⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 47 - Day 58 ish
Where: The Athenaeum
What: The carnival arrives at book world. First week, they'll be performing for magical manifestations of book characters. Second week, it's time to hunt (for books, in the library.) Around Day 58 some stuff will occur.
Warnings: Reading is mandatory.

FAERIE TALES↴ Though the carnival will be performing for its guests in the first week, they are welcome to search the Athenaeum while they are off duty during that time. The manifestations of story characters will be out in full force during performance week, with animals, people, objects, and even locations growing out from various tales. Most are distracting at worst, and will be curious to check out the carnival. Some, however, can be as dangerous as they were in their stories of origin. You know what to do. ► IT'S TIME TO ROLEPLAY: The best way to deal with book ghosts is to follow their narrative to its logical conclusion - turn the tables, work the story so it ends in your favour! Naturalistic and narratively satisfying plotting will have the manifestations following your lead. However, push too hard and introduce too many plot holes, inconsistencies, or illogical plot twists, and they will reject your reality utterly, becoming quite aggressive in the process. You can also use your natural abilities and powers to fight them in a traditional sense, but in the Ringmaster's experience, it's best to fight reality benders by bending reality right back at them. If you aren't careful, it's possible to be dragged fully into a story's reality, and then things get really messed up. ► IT'S ALSO TIME TO READ: The carnival came here for a purpose, and that purpose is to research. Specifically, the Ringmaster is looking for information on the Queen's Miracles - the set of ancient fae artifacts that the Blue Rose is one of. The carnival needs these artifacts to defend itself, but nobody knows where they've been for thousands of years. That's what the books are for. However, nothing is stopping you from pursuing knowledge for personal reasons. The halls are open to your perusal, and only your heart can guide you to the book you truly seek. Check the plot post to see what's allowed, and sign up to find plot info or other important game information below.

Comments

b

[exaomori]

Shura only really recognizes the girl's face from seeing her around over the last month, but she's just attentive enough to keep a vague eye on the girl as she walks by the first time. No need to get up in her business if she's found something shocking or if her favorite character just got killed suddenly and horribly. Best to just let her process that on her own.

But when she passes by the second time a while later and the girl's still in the same spot as before, that's just concerning enough for Shura to check in on her, crouching a few feet away, just out of reach of any potential flailing limbs. It was best to be safe when coming up on someone like this even if Shura was doing her best not to startle her. The girl overreacts anyway, and what else is Shura supposed to do but poke fun at her?

"Sneak up on ya? Heh, you're the one sitting in middle of the floor like this. I'm surprised no one's stepped on you yet."

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's face reddens slightly. She quickly closes the book and rises to her feet. If she's looking, Shura might get a glimpse at the title, Progress and Calamity: A Story of a Blastia Researcher, as she tucks it under her arm.

"They won't if they just look where they're going!" she huffs. "The floor's just as good as any place for reading."

[exaomori]

Blastia? What was that, like a blastoma? Ah, well, Shura can stash that word away for possible reference later. Teasing this girl sounded like more fun that a dry text about blastia. Shura follows Rita as she rises up, setting her hands on her hips.

"And if they're just as focused as you were? Heh, you'd both in trouble then." Really, with as many nerds as this carnival seemed to have, it would be entirely likely that that it would happen.

[anti_nonsense]

The likelihood of that happening is... pretty high, if Rita were to consider this honestly.

"I'd live," Rita replies simply, "and then I'd make them sorry." Because it would definitely be the other party's fault, and they'd deserve it.

"Who are you, anyway?" she asks after a pause. "I've seen you around the carnival, but..." A name for the woman doesn't quite spring to mind.

[exaomori]

"Nyaha, that's a good spirit!" No, it's not. But it's funny to Shura, and it's an honest reply. Wrong, but honest.

And maybe it's just a part of this girl's personality. Of course, Shura might be seeing her bad side after startling her and teasing her. "Ah, my name? Kirigakure Shura. I guess you should tell me yours, since we're stuck together an' all~!"

[anti_nonsense]

"That's too long," Rita complains flatly, as if it were Shura's choice to have a name with lots of syllables. It doesn't help that Rita's not that familiar with Japanese names. She doesn't normally get hung up on small things like this, but she does happen to be in a bad mood right now, and not just because of the teasing. "What do you want to be called?"

...And since the woman asked, she gives her own name. "I'm Rita. Rita Mordio. I'm a researcher."

[exaomori]

Wow, that's rude! And absolutely hilarious. It takes a monumental effort of will for Shura not to bust up laughing at that.

"Ain't you straightforward? Shura's fine by me, ain't like I stand on formalities or nothin'." And this girl was Rita Mordio the researcher. Well, she really was a nerd.

"A researcher, huh? A place like this must be heaven for ya. Well, that is if you can find somethin' related to whatever you're researchin'. Ain't like they got any sense in how they put stuff up here."

[anti_nonsense]

"I suppose..." Rita murmurs, her gaze drifting back to the rows of bookshelves. Shura's not wrong; this place really is a paradise to her.

"The lack of organization is a pain in the ass, but..." She looks down at the book under her arm. "I suppose I was able to find something relevant, despite it." As much as she'd like to credit her keen eye for valuable books for the find, Rita gets the feeling that it wasn't just that.

[exaomori]

"'Relevant'? You looked pretty shocked, y'know." So shocked that she didn't notice Shura until she was crouched beside her. Shura would ask for specifics, but let's be honest, she really doesn't want to get a lecture about stuff she didn't really care about at that moment. If it wasn't directly related to the carnival or her home, her patience for learning was limited.

[anti_nonsense]

Rita grimaces at being called out on her reaction. With how the conversation moved away from it, she was hoping Shura somehow forgot about that.

"Th-that's just because..." She grits her teeth, trying to think of how to put this. "It's about someone whose work I've been following closely. A lot of... lesser-known facts about him."

Everything she just said is true, even if she did just dance around the actual shocking part.

[exaomori]

"'Lesser-known facts,' huh?" That could mean a lot. Shura's home wasn't the only one rife with terrible secrets, after all. She isn't nosy enough to pry into something dark, though, and chooses instead to continue to be obnoxious. "He some kinda perv or somethin'? They usually are!"

[anti_nonsense]

"What!? No!" Rita protests, perhaps too eagerly. She hopes not.

"...Although he did manage to have two families without bothering to tell one about the other, so he sure as hell wasn't a saint," she adds through gritted teeth.

[exaomori]

That's way too eager. Also, she just handed over a salacious little bit that was probably worse.

"Oh! What a guy! Usually it's better if they just like to be blindfolded, y'know? I guess he kept himself busy like that."

[anti_nonsense]

"He should've been more than busy enough with his research alone..." Rita grumbles. "Don't know how he found the time. Then again, maybe he didn't." As in, he wasn't exactly around that much for either of his families.

[exaomori]

"Well, men like to blow off stress in that kind of way. Keeps them on their toes and gives them something else to think about when they run into a problem at work." And they could bury themselves in their work when family got too demanding. But maybe she should be changing the subject? The girl was pretty invested in this guy...

[anti_nonsense]

"B-blow off stress!?" Rita is indignant, as if taking that very personally. Probably because she is.

"My mom and I weren't just...! There's no way--" she sputters, then stops herself, realizing she's probably said too much.

[exaomori]

Oh.. Too late to regret saying that now. Shura goes quite, for a moment, her expression softening and turning a little more serious. No wonder she was invested in him.

"That kinda thing--ain't your fault if he couldn't handle the pressure."

But she probably doesn't want to hear Shura's opinion on that. Shura knows well enough to drop that subject, raising her arms up and crossing them them behind her.

"Ain't the point, though. That all you've been able to find, or you been lucky findin' anythin' else?"

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's still looking a bit red after that outburst, but it looks like Shura's offering to change the subject, and Rita should probably take it.

That said, she doesn't have a whole lot else to show for all the reading she's been doing.

"Nothing useful," she admits, frowning. "I was hoping to find something we can use to fight against the fae."

[exaomori]

"What a pain." Coming all the way here and ultimately not finding anything sounded like a nightmare. Shura sighs, letting her arms drop and resting a hand on her hip.

"I ain't too good at this kinda thing, so I was hopin' someone else found somethin' useful."

[anti_nonsense]

"I'll find something," Rita declares, all too confidently. "This is my specialty. It just takes time, sometimes." And it'd maybe help if she didn't get distracted with revelations about her heritage, but whatever, it's fine.

[exaomori]

"Nyaha, that's the spirit!" At least she could bluster her way through, even with that book about her dad on her mind.

"Just so long as you keep out of the middle floor~. It'd take even longer if you had to go to the med tent for stitches 'cause someone stepped on you or somethin'."