in which I thrust my England into the world

[romanticynic]

Well, Ms. Mundane, I see you're finally starting this. You've only said you'd do it for... who knows how long now? Anyway, it's about bloody time!

Now, ah, listen. I'm going to say this all only once, understand?

You'll do fine, surely. You already went through the trouble of setting everything up, so all there is to do is to actually start out. I know that this entire setup is new to you, but starting out on a new excursion might be just what you need to clear up those insecurities. Not that it is entirely new to you, is it? Simply a different venue.

Just don't do anything that will give me a migrane, will you? I don't envy that poor sod you play over there.

Comments

[kingmaking]

You should probably have pain medication handy just in case.

[romanticynic]

Nrgh... duly noted. I know about what is in store for me about as much as my mundane does, but pain and headache are certainties. I don't trust her one with my fate one bit

[kingmaking]

You probably shouldn't. She'll have you in a game like the one I'm in before you know it.

[romanticynic]

She isn't familiar with games, but she is considering one...

What sort of game are you in, might I ask? I'm already set to worry.

[kingmaking]

It's called Zodion. Sexual acts are apparently required there.

[romanticynic]

Er- [cough COUGH]

Right... I see. Um, somehow, I doubt that I'll end up at such a place!

[He's trying to not think of it too much. It sounds like a setting for one of those juicy novels he'll not admit to reading.]

How do you find these sorts of places? Er, games, in general.

[kingmaking]

Well, I've not been in my current one for long, but the last was interesting enough. Plenty of people to learn from, a great deal of knowledge available.. It was rather odd to have an adult Arthur who knew me as an entirely different person.

[unalienable]

[ And she's going to just... be thoroughly unimpressed about all this. She's a little salty about the whole "different Englands" thing. ]

[romanticynic]

Hm. That doesn't sound all that bad... but 'entirely different person'?

Pardon me, but who are y- wait, I should introduce myself first-

[Then he cocks his head.]

But you know me already?

[He's still in that "doesn't know what the hell is going on" phase.]

[kingmaking]

I meant another Arthur. A king. But yes, I know you. I've met you once before-- Albion. England.

My name is Merlin.

[romanticynic]

[Who is that mysterious girl over there with the unimpressed aura? She looks salty. She perhaps needs more pepper.]

[He just... looks at her from here. Welp.]

[romanticynic]

O-oh. Yes.

[He was confused there with his human alias. BUT. This is a lot to take in at once.]

...

[And he opens his mouth to say something like 'it's been a long time' or 'how are you' but his mouth hangs open, a bit slack.]

[kingmaking]

[ he laughs, reaching out and pushing england's chin back up with a forefinger. ]

My apologies, I didn't realize that it would be such a shock.

[romanticynic]

[Mouth shut back closed, England blinks several times.]

A-Ah, no, it's- it's... been far too long! Mmh...

[ahem]

I, ah, knew you as a different person as well.

[Not that he questions it too much, knowing Merlin.]

[kingmaking]

Well, I'm only twenty-one right now. I've not done much of what I've been told I'll do.

[romanticynic]

Ah... you'll have plenty of time to get excited about all of the magnificent feats, then! I ought not to go into too much detail, however.

[unalienable]

[ No thanks; pepper makes her sneeze a lot. Silly Brits and their aversion to American slang... ]

[france]

Aaa parfait; another one of you.

[romanticynic]

[Then how about some other spices? Paprika? Fennel? Coriander? All of them at once? He likes to experiment with them.]

[Anyway, doesn't she have some... business to attend to regarding the other England?]

[romanticynic]

Hmph. Just one of you and I've already had more than enough.

[france]

You have not had me yet, so how would you know?

[romanticynic]

[Rolls his eyes and looks away.]

The same reason I know to not ingest hemlock. Are you here just to be a pest, as usual?

[france]

I am not being a pest. I was actually here first, far before you were. [ It's far too much fun to be petty with England. ]

[romanticynic]

Then I suppose I have no luck in finding any place that's free from a frog infestation.

And just what have you been doing here?

[He doesn't want to admit he is mostly lost with what is going on around here.]

[france]

Infestation, s'il te plaît. If nothing else, I am entertaining. Can the same be said of you? [ There is an implied 'no' in the silence that follows that question. ]

Aaa well, what have I not been doing? [ k now he's just being difficult on purpose. because that is entirely not what he was doing before ]