lostcarnival | ⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

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⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Everything is weird but makes sense to the people who live there," is her immediate reply, her eyes already glued back to the book despite talking. "Lots of things are 'tricky', and don't make a lot of sense to Alice-but all of the people and things inside the mirror, in Wonderland, talk about it like it's normal.

"...Faeries do that, I think." That's a fair leap, when the fae she's experienced thus far are either the Prince-who had been described as 'odd, for a fae' to begin with-and the Ringmaster, who definitely seems to assume things to be obvious, far as she's concerned.

"Confusion comes natural in a place unknown to someone. You mean Alice is visiting that place?" just so he understands her properly. Weird isn't a word he would use normally but that is because he found things odd or quaint more than anything.

"I'd have to agree with you on that." He drops the candy near her and reaches over towards a stack of books about Hearts and plucks one called the Perfect Heart to flip it open. "Is that what you enjoy? Fantasy?"

"Yeah, but it's more than confusion. It's stuff that's not supposed to work in most places." Which doesn't really sound like much of a defense, but she Knows what she Read, okay.

"She walked through the mirror and found 'Wonderland'-but she didn't mean to go there...so I don't think it's a visit."

That aside, she tilts her head. "....I don't know. ...I just started reading it."

Child.............just be a child for once....

"You mean the rules are different where she is than what would commonly happen in a normal world?" Sounds like a neat book actually, "When you are done with that I would like to borrow it or maybe you can read it to me sometime." Just for a fun, cute activity.

He laughs softly and he really doesn't mean to. Sometimes this kid was just not a kid, "Alright, alright. You tell me after you finish it then."

"Yeah. Faerie things only make sense in Faerie places, sometimes. So it's like that." But also- "...You want me to read it?" Out loud???

She hasn't done that before. Or ever. That seems really intense, actually, and-

"Um-! Okay! ...I'm only reading this one here though," she decides, nodding. "...If I read everything... ...I won't have time to read EVERYTHING that I liked..." To further explain, she pulls out her camera from one of her pockets. "...I'm taking pictures of pages instead. ...Then I can have those books."

"Ah, now I'm getting why you were referencing that. It's like with the Ringmaster," he says like that was suppose to make sense all along and he just didn't get it. "If you want. Or you can pick out another story for later."

He's watching her for any subtle clues of unease but she rarely shows that kind of thing unless she's frightened or in pain, "That's kind of clever actually. If I knew how to work mien properly I probably would too."

Well OBVIOUSLY it was always supposed to make sense, Tyki, but don't worry, she understands.

Most of Tyki's words however, are shuffled aside in her mind for the important bit. Namely the bit about the camera.

".................You don't know how to use it?"

Does she get to teach someone else a thing!?

No, he's not sure she understands at all that her words sometimes take a bit to understand. Thankfully, Tyki does understand.

He blinks small at her words and he has to remember just how much he has revealed to her, "I come from the year 18xx. I've found I take more pictures on accident then on purpose. At first I thought I wasn't holding the button down long enough or that I had forgotten something. I know to charge it when the little bar gets less filled." He even has a printer that comes with it.

(She definitely doesn't)

Another thing she doesn't totally understand, admittedly, is this importance of Years. Though she does grasp rather quickly that it's not the same as the camera she's using right now. "...Oh! You're using one like...the one you gave me," she realizes, nodding.

"I'm using this one..." she explains-holding her polaroid. "...You click the button, and a card comes out... ...and then you watch the picture appear," she explains, showing off the rather bubbly looking device.

He digs into the bag hanging off the side and pulls it out with a little bit of a wiggle. For a kid that grew up only in her world with possibly little to no education, or at least he can assume her life has been slightly different than most, she probably doesn't understand at all. He holds it out for her to take if she wants and leans down to look at her camera.

"In my world, a 'camera' was a medium sized box you would expose to light. It had no buttons or contraptions. You removed the cap, stood still, then put it back on and developed it later. Sometimes powder and ignition would cause a flash to brighten the area.

"Ahh..." Woah. Now that's certainly a thing. She'll make the 'trade' for a moment, pouring over it with wide eyes. "Oh... ...So, then...you got me a camera...but you didn't get a new one for you?" she concludes, blinking a bit owlishly.

"...Why didn't you want one? ...For things that aren't always sitting still?"

"It's why I got this one. I was told it was relatively new. I can't seem to always work it correctly in any case." It's a simple digital camera that any modern kid might understand. Tyki does not, sadly.

"This kind of technology does not exist in my time. Humanity has not progressed that far. Even a hot shower doesn't exist. A bath is usually drawn from someone heating water then pouring it into a tub. A camera of this type does not exist. Even basic light sources are candles at night. The lightbulb was rather new."

"Mnn." Reira is presently turning it on, and turning it toward Tyki, so.

"....That doesn't mean you can't learn about things though, right? ....I didn't have those things until I met my 'mom', so..."

Not the camera, not the tub...maybe electric lights were a thing, but not Often. Power outages were more the norm there.

He's not stranger to being on camera and when it is turned towards him he'll raise a brow and look at it.

"Met your mom," he repeats with a hint of displeasure. Again, he's reminded how estranged Reira is even if it was never a bad thing. "It is in our nature to learn through time. I have been enjoying exploring new options. It's nice."

"....Yeah." She's not missed the hint, but it's not exactly anything new when the topic of her mother comes up, she's noticed. It seems a lot of people get like that when she phrases it that way, but...well. "It was...for just a little bit, before I came to the Carnival. ...I guess as long as it was between when we were in Wismuth, and when we went to Space?" She estimates, frowning. Not very long at all, really.

Still. "...Are you going to learn through time fast enough to take pictures of things here though?"

Perhaps there's some 'child' in this kid after all.

"Not very long then," he replies with mild disinterest. He couldn't care less about family that didn't stick around but then again, they might not have had the time. Family was just far too important for him to pass up.

"Depends on how hard it is to do. I pick up things rather easily. I am a fast learner."

"Mn. I'm glad I got to meet niisama because of it though. And he's here now, so..." So that's important, to her. It's less the family didn't stick around and more they just...Came very late.

Extremely late.

(And also it's a terrible one anyway, so probably best not to be able to care any less)

Reira's focus is, at any rate, on the camera. "So you'll probably learn how to use it soon then," she decides, nodding. However soon is.

"...What will you do with your pictures when you learn how?"

"You have family here?" he says openly with a hint of dismay and shock. He would never curse his family to this horrible yet intriguing place this carnival has to offer.

It just means he can leave Reira alone to her own devices now that family is here, especially if it is someone she likes.

"I'm not sure. I don't exactly know if anything is to be done with them. Most of the time pictures were taken to have an official portrait of the family and make good memories. Adding to the photo album." Ah, now he kind of wants a picture of his family.

"Yeah! ....I still don't know what he asked for though...he just had a snake body, suddenly..." It was strange, and he only really said it was deliberate, so. "...So...I guess it's a secret." He has a lot of those. "...He's probably working right now though." Cashier.

A fitting position for her brother.

But, that said, she listens to his reasoning. "Mmnnh...so... ...you don't have good memories to get here?" That's sort of what it sounded like, if he doesn't know about figuring out the camera. If there WERE good memories, then obviously he'd figure it out so he can get to photographing those things.

"Some people just don't want to share unless you haven't asked him," Tyki being included in that because he was never going to admit why he was contracted to anyone unless they figured it out or he finally mentioned it. "A snake body. That's a rather drastic change for a first one."

He doesn't want to disappoint her but the fact of the matter was it was true. He didn't really have memories worthy of taking pictures for leisure, "Not right now." He couldn't see taking a picture with Strange or anyone else he worked or played with.

"Yeah. ...He didn't seem to know why either though, when I asked..." He got the way he normally does when he doesn't have a plan.

Typical!

His answer does have her frown however. That's...hmm. "...Hmmm...you must be waiting until you're really happy then..." she determines. She knows you've BEEN happy. Or at least kind of happy... "...Does that mean you don't want me to take pictures of you though?"

"Doesn't know why?" he asks a little more curiously but he's not going to pry if she doesn't know. It was a large change for a short time period but Tyki has gotten off easy.

His brow lifts and he looks her over with a chuckle, "No, that's fine. You can take as many pictures of me as you want unless you can read when it is not a good idea. There are times pictures aren't appropriate." Like during a mission or when fae was around.

Reira nods, and has a rather dry frown on her face- Tyki isn't asking, but Reira isn't waiting. After all- "Mnnh. ...Niisama does a lot of things without knowing everything...he just makes a plan, and says, 'this will work'."

There is a rather telling pause, as she adds- "...Sometimes he doesn't have a plan either. ...People just think he does, because he looks like it."

A h. That's cold.

Photos are more interesting however, so it's back to that. "Mnh...good! I don't want a picture now, but I'll probably want to take them another day...and I probably won't have time to ask when I do."

"You're saying he's all front and no give? A plan without seeming to actually accomplish anything?" Sounds like trouble really and he would rather not have to incur someone taking charge only to not know what they were doing.

Reira, sometimes he forgets what a leak of information you are.

He gestures with a finger at the camera she's still messing with and tilts his head at it, "That's fine. Some of the best pictures and paintings are in the moment."

"He gets things done. He just doesn't always know what's happening when he does it, I don't think."

She has to think about it a moment, but decides there might be a better way to put that- "....Mnhh...I guess it's like... ...When bad things happen here, we don't know what's happening, but we have to do something anyway. ...So... It looks like we know what to do, but a lot of people are actually just doing what they hope works, and are scared.

"...That's what niisama is like."

She's glad he likes that idea about cameras though, and she gives the camera back. It's his, after all.

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