John and Gamzee spend a few more minutes just chilling and finishing off their beverages. John does his best to quiet down when he realizes there are others in the disorganized little trailer house, carnies napping in hammocks along the walls. Still, Gamzee retains his usual volume, suggesting that these guys' lights are as out as you would expect from substance users - which he's getting the impression more and more is standard at this carnival. Gamzee and the others don't exactly seem like drunks, but there are other drugs he has heard about in the city so far.
Soon, Gamzee leaves to talk to the ringmaster, leaving John to sit alone in his comfortable floor poof. He feels like a shaken bottle of sugary soda, which in fairness, is probably in part due to the bottle of sugary soda he just finished. But he still doesn't feel at ease with his new "friend." There's the business with the sign and countersign shenanigans like the cotton candy, the way Gamzee seems to have figured out instantly that John was cursed at all, the fact that he has a leader who is in on this too, the way he keeps alluding to know more than he lets on in an alluringly mysterious way. Not that he ever thought he'd refer to a big smelly clown as alluring and mysterious but there you go.
John shuts his eyes and tries to close out the stressful thoughts about his predicament and the anxiety creeping into his limbs from his core, letting his mind wander freely, to his friends and his home. It seems like it's been forever since he's seen his friends - since he's had a good chance to shoot the breeze with Dave, or hell - since he's seen Jade at all. Part of it is that they've all been a lot busier in the time since... since they had to all start fending for themselves a lot more. But sometimes he worries they're growing apart. Part of him wonders if they're just growing apart. Maybe this adventure is a blessing in disguise - a chance to get the gang back together.
He opens his eyes back up a little and stares at the ceiling. He wonders who all ended up here on Sanctum. He knows he heard Dave complaining a few cells down, and Rose is here. Jade was across the hall. So at least clans Harley, Strider, Lalonde, and Crocker are here probably. At least, if he was a pirate, he'd probably try to nab whole clans at a time. Don't want to leave anyone behind to seek revenge, right? Jeez, what a ruthless thing to think, he thinks. How did they get off that pirate ship, anyway? He keeps noticing odd gaps in his memory like that.
He sure wishes he had whatever these clowns are having. It'd be nice to just slip into the grip of sopor. But he's got promises to keep and miles to go before he sleeps.
He stares up and tries to think about nothing. He uses a trick Jade taught him to use on nights when he felt restless, counting stars. There are no stars since he's in a trailer and it's morning, but the fanciful patterns on the ceiling help him get his eyes into a good rhythm.
John has already been spacing out for a while, but he keeps doing it for a while more until he feels good and numb, and then a while longer still until he notices Gamzee has returned. Or rather, had already returned while John was spacing out.
John: *john blinks, yawns, and leans up.*
John: oh hey gamzee!
John: i didn't see you come back in.
John: or hear you, actually.
John: uh... how long ago did you come back?
Gamzee: A hOt MiNuTe BrO bUt ThAt's JuSt AlRiGhT.
Gamzee: YoU sEeMeD liKe YoU hAd A wIcKeD zEn On So I fIgUrEd It WaS ChIlL.
John: sorry.
John: i started spacing out i think.
John: it wasn't really even that zen! i think. i don't really know what that word means but I think i got the idea.
Gamzee: LiKe I sAiD, bRoThEr.
Gamzee: YoU aIn'T gOtTa ExPlAiN sHiT tO mE.
Gamzee: I aLl GeT tHaT a MoThAfUcKa NeEdS hIs ChIlL tImE.
Gamzee: LeT mE kNoW wHeN yOu'Re ReAdY, aNd We'Ll Go SeE mY hOnChO. nOt A mInUtE sOoNeR. :o)
John: *john pops up with a windy woosh and maybe he doesn't have any wind powers, but it sure does seem like a gravity defying jump up should be kinda windy! so it is. he settles to the ground with a flutter, creating a whorl of scattered playing cards and assorted garbage.*
John: hehehe...
John: then i'm ready! i already spent a bunch of time lying around and feeling like garbage in here, and i don't want to waste a whole bunch more!
Gamzee: AlRiGhT, tHaT's ThE sPiRiT mY gOoD mOthErFuCkEr!
Gamzee: *He GeTs HiS bEcKoN oN wItH a BiG wAvE oF oNe LoNg ArM.*
Gamzee: RiGhT tHiS fUcKiN wAy.
As John prepares to visit the Ringmaster, Roxy and Dave are elsewhere, and as we split our focus, so too will the chapter split to accommodate our omnipresent vision. We attempt the rare and dangerous x2 Chapter Combo, and succeed without even a little difficulty. We head over to Chapter 6B, Dave and Roxy's thread, and retroactively designate John's thread Chapter 6A. What are Dave and Roxy up to?
Roxy: *pouncegreet!*
Roxy: *roxy tackles dave in a flying hug, swingin him around*
Roxy: woohoo! daaaave!
Roxy: *he basically squeals hella girlishly.*
Dave: oh shit
Dave: *dave goes down hard af*
Roxy: *saccharine dispo!*
Dave: *little sticky notes everywhere*
Dave's apartment appears to be a narrow apartment, currently furnished barely, a table made out of a board and cinderblocks taking up the wall opposite Dave's bed. Most of its surface is taken up by books and notes, along with a device Roxy knows is called a cogitator - a communication and calculation device. There's also a device he doesn't know, with a control panel covered in buttons, and a pair of black discs on the surface. There's a window along the far wall, giving a view of the city skyline outside, and from what Roxy can tell, they're probably quite far from the ground. Big black birds - Crows? Ravens? He's not sure - wheel around outside. The room is lit from overhead by a pair of fluorescent lamps, rendering it well illuminated. A minifridge and a cook stove are parked neatly in the corner. Over Dave's bed hang what appear to be several shitty swords. Where did he get those?
Roxy: wassap, dude? you look like ur livin the swanky life though like
Roxy: not as swanky as rose :3
Roxy: n whats with all the book stuff! you didnt suddenly become all scholarly n shit did u?
Dave: ok first of all why dont you start by explaining
Dave: why you have a dick all of a sudden
Dave: and maybe then like get it off of the middle of my chest
Dave: cause i think both your sudden dudeliness and my ability to breathe and not be flattened are a higher priority than my sudden and egregious nerd cred
Roxy: i accept ur terms
Roxy: *he gets up and pulls him to his feet*
Roxy: i got cursed by a ghost wizard
Roxy: she probably wants 2 bang me
Roxy: hbout you?
Dave: kthx i suddenly understand exactly what happened
Dave: anyway
Dave: just boning up on some obscure legal horseshit
Dave: the city of sanctum owes me about fifty thrones of ubi backpay and while i obviously dont need it at this point
Dave: im kind of like
Dave: basically i think I gotta get these motherfuckers on principle now
Dave: not that i actually give a shit its more like good practice
Dave: did you know this place is like a labyrinth of bad decisions
Roxy: wow i mostly dont kno what ur talkin about but im
Roxy: hells of proud u kno it :3
Dave: its
Dave: the econony
Dave: so what about your deal i guess you have to go smash this ghost wizard
Dave: figuratively or literally
Roxy: probably figuratively? im hope its not literal bc
Roxy: rose is p sure shes actually a god
Dave: damn
Dave: not even two weeks into our adventure and you went and picked up a big tiddy god gf
Dave: i mean i assume shes a big tiddy god gf idk what she actually looks like
Dave: what kind of god is she though, i assume its an asura right
Roxy: ya, think so! howd u know!
Dave: like i said im basically becoming an even bigger dork than probably even jade trying to get around in this place
Dave: theres like four kinds of gods
Dave: youve got devas who are heavenly fiery badass monk gods of the law and like
Dave: the philosophies i guess
Dave: the animoi who are like personifications or...
Dave: animalifications
Dave: bestifications
Dave: whatever
Dave: of different kinds of primal chaos like fire and shit
Dave: faeries which are basically what youd expect a faery to be
Dave: and then the kind of god that probably cursed you is called an asura - theyre capricious dream gods of luck and wishes and arts and crafts - theyre kind of like those stories about asshole genies who give you what you asked for but not what you want unless theyre feeling it
Roxy: nerd!
Dave: stfu
Dave: look im not going to keep rosing it up here you can find any of this stuff out basically by accident
Dave: anyway howd you not figure all this stuff out already youre usually super sharp
Dave: like somebody took some razorglass from the seashore on volcano island and was like
Dave: know what
Dave: this aint shit
Dave: im gonna need something about five times sharper.
Dave: so sharp
Roxy: aw! :3
Dave: well
Roxy: busy!
Dave: with what
Roxy: stealin shit and playing around with spooky powers!
Roxy: dave did u know were basically ghosts
Dave: what no
Dave: when did we die
Roxy: were not actually ghosts, were just
Roxy: like ghosts
Dave: ok good because
Dave: i was about to say
Dave: if im a ghost if have a shitload of wailing and moaning and haunting to catch up on
Dave: wait hang on
A shadow darts across the window, briefly dimming the room almost imperceptibly.
Roxy: :?
Dave: *dave goes over and looks out the window*
Dave: thought I saw something
Dave: like
Dave: a really big bird
John follows Gamzee into the big top, which is presently dimly illuminated. Surrounding the middle of the room, clowns, acrobats, freaks, and others John can't properly classify chill, making music and laughter, the air full of smoke. Sitting in the middle, in what appears to be a badly straining lawnchair, is the biggest person John has seen in his entire life - hulking and hunched over, John can't imagine he'd be less than 9 feet tall standing up. In many ways, he's like an upscaled Gamzee - taller, floofier, and rippling with muscle. His face paint is by far the most convincingly skeleton like of the troupe, he wears a skin-tight skeleton-print jumpsuit, and disconcertingly, his mouth appears to be seen shut. This man is enormous. Betraying some genuinely otherworldly connection, a pair of tall stately horns rise up from his shaggy mop. From out of the shadows of his mane, John sees a glint of shiny violet eyes, and shivers.
Sitting across his lap is a woman who is definitely not human, a pair of catlike ears coming out of her raggedy mane of hair, and a pair of wide, catlike eyes adorning her visage - along with many other similarly feline features. She's the only one here who looks as out of place as John, wearing an olive green sweater, and no paint to speak of, but like any of the clowns, she has the appearance of being doped up.
The giant waits for Gamzee and John to approach, and then raising both hands, starts quickly signing. The cat woman interprets.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < HIS MIRTHFUL EXCELLENCY, THE CLOWN PRINCE OF THE CARNIVAL OF MOCKERS ON SANCTUM, AND MOST RIGHTEOUS-WICKED OF THE SERVANTS OF THE LAUGHING MAN S33S A FRESH FACE, NEVER PAINTED, IN HIS COURT OF MIRACLES! HE WONDERS, WHO'S THIS LITTLE BITCH? SPEAK, LIL BRO GAMZ33 (^=ω=^)
She talks loudly, not quite screaming, but not really projecting her voice on purpose either. As you no doubt know, Meulin is deaf. But John can only guess.
Gamzee: ThIs HaPlEsS dUdE, wHo KnOwS nOtHiNg Of ThE wAyS, iS oUr FrIeNd AnD gUeSt, WhAt HaS hAd ThE wIcKeD eLiXiR tHiS dAy. He HaS tHe WhAmMy On HiM, mY mOtHeRfUcKeRs, AnD iS sUfFeRiN' lIkE aNy SoUl SuFfErS iN tHiS bItCh Of A wOrLd. WoN't ThE pRiNcE oF dArK cHuCkLeS oFfEr ThIs PoOr SuCkA a WoRd Of SoLaCe AnD hOpE? Do:
Gamzee: *GaMzEe PuLlS hIs MoSt HaRsH aNd AnGuIsHeD gRiMaCe Of BaD vIbEs, PuTtInG hIs HaNdS aLl Up On HiS cHeEkS, aNd SmEaRiNg HiS gReAsEpAiNt.*
The giant beckons.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < APPROACH, MOTHERFUCKER.
John: *he walks forward, swallowing loudly, more than a little intimidated by this huge guy. he guesses he can probably split any time he likes, but he's still feeling a little small.*
John: *anyway, these guys are clearly not really clowns.*
John: *or at least not only clowns. it seems like they're probably more like a clown-themed mystery of some kind?*
John: *back home, there were these small secret clubs called mysteries that were sort of religious, but they cloaked everything in lots of hokey pokey and symbolism.*
John: *john is pretty sure rose might have joined one, once! but for like, a day before she peaced out. she was never much for clubs.*
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < MY MASTER BIDS YOU WELCOME. WHAT'S YOUR NAME, LITTLE DUDE?
John: i'm john.
John: and you're huge!
The giant rumbles, and after a second, John realizes he's laughing. He continues signing in his quick, fluid fashion, making broad gestures.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < COOL. I'M KURLOZ, AND THIS FINE KITTY BITCH IS MY INTERPRETER AND MAIN SQU33ZE, MEULIN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < *SHE GIGGLES RAUCOUSLY AND BREAKS CHARACTER FOR A SECOND.*
Meulin: (^･ω･^) BY WHICH I MEAN, THIS BIG GUY IS KURLOZ! AND I'M HIS MAIN SQU33ZE MEULIN! NICE TO M33TCHA JOHN!
John: i can't say i've ever been pleased to meet a clown before today - or that i've ever met a cat woman at all! - but between you guys and gamzee I guess i'll have to make some kind of exception!
John: so what's this about uh... your highness? are you going to induct me into your clown religion? cause i might have to turn you down. i'm just getting used to the idea that gods are real people who just walk around and do their business, instead of imaginary sky people the priests use to try and convince you not to do bad stuff? so I need some time to sort out my spiritual priorities.
He shakes one big hand back and forth in the negative, before resuming
Meulin:(^･ω･^) < NAW, DUDE.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A VISION I HAD.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < WHEN I WALKED IN THE REALM WHERE SL33PING RYDAS GO WHEN THEY'RE GETTING THEIR BEAUTY REST ON, AND WHERE DEAD MOTHERFUCKERS WALK IN DREAMS AND REVERIE, I SAW A MAN IN BLACK, WHAT LIES DEAD BUT WILL LIVE AGAIN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < AND HE SAID TO ME, "MOTHERFUCKER, I HAVE S33N A NEW AND RIGHTEOUS CLOWN, WHOSE WHIMSY IS MORE WHIMSICAL, AND WHOSE HARSH VIBES TRANSCEND THE MEANING OF GRIM AND SEND HIM YOUR WAY. WHEN HE COMES, YOU WILL KNOW HIM, FOR HE WILL BE LIKE A GHOST BEFORE YOU.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < YOU MUST K33P BOTH EYES OPEN, AND S33 WHAT YOUR HEART'S UP IN, UNCLOUDED BY THE LIES OF BASE REALITY, FOR THIS RIGHTEOUS MOTHERFUCKER, AND THE MOTHERFUCKERS WHO COME WITH HIM WILL BE WALKING WITH ONE FOOT IN DARKNESS AND ONE FOOT IN LIGHT."
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < AND SO I HAVE. AND SO YOU DID. AND SO YOU ARE.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < DO YA DIG, DAWG?
John: wow, I think so!
John: are you saying... you think i'm the messiah of your religion?
He shakes his hand and head in the negative again.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < ONCE AGAIN, NAW DUDE.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < THAT POSITION IS ALREADY TAKEN TWOFOLD.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < THE MAN IN BLACK AND THE MAN IN WHITE.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < THE LAUGHING MAN AND THE GROANING MAN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < THE TALKIN DUDE AND THE WALKIN DUDE.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < THEY WHO ARE DEAD BUT WILL LIVE AGAIN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < WHO WILL ONE DAY BREAK EVERY CHAIN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < BUT THEY'RE WATCHING OVER YOU, MY NINJA. YOU ARE HELLBENT AND HEAVENSENT.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < AND SO IT IS WITH THAT IN MIND I OFFER YOU MY HELP.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < WE FINNA HELP YOU LEARN HOW TO BREAK THOSE CHAINS, TO MAKE THE REAL FALSE, AND THE IMAGINARY TRUE - HOW TO WALK WITH THE DREAMING DEAD, AND MAKE THE WAKING WORLD YOUR BITCH.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < FOR YOUR WHAMMY IS EXCELLENT JUJU IN DISGUISE.
John: wow...
John: that sure is some stuff you just said.
John: but it sounds like if i've got this right...
John: it sounds like you're saying your god wants you to teach me how to use my weird ghost powers.
John: well...
John: rose said we're trying to become unghostly! or more real or something!
John: but i think as long as i have them, i might as well get used to them, and see how strong I can get them. becoming real is probably going to be a pretty rough task and we can probably use all the extra friends we can get! especially since I don't even know when or how we became... not real.
John: so alright kurloz - you can teach me.
John: do you want anything back? is this like an apprenticeship?
The clown gives a final sober shake of his head.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < NO NO! THIS IS A STRICTLY PRO BONO ARRANGEMENT, BRO!
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < I AM SWORN TO BE A POOR SOLDIER IN THE MESSIAHS' ARMY, AND WON'T ACCEPT A MOTHERFUCKIN THING IN RETURN.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < YOU MAY CONSIDER ME, AND MY RIGHTEOUS LIL BRO GAMZ33, YOUR GUIDES ON WHATEVER PATH DESTINY MAKES FOR YOU TO GET YOUR WALK ON.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < FOR GOOD :O3
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < OR FOR ILL 3O:
John: then what happens next?
John: i guess i'm ready for my first lesson right away.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < CHURCH.
Meulin: (^･ω･^) < BRING FORTH THE SPECIAL STARDUST, BROTHER.
Gamzee: *GaMzEe CoMeS fOrWaRd FrOm WhErE hE hAs BeEn HaNgIn BeHiNd JoHn, HoNkInG aMbIeNtLy As He CoMeS fOrWaRd, AnD hAnDs Up A bAg FuLl Of WhAt LoOkS lIkE sHiMmErInG rAiNbOw CoLoR sAnD. iT lOoKs LiKe A mOtHeRfUcKiNg MiRaClE wHaT iS iN pOwDeReD fOrM.*
Gamzee: HeRe YoU gO, nEw FrIeNd :o)
John: oh, uh... thanks.
John: *it's surprisingly light in his hands for a bag full of sand.*
John: what do I do with this?
Gamzee: GrAb A hAnDfUl, ThRoW iT iN yOuR oWn GoOd FaCe, AnD bReAtHe DeEp.
Gamzee: AnD tHeN gEt ReAdY, cAuSe ThIs Is ThE gOoD sTuFf.
Gamzee: ThInGs GeT wEiRd FrOm ThErE. ;o)
John hesitates for a long moment, contemplating. Is he really about to do drugs with some vulgar clown cultists who he just met to master his ghost powers?
He reaches in and throws caution - and a handful of stardust - to the wind.
Dave: so basically i guess you gotta think of the music like a wave - and the electricity is like a wave too
Dave: so that when one wave breaks the other wave breaks
Dave: and you just kind of sizzle up a storm like this
Dave: *dave spizzle the dizzle on his little mini turntizzle, grinding back and forth, making a sick beat with the noise the scratch makes*
Dave: are you taking notes here?
Roxy: o u know it :)
Roxy: im wearin my fuckin note takin pens out, n like, shredding up this notebook.
Roxy: i may have 2 borrow some from u, dave. you got any spares from your econony research? help a sistah out :3
Dave: yeah i think i can spare a handful. i can go back over the last parts in case you need a refresher from all that schooling.
Dave: ok but actually at this point im gonna hardcore stfu
Dave: cause im getting the impression that you stone cold stopped giving a shit about this five minutes in and im wasting good material
Roxy: no, no! dude ur fine i fuckin love listening 2 u blabber.
Roxy: ur cute :3
Roxy: besides im learnin some good shit about how stuff actually works with like, utilities and stuff.
Roxy: thanks 4 the nat philosophy crash course.
Dave: *dave blushes bright red at the compliments, looking uncomfortable the way he always does when receiving praise.*
Roxy: itll give jadey n me some great material to work w/when we catch up with everybody and solve this biz.
Dave: so jades really here huh
Roxy: yeah apparently
Roxy: sos everybody?
Dave: like john and jake and shit
Roxy: yeah everybody.
Roxy: everybody's here, dave.
Dave: nice
Dave: meme?
Dave: agh
Dave: why do i know dumb shit like that when theres other shit i cant remember when i know i should
Dave: like i dont know what a fucking meme is
Dave: or i shouldnt
Dave: probably ghost weirdness i guess
Roxy: wait hang on.
Roxy: there's def smth out there.
Dave: is it that big bird again
Outside, the big shape darts by again. Then, a sound can be heard outside the high apartment. Footsteps on the wall. Clunk clunk clunk. A big heavy shape walks into the window, standing on it and defying gravity.
Slowly, purple-blue fire spreads in a ring around the far wall of Dave's apartment, forming intricate runic shapes within itself.
Roxy: that
Roxy: is nont a birb
The wall breaks open like glass exploding outward; gravity flips on its side; Roxy and Dave plummet out the side of the apartment into the vertigo-inducing skyline outside.