August 2024 - Questions & Answers (Extended)

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

Half the seats are filled this time on a stage that's looking distinctly waterlogged. Vivian half-stands and half-floats to the far right side, nearly eight feet tall with what looks like a folding chair buried beneath her watery hem.

 

Percy's chair has been replaced by a scarecrow riding a rocking horse. Both rider & mount are wearing sombreros.

Merlin: Tis very Camelot in here today.

Adrian: I mean... *surreptitiously glances at Arthur*... we're all supposed to be reincarnations from there, right?

Cassandra: *flipping through her notes* Perhaps not as many 'reincarnations' as one might first suspect.

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

Several People on Stage: *squints back at the detective*

Arthur: I feel as if I stumble into a battle half naked with no weapons regarding what goes on with all of you while I lay sleeping.

*Someone squees off-stage in excitement*

Ahem. Yes. Putting that mental image aside... here's another saucy mental image for all of you instead.

From one of our audience members... I just think this will be funny: Can we get the POV’s of the Ro’s, if a silent MC alone with them all of sudden says “Want to make out?”

Adrian: *sighs, buries his face in his hands, and slumps down in his seat*

Is that your answer, Adrian?

Adrian: Yes, that's how I'd react to that.

Merlin: ┐(✿︶ヮ︶)┌ I, on the other hand, am completely unsurprised. Of course, MC would only break their silence for the most important of reasons.

Adrian: *staring at Merlin*

Arthur: They still take these vows of silence nowadays? Until their quests have been accomplished?

Merlin: Indeed. That does seem to be the case here.

Arthur: And then broke said vow to proposition me?

Merlin: Verily. I believe "seducing the High King" would definitely be amongst the highest of mission objectives for quite a few people.

Arthur: *joins Adrian in sighing*

Cassandra: *pauses a moment with pen in hand* My answer would depend upon the details. The personality of the MC? Our current relationship standing? And, of course, how dangerous a dalliance would be at that exact moment. All of that would have to be taken into consideration before I accepted such a-- *gets interrupted by the sound of crashing waves*

Vivian: And if I said 'Yes', what would you want in return. What would you give in return? *for a moment, the chair beneath the mari-morgan disappears beneath a cascade of boiling white water*

Adrian: *raises voice* Don't preposition Vivian, MC!

*Off stage, someone yells 'Boo!'*

Yes, well then. Moving on, then. Next up, Adrian...

Adrian: W-why am I still here? There were so many questions, and only one was directed to me! So why?

You already know the answer to that, Adrian.

Merlin: *crosses legs, chin propped elegantly in hand* If you don't want to be the favorite, then I more than gladly volunteer!

Adrian: *buries face in hands*

Adrian: *sneaks a peek at Arthur*

Adrian: *buries face in hands again*

Arthur: *gracefully leans over and pats Adrian's shoulder in commiseration*

Adrian: *looks like he might now be asphyxiating from a strange blend of happiness, regret, mortification, plus some other emotions which are weird and deeply confusing*

From the audience... Adrian, what are you hiding?

Adrian: . . .

Merlin: Yes, do tell, Adrian.

Adrian, let me remind you, questions on stage must be answered. It's mandatory.

Adrian: . . . . all right then. I'm wearing ladies' underwear right now.

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

Merlin: *cackles madly*

Cassandra: Interesting. *begins scribbling in her notepad once more*

Arthur: Ahhh... so they still do that nowadays as well.

Adrian: *expression has definitely segued to pure mortification* W-wait, I was just joking there--!

Broderick: *off stage* Why would your brain even go in that direction, you perv?!

Adrian: Sh-shut up, Broderick, unless you want to come out on stage too and tell them what you're hiding!

If that was a joke, then you still owe a secret, Adrian.

Adrian: Fine then. Since it's no longer a spoiler with the release of the Alpha... * reaches back and pulls something that glints metallically beneath the bright stage lights* I've got a machete and I'm not afraid to use it! *unfolds the machete's two-foot blade which he starts brandishing at a still chortling Merlin*

Merlin: Oh my. What a large blade you have, Adrian.

Adrian: *freezes up as if he's unsure how much Merlin would enjoy being stabbed or not*

Arthur: I see thou art not even trying to remain decorous any longer, Merlin.

Merlin: I'm no longer the Court Mage of Camelot, Arthur. I'm free.

Arthur: *rests his own cheek upon his hand* Oh God save the world, in that case.

Cassandra: *muttering as she continues scribbling* That's indeed what we're trying to do. Some of us, anyway.

And the next question is aimed to the High King. Arthur, are you--

Arthur: *still gazing at Adrian with a considering look in his eyes*

Adrian: *has suddenly become completely engrossed in cleaning the machete's blade*

Arthur...?

Arthur: Tis nothing. You were saying?

Arthur, are you available? Or are you still loyal to Guinevere orrrrr...

Merlin: Yes, I imagine quite a few people would be interested in knowing that and—oh, speak of the devil.

Gwen: *slooooowly comes sneaking out from stage left to take a seat at the edge of the gathering*

Arthur: From what I have heard, Guin outlived me by many decades. And so I shall act out what I dearly also wished for her... that she moved on from me and found a new life and love instead of pining forever for what was lost.

Saying that I remain loyal to her now, when tis possible that her reincarnation currently walks the world, would put far too much of a presumption upon her -- or his, perhaps? -- new incarnation's shoulders.

For both our sakes, we should move on.

Gwen: *sitting in seat* 😊

All right, then, straight from the king's mouth. He's available as an RO! ... as soon as you can wake him up from his eternal sleep and free him and such. And speaking of ROs that need to be unsealed... Vivian!

Vivian: You have finally decided to pay the price for my words then?

Uh... yeah... about that. Ahem. The audience wants to know, can you tell us about your time in the Veil with Merlin?

Cassandra: *pauses in her note-taking*

Arthur: Wait. Not such a--

Vivian: Can I? Yes.

Everyone on Stage: . . . . .

Everyone Off Stage: . . . . .

Everyone in Audience: . . . . .

. . . . . . That's not exactly what was being asked--

Vivian: No? But twas exactly what was asked.

Merlin: You worded that question improperly, oh Announcer.

Gwen: Uh oh. *exchanges a worried glance with Adrian*

. . .  oh very well then. We'll give one freebie. Anyone else directing questions to Vivian, be careful how you word them!

Vivian. Please tell us of your time spent with Merlin sealed in the Veil. And let me remind you that answering such queries on the stage is part of your contract.

Vivian: A dull time of waiting with nothing but mist and the ceaseless waves to keep one's company. That and a rapacious thing that suckles at the soul like the king of leeches within the swamp. Many would find naught but madness in this scenario.

Merlin: I grow so tired of the taste of fish.

Arthur: Merlin!

Vivian: *the frills of the 'dress' that she wears seethes until bits of broken wood begin to wash over across the stage... the remnants of her assigned seat, it appears* Perhaps if thou weren't prone to fits of madness in the pursuit of freedom, thou need not be imprisoned, so, oh ye the one called 'Merlin'.

Merlin: What can I say? It's my nature.

Gwen: *surreptitiously starts shifting closer to Arthur as Adrian holds tightly unto his machete once more*

Cassandra: Scintillating. I believe it's time to move on, Announcer. Now.

All right then, moving on. Next question is for Merlin.

Merlin: *elegantly lounges in their seat, completely ignoring that the stage has now begun to flood* Of course.

Merlin, your favorite Circle member? Past and Present.

Merlin: *opens mouth*

No you can't choose Arthur

Merlin: *closes mouth* . . . well, I suppose he doesn't quite count anyway. Sealed away as he is, he's not truly a member of the Circle.

Arthur: *currently distracting Vivian with a story of how Merlin became too curious one day and got stuck at the bottom of a well*

Merlin: It was a very magical well! Ahem. Anyway, you know the answer to that question is obvious, oh Announcer... and audience members as well. For me and for anyone else you'd care to ask upon this stage. Who else could it be but the MC who has been tailored to our exact preferences?

I, in particular, would enjoy an MC who is both willful and cautious, with a nuance to their thoughts and actions that indicates a hidden depth beneath their surface persona. And while there are certainly benefits to the experienced, there's always such an allure to being the direct cause of such an innocence lost.

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

Adrian: *starts waving his machete around again*

Arthur: *sighs and facepalms*

Gwen: 😳

Cassandra:  😐 *pen paused, is most certainly not writing this down*

Vivian: That one escaped too early. In jettisoning so much of thy essence, too much of thy mind may've been lost, Merlin.

Merlin: Hmm...? But I think I blend in quite splendidly in this modern world, don't I?

Arthur: *facepalms even harder*

All right then. The next question is for our resident detective.

Cassandra: *crosses legs, pen held at the ready* Naturally.

*Someone in the audience yells "Detective MC!"*

For the non-MC detective. Cassandra, who is at the top of your "suspects" list?

Cassandra: *raises an eyebrow* You wish for me to compromise an ongoing investigation by announcing my current theories regarding the available suspects—thus, perhaps warning the actual perpetrator that I'm on their heels? Perish the thought.

Let me remind you, that answers upon the stage are mandatory, Cassandra.

Cassandra: And let me remind you that was an answer, even if not the one you wished to hear. But I'll tell you this... I've narrowed it down to three. And I'm reasonably certain that not only is the saboteur themself amongst that number, but also someone else who's exceedingly suspicious... but whose intervention is needed to guarantee our final success.

Merlin: ┐(✿︶ヮ︶)┌ Well, yes, I do believe that my presence is a necessity during these circumstances.

Cassandra: Not. You. Merlin. Although, yes, you are exceedingly dubious.

Adrian: *chuckles and finally puts away the machete... for the moment*

Merlin: I prefer the term "enigmatic".

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

And now time for our final question of the day! To everyone on stage... What does Merlin look like to you?

*A faint shuffling engulfs the stage*

Arthur: What do you mean by that? They look the same as they always do when they've not specifically transfigured themselves. But I take it all of you are seeing something else entirely?

Broderick: *off stage* Yeah, what do you mean by that? She's obviously a young Filipino woman!

Gwen: Wat.

*Even louder shuffling on stage. Vivian's laughter rises so high that a faint shattering of glass can be heard*

Merlin: Shh... shh... leave all of that for when the proper time comes. As for you, Arthur... you see what you expect to see. T'will be different once you leave the dream for the waking world.

Arthur: Merlin, why are you--?

Merlin: Shhhhh....

Arthur: *resting his chin upon his hand, looking highly unimpressed on the stage*

Adrian: Uh... *clutches at his eyeglasses* I'm pleading the fifth to not incriminate myself here. Merlin looks like someone else to me.

Adrian.... that's not a proper answer.

Adrian: You heard Cass! I answered the question properly.

Cassandra: *chuckles* Meanwhile, I'm seeing someone nonbinary. As well as a beauty that I'm quite certain is entirely inhuman.

Gwen: Oh, you mean like the vampires being all sparkly in Twilight...?

Cassandra: . . . . . . yes let's go with that.

Vivian: I behold a nix, sly and alluring. If you wish for a greater description than that, then burn away one of your other questions saved in security for such a time as this.

Ah, yes, no. That will quite do, Vivian--

Gwen: *interrupts* I see a tall man—tall enough to be imposing but not too tall, you know—with golden red hair and turquoise eyes that's nicely muscled and--

Everyone on Stage: *starts looking between Gwen and Arthur then back again*

Cassandra: *scribbles furiously*

Arthur: *has straightened in his seat and is peering back over at Gwen in renewed interest*

Gwen: --and also thighs that could crack nuts and...

Thank you, Gwen. And what about you, Merlin? What do you see when you look at yourself?

Merlin: *bows slightly from their seat* What I always see. Nothing, of course.

Percy: *off stage* Sus.

All right then. That's all the time we've got for today. Remember to send in your questions in the next Suggestions post if you belong to the Greater Circle!