life is a stageplay
... and i am its leading star.
rules
independent & semi-private & selective & canon divergent
Genesis Rhapsodos from Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core
In general, don't be a dingdong. I've been roleplaying for 15+ years at this point and Genesis has been with me for 11+ years. I'm here to write and have fun, and I'm sure you are too! So, let's set some ground rules so we can have fun. I do NOT partake in drama or callouts. I am also not affiliated with the FFVII RPC. I'm content in my own little corner with my friends.My portrayal of Genesis has been in on-and-off development for over 10 years now and as such is canon-divergent and very headcanon focused. I am canon compliant to a point. I draw inspiration from both the OG and Remake continuities.I don't have a set reply speed, replies are dependent on my executive function. I do make use of Tumblr's scheduling system to queue up replies, but will also reply as and when. I LOVE ALL MY THREADS with all my RP partners! I've just found what works for my executive function level!Personal blogs are welcome to follow but please be considerate to my notifications! If you're a personal blog with an RP sideblog I will only follow the RP sideblog just for the sake of keeping my dash focused on RP things.I do not send in passwords but I do always make sure to read the rules of every blog that I want to interact with, so don't worry about that!I am duplicate friendly! Everyone's take on the same character is unique, and it can lend itself to some fun RP opportunities. That being said though I won't follow first unless it's explicitly stated in your rules that you're duplicate friendly.I DO NOT WRITE rape, incest, pedophilia or A/B/O.MINORS DNI - I'm old enough to be your dad, probably. Please don't lie about your age either.
I am selective because I want to write and create stories. If you follow first, give me some time to check out your blog. Don't take it personally if I don't follow back.I love OCs! But please have at least some basic info on your OC so I can read all about them!If I follow you, I want to write with you. I am VERY crossover friendly too. Crossovers and AUs are my bread and butter. Even if I don't know the base media or the world your character is from, let's work something out!
SEND THE MEME. Doesn't matter how long ago the meme was posted, SEND THE MEME. Memes are the best way to kick off interactions since I'm not always the best with starter calls. Feel free to continue a meme into a thread too, just make it into a new post!I do prioritise mutuals over non-mutuals but don't let that put you off! Memes are the best icebreakers for kicking something off.I am very open to many different fandoms and I love crossovers!That being said though, I DO NOT write with muses from the Harry Potter/Wizarding World fandom. Multimuse blogs that have muses from these fandoms are okay to follow, just know that I will not write with those particular muses. This is purely for my comfort.
I do format my replies with small text and icons with occasional emphasis on words (rarely, with coloured text). YOU DO NOT HAVE TO FORMAT YOUR POSTS TO WRITE WITH ME. I have my own personal aesthetic and I won't force it on you. We're here for the WRITING, after all!However, if you require me to use normal text for your replies then I will be happy to accommodate you! Just let me know!
Plotting is good. Plotting is fun. Got a plot in mind? Lay it on me. Want to discuss the direction a thread is going in? Let's do it. Just want to yell an idea in my general direction? GO FOR IT! Even if it never becomes an actual thread, I enjoy discussing the shenanigans our characters get up to!
I DO practice mains but I DO NOT practice exclusives. I do prioritise mains but that's just because we get along so well! To become a main, we just have to have a really strong rapport both IC and OOC! The best IC bonds are formed when the OOC bonds are strong too. At least, that's what I've found anyways.
I adore shipping! But please don't force ships on me. The best ships form when the chemistry happens naturally. And just to clarify: discussing the possibility of a ship is not forcing the ship, you're always welcome to discuss it with me!Yes, smut will occur on occasion. My tags for the smutty stuff are #suggestive stage directions (for implied or light suggestive themes) and #risque poetry (for the more explicit stuff). All smut will be mature labelled and hidden beneath a readmore as well.I now have a SMUT SIDEBLOG with the URL sultryphoenix for even more smut-focused fun!Fade to black is okay! If you're not comfortable writing smut then that's fine, fade to black is fine!THERE WILL BE NO SMUT WITH CHARACTERS WHO ARE MINORS!
IMPORTANT NOTE - This blog WILL contain discussions of war, human experimentation, child soldiers and fire. If these themes are triggering to you or make you uncomfortable then I would highly advise not to follow.I PERSONALLY do not have any triggers but I do my best to tag triggers as #trigger tw where applicable. If there is a trigger that pops up that I'm unaware of, PLEASE TELL ME so I can tag it for you.
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character info
The fire within continues to burn even as all else turns to ashes...
FULL NAME. Genesis Rhapsodos
ALSO KNOWN AS. The Crimson Commander
DATE OF BIRTH. 31st October [ μ ] – εγλ 1973
AGE. 27 (Mainverse)
ZODIAC. Scorpio (Sun) / Capricorn (Moon) / Aries (Rising)GENDER. Masc-leaning genderfluid
PRONOUNS. He/They
ORIENTATION. Demiromantic / BisexualOCCUPATION. SOLDIER First Class
SPECIES. Jenova-enhanced and mako-enhanced human
BIRTHPLACE. Banora, Mideel Continent (officially)
CURRENT HOME. Midgar
NATIONALITY. Banorian/Midgarian
ETHNICITY. Midgarian
LANGUAGE(S). Midgar Common, Wutaian, some RhadoranPARENTS. Lord Terrence and Lady Abigail Rhapsodos
SIBLINGS. None
OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS. Elise Brunson and Irving Trahan (birth parents, unknown to him)PETS. Verse dependent.
FACECLAIM. Gackt Camui (神威 楽斗, Kamui Gakuto)HAIR. Auburn, shoulder-length
EYES. Mako-infused blue (originally hazel)
HEIGHT. 172.72cm / 5ft 8ins
BUILD. 94kg (207.23lbs), lean but muscularDOMINANT HAND. Right-handed
SCARS. Various scars on his arms from when he used to work in the apple orchards, several burn scars on his arms.
TATTOO(S). A phoenix tattoo on his right shoulder blade.
PIERCINGS. One long dagger-style earring in his right ear, several hoop earrings in both lobes, several hoop earrings in his left helix.
OTHER REMARKABLE FEATURES. Light freckles on his nose and under his eyes.
POSITIVE TRAITS. determined, focused, strategic, retains information well, charming
NEGATIVE TRAITS. Arrogant, impulsive, egotistical, vain, confrontationalLIKES. Cats, brandy, Wutaian takeout, fire, Loveless, researching history, stuffed animals
DISLIKES. The cold, people whom he deems beneath him, eggs, getting his eyeliner messed up
FEARS & PHOBIAS. Being forgotten, being seen as a nobody.
WISHES & DREAMS. To continually better himself and become a hero.MBTI. INTP-T
MORAL ALIGNMENT. Chaotic Neutral
ENNEAGRAM TYPE. 8 - The Challenger
biography
(Written with the main timeline in mind)
Genesis was adopted into the Rhapsodos family when he was four years old. His adoptive parents would often dote on him and for a time, he was very much loved. That was, up until shortly after his eighth birthday when his adoptive mother cheated on her husband and left him. Distraught by this, Terrence ended up taking out his anger on Genesis, who ended up retreating into his own little world with his own little stories. The poem 'Loveless' became a huge comfort to him.At ten years old he came up with a revolutionary method for preserving Banora White apples for long-range transport since the apples don't often travel well outside of the village. He had hoped to gain back recognition from his father as a result, but instead only received a half-hearted thanks. The rift between himself and his Papa grew all the more, and it was this moment when he started to realise that he didn't want to stay in Banora any longer. He began to make plans to leave the village.
Genesis was 13 when he made the call to leave Banora following an argument with his Papa. Packing up what few items he had that he held dear, he snuck in the back of a Banora White juice truck en route to Midgar and made it into the city. At first he was overwhelmed by the sights, but soon found a way to make it into Shinra and become the hero that he was meant to be. While at first he was somewhat shy and a bit of a wallflower, as he gained more confidence he grew into his own and became a competent leader among the cadets.He made SOLDIER at 15 and had become semi-well-known for his stubborn persistence and determination that kept him going throughout his training. At the same time he did also devise an additional preservation method for Banora White apples which turned into cider processing. He sent this back to one of his other trusted friends in Banora, and the Banora White cider side hustle was born. This also opened up negotiations with Papa Rhapsodos, and eventually Terrence did agree to finanically support his child while he worked his way up the SOLDIER ladder.After his first mission, a drunken mishap involving experimental fire materia led to Genesis becoming permanently infused with the power of fire, now fuelled by the mako in his bloodstream.
With his position in SOLDIER secured, Genesis worked his way up the ranks with a rather surprising speed (at least for regular SOLDIER members who weren't Sephiroth, anyway). His leadership, charisma and tenacity were all well noted. All the while, he kept up appearances as the leading act in his own personal stageplay. It was shortly after making Third Class that he caught the attention of Sephiroth and began working to befriend him.Shortly after making Second Class, he commissioned a Wutaian smith to forge a special blade for him that he could use with his powers. Of course, he wouldn't be able to use it until it was forged and he'd made First, but at this point he was confident enough in his prowess that he set the process off. This blade would become the famed Rapier that he would then wield as soon as he made First.He made First Class just shortly after his 20th birthday, and it was then that he could wield his special blade that was made to his specifications. His charisma and charm meant it wasn't long before he was gifted with fan clubs, and his altered uniform became an iconic look. A red leather coat, along with slimmer leather pants and thigh high boots, became the look that would earn him the title of the Crimson Commander.Living in the lap of luxury on the prestigious Loveless Avenue, throngs of fans, tons of charm and incredible battle prowess, it was clear that Genesis Rhapsodos was a formidable icon of his own making. Yet, he knew he could continue to strive for better.
Of course, not everything could last forever. And Genesis' constant quest to better himself would ultimately become his downfall. It was one of his regular jaunts to the virtual training room with his best friends that started it. The day that Genesis proclaimed that he too would be a hero... that was the day that would be forever etched into his mind. When a shard of shattered metal pierced Genesis' left shoulder, that was the beginning of the end. He went to medical to get it treated, but the substance coming out of that wound was nothing like they'd ever seen. Hollander was called in to treat it, but instead of properly treating it, he instead took advantage of Genesis' rapidly splintering mental state to use him to get revenge on Shinra. The Professor revealed everything to him: the true circumstances of his birth, how he was a failure of Project G and how he would always be second-rate. Unable to think rationally with his mind splintering, it was enough for him to be persuaded to side with Hollander for the time being.While deployed on a mission to Wutai, his psyche shattered enough to the point where he deserted, taking with him a great number of SOLDIER personnel whom were then made into copies by Hollander's copy technology.That was the day that ultimately marked the beginning of the end for Shinra.And as Genesis lost more and more of his sense to the degradation that ravaged him, he wouldn't yet realise the true extent of the damage he'd done until he finally found the fabled 'Gift of the Goddess'.
The Goddess Minerva had granted Genesis her gift, though it was not without cost. In exchange for his life back, Genesis would now serve as her chosen Champion. But with full sanity and lucidity restored, he was plagued by flashes of the things he'd done while degrading. Minerva did grant him the ability to take some time to work through everything before he took the mantle.Waking up in the Banora Underground one month after being cured, he found his old guitar and a worn copy of Loveless from amidst the rubble of his old childhood home, and with these items in hand he became a wandering bard, trying to find his new self in a world that had mostly forgotten him. He bore many scars from his degradation, both physical and mental.With old routines and friends lost forever, Genesis began to seek out new connections. Minerva had given him a second chance at life, had she not? He wasn't going to squander it, even if in the back of his mind he knew it was conditional. After taking some time for himself to adjust to what would be his new normal, he soon travelled across Gaia as a wandering nomadic bard, using the medium of music to speak what words could not, and using his combat skills to earn his keep. Over time he would work his way through the anguish within his memories, find himself again and become the Champion that Minerva sought him to be.
After several years, Genesis finally felt ready to accept the Goddess' charge. Minerva's power would render him functionally immortal, and he would now watch over Gaia as its protector. With this mantle came an increase in his physical and magical prowess.And it was in that moment that Genesis realised that he had become the hero. Yet... had the cost been worth it?It would be a question that he would continually ponder over the years that would become his immortal existence, one that he could never truly answer.As those years stretched onward and more and more of his mortal connections eventually perished, Genesis soon decided that even though he ached for companionship, it was safer for him to become a solo act, only interacting with mortals where necessary. His duty of protection eventually spread to other worlds that Minerva would guide him to, and it was this that allowed him to continue growing in power in that neverending quest to better himself.For hundreds of years, that would be his life. Until...
Around five hundred years after accepting his ordained role as Minerva's Champion and travelling between worlds with his Goddess' guidance, Genesis had grown in power to such a degree that her guidance was no longer needed. As one final blessing to him before she let him loose, Minerva granted him the power to travel between the worlds of his own volition and sent him forth with her blessing.Now, Genesis was truly in full control of his existence. He was now the director, writer and star of his own personal stageplay.Thus, he became the Crimson Guardian, a self-ordained protector of the worlds that would strike down whatever threatened them. However, as his power continued to grow and the years stretched ever onward, he became increasingly jaded and bored. Protecting the worlds was easy to him now, and there were occasions where he'd even cause a little chaos of his own just to create the challenge he sought.Even so, the Guardian's existence is a lonely one. While his heart remains so incredibly guarded, the ache for companionship makes itself all the more known. But can he truly risk saying yet another goodbye that will only shatter his still ever-so-fragile heart more?
verses
What is a stage production without multiple acts?
Main Timeline Verses
MAINVERSE / PRE CRISIS CORE ERA
SOLDIER First Class Genesis Rhapsodos is at the height of his popularity and fame. A charming yet formidable individual, he commands his own presence in such a way that there is no doubt who is in charge of his own space. Even so, despite his classy exterior, he is still a maverick at heart and indulges in chaos here and there!(Default verse for most interactions!)
CHAMPION OF MINERVA ERA / CONTINUES FROM POST-AWAKENING TO 500 YEARS POST CRISIS CORE
After coming to terms with everything enough that he could finally accept Minerva's mantle, Genesis became the Planet's immortal Champion, defending Gaia against further threats as a way to atone for his past atrocities.However, as his time under the Goddess' servitude grows, he becomes increasingly more self-reliant, distancing himself from mortals as much as he possibly can.
COVERS SHINRA CAREER PRIOR TO MAINVERSE
After leaving Banora at 13 years of age, Genesis signed on with Shinra to work towards his ever-increasing goal of bettering himself and to become a hero.Cadet: Still adjusting to life in the big city, a little bit of a wallflower, but still with a fire in his belly, Genesis is determined to prove that he has what it takes to get into SOLDIER.Third Class: Having been accepted into SOLDIER, Genesis doesn't let the fact that he's only Third Class get him down. Arrogant and hot-headed, he's eager to show that Shinra made the right call.Second Class: Genesis is settling well into SOLDIER life and has found his drive for leadership. He's showing that he's ready to make First and has mellowed out somewhat, though he can still have his hot-tempered moments.
POST-AWAKENING / POST CRISIS CORE TO AROUND ADVENT CHILDREN ERA
Awakening into a world that has mostly forgotten him with a new purpose hanging over his head, Genesis is trying to find himself once more. Working through a plethora of complicated emotions and grief, he's now trying to become the Champion that Minerva wishes him to be.
CRIMSON GUARDIAN ERA / 500+ YEARS POST CRISIS CORE ONWARDS
Now a free-roaming worldly traveller, Genesis now truly is the writer, director and star of his own stageplay of his own design. Wandering between worlds to dispense of threats that may befall them, along with just generally finding new sights and places to go, Genesis carries out his self-imposed duty with a stoic grace. Yet... the long years of existence have begun to weigh on him.(Default verse for crossovers where an AU may not exist yet or I don't know the base media well enough!)
Alternate Timeline Verses
POST CRISIS CORE ALTERNATE TIMELINE / RESIDES AT AROUND OG/REMAKE IN THE FFVII TIMELINE
After waking up in the Banora Underground since having his degradation cured, Genesis wants to get back at Shinra for ruining his life, but this time on his own terms. Returning to Midgar, he takes refuge in the slums and eventually joins up with AVALANCHE, using his knowledge as a former SOLDIER to help them further their goals, and to show his former employer that he came back for an encore. But even with this purpose, he still grieves the loss of his former life.
ALTERNATE TIMELINE WHERE THE NIBELHEIM INCIDENT STILL OCCURS BUT UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES
A final attack on Fort Tamblin led by Genesis himself would cement his position as one of SOLDIER's greatest. Because he eventually became the poster child of SOLDIER when Sephiroth was drawn to Nibelheim through rumours of his parentage, the knowledge of which drove him to madness. Genesis was never told the truth of what happened at Nibelheim, and when rumours of Sephiroth still being alive but insane came through, it was enough to start shaking his loyalties. Now he wants to know what really happened.Strings AU: Genesis ended up working alongside Cloud Strife, a SOLDIER whom had been trained to be Rufus Shinra's personal bodyguard. Cloud knew about Nibelheim, and helped spur Genesis into investigating the truth behind the incident.
ALTERNATE TIMELINE WHERE THE EVENTS OF CRISIS CORE ARE PREVENTED
Genesis would prove instrumental in ending the Wutai War when he led an incredibly brave solo charge on Fort Tamblin. However, during the fight he took a would that would make him degrade. Professor Hollander did set his differences aside and togehter with Hojo, Genesis was eventually cured after two years of being out of action. It wasn't long until he was back on his feet serving in SOLDIER alongside his two best friends.
ALTERNATE TIMELINE FOR LEAVING SHINRA AND SOLDIER UNDER OTHER MEANS
Something wasn't right. Genesis felt as if he were not on the path he wanted to be on. And despite the risks involved, he turned his back on Shinra, becoming a freelance warrior-bard. When he's not doing mercenary work, he can often be found writing new guitar songs and finding other ways to better himself.
COVERS ALL CANON-DIVERGENT DEGRADATION ARCS FROM THIS BLOG'S MAIN TIMELINE
Everything had gone terribly wrong. Genesis had taken a severe wound, and it wasn't healing, instead producing a horrible sludgy substance. Dissatisfied with what 'help' Shinra's doctors were offering, he went off on his own terms, going to seek the fabled gift of the Goddess in the hopes that it would cure him.This also covers offshoots of the main degradation arc (i.e. the wound taken in the training room and from different points with in the canonical Crisis Core timeline)
Connections
Even a leading star needs a good supporting act.
| URL | Character | Affiliated Verses | Written By |
|---|---|---|---|
| warofthebeasts | Sephiroth | Multiple Verses | Kevin |
| meteodrives | Tifa Lockhart | Ashen Veteran (Strings AU) | Aeri |
| emily-lotus | Emily Lotus | Multiple Verses | Emily |
| gcldfanged | Jae-hyo Yoon | Graceful Phoenix (Mainverse) | Soda |
| ama-tcra-su | Amaterasu | Crimson Guardian | Drae |
| cloudyfenrir | Cloud Strife | Multiple Verses | Daremo |
| lxckheart | Tifa Lockhart | AVALANCHE | Night |
| saiibeo | Corrine Corvus | Commonwealth Phoenix (Fallout AU) | Crow |
| roleplay-abiogenesis2 | Cyno | Graceful Phoenix (Mainverse) | Saru |
| marie-dufresne | Marie Dufresne | Crimson Guardian | Frenchie |
| spec-b | Cloud Strife | Ashen Veteran (Strings AU) | SAYJ |
| levinhail | Kira Horikoshi | Crimson Guardian | Aria |
| axgmented | Rem | Ashen Veteran | Rune |
| ivory-paragon | Rufus Shinra | Ashen Veteran (Strings AU) | James |
| lacedaether | Lulu | Multiple Verses | Lulu |
| draconisa | Daenerys Targaryen | Crimson Guardian | Dani |