⇨ THE REALM OF DREAMS

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: S1:D8 - S1:D18
Where: Visiting the Realm of Dreams.
What: The carnival arrives at a new location and has its first performance week with the new cast, as outlined here. This is a general mingling log for convenience purposes, but players are welcome to make as many other logs for this purpose as desired.
Warnings: Could be a lot of things, around these parts.

THE REALM OF DREAMS↴ As the carnival arrives at its first stop since its recruitment phase, and prepares to put its new band of workers to the test. In the meantime, there is a whole new world of dreams and nightmares to be explored, and threats to be faced on carnival turf. As of S1:D11, the carnival will be opening its doors to the creatures within, and the carnival will be open daily from noon to midnight, though the connection to the realm will be constant. This is an all purpose mingle log for the full duration of the stay, so please mark top levels with some estimate of what days they'll be occurring on. Please bring any mod questions to the original plotting post.

Comments

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

If dreams are not real
Then what do we now feel?

[In other words -- considering where they are now, anything goes, right? Zecora tugs up the hood of her cloak, letting her head vanish beneath its shadows save for her eyes. Said eyes always glow an eerie yellow from beneath it, despite being blue -- and that isn't a carnival change.]

If we fail to avoid detection
Trust me to provide protection.

[Completely trust her, in other words...]

[pipers_son]

[Truly, Zecora is the most mysterious individual he knows in presentation if nothing else, and Joker can respect that kind of showzebraship intentional or not.]

Then I’ll leave my life in yer hooves
If I ain’t fast enough with my moves~.
Now the only question left is where ta find a jar
And I really hope we can find one that ain’t far

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She doesn't mean to be, and it occasionally bites her in the butt...]

This is dreaming. Can you not believe
Hard enough that you can perceive?

[That question isn't rhetorical; Zecora is unfamiliar with the limitations and nature of this world.]

[pipers_son]

Now, I gotta say that’s a good question
Shall we test our limitations?
Although I think with this, you’ll have more luck
When it comes ta magic, I’m a bit stuck

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora shoots him a wry look, tempered with an amused smile.]

This is dream. That you can do.
Don't say otherwise; I know you.

[pipers_son]

Ha! It looks like I’ve been well and got.
Ah well- may as well give it a shot.

[He twists through the air, going back to land on what counts as ground in this strange place, and swoops into an easy sitting position with his legs crossed and his wings lazily spread out behind him. Humming, he holds his hand out and sticks his tongue out. One would think that after all this time, he’d gotten a bit better at dealing with this sort of thing, but not so. For the most part, he’s done well to keep away from fae magic and the like. It never hurts to be careful.]

[Of course, the obvious downside is that he’s a bit out of his depth on picking up speed, not to mention how weird this whole place is already. However, after a few minute of tongue clicking and head tilting, the air finally seems to twist-]

[...And a glass jar the size of a thimble pops to life in his hand. Joker blinks and stare at it before laughing.]

Don’t think this’ll help much!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora laughs as well, with unreserved warmth and humor, before handing him a much more sensibly-sized jar.]

[Considering how much faerier magic she'd dealt with over the past couple of years and adding in her knowledge prior to that, a little lucid dreaming is no complicated feat for her.]

Do not underestimate
What you just did. It was great.
For a beginner
You are a winner.

[pipers_son]

For ya ta say so is nice and sweet
‘Tho I think I’ve gone and been beat
Still, it’ll make a fun little keepsake
Now lets see what else we can take~.

[Tucking the tinier jar in his pocket, he grabs the one she’s made and takes to the air again, carefully going around the hive again to make sure it hasn’t been populated since the last time he looked. With that done, he hesitantly lands on the owl.]

Let me know if ya see anyone comin’ back home!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She hadn't been kidding. Joker had done very well for somepony not used to magic and the occult -- or rather, not used to using them directly.]

[Zecora settles back to keep watch, her keen eyes surveying the land in search of bees.]

[pipers_son]

[For the first few minutes, all’s well while Joker tries to navigate the sticky mess that is the inside of the hive, but soon enough, there’s the sound of buzzing, and…. Is that a pastel pink giant bee?]

[It sure is.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Hello, friend bee!
You're a delight to see!

[Zecora waves a hoof quite cheerfully. Her warm greeting is loud to warn Joker, but also quite legitimate. This is dreams. Who says bees can't talk and converse?]

[pipers_son]

[While there isn’t a call back, the bee does notice all that noise coming from nearby, and starts to slow to a hover as it inspects her. No call back, but… is that a flute noise?]

[Either the dreamer for this particular bit of dream was high as a kite, or their idea of normal is entirely outside the usual.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[A key element of dreams is that nothing at all is unusual. So Zecora acts as if this is not.]

Your hive is quite pleasant!
Would you like a homewarming present?

[pipers_son]

[Another melodic note, and the bee starts to hover closer.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Hurry up there, Joker. She can only stall for so long.]

[With an effort of lucid dreaming will, Zecora begins to knit a cozy wall hanging out of midair, hoping the process will fascinate the insect enough to keep its attention on her.]

[pipers_son]

[She doesn’t have to worry. As the bee prods at the knit cozy with its antennae, the sound of much heavier wings can be heard as Joker darts out, apparently having waited for a distraction like that. He ducks around beneath the platform, making sure to keep out of sight.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

There you go, my insect friend.
May it cheer up your hive at day's end.

[She presses the hanging into the bee's front legs with a bright smile. Mission accomplished!]

[pipers_son]

[A few more prods before the bee seems satisfied with the brightness of it, taking it between its mandibles and starting to buzz off back up towards its now empty hive. Crisis averted! Apparently.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[Zecora patiently watches the bee enter its hive -- then scoots off back towards the stairs at a surprising clip. That was actually pretty worrying...]

[pipers_son]

[Waiting for her down there is Joker, practically hopping from foot to foot until he sees her.]

There ya are! Phew… Close, wasn’t it? Are ya alright?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[The zebra tosses back her head to laugh, uncharacteristically bright and unrestrained as she lets the adrenaline fade.]

I was sure I'd need some thing
To treat a massive sting!

[pipers_son]

[Her laughter eases him up, and he laughs right back.]

It wouldn’t be a good thing for our own doctor ta get treated instead of the other way around!

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

It is something I could do!

[Lest he worry that an injury to her would doom them all! Though after a moment, for the sake of honesty, she adds...]

But I'd rather not HAVE to.

[pipers_son]

Ha, good ta hear~. But I think that’s enough for me today
Wanna head back ta the carnival, see if this’ll stay?

[He holds up the jar, still full of what still looks like normal honey so far.]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

I think that was a good start --
Any more might stress my heart!

[She is very curious herself if they can bring the honey back. It seems like they ought to be able to, but...]