Day I'm not sure of month I'm also not sure of year I also don't know but I hope it's the same one I last remember living in.
I'll just call this "Day 1 (of being awake)."
So.
I'm... not entirely sure what to write here.
The person who says I'm supposed to call him sensei but I would much rather call 'kidnapper' also says that it's a good idea for me to write down my thoughts every day. I haven't ever tried to keep a diary before (thought "sensei" calls it a journal), since... well, I'm not too good at anything.
I don't actually want to do this, but I'm stuck in this room (the door's locked), the only thing out the window is the outside wall of the building next door, and the only thing inside the room is a bed, this notebook and a pen. Okay, it's a nice notebook--I'm sure it didn't come from the nearest corner store, and no one's ever bought me something like this before. Sure, mom buys me food and clothes, but those are necessary and practical things.
My first present is a (nice) notebook that is supposed to be a journal. That's... sad, somehow. Oh well--I'm sad. And pathetic.
Mostly, at the moment, because I accepted said present (kind of), and I'm actually doing what "sensei" said I should do. Which really is pathetic: taking orders from your kidnapper.
Isn't there some term for that, where the kidnappee starts to warm up and accept to the kidnapper? Not sure--vocabulary and word lists were never my thing. I have enough trouble remembering common words, let alone all those strange medical words and terms and... things.
Well, the light outside the window is dimming and I have no idea where the light switch is in here, so I guess I'll have to stop writing soon. Now. Ish.
Anyways, that bed looks comfy. Guess I'll sleep and start again in the morning.
Wonder if I get anything to eat...?
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Day 2
I've decided that I'm probably going to go insane. I'm still doing what "sensei" says for me to do.
I've been up now for... two hours, maybe. The sunlight coming in through the window (however little there is) hasn't changed much, and it's still not as bright as it was yesterday around what I think might be noon. I can't really see the sky outside, so for all I know it might be cloudy and I've actually been awake for ten hours.
The point is, I'm hungry.
Still haven't seen "sensei" again, not since I woke up yesterday. You would think that a kidnapper would have some interaction with their kidnappee. I don't know what that would entail... maybe, um, torment them, try to get information out of them, figure out who to call and extort or blackmail or threaten or get money from. But, unless I talked in my sleep (which is possible) or he already knows everything he needs to know about me (which would be weird), then he's not a normal kidnapper.
Or maybe he is and I've watched too many movies.
(On a side note, I'm impressed that I know the word 'extort', but I also blame that on my mom's decision to make every Friday night a movie night for us two.)
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Day 3
I'm thinking that maybe this is all some kind of experiment.
You know, where people set up situations and see what the guinea pigs do, since said lab rats haven't been told that they're actually in an experiment.
OR that's probably just my mind trying to make better of the situation than it is.
Regardless, I'm pretty sure that it's almost sunset on day three, and I still haven't seen "sensei" or been fed. Or given water to drink (and I'm THIRSTY. The hunger went away sometime this morning, but the thirst is horrible). On the plus side, that means I haven't need to go to the washroom and therefore the room doesn't stink.
That does make me wonder how long I was out if my body's already gotten rid of everything it can get rid of. Or maybe this is like those survival stories I hear about, where people who don't get to eat or drink a lot stop having normal body, er, functions, and their body starts eating other not-very-important parts of their bodies to keep the important parts working.
If that's the case, I'd give myself another day or two to live.
It's kind of sad that that doesn't bother me that much. I mean, yeah, my mom would be sad, but she's the only one. Dad's out of the country and BEEN out of the country for five straight years now (or, I think it's been five, as long as it's the same year as I last remember it being), and I don't really have any other family or friends. And... I'm rather useless. My nickname IS "No-Good", and I know that I'm NOT good at anything. I'd probably never be able to succeed in anything let alone get a job anywhere, right?
So... all that really amounts to me just being a... well, a waste of space. And if I die and someone else can take my space, and do a good job and earn this place? Then it only makes sense to stand aside.
...yep. I just wrote that I don't mind dying. But I'm too much of a coward to even think about suicide, so I guess this is actually good (the whole not-eating-starving-and-probably-going-to-die-of-malnutrition). I'm pathetic.
But that's old news by now.
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Day 4
Well... I just realized that the room does have lights, but they're those "clap-on-clap-off" things that only work half the time. (Sad part: only realized that after falling off the bed and making a loud enough noise that the lights turned on.) So I spent the entire day playing with them (...wow, am I easily amused) and that means now it's night, but I'm writing this when I'm normally asleep because I have LIGHT.
I think I have discovered why the ancient peoples put so much stock in fire. I don't have any food to cook, but just having light is great.
Thank you, amazing people who first created fire-slash-electricity-slash-light bulbs, and I don't care if you're mortal or god.
Besides that, I have nothing to else to say except for the same "isn't my life pathetic" that I did yesterday, so I won't bore you with that.
Who "you" are I have no idea. The god of the journal? Ha. That's kinda funny. I think some religions had gods and goddesses for practically everything, though, so it's possible.
Or maybe I am going crazy, as I said I'd do on Day... 2. And hey, that last part rhymed--but who really cares?
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Day 5
If I don't die today I'll probably die sometime tomorrow, so I don't know if this will be my last entry.
Then again, I could have my dates all mixed up and I won't actually die for many, many more days, so who knows.
On a semi-related note, I just realized that I might not actually be awake every day (that I might sleep through a whole day or two or ten or something between when I'm awake) so I guess I can't really say I've now been awake for over half a week, because I just don't know.
It's kind of weird, but kind of cool.
...yep, going insane.
I've decided that food and water and company is overrated. Clap-lights and paper airplanes beat them any day.
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Day 6
Still not dead.
I tried opening the window (not to escape--just for kicks and maybe a breeze?). Of course, I forgot I was kidnapped. Silly me. That's only related because the window doesn't open, and what kind of self-respecting kidnapper would honestly put someone in a room with a window that they can FIT THROUGH and lock the door but not the window?
I'm not sure if I'm really insane yet or still getting there, because at least I'm not talking to myself and still know that I am an "I", even if I'm a pathetic "I". Not talking about yourself in the third person = not-completely-insane.
Or so I've heard (but that might have been another movie thing).
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Day 7
So... I haven't talked about my kidnapper recently. Well, no, I did, but just to mention that he's not an idiot for locking the window.
But that doesn't really matter either, because "sensei" hasn't shown up again, my body is still eating itself, and I'm still probably going to die sooner rather than later.
This kidnapper? Sensei or whoever he is? Sucks.
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Day 8
Over a week.
I can't feel my stomach trying to eat itself, but I'm not sure if that means I'm good to go for a while yet or if it means that my stomach's already eaten itself and I'm about to die any second.
I'm at the point I'd be willing to commit suicide, coward or not, if someone put a gun in here. It's BORING. (Maybe if I had some construction paper for multi-coloured paper airplanes instead of just the white-lined stuff?)
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Day 10
I skipped Day 9 because I dozed all day. I think I'm getting weaker, which means that, yes, I'm dying.
Yay.
Saw my mom in my dreams, too. She was doing fine, even if she was worried about me. In my dreams, I think she thinks I've been accepted to some prestigious boarding school. That's probably just my mind trying to reassure me.
Sadly enough, it worked.
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Day 11
Last night, I dreamt of fire.
That's another thing to thank those great people who first discovered it for: fire would be such a faster and easier way to go instead of starvation. Yeah, it'd HURT, but it'd only hurt for minutes, maybe hours, and not DAYS. (Mind you, beheading would be even better, being just seconds, and freezing would be okay because I'd go numb and not feel anything, and dying in my sleep would be the best... or not, because that means I'd still have gone through all the other crap first. And yes, I just swore. It helps.)
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Day 12
Another dream of fire.
This one didn't hurt me--it was nice and warm and healing even. Like a warm blanket in the middle of winter, sort of.
Well... at least if I'm delusional, they're comforting delusions.
(And on another side note: I've realized that people didn't invent fire or create electricity or whatever, they discovered it. I would edit my entry for Day 4, but pen is hard to erase.)
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Day 13
Tired.
Dreamed of fire.
Can't get out of bed.
Too tried to throw planes.
Good night.
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23rd Day of August, 2010
This is my first entry in my third journal, since my first one, barely begun, was lost in the fire. My second one has to stay back at AFSRAM.
But in regards to that first journal? Turns out I was wrong about... oh, everything.
I'm nervous about heading home after so long, but I've talked to mom on the phone and she's doing fine. Apparently, she's planning a huge welcome home celebration in my honour, though it's just going to be the two of us.
I'm actually on the train right now, and there's a little girl looking at me from across the aisle. I don't see her parents anywhere... oh well. She's going to bug some other people now. From what I've seen, not much has changed. Mind you, we're still two hours away from Namimori, but I'm hoping it's mostly the same.
Mom's said that she and AFSRAM have enrolled me back in high school. I'll be going in almost halfway through the year and in my second year, which is weird since the last schooling I had was middle school. Still, they think it's a good idea and I can keep doing my Research, so I shouldn't complain. Loki and Mayura are all for it, too--they're even renting a house near mine. They say it's to stay close and allow for more research and work to be done. I think they just want a place to hide away when the rest of their family gets too crazy.
...I'm not sure if I'll miss AFSRAM. I mean, yes, it's amazing there, but it was all work. Mom wasn't there, and there wasn't much time for friends and parties and even just hanging out.
Er, except for with my roommate. Out of everything to do with AFSRAM, I'll miss him the most. Yes, he was loud and annoying and obnoxious and both oblivious and far too observant, but... he was my first friend. He was loyal and kind and the reasons that made him loud and annoying and obnoxious and oblivious and observant are also the things that made him a treasured person in my life.
I know I'll see him again, once a year for re-examinations if nothing else, but... I've actually gotten used to the smell of smoke. (I'd need to, and not just because he smokes. I don't. Smoke, I mean.) I think I'll go buy incense or something when I get off the train, before heading home. Not for prayers or anything. Just for the smoke--the haze and the scent and the almost overpowering feeling.
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24th Day of August, 2010
Dinner was great last night. As much as mom didn't want to she had some kind of meeting to attend to (I think there was just a really good sale on somewhere) and had to run off, so I have the house to myself.
It, frankly, is WEIRD. No matter how silent or work-focused or hazy or even, sometimes, unpleasant AFSRAM could be, at least there were always people around. Now, half the time, to find the nearest person I have to look two, three, sometimes even ten houses over.
Before, I didn't mind being alone. Now I can't stand it.
I almost can't wait to go to school, which I won't do until the middle of September (I think it's to let me get settled in). At least then I'll be surrounded by people again, even if they all hate me.
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2nd Day of September, 2010
I have my school uniform.
That doesn't matter, though--I'm currently on the train back to AFSRAM. There's been a new development in my Research, and, according to the phone call, the "team" just isn't complete without me. Of course, it was Loki on the phone, so I'm not sure just how serious he was, but it was a call back to AFSRAM, so I'm going.
I hope it isn't too greusome this time....
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14th Day of September, 2010
I'm packing to head home again, since I have to start school in three days. I've spent the last twelve days here, looking at the new... 'development'. I really want to stay here and keep working on it, but Sensei made a good point: I can't actually do anything with the information we have in our current conditions. By getting out to Namimori, at least I'll have some new ground to work with.
Turns out my old roommate's Research is moving along well, too, and he's actually out to Field at the moment, just finishing it up before moving onto his next project. He's been to Field, actually, since I left the first time, so I haven't seen him at all. Our room feels rather empty without him. And yes, it's still our room. Although it's in the dormitories, Sensei and the Admin feel that we'll probably be spending a lot of time here on occasion, so it's better to just let us keep this room as our own instead of making us stay in hotel rooms somewhere an hour away and make us commute every day.
It's nice of them, actually.
But being back here... it's refreshing. Sort of. It's a love-hate relationship, I guess.
I'm looking through my second journal, and... well, it's no wonder I have to leave it here. There's some sections that I don't even want to share with my roommate, let alone the rest of the world (and, knowing me? I'd lose it at school or some other public place and someone would read it and then spread it around, and... well, it'd be BAD).
Oh well--back to packing. My train leaves in three hours, and I need to be there an hour before hand to check in and everything. At least the train leaves straight from here, AFSRAM. Less walking and running and stressing about being late.
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22nd Day of August, 2010
I'm going home tomorrow.
Mixed emotions isn't the way to describe it (being too mild), since I want to see mom but I don't want to leave. Besides, the Medusa Project isn't nearly finished, though I wish it was--then I could move onto something less traumatizing.
Hayato's both happy and upset, too. He knows how I feel about both this place and Namimori. He's offered to go home with me, put his own Research on hold, but I've looked at his most recent work (again, as always, at his insistence) and he's close to finishing it. So, I've struck a deal: he finishes his Research first, then he can come and stay with me and mom and either help with the Medusa Project or he can come anyways and work on a new Research. Either way, I get the feeling that making this deal means I'll be stuck with him for a while, if not forever.
I wonder if it's selfish and horrible of me to think that would be great.
Looking back, I'm always surprised by exactly how we became friends.
Ha... forget that, I'm surprised that we're even here in the fist place. I always thought that places like AFSRAM were top-secret government facilities or illegal organizations, not... well, this.
Heh... oh well. I need to finish packing, since I'm taking the early train tomorrow, and then Hayato, Loki, Mayura, Ceil, and Sebastian are going out to some dance club that both Loki and Mayura like (which is somewhat frightening, all things considered). Hayato's already come in twice to ask if I'm done yet and would I like to see what, exactly, the rest of them have decided is an appropriate outfit for me? That's more frightening than what kind of dance club would suit both Loki and Mayura's tastes.
It's been a bumpy, horrible ride to get here, but I've done it. Somehow. And this little book, which I'm now scribbling on the back cover of? This little thing is my only witness to every part of it.
My name is Deucalion to AFSRAM and the Hidden World, Sawada Tsunayoshi to the Outer World. My life has been absolutely crazy but, and I say this with affection, amazing; and this is the record of it.
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Classical
OR "The Medusa Project"
Myth 0: Prologue and Journals
The author and fangirl who goes by the alias of kayono on fanfiction dot net would like to supply a disclaimer for the entire fiction entitled "The Medusa Project" in the KHR! section. "kayono" does not own nor have any rights to Katekyo Hitman Reborn!, The Mythical Detective Loki RAGNAROK, Kuroshitsuji ("Black Butler"), Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Fringe, Tales of the Abyss, Persona 3, all existing world-wide myths and legends, nor any other serial, novel, reference book or other medium listed within, unless otherwise noted.
The usual warnings and such for a T (possibly later M) rated piece apply.
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I'm going to take up probably a lot of space with these first notes since I won't be writing any other notes or any of my usual non-fiction writings from here on.
I've been playing with the idea behind "The Medusa Project" for a while. It IS an AU, and heavily influenced by many, MANY other sources, some of which I forget or am too lazy to cite properly (all of which I ALSO don't own). Of the ones I'm not too lazy to cite are those listed in the disclaimer, as well as Prometheus and the Gate Keepers and Flame Keepers from madashes2ashes's "Flames and Family" series, though I must admit I'm still only around chapter 60 or so of part 3. Another source that, so far, is not part of "The Medusa Project" besides in parentage of this brainchild is Oh! My Goddess! and its organization of Yggdrasil. Stargate (the movie), Stargate SG-1 (the series) Stargate Atlantis (the spin-off series) and other Stargate-related mediums may also claim credit. I must also credit the new (to me) series "Fringe" for providing me with information, a base idea, and an excuse to include science, quantum physics, and Dark Matter into this. My irl friends have also been great help when it came to looking at the different myths, since one is another History/Classics major, one is an aspiring author/director whose work is heavily based in mythology, and one is obsessed with God of War and therefore wants to know everything about the Greek myths and forces the rest of us into researching them.
With the revelation of Tres-ni-sette being the "cornerstones of the world", Amano-sensei has opened KHR! up to my mythological ponderings, which have been spurred on by madashes2ashes' Prometheus and the canon inclusion of the Six Paths and supernatural abilities. As of this moment (and, hopefully, for the rest of the time I'm working on this, unless my brain gets screwed around with again), the idea behind "The Medusa Project" is as such:
Though Vongola is known for its Dying Will Bullet, it's been proven that, when properly trained, one of Giotto's descendents can use their Dying Will Flame and Hyper Intuition (?) at any time as long as they have a medium (usually a weapon) to channel said Flame through. Also, as long as a person has a strong resolution, they are capable of manipulating their own Dying Will Flame using the specifically made Ring as a conduit--therefore, Flame is something everyone has, even if they do not have the capabilities of using it normally.
In Mediteranean mythology (specifically, the Greeks and Romans), there are a fair number of beings associated with fire: Vesta (Rome)/Hestia (Greek), Apollo (both), Prometheus (Greek), Helios (both), Vulcan (R.)/Hephaestus (G.), just to name a few. Some of the connections are direct (Vesta/Hestia being "fire goddesses", Vulcan/Hephaestus using fire in his forge) and others are indirect (Helios being the god of the sun, the sun being just one big ball of fire). The myths in question at this point are regarding Prometheus, with occasional references to Hestia/Vesta.
Though I won't go into it in detail since it will be explained later and/or you probably already know about it, the basic story of Prometheus goes like this: he was one of the Titans, but sided with Zeus and the gods in the Great War (Titans versus gods). When the gods no longer wanted to dine with mortals, Prometheus (lit. "Fore-thought") was assigned to divide the food. He took a cow and placed the best meats inside the slimy stomach and bones removed of all meat and good stuffs in the "glistening, rich fats" (51, "Prometheus", Greek Myths by Shoshanna Kirk). He then told the gods to choose which bundle they'd prefer--they chose the fats and, therefore, the bones. Zeus was angry at this and took it out on humans. Prometheus, guilty/worried/whatever went to Olympus and stole fire by hiding it in a hollow walking stick of fennel and then gave fire to humans. Zeus was so angry at Prometheus constantly tricking him and the gods that he sent some of his sons, Kratos (power) and Bia (force) to bring Prometheus to Caucasus Mountains in Scythia and turned him mortal, later binding him there. Then an eagle (some say vulture/seagull/raven/bird of prey) was set to feast on his liver and insides during the day. At night, when he was dead, his body would regenerate, so that in the morning the bird could return and resume its feast on fresh meat.
Some myths say that Prometheus is still there; according to others, Heracles (Hercules) saved Prometheus as one of his Tasks/Labours. There are other myths involving Prometheus (the Flood, Pandora, Chiron, for examples), and while the Flood occured while Prometheus was bound, and Pandora -probably- occured during that period, the other myths, like Chiron's, might have been before or after. If Chiron's myth is after, then it can be assumed that Prometheus lived as a mortal for a while before, once again, becoming immortal (as is hinted at the end of the Chiron myth).
Fire, in legends and mythology, isn't always literal--often, the authors are refering to either heat (the obvious) or knowledge/understanding (the not-so-obvious). Prometheus, being "Fore-thought", would be an excellent bearer of knowledge and advanced brain functions to the mental midgets of, at this point... 34,000 years ago. (It's been about 4,000 years since these myths first started circulating, and Prometheus was bound to the Caucasus for 30,000 minimum.)
This has been coupled with the Roman worship of Vesta and the Sacred Flame (the "Vestal Virgins" were an integral part of Roman worship pre-Christianity) and the myths of Hestia, the eternal virgin goddess of the community, family, fire, hearth and house (an Olympian, daughter and oldest child of Rhea and Kronus). Hestia only has a few related myths, those referencing her birth, consumption and then regurgitation by her father, Kronus, her denial of Poseidon and Apollo, her pledge of chastity, and her possible giving up her seat as an Olympian for Dionysus. [I use 'Kronus' instead of 'Cronus' to help myself and readers differentiate between Kronus and his father, Chronos.] Vesta doesn't have any myths pertaining to her. These references might not make sense now, BUT a bit of research might put you on the right track.
Anyways, the rest of the KHR! cast will appear, sometimes in different situations, sometimes exactly the same as they are in canon. And don't forget: this takes place in 2009 (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and Happy Chaunakuh and Happy Holidays and all that, btw), meaning it's out of canon (beyond TYE but before TYL), so besides certain titles and jobs and positions? We're going AU.
So, I believe that this is more than enough for my notes on this--any more myth-related information will be revealed in the story itself. Considering I'm still trying to work on my other pieces, this won't be updated frequently (when is anything I do?), but I hope that all the readers will enjoy it.
As a final note, the journal entry style will not be the entire story. It will have its place, and there will be many places, but naration will also take up a large part of it.
And come on, mixing Fringe Science and Mythology? That's a dream come true for me right there. I think I shall enjoy this.
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One final 'thank you' to Kristy who came out with some information about Hestia/Vesta and the lack of myths regarding them that I have yet to confirm but also happened to fit in perfectly with all this. You, my dear sister-in-law, get major kudos.