lostcarnival | ⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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.

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At the Carnival, Allen's eye is always keening at him, in some form. That's what comes of being constantly surrounded by people with possessing souls and demonic energies. It's made his senses dull, made it difficult to pinpoint a new cause of the pain behind his left eye. He has a constantly running radar of where every dark-aligned carnival member is at all times. Even once he takes notice of one more dot, it's difficult to tell which is the new one he should track.

To think he had thought it was normal being without it during the lost month he spent in Portland. He almost misses being a changeling. It was much simpler. While the imagined past of Portland wasn't real, his experiences were just as real as anything else he's gone through. It's stuck with him. In the aftermath of everything, he's turned inward to think on the new memories Nea revealed to him nearer the end, masked as his "true" life outside of the amnesiac one. His mother in a wheat field . . . ? And a mansion with all the answers within?

His thoughts were rudely interrupted by the agony of his left eye screaming to life. It's here, it's finally here, kill, kill, kill kill-- With its pupil rolling about wildly, it was completely useless in tracking anything.

He had wasted the 145th day searching for Akuma. The following day, frustrated beyond belief, Allen marches into the Big Top, eyes peeled. He's mostly here to take out his anger on the carnival equipment, but he is also keeping an eye out for whatever possessed undead newbie he'll run into today. His arms full of juggling balls, he's already halfway across the room when he spots him.

Tyki Mikk. Here. In the flesh. And he's probably known Allen was here the entire time.

. . . Tyki will find a juggling ball sailing fast for his head.

Edited (FUCKING CATS) 2017-08-07 02:48 (UTC)

Tyki had offered in the past to take care of a lot of Allen's issues including lopping his arm off to prevent a certain Innocence infused being from following him. The Akuma were drawn to Allen now more than ever. It wasn't just the coat he might where or the Innocence he wore. It was also the Noah now that resided inside of him. Unlike Allen a carnival like this could be a relaxing break. He had no drive to kill humans at the moment nor would he given how the Ringmaster was strict on that policy.

Yet he had felt Allen the moment he joined this carnival. He may not have entered because of him but now that he was here and apart of it he felt Innocence somewhere. It was almost amusing how well the ringmaster had hidden him until he joined. He couldn't hide forever and right now he wasn't hunting him. Allen was special because Akuma could feel Innocence and Noah coming from him and so could he. He knew that eventually he would come to him. All he had to do was wait.

He's not enjoying much at all at the moment as whoever was practicing has moved on and while he has a blind sense of anything flying towards his head, he ignores it. It can't touch him. He won't allow. That is until it just clocks him right in the side of his head causing him to reel to the side. He catches himself on the bench he's sitting on with his hand slapping harshly onto the surface. His other hand instinctively touches the side of his temple with a rub. It's then that he's rising to his feet with a startled expression. That shouldn't have hit him.

He lets his fingers dip into the bench as they phase right there. No, his power was still active. Then why...? Give him a moment. He's a little stunned. "If you wanted my attention that badly you could've just asked, boy."

Oh. Oh, wow. Allen can't help but stare stupidly, shocked himself. He had expected the ball to pass right through Tyki just as much as Tyki had. He knows Tyki noticed him. Did the Ringmaster mess with his irritating Noah abilities?

. . . Oho. Allen's eyes glint sharply, and a devilish grin creeps across his face. It's enough to mellow out the sulking frown Tyki's comment would normally elicit. He chooses to ignore it. Instead, he'll continue the train of thought his juggling ball attack had started.

"It was you yesterday, wasn't it?" Allen says it accusingly, as if Tyki had showed up just to make Allen's life more difficult, and he had planned it exactly as such. "What are you doing here?"

From the look on his face, he honestly thinks Tyki has been following him around, watching him freak out all this time. (And without even saying hello! Rude.) Going by the two blue bioluminescent markings under Allen's right eye and the Innocence-like feathers twitching behind his right ear, he's been here for at least a month or two.

She likely was protecting him from harm and he has a feeling she made sure he couldn't commit a grave crime and get away with it. He's not understanding at the moment what is going on but it'll come to him quickly.

He's reaching down for the ball now lost at his feet and picking it up into his hand. He palms it with the other to test how much he can choose not to touch it and allows his hand to pass through it easily. No, it's not Innocence. Allen hasn't seemed to develop anything new.

Yet it does make him turn and casually start to walk towards Allen. He does look different and he won't be caught off guard with this boy. His own grin slides onto his face as he closes the gap between them with those expensive shoes of his clacking loudly on the big top floor. He wants him to know he's coming. He always does.

"I did arrive yesterday. I felt you almost immediately as soon as I was inducted." His fingers squeeze that ball with a light grip, "I work here now~ Just like you."

Inducted? Such an impersonal way of saying it. Allen has to wonder exactly how Tyki got roped into working at the carnival. He wouldn't choose to be limited in this way, would he?

Never one to back down, Allen stubbornly stands his ground as Tyki stalks toward him with that predatory nature of his. Allen asks with some trepidation, "What's your job?"

The last thing Allen wants is Tyki Mikk working as a mercenary. He has enough problems with the idea of that entire sector. He's not fond of assassins for hire that were forced into the job in the first place. Much less if said assassins enjoy the killing. A carnival shouldn't need soldiers.

Tyki has a certain style of his life. He choose just about everything. Even his power gave a very strong presence of his ability to Choose. It came with every detail from his clothes, his personality, his food, his activities and how circumstances turned out. This was not something he chose for once.

He's close now to the point he could reach out and touch him. Always one to get on his prey's level before dispatching him he would normally stoop down, sit with them or cheerfully have a conversation. Right now Allen was not necessarily prey even if he did want to cram this ball down his throat for throwing it at him. It wasn't his fault it hit. It didn't matter.

"You first," he says with that cheery tone. He knows that if Allen really wants to know he'll give into his game first. If he's that curious then he can toy with him a little longer. He may not be a mercenary but he would've willingly gone with it. His family basically used him as one for many unpleasant things.

Tyki can pretend Allen actually hitting him didn't matter, but he can tell it bothered him. He'll be pocketing that away for later. He won't forget it.

Allen levels a dry, half-lidded expression at Tyki, unimpressed. He knows this game, childish though it is, and it's not like it's something Tyki wouldn't easily find out by just attending performances. So fine, he'll allow it.

"Clown," he says flatly. Go ahead, his eyes say. Laugh. I dare you.

He hates the fact that something was taken from him. Working for the Earl despite the orders always came with that air of freedom. This felt like a violation of his being and it did bother him.

His grin cracks wider only because he wants to laugh and the barking laughter that follows is enough to appease the current tense situation. He may not have seen Allen in that clown outfit but he heard of it from the Akuma and Wisely. "It fits you, boy. I can't wait to see you perform, if you can even call it that."

His temple twitches, and he grins, shark-like. "Thank you."

Allen is used to people taking his side-show as a joke rather than good-ol'-fashioned entertainment; he honestly doesn't care how people view it, as long as it gets him fed and someone enjoys the show. But Tyki's natural abilities somehow make it ten times more irritating.

"What will you be performing as, then?" he prods again. "If you'll even be performing."

His face contorts to something of disappointment. It's no fun if Allen doesn't react.

He does actually want to see his performance. Also he'll see each and every one just so that Allen would know he was always there watching. But yes, he did agree to something here. In order to keep this game going there had to be a back and forth to every game and question he gave. So he answers as calmly as possible as he leans down to rub his hand on top of Allen's head just to get a rise out of him.

"Afraid I got assigned something dangerous? I'm just a Magician," he says to give him some sort of ease. "And a conman," he says to ruin that ease. Conman could take anything. They didn't exactly kill but conning someone out of their life savings or food could be just as deadly.

Despite Allen's best efforts, he can't help but grimace and duck his head like a kid, swatting at Tyki's hand. Allen quite enjoys taking away Tyki's enjoyment by not reacting, but ruffling his hair is just too much. And he was doing so well.

The rise and fall of Allen's face must be a show in and of itself, as happy surprise gives way to dry disappointment. Conman definitely isn't as terrible as he had feared, but in Tyki's hands? It certainly couldn't be good.

"The Ringmaster must have an interesting sense of humor." A job for each of Tyki's sides, both black and white. What has Allen done to deserve this headache? "Has your supervisor given you a guideline for what 'conman' entails?" And what it shouldn't?

He so loves it when he breaks. It's hard not to be pleased by the slightest bit of surrender. Give him even a mile and he'll get comfortable. Had Allen let him continue he would've soon found him leaning against him with his arm over his shoulder and he'd be poking and every little thing.

In a way he already was a conman. He portrayed a high class gentleman to thousands of spectators every day. He held the hand of a lady here and then, smiled at the Baroness of the court. He entered homes as someone of fortune and yet everyone one of them could die at any moment just because they would always let them in their homes. He had far more influence than any dangerous man could.

"That's exactly what I thought. I laughed despite my misfortune." His grin hasn't left his face not even for a moment as he steps forward and leans in to get a better look at what is twitching within his hair, "Not a single word~♥ I heard there wasn't a supervisor that filled that position." Or perhaps it was the fact that it hadn't been announced quite yet. Last he checked there wasn't. "I suppose that leaves me able to do what I wish for now."

Allen scratches at the roots of the two feathers self-consciously, only further irritating the skin there. Both feathers are tangled as if they regularly twist themselves into knots of their own accord. Considering they look like the parasite residing within Allen, maybe they did. The feathers don't feel like Innocence, however. They're only a replication, a parody of the real thing.

With Tyki standing this close, he may notice the edge of a strange symbol on Allen's neck, lilac and murder red notches peeking out from under the collar of Allen's hobo jacket, which is still as dirty as the streets of Portland had made it. As Allen hasn't even glanced in a mirror since the beginning of that mess, he hasn't noticed the new mark.

Allen crosses his arms defensively, unconsciously putting a barrier between Tyki and himself. There is a new Acquisitioner, though Allen doesn't know it. Tyki would have the unhappy fortune to have Childermass as his boss. Poor bastard. As it stands, Allen can only grow more worried at the notion of this particular Noah being left to his own devices.

"You still have to follow the Ringmaster's rules, though," Allen blusters in an attempt to cover his nerves, his eyes hard. "No killing."

Stop doing that. He so wants to touch them now. He can see them tangled around that hair of his. It's why he's leaned in so uncomfortably towards Allen. He's really curious and sometimes Tyki being curious could be a good or bad thing. It's a hard gamble considering how well a person is. Sometimes if someone just let Tyki do something they came out better than him trying to push an issue. Then again, this was Allen and he did openly defy everything about Tyki.

It would look rather awkward if he went about trying to pin Allen down to take a better look at him if anyone came walking in and right now they were alone or as alone as he could sense. He was attuned to human souls. Everything else was off the table.

"Worried I'll do something? I understand given all it would take is for you to let me out of your sight for one second." Because Allen wouldn't let him kill anyone standing right next to him unless it was sudden and without warning.

"No," Allen replies, bluntly confident, though clearly uncomfortable with Tyki's scrutiny. "I believe you're not so careless as to get yourself killed for breaking such a simple rule."

Nevermind that the Ringmaster is currently an egg rather than a terrifying fae of immense power. And definitely don't mind the fact that the rule only refers to fellow carnival workers . . . Allen would rather Tyki think he can't murder anyone at all.

It's probably a pointless endeavor.

Well, she was an egg up until a couple of days ago but Allen doesn't need to know that until he needs to know. Then again his words might give it all away. "I didn't think you looked up to me that much, boy. No, I am not as foolish. Normally I would be."

Except that ball shouldn't have hit him. It means she can likely kill him as well. This was her handiwork after all. She did something to him and later he'll exploit every possibility until he figures out what he can and can't do. He'll ask questions, for scenarios and paint pictures of circumstances she may or may not like. He'll learn everything as he always does. It's just a matter of time. Allen could only hope he didn't learn what he wanted to know.

"Has your Innocence evolved?" he asks calmly as if that wasn't personal. Nor is he bothered by the fact he's further invading his space by reaching out for that tangled bit of feathers in his hair.

Allen swats at Tyki's hand, leaning back just slightly, unintentionally giving Tyki likely exactly what he wants. In Allen's mind, if his feet don't move, he's still holding his ground. "It's the same as ever," he says firmly. Portland has been the first opportunity to fight for his life he's had since arriving at the carnival, and he doesn't exactly want Tyki to know he has only been here for a few months. Crown Clown hasn't had the chance to evolve.

He doesn't think for a moment that Tyki knowing any of that would be dangerous for Allen. He just doesn't want to give him any satisfaction whatsoever. The less teasing he has to endure, the better.

Which is why he doesn't give Tyki's mocking comment on admiration the honor of a verbal response. Not directly, anyway. "Normally you'd be foolish?" A corner of his lips quirks up into a smile, his brow raising. Sounds about right.

"It feels the same," he says calmly as he chooses for Allen not to touch him. Then again, he always has his other hand he could be using. He could always feel Innocence near him and he was more in tune to what Allen's Innocence felt like than any other, "But you have something in your hair and there are different marks on your skin. I know you cheat but have you added lying to your reputation as well, pup?"

He would love the fact that Allen was fresh here as well. It merely meant he didn't know all the rules. Seeming more of a vet would lower Tyki's guard at least enough to make him value any information Allen gave. Allen's mocking question makes his grin widen.

"Rules do not apply to me on a daily basis. They rules bend to me. You of all people should know that. I choose what pleases me. I can follow the Ringmaster's rules but if I decide I want out and there isn't another way other than death, well.... I'd make sure I broke every rule I could. Wouldn't that be worth it?" He, of course, is not ever going to break a rule but his words did have meaning.

The fingers of Allen's right hand self-consciously touch the bioluminescent lines below his right eye. The parasitic feathers twitch involuntarily. He's only frowning slightly when he replies, "This isn't my Innocence. Fae magic changes you. These were the first."

He's going to leave that vague enough to make Tyki wonder what else has changed. Not in an effort to drive him mad, but because he doesn't want to extrapolate on it. He's referring to his changeling form in Portland, but just thinking about that version of himself, the kind of person he was, is embarrassing. The thought flashes clear across his features.

He's not playing with a Poker face today. He's still a little raw. Careless.

Rather than incite a scowl, like one might expect talk of murder would, it only draws Allen's brow together, irritated and sad and bemused all at once. "Your contract should only be for a year. There's so much more you could do here."

He tilts his head now in absolute curiosity as instead of staying right there in front of him face to face he moves. He's now prowling as he stays within reaching distance but walks around Allen to look for any other changes. He's reaching out to touch those twitching feathers again each time they do in fact twitch. He's right, that itself doesn't feel like Innocence.

But that brings up a very good question and his grin is still present as his amused tone filters into his voice, "Then, those aren't creatures that are wandering around as carnival folk. They are human but with changes. I was wondering why there wasn't anyone ordinary around."

It's why he's preying so much. Allen doesn't seem like himself and he knows him almost better than his comrades. He can read his expression easily. Yet like always Allen's expressions bring out the best in Tyki as his grin fades with a small blink, "You mean like an extended vacation? Or are you happy to be rid of me as soon as possible?"

In order to better see the new mark on his neck beyond a few notches and lines, all Tyki would have to do is move his high collar a bit . . . or wait for Allen to shift just right. There are no other physical changes, but he clearly hasn't slept in a while, and he's clearly been living on the streets for a solid month.

"You could think of it as a vacation," Allen answers lightly, his eyes turned to the Big Top's roof in thought. He turns with Tyki, trying to keep his body language and tone casual, make it more like a conversation. Allen doesn't much like being circled in such a predatory way, and he certainly isn't fond of showing Tyki his back. "Or a chance for change."

Allen returns his gaze to Tyki, steadfast and even for a flash of a moment. It's an echo of that hopefully determined hardness in his eyes from the second time they met. "Everyone here is different. Some aren't even human, but everyone is on the same side. Maybe you could make friends."

Whatever storm is brewing in his head, at least he still has those eyes.

Edited (eh yolo) 2017-09-02 05:44 (UTC)

He's working towards that mark now that he's gotten a better look at those twitching feathers even if his fingers were practically begging to touch them. He's dirty and unkempt and he'll learn more about Portland later which will lead him to reflect on how poorly Allen looks.

"Change? Even you cannot be that naive to think that when I go home I may give up on my family and choose not to fight in our hidden little war." He shouldn't be as comfortable as he is with Allen. Those smooth tones and casual body language at least keep Tyki from turning feral. It's enough to calm him into a light conversation instead of that need to fight. "You're more than willing to try. You can't save everyone, boy."

He has no trouble with friends as long as no one makes him out to be someone of a foul nature. He'll be portraying his gentleman guise as long as he can. The longer he lazes here the more human he'll seem himself. "Hmmm."

Allen won't get to rest much because as close as he is it doesn't take much for his hand to shoot out towards Allen's throat. It's not to squeeze or choke but to snatch that high collar and jerk it upwards and towards himself to get a better view. His other hand is already moving, contradictory of his other rougher hand, rather gentle to cup the side of Allen's head so he doesn't strain his neck. "And this is not Innocence either?"

A frown falls flat across Allen's face. "Believe me, I hold no delusions about changing you." His eyes are hooded and unimpressed, and though it reads like Allen's blunt, honest truth, if he would search deeper than the irritation Tyki always stokes in him, he'd remember that's not exactly how he feels.

Of course he wants to save him. He wants to save everyone. And he will keep trying to do so until it kills him, finally. Even wanting a Noah to change sides is ridiculous, realistically, he knows. Still, Allen can't help but remember that man on the train--Tyki's white side.

He wants him to have reasons to not kill. Maybe he won't change, and Allen won't try to make him.

"But I'll--" And just like that, he's cut off as Tyki goes for Allen's throat. His left fist moves instinctively to his throat to avoid being strangled as he realizes too late that that's not the point and Tyki is tugging at his collar. Holding his face, gently. Ugh. He struggles against Tyki's grip, trying to pull back and away and ignoring the shudder that runs up his spine.

"What-- What are you talking about?!" The hell does he mean, Innocence? On his neck? Allen uselessly strains to see, against Tyki's hand and, well, human anatomy in general.

Oh, God. The thought flashes across his face. What is growing out of me now?

The mark, very obviously, isn't Innocence. But it also very obviously is the Musician's Score in a gradient of lilac and red.

"No, you would just rather force the Noah from me and force me to live a normal life." As boring and dull as that would be he does rather enjoy having his Noah and all it provides for him. He would hold no grudge against Allen for doing so but he would occasionally bring it up to toy with him.

Tyki is still bent on the notion that not everyone can be saved and he'll prove that to Allen over and over again. Even Tyki was in too deep. His hatred was too strong. His memory hadn't taken over completely but it was buried deep.

Despite the gently grip on his face he is manhandling his skin with those pretty white gloves with his thumb set firmly into his cheek. He do so love when Allen fights against him. It gives him a better excuse to be a bit more rough and he'll jerk that collar up higher to leave him hanging half by his neck, "You have something here," he continues as his thumb rubs over it with a hard press to see if it smears off or not. He sneers, "I didn't think you would be one to get this kind of tattoo."

His eyes flash a little wickedly, "You know, if you're so eager to look I could rearrange your spine a little so you can see better." It's a threat but not one of promise. He did just say he couldn't kill and he's sure Allen would be in quite a lot of pain, "It's a circle, within another circle, with lines almost like..." He has an inkling of what it is given it is Allen and who he is tied with, "It's that hateful thing."

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

big top!!

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