SINF Bang

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[5 / 13 / 20XX]

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ENCRYPTED EMAIL—512-BIT ENCRYPTION

From: Billy the Kid <whbonney@████████

-████████.com>

To: Niccolò Machiavelli <theprince@████████-████████.com>

Subject:

Nic,

The combat lessons with Scatty have been going well. I’m not much of a sword guy, never have been, but staves and other baton-like weapons have been working well for me. It's like playing advanced whack-a-mole. Although, don’t get me wrong, Scatty still puts me on my ass and I reckon she always will. It was hard to tell if I was improving at all for a while there but she assured me I was. I think I can tell now too, I’ve been blocking her more often and can predict what move she's about to make. Plus, it helps that we’re around the same size.

I’ve been attempting to pay her back for the lessons. It don’t feel right taking and giving nothing in return, that's never been the way I roll. I showed her a few things about guns. She doesn’t have any interest in using them (and neither do I these days) but knowing how they work should you find yourself in trouble involving them is always handy. I’ve also been cooking her some food. Of course, she’s infinitely more travelled than me so there isn’t much I could make her that she hasn't tried. I ended up making her something my ma taught me way back when– a fish dish we didn’t get to eat that often once we moved out into the West. Not too many fish out there on the open plains and canyons, I’m sure you can imagine. She said she liked it and I am going to choose to believe she wasn’t lying. I should make you something sometime too! I know you have expensive tastes but there's really nothing that compares to authentic Mexican cuisine in my opinion. You told me you like spicy foods right? Well, I can show you spice for sure, partner.

That reminds me, you asked if I had any more stories to share and I think I’ve got a good one. Have you ever heard the song “Ghost Riders In The Sky”? It was written in 1948 but I’ll attach an mp3 of the Johnny Cash version, I like it better. The song is actually based on a true story, albeit a bit of a tragedy. In 1889, not too long after I turned immortal although I think I was in Tennessee at the time, on a stormy night a trail boss let loose a stampede on a new homestead that blocked his usual cattle driving route. In a rage he had whipped his herd and horses up into a frenzy that had run most of his men and hundreds of his herd off a cliff to their deaths. It’s said he never drove cattle again after that for there was no remorse in his soul for what he had done. And that’s where the song comes in. It mentions a team of ghostly riders in the sky, herding demonic cattle endlessly. It’s a classic revenant tale about a spirit appearing to sinful cowboys, warning them to change their ways lest they become a servant of the devil’s herd. Which makes it easy for common folk to write them off as just a tall tale, something to keep your men in line but I know better. I had seen them myself. That warning that the song talked about? It was issued to me.

This might be an odd choice of characters that I find cute, but I think there’s just something charming about this adaptation of the outlaw! Especially his later dynamic with Machiavelli- they’re a fun duo, and the contrast between their characters is really great.

But instead of pulling away, Billy took a step toward the Elder, slashing out with the Macuahuitl. The razor-sharp glass whistled as it cut through the air. Kukulkan immediately sucked his tongue back in and then coughed and gagged, choking on it. The Macuahuitl had missed it by inches. “Do that again and I’ll cut it off!” Billy yelled. “I know you’ll grow a new one, but I bet it’ll hurt.” (Book 4, the Necromancer)

I am skipping the scrimblo bimblo category because it is almost the exact same as the next one.

Glup shitto: Cernunnos

It’s a shame that Cernunnos was only in book 3, but by GOD did it have the most AWESOME entrance and description ever. It was an excellent way to introduce Archons, what they were, and the effect they had on others just by being there. I love every single detail about it… from Dee slowly figuring out how it operates, to even the pronouns it’s described with changing as the reader becomes familiar with it (going from purely “it” pronouns to “he” later on.) Cernunnos my beloved I miss you every day,,,

A wave of stinking fur, claws, teeth and eyes made yellow by the lights flowed down the streets, boiling out of the houses, leaping through windows, flattening fences, pushing up through sewers. Filthy foul-smelling creatures gathered in a huge silent semicircle behind the Archon. They had the bodies of enormous grey wolves… but they all had human faces. “Turn,” Cernunnos said. Without moving its body, its head swiveled at an impossible angle to regard the silent army behind it, and then it looked back at Dee. “You are strong. You will last a year before you become part of the Wild Hunt.” (Book 3, The Sorceress)

Poor little meow meow: Gilgamesh

…listen.

This is a very different interpretation from Fate Series’ Gilgamesh. SINF’s interpretation of the character is much more pleasant, and much more blatantly tragic. The driving force of the 3rd book technically revolves around meeting with him, and conflicting ideas of him are given throughout the story before he is actually introduced- until you finally meet him. It’s an anticlimactic meeting… he’s not a kingly figure, and despite being the oldest immortal human, he’s far less impressive than any other immortal human they meet. He can barely hold his thoughts together through the jumbled overflow of memories that he holds in his mind. Everything important to him needs to be written down because he is always at risk of forgetting everything dear to him. And,,, oouuughhghhh,,,,

“The Alchemyst leaned forward, and for a moment, it looked as if he was about to put his hand on the king’s shoulder. Then he drew it back and asked gently, “What are you remembering now, Gilgamesh?” The king pressed his index finger into the page, rubbing silver tears into the paper. “The day someone cared enough to shed a tear for me.” (Book 3, The Sorceress)

Horse plinko: Scathach

I love Scathach as a character but I feel like the struggles that she was put through were a little bit inconsistent? I wish that we’d gotten to see more about her relationship with Aoife from her side- it makes sense why we didn’t get to see that, but having her focus on other aspects on her family in the final books doesn’t feel as impactful when their sister relationship had so much intrigue surrounding it in Book #4. I assume that the focus shifting to Scathach’s parents has to do with keeping up the parallels to the twins since their story shifts to having a conflict with their parents.

But I still think that Scathach should’ve gotten more of a spotlight on her emotions on Aoife. She’s too optimistic. I think I need to hit her over the head with a massive metaphorical hammer.

Then Scatty strolled out into the yard. She was twirling her nunchaku as if she were Charlie Chaplin swinging a cane. There wasn’t a hair out of place or a mark on her body, and her green eyes were bright and alert. “Oh, I’m in a much better mood now,” she announced. The twins looked past her in the corridor. Nothing and no one moved in the darkness beyond. “But there were about ten of them…,” Sophie began. Scathach shrugged. “Twelve, actually.” “Armed…,” Josh said. He glanced sidelong at his sister, then back at the Warrior. He swallowed hard. “You didn’t kill them, did you?” Wood snapped and something collapsed in the shop. “No, they’re just… sleeping.” Scatty smiled. (Book 2, The Magician)

Eeby deeby: Niccoló Machiavelli

Oh my god. I LOVE Machiavelli. Everything about his arc is executed so wonderfully- I love from the moment he’s introduced, there is a very clear distinction between him and Dee, how the two operate, and how the two act. Dee is a terrifying villain, sure, manipulative and cunning, but Machiavelli has a striking subtleness to him that contrasts his layers to Dee being a less mysterious villain. I love how even though they are both manipulators, we see what makes Machiavelli a master in how he expertly controls situations- he’s able to direct the interests of Elders themselves to get what he wants, while Dee is constantly getting into trouble thanks to his brash and rushed decisions.

I also hate him and want him to be eaten alive.