❝𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐠, 𝐈 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐜𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐧.❞
⸺ Edgar Allan Poe
☟☟☟
"UGHHHHH!" Ethan bangs his fists and head full of white-blonde hair with blue and pink highlights on his colourful bed sheets.
"UGH! Where have you been?" he cries as Saturday enters the dorm by opening a section of the big round window with the spider web pattern. The tall, black haired boy was back from his investigation of Bianco's dormitory, and he was more than a little annoyed at the self appointed black King.
"I'm literally having a heart attack right now." he panics as he approaches his roommate.
His face was flushed and he was wearing a light yellow, orange, hot pink, medium pink and light pink sweater with matching shorts filled with coloured flowers and a hot pink shirt on the inside. He was also sporting a red apple watch.
"Yuki is in the infirmary!" he exclaims, his face full of anguish as he paces on the spot.
"What happened?" asks Saturday cooly and calmly, standing by the window.
"Garlic bread incident at dinner. He had a major allergic reaction which means he's out of the Poe Cup and I don't have a co-pilot." Ethan says all of this very quickly, his voice trembling with emotion as he continues to pace.
"It wasn't an accident. Bianco's behind it." Saturday immediately replies expressionlessly glancing at the floorboards.
"How do you know?" cries Ethan in surprise.
"Doesn't matter. You and I are going to take him down tomorrow." says Saturday, the dim lighting of their dormitory making him look deader than ever, though his obsidian eyes were shining like black stars.
"Wait. You're joining the Black Canines?" he steps forward, a bit into Saturday's space and the black floppy haired boy instinctively moves back a step. "You're willing to do that?" he asks hopefully, his tone soft, clasping his hands together. "For me?"
"I want to humiliate Bianco so badly that the bitter taste of defeat burns in his throat." says Saturday icily.
"Yeah, but mostly you're doing it because we're best mates, right?" asks the handsome werewolf carefully, now out of his sulk.
Saturday turns around to face the webbed window.
"Tell me how he keeps winning." Saturday orders.
"It's a real brain cramp. The past two years, no other boat has made it across and back without sinking." Ethan says defeatedly.
"Sounds like sabotage." concludes Saturday crisply.
"There are no rules in the Poe Cup, and he is a siren, which makes him master of the water." considers Ethan.
"Then we just need to beat him at his own game." says Saturday indifferently, turning his head to look back at his teammate.
☟☟☟
The day of the Poe Cup quickly arrived. The sun shone brightly against the pure blue sky over the castle-like academy surrounded by a forest of trees with dark green, spring green, auburn, yellow and orange coloured leaves and a wide lake.
Making their way to Ethan, Saturday and Misaki walk past Bianco Barclay, who gives them an arrogant smirk.
"We're all set." Ethan leans in close to Saturday as he says excitedly.
"Good luck, Master Saturday and Mr. Sinclair." Misaki gives a low bow.
"I would love it if you could cheer for us Misaki." says Ethan excitedly as he gives her a wink.
"Good. Thing's in position." returns Saturday with slightly furrowed brows.
"Wanna tell me what you two were up to all night?" asks Ethan curiously.
"And spoil the surprise?" says Saturday emotionlessly.
Ethan suddenly grins widely.
"Speaking of surprises, your costume's in the tent." The werewolf's voice vibrates with excitement as he smiles toothily and edges closer to Saturday, their shoulders touching.
"Costume?" questions Saturday, a hint of surprise in his cold voice.
Saturday flings open the flaps of the black and white striped tent as he steps out in an all black skin tight full bodysuit, with lighter grey shade lining and decorations and black (wolf) pup (Saturday prefers to refer to them as 'Caninae') ears on his black floppy hair. (Ethan deliberately didn't tell him they were actually wolf ears, that he intended Saturday to be a wolf, to mess with him.)
"HOLY SHIT, you look pawsitively perfect!" compliments Ethan in his black skin tight full body suit with bright blue lining, black fox ears, drawn black nose and filled black eyebrows, black lips, black eyeliner and drawn on whiskers. Misaki stood beside Ethan and nods. He paws cutely at Saturday. The boy in black looks pensively away from the two of them. "Only thing, where are your whiskers?" Ethan complains.
"Ask again, and you will woof no more." Saturday says menacingly as he looks directly at Ethan. His teammate only grinned.
A rousing fanfare plays as teams get into position out on the lake. The spectators, students and teachers alike are crowded around 4 tents. The far left one: black and white striped, next to it a red and white striped tent, Ajax's team in front, then an indigo and white striped tent, which had Saturday and Ethan's canoe in front and lastly, a yellow and white striped tent, Bianco Barclay's team was stationed in front. At the very back, a blue and indigo striped team stood between the clearing of two luscious green leaved trees, students continuing to pour out of it.
The deck behind the canoes had a row of fire torches burning, red and white striped buoys and a little fence. The deck extended paths to the four canoes, players in teams, oars at the ready. The waters were murky, as if the lake itself was filled with mysterious adventures waiting to be uncovered by the competing students.
At the very front of all four canoes was some sort of sharp spear. The black and purple team had a simple Chinese spear. The red Joker themed team had a menacing tri-spear with various cow skulls, goat skulls and eagle skulls pierced on it. Saturday and Ethan's team: The Black Canines, had a playful vibe with various black puppies, black fox cubs, black jackal cubs and black wolf cubs skewered onto theirs, the large, painted yellow-gold slitted eyes standing out against the black canoe, with a jagged blood red mouth painted underneath, wild patterns in white slashed all over and the words 'The Black CANINE' printed on its side. And Bianco's team had regal golden beetles lining theirs. Despite their starkly varying themes, the boys all had a ferocious victory hungry gleam in their determined eyes.
Ethan, sitting in front of Saturday, just behind another boy, gives Ajax, who was sitting in front in the Joker's team, a deciding smirk and flutters his long pale fingers on the wooden oar. Ajax looks awkwardly away from him.
"Focus." reminds Saturday's sharp, deep voice. The black haired, pale boy was seated behind his teammate, and all boys of their team had a matching ferocious, snarling canine etched in white on their right arm, just below their broad shoulder.
"What do we have here? The runt of the litter." taunts Bianco arrogantly, dressed in black and gold. He was seated behind his co-pilot.
"For the record, I don't believe I'm better than everyone else." Saturday says sharply and coldly.
Bianco's arrogant smirk falters.
"Just that I'm better than you." the black haired, pale skinned boy's floppy hair flutters ever so slightly in the wind.
Bianco shuts up, his sky blue eyes glinting with anger and confusion. Xaviera, standing in the crowd observing, gives a silent smile.
Misaki stands in the front of the crowd with Eugene, the boy wearing a grey vest and a long violet scarf, clasping her hands in front of her chest.
Oh what joy it would be if Master Saturday and Mr. Sinclair's team wins!
"I want to welcome you all to the Edgar Allan Poe Cup. This is one of Nevermore's proudest annual traditions, dating back 125 years." announces Principal Weems into a silver retro microphone.
He stood on a platform in front of the crowd of standing students and teachers, behind the canoes and the deck. His thick curly, white blonde hair quivers slightly in the wind.
He was wearing a matching (slightly furry) cream coloured overcoat, ironed white shirt, cream necktie, cream long sleeved gloves, simple cream coloured trousers and creamy white leather shoes with a revolver in his hand.
The black and silver Poe Cup was placed in front of him on a stylish black stand.
Saturday glances away from Bianco as both boys put their focus straight ahead.
"Each team must row across to Raven Island, pull a flag from Crackstone's Crypt, and hustle back without sinking or being sunk." the handsome middle-aged Principal states with grandeur.
Mr. Thornhill, with his auburn hair, jade horn-rimmed glasses, jade overcoat and red boots, stood with the fencing Maestro, clad in a casual royal purple jacket and pants with two stripes of baby blue on the arms and legs, and a black shirt inside, who had his arms crossed with an expectant expression. There were several other teachers too, all were male. Two that particularly stood out were a dwarf and a lean teacher with a giant-like stature.
Saturday glances down at his foot, wearing a long black sock with two white stripes at the end and black trainers. The large, pale, severed and stitched hand, Thing, crawls out from under Ethan's seat as Principle Weem's deep, resonating voice continues. "First team to cross the finish line with their flag wins the cup and bragging rights for a year, as well as some special privileges."
In the middle of the lake stands a red stand with a red flag on it, marking the boundary at which the canoes were supposed to stay in, though there were no rules.
"Let the Poe Cup begin!" the tall man shouts, firing his revolver.
And they were off!
☟☟☟
Ontology
Fenrir
Fenrir (Old Norse 'fen-dweller') or Fenrisúlfr (Old Norse "Fenrir's wolf", often translated "Fenris-wolf"), also referred to as Hróðvitnir (Old Norse "fame-wolf") and Vánagandr (Old Norse 'monster of the [River] Ván'), is a wolf in Norse mythology. Fenrir, along with Hel and the World Serpent, is a child of Loki and giantess Angrboða. He is attested in the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional sources, and the Prose Edda and Heimskringla, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson. In both the Poetic Edda and Prose Edda, Fenrir is the father of the wolves Sköll and Hati Hróðvitnisson, is a son of Loki and is foretold to kill the god Odin during the events of Ragnarök, but will in turn be killed by Odin's son Víðarr.
In the Prose Edda, additional information is given about Fenrir, including that, due to the gods' knowledge of prophecies foretelling great trouble from Fenrir and his rapid growth, the gods bound him and as a result Fenrir bit off the right hand of the god Týr. Depictions of Fenrir have been identified on various objects and scholarly theories have been proposed regarding Fenrir's relation to other canine beings in Norse mythology. Fenrir has been the subject of artistic depictions and he appears in literature.
Fox Spirit
The Fox Spirits or Húlì Jīng (Chinese: 狐狸精; 胡狸精) are Chinese mythological creatures usually capable of shapeshifting, who may either be benevolent or malevolent spirits. In Chinese mythology and folklore, the Fox Spirit takes variant forms with different meanings, powers, characteristics, and shapes, including Húxiān (Chinese: 胡仙; 狐仙 'Fox Immortal'), Húshén (狐神; 胡神 'Fox God'), Húshèng (狐聖; 胡聖 'Fox Saint'), Húwáng (狐王; 胡王 'Fox King'), Húyāo (狐妖; 胡妖 'Fox Demon'), and Jiǔwěihú (九尾狐 'Nine-tailed Fox').
The Fox God is a deity in Chinese religion whose cult is present in provinces of north China (from Hénán, 河南, and Shāndōng, 山東, upwards), but especially in northeast China where it can be said to be the most popular deity.
The deity is represented as male, whose animal form is a nine-tailed fox. He is the Chinese equivalent of the Japanese Shintō cult of Inari Ōkami, both gods of the foxes or collective representations of the fox spirits.
Mythology tells that Fox Spirits are masters of the arts of metamorphosis, and can manifest in human form to seduce men or women. In exchange, they convey wealth and property. In mystical literature, influenced by Taoism, fox spirits are immortal or transcendent beings of a high level in the spiritual hierarchy or beings who engage in the pursuit of becoming immortals.
The Fox Deity is also represented as a couple of male gods, called the Húsān Tàiyé (胡三太爷 'Great Lord of the Three Foxes'). As a god, the Fox Immortal is distantly related to Yù Huáng Dà Dì (玉黃大帝 'Jade Emperor'), the great ruler of Heaven.
Fox Spirits and Nine-tailed Foxes appear frequently in Chinese folklore, literature, and mythology. Depending on the story, the fox spirit's presence may be a good or a bad omen. The motif of nine-tailed foxes from Chinese culture was eventually transmitted and introduced to Japanese and Korean cultures.
Kitsune
In Japanese folklore, kitsune (狐, きつね, IPA: [kʲi̥t͡sɯne̞]) are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. According to folklore, the kitsune-foxes (or perhaps the "fox spirits") can bewitch people, just like the tanuki they have the ability to shapeshift into human or other forms, and to trick or fool human beings. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, and lovers.
Foxes and humans lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit, and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox's supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has—they may have as many as nine—the older, wiser, and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make sacrifices to them as to a deity.
Xolotl
In Aztec mythology, Xolotl (Nahuatl pronunciation: [ˈʃolot͡ɬ]) was a god of fire and lightning. He was commonly depicted as a dog-headed man and was a soul-guide for the dead. He was also god of twins, monsters, misfortune, sickness, and deformities. Xolotl is the canine brother and twin of Quetzalcoatl, the pair being sons of the virgin Chimalma. He is the dark personification of Venus, the evening star, and was associated with heavenly fire. The axolotl is named after him.