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.

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That poor lion. Strange can't help but give it a frown (because wow, it's really wonky looking) before he sets his ball down at the start of the green. Maybe Wismuth just has dumb looking lions, who knows, he shouldn't judge. The dumb thing's probably trying to distract him from crushing Peridot in the first place.

"I think I'll still continue my way: simple talent." Hoping that his game backs up his trash talking, Strange looks down at the ball and knocks it towards the center. Overall, this hole is about as well as the first: three strokes to get the ball in. And Strange can't help but frown slightly all the while.

Simple talent needs to step up it's game a little. Now that it's Peridot's turn, Strange watches her intently as he marks down his score, as if he'll somehow find out a better way to play golf just by watching.

Peridot just rolls her eyes at that statement. When it's her turn again, though, the same drawn out preparation process happens. In fact, it takes her even longer to actually make a move this time, like she's double and triple checking her calculations. When she's finally done, she stands up frowns disapprovingly at the whole layout.

"After a thorough investigation, I can only conclude that it is almost physically impossible to complete this hole in a single stroke by conventional means," she announces. "There are just too many twists and turns! It's really a pitiful design, all in all. So, I'll just have to use unconventional means to sink this one."

And before Strange has time to protest, she swings back her club and gives the ball a good chop, knocking it into the air instead of gently putting it down the green like you're supposed to. The ball arcs gracefully through the air, bounces a few times off the green and barriers alike, and then lands... ssssomewhere entirely different than she intended. Hm.

Importantly, it doesn't land in the hole. Strange can't help but smile slightly. Taking a sip of his drink, he sets it down on the ground. After all, he needs both hands to be amazingly smug. Taking out the scorecard and the pencil, Strange holds the pencil up to the scorecard, as if poised to write.

"So, that's two strokes already..." He straight up watches Peridot like a hawk, smug little smile on Strange's face as he waits for her to make her next move. Yes, she'd still be winning if she got it in the hole in two or three strokes but he doesn't care! It's enough to slightly show her up! Trajectory and geography his ass, she missed that one.

"Two strokes, that was only one!" she snaps, gesturing impatiently. "Unless you're counting total strokes for the whole game so far, in which case that's still far fewer than your pathetic six."

"Yes, but this hole's going to take at least two strokes. After all, you didn't get a hole in one." Strange can't help it: he's got a bit of a sing-song taunt in his voice.

"I still have one more hole in one than you," Peridot reminds him with a snarl! Then she marches over her ball and takes another whack at it. And another. And Another. And another--

Yeah it takes her five more strokes to finish this one, because she's too riled up to focus properly.

Strange is just delighted. The more strokes Peridot has to take, the bigger his smile grows. By the time she's knocked that ball in the hole, Strange is grinning like a goddamn moron.

"Let's see, so that's six strokes total on this hole? Wouldn't you know, I think I'm winning." Just by one. And it's only the second hole. Still, after that hole in one that Peridot got, Strange is perfectly fine being an asshole and rubbing it in her face because suck iiiiiiiit Peridot. Scorecard back in pocket, drink back in hand, onto the next hole.

Unfortunately for both of them, this hole involves water. There's a replica of a bridge over a water hazard that's only about a foot wide. And really, 'water hazard' is a nice way of putting this, 'sad and murky colored concrete ditch' is a more accurate description. Still, there's something familiar about that bridge and Strange stares at it for a moment before the dawning horror hits.

"Good Lord, is that supposed to be London Bridge? They've got it all wrong!"

Peridot looks about ready to do a murder by the time she finishes that hole, and literally just. Hisses at Strange's comment. Like a cat.

She stomps after him towards the next one, fuming quietly. Strange's outraged cry snaps her attention away from her furious internal plotting about her game strategy going ahead, and she looks at the bridge with confusion.

"What the heck's a london bridge?" she asks, wrinkling her nose.

"It's a bridge, obviously," Strange points out, with a roll of his eyes. "But it's a seminal piece of London architecture! It's been around since the time of the Raven King and they've made it far too wide. And the girders! These girders aren't a thing like the ones that should be."

Just cut him off, it's obvious that Strange is going to go on about the damn bridge for the next ten or so minutes if not stopped.

She does not cut him off, unfortunately for anyone within earshot of this conversation. "So? Maybe it looks different in this universe," Peridot says, jerking her shoulders and brushing the complaint off impatiently. She's far less inclined to humor Strange's whining after his behavior at the last hole.

"It's the London Bridge," he loudly whines, probably making those in earshot just back away from these two. "It shouldn't look different to begin with! It looked perfectly fine before and worked...well, worked fine enough, but why change it so it's all out of proportion like this is?"

Strange is being needlessly petty about this bridge and continues whining for the sake of whining as he sets his drink down, sets his ball down, and then lines up to take the shot.

Peridot leans heavily on her club, as if Strange's whining is literally sapping the energy from her. She goes back to playing with one of those sticky hands she bought earlier while she waits, fidgeting by pulling it out a little bit and letting it snap back to it's normal length a few times.

"If it's so awful then just take your shot already so we can move on and not have to look at it any longer," she growls with annoyance, lightly spinning the novelty toy around one claw.

Strange sighs dramatically before he leans down and takes the shot. Unfortunately, he didn't hit it hard enough, so the shot stops right in the middle of the bridge. Hmm. This is going to suck.

There's some awkward pauses and shifting around as Strange gets in the middle of the ditch to find a way to hit the ball towards the hole, he takes the shot, lines it up perfectly, takes a pause...and then his club veers to the left in a way that he wasn't expecting, knocking the ball off course.

"That's odd," he complains, as he goes to set himself up to take another shot. "I thought I had it lined up perfectly."

Edited 2018-01-23 02:23 (UTC)

Peridot can't help but snicker the first time he fucks up, her amusement only increasing with each awkward shift he has to make to get at the ball again. Then at his comment, she just snorts, lazily spinning the sticky hand in a slightly wider arc. "Guess you're just not as good at this game as you thought you were," she teases, tail twitching gleefully.

Yeah the toy spinning is a cover for the fact that she is definitely using her metal powers to get back at him by fucking up his swings right now. She'll let him get the next two strokes without issue, just to keep him from getting suspicious, but she's hoping she fucked with him enough that it'll take him at least another two to recover.

It does take him two strokes to recover, meaning that Strange got a solid four strokes on that hole. Okay, ten total, that's not too bad, all he has to do is try to do better next time and try to figure out just what the hell went wrong with that shot.

"I don't have to be top of the class, I just have to be better than you. Which I am." He picks up his drink again, takes a sip (this stuff is amazing) and watches Peridot take her swing. It's entirely possible that Strange is going to run himself right into a caffeine high midway through the course but hey, he doesn't care.

"Three holes is hardly a complete data set, you can't conclusively determine which of us is better at this stupid game based off of that alone!" Peridot fumes, angrily stomping one foot.

It is at this point that they receive their first warning from the staff, as an employee of the Fun Palace pipes up from his nearby post. He's a gangly young man, probably around 17 or 18, sporting a pin at his breast that is shaped like the abstraction of a castle. The pin proudly proclaims to all who read it that it's bearer's name is, in fact, 'Joshua'.

Joshua calls out to Strange: "Sir, I'm going to have to kindly ask that you and your uh..." he pauses, eyes lingering over Peridot, who is glamoured up to look like a very short, blonde-haired 20-something. "...Your daughter, to keep the trash talking and shouting to a minimum? We here at Wismuth Fun Palace strive to maintain an atmosphere that is safe and friendly to patrons of all ages, and your current behavior is in violation of our terms of conduct."

Peridot says nothing. Peridot just gapes at him, her expression encompassing too many emotions at once to properly describe with words.

Strange is about to make another point about how her data's stupid and did you see how badly she bungled that last hole before the staff pipes up. Strange turns around, listens to Joshua's warning, and then just tries his hardest not to explode with anger at that 'daughter' comment.

Because he's not that old! He's only in his late thirties! Never mind the fact that Strange has way more gray hair than most men in their thirties do and at least is a foot taller than Peridot, glamor or no glamor. He's not that old and Joshua is getting one hell of a death glare right now.

"We'll try our best," Strange manages to stammer out, through gritted teeth. He turns back around and, low enough for Peridot to hear him but Joshua to not hear him, Strange starts to complain. "Let's not tell anyone at the carnival about his utterly wrong misunderstanding."

Says the person who will inevitably bring it up first.

For Peridot's part, she's more pissed off about being told to shut up by some rando than she is about being called Strange's daughter, mostly because she has no real understanding of the implications that come along with that perception. So Joshua gets the death glare, and she's still staring at the poor boy, right past Strange, even as he mutters to her.

"Yeah. Fine," she growls, and then zaps her novelty toy back into her gauntlet, and stomps off to take her shot.

There's no lengthy strategy applied this time. She just marches up and chops that ball impatiently. UNSURPRISINGLY, this doesn't go great for her? Instead of getting it going straight across the stupid bridge like it should, the ball just narrowly clips the one corner of the entrance and bounces back the way it came.

Judging by the smoke that is now coming out from between Peridot's gritted teeth and the thunderous expression on her face, Strange might want to consider keeping any dumb comments to himself for now.

Strange might want to keep a dumb comment to himself and yet he isn't. As Peridot completely screws up her first attempt, Strange's sulkiness vanishes and an annoying, slightly smug smile comes back on his face. Oh good. She's sucking as well.

Completely forgetting about Joshua's warning about this being a family friendly atmosphere, Strange starts trash-talking again.

"So, that's one..."

Hiiiiissssssssssssssssssss!!!!

Attempt number two: She steps over, chops it again. The ball at least goes down the bridge this time, but since it's at an angle, it kind of ricochets haphazardly down the length of it and rolls about 5 feet off from the hole at the other side.

At this point they have spent so long at the stupid London Bridge hole that the next group behind them is now standing there too, and waiting for them to get the heck out of the way.

"Number two," Strange continues counting, looking so amazingly smug. It's then that he notices the next group behind them, waiting and probably judging Peridot's playing technique. Turning towards them, Strange starts up a small conversation.

"If she doesn't get it in the next stroke or so, go ahead and play through. We'll probably spend too much time on this hole and the next one anyway." He says, without consulting Peridot. Turning around, he looks over towards the gem. "Is that fine with you?"

Of course, it's at this point that one of the members of the group that's waiting starts talking under his breath, wondering why the old guy's not giving his kid any tips and Strange's smug smile just freezes into a rictus grin for a moment.

Peridot is about to politely point out-- meaning, shout at him in a way that is not actually polite at all-- that Strange is the one that needed four whole strokes to get through this hole when she's about to get it in just three, so if anyone is holding the other group up, it's HIM... And then the comment happens.

This one succeeds in rubbing her the wrong way, because it more directly implies that she's some kind of human juvenile, which she absolutely is NOT? She whirls on the muttering guy, already seething, and points an accusatory claw in his direction. "I am NOT a KID!!!" she snarls, puffing up indignantly. "I am a-- Uh---"

Crap. She falters. What the heck's a normal human age for her cover?

"...I have survived FIFTY FIVE rotations of this planet around the Earth's sun, and I don't plan on stopping any time soon!"

Nailed it.

....when all of this is over, Strange is going to have to find a nice way to ask Steven to teach the gems about things like 'aging' and 'what a fifty five year old person actually looks like.' Because as soon as Peridot says that's what her normal age is, Strange resists the urge to rub his temples in annoyance as the other group of golfers looks around confused and kind of weirded out.

"Twenty five," he clarifies, trying to keep that polite sort of 'everything's fine' expression on his face. This is going nowhere fast. "She means twenty five. Odd sense of humor and all that." Out of the corner of his vision, Strange can see Joshua giving them a bit of a look at Peridot's outburst and the fact that they're holding up the game. So, Strange just quickly swaps into trying to do as much damage control as he can.

After all, he can't kick Peridot's ass in minigolf if they're kicked out. "Why don't you all go ahead and play through while my-" it is a struggle to get this word out "-daughter and I have a quick conversation."

"But I still need to finish my shot!" Peridot protests loudly, gesturing at her ball. "You're just trying to throw me off so I'll have to take more strokes and you can get a higher lead! I'M ON TO YOU, STRANGE!"

The other group is starting to look mighty uncomfortable at this point, having stepped forward at Strange's suggestion and then halted abruptly once more at Peridot's second outburst.

Alright, that's it. If the employees don't see this and complain, then these people are going to complain and Strange really doesn't want to get fussed at again, so apparently he's got to be the one to try and wrangle this situation back to something remotely resembling normal.

Why him? Why this? Isn't Peridot a supervisor? The excuse of being a space rock can only go so far!

"You're making a scene," Strange hisses, as he tries to forcibly grab Peridot's wrist and pull her out of the way. In theory, it was supposed to be more of a gentle pull. In practice, it's a straight up yank.

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