The Man Emperor

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Trystan Salazar █ act one: way down we go p. johnson's ▸ Ritman High, Football Field Interacting with [@Everyone] ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

Now that he wasn’t anywhere near his nosy relatives, Trystan considered himself free in the way he could interact with Dante. It was regretful, really, that he seemingly avoided him like the plague back in the day. Maybe that was a missed opportunity; something good that could have been, but never came to pass. Well, having a nice conversation wouldn’t hurt. After all, they’re adults now. Not some kids that are still under the absolute jurisdiction of their parents and guardians. “Hehe,” Trystan chuckled as Dante complimented his long, silky hair that would put a shampoo advertisement model to shame. “Glad you like it! I’ve been somewhat nervous that someone may say that, I don’t know, that it makes me look like a gangster, or something. The rest of the family keeps saying that it’s not ‘fitting for a man’, but if you ask me, Christ Himself probably had long hair. What gives? It’s not like they could judge me for it. Besides, whenever I realize that I’m spending a tad bit much for shampoo, I’ll have it cut back. It’s a cycle. Long, short, long…” Jack and Sara had arrived too, it seems. They even brought with them a keg of beer, which Trystan didn't pay much heed. He wasn't the drinking type. Trystan trailed off as Meir brought back the time capsule. It seemed just like yesterday when they had, as a class, placed some elements of memory into that canister. He himself placed a diary of his thoughts in there, which would be rather embarrassing to read, probably. Between the kind of demeanor he had back in high school, and the stuff written in that little notebook, it would have almost felt surreal to see what he really thought. Why did he choose that object, out of all the things he could place? He couldn’t remember, but it was probably because embarrassment may be the most memorable kind of thing. Trystan watched with anticipation as Meir began to open the capsule. He waited for the myriad objects to fall out, and be bequeathed in funny reminiscing. He waited for- “Well, that was odd,” Trystan said simply as the contents of the capsule had seemingly disappeared from the fabric of reality itself, instead all being replaced by a single, dusty book with writings no one could. Except maybe Meir, since he’s the one specializing in dead languages. “What’s it say? That better not be in Ancient Egyptian, or something.” Dante referenced the Necronomicon, which Trystan couldn't really remember from the top of his head. As for Billy, he was cheerful as always, which earned a snicker from Trystan. Melanie, though, seemed to immediately write off the loss of their items, and instead suggested that they play truth and dare. “I say Truth,” Trystan said, absentmindedly tapping Dante on the shoulder as if they had a secret communication. “Who wants to go first? If not, then I will.” ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

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Oh yes.

It's begun.

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It seems quote tags are unusable. Sad.

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Trystan Salazar █ act one: way down we go p. johnson's ▸ Ritman High, Football Field Interacting with [@Everyone] ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

"Hey, if you're after Agent Smith I think I saw him go that way!" he laughed good naturedly, gesturing with his free hand off in the distance. "How's it been, man?" Trystan followed Billy's hand, placing his gaze towards the point where the other man had pointed it. Of course, he did so in a pretty joking manner, playing along with the well intentioned attempt at hilarity at their reunion. He then looked back at Billy, whom he recalled rather fondly due to how entertaining he was back at the day, even if their number of serious interactions could be counted with the fingers of both hands. If there was one thing Trystan somewhat regretted, it would be the fact that he forgot to cultivate as many allia- ehem, friendships as his parents often told him to. Maybe something could change, starting from tonight. "I have done quite well over the last seven years, yes," Trystan answered with a snorting chuckle, "Got into a publishing house as an editor, generating enough income to make the ancestors proud. And you, well, I heard you were in a band…" Just as he was going to keep talking, another person came in, one that he was familiar with. The lady who used to accompany the mean girls that gave him the racism treatment. Nat… ah, what was it again? Natalia? Natasha? Nataliana? The guy had certainly received the sharp edge of the stick back then, the whole gang being unnecessarily hostile, Nat included. She felt slightly embarrassed, not sure of what to say. She stuck to a simple yet friendly but relaxed wave of the hand as a greeting. "Hello, Natasha," Trystan answered without too much fanfare in his voice while truly ending up forgetting the actual spelling of her name. He was still internally malding about the past right to this very moment, but he knew well enough not to show it, especially when they had a delicate event going on. Maybe he'll have a word or two after the whole affair was done. Other people started arriving, much to his relief, as he wondered if there was a greater portion of their old class that didn't bother coming along. None of the old gang of his had come so far, either. He recalled their machinations of chaos; the unravelling of horrible secrets, gossiping about the people they mutually disliked, and so on and so forth. To think they're the ones that didn't come along when he did… One after another, in quick succession, did Melanie, Marco, and Samuel arrive. He recognized Melanie easily, as the time they spent playing Dungeons and Dragons together had made him quite familiar with her face. It helped that she wasn't radically changed, unlike Samuel. Samuel had lost much weight, and was in effect no longer, as Nat put it when she finally recognized him, 'Chubby Cheeks'. Wait, she apologized? So fast? That is new. As for Marco, Trystan was simultaneously surprised and unsurprised by the cane. On one hand, he really did remember how Marco began to show up less in class, and when he did he either had crutches, canes, or at worst, had to ride a wheelchair. On the other hand, he never got used to the sight of Marco like that, knowing him mostly as the guy that always disappeared into the piano room. Speaking of which, he had been taught to play when he was a kid but he had mostly forgotten the art by now. Maybe…? Trystan's thoughts were once again interrupted when Oleander, the Nigerian guy and fellow immigrant, arrived. He swore that Oleander was avoiding him during high school, probably because he had somewhat of a mixed rap. So it truly caught him off guard when Oleander hugged everybody, himself included. It was odd, at the very least, that someone who was once keeping his distance had now come close. Appreciative of the gesture, Trystan hugged him back, almost snapping his spine in the process. When Oleander was finishing hugging Billy, though, he began tearing up. "Oh noooo..." he started, chuckling through the tears, "I can't believe I'm crying right now." He let out another laugh, wiping with the back of his palms, "This is why I hate being a crybaby. I'm so sorry guys, just ignore me. I'm being ridiculous." "Ah, my dear, there is no shame with tears," Trystan said assuringly. "To weep is simply part of humanity, and evidently you have missed us, Billy most of all. So don't be sorry about that! You can… ah, be yourself." “So, how long have y’all been waiting?” he ventures, glancing from one member of the group to another. A sudden gust of cold wind has him unscrewing the cap from his thermos, bringing it up to his lips to take a fortifying gulp. "Not too long," Trystan answered. He remembered Dante somewhat too, recalling that he had a company of his own now, judging from the images in his timeline. "Though we are still missing a few folks, so we might have to wait a little bit more. Hopefully not too much." ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔

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On his last trip to the Philippines he thought of Trystan, wondering what it must have been like to make that massive move to the states, all to be bullied by some shitheads.

The ultimate dream for us Filipinos is to move to a Western country and get rich lol

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@The Man Emperor Your relation to Melanie kinda contradicts the one in my relations sheet. I like yours though, we can totally go with it. I can change mine to reflect what you wrote.

@Benzaiten

Oh ah... okay XD

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Finally done it. Took me a while lol

Relations

TRYSTAN SALAZAR

”You, I like you. But that guy over there? I don't want to see his face again."

T R Y S T A N . S A L A Z A R .
"Karma"

When it comes to relationships, Trystan has a simple rule: you get what you give. As such, those who are kind and lacking in malice can expect only good things from him, while those that treat him badly will get bad things in turn, such as petty, slightly inconvenient vengeance. He doesn't care if it gave him a bad rap for some people; what matters is that he proved that he won't back down from prejudice. It seems, though, that his sense of morality is quite black and white, and finds it difficult to find nuance. Perhaps knowing the changes that other people have had would change that.

⚜ Acquaintances || ☯ Neutral || ☮ Friends || ♫ Best Friends || ♥ Crush || ⚤ Boyfriend/Girlfriend || ☠ Disliked

⚜ M E I R . A M O S . M A G G I D ⚜ @Salsa Verde
“Meir Amos Maggid. I remember how he was picked on by the bullies back in the old days, just like me. I stood up for him a few times, too. I was glad for him when we graduated, because that meant he won’t have to deal with those… ‘people’ again. I’ve always felt concerned, though, and I would ask him how he’s doing over the years. After all, Meir is one of the few people in school I genuinely liked. I like to think that we were friends back then, though I guess we have been very busy with our respective careers. Success is a double edged sword.”

☯ W I L L I A M . B I S H O P ☯ @Gisk
“Billy! I remember him. A talented music person, though the messages of the songs that his band makes are, eh, let’s just say my parents will go insane if they hear it. Anyway, other than that, he is quite likeable, so much in fact I wouldn’t mind it if he tried to drag me around with conversation. Never got to talk to him much, though.”

♥ S A R A . Z H O U ♥ @banjoanjo

“I recall Sara being made fun of because she wasn't from around here. Seeing it happen to her kind of hurt me in the inside because I know what it feels to be ostracized for not fitting in, to be told to "return to Asia" or something like that. I kept telling them agents of chaos to piss off from Sara's general vicinity, and she was always appreciative. Maybe that is why I tried learning a bit of Chinese back then… oh, don't give me that look. You know there's no chance."

☯ J A C K . D A N I E L . W I L K E R S O N ☯ @nodogs
"Jack Daniel. I have not conversed with her other than in official capacities, such as in group projects, but she appeared to me as lazy and doesn't give a damn about the world. Though she's the one who organised this whole reunion thing, so perhaps there has been a change?"

☯ S A M U E L . S A B I S T O N ☯ @Rockette
"Yet another kid I remember to be a subject of bullying. I never got to speak with him much, though. Not that I didn't want to. It's just that we always had a different path, and our roads never crossed. I heard he was very troubled, but I hope things have gotten better by now."

☯ M A R C O . V A L E N S I . ☯ @udonoodles
"Marco Valensi. We never got to speak much, as our interests were quite, ah, different. I believe he kept his distance back then, but I feel bad for him when he started attending less due to his condition."

☯ D A N T E . I B A R R A ☯ @Laertes
"When it was known that Dante had concluded on what his identity was, I knew I couldn't openly associate with him. Not because I dislike him, no; it was because my less than tolerant relatives are nosy and would start talking about it until the entire clan in both the States and the Philippines knew about it. But I heard he has his own company now so… great?"

⚜ M E L A N I E . C A V I L L ⚜ @Benzaiten
"Melanie. Oh yeah, we used to play in the Dungeons and Dragons club, and we'd talk and joke quite a lot as we created some fun shenanigans in the game's plot. You should have seen how weird the story could get. Ehem, anyway, Melanie was athletic, highly intelligent, and quite nice. She's just great."

☠ N A T A L I E . M I L L E R ☠ @Prisk
"They say that the company you keep speaks a lot about you. Well, it was Natalie's clique of demons that called me all those slurs and stuff back then. She didn't do much herself, but the fact that she willfully associated with them is… something. And yes, I'm still malding about it to this day."

☯ O L E A N D E R . O B E K U N O D O ☯ @Aeolian
"You know, it feels like he's always avoiding me. I think he's scared of me, or something. Was it something I did? I didn't do anything to him, and I heard he's a decent fellow so it's not like I'd do… something."

OBLIVION

here's marco's relationships—feel free to hit me up if you want to develop or change any of them! some are definitely more in-depth than others, so any input anyone may have would be welcome. in the meantime, i'll work on getting him into the ic.

relationships

MARCO VALENSI

"I get to decide how my life goes. Not anyone or anything else."

_{♫ playlist ♫}

M A R C O . V A L E N S I
"The Sylph"
Marco is a fighter. Faced with repeated adversity in his life, he refuses to bend the knee to misfortune or setbacks. He may seem outwardly cynical, his humour often critical of himself or the world around him. When he suffers, he allows himself to feel it, rather than trying to suppress or hide it. He guards himself from others, hesitant to get too close, which can far too often lead to him squandering potential relationships. Despite this, he does not take life lying down: He accepts his situation, but is resolved to improve it. He is relentless in his pursuit of his dreams, refusing to compromise or reorient onto the pragmatic or easy path. As a result, he tends to forget he's living in a world with other people in it—he isn't selfish, per se, simply "looking out for number one". Once he forges a connection, however, he'll hold onto it for dear life—he doesn't accept loss gladly.

⚜ Acquaintances || ☯ Neutral || ☮ Friends || ♫ Best Friends || ♥ Crush || ⚤ Boyfriend/Girlfriend || ☠ Disliked

☯ M E I R . A M O S . M A G G I D ☯ @Salsa Verde
Meir and Marco didn't often cross paths: In a way, they were opposites, one with a passion for academics, and the other for the arts. Both introverted and with separate interests, they seldom had much contact. Marco's focus on his artistic pursuits tunnel visioned him quite significantly, and Natalie's intervention meant he rarely saw much of the "mean" crowd—thus, he wasn't acutely aware of any frequent bullying targets, Meir included.

♫ ♥ W I L L I A M . B I S H O P ♥ ♫ @Gisk
If there was anyone Marco was going to crush on, the other musical prodigy of Ritman was the obvious choice. Once they connected over their shared interests, Marco quickly became infatuated—here was someone finally on the same wavelength as him, someone who'd understand him and share in his dreams. Still, by the time Marco was able to truly grapple his feelings, it was too late—his condition had begun to worsen, and he quickly withdrew from any and all social interaction. Combined with Billy's own failure to keep up with him, their friendship, and anything more it could have been, quickly fell asunder. It remains to be seen if a connection could still be formed, with how much Marco has changed over the years.

☯ S A R A . Z H O U ☯ @banjoanjo
Sara and Marco's relationship was similar to Meir and Marco's: They never really crossed paths, much. Marco's interests were narrow, as opposed to Sara's indulgence in just about every extra-curricular there was—save for any interest in music, there wasn't much common ground for them to forge a connection on.

⚜ ☯ J A C K . D A N I E L . W I L K E R S O N ☯ ⚜ @nodogs
Marco and Jack, somewhat surprisingly, had quite a similar philosophy when it came to social situations. Though on Marco's end, it wasn't as conscious, neither of them really belonged to any one group: Marco was devoted first and foremost to his music, and Jack drifted from friends to friends. He didn't know her reasoning for it, but Marco held a silent respect for her over this—if either of them had went out of their way, perhaps their similar social attitudes would have afforded a genuine connection. Marco could never be sure, though, and kept his distance.

☮ O L E A N D E R . O K O N E D O ☮@Aeolian
Oleander and Marco ordinarily probably wouldn't have crossed paths. They became mutual friends through Billy, though, which meant they naturally hung around quite a bit. Marco appreciated Oleander's relaxed and amicable presence, although his invested interest in music meant Ollie could sometimes be the third wheel to Billy and Marco's shared artistic pursuits and friendly rivalry. Still, they were friends, up until Marco's MS began to worsen. In such a negative headspace and such a gloomy situation, Ollie's cheery disposition was like nails on a chalkboard, and their friendship was one of the first Marco withdrew from.

☯ M E L A N I E . C A V I L L ☯ @Benzaiten
Melanie and Marco shared in their tendency towards solitude—a common trait that meant they rarely interacted, especially considering their wildly different interests.

☯ D A N T E . I B A R R A ☯ @Laertes
Though they seldom had much contact, Marco could certainly appreciate Dante's mindset of a dreamer: It's a philosophy that Marco shares and admires, similarly unwilling to compromise on far-flung wishes for the future. Had his musical endeavours continued long enough, Marco may had even had an in to forge an actual bond. Still, any potential quickly evaporated as Marco's condition progressed, and his almost total lack of attendance put an end to any potential friendships.

☮N A T A L I E . M I L L E R ☮ @Prisk
Curiously, one of the few people Marco was close to was the untouchable queen of plastic. He had steered of her at the start, cautious of tangling himself in any dramatics. He surprised to find her approaching him—and further surprised when she praised his artistic expression, offering to keep him clear of any shit the other plastics might have thrown his way. Marco certainly wasn't going to turn her down—though some might have refused out of principle, Marco was more utilitarian than that, and Natalie seemed to be showing a side not often seen to him. Perhaps she wasn't as plastic as he'd been lead to believe. They were distant friends from then on: They'd have the occasional chat, but Marco was careful not to make it public, lest he draw the ire of Natalie's friends down on her or himself.

They lost contact soon after Marco's condition began to worsen, but he still remembered her—her protection from any cruelty was tantamount to his efforts to attend even just a day a week, encouraged knowing his fragile confidence would be spared.

☯ S A M U E L . S A B I S T O N ☯ @Rockette
Though they were never too familiar with each other, Marco was one of Samuel's few fans when it came to the art room. Though the teachers might not have appreciated it, Marco saw value in all art, and thus silently admired Samuel's endeavours from a distance. He isn't sure why he never took the extra step to befriend him—perhaps cowardice born of his pragmatic attitude, not wanting to draw attention. It became one of his many regrets as his school attendance began to dip—he had never made the effort to reach out or connect, losing contact before he had gained it.

☯ T R Y S T A N . K I E L . Z A R A G O Z A . S A L A Z A R ☯ @The Man Emperor
Marco was never overly familiar with Trystan, and never got the chance to become as such. Their wildly different interests and social standings, combined with attracting the ire of Marco's friends, mean there would have seldom been an opening for the two to become acquainted. Marco kept his distance, again, if only out of pragmatism.

@udonoodles

It's sweet that he doesn't actively dislike anyone lol

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@The Man Emperor

Do you think Trystan ever spread any rumors, or else talked shit in his friend group about Billy?

@Gisk

Unlikely, since Billy has demonstrated to be nice and Trystan only does that to people they think have it coming... which would have been the especially mean ones. It is actually quite possible that he likes Billy as a person haha

OBLIVION

@The Man Emperor

Also the stuff is already in the capsule they had dug it up elsewhere and were going to open it at the field, other than that good post. I like the fourth job line.

@Salsa Verde

Ah, okay.

@Aeolian
Can we copy and use that same sheet, dear? That would be awesome. I need to put something like this next to the character sheet this time, so it's easy to find.

@The Man Emperor
Hello, hello! So, I had some thoughts about Trystan in relation to Natalie.
Going off of your character sheet, it seems like Trystan would've gotten the standard bullying treatment from Natalie's circle. She'd probably throw in a couple of comments here and there herself, but surely not as nasty as racial slurs. However, that laxatives stunt would've been fucking hilarious to Natalie. Or, it was, even if she didn't know who caused it, because she likely knew the guy it happened to fairly well, if he was a jock/sports guy. If Trystan ever reveals that it was him, he'll definitely score quite some points with Natalie.

@Prisk

It will probably be revealed later, when they all start talking lol