#laurskinn

[Simpsons OC Asks]

FINALLY after multiple weeks of this sitting in my inbox, trying to get a couple drawings for the answers done (and it taking entirely too long because of how absolutely DEMONIC my parents turn during moves), and other emotional turmoils I can answer these:

6 – What’s your OC’s personality like? Are they carefree and chill, or are they more likely to take things seriously (like Frank Grimes)?

Much like how Skinner was originally a caricature of the stereotypical school administrator in his inception, Laurel definitely comes off a boring, no-nonsense, fairly bland teacher type—she’s the new substitute teacher at Springfield Elementary, filling in when needed (and she’s needed a shockingly large amount more than she ever expected), and she certainly, just from the way she carries herself, is a woman you would look at and think “yeah, that’s a teacher alright.”

On the surface, Laurel seems humorless, and only interested in doing her job with as little interruption as possible—she’s the kind of substitute most kids dread (the kind that expects you to do work, the same as you would if your regular teacher was there—there’s no “just putting on a movie” with her!) and she tolerates no tomfoolery in *her* classroom (even if it’s not actually *her* classroom).

Of course, this facade of “business only” is just a cover to hide the deeply depressed, tired, and barely hanging on by a thread.

9 – What are your OC’s hobbies?

Once, 25 years ago, there was a little girl in Capital City who dreamed of becoming a country music star, she would practice singing and playing guitar day and night—ten years later, freshly an adult, she would try out for a television show in the next town over looking for performers to fill its time where she caught the eye of Krusty the Clown—but unfortunately…not for her talents.

After 5 miserable years working on that show as a “silent cowgirl” doing nothing else other than lasso tricks (which she wasn’t even all that great at), she fell pregnant—by the clown himself—and suddenly any chances of her dream had to be put on the back-burner indefinitely.

After a 9 month, completely loveless marriage, followed by a divorce filed mere *hours* after birthing her daughter—she knew her priorities had to lie elsewhere now. So she moved back to Capital City, living with her extremely elderly grandmother and newborn daughter, and went to college to get a degree in substitute teaching (she needed something that wouldn’t take all of her time, since she had a baby to take care of, after all). 10 years later, she was tired of big city life, and decided to come back to Springfield with her daughter, and started working at Springfield Elementary.

Now, you must be wondering “what’s all this have to do with hobbies?”

Well, you see, sometimes late at night, when her daughter’s fast asleep, she pulls her guitar out of the storage closet in her home that she keeps it in, and plays a little bit—while thinking of what could have been. Of course, in the event she was ever caught playing…she’d just claim it’s because “learning music helps the brain stay sharp.”

14 – How would you consider your OC’s role in the show? Are they a major character like the Simpson family? Are they more likely to just be seen in the background? Or something in between?

Realistically? She probably couldn’t ever be a “main” character—after all, her last name isn’t Simpson (nor is she related to the family in any way—even if she does have the trademark blue hair that the Bouvier’s have!) Not to mention, I would want her to be voiced by Mitski (who I imagine is busy enough she wouldn’t be able to just regularly show up in episodes more than maybe once or twice every couple of seasons)

But to me? Well, she’s MY main character. Well, one of them. (Gloria came first, and it’s through Gloria’s story that Laurel’s story can even happen the way it does!)

I’ve put a lot of time, effort, and research into making her a well rounded character, so of course, I would want her to get as much focus as possible.

19 – Are there other activities that your OC likes to do outside their daily routine?

I imagine Laurel is a very simple person—she really just goes to work and them comes home—and she doesn’t like interruption to her routine in any manner. Of course…without interruption to that routine, she probably wouldn’t have ended up with her new romantic interest…

32 – Your OC is either in trouble or feeling terrible. Who’s the first person they can rely on for help?

Before Laurel met Skinner, the answer to this question would have just been “well, no. There isn’t anyone”

Her whole life—even from childhood! Has been her learning to never rely on anyone for anything. She was abandoned by her parents from a young age, so they’re both out of the question. Her daughter is only but 9/10 years old, so far too young to put all of her problems onto! Her grandmother passed away 5 years ago—so that door is closed. She couldn’t even rely on her ex husband to show up to their daughter’s birth. She has no friends, no relatives in America (so her cousin from Japan that she writes to from time to time can’t really do much for her.)

So when she became involved with Skinner, things changed entirely for her—compared to every other man she’d ever known (all of them chaotic messes, such as Krusty or, even Sideshow Bob) he was just…normal (well, normal *enough*, at least)

Most people complain that Skinner is just some boring stick in the mud with no personality, and nothing going for him (despite him being in a, albeit minor, position of power)

But Laurel likes that—She likes that he is predictable. That she doesn’t have to worry about him coming home drunk and high—or that he’ll have explosive fits of anger—or that he’ll just outright abandon her for the horizon.