⇨ GAME START INTRO LOG!

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: NOW!
Where: Around the carnival grounds, and in the Cookhouse.
What: Carnival worker orientation, Ringmaster style.
Warnings: Alcohol consumption, maybe drugs. Other things?

BRAVE NEW WORLD↴ ► THE NEW: It doesn't matter when you entered the tent to discuss your new contract with the Ringmaster, you exit it beneath a blanket of stars. Pointedly alien stars at that - currently the carnival grounds are being treated to a show of shooting stars, and what appear to be unnaturally large and living green moons hanging just a bit too close. The carnival was bustling when you entered, but now it's in the latter stages of being shut down for the night. If you manage to find a clock, it states that it's around 8PM. Workers from during the day will be passing through the grounds, attending to various pieces of business. None of them will seem very surprised or concerned by the goings on, though some may be sympathetic enough to pause and answer your questions. If you put some effort into finding out how it became nighttime, you may discover that it's been anywhere from a few hours to 7 days since you originally signed your contract. Someone may explain to you that it was probably some kind of time bubble, meant to keep you out of the way until the Ringmaster had time to deal with you. Every few minutes another new person will pop out of the tent, looking just as confused and under the impression that they had only just finished discussing things with the Ringmaster. Weird. She passed you a note before you left. Opening it up, you'll see you've been assigned a trailer number, and been given the instructions to drop off any excess belongings and do what you can to get settled in. You have until exactly 9:36PM to do so, because that's when you'll be expected to attend what is listed only as "WORKER'S ORIENTATION". This is, perhaps, more abrupt than you were expecting - but what can you do? You're here for the long haul. ► THE OLD: If you've ever seen a mass recruitment before, then this is no surprise. People enter the tent when they're recruited, and then sometimes how up again days later when the Ringmaster is ready for them. She isn't a big fan of wasting her time on individual orientations when she's expecting a crowd. Maybe you're too jaded to all of this to care much, but you'll see the newbies wandering around, probably confused and maybe a bit lost. Maybe you're the kind whose is sympathetic enough to pause your role in clean up and give them some directions, and maybe a word of confidence. Maybe you'll just jeer at them, because you're some kind of asshole. Either way, you expect you'll have the chance to see them later tonight. Whether by world of mouth, radio, or written note, supervisors will be passing out the following message: all workers are to report to the Cookhouse at 9:36PM sharp for "orientation." If you are at all familiar with how things go around here, you probably have a good idea of what this implies. Mandatory Karaoke Night. MANDATORY KARAOKE NIGHT!!!↴ At 9:36PM, the main dining hall of the Cookhouse will be found heavily decorator with various coloured lights and at least one disco ball made of what is ostensibly high karat gems. There are a bunch of cushions and additional seating set up along with the usual tables, and at the head of the call there is a state set up - a karaoke stage. For veteran workers, this is no surprise. Karaoke nights are fairly frequent as activities go, even if they are not usually mandatory. Some of you probably have signature songs already prepared. The karaoke machine is set up with mostly karaoke tracks that would be popular in the 90's and 00's on the average modern earth, with a few that are more recent. It also has some other random stuff from other worlds that people rarely sing because they are confusing and in languages no one understands. Here is a big karaoke list for your inspiration! The more stereotypically karaoke the better. Beyond that, there is plenty of food and snacks that were prepared by the cooks earlier, as well as a bar set up for alcohol and other vices. The selection is, as most things in the carnival, eclectic. Music will be played in between if nobody is singing, and otherwise veterans are encouraged to bring along their own fun and show the newbies a good time. The Ringmaster does ask that vets attempt to be courteous to their new coworkers. It's just being a good host.

Comments

Goku | newbie | open

[solaris9]

[ ooc: Action tags also welcome! Will match. ]

fresh out of the tent

That's weird. It was early afternoon when he went into the tent. And he wasn't in there for that long. Since when did the sun go down so fast? Goku walks around with a look of bewilderment on his face, holding the slip of paper in his hand with instructions.

Trailer #23. It'll be his new home for the next year. That feels like a really long time. And all because of the food he ate without paying? Turns out to be the most expensive meal of his life. He feels sad and disappointed, but weirdly excited at the same time. He's never been out on his own like this.

"Hey. So um, I have a question," he says to you (yes, you the random passer-by).


Karaoke

9:36pm. It's a very specific time, but Goku doesn't question it. He doesn't want to be late for orientation -- whatever that means. He's settled in to his trailer and took a brief tour of the grounds before quickly making his way to the assigned location...

"Ooooh."

Only to find that it's a party! Sort of? Singing party. He's been to one before. Sanzo grabbed the mic and then wouldn't let go. Though everyone had to admit, he had a pretty good voice.

Goku steps up to the machine and widens his eyes as he looks through all the selections.

"Do you know any of these songs?" None of them sound familiar to him. But that's not gonna prevent him from trying anyway.


wild card

[ ooc: Come at me! ]

fresh out of the tent

[swordfishtrombones]

Brook turned, craning his neck vertebrae a little to look at Goku. "Why, I'd be happy to help! Unless you want directions."

Great, a newbie trying to answer questions for another newbie.

[solaris9]

"I did, actually--" Goku said, blinking up at the guy. But honestly, the directions seemed to be last thing on his mind at the moment. Excuse this kid while he stares at you.

"What happened to your skin?" It was blunt, but not meant maliciously. This was his first ever skeleton-person.

[swordfishtrombones]

"My skin? Ah, that's a long and complicated story. You see..." Brook paused. It was a long, awkward, meaty pause (though of course he was not made out of any sort of meat).

Maybe he was gathering his thoughts?

"...It's gone."

[solaris9]

As the pause extended dramatically, Goku found himself leaning in so he would get the full impact of the long and complicated story.

"Gone?"

He thought that maybe this was just the preview of the actual story, so he waited for the rest. But just in case, he added with awe: "Where did it go...?"

[swordfishtrombones]

"It rotted away with the rest of my body. That's what happens when you die, unfortunately. Kings, pirates, marines... sooner or later, they all end up nothing but bones." Brook nodded sagely.

What a good kid, listening to his words of wisdom.

[solaris9]

"You're dead??"

Whoa. But how did that work? Goku's eyes widened. And he couldn't help but try to reach out and touch the guy on the arm, just to make sure he was still there.

"But you're walking and talking. And stuff. How come you're dead?"

[swordfishtrombones]

"Yes, I'm quite dead! The only thing keeping me alive is my soul, still tethered to his earth, I'm afraid!" Wow, he sounded awfully cheerful about that.

Predictably, Brook's arm felt... well, bony.

"I was wiped out many years ago, along with all of my friends. It was... quite painful." In fact, thinking about his fellows still made Brook want to tear up, so instead he turned back to Goku. "Have you ever heard of the 'Devil Fruit', young man?"

Karaoke

[fastestdraw]

"We-ell, none of 'em were ever sung where I'm from."

Look over your shoulder, fellow.

A centaur-skeleton's trotted up behind the apparent newcomer. He points to himself with a thumb on the word "I'm", all the while keeping his voice on the softer side but higher-pitched and lilted - in attempt at conveying friendliness and invitation. It might not be strictly necessary - with all the types who work at and visit the carnival, there's no need to assume anyone who'd gotten in deep enough for orientation will be all that shocked by anything they see - but still, pleasantness has its solid value, especially toward coworkers, new and otherwise!

"But you get to know 'em when you been riding with the carnival for a few years!

"Y'all looking for something particular, son?"

Ends that with a small head-tilt, and the turning of an index finger toward his chin.

[solaris9]

Another one?? Well, at least a skeleton-person isn't as eye-popping the second go around, but it's still new enough for Goku's gaze to linger in what might not exactly be the most polite manner.

He seems friendly enough, though and that's quite enough in Goku's book.

"Uh...not really, I guess?"

It's actually kind of hard to think up of song titles off the top of your head, and the list here is so extensive he doesn't even know where to begin.

"What do you like?"

[fastestdraw]

Easel guffaws - a straight-up "hyuk!" - and

"Well, the one I'm most partial to's already spoken for!" He points and taps a bony finger toward a title. "If y'all wanna take my recommendation anyway, better to wait about an hour, I reckon!"

Straightens back up and crosses his arms before bringing a hand up toward his chin and steadily tilting his head from side to side. He picks up the pace in his speech just a tad.

"But if y'all wanna get right to the singin'..."

Easel taps the side of his hat a couple of times - miming scratching his head.

"You wanna try something nice and easy, or you wanna make an impression with these here folks straight away?"

Insofar as karaoke-partying abilities go, natch.

[solaris9]

What a funny way of talking, Goku thinks. But he's enjoying hearing the 'y'alls' and the 'reckons,' as it reminds him of how out of this world he is right now. No longer in Shangri-la, that's for sure. What a bunch of stories he'll have to bring back to Sanzo and everyone!

He grins and thinks on the various options skeleton guy #2 lays out for him.

"Uh, how about the second option?"

Goku thinks about it for a moment and then adds: "Maybe you can sing along, too."

[fastestdraw]

His reply to the newcomer's first answer is an instantaneous "Sure thing!"

And - he's started floating toward an idea when the proposition comes in. Again, he chuckles a bit. "Now, that ain't a maybe - " He lifts an index finger. "That there's an 'absolutely'!

"After all..."

He leans in to flip through the songs, and then...

"It ain't what I'd ordinarily go for, but y'all are gonna need backup for this one."

He takes a moment to point nice and clearly to "Bohemian Rhapsody".

Indeed, a bit out of his own personal comfort zone, but after having had it a few times?

Yeah. If you want to be remembered at a karaoke party, it's certainly one to give a try.

[solaris9]

"Cool!" Goku says, clearly having no clue what he's just signed up for. A song is a song, right? Even if he doesn't know it, it should be easy enough to pick up after a verse or two.

He peers at the display when the guy points to it with his bony finger. Obviously it's a song he's never heard of, but it sounds kinda pretty?

"I can be your backup, then. Put it on!"

[fastestdraw]

Easel chuckles - gonna dive right on into it, eh?

"Aww-right, then!"

He admires your adventurousness, kid - even only in regards to a karaoke song! This oughta be fun - hopefully for both of them, even if only in retrospect, and if nothing else!

He gives a very quick point.

"Name's Easel, by the way! And guessin' y'all ain't never heard this one, neither, so I gotta say, when in doubt, just follow my cues and sing a lick higher than I do!"

And with that - he gets the song cued, takes the mic with a polite and gracious nod, and gives the new fellow a smooth beckoning wave.

Starts a capella, but he's heard it here enough times to have a pretty good read on when to sing the starting lyrics - in the very best higher-end tenor he can sustain (which sacrifices little faithfulness in pitch for the sake of the sustainability part):

"Is this the real liiiiife...?
Is this just fantasy...
Caught in a landslide,
No escape from reality!"

And he bends down just a tad - with another quick wave in to encourage the kid to at least give a shot at joining in on the next part! Open your eyes, look up to the skies, and see-ee-ee...!

Karaoke

[coinsforlockerrooms]

The person Goku asks, as he moves around the selections, is a familiar girl that holds a tray with a rather delicious dish she is giving to the patrons around here, sprinkled with an alien, faeish spice that did taste better than an earthern ingredient.

"Many of these are songs seem to be from my world, but they come from the west, where the language is..."

... She knows this person. the girl stops mid-answer.

"Goku-san?" Yukine asks.

[solaris9]

"Hey! Yu-ki...?" Oh man, sorry. Goku does recognize her, but she has a very long and complicated name that he's already forgotten. He feels awful about this, since she was so nice to him before and even gave him coins and such for his journey.

"What's up? I didn't know you were here too!"

He gives her a sheepish grin.

[coinsforlockerrooms]

Yukine steps forward, looking at him in curiosity, smiling to him, treating him as an old friend in spite of him mistaking her name.

"Did you make a contract here, too?" She offers Goku some of the food, "I heard people accepted, but I didn't really know how many did, all in all."

[solaris9]

"Haha. Yeah, I guess I did! Kind of by accident, but anyway..."

He smiles back, looking a little cheerier than he was feeling when he first got out of the tent with the year-long contract to mull over. It's nice that he can start off with a familiar face, at least.

"How about you? Did you ask for something?"

[coinsforlockerrooms]

Kind of an accident? Yukine wanted to know -how- do you make a contract by accident, which frighteningly enough DID make sense with the ringmaster, but--

"I made a deal with the ringmaster," Yukine held her hands out, "I used to know a few many skills in my hometown, but due to the help some people need... I wanted to learn everything that I could in here."

She smiles with almost childish glee she contains, "I'm going to learn white magic, Goku-san."

[solaris9]

"Oh cool! Kinda like the spell thing you cast for me?" Goku says with a bright smile. He's not sure if the spell actually worked or not, but it was kind of a neat trick.

"Can you teach me, or do you like, have to have some special powers or something?"

Newbies

[mylastchance]

"Oh, uh. What is it?" he asks, looking alarmed being suddenly put on the spot by a stranger.

[solaris9]

"Hey! So I was wondering if you know anything about this ... 'orientation'?"

They told him it was mandatory, but he's got no idea what it's for. Does he have to bring something?

Karaoke!

[intherigging]

Looking over at the kid, Jacky grins.

"Not at all! But the words show up on that screen there," she says, pointing at the monitor, "so it's easy to follow along!"

She'd needed that, the first few Mandatory Fun Nights she'd gone to; not much call for 18th and 19th century ballads, here.

[solaris9]

"Oh okay! Thanks!" Goku says as he examines the machine closely. It looks a little complicated. Actually, he's never operated one himself before, so he's not really sure how to make it call up the songs you want.

"Do you know if we're supposed to just sing anything, then?"

They did say 'mandatory.' But is this what they meant?