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

public channel!

[kingsroads]

The Ringmaster said that London was one of the Prince's inspirations. Well, I've plenty of experience with London's high society and all the unspoken rules it contains. If you have any questions about fashion sense, politeness, or table etiquette that your Supervisor can't answer, seek me out and I shall try my best to help.

[ cause while a few of the supervisors have the here's how to manners thing down pat (most notably Joker and Childermass), a few of them are Lambert and Peridot. ]

[whattaprick]

[ Hey fuck you, he knows which fork to use at a dinner and not to put elbows on the table and that's all people need! ]

Considering you barely know how to dress yourself, maybe they should pass on the fashion sense.

[kingsroads]

[ up yours Lambert, he's gonna clean up nice because this is a challenge now and he also doesn't want to get killed by a fae. ]

There's a difference between 'know how to' and 'choose not to'. My current clothing choices don't erase the fact that I know how to tie an ascot in the first place.

[whattaprick]

Watch out. Too much of that and Carly might start thinking you're after her job.

[ When unhappy about an impending shitty situation, resort to sarcasm. ]

[periphrasing]

[Chiming in:]

I'm just going to cut things off preemptively here and make it publicly known that if anyone in engineering has any questions of this nature, just contact Mr. Strange. It will save time for everyone involved.

[MUCH THOUGH SHE IS LOATHE TO ADMIT A LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IN ANY AREA]

[dorkypantsuit]

Seconding that.

Troll manners are a hoofbest of varied hue.

[spaghettimonster]

Roger that!

[kingsroads]

Out of curiosity, besides you and Papyrus, who else is in the labor department?

[ don't say Foster, don't say Foster, don't say Foster... ]

[kingsroads]

[ SPACE ROCKS DON'T NEED TO KNOW ETIQUETTE IN THE FIRST PLACE ]

Really? [ for all of Strange's 'lookit me, I know manners', he's a BIT SHOCKED that Peridot's just shoving this off on him. fuck, he's gotta be amazing at this stuff now. ]

Who is in engineering, out of curiosity? I know Miss Mordio and 9S are, but I'm certain I'm forgetting a few members.

[textsfromhotland]

U-understood, boss!

[You can almost hear the salute.]

[wild_magic]

What if we just don't have a Supervisor, then can we ask you anyway? [Not that he actually has too many questions, but still. He even was told he's technically reporting to Childermass for this trip, but he'd just rather talk to Strange instead.]

[kingsroads]

Of course you can!

[ There's a small laugh before, ] And I'm terribly sorry in advance, Susan, but I've a feeling you'll find a lot of these rules boring.

[showmystar]

You have a fashion sense, Mr. Strange?

[haha okay okay but seriously-- There's a grimace in Allen's tone as he continues] I'm perfectly polite enough, but-- How different are general manners from courtly manners?

[kingsroads]

With courtly manners, all the rules of general manners stay in place: keep your elbows off the table, don't run in the hallways, keep the conversation away from yourself unless prompted, and so on. But there are also manners of station to take into play.

Don't talk to the Prince unless he introduces himself to us. Use proper forms of address: Miss or Mister so and so for the servants, your highness or your lordship for the Prince. When talking to his servants, use a formal tone--don't pry into their personal lives. Don't put on airs but at the same time, emphasize that you're the Ringmaster's such and such if you introduce yourself.

There's more, of course. [ they will be here all night. ]

[stillwinningthehardway]

Could you try writing a short primer?

[Hastily:]

If your handwriting's legible, I mean. If we could get copies of that, I don't think checking on them would be too big of a breach as long as we're not in front of this prince at the time.

[osteothropy]

Wouldn't count on the "short" part.

[anti_nonsense]

Seconding this. If I have to listen to you drone on about manners in person, I'll probably just fall asleep.

[And at least she can tolerate Strange's writing, even if she complains about that too sometimes.]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya's zoned most of this out since he's sure he's got it. Be polite, don't cause a fuss, how hard can it be?

But wait, he doesn't know anything about all those little rules for 'London High society'. Is that what they have to imitate?]

We have to learn all of that now? [Suddenly this doesn't seem so easy.]

[kingsroads]

Don't worry about it! [ says the person who grew up in high society. ] It's not as hard as it seems.

[destiny_key]

[He's seen you in action, Strange. Are you sure you know how to manners?]

...I mean, if you're able to help, I wouldn't mind some. Help, I mean.

[kingsroads]

[ and thus the carnival learns that wow, if Strange actually puts a bit of effort into things, he can clean up slightly well. ]

I'd be happy to help. Where shall we start?

[moonfang]

Fuck. Does that mean we're ALL gonna have to dress like you?

[kingsroads]

What's wrong with dressing like me?!

[ that's a maybe ]

[tacosgay]

Oh, good, someone whose opinions I actually care about is offering advice. And, believe you me, that is not an honor easily earned.

[kingsroads]

Thank you for the compliment, Mister Taako. What shall we start with first?