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.

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Ginko's eyebrows rise just a little higher at that, but he knows better than to pry about what might be a matter of newly-gained changes. Doesn't mean he won't say something, though. "...So long as you're actually fine, and not just saying that."

He knows you, Joker, and he's basically eternally expecting you to have something going on you're not admitting to.

But. Anyway. Crap, he guesses he can't keep putting this off anymore. He shakes his head, hesitantly, and pulls invisibly at a loose thread inside one pocket. "I... needed to tell you something. I told Psi about our situation, and he..." He presses his lips together, considering how to put this for a moment. "He seemed pretty excited, actually."

"Ha..." Resting his hand against the back of his neck, Joker glances away. "It's... Well, probably fine..." So it's probably not horrible, but he's not exactly being honest about it, either. Honestly, it's not important.

It's definitely not important when Ginko keeps talking, and Joker's ears flick upwards at the mention of Psi. Funny how his stomach can go from calm to twisting in an instant, and he struggles to keep his expression blank. Funny how it's easier to do that when a book is threatening him. Still...

"I guess I can't say I'm particularly surprised ta hear that."

Okay, well, Ginko is pretty suspicious of THAT, and he will absolutely be pestering Joker about it later. But, now, he should probably finish this other conversation before he defaults to apologizing for the interruption and leaves.

Yes, this would be an incredibly awkward time to do that. No, that wouldn't stop him if he were just a little more uncomfortable.

He manages a quiet huff of a laugh. "Yeah, guess I should have anticipated it. But, uh. I guess it's safe to say he'll... support us. If we decide to go through with this."

'Go through with this', as if they're planning a murder or something. But... he wants to make sure Joker still has the chance to change his mind before anything happens that he might regret later.

Somehow, committing a murder feels like it would be easier to do than going through with all of this. But there's no running away now, not after all they've talked about, so Joker just pauses, kneading at the empty space of his right side for a while.

"So.... We were?" He glances up at Ginko from beneath his eyelashes.

"...Yeah. I guess we were."

That's... a scary thought. Exciting, but really, really scary. He takes a deep breath in an effort to steady himself, and tries again to smile. It's... an attempt, at least.

He'd think this would be easier, after everything with Psi. But that was different; there, they'd had Portland, like a test drive confirming that they could work as a couple. Even if they started over upon regaining their memories, they were still starting from something.

Here, all he's got is his and Joker's friendship as a frame of reference. He doesn't know how different to expect things to be from here.

It's definitely scary and, stuck in place where he is, Joker has no idea what he should even do. He doesn't even have a frame of reference. People learn how to be in a relationship by copying their parents, he figures, but, well....

Yeah. No frame of reference.

Honestly, he doesn't even know how to finish this conversation, ears flicked down as he bites the urge to fidget. "Well," he says at last, "I guess that's it." Shit. He should.... say something else. Anything. Unfortunately, all he can think of as he looks down to his right side is...

"....Wanna look?" Wait, that also sounds weird. Shit. "I mean... Figure we should be equal, if we're doin' this, so...."

He got to see Ginko's sort-of-empty eye socket, so it's only fair that Ginko gets to see his sort-of-empty arm socket.

That's it. They're... dating now, he guesses.

He's not sure if things should... feel different now, or what.

He blinks, already getting ready to ask what the hell Joker is talking about before he clarifies - and Ginko notices where he's looking. Ah.

Ginko presses his lips together, looking from Joker's side to his face. "...Sure. If you're alright with that."

He's not, actually, but maybe that's what romance is supposed to be? Or maybe it's not. He honestly has no idea. However, if there's one good thing about all of this, it's that he won't be showing Ginko a completely horrible sight. Instead, he just sort of laughs, reaching over to peel away the sleeve there. It takes a little bit of work, but that's alright.

"S'fine. Nothin' horrible." Right now, at least. In fact, the soft glow that starts to peek past the hole is actually rather lovely, shifting through a variety of colors lazily. As he finally gets the sleeve back proper, it's clear that an almost solid mass of light seems to have gathered along the place where his right arm socket should be. It's been kind of a nuisance to cover it up, honestly... The glow shows through his lighter tops. On the bright side, literally, it hides most of the ugly parts of his right side.

Which is all of it, honestly.

"It was achin' for ages and I couldn't figure out why, ha ha."

Edited 2018-05-19 02:47 (UTC)

Dammit Joker just tell him that and he won't look.

But, since Joker is offering, and Ginko is curious (which might be evident in how his ears lift up) he moves over a little closer to look.

And... ah. Somehow, that is not what he was expecting to see, and he can't quite stop that surprise from showing on his face. He crouches down some to get a better look, remembering a moment later that that... might make Joker uncomfortable? He hopes not. If it seems to, he can back off.

"That'd do it, I think... how badly does it hurt?" He glances up at Joker, his ears tilting back with concern.

"It actually hurt a lot worse at first~." The fact that at no point has Joker shown any inclination of this is probably mildly worrying, but he swears it's not that bad. It's just that he's used to the occasional ache on his right side, even from when he had a prosthetic there. It's a little impossible for him to have escaped the toll of his England, after all.

"But then I went ta go see Yukio a while back, and it's been doin' a bit better. Oh- ya should touch it!"

"It did?" Yeah that is very worrying, and there is some definite alarm on Ginko's face now, however subtle it might be. "For how long?"

...You know, he had been pretty set on not doing that, because it sounds like all kinds of a bad idea. But, if Joker is offering, it must not be dangerous or anything, right? "Uh... should I?"

Just. Making sure.

"Ah.... Since we left Wismuth? I didn't think anythin' of it, at first, besides tryin' ta use some healin' magic on it. It didn't work, but I'm still not sure if that's because I sucked at it or not." On one hand, it's clear now that this is a natural carnival sort of change. On the other hand, he still might suck at healing.

Regardless, he gives the shoulder a roll. "And s'fine! Yukio mess with it a bunch."

"How long was it before you went to Yukio?"

Yes, he might be worrying at you a little now, Joker. He doesn't know what you expected.

He does, however, go ahead and reach out to rest his fingers lightly against the light pooling from Joker's shoulder. "...Huh."

"Ah.... After that party for Steven...?"

So. A while. In his defense, what the fuck are phantom limb problems.

But enough about that. Hopefully Ginko will get distracted by the sensation of the light in his shoulder instead, however- particularly the gentle warmth it seems to give off against his fingertips. It's the kind of sensation that belongs to a warm spot of sunlight in a cool afternoon, all concentrated into one little area. Yet even as he tries to pull away, the light seems to follow, stuck without the feeling of stickiness.

Ginko just... looks up at Joker, raising his eyebrows slightly. There's not really any need to say anything, since, uh. He figures Joker can guess what he's thinking.

Instead, he focuses his attention back on the light under his fingers. It really is pretty fascinating - enough so to distract him from how nerve-wracking it might otherwise be to be this close to Joker. That's one nice thing about weird magic shit, it makes a great diversion from feelings. He actually leans in a little closer, examining the way it clings to his fingers even when he starts to pull away.

"That's... certainly something. Not sure I've seen anything quite like it here. ...Except Carly." Just, you know, Carly in general.

He knows. He knows! The sheepish grin on his face is trying to broadcast that thought as clearly as possible, without actually saying anything.

But, hey, if no words are exchanged on that front, then it means he doesn't have to address anything! Instead, he just kind of laughs down as Ginko presses in closer. He's really glad that he doesn't have to worry about him seeing any of the scarring... "Yeah, it does seem a bit like her, doesn't it? But I don't think it's completely that way. Reminds me a little of when my wings grew in, honestly."

Even as Ginko keeps his hand in contact with the light, however, and doesn't pull away too quickly or two far, it seems to lazily begin to seep inbetween his fingers, moving in the same kind of lazy motion as the waves of a tide. Certainly it's in no hurry.

"S'pose that would make sense." So this is just how it works when Joker grows new limbs, apparently.

He considers the way the light moves around his fingers for another moment, then, gently, pulls his hand free. As interesting as it is, he's not sure it wouldn't have a bad effect on either Joker or himself for him to keep his hand in that light for too long. He straightens up, flexing his fingers and looking over them for any light that might have kept on clinging.

"...Seems kind of appropriate to you, actually."

Admittedly, his wings didn't grow from light, but it was still a slow process. Growing limbs of any kind apparently is.

Speaking of limbs, that light isn't letting go so immediately. Instead, it continues to stretch, following for a couple of feet before staying where it is. However, what's notable is that instead of entirely ignoring physics, the light seems to follow with the movement of his hand, following along the back of it instead of readjusting itself.

Joker just grins, cheekily. "What, 'cuz I'm flashy?"

Oh, that is weird. Ginko raises his eyebrows as he watches the light stretch out, then looks at Joker again with a smile.

"Well, that's part of it, sure. But there's more than that; you can flow with what's happening around you, even if the way you do it seems strange. ...And even if you seem a little overwhelming at first, getting closer makes it clear how warm you can really be."

Look. They're dating now, he guesses. He can say this and it's okay.

They sure are dating, and Ginko sure did say that.

At first, Joker laughs off the beginning of Ginko's words and his partial agreement to all his flash and attention grabbing. Yeah, no one can deny that part of him, can they? And it's probably only fitting that someone who's spent his career in the spotlight now has a different sort of light attached to him.

Except then he keeps going. Joker keeps his eyes locked down at where Ginko's hand meets the light, because it seems the safer option than looking up at him as he says that. Being flexible, literally and metaphorically, has always been something he's prided himself about... but it seems strangely different hearing it come out of Ginko's mouth. As the other man finishes, Joker rattles off a quiet laugh for lack of better idea of how to respond-

The light suddenly snaps.

It happens so quickly that it's hard to describe the process, honestly, only that it's almost like a match suddenly flaring to life. Those sparks suddenly sparking, flowing, flickering into a proper flame of a shape... That same sort of process goes all throughout the light, starting from the should and going down the rest. Flaring, solidifying, nearly a wave of energy and motion until it rolls to Ginko's hand....

Where another hand is now curled around his, fingers slotted inbetween the gaps of his own.

Joker doesn't have anything to say. He just stares blankly.

One nice thing about the sudden burst of light is that it works pretty nicely to distract Ginko from any rising embarrassment about what he just said.

He stares for a couple moments, wide-eyed, at the newly-formed hand now holding his. Without really thinking about it, he adjusts his grip, holding on a little more firmly.

"...Wow. So much for growing slowly, huh."

"Yeah.... So much." He sounds a little out of it, honestly, and it's more from just the appearance of the hand. Instead, slowly, his fingers squeeze down and ease up, one at a time, against Ginko's own knuckles.

Squeeze, repeat. Squeeze, repeat.

Give him a moment, Ginko.

He supposes it's no surprise that Joker would be a little bit shaken after something like that. But that doesn't keep him from being concerned, because of course it doesn't.

Ginko watches Joker's fingers working against his own, staying quiet at first. He does, however, look up after a few moments, raising his eyebrows. "You alright?"

"Ah-" He jolts a bit, snapped out of his thoughts, and tries to laugh off the momentary strangeness. It's not entirely successful, especially since Ginko has seen through his bullshit before.

"Yeah! Yeah. Just. Never actually had a right hand before. S'all."

Y'know, he's... not sure if he should believe that, but it doesn't sound impossible. Ginko hums quietly and gives Joker's new hand a gentle squeeze.

"...If you're sure. Does seem like it'd be pretty strange to get used to." He can only imagine what it would be like if he just suddenly had a second eye.

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