Test Drive #1 - London, England, Earth 1845

[thegreatestlittlemod]

The last few days of a stop are always either the slowest, or the busiest. The gray days of London in the autumn don't seem to be helping this to be the busiest, with rain driving customers away.

There are still some customers jogging between tents and ducking under game awnings, using coats and hats to try and keep the water off, but tips are few and far between, and a lot of audiences are empty, leaving performers sitting and waiting, or ducking into each other's shows to watch or just say hi, and those on the game alley shouting across the aisle at each other. Food vendors move up and down the aisle and tents with hot cocoa and kebobs to keep people warm.

A few people are out in the city proper running errands for themselves, each other, or the Ringmaster, often in pairs. Maybe the goal is to find six spools of ribbon in one exact color, or to capture a whole bowl full of raindrops from under a specific shop sign, or to replace some pants you tore in your last show. Whatever it is, you're down to the last day to find it.

Are you determined to put on a show despite having an audience of five? Are you chatting with your fellow carnies, bored with the slow day and wondering where you're going next? Are you seeking out something strange and confusing in jolly old London with a friend?

Or are you determined to enjoy the circus on its last day in your city, not expecting a surprise in store for you when it starts to pack up its doors tomorrow?

Comments

Kitchens

[worthallthis]

"Aw, I'd love an apple, little guy," Buck grins, swinging by the food stalls between shows in the hopes of a snack, antlered hat and all, taking advantage of a lull in the rain. "Hajime, hey, this ain't an apple you're intending on using for something, right?" Because he's known Ryo to offer ingredients other people were planning on using before. He's a sweet kid, but sometimes a little too generous.

Re: Kitchens

[chalicejoker]

"Take one of the caramel ones--I don't think we're going to sell them all, anyway." With that important consideration in mind, Hajime gestures at one of the trays of caramel apples on the counter. No sense in letting food go to waste. "I'll probably make preserves from most of the rest."

"It'll be very apple-y!" Ryo says proudly.

Re: Kitchens

[worthallthis]

"Yes, I believe it will," Buck tells Ryo solemnly, and leans in to snatch one of the caramel apples off the tray, immediately tilting it to lick some of the caramel right off.

One of his fingers on that hand loses its grip on joints and just turns into a finger-shaped tentacle to catch a drip. Buck doesn't seem to notice. "Not a ton of business today, eh?"

[chalicejoker]

Whatever Buck has going on with his arm was a little alarming at first, but Hajime's gotten used to it. He's no longer dealing with the urge to fight the mysterious thing. "With this weather? Hardly."

Ryo, meanwhile, is watching that tentacle with the same open wonder he's been watching most things at the circus with. So many things never get old! "You never know! Could have one person come and want a hundred apples just for them!"

[worthallthis]

At least Ryo's attention lets Buck realize what's going on, and he makes a face and gives that finger a little tap with his right pinky until it settles back into proper finger shape again. Most of the circus is used to his little friend's antics by now, but he still prefers it not mess around. "You know, a hundred apples would be a lot for one person to eat. How many have you eaten at once, Ryo?"

[chalicejoker]

"Three quarters!" Ryo says proudly. He might be big for a mantis, but he's not that big in the grand scheme of things. "How much does a bigger person usually eat? Hajime made me stop so I wouldn't get a tummyache."

[worthallthis]

"I could probably get through three if I was really hungry," Buck guesses. "But I'd probably make myself sick doing it, and frankly I eat more than most people anyway." Since he's eating for two, technically. The demon arm can eat on its own, but mostly it leeches nutrients directly from him. "So let's say two."

He reaches over with one snazzily-booted foot to nudge Hajime. "How about you, brother? How much could you eat?"

[chalicejoker]

Hajime seems surprised at the nudge. "Probably seven or eight." Is that a normal human amount? He does not know. He just knows that's about how many he can eat if he's really hungry.

This probably explains the massive portions he has a habit of dishing out to make sure everyone's fed, at least.