1369

[animusmods]

Characters: Anyone coming to Zo's carnival
Setting: Cafeteria; please specify the date and location in the carnival in your subject header!
Format: Anything
Summary: Zo has set up a carnival for the residents, but it's not meant to last. Anyone wandering after the bombs go off might see things they never wanted to see...
Warnings: Psychological and body horror
Note: Characters entering the carnival from the 27th to the 30th will experience visions! Please refer to the info post for details and reply to this thread if your character enters the carnival during these days.

[The carnival has taken up the entirety of the cafeteria. A large roller coaster and ferris wheel tower over the residents, while a child-sized roller coaster, a merry-go-round, and spinning teacups project much less daunting silhouettes. Stands are set up with standard carnival foods available, from ice cream to cotton candy. These stands do not ask for anything as payment.

On the twenty-seventh, the carnival appearance changes. The machinery all appears rusted and broken down, as if weathered with decades of rain and snow. Plants grow up and around the rides, ruining them, and all the food is rotten.]

Comments

[terreifying]

Mm, wanna play a game in the meantime? Like that one shooting game.

[lethechained]

[She needs a second to clamber out of the ride.]

Why not? I can't say whether I'll be any good at it, but sure.

[terreifying]

[Rei also steps out, watching Namine so she can catch her should the other girl fall.]

Don't worry. I'm not that good at it either. At least, I've never gotten any of the big prizes.

[lethechained]

[She does not need to be caught, it seems - she keeps her feet well enough, even though her legs feel a little like jelly.]

-- Oh, there are prizes, aren't there...! I was hardly even thinking about that. That makes it a little more fun, doesn't it?

[terreifying]

Yeah, it does. If you get a good prize, that is. I can only get breath mints.

[lethechained]

[Her brow knits.]

Breath mints? ... Is that the sort of thing they usually give as prizes for things?

[terreifying]

When you can't win anything else, yeah.

[lethechained]

Huh.

[Well.]

I... suppose they could be useful?

[For. Breath. Or something.]

[terreifying]

Do you want them? You can have them if you find a good use for them.

[lethechained]

Oh-- no, that's alright. They're yours. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll win some, too.

[terreifying]

[Rei nods, and then pulls Namine toward the nearest shooting game.]

See? You get to shoot at balloons with air gun rifles.

[lethechained]

Ahuh...! I see.

[She. Kind of eyes the rifles, though.]

Are they dangerous?

[terreifying]

Nah. They only shoot air. Though I guess it can hurt.

[lethechained]

... Okay. I'll just have to be careful with it, then.

[Hurt's still bad, regardless of the severity.]

[terreifying]

I'll show you how to hold it so no accidents happen.

[When they arrive at the booth, she asks the drones for two guns. The drone loads the guns and then hands them over to the girls, one at a time.]

[lethechained]

[She takes it very gingerly, holding it in a way meant mostly not to aim it at anything before Rei shows her.]

So how should I...?

[terreifying]

Hold the butt against your shoulder, grab the close end of the barrel, put your hand on the trigger, and fire.

[She demonstrates.]

Careful the recoil.

[lethechained]

[She shifts the gun as instructed, moving it with a little bit of difficulty but without failing. She's a little reluctant about firing, but she gives it a try and almost drops it in surprise, even though she was indeed trying to be careful of the recoil.]

[terreifying]

[The shot manages to actually hit a balloon, even if it's just a fluke.]

You okay there?

[Rei looks at the popped balloon.]

At least you're a better shot than I am.

[lethechained]

...!

[Which really only startles her more, because wow hey extra loud noise. She looks between it and the gun and Rei, eyes wide.]

It-- I didn't expect to be. [....] I just got lucky. [-- Oh.] But I'm fine.

[terreifying]

Great. You've got four more shots. Aim carefully.

[She takes the guns and aims. However, her shot misses.]

[lethechained]

Right.

[Nervously, as well. But she takes her time, herself, the shot clipping just past one balloon. Beginner's luck's a heck of a thing.]

[nottheonly]

[Rei fires again...and misses again.]

So we both missed this time...

[lethechained]

Mm. But that's not so bad, is it? We still have a few tries.

[Bright side, and all that.]

[terreifying]

Yeah, we do. Three each, right?