⇨ 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

[pipers_son]

Even that enough has Joker start a little, blinking down owlishly at his own hand. And even just that phrase alone is going to take a little while to get used to. "Ha, yeah, that's puttin' it lightly..."

....Okay, excuse him, now he just. Give him a minute to start laughing, raising up his wooden hand to half-heartedly hide it.

[dontpokethat]

"--Ah, sorry." He caught that start, and loosens his grip a little bit in response. Just in case.

Then he raises his eyebrows, leaning forward a little to get a better look at Joker's face. "What? You okay?"

[pipers_son]

There are a couple of things that are funny about this situation, but Joker will giggle out the one that's most immediately obvious.

"Puttin' it lightly."

[dontpokethat]

...Goddammit.

Ginko's ears drop, and he gives Joker a look. "Well, now I regret asking. Thanks for that."

[pipers_son]

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" And yet, here he is, stilling giggling as he leans closer to Ginko. The fingers of his right hand twitch a little tighter in his grip.

"Hit me after the fact! Don't give me the look!"

[dontpokethat]

"Can't say I believe that, actually." And yet there's a smile creeping onto his face again, one that he doesn't even try to suppress.

He holds onto Joker's hand and ducks his head in a halfhearted effort to hide the smile, but that's about it; he doesn't even cover his mouth. "I'll give you that look all I want."

[pipers_son]

"My heart'll break if ya do, Ginko." That's probably sort of a lie, on both their parts, but it doesn't really matter. Joker just grins at him, shoulders still shaking a little.

"But, really, what timin', huh?"

[dontpokethat]

"Ah, well, can't have that." Which is... less of a joke than most of what he's been saying, because the fact that he doesn't want to hurt Joker in any way if he can avoid it is probably no surprise to anyone.

He lets out a quiet laugh and a nod, watching the hand again. "'S really something, that's for sure. Does it still ache?"

[pipers_son]

"Ah..." He hadn't really even thought of that, and Joker glances back down towards his shoulder. Inbetween them, the colors of his hand shift, strange and ethereal. "Now that ya mention it... Still aches a little, but more like when... ya haven't stood for a while, and need ta stretch."

Well. that's sort of true.

[dontpokethat]

“Hm... sounds like you should get to work stretching, then.”

...He still hasn’t let go, though.

[pipers_son]

"Probably." They definitely haven't let go. Joker glances down inbetween their hands and Ginko's face, trying to decided on something, before he cracks a lopsided grin.

"Wanna help?"

[dontpokethat]

Ginko's face just... turns a little bit goldish, and he lets out a quiet laugh.

"Sure; you got any ideas for how?"

[pipers_son]

Honestly, he's not thinking- or trying to think. He's feeling a little out of his depth, kind of stupid and disbelieving, so all he can do is run on autopilot. And what comes out on autopilot is...

"Dancin'." A pause, and then he laughs. "I mean, it'd get me movin', right?"

[dontpokethat]

Ginko... laughs, kind of, halting and shaky. But it's more genuine than sardonic, for once. "Ah... sure, if you want to. I'm warning you now, though, I'm not very good."

[pipers_son]

"It'll be fine, it'll be fine." Feeling a little more relaxed, Joker laughs back and tugs him along. It's been far too many years since he's been without any kind of arm.

"I can teach ya~."

[dontpokethat]

Well, he guesses this is happening. Ginko lets himself be tugged, giving Joker a slightly nervous grin.

"I... know a little bit. Someone taught me back at the masquerade, but I don't think I did very well at it then, either."

[pipers_son]

Wait... Joker's ears flick up in blatant interest. Taught dancing at the masquerade?

"Really? What'd they teach ya? I mean, I'd ask what they looked like, but that was rather useless then, wouldn't it?"

[dontpokethat]

"Mm-hm. Don't think I could tell you if you did ask."

But, let's see. He considers that for a few seconds, glancing upward. "I know he made me lead, since I was taller. There was a lot about... getting the right footing, patterns of movement, all that." He gives a quiet snort. "In the end, I guess I just learned a few steps of one specific dance."

1/???

[pipers_son]

[...]

[pipers_son]

[...?]

[pipers_son]

[!]

[pipers_son]

[!!]

[pipers_son]

[!!!!!]

ok i'm done

[pipers_son]

And with that particular face journey done with....

When Ginko next looks down, he'll find Joker leaning in closer with the exact kind of wide anticipatory grin that guarantees Ginko is going to hate everything and should escape while he can. Except he can't! You know why? Because they're still holding hands.

And Joker definitely isn't letting go.

Voice right on the verge of breaking into giggles, he sing-songs, "It was meeeeeeeeee!"

...Probably. But he has a good feeling on this one.

[dontpokethat]

...Honestly, when he saw that look on Joker's face, he was expecting a way, way more obnoxious answer. Like, obnoxious enough that the reality comes as a relief.

Which is why, in a matter of seconds, Ginko's expression goes from one of tense anticipation (of Some Bullshit), to surprise as that revelation sinks in - and then he lets out an amused, almost disbelieving sigh. "--Seriously? I mean, I guess that... almost makes sense."

Then, after a pause, he grins and adds, "He was definitely smug enough."