[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

[espigeon]

[More tail-shaking is happening as Julien falls back to his floating position. Some of the feathers on his belly are starting to soak through. Not being a waterbird, his waterproofing is better for short contact than long immersion.]

I don't know but they sure get mad! And so do a lot of other people. I own at splash fights.

[pipers_son]

I bet ya do. Well, you'll want ta be careful who ya pick a fight with here, because yer not the only one with wings.

[His own flap lightly in response as he laughs before settling down.]

No fae friends today?

[espigeonage]

Well. Sometimes the king need to take challengers, doesn't he?

[He arches his neck dramatically.]

Nah. They're real friendly people but I don't think they have the same sense of time as humans do - like, I met one who casually went and turned into a tree and slept for a few years and it was no big deal, so they're gonna be casual about people stopping here for just a few weeks.

[pipers_son]

Ha, don't I know it. [He tries to paddle a little closer, just so he can raise a hand and start to whisper conspiratorially.] Last time we ended up here, the Ringmaster kept messin' around with her girlfriend for so long that we had ta remind her that the carnival had other stops ta make.

[espigeon]

[Obligingly Julien kicks his feet under the water to drift closer. And then counter-paddles to kill his momentum instead of drifting into the man.]

Aww. Well, that's a thing with long distance relationships when you're also good together up close, right? Making up for lost time?