7th Act - Boys and girls of every age

[pipers_son]

Who: Come one, come all!
Where: Goldenrod, the Eve's Garden Circus
When: The 11th - 13th
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 11th, 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, and on the foggy day of the 13th, 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.

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!

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 Jack's Haunted House?

So relax. Have fun! And cross your fingers that you're not terrified of scary clowns and giant spiders.

Comments

The Lion Horde Petting Zoo

[pipers_son]

Well, this is a new one. Over in a rather large area, there's a fenced in pen with a couple of benches and dozens of pumpkins... But more notably, there are around twenty of those peculiar new lion Pokemon that showed up last month. It seems like something of a petting zoo has been added to the list of attractions today! Feel free to let yourself in and pet or play with the various little cubs. Just be careful not to get on the nerves of the young woman who seems to be acting as caretaker.

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro hadn't been in the area that these lions showed up in, so to say that he's curious about them is an understatement. He seems a bit hesitant to actually venture into the pen with them, but he does stand near the edge of the fence with his hands resting against the rim, gently reaching a hand out to be sniffed if one of the little cubs decides to venture over.]

[soundmind]

[Speaking of those lions.

How about a big one of them coming up to inspect the pen?

Hi, Chihiro, here's Maka with her usual entourage of serious business fire Pokemon--that is to say, her newly evolved female Pyroar and Houndoom now both inspecting the pen.]

Hi, Chihiro!

[Maka's in high spirits, but only because seeing him is a pleasant surprise.]

[codeforhope]

Hello, Maka-!

[Chihiro smiles a little when he hears Maka's voice, but.....ah.

That is a very large lion, isn't it? ...far bigger than the little guys in the pen, and it's safe to assume that hers evolved from that.

He stays where he is, watching the Pokemon for a moment before turning his attention back to Maka.]

It's nice to see you.

[soundmind]

[She's big, but she's harmless, mostly she's interested in her little fellows and seeing if she can scout out her brothers or sisters.]

Aw shucks, I'm glad to see you, too, Chihiro. [Fwends :>] Guess what? My Skipper actually did end up evolving! He's...a lot bigger now, so he's more like a Stomper now.

[codeforhope]

Oh, a Stomper?

[..Man, he'll have to remember that. ...And tell Nanami, when he gets the chance.]

He's not...still jumping on your Pokemon though, is he?

[soundmind]

...Ah...

[A moment, she takes off a Pokeball from her belt and brings out a rather large Gogoat.

He looks around for a moment, tail wagging in curiosity and cheer at the new place...then he proceeds to smash flat a giant cardboard cut out of a pumpkin while trying to jump off of it.

Hermes looks very disappointed that didn't work out.]

I think he's starting to get that it won't work anymore.

[codeforhope]

[Perhaps it's for the best, Hermes.]

So it would seem...

[Though it's better than squashing Maka or her Pokemon, honestly.]

I see your lion evolved too...that must mean a lot of these new Pokemon have other forms we don't know about yet.

[soundmind]

Maybe! [And she calls back Hermes into his ball so he doesn't try to jump on anything else.] I was just training them because that's...pretty much what I usually do in my downtime and Sekhmet and Hermes ended up evolving. Kirikou has two of those cats that rained down a while back, too, and they also evolved. They seem to have different forms based on their gender.

[codeforhope]

Oh really? ...I have one of those too...mine is a female, so I wonder which form she'll evolve into.

[He muses quietly before looking back at the pen when one of the Litleo approaches suddenly, licking his hand. Chihiro grins and reaches down to gently pet the side of the lion's face, careful not to get too close to the hot little tuft of hair atop his head.]

They're very friendly, aren't they Maka?

[soundmind]

Ah, I'm sure Kirikou would show you if you asked him. I'd just call him up and tell him "hey, Chihiro wants to see what your girl cat looks like, don't keep him waiting" and he'd come right over. He's a total softy even if he doesn't want to admit it.

[She watches Chihiro, not mindful of the fact that she just referred to him with male pronouns. It's how she refers to Crona, so it's perfectly natural to her. Besides, she's more interested in seeing how he interacts with the little lions anyway.]

Hmm, it's a good thing. I'm sure if they were more rambunctious, Miss Beast would have a hard time taming them. She seems to be having enough trouble as it is adjusting to this world.

[codeforhope]

[All of a sudden, Chihiro goes very still for a moment, his grip on the edge of the fence tightening. The hand that had been petting the Litleo stills as he pulls back, causing the little lion to tilt his head with confusion.

He doesn't say anything, unsure if that was just a mistake or not. ..it was probably just a mistake, right?

Chihiro blinks a few times, quickly lifting a hand to brush his hair behind his ear, nodding quickly with his gaze still trained on the pen full of lions.]

I...w-would like that. Kirikou-kun is...welcome to come over any time.

[He puts his hand out and starts petting the lion again, glad to have the motion to keep him distracted.]

She was telling me about...um....tigers.

[soundmind]

[She saw that.

Maka's expression falls and she silently considers Chihiro for a moment.

What was that? He seemed shocked or upset by something she said. But what was it? Was it by saying "him"? His appearance is outwardly feminine, but Crona's was, too...it doesn't occur to Maka that Chihiro would have issues with how he presents versus what he sees himself as. Intuition tells her there's something there, common sense tells her to let it go for now until they're in a less public place and her friend is ready to talk about it.

Perfectionism scolds her for screwing up and making her friend uncomfortable.]

Ah-huh...Miss Beast is probably a lot more experienced with animals that aren't as smart as Pokemon. But I don't necessarily think it's true that animals can't be as smart as Pokemon...they just process things differently than people do. I hope she adjusts to being here soon, the cl--Joker seemed happy that she arrived.

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro nods slowly in agreement, moving his hand a little when the Litleo starts to get braver and licks his fingers.]

I hope so too. She seemed very unsure when she arrived...but it seems like she's doing a bit better.

[She was certainly kinder to him once they actually spoke in person, as opposed to over the Gear like the first time.

After a pause he looks back up at Maka, pulling his hands away to rest them on the fence once more.]

I told her that this place was really nice, once you get used to it. ...I actually like it here, very much.

[lackingbeauty]

[Beast has tried her best to get in to the Hallow's Eve spirit. She's sporting a witch's hat and an all-black look, with a broom in one hand, even.

And she may still distruct Pokemon in general, but she knows when showmanship is required.]

Curious little beasties, aren' they?

[codeforhope]

[Chihiro looks over when he hears Beast's voice, nodding a bit shyly.]

Mhm. They seem very friendly..

[lackingbeauty]

Sure are, fer the most part. Just don't let 'em think it's alright t'play rough with ye.

[Once an animal trainer... even as defunct as her position had somewhat become in this place.]

Like cats, do ye?

[codeforhope]

[He nods again, looking back into the pen when he feels one of the Litleo come up and rub his head against his hand.]

They're nice...I've never really had any pets before, but I do like them.

[lackingbeauty]

No experience with animals, eh? -'fore this place, I mean?

[Beast keeps her smile on as the Litleo begins rubbing against Chihiro's hand in earnest.]

[codeforhope]

Not too much...my father was too busy usually for us to keep a pet, but it would have been nice if we could have had one.

[..That and he'd wager that his dad might've been allergic too.]

[lackingbeauty]

Some of 'em 'r pretty quiet, ye know. I'm more fond a tigers, myself, but ye know. Kid like yerself could 'andle a rabbit 'r somethin'.

[Is this how small talk works?]

[codeforhope]

[....wait.]

...Tigers?

[lackingbeauty]

Yeah, ye know- big striped cats?

[No, Beast, that's not where the confusion came from...]

[codeforhope]

Oh, I know, but....have you seen a tiger? Like...in person?

[lackingbeauty]

I train 'em, so I 'appen to see lots a them.