The Open House
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Cast


Nicholya: Five-seven, blonde, fiery. Russian.
David: Large, broad male, early 20s
Ward Darnell: Carnie in a top hat, tuxedo jacket, SL0.
Beau: blonde, brown eyes, medium sized
Megan: 5'4" dkbrown/green, mousy, glasses
McKenzie: 4'9" redheaded woman with green eyes
Wish: Foreign. Dark. Quiet. Odd.

Location

Austin - Lake Travis - House Of Long Shadows Midway (Thu Jun 25 09:30 PM)

The midway is a place where the commerce side of a circus and carnival meets the artistic expression of the workers. The booths are arranged in neat, orderly rows and kept in good condition. The ground is a litter magnet, with discarded foodstuff, drink containers, cigarette butts and less desirable debris cluttering it up in puddles by the intersections, in heaps in the corners, and along the entire running perimeter of the booths.

In the daytime, the booths are traditionally kept in business with steady traffic and at night they are shuttered up for security purposes. By the area adjoining the fairgrounds, employees gather in protective clumps to smoke and gossip, eyeing the patrons warily and keeping to themselves. The most common scene is a child crying while their hand is being held by a parent or guardian, neatly following the image of a teenager operating a game of chance and staring out with glazed eyes at the crowd.

The posted hours run the midway from dawn to dusk, when the fairgrounds are swept free of minors and turned into an adult-specific entertainment place. They have a liquor license and are capable of using it properly.

Log


It's 9:30 at night and its a cool 65F in Austin. That means the kids have been sent home and alllll the hicks find it PERFECT drinking weather. So while David spent the day helping Mac and then probably moving more ice and helping keep some of the lines in line, when the alcohol starts flowing, the dragon shoves his hands into his pockets and starts wandering the Midway, looking for people trying to cause trouble. No crying children, but still a few loud college age folks, including a group that David stops to watch at one of the skill games, listening to the kid assure his friends he knows a 'system' to win the ring toss every time. Well, cept for that toss. Oh, and that one. Hey, this game must be rigged!

And a fine night it is. As word gets around town that there's a carnival here, attendence is creeping upwards. It's a fine confluence of events, it is. Summer's here, word is getting around the new carnival arrived in town last week. Independence Day next week. These sorts of things help the numbers and it's still only Wednesday. And if anyone can see her, Wish doesn't appear to care. Or, perhaps better put, the carnival has sort of become her natural habitat, the fails and fortune of the House is like the ebb and flow of the weather. Just sort of environmental. Though it's more likely no one sees her. She's a small creature in a busy crowd of humanity statistically taller than she is, absently making her way towards the MME. Flowin' through people. And watching then too, of course, because people are interesting. And some townies may even stop to ask her Relevent House Questions or drunkenly hit on her, but all questions are meet with a benevolent if unhelpful smile before she just carries on her way. So, thus, she magically appears at Marla's. Though really she didn't. Just depends how observant y'all are. And she leans against the counter, to watch Marla work, like this is just something she does.

The Haunted House is all up and in place, having appeared overnight like last time it was built. It makes it all that more spooky, even to the people who maintain it and see all the hidden passageways. Mac has been up there, cleaning up the site and settling all the little details, all along claiming she has no idea how it follows them every place they go. Currently, she has found a table over at MME as many do. Looking up from her STAFF labeled hoodie, eyes find Wish, bringing a tired smile to the mechanic. Knees up to her chest, she nurses a cidar as one of the other greasemonkey's comes by with a strut from the roller coaster. WIthout turning, "Tank, you had best tell me that didn't just fall off. Go back and check EVERY DAMN bolt again before I get back there, or I swear……" Blinking, the man turns and hurries off.

As the 'rigged' guy and his friends finally give up and move on, so does David, humming under his breath as he continues down the midway. Spotting a certain shadowflamed wolf type person and hearing a specific mechanic and well, lets face it, MEAT, his footsteps cross the main drag and take him towards Marla's counter. He doesn't have the hoodie yet, but he flashes Wish and then Mckenzie a small smile as he sidles up, waiting a moment to risk getting Marla's attention for something dead on a stick, "Nothing's blown up yet, right?"

Yes, but dead in the tastiest of ways, that's our Marla's food. Though there's also fries and things. Because once you have a fryer the world is your oyster. Is there oysters? Someone should look into that. Wish has smiles for her friends, new and old, but is content for the moment to lean against Marla's counter (out of the way of course) to watch her and her patrons do their client/proprietor thing. Interactions are interesting. "Clowns have airtank," she will note for David, since he seems interested in blowing things up.

McKenzie looks over from her seat as she takes a drink. "We have fireworks that I brought with us. That should be plenty to blow things up. We just need to look into the legality of having them and using them. " Rubbing the back of her neck, "I …think …I gave Ward that paperwork. Was it yesterday or…sunday? Dang it." The clockworker dangles her legs and hops to her feet, padding over towards the two. "I could use a burger I guess. Hey WIsh, hi there..um…David." She tightens her hoodie hood.

"Hey there, honey, you look to be fittin in real well," Marla greets David with her typical leer. The tattooed proprietor of the Meat Experience could be thirty-five, or she could be fifty, or anywhere in between, and she's the exact opposite of shy. She gives the draconic a wink and an eyebrow waggle before asking McKenzie, "bacon on that burger?" Which is a silly question, because of course there will be bacon on that burger. Wish also gets a wink, of the conspiratorial kind.

And into the happy, noisy chaos wanders Nicholya, decked out in her jodhpurs, boots, and top hat, though she's wearing a white sleeveless blouse and no tuxedo jacket. Far too warm for that, at least for her. She waves cheerfully at the others, deftly sidestepping the departing Tank with an amused look at Mac, brows lifting at the talk of blowing things up, and fireworks.

David blinks once at Wish, then it sinks in and he laughs loudly and shakes his head, "Not what I…wait. They have helium? Ooo." Somewhere, later this week, someone is going to hear a dragon talking with a squeaky voice. Mac's greeting draws his attention, but before he can offer a comment, Marla comments and Nicholya arrives. He seems a little off guard at the eyebrow waggle from Marla, and faintly smiles, "And now I feel vaguely awkward saying I want some of your meat. But a couple of those lovely corn dogs would be wonderful." A hand is raied to wave at Nicholya without yelling across the space to her, and then finally, his eyes return to the mechanic, watching her curiously, "You get everything else taken care of that you needed to in the gift shop?"

David blinks once at Wish, then it sinks in and he laughs loudly and shakes his head, "Not what I…wait. They have helium? Ooo." Somewhere, later this week, someone is going to hear a dragon talking with a squeaky voice. Mac's greeting draws his attention, but before he can offer a comment, Marla comments and Nicholya arrives. He seems a little off guard at the eyebrow waggle from Marla, and faintly smiles, "And now I feel vaguely awkward saying I want some of your meat. But a couple of those lovely corn dogs would be wonderful." A hand is raied to wave at Nicholya without yelling across the space to her, and then finally, his eyes return to the mechanic, watching her curiously, "You get everything else taken care of that you needed to in the gift shop?"

Yes, The Hobbit would be an entirely different movie of Smaug talked in a tiny helium voice. "Hello!" A bright greeting for Nicholya, Wish pleased to see her friend and Tophat. A wave, in case the salutation was insufficient. It is best to be thorough. Marla is also grinned at, for all her conspiratorialness, though it's usually over her head, these games. She misses nuances easily.

The mechanic nods to Marla. "You need to ask? Double bacon for the asking." She gives Marla a wink then offers a wave to Nicholya and a glance back to the dragon with a smile. "Yeah, the gift shop is all good. I am just waiting on a delivery of cthulhu plush toys. It should be all set after that. Oh, I left a note on Hu's desk about you."

"The only way it could be better is if it was Kevin," Marla smirks, with all the sage wisdom of a lifer carnie. She slides a carboard boat with two corn dogs settled in it across the counter to David, telling him with a grin, "Doll, any time a good-lookin fellah asks about my meat, it's a good day. After all, that's what this business is all about!" She jerks a thumb at the sign above her head, then disappears back inside to make Mac's burger.

As Marla's head retreats into the booth, Nicholya calls out, "Marla, you must learn to make the potato skins. But not to sell. Just for me. And I will have the burger, as well… but without the bacon." At this, the Russian sighs wistfully, then glances up at the large stuffed Cheetah that hangs over the table beside the MME. "It is much to sacrifice," she tells the uncaring cat. "But I do this willingly. I hope that You take note."
David grins down at McKenzie, "If he gives me wierd looks when I finally talk to him, I'm blaming it on you. I know where you live." He does, however, reach over to offer her back a light scritch while they all wait for fud, flashing a bright smile at the retreating Marla. The stuffed cheetah gets a curious look of his own, then one to each face in turn, ending at Nicholya, then back to the cheetah, "Okay, I dont know this story. What's with the kitty?"

"Cheetah," Wish corrects, otherwise leaving explaination for other people. Explaination isn't her strong suit. With the Russian closer, she'll give up the MME counter to join Nicholya at her side. Give her a greeting hug, then grin back at David and his questions. And it's a good question. Everyone asks that eventually.

McKenzie winks over to David as she thanks Marla for the burger. "Oooh you gave me Nicholya's bacon, you rock, ma'am." Collecting her drink, Mac turns to David and moves to a table big enough for all three and takes a seat. Loosening her hood. "Years ago, back when Ward lived in Africa?" She takes a bite of the burger, ignoring how it gushes juice down her hand. "He was hunting this majestic Cheetah, but it stopped and talked to him. It said something…and I am paraphrasing this. 'You, good sir, will find a gorgeous woman from the land that used to be of the Soviets and she will own your heart.' Eh ok, so maybe it said it more eliquent. Anyhow, after it boggles his mind and speaks, Ward is more than slightly amused. So, he asks, 'Is there one thing that you want from me for this boon you bring'…and it says…'You will hire this FANTASTIC mechanic named Mac'. " Shrugging, she goes back to the burger and leaves it at that. Story told. Drop mic.

There is no herald for Ward's arrival. Walking out from behind Marla's Meat Experience, he is wearing the regalia of office: top hat, tuxedo jacket, Americana slacks, and those weird, spurred boots. For more than one reason, he clicks when he walks. With a deep, heady breath, he draws in a double lungful of cigarette smoke, flicking his ashes on the move. Passing rousties turn, nodding to acknowledge him, and he replies in kind.

Once he's beneath the stuffed Cheetah in Marla's pavillion, he removes his top hat and turns it brim-up, extracting a fifth of vodka from inside of it, despite the apparent lack of hat size to accompany this; midway magic and the weird ways of boozehounds in every world. That's when he turns his head, calling out a loud, proud, "Hey-o!" to announce his arrival

Nicholya has openend her mouth to explain when McKenzie starts telling this story. And she just… stares at the mechanic in open-mouthed astonishment. Then she starts to snicker. "I think McKenzie, she is practicing for volunteer story night at the local library," the Russian decides, sounding amused. She returns Wish's hug, leaving an arm draped over the smaller girl's shoulders, and angles her head to gesture to the Cheetah. "When Ward asked me to marry him, he asked that I also take his faith. This was something I needed much instruction in, yes? Because I grew up Communist, and did not know religion. We do not say His name, and while Ward was teaching me things, at this table under the Cheetah, he got in the habit of looking upward, and there it was. So… we speak to it, sometimes, as a… what is the English word? Surrogate?" She smiles… a smile that is suddenly a beaming expression, accompanied by a flare of heat and flame beneath her skin as Ward arrives. "Vasha! we were just speaking of you." Obviously.

"Though… McKenzie's story, it is quite plausible," she adds as an afterthought.

David accepts his corn dogs with a bow of his head and a call to Marla, "A beautiful creature after my own heart. Thank you," and socots away before he can catch a spatula to an arm or the back of his head. Tromping over to the table Mac chose, he settles down next to her and takes a huge bite out of the first corndog, chewing while he listens to the storytelling, amusement spreading further across his face. Ward's arrival precludes his responding to anything, as instead he turns his head to look. New face he hasn't met, though Nicholya's explanation enlightens him, "Hello!"

Looking to Nicholya first, Ward smiles to Nicholya, his rubber mask of a face conveying a rictus grin without mirth behind it. His eyes sell a different story, but he's a man with few facial expressions. "I turned her from a townie to a carnie, from a Commie to a Jew, and a woman into a wife," he says, "The infamous triple play." Then he looks to
David, curious and intrigued.

Megan may have arrived a bit late, but the set up of the bus and laundry porch has gone well and people have been kind in helping Megan haul the cleaned washing to where it needs to go in trade for a bit of mending. Finally starting to see the light at the end of the laundry tunnel, the weary mum drags herself out from under the heap to grab some grub. Eli on her hip, working on some frog face teething beads, she joins the crowd near Marla's, looking tired but accomplished.

McKenzie gives a shrug with a mouth of burger, raising her beer to Ward in greetings before finally swallowing. "Hi hi bossman. Haunted House will be up by tonight. Rollercoaster is in trials right now. A few…..bolts to tighten down. A have a checklist …." She wipes her mouth then settles back. "…but I aint going near that damn river that you insisted parking us next to." Pausing, she looks to David then to Ward. "David here is a new addition to laborish such things."

With all these people around to talk to each other, Wish has little need to speak. This isn't a reluctance, but a bit of relief, so she can focus on the watching and listening. The interactive play of people communicating. Which isn't just a verbal thing, you understand. There's expression and gestures and tone of voice. A proper layercake of tasty interaction. The slight girl remains at Nicholya's side for now. It isn't a safety net, it's just nice here.

Everyone is gathered around the booth at the center of the midway, a corn dog stand that sells just about everything (except funnel cake, which is directly across the way) and proclaims itself "Marla's Meat Experience." There's a table under a pavilion beside it, where McKenzie and David are seated, a great stuffed Cheetah hanging from it. Others are still standing, having just arrived, or waiting for food.

"David, this is the other top hat, and my husband, Ward Darnell," Nicholya makes the formal introduction, smiling. "Ward, this is David, who was quite kind to Visnja and I in town the other day, and when he came to visit, we stole him, and are keeping him on as a roustabout, and hopefully an addition to Hu's security team." She seems quite pleased by this. She also seems unphased by Wish's tendency to observe rather than speak, accepting it as How Things Are.

"Megan! You look tired. All is well? You have been busy, I can tell," she adds to the latest arrival.
David lifts a hand to wiggle his fingers at Ward, mouth full of the last of one of his corn dogs. As he's introduced, he manages to swallow and pipe up, "Then I think 'Hi Boss' is right, right?" He's not wearing a t-shirt or hoodie yet, so he must be REALLY new, though he seems to at least be familiar with the immediate faces. Hey, even Megan! Who gets a grin if she happens to look their way.

"I insisted on putting us near cheap water and the Colorado is free," Ward explains, glancing at McKenzie. "Any work done there, tap me for the task - ain't no thing to me." Some lead by example and others from the front. Ward typically leads by yelling at people to catch up to his worka-/alcoholic self, often with creative curses involved. Seated at the crossroad of the circus/carnival, there's a meeting place/corn dog shack marketed as Marla's Meat Experience. The eponymous Marla forever holds court there, dressed and behaving scandalously, per carnie custom. Ward, immunized against the wiles of wild women, sits on a table and smokes, his top hat at his side and used to hold his fifth of vodka, which is apparently dinner-grade.

"If you pass muster with the wife," the elder carnie says, nodding to David, "You're good people. Wish is a good judge, too." Then he turns to nod at Wish, giving his rubber smile another run-through, donning and rapidly tipping his hat to the approaching Megan. "Hey-o, Meg," he says, using the universal carnie term for greeting, farewell, warning, enticement, and explosive argument.

So, there is a dog, and now there is another dog. There's a Dog walking a dog, and it's not merely the start of a bad joke….in that there's a Lost who is distinctly canine with an actual dog on a leash. The latter is wearing a bright mesh service dog's vest, complete with silvery reflective trimming, all made necessary because the beast, a German Shepherd, is black as the ace of spades. Both the Lost and his companion are gazing around in rubish wonder, both black noses working overtime. The tempting scents from Marla's have them veering that way, as unconscious as leaves on a stream.

"Just started out a bit behind and getting caught up, Nicky." Megan says with a bright smile despite the tiredness. All the strange critters parked about take a few moments to match voices to mien's - but she works on erring on the side of: if they made it this far, they mist be safe. "Evening.. Ward." A slow blink and she takes a breath, then nods to the others she knows, blushing when she spots the hot dragon. Him again! "Evening, David. Knew you'd be back." The seamstress shy and shifting her weight to bounce the six month boy on her hip while she waits her turn in line for some chili cheese fries and a pepsi.

For those new, Visnja and Wish are the same person, she just prefers the former name and carnies sometimes call her the latter. It's easier to pronounce. She grins at Ward's recognition of her, seeming pleased. A happy swish of her tail. Rather, that flame which trickles around her in a lazy way briefly manifests a wolf's tail, which seems to wag in a pleased manner once before fading from existance. The girl's Seeming is sometimes hard on the head. But then so is Wish herself.

McKenzie gives a nod to Meg in greetings, "Hey, you seen my brother? I lost sight of him when we landed here. " A look back to David. "If you are up for helping out later, I need to move those supports down to the river." The clockwork girl isn't going to let Ward be all like that now, she knows what has to be done. Standing, she brushes off her pants. "I need some caffine, teach me to drink beer before we are locked down and dusted off, be right back." She pads over to the counter, behind Megan to wait for a soda as well.

David grins at Megan, "How could I pass this up? Especially when you get such a neat hoodie!" He winks at the seamstress and glances at Mac, nodding his head, "Sure thing. I was just walking around looking for troublemakers…a little too wired to try and take a nap, so let me know and I'm there." As the rest of the conversation goes around, David cranes his head to look at Beau and the dog, taking a huge bite out of his second corn dog while he watches.

The German Shepherd is openly salivating, licking his chops like a cartoon wolf. Beau the Dog is only barely refraining - he looks a little tight-lipped, as a result. They insinuate themselves into the line for Marla's, the cop already patting down his pocket to make sure that his wallet is there.

Still smoking, Ward nods to Megan, looking to her child with an eyebrow raised. "A crash course in the lingo," he says, turning to David. "Never call another person your boss; if a townie hears you say it, they'll think someone's in management. We control the if-and-when of that kind of knowledge. It's how we protect each other: even a name can be the wrong information to give out." Then he notices the approaching canines, blinking a moment's confusion out, his hand reached out to grip his wife's hip. "Welcome," he says, addressing the dog-man with the dog. "This is the House of Long Shadows Circus and Revival Society." Gesturing to Marla, he points to the man with the dog, indicating he'll be taking priority over the drunken roustie arguing about his sobriety. There's not much line, really.

"He could be anywhere. Lot of heavy lifting to do, yet, and you know Ollie: he never has a problem getting his hands dirty. Or he's hiding with the rousties and hoping I don't have him unpack more." Meg teases Mac. Eli gets all excited to see his auntie, waving his beads and beating Megan with them while she laughs and holds the jumping and kicking boy a little tighter. When the line shuffles forward, she grins at Marla. "I found something of yours in the wash I missed. I did not know you wore those sorts of, um.." Bright red, she makes a gesture towards her groin. "Things. Frilly things " Oh dear! "Anyway, I fixed a bit of loose lace on them for you. I'll bring it by later." she promises after making her order and slipping out of Mac's way to stand nearby.

Grinning at David, Nicholya comments, "Wait until July is well and truly underway. The heat, the holiday, the hooch…" She shakes her head, but doesn't look really all that bothered by what she is implying will happen. Instead, the Russian seems to carry about her an air of perpetual good-natured amusement. For now, anyway. When Ward greets the fellow with the dog, she lifts her own top hat in greeting, smiling at the Dog and his dog as she leans into Ward with the unselfconscious, comfortable laziness of long and close association. "Welcome," she adds her greeting. "What a lovely fellow!" She's looking at the Shepherd… so she probably means the dog. Probably.

It's as if the Shepherd understands, for he favors Nicholya with an immense doggy grin, all lolling pink tongue and white teeth. Who's a good boy? Yes, it's me! "Look at you, you big softie," Beau says, teasingly, but his tone is fond. And then it's a pair of hot dogs, a cup of water, and a big Coke for him. "Thanks. Looks like a cool place you have here," he says to Nicholya. His accent's not local, though it's still very much a drawl. Something further east.
David drags his attention back to Ward when the man explains about not using That Word, and he blinks, "Oh, sure, yeah. Wont be a problem." With that said, though, the dragon falls a little quiet, munching away on the last of his food while his attention is dragged around the area, following the conversation and the interaction, though the exchange between Megan and Mac draws a small smile back to his face.

Oh look, a dog. Dogs are not interesting. She has them pretty well figured out. People are interesting. Endlessly so. Wish is still by Nicholya. Which isn't a selfconcious thing, it's more selfinterest. If something worth watching is happening, it's probably going to happen near a tophat. That's just how things work. It also reduces the odds of her being directly questioned. Which again, isn't a selfconcious thing. It's just difficult and sometimes she just doesn't want to go through all the effort. So for now, yep, Wish is content to watch and listen, her tail absently swishing in a contented way. At least, when infrequently visible, it's moving.

"You're all good," Ward declares, judgment rendered on David. "There won't ever be a matter that requires just my or just the wife's attention; if you need one of us, call for a top hat on the radio. We will arrive shortly and we will resolve the issue." Like a ringleader do, after all. "We've done what we can to make ourselves both comfortable and inviting," he explains, looking to Beau. "On account we're going to be permanently stationed here. No more touring for this troupe." That's when he laughs and it sounds decidedly eerie. From his pocket, he draws an apple, tossing it to Wish. "Snack?" he asks, the only word he says to her; they've got a solid if strange communication dynamic.

McKenzie chuckles at the panties comment and finally gets her awaited soda. "Megan, I have one of those Cthulhu stuffed animals from the Haunted House gift store for Eli. Oh and a shirt that has the cute tentical head and says…little monster. I'll bring them by later if thats ok?" Taking a drink, she sighs. "Figures we land permantly next to a friggin River. The rest in pretty enough and it -is- Austin after all." Stepping past the dog…so many dogs….Mac moves back towards the seats, nodding to David again.

Ward's statement of permanent abode makes Beau's ears prick. Literally. He's taken a big mouthful of hot dog and bolts it down before he replies. Manners, right? He's handed off half of the second dog to the Shepherd, who is also scarfing it down. "I bet this'll be a great place for it," he says, musingly. "Austin being what it is. The weirder you are, the more this town loves you," he adds, unselfconsciously licking his fingertips.

Collecting her soda and fries, Megan balances them in hand and against herself, her other arm full of wriggly baby. "Oh! That's great. I bet he'll teeth all over the tentacles." Any other crowd, that'd be such an odd thing to say. Or hear. "Reminds me! David, I need to get those measurements from you. Uh… soon." And oh the way the mousy girl blushes for the fairest.You would think she's never Seen one before. Which leads to her sticking close to Mckenzie. "So many people tonight." she says lowly, turning to study the canines and blinking slowly. Like one of those 'owners that look like their dogs' photo contests taken a bit far.

"Then it must be carnie heaven," Nicholya quips, flashing a grin at Beau. She smiles past Ward at David, adding, "do not worry, you are already fitting in quite well. In no time, you will be indistinguishable from the rest of us." Oh dear. Maybe that's not a good thing? Of course, she and Ward are dressed like ringleaders at the moment, but have you SEEN carnie fashion?! The Russian spares a moment to waggle fingers at Eli, before looking at Mac. "I suppose he is too little to know what a Cthulu is, and will not be frightened."

The apple is snatched from the air, Ward grinned at. Yes, this will do. A quick brush against her red STAFF tee-shirt (she's observed that people tend to rub apples on things immediately prior to eating them so she will too) and a juicy, crunchy bite. Mmm. Produce. Carnie fashion for this girl is the red tee, frayed old cargo pants (with flowers stitched up the hem, as it happens) and bare feet. Wish is less formal than the top hats.

David flashes a small smile at Mac when she retakes her seat, murmuring in agreement, "And its just the middle of the week. We're going to get swamped this weekend, so maybe I'll check in with you tomorrow too and make sure there isn't anything else you need lugged around." David is one of the few NOT wearing a STAFF tee or hoodie, but he certainly acts like he works here, flashing a grin at Nicholya, "Thank you." To Megan, he bows his head, "If you want, whenever you're done eating, I am all yours. Or later or tomorrow. Whenever works for you."

That creepy laugh from the elder carnie is a bit disjointing, but that's the one Ward's stuck with, along with two facial expressions beyond an inert mask. "Weird is a state of mind," he says, nodding to Beau, "And we've never minded weirdness. Most of us walked away from normal and never looked back once." Gesturing vaguely up and down the midway, he adds, "Austin is good for business, once we're open and such. Being tour-friendly is one thing, but we're all itching to put on shows again. Soon, my children, soon." It's the tone of a reassuring parent to his offspring from beyond blood; they are his sisters from other misters and his brothers from other mothers. Which doesn't explain why he carries a bullwhip and Bowie knife, but that's carnies - not the usual folk. Gesturing again, this time from David to Marla, he says, "Marlboro, this man needs a shirt, one which does not have your tit prints on it." Feigning distress, Marla crosses her arm, making a tiny 'hmph' noise of high dudgeon. "Alright," she mumbles, adding in a few choice invectives aimed at Ward, then tosses one of the House shirts kept behind the counter there; more often than not, someone winds up topless at the MME and she's one to be prepared.

"Amen," says the dog Beast, with both wryness and fervor, brown eyes all squinted. Agreeing with both Nicholya and Ward, it seems. He's more golden brown than his sable companion, but there is a distinct resemblance, indeed. "I bet it's a nice rest, even with the call of the open road," he agrees, after wolfing down the rest of the hot dog, then swigging coke.

"Well, in some ways, we have had to work harder this time, because we will not be tearing down," Nicholya explains, then stretches, shoving her top hat back on her head a bit as she gazes towards the big top. "Shows," she sighs happily, and there's a hint of HomerSimpsonBeeeer in her tone as she does. She smirks over at Marla as the tattooed carnie digs out a staff shirt and tosses it to David, then leans past Ward to tell the dragon in an aside that's loud enough for everyone to hear, "If you do not specify that she is to give out a NEW shirt, she will take the one right off her back and hand it over. Not so bad when it's just adults. And do not think winter or rain or any weather has EVER deterred her, as it has not!" She chuckles at both Meg and Mac as they discuss the absent Ollie, and smiles at Wish for her enjoyment of the apple. Then she rises from her seat, absently patting Ward's knee as she moves past him, eyes going to Beau. "Is it permissible to pet your friend? I know the working dogs, they must work."

Megan mocks up a mighty pout as she finds a spot to slide her butt into, shifting the babe to her lap and the soda and fries to the table. "Least I have three washers and dryers now. Might snag a couple of the older kids and set them to folding and delivering. Get a couple of red wagons for it. Have to get caught up before I can think about mending and making all new costumes with Miss Marnier." No shows! Least… not until the mountain has been diminished, pleeeease. The boy, Eli, promptly starts banging the frog faced teething beads on the table, just to see what noise it makes.

David eeps and catches the thrown shirt, laughing softly and offering an amused, "Thank you…" He eyes it for a moment, checks the size, then shrugs once and peels off the tshirt he currently has on, to slip into his new possession. Its certainly rather tight on him once he tugs it down to his waist and pulls his braid free, but that doesn't seem to bother him at all - after all, Megan was offering to make something a little more comfortable for the dragon anyway - this'll do for now.

Megan was drinking! Thanks David. Poor girl goes beet red and snortchokes on some soda, coughing before finding a napkin to get the pepsi off the back of Eli's head.

The Shepherd definitely understood. Because, at the request for petting permission, he's already leaning towards Nicholya. "Sure," says Beau, amiably. "This is Duke. He's a whore for attention." Surely that wasn't indignation in the black dog's face, as he flicks a look at the Changeling. "Scratch his ears, he'll follow you to the ends of the earth." Both he and his companion have finished their hot dogs….and Beau orders another one, presumably to split. The black dog's wagging his tail slowly, clearly pleased with the world.

McKenzie tightens her hoodie, constricting the area that hods her face as she looks towards David. "Couldnt you find something tighter Marla?" She mumbles inside as if Kenny wore a black hoodie with STAFF on the back. "Um…David you have any need to get setup in the camp area out back?" Mac looks to Megan. "I'm sure we have something for the guy."

"Mrs. Marnier is due back this Friday," Ward says, clearly enunciating the "Mrs." part with caution. Before he finishes his sentence, he looks around him, as if concerned about being ambushed, then he relaxes, exhaling further cigarette smoke. "She'll be bringing her new husband back from Galveston. Damned if I know the man's name, though." On that, it's not carnie obstinance, it's just a mystery. "He's hubby number .. fifteen? Fifteen." That's when Marla corrects him. "Bzzzt," she calls out, shaking her head. "Seventeen. Sixteen was the guy who got bitten by a dolphin in Miami and fifteen was his lawyer. Remember him?" Apparently, Ward does, shrugging. "It's hard to keep track of them fellas." He gestures vaguely from himself to Beau, then says, "Didn't catch your name, so I'll toss mine: I'm Ward Darnell. This is my wife, Nicholya." Introductions resolved, he watches her pet the stranger's dog, an eyebrow raised. He also glances to Eli, swaddled in Megan's care and drawing a sigh from behind his beard. Not many showmen wear full beards, yet he does. It's almost iconic.

David offers in a lower voice to Mac, "Well, I dont have a place of my own yet, but I probably ought to at least get a chest and beg for a spot to put it, to hold m'stuff until I do. Maybe you don't mind an extra box in your place until I find something of my own? I guess I needta talk to you about where anyway….I find something, don't wanna park in someone's way." Megan's reaction to his shirt change draws his attention back along with a softer murmur, "Careful…" Oh right, "Since Megan needs to measure me anyway, I suppose I should head back there so whenever she's done eating, Im there."

Duke gets not only petting, but a good many compliments, if the tone of Nicholya's voice is any indication. She's speaking in Russian, though, so it's difficult to be sure. She could be calling him a filthy proletariat, and they'd never know. It's doubtful, though, as she's rubbing his ears in an expert manner, and scratching the places at the back of his skull that dogs like. She's just rising to her feet after a last rub to the dog's head when a carnie in a trucker's cap makes his way over, waving away Marla's offer of food. "I need one of you two to sign off on that truckload that arrived late," he says. "I will go, as I promised that driver a few words," the Russian replies, in a tone that doesn't bode well for said driver, and turns to smile and wave around at their gathered guest and family. "It is good seeing you all, hmm? But the work, it is never quite done." There's a pause to kiss Ward's cheek, and then she is moving off, following the roustabout.

Duke eats it up, slobbering affectionately on Nicholya, tail beating the air furiously. Beau watches with that tolerant fondness. "I'm Beau," he says, looking up from the spectacle, as Nicholya departs. HE puts out a black-palmed hand. "Pleased to meetcha," he says, as his ears prick forward, and Duke looks up.

Megan snickers at Mac, cleaning the baby's head and then her own face with a different napkin. "If you don't have space, Mac, I've got some room in the porch in the rafters." she says, having no problem sharing what she has if others need it. Including storage space. A nod to David, still bright red, and Megan pops a couple of fries in her mouth. "We could go take care of it. Eli's probably going to get food jealous in a few. He usually does when I try to eat." she says, somewhat dreading the idea of measuring the man out, given her shyness for such things. "Mac, you know where we're all set up right?" she asks, rising already. She'd rather get the work done so she can rest longer later.

McKenzie looks very much at odds, looking to Megan for help for a moment as she tenses up, steam flowing from vents behind her ears. "Look at him, he will break those rafters. Then just more work for me to fix." Shoving her hands into her hoodie front pocket, she lets out a sigh. "Fine, I'll convert the dining room table, but you clean up after yourself, hear me?" Pausing, she looks to Megan. "Yep, I parked right next to you two. I'm gonna head back there if you are coming soon." Looking around she waves to the dog..dogs. "Nice to meet you." Yeah, the mechanic is clearly distracted.

Accepting the hand, Ward shakes it, firm and dry, his grip that of a man who earns a paycheck with sweat, blood, and screaming fits. "Ladies, we can stick David in the guest cottage until he's got his own digs." He refers to the often-abused, rarely-empty trailer that carnies have used for a variety of nefarious purposes he claims to have zero knowledge of, thus absolving him of responsibilities entailed within. "Barring that, he can couch-surf with whomever is cool with that. It's his ass, but your couches, after all." The middle ground approach: the carnie way. "It's good to meet you, too, Beau. Welcome to our humble little patch of controlled insanity we call home. Our rules are few, our judgments fair, and our mercies rare. We also have funnel cake."

The mention of funnel cake makes the actual dog give an eager whine. He knows that word? Apparently, he does. "All right, ya whiner," Beau says, firmly. "We'll get one, too." To Ward, he confesses, "Man, I got a huge weakness for carnival food." T hen he's rummaging in his pockets, and coming up with his business card, which he hands over…….a business card with a gilt badge on it. "Listen, you run into grief from the local pigs, gimme a call. Might be, I can help." Lost stick up for other Lost, after all.

David nods slowly and both women and when they start to make to leave, the dragon rises to his feet as well. He glances over to Ward and Beau and bows his head, "I'll get them to show me around and I'll find something. As long as I have a floor and a pillow, I can sleep. Had a lot worse when I got out. Thank you, again…" His voice trails off as he steps away from the table, shooting a curious look at Megan and then Mac in sort of a 'lead the way' manner.

Megan grins at Mac. Then pales before going bright red. Ollie's sister. Right next to? Ollie will never get laid again. EVER. She could just about sink into the ground as she nods a tiny bit and then scampers for the area where the carnies live, forgetting her fries in her complete embarrassment - soda sloshing a little as she darts along, weaving between people, making car noises for Eli. Vroooom!

McKenzie shuffles off, waving to Ward and Co. "Night Ward. I um…I'll be up in a bit to finish a few of our buildings. Find me in the Haunted house maybe." She ducks into the living area.

"Remember: we have always kept our lot clean and anything inside of the fence," Ward says evenly, "It's inside of the fence. We keep our fence in good repair, too. None of our problems manage to make it out, which suits us fine. No sense riling up the locals and seeing them pick up pitchforks and torches, amirite?" He's congenial but decidedly bold in his stance. "Here, a badge is a sign of office - some of us, we don't do office work, if you catch my drift." He rises, dusting his slacks off. "If ever you need help, and your badge is in need of more .. unusual .. talent, keep us in mind. The House of Long Shadows is vast and our people from every part of the world." He dons his top hat, tipping it to Beau, bowing deeply. "Until the day, Beau, we welcome you. Enjoy the show." He turns, does a handspring, then cartwheels, rather than walks, through the midway and beyond, his hat locked into position .. somehow. Carnies are weird.

The Dog bows in turn. And so does the Shepherd with him, like a circus horse, one paw tucked under, the other extended. Then Beau says, affably, "I'll keep that in mind."



Fade.


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