villainy commenced [[1x1 w/ the-nug-king & hexspecs!]]

[grey matter]

Oh, good, someone interested in this confusing stuff other than someone far too submerged in it to have an outsider's view. While Lazarus did offer good perspectives on Inamonthian Weirdness, it was always good to get other opinions. "So, I have a few different ones I might get to testing... I think the deciding factor in our worlds fusing was me being both... relevant to Lazarus and also having done something noteworthy and... definable. In Inamonth, it seems a lot of things are measured on definition; how and in what manner something exists, from plot roles to the future and past, and just about everything else. There are whole documents in Inamonth dedicated strictly to defining people, places, things, concepts... And I am defined as at least three things. One: Lazarus's rival. Two: Lazarus's boyfriend. Three: Inventor of Chocolate Milk (but only in Inamonth). That last one seems to be what tipped the scales, confusingly enough. I think the fact that I had such a close relationship to someone who seems to be very crucial in the existence of Inamonth, seeing as other people in Inamonth vary from seeming quite normal, to acting almost like... uh, do you know what an NPC is? If you do, like that, if not, I can elaborate in a bit, but it seems that Lazarus himself is one of the most... developed citizens of Inamonth. Probably a or the main antagonist of the world, if I had to guess. Anyways, that and me doing something that made a whole new object exist in stores the next day out of nowhere - that also seemed definable and of importance, I think. But stuff like that seems to happen all the time in Inamonth: plot holes and chaos. A lot of things in Inamonth make no sense for no real reason, other than they're defined that way, I suppose, and the plot is minimal as of now. I'm not even sure who the protagonist is supposed to be, and knowing Lazarus, he would know and be bragging about the fact that he knew exactly who the protagonist was and that he was going to be the one to stop them in their track and then... I don't know, depending on their goals, he'd just... I can't even conceptualize what a protagonist would want to do in Inamonth, really." Except maybe make it less chaotic, but anyone who values their safety would see that Inamonth could be a little too chaotic sometimes. "But that's getting sidetracked: my theory is that I was important enough to whatever or whoever controls Inamonth itself that it ended up fused with my initial world, and perhaps our worlds could be controlled by a force that's one and the same... That one feels a little too far-fetched at the moment to buy into it yet. I need more evidence... There are certainly people I can ask, though. People I need to ask at some point."

[the-nug-king]

"Then Lazarus is important? Really? Cazenar asked the first random underclassman he met to be his minion, and he turns out to be a major antagonist? Before he's even out of the Academy? Ugh. Right, we need to find Inamonth's protagonist, and set you up as a bigger enemy to them. I'd suggest you become their nemesis, but given your bond with Lazarus, that would be almost impossible. Luckily, it's just as impossible for him."

[grey matter]

"Well, I'm not entirely sure he's a major antagonist but it certainly seems like he is, he is very well developed in comparison to like, the grocery store clerk who said the same two ominous phrases over and over. Considering the nature of Lazarus and I's relationship, it's possible we could end up either collaborating on making everything horrible for this protagonist at some points, or we'll just end up dueling to see who can make things worse for them... saying we have reason to do so. For all I know... Inamonth could be weird about this, and, even worse... Slice of Life. That'd be boring. Worse, Slice of Life usually doesn't have antagonists! How would we be antagonists in a slice of life?"

[[oHOHO THIS HAS GIVEN ME AN IDEA THAT THIS IS ALL JUST "SLICE OF LIFE IN A WEIRD WORLD" and up until the end of this recent arc (which ended with Lazarus placing his form for being the antagonist) Laz was the protagonist, right? So now it's a POV switch to An Unwilling Protagonist who Wants A Semi-Normal Inamonthian Life and has to deal with These Irritating Dueling Villains who Are Really Dead Set on Finding who the Protagonist is and they aren't even aware they're the protagonist.]]

[the-nug-king]

"No collaboration! You need to be greater than him! You need to remould his world into your image!"

((omg yes. Also was just talking about grand academy with a friend and like, academy students Absolutely have huge arguments about whether it's better to have a love interest be your nemesis, or your commander/minion, and then there are some Weirdos going "what about just a normal relationship?"))

[grey matter]

"...That place is... a force to reckon with. It's also technically our world now, but, I see what you mean. It's just that Inamonth is so- unpredictable. I don't think there's much of a science to it at all. I don't evem know what genre you could classify the place as... or what types of people I should look out for the protagonist being. I... clearly need to figure this out before Lazarus, then. But of course, it's not like I'd do this without announcing a duel. I'll tell him once we get back... then, the race will have begun, it seems... unless we're just busy with all the other duels we have piled on nowadays. You haven't spotted any of the pieces from Pandemic around campus, have you? Bon Voidage's bounty for those is still valid, I think... not to mention I want to win that duel. I'd give you most of the earnings if you let me turn it in, I want those bragging rights..."

[[yES. just yes. yes yes yes.

also seems Inamonth finally has a Real Plot; each arc switches protagonists and by the who-knows-which arc, they aren't as prevalent but they're still The Only Antagonists and also, I'm sure they're busy with Laz being Professor of Dimensional Adaptability or something- now Lazarus can safely say "hEY WE HAVE A PLOT NOW??? IT ISN'T ENTIRELY ABOUT ME OR ANYTHING (WHICH IS GOOD, OF COURSE, WHY WOULD IT BE ALL ABOUT ME, I AM THE ANTAGONIST BUT I'M SURE I'LL STEAL THE SHOW SOMETIMES HAHA) BUT WE HAVE A PLOT THIS IS HAPPENING (Turns out the plot for Lazarus's arc was just Lazarus Does Some Things.)

how do you think the academy feels about Villain Episodes? yknow, the One Episode In Which It Focuses On The Villain(s) for some reason? What about stuff like Go-Karting With Bowser? That's been going on since, well, at least since Bowser went go-karting, so would it be considered classic enough? The intricacies of this is astounding...
and now Lucas and Lazarus have TOO MUCH DUELING going on this is crazy- I'd set them to just living in Fantasy already but We Need That Lazarus "Hey, I'm Genre-Adaptable" development to happen... maybe they do something else that can develop that though, at some point? aaaaaa plot decision funtimes]]

[the-nug-king]

"I have better things to do with my time than find game board pieces for a first year's bounty. And keep in mind, I am counting on you to win this duel. And all future duels. I can't have Cazenar's minion showing mine up. Anyway, I have more for you to carry."

((Nice!!

Hmm yeah they couldn't class that as modern anti-villainy or anything. Maybe just sticking with "no one bring up the fact that boswer and mario are go-karting together, we don't need to discuss this or come up with any justifications. No really stop talking about it."))

[grey matter]

"...I'll tell you how that goes. With our rivalry it's... hard to guarantee some things when it comes to wins. Our results archive is filled with a some 'Too unclear to determines,' and ',Simultaneous forfeits,' not to mention the occasional 'When was this duel even declared?' and 'Did this one even happen?' I blame that on the software we use... another Inamonthian thing, but we've gone too far to change it? In any case... yeah, I'll do my best." A secondary motive to winning duels? Lucas didn't think it'd happen. Well, he could only assume Cazenar was wanting the same of Lazarus, right? The pressure would be on for the both of them and... perhaps the archives could be... altered a bit more, and... more draws could be claimed. But that was a weird violation of this agreement? Things were getting contradictory... edging on betrayals, even? No. He could not let that happen. He'd figure it out. He shifted the plants around so he could be prepared to hold more things.

[[It'd become the "There is no war in Ba Sing Se" of the Academy! Someone would make a meme that says "There is no Mario Kart in the Grand Academy for Future Villains."]]

[the-nug-king]

Aurion sniffed. "This is why you shouldn't trust computers. There are always errors with software. And stop forfeiting duels." He dumped several artefacts onto Lucas, holding on to some himself.

((omg y e s

Do you want to go on to Science Lab? I have one big thing that's gonna happen there, but feel free to make up some of maedryn's other experiments if you want))

[grey matter]

"It usually happens due to weird unforseen circumstances... or Monopoly being irritatingly long. We still haven't managed to finish a game." The thought made his thoughts shudder. Though Monopoly was great for uniting him with Lazarus in their first duel... it was Monopoly, it could be a lot better. Lucas pocketed what could fit into his pockets and held the rest.

[[Yeah, sure.

"""UNDERGROUND""" ACADEMY MARIO KART LEAGUE: THE RULES STATE YOU CAN ONLY PLAY AS THE VILLAIN-TYPES, WHICH HAS LEAD TO ARGUEMENTS OVER IF SPECIES SUCH AS YOSHIS CAN BE ARGUED TO BE EVIL, OR IF CERTAIN CHARACTERS' BEHAVIORS IN THE MARIO CAHON ARE VILLAINOUS ENOIGH TO BE VILLAINS. OR THERE ARE JUST THOSE PEOPLE WHO MAINED A CERTAIN CHARACTER SINCE CHILDHOOD AND REFUSE TO GIVE UP ON, I DUNNO, TOAD, AND CLAIM HIS SQUEAKY VOICE MAKES HIM HORFIFIC ENOUGH. DONT EVEN GET THEM STARTED ON MIIS THEYLL ARGUE OVER WHAT MIIS ARE ALLOWED AND NOBODY CAN AGREE ON A BUNCH OF THE MEME MIIS AND NOT TO MENTION THE COSTUMES - IS IT PROTAGONISM IF YOUR RACING SUIT HAS MARIO INSIGNIAS OR IS THAT JUST WOLF-IN-SHEEPS-CLOTHING-ING

just remember
the one rule of mario kart league is that there is no mario kart league but not like anyone cares we just dont acknowledge it because there is no mario kart in the grand academy for future villains]]

[the-nug-king]

"Yes, I've known some people who use monopoly as a torture implement, I wouldn't recommend it for pleasure."

Three appeared in the doorway. "I see you've found some objects of interest then," they said, looking round the now much emptier room. "I was going to the laboratory, if either of you wanted to visit it. I'm locking it afterwards. Oh, and I might recommend getting a trolley on the way."

((YES i love it))