⇨ 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

[periphrasing]

At that observation, Peridot glances down and scoops the little gourd up, holding her close to her chest. "Okay, that's... Nice, I guess!? But it doesn't answer my first question, which is who are you? Are you a friend of Lapis'? She never mentioned anyone--"

[hurtcomfort]

"People call me Cole." Which is again, not an answer, but Cole's treating it like one. He stands up and surprise, like most people in the carnival, he's taller than Peridot. And yet, Cole still isn't making eye contact, hiding beneath his hat as he talks with Peridot.

"I haven't met Lapis yet. But, I don't mind that! I haven't met a lot of people here."

Which is what happens when you rarely, if ever, use the network.

[periphrasing]

The gem's expression just kind of goes weirdly blank when he says that he hasn't met Lapis. Like a calm before a storm, she falls quiet trying to piece this together. So... He doesn't know Lapis. And SHE didn't let him in herself, obviously. So how in the--

"Um, hold on-- Did you break into our trailer?!" she says quite loudly.

[hurtcomfort]

He straight up did.

"She didn't mind," Cole remarks, with a little frown. Of course, the person he's talking about is Pumpkin, who probably doesn't grasp the concept of breaking and entering to begin with.

[periphrasing]

"That's because Pumpkin loves pretty much everyone unconditionally!" Peridot snaps while rolling her eyes, and yeah, she's still shouting. "You can't just let yourself into people's trailers uninvited! You CLOD!"

Pumpkin whines uncomfortably. She is not a fan of this shouting 8(

[hurtcomfort]

!!! Pumpkin doesn't like this!!! And Cole can tell that Pumpkin doesn't like this. Almost instantly, Cole turns his attention from Peridot to Pumpkin as he makes soothing noises and offers his arms for the gourd to jump in. If Pumpkin does jump in Cole's arms, she's getting so many pets.

"Shhh, it's alright," Cole murmurs, straight up ignoring Peridot at the moment to comfort poor Pumpkin.

[periphrasing]

Pumpkin looks uncertain about going to him! She wants to stay and comfort Peridot, who seems upset. She makes confused noises at Cole, trying to convey the conflict of interest that she's feeling.

Peridot, on the other hand, is getting increasingly annoyed with this Cole guy, and his blatant ignoring of all the grievances she just voiced. "HEY!" she snaps, trying to get his attention again. "I'm trying to lecture you, the least you could do is pay attention!"

[hurtcomfort]

Alright, if Pumpkin is uncertain, then Cole's gonna back off and let Pumpkin go. "It's okay," he says, backing away from Pumpkin to look up at Peridot.

...and he was supposed to be paying attention? Well, this is new to Cole. "That was shouting, not a lecture. And the shouting isn't helping."

Cole looks back over at Pumpkin. Obviously she is the one who needs the most help now, ergo Cole is going to try to work through Pumpkin's issues and conflict of interest while putting Peridot to the side for a moment.

[periphrasing]

"Isn't helping--?! Of course it's helping, the louder I am the easier it is for people to understand how SERIOUS about my points I am!" she snaps, tail lashing. "Trailer's are private spaces, you can't just go stomping around in them whenever you feel like it!"

Pumpkin is just getting more distressed, meanwhile. Why is Peridot shouting!? What's wrong with her, why is she so upset? What can she do!?

[hurtcomfort]

"This isn't helping!" Cole snaps, downright glaring at Peridot for a moment. His voice lowers as he starts to talk, his words coming out at a rapid pace. "Everything's so loud, confusing, she's angry but I can't tell why. I want to help, I want to comfort, I love her so much and want to calm her but I don't know how or why or what."

It's hard to tell who he's talking about. The only clue is the brief glances that Cole shoots Pumpkin as he just creepily monologues what's in the gourd's mind.

[periphrasing]

Peridot leans back a little bit in shock, holding Pumpkin closer to her chest. Okay, this guy is absolutely insane! Cool! Great!

Pumpkin doesn't like that Cole is snapping at anyone, and she likes the way he's babbling even less. She whines and turns her face partway into Peridot's chest, giving Cole the uncomfortable side-eye. Peridot looks down at her, and then at Cole, her brow furrowed, slowly making the connection--

"Wait, are you talking about Pumpkin?"

[hurtcomfort]

Cole remains quiet. If Pumpkin doesn't like him snapping or talking, then he will try his hardest not to snap or talk. Which...might be a bit hard, considering that Peridot is asking him a question. There's a brief pause before Cole nods. Then there's another brief pause before he continues with,

"I can hear the hurt. Even in Pumpkins."

And to his credit, Cole's a bit more quiet and tentative now.

[periphrasing]

Well, credit to Cole: Peridot wants to keep being mad at him, but this whole situation is just so baffling she's finding she can't hold on to that anger.

"She's not hurt," she says, looking puzzled, and puts a hand protectively on Pumpkin's... Head? Does it count as a head when she's basically just all body? "She just doesn't like it when people argue, or when Lapis and I get upset."

[hurtcomfort]

"It's a hurt but not a hurt. It's in her head!"

Cole's definition of 'hurting' is very broad: emotional distress, physical pain, unpleasant memories, personal problems that need to be worked through, any sort of mental or physical problem that can be solved by a good dose of empathy or action counts as a hurt. Ergo, since Pumpkin is in distress, Pumpkin is hurting.

[periphrasing]

"In her head!?" Peridot yelps, alarmed. She holds Pumpkin out in front of her to examine more closely. Pumpkin makes a quizzical noise and just looks confused.

[hurtcomfort]

Things are about to get worse as Cole just bluntly and nonchalantly explains,

"Don't worry. Everyone has hurts in their head! I know Pumpkin's because she's here. I know yours as well."

Slow your roll, creepy.

[periphrasing]

More like stop your roll?? completely??? Peridot goes from alarmed, to confused, to deceptively placid

Pumpkin is quietly transferred back under one arm. Peridot continues to stare, and stare, and STARE at Cole. If her emotional reading right now could be summed up by a single picture? That picture would just be a series of question marks floating in a white void, with the occasional exclamation point thrown in for good measure, and it stays that way until she finally comes to a very simple conclusion.

"Okay, that's it, you need to leave. NOW," she explodes suddenly, making urgent gestures with her free hand. "Go on, leave, get out! Out out out!"

[hurtcomfort]

"But I didn't do anything?"

It's said in a confused tone, not a whiny one. Because seriously, what? Why's she shooing him out like this? What did he do? It's obvious he annoyed Peridot somehow but for the life of him, Cole can't understand how.

Still, he is backing away a bit from Peridot and Pumpkin.

[periphrasing]

"You BROKE INTO MY PERSONAL TRAILER!" she yelps, flinging her free hand up. "I don't know where you come from or who you think you are, but that pretty seriously counts as 'SOMETHING' in my book!"

[hurtcomfort]

"I know who I think I am, I'm Cole," he grumbles. "I said that already." Wasn't she listening? Cole thought Peridot was listening, so why is she asking this question.

He continues to back up though, looking at Peridot with a confused frown. Why is she so concerned about this? He was making Pumpkin happy and Peridot likes it when Pumpkin is happy. In Cole's mind, it should be as simple as that!

[periphrasing]

"Wh--" She gives him an utterly baffled stare before all but howling: "IT'S AN EXPRESSION, you CLOD!!!!" There are sparks flying from between her teeth. It's a bad look. "You can't just waltz on in to someone's private quarters, you need to ask permission first! And you DOUBLY can't do it if you're just going to babble insane things at the person when they question your motivations for doing so!"

[hurtcomfort]

Yep and here's Cole just shrinking away from Peridot. Sparks are literally flying, he doesn't want to be here in the slightest. And it's an expression? How was he supposed to know that! He doesn't know most expressions to begin with!

"I'm not babbling," Cole states. That he's 100% certain about. "I know what I say and what I mean. You just don't understand. Most people here don't."

Something which obviously annoys and saddens him more than Cole will ever admit.

[periphrasing]

That actually gives Peridot some pause. She's still really mad, but also she's been the alien that no one really understands before. It sucked!

"Maybe you should make a better attempt at actually making sense then?" she growls, no longer spitting fire but. Still pretty steamed.

[hurtcomfort]

Cole pauses for a moment, looking intensely aggravated. Though, it isn't with Peridot: he's aggravated with himself.

"I'm trying," he simply says, as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "But words don't work for me like they do for you. They're tangled in my thoughts and this is what comes out."

He doesn't mean to be cryptic and awful and not make sense. It just happens sometimes.

[periphrasing]

She stares at him a moment longer, conflicting emotions of irritation but also... sympathy? Coming off her in waves.

After a long pause, she exhales harshly and sets Pumpkin down on the ground, who immediately trots over to Cole and puts a paw up on his leg with a concerned whine.

Peridot folds her arms at her chest and frowns. "Setting the strange manner of speaking aside, then... Why would you think it would be at all acceptable to break into someone else's private quarters? Let alone those of someone you hadn't even MET before?"