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Shipping
It happens all the time. Everybody does it.
It's called shipping. Welcome to my section on it.
These are the three most common ships involving Callo Merlose.
- Merlose/Hardin ((walk-through))
- Merlose/Sydney ((walk-through))
- Merlose/Riot ((walk-through))
I intend to explore each and every one of them, but please allow me to warn you: I'm a Merlose/Riot shipper. And I have no shame.
Callo Merlose/John Hardin
This pairing is the most common Callo pairing on the 'net. It was first put forth in English fiction by the now-defunct Technomancy. I do believe they had a fic or three on their NC-17 archive devoted to some in-game Callo/Hardin action; one of which had the memorable phrase, "I have a ball. Why don't you bounce it?"
Despite its relative popularity, Callo/John is pretty well impossible outside of the game (a problem it shares with Callo/Sydney). Most Callo/John fanfic occurs at some point within the game, during one of those scenes that HAD to have transpired but the game does not show. It also frequently involves ropes, daggers, and poking fun of Callo's hair.
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For it: Sydney uses Callo, John and Joshua to parallel a family. What's to say Callo and John didn't fall into that role a little more fully?
Against it It messes with the Sydney/Hardin pairing liek woah. Not only that, but most sane people would be too nervous or too busy to fuck during the game.
Callo Merlose/Sydney Losstarot
This pairing is somewhat less common than Merlose/Hardin, but there are some who support it, and one fanfic that appears to be leaning that way (Lead You Beast Unto Me). Again, this is a pairing that is pretty well impossible outside of the game unless you are willing to throw canon straight out the window. The one Callo/Sydney fic that I have is hinting at the pairing during (again!) those hidden moments.
I must admit that I do not support this pairing at all. Not only does it pair my favorite character with my third least favorite character, but I can see very little evidence that supports it for either object in the ship. Yes, Callo Merlose gives Sydney some glowing reviews early in the game. Delight in the Church's discomfort and admiration for a good opponnent aren't going to stick around long when you've got churchmen after you and the object of said admiration is so good an opponnent that he's holding you hostage. Unless Stockholm's syndrome can set in that early, Callo is not likely to lust after Sydney, and Sydney is far, FAR too busy for sex during the game. End of story.
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For it: They're both hot. It would involve clawsex. Callo gives Sydney glowing reviews. It screws up the Ashley/Sydney pairing.
Against it: It (once again) really screws up the Sydney/Hardin pairing. It'd never work long-term. It's actually kind of hard to defend, seeing as how Sydney flirts with everybody in the game EXCEPT for Callo (and Joshua. He doesn't hit on Joshua).
Callo Merlose/Ashley Riot
Here's my favorite pairing, I admit. It is the least popular pairing in the entire fandom, and I know of only one other person who writes it. Most Callo/Ashley fiction takes place at least six months after the game and stars cameos involving Joshua.
This pairing is the most likely pairing for non-gen fic involving a straight!Ashley (which is the only way I can see him). Canonically speaking, fiction involving this pairing HAS to occur after the game, and probably six months or more after it. However, the pairing fits what we know of both Callo and Ashley using in-game information, and has the added bonus of making fun family parallels (as well as all sorts of permanent-couple jokes). It will obviously have a rocky start, and with the fact that Ashley is immortal and Callo isn't, there is plenty of opportunity for angst. Throw in a little kid, a country-wide plot to kill Ashley and Callo and recover Joshua, and you have a very exciting pairing that (believe it or not) could work!
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For it: Ashley is straight. Callo's hot. It could get very, very angsty. Man/Girl (or Daddy/Girl or Man/Femme or the inverse of any of the above) relationships RULE. There is plenty of kink!fodder. You get Joshua for free! You get snarkyness! You get arguments! You get pseudo-intellectual posturings! It destroys Ashley/Sydney! You get lots of Ashley/Tia wankage!
Against it: Well, a lot of people don't think Ashley's straight. And then there's all the Ashley/Tia wankage. And then there's Ashley's immortality.
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