THE WARDEN AND NIGHTRIDER ARE HERE (D170)

[osteothropy]

[Sans is blue.]
[Lambert is dark red.]

[ Supervisor’s Channel ]

All right. [ Lambert’s voice is brisk and business-like, for once, though it still has that familiar edge of sarcasm to it. ]

Okay. [Sans is here, too.]

I’ll get to the point. You know the next stop’s not like our usual. [ To say the least. A beat, before he continues: ] Keep an eye on your people. Make sure they’re actually following the rules, not freaking out and getting us all into shit.

[ That feels like a tall order, though, under the circumstances. ]

That goes for you, too. Keep your head on straight. Any problems or troublemakers you can’t handle on your own, let me or Sans know. This isn’t a performance stop -- if anyone who works for you is assigned to patrol or the nightrunners, they answer to us first.

Speaking of ‘keeping your head on straight’... some of you might remember a certain stop we had a ways back where a few certain someones almost got the guillotine for failing to abide by a similar set up of stuffy royal standards. Let’s not have a repeat of that, cause from the sounds of it the RM might not be able to save you this time.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, this is your opportunity to remain blissfully ignorant.



[ Public Channel ]

[ Lambert’s voice is terse, and irritable: ]

Our next stop’s called Heartstone Manor. We’re going to go over some ground rules to make everyone's life, especially mine, a lot easier.

[Sans is also here.]

The RM has already covered a lot of this in her announcement, but it is officially our jobs to make sure that it sinks in. Dealt with True Fae before? Then you know this isn’t a joke. Yes, your fashion sense and table etiquette are now a matter of life and death. This is me, Sans, telling you to take this seriously. Hopefully that means something to you.

To summarize the gist of what was said, here are some basic RULES. The Nightrider and I will be watching. So, even if the Prince doesn’t catch you, we will.

[Sans recites “The Rules” like he’s just whipped out a pair of reading glasses and is quoting them from an official document:]

DO:

• Follow the daily schedule
• Follow dress code
• Be polite to The Prince and his servants
• Keep your radio on you

DON’T:

• Whine about everything
• Seed rebellion or talk about rules breaking on the network
• Make any deals or promises to other fae servants
• Lay any hard disses on The Prince, ever, under any circumstances
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: this is gunna grate on a lot of us, so just focus on the end goal… which is not dying

Don’t mess it up.

That, too.

Comments

Supervisor's Channel

[pipers_son]

Never gonna let me forget that, huh...

[But there's not Joker's usual joking or easygoing tone in the words. He's sort of preoccupied with everything else.]

So basically on my end, that's just Strange for ya, right? Honestly, it's 50/50 if he does somethin' stupid, but I'll keep an eye on 'im if yer too busy with the rest of our lot. [Which they all know will be a good chunk of the carnival.] Everyone else I think I should have a handle on.

[He can think of a few people he needs to keep an eye on more than others but, for the most part, Joker thinks- hopes- that the majority of Performance will behave themselves. Might just have to brush them up on their manners if nothing else.]

Supervisor's Channel

[dorkypantsuit]

[GROANING]

Ughhhh, I forgot about Strange.

[pipers_son]

Hey, 50/50. They're not too bad odds. Me and 'im, we're from the same place, so...

[He might not do something horrendously stupid like make a deal with some random fuckhead fae and, you know, bring winter to the carnival. Or worse.]

[dorkypantsuit]

You'd think the last three shitawful fairy encounters he had would increase those chances slightly.

[Like even 60/40, come on.]

[pipers_son]

Never underestimate how thick some folks' heads can be.

But like I said. I'll watch 'im. I'm sure I can figure out some way of distractin' him that won't end up in flames.

[dorkypantsuit]

[He's sure Joker is right, but he can't help being concerned.]

Well keep us posted.

Actually we should probably have some kind of regular check in while we're over there.

[pipers_son]

What- like updates about how the folks in our areas are doin', and if there's any signs of trouble?

[osteothropy]

It was memorable.

[Preoccupied or not, Sans is coming at you, Joker.]

You know, the kind of event that really stick in your head.

[pipers_son]

[Thanks, Sans. A true pal. Fortunately, even when preoccupied, well. Joker. It's in the name.]

Oh, definitely. Fortunately, since then, I like ta think I've become a much more level headed gent.

[osteothropy]

And not a more level necked gent, right?

[OKAY LAST ONE AND THEN HE'S DONE.]

[pipers_son]

Exactly~.

[But then there's a pause, and Joker continues on.]

How screwed would ya say we are, Sans?

Supervisor's Channel

[whattaprick]

He's also a mercenary, so he's part of the round-up crew.

[ Unfortunately. Lambert's tone suggests no, he doesn't actually fucking know why he's one either, especially since by all accounts he came to the Carnival batshit crazy. ]

The mirror thing's too useful to keep him out of this mess. I'd worry about kids, if you've got them.

[pipers_son]

Don't worry, I know. Like I said, I'll be watchin' over everyone in Performance, save for Strange.

That's what you get ta deal with.

[whattaprick]

That's like dealing with ten kids all on my own.

[ Ten kids stuffed into an OP, unshaven, mad English magician suit ... but anyway. Lambert's grimace is audible as he goes on: ]

[pipers_son]

Tis the trials of fatherhood!

[atouts]

Shockingly enough, Mr. Strange is liable to be the most qualified for surviving this. He was raised to society. He understands the rules of his betters.

[periphrasing]

[Betters?]

Wait, I thought that humans didn't partake in hierarchy like that. What do you even sort yourselves by?

[atouts]

[ Good thing he already realizes Peridot isn't exactly capable of making jokes, because wow. Humans, not having a hierarchy? ]

Whoever has the most is typically at the top. In England, we have the royalty, who are born to the title and theoretically rule the nation, and then the lesser nobility, the landed lords and gentlemen, and so on. There's an awful lot of names and who's related to who involved.

[periphrasing]

Wwwwwow. That is not how things worked back in Beach City... At least, not that I saw. Fascinating.

[atouts]

But surely you've been to a variety of Earths at this point. They couldn't have all been like your Beach City, either.

[periphrasing]

I guess. But never any that put quite as much of an emphasis on having such strict societal rules as this place sounds like it does.

[pipers_son]

Oh, I don't doubt it. S'why I said 50/50.

But Childermass... It's still Strange.

[atouts]

Yes, but a Strange that's more in his element for once. The original one, at least.

[ Requiring less madness to function and all. ]

So I would give it him a little more than just a 50/50 chance.

[pipers_son]

Well, if it's our distinguished Mister Childermass' opinion... 60/40?

[atouts]

Hmm. [ Like he's actually taking time to consider this. Fact: not really. ] Yes, that sounds more like it.