⇨ 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

Frisk | Undertale

[nevergained]

Nobody's Home

* You open your eyes.

And it's not quite what Frisk expects. They have seen the flower patch they landed on in the Ruins over and over again and this definitely wasn't it. It's dark and while the attractions look like a lot of fun, they weren't exactly running or looking welcoming at all. And hey, meet a cute-looking flower and nearly get killed by it, fool me once shame on me, ect. Frisk is very curious about the place they have apparently wound up in - somehow - but they're not about to climb everything just yet.

That being said, they do have to go back and set everything right, even if they don't know how to. Taking a deep breath and steeling themselves, Frisk begins to wander deeper inside the Carnival in search of help.

They're filled with Determination.

Tunnel of *FLIRT

[There's a small child chatting it up with the Kraken.

Luckily enough, said Kraken seems to be in a semi-good mood today and Frisk isn't to worried about getting knocked into the water. They were pretty good at dodging, after all. Although that might be a little iffy in a boat, they could manage.

And besides, this is a Very Important Conversation the pair of them are having. Frisk smiles at the monster and opens their mouth to clearly impart some important wisdom...!]

If you were a chicken, you'd be impeccable.

[...yeah. Apparently exchanging bad pickup lines is the name of the game here. Sorry for anyone who happens to be listening.]

Nobody's Home....

[soft_focus]

[[OOC - Because apparently I Must Reply with Stripe Shirt Children- As an aside, Reira's an empath; she picks up on emotions! Naturally, the specifics of what she picks up on is in your hands, so this is just me giving that heads up so you know ahead of time! I put info about it here.]]

Right now? It's basically Christmas. Or Gyftmas. Or. Whatever it is, that Flowey was calling it. Reira herself is busy trying to get people gifts as well, but the Ringmaster had said it was for a 'Solstice', not....one of those Other things, so she's not a hundred percent certain she knows what to think at this point.

Really, the only constant is getting presents for other people, and she can't say she minds that. For the most part, all that she needed for that was on the Moon-which made getting everything together fairly easy, thankfully. But there was at least one thing that the moon could not provide, unfortunately...something rather vital to a gift for someone else.

(Pet food. It's pet food.)

...It is the sensation that someone else is near, which distracts her from her task however. The small-very small, even for 7-child walks toward where she thinks someone could be, the olivine flower at her head catching the light almost like a prism. Despite the bits of moonrock covering her skin, she seems plenty able to chew her lip anxiously as well as she searches, scanning the abandoned grounds.

".....Hello...?" she calls out, frowning somewhat. ".....who's there..?"

There aren't supposed to be people here...right?

[nevergained]

[ooc: Thank you for the heads up! :D]

Frisk is Frisk and not necessarily scared they apparently took a side trip to a spooky Carnival. Cautious but Determined to keep going until they find the exit. There's an exit, right?

But anyway, Frisk is indeed wandering around and not really doing a good job of being silent. They never really had to stealth it up aside from running from Undyne before FIGHTING her and they're pretty sure she's not around. Or, uh, anyone they know from the Underground so far. So while Frisk isn't exactly kicking over every garbage can they find they're not trying to hide themselves. In fact they round the corner soon enough and Reira can easily catch sight of them.

Not that there's much to see: Frisk is pretty ambiguous looking with a flat expression in a stripped sweater and clearly human. So score?

"Hi." Sup tiny Monster. Or at least Frisk thinks she's a monster, Reira has a few Monster-like features but they could be wrong.

[soft_focus]

Not being scared is definitely a plus-even if it's a confusing plus, on Reira's part. Once they're in sight, it's pretty clear to Reira that she's...never seen this person before, at all. That would make them new though, and.... ...Well, she can't really speak for how the Ringmaster works. Maybe she got bored.

....Score? Well, she found them! Hooray!

....Now what. Reira finds herself rather...silent for a few moments, blinking a bit owlishly before she finally speaks. "....How did you get here..?" she finally asks. That Carnival gate was closed, wasn't it??

(No, no it was not. Whoops.)

[nevergained]

Whoops indeed, but they won't judge. Frisk is the master of garbage habits. So what if the Ringmaster has been hitting the eggnog a bit too hard? Judgement isn't their thing and they aren't about to take the one job Sans sticks with away from him.

"The entrance." Is their somewhat blunt answer, but it's true. They did kinda just walk in here, although the whole how is a total unknown to Frisk. Which is actually kind of neat since their life had more or less become the Groundhog Loop Day from hell. Sure, there were some good times but there were also some Bad Times.

Not that Frisk knows about that yet.

But hey, might as well leave that at the door. They give the girl a small smile and a wave. See? Friendly. The kindness is probably radiating off of them.

"What's your name?"

[soft_focus]

There is definitely plenty of nice things coming right off of Frisk right now. So....Well, they at least mean well, which is good enough for her. For an empath, Reira's not really the best at understanding people, admittedly. "...Oh," she replies with Frisk's answer. Oh indeed. Well whatever then.

"Um-! ...I'm Reira..!" she introduces, nodding. "...I..." ... .... ......

Hmm. "....I don't know what to do now, I think," she admits, chewing her lip. "....Everyone's supposed to be on vacation, but you were able to get in so.... ...that probably means you're allowed in then?" Reira doesn't sound entirely certain about that, whoops.

"....What's your name?" she decides to ask in turn, raising an eyebrow.

[nevergained]

Hey, it's not like Frisk is a chatter box unless ACT-ing. One liners are fine.

"Nice to meet you Reira. I'm..."

They trail off for a moment. It's...this is actually the first time someone has asked their name. Frisk didn't actually mind the nicknames those in the Underground gave them. 'Kiddo', 'punk', ect...they were nice. Friendly, something given between friends. When it happened, but that was their fault.

But this was the first time someone asked their name.

"I'm Frisk." The idea of people being on vacation was a little iffy to them but that's due to a few incidents. But that aside they instead ask, "Um, where is this?"

[wilt]

[ ooc; Flowey's undergoing emotion regains so if he seems un-Flowey-ish it's because he's getting his soul hucked back at him one piece at a time! More info on his journal, etc. ]

The moment Flowey sees Frisk, it's not a feeling of familiarity that comes to him, but of immediate dread. The Frisk that everyone knew here was a killer. While it's against just about everyone and their mother's contracts to kill, that doesn't mean Frisk is safe. After all, after his talk with Sans and even admitting his true identity, he nearly got the bag of bones treatment. He immediately teleports over to a nearby curtain, looking frustrated.

"Hey, you! Get in here!"

... of course, Frisk might have the worst memories of him too, given how this place works.

"... On the implication that you did save the underground, get in here! If not, stay away!"

[nevergained]

[ooc: Got it! Thanks for the heads up :D]

Speak of the not so adorable flower and he'll come.

Frisk wheels around on their heels at that oh so familiar voice and just stares for a moment. Sorry Flowey but when one is more or less just off nearly getting eaten by a God/TV/Flower-thing, they're not going to jump immediately when he calls.

That being said, Frisk was all for second or third chances. They had Spared him and Flowey had made it clear he didn't understand why. So after a moment Frisk will make their way to said nearby curtain.

Also they are not addressing that 'are you or aren't you?' comment. The answer is always maybe.

"Flowey."

...sup?

1/2

[wilt]

Okay, not a good tone, he can tell that much. Probably a Frisk that isn't on good terms on him... but this didn't tell him anything about whether or not Frisk has that knife and intends to use it. They've got the rundown already, right...? Right. He doesn't have to explain that you can't kill or be killed (if you don't want to or are extremely lucky) in the carnival.

How to approach this delicately...

[wilt]

"I'm the prince who turned into dust. With the whole other human. SOMEONE turned me into a flower and then I had a soul, and so I had no feelings, and so I... did... a lot of bad things. I come from a timeline where you saved me and I let all monsters go free because it gave me their compassion back to feel them cheering for you."

A pause.

"And then since I let all the souls go, I lost mine again and I'm piecing it back together as my wish from the Ringmaster."

His smile is convincing in that it is awkward, shameful, and he knows Frisk has no reason to believe him. Nothing to do but make it more awkward.

"You... comforted me? Remember?"

[nevergained]

Visibly Frisk has diddly-squat to their name but that doesn't mean much considering Inventories existed. In all honesty they don't have anything but the Stick kicking around, but they weren't going to bring it out.

Also that's not delicate but an info dump of epic proportions. Thanks Flowey. They have, thus far, done nothing but Neutral Runs by now. Freedom - of either extremes - isn't exactly road well walked for Frisk. So they answer Flowey's question slowly.

"You said...you didn't understand why I Spared you. Why I was so nice to you."

Ring a bell buddy? Of course, that could mean a lot of things but while they were willing to give Flowey a shot again they weren't about to trust him completely. Also info-dump of epic proportions. Say what about being a prince? Because the only person who could have been a price was Asgore's....

Asgore's son.

[wilt]

"Yeah, because I didn't have feelings. Didn't I just say that? Keep up!"

... okay, so his old self is still there, especially when dealing with Frisk. Nonetheless he chills the hell out because he has the capacity to do that now (imagine) and sizes up Frisk. They don't seem particularly... threatening. Especially if they remember sparing him and even brought up what he said.

"... er, yeah, that's why. I used to be the person who could SAVE before you. I had something no monster had-- DETERMINATION. And when you can't feel anything in an endless loop of doing your best to help people, sometimes hurting people, it's..."

Shame takes over. God help him when guilt gets earned.

"...not like it's an excuse."

[nevergained]

Yeah, there's the Flowey they knew. That said points for reeling it in, that helps with this whole thing. Frisk is also going to crouch down to get on Flowey's level. Or as best as a twelve year or kid can.

They listen to what he has to say and yeah, for once Frisk can agree with him. It gets tiring being nice all the time. Even Frisk had their limits and they can - never not - remember those moments of frustration that lead to...not so nice things. And they can't imagine what it's nice to try and be nice for a long time when you can't feel anything.

It's not an excuse, never an excuse, but a reason.

"...what are you going to do now?" It's the only thing they can really ask. Flowey...probably wouldn't like it too much if they said they were sorry.

Tunnel of *FLIRT

[spaghettimonster]

[[ooc: joining the ooc info train, Papyrus is from the King Pap timeline, and he's heard from Sans and Flowey that timeloops are a thing.]


Hello in here, Mx. Kraken!

[It's not quite clear if the tunnel is a home or a workplace, so Papyrus opts to holler ahead before going in. Plenty of people have reassured him that his voice is unmissable, so that's as good as knocking. Being a member of the janitorial staff, he doesn't have to take the boat to get in. The glittery caves have secret ways out, probably. Or he just skips along the wall, cheating gravity with blue magic.

Whatever way he approaches, he comes carrying a big, fairly flat rock recently painted with images of snowflakes that somehow move across its surface. Just before the kraken's chamber itself, he starts talking again.]

I have cards for everybody! Yours comes in rock form, because...

[Wait a minute, the kraken doesn't usually talk like that.]

Err, do you have company? I can come back another time!

[nevergained]

[ooc: oh boy ahahaha. thanks for the heads up!]

[Yup, whoever said his voice is unmissable was right. Papyrus' voice couldn't be mistaken for anyone but Papyrus. And hey, Frisk's heard him talk enough to be able to read anything he writes in his voice. Or something.

But they do perk up at the sound of the skeleton's voice and after finishing their last pickup line - Is your face Mcdonalds? Cause im lovin it! How a child knows these things is a question better left unsaid. - and trying to pull the boat backwards towards wherever Papyrus might be.

Key word here is try because it's probably on rails but they're determined. And smart enough to call out.]

Hi Papyrus!

[spaghettimonster]

[Alas, the boat doesn't really work like a boat; it's stuck on the guideway, pushed forward so there's no chance of collisions (unless the kraken feels the need to pick a boat up and encourage the passengers).

But calling out his name makes it clear: whoever the kraken's guest is, it's someone who knows him! So he rushes forward, opens the door, and peers in.

Like the cave, Papyrus is rather more glittery than usual; sparkles like crystal sequins all over, a crystaline crown on his head. He's walking on longer, differently shaped legs, and a tail trails after him. Maybe he's... not the same Papyrus they know? Alphys could share theories about alternate universes, if she weren't hanging out in her trailer playing videogames.

But he recognizes them, and gasps.]

Oh my god! Is... Is that you, human??

[nevergained]

Yeah, it's me!

[They're still trying to keep the boat in place but failing so it's up to Papyrus to catch up to Frisk. Mx. Kraken is apparently uninterested in lending a helping tentacle in this matter.

And once they see him Frisk can certainly see that he's changed. The sparkles they could wave off as something to do with the cave or Papyrus being Papyrus but the legs are new. Are you competing with Mettaton now? Or this could be a different Papyrus, yeah. Frisk has been given the whole 'different worlds' speech by now so it's possible.

But hey, Papyrus is Papyrus and that meant nothing but good things. Frisk isn't getting anywhere with the boat so unless he catches up to them soon, they'll try to get out.

There's a walkway, right?]

[spaghettimonster]

Oh my god!

[Papyrus repeats, in a strong mix of surprise and happiness. Yet another friend, looking the same as the last time he saw them... well over a year ago, now? After so long of just him and Sans around... it's a regular underground reunion.

He bounces out of the access tunnel, and bounds after them to catch up with the boat. There is a walkway, parallel the ride for a little while longer - then the tunnel twists away to another of the dramatic displays, meant to frighten and give the passengers an excuse to hug. Between his longer legs and his already quick strides, it won't take him long.]

When did you get here! And, are you staying?

[The question is, do they exit the boat, or do they meet up with him again at the next intersection of walk and ride?]

[nevergained]

[It really is nice to see Papyrus again even if it's possibly a different one to the one Frisk knows. But again, only good things now.

And yeah, they're going have to meet up with the skeleton on the next intersection of the ride. It's pretty darn slippery here and while Mx. Kraken is probably a fairly Cool Dude when in a good mood, they probably wouldn't appreciate someone taking an accidental dive into the water. There's also something funky going on with their SAVE but Frisk isn't going to examine it just yet.

But they do answer his question even if it means raising their voice well above their usual volume.]

I just got here! And I think so.

[They have a shiny new contract with the Ringmaster and all.]

Nobody's Home

[fourthscribe]

The Carnival might be empty and her job made even more superfluous than anyone's (except perhaps the performers themselves), but Tanyuu has more reason than just escaping the cold to return here. There are plants to be tended, medicines to be made, and incense to be set out--just in case. Portland hadn't left too many Mushi about, but Ginko is still in this realm rather than 'next door'.

Tanyuu is in the process of setting up a small brazier of incense near the cookhouse when Frisk draws near, and she doesn't notice the child's presence right away. Haruki, her Cutiefly, does, and chirps before zipping over to dart around Frisk curiously. Tanyuu blinks and looks over, her antennae twitching when she notices the clearly lost child.

"Oh! Well, hello there."

[nevergained]

Why hello there. Frisk doesn't particularly mind their personal space being invaded - it's kind of something you get used to when you befriend Monsters like Papyrus and Undyne - so Haruki's presence isn't a problem. Although they are pretty curious since they haven't seen a Monster like her before. Or a Monster like Tanyuu either. She is a Monster, right?

But either way this isn't part of the Underground and Frisk knows as nice as it would be to simply be said Underground, it probably isn't. The closed down the rides look pretty appealing to a 12 year old and Frisk can only imagine what this place would look like when running. But at the end of the day they still needed to get back.

So they approach the older lady's stand with a small smile. "Hi. I think I'm lost."

Give a kid a helping hand on getting back home?

[fourthscribe]

Haruki chirps again and zips back over to rest on Tanyuu's shoulder as she slithers her way over, lowering herself to be on Frisk's level. "You certainly are, I think. How long have you been here?"

It's certainly worrying, that the edges of the Ringmaster's realm are still open like this. How many others have wandered their way in?

[nevergained]

It's nice that she gets down on their level. A lot of Monsters were taller then Frisk - Asgore comes to mind - and while it wasn't a problem to look up to talk to people, it's nice to look at someone eye to eye.

"Not that long." It hadn't been that long since they RESET last, so Frisk assumes whatever went down happened during that time. So no, not that long but time is an illusion for them most days. Who knows how long their adventures in the Underground actually lasted for.

"Um, where is this place?" Probably for the best to start here, they think.

[fourthscribe]

Tanyuu is more than familiar with the awkward feeling of looking up at someone--when you're wheelchair bound for any length of time, it's amazing how quickly your neck starts to ache. Besides, there's no sense in intimidating a child by towering over them.

"This is the Ringmaster's carnival--which is terribly descriptive, I know." Tanyuu winks her lower set of eyes, hoping the joke will set them more at ease. "We travel between worlds, and give those who wander in a chance to experience something magical before returning to their lives. We're on something of a vacation right now, though--all of us workers are staying up on the moon right now."

She looks up and towards the edge of the carnival grounds with a faint frown, her brows creasing. "I can lead you to the exit, but I'm not sure if you'll be able to pass back out on your own without the Ringmaster's help."