PUBLIC CHANNEL - DAY 157

[whattaprick]

Nightrider Lambert here. In case you haven't heard by now: the things on Kerner Island eat settled daemons. So find somewhere else to take a daytrip. If you go anyway, do me a favor and keep your radio on you. That way we can all hear what it sounds like when a soul gets eaten.

[ He's about to leave it on that cheerfully sarcastic note, but then the faint sound of a female voice chimes in, scolding. For those who've met her, they'll recognize it as Lambert's daemon, the golden-eyed polecat that wears a hawk's shape outside the carnival. ]

Lambert! You didn't have to say it like that!

[ It doesn't seem to shame him one bit, though, since Lambert's going to keep right on talking: ]

For those of you whose daemon hasn't settled yet, that doesn't mean you get to be an idiot about going out there. Slipping and breaking your neck would be a stupid way to die. That said, if you're interested in doing some nightrunner work--

Come find us! [ The daemon interrupts again, louder this time, and there's a brief sound of a scuffle before her voice finally comes through loud and clear. Now it's Lambert who sounds more distant (and distinctly annoyed), though she talks right over him. ] We've got a map and other things you can use!

[ ooc: Lambert and his daemon will both be replying to his post (and probably fighting over the radio button, honestly). For ease of clarity, her responses will be in italics! ]

Comments

[hippocarnival]

[That's way up there on things Yuya doesn't want to experience, so...]

Got it. But what's stopping them from leaving the island?

[whattaprick]

Apparently, they won't cross the water.

But it wasn't always like that. They used to be everywhere.

[hippocarnival]

What changed? [Basically, do they have to worry about them suddenly deciding water isn't so bad after all and then everyone has to run.]

[whattaprick]

Ugh. A lot of history.

Lambert. [ There's that chiding, female voice again, and the witcher groans. ]

Fine. Short version is, people here used to be able to open doors into different worlds. What they didn't realize until it was too late was that these things show up whenever you do that until it was too late.

Anyway ... something got rid of them. And apparently, it took all the things they were using to open those doors with them too. So, no more Spectres, until some idiot decided to build a machine that could do the same thing.

[hippocarnival]

[Inter-dimensional travel is dangerous, news at 11.]

Oh. Well, Koemi and I will stay away from it! [Or at least they won't be going over there just for the hell of it.]

That makes this another place that's connected with other dimensions... do you think most worlds are like that? Connected to each other?

wow that was a repetitive tag lmfao

[whattaprick]

Good. [ It's Lambert's daemon that interjects before he can say anything, the relief too obvious in her voice. ] That place felt terrible, even for us.

Who asked you? [ Lambert grumps. Seriously, why is his daemon so damn chatty anyway? ] Anyway, I don't know the answer to that. Maybe you should try asking the Ringmaster -- she's the one who keeps moving us around from place to place.

lol I didn't even notice

[hippocarnival]

Yeah, that's true. [Then again, that might be a big question even for the Ringmaster. She obviously doesn't know everything about everywhere they stop, or else why would they need the Nightrunners scouting?]

Is that your daemon with you? [Over the radio it's hard to tell, but he doesn't recognize her voice.]

[whattaprick]

Yeah, it is. [ Lambert sounds grumpy all over again. ] Does yours nag you as much?

Of course not. [ The response from the daemon is instant, sniffing haughtily. ] Yuya's not like you.

And what's that supposed to mean? [ Sorry, Yuya, these two could bicker forever if you let them. ]

[hippocarnival]

Uh--maybe if she's nagging you she has a reason...? [Which isn't that Koemi hasn't stopped Yuya from saying or doing stupid things yet, but it probably is less frequent than Lambert's bickering.]

[whattaprick]

What, like annoying me? [ It's not that she can't be quiet -- she can be, and has. It's just that the more Lambert talks to other people, the more she seems to try to insert herself in the conversation. ]

Who else is going to keep you in line? [ The daemon fires back. It's funny, hearing the sarcastic drawl in a woman's voice, because it sounds so much like how Lambert likes annoying people -- only this time, it's directed at himself. ]

[hippocarnival]

It's your soul, isn't it? Maybe you have something to tell yourself.

[Well that's weirdly contemplative.]

[whattaprick]

Doesn't mean I have to listen, does it?

[hippocarnival]

No, but... [Lambert seemed like such a confident and self-assured person. Yuya's not sure why he seems so out of sync with his daemon.] Why don't you want to listen?

[whattaprick]

Because he's stupid.

Because she's a pain in the ass. [ Lambert snorts. There's almost something coordinated about the bickering, if one listens enough. A rhythm to the arguing back and forth, even if the daemon often ends up ultimately ignored. ]

It's all right. He almost threw me out the window when we woke up, you know, so we've gotten better.

[hippocarnival]

[Jeez, Lambert. He knows how startling it was to take up to, but--] Okay, but try not to hurt your soul even if it is annoying.

[Trust him, it sucks.] What's her name?

[whattaprick]

Little hard to stay calm with claws in your eye, Yuya.

[ Bitch, bitch, bitch. He did promptly find out how much it sucked to be apart immediately after that, but that isn't something he's going to share. Fortunately, his daemon's distracted by the question. ]

I don't have one yet.

[hippocarnival]

Why was she clawing at your eyes?! [Can their daemons actually hurt them? It was probably an accident... right?] Are you okay?

[whattaprick]

It was an accident! I wasn't used to being outside him yet. [ The daemon sounds sulky and embarrassed. ]

I survived the experience, obviously, but it was a hell of a wakeup call.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya lets out a breath. Why is Lambert's biggest danger himself.] Yeah, it surprised us too, but...

You haven't decided on a name yet?

[whattaprick]

[ It's Lambert ... that's self-explanatory. ]

Not yet. [ There's still that embarrassment that lingers, though she gains confidence as she speaks, turning a question back on Yuya. ] How did you decide yourse?

[hippocarnival]

Oh! Well, we picked it together. [There's a shuffling as Koemi finally gets between Yuya and his radio to speak up.]

I'm Koemi! It's a name that means 'smiling'.

Uh, because we like making people smile. [It's not that deep.]

[whattaprick]

Is that because of what your father said, too? [ Yup, Lambert's daemon would be the one who remembers sentimental crap like that ... ]

It suits you. [ Her voice is certain and sure ... though also just a little envious. Which is going to make Lambert interject, irritable-- ]

Oh, come on. You don't even know what his daemon looks like!

[hippocarnival]

[There's a solid silence as that question hits Yuya deeper than Lambert probably intended. Was it because of his father? Before, he would have said yes, but before was when he didn't know there was a whole other identity he once wore. A life that... surely he couldn't have always been so full of anger, and hatred, and evil. Right? Wasn't there something else that once drove Zarc into dueling?

Koemi breaks the pause, finally, shaking Yuya from his thoughts.] No other name would fit me better! It's the best one!

Uh... yeah. [He lets out a soft, faint laugh.] I mean, my dad was part of it. He's an amazing entertainer, and I want to make people happy like he did. But I hope... I think I would have wanted that, anyway.

[If he was anyone else.]

[whattaprick]

You think you would have wanted that? [ That's such a weird way to phrase that, Yuya. ]

Did you hit your head and forget it, or something?

[hippocarnival]

N-no! I just mean, if I was someone else I'd still want to make people happy! [That doesn't come out any less weird, does it.]