#kc_necropolis

"You should be something you aren't. It's carnival. Ok, I am being a bird, but, well..." She flicks her wings.

He sighs. "I never really dressed for Carnivale before. Just kind of kept a mask around me but... Ok." He crosses to put his bag on the table and turns back to her, thinking. "Well... I know that for Samhain we all went as Xmen. Guess the matching costume thing is cheesy for Carnivale?"

"I... I really don't think I want to dress as a fool. Not if I'm not going to be one." He rakes his fingers through his hair and removes the tie-back, resecuring the length. "Granted, that's a bit of an assumption."

"Well.... should we all be jesters? I don't... as a fledge, we all just wanted to be glamorous."

August nods his understanding.

"I think with topsy turvy, we should at least be humble. A sparrow of the field. Maybe a quixotic knight?"

August nods tentatively. "Shaving basin helmet and pike?"

"And the right mask - with whiskers and wrinkles?"

August nods again. "I ... I guess. Sure."

"Yeah, Deryn, that works. That's great, thanks!"

"Don Quixote. Like the movie - the impossible dream, right?"

"That seems very you, I think." She hums a little snippet.

"I don't know what Colton is doing. He said he had a plan..."

He chuckles. "Yes. That's me."

"Colton will come with us." An invitation and an assumption.

"Well, I hope so. He's been doing well, I think. Do you think? He hasn't complained much about school."

August nods. "He should absolutely come." Firmly.

"He should, yes."

After a pause. "Would you care to invite him or shall I?"

"I... he's my squire. I may have just assumed he was planning on Earth Runes... but he might prefer Rivervale."

"He's your squire." August agrees. "He should be where you are."

After a pause. "Now, if you'd rather be at Rivervale, I'm sure we'd understand but... you are Coradel's heir."

A soft sigh. "And the Chancellor."

August nods.

"I don't know what I'm doing, really. Not for this."

"I suppose maybe I should find the Carnival King?"

August sighs. "Join the club." Then, "Work with Shalimar on that, I think."

"Right. I... looking back, at Topeka... I want to make sure we're careful. Responsible."

"It's -Carnivale.-"

"So? We're Liam. Duty matters."

"We need to make sure the King is unharmed."

"If he is drunk and enchanted, he should have a good time..."

"I agree with you 100%, and Coradel has said he'll be well treated. I just meant, you should be able to have fun, too. Was Topeka... very bad, when you were there?"

"Well. I mean, he was obeyed... but... pranked, too. And, like... flirt-pranked? Teased by the women and the men both..."

"I wasn't very comfortable with that."

August nods, introspectively.

"He should have a good time and pleasant memories and not a hair harmed."

"Of course." Firmly.

"So I'll ask Colton what he's up to. He should be able to see the trolls if he wants. They are his kith."

"He's your squire." August repeats. "He should be where you are."

"I don't want to impinge on his fun... not on Carnival."

August raises an eyebrow. "He won't have fun at EarthRunes?"

"Not if he'd prefer Rivervale."

"Well. He's your squire."

August half turns, opening his bag and rooting through it. "I feel like I should get some work done...." He sighs. "Statistics."

"Ew. Sounds.... well. Math-y."

"It is." Glum. "But, gotta take it sometime." He finds something in the bag. "Hey... question for you." He looks at Derynwydd, seriously. "We've talked around this but... what do you want to do, after the summer?"

Her feathers slick down. "Oh. Right."

August watches and waits.

"Well. I mean... the scholarship is for KCAI. But it's only two years, anyway..."