Wanted to hash at least a few sentences out on my lunch break today (as I ooonly got in 600 or so at Tim Hortons this morning, ha!), but I realised I'd left myself at a point where I could take the story one of two directions. My character (MACKIEEEEEE!!!!! *loves all over*) could either continue wandering around Luce's house until we found something interesting for him to do, or he could hang out and listen to people gossip awhile.

In light of the blissful levels of easy word-count it should provide, I went with the latter.

So I asked the two coworkers who were on break with me what a good topic of gossip would be.

Flyer jumped on it first - "Andrew!"
We all laughed, and he shrugged and said "Sure, you can write about me, I don't care."

After that, the churches were suggested - later in the day, I realised Flyer had it on her mind because apparently they're closing one of the local churches, consolidating in light of probably money concerns, though they haven't decided which yet and how it will be done, which is causing all sorts of local angst. Andrew, however, took the pop culture tack on it, and said "priests", the whole Catholic alter-boy scandals. I also had movie stars suggested (good, but not in a time when movies don't exist yet - stage stars, however, are so fair game), and also neighbors, particularly "neighbors who don't close the drapes". I commended the idea, but pointed out that unfortunately I don't think that would actually *bother* my characters...

After about two minutes of consideration, however, during which time both coworkers headed back to work (early, as usual - I doggedly stuck out my break though, writing; also hi legal right to rest a bit <3)... I decided to take Andrew up on his offer. He is EXACTLY the sort of gossip my dear Phistos would delight in.

And here I thought I wouldn't be able to gank things from my everyday life to use in the sordid, 1800sish world of my Phistos. BWA.


But speaking of my darling Mackie, I am so ridiculously happy with the history I created for his name. It's progression is, of course, painfully obvious, but I am absurdly pleased with the rational I worked out. Initially, his name was Mephistopheles. The "-el" suffix on any angel name, I immediately cut away, as it means "God". From there, it's an easy jump to "Mephisto", which so far, is the variant I'm using in the stories... uh, for lack of a more distant variant, so far, but it works.
Over time, the Phistos' names shift, and change, and more and more forget their original Names. Their small world of luxury gradually begins to break down, and they lose sight of each other, and forget.. kind of a lot. It is awhile into this period when Mephisto is found in Berlin by Bono. He's wandering about, a little black ball of gloom and forgetfulness (which he at first chose, but then lost more than I think he'd planned). Bono, being the well-read thing that he is, and also a rock star, pounces upon the most ridiculously glamorous demon-name he knows: Mephistopheles. Only he decides that's too cumbersome for the modern masses. This is also 1989, 1990, the dawning of the perception of the "McWorld" idealogy.

So he dubs him "MacPhisto", mostly as a joke, though he likes the connotations it creates.

And then later B nicknames him Mackie and holy hell if anyone else EVER tried to call him that he would damn them to all manner of torment for beyond eternity. He tolerates B only because he is incredibly cute, and he is amused by the ridiculous impetuousness the nickname shows. (Also because B's eyes completely slaughter him, but that's a longer story.)

<3