2025-10-18: Doot Doot Do-Di-Do Do-Doot Doot Do Doo

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<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

               o~ Doot doot do-di-do do-doot doot do doo, o~
               o~ Doot doot do-di-do do-doot doot do doo, o~
                 o~ Doot do di-do-do, Doot do di-do-do, o~
          o~ Dunna-nunna-nunna-nunna-nunna-nunna nuh-ni nah-na. o~

    On the eve of this night, those with the ability to sense resonance will hear it before anything else. A whisper of a tune on the wind.

    'Entry of the Gladiators' (Op. 68) by Julius Fucik.

    Or at least, one of the many variations of the classic march used by circuses the world over. The tune isn't especially clear though, muffled as if echoed over a great distance. Following the sound-or perhaps the feeling of mysterious unease it invokes-leads you to...

    A large, empty lot.

    While empty, the lot is not deserted. At the edge of it, crowding around an equally empty raised wooden stage, is a large group of people. Citizens of Sumaru City, of all types. Teens hang around with groups of their friends. Little children jump up and down excitedly while their parents try to reign them in before they hurt themselves.

    These people all seem to be waiting eagerly for something to happen. Lacking a perception of resonance, they are unlikely to have been drawn here by the faded music that still continues to play into your ears. Their common purpose in coming is easily discovered though, as many are holding fliers in their hands. While yet more have been dropped to be blown about in the breeze. Perhaps you've seen them yourselves from time to time? Lining walls and street poles around the city:

       +--------------------------------------------------------------+
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ « « « WELCOME, STRANGERS AND DREAMERS » » » ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ ¡ THE PANDEMONIUM PAVILION ! ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ "Where Reality Performs Its Final Act." ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ Step beneath the velvet lights and trembling stars... ¦
       ¦ Witness illusions that bleed, laughter that echoes wrong, ¦
       ¦ and a Ringmaster who smiles through every mask. ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ Featuring the incomparable Thélaire ¦
       ¦ - Mistress of Chaos and Keeper of the Stage - ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ ~ Attractions ~ ¦
       ¦ * The Hall of Shattered Reflections ¦
       ¦ * The Wicked Menagerie ¦
       ¦ * The Marionette Dance ¦
       ¦ * The Whispering Cards ¦
       ¦ * The Dice of Fate - Roll If You Dare ¦
       ¦ * And More ! ¦
       ¦ ¦
       ¦ Gates open when the moon forgets its name. ¦
       ¦ Admission: One soul. Non-refundable. ¦
       ¦ ¦
       +--------------------------------------------------------------+

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Tsubasa is still facing their exams, next week -- since the police only released them late on Tuesday, and they'd have missed half the exam period if they hadn't gotten extra consideration. Thanks to Ichika's father, even the punitive Kasugayama gave them that. But...

    That doesn't mean that Ichika and Hyousuke aren't free from their exams. That's still something to celebrate!! And so --

    "Hey, I heard 'bout this weird fuckin' circus or whatever..."

    And there's the tune, rolling through Konan Ward. Tsubasa wonders how far something like that carries over the coast, out past Ebisu Beach; it feels like they heard it leagues before they even got here.

    Lance didn't hear it, though, even though she's a dog. A tosa inu! A pretty scrawny tosa inu with a few scars which speaks to her breeds' legacy as fighting dogs, though Lance is far too friendly to fight anything other than a squeaky toy. She does bark happily, though, seeing the crowds.

    "Damn," Tsubasa says. "Lance is into it, huh. Reckon she'd do okay balancin' on one a them balls they got in this shit?"

    As teenagers, they are of course attending the circus ironically, but there is something kind of interesting to this one. "Man, some'a th' language on this shit is... pretty out there," Tsubasa remarks, grabbing one of those flyers and holding it out. "Like, 'illusions that bleed'? This some kinda goth circus?"

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.


    "Look you chose what to do on the last night we had a day off and you chose that crappy movie about vampires. It wasn't even scary. " Tatsuya Sudo says as he stands in the crowd, paperbag less. Just a normal guy in jeans and a t-shirt, and a blue tooth receiver in his ear.

     "Besides this place is literally screaming your name. You will absolutely enjoy it." Sudou says to whoever is on the other end of his phone call. "It's fine. The kids said they had other plans. Look, the adults sometimes need time off. " Sudou sighs as he looks at the others and then adds, "Yeah I know this totally something everyone of them would be into. I will bring them a candy apple or something...They can share."

     Sudou looks around as he towers a bit above the crowd, "So how much longer do you think we need to wait?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.

Ichika, on the other hand, is done with exams! She's free! School's almost out... for summer!

And a weird circus? "Sure," Ichika says. "Sounds cool."

The tune goes... Ichika is unfamiliar with Resonance but does hear it. And Lance seems to like it.

"No," Ichika says of Lance balancing. "Probably not. They have to train for like, a long time to do that shit."

Bork!

"I love goth circus," Ichika says, with her black lipstick andbleached hair. "This shitsounds great. I wanna see the marionettes..."

"The moon forgets its name. Real cool."

She looks over at Sudou. Hmmm. Tall guy. 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.


    As of late, Tamaki's had more reason to reach out and re-establish contact with her old St. Hermelin classmates. Practical reasons are the primary driver, since she's got questions that might relate to her current load of cases ... buuuuut, if she's being 100% honest with herself, some part of her just wants the social aspect of it, too. Several days ago, she had recently reunited with Maki, but today, she's out and about with her fellow fencing club alumnus, Eriko Kirishima.

    They've had to wait until Tamaki's university exams had ended, but today's the first day they've been able to meet up. As chance would have it, there's a carnival today, as the fliers around the city had been advertising! At least for Tamaki, the draw of the carnival was the prospect of food from the stalls and a much-needed post-exam breather. She hadn't looked too closely at the actual content of the fliers ...

    Until now.

    While this is different than what she had imagined, she also imagines Eriko might enjoy this. Glancing over, slightly tinged with an amount of nervousness she can't hide, she laughs and asks, "Well! Which attraction would you like to see first?" 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Finals are finally done! And now a summer break of sweet, sweet relaxation and no surprise beach trips await. (There may have been some playing with a dog earlier, though--more on that tomorrow.)

Ririka decided a good reward for a semester's full of work was to check out the carnival in town. Tonight she's decked out in black cargo pants, a bright purple tank top, denim vest, leather bracelets, and sneakers. And her backpack. It's Sumaru, you gotta be prepared, right?

Though she pauses when they start getting even remotely close to the scene. "Is that... circus music?" She frowns, looking around. "But we're not that close, and... something about it feels... off."

And then there's just... an empty lot. With a wooden stage. "Uh... guys?" she says in hushed tones to her fellow SEES members. "I've got a really bad feeling about this. Something isn't right, but I don't know what."

That feeling of dread only intensifies when she picks up a flier. "Uh... why did they print fliers if they weren't going to set anything up, and... 'Reality performs its final act' is, uh..."

Really worrying.

"... I hope this isn't literal." 

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    "Aragaki-kun, we're taking a detour."

    It's been a while since Shinjiro and Umie have had one of their prowls in Sumaru City for leads on the Joker Killer. With the day fading into night and little in the way of leads, it seemed like the entire day would be a complete bust when something prickled at the back of Umie's neck, like the fingernails of an intimate friend. Her eyes widen, and before Shinjiro can ask, she's already redirecting their path to the direction that vaguely alludes to the sound of a circus.

    The further they go, the music becomes louder, until it's undeniable where Umie is headed. "Aragaki-kun, I am a normal person, with no Persona. Keep on guard to see if anything happens, or if anything seems directed at me versus you," she whispers, her eyes staring straight ahead.

    Her heart is hammering in her chest. Unfortunately, Umie can't say exactly why, or what has her so on edge. There's something off. Is this the Joker Killer? No, this doesn't feel the same. It feels like...

    ... Something Different.

    'Come on~ why can't you have a little bit of fun for once, Umie-chan?' Mai-chan's sweet voice echoes in Umie's mind.

    "Cover story is..." Umie trails off, seeing and recognizing a number of people joining the already sizable crowd. It's hard to say if it's because they sense the same thing, or if its just the old-time allure of a circus.

    She taps on her chain nervously with a dark violet fingernail. "... Just... bear with me. This could be nothing."

    Maybe it's just a circus. Maybe. Umie'd like it to be, but the flyer she picks up from the ground just makes Umie's heart beat just a little faster. 

<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.

Hyousuke was unsure about attending the carnival. Not because he was nervous about being swallowed up by huge throngs of people - crowds packed densely into a tight area were an inconvenience, but not enough to foment discomfort. He wasn't particularly scared of clowns either. He didn't particularly like them, but it was more on the level of someone that preferred tea to coffee, rather than a genuine distaste for that particular type of performer. No, he was unsure about attending because of the strange tune that resonated into him.

Hyousuke didn't say anything about it at first, but anyone that looked at him for more than a few moments might have been able to tell that he wasn't at ease. Fingers tapping against his thighs while his thumbs were in his pocket, eyes flitting from shadow to shadow as if he expected something to jump out at them, mouth furled into a thin frown that didn't quite fit the joyous mood such a whimsical place should have inspired... He was the very picture of a man that was on edge, but attempting to hide it.

He glanced to Ichika and Tsubasa, keeping quiet at first to observe how they had been reacting to all of it, but saw nothing of note to him.
"You guys feel that?" He asked, looking in the vague direction of where he thought the music was coming from. He paused a moment, only for his frown to deepen, and he shook his head a little, as if to try and dislodge the thoughts from his head. "Forget it, probably just worrying too much about exams. You think they got knife-throwers here?" 

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    A circus!? How wonderful!

    It's been a time of reconnections for Eriko recently, and when her former fencing club member and St Hermelin alumni contacted her for an evening at the circus, well... Eriko could hardly refuse! Not that she wanted to refuse, but also she hasn't been to a circus since she returned to Japan in her second year of High School. The unsettling mirrors, the clowns of varying level creepiness, the unusually high chance of hauntings... she wouldn't miss it for the world!

    And that's why she's coming out in her adventuring fashion and not her 'normal' clothes, sports bag (that's definitely not concealing an epee, why would you think that) slung over her shoulder. Just in case of the previously stated adventure.

    Unlike her friends, exams have not been a problem for Eriko, having launched straight into the workforce despite her exemplary grades, and she seems to be doing okay with it- though work has been feast or famine lately.

    "Well, I am fascinated by these Whispering Cards, or to see if there's any truth to these Dice of Fate..." She always had an interest in fortune telling, even with Wang Long style fortune telling taking the country by storm.

    Indeed, the sound- and a faintly familiar resonance- imply there would be a circus here.

    So that when the two start to approach the fact that it is an empty lot with an empty stage is... surprising.

    "Oh my." Eriko says, switching back to English out of habit. Well now. This certainly isn't what she expected. "Miss Tamaki, you seem to have picked an event exactly where my heart is." Eriko's eyes light up a little. "Oh, how wonderful, perhaps there is something truly occult happening here..." She shines a winning smile toward Tamaki. "Now I want to see all of it!" 

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Hey Kuroki, I know you just recovered from being blown up by the Joker Killer, how would you like to go to a weird circus? Certainly, says Shizuka, there will probably be nothing to worry about here.
 
      But for real, for real. Gekkoukan's exams are done, and with it, SEES is also done! Free from the watchful eye of Mitsuru Kirijo, Shizuka has joined some of her fellow SEES members in checking out the carnival. She's in her usual casual digs of a jean jacket, red tee, black slacks, and cabbie hat. She sighs when they reach the empty stage, looking around.
 
      "...Yeah, this is weird. I don't like it. Can't we just have one day to relax?" 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Weird things have chased her down, so she's just going to start paying more attention, or something. That's Moriko's excuse for looking into a weird circus. Well, that and she's a horror fan, has never seen a circus and it might be useful for future projects. She's going to go with the former as an excuse, if at all prompted on it. She swears!
 
 That she had to walk here has her annoyed. That she's forced herself to at least bring her gloves and jacket along anyway, stashed away in a bag even worse. After the encounter she had though, why risk it.
 
 There's a slowing of her walk though, approaching the area with a bit of a nod to Shizuka as she spots her out. Even going as far to wave!
 
 And a jerk of her thumb, "What was that line from the movie about weird stuff?" She doesn't explain what movie. She can't remember the name somehow. It's fine.
 
 Which means she more or less agrees with Ririka when she overhears her take. "Weird's right. Up there on the meter right?" She holds her hand up for emphasis.
 
 In a quieter tone, "Wonder if I can get a collapsable polearm." It would help... 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Fuuka can hear it on the wind. A certain tune, albeit muffled... But it carries something else with this. A mysterious, unsettling feeling...

She's with other members of SEES right now, walking with Ririka and the others, and she looks toward her when she mentions it.

"You can hear it too, Kawase-san?" Fuuka asks. "Then it's not just me... Something about it feels wrong. Let's proceed carefully."

It's worth checking out - and the group follows the music to an empty lot with a wooden stage. There's a lot of people, here - some she recognizes, and others she doesn't.

Ririka picks up a flier, and Fuuka moves in closer to get a better look.

It's a fascinating line-up. If it were a normal show, she might even be interested in seeing it... but right now, she's feeling too uneasy to properly enjoy it.

"We'll have to be careful, but... I don't think we can ignore this, either." She says. She looks up at Shizuka and Moriko as they offer their own opinions. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro likes patrolling with Umie. But as they do so, and Umie pulls him off on a detour, he's nodding to her words. "Got it."

As they approach the circus, he spots familiar faces! Ririka, Moriko, Shizuka, Fuuka, the Kasugayama kids, Tamaki, and...

The man with the shock white hair. Tatsuya Sudou.

Shinjiro considers his approach, and Umie will notice his face turn into a scowl. But he can't start a fight here. He cannot. Castor will likely get riled up and kill every civilian if it ends up being a supernatural space. Massacre dozens of people, including those he considers friends.

That doesn't mean he's not walking over there, though, without saying a word to Umie. He expects her to follow, though, with a gaze and a nod.

"Hey. Sorry to interrupt your phone call. You know anything about this circus? The fliers seem fucked up." He's playing it cool, but Umie can *sense* the deep tension, see it in his body, even if he's acting like a stranger. 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    There's a puff of smoke atop the empty stage, the crowd surrounding it gasping and murmuring in excitement as it appears the event is beginning. A voice calls out from within the cloud. "What is it you seek?"

    "Perhaps the thrill and excitement of seeing things beyond the simple world you know?"

    A firework whistles as it rushes up into the sky from seemingly nowhere, before exploding into a collection of sparkles that resemble a four legged beast. Though not one that exists in the normal world, with its lizard-like tail and two heads. It lets out a loud roar that shakes the area and grips at the hearts of those watching. It fades quickly enough though and the voice within the lingering smoke continues.

    "Perhaps a place of wonder and whimsy to romance you and the one most important to you?"

    Another firework rushes up into the air and explodes into sparkles of pink in the shape of a heart, a seductive figure inside it. The devil-winged and tailed seductress leans over and blows a kiss, heart-shaped sparkles falling down on the crowd and exciting those they touch.

    "Perhaps a scary spook to make your pulse race and the adrenaline flow through you?"

    A third firework streaks upwards to explode into orange and yellow motes of light. This time in the shape of a pumpkin head with carved eyes, within which faux flames alight. While from its carved mouth comes an ear-piercing cackle that causes a shudder within many that hear it.

    After the third firework, things go eerily still and quiet as the cloud of smoke continues to impossibly linger atop the stage...

    ... Until a wind starts to pick up specifically over the stage, stirring up the smoke as it starts to swirl around without escaping the confines of the performance. The voice within echoes louder, "Well fear not! I vow to present to you a most enjoyable time. For that is my role upon this stage."

    The swirling smoke is suddenly blasted upwards and away, revealing the source of the voice as a young woman standing upon the stage. The first thing people might notice is the shockingly pink hair that stands out, styled in a short curtain bang bob style. But the next most noticeable thing is her attire, which is definitely a little unusual.

    The woman's clothing harkens back to older, victorian styles, with a laced, white corset hugging her frame tightly. Black, skin-tight pants with white criss-crossing lines stretch down before disappearing into faded-brown, knee-high leather leather boots with high heels. The inner layer of the outfit is partially obscured though by a large, black coat with ornate, grey patterns embroidered along its edges and large silver buttons carved with intricate patterns running down one edge of the coat's opening. A not-so-large black top-hat sits atop the woman's head, a grey band wrapped around its center into which a single white feather is tucked, protruding away from the top-hat. Loosely tied around her neck and still flapping in the fading wind is a long, dark blue, fluffy scarf.

    The outfit is finally rounded out by a butterfly half-mask that adorns one side of her face and a long ancient-looking cane which she holds in her hand, tip planted in the ground as she leans against it.

    Now fully in view, the woman lifts her cane up to one side while reaching up to take the top-hat off her head and hold it out to the other. "Behold! I am the curator of these curiosities at this carnival of chaos. The purveyor of these phantasmal pageantries at this peculiar playhouse."

    She bends at one knee, other foot out and sweeps her arm down to cross her waist as she bows theatrically with her head low, "The Ringmaster, known as Thèlaire." She looks up and grins, "It's wonderful to make your acquaintance."

    Thèlaire returns her top-hat to her head before sweeping her cane around to point towards the large empty plot, "And without further ado, I present to you all: The Pandemonium Pavillion!"

    More fireworks, this time a larger barrage of them, rush up into the night sky. They start to explode with far more normal shapes in numerous colours. And as they do, a large shimmering effect starts to engulf the entire lot just beyond the crowd.

    And that's when the strange feeling amplifies, along with the volume and clarity of the music burrowing into people's heads.

    Lights and shapes begin to take form. They start out blurred and indistinct, but quickly start to solidify into numerous buildings. A huge, colourful tent at the center, beyond which stretches out rows of smaller structures. Brilliant lights dot them, casting various hues across the entire area. Reality itself is being altered, giving way to the manifestations of this space that are the various attractions that make up the carnival.

    Numerous people appear along with the structures. Attendants for the various shops and attractions, all dressed in uniforms and costumes are varying degrees of wacky and ornate. They appear human, at least as far as one can tell with all the strange masks most of them wear. Numerous performers make their way through the paths winding through the circus, all of which meet at the central promenade that stretches from the entrance all the way towards the bigtop tent at the center. They dance! They juggle! They perform acrobatic acts that excite and delight! Seemingly ignoring the laws of physics at times to put on their performance.

    The last structure to manifest is at the entrance itself, just beyond where the crowd has gathered. The massive sign stretches up into the air, 'Pandemonium Pavillion' emblazoned across it in eccentric lettering.

    The reveal causes a wave of excitement throughout the crowd, with numerous awed murmurs and applause. Some might wonder at the impossible nature of it, but they are quickly dismissed by others as just being 'smoke and mirrors'. A strange phenomena of acceptance of the weirdness engulfs the crowd as they begin to make their way into the circus proper. All while Thèlaire calls out, "Welcome, one and all, to a new world! And for tonight only, admission is FREE!"

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Tsubasa beholds the immense tallness of Sudou... for about three seconds, before they turn back to Ichika. "Oh, yeah. It's like... university for dogs." Damn it, now they're thinking about dog university. With like, a tiny little chihuahua principal... wait, they're called Deans in university, right?

    "Anyway, you would," they grin, for all of another second, as they shove at Ichika's shoulder. "You fuckin' bat." They're affectionate saying it, though.

    Still, Hyousuke asks, and Tsubasa tilts their head. They don't know enough about resonance to know that there's a vibe to the tune which only dogs (or, apparently, people who are not dogs) can hear. "What, the circus music? Prolly jus' got some speakers on the stage, man. Ain't like we can get through to get a good look."

    They shrug, lacing their hands together behind their neck. (Not behind their head, which is currently outrageously magenta, cyan and yellow, because of course that hair is really a wig.) "Don't worry 'bout it, dude," they assure him. "Ya brain's been fried all week. An' c'mon, they gotta have knife throwers. Maybe some guy what swallows swords, too..." and they trail off, as their hands lower, looking up over the heads of the crowd to the stage. "-- hey, shut up, somethin's goin' down!"

    Fireworks!! They're divorced enough from fire that Tsubasa can enjoy them instead of being freaked out. "Damn," they exclaim, as those figures light up the sky. They're so detailed...

    The smoke swirls, and it's unnerving, but like -- smoke machine smoke is different, right? Right. Tsubasa's gaze falls on that strange pink-haired girl on the stage. "Think I did hear someone speakin' English in the crowd," they reflect, beholding that outfit. "Maybe it's a foreign circus...?"

    Tsubasa puts a hand to their hip, as they tilt their head. "Thei-la... uh, Thèlaire, huh? Is that... French? Damn, tho', the 'Pandemonium Pavillion', that shit goes hard... huh?!"

    That's the moment when Tsubasa stops being distracted by fireworks and turns around to see the shimmering attractions appearing in the vacant lot. "Holy shit!" They exclaim, taking a step back, as Lance says 'aroo????' in the most confused tone a dog can muster. (Head fully cocked.)

    "Well, I ain't chicken," Tsubasa insists, as they step forward towards the entrance. "C'mon, let's check it out."

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    Tatsuya Sudou stops mid sentence and looks at Shinjiro for a moment, a recent memory of being knocked through a school wall and into another wall. The memory leads to the memory of the sore back for a week. He stares at Shinjiro for a beat as he works to process what was asked. Finally he sighs and says, "Hold on one sec. " Sudou reaches up and taps the bluetooth in his ear before looking at Shinjiro, "Sorry kid. I don't have a clue but a free ticket is a free ticket." With that said he moves away from Shinjiro as he taps the bluetooth , "Yeah just some muscle headed brat who..."

     Sudou doesn't finish his sentence as another voice, one everyone can hear is heard. He watches the fireworks with ah and smiles at the images. "See, I told you that you'd like this." Sudou reaches up and grabs one of the pink sparkles and holds it for a moment as he subtly licks his lips. "You think it will last till I get home? Yeah I know I could just go get my own later buuuut... yeah, yeah. " He asks whoever is on the other side before looking at the victorian woman. "Thèlaire, does that name ring a bell? Well why don't you know, I thought you knew everyone."

     Sudou lets himself get swept up in the crowd and lets himself go with the flow, now though he is watching the crowd not so much whats going on around him. He wondered who else was here besides the angry muscle boy. 

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.

The strange tune doesn't bug Ichika too much. Mostly because she really wants to like this place, after all that work on finals. "Feel what?" Ichika wonders, because she's also as Resonant as a brick. "Yeah, let's just have fun. They gotta have knife throwers."

But university for dogs! "Yeah!" Ichika laughs at being called a bat. "You know it."

Something is going down...

Ichika marvels. She looks at the display, and then--the smoke. It doesn't unnerve Ichika much, instead fascinating her. Someone in ENglish...

"Hot," Ichika agrees about it going hard. "C'mon, let's go!"

The shimmering attractions bekon on, and Ichika is no longer watching Sudou or Shinjiro for that matter.

"C'mon," she tells Hyousuke, "Let's go find something sharp!" 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Tamaki, in contrast to Eriko, had only brought her purse, no sports bag. In anticipation that something might happen -- heaven forbid -- she starts to keep a lookout for any kind of substitute sword-like implement. Maybe there are some sword-swallower performers around tonight? Should she fail to find one, she can always ask Eriko if she has a spare ...

    In her search for a makeshift replacement, she catches sight of Shinjiro and Umie, and her face lights up in a smile as she gives them both a friendly wave. That scowl of Shinjiro's, though, and who he approaches ... well, perhaps it's best that she keeps that smile plastered on and act as if she doesn't understand the deeper implications of that while she keeps tabs on that trio in the corners of her vision. Better to retain the element of surprise, should it be needed.

    Whirling RIGHT back around to Eriko, Tamaki almost replies, though she's cut short. If she had time to say it out loud, she'd have expressed an interest in seeing the menagerie, no doubt envisioning herself making friends with an eldritch circus lion. She stops short as Thelaire arrives with the circus' opening ceremonies, and the carnival comes to life. She does grin wildly and cheer at seeing the Orthrus appear on-stage!

    This certainly seems much more like Eriko's thing, but whatever nervousness Tamaki had before melts away entirely at seeing her excitedly smile as she says she wants to see it all. "Sure, sure, we'll get to all of it, the question was more: 'where do we start first?'"

    Seeing it all means better understanding what's actually going on here tonight. Something seems off. She'll laugh, she'll cheer, she'll wander through the attractions and stalls, she was genuinely excited at seeing the Demons, but she remembers that there's a crowd of people who are most likely not Persona-users here. Most of all, she'll be on the lookout.

    Well. She'll try to be. Her stomach growls. She feels her muscles grow weak. She'll need something in her stomach if she's going to make it through tonight. Tamaki meekly holds up one finger. "... I have one suggestion." 

<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.

Tsubasa's reassurance wasn't enough to completely assuage Hyousuke's worries, but they at least managed to convince him that his worries weren't worth thinking on too much. The uneasy feeling in his gut didn't go away, and the signs that he still felt some level of discomfort remained - albeit to a lesser degree - but even so, he silently assured himself that it was just a result of him thinking too much for too long. He shrugged at Tsubasa's response and pulled a face, silently indicating that he agreed and that it probably wasn't worth worrying about, before his attention was pulled towards the stage. He might have offered a response to the comment about knives, sword-swallowing, and sharp objects in general, but the display had his full attention.

He was silent as he watched, staring like a dog with a treat hanging in front of it. Whatever sense of unease he might have felt was pushed to the side - though whether it was because he had the mental fortitude to push it aside, or simply didn't have enough space in his brain to feel two things at the same time unless he concentrated very hard, was a different question entirely. Whatever the case was, he turned his eyes back to Tsubasa and Ichika once the show had come to a close, and he'd had his fill of looking on the entrance from a distance.

"Hell yeah, let's go!" Hyousuke grinned as he spoke. Both his voice and his expression were oozing enthusiasm, and though there was some lingering sense of unease in the very corners of his mind, it was drowned almost completely out by the thought of what awaited. "I wanna go see people do something *dangerous.* Ooh, and candyfloss. It ain't a circus without candyfloss." 

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      If it isn't one masked weirdo, it's another... the hell was it with Sumaru anyway? What should be childlike wonder and awe is only anxiety and dread. Shizuka pats her shoulder, double checking that her Evoker is still under her jacket. She takes in a deep breath through her teeth and turns to the others.
 
      "We're gonna have to check this out, aren't we? If I see a single playing card, I'm on the next train home."
 
      She looks up to the sign, raising an eyebrow.
 
      "Couldn't have a more menacing name if it tried." 

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Tamaki waves to a pair of students, and Eriko leans past her to see who- and spies a pair of familiar faces. "...Quite a gathering of Persona Users, isn't it?" She whispers to Tamaki, before also giving a small wave to Shinjiro and Umie, unsure if they'll remember her from the fights they've been part of. The man who appears next to them, though gives her a slight chill, as her eyes fixate on Tatsuya Sudou, not knowing who he is.

    She's a little wary of men who have that vibe. Maybe it's unfair she clutches that bag

    It appears the show has begun, and Eriko's smile only grows. Oh yes. This is definitely something supernatural occurring. She's exactly at the right place. "Oh, is that an Orthrus? Exquisite!" Fireworks do not, generally, roar. "Oh, and that's a Succubus and- oh, Pyro Jack too, how wonderful!" They're replicated so perfectly that one can only assume that whoever designed these had seen the demons themself.^r^r^yAnd when the ringmaster emerges, Pink hair, vintage fashion, a flair for the dramatic- it's the butterfly half mask that gives her pause.

    After all, she's known only one person to wear a mask like that, and it was very different to this one. And the feeling that emerges as the music rises feels... familiar. Again.

    Vaguely like the resonance of a dead man.

    Still, she watches the structures manifesting into reality, the world shifting. "Thélaire, is it? Well it certainly is a wonderful introduction. I wonder who she is- or what may be the better question."

    Still... based on that resonance, this is definitely a supernatural space. "Well, we should definitely investigate and mingle, shouldn't we? And perhaps keep an eye out for the civilians just in case."

    But it appears Tamaki's stomach has something to say about where they go first. "Oh, of course. Lead on, Miss Tamaki. I'm certain there are many wonderful snacks to try. Oh, I wonder if it's like food from the realm of the fae!" Suddenly, Eriko is even more excited. "Perhaps if we eat it, we have to bargain and trick our way out against their cunning minds!" She looks to Tamaki seriously. "If that's the case, I am happy to test it first. Fae and the circus go together so well!" 

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

     Looking back at Shinjiro after she waves at Tamaki and Eriko, Umie tilts her head. Odd, that Shinjiro would just walk up to someone. Umie, trying to read her companion's intent, having readily catching his nod and gaze earlier.

    If she didn't know Shinjiro as well, or hadn't had to be better about observing others in the past few months, she may have missed the way he scowled, or the deep tension in his stance as he gets closer to the pale-haired stranger.

    Something inside her suddenly feels like it's on edge itself; being in the middle of the crowd, she feels exposed. Observed. Recognized. "Aragaki-kun." Umie's hand grabs onto Shinjiro's wrist and pulls. "Let's go over to the side of the crowd."

    The hand around Shinjiro's wrist betrays something Umie's mannerisms do not: it's cold, even clammy, as it insists on pulling Shinjiro away.

    And then, the prelude starts. Fireworks burst into the air, reflecting in the dullness of Umie's eyes. Orthus? Cerebus? One of the dog demons. Succubus? Lilim? A bat demon. Pyro Jack.

    It's a coincidence, Umie thinks, as she's swept up with each spark, excitement and apprehension growing with each. Just a coincidence.

    Just... a...

    Something changes in the short blonde as the buildings and lights begin to sprout from thin air. Shinjiro will hear a laugh from his side, coming from low in the young woman's throat.

    Then, the grip on Shinjiro's hand slackens, when he looks up, there's simply the flash of twin blonde buns and a white jacket as she disappears into the crowd without a single sound. 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka looks to Shizuka. "I want to relax too, Kuroki-senpai, but... I don't think we can just leave. I'm pretty sure most of those people aren't Awakened over there, so whatever's going on..."

There's a shrug for Moriko, though. "Dunno. What was the line?" Collapsable polearm, though. "Dunno. You could always see if Kurosawa-san has one..."

She nods to Fuuka next. "Yeah, I definitely hear it. At first I thought I'd just gotten distracted thinking about the Atelier again, but... there's something different about this music."

She tilts the flier so Fuuka can read it too.

But she looks up when the voice speaks from the stage. The world's already not simple. Not since she found herself awake in the Dark Hour suddenly. But she tenses as the beast comes out in firework form. "What the..." Fireworks come.

And then the next, the seductress... has Ririka blushing just a bit. Even without the sparkles having fallen on her yet.

Then Thelaire reveals herself, and more importantly, the Pandamoneum Pavillion reveals itself. Ririka's skin is crawling as the supernatural space manifests around them. "Ugh... I'm getting a really bad feeling about this... like when Sumaru TV suddenly became supernatural." She closes her eyes and tries to listen. "... what are you sensing, Yamagishi-san?"

"I think we're going to have to, Kuroki-senpai... but w should all be careful. We're in a supernatural space, so anything could happen." 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As Umie grabs Shinjiro's wrist, he luckily allows Sudou to leave. He follows with a sigh. "That was him," is all he says once they're out of his earshot, quietly. "I don't think he's on the hunt, though... let's leave him be. There's too many-"

Then, Umie is laughing, disappearing into the crowd. Shinjiro's rapidly moving to try and find her. He can't ping her Resonance, so it's the blonde buns he's looking for, the white jacket.

He's not going to lose her here. He can't let that happen, not in a supernatural space where she was anxious just a minute ago. "*Umie*, wait up!" He wanted to try yobisute anyways, but this wasn't the timing on it - he's just making sure she hears him. He'll force himself through the crowd, and if people block him out, he'll use his strength to shoulder through. Others who know him might see this happening... 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko grumbles, "I forgot most of the line." She admits, "I watched it in English. Had those two actors in it." She knows English, listening at the time. It escapes her too often though. Oh well.
 
 The fireworks are going off, the show's starting and the hair at the back of her neck is on end. "Yeah that's.." she looks around quickly. She'd seen a few other students she knew and she stands on her toes and waves, trying to beckon them over as things get weird. "Group huddle?" She asks Ririka, maybe trying to organize things a bit at least!
 
 "What's the saying? You're the product?" Something's really throwing her off. She's not sure what's bothering Ririka either as she asks in an undertone, "You okay?"
 
 Either way she slings her bag around and sets it at her feet. Working her jacket out to put it on. Then her gloves. Maybe she's wrong, maybe this isn't hostile. Just weird.
 
 Maybe it's nice to have reinforced leather and knuckles just in case.
 
 With at least the more obvious to spot Shinjiro disappearing into the crowd, she does look over though, "Let's go. They might need help." Though she doesn't grab anyone nearby. Instead she beckons, grabs her bag and heads inward. "Such a great idea. What could go wrong." She might still be a bit stressed. It's fine. 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Fuuka frowns thoughtfully as Ririka confirms that she can hear it too, and compares it to the Atelier. And then, there's a puff of smoke from atop the voice. With the smoke, a voice speaks... and fireworks erupt upward. Fuuka gasps in abrupt surprise - she hadn't spotted any equipment. Where did they come from? They take the form of mystical creatures...

"Those shapes... aren't they a little familiar?" Fuuka considers. And then with a gust of wind the smoke disappears, and a young woman stands it its place in a showy attire fitting of her role. She announces herself as the Ringmaster, Thèlaire. So she's the one in charge of this...

More fireworks erupt out - it's enough that Fuuka has to shield her eyes. It engulfs the lot - and suddenly, she feels it more sharply. That strange feeling, and the music...

"It's getting stronger..." Fuuka warns - and then, they find themselves in a mystical place. This is the Pandemonium Pavillion.

"Me too... It feels the same way." Fuuka agrees. "It feels real and at the same time, not..."

It makes her head hurt a little - though a good portion of that may well be just all the sights and sounds being just a little overwhelming for her on their own.

"...Yes. I agree - with both of you." Fuuka says, nodding toward Ririka and Shizuka. Moriko's words get a moment of thought. "...Yes. If the first visit is 'free', then they must still be getting something out of it. Or have plans to."

She looks around.

"Doesn't anyone else notice how strange this is...?" Fuuka considers. Some people do - some dismiss it as normal, but she can hear from chatter that some notice it but don't mind it all the same. But all the normal people caught up in this...

She'll follow the rest of her group wherever they end up going, staying close by - right now, she feels like this is not the kind of place to go 'let's split up, gang', as much as it might fit the vibe.

They don't even have a dog(yet). 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    The crowd of carnival-goers are quickly making their way into the circus proper, passing beneath that large sign. Tsubasa is amongst the first of those here to pass beneath it. Amongst the hustle and bustle of the excited crowd, they may be able to pick out the sound of mischievous giggling coming from on high.

    A look up towards the sign and Tsubasa may spot the trio of giggling girls perched atop it. Shizuka will likely see them too as she looks up. They are briefly obscured by the sign, but as Tsubasa and Shizuka move beyond the threshold to the other side, the trio are gone.

    Sudou chats with his remote friend, passing by the stage as he makes his way along with the crowd. As he passes, questioning the person on the other end of the bluetooth call about the name, said woman atop the stage briefly catches his eyes with her own.

    And she winks with a grin.

    Was there some meaning to that, or is it just a coincidence?

    Luckily for Ichika, there are indeed knives aplenty to be found here! Some are being juggled by performers. But there is actually an attraction stand one can go to in order to throw knives at targets and win prizes!

    That surely can't meet Industrial Safety and Health Law regulations!?

    Tamaki's stomach rumbles and suddenly Thèlaire is there, leaning in her direction with a coy smile. Wasn't she just on the stage!? Thèlaire looks between Tamaki and Eriko, "Well, well, well. If you're looking for recommendations, I'm a big fan of the giant pretzels myself. I'm sure you'll find them quite scrumptious~" Thèlaire sweeps her hand out in the direction of the stall in question. It's also flanked by numerous other types of foods one typically finds at carnivals. From fluffy cottoncandy-much to Hyousuke's delight no doubt-coloured amusingly enough much like Thèlaire's hair itself. To yummy fried foods like onion rings and corn dogs.

    Surely it's fine to eat? Yes. Yes it is. Thèlaire laughs at Eriko's musings, "Not to worry. We want you all to enjoy yourselves! No tricks or bargains to be made here." Though there is a brief twinkle in her eyes, "At least, not in the food."

    Umie doesn't take the reveal quite as well as others. And as she disappears into the crowd, Thèlaire's eyes briefly dart in that direction to watch as Shinjiro follows her. Thèlaire's smiling though and doesn't seem concerned.

    As Umie pushes through the crowd and Shinjiro follows, the two will find said crowd thinning as they leave the main promenade and head along smaller and smaller paths. Until the two find themselves in front of an ominous looking pointed tent. A sign planted in front of it simply reads: 'The Whispering Cards' That was one of the attractions listed on the fliers! It's not hard for any who follow them to catch up too. Do they dare enter?

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Don't worry, Fuuka. Tsubasa has a dog, and Lance is barking excitedly with the show.

    "Super hot," Tsubasa agrees with Ichika, because apparently the dangerous theatrics are just extra effective.

    They're not about to give Hyousuke any guff for being the strong silent type in response to the show, though. Especially when he, too dives right in with enthusiasm. "Fuck yeah we gotta get that shit!" Tsubasa exclaims. "Maybe it won't even fall apart in this muggy-ass Summer heat. That'd be a magic trick."

    In they go, though, and -- "Huh?" Tsubasa asks, as they look up to the sign. "What was..." They walk inside, trying to get a view from the other side of the sign, but the giggling trio is gone. "Thought I saw somethin' up there," they say, blinking. "... musta been a trick. Hey, you guys wanna hit up the stalls or get somethin' to eat first?"

    As if they have to ask Hyousuke, c'mon.

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    Through the crowd Sudou surfs, as he feels at home. It's not even the magic that making him all cool with everything that makes it feel like home. It's just that palpable taste of a space of supernatural, brought to you by Nyarlathotep. "Hey if you can do things like this why do I have to have roommates? Couldn't we just build a house or something like that. Maybe even just an apartment?" Sudou asks as his eyes catch the ringleader winking at him and he responds with a waggle of fingers in greeting. It's nice to be nice afterall. Who knows maybe they could be friends, or try to kill each other. One never knows.

     The smell of the carnival food hits Sudou's nose as he drifts towards the food carts. "Hmm will need to get her some cotton candy on the way home. Yes I know, her with sugar. Would you rather see her without sugar, that would be a problem. You truly are a sadist."

     Sudou pays for a couple of corn dogs, smiling at the concession stand as he laughs about the red on the paper currency, "You know how it is, you work in fast food, ketchup ends up on everything eventually." He chuckles and walks away with a pair of corn dogs.

     Sudou himself begins to look for directions to the menagerie, "Yeah it's a circus, I want to see the lions. No I am not going to do that. You have to understand what work/life balance means." Sudou rolls his eyes. As if he was just going to let the lions out. 

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.

Ichika knows what to do with worry. Drown it in fun!

...Well, not always, but for tonight that's the plan. If some of the people at the attractions look weird, she's not worried about it; she knows a talking peacock. So it'sfine. Besides, Hyousuke is happy it sounds like, and he wants candyfloss! Tsubasa even agrees with Ichika about Thelaire being hot! Or maybe just the whole situation.

"I'm down," Ichika says. "I want sweets anyway."

"Hmmmm," Ichika says. "I spotted the knives over there... But yeah, let's eat first. Don't knife on an empty stomach, right?"

Ichika that is not a saying.

"Actually I'm really hungry now. Maybe they've got something on a stick." She hasn't spotted her sister, but... it's just as well.

Some of them are having a good time! 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka, sadly, is a bit too distracted to track Shinjiro. But she looks to Moriko and shakes her head. "No, I'm not. This whole space is... weird."

"YEah," Ririka agrees with Fuuka oaf the fireworks being familiar. And Ririka's feeling a bit overwhelemd from the sounds, too, rubbing at her ear intermittently. And Fuuka's reasoning that they're getting something out of it... "Yeah, good point. Okay. Then... we should all stick together, right?" she asks, looking to Shizuka, Moriko, and Fuuka in turn.

Speaking of sticking together, she spots Shinjiro, who is tall and sticks out of a cwod, using her own powers of Tall. "That's Aragaki-senpai! We gotta cath up with him!" She checks to see if everybody else is with her, and then takes off, heading in the diretion of the Whispering Cards.

She doesn't spot Ichika, but it's fine. What she doesn't know about won't worry her until later. 

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    Don't worry, Thèlaire. If Umie was intent on disrupting anything--

    Well, it's not that Umie's *controlled*, really. Far from it. It may be better if she was, because then, at least, there'd be some indication as to what's happening, rather than wonder if it's all just an elaborate prank.

    Umie turns at the sound of her first name, the surprise of it briefly seeming to stop her in her tracks. She turns, blonde bangs swaying against the red hairband; a merry chime seeming to sound from the red woven bracelet and its tiny bell as she reaches up and adjusts one hang back. Her look towards Shinjiro is serious, at first, the whites of her eyes showing around her pupils.

    And then, slowly, her lips split in that sly, open mouthed grin, before she turns back abruptly, bangs and jacket fanning out around her, as she walks into the tent that has the sign next to it, marked the Whispering Cards.

    It's fine. 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Tamaki smiles at Thèlaire's suggestion, seemingly unnerved by her sudden appearance, though she does briefly flick her eyes in the direction of the stage. Several times, in fact, to make sure she's judged the distance right. How did she miss her approach? She must really be hungry.

    Off goes Umie, and Shinjiro behind her. In most other circumstances, Tamaki would follow, but she is in dire need of something edible first. ... That, and Sudou approaches. Tamaki gives him a friendly wave as he passes on by to the concession stand.

    While she's puzzled that Eriko brought up the comparison in the first place, if she's being honest with herself, the thought of eating fae-cursed food does actually appeal to Tamaki. There's a challenge present there, it's dinner AND a show. If Thèlaire hadn't reassured the pair that there's no such geases regarding the food, she may very well have protested that she go first rather than Ellie, and not simply because of her hunger. Thèlaire's interruption saves her from having to make such an admission, however!

    "I appreciate the offer, Eriko-chan, but it seems there's no need for it! I'll take a pretzel, as per our host's suggestion."

    And spend at least a few minutes eating it, staying in place and observing. 

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      The trio of mysterious women elicits another sigh from Shizuka. That was never a good sign. She walks into the carnival, keeping a hand on her shoulder for quick Evoker access.
 
      "Yeah, this whole setup doesn't seem like it'd be out of the good of someone's heart."
 
      She looks over to the food stalls.
 
      "Let's... not eat anything here, just in case."
 
      At Ririka's notice, she hops up on her tippy toes to try to look over the crowd and check for Shinjiro.
 
      "Hey, yeah! That IS Aragaki-san! He was here at the art exhibit, too..." 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

If the others are going to find their way to Shinjiro, they're gonna have to follow... because he starts following Umie!

"Akabane, wait up!" he calls out, following into the Whispering Cards. "Damn it, tell me what you're doing next time..."

He thinks she's just playing a joke. Maybe. He's not *sure* but he'd like to think that and it's not that something magical tripped her brain, right? 

<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.

Whatever worry remained in the deepest recesses of Hyousuke's mind vanished with the thought of food. Tsubasa's companion did not seem to be the only hound on the premises - the mere mention of tasty treats was enough to have Hyousuke perking up, eyes alert as he began to scan the distance for signs of sweet morsels and savoury bites. So engrossed in this - and visibly so too - was he that, if any strange giggling or odd noises were within earshot of him, they were ignored completely in favour of food-related fantasies. It was only when Tsubasa and Ichika spoke that he came back to the waking world, but even then, his focus still seemed to be on grabbing a bite to eat.

"How about corndogs?" He asked, racking his brains for anything that sounded like it would be in such an establishment. "Or takoyaki? Or is that just festivals?" The cogs in his head could be heard whirring, were one to put their ear to his head, before he finally shrugged and put the matter from his mind. "Let's go find out. I think I saw one of the signs saying the knife guys were close. Maybe the candyfloss'll last until we make it there..." He doubted that it would. Not because it would fall apart, but because - as was made apparent by the hunger he looked at the direction of the food stalls with - of his hunger. 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    The Wicked Menagerie that Sudou seeks out appears to be one of the bigger attractions. Which makes sense as animals tend to require a lot of space. The attraction itself appears to be a collection of buildings and fenced-in fields. Judging by the posters that adorn the structures, there are several exciting and interesting events that are held here. And the large two-headed beast portrayed by the opening fireworks appears to be one of the main stars.

    Though sadly it seems that it won't be making an appearance tonight. Instead tonight the menagerie is set up like a petting zoo, with numerous fantastical creatures hanging about in the fields for people to interact with. They range from the fairly normal, if a little strange, such as some very very long dogs. To the slightly more unique and inexplicable, such as the pack of rats with bodies of flames (petting these might be a bit more interesting, if difficult to pull off!). To the down right bizarre, such as the half-rooster, half-lizard creature.

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Well, they seem to have drawn the attention of the Ringmaster herself, and Eriko turns to her once she just 'appears'. Now how did she do that? Real magic, perhaps? Noentheless, Eriko applauds the performance. Still, the mention of pretzels causes her to light up. "Oh, now those are words are music to my ears. " Pretzels and Bagels were one of the few things she truly couldn't get again since coming back to Japan, and while she's adapted, it's difficult when you get a craving... Still, Thélaire assures them that the food is not cursed, and Eriko frowns. "That's a pity, it would have been fun to have to try and outbargain the fae." And yet, the promise of other deals awaits. "Oh, but perhaps there are deals somewhere else? I shall have to explore to the fullest, then!"

    Alas, the circus does hold a betrayal, and Eriko's face falls slightly upon seeing the pretzels. "Ah, German style, of course." As a model, she definitely has to watch her carbs and calories... she's not going to blow those on the wrong pretzel if there are other options. "I'll have a corndog, I think, with mustard and ketchup, thank you!" If she does get a blank stare from the food stall attendant, she will clarify in Japanese. Still, there's a need to wait, plus, well, getting used to not moving and eaten when she returned to Japan in high school took a little longer than she expected. She's back to the social mores of her home country now, though.

    But she is surprised when she recognizes one of the Kasugayama students coming to get something to eat- but given the circumstances, maybe it's not worth bringing up. On the other hand, there is a wonderful big dog there too.

    "Oh, what a gorgeous pup!" Eriko announces, looking at the Tosa Inu. Her eyes track up to the owner, and well, okay yes she does have a perfectly good reason to bring things up now. "Oh, we've met before, haven't we?" Eriko says, a little calmly. "You and Jun were helping that boy after that..." She pauses. Tamaki she can speak plainly in front of, but as many as three unawakened people in front her? That won't work. "Incident at Kasugayama. I hope you all managed to recover from that, it was quite terrifying."

    She pauses for a moment, realizing that she is maybe spoiling the mood. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Eriko Kirishima, and this is Tamaki Uchida. May I ask your name?" 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

They're here at the main event, now. Fuuka nods at Ririka's suggestion.

"Yes, I agree... Even with our abilities, I don't want anyone getting lost in the crowd." She agrees with a nod. She and Ririka might be able to track the others down if it came down to it... but she'd rather not risk it in the first place.

The food, though... Fuuka looks that way as Shizuka says they probably shouldn't eat any of it.

"Yes, good idea. ...I don't think I could eat anything anyway, with this uneasy feeling..." Fuuka admits. It's Too Much for her right now.

Ririka points out Shinjiro, then, and Fuuka looks that way. Sure enough. Shinjiro calls out to Umie, and then...

"Aragaki-san!" Fuuka calls out to him, looking back toward the others. "Let's go."

She'll join the others, as they follow him to the Whispering Cards. 

GAME: Ichika Kawase sets her casual summer desc!
GAME: Tamaki Uchida sets her summercasual desc!

<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    Sudou continues to wander towards the menagerie, as he goes that way though he hears the name. That one name that one can say to make Sudou shut up and pay attention, Jun. His eyes turn towards Eriko and the pup and the pups owner. He walks over to the dog, "Such a wonderful animal you have here." Without another word he rips off a piece of the corn dog and offers the food to Lance. Whether its taken or a not he looks at Tsubasa and smiles politely before continuing on towards the menagerie. When he walks away he continues his conversation on his phone as if it is a casual thing, "Speaking of Jun, we really need to talk about that."

     Through the crowd he goes until he gets to the menagerie, or the petting zoo, whichever one calls it. Taking a moment he tosses one of the corn dog sticks away as he wanders through the zoo, looking at each animal before he sees the fire rats, all alone. "Aaaww, no one giving you attention ?" He slips in to the pen when the fire rats and finds a place to sit. Using some of the other corn dog he breaks it up and uses it to draw the rats over. "I had hoped for a lion, but that must be another day." Casually he reaches out to pet the rats, whether he is just use to fire or magic is involved is anyones guess in this place. 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko's in full agreement with Ririka, "Yeah. Yeah let's get going." Calling out to Fuuka as well, beckoning her along. She'll try her best to get everyone gathered! Not that she's particularly a leader. And Ririka's taller, but she's trying! Besides, the biker jacket probably helps her stand out a bit.
 
 She also cups her hands out and shouts out, "Aragaki!" before bouncing and waving. Because she's not nearly as tall. Muttermutter.
 
 Still, Fuuka mentions food, "Yeah-" She starts. Then frowns, "Think we'd be stuck if we did? No food." She's making a few uneducated guesses! This is weird after all. 

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    "Right," not knifing on an empty stomach is totally the saying, and Tsubasa will punch anyone who says otherwise.

    "There's gotta be somethin'," Tsubasa agrees, with Hyousuke, as they make their way to the food -- and seeing someone enjoying a pretzel as they go, they say: "Hey, what about pretzels?"

    Because of course, if Tamaki's eating one, it's got to be pretty good. They might not realise that the (very hot, Ichika is correct) host was the one to recommend them, but peer pressure is hard to beat.

    "Give us ya pretzels," is how they frame that to the vendor. And of course they immediately tear off one of the loops of theirs so that they can sneak it down to Lance, who as a rule shouldn't eat too many salty things but they've decided that dogs can have a little pretzel, as a treat.

    C'mon, they're not gonna eat festival food and not share with their dog, they're a jerk, not a monster.

    When one of those adults compliments Lance as she devours a chunk of pretzel, though, Tsubasa grins. "Yeah," they say. "Lance is great --"

    Their characteristic scowl returns to their face as they examine Eriko's, thoughtfully. "Hey, you're that woman what was fightin' the Joker Killer," they realise, a moment later, and they just kind of say it, out loud, just like that. "So you got outta that okay... that's cool. Yeah, we're cool," they nod. "Fucker even came back to take a second swing at me and couldn't get me dead." They thump their chest, and declare, confidently: "I'm gonna live forever."

    (They're wearing the Kasugayama boy's uniform, which of course only boys are allowed to wear, so they're... probably a boy? But then, there's a binder visible under the bottom half of their shirt, which they've unbuttoned to tie around their midriff. It's neon blue and black. Fashionable!)

    "I'm Tsubasa," they introduce themself, at that. "Tsubasa Seki. Cool meetin' ya for real, Kirishima-san. Uchida-san," they add, nodding to her, too, as they lift their pretzel. "Saw ya eatin' this shit. Figured it must be good."

    Someone walks up to offer Lance /even more snacks,/ though, and Lance wags her tail and barks a happy greeting! She of course accepts the corn dog, wiggling with glee, and Tsubasa grins to him. "Cool. Got a good eye for dogs, man." And off he goes...! Must've been a cool guy, he gave Lance a snack.


<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    Umie enters the tent first, but Shinjiro quickly follows in behind her. They find...

    It's empty.

    Well, not entirely. There are a few tall candelabras dotting the periphery of the tent, their wicks alight with blue flames that cast an equally cerulean light throughout the tent. A large ornate rug is at the center of the space, numerous runes embroidered into its surface.

    At first, it might seem like a bit of a let-down. Shizuka, Ririka, Fuuka and Moriko follow in to join the group. And it's only once they're all inside that something happens...

    A trio of robed figures step out the shadows at the edges of the tent. Hoods hang over their heads, hiding most of their features. But the general shapes of the robes suggest they are women. This is confirmed as they speak.

    "An interesting collection-"
    "-of individuals has entered-"
    "-our abode."

    The three speak in sequence to form the entire sentence. This continues as they each raise their hand, cards flashing into existence above them one at a time.

    "The Chariot."
    "The Hierophant."
    "The Moon."
    "The Hanged Man."
    "The Priestess."
    "... The Fortune. How appropriate."

    The three then speak in unison as they ask, "What is it that you seek?"

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.

"Corndogs... good choice," Ichika agrees with Hyousuke. "I think that'll work. Oh, letme havesome of the floss--" She also wants some!!

Speaking of hot: Ichika does not, at first, recognize Eriko from the battle with the Joker Killer. Instead, her eyes widen because she recognizes her from magazines! "Oh!" she starts, and decides not to be weird about it other than the obvious look of recognition.

But Tsubasa helpfully points out the other thing as the dark subject is broached. Ichika gives Tamaki a nod while she's introduced eating, and then looks to Eriko. "Uh?" she says. "Is that English?" she wonders of the extra words. Ichika... is not good at English.

"I'm Kawase. Ichika Kawase. This is Hyousuke Suzuki." She introduces for him, because she assumes he's about to be busy eating pretzel.

She knows what he's about.

She smiles at Sudou. "Yeah," she says, "Animal lovers are always cool."

"Yeah," she says, "We got out OK too. He's a big problem..." She considers, looking around at Eriko and Tamaki, and then to Tsubasa, she leans in, "Being able to do that kind of thing is usually a secret, Tsubasa-kun." Back to Eriko. "But cool of you. It was a really bad scene."

"not like this. This place is great!"

"Oh uh. Nice to meet both of you. Forgot my manners." 

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Shizuka jumps when the three figures enter the room, slowly inching behind Shinjiro to hide herself. Were these the same three from the sign?, Shizuka thinks to herself. Before she could continue the line of thought, the arcana of the Moon appears over her.
 
      The tarot? What, like the Shadows? Nah, the arcana existed before the shadows, you dummy! Or did they? That's not the point of contention right now! She's been assigned the Moon... illusions, dreams, and imagination... Not entirely inaccurate, she supposed.
 
      "What do I seek? I think I mostly want to know what the deal is with this crazy carnival!" 

<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.

The stranger was not one that Hyousuke recognised. He didn't recognise a lot of people, so that was not what concerned him. What did concern him was the fact that they seemed to know the group - or, at the very least, Tsubasa. While he was initially a little suspicious (enough to keep his gaze locked onto them until his own pretzel was ready), seeing them dote on Lance and hearing both Tsubasa and Ichika talk casually to them was enough to put him at ease for the time being. He was completely at ease once the warm knots of bread were placed firmly into his palms.

Hyousuke was, by all accounts, human. Under normal circumstances, it was difficult to define him as anything but. However, Ichika had been correct in assuming that he would be too busy chowing down to introduce himself, and in that very same moment, he resembled some unholy cross between a retriever and a gerbil. Cheeks stuffed with friend bread, crumbs across his lips, and the look of a dog that had had its mealtime interrupted by a sudden strange noise all coalesced into the image of someone that more closely resembled Lance than an actual person.

However, it was a good thing that Hyousuke had been too busy eating to speak, as it gave him enough time to piece together what had started to transpire. It took a little longer for him to realise that everyone was clued in on Personas than others might have, but when Ichika mentioned secrets, it finally clicked that he didn't need to hide it. Or, at least, all of it. For the time being, he resolved to follow the other two's lead, and only reveal as much as they did. He was just the muscle, after all - better he follow a plan than hatch one.

"Yeah, it was a hell of a thing. I'm just glad we all made it out of there in one piece." 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    Much like with most of the other staff at this carnival, the ones manning the food stalls all wear masks of various types.

    The one selling pretzels to Tsubasa and Tamaki, is wearing one that resembles that of an ogre. And as he passes them their pretzels, he flashes them a grin. Two large fangs peek out from beneath his lips.

    Meanwhile, the one at the corndog stall hands the purchases over to Eriko and then Sudou. Her mask is closer to that of a fox. Though as she is passing the two their corn-dogs, the fluffy ears atop her head appear to twitch?

    As the corndogs are offered to the fiery rats, they seem friendly enough as they crowd around to nom on the little food bits while getting pats from Sudou. Their little whiskered noses twitching at the contact.

    But after a short time, a sudden thundering sound causes the flame rats to scatter and hide! The sound comes from one of the larger buildings in the attraction. There's another similar sound as one of the large doors into the structure bulges.

    The doors then shatter, wooden shards flying everywhere! The two-headed beast, the star of the Wicked Menagerie, comes bursting out of the opening, jumping around in agitation as several masked staff members quickly follow, trying to reign the creature in. A few of them go flying as the large creature swipes at them with its paws.

    The commotion can likely be seen from some distance away and is starting to draw concerned looks from the carnival-goers.

    But Thèlaire suddenly appears in front of the creature. She stares up at it with a frown, "Now now, tonight is not your night! We don't want you ruining everyone's good time." She taps the end of her cane against the ground twice, light engulfing the beast. It then suddenly bursts into a cloud of flowers which float up into the air and spread out across the carnival!

    Thèlaire turns to face the concerned and bewildered onlookers, bowing to them and giving them a reassuring smile, "Not to worry folks, it's all part of the show!" A seemingly flimsy explanation, it is nonetheless accepted by most as some even applaud the performance.

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    It's too much for Fuuka, and indeed, in some ways, it's too much for Umie. Thankfully, Umie's only halfway a navigator, of the cloaked variety, which should be clear as she turns to Shinjiro, and the SEES members that have in turn followed after him.

    After all, she has no resonance, but people know she has a persona. She's summoned it as she fought alongside many of them.

    And here she is now, cloaked half in the shadows cast by the candelabras, the rest tinted in eerie blue light. Her right hand adjusts her hairband, the right glove riding up slightly--

    --but whatever would be revealed in that peek is cast in too much shadow to be deciphered clearly.

    She looks at Shinjiro quietly, tugging her thumbsleeve back into place discreetly.

    At least she seems a little more herself, as the robed women emerge; whatever role she played (intentionally or simply at random) is over, and she's back to being the chorus.

    "Aren't tarot cards usually pulled out in threes?" Umie says quietly, though her voice is still subdued.

    What is it that you seek?

    "How do you take back control of something seemingly set in stone?" she murmurs, eyes glinting dully.

    What will their reaction be, these 'moirai'? 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

"Yeah, I'm... with you on the food, Kuroki-senpai..." Ririka glances at the food stand. "... Pomegrants," she mutters to herself. "I've got eyes on him," she says of SHhinjiro,. She'll lead the others.

She nods to Fuuka. "Yeah. And in case something happens and they get blocked," she means their Navigator abilities, "It'll be better if we're together." Since they know they can be blocked.

And Moriko's in agreement about the food, too. "Kinda what I was thinking," she admits.

"Yo! Aragaki-senpai!" she shotus with a wave, even as she's heading in that direction. (Everyone else took a turn yelling, she had to get one in.)

But they all pile into the Whispering Cards, and Ririka blinks as she looks around. "Uh... didn't Akabane-san just come in here...?" She pauses as the hooded figures appear. And she flinches back a little as a list of Tarot cards are named. "Uh..." She looks to the others to see if that makes any sense to them.

And then they ask--

"Don't answer that!" she blurts out. "It could be some kind of trap." But she's too late for Shizuka. "Let's just... find Akabane-san and get 9out of here."

Umie has another question, and Ririka blinks a little as her vision tracks over to her. "Oh, Akabane-san. How did I miss..." She frowns. "... later," she decides. You wanna stick with us? This place has major weird vibes." 


<Pose Tracker> Tatsuya Sudou has posed.

    Sudou frowns when rats scatter and shrugs as he takes the last bite of corn dog for himself. The rumbling and thunder catches his attention and he wanders in that direction, drawn by that feeling of chaos. It's like a warm blanket.

     The commotion so far has been the best party of the show and as Thèlaire takes control and begins to try to sell it as part of the show, Sudou buys it. Loud applause and clapping and some shouting, "Encore! Encore! Give us more." Sudou has a big grin on his face as he meets the eyes of Thèlaire.

     Sudou lowers his voice a little, "You sure you can't just get me her number. I know I know, they are suppose to call me, but in this one case. Maybe we can collaborate on a show together." Sudou pauses before he frowns, "Hey, my videos will take off and we will totally get that plaque. We are going to be famous." 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    Manners, or the lack thereof. As the group of Hyousuke, Ichika, Tsubasa, and Lance approach, Tamaki's in no position to speak, her mouth full of pretzel. She misses out on a natural moment to introduce herself, and can only quietly wave, wide-eyed and mildly mortified at the timing of their approach.

    At seeing Hyousuke's choice of food, however, she gives him a thumbs-up. She senses a kindred spirit in him.

    ... Sudou heads off in a different direction. Crisis seemingly averted, she doesn't feel a need to keep tabs on them anymore tonight. She spots Shinjiro and Umie go off into the card place, and Sudou heads off in a different direction.

    She hurries to swallow that particular bite and smiles pleasantly at the newcomers. Without a hint of irony, she adds in agreement, "Animal lovers are cool. It's a pleasure to meet you three, as well as your dog."
    
    "You were present for that? At Kasugayama High? I wasn't personally there that night, though I did lend my support through other means. I'm not often on the front lines these days. Information and fact-finding is more my bag."

    Crash! Bang! Boom! The two-headed beast briefly breaks free from the menagerie. Reconsidering her words, she re-emphasizes. "Not often. But sometimes it might be necessary." 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

Shinjiro does hear the shouting, so he only waves a hand to beckon them forth, because he's not letting Umie go in there alone.

Once inside... three moirai. Hierophant... that's what the Velvet Room said was his Tarot once, wasn't it?

Shinjiro listens to the question Umie asks, and then Ririka says not to ask questions. "I don't care about a trap. I'm going to take the risk."

He has something he has to ask. If this is indeed a magical carnival, maybe he'll learn a new insight.

"Is it worth trying to live when your time is running out?"

He can't be saved. But maybe he can still find peace. If the others ask what he means, he'll play it off. But Umie will understand. 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Shinjiro beckons, and that causes Fuuka to pick up the pace - and soon, they're inside the tent.

"Akabane-san... Hello. I'm sorry if we're interrupting you two..." Fuuka greets Umie - but she doesn't have time for much else, as soon joining them are three robed, hooded women. They speak in unison - and one by one, cards flash above their heads...

The Arcana of the Tarot, much like their Personas... and Shadows, as well. This must all be connected somehow.

A question is asked - what is it that they seek?

Shizuka asks the most immediately relevant question - and Umie and Shinjiro have questions of their own, too.

"...Aragaki-san...?" Fuuka says questioningly - but then she considers.

What does she seek? The end of the Dark Hour? ...Does she really? That's the goal of their group, but isn't that a little too grand?

...And if it is a trap like Ririka suggests it might be, would it be a good idea to ask?

"I don't know that I'm really seeking anything..." She admits - then looks away for a moment, considering briefly. "Well... I guess it would be nice to know how to get your feelings across to someone who doesn't pay any attention to you..." 

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    The shift in Eriko's body language as Sudou comes closer is noticeable. Her hand goes to that bag, as if ready to rip the epee inside out of it on a moments notice. Guarded, and hyper vigilant, even as she gets the sauce from her corn dog on the bag, like she forgot she had it. But Sudou comes, says hi to the dog, gives food without checking with the owner, and keeps talking about Jun. Eriko watches him for a little too long, making sure he's clear before she relaxes. It's enough to stop her noticing the twitch of fox's ears.

    Still, is it *that* weird that Eriko makes that assumption, Tamaki? Even in her interviews she talks about her love of the occult. Somehow it hasn't killed her modelling career- no, it's something else that is endangering that. But that's neither here nor there.

    Still, when Tsubasa straight up says where they met, well, it means Eriko doesn't have to beat around the bush. "Oh, you remember it all clearly! That makes things easier. Your friend is right though, most people don't talk about it openly. Lots of people aren't aware or able to understand the truth of Persona users or the supernatural." She's very straightforward in her explanation, really.

    Ichika asks if she's speaking English, and Eriko nods. "Oh yes. I lived in America for about half my life, I have a tendency to switch between languages a little out of habit. Just let me know if I say anything you don't understand, I won't mind. It's just one of those things that happens!"

    Tamaki seems surprised that the teens were there, and Eriko nods- though she doesn't remember Ichika being there. Still, it was chaotic and there was fighting inside and out. Still, she frowns. The Joker Killer came for Tsubasa again...? "Tsubasa, Ichika and Hyousuke then!" Eriko says, with clear disregard for Japanese honorific habits. She really only uses '-chan' with Maki due to it being significant for the two of them. "It seems there are so many more people receiving that power, recently..." Eriko murmurs, with a frown. "Though maybe it was always like this, and I never noticed.

    She finally turns her attention to her smeared corn dog, and frowns as she notices, before her eyes turn back to her bag. "...Ah." With that, she sighs, then takes a bite of her blatant diet cheat. Oh, greasy fried fatty goodness...

    And then, of course, the Orthros emerges from his tent and Eriko's eyes narrow. "Oh, she does have a real one..." Eriko says, and she starts to reach out for Nike- only for the ring master to deal with the situation quickly.

    "...Well. That confirms that, then." Eriko says, quietly. "She can exert some domination over demons."

    She looks briefly to Tamaki- she never got Tamaki's own story out of her, but she's one of the few people more experienced with demons than Eriko is. "Your skillset might be necessary soon, Miss Tamaki." Eriko says, quietly. "I think we definitely have something suspect here, but I wouldn't want to start something now. Too many people to get caught in the crossfire." 

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.

    Ogre!! "Cool mask," Tsubasa adds, to the ogre-masked vendor. They are, of course, fond of Ogres. For no reason!

    "What, survivin'? That's stupid, Boss," Tsubasa snorts, which is of course code for 'shit, neither of us planned to have a conversation like this'. "You don't need magic nothin' to get through a thing." Right??? "But yeah," they add, to Tamaki, "I was there. So you like... a detective or somethin'? That's cool. Got a detective friend a me own." Congratulations, Akechi, you're Tsubasa's friend now.

    Lance boofs a happy bark and wags her tail, meanwhile, to Tamaki.

    "... it was pretty tough, tho'," they add, on the heels of Hyousuke's line. "Good thing there were people there, or my ass woulda been toast."

    (They are sporting some dressings which might well be hiding burns.)

    "But yeah, I remember it," Tsubasa adds. "Like, guess I would? After runnin' into the guy twice, I'm like... used to it." Which is the world's most ambiguous explanation, but they can't exactly go 'excuse me, I need to go powder my dog' and drag Ichika off to figure out a cover story.

    They at least don't mind Eriko referring to them yobisute, though. At least it isn't -chan! And she did just say she lived in America, which is one of the few English words Tsubasa's certain about.

    But -- a nearby door shatters!! And Tsubasa's head whips over that way, as people yell in surprise. "What the fuck? Uh, should we..." Run, is maybe what they were about to say, except of course that whatever was going on is solved in a shower of flowers. "Damn," they exclaim, as they watch them sail overhead. "Sweet as." Is this what the kids are into these days?!

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.

Ogre mask. Ichika grins. "Awesome," she says. She is, too! Also fond. Ichika's also glad they made it out! She knows Hyousuke isn't big for this stuff, so she's happy to take the lead on talking. She gives him a nod when he answers, to acknowledge him but also demonstrate that she thinks he's doing the right thing. But she is less sure how to go with--ah, right. Toast. "Ditto," Ichika agrees, and it's even true. ...And then she takes a bite of PRETZEL. Nice.

As toTamaki, Ichika looks herway and doesn't getthe irony! Instead she confirms, "Yeah. I stayed out of sight, but I was there. ...Cool that you're helping, though. There's a lot to help with these days."

Ichika does notice the body language shift from Eriko, but... Hm.

"Surprised you know this stuff," Ichika admits to Eriko. "But that's cool, too."

English! "Ohhh," she says. America... "Wow. I'll uh, keep that in mind. I'm no good at English, so..."

A lot ofpeople with that power? "Been a few months for me," she volunteers. "You?"

STUFF HAPPENS. Specifically the burst tent, the Orthrus...

"Huh," she says. "Well, as long as it's not hurting anybody, I guess." A look to Eriko. "Right. We don't want people to get stuck in the middle."

She looks at Tsubasa, who... hopefully covered her being open about it, probably. It's easier that way.

"Well," Ichika says, "We can just enjoy the thing for now, right? But uh..."

"...If something does happen, we're all counting on you two, right?" Eriko and Tamaki, of course. "In case it's 'necessary'. ...But I uh, I kinda like to do information and fact-finding too, so..." 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    Shizuka is the first to ask a question to the three within the dimly lit tent. And it's probably the one most who have come are wondering. Just what IS the deal with this crazy carnival? The trio respond:

    The first, "You ask what the carnival is. But what if it asks the same of you?"
    The second, "Its tents shift with the hearts that enter."
    The third, "Its laughter is borrowed from the living."
    And then in unison, "So tell us, child of art, what did you bring for the trade?"

    The question posed back to Shizuka is likely rhetorical, the three not waiting for a response. After all, there are more questions! Umie is next. Her question is awfully vague in comparison to Shizuka's. Of course, the trio aren't exactly being straightforward themselves. So it's probably no surprise when they are vague in response:
    The first, "To take back control one must first admit they never had it."
    The second, "Only by surrendering can you touch the thread itself."
    The third, "And when you do, you'll find it's not stone, but glass."
    And then in unison, "So fragile. So sharp."

    Ririka chooses to not ask a question, and so the trio remain silent towards her. They don't seem offended or defensive about the suggestion that this is a trap. They simply remain quiet as they await the next.

    Which is Shinjiro. One would have to wonder whether these three have any real power. Any real answers. Are they simply frauds? It's certainly possible, as their answers aren't exactly directly helpful. Though it's unlikely that even if they had power, they could do anything for Shinjiro. Still, they try to offer him a suggestion:

    The first, "Time is only a cage if you believe the bars are real."
    The second, "When the clock mocks you, mock it back."
    The third, "Dance on the edge, laugh at the fall."
    And then in unison, "That's living, not surviving."

    Fuuka's question is a lot more personal. A lot more human. Are these three even human? Can they understand the nature of the heart? Whether they do or not, they still answer:

    The first, "You cannot force a heart open."
    The second, "But you can light a lantern and leave it burning."
    The third, "If they see it, good. If not, at least you will not be in darkness."
    And then in unison, "The act of reaching is its own answer."

<Pose Tracker> Hyousuke Suzuki has posed.

Another person Hyousuke did not recognise. Nobody seemed to mind their presence, and though he did not catch their name, he did catch their approval of his choice in snack. No words needed to be spoken in that moment, and he needed no more than an exchange of glances. With a single nod - a firm, deliberate one - Hyousuke made his message clear: Whoever they were, he approved of them too. Perhaps they were a kindred spirit, perhaps not. Only time would tell.

The comparisons to canines never seemed to end with Hyousuke. The second that he heard a commotion off in the distance, followed quickly by the distinct sound of wood splintering into scraps, he perked his ears up and snapped his head around to the source. Barely blinking - and seeming to forget how to chew as well - he waited, hoping to glean some useful information from what little he could hear clearly. He could make nothing out, however, and without being able to see it either, there was nothing he could do but remain wary.

"So I wasn't just imagining that." He said quietly, not speaking to anyone in particular, instead just hoping that one of their group was close enough that they could hear him. "Guessing an Orthos is one of those monsters we keep seeing when we go into the other world? Just makes me wonder what theyre even doing with something like that locked up" The thought lingered in his mind for all of a few moments, before he blinked and immediately decided to go back to eating his pretzel. It was, after all, a very nice pretzel, and the situation seemed well in hand. Still, he couldn't help but be curious about it, and spoke once he'd swallowed the first mouthful.

"Then do you think we should check it out? I don't think it's part of the show, no matter what they're telling us." 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Catching up to the others, Moriko looks to the others present. The uh, non-students. The ones that feel like a trap. She scowls briefly. Looking to Aragaki, first at his question. Then to Fuuka. She's briefly contemplative. She does have a question she'd want to ask.
 
 She's as lost as a few others on the significance of the tarot cards. Tapping her foot as Umie mentions they're usually pulled in threes. "Maybe it's weird poker?" Which. Really it's probably no surprise to guess she'd go to a card game. Any kind.
 
 There is a question she'd ask. She'd consider asking, but she isn't sure she'd want the answer from a weird carnival sideshow.
 
 Is anything set in stone?
 
 A sharp look is given to Aragaki, but that's a later problem, isn't it. Trying to drag it out here would be counterintuitive. And wouldn't go anywhere anyway.
 
 She does however, agree with Ririka. "Yeah, we were trying to stick together." Trying to sound a bit more sure than she feels.
 
 Even Fuuka's asking one though. She almost answers it herself, but that wouldn't work for everyone, would it?
 
 "Where do you even start with a cold case." She'd rather find the actual answer herself. And it's vague.
 
 Ririka's given a briefly apologetic look. 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Shinjiro just goes for asking a question. And Ririka just gives him an odd look. That feels like a really heavy question and she's not sure how to begin parsing it. She looks concerned, though.

And a sad look for Fuuka. "Yamagishi-san..."

But there are some answers given, however cryptic and non-straightforward they may be. She doesn't trust the answers, but... she's still listening and considering them. And even Moriko asks one, and Ririka looks to her and shrugs a little. It's fine, it's not like she's in charge of anyone.

Still, now that she's thinking about it, she can't help but keep thinking about it. And there is something that gnaws at her. She can't quite bring herself to look at the women, but she does ask, softly, "... how do you move forward without forgetting those who are gone?" 

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      Shizuka narrows her eyes a bit at the answer. The carnival asks the same of you... what do you bring as trade... It sounds like nonsense at first glance, but it reminded her of something her father said.
 
           ~~Often, when looking upon art, the masses will ask, 'what does it mean, what does it mean?' The question of meaning is itself the meaning! It dares to ask the viewer 'what do YOU mean?'~~
 
      "...I think I get it. It's a reflection of those who come into it." A thought quickly crossed her mind wondering if this place was like one of those palace things the Phantom Thieves dealt with.
 
      And then she realizes something. They called her 'child of art.' How could they have... Well, of course they'd know. This was a supernatural space, anything's possible. She definitely wanted to keep careful, but she felt like she could prod a little deeper. "Well... if it's laughter you're looking for, I suppose I can provide a question of my own."
 
      "...What kind of shoes does a frog wear?" 

<Pose Tracker> Tamaki Uchida has posed.

    It didn't initially register in Tamaki's perception that she was getting a pretzel from someone in an Ogre mask. Granted, she's been familiar with Demons for several years now. The realization does belatedly hit her, and she muses that she might be getting way too used to this.

    Tamaki raises a hand towards Eriko, silently offering to give her a comforting pat on the shoulder. Something about Sudou seems to have spooked her -- understandably so. It isn't weird, per se, but ... she's keeping tight-lipped about what she knows of his identity. Maybe it's best not to speak about it now, but she makes a note to ask Eriko about it later.

    Tamaki's got some very complex feelings of her own on the matter of Sudou, and there definitely isn't enough time to unpack it all tonight, but she's willing to leave him be for the time being. The well-intentioned gesture towards Lance has mollified her.

    Besides, as she's about to say to Tsubasa, "Ahaha. Tonight, I'm here for pleasure, not business, but yes! I'm an apprentice private detective, not part of law enforcement proper."

    At Lance's friendly bark, Tamaki smiles and kneels down to offer her hand -- first to let her sniff it, then possibly to pet her if she seems receptive to it.

    To Ichika, she replies flatly without thinking, "Five years for me." To Eriko, she adds, "... Both statements are kind of true. It's been going on for a long while, but it tends to come in waves."

    As the group's attention turns towards where the Orthrus broke out from, she stands and nods. "You can count on us if something happens. Though, ah, if you've got a spare sword in that bag, Eriko-chan, I could use one if things go south." She emphasizes the honorific to remind her friend of where she is and what the norms are here. She points to Ichika. "But first, fact-finding. Shall we go take a look?" 

<Pose Tracker> Thelaire has posed.

    As Sudou calls for an encore of the Orthrus's chaos, Thèlaire gives him a smile back with a twinkle in her eyes, "Don't worry, dear wanderer. There will be plenty of opportunities for encores in the days to come. The Pandemonium Pavilion is not a one-trick pony. After all, we seek to bring a new world of delight and whimsy to all!"

    Thèlaire bows to Sudou, a cloud of those flowers she had released moving to circle around her as she finishes, "An accomplishment which is going to take more than a single night." The flowers obscure her for a moment before dispersing, Thèlaire gone from sight.

    Back inside the tent of the Whispering Cards, Moriko is the last to ask a question.

    The first, "A cold case is a severed thread."
    The second, "Find where it frayed."
    The third, "Then follow the fibres back, one lie at a time."
    And then in unison, "The tapestry remembers, even when the weaver forgets."

    The last question is asked and answered, everyone seemingly getting one with Ririka abstaining. The three return their hands to within their robes as they provide some parting words:

    "The threads of this place weave through reality."
    "Those who tug at them may find wonder-"
    "-Or ruin. It is not for us to decide. Such fate rests solely on you."

    The last question is seemingly asked and answered, everyone apparently getting just one. But whether it is because she realizes there is no trap here, or because she has something she really wants to know, Ririka relents and asks her own. Small smiles tug at the lips of the three. Perhaps they are happy she decided to take part after all? Whatever the reason, they give her an answer:

    The first, "You don't need to forget them."
    The second, "Just turn their sorrow into melody."
    The third, "Let it resonate in the spaces between the notes."
    And then in unison, "Grief is just love in symphony."

    But that appears to be the last answer that the group will get. The three robed figures return their hands to within their robes as they provide some parting words:

    As the three step backwards into the shadows, seemingly vanishing, their voices echo one last time in unison.

    "Beware the trickster."

    The answer to Shizuka's very important question will apparently have to wait until next time!

<Pose Tracker> Shizuka Kuroki has posed.

      "...Open toad sandals..." 

<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.

    The twitch of irritation on Umie's brow at Shinjiro's question may be the biggest clue of all that Umie's 'back' to her 'normal' self, though she keeps quiet. It's still an important question to him, no matter how much she wants to tell him to stop thinking of his time being finite.

    She casts a look towards Ririka now instead, saying, "I get that a lot." Moriko and Ririka say they're trying to stay together, but Umie simply charges ahead, embodying the 'Chariot' named by the robed figures. "Pay attention to the surroundings here, though. Do you 'see' anything?" She may as well admit defeat in acting like she's anything other than 'a normal, mundane person' at this point; if her suspicions are true, whoever is behind all of this, be it that ringmaster or someone else, the power behind that runs in a similar vein to whatever lies behind the Mark.

    But that doesn't explain everything else, however. How can an illusion(?) like this be sustained? Is ____________'s power really that strong?
    
    Umie sees Fuuka, and shakes her head. "No, no. I think we need your abilities here too." She's not going to offer answers to anything, whether it's directed towards the carnival or herself, but she can direct her questions. "Pay attention as best you can. Prod around, but don't go too far. You and Kawase-san are more sensitive than I am." She thinks better of it, and says, "Actually, be careful--"

    The robed figures are speaking. Umie can't bring herself to interrupt them, even if the vague words scrape a little too close to home.

    Vague words and phrases, all of them, that can have anything be applied to them.

    "Just like using the tarot to foresee the future, and just as useful," Umie says, trying to keep the contempt out of her voice.

    But then, they disappear, and Shizuka's gambit is revealed.

    Umie snorts into a hand. "... Let's get out of here before we lose our soles, eh?" 

<Pose Tracker> Shinjiro Aragaki has posed.

As the answers start coming out, Shinjiro doesn't seem amused. But then his own comes out...

"Only a cage if the bars are real..." For some reason, it seems like that metaphor hits him pretty well. Something about it, despite being from a shady circus, resonates. Living, not surviving...

He told Myunghon he was gonna try. He was making a bucket list, planning on going places and doing things and maybe even returning to school.

He lingers for a long moment, probably the last to leave. "...maybe I'm looking at it wrong," he mutters to himself. Then, he follows Umie out, but does not speak for a long while He's ruminating. 

<Pose Tracker> Fuuka Yamagishi has posed.

Umie assures her that they need her abilities, and Fuuka nods.

"Alright. Then I'll be glad to help however I can." She replies.

Fuuka listens as as the three hooded women give their answers to each of them in turn. And as they finally get to hers, she listens...

...And her expression falls. Maybe it wasn't the answer she was hoping to hear... or maybe, it was the answer she expected, but hoped not to hear.

She hears Ririka though and looks up, offering her an awkward smile as if trying to reassure her - with varying levels of success - that she's alright.

The hooded women give them one last set of parting words. Beware the trickster...

"What does that mean...?" She murmurs to herself.

Shizuka has a pun, and Umie suggests that they get out of here.

"Good idea..." Fuuka agrees with a nod, following everyone out.

...It'll only be several minutes later, when they're back in the main crowd, that she'll realise that Umie was also making a pun. 

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.

    Tamaki's hand is unexpected initially, but once she realizes it IS Tamaki's, she relaxes a bit and gives a wordless nod of thanks. "He is... rather stronger than I expected. I must admit I was overconfident in my first encounter..." Probably because of the people she had around her. A friend who had helped solve one conflict before, surely they would have been fine. A hard lesson learned. "A mistake I hope not to make again."

    "Oh, well, I've always loved this sort of thing, ever since I was a little kid," Eriko gives Ichika a smile- but then Hyousuke asks what an Orthrus is and Eriko's eyes light up again. "Oh yes! Orthrus is one of the spawn of Typhon and Echidna in Greek mythology! He was a brother of Cerberus, the Sphinx and the Chimera, and guardian of Geryon's cattle, until he was slain by Heracles- Hercules, you might know him as- as one of his twelve labours. Now that one is not the actual Orthrus, of course, if it existed, but most likely a demon that inspired the legend." Oh no she could be going on for a while.

    But when Hyousuke posits it's not part of the show, Eriko shakes her head. "Oh, they can't exist for long outside spaces made for them, like those things that appear during the Dark Hour. So I'd say it's closer to us being in..." She pauses, wondering how best to explain it... "I'd imagine that this circus is part of that other world, being placed into ours, I suppose? That's how I think of it, anyway. This whole area carries a resonance to it. So I'd imagine it is, even if it escaping isn't." After all, forewarned is forearmed, and if Eriko can give these kids some preparation, she'd like to. "It's the same as how you can't summon your persona normally, but in some spaces you can- Dark Hour excepted of course. Demons like that are the same as our Personas in that regard." She's so calm and up front about this, but frankly, talking about this stuff is fun for her.

    Still, Tamaki offers a gentle reminder that she is dealing with strangers who might be offended by her lack of honorifics. "Oh, yes. My apologies, Seki-san, Kawase-san and Suzuki-san."

    Still, the question is asked of how long, and Eriko blinks. Five years for Tamaki? ...She did seem to be a little more familiar with that sort of thing than anyone else, but she didn't realize by that much. "...Closer to three for me," Eriko says, pretending that she doesn't know to the second the moment she heard Nike's voice the first time.

    Tamaki asks if she's carrying a spare sword, though, and Eriko shakes her head. "I'm afraid not. I should have planned ahead- next time I'm near Parabellum, or meeting with Kei I'll remember to get a spare. I suppose in the bag one is as strange as two."

    Still, Tamaki mentions investigating the site of the breakout, and Eriko nods, even as Ichika mentions 'relying on you two'. "If we can. It's our role as adults to look out for those younger than us, if we can help." Her brow furrows at that, slightly. "Sadly, it's something too many adults here seem to forget. We can't leave problems to children to solve, can we." Eriko, who has been an adult in the eyes of society for less than year, seems to have certain people in mind there.

    "Why don't you all try and enjoy the night's festivities? It seems our host has no intent on harming anyone tonight. Who can say if that will be the case in the future." Finishing her corndog, Eriko reaches for a napkin to wipe the sauce smear off her bag. "Oh and... I know I talked fairly openly, but... well. You should probably be more cautious than I am. I'm known for being somewhat reckless I'm afraid."

    Speaking of reckless, Eriko shifts her bag, and looks to Tamaki. "Shall we, Miss Tamaki? I think we should be fine to explore as long as we don't start anything. Tonight, at least."

    Should Tamaki assent, Eriko gives a cheerful wave to the Kasugayama students, before starting to walk off and reaching into her purse- separate from her bag for... a case of spell cards. Between her and Tamaki, they should make sure they're covered for whatever may come. "Have a good night, you three. And I recommend getting home before midnight- taxis are a pain that late!"

</poem> 

<Pose Tracker> Ririka Kawase has posed.

Ririka is a bit too distracted to register Shizuka's pun, lost in her thoughts as she is. Maybe she waited too long, for the women seem to go without answering her question, which...

But an answer comes, trap or no, and Ririka listens. She catches, of course, that they reference melody and music, the same way they referenced child of art for Shizuka. She looks up, giving the three women a long look as she considers, before finally nodding. "Mmm."

She looks to Umie. "I definitely hear a lot," she admits, quietly. "Way too much, honestly." She sighs and turns to leave with the others, that last warning sticking in the back of her mind.

What is it they actually want here? Is this another problem SEES is going to want to take an interest in?

Probably. But for right now... "Let's stick together and see if we can learn anything." 

<Pose Tracker> Moriko Kumamoto has posed.

Moriko's not great at catching puns, all things told. She's a bit too straight forward at the best of times. Or oblivious. 50/50 really. "Well. It's a start." She mostly mutters to herself. That's not too far off from what she'd thought. Her fault for asking such a vague question, but why ask for the answers of a test when you don't trust the cheat sheet.
 
 The trickster. "Which one." This is more aimed at the other students. Frowning. "I don't think that otaku was a trickster, but-" she scrunches her face up, "Nah." Followed by a proper scowl. "There's a few, if we're going off the obvious angle. More if we go esoteric."
 
 A gloved hand goes to the bridge of her nose and instead, she looks to the others, "Yeah. I agree. Stick together."

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