030 // Locked Log

[pipers_son]

Who: Joker and Envy, and also Joker and Lust
When: During one of the usual practices
Where: Big Top of the Eve's Garden Circus
What: Joker talks a bit with two of his finest workers.

Joker isn't exactly a performer himself- that's what he hires other people for, the acrobats and animal tamers, et cetera, et cetera. Still, ever since the circus was first founded, Joker's been a regular participant in the practices himself when paperwork hasn't demanded his attention. He has a smattering of all sorts of talents, from knife throwing to walking the tight rope, and no one can say that the ringmaster himself isn't active.

It's a good way to keep his mind busy, honestly, and, besides... He likes feeling close to his performers this way.

Today, it's definitely a knife throwing sort of day, eyes focused as he throws, and Angel cheerfully brings back each knife thrown with telekinetics.

Comments

[a_sin_for_him]

When Lust arrives for practice, she has a new face with her. A small blue one, specifically. Along with Guttle, she's brought her new Popplio with her. Ever since the little blue seal hatched, while Lust was on vacation, she's had it in mind to bring her to Joke. Between the two blue seals, she's sure there's a place in the circus.

"Your aim never fails to impress me."

Lust approaches with a smile, after watching Joker's practice for a few moments. She's always had an appreciation for blades.

[pipers_son]

Pausing as Angel floats over the knife again, Joker laughs. "I've just had a lotta time ta practice! My brother, Dagger, he's the knife thrower in the family. If he was here, you'd be impressed even more, guaranteed." Knife in hand, he spins it between his fingers as he turns to face Lust properly, and the grin on his face widens as he sees who's accompanying her.

"And who's this now! Looks like my kinda fella." A pause. "Or lady. Wouldn't want ta be rude now." And you can never tell with some Pokemon, really.

[a_sin_for_him]

"I'm tempted to accuse you of boasting on his behalf, but I sincerely doubt that's the case." Sometimes, she does miss her talons. It's been long enough that she doesn't feel as though she ought to have them, but still.

"This is Gilda. She came out of my mystery egg, and she and Guttle are inseparable. I took one look at her and thought she'd be perfect for the circus."

The Popplio in question hops forward, excited.

[pipers_son]

Only a shrug comes in response to that accusation, and a lopsided smile. Joker won't even deny it; he's the most biased person he's ever known when it comes to his family.

For now, there's a more important thing, and Joker crouches down to coo over the little seal. "Now ain't ya a sight! Interested in performin', huh? It's written all over your face." Literally- what a perfect nose for a clown.

[a_sin_for_him]

Gilda is relishing the attention, clapping her flippers and barking a series of excited 'pop's at Joker. She most certainly is interested in performing! Her little blue body is practically vibrating with excitement at just being at the circus.

Guttle has been telling her all about it.

"She seems to have a flair for it. I've tried her with some balancing exercises, holding things on her nose and the like."

[pipers_son]

"Well, that's always a good sign! Excitement for yer work is the most important part~." Handing over his throwing knife to Angel, he pats Gilda on the head.

"I bet she'd get along great with Sapphire- y'know, my Walrein?" Pushing himself up, he grins to Lust. "What do the two of ya say ta doin' a little meetin'?"

[a_sin_for_him]

"I think that would be a wonderful idea." They'd look good together, too. Apparently blue is the color for marine mammals(?) here. But there's a similar sort of look to both Pokemon, one Lust thinks would be particularly appealing to children.

Gilda agrees, bouncing happily at Lust and Joker's feet. New friends, too? This day was getting better and better!

[pipers_son]

"Right then, follow me~." And with that, he takes off. It's not only Joker who makes sure to practice, but his Pokemon, too, so it's quite a gathering in the big top that he patiently makes his way through.

Sapphire and, fittingly Ruby aren't too far off, the Walrein cheerfully trying to show off some flips to her Rapidash friend. Once she notices Joker coming over, she makes a delighted nose and starts to flop over to him. Laughing, he crouches down, kissing her forehead. "Hello, my darlin'~."

[a_sin_for_him]

Lust follows with her seals, Guttle rolling everywhere to greet his circus friends and see if there's anything new to investigate. Gilda stays with Lust, overwhelmed and trying to look at everything all at once.

How easily these creatures have become a facet of life. For everyone. Lust vaguely remembers drunkenly rambling to Envy about how she can't imagine how her life has become what it is, how very dear all these animals have become to her. Watching Joker with his Pokemon brings those feelings back in force.

"Everyone's looking well. Go on, little one, you can say hello." The former homunculus bends to nudge Gilda forward, as the Popplio's been overcome with a sudden bout of shyness. So many Pokemon!

[pipers_son]

Shifting to the side so that Sapphire can get a better look at the Popplio, Joker waits patiently with a small smile on his face. By this point, his Pokemon have all mostly become adept at new faces to the circus. It's what happens, when they've all been here for a couple of years.

True enough, Sapphire is patient, making a soft bubbling noise as she lays herself as flat along the ground as she can while paying mind to her tusks. It's an attempt to get herself to the smaller Pokemon's level so that she doesn't seem as threatening- she knows how big she is!

[a_sin_for_him]

"It's alright."

Lust gives Gilda another encouraging nudge and the Popplio flops cautiously over the the large, walrus-like Pokemon. She extends her nose, half investigating and half in greeting. Sapphire doesn't seem quite so intimidating, stretched out on the ground like this.

[pipers_son]

Sapphire is patient and the definition of calm, waiting until Gilda approaches her herself before she reaches over to lightly boop their noses together with a waggle of her whiskers. Another low noise from the very back of her Walrein throat. Hello, little friend!

[a_sin_for_him]

Well hello!

Gilda squawks out a surprised noise, and then boops her own nose against the Walrein's. She wriggles her hind end and claps her flippers, already warming up to the larger Pokemon.

[pipers_son]

As Sapphire starts to blow gentle bubbles to entertain the little seal, Joker chuckles from where he’s standing off to the side, and Angel looks quite proud. “I guess we don’t have ta worry abot them gettin’ on then, do we?” he asks Lust.

[a_sin_for_him]

"No, I don't think so! Oh, they do look good together."

Lust has taken a seat to watch the proceedings, Guttle having made the rounds and now waiting at her feet. He's very encouraging of Gilda's aspirations to perform.

"And she's one of those new Pokemon, that's sure to be a draw. I was so surprised when she popped out of my egg! I was on vacation, I'd been drinking...I called Envy immediately to demand to know what she was."

[pipers_son]

Flopping down besides her, Joker chuckles again. He can only imagine that level of surprise.

"Cor, if I were drinkin' and that happened, I think I'd have ta get sober first ta process it or I'd write it off as havin' a little too much fun." With Angel settling on his knee like she often does, they both glance to Lust. "Did he know right off the bat, or did he need ta look it up?"

[a_sin_for_him]

"He didn't know either. He was as confused as I was, told me to just wait until she started talking, then I'd know." Lust laughs. "I looked her up the next day. Popplio. She's a sweet thing. She, Guttle, and Wrath had a high time, playing on the shore. Guttle's simply enchanted with her."

[pipers_son]

“Well, it looks like she’s not the only one enamored.” It’s said right as Sapphire starts to flop her way over to what looks like a pair of shallow plastic kiddie pools over to the side, eagerly looking back to make sure that Gilda is following.

“It could definitely be fun, ta see the two of them in an act! Kids love Pokemon like that- I guess they just look cuddly.” They’re shaped like friends.

[exeggutorhead]

Envy may not have a new Pokemon for the act like Lust does, but that doesn't mean he's not going to pause what he's doing--armful of fabric for costumes and all--and watch Joker's practice. And...he does actually have something to bring up. Something about a certain secret new member of the troupe who he's just found out about. But that can wait.

He waits a few throws before finally making his presence overtly known (although chances are Joker may have already noticed the audience), and does so by letting out an impressed whistle.

"Getting ready to teach Wrath a few more things?"

[pipers_son]

Actually, it’s been Angel who’s noticed Envy hanging around first and, through her, Joker has ended up sort of aware of his trapeze artist as well. When your starter is a psychic type, sometimes things just carry on through. Still, knowing Envy as he does, Joker has trusted that he’d approach him if he had something to say sooner or later.

At what’s on his mind well, Joker gives a slight laugh. “Someone’s gotta make sure he doesn’t accidentally stab someone, yeah?”

[exeggutorhead]

Envy laughs right back, shaking his head.

"Oh, I think him accidentally stabbing someone might be inevitable. But with proper care, I'd say we could keep the incidents to say...once a month."

[pipers_son]

“Just once a month, huh?” Joker snickers, Angel mimicking the action right down to the shake of her tiny shoulders. “Have a little more fatih! We got psychic Pokemon. They can probably stop things. Of course, that’s in the circus itself…. I don’t take responsibility for anythin’ that happens outside of it.”

[exeggutorhead]

"That's true, it's not like they can blame us for it. They should thank you for teaching him to throw straight, I'm sure it's cut down on accidents."

He waves a hand, flippantly, eyes closed. Although Wrath isn't exactly who he's come to talk about...one eye cracks back open.

"Speaking of new members, we don't happen to have any more lately, who might need costumes?"

[pipers_son]

Uh oh. That's the kind of tone which says he knows something. Joker puts on his best innocent puppy dog face.

"Now what would have ya askin' that sorta thing?"

[exeggutorhead]

"Oh, just a feeling."

He totally knows something.

"Might've heard something from someone."

[pipers_son]

Tossing the knife up and down like the responsible ringleader he is, Joker makes a show of humming and thinking.

“That someone a someone I know?”