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

[colonial]

What's a height restiction? [He is not even pronouncing that right. He is also continuing to approach the roller coaster, breezing right by the "you must be this tall to ride" sign that marks him as far too short.]

[keepscalm]

[England has to speed it up to catch up with America, and as soon as he's close enough, he scoops America up off the ground and into both arms. He distantly hopes America is not in a tantrum kind of mood today.]

It means you have to be tall enough to do something.

[colonial]

[America squirms a little and flails his legs like he might manage to walk through the air if only he tries hard enough, but once he's properly in England's arms he settles for just pouting.]

I'm tall enough! I wanna ride!

[keepscalm]

[In response, England brings America back towards the sign that indicates how tall riders must be, and sets his hand at the cut-off line to demonstrate that America definitely isn't tall enough.]

You're not tall enough for this one, I'm afraid. They can't let people who are too small ride the big rides because they might get hurt.

[colonial]

So I can just ride on your shoulders!

[Because clearly he would then be tall enough and that would in no way be unsafe.]

[keepscalm]

[England needs a moment to articulate why that's a bad idea, because it's so obviously a really bad idea to anyone over the age of about nine that it's hard to put it into words for someone who emotionally isn't anywhere near nine yet.]

No, America. Then you wouldn't even have your own seatbelt. It would probably be even more unsafe than going by yourself.

[colonial]

[America whines a little, pouting even more like maybe that would change England's mind entirely in regards to safety regulations and height restrictions.]

What if I stand on my tip-toes?

[keepscalm]

I didn't make the rules, America.

[A phrase that America probably isn't used to hearing from England, hilariously enough.]

We can find something else to ride.

[colonial]

Is there another one of these that I can go on? [He squirms a little more in England's grip.] Or can't you just beat up whoever made the rules and change them?

[When you are a very small colony with an empire for a caregiver this seems like a reasonable request.]

[keepscalm]

[America no he hasn't been a proper empire since the World Wars...

He tries not to be too outwardly embarrassed by America's second request, instead giving his attention to the first.] I think I saw a smaller ride like this one. Would you like to try that?

[colonial]

[He isn't especially enthused by the idea of a smaller ride, but he points anyway--not in the direction of whatever ride England is talking about, but that doesn't matter.]

Okay, let's go!

[He speaks much in the manner of a tiny prince directing a servant. Carry him to this ride!]

[keepscalm]

[England has dealt with enough tiny royalty to know that tone. He reaches up with the hand he had used to point out the sign so that he can poke America's nose; a small, playful undermining of America's assumed authority.]

All right, all right. Come on now.

[So of course he carries America over to the kiddie coaster anyway.]

[colonial]

[America giggles and looks around for the ride England's referring to. It looks similar enough to the larger roller coaster that as soon as it's within sight America recognizes it, and when you're still (sort of) a toddler it's big enough that America is excited all over again.]

Is that it? Can I go on that one?

[keepscalm]

Yes, I believe so. [England doesn't see a sign with a height restriction like the big coaster, so he assumes it's safe for most small sizes.

Once they're in the queue, he crouches so that he can put America down again.] There we are.

[colonial]

Yay! Let's go! [Grabbing onto England's sleeve, America runs through the line as fast as he can manage. Hopefully England doesn't mind the awkward angle given how small America is.]

[keepscalm]

[Wait, America wants him to ride too?]

America—

[England has to bend over as he follows because of America's size; it's a good thing his legs are much longer than America's, or it would be hard to keep up in such an awkward manner.]

I think I'm a bit too big for this ride!

[colonial]

You can fit! [Probably. America is going to keep dragging England, anyway.] Come on, come on!

[Pushing England into the car!]

[keepscalm]

I really don't think—

[But he's being pushed into the car. One of his knees knocks against the colourful moulding — this car was definitely not built for an adult-sized person — and he has to fold awkwardly to look back over at America.]

You don't want to ride by yourself?

[colonial]

[America beams at England.] I wanna ride with you!

[keepscalm]

[Hook, line, and sinker.

The fight goes out of England as he regards America's happy face. After a moment of consideration, he huffs out an exasperated sigh that is definitely not fond in any measure whatsoever.] Fine, fine.

[He has to fold his legs up a little too high to get them to fit in the car, and he's not sure where his arms are going to go for this ride.

How undignified. But at least America is happy.]

[colonial]

[America scrambles in--the ride is a much better fit for him, of course, though if he notices England's ridiculous pose he doesn't comment on it (which means he definitely doesn't notice). He fusses with the seat belt a little, not quite understanding how it's supposed to work.]

When do people start making stuff like this? [He wants to ride things when he goes home, too.]

[keepscalm]

[England has to think a bit on that, because roller coasters were never exactly one of his priorities. While he thinks, he reaches over to help America with his seat belt.]

Big ones like this started getting popular in the 1900s, as I recall. [So still like three centuries away for America, sadly.]

[colonial]

That's too far in the future! [America lets England handle the seat belt.] I'll just make my own when I get back and it'll be great and everyone will come over to visit me to ride it!

[Because what America definitely needs is more of Europe tromping around.]

[keepscalm]

[After securing America, England manages to finagle his own seatbelt into snapping closed.] I'm certain you'll figure it out eventually.

[He won't tell America that he does pretty much popularise roller coasters like this. It's just not until the 1900s.]

But perhaps focus on your other studies first.

[colonial]

[Once the ride starts America gasps a little, grins, and peers over the side to look at the track going by. Even having lived in the Tower for over a year, technology of any sort was still fascinating.

What was that about studies? Are they roller coaster studies?]