So you're still reading this? Thank you, and I am so sorry, LOL. On a serious note, in my author's notes I like to explain all the wierd stuff, because a lot of people don't see all the hidden stuff I put, and only one person has noticed, but that's because they read volume one twice, which is 745 pages long, what the heck.
In Volume 1.5 I explore some of the same topics I explored in Volume 1, but from a different angle.
--Abuse--
Yeah, yeah, I mean, this seems a little over played. Maybe not obvious. But how can anything here be a metaphor for abuse? I mean yeah, the entirety of Santos's family is fucking nuts, but they're vampires, why should they be held to standards of morality? By abuse I am exploring the topics of familial abuse.
All of Santos's children love him unconditionally. The Devil loves all of his children, unconditionally.
Unconditional love is really a beautiful love, but in my story, I saw it as a perverse thing, because none of these characters understood what love really is, and they think that they do. Santos rescues Michael because he looks like his dead son, living through him. The Devil is lonely and loves all his children unconditionally, no matter how horrible and evil they are. Everyone in the family loves each other, no matter what they do, and they all listen to their parents, Nymphadora and Santos, because their love is unconditional.
They hurt each other and abuse each other, like an abusive, co-dependent family, and hide it behind the guise of love. Nothing is wrong, everything is fine, so there is nothing to talk about. They like to pretend, they pretend that everything is fine, and nothing is different, because why would it be? We all love each other! They glaze over Kato and Dante's incestuous relationship, they ignore the fact that most of them were turned without consent, but they have no choice to love each other, because they're family. So often when someone is related to someone else, and abused, people say, well they're family, you can't ever leave them. And in Santos's family, you literally can't.
--Sexuality--
Wow discussion of sexuality in an LGBT themed story? Shocker. LOL. But no, really, in this story I decided to downplay sex as a factor because Gabriel is asexual, so I thought it would be wierd to have any detailed sex scene. The story also will place more emphasis on the characters trying to understand different kinds of love as it goes on.
Gabriel isn't a prude because he's asexual, he's just wierd. He's not religous because he's asexual, nor the other way around, he became religous to help himself stop taking drugs, and he genuinely does believe. Gabriel isn't faking it, but sometimes he thinks he is, because everyone else doubts him. As Gabriel's story goes on, it goes more in depth into the story about what makes a man? Sometimes he's worried that he's broken, or not manly because he doesn't think about sex, nor doesn't want it.
A lot of asexuals like Gabriel feel low sexual attraction, none at all, or are grossed out at the idea of sex. Some just do it with their partners to fufil their needs if they aren't sex repulsed. Some find another partner who is asexual and their relationship works fine that way as well, but that is much more difficult.
There's nothing wrong with being asexual...and it makes me upset that they're often forgotten in the LGBT...they're real, and not faking it.
Gabriel will never be "cured" at any point in this story, because there is nothing to cure or change.
--Grey Morality, Nature Versus Nurture--
Someone in my discord chat group told me that no one would read my story beacause most of my heroes are assholes, lol.
Well, sucks for them, lol.
From a personal standpoint, I am tired of seeing 100% perfect heroes. From a realistic standpoint, no one is perfect. The lines get fuzzier and fuzzier the more the story goes on, especially with Levi. Yes, his father is absolutely nuts. That doesn't change the fact that Levi is almost as bad. Yes, Rico is a piece of shit. But he's an addict, warping his decisions, and he was framed for sexual assault, something he never did.
It makes one wonder if Levi was born an asshole or became one. He really never had a chance, especially since his entire family is a bunch of rich sociopaths.
All the monsters in the story have a strange creed, they can do whatever they want as long as they protect their own family, and its such a solid creed, even Delilah, the narcissct enabler respects that. Yet none of the monsters were born evil, they don't become evil, but they believe they have no choice but to act that way, because they can't ever be seen as good.
So is someone born good, or becomes good? Both? Is there such a thing as someone being 100% good or evil? I don't know, why would I, you shouldn't get advice from people on the internet, lol. It was just a topic that I wanted to explore, but I don't think anyone will ever have the answer to this question in life.
--What's Up With The Vampires?
I'm sorry, I know you guys didn't sign up for True Blood.
Another recurring theme is blood, which ties into the aspect of family, and how their abilities work as well. I try leaving a hint in one of the chapters about something major that happens later on in the story.
When Carlos and Gabriel see the astrals harassing the cops, they have this conversation.
-----
"Why is it that every time you astrals all get into a group, everything gets so weird, " Carlos asked.
"The same happens with our siblings when there are too many of us in one place," Gabriel replied.
"That...might mean something…"
"No. Let's not think about it."
----
I'll give someone my left fucking hand if you can guess why they become more erratic the more of them get into a group, and what happens if a certain number of them are in a group for way too long of a time. It's hinted at how the Defense Program is set up as well.
Please, someone, anyone, notice the very small details I've set up, its killing me inside.
Blood means a lot more in the story later on. It makes them stronger, weaker, manipulates abilities in real time. So of course they'd get along fine with vampires, they have so much in common.
-Miscellaniuous-
Whats up with the chapter about freckles?
I dunnoh, its not like I write ridiculous plot lines that matter later on, lol.
Why is everyone so wierd?
This was originally writen to be for a manga... so their personalities are a bit extreme and they're pretty stupid. Yeah.
Why did someone teach you how to read and write?
I ask myself that question every day, and I will never know the answer to that.
--Overall Theme: You Decide Who You Are--
I didn't get to go in-depth with a lot of themes this volume. It had a tonnnn of exopistion and was a connecting volume. I literally wrote this as some sort of long winded author's notes for myself. The next one has a lot more action compared to the first. I still tried to keep the overall theme, that at the end of the day, you can decide who you are.
Gabriel tries his hardest to not fall into temptation and wants to be a good person. In Vol 1 Gabriel mentions that he thinks joining the Defense Program is the best way to help people. Carlos still is a priest, even though he can't go to Heaven because its his job as a priest to help others; he doesn't think it should end in death. Santos is fucking nuts, but he wishes he could give his children true freedom of choice, because he knows that its wrong to control every aspect of their lives, they are their own person, so he avoids telling them what to do and tries doing damage control so they don't spread panic across the world.
It really says a lot when a man who eats people has more emotional awareness than Maximillian Slater .
Levi can still choose who he is, yet he still chooses to be someone who...isn't the greatest...yeah...
I hope everyone can make small choices every day to be the person they want to be.