☆ Victory Celebration! ☆

[pipers_son]

Who ☆ Space Gold Medalist Steven Universe, and everyone who wants to come in the Carnival!
Where ☆ Carnival Grounds, the Cookhouse
What ☆ Surprising many a person, someone in the carnival has actually won a gold medal- Steven Universe in professional wrestling! So it's time to throw a surprise party for the carnival's latest star!
When ☆ Some time after the medal announcements
Notes ☆ This is a mingle log, so feel free to make your own top levels and tag around. Joker went around asking the other supervisors to tell their own underlings about how this was being set up, so feel free to handwave your character coming over to help cook or decorate, or even include it as a prompt!


Feathers the Dartrix, for the last few hours, has had to do a Very Important Job.

He knows it's important because Joker stressed it to him very clearly and carefully, using simple words for a tiny bird. The Very Important Job has been to distract one Steven Universe. It's been a little hard, admittedly! Feathers likes to think of himself as quite intelligent, but he also likes Steven very much! He is very bright, and friendly, and pets his feathers just right, and forgave him when he grabbed a Peppercat. (Feathers is, admittedly, a little confused on why that was a bad thing, because that was just a new Pokemon Steven had, right? And everyone knows that when Pokemon faint in a battle, people just randomly lose consciousness and wake up in a PokeCenter.) So sometimes he has to remind himself not to let Steven go back to the carnival just yet.

Yet he has finally succeeded! It has taken a lot of work (and mostly a note from Joker that was attached to his neck asking Steven to show Feathers around), but Feathers is feeling confident when they finally return to the carnival. A certain whistle had flickered through Steven's radio- the sign that it was okay to come back.

So it's with a puffed up proud chest that Feathers leads Steven to the cookhouse, flapping his wings excitedly and doing his best to herd the boy with head-cuddles to his legs. As the pair approach the cookhouse, it's uncharacteristically dark. Quite a rare occurrence, honestly, even now that the old Head Cook has long since retired. Even without the older woman's presence, there's usually some light or another on within its depths. Sometimes it's just for sake of ease. Often it's because sleeping patterns in the Carnival vary, with some members never really sleeping at all but still liking a nice snack or the open quietness of the cookhouse at night. That will probably be the first sign to Steven that something is up...

But Feathers is insistent. He was given very clear and simple instructions! By Joker, his beloved larger and antlered bird. So he continues to nudge Steven closer to the front doors, hopping excitedly around the youth. As the door is finally opened into the dark....

Lights flash on, flooding the cookhouse with visibility once more, and-

"CONGRATULATIONS, STEVEN!"



It's a party! And everyone better have cheered that out as Joker told them to, or else, well, he'll be doing it on his own, and that will just be awkward for everyone. With a big banner stretched out congratulating Steven for his gold medal win, balloons and confetti everywhere, and all sorts of other decorations livening the place up, it's a pretty great place to be! Probably better than some parts of the space station and cabins down on the planet are looking, honestly.... although that's not saying much.

Part of what's helping to brighten the atmosphere? The large karaoke equipment all set up! Veterans of the Carnival, and those who joined at the start of the last working year during the dreamland stop, will recognize it quite well. It's still functioning as well as ever, and will gladly blare out quite a few selection of songs.... although more than a few of them are rather dated, unless Acquisitions has been adding to it when no one has been looking. Considering most of the songs seem to be from early 2000s and before, they probably would have done everyone a favor. Or maybe, considering it's karaoke, it's never really a favor to anyone...

Food has also been set up for everyone, but especially the winner! In honor of Steven's victory, a large and multi-layered chocolate cake has been baked expertly for the occasion. Due to such short notice (Joker decided to do this literally today), it isn't going to be winning any medals itself in the "looks" department.... but it doesn't need fancy looks. It's plenty delicious on its own, sweet and perfectly soft. Joker may only have one hand, but he's still plenty proficient in the kitchen. (Especially when he can harass other people into helping him with cooking.)

Along with the victory cake, there's also plenty of other food, enough for everyone in the carnival to at least have a little bit of everything! For anyone who's familiar with Joker's own homeworld and time, they've perhaps noticed that he's purposefully stayed away from anything that might remind anyone of their time in the Prince's manor. Instead, he's stepped outside his usual. That means people will be able to find various curries available, along with warm bread and various meats and grilled vegetables skewered on sticks. Don't hurt yourselves with them. And that's just what Joker has made for everyone. Others have also been encouraged to bring some food to the party, especially if they think Steven would like it!

It's not the fanciest party anyone in the carnival has likely been to.... but it doesn't need to be. Perhaps, considering their experiences with parties, it shouldn't be. That's perfectly fine.

As long as everyone has fun and relaxes, it's more than fine.

Comments

[pipers_son]

A - Party Planning

[As the person springing this onto everyone last minute, Joker is at least willing to take responsibility for it, so he can be found hard at work in the kitchen. It wouldn't be fair to get the cooks onto all of this, unless they want to, so he's taken it upon himself... and whoever he can rope into this as well. Hey, it's all fair, right?]

[Anyone walking into the kitchen will have Joker looking over, grinning and with some vegetables spread out in front of him.]

Hey there! Think ya could give me a hand?

[Besides being in the kitchen, he also occasionally ducks out to see how the people he's asked to help decorate are coming along. He'll manage all this himself if he has to, but he appreciates the help]

B - Party Time, with bird

[Feathers is feeling pretty good about what he's managed to accomplish today! So he has no shame in waddling up to people, pulling at their pants legs, and looking up expectantly... at whatever food they might have.]

[At least Joker intervenes immediately, laughing a little as he steps closer.]

Sorry about him! Guess he thinks he deserves a reward. Well, he does, but he shouldn't be botherin' other people for that.

[singinghuntress]

[Amusingly, one of the people he roped into this particular task in the kitchen just happened to be one of the resident vampires.]

You realize zhat vatever you're cooking, I cannot taste it.

[Even with that being said, she was already moving to help him chop vegetables, something Rip really had no problem doing as she started to cut up carrots and whatever else he needed for the time being.]

[pipers_son]

Ha. Trust me, I know better than ya think.

[Having gone through a portion of his life having to deal with that.... Yeah, he has personal experience with it. Still, he grins as she starts to chop some things.]

All I really need is just someone ta steady things for me. I have some trouble with it, for some unknown reason.

[That totally has nothing to do with the empty space that is his right side.]

b

[exaomori]

[What's this little bird creature pulling at the laces on Shura's boots? She can easily guess what it wants; she's been around enough critters to recognize the way it's looking at her plate of grilled meat.

It's good that Joker is quick to intervene, since Shura was probably going to give the poor thing more than he expected.]

Ah, he's yours? He's cute ♥

[Which just means Shura wants to harass him...]

[pipers_son]

[Cute, and intelligent enough to recognize a compliment when he hears one. Feathers puffs up in pleasure and tries to increase how cute his big ol' eyes are. Please, give him the food.]

[Shaking his head, Joker tries to nudge him away.]

Yeah, I picked 'im up in a stop not that long ago. He was a lot smaller when I first found 'im, tho.

b

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's been playing keep away with his plate of chocolate cake as Feathers peers on, eager. He's relieved when he sees Joker coming to intervene as he moves the plate his over his head.]

Joker! It's okay. [He chuckles in response, regarding the Pokemon again.] Is it okay for him to have chocolate?

[Yuya's mostly owned cats and dogs, which would make giving them some of this cake a huge 'no', and he's hedging on the side of caution when he doesn't know Pokemon diets so well.]

[pipers_son]

Ah.... Y'know what, I'm not sure.

[Crouching down, he tries to coax the bird up onto his arm and then back to his shoulder. Feathers is three feet tall by this point; keeping him on his shoulder is starting to be impractical. Well, it was impractical since a while ago. Still, he knows that the bird likes it, so he's hoping that maintains true even in the face of chocolate.]

It would've been a bad idea over in my England, but this isn't exactly a regular bird, ha...

A

[dressedtothe]

[9S has little interest in attending a celebration party for a (half) alien, but Lambert had told him that Joker's the one organising. So... 9S at least makes the effort to help the guy out, even if he intends to stay far away from Steven and the other gems (if they show up).

So he's actively looking for Joker when he calls out to him. Walking over, 9S surveys what Joker has in front of him.]

Sure. What do you want me to do?

[pipers_son]

[While some of the vegetables are pretty common to most versions of earth, there are a few that are.... very distinctly otherworldly. Slightly odd shapes, colors that aren't common on them, that sort of thing. The carnival picks up all sorts.]

[Joker is used to it by now, gesturing to the nearest one.]

I just need someone ta help keep these steady while I chop. Nothin' too difficult, unless a wanna learn how ta cook.

A

[crimsonfallenangel]

[Anghel's decided to pitch in by bringing cooked fish for the party. (Joker may remember Anghel mentioning the "Silver Beings".) He sets it down on a nearby counter.]

What is it that you require, Arcane Seeker?

[pipers_son]

[Cooked fish are always a welcome addition, and Joker grins brightly when he sees them.]

Aw, ya brought somethin'~. I'm sure it'll warm Steven's heart ta see.

In the meanwhile- [Ah, giant bird, right.] Do ya think ya could bring me some of the skewers? Not sure if you've been in the kitchen much before...

A, time for the Latest Tag-In

[pullingamiko]

[Miko was... totally definitely not just sneaking in to grab a snack. Totally.

Okay she was but that's pretty much forgotten when she sees someone else in here who theoretically shouldn't be, but he's... working? Huh.]

Uh... Sure? With what?

[pipers_son]

Curry!

[Ta da~.]

So I need ya ta fetch me a pan from one of the cupboards, if ya don't mind.

[starseedling]

☆RIGHT OFF THE BAT
Steven hasn't thought much about any of it since he got the note asking to give Feathers a tour. For him, giving a Pokemon a tour of the Space Olympics feels like a perfectly natural thing - even if he has to be careful to watch what language he uses in front of locals, who know that his species only vocalizes in a very particular way. That combined with general unfamiliarity with the setting had Steven not intending to win anything at all.

Yet, as it turned out, Groot Ninja turned out to be a massive success - so much in fact, that the mysterious ways of Pro Wrestling (tested over a series of matches over several days) deemed him worthy of a Gold Metal win. It was a lot of fun, first and foremost, and the alien competitors did all kinds of crazy stuff, so the fact that he came out on top hasn't been his primary interest.

He loves entertaining people, though, and receiving so much validation that way has him in a pretty great mood.

He takes Feathers and his own two Pokemon out for an adventure around the Olympic grounds, the specifics of which were duly wacky but irrelevant to the current situations. After a few hours of fun and without any Feathers versus Bud incidents (she's been so rowdy lately!), Steven considers it a success overall and returns for meal time... which means Feathers won't have a terrible time luring him, until the very end when everything looks super spooky.

His first reaction to the lights being off is the sinking feeling that something has gone wrong, so the turn around is pretty incredible.

He's totally caught by surprise by the people there waiting for him, and it shows. It's a stark turn around from the party he was at a week or two ago - feeling confused and out of place. All he can manage to do at first is cover his mouth with his hands and gasp. Bud startles so badly she falls off of his shoulder and onto the ground.

☆LATER ON IN THE NIGHT
No matter how big or small the gathering ends up being, Steven is having a great time. He's touched by the sentiment, above all, and after eating and all that stuff he'll be pretty keen to socialize with as many people as he can.

Specifically, he is excited to try out the karaoke machine again. If you haven't done it yet, or if you haven't done it recently, there's a good chance Steven will come up and ask you if you want to "jam", and he might even try breaking out some different instruments to add to the experience.

Over time it might become less karaoke and more Rock Band, but who can complain?

KARAOKE

[pipers_son]

Joker certainly can't! At least, not when Steve comes up to him as he's in the process of carefully cleaning off Feather's face with a napkin. As it turns out, sometimes when you give an owl curry, they will just shove their entire face in there. Grinning at the younger boy's offer, Joker leans back away. Feathers is... mostly clean now.

"I'd love ta! Have a song already in mind, or should we pick somethin' together?"

Karaoke!

[puddingemote]

The request to "jam" makes him laugh a bit, but Tamaki nods obligingly, standing up from his plate of food.

"Yeah, sounds fun. What do you want to do?"

Thanks to his time in Portland, Tamaki actually knows some of the songs in the karaoke machine now.

☆~LATER ON IN THE NIGHT~☆

[prazerbutterfly]

He's kept to himself most of this party with an interest of enjoying the company of others around him having a good time more than enjoying it himself. In reality, he's watching. Mostly because today was the second time Joker teasingly scolded him on not knowing exactly who Steven was even though he was part of Joker's crew. He's heard his name dozens of times from Wismuth and even earlier. Everyone seemed to talk about him like he was a good yet unfortunate kid.

Normally he'd go slaughter one of the crabs in Zargon's space zone and carrying it all the way back for a giant cookout but seeing as this was a party for a kid, he wasn't going to alarm him. Kids needed a break every now and then. He was still surprised there even were a few in carnival.

Eventually he'll stalk closer and find a place to enjoy the music. When Steven approaches for this 'jam' he'll lightly raise one hand in a gentle gesture with a warm and kind smile, "No, no. That's alright. I don't mind just listening."

Off the bat

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's towards the front of the crowd and angled off to the side when they greet Steven, which at least means in he's in a good position to carefully shuffle forward and kneel down to help Bud back up after she falls.

"Whoops--" He tries to gently scoop her up, giving Steven a minute to absorb all the attention on him.

karaoke

[pullingamiko]

Miko absolutely will not complain about unplanned Rock Band - and she's actually pretty well-equipped. Since there was going to be karaoke, she didn't see any reason not to go ahead and bring her guitar, and that is looking more and more like it was a good plan.

"Totally! You got a song you want to do?"

[hippocarnival]

[Pre-Party]

[Yuya's volunteered himself to decorations duty, and he's engaging it enthusiastically. It's probably not a surprise that he's as crafty as he is creative, and with a suitable long, pink tarp and lots of glitter and yellow paint, he's taking over a side of the cookhouse to paint a banner. Working on a big size is difficult, but that doesn't deter Yuya at all as he gets to painting a huge 'CONGRATULATIONS' and an appropriate decoration of stars.

He's too short to hang it up, but that's probably where you come in.

After that, and with his face and hands covered in dried paint and glitter, he's putting together side decorations like streamer bundles for the door, and trying to catch runaway balloons. Anybody just awkwardly standing around during prep can be expected to be dragged in for assistance.]

[Celebration Underway]

[It's not a party if you're not eating a sickening amount of sugar, so of course Yuya's by the cake and cutting himself a slice. It's huge, it's teetering dangerously, and Yuya has every intention of just knocking it over into his plate and hoping for the best. This is a mess waiting to happen.]

pre-party

[puddingemote]

[That is, indeed, where he comes in. Tamaki's job for this party set-up has mainly been to reach high places and carry heavy things, and he's okay with that. Though, he's also contributed some doodled stars on the banner and snuck a drawing of King Pudding onto a streamer or two.]

Oooh. Nice banner, Yuu-chan.

[Said as he gingerly starts to lift it from the floor.]

[singinghuntress]

A.

[Rip had gotten roped into decorating the cookhouse for this little last minute event and even dragged into the kitchen to help cook. Surprisingly she wasn't bad at it despite being unable to taste her own food. But, at least Rip wasn't hiding in her trailer now?

So, if anyone wants to come bother the reclusive knife thrower, now it the time.]

B.

[Whoever brought out a Karaoke machine didn't know what they were in for once Rip found it... and unless someone stopped her, a certain huntress was probably going to irritate everyone. She had a good singing voice, she just... liked singing.]

A

[sunflowerfields]

[Hinawa has been too busy cooking to even think about decorating, so she's grateful for any extra help. While she's wheeling out a tray of cookies to cool, she stops to admire Rip's work.]

I really can't thank you enough for your hard work!

[fortuneglass]

[ITTTTT'S PARTY TIME! ....Soon.]

Where Joker's last minute cake certainly isn't looking too grand, Carly managed to do pretty swell with regard to getting some decorations around. Or at least, she feels like she did. Aside from the big banner, she's used strips of spare fabric to make ceiling streamers of some sort, and a few more awkward bits were even folded into stars- maybe if someone asks, they can keep one.

As it is, Carly's anticipation is through the roof. "Mmmmnnnhhhhhnn~" She's got fabric strung about, stars on tables...and now?

Now a pile of her own, brilliantly luminous feathers. "Do you think we could put these somewhere to decorate too..? They are pretty shiny..."

She should probably sit down.

[The Party Isn't Over Yet...]

Naturally, when one burns out all their energy in the first half of the party (not to mention preparations), it....means not much is happening in the end bit. She went wild on the karaoke mic, ate plenty, jokingly fired arrows into the air (not. Real ones, fortunately, just little fire ones that dispersed on their own before they could do anything)...

And now she's sort of sitting at the side chewing half a loaf of warm bread.

"Mnnhmmnngghhh....I should have eaten sooner..." she mutters sleepily, albeit with a smile on all the same. Beside her, her marowak merely huffs. Honestly.

[WILDCARD - Early in the party? Carly is the absolute LIFE of it! Later? Not so much she's energy low. And at all times, she can definitely be asked about those...Scrap Stars. Or about how she did in her own event. (Which is Not That Great, albeit not bad)]

party isn't over

[dressedtothe]

How much of the general karaoke singing is an assault on his aural receptors is a matter of taste. But one thing's for certain; he'd much rather watch and listen to the impromptu singing than be the centre of attention.

He's away from the general ruckus of the party, so when she sits near him, he comments, "Wow, aren't you tired? You've been at it for a while."