, having been in the same cabin, but what was the bombshell was that, in fact, they were twin sisters. They had to be separated due to a prophecy that the Oracle was given mere weeks leading up to their birth that if they were raised together they would bring ruin to those closest to them. Tiffanie would be raised by the Taccone’s of Beverly Hills who couldn’t conceive on their own and Vivian would be raised by Lily in San Francisco.

It was a lot. Vivian couldn’t comprehend it all but she understood the visions she kept having. It was the universe telling her that she had family out there. A twin sister she couldn’t explain to anyone but the moment she first met tiffanie, there was something in the air that just felt right. Maybe the real reason for all of what happened in her life led to this moment. She was complete. Twins of the sun reunited and it truly felt so good.

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"Look at how the stars shine for you, my darling sun. " — Lilian "Lily" Lucasta, Vivian's mother
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_{Cabin & Godly Parent}

Cabin 7 || Apollo, God of God of oracles, healing, archery, music and arts, light, knowledge, herds and flocks, and protection of the young
_{۞ Bedroom
۞ Home theater setup^{(For movie nights and general vibing)}
۞ Acoustic guitar+stand}

Legacy

Helios, Personification of the Sun

Fatal Flaw

Lack of Self-Confidence — Something Vivian has always struggled with, much like her mother when she was her age, was believing in herself. All the bright and holding a positive outlook on everything and everyone can’t help with the fact she’s always lacked the belief in herself.

Weapons

۞ Aphelios — A shortsword named for her legacy, Helios, that was a dual gift from both Helios and her father, Apollo. While dormant, it takes the form of a gold bracelet that Vivian wears at all times. It is crafted from a special celestial brronze alloy that turns gold while in sunlight and turns its natural bronze color when not. It is said to be at its strongest when the sun is at its highest.
۞ Phaethon — Vivian's special armor that was crafted at the forge upon a special request she put in when she not only proved herself as a warrior last year during a quest, but her prize was a blueprint of a special golden armor that was said to be worn by Helios himself. It was originally meant for a masculine body, but Simone Gutierrez made it to fit VIvian's curves. It is a light armor meant for soldiers and archers who want protection but don't want to be hindered by the bulky design. It is made from the special alloy her Aphelios is. It has a matching breastplate, bracers, and shinguards, boots, and a sun-shaped crown (a personal touch Simone threw in free of charge).
۞ Sol Pendant — The companion piece to Tiffanie's moon-shaped necklace, it is a special pendant. It has no offensive capabiltiies, but it does ward off medium level threats away from detecting Vivian when at camp. It was the first gift that Apollo ever gave Vivian through her mother and the same with Tiffanie's moon lecklace.

_{Demigod Abilities}

۞ Light of My Life — Photokinesis - Typically a child of Apollo is only capable of partial photokinesis, as Apollo himself does not have divine reign over it, but thanks to the blessing she has from Helios, the actual god of the sun (technically personification but who needs the details), she can use the full version of it with all of its capabilities (within reason). She is able to soak up the sun’s rays and store them that can both give her a massive boost in stamina, heal mild wounds almost as soon as she gets them, and produce an aura for a limited time that gives her a boost in most physical feats. The stored energy can also be used for offensive capabilities such as firing them as hand blasts, full double-handed blasts for a more concentrated effort, or in the case of a super attack, Vivian can send out an aoe attack where all of the gathered sunlight is unleashed.

Of all of her abilities, this is the one she has the most control over, as has had the most practice with it. The one thing, though is it’s measured by her state of mine. A frantic Vivian will show less control while a calm vivian and a happy-go-lucky vivian will not only show more control and accuracy, but because of how her personality is, the effects are stronger when she has a clear mind.

۞ Listen to Me - Healing Light & Vitakinesis ۞ About this one. By all rights, Vivian should have talents as a healer. As Daughter of Apollo, she is a healer. But the thing that is somewhat different, especially when compared to her sisters and Chandler. In Fiamma’s case, she heals through the sound of her music instrument. Tiffanie can heal animals and Chandler is the better all around healer. Vivian’s form of healing is not tied to wounds or even whether she can heal anyone’s broken arms. Her entire scope of healing is of a mental sense and the way someone acts when they are angry or sad or just want to be left alone. She discovered that she has this unique effect on people when she was really young. Everyone around seemed to be a lot calmer just by being around her. The sound of her voice is simply a conduit for the healing light in her soul. She is able to make those around her calm enough that they will momentarily forget about any negative emotions, thoughts, or otherwise feel nothing but positive vibes. It’s like a form of therapy for others. Vivian can take in all of the bad vibes and emotions and energy out there in a person and siphon it out so that only the good and positive ones remain.

۞ I Can See the Light - Precognition, Foresight ۞ Like her father, Vivian can see into the future, but it is one, very inconsistent and two, never shows her more than a few seconds of a certain event. Her vision comes in the form of literal flashes of light and almost unprompted. She can be walking and she’ll get a blacking-out-like experience as she sees events of an event in the future. It could be from one day or a year at the time of getting them. Or it could be a few seconds. After she gets her visions, the knowledge is troubling and confusing, but Vivian gets plagued with headaches that only seem to go away when she sunbathes

Misc Information

۞ As a lover of food (she adoreadoresadores blueberries and everything to do with them), Vivian can always be seen with others who enjoy cooking too, or generally anyone who likes food.
۞ Whether it's listening to easy listening music or playing it, Vivian is all about music in every sense. Like, come on she's the daughter of Apollo. How could she not?
۞ Long, relaxing, destressing walks is Viv's aesthetic. Bonus points if it's with someone cute!

Vivian has always loved the forest. She would regularly take trips out with her mother in the spring time, but hasn't been able to since coming to camp, so the woods at camp remind her of home.

۞ Sundresses in the summer and late spring (and occasionally in autumn) is Viv's only choice of outfits.
۞ Vivian as a golden retriever named Hope. She is the bestest of girls who loves headpats, treats, long walks through the forest and by the beach (just like her mother), and hearing Vi play her guitar.
۞ Snakes scare the daylights out of her. Maybe it's because of the curse placed on her and her siblings, but she also really doesn't like how slithery they are. Ewwww!
۞ Fluent in Greek and Swedish.
۞ She absolutely loveloveloves romcoms, 90s sitcoms, musicals, and anything Disney!~

---

_{Jamie Campbell Bower | Steel Blue/#4682b4}

"My mother taught me all the fables, told me that in the end, all sinners must pay." —Silhouettes, Smile Empty Soul

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💀 Prince of the Underworld 💀

Name

Damian Morpheus Black
_{💀 Just Damian
💀 Damian’s middle name, Morpheus, was bestowed upon him by his legacy, Nyx, the Primordial Goddess of the Night. A gift that despite any and all darkness he may have in his heart, his peace can take any form or shape.}

Age

19 | November 9th, 2003
_{Scorpio (Sun)
Taurus (Moon)
Aquarius (Ascending)}

Gender

Cismale || He/Him

Relationship Status

Single
_{Recently concluded a Friends with Benefits-ship with Alina Kim
Has confusing feelings for Tiffanie Taccone that he has not yet acted on}

Sexual Orientation

Pansexual

Ethnicity

British/Scottish-Greek

Years at Camp Half-Blood

Going on Five years || Collected five beads, this summer will be his sixth

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"I’ve ventured into the dark to search for a torch that would light the path ahead." — Closed Eyes Still Look Forward by Chiodos
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Appearance

Height 6'0"/182.9cm
Weight 170lbs/77kg
Hair Naturally blonde with dark roots
Eyes Sapphire blue
Body Type Lean || Damian's body is lean with almost zero trace of excess body fat. He has long arms and legs which make most of his overall height. His arms, chest, and legs are toned, evidence of his strict training/workout regime, yet his shoulders remain somewhat skinny.
Attire/Fashion Sense 90s grunge mixed with biker fashion || The baseline of Damian's style can be reduced to four parts: jeans of a dark color like navy or black (though he also has blue jeans, as well), a band t-shirt somewhere in the mix, the leather jacket his uncle gifted him that he always wears, and an assortment of accessories, but specifically a beanie cap during winter months, two very specific rings: one skull, given to him by his father, one of a lunar origin that was gifted to him by Nyx. Among other accessories are wristbands, and necklaces with no real purpose other than to enhance his fit.
Body Mods Aside from a few scars he's obtained due to his many encounters with Zeru and their "sparring sessions" going too far (as usual), Damian doesn't have any major body scarring

He does have several piercings throughout his body. Multiple ear piercings (lobe, upper lope, helix, and low helix), nose piercings (septum and nostrils), and his right eyebrow pierced.

The most significant body modification to Damian's body that anyone will see is the amount of tattoos he has across his body. He has multiple tattoos on his chest, both arms, back, and on his legs, as well.

Torso— On the left side of his chest, Damian has a skull tattoo. On the right side is a black heart dripping blood with a butterfly over it. Lower on the top of his abdomen, he has a black widow spider tattoo with a skull in its hands.
Left Arm — On his upper bicep, he has an anchor tattoo and near it but inward, he has a bird tattoo with a rose attached to it.
Right Arm — On the bicep, he has a ball and chain tattoo.

Personality

Protective → Observant → Loyal → Compassionate Understanding → Patient → Guarded → Internalizes His Emotions → Resentful

Damian internalizes a lot of his emotions. It started when he was younger and couldn’t make sense of the missing piece in his life. It continued when he didn’t know how to process not having his mother in his life and had a building resentment towards his father. He has times where he feels excessively angry while at others he feels at peace. Damian embodies being a son of Hades because everything about him is misunderstood. SEeing and meeting him for the first time, people just look at the black attire, the now tatts he has all over his body and they assume the worst about him. Sure he might be honest and stubborn at times, but much like his father, he wears that individuality on his sleeve. The truth is, Damian Black guards himself as much as he can. He’s learned to build walls between any dangers that might hurt him and the fragile heart he has inside his chest.

Damian is absolutely an honest person who can hold grudges like nobody else can. He says what he means and always tries to do right by not bullshitting anyone, but he also has difficulty emoting what he really feels. Despite having a mother who tried her best and an uncle who helped him out of a dark place, Damian has always struggled when he experiences the highs and lows of intense emotions. His go to is to scream. Throw tantrums, which may speak to the rather intense rivalry he has with Zeru. Insecurities and inability to properly cope has made it to where Damian can’t recognize himself sometimes. Music has helped him through that and over the years, he’s let the only therapy he’s ever known guide him into finding his center.

Music is his peace. Beating Zeru would be another, but his music and isolating while deep into recording is his true therapy.

History

Damian’s life has always been an up and down struggle just to survive to the next day.

It began with his birth when he was born premature. His mother, Amelia, wanted to carry him to term, but the universe had other plans. She wanted to surround him by at least another brother or sister so he didn’t have to grow up as an only child, but because of complications during his birth that would have otherwise killed him, she had to get a C-Section. In the end, he would be her only child.

Damian would grow up thinking that it was just an unfortunate accident of nature but the truth is rarely as simple as that. The truth was mythical forces were at work on his birth. Amelia comes from a line of women who are infertile. Actually, she shouldn’t have been able to have any kids, but the day she met a mysterious man whose very presence made her weak in her knees. Damon Blackwell was his name. Hair was darker than midnight, eyes with the slightest tint of coal surrounded by an ocean of blue, and skin almost like the kiss of the moonlight hitting ivory plates.

Amelia came up in a world that didn’t want the Black bloodline to continue. Her rebellious spirit was what drew this man she knew as Damon to her. A rebel in his own right and someone who also hated the norm that society placed on people. In his power, unbeknownst to a speechless Amelia, they spent an unforgettable week. It was unlike anything that Amelia had experienced. It was always difficult for her to ever lower her guard around someone -- anyone, really, but around Damon it was easy. He knew all of the right things to say, but it was more than that. She felt a connection with him. Her love for music was always part of her soul, but Damon managed to show her music she never thought to listen to. Bands and artists she never heard of.

When the week was done, Damon was gone, leaving her a small case that couldn’t be unlocked. Mysterious as he was, he simply told her “When the time is right, you’ll be able to open it”.

It was odd, but Amelia trusted the man she had only known for a week.

As time went on, Damian was born and grew up with his mother and his mother alone. He was born a healthy baby and though he resembled his mother a great deal, Amelia would always tell him how he reminded her of his father. Anytime he would ask about her father, she would always shut down and just say “He loves you, Damian. No band can go on without the heart and you are his.”

It never made sense, but Damian took some comfort in it.

For the first ten years of his life, Damian grew up without a father. Even without a stepfather. As a young boy, he felt something stir in him that he couldn’t explain. An anger. A sadness of not having something he didn’t know how to emote properly. This led to tantrums and even worse, anger outbursts that turned violent for the kids in the neighborhood he spent his formative years in. Therapy would have been an option for him, but his mother didn’t make nowhere near enough money, so the second best thing in comparison, but the only thing that Damian needed at that age was a good male role model. To him, nobody ever came close to beating his Uncle Alistair, his mother’s brother.

Damian was only angry because he couldn’t explain why he was feeling the wya he was feeling and Al knew what it was all about just from a single conversation. That’s how he became a permanent fixture in Damain’s life. His temper cooled and the violent outbursts he had (never towards his mother but against the kids) seemed to fade away. Al had furthered Damian’s love for music, as he was the lead guitarist for the heavy metal band “Into Elysium”. He was the one who gave Damian his first guitar and taught him his first song, which of course, was Smoke in the Water.

For about three years, Damian was a happy kid. He held his uncle in such a high regard. His mother was able to not have to work multiple jobs because her brother ended up moving in to help with Damian (when he wasn’t touring around the UK). But there was a day when Alistair wasn’t around that things started to change. Damian wasn’t suffering any outbursts like before, but he fell ill. Amelia kept a strong face but she was fearing the worst. She took him to a local clinic that offered free care for children and they told her it was just a bad cold. Amelia knew it wasn’t.

Soon, she’d come to find out just how right she was and she had wished she wasn’t.

Damian’s sickness had gotten worse. The words her lover and Damian’s father, Hades, had echoed in her mind. She knew the time had come. Damian wasn’t just ill. She saw a mist-like darkness coming from his body. Like his sickness wasn’t of this world. So she pulled out the tiny box no bigger than an airpod charging case and unlike past times where any efforts to open it were in vain, this time was different and when she opened it, a series of seven beads the size of marbles shot out, floating in the air, swirling around until a vortex of black and blue appeared and that vortex hovered over Damian and the voice of her past lover filled the room.

“He is dying, Amelia. Damian needs to be brought to the underworld so that he can heal.”

There was always such a deep concern she felt from Hades when it came to both her and their son. She wept for minutes but realized she didn’t have much time to say goodbye, so she would swallow it, tell herself that she would cry later. Instead, she looked at her son. Damian was aware of some of what happened but made sure that her son would hear her when she spoke her final words to him. “I love you, Damian Morpheus. I love you so much. The ten years I’ve had you in my life have been nothing short of heaven on earth. But you must go and be with your father now. Don’t hate him for saving your life and don’t resent him. He gave me ten years with you and now you will have the time to know your father.”

Damian heard more than his mother thought she did. He heard everything. He didn’t know how to explain it. He felt like he was dying. Like the life was being sapped out of him, but there was more to it than that. He felt something else beckon him. He heard a voice mixed in with the echoing, low bass of a voice coming from the mass of black above him and his mother’s voice. A voice that sounded feminine. She said her name is Nyx.

That was the last thing he remembered before being sucked into the vortex. It would be later revealed to him that his sickness wasn’t actually a sickness at all. Damian was told that he’s a Prince of Darkness. Son of Hades, but in his body also resided the smallest piece of the literal night. A true child of the night.

When that very specific fun fact about why he was to remain in the underworld until he was fourteen had time to digest in the young boy, Damian lived in the underworld and lived there, but what might’ve been a noble attempt on Hades’ part, the truth of the matter is hardly the Hallmark story that the King of the Underworld was expecting. When Damian had gained clarity, against his mother’s last wishes, which he tried for months to honor, there came a certain resentment for the man who called himself his father. Absent for ten years and only showing up when he was literally on death’s door? Yeah real father of the year.

This is where Damian felt guilty because he went against his mother’s wishes. Not only did he build resentment for the man that was his father (more like divine sperm donor), Damian rebelled. Made it nearly impossible for Hades to get anywhere with him. Instead, he embraced other facets of the Underworld. He was a true Prince of the Underworld right down to bonding with various creatures that resided in the dark realm - including Cerberus. That wasn’t the only thing that Damian found comfort in. He had spent most of his time not in Hades’ castle but rather in the place where souls went to be tormented and in the Black Night Cathedral, otherwise known as Nyx and Erebus’ home.

He was aware that Nyx was the voice he heard before he left his mother behind. When he ventured as a young kid, on the back of a Harpy that Damian befriended, he was transported into a study where Nyx, Goddess of the Night was waiting for him. She was a daunting goddess. Intimidating, yet there was an aura around him that, at just eleven years old, Damian found comforting. It was then he understood a bit more about himself. She wasn’t someone to be feared but someone who didn’t make him feel as sad for not being with his mom anymore. She felt like a second mom.

For the next couple of years, every so often, Damian would venture to Tartarus to visit. Nyx often scolded him for it but she eventually embraced his presence as something that just was. She was a mysterious woman…Goddess, but someone that Damian held close in his heart right next to his mother. Erebus, for as daunting the personification of Darkness one might expect to be, he was…kind of a lame one. Dad jokes were his go-to and Damian just found him insufferable at times, but Nyx was clearly amused.

Before long, Damian had reached fourteen and even though he didn’t know it, it was summer in the mortal realm and it was time for Damian to leave the underworld. His body was stronger and he was ready to leave. Hades provided safe passage directly from the River Styx, through a portal, and to Long Island, where Camp Half-Blood was located.

He still resented Hades but time spent with Nyx and Erebus softened his opinion of him. Nyx joked by telling Damian to give “little Hades some slack. He’s just doing his best.” It was condescending, but it would also prove to be something that Damian would eventually take to heart. He resented him less but did not view him as his father yet.

As a parting gift, both from Nyx and from Hades, Damian was given three hellhound puppies, two Stygian dual shortswords imbedded with ancient runes that are ivory in color, and a cloak dipped in the blackness of the night, said to be able to grant free passage to Tartarus anytime Damian needed an escape. It also looks great on him, too.

And in seconds, he was outside of Camp Half-Blood where he’d remain as a semi-full time camper. For five years, he’d divide his time between it, Tartarus (and even Hades’ castle), and in England, where his mother and him had a very teary reunion. While Damina still holds a great deal of resentment for a man he still couldn’t fully recognize as his father, still refusing to call him “dad”, his relationship with the “Old Man” is leaning in a positive direction, much to the delight of his mother, Nyx, and Persephone, whom he likes a great deal, as well.

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"Every time you feel it coming back, remember how it felt when you first played your guitar. The peace it brought you." — Alistair Blake, Damian’s mortal uncle
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Cabin & Godly Parent

Cabin XIII || Hades
<sub>Bedroom
Walk-in Guitar Shrine
Recording Studio
TV

Co-Cabin Counselor with his younger sister, Erin.</sub>

Legacy

Nyx, Primordial Goddess of the Night

Fatal Flaw

Holds grudges - Damian has always been unable to let go of any beef with anyone who he felt has wronged him. It could be a playful grudge like the one he has with Zeru and their constant quest to be at the top, as it is in thier nature, but it also goes deeper than that. Damian lingers on things longer than he would prefer or others would. He holds onto bitter feelings until it consumes him. It’s why he hasn’t fully embraced Hades as his father and it’s why whenever he feels wronged by people, he can’t ever let it go and doesn’t until he gets justice for himself.

Weapons

Kynigós Skión ^{AKA Shadowhunter} - These pair of short swords were a gift to Damian from Hades. While he still bares some resentment for his father, the swords come in handy. They were forged in the fires of the underworld and have heavy resistance to all things mythical. Forged in those fires and from a special alloy that combines celestial bronze and stygian steel, but enhanced so much that they are pure white. Even the hilt. The blade is jagged and no longer than the length of Damian's forearm and hand. When dormant/idle, Shadowhunter comes in the form of two very distinct rings. One, which is worn on Damian's left middle finger is a skull ring with a black base. The other, a moon ring, worn his right index finger. Both rings respond to his desire to either fight or protect and pulsate and glow a black mist then white shine and melt into his palms producing the two swords. The two shortswords are stronger at night.
Nychtolátris - Also night as "Night Stalker", it is a black cloak that Nyx gifted Damian when he first left her Castle of Night. The cloak comes with a hood, but when dormant, it can take many forms and responds to whomever is using it. For Damian, it is a small black sphere no bigger than a marble that is the centerpiece of a pendant he wears at all time. When he presses on it, the cloak immediately manifests. As a gift from Nyx, it is assumed to have powers associated with night and it does. When worn, Damian's face and body is covered in a black silk covering that covers his entire body from head to toe with the exception of his eyes. With certain phrases, it may retract the responding body part. It is not an armor, so it does not provide any extra protection. That being said, it does also enhance, if just slightly, the abilities that Damian is already able to use.

Demigod Abilities

_Necromancy: Due to being the son of Hades, which he may hate more than anything in the world, Damien cannot deny his powers, especially that of the dead. Like his siblings before him, Damien has a certain control over the dead such as reviving them, speaking with them, commanding skeletons to fight for him, or in his case, serve as his training dummies. Most of the dead souls and skeletons that Damien chooses to focus on are those who were warriors in their past lives. Since it's more than likely that he couldn't properly train against those who still live, Damien much prefers it this way.

_{Making my Monster Grow!:} Damien has the ability to raise dead souls (to an extent). And though he may be able to raise all sorts of souls of the deceased, his preference has always been those who were warriors in their past lives. And he, of course, can only revive a limited number, but since they do tend to serve a singular purpose, the amount of time they linger about is, of course, limited in a sense.
_{I hear dead people:} Damien has always had a somewhat unorthodox relationship with the dead. Due to this, his ability to hear them almost at any time he desired to, Damien could strike up conversations with the souls of the dead that might be in the process of crossing the Styx River or have been recently deceased. Though possible, talking to the dead across dimensions (i.e. those in the Underworld), does take just a little of added effort on his end. Nevertheless, there is something to be noted of his affiliation for the ghastly and strange.

_{Umbrakinesis:} As a child of Hades, Damien's affinity for darkness is apparent, he can control the darkness in most facets that are available to him. He can use it to travel in the shadows, bend it to cover his skin a protective layer of "shadow skin", as well as use it offensively in the forms of tendrils and bolts of darkness. In addition, his affinity is stronger than say that of his sister, Erin. And this is due to the fact that he has a blessing of Nyx, the original Mistress of the Night. This blessing pertains to the raw potential he has with the ability to manipulate darkness and the shadows that loom within it. He is stronger than what most might be capable of and faster with it, yet he also has his limits. A certain state of mind empowers or weakens him and his natural control over this power. It is not simply whether he's feeling gloomy or not but rather if he has control of the strong emotions he's known to have, so will the control and general safety (for others) of his power, but if his mind is clouded and his vision is impaired in anyway, so will the potency for destruction of his power. Sure he will be able to unleash it more but darkness unleashed without any borders is begging to bring misery to all.

_{Shredding Boundaries, man!:} Damien's ability with the shared shadow travel his siblings have might be different than theirs. Of course, they all share the same principles, which is using their connection to the underworld and their father to travel using the shadows, but in Damien's case, his is more of a strategic usage. Since he himself, at his core, is a warrior. As such, not only does using it not tire him out as it would others who can use this ability, he does not use it to travel great distances but rather a few feet, though using it in rapid succession (more than 5 times in less than thirty seconds) would have the same effect on him as it would those who use it to travel across state lines. This is because he is also actively using other abilities in battle, so there is also that to consider.
_{Shrouded in Darkness:} Manipulation of darkness takes another form for Damien as he can wrap himself in the shadows that cover either parts of his body or its entirety depending on what he desires. It acts as a second layer or slightly harder skin that, to its touch, is like a smooth surface but can withstand multiple blows from steel. But as great as it is, if partially donned, then his other umbrakinesis-related abilities will be weakened equal to how much of his body is covered. If he choses to give all to his defense, then he won't be able to use any of his other umbrakinesis abilities. And donning it completely will gradually drain him over time.
_{Spikes and other Things:} Offensively, Damien can manipulate and generate darkness into tendrils that come from the ground with the intent to impale his desired target. And likewise, he can create bolts of dark energy that look like a blackened version of Zeus' lightning bolt and it may seem like that too, but when it hits, it's just condensed, dark energy that has high concussive force behind it. And depending on how much focus he puts into it, they will either have the power of a soft punch or that of a wrecking ball. Of course, both come with their drawbacks: weaker bolts and tendrils will be able to be used several times over until he is drained while those with the potential for higher damage output would drain him severely.

_{Limited Pyrokinesis:} Being the son of Hades makes his ability to create and manipulate hellfire a given, but Damien is not, as one might put it, a pyromaniac. As such, he is not so skilled in it. He can create fireballs and fire bolts, but as for the more complicated abilities, he does not have an inkling of potential there.

Misc Information

💀 Damian is an avid rocker. There's always some rock, punk, and metal music playing from his room any time he's there. He loves heavy music, but he also likes the stripped down songs from some of his favorites.

💀 To add to it, Damian also makes his own music. He doesn't have the musical genius of the Apollo kids, so everything he's learned was done through old fashioned hard work. He can play electric, acoustic, and rhythm guitar. He has a decent grasp at piano too and has a firm understanding of the engineering end of producing.

💀 Damian frequents punk shows and will venture out to New York whenever he can to attend some underground punk shows, though most of the shows he goes is in Long Island in case he needs to be back before anyone realizes he's gone.
💀 Damian is a nyctophiliac. He loves the night and regularly sleeps during the day if he can to be left to his peace and the darkness that he finds comfort in.
💀 Damian has three hellhounds, spawns of Cerberus. Each are different than the other and that's by design. These hounds took the form of Damian's own soul. One is named Onyx who resembles a Prague Pitbull and is a male. The second resembles a Cane Corso and is named Rebus. The third, the only female hound of the three, is named Aemor, resembles a border collie. Damian has an understanding of what his dogs say and think. Maybe it's due to the fact that, as a kid growing up in the underworld, he became intertwined with the thoughts and feelings of the dead and how he bonded with the creatures of it. But he can understand them. Sometimes this is not always the blessing that one might think it is.

💀 Onyx, named for Damian's second mother and the Personification of the Night, is the most feral of the three and tends to be the most aggressive, yet is the one that can be won over the easiest. Onyx's main thing is perceiving threats to Damian and if his father says they're okay, then he will behave and love them.
💀 Rebus, named for Nyx's husband and Personification of Darkness, Erebus, is the most pretentious of the three. He is friendly and naturally protective of Damian, but his system of whether he is feral like Onyx or a gentleman like he always acts like can be stripped down to typical business dealings. For example, he will accept any friend of Damian's if they give him daily headpats and extra treats. And to this day, it's how Tiffannie ended up in his good graces.
💀 Aeros, who was named for two children of Erebus and Nyx: Aether, the personification of the bright upper sky and Aeros, god of love, is a different story. She does not please easy and she is by far the most unassuming, aggressive of Damian's hounds. Damian always saw her as representing the overprotective mother and mother-like figures he's had in his life. She's a good girl, but save for Alina, whom she respected, Aeros is very...assertive in not trusting anyone alone with Damian. Do not let the cuteness distract you from the fact that she will bite you if you make the wrong step.

💀 Damian can speak damn near perfect Gaelic and may occasionally finish some sentences in it rather than the universal language of English. He's also fluent and can understand perfect Greek.
💀 In addition to being a musician, Damian is an avid reader. He gravitates towards gothic horror and gothic fantasy. He has a guilty pleasure for some supernatural fiction, too. Whether that's Anne Rice, Vampire Diaries, and yes, even A Court of Thorn and Roses (don't tell anyone though)
💀 Even though he can make quick work of traveling to locations through the use of shadow travel, Damian does own his own motorcycle (a black and red 1970 Triumph Bonneville t120r) and, though it is parked bout five miles outside of camp. He just has always preferred to be able to ride it in the night. It's how he goes to the punk shows he attends.
💀 Damian has mostly been an action and thriller man (which extends into supernatural action and thrillers), with his letterboxd listing his top five as the following (and in order): Die Hard, John Wick, Kingsman, Lethal Weapon, and the Fast and Furious.

💀 He will argue with anyone who denies Die Hard 1 its rightful place among the great Christmas movies of any era.
💀 Yes, you can be barely 18 and still be too tired for this shit.
💀 No, it was not wrong for John Wick to kill over 100 Russian mobsters because they offed his dog. As an owner of three, he would do the same.
💀 And yes, no matter the odds stacked against you, nothing can stop the power of family!
💀 Damian also loves The Underworld films. Yeah, who wouldn't love Kate Beckinsdale in skin-tight leather? Woof woof!
💀 Also yes, Damian has watched the film adaptation of Interview with a Vampire. Why do you ask?
💀 Of course he has physical copies of all the Blade Movies + has them signed by Wesley Snipes and Stan Lee.
💀 What do you mean Twilight you were Team Jacob or Team Edward? Damian was Team Bella!
💀 Of course Damian prefers the original Dracula with the late and great Sir Christiopher Lee. Nobody did it better.

💀 Due to the rather recent friendship he's found with Tiffanie Taccone, which still baffles him to this day, he's come to enjoy some Disney classics, RomComs, and the occasional tear-jerking sob stories. A current favorite he has is High School Musical and Clueless.

💀 Side note, even though Damian has been successful in getting Tiffanie to watch Halloween and A Nightmare on Elm Street with him, he had to space out watching all of them with her because after each one, she spent a whole week in the cabin. Guess some people just weren't wired to enjoy horror on a regular basis.

💀 Damian also trains more than whatever Chiron or anyone else would or has advised him to. Mostly due to the intense rivalry he has with fellow Big 3 demi, Zeru Williams. It is, at times, blurring the lines between friend and enemy, but Damian does respect Zeru and his strength. If Zeru doesn't beat him, then they are tied. It eats at his soul so much that the Son of Hades spends hours in the night training. Whether that's working on refining his skills, increasing his body, or just practicing on some of the skeletons he can summon, Damian will always strive to be better in that sense.

---

_{Ryan Potter | Orange Red/#ff4500}

"Even the mightiest warriors experience fears. What makes them true warriors is the courage that they possess to overcome those fears." —Vegeta, Prince of all Sayians

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#1 Knucklehead Ninja

Name

Jackson Drake
_{”Jackson Drake” is a cover name that he gave himself when he fled to the states as a way to make it more difficult for his father to find him. He was born to the name Himura Ryusuke.}

Age

20 | April 1st, 2003
_{Aries (Sun)
Leo (Moon)
Aries(Ascending)}

Gender

Cismale || He/Him

Sexual Orientation

Femalesexual - an intense attraction towards the female sex he’s straight

Relationship Status

Single as a pringle and ready to mingle, girls!

Ethnicity

Japanese-Greek

Years at Camp Half-Blood

Going on Five years
_{Collected 5 Beads and working on his sixth}

________________________________________🦅________________________________________

"It's all about the blood, the sweat, the tears. Attribute to strength built throughout the years." — The Blood, the Sweat, The Tears by Machine Head
________________________________________🦅________________________________________

_Appearance

Height: 5'8"
Weight: 72kg/158lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Body Type: Athletic - minimal body fat, lean muscles, strong core
Body Marks: Due to his upbringing and the intense physical labor he underwent, Jackson has several, permanent scars along his torso, back, and upper arms. Jackson also has the tattoo of a Japanese lily over his heart in honor of his mother, whose name means “small lily”.
Attire: Jackson has always been very fashionable. When he lived in Japan, he wore a lot of tunics and kimonos and, while he has upgraded it to t-shirts and whatnot, Jackson hasn’t strayed too far from his Japanese roots. He fashions himself with elaborate, sometimes flamboyant shirts that are ripe with patterns and other similar designs. SOme floral and some like an early 2000s kid with the flames. He wears a lot of jeans, but typically wears loose-fitting pants for comfort and a familiarity that he grew up with. Additionally, he has a number of hoodies and jackets that go with almost every outfit. Yeah, one might say that Jackson likes to dress himself. He also has a bunch of shoes and spends a great deal of time with the aphrodite kids to get opinions.

Personality

Couragous → charismatic → energetic → loyal → fearless → confident → foolhardy → passionate (to a fault) → reckless → rebellious → temperamental → dense → prone to fits of anger

It's hard to describe Jackson because, at times, it seems like there are two people living simultaneously within him, though never seeming like an alter personality or anything of the sort. More like two sides of the same unique coin. There is the gifted warrior whose valor and guts have carried him far at camp and through life, really. The warrior whose anger and temper knows only a few equals, all of whom are tied back to his legacy and the God of War, Ares. The warrior who proves time and time again that he isn't afraid to rise to the occasion when push comes to shove. Jackson shows very little fear and if he does show fear, he also displays a willingness to conquer said fear. He likes to push himself past his limits so that he might be able to figure out if they truly are his limits.

The other person that lives within him is the idiot that Hermes has for a son and that Tyler has for a brother. He is dim-witted and doesn't always think with his brain (implying he has one, right?). He is foolish, reckless, and above all else, tends to say things without really thinking what they actually mean. Or if he does know, he doesn't have the self-awareness to realize that what is coming out of his mouth is absolute garbage. Tying to how he likes to push his limits, sometimes Jackson doesn't know when to give up. Actually, he doesn't know the meaning of the word. He might have a silver-tongue, but he often uses it to get him and others into trouble, which might just be the reason why he has made frequent visits to the Big House and had private beratings meetings with Mr. D about his actions and how it's almost always him getting others into trouble.

Yeah, not his fault he likes to have fun in the name of fuck the rules.

But all of that aside, Jackson has a gentle soul and one that might be a bit of a romantic. He has an unique way of going about romance and might strike out more than he doesn't, but you can't say that he isn't earnest about what shots he shoots. As idiotic as he might be and as dumb he might appear to most (if not all) people he interacts with, Jackson is probably the most authentic person you'd meet at camp. He says what he means and means what he says. He's also one hell of a loyal friend. If you're going to the big house, you want someone who won't ever rat you out.

History

Jackson has never known a normal life. Not before he arrived at Camp Half-Blood and certainly not after the fact.

But to understand what this means, you first must know who Jackson really is. For one, he was not born to the name of Jackson Drake. That is simply a cover name -- an alias if that’s what you want to call it -- that his father bestowed upon him to hide him. He was born to the ninja clan of Himura, bearing the name Ryusuke.The Himura Clan serves Yamata no Orochi faithfully and unlike most, they receive benefits from the kami himself providing they provide the proper blood sacrifices. His mother is named Sayuri, who when she was just nineteen had a brief one night stand with Hermes, the Greek messenger of the Gods. It was when she was still very young and had a naive mindset, but it was one that was enough to bear them a child.

Their lives didn’t allow for him to be around long. He was gone the next day and Sayuri hid the truth about who the father of her son was from her husband, Kenji Himura. Kenji is a fierce warrior within the Himura Clan and the son of the head of the clan. Sayuri has been set to wed him in marriage, but that frightened her to the point where she fled from their village one night and that’s when she had her fling with Hermes. It all happened in the span of a fortnight and Sayuri returned to Kenji, apologizing for dishonoring him and his family. It was understood that she was allowed this time to think before the clan fully acknowledged her as Kenji’s wife.

As far as Sayuri’s story, that’s where it ended.

Fve years later she died of unknown causes, leaving behind a husband and her only son, Ryusuke.

Jackson didn’t have enough time with her to have her face in his mind always, but he could always hear her voice when he needed it. And her smile. He remembered her smile. Some of the village elders who knew Sayuri made sure he knew that. Those within the clan who weren’t afraid to speak of her whilst Kenji was nearby made sure Jackson heard stories of his mother. At the time, they knew him as Ryusuke. Ryusuke grew up hearing sweet murmurs of his mother’s gentle soul.

But some things weren’t meant to last. When he turned ten, as it was in the Himura Clan, or as most knew, The Order of the Blood Dragon, when heirs of the clan turned ten, they began their training. And Jackson could still remember the horrors he endured as a child in his dreams today: brutal stamina and endurance training that left him laying exhausted in the forest on the outskirts of his village, learning how to fight in brutal, unforgiving ways with the consequences of failing being even worse, and what could only be described as borderline child abuse with all of the beatings he took during training.

For five years, Jackson was forced to learn how to fight the Himura Way, which was unyielding and a very cowardly style of fighting. But in that, he learned the secret Himura fighting style of Chishiryaku-Ryu, or otherwise known as “The Way of the Assaulting Blood Dragon”. It is a deadly, dishonorable, malicious way of fighting that uses underhanded tactics and deceit to take advantage of an opponent or a group of an opponent to kill them in cowardly ways. It is the embodiment of the ninja way and still to this day, Jackson loathes it with every fiber in his being.

And as the torture continued, there came a night where Ryusuke was enlightened to a fact that he never knew but one that someone he had never met before made him aware of. It was not in a dream but hovering over his bed, he saw a man who he had never seen before float over him. He had never met this floating man before, yet somewhere deep inside him he felt an immediate connection to him. He was someone whom he could trust. He couldn’t explain it, but everything he said about how his mother died, Ryusuke knew he could believe him.

When the man told him about how his mother died of a poison that was manufactured by a rival clan, in it he came to know the dark truth about Kenji Himura. Deceitful and cruel, much like the way he trained every other member of the clan, so was the man who led it. The Floating Man urged Ryusuke to run and not confront, saying that he was not yet strong enough to fight off not only his father, but the entire clan of Himura. He hated it because, at that moment, as he lay in his bed, he seethed with rage. He wanted vengeance for the mother who was taken from him, but somewhere in him told him to think smart. Run now to fight another day. And he knew the Floating Man was right.

So when he ran.

But not before securing himself some parting gifts. He stole his father’s prized katana, shiruken, and armor. To him, if he could not have his revenge, he would do what he could by robbing his father of the material things that he grew up knowing Kenji Himura valued above almost everything in his life and especially more than his mother and him.

With the winged shoes, he found himself flying in the dead of night, but not just anywhere. At great speed, Ryusuke was flying over the Pacific Ocean. Though he was going at incredible speeds, he did not feel as though he was flying against the cold, arctic winds. He felt free for the first time.

And for the next five years, Ryusuke Himura no longer existed. For the next five years, he lived as Jackson Drake. No longer would he identify as Ryusuke, son of Kenji Himura. He would be Jackson Drake, Son of Hermes and as almost everyone would come to know, there would be a certain recklessness that this specific son of Hermes possessed. Certainly someone who didn’t know the meaning of restraint and lacks a certain awareness of his actions that could be perceived as impulsive and idiotic at times. Of course, these come mostly from observations made from Mr. D that he’s heard from various third parties.

Of course, Jackson disagrees vehemently with the old fart, but he wouldn’t dare tell that to his face.

One thing is certain, however. The Jackson Drake now is a far cry from who he was when he went by his birth name. He is stronger now, though the jury is still out on him being wiser than he was.

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"Nana korobi ya oki, Ryusuke. Endure trying times. Endure. Persevere. Because, like every night that transitions from dusk into dawn, this too shall pass." — Hachiman, Japanese God of War - Jackson’s Legacy

"Ryusuke, your soul and heart shine bright like the fire that I know you inherited from your father. Fly fast, my little dove but don’t forget to smell the blossoms when they bloom. You never know how long they may last." — Himura Sayuri, Jackson’s mother
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Cabin & Godly Parent

Cabin 11 || Hermes, Messenger of the Gods
_{∞ Bedroom
∞ TV & PS5 just pretend it's there
∞ Hawk Cage for Hayate and Yuri (placed in an isolated corner of his room)}

Legacy

Hachiman, Japanese God of War and Archery

Fatal Flaw

Reckless Abandon - When it comes to a fight or flight response to danger, Jackson’s first instinct is to always fight. Or more specifically, he defends. He is a defender at his core and because of this, regardless if a fight or obstacle is close to impossible to overcome, he will try for it anyways.

Weapons

Akaryuken - AKA the Red Dragon Sword - A ninjato, or ninja blade, that has been in the Himura Clan for generations, it has a uniquely-carved that resembles a dragon for a hilt. To its touch, it’s rough, but it is also weirdly smooth for JAckson to hold. It has a black hand handguard witht eh emblem of a dragon, again to symbolize the Himura CLan’s own crest. The blade itself is vastly different. For one, instead of being made of a mortal steel alloy, it was forged in the forge at camp, blessed with divine fire and celestial bronze and dipped in a binding color dye to give it the same silvery sheen that the original sword had.

It does not have any special abilities only that it is extremely sharp and Jackson wears on his back at all times. It’s partly because he has been trained to always carry a weapon on his back and he fears that one day he might be attacked by his father or men or creatures his father sends after him even though part of him knows this to be unlikely.

Dragon Armor - One of two prized possessions that Kenji Himura no longer has, this leather-based, steel and iron-reinforced armor is the symbol of the elite soldiers in the Himura Clan. It comes bearing what one might expect from a full ensemble armor set: a helm that covers every part of the face but the eyes, torso piece, shoulder piece, bracers, and gloves. It comes with lower parts that also include glaives, as well.

Originally, the armor was black and red. It looked like a soldier from Jigoku, bearing the emblem of the Himura Clan that was also the emblem of the eight-headed dragon-serpent. But when Jackson had it reforged, he made significant adjustments. The colors were swapped from red and black to more a more neutral grayish color. On the back, where the emblem of Orochi was now is the emblem of Hermes.

Dragon Helm - The helm of the armor is a silk base that’s reinforced with a leather covering and a protective metal covering around the eyes that is in the shape of a dragon’s mouth. It covers everything but Jackson’s eyes. Jackson’s personal touch was a scarf that also acts as the armor’s overall dormant form.
Armor - The armor itself is leather and cloth-based. It’s dark gray and form-fitting to Jackson’s lean physique. It covers every part of his body minus his arms. With reinforced metal to ensure maximum protection while not sacrificing mobility, there are two metal guards on the shoulder parts of the armor and two bracers that he wears on his wrists. The gloves are black and have a light metal for protection. On the bottom, in addition to being reinforced by the same metal as the torso portion does, there are six slot on both thighs for the six kunai knives that JAckson utilizes. The shin glaives are made from a similar mindset as the bracers were to ensure protection without any mobility compromises.

Demigod Abilities

Pertaining to Hermes
Enhanced speed
Because of his father, Hermes, Jackson can move at speeds that might be faster than other Demis at camp. This is due to Hermes himself being such a being that can travel between dimensions almost at frightening speeds. Jackson, however, his enhancements take a different, severely less potent form than his father’s. Although he is fast, he cannot teleport like one might think he can. He can dash quickly and move from point A to point B in record time. And he might hold the record for speed runs, but he certainly doesn’t match the blurring speeds that most children of Hermes might be able to.

In addition to having outrageous running speed, Jackson’s reflexes are above the average demigod. When it comes to landing on his feet after jumping from high places like the top of the Big House or of a very tall tree, he has cat-like reflexes that either allow him to land perfectly on his feet or superhero land with minimal recoil. While in battle or training, in addition to the refined fighting reflexes, it’s only gotten better since he’s been at camp. He has crazy accuracy with how he swings his sword and because of him being a legacy of Hachiman, his ability to fight is probably better than his brother Tyler’s (Jackson’s opinion of course).

Teleportation — Additionally, Jackson when he's running at full speed is able to enter a state where his entire body, to those not blessed with divine eyes, can move like a blur. He runs, jumps, hops, and even falls with style at a speed that reaches peak superhuman. Like the Flash, but not in red and gold...even though that does sound pretty sick.
Afterimage Technicque — A technique developed by himself thorugh training, Jackson has developed a fighting technique that allows him to create a false copy of himself, moving so fast that he distorts reality enough that a copy of himself appears only like a delayed reaction of the blurring speed he can travel at. The technique itself is imperfect and only has a 50-50 success rate.

Audiokinesis:
Jackson likes to think of himself as a born leader. Some might agree, especially with how dim-witted he may appear sometimes, but he has a certain way with people. It might be limited to people who think like himself, but he has the ability to persuade people even if he isn’t aware of it. Maybe it’s why he gets into trouble so many times, but with his silver tongue, he can make those who think like him come around to his way of thinking, which always tends to center around getting into trouble and breaking some rules.

Enhanced Theft Abilties
PArtly because of his divine DNA and the other half because he was trained since he could walk to be a literal shinobi, Jackson's ability to be as stealthy as one might expect a son of Hermes is to be expected. He may be a loud and obnoxious young man who appears to lack the grace it would take to successfully steal something, that just goes to show how good Jackson is at faking it (among other things).

Clauditiskinesis — When it comes to the actual stealing, if a lock be it on a door, safe, or something completely different (aka of mythical design), Jackson, probably like his siblings too, is able to tell what a lock is made out of and how to unlock it simply by touching it.
Lock Intuition - An extension is being able to disable curses and any form of booby traps in a lock, safe, or otherwise locked door or anything. If Jackson concentrates long enough, he may even be able to deactivate the curses but even he has found that takes more concentration he's able to muster on his own. It's something he would need the help of his siblings for.

Pertaining to Hachiman
Enhanced Instincts
Much like his legacy, Jackson posseses an innate ability to know when danger is looming its ugly head. Not too dissimilar than Spidey Sense. Jackson has always been a great judge of character. Not just because of the people and company he keeps but his ability to know when someone is giving off bad vibes or not has spoken a lot about his character, but it's always been more than that. Thanks to the gift given to him through the blessing of Hachiman, his reflexes are quicker, his ability to fight is better, and everything about his instincts are notched up to an eleven. There are certainly some drawbacks and in comparison to the natrually gifted children of war, Jackson still pales in comparison, but he's not far behind.

Hebi no Noroi - The Snake's Curse, otherwise known as The Curse of Yamata no Orochi
The Himura Family has long served the legendary eight-headed dragon serpent, Yamata no Orochi. Duitifully and loyally, they served the god. Offering him sacrifices, hosts for his evil will, and worst of all, killing in his name, but when Jackson fled, who was going to be the next host for his will, a few things happened, but the most important being: the curse that was imbedded in every single member of the family, with blood ties going back centuries, was activated in Jackson. The curse is the will manifesting in Jackson. It takes the form of the eight-headed snake tangled up. Every Winter and Summer Solstice, each head is untangled.

The curse occasionally will alter Jackson's personality. He becomes hostile, bitter, angry, and at times, cruel. Murderous urges manifest. The ways of the Himura Clan start to consume him and what would normally be a normal, sweet, albeit obnoxious young man, turns into a raging asshole. In addition, the curse also enhances his abilities but also removes his control over them. When he runs, he can go faster but he can't stop as easily. He'll crash at Mach-like speeds and it will result in injury: either to him or others. Any enhanced instincts blessed to him by Hachiman are masked because of the bloodlust he'll overcome.

But there's another thing about the curse. One that has been in the back of Jackson's mind. One day, he will die. This isn't an if scenario, but a when. The summer and winter solstice's entangle one head at a time and it's been ongoing for three years now. The curse manifested when he was sixteen. At the rate it's going, he only has one year left before he joins his mother in Takamagahara.

Non-Divine Abilities - note: some aspects are enhanced due to Godly parent, but these are just to list certain abilities attained from other means.

With his upbringing, Jackson (or Ryusuke in his past) has been trained as a ninja. He may have fled from his home and from his human father, but Jackson never forgot any of his training. Fusing it with his divine abilities, Jackson has more than abnormal reflexes and every time he fights (unsanctioned or not), it shows in his movements. Precision-based slashes, an accuracy that might even rival children of Apollo (if he were confident enough to state as much), and a general enhancement of most base, physical attributes are all present. His peak condition is only backed up by his divine DNA, though that didn’t play a part in most of what he’s capable of. In short, Jackson is a skilled fighter with the ability to show for it.

Despite all of his accomplishments, Jackson’s fighting abilities that he has worked so hard to refine in his six years at Camp Half-Blood is very much a stealth-based style and sometimes trying to overpower certain sons of Ares when he fights them is hard because he lacks that overwhelming bloodlust and general physique that they possess (looking at you Bran). Sometimes his desire to surpass his limits betray him.

Misc Information

🦅 Jackson is fluent in Japanese and Greek. He can go from one to the other in the snap of a finger and may even speak Greek with a Japanese accent and vice versa.
🦅 Jackson, in his own way, tries to honor where he comes from. He may terrible memories from his upbringing, but he is extremely proud of being Japanese. As a result of this, no shoes allowed in his room. He’s been attempting to extend it for the entire cabin, but he’s had no such luck.
🦅 Another way he honors his origins, albeit a bit more personal, has been planting Cherry Blossom Trees in the gardens. With the help of some to help accelerate the growth of the trees, Jackson has been able to visit the trees on his birthday.

🦅 Not everyone knows, but the real reason he planted them and has been proactive in helping the upkeep of the garden as a whole is because the cherry blossoms hold a special place in his heart due to his mother. She always loved watching them bloom every spring.
🦅 Jackson has also helped plant several lily plants, but specifically Japanese lilies that he goes to see in full bloom throughout the summer and fall.

🦅 Jackson wouldn’t consider himself a panty-chaser because let’s face it: that’s a little creepy. What he might call himself is an ultimate opportunist. He’ll shoot his shot with any girl that doesn’t completely reject him. Maybe it works out and they can have some fun and maybe he’ll get rejected flat out. He respects the hunt as much as he does boundaries.

🦅 If he does get rejected, the reason he may not see it right away isn’t because he tries to force it. It’s merely because Jackson can’t do subtle hints. He needs to be told straight up that he has no chance with someone.

🦅 Jackson is an action-focused hobbyist. Whether this is watching martial arts films such as those from Hong Kong, old samurai movies, or even action anime like Naruto and Dragon Ball Z, he eats that shit up.
🦅 Something nobody might see coming, but Jackson fancies himself a dear friend of the Aphrodite kids. Maybe it’s the overwhelming female presence or maybe it’s because the hottest girls hang around it and he’s just trying to score.

🦅 Okay but seriously, the real reason is deeper than that, but also simpler. He likes to have input on his ootd. He needs to know if what he chooses to wear on a specific day is going to be a hit or miss.

🦅 There are two certainties in Jackson’s day-to-day life. Him spending too much time with his two bird pets, Hayate, a Japanese Sparrowhawk and Yuri, a white dove, and that Jackson, Atlas Rossi, and Soleil Jameson are almost always up to no good like they’re the fucking Weasley Twins. They may even solemnly swear!
🦅 Another big hobby of Jackson’s that he’s somewhat obsessed with parkour and the art of free-running. He’s naturally acrobatic and agile, so he has also trained his body to naturally flip, trot, jump, gallop, wall run and wall jump. He doe sit throughout the entire forest in early mornings. It’s how he gets in his workout.
🦅 Jackson’s music tastes is a bit out there and dated. He can go from hardcore metal to Adele to Creed to some random anime op.

🦅 And yes he plays it very loudly.

🦅 Jackson fancies himself a hobbyist cook. It's not something he's a pro at, but he's at the same level as most Tik Tok "chefs" are. Most of what he knows how to do was learned by watching Foodtubers and a lot of trial and error.

🦅 In addition to cooking, Jackson regularly has afternoon tea at the Hermes cabin. Whether his siblings want to join him is always up to him, but it brings him a weird peace.

What is your Roman Empire..?

There's a few things, but one of my favorites is, in general, Johnny Yong Bosch.

His career and the trajectory he's had with his life story, too, is very facsinating to me.

Everyone knows he got his start on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers as the second black ranger, Adam Park. We also know him as the voice of many anime characters for their various english dubs (Lelouch from Code Geass, Renton Thurston from Eureka 7, and Ichigo Kurosaki from Bleach). A lesser known tidbit is his humble, but sadly not very successful musician career with his band Eyeshine and now more recently, Where Giants Fall. But what a lot of people don't know is he taught himself how to play the guitar, how to sing. He met the longtime drummer of his band, Eyeshine, while at church. They formed the band, got a small demo put-together, ended up getting a full band and released their first album. The band had a good amount of lineup changes, but ended up finding stability with Polo Yazaki as the main lead guitarist.

What not a lot of people know is Johnny actually sniped him from another band while they were touring . It's actually hilarious because Polo is the only other member of Where Giants Fall.

There's a lot more about it, especially some of the real life troubles Johnny had post-power rangers and how, for a while, his entire life was in trash bags. sleeping on couches of friends.

<Snipped quote by Vlad Tepes>

@AlteredTundra Did you know about this..? O-O

@LezBeHonest

Yes I do and I can also go on a tangent about how effed up that entire situation was and how easily it could've been avoided if certain things had happened that didn't.

Post a random fact about yourself.

I believe wholeheartedly with my chest that black olives are superior to green olives.

♆ Divine Bloodlines: Immortal Bonds of Olympus ♆

I was literally typing something and then it goes and shits itself to Tartarus

♆ Divine Bloodlines: Immortal Bonds of Olympus ♆

Fucking discord

♆ Divine Bloodlines: Immortal Bonds of Olympus ♆

Digimon: Fallen Knights

---

"Ouch!" The skater boy groaned when he felt the full force of the lady angel's staff on his and the pink-haired girl's head. Jackson had been struck one too many times in the head than he should have, but the force of that staff...thing hurt a lot more than it should have. Even after a few long, drawn-out moments, it still felt sore. "You know you could have just said 'no fowl language' without the need for violence." Jackson stuck his tongue out at the lady angel like the mature technical adult that he was.

He readjusted his attention on what was going on around the group. The angels had the talking stick and they mentioned how they, meaning Jackson and the others who were brought here against their will, had some potential. "Do you not realize how many times I've heard that one? Adults have been trying to tell me about how I haven't risen to my full potential all my life and it hasn't worked yet. Why would a few angels...sorry, Digimon?" He looked at the scary lady angel first. A familiar shivering feeling was felt down his spine. That was true fear and that lady was scary. "Anyway, sorry if I'm not willing to take your word for it."

Jackson stretched, looking around. He didn't know about the rest of them, but he wasn't buying into this idea that they could have potential in them. Maybe Jackson was too much of a pessimist to believe it or just too stubborn to listen to any kind of adults, regardless if they had wings and a violent streak or not.

Edenridge

_{In Mainverse timeline...}

________________________________________________________________________________



_{Introducing the Bristol Crew (with feature of JP)
Top row (left to right): Henry “Hawk” Vanderbilt, Celadine "Wildflower" Voland, Jericho "JP" Phillips-Shomer, Nathaniel “Nate The Great” Blake
Bottom row (left to right): Marceline "Dove" Kamreaux, Michael "Happy" Waters, Phillip Bristol, Miriam “Ducky” Darling}

________________________________________________________________________________

Like clockwork, every Wednesday, the Bristol crew chose to decompress at Main Street Music on the rooftop once their shift ended, always staring with Miriam entering the front door first. The bell went off and as expected, approaching 6 PM, Mandy had her tote with a bottle or two of wine, and some snacks from My Little Darling Mart. She was the manager, after all. JP looked up from his magazine and smiled at her, “Will it be pizza today or burgers?” Probably pizza. They ordered burgers from The Hole last week.

“Burgers!” Mandy grinned, having already placed everyone’s order before getting here.

“It’s unlocked,” JP yawned, glancing at the back door, before adding, “No one is here yet.” He looked back at the latest issue of Mojo, turning to the next page. It was only a matter of time before his store was lively once more, seeing how it was currently dead and like usual, the crew gave MSM life, time and time again. What he didn’t expect was instead of the youngest of the Bristol crew going upstairs, she came to the register counter where he was leaned up against. Usually by now she was upstairs waiting for everyone. Usually by now she was preparing the bonfire. “... yes?”

Mandy cleared her throat and pushed a strand of hair behind her right ear, “Do I… look different?”

Blinking at the unexpected nerves being showcased by the Darling girl, JP straightened himself and walked around the counter. He scanned her in the most respectful way and smiled, “You got a little trim, your hair is shorter, and you went home to change. Red lips and a black dress, Ducky? Daring.”

“You.. think so? Like, is it eye-catching?”

Jericho couldn’t help but feel for the older woman. She had the longest unrequited crush on Nathan Blake, to the point that JP, out of all people, couldn’t understand why she was still waiting to be noticed by him. Still, this wasn’t the time or place to shatter her dreams and maybe, just maybe, luck would be on her side and her crush wasn’t one sided. He couldn’t say since he didn’t know the guy like that but he did know Mandy and when Mandy chose to love, she loved deeply and with all her heart. Friends especially. She loved them more than herself.

“You’re beautiful, Miriam, and if he doesn’t recognize that, he’s an—”

The bell rang again.

“Hot damn, someone help me with these beers. I bought too much,” Michael Waters carried too many cases, overestimating his strength.

With his entry, Mandy immediately closed her lips, puckering them tight and turned to her friend, pretending she wasn’t just talking about Nate. She totally was just talking and thinking about Nate but that's besides the point. She didn’t need to get caught red handed doing so. After all, Nate would be in soon enough, tailing his roommate.

JP rolled his eyes and shuffled to the door that led to the roof, holding it open. “Watch your step.”

Right on queue, Nathan was behind Happy, who was obviously carrying way too much than his equilibrium could balance and he was losing his footing. Nate the Great to the rescue again because he made sure to provide support for his roomie, pushing the cooler full of ice that Nate was carrying against his firefighter of a roommate. “Seriously, Happy, we could have made this into two trips. There was no need to do it all in one go.” Nate let out a deep sigh, knowing it had never been worth it. Michael would protest and protest until Nate just gave up. That and he did buy way too much beer, but better all the bottles be here than in their apartment. Honestly, the apartment still had too many bottles and anytime Andrew came over, there was always a fight about to break out.

Turning his momentary frown into a smile, Nate pressed forward, gripping the edges of the heavy cooler with his knees, holding it steady as he followed Happy’s lead. Nate had never been much for physical labor. He did what he could, but compared to the likes of Hawk and his cousin, Freddie, he definitely wasn’t the bodybuilder type. But he did cardio and some core exercises when he could. Had to be in shape to keep up with the friends he kept.

Seeing JP and Mandy, he gave both of them a smile. “Soooo where do ya want these?” He would ask for both he and Happy, knowing one of them was one moment from kealing over from the weight in their hands and it wasn’t the fireman with the beer.

“Just take it upstairs, since that’s where you will be chillen. Unless you want to save some for next time, then you know where my uncle’s office is,” JP casually instructed, waiting for one or all three of his guests to go upstairs. He couldn’t help but notice Mandy fiddling with her hands, anxiously and a little disheartened for not getting immediately recognized. Jericho opened his mouth to point out the obvious but before he could do so, Happy spoke up, his manly roar echoing in the music store.

“Looking gooooooood, Ducky. Don’t tell me you’re running off on a date after this. On our Wednesday! You wound me,” Mikey gave the youngest of the group a gentle smile, acknowledging her effort but not going into it too deep, hoping his compliment was more than enough to get Nate to look at her.

“Thank you, Michael…” Mandy whispered to herself, avoiding eye contact with Nate, wondering if she should run upstairs.

“Aw shit,” Happy hefted the beer boxes up, the weight getting heavier by the second. “Off I go, climbing mountains and shit.” He joked, knowing he could use the extra steps today. He ate a heavy lunch that he would surely regret later so putting the extra umpf before guzzling down a ton of beer seemed like a smart move. At least that was what he was telling himself.

The door flew open once more, Celadine’s hand shooting out to catch it before it hit the wall. With a backpack of classic treats like ho-hos and snowballs over her shoulder, she took stock of everyone in the room and her boyfriend’s retreating back before settling back onto Miriam. The younger woman looked gorgeous in her outfit and Cela could tell by the look on the girl’s face that Nate hadn’t even really looked at her yet. How tiresome, and poor JP had to witness it once more. Taking an even more direct approach than Michael did, Cela ran over to Miriam and dropped her bag of processed sweets.

“Ducky you’re lookin’ hot as shit!” Cela hugged her friend tightly, silently supporting the girl’s struggle while also apologizing for how embarrassed she was about to be. Pulling away from her, Cela dropped a hand on her shoulder and called out. “Hey Nate! Doesn’t Ducky look amazing? I mean, damn, if someone already likes her they better scoop her up before someone else comes along that appreciates her to her face,” Her grin turned sharp on her boyfriend’s roommate, daring him to try and slip away without engaging. “Right?”

The freelance photographer found himself blinking shots at Cela for a few moments. The way she and everyone was looking at him had him feeling confused. He didn’t understand their looks. Why it always seemed to be directed at him. And of course he knew Mandy looked beautiful. She always did, but was it being made into such a big deal that he didn’t comment on it this time? He just didn’t understand. He gave himself an internal shrug and nodded with a smile, directing it at Cela, “Of course she does,” then to Mandy.

Before he said anything, whether it was the heat of the moment and carrying the heavy shit in his hands (that he set down on the floor because it was sapping the strength out of his feeble arms), Nate actually took the time to look at Mandy. And just…wow. She was all dolled up. Typically their get-together with the crew was casual. Smart casual if they were feeling fancy. But she was dressed up like she was going on a date or something. As he absentmindedly shook some life back into his arms, he also absentmindedly was staring way too long. “You do look pretty. Are ya going somewhere after staying here for a bit?”

“Nate, no,” Cela whispered, managing to sound both exasperated and despondent at the same time, tightening her grip on Miriam’s shoulders while reaching up to run a hand down her face at the younger man’s response.

“Fucking shit,” Mikey echoed in disappointment.

Miriam had always been good at hiding her feelings in front of Nathan, but everyone knew at that moment, her heart sank and it didn’t matter what she did. She was fighting a losing battle. Instead of showing her defeat, knowing this crush was one-sided for years and holding onto a small slither of hope that he saw her, beyond his best friend, Mandy gave a serene smile, “I actually wanted to see you guys before I head out. I won’t be able to hang tonight. I, um,” she stared at Nate, feeling ashamed about the words she was going to say, before excitedly announcing, “I have a date!” Getting out of Cela’s grip, Mandy looked at her and tried to convey she was fine, when she clearly was not. “When the rest get here, give them my love. I probably should get going,” she glanced at her wrist watch and began retreating from the scene, “Don’t want to be late!” At this point Michael put his beer cases down and found him stretching his arms and contemplating something.

Grabbing his phone he walked to the counter and texted Mandy, away from Nate’s prying eyes.

To: Little Duck
so I’m guessin you don’t have a date.
If you want one tho, last min
my sis prob knows a guy
could do you good

Pocketing his phone, he glanced back up and nodded pleased, “well your date is one lucky fellow. Knock ‘em dead, Ducky.”

“Never fear, the Condiment King and Queen are here!”

At the exact moment the store door had opened, a pair of two gym-birds making their fashionably late arrival, another glamored-up duck passed them on by. Hawk had a bag of condiments in his hand, a momentary smile fading when he realized it was Ducky who walked by him and Dove. The smile faded when he read the room and centered on the trail of gazes and glares that went from Happy to JP to Cela and then to the usual suspect for whenever something went wrong.

“He did it again, didn’t he Dovey?” Hawk sunk his head low dramatically with just as much of a sigh that emoted the usual feeling of disappointment. Nate always tried to be good, but how blind could a man who had a keener eye for landscapes than anyone he knew be?

“Looks like it, baby,” Marceline sighed in reply, hip-checking her boyfriend out of the way to fill the void that Miriam had left in her cousin’s arms. Cela hugged her back tight in greeting before releasing her so they could release twin glares onto Nate. “You. You-” She stepped forward and poked the skinny man in his chest, looking up at him with eyes that made him somehow feel like he was the smaller one. “You are too oblivious. I’m going to snap soon, you know that? I can’t take this any longer. Hawk figured things out faster than you, turtle-boy.”

“Woah, woah, woah,” Mikey interjected, with his arms aching from all that beer he was carrying. He decided to crack one open, stressed at the situation. Might as well start now. “Feeding him the answers won’t do him any good.” He guzzled down some beer before licking his lips, already feeling soothed by the taste of his favorite drink. The bell rang signaling Mandy’s exit. Rather than bring any more attention to the girl who wanted to go invisible, he looked back at his roommate, “Is photography all you care about, Nate? Don’t you want something more, like, iunno. Something, or someone, to make you feel less lonely at night.” He slyly slid his hand around Cela’s waist and pulled her close to him, pressing her against him tenderly, emphasizing his point. The woman grinned and rested her arms on his as it wrapped around her waist.

“Oh, that reminds me,” Jericho interrupted, with the sudden thought of his own news. “Rye and I live together now, and no I don’t mean like how we’ve always been living together at our moms’. I mean… apartment living. Pretty sure it’s at the same place most of you live at? Pleasantview.”

“Oh shit really!” Mikey roared loudly, his body finally decompressing from a long day’s work. “You know what that means? Me and our idiot, Nate the Great, got to host a game night. Invite you and Gavriel. Could be fun.” Was it weird he was okay with hanging out with younger peeps? Nah. They were grown and to be honest, southies just did that. Age was nothing but a number. Hell, they dragged Phil practically everywhere and he was an OLD man. It only gets weird if they started dating them and he, who could only speak for himself, was blissfully happy with a girl that could flip him onto a table when he pisses her off. So hot.

Marceline had turned away from Nate at that news, practically bouncing in excitement. “Whaaaat?! That’s so exciting for you guys, congratulations!” To those who didn’t know her, the fact that a tablet seemed to appear from behind her back would have been confusing, but everyone in the store was aware that at least thirty percent of Marceline’s gym bag was filled with electronics. She shoved her glasses onto her face and her eyes were immediately glued straight to the screen and she had several tabs pulled up to different stores and trade sites. “Game night is great but you guys need a housewarming party! Do you need any appliances? What about curtains or dressers? Hawk and I were getting rid of our couch since Piper’s spending more time sleeping over and we’re getting her something more comfy. Oh! Have you gotten your wifi yet? I can beef up your-”

“Dove, you’re getting flighty,” Celadine called from her place still wrapped in Mikey’s arms. Marceline’s head shot up, lips pursed in concentration and glasses sliding down her nose. She pouted at her cousin while sheepishly sliding the tablet back into the pocket of her bag that rested against her back. “Don’t look at me like that, you can do your older sister mother-henning on your own siblings.”

“I’m just trying to help,” She muttered, sticking her tongue out at Cela when all she got was a teasing grin in response. She turned back to JP and in a few large strides she was in his personal bubble and sweeping him into a tight hug, rocking back and forth excitedly with him in her grasp. She sniffed dramatically. “All the babies are growing up. Bernie’s next, Cela! I swear all of you were like twelve just yesterday! JP, am I getting old?,” She asked it in a whisper, not letting the boy go. “I can’t be getting old, I’m not ready for Phil levels of responsibility!”

“Flighty~,” Cela called out again, laughing at the bird Marceline flipped in her direction.

There was a raincloud gathering over MSM, downpouring over it, causing all the joy and love to sap away from those under it. But nobody could see it. Nobody could feel it take away what was once there. Nobody but Nate. Because it was his raincloud. Or at least, the effects of him remaining quiet for the most part that kept a smile on the surface as it was not to show face to something even greater. More damaging that might ruin the vibe, but maybe Nate did that himself. Happy’s words clung to him like a bad ache that just wouldn’t go away. While everyone had been talking about JP’s announcement that he and Rye moved in together, which he was genuinely happy for and smiled when it was stated, it was Michael’s words that lingered.

Yet again, he opened his mouth and let words fly from it that somehow ruined things. Thinking back of the many times, had it always been when Mandy was trying to do something to get his attention? Maybe. But why did he never see it in a way that everyone seems to see it? Maybe there was something broken in him…well there was. You can thank Brooke Torres for that one. Just that one encounter with her prior to the storm and whatever progress Nathan Blake made of being out of her clutches, it was redone and restarted. Ever since then he had been experiencing more frequent moments where he’d zone out. Moments that would be random. He’s been meaning to get back into sessions with his therapist, but everything’s been moving so fast that he hasn’t been able to schedule an appointment.

“Guys..and birds, I’m sorry.” Nate spoke up finally after several minutes of not saying anything, not since Mandy left. “I fucked up big time, didn’t I?” He forced himself to half-smile but this was nothing to smile about and he sure as hell didn’t feel like it.

The music store was silent in response. Nathan’s friends could read him like a book. Even after all this time, he still let his ex control his happiness. They knew the signs, from his mannerisms to little inflections, that informed them why he failed to appreciate what was right in front of him. The answer was clear as day for them. They just didn’t want to admit they were wrong. Although they hoped the two would get together, it was becoming abundantly clear they were the fools for continuing to see hope when there was none. Maybe they should stop meddling and let the damage be done. At least then they could feel useful and give support where it’s needed. Nathan would forever use his ex as an excuse, to hold him back and hurt the one person who loved him through it all. Ducky didn’t deserve that. She deserved to be happy. She deserved to move on. Ducky deserved love and she would never get it, for as long as she gave her heart, time and time again, to a man that didn’t know how to handle it.

“What do you think?” Michael broke the silence, holding his can of beer in one hand and his woman in the other. The bell rang and his eyes went past his roommate, seeing the one soul that knew how to break the tension and slap sense into everyone. The one soul they all looked up to even if they called him an old man all the time. The one soul that could be real but in the most loving way. The one soul that glued them together and kept things going. The one soul they shared a great love for. The one soul they needed.

Phil Bristol.

“I think trying to play matchmaker only works when both matches are ready to strike,” Phil spoke over the quiet room, eyeing each of his friends and crossing his arms at what he saw, giving them the slightest shake of his head. “We want what’s best for everyone, not just what we think is best,” He looked over to JP, who was still smushed against a clingy Marceline. He made his way over to the two and grinned down at the young man as Marce released him, reaching out to ruffle his hair and drop a hand on his shoulder in congratulations, having heard most of the commotion as he ran through his notifications on his phone just before entering the store. “Congratulations kiddo, bring that car of yours by for a full tune-up, on the house.”

This was a lot to process in a short amount of time. Usually the Bristol crew would be upstairs drinking by now but instead, Nate’s shortcomings led to them being downstairs longer than Jericho had anticipated on any given Wednesday evening. “Thanks, Phil,” JP gave an appreciative smile, not one to argue with Phil’s generosity. His car was long overdue for a tune up anyways, so who was he to deny a gift? Giving Marceline a proper answer from her earlier flighty tangent, JP responded, “Also yeah, that’s fine. To both the game night and housewarming. I’m sure Rye would love that. I’d say to talk to him though, about that stuff. Since he’s better at knowing what we want, need and just unpacking in general.”

“Wait too long, fear will continue to hold you back from playing the game. You’ll never know how a homerun feels if you stay on the bench,” Mikey muttered, releasing Cela from his hold and giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Grabbing his beer cases once more, he shuffled to the door where the stairs were and marched up, leaving his friend group behind. “This beer waits for no one.”

Sometimes even words in passing struck a chord with the right people. Those indirect words, whether meant for him or not, he understood the neon signs disguised as words from the group. Mikey was less subtle than everyone else. Message understood. He had to make this right. Not because they were dropping feelers his way but because it was time he stopped running away. Because that was what he has been doing since he was a teenager: using the crutch of his ex as a way to excuse why he wasn’t able to truly see Mandy for everything that she was to him.

A constant beam of light. The support he always had but, in a lot of ways, took for granted.

“I think I might have to dip out earlier than planned. I made a fool of myself and a fool of…I just have to make it right.” Easier said than done. How could he? What right did he have? “But…I don’t even know how.” He was at a loss. Making the decision to take his friends’ words to heart was one thing. Listening and making them into action was something a mile ahead of him than he ever thought he’d end up at.

“Acknowledgement is always a good start,” Phil answered Nate, crossing his arms and tilting his head towards the door. “You don’t have to be ready just because these guys are nosy, either.”

“Phil!” Marceline called in betrayal while Cela, who had her arms crossed much like Phil, dropped her hands to her sides and rolled her eyes. She knew where this was going.

“Fine, Phil can play wiseman, I’m going after Happy. I already missed my chance to grab his ass as he went upstairs, I’ve gotta make up for it somehow before you guys get up there too.” With that, she turned around and headed up the stairs that her boyfriend had previously ascended.

“I’m serious,” Phil responded to Marceline, frowning at the woman. He knew this situation was frustrating for everyone, but these were the love lives of two of their closest friends. More hurt than love can come out of this if things aren’t done right. “I didn’t even let you and Hawk actually meet at the shop until I knew he wouldn’t hurt you with any of his immaturity. Being aware of and acknowledging feelings is a great first step, but if there’s no more work or thought put into it past that, if you just do what people around you want, you could come to regret it later. Y’all are stuck on this rose-tinted viewpoint, I’m just making sure to maintain the pragmatic approach,” His serious eyes turned to the source of the conversation, staring the lanky man down to make sure he was paying attention when he asked his question. “Nate, do you think you can handle what you might see if you go searching for answers, for her? If you can, or if you feel you need to see it, then go. But if you can’t, you won’t be the only person that ends up hurt tonight.”

Marceline sighed, making her way back over to her own love and wrapping her arms around his middle, resting her head on his chest and whining, “Phil’s being realistic again, Hawky, it’s hardcore ruining our rom-com lifestyle.”

Walking further and further away from MSM, Miriam’s mask began to dissolve. Her eyes saddened as she found it incredibly hard to smile, coming to terms that what she and her best friend had was strictly platonic. Part of her hoped they could be something more. There were times Nathan gave her mixed signals, which ultimately kept her from looking the other way but after her mother pointed out her flaws at the recent family dinner, she knew she needed to do something. She was stagnant, waiting on her family when it came to the business and waiting on Nate to reciprocate her feelings. Being cautious was one thing but she knew deep down she was afraid to take any major risks. She loved the thrill of roller skating and rock climbing and anything really to get her adrenaline going; that was different though. Those were hobbies she could grasp and understand. When it came to affairs of the heart however? She was so incredibly lost. All she could see was him and unfortunately, she was only a placeholder for Brooke. A temporary band aid until he’d go running back to her. Nathan wasn’t the only person out there for her, right? She had to believe someone else would care about her just as much as her best friend did (even if it was strictly platonic). And maybe someone would notice her but the sad truth was she only wanted him to see her. Really see her.

No matter.

It was time for a change.

Looking down at her phone, Ducky deeply stared at the text from her friend, and Nate’s roommate. Michael. A blind date? That would be spontaneous of her. Inhaling and exhaling, she shook the negative thoughts creeping up, of how this could all go terribly wrong and the fear of failing.

Change.

She needed a change.

She needed to change.

Change.

Hesitating, her thumb was inches away from the send button. Swallowing, anxiety spinning in the pit of her stomach, she breathed, “Just fucking do it already.”

She pressed ‘send’.

To: Happy
Ok. Sure…

And she quickly sent another one right after:

To: Happy
I’ll be at the Hole waiting.

Gasping for air, she placed the phone against her chest.

She did it.

She said yes.

Digimon: Fallen Knights

You can refer to this site for size comparisons. It's quite literally one of my favorite obsessions. But also yeah, Darcmon is kinda short in comparison

the alphabet game. lol

Quite the direction we're going with this