⇨ 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

[wild_magic]

"No, it was great! I liked it!" Of course he hasn't been to a lot of performances before, but still. He's smiling widely, obviously having enjoyed himself.

"I mean, it was loud, but that's what makes it more fun."

[fragileandsoft]

"See, this guy gets it!" Greg gestures at Susan, despite no one especially listening in.

"I've always said, if you can't go all in while making something, it hardly counts."

[wild_magic]

"Yeah, that's true! Why would you do it if you aren't going to put everything into it?" That's basically how Susan lives his life, after all. But it's pretty easy to do that when you're a kid.

[fragileandsoft]

It's a much easier philosophy to maintain as a child, but it's a good place to start all the same. "Don't think I've seen you up on stage yet. You gonna take a turn soon?"

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head.

"I don't know how to make the music come out."

[fragileandsoft]

There are a lot of expected and valid reasons to not want to karaoke, and Greg would have accepted any. Still, this one catches him entirely off guard.

"You mean singing? You've never done it before?"

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head with a laugh.

"No, I know how, I'm not very good though. But I don't know how to make the music happen that you sing to? And I don't know any songs, really, either. And it's more fun to watch anyway."

[fragileandsoft]

"Oh." Greg flushes a little for the mistake. Maybe he's being a little too cautious about the "don't take anything for granted" mindset.

"Ahah. I gotcha. Sorta surprising there're so many songs I knew..." He rolls his shoulder. "But, I could show you how to play the music in case you change your mind. It's pretty simple."

[wild_magic]

He grins again.

"I don't think I want to right now, but if I do I'll come find you!"

[fragileandsoft]

"I'll be around. Name's Greg Universe, by the way. You new here, too?" It feels like a reasonable assumption, what with the lack of excess magical growths.

[wild_magic]

He nods.

"Yeah, me and my brother just got here. It seems really cool so far."

[fragileandsoft]

Greg softens a little at that. "Family with you... that's good. Always nice to have someone familiar at your back."

[wild_magic]

"Yeah... I don't know if he's happy about it though. It's kind of my fault we have to stay here." Not that Lauren seemed angry about it... But he still feels a little guilty.

[fragileandsoft]

For a moment, Greg doesn't reply, his expression hard to read. "Well, I don't know your brother, but... I bet he's just worried about you. Having family adds a few things to stress about... but it eases more of 'em. Just talking from experience."

[wild_magic]

Susan nods a little. "Yeah, that makes sense... I think it's better he's here than not, it would be hard without him. He's always there for me."

[fragileandsoft]

"That's what family's about. I'm sure you two will come out of it fine. My family's ended up here with me, too." It's also pretty much Greg's fault, but he maybe doesn't want to bring that up out the gate. "No matter what happens, we got that going for us."