+ Somewhere a Grandiose Carnival Was Going on in the Sky +

[vitaelamorte]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The grounds of the Mansion
When: March 9-16
Rating: PG-13 (warn if you go higher)
Summary: The Red Queen has thrown a carnival for everyone!
The Story:


From Friday, March 9, through Friday, March 16, the gardens and grounds of the Mansion will be a sprawling a carnival. The masked, unspeaking vendors will be selling trinkets and running free game booths. Carnival rides, exhibits, and foods represent all of the various cultures of those currently residing in the Mansion.


Of particular note, and perhaps incongruously, everything is decorated with red hearts.

Use this log for any and all of your carnival needs!

Comments

[jivitadana]

[Minato smiled and gave her a nod. He gave her hand a light squeeze too.]

There are some benches in the sun or in the shade. Or there are some trees with shade. We can sit under those?

[Wherever she thought was nicer. Or maybe even more romantic?]

[255000255000255]

[ She feels a twang of aching in her heart. Under a tree sounds so romantic! Even if she doesn't want to torture herself like that...she starts leading them towards a nice, shady patch of trees and sits under one.

Sure enough, the dark seclusion of the trees and the soft, rustling music of their leaves is romantic as hell. Sigh. ]

I...never thought I'd get to experience this, honestly. It's surreal.

[jivitadana]

[Minato followed after her and thought too that it was nice too to sit there together.]

I'm glad we could do this together. Is there anything else you haven't done before?

[Was there anywhere she wanted to go too? He wondered if he could help her too with anything she might want.]

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Mm, me too.

[ Monika pulls her knees close and rests her head on them. Oh, that question. All she can really do is laugh. ]

If I told you all the things I'd never done, we'd be here all day, Minato. Maybe even all week. Weird, isn't it?

[jivitadana]

[Minato shook his head. He didn't think it was weird at all.]

It's not. Your experience is just different. It's yours and it's you. You should be okay with it.

[Because there were also a lot of things Minato hadn't ever done before, even just simple things that normal kids or teenagers would've done. Or would get to do.]

[255000255000255]

[ That makes her raise her head. ] Really?

[ Monika's silent for a while, watching the leaves above. Words are brewing under the surface, but she's having trouble figuring out what to say and how to say it. ]

It's, um. It's kinda hard to be okay with it. Every day, I was trapped in my own personal hell. And now? [ She sighs, fiddling with a leaf. ] Now I'm just in another one.

[jivitadana]

[Minato was listening and he thought he could understand what she was saying.]

I meant more like it's okay if you haven't done the things you haven't done. No one's judging you.

[And no one should. It was her life, her existence, she should be okay with it and didn't have to think it was weird. But she was here now and could possibly change it. This place did give them chances for that kind of thing.]

But can I ask what happened? Why is it the same here?

[What would make it like hell at home and here too?]

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[ She smiles a bit. ] I'm glad one of us thinks that.

[ Her silence is longer this time. Only one person knows her secret, and he hasn't even scratched the surface of how much deeper it goes. The thought of even telling someone else...

Eventually, Monika shakes her head. ]

It's way too embarrassing. But don't worry, I've learned how to deal with it. You can get used to anything if you put your mind to it!

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded and gave her a smile. He might worry just a little for her sake since he'd keep in the back of his mind that home might not be the most ideal place for her and then to end up here where it was somewhat the same? But he more than understood that some things were her prerogative to keep to herself and he didn't intend on prying.]

Mn, that's true, especially if you do your best.

[He hoped though that she did have a chance to be happy somehow without having to fight or having to get used to anything.]

If it ever becomes too much for you to deal with alone, then I'll be here to listen or help you if you need it.

[255000255000255]

Th-Thanks.

[ All of a sudden, she stands, not even thinking to brush the dirt off herself. She needs to get away. This is too much for her, too painful. He's so nice...and so out of reach. ]

Hey, um, I just remembered! I said I was going to meet someone right about now. I'm so sorry! I'll see you later, okay?

[jivitadana]

[Minato shook his head so that she didn't have to worry or apologze and stood up as well. If she allowed it, he did move to gently brush some of that dirt off of her. He really should've let her sit on his blazer and that would've solved that problem.]

It's okay. We can do something like this again some other time.

[He didn't mind. With her personality, she was bound to have a lot of friends here and it was nice that she could have that here too.]

I'll see you later.

[255000255000255]

[ It takes a moment for Monika to remember how to breathe. She doesn't think she'll ever get used to being touched.

When her lungs finally start working again, she exhales and smiles ruefully. ]

We...probably can't. But this meant a lot to me. So thanks.

[ She wants to say more. So much more. The words get lodged in her throat, however, never making it to her lips. So, with one last hesitation, she waves and runs off before she can do something incredibly stupid. ]