title goes here [Open]

[diamondsare]

Who: Blue Diamond, Open
What: Getting down locations, meeting new 'coworkers'
When: 1-2 days before Event
Where: All over the Carnival
Warnings: None currently



1

[The only thing keeping Blue complacent is knowing she made the choice to be here herself. The indignity of being reduced to a mere aid for others when she was a diamond for stars' sake would be intolerable even for her. But the prize is worth it.. and it's only a year.

A year is still long enough to need to know who her coworkers are and more importantly who those who outrank her are. Not all of them would be telling her what to do, but keeping things working smoothly in case she did need to go to them for something - or them to her for some requisition or other - is simple common sense. A little asking around gets Blue pointed in the right direction..

Which means visiting supervisor's grove. She has a mental list of descriptions and names of those she's supposed to be looking for, and once she spots one (and presuming they don't look otherwise occupied at some other task - Blue is mindful, and she knows what work looks like in its many forms), it's just a matter of saying hello.]

Pardon me. Do you have a few moments?

2

[Peoplewatching follows. There's a lot of people in the carnival, some human, some ... mixed? Some don't seem as if they were ever human to begin with but there's plenty of locations for Blue Diamond to settle down in a somewhat out of the way place and do nothing at all but watch the others go about their duties, sitting or standing depending on location.

The diamond - in this case the Ringmaster - of course set the tone of a location, but it's the lower class gems that always lived and breathed it, and if she was going to blend into this place, she needed to better understand how they behaved, what they did ... and why.

Perhaps you're the person Blue's chosen to watch right now, a silent seven and a half foot tall azure shadow keeping tabs on what you're doing, what you're wearing, everything you're saying.. it might be a little uncomfortable but for the air of benign benevolence she manages to cultivate.]

3

[With a better idea of what this place expects by way of appearance, it's time to familiarize herself with locations. If a new arrival can get there, Blue's going to be there sooner or later, looking around with interest and attempting to at least become familiar with various locations and what they're for.

Roping her into lending a hand with this small task or that one shouldn't take much effort at all, Blue seems interested in learning and being of what assistance she can be. Got a task? Make use of the strange blue lady hanging around.]

4

[There are times when Blue simply leaves the main carnival and heads into the woods for a little bit of quiet to allow herself some time to acclimate to new information and the general headache and effort of pretending to be this entire place's newest Pearl.

The forest prevents anyone from leaving, but Blue isn't trying to leave and perhaps something of the entangling, confusing place understands that. It's easier to find little quiet out of the way spots amongst the trees to loiter a while, even if she's not terribly comfortable with being surrounded by so much organic mass. She'll be here well into the evening, a dark blue wraith between the trunks, seemingly looking for something. She's not lost .. not yet, but that could change at any time with this place.]

5

[Wildcard; bring it on]

Comments

2

[espigeon]

[Julien's trailer is bigger than average, with a wider door that has a large handle instead of one of the more common latches or knobs. There is only one name stenciled on the mailbox, though, and positioned without leaving space for another. Blue might just be in the area and hasn't noticed that, though. Julien comes out that front door in his human body, short and with dark hair and eyes giving way to shades of blue. Missing Blue entirely he holds the door open.

His bird body, deep-chested and almost as broad as the doorway, similarly with black head feathers and dark eyes in the process of turning blue, starts out the door and, having far better eyesight, sees the Diamond instantly. Both bodies freeze up and look at her, the human one with a guilty expression. This passes. He smiles, and his bird body retreats back into his trailer.]

Hello! Sorry, I didn't see you there.

[diamondsare]

[That there are names on any of these, and that doorknobs are even a thing, has not yet been noticed by Blue Diamond. Who ever heard of a doorknob, or even a latch? She'll find out sooner or later though, she surely had a trailer of her own though things like sleep weren't needed.

What's going on over there is noticed mostly from movement. Another human, fairly unchanged so far it seems, and some sort of animal. The animal is immediately dismissed, they were interesting sometimes but largely not something Blue bothered with. The guilty look she's given however telegraphs across entire species. She's seen that look before.]

You don't have to close your creature in because of me. I am merely passing through.

[She has no idea what the hell it is.]

[espigeon]

[That his larger, more feathery body is some kind of pet or mount would be an easy excuse, but Julien probably spends more time occupying it talking to people than he does with his human body. He needs it seen as him, because it is him.]

Um. [He rubs the back of his neck and says the first explanation that comes to mind. It's more honest than his ruse of being a shapeshifter and he's a good liar, that honesty comes through.] That's my other half, actually. It's just that I'm not supposed to let anyone see all of me at once, it's uh... just weird. Bad enough the Ringleader saw! I should have been more careful. My fault.

[diamondsare]

A word of advice.

[Although this is very strange indeed, Blue's gentle voice doesn't have a note of judgment or suspicion in it. She merely tucks her hands up her sleeves and studies the human with mild interest.]

It is unwise to try to hide things of import from the Ringleader. Agitating that which grants us what we desire could jeopardize that wish.

[At least, not hiding things LIKE THAT. If it's not known there's a giant bird around someone's gonna take a shot at it sooner or later..]

And secrets of that size and bulk tend to not last long in such small places. Perhaps it would be a better decision to reveal it yourself than have it revealed for you by others.

[espigeon]

[He opens his mouth to deny, but hesitates and closes it again. Now he does go for honesty, if not every detail. It's her expression, that bland, remote, nearly indifferent curiosity.]

She knows. Right now she's the only one here who knows the whole thing... probably more than I do, really. I've been letting people think I can change my shape.

I know I shouldn't do this. It's just too strange and new. I already have to stop and explain a lot. [He's starting to flush red, especially in the ears.] I'll... tell people, but I have to understand what I'm telling them.

[diamondsare]

You don't have to explain much. An intimate knowledge of your life is not required to be told that you are plural.

[As far as Blue is concerned, it's a simple matter.]

It will keep matters far less complicated, and leave it open for others to ask more if they wish but not have to be informed of the details of your existence if a simple and quick explanation suffices. If it is the shape that concerns you..

[The blue lady glances back towards the carnival proper, eyebrows rising slightly.]

I have seen odder things since setting foot here.

[espigeon]

[He pinches the bridge of his nose, moving his glasses up on his face.] You're... probably right. No, you're definitely right. Plus if I work to hide this the longer it takes to come out the worse it looks.

Nah, the shape's not that weird. [People don't usually look as inhuman as his bird body, admittedly, but a bird is a simple, easily-understood shape.] 'Plural' is a good word. This whole thing's not normal where I'm from and I haven't seen anyone like this here either.

[Julien's bird-self pushes back through the door. His voice through its beak is nearly the same, maybe a bit more resonant, maybe consonants that normally need lips, like "b" and "p", sound a little odd.] Well... thanks.

And somehow this never appeared in my inbox. Spotted it!

[diamondsare]

[For a moment Blue looks around, to see if she can spot anyone else. Nothing in this place struck her as normal for what she knew, surely it was the same for everyone else.]

You have the advantage of not a single person here save myself and perhaps the Ringmaster, being aware it's not ordinary. If you act as if it is, others will act accordingly. Treat it as peculiar, a secret or alarming ..

[Gems and humans were alike in that measure at least.

It was she supposed a little like dealing with a pair of gems who are usually fused and are temporarily separate. Rubies perhaps. Still the same being most of the time..]

Though if such a form comes with certain special needs, as it seems I'll be dealing with requisitions alongside aiding the treasurer, please inform me and I will do my best to accommodate.

[espigeon]

It's still plenty unusual to me. I thought being here would give me the chance to get used to it, it's part of why I signed on.

[He puts a human hand on his other body's big feathery neck. It's sunk in by now that being here trying to get used to this also means being away from all the people to whom it's old hat, who could tell him more about it.]

I know what you're saying though. And, uh, thanks, but I think I'm covered. The big thing was getting a big enough trailer.

[diamondsare]

[Somewhere, she assumes, is a place w here this sort of thing isn't exactly completely uncommon. He didn't strike her as being peculiar enough to be completely unique. Perhaps it was something like asking quartzes to raise humans. They don't quite end up the way they should; he might have been separated from his own kind!]

Ah yes. Finding appropriately sized housing can definitely get a bit tricky as soon as ordinary human proportions are not ideal.

[She knows, these trailers aren't meant for someone her size either.]

But if nothing else it seems the Ringmaster is quite accommodating.

[espigeon]

Right. Did you see the guy on four legs? Crazy. I really thought I'd be the biggest around. Usually that's how it goes!

[Blue's decidedly taller than his bird body, even if he drew it up to stand more upright, but he's much bulkier, even if some of that is feathers padding him out. A note about Julien's bodies side by side - typically one will say a few sentences, then the other will go on.]

I guess she's been doing this for a while. It'd be a lot crueler if she expected everyone to be a normal human and caused all the random-looking transformations anyway.

[diamondsare]

I did. His name is 'The Man Gongenzaka', and he's quite friendly, as well as part of the guard of this place I believe. I recommend being friendly in return.

[It never at all hurts to be friendly with the big people who did things like stopping other people from causing problems. And Gon was so polite too. If she had any idea what a creature like that ate, she'd consider seeing if he could be lured to Pink's zoo, and preserved as the unique being he was.

Besides, she was certain he'd give the amethysts a solid workout and something new to do.

Blue shakes her head slightly though.]

I have no impression that she is cruel. If anything, she is rather benevolent. To grant nearly unlimited rewards in return for a mere year and day of service? Were such power open to my people the price would ... surely be far steeper.

[espigeon]

Definitive article and noun included? Huh, that's different. Friendly's the plan, though!

[Julien's default is to be friendly and engaging. He likes people easily, is happy to be around them, and lets that show. Secrets kind of gum up that whole process, unfortunately.

He does think some of what the Ringmaster's doing here tastes of cruelty, but he's going to dodge around that.]

I'm more saying that if she caused the changes but made no accommodations for them, that'd be cruel. Take it from me, they take a lot of getting used to.

By the way, my name is Julien! Julien Delacroix.