IC CONTACT for lostcarnival

[whattaprick]

✆CHANNEL FREQUENCY: 843.77425 (personal);
DESCRIPTION: Half the time he forgets this thing even exists, or how to turn it on and off.

✉MAIL BOX LOCATION: Next to trailer steps.
DESCRIPTION: The concept of a mailbox is rather foreign to Lambert, who's not exactly what you'd call big on personal correspondence. But there's a wooden crate you can probably drop shit into ???

BUG LAMBERT TO MAKE YOU SHIT: Given time and the right ingredients (which he'll usually ask people to provide) he can make potions (with potential side effects), oils, and bombs. You can bother him more about that in person.

Comments

[whattaprick]

[ There's a lot to process there. However, one thing's clear, and he can't help grinning slightly as he points it out: ]

I accepted it knowing the risks, you know. It's not like he forced me into it. [ He pauses too, trying to think about how to respond to the rest. ]

It's a little hard to imagine 'Childermass' and 'volatile emotions' going together, though.

[periphrasing]

Well I mean, it was your own dumb fault, too. Obviously.

[ISN'T IT NICE HOW THEY CAN BE SO FLIPPANT ABOUT THIS NOW? HA. HA. HA.]

But anyway... I think everyone was just so exhausted and angry at that point? I don't think he had the energy to keep being aloof. Stars, I barely had the energy to yell to get my emotions across, and I LOVE being noisy! It's like, my favorite thing!

[whattaprick]

[ He's not going to argue with that, just smirk and shrug. Yeah, making fun of former life and death situations is a time honored witcher tradition, why change it now?

Childermass being too tired to be Childermass is kind of sobering, regardless. ]

Doubt the idiot had a chance to sleep. Must have been running off the phoenix fruit I gave him. [ And also, that he took from Lambert's trailer, but he's not going to say that. ]

Sounds like it was a lot more tiring being stuck back here than being caught. [ He can joke about that now, right? ] First thing I did when the Prince left was sleep.

[periphrasing]

...I actually slept when I got back to the carnival, too. [She seems almost ashamed to admit it. A gem. Sleeping. But the constant spell casting had just run her energy right out.] You're correct, though. It wasn't exactly fun times, for anyone here.

[She pauses a moment, cocks her head, carefully thinking of how to phrase her next question.]

So... What's the deal with you and Childermass, anyway? I thought you two were friends or something, but I feel like the only thing I ever see you two do is argue with one another.

[whattaprick]

[ 'Friends or something.' Hah. That's one way to put it. ]

What, you never have any fights with your friends? [ He asks flippantly, like Peridot's missing out on a huge chunk of friendship not getting into constant arguments, gosh. ]

We just have different perspectives on some things. That's all.

[periphrasing]

[She still looks kind of dubious, but.] Hmmm. I guess I can understand that. I suppose it just seemed odd to me, since you and Strange don't seem to argue anywhere near as much by comparison. But then again, I'm not exactly constantly monitoring your every interaction...

[Because that would be creepy, and also she has way better things to do with her time.]

[whattaprick]

I should hope not. [ Lambert snorts, lip curling faintly. ]

I fight with Strange too. Usually about the same thing -- doing something stupid.

[periphrasing]

[Peridot just grunts thoughtfully.]

I guess Lapis and I do fight sometimes, too. It usually gets destructive though, so it's best avoided. I was just wondering about Childermass because... Well. I meant what I said, that we supervisors... we're supposed to be a team of our own. We need to be able to trust one another, and share information.

[Yeah she's still kind of annoyed that she got left out of the loop on this faerie deal that's supposed to be protecting Steven.]

[whattaprick]

Yeah, but his job is literally sneaking around to steal shit and mine is stabbing people. You probably don't need to know about everything we do.

[ He says it matter-of-factly. ]

I'm surprised he actually told us about the letter himself. I thought I was going to twist his arm for that, too.

[periphrasing]

I guess...

[She doesn't sound super convinced, but she's also not going to keep forcing the point.]

Sorry, did you say you thought you were going to have to assault him?

[It doesn't happen very often nowadays but SOMETIMES, she still happens upon a phrase she hasn't heard before. This is one of those times.]

[whattaprick]

Not literally. [ Then again, it is Lambert. That sort of thing could happen. ]

Just means I have to bother him until he gives up and tells me something.

[periphrasing]

Oh.

[That explains that then. Good enough for her. ON TO THE NEXT THING...]

Well. I'm glad he did say something. Seeing as I'd probably still be in the dark about the protective spells on Steven, if he hadn't.

[whattaprick]

I didn't know you didn't know.

[ It's best to get that out of the way. Lambert reaches a clawed hand out to idly draw lines in the dirt. ]

Steven doesn't seem like the type who's good at keeping secrets.

[periphrasing]

[/RECORD SCRATCH

Lambert, you shithead. Peridot stiffens and sits up a little straighter, volume increasing again.]

Wait, STEVEN KNEW TOO!? And he didn't tell me!?

[whattaprick]

[ Ouch, volume. One of Lambert's ears flicks at the noise, but he shrugs. ]

You heard him say he asked Steven first, didn't you? [ He frowns, glancing away. ] I just guessed that an enchantment like that couldn't be cast from a distance.

[ He smiles, humorless. ] Considering what he had to give up, he's a real idiot for not asking to protect himself, too.

[periphrasing]

[That detail slipped by her somehow. She must have been too riled up while it was being discussed...

Whatever. She'll let it go for now, fixing Lambert with a curious look.]

The cards he was talking about? Why? What's the big deal about them?

[whattaprick]

[ And since Childermass isn't here to yell at him about revealing his secrets, Lambert's answer is plain and matter of fact. ]

He had them for years, and I'm pretty sure he drew them himself. He used to read fortunes with 'em -- apparently, that's the first magic he ever figured out he could do. [ Gems don't seem to be super big on personal possessions, though, so she's not sure she'll completely get that. ]

It'd be like losing my medallion. [ He taps a claw on the ugly, sharp-edged wolf's-head on his chest. ] When some things are with you long enough, they start to feel like ... a part of you. You could say he was sentimental about 'em -- as much as he's sentimental about anything.

[periphrasing]

[Gems generally aren't big on personal possessions, he's right about that. But for Peridot, the scarcity had made her even more possessive of what little she had back in the day (even if she would have bent over backwards insisting that it was out of practicality rather than sentiment).

Nowadays she's a fully converted materialistic junkie, hoarding objects left and right simply because she can. But how many of those things actually hit the same level of importance as what Lambert is describing...?

...Thinking on it more carefully, she actually DID use to have something that fit the bill quite literally.

She holds up the hand bearing the gauntlet that the Ringmaster gave her as a solstice present, and frowns at it thoughtfully.]

...It becomes a part of your identity. [She huffs wordlessly.] I think I understand. Frankly I'm impressed he was able to willingly part with something that was that important to him.

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert shrugs. He doesn't have an answer to that, only a bit of insight. ]

He wouldn't have done it if he didn't think it was worth it. [ He answers, but he also scowls slightly as he says it. ] Guess he worked out that protecting Strange and Steven was more important than himself.

[periphrasing]

Well he did say he that he failed to consider the fact that the Rose Queen might be after him as well, didn't he? Sounds like a simple oversight to me. Maybe he'll remember it the next time he encounters a fae willing to strike a bargain with him.

[whattaprick]

I doubt it.

[ Lambert snorts, but he doesn't see fit to expound on that for a moment, his claw tracing a circle in the dirt as he gives a cocky smirk. ]

But that's why we're here to remind him.

[periphrasing]

['We'? Peridot almost looks surprised to be included, but then she smirks as well, and sits up a little straighter, tail curling and uncurling in a pleased sort of way.]

If you ever need any help shouting at him, just let me know. Lapis has told me before that I am extremely bossy.

[She 100% says that like it's a positive trait for someone to have.]

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert definitely thinks it's a positive trait for someone to have, as long as it's not being directed at him. ]

I will. You said it yourself -- we're a team. [ A team of people yelling at Childermass to stop being an idiot. He can't ignore all of them. ]

Anyway, what are you even growing now? [ With that, the rest of the morning is lost to prodding at dirt and being vaguely surprised at Peridot's actual agricultural skills. And if Lambert hasn't quite answered some of Peridot's other questions, well. He's happy to leave them unanswered. ]