lostcarnival | ⇨ WISMUTH

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⇨ WISMUTH

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yuya's passing by just as he sees the beam, a cone of overly-seasoned food court fries in his hand. He looks between 9S and the roomba, waiting, but it only seems to start cleaning like normal.

"It's like this in Maiami, but I guess yours is a lot more advanced?" He says with a shrug as he approaches, holding the cone out in silent offering if 9S wants any fries.

Of course 9S takes some and eats them all at once, heedless of the fact that some greasy or oily foods are straight up deadly to him. Luckily the chips are not killer, and he makes a mildly disgusted face at the taste.

"Sort of. Most human technological advancements are lost to us, so most of this is new." 9S idly kicks at the ground with his foot. "But the AIs are so basic. I was hoping..."

Yuya's unoffended by 9S's apparent disgust for the fries, shoving a few more in his mouth.

"Yeah, you're pretty special," he at least covers his mouth to avoid spraying fry about even as he talks with his mouth full. But for the level of technology Yuya's familiar with, he's unique. "Were you hoping to find another android to talk to?"

Edited 2018-01-18 04:25 (UTC)

Was he that obvious? "...Yeah."

9S casts his gaze back to the crowd. The salesperson has since turned off the 'rogue' roomba. He doesn't think he's that special; it's hard to feel that way, when he was easily replaceable back home.

"There's so many worlds with humans," one only has to look at the gamut of Carnival workers to see that, "but there's hardly any with androids." Just looking at this city... "Maybe we're not needed when humans have their homes."

Edited 2018-01-18 04:48 (UTC)

That's... a really sad way of looking at it. Yuya pauses, realizing he doesn't know anything about 9S's home life. Just that there were androids, and apparently he hasn't met a lot of humans despite looking human since he was asking about families.

"There's still androids, just... different." As 9S said, simple. But that probably doesn't appease him, any more than the truth that a lot of humans in the carnival are from a time before a computer even existed. Or electricity.

"Needed for what?"

It wouldn't.

"Anything, really. We exist to serve mankind. Back home we fought in the war against machines, but... maybe there can be a place for us during times of peace, too."

Well, it's kind of irrelevant anyway; he has no plans to return to Earth.

9S' gaze returns to the roomba. "Anyway, I guess having simple logic circuits for a cleaning device is better. I'd get sooo bored doing the cleaning."

It's not him or Rita who does the cleaning around their trailer after all.

"Exist to serve mankind..." His gaze drifts down as he echos 9S's words, frowning in thought. Sure, machines and technology were created by humans to improve their lives. That's normal, that's Yuya's world. One where they've adapted technology in the place of magic to live longer, better, happier.

But 9S isn't a roomba. He eats and asks questions and has a personality, it's not the same as simple robots.

Yuya suddenly looks a little queasy, his grip on the fries tightening until 9S's lighthearted joke finally gets through to him and snaps his attention up. "What? Oh, yeah." There's a long pause, where Yuya internally debates whether he should ask deeper or try to turn things to a more lighthearted topic.

"... Um, have you seen anything else interesting in the mall?"

9S brightens considerably at this new topic of conversation. "Oh yeah! I've always wanted to go to a shopping centre!"

...with 2B, that is. But that's a promise he won't be able to keep. Maybe one of the 9Ses that come after him can.

But hmm, something interesting... Well, to be honest, it's all interesting to him. "I saw this shop that sold reeeally small figurines of humans with weapons in chunky armour." He holds his fingers close together to approximate the size for Yuya. "The ones on display were getting stomped by a bigger bipedal reptile."

He's talking about a games workshop store.

"And why are there so many shops that sell items of clothing?"

That does sound like a game shop, and Yuya's interested... But they probably won't have any duel monster cards there. At least 9S, looks happier. He's really missed out on a lot too, hasn't he?

"Fashion," that's the simplest response to 9S's question. "People like to look different and wear different stuff, so those shops make different styles. Like your clothes and mine."

He points, for emphasis. At least the color difference alone makes Yuya's point, and his weird accessories.

"Since it's your first time in a mall, you should lead the way. Half the fun is just looking in all the stores to see what they have."

The probably won't have any Duel Monsters cards, but they might have Cardbattle!! Avant-garde cards instead.

"Oh." 9S looks down at his Lambert gifted shirt. "I never thought much about, er, fashion, was it?"

His clothes were pretty much standard issue. He always kind of went for black clothing, but maybe that was just out of familiarity. Now that Yuya's mentioned it, he can't recall a time where he's seen Yuya's wear dark clothing.

9S just picks a direction and starts walking; it's not like he really had any particular place in mind. "You said this place is kinda like your home." He's drawing a conclusion based on what Yuya said earlier. "What kind of stores did you like?"

Yuya follows 9S's gaze down at his shirt and smiles a little when he actually reads it. He twists on his heels to walk beside 9S, munching on more fries as they go.

"Card stores, but I don't think they have the game I play here," he says with a shrug. "Maybe they have an arcade? It's not really a store, but it's a place you can play video games. And there was a store that made really fancy ice cream in Maiami..."

But Yuya's not too deeply invested in fashion, either. At least not enough to have any favorite clothing stores.

An arcade? 9S' expression brightens immediately. Sign 9S the fuck up!! "Alright, if you spot an arcade here, shout out. I really want to see one."

Granted, his idea of what an arcade is versus what an arcade actually is are two entirely different things.

"I didn't know you could play games with cards. I always thought there were just colourful bits of paper."

Well that enthusiasm is all the indication Yuya needs that the arcade needs to be their next stop. Luckily, they're pretty obvious for scouting out, and Yuya takes a slight lead as he looks around for one among all the shops. They're just passing the food court, so it's probably on the other side...

"Well... I guess they are, but playing cards are different than a holiday card. The one I play is called duel monsters. I've been teaching Rita how to play, so I can show you too!" He just doesn't have his deck on hand, or he'd show 9S now.

Food's nice and all, but it's not like he really needs it. But... There's different kinds of cards?? He never knew.

At Yuya's offer to teach him how to play duel monsters, 9S grins, eager. "Great! I'd like that. Whenever you've got the time."

Then he'd be able to play Yuya and Rita! It sounds like a fun thing to do when they have some downtime between worlds.

"So, uh. What's a holiday?"

Yuya smiles, just as eager. It's an important hobby to him, it makes him happy to be able to share it.

"The Lunar Solstice was like a holiday." And basically a perfect excuse for a vacation. "It's something special every year that everyone can celebrate. Usually with festivals or special food, or giving gifts."

He kind of liked the whole gift giving thing with the Lunar Solstice. Rita seemed happy with what he bought her, and he hadn't expected to receive so many gifts as well.

"I guess it's kind of hard to have holidays when we're always on the move."

If he ever has the chance to experience another Lunar Solstice, maybe he'll give to more people.

9S shoves his hands into his short pockets, thinking aloud. "And people will leave after the contract is up, so they'll only ever get to experience a holiday with their Carnival friends once..."

"I guess so..." Yuya's gaze drifts down. He tries not to think about that so much. He's never 'lost' a friend, and there's so many people in the carnival that he's going to miss dearly when they leave... and when he leaves.

"That means we should make it extra special then, right?" He turns to 9S with a glance of confirmation. "Because we'll only get to share it once."

It's been on his mind every now and again. The realisation that all the friends -- friends -- he's made in the Carnival so far will be leaving before him.

But he does nod eagerly at Yuya's proposal. "Our contracts are always for a year and a day. Maybe the last day should be a holiday. Then we can give people a big send off before they go home!"

One final gift.

"Like a going away party? That's a good idea!" Gongenzaka's just signing another contract when his ends, and Yuya can't think of anyone else leaving anytime soon... actually, Yuya's doesn't know when anyone else's contract ends, but they'd probably say something if it was soon, right?

He's lost in the reverie of party planning for a moment that he almost misses the arcade. But he stops abruptly, squinting in the doorway before he grins wide and points it out to 9S. "There we go, that's an arcade!"

It's a modern arcade, with a mix of classic and newer games, all in game boxes or racing boxes, and some of them are multiplayer.

It's a plan, then! On the last day of someone's contract, they'll party hard! There'll be food, drink and... hm. What do humans do when they party?

But 9S is quickly distracted when Yuya points out the arcade, blinking in surprise when he takes in the noise and flashing lights. That's... not exactly what he was picturing when he said 'arcade'. But he can't help but be intrigued, immediately walking towards it, assuming Yuya will follow.

Near the entrance iiis... a DDR machine.

"Hey, what's this one?"

Yuya's first stop is the coin machine, slotting in a couple small dollars to get something suitable for starting up the games. He's scooping them into his pockets when 9S speaks up, and Yuya turns around to see what he's referring to.

"Oh, that? It looks like a dancing game." He walks over, leaning over the railing to peer at the mats. Yep, that's dancing. He points to the arrows on it. "You step on those in time to the music to get the best score."

Dancing? 9S looks back at the machine and its brightly coloured arrows. That's dancing? He shoots Yuya a highly dubious look.

"I thought dancing was something you had to do in pairs. Like... at the Prince's manor."

A lot of terrible things happened there, but for a brief time he got to enjoy dancing with both Rita and 2B.

"This looks nothing like that."

"There's all kinds of dancing. A waltz is a fancy dance," or something like that. He's only heard of it being used at balls and parties anyway.

Yuya swings himself around the back bar and onto one of the pads. He offers his hand to 9S, encouraging him up.

"This is a dancing game, so it's a little different. I'll show you!"

Well, Yuya's made him an offer he can't refuse.

"It looks like fun!" Grinning, 9S takes his hand and gets up onto the dance pad next to Yuya's. "Alright. So we just have to step on the arrows in time to the music?"

But how does he know which arrow to step on-- oh, the screen?

Yuya turns to the dual monitor machine to pop in the coins. It immediately comes to life with a brief welcome screen. Yuya points to it, looking over his shoulder. "The steps show up on the screen. When they line up with the arrows on top, you step on ut! You get a better score the more accurate you are."

He waves his hand vaguely before flipping through the songs. They're mostly very electronic and energetic. "You'll see it. We can start with an easy song first. "

Wismuth

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