Apotheosis/Atlas/Backstory
It all started when you turned twelve about two weeks ago. Being twelve is kind of a big deal in Atlantis, since it's citizen's first step into adulthood. Twelve-year-olds can work, marry, drink alcohol and even join the army. Basically, they can do everything that full-fledged adults can do, but only with their parents' permission. They also have bodily autonomy, which is kind of a big deal for you because of your strict parents that have forbidden you from having sex before you turn twelve. To reward you for your patience your father granted you the access to his harem as a present. It's not a big harem, but it does have a total of twelve concubines, so it's more than what most can say. You're only allowed to use it when he's not home, and when you don't have any duties of your own to take care of. You're in that stage of life where sex is starting to seem very interesting, and this was probably the best gift he ever could've given you, if it wasn't for one little problem.
Both you and your father have always acknowledged that you are very different. It's hard to even believe that you and your father are of same flesh and blood. When it comes to personality, they say he used to be just as wild as you when he was a child, so who knows, maybe one day you will be as boring and stone-faced as he is as well. You are not quite the mastermind and the genius strategist your father is either, but you are undoubtably a prodigy in the way of the sword, more than he ever was. You can beat him in a duel, but you've got no chance in a game of chess, or any other strategy game for that matter. You don't even look like him, not even close. With his massive shoulders, muscles and the manliest beard on the entire island, he looks very menacing. You, on the other hand, with your cute, yet boyish babyface and your shiny and curly brown hair, and your small and skinny androgynous body, have been teased for not being a "real man" many times in your life, way more often than you would ever want to admit. You could easily pass as a girl even with just minimal effort. It makes for an exceptional disguise, but let's not dwell in that for now at least.
All of these differences are something you can deal with, but there is one big point of disagreement that irks you: your taste in women. This hasn't been a problem for you ever, but when it comes to accessing your father's harem, well… That's where the problem starts to become something you want to actually voice. Sure, having access to a harem is great for anybody, but if it doesn't really suit your tastes, what's the point in using it? A straight man wouldn't want a harem full of men; likewise, you wouldn't prefer a harem like the one your father has. Anyway, with all that in mind, you walk up to your father in the middle of a lunch and confront him.
"How come there aren't any cute girls in your harem?"
You must've surprised him. It seems like he didn't even realize you entering the room. He turns his face towards you, and calmly, he sits the jeweled silver goblet, filled with red wine, down to the table. "What do you mean?" he asks you, with a low, grunting voice.
"I'm telling you, father, your taste in women seems to be rather narrow", you state. "All of the ladies in your harem are… Let's just say, very mature."
Ruffling his beard, he nods twice. "That's the way I like it. My harem has no room for children."
Well, that's not what you really were saying, and he should know it. Sure, you're pretty unspoken about your love towards young girls, but it's not like you're into them exclusively. You may prefer girls your age and younger, but you are versatile, and you've got a wide taste. You value cuteness, and cute is a characteristic that can be applied to many kinds of things and people. "That's not what I mean. What I'm saying is that all the women in your harem have big tits."
"Oh?" A barely noticeable sly smile appears on the lips of your father. "Is that not what makes the woman?"
"Of course not. Tits are great, but there's WAY more to beauty than just them. How about asses?"
"That's just secondary characteristics."
"How about their face, and their beauty?"
"Well, that's important, but still, it's just secondary characteristics."
"How about their slim figures?"
"That doesn't matter to me at all. A real man can handle big and chubby girls."
"Do you mean to tell me, father, that only thing that truly matters to you, is big tits?"
"Exactly", Iapetus says, nodding deeply. "Everything else is secondary, my son."
"With all due respect, father", you say, and pivot back to one of your previous points, "your taste in women is very shortsighted and narrow."
"Are you not the same, Atlas?" he asks, sipping his wine. "You always talk about cute this, and cute that, as if cuteness is the sole factor that makes a partner desirable."
"Of course I accept that there is much more to women. Big breasted girls can be cute, too."
"But it is your sole motivator in regard to women. If the girl isn't cute according to your own narrow taste in women, you pass on her."
"Are you saying there is something wrong with that?"
"Of course not. I am just saying you have your biases, and I have mine. Maybe we're not as different as we may think after all."
Well, you kind of see where he's coming from, but you can't agree that your taste is as narrow as his, so you continue to push him on this. "That seems like a false equivalence to me, father. I strongly believe that the there are a lot more variety to cute girls than there are to big breasted girls."
Your father lets out a loud laugh. "Surely you jest! There is a lot of variety in my harem."
"But there are not any cute girls in there!" you reply, pivoting back to your original point of grievance.
"Merely a coincidence", he replies, and returns back to his meal. "Leave me be, Atlas, and allow me to enjoy my meal in peace."
"Would it hurt for you to allow at least few cute girls in your harem?"
"That's not for you to decide. It is MY harem. You should be grateful to be able to use it. If you don't like it, stay out of there and make your own damn harem."
You're about to argue back, but his words resonate within you. You've always looked up to your father and his ability to sleep with a different woman every single day of the week, and the fact that your mother doesn't even seem to bat an eye at the prospect. You've thought, 'That's so cool', and while you've told yourself, 'I want to have my own harem when I grow up', you have never actually taken the first step towards creating it. In this very moment, it hits you and you ask yourself, why HAVEN'T you started to make it a reality yet? Why limit your dreams to your head when you can make them a reality? You could make your very own harem; the kind of harem that suits your tastes exclusively. Nobody else could access it, and nobody else could dictate what kind of people you allow in it. What would it even be like? A cute one, that's for sure. There would be older ones, youngers ones, and even those really young ones. Could it even have boys?
"Why, that's a great idea, father!" you finally remark. "I'll just make my own harem then."
For a second, he thought he would be rid of your presence, and he sighs deeply. "Where exactly is that harem going to be located?"
"Can you not arrange me a location?"
With angry wrinkles on his forehead, he replies with a simple "No."
"What do you mean, no?"
"Listen, boy. Do you have any idea how hard is it to arrange such a location on this island, or anywhere in this city for that matter? It's way beyond your financial capabilities anyway, so forget about it until you're older and self-sufficient."
"Why can't I have it here?"
"Don't even joke about it", he says, even more strictly than before. "Besides, you don't even have a single girl to your harem yet. Do you seriously think you can just find someone who would gladly join some twelve-year-old babyface brat's harem?"
You feel a little insulted. Of course you can find a girl for your harem. All the ladies in your father's harem love you! "It should not be a problem!" you state loudly.
"Bah. I bet you can't even get laid without my help, much less attract a willing concubine."
"Oh yeah? If I bring you a girl before the night falls, will you reconsider?"
"Yeah, sure. If you can do that, I'll provide you with a location, provided you actually take care of it in the future yourself. But you do realize that you're not allowed to leave this place this evening, right?"
With a sly grin on your face, you hit your father with a tough question. "Has that ever stopped me before?"
He sighs deeply. "Just leave me dine in peace, before I get angry."
He has no idea what he just promised to you. You, Atlas, are a man of bottomless charisma, and slick with your tongue. You're not only a smart and talented young man with a bright future in the army and a LOT of money, but you are a bad boy with personality that girls across the board crave for. So what if you're just a kid? So what that no man as young as you - par maybe a prince - has ever had a giant harem in Atlantis? You're going to find someone.
School's already over for the day, so you should have about six hours until sunset. You embark for a journey to the place where you feel confident of scoring your first catch; the marketplace. There's just one problem, and your father mentioned it already: you're not allowed to leave. Your only option is to escape.
…
It's not just your skills with swords; you're also an inventive escape artist with skills every thief in Atlantis envies. You could probably even escape from a jail, from right under janitor's nose, if given enough time. There ain't no cell that can hold you back. Escaping your home is even less of a problem. You have to do it differently every time, because every time you run away, you leave a little note and a hint for them about what to do better, essentially telling them "Better luck next time", and have them make precautions for the next time. You still have about ten ways of getting out unnoticed you've never tried before, and those are just the plans you've come up with. Your bag of tricks is endless. You've also got a solid route to consistently get away from the island. You've got a friend - an old schoolmate of yours - who serves as a guard.
So, now you're in the marketplace, with a purse full of change and your sword as your sole companions, both hanging on your belt, as your pants have no pockets. It's a fine Friday afternoon, and the city is as busy as ever. You recite your mission in your head: find someone, convince her to join your harem, and present her to your father before the night falls. Sounds easy enough, at least on paper. Truth be told, you may be confident in your abilities to score chicks, but you're just twelve, and your track record when it comes to these kinds of things… Well, forget about it being bad; it doesn't even exist. You only lost your virginity a week ago, to a concubine of your father nonetheless. You didn't have to "score" her or convince her to do anything, and you've never even kissed a girl you'd consider to be your type. But hey, only way for you to figure out how successful you're really going to be is to break the ice and approach someone. She preferably has to be a commoner, as your father would never approve bringing a slave home. That's not to say he's against slavery; he just wouldn't want you to take an easy way out. Honestly, you kind of agree with him on that. You don't want to take shortcuts.
So, your first target is someone who by your own estimations is about your age, and looks very charming on the first glance. You don't really have a tactic to go by, but for now, you're looking to just talk to her, and maybe to invite her for a drink, or something.
"Hey, cutie. What's your name?"
She looks at you, with a surprised look on her face. She's about your size and height, so a normal-sized girl for her age. Scowling, she walks away, trying to ignore you.
"Come on, don't be like that."
"Are you hitting on me?"
Why does she even have to ask? "Well, yes, of course - "
She cuts off your sentence by running away. What's her problem? Oh well, you can't let yourself be let down. On to your next conquest.
…
You were lucky to find the first target quickly, but finding the next girl isn't as easy. Everyone seems to be either busy or have company. Sitting on a bench, reading a book, is yet another charming girl, this one being younger than you, and perhaps even cuter than the last one. She does have a rather scary expression on her face though, mostly because of how focused she is on the book.
"Hey, girl. What are you reading?"
She completely ignores you, leaving you puzzled. She's acting almost as if she didn't even hear you. So, you decide to sit next to her. This gesture finally catches her eye, and she leers at you.
"What's your name?"
"Go away."
"So, what's that book about?" you ask, leaning closer towards her, a move which turns out to be a mistake. As soon as you get within a touching distance of her, you feel a stinging slap against your cheek, absolutely out of nowhere. This girl surprised you as good as your swordsmanship teacher did the first time you picked up the sword. She stands up, closes her book, and with a slightly disgusted look on her face, walks away. Yeah, what's HER problem? If you were a little bit more daring, you would take this as extra motivation to make her yours, but you figure out it's probably in your best interest to give up on her, especially in such a public space as the marketplace.
…
Third girl presents herself with your third opportunity. She's probably a little older than you, but just as cute as the last two girls. She's got quite a rack as well; it's this kind of girls that would probably please both you and your father. What's also different about her from the start is her happy and inviting face. She looks really friendly as well. So, you approach her.
"Hey there", you say, approaching her.
"Oh, hi", she replies, instantly giving her full undivided attention to you. "Can I help you?"
"What's your name?"
"It's Lorelei. How about you."
"I'm Atlas. Are you alone?"
She shakes her head. "I'm waiting for someone."
With a hand on your jaw, you decide to drop the cheesiest line you can think of. "Well, wait no more, for I am here."
She giggles. "You're funny." And then, before you even get the chance to follow up, she turns her attention towards someone else. A large, middle-aged man with a large belly approaches her, and she's quick to run to him. "I was waiting for you!" She grabs his arm with love and care, pulling it against her breasts, and on her tiptoes, she accepts this man's invitation for a kiss. Then, they leave together. Never mind the age gap that has to be at least twenty, that's her type? What a shame, you think, for her to offer her love to such a man instead of you. What does she see in that old man? Is he rich? Is he a noble? You don't remember seeing him ever, so probably not. Never before have you felt so defeated, but not even this defeat will hold you down.
…
Okay, perhaps it's time to lower your standards. The fourth girl you approach is not the cutest girl you've seen today, but she does have a certain charm to her. Honestly, she's an average five out of ten on the cutesy scale, compared to eights and nines you've been going for, but she has a smoking hot body. On the first glance, she seems very athletic. She's a little taller than you, but has no chest to boast about, and her hair is rather short as well. She's about your age, and thus probably easy to approach. So, that's what you do, with a simple hello.
She turns towards you, arms crossed, looking a little surprised. "Oh, hi Atlas."
"Wait… Do I know you…?"
"It's me, Luca."
Oh, Luca? That's the name of one of the boys you used to train with about three to four years ago. You were never friends, but he seemed like a nice guy. You look at this… Girl? She does look a little boyish, you must admit, or is it really a boy who looks a little girly? You're not in a position to criticize any boy for having feminine features, but compared to him - or her - you look a lot manlier, in your eyes at least. "Why are you dressed up like that?"
"Oh, don't I look cute?" Luca asks, laughing. "You're probably not used to seeing me like this, huh?"
"I mean… Why are you dressed up like a girl?"
Hands on his or her hips, Luca leans towards you. "Because I AM a girl, you dumbass."
"Wait, really?"
"Yeah! Wasn't it obvious?"
You're afraid to admit it wasn't obvious. "Never mind… Why were you training with the boys then? Why do you normally dress up like a boy?"
She sighs heavily. "Because my dad is a jerk. He really wanted a son for himself, so he raised me like one, and even forced to dress up like one. The fact that I have a body like this doesn't help either."
"So, are you dressed like that in secret or what?"
She nods, twice, with a happy smile, and points at your face. "Exactly! And it feels amazing! Anyway, what'cha doing here, homeboy?"
Surely you wouldn't want to admit to her about your motives. You already know her. Besides, you feel like not pursuing her anyway. "I ran away from home, just like you", you tell her, revealing part of your motives. "Anyway, I've got to go."
"What, do you not wanna hang out?" she asks, tilting her head. "Let's be partners in crime and go for a parfait or something."
"Maybe some other time", you say.
"Oh, bummer. See you again."
You're left alone, wondering to yourself, were you right on giving up on this opportunity? She was your best chance so far, and you let her slip through your fingers. She even invited you to hang out! Forget about homerun; that's like starting your run at the second base. Actually, on the second thought, you never had a chance at making her part of your harem, so even a date with her would've been time wasted, at least as far as your current mission goes. She's a noble, just like yourself, and therefore out of question. She would make for a great girlfriend though. If there is a silver lining to all of this, her girly clothes made you view her as kinda cute. Maybe she deserves a higher rank by your scale.
…
So, the fifth girl? This one is maybe one or two years younger than you, and she does look kinda nice. She looks lonely and bored too, so she's probably an easy target.
"Hey, girl."
"What do you want?" she instantly lashes out.
"Oh, I thought you look kinda cute."
A smug smile appears on her face and her eyes narrow a little bit. "Oh, really now?"
"What's your name?"
She giggles and decides not to tell you. Instead, she replies: "Dude, you're WAY out of my league. Scram."
Before you even get a chance to say anything back to her, she joins her friends, who were shopping inside a store next to you. Together, they leave you in the dust, once again, defeated.
…
Whatever the reason for your setbacks may be, the bottom line is that you can't succeed. Why? Are you not as charismatic as you think you are? That can't be it. Are you just unlucky? Yeah, that's it, plain misfortune. Either way, almost two hours have passed. Combine that with half an hour it took you to actually get to the marketplace, and you're halfway to your deadline. You're also pretty sure you saw some familiar faces you don't really want to face. Your father must've sent some of his servants to fetch you to make this just harder for you, but you're not giving up, no way in hell. You're trying to the very end to defend your honor. Even if you fail, even if you prove your father right, at least you tried, and you know that deep in his heart, even though he may scold and punish you harshly, that is something that he respects about you.
You change your hunting grounds and head towards another district. You feel really confident about the sixth time being the charm. It's coincidentally around this time that you see something unsettling in the corner of your eyes; three thugs, standing at the corner of a bar, with a young girl hidden behind them with her back against the wall. She's young, about your age, and dressed very provocatively; an unusual combination to see for sure. Young love may be accepted widely, but displaying immodesty publicly is seen as a taboo of sorts. It's hard to tell from afar if these thugs are armed or not, but they do lead her towards an alley located between a bar and an inn. You've got your sword with you, so there is definitely a chance for you to help her. Besides, it's a good chance to put your skills to a test in a real fight.
You get close to the alley, but do not enter it. You take a peek from behind the corner, and you find that the girl's situation is compromising to say at very least. They are currently in the process of ripping her clothes off. This is definitely leading towards a rape. She looks to be resisting, but not by much. Sure, she struggles, but it almost looks like she's letting them undress her. She isn't even screaming for help. Why? Is she really that scared? The streets are busy, so she should be able to save herself from getting raped by simply screaming.
You're certain about what you should do though. You will…