lostcarnival | always do sober what you said you’d do drunk

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always do sober what you said you’d do drunk

Who: Childermass & the Psiioniic
When Evening of D53
Where: Back at ye old waterlogged carnival.
What: Childermass never did get around to asking about that sigil...

Strange would ask about the vampires and Childermass would ask about the meeting in the woods, the one they hadn't been meant to watch. That is what the two magicians had decided out at the reef, far beyond Atlantis, and it was only a matter of time before he settled on which supervisor to ask. Since it had been the Psiioniic that had begun this inquiry, so it only seemed proper to let him end it.

Whether that meant coming away with any useful information or not was yet to be seen.

It's during the later evening of the carnival — gates long since thrown open to the fishy public of Atlantis and slowly beginning to wind down — that he goes searching for the foreman. With the shows at the big top tents already over for the night, he's free to look, tiredness not factoring into it as it often does not with him. The one silver lining for Psi is that he's too lazy to cloak himself from the crowds and lurks the old-fashioned way, which means he won't be appearing out of thin air all of the sudden.

Whenever he does find him, wherever that happens to be, he'll drift to a halt and find a spot to prop a shoulder against and lean idly, arms folded, waiting. There's definitely something expectant about that waiting, too, making no attempt to hide the fact that he's watching Psi finish up whatever work he's at currently.

Because, really, why interrupt when you can be a shark waiting ominously just within eyeshot?

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He's a bit hard to spot in the dim light of the carnival's end. Instead of the usual gray his back is black in color, a small dorsal fin protruding from between his wings. The ends of his arms and hands are white. It almost looks like he's wearing gloves. Despite the dark coloration of his current skin the same glowing freckles as before mark his face. They shine a bright pink in the dark of the ocean's night. He doesn't notice Childermass as he works. It's late, he's tired, and his nipple is sore. It's not until he finishes and turns, exhausted and ready to leave, that he sees him.

He startles at first, but then grins, amused by Childermass' behavior.

"Admiring the view?"

Edited 2017-02-01 04:59 (UTC)

Enough time spent waiting and watching and he's come to the conclusion that the Psiioniic has taken after a killer whale. Not the strangest here by far and it's almost a comfort to finally be able to identify something familiar besides himself. When Psi wraps up and finally takes note, though, he'll break off from pondering sharks and whales and, first, raise an eyebrow at that question, then go on to give the troll a lazy, one-shouldered shrug.

"Trying to decide what you ended up as, that's all," he answers. "You may very well be the only one I've recognized thus far."

Sure, he knows what eels and octopi are, but if you asked him what kind exactly, he wouldn't be able to help you.

Edited 2017-02-01 05:12 (UTC)

He walks forward, because that's the way he'd be heading anyway. Either way it moves him closer to Childermass.

"Well it would be pretty hard to forget a body like this." He answers pretending to misunderstand Childermass' words. He doesn't know much about sea creatures himself. He has no idea what he resembles and he certainly has no ideas about Childermass.

"So what am I then?"

Okay, there goes the other eyebrow up to join the first. This is obviously not how he expected this conversation to begin, but as Psiioniic is pretending to misunderstand, well, Childermass can do the same.

"Yes, but one could say the same for most of the carnival's workers," is the overwhelmingly dull reply to that one. "But as for what you are? I would say a killer whale. You have the markings of one."

He lets the false flirtations drop in the face of Childermass' unflappable nature. He'll have to consider two raised eyebrows victory enough for now. His own raise curiously at the mention of a killer whale. The oceans on Alternia were notoriously dangerous, and not just because of the animals that lived there.

"Killer Whale? Do other whales just eat plants?" There didn't seem to be very much plant-life in this ocean though. Admittedly it's not a subject he's given much thought before, but it seems strange that someone would specify an animals inclination towards killing unless it was particularly odd, or particularly dangerous.

Edited 2017-02-01 06:28 (UTC)

Any reaction at all is definitely a victory, but now that they've moved on to what whales do and do not eat, he only returns to looking as though he's thinking. In all honesty, he's never heard of a killer whale actually killing anyone outside of immense exaggeration.

"Not at all. The rest eat fish for the most part, though killer whales will go after other, bigger animals in the sea." Try not to eat any seal people, Psi. "I'm sure it helps that they're small enough to hunt closer to shore."

Despite the sharpness of his teeth he doesn't usually feel the inclination to eat people of any sort. Though if he did Childermass would definitely not be the first to know.

"...So they were seen hunting more often by land-dwel- I mean. Humans." He hastily corrects himself.

So then the name was just some sort of strange misnomer. He frowns, not sure he likes being associated with a "killer" even if it wasn't out of the ordinary for it's species. Though if he was being honest the title killer would probably fit him well in comparison to most 'earthlings.' That's not something he wants to think about, so he shoves the thoughts to the side. Of course this leaves him with the question of why Childermass was watching him in the first place. The real reason.

"So if you weren't admiring my stunning features and you've already figured out what sort of creature I am I guess there really isn't anything you need from me."

Edited 2017-02-01 06:57 (UTC)

Again, he shrugs. Seen more often hunting by people on shore? Likely, though his own experience was only ever seeing them from a great distance out at sea. Ultimately, it's no matter, as whales aren't why he's been waiting.

"No, there still is," Childermass pushes off of the wall he'd taken to leaning against. At this point, he's used enough to the water that he only puts enough effort into that to do just that, rather than propelling himself too far away from the wall. "I was guessing what you were to pass the time, but there is something else I've been wanting to ask you about."

Which is about what he'd expected to hear from the beginning. Childermass didn't seem the view admiring sort after all.

"You know, I wouldn't have minded if you'd interrupted." Though he is pretty amused at the thought of Childermass simply waiting around for people to notice him. Maybe the other man was secretly very shy. Psi doubted it, but then again he couldn't see any other reason for Childermass to be lurking about. Maybe lurking was just a fun hobby of his.

More a matter of habit than a hobby, though others could easily call it both.

"True, but I was hoping for your undivided attention." Childermass moves aside as he says that, leaving the way clear if the Psiioniic wants to keep swimming onward. He can follow along as needed. "It's about the last time we ran into one another, when you were wandering around playing your little game."

And being extremely drunk, but he doesn't need to add that. It's a given.

He does swim forward, grateful that Childermass doesn't mind having a talk and walk, or rather a talk and swim. At the mention of 'last time' though Psi begins to look a bit uncomfortable. It seems getting blackout drunk is one of the few things he can get embarrassed about.

"Ah... You know. I don't remember that night to clearly." For obvious reasons that he'd rather leave unsaid. "I didn't wreck anything of yours, did I?"

Unfortunately, this time he has to place knowledge over whether or not someone else is comfortable, and so as they swim along, he'll continue.

"No. You had a few odd ideas, but no harm was done." Childermass and Strange had inevitably laughed over that particular misunderstanding. "You did get angry, however, when I asked why you'd gotten so drunk. You wanted to fight someone over something, I believe, related to that meeting in the woods..."

The location is mentioned for a particular reason. While the Ringmaster had called the meeting over the public channel, where it was going to end up had never been mentioned.

If he remembers that the woods weren't mentioned in the announcement it doesn't show. What does show is his reluctance to continue talking about this. Not only had the cause of his anger been something discussed at a secret meeting, it was also kind of embarrassing to admit. He doesn't like getting angry and he especially doesn't like it when it shows. He kind of winces as he recalls the parts of the night he actually remembers.

"Oh. I did? I'm sorry about that. I wasn't really thinking that night." Which was probably obvious from the start considering how drunk he'd gotten. "I probably wouldn't have actually fought you if that helps?"

"It's fine. I wasn't worried about whether or not you would have," he assures Psi of that much. "What I am worried about is the why. If there is something dangerous enough going on that you'd spend the rest of the evening that way, I'd rather know about it than wait for yet another surprise."

And that's where he hesitates. It's really not something he can talk about at length. He doesn't know if he even wants to talk about the reasons why. Or if he did, what details could he give?

"Did I say it was danger that made me drink?" Because just a moment ago he thought Childermass said he'd blamed it on an argument. Had he said what the argument was about? He's sure he wouldn't have, but why else would Childermass be asking about danger now?

An argument over vampires, an argument over what to do, an argument over the sigil? Childermass could make a few guesses. While it is an assumption that what happened in the woods is dangerous, that they had tried to blow it up really drives that idea home for him.

"No," he to at least admit to that. "But you did mention arguing against a preemptive strike. If there wasn't some danger to the carnival, why argue over something like that at all?"

Shit. He stops short in his swim, looking back over to Childermass. He's nervous, it's clear, and he doesn't know what to say. He can't believe he did something so careless. The ringmaster had called that meeting in secret, and he'd gotten drunk and blabbed about the whole thing. He has to lie, but he can't think of any lie he can tell that can make up for his use of the phrase pre-emptive strike.

"Well... We do go dangerous places at times, but obviously if you stay in the carnival you should be safe."

When Psi stops, Childermass drifts to a halt a few paces ahead before twisting around to look back at him. The claim that staying in the carnival is a hard sell and it's clear that he isn't buying it, not with the skeptical look he shoots back at the troll.

"Dangerous places do not bother me, but after what happened with the agents, you can't expect me to believe that."

And the living nightmares before that, but the agent ordeal was a lot more personal for him.

He didn't think Childermass would by it either, but this really isn't something he can come clean with so easily. He doesn't have pupils, so it's hard to read his stare, but his gaze flickers away from Childermass, even if it's only for a moment.

"...The agents were an exception. The result of unexpected extenuating circumstances."

By now, getting himself turned back around in the water has been made easy enough by practice, so he does and closes those few paces he'd been ahead of Psi once more, stopping in front of him. Near, but not uncomfortably so.

"As are the vampires? Or that sigil in the woods you're all keeping hidden?"

He nervously watches Childermass swim closer, not because he's afraid of the man, but simply because he doesn't know what to say. That feeling vanishes when Childermass speaks next. Psi expression shifts, to surprise, confusion, and then careful indifference. His looks quickly to the right, taking note of the presence, or rather the absence, of other workers around them.

He wonders briefly why Childermass had come to speak with him. Did he think he could threaten the troll with his own poorly spoken drunken ramblings? Or did the Psionic just seem like the kind of person it was easy to make speak? There are a lot of things the Psionic could say to the magician and plenty of things he could do with the information Childermass had just given him, but almost none of them would do either of them any good.

"I don't know you hope to gain from this conversation, but you're risking more than it's worth."

It's a dangerous play, he knows, but it's also more of an offering than an effort to intimidate. Childermass can't possibly blackmail the Psionic if he has something to use against him right back, now can he? Whether the troll will see it or not, he can't know. He's honestly not sure just how predictable he is yet.

"What I am trying to protect is more than worth any risk," he disagrees, firm in tone. Whatever it is, he really does believe that to be so. "But I can do very little towards that end if I don't know what might be coming our way, Mr. Psiioniic."

Mr. Psionic. He nearly looses it right there, it's only the serious tone of their conversation that helps him keep it together, but eitherway, he smiles. He can't help it, he understands and respects Childermass' sentiment, even if he can't agree.

"Come to my trailer with me."

Well, he sure wasn't going to say 'Mr. The Psiioniic'. That's even more bizarre! Though that after all the nervous eye-darting from before, that he smiles and say that is actually unexpected. He won't even bother trying to disguise that, either, even if the look of surprise is only him raising his eyebrows for a second or two.

"Your trailer?" Where no one else can overhear. That makes sense. "Of course."

Psi nods before swimming past Childermass and leading the other man to the Supervisor's Grove. Childermass might already know where Psi's trailer is, but seeing inside of it is an experience. It's a mess, intensely so, also it looks bigger on the inside than on the outside. Just like most trailers there's a kitchenette and a living area, but both are bigger than the norm for most workers. Also, nearly every inch of the kitchen and counters are covered with tacky, strange, and questionable knick-knacks and souvenoirs. There's random clothes piled on the couch in the living room and a strange collection of electronics piled by and plugged into the television.

"I hope you're as smart as you look" he says entering and closing the door behind them.

Childermass follows, not bothering to say anything else right up until they're inside the colossal mess of a trailer. He'll take it all in without comment, although there may be a little bit of squinting at anything he finds he can't really rationalize. He's not exactly surprised by the weirdness, but the amount of it...

Well, no matter. He'll just focus on Psi instead of everything around them.

"I guess we're about to find out," is the response he has for him.

"You're right. Because if you do something stupid with this you'll get in much worse trouble then me." He heads to the kitchen, getting a can of soda from the fridge for himself and then offering one to Childermass. It's probably some gross flavor, like grape, or fudge.

"I'm not usually inclined towards rash actions if that's what worries you."

He isn't exactly free of bad decisions, either, though those tend not to be the sort fueled by recklessness. He will accept the offered soda, though, even if he's not actually sure what it is. A drink, obviously, and thankfully grape. It's not going to end well regardless, but at least what's written on the can doesn't put him off of it from the get-go.

"What you're doing right now is rash." Psi says, shaking his head. He opens his own soda can and it pops as the carbonation fizzes out. It's clear Childermass is clever, but being clever didn't mean you wouldn't act rashly, it just meant you needed the right motivation.

"So why do you want to know?"

"I did say usually," Childermass points out, opening the can of soda at the end of saying that as if to punctuate it. He is distracted for a second or two by the fizz, frowning at it some before continuing on. "I want to know because if the carnival is striking first, Strange will be stuck going out alongside the Nightrider."

And he would have gone on with why that's a problem had he not decided to try the grape soda. One sip is all it takes for him to hold it away, far away, again and make a face. Now, normally he wouldn't complain about a drink he took mostly to be polite, but good God, Psi...

"What is this?"

It takes quiet a bit of strength not to laugh at Childermass here either. He raises an eyebrow, watching the other man with a clear look of amusement.

"Grape soda?"

"Grape? It tastes like nothing but sugar..."

Which is honestly the only way he can describe soda right now.

He does laugh at that.

"Yeah, it does. That's kind of the point."

He would probably laugh about it after the fact, too, the way he wrinkles his nose and says, "That's terrible."

And way too much sugar, Psi. Way too much, but it's also distracted from the original conversation, so he'll set the soda aside next to something akin to a tacky fake cactus and continue where he'd left off.

"But as I was saying before..." Before grape soda. "Mr. Strange being dragged off into some unknown danger is not something I can stand by and do nothing about."

"Right, you're not friend." He says, with a little smirk.

"You know, for someone you claim not to care about you seem rather concerned for his safety."

"This again," Childermass can't help but say with a sigh. "I may not call him a friend, but he is nonetheless important to my world. It would be much deprived should he never return and myself much out of time and place for the same reason."

Honestly, the fact that Childermass finds it irritating only makes it that much more amusing to him. He doesn't bother continuing though, just taking a sip from his soda after Childermass explains. The pause is enough for his mind to turn back to the topic at hand, as disagreeable as the topic is.

"So your worried about the vampires." he bites his lip after he says it, thinking about what he can say. Nothing good, but if Childermass wanted to know that bad he could at least tell him the truth.

"Personally, I still think it's all Mari's fault." He comments, setting his soda aside. He leans against the counter, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "The Ringmaster makes some money sending the Nightrider off to take down certain folks. Well their crew didn't do their job and got followed back here by the stragglers."

It's plain enough to him that he's talking about an assassination attempt gone wrong, but humans could be funny sometimes. He looks to Childermass to make sure the other man is following along.

To which Childermass nods, showing he is, indeed, following along. The fact the Ringmaster has mercenaries at all makes that unsurprising to him, as what else would they even be for if not for hire?

"So the Nightrider fails, the vampires come here to the carnival, and...?"

Nothing good, he assumes.

He smiles, but there's nothing happy about it. It's the smile of a cynic watching as all his I told you so's become real. Did Childermass really have to ask? Or maybe he was looking for something more specific.

"Panic, terror, death." He lists them off looking away as he does so, because he can still remember that feeling of dread as the screams of the dead filled his head split seconds before they'd struck.

"They can control you." he says, with a small laugh of horrified amazement, "Make you do things against your will, attack your friends."

And he does look at Childermass here because he's sure the other man knows well that feeling.

"The people who didn't die went home when their contracts were up. Sans got a promotion."

He does know that exact feeling. He also hopes to never know it again. It also means he won't ask what happened to those who were controlled (he can make some educated guesses) or if the Psiioniic himself was controlled. If not him, then friends of his. It's cruel on either side, really.

So the Warden died, too. Another thing he won't say out loud, but an interesting fact to know.

"And then the Ringmaster began collecting anew." This does finally explain how understaffed the carnival had been when he first arrived. "But what of the sigil? Or is that unrelated?"

He sighs, looking to the side, his annoyance from before returning. Annoyance at the memory of learning of the sigil though, not at Childermass.

"It's a mark they left, to curse us or something. The Ringmaster is going to get rid of it I guess."

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always do sober what you said you’d do drunk

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sorry for all the edits.

s'all good, s'all good

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