Reaper's Genetic Legacy Experiment [Complete]

[Magpie2012]

Liarissa? Yup, that sounds like something I'd come up with lol I've already been there AND commented lol you know I just can't keep away from y'all's stories! I'm addicted! Only RL could keep me away... Oh, and death, but death is part of RL, so I guess its implied there too lol *shrugs* its 09:20 in the morning here and I have an "I overslept and now I'm suffering" headache lol so I might babble a teensy bit more than usual lol

And don't feel bad about only "coming into your own" around the 3rd or 4th Gen! Even Blams will admit that the same happened in Light the Way to Heaven. And besides, it's not as if we love those generations any less than the ones that came after!

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[mpart]

Awww! Thanks @Magpie2012 and @LivvieLove! I'm really glad Carina's name changed and I love The Reapers 2.0. 

[LivvieLove]

Liarissa? Yup, that sounds like something I'd come up with lol I've already been there AND commented lol you know I just can't keep away from y'all's stories! I'm addicted! Only RL could keep me away... Oh, and death, but death is part of RL, so I guess its implied there too lol *shrugs* its 09:20 in the morning here and I have an "I overslept and now I'm suffering" headache lol so I might babble a teensy bit more than usual lol

And don't feel bad about only "coming into your own" around the 3rd or 4th Gen! Even Blams will admit that the same happened in Light the Way to Heaven. And besides, it's not as if we love those generations any less than the ones that came after!

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You're far too good at 'ship names, Magpie.
As far as RL is concerned, always take care of that first, but I'd like to believe that - even in death - you can at least read some good stories. Perhaps Maleficent will allow it.
Also, thanks for the love on my earlier generations. It's mostly my fourth and fifth generation that didn't get any justice done to them that really hope to correct in my rewrite. Fingers crossed!

Awww! Thanks @Magpie2012 and @LivvieLove! I'm really glad Carina's name changed and I love The Reapers 2.0. 

I'm so happy everything worked out with Carina. I'm excited to see where your story is headed! =D It's going to be grand.

[PeregrineTook]

Wow.  Just wow.  I can't imagine going back and replaying/rewriting multiple generations of characters.  Kudos for your commitment!

[Blamsart]

@LivvieLove @Magpie2012

I leave for a day or two and you guys have a whole conversation without me! Lol

Ahhh knowing you're reading my story makes me all happy. You're on my fancy "Professional - Awesome Looking - Authors" board/list. I haven't read your story, but you seem like a Top notch sim author haha (Magpie's praise definitely helps. I know she has good taste )

Blogger's fine for me, I figured out a trick! Might help you out Magpie: You just need to add the URL site (blogger and other blogs work) onto the thing that looks like a search bar in your 'Manage Followed Sites'. Then you can choose to get emails whenever they update.

mpart's is added to my list! Which is 31 stories long right now -_-' RL takes up too much of my free time

Yup, Magpie's right. Took me 3/4 generations to finally get the type of story telling I wanted. Doesn't change the fact that 1-2-3 are essential building blocks.

I'm impressed that you're going to manage to rewrite those generations! Mine could definitely use a rewrite/rescreenshot/reeverything, but I enjoy having proof of my progress. ---and I'm a little too lazy to find my old saves since I didn't save all the children -_-

[LivvieLove]

Wow.  Just wow.  I can't imagine going back and replaying/rewriting multiple generations of characters.  Kudos for your commitment!

You can say it, I'm insane.
I did create Majnun, after all.
Nah, I know it seems pretty intense, but for me, this is like a brand new story I'm starting. A lot of the plot will be different, so it keeps it fresh for me. Thank you for the support though! It means a lot to me! =D

@LivvieLove @Magpie2012

I leave for a day or two and you guys have a whole conversation without me! Lol

Ahhh knowing you're reading my story makes me all happy. You're on my fancy "Professional - Awesome Looking - Authors" board/list. I haven't read your story, but you seem like a Top notch sim author haha (Magpie's praise definitely helps. I know she has good taste )

Blogger's fine for me, I figured out a trick! Might help you out Magpie: You just need to add the URL site (blogger and other blogs work) onto the thing that looks like a search bar in your 'Manage Followed Sites'. Then you can choose to get emails whenever they update.

mpart's is added to my list! Which is 31 stories long right now -_-' RL takes up too much of my free time

Yup, Magpie's right. Took me 3/4 generations to finally get the type of story telling I wanted. Doesn't change the fact that 1-2-3 are essential building blocks.

I'm impressed that you're going to manage to rewrite those generations! Mine could definitely use a rewrite/rescreenshot/reeverything, but I enjoy having proof of my progress. ---and I'm a little too lazy to find my old saves since I didn't save all the children -_-

Dear @Magpie2012 is great for good story recommendations, it seems.
Aww, I'm flattered! I really and truly am! I never expected people to like my writing this much, I just had a blast figuring this family out and now I'm going crazy over the cool story, history, and world that I've got to see built up around it.
I'm glad that you have a fix for those on Wordpress. For some reason Wordpress went over my head and Blogger didn't. Who knows why?
As for @mpart, she's my collaboration partner, so our stories go hand-in-hand, if that helps at all. Having a list that long though, I completely feel you. If I had time to read all of the stories I want to I would never be able to write.
Or function. XD
Rewriting the early generations isn't actually that difficult for me. It's fun because I feel that I really messed up some things I would've preferred to have done... differently (especially during my generations 4 and 5, those just feel shameful to me, but I can't really detail a rebellion or a war properly on this forum, unfortunately and those towns were lagging out like crazy on me anyways so I just moved along). I hope I can do my story the justice I feel it deserves. It's been my baby for nearly three years now and now that I've got this crazy world with gods and magic and history it's going to be hard to ever see the end of it.
If you could see my computer though... heh. The best gift I ever got was my fiance gave me an external hard-drive and in that hard-drive I've got EVERYTHING. I keep several thousand spare saves, backups of all of my Sims from my Sim Bins, all of my textures and... it's basically my Holy Grail.
If that thing dies, I, too, shall die with it. XD

[Blamsart]

*shivers at the thought of losing all my saves*
Speaking of I should back them up O_O

Yeah limits don't help...I've always had dragons appear in my stories at some point, but sims 3 doesn't have big awesome dragons - well that I know of. (only the cute dragons from dragon valley) (if I had more confidence in my photoshopping skills I would've photoshopped dragons into my screenshots already) (maybe my next legacy )
Ahh you're making me excited to read it lolz
Also worked up to write my own story??? Which is good cause I'm behind on my personal schedule, haven't even started the next chapter DX Sims has just been crashing a lot on me because I've been demanding weird things from it >_>

[Magpie2012]

@LivvieLove I'm not sure whether I'm good at recommending stories, or whether y'all are just so blasted brilliant lol nah, I'm sure, it's because y'all are brilliant! That makes it easy for me lol

I swear by all that is holy, if y'all lose your backups... I'll... I'll... Cry for a week T_T

Yeah, my list of "to read" is getting longer by the day.

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[LivvieLove]

@LivvieLove I'm not sure whether I'm good at recommending stories, or whether y'all are just so blasted brilliant lol nah, I'm sure, it's because y'all are brilliant! That makes it easy for me lol

I swear by all that is holy, if y'all lose your backups... I'll... I'll... Cry for a week T_T

Yeah, my list of "to read" is getting longer by the day.

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@Magpie2012 You're too sweet, I swear.
There's no such thing as losing my backups here, dear. I swear to you I've got 6 different places I keep them. XD No way, no how.
(knocks on wood).

[LivvieLove]

Story Related News - With Pictures!
I'm still here! I swear it! I've been out of my classes but I've taken all my extra time and I've dumped it into my stories.
Yeah, I know it doesn't seem like it, but I actually have 3 chapters written out for my rewrite and going on 4 new chapters for this story! I also had a lot of building to do.
The Reaper Mansion has been rebuilt and it's awesome. I rebuilt the Madhouse (though you won't be seeing it in this version of the story most likely... maybe, but we'll see).
Finally, I've been overhauling all of my mods and CC. I've stumbled on an awesome CC hair site and now I've slowly been making-over all of my characters - including Majnun. I completely made him over (though, if we're honest he'll always be Majnun regardless), however, that made-over version of him won't be in this story.
While I'm ok with changing out and making over characters in this version of the story, I just changed so much about Majnun that he almost doesn't feel like the same Majnun that's in this story (the goofy, crazy god we all love). While he's Majnun and he always will be, the made-over version of him is much scarier and some of his features have been tweaked slightly. I love the new version of him and that'll be the version I use in the rewrite, but not here. =D

TL;DR Summary (too long, didn't read): Majnun has gotten a makeover. His made-over self won't be in this version of the story.

Why tell you about his makeover if it doesn't affect you? Well, it kind of does.
When I originally made Sheogorath, Deliro and Kefka I had mostly just grabbed from from unique Sims that I had saved in the Simbin and tweaked so they were similar. Mania is actually a carbon copy of Esmerelda that I tweaked because I honestly didn't think we would be seeing much of them again. I didn't expect this storyline to blow up in the way it did. Now, I wouldn't change what happened for the world, but here's the thing - with me rewriting everything I've decided that I would actually do this the right way.
So, I took Alessandra, Kai, Charlotte and Anne into CAS with my tweaked Majnun and created the four brothers (which is different because the original Alec was a townie, and so it's nice seeing what he would actually look like as the son of Majnun and Anne).
On top of this, I've also given them all "human" forms - ones with normal skin colors and eyes so they "blend in" to society more when they're not at the Madhouse.
After making them I decided I would remake Mania and let her have her own unique appearance (because even though I tweaked her, she was still very similar to Esmerelda). So Saoirse/Mania got remade and now I've got this new group of Keepers.

Mania is going to go ahead and be replaced in this version of the story with the new version of herself.
Anyways, so that's my announcement. I've got lots of chapters I need to get pictures for before I resume posting chapters to this story as we wrap up Anne and Majnun's generation and I've got new character models incoming for Mania especially.
The other boys? Well that's up to you. I don't think I'll replace Alec just because he's been such a crucial part and - like Majnun - he looks very different. If the general concensus is to leave them alone in this version, then I will. If you like the new versions better, then I'll replace them. That simple. =)
So, here's some fun pictures I took with them because, why not? XD I was messing with some poses and getting creative. It was a lot of fun!

We'll start with our for-sure switcharoo: Mania (Saoirse) Keeper.






Now from oldest to youngest, the Keeper boys.
Our darling Sheogorath Keeper (he actually didn't change much, but I did change his eye color to white to signify his relation to Agonin, the God of Order):






Deliro Keeper, son of Kai Keeper, the Pure-Blooded Water Nymph.






Kefka Keeper, son of Charlotte Keeper, the Daughter of Malice (title - female equivalent of Vampire Lord, not actually related to Malice XD)






Finally, the one I'm sure you're all curious to see, Aleccas Keeper, son of Majnun and Anne Keeper. Husband of Mary Reaper and father of Eveline Keeper (Reaper):





Yes, he really is that cute. XD

So there's the boys. =D Here's some extra pictures from when I was having a little too much fun:


Sheogorath and Mania(Saoirse)


The Goober Twins, Kefka and Deliro.


One sad shot of Aleccas Keeper's internal rage.

Finally here's an outdoor shot of the new Madhouse:




So there's my creative fun and what I have to show for my absence. Sorry again, guys! Working on it! Hopefully the pictures were at least somewhat interesting to look at.
Thanks again for your patience.
Lots of love to all of you!
Livvielove

[oshizu]

I adored all the new makeovers! (Where has Deliro been hiding all this time!?)

*fangirls over the new Aleccas
Someone has been annoying LivvieLove for weeks about bringing Aleccas back into the fold *coughs.
He looks absolutely gorgeous and now that you've made him so attractive, I can see how he might have had a player past. Will we ever get to see the self-destructive, heartbreaking Alex in his younger days? If not, don't worry, I'll get over it.  *licks wounds

I do hope Mania and Sheo get back together, too. No, I'm not asking for all of your sims to have a happy ending. Like, I could care less about Sheo's mom...

Anyway, the Keeper boys all look wonderful. I love how you showed them to us in Keeper mode and everyday mode!

[LivvieLove]

I adored all the new makeovers! (Where has Deliro been hiding all this time!?)

*fangirls over the new Aleccas
Someone has been annoying LivvieLove for weeks about bringing Aleccas back into the fold *coughs.
He looks absolutely gorgeous and now that you've made him so attractive, I can see how he might have had a player past. Will we ever get to see the self-destructive, heartbreaking Alex in his younger days? If not, don't worry, I'll get over it.  *licks wounds

I do hope Mania and Sheo get back together, too. No, I'm not asking for all of your sims to have a happy ending. Like, I could care less about Sheo's mom...

Anyway, the Keeper boys all look wonderful. I love how you showed them to us in Keeper mode and everyday mode!

So I take it that this is your vote to keep the makeovers and implement them into the original story? XD
Deliro is super, super gorgeous, and so if Kefka, though Kefka did not want to take good pictures for me this go around so yeah. Let me see if I've got a closeup of his human face.
Got it!

He and Deliro are SO cute XD


Alec is gorgeous. I mean, Anne and Majnun had several gorgeous genetic mashups but the second I saw that one I knew it was him. I'm not sure I want to implement the new Alec into this version of the story just because he's (clearly) very different from old Alec and I don't want anyone to get confused. The other Keepers haven't featured nearly as heavily as Alec has, so I might be willing to make the adjustments for them.
As for showing off Alec's past? In this version I'll give him a chapter in his past but I probably won't dally long. I've got twin goobers coming who are going to steal the spotlight and a very intensely dramatic plotline to follow up featuring our darling Mad God. In the Rewrite? I'm excited to say I intend to go a lot more into detail about his life before Mary there. =D 
Working on Mania and Sheogorath currently (as in, seeing what I can do to mend their adorable relationship - THEIR CHILDREN ARE TOO CUTE; I NEED THEM).

Anyways, enough rambling Olivia. XD I'm really glad you like them! =D

[oshizu]

You've convinced me! Kefka is also a looker and Deliro with his little upturned nose is too cute.
Regarding whether to incorporate the make-overs into your current story or reserve them for your Reapers 2.0 story, I feel that should be your decision.
I wouldn't know if most readers would find that hard to follow or not.
But you know me, I'll just follow the eye-candy trail, hehe.  They so look like a boy band!

[LivvieLove]

And we're finally live! Here we go, up with the first (of many) chapters. =D This one features the new and improved Mania. Sorry for the long delay! My game was being horrendous to me and trying to make me jump over every hurdle to please it...
I think I've sorted it all out now.
Hopefully... Here we go:

Time to Wake Up, Alec
Egypt: Present Day
Eveline’s eyes were open wide as she stared around her. She could hardly breathe as she struggled to take everything in. “J-J-Jupiter!” Her voice was strangled and suddenly the man next to her shot up.

“Eveline? Eveline! What’s wrong?” His hands touched her shoulders.
Eveline turned to look at him then, her eyes wide and his came open wide too as he looked at her face. “I… I can see.” She whispered. She stared into his eyes, the eyes that glowed with power yet held softness in them as he looked at her. His face was different from the brief glimpse she had seen of him. It was familiar, but different. She reached out gently and touched his face - a gesture she had done so many times before. New markings adorned his face, ones she had only heard about yet not seen. They were almost frightening but Eveline wasn’t afraid of the face she saw. “Jupiter?”
“Eveline.” His voice was soft and he touched her face, his thumb gently running underneath her eyes. “You have markings over your eyes.” He whispered. It was definitely Jupiter’s voice that left his lips and in a way it only made her want to smile. This was the man she loved more than anything. She could see him. She could really see him.

She had so many things she wanted to tell him, that she wanted to see him react to. She wanted to tell him that she loved him. She wanted to see him laugh. She wanted to see what he looked like when he smiled or when he caused mischief. Yet the only thing she could think to say was. “I think I’m pregnant.”
Jupiter’s face went from something warm and soft to shock fairly quickly and his brow furrowed. “I… uh… what?”
Eveline felt the words rush from her mouth as she clutched her stomach. “Two boys. I saw them in my dream, I actually saw them, Jupiter. I think I’m pregnant.”

Jupiter tilted his head slightly and his face remained shocked as confusion added to it. “I…” He stopped then as looked forward and thought about something. “Can it happen that fast?” He whispered, looking at her quizzically.
She felt panic filling her and she couldn’t keep her voice from sounding shaky. “I don’t know…” She kept shaking her head. “What do we do?”
Jupiter looked at her then and he tried very quickly to calm her. “Hey… hey beautiful. Don’t panic. I’m sorry, I just needed to wrap my head around it. This is good news!” He nodded. “No, this is great news!” He pulled her over onto his lap and held her close to him. “So we’re starting our family a little early? That doesn’t change anything.”
Eveline took in quick breaths but she slowly began to calm as she rested her head against him. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.” He smiled at her, his fangs showing.
Eveline stared at him in wonder as she rested against him, she felt dark emotions seeping into her. “You’re not going to leave me again, right?”
Jupiter’s smile fell and he looked at her seriously, sadness in his perfect eyes. “No, Eveline. I’m never leaving you… not now, not ever.” He pressed his forehead to hers and whispered. “I’m sorry.”
“I am too.” She whispered. Her arms wrapped around him tighter and she never wanted to let him go. Something inside of her lurched as magic rushed wildly in her veins. She lurched forward in Jupiter’s embrace and he looked at her with concern.
“What’s wrong?” He asked with anxiety as she lurched again and clutched her stomach.
A hand flew up and she covered her mouth. “I’m going to be sick.” She whispered. She scrambled out of bed and ran for the bathroom as fast as she could.

Jupiter was up and outside the door in a heartbeat, panic filling him as he ran his hands through his hair. “This is happening really quickly…” He whispered to no one in particular. “Oh gods…”
He could hear Eveline sickness overtake her and he looked up at the ceiling anxiously. There was only one thing he could do.
The phone rang three times before a familiar voice echoed into the phone. “Hellooo Jupiter!” Jack sing-songed. “Isn’t it kind of late there for you to be calling?”
“Jack?” Jupiter couldn’t even wrap his head around the words. He could hear Eveline getting sick again and he swallowed hard.
“Jupiter? What’s wrong?” He could hear Jack typing furiously on the computer as worry filled his voice.
“Eveline is pregnant.” He half-whispered into the phone.
There was a long pause. “Is she alright?”
“She’s throwing up right now. I don’t know what to do.” Jupiter’s voice came out rushed.
Jack laughed. “Go and get her a glass of water.”
“Right.” He breathed as he stood up and ran for the kitchen.

“Did you at least propose to her first, Jupiter?” Jack’s voice seemed skeptical as he asked.
Jupiter felt his panic fade away and he grinned. “She said ‘yes,’ Jack.”
“Congratulations! Am I allowed to tell Liam, yet, or are you two holding off until later?”
Jupiter laughed. “You can tell him… I-”
“Jupiter?” His ears perked up as Eveline called to him from the bathroom.
“Ah, I gotta go. I’ll call you tomorrow!” Jupiter said quickly. “Love you, dad!”
“Take care of Ms. Eveline, alright?” Jack laughed. “Love you too, Jupiter.”
“Of course I will!”
Jupiter hung up the phone and came around the corner with a glass of water where Eveline sat on the floor looking miserable with her head in her hands. “Here, beautiful.” He handed her the water and she took it from him gratefully. Her eyes lingered on him for a long time.
She swallowed. “I don’t think I could’ve ever gotten how good you look, no matter how many times I traced your face.”

Jupiter grinned at her before sinking to the floor next to her. “I’m relieved. I figured you’d run for your life if you ever saw me.” He teased.
She continued staring at him unabashedly. “Definitely not.” She whispered. Another wave of nausea hit her and she groaned.
Jupiter, not wanting to seem entirely uneducated, pursed his lips. “I’m… no expert, but I don’t… I don’t think you should be getting morning sickness two hours after conception.”
Eveline groaned again. “I don’t think this is morning sickness.” She paused and looked at him weakly. Her fingers ached and magic was shifting wildly around in her body. “The magic inside of me is too unsettled. It feels like I’m rocking back and forth on a boat.” The analogy made her feel woozy again and she closed her eyes anxiously.
Jupiter carefully pushed the glass of water over to her. “Drink some water, beautiful. It’ll help.”
Eveline smiled at him and took another drink of water. She set the cup down and she began to tremble as the magic in her grew more unwieldy. The glass cup shattered and water spilled onto the floor. Eveline’s vision began going in and out and she clutched her head. “Jupiter!”
She could feel his arms around her as the world went black.

Eveline felt a cool cloth covering her eyes as she slowly regained consciousness. She felt magic coursing through her body, but she knew it wasn’t her own. It felt far too foreign, but at the same time familiar and comforting.
“Does that help her?” Eveline could hear Jupiter asking very softly - almost nervously.
“Nope.” A voice responded sharply. It was a voice she recognized immediately. “That’s why I’m doing it.” Majnun laughed and his laughter carried around the room.
“Grandpa?” She whispered and coughed.
“I’m right here, my swallow.” His voice was gentler.
Eveline slowly took in a breath, yet she wasn’t strong enough to lift the blindfold in that moment. “What’s wrong with me?” She asked weakly.
The bed shifted and she felt her grandfather sit down. “You’re pregnant.” He paused. “Your magic was unstable because of the child you have inside of you. I have stabilized it.”
“You could’ve told me that.” Jupiter mumbled.
Majnun responded with his voice cold and sharp again. “You’re not my granddaughter, so I tell you nothing.”
Eveline felt the magic her grandfather was pushing into her giving her more energy. “Children.” She corrected.
“I am not a ‘children.’” Majnun mumbled.
“No, there’s two babies.” She whispered. “Twin boys. I’ve seen them.”
“You’ve seen them.” Majnun restated the phrase, and though it wasn’t a question it was asking for clarification.
“In my dreams right before I woke up sick. Twin boys. Little feet, causing mischief. One had your hair, Jupiter, and purple eyes.” She smiled softly. “The other had golden hair and golden eyes.”
“Purple eyes?” Jupiter was closer to her then and she reached for him.
Eveline nodded. “Glowing, purple eyes.” She slowly breathed out and removed the damp cloth from over her eyes. The light that hit her was too bright and she winced.

Jupiter slowly came into focus next to her and he smiled at her gently. Her eyes drifted down until she saw the bright colors of a man whose form she had never seen before, yet she knew exactly who he was. She forced herself to sit up quickly before she threw her arms around Majnun’s shoulders to hug him. “You’ve been gone too long, grandpa.” She rested her cheek on his shoulder as she felt dizzy from the movement.
“I know, I’m sorry my swallow.” He turned and looked at Jupiter. “You. Go outside and call Jack. Tell him I said ‘the wolves are running through patches of death flowers.’ Go, and give me time to talk to my granddaughter.”
Jupiter looked at Eveline hesitantly for approval. She nodded and he slowly gathered himself from the bed and stepped out of the front door, leaving Eveline alone with the only person who’s ever truly understood. “Where have you been?”
Majnun smiled at her warmly. “Taking care of some business. The other gods step out of line if I’m not there to occasionally put them back in their places.” He sighed and looked forward. “I have shielded you for far too long, my swallow, and now I can no longer shield you in the way I once did when you were younger. We’re about to go to war, Eveline.”
“A war?” She frowned, confused. “With who? What country is attacking? Whose side are we on?”

Majnun shook his head and looked at her gently. “It is not a war like that, my swallow, but a war of gods. It’s far longer, messier, and a great deal more complex. Many innocent people will die in the crossfire.” He grabbed her hand in his. “I will not let you be one of them.”
Eveline didn’t need to question it. She knew her grandfather would keep her safe. He always had before and she knew it wasn’t going to stop anytime soon. They sat in the quiet for a moment longer before Eveline looked at him expectantly. “Will you tell me about the woman? The one with purple eyes like my son, who sings and has been in my dreams consistently?”
“Anne.” Majnun said quietly. “She’s my wife, and your grandmother.” He swallowed and twisted the ring on his finger carefully, his voice growing softer. “She was the only woman I ever loved.”
“She’s dead, isn’t she?” Eveline said carefully.
Majnun nodded. “She was a painter, an avid reader and collector of books. She had an unyielding love of people and a sense of mercy that I certainly never had.” He looked forward sadly.
Eveline rested her head against her grandfather and frowned. “I’m sorry, grandpa.” She let out a short breath before looking at him. “Do you miss her?”
Majnun smiled softly and nodded. “Very much so, my swallow.”
“Is there anyway to bring her back?” Eveline looked at him curiously. “I know people who’ve come back from the dead before.” Her other grandfather, specifically. It couldn’t be that hard for someone like her grandfather. Her grandfather could do anything.
“The world is made of a special magic, Eveline, do you remember when I told you about it?” He looked at her and she nodded. “That magic is called the Essence of the World. When a god dies, they do not go to the Land of the Dead like mortals do, but instead they dissolve into the Essence of the World. They can never be brought back from that.”

“She was a goddess?” Eveline studied the worn features that made up her grandfather’s face. He would’ve seemed frightening to anyone else, but to her he was a friendly face. The one person who understood, who followed her to the beach when she decided to run away, who sat with her after everything fell apart at Prom and made her feel safe again. He was powerful, strong, and protective. 
He didn’t respond right away. “She was meant to be one, but she was killed before she could rise.”
Eveline frowned and stared at the ground. “Who killed her?”
“People who faced very strong consequences.” His response was immediate.
“Good.”
Majnun looked at her, slightly surprised, yet he smiled. Suddenly his eyes narrowed as he stared at her neck and he scowled. “The mosquitoes here seem to be awfully big.” He spat. “Perhaps I need to squish one beneath my boot.”
Eveline’s eyes widened and she touched her neck gently. “Grandpa.” She gave him a warning stare. “I asked him to.”
Majnun glared at the ground and grumbled gibberish. “Do not make a habit of it.” He ordered. “I swear by all that is magical in this world - if that weak-willed boy turns you into a thrall I will slaughter him.” 

“Grandpa!” Eveline protested.
“I mean it, Eveline.” His voice was cold and clear. “I know you love that boy, but I will not have him turning you into a thrall.”
“What’s so bad about that anyways?” She looked at him and half rolled her eyes.
Majnun turned and stared at her firmly. “What’s so bad?! You lose your free will! You lose your free thought! It turns you into a puppet that bends to their master! My granddaughter will never bend to a master - especially not a vampire, do you understand?” 
Eveline hugged him and sighed. “You worry too much, grandpa.”
He laughed a loud laugh. “Have you seen yourself, my swallow? I think I worry just the right amount.”
Eveline’s eyes came open wide and she smiled brightly. “He proposed to me, you know.”
“I know.” Majnun grumbled but he slowly smiled. “He asked me for permission first.”
“You gave your blessing? Really?” She beamed.
He nodded. “I suppose he’s done a decent job of taking care of you, though this is concerning.” Majnun gestured to her neck, not letting it go.
Eveline swatted at him, tempted to say something but she didn’t want to change the topic again. “I’m glad you gave your blessing.” She started. “Because… I was wondering if you would give me away?”
“Give you away? What insanity is that?” He grinned at her before shaking his head. “What about your father, my swallow?”
“What about him?” Eveline’s face soured. “I’m still angry with him, and even if he somehow weren’t being a horrible person he wasn’t there for me the way you were.” She stopped and took a step forward, her hands coming together and she looked at her grandfather with big eyes. “You’ve been there every step of my life since I was a baby, please grandpa? Please?”
Majnun smiled and rested his hands on her shoulders. “If that’s what you wish, my swallow, then of course.”

Eveline squealed and hugged him again. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Majnun sighed, “will I have to wear a tux?”
“No!” Eveline shook her head. “You wouldn’t be my grandpa if you did, and that would be weird.”
Majnun laughed and rolled his eyes. “You need to rest, my swallow.” He looked over her neck once more and touched it with his fingertips, watching the wound there close up to reveal a scar. “And no more of this.” His voice was cold and firm. He continued pushing magic into her, the kind that would make her tired until her eyelids started growing heavier.
“I love you, grandpa.” Eveline whispered as she felt her vision growing darker.
The last thing she saw was him smiling. “I love you too, my swallow. Rest and let me take care of everything.”
Eveline felt sleep coming to her easily and she let herself fall into it.

Jupiter stared down at his phone. Jack had no idea what Majnun was talking about. Jupiter let out a sigh and wondered why he expected more from the God of Magic and Madness.
There were footsteps as Majnun stepped out calmly before eyeing Jupiter. “There is a war coming.” His voice was distant, cold, and very sane.

Jupiter swallowed and looked to the ground instinctively. “Against Malice?” There was a hint of hope in his voice. He would want to see any god that threatened Eveline brought down a rung.
Majnun shook his head. “Fate, the Goddess of Fate.”
“Eveline’s cousin?” Jupiter took a chance and looked up.
Majnun nodded. “She threatened Eveline’s life. A threat she’s tried to make reality.” He stepped closer and towered over Jupiter menacingly. “She will not succeed while you breathe. Do you understand?”
Jupiter looked up at him then, seriousness filling his eyes. “Of course.”
“You’ll kill anyone who tries to harm her?” Majnun asked him, his voice testing him.
“Without hesitation.” Jupiter responded immediately. “I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.”
Majnun nodded slowly. “Good.” He turned and began to walk into the house again.
Jupiter eased as he felt the presence of Majnun leaving when suddenly he was slammed back against the wall, Majnun’s eyes glaring at him with fire in them. “Bite my granddaughter one more time and I swear I will rip out your teeth one by one and make you eat them.”

Jupiter stared at him, stunned as he trembled. He nodded carefully and Majnun released him from the wall and walked back into the house.
Jupiter crumpled to the ground shortly after.

Midnight Hollow: Present Day
Alec put his head into his hands. His world was in pieces and he stared at the drink in front of him. With a slow breath he moved to stare at the papers that sat next to his drink. Divorce papers.

It was over. He lost his Mary. He lost everything.
He took a long swig of his drink and slowly lowered his head to the counter. He just wanted to roll over and die at this point. His daughter wouldn’t speak to him. Mary left him. Majnun was toying with him and it enraged him. It was all his father’s fault. His father had screwed up his relationship. His father was never there until Eveline was… and then he cared. His father played such a part and everyone loved him. Alec scowled. His father ruined everything.

“No, you did that ALL by yourself, you child.” Her sweet voice swept into the room and he scowled harshly.
“Mania.” He spat. “Go away. I don’t need this right now.”
Mania laughed loudly and fanned herself. “Go away, Mania!” She mocked. “I’m too busy blaming the world for my problems! Stick around longer and I’ll start blaming you too!”

Alec sat up and glared at her. “What?! What do you want?!”
She laughed and shook her head. “Look at you. You’re pathetic.” She walked over and smacked his drink off the counter, watching the glass shatter.
“Thank you for summing that up for me.” Alec said flatly as he turned away from her then.
It happened suddenly then, and Alec was on the floor. Mania had shoved him so hard he flew downwards and now all he could see was the ceiling.
“Get up.” Mania spat.

Alec bit his cheek and then picked himself up from the floor, his glare landing on her as he fumed. “What’s your problem?!”
She laughed. “My problem? I divorced a man who couldn’t string together two words to speak to me unless they were an insult and he was still three times the man you are!”
His face grew cold but he straightened in his stance and dusted off his shirt. “Congratulations, Mania.” His voice was flat and emotionless.
She bowed as she kept laughing. This was all a joke to her. “Why thank you! How kind of you to sarcastically congratulate me on my failed marriage. I suppose I should congratulate you too, then? Congratulations on your screw up!” She swiped the papers from the counter and clicked her tongue as she shook her head. “Me. Me. Me.” She pursed her lips as her voice became mocking again. “You should hear your head sometime, it’s disgusting.” She placed the papers down on the table. “Poor me, my daughter hates my guts.”

Alec rolled his eyes and turned to make himself another drink, trying his best to ignore the annoying nymph in front of him.
She continued anyways. “It doesn’t matter that I was too busy judging her relationships and the way she dressed to actually make a connection to her. Poor me that she didn’t do all that work for me!” Mania made a face as she fake cried. “Wah. Wah.”
Alec slowly poured together two drinks as he ignored her mockery.

“Poor me, my wife left me!” Mania dramatically put her hand over her head. “I only verbally abused her and strung her along for years with my lies and deceit. How could she EVER leave me?!”
Alec slammed the bottle down on the table and clenched his fists. He had never abused Mary, ever.
Mania was in his head - reading his thoughts, running through his memories - and she was laughing. “Never, ever?” She pursed her lips. “Screaming at her for your own emotional problems and then throwing things out of anger in her presence no longer count as abuse? Well that’s news to me!”
His face faltered and he remembered that day. She saw the change and her smile grew bigger. “You scared her. Let that sink in, Alec. You made her fear for her life... albeit briefly, but still…” She stared at him in amazement. “Did that not sink in for you, sweetie? That your wife was afraid of you for a moment?”
Alec swallowed and his gaze dropped to the floor. She had feared him? The moment she flinched as his hand collided with the pencil jar on the desk replayed over and over in the front of his mind. What had he done?
Laughter interrupted him and Mania stole the drink he was making, drinking it down quickly and tossing the glass to the ground where it shattered like the other one. “What have you done, indeed, Alec?” She shook her head.
Alec slowly sank to his knees on the floor, his face frozen in horror at his reactions.
Mania rolled her eyes exaggeratedly and made a noise of disgust. “Ugh, here we go.”

Alec looked up at her and his brow furrowed. “What? Here we go… what?!”
“You’re sinking into self-pity and it’s disgusting.” She took the bottle from the counter and took a swig from it. She slowly took the other bottle and handed it to him. “Take a big drink, buddy.”
Alec slowly raised the bottle to his lips and took gently tipped it back as he took a small drink. He moved to pull the bottle away when Mania slapped her hand into the bottle and suddenly the drink was spilling down his throat while he choked on it.
“I said take a BIG drink, you moron.” She scowled as she ripped the bottle away and he sputtered and coughed. Mania sauntered over to the kitchen where she dumped the bottles down the drain before simultaneously smashing them into the floor. “Now, get off the floor.” Her voice was dark and commanding.
Alec stared at her in shock before he slowly picked himself off the floor.
She smiled darkly at him. “Good.” She walked over to him and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him behind her as she picked up the stool she had knocked over and sat him down in it. “What are you going to do about your wife leaving?”
He stared at the page and tears began to well up in his eyes. “I… I don’t want to lose her, Mania.”
Mania rolled her eyes. “Wah, wah. That’s all I hear. What are you going to do about it, Alec?!”
Alec stared down at the counter with his eyes blurring over. “Why are you here… Mania?” His voice broke.

She sighed and her face grew still for the first time since she barged in. She pulled over the other stool and sat down. “The master is about to do something stupid; we’re about to go to war with your niece; the pesky Spirit-Lady is up to something, though that’s nothing new; Sheogorath has vanished off the face of the earth… and I’m a mother now.” Her voice got softer. “We’re entering a dark age, Alec, and you need to be at your best. You need to be at your best for your daughter and for your wife.”
“My ex-wife.” He whispered hollowly and he put his head into his hands.
“So, what are you going to do about it?” Mania rested her hand on her hip. “Sit and cry?”
“There’s nothing I can do, Mania. She doesn’t want to be with me anymore.”
“That’s crap and you know it.” She spat. “It took her so long to even send you the papers. She was dragging her feet just as much as you are right now.”
Alec took a breath and frowned. “I need to tell her I’m sorry.” He sighed. “It won’t be enough, but I need to do it.”
Mania pursed her lips and seemed to think about what Alec said. “Well… I guess that’s a start.” She blew air out through her lips and finally pulled herself to her feet. “Listen up, idiot. You get one conversation. That’s all I can guarantee you. Got it?”

Alec looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I’m going to call in some favors, that’s what I mean. You’ll have one conversation with Mary and that’s all I can promise you. What you do with it is entirely up to you, Alec.”
Alec stared at her, dumbfounded. “You’re helping me?”
Mania looked down at her hand. “Give me a week, ok? I’ve…” She frowned. “I’ve got business I need to take care of, a war to declare, people to kill… you know… a few minorly important things.” She said flatly. “I just need to get ahold of Quinn’s wife and I’ll see what I can do.”
Alec looked at her, confused. “Quinn doesn’t have a wife.”
“Yes he does.” She rolled her eyes. “Just because he never put a ring on it doesn’t mean she’s not his wife. He knows her favorite donut off the top of his head and he keeps dozens of pictures of her in his house hidden in his drawer, for crying out loud!”
“Are we thinking about the same woman?” Alec looked at her, confused.
“The Siren? Esmerelda? The woman who he was cursed with by Carule himself? Ring a bell to you?” Mania laughed. “Whatever. I’m going to see if I can call in a favor from her. You better be grateful.”
Alec shook his head. “I can’t even begin to-”

“Shut up.” Mania said as she stared at her phone. “Now get yourself together. Word on the street is you’re going to be a grandpa, grandpa.”
“What?!” Alec shot up.
Mania laughed deviously as she walked forward, her nose still in her phone in one hand as the other opened a portal. “One week, Alec.” She mumbled. “Ta-ta for now.” She looked up then and laughed darkly as she vanished into the portal’s depths.
Alec wiped his face on his hands and sighed. “I need to find my umbrella.”

[oshizu]

The world has been turning without Alex! After Sheo's story, I've liked Mania more and more--I'm impressed that she's helping Alex out, but why?
Because he's the son of her master? Because he's her ex-brother-in-law?
Does she regret breaking up with Sheogorath? I regret their break-up...

Alex, get your act together!

Finally, how wonderful for Majnun that the grandsons will have Anne's eyes.  Awwwww.