lostcarnival | ⇨ GAME START INTRO LOG!

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⇨ GAME START INTRO LOG!

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.

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"A detour...?" Yukine put a hand beneath her chin as she looked at Goku in curiosity. Not at the fact he was drinking something that would probably have repercussions down the months, but that he'd consider it one.

"My spells are effective most of the time," Yukine averted her sight in embarrassment at the times they're worked too well, as romantically-inclined people have learned first-hand, "but... what do you mean with detour? You chose this on your own, did you?"

... Yukine gets a creeping sense of embarrassment.

"Not exactly," Goku says sheepishly. Him and the others have been on tons of detours since their trip out west began. He's never been on one quite so long before though, which is the only part about this that's worrying. Also the idea that they must be wondering where he is!

"I ate some stuff without paying for it. So the Ringmaster lady said I have to stay for a while to pay it off."

'Not exactly' becomes the first thing that makes Yukine realize things went... probably awry for Goku. She remains still to listen, remembering he DID struggle to get things for payment. And even with the coins she gave--

Wait. Coins.

Oh.

Yukine immediately bows to Goku in a sudden, frightful apology.

"I'm so sorry! It was my fault, Goku-san!" Yukine looks up, "I made that spell for a journey! I didn't think it would get you stuck in here against your will!"

"Huh??"

How can it be her fault? Goku is completely confused.

"I'm the one who ate the stuff though. How come it's your fault?"

He's pretty sure he'd been eating the whole time, long before she'd cast the spell thingie.

"I made that spell! I-- a food debt shouldn't have taken as much! I feel as if it is my fault!"

Yukine straightens herself while holding Goku's hands, "I'm really sorry. There should have been another way to make you pay for it without having you go a full year! If you want, I can cook for you in the coming year to make up for it. It would be part of my job!"

"Ooooh." Goku widens his eyes when she suddenly takes his hands and apologizes. He didn't mean to make her feel bad! He's pretty sure this was all his own doing.

"I don't think it's your fault! Really!"

But he can't help but add: "But uh, if you really wanna cook, that's okay too. I'll even help."

He grins encouragingly.

[ At the very least, there's some sense of relaxation upon knowing Goku doesn't blame her. Yukine still feels she might be responsible, but still... she slowly steps forward. ]

I had a reference room back in my Private High School. I am used to make food and drink for anyone coming to me.

But in case... please let me make it up for you. I'll try to make you feel as much as possible as if you were home.

[ She smiles. ]

Not that I wouldn't appreciate the help, if you want to cook.

"Hahah! Well I dunno if you'd wanna do that. I was always getting into fights and stuff back home."

Minus wave related mission things, mind you. It's not like he was a big bully or anything!

"What's it like going to school?"

Yukine's reaction is surprisingly calm at the mention of fighting. She rises her head to look at him, but she doesn't respond to it. She knew well that people fought, and disliked it enormously. All the more reason, she thought, that compassion and care, even for those that fight, was necessary for peace.

And school... that brings up a smile in Yukine's face, "to be honest, it's a little dull sometimes. You have to sit beside your companions to listen, practice, solve problems and learn the theory. Nothing similar to the things you'd read in books and see in movies. You even have to work and study when you come back home."

"But what I like about it are the friends you get to make. It is a time when you have the time to make them, and can learn and understand the world in that time you have. The things that happen after school such as the clubs geared towards a hobby, or simply getting to spend time with them on malls, streets, and other things. And sometimes, you get to meet someone you'd like to spend the rest of your life with."

Yukine sighed, "school itself is only a part of things. But when you know where to look, and what to look in it, I think you can make good memories from it."

"That all sounds kinda fun, actually," Goku says with a smile. He's never been to school before, so it's kind of interesting to hear about what goes on at them. He can't imagine being around people that are all his own age. Maybe listening and working and studying can be boring sometimes, but he thinks it's probably worth it.

There is one thing he's already done though, even if he's never been inside a classroom: he's met someone he wants to spend the rest of his life with. Though he's probably misunderstanding what she really means by it. (In Goku's mind, Sanzo is like family so of course he'll be spending the rest of his life with him).

"I've been on the road for so long, so I've never gone to school. And I guess even before the trip, I was always hanging out at the monastery. But Hakkai would sometimes teach me things."

Goku's comment made her wonder what kind of schoolmate would Goku have been. He was friendly, and while he wouldn't have had as many troubles as much of the people she knew, the mental image made her smile. While studying was boring at times, it was in the end preparation for life.

With the mention of having no time for school, Yukine then smiles to Goku.

"My time in High School ended before I accepted my contract, and soon I will try to apply into a university when I get back." Odd that a worry such as that, which would have taken foremost priority back home, is now completely in the back of her mind now. "If you want, I can be your teacher in this world. I would benefit as well, since I would do well in reinforcing what I learned, as well."

"Sure, okay!," Goku says, not at all embarrassed by being taught by someone who's probably younger than he is. Or maybe they're the same age? (Minus 500 years, but those don't count).

"So you gonna go to even more school when you get back?"

How long did people go to school for, anyway?

Yukine is neither embarrassed to teach a senior! She is in fact happy.

"At least I hope so... If I go to college and finish it, I will have even greater job opportunities than I would if I had only finished High School. Things such as design, construction, business, economy..."

There was another facet Yukine immediately realized upon speaking the branches of knowledge: Her world was far, far more complex and troublesome than this world seemed at times.

"Ooh. Okay."

That's a lot of interests. Goku isn't really sure what it means to be in those jobs, but if it makes her happy, that's good?

"Maybe you can learn something new here, to take back to your world?"

"I intend to! My contract was to learn white magic. I don't know... how time works in here. I just remember time behaved really strange after each of us spoke to the ringleader."

She looks down, still thinking, as this would in fact be a lot of time to study for college entries, as well. Even while being separated from home in time and space...

"I joined to learn how to do it to help people. Even if I gain a degree back home, people will still need my help."

"I'm sure they'll appreciate you," Goku says quite genuinely. She wants to cook for him and already did a magic spell for him. So he knows she's all right!

As for the time thing...Goku tilts his head thoughtfully.

"You mean time might be moving differently back home?"

That might be ... useful? As long as it's moving slower than here, anyway. If he comes back from this side-trip and it hasn't been a year back home but something much shorter, that'll be very cool.

She shook her head, "I'm not sure... All I know is that time moved differently for each and every one of us, so I don't know if time continues on or if it stays still..."

It is a thought she decides to suppress to prevent herself from dwelling on.

"... I would just like for us to be friends, in the meantime, for both of us."

Selfishly, for company, to have people as friends in an alien world.

It's an interesting idea, about the time moving in different ways in different places. He'll have to ask the Ringmaster about that, next time he sees her.

"Yeah, I'd like that too. I guess we'll both be here a while, so," Goku says with a friendly smile. Goku's used to making friends wherever he goes. It'll be a lot less lonely this way.

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⇨ GAME START INTRO LOG!

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