dressedtothe | IC Contact for lostcarnival

[ At some point, 9S is going to get Lambert murmuring to him in passing, when he's sure they're clear of servants: ]

The Acquisitioner wants a map, too. Make sure he gets one.

Edited 2017-10-06 03:20 (UTC)

[9S doesn't outwardly react, but he gets the message loud and clear.

What a pain.

Orders received and carried out.]

[Good lord, you two, get a proper mailbox or something.]

[Not that... it would help in this case. The cardboard box to the side of the door is rather plain, with bright red marker on it declaring it for 9S. Within it will find some sizable stacks of paper, with a simple joker playing card resting atop them. A message is scrawled on it in fairly nice handwriting.]

I was going to get you cookies but I thought you would find this more interesting.

[Also he's not entirely sure 9S really needs to eat...?]

["This" turns out to be what could be understatedly called an essay on winter holidays and the like during his time and in his England. While it's by no means as... eloquently put together as one might expect from an academic (of which Joker is not), it's still extremely insightful. There's plenty of mention of how some of the holiday things are apparently rather recent (as he's heard from people older than him), or the differences between cities vs towns, or even class differences. In fact, he apparently has quite keen awareness of that last part, able to go into depth for both nobility and the poorest of the poor, plus the middle class. Just to lighten things up, he also throws in some carols and popular stories of the time.]

[All of it is written in that same nice and clear handwriting.]

[Oh yeah, this is way better than cookies. He doesn't mind the less than academic write-up; plenty of human records from the old world are written (presumably) by lay persons.

When he next sees Joker, he'll definitely thank him and chatter away about the things he's learned... as well as the points of confusion.]

[He'll give all the clarification he's capable of, but no promises.]

[Lapis doesn't know too much about 9S, but she knows that he likes humans! And that he likes Earth!

And also that she gave all her credits to Peridot because she had no use for it. Which means 9S is the only one who Lapis doesn't know from home getting a meep morp.

It's a slightly inaccurate paper mache earth! It's even got a little string on it so he can hang it up somewhere, how thoughtful!

And there's a... Well, unfortunately messily scrawled note there. Lapis only vaguely recalls how to do human writing from Portland. Sorry.]

I know you like Earth a lot. Obviously it's not the real thing, but here.

[It takes a while for him to figure out who gave him the paper mache Earth, especially since whoever gave this to him didn't think to write their name or put something actually identifyable on their note.

But given how few people he's talked to are familiar with Earth enough to try and make a globe... that leaves one of the two gems he's spoken directly to. Why would they give him something like this?

It's obviously inaccurate, but. Hey, Rita's cat seems to enjoy playing with it. So he'll hang onto it.]

[On B18, they will find a fancy looking gift box in his trailer with a note left on top. The handwriting is done in an over the top cursive that he might recognize as the Ringmaster's, written on aged papyrus with the ink seemingly made of shining gold.]

"9S-

To help you see a brighter future.

The Ringmaster❧"

[Her signature is so massive and florid that it fills up the rest of the paper. When they open the box, they'll find a special lens that will allow him to see concentrations of magical energy, much like heat vision except for, well... magic.]

[This package is actually left in his trailer mailbox. It contains a bottle of sunlight ambrosia and faerie ale.

And a note.]

9S,

It isn't recommended you drink it all at once. I assume if the drugs can affect you, alcohol can as well.

Regards,
Syrlya

[Aw, thanks Syr! Rita probably won't approve but hey, she doesn't have to drink any!]

[Not quite knowing where his cabin was, Reira waits until late in the holiday to leave something at 9S' mailbox...once she locates it at least. It seems to be a small bundle of cookies, along with a childishly painted card-the image seems to move slightly, and there's a note on the back.]

You like fish a lot, so I tried to think of a fish card...but you also like eating fish a lot, like cats do. So I decided you should have both, at the same time! These aren't real fish, but I'm learning to make these, so I think you'll like them.

Thank you for helping me at the Prince's stolen house. - Reira

[Cookies! ....She's tried Very hard to make them look like fish.]

[Aw, that's cute. He can feel the feelings behind this gift. The next time he sees Reira, he'll thank her.

The cookies get eaten immediately.]

[ Connie delivers a wrapped copy of "Seventh Silk," a romance between two merchants on the Silk Road in India.

It comes with a handwritten note from Connie: ]

Happy Holidays! I love books, and I hope you do too!

If you don't like this particular one, maybe you'll find one more to your liking in at the Book Swap!

[ Included is a crude drawing of the cabin layout with a star pointing to where the book swap is located. ]

[9S isn't sure if India's part of the Kingdom of Night, but either way, he's never been there himself, so it's all very new to him. He's not entirely sure of the rules behind using the Book Swap, but he can be found reading through the books there rather than taking anything back to his trailer. He won't be putting Seventh Silk up for grabs.

When he next sees Connie, he'll thank her for the book as well as talk to her about the Seventh Silk. He's not a fan of stories usually, but he's a bit of a romantic at heart.]

[9S will find a package left on his doorstep, marked as being from Taako! His signature is huge and swirly, and it covers up most of the "to and from" label. 9S's designation is written in along its edge, in very small letters.

The package contains... a dress. (Either the second or the third on the top row; unless there's one there you like way more.) It's fitted for 9S's frame and height. Folded up in it, there's a note, written in Taako's fancy, cursive handwriting:

When you see this, give me a call on the radio. I'd love to actually see you in this, since I did spend all this monopoly money on it.

-- Taako]

[...Huh. He places a call on the radio to Taako through Pod 153.]

Hey, Taako. Thanks for the, uh. Dress? This is a dress, right?

[This is a lot more sheer than anything the female androids would wear!]

[Taako sounds just hugely amused, though genuinely pleased that 9S isn't pitching a fit about being given a dress.]

Hey, no problem. After our little chat, I figured, hey, why not? Uh... that one is kind of, uh, gauzy, so you might want to watch what you wear underneath it.

[He giggles, and it's a teasing sound.]

Um, I guess it is kind of translucent... What am I supposed to wear underneath this?

[His shorts? His shorter shorts?]

Well, ideally, anything? I feel like going out in public without anything on underneath that would be a bold move, but not one that everyone would appreciate. Maybe some nice underclothes, if you happen to own any.

[Well, it's not like he has anything to get peoples' knickers in a knot about... But somehow, he thinks that wearing his coat under this isn't how this is supposed to be done.

As far as underclothes go...]

I only have what I normally wear...

[It's not like he needs additional underwear when he's an android. It's honestly a miracle he even has any.]

If you're free, mind coming to my trailer? I want to make sure I'm wearing this right.

[Taako sure is getting invited over by people a lot lately. This holiday has turned into him being way more social than he anticipated, which... honestly, he's fine with.]

Uh, yeah, I mean, it's not like I've got a whole lot else going on. Sure. When do you want me, my man?

Is now okay? I think I've got this right...

[Which is to say, dress on, booty shorts underneath, and the awkward stress of feeling like the top part is going to slide off his chest even though it's fitted for his size. Somehow, the question of how Taako got his measurements never pops into his head.]

Works for me. I'm just kind of, uh... taking a little Taako time right now.

[By which he means he's drinking wine and reading cooking magazines.]

Okay. Just drop in when you're done. I'm gonna try walking in this.

[Not outside the trailer yet; he's still getting used to the idea of moving without treading on the dress' hem while he's walking around in his socks.]

[Left under 9S's door is a painted card. The card smells of pine needles, snow and a fireplace, and features Papyrus, waving enthusiastically ahead. Somehow there's boneprint snowflakes faintly falling against the pale background. Along the header and footer, the card reads:]

HAPPY GYFTMAS
(ON THE MOON)
FROM PAPYRUS!!!

[Inside, a personal message continues:]

HI... 9S? NINE-S?
PLEASE GET A MAILBOX AND LABEL IT SO I LEARN HOW TO SPELL YOUR NAME.
I MEAN, YOU COULD WRITE BACK AND TELL ME THAT WAY... BUT THAT WOULD ONLY TELL ME!
THE WORLD SHOULD GET TO KNOW!!
OR AT EVERYBODY WE WORK WITH.
NAMES ARE IMPORTANT PARTS OF WHO WE ARE... AND MAILBOXES ARE IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER.
IF YOU'RE JUST DITHERING ON THE BEST MAILBOX DESIGN... I COULD GIVE SUGGESTIONS!
ANYTHING FROM PLAIN AND FUNCTIONAL, TO FUN AND PLAYFUL, WE'VE GOT IT.

[What 9S wants to know is how did Papyrus make a scented, animated physical card? Still, he's touched by the gift. And maybe he will get a mailbox, seeing as Rita has done a great job of not getting one.

Papyrus has unknowingly given him a lot to think about.

So when he next sees the skeleton, 9S will thank Papyrus, tell him to call him "Nines" instead of 9S, and ask for mailbox suggestions.]

[ There are Harbingers and Guardians and like so much mass chaos, but Cole's still finding time to do little acts of kindness.

Sitting on 9S's bed is a Roomba instruction manual. There's also various polaroid pictures of the Roomba: some where the Roomba's in action, some where the device is obviously in the middle of repair. Those repair shots are straight up taken from like, an electronics repair store, like they're over some rando's shoulder.

There's no sign of who left the photos and manual. ]

[What the heck is this...? Did Rita do this? But it doesn't seem like something she'd do. Is this a prank by Yuya or Tamaki? They were the only ones he talked to during the Roomba demonstrations. Actually, this reminds him a bit about the jewellery he received during the lunar solstice, except Rita had received that, too.

A mystery.

When all this Guardian and Harbinger nonsense is over, he has a good mind to try and solve this mystery.]

So Joker's throwing a party for Steven winning a gold medal, and he's looking for bodies. You gonna go?

Ugh, I bet the other gems will be there, huh?

[ Oh, right. Peridot had mentioned 9S hadn't seemed to like her much ... guess that extended to the rest. ]

Probably. [ Who sounds too cheerful by half? Yeah, this bastard. ]

[UGH.]

You're going as well, right?

Rita is.

[ That's not really an answer to the question, but... ]

You're not going to leave her to set up everything on her own, are you?

I was going to go anyway!

[Because of Joker.]

You don't have to use her like bait.

Who says I'm using her? I just figured she'd be extra incentive.

Whatever. I'll help Joker out.

[ About an hour after Elysium goes down — ]

Let me know when you’re back at the Carnival.

[Eventually...]

This is 9S, reporting in.

What’s your condition?

I'm fine. I didn't get jumped on but I didn't spot any of the fae on my way back either.

[He got lucky, really.]

Edited 2018-05-20 04:21 (UTC)

Good.

[ A beat, and then — ]

I’m planning to head out into the library again to look for the Scribe as soon as the Ringmaster comes back.

I want you to come with me.

[Rita had mentioned that Lambert was planning something like this...]

Roger that. You won't get lost while I'm with you.

IC Contact for lostcarnival

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during winter break

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winter break

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BOX IN HIS TRAILER: WITH NOTE

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SUPERLATE like rIGHT AT THE END of the Solstice-

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B19

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DAY... SOMETIME DURING THE BREAK WHENEVER WORKS

let's go with dress 2

thank god

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Mailbox - Winter Break

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partway through wismuth

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[ radio, day 59 ]

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