W/S: ....ERROR 404

No Writing Supernaturals this week either. I'm just to out of it to be inspired. sadface,,,
I'm taking  vacation from blogging for a while to get my head together.
Smooches!

Ask TheLostSigns #.....ERROR 404

soo yeah no Ask The LostSigns Fridays this week...sadface. I wrote it but I didn't get around to typing it up and posting it.
ehhh....

Free Fiction Tuesdays: Heart Of Stone (Part 3)

Still go writers block on "Seeds of War" so this week I'm bringing you another installment of "Heart Of Stone". For those of you who don't know this is the book I started for 2012 NaNoWriMo and a very special thank you goes out to AnAutumnRose for bringing the event to my attention. Thanks, Love! Anywasy here's some more "Heart of Stone"!

Euryale did not know what response she had expected from the two women, but the screaming match that had then ensued had most definitely not been it. After what seemed like ages, the two women had come to the conclusion that it was not each other they should be mad at and had summoned the whole of the sisterhood together in the great Oracle chamber deep within the temple and revealed the travesty that had occurred. Unrest had moved through the gathered women like a wave coming to the shore and the screaming it seemed was set to resound through the country side much as it had resounded through the chamber in which Euryale had asked her seemingly simple question in the presence of the High Priestess and the Oracle. Before it got out of control, however, the High Priestess called for silence and with her support the Oracle described a solution. All within the sisterhood would take a vow of celibacy forgoing pleasure in order to focus on their higher calling. By the time the decree had settled into all the sisters minds, relief was almost palatable in the air. Sadly, it was not to last for not even a fortnight passed before Apollo appeared within the temple courtyard in a flash of light and a wave of heat. All gathered could see that Apollo was furious. When the High Priestess appeared with the Oracle in tow, to politely inquire as to what help they could provide to him in easing his anger, they were loudly informed that “They” were the cause of his anger. That he had come to the women of the sisterhood as he had for time incalculable and been turned away with none of his usual comforts. He had approached many of the sisters, in many, different guises, and not one had lain with him as was his right. To this the High Priestess informed him that the Sisterhood of the Oracle of Pythia was not in fact required to provide those types of services to any being, be they God or man or anything in between. That the temple, and all who dwelled within, were the sole purview of the Fates themselves and were not to be used as anyone’s personal harem. That they were sorry he was upset, but that they were only thankful that his deception had finally been revealed to them.

Euryale felt her face pinch up at the memory of what had followed even as the mass of lizards that made up her hair, sensing her distress, began to make soothing noises. Sighing softly to herself she crooned back to them softly before once more reliving those moments within her mind’s eye.

At hearing the word revealed, all of the anger that Apollo had been displaying and the courtyard grew eerily silent.

“And how is it that I a god have come to be revealed unto thee, Priestess?” Apollo had quietly asked as his gaze roved the amassed crowd a strange gleam having replaced the anger in his eyes.

No sooner had the High Priestess and the Oracle called Euryale forward and told of the part she had played in thwarting Apollo’s deception, then had Apollo turned his banked fury upon Euryale herself.

Unable to kill her, as the High Priestess had said all who resided in the temple were under the protection of the Fates themselves, and he would have surely done so if he could have. Instead, Apollo had chosen to Curse her. His terrible screeching frightening to those who heard it.

“ YOU! YOU HAVE TAKEN SOMETHING FROM ME WHICH I VALUED ABOVE ALL OTHERS AND IN DOING SO YOU NOT ONLY SHALL YOU BE PUNISHED, BUT YOU SHALL KNOW MY LOSS AS WELL!” He bellowed. Taking a deep breath and throwing out his arms in her direction, Euryale found herself alone facing an angry gods wrath quaking in fear and abandoned on the steps leading in to the temple proper and all within the Sisterhood watch in horror as Apollo decreed her fate.

“ I WHO AM A GOD ABOVE MEN SO SHALL YOU BE PLACED ABOVE WOMEN, CHANGED AT A BASIC LEVEL TO REFLECT THE LIGHT IN WHICH I PERCIEVE YOU IN THIS MOMENT. YOU VILE SNAKE OF A WOMAN. “

The change had started immediately. She had fallen as her legs began to move of their own accord. It had been painful, but not as painful as watching them fuse together into the form they now held. Her scalp had begun to burn, and reaching up to feel what was wrong she had found masses of scaly flesh pushing themselves from her skull. She had screamed then, screamed until Apollo had called her to silence, before continuing to curse her.

“AS I CAN NO LONGER HIDE MY TRUE NATURE FROM THOSE I ONCE SAUGHT OUT SO TOO SHALL YOU BE UNABLE TO HIDE YOUR NEW NATURE FROM THOSE WHOM YOU WOULD SEEK OUT. FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOOK UPON YOUR VISAGE SHALL BE TRANSPARENT BEFORE YOUR GAZE AS WAS I.”

At those words Euryale had turned in confusion to look upon the High Priestess, who had come to crouch beside her on the warm stones, and that look of confusion had turned to one of horror as the High Priestess herself began to turn into glass. It had started with her eyes and quickly spread to every part of her body. Fearing for the gathered sisters she had quickly covered her face as best she could, placing her face into her no longer temple white stola. As her new body shook and heaved with sobs of sorrow, she vaguely realized that Apollo was still cursing her.

“LASTLY, KNOW THAT I WILL NEVER LOOK UPON YOU WITH BENEVOLENCE AGAIN NOR WILL ANY ASPECT OF MY STATION. SIGHT YOU MAY HAVE, BUT THE FATE OF YOURSELF AND ANYONE WHOM YOU SHOULD EVER LOVE WILL BE HIDDEN FROM YOU.” Apollo snarled at her.

“AND SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF, EVER, BENEATH THE SUN. YOU. SHALL. BURN!”

And burn she had as she had struggled to push herself and as much of her new form back into the temple proper and out of direct sunlight, patches of her skin blistering scraping off onto the paving. Apollo’s malicious laughter had followed her into the artificial light cast by torches and fires within the temple, even as he had vanished and the oracle had rushed to her aid, being careful to keep her face turned aside so that she would not fall under the power of Euryale’s new visage, she quickly grabbed a light tapestry and placed it over Euryale’s face.

“We will help you, Sister, as best we can for we have brought this curse upon you.” The Oracle had whispered to her before a few of the larger sisters had carried her into a darkened room in the caverns below the temple. There she had discovered herself anew as the sisters, protected by the ever present darkness, had treated the wounds the sun had left on her flesh. Even as she regained her strength hidden beneath the temple, she could still see Him. Apollo. In his rage he had knowingly, or perhaps unknowingly, cursed her to be placed above women, even as he was a god above men, and the power of her sight had grown to a level often times reserved for the Fates themselves.

In the few months she spent under the temple healing she watched Him. Him, with his pettiness and his temper. She saw the happiness and sorrow he felt as he traveled answering the prayers of those in need that he could, and she hated him for destroying who she had been and then moving on without remorse.

Eventually though in her solitude she thought to put her visions to the task of finding a companion or companions who would not be transformed by her curse. Her visions had shown her Stheno, with her strength, and Medusa, with her tears, and although she hadn’t known their names at the time she had covered herself as best she could and gathered what food could be spared and saying goodbye to the sisters and the oracle had disappeared into the night. She had followed her vision for a few weeks, hiding in caves or even burying herself in the ground as best she could and still be able to breath during the day in order to avoid the painful light of the sun, before she had found Stheno in a cave by the sea.

Glancing again at her sister, striking with the dark scaled bodies of her snakes blending seamlessly with her similarly dark hair, their red faces like roses moving against the dark curtain of it, their blue bellies flashing as they turned this way and that. Always watchful, always on her guard, that was Stheno.

She had in fact attacked Euryale when they had first met in that sea side cave. After Euryale had explained her situation and also her visions, Stheno had grudgingly joined her in her quest for companionship. Eventually they had even begun calling each other sisters, and Euryale had felt that they had develop as strong a bond as any during the travels that had subsequently led them to Medusa.

Turning her head once more a short look showed, Euryale that Medusa was still crying, so with another sigh, she turned her attention back to Stheno.

They had found Medusa and together they had traveled many months to come here to this out of the way place far from the sea, but Medusa still had these episodes. Each time an episode occurred Euryale wondered if Medusa would ever truly be free of her past, and embrace her new life with them, or if she would fall into madness. But she could not see what would be for now she loved Medusa as much as she loved Stheno.

“Do you think it will be asss bad thisss time as it has been the othersss, Ssstheno?”

Leaning slightly towards Stheno, Euryale felt no need to expand upon her question as Stheno would know what she was truly asking, as she had known every time Euryale had asked, every time this had happened after the first time.

It took a moment for the response to come and when it did Euryale could barely hear the words, Stheno’s low gravelly voice barely more than a growl as she answered, moving gently to wrap her arms around Euryale, before speaking into her hair.

“They are only tearsss. It could always be worssse.”

There you have it in all it's unedited goodness. I've done part of the next part, but it's long and complicated and i stopped in the middle. >_< Hopefully I'll have something to post next week. 

Kay buh bye!

Terrorism

~sigh~ Let me be the first to tell you that I do not live in Boston, I don't know anyone in boston well enough to have their phone number or that of their friends/ family who would be able to run over on check on them. What does this mean to me, It means that the bombing that happened there is terrible, BUT that it has nothing to do with me. 

i don't know these people and while there are things i'd appreciate knowing like "Who did it?", "How many people died?", and "was there a reason?" that information takes like five minutes of watching the news if it's information that's available to the public. 

what it does Not take is hours of watching the same "devastatingly emotional" clips playing over and over again. That's fear mongering and emotional porn, and i personally find it disgusting. 

Please don't share that with me. Thank you.

W/S: Pinnochio

This week I's like to talk about Transmogrification, which is a really cool way of saying shapeshifting. The thing about transmogrification is that it most often refers to the act of changing something else's shape and not your own shape.

Now it's one thing to turn a prince into a frog, or a princess into a swan, but it's something else entirely to change a puppet into a boy.

I find the idea of changing something animate into something inanimate or vice versa to be rather facinating and disturbing.

Using the above example:

While the blue fairy is not directly held responsible for Pinocchio's creation she does later take responsibility for his becoming a "real boy".  My question would be, "WTF? Are you some kinda sadist?"
Some of you may be surprised by that response, but I'd ask that you take a closer look at the practicalities of what happened. Pinocchio was an animated block of wood. He'd never grow old, he'd never need to eat, breath, use the bathroom, or feel pain. In fact prior to his "change" he would never have experienced any of those things, nor have any way to reference what they even meant in a any real way (except possibly while he was donkey, one of the worst experiences of his existence up till that point).

I see stories of people who are deaf who get cocular implants. People who've never experienced sound in a way hearing people do who are shown on television "hearing" their families voices for the first time. IT sounds like it'd be an amazing experience, and i'm sure it is, but what people don't seem to get is that just because you can sudden;y hear doesn't mean you now how to listen. Those thing being said to the newly hearing deaf person don't make sense, their just sounds, like hearing a dog barking perhaps, or birds calls. You have to learn how to equate sound with language to find meaning in what you hear. How are they to know that something they hear isn't something else. Like snoring isn't a car alarm? There isn't a way until after they've experienced them both, and i'm sure it's a very difficult process.
While i won't equate Pinocchio's story with that of the deaf community I will ask if as a human being reading this, Would you advocate aging or the feeling of pain on a person who didn't experience them?
There are people out ther who don't feel pain and life is very difficult for them, perhaps would even be easier on them if they did, but it's not something to be done lightly and i'm sure even they would recognize the difficulties they'd experience waking up one day and suddenly having to deal with it.

Wondering on the Human Process have been going for years and of pain and mortality two things have been proven to be possible.
Pondering you mortality can drive you insane, and Pain can drive you insane. Literaly. I'm not joking pain can break peoples minds, as can fear of eventual death.

I wouldn't wish these things on a puppet, let alone a puppet who becomes a child. Shame on that fairy, and shame on Gipetto in the first place for not raising a better puppet.
 

Ask TheLostSigns #8

This week's "Ask TheLostSigns" is brought to you by famous video game character with problems!!! Gotta catch em all? We can help! Girlfriend get kidnapped a LOT? We've got a support group!

Dear TheLostSigns,
I'm scarred. I haven't even hit puberty yet, and i've been thrust into participating in these legalized animal fights. I just don't know how to deal with it you know. Some days it seems like i can't take to steps without being attacked by someone or something, and it's like the animals are smart you know? Like they've got feeling and lives and could have families, but instead they're angry or brainwashed or feral or something and people JUST don't seem to care. Like it's normal, you know? I don't understand why things are the way they are, and i want this to change but i don't know how to make it happen. Can you help me?
Sincerely,
Always So Horrified

Dear ASH,
Thank you for writing in and sharing your story with us here at TheLostSigns. I'd like to start by saying i sympathize with the hardships your facing. You are not alone lots of people a born into or arrive upon trying situations. Please remember that your not alone.
It sounds to me like a lot of the cruelty to the beings that your so affected by is the result of the way things work in the place that you live. The easiest option i could suggest is moving somewhere where things arn't the way they are where you live. I'm sure there are others out there who feel the way you do and communtities that would welcome like minded individuals such as yourself.
BUT...that won't fix the overlying problem, which is that these things are legal and the social norm where you are now. Running away won't change that. IF you want to change the system you've got to work within it. Write your congressmen, talk to your city counsel leaders, use the internet to connect with other like minded individuals, and maybe even hold protests or rallies. Educate the masses on your ideals and try to understand their perspective as well as share your own. Open a dialog of mutual respect and hope for the best.
Good Luck!

Yo TheLostSigns,
Me and My brother, we've  got this problem. You see this girl we both know (She's my girlfriend now but he used to like her before he got one of his own.) gets kidnapped a lot, and we always have to go save her. It's gotten to the point where she's getting kidnapped allll the time. I'm afraid that soem of the things we 've been doing to save her are having negative affects on us. I'm not saying we're doing a lot of drugs or anything, but....okay yeah we're doing a lot of drugs and i think it's fucking up our bodies. I've been seeing ghosts and bullets flying at me out of nowhere, and i think the sun is trying to kill me. 
And don't even get me started on the outfits. Why am I so convinced dressing like a frog helps when i'm swimming? They're just clothes right?
Anyways...What do you think we should do?
Yours Truly,
Basically Running Outta Sense

Hey there BROS,
I...think you should leave your girlfriend. From what you say she's gotten you involved in some deep shit. If she's getting kidanpped all the time why are you the ones who have to rescue her, especially given the dangers inherent if it require drug use and costumes?
Where is this girls parents? Why haven't they called the police or other government agency? There are people who should be handling this, and i'm sorry but i don't see why that has to be you.
I'd also like to let you know that you aren't alone. There are lots of guys out there who have girlfriends this "happens" to and I recommend starting a support group and reaching out to each other. These so called rescue missions sound like they keep you isolated and in a drug induced haze away from friends and family who might try to help you or point out the dangers, or persuade you from persuing this path.
You're as much of a person as she is and no matter what anyone else says TheLostSigns truly believes you can't help anyone if you can't help yourself.
Good Luck


Thank you for stopping by for this week's installment. Only two more weeks to go and then "Ask TheLostSigns" will be going on an indefinite hiatus. Don't worry I've already got something planned to take it's place. Laterz!

Free Fiction Tuesdays: Heart Of Stone (Part 2)

I didn't get around to writing this weeks installment of "Seeds of War" so I'm gonna post a continuation of my "Heart Of Stone" prologue. It's rather short If you'd like to read the part that precedes this one, click the tags for free fiction or heart of stone. Thanks, and i hope you enjoy it.

“Sssissster?” said Euryale,  extending her hand  towards Medusa only to pause and then draw it back to follow its twin as she wrapped her arms around herself. Holding herself gently she rocked herself to and fro in frustration. These sisters of hers, so different from herself, left him nothing but confused.

“ Well, we have not always been sisters…”

Memories followed that train of thought, Euryale, again recalling the trials of her own life. Being born to a small tribe of nomads traveling far to the East, the childhood spent helping her tribesmen and learning to become a woman. Perhaps even one day, as she had been told often enough, head wife of the tribe leader. 

“A woman that I’ll never be, now.”

Now that thought touched a place deep within Euryale’s soul, a place that hated a world that had made her suffer so. That ached with the grief for a life that she could never have and could never go back to. Still, looking down upon what she had become, she hated herself more. This body was not so different from the one she had been born into. In some ways it was even the same as the one she had always known, but where she had once had legs, with which to dance and celebrate with her people, she now could not dance as she once had and had no legs… and most importantly no people.

“Well, that’s not entirely true.” She thought, “I have Stheno and Medusa. Sisters in our struggles, if not in blood. Why should I care that my legs are now bound into a column of molted brown, pink, and chalk white colored flesh and covered in translucent scales? That my hair, so similar to that of my once loving mother now shares its place upon my head with snake like lizards? That I can no longer go out into the sun because it sears my flesh with His wrath? At least I am alive and not alone, and it is not my fault, it is His.”

For though she had been the one to reveal that she had been born with what her people called The Sight, and that the revelation had led to her being sent to the oracles at Pythia to perhaps one day join they’re sacred sister hood. It had not been her fault that Apollo, god of the sun, had been consorting with the all of the priestesses in residence at the sacred temple under different guises. Finding it strange that none of the sisterhood had mentioned it to her that their patron god often came to call upon them in one form or another, she had naively approached the High Priestess and Oracle of the temple and asked simply if she would also be required to provide services of a carnal nature for the god when it appeared to her that so many of the other sisters, including the High Priestess and the Oracle where already providing them.

She made a soft chuffing sound before she could stop herself earning her a sharp look from Stheno, which she avoided by meticulously smoothing down her dark brown stola, and patting her soft brown hair, before once more wrapping her arms around herself.

 

“That did not work out the way I thought it would.” She thought to herself.

~*~

This is only about a third of Euryale's part, but i thought i'd end it here this week so you're not overwhelmed. This story was my first attempt at writing in one sitting scenes. Let me know what you think! ^_^