lostcarnival | ⇨ FOURTH WALL EVENT! (OPEN TO ALL)

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⇨ FOURTH WALL EVENT! (OPEN TO ALL)

Who: Everyone and the 4th Wall Visitors!
When: Day 175
Where: Heartstone Manor
What: THE 4TH WALL BALL BEGINS! This is where unapped visitors can post and roleplay. Please read the rules and setting info below. For more information and visuals refs, read this. Questions can be asked over here.
Warnings: Individually marked! Could be a lot of things.

THE GRAND BALL↴

Heartstone Manor is a giant, spooky castle floating in the middle of a twilight filled void. It is the home of a Wyld Fae calling himself The Prince - and despite his name, he is a bestial creature crammed into a gentleman's clothing, completely obsessed with replicating the ideals of old timey human society, much like the 1800's. The Prince and his many servants all dress in a manner appropriate to to the 1500's - 1800's, and decorum and beauty are held sacred above all else. All the workers of the carnival are currently staying there, in the hope of enabling a successful diplomatic venture between the Ringmaster and the Prince. The Grand Ball is being thrown by the Prince to honour these guests, but his manner of doing this is going to come as a bit of a surprise.

THE RULES↴

Powers are all partially nerfed for 4th Wallers. They can be used in small to moderate ways for the sake of RP and narrative flavour, but 4th Wallers shouldn’t generally be using any powers in a super disruptive manner. No using powers for fighting with NPCs (yet), causing general chaos, or otherwise making your character a burden to the Prince. If they try, they’ll find themselves unable to do so.
Your character isn’t sure how they got here but they think they’re okay with it. Your character won’t remember how they were captured by the Prince at the start of the ball. They’re just kind of here and in formal wear, and something tells them it’s probably fine to just enjoy the ball. They are wrong.
In-game characters won’t initially remember how they all ended up at the ball either thanks to a temporary amnesia effect, but they will be able to be concerned about the fact that other people (possibly people they know) have shown up, and the fact that those other people are probably the Prince’s captives. Weren’t they doing something else at the castle before this, though? It’s hard to remember. This is all very confusing.
4th Wall character who aren’t apping in were possibly never the real deal in the first place. There are a mixture of genuine captives and spooky replications created with magic – this is to provide some flexibility regarding 4th wall character’s states in game, as well to allow more than one of each character to be played. If there are multiple people playing the same character, then whichever one has an app accepted will have been the real one.
No doubles of in game characters. (Taken list here.) No AUs, no CRAUs, and nothing else besides characters that have full source canons or are original characters/fandom OCs with no bearing on the canon plot. If you tag in with a character who breaks these rules we reserve the right to remove them.

THE SETUP: 4TH WALLERS↴

With incredibly foggy memories of their recent past, your character will find themselves at a grand ballroom dance, filled with a mixture of normal humans and odd looking humanoids that have strange features like wings, horns, tails, fur, and the like. They have vague memories of being dressed for the occasion, but are not sure by who or why. Most disturbingly, they will find that, at first at least, they don’t really care about the details. It seems like a pleasant event, doesn’t it? Why not enjoy it.
This effect is definitely some kind of mind control, so you can feel free to have your characters be a bit confused and conflicted about it. Ultimately, they have been charmed to participate in the dance, so they will feel like riding the wave is the best thing to do even if that wouldn’t normally be their cup of tea. If your character has resistances to some forms of mind control, they are still overruled in this circumstance.
They may discover people they recognize (castmates) or even duplicates of themselves (somehow?), and these can all be treated as canonly occurring and played out as such. This event is canon for Lost Carnival, so it should be played seriously and respectfully – not that silly shenanigans aren’t also bound to happen.
All characters are required to dress in formal attire appropriate to a period area – specifically anywhere from the 1500s to 1800s. The Prince prefers if people are heteronormative in their clothing choices, but if you want you can probably get away with your ladies wearing suits or men wearing dresses as long as they look presentable otherwise.

THE SETUP: MANOR GUESTS↴

You find yourself at the Grand Ball without really remembering how you got here. The last few days are a foggy blur, and though you can remember some of the important stuff you were dealing with, it will feel less important right at the start. Of course, as the night goes on, memories of how the carnival reached this event will become more and more clear – as well as the inevitable worry and stress that comes with it.
For most people, there will have absolutely no memory of anything that happened after the morning of Day 175. Did the boating trip ever happen? Possibly not. Even as the night progresses, they will still have no recollection of how most of Day 175 went, which is probably disturbing. The Mod has contacted those that are exceptions to this privately to tell them what they will remember.
The people lost to the Manor’s security earlier in the week will be here too, but not as guests. In fact, all of them will be dressed in the black attire of a Heartstone Manor servant and will seem pretty okay with that fact. There are parts of them that look changed – and their dispositions are definitely one of them. How else could they possibly be working for the Prince now?
Updates to the event situation will be posted down in this section below. People can react to these posts as the circumstances change, and may new top levels based on them. It is possible to try to sneak away from the ball, but Manor Security will be trying to hunt you down. There is no mandatory outcome planed to this event, so character decisions can and will have a major effect in where the plot goes from here.

THE ACCOMODATIONS↴

MUSIC AND DANCING: There will be music playing the whole night, and most of it is so good you feel practically compelled to dance to it. It's possible to resist, but why would you want to do that, you party pooper?
FOOD AND DRINK: There are circle tables set up with fine silverware, and upon sitting down you will soon have a waiter come back to ask for an order. You can request basically any European cusine and it will be made for you. You will also be given drinks, most of which are alcohol, no matter your age. Fae don't care about children.
BALCONY STARGAZING: There are balconies that are connected to the ballroom in multiple locations that you can step out onto to get some fresh air. You'll see the courtyard of the Manor down below you, but everything beyond that is black, as if the castle is floating within a twilight void. (Because it is.) One small change is that there are stars out tonight, probably added to the sky for the occasion.
ALL NIGHT LONG: The ball will go on far into the early morning. Or, at least, until everyone fucks it up.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Combat, huh..." That was a pretty delayed response for such a simple answer, but it doesn't strike Rita as especially weird. Maybe not all androids are as chatty as 9S.

This woman doesn't exactly look like Rita imagined a combat model would. Not that Rita hasn't known women of similar physique to be warriors, but they didn't exactly choose how their bodies are, whereas somebody must have specifically designed androids to be the way they are.

"I'm guessing you're not used to stuff like this, either." She gives a sideways glance to their surroundings.

"No, I'm not." Maybe one of the resistance androids might have been, but 2B herself has zero experience with even the concept of dancing, let alone actually doing so. It's only because she's a top of the line model that she hasn't stepped on anyones feet yet.

Yeah... definitely not as talkative as 9S.

They keep dancing in silence for some time, while Rita mulls over the many questions in her head. She wants to know more about how androids work, what their world is like, their society, maybe get a different perspective than 9S's...

...but in the end, her thoughts just come back to 9S and that stupid stunt he pulled earlier.

So when Rita speaks again, she finds herself asking, "Not that I care or anything, but you and 9S... are you close?"

2B is, if nothing else, efficient.

"We're partners." And... so much more. More than 9S realizes, but it's none of Rita's business, however. "We were assigned to each other."

"Partners, like... for work? Fighting machines, or whatever?" Rita presses. Nope, she doesn't care at all.

It's not painful, but 2B's hand does shift on Rita's back as they dance.

"You sure ask a lot of questions." Hey, guess what? 2B doesn't actually have to dignify that with an answer.

Ugh... Was that a weird line of questioning? Or maybe it's too personal. It would make sense, especially if they're more than just partners...

"Fine. It's none of my business, anyway," Rita concedes, but manages to sound haughty about it nonetheless.

"You're right, it's not." Besides, she doesn't want to give Rita any weird ideas about her and 9S. It's not like there's anything actually going on between the two of them anyway, and it's not like it matters if there was to begin w

These two androids really are like night and day. 9S is a lot of things, but he's never been cold like this around her.

And so, with that line of questioning firmly shot down, the two continue to dance in relative silence for a while.

9S had taken the time to clear his head and the rest of his overflowing emotions. Sat down, drank some wine, tried to ignore the painful ache in his chest. But eventually, he knew, he'd have to return to 2B.

He has a glass of water in his hand -- he knows it was her excuse to send him away for a while, but he wasn't going to not bring it to get -- but he quickly realises she isn't where he left her. Of course. He WAS gone for a while. She probably got restless.

So he scans, following the reading for her signal ID. And he finds...

The glass in his hand cracks, water slowly oozing out of the container, onto the floor. "2B!?"

And Rita??

Both hurt and anger flicker across his face. "Why..?"

2B, of course, stops dancing the moment that she hears the sound of glass cracking, and turns her attention to 9S, removing her hands from Rita fully, almost guiltily.

She has nothing to be guilty for. This was a dance, and they were dancing.

(She has everything to feel guilty for, where 9S is concerned.)

"9S." 2B doesn't try to defend her actions.

Rita stops as 2B does, but when she turns to see 9S, her temper flares and her expression immediately sours.

"Why what? You got a problem!?" Rita snaps, hands on her hips. She hasn't got a clue what's upsetting him, but as far as she's concerned, it doesn't matter, because he currently owes her an apology for earlier.

The glass in 9S' hand shatters completely, water flowing over his fingers and onto the ground. The shards of glass pierce his synthetic skin, liquid mimicking blood welling out of the wounds. He pays no attention to it, other than to drop the remains of the glass onto the floor along with the rest of the fragments. His nanomachines are already working to fix it, but it will be some time before his injury is healed. He curls his hands into fists anyway.

Why does it hurt to look at them?
Why does he feel so betrayed?

Maybe he's overreacting. Everyone is dancing with everyone. He had been dancing with Rita. But when it comes to 2B...

He wants her to look his way.
He wants her to have eyes only for him.
He wants... to be the only one.

He almost feels angry at Rita for being angry, but she's too human -- he likes her too much -- to snap out the venomous words on the tip of his tongue. Most of all, he just feels tired. He's seen how... sad 2B sometimes looks when she thinks he doesn't notice. He never figured out why.

"Yeah, I do. This is between me and 2B." 2B who would push him away. 2B who acted so cold to him. 2B who disliked irrelevant things... dancing with Rita. "This doesn't involve you, Rita."

Maybe 2B's happier without him, despite what she said earlier. Maybe those rare glimpses of warmth towards him didn't mean anything after all.

2B has no idea what is running through 9S's mind, but she sees the betrayal on his face, the sadness tinged with anger there. It's a look she's gotten used to seeing, though before this... It was something that would have been alright in a few days. It would be fixed.

This is not these circumstances, and she turns her head towards Rita momentarily, caught between he core programming to do whatever she can to soothe Rita's feelings of anger, and her own desire to... Maybe not make 9S happy, but to ease things for him.

She doesn't know how to do that, and she turns her attention back to 9S, the slightest trace of a frown on her lips.

"9S. You should tend to your injuries." She comments, uselessly.

Rita's impatient stare gravitates to the blood dripping from 9S's hand. Wait, blood? No, it can't be. Something that looks like it, then. More importantly, what the hell did he do that for!?

It doesn't involve her? Yeah, well, clearly. He was in a hurry to get rid of her before, too.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demands. It's a serious question. He's acting like a crazy person.

No, he's not going to tend to the hand injury. He couldn't, even if he wanted to; the medical supplies are in his bag back in his room. Doesn't matter. It's a small enough injury that the nanomachines would fix it in time.

Ignoring 2B -- but he could never keep his attention away from her -- 9S turns to Rita.

"Rita, I'm sorry. I'll explain later."

His words are quick. Hurried. As if they're not reaching his processors before they come tumbling out of his mouth.

9S takes a breath, trying to calm himself, before saying more slowly, "Please just. Let me talk to her alone. This..." 9S glances over at the other android, expression pulled into a miserable frown. "This might be the last time we'll ever get to talk."

Though he wants to prevent that as much as possible.

Edited (Typoes and forgotten words) 2017-10-19 22:59 (UTC)

2B says nothing to either of them, though behind the combat visor she's looking back and forth between them. She really isn't the kind of person who is good with this kind of thing.

She... wants to stay with 9S, for as long as she can. 2B wants to make more memories with him, even if they'll be torn away from her in the future. She doesn't know when, but she knows it will happen.

Finally, 2B decides to speak up, though she's speaking to Rita. "I would like to speak with 9S alone as well." Does she sound a little stiff? Probably. She's still bad at this, and her fist clenches at her side.

Anger colors Rita's face, but there's a small change in her expression at his explanation. The last time they'll get to talk...? That sounds like... Well, it's not like Rita can't understand the gravity behind something like that.

But she's still mad.

"Do what you want. I was just leaving, anyway." She grabs a handful of her dress, turns, and storms off.

A flash of confusion flickers across 9S' face at 2B's request to Rita. If anything, he thought 2B was avoiding trying to talk with him, after she sent him away and after she... after she decided to dance with Rita.

He stares after Rita's retreating back for a moment, guilt and regret pooling in his gut area. He's not quite sure why Rita'so angry, only that she is.

But eventually, he wrenches the rest of his attention back towards 2B. Now that Rita is gone, he doesn't know what to say, grimly aware of his pain receptors in his injured hand and time slipping away from them.

"... Let's go somewhere quieter," he says, not quite looking at 2B before he turns to lead them towards one of the balconies.

Edited (Mobile tagging is the worst) 2017-10-20 21:39 (UTC)

2B doesn't watch as Rita leaves, instead she's silent, and moves after 9S as he leads them out towards one of the balconies.

She's mulling over what to say to him. She doesn't know what to say to him. Does she admit to everything? It's her last chance to do so, as far as she knows.

Truthfully, that thought frightens her. The knowledge that 9S might spend their last time together hating her for what she's done to him... 2B doesn't think she could bear that pain, no matter how she might deserve it.

The walk is just as much to stall as it is to bring them somewhere more private than the open dance floor. He never wanted confrontation, but with so little time...

He doesn't know where to begin.

"Say, 2B...?" So he begins where his emotions bring him. "Did you really mean it...? When you said you truly treasured the time you spent with me? Because..."

He looks away from her, uninjured hand pressing against his bleeding one.

"I don't know if it's that's true." He curls his right hand into a fist. How can he believe it? After everthing he's seen, not just tonight. "I noticed, alright? I'm a Scanner model, remember?" The words aren't spoken with the usual pride. "What is it about partnering with me that makes you so..." indescribably, "sad?"

He remembers their conversation about going shopping when the war is over. The warmth that had lit her words when she spoke... and the deep sadness in her expression when she turned away. 9S takes a breath, closing his eyes.

"If... if being around me is painful for you," if that's the reason why she won't join the Carnival, "then maybe..." his throat feels like it's closing up, as if he's being strangled, "maybe it's better this way."

Even though it hurts so much. Even though he doens't want to let her go. Even though he doesn't know how he'd live without her any more... Don't leave me, he wants to say.

"If you want me to go... then please. Tell me."

She still doesn't know what to say to him, and her fist tightens hard enough to make the leather creak, all while her expression is the same as usual. It's true, 9S makes her happy. To her... He's her everything. Her entire reason for being, at this point.

He's also the reason for her sadness and guilt. "Being around you is painful." She starts, pausing for a moment and chewing on her next choice of words. "It's also... nice. The time I spend with you means more to me than anything else." She relaxes her hand, trying to fight to keep her expression even, but the look of sadness returns.

And yet, she speaks again, an unusual fondness colouring her tone. "I wouldn't trade the time I spent with you for anything, 9S. I don't want you to leave. I don't ever want you to leave."

"I don't want you to leave, either!"

Please, don't leave me. Don't leave me alone.

"If you're with someone you care about, it shouldn't hurt. 2B... When I'm with you... it's like a light in a sea of darkness."

But it hurts. It hurts not knowing, not understanding. Why does it hurt, feeling like she's a distant star whose warmth he craves?

"So why... why isn't it the same way for you? Why is it so painful for you to be around me?"

"Some things are better off not known." She'll hurt him if she tells him.

She's hurting him now.

She always hurts him. It doesn't matter what she does.

It's no longer about keeping it a secret from him because of a mission. There is no more mission, YoRHa is soon to be completely eradicated, and she's... Not long after them.

She deserves it, what is going to happen to her. 9S doesn't. With her gone, for once he'll be able to keep all of his memories.

"2B!"

Her designation falls from his lips, desperate, as he steps forward to grasp her shoulders with both hands.

"Please don't leave things like this." Don't leave me don't leave me don't leave me. "I want to understand, please, 2B!" 9S murmurs a mirror of the words 2B had spoken when they found that missing Resistance member who died to a machine out for revenge. "...It's the truth. I have to know."

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anyway kids thats why account hopping is dangerous

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