History Literature / Valentine

A short story part of ''Literature/TheNeverMythos''. It can be found [[https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3334407/1/Valentine here]].

* LoveFreak: Helen Valentine is obsessed with love and waxes poetic about it, albeit with some darker undertones.

A short story part of ''Literature/TheNeverMythos''. It can be found [[https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3334407/1/Valentine here]].

In the heat of the Vietnam War, a crew of three aspiring journalists intending on finding a story to push as their debut follow hearsay to a commune in Italy named Bacio. On the eve of Valentine's Day, the crew stands by to see Bacio's annual festival to commemorate the occasion - and much, much more than first seems. Part of the Never Mythos.

!!Tropes:

* APartyAlsoKnownAsAnOrgy: [[spoiler: the festival of Valentine's Day is a horrific orgy of insatiable violation and violence.]]
* BadassNormal: Henri acquits himself better than most any human in the Never Mythos and easily the best in the short stories. [[spoiler: He manages to wound the Padre and escape, vowing to return and finish things.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: There's something in Bacio that gets into people's heads. Anita begins acting bizarre at one point, her very personality altered. [[spoiler: Later revealed the Padre and Helen twist you into childlike monsters.]]
* CrazyJealousGuy: Doug has issues about Henri and Anita, and reacts badly when he thinks Henri has designs on her.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Henri escapes, but Doug and Anita are twisted into the Padre's children and the horrific Valentine's Day orgy begins with Helen plotting to spread the revels further.]]
* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: The Padre, of course, Helen's husband. It's a grotesque, monstrous beast, all stitched up, bloated and twisted flesh]].
* EldritchLocation: There is something disturbing and creepy about Bacio, something quite warped.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Seems, so, but [[spoiler: Helen doesn't care at all when the Padre is in agony, only obsessed with how love can hurt, rather than any care for it.]]
* HappilyMarried: Helen Valentine claims she's quite happily married [[spoiler:and her husband is a nightmarish EldritchAbomination.]]
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: It's Valentine's Day after all. [[spoiler: Which is the special day for the Padre.]]
* HumanoidAbomination: [[spoiler:The people of Bacio are twisted about into horrific monsters by the power of Il Padre.]]
* LetsGetDangerous: Henri is initially cautious and non-confrontational when trying to request that he be able to leave Bacio with Anita--but the moment Helen indirectly indicates Anita may be in danger, Henri decides to face whatever's coming next with a hunting knife heedless of his own fear and confusion.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Henri and Anita are like siblings, so when she begins acting lusty towards him, he begins to suspect something is not quite right.
* LoveFreak: Helen Valentine is obsessed with love and waxes poetic about it, albeit with some darker undertones.
* ManipulativeBastard: Helen is very, very good at getting people to dance to her tune.
* MindRape: [[spoiler:The Padre that lurks in Bacio can completely screw up someone's head.]]
* NamedLikeMyName: Doug notes to Henri that "not all of us can be a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson Cartier-Bresson]]"--before adding a "heh," clearly aware of the irony of Henri having the same first name as the revolutionary photographer.
* NotSoInvincibleAfterAll: [[spoiler: The Padre is capable of being hurt as Henri uncovers before he flees.]]
* OnlySaneMan: Henri is one of the few people in the entire Mythos to realize something is going horribly wrong and he needs to get the hell out of dodge in Bacio.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Henri and Anita have known one another since they were kids, without a trace of sexual desire whatsoever, so when Anita begins vamping onto him, Henri realizes something is horrifically wrong.
* ParentalIncest: Horrifically, [[spoiler: Helen and the Padre's children are the people of Bacio, and participate in dark orgies with them.]]
* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler:It's a small, small one, but Henri's escaped and he's vowed to return to Bacio with reinforcements--further compounded by the fact the Padre can be injured.]]
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: [[spoiler:Helen first met her husband in 1520.]]
* SequelHook: [[spoiler: Henri escapes, vowing to return and finish things in Bacio.]]
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Henri decides when things go to far? He's getting Anita and leaving the town as soon as possible.
* ShrinkingViolet: Henri self-admits that he's more comfortable behind the lens rather than talking to people and appears visibly uncomfortable in the presence of anyone aside from his colleagues, leaving the more sociable Doug and Anita to do the talking for him.
* TownWithADarkSecret: Bacio, a quaint little Italian town follows a mysterious festival called the 'Benedizione del Padre.' It may seem nice, but there's something dark and creepy within.

L

A short story part of ''Literature/TheNeverMythos''. It can be found [[https://www.fictionpress.com/s/3334407/1/Valentine here]].

In the heat of the Vietnam War, a crew of three aspiring journalists intending on finding a story to push as their debut follow hearsay to a commune in Italy named Bacio. On the eve of Valentine's Day, the crew stands by to see Bacio's annual festival to commemorate the occasion - and much, much more than first seems. Part of the Never Mythos.

!!Tropes:

* APartyAlsoKnownAsAnOrgy: [[spoiler: the festival of Valentine's Day is a horrific orgy of insatiable violation and violence.]]
* BadassNormal: Henri acquits himself better than most any human in the Never Mythos and easily the best in the short stories. [[spoiler: He manages to wound the Padre and escape, vowing to return and finish things.]]
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: There's something in Bacio that gets into people's heads. Anita begins acting bizarre at one point, her very personality altered. [[spoiler: Later revealed the Padre and Helen twist you into childlike monsters.]]
* CrazyJealousGuy: Doug has issues about Henri and Anita, and reacts badly when he thinks Henri has designs on her.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Henri escapes, but Doug and Anita are twisted into the Padre's children and the horrific Valentine's Day orgy begins with Helen plotting to spread the revels further.]]
* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: The Padre, of course, Helen's husband. It's a grotesque, monstrous beast, all stitched up, bloated and twisted flesh]].
* EldritchLocation: There is something disturbing and creepy about Bacio, something quite warped.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: Seems, so, but [[spoiler: Helen doesn't care at all when the Padre is in agony, only obsessed with how love can hurt, rather than any care for it.]]
* HappilyMarried: Helen Valentine claims she's quite happily married [[spoiler:and her husband is a nightmarish EldritchAbomination.]]
* HorrorDoesntSettleForSimpleTuesday: It's Valentine's Day after all. [[spoiler: Which is the special day for the Padre.]]
* HumanoidAbomination: [[spoiler:The people of Bacio are twisted about into horrific monsters by the power of Il Padre.]]
* LetsGetDangerous: Henri is initially cautious and non-confrontational when trying to request that he be able to leave Bacio with Anita--but the moment Helen indirectly indicates Anita may be in danger, Henri decides to face whatever's coming next with a hunting knife heedless of his own fear and confusion.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Henri and Anita are like siblings, so when she begins acting lusty towards him, he begins to suspect something is not quite right.
* LoveFreak: Helen Valentine is obsessed with love and waxes poetic about it, albeit with some darker undertones.
* ManipulativeBastard: Helen is very, very good at getting people to dance to her tune.
* MindRape: [[spoiler:The Padre that lurks in Bacio can completely screw up someone's head.]]
* NamedLikeMyName: Doug notes to Henri that "not all of us can be a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Cartier-Bresson Cartier-Bresson]]"--before adding a "heh," clearly aware of the irony of Henri having the same first name as the revolutionary photographer.
* NotSoInvincibleAfterAll: [[spoiler: The Padre is capable of being hurt as Henri uncovers before he flees.]]
* OnlySaneMan: Henri is one of the few people in the entire Mythos to realize something is going horribly wrong and he needs to get the hell out of dodge in Bacio.
* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Henri and Anita have known one another since they were kids, without a trace of sexual desire whatsoever, so when Anita begins vamping onto him, Henri realizes something is horrifically wrong.
* ParentalIncest: Horrifically, [[spoiler: Helen and the Padre's children are the people of Bacio, and participate in dark orgies with them.]]
* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler:It's a small, small one, but Henri's escaped and he's vowed to return to Bacio with reinforcements--further compounded by the fact the Padre can be injured.]]
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: [[spoiler:Helen first met her husband in 1520.]]
* SequelHook: [[spoiler: Henri escapes, vowing to return and finish things in Bacio.]]
* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: Henri decides when things go to far? He's getting Anita and leaving the town as soon as possible.
* ShrinkingViolet: Henri self-admits that he's more comfortable behind the lens rather than talking to people and appears visibly uncomfortable in the presence of anyone aside from his colleagues, leaving the more sociable Doug and Anita to do the talking for him.
* TownWithADarkSecret: Bacio, a quaint little Italian town follows a mysterious festival called the 'Benedizione del Padre.' It may seem nice, but there's something dark and creepy within.

* BadassNormal: Give Henri this: he acquits himself better than most any human in the Never Mythos and easily the best in the short stories. [[spoiler: He manages to wound the Padre and escape, vowing to return and finish things.]]

* CrazyJealousGuy: Doug...has issues about Henri and Anita, and reacts badly when he thinks Henri has designs on her.

* EldritchAbomination: [[spoiler: The Padre, of course, Helen's husband. It's a grotesque, monstrous beast, all stitched up, bloated and twisted flesh.]]

* HappilyMarried: Helen Valentine claims she's quite happily married. [[spoiler: And her husband is a nightmarish EldritchAbomination.]]

* LetsGetDangerous: Henri is initially cautious and non-confrontational when trying to request that he be able to leave Bacio with Anita--but the ''moment'' Helen indirectly indicates Anita may be in danger, Henri decides to face whatever's coming next with a hunting knife heedless of his own fear and confusion.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: Henri and Anita are like siblings, so when she begins acting lusty towards him, he begins to suspect something is...not quite right.

* RayOfHopeEnding: [[spoiler:It's a small, ''small'' one, but Henri's escaped and he's vowed to return to Bacio with reinforcements--further compounded by the fact the Padre ''can'' be injured.]]

* TownWithADarkSecret: Bacio, a quaint little Italian town follows a mysterious festival called the 'Benedizione del Padre.' It may seem nice, but there's something dark and creepy within...

* ReallySevenHUndredYearsOld: [[spoiler: Helen first met her husband in 1520.]]

* HumanoidAbomination: the people of Bacio are twisted about into horrific monsters by the power of Il Padre.

* MindRape: The Padre that lurks in Bacio can completely screw up someone's head.

* APartyKnownAsAnOrgy: [[spoiler: the festival of Valentine's Day is a horrific orgy of insatiable violation and violence.]]

* BrainwashedAndCrazy: There's something in Bacio that gets into people's heads. Anita begins acting bizarre at one point, her very personality altered.

* HappilyMarried: Helen Valentine claims she's quite happily married, though her husband is not yet seen.

* MindRape: Whatever lurks in Bacio can completely screw up someone's head.

* GenreSavvy: Henri knows something is horribly wrong in Valentine and the creepy, cryptic statements of the villagers cannot be leading to anything good, so his response is to conceal a knife on his person when he heads to the church.

* GenreSavvy: Even under the effects of apparent, subtle MindRape, Henri is savvy enough about the atmosphere of Bacio and the ominous happenings to realize that he needs to get ''out'' as quick as he can, even shutting himself up the moment he thinks it might be simple paranoia.

* OOCIsSeriousBusiness: Henri and Anita have known one another since they were kids, without a trace of sexual desire whatsoever, so when Anita begins vamping onto him, Henri realizes something is horrifically wrong.

* OnlySaneMan: Henri is one of the few people in the entire Never Mythos to realize something is going horribly wrong and he needs to get the hell out of dodge in Bacio.

* ClingyJealousGuy: Doug...has issues about Henri and Anita, and reacts badly when he thinks Henri has designs on her.