⇨ ATLANTIS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: The morning of D44 and onward.
Where: The ocean realm of Atlantis.
What: The carnival abruptly arrives at an underwater realm, and everyone is transfigured into merpeople just as suddenly.
Warnings: Body horror, I guess.

THE CITY OF ATLANTIS↴ The visit starts without much warning, but at least there is a full week of free time before performances start. In the meantime, your characters will be given ample opportunity to adjust their acts for an underwater audience, get used to their new fishy appendages, or just spend the whole time enjoying the sights and sounds of Atlantis city. King Triton will not be immediately seen, but it's possible to gain an audience with him if you get in contact with the ambassadors of the kingdom. Just, make sure that you're not wasting his time. He's a lot less patient with nonsense than the Ringmaster is. ► FISH FRIDAY: You fell asleep, whether or not that's something you usually do, and the next morning you wake up as one of the merfolk. A few last additions may grow in after you're awake, but for the most part everyone will have a method of swimming and a method of breathing underwater transfigured into them upon waking. Don't worry about your belongings - everything is waterproofed, and technology will work the same underwater as it does above it. That doesn't mean there won't be plenty to get used to, though. ► GREAT BLUE YONDER: The ocean realm where Atlantis resides is enormous, and the depths seem to be unending. Despite the fact that there doesn't seem to be any surface, sun glimmers all the way down to the ocean floor. Atlanteans use creatures like whales and dolphins as rides and beasts of burden, and they can be seen swimming in and out of the city as constantly as roadways filed with cars in earth civilization. Beyond that, there's everything you would expect to see on the ocean floor here - huge reefs of coral, both familiar and exotic, enormous ocean plants, deep ocean trenches, and all kinds of weird critters living in them. There are a mix of mythical and standard ocean creatures, and are likely a combined populations of many oceans worth of beings. ► THE ATLANTEAN MARKET: The Atlantean market (aka the "merket") is a long trench between rows of buildings in the middle of the city, lit with bio-luminescent plants and rocks, and filled with all kinds of weird mer stuff that you can buy. There are a great many individual booths, mostly with hand crafted wares and objects that have been salvaged from various sunken ships. The Ringmaster has already traded a large number of goods to the merfolk here, and has taken the profit to award each worker with 100 Atlantean Gold to spend as they please. One gold is worth roughly five USA dollars, for a comparison of how much that is. There is a top level set up below in which characters can make their purchases, and you can also handwave the purchase of random common, necessary items (food, drink, etc) at your convenience. ► TREASURE HUNTING: Right now, the only major salvage areas are a few left over sunken ships that have mostly been picked over by the merfolk. However, you are welcome to head over to them and explore, and see if fortune smiles on you when it comes to finding anything that hasn't been taken yet. The current options are three similar looking brigantine that all probably came from the same world. Merfolk do not seem to consider them to be anything extraordinary, though magical items and gold have allegedly been found within them. Whether or not anything is left, is the real question. ► LIMELIGHTING: Merfolk are curious and generally socially forward, as a species. This mean that they find the carnival's workers to be a fascinating novelty, and also are unafraid to make that fascination obvious. Given the opportunity, merfolk will demand your character's attention for bombardments of questions and for general socializing, especially if they are particularly unusual for some reason. Don't be surprised if you get invited to stay at total stranger's houses, or dragged off to a merfolk bar to surprise party with their friends. They'll let you say no, reluctantly, but they will also be pleased as punch to get up in your gill. It's also possible to make some money, this way, if you're willing to do street performances, or are willing to sell your "skills" in a more private environment. Yes, there are opportunities to become a fish hooker if you are so inclined. Merfolk may also offer money to take you as arm candy to various public events, escort style. They don't consider this to be a particularly socially inappropriate thing to do, either. You can ask general questions about this setting over on the event post. There are top levels below for buying Atlantean merch, and also for making dolla dolla, if your character is inclined to try.

Comments

[empty_vessel]

"Just... walk away? Well, that makes sense, given how mobile this place is." He would have thought that running away from your problems wouldn't have helped, but when you're literally dimension hopping every month or so, it works out better.

"Sora? Nope. Never heard of him, but considering how long I've been here, that isn't saying much. He's offering swimming lessons?" Jimmy looks down at his tentacles, idly sifting through the sand. At this point, lessons would be a huge improvement.

[pipers_son]

“A lot easier ta leave problems than back in England, I’ll tell ya that much.” Well. For the most part. But what happened with the supervisor meeting is something Joker doesn’t really have any interest in talking about to the regular employees. No reason to worry everyone when they’ve… probably got it covered.

Anyway, there’s the immediate matters here. “Yeah. Ya shouldn’t have a hard time recognizin’ him. Mess of brown hair that goes all over the place, big baby blues. Ya know the classic mermaid tails? S’what he has, last I saw. Prrrrobably didn’t change.” But, in the carnival, he’s just going to put that down as a ‘probably’.

[empty_vessel]

"Probably worth it to check him out, then. See if I can get any general advice. There isn't a lot of overlap between mermaid tails and an octopus." It's still worth it to check out, though, if he's agreeable. Just having someplace to practice might be nice.

"I.... You're from England? What's it like? We.... We talked about going, at one point. She's got family over there and we thought it'd make a good vacation." The smile gets a bit strained as Jimmy thinks about his family. Everything he did to them and how his stupid decision hurt them as much as, if not more than himself.

[pipers_son]

Well, better something than nothing, in Joker’s book. Then again, his standards, in some ways, have always been pretty low. He supposes that’s just what happens, sometimes. Before he can air that viewpoint, however, Jimmy asks that question and Joker pauses.

“Depends on when, ta tell the truth,” he say with a laugh, shrugging. “I ain’t particularly sure when it is you’re from, but- 1880s, that’s what it was for me last I was there! So I might not be yer man in this area.” Another laugh, hiding his real feelings on the matter quite soundly. “But when I was there- beautiful when yer travelin’ inbetween places. There’s nothin’ like the sun overhead and fields just stretchin’ out before ya, forests alive with songbirds…”

Yeah. Those are the good memories, he thinks. When him and the others never had to do anything, just travel and practice routines. It almost felt a little like freedom.

“S’nice when the mist rolls in, too. Somethin’ sort of ethereal about it, I think is the word.”

[empty_vessel]

"The 1880s?" He blinks, stunned at that bit of information. The Carnival traveled through time too!?

.... Although Jimmy has to wonder how many paradoxes it would cause for him to get dropped back off right before his past self walked out the door, punch himself in the face and throw his own stupid ass back inside. Far too many, probably. But it is an interesting thought. Maybe he can ask the boss about it later.

"I'm from.... 2008." It's hesitant, partly because, well, he's not entirely sure about if telling Joker anything would change anything (that thought lasts roughly two seconds before he remembers exactly where they are), and that the year is about the best he's got for when he left. After 'yes' it all gets kind of vague.

[pipers_son]

Joker whistles at the knowledge, but he doesn’t seem too shocked. After all, he’s seen all sorts of strange worlds as a member of the carnival. That includes plenty of strange technology and dates that just flat out had him boggling… Especially when they were in places that were simultaneously familiar but so bizarrely different from his own world and time.

“Fancy! Well, forgive me if I seem too ignorant anythin’.” Another laugh and he folds his hand behind his head. “The times sure do change sometimes, huh?”

[empty_vessel]

"Nah. You've been here longer than I have, if anything, I should be asking you for help." He smiles and shrugs. "Before this, I sold ad space on a radio station. You're definitely one up on me here."

"And yeah, they do. It's getting faster all the time. At least, it feels like it." Jimmy looks back over at Joker and tries to politely ignore the streams of ink that are starting to dissipate. Finally. And don't look at the tentacles either. Better that way. "It's not that bad, though. The upside is that there's usually somebody willing to show you how to use it. Hopefully without being an insufferable jerk about it." Know-it-all jerks are a universal constant, at least.

[pipers_son]

Ah, know-it-all-jerks. It’s true- they can be found in any time period or world, so long as the local people have come along far enough to develop smugness. Joker politely ignores the ink and gestures around lazily. “We do have some pretty smart folks that come through sometimes. I don’t suppose you’ve met Peridot yet, yeah? She’s the one in charge of keepin’ all the machines and the like up and runnin’. Knows a lot more than I could ever hope ta, honestly, so ya know she’s the right person for the job.”

[empty_vessel]

"No... Can't say that I ha-" Jimmy stops, looking over at Joker in confusion. "Wait. You did say eighteen eighties, right?" At the equally confused nod, Jimmy just lights up, beaming at Joker with a brilliant smile.

He's almost babbling now, talking to himself more than Joker. "If you're from... And I'm from.... Then maybe..." There are tears in his eyes when he looks back at Joker again. "Maybe there's a chance." A chance to stop himself before yes. Before Castiel. Maybe he can fix the damage he caused. Another year would be worth it.

Jimmy bolts up from the chair and tackles Joker into a hug. "Thank you. Thank you so much.</>

[pipers_son]

Well, okay, he guesses this is a thing that's happening.

Joker hadn't really been expecting to suddenly be hugged at a simple nod of his head, and it's a good thing they're in water because he doesn't have to worry about falling right on his ass. Instead, they just go through the water, and he blinks before slowly raising his hand to pat Jimmy on the back.

"No problem, glad ta help, I suppose!" No seriously what the fuck did he say.

[empty_vessel]

Jimmy's slightly manic as he pulls back, still holding onto Joker's shoulders. "You don't understand." He's still smiling like Joker just gave him the best thing in the world. "If you're from the 1880's and I'm from 2007, then time doesn't matter."

"I can fix it." He looks Joker in the eyes, wild with hope. He'd thought he'd be dropped back off whenever now was back home. But this? Jimmy never dared hope for this. "It's all a choice! I can say 'No!" Even if Joker didn't know what he'd done, he'd given Jimmy a chance at getting it all back.

[pipers_son]

...Oh.

This is a time fuckery thing, isn’t it?

....Eh, not his problem.

With that decided, Joker’s expression becomes a little more understanding, even as he grins wryly and pats Jimmy on the shoulder again. “Yep, everythin’ just stops while yer here. And while yer here, well, the Ringmaster is open for any deals ya care ta make.” Hey, this works out for him, too, right? “So think long and hard on if ya want ta make another one with her while yer spendin’ yer first year about, alright?”

[empty_vessel]

Jimmy nods, still not quite believing that he's got a second chance. ".... yeah. I mean, it makes sense to not go rushing off to sign on for another year before I..." Who's he trying to kid here. In his head, he's already got the pen in his hand.

"It's just... It was one specific moment, and I hurt everyone I care about. If I can go back and fix it, it's worth the risk." Sparing his family everything that happened? Worth it. No matter what happens to him.

[pipers_son]

At that, Joker's expression visibly softens. Ah. "Lots of people end up in the carnival because of mistake made," he assures him, hand going up to squeeze his shoulder reassuringly.

"Trust me, plenty of folks know that. I'll let ya sort out how ya want ta go about things with the Ringmaster yerself, but.." A pause before he makes the offer. "Yer free ta come ta me any time if ya feel like talkin'."

[empty_vessel]

"Yeah. And it was just the one. A stupid ego stroke in exchange for losing everything." Joker's probably heard it before a dozen times, but Jimmy's new to being on the other side of 'One bad call cost this person everything'.

"But, thanks. And if you need anything from me, just let me know, okay?" He smiles, even though it's a little strained from the memories. "Even if it's just bringing over a flat of chilled water bottles."

[pipers_son]

No one wants to hear a whole bunch of sob stories compared to their own, so Joker leaves it be. For now, instead, he just chuckles. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure ta let ya know. In the meantime…”

Flapping his lower half, shrimp tail flicking through the water, he circles around Jimmy. “Think you’ll be alright?”

[empty_vessel]

"Yeah. I'll be okay. It was just overwhelming." He smiles at Joker. Jimmy really will be fine, now that the initial surge has sunk in.

But thank you. You have no idea what you've done." There isn't a second hug, but Joker has given Jimmy so much hope.

[pipers_son]

“Well, I’m always here ta help~.” For all that he sounds as glib and relaxed as always, there is a faint sound of genuinity in his voice. There’s a lot he has to make up for in his life, but when he manages to help out, well, it feels like there’s some sort of hope for him. A chance.

Right now, however, he starts to swim away. “Ya can always reach me on the radio if ya need me, but for now, I should go make sure the rest of the carnival hasn’t lost their heads!” And his laughter trails after him as he takes his leave.