⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 138 - Day 152
Where: The Summerlands
What: The Ringmaster brings the carnival to the Summerlands immediately after being freed from Portland so that everyone can take a fucking nap. Her included.
Warnings: Individually marked! Most likely discussion of torture and trauma in here.

DAYS OF SUMMER↴ You made it! And things are back to normal... more or less. Upon waking, you will be greeted with a clear blue sky and gentle breeze – the carnival has found itself situated between a pair of mountain peaks, with great fields of flowers extending in the distance. In the other direction, you’ll see mountain-top cities and tall waterfalls accenting vast swaths of forest. Some of you will already know this place. It’s the Summerlands. You game here once to rest in safety nearly a year ago, and now you’ve come to rest once again. ► WAKING UP: Shortly after the carnival arrives, the Ringmaster will send out a somewhat cryptic radio message - but her immediate location won't be clear. Whatever items you had on your person at the time the Severing was broken will still be on your person, including whatever clothing. All of the animals and pets of the carnival will have returned to the grounds as well, though they are currently free from their designated living spaces. Things in the carnival will appeared to have naturally aged a month, as if the carnival was been sitting here empty and waiting while everyone was in Portland. The lawn needs mowing. ► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, they will welcome you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but they will not be particularly offended if they are turned down, for now. ► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will mostly enjoy the company of any carnival members that offer it - it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do. ► NEW ARRIVALS: Though the Ringmaster will not be offering much guidance for the first week or so, eventually the carnival will begin running for a few small performance sessions, off and on, as a thank you to their fae hosts. The carnival will also be open to receiving new arrivals during that period, and so there will likely be some newbies to train and get orientated as well.

Comments

bedside visits

[anti_nonsense]

[At some point while resting, Yuya might wake up to find Rita sitting at his bedside, reading a heavy-looking book. She's wearing the tank top and shorts she had on when they first met in Alola, and she looks no worse for wear, though she has a new pair of large, feathered wings awkwardly tucked behind her while she sits.

He might vaguely recall seeing her like this at some point while he was drifting in and out of consciousness over the past couple days. Apparently, she's made a few visits in this short time.]

[hippocarnival]

[For the most part, Yuya isn't an animated sleeper. Any dreams that would shake him about fail to overpower the weakness in his limbs, but as a couple days pass and he begins to have more moments of clarity, he manages to roll into positions that look a lot less "death bed". He's rolled partially on his side this time, one hand clinging to one of his cards and his Portland phone scattered at the edge of the bed.

Somehow he's still in the habit of checking it, even if he knows no more messages are going to come.

Yuya groans softly as he comes too, blinking the bleariness away. He realizes there's something close by, and he looks up at Rita, but it takes his brain a minute to catch up.]

Wh--Ah! [He jerks suddenly with surprise, staring at her.] Rita?

[anti_nonsense]

Oh. You're awake. [Rita, in contrast, is perfectly calm right now. She's not psychologically in the best place these days, but she's had time to process a few things while he was recovering. Also, she just had some quiet reading time to calm herself down. So that's nice.]

I guess you do look a lot less dead than the other day.

[hippocarnival]

I feel less dead. [He lets out a sigh and sinks back against the bed. He stares at the wings on her back for a long minute before glancing to the book instead.]

Uh... how long have you been here?

[anti_nonsense]

[So he does feel better... that's good. It seemed like he was in unbearable pain before. Rita's not going to say she was worried... but she was.]

Don't know. I was reading the whole time. [She's more than halfway through the book, at least.]

[hippocarnival]

[A while...? It seems like it. Even if she doesn't say it, Yuya's still touched that she'd stay by his side while he was recovering. He was prepared to cope with the pain anyway for the chance to go home, but even at the carnival he's not alone. He's got friends that were worth it too.

He smiles.] I'm glad we're back. Are the wings new?

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita glances away when he smiles at her, even if she sort of shares the sentiment.]

Yeah. Unfortunately. [She sighs.] They're a pain in the ass. They just get in the way, and now I can't wear most of my clothes.

[hippocarnival]

Carly can modify them for you. [He moves to sit up slowly and leans against the headboard, because if they're going to talk they might as well be at eye level with each other. Mostly.] Can you fly with them? That'd be cool.

[anti_nonsense]

[Carly...? Someone who works in wardrobe or tailoring, probably.]

I guess. They should be big enough to hold my weight. [But she looks uncertain, or at least, not like someone who thinks it's all that cool.]

[hippocarnival]

You could use the acrobatic equipment to practice!
There's nets for if you fall. [Yuya will just think it's cool for the both of them, then. He's getting a lot more used to drastic physical changes.

Though...] Uh, but are you okay? You know, after everything.

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita looks mildly surprised; she hadn't thought of that. Maybe that would be a safe way to learn... if she decides to make the effort.

She hesitates at his question.]

I'm fine. I'm myself again, or as much as I can be, so... [It doesn't sound like she plans on finishing that sentence. The thought that, even for a short while, she wasn't Rita Mordio, but somebody else, and that if things had gone differently, she could have been like that for the rest of her life... it bothers her.]

I didn't go and get stabbed in the soul, like some people, so there's that.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya puts a hand on his chest as she mentions that, smiling brightly against her ire. It was still worth it, even if he feels a ragged, dull ache from deep within.] Yeah. You're still you and I'm still me.

[No fake memories are going to take that from them, or anything else that was important.] I'm really happy we're back!

[anti_nonsense]

Hmph. Is it that simple to you? Well... whatever. [Rita seems to be hesitating to say something. She taps her finger against the open page of her book, stopping only once she finds the nerve to say it.]

... You were right about the ritual. [This is Rita, actually admitting she was wrong about something. He wasn't just some dumb kid getting in over his head. The ritual was necessary, and Yuya did the right thing, even if Rita didn't like it.]

[hippocarnival]

[It isn't that simple but Yuya's not about to have an identity crisis in front of Rita. So he just laughs it off.]

We got pretty lucky, didn't we? [That Yugo was an Angel with enough power, that he and Yuya were related... that the earth spirit possessed Peridot.

Speaking of.] Have you heard how Peridot is doing?

[anti_nonsense]

[Peridot... Should Rita know how she's doing? She is Rita's supervisor, so maybe she ought to be more attentive...]

Nothing specific. As far as I know, she's been resting, same as you.

[hippocarnival]

[He really just wants to check on her, since it was really impromptu to involve her.] I guess if she was in worse shape we would have heard something? As long as everyone recovers...

[anti_nonsense]

They'll be fine, so long as they don't do anything stupid. [She gives him a sideways glance.] Same goes for you.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya just makes a face at her.] I'm not doing anything stupid.

[... Yet.]

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita will go ahead and say it:] Yet.

Just... be careful. It's when you think you've recovered that you're in the most danger.

[Not that Rita needs to be giving anyone lectures on recklessness, but... it's what Estelle said to her once, when she was in Yuya's position.]

[hippocarnival]

I heard we're somewhere really safe now, so that's not going to be a problem. [He holds up a hand to stop her from countering.] And I know I can't practice or perform until I'm not dizzy. It's fine!

[There's too many people who won't let him until they find him suitably recovered, anyway.]

[anti_nonsense]

[Rita doesn't intend to argue it any further. Instead, she just scoffs.]

Safe? Yeah, right. We're in a fae realm. Summer Court.

[Before Portland, that wouldn't have meant anything to Rita, but now? It sets off a few alarm bells.]

[hippocarnival]

I thought they weren't affiliated with the Portland fae? [Did he hear wrong? Well, that means he's just going to have to check these Summer Fae out for himself, isn't he?]

Nobody's been hurt further since we got here, right?

[anti_nonsense]

So they're not friends. That doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.

[To Rita, it doesn't matter if they haven't hurt anyone. That's not what makes the fae truly dangerous. They can do a lot more than hurt, and it often begins with some kind of deception.]

[hippocarnival]

[This isn't an argument Yuya is going to win, and he's not attached to the fae enough to try and defend them. So he just sighs and lets it go, because thinking about the fae doing anymore damage to the carnival is the last thing he wants to think about right now.]

What book is that? [Is that a blatant subject change? Yes it is.]

[anti_nonsense]

This? [Rita looks back to the book, only now remembering its presence, despite its obvious weight on her lap.]

It's called Thanatologos. It contains just about everything we know about the gods worshiped by the ancient people of Terca Lumireis. [The forced change in subject doesn't go unnoticed, but she doesn't seem to mind.]