Lauren: Ok. *Stops playing Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga.* I'm ready.
Anthony: I'm ready, Freddy
Kayru: *Stops playing with kiss dolls and fishes out questions.* Me too!
Anthony: Heh, fish
Lauren: *Eats the fish.*
Kayru: Mad, the lot of you.
Lauren: *Nods.* We sure are
Anthony: Yup
Kayru: *Giggles* Righteo then. *Ahem.* Lessee.. This one's to you both, of course. When did all this shenanigans start then?
Lauren: Ooh, I remember that. Do you remember, Anthony? *Grins.*
Anthony: Well, yes. The year was 1925 and the French Revolution was just coming to an end...
Lauren: *Laughs.*
Kayru: You lie, the French Revolution happened in the 1700's..!
Anthony: In other words, I don't remember.
Lauren: Ok, I'll start the ball rolling and it'll probably jog your memory. Both of us have been making characters since our strange little minds developed imaginations.
Kayru: Heheh, that's quite a while.
Lauren: I'd been RPing since before I knew what it was. Anthony, I'm not so sure about.
Anthony: No, DSK was the first RP I ever did.
Kayru: Pretty good for a newbie, I think
Lauren: Right, so we'll skip ahead past The Phoenix Crew years with me and tom. They're not important. *Turns pages in her autobiography.*
Lauren: The year was 2003... Anthony made a sort of alter-ego type person called Dark Anthony, remember that? Me and Adam were staying over at your house one night and you were telling us about him.
Anthony: How embarrassing. I could have at least came up with a more imaginative name...
Kayru: Everyone needs an evil alter ego.
Lauren: That's true. And in time, you did come up with a more imaginative name. I remember you telling me you'd renamed Dark Anthony 'Thorn Thorizas.' You wrote it on a little piece of paper and gave it to me so I could learn the spelling.
Anthony: And said it about a thousand times so you wouldn't pronounce the 's'.
Lauren: *Laughs.* I think you even wrote it on said piece of paper. 'That's a silent 's' and don't you forget it!'
Kayru: *Laughs.* That's the sorta thing he'd do!
Anthony: It's true.
Kayru: *Giggles.*
Lauren: Moving on in our tale of reminiscing... Not to be upstaged by Anthony, I came up with my own alter ego… Laurenza Rendemal, the Dark Queen of Bishounen! *Lightning strikes.*
Anthony: Heh, I remember. *Lightning strikes.*
Kayru: Just to go off on a tangent, how did you get her surname?
Lauren: This'll be in the name origins section later, but I suppose I can tell you now. It's one of my famous French misspellings™ from three French words: règne de mal, meaning 'reign of evil.' Dark Queen... reign of evil... Yeah...
Kayru: Whoa, that's actually pretty sweet. Here I was thinking you'd just made it up, when it's actually awesome.
Lauren: Thanks, I know
Kayru: Anyway, I interrupted.
Lauren: You did, but that's ok. *Throws a brick at Anthony to make sure he's still awake.*
Anthony: Waah! I'm awake!
Kayru: So I guess after Thorn and Laurenza's birth/spawning/creation/whatever, it was only natural to do something with them?
Lauren: Yeah, so I badgered Anthony for a long time to download Yahoo Messenger.
Anthony: Yes, I remember the badgering.
Kayru: Like a month or more?
Lauren: I can't remember.
Anthony: Less than a month.
Lauren: Weeks... Days... I don't know.
Anthony: Not important.
Kayru: Well, the main thing is that it worked.
Lauren: Yes, what is important is THE FIRST RP! *Dramatic chords.*
Kayru: Was it any good?
Anthony: No.
Lauren: Not at all. It wasn't serious in the slightest.
Kayru: Straight the point. *Laughs.*
Lauren: It had Tinny, one of Anthony's characters who you've read about I think... Yes, and a lot of video game villains in the Dalin bar planning to destroy the world with plums. Don't ask, it's a long running inside joke.
Kayru: *Sniggers.* Wow, plums. I think I know Tinny… Probably.
Lauren: Lenny's wife, she's the tiger. But that's beside the point.
Kayru: Oh yea, I remember!
Anthony: I only recently found out that 'Tinny' is slang for 'A can of beer'.
Kayru: *Laughs.*
Lauren: Wow. *Laughs.*. Don't tell Kuja.
Anthony: Okay.
Kayru: And I guess DSK sort of… spawned from that, then?
Lauren: I'm getting to it…
Kayru: I'm sorry.
Lauren: After the interlude with the villains, the RP turned a little more serious and featured Thorn and Laurenza. It resembled very closely Chapter 1 and parts of Chapter 2 of the actual RP. After that, we started writing it for real.
Kayru: Was it difficult to get started? Was it a joint decision to make it something more than just a random RP?
Lauren: I don't know. Did we sit down and say 'Ok! Let's make this serious?'
Anthony: It sort of blended from silliness to seriousness.
Kayru: Some of the silliness remains, and I thank you for it.
Lauren: Oh yeah, it can't be all serious. we gotta have the odd laugh sometimes.
Kayru: Of course *nods*
Anthony: Yup.
Kayru: When you started, did you have any sort of goal in mind?
Anthony: Not in those days.
Lauren: Don't think so. It was just pure entertainment for us, eh?
Anthony: Yeah.
Kayru: It's still fun for you to do though, right?
Lauren: Oh yeah, of course
Kayru: That's good. Would you stop if it lost its appeal?
Anthony: I wouldn't want to.
Lauren: Hmmm... probably. But I cant see it losing its appeal for me anytime soon.
Kayru: That's great to hear! What do you see the ending of DSK as being like? Personally, I hope for a satisfying, happy ending where all the loose ends are tied up, and you know that no more could have been done or said (disregarding fan fiction) but it's still the kind of ending that you can cry at. Well, I think I'd cry at any ending, but hey.
Lauren: Personally, I don't see an ending at all. *Laughs.*
Kayru: Heheh, I guess you don't want to think about that yet.
Anthony: Yeah, I mean, who wants one of those hooky endings where everyone dies?
Lauren: ...You...
Kayru: In a big fiery explosion?
Lauren: Or a giant meteor summoned by a crazy warrior who wants to become a god destroys the planet
Anthony: Possibly.
Kayru: I wouldn't mind if it did end like that, so long as Thorn and Kuja die happy and together.
Anthony: Fangirls...
Kayru: Hush. They're such a sweet couple.
Lauren: Yes, yes they are. But seriously, if it did end, I'm thinking we'd do something totally unexpected.
Anthony: Yeah, something that's never been done.
Kayru: Wow. That's quite a challenge.
Lauren: *Nods.* I'm sure we could do it.
Kayru: Me too.
Anthony: Me as well.
Kayru: You, Anthony!
Anthony: Yes?
Kayru: Why do you maintain Thorn is stupid? He isn't.
Anthony: I only maintain that Thorn is stupid outside of DSK.
Kayru: Hmm, that's true.
Lauren: And that's only because of the wardrobe thing, I tell you...
Kayru: Wardrobe thing?
Lauren: Adrienne said once something like 'I bought a whole new summer wardrobe' and Thorn replied 'want me to put that together for you' thinking it was an actual wardrobe.
Kayru: *Laughs.* I think I remember that.
Anthony: Well, Thorn isn't very new worldly knowledgeable.
Lauren: Heheh, poor Thorn.
Kayru: Oh yea, that's what I meant to ask. *Looks at list of questions.* What do you hope for DSK's future? I know you want an anime of it, and I'd like that too, but anything else?
Lauren: Oooooh.
Anthony: Personally, I'd like some Manga. Back to back, black and white goodness.
Kayru: That'd be cool too, but a lot of work.
Lauren: I want to make an RPG. I know Anthony's got an RPGMaker one on the go, but a proper console RPG. I've made notes for one, I'm that sad.
Anthony: The notes are a good read, though.
Kayru: Nah, notes are cool.
Lauren: *Nods.* Especially these. I might bang them on the website sometime.
Kayru: Heheh. I'd personally like dolls.
Lauren: I was going to say something along those lines.
Kayru: Not like action figures, but doll-dolls with brushable hair and clothes you can change.
Lauren: Err, maybe not.
Kayru: Sorry.
Lauren: Action figures for me.
Anthony: Lauren'd like a Kuja you can take the clothes off of.
Kayru: *Sniggers.*
Lauren: And you, Anthony, would like a Thorn so you could do the same!
Kayru: And you could get them both... *Trails off.*
Anthony: ...
Kayru: *Sweat drops.*
Lauren: Ok, so action figures and plushies, I think.
Kayru: And finger puppets. *Shuts up about finger puppets.*
Lauren: Good girl.
Kayru: So no live action movies then?
Lauren: Maybe a feature length animated movie, but I've never much liked the idea of live action.
Anthony: Me neither.
Lauren: They don't make 'em like that in real life.
Kayru: And if they did do it, you just know it'd turn out awful.
Kayru: Some things don't suit having real people play them.
Lauren: *Nods.*
Anthony: Yup.
Lauren: Keanu Reeves as Thorn! *Shudders.*
Anthony: I second that shudder.
Kayru: *Laughs.* The image of that is too funny.
Lauren: Disturbing more like.
Kayru: That too. Just so long as they don't get the ugly woman who played Trinity to play Laurenza too.
Lauren: Ugh, she was ug-leee.
Kayru: *Nods.* And Laurenza's quite pretty.
Anthony: I don't think Carrie-Ann Moss was ugly.
Kayru: I did. She looked more like a man than Keanu did.
Lauren: *Laughs.*
Anthony: *Laughs.*
Kayru: But at least she could act.
Anthony: Anyway, enough Matrix.
Kayru: Definitely. If the net didn't exist, do you think DSK wouldn't either?
Lauren: Yes. I don't think it would work 'live action' RP.
Anthony: God bless Yahoo.
Kayru: I see.
Lauren: We'd need a scribe to sit watching us and note down all our lines.
Kayru: God bless the net too.
Lauren: Praise be to Yevon! Er... I mean… *Shuts up.*
Kayru: It wouldn't be a witty live action. You're even more on the spot, so you wouldn't be able to think of such witty stuffs.
Anthony: No.
Lauren: *Is glad of the thinking time net RPs give you.*
Kayru: *Imagines what Kuja would be like without his wit, sarcasm and cynicism. Shudders.*
Lauren: Not Kuja... he'd be like... Nigel
Kayru: Nigel?
Lauren: He's my incredibly boring character I use as reference sometimes for incredibly boring people.
Kayru: Oooh, I see.
Lauren: 'Oooh my name's Nigel and I can't do anything because it's far too exciting.'
Kayru: *Laughs.* Lauren!
Lauren: Where? *Looks around.*
Kayru: There! *Point.*
Lauren: *Notices herself.* Oh yes.
Kayru: How do you come up with your character's costumes?
Lauren: Well, I love over the top designs. I think of a framework, like robes or a dress or whatever, and then basically just let my pencil go. I get some inspiration from outside sources, like Kuja's kimono outfit design was from a real kimono and the-I-have-too-many-belts thing on some of my characters is very final fantasy.
Kayru: You can never have a too over the top costume
Lauren: That's my motto.
Kayru: Unless its so over the top that you can't walk or breathe.
Anthony: Heh, so that's why none of your characters have goldfish bowls on their heads.
Kayru: You silly
Lauren: Heheh, you just wait…
Kayru: Oh jeez.
Lauren: Only kidding.
Anthony: Good.
Kayru: Good.
Kayru: What's your opinion on Cosplayers?
Lauren: If you're disgustingly fat, don't.
Kayru: *Sniggers.*
Lauren: *Laughs.* I don't have a problem with Cosplayers really. I secretly want to Cosplay one day myself.
Kayru: Me too. *Buys hair dye and everything.*
Lauren: Heheh.
Kayru: My stance on Cosplay is that if you can't get the hair, then all is lost.
Lauren: Fair enough.
Kayru: Which of the others' characters do you like best? Why?
Anthony: Well, probably Laurenza. I felt really sorry for her after what happened between her and Kuja, and to me, she's always been cool.
Kayru: Naww, I liked her too.
Lauren: Aww, yeah. I kind of feel sorry for her too. I'm such a cruel Creatrix. But she is cool and she'll be back in the mix soon. Me, hmm, I'll have to be predictable and say Thorn. I didn't like him all that much to begin with, all that evil, arrogance and emo. He's very much grown on me now because he's developed so much as a character. in fact, I think he's the character that has developed the most. Now he's so nice and funny, with cool Magick to boot. And he's handsome. Yes, I'm a shallow fangirl.
Kayru: Heheh, I'm such a fangirl and I like Kuja and Lierlo and Tif and Thorn and Laurenza and Kitzie to some degree. Hell, I likes them all!
Anthony: Well, that's good.
Lauren: Even Ares?
Kayru: NO. Well, only because she's such a fantastic scapegoat.
Lauren: Indeed she is.
Kayru: All right, Anthony, which of her chars don't you like?
Anthony: Well, Julian always infuriated me. But if you're talking about main characters, I'd have to say Li. He's just so typical laddish. I tell you, if he dressed in all the right garb, he'd be the ultimate chav.
Kayru: *Laughs.* That's so true!
Anthony: Heh.
Kayru: What's up with Julian?
Anthony: He's just evil.
Kayru: *Laughs.* Well, I don't think Li was designed to be likeable.
Anthony: No.
Lauren: I've already answered this to some extent. I really didn't like Ares, obviously. Not just because she was evil, but she was such a 2-dimensional character, no offence, Anthony. There wasn't anything else to her than that evil. And she possessed thorn and made him do naughty things. That's just not nice.
Kayru: Heheh, it's true. 'Oh, I'll just borrow your body and make you be evil! teehee!'
Lauren: Also I don't like Thornada, but the reasons for this are very mysterious. I'm not sure why I hate him so much since he did the characters such a favour. There is one reason why I hate him, but I can't say now because it's a major spoiler.
Kayru: Who has the best costume out of everyone?
Anthony: I'm not being arrogant, but I think Thorn's. Very emo, and it did take me quite a while to come up with. The Laurenza one that you designed comes in a close second.
Kayru: *Is honoured.* Why, thank you. ^_^
Anthony: Don't mention it.
Lauren: I'm going to be soooooo biased on this one.
Kayru: Kuja?
Lauren: Oh yeah, baby.
Kayru: Pink and purple robes?
Lauren: Yeah, series two outfit. It's so sexy and fan-servicey. I'm terrible.
Kayru: No no, I agree wholeheartedly. I love that costume. Nothing wrong with fan service, except, this is also Creatrix service too.
Lauren: Sure is, but you would agree being a girl.
Kayru: *Nods.* Oh, if I were a guy, it's enough to make me question my straightness, if I had any after seeing it.
Lauren: Kuja could make a roman road bend into a curve.
Kayru: *Nods.* Favourite chapter?
Anthony: Quite hard to say. I think I can only break it down to three: 34, 50 and 66.
Kayru: Oh no, not the Elusive Chapter 50…!
Anthony: *Laughs.* Yeah.
Kayru: *Giggles.* Basically, you picked all the ones with thorn being awesome?
Anthony: ...Yes.
Kayru: *Giggles.*
Lauren: No arguments for my all-time favourite chapter: 34 (Playing Away.) It was like an incredible dream. The whole Thorn and Kuja relationship was first mentioned as a joke and we never really seriously considered it to happen. Oh, but it did and it was so good. Their first sparks of love were in that chapter. Honestly, the words on the page when read back do not do justice the emotion writing them fuelled up inside me.
Kayru: I liked that one. It was soooooo cool that they actually did get together. I was happy when they did. Obviously not as much as you, though.
Lauren: Heheh, no one could be as happy as me. *Laughs.* I've got a million other favourites, but I suppose 12 (Five Warriors) would come as a close second. It was one of the longest earlier ones and it had a lot of action in it. Having the five members of the gang all form the Uber-Tifanel was really awesome.
Anthony: Yeah, that's good.
Kayru: *Nods.* That was pretty sweet. It was funny too. When they were all sat in his head singing the jingle to the Sudsy advert. Well, I liked chapter 21, cos it was funny, despite poor Laurenza's predicament. And number whatever where Adrienne died.
Anthony: *Laughs.* You…
Lauren: You evil child.
Kayru: What? I didn't like her and she stood in the way of Thorn and Kuja. And she was a slut.
Anthony: Yes, but does that mean she deserved to die?
Kayru: Well... no...
Lauren: True. I'm trying hard to hide the fact I liked the fact she died too.
Kayru: *Snigger.* Anyways, least fav chapter?
Anthony: Again, it's hard to say, but my least favourite chapters are the earlier ones, because we weren't as good writers back then as we were now.
Lauren: I'll have to agree with you there.
Kayru: Heheh. Lauren?
Lauren: *Lightning strikes.* Oooooh, everyone say it with me now: 50 (Intus Ego.) Can I really say much about this since it isn't yet on the site? Hmm... Well, let's just say it has Thornada in it and something bad happens.
Kayru: And you hate that Thornada with every thread and essence of your being?
Lauren: Possibly
Kayru: That's some hatred.
Lauren: *Nods.* I tend to like the RP so I don't think I can single out any other chapters that I dislike.
Lauren: I'm surprised Anthony didn't say 52 (Chicken Boy) as I know he's not too fond of it.
Kayru: Heheh. Technically, which of you 'owns' Dalimoor?
Lauren: I do. I invented it; it's in my solar system.
Kayru: Sweet. *Pictures you aiming a shot gun at Thorn.* 'You, gerroff my land!'
Lauren: *Laughs.* I wouldn't do that.
Kayru: To who do most of the planets belong?
Lauren: It's a bit a mix, really. You haven't seen many yet, though. Most of the ones you've seen are mine, like Dalimoor, Yochi, the Metal Planet to name a few. Bo's Homeword is Anthony's obviously. More planets come later on, so it'd be pointless telling you who owns what because you haven't seen them yet.
Kayru: Do you ever have any arguments about plot and things characters have done?
Lauren: Oh yes, countless times.
Anthony: This is me and Lauren we're talking about, we argue about algae. Sometimes though, I run ideas past Lauren and I have to persuade her it's a good idea. It's the same in reverse, only she tells me what's going to happen.
Kayru: *Laughs.*
Lauren: Chapter 19 (Future Shock) originally had a scene which I bullied Anthony to take out because I didn't like it. When Lierlo and Laurenza's future selves were killed by Chimeras, Thorn healed them back to life with Magick. I made him erase that because it totally killed the dramatic impact.
Lauren: There's been others, but I can't think of any right now.
Kayru: And I've officially run out of questions. So thanks for letting me interview you guys. It was an honour to talk to you as the Creator and Creatrix.