The Royal Papers
Dec. 18th, 2036 11:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
princeblowpop|
PLAYER CHARACTER |
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Personality*:
In canon, Gumball doesn't have much to go on. In fact, he's only in one episode- and in that episode, he's only himself for about three minutes! He gets impersonated by the Ice Queen for much of it while he's captured and frozen to his ceiling. However, he is the genderbend of Princess Bubblegum, who has quite a lot of background to go on, and Natasha Allegri has released details about him on her blog. He has a few appearances in the upcoming Boom comic, Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake, from which I'll be taking any updates to his personality. Above all, Belvedere Gumball is a Prince. It is in his title and in his nature to the point that at home in the Candy Kingdom, he can be rather stubborn about it. His attendants fear him and do not trust him because of his powers; still he tends to assert himself well enough not to miss any inconveniently planned ceremonies and to still be able to give the Royal Decree. He tends to over-work himself at home as well, though he usually doesn't let on about it. He is constantly concerned about the state of his subjects to the point he often leaves copious plans and notes for his attendants to look over in his absence during summers. They're always well organised; the prince prides himself in his ability to always look professional and organised, after all. His attitude is diplomatic, allowing him to find it very easy to work with members of royalty from other kingdoms as well as campers with whom he is not well acquainted. Belvedere adores his subjects, who he says are 'special' and require special care and leadership, but is not above teasing them– especially his shiftier attendants and over-protective guards. (No one is sure exactly why the people of his kingdom are so different, but it's known that the rulers have always been lovers of science, and some speculate it is because of this.) He tends to regard his subjects with care but is not always the kindest for the sake of what he finds funny. |
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Belvedere is a proud soul and tends to masquerade with the idea of Royal Happy; a ruler must always appear at least contented, that no one may ever know there is a chance the grounds may fall. This, as well as the easily read distrust of Belvedere's attendants, sometimes causes the prince even more stress. He is tied to his role and it often makes him frustrated. Belvedere's sense of duty and groundedness not only causes him a lot of frustration and anger, but also inhibits certain thought capabilities for him and contributes to his inability to earn a levitation badge.
When angered, Belvedere tends to act maliciously, sometimes without thinking. Mercy is not always on Belvedere's agenda and his moral compass is not as tightly calibrated as those of many others he knows. He can be downright relentless when infuriated and tends to forget what is right and fair in favour of what is Just or vengeful. This also means he isn't above lying to get things done– though he will feel obligated to reveal the truth when and if a task is completed. His sense of humour can be quite morbid and the idea of others being threatened should they be unable to complete a task, especially when the threat is a lie, is one of the many strange things Belvedere finds funny.
He is generally able to enjoy life as a teenager when his attendants leave and his princely duties are hiatused. At the inner urging of his professionalism and duty, however, Belvedere can sometimes find himself limited in what he will allow himself to be seen doing. What he isn't seen doing, however, is another story. Since the days he was younger, Belvedere has enjoyed a good prank, and will generally take parts in pranks around the camp quietly– so long as he is not brought to anyone's attention. He can also be very playful when engaging with peers and enjoys listening to music as well as baking whenever he can find the time and materials to do so.
Belvedere also has a supervisor's manner. He prefers to be a guide or leader in teams, generally avoiding a 'field' role. Whether it is because he feels ill-equipped for the task or simply doesn't wish to do field-type roles is unclear; however, he has displayed to others that he can be very capable of holding his own in the field. Though he is always escorted in manners regarding the kingdom, Belvedere has shown he is perfectly capable of defending himself in situations where he has not been over powered. He still tends to land in 'damsel' roles, if only because his insistence in taking control allows him to be easily overtaken and distracted. Belvedere has never shown animosity at being saved by anyone and always extends the proper gratitude to those who assist him, and it can seem unclear as to whether he's doing it all for show or not.
It's been said that Belvedere is physically light as a feather, but he can generally throw a good punch if needed. He prefers that people not test the theory of his weight. Many campers find Belvedere to be very feminine; Belvedere does not consider this a hindrance. He enjoys fancy and somewhat 'girly' things, and isn't bothered by those who find it ridiculous (not anymore, anyway) and generally only responds to goading from certain campers (read: Marshall Lee). However, he is most adamant about the fact that pink is not a 'Girl's Color' and has been known to give lectures about it; it is the colour Belvedere was born and he isn't about to let anyone bother him about it. He has been known to preen a little when people enjoy these quirks about his personality.
AU History**:
Once upon a time, there was a little polynesian island near Hawai'i where sugar cane grew higher than the houses. The natives were gentle people who loved learning and experiencing, and their royalty were always very well decorated. Explorers came from their own lands and shared recipes of all kinds with them and the sugar-loving natives shared their own. They made good friends, and the fashion of the visitors inspired the natives, and trade was established- textiles for sugar.
The explorers became greedy, however, and tried to take over the island. With the help of an underdog hero, the natives took their lands back, booted the European explorers (apart from their ex-patriots), and dubbed their island the Candy Isle. With a new fashion in tow and sugar cane growing strong, the kingdom prospered for hundreds of years after until the modern day, craving knowledge of science and cuisine, and this island is where Belvedere Gumball was born into the royal line- along with his younger sister, Bonnibel Bubblegum.
Belvedere's powers were noticed from an early age, long before he was taught to pay any attention to who the ruler was and what he was doing. The ruler at the time, who for a reason undisclosed by (and perhaps unknown by) the prince is only a very foggy memory in his head and cannot be identified, ordered that Prince Belvedere be encouraged to rule regardless. The attendants of the prince did not trust him, considering him dangerous, but did as they were told; encouraged by the previous ruler's claims that the prince's powers could be utilised to the protection of the kingdom, the attendants found someone else to manage Belvedere's training.
At about eight years old he was pulled away from his spoiled child life of pranks and fun and instructed that while not at camp learning, he must be learning how to rule the kingdom in the stead of the former ruler, who believed himself not long for the world. Royal training commenced throughout the years and during the summers Belvedere was sent to Whispering Rock. Belvedere was always very aware of the distrust the court held for him and took it as motivation to excel in the royal training, altering his disposition slightly.
His younger sister, however, was not taken. In all honesty, Belvedere was a little grateful. If they trusted Bubblegum- if she didn't have to deal with this psychic crap, then perhaps there was hope for the both of them. Not to mention he didn't want the courts to betray her as well. Still, he wasn't interested in shedding his duties as heir to her, as easy as that would have been; she deserved to be a child, not to have to deal with the courts
At the camp Belvedere had to learn to shed some of that Princely Bullshit™ and regard his fellow campers not as subjects to be guarded but as peers; at camp he was not a prince. (Luckily for Belvedere he had been encouraged to be out and among the candy people and did not see himself as more important than they, a problem run into by many other kingdoms.) With the help of a few friends he eventually gave up wearing his crown at camp and– luckily for his clothing– quickly learned that royal garb was not good for campwear.
All went well for a little while, until Bubblegum showed signs of psychic energy as well. She didn't take it well and Belvedere knew so, but he had resigned himself to the idea that the courts would only trust them if they both attended the camp. He didn't bother asking the courts to ignore it, and instead spent his time trying to persuade her into attending, which Belvedere still fears colours her opinion of him.
While Belvedere enjoys the ability to shed responsibility at camp, Bonnibel abhors it. Belvedere realises this too, and spends much of his time at least trying to make it comfortable for her, but often ends up frustrated and arguing with her about it. Bonnibel doesn't accept the psychic anomalies even as psuedoscience, whereas Belvedere considers it fully scientific, and this also adds to the strain between them.
Belvedere is a little strategic about how he goes about earning badges; he doesn't wish the court to think he's excelling too quickly, nor does he wish them to think the camp is doing nothing for him. Belvedere's first badge following Basic Braining was his easiest and favourite; telekinesis. His most difficult badge? Levitation. It frustrates Belvedere to no end and he is determined to make levitation his next badge.
Belvedere does not plan to ever, ever get a mediumship badge. Because of an undisclosed incident involving Bonnibel, Belvedere, Marshall Lee, and an undead spirit of unimaginable evil (that likely followed the royalty from their Island) Belvedere even fears ghosts, and for the safety of his sister. He even submitted to assisting her in the creation of a modified tiara that blocks not only the psychic energy of those around Bonnibel, but of Bonnibel herself. It was a bit of a disappointment for him; Belvedere no longer believes he can persuade Bonnibel to develop her powers for good use, but cannot allow himself to sacrifice her safety for something not guaranteed to help the kingdom. Belvedere regards mediumship with a certain level of disdain; he doesn't think anyone wrong for using it but prefers to be nowhere near those particular forms of psychic energy. He's also very wary about astral projection because of it.
When Belvedere was 9 the previous ruler left and Belvedere's uncle agreed to hold the throne until the prince was 13. This has done little to interfere with his progress in the camp, as for three years he has left detailed plans for emergencies and other events in the kingdom for his absence. The court still handles much of the royal business anyway, much to Gumball's displeasure at certain times; the distrusting court has a habit of planning certain royal ceremonies the day prior to the start of camp. He often shows up a little late for registration, dressed in some outlandish ceremonial garb that only emphasises how childishly ridiculous his kingdom is.
Brain World:
Prince Belvedere's dream world is, as one would expect, a very large and expansive castle. It does not look as anyone would assume it would, however.
The first room entered within the castle is a grand, throne room. At the center of the throne room is a large pink throne about 5 times the height of Gumball. It is completely black apart from neon-lit, ornate, pink detailing, as if all that exists is the pink detailing itself. More often than not, when Gumball is present within his own mind, he is seated in the throne. As this is his castle, he is always dressed in the appropriate standard Prince garb. This garb, however, has a ribbon attached to the back. The tails of the ribbon hang high above Gumball's head over two golden curves and hang down to tie to his hands, anchoring him to the curves; the Standards of Duty. These Standards do not keep him from moving freely about the castle as they follow him where he walks, and Gumball is free to untie them but refuses to.
Much of the castle is poorly lit or entirely dark, as is the throne room– apart from one bright lamp that hangs from the top of the throne. Doors about half the throne's height taller than the throne are located all around the castle and lead to stairs, hallways, and rooms. Some of the hallways have dead ends, as if something was intended to be placed there but was abandoned. The candy residents usually carry little lamps.
Many of the rooms are poorly lit or not lit at all, but certain rooms are very well lit. As opposed to the inky blackness of other rooms, these rooms are as one would believe Gumball's castle a home should look; pale yellow bricks and pinks and lavenders in the decor. These rooms are generally sunny and there are many candy subjects ambling happily about them. Cobwebs are a little sparse apart from one dimly lit room filled with figments resembling adult guardians and toys. Another room shelters many of Gumball's emotional baggages and is guarded by very happy looking figments resembling the banana guards, as if a weak attempt to ensure the room is monitored. There are other figments about the castle; some are the prince's attendants doing shady things, and these figments are sharply angled and large. There are also figments of guards and attendants that are smiling and cheerful.
Generally the castle does not seem treacherous but a few of the castle walls on higher floors have holes in the bricks; these holes look out on the night scene of the Candy Kingdom. There is no door leading to the outside of the castle, and the sight of the kingdom appears to be just an image.
Any censors running around are taller than they are strong, but still stand formidably in size. They are few and far between and stand as tall as Gumball's throne, with banana hats much like those of fancier Royal Guards. They wear outfits that are a little ridiculous; banana versions of royal guard uniforms. They ain't smart, and are pretty slow.
It's all a giant metaphor, friends, have fun figuring it out.
Badges: Basic Braining, Telekinesis, Marksmanship, Psy-shield, Telepathy
SAMPLES
Sample 1: gotta get me some D_M
Sample 2:
Belvedere remembers the first time he was on a plane very clearly. It was frightening, honestly; both the journey and the destination seemed foreboding. He'd had to take a much smaller plane from the island, and that had been fun, but the jet from the mainland had been big, bigger than anything he'd ever seen.
And the camp itself? It'd scared the crap out of him.
Now Belvedere practically bounces on the plane ride, still stuck in ridiculous ceremonial clothing he hadn't bothered to bring a change of clothes for, punk rock and Owl City bursting through his headphones so loud his attendant had already snagged them away to turn them down himself. Striding through the airport with a pretence of dignity had been simple, but as soon as Belvedere's in a rental car, his legs bounce and fidget in anticipation. There's nothing that can make this car ride go fast enough for him unless they'd put the camp right next to the airport, he swears.
All forms of princely pretension are gone by the time he reaches the parking lot, grinning as he runs across the black asphalt, chased by his exasperated attendants. As usual he reassures the guards, once he meets his friend, that if they hadn't been so late they wouldn't have had to worry about un-prince-like behaviour.
But here at camp? Belvedere doesn't give (much of) a damn about that behaviour anyway. At camp there are no people to take care of, no subjects with problems and worries. Belvedere hasn't a sceptre to hold or a crown to wear, no responsibilities to the kingdom and no attendants to impress. (Not to say there aren't people to impress; mark his words, Marshall Lee Aberdeer, Belvedere Blowpop Gumball will get that bunk levitation badge if it's the last thing he does!)
After August he will return to the people he serves, and one day he will no longer return to this camp. The firefly embers of the campfires that travel up to the sky will just be starlit reflections as Gumball stares out at his kingdom, and fire-lighting cougars and floating bears will just be a memory filed away for stories to tell the younger subjects that gather in the plaza squares.
For now, however, the campfire that casts a warm orange glow against the faces of Gumball's friends is real and close, and Gumball has badges to earn instead of decrees to survey and courts to supervise- and the joys of being a kid, psychic or not, lay secure in hands of a few campers who remind Gumball that being a prince isn't all he has to be.
*If Personality differences are found in the upcoming canon update, which will be the Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake comic, I will adjust accordingly if it is recommended. For now, Gumball's personality is mainly a genderbend of Princess Bubblegum with the quirks we already know about Gumball from canon.
**If applying canonmates wish to be a part of this AU history, I will be glad to work with them and adapt that they can fit in the same history.