#he was indeed an excellent toymaker

[mizgnomer]

Behind the Scenes of The Giggle - Part Three

From Entertainment Weekly (Dec 2023 by Clark Collis):

Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies tells EW that the American actor was completely unfamiliar with the beloved science fiction series when the executive producer approached Harris about playing a villain called The Toymaker on this Saturday's final 60th anniversary special episode, "The Giggle." "He’d never heard of it in his life, bless him," Davies says with a laugh. "I was lucky enough to work with the great man on a show called It’s a Sin, about the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, and working with him was such a joy. The Toymaker, he's kind of the god of games, so he shuffles cards, he does magic tricks, and all of that fits Neil Patrick Harris. If you go through agents, they often tell you to go away. I was able to send just a text saying, 'Do you fancy reading this?' He read it and literally phoned me up going, 'Let me get this right, so the Doctor’s an alien, right?' I was like, 'Oh my god, you really have never heard of Doctor Who!' But he couldn’t resist it, and he came to Cardiff, and we had the most spectacular time." Davies explains that, "it's very hard to find the villain who can match David Tennant and Catherine Tate. To have a character who can be in danger of defeating those two is very hard to find. Sometimes on Doctor Who, you need armies of a thousand robots who could do that. This is just one person, so casting them was absolutely crucial and this becomes a pivotal event in the Doctor’s life. We needed that man, and, god, we had a glorious time. It’s so lovely working with Neil. When I text him now, [we ask], what’s our third project together? We’ve got to keep going!"

With huge thanks to all who shared set photos (including @TomWrenPhoto on Twitter)

For other posts in this set, please see the #whoBtsGiggle tag. The full episode list is [ here ]

[denimbex1986]

'Doctor Who’s trilogy of 60th anniversary specials wraps up with ‘The Giggle’. But don’t let the name fool you: the Fourteenth Doctor’s (David Tennant) swansong outing isn’t exactly a barrel of laughs.

This won’t necessarily come as a shock. Sure, the first 60th anniversary special, ‘The Star Beast’, was a largely upbeat affair. But there was nevertheless a dark undercurrent to proceedings.

The second special, ‘Wild Blue Yonder’, took this bleak vibe even further, forcing the Doctor and Donna Noble (Catherine Tate) to confront an existential threat, both literally and figuratively.

And now, with ‘The Giggle’, showrunner Russell T Davies delves even deeper into darkness. Indeed, the third and final Doctor Who 60th anniversary special‘s atmosphere is predominantly somber, not self-congratulatory – a reckoning with the franchise’s longevity more than a celebration of it.

An old Doctor Who foe returns in The Giggle

Picking up where ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ left off, ‘The Giggle’ sees the Doctor and Donna on the trail of a ventriloquist dummy whose creepy chuckle has driven the entire planet insane. This leads them to the Toymaker (Neil Patrick Harris): a being of limitless power with an old grudge against the Doctor.

What follows is as close as we get to the kind of end-of-the-world, high-stakes extravaganza many fans were expecting going into the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials. There’s rioting in the streets, UNIT control rooms, and even a gigantic laser cannon – all that fun stuff.

Yet, ultimately, Davies and director Chanya Button stop short of recreating the same blockbuster spectacle that defined 50th anniversary special ‘The Day of the Doctor’. They don’t even try, since the circumstances involved – a season’s worth of episodes to set the stage versus three bumper-sized installments – simply wouldn’t allow it.

That’s no bad thing, either.

Like all long-running franchises, Doctor Who will always reflect the current mood, and the mood in 2023 is decidedly different from that of 2013. That’s true of both Doctor Who, coming off the back of Jodie Whittaker’s polarizing tenure in the TARDIS, and the world itself, now more divided than ever after a global pandemic.

Viewed through this lens, Davies’ decision to bring back the visibly older Tennant as a Time Lord who’s finally running out of puff – in more ways than one – is an effective bit of meta-commentary.

A bittersweet farewell to one of Doctor Who’s great duos

It also lends an extra layer of pathos to Tennant’s already brilliant performance. Throughout the highs and lows of the Doctor Who 60th anniversary specials, the Scottish star has remained dependably excellent as the Fourteenth Doctor. It’s a shame to see him go in ‘The Giggle’ – but then, that’s as it should be.

It’s equally sad to part ways with Donna again, too. Tennant and Tate’s obvious affection for each other once again colors their scenes in ‘The Giggle’, heightening the humor or heart as required. The former is especially important, given the pall that hangs over much of the special.

Predictably, Neil Patrick Harris’ hyper-camp take on the Toymaker also injects some welcome levity into ‘The Giggle’. That said, the omnipotent baddie is easily the weakest aspect of the third Doctor Who anniversary special.

That’s not a knock against Harris, who’s suitably sinister in the role – and makes great use of his theatrical gifts during a memorable, Everything Everywhere All at Once-esque set piece. It’s more the fault of Davies and Button, who saddle the How I Met Your Mother veteran with an overblown accent (a plot point, not a performer choice) and undercooked motivations.

We get that the Toymaker is out for revenge in ‘The Giggle’, and we get how he’s going to achieve it. But it all feels a bit thin, as though the showrunner and director are telling us the Toymaker is a big deal without actually doing the work to make us understand why.

Doctor Who: The Giggle review score: 4/5

But then, the battle with the Toymaker isn’t really the point of ‘The Giggle’; appraising and, hopefully, resetting Doctor Who‘s place in the world is. In this, Davies, Button, and the cast and crew succeed.

Indeed, for all its gloom, the third and final Doctor Who 60th anniversary special is ultimately a fitting tribute to the franchise’s past and future – even if the laughs (and cheers) are few and far between.'

[brax-was-here]

Scarlet Briar: Little Wintersday

Written by: Braxxus

Myo cooed softly as the falling snowflakes danced around her outstretched hands. Divinity’s Reach was in full Wintersday splendor as Faeyin carried the child in a carrier on her chest. Faeyin loved children, and Myo was no exception, especially because of where she came from. Faeyin smiled brightly hearing Myo’s voice, her heart brimming with excitement.

“We’ll be at the festival before too long, little one.” Faeyin said proudly as she made her way through the crowded snow-covered street. “You are going to-AAHHH!!” She winced as Myo grabbed a piece of her foilage and yanked

“Ok…ok…ah…let go…” Faeyin gently peeled Myo’s tiny fingers away. “We don’t do that.” she said quietly as she gently held onto Myo’s tiny hand. Myo reached up with her other hand, which Faeyin also grabbed gently.

“Let’s sing!” Faeyin said playfully. “Winterday is here! Everyone is filled with cheer!” she sang as she playfully rocked Myo’s hands gently back and forth.

“Ah, we need to make a quick stop before we go to the festival!” Faeyin said as they passed through the gates to the Salma District. Faeyin hummed a tune as she continued to hold onto Myo’s hands.

The children of the orphanage played in the snow as the priestess watched over them. She noticed Faeyin approaching  and walked to the fence to greet the approaching sylvari.

“Oh…Faeyin…is that..is that her?” The priestess gasped noticing Myo.

“Indeed, it is.” Faeyin smiled at her.

“She’s precious. May I?”

Faeyin smiled as the priestess pulled Myo out of the carrier.

“By the gods.” The priestess muttered as she brought Myo close. “She is amazing.” She looked at Faeyin, who was smiling brightly. “And no one knows how?”

“Not one. Not the Pale Tree. Even her brainiac mother doesn’t know what could have allowed it to happen.”

“And her mother? How is she?”

“She is well. She asked me to watch over Myo for the afternoon while she and Amaranda took care of some things.”

“Ever so busy.” The priestess turned back to Myo. “Look at you.” She said to Myo as she gently bounced her on her arm. Myo turned to her, looking at her face, then turned back to Faeyin, cooing happily.

“Just think. Of all the people, Scarlet Briar-“

“Ceara.” Faeyin interrupted. The priestess glanced at her. “Her name is Ceara.”

“Ceara.” The priestess repeated, looking back at Myo, who laughed. “You mother is very special, little lady. Everything that she endured…and now…you. You arrived into this world.” She gently placed Myo back in the carrier. Faeyin reached into a satchel and handed a pouch to the priestess.

“For the children.” She smiled.

“May Dwayna bless you.” The priestess said as she looked into the pouch full of gold and silver coins.

“Well, are you ready to go to the festival?” Faeyin asked quietly over Myo’s shoulder, who squealed in Faeyin’s ear. She winced as she looked at the priestess, a smile on her face. The priestess smiled back, waving as Faeyin turned to leave.

Strolling back to the main street that circled the palace, she spied a familiar street vendor.

“How about some warm cocoa?” she asked to Myo, who cooed and laughed. “I assume that a yes!” Faeyin smiled. She wandered over to the vendor.

“A warm cocoa please. Not too hot. But just right for this young one.”

“Of course, ma’am.” The vendor smiled at her. He filled a small cup and handed it to Faeyin with a small straw and napkin. In return, Faeyin placed some coins on the vender’s counter.

“Thank you.”

“And thank you. Happy Wintersday and stay warm.” The vender replied. Faeyin turned and looked for a clear place to sit down. She spied a bench under a small overhang not far away. Brushing the small bit of snow from it, she unhooked the carrier and set her small passenger down. Sitting down next to Myo, she placed the straw in the drink and held it in front of her. Myo grabbed it with both hands and started drinking. Faeyin giggled as she wiped some cocoa that drooled down Myo’s chin. Faeyin watched the citizens walking the street, focusing on a group that was laughing and talking.

“Look at all of them. Celebrating their lives. For just a moment, they forget the worries placed upon them. If only every day could be this festive.” She looked at Myo as the slurping sounds from the cup indicating that she had finished her drink.

“Ok! Time to go!” Faeyin took the cup away and wiped Myo’s face again. Strapping her small passenger to her chest once again, the duo continued towards the Crown Pavilion. Slowly, the giant Infinitarium of the asuran toy maker Tixx came into view and the sounds of the festival started to fill the air.

“There it is!” Faeyin quipped excitedly. She could hear Myo cooing. “I know! It’s gigantic!” she smiled. They reached the stairs that descended into the festival area. Faeyin looked over the large crowd of people gathered in the area.

“Here we go!” Down the stairs they went into the Pavilion. “Where shall we go first? Oh! I know!”

“Happy Wintersday!” Toymaker Tixx said as he handed a gift-wrapped present to a charr and her cub near the center of the Pavilion. He turned to see Faeyin approaching.

“Well, you’re just brimming with cheer, aren’t you!” he quipped. He reached into his small bag.

“Hold, toymaker.” Faeyin spoke. “I need not a present this day, but one for this child.” She unhooked the carrier and placed it on the ground in front of him, kneeling next to Myo.

“Oh, of course…” Tixx paused. His trademark smile giving away to a look of surprise when he set his eyes upon Myo’s bright eyes staring back at him. “By the eternal alchemy…is that?”

“It is.”

Tixx slowly placed the back of his fingers gently against Myo’s cheek before looking at Faeyin. “She’s…she’s a hybrid? A sylvari and a human?”

“Indeed.” Faeyin smiled.

“I had heard the rumor that one had been born and hoped that I would have a chance to meet her.” He smiled. “Well, little lady, I have just the perfect gift for you.” He reached into the small bag and fidgeted around, his tongue playfully sticking out of his mouth.

“Ah, here it is.” He pulled out a small gift wrapped present and handed it to Myo who was fixated on Tixx. She grabbed it and held it close.

“Thank you, toymaker.”

“One other thing…” he motioned his head for Faeyin to lean closer. “You have some fans.” He whispered.

“What?” Faeyin replied quietly.

“Some particular asura seem to be interested in you and your ward here. They are IN the pavilion on some sort of QUEST.” He winked at her.

“I see. Thank you for your generosity!” She stood strapping Myo to her chest once again and placed the gift in her satchel.

Happy Wintersday!” he replied, waving to them as they walked away.

“So, the Inquest are here after you, huh?” Faeyin spoke quietly as reached up and held onto Myo’s tiny feet. “Then let us give them a Wintersday they will never forget. Where shall we go next, princess?” Myo cooed and kicked her feet as she reached for the falling snowflakes.

“Ah, the bell choir!? An excellent choice!” Faeyin grabbed Myo’s feet and started rocking them up and down. “Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!” she said playfully as they walked merrily through the pavilion.

“Step up and test your musical prowess!” a sylvari in noble krytan garb announced as Faeyin approached.

“I’d like to try!” excitement overflowing in Faeyin’s voice. He stepped aside and gestured towards a portal.

“This will take you to the stage area in the Infinitarium. Please enjoy!” he smiled warmly. Faeyin stepped through the portal and found herself standing in a snow-covered area. Looking overhead she could see the giant framework of the Tixx’s airship. Myo laughed and clapped her hands together at the site. Faeyin looked down and at her, brushing her foilage, before looking over the stage area. Four circular wooden stages were set up, each guarded by a snow elemental in the appearance of a playful snowman.

“Grab some bells and enter a stage!” one snowman said, gesturing to a nearby rack of brass bells with wooden handles. Faeyin grabbed a set and walked onto one of the stages. She noticed two shady looking asura entered in behind her. She smiled at them as she took her place.

“Now we’ll start. Try to keep up!” a voice came over the speakers built around the stage. A slight hum filled the stage as music started playing. Faeyin rang her bells in tune to the music. She glanced over her shoulder to see one of the asura activating a device attached to one of his bells. He turned to point the bell at her.

“Heh” she quipped as she spun in place, playing a flourish with her bells, knocking the asura’s bell away out of his hand and tripping him in one swift movement, causing him to fall to the stage.

“Disqualified!” the voice announced over the speakers.

“What? No!” the asura shouted as he was enveloped in bright light and teleported out of the stage area.

“Pathetic.” She heard the other asura mutter as they finished out the bell game.

“Well, we didn’t win…eh, we kinda won.” She said as she placed the bells back on the rack. Myo was focused on the snowman, a bright smile on her face. Faeyin walked back through the portal along with various other patrons that participated in the choir game.

“Well, what shall we do next?” she asked Myo as they walked away through the crowded pavilion. Myo bounced in her harness, reaching out to a nearby food vendor.

“Ah, ok. Time to eat. Then we’ll visit Winter Wonderland. How’s that sound?” Faeyin asked as they made their way the small booth, the smell of cooked vegetables and beef filled the air. Reaching the counter, they saw an asura busily slicing vegetables, and a dark skinned sylvari worked feverishly at the grill. He looked up and smiled at Faeyin.

“Customer.” He said as he banged one of utensils against the side of the grill. A human woman appeared from behind a stack of boxes.

“Yes, can I…oh my goodness!” She looked at Myo. “Aren’t you the cutest little thing!” She reached out and gently pinched Myo’s cheek. Myo giggled a bit before turning to try to hide her face.

“What can I do for you?”

“Something for the little princess here.” Faeyin said calmly.

“Ah we have just the thing!” She turned and grabbed a bowl from a nearby shelf. It was full of warm vegetables and thin slices of meat.

“That’s perfect.” Faeyin smiled as she set some coins down on the countertop.

“Thank you and enjoy.” The woman replied. Faeyin took the bowl and found a low wall to sit on. Uncovering the bowl, the aroma of the meal filled the air. She carefully plucked a small bit of potato from the bowl and held it in front of Myo. The little girl grabbed it and stuffed it in her mouth, smashing half of it against her cheek. Faeyin laughed.

“Ok, your mother needs to improve your eating skills.” Myo giggled as Faeyin held another bit of food in front of her. Faeyin’s thoughts drifted for a moment, her smile fading as she watched Myo eat.

“Your mother. How lucky she is. The only one of us somehow gifted with the ability to bear a child. If only the rest of us could be so lucky. If only we had a chance to be children.” She sighed as she tore a small bit of the beef and handed it to Myo. Chewing on the larger piece, Faeyin noticed two asura standing nearby. One brandishing a small staff with some kind of gadget attached to it.

“They don’t give up, do they?” Tixx said to himself after handing a gift to a young human child, noticing the same asura nearby. He turned and pressed a small switch on a nearby floating golem. “We have a couple asuran troublemakers in the festival area. If they board the Infinitarium again, make sure they have the time of their lives.”

“Will do!” a female voice said on the speaker.

“Happy Wintersday!” he said to the next person that walked up to him.

Faeyin and Myo finished off their meal. Myo fidgeted as Faeyin tried to wipe her face, which was covered in vegetable bits.

“Alright, let’s go have some fun!” Faeyin tossed the bowl into a nearby waste bin and proceeded to the stairway of giant floating mints that would take them to another portal. Stepping through, they found themselves on a platform overlooking a large pit of holographic projections of giant floating snowflakes, giant floating mint candies, and an ice-covered cliff wall creating a wintersday scene within another part of the Infinitarium.

“Since we have an entourage, let’s take the more difficult path through, shall we?” she asked Myo. Myo clapped her hands together and giggled, focusing on the giant snowflakes hovering in the air. Faeyin made her way across the candy cane bridge to another platform. She waited for the closest snowflake to reappear before jumping on it. Jump after jump, she bounded along the pathway, keeping an eye out for her followers. She could only see one of the asura behind her along the path.

“Hmm…either his partner is stealthed, or he’s waiting outside.” She muttered as she jumped along the route. She made it to path that took her to the cliff wall, giant balls of snow and ice lumbered along the path in front of her.

“Seems Tixx still has his rat problem.” She quipped noticing a group of skritt nearby on a ledge. “I can use that to my advantage.” She ran along the ledge, dodging past a giant snowball that lumbered by. She paused on a giant mint looking over her shoulder. The asura dodged the ice ball as well, raising a small pistol like device towards her. Faeyin looked up and watched a projectile fly through the sky from the skritt on the far ledge. It hit the ground by the asura, knocking him to a lower ridge.

“Gah!” He growled as he got to his feet.

“Hey!” Faeyin shouted down to him. He looked up at her to see her pointing playfully behind him. He turned just as a lumbering ice ball rolled over him, knocking him off into the pit. She watched as he disappeared in a flash of light. Smiling brightly she continued up the ridge, jumping into the giant present shaped portal at the end. The portal took her to a large platform where numuous other event attendees were gathered, opening gifts they had won for completing the trek. Faeyin took her present and jumped through the waiting portal that would take them back to the pavilion.

“Well, that was fun!” she said. She spied a set of multicolored flashing lights in the distance. Navigating through the crowd she found a small asuran golem floating in the air, ringing a small brass bell in its claw hand.

“Please-donate-so-the-children-will-not-have-to-eat-other.” Its electronic voice spoke. Faeyin closed her eyes as she tried to stifle a bit of laughter at the golem’s comment. She opened a small pouch and checked the number of coins inside.

“Five gold for you.” She said, setting the pouch inside the golem’s bag.

“Because-of-you-the-children-will-not-have-to-burn-their-clothes-to-keep-warm. Thank-you.” It replied. Faeyin snorted a laugh as she turned away from the golem.

“I shouldn’t laugh. She muttered, “but I was not expecting comments such as that.” They started back towards where the main area of the festival where Tixx was handing out gifts.

“Let’s check out main part of the airship, shall we?’ Myo bounced in her carrier, cooing playfully. They approached a large portal near Tixx, who winked at her as they passed through. They found themselves in the main control room of the giant airship, overlooking a large area covered in a giant hologram projected to resemble the five local capital cities and their surrounding areas.

“Well, where do we start?” Faeyin noticed the staff wielding asura appearing next to her. She smiled widely before heading down the stairs and running out into the field. It didn’t take long for the whole field to erupt into a mass of fighting and destruction as various holographic toys from Tixx’s giant machine appeared and attacked. Faeyin smiled the whole time as she heard Myo laughing and cooing. She constantly kept her distance from the shady looking asura during the entire ordeal until the very end.

“Whew! That was exhausting!” she exclaimed turning to the exit. She paused as the asura was standing not far in her way.

“Give us the child…and no one gets hurt.” he pointed the staff at her.

“Alert! Alert!” an electronic voice came over the loudspeaker. A giant golem came crashing into ground the next to them. They covered their faces from the flying dust and debris.

“What is this!?” the asura said, waving the dust from in front of his face.

“You are in violation of code 3.1419.” The golem raised its arm to him.

“What!?” he yelled as he disappeared in a display of light. Standing, the golem marched towards the far end of the field.

“Well, I guess that’s that!” Faeyin quipped. “Time to go!” They exited the giant airship once again back into the pavilion.

“Oh!” Faeyin noticed a familiar duo descending the stairs into the festival area.

“What have you done to my child?” Ceara asked as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

“Looks like she’s had a very busy day.” Amaranda said, a slight smile on her face. Faeyin looked down and found Myo sound asleep in the harness.

“Well, she was a very busy princess today. She told me what events she wanted to participate in, and what food to eat and drink. Who am I to deny her wishes?” Faeyin said playfully as she unhooked the harness and handed the child to her mother. Ceara strapped the harness to her body as Amaranda chuckled to herself.

“What are you laughing at?” Ceara asked snidely.

Amaranda shook her head. “Your wyld hunt.”

“Shut it.” Ceara snapped at her. “It was not.”

“Well, I suggest the three of us get a bite to eat. I know a very nice little place nearby that would be perfect for napping princesses.” Faeyin suggested. A nod of agreement as the trio started back up the stairs leaving the Wintersday festival.

Fin.

[fandomlife-giver]

His Maid, Able: 3

Summary: Night has fallen and the young master doesn't seem to have taking a liking to the new Italian selection. By his orders, we will gladly give our full hospitality to Mr. Domiano and we will rid of the Master's displeasure. We should hope things don't heat up too quickly

Pairings: Eventual Sebastian X Demon!reader

Warnings: Violence, death...?, creepiness

Word Count: 4284

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You were standing outside of the manor next to Sebastian and the servants as you all waited for the arrival of your guest.

"I must say, that was rather haste thinking you had." Sebastian stated as he looked at you.

You smiled and turned to him. "But of course, you see I am simply one hell of a maid." You stated with a slight smirk.

He rose an eyebrow at you and smirked. "Indeed." He agreed just as the sound of horses clicking approached as a carriage came into view.

"Shall we greet him together?" He asked as he turned to start walking.

"Yes." You both walked to stand beside the carriage as it stopped. You and Sebastian stood on either side of the Carriage door as Sebastian opened the door.

You both bowed your heads as a man with a goatee, wearing a brown suit stepped out of the carriage with a confident smile.

His jaw dropped as his eyes went wide when he stared at the yard, that had been turned into a large stone garden.

"Hello, welcome sir." The servants greeted as they bowed.

The man continued to stare in awe as you walked up behind him while Sebastian shut the door. "This is called a 'Stone Garden'. It is a traditional feature in Japan." You explained.

The man was silent for a moment. "Ah, Prodigioso! Wonderful! Truly an elegant garden." He exclaimed as he outstretched his arms.

"We thought it appropriate to be serving dinner Al Fasco, this evening. Allow him to escort you inside until the meal is ready." Sebastian said, while gesturing to Tanaka.

The man laughed as he started to follow Tanaka inside. "I should have expected this from a Phantomhive. I cannot wait to see what else is in store." He stated as he entered the manor, Tanaka closing the door after.

"Woo, we actually made it." Bard said in relief as he wiped his forehead.

"Who'd have thought a dozen bags of gravel could turn into an amazing garden!" Finny beamed at the garden as you and Sebastian walked to the entrance, Sebastian carrying the guest's hat and coat.

You both stopped and looked at them. "Naturally, we were able to handle this. We serve the Phantomhive family after all."

"There is still work to be done. Let's take care of it while the master is talking business with his guest. Look sharp now." Sebastian said. "Right!" They all cheered.

. . . Both you and Sebastian walked by the kitchen and stopped as Bard was slicing off the burnt part of the meat he had charred earlier while Finny watched over the counter. "How is it going?" You asked.

"I'm doing it like you said to. This really what you want?" Bard asked as he held it up and turned to you.

"Yes, that looks excellent-"

"Sebastian! (Y/N)!" A voice cut Sebastian off.

You both turned to see Mey-Rin running down the hall while carrying a stack of five boxes that read "Fragile". "Found 'em!" She shouted while laughing right before tripping, causing the boxes fly in the air.

Sebastian swiftly caught two boxes with one hand while balancing a third on his foot as you caught the last two with one hand.

Mey-Rin fell right on Sebastian's chest. "Oh, honestly.." He muttered as he looked down at her. She looked up at him, her face turning bright red. "How many times have I told you not to run inside the manor, Mey-Rin?" His voice was laced in an annoyance.

She quickly backed away from him into the corner. "I'm so sorry, sir. My glasses cracked and I can't see a thing!" She cried as Sebastian kicked the third box onto the tower in his hand, moving to stand next to you.

"These are the last items we needed for dinner." You stated and he nodded at you, before turning to the servants.

"Splendid work everyone, but now, I believe you can leave the rest of it to us and relax for a bit." Sebastian said with a closed-eye smile as he balanced the boxes in his hand. "...But we need you to do well-" He started.

"Very Well " You added.

"-During dinner tonight." Sebastian finished, still smiling.

"They said it twice." Bard commented while you both only smiled at them.

"Ooh, that's serious." Finny added while Mey-Rin continued to blush and fawn over Sebastian in the corner.

. . .

You walked to Ciel's study to fetch him and his guest for dinner while Sebastian stayed behind to make sure the three idio—ahem, servants don't cause any trouble.

"Pardon the interruption, but dinner is served." You announced after opening the door. They were both sitting on opposite sides of each other, playing a board game.

"Oh, dining out in an exquisite 'a stone garden. And being escorted by such a lovely maid." The Italian said with a smile as he looked at you.

You gave a fake smile, but internally gave a face of disgust.

"Shall we go, my lord?" He asked as he began to stand up, but stopped when Ciel spoke.

"Very well, we'll finish the game later."

The Italian sat back in his seat. "Oh, is there any real need to finish it; it's obvious I'm 'a going to lose." He tried to reason as Ciel stood up.

"I'm not in the habit of abandoning games halfway through." Ciel stated as he began to walk towards the door.

"How childish." The Italian muttered as he glared at Ciel.

Ciel stopped and looked back at him. "Uh, I-I mean 'a sometimes it takes a child's eyes to see what's really important. It's a true gift." He quickly covered up while slightly sweating.

"Maybe that's what's made the Phantomhives the nation's foremost toymakers." He continued as he stood up. "Certainly impresses me!"

Ciel merely nodded while you narrowed your eyes at him, you heard him clear enough and you couldn't wait until the night came.

*Outside at the Dining Table*                                                                                                             Ciel and his guest sat on opposite sides of the long rectangular table while you and Sebastian stood on either side of Mey-Rin while Bard, Finny, and Tanaka hid in the bushes. Sebastian held a cloth on his arm as he announced the dinner.

"On tonight's menu is a finely sliced raw beef Donburi, courtesy of our chef, Baldroy." He stated, when in reality it was only raw beef that Bard had sliced and layered.

"A pile of raw beef. And this is dinner?" The Italian questioned in disbelief as he stared at the bowl in front of him.

"Yes, but surely you have heard of it." You said, but he only gave you a dumb look.

"This, good sir, is a traditional Japanese delicacy. A dish offered as a sign of gratitude to someone who has accomplished important work. That is the wonder of Donburi!" Sebastian strongly and a bit over dramatically stated, leaving the Italian at a loss of words.

"This is a token from our master, to show his thanks for all your hard work on the company's behalf. He wanted you to know that he is much appreciated." You concluded with a smile on your face.

"Now that's our Sebastian and (Y/N) for you." Finny beamed from the bushes as he looked up at the both of you in awe.

"They saved the day." Bard added with a thumbs up.

"Ho ho ho." Tanaka quietly laughed.

"Excellent! What an inspired idea. The legendary Phantomhive hospitality in action!" He praised while Ciel continued to eat his dinner.

"The vintage we are pouring tonight was specially selected to compliment the flavor of soy sauce." Sebastian stated while gesturing to the wine on the cart Mey-Rin had.

"Mey-Rin." You called when she only stood there, smiling.

"Now, Mey-Rin." Sebastian quietly muttered.

She suddenly snapped out of her daze. "Yes, sir!"

He leaned in close to her face, causing her to turn bright red. "Why are you just standing there? Poor the man a glass of wine." He whispered.

"Of course, yes sir!" She said before grabbing the wine.

"Hey..." Bard called from the bushes.

"What?" Finny asked.

"Is it just me or is Mey-Rin acting a little strange?" He asked as he watched Mey-Rin wobble over to the table.

"Sebastian's watching me, I can't take it." She said to herself as the wine bottle shook in her hands while trying to focus on the glass. "Don't look at me that way." She said as she thought of how close his face just was to her. She exhaled through her nose and started to pour the wine, only to miss the glass and pour it on the table.

The servants screeched. "Mey-Rin, stop it can't you see your spilling the wine?" Finny called out.

Ciel froze has he saw the liquid spread across the table. Both you and Sebastian turned once you saw the wine. Sebastian grabbed the end of the table cloth while you grabbed the bottle of wine and the Italian's glass. Sebastian swiftly pulled the table cloth from the table, not spilling any liquids or moving anything on the table as you quickly poured the wine into the guest's glass and placed it on the table.

The Italian had been oblivious to what happened as he focused on eating his dinner. He looked down and realized the table cloth was gone.

"Huh? Where did the table cloth 'a go?" He questioned as he looked at the table while the servants dragged Mey-Rin away.

"A speck of dirt, most unsightly. I had the cloth removed so it wouldn't distract us. Think nothing of it." Ciel stated, before continuing to eat while you and Sebastian stood by his side, Sebastian with the table cloth folded in his arms.

"Please accept our apologies sir. Due continue the meal at your leisure." You said as both you and Sebastian bowed your heads at him.  

"Oh-oh, my." The man said with a laugh.

"Lord Phantomhive, once again, you have truly impressed me. What able servants you've acquired."

"Pay them no mind, they only acted as befits two of my servants." Ciel said before looking down.

"My master is quite correct about that, naturally. You see we are simply one hell of a maid and butler." Sebastian stated with a slight smirk as he glanced at you in the corner of his eye. A small smirk appeared on your lips.

Ciel looked up at the two of you and huffed before looking back down.

*In Ciel's Study*                                              

                                                  After the dinner and provided show, you were standing behind Ciel's chair due to him calling you to accompany him and his guest as they resumed their game. "That was a thoroughly enjoyable meal, my lord." The man said as he sat down across from Ciel, who sat down in front of you as he did. "Now then, about the contract-"

"Before we discuss that, we must finish the game." Ciel cut him off.

"A-ah, yes of course. I do have a pressing appointment. Perhaps another ti-"

"Children can be very demanding about their games." Ciel cut him off again with his eye closed, before opening it. "Surely you wouldn't want me to get upset?" Ciel said with a smirk.

The Italian clenched his jaw at him. "No, perhaps you would permit me to use your telephone?" He asked, trying to hide his anger.

Ciel looked at him before nodding with a wave. You watched him as he stood up and walked to the door. He opened it to see Sebastian with a cart of tea. "I've brought some tea for you and my lord." Sebastian said with a smile, but the man only glared.

"I'll be right back." He said before heading off down the hall.

Sebastian looked back at him curiously, before walking into the room. He wheeled the cart in front of Ciel and poured him a cup of tea, then placed it in front of him.

Ciel picked it up, before looking at it in slight disgust. "What is this? It smells terribly weak."

"Out of consideration of our guest, I've brought some Italian tea." Sebastian stated.

"Italian?" Ciel questioned.

"Italians drink more coffee than tea sir, so finding high quality Italian tea can be difficult." You informed.

"This particular selection is not to your liking, master?" Sebastian asked.

"No, it is not. I don't like it at all." Ciel stated as he stared into the tea. You both stared at him, understanding what he meant.

"We'll see to the dessert preparations." Sebastian said as he put down the tea pot and turned to Ciel while you moved to stand next to him.

"Good. We must show him every available hospitality. The Phantomhive family is known for it's courtesy." Ciel said while looking up at the both of you knowingly with a smirk.

"Yes, my young lord." You both said as you bowed your heads. You both looked up and both yours and Sebastian's eyes were pink-slitted.

*Outside the Telephone Room*                                                                                                                                 You and Sebastian were hiding in the shadows of the dark hallway as you both listened in on Mr. Damiano's phone call.

"I'm 'a tired of 'a babysitting this 'a child Earl...yes, I've already sold the factory, all that's left is to pocket the extra cash, I'm trying to squeeze more out of the brat right now." He said with a laugh.

You narrowed your eyes as you clenched your fists. You looked over at Sebastian, who grinned at you. You grinned back with a nod, signaling for him to do the first move. His grin widened as he moved over to the open door in a flash.

"Employees? Who cares about them?" You didn't see what Sebastian did, but it surely caught the Italians attention, because he jumped and quickly turned around.

"...Never mind." He said as he turned back. "The rest of the formalities are for you to deal with...no, it'll be easy... Please, he's only a child." He said with a smirk.

You clenched your jaw as you felt your demon aura slowly start to show, but you held it back. No, now is not the time.

You both skillfully hid yourselves in the shadows as he ended the call and walked down the hallway. 'Your move.'  Sebastian said in your mind.

You deviously smirked as you swiftly followed the Italian down the hall. You watched as the man started up the main stairs. He must've felt you, because he stopped and turned to face the portrait of your previous master and his mistress.

You saw Sebastian appear through the painting, appearing as a ghostly face and turn to the man, who went wide eyed and rubbed his eyes, before looking back, but Sebastian was gone.

"Impossible. I'm 'a seeing things." He said to himself as he turned and continued walking up the stairs.

You huffed before grinning and closing your eyes. 'Bewitched by the eyes of the dead'  You echoed Ciel's voice in his head.

He stopped again, before laughing. "No, that's ridiculous." He said before walking up.

You waited until he left before coming out of the shadows as Sebastian emerged from the opposite set of stairs.

"I thought it was my move." You said as you turned to look at him.

"It was, I only took the need to assist you." He said with a smile. You narrowed your eyes at him.

"Well go on, it's your turn again." He said as he walked down the stairs. "I'll follow." He stated as he reached the bottom and stopped in front of you. You sighed before turning and following him in a blur.

You watched and waited as he opened one of the many doors. "Huh." He muttered as he realized it was the wrong room. He moved to the opposite side and opened another door. "Not here either." He continued this for three more rooms while continued to wait for the right moment.

"This manor is like a giant maze. I can't even find the drawing room." He said to himself as he walked down the hall.

You narrowed your eyes in concentration. 'Bewitched by the eyes of the dead.'  You echoed again in his head as he stopped at the sight of Sebastian, who appeared as Vincent, towering over him with the same ghostly face as he was quickly approaching him.

The Italian turned and broke into a sprint as he ran down the hall. "Stay away from me!" He shouted as he ran, not noticing the portrait Bard and Finny were carrying of Vincent and Rachel.

"That's odd. Was that our guest I heard just now?" Finny asked as they stopped walking.

"Hey! We need to move this or (Y/N) will start yelling again." Bard complained from the other side.

"Right!" Finny responded.

You smirked as you watched them continue walking and followed after the Italian who was still running.

'You lose one turn'  You echoed again as you walked behind him, keeping yourself hidden. He suddenly tripped and fell down the stairs while screaming in pain.

You saw Mey-Rin gasp and come running to him. "Sir, are you alright?" She asked before backing away at the sight of his broken leg. "His right leg, it's twisted round, what happened to it?" She questioned to herself.

Bard and Finny then came into the room, still carrying the large portrait. "Hey, what's wrong?" Bard asked.

"Our guest, something's happened!" Mey-Rin frantically said.

Sebastian's face once again appeared in the painting as Vincent with the same ghostly face. 'And now you lose one leg in the enchanted forest.'  You echoed in his head as Sebastian mouthed the words, making it appear as if he said them.

The Italian went wide-eyed and started to crawl away. You grinned as you disappeared in the shadows. "Sir, oh, sir...come back." Mey-Rin said as she reached out to him.

He continued to crawl down the hallway, but stopped once he came faced with two sets of legs. He looked up to see you and Sebastian leering over him with your signature creepy ass rape faces.

"Surely you're not leaving the manor yet, sir." Sebastian said as he continued to creepily stare at him.

The Italian quickly stood up and stared at the both of you in fear. "We haven't given you the full Phantomhive hospitality yet. We still have to serve dessert." You said as he got up and began to quickly crawl away, the both of you following him.

"You've lost a leg, remember? Now you can move only half the number of spaces, so why not relax a bit and make yourself at home?" Sebastian said with a close-eyed smile. He crawled away even faster and went inside the kitchen.

"Damn, It's too dark." He muttered as he tried to see in the dark. He froze at the sound of both yours and Sebastian's footsteps coming closer. He moved back and hit a hard surface. "Is this a cupboard?" He questioned as he grabbed the handle and opened it.

. . . You and Sebastian stopped outside the kitchen doors and you couldn't help but grin. "You seem to be enjoying yourself." Sebastian quietly said.

You turned and looked at him. "Are you not?" You questioned with a raised eyebrow.

He looked at you and smirked. "Point well taken." He agreed before he opened the door and the both of you walked inside.

. . . "Damn...these are really tight quarters." The Italian muttered from inside the box, before placing his hand down, it landing on a sticky substance. "What's this?" He questioned as he brought his hand up and sniffed it.

"It smells like sugar." He stated as the cramped box then lit up with light and a small window compartment opened up, revealing yours and Sebastian's eyes while you were both crouched down outside of it.

"What an impatient guest we have, Sebastian." You said as you stared at the man inside.

"Yes, you couldn't even restrain yourself until dessert was out of the oven." Sebastian said while staring at him as the oven started to quickly heat up.

"The-the Oven?!" He yelled in realization. "Open up, please! Open the door!," He pleaded as he banged on the door, but you both only stared at him before standing up.

"Hmmm, perhaps Italians aren't familiar with our customs." Sebastian inquired as he closed one eye and put his hand to his head. "There's plum pudding, mincemeat pie," He listed as he put a finger to his chin.

"Yes, there are many traditional desserts in England that make use of meat. We find them all quite tasty." You stated with a smirk as he stared at you with helpless, pleading eyes, but you only closed the window while staring at him with an amused face.

'Your body is burnt by the raging flames.' You echoed in his head one last time as he screamed.

You smiled as you turned to Sebastian. "I'll have to leave you to the rest, I need to have a word with the young master."

He rose an eyebrow at you, before smiling. "Very well, I shall properly thank you for your assistance later then. It has been a nice change of being able to not only accomplish given tasks on my own."

"No sort of thanks is necessary, I have always rather enjoyed giving the Phantomhive hospitality," You said with a smirk before walking out of the kitchen.

You walked down the hall to Ciel's study and stopped at the already opened door as the Italian screamed. "Mamma Mia!" He screamed from outside. Ciel laughed as he still remained in his chair from earlier.

"What an unattractive scream, he sounds almost like a pig taken off to slaughter," Ciel said to himself in the dark room.

"Hm, what presumption. First, he sells the East India Company without telling me...and then he dares to ask for more money. Did he think to retain my trust..." He drifted off as he grabbed a piece of the board game and moved it to the finish.

He stared at the picture of happy townspeople with the words 'Happy Ending' before knocking over the game piece and leaning back in his chair. "I'm afraid once something is truly lost, one can never get it back again."

"How satirical of you, my lord." You spoke up causing him to slightly jump and turn to look at you.

"(Y/N)...what are you doing here?" He asked as he gestured to the chair across from him. You walked over and sat down.

You looked at him before taking out an envelope and holding it up. "When her majesty sent me, she sent me with this to give to her guard dog." You said as you tossed the envelope onto the board game.

He looked at you before picking it up and opening it. He skimmed through the paper, then looked at you. "Very well, we shall take care of this in the morning." 

You bowed your head. "As you wish, young master."

. . . Sebastian walked down the staircase and stopped to stare at where the painting used to be. "It would appear we'll be needing to hang new wallpaper as well." He stated before turning as you entered the room from the bottom of the stairs.

You looked at the main room and imagined Ciel, still as a child, playing with his toys while Vincent and Rachel sat on the couch with Sebastian, the family dog, by them.

You walked closer and snapped your fingers, erasing the scene from your view. "The new head of the Phantomhive Estate, eh?" You questioned with a smirk, before looking up at Sebastian and walking away.

. . . You walked down the dark corridor towards your room, but stopped once you realized the hall was growing much more darker and you felt someone's presence behind you.

You smiled. "Is there something you need, Sebastian?" You asked, before you felt someone's arms wrap around your waist and turn you around, causing you to land on a firm chest.

You looked up to see Sebastian, smirking at you while you tilted your head. "I do believe I said I would properly thank you later, my kitten." He finally said.

You narrowed your eyes at him. "And I do believe I said no sort of thanks was necessary. And please do refrain from such tedious pet names."

He grabbed your chin and lifted it up while leaning down to you. "Now, exactly what do you suspect to happen while there are two demons, one male, one female, working under one roof?" He questioned, now being dangerously close to you.

"Well I assure you it is nothing you believe will happen." You threw back.

He gave you a curious look. "Interesting...you are not like other female demons, are you? Any other female would've succumbed to me already." He said in confusion.

You murderously glared at him. "You may appear like a perfectly normal human, especially one who is able to smile, be cheerful, and be understanding, but in actuality, you are quite heartless, sadistic, and malicious. To me you are simply another demon and like all others, you will surely fail at making me your mate."

He rose an eyebrow at you. "Is that so? Exactly how many other demons have attempted in making you their mate?"

"In all honesty, there have been far too many, mostly because my king has not allowed it." You answered.

He leaned down to your ear. "That is because they took place in his kingdom, but here you are vulnerable. Unlike all others, I will succeed, it is only a matter of time." He whispered.

"Well, we shall see about that, won't we?" You questioned before pushing him away and walking away from him.

"So be it." He stated, mostly to himself as he watched you walk down the hall.

[projectsuminda]

World Building June 2017 - Day 28: Major Figures & Important Players

Solevaille

As I already have most of the first draft of Porcelain Wonderland written, I might as well describe the main characters of the story, as well as a few other important ones.  Well, all but two of them, whose very existence is kind of a spoiler.  But as for the others...

Giuseppe Geppetto: Appropriate last name, eh?  Often called Gigi by his initials, this toymaker runs a shop called Gigi's Dolls and Toys, which I briefly mentioned in the Economy prompt.  But unlike his namesake from Pinocchio, Gigi specializes in porcelain dolls... which, according to many a customer, look like they may come to life at any moment.  (To which he said that there was no way that could happen.)  When not in the shop, he lives at home with his wife Vivi and his twin daughters, who he named Dextrina and Sinistrina because he liked to cradle the former in his right arm and the latter in his left.  (The words dexter and sinister mean "right" and "left", respectively.)

Lucina Geppetto: Born as Dextrina and changed her name when she became Queen of Solevaille.  She rose to fame when she presented her living toys before the mayor on Christmas, and word about them spread that year, culminating into a grand celebration of them at Ludinberg Castle during the following Gallery Festival (see Day 26, Art).  At the festival, she turned the mayor into a Marionette and then persuaded him to let her be Solevaille's first queen.  Indeed, Lucina is quite an ambitious and charismatic young lady, with a seemingly endless amount of energy, cheer, and drama (of the good kind).  However, while she is excellent at coming up with ideas, she is not so good at planning, and even worse at empathizing with people.  Those two flaws would lead her to resort to more and more drastic measures to maintain order over the kingdom.

Sinistrina Geppetto: Lucina's twin sister.  She has quite a shady reputation in town because of her skill with black magic, with a talent for raising the dead and extracting the souls out of living beings (which kills them).  Although she is also responsible for teaching Lucina about magic so that she could bring the dolls to life, she is not in her court, instead being known as "countess" or "town witch".  She is also responsible for the Deathly Glade's existence, and would eventually become its own queen.  But despite all this, she is much more level-headed than Lucina, and tries not to use her magic to cause harm to people... a tall order given its inherently harmful nature.  One notable example of this backfiring horribly is when she “accidentally” places a curse on the Deathly Manor (see, I told you it would be important) that traps all who enter in an intense nightmare.  Not a very good end for people who have been banished to the Deathly Glade.

Euler "Winky" van Winkle: The mayor of Solevaille at the time of the story - well, before he is stripped of his power, that is.  A refined yet jolly old fellow never seen without a monocle, he considers his own position to be less important than its purpose, that being the well-being of the people of Solevaille and the thriving of its artistic culture.

Emille Laroux: The princess of Solevaille, and the first porcelain doll in history to hold a leading position over a country.  Although Lucina oversees most of the work in the kingdom, Emille is notable for carrying out executions (for those who are not banished to the Deathly Glade) and acting as an overall foil for Lucina.  Where Lucina will shower the court dolls with affection, Emille will look down on them.  Where Lucina leaps before she looks, Emille does the opposite.  ...You get the idea.

Krampus: As was mentioned in the History prompt, this evil sorcerer ravaged Ludin, Solevaille's predecessor town, with a zombie apocalypse.  Let's hope Sinistrina does not follow in his footsteps, especially since he has been all but forgotten about.

Peter Pedersen: The owner of the Peter Pan Pub, and a very old friend of the Geppetto family.  Shows up as part of a small resistance force of human "refugees" aiming to escape the dolls' rule over the kingdom (yet somehow stay in Solevaille while doing so).

Cloud Candyfloss: The Ceramic owner of Cloud's Cuckoo Land, Solevaille's local clock shop.  Notable for giving quirky yet meaningful nicknames to the other characters - for example, Lucina is the Queen of Ham (for her hammy demeanor as queen), Sinistrina is Necromantress, Emille is the Hammer Lady (because misbehaving dolls are smashed with a hammer), and Winky is Mr. I Say (after his catchphrase).

Jack "Chrono" Chronopoulos: Cloud's adoptive father.  He invented a time machine about a decade before the story begins, and uses it to travel forward several decades in time, bypassing the entire story.  In said story, he functions as a narrator.

Orenya

I have a collection of short stories planned collectively called the Tales of the Magic Lands, which all take place on Orenya.  Each of these stories focuses on one character (or group of characters) whose existence over the course of history is like an abnormally bright star in the night sky.  Some of those characters are as follows:

Durnem: The first fylin to become involved in one of Orenya's major branches of government - in her case, the Oradamin.  (Not surprising, considering howstereotypically aggressive fylin women are.  Later on a fylin man would become the first of his kind to join the Danramin.)  Like other fylin who would follow in her footsteps, she was motivated to do so by being an outcast from her clan.

Nemaforte: A sunestre herbalist from Theani, living in the Modern Era.  Her name means "poisoned blood", and for good reason: she specializes in peddling poisonous or (especially) psychotropic herbs.  In last year's Flora prompt, I mentioned the extremely-poisonous-but-not-deadly drakima root which causes permanent and destructive psychological damage, and also mentioned an herbalist who ingested it and came out (mostly) sane.  Nemaforte is that herbalist, and she is the only person ever known to have not developed such problems despite experiencing the full effect (involving a long and torturous nightmare).

Drima: A hypnotist whose specialty is luring people into the Void and temporarily enslaving them while draining away their aural energies.  He is notable for seeking to harness the power of Moredriva (who, as was mentioned in last year's Religion/Cosmology prompt, is rumored to make those who gaze upon her too long go mad) to enhance his hypnotic abilities... which is quite a daunting feat considering he's a sunestre, and thus sensitive to sunlight.

Kinenda: A sune of the Ancient Era, who was envious of the sumi for their ability to fly.  Thus, she pioneered the art of psychokinesis, which allowed her to fly just like the sumi could.

Kyomin Sorunor: His name means "dragon master", and he turned out to exceed the name's expectations.  A sumiri from the early Trading Era growing up in Kyonin (not surprisingly), he pioneered telepathic communication with dragons, with whom he was particularly talented at empathizing with.

The Four Bardic Sisters: A quartet of sumiri musicians who witnessed the start of the Day-Night War and strove to utilize their performances to stop it before it got worse.  A difficult task, of course, which drove each sister to a vision quest of sorts to find their purpose in the war.  Even as late as the Modern Era, the story of their quests is widely told, as each sister learns a moral lesson from their quest.  Especially notable from other such fables in that the lessons are less kid-friendly and lean toward the cynical side.  (They're bards - they deserve it.)  Even the origin of their family, the Baoshra family, goes way back, originating with four priestesses who sought to channel the power of the four moons.  According to legend, they enchanted the bloodline so that they would have a single daughter, all with the same man (remember that polygamy is common among sumiri, as was mentioned in the Gender/Sexuality prompt).

Melody Clementine: She is especially unique, as she is an astronaut from Earth.  She and her crew found their way to Orenya, and began conducting scientific research there.  Her presence is especially notable in that A) the natives learned much about things such as the geography of the moons and the stars that are all around, and B) while her crew returned to Earth, she opted to stay on Orenya.