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]

Yeah, two points. It gets you a bigger prize than me.

[The result is that Rei gets a bottle of soda and Namine gets to choose one out of several small plushies.]

[lethechained]

[She has to think about it; they're all sort of tempting... aside from bears, because she has some rather unfortunate memories attached to those.]

... That one, I think.

[Stuffed bunny get!]

[terreifying]

Ooh, it's cute!

[It reminds her of her dolls back home.]

Are you gonna name it?

[lethechained]

Name it--?

[She pauses, considers her, then the bunny--]

... Should I?

[terreifying]

Do you want to? I think it's cuter for things to have names.

[lethechained]

[... She's eyeing the stuffed animal, now.]

I... guess that's true. ... Do you think it would be angry with me if I didn't?

[terreifying]

You're giving it its personality. Would you like it to be mad?

Though...you're also nice, so even if it is mad, it wouldn't be able to stay mad at you!

[lethechained]

[-- Frown. She shakes her head.]

No, of course not...! I wouldn't want to make anyone mad.

[--....]

I don't know about that. Nothing ever really stopped them before.

[terreifying]

[Her expression falls.]

...Who's "them"?

[lethechained]

--....

[There are specific ones. There really are, but--]

... Anyone, really.

[That applies too.]

[nottheonly]

...Oh.

I guess you can't stop people from getting mad at you, but I'd say anyone who gets mad at Namine is stupid.

[lethechained]

...!

[Well, that's-- sweet, but she can't help her,]

What if I did something to deserve it?

[nottheonly]

Like what?

[lethechained]

Well-- like--

[Like changing people's memories, or... any number of things.]

... Anything. Something.

[Does it really matter?]

[nottheonly]

[She stares at Namine, a little confused.]

Well...are you still doing those anythings right now?

[lethechained]

[She's being a little confusing, after all. She falters, then shakes her head.]

No. That is-- not that I never do anything that would make anyone angry. But... some of the things in the past I'm not doing anymore.

[terreifying]

[She smiles and pats Namine on the shoulder.]

Then it's all in the past. Unless you do it now, I don't think anybody's gonna get angry with you.

[lethechained]

[The pat seems to surprise her, but not in a bad sort of way. Her eyes flicker that direction and back to Rei's face again. Carefully, Naminé tries a smile.]

With any luck. But... either way, I'm sure there are plenty of other reasons they could get mad at me. ... Like not giving them a name.

[She lifts the stuffed animal slightly.]

[terreifying]

[She stares up at the stuffed animal.]

Go ahead. Name it.

[lethechained]

[She nods firmly, looks at it searchingly, fully ready to figure out a name--]

[....]

Do you think it's a boy or a girl?

[terreifying]

Hm...

[Rei studies the stuffed animal.]

Girl! I'd say she's a girl!

[lethechained]

Okay... a girl.

[She lowers it slightly, leaning down a little herself to scrutinize it thoroughly, searching its dark little eyes as if for some spark of life.]

... Buttercup.

[She likes the flowers, okay.]

Does that sound like a good name?

[terreifying]

It sounds like a beautiful name. Buttercup.

[lethechained]

[Such a shy smile. Don't mind her if she blushes a little.]

Thank you...! I hope she likes it, too.

[terreifying]

I'm sure she will. After all, anyone with the name Buttercup has to be nice and cheerful.