The 'Shroom:Issue 183/Living Game: Where Are They Now?

Living Game: Where Are They Now? Written by: and contributors

A mysterious woman awakens on an uncharted island. Every twelve hours, another soul arrives. Who would have thought such a simple premise could capture hearts and minds as well as it did? Hi, I'm Mr. Basculin, co-host of Living Game Day 3. Can you believe it's been two months since Snack's Living Game ended? The fans have been writing in constantly, asking when the next installment will be, and while we aren't able to answer that yet, tonight we've got a special treat. We've caught up with the beloved castmates of Living Game to see what they've been up to since completing the game. So join us in a special presentation we like to call Living Game: Where Are They Now?

Ambush Bug
Written by:

Dear Friends:

Hello, it is I, Ambush Bug, former star of the first Living Game. I was contacted by The 'Shroom to write a little update on what I've been doing since the end of the game. Let me tell you, things have never been better for me. They didn't start out so great. After we landed in France, I found out I regained the ability to teleport and this new continuity even took out the Simon Says requirement! I then remembered that I told the wife I was going out to get milk months ago, so I figured I better head home as fast as possible. But there was a bit of a snag, you see. I didn't realize I didn't keep my power of raising the dead and I got in a wee bit of a situation that may or may not have, and, in fact, did result in just a few deaths. Then, when I failed to resurrect them, the police arrested me because, I guess killing people is illegal or whatever.

I was sent to my old stomping grounds, the Metropolis State Penitentiary, and, let me tell you, it was the best thing that's ever happened to me! As soon as I got there, I got a call from my agent telling me that Robbie Thompson and Eduardo Pansica were looking for a teleporter to appear in the new Suicide Squad run. Great! I thought I'd be making a debut in a series that inspired two Hollywood movies, one that was even kind of okay, and a spin-off show on HBO Max. I could already see it. Ambush Bug, making his silver screen debut! Or, hey, maybe I'd get to appear on Peacemaker. It's been a while since I was on TV (Batman: The Brave and the Bold, season 3 episode 13, check it out. I was voiced by the Fonz, ayyyyyyyyyy.). Plus, I hadn't had any real work since Keith Giffen's Supergirl Matrix back in 2015, so it was really a no-brainer.

I made my much-anticipated debut in Issue 7, meeting the team in a computer simulator. Best as I could tell, Amanda Waller had gone off the deep end and severed ties with Rick Flagg, Peacemaker, and Bloodsport. I think she had even given up on the United States Government (I'll be honest, I didn't really read the notes they gave me before I took the role). What was left of the team was a bunch of C-listers at best. We had Match, who had just found out he was a clone of Superboy, so he was going through a whole bunch of angst. Major Force was a dick and would eventually eat it, to everyone's happiness. Talon was, like, a ninja or something. Culebra would unfortunately die during the mission in hell, but don't worry. She was brought back as a spirit who could possess people, just like Deadman! Black Siren, who was just Earth-3's Black Canary, was also there. Rounding out the roster, we had Nocturna, who totally had a thing for Not-Superboy. Like I said, our first mission was being sent to hell to recover part of the Metaphysical shield that protects the Rock of Eternity... whatever that means. Anyways, I did my part perfectly, teleporting to the rock and grabbing it without being hit by any of those mean demons before teleporting the team out of hell like the good hero I am! Surprisingly enough, we didn't accidentally bring anyone back with us and nobody even died permanently, a successful mission if I've ever seen one!

After that, our next mission took us to space and, oh boy, was this a doozy. We ended up attacked by space valkyries then by Green Lanterns, then that big meanie Major Force attempted to end my film career before it even got started, and, to top it all off, we then got captured by those same Lanterns. It wasn't all bad, though. I got to meet a cool skelly boy engineer named Yorick and, hey, turns out Waller wanted us to get arrested, because, after that, Yorick managed to use his engineering prowess to blast us the hell out of there!

From there, we were sent to Earth 8, where we took on a Earth 8's mightiest heroes and that wannabe Justice League, the Retaliators. Things get kind of hazy here. You see, this was all part of Waller's plan to make sure we wouldn't show mercy while, at the same time, Rick Flag attacked Amanda Waller with a new Task Force X. That jerk Major Force was killed during this fight, but we managed to defeat the Retaliators, only to be attacked by Earth 8's super villain team, the Lightning Strikes. I took on psycho clown Blood Pouch, defeating him with a mighty blow after he insulted my gags. Things get kind of cloudy, so, far as I can tell, Amanda Waller betrayed, so we joined up with Rick Flag's new Task Force X. We then fought Amanda Waller's Superman-for-hire, Ultraman. Me and Peacemaker snuck into Ultraman's phantom zone projector only to be confronted by their Superwoman 3, but then we find out she was also attempting to get the Phantom Zone Projector!? So we were going to team up right? Well, no. Turns out that Amanda Waller had already foreseen this and sent someone to intercept it, and, unfortunately, that storyline concludes in Flash #780 and I'm not in that, so I have no idea what happened. Then Amanda Waller unleashed a whole bunch of Match clones and conquered Earth 3 because she was one step ahead of us... I guess? I couldn't really follow the plot very well.

After that, we went on the run and attempted to steal some high-class military equipment because we were running out of money. While that failed, I did manage to capture one of the Match clones! Due to our lack of funds, we decided to try and kidnap Lex Luthor. We tried multiple plans, the first of which was me teleporting our new Match clone into Lex Luthor, but he activated his Kryptonite shield. Me and Peacemaker then attempted to kidnap him during a presentation of his products but, he, uh, activated it, taking me and Peacemaker out. BUT IT WAS A TRAP! He thought he had captured us, but we knew he was going to do that! We had Bloodsport's alternate Earth brothers pose as janitors (oh, by the way, Bloodsport had a bunch of multiverse brothers that Amanda Waller was keeping captive, but we saved them again and now they're all on our Earth). Culebra then possessed Lex Luthor, we then extorted him for a lot of money, enough to fully fund the new Task Force X! We also might have agreed to work with Lex Luthor in the future... but that's where the new Suicide Squad run ended. We've got a lot of loose ends left to tie up, so hopefully somebody uses our group before the eventual series reboot that I'm sure will happen! But, until then, who knows what's in store for ol' Ambush Bug? Maybe they'll resume Suicide Squad, maybe we'll become Lex Luthor's henchman on a more permanent basis, or maybe I'll even get to fight my good old pal Supes! Whatever happens, let me just say that it feels great to be back in the action!

Duck
Written by:

It was a few months since Duck had departed from the Island of Life. He was still ecstatic about being brought back to life, over a year about he was murdered by the mafia in Rogueport. After leaving the Island of Life, Duck went back to the Island of Sodor, where the other engines were.

As Duck was heading back, he couldn't help but think about Diesel. He hoped that one day, Diesel would be able to return to life just as Duck had, but Duck didn't know if that would be possible. To be honest, Duck still wasn't entirely sure how he got brought back to life in the first place.

When the other engines saw Duck, they were flabbergasted.

"Where have you been?" they asked. "We thought you were gone forever!"

Duck told them about his mafia adventures, which had felt like an eternity ago at this point. Everyone was glad to have Duck back, and he was especially glad to be back on the railway.

El Presidente
Written by:

~From the Desk of El Presidente~

Ahhhh, Presidente! It is so good to finally be back home, is it not? Well, our new home. This tiny little deserted island is truly calm and serene! I do miss the Atoll, but it was clear we needed to leave.

You are not still mad at me about not realizing what would happen to our home island in our absence, are you? Certainly, I felt that installing free elections would tide them over until you returned and we took proper power back! How was I to realize they would accomplish so much? And that they would want to drive you out? Using such nonsense words, too! Autocracy, dictatorship, repressive government... utterly absurd. I dearly hope their insults did not cut too deep, Presidente. I know how much it hurt to see them throw you away after everything you had done for them.

Regardless, at least I still had the boat. It could have been much worse if I did not! And so... here we are. You, me, the sand, the three trees, and all the coconuts we can eat! You like coconut, don't you Presidente?

Well, if you don't, then let me reassure you I have always despised coconut too! As any right-thinking person would. I will admit, it makes for useful writing paper.

Presidente, do you know when the next ship might pass by? You said this was near a trade route, but I believe that trade route has been inactive for years. Not through any fault of your own, Presidente! Merely because they did not understand the basic functions of economics. Not that we need economics. Presidentenomics are the only nomics for me!

I look forward to another exciting day working for you, my glorious leader. I hope you don't mind that I wrote this letter instead of talking to you!

Humbly,

your Loyal Advisor.

P.S.: Are you going to finish that coconut?

gentlemansGambit
By:

He never got a change of clothes.

Jake Marshall
Written by:

Marshall Howdy, pardner! What a pleasant surprise it is, talkin' to you! I've hardly kept in touch with anyone from that island since I left... I've been real focused on huntin' down the mysteries of this compass. I'm chargin' forward like a hawk pursuin' a jackrabbit, and I ain't stoppin' anytime soon.

Marshall If you're wonderin' where I've been... Once I was able, I hopped on a sailboat and set my sights on the horizon, right where the compass was pointin'. Before I arrived to Mre Atoll, I hardly had any sense of "sealegs", but now here I am, sailin' the seven seas! Isn't that somethin'? I'm no pirate, believe me, but I'm gettin' good practice. The waters by the isle are mighty fine, too; I've hardly had any kind of trouble with them waves. Who knows, maybe I'll be explorin' the waters more than I've ventured the plains of the Wild West! That'll be hard to beat, though... Unfortunately, I still haven't gotten the answers I care about, but with the waves washin' against the boat, the wind flowin' through my poncho... It helps give a fella purpose in receiving life once more. Plus, I've kept that handy list of researcher names in my pocket, so once I speak to 'em, maybe the mystery-solvin' can truly begin. I'm certain this compass is the key, and they might know somethin' 'bout it. Some way, somehow, I'll figure out why I'm back with the livin', and I'll find a way to bring a good friend back too.

Marshall Take care of yourself, y'hear? I'm sure I'll be seein' you 'round again, someday.

Marshall ... ... Before you go, pardner... Any idea how to remove sea salt from a beard?

Marge Simpson
Written by: fantanoice



"Who would have thought that our visit to the Island of Life would be our best vacation ever?"



"Yeah, best ever."



"Are you two bonkers? I was killed. Not to mention all the embarrassment I suffered."



"But Mom, it's exactly what you wanted in a vacation. It brought us together as a family."



"We got a lot of good exercise outdoors and we have so many memories."



"You know you're right. This truly was the best vacation ever. Now let us never speak of it again."



I didn't realise it then but this was the happiest I had felt in a long time. I had my family back.



I was seeing a specialist about my addiction to gambling. She's a wonderful woman - she helped me with my fear of flying as well. Lowenstein. Lowenstein.



"My name is Zweig."



She would say that. Lowenstein.



My husband - he's not always the brightest. But he suggested something that even Lowenstein agrees with. Giving the addiction a name. "Gamblor," he called it. "The gambling monster."



Now when I feel the allure of the lights, the sounds and the Kellolars - I know they are a lie. A lie concocted by a monster. I just have to remember that. And I can be free of his neon claws.



So now I'm back home in Springfield. It was confronting to learn I had been dead and buried for a number of months now. The town was confused as well. But after a half hour the town had moved onto the next wacky adventure. Things move quick in our small town.



I'm not sure who or what chose me to live. Or any of my fellow islanders. I do feel a little guilty. My neighbor Maude was never given a second chance. But now that I'm back, and I know the cold, loneliness of the other side, I'll make the most of this second chance.

Mario
Written by:

Dear friends, I write to you to inform you of the happenings on the Mre Atoll since your departures. In short…not a lot, actually. Believe it or not, life on a near-deserted island is pretty boring. Not to mention extremely lonely. Every day, I walk up to the peak of Mariotop Mountain and look out at the horizon, and I think. I think about a lot. My past, my future, and most importantly, all of you. I think about Nobu’s rock-and-roll songs and Viola’s creepy-yet-welcoming demeanor, Jake’s southern hospitality and Ambush Bug…well, being Ambush Bug. Even those of you who I didn’t get to know all that well, like Posh Kermit or Ray Trace, I miss you all too. But I know that in the end, I made the right choice. Someone has to look over the island, in case more lost souls arrive. In the meantime, I have been trying to unlock the mysteries surrounding the island. Honestly, I have not been very successful, but every day, I come a little bit closer. I can’t argue with progress. Anyway, I hope you all have been very happy with your second lives, and I wish to see you all again very soon. -Mario

Nobu
Written by:

'' I am alone, I am empty, And yet I fish''

Reminiscence, in a completely out-of-character way, huh? Is that all you summoned me for?? No, this is just the first thing, an exchange of information about that island. Right, fine. Save your command spells, I guess it can't be helped, given my weakened state, I can barely summon a single lure to hit those flapping lips of yours, uwahahahahaha!

...

We'll get to the bartering after this. For now, hear my words as the candlelight dances around us.

No, you can't use the good tea set, don't ask again.

I was the second to arrive on the island. That girl, Viola, called out to me, and I appeared. But... not in the form she expected. As she began to fulfill her own spiritual desires, my container became more and more unstable. Caster isn't exactly a sustainable class for me, as I'm about as spiritually unaligned as they come. Think of it like you're commanding an army fighting in the rain, except the longer the rain comes down, the more treacherous the fight becomes, until the whole battlefield is covered in cloudy mud, while you're just a lone rock star looking for that tropical paradise of swimsuit malfunctions. That was my existence. Nobu!? What do you mean that metaphor sucks! Bite your tongue, or I'll shoot it off!

Simply put, as the now fully-realised Demon King of the Sixth Luau and rock-and-roll-and-bait-and-tackle god, after I boarded that plane, my contract with my master was fulfilled, and I vanished as we passed above the clouds at dawn, returning to the throne of heroes. By the end of it, I had no energy to sustain my tactical assaults on unsuspecting shirts with my fishing rod, or even absentmindedly pluck the strings of my guitar by the cabana campfire. It was a no-brainer I wouldn't last beyond a few minutes off the island. Not to mention I fulfilled my own personal goal of drafting every type of fish into my rock-and-roll army!

One second I was watching Viola wistfully stare out the plane window, and the next, I was simply gone. And not in the GONE FISHING kind of way, nobu!

The deed to that tacky island restaurant Nobbu's is hers, and I have it on good authority that she will ensure a free cocktail market and an open seafood guild. Azazoth-chan is in good hands, as well. Finally, a retainer that didn't stab me in the back. Uwahahaha! Who knows what business ventures Viola has in store. And... I wish her luck, when she sees the other me again. She'll need it. Wow, being wordy is certainly an out-of-character look for me.

But you... how did you summon me, of all people? Some kind of catalyst? No... a shared desire.

Another task. Another conquest. Another thing to baptise in the fires of hell.

..you expect me to bow my head to you with nothing in return? Are you mad!? I've given you everything you've asked for so far!

...

... ...well...

...I've always wanted a winter alt.

Scientist
By:



Smogaux Soul
Written by:

''what a week... yeah sure i got brought back to life, but what was the deal with everyone in that lobby?? the guy who invited me wanted to kick me out straight away... and then when i offered to help them, nobody else said poggies!! are they really gamers?? even mistle and wexy left me behind to go fight people with some other girl when i totally would have fit into the red and white uniform for their fighting crew... and after i gave her that really cool sword too!!!''

''i guess everyone else already had friends among them... now theres nothing left on that island for me... all i have to show for this trip is this weird red dye that mistle gave me... ''

''hmmm..... but maybe..... if i use this to bake some cookies i can make some NEW friends? yeah... i'll just make a paradise of my own...''

WELCOME TO MERE ABALL please come visit me sometime im lonely

Tigger
Written by:

In Which Tigger Returns to the Hundred Acre Wood

On this fine spring morning in the Hundred Acre Wood, Rabbit was hard at work as usual, tending to his garden. As he worked, his ear caught a sound that he had not heard for quite some time. A sound that was rather... bouncy. The next thing he knew, he was flat on his back, face to face with Tigger. "Hiya long ears!" said Tigger. "Get off of me, Tigger! Wait, TIGGER? Where have you been?!" said Rabbit, as the shock wore off. "Oh, ya know, I've been doin' some travelin'! Hoo hoo!" said Tigger, helping Rabbit back on his feet. "You can't just disappear and not tell anybody!" scolded Rabbit. "Weeell, the whole thing was real strangelike, and I ain't really sure of some of the circlestances myself," said Tigger, still unable to recall how he had ended up on Mre Atoll in the first place. "Hmph, only you could go on a trip for half of a year and not even know why," grumbled Rabbit. "Exactickly!" beamed Tigger, blissfully ignorant of Rabbit's criticism. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do in my garden," said Rabbit. "Ooh, busy with the carrotses, huh? Well, I got a lotta bouncin' to do and friends to talk to, so I'll leave ya to it!" said Tigger, bouncing off to visit more of his friends. As he left, Rabbit cracked a smile. Although he enjoyed the peace and quiet brought on by Tigger's absence, he would be lying if he said he didn't miss him.



Tigger's next stop was Kanga and Roo's house. He knocked on the door and was greeted by Kanga. "Well hello Tigger dear, it's been quite a while," said Kanga. "Hiya Mrs. Kanga ma'am! Is the little hopper around heres?" asked Tigger, but before Kanga could answer, Roo arrived to answer the question himself. "TIGGER!" shouted Roo. "Hullo there, bouncin' buddy! Look what I founded!" said Tigger, pulling out the Lunar Pendant he had found on Mre Atoll. "Wooow! What is it?" asked Roo. "Why, it's an arty-fact of course! I founded it on an islandy place where I was before I got back here!" said Tigger. "I bet that's a good story! Can you tell me?" said Roo, brimming with curiosity.

"Why Roo boy, I thought ya'd never ask! Hoo hoo! So there I was, in this old stone building in a little place called the Croakin' Islet! Two other fellas was with me, a froggy with a nice hat and another strange fella! Now froggy boy and me had already been there the night before, but we wasn't able to find any arty-facts then. Now, there was two hallways in there, but when ya tried to walk in 'em, spikes shot out faster than a really fast thing!" said Tigger, as Roo listened intently to the story. "So we did some tests throwin' pebbles! We threw 'em down boths at the same time, and the spikys didn't come out, so we tried to walk down both hallyways at the same time, when BAM! The spikes came right towards us! 'Course bein' fast is what Tiggers do best, and I got right outta there! Then I remembered a description on the wall of two fellas facin' opposite directions, and I figured out the puzzle! We had to walk forwardses through the one and backwardses through the other at the same time! And wouldn't ya know it, the spikys didn't come for us! Then when we got to the other end, we found the arty-facts, and I tooked this one!"



Roo clapped in excitement. "What a great story! You must be the best arty, um, arty-fact finder in the entire Hundred Acre Wood, Tigger!" "Say Roo boy, why don't ya keep it? Consider it one of them souvenynears!" said Tigger. "Wow! Thanks Tigger!" said Roo, admiring the pendant. "Don't mention it! Say, I gots some more catchedy-uppin' to do, but hows about we go bouncin' later?" said Tigger. "That sounds like fun!" replied Roo. "Alrighty then, considers it doned! T-T-F-N, ta-ta for now!" said Tigger as he left to do more "catchedy-uppin'".

After greeting all of his friends, Tigger returned to his house. But because no one had been there for several months, he found it in a rather shocking state. Everything was covered in an extraordinary amount of dust, and cobwebs hung from every corner of the walls. "Yeeuck! Tiggers don't like dusty houses," exclaimed Tigger. "What am I gonna do? It's gonna take forevers to cleanedy up this mess!" Just then, he had a thought. "I know! I'll go get my pals to help me! Hoo hoo!"

Some time later, Tigger returned with Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore, armed with an array of brooms, featherdusters, and dustpans. "Alrighty fellas, we're gonna get this place cleaned up in a jiffy, or my name's not T-I-double guh-er!" said Tigger with a gleam in his eye. "I-it certainly is a b-big job," observed Piglet. "Well then we had better get to it quickly, so we can be done in time for lunch!" declared Pooh. "Don't count on it," grumbled Eeyore, his usual optimism shining through.



As Tigger and the gang worked to clean his house, becoming a bit bored, he decided to strike up some conversation with a tale from the Atoll. "Say, did I ever tell any of yas that I saw the queen of the woozles?" He was speaking, of course, of the foul Mistleteinn, but Tigger being Tigger, he had a rather poor understanding of the nature of the villainess. "They calls her... Mistletoes!" Dropping his broom to the floor, he bounced to the center of the room, causing the others to stop what they were doing. For dramatic flair, he hunched over as he began to describe this so-called woozle queen. "She's gots long hair, white as a spookable, fulla leaves and twigs and stuff for camelflage so she can jump out and GETCHA! And wild eyes too, fulla nightmarish nightmares! And she's got these loooong toothses, the sharpest I'se ever seens! About this big I tell ya!" Tigger spaced his paws about half a foot apart to illustrate, though heavily exaggerating. By this point, the rest of the gang were no doubt picturing what Tigger described in their minds, though the most terrifying was, of course, poor Piglet's. "D-d-d-dear!" exclaimed Piglet, scurrying behind Pooh. "Don't worry Piglet old pal, 'cuz I vanished her!" bragged Tigger, thinking about how he removed Mistleteinn's name from a list during a party game. "And now she's stuck in Brazilla! Hoo hoo!" said Tigger. "Oh, don't worry Piglet, she'll never get out of Brazilla. Um, what is a Brazilla, Tigger?" asked Pooh. "What's a Brazilla, he says! Well, a Brazilla is, uh, it's this kinda, you see, um, uh... Hm. Ya know what, we'll go ask Owl after we're done cleanedy uppedying here!" declared Tigger, and they soon got back to work tidying up Tigger's house.

Viola Cadaverini
By:

Xavier Wexlyn
Written by:

From the desk of Xavier Wexlyn,

An interview request for… what is this, a newspaper? The “Shroom”? That’s an… interesting choice of name, I’ll give you that. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances beyond my control, I will have to do this in writing, rather than make an in-person appearance. I suppose uh, I can compel someone like Ambush Bug to deliver it. He can apparently teleport, after all, which seems to be the only thing he can actually do.

Or I could… use email, but where’s the fun in that? No drama, no flair. The magic would all be gone, not happening.

Regardless, the Island of Life possessed a certain special set of attributes, attributes that made it much easier to communicate and interact personally with the likes of costumed fools, loud women, strange frogs in dress attire, overweight degenerates, and whatever the hell a “Smogaux Soul” is supposed to be. Here in the “outside world”, the actions of a few miserable, pathetic Killing Game participants have put me in a state that I’m sure many would find rather disturbing, and while my brief respite on the Mre Atoll was somewhat of a nice change of pace, the excursion was a nonetheless completely and utterly worthless to my personal goals.

Oh yes, “fun” was had, many fascinating discoveries and personal interactions. In all honesty, it was… Gratifying, to unearth yet another unknown quantity in this banal, formulaic, and entirely over-categorized world.

But I was rather hoping that the mysterious powers of the isle were contained to something like… an artifact, or maybe some kind of creature, but the island itself? Well, there’s not much I can do with that. I can’t take an island, at least not easily, and the locals are awfully protective of the area on the best of days. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t hoping for financial gain (been there, done that), and I certainly wasn’t stupid enough to think I could permanently restore myself to any sort of former glory.

No, no. I’ve just… found myself a new cause with which to dedicate my expertise.

With my XW Corporation dead and buried beneath piles of lawsuits (and various criminal charges), and my willingness to personally enact Killing Games entirely having run its course, I’ve struck myself a bargain with an “employer” of sorts to continue exploring the world of the supernatural, the Mre Atoll being one such venture. And no, I don’t mean those idiot, wannabe charlatan hacks calling themselves the “Crimson Eye”. Any and all association with my image by those frauds is completely unauthorized!

Now where was I? Right. The Mre Atoll’s relative uselessness for my purposes is an unfortunate setback, nothing more. Fate’s unceasing advance continues evermore, regardless of the sacrifices that it will now require to hurry along its path. If there’s one thing I’m good at, despite everything that happened, it’s being persistent.

But, that’s all for now. Perhaps one day, dear reader, we will meet again, and you too can share in the t̵͓͘h̶̜̽ę̸̱̈ ̷͕̳f̴̥͋r̷̹͉u̴͇̠i̴̜̇t̵̪̽s̴̫͊ ̸̬͚o̵͙̊f̶͎̑ ̷̨̙m̸͈̈ẏ̸̨͇ ̷̙̯l̸͈̞ȃ̷̲͗ḇ̷̩͐o̷̮͕r̶̜͌.

…Wow. That is really hard to replicate with a pen.

Yours truly,

Xavier Wexlyn

Zagreus
Written by: MoonAge

Oh, how I’m doing, you ask? You know how you have this vacation planned to get away from your agonizing job you’ve been at for years, only to have that week go by in an instant, leaving you wondering where the time went? Well, that’s me every time I get to escape the Basement of the Gods. Turns out dear ol’ daddy Hades was particularly impatient with this visit and plucked me out of the island before I could even talk about what I did that night to everyone else. A shame, really. That Xavier fellow really struck my fancy.

My flings with the mortal realm are nothing new at this point, this was probably my thirtieth one overall, but…I don’t know, this one had a different vibe to it. Most of my visits are only to see my mother, Persephone, so it’s a rarity for me to be in the company of other mortals, and it’s really the sort of experience that puts things into perspective. These people have a time limit, a fact that stares them in the face practically from birth, but if you were to ask one about it? They would just shrug and offer you a pina colada. The folks I was with that day knew that their newly-reclaimed lives would only be temporary, a flick of dust in the grand scheme of things, but all that mattered to them was being right there in that moment…I suppose that applies to me, in a way.

Say, how did you get here in the first place? In order to get into the Underworld you’d need to be... oh, dear. Want a newcomer pamphlet?

So many wonderful characters, so many stories to tell. Hi, I'm your host, Mr. Basculin, and we here at The 'Shroom hope you enjoyed our special presentation. As for the future of Living Game, my confidential sources tell me that there are big plans in the works! While we can't share those plans, they'll become public sooner than you think, perhaps even as soon as this winter! That's all we've got for today, so until next time, I'm Mr. Basculin and this has been Living Game: Where Are They Now?