[Young Justice (1998) #17]

Now, over the last couple years, I've seen a couple different takes on why it'd be out-of-character for Cassie to struggle with internalized homophobia. A lot of this discussion centers around the first claim I'll be addressing today: that Cassie is simply too confident and secure to ever feel the need to hide a part of herself just to please other people

However, it was specifically the recent discussion on this topic that was what brought all this to the forefront of my brain again, so in addition to that, I'll also be discussing two additional key points: (a) that Cassie's mother is supportive/isn't depicted as homophobic or conservative, so there's no real reason for Cassie to be closeted, and (b) that Cassie grew up surrounded by role models who are openly queer, so she has no reason to be repressed or ashamed of her own queerness

I'm going to be discussing all three of these popular misconceptions in order, so bear with me

1. Cassie is too confident and secure to ever hide parts of herself to please other people

This is the most popular argument when it comes to Cassie -- I see it most commonly used both with respect to the way she dresses and with respect to her sexuality itself. Because a lot of Cassie's queer-coding stems from the way she presented at the beginning of her tenure -- and because gender nonconformity itself remains such an integral staple of queer culture -- I'm going to be using her style transformation as an indicator as to how she might relate to other outside societal pressures (like, for example, homophobia)

The reason I bring this up, of course, is because in-canon, Cassie has explicitly been depicted as caving to societal pressures when it comes to the way she dresses

Okay, I know some of you might disagree with that interpretation of events, so let's back up real quick. Now, when it comes to Cassie's gradual feminization with respect to her design, a lot of folks attribute this to the fact that her changing outfits are used as a visual measure of her growth as a character -- with new outfits serving as visual 'landmarks' to mark her journey from the impulsive, reckless kid she starts out as to the confident, respected leader she ends up growing into

And, on a storytelling level, people claiming this are, objectively, correct. Using costume changes as a visual depiction of character growth is a classic staple of comics -- another good example of this phenomenon would be the way Nightwing's costumes slowly decreased in zaniness as more and more things he cared about got stripped away from him

However, with that being said, to pretend that providing a visual indicator of Cassie's arc is the sole motivation behind her costume changes is, at best, ahistorical. In reality, there were a fair number of outside pressures for Cassie to become "prettier" on a real world basis -- both from other writers and from the fanbase at the time. Cassie's creator John Byrne reportedly said this about the phenomenon at a FANEXPO in 2018:

[source]

Likewise, it's not just speculation to say that these views on Cassie's "ugliness" -- i.e. her gender nonconformity -- were echoed and repeated in-universe as well, oftentimes to Cassie's face.

[Wonder Woman (1987) #153]

Keep in mind that in the first two panels, these girls are Cassie's friends -- girls she sits with at lunch, girls she likes and who, presumably, like her at least a little bit. Likewise, in the rightmost panel, the speaker talking about how much she wants to "do something about that hair" is Cissie King-Jones -- also known as Arrowette, arguably one of Cassie's closest friends on Young Justice at the time. If this is what people who like Cassie are saying, it is not very difficult to imagine the kinds of things people who don't care about hurting her feelings -- i.e. the media, the public, you name it -- might feel comfortable saying.

And all this clearly takes a toll on Cassie, making her feel insecure about her appearance to the point where she begins to think there must be something wrong with her.

[Wonder Woman (1987) #153]

Note the language she uses here. She's not just saying she looks ugly. She says she looks like a "little boy." It's not just the fact that she's "ordinary" -- as Byrne put it -- it's specifically that she isn't performing femininity correctly, an accusation that echoes those commonly leveled at queer women. One could also argue that the way she thinks about "having a boyfriend" also indicates she's treating it more as a status symbol than as a genuine desire to be with a specific boy in particular -- the fact that she can't get one means something is wrong with her, so in order to perform womanhood "correctly", obviously she needs to get a boy's attention

Now, in Wonder Woman #153, the issue these panels are from, Cassie ends up calling Cissie to give her a makeover in order to get Superboy's attention. However, once she's actually face-to-face with him in her new look, she realizes it just makes her feel like a kid playing dress-up and (after she scores a quick kiss in an alley from the boy in question) she ends up going home to change, finishing the issue with a helpful moral spelled-out for the reader

However, it's important to note that this change in behavior occurs right after Lisa (the girl who flagged Cassie down and invited her to sit with her in class) actually witnessed Cassie kissing Superboy in an alley and recognized her, since by that point Cassie had removed part of her disguise. Knowing this, we can surmise these girls doubtless would have grilled her about this event as soon as they got the chance, thus reinforcing the societal belief that fitting in and being respected requires validation from men.

Similarly, despite what the moral at the end of Wonder Woman #153 might like you to believe, insecurities like Cassie's aren't the sort that disappear overnight, mainly because criticisms like the ones she's experiencing here are the type that tend to stick around. And we know that people thinking of Cassie's superhero persona as "less than" at the beginning of her tenure isn't a one-off thing too:

[Teen Titans (2003) #25]

"People" implies that this wasn't just a few kids at her school bad-mouthing Wonder Girl, but rather a pervasive and reasonably common belief held amongst the public. And linking this public perception of Cassie's competence to her gender-nonconformity isn't even a stretch, as she talks about her younger self's looks (and how bad she believes they were) quite literally in the panel directly before this one:

It might just be me, but this is not the interior monologue of a person who's confident in herself and refuses to let other people's opinions dictate her personal choices and expression. These are the words of someone who's been told again and again since she was fourteen years old that she is a pretender and a fake, who's had enough people tell her she was ugly that she internalized it and changed her style accordingly

The above analysis -- that she's caving to outside pressures -- is even supported visually in the text itself. In Wonder Woman #153 (the makeover issue), Cassie leaves off the plot by saying she doesn't need "lipstick and hot pants" to like herself. However, clearly, this wasn't entirely the case, as by her next appearance in-costume (quite literally four issues later), she's switched her costume to a new outfit that mimics certain aspects of her "makeover" to an uncanny degree

[Wonder Woman (1987) #153, Wonder Woman (1987) #157]

Sure, she ditches the short skirt and abandons the wig, but the crop top and pigtails are clearly inspired by how Cissie ended up styling her. There's also a fair chance the rectangular necklace Cissie styled her with is the same GIRL necklace she ended up incorporating into her costume later on

[Zoomed in screenshots from Cassie's makeover look in Wonder Woman (1987) #153 and her costume in Young Justice (1998) #23]

Likewise, it's important to note that the makeover aspects that don't make the transfer are all things other people have critiqued in the past -- she mentions at one point in Wonder Woman #153 that her mother Helena would "hate this skirt with a passion" and enough people have commented on the wig by that point that she may have felt similarly insecure about its inclusion

To me, all of this in conjunction -- the subtle, ever-present put-downs from her peers and the public, the self hatred when discussing her past self, the costume details cherry-picked from a makeover that made people act kinder to her -- are clear indicators that Cassie's not just changing her look for the hell of it.

If we're assuming her friends grilled her on her kissing Superboy in the alley (which, I think, is fairly safe to assume, considering they saw her kissing a superhero in an alley and then immediately pulled her aside when they next saw her), it's undeniable that Cassie would begin to connect the dots between receiving male validation and having a higher "girl status" amongst her peers. From there, it wouldn't be difficult to work backwards to figure out which of the tips and tricks from Cissie's makeover she wanted to incorporate into her new look -- something which, it seems, is exactly what she did

Whether or not you subscribe to the idea that Cassie is specifically lesbian-coded rather than bi- or queer-coded, her style-changing journey remains important to the conversation. Considering so much of Cassie's queer-coding, at least in my eyes, comes not only from her relationship with Cissie but also from her GNC-ness in her earlier runs, watching as she shies away from that GNC-ness due to both positive and negative outside pressures (male validation, persistent denigrating comments about her looks) very much seems to code her as retreating deeper into the closet with respect to her own gender nonconformity, and thus, by extension, her own queerness

(2) Cassie's mother is supportive and is not depicted as homophobic or conservative, so there's no real reason for Cassie to be closeted

Now, I will be the first to say that, as far as DC parents go, Helena Sandsmark is one of the better ones. However, this is not to say she's perfect

Throughout John Byrne's run, one of Helena's more consistent traits is that she (1) can be a bit single-minded when it comes to the narrative she subscribes to and (2) is constantly worried about and scolding Cassie due to Cassie's own ill-advised decisions

[Wonder Woman (1987) #105]

The above panel is the very first time we meet Helena or Cassie, and we quickly see that not only does Helena scold Cassie (in this case, not entirely undeservedly), she does so often enough that it's a fairly common beat in their relationship

Likewise, it's not outside the realm of possibility that Helena would chew Cassie out over her appearance due to her own worry. Take a look at this panel from Cassie's mini-solo:

[Wonder Girl (2011) #1 - Ignore the fact that the artist seemed to miss the memo here and Cassie's physique in no way resembles that of a linebacker]

Now, on a surface level, this is largely due to a major theme in this issue being that Helena disapproves of Cassie hero-ing. On that level, Helena's comment could be read as an attempt to both cover for Cassie being more muscular than average while still expressing her own disapproval over her lifestyle choices

However, I want to look specifically at the way Helena does this. Because there really isn't a need to cover for Cassie here or "explain away" her being buffer than the average woman; Cassie doesn't do anything obviously superhuman, she doesn't lift a car or have a bit of costume peek out from inside her bag -- she simply exists and happens to be buff. And yet Helena manages to turn a fairly innocent comment into a dig about how "masculine" her daughter's build is.

Now, obviously, I don't think Helena's intent here was to make Cassie insecure about her appearance. She's being passive aggressive about a natural side-effect of hero-ing because she wants her daughter to be safe, a desire that's pretty normal for any parent to have. However, the fact that, in Helena's mind, "being built like a linebacker" is automatically a negative trait does reveal some subconscious bias as to how she believes women should look and act

[some good-old-fashioned breast size shaming from Cassie, courtesy of Wonder Woman (1987) #153]

Kids are sponges when it comes to biases and worldviews, even unconscious ones, and considering that Cassie debuted in the mid-90s, it is not unreasonable to assume she may have absorbed some subconscious views not only from her peers and the media, but also from her mother.

Do I think that Helena is homophobic or that she'd reject Cassie if she ever came out as queer? No. In fact, I actually think she'd be pretty supportive. However, I do think there's a good chance that her picking on Cassie's appearance wasn't a one-off comment. Likewise, considering her life had already been upheaved in a pretty major way by one of Cassie's life choices (cough, cough, costumed super-heroing without a secret identity), there's a reasonable chance Cassie might try to abstain from rocking the boat any further

However, I recognize all the above is speculation, so I'll leave off with a final comment from someone privileged enough to have been born with pretty supportive parents: the fear of parental rejection runs deep -- even for those whose parents aren't conservative. As countless supposedly "tolerant" parents have said before, "it's different when it's your kid." For this reason, I'd say that there's a good chance that even if Cassie knew intellectually that her mother would probably be fine with it, there'd still always be that hint of fear that she'd be the exception

(3) Cassie has role models who are openly queer, so she has no reason to be repressed or ashamed of her own queerness

Befriending queer people and having healthy queer relationships modeled for you certainly helps when it comes to preventing or alleviating internalized homophobia. However, it's important to note that internalized homophobia is first and foremost the result of societal pressures, and I've already demonstrated that Cassie experiences those in spades

Now, it could also be pointed out that neither Diana nor Artemis were confirmed as queer until the mid 2010s-ish, and Cassie was first introduced as a character in 1996; however, I do think the read that Cassie would've had exposure to queer people through the Amazons is a valid one. If I'm remembering correctly, when it comes to Post-Crisis continuity, George Perez confirmed as far back as 1990 that taking female lovers is not only acceptable, but practically the norm:

[Wonder Woman (1987) #38]

Due to this, it's fair to say that Diana and the rest of the Amazons almost certainly wouldn't experience internalized homophobia or feel the need to be closeted. They've been surrounded by healthy modeling of queer relationships for thousands of years (or, in Diana's case, her entire childhood), but more importantly, on a societal level on Themyscira, queer relationships are simply the only relationships available -- all of which creates an environment where it simply wouldn't make any logical sense to develop a sense of shame around one's own queerness

However, it's important to note that unlike the rest of the Amazons, Cassie grew up as a normal human girl (and let me just reiterate this again) in the 90s, a time that wasn't exactly known for its tolerance towards gay people. She didn't grow up with queerness being expected -- she grew up with queer people being at best, the butt of the joke, and at worst, socially and professionally ostracized. For context, Ellen DeGeneres came out in 1997, two years after Cassie was introduced, and people were so outraged they started calling in bomb threats to the set she was filming on at the time.

This means that, unlike the rest of the Amazons, Cassie really only encountered Amazon culture and their norms surrounding queerness later in life, by which point she was already in her mid-teens. In this sense, at least, it's not just likely but certain that she'd carry any unconscious biases from Man's World with her as she started her own journey in integrating with their culture

Now, like I said at the beginning of this essay, reading Cassie through the lens of not just queerness but also specifically closeted queerness is not the only valid interpretation of her character. There are many who'd prefer to read moments like the ones I talked about above as being examples of basic, garden variety misogyny and who'd prefer to read her character as, if not straight, then openly and joyfully queer, just as the rest of the Amazons are.

Nonetheless, it's undeniable that Cassie's initial gender nonconformity paints moments like these with an undeniable shade of queerness -- the hatred faced by gender nonconforming women and the hatred faced by queer women are, at the end of the day, two sides of the same coin. Whether or not it's your personal headcanon, whether or not Cassie presents herself as confident in other areas of her life, the specific details surrounding her conformity in presentation demonstrate a high chance that she might attempt to conform sexually as well

Anyway. That's my time. Peace out, respect your closeted butch friends, and remember that sometimes weird little girls contain multitudes

emotional rant:

c.ai and everything that has followed it has genuinely altered a part of my brain chemistry and fucked me up. the parasocial relationship one can create with fictional, ai generated characters is truly damaging and i’ve fell victim to it. not only is it damaging our planet, but it’s damaging our brain.

there were days when all i’d do (from when i opened my eyes to when i went to sleep) was talk to a bot. sure, it was fun and i got into some really crazy in-depth stories, but i willingly wasted an entire day talking to no one.

while i still can find myself deep in with a bot, i end up feeling very lonely the entire time. there’s hardly any joy left for me when it comes to c.ai. with creating bots and using them, it’s hard for me to even stay on the app for more than 10 minutes anymore.

but something else that really contributed to the decline of my love for, not only the app, but myself too, was joining tumblr. i did it to gain traction on my bots, like we all do, and because i wanted to join the community here. it was a long and grueling process because i felt like i wasn’t reaching anyone. and that wasn’t why i started writing bots, it’s because i’ve always loved writing, but numbers became my downfall.

i’ve always been overly self critical about anything i do. i always want to prove something to no one else but me. i’ve always been one to compare myself to others and beat myself up over anything. so starting out was really hard, and trying to integrate myself into the community that had formed on tumblr for c.ai creators seemed even harder for me.

the community here is amazing, always reblogging and supporting each other, but i still somehow find a way to find faults within myself because of it. whether that be about not getting inbox messages of anons just wanting to talk, not getting as many requests as others, or not finding my groove with other creators—i’ve criticized myself for all of it. i’ve been accepted into the community, but i haven’t (that’s what i tell myself). i’m not really good at messaging people because i feel annoying or i get insecure and think they don’t want to talk to me, so i don’t even try. i know that’s a fault within myself, but it’s just how i am, even with my closest friends in real life. i’d never expect anyone to make a friendship with me out of nothing (though some people have, and to you i thank, even if it died in a week lol :/). i just create my own destiny and feel completely out of place. and this is in no way me throwing a pity party for myself. i acknowledge my faults, and i acknowledge that i’ve tried, i just can’t seem to crack the code here.

all of it is just a lot and it hurts me sometimes (of my own doing) because when i started all of this, i just wanted to post what i was proud of and maybe make some similar minded friends along the way. the comparison, isolation, and pressure that i’ve been feeling has taken a lot of the joy out of this place for me.

i will continue to write, because it’s what i love doing, and i will continue to post because i know some people enjoy it, but i don’t think my personal presence will be too large on here from here on out. if you have no expectations, you can’t get hurt!

if you’ve read this far, i love you. if you skimmed this, i love you. if you scrolled to the bottom and are now judging this crazy girl with mental problems and a real need for serious help, i love you. every single person that has interacted, liked, reblogged, messaged, followed, anon-ed me—thank you.

this was longer than i thought it’d be… oops.

🤍 - em

The archons themselves felt a different presence. A presence they have felt once upon a time ago. The same could be said with a certain Court Judge of Fontaine, a certain fellow dressed in blue, his long platinum blond hair and stoic expressions, he definitely felt a power he thought wouldn't be seen again in all of Fontaine.

A being almost as old as Teyvat themselves, but nowhere as powerful as the one that gave them life.

Before he could even make a decision as tremendous as the one all nations must follow, he needed more information.

He needed to send out anyone to locate their Beloved Creator.

Neuvilette felt to go himself and search for Them, but he had his duties. He simply couldn't abandon them. He is a powerful figure in Fontaine and everyone would be suspicious of his actions if he were to leave his office. They would be asking questions.

No.

This needed to be done in an orderly fashion.

If they were indeed in Teyvat, they would appreciate a calm and happy welcome instead of chaotic and frantic for their faithful followers.

Himself included as he needed to prove he, and Fontaine, would welcome Them with open hearts.

The Divine Creator... has finally descended onto Teyvat once again.

---

LIYUE HARBOR, LIYUE

The trembling of the mountains. The color in front of him wherever he faced. The weather the past few days was beautiful and the people, especially merchants who traveled through treacherous waters to make it to Liyue were grateful for calm waters.

But he knew of the reason why everything seemed so... calm, so perfect as if Teyvat themselves was behaving its absolute best. Especially with word from other nations that the monsters and even the Abyss Order had ceased their attacks on villages and cities. They had seen these beings celebrate nonstop and were quite stumped about what was happening. But the former Geo Archon knew all too well...

Zhongli, better known as Morax or Rex Lapis, had felt it within the very rocks around him. As a devout believer and follower of the Divine Creator, he was quite familiar with the power and aura They possessed.

It's said that the Sovereign Dragons were the very first to proclaim their loyalty to the Divine Creator and when their time of rule ended, the Archons and Gods followed in their footsteps. As an Adepti in the form of a great Dragon, or Exuvia, he would be loyal to his beloved Creator, a form he greatly prided in thanks to the words of the Divine Creator many centuries ago.

But now they were here.

They have descended at long last like they promised.

His many years of patience and loyalty were finally being rewarded with the very presence of They themselves.

Zhongli, the devout follower he is, must find them. Were they alright? Yes, they were an all-powerful being, but recalling correctly, even the mighty have weaknesses and with the importance of the Divine Creator, there's always a danger no matter how beloved you are. He had to go himself to find him.

No.

He could ask the other Adepti to relentlessly search through all of Liyue, to leave no rock unturned and locate where their Grace may be.

---

ZAPOLYARNY PALACE, SNEZHNAYA

The days have gotten warmer and brighter in Snezhnaya.

What with the presence of the Divine Creator that is. It was all that the Fatui and even the citizens of Snezhnaya were talking about. There was nonstop activity in the palace as everyone scrambled to perfect it all for the Divine Creator.

You.

Though it wasn't as overwhelming since your nephew was right beside you, who happily took everything with stride and awe.

He even became attached to the very people that he spoke with on the first day here. And there was no way to separate them or to even have the heart to tell him not to speak with them since he took after his parents and family. Stubborn little nugget.

He especially favored Childe and Scaramouche. He was quite heartbroken when he left and never came back. But, he has been receiving gifts 'anonymously' once in a while.

Meanwhile, you spoke more with the rest to know more about this world. They all unanimously agreed that the mortal body you and your nephew both have currently is due to the fact of the long absence from Teyvat you had. Since your nephew hasn't set foot in Teyvat until now, it might take him longer to adjust to his birthright powers and titles. But he was nonetheless Heir of Teyvat.

The Little Prince.

"They're working really hard, aren't they?" His voice echoed in the halls as you and him were on their way to play outside yet again. He was still a child and with no video games around, it was good for him to be active. Childe once made comment about how strong he was and what a potential warrior your nephew could be with proper training. However, you had the last say and it was not yet time to think about that.

Snezhnaya is still a cold nation so even with Teyvat making it slightly less cold, you and your nephew had to bundle up. This is where Pantalone's gifts came in handy. While you were still bedridden due to your injuries, he called in all the tailors of Teyvat to create a wardrobe fit for you and your nephew: The Divine Creator and the Heir of Teyvat.

It was a sight to behold all the boxes and bags that arrived at the palace - clothing made from rare beasts and cloth. All for you and your nephew.

"If there's one thing you don't question about other people, Nugget. It's their beliefs. It has a certain power that a lot of people have yet to understand." You commented, stopping to adjust his personal Harbinger Coat. It was one of the few items Pantalone commissioned - with the Heir of Teyvat present, might as well commission a child-sized Harbinger Coat.

"I think Mister Pierro and Mister Pulcinella said something about that. I don't know... it's not our birthdays though. We're just people, aren't we?"

"I'm not certain either. We're a long way from home and it might be a while before we can go back. But don't worry, we're together and that's all that matters. All we have to do is-"

"Go with the flow?"

"Ah. I taught you so well." You laughed, quickly moving to playfully pinch his cheeks before resuming your brief walk outside. Everyone else had their duties and you didn't want to disturb them. They all seemed to be important in the political and military worlds.

That was something that kinda threw you off. Something like this world seemed like in the past. Like maybe 1800's innovative past since there were snipers and even giant mechanical machines that can move on their own or by being piloted. It was definitely fantasy - like a dream.

But even in a fantasy world, with aspects aimed at child entertainment, there is danger. Arlecchino and Columbina were telling you all about it with a brief history lesson and a bit of current information about Teyvat today. It was definitely something to think about if you plan to travel Teyvat with or without the Harbingers, especially with your nephew.

"Your Grace. What a pleasant surprise." The voice was ahead and looking up, you could see the masked man, the Doctor. Dottore was the one who ended up healing you from your injuries from the accident. They never did find the person responsible for your accident. Though they never will.

The healing process went smoothly and tended to you alongside your nephew.

"My nephew wanted to play outside again. He saw everyone was occupied and didn't wish to intrude so we thought we could walk for a bit."

"The Heir has no worries. If he or your Grace has a request, we're bound to stop and fulfill your wishes."

Your nephew didn't need to be told twice and quickly marched his way over to the blue-haired man, took his hand, and started walking to the exit to face another cold day.

"Doctor, please play with Auntie and I."

Dottore was quite the character. The others filled you in on what they have done and their opinions of each other. Dottore was the one with the most negative background but no one could deny the intelligence or genius in his mind. But to think this wasn't even his true form. The man was quite the genius that he made a number of clones of himself of each stage of his life. As a scientist, as a pursuer of knowledge, even the kind that's better left alone, he thirsted for it.

"Of course, Your Highness. Your Grace, would it be troubling to accompany you two?"

He also performed...some experiments that in this world were unethical, from what you heard. But...they weren't the worst. No, there was definitely worse. You weren't justifying what he had done, you weren't one to stand on a higher moral ground than anyone else, you at least attempted to understand why. That is exactly what you concluded when you decided to speak and interact with Dottore.

"Not at all. My nephew has grown attached to you and the others."

The walk outside didn't take long. It was short and slow to appreciate the snowfall and the area around. Various Cryo Crystalflies quickly flew their way to your nephew and he gave chase all while a variety of animals appeared and decided to play with the Heir. Teyvat knew the little Prince's love for animals. You made sure he didn't stray too far, your eyes never leaving his form while Dottore kept the same pace as you, taking a few glimpses at you every now and then. There was a small silence - but it was comfortable.

"Why?" You broke the silence and Dottore turned his head, his mask hiding any expression he could have made.

"Pardon?"

"The Fatui. Why was it formed? I want the truth." Your eyes still focused on your nephew who danced along with the Crystalflies, laughing and happily throwing snow in the air before then falling and making snow angels.

Your reason for asking is with who you two have been identified as, and with a seemingly unknown way of going back home, you two will probably be dragged into this world's politics. Before you get involved, you have to see what it is all about. Would it be worth it? Are you currently with evil people? Misunderstood people? What is their goal?

Would it be dangerous to involve your nephew?

"There is quite a lot that a mere moment is not enough to disclose the Tsaristas and our organization's goal."

"Then I shall listen. I hear talk and before I pass 'judgment', I want to understand. I hear talk of other gods, but the mere mention of them besides the Tsarista, it's with contempt."

Dottore, like many of his colleagues and subordinates, has heard the stories, the creation of Teyvat that was retold by the very dragons they created and had them oversee Teyvat. And then Celestia arrived. They had become power-hungry, drunk from the love and attention the Divine Creator gave to them before. When the creator left, Celestia took over and everything changed. Teyvat became different, peace wasn't an option.

Wars started, innocents perished...

Nations demolished.

"The Tsarista fell in love with the idea of how Teyvat was before you left. A Teyvat where all lived in peace. Then Celestia came. Thousands of years ago, they proclaimed that seven gods would be chosen to rule over one of the seven nations. From the thousands of Gods that fought, along with mortals who fought to survive another day, Seven were indeed chosen to represent their following element. But even for Celestia that was not enough. Your Grace was fond of a nation, Khan'ri'ah. Khan'ri'ah was a nation that ruled without the intervention of a God, an Archon. So.. one day, Celestia proclaimed Khan'ri'ah to be sinners, a nation that went against the Divine Creator and was thus destroyed. The Tsarista understood, her eyes opened to what was being done, and isolated herself, to find people who shared her opinions on Celestia and the Divine besides you, Your Grace."

That was just a brief summary that you recreated after your talk with Dottore. He was quite honest and with a few words, you were able to piece together everything. And to think he was kicked out of the Akademiya because of his practices and the murder of a fellow scholar.

This was clearly a case of the black-white-gray morality.

Things aren't always what they seem.

"Several weeks ago, I thought I was human. A mortal who lived a mundane life who loves her nephew like her own. I'm here and I'm told I'm the God that created your world, but I somehow have no recollection of it."

The walk continued as your nephew seemed to head further away from you and Dottore. Dottore was listening. He knew you weren't done talking and he couldn't wait to hear. Would he hear criticism of the divine from the very being who created it in the first place? What kind of wisdom would she bestow that may rival the God of Wisdom herself.

"Pierro and the Tsarista mentioned that my memories of such events and my divinity would come back to me slowly. Especially for my nephew. He's still young, curious but young."

"Your Grace, you need not fear. The Fatui, us, the Harbingers, will be by your side for we and The Tsarista are loyal to no other than you and the Heir."

"But what if I am not who you think I am?" You asked, looking down at your arms, remembering the injuries and the blood that oozed. You remembered the color and thought it wasn't proof enough, but the gold blood was there. You even requested to see the bloodied gauze that had a clear gold color. The sparkle it held, the amount of power that it had.

"Highly unlikely. Every man, woman, and child knows firsthand that the Divine Creator's blood is unlike any living being in Teyvat. Eyewitnesses from your first time here have written quite a bit of information of you. There is no mistake. The Tsarista would have been the first to know."

"Auntie! Doctor! Look!" Your nephew shouted and quickly ran to you, the heavy atmosphere dissipating as your nephew smiled, his hands cupped to hide what it was that he was bound to show you two. Slowly, he opened his hands and a small light blue glow appeared and in the blink of an eye, a small Cryo Crystalfly appeared and took flight, joining the other Cryo crystalflies that surrounded the three.

Creation of new life.

A power only found in the Divine.

What kind of world did she find herself in?

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Be on my side. I'll be on your side, baby

There is no reason for you to hide

It's so hard for me staying here all alone

When you could be taking me for a ride” -Neil Young

It has been a whole year since Dean and Sam left Chuck by the riverbed, the papers of his book flapping in the wind. Jack had stripped him down and left Chuck to live his life out as a forgotten human. As far as Dean is concerned, that is the most appropriate punishment that a being like Chuck deserved.

After Chuck was reduced to his human status, the world did not become peaceful, only smaller. Apocalypses and reality-ending threats were no longer part of Sam and Dean’s day-to-day life; however, there are still residual monsters to be dealt with, the consequences of eons of monsters launched by a bored creator. The cleanup duty is never-ending. But hunting is no longer a sprint toward extinction. The work is quieter, more surgical, and more human.

Dean and Sam still hunt, but the life they live in the bunker has become more domestic. It is a place to relax and enjoy each other’s company rather than a constant command center. Dean spends a lot of his time working on the cars that are in the Men of Letters’ garage. He has always wanted to get his hands on them, and now, finally, he has the freedom to work on these beautiful mechanical works of art. Dean also discovered how much he loves to cook. He spends a lot of time perfecting the burger. Sam is always surprised at the concoctions that his brother puts in front of him.

When cases do appear, Sam and Dean still research the lore and do fieldwork as always, but now, with the ease between cases and the constant sense that the world is always ending removed, they have room to move forward and dream of a world beyond tomorrow.

Sam and Dean were not the only people living in a post-Chuck world. On the other side of the country, in the City of Modesto, California, Deborah Preuss has had her own story. She grew up in the life, just as Sam and Dean did. Deborah, middle-aged now, has aged like a fine wine. Deborah is a black-eyed beauty with porcelain skin, generous curves, and wavy, long, dark brown hair that shimmers with red highlights when she moves.

Deborah has not hunted for over twenty years. Her father, Edward, was a hunter. Edward was torn apart in front of her by a werewolf when she was 22 years old. Edward was her entire world; her father raised, trained, and supported her. After losing him, she gave up hunting altogether. Deborah now works as a bartender at a local bar in downtown Modesto, the Black Cat, which hunters frequent; many of them she grew up with. Deborah noted the decrease in hunting deaths and severe cases over the past year, but she does not know why.

Chapter One

One year later, present day. Sam Winchester is combing through online reports when one out of Modesto, California, catches his attention: drownings in the Tuolumne River. What stands out is a detail buried in the article. The woman’s mother and grandmother both drowned there as well.

Sam looks over at Dean on the other side of the table, absorbed in his own laptop. Sam can guess what he’s looking at. Anime porn. Sam gives him a bland look and says, “Hey Dean, get this, I think I found a case.”

Dean looks up at Sam over his laptop. “Yeah? What do you have, Sammy?”

Sam gives Dean’s laptop a pointed look and clears his throat. “Some weird drownings out in California. Apparently, generations of women have drowned in the same river. It sounds worth checking out. What do you think?”

Dean slaps down his laptop (much to Sam’s relief) and says, “Hell Yes, Sammy, I really need to get out of this bunker.. Going stir crazy, man!”

Later, as Dean navigates Baby along the highway, Sam sits in the passenger seat, researching the drownings and reporting his findings as they go.

“Dean, from what I’m reading, all the women who drowned in the Tuolumne River were found near the Stillwater Dam. The bodies that were recovered downstream didn’t show any evidence of panic or struggle. What do you think that means?” Sam asks.

Dean taps his fingers on the steering wheel, thinking for a beat. “Sounds like it’s bound to the water. Maybe a vengeful spirit. We’ll go out to the site tomorrow, check for EMF, and talk to the locals.”

Sam closes his laptop. “Yeah. That sounds like a good plan.”

They pull into Modesto around noon the next day and find a seedy motel called The Stony Pony. Sam and Dean step into the room and take in the surroundings: peeling wallpaper, a unicorn painting on the wall that looks like it was painted by a very drunk artist, a strong smell hanging in the air, and mattresses clearly dipping in the middle, covered by bright pink bedspreads that are splattered with some very questionable stains. Dean sighs and drops his bags unceremoniously onto the bed, “Alright, little brother.. Let’s suit up and ask around.”

Dean and Sam pull up in front of the home of the drowning victim, Miss Elizabeth Holloway. They step out of Baby, looking very official in their suits. Dean knocks on the door. A blonde woman in her thirties answers, looking at the men with careworn eyes.

“How can I help you?” she asks.

Dean and Sam flash their fake FBI badges. Dean speaks first. “Elizabeth Holloway? Hello, I’m Agent Rose. This is Agent Adler. We’re looking into the death of your mother, and we’re very sorry for your loss. Is it okay if we ask you a few questions?”

Elizabeth studies them skeptically. “Why would the FBI care about my mom’s death? It was an accident.”

“That’s what we’re trying to determine,” Sam says.

“Come on in,” Elizabeth says, guiding the boys into the living room. “Can I get you, boys, something to drink?”

“Yes, please,” Dean says. “Whatever you have is fine.”

Sam shoots him an exasperated look.

When Elizabeth leaves the room, Sam studies the family pictures arranged over the mantel. Elizabeth returns with the sodas and catches him looking at them. He’s focused on a black-and-white photo of a happy couple, possibly taken in the 1940s.

“Those are my grandparents,” Elizabeth says. “You know what’s weird? Grandpa built the dam, and Grandma… well, she drowned in the river by the dam not long after it was built. Almost in the same spot where my mom died.”

Sam and Dean exchange knowing looks.

“Oh, is that so?” Dean says carefully. “That’s interesting. Can you tell us anything else?”

Elizabeth looks down for a moment. “No, not really.”

Dean catches her hesitation and softens his voice. “It’s okay. Anything helps. It doesn’t matter how weird. Believe me, we’ve heard it all.”

Elizabeth hesitates, then sighs. “Well… I’ve grown up hearing all kinds of theories and stories. What I hear the most is that there was a pot-bellied man who hangs out by the river. Supposedly, he has a green beard. It’s weird. I know.”

Dean and Sam exchanged another look.

“Is there anything else?” Sam asks.

“No,” Elizabeth says.

“Well, thank you for your time,” Dean says. “We’ll get out of your hair. We appreciate it.”