Kore
Act III
"She heard it from her cave. She is Hekatē, with the splendid headband.
And the Lord Helios [Sun] heard it too, the magnificent son of Hyperion.
They heard the daughter calling upon her father, the son of Kronos.
But he, all by himself, was seated far apart from the gods, inside a temple, the precinct of many prayers. He was receiving beautiful sacrificial rites from mortal humans.
She was being taken, against her will, at the behest of Zeus, by her father's brother, the one who makes many sēmata, the one who receives many guests, the son of Kronos, the one with many names. On the chariot drawn by immortal horses.
So long as the earth and the star-filled sky were still within the goddess's [Persephone's] view, as also the fish-swarming sea [pontos], with its strong currents, as also the rays of the sun, she still had hope that she would yet see her dear mother and that special group, the immortal gods."
- Homeric Hymn to Demeter [Verses 25-35]
Ideas began circling in his head as he kept watching his phone. The images he kept swiping kept him sane as the noises in his background began to rise in volume, much to the dismay of his super-hearing. Especially since said conversations were beginning to grate on his ears.
"What the fuck do you mean that your sorry ass is better than mine, you've never been relevant since that green guy got into the scene. Get out of here, even your goddamn shoe line isn't selling anymore and you've got the nerve to say that you're better than me." one of them said.
"Well excuse me for fucking telling you that kids still like me, huh? What about you? The only people who like you are sex offenders, and with all the allegations, I'm surprised they're pulling you in for that upcoming event." Another said as he continued to try in vain to drown out the voices present.
"The hell do you mean by, kids, man? Last I heard the only reason you got to show up on those charity shows was because you were far, far cheaper in terms of an alternative compared to Homelander. Even the Olympia guys and gals don't charge for that crap, they do it for free and you're riding on a sponsor." A third voice intervened as the shouts became louder.
His lips started to twitch subtly, but he kept his composure as he kept on swiping his phone, fixating his gaze on probably the only thing that mattered.
His beloved. His joy and happiness as he looked at her smile as the rogue camera caught her lifting a little black boy high in the air after helping them in a camping accident. He was not present during that time but he heard stories that while she was a recluse for the most part after the clean-up, she still came over and gave the children a bit of a show by using her powers. The image was caught by the teachers and from what context was there, he found it very appealing and wholesome that despite the brave, outward, and strong appearance she kept up, she had a soft spot for children.
A thing that made him smile genuinely. A good heart that was most definitely foregone once fame came to their heads. She kept it close, never forgetting it, never even letting go of it. Unlike… himself, admittedly. Sighing and keeping the negative thoughts away, he began asking how he never caught wind of her before her rise to fame.
How she kept herself secluded despite knowing that she was probably the most powerful woman on Earth. Powers wanted to be used, it was just something akin to breathing, or an appendage in living organisms that needed to be used to survive. It was simply evolution, much like how Homo Sapiens rose to wipe off the remnants of the Neanderthals. She was Natural Selection cherry picking traits to perfect and create the ultimate heroine that the world has ever seen.
An apex predator that far outshined and outranked all others…
A natural born, happy, and good human being that was the ideal symbol many looked up to.
A lonely female of the new, upcoming race without a mate.
Sighing again, happier this time, John found himself grinning.
She was perfect. Absolutely perfect.
He still recalled the very first time he saw her. He was dismissive of her, very much so… to the point that he absolutely loathed and hated whenever an Olympia hero or heroine came into the spotlight, hogging all the attention that even his own fame tanked somewhat, embarrassingly.
It was many months ago when a burning oil rig off the coast of North America had forced him into action after acknowledging all the good that Olympia had escalated throughout mere weeks of their first appearances. He was not in the right headspace at that time, but it all changed when he neared the oil rig and…
…I saw her jump off of the collapsing platform as flames bathed their forms. Holding both unconscious men in her arms she braved the storm with confidence, focus, and determination as she landed on the nearest Coast Guard ship. She controlled her strength so much so that the ship did not even register her landing as she dropped down the two men on its deck.
The largest point of the rig began to creek before it violently tore itself off, about to crush them as I watched closely, both in intrigue at what I saw and in a vain hope that she would die knowing that she was out of her league in terms of power.
But… no, even as the immense shadow loomed over them, she did not relent nor looked at the adversary in fear, she just hopped into the wild, rustling seas, her feet touching it as if it was solid ground as if she was Jesus in female form, and she raised both her arms into the air.
A violent wave burst forth, forcing the large collapsed part of the rig to cascade into the atmosphere as if it was punched by something so solid and impossibly strong as I watched in awe and in complete shock. Physics and reality were damned to the proverbial gutter at that moment as she even grinned to the high heavens while the oil rig neared its explosion.
She did not give a shit at all and that smile…
Oh, that smile… I have never seen anybody make that smile, except for myself even as the oil rig exploded right in front of her as she stood on the surface of the water unopposed.
Yet the explosion never reached its zenith as she materialized a trident right in her hands and with the roar of thunder, the world seemingly shook even as I was high up in the air. A torrent of monstrous water, bigger than probably Liberty Island suddenly burst out right in front of her, forcing itself close to half a mile into the air as the burning snuff of flame and oil of what was left of the rig vanished in an instant.
None was left in the aftermath as I watched the water come back down in a large splash but was controlled in a manner that it did not tip over or endanger the Coast Guard ships surrounding them nearby.
She managed it all without much of an effort.
She had complete control of her power to even the smallest minuscule detail…
She was… beautiful beyond words as the rain from all the deluge came down. Bathing her voluptuous yet pristine form as she smiled lightly into the sky like Valkyrie having achieved her purpose to send souls into Valhalla.
Like a damn angel that came down from the heavens, to save mankind from their folly.
It was truly a sight to see and I was simply staring at her in complete awe and bewilderment as my heart beat like never before since I was born.
It was love…
"… it was the single most fucking horrible thing ever! I had already made the deal with those studio fuckheads but they canceled it outright when they heard Olympia was trying to find a production company to partner with. I had that contract man! Had it pulled through the draft my guy who's probably the best writer in the business might have redeemed my image." One of the idiots said, taking him out of his daydreaming as John's frown came back.
He had been subtly watching from the sidelines this entire time without bothering to listen at all as this situation was played out over and over again these past months without fail as Olympia steadily increased their reputation, which led to the decline of these idiots' own. He usually never said anything as they all agreed, or at least on the principle that this part of the Vought Tower was a 'free space', but that sort of thing was only ever enforced by himself and what reports or statements these people made were primarily for professional purposes other than actually voicing out opinions in broad daylight.
They knew that if he was annoyed, they were going to have consequences…
Yet, ever since Olympia had taken the scene, they were far bolder, far more irritable, and worst of all, far more complaining at the recent events of their 'careers'. Normally he would have already 'exuded' his distaste for their constant and escalating bickering, but he was focused on more important matters this time, the kind that made his current mood legitimately turn into wholesomely pleasant, to the point that his genuine dream of being a…
…hero was actually coming to fruition, and all these idiots were just talking about…
"…The hell do you mean about redeeming your image Translucent? Have you seen the figures of your latest solo movie? By God, they haven't even reached a hundred million after three damn weeks?! That sequel to that old ass fighter jet movie got 1 billion in a mere two. Face it, our brand is broken and yours with all your baggage is probably down in the gutter." Deep said as John watched their heated debates escalate, the only other silent person in the room aside from himself was a drunk Maeve who was chugging an entire bottle to herself, Lamplighter who no longer wanted to be there, and lastly Black Noir, who was absent from the meeting entirely.
The three idiots, Deep, Translucent, and A-Train were what made the Seven Table irrevocably annoying and unbearable as they kept this stupid charade almost weekly.
"It's just a slump man! We still have fans. Our Reddit page and our social media still show that we have supporters." Translucent argued with micro-expressions that betrayed his own statement. Even through John's own eyes, he saw that the man was very much affected by what the two other idiots were arguing against him.
"Yeah, be real with yourself… the goddamn internet has us beat with all of the essay videos. Goddamn retards saying how the VCU is just a joke nowadays and that we're all fucking 'woke', whatever the hell that means." A-Train said.
"Wow… A-Train is 'woke', like that has been relevant at all since you were part of this team at the very start." Maeve interjected as all the eyes went to her.
"I don't give a rat's ass about your thoughts Maeve, you're basically irrelevant right now given the Green Bitch and the other women in Olympia have basically replaced your holier-than-thou position." A-Train angrily replied back as the woman huffed as if unbothered at his words.
"If it makes you any more incessant then I would gladly tell you that I don't give a damn at all about my reputation nor my honest to God, trash popularity right now…" She then sipped another fill much to John's dismay, knowing that they had a history together she was someone that he had previously thought to be his partner. Disappointment, was not the best word to describe it, as it would be too tame, but he still had Maeve deep in his heart, even if just for the memories.
"…but you? You're just a token piece in this little squad of ours boy. Why do you think they even put you in that spot in the first place? The Seven, the most prestigious superhero team in the world, supposedly represent the world as it is as heroes, the highest and best the world has ever seen." Maeve laughs. "Of course, you're fucking here you entitled child. Like me, you represent a demographic, a demographic that needs a suitable symbol to be placed on a pedestal, and out of all the mediocre picks that one could take from the niche Vought wants, you were the one chosen. Because the only thing worse than being mediocre is having nobody at all."
"The fuck are you saying about me? The people still love me, they still praise me, because out of all of you white folks here in this stupid board room, I'm still important, and I and Homelander are the only ones keeping this ship afloat." He heatedly said.
"Really? You lost that privilege the moment Olympia showed that race and skin color don't matter. Archer has more fans than you. Black people or any other minority are not showing up for you, boy… and you want to know why?" she said as she leaned in with a bottle in her hand and a drunken smile on her face. "… Because the public no longer has a mediocre choice to be content with. Olympia pretty much made your inclusivity and appeal to a certain demographic non-existent. They're better than you with that, so deal with it. It's the whole damn reason you're as non-existent as me."
Maeve's whole statement retroactively made the entire room shut up due to how much emotion and stress was in her voice, but much to John's own surprise, her drunken fervor was right on all accounts present. So much so that even he could not have said it better himself.
"Guys… let's just be civil here okay? I don't think complaining is going to amount to anything when in retrospect we should be united against Olympia so that we can better-
Lamplighter was cut off when Translucent raised his hand and spoke again.
"Respectfully, Flame Brain, you are close to retirement, you don't practically belong to any goddamn discussion about our careers, since yours is already six feet under. Ours, however, aren't, and it's our life and blood that's on the line. We become irrelevant then what's next?"
"The fact that you're so protective and argumentative about this tells us a lot you know. You're nothing without the Seven Brand attached to your name, Trans… nobody likes you. You fucking turn invisible… who cares?" Deep replied as John saw Maeve roll her eyes as the heated debate was starting to come back, like a loop that just kept on going.
"Well, what does that make you, huh, Fishman? You're saddled with a ton of allegations too. Don't act like your act is clean." Translucent argued back.
"At the very least I try to help you sanctimonious piece of shit. I do a lot of goddamn heroing outside of my career and I actually care… especially for the little folks down in the water. What are you good at? Watching naked women change in restrooms?"
"You call molesting a damn Sea World Biologist as heroing? I feel almost shocked you're proud of that, and to answer your question, I do in fact do some heroing. A bit more than I used to but I do it, mostly because I care enough that I don't bring my own personal baggage into them and I benefit from it after."
"Benefit… sure." A-Train huffed.
They continued arguing again. John sighed in disappointment as he began swiping his phone for more pictures of his beloved. Oddly enough he started noticing that Maeve was staring at him while the noisy bickering continued, only for his senses to catch a statement that made him finally break his silence.
"Lancer's popular because she's a goddamn woman! She's black too and the public chews that up especially when she's basically fulfilling every possible niche that appeals to the masses. If it had been a man it wouldn't amount the same!" Translucent shouted as Homelander finally surfaced.
He raised his fist and slammed it with enough controlled force on the Table.
BAM!
The entire furniture shuddered and rang as the three idiots suddenly froze before settling back into their seats, slowly. Maeve kept watching him as the mood of the room shifted. Homelander gently smiled at each of them one by one, pacifying their need to fight back as his grin became, intimidating.
He then clapped his hands together as he finally spoke…
"It's come to my attention, that this regular meeting of ours has been nothing but an excuse for most of you to just complain… not for important reasons, mind you, but for asinine, completely inept issues that even the most autistic person can solve in just a fortnight."
His voice was cool and steady, but the sheer fear radiating out of the others was clear.
There was one exception, however, that being Maeve which was usually scared of him subtly, but Homelander paid no heed to it as he continued speaking.
"You rag on and on about popularity, being relevant, and worst of all, being heroic for purposes other than doing the deed has been very disappointing and annoying to the eyes and ears of this humble abode. Doesn't that make you all ashamed?" he stressed especially with that last word as he moved his eyes toward the three idiots.
"…guilty?" he asked A-Train.
"…perhaps accountable?" He looked at Deep.
"…or maybe repentant, when those accusing you of something are right?" he stressed with Translucent who settled back in his seat, trying to look professional but ultimately failing as fear rattled his invisible face completely. The man understood why he was singling him out and he was now starting to regret ever mentioning her in his face again.
Homelander then smiled as he turned his eyes on Lamplighter who did not want to meet with his.
Maeve on the other hand, continued to watch, unbothered by the sheen of terror now enveloping the room as Homelander started to giggle, with his voice deepening.
"Let me be clear with you all, with as much simplicity and ease as I could muster to explain why exactly you're all experiencing the inevitable slump in your fantastical careers."
Homelander stood up and began walking, circling the table like a pod of Killer Whales encircling prey. The disturbing feeling reached a zenith to each person present, except for Maeve who kept watching him with a frown while he continued his little speech.
"…The Seven was built upon the foundation of being the pedestal that each man, woman, and child aspires to. The Olympus of Modern Day, the Valhalla of all heroic souls coming together, and the state of absolute Nirvana that greatly proclaims the amazing achievements of the Human Race…"
He then audibly placed both his hands on A-Train's seat as the speedster flinched.
"…of course, we have the right to be proud. We're essentially gods in human form, but that's where the distinction ends, unfortunately. Because at the very end of the day, our job is to be heroes. Not… celebrities…"
He then moved to Deep and placed a rather tight, 'supportive' grip on his shoulder.
"Even the most vile, detestable Gods that humans worshipped back then worked to keep their followers safe. They worked to keep their world safe, and they did a lot to make sure that their blessings and their favors were always paid back in full. Or… in layman's terms so that you idiots can understand, is that fame is merely part of the job."
He then moved to Translucent and patted his invisible head. Rustling the hair subtly like it was sandpaper and ruffling it like a dog's. Smiling sadistically as the invisible man shivered.
"…Fame doesn't dictate how you do your job. If anything, it's the reward and you won't get it if the only thing on your mind is to make sure you get clicks and hearts on social media."
He then grinned at Translucent one more time, steadily breathing close into his face as he moved away, making the man sigh in relief as Homelander returned to his seat.
"Do you want to know why Olympia is succeeding? Why a heroine like Lancer is a symbol? And why my own name hasn't lost any relevancy whatsoever?"
He waited for some sort of response. Hoping somebody would say something.
But nobody did.
So, he finished for himself.
"It's because they're actually out there… making a difference" he pointed towards the window. "They're actually out there making the world a better place while not minding any of the fame or fortune that comes after. If anything, they reject it, because people like me? People like them?"
He leaned closer to the table.
"They are the real heroes that make shit happen. They're not actors, and they're certainly not frauds that the only reason their names are of any importance is because they're attached to Vought. That they're attached to The Seven… or better yet, attached to me."
Homelander leaned back as every single person took in what he said.
"You're all riding at my coattails. Struggling to hang on once anything new happens that changes the state of the environment around us. Darwinism, I think is the right word to describe the new food chain emerging and little idiots like you and many out there who can't adapt to those changes, well, they become extinct. Not like the dodo… no, but like the dinosaurs."
His eyes glowed by a few degrees as everybody backed a step away.
"…burned because they couldn't keep up."
His eyes then returned back to normal as his smile became friendly again.
"I hope this clears up the confusion, my friends. I don't think I need to explain what it takes for you all to remedy your situation. I still have faith in my team. My people… and I don't think you're all total idiots for not seeing that."
He then clapped his hand again, happier this time much to everybody flinching from his actions as Homelander looked at his comrades. "Make your position in the Seven, actually worthwhile. Otherwise, it's not me that you're going to fail, it's everybody. If you're a nobody, then maybe you don't deserve to be here at all, right?"
Nobody said a word after as Homelander dismissed them without another word a few minutes later. Now that the room returned back to the blissful silence that he liked, he then noticed that Maeve had never left her seat.
She was still staring at him.
"You have anything to say… Maeve?" he asked, in a friendly manner.
She then smiled before laughing hysterically and fearlessly throwing the bottle in his direction.
CRACK!
Homelander watched as he caught the bottle before it hit his face and Maeve began stomping drunkenly right in front of him. She continued laughing before she placed both hands on the side of his head and before Homelander could pry her off for this forceful insinuation…
She stopped and stared deeply into his eyes.
"You're an idiot." She whispered as she let go of him.
"What?" he asked, a bit of anger in his voice as well as confusion.
"You're as scared as the rest of us, John. More so than ever in your life. You might not feel like it, but I know you are."
"I'm not scared." He replied back, confused, miffed, but curious as to her point.
"Lancer's never going to love you, back."
Homelander… no, John completely froze at her words as Mave took a step back.
"What are you talking about?" he asked, his tone dangerous.
"Because you're a fraud just like the rest of us. The moment she sees you as you are is the day that your entire world will crumble apart down to the very seams. She's not the solution to your loneliness or the love that you crave most of all from that someone that doesn't exist."
"Shut up." He ordered.
"…You're just a child. A petulant, whiny, little golden boy given everything. Take it all away and the person you're dedicating all of your time and love… will only see you as what you truly are, a pathetic waste of life who is just as much of an idiot as the people he calls out to be."
"SHUT UP." He stressed, this time. His eyes glowing, the red color reaching dangerously intense.
"…She's never going to see your way of thinking as sane. Because you're not the hero of the story. You're the fucking villain, and since she's the perfect hero, she'll be there to smite you dow-
"SHUT UP!" he yelled. The glass in the room shook as Maeve continued to grin even as Homelander held her up in the air by the side of her arms. His heart began to beat wildly as his breathing became strained. The anger built up inside of him had reached a staggering high that his strength was seeping into Maeve's arms, slowly injuring them in the process.
Yet the woman remained steadfast with her smile. Unflinching.
"If you want to kill me, go ahead. I don't mind dying at all, least of all to you. Because I don't give a shit anymore, if I kick the bucket, your frilly little, impossible dream will be gone from your grasp." She taunted.
"Explain." He whispered as he tried to calm himself down.
"Lancer's not gonna like a murderer, but who cares what she thinks right? You're Homelander…"
She leaned closer…
"… and you can do whatever the fuck you want."
AN: And Homelander ever since then has started to go down a spiral of self-doubt..
I felt like that was a good stopping point. There was initially a short dialogue with Ryan and Homelander after, but I cut it for the simple reason that it should be its own chapter. It had too much good in it to be a tack on.
But yeah, for now, I feel happy with where this stops.
Yes, this means more of the Vought Politics once Maeve's chapters are up.