[OPEN]

[dontpokethat]

Who: Ginko and ANYONE
Where: Wherever animals are kept
When: Variable? Let’s say anytime in the week after Orientation (10/16-10/23)
What: Ginko tries to do his job, with “tries” being the operative word
Warnings: weird animals? Potentially bitey weird animals? To be added as necessary

A carnival can’t be fully experienced with just one sense. Just looking or listening isn’t enough; taking it all in requires much more than that. Of course, while smelling one’s surroundings might bring its own benefits in other parts of the carnival… well. Not so much here, unless you really like the smell of wet fur, animal waste, and lots of hay.

The menagerie is unlike any zoo that could be found in most worlds, if only for the sheer variety of animals kept there. The Ringmaster likes to pick up specimens from different worlds, the more unusual the better, and the end result is… well, not necessarily chaotic. But it’s definitely highly varied, and pretty strange.

Most hours of the day, anyone who happens to wander into the area, by accident or intentionally, is likely to run across Ginko at some point. He’s always been inclined to take his work seriously, and that certainly hasn’t changed since he started working here. The fact that he’s the only veteran keeper left after the recent mass exit doesn’t really help matters, either, and the end result is that he spends even more of his time in the menagerie than could be accounted for just by regular shifts.

Depending on when one comes by, he may just be mucking out the stalls - but a lucky visitor (or one who has the schedule memorized) may come by for feeding time, or in time to watch the process of grooming or exercising those animals that need it.

Closed to Bonnie

Ginko has to admit, after several weeks of trying to keep up with all these animals on his own, he's pretty glad to be getting help again... though he'd be happier about it if it weren't from a young child who clearly doesn't want to be here.

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot he can do about that but to try and make sure this is as good an experience for her as it can be - which means making sure she's as prepared as possible for the work ahead.

It's fairly early when it comes time for Bonnie's first work day, but not ridiculously so. Ginko's already fed those animals that need to eat early, and he's waiting at the edge of the menagerie when she arrives, cigarette in hand and elbows resting on the fence. He raises his free hand when she gets close, giving a small smile. "Hey. You ready to meet these guys?"

((OOC: Closed prompts might be added later! For open stuff, feel free to take a look at this (in-progress) spreadsheet to get an idea of what all animals there are! If you want to assume something is there but aren't sure you should, just message me.))

Comments

[dontpokethat]

"Pretty much. Also tries to set things on fire sometimes, but that's usually, uh. Discouraged."

He glances over his shoulder, too, raising his eyebrows slightly at the cat still sitting there. "...You sure you wanna let her stay over there?"

The rat king isn't really what he would call dangerous, but it is... big. And currently hungry.

[wild_magic]

He glances back again, then shrugs.

"She'll be okay. Fluff can take care of herself." Even when something happens to her, he can just resummon her anyway, so he's not worried. He's too excited about seeing some new thing, anyway.

"But anyway, why does it try to light things on fire? Is it just confused or is that just what it likes doing? I guess maybe it just likes doing that, fire is pretty fun sometimes..."

[dontpokethat]

"Can't be sure. It seems to be partly related to the fire eye's aggression, so it doesn't do it as much as it used to. But it might also be for fun. ...Though I can't say I understand that as well as you seem to."

He finally points out the enclosure, a space carefully designed to adequately contain the fire eye without bursting into flames - though there were some piles of grass and wood chips scattered inside to give it something to burn up. "And there it is now. Don't touch this one, okay?"

[wild_magic]

"It's okay, I'll be careful!" Whether that means he won't touch it is up for debate, but at least for now he just runs over to that enclosure now, staring in awe at the creature inside.

"I don't try to light things on fire, anyways, sometimes it just happens. I can't control it... Maybe that's what he does too."

[dontpokethat]

Yeah Ginko is just going to... stand close enough by to pull Susan away if necessary. Just in case. The fire eye's single eye fixes on them both as it rolls around its exhibit.

"You think so? I guess that could be a possibility. In that case, I guess it's getting a little better at handling its fire."

[wild_magic]

"Maybe! I wish I could get better at mine, too... My magic's really cool but sometimes it blows things up on accident. But at least I don't have to get locked up like he does!" The way he says it is like it's the most normal thing in the entire world to have things just blow up around you on a regular basis, and honestly to him it really is.

[dontpokethat]

"...Ah. Yeah, blowing things up on accident sounds like a problem." He's just... going to hope Susan doesn't try to use any magic in the menagerie. That might be an issue.

"Well, yeah, fortunately locking up people isn't really how we do things around here." Tricking them into falling into debt and forcing them to work under contract, yes, but not putting them in cages. "Who knows, maybe you'll get a chance to go somewhere out of the way and practice your magic while you're here."

[wild_magic]

He laughs a little. "I guess, maybe. I'm used to it though! It's happened as long as I can remember. As long as I don't break any more things here then I should be fine."

[dontpokethat]

"Hmm." There's probably a few sentences' worth of doubts implied in that hum alone. "If you're sure. But I'd say better safe than sorry, myself, if practicing might help."

Especially with, you know, the risk of incurring potentially years and years of debt.

[wild_magic]

"Well... I tried, before. Lauren even sent me to a magic school. But it doesn't work, I guess, 'cause my magic's too strong, so it's okay. I just have to not use it except when I need to." If only it were easier to not just decide to use it for fun. It's hard being an impulsive kid.

[dontpokethat]

"Yeah? That's too bad." He frowns thoughtfully at the fire eye for a few seconds. "...Well, with any luck you won't have too much need for it here, anyway."

[wild_magic]

"Maybe... Even if I don't need it though I like using it so it sucks." He shrugs a little, though, as he looks back in the enclosure too. Maybe he should just use his magic anyway, and not care if it destroys anything else. That's not very good though and Lauren would be mad...

[dontpokethat]

"That's too bad. But you'll probably end up better off overall if you do try and keep a handle on it. And who knows; you may get chances to use your magic every so often, anyway, if you find a time when it'll really be worth it."

[wild_magic]

"I dunno, maybe, but I've tried my whole life so I think it's just stuck like this. I don't know if I can get a handle on it." He's so used to it now that it's just another thing about himself. As long as he can remember he's had his magic, and as long as he can remember it sometimes went wrong, really wrong, and he and Lauren have dealt with the fallout. It's just how his life goes.

[dontpokethat]

"Sounds like just not using it may really be your best bet... that really is unfortunate."

Both for Susan and because, admittedly, Ginko is a little curious about this magic stuff.

[wild_magic]

"Yeah. It sucks, at home I can use it whenever I want 'cause there's no other people around who can get hurt if it goes wrong." But even though he says it sucks he doesn't look too upset by it.

[dontpokethat]

"That'd be hard to adjust to, yeah. ...Does 'going wrong' always mean explosions?" He can definitely see how that would be a problem.

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head.

"No, lots of times it isn't explosions! But a lot of the time it is. But like... Sometimes there's this music that comes from nowhere instead? And sometimes I can't talk 'cause when I try it's only bubbles. And one time I made a unicorn show up!"

[dontpokethat]

...Okay, he's just going to be making mental note of all this because as bad as he feels for this kid not being able to use his abilities safely, this is honestly really interesting.

"Really? Do you know if it... came from somewhere else, or just appeared?"

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head.

"I don't know... He wasn't there for very long before he just disappeared again. One time I went somewhere else though when I did my magic, but only for a little bit, so it must have been the same for him, just backwards. But I don't really know... Magic is weird."

[dontpokethat]

"It sure is." The more different kinds and sources of magic he learns about, the more sure he becomes of that. "But, who knows, that kind of experience might mean you're better prepared for living here than some."

[wild_magic]

He smiles a bit.

"Yeah, it must be weird to be somewhere with all this... magical and fairy stuff, if you don't know a lot about magic. I think it seems like it'll be pretty fun though."