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siverwrites · 2 years

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Jowd (Ghost Trick), Alma (Ghost Trick) Additional Tags: Post-Canon Summary: Alma is trying to help Jowd find a gift for Cabanela, but it's proving difficult for reasons she doesn't understand. What should have been a simple shopping trip for a gift turns into yet another piece of the mystery that has been Jowd.

@fyeahghosttrick Ghost Swap treat for @azurefishnets! Shopping for gifts isn’t easy, indeed. The things Alma deals with, right?

Alma wondered if gift shopping had ever been so difficult. Light sparked off the golden pendant, just one of many things in the jewelry store. She stopped to point it out to Jowd. None of the goofy knickknacks they’d looked at previously had satisfied him, so maybe something more expensive?

“How about this? He could alternate it with the silver.”

Jowd stopped and studied it before shaking his head.

“All right,” Alma said slowly and looked about them. Other necklaces glinted and glittered, but those seemed to be off the table. A line of watches caught her eye, but Cabanela wasn’t one for wearing them much. Rings… no. There were some lovely bracelets. She started to point them out then stopped as Jowd shook his head again.

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, there doesn’t seem to be anything here. How about the record store? Even his collection can’t have everything.”

Jowd perked up a bit at that. “Let’s take a look then.”

Alma’s eyes slid over the line of records while Jowd flipped through others. Only one had caught her eye before she remembered Cabanela already owned it. Jowd lifted an album and Alma felt a bubble of hope. Had something clicked this time? That same bubble popped as Jowd lowered it again with a shake of his and a muttered “It’s not right…”

What would be right, she wondered. All they could do was keep going and it looked like it was time to move on to yet other stores.

“How about a new scarf?” Alma asked as they passed by one of the mall’s clothing stores. “Something warmer for the winter maybe?”

Jowd stopped, frowning into the store. He shrugged. “The way he wears them I doubt thickness would make a difference.”

They continued passing by a few more stores that weren’t any good while Alma tried to think of other ideas and wondered what exactly it was Jowd looked for.

“Maybe a collection of things,” Alma said as they made another fruitless circuit waiting for that one shining idea that would satisfy Jowd. “Chocolate, tea, wine, flowers…”

Jowd was already shaking his head. “It’s too temporary.”

“Cabanela is never one to begrudge a tasty treat. Or flowers.”

Alma sighed as they continued, casting about for some other idea. All right, so, sometimes they had a little difficulty shopping for the man, but not like this. For all their wanting to get the right thing, he was happy to simply receive a gift. Jowd, certainly, never made it this difficult.

“Maybe we’re looking at this wrong,” she tried again. “What about an experience? Memories?”

Did Jowd flinch there? Why? Was that one more thing to add to the list of strangeness in her husband since that day in the park?

She plowed on. “Maybe some event? Something out of town? A small vacation.”

“He doesn’t have any time off coming. He’s hardly in a good position to be asking for it even if he wanted to.”

It was Alma’s turn to wince. Cabanela put up a cheerful front, but she knew probation burned and the mistake that caused it even more so. He was determined to prove himself better. Breaks wouldn’t factor into his plans.

"How about we take a break for food?” she finally said. “Maybe we'll find some inspiration."

Jowd agreed and before long they were ensconced in a corner of a nice cafe nearby. Alma stared at her drink as if it might provide answers. What exactly was Jowd looking for here? Why was this so difficult? If she asked him flat out what were the odds of getting a straight answer? Not good, she was sure, but what else was there to do now?

"He would have been happy with plenty of things we've seen today," she said. "What are you hoping to find?"

Jowd's mouth quirked. "I was hoping I'd know it when I saw it."

“But nothing we’ve seen has been it. Why?”

“Call it a feeling.”

“Jowd…”

He shrugged. “I simply owe him for something, and nothing has measured up. That’s all.”

“Well, what happened? Maybe we can get an idea from that.”

“I can’t talk about it.”

“Is it because of work?”

He looked amused. “Yeah, you could say that.”

Work. Something he refused to talk about. Well, they were growing used to that. “I don’t suppose simply saying thank you is an option?”

“He doesn’t know,” Jowd muttered.

Alma bit back a sigh. There it was. “It’s all connected, isn’t it? This is something to do with that day in the park.”

“We all know how that day went down. There’s nothing more to discuss there.”

“Do we? Isn’t there? It doesn’t take a detective to know there’s more to the story and if you’re so determined to keep it all a secret, then dear, I’m sorry to say you’re slipping badly.”

“Some things should stay in the dark.”

“Then leave it there, but you can’t, can you? It has to come out.” She caught his eye. “Is there a better gift than the truth?”

“Than this truth? Yes.”

“For Cabanela?” Alma shook her head. “You know that’s not true.”

“He always likes a mystery.”

“Not when it’s hurting you. Causing him worry is hardly the thank you that you seem to think it is. Now, we can keep walking in circles. Maybe we will even find something, but you won’t be satisfied. You know this won’t be enough.”

“Maybe it has to be.”

“Or you can trust him,” Alma said quietly.

Jowd’s eyes flashed with a fierceness she knew but had missed since that day. “I do.”

She reached for his hand. “Then do so now. Talk to him.”

His shoulders slumped and for a moment Alma feared he was about to withdraw yet again. Then he nodded slowly.

“A watch.”

“What?”

“His gift.”

“But he doesn’t…”

Jowd shook his head. “Not a wristwatch. If…” He sighed. “If we’re going to do this, go all in as he might say.”

“Then you’ll do it?”

“There’s an antique store a couple blocks away. We’ll invite him for dinner,” Jowd said as he stood. His hands clenched. “And then… All of us. We’ll talk.”

#ghost trick #ghost swap #alma #jowd #post-canon #ghost trick fic #azurefishnets

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fortune-maiden · 20 days

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Out of Context WIPs

Rules: Pick a bunch of your WIPs and summarize them as badly as possible, then ask your followers to vote on which one they’d be most likely to read. Multiple/all/none options are completely optional.

tagged by @thebiscuiteternal

tagging @fennel9, @tavina-writes, @myheartismadeofstars, @pbaintthetb, @plotdesigner, @jaimebluesq, @siverwrites, @azurefishnets, @ibijau

I've never done a poll before so, uh, my first poll! :'D

8 seems like a good number

#fortune's fanfics #i hope i can remember what all these wips are later xD #i tried to make this as silly sounding as possible xD

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azurefishnets · 7 months

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AO3 Profile

Fandom: Ghost Trick: Phantom Train, a GT/FFVI Crossover AU Rating: General Audiences Category: Gen Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Cabanela, Original OC (Male), Original OC (Female) Words: 2182

Summary: Set in the FFVI/GT AU: Cabanela, following his own personal cataclysm after the bigger, more famous one some time prior, comes to Mobliz, still in ruins, alone. His plan? Keep moving, of course. Notes:

Fictober Prompts, Day 1 Whumptober: “But now this room is spinning while I’m trying just to fill in all the gaps.” Flufftober: "I've got you." Sicktember: "Hopelessly bad at self-care" Angstober: "Honorbound" Mixing prompts with enthusiastic and reckless abandon as the most indulgent month of the year arrives! With thanks to Siver for her OCs Rhett and Margot from her fic A Better Morning.

Cabanela sat up with a gasp, flinging off the light, dusty, covers that someone must have draped over him. He exhaled a long, unnerved breath at what sight was available of the corners of this darkened bedroom. Outside, through the open window, the quiet night sounds of Mobliz settling in a little more to its peaceful bed of slowly greening grass, cracked and dusty earth, and the rumbling of the estuary at high tide were…familiar, he found, after a moment more of reassuring logic. He had no reason to be unnerved; after all, hadn’t he chosen to come here himself? Mobliz was, for whatever temporary time he allowed it to be, home.

He almost would have preferred a nightmare. At least then he’d have an explanation of what had brought him to full panicked alertness from what must have been the heaviest of— His thought train derailed yet again. When had he fallen asleep? The last he remembered, he had been pacing around the caves under the post office, counting off plans and ticking boxes on his innumerable to-do lists to begin the construction and restoration of this town so far from any other sign of human habitation. Of course, he’d been both tired and hungry; there was so much to do, all the time, that he had long accepted it as his normal. Moving, working, was better than sitting alone at an empty table eating a brief and unadorned salad of sorrow and wilted leaves. Moving was, generally, far better than the empty nights in his narrow, empty bed. Moving never failed him when he needed to think about anything past the here and now.

Continue on AO3

#ghost trick #gt/ffvi au #fictober 2023 #gt fic #cabanela #writing af

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wolfsfandomblog · 9 months

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The Dance of the Ambassador

Written as a tribute to @laughingmango @siverwrites and @azurefishnets Ghost Trick/ Final Fantasy 6 AU, which I binge read the entirety of in about two weeks.

Set some time after Cabanela becomes the ambassador to Figaro, but before Jowd and Alma have gotten to know him.

‘Another day, another meeting,’ Jowd thought with an internal sigh. Across from him and Alma sat the Vector ambassador and another Empire official. This particular assembly was for yet another try from the Empire at getting Figaro to agree to some kind of alliance. Thus far their advisors had found fault with no less than four attempts at contracts, and had sent all of them back to be revised.

The ambassador, Cabanela, sat back in his chair looking nothing but relaxed, as if he were having a simple chat and not part of an increasingly frustrating stalemate. How he kept his composure all the time Jowd would never know.

Alma spoke, “Ambassador? What are your thoughts?”

“Weeeeell,” Cabanela started, “I believe the Empire has successfully addressed any and all concerns you may have had, my Queen. I find no fault with the Empire’s treaty this time, baby.”

With a voice as smooth and convincing as Cabanela’s it was hard not to believe what he was saying, but his eyes betrayed him. Others may have been fooled by the ambassador’s façade but Jowd had enough practice analyzing others to see through it. There was no real emotion behind his words. Just placations fed to him by the Emperor to, in turn, feed to them. ‘Just how many people have joined the Empire because of you,’ Jowd wondered.

Jowd sighed aloud this time, “We’ll need to have our people look over this new contract. If it’s as good as you say, there should be no problem with that, correct?”

Before the dignitary (who Jowd very pointedly did not bother to learn the name of) could speak, Cabanela did as much of a bow as he could while seated, “Of course we have nooooo problem your Majesty. Take all the time you need.” The lanky man gave a smile, warm and soft.

Alma, bless her, called the meeting to an end, sensing her husband’s patience waning. Together they stood up and exchanged real bows with the diplomats before leaving.

As they walked down the hall Alma grabbed Jowd’s hand and rested her head on his shoulder, “I just don’t understand.”

“Understand what, my dear?”

“Why the ambassador doesn’t give us real feedback on the Empire’s stupid contracts that are full of loopholes and flowery language that no layman can decipher!”

Jowd chuckled, “He may be Vector’s ambassador to Figaro but the Empire is where his loyalty lies. Of course he doesn’t point out the flaws, it’s his job to win us over without us asking too many questions.”

“That may be true, but just once I’d like to hear his real thoughts,” She puffed out her cheeks slightly.

The king brought his queen’s hand to his lips for a quick kiss, “I would too. But it’s not likely to ever happen.”

–

If there was anything Jowd hated more than inane meetings, it was grand balls. Too many lights, too much sound, too many people. And worst of all, the expectation to dance. Which was why he had made it very clear to Alma that he would not be dancing and instead would ‘supervise’ from the throne. In solidarity (and possibly the desire to not have to socialize) Alma stayed with him and observed the festivities from afar.

Just their luck, a band of foreign royals ‘touring the world’ had stopped by the desert kingdom and had become enamored at their ‘way of life’. And of course, as a courtesy, the king and queen held a ball to welcome them.

“Couldn’t we have just told them all to go away?” Jowd grumbled quietly.

Alma smiled back, “You know we couldn’t. Besides, do you see who’s actually having fun?”

She looked pointedly out at the room and her husband’s eyes followed. His eyebrows raised as he spotted exactly who she was commenting on. Cabanela in his bright white coat certainly stood out amongst the sea of deep rich colors. The ambassador was clearly in his element, dancing and twirling and drawing all attention to himself. It seemed nobody could resist his magnetic pull. All he had to do was flash a smile and lean into a dramatic bow and anyone in his path was compelled to dance along. Women giggled into their hands and men would sputter embarrassedly but all would join him in his chaotic yet elegant whirlwind. And once the dance ended the person would stand there dazed and confused before returning to their original activity. Cabanela didn’t seem to need any breaks himself but nonetheless stopped every once in a while to eat, drink, and converse with the nearest diplomat.

Jowd was utterly entranced. Even from the other side of the room he could feel himself wanting to get up and invite this strange being to look his way, if even for a moment.

Alma touched his arm, breaking the trance, “You don’t suppose this is his way of making connections for the Empire, do you?”

“I doubt it,” Jowd sounded out of breath, “I think he’s really just like that. Wait, aren’t I meant to be the cynical one?”

“Oh you are, I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. I for one am glad to know somebody enjoys these parties,” The queen said.

The rest of the night was mostly spent either watching the Vectorian ambassador or making silly comments to each other about the visitors, seeing who could get who to laugh the hardest. Eventually to the king and queen’s relief, people started filing out and towards their guest rooms. Once it was just them and their staff they thanked the workers graciously before heading out themselves. The pair had almost made it all the way to their bedroom when Alma groaned.

Jowd peered over to his wife, “What’s wrong?”

“I forgot my earrings in the ballroom. They were starting to hurt my ears so I took them off,” she turned to head back.

“We could let a servant get them, I’m tired,” Jowd pouted.

Alma waved a hand, “No no, I don’t want to inconvenience them too much. You can go to bed but I’m going to grab them.”

For the millionth time that day Jowd sighed, but he followed the queen back towards the room anyway. As they approached the two shared a confused look. There was still music coming from the ballroom. It was much quieter now, as if being played in secret. The closer they got the clearer they could hear not only the music, but also laughter. And under that laughter was a familiar voice.

Finally, they peeked their heads in to watch the scene. Sure enough, the music was on, the lights slightly dimmer, and in the center was Cabanela, dancing with a waitress. Some time after they had left he had apparently shed his overly bright coat and underneath was a light gray dress shirt. He was as smooth as he had been and yet… somehow this dance was even more alluring. It was slower than the tornado from earlier, more intimate. Just as dramatic, but the drama had a certain flair that they hadn’t seen prior. It was elegant, full of enticing movements that hadn’t been present before. And when the waltz was over, Cabanela fell into a deep bow and kissed the back of the girl’s hand. Then he held out his own hand to a different worker. She shook her head, told him she needed to clean, and eventually blushed and accepted the outstretched hand anyway. One by one, Jowd and Alma watched as the Vectorian danced with everyone.

They stood captivated and noted the smile on Cabanela’s face, the most genuine one they had seen from him. Truly and clearly in this setting, late at night with just staff to see him, Cabanela was just Cabanela. Not an ambassador, not an Empire diplomat, just a man who wanted all in his sights to have a good time. This was certainly not the first time the king and queen had found Cabanela to be quite attractive, but it was the first time they saw something more. A certain warmth radiated from the man, as if he held the sun and was sharing the light with others at his leisure.

When there were no more dances to be had, Cabanela started helping gather dishes while their servants rushed to quickly stop him. They had to listen closely but could hear him say something along the lines of ‘it’s the leeeeast I can do after distracting you all for so long’.

Not wanting to get caught listening in like a pair of children, Jowd and Alma snuck back out and to their bedroom, earrings completely forgotten about. Inside the safety of their room, the two fell onto their bed after changing into their sleep clothes.

Alma breathed out, “Did that just happen?”

“I think so, as long as you saw what I did,” Jowd chuckled softly.

“Cabanela was dancing with all our workers, and seemed to be having much more fun than he had earlier? Not to mention how handsome he looked?” The queen asked.

The king answered, “Then it did happen. He seemed… happy. And free. I’d like to see him like that more often.”

“Me too, Jowd. Me too.”

The pair fell asleep in each other’s arms, both dreaming of a certain tall man and his dazzling smile.

–

They were awoken the next morning by a gentle knock at their door. Alma sleepily got up and opened it, Jowd trailing behind at an even slower pace. They were greeted by the sunny countenance of Cabanela, somehow completely put together despite the time.

Straightening his back a little at the sight of the queen and king’s attire Cabanela said, “Ah, my apologies if I woke you, your majesties!”

Alma waved her hand lazily, “It’s no trouble, what brings you here ambassador?”

“It seems that last night you may have misplaced your earrings. I saw them on the throne and decided to return them to you,” Cabanela held out the jewelry.

Taking the accessories Alma looked up in surprise, “Oh! Yes, I did. I meant to grab them but…” she raised an eyebrow, “Well, it’s not every night that you catch the ambassador dancing with all of your staff, is it?”

Somehow straightening his back even further, one could almost assume the statement had startled Cabanela. Effortlessly he bowed and said, “Oh, you saw that? I’m teeeerribly sorry for keeping your staff from their duties!”

“On the contrary,” Jowd cut in, “Not many people treat our workers like, well, people. It was nice to see them having fun.”

Alma added, “Plus, it was nice to see you having fun as well.”

Cabanela’s face turned the slightest shade of red and stood up out of the bow, “I had fun all night not just at the… ‘after party’. Reeeeally, your ball was one of a kind!”

Jowd snorted, “Now I know that’s not true. Parties like that are as common as they come. What my wife meant is that it was a pleasure to see the man behind the ambassador.”

“Exactly!” Alma exclaimed, “You’re always so formal when you speak to us, I’d love to have the real Cabanela show up more often. Especially in meetings where your true opinions would be appreciated.”

Quickly Cabanela said, “Of coooourse my lady! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some business to attend to!”

Cabanela turned around abruptly but the two could swear they saw the tips of his ears turn bright red. He ran off just as fast as his words and they watched until he turned the corner. Closing their door, the Figaro royals went back into their room, Alma dropping the earrings on the bedside table.

Jowd flopped back onto the bed, “Do you think we scared him off? What are the chances we’ll ever see the ‘real’ Cabanela now?”

Alma sat next to her husband, “I don’t believe our chances are as low as you think, dear. It probably helps that we told him he didn’t do anything wrong. But I suppose we’ll have to wait for now.”

–

The queen and king of Figaro sat across from the ambassador and the Empire diplomat again, ready to start negotiating the contract. Cabanela looked relaxed, as if he had completely forgotten their talk. The one noticeable difference however was that he appeared to be bouncing his leg a little. Nervous habit, or excess energy? Jowd would hazard to guess both rang true.

“Ambassador Cabanela,” Alma started, “Before we bring in our advisors the king and I would like to ask you once more, do you have any thoughts on this draft of the alliance papers?”

Cabanela took a breath. Locking eyes with both husband and wife, he seemed to find what he was looking for, and stood up. Striding over to their side of the table where the documents lay, he placed his pointer finger on a specific paragraph.

The other Empyrean representative appeared shocked, eyes wide and questioning.

The room was still and quiet for a second, and then Cabanela spoke, “The waaay this is worded, baby, would give the Empire complete control over your imports and exports.”

Jowd could feel a smile start to form.

Cabanela flipped a few pages and landed on a new section, “And thiiis would allow them to dictate who is and isn’t allowed into the kingdom.”

After finding several other faults in either wording or policy, Cabanela stared at his fellow member of the Empire and stated, “This may as well be taken back for a total rewrite after we jot down what needs to be fixed. A complete revision, nothin’ like it!”

Sputtering and fuming, the official excused himself from the room. The king, who had been holding back laughter, let it burst out and watched Cabanela’s back straighten. Yes, that was definitely what he did when startled. Jowd placed a hand on that back and felt it relax the tiniest bit.

Alma let out a few giggles of her own before taking Cabanela’s hand in hers, and the faint blush on his face was back. She looked up at him, “Amazing! I knew you had more to say than you let on!”

Ambassador- no, just Cabanela- smiled at Jowd and Alma, small and genuine. It practically filled the room with sunlight. Placing his unoccupied hand over his heart he spoke softly, “Well, my job is to help do what’s fairest for both the Empire and Figaro, yeeees? Wouldn’t be very fair if the Empire’s getting the better end of the deal, right?”

When the emissary came back, the four began to write out every issue that popped up in the treaty. Hours later they finally took a break to eat. The entire way to the dining room, Cabanela, Alma, and Jowd walked side by side engaged in conversation. To the king and queen it just felt right to have him there. As if it was where he had always been, and always should be.

#FFVI AU #Ghost Trick #Cabanela #Jowd #Alma

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theadventurerslog · 3 months

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The Curse of Monkey Island | Part 7

In which I work on getting the engagment band part of the ring. My first goal was getting into the Goodsoup Family crypt so I had to find a way to die! But before I killed Guybrush there was one little aside to make. There's an ad for grog near the hallway that goes upstairs.

Thank you to @azurefishnets for putting this sign together!

The grog ad gets more added every time you exit the room and come back in for a total of six versions. By the end, if you examine it, Guybrush will comment that he's been trying to figure out what's odd about it and that it's the way her eyes seem to follow him. Yeah, buddy, that's the weird thing here.

Fun details!

Now for that whole dying thing. I had the Head-B-Clear and the note from the recipe book that combining with alcohol will cause many extremes of drowsiness. Of course the Head-B-Clear had to be opened. "Darn child-proof caps. I can't open it."

Thankfully, I had that chisel now and chisels solve everything like getting child-proof caps off. I ordered another drink and put some of the hangover cure in.

Guybrush chimes in with the requisite warning, "It just occurred to me that mixing medicine and alcohol is a really stupid and possibly lethal thing to do." It's a good thing he's a "loveably inept cartoon character with the potential for a few more sequels..." (three sequels so far!)

But he's fine...

Nothing wrong here.

The scene clears up and we get the gravedigger chatting and tell a joke with Griswold while Guybrush lies there.

"I wanted to be a pallbearer, but I couldn't stop coffin!' hahaha.

He points out Guybrush and Griswold just says he's been like that for around an hour now. "Passed out cold." while the gravedigger is pretty sure he's dead.

"Funny, I didn't think you could die in LucasArts adventure games."

And then you end up in a crypt.

The End. Certainly a different direction they chose for the game.

And I scored 0 out of 800 points. Here I thought I knew this game so well, shame.

It occurs to me now that I've played King's Quest, that while I always thought it was just a general reference to games with points, that it's probably actually a direct reference to Sierra games.

Guybrush is not dead, however, and the rolling credits skitter back away after he protests. However, he was stuck in a coffin down in the corner. Handy chisel time again.

Out Guybrush popped alive and well, but there was a strange knocking sound... and he goes into a tangent about how it much come the dead, that dead that surround him, and they must know his horrible secret, before remembering he doesn't have a horrible secret.

Then it was back to business as usual.

I could scoop the nails from the coffin he was in. There was a skeleton arm but he already has a nice one; Murray does have a nice arm, a nice pasty arm. There was a giant spider web that upon examining makes him wonder where the spider that wove it went...

But most importantly was the knocking. It was coming from the central coffin so it was time for the chisel yet again. To reveal...

None other than...

Stan S. Stanman!

Now this may or may not mean anything, but Stan is a recurring character throughout the series, introduced in the first game. It certainly didn't mean anything to me the first time. He was locked in a coffin due to, er, circumstances that were totally not Guybrush's doing--they 100% were but puzzles gotta puzzle right?--in the second game. He is the one thing I regret in playing Curse before any of the others because actually having this in order would have been fun. As was I don't particularly remember thinking much about it--just one more silly thing in this silly game, but learning the background in MI2 was great.

Anyway, he was not mad about the whole locking him in a coffin thing because it comfy, lots of leg room and all that, and it gave him to think, to think about the things that really matter. Basically, as is the Stan way, his whole spiel is a sale pitch for his new endeavour: selling life insurance! The previous funeral service stuff didn't exactly work out, nor the used ship selling before that.

He gave me his business card--don't worry about the technicalities of getting those printed--and shooed me out so he could get set up. The door was locked but this was "one of Stan's Kozy Krypts, all equipped with a patented Secure-Lok Release Mechanism." I just had to jiggle the handle on the door and I was good to go.

Now, I wasn't ready to leave entirely because there was that spider business. This is another easter egg. If you enter repeatedly--I don't know how many times--you get a little scene of a woman trapped in the webs and a giant spider coming down and dragging her off.

This is a reference to The Dig, another of their games, but not one I've played. Not yet anyway, but clearly I have some grim things waiting for me if I do? I think the number of times you enter might be a bit random, but don't quote me on that.

Anyway, it was good to see Stan, but that whole 'dying' thing didn't get me into the Goodsoup Family Crypt, now did it? So it was back to the Hotel to complain/boast about coming back from the dead.

No one was interested in the dead but alive again thing... No one was interested in what happens after death... boring lot.

And as for not being put in the crypt, that was of course due to not being a member of the family, so upon learning that, the dialogue option to ask Griswold if he recognizes you and try to pretend you are a Goodsoup opens up. There are some choices for a name:

Hearty Beef N. Potato Vegetable Split Pea with Ham Won-Ton

I went with Hearty Beef N. Potato this time. That's not enough to convince Griswold though. Guybrush doesn't look like a Goodsoup--more like a Brothschild; they were always weak-featured. He wanders the hall of portraits every day and none of them remind him of Guybrush. Guybrush also doesn't know enough about the family history.

This is another spot where Mega Monkey difficulty differs. In the easier mode you only have to prove knowledge of the family history.

Thankfully both tasks can be handled right now in the hotel. So the hall of portraits is upstairs. There was the portrait of C. Lambert Goodsoup which looks a lot like Griswold when you examine it.

My first step was to go inside the room and use the mallet on the big nail. The portrait fell off in the hall, so it was back out to look at it and take the picture from the frame. Then Guybrush removed the incriminating evidence with his wand.

Then he turned to the camera all deadpan, saying, "What?".

It did leave the nail behind which I grabbed.

So I had the portrait and a porthole on the door. I remember being excited for this new puzzle when I first played this mode and being proud I figured it out. Anyway, portrait, porthole window. Cut the portrait with the scissors to remove the face. Then place the outline over the door, enter the room and look through the porthole for your own DIY cutout.

Totally realistic. Stunningly Goodsoupian. Griswold came up, rambled a bit about the good wealthy stock of his family before staring at "C. Lambert" here. He didn't remember him looking quite so... common.

But, mission accomplished on that front. When you talk to him again, he does realize that Guybrush bears a slight resemblance to his great-grandfather C. Lambert Goodsoup, or "old Clammy" according to Guybrush.

There was just the history part left. But before I did that I wanted to 'die' again because you get different comments.

Griswold thinks you're just faking it. The gravedigger thinks it's for real this time. Griswold comments that "He's an awfully fragile little guy, isn't he?"

And you get dumped into the crypt again, but this time Stan was all set up.

He was ready to start selling life insurance which would provide a whole lot of money to the bearer of the policy, and I was ready to get some what with all this dying. You need to provide some collateral and you can try a bunch of different inventory items to get a few different denials. However, the gold tooth does work. So I got my insurance policy and hey, Guybrush 'died', so give me that whole lot of money.

Unfortunately, proof is needed of this miracle of dying and getting better.

It was time to go back to the hotel to finish proving Guybrush as a member of the Goodsoup family.

Stan decorated the exterior too. Really got his business going here: Mutual of Stan.

There was still the locked room upstairs but now equipped with Stan's business card I could employ the old pick-the-lock with a card trick.

Inside is a small room and a murphy bed against the wall. I pulled down the bed but it needed to be held down or it would spring back up.

You need all the nails from the coffin and the nail that had been holding the portrait up to hold the bed down. And then a skeleton was revealed, so that explains all that crashing and the guest that never left that Griswold spoke of...

You know, I believe this was my first introduction to murphy beds and this whole bit has since given me a bit of a very silly distrust of them ever since. When we were looking at houses when we last had to move, there was a room with one and I had immediate distaste for it.

The mains points of interest, aside from Mr. Skeleton here ("Wow. I bet his room charges are pretty hefty by now" - Guybrush), were the boarded-up hole the bed was crashing into and the book the skeleton was reading. Can't do much about the window (yet), but the book is all about the Goodsoup family history--exactly what I needed. Oh yeah, there's another porcelain vase if you want to torture Guybrush some more too.

With the book I was able to talk to Griswold and answer his questions about the Goodsoup family history, including correcting Griswold on such facts as when the VanSalads were really driven out of the Caribbean.

And that's that; Guybrush, er, sorry Hearty Beef N. Potato was clearly a long-lost member of the Goodsoup Family and would earn all the benefits such as instant prestige and discounts in the Goodsoup Hotel franchise among other things, and of course, will have the honour of being interred in the Goodsoup Family Crypt in the event of his death.

So, before it was time to 'die' again, I broke my attempt at sticking to one task at a time, and while I was here went for the mirror. I didn't need the mirror yet, but I would.

You can just grab the mirror but when you try to leave Griswold catches you--another difference in Mega Monkey from normal where normal just lets you leave, much like the gold tooth but this is a bit less involved. Griswold glances at the space where the mirror was first, so that's a hint.

I still had Clambert's face cut out from the portrait earlier, so with some paste I was able to put that in the mirror's place and problem solved and Griswold just saw himself. Griswold thinks he's getting old... and maybe doesn't look in the mirror enough, or is still a bit hungover.

With that it was time to drink again.

Griswold: "Oh, dear! He's had a sudden and completely unexpected relapse of death!"

Poor "young Hearty Beef N. Potato..."

And Guybrush is dead and entombed once again, but in a new tomb this time... How will he get out of this one?

#monkey island #the curse of monkey island #CMI #CMI_Log #adventure games #LucasArts

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laughingmango · 10 months

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Treat for dearest @azurefishnets, as part of @fyeahghosttrick's Ghost Swap! Jowd & the Prof, new timeline...

#ghost trick #ghost swap #azurefishnets #jowd #pigeon man #lovey dove #~my art~#Jowd I think even the pigeon noticed that something's off there

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temsikghosts · 2 years

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I'm only a man with a candle to guide me I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me A monster, a monster I've turned into a monster A monster, a monster And it keeps getting stronger

“Monster” by Imagine Dragons

Hello Ghost Trick Fandom! I missed ya!

Back with a fresh redraw of an old fanart I made of Yomiel staring at himself in the bathroom mirror after a shower (this is why his hair is down) and wondering if he’s still human as he sees his own ghostly glowing eyes and his chest glowing with Temsik radiation.

I was originally gonna write a drabble for it, but I’m too lazy for it, but maybe someday I’ll end up writing it.

@laughingmango @fyeahghosttrick @katecattus @playghosttrick @tisorridalamor @chaoticnebu @siverwrites @azurefishnets (tagging you guys so you can see too!)

REBLOGS >>>>>>> LIKES, PLEASE SHARE AND HELP A FELLOW ARTIST, THANK YOU!!!

#yomiel #ghost trick #ghost trick phantom detective #fyeahghosttrick #ghost trick spoilers #gt spoilers

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fyeahghosttrick · 10 months

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Ghost Swap 10: closing ceremonies, happy rerelease day, and what comes next

Ghost Trick is out! On Steam, Switch, everywhere! Ghost!!! Tricks!!! Please play Ghost Trick. Let’s party! These are the SIXTY-SEVEN works that were created for the Ghost Swap exchange / the anniversary celebrations last week, in our biggest edition by a landslide. What a triumph:

@ace-cyclic for @catgirl-frostmoon: So You Had a Bad Day (fic, Sith, Sith’s robot, Yonoa crew)

@arbuthnotblob for @gippley-png: Chapter 15 Cabanela angst (art, Cabanela)

@azurefishnets for @dieanywhereelseart: Without Form and Void (fic, Jowd, Missile, Sissel)

@azurefishnets for @arbuthnotblob: FFVI crossover, Personal Demons (fic, Cabanela, Sissel)

@azurefishnets for @laughingmango: Maelstrom (fic, Alma, Jowd, Cabanela, Sissel)

@azurefishnets for @siverwrites: Testing the Waters (fic, Jowd, Cabanela, Alma, Kamila)

@azurefishnets, @laughingmango and @siverwrites: Celestial Miracle: Angelic Investigator (illustrated fic, Kamila, Amelie, Emma, Cabanela, Jowd, Lynne, Yomiel)

@bunnybead123 for @pichumaster: Time in a Bottle (fic, Yomiel, Sissel, Sissel - Yomiel’s wife, Lynne, Jowd, Cabanela)

@catgirl-frostmoon for @katecattus: Memories Come in on Little Cat Feet (fic, Sissel & Yomiel)

@clay-cuttlefish for @ace-cyclic: Lynnvestigation (interactive fic, Lynne, Sissel)

@crushcircuit with @mrkanman for @marenwithanm: Jowd holding Sissel (art, Jowd, Sissel)

@dapskie for @yunaffie: Sissel and Missile being cute together (art, Sissel, Missile)

@darknessconsumesmeslowly for @clay-cuttlefish: The Darkness Within (fic, Yomiel)

@dinner-rol for @starsofcarnephel: Bailey and partner living together (art, Bailey, Bailey’s partner)

@dreamdancerdotfile for @moodlemcdoodle: Ghost Trick/Ace Attorney/Professor Layton crossover (art, Sissel, Professor Layton, Phoenix Wright)

@epiceisaloser for @rookiebotwx78: Sissel trying to be impulse control for Lynne (art, Sissel, Lynne)

@gavinnersroadie for @space-biscuit: AA crossover Lynne and Ema snacking (art, Lynne, Ema)

@gippley-png for @serrangelic-art: Multiple prompts, mob psycho crossover (art, Yomiel, Jowd, Cabanela, Alma, Sissel)

@graegrape for @siverwrites: Odd gift giving Ot3 fluff (art, Alma, Jowd, Cabanela)

@guccisystem for @dinner-rol: Kamila and Amelie pro-gaming (art, Kamila, Amelie, Missile, Sissel)

@gxos for @guccisystem: Yomiel and Sissel caught in the rain (art, Yomiel, Sissel)

@katecattus for @darknessconsumesmeslowly: Question (fic, Yomiel, Sissel, Sissel - Yomiel’s wife, Lynne, Cabanela, Jowd)

@katecattus for @epiceisaloser: Sissel as tarot cards (art, Sissel)

@katecattus for @methemystery: Hair down Yomiel (art, Yomiel)

@katecattus for @okiroash: Touch (fic, Yomiel, Sissel, Sissel - Yomiel’s wife)

@katecattus for @phantriicks: Flower Yomiel (art, Yomiel)

@kiaroou for @octopeachy: A day at the garden (art, Amelie, Kamila, Memry)

@laughingmango for @playghosttrick: Disco Elysium crossover, majestic cockatoos (art, Cabanela, Harry du Bois)

@laughingmango for @arbuthnotblob: FFVI Crossover, Princess Kamila & Feral Pomeranian (art, Kamila, Missile)

@laughingmango for @azurefishnets: New timeline Jowd and Pigeon Man (art, Jowd, Pigeon Man)

@laughingmango for @dapskie: Cabanela & Jowd role swap (art, Jowd, Cabanela)

@laughingmango for @raygirlramblings: A most ignominious dog theft (art, Lynne, Memry, Missile)

@laughingmango for @siverwrites: Undercover Jowd (art, Cabanela, Jowd)

@laughingmango for @yunaffie: Some hurt/comfort (art, Jowd, Cabanela)

@laughingmango for domestic Alma/Jowd/Cabanela lovers: What it says on the tin (art, Alma, Jowd, Cabanela)

@laughingmango for @clay-cuttlefish: Another ghost that night (art, Untitled Goose Game crossover)

@marenwithanm for @soup-for-ghosts: Bittersweet, long-awaited reunion (art, Yomiel, Sissel)

@moodlemcdoodle for @ravensa: Cute pet outfits (art, Sissel, Missile)

@nebulacloudz for @azurefishnets: OT3 arcade winnings (art, Alma, Jowd, Cabanela)

@phantriicks for @dreamdancerdotfile: The most fashionable duo (art, Cabanela, Missile)

@playghosttrick for @arbuthnotblob: Game Night with a Ghost! (fic, Yomiel, Jowd, Alma, Cabanela, Lynne, Kamila, Sissel)

@pichumaster for @gxos: Yomiel as hanged Tarot card (art, Yomiel)

@puzzling-angel for @epiceisaloser: Yomiel and Kamila being witches/wizards with familiars (Yomiel, Kamila, Sissel, Missile)

@octopeachy for @yami-yomiel: Happy anniversary (art, Yomiel)

@okiroash for @wyrmswears: Sissel makes a not-so-convincing human (art, Sissel, Lynne)

@okiroash for @serrangelic-art: Human-sona Sissel and comic (art, Sissel, Jowd, Cabanela)

@ravensa for @emeraldfox11: Ghost Trick Disco Elysium crossover (art, Cabanela, Harry du Bois)

@raygirlramblings for @dapskie: Peace, Love, and Pigeons! (art, Rock Jailbird, Lovey-Dove, pigeons)

@raygirlramblings for @okiroash: Rube Goldberg gift giving machine (art, Kamila, Yomiel, Sissel)

@serrangelic-art for @phantriicks: Sissel comforting Yomiel (art, Sissel, Yomiel)

@shibasquish for @tankens: bothering Jowd after hours (art, Cabanela, Jowd)

@siverwrites for @graegrape: Splintering (fic, Lynne, Cabanela, Kamila)

@siverwrites for @catgirl-frostmoon: Breath of Fresh Air (fic, Lynne, Kamila, Missile)

@siverwrites for @emeraldfox11: The Reticence of Mangoes and Cheesecake: The Guide to Not Getting Answers (fic, Cabanela)

@siverwrites for @yunaffie: An evening’s celebration (fic, Alma, Jowd, Kamila, Cabanela, Lynne, Missile, Sissel)

@s00r00me for Ghost Trick anniversary: Ghostly Yomiel (art, Yomiel)

@soup-for-ghosts for @gavinnersroadie: FianSissel destroying Yomiel at card games (art, FianSissel, Yomiel)

@space-biscuit for @kiaroou: AA crossover, Maya makes a friend (art, Maya, Sissel)

@starsofcarnephel for @alto-tenure: Sissel comforting Yomiel (art, Sissel, Yomiel)

@tankens for @shibasquish: Jowd relaxing with Cabanela (art, Cabanela, Jowd)

@theriveroflight for @darknessconsumesmeslowly: The Case of the Missing Allen Wrench (fic, Sissel, Missile, Kamila, Jowd, Alma, Lynne, Cabanela)

@theriveroflight for @laughingmango: hoping for a last-minute miracle (fic, Cabanela, Jowd, Lynne, Sissel, Pigeon Man, Amelie, Kamila, Yomiel)

@theriveroflight for @okiroash:A Chance Encounter (fic, Jowd, Cabanela, Yomiel, Sissel)

@wyrmswears for @raygirlramblings: Sissel, Missile and Lovey-Dove cuteness (art, Sissel, Missile, Lovey-Dove)

@yami-yomiel for @bunnybead123: Sissel being a good kitty doing something silly (art, Sissel, Yomiel)

@yunaffie for @puzzling-angel: The Good Old Days (fic, Sissel, Yomiel)

@yunaffie for @okiroash: To Feel You At Last (fic, Sissel, Yomiel, Jowd)

A big big thank you to all participants! It’s thrilling and moving to see so much love and energy poured into this edition. As planned, this has been the last edition of Ghost Swap as an exchange. 9 years and 10 editions (pulling double duty to shift to June on the 10th anniversary)! It’s been an honor, folks. Truly. From now on, the event will run as a simpler fan fest: participants will send in their prompts and freely pick at least one that they like. Guaranteed to work on a prompt you love, not guaranteed to get a gift, but if more than just your gift in the list here felt like a present for you in the overall festive spirit, that’ll for sure still apply. But more on that next year! For now: ghost’d. tricks. you know how it goes. Nothing like it, baby!

#ghost trick #ghost swap #mod post #sorry for the belated closing ceremonies and missing all the fun it's been two weeks from hell irl #following a year from hell #hope to be back on here on a more stable basis in the super near future!#also thanks to siverwrites and azurefishnets for helping out with the list

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monk-of-figaro · 19 days

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Indirect Storytelling

@tayasigerson's recent (and amazing!) art of Sabin and Gau with Tiger Masks got me thinking about ways in which games can offer means of indirect storytelling that standard literature cannot.

I'm no expert on linguistics or the English language, so maybe "indirect storytelling" isn't the proper term. Or maybe I'm wrong about my assertion in the first place. But to me, the fact that only Sabin and Gau can equip the Tiger Mask feels like there's a character trait that is implied but never stated.

Why is it that only Sabin and Gau can equip the Tiger Mask? What is the commonality between the two that nobody else shares? What does this imply about their characters?

I have my own theories, of course - thoughts about how they both embody the idea of "wildness", both literally and figuratively; or maybe how they each have a connection to "nature" that is stronger than other party members; or maybe even their connection to each other has something to do with it - but the fact that something as simple as who can equip an item can be used to hint at character or plot elements is pretty wild, isn't it?

The Tiger Mask isn't even the only example of this in FF6. Probably the most famous example is the Memento Ring, which can only be equipped by Shadow and Relm, and to my immediate recollection is the only direct connection they share in-game. Everything else about their relationship is implied through Shadow's flashbacks (which only connect them by showing he was in Thamasa with a dog at some point in the past) and through Interceptor's uncharacteristic affection for Relm.

Because Shadow and Relm are not shown to have any real relation or connection, and in fact speak probably less than a dozen words to each other the entire game, the fact that this seemingly-random pair are the only ones who can equip the Memento Ring is really special (and easily missable). If everyone could equip the Memento Ring, it would lose its specialness, and we'd lose a key aspect of the Shadow/Relm backstory.

The Memento Ring also adds additional context by its description:

Ring blessed by departed mother's love. Prevents petrification, zombie, and instant death.

Most Relics in FF6 don't have as much lore behind them as something imbued with a "departed mother's love", so the fact that only Shadow and Relm can equip this strongly implies they each have a connection to this "departed mother". There are even fanfics (like this amazing one from @azurefishnets - A Nameless Memento) that use the Memento Ring directly as a plot element for the Shadow/Relm/Strago dynamic.

A third implication can be drawn from the fact that the Memento Ring prevents all instant-death techniques. Why is that? How and why does a departed mother's love protect against instant-death? What does that imply about the mother's own death?

In addition to the Memento Ring and the Tiger Mask, there are other items that can only be equipped by specific people. Here are a few choice examples:

Royal Crown (Edgar, Sabin)

Red Jacket (Edgar, Sabin)

Snow Scarf (Gau, Mog, Umaro)

All the "Suit" costumes, like the Moogle Suit (Strago, Relm)

Some of those make some sense - like the Royal Crown - but others are kind of open to interpretation. Maybe it makes sense that Mog and Umaro can equip the Snow Scarf, but why can Gau, and why can't anyone else?

What about the Red Jacket? Does that have some connection to royalty, or is there something else being hinted at? After all, red is not one of the Figaroan colors; it's the opposite of blue, which actually is one of the Figaroan colors. And why does it negate fire damage? Is there some connection with the desert heat?

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post. It just struck me how cool it is that gaming - and particularly FF6 - has this unique method of conveying story that is not possible with any other medium, and that's pretty cool! FF6 is also the only game that I can recall that uses equipment to convey (or imply) untold elements of the story like this.

As if I needed yet another reason to obsessively love the game so much.

#ff6 #thoughts from my brain

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