⇨ 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

[soft_focus]

(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.

[prazerbutterfly]

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.

[soft_focus]

"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?"

[prazerbutterfly]

"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."

[soft_focus]

"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.

[prazerbutterfly]

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."

[soft_focus]

"....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.

[prazerbutterfly]

"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."

[soft_focus]

"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?"

[prazerbutterfly]

"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.

[soft_focus]

"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.

[prazerbutterfly]

"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.

[soft_focus]

"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?"

[prazerbutterfly]

"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.

[soft_focus]

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."

[prazerbutterfly]

"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."

[soft_focus]

"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.

[prazerbutterfly]

Sorry, Reira. It's still painting a bad picture. Sometimes inaction was better much like a lot of people would learn later when more dangerous things appeared. Tyki often played along with situations and usually proposed a more violent solution.

Still, he gives an amused tone at her trying to make it better, "I think I understand." Maybe not for the best but she made it more clear.

He takes the camera back and glances over it to see if she changed anything. He'll learn to use it given time. It seemed simple enough and he did have instructions that came with it.

[soft_focus]

More unfortunately perhaps is that it probably Should paint a bad picture. Reiji might not be a bad person at heart, but that doesn't exactly spare him from being bad at making good decisions, a fact that even Reira is slowly realizing the consequences for.

She didn't change much with the camera- while she nods and goes back to her book, Tyki may notice that a dial or two was moved a bit, so that it's easier to simply turn it on, and click away for any pictures. Essentially, she made the default on the camera something that made sense. If he were to turn it on now, it would be ready to take a standard photo! (Though to be fair, those may have been the defaults to begin with, and she could have simply reset her own fiddling...)

As it is, she does seem a bit relieved- Tyki's personal amusement is good at calming her down. "Phew...that's good..."

[prazerbutterfly]

Tyki just feels that if you make a choice it should be something worth doing. When people make choices just to do something it tends to get in the way or make matters worse. Now he'll be watching him just to see where he fits in everything. It would be better for him to find a purpose over simply trying to do something he can't.

"You're a good kid, worrying about your brother like that," he continues to reassure her. He finds with Reira she could use a little pep more than real talk in some situations. He doesn't ever want her to feel unlike a kid even if she will. Already he's sinking into the chair after putting the camera away again. "Don't forget that."

[soft_focus]

Well at least his reputation will be saved on one part.

Standing at the sideline Too Long is the more likely issue. She smiles at least a little though, absolutely taking the 'pep' to heart. "Ah...even though he's too big to be worried about?"

She's noticed this about 'adults' (or more accurately, older teens) lately, and 'this' happens to be 'that thing where everyone older than you things it's bad if someone younger gets worried about them'. Which is silly, as far as she knows, but hey.

[prazerbutterfly]

Partly. He can't say for the other part how well that'll remain intact.

There's that smile he loves to see in kids. He'll even reach over to give her a little head pat just to show that appreciation. At least this is a kid that doesn't mind being touched. "When it comes to family, no one is too big to be worried about. Even my niece worries about me sometimes. We take care of our own."

That being said... "Though that isn't an excuse to run off and do something drastic. In that case, leave that to the adults. But it's okay to worry."

[soft_focus]

If she could pout especially well, she would be. She's coming close to that sort of expression anyway, though she at least recognizes it isn't quite the same sort of nagging Yuuya would give. Gentle reminders, gentle reminders...

"Worrying isn't the same as leaving safe spots. I can just call someone who knows what to do, if someone has to run outside." Which is to say, she figures she'll make someone else-presumably whoever's job it is-do it. And-

She holds her hands outward, flicking her fingers after holding her breath a moment. A certain something shimmers...

...But while she has a proper, moonlight seeming shield for a moment, it dissipates quickly. "Aaaah... ...mhm. Well... ....M practicing in case something comes and I can't get away, at least..." She'd sort of hoped the shield would hold more than a few seconds...

"...But that's what makes staying in safe places and hiding important, I guess..."

[prazerbutterfly]

This is Tyki's way of worrying by reassuring and consoling while attempting to make sure she's properly learned her previous lesson. It then allows him to worry less if he doesn't have to consider whether she'd run off on her own like other kids 'worrying'.

"See, this is why I don't have to worry about you so much. You're a smart kid." More praise for the praise fire.

He does look down at her hands when he sees something he's not use to seeing her do. There's something that forms there but briefly. He holds out his own hand in front of her and lets the Tease climb down his arm as if on cue. Once it touches his palm he'll pour his Dark Matter into it and it'll length into a pointed shield roughly the size of his own body for her inspection, "For now, at least until if and when you grow."

[soft_focus]

Small miracles- she's no Susan. (Or Lauren, for that matter)

Not that such things have even come up yet of course. For now, that praise fire is burning bright, even if her own shield bungle briefly has her down. Only briefly- she's a bit surprised by a tease becoming a shield after all. "H-ah-!" She starts, before blinking curiously at the shield. "Oh... ...It's more than what the magic does when I make a shield..." She observes, apparently with awe. "And it's really big..." She's quite impressed, suffice to say.