the terrible horrible no good very bad week

[kingsroads]

Who: Strange & OPEN!
Where: mostly the carnival, with a Wismuth prompt
When: D17 and onwards
What: Strange has had a run of shitty days/decisions and is coping like a champ (he's sulking)
Warnings: mild drug & alcohol use, Strange's general asshole tendencies

sulking at the training grounds
Over the past few days, Strange learned that the closest thing he could call to an enemy was back and she had poisoned his best friend, found out his other close friend was kidnapped and enthralled, got dunked in a lake, got his emotional support gem stolen, got dunked in the ocean, made a kid cry, discovered he had a fun new phobia of sentient pineapple beasts, got gum in his hair, and received harsh truth bombs from at least two different people. And only half of this is his fault! (Maybe five-eighths. Strange'll fight it if anyone says three quarters.)

To top it all off, apparently the entire universe is in danger of ending and Creation's decided to fix that by giving people fun magical powers but apparently the universe doesn't think he's good enough! Like what the hell, Creation? As if his self-esteem wasn't already weirdly low thanks to the fact that he got beaten up by plants and the previously mentioned harsh truth bombs.

So, Strange is coping with pyromania. At least four of the practice dummies are currently on fire and have been on fire for the past half hour or so. Strange is in the process of casting a spell to set a fifth ablaze. Anybody who remotely approaches the training ground is getting an amazing death glare courtesy of Strange, as well as a grumpy "What?"

sulking part 2
Alternatively, there's an abundance of purple smoke hanging out near the top of one of the game trailers in the gamer's circle. Can smoke sulk? Undecided, but there's certainly something sulky about this smoke. It's definitely lingering around the top of the trailer and not moving in a manner that's reminiscent of sulking.

welcome to the plot
For the most part, Star Guardians need to sleep too. As does Strange But considering that Strange lives a comfortable life as the man with the world's most erratic sleep schedule, his is variable as hell and he's wide awake at around ten pm, when most people should be getting ready for bed. He's wide awake as he bangs on the trailer door of each inhabited trailer, hoping that someone's in.

He doesn't waste any time. Whenever anyone answers their door, Strange bluntly asks, "Did you get those odd powers like what Noa has?"

Fuck it, he knows about pillars, he can still be useful.

wismuth
Staying at the carnival and not getting out of bed just sounds like a really good plan right now. Except Strange is a nightrunner and when you're rooming with the deputy nightrider, you can only wallow in self-pity for so long. Scrying can only do so much so he's hitting the pavement. As he walks the streets (wearing a slightly ridiculous baseball cap), Strange keeps his senses open for any sort of magic: guardian, harbinger, fae. He's already gotten his ass whooped twice, any sort of large spikes of harbinger magic he is staying the hell away from. But it's the smaller things, the after effects that he can at least try to dispel.

And so, that's why Strange is standing next to an ATM that's currently spitting out cash, muttering something while debating if he's actually got to put his mouth on that thing or not. Thankfully, the machine sputters to a stop and the spell breaks before Strange has to actually kiss the box.

"I don't even know what this is," he complains, to anyone listening. Foggy modern AU memories can only go so far and did not extend to ATMs. But look at him go, stopping the horrible...money spitter outer machine. Greatest magician of the age, everyone.

Comments

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya isn't used to being physically accosted like this, so Strange has no problem catching him off guard enough to grab his hand and yank him along. Syrlya stumbles for a moment before catching his balance.

"That sounds like a carnival game." And as his gaze drifts over to where Strange is taking him, it looks like a carnival game. Except, somehow, with even more flashing lights.

[kingsroads]

"They do share some similarities," Strange admits. As they reach the game, Strange hits the start button...and nothing happens. He frowns, looking the game over. At the same time, a little eight year old walks over to the skee ball game next to theirs, inserts the token, hits start, and some balls fall down the ball dispenser. Ah ha. Mystery solved.

"This game runs on tokens," Strange muses. "We'll probably have to purchase them ourselves. That is, if you want to stay here."

Strange's words are calm and cavalier enough, but there's definitely a little whiny undercurrent of 'come on Syrlya, pleeeeeeeease' in his tone of voice. They have skee ball! Come onnnnn!

[chronosynthesis]

"I don't mind." He shrugs, although his expression is more amused than his tone lets on. He can hear that whine. It's the same tone Taimi goes him sometimes, although he's sure Strange wouldn't appreciate being compared to a teenager. Humans are weird about age.

So he starts pulling his allowance out of his pockets... and it's almost the entirety of what the Ringmaster allotted to them. He hasn't been spend8ng much at all. "Do you see where you purchase them?"

[kingsroads]

The fact that Syrlya still has so much money left doesn't escape Strange's notice. Well. It seems that this trip was definitely needed: did Syrlya spent any of that allowance to begin with? He'll need to take it upon himself to make certain the man actually has fun at any of their stops.

"I'd assume at the front desk," Strange responds, as he looks over to the prize counter, currently manned by a very bored looking teenager. Though it's obvious he's not entirely certain about that. "And if not there, we can at least ask and get a good look at the prizes."

[chronosynthesis]

Strange's judgement of his remaining funds is utterly lost on Syrlya, but at least it means they can buy a shitton of tokens. He folds the bills nearly in his hands, looking at the front desk with a thoughtful hum. "Then let's ask."

He turns on his heels to approach the desk, offering the teenager a polite smile, pressing one hand against the counter. To his credit, with short conservation he doesn't look terribly out of place.

He cranes his head to look back at Strange as he holds out the money. "How many did you want?"

[kingsroads]

As Syrlya approaches the desk, Strange's attention goes straight to this slightly silly-looking stuffed seal. He wants that. After some quick sums in his head (four tokens to a dollar, assuming he wins five tickets per game and each game costs two tokens, combine that with what he has...), Strange answers.

"I'll spend about seven dollars worth of tickets to start with. Of course, I can pay for mine myself, you only purchase what you want."

That should be enough, right? He'll have enough to pay for food and he'll have some money left over if he needs to spend more but he is going to win that seal no matter what.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya looks between Strange and the cashier for a moment. "I suppose I'll start with seven dollar's worth as well."

It means they'll run the same amount of games, at least, and figure out where to go from there. He does give the prize wall a cursory glance while the teenager cashes out the tokens, but for someone used to always moving on his feet or keeping sentimental objects of the dead, with no room to be very material, he's less invested in aiming for a specific prize.

He juggles them in one hand when they're passed over, stepping aside to give Strange room to grab his tokens.

[kingsroads]

Jonathan 'packrat tendencies' Strange is straight up gunning for that prize. He steps to the cashier, pays him, and then takes his tokens as well. Once that's done, Strange looks back at the expanse of Chuck E Cheese and all the games they have to offer...and all the eight year olds running around the place. He suddenly feels very tall.

"So! Shall we start with skee-ball first, or is there something else that catches your attention?"

The games consist of a wide assortment of arcade games. There's typical arcade games like skee-ball, a basketball game, and a crane game, but there's also one or two shooting games (with stylized cartoon guns), a few 'press the button to stop the light in a certain place' games, and two stations of Dance Dance Revolution.

[chronosynthesis]

"You seemed very eager for the 'skee-ball'." He almost mimics the way Strange says it, smiling just a bit as he gestures back to the game. "Why don't we start with that and choose something else after?"

Let Strange get a little bit of that eagerness out of his system... of just let it lead their whole afternoon. He's experienced arguing with Strange and it's the last thing from relaxing.

[kingsroads]

Strange isn't even bothering to hide his excitement at the thought of playing skee-ball. And so, they make their way back to the machine and Strange inserts his tokens. Nine or so balls are released down the ball chute. Picking one up, Strange gives Syrlya a grin.

"Watch and learn," Strange continues. And so, he starts playing. And weirdly enough, he's actually decent at skee-ball. The high score is 270 and Strange racks up a solid 240. He looks pleased with himself as the ticket machine dispenses his winnings.

"Your turn," he says, backing up so Syrlya can have a go at the machine.

[chronosynthesis]

At least one of them is thoroughly enjoying themselves. Syrlya's truthfully still preoccupied with the state of the carnival--more importantly, all their wayward Harbingers. He isn't used to being out of a position of really being able to help... it's discomforting.

He almost misses Strange's score, instead letting his attention drift to watching the children run around, making noise and eating cake. It's only when he speaks that he turns back around. "Oh--right."

He pops the token in and tests the weight of the first ball that rolls down. Roll it up the slide and into a hole. That's easy enough... so he does it.

Truthfully, he's only mediocre, barely making above half a score. He doesn't have a good handle on how much force to roll the little ball, and half the time tosses it too hard or barely gets it over the lip. He doesn't seem terribly ashamed of it, though, carefully ripping free the very meager tickets. "I assume the higher the score, the more tickets you earn?"

[kingsroads]

There's moments during the game when he's grabbing another ball or getting ready to roll one, that Strange notices Syrlya's discomfort and the fact that his mind's somewhere else. Hmm. It's understandable that Syrlya's mind is drifting, but this means Strange is just going to have to do more to get Syrlya to enjoy himself.

"That's how it works for this one," Strange explains, with a nod. "I don't know how it works for some of the other machines, but we'll just have to find out." As he talks, he gives a vague hand gesture towards some of the other arcade games. How does DDR dispense tickets, fuck if Strange knows.

"Your turn to pick a game. Which one interests you?"

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya absently folds the tickets (it doesn't take long, there's like three) as he turns to glance over the arcade. Ultimately, the one with the flashiest lights wins out and he points out the big, bright, round press to stop the light game.

"What about that one?" He pauses a moment for Strange to approach with him before he looks the game over, and... only looks more confused than before. The color-coded lights are spinning around and round, and he sees the buttons, but is there really all that is to it?

[kingsroads]

Strange has no idea what that game is. His experience with arcades was hazy, slightly drunk memories of the Celebration and getting kicked out of a mini-golf course. But it's got bright lights and things they can press so good choice, Syrlya!

He walks over to the game as well, looking it over. Is it really just hit the button and make the light stop? That seems...easy.

"There's got to be a strategy to this," Strange muses, giving the game a frown.

[chronosynthesis]

"You would think..." Then again, how much strategy is actually in skee-ball? This place is for children.

Syrlya pops two tokens into the pink side. The corresponding light flashes and then speeds up, spinning faster in the circle. He leans over to check the internal prize wheel. Smaller spaces for bigger prizes, so it's probably reflexes.

He looks up to Strange and gestures. "Go on. We can start at the same time."

[kingsroads]

And Strange pops two tokens into the green side. He's already looking for a way that he can cheat but this thing's so damn technological that Strange isn't sure he could magically cheat to begin with.

Any sense of Strange trying to find a strategy flies right out of the window as he hits his button only a few seconds after he puts the coin in. Strange's light stops right at four tickets—which, considering this thing goes up to fifty tickets, shows just how poorly he did.

He bites back the urge to swear but instead makes an annoyed little 'hmmph' as he turns to look at Syrlya's side.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya's eyes roll to follow the light once sounds the track before he casually pats his hand on the button. He does attempt to time it, but barely, expression passively curious to see where it lands.

Which ends up being right in the center of his corner. The game lets out a celebratory sounds that makes Syrlya lean back, and starts spitting out the tickets.

"Oh...!" He leans over to look at the light with a brief, faint laugh and an amused expression. "I actually got it. I'm never so lucky."

[kingsroads]

Strange can't help but let out a small little bark of laughter as he watches the game spit out tickets...and more tickets...and more tickets. Normally, he might do a little bit of complaining for the sake of complaining. But Syrlya looks like he's enjoying himself. And really, that's one of the reasons why Strange dragged him out here to begin with.

"Let's see if that luck holds up in a competition," Strange teases, as he looks around the room. "There's...something with cars, something with guns, something with dancing, and air hockey. Take your pick!"

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya scrambles to gather the tickets quickly, and mostly just ends up with his hands full. He straightens back up after a moment. "What is air hockey?"

The rest, though he's never seen games related to them, he can recognize. But what the hell is a hockey.

[kingsroads]

Okay, time to explain what the hell a hockey is. "You've each got this stick or paddle or something like that. There's also a round chip called a puck. The game is played over a slick surface and you get a point by knocking the puck into the opponent's goal. Whoever gets the most points wins."

Strange can't help but frown a little. He knows the explanation is kind of terrible but truth be told, he barely knows what a hockey is to begin with. Still, hopefully it suffices.

[chronosynthesis]

"... Perhaps I should see it, first?" Because his visual image of that, he expects, isn't at all like what it actually is.

He starts to push the tickets inti his back picket to free his hands. "Where did you see it?"

[kingsroads]

"This way." And so, pushing through a group of hyperactive children, Strange leads Syrlya to the air hockey table. Thankfully, there's a few children playing the game right now so Syrlya can see how air hockey is actually played.

Strange patiently waits, gesturing towards the table and the kids as they continue to play air hockey.

"And that's it. Any questions?" He asks, having not really explained air hockey at all. Look, the kids demonstrating how to play should be good enough!

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya gives Strange a raised brow. He's having doubts that Strange actually knows how to play the game beyond what they just witness, too. "I suppose not."

Still, once the kids run off to play something else, Syrlya will position himself at one of the ends. He grabs one of the pucks, lifting it up and looking it over before he slides it against the table experimentally, back and forth to each edge.

[kingsroads]

Indeed, Strange has no idea how to play the game beyond what they just witnessed. It seemed simple, though! Knock the puck into the other person's goal, how hard could that be?

As Syrlya positions himself at one end of the table, Strange moves to the other. He grabs one of the paddles, experimentally moving it around the table. If Syrlya slides the puck near him, then Strange hits it with the paddle and nudges it back towards him.

"We'll have to put in our tokens if we actually want the game to keep score," Strange replies, a wry little smile on his face.

[chronosynthesis]

"Oh, right." Syrlya pushes the puck back towards Strange before fishing in his pocket for more tokens. He leans back to find the slot and, once he has it, rolls the tokens in.

He grabs the striker on his end and holds it evenly in the middle. "Are there tickets to the winner?"