existentialspacecowboy

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

You both like Merthur.

You: Are you seriously following me right now? M

Stranger: What? No. Of course not. AP

You: Really. M

You: And that sound of armor shifting around is just in my head, huh? M

Stranger: Maybe you’re hearing things. AP

You: Arthur. M

Stranger: Could be quite serious. Maybe you should see Gaius. AP

You: When I made that trade to bring you back, I didn't think you'd start treating me even MORE like a child. M

You: Did you finally recognize me, just to double down on thinking I'm incompetent? M

Stranger: No, of course not. AP

Stranger: You just keep disappearing off every night. I was wondering where you go. AP

You: And you didn't think to ask me? M

You: ..Indirect arse bench. M

Stranger: You’re usually pretty secretive about that sort of thing. AP

Stranger: What? AP

You: You know now what I was hiding was my magic. M

You: Now that I don't have it, what else would I have to hide? M

Stranger: I don’t know. AP

You: You don't ask, either. M

Stranger: Are you hiding something? Where do you go? AP

Stranger: Is it a girl? AP

You: A what? M
A girl? M
Between getting you up in the morning and down at the night, and making sure you don't get yourself killed along the way, when on Earth would I have time for a GIRL. M

Stranger: [Delay] Alright, alright. Not a girl, then. AP

You: I can still sense it. M
Magic, that is. M
I can still sense where it's flowing properly, or when something in the land is getting backed up and becoming unnatural. M

You: My duties have always been to monitor that, Sire. M
You have enough on your plate without clogging that thick head of yours up with problems you couldn't understand. M

Stranger: If there’s a problem within my kingdom, don’t you think I should know about it? Or at least do something about it? AP

You: It's nothing I can't handle, Arthur. M

Stranger: You said it yourself, you don’t have your magic anymore. AP

You: [...] Yeah. M

You: [...] Guess I'm still unused to being able to keep you up to date. M

You: I can handle things though! I'm still doing fine handling it on my own! M

Stranger: You don’t have to keep secrets from me anymore, we’ve been over this. AP

You: I know that! M

Stranger: I’m sorry that my life cost you your magic! AP

You: I don't blame you so don't even go there! M

You: I'm the one who didn't listen to every warning along the way! M

You: I'm the one that almost got you killed thanks to it! M

Stranger: That’s not true. AP

You: Yes it is! M

Stranger: I died because I hesitated! I died because I allowed Mordred to run me through! AP

You: I knew Mordred was going to kill you! Right from the start, when he was still a child, I knew it was his destiny to betray you and I did nothing to stop him! M

You: I'm the one who knew, and I did NOTHING! M

You: I let him get away when he was a child! M

You: I let him get close to you when he came back! M

You: I did nothing to stop him! M

You: It may as well been my hand on his blade! M

Stranger: Stop. Just stop it! AP

Stranger: Don’t say things like that. AP

Stranger: I don’t blame you. You shouldn’t blame yourself either. AP

You: I knew Morgana was going to fall prey to darkness and hurt, and she would turn it back threefold. M

You: I suspected she would be the cause of Uther's death. M

You: I knew she'd be the reason Mordred would turn on you. M

You: I didn't stop her. M

You: I brought her back, and I knew I couldn't stop her once I had... M

Stranger: What’s done is done. AP

You: ...how can you say that so easily? M

Stranger: Because what else can be said? AP

Stranger: We can’t change the past, no matter how much we try. AP

You: Do you really believe it then? M

You: It's like saying I'm not accountable for my own actions. It's madness, Arthur.. M

Stranger: I don’t want for you to be held accountable. You didn’t commit a crime. AP

Stranger: The only ones who should be held accountable are Mordred and Morgana. And they got what they deserved. AP

You: I'm sorry. M

You: I'm so sorry, Arthur. M

You: Trying to save everyone instead got countless people killed. M
Yourself included. M
And I am so, so sorry for it. M

You: brb

Stranger: If I accept your apology, will you start looking me in the eye again? AP

Stranger: Will you stop looking at me like I’m a ghost, or a piece of glass that’s about to shatter? AP

You: [...] If I'd told Morgana about my magic, do you think it could have saved her? M
Part of that tipping point was that she felt so alone... M

Stranger: No. AP

You: No? M

Stranger: Her destiny was to play a part in what happened. AP

You: Oh. M

You: I suppose it was. M

Stranger: As mine was inescapable, so was hers. AP

You: Would it have been better if you had known? M

Stranger: I would have liked to have given you credit sooner. AP

Stranger: To not just thank you just as I was about to die. AP

Stranger: But —when we first met, you did the right thing keeping it from me. AP

You: Your regret is not giving me credit? M

You: When would have been the right time to tell you? M

You: When else could I have told you sooner? M

You: I keep playing it over in my mind, how hurt you were that I'd lied to you all these years. M

Stranger: Yes, that’s my regret. You saved my life countless times, and all I ever did was call you a coward, or mock you, or call you a big girl. AP

Stranger: I don’t know. Maybe when I asked you about magic’s place in Camelot. AP

Stranger: I was hurt because I considered you to be my closest friend. Not knowing about such a big part of you, it was like you didn’t trust me. AP

You: Keeping it from you for so long is proof enough that I really had been a coward all along, Arthur. Whether you knew the extent of the truth there or not, It's only fair that you called me out for it along the way. M

You: Considered? M

You: Past tense? M

Stranger: I consider you to be my best friend. AP

Stranger: But you’ve been so distant recently. It’s like I’m losing you. AP

You: You are my best friend. M

You: And.. I'm sorry I've been distant. M

You: I didn't realize I was pulling away. M

Stranger: It’s alright. AP

You: Thank you for telling me. M

Stranger: Keeping things from one another never worked out for us, did it? AP

You: No, I suppose not. M

You: There's something off that's been wandering around the woods by the town. M

You: I can't tell if it's just a restless spirit, some ill minded bandits, or something more nefarious yet. M

You: By the time I get close enough to get eyes on it, it's sun up. M

You: And that's when it seems to disappear. M

You: That's where I've been going at night. M

Stranger: I’ll come with you tonight. AP

You: Don't be ridiculous. You have that council meeting in the morning and you're not going to want to sleep through it!M

Stranger: Well, take someone with you, at least. AP

You: Fine fine, who do you recommend then? M

Stranger: Percival. AP

You: If Percy's coming then you KNOW Gwain's going to insist he tags along. M

Stranger: Precisely the point. AP

You: FINE. M

You: Hey, Arthur? M

Stranger: Yes, Merlin? AP

You: You worry like such a girl. M

Stranger: And you complain and nag like one. AP

You: At least I have the shoulders for a dress. M

Stranger: And the waist too. AP

You: You know what, you're right, Arthur. You ARE a bit "large" to be a girl. M

You: Maybe we should revisit that diet discussion? M

Stranger: /Excuse me/? AP

You: You're excused. M

Stranger: I am /not/ fat! AP

You: Just big boned. M

Stranger: There’s more to hold onto. AP

You: Yeah, I missed talking like this too, Arthur. M

Stranger: So did I. AP

You: I can still hear you clanking around behind me, Sire. M

You: [...] That is /you/, isn't it? M

Stranger: No, I went back to my quarters after you shouted at me the first time. AP

You: Damn. M

Stranger: Stay where you are. I’ll come to you. AP

You: This is getting to be inconvenient and tedious. M

You: Can't we deal with ONE problem at a time? Is that SO MUCH to ask that I only deal with ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME? M

Stranger: Maybe it’s the same problem. AP

Stranger: Out in the woods, you thought a vengeful spirit, right? AP

You: Not with footsteps like that it's not! M

Stranger: Clanking of armour. Could be someone who died at Camlann. AP

Stranger: Just calm down! I’m on my way. AP

You: You shouldn't come here yourself. You're a King, Arthur! M

You: Besides, I think there's more than one of whoever-this-is. M

Stranger: I’m not completely stupid, I have Leon with me. AP

Stranger: I’ll sound the warning bells. AP

You: Damn insufferable dollop head! M

You: The KING can't go running off into the woods, in the middle of the night, to look for a /manservant/! M

Stranger: You’re my friend. We’ve been over this. AP

You: And you're a gullible idiot, we've also been over that! M

You: What if that's the goal? To get YOU out here? M

Stranger: And what if the goal is to get /you/ out there? AP

You: Me? M

You: What would anyone want with /me/? M

Stranger: Oh, I don’t know, only the world’s former most powerful sorcerer without his magic. Seems like a prime opportunity to me. AP

You: Oh. M
Right. M
Hadn't thought about that... M
Guess it's all out in the open, now. M
See, that's the problem with getting credit. :P M

Stranger: Have you got eyes on whatever the hell it is yet? AP

You: [long delay] It's a person. M
Several of them, I think. M
And one of them is riding this.. weird thing? M

Stranger: Not a horse? AP

You: No. Definitely not a horse. M

Stranger: (Brb!)

You: ((np! take your time!))

You: It's got eyes for sure, and, granted, it's not the easiest to tell in the dark, but from here it almost looks like.. there's nothing in its rib cage? M
It's like it's hollow in there? M
Which doesn't make any sense, obviously. Especially from a practical stand point. What on Earth is a rib cage for it it isn't guarding any of your organs, right? M
But no no, this one looks completely empty inside! M
Weird. M
And DEFINITELY not a horse. M

Stranger: We can have this debate later! Just stay back. AP

You: [no reply]

You: ((wb :) ))

Stranger: Damn it, Merlin! AP

You: [long delay] It's for holding people. M
Arthur. You have to go back to the castle. M

Stranger: What are you talking about? I’m not leaving you. AP

You: ((dammit sorry now i have to brb :( ))

Stranger: (No worries!)

You: ((back!))

You: Arthur. M

You: I'm not sending the King of Camelot into a battle he knows nothing about. M

You: ((akkh one quick sec!))

Stranger: And I’m not leaving you defenceless. AP

You: Who's being treated like a piece of glass about to shatter now?! M

Stranger: You are the single most frustrating person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. AP

You: If they've done it to me then they've done it with others. M

You: Whever they're taking me, we should probably know about anyhow. M

Stranger: For once in your life, don’t speak in riddles. AP

You: They were too good at this for me to be the only person they've used these ribby-things on before. M

You: That means there's got to be more people they've taken like this, right? M

You: Excuse me for being cavalier here, but you can only be kidnapped so many times before the novelty wears off. M

You: I'll be fine. M

You: And they need to be stopped. M

Stranger: And now Leon is agreeing with you. Look what you’ve done. I don’t want to go back to Camelot! AP

You: I know, sire. M

Stranger: You’d better stay say or I’ll kill you myself. Have you got that? AP

You: Understood, Arthur. M

You: I'll tell you as soon as things get interesting. M

Stranger: You’d better. AP

You: I care about you too. M

Stranger: Shut up. AP

You: Not likely. M

You: [...] They've done something to it. M

You: I can't see outside this thing now. M

Stranger: Magic? AP

You: It must be. M

Stranger: You aren’t hurt, are you? AP

You: I'll be alright, Arthur. M

You: I think we've gone underground. M

You: Or, we're going underground at least. M

You: Are there abandoned mines near the town? M

Stranger: Yeah, they are. But they should still be blocked up. At least, I thought they were. AP

You: Any way to scout that area without giving us away? M

You: They don't know I'm able to communicate with anyone yet. M

You: These are rare artifacts we're writing with, Arthur. M

Stranger: Credit me with some subtlety. AP

You: Sigh. If I must. M

Stranger: (Brb, just getting on a train!)

You: ((np take your time!))

Stranger: I used to go hunting, Merlin. I can be quiet. I’ll send out a patrol to scout the area. AP

You: Not you. M

You: Arthur, you can't send yourself to come here... M

You: Whatever they're doing here, it can't be good. You can't put yourself recklessly on the line. M

Stranger: What, like you have? AP

You: That's not fair. M

Stranger: You continually risk your life on my behalf. You’ve given up your magic. I’m not convinced you won’t be happy until you’ve given up your life for me too. AP

You: You may be my best friend, Arthur, but you're also the King. M

You: People need you. M

You: I only do my duty. M

You: This can't be the same both ways. M

Stranger: But what about me needing you?! AP

You: What? M

Stranger: What about me needing you? You honestly think I’d be able to do any of this without you? AP

You: Of course you could.M

Stranger: You might think that I’m invaluable to the kingdom, but you’re invaluable to me. AP

You: Arthur, you're the single more resilient person that this world could have ever coughed up. You're noble and kind and brave and fierce. You have plenty of supporters, many of which are more useful to you than I am now. M

You: I'm kind of a lame horse, y'know? M

You: So I have to make myself useful where I can, or how could I deserve to keep this place at your side? M

Stranger: Keeping you by my side was never about usefulness, you know that. AP

You: Arthur... M

Stranger: You’re just about the most useless servant I’ve ever encountered. But it isn’t about that. It never was. That first time I saved your life, that was about loyalty, about care, about — AP

You: Hold on. I can hear something. M

You: We're quite deep now... M

Stranger: Just accept that you’re important to me, even without your magic. AP

Stranger: You have to remember that I knew you for almost ten years without your magic, and would have done the same for you then. AP

You: I'm going to unpack all that later, because I think I've figured out what this is... M

Stranger: Right. What is it? AP

You: When people are afraid, they release this something into the air around them. M
It's like.. how do I describe this? M
It's like an energy. M
Sort of. M
It's like how a campfire gives off light in a circle all around it. M

You: There's some smoke there too, but for the most part you notice the light. Maybe how the fire burns through the logs and you have to keep feeding it, but when you think of a campfire, you're mostly thinking about the light. M

You: If someone could steal the light out of the very air though? And if there was something they could do to the fire so that it would continue to feed itself? M

You: There are other people down here, Arthur. M
They're terrified. I think these people are pulling that fear out of them, but they're not wasting magic to do it. M

Stranger: You mean, whoever this is feeds on their fear? AP

You: Yes, Arthur. They're harvesting their fear. M

Stranger: I’m sending the Round Table. AP

You: They aren't using magic or hallucinogens to do it, I can't imagine what they're doing instead. M

You: Please. Please be careful. M

Stranger: You said it yourself, you’ve been kidnapped so many times that it’s getting boring. What do I have to fear? AP

You: Well at least there's nothing from them to pull from us, then. M

You: This ribby-thing is becoming less opaque. I'm probably going to need to keep communications subtle if they're taking me out of here now. M
Don't panic. M

Stranger: Me? Panic? Don’t be ridiculous. AP

Stranger: I’ve never panicked in my life. AP

Stranger: Me? Panic? Don’t be ridiculous. AP

Stranger: I’ve never panicked in my life. AP

You: Uh huh. M

Stranger: The time with the Morteus flower doesn’t count. AP

You: [no immediate reply]

Stranger: I don’t know if you’ll get this but we’re making for the mines at dawn. AP

You: [long delay] just nee dyou not to panic M

Stranger: I’ll do my best. AP

You: ((do you have any triggers?))

Stranger: ((Nope, I’m all good! Thanks for asking though.))

You: ((of course! i'm also fine if arthur gets caught and these jerks try using his and merlin's connection to try and get more fear out of them too))

Stranger: ((Honestly sounds fab to me! The more angst the better!))

You: ((MOOD))

You: ((oh and btw i will never disconnect without warning, so if omegle claims otherwise pls assume it was an error and i'm out looking for ya :) ))

Stranger: ((Sure thing! You can hmu on my tumblr at existentialspacecowboy if that ever happens as well!))

You: ((i'll add your tumblr to my tags for now ^^))

You: ((do you want to timeskip to when arthur and the knights get there? do you want to include the failed rescue attempt, or just skip ahead to arthur being caught?))

Stranger: ((I really don’t mind! A timeskip would be good, but I don’t mind to when!))

You: ((okay cool cool!))

You: ((i'm thinking of just skipping to arthur's capture then, if you really don't have a preference either way.))

Stranger: ((Sounds fab to me!))

You: ((them getting all fussy and worried about each other could be some nice fluff which also becomes later angst since it'd reveal that they're a good weak spot for each other))

Stranger: ((Yasssssss))

You: ((what kinda cages should we put them in?))

Stranger has disconnected.

You're now chatting with a random stranger. Say hi!

You both like existentialspacecowboy.

You: ((eyyy!))

Stranger: ((Hey, Sorry, my train went through a tunnel and I lost signal haha!))

You: ((np!))

You: ((i'd asked what kinda cages we should put them in, and if you responded i didn't see it))

Stranger: ((I said maybe back to back? Or at least nearby? But they can only hear each other and not see, which makes it worse when you can’t see what’s happening to someone))

You: ((ooh i like that!))

Stranger: ((All about that heightened fear and angst haha))

You: ((is it better that they're close enough to do nothing but squeeze each other's hands, or better if they're just out of reach?))

Stranger: ((Quick question, the whole Gwen sitch, what do you wanna go with in this RP?))

You: ((i meannnnnn))

You: ((we could always say this is an au where arthur isn't married yet?))

You: ((unless you had a different idea?))

Stranger: ((That’s usually what I go with!))

You: ((sounds good!))

You: ((which then means when arthur mentioned some mystery servant he's into it was about merlin ofc))

Stranger: ((Of course, of course!))

You: ((sweeeet))

You: ((oh! and what about my question? re: (is it better that they're close enough to do nothing but squeeze each other's hands, or better if they're just out of reach? ))

Stranger: ((Damn, I like both. Uhhh))

Stranger: ((Maybe just close enough to hold hands and then they can get pulled apart))

You: ((OOF.))

You: ((tHAT'S some good angst right tf there))

Stranger: ((I like pain haha))

You: ((SAME. would you mind maybe starting us off?))

Stranger: ((Sure! Wanna move to paras?))

You: ((yes please!))

Stranger has disconnected.