Winter Faire

[voidtreckermods]

”Shortly arriving in World#5562102022. The dressing carriage is open for your convenience.” The announcement might be unexpected so late in the month, but soon enough further information arrives on their SCA’s.

World#5562102022: Home of the famous Winter Faire. Voidtreckers may spend the evening here. Please remember your Snowcoins. Enjoy.

The dressing carriage is open for characters to choose from an array of winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves. There are also ice skates in a variety of sizes and shapes, suitable for all passengers.

THE PLAZA

The Express comes to rest in a station roofed by sheets of ice. Streamers of light run up and along the arches overhead, sending flashes of colour through the structure at intervals. A wooden path leads through stands of sparkling trees to the faire proper.

The faire is a large one, mostly made up of a large market of wooden huts. The market is held outside; while it's dark when they arrive, there are floating lights twinkling in the darkness that illuminate the area. There is snow on the ground and a light flurry in the air, the perfect amount of snow to be atmospheric without anyone being too damp or cold.

There are both ice paths and ordinary wooden paths through the market. In the centre of the market there is a large ferris wheel, where guests can sit in glass bubbles filled with soft cushions and blankets as they view the snowy market from above.

THE ICE RINK

There are two large ice rinks, and ice paths weave through the market, with many of the eateries having 'ice gardens' where skaters can rest and drink before continuing their skating. Wooden railings run through the middle of the ice paths, both to form two one-way lanes, and to give new or wobbly skaters something to hold onto. 

There are benches at the entrance to the large ice rinks for people to change into their ice skates and cubbies for them to store their shoes; the ice paths connect to both rinks. There are also skate aids for those that need them, carved wooden animals to hold onto and push along the ice for balance. An animal that looks like a furred penguin dominates.

THE SLEDDING SLOPE

To the north of the market, there is a snowy field with a hill perfect for sledging, and sleds to borrow for any who want them. 

The whole field is deep with snow, with a well trodden path leading up the hill and sledding tracks leading down. To the side of the slope are snowpeople and snow animals, some better built than others, and plenty of snow to add to this collection.

THE WOODLAND ENCLOSURES

To the south there is a small woodland where a member of staff will allow guests through with warnings to be peaceful and not disturb the creatures. 

The trees are bare of leaves and white with snow, some with frost forming crystal snowflakes on the branches. There are indeed woodland creatures within the woodlands: deer, rabbits, strange white pompom-looking creatures. They are comfortable with people, and won't flee.

THE FERRIS WHEEL

In the centre of the market there is a large ferris wheel allowing guests to sit in glass bubbles filled with soft cushions and blankets as they view the snowy market from above. The ferris wheel moves slowly, allowing plenty of time to take in the view and enjoy the company, the soft seating, or both.

Bubbles can fit up to 6 people, though the attendants will allow groups from single guests up to six. The glass can be made one-way, so that guests cannot be viewed from outside.

THE MARKET

All the activities in the faire are free.  Everything in the market, from a mug of beer to a blown glass ornament costs one snowcoin, the snowflake tokens that passengers received on station day. Each passenger has ten to spend.

FOOD STALLS

The actual market sells drinks: hot chocolate, mulled wine, beer, spiced apple juice and cider amongst some more alien picks like a bright pink concoction that is delicious but very alcoholic; food: sausages, bread, cakes, roasted chestnuts, candied nuts, stroopwafel and a whole collection of unrecognisable but delicious things.

All are available to take out, though many of them also have a bar area where shoppers can sit, drink and people watch.

SHOPPING

The stalls don't sell much that would be considered useful, but are filled with trinkets, decorations, cute hats and other clothing, sweets, glassware, jewellery, toys… and much much more.

After a good few hours in the market, things are beginning to wind down and stalls start to close. The Voidtreckers will receive a message on their SCA telling them it is time to return to the Express. Once all passengers are on board the train will leave the ice-covered station and return back to the Void.

Comments

[deductiongeek]

He sighs and glances down.

"No. I wanted.... But it doesn't always work out that way. Sometimes it was an accident. Others... Someone was in danger and I needed to be myself to help." A slight flush of embarrassment. "London was because of my passport. I actually used up my return dose to talk to you."

A grimace. "A permanent cure. And it won't be safe to use that and return to being myself until I can bring down the organization."

[singlefaith]

"You're so reckless, Shinichi," she says softly at his admission. After all, he's just confessed that he went through this to come to London, that he'd used a return dose to talk to her. As much as she wanted London, as much as what happened there means so much to her, knowing what she knows now, it was brash. Risky. Even potentially foolish.

Even softer, "But you still manage to be the bravest person I know."

Pressing her lips together briefly, "Where does a permanent cure come from? And why does it matter if you take it later, even if it did exist now? It would be a lot easier if you did it as yourself, wouldn't it?"

[deductiongeek]

He flushes a little at that, a mix of embarrassment and pride.

"Sometimes recklessness works out."

A shake of his head. "I told you. The Organization thinks I'm dead. If Shinichi Kudo was known to have returned, that could get their attention. When I do return, I have to be ready to move against them. Or they could come after me. And that would lead them to everyone else." He is silent for a moment. "There is someone helping me with that. But that is one of the things I can't tell you, because that isn't only my secret to share."

[singlefaith]

Having him refuse an answer with all that lies between them is challenging, and she looks away, pressing her lips together, trying to sort through the emotions that seep through as a result. Tries to answer with logic and not just raw emotion.

"I don't . . . want there to be walls of secrets in between us, Shinichi. That makes me worry about how many there are when I'm trying to trust you."

[deductiongeek]

He sighs.

"I know, and I wish I could tell you everything. But you know how investigations are, and even more so for ones this dangerous. Everything about myself, I will tell you. But there are some things that I can't tell anyone. I told you before, I won't lie to you about them, but I will tell you when there is something I can't tell you."

[singlefaith]

A nod, small. It's something she knows, not an answer that she didn't expect. But she's still trying to navigate this strange new world that she's suddenly been plunged into. She needs him to be the steady spot in it in order to have any sense of security.

"Why did you use a temporary cure this time? And why not before?

[deductiongeek]

"This time was definitely an accident. When I started changing this morning it was a complete surprise."

[singlefaith]

"This morning" could have been at any time, and Ran assumes it means after he woke up -- hours after she'd given him the pill and sent him to bed. She still believes it was a sleeping pill, no more.

"What caused it?"

[deductiongeek]

Shinichi sighs. He'd hoped to spare her this revelation. But he fixes his gaze on her.

"I only took one drug last night, Ran."

[singlefaith]

In all fairness, "antidote" could have been something other than a drug. And one tiny pill, meant to induce sleep, something that Ran had been so certain was safe, was not something that she'd jumped to.

She stares at him across the short distance between them, utterly still. Her voice emerges only as a whisper. ". . . I did it."

Two bright spots of color seep into each cheek. "I did this to you . . ."

[deductiongeek]

"It wasn't your fault," he immediately insists. "You didn't know. If anything it was my fault for taking it."

[singlefaith]

"I still gave it to you!" The spots of color are definitely deepening, and she shakes her head, hard, as the realization stabs into her. "I took it from Ai-chan's pillbox, and I thought I knew what it was because it looked like Dad's, but it's not like it was labelled, and it was dark, and--"

"It was stupid -- what if I'd hurt you?"

Remembering the transformation, going still again: ". . . I did hurt you."

[deductiongeek]

He struggles up halfway to his feet and crawls closer to her.

"Ran, no! It wasn't your fault. And it wasn't as bad as you think. I've had to go through that lots of times, so I'm used to going through that by now."

[singlefaith]

She doesn't pull away from this time as he comes. "Mou, Shinichi, that doesn't make it better, you know!"

The only real positive here is that at least she knows he has gone through the transformation before; she's seen the aftereffects without realizing it. However, that doesn't mean she wants to have caused it.

Those bright spots have turned into a full flush. "I'm sorry. Shinichi has every right to be angry at me for that. I was trying to help--"

She shakes her head quickly, cutting herself off. "No, that's an excuse. I was frustrated, and it was stupid, and I'm sorry."

[deductiongeek]

"You were trying to help me," he points out as he reaches out for her hand. "How can I be angry at your for that? Plus it gave me a few hours as myself. I don't get that very often."

[singlefaith]

This feels strange, admittedly, just as his voice does -- Shinichi's tones, words, inflections imbedded in Conan's voice . . . albeit a lower timbre than he generally uses. This is Shinichi's intention in the form of Conan's hand -- too small, delicate, not the the long fingers and firm grip that she's used to.

It's still his, she reminds herself, and allows it, fingers threading through his in return. Shinichi, not Conan.

Her lips press together again. At least he doesn't sound angry -- though again, he'd have every right to be. "It must . . . have been a shock."

[deductiongeek]

And now his gaze drops in remembered pain. "It always is," he says softly. "No matter how many times I change. And it never lasts long enough."

[singlefaith]

"I'm sorry," she murmurs again, and squeezes the hand that he's given her.

(Again, so small . . .)

He's small too in the snow . . . His clothes, now far too large for him, have dragged partially out behind him. As Conan or Shinichi, confident in his skin, he would never look as he does in that moment -- vulnerable, fragile. Lost.

Softly, "Let's go inside. We can get food and clothes and finish talking there. Before you catch cold."

[deductiongeek]

He nods and squeezes back.

"Yeah... Sounds like a good plan." He winces a little. "The last thing I need is another cold."

[singlefaith]

Glancing back to the clothes trailed through the snow again, "Maybe . . . it would be best if I carried you."

And yes, the immediate start of a flush. With Conan, she wouldn't have thought twice about it -- would possibly have even just scooped him up without even presenting it. But the thought of just who she's carrying . . .

Quickly, in case he thinks poorly of it: "Shinichi isn't going to be able to walk through snow with shoes that don't fit and pants that are too long."

[deductiongeek]

He stares down at his vastly oversized clothes and the deep snow.

"You have a point." It was a little humiliating to think of needing to be carried now that she knew. On the other hand, he'd gotten used to not having much dignity left in this area. He'd spent most of the past year being constantly picked up and carried.

[singlefaith]

Only when necessary! Or when watching a horror movie.

Gently releasing his hand, she pushes herself to her feet, wincing slightly at the cold stiffness of her limbs that she hadn't noticed before. Collecting his shoes allows her to hide her flush. "Mm, keep the coat around you . . . but maybe pull your socks up and the legs of your pants over your feet? That should at least keep them a little warmer."

Shoes collected, she holds them out for him to hold onto and bends down for him to get onto her back.

. . . Maybe a little less embarrassing for them both than her carrying him in her arms.

[deductiongeek]

He crouches down to do as she'd suggested. With how wet the ends of the pants and the socks were it didn't help much, but it was better than nothing. He blinks a little as he takes the shoes from her, finally realizing that Ran was feeling a little awkward about this, and decides to make this as easy as possible on her.

Carefully, he climbs on her back and wraps his arms around her shoulders.

"Is this comfortable?"

[singlefaith]

"Mm-hm." She's still flushed, but at least she's facing the other way, and he doesn't have to see. Easing out of the crouch, she tests his weight, adjusting her arms and hands slightly under his legs. "It's okay for me. You?"

[deductiongeek]

"Mmm." It was different, knowing that she knew. But familiar at the same time.

"I'm ready to go back if you are."