⇨ WISMUTH

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: S2:D6-D11
Where: Wismuth and the Carnival Grounds
What: The carnival enjoys a few days in Wismuth, a coastal city on this planet's version of the American east. However, there are a few things very unique about this version of the planet...
Warnings: The usual, wholesome fun.

PILLAR OF CREATION↴ Upon arriving, things in Wismuth will seem pretty peaceful. It's a massive city, with no shortage of things going on, but things like violent crime and homelessness are at an all time low. You can wander the streets without much scrutiny, presumed to just be tourists, and most people here come across as helpful and friendly. ► VIBRANCY: The main thing that sets this planet apart is its vibrancy - AKA, the raw creative energy its filled with, flowing from its status as a Pillar of Creation. There is no literal pillar, but Wismuth and its planet is a place where Creation's energy comes through strongest. As a result, everything here feels somehow more real, more intense in a way that's hard to put a finger on. Life is abundant, and its bleeds through in every sensation. ► ATTRACTIONS: There are plenty of things to see while going around the city. First and foremost, there is a lovely beach area bordering the ocean, and a number of tourist aimed attractions built around it. There are giant malls, movie theaters, live stage performances, museums and all kinds of other points of cultural interest. Anything you can do in a big city you can do here, but better. ► ALLOWANCES: The Ringmaster will be giving everyone a reasonable amount of local currency for a few days on the town. You can't make any massive acquisitions with it, but it's more than enough to eat out, see some shows, go to the beach, and whatever you like. You can feel free to pick up some casual supplies, like mundane clothing and souvenirs. There will be more given out later, after the performance week. ► PERFORMANCE: Performance week is starting early this time, after only a couple days of exploration. When the carnival has already been on vacation for a month, the Ringmaster figures they may as well get right to it, and then do more touring afterwards. Members of the local populace will find themselves in the carnival once performances begin, dazzled by the other worldly sights. Magic doesn't seem to exist here, despite the fact that it will flow easier for people bringing it from other worlds.

Comments

⇨ INVESTIGATION THREADS

[ringleaders]

Not all locations will have much to investigate, necessarily, but this is the section where people can make investigation requests for if their character wants to learn more about a setting than is immediately apparent. This can also be used to cover the broad strokes of interacting with various available NPCS.

Like before, you must be specific about what your character is doing to find new information, and you must keep your requests to one or two actions per comment. No big laundry lists of things your character is doing - it is much easier to handle taking it one topic at a time.

Posters Around the City (OPEN)

[ringleaders]

There are a ton of posters up right now for an upcoming music festival, featuring a large number of acts, but headlining an artist called "CY-Ren". You can already see the massive stage areas being set up around the ocean front. The dates fall sometime during the latter half of performance week. Well, nuts.

Yuzu Hiiragi | OTA

[fusionactuallysuitsher]

Attractions:

Yuzu cannot believe it! It's so busy here. After all that time on the moon, being someplace a little more warm and exciting was certainly needed. Of course, it seemed like there was just too much to do! Right now, Yuzu's just busy exploring the city and seeing what there is to do before committing to anything.

Though, there is that urge to go to the beach...!

Performances:

It didn't feel like it, but it certainly felt like it was the first time Yuzu was actually working as a cashier. Fun time was over, time to do some work. It didn't seem that bad, though she had to do some adjusting with the currency -- too used to her own currency at that moment, but she was handling it quite alright.

Of course, by the time anyone else catches her, she might be a little winded.

"What was I thinking? So many people here...!"

Attractions

[hippocarnival]

If she need direction, there's a very familiar Yuzuuu! as Yuya comes zooming around on his skates he definitely didn't have in Maiami, spinning a circle around her before he stops.

"Hey, Yuzu!" He's a little winded from racing around, but he has a better idea how to find his way around the city, now. "Found anything fun yet?"

Julien Delacroix | OTA

[espigeon]

[ALLOWANCE]

Julien is completely unprepared for the sudden swell of happy anticipatory consumerism that sweeps over him as soon as he saw the first shops. Real things in this world are all like items in commercials from his world - just that big, just that bright, maybe even that satisfying. Much of the promise of those advertisements is real, not just a trick of careful camera angles and fluff, and it's amazing.

Currently his human self is stopped in a tattoos-and-piercings parlor, fully visible from outside through the big glass window, running avaricious eyes across books of art and samples by the resident artists. He's picked out a variety of new earrings and a bottle of spray-on hair color already. Under the glamor he's got eyes helping study the work and his palps rub slowly across his chin.

[Per...formance?]

"-yeah, that's very nice. But I don't want to just be petted, so if you could stop? Please?"

Julien's job doesn't involve interacting directly with the guests, but he doesn't avoid them, either. Maybe he should. Several guests, mostly preteens or younger but also several giggling drunk young adults, have converged on his huge bird body and are petting or hugging or leaning against him, cooing and chattering and getting sticky hands all over his feathers.

Even though it's really hard to read bird body language without prior experience - what's with his pupils dilating and contracting, why is his head held so high and his neck appearing so skinny? - it's easy to see he's uncomfortable. He keeps trying to get his head away from reaching hands, he's shuffling on his feet and adjusting his folded wings, and of course there's the things he's saying. "C'mon. Let me go."

Julien freezes as a flushed teenager lunges up, trying to get on his back but lackink the coordination. Plus his back is both wide and pretty high up, so rather than straddling him the kid is just sort of laying across him trying to flail into riding position. Julien's been trying to find a way to just walk out of this without bowling anyone over, but he especially can't do that with a tipsy person poorly balanced on top of him. He cranes his neck, looking for other carnies.

"Hey, uh... could you help? I'd owe you?"

[Wildcard] Idk, find him around somewhere? He likes trying out the food and the party scene.

Performance

[hippocarnival]

Yuya doesn't know bird body language, he just knows the meaning of the word 'no'. Guests get rowdy, but he doesn't want to have to call patrol on them if he can just diffuse the situation himself.

"Hey!" He tries to sound as authoritative as possible, which isn't much coming from a teenager who still has glitter on his face from the morning performance. He waves his hands as he approaches, making a shooing gesture. "He's not part of the show, so you need to move along."

Carly Nagisa | OTA

[fortuneglass]

[Touring More Like Working]

[Carly is Armed, and Ready, wandering the streets in a more flattering variation of her canon-clothing; capris, orange jacket, striped sleeveless (with a neck, for that matter)...and Normal Glasses. Good-bye, Trifocals, why did she ever stick with you!

The posters are not the only thing she takes notice of when she comes in-but there's plenty to see and do, and she's pleased to see her first guess at the state of fashion here was roughly on point after looking over her glamor. With her digital camera, she's taking shot after shot; looking like a tourist in some regions, and an actual photographer in others, to the point where some people start asking the foreign girl to take THEIR picture. She complies, typically to get more information about the area.

What's important is the photos-and the clothes. With her allowance there is of course the typical knick-knack and memorabilia stop she always makes first chance she can, but after that? It's time for the Wardrobe Department's stuff.

Because while Performers will be performing fine soon, it's their job to outfit them, and that means-]

Hmmmm! Looks like we can make do with some re-using, but the new guys are going to have to move really quick with their act details....

[Getting designs and fabric samples, of course! Nothing says 'welcome' like familiar-yet-otherworldly fashion!]

[Post-Work Vacation - Semi Wildcard]

WHOOOO-HOOOOOO!!~

[Once outfits are made and settled, Carly's department can have their own 'break time'. While they still have regular shifts in case of a wardrobe malfunction on the costume end of things, or Just In Case someone needs a set of jeans repaired, the point is that they have more time off while people are in the ring. Carly COULD use it to do stuff in the grounds but...

VRMMM!

She's got other things to do. Like test her newly painted bike! Soaring through the streets, wind in her hair-

Or visiting the beach! She has swimsuits still, and after weeks of snow, some laying in the sun is wonderful.

...Or maybe, just maybe, they ARE back on the grounds....where Carly is practicing with that new bow.

Notice that the fabric netting and streamers she made to catch her arrows seem a little stony when struck true.]

[WILDCARD - Got a different idea? Hit me up with a message, or just comment with whatever the heck!]

[magicsprice]

[It had been the small flicker of magic and the familiar sound of the bow that caught his attention in the beginning. Once he'd located the source, he watched her for a minute before stepping closer and as another arrow was shot, caught it out of the air. Interesting, it was the arrow that was the source of the magic he'd sensed.]

Interesting choice of weapon, dear.

[He examined the tip, noting the magical reaction to his silent prodding.]

How did you come by such a thing?

GONGENZAKA | OTA

[betheman]

[Touring Season]

[Gongenzaka was already a relatively emotive sort, for all that he can reign himself in most of the time. But the air of Wismuth makes it impossible to abandon a smile, and he walks through the city with clear interest and excitement. With a stretch, he walks under a 'new' glamor-look close at his pomp, and you can see some braiding inside. More importantly, his eyes are both 'normal'...and the rest of him? Human. It makes wearing his new coat and custom sashes seem far easier, though he's not wearing either of his new T-Shirts. That's what Marishi, his Daemon is doing.

Not that Marishi can be seen by anyone, naturally. Which is half of why she seems so Smug, no doubt.

Regardless-his glamor is almost flawless...but naturally, those who focus, or catch a glance from the corner of their eye, can see him go from a 5'8'', alarmingly muscular 14 year old, to a 9 foot centaurine beast of fur and leaves. Amazing.] Hah-HAAAAAHHH..! [Aaaah, but what a trip already-] Such a beautiful city...! ...It almost reminds me of pictures from home..!

[Pictures of the East Coast in the states, at least.]

[Performance and Patrol]

[Back on Patrol and on the Carnival Grounds, and Gongenzaka looks quite Impressive. He wears a simple shirt-sheer black, along with his new, lion-faced belt. His sashes are the same as typical for now, but between his size (9 foot with bear forlegs on an otherwise centaurine body is Not Small), his 'silver' eye, his horns, his robotic arm, his fairly brutal fangs....................... ...Well it's the beginning of a LIST of reasons why no one seems willing to cause much trouble near him, but fortunately for him, he's alarmingly good at arriving without warning.

Dealing with a rough customer? He'll suddenly just be there to say, 'Can I, the man Gongenzaka, help you'-a low growl to his words.

Simply need to help point someone in another direction? He'll have a much more friendly tone, suffice to say.

Or maybe you're the one who needs help...?]

[WILDCARD Got different ideas? Hit me up-I'm open to plenty!]

Touring season

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya practically bounces into the city. Warm and coastal is way more his territory, and with a short break period he wants to get in as much fun as possible before he goes to work bringing enjoyment to others.]

Wow... [He skids to a stop beside Gongenzaka, taking the scene in. It's so... bright, and vibrant, and clear.

He looks at Marishi, then turns up to Gon with a grin.] It's really amazing, right?

[He shifts a little on his feet, antsy to explore.]

REIRA AKABA | OTA

[soft_focus]

[It's Touring Season]

[In such a vibrant, and fully emotional place, it's difficult to avoid being briefly overwhelmed as an empath-but it's easy enough to adjust, fortunately. Probably the greatest thing about the intensity of the air is just how much elation she can feel herself gathering-somehow more easily, or even 'naturally', one could say. Reira travels wearing the sun-dress from the Summerlands over her old pair of shorts, but somehow just the environment of Wismuth makes her want to go above and beyond. She's got the new earrings Cole gave her, for one-but more importantly, under the glamor of a more typical seven year old child, she's pulled on the helmet Yuugo gave her and rolled out her Noah Bike.

She'll be sticking to Bike Lanes of course-she's too slow and small for the road, but too fast for the side-walks. But travelling on the bike, and on the bike she spent some of the holiday learning to drive, is a treat in itself. To say nothing of all the times she can be spotted stopping, pulling out her infinite polaroid, and taking pictures!

Normally of things like squirrels, or cute posters, or pets, or colourful store fronts, or...

Really she's gathering quite a lot of photos in her pockets, and it's a good thing she has a tiny bag attached to her back for these things. Say cheese if she knows you though!

You could be next. ...Or you could just be calling her back while she's driving away on her wee bike. That too.]

[Creation At It's Finest]

[In a place where things are most vibrant, the best thing to do is Practice. With Reira now only having Animal Care to worry over, she has a fair amount of spare time once her own duties have been handled...which is why, in the place where magic flows with more ease, she practices.

The most important spell to practice is Shield, as Taako has been trying to instruct. Mostly she's trying to work on that one when he's around, but failing that she can be found in a fairly remote area of one of the city's parks, breathing deep, and slow-focusing on a faltering 'shield', a silvery and shining thing that occasionally glistens under the light before vanishing quickly. Whatever it is that makes her frustrated about this, is unknown...but she does seem frustrated.

The rest of the time? She has books-kid's books, or maybe kid's magic, hard to tell from just glancing-but she looks through something near the back in particular before closing it, and pulling out some feathers from her pocket.

And then closing her eyes....and focusing...Focusing...

Do try not to just interrupt unannounced, in either case, please-!]

[Performance Boredom (Wild Card)]

[With so little to do while everyone is distracted by the performances, but the added likely caveat that she NOT wander out into Wismuth entirely alone, Reira can be seen doing a few things around the Carnival grounds. Naturally, her job is one of them-animals still need to be fed, groomed, cleaned up after... ...but beyond that it's a lot of free time both In Person and...well. 'Online'.

Having been given a 'party console', and all, not to mention plenty of books and even a movie, sometimes the most anyone will see of her during performance time is a tiny rock-patched girl sitting outside her trailer on what's practically a cloud, trying to read while an eagle and sparrow both fuss for attention. She could also be inside-the sound of the video games echoing through the window of the trailer, barely audible beyond a certain point in the employee's only grounds.

And then of course, there's the lake and hot-spring. Someone convinced her to wind up getting a kid's swimsuit (They were at a BEACH after all), and that means either seeing what the fuss about the spring is, or just dipping toes into a lake. No one wants to let her go to the beach alone either. Can't imagine why that is.

But really, she could be doing...'Anything' at this point.]

Creation

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's more than a little worried to see Reira sitting all alone in the park, but the occasional shimmer of light makes him stop for a moment while he approaches, waiting. But it's never there for long, so he comes up beside her and stuffs his hands in his pockets as he peers down.]

Reira. [He says it softly so as not to startle here.] What's up?

Yugo | OTA

[bananaspeedrider]

A - Passing Rider

[With the ever important performance week not too far ahead of them, Yugo doesn’t waste time in hopping onto his D-Wheel and taking to the streets. Time to have a different kind of fun!

On this occasion he’s letting Clear Wing accompany him in a more tangible fashion, so if you squint then one might see that the fae glamor disguises the tiny dragon as a white-scaled iguana. With his own allowance from the Ringmaster on hand, one might run into him munching at the local cuisine or looking through the auto shops for anything interesting that might catch his eye.

It’s not every day that the local populace gets to see a biker tourist with a "giant" pet lizard riding on their shoulder.]

---
B - Peeking Goblin [CW: Someone being a naughty boy]

[Alternatively, it seems even Yugo can’t resist the lure of the beach. Clear Wing is sunning themselves in true reptile fashion on the sand. Meanwhile Yugo was able to get his hands on a beach chair and a pair of low-rise swim trunks that accommodate for his changes beneath the glamor. Though instead of taking a dip into the shallow parts of the water like one might’ve expected Yugo to be doing here, he’s just lounging on his seat… leaning back awfully far just to watch girls pass b-

Oh.

... It wouldn’t take much more than a nudge to tip him and his chair over entirely, if you wanted to.]

---
C - Speed Drift [Open/Free-for-All]

[And so begins performance week! Despite all the relaxation from the vacation days, Yugo made sure to keep his stunt biking skills in tip top shape for his turn in the spotlight. He revels in the crowd’s awe at the his physics-breaking and seemingly death-defying tricks, fist pumping along the way. But hey, if there's no work for you to get done at this time and you’re part of the crowd because you wanted to see what one the carnival’s rare few daredevils can do-]

Yeahhh!! Still want more? What do you wanna see next!?

[Then you have the chance to make your voice ring louder than the cheering.

...

Once his routine is over, Yugo’s more than easy to find if you’re looking to talk or just congratulate him on a show well done.]

---
D - Wildcard

[Got something else in mind? Come at me!]

B - go go anime tropes

[anti_nonsense]

[Also at the beach is Rita, accompanied by her Litten, Francis, who's been glamoured to look like a slightly more ordinary cat. She wears a fairly simple two piece swimsuit that accentuates all zero of her curves, along with a pair of sunglasses in place of her usual goggles.]

[She sees the way Yugo's ogling various girls, and it immediately gets her temper to a boil. Without delay, she stomps right over and gives his chair a sharp kick to knock it all the way over, hopefully landing hard.]

Frisk | OTA

[nevergained]

A - Attractions

[So what's a small child to do in a huge city like this? Party like it's 1999.

But really they're just checking out all of the stores. On the Surface Frisk didn't go to big malls like this often. Mostly just a bakery where they got muffins. That aside, this is new, shiny and really, really big. Evidently life was determined to remind Frisk they were going to be short forever. Sigh.

The places Frisk goes to are unsurprising for a kid: a toy store, a candy store and a dollar store. Don't judge, you can find some really nice stuff in dollar stores and Frisk has a mighty need when it comes to sweets. That being said, they're just looking at the moment.

...they miss the garbage dump in the Underground, oddly enough.]


B - SAVE

[This takes place late at night, on the beach. Frisk is wandering along the shoreline, completely alone, with a stick in hand.

...well, not alone. Ever since they fell into the Underground, Frisk has never been alone. But they don't exactly know what's standing beside them and in their mind.

Still, that's not the point or reason why they're here. Stopping at a random spot away from the water, Frisk draws a number of random designs in the sand. They take a deep breath and ---

* The sound of the waves on the shore and the soft sand between your toes...
* You are filled with Determination.

Something happens. Hard to say what. For those who are sensitive to time shenanigans it may feel like time stopped for a brief second. Meanwhile Frisk very deliberately draws three straight lines beside their designs and closes their eyes. And --

There's that jump again, although it may come with an odd feeling of deja vu this time around. The three lines drawn by Frisk are gone but they look pretty happy with the results.]

C - Performance

[Well here we are, Frisk's first performance. They're actually supposed to be on break right now - the main act was on and they weren't needed yet - but that hasn't stopped a small crowd of younger children chatting up the new clown.

And it hasn't stopped them from dolling out horrible, horrible jokes.]

Okay then, what do you call a belt made out of watches?

[A few kids giggle and Frisk's sure they might have heard this one. But hey, why not? It's not nice to abandon a punchline halfway through. So they deadpan answer.]

A waist of time.

[Giggles and good-nature boos always make them smile. Frisk scans the crowd and if they see someone, they're going to wave them over if they don't look too busy.]

Hi! Want to give me a hand?

[They've got kids to make laugh.]

c!

[hurtcomfort]

[ A few of the milk bottles in Cole's game booth broke so he's out and about as well, trying to find some replacement ones so he can actually do his job. He's on his way to prowl around backstage when Frisk spots him. Cole pauses for a second, a little panicked (he's still not used to people seeing him so much) before he walks over to Frisk, frowning slightly.

Though he has absolutely no idea what the heck their question means. Give them a hand? What? How could he do that in the first place! ]

I can't, [ Cole responds, a bit confused. ] They're attached to my wrist.

[ clearly the best person to team up with Frisk is the spirit who barely knows how jokes work to begin with. ]

( ooc: Cole's an infomodding creep so check out his permissions post, please! )

Tyki Mikk | OTA

[prazerbutterfly]

[A - How to Introduce your Victorian Noble to A Modern World: The Complete Series]

There were not many awake before the sun as most, including Tyki on a normal basis, enjoyed sleeping in until at least the sun rose high into the sky in the late morning. When it came to new explorations and preparations for performance week, Tyki was always up with a cup of coffee and an egg sandwich with the intent of heading into the new area before the sun even hit the horizon. It was always hard to contain his excitement and he generally looked awake and ready to go.

Stunned is the appropriate word for how he was feeling the minute he steps through the portal. The buildings were towering unlike the two story houses and grand mansions he was use to. His steps are slow with his eyes upward and he's taking in everything. Usually he can spot somewhere to start but he was stalled in the spot with a back pedal in opposite directions every time he turned around. Everything felt so vibrant and new. Even the energy in the air fueled his excitement and his usual calm poker face or cheerful disposition was bursting with wonder.

He's even stepping into the road as cars scream by with loud blaring honks and he'll side step to the other side when he's become too distracted with a look in their direction. With so many sounds, sights, and smells Tyki's expression doesn't fade as he just picks a direction and goes with the flow. He's peeking in shops, browsing inside food stores and restaurants, picking things off the shelves when he sees something new and bending over food carts when junk food, street food, and new items tempt his sight and smell.

[B - These Dice are Loaded (D6 Only)]

Tyki's initial exploration eventually wears down when he finds there is too much to look at in one day. Doubling if not tripling his allowance is necessary to do what he needs to in order to flourish successfully and con his way through a few tasks on his list. It's why around the late afternoon he'll contact a couple of people and make his way to the casino he managed to scout out earlier that morning. Anyone nearby may notice Zangetsu in the background but still closeby acting as his personal bodyguard and keeping people a good distance away from him. It establishes that he may be someone important with a lot of money to spend.

For the first few dozen hands of poker or so he spends a lot of time at a particular table losing on purpose with a minor regain at the end once the cards are in his favor. Rising from his seat he heads to the craps table. It's small amounts he's wagering as the dice is handed to him over and over. With every chip slipping from his fingers he watches the exchange of chips from other people around the table, the way the stationed men around him move with the crowd, and how the actual dealer handles the slide of chips and flow. It's all timing and when he has a good chunk left but enough to make a decent profit he'll run his hand through his hair to signal his false unease. Chips are placed on a particular bet and with the dice now in his hands his fingers touch the bottoms of those dice, gently displacing the weight in the right direction. He'll even raise them toward the nearest woman with a soft plead for a little luck. It's then he simply tosses them out along the table until they bounce in his favor.

Minutes pass by as a crowd starts to form around him now that he's starting to win and with a lucky streak in his favor his fingertips continue to misplace weight and switch the numbers around when betting on chips. He's full of charm now as he throws the dice once more and the resounding cheer rises from the crowd at the large win.

Come bet with him or even play against him. He's cheating now and he'll win every time.

[C - Performances]

His show starts off with an empty stage as usual and the spot light hits the sky where he's 'floating' in mid air and walking down towards it as if ascending invisible stairs. With all eyes on him it's then that he takes his time peeling off his socks, shoes, vest and hat and he'll allow himself to be bound for his usual water tank escape trick. His charming grin resounds across his face as the last bit of binds are put into place.

"Now remember, ladies and gentleman, I can only hold my breath so long but I reassure you that by the time the timer above runs out I shall be safe and free~"

Yet the timer is there for a reason as he's lowered upside down into the tank and the heavy top is set into place. He breathes softly with practiced gestures and picks of the lock. The crowd can watch as lock after bind is dropped to the floor of the tank yet the tension rises within the audience as the timer ticks down closer towards zero. One can hear the scrape of a seat as someone leans forward, the gasp and panic of voices the longer it takes and at the last possible minute that he frees himself from the last bind he'll push up to work on the hinges of the water tank and allow the water to touch him for that natural effect. The timer is at zero and he's out of time but he's played right into their fear and panic as he strains against that last lock.

It's only at the roar of the crowd as the heavy lid is lifted and he emerges with his arms out wide that the astounding cheer allows him to feel their utter satisfaction. He climbs down and bows gently with towel in hand and a wide grin.

[Wildcard]

Tyki will be wandering just about everywhere. It's a new experience for him and one can find him browsing shops, examining food carts, poking at someone's parked car, wandering through parks, lounging at the beach, renting a pole for fishing and more! Hit me up with prompts and plot with me. This is his first city experience! Go wild.

what are cars we just don't know

[hurtcomfort]

Cole is watching as Tyki looks over that parked car because he's a bit of a nosy spirit and he honestly has no idea just what that car is and can do. And, he's also partly watching because of Tyki. The man is...odd. Pages torn out of a book, the whole story is there but parts are missing. The story is known but details aren't. How odd.

As such, Cole splits his attention between Tyki and the car, eyes darting between both. There's a moment before he decides well, he might as well offer his information about the weird mechanical thing.

"People can go inside of it," Cole pipes up from behind Tyki. He was making himself seen, making himself visible instead of trying to hide but that doesn't change the fact that Cole is very quiet person who's easy to overlook to begin with. "It also moves."

Ginko | OTA

[dontpokethat]

A - Walkies - Wismuth Beaches

Cities are far from Ginko’s favorite place to be, as anyone who knows him well probably already knows. But the beaches are another story - and a great place to get his animal companions some exercise and entertainment.

Under the glamour, they just appear to onlookers as a somewhat scruffy man (his hair and eye even turned to a more common dark brown) walking a pair of dogs, one hand holding both leashes while the other carries his shoes. With Antlers being as big as he is, Ginko finds himself glad that he’s so calm - but Miu, as usual, is another story, bouncing and scurrying around his legs and as far ahead as she can get on her leash.

“Hey-- Miu, come back! Mi-- ah, crap, you’re not listening at all, are you. Don’t make me carry you the rest of the way.”

He realizes, of course, that she can’t understand him in that much detail - though he’s fairly confident that she knows exactly what he’s trying to tell her to do. But knowing she’s not listening won’t stop him from talking to her as if she is.

It also won’t stop him that he’s drawing some attention from bystanders - though they mostly seem amused by the tall man getting dragged down the beach by his tiny, bouncing dog, while a much bigger mutt walks calmly by his side.

B - The Work Prompt - Menagerie (cw: mild shitty-animal-based violence against innocent animal keepers)

For the most part, Ginko likes the animals in the menagerie - and he likes to think he’s pretty good at handling them.

Except for Barfy.

He’s not totally sure when or how he picked up that name, but he sure has it now, and it seems pretty fitting… regardless of the quantity of vomit the animal in question may or may not produce. It’s really more a matter of fitting his essence, the general spirit of the dog-sized, possum-like creature, with his horrible screeching noises and constant biting and permanent Bad Smell.

Barfy is, unfortunately, also one of the most adept animals at escaping - which is why Ginko is now finding himself desperately trying to drag it out from under a stall, his arms wrapped around its middle. His hands are protected by thick gloves, but Barfy’s flailing back legs are still managing to leave an array of shallow scratches in his arms, letting translucent, shining gold blood well up from the worst of them.

“Would you just get out-- dammit, there’s not even anything for you down there? What, are you going after chewed-up gum now? You have perfectly good food waiting for you if you’ll just let me take you home already--”

C - Wildcard

(( OOC: Want to hang out somewhere else in Wismuth? Want to meet a less shitty animal? Hit me up here or at omixgirl10! ))

B

[stompadour]

Working as an animal keeper at the Carnival strikes Jasper as immensely undignified, for all that she's not about to refuse to do her job here -- but it makes her feel a little better about it when she gets to see other people assigned the same job struggling at it. Especially when the solution to the problem is, as far as she's concerned, obvious.

With his attention directed under the stall, the first Ginko will get to know about Jasper's decision to intervene will be when the stall itself is lifted several feet directly into the air, exposing the flailing Barfy to the unforgiving light of day.

Her eyes narrow. She is not a fan of Barfy.

"What exactly," she rumbles, still holding the stall aloft in one hand, "is the point of keeping this animal here?"

9S | OTA

[dressedtothe]

[Wismuth]
Gather 'round, gather 'round! With just a touch of a button, the Roomba can be your new robotic vaccuum cleaner! With easy automation and multi-room navigation, it's the best vaccuum for your floors!

There's quite a crowd around a demonstration of the latest in home cleaning in one of Wismuth's malls. 9S, attracted by the crowd, is there, too. He doesn't have his robot secretary with him -- yet again, Pod 153 would stand out too much -- and his eyes are uncovered for once, revealing cat eyes beneath the usual glamour. He's also changed clothes for this outing, wearing his usual shorts and boots, but opting for a questionable shirt and no gloves this time around.

But when the demo is over and the crowd is paying more attention to the salesperson, a ring of light appears around 9S' wrist as he shoots what appears to be a small ball of energy -- fast enough it almost looks like a beam -- from his hand into the roomba. No one's looking, right?

At first, nothing seems to happen; it doesn't appear to be damaged by the 'attack' at all. But the small machine soon turns itself on and starts cleaning again, haphazard at first, before it resumes its normal patterns.

9S folds his arms and sighs. "The technology here is still pretty simple, huh?"

[9cluckS - Carnival]
Thanks to a certain magician with tendencies towards terrible ideas such as smoking faerie weed in a city like Wismuth, there is now a chicken with his butt parked firmly on the ground outside the cook house. Folded next to it is a pair of black shorts and a questionable shirt. 9S' usual boots and bag are next to the clothes and Pod 153 hovers next to the chicken. A walkie talkie is placed on top of the clothes.

Somehow, the chicken looks really grumpy, but he does brighten when someone he recognises passes by, waving a wing at them.

[Wildcard]
[ooc: Have any other ideas? Hit me up on jesii or on Discord!]

wildcard! highlander 2, the chickening, just cw casual drug use all over the place

[kingsroads]

9S wanted to learn more about human experiences, right? Well boy howdy did Strange have a human experience for him. His radio call to 9S was a bit evasive, just promising a really interesting thing that humans do, don't you want this for your notes, and so on and so forth. They were to meet just outside the carnival's entrance to Wismuth, mostly because that's an easy place to meet up. The problem is, Strange has already discovered that Wismuth just feels so much more real than other places did and he's straight up started to smoke that faerie weed in Wismuth while waiting for 9S because hey, why not, he's going to try and push some off on 9S anyway.

Can androids even get high to begin with? Strange has no idea. Let's find out!

As 9S approaches, Strange gives him a little wave. He's also changed clothes for the outing, wearing jeans and a plain long-sleeved black t-shirt. He's also high as hell and just kind of grinning like an idiot at 9S. "I've got the best human experience for you," Strange remarks, before he takes another drag from his blunt. "How much have you recorded about cannabis?"

Cole | ota!

[hurtcomfort]

a: rats with wings
Cole feels amazing. This place feels right. It's easier to express himself, to help, to be. Throughout these first few days at Wismuth, he seems brighter and happier than he did for those who knew him before. The spirit is just feeding off of this intensity in a way that makes him feel more powerful and real.

So, he's going to spend some of that time at the beach. It's got sand, water, and plenty of seagulls. And not even seagulls are exempt from the spirit of compassion's...well, compassion. Cole's amassed himself a tiny little gathering of seagulls that are hanging around his feet as he tosses them bits of bread and then later, bits of popcorn bought from a beach boardwalk. As he feeds his seagull army, Cole's just straight up talking to them as if the birds can somehow understand what he's saying.

Of course, seagulls are terrifying and awful birds. If anyone approaches Cole, one of the seagulls might squawk loudly at them before Cole chimes in with a, "No, don't do that!"

b: spirit vs. cars
The beach is nice. The city itself is amazingly confusing. Cole has no idea what's going on in Wismuth proper and can be found looking worryingly at a car, looking worryingly at a stop light, looking worryingly at a fire hydrant, looking worryingly at a billboard, or looking worryingly in the windows of various electronics, home goods, or technology stores.

You don't know these things when you're from a fantasy canon. He would be getting in people's way...except that most people seem to outright ignore Cole entirely, instinctively walking around the spirit if he wasn't there. He can make it so the carnival staff can see him. But everybody else? It's better if he remains unseen.

c: performance week
Feeling amazing doesn't change the fact that Cole's got a game booth to run and that he's doing it terribly. It's a simple carnival game, toss a ball at a stack of milk bottles, knock em all down, you win a prize. It's just that Cole is an absolutely terrible barker. Sometimes he doesn't really say anything, just watching people as they pass by. Other times when people approach him, he gives a stumbling awkward answer that hopefully manages to help. But there are some times when the hurt is so strong, shining brightly, that he has to comment on it and has to try and help before he can actually get to his game.

"Soft hands, soft smile. She said it wasn't your fault and it isn't. Hurts happen, accidents exist, hearts break. None of you could have done anything." An awkward pause. "Would you like to throw the ball at the bottles?"

Someone please stop him from scaring away all the customers.

wildcard
hit me up for anything! please check out Cole's permissions post if you haven't already b/c he's infomoddy as hell

c

[genice]

Feeling everything intensely isn't helping Victor, outside of allowing him to cling to a sense of suspended disbelief and tamp down tight on the distress he hasn't allowed himself to process. He's set himself to a mission that extends from his hiring: a showman trying to gain an understanding of how the whole of the show runs through the carnival, inside and outside the big top.

When that leads him through the game booths it's with a hint of a frown, staying pointedly away from the bag-toss games. It's the rambling, seemingly disjointed nature of Cole's sell that catches Victor's attention through the other calls and wheedling. He can see the person standing close to the booth giving Cole a strange look, shaking their head and frowning. "No, I don't want to throw the ball at the bottles. I have no idea what you're going on about, but it isn't funny!"

They spin around and stomp off, shoulders hunched, hands shoved in their pockets. Victor watches them leave with his eyebrows hiking up, quietly observing them disappear into the milling crowd. He moves over toward Cole, still looking in the direction the other person had gone. "So is that how you usually get people to play, or...?"

Or is Cole trying to ensure he doesn't have to deal with customers? Victor looks his way, more openly curious than anything else. Hurts happen, accidents exist, hearts break. Glass hearts shatter, melt, and cool, different but whole all over again. He shakes his head, dismissing the thought, and offers Cole a small, close lipped smile. "The carnival doesn't operate on commission, does it?"

[periphrasing]

[CLOSED TO AMETHYST]

It's pretty much a given that whenever the carnival stops at a new world, Peridot and Amethyst are going to go dumpster diving. Whether that means literally jumping into a bin behind a local business or it means sneaking into the local dump and perusing mountains and mountains of discarded junk, scavenging is one of their mutual favorite activities. Peridot is always on the lookout for new materials to make morps out of, or for parts to scavenge for engineering purposes, and Amethyst... Uh. Well. Amethyst just loves garbage.

The point is, it works out.

Wismuth is a particularly exciting opportunity because it's the first modern setting that they've been to in a while. That means a higher grade of discarded technology and more pre-manufactured parts for Peridot to pick through. Acquisitions keeps her department steadily supplied, but sometimes it's nice to get out and pick out your own supplies. Plus, the bonding time with Amethyst gives her an opportunity to fill the other gem in on the events of the mini-vacation back to their own world that Peridot and Lapis just recently returned from. Right now, she's elaborating on the ill-fated attempt that she, Lapis and Steven made to help one of the wayward rubies adjust to life on Earth.

"...So then we fell in the ocean, which kind of sucked. But then the weirdest thing was that when we all surfaced and regrouped, Lapis started laughing. Like, REALLY laughing, laughing REALLY HARD at a situation that was distinctly un-funny. I was starting to get worried about her, but then she suddenly shouted 'I KNEW IT! NO ONE IS THAT WELL ADJUSTED!' So, I think she was just really excited to have her suspicions vindicated."

It's the middle of the night in a big blocked off dump, and she's telling this whole story (complete with an absolutely TERRIBLE impression of Lapis) whilst jubilantly ripping apart what appears to be an otherwise perfectly good vacuum cleaner in order to get at the busted motor inside. Why anyone would ever throw this out, Peridot has no idea, but hey... One human's trash is another gem's treasure.

"So yeah. The Roaming Eye is gone, I guess. So hopefully we don't need to get into space again any time soon. Garnet seemed okay with it, at any rate..."

[WILDCARD]

Dumpster diving and shopping is about the most exciting thing that Peridot's going to get up to before shit starts happening here, but if you want to wild card an encounter with her digging through the trash like a horrible green raccoon or... I dunno, spending ill-advised amounts of money on those sticky hands that you can fling at people, or something else, hit me up.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst snorts. "Uh, yeah, I'm okay not going into space for a little while," she says as she squints into a discarded Pringles tube. "I mean, getting to meet all the other Amethysts and everyone else was awesome, but... I kinda wish we could just bring 'em all back to Earth, y'know?"

Yuya | OTA

[hippocarnival]

[Feel the Beat]

[The posters inspired Yuya to give this CY-Ren a look or two, mostly out of curiosity and the expectation he probably won't be able to see the show since he'll be performing himself. And it's pretty good music--catchy pop is right up his alley.

Of course, being in a music store full of stuff he's never heard is easy to get lost in, and he ends up drifting between demo songs (and demo speakers) of all sorts of genres, tapping his feet at the good ones. He's not so distracted he doesn't notice being approached, however, and he turns around with a grin as he pulls the headphones off and offers them.] Hey--what do you think of this?

[Distracted Driving]

[Of course, what Yuya's really interested in spending most of his time doing is looking at all the fun, unique things that makes Wismuth, well, Wismuth. Besides the vibrancy of it, although that does continue to catch Yuya's attention.

Which means crossing as much territory as he can to find out where everything is. Sure, he could buy some sort of tourist map, but what's the fun in that? The excitement is the surprise. And the easiest way to get around is on his skates--they haven't gotten a lot of (any, really...) use since he arrived in the carnival, but a modern city with wide streets and wide boardwalks is the perfect place to be rolling around.

That means thoughtlessly rolling straight down a steep ramp, to finish crossing a bridge, faster than he can hope to stop before he loses momentum at the bottom. So, uh, look out, or get ready to collide with a teenager.]

[Performance Week.]

[After the realization he's had relatively little performing since joining, Yuya's determined to go all out in Wismuth. He spends most of performing week practicing, if not on stage, or assisting the other acts in getting ready with props or last-minute suggestions.

And before and after his shows he's backstage, peeking through the curtains to enjoy the back seat of everyone else's performances. Anyone coming in and out the stage gets a grin, a thumbs up, and encouragement.]

[Wildcard]

[HIT ME]

Feel the Beat

[sworntothesword]

[ The Big City is a little overwhelming for Connie, and she ducks into the music store when she spies him from the large plate glass windows. ]

Oh, uh, thanks!

[ She puts the headphones on tentatively. The music is a little different from what she's used to but its really cool! ]

It's great!

[ She shouts it at him, since she doesn't understand how to modulate her volume with large headphones shooting music into her ears ]

lavellan | ota

[dirthena]

a. what the hell is fast food

Things that Thedas has: demons, a regular occurring zombie plague, ungrateful shemlen. Things Thedas does not have: processed food. And certainly no fast food. Which is why Lavellan is waffling outside the doors to a local venue, as if she's not certain whether she wants to go in or not. It's bright, it's well lit, and someone directed her there when she asked them for the nearest place to get something to eat.

She frowns -- she's going that a lot lately, it would seem -- and mutters, mostly to herself: "I don't even know what a burger is, or how someone could rule over them." Lavellan hates seeming ignorant, as much as she's lost in this world, and crosses her arm further over her chest. Although it loses some of the effect as it's only one arm.

b. no shirts, no shoes, no service

Dalish don't wear shoes. And regardless of Lavellan's awkward stepping around that particular word when using it to describe herself, the Ringmaster had generously given her seven outfits that are unmistakably Dalish in origin. And she's not just about to wear shoes because everything she thought she knew about her culture and her history was a lie; no, Lavellan is going to proudly wander around barefoot even in this strange new world.

Habits and all.

Which makes it a rather noticable problem when she tries to enter a store. Any store, really, for as soon as she walks in there’s someone gently escorting her out, pointing to the sign next to the door that simply reads No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service. Lavellan blinks at it, and then back up at the harried, probably underpaid individual who's already exasperated by the fact she didn't know how the electronic sliding doors worked.

"What do you mean I can't go in? It's not as if I'm not wearing nothing at all--"

c. [for solas, continuation of above]

Lavellan peers further into the store -- bright and shiny and filled with electronics she doesn't understand. But there's a familiar figure in there, one she knows. And so she gestures and frowns. "He's not wearing any shoes," which apparently was the wrong thing to say, as a kerfuffle follows shortly. Ending in Solas being helpfully escorted out of the store with a 'did you bother to even read the sign, sir'.

Which means she's face to face again with him, awkwardly.

d. doing her job

Despite being qualified to be a scout, Lavellan feels far more at home being a Patch than she thought she would have been. Petty disputes over who owed who what or who was cheating were easy compared to everyone yelling at each other over who's fault the world's near-end was. It was easy to pacify customers with promises of another ground of games to make up for the thing they felt they'd been cheated out of, or assurances that yes, the Ringmaster would look into it.
Later, of course.

Lavellan has no real skill at lying, and she doesn't wish to cheat these people out of anything that they deserve, so her assurances are at least genuine, and the offers for them to go a few more rounds exactly that. Even though she knows the goal is to, well. Take them for all that they're worth. It wears at her a little, however, and when someone begins to pick a fight with a carnival worker, she's quick to react -- throwing out her hand to keep the guest away from the stall or individual. "What," she says, picking her words carefully, "seems to be the problem here?"

wildcard
i am down for anything! feel free to hit me up to talk about something or just hit me with a starter, it's all good.

a: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pgPq4FGWfk

[hurtcomfort]

"It makes people happy," Cole murmurs, looking over at the Burger King, as if he can stare straight through the walls at whoever's inside. Granted, the people it makes happy are usually under the age of 10 but kids being happy still counts as people being happy.

Also, surprise, Cole's there, don't mind him just appearing out of nowhere like he does occasionally.

"I don't know what a burger is either," he admits, with a bit of a frown. Still, he could at least see what a burger was once they entered the restaurant. And maybe they'd find the king as well! The king would certainly know what burgers are, and probably wouldn't mind talking to this fantasy canon group about them, right?

Alphys | OTA

[textsfromhotland]

A: Glamour-ous

Honestly, Alphys is just glad to finally be free of the icy wasteland of the moon. It's so WARM here, she loves it! She has time and money to go shopping, and this time she's not too frozen to venture outside. She wanders around one of the malls, mostly in awe of how colorful everything seems. Then, a random vendor in a stall selling cute hair decs stops her.

"Hello there, little lady! How about a nice bow for your lovely hair?"

"My... what?" Alphys stammers. "But I don't have hai-"

Before she can finish that sentence, she catches her reflection in the vendor's hand mirror, and it's definitely not a lizard monster looking back at her.

"WAAAAUGH!" She yelps and stumbles backwards. Apparently, nobody's told Alphys about glamour...

B: I'll be your beach

Now sporting the cutest hairband ever, Alphys wanders outside and finds herself staring at the ocean.

Beaches and oceans are not something they had in the Underground. It's a sight to behold: water that stretches further than her eyes can see. She stops. And watches. And finally just plops down in the sand without a word.

B - it occurred to me this is a point she can empathize on ahhhh

[soft_focus]

Ah, the Beach. Aside from the one at Greysol-which really wasn't much to look at, honestly-Reira's never really seen a proper beach. Sure there was the Fusion Dimension, but that was kind of a massive 'raid the castle' chase and there wasn't any time to observe.

Not that THAT was a nice beach anyway, so...that didn't really matter. What mattered was that this one was better, the Absolute Best Beach, in fact, with water of sheer blue, a sun shining brightly down, sand warm beneath the feet...

Reira is, well. Doing about the same thing Alphys is, and even without empathy she'd have hazarded a guess that they're feeling about the same too. It's...

"...'ve never seen it go so far," she finally says, referring to the water. "...'s prettier than even the movie was..."

Ah yeah there was an...ocean of sorts in that (Fortunately Good Anime) movie they watched huh....

Hinawa | OTA

[sunflowerfields]

A: Make like a tree and...

Hinawa is certain that she'll never understand money. Trading slips of paper in return for actual, tangible goods? It just doesn't seem very fair to her. But in the months she's spent at the carnival she's at least figured out that she had to try to use it where other people expect it. So here, in Wismuth, she's scouting out food places for new ideas. Sunny the Phantump is curled up in one arm, as he wanted to come, but got nervous around all the strange people everywhere.

That garnered a few odd looks, since the grass-type pokemon looked a little, uh, different when not at the carnival grounds. Still, that didn't deter Hinawa even when the owners of the eateries she visited gave her a strange look when she put her houseplant in the seat next to her.

When she's not sampling the local cuisine, Hinawa has her polaroid camera out, snapping pictures of anything or anyone that catches her attention, especially if she spots someone from the carnival. "Smile!"

B: Taste-testing

In between the hustle and bustle of performances and crowds, Hinawa is experimenting. And luckily for the other workers, they get to try whatever she cooks up! Fortunately, her experiments turn out good more often than not. Today is her first attempt at handmade ramen noodles, and you barely get a chance to sit down before a large bowl is placed in front of you, full to the brim with fresh noodles, greens, and a whole boiled egg.

She smiles at you expectantly. "Tell me what you think!"

B

[genice]

He'd sat down less because he'd wanted to eat and more because of all places to sit and try to catch up with the thoughts whirling through his spinning head, the cookhouse had seemed one of the better options. Close to center stage, and really central to the whole of the carnival, so when he'd inevitably head back out he could pick a direction and get back on track with observing acts and figuring out what in the world he was going to do.

So he's surprised by the bowl placed in front of him, as much as by the smiling woman who put it there. There's a pang of familiarity from his time in Japan, so recently exchanged in favour of training in St. Petersburg again. "Ramen?" He looks up from the bowl, flashing Hinawa a genuine, unprompted smile. "Okay!"

He presumes he'll find chopsticks on hand, but having been asked for feedback, he shifts the weight of other thoughts to the side to play a favourite role: taste tester. With a slurp of noodles and greens deposited happily in his mouth, Victor chews and swallows with a humming sort of delight. No sooner has he swallowed than he's calling out, "Delicious!" The word he would use translating as the rest since he's not focusing on speaking in Russian. Something about it strikes his ears as odd, but he shifts his attention to Hinawa instead. "These noodles are wonderful! The broth, the greens... amazing!"

The part of him that appreciated good food can be appeased even if everything else is cracking through his reserves of keep my act together.

for lambert

[anti_nonsense]

Rita, for once, is actually quite pleased with their destination. The way magic and other energies flow easily in the air, the technology, the food, the variety of goods for sale... The only difficult part is actually navigating this massive city and trying to find the things she's interested in.

Fortunately, she's managed to find her way to an area inside a large mall with a wall covered in posters and fliers advertising local events and attractions. Posters for CY-Ren's concert feature prominently among them, but as she looks over the rest, Rita can also see advertisements for smaller performances, movies, food festivals, a waterpark, and even a science museum.

She wears her Alolan tank top and shorts with a hoodie over top. In truth, the hoodie had to be heavily altered to fit around her wings, but with the glamour, it looks as simple and effortless as it ought to be. Francis, glamoured to appear as an ordinary cat, sits on her shoulder and seems to be looking over the posters with her.

That is, until he seems to notice someone else nearby. He turns to glare at the offending presence, his fur puffing out as he lets out a low growl in warning.

for the sake of simplicity, assume this one's before blue rose stuff? :|a

[whattaprick]

Wismuth isn't much like Portland, for all that they have roughly the same level of technology (at least, as far as Lambert can tell -- he's no expert, and even Portland's Lambert had a rather different area of expertise). Still, it's all familiar enough that he doesn't feel as lost as he otherwise might. It's a touch annoying having to get everywhere on foot, but there's not much he can do about that either, even if he's briefly entertained the idea of just shoving someone off their bike and seeing if his vague memories of riding one actually hold up to use or not.

He's distracted from thoughts of criminal activity when he spots a familiar figure perusing a wall of posters. Lambert grins, jogging up beside her and opening his mouth to call out, only to be confronted with the sight of an irate cat glaring at him. His ears switch back and his nose wrinkles, but he doesn't let it dissuade him from coming up beside Rita. He is her boss now, after all. It's worth checking in on how she's doing.

"Seeing anything interesting there?"

Rip Van Winkle | Newbie OTA!

[singinghuntress]

[A: Exploration !]

Rip still wasn't too thrilled to be a new member of the carnival, but, the first place she was let loose on definitely held promise. There was just something about the atmosphere that made her feel alive..and eager to explore.

Beaches... dark alleys,everywhere she could go, she did go. Eventually,Rip settled into an outdoor table at a late night cafe to do a little people watching. Along with her was a little drink container that she just so happened to occasionally drink out of.

The raven haired woman never bought any food and was more than happy to just sit there and observe for now. Though the way she was watching some people might be a little unnerving to some. But, Rip was on her best behavior~.

For now.


[B. Moonlit walks on the beach any one?]

Late evening found Rip wandering the beach and enjoying the peace and quiet of the moonlit waters during her stroll. As she wanders the coast, she's humming a soft song and casually drinking from an ever present drink container.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all...


[C. Shopping anyone?]

Rip had to admit, this might be one of the few perks of her new situation. Late night found her visiting various shops that were still open and admittedly, marveling over some of the things within.

...Rip had been stuck in the jungle for over fifty years. It left the Huntress a little shocked and overwhelmed with some of the modern things she was seeing. And yet others were thrilling her.

Which, might be why she had a few clothing store bags on her wrist and a few other small bags with tiny trinkets that amused her. It wasn't hard to see that Rip was actually a little giddy over her various discoveries and not really paying attention to her surroundings for once.

[D. Performance...? Observations!]

Being a new hire at the carnival meant Rip didn't quite have an act yet, so, she was going to spend time watching her fellow performers to get an idea of what the Carnival really had to offer and perhaps, figure out what she might end up doing....

HELLO NEW COWORKER (A-)

[betheman]

Something smells. Not. Bad obviously, that'd be a bit silly-not to mention insulting, among other things. It's just a scent that stands out a little when one wanders around a city such as this. Gongenzaka, looking at the teen up front, shouldn't seem entirely out of place. It's a good, solid glamor that the Carnival uses, which means he looks far more like his old self-5'8'', and ludicrously muscled considering he's 14.

Those Genes, Man.

But from the corner of one's eye, that gets replaced with something 9 foot, four legged and otherwise a mess of plants and fur. Which is probably at least enough to get a raised eyebrow if one catches it. Especially since the bear/horse/fox-taur seems to be sniffing the air occasionally. There's definitely...something not quite right in the air. Maybe an employee near? He's not entirely sure, honestly, and...

...And that's about when he himself realizes he may or may not be being watched. There is an awkward glance around himself-the sort one makes when they're not sure if they're the one that's been called over for something or not-before he blinks.

"Auh.... ...Is... ...Is there something on my face, perhaps..?" He doesn't even SOUND 14, goodness...

Renzou Shima | OTA | New arrival

[worldlyafflictions]

[Carnival Grounds]
[Although Shima had given himself a quick tour after settling his contract with the Ringmaster, there's still plenty of things to get more familiar with, as well as the sudden availability of a whole other world to explore, depending if he can get anyone who isn't busy with performances or other business to accompany him. He'll be more hesitant around people who are on the farther side of inhuman, or who aren't wearing their glamours, but if they seem friendly enough he'll eventually approach with:]

Hi--'scuse me! If you're going on break soon or ya aren't busy, ya happen ta be in the mood ta show a new guy around?

((Feel free to tag from my TDM prompt options as well.))

This tag in is brought to you by 'who approaches a 9 foot shisa beast'

[betheman]

[Whoever it was Shima approached................ .......Apparently they decided they were Quite Busy, that or they just didn't hear Shima at all. Not surprising-in an active carnival, it can be hard to hear someone until they're practically breathing in your ear.

That or just Loud and Gruff, like someone trotting up from behind. Gongenzaka's ears are more sensitive than some human's, after all-so he heard That.] Hmm? You are another new employee, then? [He asks, only to blink rapidly when he realizes who's speaking.] ...AUH!!

S-SHIMA!? [IT'S YOU!!! WHERE'S YOUR EYE]

Miko | OTA

[pullingamiko]

A - Beach

Oh hell yes. Going from a snowy resort-moon to a big city with a beach might be quite a jump, but it’s one Miko is absolutely prepared (and happy) to deal with.

In fact, she is embracing this situation to its fullest extent - which is to say, she wastes no time in using her allowance to obtain a swimsuit and get to the beach. And once she’s there, she wastes no time in sprinting directly into the ocean, shouting in delight, with her arms raised over her head.

The ocean wastes no time in slam-dunking her underwater with a wave taller than she is.

She’s probably fine.

B - Around The Carnival

After weeks of just hanging out in a snowy resort, Miko had almost forgotten how freakin’ gross her job can be, even when she’s not cleaning toilets. Why do people feel the need to throw up everywhere? How do they knock stuff over so much? Who keeps stuffing hot dogs into crevices of the game stands?

Of course, in between the gross stuff, ending up with nothing to do during her shift is just… boring. So she opts for running around the carnival grounds, calling out to whatever random coworkers she may come across.

“Hey! You need anything… I dunno, moved around? My break’s not for like an hour, and I’m dying of garbage over here.”

C - Wildcard

(( OOC: Want to do something elsewhere in Wismuth? Want to pester Miko when she’s busy getting junk food out of places it shouldn’t be?? Hit me up here or at omixgirl10! ))

A

[puddingemote]

Tamaki has also come to hang out at the beach, wearing swim trunks and some flip flops he got from a shop nearby. It's been awhile since he got to hang out at the ocean, so he's pretty hyped up for. The last time he really remembers was when he and the other members of IDOLiSH7 went to Okinawa, what feels like a lifetime ago...

He makes it to the edge of the water just in time to see Miko run in and wipe out almost instantly. It's pretty hilarious, and he can't help but laugh.

At least, at first, but he is watching the water. He hopes she's okay after that.

[motivenotfound]

A. Party with Peacat!

Mari is.... free.

It's been a lot of fun, working for the Carnival, having adventures and taking high-risk missions, betting her skills and knowledge against the entire multiverse--and sometimes even winning. Even the vampiric hell planet was an adventure of her own making, once she took it on; and reigning over her own former enemies as Vampire Queen Illustrious... was definitely an experience she's glad she got to have!

But...

With a fae glamour restoring her appearance to her old self, she's basically invisible. She can do whatever she wants--no one will recognise her as the former Nightrider, or a member of an interdimensional carnival, or anything else. She's just you average high school girl--or maybe college, if you're guessing higher, and she's out to have a good time! What's better than that?

And, honestly? She feels great here!

But first things first. Sans gave her the second best gift of the entire year, and that gift needs a cat bed. And cat toys. And a whole selection of adorable cat collars and little cat costumes, because this is going to be the most spoiled cat in the multidimensional multiverse.

And so, armed with a stunning black Turkish Angora cradled in one arm and a matching parasol in the other, Mari has already shopped her way to one full bag of goodies for her new sidekick. And she's only just started.

Now, she's heard there's a specialty pet boutique around here somewhere...

B. Snacking Solo!

With the best, most beautiful cat in the world at home getting some beauty sleep (in a brand new cat bed!), Mari's out on her own, this time waiting for the night life so she can party hard without toting around an entire umbrella.

She's hoping to find a good bar or three later, but right now she's... honestly, she wants a snack.

Normally she's not big on... like, food. It's not that she doesn't LIKE it, and she's definitely not watching her figure--the last person who asked her that got a nice black eye. It's just... well, now she's a vampire, LCL is its own excuse. But honestly, she just finds sitting down to eat sort of tedious? The food is good, but without company, it's like...

She could not be doing this, and be doing something else instead.

But she didn't bring a bottle of LCL with her, and she's hungry.

There are food trucks out, though... hot dog vendors... street food...

"Aaaah......!" She's complaining, out loud, because she's a girl and she can. "How am I supposed to choose!"

C. Crazy Card!

[WILD CARD. Mari won't be at the beach because she's still sort of weirded out by the ocean, thanks canon. But otherwise, surprise me!

The only place she wouldn't be taking Peacat is... anywhere she couldn't get away with it, so feel free to invite him along!]

B - Holy shit corrupt him please

[prazerbutterfly]

He hasn't seen Mari in a little while even if he had seen her in passing here and there. It doesn't stop him from walking right up to his favorite pink vampire and leaning over to see exactly what she's having trouble with. He's dressed in his casual best without standing out too much with that usual Victorian Dandy he usually has.

"I would help you out with that but I honestly don't know what half of this food is~ Miss Firecracker."

He did admire her passion for how much energy she always had and his hands settle there on the small of his back. "I do admit it certainly smells good."

joker - ota

[pipers_son]

A - Charmer

If there's one thing Joker loves about new stops, it's... a lot of things, actually. It's very much the same reason why he had loved traveling on the road back in England, only taken to fantastical extremes where money is never a concern. The sights, the people, the act of learning all about an entirely new places...

And charming people to visit the carnival, of course.

He's glad that this place seems pretty similar to a couple of other stops that they've gone to in the past. This means Joker doesn't have to spend much time gaping over anything, or figuring out how everything works. (Too much, at least.) The second he's confirmed that he has a relatively firm grasp on this stop, Joker immediately gets to work.

That's how he can be found all over Wismuth, happily at work talking with all sorts. Literally. There's him at the park, playfully chatting with an old lady who seems charmed by his teasing flirting. At another time, he can be found at an outdoor cafe, causing a pair of friends to smile and blush in equal measure. Maybe he's at a bar, laughing loudly with some guys? And, of course, he always spares a little time for kids with their parents, playing casual "sleight of hand" as magic tricks to make them gasp and clap.

Either way, if he spots someone from the carnival nearby, he'll abruptly pause, grin in their direction, and gesture them over. "Hey, c'mon~." To whoever he's talking to, he winks. "It's a coworker of mine!"

B - Birds the Word

Still, Joker can't talk to everyone in the city.... and it's much easier to get them to come to him anyway.

So anywhere that there's enough room- a park, a small plaza- clapping and cheers can be heard. There's Joker right in the throng of it, whistling up to the large "owl" which is soaring overhead. Feathers is more than happy to put on a show, much like his trainer, and responds quite well to every bit of applause. Sometimes he does dips, or spins, or just lands back onto Joker's outstretched arm.

(Which takes some bracing, let him tell you. More than once does Joker have to subtly nudge him up to his shoulder, which deals with the weight better. Dartrixes are heavy and big.)

During that last bit, it's not uncommon for more brave or curious sorts to be allowed close to pet the animal. Good thing it only took a little bit of glamour to make him look like an ordinary animal...

Here to watch a show, or check on the two?

C - Performance

No one, as far as Joker can tell, has seriously injured an audience member or accidentally set something on fire that they shouldn't have. For all intents and purposes, the first night of returning to shows has gone fantastically. Joker is really very proud of everyone, even the new folks who haven't had a chance to get into the spotlight just yet!

And since good behavior deserves to be encouraged...

On the second day of performances, anyone who goes into the backstage areas will found a small pile of.... animals? No, wait, they're pouches, and bags, things like that. Are you Wardrobe, Security, Maintenance? Then the large Dartrix that is standing guard will coo in pleasant greeting.

Anyone who's an actual performer, however, will have Feathers perk up, and he'll immediately start calling out. HEY. HEY YOU. HEY LISTEN.

D - Joker's Wild

[I'm good for anything else you can think of! Joker is all over the place, so he's easy to BS.]

C

[mirrortide]

Lapis isn't even sure why she goes backstage when she can pretty much just leave and go back to wherever Peridot is and hopefully prevent disaster from befalling herself again, because it seems to be the norm here.

But here she is, faced with a bunch of stuffed creatures that remind her of a more recently traumatic time, exacerbated by the fact that a certain Jasper is here too! Feathers coos, but Lapis gives him the most dead eyed look known to both man and gemkind.

Jinx | OTA | Newbie

[everybodypanic]

[Out and About]

This is her kind of place! Jinx was all about the bright colors and busy city life. She wondered if they could stay here for a while longer, or if she'd have enough time to scope out all the sights and sounds. Something about it felt kind of weird, though. Like, she couldn't really put her finger on it. A more... in your face kind of feeling? Eh, whatever it was, Jinx just shrugged it off. She had more important things to do.

Like shopping!

Jinx didn't have much to her name, here. And if she was gonna stick around for a whole year, she may as well buy a few things. You know, the essentials.

Starting with over-sized sunglasses.

And while this is fine and all, Jinx's attention quickly goes from one not-really-essential item to the next.

She keeps heading into tourist shops. Can she really afford so much random junk? Nope.

But she wants it.


[Performance Scouting]

Jinx doesn't have an act just yet, but that doesn't mean her mind isn't already racing and trying to come up with ideas. Honestly, the last time she was this excited about anything was... probably related to explosions or shooting. Like, seriously, why couldn't she show that much drive and enthusiasm for homework and school?

Because homework and school was boring, that's why.

Every now and then, she'll check out the current act, mostly just searching for ideas or inspiration.


[Wildcard]

[Hit me up with that prompt.]

Out and about

[shearmadness]

Nui can appreciate the value of accessorizing, but she finds a lot of this stuff cheap and junky. Until her gaze falls on a keychain marked as a self-defense keychain. It has stabby edges, and it's in her favourite colour, so clearly, she must have it.

She twirls around so fast that one of her large blonde pigtails hits the red-haired girl who's so gleefully looking at all the items in the shop.

[criticallyfucked]

A. Beach Bummed

Foster loves the ocean. Not in the 'sand castles and shell collecting' kind of way, but in that magnetic sense, where he wants to be as close to it as possible, to feel the energy of it and the pull of the tides. The fact that walking on sand barefoot is one of the most pleasurable little experiences in his life is just a perk.

It's been such a long time since he was at the beach, it seems. No--that's not right.

The last time the Carnival was visiting a beach, it was Alola, and...

And there's a lot he doesn't want to think about in that sentence, honestly. So much of it; every part linked to another overwhelming. The vampirism (which had forced him to wear a ridiculous dragon costume to hide from the sun.) The shadow stalking him (don't think about it, don't think about Mimikyu at all any more--)

It turns out not to be possible not to think about Mimikyu, though. Or the vampirism, or the pits and the blood and. Or the ocean, and everything it holds. Depths and secrets; stillness, motion, powers, powers.

He's knee-deep in the water, the sea lapping up his legs. It doesn't matter. The water--it's not cold but it's sharp, the spray burning his eyes, the taste on his lips, in his nose. It hurts. He is aware of it, somewhere, in his chest.

His chest, yes, with the water now chest deep, and the sting of salt on his hip, somewhere that doesn't exist--behind him, where he isn't now; right here, where it's real. What does knee deep even mean now--he doesn't know, or maybe remember. Which chest, though? Below his chin? Below his navel? He doesn't know, doesn't think it matters. Like the inchoate pain, or the summons of a kind he feels to be rising from the sea itself.

If he just walks out a little more--

B. Anyway Here's Wonderwall

Foster's job now requires little contact with visitors to the carnival; he's part of the background, really, the secret machinery that keeps the carnival running. Shine-and-polish, fetch-and-carry. 'Mechanical' really is the right word for it. An automatic process, purely physical in nature--some decision making is required, maybe, but it's generally made by people who aren't him. He's realised by now that his mental faculties aren't really required for it.

It makes him wonder if he could just create the labour without performing it himself.

It's an uncharacteristic impulse--Foster prefers physical involvement in his reality, a literal investment of the self. But at this point, he has only one coworker whose presence he finds tolerable; if Papyrus is an affliction, the Psiionic is a plague. Which is--fine? It should be fine. Suffering is fine. He just... now that he's thought of it, he can't stop thinking about whether or not it would work.

Which is how he basically trips over an entire person.

Way to go, genius.

[OOC note: eh, person can be a patron or an employee, whatever's more fun for you!]

C. Wildcard

[AS USUAL. YOU KNOW HOW THESE WORK.]

B

[sworntothesword]

Connie is easy to trip over, since she's tiny and also not really paying attention (great trait for someone doing Security). It's just that she'd just come back with a bag full of books from Wismuth and she had her nose buried in one.

She cries out when they collide, her bag flying off her hand and smashing to the ground, shooting tiny paperback books in every direction while she stumbles onto her butt. Ow.

What just happened?