bakerstreet | let's go to the carnival!

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[meme] gen

let's go to the carnival!

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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"She definitely helped... Can I help you, my dear, and carry your bear?" He offered after watching her struggle with not just a little amount of amusement. "Being an adult, in general, kinda sucks, but there are positives to it... like paying taxes? Oh, no, wait, that still sucks..."

He listened to her talk about her band with the rapt attention of someone learning about a new world. It sounded similar to hero work in many ways, only with more music. "So do you play for free sometimes, just to get your name out? Like enter contests or play festivals? ...Or do those pay? I obviously have no idea what I'm talking about."

"Yes." She traded him the bear for the cotton candy and waited for him to get settled before 'rewarding' him with a bit of the fluffed sugar in between her fingers. "That is why I operate on a cash basis."

"Sometimes. Occasionally I'll go to an open mic night to sing or play, either by myself or one of the guys. Maybe throw in at festival here and there, but definitely not one of those contests. Way too much bullshit involved there. You practically have to sign your first born away to compete. " She shook her head vigorously. "We're not in it to owned by a label."

"Thank you~" He accepted the cotton candy with a grin, holding the bear on his hip like it was a child. A very big, overstuffed child.

"Really? I didn't know contests were run that way... Kinda makes sense, though." Hawks nodded with a thoughtful hum. Not belonging to a label... that sounded nice. "So you want to be independent? Do most musicians belong to a company or something like that?"

She grinned and licked her fingers of the remaining sticky bits on them. "Welcome."

Anna nodded. "Think about it.Even if you relying on demo tapes and word of mouth as a record label, you still have to go and watch a band or performer live. Maybe a couple of time to see how they perform, and all that costs money.

Now ya have a contest, and part of entering it these guys have to give exclusive signing rights if they win, or place in a certain rank, you've gotten a proven product right there."

She made a face The girl didn't think it was evil per se, but it sure was sneaky. "Maybe, that isn't easy either. Being signed open up a lot of doors but it takes a lot of your share, while you're doing all the work. And that isn't even considering what you can do creatively."

Taking another long drink before continuing. "And yea, most of them do. You have to get really big before you have any leverage with the suits, but that is starting to change."

"...I never knew there was so much behind music..." He murmured thoughtfully, mulling that all over. "I probably should have, though. Everything is a lot more complex than it seems... Ah, before we drink and eat too much more... is there another ride I should try?"

"Neither did I really." Anna gave a bit of a sigh and took another drink. "I thought we just showed up and people gave us money if we were good."

"Don't want to hurl?" She laughed lightly, thinking about the rides they had seen. "We could try one of the coasters if you want. Though I don't know how good it would be for you, since they are kinda small. Is there one you're interested in? Cause I'm game for just about anything."

"That is literally the exact same thing I assumed. And will continue to assume about most other jobs." Hawks nodded solemnly. "As for not hurling, if I could somehow get out of tonight without doing that I'd really appreciate it..."

He hummed, looking around. There was such a feeling of excitement and happiness in the air it was hard not to just smile for the hell of it... Oh! "Hey, what about that Haunted Hell House thing over there?" A pause. "...Wouldn't it be scary enough if it was just haunted or just a hell house? Both together seems like overdoing it..." But the entrance was a giant bright red devil's mouth, so really all other sins were forgiven in light of that beautiful cheesiness.

"Well...." She let it dangle for a bit before continuing. "you're older than me so you should know better about that stuff."

Yes, she just insinuated you were old Hawks.

Anna turned to look at what he was pointing at. "How'd they know it wasn't a Hell Haunted House? Details matter, or so I keep getting told. Sure!"

Then, with a wicked grin on her face.

"I'm sure the big tough hero will keep my frail self safe from all the ghosts and monsters."

Her teasing had the opposite effect than intended. Hawks puffed up a bit with pride to be assumed to be older; as one of the youngest pro-heroes out there, especially in his position on the top ten leaderboard, he was usually called the kid or the youngster... or worse when they weren't being nice.

"Are you kidding? I assumed your frail self was going to trip me the first second she got as a sacrifice to the monsters and ghosts while she got away." He pointed out with a grin all his own. "Or maybe we'll both be lucky and Mr. Bear here will turn out to be a ward against such things."

He paid for their tickets into the amusement, waiting in line with Anna. Hawks just had to make sure he kept his wings in line-- occasionally he was known to flare them in shock and he'd hate to hurt someone accidentally.

"Well if you go boldly charging in and get eatin' zombies it isn't my fault. With the added benefit of having to go through all the trouble of trippin' ya." A look of shock. "Steve the Stuffed will not be put in harms way, not one little whisker!"

Nodding very serious like and finishing her second beer before it was their turn to get into the car for the ride. These types of things always amused her. After all, her mother also told tales.

"I'm glad you're having fun."

"...Steve the Stuffed? Now he sounds even more heroic than I do!" Hawks protested with a smile. "But I have been told I would probably be eaten first by zombies. At least I'd probably taste like chicken."

Climbing into the car beside Anna and their new knight-bear, he grinned. "I'm having a blast! I'm kinda an adrenaline junkie so this thing is right up my alley." As the car started forward, his feathers fluffed slightly. Oh boy... He was going to hold Steve's paw. Just in case.

In the first room, the lights flickered off... and then a ghost was projected onto the wall with a boom of thunder, getting a little happy yip out of Hawks.

"He's a very noble bear, he needs a title." Again a very serious nod. "Sir Steve the Stuffed. Has a ring to it."

Then Anna added. "Taste like chicken huh? Better stay outta Buffalo, they'll be on ya like white on rice."

She was going to say how happy she was that Hawks was having a good time, then he yipped and she pointed and laughed. Loudly. Covering her face with one hand barely able to gasp out. "My brave protector."

See the problem here was that in her distraction she missed the next part of the ride. The one when some made up devil, or maybe imp dropped down direct in front of her and a very loud cackling "You'll never leave!" came out of its mouth.

Right in front of her face.

"SHIT!" She exclaimed as she ducked down as far as she could in the car.

It was very hard to pretend to be big and brave when someone was laughing at you so hard she could barely talk. "You know what--" And then Anna was jumpscared nearly out of her seat and it was his turn to laugh, head tilting back as his sides shook.

"Ohmygod your face!" Hawks crowed as their car continued forward-- and then he felt something like cobwebs brush the tips of his feathers and a blast of cold air suddenly smacked into him, sending him skittering nearly into Anna and Steve's laps. He hated the feeling of spiderwebs on his wings!

Really she didn't have enough time to properly don her disgruntled face before she had a Hawks practically in her lap. The surprise repositioning caused her to, well squeak would be the best description of it, and her fingers gripped his hips.

"Well, I guess human shield works...."

"...Ah-ha. Erm..." He grinned sheepishly, glad that the dark lighting was hiding his blush. "...A spiderweb touched my wings. Er. Excuse me." Hawks was just going to slip back into his seat and pretend that he was indeed a big strong hero who had not just found himself in Anna's lap. "...Not that I wouldn't mind being your shield, of course..."

Before he could babble himself too silly, something sprang out at them that was supposed to be a demon of some sort, but its glowing eyes were crossed and got a startled laugh out of him rather than a yelp. "Woah!"

"Yea I know, I got a mouthful of spider feather." Anna gave him a pat on the thigh. "Good."

There was a bit of grin on her face, almost like she saw that blush. She laughed yet again. "They aren't all that scary when they are cross eye. You might make it out of this ride alive yet if it is a trend."

"I'll have you know I once was brave enough to bring Gang Orca soup when he had a toothache, and not many people can say that!" He had lost a wager but there was no need to dwell on that, the fact was that he had done it! "I wonder if the cross eyes were on purpose or just lazy..."

Their car moved into a room where a distressingly lighted surgery was in progress, blood all over the doctor and nurse and floor and patient and ceiling... "...I think they've lost the patient--fuck!" His witty statement was interrupted when the 'patient' began to jerk and scream as fresh blood exploded everywhere while a demon shot out of their stomach area.

"Orca soup?" She had to have misheard that one. "I hope it wasn't made from scratch.

Oddly, that one didn't get her. Anna had seen that movie, and that other one too. Though there was a lot of fake blood. She patted his leg in a 'there, there' gesture. "Now that was just going for the ick factor. Kinda lazy."

The car bumped along for a moment in utter darkness. Amplifying the squeak of the wheels and the stray grinding of metal as it followed the rails. Here it was suddenly very warm and humid....and there was a weird sound. Something raspy, like two pieces of sand paper sliding against each other was the best way she could describe it. But it was like a lot of sand paper.

The car suddenly lurched to a stop and she said. "What the..." and screamed when the lights cut on. They were in a clear tube with thousands of snakes, slithering just a few inches from them.

That pat on the leg turned into a death grip and her boots were kicking the front of the car to find purchase to push her back as far as she could. And that screaming? It was getting louder. A lot louder.

"Ah, no. Gang Orca was the one needing the soup, not being made into it..." He started to explain when Anna screamed. Genuinely screamed, not in playful fear. Automatically he drew her closer, wrapping one wing around her as he drew a feather, hardening it into a sword, looking around for the threat!

"Anna! Anna? What is--" Was she scared of snakes? Oh, shit. He couldn't just chop up the snakes-- Instead it was his turn to pull her into his lap, cocooning her in red feathers to block the sight and to protect her from any slithering movements. "I've got you, okay? I won't let them get anywhere near. Just hide your face against me and I'll take care of this. Do you need to get out of here? I can see an emergency exit, I'll carry you." He spoke quickly but soothingly in his practiced 'hero' voice.

Scared would be a severe understatement. The girl was absolutely terrified. So much so that there was no struggle against his efforts to shield her with his wings. At least the insanely loud screaming had stopped as she was busy hyperventilating against his chest.

Anna tried to answer his questions but the only thing that would come out of her mouth was a very soft 'out..'. Barely a whisper as she curled her fingers in his shirt. The feeling of deep dread or panic would be almost palatable.

"Alright. I got you." Hawks used some feathers to scoop up her bear, then climbed out of the car. He headed towards the glowing exit sign that was covered in cob webs (was that legal?), keeping his pace slow and steady so as not to jolt Anna any more than was necessary. Thankfully he had no fear of snakes. As he walked he talked, keeping his voice low and soothing so that she could feel the words he spoke in his chest just as much as hear him. "Rumi and I once were on a mission together; we can get a little reckless when we get teamed up but it generally works for us. There was a villain that had holed up in this old factory that we were after and what we didn't know was that the factory had been used to make sex toys. We were trying so hard to be mature adults about it..."

He leaned against the door until it was open, carrying Anna out into the fresh air. Parting his feathers just enough that some cool night air could get to her, Hawks carried Anna over to a bench, sitting down with her in his lap still, Steve sat down beside them. "...but then the villain tried to use a dildo as a weapon and we totally lost it. He did too. The police came to arrest him and we were all on the ground laughing like idiots."

The girl would be dead weight, but at least she wasn't dead legging. Those legs of hers were tucked up as tight as she could get them. Vaguely she was aware of him talking, it was rather hard for her to miss actually. At least she was quiet as she was carried out of the ride.

The cool air was helpful, as was the story. The further they got away from that sound it was better. Even if Anna shuddered a couple of times, almost like she was trying to shake off the sight of all those snakes. A deep shuddering breath at the last of the story, and now that she was sitting on his lap there was a loosening of her grip as she wiped her eyes.

"That isn't how they're supposed to work." Anna said quietly, bit of a pause before she said meekly. "Sorry."

"Hey, no worries." Hawks said softly, giving her a reassuring smile. "Nothing to apologize for, alright?" He kept her in his arms as long as she needed, even rubbing her back a little. "Can I get you some water? Or something stronger?"

Anna wasn't moving for a bit. "I hate snakes but usually it isn't that bad unless.."

She gave a bit of a sigh and nodded her head. "Stronger, definitely stronger. Please."

"...Unless?" Hawks dug a few dollars out of his wallet, using his feathers to deposit them on the counter of a stall before snagging a beer. Catching it out of midair as his feathers returned to his wing, Hawks offered the beer to Anna. "Here. Drink up."

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