⇨ TEST DRIVE MEME: NO ONE'S HOME

[ringleaders]

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!↴ Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's test drive meme! This is an opportunity to try out your characters in the setting before you apply, or to put together samples for characters you've never played before. There are going to be options for both new arrivals and veteran characters. Before we get started, let's lay down some details: You can (and should) read the full premise here. Reserves and Applications are currently OPEN. This month, applications can be for WILLING CHARACTERS ONLY. Meaning, the Ringmaster will only be taking newbies on if they are willing to sign a year contract for one of her rewards. You can apply as a newcomer or as a "veteran" character who has been in the carnival for up to three years. In the case of veteran characters, you will need to come up with an explanation of why they haven't been around the carnival recently. TDM threads can be used as game canon after the fact if both characters are accepted, the players agree to it, and it makes any sense contextually. If you are interested in additional IC and OOC plot responsibilities, consider applying for a Supervisor position. Head Cook and Treasurer are currently open. Otherwise, we're pretty much down for anything, roles wise. CURRENT STOP↴ ⇨ NO ONE'S HOME ⇦ This winter break, things are a bit odd down in the carnival grounds. Reason being? Almost all of the workers are currently spending their vacation up on one of the carnival's two moons, enjoying the winter wonderland the Ringmaster created for them. This means that the actual carnival area is mostly abandoned, and in this case? Anyone turning up there is doing so by total mistake. Ostensibly the Ringmaster is enjoying the eggnog a bit too much. This will only be happening for a day or two out of the holiday schedule, but during that time your character may find themselves arriving in a totally abandoned carnivval, which is not what anyone wants. They'll be left to wander alone until they encounter other visitors, or until someone from the carnival happens upon them while stopping at the grounds for whatever reason. All ther regular attractions apply, but they are unmanned by anything but the ghoulish spectres known as cinder sprites. Without the Ringmaster here, they won't even address you. ► ABANDONED: The carnival is completely empty, and it's dark out, and, well... it's sort of spooky? None of the attractions will be running, though nothing is stopping you from wandering inside with the cinder sprites not paying much attention. It's entirely possible you could get into some trouble like that, or maybe you're just totally freaked out and desperate to find someone who can send you home. ► WILLING CANDIDATES ONLY: For the most part, unless your character does something really dastardly, all applications this month must be from WILLING APPLICANTS ONLY. This means, once your character is eventually found, they must be willing to sign on with the carnival as a new hire for one of the Ringmaster's boons. No trickery this time around! Keep that in mind when applying. ► MONSTERS LURKING: While all the workers are gone, there are a few beasts that have been left to roam while everyone else is on vacation. Along with the cinder sprites, there is also an Alolan Exeggutor that wanders the forest looking for someone to smash, and the tentacle monster that lives in the Tunnel of Love. There's also a Slenderman, but don't worry about him. He's got the intelligence of an above average dog, and probably just wants to play fetch. NEW RECRUITS↴ You gotta start somewhere, right? These prompts are for characters who are arriving in the carnival for the first time, and who are destined to sign a contract. How they go about that is up to you, but in the meantime they can enjoy the sights and sounds of something truly out of this world. Will you become her most recent hire? ► ADMISSION FEES: After crossing into the carnival's realm and passing through the trees, most visitors will find themselves at the front gate - though not all choose to enter that way. If they enter legitimately, however, they will have to pass by a clerk who will trade admission and tickets for various attractions and rides in exchange for "anything of value." What is of value may seem highly subjective, and so some may struggle to produce payment at first, though in actuality the carnival will take anything from mundane currency to items of purely sentimental value. ► MIRROR MAZE: The mirror maze is a big attraction in the carnival, and stretches much further on the inside than it looks like it will on the outside. It's hard to get through, and what's more, after you've been in there for a while your reflections will start gaining a mind of their own - mostly in order to taunt and distract you with personal information. They don't know everything you know, but they know more than they should, and their mind games can be pretty hit or miss. ► GAMER'S CIRCLE: Almost all of the game booths are organized in a large ring around the Cookhouse, called Gamer's Circle. Your can play just about any carnival game you can imagine here, for a variety of prizes sometimes traditional, exotic, or outright magical. Dart tossing? Got it. That game with the water guns? Got it. Most of these booths are currently manned by humanoid spirits who look like they are made of smoke. If they can trick you into earning debt, they will. ► TUNNEL OF "LOVE": A brand new attraction in the carnival, the Tunnel of Love is mostly what you'd expect from such a ride - two people sit in a boat together which journeys through some glitter filled caves, complete with mood music. Unfortunately, there is also something else in there with you... in the form a moody kraken living in the waters, who has very particular opinions about shipping, and may either stubbornly interfere with any attempted intimacy, or may politely encourage it. Or they may just generally be a dick if they're in no mood for either. The Ringmaster insists it is a romance expert. ► TRYING TO LEAF: No matter where you came from, you seemingly emerged from a forest. Obviously, to get back home you should be able to go back in the same direction, right? It turns out you can't. Worse, trying too hard to get through the wood will result in you getting lost, or turned back to the carnival. The trees here are not normal, and are varying levels of alien, including things like trees with glowing fruit or orange flowers that constantly burn like candles. ► WILD CARD: Anything else you can imagine in this setting! There are a lot of possibilities and you're free to explore them. Check out the rest of the game info or the locations page for additional inspiration. Want to make a starter with your character experiencing their first theoretical change? Go for it! VETERAN WORKERS↴ These prompts are tailored to the carnival's existing employees, the veterans. Odds are they've been here from somewhere between a few months and three years already, and know their way around the block. For them, this is just business as usual - and depending on their attitude towards their job, they may or may not contribute to a few people accidentally getting themselves a contract. Whatever you do, though, don't warn visitors away from the carnival - the ringmaster hates losing business like that. ► DO YOUR WORK: This one's pretty simple - just have your character doing whatever you'd like to have their job be! There is a big list of ideas over here, and you could use this to try things out with a character you intend to be a new arrival, as well. ► BREAK TIME: Whatever you were doing, it's break time! It's time for you to relax however you see fit. Do you enjoy some of the carnival attractions yourself, or is that old by now? Do you hang out in the Cookhouse to get a snack? Do you take a nap? Yolo, baby! ► DUNK TANK: Sometimes acting like a dick will earn you the gentle reprimand of being sent to work in the Dunk Tank for the afternoon - you know that game where people throw balls at a target, and if they hit it you get dropped into the water? It's like that, only sometimes there are daunting (but harmless) critters in the water, or some other strange magical affects to spice things up. Hopefully, the visitors will have bad aim. ► WILD CARD: Anything else you can imagine in this setting! There are a lot of possibilities and you're free to explore them. Check out the rest of the game info or the locations page for additional inspiration. Want to do a performance? Hang out in the Backyard? Choose whatever appeals!

Comments

Allen Walker | D.Gray-man

[likethelight]

{ I make absolutely no promises, but here have an adorably stupid hobo clown of a shounen protagonist. }

1 ♔ NO ONE'S HOME → ABANDONED

[ The lights are on (sort of), but...it's kind of creepy. Mostly because Allen was fairly certain there wasn't supposed to be any carnival anywhere nearby. He'd know!! It's the kind of thing he pays attention to, especially with taking busking up again recently for travel money and a guise....

Maybe it's also because the few lights that are on don't seem to be that steady. Is it abandoned? It feels haunted, if he believed in that sort of thing, but there's nothing his eye is reacting to...

Kind of remarkable-unremarkable in appearance, he seems to be a teenager with shaggy white hair that's been drawn back into a ponytail and wears a respectable but simple garb like a Victorian gentleman of unknown status might, an old-fashioned suitcase in one half-gloved hand. Strange, his left hand that's partially hidden by glove seems to be blood red and armor-plated, and there's a rather ugly red scar (tattoo?) carved into the left side of his face with a pentagram-like mark.. ]

Hello? [ Hand cupped to his mouth, he stops for a moment, thinking he heard something. ]

Is someone there?

[ Best to find out one way or another, right...? ]


2 ♔ NEW RECRUITS → GAMER'S CIRCLE

[ Another time, he can be found being called over by the dart toss. Which admittedly does get him to stop and consider it with a somewhat curious expression (nostalgic, even! although maybe that isn't necessarily a good thing...).

Ah. Hm.

—he switches gears quickly and holds up one hand politely, the most radiant ✨Customer Service Smile™✨ on his face. It's kind of terrifying. ]

Thank you but I'll pass. ☆ [ What, does he look stupid? He knows these games are always rigged.

At least he's gotten over the initial kneejerk jump-out-of-his-skin reaction to the cinder spirits since while he thought they might be akuma, his eye isn't reacting. Although that doesn't really make him feel any less ill-at-ease... ]


3 ♔ NO ONE'S HOME → MONSTERS LURKING

[ He just wanted to leave!! HE JUST WANTED TO LEAVE, THAT'S ALL. ]

—wah! [ Narrowly, he rolls out of the way of one... foot??? tree foot?? IS IT A THING WITH FEET OR IS IT A TREE. Pineapple tree... giraffe??!

Either way it smashes into the ground where he was a moment ago with slothlike gusto and seems incredibly pleased with the rock it has now made into many smaller rocks. In fact, it seems positively delighted with this as it moves its foot to the side and surveys the destruction it's wrought, and Allen remains rather frozen on his back momentarily as he tries to process that This Is His Life.

It toes the rocks around for a moment and seems to croon. ]

...

[ you have to be kidding him WHY DOES IT LOOK SO HAPPY ]

4 🃏 WILDCARD

[ Hit me bb. ON THE CHANCE I DO APP I am down for him inadvertently doing something Horrible that ends up in his contract being signed. It'd be too poetic and canon... especially anything involving extreme property damage and triggering the 14th/his Darker And Highly Unwanted Other-Self. Since sealing that would be what he'd want in return, woops. ]

1

[hippocarnival]

I'm here! [Yuya's head pops from around one of the stands, before he swings around with his arms full of a bag. He grins when he sees Allen, looking remarkably human except for the... unique hair and eye colors. His shadow is also doing something weird, wiggling on its own.]

Are you looking for the carnival? We're all on the moon right now.

[Because that makes sense.]

[likethelight]

... [ what.

Allen, at least, seems to catch himself. Not for Yuya's somewhat odd appearance—really, who's he to judge and maybe that's just a special sort of wig—but.. come on. ]

Pardon, did you say the moon? [ ...maybe this is just a dream... indigestion, probably. Link had been right this is why you don't eat questionable bread.

speaking of, did that guy's shadow just move itself...? ]

Veteran app | Nui Harime | Kill La Kill

[shearmadness]

1. Abandoned

[It was supposed to be a simple errand. A simple errand to find out the fabric of one customer's dress and go acquire some for the carnival's costumes. The whole thing should have taken a few days, maximum. It took longer than intended, and at last Nui has returned, several large rolls of fabric sticking out of the oversized pink backpack she brought with her.]

Heeeeeey, where is everyone? Are you all playing hide and go seek?

[One never knows with the Ringmaster, after all. But after numerous attempts to find people, she's simply having no luck whatsoever.]

Ugh, this is so boring. I bet everyone's off doing something way more fun than walking around here.


3. Monsters Lurking

[The girl dressed all in pink walks through the forest with her backpack, still looking around for everyone. She's having no luck, but she's managing not to get completely disheartened. She's twirling an oddly shaped purple sword that looks something like half of a pair of gigantic scissors as she walks, and humming a little tune to herself.

In fact, she seems completely oblivious to to the Exeggutor sneaking up behind her to smash her. Maybe warn her or help her?]

Veteran workers - Do your job

[Aside from her combative talents, Nui's always had a gift for sewing. She was the Grand Couturier of an international company while still a teenage girl, so it's not surprising that she's taken up a similar line of work here in the carnival.

She's got a few sketches of costume designs ready for the person with her, and a measuring tape handy.]

Hmm...you know, I can't decide if I want to go with the sleeve frills or not. Which do you like better?

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya nods, turning and pointing up at one of the two moons.] That one!

[When Yuya turns, his shadow (which oddly doesn't look like him, on closer inspection) seems to... wave at Allen?] Apparently the Ringmaster has a whole snowy resort up there! Were there for vacation, after everything that happened because of the Prince...

1

[prazerbutterfly]

[It could be worse. A lot worse. This could be a Noah's circus or perhaps one of Road's dreams.

Tyki's oddly gotten comfortable around the carnival even with all the lights off and the Ferris wheel not in full rotation. He's taken the cure, which was 50% strong faerie alcohol, and he's up for walks with longer distances. A quick portal hop back towards the carnival is all it takes to arrive and he's instantly pinged by the feel of Innocence close by. That's strange. There shouldn't be any visitors right now unless the Ringmaster forgot to close the carnival to visitors. Not to mention Allen has been missing for a while now. He lights a cigarette and heads in that direction. He may as well go see who it is.

Even with the cure he doesn't look as dandy as he usually does. In a warm winter coat, a white shirt, gloves, and pants, that's all he's dressed up in. His hair is messily pinned back and while he walks straighter than he has in over two weeks there's the visible hunch in his shoulders, the tired look upon his face, and the worse for wear appearance of a great and recent ordeal.

Maybe it's the casual way he strides up to him or how he looks a lot less willing to attack that might alarm Allen first.] Well, well. Look who turned up. Miss me that much, boy?

[prazerbutterfly]

[He's pinged instantly by her appearance, what she was holding, and other factors. At first he seems excited if not mildly worried as his stride picks up and he makes his way towards it. It's only when she turns around does the pink umbrella become more clear and he features less Road. Even his excitement starts to die down relatively from disappointment.

Still, he is a gentleman and his finger will raise to point upwards towards one of the moons in the distance.] Everyone is currently up there, Miss.

No one is really suppose to be down here.

[shearmadness]

But you are~! Yay for me! Walking around by myself trying to find everyone was boring.

[She knows that magic allows for faster transportation than would otherwise be possible, but she's glad she won't have to spend the remaining trip up to that moon alone. Nui is a social, chatty person.]

After all that effort to get plenty of fabric for gorgeous new costumes for everyone, it wouldn't be nice at all if everyone just ditched me.

[She points to one of the rolls of fabric, silky and predominantly dark blue with tiny white gems embedded in it. It looks reminiscent of a night sky.]

That one took extra persuasion to get.

[Withdrawing her purple scissor blade from the bag, she twirls it around with her free hand, giving Tyki an idea of what kind of "persuasion" might have been involved.]

[likethelight]

[ Shadows... waving at him...

Ah what a queasy feeling of deja vu. Sends a cold sweat down the back of his neck, to which he... may or may not look a little faint, clutching a hand to his head then. ]

A resort... you say. [ On the moon — except he seems kind of in a daze. He doesn't mean to be rude with the sudden lack of interest in you, Yuya...... He just means he thinks he's very much hallucinating all of this. Including you and your shadow. Why would he still be carrying his suitcase though? What a weird little detail.

He glances to Yuya's shadow again for a moment as if to confirm something before quickly looking away again. ]

I think I must have hit my head, this doesn't feel like a dream. [ Really hard. He's also not entertaining the other reasons for which that may be. Wake up wake up wake up...

is he muttering to himself? he's kind of muttering to himself ]

[hippocarnival]

Um... [Oh dear. Yuya would reach out to Allen, but his arms are occupied with his bag so for a moment all he can do with watch him slowly lose himself. Maybe he should... help, he should definitely help.]

It's not a dream. [His expression twists to something a little more wry as he considers how to put this gently.]

Do you know what fairies are? Because you're in a fae carnival. [Gently.]

[likethelight]

[ Way to make it seem like it really is that much worse though, Tyki. God.

A Noah casually melting from the shadows was decidedly not what Allen was prepared for, though. And yet, sudden alarm and his entire demeanor shifting quite suddenly, tensed... He blinks then, not really sensing any immediate murder-vibe off of Tyki (again), and straightens somewhat uneasily. Skeptically.

Mostly he just looks a little put-out about the whole thing really. Or flatly unimpressed, you decide. ]

Says the stalker.

[ who's the one who's been dogging him for weeks!! at least, as far as Allen's memories go..

Still, Tyki probably won't miss how his eyes flicker around the grounds. No akuma or signs of ambush? His eye isn't reacting. But no people around as collateral damage either. And something is wrong about the other man's demeanor. What... ]

VET PROMPT | YO Carly's a Full History Vet so I have image links below for your ref-!

[insidescoop]

[[OOC - By the end of the Pre-Game stuff she'd have looked like this basically. That would be the version of Carly that Nui would have known. This is. Mostly key because now she looks like THIS aha-]]

[Is this a familiar face...or not? While they've certainly gotten re-introductions out of the way by now, the drastic shift between changes might still throw a few off, really. Carly manages to keep her rainbow-like glow down to a dull shine most of the time as long as she isn't too excited, so right now she's not casting too much interference on the design being shown. As the Wardrobe Manager though, everything gets to go through her....it puts a lot of pressure on her if she's honest with herself! But, the end of the day makes it worth it, right?

Carly looks over the sketches presented, tapping her chin.] Hmnnnhhh....this is sort of tricky....if they're using certain spells for their act this time, the frills could get ruined in the process, but if they aren't, they'd really look better in this case....

[Hrmn. She squints, frowning.] They really need to tell us what they're doing sooner..!

[prazerbutterfly]

[Oh wow, she's a bundle of sunshine just like Road. He has to really question for a moment why exactly she's happy but she does kind of say it outloud.]

Well then, little lady. If you don't mind my slow stride at the moment I suppose I can keep you company.

[But then the scissors just make him grin tiredly as he examines the fabric she's presenting with the utmost interest.] You worked here before?

[shearmadness]

[Carly's new look reminds Nui a bit of her mother/creator. Given that her mother owned an international fashion company, it seems fitting that the Wardrobe Manager here is now sporting a glowing rainbow aura.]

Oh, tell me about it! It's like they think they're the only ones who have to plan things.

[Not like Nui doesn't do plenty of roaming and acting on whim when her work's all done.]

[shearmadness]

Oh, good. I was so bored and lonely.

[While she operates independently most of the time, she does enjoy being around people. Even if it's just to torment them.]

Yes! I'm the couturier! I design, sew...and when I'm not doing that, I get sent on errands. Sometimes they're fun and I get to play!

[Given that the scissor blade is about the length of a sword and has a sharp looking edge, Tyki gets three guesses as to what she's referring to when she says 'play' and the first two don't count.]

[prazerbutterfly]

[He's amused and that is something Tyki hasn't been recently. It's almost comforting to have Allen here now if only for the fact that when he saw how others had lost his Name, and thus their identity, he could've lost himself entirely. Seeing the enemy here brought back memories of the way things use to be.

He's confused just for a moment at the sudden tension in the air. Like Allen he could read body language well but he had no reason to fear, or he should say 'be nervous', around the Noah with the Ringmaster's rules in place. It makes him want to prowl forward as he takes a step forward but the sudden predator motion is lost completely as he bends casually forward with a tilt of his head to one side. Just look at the confusion worsening on his face.]

Wait, where did your... ? Huh, interesting. [Tyki's close suddenly as he eyes the areas in his hair and throat for the changes he saw before. Even his hand is moving up towards the side of his head like he wants to examine it. He's invading personal space but that also gives Allen the closer inspection of something else. Namely, it's the fact that his skin isn't grey but he has those Noah golden eyes and the two, very sharply pointed, panther ears on top of his head now lifted in curiosity.]

[insidescoop]

[File that one under Unexpected Coincidences if it ever comes up, but for now at least, Carly is definitely not acting like Ragyo.

And thank goodness for that-] I keep telling Joker to keep on that.... [But, in the end, Joker is practically managing a herd of cats. Ah well.] I suppose if we work with the sleeves properly, we can have a version with and without-I did just get a lot of fabric, actually, so we have some to spare for once~!

[It's so nice. Drowning in supplies.] ...Not to mention time and hands-it's been really rough without any tailors at all..! I'm glad you're back!!

[shearmadness]

[Yes, it's best for everyone if no one acts like Ragyo. Nui's rather fond of her, but Nui wasn't socialized normally in the slightest. Asking Nui to vouch for someone's sanity and decency is like asking a pickpocket to vouch for someone's honesty.]

Or if we wanted to save some extra fabric, I could leave the sleeves for last. I can chase people down and throw them into an affectionate headlock to convince them to tell us what they're doing if they procrastinate too much.

[She follows the Ringmaster's rules as far as not harming people, but causing some short-term discomfort in order to get her job done? That's fair game, as far as Nui sees it.]

If we're really short for time, I can make my cute little dopplegangers do some of the work! We can't have our models looking anything less than their best, after all!

[No matter how troublesome Nui might be at times, she was undeniably good at what she did.]

3

[unwantedgirl]

I think it's playing.

[Chise had ended up in this place by accident but decided to stay because she was intrigued. She was never going to hear the end of it when she eventually went home but for now she would just enjoy this strange fae carnival.

She's standing a couple feet behind Allen watching the giant tree creature curiously, not all that bothered by the strange creature.

It wasn't the strangest she'd seen, after all.]

...Violently playing.

[prazerbutterfly]

[He's still recovering so he's a little slow in walking. Normally he has a better appearance and posture. Right now he's worse for wear, worn, and half suffering. He just doesn't let it show as much as he probably should. Then again, he should be resting.]

Oh, you mean like a fancy tailor. Right now no one is really doing their jobs. The Ringmaster has sent everyone to the moon for a vacation. I am Tyki Mikk, one of her Magicians. [And conman but he'll leave that part out.]

[shearmadness]

A fancy tailor and designer.

[She corrects pleasantly with a smile.]

I had plenty of experience with that back home. My family's business makes about ninety percent of the world's clothing!

[So that they can take over via alien life forms woven into the fabric of people's clothing, but shhhh.]

Do you like being a Magician, Mr. Mikk? Can you show me a neat trick?

[prazerbutterfly]

We could certainly use more of those. I hear the Wardrobe manager doesn't have enough hands in her deck right now.

[The fact she has some manners goes over well with him and in turn he's prompted to use his own.]

That's rather impressive, Miss...? [He says politely as if to inquire her name.]

It keeps me entertained. I could if you have something on hand. Pick something that fits in your hand and hold it out to me. You'll get it back after I'm done.

Reiji Akaba | Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V

[royalpurple]

WHO'S THERE?

It's weird enough to walk outside and find a carnival where you weren't expecting one. It's probably some degree weirder still to walk outside and find a dark, abandoned carnival where you weren't expecting one.

Reiji is just savvy enough to know that he should just turn away and keep walking, and just heedless enough to ignore that wisdom and indulge his curiosity (such as it is) anyway. In fairness, he is rather tired. No amount of sleep in the world could compensate for what happened to the Synchro Dimension.

Then again, that's what he needs to solve. So he pays his admission in the form of one copy of D/D Lamia and makes his way into the hollow-feeling darkness.

After a few yards, it occurs to him to use his duel disk to light his way.

This helps.

And so, guided by the glow of his D-Pad, he wanders through the empty rides and unmanned attractions, raising his arm to illuminate them for inspection. That same light reflects somewhat ominously off his glasses....

Good thing no one's going to be scared by a gangly 16-year old in rolled pants.

Right?


IN THE DARK OF THE NIGHT, COCO WILL FIND YOU

When this thing came out of the darkness at him, Reiji was.... caught off guard, yes, but he wasn't afraid.

He was, after all, armed. If one was in the mood for puns, you could even say 'literally,' as that's where his duel disk was carried.

A more than competent duellist, armed with the hard light projections of a state-of-the-art LDS duel disk... he should have been unbeatable.

But the... the tree simply smashed through every monster, every card, every strategy he had, and now...

Now Reiji Akaba, CEO of LDS and duel genius was...!

He was...!

... well, he's in the dirt is what he is. And above him, the monstrous, smiling tree readies for another hammerlike blow.

Someone save this asshole before he's pulped by a coconut palm.

WHOTHERE

[insidescoop]

"Whooo! Ok....that's enough for tonight..." Carly's voice is distant, but her natural bounce lets it carry across many stretches of empty stalls. The woman shines brilliantly-the liquid light floating off her, even when she's wearing a puffy yellow sweater and jeans. The main body after all, is more 'marble' than 'light', unlike the wings and the tail.

Carly yawns as she leaves the wardrobe tent, and stretches. "A few more nights...and everyone's presents can be done~!" she cheers, sighing. "...Ahhh...if I didn't have to keep it secret, it'd be way easier to finish this faste...." ...Er....? Carly cuts herself short when she sees a different light in the distance-and it doesn't take long to find that light, either. Her hovering feet carry her far, pixels trailing behind her with her light, until she's close enough to shout-

"....Hello? Who's down here?"

The dark of the night

[hippocarnival]

The hero has arrived! He charged in, grabbing Reiji's shirt to try hauling him to his feet before Coco gets the chance to bring her menacing swaying down on him.

"Up, get up! We gotta go!" Because like hell Yuya's taking on Coco. He can get into what Reiji is even doing here when they're not about to get pounded into the dirt.

What is Coco even doing this far in the carnival?!