#marcus wilder

[simosyne]

Marcus has been spending time with his cousin, Kellen!

[turn-the-tables-on-them]

Does Valeria ever invite Quill over to hang out in the Theater Kids au?

She does! Often.

It gets to the point that, after learning a bit about Quill’s parents, Valeria’s dad (who she was really robbed of in canon) takes Quill aside to ask if he'd like to move into the guest room. As long as Quill is willing to follow the same rules as Valeria and Thom, he's okay with it. He also plainly states that if Quill and Valeria have a relationship, then that is their business.

Marcus is actually a good dad.

You'll have to ask @hollowgast1 whether or not Quill accepts this offer.

[sleeplesssmol]

Marcus Wilderness Interaction

Since the geography is always changing depending on Vertin's will, the history of the Wilderness caught my attention. Solve the mystery for me, Detective Marcus!

[the-blossica-fan]

Karaoke/Music night in the suitcase!

That reminds me of Isolde's line on the 1.7 soundtrack saying she wished to sing to the tune.

It's all an idea from Regulus influenced by Anjo Nala, who might have begged for her help, and the idea seemed to entertain Vertin so she allowed the lobby to be used as the karaoke room.

What a mess...

Lilya sneaked in some alcoholic beverages she bought for this party, so those with a broken heart had their chance to sing a made up song all sobbing up on the makeshift stage.

It's something that's rarely held, since before it was Regulus having a party, but with the increased amount of singers in the suitcase, a Karaoke night seemed to fit better.

Most people attend, though not many sing unless peer pressured.

Isolde offered to sing first as an opening, she likes being part of this party so she's a regular. Same with Lilya and Mercuria.

And if you peer pressure Matilda enough, she may sing right after Isolde. She's got a nice voice, pretty french.

And if you trick Kakania into singing, you then realize she wasn't born for singing.

It's more of a party than a simple Karaoke night due to the amount of people, and it ends like one too! With Vertin and Sonetto having to clean after the drunk singers that couldn't make it to their rooms.

[soapysangel]

“will that make your memory fade from this scarlet maroon, like it never happened?”

[theschizotypalsolilquy]

I'm a slut

For reverse harems

Especially in my HP fics.

If yall are sluts for Hermione with multiple wizards, let me know and I'll drop some fics.

I'll just tag all the dudes she usually gets paired with so I won't miss anything

[somacruising]

Tales of the Rays: Mirrage Prison

Chapter 6: The Atoning Hero and Remorseful Chosen (Part 1 & 2)

(This is the first part!) | (Part 3)

So, I've been meaning to upload this for a while. I don't really have any excuses for how long it took me. This covers Kratos investigating the Asgard Empire, only to find out that Mithos has been exoflected and has "gone on a rampage".

Part 1 (Spirit Research Lab)

Kratos: (Is this a…spirit research facility?) (ここは……精霊の研究施設か？)

Kratos: (I had no idea the Imperial City had something like this near the Imperial Lotus Villa…) (帝都の芙蓉離宮の近くにこんな研究室を作っていたとは……。)

Kratos: (No wonder I haven’t seen Demitrius in Asgard Castle.) (どうりでアスガルド城でデミトリアスの姿を見かけない訳だ)

Demitrius: How is the investigation of the Nexus Subspecies 03's anima progressing? 特異鏡映点亜種03のアニマの調査はどうなっているのかな？

Junior: …Well, Spada's anima still has traces of having been a living weapon. ……確かにスパーダさんのアニマには武器として生きていた痕跡が残っていました。

Junior: It might be that the anima of his previous life is muddled with his current anima due to the encoding at the time of exoflection. 前世のアニマが具現化の時のエンコードで現在のアニマと混濁しているみたいです。

Richter: Perhaps in Spada’s previous life, he was similar to the Swordian Chaltier. The one owned by Leon. もしかしたらスパーダの前世というのはリオンという奴が持っていたシャルティエと言う剣と似た存在だったのかもしれない。

Richter: It isn’t exactly the same, but it should be find to treat them similarly: both are weapons with human-like wills. 正確��は違うことはわかっているが武器であり人のような意思を持つという点は近いものとして扱ってもいいだろう。

Junior: We’ve come up with a plan to exoflect both the relevant technology and experts in this field from Leon’s world. リオンさんたちの世界から、該当の技術を、持っている専門家を具現化するという計画が持ち上がっています……。

Kratos: (Chaltier is that talking sword Zelos told me about. Why do they have such an obsession with talking weapons…) (シャルティエと言うのはゼロスが話していた喋る剣のことか。何故命を持つ武器に固執するのだ……。)

Demitrius: That so…? Then let's have Richter and Aster report on their ongoing research on spirits. そうか……。ではリヒターとアステルが進めている精霊の研究の方を報告してもらおうか。

Richter: I won’t bring Aster here. I’ll do my report alone. アステルをここへ連れてくるつもりはない。報告は俺がする。

Demitrius: I know you're wary of me, but I'm not going to do anything to Aster. 警戒されているようだが私はアステルに何もしないよ。

Demitrius: If I wanted to do something to him, I would have done it already. There's been plenty of opportunities. どうにかするつもりならとっくに捕らえている。機会はいくらでもあるからね。

Demitrius: After all, I hear he's been going out a lot without you watching. 何しろ彼はきみの目を盗んでよく出歩いているそうじゃないか。

Demitrius: You had a difficult time looking for Aster the other day, I heard. この間も大変な剣幕でアステルを捜していたらしいね。

Richter: …You’re certainly different from Mercuria. Speaking of, you’re too lenient with her. ……お前はそうでもメルクリアは違う。貴様はメルクリアに甘すぎる。

Richter: I don’t want Aster to end up like Ami. 俺はアステルをアミィのようにしたくはない。

Demitrius: It hurts my heart to hear you say that. Well, we can talk about this more some other time. それを言われると心が痛むよ。まあ、その話は別の機会にしようか。

Demitrius: To protect the Void, we need the power of the sun god Dana and the spirits. I have high hopes for your research. 虚無の保護のためには太陽神��ーナと精霊の力が必要だ。君たちの研究には期待をしているんだよ。

Demitrius: Every one of our plans for Dana has failed so far. Dist is absorbed in his own strange obsessions. We should focus on finding Dana’s priestess. ダーナを降ろす計画にも悉く失敗している。ディストは妙なこだわりも強い。ダーナの巫女を見つけた方が早いと思うんだよ。

Demitrius: Dana’s priestess should be the most suitable vessel for Dana. ダーナの巫女こそダーナの器にもっとも適する筈だからね。

Richter: The literature Aster and I found had something to say about her. 俺とアステルが見つけた文献にはこう書かれていた。

Richter: Aifread protects Dana’s priestess alongside Origin in a place where the spirits were sealed away. アイフリードが精霊の封印地なる場所でオリジンと共にダーナの巫女を守っているのだと。

Richter: We haven’t pinpointed this place’s location yet, but I doubt it will be easy to get to. It’s entirely possible it’s already been obliterated by the Voidstorm. 場所の特定はまだだが簡単に行ける場所ではないだろう。死の砂嵐で消滅している可能性もある。

Demitrius: No, it is not limited to the place where the spirits reside. If the place where the spirits dwell collapsed, this world would be completely consumed by the Void. いや、精霊のいる場所に限ってそれはない。精霊住まう場所が崩壊すれば、この世界は完全に虚無に飲まれているだろう。

Richter: If this sealed land of spirits still exists, the Nexus you ordered Hasta and Saleh to bring back will be useful. もしまだ精霊の封印地が存在しているなら貴様がサレとハスタに命じて回収に行かせた例の鏡映点が役に立つだろう。

     [ Saleh and Hasta immediately enter lol ]

Saleh: You wanted to see us, Richter? 呼んだかな、リヒター君。

Hasta: I’ve found our bon. Our hollow little Maxwell! 見つけたボン。空っぽのマクスウェルちん！

Kratos: (A hollow Maxwell…? But the Maxwell of this world hasn’t woken up yet. Maybe he means that Milla character who was with Lloyd and the others.) (空のマクスウェル……？この世界のマクスウェルはまだ目覚めていないがロイドたちの元にいたミラのことか？)

Kratos: (No, that doesn’t make sense. He said “hollow”…) (いや、しかし『空』というのは……)

Richter: …Since these people are here, I’ll be excusing myself. ……こいつらが戻ったなら、俺は失礼する。

Saleh: You hate me, huh? Well, I’d prefer that snot-nosed lizard who never stops crying “Jade~ Jade~”. 嫌われたもんだね。僕はジェイドジェイドとうるさいあの鼻たれトカゲよりキミの方がマシだけれど。

Asgard Soldier: We’ve got trouble! One of the four Phantom Generals is rampaging through Dist the Reaper’s lab! It’s Mithos! 大変です！四幻将のミトス様が死神ディストの研究所で暴れて、手がつけられません！

Asgard Soldier: Dist is critically injured, Shing is hurt, too, and not even Caius can stop him! ディストは重傷、シング様も負傷しカイウス様ですら近づけない状態です！

Kratos: (—Mithos is rampaging!?) (——ミトスが暴れている！？)

Hasta: Whaaat? Sounds like there’s an opportunity for bloodfeeding… Let me join in! 何ィ！血沸き肉躍る饗宴の宴だと……オレっちも参加させろぃ！

Saleh: Shall I kill him? 僕が殺してこようか？

Demitrius: Stay out of it. I still want to ask you both about Maxwell’s empty shell. Richter, you can stop Mithos, right? やめておく方がいいね。それに君たちにはマクスウェルの抜け殻の件を聞きたい。リヒターならミトスを止められるだろう？

Richter: …I don’t know, but it’s better than saying here. I’ll be going. ……分からんが、ここにいるよりはマシだ。俺が行く。

Kratos: (It's time to meet up with Mark and the others, but I can't leave Mithos alone. …I’ll follow behind Richter.) (そろそろマークたちと落ち合う時間だがミトスを放っておくことはできぬな。……リヒターを追跡させてもらおう)

Part 2 (6-2 Spirit Research Lab 2)

Zelos: That old man seriously hasn’t gotten back to the rendezvous point yet!? あのおっさんまだ合流地点に戻ってこないのかよ！？

Mark: Hey, hey, Zelos. Don’t you think you’re too hard on Kratos? He’s a nice guy. おいおい、ゼロスさんよ。あんた、クラトスにはあたりがきついな。あの人、いい人じゃねえか。

Zelos: Haaah? You, too, Markun? It’s sickening how many people like that guy. はー。お前もか、マーくんよ。あいつホント受けがいいな、むかつくわー。

Zelos: People say he’s so coool~, but he’s just a bastard! ク～ル～とか言われてるけどありやただの人でなしだっつーの！

Sync: Heh… へえ……。

Zelos: Ah, Sync!? Did you just laugh at me, just now!? あ、シンク！？てめえ、笑ったな！？

Sync: That’s right. You’re just a spoiled redhead. Do you miss your daddy, oh great Chosen? そりゃ唯うでしょ。アンタのそれは単なる甘えだからね。パパが恋しいのかい、赤毛の神子様。

Zelos: ………。

Mark: Sync, please don’t go around digging into people’s wounds like that. シンク。そうやって的確に人の傷抉っていくのもほどほどにしてくれや。

Mark: Zelos, I’m sorry. Kids don’t know how to hold themselves back. ゼロス、悪かったな。子供は加減をしらねえんだよ。

Zelos: …No, I’m not ready for this yet. Sore spot or not, I can’t believe I got so serious when I don’t even know this kid. ……いや、俺さまもまだまだだわ。殆ど面識のないがきんちょに痛いとこ突かれてマジになっちまうとは。

     [ Phillip Enters ]

Phillip: Sounds like you’re having fun. I hope I’m not interrupting. 楽しそうなところ失礼するよ。

Zelos: Fun!? Phil, you really think this looks like fun? 楽しい！？俺さまフィル君の感覚疑ってもいい？

Phillip: Sorry, sorry. I thought I’d pop in and share how our patient is doing. ごめんごめん。病人の経過を共有しようと思って。

Sync: You mean that dying old geezer and our log of a Sleeping Beauty? 死に損ないのジジイとぴくりとも動かない眠り姫のことか。

Phillip: You shouldn't call him an old geezer, Sync. In any case, Rowen is much more stable now. ジジイなんて言葉は良くないよ、シンク。ローエンさんはだいぶ安定してきた。

Phillip: I think he’s going to wake up soon. Still, he’s an omega nexus, so we’ll have to monitor him carefully. もうすぐ起きられると思うけれど何しろ特異鏡映点だからね。慎重に経過を見る必要がある。

Phillip: And Kohaku…she’s quite dangerous, to be honest. それからコハクは……正直かなり危険だね。

Zelos: Hey hey hey, I don’t care about the old man, but we have to help the girl out~! おいおいおいおい、じーさんはともかく女の子は助けてやってくれよ～！

Mark: You guys, we should be taking care of the elderly… Well, Phil, tell us what’s going on with Kohaku. She seemed stable to me. お前ら、お年寄りは大事にしろって……。で、フィル。どういうことなんだよ。容体は安定してるように見えたけどな。

Phillip: Her symptoms look like a rare condition that appears in mirrites. I found that curious, so I approached it from a mirristry perspective. 彼女の症状は鏡士にまれに起こるある疾患に似ていてね。気になったから魔鏡学の方向からアプローチしてみたんだ。

Phillip: As a result, I’ve discovered that she’s lost her core, or heart, which is responsible for connecting one’s anima to their animus. その結果、彼女のアニマとアニムスをつなぐコアつまり心を失っていることがわかった。

Mark: She’s lost her core!? 心核喪失状態か！

Sync: What are you talking about? How can you possibly observe something as vague as a “heart”? 何それ。心なんてあやふやなものどうやって観測するのさ。

Mark: Mirrites are reflections of a mirrist’s heart. At the time of exoflection, it’s…able to be briefly observed. 鏡士ってのは、心を魔鏡に映して具現化を、行うんだ。そのときに一瞬心を具現化している……らしい。

Mark: I don’t exactly get the whole principle behind it, either… そのあたりの原理は俺もよく分からないが……。

Phillip: When a mirrist exoflectes a mirrite, they do so by reflecting a portion of their heart into their mirrage. So to speak, mirrites are exoflections of the heart. 鏡士が鏡精を具現化するときも心の一部を魔鏡に映して行ういわば心の具現化だからね。

Phillip: But Kohaku does not have a heart. でもコハクにはその心に当たる部分が存在しないんだ。

Phillip: If her core doesn’t exist, her anima and animus will separate…meaning, her soul and memories will separate, and her body will not be able to maintain itself. This is exceptionally dangerous. コアが存在しなければアニマとアニムス……つまり魂と記憶が分離し体が保てなくなる。非常に危険だ。

Phillip: Perhaps it’s necessary to erase the heart in order for them to become the vessel of the goddess. 神降ろしには心を消し去る作業が必要なのかもしれないね。

Zelos: …Erasing the heart, huh. Reminds me of Collete. ……心が消える、か。コレットちゃんのことを思い出すな。

Zelos: She lost her sense of humanity in order to become a host for Martel, she lost her heart. I couldn’t stand watching her, she was like a doll. マーテルを宿すために人としての感覚を失って、心まで無くしちまったらしくてな。まるで人形みたいで見てられなかったぜ。

Sync: —Hey, it’s possible that this whole goddess vessel plan is Mithos’ idea. ——ねえ、神降ろしはミトスの発案の可能性があるんだったよね。

Zelos: Ah? Well, it sounds possible. The idea’s pretty similar to the way he wanted to revive Martel. あ？まあ、可能性はあるな。発想がマーテル復活にそっくりだ。

Sync: —Let’s meet up with Kratos. I’ve figured out which nexus they’ll pick as the next vessel. ——クラトスと合流しよう。次の器の鏡映点が誰かわかった。

Mark: What do you mean? どういうことだ？

Sync: From what I’ve heard, Colette was in some way close to Mithos’ sister, Martel. 前に聞いた話だと、コレットってのはミトスの姉のマーテルに近い存在だったんだろ。

Zelos: Are you saying Martel is their next vessel!? Well, I had heard that Phantom had exoflected her while he was still around. まさかマーテルが次の器だって言うのか！？そりゃ、ファントムが生前マーテルを具現化したらしいとは聞いてるけどよ。

Zelos: Yeah, Martel and Colette are close, but Martel never lost her heart. ただコレットちゃんとマーテルは近い存在かもしれないがマーテルは心を失った訳じゃねえぞ。

Zelos: Actually, she only had her heart left, so Mithos was trying to get her a body… むしろ心だけになっちまったからミトスが体を作ろうとしてた訳で……。

Phillip: …No, I see what he’s saying. Sync’s as sharp as ever. ……いや、なるほど。さすがシンクは目の付け所がいいね。

Phillip: The fact that Martel is a being who lost her body and became only a heart is…an important fact. マーテルは体を失い、心だけの存在になったことがある……という事実が重要だ。

Phillip: In the past, Bifrost had a mirrage called the Overray Mirrage—which showed the past and possible futures engraved in one’s anima. かつてのビフレストには、アニマに刻まれた、過去や未来——あらゆる可能性を呼び出す浄玻璃鏡という魔鏡があったそうだ。

Phillip: This means that no matter which era Martel was exoflected from, she has a property that makes it easy to separate her body and heart. つまりマーテルがどの時代から具現化されていたにせよ、体と心が分離しやすい性質を内包していることになる。

Phillip: If they can be separated, the rest is simple. 分離できるなら、話は簡単だ。

Zelos: You can’t be serious… We should let Kratos know just in case. マジかよ……。念のためクラトスに伝えるか。

Zelos: We should look for that trail Angel wings leave behind. If he flies with his wings, we’ll be able to spot it. あいつから聞いた、天使の羽の痕跡を辿る方法ってのを使えば、奴が空を飛んだ時に居所がわかる筈だ。

Mark: I’m sorry. You’re our guest and we’re making you work. 悪いな。あんたは客分なのに、こき使っちまって。

Zelos: Oh well. That selfish Angel doesn’t want me hanging out with Lloyd anyway. しゃーねえな。あの我が儘天使がロイド君に合流するのを嫌がるんだもんよ。

Sync: You complain about that, but you never bother joining Alvin when he sneaks over there. でも文句を言いながら、アルヴィンみたいに一人であっち��合流はしないんだね。

Mark: Well, that’s because Zelos is unexpectedly a good guy—and also unexpectedly a coward. そりゃ、ゼロスが意外と善人な上に意外と卑怯者だからだな。

Zelos: Ehehe, you completely understand me. でひゃひゃ、よくわかってるじゃねーの。

Mark: But, that doesn’t change the fact that you’re our guest. Sync, you’re coming with me. とはいえ、あんたが客分なのは変わらないからな。シンク、一緒に行ってくれ。

Sync: …Yeah yeah, what a pain. ……はいはい、めんどくさ。

Zelos: What is it, Synkun? You’re so cold. 何だよ、シンくん冷たいじゃん。

Sync: I’ll kill you, Idiot Chosen. 殺すよ、バカ神子。

(This is the first part!) | (Part 3)

[stoicheadaurelius]

STOIC REMINDER: Only Short Time Left. Live as If You Were Alone - Out in the Wilderness | MARCUS AURELIUS | MEDITATIONS

[sweet-vanilla-sims]

The family reunion was chaos. For some reason I thought the game would give me a photo collage of all attendees so that's why I invited everyone... I just got picture frames to put the pictures in... nice ones but whatever.

[writemarcus]

REVIEW: A One-Act Jamboree At The Black Theatre Troupe Of Upstate New York

By Jess Hoffman

To close out their season, Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York is producing a collection of one-acts, playfully titled One Act Jamboree. The one common thread among these plays is that they showcase, in one way or another, the Black experience. Many of these plays are by emerging local playwrights, and BTTUNY has taken on a commendable challenge producing such an eclectic collection of works.

As with most one-act festivals, the show is a mixed bag. There is no shortage of talent among the cast, crew, and writers; but some of the pieces come together much more successfully than others. As a White person I may not be the most qualified to speak to “the Black experience,” but as a theater and literature expert I am all too familiar with the novice playwright’s desire to take on big ideas when they would have more success diving deeply into something smaller and more familiar that hints at other, larger things at play. Ten or Twenty minutes is not enough time to thoroughly interrogate race relations in modern America; it’s barely enough to thoroughly interrogate a single moment or person. It is therefore unsurprising that the most successful pieces in this show are those that endeavor to encapsulate a brief slice of life (such as one fateful night in a segregated hospital or an awkward encounter between a Black deliveryman and a concerned White man outside a luxury apartment building) or those that take a cheeky sketch-comedy approach to one aspect of life as a Black person (such as the absolutely stellar “Natural Hair Helpline”).

Before the lights even go down, this show starts out strong with some excellent pre-show music courtesy of sound designer Chad Reid. The funky, upbeat pre-show soundtrack seems to promise the audience that they are in for a good time. But when the show opens, it is with the off-putting “No God in the Streets” which is a slam-poetry-adjacent, interpretive-dance-like piece that tries to express too many broad ideas in too short a time–and does so in a way that neither introduces a thought that any member of the audience hasn’t already had nor manages to evoke any emotion that any member of the audience hasn’t already felt. This off-putting beginning is immediately followed by a more cohesive piece about an interracial couple going to their school’s first integrated prom. While this seems like an excellent moment that could shed light on larger issues, the Black teen character Keshawn spends most of that play waxing philosophical and bemoaning his station in life in a way that is unnatural, jejune, and annoying; ultimately this makes him hard to listen to, even when his ideas and feelings make perfect sense. 

From there, we jump into what is more of an extended monologue than a play. But as the exceptionally talented Jocelyn Khoury tells the story of her brother’s premature birth in a segregated hospital, she takes the audience on a journey that evokes heartbreak and sympathy, and successfully touches on how the ripple-effects of segregation are still felt today (without having to lecture the audience about it, as the two previous plays were all too eager to do).

1 / 8

Scene from the One-Act Jamboree produced by the Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York in the Lauren and Harold Iselin Studio at Capital Repertory Theatre.

The fourth and fifth plays in the line-up finally bring in the energy that the lively pre-show music seemed to promise. “Nice Day” tells a humorous story about a delivery man struggling to get inside an apartment building to deliver groceries. Thanks to cleverly subverted expectations, a great ending, and very funny prop work with a carrot, “Nice Day” is a stand-out piece in this collection. “Wookies in the Wilderness” follows with what is probably the most compelling story of any of the one-acts, but it ultimately falls into the trap of trying to do too much in too little time. In the course of a two-man, one-act play, “Wookies in the Wilderness” tries to fit in backstory for both of its characters; an examination of emotional toll that a hate crime can have on surviving family and friends; a cultural critique of the way People of Color are represented in Science Fiction; and the overarching plot of one friend discovering another friend’s plan to carry out a revenge murder, grapple with the discovery, and decide whether or not to take part. I would love to see playwright Marcus Scott adapt “Wookies in the Wilderness” into a full length play so that all of his excellent ideas and well-written dialogue may have the time and attention they deserve; but as a one-act it is rushed and shallow.

After intermission, One Act Jamboree continues with a play about two former convicts at a dive bar discussing their place in the world and the unjust circumstances that led to their current lot in life. This play starts off strong with excellent stage presence from all its actors and some entertaining sass from Dawn Harris as Stella. But as Harris struggles with her lines and the other two actors begin monologuing to the audience rather than engaging with one another (despite their excellent chemistry when they do engage with one another) the intensity is lost and the play begins to drag.

One Act Jamboree ends on a high note with Kyora Wallace’s “Natural Hair Helpline,” a fun and energetic play about an employee at a call-in helpline for natural hair and a woman with particularly difficult hair in the midst of a hair emergency. Thanks in part to its script, but also to a talented cast and expert direction by Jean-Remy Monnay, “Natural Hair Helpline” is the strongest piece in this collection. If anyone is on the fence about whether or not to see One Act Jamboree I must recommend they come see the show if only to experience this truly excellent one-act play.

This collection of short playsis far from perfect, but its stand-out moments are well worth the ups and downs in quality that any collection of one-acts is bound to suffer. I was impressed with many of the playwrights showcased, many of the actors involved, and especially with Sheilah London-Miller, who handled the costumes, hair, makeup, sets, and props for the entire production. Anyone interested in Black theater, in local rising talent, or in the art of the one act play is encouraged to see One Act Jamboree and experience all of its high points and its problems for themselves.

Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York presents One Act Jamboree, featuring plays by Yetunde Babalola, Cris Eli Blak, Kathryn Grant, Matthew Sheridan, Marcus Scott, and Kyora Wallace; directed by Jean-Remy Monnay, Hettie Barnhill, Tony Pallone, Aaron Moore, and Hasson Harris Wilcher; runs from June 1-11, 2023, at the Rep, 251 North Pearl Street

Albany, NY 12207. Produced by Jean-Remy Monnay. Cast: Shannell West as Fula, Theo Rabii as Aham and Jill, Gabriel Fabian as Keshawn and Smokey, Aaliyah Al-Fuhaid as Martha, Jocelyn Khoury as Rita and Toya, Gregory Theodore Marsh as Black Man and Latrell, Chad Reid as White Man, Susan Katz as Old Woman, Luis Lowery as Bishop, Alvin Kershaw as Clive, Dawn Harris as Stella, Wisdom Johnson as Manager, and Earth O. Phoenix as Gia. Production Stage Manager: Jacqui Anscombe-Waring. Assistant Stage Managers: Q’ubilah Sales and Alexandra Walters. Lighting design by Maya Pomazal-Flanders. Sound design by Chad Reid. Lightboard operator: Willie David Short V. Costumes, hair and makeup, set decorations, and props by Sheilah London-Miller.

Performance dates are Thursday-Sunday, June 6-16. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday curtains are at 7:30pm and Sundays are at 4:00 pm. Tickets are $22.50; senior, military, and veteran tickets are $17.50; student tickets are $12. Runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with a 10-minute intermission. Contains discussions of racism, incarceration, and hate crimes, and a gunshot. Recommended for ages 13+. Tickets are available online at https://attherep.org/, by phone at 518-346-6204, or at the door for any performance. For more information, visit https://www.blacktheatretroupeupstateny.org/, email BTTUNY518@gmail.com, or call 518-833-2621.

[simosyne]

Unfortunately, this was around the time that I realized that the water on the lot had become the dreaded pink soup. I bulldozed the entire thing, including the lot itself, and rebuilt their house from scratch in a futile attempt to fix it 😨

[juletheghoul]

regrets

a/n: I cannot seem to stop myself from taking these amazing requests and going on a rampage because Marcus Acacius is my literal muse at this point. I bought my tickets for the movie and I am not going to know how to fucking act in that theatre. I sort of ran with this request, and inevitably it turned into feelings! This un-beta'd, barely edited request. All mistakes and errors are mine! Hope you enjoy what I came up with! (this is before the last chapter)

Warnings; 18+ no minors, vague but big-legal age gap, piv sex, dirty talk, mutual masturbation, talk of war, Marcus is a soft boi at heart and he has some regrets about being a hoe in his younger days, *feelings*, also he takes a lil tumble but he's fine! Marcus gets wine-drunk, but he's still in control of his faculties, master / slave dynamic (power imbalance), Marcus calls reader Girl, reader calls Marcus Dominus - let me know if I missed any!

Pairing: Marcus Acaciusx F!Reader

word count: 2.2k (😅)

reblogs are appreciated

Masterlist series masterlist

His face lit up, brighter and happier than you’d seen him, maybe ever. 

You smile to yourself from your place behind him, basking in the warmth of his mirth. The visitor had come unannounced but more welcome than any before him. An old, dear friend from his days as a mere footsoldier in the Roman army. Marcus opened his arms to the man, ushering him into his home with an almost uncharacteristic warmth–to anyone who didn’t truly know him. 

“Gods, but it has been years has it not Marcus? Since our days on the march?” The man asks him, a tired sigh on his breath. 

“Indeed it has. An age, we were mere boys then.” Marcus drains his wine and holds the cup out, you are already there, pouring just as it reaches you.

“Troublesome boys, wicked things were we not? We seemed to attract all kinds of mischief.” The man laughs, and Marcus joins, although his laughter is laced with a groan, peppered with shame. 

“Do not remind me, we were terrors.” Marcus hides his face behind his cup, drinking with his eyes downcast and it’s that aversion that piques your interest. Visions of a younger, wilder Marcus fill your mind's eye, what had he done? The man laughs, and you keep your vigil behind your Dominus. 

“I hold the memories dear, even the unsavoury ones.” The man raises his cup, and Marcus bows his head, agreeing. “Wish I had kept the looks of my youth as you have old friend.” They laugh together, clinking their cups and remembering things they do not say out loud. 

The night wears on, and they drink until the hour grows late. When they begin to yawn, Marcus insists the man stays.

“Girl, see to the preparations of a room and then come tend to me.” He speaks slowly, carefully.

“Yes Dominus.” You smile, despite yourself.

-

When you walk into his room, he sits on his bed, staring at nothing.

“Dominus, are you well?” His eyes lock on you, he sways a little, only a little.

“Too much wine, I will feel this in the morning.” He sighs, scrubbing a hand over his face as you approach. “I should have known.” There is no anger in him, only a resigned acceptance. 

“If I may be so bold Dominus, it seemed you were enjoying yourself.” You bring the basin over and dip a fresh piece of linen, his eyes track your movements.

“I saw a happiness in you that I have not seen before, I would see it more often if I had any say.” He tilts his face up to yours, and you cleanse it softly, smiling at the way his eyes close.

“Would you now, Girl, do you think me unhappy?” His voice is soft, but gravelly. It awakens the parts of your body that always awaken for him. It worsens when his hands land on your hips, pulling you to stand between his spread legs.

“No Dominus, well, at times yes. Not unhappy per say, but not the way I saw you tonight.”

“I am happy, Girl. I am happier than I have been in ages.” His hands rub at your hips, sliding down to grab at your ass. 

“It fills my heart with joy to hear that.” You run your fingers through his hair, admiring the flush in his cheeks, the sparkle of candlelight in his eyes. 

“And you? Are you happy, Girl?” He holds onto you, eyes locking onto yours and it feels bigger than it should, the question on his tongue.

“Yes Dominus, I am.”  A long, pregnant moment passes and the tension rises, swelling bigger and bigger. Your heart races and then he rises, or, he tries to.

Water from the basin had splashed onto the floor, and he slips. His eyes widen with shock as he lands on his backside on the floor at your feet. 

He sits in shock, his tunic pooling high on his thighs and it’s almost like someone else’s voice comes out of your mouth, a sharp bark of laughter comes out before you clap your hands to your mouth. 

He stares up at you, the shock of the fall, the shock of your laughter, the wine, the moment—he laughs; you both laugh. Deep, loud belly laughs fill the room until tears fall from your eyes, until he holds his stomach. Any fear, any tension is gone with the crinkle of his eyes and the rare glimpse of his dimple.

“Oh Gods, I am of a form.” He gets it out eventually, smiling wide from his place on the floor. 

“Apologies Dominus—“ the ache in your belly is so great you hold onto his bed. He waves away your apology, and carefully rises. “I did not mean to laugh—“

“Peace girl, it was something to laugh at.” He stands, careful of the offending spill and removes his tunic. “The sound of your laughter is welcome, always. I do not think you cruel.” 

You don’t know how to respond, the wine has brought down his guard and made him something open, something honest and human–nothing like he is when he is too long away from the battlefield, nothing like he is when his station in this life pulls at him. 

“I have not seen my friend in many years, it was nice to speak to him, to bask in the memories of my younger days. Even the ones I’d rather forget.” You let him speak, the novelty of his reminiscing making you smile as you prepare his bed for sleep. 

“It was worth the price I will pay in the morning.” You bite your lip, the questions–the curiosity eat away at you as you move around the room, blowing out a few of the candles. 

“I can see the turmoil, Girl, ask and I will alleviate.” He smiles, sitting on his bed. 

“Apologies Dominus, I wish to know what mischief you sought out, or rather, sought you out? I cannot picture you a terror.” You take the basin away and he lets out a huff of laughter. 

“Do not lie to me, Girl. You have seen my dark moods, I am a terror often.” He waves away the expression of shock, “You know my meaning. In truth I can be brutal, I know this, but it is in battle. In my younger days, on the march I was unruly. I found it hard to follow commands, so sure of myself–to my detriment–that I knew better, that I was wiser than those above my station. I paid for it and learned, grew wise but in those early days, we were rebellious.” He smiles, fondness and the ghosts of his past fresh in his mind. 

You finish your duties as he speaks but are loathe to leave him, so you come closer, feigning at straightening out his sheets and fussing at his bed as he speaks. 

“I was also cruel.” The smile morphs then, into something ashamed.

“Cruel? I do not believe it Dominus–” He raises a hand and your speech dies.

“I was, Girl. Exceedingly cruel, to women. I broke many a heart, took the virginity offered without a care and left them without so much as a word.” He shuts his eyes tight then and the playful, cheerful mood is lost. “I was not concerned with their feelings, I cared not about their honour, I simply took, and left like the thief I was.” He stares at his hands and although it was true, it had been cruel of him, it was the way most soldiers were. No right, no wrong, just the way of this world. 

“Do you regret it, Dominus?” You stand before him again, the same tableau as before.

“Yes, I do, Girl. I regret the hurt I caused, the selfishness of youth.” 

“That is enough then, I think. That you feel it this deeply, that you would change it if you could, that is enough. You need torture yourself no more, Dominus.” Your palm cups his face and he leans into it with a pained expression for a moment before his arms wrap around your waist. His face nuzzles against the valley between your breasts and you feel the way he breathes in your scent. 

“Stay with me.” He pulls at your tunic, lifting it up and off in one swift motion before pressing kisses to your skin. There is a desire shining in his eyes. For your body, yes, but there are memories he is rewriting with you now, something kinder, something infused with more want, with love—the thought pops up and you brush it away.

“Do you not desire sleep Dominus? You had said the wine–oh–” His mouth takes your nipple in a steady suck, pulling a soft moan from your lips, and any and all concerns about his state out of your head. 

He pulls away, flattening his tongue against the bud before moving to the next. 

“No amount of wine could dampen my desire for you, Girl. Shall I stop?” He watches you, eyes locked as he takes the other nipple in his mouth and you shake your head no. His teeth bite, the little shock of pain heightens the pleasure and your fingers grip his hair harder than you mean to but it only makes him moan into your skin as he soothes with his tongue. 

Slick pools at the mouth of your cunt, the desire for him so great it makes you ache. A sharp, hollow pain, like hunger pangs for his gift, for his body, for his love something whispers again, and again you ignore it.

“God’s Girl, you bring out a madness in me–” He pulls you down, his kiss so feral it almost hurts. Teeth clicking while you taste his wine-drenched tongue. You move to straddle him but you barely manage to sit before you find yourself on your back in the bed you’d just prepared. 

His kiss is all-consuming, it is contagious–it pulls you into the depths of his madness. When he pulls away, you’re almost disoriented. 

“Spread those pretty thighs for me, Girl, let me see what’s mine.” You bite your lip, skin on fire as you obey. He kneels between your spread legs, hand slipping down to palm himself as he watches you slip your hand down towards the silky hair at the juncture of your thighs. “Spread it open, I would see how wet you are.” he strokes himself slowly, eyes glazed as you follow his instructions, spreading yourself wide for his gaze. 

It feels depraved in the best way, to have him watch you while he pleasures himself. There is a power flowing through your veins, something sweet and wicked and a boldness grabs hold of you. You dip your fingers low to spread the arousal onto your fingers, scoop some of it up to swirl against your clit. 

“This is what I do when you do not call for me, Dominus. I touch myself like this, and think of you.” His hand lands on your knee, holding your leg up as he moans, wantonly at your admission. 

“What do you think of Girl? Tell me–” He squeezes at his cock, brow furrowed while his eyes rake over you. 

“I think of you taking me Dominus, I think of how good you feel, how big you are, how I can feel you for days, how I want nothing more than for you to come into my chamber and make me yours.” Your fingers speed up, the pleasure heightened by the depravity of it. 

“Do you flutter at the thought of me giving you this?” He presses the tip of himself to your entrance, not pushing inside but letting you feel him there. 

“Yes–” It’s a pained moan. The blunt tip of him spreads you just enough to tease, it’s an exquisite torture, one that could make you cry with arousal. 

“Tell me you want it, tell me you’ll die without it, tell me you want me, Girl.” He leans forward a little, enough to make you chase the relief of him but his grip at your knee moves down to your hip, holding you there. Your fingers almost lose their rhythm. You let out a pitiful whine. 

“Tell me, and I’ll give it to you, tell me you want me, tell me–” He begs now, and you nod frantically. 

“I need you Dominus, I need you, I will die without you, I beg of you, give me the relief of your body.” Your tone is high, something frantic, something pathetic, something desperate but it soothes something in him. 

It’s a tidal wave when he shoves himself inside to the hilt. The climax spreads through every vein, through your fingers and toes through his steady strokes. He falls to cover your body with his, his tongue licking into your mouth, every nerve alight as he moans into your mouth, his cock spilling his own passion deep into your womb within a few seconds.

“God’s above, I, that was–” He breathes hard against your mouth, his eyes darting about your face as you both pulse in and around one another, “I–” He seems a little lost for words. The euphoria is still bright in your body, and so you save him from himself. You pull him down for a kiss, soft and languid as you run your fingers through his sweat-damp hair. 

“Shall I return to my chambers Dominus? Or shall I stay?” You push his hair back. The wine has made him forget himself, has made him forget that you are just his Girl, you have to remind him.

For the sake of your poor heart on the morrow.

“Stay.” You nod. 

–

Tag list: @frannyzooey @greeneyedblondie44 @lola4pedro @221bshrlocked @artsymaddie @supernaturalgirl20 @sleep-tight1 @sherala007 @cannedsoupsucks @thirstworldproblemss @ilikechocolatemilkh @freeshavocadoooo @hrk-fic-recs @maxwell--lord @the-feckless-wonder @kirsteng42 @thisshipwillsail316 @feministfanboi  @stevie75 @readsalot73 @pedrostories @tobealostwanderer @mandocrasis @elegantduckturtle @diogodxlot @alczysz17 @evyiione @absurdthirst @beskarboobs @andruxx @littlemissoblivious @1800-fight-me @maievdenoir @gracie7209 @omlwhatamidoinghere @magikfanatic @frankiecatfish @pedritoispunk @studythoreauly @missswriter @pintsizemama @mswarriorbabe80 @a-trial-run-on-paper @la-le-lu @chickadee-djarin @dobbyjen @rosiefridayrogersunday @ajeff855 @johnsrevelation @the-witty-pen-name @zombiesnips-blog @sarahjkl82-blog @fan-of-encouragement @queenofthecloudss @deadhumourist @felicisimor @toomanystoriessolittletime @what-iwish-you-knew @pedrostories @athalien @bi-thewayy @literallydontlook @pedrosbrat @gamingaquarius @luxmundee @iamafadedmoon @nakhudanyx @littlemisspascal @grogusmum @recklessworry @heyitmelexie @killyspinacoladas @gothicxbarbie @evildxad @dragonslarimar @spideysimpossiblegirl @chemtrail-mix @breezythesimp @altarsw @artooies-scream @staygolddindjarin @softsweetedbeauty @littlemisspascal @yuiopiklmn @squidwell @just-blogging-around @bbyanarchist @girlofchaos @maddiedrmr @frasmotic @acourtofsnakes @buckybarneshairpullingkink @astoryisaloveaffair @harriedandharassed  @shirks-all-responsibilities @androah @alwaysachorusgirl @dindjarinsmut @captain-jebi @gallowsjoker @tusk89 @dadbodfanatic-x @naiomiwinchester @blazedprince @avidreader73 @mr-underhills-things @avengersfan25 @tastygoldentaters @nyotamalfoy @mymindfuckery @its-nebuleuse @missladym1981 @inept-the-magnificent @yesjazzywazzylove-blog @ladyofmidlo72 @greenvita @honey-on-your-tongue @ladylovesloki @alexiamargot06 @purple-fig @picketniffler @somedayheaven @flw3rr @lizzie-cakes

[raiyni-dayz]

Day Five!!! Now featuring some of the suitcase fam in the wilderness!!

Haven't drawn Click in a while, but I'm glad I can still draw him well!! Marcus lent the scarf to him temporarily cuz he was going to stay in the wilderness almost all day,, cant let him get too cold!! (even if he's a ghost😭)

Sonetto and Vertin encounter a mysterious snowman out in the wilderness, which Vertin gladly adds the finishing touch!! (The suitcase kids made it early in the morning, using some plants provided by miss Druvis :D )

Poor Zima was woken up,, he needs some shut-eye sometimes😞

Thanks to @scrunkly-week for making the prompts and just making an overall enjoyable event!! :D

[r1999isgonnakillmeoneday]

im back 😈with more basic info compiled yippeeeee this one will be abt vertin

possible name references for vertin:

vert means green in french which might be the reference to her hair and eye color that is a greenish gray

vertin is an altered form of a german vertein a nickname for service obligation (vertin working for the foundation)

her CN name 维尔汀 Wéi ěr tīng uses the characters like 維 Wéi can have the meaning preserve, maintain, or safeguard. while 尔 ěr can have the meaning you; that; those. and 汀 tīng having the meaning of low, level land along the river, or spit of land. (might not have any leads but this is how they write vertin in CN) could reference on how vertin tries to preserve things before getting hit by the storm

switching the syllables on vertin's name can turn it into invert

thats it for the name

vertin is 16 yrs old

she's saved 63 unregistered arcanists

she became the timekeeper at 12 (poor girl has been overworked since she was 12 :( )

the youngest arcanist being adopted by the foundation at one month old

vertin's love language is implied to be physical affection and gift giving can be found on john titor, cristallo, sotheby, marcus's voicelines and main story where lil vertin gives little trinkets to sonetto when she was in SPDM and the alcohol she gave lilya in chapter 4? i think

she has a scar on her back with the shape of a moon, an eye, and interesting lines

her immunity to the storm is because she possesses an antibody called Asymmetric Protein G that lets her withstand the storm without getting reversed

on oliver fogs wilderness conversation its said that vertin doesn't know why she chose to become the timekeeper as this might imply that she has dissociative amnesia from trauma (is probably wrong i love yapping 💕)

her arcane skills are weak though she can still cast some skills unlike when she was a child

she is highly intelligent in battle and has a high perception towards arcanum

she has high endurance and strength both mentally and physically

she has a habit of not knocking (click and matilda's greetings voiceline)

she often faked her sickness back in SPDM to visit tooth fairy in the infirmary and get toffees

she used to be covered in bruises and small wounds when she was a child most likely from her exploring

she likes to collect things that she finds interesting

she has a magazine called "1930's Girls Sensual Parts Clippings" in the attic from Necrologist's voiceline (vertin girlkisser is so real dont use this as an excuse to sexualize her tho i will nuke u 😡)

she took a random bottle off the ground and drank it, the drink had a label "The Walden Potion Bar" (from Chapter 1 "In Our Time" intermission)

in kakania's idle voiceline it was said that she can sleep while standing up

will add more if i find more things soon!

[ihaveforgortoomany]

(Fic Idea) Exploring the post-Vienna dynamic between Marcus, Kakania and Isolde with possible reconciliation.

(Marcus does appear in very few fics)

Fun prompt one: Kakania has made it very clear in her anecdote, suitcase lines and wilderness lines she will not meet with Isolde until she is able to help her. However in joining the TK team she is often seen finding different ways to evade Isolde, and hey jumping out of married women's windows does pay off alot. Until it doesn't.

Kakania maybe is enjoying tea with Druvis and Lorelei (or really anyone other than Semmelweis and Isolde) until she hears Isolde approaching. So as any sane person would do Kakania promptly leaves via window, just as Isolde sees her exit. This time however is different, Isolde is wearing the new Jazz style outfit from 2.1 (read my other posts on that outfit and why I like the idea of the garment showing her growth) - and unlike her previous two outfits this one allows for more flexibility in movement.

Isolde is also very experienced in emulating and imitating others, as part of her channeling skill. Plus the fact that she has probably seen Kakania escape from windows before (how in a narrow skirt like Kakania's I will never know) means she probably has an idea how to do it. So Isolde also proceeds to jump near perfectly out of the same window to pursue Kakania, much to her shock and horror at realising she really cannot escape Isolde.

Maybe they could finally reconcile here, or at the very least find a way to live again in each others presence.

Prompt Two: Marcus above everyone has all the reason to avoid Isolde, shes the one who killed Greta Hoffman, even if unintentionally Isolde is still the one to end Hoffman's life. Marcus never figured that Isolde would seek her out in any way so why worry one today she will actually speak to her? She thought of this until the very moment Isolde approached her suddenly one today.

Upon returning to the Foundation after 1.9, Marcus was also given Greta's office, and realised she had collected all the editions of the Flannel Isles, from the first to the last one which they had worked together on.

Why would Isolde approach her? Well somehow Isolde was able to find a copy of the Flannan Isles editions in the Foundation's library, read it and tracked down the potential author of them. Why would Isolde take such interest? I would say the detail on the three ghosts that reside in the lighthouse intrigued her enough to seek the author.

This is how I would frame Marcus and Isolde starting to interact despite everything. Marcus being an overanalysed and someone able to discern details in art probably could find common ground with Isolde, who's a perfectionist. They could discuss the nature of ghosts as the both of them have first hand experience (one more pleasant than the other). Discuss art and culture, pointing out finer details and such. Having a connection outside of Kakania would be a good thing for Isolde.

[somacruising]

Tales of the Rays: Mirrage Prison

CHAPTER 6: THE ATONING HERO AND REMORSEFUL CHOSEN (PART 7)

Part 6 | Part 8

You know, I think Chapter 6 of Mirrage Prison is one of my favorite chapters. That's probably because Sync appears in it so frequently, haha. Anyway, we're back aboard the Kerykeion with the Salvation Front. Let's see what the characters have to say about recent developments...

Part 7 (Imperial Capital Hy'Brasail)

Mark: How’s it going, Gareth? Making sense of what Cecily gave us? どうだ、ガロウズ。セシリイからの資料は。

Gareth: …If Shing’s Soma can do what Cecily is describing, then it’s possible that he can repair people’s cores. ……シングの持つソーマにセシリイが言うような機能があるなら心核へのアプローチと修復は可能だ。

Gareth: But— ただ——

Mark: But what? What’s with that expression on your face? ただ？何だよ、妙な顔して。

Gareth: I’m just wondering when Cecily became so knowledgeable about mirrages and mirrage artes. Especially Bifrost’s mirrages… 何でセシリイがこんなに魔鏡や魔鏡術に詳しいのかと思ってな。それもビフレストの魔鏡術に……。

Mark: What, you didn’t teach her all that? 何でって、あんたが教えたんじゃないのか？

Gareth: She asked to be my apprentice, but she’s just a kid. I only taught her basic techniques. 弟子にしてくれと押しかけられはしたがまだ子供だぞ。基本的な技術しか教えてない。

Gareth: She shouldn’t be capable of this level of research. こんなレベルの研究ができるような奴じゃないんだ。

[ CRESS AND PHILLIP ENTER ]

Mark: Hold up, Phil. How’s Ami’s condition? おっと、フィル。アミィはどうだった？

Phillip: I’ve confirmed that she has a damaged core. Something must have happened to it. 確認できたよ。確かに心核が傷ついていた。何らかの形で心核に接触したんだろう。

Phillip: I might be able to repair it with my mirrage, but I want to play it safe and wait for Chester to get back first. 僕の魔鏡術でも修復可能かも知れないがここは安全第一にチェスターの帰りを待つつもりだ。

Cress: I hope Chester and everyone are all right. チェスターたちは大丈夫でしょうか。

Mark: Infiltrating the Empire is dangerous but he’s got Sync with him, as well as Kratos and Zelos. They’re all pretty skilled. いま帝国にあいつが潜入するのは危険かもしれないな。だがシンクもいるしクラトスもゼロスもかなり腕が立つ。

Mark: I’m sure they’ll make contact with Shing. きっとシングに接触してくれる筈だ。

Cress: Right… All right, Chester, do your best…! そうだね……。チェスター、頑張れ……！

[ SCENE CHANGE ]

Chester: *sighs* ……はぁぁぁ。

Kratos: …Heh. ……フフッ。

Chester: Don’t laugh!! 笑うな！！

Sync: How can we not when you were clinging to Kratos and shrieking like that? そりゃ、笑うでしょ。野太い悲鳴上げてクラトスにしがみついてたんだから。

Chester: He scooped me up and dove out of the Kerykeion’s hatch without any warning!! Who wouldn’t start screaming!? いきなり背負われたと思ったらケリュケイオンのハッチから空にダイブされたんだぞ！？驚く��は当たり前だろ！？

Zelos: We couldn’t enter the Imperial City from the front since we’ve got a guy with a well-known face. A member of the Four Phantom Generals: Chester the Magic Arrow. わりいなあ。顔が割れてる奴を連れてるから正面から帝都に入る訳には行かなかったんだよ。四幻将・魔弓のチェスター様。

Chester: Don’t call me that, you idiot! その名前で呼ぶな馬鹿野郎っ！

[ ENTER ASTOR ]

Astor: Things are quite lively, aren’t they, hee hee hee! 随分と賑やかでございますなぁイヒヒヒヒ！

Chester: Oh, uh, sorry… We had to break into your garden to hide out. あ、悪い……。突然庭に侵入して匿って貰ったのに、騒いだりして。

Astor: No worries, no worries. I heard all about you from the Sparrowfeathers. いえいえ、全てはセキレイの羽の方からご連絡をいただいております。

Astor: You want to speak with Shing Meteor of the Imperial Guard, right? 帝国軍のシング・メテオライト様とつなぎを取りたいとのことでしたね。

Kratos: That’s right. But are you sure you want to help us? その通りだ。しかし、我らに荷担して大丈夫なのか？

Astor: Oh, we’re not a charity. I have every intention of getting a fair price out of this. 私どもも慈善事業ではございませんからそれなりの対価を求めるつもりではおりますよ。

Kratos: You have to be aware of our lack of funds. Is there something else you’re after? 我らに資金がないことは想像が付いていると思うがそれ以外のものを求めると言うことか。

Astor: The Salvation Front is going to suffer without supplies. I’m sure you at least have money for that. 救世軍の方々も補給無しでは苦しゅうございましょう。少なくともその為の資金は残しておられる筈。

Astor: I’d be happy to help you all resupply when the time comes, hee hee hee. 私どもはその補給のお手伝いをさせて頂ければと思う次第でございます。イヒヒヒヒヒヒ。

Sync: …So, even in this world, Astor’s got the spirit of a capitalist. ……この世界でもアスターは商魂たくましいってことか。

[ ENTER HILDA ]

Hilda: …This world? ……この、世界？

Sync: …Nevermind that. Where’s Shing? ……何でもないよ。で、シングはどこにいるのさ。

Astor: Hilda is close friends with Shing. She will take care of everything. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to. シング様とはヒルダが親しくしております。全てはヒルダにお任せ下さい。私は所用にてこれで失礼致します。

Astor: Well, Hilda, I’ll be leaving the rest to you. では、ヒルダ。後は頼みますよ。

Hilda: …What exactly do the Sparrowfeathers want with Astor? ……セキレイの羽ってのはアスター様を何だと思ってるのよ。

Chester: I’m sorry. I know you helped Karol and the others last time, too. 悪い。前回はカロルたちが力を借りたんだったな。

Hilda: So, can you explain to me why you want to meet Shing? How I arrange this will depend on what you want with him. で、どうしてシングに会いたいのか説明してくれるかしら。それによって引き合わせ方も違ってくるから。

[ FADE TO BLACK ]

Hilda: …I see. If that’s the case, then I should pass on the message that Aster told Mithos. I think it would be best for you all to know. ……そう。だとしたら、アステルからミトスに当てた伝言も、あんたたちに伝えておいた方がよさ��うね。

Sync: Aster? As I recall, wasn’t he acquainted with Richter of the Four Phantom Generals? アステル？確かそれって四幻将のリヒターの知り合いじゃなかった？

Chester: Yeah. Aster is a friend that Richter lost in their original world. ああ。リヒターが元の世界で亡くしたダチだって言ってたな。

Hilda: Yes. He’s a free spirit—in more ways than one. ええ。色々と自由な子でね。

Hilda: Aster is researching spirits on behalf of the Empire, but he’s often out of his office wandering around the capital. 帝国で精霊の研究をしてるんだけどしょっちゅう抜け出して帝都をふらふらしてるのよ。

Hilda: Aster was the one who told Mithos that Martel had been taken. ミトスにマーテルが攫われたことを知らせたのもアステルなの。

Kratos: …Hilda, what exactly was Aster’s message? ……ヒルダ。アステルからミトスへの伝言というのは？

Hilda: —Martel’s current location. ——マーテルの居場所よ。

Zelos: Seriously!? How did he figure that out!? マジかよ！？どうやって調べたんだ！？

Hilda: Well, he started talking about probability and psychological distance and other things… さぁ。確率がどうとか心理的距離がどうとか色々言ってたけれど……。

Hilda: Besides, from what you all have said, it would be dangerous to leave Mithos alone. それよりあんたたちの話を聞く限りミトスを放っておくのは危険でしょう。

Kratos: …It is. In our original world, the anger and grief of losing Martel swept away all of Mithos’ reason. ……そうだな。あれは元の世界でもマーテルを失って、��りと悲しみが理性を押し流した。

Kratos: No one in this world will be able to stop Mithos if he loses Martel again. この世界でもマーテルを失えばもう誰もミトスを止められぬ。

Kratos: I wasn’t able to protect Martel either. In this world, I want to save her, even if nothing in this world is real. それに私もマーテルを守れなかった。この世界では救ってやりたい。たとえここが影の国であってもな。

Hilda: That boy is a half-elf, isn’t he? Both elf and human. ハーフなんでしょう、あの子。エルフと人間の。

Kratos: Yes, he’s been hurt many times because of that. ああ、その為に何度も傷つけられてきた。

Hilda: …I see. How strange. It seems that half-breeds keep gathering around me for some reason. ……そう。不思議ね。何故か私の周りにはハーフの子たちが集まってくるみたい。

Sync: Are there any half-elves here aside from Mithos? ミトスの他にもハーフェルフがいるの？

Hilda: …Not specifically half-elves. It seems that strange things always happen when two worlds join together. ……エルフじゃないけどね。異世界のヒトが色々集まると妙なこともあるもんだわ。

Hilda: Now then, let’s be off. Shing is at I Pucelle Castle right now. さて、それじゃあ行きましょうか。シングはいまイ・ラプセル城にいるのよ。

Hilda: I would have preferred to use the underground passages, but security is getting tighter. We’ll be going through the city, which is going to be more dangerous. 地下通路が使えれば良かったんだけど今は警備が厳しくなってるから多少危険でも街を抜けていくわ。

Hilda: Once we get to the castle, it will be easy to get inside. 城にさえ着けば、中に入るのは簡単よ。

Sync: You’re saying its security is weak? 城の警備が手薄ってこと？

Hilda: The people in charge of security there are Astor’s subordinates. 警備担当の人間がアスター様の手の者なのよ。

Zelos: Okay then, let’s get going. Remember, my sweet Hilda, do your best not to fall in love with me! よっしゃ、それじゃあ行くとするか。俺さまの華麗な活躍を見て惚れるなよヒルダちゃん！

Hilda: —Sweet Hilda…? ——ヒルダ、ちゃん……？

Zelos: Ah, those irresistible cold eyes… I think I might die! あー、その冷たい目がたまらない。俺さまもだえちゃう！

Hilda: First that old Raven person, now this guy…? You people seem to be seriously short on manpower. これといい、前のレイヴンとか言う奴といいあんたたちのところは深刻な人材不足みたいね。

Sync: It’s more like we’re well-stocked with human resources. In a bad way. むしろ人材が豊富なんじゃない？悪い意味で。

Kratos: …I-I’m sorry. ……す、すまぬ。

Part 6 | Part 8