⇨ 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

[anti_nonsense]

It doesn’t seem like he’s following, and that just frustrates Rita more. Shouldn’t it be obvious?

“I’m talking about how you said all that stuff about liking me, and then you just ran off!” she sputters, her tone uneven. “You can’t just do that, you know!”

[dressedtothe]

Huh? 9S only gives Rita a look of confusion.

"Why not? I mean, yeah, okay, I should've explained where I was going," oh right he did say he'd explain, but he never really did... except he sort of kind of did when he told Rita about the things 2B had said when they both woke up...? "but I don't understand why this is a big deal."

Why is she getting so flustered talking about this???

[anti_nonsense]

"Ugh! You don't get it. That's not the problem!" It's part of the problem, but it's not what's got Rita worked up over this. Unfortunately, embarrassment and drunkenness both prove to be formidable hurdles in actually communicating what the problem is.

"You just don't get it," she repeats, unnecessarily.

[dressedtothe]

"What?" Because Rita's flustered, he's getting flustered. "What don't I get?"

What's he done!?!?

"Maybe we should wait until tomorrow to talk about this? You seem," drunk, "out of it."

[anti_nonsense]

"I'm out of it?" she repeats, seemingly indignant but not quite getting the tone right. She faces 9S with an accusing look that's somewhat dampened by the glassiness of her eyes. "I'm not... you're out of it."

Maybe there was some alcohol in that potion she drank, but it's not like it got her drunk. She doesn't look drunk, does she? Sure, she practically stumbled over here, but that's just... because of the poison, and stuff.

"You think you can just dump a love confession on someone and then disappear? You're way out of it, mister." The more she repeats the phrase, the less she seems to be comprehending it.

[dressedtothe]

Rita is totally out of it. Nevertheless, the heat still rushes to 9S' cheeks.

"A love confession!?" he splutters, his voice high and strained.

Is that what she thought their conversation was!? It wasn't, he never, that hadn't been his intention at all! A love confession is usually someone declaring I love you! after performing some kind of dramatic act, isn't it? So how the heck did she get that idea!?

"But you're a human! I couldn't...!"

His ability to form coherent sentences has flown out the window, alongside Rita's lucidity and dignity.

[anti_nonsense]

He sounds... confused? But everything he said that night seemed pretty damn deliberate. He can't just weasel out of it!

"Couldn't what? I mean... you did, didn't you?" That was how it sounded to Rita.

[dressedtothe]

"I did what!?"

He didn't confess! There's nothing to confess! How did this happen!?

"Rita, that wasn't...! I mean, even if I did confess, which I didn't," he'd just said he liked her, and that she's someone special, "it wouldn't work out!" The words are tumbling out of his mouth, his thoughts barely being processed before he says them, "I'm an android. I could never be equals with a human!"

[anti_nonsense]

Sure, it probably wouldn't work. Not because they aren't equals; that thought hadn't crossed her mind. It's because 9S clearly seems interested in 2B. It's one of the reasons his actions at the ball were so confusing to Rita.

But... he's saying he really didn't mean it the way it sounded? That would mean...

Rita stares right into his eyes and asks, "Are you saying I made a mistake?"

[dressedtothe]

9S quails under Rita's stare. "Um, well, I mean, I wouldn't say that... I really didn't mean it as a confession! But it's true that I like you and you're special and--"

He's babbling now.

[anti_nonsense]

He’s interrupted by a frustrated shout. "Argh!! It's because you say it like that that you're too damn easy to misunderstand, damn it!" Rita swings her arms emphatically (and clumsily) as she scolds him.

Here he is again, in another setting that could easily look romantic, with the two of them sitting side-by-side by the fireplace, saying things about liking her and how she's special! Sure, it's not bad to hear those things. But it proves her point, doesn't it!?

[dressedtothe]

How did this conversation go so out of control!?

"What do you mean!?" 9S leans away, staying far from the flailing limbs. "I thought I was being clear!"

He was just telling the truth! Why is Rita so mad at him???

[anti_nonsense]

"Well, you weren't!" she snaps, grabbing for his collar. "And don't move away from me when I'm talking to you!"

Unfortunately, Rita isn't really strong enough to yank 9S back toward her with one hand. Instead, she ends up yanking herself forward, smashing her head against 9S's in a completely unintentional headbutt.

[dressedtothe]

When Rita grabs him, 9S lets out a startled yelp that quickly turns into an, "Ow!" when she whacks her head against his.

What was that for!? Except he remembers the last time Rita had hit him, and she was definitely the one who came out on the losing end of that.

"Rita, are you alright?" He reaches out to try grab her by the shoulders before she falls on him; he really doesn't trust her motor skills right now. "Maybe we should talk about this later, when you're not drunk."

[anti_nonsense]

The impact makes a painful-sounding thud and leaves Rita dazed, but she doesn't show any indication of hurting besides that. She's too numb to feel it properly right now, though she'll probably have a tender spot on her head come morning.

She doesn't fight him when he grabs her; her arms go limp instead. "I'm not drunk," she still manages to mumble in protest.

[dressedtothe]

"Yes you are," he insists, awkwardly holding her up. "You should go to bed. Sleep it off."

If human response to alcohol is anything like androids, it'll work through her system and then wear off.

[anti_nonsense]

Shaking her head, Rita pulls back from 9S, but she can't even sit up straight and ends up slumping against the chair behind her for support.

"I'm not done talking to you," she argues, slurring her words and practically pouting at him. She doesn't know where she's going with this, but she feels like she hasn't said enough.

[dressedtothe]

Rita is so out of it that he could probably make an escape relatively unscathed. But he kind of wants to know what else she has to say.

You know, to tease her with later. Maybe.

Torn between self preservation and curiosity, 9S opens his mouth and blurts out, "You're not? What else is there?"

[anti_nonsense]

What else? Well, lots of things, obviously... like...

"You should know, I..." she begins slowly, sitting with her wings half-open and awkwardly pressed against the chair she's slouching back on.

...Right, there was one more thing he said that kind of bothered her. About how they couldn't be equals...

"I don't think of you as less than me, or... anyone else around here."

[dressedtothe]

"Rita..."

The fact that she feels that way means more to him than she could ever know. The humans here... They treat him as if his life has value, as if his life is meaningful to them. They treat him as if he was one of their own kind, as if he were human.

What did he do to deserve this?

He can feel his throat closing up with emotion, voice choked with emotion. He's glad his eyes are covered, so Rita can't see them. "I was made to serve. I can't... I can't be the same as you."

[anti_nonsense]

If Rita wasn't drunk, she might read the mood, perceive that change of emotion in 9S, and maybe even come up with some thoughtful way to try and reassure him. But right now, she's completely wasted, so...

"Lemme tell you something about humans," she says, flopping a hand around in a gesture that's unclear, but vaguely dismissive. "They're all idiots. You're an idiot too, so you fit right in."

[dressedtothe]

Aaand almost all that goodwill from her previous comments evaporates immediately. Wow, harsh. If there's anything that confirms she's drunk, it's the fact her train of thought appears to be jumping.

She probably doesn't mean anything by what she's saying since she's drunk, right...?

"Does that mean you're an idiot too?" The question slips out his mouth before he can stop it. He quickly tries to distract her with a follow up question, "Why am I an idiot?"

[anti_nonsense]

There is an immediate flicker of indignant outrage at the first question (even though it was Rita who implied it first), but she doesn't get to say much more than "What!? No--" before he's already moving along to the next question.

As for why 9S is an idiot...

"Lots of reasons," she adds unhelpfully. "Like... that stuff we just talked about." As far as she's concerned, their conversation about the ball counts as discussing reasons why 9S is a big idiot. The misunderstanding was all his fault and had nothing to do with Rita getting caught up in the atmosphere or jumping to conclusions or anything that would make her even slightly responsible.

[dressedtothe]

9S still doesn't see how any of that is his fault! He still doesn't see how Rita could even interpret that as a love confession! At no point did he mention the word 'love' in anything he said!

(Though, really, would he even say it, if he did actually love her? The words never made it out his mouth to 2B.)

But he doesn't really want to be going around in circles about what they talked about at the ball; the fewer reminders of the time at the Prince's manor, the better.

"Riiight," he says doubtfully, his attempt at humouring her. "What about the other reasons?"

[anti_nonsense]

"I told you," Rita says, sounding a bit too tired to enunciate her words properly. "Humans are stupid. So... looking up to them makes you stupid, too."

Slouching back against the chair, she slowly sinks toward the ground. "That's just logic," she adds in a mumble, seemingly unaware of how ridiculous she looks.