#The third Learnatorium employee

[fountainpenguin]

I say this a lot, but I really love the Learnatorium crew... Every time one of them is onscreen, they just get me in a slam dunk.

Gary and Betty are such wildfire fellas. I like how their singing pops balloons... it's just a little hint of them not being as sugar sweet as they seem on the surface. They are LAUGHABLY BAD with kids, but not even for the reason Timmy dislikes them.

Timmy thinks they're annoying and boring, but I'm more concerned with the fact that they throw babies, harass children, lock kids in cramped cages, and cause property damage without hesitation. And they have, like... NO fear.

Flappy's #1 fans...

Just ?? the entire concept of the Learnatorium being a place crammed with fun stuff and sweet treats, but Gary and Betty hover over you and prevent you from playing with or eating any of it is hilarious... why are they even here...

The scene of Flappy chasing after Gary yelling about how he needs to back off with his hugs because Betty "doesn't like him like that" cracks me up every time. They are Workplace Relationship BFFs... Gary has no sense of personal space.

And they clocked Timmy as a godkid SO HARD... They go STRAIGHT for him when they get back from Florida, even though he's a literal baby, and punish him specifically.

They keep an adult prisoner in their yard (Pops) and chase him down when he escapes and haul him back... that's messed up, man...

They were literally down to keep Timmy there forever when he said his babysitter was "never coming back..." Their response was to glance at each other and then yell "YAY! We're going to be friends forever!" Like ?? They lure in children and they have a bunch of traps lying around that are activated when they clap their hands?

Tell me you're in bed with the enemy (child-snatching fey) without telling me you're in bed with the enemy

They only had three episodes, and they did NOT waste them.

What does it say about Flappy that after HE switched to the good side, he didn't even ask Gary and Betty if they wanted to join him...

Maybe he just knows Gary's too busy bein' a NARC!!!

Does Flappy know?? Does Flappy know. I think about it constantly, but I really want to know how Flappy reacted to finding out Gary and Betty [are implied to] have known about magic before he did and were keeping it from him. But I don't think he found out...

You just know they fight about the spelling of Learnatorium since it's spelled differently when Gary and Betty take over... lmao

And ?? besides Flappy, the only other person we know works in this building is Pete the Polar Bear? There's a very real possibility Doug Dimmadome used his flamethrower on their stuff one time?

Gary and Betty went to space and tried to make friends with Mark Chang and that's not even a joke; that's actually what they tried to do?? Cut scene from the OG "Totally Spaced Out" script where Gary and Betty tried to run away to Mexico despite having kids under their care at the time? As a team, this crew canonically ruled the entire planet? Unparalleled.

I just looked and Gary and Betty are listed on the FOP Wiki as villains, whereas Flappy isn't even under the Villains Turned Allies section. I mean, I always think of them as neutral, but...

Yeah, that's fair.

[fountainpenguin]

Everyone always forgets the third Learn-A-Torium employee, so for Semi-Canon Sunday, I gave him his own design. His name was only said in the show once, and if you can identify him, I will be amused. If not, you’ll be hearing all about our gentle giant friend in a few weeks during “Trying Too Hard” anyway!

Since Flappy Bob’s departure, Betty runs general management and the stuff that’s actually educational. Her definition of fun is closest to the Pixie definition: order, structure, security, education, and math. She’s the one who’s the most paranoid about safety and will have a legitimate breakdown when things get haywire, owing to her panic attack at the very end of the Musical. Beneath her peppy mask, she’s an anxious bundle of nerves who had her devotion to safety beaten into her with pain and fear.

Gary is the fussy camp counselor type with a more realistic definition of fun, though he doesn’t like sugar and will happily forgo fun activities to support Betty in her educational teachings instead. He’s the social bug who loves board games, reading stories, and singing songs with kids. Being closely monitored by Pixies for most of his life has taken away his belief in gravity. Betty is the only source of stability in his otherwise hectic life. He loves that girl so much guys she is his queen. His queen who has stated in canon that she’s not attracted to him, but his queen nonetheless. They’re besties.

This guy here is the captain of hands-on activities like arts and crafts and healthy exercise. And sewing. He’s very good at sewing because of... reasons. Unlike Gary and Betty, he wasn’t “raised” by pixies. He legitimately came in and got hired for a part-time job, much to H.P.’s and Sanderson’s distress because what the heck this was not in the plan who does this chump think he is? He’s very passionate about recycling and nature because he likes... animals. His definition of fun includes comic books and video games, which his co-workers don’t really get, since that’s all brain-rotting, time-wasting mush to them. He likes going to Comic Con, especially to enjoy the... costumes.

He’s got some bad burn scars on his chest that he sometimes shows the kids who come by so he can educate them about the dangers of forest fires. While Gary and Betty both know the true origin of these burns (and if you’ve been around my blog long enough, you might know too), Betty thinks this is brilliant of him and is always right there to support this learning environment- even if the stories he tells are fabricated. Gary refuses to partake in these blatant lies and will watch from the neighboring room through squinted eyes instead.

So yes, there are three Learn-a-Torium employees and this has always been a thing. But Number 3 doesn’t have the luxury of his entire self-worth in life revolving absolutely around his job, so we don’t see him too much~

He doesn’t wear a graduation cap. It wouldn’t... fit.

[fountainpenguin]

“Really, G, I don’t know what you think you’re trying to prove...”

Prompt 81 is “Trying Too Hard”! This is a big one, folks! I’m excited~! It’s finally time for Betty to make her choice, and for Gary to make his.

Well, Flappy Bob left Camp Learn-A-Torium in Gary’s and Betty’s hands a month ago, but they can’t agree on what to do with it. For some reason, I get the feeling dividing it evenly down the middle isn’t gonna cut it this time...

Oh, and the third Learnatorium employee finally bothered to show up today!

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Lyrics in our preview image are from “Showdown”, from the musical “Big Fish.”

As a reminder, this is our final 130 Prompt until October 2019. Have fun~