It's a dangerous business, going out your door.

[empty_vessel]

WHO: Jimmy Novak and everyone.
WHAT: Orientation, changes, and wandering during breaks.
WHERE: Trailer #12 or various locations around the Carnival.
WHEN: The day after his arrival. (D33-ish.)
WARNINGS: None.




The first day on the new job was always overwhelming. So much information thrown at you that it was hard to keep track of it all. Trailer, clothes, kitchen, grounds.... It all blurred together into one giant mess of light and sound. It was better during the day, but that wasn't saying much. It was still a lot to take in.

And the new additions didn't make things any easier. The horns he could kind of live with (mostly by hiding them under a hat) but the ears were going to drive him bonkers. They twitched. Constantly. Picking up different things and giving him randomized surround sound, with a new focus point picked every three seconds or so. He was about ready to go grab a knit cap from somewhere just so the damned things would stay still. But all in all, he could deal. His face hadn't turned into a giant all-consuming maw, and he was still driving.

He was calling it a win.

Now he's showered, dressed, and stuffing the ears under a cap after all. The first day was his to get the lay of the grounds and stop by the kitchens to check in with Head Cook Babic. He starts off reminding himself to Keep an open mind. and that gets amended with And for the love of God, don't stare. shortly after seeing some of the transformations among his co-workers.

Comments

[atouts]

Staring won't be as much of a problem when it comes to Childermass. He looks normal enough yet, his changes not so obvious, not so physical. Silver really isn't a typical eye color, for example, but beyond that, he appears quite human, albeit a very tired human. Maybe that makes him the odd one out. Who knows.

In any case, he's hanging out in the kitchens when Jimmy shows up, even though he doesn't look at all the part of someone who should be working back there, dressed rather old-fashionedly as he is. He's really only back there to pocket something to eat before taking off who knows where else, although he'll pause in his pantry raid when Jimmy walks in.

When it turns out not to be the head cook, however, he'll finish grabbing an apple and shut the cupboard.

"Haven't seen you back here before," is what he says in place of any greeting.

[empty_vessel]

"What a coincidence, haven't seen you around here before either." Jimmy eyes Childermass off warily. He doesn't look homeless, though. And Jimmy glances over his shoulder to make sure the Chef Babic isn't there to catch both of them.

"Since you're looking for something to eat, the door's around the other end. If you've got special meal requests or accommodations you want filled, you can write it down and I'll see what I can do." He can't make any promises, and Babic will probably have words with him when she finds out, but if he can help, he wants to. "Now, please, get the hell out of the kitchen before Chef Babic finds out and nails both our asses to the wall, please?"

[atouts]

Definitely not homeless, also not at all inclined to be shooed off by someone he is guessing is trying to get through their first day. Sure, it'd be a kindness to give him no trouble, but, no. Sorry, Jimmy, he's going to lean casually against the counter under the same cupboards he'd snagged the apple from instead of doing anything like leaving.

"Oh, I doubt she'll go that far on someone so new," he says, unperturbed at the thought of the head cook doing, well, whatever. It's not that he thinks she couldn't if she really wanted to, but really. Nail their asses to a wall? He raises his eyebrows at him. "You are, aren't you? New to the carnival?"

[empty_vessel]

"Probably not> But yes, it's my first day, and I was already late, so I'd really prefer not making it any worse." First day or not, he was very much the odd man out, trying to fit in. He'd been more or less underfoot all day, until they'd shoved a tub into his hands and told him to go pick up the forgotten dishes in the hall.

And after slinking back in to drop off the dishes, there's another surprise waiting for him. Somebody raiding the pantry. "If you're not going to leave, at least back up a little so somebody walking by won't casually notice?"

[atouts]

"Most the people who would notice aren't like to care," Childermass replies, about as inclined to move as he was to leave (which is to say, not at all). "Though if you are so worried, I'll set them right about my being here. It can hardly be considered your fault."

If he's going to be a pain, he'll at least be a fair one. This time, anyway. Next time, Jimmy might not be so lucky.

[empty_vessel]

Jimmy sighs. He is so done with all of this right now. "Fine. I've got enough to worry about without you adding to it. Just try to make it look like you weren't in here, okay?"

"Just let yourself out however you got in here." He picks up the can he was sent into the pantry to get, and heads back out.

[atouts]

And to that, Childermass only has a shrug for Jimmy and nothing more to say. He'll be gone the next time he makes it back to the kitchen and, save for that one missing apple, there's nothing left behind to say that anyone else save the cinder sprites have been there.