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#simon templar imagines
teecupangel · 1 year
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AC × COD
There could be a stakeout mission where the 141 stay in Masyaf, Monteriggioni or Davenport Homestead. And Desmond is visibly sad and nostalgic noticed by the team.
The Assassin's Creed x Call Of Duty Modern Warfare crossover (idea + 2 drabbles, short fic 1, short fic 2, another drabble, an overview of the villains' connection to the Assassins and Templars, Desmond's journal and loadout)
Okay, I might not be able to add this into the main fic (if CoD does win the sorta-poll) but this idea came to me when I read this ask:
In the OG MW trilogy, 141 was disavowed because they killed Shepherd (who, at that point, was not known to be a traitor) so this could happen when 141 gets disavowed for one reason or another.
Instead of something more ‘lighthearted’ (as lighthearted it could be considering they are a spec ops unit anyway), you’ll have the 141 be in a heightened, one might even say paranoid, state and they’ll probably think that Desmond knew about these weird safehouse because of his CIA background.
But they would see it. The longing and grief in Desmond’s eyes that he tries to hide.
And, among the 141, I see Price the most being the one to sit with him and ask who he lost here.
And he would answer…
“My brother.”
As for the locations:
I actually always HC that Masyaf is under Abstergo in Modern Day because that would be such a dick move from Abstergo that would give us drama, hahaha.
Also, I wouldn’t advise Desmond to go to Masyaf or Monteriggioni as Masyaf is a well known Assassin headquarters and Monteriggioni (to be more specific Villa Auditore) would have already been noted by Abstergo as a possible hideout for Desmond because of Lucy.
Although, Abstergo did release games based on Ratonhnhaké:ton’s life so they know about Davenport Homestead as well.
We can circumvent this by making it so that Abstergo never released any of the games because Desmond survived so they couldn’t get Sample 17. Of course, this only means that Davenport Homestead is safe.
Unless…
You count Alamut? Alamut is well known as a headquarters, yes, but Abstergo should only have heard of the temple underneath Alamut, not how to get there, otherwise they would already have the other memory seals Altaïr left there and made a profit using them.
Unfortunately, this still makes any of Ezio’s headquarters a no-go as Lucy would have given them details of the one in Tiber Island as well. The ones in Istanbul/Constantinople would be risky as the Great Purge did hit the Ottoman Brotherhood but it might work if the dens themselves still exist? (Although, they’re probably occupied by something else already).
So, depending on where 141 are at the moment. The only real safe ones are Davenport Homestead or Alamut.
Risky but possible: Constantinople Assassin dens.
Really, really out there suggestion: The Assassins tombs in Italy and the hiding places of the Masyaf keys in Constantinople?
Reaaalllyy super out there suggestion: “Hey, dad. Can you call Uncle Gavin and ask him to pick me and my friends up?”
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Tancrede de Hautville imagine (special guest: louis x)
This one is for my fellow knight @lllostgirlll
You can find this imagine and lot more in my book of Imagines that is being filled continuously by new stories.
Hope you enjoy!
From smoke and remains of Acre, Rashid has saved y/n. Again.
Tancrede told her to run, but she wouldn't leave her friends to perish in cries that started from the ramparts. Only solace he found in days and months that followed, was Rashid's promise from that night when he came to warn them, that he will track her down and make sure to keep little rascal out of bloodbath way. Even though, both men knew, it was more likely y/n will be saving one of them than vice verse. But Tancrede had to do something before everything was lost. He held onto echo of imagined answer to his prayer, that she found tunnels and reunited with brotherhood of light that was waiting on the other side. Sometimes he thought all he brings is darkness.
He killed Nassir when he couldn't tell him if you are with them in Paris nor where you are, and started going on instead about ultimate downfall. It was stupid and careless thing to do, but he didn't want to risk your name finding way to streets of Paris. Mention of doom that's waiting for them, was like echo back from acre, you were doomed as long as he is around. Why couldn't you just ran off anywhere else, why did you tie yourself to grail? He cursed and spitted on rules that didn't allow women to be part of order.
Y/n was born in Outremer and quickly became entangled in web of deceit and power hunger. Rashid was first to notice her talent, and offered to horn her skills for greater purpose. But he didn't know the whole depth of her involvement with Christian knights. He knew she and Landry struck an alliance before brotherhood revealed itself to templars, offence otherwise punishable by death, if it didn't prove to be so lucrative. Exchange of information, assistance in action, dividing the spoils, bonded by secrecy of truth neither really understood without the other. You were link between two pillars that held east together. And yet somehow, by virtue of survival on your own, you belonged to neither. Rashid had soft spot for you since you joined as orphan, but you were wild untamed thing that only wanted one special templar to be king of your heart. It was holy grail you weren't trading.
Y/n sneaked into castle grounds with golden trio, the gang back together at last just like in golden days of mischief, following Landry's mad dash for one last rush of adrenaline as he settles Paris' debts once and for all.
But soon it became apparent y/n is chasing her own agenda.
She didn't need them, she could deal with it on her own, and was already dashing down corridors, when Tancrede caught up with her, grabbed her by forearm pulling her back to look at him. "Are you mad? This place is swarmed with king's knights. They will have you served as roasted dessert before you realize you are dead." Just then four knights passed and Tancrede pulled you with him behind wall. "You aren't doing it on your own. We aren't separating again." He whispered shouted.
Gawain added as he moved forward when he made sure air is clear. "Landry boy wouldn't appreciate losing his ranks." Short lived discussion was over for him, his mind was made up without it. He is willing to indulge all the wishes just to be out of here as soon as possible.
"Glad to see you alive. Knew you would make it" Tancrede said with smirk.
Now that he finally found her (when he was taken by Rashid, who had penchant for drama so it wasn't far fetch in imagination to think he orchestrated whole thing just to witness happy reunion), they were running in exile again. But this time together; last time the doom fell on them, everything was no man's land except love they saved for each other.
"Not thanks to you"
"You didn't need to save me" Tancrede still believed he would get out of rashid's game, if it wasnt for help from within.
"We can settle it buddy. Right now." y/n says turning form wall they were hiding behind and toward Tancrede in what looked like challange on a fight. if anyone saw them, two bickering behind back of third who is crouching keeping guard spying the hallways trying to figure out next move, while hushing other two with agitated hand movements that are being ignored, one wouldn't need more proof to assume Order is truly dissolved duo to madness that poisoned their ranks. It's easy to understand why superstitious propaganda could lit a zealous pier in absences of context.
Tancrede and you fell in bickering teasing that had been turning bitter since you saved him from Rashid and wounded his pride of taking care of everything on his own, which in return made him insufferable prat, specially because he didn't understand what you weren't saying: you did it not out of doubt for his knightly skill but rather out of knowing Rashid too good and knowing very well that pothead needs reasoning every once in a while. Moreover when he is faced with man who kills to save your name. Like you can't protect yourself. Just because their Rules were devoid of belief in women strength, is didn't mean you weren't worthy of knight title.
Papa Gawain grumpy old cat tired and irritated, down to last morsel of every everything, tired of you two, poor man just wanted some break, had to put a stop to this before yet another Landry's 'great idea' is jeopardized and they are sent back to piers.
'Stop it you two, will you?' he hissed.
Just then lone hooded figure came their way and abruptly  stopped in it's tracks. "What-"
y/n had knife to his throat in blink of an eye.
Tancrede rolled his eyes. "no. just no."
"Gawain, i see you brought your friends" Garry didn't even tremble. it was almost like he was ready for anything. perhaps previous confrontation with Phillip gave him boost of bravery. Standing up for yourself, letting go of pretense, they say does miracles to people.
Gawain came closer, sighing heavily "Where is louis?"
Suddenly y/n ran off down the corridor, embers of light gliding down her cloak as she passed torches.
With a nod to each other of approvement, Tancrede moved out of the way so Gawain could strike old sly with hilt of a sword, making him pass out so they could finally get going. Knight couldn't find it in himself to kill yet another person. Besides if Landry does his part, and from what they heard that went down in court room, they have chance of being far away before Garry reunites with a new ruler. Calling de Nogaret by sobriquet y/n gave him, was another sign he was again falling under influence of his old ally. 
'Hurry' Gawain called out as they chased after y/n
In Louis room y/n and young king were having a duel. Moon casted whole room blue, shadows slithering around them like even night knows it's dawn of time.
"Give me back what's mine and I might let this damned country still be a monarchy" y/n demanded with patience running out, as she held sword point at velvet chest.
"if you kill me, someone else will come. it's never going to stop." Louis said like it humored him to be a prophet, like he is talking from brick of hopelessness where man has nothing to lose anymore. His dopey eyes reflecting the blade coming up his throat. His face ashen, but eyes full of manic understanding he was challenging his little spy to disapprove.  "Do people always have such pleasure doing business with you?' he said sarcastically. 
He backed y/n off aiming for her ribs but y/n caught his sword with hers and deflated the attack. Clash of metal ringing through dance for destinies.
"Tell me where is it! We had a deal! y/n throws Louis off balance and he falls on his bed.
"Why is it so important? It's just a necklace. Oh let me guess. It will pay the way." he snickers tiredly. In death of your world, everyone's can go to waste too. "You cant save them. they are all dead man." he says darkly.
He stays there staring at pattern on duvet transfixed or lost in day's events taking toll on his young mind that can only take so much, and y/n uses the chance to stalk across the room and go through his drawers.
Louis reaches in pocket of his pants looking like he will exhale last pieces of his defeated soul. when he brings it out, y/n nudges aside his sword that was laying on the floor where he dropped it, coming closer.
"I should feel gratitude," he says dangling the chain from his fingers. "But i feel nothing."
The boy smiles, girl snatches the necklace keeping eyes on his, consumed by sudden urge to tuck piece of hair away from his face just to give him some warmth in return but she knew he is wounded wolf who will consolidate his reign again, and pain will stay with the night in which she has to disappear as well as any trace of their business affair.
And that's how kings die, y/n thought. Teach them they can have anything, then teach them they have no power to save the only thing they really want.
Aren't they all just Achilles in different time?
His voice is haunting lullaby cautionary tale of prince who had to lose to gain, bitter wisdom, why is there price for everything?
"There is no way out. you wont make it. You can run but you wont outrun yourself."
Y/n picked up his sword and layed it next to him on bed, but he didn't even move or gave signs he even registered, then joined others.
'Let's go" y/n urged them as darkness filled castle.
They reunited with Landry on the dock and y/n wondered if he found absolution he was looking for. Everyone knew Landry playing saint, putting everyone in danger to settle exuberant price for love affair, wont stop further persecutions, but they didn't stop him when he jumped off the ship and ran back into night that is alive with claws and swords. Gawain cursed as they tied the boat, someone asked if they should send quick prayer to find it again, but time was slipping away too fast and their friend was chasing trouble and they were chasing after him to cover his trace to jump in if he misses a pair of hands or a blade and it all felt for less than a moment because time is not theirs anymore, like they were back in East, surviving in unlikely alliance, still heroes of their story.
Tancrede gave her that necklace back in Acre. It was token of friendship and love and honest faith in better world. Y/n used it as secret compartment to get a message to Louis about his love. She thought it served its purpose almost like it was meant to serve as container of hope in grim world of politics and war.
Louis was right.
She didn't feel accomplished for telling him where Margaret was. Just emptiness of every soul she failed to save, all the ghosts traded for freedom.
Once on deck, warm hand on her back promised there is a way to live with shadows. His hand found hers under cloak. three squeezes. Like in old time. She looked up and he was giving her his most ardent loyalty from storms raging in his depths.
"I didn't mean-" he started
"I should have left you to rot."
"Maybe. Maybe i deserved it." He will never forgive himself for leaving her behind. Even if he knew she would never run away from danger. Fighting together in acre, until battle divided them and he lost sight of his heart; everything set in motion too fast: extracting the grail boarding the ship, eaten to death by grief of not being more persuading more valorous when it comes to standing up for things that really mattered to him. But deep down he knew, acre was y/n's home and she would find a way to make it out alive from every hell. He knew there was side of whole grail mystery that dwelled just out of peripheral in fata morgana they will never come to fathom as anything more than scorching ordeal, but he hoped all along, it will serve its purpose to save life of it's protector. Are we born with grief, or we wake it up with actions that shake the grounds of innocence?
"I should have saved her" she could have got Margaret out if only she wasn't so set on saving already damned knights.
"We all should have been better."
He kissed crown of her head and she closed her eyes as his beard tickled her cheek and whisper warmed her insides as it found way to her heart. "but you are one thing i have no regrets about."
As laundry and gawain managed the sails, y/n looked back one last time toward Paris in heavy fog of change. Nothing will be same from tomorrow. History in making, will we be remembered or all the secrets we keep will take us with them, was it worth it all the secrecy if end finds you either way whether you leave legacy or die in stables looking for revange on your dead lover's murderer? Will someone else carry it out on your behalf when you aren't around anymore?
Y/n thanked louis in her mind for keeping his part of bargain and clearing the posts of prying eyes. They sailed into the night unnoticed, gone from history book pages, it was only beginning of yet another adventure.
Locket safe under tunic. Heart heavy but in arms that loved.
Y/n are running away with the remnants of the greatest.
They didn't know where their ship was bobbing but it was carried by unanimous hope of sailing into the port of some new sunsets that won't pull them apart again. If nothing, they will build one themselves.
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adiduck · 25 days
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WIP Game Propaganda - Ethan Meets Emma
More propaganda for the wip poll! This one takes place... about a year after MI4 would happen in Mission: Impossible's timeline. Many Shenanigans will occur! :DDDDD
-
He suppresses a sigh, eyes the camera he can see right at the bend in the corridor ahead of him. Nothing for it. He tries the door knob, finds it unlocked. “Dr. Russell, if you’re in there, I’m coming in,” he says, and swings the door open—
—and then ducks as an aluminum bat swings directly at his head.
“Shit,” he says, stepping to the side, hand going automatically to his holster. The bat comes at his head again—he dodges, takes in the older woman standing before him, glasses sliding down her nose, curly blond hair streaked with gray held up with a bun high on her head—the good doctor herself.
Well, shit. Ethan takes his hand off his gun, holds both hands up. “Woah, woah,” he says. “Dr. Russell? I’m a friend.”
“You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe that right now,” Dr. Russell snaps, still clutching the aluminum bat, ready to swing. “I’ve heard that a few times in the past few days. So far it’s been a lie every time. I’m not great at people, but patterns are a bit of a different story.” She starts edging further into the room.
Ethan grimaces. “I—okay,” he says. “That’s really fair. I bet it’s been a hell of a few days. I’m—I really am here to help. I’m here to protect you.”
“Sure you are,” Dr. Russell says darkly.
“I’m—I think we have a mutual friend,” Ethan says, grasping at straws. “It’s why I accepted this mission—”
“Mission,” Dr. Russell interrupts, sounding triumphant, and then pauses. “Mutual friend? Who?”
Oh boy. “Uh,” Ethan says. “This is going to sound crazy, but that’s a bit of a difficult question to answer. I—how about I start listing names and then you tell me which one he used?”
Dr. Russell, who was still inching back towards the door behind her, stills.
“Listing names,” she repeats.
“Yes,” Ethan says, metaphorically grabbing the opening with both hands. He keeps arms up where she can see he’s unarmed, stays exactly where he is in the doorway of her lab. “I—he tends to switch up. I think you met—uh, when was it. During a specific incident in Moscow, anyway. He could have gone by—” He wracks his brain. What names does his partner return to? “Pietro Giona,” he starts. “Michael Angelo. Martin De Porres. Uh. He’s used Denis Lutetia a few times, but I think that’s because he thinks he’s funny. Lawrence—”
“Simon,” Dr. Russell interrupts. “You mean Simon Templar.”
Oh boy. “That’s one of the names,” Ethan agrees. “Though if he was using that one, I imagine there were a lot of people shooting at you. I’m really hoping I’m right about the ‘mutual friend’ thing now, and not that he’s been dropping you large amounts of donations as an apology—”
Dr. Russell lowers her baseball bat. “I haven’t seen Simon in fifteen years,” she says. “You’re a friend?”
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The Past That Haunts The Future
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Simon Ghost Riley x Fem Reader
Library 📚
Warnings:Mentions death, Angst and honestly just my writing in general.
This follows the CODM timeline so if you don’t play Cod Mobile, you may not know what I’m taking about. Also this will be a venting post, cause this part in Codm lore really messed me up. Like I was a puddle of despair after that comic strip.
———————————————————————-
You stood leaning up against the doorway, watching as he walked forwards. Even though he always wore some form of skull mask, you didn’t recognize this man at all.
“So you done yet. Feel better now?” You dismiss as he reaches for your shoulder.
“I had no choice. It had to be done.” He sighs
“What makes you think, that was a good idea?” You hiss
“I’m not having an argument with you right now. Come find me when you’re not in a pissy mood.” He huffs and storms off.
“What about Sophia? You mean to tell me, you not only killed Templar, but you left his daughter there to die as well!?” You yell after him.
He just kept walking and you just scoff.
“You promised him that Sophia would be safe if anything happened to him!”
The door to his room slams shut as you feel a stray tear slide down your cheek. Two hands clasp your shoulders and spin you around to pull you into a big hug.
“I’ll never understand what goes on in that pricks head, but I promise it’ll be alright.” Price says
————
Many years down the road, life had seemed to heal for some. Others were getting treated much worse and you pity them, but praised them as they kept going on despite life being against them.
Your relationship with Ghost never fully recovered, but it was probably for the best. He tried to repair the damage, but you both knew he never would.
That poor girl was always on your mind and you wondered if she managed to find safety or if she died with her father. You understood her pain, being a child only with a father who you watched as he was killed by someone who he thought he could trust. You can’t imagine the hatred boiling up inside her, poor girl had her life turned upside down, one of the ones that life was against unfortunately.
“I just heard that you were discharged. Man it really is as bad as Price said.” Soap’s accent fills the once quiet room.
“It’s because of that bastard ain’t it?”
“A whole bunch of things. I just can’t find it in me to focus anymore. That one mission, I almost killed Price cause I wasn’t thinking.”
“No that was on me. I misread the codes, you weren’t this issue, lass”
Although he tried to comfort you, it didn’t help at all. The once lively office, was as cluttered as your brain. It’ll soon be empty as you head off to enjoy what’s left to enjoy.
What’s left for one that life is against….
——————
Call him creepy, but Simon kept tabs on you all the time. He hated himself for causing such turmoil within the group, but also within you. He saw your health go downhill and how you weren’t as alert as you used to be.
“First Mara, now y/n. God women are just dying to get away from you, huh?”
“Go fuck yourself, McTavish” he replied
“We’ll wait until you hear the information I just received from our little y/n”
————
A cold and dreary morning, you sat across from a familiar, yet so new face. You see those young eyes, but are thrown off by how she’s grown up. Short brown hair and a strong hatred in her eyes.
You seen the fallen knights mask attached to her belt as she sits across from you with arms crossed.
“We never really got to meet before, but I know who you are. Why you’re here now, but unfortunately I can’t help you with what you need. That’s not my life anymore.”
“I just want you to relay a message to him. Tell him that I’m coming for him and I will stop at nothing to finish what my father started.” She says before standing up and leaving.
—————
“So you see, Simon. You, got a fan” Soap announced
“Oh great.” He huffs
He felt eyes on him and when he surveyed the crowd, his met the eyes of the past that haunts the future.
Sophia Couteau the daughter of the fallen
Templar.
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drwhotht · 7 months
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Ribos Pre-Op
Ribos Pre-Op The Tour’s larger perambulations chanced across an episode of ‘Return of the Saint,’ a 1978-79 reboot of the classic from the 60’s which was a fundamental pillar of what became known as the ‘ITC Encyclopedia of Adventure.’  The Tour has odd feedings about this series, which we’ll perhaps address somewhere down the line, but, as you might have guessed, we’ve once again trod upon someone from Doctor Who, in this case very close to their time there, elsewhere. In the episode ‘The Debt Collectors’ Mary Tamm appeared as the (fitting for this type of show) WIP (woman in peril) Gerri Hanson who Ian Oglivy’s Simon Templar gets swept into her danger.  Also, and not atypical for this type of show, it turns out in the final act that the ‘innocent’ WIP wasn’t quite so innocent after all. Also appearing the story was veteran ‘heavy’ character actor Neil McCarthy.  McCarthy appeared in two Doctor Who stories, The Mind of Evil, and The Power of Kroll–alongside Tamm. Given the sprawling and, we imagine at the time, expensive nature of ROTS, it’s obvious that Tamm made this story just before being cast as Romana for Season 16 in Doctor Who. ‘The Debt Collectors’ was broadcast on December 17, 1978, just six days before The Power of Kroll began airing on BBC1.  Not quite the serendipity as shown a bit earlier in these pages, but we’ll take it.   Tags and categories: Who Not Who!, The Mind of Evil, Mary Tamm, The Power of Kroll via WordPress https://ift.tt/Q3Uv4wW October 08, 2023 at 07:00AM
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ramrodd · 9 months
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Has the Family Tomb of Simon of Cyrene Been Found?
COMMENTARY:
The problem with your version of Jesus is that you are trying to explain a heliocentric system with a geocentric paradigm. that cripples your imagination just at the moment, in your life, when your faith in scholarship will burst open like the Lotus Blossom of Buddha. The Holy Spirt has created a crack  your Cosmic Egg with this discovery. If you were truly Born Again duging the 60s, you still are.
Campus Crusade for Christ presented Jesus as a form of divine ecstasy as superior to the drugs, sex, and rock-n-roll when you and I were on campus. You wanted to believe their Total Depravity Gospel because you were scared shitless of going to Vietnam and were looking for ways to avoid the draft. You adopted the dialectical Marxism that was the dominant paradigm of the SDS until they occupied Columbia in 1968 and the entire American University System flopped over the Politically Correct cancel culture of the  dialectical Marxism that was employed, Rhetorically, to oppose the war. You are the personification of the Oliver Stone version of Vietnam that informed Ken Burns' PBS documentary, Vietnam. Your entire academic canon is apologetics for avoiding the draft, as an Air force brat.
The thing is, my version of Vietnam is based on the Liberation Gospel of George Washington. I consider all things Calvinism as total bullshit, especially Campus Crusade for Christ. My best friend at ΘΧ introduced Campus Crusade for Christ in the spring of 1966 and managed to offended me with his campaign to get me to make a decision for Jesus which, if he actually understood who I was, would have realized I considered a military career a Christian vocation in the old Knights of the Templar sense of the word and college was just part of my preparation for Vietnam, where I could earn my spurs and make my bones for a 30  career. I discussed it with the Holy Spirit and he told me to just go along with  Bill's program and accept Jesus in a brand new way: lying for righteousness sake. I never told Bill how insulted I was, but it only confirmed the total fraud of Por-Life Fascism of the Pro-Trump demons of the Evangelical anit-Christ, Pat Robertson.
Anyway, as I observed at the ZOOM meeting this afternoon, Richard Bauckman is exactly correct  about the eye-witnesses.  I mean, Mark 1:4 - 8 is an  executive summary of the int4lligence content regarding John the Baptist that existed in the intelligence files of the 10 Legion before Jesus appeared and took command of the civil organization John the Baptist had created during the "preparing th e Way for the Lord" phase of Christianity. Quelle is all eye-witness reports from the field to the Roman spy masters.  
The contents of Quelle, as verified by the Gospel of Mark, is the systematic product of the S2/S3 of the 10 Legion. That particular function of the General Staff of Frederick the Great would not differentiae until Frederick the Great, butt the Romans were totally up to speed on what the British would come to call MI5 and MI6. The CIA works more on the Presbyterian structures of the Federalist 10, but the concept is the same.
The connection between the covenant between the Italian Cohort and the Command Sergeant Major of the US Army is straight as a laser through the Declaration of Independence and the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights and behind the paywall of the 2nd Amendment. This is what the January 6 majority is trying to blow up: this is what Tommy Tuberville is fucking with to keep the January 6 rebellion working.
You believe in Jesus with your whole heart, both you and Crossan.  For the Jesus Seminar, academic glory lies in the fusion of Mark and John  You have been an eye-witness to the miracle of science in the validation of metaphysical knowledge at the edge of the dialectical synthesis of irresistible grace which has drawn you through your career like a cat chasing a laser dot.  
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lilithfairen · 1 year
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Lylia: Shadow of the Goddess masterpost~
A fantasy story of adventure, heroism, and romance, inspired by classics of the JRPG genre. Read the story in progress at Ao3!
What must a hero be willing to sacrifice?
Radine has always dreamed of being a heroic adventurer, travelling and helping those in need. Her childhood friend Lylia has always been content in their peaceful home village, away from the chaos and troubles of the world.
A mysterious wanderer, a grand gathering, and an ominous proclamation draws the two into a struggle against an ancient evil, wicked tyrants who seek to claim power over the peoples of the lands. To stand against them, Radine will need to gather and unite a party of mighty warriors and spectacular spellcasters to face the myriad of dangers and monsters in their path.
But the more Radine learns about the nature of their foes, the more she uncovers of a terrible secret that may strike closer than she realizes—one that might require her to make the ultimate sacrifice for lasting peace.
The Heroes~
Radine, a canine-earred swordswoman. Having imagined herself as a brave heroine since childhood, she strives to help those in need and to defend the innocent. While her skills are humble at the onset of her adventure, she will learn many talents to face their enemies.
Lylia, a young woman who bears no apparent animal features. Having lived in a peaceful and calm village her entire life, Lylia has little desires and ambitions beyond the happiness of friends and family. Her meager training with magic will be tested during their journey.
Paila, a girl with the ears and tail of a mouse. A vagrant and thief, Paila struggles with she must do and the people she must associate with to survive. Her aim with the dagger is swift and true, and she possesses a few magical tricks of her own.
Clare, a woman bearing sheep-like ears and horns. A Templar in service of the Pearlescent Order, Clare is humble and pious, but stalwart in the face of darkness. She wields a maul in melee and sacred magic to banish the unholy and protect her allies.
Micah, a woman with large fennec ears and tail. A wandering warrior, Micah seeks to prove herself against the most powerful foes for the glory of her people. Micah is proficient with spell and spear, wielding both in tandem for swift and ferocious assaults.
Simon, a young man with long lapine ears. Blessed with miraculous powers, he is hailed as a chosen one of the gods by the people of his hometown. His healing magic can mend even dire wounds, and his skill with the bow keeps him out of harm's way.
Karl, a boisterous man with a lion's mane. Blunt, unwavering, and loyal, Karl is an invaluable soldier of his home kingdom...even if much to the chagrin of his captain and liege. While he lacks magical talent, his raw physical might with his axe is unmatched in battle.
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darthkvznblogs · 2 years
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Favorite book/fanfic/show/author/fanfic author/superhero/fictional character?
What inspired Kryptonverse? Are there other story universes out there that will crossover with this one?
Are you going to write more of the Frozen/Avengers or Young Justice/Pyrrha crossovers?
Do you ever feel like a mini celebrity because of asks and reviews?
Thoughts on Arrowverse and MCU?
Favorite hobby?
Oh gosh, this feels like a mini interview!
Favorite book: Hard to pick; gut answer is Halo: Ghosts of Onyx. I know it's a little out of left field, but it truly had everything I could've wanted out of a sci-fi epic - underdog protagonists against impossible odds, ancient civilizations haunting the present day, incredible space combat, etc. Another oddball favorite is the StarCraft Dark Templar saga, but for something a little more down to Earth, the Percy Jackson novels, and particularly The Last Olympian.
Favorite fanfic: Powers of Invisibility
Favorite show: Also hard to say; depending on the day, it could be Avatar, FMA Brotherhood, Steven Universe, She-Ra, or The Owl House. Heck, Amphibia is creeping in there, too.
Favorite author: Don't really have one. I follow Gail Simone on Twitter and she's a hoot, if that counts?
Favorite fanfic author: @zr-stein, though it's kinda cheating 'cause they're also one of my best friends hahaha (do check out their Hollow Knight x Breath of the Wild crossover though, it's super cool!)
Favorite superhero: Batman as portrayed in the DCAU/Timmverse for DC, Spider-Man as portrayed in the PS4 game for Marvel. Ben 10 or Danny Phantom for a non Marvel/DC pick.
Favorite fictional character: Gods, I don't know. Just off the top of my head, Zuko, Steven Universe, Adora, Catra, Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, Ben 10, Commander Shepard, Hornet, Luz Noceda, Amity Blight, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Chloé Bourgeois (my version at least haha)...the list is endless!
What inspired the Kryptonverse?: If I have to pinpoint one thing, it's Smash Bros Brawl's Subspace Emissary story mode. I'd always loved playing with toys of wildly different fictional origins as a kid, but Subspace Emissary showed me that it could be done on a much grander scale. I thought up countless headcanons for a continuation for years...and did exactly nothing with them, because I wasn't a writer at the time. I did keep that crossover bug, though, and you can see in my FFN repertoire that I eventually made several attempts at such a universe. The Kryptonverse is just the one that I felt had finally succeeded!
Are there other story universes out there that will crossover with this one?: Depends on what you mean; are there more unannounced franchises that'll join the Kryptonverse? Yeah, a few more. Am I planning on including other fanfic authors' crossover universes? No, though I could be open to small collabs. Are any of my previous attempts at massive crossover universes potentially canon to the Multiverse the Kryptonverse belongs to? Yes, but I ain't telling you which ones hahaha :P
Are you going to write more of the Frozen/Avengers or Young Justice/Pyrrha crossovers?: Not the Frozen one, but I do hope to continue Pyrrha's story on Earth-16. That's on me, btw, I just haven't had the time to continue writing it!
Do you ever feel like a mini celebrity because of asks and reviews?: Maybe when I was first writing Whispers of Darkness or the original version of The Girl Who Could Knock Out the Hulk. Those two got hundreds of thousands of views, so you can imagine I got a little vain about it. But no, nowadays, I just appreciate asks and reviews as a chance to talk with the regulars and put down on writing what I mostly just have floating around in my head about the Kryptonverse. I'm just a random person on the internet writing fanfiction, at the end of the day :P
Thoughts on Arrowverse and MCU?: I think part of me agrees with the people who are very fed up with the MCU's (and really, Disney's) monopolizing of pop culture, but at the end of the day, I'll fully admit I'm pretty easy to please, and 95% of the MCU has made me a happy camper. I also don't think it's fair to dismiss the heart and effort put in by many of the people making the MCU just because one might have superhero fatigue, or see the movies from a distance and think they're all the same. Don't get me wrong, the MCU is formulaic, but you'll never convince me that it's worthless. As for the Arrowverse, I've never been too invested in any of the plots (be they romantic, action oriented, etc.), but every show in its repertoire is carried by the charisma of its characters and the actors portraying them. I may barely pay attention to the monster of the week in Supergirl, but you bet your britches I love Kara just hanging out with her friends and family.
Favorite hobby: Playing videogames! I don't do it as much as I used to, but I'll put in a couple of Smash Bros matches or play a couple of loyalty missions in Mass Effect 2 when I get the chance. I'm actually pretty excited about playing Halo Infinite - just gonna have to hope my eleven year old gaming PC can handle it XD
Thank you for your questions! I had a fun time answering them :)
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doomedandstoned · 3 years
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10,000 Years Take Us Into The "Gargantuan Forest"
~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~
Review by Billy Goate
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Album Art by Francesco Bauso
Leaving the world For salvation yonder Quest for eternity To suns beyond
Gazing upon our past Out into forever To a future obscured What glory awaits?
To begin another week of awesome original content at Doomed & Stoned, we're getting you better acquainted with the Swedish juggernaut 10,000 YEARS.
Last summer, the band dropped their eponymous debut to welcome ears and in just a few short weeks 10,000 Years come roaring back with a follow-up. Y'all know I'm a sucker for a good concept album. The eight-track full-length record 'II' (2021) picks up the trail of the Albatross research vessel, which has been galavanting 'cross the nether reaches of the galaxy on a potent rocket fuel made of sludgy stoner rock and doom metal.
If that sounds epic, wait'll you get a load of what's next for our interstellar crew. It helps if you picture the following text as a Star Wars-style screen crawl, slowly working its way up the page against the backdrop of a starry night.
After narrowly escaping the confines of the strange planet and its surrounding dimension, the Albatross and its crew finally return home to Earth. The re-entry is rough and the ship crashlands in a forest. The earth that greets them is vastly different from the one that they left.
When the ship travelled back to earth through the wormhole, it created a rift in the space-time continuum which propelled them far into the future, as well as allowing the Green King and other ancient gods from the other dimension to cross over to our dimension. They have since taken control of not only the earth, but the entire solar system.
After various harrowing experiences and encounters, the truth finally dawns on the surviving members of the crew. They are indeed back on earth, but ten thousand years in the future from when they started their journey. And to make matters worse, they find evidence that the Green King has been known and worshipped by secret cults and societies on earth for millenia, since before humankind even existed.
The surviving members of the crew come to the conclusion that the only way to set things right again is to repair the Albatross and take it back through the rift again in order to close it.
Now that's a saga I'm ready to get invested in. George Lucas, eat your heart out!
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The record revs to a start with "Descent," a track that can best be described as terrific panic. It had me thinking of KOOK's "Escape Velocity" from their recent second album, though that's an eight-and-a-half minute slow burn and this is a quick twenty-six second fall from the sky. I wish this little notion had a chance to develop into something longer, but regardless what a thrilling way to open an album!
With rapt attention, I'm waiting to hear what comes next. The ship seems to have crash landed deep inside a "Gargantuan Forest." As an aside, it would be a blast to smoke a bowl o' something (anything, really) with Erik Palm (guitar), Alex Risberg (bass, vox), and Espen Karlsen (drums) just to gab it up a bit about sci-fi lit and horror flicks. I mean, check out the trove of B-movie greats referenced in their preface to the new single (which Doomed & Stoned is debuting today):
In this ABSURD (1981) video, 10,000 Years enter a FOREST OF FEAR (1980) as they access THE BEYOND (1981) and enter a BLOODBATH (1971) with THE BOOGEY MAN (1980), otherwise known as the Espbeast. The Espbeast stalks and haunts the bodies and minds of the characters in this C-grade homage to the horror movies of yesteryear.
The characters FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE (1976) through insane NIGHTMARES IN A DAMAGED BRAIN (1981). If they survive the AXE (1974) they may still end up in an INFERNO (1980) and risk being EATEN ALIVE (1976). All the same risks face the viewer, so don’t watch with the lights out, don’t watch by yourself and DON’T GO IN THE WOODS ALONE (1981). Because after all, isn’t there an Espbeast in all of us?
10,000 Years have picked the ideal setting for the music video. The forests of Sweden stand tall and dark, the ground packed with snow. Screw you, Blair Witch Project -- this is where I want the next found footage flick filmed!
The song opens with a mysterious theme on solitary electric strings, surrounded by hazy reverberation. Drums and bass accent the motif as it's repeated several times over. Dazed by their graceless fall to earth, the crew wander about, checking one another for injuries, seeing if the faithful Albatross has even hope of another journey. As the shock begins to wear off, their hopeless plight reveals itself.
Screaming from the sky Blasting through the atmosphere
Come to rest On the forest floor Still alive What fresh new hell is this?
Surrounded by swamps A strange bleeding from the earth
Giant trees A dense horror taking root Same old sun Unfamiliar rays shine down
Is there something lurking about in the Gargantuan Forest? I'm sure no one wants to wait until nightfall to find out! The so-called "Espbeast" (which the band may actually have been first to name) is more than likely some strange amalgamation of guitar and creature, ripping through foes like a berserker of sound with scraps of High on Fire's "10,000 Years" echoing perversely through the treetops as it stalks and ultimately slays you. Nobody wants to be around when the Espbeast is on the prowl.
Now see, I'm letting my imagination get carried away! Then again, maybe that's what the band had planned all along -- for listeners to join in the fantastic adventures of these cosmonauts, to see through their eyes and feel through their body as they touch foot to strange soil. What will our adventurers find next?
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The answer comes all too soon: "Spinosaurus!" This gruff beast charges angrily through the woods knocking things about, displacing rocks, snapping branches, royally pissed and ready to make somebody pay for the noise that snatched him away from a damned good nap. The repeated note riff, with its odd strumming pattern, does a nifty job of representing the crude movements of the Spinosaurus as it lumbers about the forest. Eric is a virtuosic mess of frantic tremeloes and wiry noodling against Espen's stampeding drums, as Alex narrates the scene with a terrifying shout:
Is this our earth? No time to dwell Dorsal sail cutting air Cretaceous ghost made flesh
Staring into Dead end eyes No place to hide Theropodic annihilation
Teeth into flesh!
What the crew is experiencing on their homeworld thus far seems foreign, almost ancient. Through some curse of Einstenian logic have we zipped through a wormhole only to return to the distant past? "The Mooseriders" are about to challenge our assumptions about what's possible on this Rock.
Thundering hooves crack the sky Dark robed wizards appear in the light Travellers in ether descending Protectors of the realm
These are the oath-bound eternals -- interdimensional templars, if you will -- who have arrived at this precise moment in time to take on the Green King. Complex rhythmic drumming with precisely stricken odd beats, is accompanied by a hyperactive bass and progressive metal riffmaking. Together, the band conjures the trot and hustle of the approaching entourage. A wilding guitar heralds a message from the great protectors:
The hour draws near The endgame is nigh Divine prophecy Even death may die
The mood now turns stately. A brave theme is introduced and developed with dashing prowess. This track would fit perfectly into a playlist with Mastodon, Ape Cave, and Zirakzigil. I found Alex's vocal approach especially appropriate for the frantic depiction of "antlers clashing with steel" in this battle to the finish. "Even death...may...DIE!"
"Angel Eyes" greet us on the B-side, and it's not a cover of the Jerry Cantrell song (though that would have been unexpectedly awesome). No, the hard-charging mood and raspy vocals are pointing to something far more apocalyptic.
Hooves of burning coal Let loose upon the world
Return of the warlord Eternal fire scorches the earth
Heavenly gaze Order through chaos
At times Alex seems exasperated, practically out of breath, as he gives these dire words his all. It's a style the 10,000 Years frontman owns as well as his counterpart, Simon Ohlsson of Vokonis, who has a comparable vocal attack. A bass-fortified guitar establishes a second theme that adds a Wagnarian touch of high drama, and this ushers in the song's curtain fall.
If 10,000 Years is to be compared with High On Fire at all, the rumbling riffstorm "March Of The Ancient Queen" surely merits it (to say nothing of their mutual love of alternative histories).
Her royal blood Once ruled these lands Generations Buried by time Dynasty of dust Rise from the sands Rise from the dead The Green King's servant
March!
March Of The Ancient Queen - Single by 10,000 Years
That last lyric is uttered with the most blood-curdling all-caps conviction that I was immediately drawn into its sentiment, miming "Maaaaarrrrrch!" with my ugliest war face on every time it came up in the song. The NWOBHM-style finish is so deftly executed that it comes across as orchestral. 10,000 Years paint with big, bold strokes here.
"Prehuman Walls" is a welcome shift down, with its chugging "Bury Me In Smoke" tempo. You sludge fiends will find moments of Zen here, with riffs that bend and twist and saw 'neath the summer sun. The crew have chanced upon a temple of sorts, though not one made with human hands. Nothing seems to make sense here at all. It's like Area X from the film Annihilation (2017), where everything is a contortion of reality. Then the "truth settles in." This alien monstrosity, we find, bears the mark of the sinister Green King. We thought we'd escaped him, only to find that he both followed us and was here millenia before.
Unholy worship Feed the Green King Eyes pried open Sanity stripped away
At last, we reach the final track in our journey: "Dark Side Of The Earth". So many revelations have been made in this second chapter, so many loose ends that need to be tied off. Naturally, a third chapter must be written. "We must go back, set it right," deliberates an exasperated Albatross crew. "We must go back, whence we came."
Dimension walls broken down The fabric ripped and torn apart Thread the needle once again A journey of ten thousand years
We must go back, set it right We must go back, through the tears
Insanity the only way The dark side of the earth
Following these words, the song develops instrumentally and the mood gets quite emotional. I found myself drawing parallels between this "bastard version of earth" and our own, wondering if we ever can go back and make it right. For us, perhaps it should be about moving forward, for there is no golden age or better time to which we can return. We make this world a heaven or hell tomorrow by the choices made today.
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The album was recorded by Tomas Skogsberg at Studio Sunlight. Totally diggin the awesomely swamp landscape that Francesco Bauso of Negative Crypt Artwork created. It reminds the five-year old me of Luke's sopping wet landing on Dagobah, though guitarist Alex Risberg says the band's more inspired by Planet of the Apes than by Star Wars.
The album will be released on June 25th as a special vinyl "Green King Edition" by Interstellar Smoke Records pre-order here), a cassette tape "Forest Edition" from Ogo Rekords (pre-order here) and "Swamp Edition" from Olde Magick Records pre-order here), with the digital and compact disc formats handled by Death Valley Records (pre-order here).
10,0000 Years have in II their most accomplished album to date, with powerful moments that will stay with you long after the record's stopped spinning. Fans of High On Fire, Black Tusk, and The Sword listen up! You might just discover your next favorite band.
Give ear...
10,000 Years - Gargantuan Forest (Music Video)
Some Buzz
Having previously played together in the original lineup of Swedish underground heavyweights Pike, Erik Palm (Guitars) and Alex Risberg (Bass/vocals) found their way back to each other, musically, in early 2020. The creative fire reignited and stoked to a burning inferno and through a mutual love of heavy riffs and thundering stoner rock, doom, and sludge metal, 10,000 Years was born. Finding a drummer would prove to be an easy task and with Espen Karlsen the final piece lay firmly in place. The groove they fell into during the first rehearsal hasn’t stopped rumbling since.
After spending the first-half of 2020 writing and rehearsing, 10,000 Years recorded their self-titled debut EP during one weekend in June in the legendary Studio Sunlight with equally legendary producer Tomas Skogsberg. The self-titled EP was released on July 10th and immediately struck a chord with the heavy underground worldwide, and 10,000 Years garnered rave reviews and accolades.
10,000 Years by 10,000 Years
10,000 Years' musical and lyrical world revolves around the tale of the terran class III exploration vessel Albatross and its mission to explore the Milky Way and nearby galaxies in search for a possible new home for humanity. The EP tells the tale of its first foray into space and what happens when the crew accidentally travel through a wormhole and end up in an adjacent dimension populated by ancient gods and giant beings, ruled by the Green King. The EP ends with “From Suns Beyond,” where the crew make it off from the strange planet, back out into space in search of a way back home. The new album picks up the story as the Albatross blasts through the atmosphere of a seemingly unknown planet and crashlands headfirst into strange new adventures.
II by 10,000 Years
Now, less than a year after their first release, 10,000 Years are back with their first full-length effort, aptly titled 'II' (2021). Picking up right where the EP left off, II continues the story of the ill-fated Albatross mission and its exploration of time and space through a skull-crushing mixture of stoner rock, doom, and sludge metal. The album will no doubt continue to build on 10,000 Years' already golden reputation and prove to be an even bigger hit with the heavy masses.
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fairbnks · 3 years
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what simone knows about setting patrols, organizing defenses, and overall overseeing the protection of the people under her care and defense of their position she learned during a year spent monitoring the templars within and without the ghislain circle. it was a year of desperation, the final one before she was forced to return to montclair and the tower was subsequently abandoned, when she imagined hiring mercenaries to steal her daughter from inside, a possibility that turned out to be impossible both in practical purpose and because she had never had anywhere near the fortune it would have taken to accomplish such a task. none the less, she spent that year studying templar training and tactics, their practice and their education, and physically monitoring what movements she could outside of the circle and bribing information from templars, and her singular focus meant that she came out of it with an incredibly thorough knowledge of how templars do what they do in practical soldiering, knowledge that she now employs in organizing the refugees to defend themselves both from the red templars and from the freemen
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walkingshcdow-a · 4 years
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Title: The Best Revenge is Loving Well Rating: K+ Summary: Rudyard joins Chapman for an evening chat and it quickly becomes a study of the haves and have-nots in Piffling Vale. Confessions are made and blessings are counted. AU.  Ships: Vicyard ( @tinfoiltemplar ), Mashap ( @hcpebelief ), mentioned Chapman/Lady Templar/Simon Templar
“-And here is last year’s Christmas pageant,” Rudyard said, pulling yet another photograph of his children from his wallet and laying it on the bar in front of Chapman. 
Calliope, dressed as a scowly shepherd had been called upon by the Angel Gabriel - better known as her younger brother, James - because he was too embarrassed to tell Mary that she would soon give birth to what may or may not have been the savior of the world. Somewhere in the attic, filed neatly by a determined Victor and Georgie, the recording of the play collected dust. Every year, regardless of what their children had been cast as, Victor recorded the play and every year, even though they’d all seen it at the church, the Trevor-Funn family gathered around the ancient television set to rewatch Calliope and James take part in Piffling’s hottest take on the miracle of Christmas. Usually they did this while the goose or turkey or mallard or what-have-you finished off in the oven. Family traditions filled Rudyard with delight, but it was especially the family traditions he now forged with his husband and sister and children and Georgie that mattered most. Until raising a family of his own, Rudyard had been content to blindly follow in his parents’ crooked footsteps. Now, the path ahead felt more purposeful, clearer, less homicidal. 
And he relished the chance to show it off.
Weekly drinks with Chapman hadn’t been Rudyard’s idea. In fact, when his much-hated rival first invited Rudyard to the pub in Chapman’s, Rudyard had complained about it for three days straight.
“The nerve of the man!” he said, wildly swinging a hammer to finish building a coffin. “When he knows I don’t drink! Doesn’t he know I have better things to do on a Thursday night than sit around that pub of his?”
“Darling, have you considered that Mr. Chapman wants to make amends with you?” Victor asked, eyeing Rudyard cautiously. He side-stepped easily when the hammer clattered out of Rudyard’s grasp. “This rivalry of yours is beginning to feel…”
“What?” Rudyard growled. “Do you think we’re losing?”
“I think it makes you more vicious than I’ve seen you since James’ custody hearing.”
“Your ex-wife deserved every ounce of vitriol I showed her.”
“But does Chapman?”
“Of course he does,” Rudyard snapped, picking up the hammer from the floor. “He’s stolen nearly all our business in a matter of weeks, pushed me out of the village council, and tried to steal Georgie from us.”
“Yes. And in return, you’ve stolen his mail every day since he arrived, sabotaged several of his funerals, and made yourself sick with envy.”
“I maintain that that was food poisoning. Calliope’s ceviche is deadly.”
“All I’m saying-” Victor massaged Rudyard’s wrists gently as he wrapped his hands around them. “- is that it might be healthier to focus on the things you do have.”
“Mm.” Rudyard set down the hammer. He shook loose from Victor’s grasp to stroke his hair, then his cheek. “I do have several amazing things Chapman will never have.”
Midway through kissing his husband, Rudyard realized how best to revenge himself on Chapman. As such, he began to accept Chapman’s weekly invitations to talk shop in his pub and Rudyard took every opportunity to show Eric Chapman the things he had that Chapman did not. Wedding photos. A lovely, kind, brilliant husband. Two children who lit up his life. A sister to lean on when the business became a bit of a strain. An assistant who was practically a better sister than Antigone. The world’s laziest bulldog. A best friend who, in addition to being a best-selling novelist, was a mouse and gifted conversationalist.
In short: a family. 
In fact, Rudyard had rebranded Funn Funerals in these last few months. It was true enough that they got the body in the coffin in the ground on time - of course they did - but they were also the only family-owned and -operated funeral home on the island. It didn’t recuperate all their business, but it helped them make ends meet. And, more importantly, it allowed Rudyard to remind Chapman weekly of the areas in which he was clearly superior. Chapman was as popular as Rudyard was unpopular, but was he loved? Did he have a wallet full of a life truly lived? Or children’s artwork tucked in with his filing? Or someone who convinced him to make curry for dinner even though neither of them were dab hands in the kitchen? 
As Chapman nursed his third light ale of the evening and Rudyard sipped on skim milk in the near-empty pub, Rudyard felt a surge of elation at Chapman’s slumped, defeated look. He decided to push his luck. 
“I think I have some photos from the wedding in here, too,” he said, knowing full well that he did. “You should see Calliope as a flower girl…”
“You’re really lucky, Rudyard,” Chapman said, voice slightly slurry from the alcohol. “Really lucky. How many years has it been?”
“Seven, almost eight,” said Rudyard. He fished for the photo he wanted. “But Victor and I were childhood sweethearts. We’ve known each other since we were five years old.”
It didn’t serve Rudyard’s narrative to talk about his wife who died when their daughter was too young to remember her. It didn’t do to talk about Victor’s ex-wife who treated him like scum and tried to snatch custody of James a few years ago, despite having no maternal instinct or interest in James except as a bargaining chip to get more alimony out of Victor. What did serve him was the picture of Calliope and her new brother at the wedding ceremony, sitting at the foot of the altar with flower petals strewn everywhere and James’ pudgy fist grasping her pin-straight hair as he sat in her lap at their fathers’ feet. Alighting upon it with an “a-ha!”, Rudyard offered the picture to Chapman to view.
“They really are good kids,” Chapman said. “You ‘n Victor did a good job.”
“I like to think so,” Rudyard said, preening a little. “Calliope very well might be a genius - no doubt she’ll run you out of business if I haven’t by the time she’s old enough to run things - and James… James is the kindest boy I’ve ever known. He reminds me so much of Victor at that age…”
“I always wanted t’ be a dad.” Chapman’s voice was hazy. “I’d be a good dad, wouldn’t I?”
“I’m sure I don’t know,” Rudyard said. 
“It’s not too late,” Chapman continued. “I could have a kid. If I wanted.”
“I’m sure,” Rudyard said dryly. Then, a little too gleefully, “But you’d need a partner for that and marriage - and parenthood - is not for the faint of heart. Over half of all marriages fail. I’m very lucky that I’m married to my best friend in all the world. He’s really the best man in the world. I’m afraid that whoever you could con into marrying you would have to settle for second place.”
Chapman laughed weakly.
“I dunno about that,” he said, reaching for his beer bottle. “If you knew this woman like I know her…”
Rudyard paled a little.
“Of course you have someone in mind,” he said. Then, horror flooded his system as he thought of a severely pretty blonde with an obnoxious laugh and a glass eye: Victor’s aunt Vivian. “You do know Lady Templar is married, don’t you?”
“Vivian?” Chapman sputtered. “Oh, no. Not Vivian. She’s great and all, but she and Simon… Well, he’s great, too. They’re a great couple. And I’m lucky they have an open relationship - it passes the time.”
Rudyard gripped his glass of milk tightly. Any trace of a smile had fled his face entirely. There were some things about Vivian Templar he never needed to know and, unfortunately, he was now imagining the most unseemly things that he would have to carry with him home. And out of consideration for Victor’s sanity, he wouldn’t be able to share his horror with anyone until Georgie clocked in tomorrow morning. 
“I think I have some more pictures…” 
“No, I don’t mean Vivian at all.”
“Now, look here, Georgie has told you multiple times that she’s not interested.”
“You don’t know her at all,” Chapman said. “She’s someone I met a long time ago.”
“Of course she is.” Rudyard began to pick up his photographs and tuck them back into his wallet. “Everything’s always ‘a long time ago’ with you.”
“We met doing doctors without borders,” Chapman continued. 
“You’re a doctor now?”
“I studied medicine at Oxford a long time ago,” Chapman mumbled. “But, not exactly, no.”
“Oh, good lord…”
“Masha.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Her name. Masha. Masha Voronina. She was - is - a nurse practitioner. Brilliant woman. Russian, spoke five languages. Licensed masseuse - talented hands - trained jazz singer… We used to go hiking together for miles and she’d always find the best views.”
“I see.”
“We used to meet up every year - sometimes every few months - either because we were assigned to the same hospital or because I happened to be passing through wherever she was stationed. And we would have the most passionate, wild nights, if you know what I mean.”
“Well, that’s not exactly a subtle way to put it…”
“Sometimes, we would be backpacking together and camp out and I’d wake up and see her sleeping in the tent next to me and I’d think: this is it, Eric. It doesn’t get any better than this. You’re in the mountains of Monterrey with the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever seen. You just spent the night mapping the stars with her and she’s still here and you could be happy like this, every morning, absolutely anywhere if she wakes up beside you. And I’d think I should propose to her. But I never did.”
“I’m sorry,” Rudyard said. “But that sounds incredibly stupid. If you really loved her, why wouldn’t you propose to her?”
“It’s not that simple,” Chapman said. He slid his bottle between his hands, clearly thinking, but about what, Rudyard didn’t dare guess. “Not all of us are lucky enough to marry our childhood sweethearts and raise a family.”
“Now, look here,” Rudyard said defensively, “Victor and I were certainly lucky, but that doesn’t mean our marriage wasn’t hard work.”
“Oh no?” Chapman cocked an eyebrow. “You married your best friend and are raising two brilliant kids with him, running Piffling’s ‘only family-owned and -operated funeral home’, making homemade dinners together every night. I’ll bet the most you’ve ever fought is over which sheets to put on the bed this week.”
“That’s not fair,” Rudyard snapped. “Victor and I overcame insurmountable odds-”
“Like what?”
“His sodding family disowned him for marrying me, for one thing.” Rudyard scowled. “Why do you think Lady Templar hates me? I’ll bet you didn’t know she was Victor’s aunt.”
“It’s never come up.”
“And for another thing, those brilliant kids of ours didn’t just get dropped off by a stork, you know. I was married before - when Victor was off placating his horrid family, I met someone and fell in love. Cordelia. She used to run the Piffling Music Emporium. She died when Calliope was six months old. Do you have any idea what being a single father entails? I didn’t sleep for three years. Meanwhile, Victor’s parents married him off and his ex-wife, the miserable hag, cheated on him and lamented having to carry his heir to term. His heir! Better known as our son! We spent months in court with her to get full-custody of James. I’m bloody grateful he doesn’t remember those months. That neither of them remembers a life before this!” Rudyard jabbed his finger at the picture of his children on his wedding day. “Yes, I’m lucky, but marriage really isn’t for the faint of heart.”
“Blimey.”
“What on earth could be so trying you haven’t even tried to propose to this woman you love so much?”
Chapman muttered something inaudible.
“Speak up.”
“I don’t know where she is anymore,” he murmured. “We used to write letters, but I haven’t gotten mail since I moved to Piffling and I just think… Maybe she got tired of me? Maybe she would have, regardless. She’s a wandering spirit and we met when we were young and reckless. How am I supposed to know if she would even fancy the idea of settling down here, with me?”
“Are you really going to let the fear of rejection stop you from proposing to this woman?”
“I don’t have her current address!”
Rudyard thought about a drawer filled with Chapman’s mail that, maybe if he was feeling benign, might merit another look through. 
“Yes, well, that might be a bit of a setback,” Rudyard said. “The course of true love never did run smooth and what-have-you.”
Chapman sighed. He leaned into his hands heavily. His fingers tangled in his blond hair and Rudyard almost felt sorry for him. He didn’t know how to react and so gingerly patted Chapman’s shoulder. 
“If I’d asked her when I saw her last,” Chapman mumbled, “we’d be married four years today. Maybe we’d have a kid or two by now. Who knows?”
Rudyard didn’t have the heart to tell Chapman that weddings typically took a lot more planning than he made it sound and that he would likely only have been married to Masha for two or three years by this point. Instead, he drained the remainder of his milk and pushed away from the bar. 
“Who knows, indeed,” he muttered. “Well, Chapman, I really should be getting home to my family for the night. I don’t want to worry Victor…”
“Do you think we would have been happy?” Chapman asked, gripping Rudyard’s wrist. “Do you think Masha would have loved me enough to marry me? Even if it was as difficult as your marriage has been?”
“I have no idea,” Rudyard said. “But if you love her even half as much as I love Victor, you’d be willing to make it work, whatever the obstacles.”
A small smile turned up Chapman’s lips. Rudyard didn’t like the feeling of having inspired hope in his hated rival. 
“You’re a wise man, Rudyard Funn,” Chapman said. “Thank you.”
Rudyard mumbled something and walked briskly home across the square. When he opened the door to Funn Funerals and was greeted by pictures of his family and the sounds of his husband going over history homework with the kids from the kitchen, he relaxed. Maybe he hated Chapman and maybe he liked having something Chapman didn’t, but maybe, just maybe, even Eric Chapman deserved some measure of happiness. Rudyard joined his family in the kitchen to see Calliope drawing on James’ forearm while Victor reviewed homework. He greeted them each in turn, finally pecking Victor on the lips.
“You’re back early,” Victor said, smiling a little. “Did you successfully demoralize the competition by showing him baby pictures of our children?”
“It’s been a productive evening,” Rudyard said. “Victor, love, do you know where my file folder of Chapman’s mail has gotten off to? There’s something I need to check for…”
4 notes · View notes
theseveredhead · 5 years
Text
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Female Templars
by Fr. Russel Erwood
When we think of the Knights Templar most of us will imagine medieval sword wielding soldiers on horseback dressed in white with a bright red cross emblazoned across the chest protecting pilgrims in the Holy Land. Some might picture a secret organisation tasked with keeping the Holy Grail and other religious artifacts safe; whilst others may prefer the idea that the Templars were the epitome of chivalry, a fellowship of brothers who gallantly stood side-by-side against all odds.
The Knights Templar conjure up an almost infinite number of different images and appear in an equally vast number of stories. But how many of those stories focus on female Templars? Until recently I would’ve said none. That was until I stumbled across  Simon Turney’s book Daughter of War, which tells a tale of greed, lust, God and blood that is based around two real-life Templar sisters.
In an interview with HistoriaMag.com Turney says: “It will surprise many to know that there were women in the Order of the Temple. After all, they were the Knights Templar. Their remit was to be a sword-arm of the Church to protect pilgrims from heathen raiders. What place then did women have in the Order? The answer is officially none. Indeed the Order’s Rule, laid down by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, specifically forbade women, and went so far as to set rules that kept the members of the Order as far from the temptation of women as possible. There could be no female Templars.
“And yet at Mühlen in Austria we find a Templar nunnery, and officially labelled as such.”
He goes on to say that in the cartularies of the Templar houses there are many, many records of female members of the order, at least at the associate level of Consoror or Donat (lay sisters or women tied to the order through donations).
“This in itself is interesting enough to consider as the heart of a novel, but in further investigation into the role of women in the military orders, I found my two figures, and their existence simply flabbergasted me.”, said Turney.
Whilst digging through endless archives Turney discovered Ermengarda of Oluja. Who, along with her husband Gombau donated their land to the Templars when they both joined the Order.
Gomdau vanishes from the records after only a few years, but it turns out that Ermengarda is a very unique and interesting case.
Turney says: “She is noted in documents as a Sister of the Order. Not a lay sister, consoror or donat, but as a sister... Equivalent of a full brother.”
This alone would’ve been astonishing enough as it goes against everything we know when it comes to the Templars. But the historical records had even more to reveal.
Turney said: “Ermengarda is referred to as a preceptrix (female commander), commanding the house of Rourell in Catalunya. So not only do we have a female Templar which is forbidden in the rule, but she is no peripheral figure. She is a mover and shaker in the Order of that region and even commands a small Templar monastery.”
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sky-scribbles · 7 years
Text
I’m nearing Justice and The Last Straw with my Merrill-mancing Hawke, and that got me thinking about non-romanced Anders after DA2. Specifically, how he’s generally imagined as wandering aimlessly once DA2′s over, living in seclusion, rejected by everyone, unloved, and that breaks my heart because I just want everyone to be happy.
And out of nowhere, I thought of this:
The rebels don’t want Anders with them, and he understands. He always meant for it to be that way, meant for him to be the one the world hated. His name had to be the one that became another word for monster, because then it wouldn’t be Hawke’s, or Orsino’s, or the name of any mage in the Gallows. So he wanders Thedas alone, except for the spirit woven in with his flesh, because even the people who are free because of him don’t want him near them.
But he still helps them, of course. How could he not?
He keeps an ear to the ground, listens to the rumours and watches the shadows. He learns where the Templars are heading and what their numbers are, puts himself into their path. They go after him, eager to be remembered as the one who caught the abomination who began the war - and the group of runaway mages they were tracking reaches a place of safety, unscathed.
Sometimes, he stumbles upon a battle. A group of mages huddled back-to-back, robes ripped at the hems and eyes wide and shadowed from lack of sleep, hurling ever-weaker spells at the Templars who stamp closer to them. Justice bursts from his skin with a roar, and when the blue light fades, there are steel-clad bodies strewn across the ground.
The mages thank him. A few stare in wonder, in gratitude. But some glare, some step backward, some curl their lips. Anders understands, and it’s what he expected, but pain tugs at his insides as each ragged party leaves.
Then one day, there’s a group who don’t leave. Or rather, he can’t leave them.
At first, he thinks they’re yet another bunch like all the rest - surrounded by Templars, cowering, terrified. And then he takes a closer look. He sees the senior enchanter lying motionless, sprawled across the grass nearby with her limbs at all the wrong angles. He sees the tallest of the group step forward and sweep the others behind him, sees the plump face and huge eyes and lack of staff. He sees the others - crying, hiding behind the oldest boy’s robe, clinging to each other. The youngest of them all’s a tiny elf girl with ragged pigtails. She can’t be more than five.
Anders looks at the Templars, and silently he tells Justice, kill them all.
He and the spirit have rarely agreed so strongly on anything. 
And once the bastards are dead or fleeing into the woods, he’s left standing, his skin prickling as Justice retreats into the back of his mind with a parting feeling of satisfied and righteous fury. Facing a bunch of children.
‘You’re him,’ says the oldest, the boy who was trying to shield the others. He’s thirteen, maybe, no older. His back is straight and his eyes defiant and he’s trying so, so hard to be brave, but his hands are shaking.
‘Yes,’ says Anders, and waits for the inevitable get away from us, stay back, the senior enchanters said you’re a monster, you’re the reason we’re out here alone being chased by Templars and the mage protecting us is dead. He’ll deserve it, too, because without him these children would be safe in their beds now. This is the price for the breaking of the Circles, the children who couldn’t fight back, and the Tranquil and the elderly, and it kills him to think of it. Of what he did to them.
They would not have been safe, Justice reminds him with a wave of simmering anger, they were waiting for a life of suffering, but it’s a small comfort.
‘You killed them.’ It’s one of the girls, her overlong robes frayed at the hems and smeared with dirt. Maybe blood, too. Anders looks at her face, ready to see fear, but what’s in her eyes is... 
Hope, maybe. Or awe.
And that’s when he knows he can’t leave them. Because he’s the reason they’re out here, and they’ve no one else. Maker knows he’s the last person who should be around children - he’s dangerous. Him and Justice. But he’s all these kids have got, and to leave them now would be unjust, wrong, monstrous.
‘Come with me,’ he hears himself say. ‘I’ll get you someplace safe.’
It’s hard, trekking across the wilderness with seven children in tow, but easier than he expected. He knows kids, after all. He read stories to them in the Circle a few times, helped teach healing magic to a few, healed dozens - even hundreds - in his clinic. He knows how to work gentle Creation magic through them to ease their aching feet and give them the spark of energy they need to make it up just one more hill, how to speak gently to them so that they know they can trust him to look after them and it’ll be all right, how to tell stories about Ser Pounce-a-lot and the Warden-Commander and Hawke that have them all rolling on the ground with laughter. 
And he knows how to fight to the last drop of blood in his veins to keep them safe. Because as the days pass, he feels more and more like he’d do just that for them. Like he’d risk anything for them.
He comes to know them. The oldest boy, Simon, was taken to the Circle when he was nine, old enough to remember his life outside it and to miss his family. The girl who looked at him with awe that first day is Aimee, who had trouble getting even the simplest spells to work and was already hearing whispers that she’d be made Tranquil rather than be put through the Harrowing. There’s one, William, who dreamed of being an actor until the Templars dragged him away. Leona, the tiny elf girl, is an alienage orphan who’d been at the Circle less than a month before the rebellion threw her outside it again.
Maybe it’s his fault they’re out here now, traipsing through mud and rain, sleeping in caves with helmeted figures chasing them at every turn. But it’s also thanks to him that Simon has a chance to find his family again, that Aimee will never have a brand-mark on her forehead, that William might yet step onto a stage, that Leona will never have to know the agony of a life that would crush the laughter from her. And when he watches them sleeping about the fire that Aimee lit with her slowly strengthening magic, he feels a faith in himself, a certainty, that he has never known before.
Sometimes he has to leave them. Word will reach him of a gang of Templars getting too close to comfort to another group of runaways, and he takes up his staff and heads out alone to stop them. He leaves Simon in charge, gives him the location of a safe place to take the others to if he never comes back. But he always does come back, and the children leap up and cry out his name with grins on their faces. Little Leona runs out to meet him, yanking at his sleeve and tugging at his robes and begging him to tell her about the battle. 
He makes something up, so it sounds heroic. She’s too young to learn the painful truth, that justice isn’t heroic or happy. Justice is righteous. Justice is hard.
Except... that’s not so true anymore, because Justice would give as much for these children as he would, and defends them just as fiercely. It’s easier now, since he left Kirkwall and saw an end brought to the Circles, and more and more often Justice is calm, sane, himself, when he comes out. It’s a long time until Anders trusts both sides of himself enough to let Justice appear around the children, so he can meet them, talk to them, take their hands in his, but eventually, he lets it happen. Since he took these apprentices under his wing, keeping it controlled... it's easier than he ever imagined. Child's play.
Anders watches, a passenger in his own body, as Justice greets them all and they poke curiously at the blue light showing through his skin, and he feels peace settle inside him. The war with himself is ending. 
Years pass, and the other war he started ends too. One by one, he lets his little flock go, so they can live in this new world. So Simon can be reunited with his family, be embraced by the parents and brothers who thought they’d never see him again. So Aimee, whose magic was only held back by her fear, can thrive in the new College of Enchanters, stunning mages three times her age with her gift for spirit healing. So William can learn to make smoke appear with a flick of his fingers and make thunder crash with a twist of his hand, so that he can be not only an actor but the very first mage to use his magic as part of a play.
He lets them go. Except for one, who he can’t let go. Who flat-out refuses to leave.
‘You should join the College too,’ he tells Leona one day, as they travel on through the wilds together, her pulling at his sleeve every two minutes to ask what a certain plant is or whether he has any more stories about being a Warden. ‘You should have a life. It’s not safe for you with me. I’ll always be hunted, and there are more dangers out here than bandits and wolves.’
‘I’m not scared. You’ll fight them off.’ She grins up at him, gap-toothed and completely unafraid, utterly trusting. He knows he should beg her to leave, force her to, that she deserves better - but she’s given him peace, and he can’t form the words on his lips. ‘You can fight off any wolf. You and Uncle Justice.’
She slips her tiny fingers into his.
If Justice is your uncle, what does that make me? Anders almost asks, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t need to ask, and she doesn’t need to say it. They both know.
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servantofclio · 6 years
Text
AU Twins
In the twins’ canon, Simon started visiting Rory in the Circle when they were teenagers, using a mixture of bribery and charm to get there. That helped the twins bond as adolescents, and meant that when the Ostwick Circle was purged, Rory (very sensibly) went to their brother for help.
In the AU (of an AU, yes, the twins sharing the Anchor is already AU, shhh), Simon instead gets sent off for templar training in early adolescence. He hates pretty much everything except the weapons training, and gets into a certain amount of trouble for insubordination before he learns to keep his mouth shut. He’s unable to visit Rory, and in fact unable to send letters for a while, so Rory keeps to themself in the Circle. Templar policy, I’d imagine, prohibits posting a templar at a Circle where they have close kin, so Simon doesn’t stay in Ostwick.
He gets posted to Kirkwall. Kirkwall has a high demand for templars, and it’s a posting that’s considered good for recruits who need a bit more discipline. Simon loathes it there. He finds Meredith horrifying.
He also runs into Hawke. In fact, disaffected young templars are pretty useful for a number of Hawke’s endeavors, so Simon ends up doing Hawke & co. a favor or two, and in return asks for help smuggling letters back to Rory in Ostwick, so the twins regain a tenuous line of communication. Simon also eventually begs for, or maneuvers his way into, a transfer out of Kirkwall, to some much quieter post elsewhere in the Free Marches, and so it out of the way before the Chantry blows.
Nonetheless, once fighting between mages and templars breaks out, he takes his first opportunity to desert the order. He probably ends up with a band of ex-templars trying to maintain some order and run interference between some of the more fanatical groups.
Rory, meanwhile, is forced to join Ostwick’s rebels and flee the Circle. They hate this; it has to be a lot of rough living and fighting, most of which Rory is not well prepared for, and the whole thing is rather traumatic.
The twins thus reunite in the middle of the mage-templar conflict. They haven’t actually laid eyes on each other since they were eight. Their relationship is a lot more fragile than in their canon, since they’re relative strangers, but they do have in common that they both hate the fighting. As a result, they make their way to Haven once word of the Conclave spreads.
They could still end up as Heralds here, but it’s more interesting to keep running down an AU path, so instead, they end up as agents to the fledgling Inquisition in the wake of the Conclave’s massacre. Simon’s assorted skills as an ex-templar are useful, and Cullen already knows him. Rory really just wants to be left alone, but ends up helping to manage the Inquisition’s growing library.
And that’s about as far as I’ve gotten for now.
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Naegi, Genocider Syo, Gundham and Peko become phantom thieves. Not new phantom thieves, but alongside the ones in p5. Can I have some headcannons please? If you don't know p5 then I'm sorry
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Makoto Naegi
I feel like his arcana would be the World
His persona would be the gentlemanly thief Simon Templar who had the nickname The Saint
Like his nickname suggests he would use Light attacks
But all in all he is a balanced party member with some healing abilities
His phantom thieves outfit is a long white cloak that have the angel wings painted on the back and a halo on his head. (All white outfit with some gold highlights)
His mask is a white masquerade type of mask with gold highlights that looks like it’s a pair of wings
He’s shocked when he accidentally gets dragged into the metaverse when the phantom thieves went to Mementos one time
The P5 team don’t notice him til he follows them down into the depths and gets ambushed by Shadows
They rush to save him but Futaba warns them to stop, that the unknown boy seems to releasing a high power level
And then as he is running for his life, he hears it
The voice of the rebellion within him
And he summons it without much hesitation
Is shocked to realize what a high level his Persona is and how strong he is
He is instantly recruited into the gang
His nickname is Saint
Genocider Syo/ Toko Fukawa
Her arcana is defiantly the Moon
When the news of a serial killer reaches the group they have to do something
After some much research and hacking from Futaba they notice that one girl seems to be at every crime scene
Toko Fukawa
So they get her information and try to question her
Of course she shuts them out and screams at them to leave her alone
When they check the MetaNav they realize that she does have a palace
“World, split and two-faced” are her keywords
When they enter the palace they find out the truth and are shocked
However like Futaba’s dungeon they need to get close to her to unlock the treasure
So in order to do that they tell her the truth and that they can help her
Toko is very hesitant to believe them but when they tell her things she never told her she has to believe them
And she wants to go into her palace with them
And it’s inside the palace where she awakens her Persona
Which would be Eris, two Greek goddess that are counted as one that are the goddess of discord
(I imagine Eris would have two heads one smiling and the other angry but wear a flowing golden dress with a knife in one hand and a golden apple in the other)
She is very magic based and can use Curse skills
She wears one of the classic drama masks, you know the black and white one with one side smiling and the other crying
Her outfit is half white and half black to match, the white is nice and orderly while the black side is beat up and scruffy
With hesitations.. she eventually joins the phantom thieves and introduces them to Genocider
Genocider is happy since she gets to kill kill kill and be surrounded by cute guys!
Whenever Genocider is out she gets a major attack boost but does not listen to orders at all
Which can cause a bit of cause for the party
Her nickname would be Muse (because of the mask)
Gundham Tanaka
I feel like his arcana would be the Hermit
And his persona would be Curupira
Which is a mythological creature of Brazilian folklore that protects animals and trees of the forest.
They are also known to attack hunters and poachers
I feel like he would have a bright red outfit that has vines covering it and a scarf made of leaves
He would have a simple wooden mask that looks hand-carved with long horns producing from the top and a wicked smile
He’s defiantly another magic user
I feel like he would be a fire and ice user with a weakness towards light attacks
Probably gets introduced to the phantom thieves because of Morgana
On the day that Morgana scatters the calling card for Madarame he notices Morgana
He follows him to Leblanc and asks about him
(He is also fascinated by his unique bright blue eyes that seem to glow, he’s never seen eyes like that)
He quickly realizes that Akira is a phantom thief and demands to join
The team is hesitant and try to make him forgot about them
So Gundham takes matter into his own hands and follows them into the metaverse
His nickname would be Demon
(Trust me there was a lot of arguments over his name)
Peko Pekoyama
Her arcana would be Strength
After the incident with Kaneshiro the Kuzuryuu family was both concerned and relieved
Relieved because Kaneshiro was a scumbag who deserved it
But concerned because what if they were next
So Peko was assigned to find the identities of these so called phantom thieves and eliminate them if necessary 
It takes her a long while but she eventually tracks them down
She follows them around for a while
(Morgana can sense someone but can’t see anything)
It gets so bad for the thieves that Futaba sets up cameras around Leblanc and then they see her
However Futaba can get barely any dirt on her and it takes a long time before the truth comes out
When they realize she is a hitman they panic
They check her name in the Nav but nothing comes up
So they try to go to the Metaverse to try and talk to each other privately
However Peko follows and is instantly on edge
She ends up fighting them but loses thanks to their Persona’s
Ironically enough this is what causes her to summon her Persona, her drive to try and protect her young master.
So she does not hesitate to rip off her mask
Her Persona is Yuneu a famous swordswoman from China who trained the king’s army
Her outfit is army-based while her mask is a simple white mask to cover her face
She is a physical based attacker that can also use Nuclear moves
Unfortunately she is still defeated but she makes a deal with the phantom thieves
If they don’t target her young master and leave the Kuzuryu clan alone she will give them intel on other more corrupt Yakuza clans and individuals
She doesn’t fight with the other thieves often since she has to be constantly at her young master’s side but if its emergency she will join them
Her nickname is Protector 
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