lostcarnival | ⇨ THE CELEBRATION

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⇨ THE CELEBRATION

Who: Everyone, especially YOU.
When: Day 60 - Day 65
Where: The Celebration
What: The carnival workers are invited to spend the week within the realm of the Celebration, the grounds of a party that has been going on for centuries. Accommodations are luxurious, but those with keen instincts might notice something off about this whole arrangement... (Questions can go to the original setting post!)
Warnings: Booze, drugs, sex, and everything in between.

THE CELEBRATION↴

If you observe that the layout of the Celebration grounds seem inconsistent, then you would be correct. In reality, what lies at the end of each corridor depends largely on what the guests of the Celebration want at the time - if a few people find themselves craving a drink, a bar may appear. If a group finds themselves wanting to dance, a club will open up. This goes on at all hours of the night, and given how many dedicated partiers fill the building, the services are well used. It isn't instantaneous, and the Host has to consciously decide to provide that service, but the changes are fast none-the-less.

► ROOMS: Each trailer pair will be assigned a room to themselves - whether or not it has two double beds or a single king sized bed seems essentially random. Hopefully you aren't too sensitive about keeping that space to yourself. The curtains at the far side of the room don't actually lead outside, but instead to a walk-in closet filled with the Host's best guesses at the type of clothing you might like. They may not hit the nail on the head, but at the very least all the clothing will be in your size. The styles could be just about anything, from any universe, but they do tend to average out to clothing that is Earth-ish. Either that, or clothing that looks like they are meant for elves from a high fantasy novel to wear.

► SHOPPING: If none of your pre-picked outfits tickle your fancy, plenty of boutiques and clothing shops can also be found around the grounds - whatever you're thinking of, you'll probably be able to find a shop appropriate for it eventually. Though, maybe it doesn't really count as shopping if you don't have to pay for any of the things you take back to your room with you? Unfortunately, from the sounds of it, you won't be allowed to drag all of your haul back to the carnival with you, so you better enjoy it while you can.

► DINING: There is no daily schedule to follow, after you arrive. You are free to attend the dining room whenever you wish, and will be seated at large round tables with whoever else may be around at the time, and can either order from the menu or most dishes you may think of off the top of your head. If you don't like the fine dining experience, there are also a selection of smaller cafes and eateries that open and close at varying times of day - and, of course, you can always call for room service.

► ENTERTAINMENT: There is plenty of live music around the grounds (not that you can ever seem to remember who the performers were afterwards) whether it comes to harp music while you eat or a full set of DJs in the club you found. If you are inclined to look for them, you may also find some cozy lounges with big screen TVs, and access to a multi-universal quantity of films. What's there or isn't there is unpredictable, but if you come from a standard variety of Earth you probably recognize some of them.

► SUBSTANCES: You don't have to be coy about it - just ask one of your servers, and you'll be able to get whatever kind of vices you might be craving. Drugs, alcohol, ice cream... it's all good. If this sounds like a nightmare for potential addicts, you would be correct. It's not uncommon to see people clearly over-indulging in certain locations, though guests are usually escorted back to their rooms if they take ill - only to see them back at it again the next day.

► SPA DAY: If you'd like to take a swim, pools of various aesthetics are easy to find. So are hot tubs, and saunas, and Host servants who are willing to give you a massage or manicure. If the party crowd isn't your scene, there are plenty of more low-key opportunities to indulge.

► GREENSPACE: There is one park area on the grounds, which appears to be constructed on the rooftops of other parts of the complex. While there are trees and greenery, there is no real sky that you can see - only the illusion of one. It may start to occur to you over time that no window or rooftop actually leads to any kind of outdoors. The Celebration really is there only thing here.

These are really just examples, and you can get creative with what kind of services you find offered while here, when it comes to generally mundane comforts. It really feels like the Host wants to win you over, as if you staying just a little longer has some sort of intrinsic appeal.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Joker laughs at that. While Tamaki might be considered a kid in some places, Joker can remember working at his age- and, hell, isn’t Tamaki working right now anyway? “Yer workin’, so yer as good as an adult, right? I think yer allowed this.”

"Yeah!" Tamaki nods enthusiastically. At least Joker gets it. "I worked back home, too." He rolls his eyes. "Yama-san just wanted to go to bars."

And, as Joker might be able to surmise, Tamaki is not old enough for bars in Japan.

Honestly, he’s had a hell of a time learning about the whole “drinking age” thing from various worlds, but he supposes he can see it from a kid’s point of view. Bars aren’t much fun when you’re younger.

“Well, it looks like there’s a lot more fun things ta do here than just bars, eh?”

"Mm. I played video games with Lam-san and sang karaoke with Mikki and Vikki." He ticks these things off on his fingers. "And I ate pudding with Chia-chan and swam in the pool with Stevicchi."

There's more he's done by himself, but those aren't as fun.

What are these nicknames… Joker isn’t sure he’ll ever know. Still, he stores them in the back of his head anyway, just in case it ever comes up in conversation with anyone else again. He’s sure he can puzzle it out. Stevicchi sounds pretty obvious however, and he chuckles. “Sounds like you’ve been plenty busy then, and you’ve gone and earned this bit of relaxin’.”

The nicknames are never going away. Tamaki can't talk about anyone without them.

"Yeah." Being busy doing absolutely nothing work related, and for once no one is scolding him for it! He even slept until almost noon today and no one banged pots in his ear or threw water on him (living in a house with six other guys is an adventure).

"What have you been doing?"

“Oh, a little bit of everythin’~.” Joker laughs and rolls his shoulders in a shrug. “Explorin’ a lot, actually! Places like this are fun that way- same turn down a hallway never gets ya the same place twice. And that’s not even talkin’ about the people!” Crouching down, he rests his chin on the back of his hand. “Tried this thing called, ah…. Laser tag, that too. Was fun! Koel destroyed me in it, ‘tho, ha ha!”

"Oh! Laser tag is cool!" Tamaki will definitely have to hit that up later. "Ko-san is probably pretty scary though..."

He's never really talked to her, just seen her around the cookhouse. She seems pretty intimidating to him. Reminds him of the director of his foster home.

Joker chuckles into his hand. “Oh, ya have no idea,” he says breezily. “Spry ol’ thing, I have ta tell ya. Don’t want ta play against her, that’s for sure.” And don’t get on her bad side, although Joker doubts that will ever happen while everyone is in the carnival together.

“Still, I know what ya mean! I always thought she reminded me of some of the nuns back when I was a lad. Brrrr.”

Tamaki will heed that advice; he'd rather not get on the bad side of anyone he's pretty sure could trounce him.

"Mm. She reminds me of the director back home. Like, old and scary."

Maybe, if he wants to stay on Koel's good side, he shouldn't be calling her old. At least she's not around to hear that... probably.

"Did you get in trouble a lot with the nuns?" Because that was always when the director was particularly scary to Tamaki.

Well, he’s not going to deny that…. Especially since he’s seen her at worse than just a stern old woman. That attack some time ago really brought out the darkest parts of people…. But, well, he guesses that’s why they were able to manage as they did.

Joker brushes the old thoughts aside, and tries to look at least a little sheepish. “Oh, I mighta, I mighta. I was too much of a chatterer, they said, ha! And always up ta somethin’.”

Tamaki laughs at that. It's impossible to imagine Joker as a little kid, but definitely easy to imagine Joker as a chatterer who's always up to something. Joker has always had a mischievous air about him, but he's also very kind and fun.

"They wanted me to talk more." That's probably not a surprise. "They'd yell if I fell asleep during lessons..."

What can he say? He was an energetic kid, when he had the energy and health for it after a life on the streets.

The reveal that Tamaki fell asleep earns laughter in turn, and Joker shakes his head fondly. Somehow, he can imagine it perfectly. “What kinda lessons? I hope they weren’t ones for performin’!”

"I only slept during breaks for that."

Admittedly he slept a lot; the tough schedule he had, bouncing between two professional idol groups, often left him exhausted. It was easy to leave any backstage work to his partner; of course, that caused its own problems.

"I fell asleep in normal classes. Reading and math."

Reading and math... Joker chuckles. He can't imagine not learning those kinds of things, not when it had been clear to him from the second the Baron took his lot in that he would need every little skill he could scrounge up. Still, good for him, that he's not in that kind of position.

"So that leave anythin' else? Just wonderin' if ya ever thought about doin' somethin' besides performin'."

"I never really thought about being an idol, either... but, President bought me spaghetti and said I could get on TV."

If a strange man offers to feed you, he's probably an alright guy to do business with: the Tamaki Yotsuba approach to success.

"I didn't have a dream." Tamaki moves his feet in the water, watching the foam from the jets swirl around his feet. Thinking about it now, after so much has happened, makes it strange to think about, but there really was a time when Tamaki had no plans for his life. No ambitions, no goals... except...

"I just wanted to find my little sister."

Edited 2017-03-14 02:59 (UTC)

….Ah. Joker’e expression softens immediately, more genuine than most looks that cross his face. That reminds him all too easily of what he’s even doing in the carnival in the first place. Sure, he’s not looking for his family exactly, but…. He knows how important that is.

“Are ya still lookin’, or did ya find her?”

He shakes his head in answer. "Right before I came here, I learned she was in Tokyo... in the city where I live. But I was really mad, and I ended up here." By which, of course, he means the Carnival.

He smiles a little now, tentative and hopeful. "But, I spent a long time not knowing. Now I know something."

And that one clue is a lot more than he's ever had before.

It’s a good thing Tamaki seems to content about his situation, because Joker feels a brief spark of cold fury in his chest. To be taken away right as he learns anything about his family…. But really. Tamaki is too good a child for this whole mes here. Reaching down, he ruffles the boy’s hair. “That’s the spirit,” he says, letting himself calm down with a smile. “And you’ll get ta see her right away when yer done workin’ here.”

He's really far from content, but there's not a lot he can do about it right now, so worrying too much about it will only make him upset. The assurance that he'll return right back to the time he left, with his sister still within reach, eases him a bit.

His smile widens when his hair gets ruffled. "Yeah. I'll definitely find her this time. And I have money now, so I can get us somewhere to live, and I'll make sure she can go to school and doesn't have to work." The smile grows even more as he talks about it. He hasn't seen her in years, but he's proud of her anyway. "When we were kids, she was way smarter than me. So she can go to school and do anything she wants!"

With how much he tends to ramble on about his own family when it's encouraged, Joker is more than happy to be on the receiving side, settling in as Tamaki chatters and smiles wide. God bless the people who have family to receive their love, and he means that with every bit of honesty he's capable of.

"Oooh, she sounds like a clever one, then! What do ya think she's best at, then? Because some are good at writin', or their numbers, better than anythin' else. My brother Jumbo, for example, he's got a steadier hand than anyone. Although, ha, that's not really anythin' ta do with smarts..."

"Everything." He's not biased at all. But he does pause for a moment, scratching at his head. "Mm, but... I think she was best at writing. And reading, too. So I think she could write things. Like stories. Poetry maybe."

It's hard to know, really. They were both young, when she disappeared. The Aya in his head and the Aya that really exists could be very different. But even if she's better in math or science, that wouldn't change Tamaki's opinion that she's incredible at anything she tries.

"Do you have a lot of siblings, Manager?"

A laugh bursts out of him, but it’s short and sweet, fond. Everything, huh? Heh. “Well, writers are always interesting folks, so I bet she’d be amazin’ if she decided ta go down that path. Our Snake, he just arrived not that long ago, he really likes books and things too. I bet they’d get along great.” Well, so long as Tamaki’s sister is a welcoming sort. While it’s easy to not care while in the Carnival, Snake’s normal state of being is having scales along his skin. Most normal folks don’t react too well to that.

With the question turned back around on him, Joker puffs up proudly. “I do! Seven- three sisters, and four brothers, if ya count Snake, but we just picked him up not that long ago. So he’s sorta the youngest among us that way~!”

She would probably be pretty freaked out to see that, but Tamaki doesn't give it a second thought. He likes Snake well enough, even if the boy doesn't really talk to him so much as he just repeats what his snakes say. At least the snakes are nice.

"Snake? He's your brother?" Tamaki thinks that's nice, that he has family here - as long as they don't run into anything dangerous like before (knock on wood). "I met him. It's cool that he can talk to snakes."

Tamaki doesn't judge or even question the implication that all Joker's siblings aren't blood relations. Family is family.

“We took him into the circus not that long ago, yeah. Back home, our circus is a lot larger and a bit more mixed than the Carnival… And the big performers were called the ‘first tier’. Of course, most of it was me and my family-” He laughs a little. “I’d call it bias, but we were the ones who founded it, so we’d had more time ta practice! But then we helped Snake get outta somethin’, and he was such a good snake charmer that, well… We put him as a first tier act!”

Something occurs to him, however, and Joker’s smile turns a little sheepish as he rubs the back of his neck. “Since then, I’ve always tried ta make ‘im feel welcome and happy with us, along with some of my other family, but… He can be so hard ta read, makes a fellow wonder if he’s doin’ right.”

⇨ THE CELEBRATION

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