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Thread: Trinity Angles (Discussion Thread)

  1. #1761
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    Having not seen Captain Marvel, which I assume is what is being referred to here (as Fury isn't Director yet, plus "the blonde"), I'm not entirely sure where that's going, but it looks interesting. They must be going back far enough that Fury can actually warn Croaker, so over half a decade, which seems to line up. And I suppose the lack of trained wizard/Auror despite warning during the previous incident is explained by maintaining Time Turner no-paradox rules (and probably politics).

    It also feels a like cheating for Croaker to gloat a bit over "tricks and clever ideas" when he gets foreknowledge from a few years in the future from time travel (albeit somewhat indirectly). Youth not being infallible, not omniscient, sure. On the other hand, it is a tried-and-true lesson, he's earned it from experience, and even with foreknowledge, it's an impressive degree of subtlety. Also, he'd probably tell me there's no such thing as cheating.

  2. #1762
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
    Having not seen Captain Marvel, which I assume is what is being referred to here (as Fury isn't Director yet, plus "the blonde"),
    Yup. It meant I had to do some *serious* thinking when it was announced that it was set in 1995, but I think I managed a pretty good means of merging things.


    I'm not entirely sure where that's going, but it looks interesting.
    Thank you - I admit, this is a universe I've always *wanted* to play with . . .


    They must be going back far enough that Fury can actually warn Croaker, so over half a decade, which seems to line up.
    More or less - the badge *is* Galen's, and it's an *active* one; that alone got Croaker to *listen* to Fury long enough to understand what had happened a couple of months earlier, and set things in motion. Of course, they still had to keep things under wraps until hitting *this* point in time . . .



    And I suppose the lack of trained wizard/Auror despite warning during the previous incident is explained by maintaining Time Turner no-paradox rules (and probably politics).
    More or less, yes.


    It also feels a like cheating for Croaker to gloat a bit over "tricks and clever ideas" when he gets foreknowledge from a few years in the future from time travel (albeit somewhat indirectly). Youth not being infallible, not omniscient, sure. On the other hand, it is a tried-and-true lesson, he's earned it from experience, and even with foreknowledge, it's an impressive degree of subtlety. Also, he'd probably tell me there's no such thing as cheating.
    Pretty much - I *did* envision the guy as being played by Sir Anthony Hopkins, so you can guess what he's like . . .
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  3. #1763
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    Having wanted it for a while, I made an index of every major snippet I could find in the thread. I can't guarantee I got everything in the first 50 pages, as I was using thread search to find your posts specifically, and didn't expand ones that looked like simple responses. Your habit of titling posts that have snippets helped. Index is roughly by crossover universe, with miscellaneous first, then major crossover themes like Persona, the MCU and DC universes, RPG systems, Type-Moon, Grail Works, and finally Potterverse (which is mostly continuations/omake), and then ordered mostly by age. This means that crossovers that started early, even if they were continued later, show up early.

    I might go back through to see if I missed any, but this took a few hours already (and it's now past midnight). If you'd like any formatting done (like cleaning up the links, replacing them with post titles, re-ordering or similar) I can do that given a specification. Or you can edit it yourself.

    I should probably also factor in snippets from After the Fall for completeness, since it has a number of good ones.
    Last edited by Arbitrarity; October 15th, 2019 at 02:55 PM.

  4. #1764
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Well, thank you - it's unexpected, but I appreciate it, nonetheless.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  5. #1765
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Trinity: A Study in Amethyst

    12 Grimmauld Place
    London, England
    July 30, 1999









    It said something about her life, Takara supposed, that her idea of celebrating her eighteenth birthday—the birthday in which she became a legal adult in the non-magical world, as well as the magical—amounted to what the British called “a quiet night in.”

    Whether that “something” referred to a mature outlook on life, or a simple distaste for adventurous antics given said life so far, she didn’t know—and quite frankly, she was too tired to really care, at this point. Between spending nine months finishing her final year at Hogwarts, doing extracurricular studies to catch herself up on her mundane schooling credentials, and helping with the rebuilding of Hogwarts in specific and magical Britain in general, this last year had been as exhausting, if not always as nerve-wracking, as the prior seven.

    Thank heavens for that we finally worked out how to produce the incomplete Philosopher’s Stone’s version of the Elixir of Life, she thought in reflection. Even if it did require daily dosages instead of monthly, I don’t know how we’d have got through all this without its benefits.

    The Japanese witch briefly tried to picture what it would have been like trying to complete all their tasks without the Lesser Elixir’s stamina enhancements, or actually needing more than two and a half hours of sleep a night, and shuddered.

    So, yes, it had been a rather exhausting year—and after all, it had effectively taken her thirty-five years to reach this point; as such, the concept of her eighteenth birthday was kind of skewed, anyway . . . Still, she’d managed to fit in a birthday breakfast with her family (fresh chocolate croissants and chocolate-chip pancakes), and a birthday lunch with the same, as well as her friends. That was when the majority of her presents—and the cake—had actually appeared, so perhaps it made sense that she was “birthday-ed out,” for the moment.

    As such, she was presently sitting in her favourite chair in Grimmauld’s sitting room, Mirai curled up in her lap and purring delightedly at Takara’s ministrations and murmured praise. In response to a particularly good ear-scratch, she tilted her head, pressing her skull hard against Takara’s fingers, and opened her eyes just a crack.

    My witch, came the feeling of possessive pride, and utter contentment as her virtually boneless form managed to slump even further into relaxation.

    Takara smiled herself, and said in a tone that conveyed equal contentment, and reassurance, as well. “Mine, forever and always.”

    Claws sank briefly into her thighs, Mirai’s purr loudening for an equal length—her way of returning the sentiment.

    What startled Takara however, were the cool fingers that abruptly began delicately tracing their way down her collarbone as strong, slender arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders.

    “I feel much the same,” Hermione said warmly, her tone taking on a sardonic lightness as she added, “Of course, in my case, ‘forever and always’ is a bit more literally meant than most . . .”

    “. . . I’m still considering that,” Takara said quietly.

    It was a temptation, since they had the Philosopher’s Stone, after all; access to the Elixir of Life meant that “forever” really was a possibility—or as much of one as magic would allow. Going by the “Crimes of Grindelwald” movie, Flamel hadn’t exactly been in a state most people would want to live in, after all . . . But then again, he’d been a medieval man who’d created the Stone presumably late in life—the quality of life, even with magical assistance, hadn’t exactly been stellar.

    Hermione shrugged, almost carelessly. “Given what we’ve already managed to achieve by accident in the field of prolonging life, a decade or two to mull over things isn’t asking for a lot, Taka-chan—though I would prefer your minds be made up before you’ll be mistaken for my parents for the rest of eternity . . .”

    That was fair, Takara admitted. Becoming Animagi the way that they had, magic sometimes counted them as two people—which meant that they aged at half the rate most witches and wizards did, which was half the mundane speed to begin with. After twenty years, she’d be biologically twenty-two—and probably not look any older than Hermione, still.

    “. . . And if worse comes to worst,” the vampire witch added, “I can always swallow the Stone.”

    Takara frowned. “Hermione—”

    ‘We’ve discussed this’—I know,” the older witch pre-empted her. “I maintain that the theory is sound: the Philosopher’s Stone is a transformative substance that renders things into their most ideal state. If there was ever a cure for vampirism that isn’t outright lethal—

    “Except it might very well be,” Takara countered. “It’s a purifying agent, among other things—and even if your reactions to such things aren’t as violent as most revenant vampires, we both know they still hurt you. And you saw what the mere Elixir did to Galen . . .

    “I KNOW!” Hermione snapped, eyes flaring red-gold, and causing Takara to bolt out of the chair and into a defensive stance. Mirai tumbled to the ground with a yowl of protest, drawing both witches’ attention as the cat twisted in mid-fall to land on her feet, tail lashing and glaring at Hermione—who stilled for a moment, and then sagged dejectedly.

    “I’m so sorry,” she said in a leaden voice. “I only wanted to wish you a happy birthday—I’m just . . . Not enthused about the concept . . .” Her eyes sank to the floor, even as a flourish of one hand produced a box, which Hermione set on the side table with a sigh. “I’ll just g—”

    Takara, as a rule, wasn’t vampire-fast. Arguably, she was the quickest human alive in terms of reflexes, as well as flexible enough to be an Olympic gymnast or professional contortionist, and no mean runner, either—but she was still human, and operated under the same biological constraints as any other organism. There were hard limits encoded into her to keep herself from doing serious self-harm; yes, a mother could lift a car off her trapped child, but there was a reason it wasn’t a commonplace event.

    . . . But on the other hand, it could be done—and so, Takara darted forward and had a firm grip around Hermione’s wrist before the vampire witch thought to dash off at high speed herself.

    “Wait,” Takara said firmly—and when Hermione turned to stare at her in surprise, she sighed, herself. “. . . You’re usually the mature one, and that means I sometimes forget how young you are.”

    Hermione’s eyebrows rose dramatically at that statement, and Takara fixed her with a Look.

    “Don’t pretend you don’t know exactly what I mean,” Takara said flatly, “You’ve been in Galen’s head, and he’s almost as old as both of us put together.

    “. . . I do,” Hermione allowed, “but I find it kind of depressing to consider that the first children my own age that I managed to make friends with were actually adults playing the part.”

    “That’s fair,” Takara admitted. “But on the other hand, Neville and Ginny were entirely genuine children, so if you’re counting us as a group . . .” She shook her head. “Not important right now—my point, Hermione, is that you caught me off-guard. You’re thinking like someone my biological age, wanting something right now; but there honestly isn’t a rush, Hermione. I’ve turned eighteen, not eighty—” She hesitated, and then added quietly, “. . . And the last time I used the Stone to experiment on one of my lovers, I nearly killed him.

    Neither of us has Galen’s luck, Hermione,” Takara said solemnly, “and I don’t want to push it.”

    “I understand,” Hermione sighed. “I even agree with you, it’s just . . . I missed your birthday, Takara. That’s never happened before—and as things are now, it always will, along with so much else . . .”

    “You missed the party with my family, yes,” Takara admitted, slowly starting to smile, “but my birthday doesn’t end until midnight—and we do have the house to ourselves . . .”

    Mirai meowed petulantly at being ignored.

    “But first,” she changed tacks immediately, “you should probably apologise for interrupting snuggle time, and scaring her.”

    The vampire witch dropped to her knees with a nod.

    “I’m sorry, Mirai.” Hermione said earnestly, her body language apologetic. “I didn’t mean to frighten you; are you all right? The fall didn’t hurt you, did it?”

    Her tail twitched irritably, and Mirai fixed her with a Look remarkably similar to her mistress’ earlier one . . . But with a huff, she padded over and gave her a conciliatory lick.

    “Thank you, Mirai,” Hermione said. “I think that this calls for a treat, don’t you?”

    A distant thump from elsewhere in the house signalled the imminent arrival of Crookshanks as his favourite word was uttered; at the same time, a jar of cat treats silently materialised on the table next to Takara’s present.

    “Thank you, Kreacher,” Hermione said politely. There was no response, but neither witch expected one—it would go against his professional etiquette. Nevertheless, they all felt it was important that Kreacher knew his efforts were appreciated.

    Even as Hermione moved to pluck out a treat to feed Mirai, and a second one in preparation for Crookshanks, she said to Takara, “You might as well open your gift.”

    As Takara did, she saw that while the crisp, neat wrapping was definitely Hermione’s, the card bore Galen’s signature in addition to her handwriting. The box, she noted, was small enough to say “jewellery,” though that meant little given magic’s space-warping abil—

    Oh,” Takara said softly.

    It was a rose. A locket, really—but in shape, it was a rose, designed to open by “blooming.” But the colouring . . .

    As a rule, Takara was partial to blue when it came to colours, specifically sky or royal, for preference. As a matter of sentimentality, she liked white roses; it reminded her of her favourite yukata. This locket was neither—the rose was purple, a very deep amethyst, because was actually carved of amethyst, with jade pieces forming the “leaves,” in a silver setting that formed its thorns.

    She’d learned the language of flowers long ago; Galen’s Valentine’s Day habits had only caused her to learn the Western meanings, as well. Roses in lavender, purple and violet had multiple meanings, as Takara knew them: enchantment, love at first sight, grace, elegance, sweet thoughts, majesty, refinement and opulence. The pendant itself would cover the latter . . . But depending on how big a hand Galen had had in this gift, it was possible that it meant all the rest.

    “. . . How much did you actually have to do with this, Hermione?” Takara asked.

    “It was a fifty-fifty split, more or less,” the vampire witch answered, not looking up from where she was feeding the orange mini-tiger that had zoomed up to where the jar was located. “We split paying for the materials, and doing the enchantment work—”

    “Enchantment work?” Takara interrupted, blinking.

    Glancing over, she caught Hermione’s wicked smirk. “The coverage probably isn’t quite as strong as on your duster, simply due to size and thickness of material—but it’s much more comprehensive, and subtler to walk around with. That pendant has enough charms on it that it’ll blind anybody who uses a detection spell on it. It might not match Mellinoë in what it can do, either—but I’d wager it’s a close second.”

    “. . . I’d complain about the two of you worrying over the squishy token human again, but this is too gorgeous to get mad over,” Takara murmured. “It must’ve cost a fortune!

    “Not quite, though it was hardly cheap,” Hermione admitted. She smiled. “I would like to see you model it, though—I thought it would go well with your complexion, and I’d like to see if I was right.”

    “Well,” Takara mused aloud, “Aunt Touko did give me a resized version of my yukata . . .” She gave Hermione the sort of half-lidded stare that only an owl Animagus could manage. “Or I could model just the pendant.”

    She turned and deliberately sashayed away with the sort of gait that Hermione needed four legs to accomplish, while smirking inwardly and counting to herself.

    Five, four, thr—

    . . . As it turned out, Takara wasn’t the only one who could move faster than expected.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  6. #1766
    死徒(上級)Greater Dead Apostle
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    Ah, like Hermione's bracelet, but a bit more decorative. Lovely. Glad to see that side of the relationship is working.

    Sorry I haven''t responded sooner, in the middle of moving, it's a mess.

    I'm not sure Takara really counts as squishy token human if both she and Galen are on (lesser) Elixir. At that point they're probably near-equal, though she's still squishier than Galen by nature, but likely better-off defensively with her Sight. I'm not sure doing secondary-school equivalent at the same time as Hogwarts was wise, since they do have time, but better to be prepared still, I guess.

    I'd definitely test the Stone with tissue sample contact, then skin contact, with Hermione (probably starting with incomplete Stone as well), given that she's only ever handled it with dragonhide gloves. It might be less lethal than the Elixir (we've seen how that went already, but the Elixir probably acts more like holy water, purifying rather than transforming), but it seems improbable. Of course, we might end up with a Red Stone of Aja situation, which would not help much.

  7. #1767
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
    Ah, like Hermione's bracelet, but a bit more decorative. Lovely.
    . . . Believe it or not, it's been so long, I'd actually forgotten about the bracelet. But yes, effectively.


    Glad to see that side of the relationship is working.
    Well, given a year of (relative) quiet to work on it . . . It's not perfect, as the argument proves - but what relationship is?


    Sorry I haven''t responded sooner, in the middle of moving, it's a mess.
    *Chuckles* Perfectly understandable. Hopefully, things have eased up for you by now.


    I'm not sure Takara really counts as squishy token human if bot
    h she and Galen are on (lesser) Elixir. At that point they're probably near-equal, though she's still squishier than Galen by nature, but likely better-off defensively with her Sight.[/QUOTE]

    Probably true, but they're still somewhat used to thinking of Galen as a werewolf - at the moment, it's a fiction they're still keeping up until it's plausible for Takara to have "discovered" a cure - and the term has stuck.


    I'm not sure doing secondary-school equivalent at the same time as Hogwarts was wise, since they do have time, but better to be prepared still, I guess.
    Partly that, and partly because it'll let the paper records in the mundane world match up more easily; this way, nobody wonders why it took them twice as long to finish school.


    I'd definitely test the Stone with tissue sample contact, then skin contact, with Hermione (probably starting with incomplete Stone as well), given that she's only ever handled it with dragonhide gloves.
    Oh, yeah - Takara is going be putting through safety precautions that will do Galen's paranoia proud . . .


    It might be less lethal than the Elixir (we've seen how that went already, but the Elixir probably acts more like holy water, purifying rather than transforming), but it seems improbable.
    You are basically exactly right.


    Of course, we might end up with a Red Stone of Aja situation, which would not help much.
    *Checks Wikipedia* . . . I am unfamiliar with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (by design, mostly), but I think you're probably right here, as well.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  8. #1768
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    . . . So, I've been following the news that one of my favourite video game franchises is being resurrected after more than ten years - Sakura Taisen, or Sakura Wars, for the one game that made it here. And now, I'm wondering if the creator of Bleach, Tite Kubo (who's acting as the character designer) posted here, once upon a time . . .





    . . . Because that sure as heck looks like Takara, doesn't it?
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  9. #1769
    Kamen Rider fan-writer Xamusel's Avatar
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    LOL!! XD I actually have to wonder if that's your take on Aozaki Takara as done in Sakura Taisen style... or if Tite Kubo's doing everyone a favor and telling the world who Takara is.
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    An archive of my works on the forum that's pretty accurate.




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  10. #1770
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    And it's even more amusing to me, in that Sakura Shinguji (the series' original main heroine) was one of the two main inspirations for Takara's overall look and personality.

    (The other being Gundam SEED's Cagalli Yula Attha.)
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  11. #1771
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    Wow, yeah, Sakura Shinguji and our new Sakura Taisen protagonist DEFINITELY look like how I picture Takara. Different clothing choices, of course (except during festivals for Sakura Shinguji), but still very close overall.

  12. #1772
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
    Wow, yeah, Sakura Shinguji and our new Sakura Taisen protagonist DEFINITELY look like how I picture Takara. Different clothing choices, of course (except during festivals for Sakura Shinguji), but still very close overall.
    Indeed - it's uncanny . . .

    Thankfully, Miss Sakura Amamiya is being voiced by Ayane Sakura (Musashi, for F/GO fans), and not Maaya Sakamoto - or I'd start checking my house for eavesdropping devices.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

    — Carmilla Theme




    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  13. #1773
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    A Trinity of Blessings Upon a Wonderful World!

    A space between life and death
    September 1, 2004









    “I’m very sorry,” said the beautiful lady in the antique-looking chair, “but I’m afraid you’ve died.”

    The room was largely empty, though what there was of it was quite elegant. The floor was a checkerboard of black-and-white marble tiles, the wooden furniture polished and well-crafted—and the ceiling looked very much like that of the Great Hall of Hogwarts at dinner, showing a dazzling view of a night sky.

    . . . Granted, the “walls” seemed mostly to consist of a hazy, gray fog, but one couldn’t have everything.

    Although,
    Luna mused, one would think that you’d be allowed to have everything you wanted, having died, and all that . . .

    “Your death was painless,” the statuesque woman assured her, clear blue eyes glimmering earnestly. “There wasn’t time for it to hurt . . .” She frowned. “Though I can’t understand just how you got in front of that truck—you literally came out of nowhere!

    “Not quite,” Luna assured her. “It’s just that the Portkey was quite shoddily made, and the handle I was holding onto fell off in mid-trip.” She frowned. “Now I’ll miss seeing my friends at King’s Cross—if I was still alive, I’d be quite motivated to ask for my money back.”

    The woman blinked, and Luna frowned mentally now, as well, as she could see the film of non-understanding glaze over her eyes.

    “Whatever,” was the woman’s response, as she dismissed Luna’s answer with a shake of her head, sending her pale blue locks flying to-and-fro; clearly, she considered the topic closed.

    “In any case,” she continued, “since you died in Japan, and so tragically young—”

    “I’m twenty-five, but thank you,” Luna said brightly.

    “—you’ve now fallen into my—wait, WHAT?!” the woman blurted, goggling. “You’re twen—REALLY?!

    Luna nodded casually, the other’s jaw hung slackly for a moment in disbelief; she had to admit, she rather enjoyed provoking those sorts of expressions from people.

    The woman coughed, attempting to reassert her composure.

    “. . . Regardless, you’re still young enough to be in my care—and as the goddess in charge of young people who die in Japan, I, Aqua, am here to present your options from here on out.”

    Luna nodded seriously, even as a quiet alarm bell began going off in the back of her mind. The way she’d stressed “young enough” had possessed just a touch of condescension to it; she’d dealt with sarcastic people for far too long not to hear it.

    “Now, first,” the goddess said, “you could simply choose to be reborn, lose all your memories and start your life all over again . . .” Her eyes flicked up and down briefly, and she muttered in an undertone, “. . . Maybe you’ll get a fashion sense, this time.

    “Secondly, you could choose to go to Heaven,” the goddess continued, before leaning over and whispering conspiratorially, “but between you and me, it’s really boring there: there’s nothing to do by lie around in the sun. You don’t even have a body there, so you can’t ever have sex—!

    “No thanks, I’m British,” Luna said blithely—and considered the return of the flabbergasted expression an ample repayment for the insult she hadn’t been supposed to hear.

    Another cough heralded a leading statement. “ . . . Or, there is a third option. You see, there’s a world right out of the video games kids love, and it’s under siege from a terrible Demon Lord. It’s so terrible that no one wants to be reborn there, and the loss of life will mean its doom . . . But if you’re willing to fight, then we’re willing to send you there with your current body and memories, and a special godly cheat power or item!”

    Luna nodded, labelling Aqua’s approach as a 6.5 on the Weasley Twin Scale—or as Galen called it, the “used car salesman technique.” There was almost certainly a catch . . .

    . . . But then, if it wasn’t a tempting offer, it wouldn’t be effective, would it?

    “Here,” the goddess pressed, scattering notebooks before her, “see for yourself.”

    Unlike so many of her friends, Luna had never developed the habit of smirking . . . Outwardly, at least. Nevertheless, a similar sensation warmed her insides as she saw things to dissect and analyse.

    . . . It was a pity, she reflected, that Hermione and Galen weren’t here. Even leaving aside their psychological comfort value (which was not inconsiderable), they were both brilliant; the former had the most deeply analytical mind she’d ever known, and the latter was fiendishly cunning, when he set his mind to it—

    “Come on, you little Christmas Cake space cadet—I’ve got things to do . . .

    Luna frowned, briefly; that wasn’t at all nice . . .

    But given her recent inspiration, she knew exactly what to do about it.

    “I’ve decided,” she announced. “I’d like my friends as my cheat item, please.”

    Finally,” the goddess exhaled. “Your friends . . .?” She waved her hands dismissively. Yeah, sure—why not? You can’t have that many . . .”

    As a runic pattern surrounded the floor beneath her chair, Luna saw another open beneath the goddess, shining columns of light upwards—

    And as Luna began to rise, the form-stuffed file folders poured down . . .

    And down . . .

    “Wh—WHAT?!” Aqua shrieked, suddenly up to her hips, and rising, in forms. “WHAT IS ALL THIS?”

    “I assume, the transfer papers for my friends,” Luna said helpfully, as her ascent began to accelerate. “. . . I imagine some of their lives make for a great deal of complicated paperwork,” she offered by way of explanation.

    FOUR OF THESE ARE FOR CATS!” the now neck-deep goddess screamed. “WHY AM I DOING REINCARNATION TRANSFER PAPERWORK FOR CATS?!

    “Because they’re not just friends, they're family, and we’d be unhappy to leave them behind!” Luna called truthfully.

    A hint of blue hair was all she saw by now, as a weak muffled voice cried out, “Eris—help . . .

    And the world vanished into light . . .








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  14. #1774
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    Although it would be pretty terrifyingly complex, and I have no idea how powers would map over, it would probably be extremely funny. Also a good opportunity to de-power a lot of the cast, given they'd lose artifacts in the transfer, unless they ALSO get to pick an item/power (in which case, YIKES)

    I'd assume Neville would be knight or crusader, Shirou would be an archer/smith, Takara probably an advanced rogue class (ninja or assassin), Hermione would probably stay a Wizard or Arch-Wizard (Vampiric status unlikely?), Galen might just be an Adventurer, Illya would probably be a Priestess. If Rin is there, she's a Wizard or Arch-Wizard. Ginny and Luna are a bit hard to place. Ginny might do Thief, while Luna seems more inclined towards Wizard, Priest, or Adventurer. I would expect Illya, Shirou, and Rin to mostly stay out of the adventuring party (Illya and Shirou have Ai, plus would have good support skills for out of combat). Hermione might also be in more of a research/crafting/support role, depending.

    That probably gives you enough to have a Luna/Ginny/Neville party (which seems decently balanced, you could add Megumin if Luna is a priestess), and a Galen/Hermione/Takara party (which is balanced if Galen takes a tanky role, or if you add Darkness for supreme awkwardness)

  15. #1775
    Master of Hermione Alter Kieran's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
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    Noted.


    Although it would be pretty terrifyingly complex,
    Oh, you have no idea - remember, Luna's managed to grab the cats, along with shoving enough paperwork at Aqua to bury her - and while she's not exactly tall, that's still impressive.


    and I have no idea how powers would map over,
    Short of a lot of "new" Crimson Magic Clan members, neither do I.


    it would probably be extremely funny.
    Oh, certainly - if only for the amount of headaches . . .

    Also a good opportunity to de-power a lot of the cast, given they'd lose artifacts in the transfer, unless they ALSO get to pick an item/power (in which case, YIKES)
    I'm debating the "items" part - at least, assuming they get to take what's on their person, since Kazuma's track suit is the obvious clue - since the number of things they're liable to be carrying could be . . . Interesting. (Wizards and expanded spaces, plus their natural pragmatism/paranoia, and all.)


    I'd assume Neville would be knight or crusader, Shirou would be an archer/smith, Takara probably an advanced rogue class (ninja or assassin), Hermione would probably stay a Wizard or Arch-Wizard (Vampiric status unlikely?), Galen might just be an Adventurer, Illya would probably be a Priestess.
    Classes are my primary problem with this crossover - there are so few described, and I hate inventing things solely for the purpose of justifying myself.

    (Hermione: Oh, really . . .? *Points to fangs*

    . . . Sweetheart, I tried to expand on what Rowling had - I didn't invent vampirism wholesale!)


    *Clears throat* Regardless, the Konosuba world does seem to follow D&D(-ish) designs, more or less, so I'll try . . .

    All of them qualify as "wizards" of some level. Neville's got the raw physical stats for a crusader, but I'd be leaning towards "druid," given his natural tendencies - or a ranger-type with an interest in herbalism. Shirou would likely end up as an Archer (Shirou: Typecasting!), and the wiki says that "Magic Item Craftsman" is an actual Job . . . Takara definitely leans towards an assassin-type build, (obviously) though "thief" is the closest I've seen thus far . . . She'd probably prefer "Swordmaster," though.

    Of the next three, Galen's the easiest: an adventurer whose Constitution and Luck scores are through the roof. Ilya's the next-easiest: an archwizard with levels in "priest" to represent her time as the (not-actually-Holy) Grail. I'd go for "lich," but the goddesses really don't like undead . . . Which brings us to Hermione. Her class is easy - Archwizard all day long - but her race . . . On the other hand, she's not "undead" in the traditional sense, if only technically; and fantasy races like elves are a thing in Konosuba.


    If Rin is there, she's a Wizard or Arch-Wizard. Ginny and Luna are a bit hard to place. Ginny might do Thief, while Luna seems more inclined towards Wizard, Priest, or Adventurer.
    Probably right on all counts, though you've forgotten everyone else . . .


    I would expect Illya, Shirou, and Rin to mostly stay out of the adventuring party (Illya and Shirou have Ai, plus would have good support skills for out of combat). Hermione might also be in more of a research/crafting/support role, depending.
    True - though Kiritsugu, Iris, Shiki and Ciel are also a candidate to look after the kids (I told you: Luna grabbed everyone and the cats!) . . . And Takara will probably need to retire after a while.


    That probably gives you enough to have a Luna/Ginny/Neville party (which seems decently balanced, you could add Megumin if Luna is a priestess), and a Galen/Hermione/Takara party (which is balanced if Galen takes a tanky role, or if you add Darkness for supreme awkwardness)
    Oh, the locals will be getting involved; if nothing else, there's nothing in Luna's interaction that prevents the canon events from happening . . .
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

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    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

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  16. #1776
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    I actually had a little bit where I was going to say "you could go full extended family, given Aqua's getting buried in paperwork, but that might be too disruptive" but skipped it for some reason.

    Megumin: EXPLOSIOOON!!!
    Aoko: Hold my jacket.

    On the other hand, Alex is precious.

    Good point on Neville, I was mapping to things I knew existed with a bit of coercion in favour of party balance. Druid or Ranger does seem more likely. Hermione I was thinking might be human again by virtue of it being reincarnation.

    I didn't really consider that Kazuma might still drag Aqua into the setting, but it's certainly possible, which might be good, since him and Galen interacting might be hilarious.

  17. #1777
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
    I actually had a little bit where I was going to say "you could go full extended family, given Aqua's getting buried in paperwork, but that might be too disruptive" but skipped it for some reason.
    *Shakes head* My friend, this is Konosuba - "too disruptive" is the go-to option here!



    Megumin: EXPLOSIOOON!!!
    Aoko: Hold my jacket.
    That's one option - and a good one, too, I must admit.

    Another one involves Ilya, Takara - or both - coming out with an absolutely murderous expression, and the battle-cry, "I JUST GOT HER TO SLEEP, YOU LUNATIC . . .!"



    On the other hand, Alex is precious.
    Along with Ai, Sakura, Chloe and Miyu, yes.



    Good point on Neville, I was mapping to things I knew existed with a bit of coercion in favour of party balance. Druid or Ranger does seem more likely.
    And there's no reason to assume that Jobs like that don't exist, so . . . *Shrugs*



    Hermione I was thinking might be human again by virtue of it being reincarnation.
    Or something, anyway - still mulling it over, but while vampires are (apparently) a thing in KonoSuba, again - the goddesses really DON'T like undead. Even Eris, gentle as she is, gets pretty bloodthirsty when the topic is mentioned . . . So I really can't see them allowing Hermione in "as is."

    Another question is what, precisely, to do with Arc, Iris and Ilya; Veela aren't native to the world, and the closest equivalent shown are succubi - which might be amusing, but is again, not something the goddesses would willingly allow . . .


    Aqua: Don't worry, I've got it solved!

    . . . Aqua, what did you do?

    Aqua: Well, when Eris pointed out that a bunch of them had that "adaptation magic" on them, I just reset it to work again. It cut down on a lot of paperwork - for which my junior goddess can be very grateful--

    AQUA! What. Did. You. Do?

    Aqua: . . . Well, you know how Iris, and certain other people are descended from past heroes, and it gives them really awesome potential? It was something like that . . . And besides, those Veela girls did kind of look like Eris to begin with . . .

    Eris: Eh?!

    AQUA!

    Aqua: What? They're supposed to be heroes, aren't they . . .? And I'm certainly not going to put this divine body through childbirth!

    Eris: EH?! *Faints*



    I didn't really consider that Kazuma might still drag Aqua into the setting, but it's certainly possible, which might be good, since him and Galen interacting might be hilarious.
    They'll either be best friends, or mortal enemies - and judging by his interactions with Subaru Natsuki, potentially both.
    Last edited by Kieran; October 15th, 2019 at 05:58 PM.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

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    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  18. #1778
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    I was assuming Illya's kids would still be around. I confess that I forgot that Chloe and Miyu existed though, I haven't read that epilogue nearly as many times as the rest of the story. I remembered Sakura from something in this thread. I also totally forgot that anything in the epilogue would be canon here, since this takes place after 2004.

    God-descended seems also YIKES, power-wise, but then again, Aqua isn't absurdly overpowered in Konosuba, and she's a full goddess. Sure, she's very powerful as a Archpriest. But presumably the class system constrains her. Arceuid and Illya/Iri being put in the same bucket again feels a bit weird, but I guess I've gotten used to it.

    I feel like Galen would be a good inspiration for Kazuma, but would probably find him too frustrating.

  19. #1779
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arbitrarity View Post
    I was assuming Illya's kids would still be around. I confess that I forgot that Chloe and Miyu existed though, I haven't read that epilogue nearly as many times as the rest of the story. I remembered Sakura from something in this thread.
    That's fair - though I may send an impish four-year-old and a sad four-year-old to remind about them in future (you decide which one's the punishment ).


    I also totally forgot that anything in the epilogue would be canon here, since this takes place after 2004.
    *Chuckles* Hey, I went through a lot of time and effort for that happy ending - why throw it away entirely?


    God-descended seems also YIKES, power-wise, but then again, Aqua isn't absurdly overpowered in Konosuba, and she's a full goddess. Sure, she's very powerful as a Archpriest. But presumably the class system constrains her.
    Presumably. In any case, "descended" doesn't necessarily mean "within the last couple of generations," either . . . And Konosuba is a little weird on genetics, anyway: such as, the Crimson Mages all have randomly-appearing barcode tattoos, to signify they're "synthetic," after how many years?


    Arceuid and Illya/Iri being put in the same bucket again feels a bit weird, but I guess I've gotten used to it.
    In this case, I can argue that it's built on their previously-existing one - though I do see your point. Once again, though, Konosuba doesn't (yet, that I know of) offer too much in the way of alternatives . . .

    *Blinks* Hang on - angels are a thing, too, aren't they . . .?




    . . . Why, yes - yes, they are . . .
    I feel like Galen would be a good inspiration for Kazuma, but would probably find him too frustrating.
    Galen find Kazuma, Kazuma find Galen, or both? (Let's be honest: probably both.)
    Last edited by Kieran; October 15th, 2019 at 03:33 PM.
    “Love will be cruel to who it entices — love will have its sacrifices.”

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    "Evil isn't the real threat to the world. Stupid is just as destructive as Evil, maybe more so, and it's a hell of a lot more common. What we really need is a crusade against Stupid. That might actually make a difference."

    ―Jim Butcher, Vignette




  20. #1780
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    Angels are indeed a thing. That gets you slightly less direct divinity, and also makes a great callback.

    I think it would be Galen finds Kazuma too frustrating. Galen's had 15+ years of development where he actually gets out of the single self-hating existence, and by this period, has probably had around 9 where he's actually in a long term relationship. Kazuma is a sexually unfulfilled, chronically unmotivated lecher. The first part Galen might have sympathy for. The second, from historical context, maybe (see Ron Weasley). The third, less so. Galen would be a good role model for "hey, romance is attainable", but I don't think he'd put up with Kazuma unless Kazuma really got his act together somehow (or they encounter each other rarely, and Kazuma is doing an acceptable job when they're interacting)

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