lostcarnival | [Semi-Open] Getting down to business

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[Semi-Open] Getting down to business

Who: Peridot, the engineering team, Lambert, Steven, Amethyst, Lapis, uh… Anyone else who has CR with any of the engineering guys and can justify crashing an engineering related meeting.
What: TEAM MEETING! Lambert wants to build a training/obstacle course and practice area, and Peridot needs all hands on deck ~~because she has no idea what she’s doing~~ because she values all of your opinions.
Where: Supervisor trailer #9, AKA Lapis and Peri’s Gem Cave.
When: Some misc. evening between Day 92-98
Warnings: Nah.

Notes: The meeting is the reason for the gathering, but there will be time for people to chatter amongst themselves and kick back with some snacks or whatever, so this will be a mingle style log. In other words, feel free to post your own top levels so you can get to know your fellow repair/effects workers! I’ll be posting my own top level for the main meeting thread, which will be a free-for-all with no particular tagging order.

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Peridot’s instructions, given to each and every one of her subordinates over radio, are very straightforward: Mandatory meeting tomorrow night, at her trailer, 8 PM sharp. She’s cryptic, when pressed, about the reasons for calling such a gathering so suddenly… All she’ll divulge is that they have a new project to work on, and she needs everyone to come together and collaborate. You’re all encouraged to bring “your favorite human snacks, or whatever,” to share with your coworkers to promote maximum synergy and cooperation. Peridot won’t eat any herself of course, but she’s given to understand that shared food generally results in higher moral among organics.

The chosen meeting place is, of course, her personal trailer in the Supervisor’s Grove, which despite all appearances on the outside, is more than large enough on the inside comfortably fit everyone on the team and then some. The interior itself is rather elegant, and it seems like it could be luxurious... but it’s obvious that neither of the gems who live here really understand how good they’ve got it, or appreciate the amenities they have access to. There’s all kinds of junk strewn over nearly every surface, and weird contraptions that don't seem to do anything other than move or make noise are rigged up to the ceilings and the walls. There's also, FOR NO APPARENT REASON, a gigantic stuffed rasta banana propped up in one corner? It can probably be used as an extra seat if you're not too horrified by it. Otherwise, you may have to move a meep-morp or two off of a chair in order to make yourself comfortable.

Lapis and Peridot's pet Pumpkin is also here, and will gladly smother you with affection if given the chance. Finally, for the comfort of her extremely nervous wimpod, Stumpy, Peridot has respectfully requested that all Pokemon either remain in their pokeballs or be left behind at their respective trainer’s trailers for the duration of the meeting.

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Once everyone is finally assembled and ample time has been provided for people to settle down and make themselves comfortable, Peridot hops up on the coffee table to bring the meeting to order.

“A-hem!” she clears her throat loudly, standing with her chest puffed out, thumbs through her suspenders. She's pretty obviously enjoying being in the spotlight and getting to show off a bit. “Now that we have everyone here… I suppose you must be wondering why I’ve called you all here tonight.”

[No tagging order required. This is a free for all, people.]

"Actually, I live here." Lapis calls helpfully from her place in her hammock, resting her head on one arm while the other lays hanging out of the hammock. Her Dratini is trying to make itself completely unnoticeable by blending its blue into the blue of Lapis.

It's not really that effective, and every now and again, its head will snake up to look at everyone before ducking back down into the hammock again.

"No wondering necessary."

Hopefully nobody was gunning for the rasta banana, because Amethyst has dibsed it. She is currently draped inelegantly over it, holding an XL sized popcorn carton full of screws. Intermittently she grabs a handful of them and dumps them into her awful stomach mouth. Crunchy.

Mercifully, for now, she does not interrupt.

Steven is also here, and right at that moment he chooses to enthusiastically slam a tray of daintily cut triangle PBJ sandwiches onto the table. They each have a toothpick stuck into them with a small cube of cheese stuck on top.

"Cause I brouuught SANDWICHES!" he declares, like that's the most important reason to be here.

"Awwww yeah!" Amethyst reaches over to swipe one, which she stuffs into her mouth without removing the toothpick. "Ow," she says, but chews and swallows anyway, and shoots some finger guns at Steven. "It's sharp, I like it."

Edited 2017-05-09 00:08 (UTC)

Greg's already taken a sandwich and squished himself between a stack of cans and a mass of hangers entangled into each other in a massive wiry sculpture.

"Uhhh, yeah. You said there's a project we gotta do, right?" He's not really sure why all the secrecy is necessary for an engineering task of all things.

Before anyone else can say much of anything, or get into much of the details, the Nightrider steps through the door.

It takes about a second or two for him to tamp down the reflex to step right back out, though he can't hide the way his tail stiffens behind him, as he takes in the scene in front of him, from rasta banana to tiny sandwiches. He didn't have many expectations for what the Engineer's trailer might look like in the first place, but somehow, it's managed to fail even those.

"So ... who's Peridot?" He says, at length. He still hasn't moved from the doorway.

"Hi Lambert!" Steven yells cheerfully, with a friendly wave, as if they are all here for a friendly game of Uno. Hey, it's that ten year old from hell, and the medical tent! Back at it again with tiny sandwiches at a supposedly serious meeting.

If Peridot has ever wondered what kind of a shit disturber Lapis Lazuli was, she's about to find out her answer.

"That's me. I'm Peridot." She gives a small wave to Lambert.

What a room! Scout had picked a spot and sat cross-legged on a pillow on the floor, some strange plywood shape leaning on the wall behind her, despite the suspicion that it'd fall over on her if anything touched it. It's just funny how ridiculous this is. She wishes she could describe the scene to one of her friends - Ahsoka, maybe, she's not dead yet.

She did not bring snacks. Without the head cook there's no one making her favorite pastries and she certainly has no idea how to make them herself.

Lambert freezes in the door and Lapis lies and Scout crams her fist up against her mouth, snorting, trying not to laugh. Her tail circled around her thumps.

You know, Greg was already halfway towards pointing at Peridot, but he instead opts for stuffing a sandwich in his mouth and letting this ride out.

Amethyst guffaws like an asshole.

Peridot is totally about respond to Lambert's question when-- LAPIS GODDAMNED LAZULI.

Shocked, she whirls on the spot to face the other gem. "Wh-- No you're not!" Peridot squawks; she's blushing, tail stiff, the tuft on the end of it bristling like a cactus. Just as quickly, she whips back to face Lambert, desperately trying to salvage some of her composure. "No, she's not, I'm Peridot," she insists, ears flattened out. "Please ignore my ridiculous colleague. Am I to assume you're our new Nightrider?"

Scout lowers her hand, her face a mask. Calm. Totally collected and calm. Don't notice her nostrils flaring or the thump of her tail. She's a Jedi and she can control her emotions.

She still really wants to say no, he's just here to deliver sweetrings. She does not, but she wishes she were sitting next to someone so she could whisper it.

Greg doesn't quite manage to hold his tongue as well as Scout. Glancing between Lambert and Peridot, he can't help but venture:

"Did you guys plan this without even meeting each other first...?" Is that why Peridot's been secretive, does she not even know anything?

Yeah, that would have worked a lot better if Lambert hadn't actually called Peridot first. He gives Steven and Scout a lazy wave, as they're two of the faces he immediately recognizes. Peridot and Greg, though, get raised eyebrows.

"Yeah, that's me. We've only spoken on the radio. Not face to face." He shrugs, like that's not weird or anything. Doesn't that just inspire confidence in your supervisors, everyone??? Finally, he'll take a few steps into the room, finding the nearest bit of clear counter and leaning his hip against it.

"This everyone?" He's not a fan of repeating himself. Anyone in the room with more feline aspects or a general sensitivity to magic might find there's something inherently skin-crawling about being too close to the Nightrider, instinctively hackle-raising though there's no immediate cause to pinpoint.

There isn't a ton of space to spare, so Steven slips onto Greg's lap for the time being, cuddling up into his dad's shoulder. He's not actually sure what the meeting is meant to be for, besides snacks, so he'll keep his mouth shut for the moment and let them sort it out.

Rita arrived on time, and has since been seated sideways in a chair, studying the knickknacks littering the room. She gets up once, to take one of the offered sandwiches, and immediately goes back to her seat. From the silence that follows, it would seem that she's enjoying the snack.

She sees a few familiar faces among those in attendance, though she gives them little more than a glance of acknowledgment.

"Let's just get on with it," she grumbles by way of contribution. "If anyone's late, that's their problem."

"Agreed," growls Peridot, bobbing her head in agreement. Although, unless the Ringmaster has literally just assigned someone new to her roster and has failed to tell her yet, Peridot's pretty positive that everyone is here and accounted for.

"As I was trying to say before--" foot tapping impatiently, claws clacking on the lacquered surface, she shoots Lapis a look-- "yes, we have a new project. We'll be working closely with the Nightrider for this. I'll allow him to explain further."

Lapis, in response to the look she received, simply yawns, stretches, and sticks her leggy out real far and stretches her toe beans while she does it. No, she has no reason for doing that, but she sure did it anyway.

Her Dratini makes a soft noise of startlement and tries to wriggle its way underneath Lapis further.

The back half of it hangs off the side of the hammock uselessly. If you cant see her, she can't see you.

Lambert crosses his arms, surveying the room. He's not entirely certain all of the people here are part of the repairs team, but whatever, it's not his meeting. He's just here to give his spiel.

"The Ringmaster agreed to clear some space for a training yard," is what he leads with, bluntly. "Performers have the tents for practicing their acts, but there isn't really anywhere dedicated for sparring, target practice, or improving general physical endurance. Something like that needs equipment -- and people to build it. That's where you come in." The witcher looks around the room with that faint, ever-present sneer on his mouth. He's not making fun of you, guys, he just can't help his face being that way.

"You up to it?"

Edited 2017-05-09 06:19 (UTC)

Greg scratches at the base of one mossy antler, frowning. "So.... nailing some bullseyes to some posts and a fancy jungle gym?" Yes, he knows they probably want something a little fancier than that, but heck if he knows the specifics.

"Sounds doable, I guess. Though that kind of thing requires space, doesn't it? We'll have to find an area that isn't getting used for anything else."

"Already covered," Lambert grins, taking out a letter tucked into his pocket and waving it at the room. Of course, from this distance, most people are probably going to see is the Ringmaster's fancy-ass signature.

"We've got a spot in the forest. All we need to do is fill it up."

Peridot's grin is back, and she beams excitedly at the rest of the crew, hands resting easily on her hips. "This is our chance to contribute something big to the landscape of the carnival, instead of just fixing the same broken down machines over and over again. I mean, that's not to say that fixing things isn't fun in it's own right, but. This is a pretty big deal! Right, team?"

"I'll pass." Lapis, you aren't even part of the team, you're a performer and this doesn't even concern you to begin with. "Sounds like a pain."

Practical concerns are Scout's forte. "Yeah, but do we have anything we can even use to move a lot of heavy stuff? If it's not just something casual we really need some walls to scale. And pits."

"You can do it!!" Steven says, cheering Peridot on in sharp contrast to Lapis's total lack of interest. "This is gonna be so cool!"

Greg's not sure about this whole idea, but Steven's cheers encourage him a tad. This could be fun, couldn't it?

"I've got my van. It can carry a good chunk of the equipment."

"I don't do heavy lifting," Rita chimes in unhelpfully.

She shrugs and continues. "But I suppose I can design and put together a few things. Can't have the people who're supposed to watch my back getting soft, or anything." It's not a particularly interesting project to her, but she can see the merit in having well-trained allies around. And Peridot does have a point... designing and constructing things from scratch makes for a pretty appealing change of pace.

"We mostly improvised on a mountain trail," Lambert shrugs. "Nearly broke our necks on the ice in the winter, half-drowned in the river in spring, sweat all the water out of our bodies in summer, and slip on moss and lichen in the fall. The idea was that you practiced one way to run it until you could do it in your sleep, then you made up your own challenges as you got better." He says this all very matter of factly. Witchers called it the "Killer" for a reason ...

"I can talk about some of the equipment we had for combat practice, but that's just to give an idea of what I'm used to. If you've got something that works better and you can build it, I'm all ears."

"We can easily find an alternative to doing the heavy lifting ourselves," Peridot reassures everyone, flapping one hand like she's literally waving the concern off. "More to the point: I'm... still not sure I fully understand the purpose of providing a course which is that punishing, but if that's what's necessary for your purposes, I'm confident that we can come up with something every bit as deadly as described! More deadly, even."

That sounds like fun, but Scout holds up a finger.

"The medical tent will hate us forever if we make something deadly, or even with a really high injury rate, and force people to run it," she says firmly. "And they'll be right to do so. Challenge is great but you know, most people don't have the discipline to start right on the highest difficulty. We need different grades."

She starts counting things off. "Paths, sure, but shortcuts too, so it can be endurance or just focused. Walls or steep inclines to climb - some ledges, some rope, sometimes just a slick surface, 'cause hooves and feet and claws all climb in their own way. Water or mud to wade through. Taught ropes and poles over things to work on balance, and the easier end there isn't hard to figure out."

"If someone is dumb enough to start on the highest difficulty and get hurt it's their own fault." Again, Lapis has absolutely zero horses in this race, but clearly comments from the peanut gallery are vital to the success of this entire operation.

Not.

"Is any of this really going to help people get better?"

"Good ideas," Lambert says, nodding at Scout, then shrugs at Lapis' question.

"Like Scout said, that's going to be a matter of discipline. You get what you're willing to put in, and that's not up to me unless someone asks me to train them." He doesn't want to get yelled at by the medical team, sure, but he's also nobody's mom. "I expect to see all the nightrunners out there using it. If someone else wants to learn, or just build up their endurance, we can assess where they're at and help figure out something for them to do, get them someone to make sure they don't break their necks."

There's no real way to impose exercise on everyone, even if, say, the Ringmaster demanded it.

"That's why I came to you. I know the kind of equipment I'd need to stay on top of my form. I don't know about anyone else." He pauses, considering. "Oh, and on the subject of moving things around, I've got a horse that can drag ten tons. In case you need that."

Edited 2017-05-14 07:09 (UTC)

“…Well that certainly sounds useful.” She doesn’t actually know what a horse is? But. Anything that can drag that much weight is bound to come in handy.

“Anyway, we can easily program some difficulty settings into the higher tech areas. For the people who really want a challenge, I’m thinking lasers. Lots of them.”

"Lasers? Now we're talking." Rita leans forward a bit in her seat, cupping her chin as she pictures it. "I suppose I can put together a few fire-based obstacles as well." She says I suppose, like she's going out of her way to do them all a favor, but that smirk on her face betrays how much she's going to enjoy it. "It should be trivial for any fighter worth his salt to dodge a few fireballs here and there."

Did somebody say something about safety? Rita didn't seem to hear.

Greg winces. "Always with the lasers and fire..." He taps at a tusks. "I don't think I'd be a big help with that stuff, so I'll leave the higher level stuff to you guys. I bet even people outside the Nightrunners can appreciate having a good place to work out, though, so it's worth putting some energy into it." It's come up a fair few times by now, hasn't it? "Leave the basics to me."

Peridot perks up, and addresses the whole room, gesturing to Rita. "See, Rita gets it! I like your energy there, pal," she says, grinning and giving her the double finger guns. Then she turns her attention to Greg: "Greg. Truth be told, I find your lack of ambition rather disappointing. BUT. I suppose there's something to be said for knowing your limits, so you should at least feel proud about that. We absolutely will leave the basics to you."

It's a compliment.

Fire-based obstacles sound a little extreme, but you know what? Lambert'll take it. He'd bitched about his training at Kaer Morhen the whole time he'd been forced through it, but he can't deny it's come in handy.

"More people around here could use exercise," Lambert shrugs. Who cares if that sounds rude, it's the truth! "Everyone's got to start somewhere."

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[Semi-Open] Getting down to business

THE MEETING

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