lostcarnival | ⇨ 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

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!"

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.

Sadly, Hinawa is not familiar with the importance of chopsticks for ramen, so there is instead a spoon. Blasphemy. However, his reaction seems positive enough, and she lights up.

"I'm so glad," She says. "I wasn't sure if the noodles would go well with the broth. Is it something you'd like to see on the menu?"

Spoons are good. Spoons are wonderful, though Victor ends up lifting the bowl with his hands. The dual benefit of warm hands and easier access to broth and noodles makes him a happy man.

"Oh, I'd love to, yes." He smiles, eyes shining with unfeigned pleasure. "Have you been considering making menu changes, or are you more looking to expand on what's already offered?"

Well that's... not exactly the kind of table manners Hinawa approves of, but he's enjoying it so much that she doesn't interrupt.

"We're always looking for new things to serve," She explains. "I've gotten a lot of good ideas from Wismuth!"

One hand for a bowl, one hand for a spoon. He likes having his soup close! After the last nine months in Japan, he's also absorbed some not as great habits, though slurping's at least polite there.

He lowers the bowl and nods his head, enthused. "What kind of cuisine have you been inspired by? I haven't had a chance to head out into the city, I'm not sure what to expect." Everything, nothing, things that are wildly different than he's used to? All of it's great, a culinary adventure that's much easier to focus on than being contracted to a faerie carnival and unable to see everyone he loves for a year and a day. (Less. Less than that now.)

Say no more. At the sound of Hinawa's voice and the request to grin, Joker immediately twists on his heel with casual abandon towards whatever he'd actually been doing. As usual, his smiles are bright and sunny, and.... Oh, of course, he's striking a pose. And what's that he's doing with his hand...?

Listen, if he had another one, it'd be a heart, but for now he can only do half that. It's fine, it adds character.

"Smilin'~!"

Hinawa moves to click the button, when suddenly-!

"Phan! Phan!" Sunny leaves her side for the first time since they got here. He floats over to Joker, then raises his arms to complete the heart. "Phantump?"

Wh- oh. Joker blinks in surprise when the Phantump floats over to him. It's easy to tell what he's doing, but it takes a second before he starts to burst out laughing. It's a brighter and more genuine kind of smile than what he usually gives.

Click.

"Now that's a smile I'd like to remember." Hinawa says as she lowers the camera.

"Did it come out well~?" Grinning, Joker steps a little closer and gestures for the Phantump to come along with him.

"I've been told I look good in those sorta things!"

The camera spits out a blank polaroid, and Sunny rushes over to Hinawa's side to get a peek as well.

"Let's wait and see how it looks, hmm?"

"Oh." His head tilts to the side. "So it's one of those kinds, huh?"

Cameras come in way too many types for Joker to really be familiar with, especially with his time period. Still, for the time being, he'll be patient. He doesn't have anywhere to be.

⇨ WISMUTH

Hinawa | OTA

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