Bright lights! An abundance of color! A cacophony of laughter and delighted (?) shrieks! Welcome, everyone, to the carnival! Enough of those nonsense protein shakes and that hoity-toity recycling; it's time to let loose, have some fun, and live a little! No judgment will be allowed today, not when everyone’s dressed up in ridiculous costumes and eating those unnecessarily huge turkey legs (it... is turkey, right?). For you see, CERES has invited the Traveling Circus of Tjghsldiwk (they hail from a different planet, but here's a hint: the h is silent) to bring some joy to the colonists. This is a safe place to let your inner wild child out, really. Definitely safe. Promise.
Yet for those who are a little less easily convinced to follow the sounds of laughter and amusement (bless your sensible hearts), they will find themselves grabbed and forcibly dragged by a pair of friendly souls in matching costumes. Everyone should be able to enjoy the festivities, don’t you think? Can’t have them missing out on all this jolly good, innocent fun!
The Public Announcement System crackles with... well, a fit of coughing first. But then a gravelly voice speaks! It seems the ringmaster has an announcement for you all. What joyous news can he bring?  Listen... I know that we’re supposed to keep these idiots entertained for at least another day or two but the machinery’s starting to complain. I think I heard the gates of the petting zoo groan – they’re on their last legs.
... Wait, this isn’t the direct line
Oh.
Ohohoho!! Have a great time, everyone! Everything is perfectly fine!
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PHASE I [ 11 00 ] Come one, come all!! There’s quite a large amount of people here, isn’t there? You’ll find yourself tugged this way and that – up until you get dragged right into a changing booth. The helpful attendant meets you with a worryingly large grin – how is her face not breaking? – before pushing you right through the curtain. Then you’ll be given your choice of one of these lovely garments to change into. Look, one of them has to match your skintone, right? Don’t be picky about it! You also have... 90 seconds to figure out how to wear it before you’re tossed out into the middle of the crowd again. Have a good festival!
If you’re not willing to put on the outfits though, that’s fine. Instead, they’ll top you off with a cape and crown, shoving you out onto a... stage? Your adoring public cheers for you, yells your name, and throws confetti in your honor! Then a jester appears again, announcing your grand title:
The Ugliest in All of Cerealia.
Don't worry, that's just your introduction to the carnival; enjoy the rest of your time here! (They may or may not have given you back your clothing.)
PHASE II [ 1600 ] Do you hear that? Cymbals crashing together, trumpets blaring off-tune, the march of absurdly tired feet – a parade is coming! Best move off to the side before an acrobat quite literally tumbles into you. If you are an unfortunate casualty, they’ll actually just start to fall asleep on you because they’re tired… so very, very tired.
Yet the parade continues to march on without them and you can let yourself be distracted by the impressive jumping around and festive partygoers (who seem to be joining in the parade as they please, in various states of undress). But be wary. Distraction will only make you easier prey for the very hungry caterpillar that’s coming up the street next. Run if you can, but it has so very many legs and it’s coming after you.
For those unable to make it away from the caterpillar, they will find themselves gulped right into its gross, drooling mouth – and about five minutes later, they’ll be released out again onto the streets covered in a pink slime. It looks like you won't be able to free yourself from the stuff, so hopefully you can find a friend to get some help! Or one of the strangers around you? Unfortunately, when a kind soul finally comes by to pull you out of the slime, they’ll find that the outside of the gunk is not only immensely sticky but also slippery. If they're not careful, you'll both end up stuck to the gunk together.
You both better get out of that stuff quick because once someone joins you, the slime starts to move. Quick and gooey, it'll pull you and the hapless soul with you down the street at a much too quick pace. Hopefully you won't slide into too many people as you skid your way through the streets of the Entertainment District like some sort of demented Katamari Ball. This is why you should never trust giant bugs!
PHASE III [ xxxx ] In a smaller booth, toward the outskirts of the carnival, some may find a familiar face manning a quiet little shack on her own. Although those who have been in the colony long enough may have first encountered her as an 8-bit version of herself, Aria the fortune-teller is now back and more than willing to drag unsuspecting people into her hands again. Once you step into her stall, she takes one long look at you before sliding over a fortune cookie and a mask. What do you mean you didn’t ask for a mask? That's too bad, because it's yours now. She won't say anything more than that, giving nothing more than a quiet dismissal with a hand and an enigmatic smile to match.
When you step back outside, you’ll find that you just can’t get rid of the mask. If you toss it into a trash bin, it’ll be right back in your pocket. Throw it at a friend? It’ll be in your hand in the next second. Throw it away enough times and it’ll suddenly plant itself on your face -- which leads to all the alien carnival goers in the nearby vicinity suddenly going still with fear before moving to get as far away from you as quickly as possible. Well... you seem to be able to take it off for now if you still want to enjoy the carnival. It just won't go away, and every time you try to throw it away, it'll attach itself to your face. Might as well just keep it.
But... still, it's strange how none of the aliens running the carnival will look you in the eye now, isn't it?
PHASE IV [ 1200 ] For those who aren’t interested in dealing with the abundance of people, there’s also an assortment of critters gathered around for the petting zoo! They all seem to follow a general theme… kind of. That might be floppy ears and a tail if you... squint. The alien staff is right there and quick to ask you not to worry, they're perfectly harmless -- they don't eat humans! It would be bad for their diet, so feel free to pet them, if you can gather enough courage to do so.
Unfortunately, it seems as though this part of the circus was not put together very well; the rickety fences and cages don't really seem to do much against these giant...creatures. Towards the end of the circus' time here, it looks like those cages will start breaking down more and more, too.
The animals rattle the makeshift fences of the petting zoo, until finally, the fences just... collapse. Oops. The ground shakes as the animals stomp and immediately move to break out of their little ring. Well, would you look at that? You’ve apparently found yourself in the middle of a little stampede -- and those warnings about these animals not eating humans doesn't seem to hold much weight when now they're looking at you -- and they look pretty hungry.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] Left and right, there are voices shouting for your attention. "Hey pretty young miss!" or "Excuse me, you stud!" or "Look at this, jackass!" – that said, aliens think that you all manage to look the same, so who knows if they’re yelling at you in particular – and they’re all daring you to come and try your hand at their carnival game.
It’s run of the mill stuff: shooting games, tests of strength, and knocking down a couple of milk bottles. You might actually be doing well! Or... you might be embarrassing yourself in front of whatever cute person you’re trying to impress! But regardless, in the last allotted ten seconds of your game, no matter what, you’ll find your point score plummeting right into the negatives. Did you get a bullseye? What do you know, that’s now worth -1000 points! You missed? -5000 points.
The stall assistant seems to be having a grand old time, laughing at your pain and when the clock finally runs out, they'll give you a large grin. "Look at that score! Well, you know what that means, don’t you? Now, we win you!" With that, metallic tentacles suddenly sprout from the booth itself, looking to capture you and whoever you’re with. Welcome to the carnival, now you're one of the prizes. And it seems you'll be here for quite some time. That is, of course, unless someone can win you back from these really horribly rigged games.
Looks like you'd better get comfortable hanging motionless from a display, like an oversized stuffed animal. You'll be here for a while.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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the waterworks abruptly stop as she wipes the tears off her eyes for one last time. wow. ]
And everybody can eat normal food again? [ she's smiling again. it's not that big of a grin yet, but it seems that she's back to normal. ]
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But they don't have to starve or eat anything like rat anymore, no.
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[ her expression gets a little more content and she rests her head on the pole of the horse. somehow, crying felt tiring... a nap would be so good right now. but she doesn't let her tiredness show to her friend. instead, she just laughs. ]
I told you about the jungle, right? There were spirits - elementals, kind of - who brought us to their home, the jungle. That was probably the closest experience I've had to starvation. I didn't know how to hunt, so all I ate were mushrooms and leaves. We were brought inside a volcano after that... And then breathing became really hard, and there was less food in there.
I hope that never happens again.
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Hunting isn't something I really... like. Arthur's really into it because well. Unlike here it's the only way to really get food back home but. [ He shrugs. ] If it happens again-- [ Now his gaze lowers back to the unicorn for a moment, steeling himself. It isn't exactly unknown that he'd do anything for people he considers friends. He did everything in his power to save Gwen's dad. Then to save her when everyone thought she was a sorceress. He saved Morgana. He's saved Arthur. Lancelot. Camelot. The list goes on and on... So it shouldn't be so weird when he follows that with a firm. ] --I'll protect you.
sweats nervously...............
that statement definitely takes athena by surprise, because while she's used to being protected, actually being told that that's what's going to happen is just different. it's not bad at all, though.
she feels her chest tingle not because she can't bear to hear those words, but because she can tell that merlin isn't lying. they're just three words, but they're more powerful than any magic possible.
then, she smiles. widget changes from light blue to a bright shade of green as she does. ]
Thank you, Merlin. [ not merl, this time around!! ] You're a true friend.
sweats with you...............
Who ever said this had to stay 100% serious anyway. ]
You really don't have to. [ Y'know. Or maybe she doesn't. Either way he uses that pause to shift on the horse to try and get more comfortable, the bar in front of him digging into his collarbone as he leans forward. It's partly because this time he does notice the shift in colour in widget. ]
What's that? [ Well at least he noticed it now. ]
what are we doing
though when he notices widget, athena straightens up. what was— oh. that's what he means. ]
My necklace. He's my indispensable partner, Widget! Go say hi!
[ are you ready for this, merlin? are you prepared to hear an inanimate object speak??? it's very squeaky and robotic, and it's a pitch or so higher than athena's voice. ]
friendship. magic. pain. awkwardness??? i've lost track
Really he's just awkward.
He thinks she's talking nonsense at first, mostly because since when did a necklace do something like that?? When Widget actually speaks though he jerks--almost falling off the carousel horse. ]
What--? How-- What is that? [ Only this time when he asks it, it's clearer what she just said really isn't sticking. Sorry Athena. ]
cries on u
[ good thing athena's reflexes are fast, because she grabs hold of the pole on her unicorn tightly as she uses her other arm to reach out and grab merlin in case he falls. it's a bit of a stretch, but she'd rather not let him fall! once she sees that merlin didn't actually fall off, though, she promptly lets go and just looks straight.
how do you explain robots to people who don't know what they are? ]
This is Widget. He's... a talking robot. [ good job, sister. ] He's one of the few things my mom gave me before she passed away.
[ despite talking about something depressing, athena doesn't seem all that bothered by it. her tone is cheerful enough, though her smile is a bit crooked. ]
Isn't he great? He can take pictures, go online— [ ah.. now she's thought of something. ] Just imagine your CereVice talking!
gently pats ur back
He opens his mouth to apologise, but as far as he can tell it isn't anything difficult for her to say--at least not that part. ] He sounds helpful. [ Even if he only gets the concept by comparing Widget to a CereVice. (Not like he fully grasps how they work either yet, but he's played around a little on it.) ]
thank
she nods excitedly when widget is given the compliment. ] He is! He's very helpful, especially when I'm in court, [ she says with a big fat grin. it's always exciting to talk about her job! and this should be her cue to present her attorney's badge, but she doesn't have it on her right now. damn belly dancing costumes. ]
Oh. Because I'm a lawyer. That's what the trials are for.
ull be ok ... i believe. that was payback for emotional compromise over unicorns
Court? [ His brow furrows, thinking of actual court as it was in his time rather than the juridical system that exists in her time. ] Sorry. We don't really have... [ He trails off, hoping that she understands that this is something else she'll have to explain. ]
i hate!!!
[ well then! ]
You know... [ she starts waving a hand around as she explains. ] When people accuse someone of being guilty, I defend them in court. Most of the cases we work with are murder cases, though. So we—the Wright Anything Agency—defend people who are being falsely blamed for committing murder.
[ does that make more sense... ]
i don't want you to hate me 8(
He doesn't know how to respond right away though, instead dipping his eyes to watch Widget rather than her face. It's more putting two and two together on how a robot would help in a situation like that. ]
And Widget helps you do that? [ Well... he can just sum it up for now, right? ] It means you aren't alone, then.
i could never tbh 8(
and while she's very excited to talk about widget and psychology, she'll keep the device's features a surprise for now. ]
Uh-huh. I can show you what he can do another time. How's that?
good...... how could i live
He smiles at the offer though. ]
It's a deal. [ Of course, that also seems to signal the end of the ride as the horses and unicorns start to slow to a stop. The carousel stops spinning and Merlin slides off with ease, shifting to hold out a hand for Athena if she needs the help. Given the differences in time he presumes she hasn't spent nearly as long on one of these things anyway. ]
dokis...
Why thank you, Sir.
[ but she can't keep this game up for long. she bursts laughing as they walk away from the ride. ]
tsuns
When she places her hand on his, dismounts and finally bows her head he leans like a proper gentleman in his time should do to kiss the back of her hand. ]
It's nothing, my Lady.
[ But don't worry. He's laughing with her when his hand falls away and he starts looking for the exit. #just600/700ADthings ]
oh... :< makes bento for
So! How has your trip to the carnival been so far?
[ this may or may not be another test. the answer is that he should be enjoying himself, and that athena is the perfect tour guide. no other answers will be accepted. ]
oh.... delicious /)///(\ no fish though please... i'm allergic...
At least he can answer that question with confidence--even if at the start it might seem disappointing. ]
Oh, I don't know. It could use more entertainment. Maybe better company-- [ The look he gives her definitely says it's a joke. Especially when he follows up with the truth. ] Of course it's been fun.
[ EXCEPT FOR WHEN SHE CRIED?!?!?!??! ]
ok fish are gross anyway
good. x-( she wouldn't have it any other way, truly. ]
That's good to hear. I've been having a lot of fun, too.
[ she didn't expect it to be this fun, but it has been! so she's glad. it's been perfect for cheering her up too. ]
they are ;n;
He doesn't push it though. ]
Even with the crying and falling over? [ Ah... Yeah, take back everything, he's the worst. ]
PUNCHES MERLIN
[ her expression looks like she's about to do murder herself, but it quickly switches to a pout. ]
You didn't see anything!
[ merlin was clearly imagining things. ]
Rude :T especially as my phone wont let me joke tag you properly
You don't need to be embarrassed. It shows that you care about people.
[ But she can be embarrassed about falling over earlier. ]
WHY ARE YOU STILL NOT ASLEEP o9!!!
[ she huffs, and she puffs, and then she takes a seat on a nearby bench. ]
I wasn't crying in the first place! But I'm pretty sure you were.
[ athena, he wasn't crying. ]
because i was hamster petting!!!!!!!!!!!
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we can end it here though????
works for me!!!!