lostcarnival | Curiosity and Satisfaction

Who: Ash and OPEN
What: Ash is heeeeere! And poking around! And being loud!
Where: Alllll over!
When: Allll day!
Warnings: None?

A.

[You ever have one of those days where suddenly you ended up awake in a carnival you'd signed up to work in for the sake of your own freedom? Well, up until today, Ash hasn't either, and the feeling is downright electric.]

[So today a catgirl wanders the carnival, not quite certain what she's supposed to be doing or who she's supposed to be talking to, but absolutely eager to drink everything in from her newfound perspective as ajn eager employee. So she's poking her nose into booths, tents, and people's affairs with the curiosity of... some sort of curious animal.]

B.

[As the day, such as it is here in dreams, wanes and Ash's excitement continues to bubble, the performer makes her way out to the edge of the grounds. Warm, tingling delight is surging through her nerves and begging to let itself out, and when she feels like this she knows she can't resist forever. As far away as she can safely get, she slings the guitar off her back and flips its strap around her shoulders properly. The lack of a pick doesn't stop her, she has claws. The lack of an amp doesn't stop her; she has magic.]

[With a fierce, joyous, feral grin, Ash picks up the loudest, fastest anthem of joy that comes to her mind at the moment; it happens to be really excessive solos that probably aren't far enough away from the carnival to avoid disturbing anyone.]

C.

[Was that your dreamcatcher with a feather dangling from the bottom of it? Because now its strings are tangled around Ash's claws as she looks around, incredibly sheepish and guilty, to check if anyone had seen that.]

[Instincts come with the tail and ears, you know.]

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I guess I ought to learn what they're like if I'm gonna be working here, huh?

[That might just be an excuse to play a game. Ash notes Chiaki's ears with some curiosity which she politely doesn't voice.]

Are you?

[ It's worth asking. Maybe she's already made a contract, or maybe somebody's just suggested one. ]

Did you talk to the Ringmaster?

Signed, sealed, and deeeeelivered. [Ash lifts two fingers to one eyebrow, kind of a salute.] You are looking at your new star performer!

[And she invites you to baaaaask in it.]

Oh! [ Well... the girl doesn't seem displeased about it, so Chiaki returns the smile. ] Welcome! Mm... you can play anything you like... I've been tweaking the water gun arcade lately, but they're all fun, really.

[No. Not displeased at all. She looks like the proverbial cat in cream, really.] Oh, one of those race things?

Yeah.

[ There's nobody else around, so... Chiaki hands Ash a water gun and picks one up herself. ] I'll play against you. Are you ready?

[Ash draws the water gun and drops into her best approximation of a confident, one-handed gunslinger pose.] You're on.

[ Pleased to see the fellow catgirl getting so into it, Chiaki draws her own weapon (two-handed, just in case), and flips the switch to start the game. The buzzer rings, lights flip on, and the target activates.

Water erupts from both guns and Chiaki immediately points it at the one connected to her boat. ]

[Games like this are won by whoever gets on target faster -- and Ash is a moment slower than Chiaki. Not that she minds -- she still tries to cheer on her racer, as if that could move it faster.]

[ Chiaki's intensely concentrated on the game the entire time, and within about a minute she's narrowly beaten Ash. She gives the girl a bright smile. ] Best two out of three?

[Giggling, Ash spins the water gun around with a little toss to offer the grip to Chiaki.] Naw, who am I kidding? You've got all the practice, you'll murder me every time.

[ Chiaki catches the grip. ] Oh, don't feel bad though! You were really good... you almost beat me! That gives you a second-place prize at least.

[ She pulls a small stepladder from around the corner and places it down so she can climb up to reach some of the stuffed prizes above. ] One of the smaller ones...

Hey, it's not like I paid for the privilege... [She doesn't want Chiaki getting in trouble! The Ringmaster had given the impression that she might be a bit of a hard case...]

[ She pauses as she climbs. ] Oh... you might have to. Workers don't actually play for free.

[ She hums with thought as she sits on the stepladder, thinking. ] Tell you what, if you come back and play again, and pay next time, I can probably give you a prize, okay?

Oh, don't worry. I'll be back for sure. [Ash winks... still not sure if Chiaki is actually someone she can flirt with without being creepy, so she's keeping it subdued.] A year and a day here, right?

[ She blinks at the wink. What do?? ]

A year and a day. Unless you extend it.

I'm not sure what I'd even ask for. I mean, I've got everything a girl could want. [She taps a claw against her cheek thoughtfully. Unless... well, she could work some more for her family, maybe? Help them out too?]

What did you ask for the first time? ... If you want to say, um, I don't know if that's too personal of a question. Is it?

It kind of is and kind of isn't. [She folds her arms, a slight frown crossing her face as she half-turns away.]

[What decides her is the notion that she needs to look out for others of her kind.]

...Okay, if you ever meet another catperson? Another catperson like me, that is? The thing about us is that we can't say 'no'.

At all? [ She tilts her head, wondering if that's something she'll have happen to her.

Then she realizes that this means the girl didn't start out as a human. ]

I didn't know that. [ She frowns a little. ] Were you tricked?

Not 100% everything. Just...where consent matters. [She traces her own outline in midair with one finger, emphasis on the curves.] A year and a day was a tiny price to pay for getting rid of that little problem.

[ She startles. She hopes that she's interpreting the catgirl all right.

She fidgets a little and looks around. Still not too many people around. ]

This place isn't so bad so far. There's good people here. Everyone sort of looks out for each other.

[ The implied: Ash will be looked after, too. ]

Oh, don't worry about me! [Ash waves a hand through the air brightly.] I can take care of myself something fierce. Especially with that little quirk removed.

That's good. [ She gives the catgirl a warm smile. ] I'll be really curious to see your performance!

Damn straight you are. I'll blow you away.

[Well, she doesn't lack for confidence.]

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