⇨ THE MATRIX

[ringleaders]

Who: EVERYONE!
When: S1:D22 - S1:D??
Where: Visiting the Matrix.
What: The carnival arrives at its next location, as outlined here. This is a general mingling log for convenience purposes, but players are welcome to make as many other logs for this purpose as desired.
Warnings: Could be a lot of things.

THE MATRIX↴ "What IS the Matrix? The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it." ► INSIDE: On the inside, it all seems so normal. Beyond what you know of the reality you've stepped in, every bit of this place feels just as real as it did back in the carnival. If you were to forget where you'd just come from, would you know any different? The simulation of Chicago is identical to how it would have been in the early days of the new millenia, to anyone who comes from a similar Earth. Humans bustle around you, oblivious to the world outside of the Matrix that they were born into. One bright side to it all is that this hyper realism means the coffee tastes just as good as it does in real life. Anything you could do in real Chicago you can do here - and perhaps even more. ► WHITE ROOM: But before that, you were here. The White Room is a loading program, intended to port objects and people into the Matrix. You arrive as a reconstruction of your true physical form, but common sense suggests that for some of you, entering the mundane world looking like yourself isn't the best idea. It's in this empty world that you will be able to load in whatever physical objects you are, and change the way you present your own body to the system. Changes can be little, or big, but whatever you do, the body has to be able to function according to Earth's physical laws. Don't forget, if you die here, you die in the carnival too. ► DEJA VU: It doesn't matter what you're doing, but at some point you'll notice it - something around you has repeated itself, like a line on a skipping record. Maybe it's the same person bumping into you twice in a row, or the same cab driver yelling at you to get out of the way. It's like reality has rewound and repeated itself, and after the fact you have no proof of it happening beyond the memory of what you saw. You don't know what it means, but something about it is chilling. It may be a good time to find a buddy. ► THE ONE: It won't necessarily come naturally, but in a moment of need you may find yourself bending the world of the Matrix through sheer belief and force of need. How you bend it will always stay without the rules of the universe, at least for now, but when it comes to enhancing your own physical characteristics, just about anything is possible. It will not be easily reproducible, not now, but it could be your first view into the window of what's possible.

Comments

[pipers_son]

[Sorry, Tamaki. Your boss is trying not to laugh too hard, and he’s making the commendable effort of muffling it into his hand.]

You, ha, uh. Ya want ta try that again, mate?

[puddingemote]

[He still shoots a Look at Joker - don't laugh! - but gamely pushes off the wall to try again. He goes into the curve a little more cautiously this time, making a clunky, but less disastrous, turn.]

I got it!

[Indeed, it seems he does have it as he continues - as with most things physical, Tamaki starts to pick up on ice skating quickly.]

[pipers_son]

[That’s something optimistic, then, and Joker stays where he is, smiling a little less teasingly now. Really, getting a worker that adjusts so quickly to physical routine is a blessing.]

Not bad, now, not bad. Just take care not ta slam inta anyone when things are lookin' good~.

[puddingemote]

I won't!

[He does bump into someone once or twice, but he seems to be getting better at it. Finally, he swings back around to where Joker is, grinning.]

Was that good?

[pipers_son]

Definitely a lot better than when ya first started out, I gotta say.

[Leaning more of his weight forward along the outside of the rink, he quirks an amused eyebrow.]

So, what got ya interested in tryin’ this?

[puddingemote]

Never done it before.

[He spins in little circles while he talks to Joker, letting his arms splay out behind him.]

The rinks in Tokyo were always too expensive before... ah, but I have money now! Maybe I can go when I get back.

[pipers_son]

Really? What’s there ta pay about? S’just puttin’ on the right sorta shoes and goin’ onta frozen water, right?

[puddingemote]

Where else do you get the frozen water...?

[#cityboy]

[pipers_son]

A pond durin’ winter? ...I mean, assumin’ it’s like where I’m from.

[puddingemote]

There's a pond in the park... but I got in trouble when I tried to go in it.

[pipers_son]

Huh. Guess things are weird all over. At least ya have the chance now.

[puddingemote]

Yeah. I like this place!

[He finally stops skating in circles and comes close to Joker again.]

Do you want to skate too, Manager?

[Come skate with him!]

[pipers_son]

Ha, I thought about it, but it’s-

[And then he trails off, laughing voice shifting into something more thoughtful.]

[He’d been about to say that fiddling with all the laces on ice skate would be a bother, even with as skilled he’s become at using the his one, but… He has a right arm, now, doesn’t he? Still a bit unsteady with using it, yeah, but… He could do it.]

...Maybe I’ll give it a go after all, actually.

[puddingemote]

[Even if he'd just had one arm, Tamaki would have gladly offered to lace up his skates for him. He doesn't see anything wrong with helping each other out, after all.

But after a moment of indecision, Joker agrees, and Tamaki cheers, doing a big circle in his excitement.]

It's fun! Come on! Come on!

[pipers_son]

[All that excitement makes him laugh, and he waves his hand even as he starts making his way around the rink to where skates are being rented out.]

Alright, alright, hold on. Gimme a minute or two.

[As it turns out, it takes a little longer than two minutes. Getting used to having a right hand again is still tricky, and the specifics of it like tying up laces is still hard. But after a while, he’s unsteadily getting onto the ice with his hand against the edge.]

Bloody hell… Gonna have ta find my balance.

[puddingemote]

[Tamaki's been circling the rink waiting on him, occasionally trying to skate backwards like he's seen some of the other people do. He stops when Joker finally makes it out on the ice, though, instead sliding up next to him.]

I thought you would already be good at this, Manager.

[Since Joker is already so good at so many other things around the carnival. Even if he doesn't say it, Tamaki looks up to Joker as a coach and teacher. He's been mostly self-taught for so long, it's been amazing having someone who can actually teach him acrobatics.]

[pipers_son]

I’m flattered that ya would think so.

[Chuckling, he gives a few experimental moves forward. Alright, just have to get his balance down…]

But I didn’t actually have much time ta try it when I was younger. Grew up in an orphanage, aha, and we couldn’t get these kinda skates! And then I joined the circus business fairly early on…

[Aaaaand, there, he feels a bit more confident making a turn. Not too hard to get a handle on the basics.]

Just got too busy in the end, I guess ya could say.

[puddingemote]

Mm. When you get a job, you get really busy.

[Said in entirely to world-weary of a tone for a teenager. He's been an idol for most of a year, that means he knows exactly what being an adult is like.

He skates alongside Joker easily while talking.]

They wouldn't give us skates at my facility either. One time, my roommates and me made the hallway slick with the mop. And then we slid around. But we got grounded for that.

[pipers_son]

[A bark of laughter.]

No wonder! Ya probably had ta clean it up too, huh?

[puddingemote]

Yeah! The director was really mean!

[He huffs, pouting at the memory.] Was the director at your place mean like that?

[pipers_son]

[Joker’s laughter stops sharply at that but, before he can have a chance to respond, his feet go out from under him and he falls backwards onto the ice with a low swear.]

Aw hell-

[puddingemote]

Ah, Manager!

[Tamaki circles back around quickly, holding out one hand to Joker while grabbing the rail with the other.]

Are you okay?

[pipers_son]

Yeah, yeah…

[Laughing a little, he reaches up to grasp Tamaki’s hand and carefully pulls himself up.]

Guess I lost my concentration, ha ha!

[puddingemote]

Then maybe we should focus on skating.

[He'll try not to talk so much.]

[pipers_son]

Maybe. But don’t let me hold ya back~.

[Regaining his balance again, he gets back into the swing of things.]

Wouldn’t want to let this old man keep ya from having’ fun~!

[He’s not even thirty.]