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thenexusofsouls · 6 months

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New Muse: Wade

[Bio and other information below the cut!]

Type of Character & Fandom/Source Material: Canon character from the movie The Night Crew (2015)

FC: Luke Goss as Wade

Race: Human originally, later a vampire (I will probably write him mostly in his vampire verse, since that's when he's most versatile and has the most potential for threads)

Age: 45

Sexual/Romantic Orientation: Heterosexual

Occupation: Bounty Hunter

Family: Parents (deceased); younger sister (deceased); lover and former team member, Rose (I'll usually make her deceased); unborn child (deceased); best friend and former team member, Ronnie (deceased); former team member, Crenshaw (deceased)

Potentially Triggering Material in Threads: Blood; gun violence; death; vampirism; pregnancy; child death

Negative Personality Traits: He tends to keep a lot of things inside and not talk to people about his emotions and problems. He won't always share with you how he really feels about you, especially if it's problematic. He can be kindof a hardass when he's not obeyed in a combat situation or when he's leading people who are faced with terrible odds. No matter what your relationship to him is, when he says do something in a dire situation, he expects you to do it.

Positive Personality Traits: He's brave and hard-working, and can be kind and selfless as well. He values his friends and is loyal to them. He also tends to look out for the "little guy" and help those who are less fortunate. Wade has a big heart and a soft one, but life hadn't been kind to him, so he protects it behind stoicism. Once he loves you, though, he'll go to the ends of the earth and back for you, no matter what the cost to himself.

Background:

Wade had a good, normal childhood in a middle class family in the United States, until he was ten years old. At that time, his parents and little sister were killed by a man who broke into their house at night and was startled by his dad coming downstairs to see what all the noise was about. The man was a violent criminal and a bail jumper with a warrant out for his arrest. He'd been looking for some quick supplies to get on the road and disappear when Wade's family awoke and interfered with his plans. The man shot all of them while Wade hid in a closet. He tried to grab his little sister and hide her as well, but she tried to run out the front door and was shot.

Since that day, Wade has carried a tremendous amount of guilt for not being able to help his family and for hiding instead of either fighting or dying with them. He was put into foster care and bounced around from family to family until he was old enough to join the army. Although he liked the structure of it and did well in it, it just wasn't what he wanted to do with his life, so he served for a while and then retired.

From the military, Wade then became a bounty hunter, fueled by the desire to catch people like the man who killed his family and make sure they don't escape justice. He formed a team of people who worked well together and trusted him as their leader. There was his best friend Ronnie, a former comrade of his from the army, Crenshaw, a skilled but sometimes hotheaded guy, and Rose, Crenshaw's girlfriend. They worked together well for several years, mostly chasing bounties in the southern United States and into Mexico. Together, they were Wade's family.

They had fallen on hard times financially and owed some powerful people money, so they had no choice but to take an unconventional bounty in Mexico and bring her back to the States. Her name was Mae, and unbeknownst to the team, she was a vampire. Mae had pissed off the leader of a drug cartel in Mexico who happened to also be her sire. In trying to capture Mae, Wade and his team found themselves barricaded against the cartel's people with nowhere to go.

Mae could sense and see a lot of things humans couldn't, and she quickly realized that Rose was carrying Wade's child, despite her being in a relationship with Crenshaw. As it turns out, Crenshaw was a bit of a player, Rose turned to Wade for comfort, and Wade had loved her for some time. The result was an accidental pregnancy that drove a wedge between Wade and Crenshaw and began to break the team apart at a crucial time when they were in a fight for survival. Ronnie was shot and bled out as they tried to escape, Crenshaw followed not long after, and then Wade was shot in his leg. The wound struck an artery and he was bleeding out. Telling Rose to escape with Mae, he stayed behind to take on the cartel alone.

Through everything, Wade tried so hard to keep everyone alive and felt intense guilt every time someone didn't make it. He did what he could with the cartel, and so did Mae and Rose, and they managed to come out on top, but not without some consequences. Rose had a miscarriage from the stress of losing everyone and she bled internally. Later on she got shot and would have died, but Mae turned her, making her a vampire. They go back for Wade and find him on the brink of death himself. Rose decides to turn him because she can't bear to lose him.

Wade and Rose then go with Mae to confront her sire, and there's the assumption that a significant fight is involved. In most cases, I will likely say that Rose was killed in that fight and that Wade struck out on his own afterward, just to make him a bit freer and more versatile. As a new vampire, Wade isn't sure where to go or what to do. He's learning how to be what he is now, and trying to cope with the guilt of once again losing his entire "family" and not being able to save them.

Potential Starter Ideas:

As a human, your muse could work with him on a bounty assignment, or be the bounty he'd trying to acquire.

As a vampire, your muse could be someone he runs into, someone who helps him out, someone who gives him a place to stay, or someone he intervenes to help in some way.

Fun facts:

Wade is very protective of children. He often wonders what his daughter would have been like (Mae knew Rose's unborn child was a girl), and he still carries guilt over not being able to protect his little sister. So if he sees kids in danger or unattended, he is likely to try and protect them and help them out.

The sort of vampirism Wade has is a bit different from the typical kind. He's not immediately burned up or turned to dust in sunlight. Sunlight really hurts him, but it takes some time for him to be killed by it. His vision, hearing, and coordination will suffer the longer he's in the sun. He'll get headaches, nosebleeds, start coughing up blood, and basically look like he's got the flu with a fever and lethargy. Once he gets to the point of getting the shakes or not being able to stand up, he's a goner unless someone helps him.

Wade doesn't need to feed every day, but the longer he goes without doing so, the hungrier he gets. If he starves himself for too long or if he's in the sun for too long, bloodlust will start to take over and he'll find it harder to resist the urge to prey on someone. Rather than risk attacking someone, he'll leave to be alone and better plan out a hunt instead.

Wade's fangs are retractable, so his teeth usually look human unless he's feeling hungry or aggressive. The irises of his eyes will also take on a silver reflective quality if he's on the hunt or feeling particularly alpha. Otherwise, they look like normal blue human eyes.

#{ i am the caretaker of souls } ᵒᵒᶜ #muse: wade #tw: pregnancy #tw: miscarriage #tw: vampires

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moeyoken · 2 years

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Tell me one thing you find neat/interesting about hijikata, be it fictional or an actual fact 😳

just ONE? one thing? impossible —— okay, okay, so one thing that i love about hijikata is his growth throughout his life. as a young child, toshizō was a rascal. a troublemaker in the eyes of others henceforth his infamous nickname ‘baragaki of bushu’ ( thorny brat of bushu ). when he was in his late teens and young adult, toshizō was infamous for practicing his sword play while he was making rounds as a medicine peddler; he visited various dojos and beat up the students there to refine his skills and then, when he became older and then vice commander of the shinsengumi, the troublemaker became known as the ‘demon’ vice commander who disciplined his men of hotheaded samurai and more with an iron fist, enforcing strict rules and punishment. obviously, he was excellent at his job which might’ve seemed baffling to people who didn’t like him as a child, teen and young adult.

naturally, hijikata was good at what he does. the shinsengumi started out as the roshigumi and the enlisting requirements for that first group did not exclude samurai / ronin with criminal history ( because if you join to serve the shogun, sounded like your records would be wiped ), meaning there might have been plenty of shady people ( for sure serizawa kamo, the former commander alongside kondo isami, was absolutely shady ) and hijikata more or less whipped those who stayed into shape. this troublemaker who was an everyday man selling medicine on the streets then formidable and capable vice commander went on to become a leader in the military —— the vice army minister of the ezo republic.

you see where i’m going with this? hijikata really started out with nothing, seemingly a hopeless individual to the villagers around him because he was this “spoiled brat” of a kid who wanted to become a samurai, which was laughable at the time because of how STRICT the tokugawa class system was, instead of “maturing” the hell up and focus on becoming a merchant instead. he hustled and climbed his way up the latter, showing what he was truly capable of in the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of what being a warrior in that time meant.

so he earned a scary reputation for reasons both fair and unfair ( unfair because some rumors and gossips of horror stories the shinsengumi had done were not true ), he was capable at his job and is intelligent when it comes to military and efficient at what he does. now let me then get into the third aspect of his growth or rather what was already there in him but really shined to others in his final years:

the translation may be wonky so please don’t mind that too much —— the main point of fascination... was pretty much how tender and gentle he became to his men, especially the young soldiers. you have to remember at this point of hakodate, out of the main core, hijikata was by himself. for almost a year because the core either have died or have left following their own paths and idea of sincerity. chances are hijikata knew this was a losing war but even then he soothed and cared for and consoled, gave advice to many of his soldiers who sought him out.

nobori nakajima, after the war, had painted a picture of hijikata and on it he said when hijikata had died, the soldiers reacted as if they had lost their own mothers. they cried over him and that’s a huge testament, i think, of how gold hearted of a guy hijikata really was to these men despite being the ruthless demon vice commander that he was.

basically, what i find interesting in hijikata, be it real or fictional, is gold hearted ‘mother’ juxtaposed to the demon vice commander. he is a daunting figure, a brave figure, he isn’t perfect or some grand saint in the grander scheme of things. he’s done plenty of toe curling things, he isn’t someone to be taken lightly and if he is your enemy, you should be on guard because his dogma and ruthlessness, hell bent endeavors are forces of nature. but he is also caring and kind when he needs to be and sounds like when he is, it’s felt real hard. the intimidation of him makes the kindness of him all the more rewarding or awe-worthy.

@oldestking

#oldestking #◟ . ooc #◟ . haiku — inbox #i rambled so much. idk if this makes sense because i always ramble and go off about toshi because he's so -clenches fist-#if fgo won't do him justice then i'll do it myself even if i'm all over the place #the demon vice commander and also the fierce tiger loved like a mother

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the-dubstep-strawberry · 3 years

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Just Passing Through

The sun was rising on another day in the Commonwealth, but as far as Lucas Miller was concerned, that bright, lazy son-of-a-bitch had had more than its fair share of rest. His day had started hours before dawn, with the bellowing of his restless pack Brahmin better than any alarm clock; he'd rolled up his sleeping bag and doused the dying embers of the campfire, while the two guards who traveled with his caravan grumbled over cups of the steaming homemade tea they brewed from Bloodleaf flowers.

It was Sunday, two days since his caravan had set out from Bunker Hill with its usual itinerary. Their destination was Tenpines Bluff, one of the Minutemen settlements. It was small - just a handful of settlers and their shacks, and the field of Tatos they tended - but the armor trade was brisk and there were always orders coming in from nearby Sanctuary Hills. General de Havilland and her growing band of men and women had become his best customers, he reflected, as he finished tying his bootlace and rose to his feet.

The Brahmin let out a long, low moo of protest as they set off walking again.

“All right, Ol' Girl,” he told the cow, patting the side of the head nearest him. “Not much further now. We'll rest up soon and get you fed and watered.”

As he walked, his eyes settled on the road ahead, at a point just below the horizon. It always paid to keep your eyes on the road. The caravan routes were safer now than they had been for some years, with the new Minutemen patrols on the roads, but his father had always warned him to be vigilant when traveling. There were still dangers to be found out here if you weren't wary – Bloodbugs and Stingwings had taken down more than their fair share of Brahmin, and sometimes people. There were Raiders too - fewer than there used to be, but still the occasional brave or foolhardy group who took their chances. Gunners, for the most part, knew better than to disrupt the trade routes that they depended on for their own weapons, armor and chems, but some of the hotheaded ones preferred to do their negotiating down the barrel of a gun when disagreements arose. Yao Guai, Radscorpions and Deathclaws were the worst, he thought, shuddering. And Mirelurks. He hated Mirelurks.

One of the guards looked up at the sound of a distant noise. Lucas looked up too, and saw the shapes coming over the horizon; another pack Brahmin, heavily laden with boxes and bundles of goods which rattled and rustled and jingled as the two-headed cow trudged along, hooves thudding on ancient asphalt. No guards accompanied the beast of burden, but a person he recognized was walking alongside it; a weary-looking woman in a familiar blue jacket.

“Carla,” he greeted her. “How's business?”

“You again,” she said dryly. “Here to trade?”

He nodded.

“Mm-hmm. The usual. Tenpines Bluff and back again.”

“Need to pick something up? Road's pretty long from here.”

Lucas smiled. Trashcan Carla, as the locals called her, sold junk, but it was good junk – household goods, odds and ends, useful scrap scavenged from old ruins and sold to whoever had enough caps in their pocket. Sometimes she sold bulk goods, oil and steel, wood and screws, things that homesteaders and builders would put to good use as they staked their claim in the wastes, putting down foundations for farms and families. The General was a regular customer, she'd said once, as they'd stopped to chat in Bunker Hill between trips. Always building, and rebuilding, wherever she went.

“You keep traveling and I'm sure we'll do business by and by,” he replied politely.

“Maybe next time,” she said, amused. “All right then. Safe travels.”

“Safe travels to you too.”

They passed alongside each other, perfectly parallel; their Brahmin brushed past each other with long lowing noises, and the guards both nodded in Carla's direction; the small greeting designed to acknowledge each other's presence without getting caught up in conversation when you had other places to be, which she returned in kind.

Safe travels. That was the traditional farewell when your paths led you in different directions, no matter who your fellow travelers were. Farmers venturing out to bigger settlements to sell baskets of bulbous purple Mutfruits and bundles of Razorgrain; the provisioners who traveled between the smaller settlements, entrusted with the essential tasks of delivering goods and messages to their neighbors, smartly dressed in the Pre-War postal uniforms that the Minutemen issued to make their role look more “official”; the Minutemen patrols themselves, in worn jeans and yellow jackets and the militia hats popularized by Colonel Preston Garvey, the General's second-in-command; and occasionally a passing squad of Power-Armored soldiers from the Brotherhood of Steel, who might reply with a salute and a gruff response of “Citizen”, if they were feeling talkative that day.

The General wore Power Armor too, sometimes, when she wasn't wearing her famous tricorn hat and military overcoat. He'd been told that she was a member of the Brotherhood of Steel herself, in addition to leading her own army; he'd seen her out and about a few times with the former Paladin Danse, who had been forced out of the faction he'd once served over some internal disagreement, if the news reports on the radio were to be believed. For someone who'd lost everything, he decided, the man had looked surprisingly happy. He supposed he would be too, if he had a beautiful woman like the General following him wherever he went...

“Who's that behind us?” said one of the guards, by his side.

Lucas blinked, and turned around to look. Sure enough, there were two more Brahmin coming up behind them, and a few more shapes, human ones – two were caravan guards, much like his, with leather armor and suspicious scowls, and rifles slung on their backs. A third person was the merchant they guarded, a bearded man in a long coat and sturdy armored boots.

“Haven't seen him before,” he responded. “Not a local, by the looks of him. Must be from outside the Commonwealth.”

The second guard, the younger one, took the hunting rifle from his back in readiness, but the first one shook his head.

“Settle down, kid, they're just traders,” he told the other. “Wrong armor for Raiders and they're hauling too much gear. Raiders travel light round these parts, and they tend to hole up somewhere and stay put. Besides, they would've taken pot-shots at us by now. And Gunners make more of an entrance. Nothing to worry about.”

The second guard reluctantly lowered his rifle again.

“Yeah, I guess so. Who's that with them?”

There were two other people with the approaching caravan, Lucas noticed, as they got closer and the second Brahmin came into view. A young woman in a Vault suit and a leather jacket was trudging alongside the animal, complaining loudly about her aching feet; the other was a little boy, mop-haired and freckle-faced, sitting on the Brahmin's back and holding onto its neck as best he could. He was about four or five, Lucas supposed, and his clothes were slightly too big for him, although wasteland kids tended to wear clothes that didn't fit them too well, and slightly too big was always considered better than slightly too small. He and the woman had clearly come a long distance, perhaps even further than the others; they both looked tired and travel-worn, their clothes and boots thick with dust from the road.

“Hey,” called out the woman. “Hey, you! Wait up!”

Lucas and the guards stopped walking.

“Whoa there,” he told his own Brahmin, and Ol' Girl obediently came to a halt. “Let's see what they want.”

The other caravan drew closer, hurrying to catch them up, and then stopped right behind Ol' Girl, who looked unimpressed by the presence of the other two Brahmin; she mooed at one when it tried to get too close, and one of its guards shooed it away a few feet.

“Hey, friend,” Lucas greeted the newcomers. “Looks like you've come a long way. Where are you headed?”

“That's just it,” said the woman, cutting in before the other trader could speak. “We're… kind of lost. Could you give us some directions? You're from round here, right?”

Lucas nodded.

“Aye. Name's Lucas Miller. I sell armor for Old Man Stockton's outfit. Based out of Bunker Hill,” he told her. “And who might you be?”

The young woman frowned, and he was suddenly reminded of the way the General frowned; the purse of her lips, a slight wrinkling at the bridge of a shapely nose, and the furrowing of a pale brow that hadn't seen very much of the outdoors.

“Best you don't ask her that,” the trader beside her interjected. “Bit of a sore topic. She's given us three fake names already, and she didn't speak to us for a day and a half when we tried to get the real one out of her.”

“How about yours, then?” Lucas tried again.

“Name's Cartwright,” said the man, with more enthusiasm. “I sell junk, mostly, odds and ends, but there's a few bits of tech the Brotherhood boys might be interested in.”

“Don't think we've met before,” Lucas remarked. “What brings you all the way out here? I take it you're not from the Commonwealth.”

Cartwright laughed.

“You're right about that, my friend. We came up here from the Capital Wasteland.”

Lucas couldn't keep the surprise from his face.

“That's quite a way to travel for a pile of junk,” he said, in spite of himself. “Just those odds and ends bringing you out here?”

This time Cartwright shook his head.

“No, not really. Wouldn't have journeyed this far, but an old friend called in a favor. You know Daisy? From Goodneighbor?”

Lucas nodded. He knew her; the Pre-War Ghoul who ran Daisy's Discounts, although he rarely frequented Goodneighbor, where the locals were more interested in chems and ammunition than armor.

“Then you'll know how persuasive she can be,” said Cartwright, with a chuckle. “No saying no to a woman like that, is there? So I promised her we - ”

The woman standing beside him gave him a sharp look. If her eyes had narrowed a little more, her expression might have nailed him to the ground.

“They told us not to talk about why we're here,” she reminded him. Her voice was less pointed than her expression, but the hint of danger was unmistakable; there was a flash of steel in the violet-blue eyes. “Mercenaries out there, remember? Gunners, or whatever they call themselves. If that guy reports back to them and they find out why we're here, then we're in a whole world of trouble.”

Lucas shook his head at that. Gunners were, on the whole, bad for business. Angering them somehow seemed like an even worse commercial decision.

“I won't ask, then,” he said firmly. “I stay out of the affairs of others. No good comes of it.”

This time the woman gave him a friendlier look; still cool, but more appreciative.

“Smart man. Sorry. Nothing personal, but the instructions we had were pretty clear. All we want is a nod in the right direction.”

“I think I can help with that,” Lucas volunteered. “Where is it you're wanting to go?”

The woman paused to roll up her sleeve. There was a Pip-Boy on her wrist; a rare sight, thought Lucas, although the Vault suit now made more sense. There was a trading post at Vault 81, one of the few that still functioned and hadn't killed its Pre-War inhabitants in the process, and a few regulars came out to barter for goods they needed. Those Vault-dwellers tended not to travel too far from their home, although the General herself hadn't been able to get out of hers fast enough. Frozen, they'd said, before the war; what a world she'd emerged into, and how different it must have been from the one she'd left behind.

“Sanctuary,” she said, after checking an entry on the screen. “Or Sanctuary Hills. Heights. Something like that.”

“Sanctuary Hills?” Lucas suggested. “That the one you mean?”

The woman made an irritable noise, and waved her hand impatiently.

“Whatever. Close enough. But yeah, that's where we're going. We have a delivery we need to make.”

“Special delivery!” the little boy said proudly, from atop the Brahmin's back. “That's me!”

The woman smiled, perhaps a bit distantly, and ruffled the kid's hair.

“Yeah, that's you. Good job, kiddo, you've told everyone we met so far. So much for not talking to strangers. Your dad's not going to be pleased with me if we run into anyone who's not the friendly type.”

“You don't need to worry about that, miss,” Lucas' older guard assured her. “The Minutemen don't take kindly to folk who harass travelers on the road, and that goes double for kids. Mess with someone's child, steal them away or what have you, and the General will get to hear about it. You might be worried about mercenaries, but trust me, they're more worried about her.”

The young woman smirked.

“Hmm. And I thought Talon Company were scared of me back home. Sounds like this General is a woman to be reckoned with.”

“You'll reckon with her soon enough,” said Lucas, raising his eyebrows. “Sanctuary is her home and it's well-guarded. Turrets and watch towers and the like. You mind yourself when you visit and be sure to make a proper introduction. Strangers who won't give their names aren't the welcome kind.”

She rolled her eyes.

“Fine. If she wants to know who I am that badly, I'll be sure to tell her. Now can you tell us how to get there?”

“That I can,” Lucas told her. “Here, let me see that Pip-Boy of yours. I'll mark it on your map.”

The younger of his two guards muttered something to the other about Colonel Garvey, and the other let out a small chuckle. Lucas ignored them, and studied the screen, patterned in green and black. The topography seemed less familiar from above than it did at eye level, but he followed the road until he saw some landmarks he recognized.

“Concord's that way, and then the Red Rocket station. Follow the road up north and cross the Old North Bridge. It's dead ahead, you can't miss it.”

“Thanks,” said the woman, as he let go of her arm again. “Appreciate the help, Mr. Miller.”

“Not a problem. Any armor for you today?”

She shook her head.

“No, thanks. I think we're good.”

Lucas shook his head too. He'd been selling his wares to wastelanders for many years, and it was the bold and foolish ones who went away empty-handed. Still, there was something in the woman's expression that suggested that it would be more foolish still to try to grab her unawares, and there were subtle hints in the way she moved that suggested that her blue-and-yellow Vault jumpsuit had already been customized to her liking, and that she was more than adequately armed and armored.

“As you say. Well, safe travels then,” he concluded. “Good luck with whatever it is you're here to do. And give my regards to Daisy, when you see her.”

“Thanks, we will,” said Cartwright, with a friendly gesture. “Good to meet you, Lucas. And travel safe yourself. Perhaps we'll see each other again on the road.”

They parted ways, and the caravan moved on ahead of them, faster now that they were moving with more purpose. Lucas heard the little boy pipe up:

“Will we see Daddy soon?”

“Don't worry, Duncan, we're almost there,” she said casually. “They said he'll be there waiting for you. Been a while, too, hasn't it? I bet he can't wait to see you again…”

Their voices were already fading on the wind, dwindling in the distance as they followed the road and disappeared over the hill. Lucas shrugged, and gave his Brahmin a gentle nudge.

“Don't mind them, Ol' Girl. They're just passing through. Off we go now, there's a good girl.”

The Brahmin made some vaguely displeased noises and swished her tail a few times, but started to lumber off in the right direction again, unfazed by the goods on her back and the steeper incline as they followed their usual path.

As they climbed up the hill, Lucas caught another glimpse of the travelers from the Capital Wasteland; a long way to travel, he thought, and an even longer journey back if they hoped to avoid the greenish clouds that were already rumbling ominously over the Glowing Sea. It seemed a great deal of effort to go to, just to bring a small child all the way out here.

Still, he thought, as he turned his gaze toward the small cluster of shacks and caught sight of the bright blue Minutemen flag waving above Tenpines Bluff, they probably had their reasons.

#this was a little leftover from an abandoned writing challenge #short but sweet #Elle [Last Name Redacted]#Lucas Miller #Trashcan Carla #and a small Duncan MacCready cameo #more of which later #Our Bond Is Steel #OBIS #tales from the Margotverse #Fallout 4 #Fallout 4 fanfic #writing

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shakespeareanwannabe · 3 years

Text

Drowning

Santiago Pope Garcia x F!OC/Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia x Rebecca Cooke

Summary: Santiago follows through with his escape plan, only to find that his freedom comes with a heavy price.

Warnings: Drinking/Alcohol Consumption, Swearing, Benny being Benny, references to war time injuries, references to Anxiety if you squint, ghosting, nightmares, crying

A/N: Hey y’all. Sorry it’s been a while. Some stuff came up, but I was inspired to write this chapter anyway! Here’s chapter 6. Please enjoy!

**********

Santiago Garcia was one of the best of the best. One of the top ranked soldiers in the US Military. Delta Force, Special Operations…his team was the one you called when things got bad. And things often got bad.

Tom ‘Redfly’ Davis oversaw the team. Laser focused in the field and a brilliant tactician who always seemed to be able to get his team out of tight spots, Redfly saw Delta Force through multiple missions, as well as two tours of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Santiago ‘Pope’ Garcia was his right-hand man, his second in command. Where Redfly focused on the minor details, Pope was able to see the big picture. Combined, their abilities to plan and execute earned them the respect and admiration of their team.

William ‘Ironhead’ Miller was third in command. His cool head and philosophical manner ensured cohesion in the group of macho men. While the team was busy fighting the enemy, Will was busy making sure there was no fighting amongst the team.

Francisco ‘Catfish’ Morales was the pilot. The most intelligent of the bunch, he was often overlooked when it came to lauding praises, even if Pope would always claim that it was because of Frankie’s skillful maneuvering and calculating nature that they made it back in one piece.

Benjamin ‘Benny’ Miller was the youngest of the team, the most hotheaded, and the most emotionally vulnerable. Added to the team after their original fifth member was killed in action, Ironhead automatically took it upon himself to protect his baby brother, while the rest of the team protected Ironhead.

Together, they were the most successful, most ruthless, most cunning team to ever wear the United States flag on their shoulder. Ironhead, Catfish, and Benny trusted their fearless leaders to see them through any mission, no matter how bleak. Where they led, the team followed, no questions asked. Well, on the battlefield, that is…

“You fucking what!?!” Frankie exclaimed angrily while Benny and Will stared at him in astonishment.

Santi felt himself shrink. While he knew that his plan of action wasn’t the best, he didn’t know what else to do.

“I can’t drag her into all my bullshit, ‘Fish,” Santi sighed, dragging a hand down his face before chugging from his nearly-empty beer bottle.

“So, you thought that ghosting her was the best thing to do?” Benny exclaimed, leaning around his brother to get a good view of his former lieutenant. “Are you fucking stupid, Pope?”

“Ay, watch it, kid!” Santi grumbled. “You’ve seen her! She’s fucking perfect. I’m not ruining her. No way, man.” Santi chose to ignore Frankie’s mumbling in their shared mother tongue and cast his fishing line out into the lake once more.

It had been two weeks since the wedding, 13 days since the last time he saw Rebecca, and it was killing him, even if he knew it was for the best. So, when Will had offered up his fishing cabin in the woods for a boys weekend, he had jumped at the chance to get out of that big empty house, away from the clinic that he was slinking around under Charlie’s hateful glare, and far enough away from Bex’s building that he wasn’t tempted to just get up and drive there and beg for her forgiveness. It would be good for him. Clear his head. Get her out of his system, even if he was waking up every morning hard as a rock with thoughts of her smile and her softness and her heart at the forefront of his mind.

“Well, that fucking explains why Charlie went from crying over your speech at the wedding to asking me if I’d be okay burying your body in the backyard,” Frankie finally spoke in English.

Santi winced. After a week of actively ignoring his phone whenever it lit up with Rebecca’s name and smiling face, he supposed that Bex had asked Charlie what was up. And, since Charlie knew him well enough to know what nothing was actively wrong, he’d spent the last several of his physio appointments having to shield himself from his friend’s icy glare.

“What are you doing, man?” Will sat back with a sigh. “She’s the best you’re ever gonna get. You know that right?”

Santi clenched his fist around his fishing rod. “You think I don’t know that? She’s fucking perfect! Sweet and kind and unselfish and loving and sexy as all fuck! Who wouldn’t want that?”

“So, you’re either really fucking stupid or really fucking scared…” Benny muttered, leaning back to fetch another beer.

Santi felt something inside him burst. He was doing what was best for her, even if nobody in his life seemed to agree.

“Fuck this.” He threw his fishing rod to the ground and stood up. “I don’t have to deal with this shit. I’m going home.”

Frankie slowly stood up next to him with a few crackles and pops of his joints. “I drove you, dipshit. And you drank an entire six pack on your own. I’ll take you home.”

Frankie ambled over to give his goodbyes to Will and Benny while Santi stood with his arms crossed, staring out into the distance. He had thought Frankie and Will would understand. Frankie, who had to fight tooth and nail to keep the woman he loved after getting his license suspended. And Will, whose fiancée had left him six weeks before the wedding day, claiming the war had changed him and that he wasn’t the same man she fell in love with. Benny, who had loved more people than he could count, had never experienced that kind of love and loss before, and Santi hoped he never did. Everyone around them got sucked into their bullshit, and he wouldn’t let that happen to the most wonderful woman he had ever met.

“Hey,” Santi startled when a warm, gentle hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to meet Will’s warm gaze and placating smile. “We just want you to be happy, man.”

Santi sighed and nodded slowly. “Yeah, Will…I know, but—”

“But nothing, man,” Will interrupted gently, pulling him into a one-armed hug. “She makes you happier than I’ve ever seen you, Santi. Don’t lose that, or you’ll spend your life regretting it.”

Santi watched him walk away as Frankie came up beside him and started ushering him towards the truck.

**********

The two-hour drive home was longer than expected due to traffic on the highway, but the length was exasperated by the silence that was dragging out between the two men. Unlike the drive, the silence was atypical. Santi, who had grown accustomed to Frankie’s quiet calmness, usually filled the silence with stories to get Frankie talking or laughing. Now, the tension between the two was palpable, and Santi wasn’t about to try to break it when he had so much on his mind.

After almost three hours in the car together, Frankie pulled into Santi’s driveway and killed the engine.

Santi sighed, both in sadness and relief, and went to open the door. “Thanks,” he mumbled, hand resting on the handle and the door partially open.

“Listen, man…” Santi turned slightly to see Frankie had removed his cap and was rubbing at his forehead. “If she doesn’t make you happy, that’s fine. No point in making yourself miserable trying to drag out a relationship that just ain’t gonna work. But if that’s why you’re doing this, or if you’re doing it because of some bullshit protector instinct, then why are you so miserable? If she makes you happy but you’re worried about infecting her with your shit, then protect her from that by staying close and working hard.”

“I…” Santi swallowed. “I don’t want to hurt her, man.” He got out of the truck and stood next to the open door. “I won’t hurt her.”

Frankie fixed him with a glare, and Santi saw a flash of the old Frankie for a moment. “And what exactly are you doing right now, cabrón?”

Santi let the door swing closed as Frankie peeled out of his driveway and down the road.

**********

It took another week for Santiago to get his act together. The day Frankie dropped him off, he spent in his backyard, grilling and listening to music. If things were normal, it would be the day the whole gang got together at Frankie’s for food and fun and laughs, but things weren’t normal, so he settled in for some solo grilled chicken and some alone time. He woke up with nightmares around midnight, and when he woke up again around 2 a.m., he moved into the living room and resigned himself to crappy early morning TV until the sun came up.

The next day, on a whim, he started drafting a proposal for a private security company. He still had enough money from selling his weapons collection in Colombia to put together a decent business proposal, and it was better than sitting on his ass drinking all day, so he put his famed planning skills to work. Got Your Six Security would provide state of the art security systems as well as armed guards for those who desired them. The fees would be reasonable, they would cater to both private homes and public settings, and, best of all, they would only employ military or former military personnel. Luckily, Santi had kept in contact with a couple of the surveillance techs from his time overseas, and he knew that a small crew of them had been working on a state-of-the-art closed circuit security system and were looking to market it to high end customers. They had already agreed to work with him, he only needed to get a business plan and a small loan to get it up and running.

The day after that, he had a meeting with the bank, who had met his proposal with enthusiasm. (It helped that it was a company employing veterans, run by a veteran, who already had some capital to put up upfront.) All they asked was that he find his first customer before they signed off on the loan.

So, the following Monday, he straightened his suit and tie and headed into the last place he wanted to be: the art museum where Rebecca worked. It was the only business that had availability as soon as possible, they were willing to pay top dollar, and they seemed fairly desperate.

He met with two of the higher ups of the museum, Douchebag Derek’s mom and the owner of the building, and soon found out why they were so desperate.

“One of our paintings got stolen two nights ago,” Derek’s mom sighed. “We don’t know how, or why, but somebody got in, stole one of the Blair’s, and walked out with it. Our security guard claims that he didn’t hear anything, but the police are looking into it.”

“The point is,” Mr. Carlisle butted in. “We need something more high-tech than a retiree aged security guard. We need something that can send an alarm to the police if someone does get in, but also a few highly trained guards to watch the museum at night, in case someone does get in and the police are too slow. It seems to me that a military grade security system and some highly trained former soldiers are the perfect thing to protect the priceless works of art we house here at this institution.”

“Was anyone in the building when the painting was stolen?” The words escaped his mouth before he could even think. “I mean, besides the security guard.”

“No, thank god,” Mr. Carlisle replied. “Jerry, the security guard, says he saw out the last employee in the building before locking the door.”

“I’m just happy that nobody got hurt,” Derek’s mom simpered, and Santi caught a glimpse of her son’s douchebaggery in her voice.

“We’d be happy to help,” Santi smiled once he regained control of his voice, his shoulders relaxing at the news that Jerry had been alone in the building. “We’ll just need 50% of the cost of the alarm system up front before installation, then we can discuss how many guards you want on premises during the day and at night. Once we’ve got a number, we can go through the applicants together and we can find the ones who best suit your needs.”

It was after they dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s and Santi had received a firm handshake from Mr. Carlisle that it happened.

He was exiting Mr. Carlisle’s office, still facing the occupants of the room as he thanked them for their patronage, when he turned and bumped into something hard but soft and comforting and, even worse, familiar.

“Oof!”

A chill ran down his spine at the sound, the same sound she had made when he spanked her ass that morning.

“Shit, I’m…I’m, uh, I’m sorry.” Rebecca stilled in her crouched position, one hand on one of the loose sheets of paper he had knocked out of her arms. “Uh…here, let me help.”

He started to lower to the ground, wincing at his knees crackling, when she snatched up the paper he was reaching for and stood up. “Don’t bother.”

Already crouching, he let his head hang. He didn’t know how he expected their first encounter to go, but it certainly wasn’t that.

**********

A flash…a painful scream…his legs caught in quicksand…red pooling on the pristine white marble floors…the dull thud of her body dropping…the faceless thief escaping into the edges of his vision…cradling her lifeless body…

Santiago sat bolt up in bed, his heart racing and his chest heaving, his curls drooping onto his forehead with accumulated sweat.

Three nights of the same dream. Three nights of not being able to save her from the art thief. Three nights of sitting in bed, trembling while staring at her picture on his phone, his thumb hovering over the ‘Call’ button but always unable to take that final step.

First, she had bewitched him. Now, she was haunting him. One short, angry interaction was enough to bring her to the forefront of his mind (not that she was ever far from there), and now he couldn’t sleep.

Maybe Frankie was right. Doing the right thing shouldn’t make him this miserable. His heart shouldn’t ache when he thinks of her, he shouldn’t be so depressed when he sees couples together, and he really shouldn’t be dreaming about her death and waking up in tears.

He didn’t think. About any of it. Instead, he acted on instinct, throwing on a pair of threadbare sweatpants and a white vest and collecting his wallet and keys before hopping into his truck and driving the path he knew by heart.

**********

Bang Bang Bang!

Rebecca’s first instinct was to shout at whoever was knocking on her door at three a.m. to fuck off or she would call the cops. Her second instinct was to grab the baseball bat in her front closet and scare the intruder off herself.

She blamed the pint of Cherry Garcia (flavor chosen ironically, of course) and the three glasses of red wine she had drank before falling asleep on the couch for her poor decision-making skills as she stumbled off the couch and grabbed the bat.

“What the fu—”

“Holy shi—”

Santiago ducked away from the door, hands out in front of him as if to calm a wild animal.

“Bex! It’s me, Jesus Christ!”

She huffed. “Yeah, and? After the shit you’ve pulled, being met with a bat is the least of your concerns.” She rubbed her eyes. “What the hell do you want, Santiago?”

He winced at the full name. “C…Can we talk?”

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, bat hanging loosely between her fingers. “You’ve had three weeks to talk to me, asshole. What the fuck could you possibly have to say to me?”

Santi turned to look down the hall, wincing and apologizing as one of her neighbours shot him a dirty look. “Can we talk inside? Please? If you don’t like what I have to say, you can kick me out or call the cops. I really wouldn’t blame you. Just…please?”

Rebecca rolled her eyes, poking her head out. “Sorry, Mr. Chen. Tell Cindy that it’s the asshole boyfriend come to grovel.”

The man nodded knowingly and retreated into his apartment.

“I deserve that,” he mumbled, looking at her pleadingly.

Rebecca considered him for a moment. “You look like shit.”

“And I feel even worse. Baby, I…”

Rebecca cut him off. “If you seriously want to do this right now, I’m gonna need more wine.”

She turned her back on him and retreated into the apartment, leaving the door wide open. Santiago followed her after a beat, making sure the door was locked tight behind him.

“Baby, I—”

Bex held up a finger, pouring herself a large glass of red wine and sitting as far away from him as possible, draping a grey throw blanket over her lap before fixing him with a glare.

He met her eyes and felt himself deflate. “Fuck,” he groaned, raking his fingers through his hair. “I had it all planned out, every word I was going to say to you, and now I’m lookin’ at you and it’s all…” He made an exploding motion with his hands. “Poof. Gone.”

Rebecca burrowed further into her blanket. “Well, try. Because from where I’m sitting, you’re the one who needs to do the talking here. I’ve done my talking. On the half-dozen voicemails I left on your phone, in the dozens of texts I sent you, and in the email I wrote because I was panicking at the thought that you had gotten into some terrible accident and that was why you weren’t responding anymore. Because that is the only reason I could think of that you would suddenly stop talking to me.”

“I know. I know, you’re absolutely right. I fucked up in a major way, and I am so sorry. I know I messed up, but I need you to know that I never meant to hurt you.” Rebecca scoffed. “I’m serious, honey. In my own backwards as fuck way, I thought I was protecting you.”

“From what?” she asked angrily.

Santi felt something snap inside of him. “From me! From this forty-year-old fuck up sitting in front of you! Because I’m not a good man! Because I was shooting people and detonating bombs when you were still in grade school! Because I’ve killed people, good people…innocent people. Because my life is a mile-wide shit stain, and you don’t deserve to deal with that. Because…” Santi took a raggedy breath. “Because when I look at you, I see everything good about the world. And I know I’ve got blood and death on my hands, and I couldn’t live with myself if I let any of that effect you in any way.”

“Don’t you think that’s my choice?” she countered in a cold voice. “Don’t you think I should get to decide who deserves to be in my life? I might be a hell of a lot younger than you, Santiago, but my life hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns. I know my worth. I know who belongs in my life. Not my narcissistic mother, who used my accident for sympathy from whoever she could get it from. Not my best friend from high school, who managed to turn everything into a fucking competition and only got bitchy when she ‘lost’. Not Douchebag Derek or fucking College Boyfriend Ben. And like it or not, I chose you. You with the bad knees and the greying hair and the blood and shit on your hands. God help me, but I chose you.” She chugged the rest of her wine, placing the glass harshly down on the coffee table.

“I know, sweetheart. God, you’re so fucking amazing, you know that?” he blinked back tears in his eyes. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t get emotional, that he would lay the facts out for her, but just being in her presence screamed safety to him and he could feel everything he had pushed down rising to the surface. “Y…you’re the best thing that ever happened to me, okay? And I know that’s a shitty, corny line, but it’s the truth. When I met you…I was in a bad place. My life had been one shit storm after another, and I thought coming home would fix that. Being around Frankie and Charlie, getting to bond with Mateo, having a home of my own for the first time…I was doing better. And then you crashed into my life, and all of a sudden everything felt good again. Like…the sun was shining on me but all of a sudden I could actually feel it and, for the first time, I wasn’t afraid of getting burned. You turned my whole plan upside down, and I was actually okay with it.” He chuckled, swiping at his cheeks as the first few tears started to fall. “I thought I could live in your orbit and just circle around you, not hurting you or effecting you in any way. But then…” he smiled softly. “Christ, that morning…Fuck, I realized that I was in so deep. Way deeper than I ever thought I would get. I was honestly, genuinely happy for the first time in years, and it was all because of you. And you were smiling at me all soft, and I realized something. I realized that living with you, spending the rest of my life with you, was something I could easily do and desperately wanted. And that scared the shit out of me. Because guys like me don’t get the happy ending. The credits start to roll just as we start dealing with the aftermath of whatever shitshow we just lived through, so that the audience doesn’t have to watch everything fall apart again. I…I couldn’t put you through that. Not when you’ve already got all your own stuff to deal with. Adding my own just felt selfish. And I know that’s a cop out, but it’s the truth. I honest to god just wanted to protect you.”

Rebecca’s gaze softened as her voice enveloped him. “So, why now? Why come to me now, if you’re so set on protecting me?”

He met her gaze. “The break in. At the museum. I-if you had been there, if you had gotten hurt…I don’t think I would’ve been able to handle it. That, plus some of Frankie’s patented wise wisdom, woke me up to what an idiot I’ve been. If I want to protect you, I’ve got to do it by being with you, and god baby, that’s all I want. And I know I fucked up. I basically did the same jackass thing that your college boyfriend did, only ten times worse because I promised I wouldn’t. I know I don’t deserve you, but I swear to god, baby, if you let me back into your life, I will work with you. I won’t keep anything from you, and I’ll always be honest with you, and when I try to protect you, I’ll do it by standing by your side and letting you know that I’m here. Even…” he gulped painfully. “Even if it’s just as a friend.”

Rebecca considered him carefully as Santi waited on bated breath. Finally, she spoke. “You really hurt me, Santi.”

He nodded, clenching his eyes shut. “I know. I know, baby, and I am so, so sorry.”

“Everything I was scared of, happened. I let you in, and you made me fall in love with you, then you left. You fucked me then fucked off. And you didn’t even have the decency to tell me why. I agonized for weeks over what I could have possibly done wrong.”

“No, baby,” he took a chance and shifted to sit next to her, gently cradling her hand in his. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. This is all on me, okay?”

She played with his fingers, rough and callused from his time handling firearms. “It is,” she nodded. “It is all on you…but when I ran into you at the museum, I felt like I could breathe for the first time in weeks. I wanted to be angry at you, but I just felt sad because…because I wanted you to do some stupid, corny, romcom level bullshit like fall to your knees and beg for my forgiveness or sweep me up into your arms and say that you would never let me go again.”

Santiago cupped her cheek, carefully brushing away the stray tear meandering over her cheekbone. “What are you saying?” he asked, trying desperately to keep the hope from his voice.

She sighed. “It means…that I’m too tired to deal with this right now.” She stood, not releasing his hand. “C’mon. You can sleep here tonight, and we can figure this out in the morning.”

He stood hesitantly. “Are you sure? I can sleep here on the couch?” He eyed the leather distastefully. “Or I can go sleep in my truck. I…I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

She was already shaking her head. “No, then I’ll just feel guilty. That couch is not comfortable and your truck with play hell with your neck. You can stay in my bed. Just…don’t worry about it.”

She padded silently into her room, tugging him behind her. Swiftly, she tugged down the meticulously straightened sheets and slid into her side of the bed, Santiago following after a short pause.

He laid there for what felt like hours, staring up at the ceiling, thanking god that he was there with the woman he loved and praying for a chance to make things right.

For the first time in forever, his prayers seemed to be answered quickly.

“I can hear you thinking,” Rebecca mumbled as she rolled over and placed her head on his chest. “Stop thinking, Santi. We can figure out everything in the morning.”

He carefully wrapped his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair, eyes drifting closed to send him into the deepest sleep he’d had in a month.

**********

He awoke the same way he’d fallen asleep, wrapped around Rebecca like he was afraid that, should he let go even an inch, she’d disappear.

He pulled back a fraction of an inch to gaze at her peaceful face before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.

She released a soft, sleepy mewl before her eyes blinked open.

She smiled softly at him. “Hey…”

The words poured out of him before he could even think. “Move in with me.”

She crinkled her brow. “What?”

He caught her hand and brought it up to his mouth, kissing her palm. “I love you. And I want to prove to you that I’m in this for the long haul. You’re it for me, Rebecca. So, move in with me.”

Her sleepy eyes took him in for a moment, and Santi’s breath caught in his chest. But before he could backtrack or explain further, he felt his heart stop.

“Yeah. Yeah, okay.”

**********

Tags list (open): @darksideofclarke, @writefightandflightclub, @rae-rae-patcha, @himbopoes, @sophoclese, @phoenixhalliwell, @buckstaposition, @who-talks-first, @hkmultifandom, @youhavereachedtheendofpie

#santiago pope garcia x oc #santiago pope garcia x rebecca cooke #triple frontier fanfic #not another fairytale ending fic #santiago pope garcia #frankie catfish morales #Oscar Issac #Pedro Pascal

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john-smith69 · 4 years

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Ranking my favorite characters of each of my favorite animes / mangas

For the record: I don't own any of the following artworks bellow. All the credit go for their own original artists

Top 10: Olivier Mira Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Olivier Mira Armstrong (オリヴィエ・ミラ・アームストロング, Orivie Mira Āmusutorongu), also known as Major General Armstrong is the primary heir to the illustrious Armstrong family, the commanding officer charged with the protection of Amestris' northern border at Fort Briggs and the older sister of Alex Louis Armstrong. Olivier is a severe woman who has a fearsome and commanding presence where she is harsh with her subordinates and peers and coldly merciless to her enemies, the deceptively beautiful woman's schadenfreude has earned her the nickname "Ice Queen" among the Briggs soldiers. Sharp-tongued and highly combative, Olivier is no stranger to furious chastisements and bursts of fiery violence, especially toward those who fail to live up to her high standards and staunch adherence to the "survival of the fittest" philosophy.

Top 9: Mikasa Ackerman (Attack On Titan)

Mikasa Ackerman (ミカサ・アッカーマン Mikasa Akkāman) is the adoptive sister of Eren Yeager and one of the two deuteragonists of the series, along with Armin Arlert.

After her biological parents were murdered by human traffickers, Mikasa was rescued by Eren Yeager and lived with him and his parents, Grisha and Carla, before the fall of Wall Maria. Though she desires only to live a peaceful life, Mikasa entered into the military—where she is considered the best soldier among the 104th Training Corps. She later enlists in the Survey Corps to follow and protect Eren, becoming one of its greatest assets. She is currently serving as an officer (上官 Jōkan) in the Corps. Mikasa cares deeply for her friends and caretakers, seeing them as the last remnants of a family she cannot afford to lose. Mikasa also appears to have a soft spot for children, and she has a strong sense of right and wrong, doing everything she can to make her most impulsive friends to follow what she thinks is the right track. Despite that, she knows well that she cannot always sway them in decisions and makes it a point to follow them whenever they go, just so that she can be around to help out when trouble arises.

Top 8: Kamina (Gurren Lagann)

Kamina (カミナ, Kamina) was a young man from Jeeha Village, the founder and first leader of Team Gurren and deuteragonist of the first arc of Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann. At first glance, Kamina is boisterous, hotheaded and arrogant. He demands recognition and seems hungry for greatness, illustrated in his tendency to call himself "the Mighty Kamina" and his signature catchphrase, "Just who the Hell do you think I am?!" He is an undeterred idealist, often to the point of ignorance; Yoko has described him as "a man of unlimited stupidity." Kamina is also very perverted, declaring that the urge to stare at beautiful women is the definition of a man.

However, Kamina is also extremely determined and never lets anything keep him down for long. Even discovering that his father was dead only made him solemn for a night or two (visibly at least). He is also devoted to defending and supporting his friends and loved ones, fighting with all his strength to protect them. In turn, he is very charismatic in the heat of battle, able to inspire even the timid Simon to accomplish great feats and almost single-handedly set the foundations for Team Dai-Gurren.

Despite his often brazen and practically insane actions, Kamina is fairly insightful, as his bombast and seemingly blind confidence usually mask his true intelligence in planning and combat. He even personally admits that his bravado and fearlessness is mostly a device he uses to hide his own worries and to support others, and that he thinks people like Simon are the real heroes.

Top 7: Sebas Tian (Overlord)

Sebas Tian (セバス・チャン), alas "The Iron Butler", is the head butler of the Great Tomb of Nazarick with several manservants and other butlers under his command. He was created by Touch Me. He is also the leader of the Pleiades Six Stars.

Although he is not one of the Floor Guardians, his power closely rivals theirs. In a way, he is independent of their chain of command. He originally served as Nazarick's last line of defense alongside the Pleiades on the 9th Floor, to give time for the guild, Ainz Ooal Gown, to prepare for their final stand in the Throne Room. Like his creator, Touch Me, Sebas Tian has a great deal of personal justice. Unlike many other denizens in Nazarick, he does not completely despise humans or see them as inferior creatures. Instead, he believes that some humans are good people and it is the duty of the strong to protect the weak. However, humans with an ugly nature disgust him and he will not hesitate to kill anyone who dares to oppose Nazarick. Sebas has a stoic nature, but also tends to question his own actions whether it was right or wrong of him to do them contrary to his master's order. Not sure why he does it, Sebas does believe that Touch Me's will is what encouragingly motivates him to act the way he does and that it conflicts with the will of his current master.

Top 6: Brago (Gash Bell)

Brago (ブラゴ, Burago), alongside his partner and bookkeeper Sherry Belmont, are considered the rivals of the main characters Zatch Bell and Kiyo Takamine, even though the teams fought a relatively small amount of times. Since their first appearance, they were one of the most powerful teams in the series, and have been seen burning more spellbooks than any other one. Brago is very quiet and is rarely seen socializing with other mamodos, he is often described as being "strong and cool". He is often seen crossing his arms or sticking them in his pockets. Not much is revealed about his life or personality, other than he resents weakness and especially requiring a human's help to win the demon kingship. However, despite often complaining that Sherry is too weak to help him, he thanks her for all that she has done for him in the final battle. He is extremely strong, often defeating other mamodo teams without even requiring the use of spells; because of his strength, which was gained from undergoing special elite training, many mamodo have come to fear him as one of the strongest. Brago's specialty is Gravity Magic.

Top 5: Guts (Berserk)

Guts (ガッツ Gattsu) , renowned as the "Black Swordsman", is a former mercenary and branded wanderer who travels the world in a constant internal struggle between pursuing his own ends and protecting those dear to him.

At one time driven solely by his will to survive, Guts finds purpose in life upon joining the Band of the Falcon, greatly helping in the faction's storied successes during the Hundred-Year War as captain of the band's raiders. He eventually becomes dissatisfied with clinging on to Griffith's dream, and departs from the band in pursuit of his own. Following the horrors of the Eclipse prompted by Griffith, Guts embarks on a two-year war against the God Hand and apostles, becoming increasingly embittered on his one-track quest for retribution. He in time realizes protecting his regressed lover is more important to him, as well as something he cannot do alone, and thus seemingly abandons his quest for revenge while fostering camaraderie with his new companions. Known for his air of austerity, Guts is a gruff, cynical man holding an overall bleak outlook on life. This is a consequence of enduring waves of suffering and numerous betrayals since his youth, with nearly all highlights of his life having, in time, become lows. In spite of his guarded, brooding exterior, he shows a more easygoing, compassionate side around the people he trusts, appearing markedly less unsociable and distant, though still retaining his dry candidness. Even as his inner darkness festers deep within him and its temptation becomes increasingly harder to resist, he retains his empathy and compassion, refusing to completely discard his humanity.

Top 4: Akemi Homura (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)

Homura Akemi (暁美ほむら Akemi Homura) is one of the main characters in the Puella Magi Madoka Magica series. Ever since her arrival at Mitakihara Middle School, Homura is immediately depicted as being very intelligent, athletic, distant, and cold. It is revealed in episode four that she is only like this because she has seen so much suffering during her tenure as a magical girl. Because of this, she does not want Madoka Kaname to become a magical girl and tries to do anything in order to stop her from making a wish with Kyubey, going as far as to attempt to injure and even kill the cat-like creature. Despite her cold attitude towards others, she still very much cares for Madoka, as it is her sole objective to protect her due to the countless amount of blood, sweat, and tears she has shed over her jumps in time. Despite being regarded as emotionless by Sayaka Miki, Homura is far from it. Although she does not easily show signs of remorse, sadness, or pity, it is only because she had grown used to the suffering around her, and must put up a strong front to continue fighting for her goal. Homura herself has stated that she always feels badly with each life she's unable to save or alter, but nevertheless, it does not slow her down from staying true to her main objective in saving Madoka Kaname.

Top 3: Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (Bleach)

Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez (グリムジョー・ジャガージャック, Gurimujō Jagājakku) is an Arrancar and was the Sexta (6th) Espada in Sōsuke Aizen's affiliated army. While appearing to be a laid-back individual, Grimmjow possesses a brutal, impulsive, and excessively violent personality alongside a lethally short temper. However, despite his aggression and obvious blood lust in battle, Grimmjow possesses a feral cunning and has a knack for quickly exploiting any opening his opponent reveals. In addition, he is blunt, sarcastic and quite sadistic, revealing a psychotic grin or laughing maniacally whenever he becomes excited. He is also very rude and quite disrespectful. Grimmjow uses none of the honorifics in the Japanese language, except when addressing Aizen (though he is quick to discard the formality when Aizen is not around), and refers to Orihime Inoue as woman in conversation. Grimmjow displays little respect for authority and says whatever is on his mind, regardless of whether or not it is appropriate. However, he does have some form of a code of honor, as he is unwilling to fight an injured Ichigo, bringing Orihime to heal him beforehand so that their battle will be a fair one, though he also wants to defeat Ichigo when he is at full strength.He also saves Orihime from Loly Aivirrne and Menoly Mallia, who were beating her up, to repay the debt of restoring his arm, though he immediately demands another favor afterwards.

Top 2: Kujo Jotaro (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)

Jotaro Kujo (空条承太郎 , Kūjō Jōtarō) is the protagonist of Part 3 and also appears in Parts 4-6. Jotaro is the third and most recurring JoJo of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure series.

Jotaro is a delinquent who lives an ordinary life until the Joestar Family's old enemy, DIO, returns. Jotaro travels to Egypt in order to save his mother and stop the Vampire once and for all.

Wielding the incredibly powerful Star Platinum, Jotaro is the first JoJo introduced with a Stand, and is among the most well-known characters of the series. Jotaro is introduced as a rough delinquent, but he has a gentle heart, and is loyal to those he likes. He is highly perceptive, intelligent and quick-witted while keeping a perpetually cool, slightly neutral or disinterested attitude. Jotaro's most noticeable trait is his seemingly aloof nature. He is a quiet individual, often satisfied with expressing himself in short phrases. While he was shown to be mildly anxious when something unanticipated happens, Jotaro almost never goes as far as to lose his cool.

Top 1: Charlotte Katakuri (One Piece)

Charlotte Katakuri ( シャーロット・カタクリ , Shārotto Katakuri) is the second son and third child of the Charlotte Family and the elder triplet brother of Daifuku and Oven. He is also one of the Three Sweet Commanders of the Big Mom Pirates and serves as Totto Land's Minister of Flour (粉大臣, Kona Daijin), governing over Komugi Island.

Due to his actions and role, he is the secondary antagonist in the second half of the Whole Cake Island Arc. Katakuri has a very serious, no-nonsense demeanor, caring greatly about his crew and family's objectives. With his heightened Kenbunshoku Haki allowing him to see a little bit into the future and make smart judgement calls, he is dedicated to efficiently dealing with all possible threats within his vicinity, and is thus among the few Charlotte children that can be seen taking action without instructions from Big Mom herself. Katakuri is a pragmatic individual who puts efficiency above almost everything else, to the point of being considered a perfectionist. He rarely brags about his abilities, instead being rather focused on accomplishing his goals as fast as possible, intercepting and defeating his enemies in a quick, effective manner while prioritizing the elimination of threats he perceives as potentially serious, going as far as taking extra steps to ensure they are stopped in case his mother and siblings fail to do so. He is also capable of extreme brutality as shown when he pondered on how he should maim Luffy with his trident. Though ruthless to opponents, he is extremely caring towards his family and subordinates. Katakuri is also a honorable man who dislikes other people interfering with his fights. Though he considers Luffy his enemy and desires to eliminate him personally before he can become a threat, he wishes to defeat him fairly. After discovering that Flampe was the one attacking Luffy and lowering his performance in the fight, Katakuri injured himself in the same spot he injured Luffy to compensate and angrily shouted at Flampe for interfering in his fight.

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artsy-hobbitses · 5 years

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Because my nostalgic ass had been wanting to do this for a SUPER long time, have some Humanized!Mighty Ducks! It’s funny to see how far I’ve kinda come, because I had a strong love for this and most other anthro shows back in the 90s bc they looks excellent but also because I couldn’t draw humans worth a god damn and ended up anthro-ing all the humans, but now I can human the anthros :’B Also because I have no self-control, actual human names and backgrounds below. I might actually have to write this AU at some point.

WILLIAM ‘WILL’ FLETCHER ie. ‘WILDWING’

30yrs

Canadian (Eh)

Half-brother to Nate Fletcher (Same father, different mothers). Despite this, they have a generally good relationship with each other.

It doesn’t mean they don’t have their issues however; Will believes his father chose Nate as the man stayed with Nate and Nate’s mother, while Nate believes Will is the favorite because they never hear their dad stop comparing their accomplishments as a troubled teen to straightlaced Will.

A decorated ice hockey player in his youth, won several state championships.

Formerly a member of the Canadian Armed Forces, did a security stint in Afghanistan from 2009-2014.

Returned to Canada, opened a youth hockey camp to leave behind his old life before the Saurian threat at which point he was called up by his absentee military father to help spearhead a team of saboteurs.

Initially reluctant, however the death of his best friend and former army comrade, Connor Tiberius, during a rescue of captured citizens spurns him to accept on his terms in which he picks the team members.

Responsible, dependable, good-natured, more bookish than his size and stature might suggest, some self-esteem issues and very much a wary but bleeding heart. In his baby brother’s affectionate words, a “Major Dweeb��.

Trilingual; Canadian-French, English (fluent), Pashto (intermediate).

His codename ‘Wildwing’ came from Connor, who affectionately gave it to him as he was the best ‘wingman’ a soldier could ask for on the field and his habit of going from bookish to ballistic when faced with any injustice. His civilian outfit includes a bomber jacket with wings decorated over the back to commemorate his best friend.

Literally the only member of the team to actually be associated with ice hockey. The others picked it up gradually as a way to bond with each other and discuss battle tactics.

NATHAN ‘NATE’ FLETCHER ie. ‘NOSEDIVE’

20yrs

American

Half-brother to Will Fletcher, unofficially the ‘team baby’ which is something he tries hard to break out of.

Seen as a delinquent in his youth and battling with ADHD, his father strongarmed him to enlist with the Air Force when he was 17 to try and ‘shape him up’ and while he absolutely bucked under the chains of command, he proved to be a natural at flying which both amazed and frustrated his officers when he would ace their flying exams but often break out to fly the planes when he wasn’t suppose to.

Due to perceived attitude problems, he was dismissed much to the anger of his father, but was quickly roped into the same role by Will who saw his potential in combating Dragaunus’ forces.

Hotheaded, impulsive and immature but also loyal, gregarious and friendly to a fault.

Will not stand for anyone badmouthing Will. That’s his brother and only he’s allowed to joke about them.

Codename ‘Nosedive’ was chosen because of the stunts he used to pull in the plane and also as a take-that moment to his father who would often complain about how everything good they tried to do for ‘this kid’ would ‘nosedive into shit’.

Oscillates between loving Will as the only family member to have really given a damn about him and see any potential in him at all and resenting Will for in his eyes, being everything he felt he couldn’t be.

Often in charge of flying the team jet.

Bilingual; English (fluent), Canadian-French (beginner. For Will, he’s trying).

MALLORY MACKENZIE

27yrs

Irish-American

A former cop who idolized her Sergeant mother who was killed helping to defend NYC from Dragaunus’ marauding forces.

She knows Will as a good friend through Connor Tiberius who was an old boyfriend prior to his death.

Has been tracking Duke’s movements for some time prior to the invasion, dead-set on bringing the jewel thief to justice. Not particularly enthused about his way of life, but does care for him in her own way as it was during their little chases that she would have conversations she couldn’t have had otherwise with someone she believed would have no role to play in her life outside of prison time.

When he consoled her after the death of her mother and she had to tend to him after he was gravely injured during a rescue, a strained friendship grew as they defended NYC together for a while with her banding together the remaining cops of the Central Park precinct and him putting together a coalition of small-time criminals who turned their tricks to beat off the alien invasion until Will called her up as a member of his new saboteur team.

In a spur of the moment, she asked Duke to come with her, vouching for his set of skills to Will and despite their back-and-forth snarking (mostly snarking from her, mostly teasing from him), they work with each other the best out of the team.

Her hatred for Draganus is strongest out of all the team and of all of them, she’s the most adept at hand-to-hand combat.

Has no use for code names—-the people she loves are dead or on the same team as her so she sees no point to it.

Pugnacious, Black-And-white view of the world and judgmental but also confident, decisive and fiercely determined. If she has her mind set something, she’s Terminator levels of terrifying to see it through.

Speaks only English but understands Arabic and French to an intermediate degree even if she can’t trust her tongue to speak it, if only to understand what Duke is saying at times (as he unwittingly tends to jump between his three ‘fluent’ languages in conversation).

DULQUER LATEEF ie. ‘DUKE L’ORANGE’

35yrs

French-Algerian

A renown jewel thief (simply known as the ‘Duke’) with a knack for stealing blood diamonds from diamond barons to channel their proceeds back to the communities they were pilfered from. Actually thinks the diamond industry is a huge joke, but it’s a joke some morons pay insanely dangerous amounts of money for. Prefers other jewels on a personal basis (fond of rubies and amethysts)

Ran his own gang back in France called the Brotherhood of the Blade, got caught up in the invasion when he decided to work his heists in New York.

His codename came from the inability of people to properly pronounce his name in his youth and so ‘Dulq’ became ‘Duke’ in due time. ‘L’Orange’ was what happened when having to come up with a surname on the spot during a heist in the States, he blurted out the first vaguely-French word he could remember which was ‘L’Orange’ ie. ‘duck a l’orange’ which was what a former target of his ordered and when his gang brethren found out, it amused them so much they talked him into keeping it as a full part of his nom de plume. He keeps it, because it helps his remaining family stay safe that no one knows his real name and he prefers it that way.

He and Mallory had something he likes to describe as a ‘dance’, with her continuously tracking him down and him escaping her clutches at the last moment. He’s absolutely tickled that they’re now on the same team.

Cares for the team the deepest due to having run his own back home and missing the brotherhood and his own family, always aware of everyone’s emotional and physical condition to the point he disregards his own at times.

Seriously, hurt his new family and you die.

The most streetwise of the team and adept with any form of blade-play and stealth/subterfuge.

Lost his eye and gained the scar on his face fending off ‘Wraith’ for as long as he could from a geologist with knowledge of Beryllium crystals.

The cybernetic eye he hides behind his eyepatch was given to him by Mallory who came across it while evacuating scientists (Including Tanya) from a lab under siege. She obtained it as willing ‘payment’ from them and had them help install it on Duke, claiming that he was only as much use to the rebellion as the clarity of his depth of field. (In truth, was well aware of how shaken he was from the loss of his eye). Cybernetic eye has x-ray and heat-seeking capabilities.

Fond of Mallory (who he may or may not be harboring feelings for but is also aware that he’s greying, a criminal and damaged, like who’s he kidding), Tanya (something of a younger sister to him especially since she’s the scientist who helped install his new eye) and Will (who he treats like a little brother he gotta teach the workings of the streets to).

Egoistical, questionable morals and unconcerned with ‘the big picture’ of global invasion but also surprisingly compassionate, open-minded and does his best to see the good in everyone (He’s a thief eh?)

Something of an omniglot due to his background and the different people he ends up having to work with; Fluent in French, English and Arabic, intermediate in Mandarin, Spanish and Italian, beginner in Japanese and Russian.

TANYA VANDERBILT

30yrs

German

A scientist working mostly with cyberkinetics who also made use of Beryllium crystals (the same the Saurians are coveting) in her technology and upon the invasion, her entire lab and research became a target.

She was rescued by Mallory and has since then tagged along with the fiery redhead who sees her as a sister, augmenting her gear and weapons where needed and even providing Duke with his energy sword.

Absolutely not a combatant, has no field experience and is most often found back at the base playing her role as Command central or guarding the ship while the group go on their recon missions.

Sees herself as deadweight sometimes though her comrades will always attest that they’d probably be dead out there if not for her tech and in-depth knowledge.

Meek, easily terrified and a bit of a pushover, but also innovative, multi-talented in diverse sections of science and always eager to help.

Speaks English and German, understands intermediate Japanese due to most of her lab co-workers.

CASSIUS ‘CASH’ HARDING ie. ‘GRIN’

40yrs

African-American

Originally a pro-wrestler working the circuits, he was caught up in the Saurian invasion and captured as a test subject in order for the invaders to figure out the biological weaknesses and breaking point of humans at their prime.

Was the subject of multiple experiments, but strove to keep up the spirits of his fellow prisoners by way of story, meditation and keeping a genial facade.

Was among the prisoners Conrad attempted to free before they died, led the prisoner rebellion and immediately joined up as a member of Will’s team upon finding out that he was Conrad’s best friend—-paying off his dues, as it were.

Unfortunately for the Saurians, their experiments had been in the midst of testing out how much augmented strength a human body could take before breaking, which left him with well, augmented strength to go with an extremely high pain threshold from both his old job and his ordeal. That said, the strength comes with a caveat that prolonged use of it could lead to organ failure due to the strain he has to put on them and thus he’s only able to work with it for short bursts of five to ten minutes depending on the task.

Despite his size, is generally the pacifist of the group more concerned with keeping people safe than facing down Dragaunus’ hordes—he leaves that to the actual soldiers. If you pissed him off in some way, you have fucked up super bad.

Bonds with Will and Nate quickly, rather like a stable older brother or uncle figure who realizes these two worlds-apart siblings have issues and are way over their head with these new responsibilities and tries his best to keep them grounded.

Hesitant, tendency to shy away from confrontation and almost on an emotional lockdown but also amicable, stoic and uncannily perceptive.

Speaks mostly English with a strong smattering/understanding of Jamaican Creole.

The codename ‘Grin’ came from his tendency to ‘grin and bear it’ when it came to punishment or altercations.

#mighty ducks #mdtas #humanized #90s cartoons #art

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kilyra · 5 years

Text

The Lines Were Blurred

Frank Castle (Punisher) One-Shot from prompt idea

A/N: I received an Anon request for Frank from an unbelievably patient Anon with the following prompts from “100 Dialogue Prompts to Break a Reader’s Heart”: 42. “I’ve spent all this time wondering and worrying about you. You didn’t think of me once?”, 83. “You never get what you want. Haven’t you learnt that by now?”, and 86. “I should never have trusted you.”. Because it worked SO well with the reader paring from “Your Side of the Line”, I decided to make this into the Part 2 of that.

Following your captain’s odd but simple assignment, you were more than a little stunned to find Frank Castle at the site.

Warning: Swear words and a bit of angst. No spoilers though

NOTE: If you want to be on a Frank (or everything) tag list, let me know :)

A dead body. It was definitely the body of a large, dead man crumpled in a heap at the bottom of the stairs that led to the warehouse's side entrance.

Shit.

Drawing your sidearm, you ignored the rush of adrenaline as you leaned into your shoulder mic.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” a gruff voice interrupted from behind you.

Spinning on your heel, you raised your gun, levelling it at the chest of the man standing there. His hands were already up, palms facing you.

“Shh, shh, shhh, hey...Y/n, it's me.”

Frank fucking Castle.

Of course.

It was supposed to be a simple shift. Odd, but simple.

But, the second your captain sent you on your own to canvass a neighbourhood near where a child had gone missing, a quiet red flag started waving in the back of your mind. The assignment was innocent enough - basic door-to-door duty. But alone? You assumed each unit was being split up to cover as much ground as the precinct could in a short amount of time. But it was still odd.

When you arrived at your section, another red flag rose. It wasn't even a residential area.

As you got out of your squad car, there was something so thick about the air that your curiosity shifted to concern. You couldn't explain it, but something was wrong. Finding the body was almost a relief. If nothing else, your gut feeling was still trustworthy.

Finding Frank there, however...

Keeping your eyes on him, you nodded to the body behind you. “Was that your handiwork?”

“Yes, it was. And there were two more stationed in the back.” There was no hint of shame in his tone as he firmly stated the fact.

“Dammit, Frank, I never should have trusted you. I asked you not to put me-”

Everything inside of you froze as his words repeated in your mind. Stationed. Stationed in the location you were sent to.

"Why...why would you say stationed?”

Eyeing your gun for a moment, Frank slowly relaxed his hands. “Because it isn't just Homeland involved. Turns out they needed local allies on the ground.”

Glancing to the side, it didn't take long to process his implication. Your captain was involved. The red flags from that assignment weren't the first to be raised in your mind – he was a bit of a hothead and sometimes his judgment felt rash. But this?

Swallowing heavily, the strength seemed to drain from your arms as you lowered your weapon. “No. No, that can't be right. It doesn't make sense.”

Narrowing his eyes, Frank tilted his head to look past your shoulder at the body on the ground. “Is that right? I'm not sure how else you explain why you were sent, alone, to an abandoned warehouse where there were three hired guns waiting for you.”

A sinking feeling pulled at your gut, the truth settling in well before you were ready to accept it. “What makes you think they were hired? How do I know they weren't just a group of homeless people taking shelter here or something?”

Sighing, Frank raked his fingers through his short hair. His jacket opened slightly as he lifted his arm and you could see the bulletproof vest strapped to his chest. You didn't miss the blood splatter. "They knew how to handle themselves. I'm willing to bet that if you ran their names, you’d see they're former military and worked with a few security companies in the city. It fits the profile of the mercs Homeland trusts to do its dirty work on home soil."

And they were there for you.

“Even if I believed that, it still doesn't explain why they're here.”

After running his hand down his face, and pausing long enough to rub his fingers against his eyelids, he dropped his arms in a shrug. “My guess is they either know you won't play ball...or they think you know something.”

“And what do they think I know, Frank?” The sick feeling that crawled up your throat quickly turned into a little, angry flame. Even though you knew the answer, you couldn't stop yourself from asking.

“Me...I'm guessing. Our connection wasn't exactly a secret.”

The little flame exploded into a hot, roaring fire that raced through your chest.

“Goddammit, Frank!” Roughly, you slammed your gun back into its holster before you thought about using it.

Dropping his gaze, the muscles in his cheek rolled as he clenched his jaw but stayed quiet.

“Are you fucking kidding me? Since you left my apartment that day, I've spent all this time wondering and worrying about you. You didn't even think of me once? You didn't stop to think that this crusade of yours might lead back to my doorstep? Especially once they realize it's you?”

His nostrils flared as his eyes snapped back to yours. “Didn't think of you, huh? What the hell do you think I'm doing here then? It's not my fault your boss is crooked, but you can bet your ass I've been watching you ever since I figured it out.”

Balling your hands into tight fists, you felt your knuckles popping from the pressure. Your words were forced through grit teeth. “I don't want to be a part of this. I just want to go to work, do my job, and go home again.”

Softly scoffing, he rolled his eyes. “Yeah well, you never get what you want. Haven't you learnt that by now?”

“Fuck you, Frank.”

He stared at you as his eyebrows shot up. “Fuck me? Fu-”

Letting out a hard huff, he gave his head a sharp shake. “Fine. Yeah, sure, fuck me then. Fuck me. But if you don't get your head out of your ass, you're going to get yourself killed or worse.”

You couldn't help your glare as you pushed back your NYPD jacket to plant your hands on your hips. “Oh, worse?”

Frank's eyes softened as he watched you, the brief show of anger quickly melting away. “These men might not have been sent to kill you. If they do realize I’m the one coming for them, they might be here to try and find out what you know about me. And if that's the case...death would be a welcomed relief.”

Your moment of anger also died away as the gravity of your situation hit. Dropping your hands, you crossed your arms over your chest, like you could hide the sudden shift. Hesitantly, you glanced over your shoulder. “So...so what am I supposed to do then?”

Pulling something out from his jacket pocket, he reached his hand towards you, nodding to take it. It was a handful of nails and screws. As you stared at the random assortment of sharp objects, your eyebrows tightly pulled together.

The softness of Frank's expression extended to his deep voice as he explained. "You go back up the street, three blocks from here. That's the start of the security camera blackout zone they set up. You get out, throw this under your tire and roll over them until you get a flat."

Slowly, you raised your gaze until you were staring at him with confusion. As his dark eyes bore into yours, you realized he had closed the gap and the faint smell of leather drifted over to you. The scent was like a stab to your chest as you realized just how much you missed it.

"Blackout zone? How do yo-"

“Don't ask me how I know, just trust me. You can't call this in. I'll take care of these guys, but your captain can't know you made it this far. All he can know is you got a flat up the street and never had the chance to canvass this area, got it?”

If they did suspect you had information on Frank, this would at least buy you some time.

A calm fell over you like a blanket as you pocketed the handful of nails. Frank was right – it wasn't his fault your captain was dirty. Your captain, and likely several of your colleagues, made a choice and it's one he knew you would never make. Even if Frank wasn't involved, you'd still be in a bad situation, only you would be completely oblivious.

“And then what am I supposed to do?”

Frank's eyebrows relaxed as you all but agreed to do as he told you. “Take whatever vacation time you have left – a relative out of state died or something. If you won't actually leave town, then you need to at least lie low at Curtis'. You'll be safe there.”

Of course Curtis would be involved.

“And before you get back, put in for a transfer to a different precinct. You won't be safe here until this is done. I'd suggest Brett Mahoney's station.”

That name was familiar. “He's...pretty far outside of my territory though. I don't know that-”

“Then move in with Curtis, he's right nearby. Hell, tell them you’re deeply in love and use the move as your reason for transferring,” he said sharply, cutting you off.

Pursing your lips together, you nodded. It wasn't the time for doubt. The numb blanket hardened around you – it was the time for following what appeared to be a decent plan.

“Got it?”

Nodding again, you offered a small, half-smile. As he returned it with a hollow, lopsided grin, you were suddenly aware again of how close you were. Something inside screamed out to lean into him, to hold him, to let your lips find his. Forcing that back, you set your hand on his arm and gave a gentle squeeze.

The lines were blurred, but you didn't need to make it worse.

“Thanks.”

Grunting quietly, he shuffled his heavy boots in the gravel as he moved out of your way.

It was supposed to be a simple shift.

Taglist: @foreverfaeries @flower-two @getlostinyourparadise @selfishkiddo @angelicshinigami @kingccbsblog @natsukitakama @kchavez666 @kaelyn-lobrutto24 @cattpaws @mysteryoflovve @castleadixon

#frank castle x reader #punisher x reader #the punisher #netflix's punisher

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zirroxas · 5 years

Text

So I Found All the Characters With Unique Backstories

Spent some time rooting around in the files to figure out which characters the game actually gave unique background descriptions to. There’s 94 in total. There’s something around 750 historical characters in the game, but only these comes with unique backstories.

Some of them are quite hilarious.

cai mao -- Competent Sailor -- "Cai Mao is adept of naval combat, and a budding admiral." cao ang -- Prince Min -- "Cao Ang's fate is to one day be prince of the House of Cao, be it in life or in death." cao cao -- Strategic Mastermind -- "The wily Cao Cao sees opportunity in the hardships of others, skewing things to his advantage." cao pi -- Political Animal -- "In war, you can only be killed once, but in politics, many times.""""" cao ren -- Brave Hunter -- "The skills of a fearless outdoorsman --horse-riding, archery, and hunting --make Cao Ren a valued battlefield ally." chen gong -- Master Magistrate -- "Chen Gong knows that even great men are imperfect, and righteousness is often not immediately obvious." cheng pu -- Bandit Killer -- 'The General of the Household Who Defeats Bandits' is living proof that bravery can overcome adversity. dian wei -- Brute of Unmatched Power -- "Such prowess! This is old Elai again!""""" dong zhuo -- Cruel Tyrant -- "Consumed by his hunger for power, Dong Zhuo's despotism knows no bounds." fa zheng -- Vindictive Strategist -- "The intelligent and vengeful Fa Zheng should not be crossed, lest you become the target of his deadly schemes." gan ning -- Pirate of the Bells -- "Cao Cao may have Zhang Liao, but I have Gan Ning! Thus we are evenly matched.""""" gao gan -- Loyal Nephew -- "Ever the rebel, Gao Gan's true allegiances shall only die when he does." gong du -- Master of the Land -- "Far from being just a heartless bandit, Gong Du is a principled soldier of honour." gongsun du -- the Warlike -- "In war, Gongsun Du does what is required of him; he revels in bloodshed and conquest." gongsun zan -- The Iron Fist General -- "Defence of the frontiers requires more than just the resources of a warlord, but also a merciless attitude." guan yu -- God of War -- "A famed warrior and righteous slayer of all who dare oppose him, Guan Yu's deification is already assured." guo jia -- Astute Advisor -- Guo Jia is a confidant of unparalleled foresight --to ignore his counsel is to invite failure and defeat. han fu -- Diligent Agriculturalist -- "Using his ability to manage food supplies with tireless efficiency, Han Fu is a most valuable logistician." han sui -- Tireless Insurgent -- "Insurrection is in Han Sui's blood. To him, subservience cannot be permanent." he man -- The Most Powerful -- "I am He Man, the devil who shoots across the sky! Who dares challenge me\?""""" he yi -- Leader of the People -- "With unwavering faith, He Yi inspires others to follow in his righteous footsteps." hua xiong -- Fierce Beast -- "With a head shaped like a leopard's and ape-like shoulders, Hua Xiong's ferocity is matched by his appearance." huang gai -- Unreadable Warrior -- His outward demeanour belies his real allegiances --Huang Gai truly is the very definition of inscrutability. huang shao -- Wielder of the Heavenly Way -- "All uprisings, no matter how widespread, stand little chance of success without strong leadership." huang zhong -- of the Ageless Strength -- "The venerable Huang Zhong, to whom age is just a number, is frequently underestimated in battle." huang zu -- Ranged Ambusher -- "Huang Zu likes to start offensives on the front foot, from a safe distance and out of sight." huangfu song -- Aged General -- "In the brutal business of war, there is no better teacher than experience." jia long -- Short-sighted Peacekeeper -- "Jia Long may dedicate much time to forethought, yet still lacks caution now and then." jia xu -- The Blade in the Dark -- Decisions made in secret can have the deadliest outcomes. jiang wei -- Budding Commander -- "Known for being an expert general despite his inexperience, Jiang Wei has a precocious talent for war." kong rong -- Master Scholar -- "Kong Rong claims descent from the great Confucius himself, attested to by his remarkable wit and scholarly fame." kong zhou -- Pure Conversationalist -- "A master at the art of Qingtan, Kong Zhou utilises discussion and debate as a means of intellectual self-improvement." lady sun -- The Rising Sun -- "As surely as the sun rises, the Lady will always endeavour to get her way." li ru -- Vicious Shadow -- Behind every despot's schemes is the intellect of a consummate strategist. ling tong -- Daring Errant -- "For some men, war is a chance to prove one's self and seek adventure." liu bei -- Virtuous Idealist -- "Despite having come from modest beginnings, the blood of ancient Han emperors flows through Liu Bei's veins." liu biao -- Gentleman of the Han -- "A man seldom ruffled, Liu Biao demonstrates his aristocratic pedigree through stable officiality." liu dai -- Generous Attendant -- "In spite of the harsh realities of palace life, Liu Dai conducts himself according to his nature: with kindness and benevolence." liu xie -- Former Emperor -- "While no longer leading their people, they still strive to bring peace to the land." liu yan -- Opportunistic Ruler -- "Some men just want to watch the world burn, while others use the opportunities placed before them." liu yao -- Welcoming Magistrate -- "Liu Yao appears to be a 'yes' man, but is nevertheless known for his staunch incorruptibility." liu yu -- Prosperous Trader -- Liu Yu's rapport with foreigners and minorities has enabled him to amass considerable wealth from trade. liu zhang -- Proponent of Peace -- "A timid and suspicious noble, Liu Zhang displays a willingness to avoid war, even if that means surrender." lu bu -- Warrior Without Equal -- "With unpredictable loyalty and unsurpassed martial skill, Lü Bu is the most dangerous warrior beneath the heavens." lu fan -- Go Master -- Go is not just an abstract game of strategy --it is a measure of one's aptitude in tactical forethought. lu meng -- Late Scholar -- "Despite becoming literate late on in his career, Lü Meng has proved himself a most able scholar." lu su -- Charitable Envoy -- "Ever the philanthropic diplomat, Lu Su's affluence empowers his charitable nature." lu xun -- Scholar General -- "Equal parts brains and brawn, Lu Xun can oversee both civil and military matters." ma chao -- Most-brilliant Warrior -- "With a complexion like jade and eyes like shooting stars, Ma Chao is a warrior truly brilliant in appearance." ma dai -- Fraternal Warrior -- There are few things more important to Ma Dai than bloodline and family. ma teng -- Protector of the West -- "Ma Teng may treat his friends well, but he remains merciless with the Han's enemies." mi zhu -- Dependable Administrator -- "In these interesting times of fluctuating allegiances, the steadfast loyalty of Mi Zhu can always be relied upon." pang de -- White Horse General -- "Pang De is an unrelenting force, whose avowed enemies know they must face him sooner or later." pang tong -- Fledgling Phoenix -- "Having risen from the ashes of obscurity, the 'Crown of Learned Men' is an advisor of the highest esteem." pei yuanshao -- Virtuous Outrider -- "Whether in charge of brigands or soldiers, one must lead by example, always riding at the head of the host." shi xie -- King Shi -- "With his long and distinguished record of sophisticated service, Shi Xie is destined for stately eminence." sima yi -- Silver Eminence -- "If you cannot fight, defend. If you cannot defend, flee. If you cannot flee, surrender. If you cannot surrender, die!""""" sun ce -- The Little Conqueror -- "Sun Ce has been likened to the warrior-kings of old, with an aptitude for military leadership that belies his youth." sun jian -- Tiger of Jiangdong -- "Claiming ancestry with the renowned military strategist Sun Tzu, the fearless Sun Jian has war flowing through his veins." sun qian -- Upstanding Loyalist -- Sun Qian's word is an unwavering bond. sun quan -- Emerald-eyed Administrator -- "Striking looks and a sturdy frame betokens Sun Quan's great nobility, heroism and longevity." taishi ci -- of Exceptional Dexterity -- "From horse-riding to archery, Taishi Ci excels in all manner of physical pursuits." tao qian -- of the Sincere Jurisdiction -- "Tao Qian may be a highly influential and ambitious figure, but expansionism is not on his personal agenda." wang lang -- Ardent Educator -- "A keen imparter of knowledge, even when it is neither wanted nor welcome." wang xiu -- The Righteous Hero -- "Never can it be said that Wang Xiu was ever disloyal, dishonourable or unwilling to come to the aid of those he serves." wei yan -- Disobedient Tiger -- "For the distrustful Wei Yan, a violent betrayal always simmers below the surface." wen chou -- Fierce Firebrand -- "If only Wen Chou were here, I'd have nothing to fear!""""" xiahou dun -- Hotheaded Officer -- Those who know Xiahou Dun know not to get on his bad side. xiahou dun 2 -- The One-eyed Exile -- "You really don't want to know what he did with his eye after losing it to that arrow...""""" xiahou yuan -- Maker of Ways -- "When it comes to military logistics, where there's a will, Xiahou Yuan has a way." xu chu -- Tiger Fool -- "Xu Chu is a man of simple thoughts and principles, but an impressive warrior who fights with a bestial rage." xu huang -- Guardian of the Gates -- "When assigned to guardianship, Xu Huang is an immovable sentinel, requiring a tremendous effort to bypass." xu shu -- Disguised Diplomat -- "His body may be in one place, but his heart is in quite another." xun you -- Gentleman Attendant -- "A member of the learned scholar-gentry, Xun You is a profound thinker of great insight." xun yu -- Hegemon's Aide -- "Here comes my Zifang!""""" yan liang -- Valiant Vanguard -- "A foremost general of considerable military prowess, the gutsy Yan Liang is unmatched among ordinary warriors." yu jin -- Enforcer of the Law -- "As an imperious, by-the-book disciplinarian, Yu Jin rules his subordinates with fear and drilled-in obedience." yuan shao -- Preeminent Commander -- "Yuan Shao's astuteness, dignity and arrogance are the mark of his ancestors, many of whom served emperors past." yuan shu -- Ambitious Powermonger -- Yuan Shu is an ambitious but overconfident individual --time will tell whether such qualities shall trip him or aid his desires. yue jin -- The Lion of Yangping -- "What Yue Jin lacks in stature he makes up for in fierceness, fearlessness, and deadliness with his bow." zhang chao -- Flowing Calligrapher -- Such graceful skills with ink and brush are the mark a man of great education and scholarly puissance. zhang fei -- Drunken Brawler -- "Hold my wine...""""" zhang he -- Courageous General -- Zhang He's fearlessness enables him to retain his composure when having to adapt to unfavourable situations. zhang kai -- Slayer of Tyrants -- "The unjust rulers of the old regime shall perish.""""" zhang liao -- The Heavenly Dragon General -- "The model of professionalism and organisation, Zhang Liao has heavenly leadership skills." zhang lu -- Celestial Master -- "Just as water penetrates mountains, Zhang Lu always seeks to overcome hardness by his own accord." zhang yan -- King of Black Mountain -- "With his scores of followers, the bandit leader known as 'Flying Swallow' wields the influence of a king." zhang yang -- Ignored Warlord -- What is the fate of he who is forsaken and unjustly distrusted by his fellow warlords\? Only heaven knows. zhao yun -- Light in the Dark -- "In the darkest times of war, the auras of the most resplendent warriors gleam brightest." zheng jiang -- Bandit Queen -- "Hell-bent on plunder, Zheng Jiang goes to unspeakable lengths to obtain her loot." zhou tai -- Man of Many Scars -- "His scar-riddled skin is a canvas of stories, telling of countless bloody battles past." zhou yu -- Melodic Strategist -- "If there is a mistake in the tune, Zhou Yu will look up.""""" zhuge jin -- Bookish Scholar -- "Having studied history and poetry in years past, Zhuge Jin is a man who appreciates scholarship." zhuge liang -- Sleeping Dragon -- "A peerless genius and insightful strategist, there are few situations that Zhuge Liang's astute intellect cannot overcome."

#total war #Total War: Three Kingdoms

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zundkerze · 5 years

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——— character question sheet.

▌real name: Elisabeth ‘Spark’ Amstutz ▌single or taken: taken in default setting, single in some AUs ▌abilities or powers:

electricity manipulation ( in some verses considered electrokinesis )

abilities & skills acquired during military training ( endurance, agility, survival, etc. )

hand to hand & ranged combat skills

▌eye colour: dark blue ▌hair colour: dark brown ▌family members: mother & father [ deceased ] , grandfather , friends she considers family ▌pets: none ▌something they don’t like:

socially: bullies, injustice towards the little man, pretentious pricks, just not too hot on rich people in general

mentally: the feeling of helplessness & despair in general; not too fond of very hot, very dry places, her implants acting up

not too big on very plain food & drink

▌hobbies/activities:

socialising ( friends & family are a very important part of her life )

various sports ( very fond of swimming, jogging, rock climbing, hiking & overall outdoorsy activities )

cooking ( she’s not the greatest at it has a calming effect on her )

▌ever hurt anyone before: yes ▌ever killed anyone before: yes ▌animal that represents them: swallow, seagull, bee ▌worst habits: reckless in the face of danger; hotheaded; sharp, witty tongue; insecure & hesitant; oftentimes very distant; obsessively secretive about private life ▌role models: many former/older ovw members, people with a soft and gentle approach to life ▌sexual orientation: bisexual ( prefers men but won’t say no to a cute lady 😘 ) ▌thoughts on marriage/kids:

not opposed to the idea, but unlikely to take initiative in said matters herself

if her partner would like to have children she would gladly oblige, as long as a family would not impair her preferred lifestyle

if she was going to get married she would either prefer a tiny, very spontaneous wedding or a huge, pompous and very extra ceremony. there’s not in-between

actually has quite a few plans and wishes regarding her future family with her s/o; they’re being quite reckless about it, but in the end it will all work out in their favour~

▌fears: paralysis, inability to help, the... ‘basic stuff’ ( losing loved ones, etc. ) ▌style preferences:

some pastel & soft goth influences

overall ranging from very feminine and cute to unisex & very sportsy

there’s always a little edge to her style; or a lot of edge, depending on her current mood

somewhat revealing & bold; she is very confident & comfortable in her own skin and so, is not in the least hesitant to show some of her body

would love to wear more extra and dramatic outfits, but currently does not have the means to do so; her wardrobe mostly consists of jeans and t-shirts

▌someone they love: her s/o ❤ , her friends & the family she has left ▌approach to friendships:

reserved at first, though very polite and kind, even borderline flirty at times

very social & terribly lonely without people she likes around, but due to past events quite hesitant to reach out and start bonding again

a very loyal friend, though she will take her sweet time before she actually feels confident enough to reveal details about her personal life to the other

▌thoughts on pie: quality dish; not her favourite dessert(she prefers smaller, lighter snacks), but very fond of it when savoury ▌favourite drink: strawberry milk & any kind of pink soda(purely for aesthetic reasons) ▌favourite place to spend time at:

the roof of a tall building or any other location with a good view on the night sky

a tiny cafe/restaurant at 2am in a picturesque spot

a cabin in the mountains during winter, snowed in, but only for a day or two, enjoying the cozy warmth and hot chocolate with marshmallows, while wrapped in a blanket by the fireplace

trams, strangely enough; she can spend hours just cruising around, visiting hidden little places she had never seen before, looking out the window, watching other passengers come and go or interacting with strangers

▌swim in the lake or in the ocean: either is fine! but if she had to choose, she’d go for the ocean ▌their type:

cute & a little shy/reserved at first - she likes to tickle people out of their shell, to give them the security to open up to her & prove herself worthy of their trust

passionate about a specific topic - she actually loves listening to people she’s attracted to nerding out about their special interests to her

tall & a bit more feminine and delicate appearance-wise, no matter the gender

soft, soft, soft and gentle characters with a chaotic twist to them!

add a little tragedy and you’ll have her hooked 😉

▌camping or indoors: camping all the way! she’s a very outdoorsy person

✨ TAGGED BY: @docile-interitus ( ty love ❤❤ ) ✨ TAGGING: i’m fairly late to fill this one out, but if there’s anyone who hasn’t been tagged yet? you’re tagged now. go absolutely ham!!

#(character study.)#long post//#oh man i probably did not need to make this one THAT detailed huh

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tgunn64 · 5 years

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Favorite Villains - Wolf O’Donnell (Star Fox)

It may not be as famous or influential as Mario or Zelda, but I have a lot of love for the Star Fox series. The dog fights piloted by dogs and other animals have a lot of charm and they’re just a blast to play. Plus they have one of the funnest rivals a video game has set a player against, Wolf O’Donnell and the Star Wolf team. Wolf makes his first appearance somewhat spontaneously in the midst of Star Fox 64, interrupting your missions now and then as a sub-boss of sorts, on the dollar of SF64’s true villain, Andross. You didn’t know much about them before they swooped in and started taunting you, the only real cue being Fox’s exasperated reaction, “Just who I needed to see; Star Wolf.” which despite seeming sort of rushed, I kind of love the exposition of. Just from this small interaction you immediately take in that this isn’t the first party Team Star Wolf has crashed and that they have a long and bitter history with Star Fox.

Much of Wolf’s appeal lies with his entourage, perfect foils to Fox’s team one for one. Rivaling the hotheaded Falco is the refined Leon Powalski, the reptilian right hand to Wolf. Peppy faces a ghost of his past in the form of Pigma Dengar, the avaricious former Star Fox member who sold Fox’s father, James McCloud out to Andross, causing his death, and Andrew Oikonny, the youngest of Star Wolf, is the nephew of Andross himself and rivals the equally green Slippy Toad. The way the dynamic equals out makes Team Star Wolf incredibly memorable and adds to their own relevance as well as that of Fox’s own team. A lot of the game, Falco, Peppy, and Slippy kinda just babble in your ear and provide occasional moral support--but the introduction of Star Wolf gives them their own demon to face. In addition to Fox and Wolf having their old animosity, Leon’s condescension, Andrew’s bullying, and Pigma’s toxic taunting give Team star Fox something besides money and a mission to fight for, and that makes those particular battles with Star Wolf the most memorable and cathartic to win out. What’s most interesting about Wolf is how despite working for Andross, he has really no connection outside of employment. Wolf doesn’t care if Andross achieves his goals, he’s only really accepting yet another job that he knows comes with a chance to outdo his rival, Star Fox. There’s no power or loyalty in it for Wolf, he’s just lost to Fox too many times to him finish a mission in peace. That said, Wolf would sooner give his own life before allowing someone besides himself kill Fox. As proven by when he put his neck on the line to stop the Aparoid’s final invasion, if anyone is gonna skin Fox, it’s gonna be Wolf.

With this in mind there’s a bizarre pragmatism mixed with a surprising passion there in Wolf. Between SF64 and Assault, Wolf dismissed Pigma and Andrew from his team--the former for his detrimental greed and the latter for having a clear loyalty to Andross over Wolf himself. Both were replaced by newcomer Panther Caruso, a ladies man (cat?), but most notably, no matter how much he shakes up the Star Wolf team, he keeps Leon close to himself as the second Star Wolf member. Their bond is a bit unspoken, but no matter how standoffish either one seems neither acts toxic to one another. There’s even an instance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl where you can trigger conversations from other Star Fox characters (a la Snake’s Codecs or Palutena’s guidance) playing as Fox, Falco, or Wolf on the Lylat stage--and Leon is so impressed by Wolf’s physical fighting prowess that he gets carried away admirably gushing about it to Panther’s utter bewilderment. Although neither would ever admit it, I think Wolf and Leon have a rather genuine kinship. Speaking of Smash, similar to King K. Rool, Wolf is able to explore elements of himself in battle that he never could in his source games. Like a pro-wrestler he lets out a seemingly trademark howl in battle that the fourth wall crowd even imitates for his character chant. He’s notably willing to get his hands dirty in battle, utilizing his claws and alike dirty tactics, which reflects his history as a space pirate as opposed to Fox and Falco’s more formal military combat.

Wolf’s dedication to money and himself mirrors Fox, who is indeed a mercenary for money but one of honor and takes jobs from the Cornerian military. It kinda makes one question where the line is for “good mercenary work”, the fact that Fox and Wolf both hail from such similar lines of work is poetic enough to make one question the ethics of destroying monkey satellites en masse. Even with that in mind, Wolf is almost an unconventional teacher figure to Fox too. The Aparoids, parasitic aliens that take over host bodies and make them into weapons of mass destruction, eventually got a hold of one of Fox’s most trusted friends, General Pepper. Fox expresses that he isn’t sure he could ever strike down someone with the face of a friend, but Wolf gives Fox the advice he needs; to not hesitate when the time comes. Coming from a more treacherous line of pilots than Fox, Wolf has probably had to remind himself of this more than once.

And while I rarely allow fanworks to super push my opinions on a character on the scale of this one, a big thing that pushed Wolf from “childhood nostalgia favorite” to “current love” for me is the parody Youtube series, “A Fox In Space”; although I feel calling it a parody series is almost a disservice, at least with the meaning the word ‘parody’ tends to convey presently. A Fox in Space almost feels more like a full scale adaption that has a good sense of humor. They’re some of the best original animation I’ve ever seen on Youtube with writing that feels organic and animation that rivals some TV shows in my book. Wry, yet still feeling halfway serious, and with an incredibly distinct old timey aesthetic and feel that I adore, it fleshes out the whole cast of the universe, including Wolf. We see more of Wolf’s interactions with Andross’ Venomian soldiers, the latter of whom resent Wolf as they take his orders, knowing he’s only below Andross on the totem pole and more so for his piloting skills than his loyalty (or lack thereof). He’s usually left with the only choice to flash facetious and phony smiles with his razor sharp teeth when he’s under pressure, and yet he has to do very little besides this to remain in safe keeping because he really is the only one capable of matching Fox in battle. We also learn that Wolf grew up under the roof of a boozing father, who was himself an alternative to a mother called ‘crazy’ by her husband. Wolf was romantically involved with Fara Phoenix, daughter of a Cornerian politician. This gave a young Wolf a difficult complex; feeling his only identity was wrought from rebellion under the eye of his controlling father, which in turn made him feel like a troublemaker, unworthy of being in the public eye, romantically involved with a daughter of politics. Considering canon materials have remarked Fara as Fox’s girlfriend, something tells me their rivalry began here at some point (AND THIS IS ALL STILL FROM WHAT IS ESSENTIALLY ANIMATED STAR FOX FANFICTION AND IT’S BEEN ACCEPTED BY ME AS JUST CANON I DON’T EVEN QUESTION IT ANYMORE). Wolf has never been Star Fox’s main villain, but he’s always been one of my favorite aspects of that universe. For such a simple idea for a rival bad guy, he’s a bit deep, with a memorable motif, voice, and dynamic with just about every character he comes across--the kind that leaves me hungry (like the wolf, ahycuk) for more content surrounding him.

#tommy's favorite villains #wolf o'donnell #star fox

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dudebrosunited1 · 5 years

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What You Should Know About the Wall (1962 GDR brochure)

Newspapers, radio and television report daily about Berlin and West Berlin in many languages throughout the world. They often speak or write of a state frontier, or of a wall.

It may be very difficult for you to form a valid picture from all these reports which frequently contradict each other. We want to help you to do so.

We tried to imagine what would be the considerations of a citizen of a foreign state if he wanted to gain clarity about the problems in West Berlin. And we would like to reply to these considerations.

1st CONSIDERATION. Where, exactly, is Berlin situated?

A glance at the map suffices: Berlin lies in the middle of the German Democratic Republic, exactly 180 kilometres (112.5 miles) to the east of its western frontier. A quite normal locality for the capital of a state. Only one thing is not normal at all: that a hostile, undermining policy and disruptive acts have for years been carried on from the western part of this city against the surrounding state territory. West Berlin Mayor Willi Brandt called West Berlin a “thorn in the side of the GDR.” Would you like to have a thorn in your side? We don’t either! But Brandt even proclaims quite frankly: “We want to be the disturber of the peace.”

2nd CONSIDERATION. Did the wall fall out of the sky?

No. It was the result of developments of many years standing in West Germany and West Berlin. Let us recall preceding events: In 1948 a separate currency reform was introduced in West Germany and West Berlin - the West German reactionaries thereby split Germany and even west Berlin in to two currency areas.

The West German separatist state was founded in 1949 - Bonn thereby turned the zonal border into a state frontier.

In 1954 West Germany was included in NATO - Bonn thereby converted the state frontier into the front-line between two pact systems.

The decision on the atomic armament of the West German Bundeswehr was made in 1958 - thus, Bonn continues to aggravate the situation in Germany and Berlin. Repeatedly the annexation of the GDR is proclaimed as the official aim of Bonn policy, most recently in a statement of the Adenauer Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on 11 July 1961.

Thus did the anti-national, aggressive NATO policy create the wall which today separates the two German states and also goes through the middle of Berlin. The Bonn government and the West Berlin Senate have systematically converted West Berlin into a centre of provocation from where 90 espionage organizations, the RIAS American broadcasting station in West Berlin (Radio in American Sector) and revanchist associations organize acts of sabotage against the GDR and the other socialist countries. Through our protective measures of 13 August 1961 we have only safeguarded and strengthened that frontier which was already drawn years ago and made into a dangerous front-line by the people in Bonn and West Berlin. How high and how strongly fortified a frontier must be, depends, as is common knowledge, on the kind of relations existing between the states of each side of the frontier.

3rd CONSIDERATION. Did the wall have to come?

Yes and no. We have submitted more than one hundred proposals for understanding, on the renunciation of atomic armament, and on the withdrawal of the two German states from NATO or the Warsaw Treaty. If things had gone according to our proposals the situation in Germany would not have been aggravated and, consequently, there would have been no wall. Especially since 1958 the GDR and the Soviet Union have repeatedly told the West Berlin Senate, the Bonn government, and the western powers: Be reasonable! Let us eliminate the abnormal situation in West Berlin together. Let us start negotiations. Why did Bonn and West Berlin reject these proposals? Why did they, instead, step up agitation to an unprecedented degree before 13 August? - The wall had to come because they were bringing about the danger of a conflict. Those who do not want to hear, must feel.

4th CONSIDERATION. What did the wall prevent?

We no longer wanted to stand by passively and see how doctors, engineers, and skilled workers were induced by refined methods unworthy of the dignity of man to give up their secure existence in the GDR and work in West Germany or West Berlin. These and other manipulations cost the GDR annual losses amounting to 3.5 thousand million marks.

But we prevented something much more important with the wall - West Berlin’s becoming the starting point for a military conflict. The measures we introduced in 13 August in conjunction with the Warsaw Treaty states have cooled off a number of hotheads in Bonn and West Berlin. For the first time in German history the match which was to set fire to another war was extinguished before it had fulfilled its purpose.

5th CONSIDERATION. Was peace really threatened?

Indian journalists R. K. Karanjia shall give you the answer to the question. He published a sensational report from Berlin in the biggest Indian weekly, Blitz in which the world public is warned against the West Berlin powder-keg. K. R. Karanjia wrote:

“It (the protective wall of the GDR) served the cause of world peace since it halted the advance of the German neo-Hitlerites toward the East, forced the world to recognize the reality of the division of Germany and thus supports negotiation.” (retranslated from German)

If further evidence of the aggressive intentions of the West German government is needed it is provided by the authoritative West German employers’ newspaper, the Industriekurier, which regretfully wrote, exactly 19 days after 13 August 1961: “A reunification with the Bundeswehr marching victoriously through the Brandenburg Gate to the beating of drums - such a reunification will not take place in the foreseeable future.”

Bonn heads were really haunted by ideas of such a victorious entry. That would have meant war.

6th CONSIDERATION. Who is walled in?

According to the exceedingly intelligent explanations of the West Berlin Senate we have walled ourselves in and are living in a concentration camp. But in that case why are the gentlemen so excited? Obviously, because in reality their espionage centres, their revanchist radio stations, their fascist soldiers’ associations, their youth poisoners, and their currency racketeers have been walled in. They are excited because we have erected the wall as an antifascist, protective wall against them.

Does something not occur to you? West Berlin Mayor Brandt wails that half of the GDR, including the workers in the enterprise militia groups, is armed. What do you think of a concentration camp whose inmates have weapons in their hands?

7th CONSIDERATION. Who breaks off human contacts?

Of course, it is bitter for many Berliners not to be able to visit each other at present. But it would be more bitter if a new war were to separate them for ever. Moreover, when the GDR was forced to introduce compulsory entry permits for West Berlin citizens on 23 August in the interests of its security we at the same time offered to open up entry permit offices in municipal railway stations in West Berlin. In fact we opened them and issued the first permits. Who closed them by force? The same Senate of that Mr. Brandt who is today shedding crocodile tears about “contacts being broken”! The GDR has maintained its offer. If we had our way Berliners could visit each other despite the wall.

8th CONSIDERATION. Does the wall threaten anyone?

Bonn propaganda describes the wall as a “monstrous evidence of the aggressiveness of world communism.” Have you ever considered it to be a sign of aggressiveness when someone builds a fence around his property?

9th CONSIDERATION. Who is aggravating the situation?

The wall? It stands there quite calmly. Former French Premier Reynaud said already on 19 August 1961, according to UPI: “The sealing-off measures of the East Berlin government did not increase, but lessened, the danger of a third world war.” In reality, the situation is being aggravated by persons who play at being the strong man on our state frontier, who are turning West Berlin into a NATO base and daily inciting West Berliners against the GDR. Municipal railway cars are being destroyed, frontier guards attacked and brutally shot, tunnels dug for agents and bomb attacks made on the GDR’s frontier security installations. Does that serve relaxation? One must really ask why attacks on the GDR state frontier in West Berlin are not subject to court prosecution as in other states. The Brandt Senate even presents “its respects” to the provocateurs.

10th CONSIDERATION. Is the wall a gymnastic apparatus?

The wall is the state frontier of the German Democratic Republic. The state frontier of a sovereign state must be respected. That is so the world over. He who does not treat it with respect cannot complain if he comes to harm. West German and West Berlin politicians demand that “the wall be removed.” We are not particularly fond of walls, either. But please consider where the actual wall runs in Germany, the wall which must be pulled down in your and our interest. It is the wall which was erected because of the fateful Bonn NATO policy. On the stones of this wall stand atomic armament, entry into NATO, revanchist demands, anti-communist incitement, non-recognition of the GDR, rejection of negotiations, the front-line city of West Berlin.

So, make your contribution to the pulling down of this wall by advocating a reasonable policy of military neutrality, peaceful co-existence, normal relations between the two German states, the conclusion of a peace treaty with Germany, a demilitarized Free City of West Berlin. That is the only way to improve the situation in Berlin, to safeguard peace, a way which can, one day also lead to the reunification of Germany. The wall says to the war-mongers:

He who lives on an island should not make an enemy of the ocean.

Decide in favour of the recognition of realities. Don’t join in the row over the wall. Perhaps YOU don’t want socialism. That is your affair.

But should we not come to an agreement jointly to refrain from doing anything that leads to war and do everything that serves peace?

#socialism #gdr #great stuff

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fujiminohiro · 6 years

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lads i did it again

@healingmagicandaspirin and i were bandying about HA pilots who have to put up with heroes chanting “jesus nut” like in that one TIL only turns out i wasnt joking and i started thinking about the GPS (gearsper protection squad)’s favorite beleaguered pilot

his name is jake “crab cake” quevedo. he has an ex-husband who took their dog in the divorce. jake visits him for the dog.

the HA keeps a small cell of their own pilots because contracting out is a legal and pecuniary pain in the ass. theres usually about two pilots per city, but always at least five at a time in the city A hq for short-notice deployment.

the pilots have their own culture separate from HA “desk jockeys/rockstars” (office workers, executives, and advisers), HA “eggheads/boffins” (scientists), or HA “thespians-for-hire/power rangers” (heroes). the culture is: being abrasive and awful to everyone around them, and tearing each other down, but still thinking theyre better than anyone else.

city A rotating roster: aggie, ATM, back alley, blackout, cat, crab cake, golfer, goku, hindenburg, husky, loafer, phooey, skid, taxi, and wakov.

all of those have really dumb explanations behind them. the pilots (all ex-military, joyriders, or former crop dusters) give each other call signs based on mishaps, flaws, and gossip. gradually, use of the nicknames diffuses to other HA employees and flight towers. any call signs earned previous to HA employment are thrown out.

until youve stuck around long enough to have some feats or display some exploitable attributes, youre just “FNG” or “shinjin.” call signs are rarely complimentary and normally shouldnt sound cool, but there are some exceptions, because the pilots want everyone else at the HA to think that theyre cool. and for some, if you didnt know the story behind them, youd think they were cool.

“crab cake” is not a cool one. its mostly for jakes demeanor--cranky, but sweet. also in a misguided gesture of sympathy, the other pilots like to say that jakes ex-husband has crabs and jake is better off without him.

this did not in fact warm the cockles of his heart. sometimes hes just “crabby” or “mr krabs.” among the other pilots hes known as caustic, funny, and acting like an old man despite being in his thirties. hes come up with a lot of the call signs.

to the heroes he ferries, he is quiet, tolerant, and tired-looking. heroes have their own nicknames for pilots, and jake is “top gun” because he can usually be seen wearing aviators. unlike a macho hotheaded tom cruise character, he is incredibly lethargic and blasé to their antics, and the heroes think theyre funny.

they like him the best of the pilots, for reasons he doesnt want to understand. they keep trying to get him to hang out with them. hes the stu to their vampires and werewolves. they do not suspect that he has a real personality and are shocked and upset when they see him interact with the other pilots (they didnt know he could swear).

i was gonna doodle a comic but it was too much work:

#long post #....i got carried away. again #im so..#anyway #OC stuff

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thefederalistfreestyle · 6 years

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Puerto Rico cast officially the “And Peggy” Tour

Thursday, May 17, 2018 Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) - NYC EPA

Friday, May 18, 2018 Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) - NYC EPA

Monday, May 21, 2018 Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) - NYC EPA

Tuesday, May 22, 2018 Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) - NYC ECC / Male Dancers Hamilton (And Peggy Tour) - NYC ECC / Female Dancers

First Rehearsal in NYC: November 12, 2018 First Rehearsal Puerto Rico: o/a December 26, 2018 First Performance in Puerto Rico: January 8, 2019 [. . .] SEEKING Equity actor/singers for various principal roles in the upcoming And Peggy Company Tour. See breakdown. BREAKDOWN ALEXANDER HAMILTON: Male. Non-white, 30s, Tenor-Baritone. An earnest, ambitious hothead, a man possessed. Speaks his mind, no matter the cost. Must be able to rap VERY well. Eminem meets Sweeney Todd. PRINCIPAL ELIZA HAMILTON: Female. Non-white, 20s-30s, Soprano. Fiercely loyal, self-possessed, proud. Evolves from lovesick, wealthy young woman to the sole keeper of her late husband’s legacy. Alicia Keys meets Elphaba. PRINCIPAL ANGELICA SCHUYLER: Female. Non-white, 20s-30s, Mezzo - Soprano, MUST be able to sing and rap well. Fierce, dazzling, brilliant, can read a room and everyone in it instantly. Deeply in love with Hamilton, who is married to her beloved sister Eliza. Nicki Minaj meets Desiree Armfeldt. PRINCIPAL AARON BURR: Male. Non-white, 20s-30s, Tenor/Baritone, sings and raps in equal measure. Our narrator. A cool, steely reserve. An orphan raised in wealth, plays his cards and opinions close to the vest. Slow to anger, but when he gets there, look out. Javert meets Mos Def. PRINCIPAL GEORGE WASHINGTON: Male. Non-white, 30s-40s, Tenor/Baritone, sings and raps in equal measure. Authoritative, regal, aloof, aware of his place in history at all times. John Legend meets Mufasa. PRINCIPAL MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE/THOMAS JEFFERSON (dual role): Male. Non-white, 20s-30s, Tenor- Bari, MUST be able to sing and rap well. LAFAYETTE is an earnest, idealistic Frenchman who reveals himself to be a superb military commander/rapper. Think Lancelot meets Ludacris. JEFFERSON is relaxed, jazzy, brilliant, whose effortless cool is ruffled ONLY by Hamilton. Harold Hill meets Drake. PRINCIPAL HERCULES MULLIGAN/JAMES MADISON (dual role): Male. Non-white, 20s-30s, Tenor/baritone, MUST be able to sing and rap well. MULLIGAN is the life of the party, dripping with swagger, streetwise and hilarious. Joins the revolution to get out of being a tailor’s apprentice, and befriends Laurens, Hamilton and Lafayette. Busta Rhymes meets Donald O’Connor. MADISON is incisively intelligent, quiet, professional. A former Hamilton ally, he becomes Jefferson’s detail man concerning all matters—he gets things done. RZA meets Zach from Chorus Line. PRINCIPAL JOHN LAURENS/PHILIP HAMILTON (dual role): Male. Non-white, late teens- 20s, Tenor, MUST be able to sing and rap well. LAURENS is an ardent young abolitionist and idealist, born into privilege, joining the Revolution. Hamilton’s loyal best friend. Nas meets Elder Price. PHILIP HAMILTON. Prodigious, full of life, a wordsmith in the mold of his father Alexander. Tupac meets J. Pierrepont Finch. PRINCIPAL PEGGY SCHUYLER/MARIA REYNOLDS (dual role): Female. Non-white, late teens-20s, Mezzo- Soprano. PEGGY SCHUYLER: sweet, shy, youngest of the three Schuyler Sisters. The Michelle Williams of Destiny’s Child. MARIA REYNOLDS: sultry, young, calculating. Affects the role of a damsel in distress to seduce Hamilton. Jasmine Sullivan meets Carla from Nine. PRINCIPAL KING GEORGE: Male. Caucasian, 30s-40s, Tenor, British accent. The King of England. Entitled, pouty nihilist. Sees the American Colonies as a deluded former lover, who will come crawling back. Rufus Wainwright meets King Herod in JCS. PRINCIPAL

more info about upcoming NYC auditions here!

#hamilton #auditions #and peggy tour

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scotianostra · 6 years

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On 9th April 1747 Simon Fraser, Lord Lovat, the leading Scottish Jacobite rebel was beheaded on Tower Green.

A longer post than normal from me as in my opinion Simon Fraser was one of the most interesting characters in Jacobite history. A man of contrary, he was known to be very kind to the lesser clansmen taking a paternal interest in their affairs. A quote regarding him says that...."Generally he had a bag of farthings for when he walked abroad the contents of which he distributed among any beggars whom he met. He would stop a man on the road; inquire how many children he had; offer him sound advice; and promise to redress his grievances if he had any" In his own estimate, he took care his clansmen were ‘always well-clothed and well-armed, after the Highland fashion, and not to suffer them to wear low-country clothes’ Lovat was also a brute of a man forcing a young woman into marriage and raping her in an attempt to legitimise the union. Lovat has become more well know lately thanks to Outlander, where in their world he is grandfather to the main protagonist Jamie Fraser and played brilliantly by the fine Scottish actor Clive Russell. Back in the real world he has been in the news only this year, I shall cover that at the end of this post.

Born in 1667 into the ancient clan who fought with distinction in the Wars of Independence – Sir Simon Fraser was one of the co-victors of the Battle of Roslin and his sons were close friends of Robert the Bruce, Alexander marrying Bruce’s sister Mary – Simon was the second son of Thomas Fraser of Beaufort who was closely related to Lord Hugh Fraser of Lovat, chief of clan Fraser.

Simon became his father’s heir when his elder brother was killed fighting alongside Bonnie Dundee against the forces of King William III at the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689. He was still nowhere near being clan chief, however, and took himself off to Aberdeen University from which he graduated in 1695. Lord Hugh Fraser, the 9th Lord Lovat, was a weak man who unexpectedly signed over the clan leadership to Simon’s father in 1696.

Lord John Murray, Earl of Tullibardine and the most powerful man in Scotland, disputed the succession and fell out spectacularly with Simon in Edinburgh. The young Fraser hothead duly went north to Castle Dounie to try and persuade Hugh’s widow Amelia to give him the hand of her daughter, also Amelia, in a dynastic marriage that would seal his succession. Tullibardine was having none of it and moved his niece to the Murray stronghold, Blair Castle, where he planned to marry her off to Alexander Fraser, heir to the Lordship of Saltoun.

Simon retaliated by kidnapping Alexander and frightening him away, and to make matters worse in October, 1697, he went back to Castle Dounie and forced the widow Amelia into a sham wedding, raping her to consummate the “marriage”.

Tullibardine ensured Simon and his father were declared outlaws and when old Thomas died in 1699, Simon was unable to legally claim his title as 11th Lord Lovat which later passed to one Alexander Mackenzie who had legally married the younger Amelia.

Simon Fraser somehow managed to persuade King William that he was no threat, despite having his own personal army, and he was pardoned in 1700, only to be declared an outlaw again the following year over the forced marriage and rape.

Simon went off to the court of the Stuarts in France where he devised the plans that were eventually used in the 1715 and 1745 uprisings. Long before the former, however, Simon was double dealing, giving Queen Anne information about the plans of James, the Old Pretender. He was found out and King Louis XIV clapped him in jail for three years.

Even after he was released he was prevented from travelling to Scotland and thus missed the Act of Union which he opposed.

Still desperate to get his Lovat title and the chieftainship of his clan back, Simon sided with the forces of the new King, George I, during the ’15, and was given back his title as a reward, with Alexander Mackenzie imprisoned for being a Jacobite. The two men would fight in the courts for the next 15 years as to who was entitled to the income of the estate. Simon eventually won and spent his time building up the Fraser estates and wealth, even taking command of one of the Independent Companies of Highland soldiers established by the Hanoverian regime – the Fraser Highlanders.

As I said early Fraser was a man of contrary and to me was very like "Bobbing John" The Earl of Mar another Jacobite who a tendency to shift back and forth from faction to faction, no sooner had Fraser built up this "Hanoverian" army that he started openly campaigning for the restoration of the Stuarts. The Government responded by cancelling his military role.

When Bonnie Prince Charles landed in Scotland he was still playing games.

He allowed his sons to fight for the Stuarts, but stayed at home himself “loudly lamenting the wilful disobedience of children,” as Sarah Fraser has put it. Lovat did meet Charles, however, and expressed his anger at the lack of “siller” which he knew would be necessary for a successful campaign. They met again after Culloden, at which Clan Fraser fought bravely and suffered many casualties, and Lovat advised the prince to get away and re-form his forces. Charles fled through the heather, as we know, and made it to France while anyone associated with the Bonnie Prince was hunted down. The Duke of Cumberland’s troops were not taking any more games from Fraser and burned Castle Dounie.

Lovat managed to make it to Loch Morar but was captured there while hiding in a hollow tree. Although approaching his 80th birthday, The Fox was taken south to London.

He pled not guilty but his trial was a formality and he must have know his fate would be the same as previous nobles, the Earls of Kilmarnock, Balmerino and Derwentwater who were executed for treason the previous year.

At his trial, ever the Fox he insisted strongly upon his affection for the reigning family. Such were the characteristics of Simon Fraser, but of course he was found guilty the sentence, hanging, drawing and quartering was commuted later to a mere beheading by the King.

In a way, Lovat had the last laugh. Newspapers and pamphlets of the time recorded that as he was led out to the scaffold on Thursday, April 9, 1947, a wooden stand that had been erected near the Tower to seat crowds eager to see the execution collapsed sending hundreds plunging down. At least nine people died and dozens were injured, which amused Lovat – the phrase ‘laughing your head off’ is said to date from that event.

According to a woodcut print made on that fateful day, Lovat “with some composure laid his head on the block which the executioner took off with a single blow.”

As I mentioned at the top Lovat has been in the news lately, Simon had requested burial at the family mausoleum at Wardlaw near Inverness and the government initially agreed but changed its mind thinking his body could become a rallying point for further trouble. He was therefore buried in the floor of the chapel within the Tower of London, St. Peter ad Vincula. The chapel was refurbished in the 19th century and the floor was relaid. One of the coffins uncovered during the works had the nameplate of ‘Lord Lovat’. The names of those found are now recorded on a plaque on the wall of the chapel.

Fraser folklore, and written in several books says that his body was spirited away from London, the stories even go so far as to name the boat ‘The Pledger’ that sailed north to The Beauly Firth, where he was taken to the family mausoleum, there is even a plaque in the crypt that reads “In this coffin are laid the remains of Simon Lord Fraser of Lovat who, after twenty years in His own Land and abroad with the greatest distinction and renown, at the risk of his own life, restored and preserved his race, clan and household from the tyranny of the Athol and the treacherous plotting of the Mackenzies of Tarbat. To preserve an ancient house is not the greatest credit. Nor is there any honour for the enemy who despoiled it. Although that enemy was strong in his plotting and unrelenting warfare, yet Simon who was also skillful and cunning defeated him in war."

Last year the headless skeleton inside the coffin was exhumed to be examined by experts from the University of Dundee in January this year they announced that the bones in the coffin did not belong to Simon Fraser, but to a young woman. So it looks like his body did end up rotting in The Tower's Chapel.

To understand how big Lovat's trial and execution were I have posted a number of pics all dating back to the eighteenth century, and the plaque from the Crypt at Wardlaw.

#Scotland #History

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theresahorseauforthat · 6 years

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Space Iliad AU (Voltron/Epic Poetry)

It's the Iliad but it's in space.

'But Disco,' certain friends may say, 'I was under the impression that you'd never watched Voltron.'

That is correct.

However, it started showing up on my dash around the time I read the Odyssey for class, and somehow this au was created. As such, this will probably contradict Voltron canon wildly. The show is, if you will, the giant, hollow, mechanical man I'm using to sneak Greeks into your city.

Season 1

Five 'friends' from A Fancy Military School I Have Yet To Name go wandering the desert at night and find a giant lion which whisks them into space. There, they awaken an alien named Helen, who informs them that the universe is in danger, they must save it, yada yada you know the drill.

The five dudes ARE

Agammemnon, the Black Paladin: the worst. The utter worst. Menelaus' brother, Achilles self-declared nemesis. A smug jerk.

Achilles, the Red Paladin: A dumb hotheaded kid. He's gonna fight Agammemnon. His heart's in the right place and he has good ideals, but he can generally be trusted to act on them in the least helpful manner.

Diomedes, the Yellow Paladin: A badass. The first to develop a strong bond with his lion (who is definitely not a mechanical version of Athena, not at all, why on earth would you think that). Good friends with Menelaus. Part of the stealth team.

Menelaus, the Green Paladin: not very good with feelings. Agammemnon's brother, Diomedes' friend. Huge crush on Helen. He's very bro-y but he's a good guy.

Odysseus, the Blue Paladin: a low key genius. Team strategist and the other half of the stealth team. Can be a bit of an asshole when he's in the middle of a Plan. Would like to get back to his girlfriend.

And then, of course, Helen: head of the team, wicked smart, weirdly good mimic. Huge crush on Menelaus.

They're fighting the Galra, except that I accidentally made all the Trojans some level of relatable so it's anyone's guess as to who exactly is threatening the universe.

There's

Paris: the main antagonist-ish. He's a dumb dramatic teenager trying to impress his big brother.

Hector: the big brother. Not impressed. Very Tired.

Cassandra: A prophet of doom who's generally ignored. A little bit done with everyone, particularly her brothers.

(Aeneas will do something at some point I have no idea where he fits in shush)

The other plot focuses on the Fancy Military School I Have Yet To Name, which in the wake of five students fucking off to the stars claims that they are all dead, cause, yah know, that's a good strategy. However, they've got two students on their case (more like one student and the friend she's dragging along):

Penelope: A hacker and a fiber crafter. Brilliant, driven, and extremely suspicious. She's gonna find out what happened to her boyfriend even if she has to put up with the slimeballs in the computer room.

Clytemnestra: A disaster of a human being, but in a good way, for the most part. Don't get on her bad side. Agammemnon's ex. Not really sure if she wants to find him.

So the Space crew is pretty much just playing out the Iliad. Helen and Menelaus flirt like crazy, Diomedes gets an alien girlfriend named Briseis, and Achilles gets an alien boyfriend named Patroclus who somehow ends up on the ship with them. Agammemnon continues to be awful.

At some point (maybe midway?) Helen gets captured by Paris. In return, Agammemnon kidnaps Cassandra, which literally no one else thinks is a good idea. Agammemnon does Something ( I have several ideas for this, depending on how dark I decide to go) that pushes Achilles completely over the edge, and he decides he won't fight in the upcoming battle.

At this point the timeline takes a turn for the incomprehensible, but you all probably know how it goes from here. Patroclus steps up to bat and fills in as the Red Paladin. I'm a big softie so he doesn't actually die, but only almost dies (same for Achilles).

Through some kind of sci-fi magic that I haven't figured out yet, Penelope and Clytemnestra not only figure out where the others went but manage to get there. Pen and Odysseus get a two minute reunion before he goes off to implement his big plan of making the enemy think they've abandoned Voltron. At some point Agammemnon is disposed of somehow (again, depending on how dark this gets, there are several versions). They defeat the Galra/Trojans and go back to the ship, at which point they realize "Oh fuck we lost Odysseus."

Season 2

Paladin shuffling time! Menelaus is the new Black Paladin, Clytemnestra takes his old role as the Green Paladin, and Penelope fills in as the Blue. On this end, it's fairly chill, with storylines mostly centered around personal issues. Clytemnestra and Menelaus deal with the fallout of their relationships with Agammemnon, Cassandra (who's still there for some reason idk) makes some friends and finds people who believe her, Menelaus struggles with leadership, Penelope tries to find her place.

On the not chill end of things

Odysseus is having a fun time.

I've written so much already that I'm not gonna detail his adventures here, but he sure is having them. And would like not to be. Eventually he gets home, there's more Paladin musical chairs in which Clytemnestra and Menelaus switch lions, and Penelope stays on as Blue Paladin.

Season 3, in a timeline where Clytemnestra kills Agammemnon:

An alien kid comes to take revenge on the current Black Paladin for killing the former Black Paladin. Diomedes and Yellow kick start a legal system.

#au challenge #day one #notfic #voltron: legendary defender #greek myths #long #long post #good lord that took a while #i didn't realize just how much I'd thought about this #ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

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