#PennedPossibilities 831 — Halloween Edition: A friend suggests that your SC spends the evening in a pumpkin patch, waiting for the Great Pumpkin to arrive. Would they do it? CW: Innuendo.
For any story in the Reluctance Series, because of their lack of belief, or a tangible or even irrational supernatural, it is nearly impossible to make this work in the moral parable sense of the original Linus and Sally (Lucy's Brother and Charlie brown's sister) scenes from It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. HOWEVER…
One of the features of the cultures in the series is Japanese and Native American-style names in transliteration, though English names and others also historically had concrete or sentimental meanings. For example, in my universe my name transliterates to Shining Glory when properly gendered. So, it's conceivable that someone could have a name "Great Pumpkin" in-universe. Perhaps some farmer? Anyway…
I imagine, the college student SC named Flies Hard into the Dawn (nicknamed Hardboy for well-earned reasons I won't relate), might be convinced to spend a night in a pumpkin patch if asked by the right person. His major in college could be characterized as "female psychology." It's actually Men's Studies, but saying more would be spoilers…
Bolt, the MC of Reluctant Courier, if told by the Boss Mead to spend a night in said pumpkin patch (particularly if he wants to redress the prank she's pulled in the current chapter), she'd definitely ask Hardboy to accompany her. She knows his major since they live in the same apartment complex. Undoubtably, she'd do this to pry into and learn more about how he got his nickname…
Would he consent? In a hot second. He's been waiting to be asked but she's be been respecting his feelings and missing the obvious!
P.S.:
@npub1ek8r...t2en, Since you used my prompt, I figured I had to answer it somehow. Hope it amuses you. Please forgive that I added a little pumpkin spiciness! And yes, that's a real SC, including his names.
[Author retains copyright (c)2025 R.S.]
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