My fic has been stuck in limbo for almost a year now, I really need to get at least one chapter out.
Oh, am I still that lucky?
... but hell, I just can't concentrate when I have my uncle/dad/mom/anyone older than me for company. I also have another stalled crossover project (a Zero no Tsukaima X Grand Chase Crossover project, in which I already had a title), and an original story project (which tackles a very offensive taboo: pedophilia). I really need some help (professional, personal, or otaku) on this one...
Location: Formerly Iwakawa base and Chaldea. Now Teyvat, the Astral Express & the Outpost
Age: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Detective-san
My fic has been stuck in limbo for almost a year now, I really need to get at least one chapter out.
You be lucky, I had to format my hard drive and guess what? That one snippet about Preston's Science of Lingerie have been one of the collaterals. Fuck.
On the other hand, I wanted to write a story introducing the three gangs (Amélie's, Erin's and Kaede's) from Kirsten's point of view since her first day in Japan, since she is the n00b of the whole group. Cue the local population gawking over the scandinavian girl who is 185cm tall at age 15, and still growing. Huge schoolgirl indeed.
Imagine the hilarity from the height difference between Kirsty and Aria.
Location: A country home next to a golf course in Michigan
I apologize for bringing up an old topic for my first post, but I felt inspired some time ago to write a character, and would like to put it up. Perhaps it may serve as a revival for others.
Name: Roland Kraus
Nickname: “The Quaint Observer”
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: “Half of all the UK, half Deutsche, both overshadowed by stereotypical Americanism”
Appearance: 5’10”, a bit mid set in build. Hair is of a brown tone that seems to lighten and darken throughout the year due to the changing sunlight. Irises are a mix of brown and grey, more heavily brown. Wears the standard male uniform of Butei High, save for a custom garrison cap which is colored to match his uniform jacket and adorned with the academy symbol.
Age: Not known, when asked, he has been known to reply with “Some people think I am 17, others 21. It doesn’t help that I haven’t grown a bit the last 4 years.”
Class: 2nd year, class c
Butei Rank: C
Ancestor: Nobody of note, though he has cryptically commented that he has a family connection to one whom “once held Lincoln’s hat”
Department: Amdo/Inquesta, with electives in Assault and Snipe
Bloodline Ability: None
Weapons: Long Arm: SV-98, used for when operating under Snipe conditions. Equipped with the standard PKS-07 sight.
Handgun: GSh-18, carried in a leather shoulder holster under his jacket, the holster a memento from his father’s time as an officer and detective.
Blade: NR-40, tucked under one sleeve in a way that puzzles even him sometimes.
Friends: Kinji Tohyama, Aya Hiraga
Character Quotes:
“Magazine release or barrel? How about both?” – Question posed by Roland to a somewhat slow Yakuza.
“Ah, to be young again” – When witnessing almost every social activity between students.
“If only Patton had lived to see today’s battle implements!” – Often said when examining a weapon.
“It has been said that the greatest act of courage is admitting love. I am quite content to stick with the second greatest act of courage instead.” – When asked about love interests.
Background:
Spoiler:
A lad seemingly out of place in Tokyo, Roland is an exchange student on loan from the American Butei Association. Unlike other exchange students however, he was plucked straight from civilian life and transferred to Tokyo Butei High for his first and now second years of Butei education. Details regarding this strange arrangement are scarce, save for a reported trip to Roland’s home state by one of the academy’s masters. During this master’s trip, he or she (it has not been clear who went) happened to come upon him during the entrance examinations to an American Butei Academy. Although not passing with the greatest of marks, something clicked in the master’s mind regarding this young man. Through negotiations with the masters of the particular American Butei academy Roland had applied for, he was transferred to Tokyo Butei High. The official statement describes Roland’s situation as being a noteworthy experiment in international Butei education relations.
Roland himself, despite not having a capable understanding of the Japanese language, seemed at ease with the turn of events. His only request was that his personal information be blacked out from Butei records, a wish granted.
His name itself is in fact a lie, a name change granted because of the transfer. His reason is kept secret, though the masters know that it is a result of wanting to cut his family off from the dangers of the Butei world. At one point during a class, a master accidentally began to sound off his real first name, only to receive a cold stare from Roland, causing the master to drop a clipboard.
When asked about his family, he simply states that his parents are honest folks, his father a former police officer and normal detective back in the day, his mother a hard working salesperson. He has a sister, whom followed the path of becoming a doctor who travels to hotspots around the world. While not personally inspired by his father to become a Butei, he notes his father’s overwhelming approval and his mother’s likewise disdain but still supportive reaction. His own personal reason is simple: he saw it as an opportunity to be productive in life, as his normal life lacked as little as even a career path.
Placed within Inquesta initially, it was soon apparent to the masters of Tokyo Butei High that Roland was indeed a special case, having no affinity for just one butei path. To try and resolve the issue, and to further test the arrangement, Roland is permitted to enroll in more than just one elective path, to the point where he is enrolled in classes in Amdo, Assault and Snipe, with Amdo becoming somewhat more as a main department for him alongside Inquesta. As a result, he is typically seen traveling between departments for all his different classes. Make no mistake, although a steady student, as he is not exceeding in one particular department like most butei, his rank remains a constant C, though many of his fellow classmates argue that he is undefinable in rank, strange as the concept sounds to his fellow butei. Roland himself is fine with not being the best, as he just seems to enjoy observing all that goes on during his time in Tokyo. The few passions he has include weapon designs and history of all sorts, leading to him spending much of his spare time in either Amdo’s workshops or the academy libraries, reading scores of books.
Despite not being involved in Logi, he is capable of handling a car, though he quips about being better with a golf cart than with a car. From time to time he submits an application to purchase such a cart for personal transport around campus, but is denied on the basis of reports from his childhood of being a bit “carefree” at the wheel, despite displaying calm behavior when operating other vehicles.
For job requests, he is often seen taking up tour requests, especially from other exchange students. The masters seem to request his presence when certain American dignitaries arrive, counting on his pleasant conversation abilities during tours. Roland is also eager to participate in requests to locate missing items, having a natural talent of discerning whether a person truly lost an item, often locating the lost possession in the person’s room or on their person.
Roland is somewhat hampered by his lack of language experience, having only studied German briefly. To circumvent the lack of experience of Japanese, Roland commissioned a translator device from the Connect department upon his arrival, built as a miniscule earpiece in his left ear. While he still has to learn to properly speak Japanese and learn the forms of writing, he is thankfully quick to understand small terms and everyday necessities. Most students quickly learned to speak in English if possible when conversing with him, along with writing requests and instructions in English as well. Despite his translator being quite capable of translating the voices around him, Roland often tries to learn directly from the speakers what is being said. Naturally, there is some confusion at times, but Roland is not as clueless compared to what is expected of a foreigner. If there is one thing that plagues him however, it is that he sometimes mumbles his words without realizing it, often puzzling those speaking with him.
Currently he is not aligned with one team or another, instead taking on contracts that are relatively short in length, some even for just a week. Due to this, he is seen as a drifter, despite the fact that he tends to bond rather well with his teammates regardless of the length of time together. Socially he tends to keep to himself though he is willing to chat with anyone about studies or just listen to one’s troubles. His fellow students, particularly first years, tend to regard him as an adviser, something which he accepts as a matter of opportunity to get to know his fellow butei.
Roland currently lives alone in a standard 4-person dorm residence, a similar situation to a certain other male Butei, sans a lack of visitors save for those seeking his advice or hiring. Amidst the residence’s typical decor is a series of shelves with books of mainly military history, particularly of the Eastern Bloc. One room has been converted by Roland into an armory and workshop, complete with tools and bullet manufacturing supplies. Directly across this room is a room filled with militaria, ranging from replicas of certain weapons to full blown uniform sets from countless countries. A small kitchen/living area and bunkroom complete Roland’s home at Tokyo Butei High.
So far, the only friends he has made that he keeps in contact with is the rumored womanizer Kinji Tohyama and the genius of Amdo, Aya Hiraga.
Roland sees past the chatter about Kinji and sees him as a lad simply trying to survive what is thrown at him, a trait Roland defines as characteristic of an unassuming leader. The two met one evening when Kinji ended up at Roland’s dorm room door after jumping into Tokyo Bay once again to dodge the latest “war” that had started in Kinji’s room. Offering the lad a blanket and a place to sit, Roland set about brewing up a few mugs of hot chocolate for the two of them, striking up a conversation. Within a half hour, the two were fast becoming friends, Roland managing to even elicit a laugh from Kinji. Roland offered the lad a haven for the night, although warning him that he could not keep a certain snipe prodigy from observing him otherwise. Kinji accepted the offer, seeing as how the sounds of gunfire still emanated from his own room. Roland remains supportive of Kinji’s efforts to find some matter of peace in his life, though he acknowledges that Kinji is somewhat dense to the feelings of those around him and that he needs to realize a few more things about his inheritance, not that Roland explicitly states his knowledge of HSS.
Roland’s relationship with Aya Hiraga is that of mutual business partners, having made an impression on the young girl by pointing out a few flaws in a design she was working on during his first visit to the Amdo department. His fascination with weapon design and the history of firearms has led him to stop by on a daily basis at Aya’s workshop, learning what he can gleam just by watching her work. Eventually the two partnered up to fulfill a rather large list of orders one weekend, and although Roland was not well skilled in the trade, he still managed to help a great deal. Rumors abound now that the two plan to storm the global arms trade with their combined works someday, though Roland is quick to quash such rumors by simply stating that he wants to learn what he can from the residential Amdo genius.
Personality:
Spoiler:
Well-spoken and polite in his actions, Roland never ceases to act as a stepping-stone to help others achieve their aspirations. He offers what he can to those around him, and accepts payments in kind with not much argument about equal exchange. To him, just seeing what waits ahead is worth the trouble. Tends to hum or sing several military tunes, particularly those Russian or German in origin. One song in particular seems to always be in his head, leading him to hum it as he walks the grounds, that of Katyusha. He values both those who work with him and the mission equally, not willing to give up on either for the sake of professionalism or prestige. Would prefer to swap stories than bullets with fellow students, but will not back down from a challenge.
As with most other students undertaking studies in Snipe, Roland seems to act differently behind his rifle. He begins noting the equipment of the targets, showing a slight sarcastic side in seeing what is in the hands of criminals. Having admiring respect for Snipe prodigy Reki, Roland strives to double his efforts in Snipe, to ensure that his shots will always find their mark.
Style:
Spoiler:
Roland’s overall style is that of disarming his opponents, combining his experience with a variety of weapon systems and personally formatted techniques designed to either remove, dismantle, or destroy his opposition’s weapons. Such techniques include physical hand strikes to key points in his opposition’s hands in order to force him or her to drop their weapon, blade, gun or otherwise. During counters, Roland is keen to manipulate his hands into position to disable weapons, rather it be by turning a blade out of grip or removing/manipulating an important piece from a firearm, such as a slide lock or magazine release. His blade assists in this matter as well, proving useful in blocking or obstructing objects. If his opposition is beyond melee range, Roland is keen to using his firearms to disable weapons, though this usually results in the weapon being damaged. During his capacity as a Snipe, this is one of his keen traits, being able to support fellow butei by damaging if not outright destroying the weapons and equipment of the opposition whilst leaving the criminals themselves intact.
Trivia:
Spoiler:
• When asked why he tends to say “Ah, to be young again” when commentating on other students’ interactions, Roland has been known to claim that it is because he feels much older than he actually is, joking that he should have been born in an earlier era.
• Despite being fond of firearm designs, Roland himself is not fond of shooting constantly. Reasons include a strange reaction to the sound pressure exerted on his body (particularly his heart) when firing most firearms, and a slight case of joint pain in his right hand, to which he does not explain the cause. Nevertheless, he absolves himself of these issues whenever he is training or on a mission.
• Has a fondness for breadsticks, even preferring them to pizza. How he manages to obtain a bag or two at least twice a week is beyond anyone’s guess.
• Claims to have a uniform for almost every military or paramilitary faction on the planet, leading some students to assume he has taken undercover jobs for several military intelligence agencies prior to becoming a butei. In reality, Roland just likes collecting militaria.
• Seems to know more than he lets on about Tohyama and the members of Team Baskerville. Being the sort of person that he is, he keeps their secrets to himself.
• Upon his first conversation with Kinji after his latest “escape” that landed him at Roland’s doorstep, he waved a thumbs up to someone far beyond visual range. Later on during their chat, he mentions being unable to prevent a certain Snipe prodigy from observing them. How he knew that Reki was currently watching Kinji is a matter he will not discuss clearly, only claiming that it was definitely not his eyesight.
• Has admitted to Kinji one desire cryptically during their chat, saying that “If you ever do go see the rest of Ulus, allow me to come along Who knows, maybe I’ll get captured as well.”
• Despite being seen as overloaded with classes, Roland has in reality much spare time.
• Has a mild case of insomnia that occurs daily. Tends to drink only water to prevent further insomnia-like effect from sugary drinks, though he is fond of certain juices and hot chocolate.
• When needing to practice with his firearms, Roland is always seen at one of Snipe’s ranges. When asked why, he explains “It is because it is much quieter here and there is less brass.”
• Upon his first visit to Assault, he was bombarded with students vigorously chanting “die!”. Apparently, the students of assault had high expectations from American regarding the customs of assault. Roland’s response was to walk up to the nearest student, a first year girl who smiled when she said the word, hand his handgun to her and say, “If you truly wish me dead, then take the shot.” Having said that with a straight face, he removed his uniform jacket and gestured towards his heart. The student’s reaction, as like everyone present, was a mixture of awe and fear, most just staring with his or her mouth open. Since then, no one in assault addresses him with “die”, save for of course Ranbyou who says "die!" indirectly to everyone. Despite Kinji’s desire to replicate this effect, it is apparently not repeatable.
• One of his grandfathers served within a communications/decoding division prior to and during the Korean War. Said division is still classified by the United States government. Having heard stories from him about his time spent in Japan and of the work done, Roland seems to recognize several areas without seeing them before. Furthermore, having heard about mysterious devices designed to destroy equipment by “melting”, he has attempted to find out more about them and attempt to replicate them for use. The masters, especially those of Connect, have been keen to disrupt or dissuade his efforts.
• Be careful bringing up weapon facts around him, you may end up sitting for a long talk. At least he’ll offer to buy something to snack on in the meantime.
Author Notes:
I wanted to make a character that was not exactly of a mainstream “type”, using some personal characteristics to flesh out his background. I suppose you could say I was adapting part of myself, save for the name of course. The name is just a combo I always found nice to say, and I have used it before for other, generally older characters. I actually considered at one point to make Roland Kraus a transfer instructor/master instead, but the notion of making him a transfer student who had no prior experience at other butei schools seemed more intriguing. I like to think of him a someone who simply does what is set before him. While he is a bit of a loner, he is not unable to talk to those around him, and is ready to help if asked.
I also wanted to challenge the notions of the in-universe facts, such as how transfer butei applications work, how electives/class structure works, etc. I also wanted to see if one could make a character that knows much about the main characters simply by being a butei, even HSS, which is always being stated as a well-kept Tohyama clan secret but in reality seems easily to find out about. With Roland’s personality though, he is reluctant to admit he knows such “secrets”.
Weaponry choice was a bit difficult. While I wanted to give him East-Bloc weapons, it would have been odd to give him something like a Stechkin APS, let alone a Dragunov. I originally considered giving him a proper SKS, but it would not have served well as a weapon for Snipe. Another idea was that of the Zastava M91, but that seemed a bit too unique.
His one secret desire to meet the rest of Ulus (and perhaps get “captured” himself), stems from my own desire to see Ulus fleshed out more in the light novels. I always thought that perhaps Kinji and company would have to travel to Reki’s homeland, perhaps to deal with the Ririirokane there or to collect Ulus for battle against Ranban.
__________________
Always observing, always waiting for the next intriguing tale.
Has it been so long? And why of all things IS got a second season, and Aria not even a second chance?
Jim Bean is still here. The Nameless Team is still here. I'm going to throw in some Criminal Minds and Mentalist for the second season. Promote an Arrow, even.
There's so much potential to be had. I just wish there was an anime to go with it.
A dull bang followed a shadow as a long-forgotten door ruptured.
"Crikey."
He whispered as the blacklight underslung the Walter PPK clasp in his hand swept the musked room, illuminating the darkness as though it were day to his augmented reality shades.
Had it already been this long? That was the thought of the day for the boy in maroon blazer combing the depths of this dungeon. The blacklight passed over a wall prominently displaying MI:6 embrazoned into fire-bombed bulkhead proclaiming its former owners. The rest however were nothing but charred reminders of the night which erased the worst secret in Her Majesty's Service from living memory.
Except one. And he couldn't believe he once spent his childhood here, training to be genius he is now.
The boy stopped, directing the blacklight at another soot-caked wall. Nodding inwardly, he flicked through cracked paint and touched a panel. He expected nothing, but a faint whir breezed down the hallway, and there chirped another voice, mechanically:
[HELLO, AGENT 7777. GOOD TO SEE YOU.]
On that note, the boy named Jim Bean smirked at the camera which had just come to life.