[open] ring the bells that still can ring

[pipers_son]

Who: Joker and you
What: All's fun and games, but the Performers still need to work. Joker occupies himself with that, and maybe a few other things. Like cooking. Or sunbathing.
Where: The Big Tent, the cookhouse, trailers, and eventually the lake
When: Days 145 - 152
Warnings: Potential talk of trauma? But nothing more than that

A - Time to Work

[It's over the Performance Department's channel on the radio that Joker's voice buzzes through.]

While it's all well and good ta take a break, this is a reminder for folks ta get practice in. We won't be doin' real impressive shows for a while, probably, but that just means it's more important ta keep practicin' for when we move on from the Summerlands.

Any problems or questions, come find me in the Big Top. Oh, and we got some new folk in, in case ya haven't seen yet.

[Sure enough, Joker can be found in the ring, bouncing around making sure people are doing fine, practicing some tricks himself... All sorts. He'll come over the second he sees someone enter.]

B - Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle

[In the cookhouse today? Well, you'll find Joker getting to work, apparently mashing up all sorts of fruits, getting their juices.... Of course, with the one arm problem, sometimes this means needing to get inventive.... Are his feet shoeless? Don't worry about it.]

[Later on, Joker is bouncing from trailer to trailer, leaving jars of jelly and jam for everyone. Why? Well, you'll have to stop him to find out.]

C - Lost in Thought

[Joker knows a lot of people in the Summerlands, what, with the carnival already having visited it once before and Joker being... himself. So it's of no surprise that throughout the carnival's stay, he's often gone into the city, chatted with just about everyone, and acted as if he's perfectly fine.]

[On occasion, however....]

[Those who go to the carnival's lake will find him trying to push what looks like a.... blow-up rubber floating thing out onto the lake's surface with his feet, Feathers the Dartix trying to help him along. Joker is notably not wearing any actual swimwear... besides, like, his usual atrocious mash up of 'modern' fashion.]

[Later on, if no one interrupts him on shore, Joker is out in the water proper, but not... really messing around. He's just sprawled along the pool float stomach-first, his wings stretched out completely and partially in the water. Occasionally the water carries him a little closer to shore- perfectly within talking distance.]

Comments

[pipers_son]

Oh, hey, Tanyuu. [The bird-brain and also Feathers the Dartix pause, beaming at her.] Nah, I'm fine. We'll figure it out in the end, won't we, Feathers?

[A fond coo.]

Havin' a good swim then?

[fourthscribe]

[She smiles faintly, huffing out a soft laugh at both of them, and nods.]

Mmm. It's nice to be able to again, honestly.

[pipers_son]

Yeah.... [That seems to draw him into a contemplative silence for a moment before he finally leans down to start nudging it into the water with Feathers.] There are, ha, a lot of things we don't know are so nice until we lose 'em, huh?

[fourthscribe]

Very many.

[Part of her wants to move forward, grab onto Joker and hug him tightly and not let go. She was never inclined to such blatant physical displays before, but that other self has rubbed off in more ways than one--growing up with a sibling, even an estranged one, provides far more opportunity for physical affection than she had been offered before.]

[For a moment, she wonders what Tama would think of all this.]

Of course, I've only had this freedom for a short period of time compared to others. [As Joker would well know--she says it with a laugh and wry smile, but there's still a hint of hurt lurking beneath.]

[pipers_son]

[Yeah, he knows. Oh, he certainly knows. So for a second, he just crouches there for a moment as he moves the float on before, once he's close enough, he reaches over to flick some of her wet hair.]

Want ta go swimmin' with me, Tanyuu? S'a fine day for it.

[fourthscribe]

[She blinks in surprise when he reaches over, but laughs easily and nods, turning to slide back into the deeper water.]

Of course! It would be silly to waste a lovely day like this cooped up inside.

[pipers_son]

Tell me about it.

[Pushing off, Feathers resting on his back quite contentedly inbetween Joker's own wings, the stage manager lazes about on it. Hopefully he can keep from drifting back to shore.]

....Portland was a weird bleedin' mess, wasn't it?

[fourthscribe]

[Tanyuu drifts along beside Joker, rolling over to float on her back. She probably looks like some ridiculous pool noodle or something, but there's no one around to see so it doesn't matter much.]

To say the least. The idea that our memories could be altered so drastically like that isn't very comfortable.