puppycrush2 | week two

Welcome to the carnival!

It's dusk when they're brought there, which means the rides are all lit up, and it's quite beautiful. Not too crowded, but with enough people to make it feel alive.

There are rides, food stalls, games and lots to explore. Enjoy!

Highlights:

- The carnival games are all rigged, as per usual
- So! Much! Fair! Food!
- They have an unlimited rides pass, so they can go on everything

We should probably save food for last, so! Rides or games first?

[ She is so bright-eyed over Unlimited Rides. ]

Save food for last? It's the best part, though.

[ Which he says like it's obvious, BECAUSE IT IS. To him. Don't mind him while he looks longingly at the stalls they pass by. ]

If that's how you wanna do it, let's do games first. I bet we could rack up some prizes — you mentioned liking stuffed animals before, right?

[ Josuke knows deeply that these games are rigged, so he thinks it is totally okay to use his powers to cheat in them, so much so to the point he's planning on doing it without even mentioning it in passing. They cheated first by making it unfair! ]

It's even better than best once you get the adrenaline going.

[ Offering his back a pat in solidarity. ]

But yeah! Maybe we could test our luck and see if we could get a bunch for everyone to pick from?

[ He smirks, sly and mischievous. She patted him on the back, and he takes that as a green light to put an arm around her shoulders conspiratorially. ]

You mean rob this place blind.

[ A stuffy for everyone? Well, anything to stretch the budget the show has given them... maybe it'll brighten the mood at the house, too. Josuke loves a good-hearted scam. His eyes scan the rows and rows of carnival games, trying to suss out the ones that are easy prey. ]

They're gonna regret setting up these games so damn unfair, [ He laughs, sounding excited. ] Let's give 'em what's coming to 'em.

[ Let's see.... there's one of those games where you hit a target with a hammer and try to ring the bell. Popping balloons with darts, knocking over pins. ]

Which kind are you good at?

My aim's pretty good, so I think anything involving hitting a target is a good bet for me.

[ She is apparently entirely comfortable with being under Josuke's arm. ]

And I won't even say anything about it this time, since this is just fighting fire with fire. [ Which is why she's holding up her free hand for a fistbump.

These poor carnies about to get it. ]

[ Hehehe... fist bump, which he lets linger for a bit longer than the last time they did it. ]

Let's knock pins over, then. The pins are weighted, so they're harder to knock over... but it's no problem if you know that going in.

[ Or if you have supernatural powers that let you throw things at 300kmph. It looks like over at that stall, there's stuffed animals in lots of unconventional colors — would you look at that, there's two that match their hair colors somewhat... it looks like they get two tosses to knock down ten pins. ]

I guess this is the part where I should ask if you have a favorite animal.

[ Thank goodness for Josuke, because Ritsuka continues to be a normal girl in most respects. ]

I like a lot of animals, but favorite... probably dog. What about you?

[ Since they're about to sweep this. ]

Hmmm...

[ It takes him a second to think of an answer; he's not deeply into animals. This is me asserting he was never a wolf boy or a dinosaur boy ]

Maybe a dog for me too. They're loyal and helpful.

[ Which makes them cuter, in his esteemed opinion. Anyway, here they are at the games, where they're expected to fork over their passes and [redacted] amount of whatever the crew has given them to do silly stuff like this. ]

So, like you. That tracks.

[ But she hands over her stuff, and gets handed a ball. is Which definitely not weighted like the pins are going to be.

As she tosses it up and catches it, testing the weight, she makes a face. ]

They're not even trying to hide how rigged this is.

Like you aren't like one, either.

[ He lifts his arm from around her shoulders to let her get ready to toss, still smirking. ]

Some people have got to win sometimes, or else no one would play.

[ So it's almost like they're doing these clowns a favor. He gives her a helpful, encouraging wink, and he's certain that to the carnie, they look like your average over confident people out on a date, sure that they can win a prize using luck and effort alone. ]

You've got this — I'll do the second toss. We can win this!

But I said it first. Still, you're right. No holding back now!

[ playfully, taking a step back and taking aim. Okay. A little more force than usual. Volleyball team has prepared her for this, even if she's not spiking this ball.

But she still hurls it at full speed, right square in the middle of the pins--and five collapse. ]

[ they are just two dogys... ]

Nice!

[ The carnie looks a little Surprised they've made it this far, but still assured that there's no way to knock the other five pins over in just one throw. And honestly, Josuke pretends to hesitate for at least 3 seconds so he doesn't immediately just destroy these five pins. Ritsuka will be able to see that pink arm encasing his own once more, and while to the outside eye, the throw looks normal, the ball flies forward with much more speed and force than a high school boy should be able to manage. He doesn't overdo it, in order to not make the carnie Too suspicious, but he is unashamedly stacking the deck against the establishment. Unsurprisingly, the pins collapse violently. ]

Talk about lucky!

[ yes. lucky. and nothing else. anyways, before the person running the stand can try to interrogate them: ]

Which one do you want?

[ It's undoubtedly her choice first!! ]

Great job!

[ Ritsuka holds up her hands for a triumphant double high-five, beaming. Yeah, absolutely no sense of shame. They had it coming.

Also, it's just kind of awe-inspiring. Josuke's Stand feels more like a Servant than anything else she's seen so far. That kind of speed and force isn't normal, even if he'd done years of training just to take down carnival games. But the way he'd thrown it had seemed perfectly natural.

--Oh, right. Prize. ]

The dark purple dog--the one with the floppy ears.

[ Josuke's fine tuning of his Stand comes from a lifetime of using it — it's his "power" yes, but he's so used to having it that it's become an extension of himself. He can use it naturally and without thinking, and often without being detected by others. He's already cooking up an even more convenient way to win this game again...

Case in point, he acts like they really won on luck alone, looking full of cheer as the carnie (begrudgingly) forks over the dog plushy, as requested. He offers it to Ritsuka, pressing it into her hands gently. ]

It's pretty cute, I've gotta admit! It suits you.

[ She's never not gonna get at least a little flustered with statements or even implications about being cute when she is definitely average, cheeks coloring lightly before she brings the large plush up to her face and buries her face in it.

Muffled: ]

Thanks. We've gotta nab one for you next.

[ The muffled way she tries to talk through the plush... cute. He didn't think such an offhand comment would embarrass her so much, but he meant it, so! ]

Yeah, I guess so...

[ He is not intensely into plushies, but he can admit it would be a fun souvenir to have of this trip. Also, if they're gonna win one for everyone at the house, he shan't let himself be left out. ]

Wanna play a different one? Or should we win a few more times here?

Let's try a different one and swoop back around! Darts now, maybe?

[ Yes, she is lifting her head to speak. Totally normal now. Whew. ]

[ Would you look at that, darts is right nearby!!!!!!

Instead of verbally agreeing, he just beckons her with a nod of his head in that direction, gaze lingering on the way her head pops over the giant dog. ]

You said you were good at aiming, but how'd you get good at it, anyway?

Volleyball. I used to play on a team. [ proudly. Like, maybe her time as a Master has had her refine it, but all the same. ]

You'd be surprised how much aiming you actually have to do in a game.

[ But she's moving over towards darts now, dog held securely in her arms. ]

Hah, so you're a sporty girl.

[ You know what, that fits in with her sense of style and general... everything.

Sports and me don't mix so much. I hate exercising...

[ Getting up to shenanigans is one thing, but running on purpose? Playing sports??? It'll ruin his luscious locks. :( When they get to the front of the darts stall, he's already fished out his pass again. ]

Games like this are way more fun.

Okay, so no chance of Josuke popping up on the court. Got it.

[ She didn't really expect it that much. ]

I kind of feel like you end up staying active, anyway. So what are we winning for you on this one?

[ End up staying active by getting into ridiculous Stand shenans, maybe... ]

Hmm... maybe this one?

[ There's another doggy plush with gingerish fur, though this one's got folded ears. It's got a little heart for a nose and heart paw beans. 🥺 ]

If that one's supposed to be me, [ He points at the big cute purple dog in her hands. ur not slick ritsuka... ] Then this one is definitely you.

Wow, who said this was supposed to be you? Inusuke is his own person!

... Dog!

[ Loftily. ]

Inusuke?

[ UNAMUSED LOOK AT HER LOFTINESS ]

Right, and that one is Inutsuka. Her own "dog."

[ He is getting their darts from the attendant, getting ready to throw one already. She got to go first last time, so now he's about to. ]

week two | dates

ritsuka & josuke

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)