#so we played avalon instead

[magomo]

HPHM MC BIRTHDAY LIST

PLEASE READ!!!

MC or OC MUST be Jacob’s younger sibling. If they do not have an older brother named Jacob, they have to at least be your in-game character.

MC or OC MUST be your in-game character or avatar. This is the most important criterion.

MUST be born between 1 September 1972 and 31 August 1973 (I guess I will be lenient to those born on September-December 1973). This is canonically their birth date so it’s only appropriate.

If MC or OC is a twin, their twin sibling will be included.

Adopted sibling/s may be included as long as their birthdays fall on Jacob’s sibling’s canonical birth date

Jacob himself and any other older or younger siblings will not be included in this list. Cousin/s will not be included, as they are not even Jacob's sibling/s. Any other HPHM OC/s who are not Jacob's sibling/s or who isn't your in-game character will not be included either. I may put their names on the list for a certain amount of time but I will remove them eventually

Thank you for understanding

SEPTEMBER 1972

2 - Wendy Gordon @drinkyoursoupbitch

13 - Kyril Vasiley @saniwanya-oc

29 - Jeniferl Theman @hphm-jeniferltheman

30 - Rinkitori Kirinto Phan @krinkitori

OCTOBER 1972

3 - Maya Winter @themilkshanghai

13 - Candy Vigiere @immagrosscandy

13 - Adel Young @adellovesrowan

NOVEMBER 1972

5 - Roger Lopez @roygiri

5 - Madeline Orionswan @madelineorionswan

9 - Dirty Fox @dirtyfox911911

11 - Uriel Nightclaw @montdiarts

12 - Gwen Dunmoore @ag907

12 - Keira Richardson @raccoon-lair

20 - Annie Thorn @petite-libellule-ao3

24 - Lizzie Jameson @lifeofkaze

30 - Kouneli Ulrikke @thomokmeow

DECEMBER 1972

1 - Rosemary Woodward @penandlily

22 - Coraline Wytte @nelabelievesindragons

25 -  Daniel Clark @akaisenhatake

JANUARY 1973

13 - Leiretta Gorsier @leiretta

16 - Kaina Malin @zuulosdovah

16 - Juniper Moss @usernoneexistent

FEBRUARY 1973

1 -  Xiv Evans @ladycibia

7 -  Aishwarya Merha @hogwarts9

14 - Abia Khouri @abianeverdecides

14 - Sabine Lowell @6ftslytherin

14 - Elaiza Schuyler @annabelle-tanaka-official

14 - Ekaterina Solokov @struckbyelectriclove

23 - Lilian Le'Reau @ravenclaw-craftsgirl

24 - Hillary & Princia de Villier @hillarydevillier

MARCH 1973

4 - Isolde Hiwatari @aneshkablack

20 - Finn McGarry @theguythatdraws

APRIL 1973

5 - Isabelle Dubois @endlessly-cursed

13 - Cato Reese @catohphm

17 - Neon Welkin @neonbluewaves

27 - Sadie mac Lir @caw4brandon

MAY 1973

1 - Artemis Hexley @the-al-chemist

1 - Male Liddell @maleliddell

12 - Marco Hernandez @theevoh12

18 - Alexandros & Adam Deathwood @alexandros-deathwood

19 - Cereza & Michael Gomez @rosachaotic

23 - Yang Rubis @piyangg

JUNE 1973

14 - Joslyn Wei @lisin-drw

15 - Joshua & Joseph Bennet @yoselin-uyu

JULY 1973

8 - Quinn Lee @eternalchaoschocolaterain

8 - Mira Rune @aemdraws

11 - Night Rhea @night-rhea

16 - Samantha O’Connell @samshogwarts

23 - Malcolm Deathwood @alexandros-deathwood

30 - Liliahri Queen @liliahri

AUGUST 1973

3 - Evie Salazar @goldhexes

8 - Nina Lindenbaum @magomo

10 - Orion Houston @my-secret-hphm-blog

16 - Leo Blinar @risobox

17 - Carmilla Frank @carmilla-the-bird

20 - Nancy Anderson @tojiriki

29 - Carewyn Cromwell @carewyncromwell

OCTOBER 1973

26 - Quinn Campbell @ben-copper-appreciation-club

NOVEMBER 1973

18 - Freyja Young @marmotish

30 - Honey Bee @hmhoney

DECEMBER 1973

18 - Kaoru Sastrolinea @skyline-timeturner

I wanna include them on the list but dunno their birthdates 😔

Stella Sullivan @swcsunmoon

Jay Miles @wispila

Cassie Lark @gihu

Waria Yantarnii @yantarnii

Allison Garrison @slytherincursebreaker

Alex Vega @weirdcursedvaultkid

Mollie Windsor @bacpain

Willow Dewdrop @thatgamergirlakane

I dunno if anyone else already did this. I got bored at the office so yeah. This is a good chance to meet other creators and make new friends! Oh and please let me know if I made a mistake (wrong date, wrong spelling, wrong house color, etc.) or if you want your MC’s birthday to be updated or if anyone can provide the birthdates of the MCs whose birthdays I do not know of or if you want your MC’s birthday to be added on this list. Hehe. Please comment. Thank you.

#hogwarts mystery #hphm #hphm mc #jacob’s sibling #hphm mc birthdays #birthdays #overtime at work #it’s payday #floodwatch duty #it’s only me and 4 workmates #they were playing mahjong 🤣 #i don’t know how to play mahjong #so we played avalon instead #i got bored #i’m sleepy #then i decided to collect hphm birthdays #i’m so productive #smug #praise me lol #we’re gonna play spaceteam now 😆 #rip our voices ☠️ #my post

[velvet-cupcake-games]

Made Marion Mini-FAQ, Sept. 23

Just a few bits and bobs that I can talk about at this point in development!

Q: Players commit to their route ending at the end of Chapter 3 and then experience one of two different Chapter 4s. Does that make each chapter 4 choice-free?

There are still choices in the Chapter 4s! Many of the game's major love scenes are in the relevant character's Chapter 4, so you'll have the love scene choice if you have explicit text on. The rest of the choices are for the purpose of role-playing and making decisions about Marion's future. They won't make major changes to the ending, but they'll let you put a personal stamp on your endgame experience.

Except, of course for that choice. The one that leads either to victory or to a bad end. Which choice is it? You'll find out!

Some of your earlier choices can also cause minor changes in Chapter 4. For instance, in Sherwood Common Marion can write either an angry or a diplomatic letter to her father. This may affect whether he appears in the epilogue segment at the end of a Sherwood character's route.

Q: What kind of experience does the option to turn off explicit text provide? Does it allow for asexual relationships?

Because one of the main goals of the Made Marion project was to provide mature-rated love scenes for adult otome/amare fans who were interested in them, we don't have the option for asexual relationships in this game. Marion is allosexual by canon and it's obvious from the way she views the world from the very beginning of the game.

When explicit text is off, the player reads a shortened, non-explicit version of scenes that involve sexual activity. I try to get across the emotions that the characters are feeling without getting into the nitty-gritty of things, but it's still stated that the characters are having a sexual encounter.

Explicit text is ON by default in Made Marion, so players who do not wish to read such text should turn it off in the Options menu ASAP. Once a scene with explicit text has begun, turning the option off won't work until the next explicit scene (not that we're loaded with them, it's just how the script flow of the game works). I may be able to program a "break-out" button later on, but it won't be available as of the first Early Access release.

Q: Characters in Made Marion drink "tisane." Is that tea or something else?

A tisane is a hot drink with an herbal infusion. Many tisanes, also known as herbal teas, do not contain actual tea leaves. Tea is a very specific beverage, and its history in Europe is tied up in colonial-era violence. Instead of trying to work that into my alternate-magical-Europe history, I decided that it made the most sense for Avalons to simply drink non-tea-containing tisanes. Considering that plant druids are all about making magical hybrid plants, they probably have some delicious ones! They are caffeine-free but may contain other types of stimulants.

When Avalons aren't drinking alcohol, there's a good chance that they're drinking tisane. Thanks to druidic knowledge and the environmental protections inherent in the Pact, Avalon drinking water is way cleaner than the water was in Medieval England. But as Avalon science doesn't yet have a working knowledge of microorganisms, boiling your water is still the safest way to go.

#made marion #english otome #amare game #faq

[juni-ravenhall]

sso and "its just a kids game!", "its not that deep!"

ive been thinking a lot about how there are things you really can and should excuse sso for "because its a kids game". those are things like the silly tone in serious situations, when carl and a DC goon just want to eat ice cream instead of doing villain things, or when mr anwir says "so anyway back to my evil speech", or when avalon/druid says :O, or when katja puts on an evil playlist and we change it to a less-evil playlist during a not-really-canon event quest. the goofy tone of the game makes it less scary despite having some dark and scary elements in the story.

(the goofiness shouldnt mess up the logic of the story, though, which i think the dark riders and DC really have an issue with, but thats a bit too much of a tangent.)

or things like making sure you know that nobody died when you and the soul riders did a thing, or seeing someone blast off in a goofy way after being struck, so you dont feel bad about it, or take away the lesson that killing bad guys is fine. making sure to spell it out to you if theres a lesson to be learnt sometimes, or shoving the magic of friendship in your face (although in a shallow way).

or having non-punishing and laidback gameplay (except economically) to suit the youngest players, like not having to lose anything if you fail, or giving the player very clear instructions for quests, or having NPCs not be very hard to defeat compared to games targeted to older teens and adults. (but accommodating young players that barely read and have never played a game before, or players with disabilities that can't always play in the most hardcore gaming manner, and so on - accessibility - shouldnt in any way relate to having bad or clunky gameplay or game design. sso doesn't actually do a good job of being accommodating, it would be much better if there was genuinely fun, well-designed, challenging gameplay for those who seek it, while allowing those who dont to take their time and play the same thing at their own pace without failing - having properly designed races and champs and overhauling the scoreboard system and testing every race until they're at the quality they should be; having rewards like more js for reaching higher scores while still allowing players to earn okay js if they aren't aiming for the gold medal times or highscore boards. having fun and challenging gameplay mechanics with different difficulties. etc. the concept of "adaptive difficulty" is also interesting.)

theres things that are very reasonable to excuse in kids media. theres just also parts that i dont excuse and dont think its appropriate to excuse. when ppl do the "its a kids game!" thing, its not always about what i described above.

should you excuse low-quality game design and gameplay functionality just because its a kids game? no, not at this price point, anyway - there are kids games for free or for a couple $€ out there that might be validly priced. however, this is also *especially* bad in "girl games" (fuck gender and sexism, but society exists). girl games are notorious for being low quality and not comparable in quality to "boy games" at the same price points. perpetuating this - trying to get girl game audiences' money without providing quality girl games - is a problem of misogyny and exploitation. not excusable.

should you excuse bad writing just because its a kids game? i certainly dont. i dont like badly written kids books, or picture books, or cartoons, and i didnt prefer low quality content over high quality content when i was a kid, either (but quality means different things in different circumstances and to different people). your ability to tell if something is crappy or great improves as you age, but even if its definitely possible for a kid to enjoy the hell out of an objectively low quality piece of media, there are problems that often arise from bad writing and bad design... because where low quality writing comes from, there is often also a lack of care for important issues and topics, and a lack of respect for the target audience.

should you excuse racial or sexist stereotypes, or fatphobia and harmful beauty standards in general, or ableism, or cishet normativity, lack of diversity, just because its a kids game? isnt it *even more important* in a kids game, since kids are still learning so much about the world and starting to form perspectives and opinions and feelings about it for the first time?

if you think "but sso doesn't have much of that!", i think you might have played the game with a very different perspective than i did. what about how courtney, the summers sister, is framed as a joke because of how she looks - you're supposed to find it funny (and sweet though!) that carl franz thinks she's beautiful and perfect, because that's not how the game assumes you reacted to her. the brothers obviously also are meant to be seen as goofy looking but i don't remember if it was handled in such a direct way as with courtney. the game also assumes that you find xin scary or strange-looking when you see him without his mask (it's in ydris' dialogue); which is especially fucked up since he's a person of short stature (and also part of the "circus freak" stereotype!), but also always fucked up regardless - people just exist, man. we are born looking some kind of way. it's fucked up to think xin or courtney are ugly. it's fucked up that we were supposed to find a disabled little girl scary during an old halloween event (i think her back was hunched and she walked differently?). it's fucked up to think pi is ugly, or mrs holdsworth, or the GED workers. i want the world to stop thinking of normal human traits as "ugly" no matter how unusual or usual those traits are, or how symmetrical or not, or how popular or not, how old or young you look, how sick or healthy you look, or whatever the fuck. its all ridiculous and should be stopped. we should think of people in terms of kindness, in terms of shared interests and shared joy, in terms of healthy relationships, in terms of caring and loving and making the world a good place to live in for everyone.

and thats just the aspect of beauty standards and shit. i havent even gotten started on the shallow idea of diversity they executed in the production of this game. on how there were lots of random npcs of colour suddenly, but without bringing poc in as important key characters with interesting and engaging continuous presence in the story. how the dark riders feature the most buff and masculine female character, a physically threatening and masculine woman of colour. how they were going to have 3/4 poc in the dark riders while the soul riders are 1.5/4, and the remaining dark rider appears to have albinism which makes it another harmful ableist stereotype. how so many of the important characters were designed as white - yes, its a swedish game, but the game is not from the 1950s, is it? when sso was released, sweden's population was more than 10% foreign-born. today it's even higher. can you guess if there is a class issue and if rich white game studio owners and directors didn't really think about people who weren't blond and light eyed and white?

or the lack of body diversity in anyone else than 40+ year old characters. sure, it's good there was anyone fat or beefy or differently shaped at all. and it's understandable that they didn't have the resources at the time of release to make the player character more customisable (doesn't excuse the lack of diversity in skintones though) and went with their typical fatphobic misogynist 2000's cartoon look they'd already created before sso (dont get me wrong, i love the old art, we can enjoy aspects of things while also criticising them). but they already *did* create npcs with different bodies and faces on and off - especially the 40+ yos - and there was nothing stopping them from spending a little more time on creating a fat young adult npc, or one with an androgynous body, or a beefy female npc, or other diverse bodies and faces, rather than spending it on putting together 10 more generic skinny background npcs (have you ever thought about just how fucking many random unnecessary npcs are in this game?).

those are a lot of things that are pretty serious and that you have to kind of be woke and analytical to think about in the first place (most players - esp if they themselves dont feel especially oppressed irl - arent ever going to really think about these issues, or might actively be *for* some of the issues, such as in the case of fatphobia directed towards the player model update). other things like the game design and quality of the gameplay, inconsistent writing and design and graphics and so on, are things more players might notice since it can make the game just feel more boring or frustrating compared to other games you play, even if you dont think too hard about the whys and hows.

but the fact that kids might not realise that theres ableism or racism or fatphobia or misogyny or that theyre being pushed into spending money on something that isnt really up to the standard - thats not really a reason to excuse those things. and if someone says "the writing is really bad" or "this makes no sense" or "why did they design these characters this way" or "this horse game sucks and is boring and inconsistent", rather than just saying "its just a kids game", "why do you take it so seriously", "its not that deep", maybe its worth considering this, that there are things you absolutely should excuse kids media for, and other things you really, really shouldnt.

[akaashism]

So I found this around, can I ask for Merthur & Kagehina?

♥ Send a ship and I'll give you who:

- Gives nose/forehead kisses

- Gets jealous the most

- Picks the other up from the bar when they’re too drunk to drive

- Takes care of on sick days

- Drags the other person out into the water on beach day

- Gives unprompted massages

- Drives/rides shotgun

- Brings the other lunch at work

- Has the better parental relationship

- Tries to start role-playing in bed

- Embarrassingly drunk dancer

- Still cries watching Titanic

- Firmly believes in couples costumes

- Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas

- Makes the other eat breakfast

- Remembers anniversaries

- Brings up having kids

Ohhh this is gonna be so fun to answer, thank you for this wonderful ask!! ❤️❤️

1. Gives nose/forehead kisses

Kagehina: Both, for sure! Kageyama is at the perfect height to give Hinata forehead kisses and Hinata kisses Kageyama's forehead because he's baby.

Merthur: Arthur!!! He's just the type, yknow?

2. Gets jealous the most

Kagehina: Hinata. No contest. His jealousy is canon too.

Merthur: Merlin. Again, very canon.

3. Picks the other up from the bar when they're too drunk to drive

Kagehina: Kageyama. I don't think he'd like drinking that much so he rarely ever gets drunk, whereas Hinata seems like the kind of person who loves partying.

Merthur: I can imagine this for both :')

4. Takes care of on sick days

Kagehina: Both both BOTH!!

Merthur: Once again both, but Merlin is better at it.

5. Drags the other person out into the water on beach day

Kagehina: Hinata!! He's a beach boy! And also Kageyama not being able to swim and being scared of water is a cute thought.

Merthur: Arthur! (Not to make any Avalon Lake jokes here heheh). Anyway, Arthur just seems a bit more athletic and outgoing, while Merlin probably wants to chill under a beach umbrella with a nice book.

6. Gives unprompted massages

Kagehina: Both. They're both professional athletes so the chances of their bodies being sore and needing a nice massage are high, and they're both good at it too! :)

Merthur: Merlin, which is probably canon since he's Arthur's manservant and Arthur is a knight sooooo

7. Drives/rides shotgun

Kagehina: Hinata driving is An Important Concept for me, so yes, he's the one who drives and Kageyama rides shotgun trying not let his competence kink get activated (and failing).

Merthur: Arthur drives, and I know he loves it too. Him being rich in most AUs means that I can see him being really into high-end racecars too. Merlin probably never learned how to drive and prefers a bicycle or something instead.

8. Brings the other lunch at work

Kagehina: Neither? Their definition of work is very different lmao

Merthur: Merlin if we're going the canon route xD

9. Has the better parental relationship

Kagehina: Hinata :') We never even see Kageyama's parents and it makes me so curious about his family life.

Merthur: Merlin, of course! Hunith is the best mom <3 and let's not even talk about Arthur's relationship with Uther.

10. Tries to start role-playing in bed

Kagehina: Hinata, but it fails BADLY. I've actually read the most hilarious fic about this.

Merthur: Merlin, and once again, it fails BADLY. If we're talking canon, he probably tries to reverse their roles and Arthur has to play the manservant ;)

11. Embarrassingly drunk dancer

Kagehina: HINATAAAAA

Merthur: MERLINNNN

12. Still cries watching Titanic

Kagehina: Both. (Kageyama's a secret softie)

Merthur: Arthur. (He's a hopeless romantic)

13. Firmly believes in couples costumes

Kagehina: Hinata, probably xD Kageyama does not care about stuff like this.

Merthur: Nah, neither.

14. Breaks the expensive gift rule during Christmas

Kagehina: Neither, because they don't want to lose to the other by breaking a rule in the gift-giving competition.

Merthur: I shouldn't even have to say this but Arthur.

15. Makes the other eat breakfast

Kagehina: Neither of them needs to be made to eat, let's be real. They're healthy boys!

Merthur: Arthur, because Merlin always forgets to eat proper meals and take care of himself.

16. Remembers anniversaries

Kagehina: Hmm, I can see both for this? Hinata is sentimental like that, but Kageyama is so organised that I think he'd have reminders for all important events while Hinata's a bit careless.

Merthur: BOTH!!

17. Brings up having kids

Kagehina: Oh, I have so many thoughts about this, but let me just say Hinata for now. (Kageyama takes a little convincing.)

Merthur: Arthur. I know he yearns for a family :((

#I LOVED DOING THIS THANK YOUUUU #ask response #kagehina #merthur #haikyuu!! #bbc merlin

[iwander12]

How children and aging are depicted in LittleBigPlanet + Sackboy's canonical age

I've been wanting to write this post for a while now! This topic i find rather interesting as i'm in that turning point in life of being a newborn adult lol

I'm going to apologize beforehand though for my lack of knowledge about LBP PS Vita in case it had some relevancy to this post. It is the only full release i haven't played :( I'd also like the apologize for the strange pacing in this post- there's a lot to go through and otherwise I'd never get it done.

Do sackpeople age?

Yeah!

Perhaps the earliest* and obvious example are the child portrait stickers of the Creator Curators in LBP2. Most of them (aside from Eve) are used in the first proper level Rookie Test, in pictures of Larry giving flowers to Victoria and Avalon, Clive and Higginbotham graduating. In LBP3, there's a sticker of Newton as a baby in Nana Pud's hands. Sackboy: A Big Adventure has a prequel comic called "The Gathering Storm" starring Scarlet which depicts her as a child.

What do sackfolk look like growing up?

Considering baby Newton fit into Nana Pud's already small hands, babies must be really tiny.

SABA has the first example of a child in the games physically with the Death Stranding costume. Baby...

Wait, a baby sackperson is just a tiny sackperson?

*So this means that the Mini Sackboy item from LBP1 is a baby... (Yeah, it's not a plush. It's alive. It blinks.)

It's a fact that sackpeople use their children as fashion accessories. How delightful yet incredibly strange!

Child Scarlet is a little shorter than the shoulders of a standard sackperson. (She's the only example we have, so excuse the brevity... well there's Hildur, but I'm not sure if she counts as a sackling)

What about a teenager?

As previously established, there is a portrait of Avalon, Clive and Higginbotham graduating, though it's not specified whether they're graduating from high school or college, which would make them either roughly teenagers or young adults at that time. Clive is shorter than the other two in the past yet is about their height in-game, so it's more likely they were teenagers and Clive hit his growth spurt after graduation. A series of promotional videos released for LBP1 called "Life in LittleBigPlanet" state that a fully grown Sackperson is 8 centimeters tall.

Newton is said to have flunked out of the Popit Academy after one semester. Completing term 1 of Popit Puzzles will land you this neat graduation outfit.

It's also unspecified in-game whether the Popit Academy is a high school or a college, but considering its logo and what was described of Newton, it's definitely a college. (I am unsure of the system in England, but here in the US if you fail a semester of high school you just continue as usual and make up what you missed as additional work, instead of being kicked or dropped out.)

Newton's insecurities lie in his belief that he'll never live up to his father, and flunking out played into that. This is what led up to him wanting to use the Titans, to prove his potential to the world, and letting Bunkum's residents (including himself) make better use of its creativity. Of course there's no time range or limit to attend college, but most people tend to pursue it directly after high school, and coupled with Newton's bruised pride and desperation, let's assume for the sake of this post that Newton attended college straight away and is a young adult.

Most of the other sackling characters can easily be identified as adults or elders.

But what about .... YOU? Or, well, Sackboy... er...

The player vs. the character

It's a bit hard to define the separation of a character that's intended to be an expression of you versus yourself, because that separation is defined by yourself as well.

Let's say that the aspects of Sackboy that AREN'T decided/customized by the player are what is hard canon about him: This includes the official story levels, as you don't have a choice but to proceed, and less noticable things such as his personality and actions in the tutorial videos+ ads, and what's in his wardrobe (which is every single costume piece in the game. doesn't mean he wears it though. I wonder how cold he usually is).

Now, without you, who is Sackboy? He's a heroic sackling that has gone on many death-defying adventures across the globe and beyond. He's silent, gender non conforming and has a neverending amount of PlayStation cosplays. He goofs around with the narrator and knows how to use all game mechanics.

And, without your input, how old is he?

How old is Sackboy?

We've sorta already answered this question.

Sackboy is a physically fully grown sackling, as he is 8 centimeters tall. This would make him a teenager at the very youngest.

He has attended and graduated from Popit Academy, a college, which edges him into potential young adult or just general adult territory. (Teenagers can also attend college of course, but that's less common)

Having mentioned his wardrobe before, he has a lot of things that children typically wouldn't wear, including the aforementioned graduation outfit, facial hair, wedding outfits, fishnets, a speedo...among more

In SABA, he can wear piercings and a cute choker!

I'm not going to demonstrate this for obvious reasons, but there is even official art of him with genitalia. Go look at Media Molecule's Flickr if you really want to see it. Hell, knowing that and Mm's sense of humor, his name is rather inappropriate too. (I try to ignore this for the sake of my remaining childhood innocence.)

The Twitter is weird

There are a few tweets by the official LittleBigPlanet twitter that "state" Sackboy's age. These are actually referring to the franchise's age at the time they were posted. (Remember that LBP1 was released October 2008 and do some simple math)

(The GIF says "Happy 12th Birthday Sackboy)

Sackboy: A Big Adventure is weird

Sackboy is definitely NOT a child- why, after a decade of this being established, does he sound like one in SABA?

To help explain this decision, this game can be described as a "soft reboot". It doesn't retcon or change anything about the past, but it presents it in a new way for new and/or unfamiliar audiences. (aka marketability.)

Sackboy was completely silent before and now he's shouting "YEAH! WOOHOO!" every 3 seconds. His voice is very high pitched, youthful and would come off to most people as a child's voice.

I tried to look into his voice actor in the past, but the only other thing they are credited for is Tearaway. It's possible they were credited under a pseudonym, but either way we don't know how old they are or how they are typecast.

Why does Sackboy, a grown man with cock and balls, sound so much like a little boy?

THATS BECAUSE SACKBOY IS CANONICALLY TRANSGENDER HAPPY PRIDE MONTH🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

#littlebigplanet #little big planet #sackboy #littlebigplanet lore!!! #i will leave this in the tags since its not relevant to the topic but dont let this stop you from having fun with your headcanons! #sackboy can be a kid for the sole reason that you feel like it. have fun go wild with your imagination #the world is your oyster #thats what this series is about after all :)

[sminny-wew]

Until we get more Sonic Prime content here's some shatterspaces I thought up for fun

- Green Gulch (Wild West shatterspace, I wouldn’t be surprised if we get something similar in the show; Green Gulch, despite its name, has been dealing with a serious drought and water shortage, and certain outlaws aren’t exactly helping; Sonic’s gloves/shoes are designed for the rugged terrain, shoes have spurs and gloves come with their own grappling hook-esque lasso):

Sherriff Calamity Rose

Deputy Sherriff Miles Earp (steampunk-esque inventor)

Buffalo Big (the town’s cattle rustler)

Bat Cassidy (outlaw Rouge)

Knuckles the Kid (Rouge's assistant)

- Avalon Gone Island (fantasy shatterspace b/c unfortunately I kinda doubt they’d use SatBK; name is a play on “long gone”; Sonic’s gloves/shoes probably grant him minor magic; still figuring out this shatterspace, I might go for something more Dungeons & Dragons-esque instead):

Arthur Penfox (boy king)

Amy le Fay (the royal sorceress)

Red Knight/Sir Knuckles (one of the king's top knights)

Purple Knight/Sir Big (top knight)

White Knight/Dame Rouge (top knight)

- All Hollow's Hill (monster shatterspace; AKA “what if everyone from Halloween Town in Nightmare Before Christmas was at war with each other over who’s the scariest”; Sonic’s gloves/shoes resemble his werehog design, maybe he’d be able to tap into similar abilities??):

Dr. Prowerstein

Prowerstein's Big Monster/Franken-Big

Countess Rougula (vampire bat)

Polterknux (Rouge’s ghostly servant)

Rabid Rose (werehog Amy; she becomes smitten with Sonic when he acts remotely like a werehog)

- Toyzone (Nutcracker shatterspace; Sonic’s gloves/shoes grant him the powers of the elements of the land: sweets, snow, toys, and animals; this one’s a work-in-progress too):

The Knuckcracker (cursed hero, protects living toys)

Drosselcatter (magician/clockmaker Big; he welcomes and guides Sonic through the land)

Sugarplum Amy (queen of the Sugarplum Fairies)

Bat Frost (winter spirit, friendly prankster)

Fox King Tails (Rat King role, cursed Knux out of jealousy; his people have been in such a long-standing feud with the toys that they can’t remember why they hate each other)

- Gray Hill (rubberhose/1930s cartoon-style shatterspace; Sonic himself is in color but everything else including Sonic's gloves/shoes is black and white; gloves enable him to generate anvils/bombs/mallets/etc. out of thin air and can do practically anything so long as it’s funny, like Roger Rabbit rules):

Tails the Friendly Fox (Tails but Felix the Cat, has a handy-dandy toolbox he can pull practically anything from)

Knuckles the Sailor (Knux but Popeye)

Rose Oil (Amy but Minnie Mouse/Olive Oyl)

Rouge the Blot (Rouge but Betty Boop; talks with a Transatlantic accent)

Big Brute (Pete/Bluto-esque antagonist, arch-enemy of Knuckles)

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic prime #miles tails prower #knuckles the echidna #amy rose #rouge the bat #big the cat

[celestiall0tus]

Amaranthine - Chapter 12 - Attempt

Beginning || Previous || Next

            Atropa walked along the rooftops as he patrolled the night. Frustration grew with each passing hour when nothing came up. It had been like this for the past few nights. He, along with Carmine and Midnight, would go about their own patrols, but there would be no sign of Adonis or his monsters. Annoyance prickled knowing without any danger, Nimue wouldn’t show up, making all this pointless.

            “How’s the patrol?” Rena asked.

            Atropa jumped and spun around to face her. “You need a bell or something.”

            “You aren’t the first person to say that, nor will you be the last.”

            “Right. Anything?”

            “Nope. Dead quiet. I think Adonis is finally slipping up. I wonder what got to him.”

            “Wonderful. So, I’m just wasting my time?”

            Rena snickered. “You sound so much like Midnight. Always complaining about being on patrol instead of doing literally anything else. But this is the price we pay. Carm and Night for being heroes, and you wanting to tame your soulmate.”

            “Please don’t say it like that. It sounds… weird, wrong.”

            “Ok. What else should I call it? You’re basically going against a rampaging barbarian and trying to quell her. What else is it other than taming?”

            “I don’t know. Maybe, just maybe, quelling, as you said?”

            “Same difference.”

            “Fine, whatever. What about the other stuff? This game you speak of. Anything new?”

            Rena hummed. “I believe I’m onto our last player. After all, there’s me, you, Nimue, and now the fourth.”

            “Who are they?”

            “Who indeed?”

            “Seriously? Why not tell me? Don’t we want things to play out differently than whatever’s happened in the past?”

            “Well, it would be in your best interest if you want to be with your soulmate. After all, if Nimue dies because of you, the dragon won’t ever forgive you.”

            Atropa hummed. Questions and thoughts that have plagued him since meeting Marinette rose to the surface. He turned away from Rena as he was lost to his thoughts.

            “Everything alright?” Rena asked.

            “I don’t know. Something… odd happened.”

            “Oh. Is it good gossip? I’m all ears.”

            “It’s nothing really… I guess it’s important, isn’t it? Fine. I have a hunch of who the dragon is.”

            Silence. “How?”

            “It’s just a hunch, but there were a few things this woman said. How her roomie is like nature itself, and when I met her roomie, the music the chick gave off was very similar to my own kwami. Like I was literally standing before a god. Not even to mention how her and her roomie have been fighting and the pair seem to be on good terms but are ready to go head-to-head with each other.”

            “Are you sure? It could be a coincidence.”

            “It should, right? But something feels… odd. Everything about this is odd. I mean, I feel this constant draw to the dragon. I want to see her. I want to talk with her. I just want her. Every moment I’m not with her, I feel like I’m on edge. Then I meet this woman and it eases up. I feel comfortable and at ease, like I’m with an old friend and in good company.”

            “She could be another soulmate. It is possible for a person to have more than one.”

            “Clearly, but do they all have the same effect on each other?”

            “I can’t say. I’ve only met the one.”

            “Great. So, what should I do?”

            “Well, why not spend more time with this other soulmate of yours? Spend your nights quelling the dragon, but hang out with her during the day.”

            “That sounds nice, but she’s probably very busy. She owns her own store that I’m sure she runs by herself.”

            “Wait. Wait, wait, wait. A young lady, a store owner, and mans it herself? Would the store happened to be named ‘Avalon’?”

            “I believe so.”

            “Oh. Oh! I know exactly who you’re talking about. That should be an easy fix. Do you have a job? Are you looking?”

            “N-not exactly. I was planning on getting into university now that I’ve met Jagged’s demands.”

            “Well, what do you do all day?”

            “Do I have to answer that?”

            “You already did. What if you worked with her? Are you good with customer service?”

            “I… wouldn’t know. I’ve never worked such a job. I’ve only been a delivery boy and Jagged’s prized tool.”

            “That’s ok. There’s room to learn. Oh, if it stays quiet, I should go see her. I’m sure she’d love the help. Sure, she has her roomie, but her roomie isn’t the best with customers. Oh, this will be grand!”

            “Hold up. Is this really-?”

            An explosion cut Atropa off. He and Rena exchanged glances and ran towards the source. They peered over a building at a pillar of smoke that came from the bank. They jumped down and ran inside. She vanished while he armed himself. He stepped up to the vault and peered inside. He raised a brow at the tiny goblin creature that was covered with bombs.

            Atropa snapped his fingers. The goblin screamed in pain and fell to the floor, writing in agony. He grabbed it and dragged it out to the streets. He paused seeing Rena with a pair of guards. He tossed the goblin aside and ran to her. He stopped seeing one person’s aura was black for death while the second was gravely injured.

            “What happened?” Atropa asked.

            “They were caught in the blast. One dead, one injured. No other casualties.”

            Atropa hummed. He looked at the guard’s injury. The guard had lost an arm and was losing blood. He looked down at his hands. Sass had told him he was able to heal people, but could he in this state? He had warped Sass in his frustration and anger, turning them into an instrument of pain instead of healing.

            Atropa took a deep breath. He pushed out the thoughts of Nimue and stuffed down his frustrations and focused. He attempted to heal the guard but stopped when the guard cried in pain. He winced and tried again and again, but the result was unchanging.

            “I’m sorry. I can’t heal him,” Atropa said.

            Rena chuckled. “I didn’t realize you could, but that’s ok. I was going to rush him to the hospital. You have other things to worry about anyway.”

            Atropa nodded. He watched Rena leave before his eyes fell on the goblin. It shifted as it pulled out a remote detonator. He swore and used his powers to inflict more injuries on it, causing it to scream and writhe. He took the detonator before he tossed the goblin up into the air, far over the city. He broke the device and turned away when the goblin slammed back into the ground.

            Atropa jumped back and staggered when the ground shook. He turned to face Nimue as she stared in his direction. He grimaced as cracks formed in her armor.

            “Wait! I don’t want to fight,” Atropa declared.

            Nimue took a step back and fell on her knees. “I… don’t… either. Can’t stop… her.”

            “Is there something I can do to help?”

            “I don’t… die.”

            Atropa took a step back at the shift in Nimue’s voice as it distorted. He grimaced as her armor broke and fell away. She glared up at him as her bright blue eyes turned a sinister red.

            “Enough! I’ve done nothing to you to invoke your rage.”

            “You breathing air is enough to invoke my rage, snake.”

            “For what? An ancient sin committed by someone that wasn’t me?”

            The dragon snarled. She slowly rose as the rest of the armor fell and crumbled to ash. Her clothes ripped and fell from her body except for enough cloth to cover her breasts and genitals. Atropa sucked in a breath as he fought to keep his gaze on her red eyes.

            “Since the first, I’ve watched your love kill her. Again and again and again. A vicious cycle that goes round and round, but no more. The cycle ends now with your death. Fall before Guenevere and may the bluebells toll your death!”

            Guenevere roared and lunged at Atropa. He ducked out of the way, but she was quick. She heel turned and kicked him in the gut. He took a sharp breath as he was sent flying into a building. He stood as she pinned him down. She aimed to punch his face, but he moved out of the way as she hit the ground. She stuck again, but he moved once more. She roared, balled her fists together, and brought them down. He caught them, but struggled against her sheer strength.

            Atropa strained against Guenevere when he saw a shimmer around her hand. The vague outline of a sword’s hilt began to form. He uttered a curse and used his power on Guenevere. She roared and lashed about at the excruciating pain. He flung her off him and used his power again. She screamed in agony as she writhed. She scrambled to her feet and aimed for him, but he used his powers a final time and brought her crashing down.

            “We don’t have to fight. Just give me a chance,” Atropa plead.

            “Never. I’m done… giving you chances. Every time I do… you… she… I can’t. I won’t.”

            “You can’t keep this up. Why fight when you’ve already lost?”

            Guenevere laughed. “Foolish mortal. You think because you have me incapacitated, I’m down for the count? You know nothing of me, but perhaps a lesson is in order.”

            Atropa furrowed his brow when his skin crawled. He squirmed uneasily when he felt hot. He took a sharp breath as his skin burned and everything felt like it was on fire. He attempted to scream, but it came out as a choked gasp.

            “Yes, mortal. Feel everything burn. Do you hear me? Burn!”

            Atropa snarled and lunged for Guenevere. He sunk the fangs of his mask into her right shoulder and injected her with a sedative. She uttered a curse before she passed out and reverted to Nimue. He let out a breath as he no longer felt his blood boiling. He took several more breaths when the whirl of a yo-yo caught his attention. He looked up as Carmine and Midnight joined them.

            “What happened here?” Carmine asked.

            Atropa sighed. “An attempt to make peace with… with Guenevere.”

            “Guenevere? Is that the knight’s name?” Midnight asked.

            “No. The other half of her. The barbarian,” Atropa corrected.

            “I know you feel a need to see her, but is this really wise? At this rate, you’ll kill each other,” Carmine pointed out.

            “C’mon, Carm, you don’t know that,” Midnight said.

            Carmine and Midnight bickered, but Atropa ignored them. He attempted to stand but fell from the soreness and lingering pain. He sighed and scooted closer to Nimue. He looked her over, thankful she looked to be asleep. Regret struck him at using his powers on her and the pain he caused her.

            “I’m sorry,” Atropa whispered.

            “It’s… it’s ok,” Nimue whispered.

            Atropa let out a soft gasp. “Are… are you ok?”

            “Fighting… to stay awake… but ok.”

            “I’m sorry. I-.”

            “I should be… apologizing. Not… not strong enough. Her anger… stronger.”

            “Is there anything I can do to help?”

            “No. This is… is my battle. Must… show her I’m… that I won’t… give up.”

            “Dammit. There’s got to be something.”

            “I’m sorry. I can’t-.”

            Smoke filled the area. Carmine and Midnight cried out in surprise while Atropa guarded Nimue. He stared out into the smoke, waiting for another to come when an invisible force kicked him out. He swore and staggered over by the time to smoke cleared and Nimue was gone. He let out a defeated sigh and fell to his knees.

            “Wow! I can’t believe you got a whole conversation with the dragon. Congrats!” Midnight applauded.

            Atropa opened his mouth but shut it and shook his head.

            “Night, let’s go. Back to patrol.”

            “Ugh! Fine. Later, snake!”

            Atropa watched Carmine and Midnight leave before he struggled his way back to the Seine. He paused under a bridge and de-transformed. He took a deep breath at the sudden relief when the pain vanished.

            Sass hissed beside him. “Damn you, Longg. Unreasonable bitch!”

            “I don’t think we should keep doing this, Sass,” Luka whispered.

            “Giving up already?”

            “No, but there has to be another way. I just… I can’t stomach hurting her. I know it was Guenevere, Longg, whatever, but it still hurt. Not to mention that even if I bring down Guenevere, she can still kill me.”

            “That’s for damn certain. Longg hasn’t hesitated to kill before, but this is ridiculous. I don’t see why she can’t listen to reason. I’m tempted to get Lethe involved just to end this madness, though I doubt that would help.”

            “What do you mean? And who’s Lethe?”

            “Oblivion. It’s her that set the conditions for your mortal souls to reincarnate. Drink from her river to forget and you may return, simple as that. It can work for some kwamis, but Longg is nature. And, unfortunately, nature doesn’t forget. Everything is etched into the foundations, and she will remember every atrocity ever committed again, even if Lethe did get involved.”

            Luka hummed. “Guenevere said that we’re caught in a vicious cycle, as did Rena, I think. What if we break that cycle?”

            “How?”

            “Could you maybe speak with Longg again? Find out how all this began. Maybe then we can avoid it? I know Rena is already doing just that, but what if we played out part in breaking it too.”

            Sass hummed. “I could, but perhaps I should seek out Psyche, kwami of souls. It’s long time she got involved.”

            “Why hasn’t she?”

            “Because there was no need. That was until one of our own decided to interfere in such a way.”

            “Seriously? Wouldn’t you lot try to avoid these things?”

            Sass laughed. “You mortals are a dime a dozen, as are your souls. Unless your soul is in serious peril, then there is no reason for Psyche to get involved, unless another kwami is. Just as Tikki and Plagg did when Nooroo gave himself to a wicked heart.”

            “I… see. What should I do in the meantime?”

            “I’d suggest keeping up the routine until further notice. The last thing we should do is put all our eggs in one basket.”

            “Then is there a better way to pacify Longg?”

            “No. The best is the sedation method. Anything else won’t work as Longg is nature. With a mere thought, she could burn you alive, steal the breath from your lungs, drown you, or even use the very ground to swallow you whole. As some examples.”

            Luka paled. “O-oh? Is that all?”

            Sass chuckled. “You’d be wishing for just that. She’s as creative as Tikki and Vana when it comes to punishments. That is until she’s set on a certain method.”

            “So, just sedate her each time? That’s all I can do?”

            “Pretty much. Unless you want to back down, let her go.”

            Pain struck Luka’s heart at the notion. “No, please! I can’t… I can’t.”

            “Then steel your heart. You will still have a trying month ahead of you before the final altercation. So long as the fox is being honest.”

            “I believe so. What reason has she given us not to trust her?”

            “I’m not answering that.”

            “I don’t expect you too. Anyway, let’s return to Liberty.”

            “Right behind you.”

#miraculous #miraculous ladybug #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #au #miraculous au #alternate universe #mlb fanfic #fanfiction writer #fanfiction #fanfic #luka couffaine #mlb luka #luka miraculous #lukanette #miraculous marinette #marinette dupain cheng #marinette miraculous #mlb marinette #atropa #nimue #guenevere #longg #mlb longg #miraculous longg #amaranthine au #soulmate au #sass #mlb sass

[ofpineapplesanddawns]

"we didn't mean to kiss. it was never supposed to happen."

Arthur and that oughr. Uh. The guy. The robot dad. The cartoon robot dad DT plays in the show you recommended me. (No I don't know how he can kiss without a mouth that's not important) Or did you have a non cartoon policy? I have written this so i cannot go back and look because mobile and there is cat on my lap so i cannot check laptop. If cartoon is nogo as i am now beginning to suspect it is, i mean. Does DT play any live action robots? I forget. Is there an android tenth or fourteenth doctor copy out there? Surely by now there must be. There are so many david tennants in doctor who. Or just 14 maybe.

You mean his character from Eden? I do have a policy on cartoons, but it's mostly any animal based ones. Also, no one has ever asked for a cartoon so this is a first, haha.

He also played a droid in Star Wars named Huyang (who came to the Jedi temple in a, I'm not kidding, a blue box thousands of years ago, so technically a droid Doctor exists), and I think he was an android in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles thing, but I never watched it so I don't really know.

Anyway, since I've never written E92 before and I don't think there's any, ANY content of him within the good omens extended universe because no one ever talks about this series, I'm going for it. I'm making him kiss the bartender.

On with the fic!

--

It was Earth, that much was clear.

Long occupied with robots, androids only came into being here with the arrival of The Avalon years ago. It had been meant to go to a whole new world while other humans slept for ages back on Earth as it repaired itself.

Now these humans were back, and humans, androids, and robots were living together, trying to make a new life for themselves.

Arthur had been one of the few androids, the most human of them all, to become part of the new Earth. He was still a bartender, as that was all he really knew, but he worked with other androids and robots, helping them learn about humans. He had the most knowledge, he was meant to talk to them, to interact and be part of their lives.

In order to do that, he was given legs to help him move about the robot's old city. It was strange, they were more spider-like than human, but it helped him move about, they would do. He stood out among the other robots and androids, and among the humans.

It was...

He wasn't sure how to put it.

Luckily, he found robots that were kind to him, even if he was different from them. A small group that had learned of humans, who had even raised a child together, a human child. From what the child's 'parents' told him, she was found in a pod as a baby, and they rescued her.

They couldn't leave her to die, even though taking care of a human went against their protocols.

They did a lot of things against their protocols over the years to protect their daughter, and they told him they always would.

A37 was the mother, she was kind and a bit more open to things than her counterpart, E92.

He was the father figure, and the more reserved one, but Arthur had found a kindness in him that was rather human-like. He seemed to have picked that up from his daughter, Sara Grace. E92 had been the one to take him in and help him when he arrived.

He didn't have to do that, but Arthur was grateful for it. He was also grateful for Sara helping to give him legs and for E92 and A37 to get him some sort of work with the other robots instead of just doing things for the humans.

It had been a day of helping both populations with the continuous need to adjust to things, and Arthur felt worn down. He needed to recharge, and found E92 getting ready to do the same after a long day of work in the fields, a job he honestly seemed to enjoy.

"There is only one charging station left." The robot said, voice its usual calm down.

"I am sure we can share it, or we could take turns, depending on battery depletion." Arthur suggestion.

A quick scan indicated that the second option was not ideal, as both were under 20%, and being the advanced systems that they both were, they constantly spent battery power.

"Sharing is better than one of us going into offline mode." E92 offered, gesturing to the pod. "You may enter first."

"I think it's better if you do, I can squeeze in afterwards."

E92 looked at the pod, gave a slight nod with his body, before entering it. Arthur squeezed in, it was tight, but it would work if he wrapped his spider limbs around the other robot's legs. There was some adjusting, but they found a bit of comfort with E92's arms loosely wrapped around Arthur, keeping him close but not too close.

"Will this work for you?" The taller of the two asked.

"I..." Arthur looked him up and down, at the faded paint on the blue and red casing. He had never been this physically close to his friend, how odd that he felt his systems start to overheat, his fans spinning internally. "I think it will do well for the situation."

"Then we shall rest for the night. Good night, Arthur." E92 said quietly, he didn't need to lower his voice, the other robots were already in sleep mode, they would not wake them.

"Good night, E92." He replied just as softly, a hand placed on the other robot. He could feel him powering down, going into sleep mode himself.

But Arthur was awake.

He had been here on Earth for a few months now, adjusting as well as he could here. He was thankful for the few friends he had made here, considering his only other ones were long dead now. He cared about Sara Grace, and A37, along with the other robots from their little family.

But E92 was different. He was someone that Arthur could talk to, spend time with, without having to put on the customer service act in his programming. It was odd, he didn't understand it, didn't know if he could.

But he enjoyed this other robot's company.

He wondered if there was something strange in his programming since coming to Earth, or at least to Eden 3.

Because he was sure it wasn't in his programming or protocol to do what he was doing now.

His lips were pressed to the cool casing in front of him, and he felt his insides running faster, louder, hotter. Arthur blinked twice, and then pulled back.

He didn't mean to kiss him. it was never supposed to happen. It wasn't something robots or androids did.

He tried to put himself into sleep mode, to not think about this. But he was distracted, just for a moment, when those loose arms around him tightened, just a little, bringing him closer to E92.

Best to think about this in the morning.

--

Arthur has feelings and doesn't understand what they are. E92 has had much longer to feel human emotions so... >.>

Also, I need to watch this again.

If I had a nickel for every time David Tennant played a character associated with the color blue and strong emotions towards a human alongside a villain played by Neil Patrick Harris, I'd have two nickels.

#good omens extended universe #john's drabbles

[norcumii]

title: Moonfire - (Star Wars/Gargoyles) Ahsoka Tano/Angela (or Ahsoka Tano & Angela also works)

(regarding this fic title meme prompt)

After rotating this notion in my head SO MUCH, I’ve finally pinned down how I’d want this to play out.

So Angela and her rookery-sibs grew up on the mystical isle of Avalon, right? The once-home of all the fey, ruled by Oberon and Titania. For the sake of the premise, we’re going to presume that these kids grew up with some weird shit. Not just the garden variety weird shit like cupboards of food that never empty or flower gardens that rearrange their hedge maze depending on the day of the week; we’re talking ‘the island removed the entire southern beach again and replaced it with a giant snowglobe scene, snowglobe included – oh and it is ALSO fully temperature controlled. We are probably not getting that beachball back any time soon’ levels of shenanigans.

At some point, one of the kids finds a dry, mostly useless book in the back of the library with exhaustive details about the island’s features (they do learn how to work the hedge maze, though, which everyone appreciates). Somewhere in the book is a section for Transitory Features, and includes something called a Bridge Of Moonfire. There’s nothing useful, like where it is or what it looks like, just how it returns every eighty-seventh five-quarters moon or something equally absurd for ‘a short time’ and an anecdote about a fey lady who once traversed it and was never seen again.

So the kids are warned to not use it, whatever it is, should they ever see it.

Of course, one night while out gliding with at least one of her sibs, out of nowhere across a lake/pond/grassy area spawns this silvery-white glowing path. ‘Bridge’ isn’t the word that comes to mind, but it doesn’t take too much poetic license to figure out what it is. The gargoyles swing wide of it, but Angela is curious. She warns the others to stay back, then very cautiously moves in for a fly-over from what should be plenty of safe distance. And yet, the moment she passes over the bridge of light, it curves up so she lands on it hard. With a fwoom-swoosh, the light and Angela disappear.

She comes to in a strange castle, and the landscape that is utterly foreign. She explores carefully, until she finally stumbles upon a living being. There’s a strange girl ahead of her, orange with a blue and white crest (no wings or tail, poor thing, but what could she be BUT another gargoyle?) - and there’s an uncanny little gremlin with very large, sharp teeth about to leap out at her. Of course Angela lunges to bodycheck the surprisingly hefty critter away, but it bounces off the wall and rebounds at them, scary teeth first.

There’s a fwoom-swoosh, and the girl bisects the critter with two glowing swords. She faces Angela in what must be a guard position, and all Angela can think of to say is, “how do you have moonfire blades?”

Ahsoka doesn’t know what to say to that, and she’s already had QUITE enough of this Mortis bullshit without having a pretty girl come out of nowhere to save her from she really doesn’t know what. But this pretty girl with wings seems even more clueless about what’s going on than they do (instead of annoyingly all-knowing and cryptic and RUDE), so she accepts Angela’s help. The whole Mortis debacle goes sideways, Anakin does not have further Super-Trauma piled upon his head, and they all escape relatively unscathed and Having Learned Something About Themselves.

Angela goes with them, of course, and embraces life in the Republic. Somehow this leads to Palpatine tripping fatally down the stairs or whatever, and later on Angela is introduced to Jedi Master Fey who is very surprised but eager to hear any news about her long-ago home.

(“Oberon exiled EVERYONE from Avalon in a snitfit to learn about humanity. OBERON. Thought everyone ELSE needed to learn about humans. UGH.” Master Fey rolls her eyes. “This sort of ridiculous drama is why I did not hesitate to leave.”)

And everyone lives happily ever after.

#meme #fic title meme #dogmatix #is made of awesome and win #gargoyles #star wars #fic ideas #plunnie available to a good home

[avalonkyuden]

Merlin's relationship with Japan?

So, going back from this theory that we ended learning that in fact that master is Iori, but what does this have to do with Merlin?

The theory is really short, but what if Fate/Samurai Remnant's master was one of the first masters that Merlin decided to give a peek? I mean that game is told to happen on fourth year of the Keian Era, Edo Period Japan, that is 1651, that in theory could be 100~ years after Merlin getting trapped in Avalon. Merlin's capacities of looking around like a magic telescope, could made him see this master for the first time. So if them are an ancestor to Fujimaru Ritsuka, probably Merlin wanted to check out how does a future version of that master would be in the present.

I think all this posible interaction is really important for Merlin because that is how probably he learned on how does a servant work, or a vague idea of what is happening in the throne of heroes. More to say that this event could motivate him to use his independent manifestation on japan, since a lot of servants from japan (or even china?) know him, and it's to wonder if they knew him while they were alive or once the become servants.

The list of servants that know Merlin and Proto Merlin (Lady Avalon) are:

Musashi Miyamoto: Literally has a good friendship with Merlin in that event in Las Vegas, I doubt he would easily helped her if she wasn't his friend. Also to add that if the theory of Merlin looking over Iori (No necesary supporting them) probably was one of the first time he meet Musashi or simply likes them.

I always bring up this CE to talk about Merlin making friends, and specially this CE being directly to the master of Chaldea, but what if this CE was the dialogue he had with Musashi before helping her. That would be interesting and actually important the reason they give us that CE in this event specifically.

Kiichi Hōgen: "The Mage of Flowers...it's been quite a while. The last time we met was when we—mgrhmrhgjgm...!" This dialogue tell us that they definitely meet before, it's important to say that Kiichi is from 1100s so probably Merlin meet them in a grail war, or else if it was before, maybe Merlin knew how to do independent manifestation, after all he could be a beast just like Draco refers as beast to Proto Merlin. But the reason why he hides when did they meet is still a mystery so far. Ibuki Dōji: She knows Proto Merlin, but will play along and keep the secret of her being Lady Avalon instead. She is so nice and silly I bet she is besties with Proto Merlin at least! And this is enough to know that she knows both Merlins

Tai Gong Wang: He is not a japanese servant, but it's important to say how he knows Merlin by rumors and admires him. Merlin does respond to his dialogue, sadly his response was only available in a event in japan, if I find it again I will add it to this post!

Lastly about japan we have this CE:

For me is interesting how Merlin could be anywhere but he decided to travel to Furano, Hokkaido, It quite funny how he says: "What a beautiful field of flowers! So...where's all the pretty ladies?" he knows that in japan there already pretty ladies? or simply he was clueless about it! either way I find it funny because a personal HC of him dating Yukari Yakumo from Touhou Project.

So in the end we have a lot of interesting options, he could really enjoyed japan by his own, he could enjoy japan because he meet Iori, he could had meet other servants and by that end enjoying japan. In the end he would help Chaldea's master either way, so I think it's an interesting causality!

#theories #theory #fate #fate grand order #fgo #fgo arcade #fgo jp #fgo mobile #fgo theories #fgo theory #merlin fgo #proto merlin #proto merlin fgo #lady avalon #fate/Grand Order #crack theory

[prophetparadox]

DMC OC Week 2023 Day 7: Boss Fight (Free Day)

I have no image for this day either, my apologies.

Welp, we're here at the end of @dmc-oc-week-specialedition, and I figured for this last prompt I'd do something a little interesting~ So here we have a hypothetical boss fight for the bastard! You see, since he is an antagonist, there's no doubt that if he were in a DMC game he'd be fought at some point, right? So I whipped this up. You can also consider this an extension of Day 5's prompt since it goes into his weapons and abilities somewhat, but it's more about the potential boss fight than anything.

Once again, I have enjoyed doing this week, and I might already have plans for next year's prompt as well! I certainly know which character I'll be using for it, hehehe. I hope you've enjoyed learning about this terrible bastard man!

Avalon would likely be a boss that’d be fought multiple times throughout the game, like Griffon in 1, Vergil in 3, and Agnus in 4. Since I haven’t worked out how the story itself goes, this will be detailing what the first out of these boss fights would be.

Avalon would probably function similarly to Arius in 2, with both of them being humans who don’t have demonic powers but can use magic instead. Though unlike Arius, Avalon isn’t seeking demonic power in any regard. That doesn’t mean he’d be a pushover to his hybrid opponent though.

At close range, Avalon will primarily attack using Severance, his dagger. He’ll attack with a combo of slashes, attempting to lock the player in the combo to deal significant damage, at least one section of the health bar. Being hit by one of these attacks wouldn’t lock you into the combo if you manage to dodge out of it in time, but the longer you stay in the combo the harder it is to break free of it. He may also try to use punches and kicks as well, though they’d likely be less frequent.

At long range, he’ll use his pistol. Being hit with a shot will stun the player for a brief moment, which he’ll follow up with other attacks in order to keep you locked in a combo. These attacks would also be infrequent, serving only to keep you locked in a combo.

More frequent would be his magic attacks. He makes use of a variety of spells, using elemental abilities such as fire and lightning, along with shadow-like spikes that can pierce you from any distance. Along with his normal skills, he also has an invisible magic bar that functions like a Devil Trigger bar. If he hits the player enough times, and gets hit a decent amount, he can unleash a powerful attack that’ll deal massive damage and would be difficult to dodge if you don’t know what you’re doing. There is a cue to him using these attacks though, giving the player a few seconds to get out of the way.

He also uses magic defensively. After being hit by a full combo by the player, he may use his magic to teleport to another area of the arena. He may also use it to try stunning you in order to leave you open for an attack.

Some strategy would need to be applied when fighting Avalon, as he will take note of the moves the player uses. If playing a character with multiple weapons like Dante, switching between them would be crucial as he’d pick up on the moves you have and adapt to them. If playing a character with only one main weapon like Nero, relying on the same few moves and combos would have the same effect. If you spend too much time staying on the sidelines and relying on long range attacks, he’ll attempt to get up close to keep you on your toes. Essentially, if you try to do things that’ll keep your style rank up, you should be fine.

#Prophet posts #dmcocweek #DMC OC Week #Devil May Cry

[undermycoat]

Bird on the Wire

Merlin Wyllt and Arthur Pendragon are office enemies, with Arthur being Merlin's boss from hell, always sending his work back to him with disapproval and disappointment. Merlin wishes for nothing more than to see Arthur keel over, and he tells OnceAndFutureKing – his best friend in the popular mobile game Excalibur Online – as much. Of course, he gets the shock of his life when he and OnceAndFutureKing finally meet, only for Merlin to discover... his online best friend is the same awful boss he's been complaining about? Merlin has managed to avoid getting fired from his job at Avalon Inc so far, but it seems his luck has finally run out.

Rating: T

Word Count: 11.6k

Full text and author's notes under the cut.

Or, read on AO3.

A/N: My gaming experience consists of otomes, osu, Minecraft, and Genshin Impact. I have no clue what I'm talking about when I write about their quests and whatnot. This fic is actually inspired by a manga, but hopefully this is different enough that it's not an exact copy...? I don't know. I just wanted to get out another fic. I feel like I've been in a rut when it comes to fic writing, so I'm just getting out what I can, LOL.

...

“I should just quit. My boss is seriously from hell.” Merlin hit send without a second thought, before a slime hopped across his path, and he raised his staff to strike it with magic. 

His companion, OnceAndFutureKing, laughed, or at least typed LOLOLOL. “That bad?” He swung his sword, the weapon making a swooshing noise as he did so. “You should quit.”

“He’s really the worst,” Merlin agreed. They stopped, and Merlin turned to King. “He makes me redo everything I submit! I can’t actually be that bad.”

“Too strict.” King swung his sword. “I say quit.”

Aloud, Merlin sighed, rolling over in bed, while his avatar stood idle. “Can’t,” he finally typed. “The pay is too good. But I still hope my boss dies, LOL.”

King LOLed again too. They continued on with their quest, reaching the next checkpoint. From the corner of his eye, Merlin watched the world chat, but it was mostly the same old same old. He looked at his HP before turning to King. “I think we can finish another lvl.”

“Yusss.” King’s avatar, a (rather cute, in Merlin’s opinion) brown bear in shining silver armour, donning a red cape, swung his sword, and Merlin bit back a smile at the habit. They’d had a lull in their questing, the levels getting suddenly harder once more, so they instead spent time doing 1v1 and completing side quests and events, but they finally racked up enough points and upgraded weapons to take out the equally upgraded monsters. Now, they ran headfirst into the abandoned castle that lay before them, ready to continue their journey.

-

Merlin tossed his phone onto the bed beside him, burying his face in his pillow and sighing. Some time spent playing Excalibur Online after the worst experience of his life – work – was exactly what he needed. King was a great partner also, good at the game and fun to talk to. They’d been playing together for about seven months and while King had originally been a complete noob, his in-game skills now threatened Merlin’s, OnceAndFutureKing always appearing next to CourtSorcererEmrys – Merlin’s username – on leaderboards. A smile took over his face as he thought about their first meeting. The little bear had been running into the next fight, sword glinting in the bright sunlight, but he would only last a couple seconds before his avatar would disappear and pop up once again at the last checkpoint. After the third try, Merlin stepped in, blocking the monster’s next hit.

“New?” he asked.

OnceAndFutureKing remained silent.

Merlin raised his staff and a bolt of lightning struck the monster dead on, a critical hit, and soon, the path opened up to them once more. “The levels get really hard, right?” He started down the path, OnceAndFutureKing still silent but following behind him. “You need to stay behind your max lvl. Fight smaller enemies or do 1v1.” Behind his screen, he smiled and added, “Noob.”

“WTF is a noob?” OnceAndFutureKing finally spoke. “Also I’m deleting this soon.”

“You’re a noob,” Merlin replied, “and doooon’t. The quest gets more fun from here.”

“Hm,” OnceAndFutureKing said. Then, “Not a noob BTW.”

“Did you google it?”

OnceAndFutureKing didn’t reply. Merlin bit back a laugh, then suggested they continue on questing together now. “I’ll 1v1 you if you need more pts,” he added.

“Ok.”

And so they went, and Merlin found himself grinning the longer they played. OnceAndFutureKing didn’t say much, but that was alright because Merlin had enough to say for both of them, like how rude the customer on the phone was or how, at lunch, the newbie spilled an entire bowl of soup down Merlin’s front, or how when Merlin went to make dinner, he was all out of the main ingredient. Finally, his eyelids were growing heavy, and he slipped up more often than not.

“It’s late,” King said.

“Yeah,” Merlin replied.

“Thx for your help.” King swung his sword, and his red cape fluttered in the breeze. “Can I add you?” Merlin agreed and added him back, and they’d been questing partners ever since. 

-

“Do this again.” Arthur Pendragon dropped the print-outs Merlin made on his desk, nearly knocking over Merlin’s tea and sending his pens rolling off his desk. “The colours don’t fit the theme and the target audience is unclear. Clean it up and try again.”

Merlin met his supervisor’s sharp eyes with a glare of his own. “Geoffrey said it was alright.”

“Mr Monmouth can barely see a millimeter from his face,” Arthur replied. “Besides, he’s not the one in charge of you and this project.” He leant in closer, so Merlin could see the varying shades of blue in his eyes. “I am.”

Merlin grumbled but acquiesced, turning away from Arthur to pull up the file once more. He heard Arthur shift behind him and then the sound of his shoes that probably cost three times Merlin’s pay on the wood floor. Merlin squinted at his computer screen before Arthur said, “And I know you enjoy doing things at your own pace, but for Christ’s sake, Merlin, remember this is a job. Send me the new design by midnight please.”

The “please” was more spat out than said, and Merlin made a face at his screen. “Yessir,” he replied, not turning around. Arthur didn’t reply, and Merlin wondered if he finally pushed the great, prattish Arthur Pendragon to the edge, but after another couple of seconds, the clicking of his shoes rang throughout the room once more. Merlin sighed, shoulders dropping, only for them to go right back to his ears when he checked the time and saw it was already six. Merlin had planned to work overtime, but not past seven, and he knew he’d be working up until the last minute on this stupid flyer. Once again, he sighed and just barely stopped himself from slamming his head into his desk.

At eleven, all the lights had been shut off, and Merlin had even turned off the lamp at his desk, finding the colours more accurate when it was just the glow of his computer screen. He leant back in his chair, legs stretching out under his desk and arms reaching above his head. When he tilted his head back, he saw another light on – Arthur’s office. The prat had his head low, curved over documents scattered across his desk, and he had a pen trapped between his teeth. 

Merlin sent him a glare, though it went unnoticed, then, when an alert popped up on his monitor, he got back to work.

Five till midnight had Arthur at Merlin’s desk, now curved over him instead of documents. Merlin swallowed as his supervisor studied the design over his shoulder. His cologne was still a strong scent in Merlin’s nose, even after a full day at the office, and Merlin was itching with the need to get out and away. Finally, Arthur took a breath and stood up straight. “Well,” he said, “it’s not terrible.”

Merlin’s jaw dropped. “Not terrible?” he cried. “It’s ‘not terrible’?” He shoved his chair back, running over Arthur’s foot in the process, making the man shout, but Merlin didn’t care, rising from his seat. “You are evil, Arthur Pendragon! I should file a complaint – I should sue you! This isn’t work! This is torture!”

Arthur was still wincing, hands fists at his sides, but at Merlin’s words, he froze, studying Merlin with a curious expression. The sudden change had Merlin stuttering mid-rant. Oh. He’d really done it this time. Arthur was actually thinking through the logistics of firing him, who would take his place, when to give him his pay, if there were any other openings needing to be filled. Okay. Merlin was fucked.

He was bracing himself for his inevitable dismissal, but all Arthur said was, “Just send me the file, Merlin. And don’t talk to me like that again. Hear me?”

Swallowing his shock, Merlin nodded quickly. “Yes, Mr Pendragon, sir.”

Arthur scoffed. “We both know you don’t mean that, so don’t call me that again.”

Cautiously, Merlin let a smile appear on his lips. “Yeah.” He took a seat once more, avoiding Arthur’s foot when scooting his chair back in, and Arthur watched as he sent him the file. “Anything else?” he asked, heart still racing just a bit.

Arthur sighed. “No, Merlin.” He placed a hand on the back of Merlin’s chair, and Merlin swore his finger brushed against Merlin’s collar, but then he pulled away, and left with a quiet, “Goodnight, Merlin,” tossed over his shoulder.

Merlin rubbed the back of his neck. “Goodnight, Arthur,” he replied, but the man had already gone back into his office, the door shut and locked behind him.

-

Work went more smoothly the next day, though it still wasn’t great, and while Arthur not pestering him was a blessing, it was at the same time awful because it was clear Arthur was instead avoiding him. Very strange. 

Merlin, of course, told OnceAndFutureKing all about it while they played Excalibur Online together. This time, another of Merlin’s online friends joined them, DruidKnight having met him a couple months after Merlin first started playing, then stumbling upon him and King while they were questing, only to make their duo a trio. DruidKnight hadn’t been online as much, busy with A levels, which both Merlin and King emphasised the importance of, though for different reasons.

“It’s just what’s best,” King had said, while Merlin put a lot of exclamation marks and said, “Succeed so you don’t have to work under a demon boss!”

DruidKnight agreed with his own round of exclamation marks.

Now, the three of them were completing a side quest. “Did u c abt the guilt meetup?” DruidKnight asked.

“?” King swung his sword.

“Are you meeting your guild?” Merlin asked. DruidKnight was their friend, but he was in a guild with a few other people. Merlin had thought about joining one himself, but he was content to play as he did now, by himself or with King and the occasional pop in from DruidKnight.

“I think so…,” DruidKnight said. “U n king should meet!”

“?” King swung his sword again.

“U guys r just rly close… and close in age…” DruidKnight waved his own sword. “U should!”

“Are you calling us old?” Merlin asked.

“Not u,” DruidKnight replied. “U r cool. But king…”

“HEY,” King said. “But I wouldn’t be against it. WBU, Emrys?”

Merlin hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard.

“We don’t have to,” King quickly added. “Only if you want.”

“I do,” Merlin replied finally. “I just don’t want it to mess with our gaming.”

“It won’t,” King promised. “DM?”

DruidKnight waved his sword again. “Pls dont forget me emrys….”

Merlin laughed. “OK,” he replied to King. Then, to DruidKnight, he said, “Of course not. You are my first knight!”

DruidKnight’s cape fluttered, and he waved his sword. “Yayyyyy!”

But anxiety still weighed heavy in Merlin’s stomach, even as they cleared more levels and even managed to get some rare drops from the monsters. When DruidKnight finally said he had to get some studying done, Merlin was ready to use that as an excuse to leave, but King stopped him, picking up the meetup conversation Merlin had been ready to abandon.

It wasn’t that he thought King was catfishing him, and he certainly wasn’t catfishing King, but Merlin had the worst foot-in-mouth syndrome, and King was arguably the best friend he had at the moment ever since moving away from his small hometown of Ealdor and leaving behind Will, his first best friend, now most everyone else being work colleagues, and he heard horror stories of meetups gone awry, where the players lost the chemistry they had before and now their profiles read Last visited 4y ago. Merlin didn’t want that.

But at the same time, the idea of a meetup was exhilarating. For as many meetup horror stories he heard, he found just as—no, twice as many that went well. One even happened to Will, who had introduced him to Excalibur Online right before Merlin had moved away to Camelot, the other likely running high on endorphins still from his successful meetup. She’d been a girl named Freya, who apparently lived only in the next town over, which was still a good ways away, but shockingly close for someone online. That’d been a little over two years ago. Last Merlin heard, Will was thinking of proposing to her.

He didn’t want to marry King or anything like that, but such a successful meetup still had him forcing down his nerves. “When works for you?” he asked.

“I’ve got a big work thing coming up,” King admitted. “But maybe after that? A month and some from now?”

Merlin nodded, though King couldn’t see him. “Me too. How about a month and a half from now? We can talk about it more when the time is closer.”

Their avatars idled for a moment, and Merlin wondered if King was getting cold feet too. A breeze made King’s cape lift, the red splaying out behind him, and Merlin spun his staff. Finally, King said, “Sounds good,” and Merlin let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding.

-

They continued to play Excalibur Online like nothing had changed, though Merlin got sweaty palms every time he thought about the looming meetup. DruidKnight joined them sometimes, and they’d clear more levels before he’d disappear once again.

In real life, meanwhile, Merlin found himself hating Arthur Pendragon more and more, the man always having some complaint about Merlin’s work, always some new order more challenging than the last.

“I’m not the only person in the department!” Merlin complained to King after they completed a side quest. “And I know I’m not that bad at my job! I know it!”

King was quiet before he swung his sword and said, “Maybe it’s favouritism.”

“Favouritism? LOL,” Merlin actually laughed aloud, “maybe he’s a sadist.”

“Think about it,” King said. “He trusts you to get the work done, and maybe he sees your potential.”

Merlin worried his lower lip between his teeth. “Maybe,” he finally agreed. “But I still think he could give more to other people. I’m only one person.” King swung his sword, and that’s when Merlin remembered. “You’re a supervisor, right?”

“Yes…”

“I bet you aren’t half as bad as mine. In fact, working for you would probably be paradise in comparison to this.”

“Maybe LOL,” King said. “Not everyone is happy with me.”

“Really?” Merlin rolled over, holding his mobile over his face. “What happened?”

“Got scolded big time by my subordinate,” King answered. “It was really humiliating. But it was a nice wake up call IG.”

“You didn’t fire him, right?” Merlin asked, thinking of his own blunder in front of Arthur. “As a supervisor, you don’t know just how much stress we’re under. You only get our finished products.”

“I didn’t fire him,” King said. “I probably should’ve, but we’re all hauling right now trying to meet deadlines. I don’t think I blame him.”

“Good,” Merlin replied. “Always sucks when things get that bad, but it’s nice that you’re so forgiving.”

King swung his sword, and the conversation came to an end. Together, they went back to fulfilling the main quest.

-

Merlin watched with narrowed eyes as Arthur stopped at Gwen’s desk. Gwen had been the one to show him the ropes when he started working at Avalon Inc, and she was the one coworker of his he ever considered inviting over for a cuppa. Of course, he never actually did, but he thought about it sometimes, and he thought about it again watching Arthur say something to the woman, which had her glancing over at Merlin, only to see him already looking their way. Flustered, Merlin turned back to his computer. Maybe he could ask another day. 

He was going over another’s presentation when he felt a present at his back. Merlin stopped typing and looked up, only to see Arthur standing over him. “Hi,” Arthur said.

“Hullo,” Merlin replied.

“What’s that?” Arthur asked, nodding at Merlin’s monitor.

“Um,” Merlin said, and then, “a presentation.”

“Yours?” Arthur leant forward, and Merlin felt heat along the back of his neck. “Doesn’t look like your work.”

“It’s not,” Merlin confirmed. “It’s Gilli’s.”

“The new intern’s?” Arthur asked, and Merlin nodded. Something like a ghost of a smile flickered across Arthur’s face before he straightened up and patted Merlin’s shoulder. “Kind of you, but I know you’ve got plenty of your own work to do. Best to be doing that instead, yeah?” He caught Merlin’s gaze, and Merlin took a short breath before nodding.

“Right,” he said, “yeah. Right. Yeah.” He nodded again. “I’ll just tell him it’s good, and—”

“Don’t worry about it,” Arthur cut him off. “Just tell him to send it to me as is. I can look it over.”

“I’m sure you’ve got your own work too,” Merlin replied, but Arthur just shook his head.

“Don’t get dedicated now, Merlin.” His hand slipped from Merlin’s shoulder, and Merlin found him oddly bereft without its warmth. “Tell him to send it to me as is, then send me your own work when you’re done with it too.”

Merlin nodded, ducking his head and licking his lips.

Arthur stood there for another second, and Merlin wondered what else he had to say. When he met Arthur’s eyes once more, he was surprised to see the slight flush in the other’s cheeks. Even the tips of his ears seemed to be turning red. “About your work, actually,” he began, and oh, so he was turning red from annoyance, great, “I just wanted to say you’ve improved a lot.”

Merlin blinked. 

“So, uh,” Arthur cleared his throat, “keep up the good work.”

“Um,” Merlin said.

“That’s all.” Arthur nodded once to Merlin, then again to himself, before he pivoted and practically marched back to his office, leaving Merlin to stare after him, his own cheeks a bright red, matching those of Arthur’s. Merlin blinked again, rapidly, before looking toward Gwen’s desk. The woman sent him a smile and a thumbs up. Merlin tried to smile back, but he was sure it appeared more as a wince. Still, Gwen kept her thumb in the air until Merlin turned back around to get back to his work.

-

Since then, Arthur hadn’t done anything weird like he had that day, but he did give Merlin less work, and he also hadn’t sent many things back to Merlin to be redone. Then, the main stressor at the office, a project that would be seen by the CEO – though, Merlin rolled his eyes, that was only Arthur’s father, so maybe it didn’t matter that much – was completed, and when Arthur got back from the meeting, pink in the cheeks and with a forehead shiny from sweat, he stopped by Merlin’s desk and said, “Good job.” At least that’s all he said, and Merlin found himself breathing easy by the time he retreated into his office.

Merlin thought, then, that his life was looking up, but of course he had to be proven wrong when he stepped into a little cafe on his way to work. He thought he had a simple order, but the barista, a teenager in a black apron with curls Merlin wondered if he’d have should he ever let his hair grow out, glared at him the entire time with piercing grey-blue eyes, like storm clouds, and when Merlin stumbled on his way to grab his drink from the boy, the little prick clicked his tongue at him. Merlin refrained from doing something stupid and immature back. 

He gave him a two-fingered salute on his way out the door.

Of course, as soon as the door swung shut behind him, a lorry thundered by and sprayed mud all over him, ruining his clothes and forcing him to be thirty minutes late to work. Merlin wiped the same fingers he used to flip off the kid across his eyes, clearing away the mud, and cursed karma. The kid had started it anyway.

By the time he was able to get a new lid on his tea, the drink had gone cold, and Merlin found himself making a new cup altogether at work, feeling his cheeks heat at his tardiness. Still, he liked having something to drink while he worked, and he wasn’t going to stop now.

He was more than ready to collapse into bed and play Excalibur Online when the day ended and he finally got to go back home. DruidKnight and King had already started playing, and Merlin rushed to catch up with them. 

“DruidKnight,” he said, “you are so sweet… pls… never change. Don’t let the world harden you… pls…”

“Ofc not,” DruidKnight replied. “Did smthng happen?”

“What didn’t happen today?” Merlin answered. “First I got disrespected by a kid then I had to be late to work then—.” Merlin set his phone down. Well, work wasn’t that bad. He backspaced, the message ending at “work”. 

“Sounds rough,” King said.

“I didn’t even get to enjoy my drink,” Merlin whinged.

DruidKnight killed a slime that crossed their path. “Need 2 raise my hp,” he said. “Hold on.”

They went over to a fire pit, and Merlin gave DruidKnight some of his raw ingredients so that the boy could make more food items with higher HP. DruidKnight waved his sword. “Yesssssss,” he said. “Thx ilu emrys.”

“YW,” Merlin replied, smiling at the boy’s warmth. He was surprised DruidKnight hadn’t wanted to join in on his and King’s meetup plans, but he did worry a bit about DruidKnight’s attachment to him. Merlin might only be twenty-three, but there was an ocean between that and DruidKnight’s teenagehood. Still, he figured this was an adolescent thing, and DruidKnight would grow out of it eventually.

When the food was done cooking, DruidKnight tossed Merlin two pieces, and Merlin quickly added them to his inventory. “Thanks,” he said.

“Np,” DruidKnight replied, before tossing one to King too. “Ok we can keep going now.” He added a little happy face at the end, and in real life, Merlin smiled. They beat some low-level enemies, DruidKnight challenged King to a one-on-one, and then they went on to the next level.

They were collecting the enemies’ drops when DruidKnight continued: “Oh when r u guys mtg? Thats gna happen soon right?”

“Yeah,” King replied, while Merlin spun his staff. “We don’t have a date yet, but we’ll figure it out soon.”

“Hav fun,” DruidKnight said. “Hav u guys met any1 from EO b4?”

“No,” they both answered.

DruidKnight hummed (Hmmmm) before he waved his sword. “GL then. Its rly fun.”

“Have you met your guild yet?” King asked.

DruidKnight waved his sword again. “Soon,” he said.

“GL to you too then,” King replied, then swung his sword.

“Thx,” DruidKnight said.

They continued with their quest.

Merlin started when he saw a DM from King. “How about this weekend? Saturday?” the message read. Merlin swallowed, fingers shaky when he replied in agreement. King sent a happy face, and Merlin watched his avatar block a blow from a goblin’s staff, while DruidKnight did a magical attack, getting a critical hit in, though the monster still lived. Merlin’s own avatar, human-like, though he had wings like a falcon and wore a witch’s hat, stood idle, and he rushed to join the fight, especially when some lower-class mobs spawned, nuisances to the main fight.

It was Tuesday night, meaning there were really only three days between now and when Merlin and King would meet. Sleep did not come easy when he finally put his phone down and went to bed.

-

Saturday came much too soon. They’d agreed to meet at a Starbucks a couple blocks away from Merlin’s flat, and he was surprised to find that King lived a similar distance from it. So, they were in the same area. Briefly, he wondered if perhaps they’d met before, but Camelot was such a huge city it was hard to believe. If they had, Merlin was certain it’d only have been in passing, getting on or off the tube, brushing by each other on the way home. Nothing remarkable.

He fiddled with his neckerchief, a bold fashion choice suggested by Gwaine, another one of his coworkers and one not meant to be trusted, but Merlin was in such a panic by the end of the day Friday he was willing to listen to anyone. Besides, Gwaine was the only one who seemed to have any luck on their floor in scoring dates. Even Arthur seemed to be perpetually single, though Merlin knew not a small amount of his female colleagues had their eye on him. Plus, Merlin would rather get struck by lightning then hit by a bus before he went to Arthur for advice. 

Now, he was regretting the choice, as in his worry, he began to overheat, and he was sure his cheeks and ears were turning a furious red. At least his neck was spared, hidden as it was under the patterned fabric.

He continued to wait, drinkless and alone at a table, which earned him an annoyed look from one of the baristas, and he was considering giving up and going home, when the door jingled. Panic surging once more in his belly, Merlin kept his eyes on the floor, until a pair of sneakers entered his sight. He looked up.

It was that fucking kid from the cafe! He blanched, but the other didn’t seem to notice, as all he did was hold up his mobile and go, “Do you play Excalibur Online?”

“Um,” Merlin said, and then, “yes.”

“Oh,” the kid replied. “Cool.” He took the seat across from Merlin.

This kid was a supervisor…? A manager, for real? He couldn’t be older than sixteen, maybe seventeen. Merlin swallowed and drummed his fingers on his thighs.

“So,” he began, “did your project go well?”

The kid looked up, eyes still like the sky before it rained, and Merlin swallowed before sticking out a hand. “Um, the name is Merlin. Nice to meet you.”

“Mordred.” The kid took his hand, giving it a hesitant shake. “Pleasure.”

Another moment passed before Mordred leant back in his chair. “Project…?”

“You mentioned it before,” Merlin said.

Mordred appeared to think for a moment before his eyes widened and he nodded. “Yeah. It went well. The costume for one of them didn’t fit, so we had to start that one over, but otherwise, everything turned out okay.”

Costume…? Was this kid part of a theatre group? Merlin thought about all of the times King talked about work. It never sounded like he did theatre, and he never gave any indication he enjoyed the arts – at least, not enough to participate in them – but he supposed King might have assumed Merlin wouldn’t understand. Merlin nodded.

“Ah,” he said. “That’s good….” He glanced around, then pointed to the counter, where a queue had started to form. “Um, maybe we should get our drinks? Or we could go somewhere less crowded?” It felt weird to offer, but this entire meetup was turning out completely different from what he expected.

Mordred frowned, tilting his head. “Shouldn’t we wait for the other members first?”

“Huh?” Merlin stared blankly at Mordred. “I thought it was just the two of us….”

Mordred’s frown deepened. “But it was LastHighPriestess and WarlordSunGod who planned this?”

Merlin blinked before it clicked. “This isn’t—I think you have the wrong person. Are you here for a guild meetup?”

Mordred nodded, finally losing the frown. “Are you not part of the Old Religion guild?” Merlin shook his head, and Mordred ahhed before rising from his seat. “Sorry then. Um. Good luck with your meeting.” He nodded his head to Merlin one more time before the door jingled as another group of people walked in, and this time, Mordred aha’d in recognition. Merlin refrained from burying his head in his hands.

He heard Mordred say something to one of the people in the group, a woman with bleached blond hair and heavy eyeliner, looking much more like the kind of person Mordred would hang out with, and Merlin sighed before sinking deeper into his chair. He once again thought about going back home and tried his best not to feel like someone stood up on a blind date. Unsure of his next move, he pulled out his mobile once more, deciding to play some Excalibur Online, thinking it might soothe his nerves as it often did.

It did not.

Upon opening the app, the first thing he saw was a private message from King.

“Something came up at work,” it said. “Do you mind waiting ~45 minutes?”

Merlin did, but at least he understood sudden changes in work schedules. He shot back a reply, telling King that it was fine, and tried to ignore the eyes he sometimes felt on the back of his head. He knew if he turned around, he’d see Mordred looking over at him. Kids these days, Merlin thought, feeling not unlike an old man, so fucking weird.

After another handful of minutes passed, Merlin started up Excalibur Online again. Luckily, DruidKnight was online, and Merlin quickly went to join him. “Want to continue the quest?” he asked.

“Ah,” DruidKnight said, and he waved his sword, “i wld but im w my guild…”

“Really?” Merlin bit back a laugh. “I’m supposed to be meeting someone today too.”

“R U FINALLY MTG KING?!?!?” DruidKnight suddenly got frantic in his sword-waving, likely spamming the button. Merlin allowed himself a quiet laugh, still aware of his very public surroundings.

“Yeah,” he replied. “But King is late. Said work came up.”

“Oh…,” DruidKnight’s cape fluttered, “i can still talk to u tho!”

“Thanks, Druid,” Merlin said. “But you should really focus on your guild.”

“Its ok! I like talking to u!”

Merlin smiled. “I’ve got an hour before King comes so…”

“Owww,” DruidKnight said, “but dont u think he seems like a hard wrkr?”

Merlin LOLed, though he did agree. “A bit.”

“Hes quik on his ft n smart. A real match 4 u!”

“Aren’t you laying it on a bit thick?” Merlin asked. “Is he really that great?” He found himself nodding in agreement, but while DruidKnight was pretty earnest, it was usually directed toward praising Merlin. 

“I still like u the most,” DruidKnight promised.

Merlin went to reply but paused when he saw a new message from King.

“Okay,” it said, “I’m ready.”

When Merlin focused on the game again, DruidKnight’s speech bubble just finished saying, “I hav 2 gt bck to my mtg now!”

Merlin spun his staff, while DruidKnight’s avatar ran up and down the path before it finally said: “Nxt time u meet! Pls invite me!” Merlin blinked, surprised at the sudden boldness, before he typed a cautious “sure” in reply. 

Meanwhile, OnceAndFutureKing had sent another round of messages.

“Wait,” the first one read, “is it the Starbucks at Darkling Station?” The second one was him double-checking that’s where Merlin was, and the last one… Merlin’s grip around his mobile tightened.

“Is it ok if I call you?”

Merlin glanced at the door. Outside, strangers passed by in technicolour, and around him, he heard voices overlap in conversation. Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, he supposed, and sent King his number.

He was teetering on the edge of a panic attack, full of regret and embarrassment at his complete breaking of the Internet 101 rules, when his screen darkened with an incoming call. Arthur Pendragon flashed at the top of his screen, and Merlin held back an annoyed groan. Arthur rarely called him when he was off work, but when he did, it was never anything good.

“Hello?” he asked. “Is something the matter?”

“Merlin?” Arthur sounded incredulous.

“What is it?” Merlin asked. Why’d he say Merlin’s name like a question? “Is something wrong?”

“Where are you right now?”

“At the Starbucks near Darkling Station,” Merlin answered, hesitant, while worry bubbled in his stomach. “What is it?”

“That’s the one south of Avalon, right?” Arthur asked.

“Yes,” Merlin stuttered. “Is this about work? I’m kind of busy. And I thought with the project being over—”

“Just stay there,” Arthur said, and Merlin heard the murmur of a crowd through his phone’s tinny speaker, and then there was the jingle of the door, except Merlin heard it through his phone and in real time, and when he looked up, Arthur was standing in the doorway, scanning the Starbucks until his eyes landed on Merlin. His face was flushed, and his knuckles were white from the grip he had on his phone.

Merlin rose from his chair, practically on instinct, his fight or flight kicking in. “Arthur?” he asked. “What are you doing here? I meant it when I said I’m busy. I—”

Arthur held up his phone, and a familiar avatar was idling in Excalibur Online. Merlin paled and sunk back into his seat.

“Oh,” he said, voice little more than a whisper. “You’re – haha – OnceAndFutureKing. Of course you are. And I complained about—you’re King. Right. Of course.”

“Emrys?” Arthur prompted.

“My middle name,” Merlin answered, trying to hide his face in the neckerchief he was now extremely grateful for. “It’s Ambrose. Emrys is the Welsh equivalent.”

“Merlin A Wyllt,” Arthur recited before nodding. “I see.”

Merlin wished a hole would open up in the ground and swallow him whole. He stayed silent while Arthur looked between him and the counter.

“Have you gotten a drink yet?” Arthur asked. “I’m going to go order one.”

Merlin shook his head. 

“I can get you one,” Arthur said, but Merlin just shook his head once more and rose from his seat.

“I can get my own,” he said, and with this small defiance of Arthur, he felt a bit more like himself, tugging the neckerchief down to better expose his face, though he knew he was still red in the cheeks, and standing straighter. “Come on.”

When they got their drinks, Merlin thought they might sit down again, but someone had managed to snatch their table. Merlin stared morosely at his previous seat before Arthur nudged him and nodded to the door. “We can get a proper meal somewhere else,” he said.

They walked in silence for a bit, though Merlin ached with the need to say something, before Arthur cleared his throat.

“So,” he said, and Merlin glanced over at him from the corner of his eye, “I’m your demon boss from hell.”

“When you say it out loud it’s a bit….” Merlin coughed into his fist before rolling his shoulders back. “Yeah. You are.” He took a sip of his drink before narrowing his eyes. “I don’t get how you couldn’t put it together. Even if I weren’t talking about you, the habits were too similar.”

“You didn’t exactly tell me what I said – or, he said,” Arthur argued. “Just that you wished I’d die, and that I’m the devil, and that I should go to hell. Stellar reviews, by the way.”

“Thanks.” Merlin glared at the pavement in front of him. “You really are awful, though.”

Arthur gave a noncommittal shrug. “I wasn’t great for a long while, sure, but I think I’ve improved.” He lifted his cup to his lips. “I took your advice.”

“What?” Merlin lifted his gaze to look over at Arthur.

“I’ve brought you up before,” Arthur explained, “to yourself.” He thought for a second. “It was back when you ran over my foot. Or a bit after that. Sometime around then.”

Merlin cursed under his breath.

“You don’t forget your subordinate running over your foot, Merlin,” Arthur said. “But you brought up me being a manager, and you reminded me of all the work I don’t see. The work you do. I guess I started thinking about that more from that point on, and I tried to make the work a bit more even. And threw in some encouragement.”

“You always looked constipated,” Merlin told him. “I thought perhaps Uther threatened to take away your Rolls-Royce if you didn’t say something nice.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “You can call me Arthur, but you should really make sure to call him Mr Pendragon when he’s around.”

“I do!” Merlin protested. “You just never listen to me.”

“Clearly I’ve just proven that I do listen to you,” Arthur said. “So. There.”

Merlin scoffed. “You’re such a kid.”

“Kids don’t drive Range Rovers,” Arthur replied.

“So Daddy did take away your Rolls-Royce.” Merlin raised his brows in mock surprise.

“No,” Arthur snapped, “that’s what I’m using my next paycheck on. Then he can threaten to take away my Royce.”

Merlin glanced over to see Arthur already looking at him. His lip quivered for a moment before he burst into a laugh. At his reaction, Arthur grinned. After he collected himself, Merlin stopped. “Did you know it was me?”

Arthur paused too. “In the game?”

Merlin nodded.

It was clear Arthur had an answer, but he hesitated, lips parting while he looked off to the side. Merlin stepped closer when people had to walk around him. Arthur took a step back, running into the display window of the bookstore they stopped in front of. “Not really,” he finally said, “but I considered the possibility. When you ran over my foot, when you got mad, it sounded similar to the way Emrys talked, so I thought maybe, but I didn’t know, not really.”

Merlin took a sip of his drink, so he didn’t have to reply right away. “I see.”

“And you had no idea I was…?” Arthur trailed off, but he needn’t finish the question.

Merlin shook his head. “Not a clue. I should’ve realised it, though.”

“Well,” Arthur lifted his drink in mock cheers before continuing on with their walk, “I’m glad you didn’t.”

“Why not?”

Arthur took a sip. When he swallowed, he said, “You wouldn’t have kept playing EO with me otherwise.”

Merlin went to argue, but he knew it was true. He wasn’t even sure he could keep playing now. Arthur was a good companion in-game, but Merlin knew a lot of their conversation would be stilted, knowing he couldn’t complain to the extent he wanted with Arthur being the one he was complaining about. The conversation was prevented from continuing when he spotted a restaurant up ahead they could eat at. They finished their drinks before stepping inside. He’d been to it before, the place having good vegetarian options that weren’t just fancy salads. 

When they found a seat, Arthur continued: “You haven’t talked about it as much, though.”

“What?”

“Work,” Arthur said. “You haven’t had as much to say about it. Or me, at least.”

Merlin fiddled with the curling edge of the paper menu. “Well,” he said, “you haven’t been as awful as you used to be.” They continued to talk even after they got their food, and while it wasn’t the easy conversation they had in-game, it also wasn’t the terse chats they had at work either. 

Still, Merlin felt queasy with every lengthening pause between their words, until finally, he stood. “Loo,” he said quickly, before making a hasty retreat.

At the sink, he splashed water on his face, and in the mirror, he reminded himself that this was Arthur – bossy, rude, stupid idiot Arthur – and he knew how to talk to Arthur, and he knew Arthur wouldn’t fire him for something outside of work. If he didn’t fire him for calling him awful and evil to his face, nor for running over his foot, he for sure wouldn’t fire Merlin for playing a video game with him.

“Get it together, Merlin,” he said before pushing himself away from the counter and going to the door. He pushed it open, and he was ready to leave, only to run into someone. He stumbled back and held in a noise of surprise at the face.

“Merlin?” Mordred asked.

“What are you doing here?” Merlin took another step back.

“My guild decided to eat here,” Mordred replied. “One of the members’ brothers runs this place.”

Merlin stared. “Oh,” he said.

“Did you find who you were looking for?” Mordred asked.

Merlin nodded. 

“Not going well?” 

Merlin shook his head.

Mordred glanced around, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, before he suggested, “I could sit with you guys maybe? Just for a bit. To break the ice.”

Again, Merlin shook his head. “It’s really alright,” he said. “You should spend time with your guild.”

“No,” Mordred held up a hand, “they won’t mind.” He studied Merlin for a second before stepping back out the restroom, Merlin following. After Merlin pointed out their table, Mordred nodded and led the way back. When they reached the table, Mordred waved. “Hi.”

Arthur nodded. “Hello.”

“This is Mordred,” Merlin cut in. “He plays EO too.”

“Really?” Arthur leant back in his chair. “Going to play with us?”

Mordred dipped his head before taking a seat. “If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t,” Arthur replied, as Merlin sat back in his chair. 

When they logged on, Mordred made a small noise. At Merlin and Arthur’s twin inquisitive looks, he shook his head. “You guys have a lot more points than me. I’m a bit, ah, intimidated.”

At that, Merlin smiled. “No worries. I’ve been playing for a while, so.”

“My weapon is OP,” Arthur explained, and his avatar swung his sword.

Mordred nodded, while his own avatar spun its staff, much like Merlin’s did. He was also a bear, much like Arthur, but where Arthur wore armour, Mordred’s avatar wore deep green robes. KingSlayer was his username. Arthur gave a laugh.

“Unfortunate usernames,” he said, and Mordred gave a small smile.

“I had a bit of an emo phase,” he explained.

Merlin raised a brow. “Phase?” He looked over at Mordred’s clothes, all varying shades of black, complete with boots perfect for a mosh pit. Mordred held his phone in front of his face, preventing Merlin from seeing his expression, though he could still see the teenager’s cheeks darken. 

“Whatever,” Mordred said. And then, he gasped, “Look!”

The three of them held their phones closer to see a rare, high-level beast – a gryphon with white wings and a sharp beak, tongue out and ugly as it hissed at them. Merlin glanced at Arthur to find him already looking back.

They nodded and got to work.

Mordred tried to help, but his low level and weak HP, along with an unfortunate critical hit from the gryphon, had him dying early. “Sorry,” he said aloud, but Merlin just waved the apology away with a distracted hand.

“No worries,” he said, before Arthur told him to move and use a stunning spell, so he could go in and get the gryphon in the stomach.

They continued on like that, the pair of them giving orders only halfway said, the other knowing what to do from memory. They were a seamless team, and it wasn’t long before the gryphon was dead, disappearing in a shimmering haze, and leaving behind coins, a sharp claw, and two shining feathers.

“Yes!” Merlin cheered, reaching across the table to take Arthur’s hand in a poorly thought-out high-five. Poorly thought-out, as his fingers had a different idea, and instead tried to lace with Arthur’s own. Merlin nearly dropped his phone, releasing Arthur’s hand and sitting back in his seat. “Sorry.”

Arthur coughed into his serviette. Mordred leant forward.

“That was so cool!” he said. “You guys are really good.”

“Thanks,” Merlin replied, finally looking over at him, and grateful for the distraction from his blunder. “Lots of practice. Too much, probably, for a working adult.” He nodded his head. “You should focus on school. You’re still a student, right?”

Mordred nodded.

“Make sure to go to a good university,” Arthur added. “It’s good to have a plan for the upcoming years, especially when you’re about to become an adult.”

“Get into a good university, so you don’t have to have a trash job,” Merlin said. “Make sure you have a good boss when you work too.”

“My shift manager is nice,” Mordred replied.

“That’s good,” Merlin said, and then Mordred rose from his seat.

“I’ve got to get back to my meeting,” he told them, “but it was nice meeting you.”

Merlin and Arthur gave similar sentiments, and it appeared that Mordred was going to leave, when he stopped and looked back at Merlin. “If you ever do an offline meeting again, invite me, okay?”

Bewildered, Merlin nodded, though he wasn’t sure he’d remember Mordred’s username. He supposed he knew where the kid worked, but he wasn’t keen on seeing him again, no matter their apparent shared passion for Excalibur Online. Seeing Merlin at his job might remind Mordred of their meeting, and he didn’t really want that.

Mordred gave them a wave before disappearing behind a room divider.

“Merlin,” Arthur said once he was gone, “I want to keep playing EO with you.”

Merlin blinked before his gaze dropped back to his phone. “Yeah,” he agreed, “me too.” He fiddled with the ringer button, flicking it on and off, before he left it on “off”, and he looked up at Arthur. 

“Look,” he said, “I’m sorry.” He swallowed and was grateful Arthur didn’t immediately react to his words. “I know I’m not the best employee, but I do care. About my job, I mean. I mean, about the work I do. And – I’m sure you get told this, but – I admire you. Or, not you, but what you do. You’re capable.” He went back to messing with his phone. “You’re a good leader.”

Arthur remained silent.

Merlin cringed, regretting his honesty.

“Thank you,” Arthur finally said, and Merlin looked up from where his thumb pressed against his mobile’s power button. “I appreciate that a lot.” His cheeks were ruddy, the colour even going across his nose, but he met Merlin’s eyes, and he seemed sincere. “And I don’t think you’re a bad employee. Insolent, sure. Disrespectful? In a way I never even thought possible. But it’s clear that you try, and it’s clear that, for all your whinging, which is what you do, don’t even try to deny it, you enjoy what you do. At the end of the day, you care, and that’s what I consider most important at Avalon. People can suck up to me, or to my father, all they want, but if I had to choose between them or you…,” Arthur trailed off as what he was saying seemed to catch up with him. Merlin watched as his tongue darted out to swipe across his lower lip. Part of him wanted Arthur to finish that statement, but as Arthur only continued to stare, fingers twitching where they held his serviette, Merlin spared him.

“Thanks,” he said. “That’s nice to hear.”

“Well,” Arthur cleared his throat, shaking his head so his hair fell more across his eyes, “don’t expect anything like that again. I just figured, if we’re sharing how we feel.”

“Right,” Merlin said. “No. I agree.” And then, because he has chronic foot-in-mouth syndrome, he added: “So you choose me, huh? Just this once? Or every time? Because it sounds like it’d be every time.”

“Merlin.” Arthur glared at him from across the table.

“It’s okay, Arthur. I know you can’t help me being your favourite. That’s just how it is.” Merlin grinned as he spooned up his curry. “I get it.”

“Um,” a voice said from behind him then, and Merlin turned around to see Mordred standing there, hands shoved in his pockets. He pulled one out to point at the mess of dishes on the table. “I forgot my phone.”

“And you didn’t notice till now?” Arthur asked.

Mordred nodded while Merlin handed him the device. “Thanks,” he told Merlin. He glanced at Arthur but said nothing, and with that, he left, shoving his phone into his pocket, hand following soon after.

“Wonder what his problem is,” Merlin said.

Arthur crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat. “Teenagers,” he replied.

-

Things continued to go well after that. At work, they weren’t exactly friends, but Merlin felt the pressure on him lessen. Still, he continued to do his best, and Arthur appeared pleased – Merlin rarely had to redo assignments now. Outside of work, they met up surprisingly often, though they mostly used the time to play Excalibur. Surprisingly, Arthur was good at keeping his work and personal life separate, and Merlin was grateful for the reprieve.

Despite the positives, Merlin found DruidKnight playing with them less and less.

“He’s got A levels, doesn’t he?” Arthur said when Merlin told him his worry. “Those are starting soon, right?”

“They’ve already started,” Merlin replied. “I just think it’s odd…,” he trailed off as a slime hopped across the screen. He killed it before continuing: “Do you think everything’s alright?”

Arthur shrugged, and Merlin delivered a kick to his shin that had him whining. “He’s fine,” Arthur finally said. “He’s a kid. He’s probably got mood swings. Or maybe a girlfriend.”

“Maybe,” Merlin agreed, but he didn’t think so.

He ended up going back to Mordred’s cafe.

“Morning,” he said, while Mordred glared at him. He made a face at the teenager’s expression. “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” Mordred replied. “I was running late this morning and didn’t have time to put in my contacts.”

Merlin blinked. “Do you not have glasses?”

“Broke them,” Mordred said. “Haven’t had time to order new ones.”

So Mordred hadn’t been glaring at him. Not today and not back then. Okay. “Isn’t that a problem?” he asked. “At school or anything?”

Mordred shrugged. “I usually wear my contacts.”

Merlin hummed then placed his order. As Mordred wrote it down, Merlin deliberated on whether or not he should ask his next question. He finally decided as Mordred went to print his receipt. “You’re a teenager,” he said, making Mordred give him a concerned look, “so you know what it means if a kid starts avoiding you, right?”

“Uh,” Mordred replied. “I mean, we aren’t that different, are we?”

Merlin narrowed his eyes, and Mordred backtracked. 

“It’s just,” Merlin continued when Mordred stuttered to a stop, “we used to play EO together, not all the time, but often, and I know there’s A levels, but they’ve also already started, and it’s like he looks for reasons not to hang out. He’s a good kid, but I just get worried, you know?”

Mordred stared at him. “He’s probably fine,” he finally said. “You might just be imagining it. Besides, you said it yourself, A levels are here. Even if they’re already underway, they can be really draining. He’s probably passing out as soon as he gets home.”

Merlin messed with the frayed edge of his sleeve. Another stylistic choice he was starting to regret as it itched against his palm. “You think so?” he asked. “I just think it’d be fun to quest with him again.”

Mordred gave him something like a smile. “Yeah,” he said. “I’m sure it’s fine.” He waved a hand. “He might even invite you on a quest soon himself. So. Don’t give up. Or something.”

The words hung funnily in the air, until Merlin broke through them with a laugh. “You’re right,” he said. “You’re right.” He nodded and sent Mordred a relieved grin. “Thanks. I’ll try not to let it get me down anymore.”

Mordred nodded back, and Merlin stepped away, and soon he had his drink and was heading out the door. He thought Mordred might be looking at him as he left, but when he glanced back, Mordred was focussed on another customer’s order. Merlin shrugged and continued on his way to work.

The next day, DruidKnight was back, and this time, he offered to help Merlin in a special event that had been going on throughout the week. Merlin accepted. It seemed Arthur and Mordred had been right – he had been overthinking it.

-

Arthur was quiet at their next meeting.

“Is everything alright?” Merlin asked.

Arthur shrugged.

“Is it a work thing?” he prodded. “I won’t tell anyone, if it is.”

“Not a work thing,” Arthur replied. “I just got an odd message from DruidKnight.”

“Did you?” Merlin asked, to which Arthur nodded, and angled his phone so Merlin could see the DM.

“I know about you and Emrys,” he read, “but I won’t give up.”

He looked up at Arthur. “He knows we work together…?”

Again, Arthur shrugged. “Maybe he wants to work at Avalon when he finishes school?”

“Why anyone would want to do that,” Merlin began, making Arthur shove him. On screen, his avatar shuddered at a critical hit from the skeleton they were fighting. Merlin glared at Arthur. “Thanks.”

Arthur’s lips curled upwards at the corners. He remained silent as he typed a reply to DruidKnight, and Merlin let his game idle while he scooted closer to read over Arthur’s shoulder. Best of luck to you, he said. Merlin raised his brows.

“Could sound a bit less like an ass,” he said.

“I’ll fire you,” Arthur replied.

Merlin rolled his eyes.

-

Merlin hated to admit it, but he liked Arthur. And he wasn’t just talking as a supervisor or as someone to play games with.

He knew, objectively, the man was handsome. He was all muscle – practical strength – and golden hair and crystalline eyes, eyes like God took the sky and put them in his irises, and for all his teasing, he could be startlingly honest, and it was clear that, for all the potential nepotism, he wanted to do well at work and he cared about those under him, even if he had trouble expressing it. Very much an “I push you because I care” mentality. Merlin wasn’t much of a fan of it, but for Arthur, he supposed he could be.

He had already liked OnceAndFutureKing plenty, and maybe he had spent a night or two dreaming what the other player could look like, whether he had dark hair or light, eyes like the sea or eyes like the earth, whether he was tall or short, and maybe he did one time wish things could go for him like things went for Will and Freya, but he was never serious about it. And he never thought OnceAndFutureKing would turn out to be the same man he worked under.

But every piece of Arthur Pendragon coming together into a perfect puzzle had Merlin struggling to keep hold of his heart, and he found himself with a very annoying crush.

Gwen, having been through something similar – and by that he meant, everyone on his floor had had a crush on Arthur at one point or another – was very sympathetic. “He clearly likes you best,” she told him. “The only thing is – dating your boss?”

“He’s not technically,” Merlin said, but that was enough indication to both of them how far gone he was.

“Get well soon,” Gwaine told him, while Lancelot, who worked on the floor above them but also was in a relationship with Gwen and had come down to eat lunch with them, did his best to look like the reminder that Gwen once had a crush on Arthur didn’t send him into a spiral about her current affections for him. Merlin just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes.

Lancelot’s presence had Merlin turning on Gwen, though, saying, “Dating your coworker?” He tsked, shaking his head, while Gwaine cheered, seeing as he was rather experienced with dating coworkers.

“He does like you most,” Gwaine said after calming. “It’s a bit obvious. Absolutely killing George.” Another intern, George was, efficient and intelligent, and Merlin admired him to an extent. The only bad part about George was that when Uther had stopped on their floor to discuss something with Arthur, he made it clear Merlin’s job was the intern’s as soon as Merlin got fed up and quit or was fired. Unfortunately for Mr Pendragon, it appeared that wasn’t going to be anytime soon.

“Would you quit if it meant you could date Arthur?” Lancelot asked.

Merlin hesitated. Gwen began to grin. “No!” Merlin finally said. “No. I wouldn’t. I’m not that unprofessional.” But the damage had been done, and he left his lunch break with burning cheeks and ears that glowed red.

-

Before work, he stopped by Mordred’s cafe another couple of times, the teenager much less annoying now that Merlin understood he wasn’t glaring. Sometimes they talked, but for the most part he would just get his drink and go. Still, the drinks were better than Starbucks and cheaper, so he found himself returning more and more.

Meanwhile, Arthur got another slew of strange messages from Mordred, each one growing in vitriol, until Merlin read them through again and said, “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.”

“Really?” Arthur asked, eyes locked on the final message from Mordred, one that read: U R DEAD KING. EMRYS WILL C. FR. “You think so?”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t think we’re coworkers.” 

“So what does he think we are in—,” Arthur scrolled through the messages quickly, “oh. He thinks we’re—oh.” He swallowed. “So does that mean he…?”

“I thought he did,” Merlin replied, “but I don’t say anything because acknowledging it means to encourage it.”

“But you were rather concerned about him not being online,” Arthur said.

“He’s a sweet teenager trying to complete his A levels and get into a good school,” Merlin told him. “Tell me those weren’t the worst years of your life.”

Arthur thought it over before giving a weak shrug. “Childhood is rough.”

At that, Merlin leant away to give him a long look. “Not quite what I was going for, but. Sure.” He disliked Uther by virtue of the man being his boss, and a billionaire, and for slapping rainbows on things during Pride month all while giving disgusted looks at the gay flag Merlin kept in a mug on his desk, but now he found his opinion of him souring for Arthur too. Awful man, truly. Maybe he should quit. Any money from Uther felt increasingly like dirty money.

He blinked and shoved those thoughts away before he could study them further. “If he were backing off, I’d say to keep up the delusion. But maybe we should tell him the truth, if only so you don’t get more messages like that.” He nodded his head at the message proclaiming Arthur dead.

Arthur agreed.

Later that night, when he’d gone back to his flat, Merlin got a text from Arthur. It was a screenshot of his and DruidKnight’s DMs. Arthur’s explained that they were just coworkers and were not together in any romantic capacity, which stung Merlin more than he liked, and DruidKnight’s said, “Oh.”

Arthur had sent a shrugging emoji with the screenshot. Merlin wasn’t sure what to say to it either, but he supposed it was better than a death threat, albeit a weak one.

-

When Merlin saw Mordred a couple days later, the teenager seemed more cheerful than usual.

“Something good happen at school?” he asked as he took his drink.

Mordred shook his head. “Just got some good news.”

Merlin ahhed. “Well,” he smiled again, “have a good day then!”

Mordred actually gave him a proper grin. “You too!”

Again, Merlin felt eyes on him as he left, and this time, when he turned around, Mordred was looking at him still. He lifted a hand in a wave. Merlin hesitated, then waved back.

-

“Have you ever considered,” Arthur began when Merlin went into his office at lunch, “that Mordred is DruidKnight?”

Merlin blinked as he took a seat in front of Arthur’s desk. “No,” he said. “Why?”

“Maybe because he is,” Arthur replied. “And because he fits the bill?”

“Really?” Merlin tapped a finger to his chin. “But Mordred is so…,” he made a face, “you know. And DruidKnight really is sweet.”

“He sent me death threats,” Arthur said.

“You know he wouldn’t actually kill you,” Merlin argued.

“DruidKnight is Mordred.” Arthur pulled out his lunch. “That KingSlayer was an alternate account of his.”

“I just don’t know if—”

“Merlin,” Arthur said, “they’re the same person. At that first meetup, he was clearly hanging out for your sake. And when he left? He was probably trying to figure out if he wanted my head on a spike or a platter.”

“That’s because Mordred is a creepy emo teenager,” Merlin replied, accepting the bowl of pad thai Arthur passed him. “You probably intimidate him. You’re very…,” he studied Arthur with narrowed eyes, and found it a bit like looking into the sun, “intimidating.”

Arthur scoffed. “He likes you, Merlin.”

“What does it matter if he – if either of them – do?” Merlin speared a square of tofu with a bit more force than necessary. “It’s not like I like him back, and you’re not my keeper. You can supervise me at work, but not in my personal life.”

“God forbid I try to be your friend,” Arthur snapped.

“Micromanaging my life is not being my friend,” Merlin snapped back.

“I’m your supervisor!” Arthur argued. “That’s what I’m supposed to do!”

Merlin really regretted his thought about Arthur having a good work-life balance. “So pick one, Arthur. Supervisor or friend, because you sure as hell can’t be both.”

“And why not?” Arthur rose from his desk, hands slamming down on the wood. “You had no problem with me being both before!”

“And I didn’t want to kiss you silly before!” Merlin replied before he realised what he said, and his hands flew to his mouth. “Pretend I didn’t just say that,” he said from behind his fingers.

Arthur stared at him, eyes wide. “Merlin,” he said, but Merlin was already spinning on his heel and running out of his office. At his desk, he began gathering his pencils and pens, and in his head, he was writing his resignation letter, which looked a lot like a suicide note, and Arthur was shoving past George and Lancelot, who once again took his lunch with Gwen, and the closer he got to Merlin’s desk the quicker Merlin worked to shove his papers and the framed picture of himself and his mum into his satchel until the bag fell from his chair and Arthur reached his cubicle.

“Merlin,” he repeated, and Merlin swallowed, cheeks bright red in the bright office light. Arthur met his eyes, blue on vibrant blue. Arthur took another breath. “Merlin,” he said one last time, “you’re fired.”

Merlin exploded. Taking Arthur by the arm, he pulled him back to his office, apologising to Lancelot and George on their way back. When they entered the small room, he shoved Arthur back down into his chair. “I can run over your foot! Curse you to hell and back! Do a thousand little other things that would have anyone else out the door and jobless, but you fire me because I – like everyone else on this stupid fucking floor, might I add – think you’re not awful to look at?”

Arthur stared up at him with wide eyes, his own face flushing with every word. “The difference is that I don’t want to date anyone else on this stupid fucking floor,” he replied. “I want to date you.”

Merlin froze. “What?”

“I won’t fire you,” Arthur said, “though you threaten to quit every other week, but I don’t want you to feel… pressured. I know you’re incredibly headstrong, and I could never make you do something you truly don’t want to do, but—”

“Shut up,” Merlin said, and he glanced back to make sure the blinds covering the windows of Arthur’s office were closed. They were. He took a step closer to Arthur, who sunk further into his chair.

“What?” The word was little more than an exhale.

“I said,” Merlin moved even closer, and he was practically in Arthur’s lap now, “‘shut up’.” Arthur opened his mouth, but anything he had to say was stopped by Merlin’s lips on his. Arthur remained still underneath him, and then Merlin properly straddled Arthur’s thighs, and Arthur’s hands ran down from Merlin’s shoulders to rest at his waist.

“You’re ridiculous,” Merlin said when he pulled away. “You hear me? Absolutely ridiculous.”

“Right,” Arthur agreed, clearly uncaring of what Merlin said, more focussed on his lips rather than what came out of said lips. Arthur swayed forward, his hold on Merlin’s waist tightening. Merlin’s mouth curved into a smile, one that was hard to get rid of, even as Arthur’s lips and tongue worked at his.

It was a rather unprofessional display for Arthur, but unprofessional must be what he wanted, since he apparently wanted Merlin too.

-

Later, after too much time had gone by and Merlin still hadn’t emerged from Arthur’s office, he said, “We should probably talk about this.”

“Are you sure I shouldn’t fire you?” Arthur asked.

“Absolutely,” Merlin replied. “If I’m leaving here, it’s on my own terms.”

Arthur hummed, and Merlin felt the rumble of it in his cheek, where he had it pressed into Arthur’s shoulder. The fingers of one of his hands trailed up Merlin’s back until they curved around the nape of his neck, then they tangled into his hair. “Gwen and Lancelot are doing fine.”

“Gwen and Lancelot are the kind of couple that will have a wedding in June and have two-point-five kids and live a wonderful life,” Merlin said.

“And I take it you wouldn’t want something so traditional?” Merlin could hear the smile in Arthur’s voice, even as his eyes slipped shut while Arthur’s fingers ran through his hair.

“I like the idea of a wonderful life,” Merlin murmured. “I don’t think I can give you kids, though. Sorry about that.”

“I think you could do anything you put your mind to, Merlin,” Arthur replied, voice equally low.

Merlin hid a smile in Arthur’s shoulder. Arthur sighed, relaxing further into his chair, Merlin following easily. “I take it you won’t go any easier on me if we’re together?”

“Of course not.”

Merlin nodded. “Right, right. Well, if you’re game….”

“Very.”

“Then I’m definitely willing to give us a go.”

He felt Arthur’s lips against his cheek and, at the same time, his heart leapt in his chest. He supposed he should get used to it.

“Me too,” Arthur agreed. “Most definitely.”

-

“I’m not sure why you think sending my boyfriend death threats is in any way a good tactic to get me to like you,” Merlin said as he walked into Mordred’s cafe. Mordred opened his mouth, cheeks flushing red as some of the other customers looked over at them, but Merlin continued: “Besides, you’re, like, twelve. I’m way too old for you, kid.”

“You’re only twenty-three,” Mordred finally replied. “I turned eighteen two weeks ago.”

“I knew you when you were in diapers,” Merlin said, flat.

Mordred blew a raspberry at him, proving his maturity. In response, Merlin flashed him a backwards V. Just like that, recognition flashed in Mordred’s eyes and Merlin knew he made a mistake. “I was still seventeen when you did that!” he said. “You harassed a minor!”

“No, I didn’t!” Merlin replied, snatching his two drinks and making a hasty escape. “Stop sending Arthur death threats!”

“I’ll just send them to you instead!” Mordred shouted, voice carrying even as the door swung shut behind Merlin.

Outside, Arthur stood, tapping away at his phone. Merlin held out a drink to him, and Arthur accepted it after putting the device into his pocket. “Seemed lively in there.”

Merlin hummed innocently, taking a sip from his drink, before glancing back into the cafe, where Mordred now stood getting lectured by an older woman with long blond hair tied into a braid. His head was bowed, but Merlin could see a smile still curling on his lips. He rolled his eyes. The kid was fine.

Arthur continued to study Merlin, and Merlin finally lowered his drink. “Remember the kid that clicked his tongue at me? Well, I might’ve done something not so polite in response.”

“How you aren’t banned from every establishment in Camelot is beyond me,” Arthur replied.

“You’ve never flipped off a kid?” Merlin asked in disbelief. “Wow, what a saint you are!” He took in a breath, ready to continue, but Arthur cut him off, wrapping an arm around his waist and drawing him into a chai-flavoured kiss. Merlin blinked rapidly when Arthur pulled away. When he focussed once more, Arthur had just licked across his lower lip. “Uh.”

“Don’t think saints kiss like that now, do they?” Arthur asked.

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Remind me to never defend you from Mordred again. In fact, every threat he sends you I want printed and framed. You can hang them in your office. Consider it motivation.”

“Motivation for what?” Arthur kept his arm around Merlin’s waist as they began the walk to Avalon. “I’ve already got everything I want right here.”

Again, Merlin rolled his eyes, but his heart jumped in his chest, and he hid in his smile in the next drink from his cup. Arthur noticed anyway, and the grin he wore in response made it all worth it.

...

A/N: Thank you for reading. :3 You can see where I lost some steam, LOL, but I wanted to push through and finish this anyway because I have, like, eleven other WIPs. I'll come back and edit this later, maybe. Probably.

If you enjoyed, please consider liking and especially reblogging this post, because that really makes my day, and maybe leave a kudos and comment on AO3. If you want to, of course. Thanks again for reading! <3

#bbc merlin #merlin #merthur #merlin fanfic #my writing #my fic

[papermoonloveslucy]

MOVIES on TV!

Part 3 ~ The Movies of “Here’s Lucy”

In “Here’s Lucy,” Lucille Ball had a new character, a new family, and a new show - but one thing remained constant, her love of movies!  Here are some of the movies (real and imagined) of “Here’s Lucy.” 

~FACTUAL FILMS~ 

“Lucy and Carol Burnett” aka “The Unemployment Follies” (1971)

Carol and Lucy stage a tribute to Hollywood using unemployed actors. The films mentioned and/or feted include:

TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944)

BLUE ANGEL (1930)

CASABLANCA (1942)

42ND STREET (1933)

THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939)

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952)

ROSE MARIE (1954)

The set is decorated with posters from:

HOLLYWOOD OR BUST (1956) 

SAMPSON AND DELILAH (1949)

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1952) 

SHORT CUT TO HELL (1957) 

GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) 

UNDER TWO FLAGS (1936) 

“Ginger Rogers Comes To Tea” (1971)

Ginger Rogers leaves her purse in a movie theatre where she's gone incognito to see one of her films for the first time. Lucy and Harry discover the purse and hope to get to meet the star in person by inviting her to tea. Instead of working late, Lucy tells Harry that she wants to go to a Ginger Rogers Film Festival. They are showing Tender Comrade (1943) and Flying Down To Rio (1933), two films made at RKO, which eventually became Desilu.  

Rogers tells Lucy she has done 73 movies. Rattling off some of Rogers' hits, Lucy adds a sugar cube to Ginger's tea for each title: Top Hat, Roberta, Flying Down To Rio, Follow the Fleet, Shall We Dance, and The Barkleys of Broadway.  When Lucy realizes she's put six lumps of sugar in Ginger's tea, Rogers says she only wanted Top Hat and Roberta (two lumps).  

Trying to impugn the taste in films of the mystery woman (a disguised Ginger Rogers), Lucy tells her to try back next week and they might be showing Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). This was the fourth of the light comic films set on the California beach starring Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello.  

After dancing the Charleston with Lucy and Kim, Lucy asks Rogers to do a scene from Kitty Foyle, Ginger’s Oscar-winning role. Rogers graciously declines, asking Lucy to become a Katherine Hepburn fan instead!  

“Guess Who Owes Lucy $23.50?” (1968)

Lucy loans Van Johnson money to fix his car – but the man turns out to be an impostor. This episode is written for Van Johnson to work in a not-so-subtle plug for their latest film Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) starring Henry Fonda.

VAN IMPOSTER:“I loved working with that kooky redhead.” LUCY: “Personally, I thought she was much too young for Henry Fonda.”  

Lucy says she remembers Johnson from his appearance in The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947).  She later tells him she saw the film 17 times!  When Lucy is escorted out by the studio guards at Van’s direction, Lucy says that now she’s glad he got court martialed in The Caine Mutiny (1954).

“Lucy and Aladdin’s Lamp” (1971) 

When Lucy holds a garage sale, she discovers an old lamp that she believes may be make wishes come true. Lucy pulls out a fur-lined jacket she says was worn by Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce.  The 1945 film won Crawford an Academy Award. Craig says that judging by the shoulder pads she could have worn it in The Spirit of Notre Dame, a 1931 football-themed movie starring Lew Ayres.  

“Lucy and Flip Go Legit” (1971)

Lucy takes a temp assignment with Flip Wilson in order to answer his fan mail. When she is caught sneaking into Wilson’s office to ask him a favor, she gets caught and fired.  The favor is to appear  in a community theatre production of Gone With The Wind (1939) – as Prissy. Lucy plays Scarlett O’Hara, Harry plays Rhett Butler, and Kim takes the role of Melanie Wilkes. 

“Won’t You Calm Down Dan Dailey?” (1971)

Lucy gets a job working for Dan Dailey. When he starts to dictate a letter to Paul Newman at Universal Studios, Lucy says she saw Newman on the late show in Winning, a 1969 film about a race car driver.

“Lucy and Rudy Vallée” (1970)

Famous crooner Rudy Vallée is waiting tables to pass the time until his music comes back into style. Lucy convinces Kim to help update his look and sound while Harry gets him a booking at the local teen hangout. When a life-size portrait of Vallée in a raccoon coat is revealed, Vallée says he wore the coat in his first picture, Varsity Hero, a silent picture where critics raved about his singing!    

In reality, Vallée’s first film (aside from two shorts playing himself) was The Vagabond Lover in 1929.

“Lucy and Chuck Connors Have a Surprise Slumber Party” (1974) 

Harry rents out Lucy’s home for a movie shoot. After causing several re-takes, Lucy is banished from her own home. When she returns early, she doesn’t know that Chuck Connors is staying overnight – in her bed!  

Jerry, the film’s director, tells Chuck that his film Good Morning, Miss Dove starring Jennifer Jones is on television that night. Connors says the film was one of the few times he got to nuzzle something besides a horse. Released in 1955 by 20th Century Fox, the film co-stars Mary Wickes, a frequent guest star on all of Lucille Ball’s sitcoms. It also features Jerry Paris, who directed two episodes of “Here’s Lucy” before being fired, and Robert Stack of Desilu’s “The Untouchables.” Other “Lucy” alumni in the film include Herb Vigran, Hal Taggart, and Arthur Tovey – all appearing uncredited.

“Lucy Meets the Burtons” (1972)

The hotel manager tells Burton that the back door is mobbed by the Elizabeth Taylor Fan Club – Glendale Chapter. Membership to the club requires seeing National Velvet 10 times!  National Velvet (1945) was made when Taylor was just twelve years old.  

“Lucy’s House Guest, Harry” (1971)

As Harry is finally is finally about to leave, Lucy has a horrible thought: what if he is like Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner and falls on his way out and must stay with them even longer?  The play, by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, opened on Broadway in 1939. It starred Lucille Ball's good friend (and “Here's Lucy” performer) Mary Wickes as Nurse Preen. Wickes was one of several actors who recreated their roles in the 1942 film adaptation.

~FICTIONAL FILMS~ 

“Lucy, the American Mother” (1970)

Craig makes a film about Lucy, a typical American mother. During the episode, Kim does impressions of Katharine Hepburn in Stage Door (1937), a film that also featured Lucille Ball, Maurice Chevalier in Innocents of Paris (1929), and Bette Davis in The Great Lie (1941).  

The title of Craig's movie will be “A Day in the Life of My Mother.”  When Lucy can't seem to act natural in front of Craig's camera, she suggests he get someone else to play his mother; someone like Raquel Welch, Carol Burnett, or Don Knotts.

~FILM INSPIRATIONS~ 

“My Fair Buzzi” (1972)

Kim’s shy and awkward friend Annie (Ruth Buzzi) comes out of her shell in order to audition for a 1920s revue, only to find the director was looking for someone shy and awkward in the first place! The episode title and story of transformation were inspired by the 1956 Broadway musical and 1964 film My Fair Lady, which, in turn, was inspired by George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Both are mentioned in the dialogue of the episode.

“Dirty Gertie” (1972)

Lucy gets a surprise fruit basket and heads downtown to share her good fortune with her hairdresser. On the street she is mistaken for Dirty Gertie, an apple peddler who just happens to be the good luck charm of a local gangster. This episode was inspired by the 1961 Frank Capra film Pocketful of Miracles in which Bette Davis played Apple Annie, a poor woman reduced to selling apples on the street. The film featured previous “Lucy” co-stars Edward Everett Horton, Jay Novello, Ann-Margret (film debut), Sheldon Leonard, Jerome Cowan, Fritz Feld, Ellen Corby, Benny Rubin, Hayden Rorke, Bess Flowers, Vito Scotti, Bert Stevens, Arthur Tovey, and Romo Vincent.

“Lucy Runs the Rapids” (1969)

The Carters take a road trip in a camper. The episode opens with the soundtrack playing “Breezin’ Along”, the theme song from The Long, Long Trailer (1954), a film starring Lucy and Desi as a couple honeymooning in a trailer. 

~FILM FAKES~

“Lucy Cuts Vincent’s Price” (1970)

Price is filming a new horror film titled Who’s Afraid of Virginia’s Wolfman? He says it has the best title since he starred in The Giant Chihuahua That Ate Chicago.

~FILM REFERENCES~

“Lucy, the Cement Worker” (1969)

In Pierre’s the knife thrower’s studio, there is a handbill on the bulletin board for ‘Cherokee Jim’s Rodeo and Wild West Show’, which is a direct reference to the 1945 film Incendiary Blonde starring Betty Hutton as Texas Guinan. The film was directed by George Marshall for Paramount, the same director and studio producing this episode of “Here’s Lucy” 25 years later!  

“Lucy in the Jungle” (1971)

When Harry sees baby chimps Fido and Rover, he reminds Lucy and Kim that King Kong started out as a baby, too!  King Kong, Hollywood’s tale of a giant ape, was first filmed in 1933, then re-made in 1976 and 2005. Fay Wray, one of the stars of the original film, also made The Bowery that same year, one of Lucille Ball’s first films. 

“Lucy and the Ex-Con” (1969)

Lucy and Rocky (Wally Cox) go undercover as little old ladies to catch a crook.   When Lucy and Rocky pass out (as planned) one of the crooks says to the bartender “Give me a hand with arsenic and old face.”  Arsenic and Old Lace is a 1944 film where two elderly spinsters serve lethal glasses of elderberry wine to unsuspecting older gentlemen and bury them in their basement!  

“Lucy and The Generation Gap” (1969)

Lucy and Uncle Harry help Kim and Craig stage the school musical. In the first act of the musical set in ancient Rome, Lucille Ball is reading a magazine called 'Roman Scandals’. Roman Scandals is also the title of Lucille Ball’s uncredited film debut in 1933.     

“Lucy and Shelley Winters” (1968)

Hired to watch over dieting movie star Shelley Summers. On the mantle of Summers' apartment is a photo of a svelte Shelley Winters from the 1950 film Frenchie. She glances guiltily at the photo when she is about to overeat. 

“Lucy Carter Meets Lucille Ball” (1974)

Although Lucille Ball's dressing room wall is lined with photographs of Mame and the soundtrack plays the title tune by Jerry Herman, the name of the movie is never specifically mentioned. The film was given its world premiere on March 7, 1974 three days after this episode first aired, and released nationally three weeks later. As Mame, Lucy failed to ‘charm the husk off of the corn.’

#Lucille Ball #Here's Lucy #Gale Gordon #TV #Movies #Shelley Winters #Vincent Price #Wally Cox #Bette Davis #Ruth Buzzi #Ginger Rogers #Van Johnson #Lucie Arnaz #Desi Arnaz Jr. #Carol Burnett #Don Knotts #Racquel Welch #Richard Burton #Elizabeth Taylor #Chuck Connors #Dan Dailey #Flip Wilson #Rudy Vallee

[archive-of-the-incident]

Avalon when they lie and say they’re fucking “getting attacked” because the people they fucked up for life and gave whole new trauma clapped the fuck back and exposed them:

If anyone still supports Avalon at this point you’re ignoring the shit they do on purpose. And you’re just as fucking disgusting for hyping this bitch up, you hear me??

“I have made too many enemies” Why are you so fucking dramatic???, Omfg?? And do you guys not clearly fucking see that they know they have no defense and thats why they’re not responding to the truths we’re exposing about them, instead fucking sniffling and crying and playing victim and not even us addressing the real proof we have on them this whole fucking time???

[bloodontheclocktower]

On Spinning a Good Yarn

by Benjamin Burns Ten days ago, Steve asked me, in the kind of oddly-specific-yet-simultaneously-open way that only Steve can, to write an article about my journey to becoming a good storyteller. To be honest, my immediate thought was that I’m not really that good of a storyteller. I can think of a dozen STs who have a better grasp of the rules than me. Certainly, if you read any of the comments on the No Rolls Barred Plays Blood on the Clocktower videos, you’ll learn that I am instead an incompetent, evil lizard-man from outer space, who is here to steal the sun.

So I spent the next week mulling it over, gathering all of the handy tips and tricks I’ve learned over the years. I was preparing to talk about how you should always double-check your grimoire at the end of the night phase, to ensure you haven’t missed anything. Or perhaps explore how certain combinations of characters can leave avenues of bluffing open for the evil team. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that simply knowing the rules and having a bunch of strategies in your mind is not what makes a good storyteller. So here’s the story of how I became a ‘good’ storyteller.

I first came into contact with Blood on the Clocktower in the summer of 2018. At the time, I was working as a freelance games journalist, trying to get my writing career off the ground, whilst also managing a board game cafe in the English city of Derby. One of our favorite things to do at that cafe was to wait until closing time, and invite anyone who was still there to join us for a lock-in. Then we’d grab a few beers and play social deduction games. Classics like Werewolf, Avalon, and even Cosmic Encounter would regularly see the table during those beer and bluff fueled evenings.

When the owners of the cafe announced we’d be going to the UK Games Expo, I decided to check out what cool stuff would be there and that’s when I saw this video on the UKGE’s website. I was utterly blown away. A social deduction game, like Werewolf, with no elimination, in which evil characters can cause good characters to get false information. Seeing it was like having some sort of switch flipped in my brain and I found myself wondering how I could ever go back to enjoying Werewolf again, now that this clearly superior set of mechanics existed. ‘It must be horrendously unbalanced or something’ I thought to myself. ‘There’s no way you can run a game like this without elimination.’

So we rocked up to the UKGE and I immediately made my way to this tiny trestle table that housed Blood on the Clocktower’s little corner of the con. Sat behind it were two Aussies, who I’d later come to know as Evin and Sarah. I immediately started gushing to them about how cool I thought their game was, and how I couldn’t wait to check it out. In my excitement, it hadn’t actually crossed my mind that this game might be a very small, completely unreleased indie venture, by a bunch of total game-producing noobs. I just assumed it was an already established product that had passed me by somehow. Consequently, when I started fan-boying over them, they were completely taken aback and probably a bit terrified! Nevertheless, I came back to the booth over and over again during the weekend to keep trying out the game. By the end of the con, I was utterly converted and asked if I could get involved somehow. They were so delighted by how enthusiastic I was that they offered to send me a prototype copy. Thus began my journey from chubby, hairy nerd to chubby, hairy nerd who is also a storyteller.

In the following months I would run a bunch of games, mostly at our board game cafe. It quickly became apparent to me that I couldn’t treat Blood on the Clocktower as though it were Werewolf. By which I mean that I couldn’t simply be a referee or an adjudicator of some kind, disconnected from the activities of the players. Because the game requires input and mechanical decision-making from the GM, it can’t be run like a team sport or a competitive tabletop game, it needs to be a narrative, role-playing experience.

It was generally the same group of people that played each week, so I began to focus almost exclusively on the social dynamics of that group. When announcing a death I wouldn’t simply say “Lydia died in the night”. I’d instead say something like “you’re all going to be shocked to hear this, but it looks like Lydia might not be on the evil team for the first time this month, because she somehow perished in the night.” I’d flap about like an idiot, waving my arms around as I spoke, raising and lowering my tone in a ham-fisted attempt at dramatic expression. And do you know what happened? Everyone had a good time…even when the game itself was crap, usually due to me screwing things up. I came to understand that, unlike every other game I was running, the role-playing experience in Blood on the Clocktower came not from playing the role which the game assigned you, but from the role which the group’s meta assigned you. Always-evil Lydia, through no decision of her own, had become the group’s megalomaniacal, evil genius. When she died in the night, it was our group’s micro-version of Darth Vader’s “I am your father” or (spoiler alert) Ned Stark’s execution. It surprised people.

I’ve often asked myself why that group always had such fun, particularly when so many other social deduction games have a reputation for being toxic and unwelcoming. I think it’s ultimately because my players were enjoying one another’s company at least as much as they were enjoying the game. They were humanized in each other’s eyes and that meant that, no matter how good or bad the game was, they were always going to have a good time. In much the same way that when you go out on a weekend, you’re not there just to drink beer, you’re not there just to listen to the music in the bar, and you’re not there exclusively to have a conversation with friends. It’s the combination of all of these things that you’re enjoying. So when the tunes are crap and the beer tastes like piss, you can still have a good time.

By April of 2019, the game had experienced an insane Kickstarter campaign, having achieved almost 1000% of its funding goal. I felt like I could be more than just an enthusiastic fan, so I spoke to Steve about becoming a more permanent part of the team. Sure enough, I was welcomed in and started regularly running games at conventions.

Now it’s easy to ensure your players have fun when everyone knows one another. But at a convention you’ve got nine total strangers, all with different ideas about what makes a fun game, probably all with massively divergent expectations of the kind of social conduct they’re comfortable with. Yet you’ve somehow got to ensure they all have fun whilst arguing with one another and accusing each other of being deceitful liars. I don’t think many people appreciate just how truly difficult it is to be a GM at a convention.

So I applied what I’d learned from my time running for friends. These people were not a group of familiar pals with a meta and an idea of each other’s personalities, so I simply decided to make them into that over the course of the game. “Good morning everybody” I’d say, as I pointed to Dave with his Metallica t-shirt on. “I’m afraid we’ve now learned for whom the bell tolls. It looks like it wasn’t the sandman who visited Dave last night!”

Now this might seem like a shit Metallica pun, from a circus clown, with an overrated sense of his own comedic genius. And that certainly is what it was (har har). But it served an important purpose. To the other attendees in my game, Dave was no longer just some stranger at a convention who happened to be playing with them. He had become Dave, the fan of heavy metal, the guy whose death made us all laugh. As for Dave, who sadly died first, something which could easily make someone with a less charitable personality upset. He now associated his death with a joke, with everyone smiling, and with the GM showing that he too enjoys a bit of thrash metal.

Over the course of that game and many others I ensured that when I spoke to the players, it wasn’t about what was mechanically happening behind the grimoire, but on what was physically happening in the town square. I’d compliment people for boisterous and impassioned accusations, or logical and well-articulated defenses. I’d pull random players aside from time to time, to ask them if they were enjoying the game or if they had a theory on who the demon might be. To put it bluntly, I spent my energy on letting them know that I was having fun and that I wanted them to have as much fun as me. From my time touring in bands, I’d learned that in 99% of situations, if the band were clearly having fun, the audience would too. I’ve seen bands that could barely play their instruments, utterly captivate an audience, all because they were visibly having a blast. I’ve also seen absolute maestros totally tank on stage, because they were clearly not into what they were doing.

And therein lies the essence of good storytelling, or at least my peculiar version of it. It isn’t about knowing the rules, although that certainly helps. The main ingredient of good storytelling is right there in the name of the role. Spin a yarn, make your players feel invested in each other and in you. It doesn’t matter how you achieve this, and you’ll certainly find a way that works for you. My buddy Edd, for example, has created a Spotify playlist full of songs that relate to the game’s characters, such as ‘Poison’ by Alice Cooper and ‘Moonchild’ by Iron Maiden. He uses it to cover up the sound of him moving around during the night phase. Whenever I close my eyes and hear some cheesy song that is tangentially related to BOTC, blaring out, I’m reminded that this guy is having so much fun playing Clocktower that he sat down and created a 100 song playlist, exclusively for use during a 90-second portion of the game.

So…have fun, enjoy your players, and most of all, don’t worry. If you’re enjoying yourself and if they’re enjoying themselves, you’re doing absolutely fine!

#BloodOnTheClocktower #Storyteller #Storytelling #DaddyBen #BOTC #ThePandemoniumInstitute #SocialDeduction #TabletopGames #Bluffing

[channelrat]

Here, while I still have the motivation, take this little snippet of world building/writing.

For context, twice every year, the Guardians, the Oracles and the three elder Descendants have something called a Law Meeting. This is a meeting where, in short, they’d review laws, give their thoughts, bring in citizens for their opinions (only on the year’s first meeting), and then decide whether or not it’s needed/worth enforcing.

Basically, they debate for hours on end. How it will go is Michael, the Guardian of Perseverance, will read out a law and everyone will discuss. It can go three ways; could be rejected and removed, be approved and continue to be enforced, or they could go into a secondary debate that would usually last an hour on its own. For simpler laws, it's usually the first or second. For more complex ones, the third is (unfortunately) common.

How a secondary debate happens is if a Guardian expresses an opinion on the law, but another Guardian disagrees to the point the two begin to debate on their own, the Guardian of Perseverance can choose to resume the first debate or begin a second one and then finish up that one before continuing.

Each Guardian has a separate title of some kind, so instead of saying something like ‘we will now debate this’ or whatever what’ll happen is Perseverance will say *Guardian’s title* versus *other Guardian’s title* and then everyone else will pick a side or remain neutral and then they debate.

I’ll give a little information on titles, participants and roles below:

(Akulreas is Kris, just in case you don't remember)

Guardians - the only party available that can begin a secondary debate

Name - Trait/Title

Dan - Determination/Resolution

Jaiden - Bravery/Valor

Yu - Justice/Order

Casey - Kindness/Mercy

Valorie (Val) - Integrity/Truth

Yuka - Patience/Tranquillity

Maria - Hope/Aspiration

Michael - Perseverance/Durability

Ash - Loyalty/Devotion

Akulreas - Purity/Morality (Or, Hatred/Abhorrence)

(Perseverance never participates in debates and Purity is meant to be a second deciding factor in case Perseverance is unable, Loyalty’s representative is actually its Champion, but there is no chosen or possible Guardian in place.)

Descendants - unable to start a secondary debate but can participate in one

Avalon

Martin

Oliver

(Only they are allowed to participate in these meetings due to their experience and wisdom, all others are banned. (Descendants were never truly included as they were never alive to participate (besides the chosen three), and even then, it would be too chaotic and the already extended meetings would only get longer))

Oracles - on certain circumstances (such as major laws), they can start a secondary debate, but only with proper reasoning on why

Featherlight - Spring

Soleria - Summer

Valor - Autumn

Akulreas - Winter

(A party that Akulreas (Purity and Hatred) is also a part of, Soleria rarely attends as she is usually busy with other matters.)

A little note: the most common Guardians to disagree and start a secondary debate are Order (Yu) and Tranquility (Yuka).

Most of this is based off of my 7th grade debate class. One time, we debated on whether or not Santa Claus should be declared an enemy of the state. The ‘yes he should’ side won. It was a proud victory.

-

“Ah, she told you about that, didn’t he?” Soleria asked, although she didn’t seem to be expecting him to answer, “Well, I, thankfully, wasn’t present for that meeting. I was working on some war plans with my cousins, but I do have all the footage for any meeting I miss saved, just to keep up with the others.”

She opened a file labeled Law Meeting 6, 2022, and selected ‘play’ once it came up.

It was long footage, going from 11AM to 2 in the damn morning. Most of it, Soleria either sped through or skipped entirely, especially when it turned to… darker subjects and laws. While he was very slightly offended as they were seventeen, not twelve like Michael first thought, thank you very much, they still appreciated it as they were very much not in the mood to have to listen to in-depth talks of that.

But despite how they skipped or sped through, it was still rather long and… well, chaotic was one word. Painful was another, because, Heavens, it was horrible. They remained thankful that only Avalon, Martin and Oliver were allowed in there because he would’ve lost his mind had he been forced to sit through such things for hours on end.

The amount of times the phrase ‘Tranquility versus Order’ was said was unbelievable. They hadn’t hated a phrase so much in a while. It was said 37 separate times (because apparently Soleria had a damn field day counting every single time it came up), some secondary debates were short, others not so much. At one point, the 12 AM mark, the participants had become so tired, mentally and physically, that they all were surely losing their minds.

Midway through, Valerie moved away from the group, hid away in a corner and just- just cried. He stayed there until the end. Yu threw a chair across the table. Dan, Maria and Casey hid under the table and played cards for the rest of the meeting. Akulreas screamed. Ash put his head down on the table and didn’t move again until an hour later, Avalon put his head on his hands, Oliver just stared ahead for the remainder of the time, and Valor fell asleep at one point despite all the chaos and yelling because apparently they could just do that, damn the noise.

Once they finished, Soleria looked as if she wanted to say something but didn’t know what exactly. Eventually, she spoke, “At least this was not live streamed.”

“It wasn’t?”

“Definitely not. Everyone was so tired of dealing with this, so no one felt like starting a stream or anything. It was only recorded because I couldn’t make it.”

Hunter looked at the screen. Then back to her. Then to the screen and back again .“... maybe they shouldn’t be live streamed at all.”

“Good idea, I’ll talk about it to the Council.”

-

I just realized the explanation is longer than the actual story snippet. Sorry about that. And, if it was confusing, sorry.

im in love with the "maybe they shouldn't be streamed at all" "good idea" i love these little guys (gender neutral)

hearing about other oc worlds and characters is always so so so delightful i thank you once again for allowing me to witness what goes on in your brain 💚 I love how detailed everything is and how you explain the facts and characters and roles so i can keep up easily and enjoy the story

#hopefullynobodyhasthisname #asks #im so so sorry its taken a BAZILLION years