September 2024 - Questions & Answers (Extended)

As suggested by the Greater Circle and voted on by the Greater/Lesser Circle tiers -- it's the September Question & Answer session!

Once more half the seats are filled by a thunderously pissed off looking Broderick, a sighing Adrian who keeps sneaking peeks at the courteously smiling king at his side, and a smug looking Merlin.

Instead of a normal folding chair, Percy is seated on a rocking horse. Both him and the horse are wearing sombreros.

Percy: *rocking away* Sausages.

Merlin: Indeed, tis a bit of a "sausagefest" on the stage this time, as you modern lot are wont to say. And I see you finally managed to drag Percy out of the shadows backstage. Alas, I'd been so looking forward to seeing what he was going to send out here in his stead this time.

Percy: Already borrowed the merry-go-round from the fair too.

Adrian: Uh... maybe it's a good thing the audience decided to break Percy's "Sir Not Appearing in this Q & A" streak. Yet... I'm still here.

Merlin: I am too.

Yes, you're still on stage even though this is the first month that no questions directed towards you won the vote, Merlin.

Merlin: *preens with an elegant toss of their silver hair* I shall never leave the stage.

Broderick: Great! Then you can take my place up here, you whackadoodle!

Adrian: *muttering into his hands* That means I'm the only one who's been called every single time. *sneaks another peek at Arthur*

Arthur: *shifts, crossing a leg, as he turns to regard Adrian with a gracious smile* Is that so bad?

Adrian: *flushes* Uh... well...

Percy: Limequat.

Uh... right. But no worries, Adrian. The winning question aimed to you ended up being a softball. You really dodged a doozy there!

Adrian: What?

Merlin: *cackles and glances between Arthur and Adrian, laughing even harder as Adrian looks more and more disturbed at what this might potentially mean*

Arthur: Merlin... try and behave yourself when you remain a guest, shan't you?

Merlin: Now what fun would that be? Also, I can't help but notice that you're still sitting next to the High King, hmm, Adrian?

Adrian: That's just how the sitting order ended up! *starts growing even more flustered as Arthur turns to glance thoughtfully back to him*

Percy: Sus.

Ahem. Anyway, to Adrian... Do you think we were friends in our past life too?

Adrian: *clears throat and ignores the still chuckling mage* "We", huh. Well... I certainly hope so? At least when it comes to me and MC. Although I suppose you can never really tell what's going on in someone's mind, can you? As to everyone else...

*Adrian pauses to glance over the stage, his gaze particularly lingering where a still-glowering Broderick is splitting his time between giving the finger to the hidden audience and glaring at the still-bobbing Percy* 

Adrian: ....uh. I have some... doubts... regarding how well everyone in the group might've gotten along in the past.

Arthur: There were certainly tensions aplenty amongst the Fellowship of the Round Table back during Camelot. Particularly in how it... ended.

Adrian: Uh... yeah... that. *very definitely not looking at Arthur*

And now speaking of Camelot, let's move on to a related question there. Arthur, how do you feel about Camelot MC?

Arthur: . . .who is Camelot MC?

Merlin: *chuckling again... or did they ever stop in the first place?* Ah yes, that's the question, isn't it? So much hangs in the balance of its answer.

Percy: Schrödinger's cat.

Merlin: Indeed. Let's go with this one, shall we? *leans over and whispers something in Arthur's ear*

Arthur: Oh... that one. Truly? Then, I'm glad you never held a grudge, even as the darkness of scandals, both true and illusionary, always attempted to drown us. Even if I can't recognize you now, I suppose that explains why even in my dreams I...

Adrian: *has once more turned to fully stare at the king, eyes narrowed behind his glasses*

Merlin: *ever smiling*

Percy: *ever rocking*

Broderick: *just looks even more confused than ever*

Arthur?

Arthur: I suppose that doesn't matter now. Something for another life.

And so spake the king! Well, since MC has become the topic of conversation... Percy...

Percy: Yee haw.

Adrian: *rubs at his forehead*

Merlin: *ever smiling*

Arthur: *is repeating those words to himself as if trying to ferret out their hidden meaning*

Broderick: ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)

Ahem, Percy... So, MC is your soulmate, thoughts & feelings, on that?

Percy: Oh. Is that the timeline we're using?

Uh, yes, that's the... timeline...

Merlin: *still chuckling*

Percy: It was inevitable and always that way. Either that or was a complete surprise to everyone involved then. They're either seeking power or trying to protect themselves from the power they never sought. Also, great to have more'n pair of hands to play jump rope.

Adrian: . . .

Broderick: . . .

Arthur: Ah... tis like that, is it?

Percy: Like mystery meat day at the cafeteria. Very sus.

.... right.

All right, moving along then. One more question about MC. To everyone on stage... what are your reactions to finding out about MC's secrets?

Adrian: *buries face in hands and slowly sinks down in his seat*

Percy: Knew it all along.

Do you even know which secret you're responding to, Percy?

Percy: Knew it all along.

Broderick: What secrets? MC has secrets?

Merlin: Everyone has secrets, dear child.

Broderick: Don't call me child, you suspiciously seductive harlot!

Merlin: *cackling*

What about you, Adrian? Arthur?

Adrian: I don't care. I mean... I'm somewhat... worried... about the implications of some of those potential secrets, but...

Arthur: I must recuse myself. Sealed away as I am, I little know who MC truly is, never mind the possible repercussions to their secrets.

Merlin: Tis more a modern-day thing. I doubt you'd particularly care, Arthur, besides the mental toll that such secrets bring with them. I certainly don't!

Merlin:...for the most part.

Percy: Sus.

All right, on to the next question then. To someone currently not on stage...

Merlin: Oh dear.

Arthur: *suddenly stiffens, reaching for the ever-present sword on his back*

To the mysterious one presently called 4̴0̴4̵ ̴E̴r̵r̵o̸r̴ ̵N̶o̵t̷ ̵F̵o̷u̴n̴d̵...

Broderick: Oh, you've gotta be kidding me!

Percy: *calmly jumps off his rocking horse and takes cover beneath one of the nearby chairs*

Adrian: *sitting on the chair that Percy has taken cover under* Uh...

4̴0̴4, who are you?

*The growing rumble of a metallic, shrieking, creaking, rolling thunder begins to seep in from off-stage. A sound interspersed by periodic screams. Someone laughs maniacally. Someone laughs musically. It sounds like Vivian.*

4̴0̴4̵ ̴E̴r̵r̵o̸r̴ ̵N̶o̵t̷ ̵F̵o̷u̴n̴d: ̵̨̨͔͖̱̫̳̝͔̲̪̈́̃̆̈̽̑̐̚ͅÝ̷̛̜́̈́́͆͑̓͠͝Ō̷͚̖̻͆̌̀͋̂͆̚͜͝U̸̢̳̙̮͓͔̝̓̓͛̅̇̾̄͗̀̕͠Ŗ̵̢̡̰̝͙̖̳̠̩̱͖̊̑̓̅̑̄̔̔ ̸̨̛̺̥͈̜͙͐͂͗̍̈́̐̿̈̿̋̈́̃̆͝ͅD̴̛̜̜̦̱̫͂̈́̊́͂̑̂̅̇͋̚͜Ę̷̛̘̹̹͚̤̟̠͙̫̝̒̃̇̽̋͐̈́̃̋̈́̀̐͜ͅA̷̡͕͔̝͖̪͐͗̒̿́͐͌̔̔͑Ţ̸͕̘̊̾̀̊̈́̏̈́Ḣ̵̛̠̰̼͉̣̙̰̂̈́͆̈́̌̾̐̅̀͊̕͝

*A black lance comes (literally) screaming from off stage right; the stage lights each shattering into a thousand pieces as it passes by.*

Arthur: *leaps up from his seat and with a slash of his still-sheathed sword, he parries the lance, sending it rebounding into the back wall, where it hangs faintly quivering near Percy's rocking horse*

Everyone Else on Stage: *just staring at where the quivering lance is embedded a foot deep in the wall*

Merlin: *chuckles* Well then. Very illuminating, I'm certain.

Broderick: WHEN WILL YOU FUCKERS STOP SENDING QUESTIONS TO THAT NUTJOB?!

Arthur: *tensely looking off stage towards the sound of a million dead leaves crackling*

Merlin: *reaching out to reassuringly pat Arthur's knee* Tis fine, Arthur. There are plenty enough warriors and such back there, even without you.

Broderick: *muttering* At least it's slightly safer on the stage this time.

Percy: *crawls out from under Adrian's seat and is now wearing a swim floatie* Sus.

Adrian: *still staring at Arthur through all this*

Very well, then. Let's all calm down and not rush off stage before the end of the Question & Answer session. Here's a less... exciting... question. Uh, well, it's less... you know... So Broderick...

Broderick: Grrrrr....

Percy: *attempts to hand Broderick a SNICKERS® bar *

Broderick: Grrr... *chomping furiously on candy bar*

Broderick, did Merlin turn you into a fowl? (...did you do the mating dance?)

Broderick: NO COMMENT. AND NO MATING DANCES EITHER.

Percy: Platypus s'not a bird.

Merlin: Ah... close enough.

Broderick: Shut up! Shut up! And keep your wands and snapping fingers to yourself!

All right, then. Final question from the audience to everyone on stage...

Broderick: *sighs in relief at the 'final question' part*

Percy: *practicing his breast stroke like a misplaced mime* Sus.

Adrian: *rubs at his head while still surreptitiously sneaking peeks at Arthur, whose narrowed gaze is still directed off stage*

To everyone on stage, do you know who your previous Camelot reincarnation is? Only 'yes' or 'no' answers allowed.

Merlin: Well, isn't that answer obvious? I--

'Yes' or 'No' only.

Merlin: Hmm... Yes?

*Suddenly, from off stage, there comes a tidal wave that sweeps away everything in its path.* 

*Broderick and Adrian yell in alarm, Percy does a perfect aquatic helicopter turn, and Arthur merely looks unsurprised as folding chairs, rocking horses, and yelping interviewees are tumbled away by the starry sea foam until nothing remains behind except an empty soggy stage. *

*Well, nearly empty...*

Merlin: *now standing alone at center stage* Who just did that?! Was that you, Vivian?

Vivian: Twas not me who set the tides free. Who could it be? And who needed to flee? *crystalline laughter besets the stage as the last few remaining stage light bulbs shatter and go out*

Merlin: I see. *chuckles, now standing in the dark* And you had to wash away Arthur too, did you?

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

And that's the rather unexpected ending to this month's Q & A session.

Remember to send in your questions in the next Suggestions post if you belong to the Greater Circle!