lostcarnival | wandering clown

Who: Allen and YOU
When: Day 90
Where: Throughout the carnival
What: Allen getting acclimated and being a tool

The Cookhouse

[Allen was in a bad way when he stumbled into the Carnival--literally fell through a wall and found himself here. Barely conscious and desperate, he signed a contract with the Ringleader, buying himself some time. If he had passed out, he would have woken as another person. Now, with her suppressing the memory of Nea, he can sleep. He can recuperate while he learns how to beat the demon inside him.

But first, he must eat. And, following his nose, he beelines for the smell of food.

For those who wander into the Cookhouse early in the day, they will find a young boy devouring a mountain of food. No, seriously. The precariously stacked pile of meats, desserts, pastas, and sweets towers high above the tables, almost touching the ceiling. It sways as Allen tugs a leg of lamb from the bottom and promptly stuffs it in his mouth. The speed at which he eats causes cream and scraps to go flying. It's a messy, terrifying affair that honestly belongs in a cartoon.

Will you stare in horror? Play Food Jenga? The choice is yours.]

Wandering Through the Woods

[If you want to understand something, you might want to go to the beginning. Allen decides he needs to get to know this new, temporary place at which he's staying, so he heads toward the woods.

What do you get when you combine an enchanted forest that turns you back around and an incredible skill for getting lost? A pathetic mess, that's what.

Allen sprints through the trees, emerging again at the forest's edge. He's irritably scratching behind his right ear, where two white feathers have erupted the skin, just beginning to grow. A bulbous golden orb with wings limps through the air behind him.]

Seriously?! [He shouts to the sky:] Is this really all there is?!

Recuperating

[Thoroughly frustrated with the failure that was the forest, he finally finds the lake. Finally, a place he can explore and rest. Taking a moment to clean himself up, he takes off his shirt, kicks off his boots, and rolls up his baggy clown pants. Allen gingerly lowers himself to the water's edge, dipping his bare feet in the shallows.

Anyone walking by may notice the old scar running from his shoulder to his opposite hip, mirrored on both chest and back. A newer wound festers in his stomach, twitching tendrils of white feathers emerging from it. They are made of a divine substance, and it's healing him from within.

Still, it's completely disgusting, and he's in obvious pain.]

Exploring the Mountains

[Once he's gathered enough strength to continue, he pulls on his shirt and trudges up that strange, warm path leading up the mountain. It's practically calling to him, the unknown.

It takes him about thirty seconds to get lost. In the mountains. Alone.

This is it. This is the end for him. RIP Allen Walker.]

((I'll match prose if that's your preference!))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Yuya is in the middle of a handstand right as Allen exits the forest. He's crossing his eyes trying to look at him.]

All there is to what?

[Allen angrily throws an arm out to the scenery, barely even registering the guy he's talking to is upside-down]

This! The circus. When I signed up with that scary woman, I didn't think this would be it. I'm going to go stir-crazy.

You just joined? [He rotates himself back to his feet, straightening up to look over Allen.] Well, we just finished our last show, so maybe that's why it isn't as exciting? Once we stop in the next dimension there'll be a lot more to do!

Next . . . dimension.

[guess who didn't read the brochure!]

Yeah. Dimension. Right now we're between dimensions.

Yes. Okay.

[Allen presses two fingers to his forehead, internally sighing. He's just going to. Go along with this. So he lives on the Ark now. It's cool.]

Dimensions. How often do we travel to a different . . . dimension?

Uh... every few weeks or so? We just left Alola, but it probably won't be long before we make it to the next place.

I'm one of the acrobats! What'd you sign up for?

I'm a clown. [He offers a gloved hand] Allen Walker.

[Yuya takes his hand and shakes it.] I'm Yuya Sakaki! There's not much else to do right now but at least you have time to practice your routine, rght?

That's true. I've only been performing on the street lately, so I'm a little out of practice on how to make the best of a stage . . .

So you're always an entertainer? Mine is usually different than this. Is it the same for you?

[A pause. Oh yeah.] Oh, what were you looking for in the forest?

[Allen glances over his shoulder, Timcanpy peeking out from behind him]

I'm not sure. An answer to my questions, I suppose. I want to understand what I've gotten myself into.

[Completely dodging that personal question, doodoodoooo]

[Yuya waves at Timcanpy. He's got no idea what he is, but he looks sentient.] Maybe I can help. What'd you want to know?

[Tim zips out from hiding and tilts to the side curiously, tail twitching. He's certainly thinking of something . . . but maybe he's just wondering if Yūya has any snacks]

Ah . . . I'll get right to it then. What is the purpose of this place? It can't just be a circus.

... Why not? [He raises a brow.] I mean, it's not a normal carnival, but I don't see any reason to believe it's anything else. We're just entertaining people.

It's a lot of trouble for something as simple as a traveling circus . . . [At this point, he expects anything strange to be part of some evil plot.] So the Ringmaster doesn't have any other goals?

Not that I know of... I mean, she's a fairy or something. So maybe it isn't a lot of trouble for someone like her? [He shrugs.] She agreed to help me, so she can't be that bad.

I suppose. [He scratches Timcanpy's chin idly] Anything I should avoid? People, dark alleys . . .

Everyone's been really great so far. [Except the dude who unleashed Mushi on them.] And there's not really any alleys... but there's purple who've been here a lot longer than me, they might know more. They helped me when I joined, so just ask any of us and we'll help you out!

Alright, I will. Thanks. Then I only have one more question . . .

[And just like that, any serious air about Allen lifts for a more cheerful mood]

What do you do for fun here?

Me? I liked visiting our last stop, and when we're not performing we're allowed to play the games and watch the shows from backstage. I was just practicing my next performance right now.

Would you mind showing me? Clowns often follow up the bigger acts to keep the crowd going until the next one. I'd like to get an idea what I'm following.

Uh--well, I'm not really a big act right now... [He laughs.] But sure!

[He bounces back a few steps so he has space to do some basic tricks--balancing acts, a handstand, a cartwheel, backflips off of a bucket. Things that don't require the stage.]

Not bad!

[This takes him back; performing, the feeling of camaraderie--for the first time, Allen feels like he might like it here]

Is that your routine?

[Yuya takes a bow.] It's the start of one. Tamaki was showing me some stuff with the silk ropes too.

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