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

[dressofheaven]

"Joker!"

She waves him over with a grin, which looks downright weird in her costume.

"Oh it's nothing I can't handle, no need to be concerned there. You're the one running around trying to do eleven things at once."

She glances to the chair across from her in a silent suggestion that he should actually sit down for a bit.

[pipers_son]

"Aw, aha, that's how it always is, innit?"

Still, far be it for him to refuse Ilya. He flops down in the chair, adjusting his cape beneath himself.

"What do ya think of the haunted house?"

[dressofheaven]

"It's wonderful. Orpheus is really in his element. So much so, in fact, that he sometimes needs to be reminded he can't be in two places at once when the time for a performance comes."

It's almost cute... inasmuch as a Dusknoir can be cute.

[pipers_son]

Hearing Orpheus' delight about the haunted house has Joker chuckling, honest joy beneath the ghoulish twist of his makeup.

"Now I almost feel bad that this sorta thing is only for October. He'll have ta wait a whole year for it again."

[dressofheaven]

"Oh don't worry about him. He'll figure out ways to entertain himself..."

And of course, just as Ilya says that Orpheus rises out of the ground just behind Joker, and grabs his legs while shrieking nightmarishly.

[pipers_son]

Ah yes, how forgetful of him to not schedule his regular heart attack himself.

Joker gives a strangled high yelp, flailing out of his chair and- of course- falling onto the ground. One erratic wiggle flounder later, and he's finally realizing what's just happened.

"Oh, bloody hell." Excuse him while he gets his heart back down his throat and into his chest.

[dressofheaven]

"Orpheus!"

Ilya's aggravated snap only makes the ghost chuckle as he releases Joker and floats back a bit. She levels a firm glare at her Dusknoir and folds her arms.

"Save it for the Haunted House, you incorrigible prankster."

[pipers_son]

Okay and... Joker's breathing finally comes back to normal, and he almost messes up his facepaint by reaching up to ruffle at his own hair. Forcing his hand down, he gives a low whistle.

"Clearly he ain't busy enough, eh?"

[dressofheaven]

"Clearly. I'm so sorry about him, Joker."

Still glowering at her Pokemon, Ilya suddenly hits on an idea, and grins wickedly at him, her voice becoming exceptionally artificially sweet.

"So, Orpheus, since you're clearly working hard enough, why don't you float on over to the maze and play around in there a bit?"

Orpheus balks at having his break cut short, but he knows better than to argue with Ilya when she's in this mood. Slumping a bit, he floats away towards the grounds, her eyes on his back until he's out of sight.

[pipers_son]

"Yer a force a nature, Ilya," Joker says once Orpheus is out of sight, although he's grinning as he says it.

"Glad yer on my side, ha ha."

[dressofheaven]

"You should be. I make a terrible enemy." She flashes her pearly whites at Joker, but she can't stay menacing at him for long, and ends up just softly chuckling.

"In all seriousness, it's really just something I have to do sometimes. I don't like being harsh with them, but I dare not spoil them. Can you imagine any of mine without a firm leash on them? They'd be unholy terrors."

As if they aren't already sometimes...

[pipers_son]

"Well, it's a bit like raisin' children, innit?" Joker gets up onto his chair again, sitting back and relaxing.

"Ya gotta be good ta 'em, but if ya ain't serious from time ta time, they become a mess."

[dressofheaven]

"Hmmm... if that's the proper comparison, I suppose I'd be a very good mother."

That makes her a lot happier than she thought it would... but then again, her own mother is still one of the people she has the fondest memories of.

[pipers_son]

"Or a great big sister," Joker suggests with a laugh. You know what, after that scare, he thinks he's deserved a candy apple, so he leans over to grab one from the table.

"Do ya have any siblings back home?"

[dressofheaven]

It's brief, but for a moment Ilya freezes up and her eyes go wide at Joker's observation, and more so at his question.

She relaxes almost immediately though, and favors him with a very warm smile. "I do actually, one brother... though he's adopted. His name is Shirou. He's a total dork and can be kind of stupid, but I love him to little bits."

[pipers_son]

Ah.

Joker doesn't ask about the reaction. In fact, for all intents and purposes, he seems to act like he's completely missed it and just gives a nod. "That's good! Family's an important thing, whether we want it ta be or not. And hey, don't worry about that little fact!" He gives a jovial laugh.

"Hell, all me and my siblings are adopted too! Who said blood's thicker than water? I'd love ta introduce ya ta them all one day." A casual steer away into his own waters than hers.

[dressofheaven]

She knows what he's doing, and she appreciates it. There are some things she's not even comfortable discussing with her closest friends, and too much talk of her family is one of them.

"Well, maybe one day we'll get the chance. I wonder who will show up first. All of your siblings or my dear brother." Of course it's entirely possible the answer is neither, but why be unnecessarily pessimistic?

[pipers_son]

Why indeed? Joker huffs out another laugh as he leans back until the chair is only on two legs.

"Well, I got me six of 'em. Only two have shown up so far." He twirls the apple between his fingers, trying not to think about it too hard. He can't, not while he's working. It'll all go to hell, and he's not sure how good he'll be able to pull himself out from that dump of emotions. "It seems like a coin toss for the kind of people who come here, huh? Ya got all sorts."

[dressofheaven]

"Yes, it'd basically just a guessing game. A shame, but nothing we can really do anything about unless we figure out how we're being brought here in the first place."

She actually sounds a little wistful there. She'd certainly love to have control over who comes here.

[pipers_son]

"Folks have been here for years and haven't figured it out." Biting into his apple again, Joker thinks on it. He knows he's not particularly brilliant, especially in this kind of world where everything is so much more advanced than he's used to. He's clever, but not smart.

"It happens real regular too, when people come in. Almost like ya can tell seasons. Think ya can blame it on nature? I mean, in this sorta place, nature's pretty..." He makes a vague hand gesture.

[dressofheaven]

"Nature? Well... my guess is it's a Legendary behind it, or maybe more than one. I guess that would sort of count. They're like forces of nature."

Like gods, practically.

[pipers_son]

"Basically."

That seems to remind Joker of something, however, and he pauses with his fingers twitching on the apple stick.

"Ah... But even those things can sorta be controlled, doesn't it seem like?"

[dressofheaven]

She grimaces at that particular memory. It had been fun, but also kind of had some worrying implications...

"Maybe only up to a certain point, though? I doubt anyone could control that Arceus creature."

[pipers_son]

"Ha, yeah..." Joker is still grinning. However, there's an edge of wariness to it now. It'd been fun at the time, but that might have been a whole lot of adrenaline talking.

"I mean, they were there, but they seemed caught up in their own business instead a listenin' ta anyone."

[dressofheaven]

Ilya nods, her expression dark.

"Yes. It really seemed more like those fools in the odd outfits were trying to steer the course of something much larger than them than anything else."