Nightmare Starters

It occured to Callisto--perhaps a bit belatedly--that they really shouldn’t have gone on ahead without Gaster. He was much more confident, smart, composed--

“H-Hey, come on, just listen. Please,” They held their notebook out, open to their notes. “Look, it’s--I have a plan, sir--”

Asgore didn’t even look like he’d heard them. Callisto threw themself to the ground to attempt to avoid Asgore’s trident, though they did end up with a rather nasty gash on their bicep and a complimentary tear in the sleeve of their sweater. Their journal was dropped, loose pages scattering across the bed of flowers. They first grabbed at the wound, but all that did was get blood all over their hands.

Callisto still scrambled to gather up what they could, and stood again, eyes watery with tears. They took a shaky breath, sniffling a bit and readjusting their glasses. It was their turn to make a move, after all. Quivering, they flipped back to where they had furiously scribbled all of Gaster’s important points--why this was more efficient, why it was better, what good it’d do in the long run--and took another breath. A few stray tears slipped out, but Callisto dashed them away quickly.

Gaster would not be shaking in his boots.

Gaster would’ve convinced Asgore to discuss this over a steaming cup of tea by now.

I’m going to die. The thought was sudden; unwelcome. Callisto pushed it away.

“You s-see, if you would a-allow me to explain... Y-You don’t h-have to hurt anyone, sir.” Their voice cracked, trembling. They were terrified, and it was clear for everyone to see. Being so easily read was only making them more afraid, though. Would that make them lose their credibility?

“I can just g-go back home, and bring back my foster parents, and... And...”

I’m going to die.

The hesitation was all Asgore needed to make his move again, this time opening another deep wound on their calf. Callisto dropped to their knees, but kept the journal clutched tight to their chest.

“W-Wait,” They whimpered softly. “Please,”

Dark red was staining the buttercups underneath them. They were going to die.

The sudden sound of frantic footsteps turned their head, back towards the long hallway they’d come down to get here. In the tall archway--

“Gaster?” Journal dropping, Callisto dragged themself to their feet, turning their back to Asgore. They were so relieved. He was here, he was going to tell Asgore it was all okay, and Callisto could go home. They could fix this all.

“You... You came for m-me?”

Three metal points, coated with a viscous, red substance--was that their blood?--sprouted from their chest. Callisto’s eyes flickered from their friend briefly to look down. It didn’t look real. Confused, they looked back up to Gaster. They couldn’t read his expression. Asgore must’ve yanked back on the trident because now they were lying on their back with three gaping holes in their chest, struggling to breathe. Gasping for air, their hand started to look for their journal. It must’ve fallen nearby--

“Callisto,” Oh, no. No no no no.

"Oh... Oh my god,” There was a pressure on their chest. He must’ve been trying to stanch the bleeding. Callisto had a vague feeling of guilt; blood stains would be hard to get out of his white fur. At least it’d grow out.

“Sorry,” It came out garbled. It hurt. Everything hurt. Callisto was afraid.

There were dozens of assurances that it was okay, that it wasn’t their fault, but they started crying anyways. They should’ve listened.

“Am I dying?”

“No, no, you aren’t dying. We’ll fix you up, Little Moon.” Callisto let out a short sob. He was wrong. Weakly, they pushed his paws off their chest--the blood was just soaking through anyways--and gripped a furry paw tightly in their hand, trying to look him directly in the eyes for once. Their breath rattled in out out raggedly, and when they tried to speak again, all that came out was blood. They sucked in a breath; they sucked in blood. They couldn’t breathe, they couldn’t breathe. They struggled, free hand gripping at the bloody buttercups underneath them, as if by holding onto something solid, something real, they could stay. They had to stay.

They had to tell him--

Callisto’s eyes rolled back, tensed muscles gradually loosening.

Their blood-stained hand let go of Gaster’s.

Galileo and the Jovian Satellites

On the nights of January 7/8, 1610, Galileo Galilei noted in his notebooks the discovery of the first 4 Jovian moons, which he named after the powerful Medici family, naming them Medicean I, II and III.  The name Europa (above left) comes from Greek mythology-Europa was abducted by Zeus (the Greek name for Jupiter) in the form of a bull and bore him many children.  Io is also named for a child of Zeus (Jupiter), the daughter of Inachus, who was raped by Jupiter. Jupiter, in an effort to hide his crime from his wife, Juno, transformed Io into a heifer.  Calllisto (on the right) was named for another seduction of Jupiter.  Callisto was the daughter of Lycaon, who was a follower of Artemis, famous as goddess of the hunt and for her chastity.  To punish Callisto for lying with Jupiter, Artemis banished her.  Without protection, Jupiter was forced to change Callisto and her son into bears to hide them from his wife Hera’s fury.  Eventually, Jupiter placed them both in the sky as the Ursa Major and Minor, the Big and Little Bears (known today as the Big and Little Dippers).  Ganymede was the fourth moon discovered by Galileo, named for the shepherd boy known for his incredible beauty and kidnapped by Jupiter.  These names would not become common for several hundred years.  Today, Jupiter has fifty named moons:

1. Io  2. Europa

3. Ganymede

4. Callisto

5. Amalthea

6. Himalia

7. Elara

8. Pasiphae

9. Sinope

10. Lysithea

11. Carme

12. Ananke

13. Leda

14. Thebe

15. Adrastea

16. Metis

17. Callirrhoe

18. Themisto

19. Megaclite

20. Taygete

21. Chaldene

22. Harpalyke

23. Kalyke

24. Iocaste

25. Erinome

26. Isonoe

27. Praxidike

28. Autonoe

29. Thyone

30. Hermippe

31. Aitne

32. Eurydome

33. Euanthe

34. Euporie

35. Orthosie

36. Sponde

37. Kale

38. Pasithee

39. Hegemone

40. Mneme

41. Aoede

42. Thelxinoe

43. Arche

44. Kallichore

45. Helike

46. Carpo

47. Eukelade

48. Cyllene

49. Kore

50. Herse

and an additional 16 provisional moons:

1. S/2003 J2

2. S/2003 J3

3. S/2003 J4

4. S/2003 J5

5. S/2003 J9

6. S/2003 J10

7. S/2003 J12

8. S/2003 J15

9. S/2003 J16

10. S/2003 J18

11. S/2003 J19

12. S/2003 J23

13. S/2010 J 1

14. S/2010 J 2

15. S/2011 J1

16. S/2011 J2

All images courtesy NASA.  Thanks also to NASA for additional historical background.

My muse has just woken up from a particularly vivid and terrifying nightmare. Send “Ssh, you’re okay” to calm and comfort them.

//2, 6, 16 (man I want to send so many you don't even know~)

no easy answer; accepting2. You meet a man who has killed someone and done time for it before. Does this factor into how you treat him? Will he ever truly escape that sin?

“Well, if I’m honest, it does. It’d make me feel nervous and threatened, and I’d certainly treat him differently. I don’t think that the majority murderers deserve a second chance, though... It does depend on the situation. I would be a lot less afraid of someone who killed in self-defense, for instance. Maybe I’m answering this wrong, but... I’m being honest.”

6. If you tell the truth, an evil person gets to walk away free. If you lie, you may be able to send them away like they deserve. Is honesty worth more than justice?

“I--uh, I don’t lie to well. I don’t know. I don’t know. How evil are they? If they would hurt anyone if I let them go, or if the evil things they did hurt people, I’d lie. I’d try to lie, probably.”

16. Have you ever contemplated killing someone? Who and why? Would you ever act on it? Are you frightened you might?

“Do we h-have to talk about this?” There’s a long pause.

“I got startled... I was... I was scared. I didn’t have time to contemplate. I just--I...” That wasn’t answering the question.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone. But if I had to, I would. I have. I’m scared I’ll do it again, yes.”

Send my character a ★ and I’ll bold everything they feel toward your character.

bunchofrpmemes.

I like you // I love you // You’re one of my best friends // You’re like family // You are family // I dislike you // I hate you // I’d kill you if I got the chance // I want you to like me // I’m scared of you // I would adopt you // I’d date you // I’d sleep with you // I’d marry you // I’m worried about you // You confuse me // You’re annoying // I pity you // I respect you // I trust you // I feel protective of you // I’d invite you with me to parties // I’d lend you my money // I’d borrow your money // You’re good-looking // I’m suspicious of you // I’m hiding something from you // You’re fun // You’re boring // I’m upset with you // You’re nice // You’re mean // I’m envious of you // You’re smart // You’re stupid // I look up to you // I think you’re a better person than me // I think I’m a better person than you // I want to apologize to you // I wish I’d never met you // I never want to forget you // I want to get to know you better

Jupiter’s Moons

Ganymede

🎀

send to 🎀 put a bow in my muse’s hair; accepting

Although a bit surprised–and startled–Callisto smiled and sat down so the little grey creature could better reach their hair and tie the red ribbon in. They might’ve offered a hug, if the other hadn’t been a stranger.

“Thanks!”

Break my muse. Make them cry. Make them feel alone. Make them feel worthless. You now have full permission to go into my asks and terrorize them