#rhrn spoilers but not really?

[nimbusghoulette]

I honestly love the fact that none of us realized this dude's name was Mr. Psaltarian, not Saltarian, until we saw his name in the RHRN credits

[dewinabsentia]

rain’s big screen moment

[copias-juicebox]

lounging there like a greek youngling during symposium

[preqvelle]

"Did ya ..."

[101d1g1tald0ng001]

Made some Ghost fanart because my amazing girlfriend wanted to go see the Ghovie💛🎸

[dxncemxcabre]

My sweet sweet boy, you are so goofy and unhinged and I love you

[ghouleh-ghouleh]

Rite Here Rite Now (2024)

Cumulus Ghoulette singing Spillways

[gintheghoul]

i really like the theory for the next ghost album that is us seeing the return of papa emeritus ii who's cardi's secret twin. he's reanimated and back to redeem himself. definitely because they focused on his face in the stained glass while sister imperator is telling cardi "everything that has a beginning, has an ending". plus there was someone else on here saying something about one of the candles in cardi's room being a saint that could resurrect, or something like that, which is fun.

i also think that the end credits of rhrn were a clue to the themes. it'll be about war, atrocities, evil, death, fascism, annihilation, etc. it'll have even more of a sinister sound- my partner thinks it will have a more 60's goes modern metal vibe. they have the range!

[thelampisaflashlight]

Deal With The Devil

[Something, something, I keep imagining little snippets of Bea making admittedly poor decisions for the sake of preserving the little peace/home she has found at the abbey, and Sister Imperator being just a bit too sweet about it...]

"It's funny really, how often I am vilified for what I have done to make it to my place here," Sister Imperator muses, trailing her fingers along the surface of the desk, "while Nihil and his sons have been allowed to do as they please without receiving nearly as much hate as I have... I know what the siblings think of me, what the people outside these walls think of me... What you think of me. I am not blind to their animosity, and perhaps some of it is earned, but much of it is misplaced."

"My son is a good man, a powerful man, but at the end of the day, who do you think he turns to when he is lost and confused?" she asks, turning to look at Bea head on, "His mother, of course... but I'm going to die soon."

Bea thinks of the pill bottles she saw on the older woman's nightstand, the doctor's visits that seemed to take longer and longer each time...

"And why are you telling me all of this...?" Bea asks, nearly falling backwards in her chair when Sister Imperator's index finger prods her forehead.

"You're an odd girl, you know that, Miss. Milne?" the woman laughs, dry and humorless, "But I like you."

"Huh?"

"You're a bitch." she says and Bea flushes, "You don't take shit from anyone, and while you're boiling with rage, you still manage to get your work done; That shows a great deal of potential."

As Bea reels from being called a bitch by her employer, Sister Imperator returns to her seat and settles down, briefly adjusting her cardigan before shuffling her chair forward.

"Copia will be taking my place as steward to the Emeritus bloodline, his rightful place as my son, and in his place, another Papa will guide the flock through rituals... When I die, Copia will need to ensure that the people surrounding him are loyal, both to him and to the church." she explains, sliding a clipboard with a series of papers attached to it and a pen, "You've lived here for some time now despite being an outsider to the faith. Under these... new and unfortunate circumstances, you may find yourself shuttered moving forward."

"...You're firing me then?" Bea's lip quivers, "After all the work I've done-"

"No, I am not firing you, dear girl, I am offering you... a firmer position among the clergy." she taps the top of the stack of paperwork, "You'd have to undergo certain rites in order to remain here, but, should you wish to forego those rights and leave, I will make sure you are given the time and compensation in order to do so."

"I won't make you take the rites, nor will I hide any of their details from you, but-"

Bea picks up the clipboard.

"I'd get to stay though... right?"

Sister Imperator smiles.

"Forever, if you'd like."

[shaykesqueer]

🚨GHOVIE SPOILERS🚨

Idk what it is but I’m just so in love with the way Copia goes “did you?” after Nihil says he wrote three songs.

It’s just so deadpan and serious it really gets me.

Just.

…………Did you. 😐

Perfect

[infestissu]

guys for any of you that stayed for the ghovie credits,, can y’all tell me what happened?? cause i didn’t get to stay had to leave early 🥲🥲

[cardboardboxfly]

I agree

This is cannon now

I fully believe that the LA Ghoulettes are Sister Imperator's Ghoulettes, and she summoned them.

She doesn't have time for goofy male Ghouls. She has four well trained (and dangerous) Ghoulettes to pad by her side. They've been with her since the 60s.

Also, the Ghoulettes NEVER forgive Nihil. They don't listen to him, and when he does try to talk to them, they hiss at him.

[iwillbringyouruin]

Visions Magazine with Tobias Forge on the idea behind Rite Here Rite Now, the importance of soundtracks in general and how he distinguishes between himself and his characters (Visions Magazine issue nr. 377, 08/2024)

Full translation of the included interview by me below the cut - buckle up, this is a long post! There are no spoilers for RHRN in this.

Markus Hockenbrink: Tobias, have you ever watched the movie Metallica: Though The Never?

Tobias Forge: Yes, once, when it had just come out. The topic Metallica came up when we were taking care of the funding for [RHRN]. Every larger production company – and I have to emphasise here that this was before Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour and her extremely successful movie about it – voiced a lot of concern back then whether anybody would still be interested in concert movies. I had to explain time and again that my movie wouldn’t be a typical concert movie, to which I was asked several times: “Oh, so something like Through The Never?” I had to deny that again. We tell a story in our movie most of our fans are already familiar with. So it’s not an entirely new concept, which is already the first distinction from Through The Never. If you only consider that there is a concert part and a feature film part, then those two movies are probably similar. But that also applies to La La Land.

M. Hockenbrink: You describe your movie as a combination of Kiss’ Alive II, Ralph Bakshi cartoons and silent film horror. Is that a kind of childhood dream that comes true there?

T. Forge: Definitely. For as long as I’ve been interested in music, I’ve also been interested in film and television. Working in film could have also been a career option for me, but I always got the rather annoying impression that one would have to go to film school to really find a place in that field. School was never my strong suit, I see myself more as a autodidact in that regard. That I had the opportunity to work on/contribute to my own movie as a sorcerer’s apprentice of sorts is a real privilege. That is a dream come true but it is also something I can picture more of in the future. Next time maybe without the band.

M. Hockenbrink: Can you remember a specific moment in your life when you realised that you were especially drawn to topics that are slightly morbid and unsettling?

T. Forge: I think that due to my family I came in contact with vastly different kinds of pop culture from a very young age. In more traditional families with more conservative parents and siblings of similar ages, you only really start with your respective journey to find yourself in your teens. Then there are often restrictions that are meant to distract from those darker influences. My parents on the other hand are very liberal and my brother was 13 years older than me. There were never limits or censorship for me. My childhood didn’t go by without rules entirely, but I was always allowed to watch or listen to what my brother was also watching or listening to. That way I was exposed to all kinds of teenage culture from the beginning. Sure, I also liked Pippi Longstocking and He-Man. But that was always combined with the French arthouse films my mother liked to watch or the horror flicks my brother was into. I can’t recall a particularly striking horror film experience, but I still remember the first time it dawned on me that movies don’t just exist, they’re made.

M. Hockenbrink: How do you mean?

T. Forge: My father worked as a documentary maker in television. His job was to connect the video track and the sound track in a fitting way for different film production. I saw Jaws on television with him as a small child. It’s important to note that my father is not somebody who can just quietly enjoy films but somebody who likes to butt in. Thanks to him I already had a kind of epiphany during the introduction. He said: “Look closely! There is nothing to see in this underwater scenery except the algae. Technically completely harmless. But it only takes the ominous music to turn the whole scene into pure horror already!” And I thought: Wow! That’s true! Later in the movie you only have to hear that music and it immediately puts you on edge, even when there’s nobody in the water right now. They don’t even have to show the shark anymore. I found it fascinating that the [viewer’s] senses/perception could be manipulated like that. Ever since, I’ve been viewing films with different eyes. I can still allow myself to dive into the story but at the same time I see the practical aspect to film-making.

M. Hockenbrink: I had a similar feeling during the introduction of Shining: technically a cozy road trip in the mountains, but a pure nightmare with the music.

T. Forge: I’m with you on that. Shining is one of the best movies of all time. And funnily enough, only the intro sequence was actually shot in nature. All the other scenes, even if they were outside, were filmed in the studio. Exactly that kind of craftsmanship is what I find inspiring.

M. Hockenbrink: With that in mind, what makes a good soundtrack in your opinion?

T. Forge: We already talked about Jaws, but I can think of Eyes Wide Shut as another example. There is that short piano theme that comes up again and again, incredibly effective. A good soundtrack needs to deliver something that you don’t have to be able to see to perceive its existence. Sure, there are no monsters in Eyes Wide Shut, aside from the main character’s jealousy as an internal monster maybe. But just like the music in Jaws, the theme from Eyes Wide Shut symbolises something that doesn’t have to be shown. The sound is enough. That is also a commonly used effect in adventure and love movies. You just put in a short vignette to describe the love between two characters. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker also has his own theme, that is used every time when things get emotional and you’re supposed to feel that hope. You’ve got to pay attention to that. Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th also has a personal theme to recognise him by. Every time you hear it you immediately know “Oh shit, he’s nearby!”

M. Hockenbrink: What about soundtracks that are made up of songs?

T. Forge: With that, I’m especially thinking of Silence of the Lambs. In the scene where Buffalo Bill dresses up as a woman and dances around his basement, a song called Goodbye Horses by Q Lazzarus is playing. I have no idea how the artist felt about that since the song is now so irrevocably connected to that awful scene, that you can’t listen to it anymore without thinking of it.

M. Hockenbrink: Do you feel like soundtrack work is more appreciated now than it used to be?

T. Forge: I think that it’s definitely gained importance over the last 40 years. The right song on the right soundtrack can be incredibly powerful. Just think of Stranger Things. Obviously, Metallica and Kate Bush already had successful careers before, but what happened with Master of Puppets and Running Up That Hill following the series was something else entirely. The songs were associated so strongly with the narrative, that way more people listened to them than before. Of course I’m a strong advocate for live music but I also realised that nothing is as strong as the connection of visuals and music. That is still the most powerful way to appeal to a deeper emotion through the association.

M. Hockenbrink: More or less a shortcut to the subconscious.

T. Forge: Exactly. But you can’t be cynical about that either. If I was an A&R person at a big label, I would probably also say: “You just have to find a spot for one of your songs on a popular soundtrack, then you’ll have made it!” That’s really how it is. But when you view it from an artistic perspective, when you want to reach people a certain way or bring across a certain message or a certain feeling, the combination of visuals and sound can’t be topped.

M. Hockenbrink: It especially lends itself to an immersive experience, as seems to be in the foreground of [RHRN]. An album by Black Sabbath or Iron Maiden ends at some point, then you’re gone from that metal world again. With Ghost, however, you get the feeling that the illusion just keeps on going, across several media. Did you plan the Ghost mythology like this from the start?

T. Forge: In part. When I started with the band, I only wanted to make a standalone album. The concept was supposed to be interesting and practical, but I wasn’t planning for Ghost to be a huge thing. The style I pictured has its own limits in my opinion. The band was supposed to function a certain way and appeal to a certain target audience. The concert was supposed to be a theatrical performance in the literal sense. Ghost were never supposed to perform in a normal rock club nor go on tour. I wanted more of a kind of Vaudeville show in a proper plushy theatre. The band was supposed to be as anonymous as the actors that stand on stage and play, say, Faust. The idea behind this was: Those who don’t know who the people are on stage are more ready to follow the story. Then we would perform three days back-to-back in select cities. Berlin, Amsterdam, London. Just like Diamanda Galás who can more likely be found at a culture festival than in a rock shack. But things turned out differently in the end, and I had to kiss my original ideas goodbye again, so to speak.

M. Hockenbrink: Why?

T. Forge: After the success of our debut album, it became clear to me that more conventional concerts were going to be demanded of us and that I could only really say yes or no. This problem became worse after our shift to a bigger label. It became clear that my vision of telling stories clashed with the live sector and requirements for success more and more. At a certain point anonymity doesn’t work anymore and I had to make peace with that in the end.  I originally didn’t even want to do interviews but that’s obviously tricky when you want to sell records. The question that I constantly ask myself since is how I can do those things best in the Ghost way without denying the original Vaudeville spirit.

M. Hockenbrink: In his autobiography Golf Monster, Alice Cooper talks about himself in third person a lot when he is talking about his character. Are you feeling similarly at this point?

T. Forge: At least I can definitely see where he’s coming from. There is a difference between the person Vincent Furnier and the character Alice Cooper. I believe that he was on the verge of completely transforming into Alice Cooper at one point – to the point where one has to decide where they want to live or die. In the end he decided to remain Vincent Furnier and only become Alice Cooper for work, on stage. So far I’ve been fortunate to combine the two pretty well, but had I started Ghost ten years earlier in my life, it would have probably affected me similarly to how Alice Cooper did with Vincent Furnier in his time. But with my humble experience as an actor I have to say: every character you play becomes a part of you to a certain extent. You have to find certain qualities – good or bad – within yourself to bring such a character to life. I think that most actors only play one or two roles throughout their life that they then end up being known for. The different characters that I’ve portrayed on stage are not only very similar but actually also a part of me. Fortunately a part of me that I don’t want to deal with all day long.

M. Hockenbrink: Too cynical and antisocial?

T. Forge: Cardinal Copia or Cardi, as I like to call him, is not an all-around cool person, but that makes him so fun to play for me. He is half Freddie Mercury and half Jacques Clouseau. Kind of clumsy, kind of silly, kind of stupid. The kind of guy who trips over his own feet but catches himself elegantly. That’s also me in a way, but not just. And I think that’s easier to embody than a daredevil hero character who can rival anyone and gets all the ladies. When somebody plays only those characters their whole life, it will probably really go to their head. Especially when there are drugs involved on top of that.

M. Hockenbrink: With all that fondness of doom that can be found with Ghost, that universe also has something humorous about it, benign even. It that an intentionally included contradiction?

T. Forge: Yes, and it is also very important to me that it comes across like that. For me that also has something to do with the evolution of metal. Originally it was mostly a phenomenon connected to the youth, nowadays the musicians and their fans are close to retiring. That brings a certain maturity. Even the Norwegian black metal musicians who were super pissed and extreme 30 years ago and were only made of hate and aggression are well-adjusted people now. Bearded fathers and grandfathers with a pleasant view on life that make others laugh. I see a certain duality there. Everything that has something to do with goth, with metal, with horror, appears dark, dismal and hostile at first. But in reality, that can all be extremely life-affirming and a source of great joy for many people. So pretty much the opposite.

M. Hockenbrink: Speaking of horror: could you imagine making a real feature film some day?

T. Forge: Yes, I would love that. I’m well aware that it’s not going to be easy to make what I’m picturing a reality, just because I’ve done directing once with [RHRN] now. The creative liberty I got to enjoy there also was due to the fact that I funded the movie myself. So nobody was meddling with it. That is likely completely different when you work on behalf of a big studio, because we are talking about different sums here. If I only go off my dreams, I would name two points of reference. One is Shining, the other Bram Stoker’s Dracula by Francis Ford Coppola. I would like to make a movie that’s only shot in a studio, with elaborate sets, matte painting and all that. No outside shots, no special effects, no green screen. And no actors who only gets to see what they were actually doing after the fact. Proper old-school. The way movies are actually meant to look.

[namelessdumbass]

Rite Here Rite Now

It was amazing and funny. Copia girlies and boys fucking won!

I expected different outcome, tbh. Tobias managed to surprise me and also made me a tiny bit sad (reasons will be explained in the spoilers below).

The film consists of like 95% of concert footage and 5% of off stage/plot stuff. The quality of sound and editing is just 🤌 I expected the live of Twenties to be good and gosh Ghost delivered. And Mummy Dust...Tobias let Mary Goore out! But i honestly prefer Terzo's version (CaD) better. Sorry not sorry haha. Ghouls/Ghoulettes footage. Everyone who loves them will be very veeeery well fed!

Dance Macabre live...i was'nt wrong when i called it a satanic gay party 😁

The movie is worth watching and i do hope Ghost releases it as soon as possible for all those who were not able to go.

The spoiler free review ends here. Don't read further if you don't want to spoil it for yourself. And please, don't copy them and paste it everywhere for the sake of ruining other people's fun! Seriously, don't fucking do that!

If you accidently clicked here, don't worry! spoilers will be below and you still have a chance to avoid them :)

Alriiiiight:

Movie starts with Saltarian who tells fans to record for the first 2 minutes, to show how happy they are etc and posted a qr code for fans to upload those recordings. I guess it will be put up on RHRN website. We'll see. There were also photos of fans who attended LA ritual. I fucking loved the person who showed up in a giant Plushia suit. I LOLed! Then fans were asked to put down the phones and enjoy the movie. The beginning was narrated Star Wars kinda style (a little bit) with the small recap of the chapters and about Copia's worries that he might die. And yes, it literally began in space lol. The movie is basically is like what we saw in small snippets Ghost posted earlier. Plot mixed with a really good show.

And the plot: -Short footage of Copia and Ghouls arriving. ALmost the whole set was the same as any other concert from Re-Imperatour + a few awesome exceptions. -Dews does that annoying thing with guitar, Rain stops him, takes his pick and throws it into the crowd and Dew...he freaking showed him YouSuck sticker on the backside of his guitar. Peak Dew moment! -Copia asked the right question about the Clery. He also does not quite understand what it does, why and where it goes. I suppose Tobias decided to thicken the Ghost lore a bit and will have more clarity in the nearest future. -Remember when Copia jumped at the end of the Watcher in the Sky? He ended up in one of those stage boxes (for equipment or something) and is taken to the stage B. While he's carried to it by Kevin he has a chat with Nihil's ghost. Nihil says he recorded not 2, but 3 songs. That probably means that we'll hear a new one. (UPD: the new song we heard during the credits, "The Future is a Foreign Land" is Nihil's 3rd song! Confirmed by Tobias himself in a new interview). He also tells Copia to breath in deep and then farts. -On the Stage B Copia sings "If You Have Ghosts". 3 Ghoulettes played piano and violins and the 4th one did the haunting ghost-like opera vocals. It was beatiful. Copia kissed her hand. -He then wore boxing robe and went next to crowd. Almost the whole scene was shown in the trailer. -Btw, remember that silly moment when Nihil's eyes were crossing? Well, Kevin was also included in that staring contest. -Twenties live. The skeletons, the performance and one of those skeletons who crawled between Dew's legs...that's hot. -Nihil calls Copia "son". Copia calls Nihil "Dad". Cardi will insult him later, don't worry. -Nihil/Seestor cartoon during MOAC. Yes, that's when Sis hit him with the car. Basically it's what happens after "Kiss the Go Goat" mv. Sister leaves and Nihil runs after her. "I'll never let you go". They end up kissing in a coffin on a graveyard , later Nihil wakes up naked in a bed in a motel and we see Sister leave. -There was a moment in a movie when we see Ashley (stage crew) bring Copia a new pair of shoes and put the on on his feet. Tobias, goddammit what the hell was that? :D -Seestor was a in wheelchair all the time -She and Nihil encouraged Copia throughout the whole movie and gave him a piece of advice. -About the baloon from the poster. Copia flies on it after finishing the set...or he imagined that because a few moments later after Nihil/Seestor flashbacks he ends up on the floor and watches Seestor die. All of the Ghouls and Ghoulettes also stood right next to her. -Copia has a twin brother -Copia didn't die and became the head the Clergy (Father Imperator or something like this). He found out about his new position from a letter Seestor left for him. -New song during credits (credits show dictators, assassinations, wars and the use of nuclear war). Years 1984 and 2024 mentioned. The song is not heavy. -Ghouls/Ghoulettes real names mentioned in the credits -Funny post credit scene with Copia. He had no piant on and had a new cool drip (with black jacket and red and black cross). Seestor is also a Ghost now. Tobia's children cameo. They're also Ghosts. -Papa V is teased the same way Copia was teased in a chapter 1. They even used the same music (Pro Memoria). No face reveal. Either he will be revealed in new Chapters or at some point during the new tour???

-aaaand my biggest disappointment: no footage of Primo, Secondo and Terzo. Literally ZERO.

I mean, Nihil is a Ghost, Seestor also became a Ghost, even Tobias' children made a cameo as Ghosts, but nothing for previous Papas? Really?! The same could have been done for them, but i guess Tobias doesn't care about them anymore :( And it hurts. I know that's my fault that i had so many expectations and hopes, but holy shit :( As a newbie who never saw previous Papas, i'm so sad i'll never get a chance to see them and there won't be any new footage of them. Being Terzo widow is so hard. Guess that's why i'm a bit salty Copia lives (sorry, guys, i like him, but i also hate him haha)

And yes, as it turned out the twins theory from Square Hammer was true...but not for Terzo 😭

I enjoyed the movie nevertheless. It's fun and kinda gives you an opportunity to see the band "live" if you've never been to a ritual before. And yes, the movies was'nt just about Papa IV and his fate, i believe it was also Tobias' message for us to enjoy the life rite here rite now! As i said, Copia's girlies and boys truly fucking won. Congrats, lads, your Papa lives and will live! I bet that feels amazing. Thanks for reading! P.S. since you know the plot, don't spoil it for the others please.

[da-rulah]

Heads Will Roll - A RHRN Inspired Short

*MAJOR RITE HERE RITE NOW SPOILERS AHEAD*

Do not read on if you don’t want to be spoiled. It’s literally the biggest spoiler in the movie, and I am giving you plenty of warning. Seriously. If you read on and get spoiled, don’t come crying to me in my ask box. I am warning you.  

A/N: This is my own continuation of the ending of the movie. An alternate ending, if you will... It includes spoilers from the final scene, arguably one of the biggest spoilers, and continues from there. Yell at me in my ask box if you want, but this was fun to write...

Rating: Mature Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: Mentions of blood, violence, panic attacks

S P O I L E R S A H E A D 

The empire is now built.  

And he’s so proud of himself. It’s been a long road, he’s worked hard; even cut down people who got in his way... But he’s here now, and despite the sudden passing of his mother, he can’t help the rising feeling of accomplishment – nay, smugness that sits in his chest.  

Of course, his mother stands beside him now as a spectre, joining his father on the spiritual plane that seemingly only he can see into. He wonders why that is sometimes, but it’s a minor detail and one he’s grateful for. At least this way, his mother hasn’t truly left his side. But he does wish his damned father would.  

“We seem to have remodelled here,” Copia remarks as they stand in the hallway of the Ministry; all those months of touring, he wasn’t aware of the changes. He likes them, more to his taste. It’s as if they were made with his ascension in the ranks in mind. He must thank Saltarian for that later. “Good, good...” 

“Well, I’m not in charge anymore,” Sister Imperator sighs dramatically, a little bitter than she can’t continue her role from beyond the grave. But it is what it is, and she’s sure her son is going to do a good job in her place. 

“No, you are not,” Copia gleefully quips, clicking his shiny new shoes together to assert his power.  

“I hope that this new guy doesn’t disappoint like you did,” his father, Papa Nihil grumbles beside him. Copia’s shoulders sag in annoyance, his eyes rolling as he turns to Nihil. 

“Really?” As if he hasn’t been the most successful Papa to date, selling more records, larger tours and spreading the unholy word further than his predecessors – but most importantly, escaping with his life... “Go necro-charge yourself,” he jabs, his polite way of telling his father to piss off and reminding him that he is in fact dead, and has no authority anymore. 

“Oh shut up!” 

“You shut up,” Copia retorts somewhat childishly, a petty little argument starting.  

“The two of you, just stop it. This is done! Just stop it...” Copia raised his hands in surrender, turning back to the doors in front of them.  

“Old habits; they die hard,” Nihil grumbles.  

“Old guys in habits die harder...” Sister comments, pressing her lips together in a tight line as her brow furrows. Copia looks back to his father guiltily, his gaze turning to the tiled floor in front of him. Yeah, didn’t he know it...  

But he couldn’t allow himself to think about that just now. If there was anything he had learned in recent months, it was to not dwell on the past. No matter how dark, no matter what he had done... And he had done some bad things.  

Images of blood-stained hands flashed through his mind, the noises of anguished screams, the silence that had followed... He couldn’t let that haunt him anymore.  

He shook his head of the thoughts, straightening his new expensive suit jacket. The jewels that hung from it rattled against his chest, and he straightened his back to give an air of importance and authority, ready for what was to come.  

“Oh look, here he comes...” Sister Imperator clasps her hands together, wringing them nervously as she hears the footsteps approaching on the other side of the door. Copia lifts his chin, waiting, trying not to show his own nervousness to see the figure approaching, a shadow on the other side of the stained glass doors. The light filters through, turning the end of the hall red which does nothing to quell the anxiety.  

As the new head of the Clergy, he would have thought somebody would have told him who was to be Papa. Frankly, he thought it would be his decision. But the choice had been made long before Sister’s death, and without her knowledge also. It had Saltarian written all over it. He liked to... mess with people.  

The hall fell silent as the shadow figure stood proudly behind the glass. A mitre already sat atop his head, which now he thought about it, was unusual. There had been no ceremony, nor reveal yet. This guy must have some balls to don the Papal robes so soon.  

The shadow reached for the door handles on their side, the knobs squeaking as they turned agonisingly slowly. Copia had to swallow the lump in his throat, reminding himself to stand tall and proud. He was Frater Imperator now. He was in charge.  

The doors swung open, and there he stood, a sickly smirk on his face.

Copia audibly whimpered, losing his balance and stumbling backwards. The panic set in quickly, his chest heaving with heavy breaths that couldn’t get enough oxygen into his lungs no matter how quickly they tried. He managed to regain his footing quickly at least, eyes wide and jaw dragging along the floor while his head swam.  

Beside him, his mother’s hand slapped to her mouth, somehow making a noise despite her no longer being a physical being. Even Nihil was stunned into silence, his brow furrowed with deep lines of confusion.  

Copia had never been so terrified in all his life. Somehow, he thought his demise would have been a kinder end to his own reign than this.  

The new Papa looked nowhere else but at Copia, his eyes glaring at him as if lasers would shoot from his pupils. That smirk still sat on his face; a face that was painted with crisp black and white.  

As he stepped forward, Copia resisted the urge to run. It was all he wanted to do but when it came down to it, his fight or flight response had withered into the third hidden option; freeze.  

Papa walked slowly, deliberately, his gaze never wavering. Copia couldn’t help but stare straight back but he couldn’t meet his eyes... Not after what he’d done. Even when Papa came to a halt a few feet from him. 

“Buonasera, fratello gemello...(Good evening, twin brother...)” The smugness in his voice reflected how Copia had felt moments before. But now? That had dissipated. Nothing but terror remained. “I look forward to working with you, eh?” 

Copia couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t even look in his eyes...  

Instead, his stare was focussed on the garish, ugly, deep red scar that ran in a clean line around his neck...  

How could he not have seen this? So many signs he had ignored... Wilfully ignorant to all of this. Perhaps he had been living in denial, brushing any and every small clue aside so his own guilt would not get the better of him, and he could forget what he'd done.  

The scratch marks on the inside of his final resting place, the mortician who swore his foot had twitched in the morgue... It was Saltarian who insisted the movie be called ‘Rite Here, Rite Now’; his song. Even the music video served as foreshadowing, literally enacting his spirit rising from the dead...  

Copia felt like a fool. Had he not been so wilfully blind, maybe he would have seen it. Maybe he could have stopped it.  

But no, now he was staring directly at the result of the most evil deed he had ever committed; murdering his own twin brother. He could only hope he didn’t remember...  

“Terzo, what a... surprise...” Imperator stuttered beside Copia. Clearly, she had also been kept in the dark on this one...  

Terzo finally tore his gaze from Copia, instead smirking down at his mother who had too been instrumental in his untimely end.  

“Buona sera mamma, (Good evening mother,)” he greeted, sickly sweet and filled with patronisation. “You look well,” he joked. You know, because she was dead...

“S-so do you,” she smiled, her lip twitching. Terzo opened his arms to hug her, and with hesitation, she followed suit. 

“Oh, wait...I forgot,” he stopped, lowering his arms and leaning towards her with a shit eating grin on his face, “sei morto ora (you are dead now).” 

He took a step back, clearing his throat and turning back to Copia. “So, here we go again, eh?” 

“I-I suppose...” Copia choked out, still in shock.  

Copia and Terzo had always had a difficult relationship... Terzo was older by mere minutes, and when they had been born, Nihil had given his son the next title in line, only to give the second, smaller, weaker twin a name to match; Copy. Copia had always been treated as the weaker, the lesser of the two by their father. Their mother, however, had pitied Copia from the start and sided with him wherever she could. It had fuelled so much competition, so much resentment that it led to Terzo’s own end...  

To say their relationship was fraught was a severe understatement.  

“You boys... will have to learn to work together,” Sister Imperator warned, watching warily as the tension between the brothers built.  

“Oh, sí, we can work together, can’t we fratellino?” Terzo slapped his brother’s arm in fake encouragement.  

“S-sí, of course...” 

“Molto bene! (Very good!) I promise, best behaviour. Even little Cardi here will learn to work alongside me,” Terzo leaned forward, staring menacingly into Copia’s eyes with the smug smirk from before and getting into his personal space in a display of defiance. 

“Or heads will roll...” 

[sadistic-cardinal]

Call Me Copia

Copia x Sister of Sin

Word count: 1450

A Sister of Sin comes across a disassociating Frater Imperator and offers him a little bit of comfort. He is very stuck in his own head.

Post RHRN so there are some spoilers for the Ghovie.

Read it on A03: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60551332

"Someone needs to do something."

"We can't just go up and bother members of the upper clergy."

"He has been stood there for four and a half hours, we can't just leave him."

"Well, I'm not getting in trouble. If you want to that's fine by me. Come on, Jen."

Sister Macy takes one last look at the back of the man in question before looping her arm through Sister Jen's and heading briskly down the long corridor, leaving the reluctant Lucy alone to make her own mind up about what to do.

Lucy sighs, wringing her hands as she listens to the fading footfalls of her friends' hasty retreat. Members of the upper clergy. Such formalities never seemed to apply to him before. Though far from a social butterfly, Copia never seemed the type of man that would turn you away or be angry at a genuine display of compassion. For all the nasty rumours that surrounded him, Lucy was always one to trust her own eyes and ears and what she saw of the former Papa he was a gentle, kind, somewhat awkward but infinitely patient man whose door was always open for siblings in need.

He was nothing like his mother. The late Sister Imperator. Stern. Cold. Dismissive. The iron fisted ruler of the Ministry who dispatched Ghouls and Papas at will. Though she was always good to him. Her son. At least in recent years. The whole situation was rather sad, Lucy thought. And more than likely the cause for Papa- no, Frater Imperator's- increasingly odd behaviour as of late. Siblings had noted him spacing out, far more than usual. His eyes, even under the black Papal paints, were sunken and hollow. Glassy. Lifeless. On more than one occasion he had been seen yelling at thin air. The paperwork was piling up, the Ghouls were distressed, and now he was standing in the hallway, looking into empty space, and had been for the past few hours.

No, it was not right to leave him like this, Lucy decided. Consequnces be damned, since when was it disallowed to ask Copia if he would like a cup of tea? That wouldn't exactly warrent an excommunication, would it?

She finds her feet moving and before she even realises what she is doing, she is next to him.

"P...-"

Good start. Almost calling him the wrong title. Lucy internally scolds herself for her mistake.

Although, in his current state he may appreciate his old one a little more. Maybe it would feel like none of this ever happened. Maybe he could believe he really was still Papa, still had his Ghouls, still had his mother. Even just for a moment. But then the illusion would shatter once again. No, not Papa. Not anymore.

"Frater Imperator?" She asks timidly.

Nothing. He is like a statue. If it weren't for the rise and fall of his chest and the occasional blink she would have thought he too had been embalmed, like his brothers.

"Frater Imperator?" She says, a little louder.

Still nothing. She looks up at him and sees the tension. Practically feels it radiating off him. A thin sinew wound tight in his neck, his hands clamped together in front of his stomach, his shoulders absolutely rigid.

It is there she touches him, just below his shoulder.

"Copia." She says, firmly, as her fingers make contact with the pleasant texture of the very expensive black jacket he wears.

He stiffens instantly, sucking air through his teeth, and looks at her with an expression that reminds her of a frightened, cornered animal.

"Ah, s-sister. Hello. How do you do..?"

He manages, and she tries to fight off the pitying expression she can feel plastered all over her face.

"Just fine, Frater." She says gently, removing her hand before he notices.

"Um..."

He cocks an eyebrow at her, his gloved hands twisting together, a habit so deeply ingrained it is automatic at this point. They stare at eachother for what feels like an agonising eternity.

"Sister? May i help you? I am ah... i am quite busy."

It is Lucy's turn to cock an eyebrow.

"Frater... "

"Hmh?"

"You... um, you have been stood here for a while. I... just wanted to um... see if you needed anything...?"

Copia blinks.

"A while?"

He repeats back. Then he sees it. The pity. The concern. She doesn't have to tell him, it's written all over her face.

"...ah."

"Yes, Frater, i... i don't mean to interrupt but you've been in this corridor since two. It's... it's half past six now. Um... -"

"I see."

Copia sighs. He had done it again. It kept happening. Losing hours and hours. The tunnel vision. Feeling like he was outside himself. Seeing it again. The LA Forum. The view from a mile high. His mother. The paramedics. The Ghouls... Her body, lifeless-

"Copia?"

His name snaps him back to reality with an uncomfortable jolt. She was saying something. This pretty little Sister with her red hair and freckles. What was she saying?

"Perdonami?"

She smiles for the first time since the conversation started and his chest fills with warmth. A rare and pleasent sensation amidst the utter turmoil that accounts for most of his essence.

Then her hand is on him again, on his forearm and squeezing lightly. A sensation like electricity shoots upwards from the point of contact and he can hardly stand it.

The sheer open sincerity and kindness of the gesture almost breaks him right there.

He doesn't know her, not really. He has seen her around, of course, but what is this sweet little thing doing being kind to a weird old man like him? Respectful, yes, the siblings have to be, it comes with the position. But genuine kindness? That is not something he is often on the recieving end of. Odd. Awkward. Creepy. That's what they think of him. He is not stupid, he knows what they all say behind his back. And they're right, he knows this too. 'She should be running,' he thinks. What is she doing alone in a corridor with a man who can hardly control his own mind right now. She knows it. It is why she came over in the first place. She's speaking again. That gentle, soothing voice. Something about tea.

"Tea?" He blurts, just about having caught that as his thoughts began to spiral again. Her hand was gone from his arm but the lingering sensation of her touch remained. When was the last time someone had touched him? Was it when the stage hands had helped him up off the ground...-

"It always calms my nerves."

"What?"

Lucy smiles. For a Satanic nun she really did have the patience of a saint. What was she doing here?

"Camomile tea. It never fails. I have some... in my dorm. I could make you a cup, Frater? It's just... forgive me but you look like you could use a nice hot cup and... maybe... a little company?"

Damn where his mind went when she said that. Even in his moment of need when this girl comes to help he's still just an old letch-

"Yes."

"Yes? Great, I'll get it...-"

"Eh, no, you don't need to. I have some. I have some in my quarters."

He looks at her, idly tapping his fingers together, another nervous tick.

"If you're comfortable coming... eh...you don't have to...-"

Why must he be this awkward? She offered, didn't she? If this girl had any sense she would turn tail and run.

"I'd love to, Frater." A part of her must have sensed his need because in an instant her hand is looping through the crook of his elbow and gently guiding him along. His old knees creak, seizing from having been stood in one spot for so long, and he tries not to betray it on his face. Instead he concentrates on the feeling of her small hand ever so gently squeezing his arm. Again it is almost too much but oh how he craves it. The anxious tapping stops and he gently places his gloved hand over hers as they walk, feeling more present than he has in weeks.

"You... eh... what was your name again?" How rude not to have asked before. The shame turns his ears red and he steals a glance at her. She doesn't seem to mind.

"Lucy, Frater. Sister Lucy Corson." She says, giving his arm another gentle squeeze as they make their way through the Ministry.

He lets out a little sigh, making sure he commits it to memory, determined to remember every detail of this moment.

"Lucy. Eh... Please... just call me, Copia."