#ferfaix rambles

[ferfaix]

Future Flora (Mary) is canon now in my mind. I mourn the missed potential of Future Flora from the original third game. Thank you for bringing this AU concept to life!

Yea it´s sad we never got a future Flora design, just look at how good future Luke looks. And Flora could have played a much bigger role too if there was a future Flora involved, just imagine the drama! And also bonding moments hehe.

Not to mention how much more we could have dived into Clive's personality too, there's a reason I made Mary super close to him. I always felt like it was kinda dumb he wanted to take revenge on ALL of london and not the ones responsible for the time machine? Boom give Mary burn scars from the fire, make no one adopt her because of them as they don't want an ugly daughter, make her shunned out by people to the point she always wears gloves... now THIS adds to Clive's hatred of society and not only the scientists. To the point he gets overwelmed by his own emotions to take revenge justice.

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Some Mary facts

She's a great cook! Usually does all the cooking when living with Clive. (He sucks at it. Well he had servants for that aka Spring.)

Playing the piano is a hobby of hers. I imagine her parents wanted her to learn at least one instrument.

She helps out in her adoptive parents clockshop and since then has learned how to repair as well as make her own clocks.

Spring probably taught Mary knitting since it's mentioned as her hobby in her bio. But Mary prefers to sneak of to Cogg and help him with clocks.

She's very nerdy when it comes to machinery. She's very interested in the mechanical aspect of Dimitris time machine.

[ferfaix]

Christmas present headcanons 🎄

I always thought Clive would gift Mary a lot of random things throughout the year. Just anything that reminds him of her or things he saw on his way home and thought she'd like.

It's a hit and miss, he has the quantity. Clive doesn't seem like the guy to me that would spent money on himself he doesn't care about the riches per say, but rather likes to spent it on his close ones to make them happy.

But he also comes across as someone that thinks of getting the right present as a challenge. A puzzle even. For important days like christmas or birthdays he absolutely NAILS the present.

And he DEFINITELY doesn't shy away from spending a lot of money on the perfect gift. A screwdriver that's magnetic so screws don't get lost. The piano they have at home was a gift from Clive to Mary and be assured it's an expensive high class quality one. (Did I mention Mary likes to play the piano in her free time)

Mary on the other hand is much simpler. She's not as rich as Clive is and naturally puts a lot of thought into all her gifts, maybe even crafts some herself. Clive's pocket watch for example was a gift from her and also made by herself. She helps out in the clockshop after all, she knows her way around small machinery.

But in the end the best gift they could ever ask for is each other.

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Life after prison

I read a fanfiction  (super good go read, it's a Clive x reader, I shamelessly put Mary in readers shoes when it fit hehe) It made me think a lot about Clive´s (and Mary´s) life once he gets out of jail since it dealt with the topic quite well.

Finally he's out, free at last reunited with his friends and family but what now? Clive would never get a job with a criminal record like that. So much for becoming a journalist. Mary would have to work full time. He'd feel super guilty. Most of his fortune has probably either been spent already on future London/ the mobile fortress or used to repair the damage he has caused.

It would take him years to a job, he'd stay at home a lot. Probably developing into a proper home husband along the way.

Marriage? Mary taking on his last name? Do you have any idea how many compliactions and prejudices she would receive if she were to have the last name of THE known terrorist in London? Let´s hope her work place wouldn't kick her out.

And I haven't even talked about people recognising him on the street. His face was all over the news. Just imagine someone screaming and crying at him for killing their family and friends. Clive just standing there completly caught off guard having to face his fears and guilt, not really knowing what to do but to apologize over and over...And then more come and shout at him, a mass of people circling him..

...Mary comforting him after that. Clive saying it's alright, it happens, he deserves it. With a sad, comforting smile... Mary starting to cry. Because she can´t stand seeing him being treated like that and acting like it´s ok... and his facade crumbles because Mary never cries. Them hugging each other tightly... holding onto each other for hours...

Getting out of prison isn't all flowers and sunshine.

[ferfaix]

Don't get me wrong since I always draw Clive all smiley and nice lol.

He's still a manipulative ass but I imagine he's a big softie around familiy aka Constance, Spring, Cogg and Mary. They're the only ones he has left so naturally he cares a lot about them and is very protective.

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Lol I think a lot of people mistook the Mary sprites as a design for a future FLORA not an UNWOUND future Flora lmao. I guess Mary did a good job on her imitation then.

[ferfaix]

If you don't mind me asking, what's Mary's relationship with Spring and Cogg? Do they like her? Are they aware her and Clive are kinda sweet on each other?

Yes they like her a lot in fact they were the ones that adopted Mary x)

And to answer your other question, yes Spring and Cogg absolutely support them. They saw right away that the two are super important to each other. It is pretty obvious lol.

Mary and Clive are just super oblivous to each other. Imagine Spring and Cogg losing it everytime they are way too oblivious lmao.

"He just gifted you a ring."

"Yes? And...?"

"a RING."

"Yeah like friends do :D"

*screams*

But cut Mary and Clive some slack they're too scared to say anthing to the other in fear of losing what they have. They already have a super deep connection from being through the same trauma and really close and touchy anyways so why take it a step further if that could destroy everything between them. If one of them has a trauma trigger the other immediately knows how to calm them down. It's on a whole new level and not simply an "afraid of losing their friendship", they need each other.

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How Did Mary feel about Clive kidnapping Flora?

That's a good one.

She was NOT happy to put it lightly. Her and Flora got really close I'd imagine, an almost big sister-little sister like bond (in contrast to the boys who'd just annoy each other lol. Lovingly of course.) She knew she couldn't get too attached to Layton, Luke and Flora but they managed to sneak their way into her heart. And into Clive's too, he wouldn't admit it though.

Despite everything, future Flora's real identity having been revealed as Mary Gold and Flora loosing all trust in her, Mary still feels the need to protect the girl and leave her out of Clive's madness. To leave anyone out of harms way. (Remember that Mary didn't know about his plan of destroying London and was just as shocked as the rest when Layton implied this. She only knew of the time machine project.)

Furiously Mary immediately grabbed Clive's wrist to stop him as soon as he snatched Flora but so much things had been revealed, her mind buzzing with so many thoughts, and when Clive didn't notice her intention and simply took her hand in his softly in the process, she literally got carried away. It's still the Clive she knew from childhood till now, he couldn't have evil intentions... right?

Oh, she was proven wrong. Layton is always right.