bakerstreet | The Carnival Meme

The Carnival Meme

the carnival meme

WHAT TO DO:
1. Post with your character!
2. Pick a scenario and reply to people!
3. Have fun and try not to get sick on the roller coaster!

OPTIONS:
1. Games: From classic ring toss to the shooting gallery, here's your chance to win a prize for yourself or for that special someone. Some say the games at a carnival are rigged, but maybe, just maybe, you'll get lucky!

2. Food and Drink: The sweet smell of funnel cake and the familiar briny aroma of popcorn draw you over to the food and drink tent. There's cotton candy, candied nuts, and cheep booze, all here for your enjoyment.

3. Classic Rides: The carousel, the ferris wheel. All carnivals need these classic rides for kids and adults who aren't looking for the excitement of the faster-paced rides. Snuggle close to your partner and see if you can see your house from the top of the wheel.

4. Something More Exciting: This is for thrill-seekers. Here you'll find the Tilt-a-Whirl, the Gravitron, the Screamin' Swing--all the rides designed to make you lose your lunch. Hope you didn't have too much cotton candy!

5. Freakshow: Do they really have a bearded lady in that tent? It's time to find out. Buy a ticket and see the greatest oddities the world has to offer.

6. Tunnel of Love: Or perhaps tunnel of mild boredom. The red-tinted lights and quasi-romantic music are meant to make this ride a great makeout spot, if the chemistry is there.

7. Hall of Mirrors: You and your partner entered, thinking it would be easy to get out again, but dead ends abound in this wacky mirror-maze, and each mirror seems to show a more and more distorted image of each of you.

8. Fortune Teller: Whether one of the creepy machines or the even creepier women dressed up in a culturally insensitive costume, you cross someone's palms with silver and get your future told. Will it be happiness forever with your partner, or will ill tidings be bound your way? (Feel free to use this online tarot spread for extra fun!)

9. Wildcard: Any situation of your choosing happens in a carnival today! Go with the flow.

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[ Genji isn’t far off with his assumption, because McCree’s eyebrows arch in mild surprise as he gets a glimpse into the other man’s past. ]

If you woulda asked me an hour ago if I thought you had a wild side, I’da said “no way, Jose”. Now? I can kinda believe it.

[ Riding a roller coaster with a person does wonders for perspective, apparently.

He leans back, resting against one of the barriers cordoning off one of the rides from the main walkway. For his own part, he’s got mixed feelings about the McCree of the past. He did what he did, and there was certainly no changing it, so feeling sorry for himself wouldn’t get him anywhere. On the other hand, it’s hard to forgive some of the things he did in his outlaw days. The former is a much easier mindset to keep, especially when the atmosphere thus far has been so jovial. ]

I got a beer and I got to watch a ninja stumble his way off a roller coaster. I’d say we’re well on our way.

That part of me has been tempered for the better. But it's nice to indulge every now and then.

[Nicer for company to share it with. Though Genji might not be the social butterfly he once was, he still enjoys being around people, even if all he's doing is basking in their presence. Getting to know one of the people he shares the battlefield with is a bonus on top of it. It was pure chance that led him and McCree to being at each other's side for the night, but Genji's glad for it. He'll have to make sure he expresses the sentiment later.

For now, the mention of Genji's momentary lack of grace has the ninja in question letting out a small, amused sound.]

Perhaps I should be glad you'll have no more record of that than your own memory. Or perhaps it's a testament to the coaster.

[Training on top of cybernetic enhancements - if a coaster was enough to knock Genji off-balance, even if for a second, it said something.]

Well on our way, but not there yet. Are you up for another challenge?

[He waves a hand past the food carts, out toward the lane of carnival games beyond. There's more than enough opportunities for friendly competition there.]

[ He’s kind of been enjoying getting to know Genji outside of the battlefield as well. The guy always struck him as just kind of aloof and… ninja-y, but McCree is quickly finding he genuinely likes his company. It’s better than wiling away the evening alone by a long shot. ]

Don’t suppose anybody’d believe me even if I told ‘em, so your reputation is safe for now.

[ But if he would have had a camera, you know he’d be showing that to everybody.

He follows the motion of Genji’s hand with his eyes, and when his gaze reaches the rows of games he just grins. Even if carnival games are rigged as shit, he’d bet that a ninja and a sharpshooter can give a lot of them a run for their money. (He also decides to omit the fact that carnival games are rigged for now. Surely it’s not all that relevant.) ]

You have to ask? Lead the way, kid. I’ll even let you pick the first game.

[The sight of McCree's grin has Genji smiling behind his faceplate, an unconscious reciprocation of the expression that he can't help. Genji can tell that the grin means nothing good, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't enjoy seeing it on McCree's face anyway.]

Good. I can keep you away from the shooting gallery, then.

[Genji knows better than to step on that battlefield with McCree, even if he did have experience with firearms. Which he doesn't - not beyond the basics, at least. He's not about to go and embarrass himself that badly at a carnival.

He dips his head in acknowledgement as he leads the way to the games, weaving his way around players and their audiences as he looks around for a good game for the both of them. His eyes scan over the stands and booths until they come to a stop on a simple game: Pop The Balloon.

Popping a balloon with a dart sounds fairly simple, and they both have practice with their throwing arms. An amusing, if likely quick, diversion.

(Little does Genji know.)]

This one, then.

Don't think I won't drag us there eventually.

[ If only because he wants to test his skills against the way the game will no doubt be weighted against his favor.

Ah, but the game they end up at is rather familiar in its own right. McCree's played more than his fair share of darts at more then his fair share of bars (seedy or otherwise), and he likes to think he's halfway decent, even with the few beers in him. He's also aware that those balloons are probably not going to pop all that easily. ]

Okay kid, we bettin' on this one or are we goin' best two outa three?

Edited 2016-06-26 03:39 (UTC)

For a game like this, two out of three seems the better idea.

[Because, again, Genji's expecting this to go fairly quickly between the two of them, so betting on the first round sounds boring. Little does he know.

He purchases his darts - five, since he knows that he'll at least need a couple throws to get used to the weight of the darts as compared to his shuriken. With that in mind, when his first two throws don't pop any balloons, Genji doesn't sweat it much. He feels he has a good grasp on how he needs to handle the darts now, and it is two out of three. He can always make up for it if he loses this round.

But then his third dart doesn't pop anything either, despite the fact that Genji is certain he hit a balloon this time. The way he stills after the throw makes his confusion obvious. ??? The fourth throw doesn't fair much better, and now Genji is just eyeing the wall of balloons suspiciously from behind his visor.

This type of rigging probably fairs much better again people who aren't trained assassins with keen perception and a tendency to throw sharp instruments around on a regular basis. As it is, Genji is quickly realizing that Something Is Up here.]

[ Suspicion is practically rolling off on Genji in waves by this point, and McCree can't help but laugh. He has five darts to match Genji's own, though he doesn't think he'll do much better. At least he's expecting it. ]

Doin' okay, junior?

[The last dart gets possibly the most petulant throw McCree has ever seen. Genji isn't even trying at this point. He'll make a better attempt on the second round.]

My... aim seems to be off tonight.

[Translated: "This game is cheating isn't it." Of course Genji can't say that out loud, with the man running the game right there, but it is heavily implied for his cowboy companion. Regardless, he moves back without complaint to let McCree take his shot, arms folded across his chest as he settles in to watch.]

[ Aw. That upset little throw almost makes McCree feel bad for not cluing Genji in.

Almost.

As it is, the ninja put the pieces together rather quickly, and McCree at least has the decency to look a little sympathetic as he steps up to try his own luck. ]

If it makes ya feel better, I don’t expect ta do all that well, either.

[ Truly, he doesn’t. He doesn’t even manage to hit a balloon until his third dart, and even then he only grazes it. The next one hits a balloon, but the dart is so dull that it just kind of bounces away and doesn’t stick to the board at all.

His last dart sticks, pinning a balloon near the place where it’s attached to the board. The balloon doesn't pop so much as it very, very sadly deflates. ]

I think that counts.

[His mood doesn't last for long; it's not the first time Genji has encountered cheating in what's supposed to be an honest game. He'd been the cheater more than a few times himself. If anything, he'll just take it as a bigger challenge to conquer in the midst of also beating McCree.

Which, speaking of. Genji does very badly at stopping the snort that escapes him when he sees McCree's one successful hit. He can't really afford it, of course, because that's still one more than Genji has under his belt, but the way the balloon slowly deflates...]

I'll allow it.

[Five more darts paid for and in hand, Genji steps back up to throw. He tries to account for the dull darts and does his best to compensate. Of course, there's not much to be done other than putting more force into the throws, and that can easily backfire if he's not careful.

The first dart hits nothing, the second grazing its target without so much as scratching the balloon. The third hits, and miraculously manages to deflate a balloon. But that's his first hit, and McCree still has another five darts to use once Genji's done. Time to make the last two count.

Dart four sticks in the board, but doesn't manage to pierce a balloon. Dart five is more successful, and yet another balloon on the board is left to slowly wilt as Genji steps back.]

Make it count.

[Genji's odds aren't great, but then again, neither are McCree's. It's still a close call.]

Don't worry yer pretty little head. I got this.

[ Big words, considering that with his next five darts, he only manages to pop one balloon. (It actually pops though, which is at least satisfying, but still only worth one point.)

So of course they go into the third round tied. ]

Okay. Maybe I don't got this. Let's see what ya got.

[Genji doesn't even try to hide his chuckling. Spoke a little too soon there, cowboy?]

A pop is progress.

[It hadn't been his dart, yet Genji felt some small, stupid little vindication at the sight. Take that, game.

Yet another five darts and Genji takes his shots. This time he only pierces one balloon, and he doesn't get the same satisfaction of a pop that McCree had.

As he steps back, he nudges McCree's arm with an elbow when the cowboy moves past him, turning his head so that he can speak quietly underneath the noise of the carnival.]

Looks like we got his attention.

[Because the game runner is watching them now, trying to feign disinterest as he does, clearly attracted by how many darts they've bought and the idea of a couple of clueless saps continuing to play a game they don't realize is stacked against them. Genji is both amused and a little ashamed by the fact.]

[ McCree is stepping up to try his luck one last time when Genji remarks about the man running the game. He glances over, and sure enough, he can practically see the dollar signs in the guy’s eyes as he sizes the two of them up.

Unlike his much more respectful counterpart, McCree makes no effort to keep his tone down, and says loud enough for the man to hear, ]

Probably ‘cause he thinks we’re suckers.

[ That certainly gets a reaction, and the game-runner actually panics a little before smoothing his expression into something much more innocent-looking. McCree simply gives him a look that seems to say “I got your number, buddy”, before moving to take his final turn.

A final turn that yields him exactly zero popped or otherwise deflated balloons. ]

Damn. This one’s yours.

[Victory!! Despite the lack of visible facial expression, Genji's body language makes it more than obvious how pleased he is by this outcome, regardless of how it largely relied on luck due to the rigging. But a win is a win.]

I already have a prize in mind.

[That tone of voice is downright wicked. The reason becomes obvious when he points in some direction - right at one of those cut out stands people can stick their head through for silly pictures. And unlike McCree, Genji brought something to capture the moment. Even if it is just the camera on his phone.

He is grinning like the devil himself behind that faceplate of his.]

[ Wow what is this betrayal!! McCree glances back and forth from the cutout to the ninja a couple of times before he shoots Genji a Look. ]

You ain’t serious.

I am absolutely serious.

[Despite the way he's obviously fighting not to crack up. He won, McCree! You have to do it!!]

Y’know, I was startin’ to feel a little bad for not tellin’ you the game was rigged. Now, I don’t feel bad at all.

[ So much betrayal. But a bet’s a bet, and Genji won. With the most put-upon sigh ever, he accepts his fate and stalks over to the cut out. There’s a couple to choose from, none of them good, and he grimly removes his hat before sticking his face through a picture of a busty lady in a bikini being chased by a shark or something. ]

I better not be seein’ no pictures posted all over the internet.

[Genji is trying so hard not to laugh at this. The cutout, combined with the way McCree looks like he's being put up to the firing squad, is too perfect. Soft snickers keep escaping Genji as he raises his phone to line up the perfect picture.]

I am not that cruel.

[He reserved that kind of punishment only for those who truly deserved it.

At the very least, McCree doesn't have to put up with the indecency too long. Genji's quick to find the perfect angle and snap a picture, and finally allows himself some proper laughter as he views the result.]

It's - it's quite flattering, I think.

[Said through giggles.]

[ Genji’s laughter is infectious, even if it is at McCree’s expense. Still, the sharpshooter puts on his most put-out expression and manages to actually keep it in place through sheer force of will. He will not find this funny. He refuses.

As soon as the camera clicks, McCree extracts himself, maintaining his sour expression as he puts his hat back on and saunters back over. ]

The hell’re you gonna do with that anyway?

[You know you wanna laugh, McCree. Surrender.

Maybe he'll break when genji actually shows him the picture. Which he does as soon as McCree comes back to his side, presenting it as proudly as any trophy.]

Keep it, for fond memories.

[It's half joke, half truth. It's been a good night.]

[ Oh, he does, but not without putting up a hell of a fight first. Eventually a laugh sneaks its way out, even as he’s saying, ]

I swear to God, if I find out you showed that to anybody, you’re in for a world’a hurt.

[Victory x2!! Genji is on a roll. At the threat, he puts a hand over his heart, raising the other in the most solemn gesture he can manage.]

No one but myself shall know you lost a competition of aim and were forced into the cutout stocks.

[Did you ever imagine that the stoic ninja could be this much of a troll, McCree.]

You got an off switch or somethin'? I am mighty tempted to find it.

[ Yeah, he's extremely surprised that Genji is this much of a troll, but he's taking it all in good humor at least. ]

It appears Doctor Ziegler forgot to build that function into me.

[But putting his phone away and easing back on the trolling:] Come. I'll make up for the embarrassment and let you show off at the shooting gallery.

[He's certain that testing his skill at the gallery - which Genji is now certain will also be rigged against its players - is an opportunity McCree would never pass up. Not with the clear pride he has in his sharpshooting abilities.]

The good Doc has failed me. She and I are gonna have words.

[ That certainly does catch his attention and he perks a little before reigning his enthusiasm in. ] I suppose that'll do.

The Carnival Meme

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