[OOC] Worldbuilding: AMALGAM

[robkelk]

Here's an entry from the list in my working notes ranking the various unfriendlies that could affect my usual characters:

AMALGAM: A shared threat with San Antonio, so Leonard isn't going to show his own face in Ottawa very often. Leonard is collecting some powerful allies, though - the Social Welfare Agency operatives from Gunslinger Girl, Awaki Musujime, and [REDACTED] are only three. Has A Plan. (No, really - he isn't a nBSG Cylon. He Has A Plan. Don't know what that plan is, but he has one.)

So... What's his plan? Any ideas?

[Labster]

Is it the Grand Plan or the Ineffable Plan?

[robkelk]

Leonard isn't a Whispered, so I hope his plan isn't ineffable...

Fnord.

[Black Aeronaut]

Uhm.  Wait.  I thought he was?

*goes and checks*

Yep.  He's a Whispered alright.  Otherwise, he'd never be able to wrap AMALGAM around his finger the way he does.

Thing to keep in mind: Leonard occupies a high spot in AMALGAM, but he's far from being among their highest.  He's only as highly ranked as he is because he is Teletha's exact counterpart.  This is made clear during The Second Raid where it is stressed to him that AMALGAM is only letting him devote so many resources to going after Kaname because the plan to take out MITHRIL was his brainchild.

That said?  What is Leonard's plan?

Kaname Chidori.

No more, no less.  Everything else can go to hell in a handbasket, so long as he gets to have Kaname as his willing trophy wife.  Thus, everything is is merely a means to that end.

Oh, don't get me wrong.  He is definitely a true believer in AMALGAM's cause.  That being: further mankind's development by fomenting conflict around the world.  But once he discovered Kaname Chidori, that quickly became a side-interest.

Head Cannon: Leonard isn't interested in Kaname so much for herself as much as he is interested in making babies with her.  Really.  Sure, he likes her combative personality and thinks she's hot as fuck, but for Leonard that plays more into what he hopes will be children who are Whispered with aggressive personas.  (Just imagine someone like Taiga Aisaka as a Whispered - this is what he's going for.)

Thoughts?

[Labster]

Oh right, AMALGAM is from the show with the Fumoffu. And here I was thinking it was from that Certain show, the one with loads and loads of characters and organizations.

I get the feeling I'll be completely useless in this thread.

[Black Aeronaut]

Further research reveals some FUCKED UP SHIT.

Apparently, once upon a time before everything went to hell, Leonard apparently caught his mother sleeping with another man.

And then later, for some reason that the wiki does not go into detail over, AMALGAM attacks the Testarosa family.  Teletha is hiding somewhere, but Leonard is with their mom.  And what does the mom do?  "Here, take my son!  He's a super-genius!  Just don't kill me."  Apparently she saw an opportunity to save herself and tie up the loose end that could get her in trouble with her husband.

Long story short, they kill her anyways, then take Leonard and brainwash him.  Apparently this is why Teletha has had difficulty in going up against Leonard in the past.

In a ways, I feel bad for him, but he's probably so far gone by now that there'd be no hope of saving him.

[robkelk]

Uhm.  Wait.  I thought he was?

*goes and checks*

Yep.  He's a Whispered alright.  Otherwise, he'd never be able to wrap AMALGAM around his finger the way he does.

Huh. I was not aware that the Testarossas were twins. I thought he was the older sibling.

Fair enough.

Thing to keep in mind: Leonard occupies a high spot in AMALGAM, but he's far from being among their highest.  He's only as highly ranked as he is because he is Teletha's exact counterpart.  This is made clear during The Second Raid where it is stressed to him that AMALGAM is only letting him devote so many resources to going after Kaname because the plan to take out MITHRIL was his brainchild.

That said?  What is Leonard's plan?

Kaname Chidori.

No more, no less.  Everything else can go to hell in a handbasket, so long as he gets to have Kaname as his willing trophy wife.  Thus, everything is is merely a means to that end.

Oh, don't get me wrong.  He is definitely a true believer in AMALGAM's cause.  That being: further mankind's development by fomenting conflict around the world.  But once he discovered Kaname Chidori, that quickly became a side-interest.

Head Cannon: Leonard isn't interested in Kaname so much for herself as much as he is interested in making babies with her.  Really.  Sure, he likes her combative personality and thinks she's hot as fuck, but for Leonard that plays more into what he hopes will be children who are Whispered with aggressive personas.  (Just imagine someone like Taiga Aisaka as a Whispered - this is what he's going for.)

Thoughts?

I can work with this.

AMALGAM - we make hard times, because hard times create strong men

(Which, if one looks closely at the Fremen Mirage, says AMALGAM is made up of weak mean, but don't point that out to them.)

Leonard's interests in Blossom would be keeping them off his back while he woos Kaname (a reasonable action, considering that Blossom and Westwoods are allied) and using them against AMALGAM's enemy MANAGEMENT (since Blossom is also at least friendly with Club Lofts, and Mahoro is MANAGEMENT's main enemy in both her own canon and the Metacontinuity). And, hey, fighting!

Hmmmmm... maybe AMALGAM might make a play for the Senshi who are shown to be more willing to "make the tough decisions" and back them up with action - you know, the two that are off on their own, away from the "corrupting" influences of Usagi. Whether AMALGAM would be able to recruit Sailors Uranus and Neptune remains to be seen, of course... and depends on just how they would go about doing so.

[Black Aeronaut]

OH MAN!

That would make the bit with Ben - right before the raid on the Slaugh hideout - all the more important.  I want to write this scene where Ben pulls the two aside and spends a couple of minutes verbally illustrating just how dangerously fucking thin the ice upon which they skate is.  To the point where Ben has been given notice by Hild herself that if they become an issue, he is to take them down.  Not the Hero, Rob.  Not the Empress, Usagi.  Not the human weapon, Accelerator.  Practical, pragmatic, ruthless, anti-magical and anti-matter-packing Ben, with whom once you've crossed the line there is no going back.

Even just a single close brush with Leonard is going to sound alarm bells.  To the point where if anyone ever hears about it, Ben is going to lay down the law.

FROM: Benjamin Rhodes <REDACTED>
TO: Haruka Tenou <REDACTED>; Micheru Kaioh <REDACTED>
CC: Ciel Phantomhive <REDACTED>; Rob Kelk <REDACTED>; Usagi Tsukino <REDACTED>; Mamoru Chiba <REDACTED>
SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE ACTION

You two chucklefucks have been COMPROMISED.  Did you honestly think that no one would notice that you had a lunch date with LEONARD FUCKING TESTAROSA!?  HAL has had him on the Watch List ever since Teletha showed up.  And Teletha has good reasons to be opposed to her brother, no matter how much she used to love him.  The man is legitimately bad news of the absolute worse kind - imagine if Metallia had corrupted Mamoru instead of Queen Beryl.  That's how bad he is!  And you two even agreeing to meet with him at all is telling of just how much of a liability you're becoming!

Get your asses here to San Antonio.  Now.  This is a non-negotiable order from Hild-sama.  Arrangements for Micheru playing at the Reid will be made.  Your civilian identities already have jobs waiting.  Haruka, you will have a racing team sponsored by Ciel Phantomhive as well as a senior instructor's seat at the Longhorn Racing Academy.  Micheru, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra has a spot for First Chair Violinist waiting for you - they play in a state-of-the-art facility and are heavily involved with the community.  Additionally, you two will be accepted as a couple here as there is a thriving LGBTQ population here.  You may even be officially wedded if you wish.  Arrangements for moving, customs, and immigration have all been made.

You two require oversight.  You have no excuses.  Failure to comply will result in unpleasant consequences.

Whatcha think?

[Norgarth]

Might epend on if they go into the meeting knowing he's a displacee or not. If he just walks up to their table and sits down while their having lunch at a cafe or something, that's not as bad (still not good, granted)

[Black Aeronaut]

Well, the implication I got was that the meeting was prearranged.  Leonard would be the type to gamble on Haruka and Micheru being bull-headed enough that they’d go ahead and meet with a stranger promising  a ‘better arrangement’, and all without consulting anyone else because they think they know better.  Which MIGHT be true if they were in their home universe. But apparently it still hasn’t sunk in that Things Are Different Now.  This feels very much in-character for the two, especially since they don’t have Hotaru around to worry about.

The downside of this would be that once Leonard learns that his meeting with them was discovered, he’d go deeper underground, thus making him harder to track.

Another would be that they think Ben’s carrots are too good to be true, and that even if Leonard is a Bad Guy, they can play him to their tune. (Fat chance.)

This can create an absolutely disastrous situation where Haruka and Micheru wind up being the ones played like fiddles instead, and to the detriment of both Blossom and Westwoods.  This could even tie in to the plot idea of Nanoha and Fates relationship flags with Ben getting reset. After all, those poor girls are being taken advantage of!

You like?

[Dartz]

Oh right, AMALGAM is from the show with the Fumoffu.  And here I was thinking it was from that Certain show, the one with loads and loads of characters and organizations.

I get the feeling I'll be completely useless in this thread.

Yeah. I get that feeling from 90% of the things posted these days.

[robkelk]

OH MAN!

That would make the bit with Ben - right before the raid on the Slaugh hideout - all the more important.  I want to write this scene where Ben pulls the two aside and spends a couple of minutes verbally illustrating just how dangerously fucking thin the ice upon which they skate is.  To the point where Ben has been given notice by Hild herself that if they become an issue, he is to take them down.  Not the Hero, Rob.  Not the Empress, Usagi.  Not the human weapon, Accelerator.  Practical, pragmatic, ruthless, anti-magical and anti-matter-packing Ben, with whom once you've crossed the line there is no going back.

Even just a single close brush with Leonard is going to sound alarm bells.  To the point where if anyone ever hears about it, Ben is going to lay down the law.

FROM: Benjamin Rhodes <REDACTED>
TO: Haruka Tenou <REDACTED>; Micheru Kaioh <REDACTED>
CC: Ciel Phantomhive <REDACTED>; Rob Kelk <REDACTED>; Usagi Tsukino <REDACTED>; Mamoru Chiba <REDACTED>
SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE ACTION

You two chucklefucks have been COMPROMISED.  Did you honestly think that no one would notice that you had a lunch date with LEONARD FUCKING TESTAROSA!?  HAL has had him on the Watch List ever since Teletha showed up.  And Teletha has good reasons to be opposed to her brother, no matter how much she used to love him.  The man is legitimately bad news of the absolute worse kind - imagine if Metallia had corrupted Mamoru instead of Queen Beryl.  That's how bad he is!  And you two even agreeing to meet with him at all is telling of just how much of a liability you're becoming!

Get your asses here to San Antonio.  Now.  This is a non-negotiable order from Hild-sama.  Arrangements for Micheru playing at the Reid will be made.  Your civilian identities already have jobs waiting.  Haruka, you will have a racing team sponsored by Ciel Phantomhive as well as a senior instructor's seat at the Longhorn Racing Academy.  Micheru, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra has a spot for First Chair Violinist waiting for you - they play in a state-of-the-art facility and are heavily involved with the community.  Additionally, you two will be accepted as a couple here as there is a thriving LGBTQ population here.  You may even be officially wedded if you wish.  Arrangements for moving, customs, and immigration have all been made.

You two require oversight.  You have no excuses.  Failure to comply will result in unpleasant consequences.

Whatcha think?

One problem: timing.

The raid on the Unseelie takes place in December 2016 - before Mii and Ami meet Mahoro. Leonard doesn't become interested on Blossom and environs until January 2017 - after Mii and Ami meet Mahoro.

Leonard might not even know about Blossom until after his agents notice Mii and Ami's visit to Windsor: "Sir, somebody who appeared to be a Sailor Senshi just teleported in, along with another girl." Then, the next day, there's a report of a car with Ottawa dealer frames around the license plates showing up, and the occupants of said car being on good terms with the Senshi. Then, a couple of weeks later, Leonard gets the Witches Electric warp out of storage and sees what happens when it's dumped into the building the Senshi are living in, leading to Mimi's resurrection...

EDIT: Unless you were talking about giving them a generic warning, not a warning about a specific threat.

Might epend on if they go into the meeting knowing he's a displacee or not. If he just walks up to their table and sits down while their having lunch at a cafe or something, that's not as bad (still not good, granted)

Especially considering Michiru plays violin at a cafe.

Although...

My current story could wind up with an epilogue that has this scene take place. Everybody else gets to panic only if they have a second meeting with him... which, considering their attempt to play Galaxia to their tune in Stars, is certainly possible. If they have the second meeting, then we exile them to an island.

Oh right, AMALGAM is from the show with the Fumoffu.  And here I was thinking it was from that Certain show, the one with loads and loads of characters and organizations.

I get the feeling I'll be completely useless in this thread.

Yeah. I get that feeling from 90% of the things posted these days.

I'm trying to leave opportunities open for everybody else, really...

[Black Aeronaut]

OH MAN!

That would make the bit with Ben - right before the raid on the Slaugh hideout - all the more important.  I want to write this scene where Ben pulls the two aside and spends a couple of minutes verbally illustrating just how dangerously fucking thin the ice upon which they skate is.  To the point where Ben has been given notice by Hild herself that if they become an issue, he is to take them down.  Not the Hero, Rob.  Not the Empress, Usagi.  Not the human weapon, Accelerator.  Practical, pragmatic, ruthless, anti-magical and anti-matter-packing Ben, with whom once you've crossed the line there is no going back.

Even just a single close brush with Leonard is going to sound alarm bells.  To the point where if anyone ever hears about it, Ben is going to lay down the law.

FROM: Benjamin Rhodes <REDACTED>
TO: Haruka Tenou <REDACTED>; Micheru Kaioh <REDACTED>
CC: Ciel Phantomhive <REDACTED>; Rob Kelk <REDACTED>; Usagi Tsukino <REDACTED>; Mamoru Chiba <REDACTED>
SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE ACTION

You two chucklefucks have been COMPROMISED.  Did you honestly think that no one would notice that you had a lunch date with LEONARD FUCKING TESTAROSA!?  HAL has had him on the Watch List ever since Teletha showed up.  And Teletha has good reasons to be opposed to her brother, no matter how much she used to love him.  The man is legitimately bad news of the absolute worse kind - imagine if Metallia had corrupted Mamoru instead of Queen Beryl.  That's how bad he is!  And you two even agreeing to meet with him at all is telling of just how much of a liability you're becoming!

Get your asses here to San Antonio.  Now.  This is a non-negotiable order from Hild-sama.  Arrangements for Micheru playing at the Reid will be made.  Your civilian identities already have jobs waiting.  Haruka, you will have a racing team sponsored by Ciel Phantomhive as well as a senior instructor's seat at the Longhorn Racing Academy.  Micheru, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra has a spot for First Chair Violinist waiting for you - they play in a state-of-the-art facility and are heavily involved with the community.  Additionally, you two will be accepted as a couple here as there is a thriving LGBTQ population here.  You may even be officially wedded if you wish.  Arrangements for moving, customs, and immigration have all been made.

You two require oversight.  You have no excuses.  Failure to comply will result in unpleasant consequences.

Whatcha think?

One problem: timing.

The raid on the Unseelie takes place in December 2016 - before Mii and Ami meet Mahoro. Leonard doesn't become interested on Blossom and environs until January 2017 - after Mii and Ami meet Mahoro.

Leonard might not even know about Blossom until after his agents notice Mii and Ami's visit to Windsor: "Sir, somebody who appeared to be a Sailor Senshi just teleported in, along with another girl." Then, the next day, there's a report of a car with Ottawa dealer frames around the license plates showing up, and the occupants of said car being on good terms with the Senshi. Then, a couple of weeks later, Leonard gets the Witches Electric warp out of storage and sees what happens when it's dumped into the building the Senshi are living in, leading to Mimi's resurrection...

EDIT: Unless you were talking about giving them a generic warning, not a warning about a specific threat.

Oh, the warning Ben gives right before the Raid on the Unseelie is a generic warning - they are virtually unaccounted for in terms of oversight, and having people with their capability just running around doing whatever they damn-well please is most emphatically not good in a situation as unstable as the one they're in.

The email message above would be the "Congratulations, idiots -- you have officially crossed the line" message where Ben is forced to give them one final ultimatum before they're declared to be rogue agents.  Hence the final line in the message: "Failure to comply will result in unpleasant consequences."

[Dartz]

OH MAN!

That would make the bit with Ben - right before the raid on the Slaugh hideout - all the more important.  I want to write this scene where Ben pulls the two aside and spends a couple of minutes verbally illustrating just how dangerously fucking thin the ice upon which they skate is.  To the point where Ben has been given notice by Hild herself that if they become an issue, he is to take them down.  Not the Hero, Rob.  Not the Empress, Usagi.  Not the human weapon, Accelerator.  Practical, pragmatic, ruthless, anti-magical and anti-matter-packing Ben, with whom once you've crossed the line there is no going back.

Even just a single close brush with Leonard is going to sound alarm bells.  To the point where if anyone ever hears about it, Ben is going to lay down the law.

FROM: Benjamin Rhodes <REDACTED>
TO: Haruka Tenou <REDACTED>; Micheru Kaioh <REDACTED>
CC: Ciel Phantomhive <REDACTED>; Rob Kelk <REDACTED>; Usagi Tsukino <REDACTED>; Mamoru Chiba <REDACTED>
SUBJECT: IMMEDIATE ACTION

You two chucklefucks have been COMPROMISED.  Did you honestly think that no one would notice that you had a lunch date with LEONARD FUCKING TESTAROSA!?  HAL has had him on the Watch List ever since Teletha showed up.  And Teletha has good reasons to be opposed to her brother, no matter how much she used to love him.  The man is legitimately bad news of the absolute worse kind - imagine if Metallia had corrupted Mamoru instead of Queen Beryl.  That's how bad he is!  And you two even agreeing to meet with him at all is telling of just how much of a liability you're becoming!

Get your asses here to San Antonio.  Now.  This is a non-negotiable order from Hild-sama.  Arrangements for Micheru playing at the Reid will be made.  Your civilian identities already have jobs waiting.  Haruka, you will have a racing team sponsored by Ciel Phantomhive as well as a senior instructor's seat at the Longhorn Racing Academy.  Micheru, the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra has a spot for First Chair Violinist waiting for you - they play in a state-of-the-art facility and are heavily involved with the community.  Additionally, you two will be accepted as a couple here as there is a thriving LGBTQ population here.  You may even be officially wedded if you wish.  Arrangements for moving, customs, and immigration have all been made.

You two require oversight.  You have no excuses.  Failure to comply will result in unpleasant consequences.

Whatcha think?

One problem: timing.

The raid on the Unseelie takes place in December 2016 - before Mii and Ami meet Mahoro. Leonard doesn't become interested on Blossom and environs until January 2017 - after Mii and Ami meet Mahoro.

Leonard might not even know about Blossom until after his agents notice Mii and Ami's visit to Windsor: "Sir, somebody who appeared to be a Sailor Senshi just teleported in, along with another girl." Then, the next day, there's a report of a car with Ottawa dealer frames around the license plates showing up, and the occupants of said car being on good terms with the Senshi. Then, a couple of weeks later, Leonard gets the Witches Electric warp out of storage and sees what happens when it's dumped into the building the Senshi are living in, leading to Mimi's resurrection...

EDIT: Unless you were talking about giving them a generic warning, not a warning about a specific threat.

Might epend on if they go into the meeting knowing he's a displacee or not.  If he just walks up to their table and sits down while their having lunch at a cafe or something, that's not as bad (still not good, granted)

Especially considering Michiru plays violin at a cafe.

Although...

My current story could wind up with an epilogue that has this scene take place. Everybody else gets to panic only if they have a second meeting with him... which, considering their attempt to play Galaxia to their tune in Stars, is certainly possible. If they have the second meeting, then we exile them to an island.

Oh right, AMALGAM is from the show with the Fumoffu.  And here I was thinking it was from that Certain show, the one with loads and loads of characters and organizations.

I get the feeling I'll be completely useless in this thread.

Yeah. I get that feeling from 90% of the things posted these days.

I'm trying to leave opportunities open for everybody else, really...

Regrettably, I have lost my ability to create.

[robkelk]

I think I have this wiki page up to date now, including spoilers for future stories. It could stand a proofread...

[Black Aeronaut]

Looks good to me. I'll give it another look over in a bit to be sure.

[Labster]

Is that first line of that wiki page from the show? If yes, I need to add an example to this Trope Workshop page. If no: hey, I contributed indirectly! Wow!

[robkelk]

It is not from the show - it is your (indirect) contribution.