⇨ 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

bunk beds it is!

[puddingemote]

[Honestly he probably will before long - if anything, someone will figure out it's a good way to keep him in debt.]

Top.

[As though to properly claim the bed, he tosses the cat doll up on it. He's a little sad about the bunk beds, because he was getting pretty used to having his own bed back in their dorm, but it's nothing he hasn't dealt with before.

Thinking about the dorm, though, raises a question.]

Mikki, do you think everyone will be mad at us?

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki watches the cat sail onto the top bed and nods, setting his prize and the odd bag he found on the bottom one. He turns around and sits on the mattress, looking up at Tamaki (or even more up than normal). ]

I don't think so. Joker said it's part of the way it works here that they won't know we're gone.

[ He hasn't given a ton of thought to how that'll work, though. Do they just stop existing and everyone forgets about them? Do thinks just wait for them to come back? It's too much to think about now. ]

[puddingemote]

[Right... Tamaki thinks something like that was mentioned at some point, but it was too confusing so he dismissed it from thought. Now that he thinks about it, though, it's pretty alarming - what does it mean back home, if no one knows they're gone?]

I don't get it. [He leans against the tiny kitchen counter, looking down at Mitsuki (even more than usual, as well).] I guess we won't get scolded if no one knows we're missing, though.

[And no one will be angry at him, which is good.]

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki doesn't completely understand it either but he doesn't want to think about it too much or he'll feel like he abandoned Iori and everyone else, and he can't handle that. ]

Me either, not really. I think it'll be all right, though. We'll have each other's back if anybody's upset, won't we?

[ At the very least, he won't let anybody yell at Tamaki. If this place was tricky enough to get Mitsuki and he couldn't find a way to look out for Tamaki, well, that's Mitsuki's fault. ]

[puddingemote]

Yeah. I've got your back too, Mikki.

[Regardless of how he was feeling before he came here, like he wanted to give it all up, now that he's had some time to cool down and talk to Mikki again, he knows he doesn't want to leave IDOLiSH7. His friends in the group are his family now, and as long as they're in this situation, he'll definitely do his part to keep Mitsuki safe.

Although thinking too much about what was happening right before he ended up in the carnival reminds him that Sougo had seen Aya, and so Aya was in Tokyo somewhere. How much longer would it be now before he finally reunited with her?

There's only one thing to do.]

We have to pay off our debt to that lady fast.

[otokogi]

[ He couldn't ask for a better reply. Tamaki's a good kid and they'll be able to support each other no matter what happens here, he's pretty sure of that.

Mitsuki's about to say something when he sees Tamaki's face get thoughtful, but then he's speaking agin. Mitsuki doesn't have something quite so optimistic to say to that. ]

I don't know if it can be any sooner than a year since that was the contract, but since it's all magic here, supposedly, maybe it's still possible.

[puddingemote]

Maybe if we do a really, really good job, we can get out early.

[Does Tamaki care about binding contracts? Not really. He probably didn't even read his.]

What do you think, Mikki?

[otokogi]

[ Oh, Tamaki. This isn't like school or rehearsal, where hard work means more time to rest in the end. Mitsuki wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that he hadn't read the contract; luckily, at least one of them did. ]

I... don't think it works that way, Tamaki, but if you wanted to you could always ask the Ringmaster about it. Just don't be surprised if she tells you no.

[puddingemote]

[It was a nice thought, at least.]

She scares me. I miss Manager...

[Tsumugi is much nicer and all around better, in Tamaki's opinion.]

[otokogi]

Me too, but it'll be all right! I'm sure we'll meet someone here who's just as nice as Tsumugi.

[ Granted, it won't be the Ringmaster and so she won't be their boss here, but the carnival's a big place and Mitsuki's already met some nice people. The odds seem good in his opinion. ]

[puddingemote]

Mm. Some people I talked to were nice.

[Mostly the woman who showed him the way to the trailers. He also met a not-so-nice guy, but there's bound to be some of those too (and to be fair, Tamaki was also being not-so-nice, in his very Tamaki way).]

Someone said we have supervisors...

[otokogi]

[ Ohhh, don't tell Mitsuki you're making enemies already, Tamaki. It's too early and you're really too good of a kid for that.

Luckily, all he really hears about is supervisors and that he has an answer for. He leans back across his bed and grabs the fish bag. ]

Yeah! Mine is Joker, I met him on the Ferris wheel. He seems like a good guy.

[ Just look at the generous gift, after all. ]

[puddingemote]

[Not so much an enemy as new addition to the list of people Tamaki has annoyed.

Tamaki's eyes get round at the fish bag.] Whoa! Cool!

[He has his own fish bag, but he hasn't found it yet.]

He must be a good guy, if he gives you presents.

[otokogi]

[ That's almost as bad. He's going to have to keep an eye on you, Tamaki...

Mitsuki offers the bag over to Tamaki to check out. ]

It was just hanging on the door when I got here. You might have one too, since he's your boss too! I liked him even before that, though, he's smart.

[ Mitsuki can tell. After all, he hired him. That alone says he's got decent taste. ]

[puddingemote]

He's my boss too?

[Tamaki didn't know that, but it's good that his boss is a good guy (according to Mitsuki). As long as this person will take care of them, he's happy for now.]

He's smart? Like Iorin?

[otokogi]

Well, you're going to be a performer, aren't you?

[ He can't imagine Tamaki doing anything else, after all. The crowds adore him and he seems to enjoy it, so why wouldn't he go back to the stage here?

The mention of Iori gives him pause but he barrels through. It's fine. Joker promised Iori wouldn't miss him. ]

I don't think he's quite the same as Iori. Maybe if Iori and Yamato were combined, kind of like that.

[puddingemote]

That's kind of a scary combo...

[Tamaki tries not to dwell on that idea for too long. Mitsuki did ask him about his job, after all, and suddenly Tamaki is getting the sense Mitsuki would rather talk about that than his younger brother.]

I'm going to be an acrobat! I don't really know what I'll do, though...

[He gets what an acrobat is, but he's not sure what's going to be expected of him. He can do a backflip, sure, but he thinks it'll be more complicated than that.]

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki just smiles. Thinking about their friends is a little bittersweet but he's also pretty sure that's not as scary as Tamaki might think. Iori's secretly cute and Yamato's a huge loser. If both of those things are true about Joker on top of being clever and funny, then they'll be fine.

Tamaki's answer about his job is a surprise, though. He's what?! ]

An acrobat, like flying through the air on a trapeze? What made you decide to change to something like that?

[puddingemote]

Yeah, I guess so.

[He doesn't know why Mitsuki is so stunned. Is there something wrong with that? Maybe he made a bad choice.]

She suggested it. She made me show her what I can do so I danced. Then she asked what else so I stood on my hands. Then I did a backflip. And she asked if I wanted to try it.

[It sounded fun at the time.]

[otokogi]

[ Ahhh, Tamaki was showing off. It makes more sense now. ]

Mmm, I'm just surprised you didn't sing, you're a really good singer too! Maybe you'll be able to sing as part of your performance, too. I'm sure you're going to do great, though, and I'm glad she saw that.

[puddingemote]

[Tamaki puffs up his chest a little. Getting so many compliments certainly pleases him.]

It felt weird singing by myself, though... dancing is something I've done alone too, so it was easier.

What are you doing? Are you gonna sing?

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki shakes his head. Have... have you heard him, Tamaki? ]

No, or at least not very often. I'm going to have a sideshow, so I might sing once in a while but mostly it's going to be showing off the other acts. Kind of like a variety show back home!

[ Because that's his only real talent, right? Might as well make the most of it. ]

[puddingemote]

Oh. You're the best at that.

[He's not even exaggerating; he might be a cheeky shit who announces when he's bored with a line of conversation, but he'd still rather have Mitsuki's fun MCing over endless questions about his and Sogo's friendship.]

[otokogi]

[ Mitsuki's ready to shoot back a retort but then he realizes Tamaki's serious and it takes him a little by surprise. Tamaki's got no filters more often than not but that means he's almost incapable of lying effectively. He means it, and that means a lot. ]

Well, then... you'll just have to come be on it! At every stop! We can work on the questions ahead of time but I won't ask too many.

[puddingemote]

...At every stop...

[And now he's back to being a lazy teenager who doesn't sound super happy about the idea of more work. But he'll do it, because it's his job, and because people expect it of him.

Sogo told him that they're watching over him, Mitsuki included. Of all the lies Tamaki's been told the last few weeks, he likes to believe that wasn't one.]

Do we need to go to that karaoke thing now?

[Before they totally forget about it. It is mandatory.]