Oh Mr. Clown, Oh Mr. Clown

[maskormods]

WHO: YOU.
WHERE: Heropa Greenland Park.
WHEN: Sunday August 17th, from 11AM to 10PM.
WHAT: ImPorts participate in the local carnival, hosting their own attractions, helping with the booths and rides, and/or come looking to have a good time. Details here.
WARNINGS: None anticipated; please let us know if this should be edited.

Even in the daytime, Heropa Greenland Park appears almost dour in appearance and atmosphere. Employees of the park open the creaky gates at a few minutes before 11:00AM to allow imPorts and soldiers who have been ordered as security inside. Preparations have already started, with thick and colorful streamers lining hanging from one rusty looking lamppost another along the park's pathway. The booths look a little worse for wear and the while an effort had been made the night before, the park grounds are still coated in soda spills, popcorn, leftover hot dog bits, and other sticky and grimy messes. Sometimes the lights in the event booths flicker or burst entirely.

Needless to say, this place looks like it can use a makeover. While it fares well among its locals and those from Cape Canaveral, it has not been a place of interest among others in the state for quite some time. Right now? It looks more creepy than wholesome family entertainment.

But that's what imPorts are here for, aren't they? To liven up the place!

At the heart of the park is where employees have made enough room as possible for imPorts to set up their own attractions, booths, and whatnot. There will be small platforms for some imPorts and bigger ones may need to be shared among each other, scheduling their time slots for their own performances. There will be tables should anyone need it for performances that don't require a grand stage.

By noon there the line-up park employees had been expecting turns out even better than they had hoped. There are twice as many locals who've shown up, eager to see imPorts in action up close. By 12:30PM the park is bustling with people of all ages and all appear to be having quite the time, despite the occasional issue with the rides such as the merry-go-round (oops, it slows down more than it should), the carousel (it stops at least once every two hours), and the haunted house's lights go down at some point, though this seems to have worked in its favor.

Kids are screaming in delight everywhere, there are teens trying to do risky things on faster moving rides, and everyone is passing through the center at some point to come and check out what imPorts are going to do next.

Put on your best face and give them a show they'll remember, heroes!

Comments

[ofloveandbeauty]

You're the best! [Venus said with a happily grin, clapping her gloved hands together. The sword had vanished and was nowhere to be seen now. ]

That sounds good! I bet it will be more than enough for us. [She assured him with a smile, watching the vendor shake out the powdered sugar onto the cake.]

[blondtactician]

[Armin's more interested in watching the sword disappear than watching the cake being prepared. Magic? Surely it's just some kind of technology beyond his ability to understand.

He pays for the cake, making sure to net two forks for it, and looks around for a place to sit. It smells heavenly, but it feels heavy in his hands. He's sort of wishing he'd watched them make the cake more carefully now.

He wonders if Levi is itching himself into fits over the filth of this place. Armin does manage to find a bench that isn't completely covered in ketchup, setting the cake down on the table.]

So it's basically like a fried doughnut, right? [Armin pokes at the food with his fork a trifle suspiciously.]

[ofloveandbeauty]

Yep! Though really sugary, Americans love lots of sugar. [Venus said as she sat beside him carefully. She had to fold her back bows down and made sure at least some of her skirt was between her legs and the bench.]

You have to try some Japanese treats, they have less sugar and are really delicious. I can get you some mochi to repay you sometime! [She said as she picked up her fork, trying at least not to stuff her face in front of him as she picked up a piece of the cake.]

You have doughtnuts where you're from at least? [She asked, curious.]

[blondtactician]

People don't tend to use a lot fat or oil to fry during a food shortage. [At least, not if you're a soldier or a refugee.] I became aware of doughnuts while living here, actually. One of the librarian brings them to share with everyone in the morning. [Armin finally decides to take the plunge, carefully pulling a piece off the funnel cake. He can feel himself flush with joy at the taste - or maybe that's just his blood speeding up due to the sugar.] ...This is good!

[ofloveandbeauty]

Oh, I guess that makes sense. But at least you can enjoy it here, I'm glad you've gotten to enjoy them! [Venus said with a nod, leaning over with a smile.] I knew you would like it! There are all sorts of yummy foods here to try!

[blondtactician]

[Armin smiles.] There really are. All kinds of fruits and vegetables I'd never even seen before, and all the cuisines of different nations... it's great. Aside from Japanese food, is there any kind you like best? [Armin carefully secures another bite of cake and nibbles it carefully.]

[ofloveandbeauty]

Have you tried pineapple? You can make drinks in pineapples, it's the most delicious thing! Hawaii really has the best and most exotic fruits, I got to spend some time there though it was for work. But the food was great! [Venus explained excitedly. It was fun to share her world with someone who didn't have the same opportunities.]

What has been your favorite food to try?

[blondtactician]

I really like horchata. It's a drink made with sesame seeds or rice and vanilla, cinnamon and sugar. It tastes like a milkshake but if you go to the right place, there's no dairy. Plus it's cheap - cheap as soda or cheaper, and way cheaper than coffee. I really like coffee too, though.

[As Armin's opening up about food, he seems to tuck into his food with a little more eagerness.]

[ofloveandbeauty]

That sounds delicious! Cheap is always good, one's allowance only goes so far in high school. [Venus agreed, glad to see him tucking into the cake as she starts to do the same.]

You do? Aren't you worried that coffee will stunt your growth?

[blondtactician]

You don't have another job, aside from being a registered hero? [Armin blinks curiously.] I don't think I've noticed the coffee stunting my growth yet... wouldn't it be illegal to sell it people who are still growing if it did? [Now focused on the conversation, he continues eating.]

[ofloveandbeauty]

I do! But it's only a part time job while I go to school too. [Not to mention she doesn't ever save her money at all.]

I guess you're right, I never thought about it like that before. [she said thoughtfully.] It's definitely not illegal though!

[blondtactician]

Considering all of the things that adults are tripping over themselves to protect us from, I'm sure coffee would come with an age limit if it were really that dangerous. [But Armin actually makes mental note to look that up later, just to be sure. He really doesn't need any reason to worry about stunted growth.] What do you do part-time, if you don't mind e asking? Or is that revealing too much about your secret identity?

[ofloveandbeauty]

There are a couple people who have the same job that I do so I don't think it would be revealing too much. I sell perfumes part time, it's a fun job! [Venus said after a moment of thought. She wasn't ready to reveal her identity since it was still such a habit to keep it secret. She was still getting to know Armin but was hoping he was someone she could eventually trust.]

What about you? What do you do?

[blondtactician]

I work at a library. I really like it. [There's a lot not to love about a job that is often treated by others as a service industry job, and during the summer it wasn't nearly as quiet as he would've liked, but he still liked it. He likes being around so many books, likes the quiet times and the smell of paper.] Perfumes... So you like all of that fancy stuff, huh? A lot of it is baffling to me. People where I'm from don't even take regular baths. [Armin wrinkles his nose. He'd always practiced cleanliness as much as possible, for various reasons.]

[ofloveandbeauty]

Ewww how do you guys manage to be around each other without regular baths? [Venus said with a wrinkle of her nose.] You don't smell bed at least. You must be really smart if you work in a library and do really well at school!