⇨ THE LUNAR SOLSTICE

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Winter Breaks: Day 6 - Day 25
Where: THE MOON
What: The carnival journeys to one of its moons to celebrate the Lunar Solstice. More information here.
Warnings: Winter fun.

MOON WALKING↴ The journey to the moon only takes a blink of an eye, but it leaves the carnival far away beneath you. The second moon can be seen on the peripheral, massive compared to its usual view. At least when the holidays start out, there will be no notable wildlife on the moon, though this is something you can talk to the Ringmaster about if you think it needs a change. It sounds like this is the first time she's used it in quite a while - it probably needs some dusting off! Claim your cabins, and proceed to... well, do whatever you want! There is no rush and little obligation, besides to enjoy yourself. For real, this time. She promises there will be no vampires. Or, at least, none that don't already work for the carnival. ► CABINS: Living arrangements are character choice for this event, and there are a variety of cabins of various sizes, mostly built to house 2-6 people, though you can fit more in if you squish. They are all made of wood and of a rustic design - no fancy modern furniture, here! Each building is housed with a fireplace and the needed amenities. You can pick up materials to cook with the private kitchens if you like. Theoretically, you could spend the whole holiday sequestered away, watching the snow fall. Some of them also have outdoor hot tubs available! ► ACTIVITIES: Activities are mostly going to be character driven, though there will be some large group games like bingo and maybe a poker tournament happening at some point in one of the festival halls. Otherwise, there is a lot to offer: skiing, snowboarding, hiking, ice sculpting, snowball fights - it goes on! If you'd like to run a winter activity, just let the mods know, and we will get the word out there for you. ► FEASTING: Every day isn't a full-out feast because that would get a bit unhealthy, but there will be a number of specific feast events over the holidays where everyone is encouraged to let out their inner hedonist and stuff themselves. There will be one big feast per week, with smaller but also delicious meals offered in between. The feast dates will be B12, B18, and B24. There's also plenty of alcohol available for anyone who wants it. ► SHOPPING: As mentioned in the planning post, there is a massive market being run by the World Walker Caravan! The Ringmaster has given everyone 1250 credits to spend on items, but there is a caveat - must spend at least 500 of those credits on gifts for other people. And it better be a good one, if you only buy one! (She will ask that you do not buy her presents, however. She appreciates the sentiment, but it seems sort of silly buying her things with her own money! If you'd like to gift her, please have it be something more personal or handmade, but you are not obligated to get her anything at all.) ► TREATMENTS: The beginning of the holidays will also be about the time that the emergency Medical Team will have finalized their treatments for the Prince's poisoning. Watch out for further information on that - and make sure to get treated if you are suffering from petrification or poison induced illness! The holidays will be a lot more fun that way.

Comments

2

[dressedtothe]

9S, by contrast, is more than happy to wander far and wide while they'r eon the moon. While he's not sold on the snow, the cooler temperatures means that his cooling systems don't have to work so hard. If anything, he's feeling physically livelier than ever.

It isn't hard to spot Lambert's handiwork. Curiosity caught, 9S makes his way over to the witcher, taking care to give the targets a wide berth so there's no chance of him getting accidentally caught in force or fire.

"You're training even now?" he calls out. As always, Pod 153 is with him.

[dressedtothe]

[Oh boy. It's too late to come clean and tell Syrlya that he actually has tried the weed.

...But admittedly, he wouldn't mind trying it again.]

What about mine? There's only three of us staying there.

[dressedtothe]

Entertainment models and diplomatic models just makes him think of 42S, the idol and publicity agent stationed at North 12C Defense HQ. Of course, the guy's still a soldier, but sometimes it's easy to forget that when he's got such a bright and cheery manner of speaking.

But 9S brightens at the mention of other models where Five's from, though the quiet lapse into silence doesn't go unnoticed. "You have androids in your world? Almost everyone in the Carnival comes from worlds that don't have the technology for our kind."

So it's great to hear that not only does Five's world does, but they have roles, too!

"The androids in your world must be happy, if they're given names and get to work with humans."

[dressedtothe]

[9S puffs, pouting, before he lets out a huff of laughter.]

Wow, okay. Is it always so slippery?

[He tries to get up off the ice using his gloved hands to assist, but his feet slide out from under him the first time. The second attempt goes better, 9S managing to get himself upright, though sliding slowly forward.]

Aww... my clothes are wet!

[Specifically the spots that touched the ice.]

[dressedtothe]

While the other two are talking, 9S finishes up with breaking down the plant matter and wipes his fingers on the edge of his coat, because who said androids are good at maintaining clean clothing?

Plucking one of the papers for the weed, 9S folds it in half and starts filling it. "Sure, I'll try some. I'm not sure if it'll affect me, but if it does, it'll be a valuable experience to record."

That's his story and he's sticking to it!

"It's probably a good idea for at least one of us not to smoke it, anyway."

[espigeon]

Julien is curious about Rapha. Are they friendly, how chatty are they, how'd they end up here, are they a smith oh that's amazing! etc.

What is a nephilim, in this context? Would ex-angels with angelic aspect count, or are they too far removed now?

[kingsroads]

Unsurprisingly, flimsy cloth can only do so much against blood and guts. Strange is about to retort something along those lines but oooh, a different hat! This one is very sci-fi and even dumber than the steampunk hat and it is going right on Strange's head as well.

He models for a moment in the mirror before turning around to look at Lambert and that...bubble covered thing. Strange bites down on his tongue to keep from laughing, but a small little snort of laughter manages to escape. That thing looks real silly and Lambert looks real silly holding it up to him.

"I know the carnival is devoid of women our age, but I didn't think you were that desperate!"

[dressedtothe]

"Ants, huh?"

He supposes that's true. YoRHa were crawling all over Earth, fulfilling their duties in service to the whole. Even if that sometimes meant killing their own kind.

Cole had no role in his pain, but the spirit's sympathy is appreciated, even if the hole where duty and service once was still remains hollow and unfilled.

"Thanks, Cole. I just... I wish YoRHa isn't the way it is." To think that when he'd started talking to Cole, he hadn't expected their conversation would get so serious. His gaze slides away. "To be honest, I'm not sure I want to go back. I will, to save 2B. But after that..."

His head tells him not to stay on Earth, just get both 2B and himself out of there. But his heart, maybe his soul, still yearns to return to his duties, a piece of programming he cannot touch.

[kingsroads]

Mine only appears when I've been grievously wounded. Obviously I don't want to test this, but if I die...

[ Strange trails off, with a little frown. If he dies, what would happen? After all, few things are more grave than death. Would his entire body turn mirrored? Would it be symbolic? What would happen in the first place? ]

[kingsroads]

Likewise, I need to change clothes. [ Or at least, find a shirt that isn't wet from snow. Strange gives Yuya a smile as he continues to brush snow off his shirt and coat. ]

You know this already, but if you have any questions about the spell or your process, feel free to ask me. I won't keep anything from you.

[ A point of information that Yuya's probably confused why Strange had to specify that in the first place, but which Strange himself views as Very Important. ]

3, surprise cabin visit

[hurtcomfort]

Surprise Lambert, here comes Cole. He just kind of creepily appears in Lambert's cabin sitting on a table, looking over at Lambert from beneath his hat. A pair of silly pink nug ears stick out from underneath his hat. The rest of Cole's outfit looks like someone told him what he should wear to stay warm but Cole didn't really think about anything except 'practicality' and 'this'll keep other people from worrying about me.' He's wearing two different gloves, for example.

"Bright and burning again, a weapon reforged, smooth out the defects. I found him, you know. I couldn't find him at the ball but I found him after."

[hurtcomfort]

"But the sun helps the plants. Snow melting gives water, sun shining gives light, the two together make the plants grow."

Well, the two and other things. Some plants grow better in one place than others. But Cole's got a feeling that Papyrus doesn't want to hear a complete and in-depth recitation of Cole's scattershot account of how plants work.

"It's a circle."

[hurtcomfort]

"I know that much," Cole clarifies, a little bit of an annoyed tone slipping into his voice. It's not Yuya's fault. Yuya wasn't there. Yuya doesn't know. But man, he spent an entire year trying to figure out what he was.

"I just didn't know which me I was for a while. Pulled in two choices, black or white, but I think I'll always be more gray."

Be a spirit, Cole. Be a human, Cole. But both times were influenced when he was neither, when he was confused. It's always going to be that way.

[soft_focus]

She'll hold on-rather, not hold on, for sure! The fabric pile is being relieved...and Reira sighs, nodding. "Okay... ...And now we can give it to someone to make into a sweater right?"

[hurtcomfort]

Cole's face lights up as Five starts adding popcorn and cranberries. There's something almost childlike about that smile, just how delighted he is that she's helping, before it settles back into Cole's neutral expression.

There we go. They'd finish this one. And then they could do another for some more of the trees.

"I'm Cole," he answers, as he puts another cranberry on the string. "I'm the same as you. Brought to the ball, lost and confused, stolen and saved by the Ringmaster." He got brought here via fourth wall day nonsense as well. And Cole has a feeling Five might want someone to empathize about that pit of trouble with.

[whattaprick]

Why does a hat have to have lights on it? Probably the same reason someone decided it was a great idea to have crystal tits on clothes. Lambert feigns mock-offense, shaking his head.

"I'm not desperate, just adventurous. We can't all be married and happy with a rock that plays memories back." He puts the bustier back down, giving Strange a critical once-over.

"Not very magician-like." He grins, spotting a big ol' witch hat with a flopping brim, reaching over to flick it at Strange. "Here, how about this?" Because yeah, he's absolutely not taking this seriously. None of this is really stuff he'd seriously consider wearing, for the aforementioned 'probably just going to get fucked up by blood and guts' reasons, but his eyes look over the selection anyway, frowning slightly.

[wilt]

I think she would've bought something already if that were the case...

I bet she wants a pet.

[ Really, Flowey? You think the animal tamer wants a pet? Really? Shocker. ]

[wilt]

And Flowey completely ignores Foster.

"Reira, do you want to go out for a while or hang around in here? I wanna be first to the market when it opens, so--!"

Clearly the kid is a little bit greedy at the notion that he'd be getting free money and over a thousand sounded like a lot to spoil himself with-- even though he was mentally checking off what to get other people. Papyrus asked him to decorate, so he has to get something like that... and Reira definitely needs to get something-- he can't imagine any other people who'd want gifts from him.

[wilt]

[ A long vine stretches out to pull back the covers of Reira's bed, oh so sweetly and hospitable. ]

We stole a bunch of breaded goods from the food hall in a raid last night-- [ Aka there's a basket of muffins on the table left over from breakfast. ] If you need to eat, eat. If you need to drink, drink. After all...

You're a part of us now!

[hippocarnival]

Yuya frowns, stuffing his hands in his pockets. It'd probably be easier to understand if he had the context for this. He can't think of anything to say that might help him make more sense of it, so he turns back forward an squints at the distance.

"I think I see it," he points to the dark building ahead. Although, this didn't feel like a very steep incline. Maybe the other side is steeper?

Peridot | OTA | Top Level

[periphrasing]

Winterizing

[periphrasing]

A. Winterizing

True fact: The first time Peridot ever encountered snow was back when Strange accidentally let that fae loose on the carnival grounds. No one was in much of a mood to be ~dazzled~ by the majesty of winter, back then.

So, for all intents and purposes, this moon trip marks the very first time that Peridot has properly experienced snow. And what better way to truly experience something than to get out there and roll your ENTIRE BODY AROUND IN IT? That's what Peridot thinks, anyway. And sure enough that's what she's doing, and in the process demonstrating once again that gems are hacked, OP cheaters of a class, because cold doesn't affect them and she's romping around in even less clothing than she usually wears. Er... Meaning, she has ditched the material carnival duds that she almost ALWAYS wears over her Homeworld uniform, because she doesn't want them to get soggy. People who have never seen her without her trademark slacks/suspenders/button-down shirt ensemble may be alarmed to see that she's running around in frigid temperatures wearing what basically look like sleeveless green footie pajamas; the only thing she has on in way of extra winter wear is a white scarf with a pattern of little green alien faces printed on it, and it seems like she's basically wearing it for show.

If you're the unlucky sort, and you're passing through an area with particularly deep snow drifts, she might even get the drop on you by sneaking under the snow like a cartoon rabbit, popping out with a jubilant cry of your name in an effort to startle you!

[whattaprick]

Feet crunching on the snow isn't exactly subtle either, so Lambert knew someone was approaching even before 9S calls out, but he doesn't miss a beat -- just completes the motion of the spell, and with a twist of the wrist, a piece of wood goes flying in an arc and lands wetly in a snowdrift. The witcher swears under his breath, then turns to 9S.

"Trying something different," he answers. His scowl suggests that's not going well, but much like the android, he's in much better shape than he was before. The stone scaling along his tail is gone now, the gold back to its usual sheen, and he's also finally wearing pants again, presumably his legs back to a similarly normal state.

[hippocarnival]

"Uh... thanks!" He thinks he understands the intention behind it. Things get really dangerous, and Yuya's not very strong on his own. The thought of cracking someone's fface in with this, though...

... Maybe he'll keep it on a chain or something until he really needs it.

[brightspot]

The reynat is sniffing at Five's hair with both curiosity and caution, perched on the top of the bench. Upon hearing and sensing Scout and her pokemon come closer, both girl and creature switch their gazes over to her. Five smiles, and Seven's tail curls and flicks.

"Guilty. The first thing I spent my money on," she admits with a soft laugh. "I've never actually had a pet before." She can't remember if she mentioned that to Scout already or not. "But it seems like plenty of other people in the carnival have them too?"