9th Act - Boys and girls of every age

[pipers_son]

Who: Come one, come all!
Where: Goldenrod, the Eve's Garden Circus
When: The 3rd - rest of the month
Summary: Just like always, the Circus is busy as usual... But with a bit of a spooky twist added on thanks to their current partnership with a certain Haunted House.
Rating: PG
Log:



The Circus is always bustling with activity, even on the days when the shows in the Big Top aren't on. There's plenty of stalls to enjoy besides those, after all! Games, and food, and stalls with all sorts of interesting things for sale. For those living in Goldenrod or passing through, it's no doubt quickly settled itself as a regular scene.

On the 11th, however... Just as always when the shows are promised to happen, the Circus is more bustling than usual and today there's a twist. On the 3rd, those walking past the Circus' gates will find themselves in QUITE the different atmosphere. Genuine spider webs are strung across the stalls, skulls strung up in them that seem to clack their teeth at passerby. Legions of pumpkins are sprawled throughout the area. At night, their eerie glow lights up twisting paths throughout the circus grounds. Even quite a few of the workers seem to have gotten into the spirit (possibly at their boss' badgering), and wear outfits from the simple masks to the more complex things. Those who were here for last year probably won't be surprised.

Beyond the change in atmosphere, however, there are still the things that are usually about! Food, games, and stalls selling various knickknacks can all be found relatively easy although they're joined by a few other themed goods. There's also, of course, the show that will be playing three times a day in the big tent proper! It also seems like the Litleo hoard has been released onto the grounds once again, with little bags of delicious candy tied around their necks.

One notable addition is what appears to be a small station of sorts with a rather ominous carriage that stops at it every now and then pulled by what appear to be a pair of Rapidash... only colored darkly with bones painted across their heads and what might be actual skulls acting as face covers. Well then! Perhaps you might be interested in letting it take you to the haunted house?

It's a relaxed and fun little adventure... at least, it is until things start getting strange with those weird fusioned Pokemon... The circus grounds are still open, regardless if people are changed or not, but you'll be disappointed if you're expecting any shows from underneath the big top itself. Joker has no interest in putting his performers in danger like that, you see. But then, that just might mean you'll see him wandering around for once and not run so ragged.

Comments

York, North, and Carolina, open to scarers!

[ratherbelocky]

[So maybe a grown-ass thirty-something-year-old space soldier shouldn't look so gleeful about a haunted house, but he can't remember the last time he did something strictly for fun; and he definitely can't remember the last time he got to drag his friends into it, either.]

Okay, so, my money's on at least one scary clown. Maybe a scary zombie clown.

[They're barely one room into the attraction, and already Empress--York left Delta Two and Massena both to babysit the eggs, this time--is pressing her side against York's ankle, watching the shadows nervously. Turns out she talks a tougher game than she plays.

York bends briefly to pet her, grinning to himself, but keeps walking.]

Maybe a scary zombie alien clown.

[usedlightscreen]

[North's arms feel empty without Rascal to hold onto, and despite the fact that he is a giant former super soldier who has killed many, many people, after the third or fourth time that he has to duck to avoid something hanging from the ceiling he's reaching out in the near-darkness for the nearest hand. Rosa's pokeball is on his hip, the Flabebe wanting nothing at all to do with any of this but coming along with her trainer purely so that he won't get in trouble with any Jennies for not having a pokemon with him at all.]

I could definitely buy zombies. I'll raise you one vampire and-or mad scientist.

[secondplacing]

[Carolina has not been seen a single day in this new world without Stripes at her heels (or standing guard outside the door, if need be). Today is no different, though the pancham that has been on Carolina's hip for the past few days is with Massena and Delta Two now.]

Ghosts, boys. The place is gonna be packed with 'em.

[She is CONFIDENT about this. Ghosts freak everyone out. Especially skittle-colored sim soldiers.

Even when those ghosts are actually AI.]

Now, what I'm gonna bet on is York screams first. P500.

[ratherbelocky]

What? Come on!

[The hand North found is York's, and York's quick to thread his fingers through North's before North can take them back. He's Resolved that North not feel weird about anything, ever, and it's not like York can't use a guide not to walk into things himself.]

First of all, 'course this place is full of ghosts, it's a haunted house. Probably real ghosts, even. Ghost Pokémon. Those are a thing, you know.

[He kind of wants one, after seeing Rise's. Can they even imagine what kind of trouble a former infiltration specialist could get up to with one of those?]

Second of all, bullshit, Carolina. Bull-shit. [He huffs and frowns up at North.] Tell me, is that what you guys think of me?

[usedlightscreen]

[It's a good thing that York entwines their fingers before North can get away, because North was just about to pull his hand away and apologize. As it is, it's also a good thing that the room is relatively dark, because North's face is suddenly so warm he worries that he might be glowing (more than his pale-ass complexion already is). Still, now that his hand is trapped he's not about to try to pull away.]

I'm with York, ghosts pretty much go without saying. They're pretty much part of the aesthetic. Same with spiders and bugs.

[He smiles with a warm chuckle at York's protest.]

Not at all. I'll put P500 on you getting through this whole thing without screaming at all.

[secondplacing]

Sucking up to him doesn't get you anything but P500 less, North!

[Rolling her eyes good-naturedly, Carolina turns for just a moment to face them both, walking backwards. She's getting farther away from them, sure, but she's smiling and it's apparent even in the dark of a haunted house; it saturates her voice like honey.]

I haven't seen any of those ghosts yet, anyway. [Though now she's thinking about them, and how much Epsilon would h a t e for her to make a joke about them end he and man, she misses Epsilon a little bit.]

[ratherbelocky]

Famous last words, Carolina. Famous last words.

[Girl, you are walking backwards in a haunted house all "ooooh ghosts well I don't see any." You gon be the first to fall. Just how it is, York didn't write the rules.

But North's and Carolina's smiles are contagious, and nobody is having more fun tonight than York, period. There's a bounce to his voice as he walks along at North's side and he doesn't try to hide it.]

You know, as the subject of this bet, I think I deserve a cut of the winnings. How much were those vodka shooters outside again, the gummy candy ones? You can buy me one of those when you win because of me, North.

[usedlightscreen]

Hey now, I never expected him to be a cheap date.

[And then York chimes in with what he wants out of the bet, and North laughs.]

See what I mean?

[But he also affectionately squeezes York's hand, and there's a soft, easy smile on his face as he watches Carolina with mild concern.]

Watch where you're going, I heard there are trap floors.

[secondplacing]

You really think I'm going to be taken by surprise with a trap door, North?

[she is SO much better than that. She is also, however, stepping a little more steadily. She's a soldier, not a child, okay. She's gonna watch out for those doors and mess with her friends.

Turning back around, she waves her hand and steps ahead, and... still not taking this "kiddie" haunted house too seriously.]

DID SOMEONE CALL FOR A SCARE

[awesmazings]

[Whether the trio realizes it or not, someone has been watching them as they make their way through this end of the house. Unfortunately for them, this certain someone is one of those who knows this house like the back of his hand, making it that much easier for him to stay hidden as they come close. He recognizes North's voice right away, and it causes him to smile to himself. No doubt they've already been through the milder half of the house already...so if they were able to handle that, then they should be fine with the rest of the house. No problem.

It's fiiine.

And that's a lot of big talk there, Carolina. Are you suuure you want to be doing that where all of the very real spooky ghosts can hear you? Even now they might be able to hear the light flutter of Noibat flying through the rafters as they make their way.

It will make what happens next all the more unexpected. A tall figure thrusts himself out into the open just as Carolina starts to cross his path, all six feet of him looming in the darkness. He's done up to look like a lanky skeleton, his face painted with bones and dark circles around his eyes to make them look sunken and hollow. His face contorts in a grimace as he snarls with a shout:]

HHAAAAAAGHHH!!!

[secondplacing]

[When a threat comes at you, identifying what that threat is isn't always the first thought.

No; Isolate, disable, identify. That's the order. That's the pattern coded into a soldier's head.

That's why Jimmy probably isn't expecting to find his face pressed against a wall only a few seconds after his scare, one arm restrained behind his back and a much bigger adult's hand against his back, keeping him there, pinned.]

...Oh my god.

[Carolina's first vocalisation comes only when she realises what she's done. Immediately she grasps his shoulders to pull him back from the wall and set him back into, well, not a restrained position, before her hands snap to her sides and out of his space.]

Shit. Kid, are you alright?

[ratherbelocky]

[Okay. Okay, look, maybe York startles a bit. But he doesn't scream, and if he jumps in the dark, who's gonna know but North, and clearly North isn't gonna say anything because 1) he's North and 2) he's got money riding on York's keeping his cool, too. Everybody wins, all right. Everybody but Carolina and maybe that poor kid who just got shoved into a wall.]

--Jumpin' Jehoshaphat, Carolina. You know you were asking for that, right?

[He lifts his voice to address Jimmy, too. Easy, easy, says his tone; we're all cool here, everything's cool.]

Sorry about that, dude. Carolina's always gotta be the scariest thing in the room, she didn't mean to put you in a hammerlock.

[He lets go of North's hand to walk over, trying to keep his concern light.]

[awesmazings]

[It all happens so quickly that he really doesn't know what hit him for a second. The force of Carolina pushing him up against the wall knocks the wind out of him, one eye closing when his face connects with the creaky wood. And with his arms pinned behind his back as they are, there really isn't much Jimmy can do for a moment but stand there.

And then suddenly he's being released, nearly falling backwards when the pressure leaves without warning. Jimmy reaches one hand up to touch the side of his face, silently thankful that the wood wasn't all splintery, as old and dilapidated as it appears to be.]

Oooowch...I-I'm okay! Gee wiz, I didn't mean to scare you so bad...

[Well, North did warn him...]

[usedlightscreen]

[Another reason North isn't going to tell anybody that York jumped is because he did too, a little. He's too surprised, initially, to react while Carolina disables the threat, but then the beanpole skeleton turns out to have a very familiar voice...]

Oh god. Jimmy? Are you okay?

[He steps forward to the kid, more concerned now than startled. He knows how much of a wallop Carolina can pack, and he's got a sick feeling now that the worst case scenario's come true.]

[secondplacing]

[shit fucking damnit carolina fuck fuck fuck how did you fuck up this bad]

Really-- are you hurt? We can take you to get first aid if you need it.

[god this is like something that would happen to Tucker or Simmons, not her. Well, no. That's not true, Simmons would scream and Tucker doesn't have the reaction time-- fuck fuck fuck]

I'm-- I'm so. Sorry.

[ratherbelocky]

[And, because York is a responsible adult, he suggests with hands raised, palms forward:]

We could buy you a beer.

[Or, well.]

Carolina could buy you a beer. I'm saying it's cool if you need a beer, we've all been where you are.

[As probably the resident expert on Carolina-related pain, York's been there more than most.]

[awesmazings]

No no, I'm okay! Really- just...surprised me, s'all!

[Jimmy lets out a breathy laugh as he shakes his head again, looking from North, to York (..beer?), to Carolina in kind. His face stings from the impact and his arms are a little sore from being jerked around, but he'll survive.]

Are these the friends you were tellin' me about, North?

[usedlightscreen]

[North is pretty much on the verge of dying of embarrassment at this point, but when Jimmy pretty much shrugs it off and addresses him, he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.]

Mmhm. This is York, and this is Carolina. ...I probably should have warned you better.