Character Profile - Red (UF!Sans)
Occupation: Gladiator (previously: soldier)
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CHARACTER DIAMOND *
False self/mask: Apathetic, jaded, cynical.
Strongest traits: Endurance, strength, pragmatism.
True self: Hopeful, determined, patient.
Fear: Being alone, failing Papyrus, being overcome by regret.
Trouble traits: Anger, impulsiveness.
Dark self: Heartless, mindless violence/vengeance.
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Height: 180cm
Magic colour: Crimson
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Appearance:
Tall and stocky with thick bones, the equivalent of a very muscular man. Very intimidating.
Gold tooth, cracked skull, various scars and nicks all over his body, forced to wear a collar to represent his status as property. The collar limits his magical abilities.
His armour for the pompa (pre-show parades) is black and encrusted with rubies and gold to make it look like brimstone. His functional armour is sparsely decorated with motifs associated to the underworld.
His battle armour is light and made of some dark metal, consisting of:
Shin guards, with padding underneath.
Belt and loincloth.
A sword (gladius) and a net.
Arm and shoulder guard (manica) on his right arm. These extend to a sort of half breastplate that hooks on his ribcage and keeps the armour in place. The shoulder guard has vicious spikes coming out of it.
A helmet with a “grilled” visor. It is shaped like a gaster blaster with curling horns and a bright red plume.
Some Extra Details:
He (and Edge) would be considered an “exotic” gladiator due to his nature. However, he falls somewhere within the murmillo and retiarius “types”, having very light armour and a net but carrying a gladius as well.
He was started off as a retiarius, which was considered the most effeminate and thus the least “honourable” of all gladiator types. As a war prisoner, he was scorned by being forced to fight as one. However, the strength of the retiarius lies in his agility and ability to dodge, skills in which Red excelled. Eventually he improved his equipment and took a page or two out of the murmillones’ book (who relied on endurance and strength), but maintained his origins, making the most scorned gladiator a force to be reckoned with. It’s his twisted way of getting back at his captors, proving their own systems and prejudice wrong.
Left-handed. A rarity among gladiators.
He is very detached from the political scene. He feels betrayed by his own ruler, and all the political squabbles seem petty to him.
Papyrus is the only monster he believes in and cares about. He used to be more sociable, but losing Papyrus broke something him.
Has a dry sense of humour.
Picks fights a lot with other gladiators (and sometimes, even other monsters and humans), but only to keep his place at the top of the food chain by showing off how strong, intimidating and unafraid to throw down he is.
Yearns for kindness and peace.
Sometimes, he dares to feel pity for those he kills and those who die.
He misses seeing the snow.
Originally kept fighting in the area to buy back his freedom.
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Red beat his fist against his breastplate. He beat it over and over again, stronger and faster, until the cruel clanging of iron hummed in his ribcage.
The Colosseum shook to his beat, men and women and nobles and commoners clapping their hands and stomping their feet on tuff and travertine. The arena sung, the wood shuddered and the sand hissed; Red felt it thrum within his bones, pounding with his Soul, magic pulsing fast, faster.
He stopped.
The Colosseum held its breath.
Rivulets of sweat snaked down Red’s vertebrae, tickling his fizzling magic. Red kept still, delaying until they were desperate for what he was not giving them.
He didn’t care. And they’d love him for it.
A tired sigh. It echoed loud in his helmet.
When he shot his fist up in the air, strong and proud, Red felt the Colosseum surge and crash on him like a tidal wave of mad euphoria—calling for violence, for the scourge of the arena, calling for blood. For the legend.
“Invictus! Invictus! Invictus!” they chanted.
They called for him.
Red lowered his arm with practiced, measured ease. He glanced at the hoplomachus, who flinched. Then he tilted his head back to the sky, bright blue gaps between black bars.
The sun kissed his bones harshly, passionately. A scorned lover. Red did not open his arms to it like he had the first time.
He closed his eyes to restful, lonesome darkness.
And the crowds cheered on.
Cross-posted on AO3 for better readability.
*If you’re wondering what a character diamond is, check out this post.