Event start!

[plungeintofire]

Let the Cirque du Vrai begin!

OOC: The event starts today. It affects Attleton. Players can make their own posts and have fun with it or they can reply to this post with top levels and have fun that way! Up to you! There will be a separate log posted for the Showstopper on the 29th. If you have any questions or would like to sign up for the Showstopper, please check out the event details and remember that sign-ups for the Showstopper close tonight at 11:59pm PST.

Please note that if your character tries to enter the circus without a mask and costume (cannot be something your character already owned because it's not a disguise if it's theirs), they'll be prevented from getting in one way or the other. Don't try to get around it and don't try to be like WELL NO ONE CAN STOP MY CHARACTER!! If your character goes right past them they'll find themselves in the field the next day the second they go past the gates, capiche?? No cheating it's not fun for anyone.



As the sun sets in Attleton, a strange haze seems to glow over the barrier for a few moments before in the distance, a sequence of lights flickers on. The entrance sign first, then tents and merry-go-rounds and booths and all manner of dizzying fun illuminate just as darkness falls. It doesn't take more than a few seconds for the sounds of cheers and fun to fill the Attleton air. It almost seems like it's calling to you, inviting you in. As you approach, a man on stilts greets you. He explains that the flyers that have been floating around town with the wind and on the walls were all for this, the Cirque du Vrai! Become someone else to become yourself, step right up! You don't need to buy a ticket, you just need to buy a costume.

"There's a costume shop right next to the entrance for those who aren't prepared, and a master mask maker who will create any mask you desire, or leave it up to him once he decides what he thinks suits you. If you brought your own, that's fine too! The Cirque is here for days, there's time to spare! Don't let reservations drive you to despair! You'll miss out on fun if you let your life run all over the mystery we've so prestigiously spun. Test your skills, test your wills, find your chills, thrills, and pills. Here it is, the moment you've been waiting for is just beyond the gate! Accept who you are and you'll need none to commiserate!"

The man laughs, leaving before you can ask what that means to invite another in, and the game begins. Welcome to the Cirque du Vrai. Enjoy.

Comments

[aurabble]

[Embers light up brightly before they die in a soft glow, the only sign that they ever existed being the trail of ashes on the ground. The floating ashes are coming from this figure and his torn red sash that never seems to stop scorching up to a certain point. Paths of fire climb up like rivulets, but they always stop to a certain point before the fabric mends itself, never quite becoming full again and starting the same cycle over. In all the dizzying lights and colors, the subtle gold inlay of his armor that seems to pulse like arteries is hard to catch, but when Jaune steps away, in a corner or somewhere more removed, he's more illuminated.

He is the Pyrrhic Knight.]

★ 1.) Cotton Candy Makes Everything Better ★

[You might find him trying to eat a heaping amount of cotton candy without it getting stuck to his armor and failing. It still tastes delicious though, and seems to create a sense of euphoria, so he doesn't mind.]

★ 2.) Enough Resolve Will Conquer All ★

[Or, maybe you'll choose to enter the arena to challenge their champion, the loud roar of cheers almost deafening as soon as he makes his appearance. His weapon is made of light, and seems too grand and heavy to practically wield, but somehow he manages to do so with skill. Are you sure about this fight?]

★ 3.) Heroes Can Cheat Too | Miscellaneous ★

[Or you might find him searching for a magical cure for motion sickness--one that tastes good. Those rides look pretty fun. He might choose to cheat at the games, winning too many stuffed animals than he knows what to do with. He knows he doesn't have to cheat, but a small part of him admits that it's more fun that way. This place is all about temptation, after all.]

#2

[fade_to_black]

[And so a challenger appears. The announcer heralds the entrance of 'The Cat Burglar!' The dark haired girl's head turns and though her expression is unreadable behind that cat mask, there's an aura coming off of her that suggests that she really does not appreciate the nickname.

Nonetheless, she turns towards this 'hero' and calmly points her weapon at him in challenge. It's looks like it could be a shorter version of the katana, except is so wreathed in shadow, who knows? The tendrils whip around it like ribbons. Perhaps they are. Jaune may soon find out.]

Carnival Lymric

[imukurofenrir]

Mukuro approches the maker of masks, not knowing if he deals a dubious past. Her simple request is a familiar kevlar, complemented with a mask that protects her from gas. Few moments pass as she exits beyond, her clothes grabbed in camouflage, with her head breathing heavily, perhaps malevolently, as she enter's the bountiful of times.

No more than a wave to the man, did she enter beyond fluttering her hand. The bright lights overwhelming, her mind sweltering, as she decided where her eyes would dance.

To get a better view, not because the mask made her vison askew, she rode up to the top from the wheel that turnabout a lot, and looked into the midnight view. The second loop around complete, she looked for something to eat. Though it was hard with her mask, she took a grave chance, and dismounted it after taking a seat.

Past generosity of consumption, she simply chose to observe. Test of marksmanship and accuracy, that is the places she preserved. Red Stars she shot out, asking for nothing herself, but the next one to fail she would tell the clerk to prevail, and her bounty would be given out.

Should you find the eyes beneath the breathing, there is no need to be quivering, just smile and ask. "Who is behind the mask." and chances are she will reveil thee.

Blake Belladonna | OTA

[fade_to_black]

Aside from the ears, Blake is pretty much unrecognizable from her usual self.

And with all the other strange sights this place has to offer, is she really that outlandish? To be honest she isn't sure how she even got here. Was it something about the lights that drew her in? Booths, lights, games, masks, faces, costumes, music...all of these things seemed to circulate around her faster and faster until they touched ground and like a storm, it just seemed to be happening around her.

And she was okay with it.

All the Fish
How many goldfish can Blake win? A pretty big bag. Which is why she is now facing down a disgruntled booth owner.

"No, she CAN'T have all of those - did she actually win that many times?"

Before the poor hired hand could answer the girl on the shinobi-cat mask is scampering off! She'll never give them back! Maybe it's not fair. There will be no more prizes to hand out. But suddenly fair just doesn't seem as important as it seemed before! All that matters is the pretty shiny fish and how fun it is to watch them move...

"HEY! COME BACK!"

Not a chance.


Trolls Remorse?

The young faunus sat on a roof admiring her newly acquired prizes. Mainly the fish in the bag. She might be staving off the niggling nudging of her conscience, but every time it starts up all she can think about was how nice they'd look in the fish tank in her room. Her sharp twitched at the sounds of the voices and music below.

Her ears perked again. Was someone calling her?

Junk Food
There's no tea here. How can that be? There is an assortment of other sugary drinks and snacks though. From candied apples to popcorn, to .... fried ice cream?

Dare she?

Normally she wouldn't eat this stuff but, it wouldn't be a temptation then would it?


Box Fort
There is a fun house. Filled with tons and tons of box buildings and hiding places. Probably meant for kids. But tonight that won't stop Blake. There's a flash of shadow as a figure hops from box to box. Could be your imagine though. Wait, are those ears sticking out of that box?

All the Fish

[k2so]

[Kay has been casually observing the girl as she fished all the goldfish and the subsequent troubles it caused to the booth owner. As far as he knew, the girl won the fishes fair and square, so what if there were a lot of them?

Usually, Kay wouldn't get involved in someone else's problem or help out troublemakers for the sake of it. Today is not like any other day and by the Circus's influence he's feeling like causing troubles himself. When the booth owner runs past him in pursue of the girl, Kay 'accidentally' sticks out his foot making him fall first face to the floor. My, my how unfortunate.]

Trolls Remorse

[koishi_komeiji]

Yes. Someone was calling her. A slightly invisible someone who was currently perched on the roof not too far away. She would be easier to notice this time, however. The device she had been asked to wear helped focus her form and gave her some semblance of awareness. It would send the occasional unpleasant shiver through her body, but she would endure it for the duration of the circus.

She had flown over because this person's mind seemed familiar to her, but now that she was conscious thoughts of others and less so the shape of their unconscious she was having a hard time truly defining the minds she encountered. She might recognize it soon. She might not.

"Hello there Miss!" The oni-masked youkai's voice was unmistakable though. "That's a lot of goldfish. They're very cute."

[innocent_royal]

[Anastasia always had a weakness for masquerade. A masquerade could be the prelude to true love, as viewed from a child's mind. A true fairy tale ending. The young girl arrived to acquire a black and white gothic Victorian dress, with a frilled head brim that has a wedding veil draped behind her, and a mourning veil shrouding her face. Her half mask was basic, black in base with little white stars lining the edges.

Now with her properly dressed for the occasion, she sets out to find true love. ...but she never came looking for it before, so why was she so tempted to look now? To look for a prince charming that she knows doesn't exist?

Perhaps she'll find something more substantial instead...]

Let them eat cake
[The little mourning bride can be found by the snacks. Many delightful treats to be sampled. Chocolate strawberries, candied apples, anything that is sweet and fruity. She was at a point where she was collecting and hoarding all her favourites to where she even snacks the next hand that reaches for one of her snacks.]

Hail to the Queen
[What good is coming to such a place if she didn't win some adorable stuffed animals?

Correction. Why win them herself when she can make a plebian do it for her? She approached the nearest person playing a game.]

"You there. I require your services. Win me the biggest stuffed animal there."

[She's usually more polite than this.]

Torrential Reign
[When she caught wind of a house of mirrors, she had this strong desire to visit and check herself out. A gorgeous aristocratic girl needs to constantly tend to her appearance and keep herself perfect.

However, when she arrived, she was quite disappointed. These mirrors don't show her at her best. In fact, she looks very different in this mirror. Anastasia's reflection looks more grown-up. She tried moving around, and her adult reflection followed. Upon closer inspection, her reflection looked very pleased. She watches as her reflection takes a seat upon a glorious throne as images of world leaders bend a knee and pledge their allegiance to the one true Queen.

Behind her black veil, Anastasia smiles vainly, with only a noble giggle to sound off on her delight.]

Hail to the Queen

[notquitedracula]

[Fortunately - or perhaps unfortunately - the individual she has approached with her imperial demand is participating in a game he's displaying no small amount of skill with - namely, knife throwing. The young man in the white dragon costume turns to give the young bride a discerning look.]

What choice do I have, when asked by so noble a personage? [He even smiles, beneath the mask that only covers the top half of his face. If there's just a hint of fang there, well... who really cares, right?

While his back is turned, of course, his knives have been swapped out - this set has completely different balance points and profiles, and all in all are completely unsuited to the task of hitting the tiny, moving targets one has to hit in order to win the big prizes. Which is why the carnie's jaw slowly drops as his mark proceeds to dead-center every. single. one of them. Six perfect throws, with knives that should have made it impossible. Reluctantly, having heard the young lady's demand, the poor functionary selects the indicated prize - a stuffed animal roughly the size of a bear.]/

[klutzette]

[Colette wanders the fair grounds, in a dress that hugs her curves and a cloak billowing behind her. A gold mask conceals half of her face. She's not sure what lead her to choose something so form fitting, but damn if she doesn't feel good about herself in it.]

Wandering the Cirque du Vrai/Looking for Cassian Andor
[Colette bites her lip worriedly as she looks around for her friend. She was supposed to have spoken to him sooner about his relationship with Kaytoo, but she'd been a little busy the past couple of weeks caring for the sick in Fayren and somehow managing not to catch the illness herself yet. She's been looking everywhere for his trademark grumpy face, but with all the masks she's completely lost and not fully aware of her surroundings.]

Test Your Strength
[There's a big cute kitty plush that you can win if you manage to make the meter rise to the bell by hitting it hard enough. Colette bites her lip. She shouldn't. Her angelic powers give her strength, so it would be cheating to play to win, right? But then again, the angel side is a part of her, so it's totally okay, right?

She steps forward, picks up the mallet, and swings down hard. The base breaks under the force and the meter shoots up to the bell, sending it flying off. Whoops.

Colette gasps and hides her mouth before pointing sheepishly to the stuffed animal that she's chosen as her prize.]

Some Unwanted Attention
[Colette's not sure who this guy is, but he came up to her and started talking about how nice she looked in her dress, which has never really happened before. She was feeling really good about herself until he started putting his arm around her. She should tell him to go away. She wants to tell him to go away. And yet, the attention is admittedly nice. If only it were someone she actually liked.]

[captain_by_the_book]

[ Cassian's wandering rather aimlessly himself, wearing a tight leather bodysuit in grape-red and a small black mask that doesn't do a lot to conceal his identity. If this place weren't full of distractions he would be feeling mightily silly in his outfit, but as it is the magic of the carnival is slowly getting to him, luring him with the promise of being and doing whatever he wants, no consequences, no duties.

Having just come out of a brawl his mask is slightly skewed as he stumbles into Colette, and he's wiping blood from his bottom lip, yet he's grinning. ]

3. Some Unwanted Attention

[k2so]

[Kay is not his usual droid self, as he's now using a realistic android body courtesy of the Circus, but some things don't completely change. His memory is pretty much intact, even if his personality is being affected by the strange atmosphere around them. He's looking for something new to try when he spots the couple, the woman's body language looking like she's not all that convinced about her current situation.

His optics, -No, eyes. He has eyes now, of a sort.- narrow behind the mask and he tilts his head at the girl's, trying to get her attention to see if she's all right.]

Test Your Strength

[sizedoesntmatter]

[Yugi adjusted the hood of his his very robin hood type outfit, making sure that he didn't stand out as much. His mask covering the top half of his face as he for the mean time wondered around. What was he tempted for right now? He wasn't exactly sure what he was being drawn to, but never the less it had been tempting.

Hearing the bell he looked over to see who it was, smiling slightly before he walked over.]

You must have pretty amazing strength to hit the top and more.

[reachnotflexibility]

[Maybe it's been the lack of business recently, but Garrus has an uneasy feeling about this whole place, like something's bound to go wrong. So maybe it's not Garrus who's come out to play, but rather Archangel. He'd best find a disguise that hides himself fully then.

When he leaves the costume shop he's dressed as a witch hunter (sans the beard) and has a full mask on to hide his face. His already imposing size makes him look even more threatening. That should do just fine.]

Ever Vigilant
[Archangel's eyes scan every shadow he passes, looking for anyone that might be trouble. He's moved his guns so that they're under his duster. It's an odd feeling, them being there instead of strapped on his back, but it'll be better to catch anyone off guard if they don't suspect that he's actually packing heat. Any minute now he's sure to find someone doing something... ill advised.]

Shoot the Target
[It's a dumb carnival game, but he can't help but show off his skills. He throws a few bills on the counter before picking up the pellet gun, taking careful aim, and firing off six quick shots, hitting each target's bullseye dead on. It's barely a challenge, but he'll play a few more rounds anyway.]

Shoot the Target

[k2so]

[Anything involving weapon is going to get Kay's attention. He's dressed in black, wearing a white and red mask and looking...well, humans would be the word for it, since his memory had been transferred into a hyper-realistic android body for the time being. He looks at the bullseye and then at the mysterious individual firing the shoots.]

Not bad.

ota

[unhappy]

[ Emerald's day has been surprisingly normal at the carnival, but that's largely because she's never been one much for resisting temptation. She tends to do what she wants and take what she wants when she doesn't have someone telling her what to do, so the biggest difference is that she's dressed in this, but black with a white veil with a snake-like mask, and she's wearing slightly sharper heels than normal... and of course after she'd noticed that no one was really getting in trouble for their actions, she's much less reserved about doing what she wants in the open.

Most peoples' temptations were probably more along the lines of gluttony, lust, sloth, or pride. Emerald's were all about either envy or wrath. If she wanted something, it was hers whether it was yours or not. If you tried to stop her, well, that was just permission for her to let loose. As much as she had been trying to keep it in, to stay well-behaved and not get into trouble, something about knowing she won't get in trouble means that these heels might be stepping on more than the ground today.

Approach with caution, this serpent's got quite the bite. Or perhaps you'll find Emerald indulging on someone else and you've decided if no one will stop her, this is your chance to be the hero? Or maybe you'll want to join in? She's pretty good at being a team player, even if she's not nice about it. ]

Archangel here!

[reachnotflexibility]

[Garrus has been keeping an eye around for overall trouble, and he's noticed the veiled woman pocketing quite a few things. He sees preying on a new target when he decides to step in; it's a little below his pay grade, so to speak, but an easy catch is an easy catch. He comes up behind her and puts his gun to the small of her back.]

I don't think that belongs to you.

[If she turns around she'll see a tall witch hunter with a mask in place.]

[megabond]

[As soon he went to Attleton, Professor Sycamore just happened to encounter the entrance to some sort of circus. Seeing that it might give him a way to take a break from his work for a while, he decides to get a costume and a mask to enter the circus.

Speaking of which, his costume is very reminiscent of a certain phantom with a white dress shirt, black bowtie, blue silk vest, and black cape along with black slacks and black loafers to match. As for his mask, it is basically a half gray mask covering the right side of his face with white glitter spread around it.

As he is now wearing the costume and mask needed to enter the circus's festivities, he thinks he'll have a normal, but great time in there. Of course, he is very wrong.]

I. Searching for the Woman of His Dreams

[Because once he entered the circus, something inside him quickly clicks. He can't explain it, but for some reason, he feels that he might meet a special woman of his life. And even without some second thoughts about it, he knew that finding one might able to help him on his search.

So if you're a beautiful woman despite being a little younger or older than him, expect the Pokemon Professor to approach you without any warning.]

Hello! May I just say that you're looking very beautiful under the moonlight tonight.

[If you want, try to ignore him or return his feelings. But if you choose the former, he might try to stop your tracks just to flirt with you.]

II. Just Taking Advantage

[On another part of the booths, you can see him trying out some of the games, namely ring toss, ball and bucket toss, and the milk bottle.

But if you noticed as soon he threw a ring or a ball, they are somehow managed to hit their target every time, allowing him to win every prize in the booths. Yet for some reason, it's as if they were controlled by an invisible force (all thanks to his Shuppet).

Should you try to figure it out how did he get so lucky?]

I.

[innocent_royal]

[And the woman he dared to speak to was but a girl, dresses in a black gothic Victorian dress that slightly resembles a wedding dress. Upon her head was a matching brim that had a black wedding veil draped behind her and a mourning veil shrouding her face along with a simple half mask.

Her own desires to be powerful and recognised for her status, power, intellect and beauty had her believing she was worthy of this attention. Too bad her delusional vanity would speak for her.]

So! You recognise my beauty? At least you're not as stupid as you look, with a costume like that. what a dreadful design...

[captain_by_the_book]

Cassian had been in Attleton to work on the house they are building when the circus caught his attention. Never one for revelry when there was work to be done - or ever - he was still buying a black mask before he knew it. That was the easy part, none of the costumes appealed to him. It wasn't until he overheard mention of it resembling some spy movie costume, that he was drawn to a grape-red leather bodysuit. It's far too tight for comfort, but it came with sensible boots and fake throwing knives. Even better, some spies wore clothes like that, even if he'd only ever seen it on women. It's a harmless enough little in-joke in a place where few people knew his exact profession.

Mirror of Desire
While snooping around the carnival, his steps led him to a small, drab out of the way tent. Inside was a set-up of chair and mirror resembling the Dream Docks, not that Cassian knew that. The scene that started playing in the mirror was just as beguiling - Scarif again, Jyn and him holding hands on the beach. It was enough to make him stay, until he was fully pulled into a make-believe future where his team and he survived Scarif. If nobody pulled him away he would lose himself in this dream world.

Letting Loose
There was a myriad of temptations in the circus, but to a man focused only on duty and self-sacrifice they should have had little appeal. Only, today was different. Cassian was different. Quicker to laugh and to pick fights, his temper no longer even as befit a level-headed rebel officer. Duty was far away as he drank without care, not a thought given to caution and duty.

Then again, true temptation would come once he realized there were no consequences to savoring the darker parts of his life, that he could chase this short-lived thrill of a successful mission, but the guilt of having done violence never came. After all, it was just a joke, right? Everyone was laughing.

Mirror of Desire redux
He should have known better to return to the tent with the mirror after barely escaping it's thrall once before, but return he did, the pull to follow your desires too strong. This time, he wasn't taken back to Scarif, but to his childhood on Fest. His younger self not becoming a child soldier at six, but growing up as happy and carefree as anyone could be under Imperial rule, with the parents he barely remembered alive.

Mirror of Desire redux

[k2so]

[To say that Kay has been a little distracted lately was an understatement. There were many things to see, try, play with or fight at the Circus. Thanks to the mask maker he has gotten a proper costume, a mask and a a hyper-realistic android body so he could enjoy the experiences more realistically. However, he felt a strong need to share all this with his best friend, among other things, and had been looking for Cassian everywhere.

It's only by pure chance that he decides to check the Mirror tent and finally managed to find Cassian's inside it. His voice is the same even if he's looks are not. If he's lucky, Cassian wont' be too startled.]

Here you are! I've been wondering if you were avoiding me on purpose.

[sonicosuper]

A circus sounded like what Sonico needed to finally relax now that she was a little more confident about leaving the house. Dressing up in an emerald dress and hiding behind a black and green mask made it all the easier. Her pink hair was tied neatly at the back of her head, a completely different style. Happy with her outfit, she set out to enjoy her time at the circus. Little would she know how deeply and desperately in search of romance she would become...

1. Floating Around Anything Where a Guy Can Win Her a Prize
Sonico is casually wandering around, enjoying the atmosphere, intrigued by all that's going on around her. Everywhere someone is trying to pull others into fun and games. Sonico stands nearby, shaking her head at offers to join in. But if there's a man nearby willing to show off his skilks, then she'll be more than happy to watch.

2. The Butler Cafe Experience
There's a beautiful outdoor cafe for people to take a moment to refresh themselves. There, Sonico is seated, surrounded by plenty of male attention. One man is pouring her tea, another holding her hand, two lifting spoonfuls of cake toward her, one putting a pillow behind her. In short, a group of handsome men treating her like a princess, and she seems to be loving it.

[om_nom_namur]

[That guy holding her hand? He suddenly yelps as a webbed hand closes over his head and picks him straight up off the ground. Namur plops him.. somewhere else. Who cares? He's out of the way now, and Namur has her hand firmly ensconced in his palm.]

Seems like yer havin' a good time, sweetheart. Too bad I didn't run int' y' earlier, otherwise y'd be havin' a great time, eh? Sheheheheh!

The Obscenely Long Duo-Post!

[koishi_komeiji]

I. (Open) Arrival: Both Sisters
The sisters arrived at the carnival shortly after it began dressed in the likeness of red and blue oni, their glowing eyes casting light through the gilded masks and adding to the overall fearsome appearance and giving away the fact that Koishi was behind the red mask and Satori was behind the blue. Each mask was armored but also of a more ceremonial make consisting of and upper part and a detachable lower part, freeing the mouth and part of the nose. Both youkai were dressed in feudal armor taken from Chireiden's rarely-used armory.

Koishi's attire was somewhat messy and made of a deep rust colored hell metal. It had some intentionally broken plates along her armored thigh and arm covers, both of which appeared somewhat longer and bulkier than was common. Despite this her shin guards were lighter and her hakama slit from ankle to waist on both sides and held in place by her armor and straps. It had to be to accommodate her third eye. Her helmet's crest were a pair of antlers framed by wild, black hair and she carried two swords of different sizes.

Her sister, on the other hand, was dressed far more neatly, the metal of her armor made of the less-common slate colored hell metal. Much of the outfit was traditional, but lighter. She had foregone most of the forearm guard, instead opting for padded gloves and separate bracers to accommodate her arteries. Likewise she carried a bow and a quiver of arrows. Her helmet was framed with white hair and its crest was in the shape of a crescent.

Both had managed to hide their third eyes behind their heads and under the mane of decorative hair. Even with that dead giveaway hidden, it was still fairly obvious who it was under those masks.

II. (Closed) Hidden Desires: The Two Interacting
The carnival filled Satori with a sort of wistfulness. Much like the festivals in Hell and in wider Gensokyo, she hadn’t been to a proper one in many years. Let alone under these circumstances. Despite her odd change in temperament during the festivities, some of her old habits died hard. After a little wandering about and growing more and more uncertain, she’d been approached by a figure offering her a strange device. It was a bandanna, connected by a cable to a claw-like device sporting a lens. So advertised, it’d grant Koishi her mind-reading back, but only for the length of the carnival. This was a lot to think about - would it even be worth it?

III. (Open) Carnival Food: Koishi
Koishi was still getting used to being able to read minds again. Hearing the outpouring of desire from everyone was dizzying... but thrilling at the same time. And, at the very least, she knew she could remove the device at any time should it become too much. Despite the distractions though she couldn't help but follow her nose. She could be found all over the carnival at different times, buying and trying basically everything.

IV. (Open) Heartfelt Fancy: Satori
The petting zoo, filled with all sorts of interesting animals - Oh god. Oh god

There’s nobody around the petting zoo anymore. Or at least, nobody with a weak stomach. In any case, the fear was good. The terror, seeping in, mixing with the blood. Yes. Drinking deep, nourishing. But not enough.

There’s certainly a mess among the previously penned-up barnyard animals. And quite a lot of blood. A few animals were clearly missing. And a little out of sight, a blue oni-masked sister sitting far away from prying eyes with the bottom half of her mask removed. It seems a hen had been unfortunate to wander into her sights. A scraping and crunching sound can be heard from the hunched figure. Anyone who arrived would have their fear fed on by the still-hungering Satori. To her, the fear of the onlookers was a sweet wine of fear and trembling. It felt satisfying.

At least that explains how all the blood got there...

V. (Open) Instinct ~ Release of the Id: Koishi
Little was scarier than a bored satori youkai. And already Koishi was starting to get bored with the repeated thoughts and desires of everyone around her. They were the same tiresome things she had heard a million times before. Even some of the charm of the masks and how they were supposed to hide identity was lost... She wanted something new. Or at least exciting.

And so, she began to scare people. Using her power and guile she would stalk individuals. She would remain hidden and whisper in their ear or let them feel cold and sharp claws on the back of their neck. Such strong emotions did wonders to quench the more visceral needs of her species. And she had already eaten her fill physically from the kamui event some time ago.

Not everyone was scared or stalked. Some people she chose to show herself, unable to hide her laughter. For once, everyone’s thoughts were light and even pleasant to listen to, even if the contents were sometimes less than savory. Despite the volume of them. This wasn’t how she remembered it. It was… pleasant.

VI. (Open) Recollection ~ Terrible Souvenir: Satori
The misadventure at the petting zoo had filled her to the brim with youki. Having sipped on freshest blood, meat and fear like a rare treat, they couldn’t blame her for indulging. This was a carnival wasn’t it? For the more reclusive of the two sisters, Satori took her time and drifted around the carnival’s attractions, looking like a terrible omen. Her imposing armour and terrible mask, as well as the dried blood - it all looked as if she hung onto what sort of ‘monster’ she was. And yet…

And yet, these people. All these people indulging in vice and frivolity, wasting their time with nonsense, games and foolishness. Centuries ago, even her stiff upper lip would crack a smile if not for the hatred of others. But here, there was no hate, there was no love. There wasn’t even what she considered to be sustained patterns of thought. Everything, to her third eye, metamorphosed into something she couldn’t help but admire.

She wandered amidst stalls and vendors hawking their wares. She even spoke to a few of them in a voice nobody would expect. Higher, cheerful, perhaps even a little unsettling. The carnival games, for a youkai’s dexterity, were easy trifles. But even then, there was something exhilarating and endlessly interesting, even if she grew bored or tired. She even followed people going about their business. As much as she wanted to sink her teeth into a few, perhaps, she seemed to be legitimately interested.

Why was this...so beautiful? Perhaps because, for once, nobody was pretending, anymore.

VII. (Open) Last Remote: Koishi
Koishi had never really been on a ride before. They were loud and big and contained so many screaming and shouting humans she honestly didn’t know what to make of them. At first at least. It wasn’t long before she found herself in line to get on a small roller coaster.

After being told she was too short to ride and subsequently breaking the worker’s arm when he tried to stop her, Koishi found herself strapped into a coaster and having the time of her life. It was almost like flying!

VIII. (Open) Las Dos Fridas: Both/Either
The carnival was big. Very big. But the sisters always seemed to find each other again amid the chaos. And it’s perfectly possible for someone to run into them during one of these brief reunions. Perhaps by the ferris wheel? Or perhaps near a restaurant? Or maybe you just stumble across one of them. Whatever you like.

(Closed) Hidden Desires/2

[satori_komeiji]

Satori would eventually approach Koishi. Suppressing her feeling to wander about, to do as she pleased, she focused on her first order of business. Approaching her sister, she spoke up rather quickly, yet not so curtly as she’d be wont to do.

“...Koishi, come here a second.” For some reason, even her typically stiff and formal speech had dropped, slightly. Her register, typically dark and unpleasant had started to sound...almost delicate. “Someone offered me this...thing. They say it’ll let you read minds again, at least until the carnival’s done with. Here, it’s a gift.” Or a curse all over again, she thinks. “...Don’t hate me for it, Koishi. It’s just a little while. Maybe you’ll learn something new. Just...be careful?”

K2SO | OTA

[k2so]

The master mask maker had not only given Kay a proper outfit to wear but also transferred a copy of his memory core to a hyper-realistic android body. That way, he can enjoy the Circus and move around with more ease. He's still tall for a human-looking individual and wears black clothing combined with a white mask with red markings. His voice hasn't changed one bit either. Curiosity got the best of him and he's exploring the Circus as well as testing the advantage and limits of his new body. He can be found all over the place;

|1.♠ Food Madness |

The new android body has realistic nerve feelings and tastebuds. While food doesn't really do anything for him, Kay's cybernetic brain is able to process the taste. Which is the reason why he has lifted his mask a bit and is currently trying to have a taste of any food available. Kay, however, it's not savvy about what goes with what, so he's currently pouring ice cream on top of his french fries. Some culinary advice would be nice.

|2.♠ F for Fite Me |

A combat droid wants what a combat droid was designed to do: fighting. It's something the Rebellion barely let him do since they valued his strategic analysis skills more than his ability to punch a hole through someone's chesta wall. Shame, because Kay is now more than willing to start a fight or throw someone across the room. He might have just punched a poor clown that was pestering him and accidentally pushed the guy on top of the nearby passerby, who knows.

|3.♠ Not all who wander are lost |

Except, in this case, he is. Kay has never been in this part of the Circus and the people and things around him don't look familiar. Help, please?

3!

[klutzette]

[It may be of little comfort to Kay to see a young woman who looks equally, if not more, lost than Kay does. Colette is walking around in green and gold dress and cloak with a gold mask to hide part of her face. She's biting her lip worriedly as she looks around, very clearly unsure of her surroundings.

She spots Kay down the path, who seems just as lost as she is. Probably not the best person to ask for directions, but maybe they could help each other out and become friends and she could see what was under that mysterious mask and-

She shakes her head, not sure what's gotten into her recently. She'd never been so into that kind of stuff till she got here. The energy of the circus, she supposed.

She walks up to him, waving shyly as she does.]

Um. Hi. You look lost. I'd offer to help, but I'm lost, too. But maybe we could find out way out... together?

[notquitedracula]

[Someone isn't really getting into the spirit of the circus. Releasing inhibitions... that kind of thing can be really bad for other people's health when you've got Dracula in your head, okay? So, the man in the white dragon costume is just... sort of drifting. One moment, he's by the game tents - the next, he might be by the clowns, or the remnants of the petting zoo, or any of a dozen other places... not really enjoying himself, and it's quite apparent to see him.

Won't someone please come save the poor bastard from himself?]

[shelteringwings]

[Mobius had arrived dressed in the best (or at least, most ridiculous) way he possibly could have- by letting himself go in dressed in what could be best described as the outfit of a sentai hero. He was a nerd, he couldn't help himself, and part of the fun was indulging, right?]

I. Dance the Night Away
[He'd never come out and truly say it, but Mobius enjoyed being the center of attention. His best friend would call him out on it, complete with some snide remark to belittle him, but he always would pass it off as his own confidence.

He'd already aced several of the games in the circus (not without a few cheats here and there with the assistance of his magic bracer) but now he was going to truly shine in front of the crowd. If not for his military career as a pilot, he would have pursued a career in music, and that was something he was building up to in Genessia.

He would be up on stage, sometimes with other performers and sometimes solo, singing and dancing his heart out to those that listened. It wasn't an embarrassing sight either, his vocal skill and dance choreography were shining through and proving he was no amateur. Those cheers were intoxicating, and were exactly what made him keep going.

Afterwards, he could be found outside with drink in hand. He was tired, so he'd have to continue another day.]

II. It's You I See Before Me
[Despite that lively, confident exterior, Mobius' heart stung. If there was any temptation that he was doing his best to fight, it was the temptation of the women around him. Even without Genessia as a factor, it had been months since he'd seen his wife-to-be, as she was frequently out on assignment for the military's intelligence department.

The loneliness he felt almost felt overbearing here, and he found himself looking at those around him. Couples would cause the stings of jealousy, and he had to battle the thoughts in his mind about seeking a brief romance, even if it were just for the period of the circus. He had to show restraint, constantly reminding himself of the ring he wore under his gloves, and he never knew what kind of person he could cross amidst these awful temptations. Besides, who was to say that he wouldn't actually encounter his fiancée here? Her ability to disguise herself and blend in were uncanny, and she fooled him on numerous occasions.

He couldn't risk it when the odds were stacked against him like that... could he?]

III. There's No Points for Second Best
[It was a few days later in the carnival- and it was after Mobius' crushing defeat in the first round of the Showstopper. Even with magic at his disposal, he still couldn't come out on top... and he was furious. There always seemed to be someone better than him, no matter what he did. It was even that way at home- he may have been one of his country's top aces, but that didn't matter because he was still Number Two in the squadron. Why the hell was it always that way?!

Blue lightning arced around his clenched fists as he would approach whatever tests of strength that were available to him. Clearly, physically letting out his frustrations would be the way to go. Let's just hope he doesn't end up in any actual fights along the way.]

pyrrha nikos | ota

[polearity]

A RISING PHOENIX.

( from the moment pyrrha enters the gates, it felt as though a gigantic weight had been lifted from her shoulders. thanks to her outfit and mask, surely no one would be able to tell it was her. the green of her eyes was shaded thanks to a veil in the lining of the mask, and a large array of black almost opalescent feathers coming from the back of it hid her hair.

for the first time since arriving, she felt as if she could finally be herself. be more than just the girl that had passed on. from the ashes she had left behind rose the phoenix that now walked the grounds. )

THAT'S A BIG URSA!

( pop! pop! pop! the toy gun fired off its rounds in quick succession, as pyrrha nailed all of the marks that the carnival game lined up. while it was good to see that her marksmanship hadn't suffered much in her months of stagnation, she really... had no idea what to do with the gigantic ursa-looking toy that was shoved at her as the game concluded.

it was big. huge, actually. she turned, holding it out in front of her awkwardly, slightly hidden behind it as she asked— ) Would you... like this?

( please take this monstrosity off her hands. )

EVERYBODY WAS BALLROOM DANCING.

( the atmosphere in the hall was intoxicating to pyrrha.
the lights, the people, the fluid movements everyone gave into on the dance floor... she wanted more than anything to be a part of that again, to feel the same things she had felt when... .... ...

there's no helping it. she wants to give in to these feelings, even if she doesn't deserve them, well... approaching another partner-less onlooker, pyrrha extends her hand out. )

Dance with me?

[aurabble]

[sometimes, no matter how tempting something is, it still takes the right push to actually go through with it. standing off to the side, jaune remained a sentinel over the flurry of lights and colors, his arms folded defensively, guarding his heart. a flicker of darkness catches his eye, revealing midnight feathers and a maiden, an angel, a goddess like the ones from fairy tales. she's the most beautiful person he's ever seen.

reality is cruel and he just wants to forget. just for a little while...

the knight extends his hand to the phoenix, pulses of gold seeming to light up and warm to her fire. he's wondering for the first time in a while if destiny exists. maybe it's his destiny to protect her. they both match in theme, after all.]

If you're okay with taking center stage.

noctis | ota

[alternas]

THE ULTIMATE CHOCOBRO.

( it's only after he's through the gates that noct is seeing that his costume choice... might be a little out of left field. in fact, everyone else looks down right nice in comparison to the black chocobo monstrosity he somehow got his hands on.

there wasn't even prompto around to blame on this one. maybe he could just...
sneak back out without anyone noticing... which is exactly what he's trying to do. )

FOOD ON THE BIRDBRAIN.

( not everything in this place was for the birds, at least.
the food wasn't bad at all, and although it might have made ignis recoil in utter horror, noctis was more than happy to stuff himself full of the delicious burgers they were peddling.

please take note of the lettuce and tomatoes he's pushed off to the side of his plate though. those were definitely still for the birds, and not the kind he was currently invoking. )

QUITTING YOUR DAY JOB.

( great... somehow, he'd been mistaken for one of the workers at the carnival, and before he had any opportunity to explain or deny it, he found himself carting around an exorbitant collection of colourful balloons. shaking his feathered head, he resigned himself to his fate, trying to pawn them off on anyone near so that he could get back to eating, thanks. )

This one's for you. Actually— why not take two.

III.

[kingslight]

Noctis?

[Guess who've been searching for their son for the last few hours? Regis promised the youth he would attend the carnival but pulling himself from his work was difficult. As a King, Regis was often busy. However, as a Magic Instructor he's less busy than he was before but still, work eats up most of him time. That and watching over the shop. Cassian is a nice enough employer but the priest been a tad odd as of late. Regis made it his business to keep the Cloak & Dagger running despite his increasing workload at the Ivory Tower. He's dedicated like that, a tad too dedicated.]

Goodness, I'll never find him in this crowd. [He grumbles to himself as he adjusts his mask.] My fault for being quite tardy.

[Unlike his dear son who is apparently quite fond of chocobos, Regis decides to venture into the carnival looking quite dapper in a regal golden brocade suit. He looks something like a magician in this outfit with the white ivory cane and hat included. The mask he dons is Venetian inspired and matches well with the golds and whites of his attire. It's a perfect match to say the least. Regis certainly looks quite handsome for someone well past his prime. ]

Noctis, where could you--Oh?

[He pauses suddenly once a pair of colorful balloons are shoved towards him.]

Balloons? [Regis peeks around them and stares at the awkwardly dressed fellow before him with a look of surprise hidden behind his mask.] Noct?

Action prompts below

[youfool]

[More costume parties. How fun! Ted takes every chance to dress up, especially in riotous and loud fashion. There are two classic costumes he can't quite choose between. The comedy of the clown, or the chivalry of the knight? Merry bells or sterling armor? A naked sword or a fool's cap? Decisions, decisions. Clown? Knight?

Both! Perfect. He's donned in green and purple, with sturdy yet flexible armor and far, far too many bells. It even came with an iron bladder; a means of toting his stuff and a makeshift weapon all in one. How romantic! How comic! He's down to clown.

A. Clown World
[In high spirits and verve, a green and purple, jingling knight japes his way across the fairgrounds. The mask may have been a bit too thorough; it was difficult to eat. Oh well, that means more time for intrusive socializing! He will approach and offer to dance, or duel, or mock, or all three at once. See that ride? Looks fun, right? No? Too bad, we're going anyway! Carpe Diem, no time like the present!

Just to compliment the disguise, he's got his voice changer to make him that much harder to identify. Then again, who else would be this chipper and dress this awfully?]

B. Iconoclasm
[Once his energy tapered off, Ted was forced to acknowledge the dark spiritual feeling the place gave him, straight out of a horror like Something Wicked This Way Comes. Was this an innocent romp, or a dark bacchanal?

His first temptation came in the form of a mirror-monger. He did his pitch well, garrulous, and long. He offered an enchanted piece of glass that would show you your heart's desire. Temptation got the better of Ted, and he wanted to see what his desire was, or whatever the mirror thought it was. God, he hoped, else he'll have some explaining to do.

What he saw horrified him so much, in a flash his foot was through the frame. Disturbingly, this didn't throw off the salesman one bit.]

"So that's your game, fair fair-goer? In that case, I think this might suit you better."

[He put a mallet in Ted's arms before he could utter another word. The mirror-hawker took off a curtain from more of his wares, revealing that he had many such abominations. Wouldn't it be nice to smash them all to pieces?

Yes, Ted decided. That would be fun.]

"Oh, how I've missed you! But my aim's getting better!
I can't miss you if you won't leave!
Go to hell you worthless fakes! Hahahaha!"

[Demented bon mots and ravenous laughter filled the air, followed by continual crashing of glass as he madly wreaked a path of destruction on any mirror he saw. He was so caught up in his spree that he didn't question how there could be so many, nor the wisdom of scattering so much sharp glass everywhere. He had loosened his grip on his heart, and his hatred for illusions began to overtake him. He didn't care to keep his eyes pure. What did it matter if he saw them, if only for a better chance to break them? He longs to kill these lies. He wants them all to die.

He couldn't keep it up forever. His muscles would tire and ache and then the reality would dawn on him. It's not just the mirrors that are evil; this whole carnival is. Didn't he feel it from the beginning? The hollow frivolity. The joyless vanity. "Eat drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die." Something should die, certainly. He held a lighter to the biggest tent he could find, and then...

C. Frowny Clowny
[He gave it up. There are people here. People who would get hurt if he set fire to everything, however deserved. Damn, the glass! If someone stepped on that...good God, what has he done? In haste he tried to retrace his steps and sweep away whatever he could.

He's so tired. He should've intuited the rot of this place from the beginning. How could he be fooled by such an easy lure? He should be better than this.

The images in those mirrors haunt him. Was that what he wanted? But he hated it enough, didn't he? He rejected it with every swing of the mallet, right? Or maybe...maybe that was just an excuse. A fig leaf for the vain pining of a vain heart.

Now there's no swinging weapon or ready flame. Just a colorful, armored clown, sitting in the dust with his head in his arms. He just wants it all to end. He felt, vaguely, that if he took off his mask, it might end. Or he would; the dread of death followed any attempt he made at uncovering. So much for merry-making. Now he waits for the conclusion of this idiotic nightmare.

[om_nom_namur]

[As Ted sits, head in arms, he might hear something unexpected coming from nearby.

Clapping.

And an appreciative whistle.]

Shit, man. Been a long time since I saw someone goin' off like that. The hell's yer damage?

[Unlike Ted's, Namur's costume is only as concealing as was necessary to gain admittance into the fair. Sure, he's wearing a mask, inky black with pearlescent swirls of blue and teal, but it covers only half of his face, leaving his stark white teeth and the 8 on his chin on proud display. His costume consists of matching black pauldrons and a breastplate, clearly nautically themed, as well as pearl studded bracers and cingulum. Dorsal fin, webbed digits, and blue skin are left plainly visible. Anonymity was never an option for Namur, and quite frankly, he prefers it that way.]

[anewhero]

[Marcus couldn't be recognized by the weird silver mask and strange "costume" he picked out to hide himself and all that]

But still... the fair people didn't recognize this.

Hey, you, strange looking guy, you look like a tough guy, why don't you try my balloon shooting range?

[A balloon shooting range with real guns?]

Seems strangely ironic, huh?

The carnival worker blinked "Nah i said darts, stranger. Still care to try?"

"Sure, but darts are way too easy."

The terminator human takes out a gun he prepped himself as the worker kind of moves back. "A gun?!" Sure, why not, uhhh... *steps back*

Marcus smirked and simply just blasted about 3 or 4 balloons at a time on the board.

"What do i win?"

"E... Everything..."

"TAKE IT!"

Marcus raised a eyebrow, he doesn't know what to do with cheap fuzzy animals. He shrugged and laid every fuzzy animal on the ground and took his gun, putting it away as it smoked and the balloon game board had black marks on it.