⇨ HOME AGAIN

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone!
When: Day 68 - Day 72
Where: Carnival grounds.
What: Everyone makes it back to the carnival after their adventure in hell. The Ringmaster makes a new lake to celebrate, apparently.
Warnings: A notable absence of torture.

TO HELL AND BACK↴ The rescuers and the liberated captives will emerge from the portal like bats out of hell. Much like their previous return, this arrival will be met with a flurry of medical activity as everyone gets their injuries seen to, particularly those that had been held prisoner within Morningstar's hell fortress. It will still be night when they arrive, and the rest of Day 68 will be clouded over completely, for the benefit of the new vampires as they get settled in. After the immediate panic is dealt with, the Ringmaster will disappear into the forest until the morning of Day 69. It will be raining off and on during her absence. ► RECOVERY: Unlike the last time, the Ringmaster will be supplying the carnival workers with some healing potions from her private hoard, given that most of the healers are already wounded or spent. Damage caused by iron poisoning will not be cured by healing magic or healing items though, unfortunately, and those who have spent a lot of time in contact with iron will take at least a week to fully recover. However, regular healing remedies like bandages and herbs may help speed things along if the patient is suited to them. ► A BRAND NEW LAKE: On the morning of Day 69, the Ringmaster will return the forest to announce that she's built a new lake into the carnival grounds, only a short trail's distance from the backyard. Unlike most of the forest, this area won't just lead you in circles when explored, meaning that it can actually be modified and developed as the workers see fit. The water is always clean and just the right temperature for swimming, though it gets a bit cooler the deeper you swim. At the far side of the lake, there is a warm, stone pathway leading up the side of the mountain, that will eventually take you to some bangin' hot springs. Brought to you mostly because the Ringmaster doesn't know how to say sorry with actual words. At least it gives you something to play with while you try to shake off the trauma. ► FRUITS OF VICTORY: On Day 70, all the workers who came to hell for the rescue mission will be given a gift from the Ringmaster. Each of them will receive a bright green, glowing seed, about the size of your thumbnail. She will tell you that, when planted, the seeds will swiftly grow into a small citrus tree, which will grow fruits with regenerative properties. More details about these plants will be written up in a separate post, but for now your characters can ogle them and decide if they are going to plant them or not. ► TAKE ME TO CHURCH: Staring on Day 71, the Ringmaster will be starting to work on removing the vampirism from those infected with it, which apparently involves a lot of... meditation? She will take the newbie vampires out into a shady area of the forest and encourage them to look inside themselves and attempt to separate themselves spiritually from their demonic beasts. How well you character masters her teachings over time will determine whether or not she is ultimately capable of stripping out your demon soul and returning you to life. Of course, not all demons are made equal, and some will be more difficult to separate than others...

Comments

Peridoodle | OTA

[periphrasing]

A.

Pretty much the instant after the mind control had been lifted, Peridot had passed out.

It was likely a sort of disturbing affair to witness; one minute she was awake and snarling, struggling against the bindings that Amethyst and Steven had gotten around the uncooperative gem, and then the next? Bam. Out like a light, slumped over in a heap.

Her physical form was still intact, and there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her... Odds are, it hadn't taken a doctor to figure out that she just desperately needed to rest. Having someone else in her mind like that for such a prolonged period of time had left her defeated, spent, and the second that connection was severed, she'd basically no choice but to shut down for a while.

Given that she is in no danger otherwise, she's been left to sleep in her trailer and allowed to wake up in her own time. It's probably strange, though, seeing someone who is otherwise typically such a bastion of unstoppable hyperactive energy sleeping for multiple days without waking for even a single moment. During that time, Peridot has kept on snoozing hard, curled up with her head on her arms and her tail dangling off the side of the bed. Like a good dog, Pumpkin joins her from time to time, snuggling up to keep her company.

Sometime in the afternoon on the third straight day of this, she finally stirs, groaning and blinking blearily.

She's still not totally recovered, nor does she feel particularly compelled to get out of bed immediately. The mental exhaustion she's suffering from is still prevalent, not to mention the physical exhaustion from the exposure to so much iron... But she is awake, and alive, and once the word spreads, she will be availible to take visitors in her trailer.

She'll... probably need a lot of stuff explained. The whole incident is mostly a blur.

--

B.

On day 72, Peridot can also be found exploring the new lake area. She still seems rather uncharacteristically fatigued, but she is at least up and about and around the grounds once more, which is a good step forward.

Honestly, she could probably do with a trip to the hot springs, if you're inclined to pitch the idea to her.

A

[mirrortide]

Lapis is naturally a bit of a defeatist, and a pessimistic one at that. She knows what it's like to just... Shut Down for awhile, to take time to recover and recuperate after you've been locked away. Even more so when it's in your own mind.

That doesn't mean she likes it though. She relies on the energy that Peridot brings into her life no matter how she no sells it sometimes, and seeing the other Gem sleep like this when she'd normally be loud and energetic about something makes Lapis feel weird. She doesn't like it at all, but she knows that rest is a pretty important thing for someone who's been through a lot.

Combined with her weird new habits, she more or less drapes herself over Peridot and purrs. No, she doesn't know why, but she feels like maybe it should make her feel better? Pumpkin is curled up against Peridot as well.

Jonathan Strange | ota!

[kingsroads]

a: day 68-9, goddamn moron's gonna catch a cold
Normally Strange is the sort to be a little grumpy about rain. After all, any one can do weather magic, it's nothing special, what's so good about rain anyway. However, going from the indoors Celebration to the equally indoors hell dimension has made Strange realize just how much he likes things like 'trees' and 'rain' and 'a nice breeze'. So, he's spending as much time outside as possible. This also means that he's soaking wet due to the fact that it's raining.

He's picked up a couple of healing potions from the Ringmaster and is in theory trying to help but in practice being a bit of a bother. So sorry random people trying to recover or patch up those who need recovery, have a magician in your way. Do you need a bit of the healing potion? What's that sort of herb, do you need more of it grown, he can certainly help out with that. Of course he can make it stop raining around this area for a moment, there's no need to ask!

b: day 71, old habits die hard
Someday Strange will learn not to default to 'creepy spying' as a way to figure things out. Today isn't that day. Because there's something going on with the newbie vampires in the forest and that's interesting so Strange wants to find out what it is (and heaven forbid we do something like talking to people). So, creepy magical spying via his slightly dented and beat-up basin it is.

Strange is sitting on the grass behind his trailer--apparently he still doesn't want to go inside. The basin, filled with water sits next to him as Strange looks in it, frowning slightly as he scribbles down what he sees. As a shadow passes over the basin, Strange doesn't look up but instead grumbles to whoever's come to see just what one of the resident eccentrics is doing,

"You're in my light."

B

[raynos]

"Sorry."

One of the newbie vampires in question shuffles to the side a little until he's no longer obscuring the diffuse light penetrating the cloud cover. He watches Strange blandly for a few long moments.

"What are you doing?"

Ash | OTA

[amusicaladventure]

Day 68

[After kicking ass forward and back through Hell, after the burning anger and righteous excitement all wore off, Ash is -- well, actually pretty manic. The whole thing has left her bouncy, all grins, and of course, musical. So whatever somber event or miserable post-traumatic huddling is going on tends to get interrupted by a jaunty little guitar tune and a catgirl downright skipping through, bringing the music with her voice.]

A fellow came along and tried to knock me flat.
Everybody told me, son you can't fight that,
But whoa I knew I was good.
Wop bob doodly bop, I showed them I could.

A fellow started drumming with a rat-tat-tat.
A fellow told me sonny boy you can't beat that,
But whoa I knew I was good.
And oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I showed them I could.

You know you gotta be someone.
You gotta be strong.
When you got the goods,
You know you can't do anything wrong.

A fellow came along in a big top hat.
Said sonny boy you know you can't top that,
But whoa I knew I was good.
And oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, I showed them I could.

Oh-oh I knew I was good.

Day 69

[So Ash hasn't changed her opinion about the Ringmaster one bit. In fact, this all confirms it: the woman has absolutely no relation to mortal thoughts that anyone can possibly draw. A lake. Honestly.]

[This doesn't stop Ash from enjoying it, though, which means no sooner does the lake pop up than Ash strolls on up there in her bathing suit, a towel slung over her shoulder and a look of delight on her face when she spots it.]

[atouts]

[ Sorry, Ash, some people are eternal critics and Childermass happens to be one of those. Aside from resting, which he finds he's terrible at doing anyway, he's taken to the cookhouse for a little more space and some shelter from the rain outside to have coffee and try and set down some thoughts in one of his little notebooks.

Thoughts thoroughly interrupted by... singing? Really? Looking up, he realizes it's the cat, so, of course, singing, really.

Well, he wasn't getting anything written, anyway, but he'll still comment. ]

Keep that up and someone with a headache may very well try to knock you flat.

[ Not him, but you never know. ]

Sora | ota

[destiny_key]

Day 68-69; Gimme a Break

As soon as the group leaves the hell dimension, whatever was left of Sora's energy is completely gone. He's been on high alert since they were thrown in the neonate pit, hasn't eaten in days, spent all his magic on helping others, got more than his fair share of injuries (which have mostly since healed), and he is exhausted.

Sora wants to help, really he does, but he'll just be in the way in his current state. And so, after some pushing, he goes back to his and Rin's trailer, gets out of his bloody clothes, and passes out for a while.

Day 69-70; What Do

After something to eat (ew), a shower, and a change of clothes, Sora's feeling much more like himself. Or rather, as much like himself as he can. He's totally got this vampire thing under control. Totally.

He can't leave the trailer without an umbrella, but he found one somewhere and is now cheerfully walking around the carnival, chatting to friends, exploring the new lake, and generally doing his job of helping everyone he sees.

He's also on a mission, to find and apologize everyone he turned and everyone that Xabat hurt. It's a decently sized list; better get started.

Day 71; I'LL WORSHIP LIKE A DOG AT THE SHRINE OF YOUR LIES

At even the slightest hint from the Ringmaster about curing the vampirism, Sora comes running. He hates drinking blood and not being able to go out in the sun. It's not a pun when he says being a vampire suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks.

Meditation is... not really what he had in mind for a cure, but he'll take it. It... might take him a while. Give him a break, he's trying his best.

Day 69

[flashover]

A yelping scream and a small burst of blue flame cuts trough the silence of the night in the trailer. Rin is awake, very suddenly, sweat plastering his hair to his forehead and dampening his sheets and bedclothes. His sudden wakefulness is enough to scare the besjeus out of Kuro, who jumps four feet straight up in that ridiculous way that cats do when they're startled.

Rin breathes heavily and throws the covers off so he can get out of bed. He's trying to be quiet, but that scream was probably enough to startle even the deepest sleeper awake.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

Day 68.

The Zecora that walked among the carnival was an absolutely horrific sight. Her tail was gone, with only a bright pus-streaked wound in its place on her hindquarters -- the best it had looked in a while, thanks to the Ringmaster's potions. Another pair of wounds, on the top and bottom of her muzzled, had scabbed over. Her every step was shuddering and tremulous... not just because she was terribly weak, although she very much was, but because her whole body seemed tenebrous and smoky, with faint puffs of dark gas erupting from her body with every step.

She was spending everything she had to keep it together. Literally.

And of course, this being Zecora, her first concern was for the rest of the carnival. whom she moved among, checking on them, offering what help she could to them with her magic. Those who are obviously hurt especially have a zebra pacing their slow way.

Day 71

By now, Zecora had improved immensely, thanks to her own potions and brews. The infection had left her system, her tail was slowly blossoming back to its original length, and her body no longer shook like a leaf in a storm. Though her muzzle wounds were healing far slower, thanks to being inflicted by puncturing iron, nonetheless Zecora felt herself enough that today, for the first time since Atlantis, the medical tent opened for business once again.

day 68, but since last thread's still resolving, gonna keep the lead-up vague? lmk if that's cool!

[whattaprick]

"You're terrible at listening to your own advice," Lambert offered lazily, from where he's currently sitting outside the medical tent. He'd found a turned over crate to perch on and watch the comings and goings of the ill and injured. With iron-inflicted wounds not healing as easily as they should, there was plenty to do that a witcher equipped with two hands, a needle and thread, and an array of poultices could help with where magic couldn't.

One of the downsides to having an assistant the zebra couldn't have foreseen: someone to nag at her to actually take a break, for once.

Hinawa | OTA

[sunflowerfields]

A: Sunburn of the dead

At some point after everyone returns, Hinawa's hands are unbound and she ends up with a healing potion and a complimentary flask of, er, pig's blood. She knows this because she woke up in her trailer the following morning cradling both in her free hands. The potion and the blood combined help to make her feel a little less like a walking corpse (except technically she still IS a walking corpse sooo) and she's able to clean herself up and get dressed. The hunger is still there, but it feels muted, like she has enough willpower to keep it down instead of right beneath her skin like it's been for the last days.

It's nice outside this morning, and in an attempt to feel like a normal, functioning person again, Hinawa heads outside to go to work. The sun on her skin feels...

...Not so good. Terrible, in fact. Burning, even.

With a yelp, Hinawa steps back under an awning. She cautiously sticks her arm out into the sunlight, but pulls it back when the burning feeling returns. How is she supposed to get to the cookhouse now?

"Excuse me!" She calls out to anyone passing by. "Does the sun feel a bit... too hot to you?"

B: Cooking of the dead

When she finally gets to the cookhouse, Hinawa goes straight to work, because otherwise she'll have to stop and think about how real food smells like nothing and tastes like ash on her tongue. She's lugging a sack of rice to the kitchen when it splits open unexpectedly, spilling its contents all over the floor. Now, a normal person would have gone and retrieved a broom and a dustpan, but Hinawa immediately drops to all fours and begins picking up each grain individually and placing it back inside the sack. If you listen carefully you can hear her counting under her breath.

This might take a while.

C: Meditation of the dead

Hinawa sits on a tree stump, her feet planted on the ground and hands draped in her lap. Her eyes are closed.

She can't concentrate because she has to remind herself to breathe.

She tries to follow the instructions. She tries to empty her mind, but it's still invaded by terrible thoughts. I have died. I am a monster. I am an aberration. And then there's the hunger deep inside her, growling and growing stronger.

She places a hand on her chest and feels nothing, still. It's not right, to be walking around with no heartbeat. It goes against nature to not have to breathe. She was starting to accept magic, but this? This is evil, it's wrong.

The Ringmaster said it could be expelled, but Hinawa is starting to lose hope. Maybe it's too late for her. Maybe she's stuck being this abomination forever. A tear rolls down her cheek, and it would've been easy to miss had it not been made of blood.

a!

[kingsroads]

Said passerby is Strange, walking back to his trailer after someone told him no, we're good, your help really isn't needed here, please bother someone else. As he hears Hinawa's voice, he turns towards her. There's something familiar about that woman...something familiar that the magic of the masquerade combined with Strange's own denseness isn't putting together right now. So, at her question, he shakes her head.

"Not entirely," he admits before connecting the dots and ah, wait, she's probably a vampire, no wonder the sun feels hot to her. Strange looks apologetic for a moment before continuing as if he didn't accidentally put his foot in his mouth a little bit. "Of course, if you feel it's too hot, I can easily change that. Weather magic is quite simple—it's one of the first branches of magic I've mastered."

He takes a step back and looks up at the sky before looking back at Hinawa. "Would you like it overcast or rainy?"

Koel Babic | OTA

[cuckooed]

Recuperate

Koel is... she has been better. The position she was given by Lambert helped, but she was hardly in any condition to move, much less cook. She is confined hence to her cabin once she is properly given potion.

It is utterly boring while waiting for her to recover enough to get back to work. That is probably why her door is open. Please, come on in. The company (and updates on the cookhouse's condition) is much appreciated.


Recalibrate

By Day 71, she is well enough to walk. Or, well, limp slowly, pitifully and painfully. The iron's effects are not so easily dispelled no matter how many potions she was given, no doubt the intention of the vampires. But she'd be damned if she didn't help those who were now vampires.

So, walk she does, straight to the cookhouse, several books in hand. It takes forever, and she has to stop many times, but she gets there. Those who come there will find her, looking like a little grandmother once more, quietly looking through each page, folding the corners of pages as she does. The books look like cookbooks, but at least one has very odd, almost satanic symbols on it. Several others look much older, and bounding an unknown type of covering.

She looks up, at the incoming presence. Her voice is like a frog.

"Ah. Just on time. I...need an opinion on something."

Recalibrate

[fragileandsoft]

Now that the kitchen staff is back, there hasn't been any need for Greg to stick around, but he made a habit to pop in and see if they needed any help while those who'd gotten captured stayed in recovery. There wasn't much else he was helpful for in the aftermath.

"Oh! Ahh, sure--what can I help you with?"

Seeing Koel back in the kitchen is a minor surprise and a major relief. She's no spring chicken, after all, so Greg wasn't sure how long it would take for her to get back on her feet.

GONGENZAKA | OTA

[otoko]

[Clouded Thoughts | Day 68]

[On Day 68, Gongenzaka finds his attentions grimly upon the skies above. Once everyone was safely returned to the Carnival, he found himself fortunately among those who did not need as much medical attention-hardly for lack of involvment in the battle, but either way. There were others who needed it more, particularly with his own temporary advantages.

He tries to keep to himself however-he does not return to his trailer, not yet, but instead finds himself staring at the sky, and their clouds....quite aware of why they are there.

It is strange to see the sky like this, particularly during the day. His ears fold back at the thought of the reason why, and the bloodstains over his somewhat ripped ball clothing are a strong reminder on top of it all.]

[Cleared Minds | Day 71]

[Meditation is not what he expected. Gongenzaka listens well to the instructions that the Ringmaster gives however, and the more he listens the more he wonders if perhaps he has done at least a little already-as much as he could, he had meditated in those tunnels. Done all he was able to focus, focus on himself, and his thoughts, and what made him...him. He'd lasted for some time before crumbling under starvation.

Now that he's in no danger of starving, and now that he has more guidance, well...

He sits. He focuses. And he searches deep, deep within with renewed strength, ready to face the demon that has made its home in his soul.]

renzo shima, ota

[perverses]

a. day 69 - 70, recovery

Yeah, after an adventure like that? Shima lasted about five paces away from the return portal, where he summarily dismissed the giant bull-headed demon made of black fire that followed him out of hell (thankfully on their side and totally not a demon from that hell), then proceeded to take the sixth step and immediately collapse from exhaustion. Not... exactly a heroic return. Seriously, seriously not, but you can't win them all, right?

The next time he wakes up will be in the medical tent, a place he is not that thrilled to see but will admit it's a step up from waking up back in vampire hell or somewhere similarly awful. He squints — all three eyes, the third in his forehead having been a parting gift of his Celebration mask — and pushes himself up to sit on the cot someone had dumped him on at some point. Kind of them, yeah?

"Uh," he starts groggily, looking around the tent for anyone else awake or hanging around. The light, even in a dim tent like his one, makes him grimace. A headache as bad as his right now tolerates pretty much nothing. "Please tell me I haven't been out for, like, a week or something."

b. day 71, hot springs, HOTS SPRINGS

Demon-summoning induced headaches aside, Shima is happily accepting a whole lake as an apology from the Ringmaster. Sure, they all almost died and everything was horrible, but! He doesn't really hold grudges. Besides, the lake was great, but when he finds the hot springs?

Well, they aren't technically deep enough to cannonball into, but he will immediately strip to his boxers (typically, he would ditch those, too, but he will at least attempt modesty in case there are girls around, just this once) and leap in with a loud whoop and a huge splash, absolutely disregarding anyone else who may already be in there. So, there's a possibility you are about to get comfortably hot water in the face. There's also a possibility Shima's the first one there and already lounging happily in the springs.

In the case of the latter, he'll offer a cheery wave and a huge grin.

"Water's perfect! You goin' to stand there all day or are you coming in?"

nightrunner hot spring bonding episode i guess

[whattaprick]

Splash goes the water right on Lambert's face, waking him right the hell up where he was starting to nod off (never mind that sleeping in such hot water is a terrible idea in the first place) where the whoop didn't even register. In any case, it nets Shima an immediate reaction:

"Fuck!" He jerks awake, hand automatically reaching for his swords -- except no, he's shirtless and he left one at his trailer and the other melting sadly away into a pit of lava, so that's not going to work. He blinks owlishly at the source of the intrusion, then snorts, leaning back against the rock.

"Oh, it's just you."

Lambert | OTA

[whattaprick]

medical tent

Lambert's skills are entirely useless for dealing with anything seriously life-threatening, unless you want to risk ingesting one of his potions (perhaps luckily for everyone, he's out of those right now anyway). However, if you've got broken bones or iron-inflicted injuries that need addressing, he's got two steady hands and basic medical supplies, and he's set up shop on one end of the medical tent, away from where more grievous injuries are being tended. He's wrapped bandages and a splint around a couple of the fingers on his off-hand, and he has recently-healed-over bites and scratches on his forearms, but he doesn't seem to be moving with any pain.

"What hurts?" is the matter-of-fact question he'll ask anyone peeking into the tent to seek assistance. "If you got turned, I have no idea how to fix that, so you're on your own there." As far as triage goes, it's not the most thorough or even most compassionate effort, but it's a place to start at least?

lakeside & hot springs
Once the lake is in place, it's not terribly long before Lambert can be found standing on its shore, staring out at the clear water with a thoughtful expression and a slightly manic glint in his eye brighter than the sunlight shining off the edges of his newly-acquired golden horns

"Damn, wish I had my boat," he says unprompted. Sorry, random passerby, you're being accosted into conversation now. "I could've gone fishing."

Are there even fish to be had in the lake? Well, that would be the point of getting in a boat and finding out. The Lambert method of fishing, though, is a particularly explosive one, so maybe it's for the best that's not an option right now...

Later, he can be found soaking away his aches in the hot springs -- nearly dozing off in the heat, really, which leaves him sweating and red in the face, but damn does it do a body good, after the workout it's been put through. Submerged to the neck in water, his one grudging concession to modesty has been to keep his breeches on.

"Could have used one of these at Kaer Morhen," he says drowsily, head tipped back enough to rest against the edge of the pool behind him. "Would have made getting our asses kicked worth it." He doesn't seem to have realized he's spoken, caught halfway to slipping off into an unintended nap.

gardening
Lambert doesn't have a boat, but he does have a shovel he scavenged from somewhere, and too much restless energy to burn off at this point. He's taken tent poles and string, using them to stake out a roughly rectangular area beside the lake shore, and he's now attacking the ground like he has a personal vendetta against it, breaking up the soil and turning it over. The recent rains mean the ground is soft, and it leaves his pants and boots streaked with mud, but he doesn't seem to mind.

Eventually, he'll end up with three elevated garden plots and a small, raised mound. The last one is what he digs a hole in with his thumb and drops the glowing seed from the Ringmaster into, using a hand to absently pat the dirt back over it. Task done, he leans on his shovel and surveys his handiwork critically.

"Well, it's a start."

Hot springs

[amusicaladventure]

"TELL me about it," Ash said, more of a groan than anything from where she was submerged up to her neck nearby. Her voice held a distinct rumbling undercurrent of a purr, that continued on even when she wasn't speaking. "This is better than a Jacuzzi, even. What were you getting your ass kicked at Care Morehens for?"

Jamie, OTA

[raynos]

A: Day 68, early morning
Once everyone is home, Jamie just kind of stands around for a little while, at a loss. He's not injured, aside from the whole undead thing; doesn't want to waste time and resources that someone else needs more, and he doesn't want to be poked and prodded right now anyway, so he heads back toward the trailers in a numb haze, unaware of anyone in his path until he nearly runs into them.

He's frayed enough that he wants to snap at them to move, but honestly that would require energy he doesn't have, so he merely mumbles an apology, eyes downcast, stepping aside to let them pass.

B: Day 68 or later
He doesn't realize just how long he's been indoors until he exits his trailer and turns his eyes up to the overcast sky. He needs that sky, in a way he can't understand, and he wanders into the forest as though hypnotized, standing amongst the tall, swaying trees with his head tipped back.

The branches of the forest canopy still make him feel closed in; subconsciously, he's unused to seeing a sky framed by trees, craves the familiarity of the open desert sky, and he feels a stab of frustration and loss at being denied it. The closest thing he can manage now is a higher point of view with fewer obstructions.

So he picks a tree - a smallish one - and tries to figure out how to climb it. He's never actually done so before, though, so after clambering up a rock nearby he just sort of throws himself at the trunk, scrabbles frantically trying to get a grip on it and then falls, landing hard on his back in the dead pine needles and other litter on the forest floor. And right at someone's feet.

He cranes his head back to look at them, upside-down. "I just...wanted to get higher," he says vaguely, as though this explains his current position.

C: Day 71 onward
He didn't know trying to be calm would be so stressful.

Jamie's not given to relaxing easily under the best of circumstances, and the knowledge that being able to do so now means the difference between being a normal person again and spending the rest of his existence with a demon living inside him lends the proceedings an urgency that isn't conducive to attaining the appropriate level of chill.

He moves restlessly around the carnival grounds, trying to find the right setting in which to search his soul, or whatever. These settings may include: behind your trailer, under your trailer, the adjacent seat of a table you just chose to sit at, or your work area. He also might be muttering to himself, less quietly than he thinks he is: "Who am I, who am I, who am I, who am I..."

D: Wildcard

A

[fragileandsoft]

A hand grips Jamie's shoulder, keeping him from stepping too far off. The grip is firm, but gentle, and is accompanied with a breathless and startled voice.

"Jamie."

He'd been dozing off in his trailer before hearing about the returning group, and thought to rush back to the cookhouse--can't heal, can't fight, but can make good on that promise to feed people. He'd sort of assumed everyone would still be holed up in the nurse's tent again, though, instead of wandering around.

"You made it back."

SANS | OTA

[osteothropy]

► EARLY DAY 69 (SEMI-CLOSED):
Usually, when a monster goes unconscious like this, it's because they're already doomed to die. Fallen down is what they called it back home - the end result when a monster has truly given up on living. Usually, they would linger in that half-life for several more days, before finally turning to dust.

In whatever capacity Sans is capable of being aware of his state, it feels like that should be what's happening, too. He's not sure that he could be that upset about it, really. Not on his own behalf. Yet, there's enough residual memory to know that there's still things he has to address, which is enough to drag him back to consciousness. Being awake, though, is dead set on being a bumpy ride.

All he remembers is the haze of the battle before he'd been put down. His leg had been broken, and a sword slammed down through his skull. One of his pack, dusted. He wakes up angry and scared, and whoever is nearby is probably going to get the brunt of it. The moment he regains consciousness, he's trying to pick himself up, his claws tearing into the fabric of his cot.

On the floor around him, Times and New perk up immediately. Times lets out a worried yowl, knowing that this still isn't right.

► DAY 70 ONWARD:
The feelings linger, for a long time after that. As soon as Sans is able to meaningfully get out of bed, he'll vanish from the medical tent, and there's not much anybody can do to stop him with his irritating teleporter ways. He feels a desperate need to be alone, which drives him to avoid his shared trailer or any of the common areas. It's not until Day 70 has rolled around that he lets himself be seen again. To no one's surprise, he doesn't look good.

He puts on one of his bulkier hoodies and stays on the outskirts of where actual people are hanging out. At this point, he doesn't have the energy to even consistently avoid them anymore - he just covers up as much as possible and haunts the lake area looking about as miserable as someone with such a naturally unreadable face can.

Eventually, he teleports himself up to the snowcap of the mountain, past the hot springs, and just sits down in the snow. It feels familiar, and the cold is a pleasant contrast to the fiery hell he was just in. It’s going to be hard to make himself come back down.

Day 70

[fourthscribe]

Tanyuu is a little bit deeper into the wooded area around the lake when she spots Sans. She's sprouted a new addition during her own time hiding in the wild, a pair of antennae that twitch in interest with each knew scent that comes by. When she catches sight of Sans she pauses, one hand against the trunk of a tree, before she smiles in sympathy and slithers over towards him.

"Hello, Sans. Lovely day, isn't it?" Small talk, she thinks, will go over better than excessive concern at the moment.

[dorkypantsuit]

68: Harder.

He'd been unconscious when he was brought back to the carnival. It means waking up back here feel especially unreal to him. His memories of his fight with others are foggy, and he finds most of his memories past leaving the cell with the others are a blur. It feels like a bad dream the details of which he can't remember, and he doesn't examine the memories too closely either. He prefers the blankness, even if it makes it feel like he still is in a dream.

He's still out of it when the potion is forced into his hand. He drinks it without much hesitation, it's just easier to do what he's told. The pain vanishes from his wings as they magically mend themselves, attuned to this type of magic. His horn however isn't something that can be mended, and the brand they'd burned over the fae mark on his pack has already healed over. If he wanted it gone he'd have to cut it out of his skin. It's not worth the effort.

If you happen to see a conscious Psiioniic the day of the rescue, he will seem extremely out of it and dazed. He likely sits himself down somewhere and stares off into space for a while, and if he's walking around he'll likely end up knocking into something.


69: Better.

He's wearing some sweatpants and an oversized shirt that covers his wings. There's an ugly bruise around his neck from his iron collar and some of his skin even looks blistered, as though it were burned. There's similar marks around his wrists. It doesn't occur to him that the sight of the wounds might make someone uncomfortable so he doesn't bother to cover them. He knows he's not fit to be around people, but at the same time he doesn't want to be alone, so he wanders towards wherever people hanging around at the edges of crowded areas, just listening and watching.

Eventually this means he finds his way to the new lake. It's strange to see something so huge where there used to be nothing, and even though he's always been afraid of water he can't help wandering nearer to look at his own reflection in the lake's surface.


71: Stronger.

He hasn't been infected, but despite the weird apathy that's been plaguing him the past few days he finds himself wanting to help. Many of the people who had been turned belonged to his group, and he felt responsible not only for their injuries, but for helping to cure them as well. If he see's someone having difficulty meditating he will come over and try to offer his own help.

"The key is to not think."

day 69

[dontpokethat]

Not too surprisingly, losing over a liter of blood took a lot out of Ginko; for the first few days after the attack, he was pretty much wiped out, spending more time asleep than awake and rarely moving around.

Now, though, he's starting to be up and around more often... and it doesn't take him long to find the lake.

He found not long after leaving Atlantis that the gill slits along his ribs never disappeared the way the rest of his temporary changes did, but that hasn't been particularly relevant lately. Now, though, he's considering testing them out again. He's not fully in the water just yet - just sitting at the edge of the lake, his pants rolled up as he dips his hooves in the cool water.

When he hears someone else approaching, he looks up-- then practically jumps to his feet, his ears flipping upward. That quick of movement turns out not to be the greatest idea, and he wobbles a bit, but he manages to keep his balance as he raises a hand to get Psi's attention.

"--Hey!"

OTA

[control_freak]

A. He's gonna kill that songbird if it doesn't shut up [Day 68-70]

Foster doesn't really "return" so much as he "collapses into his bed and barely moves for at three entire days." Anyone looking for him will have no trouble locating him, drooling into his pillow in a state mostly referred to as "unconscious," but he's just wiped out on every level. Physically. Mentally. Emotionally? Well, maybe not that one.

He didn't feel like this before.

Is it the change? The fact of being rescued?

He's supposed to feel relief. Gratitude. Happiness, freedom, something. But he doesn't feel any of those things. He just feels tired. On the edge of something miserable. It's like having a headache, but instead of his head hurting, it's just... stuffed with exhaustion. He doesn't want to see anyone or speak to them or interact with another living thing ever again. He wants to curl up inside a dark box and spend an eternity there. Every sound from outside--every voice, every singing bird--is an intrusion, and it makes him want to murder.

But that would involve getting out of bed.

Instead, he just goes back to sleep.

B. Give Me That Deathless Death

Foster, seated on the lake's edge--he's rolled up his pyjama pants and tied them below the knee so he can have his feet in the water, but has no inclination to go any further. He's supposed to be attempting to meditate, but...

"I can't do this." He sounds so tired, like he's physically exhausted of being told to try. He can't meditate. This isn't the first time he's been pressed into attempting it. And that was back when he was in better shape. It was tedious and frustrating then, and mostly involved the discovery that he's missing some intangible, essential part. Whatever emotional or personal essence people have that's required for enlightenment or peace or meaning. If he could really explore his 'inner self,' he... well. Honestly. What inner self is he supposed to be looking for? He has the emotional depth of a dead roach. There's no meditating on your inner self if your inner self is totally empty. You can explore an empty room all you want. Surprise! Nothing's there.

If there IS anything deeper inside (coiled in his gut or in the back of his mind, maybe, though how it's hidden, he can't fathom), it would surely be considered every bit as nasty and foul as the demon he's supposing to be extracting.

"Why can't I just do this the old fashioned way?"

C. Underwater? Underwater.

If you can't submerge yourself internally... externally will do.

Foster can't remember if he liked to swim. Maybe he did. Maybe that's why submerging himself held such a strong, instinctive appeal. An unconscious pull--like the tides of the sea, crashing against cliffs, or the currents hidden deep in the ocean's depths. Or maybe it's the desire for death all over again--drowning in darkness, engulfed in a weighted weightlessness. He can't be drowned, of course; vampires aren't alive. But he can still lose himself to the water, can still close his eyes and let his body sink, feel himself weightless and weighted, surrounded and solitary?

It's... freeing.

If he wants to, he can lie on the bottom of the lake, in the sand and rocks, and open his eyes to see the faintest movement of lights on the water's surface.

He's not finding any demons like this.

But it's meditation of a sort.

c, hell yeah let's have more threads

[kingsroads]

That meditation is straight up getting ruined by the fact that the sand and rocks around Foster suddenly start to rise, as if they're magically being lifted up from the bottom of the lake. But in Strange's defense, normally he doesn't need to check whether or not there's somebody on the bottom of the lake before he starts messing with the terrain.

Above the surface of the lake, it's a really quite impressive, as Strange knits the rocks, mud, and sand together to form a small bridge, spanning from one side of the lake towards the other. However, the bridge stops halfway across the lake. Strange frowns from the shore as he looks over at the bridge...and then more rocks and sand and mud shoot up from the bottom of the lake as Strange adds another section to the bridge.

Sorry Foster. This is probably going to keep happening.

RIN the best antichrist | OTA

[flashover]

Day 69: HELLBAT WRANGLING
[Rin hadn’t even been able to walk back to the medical tent and, then, his trailer. No, he had to be carried. He’d been slipping in and out of consciousness since his tail had been yanked back in Hell. His memories were hazy and it all seemed more like some weird dream than anything else. He slept for a good 12 hours and had… disturbing nightmares while he did.

Dreams of lava and shining obsidian; of dragons and giant demons; of himself burning brightly, attacking some sort of skeleton. It was all blurry, though a filter of blue. He found it odd that he couldn’t recall much of Hell after arriving there.

Finally, though, Rin awakens, and he needs some fresh air. The weather matches how he feels, a bit, all cloudy and dreary.

He can be seen walking around the carnival, looking for hellbats. There’s a few following him, their ears low as if scolded. They may not be demons from HIS Hell, but they responded to his power and submitted to it.]

Hey!! You seen any more of these trouble-makers around? I’m roundin’ em all up before they set something on fire. [one of the bats flutters over to a tent and looks tempted to set it ablaze. In glares at it, his pupil going to a slit and glowing bright red and iris burning blue] I said cut it out! [The bat “eep”s and flutters back to the group]

Day 70, 71: LAKE AND HOT SPRINGS
[Rin can be found at the lake and hot springs these days, just relaxing. On day 71, he’s significantly more… subdued. He found out that his horrible nightmares were way more than that.

In the lake, he and Kuro are actively swimming, doing cannonballs into the water and splashing each other. In the hot springs, Rin can be found alone or with Kuro. Sometimes he’s looking at the weird seed that the Ringmaster had gifted him. It looked like a lemon pip, honestly… except glowing. What would it grow into…?]

WILDCARD
[open to suggestions!!]

Day 74ish: CLOSED TO SANS

[flashover]

[Welp. It's been a few days, and considering his nightmares are actually memories, Rin feels the need to... well... he needs to apologize. He needs to at least let Sans know he's sorry for what happened, for how he acted. How he lost control. How he killed his dog. Haaa... Rin couldn't possibly feel more awful than he did.

So he's asked around, and he's finally honed in on the skeleton's current location. With a sullen look on his face, he approaches]

Hey... uh....... Sans? Right? you busy?

Castiel | OTA

[cellphoneangel]

[B - Recovery/Healing] (Any day)

Being healed by an angel is a simple thing on the outside. A touch of two fingertips to a person's forehead, and a warm sensation would speed through a person. That was, outside of the carnival. Inside of it, Castiel's abilities are as limited as anyone else's. What took an instant before could be slowed now depending on the circumstances. For those coming back wounded, he did what he could.

Among the others handing out remedy potions and working what healing arts they had, Castiel is quiet and easily overlooked. The vessel he inhabits is a copy of Jimmy Novak and not exactly the most eye-catching of individuals. A plain tan trench, white shirt, dark slacks - his fashion sense just doesn't change. The rain and time of day/night don't bother him much. Considering he doesn't sleep, there's a good chance of catching him about while the others sleep. Angels were creatures made for battle, and when God made a tireless engine, he crafted things like Castiel. Damn shame no one thought to add empathy into them. Would have saved a lot of pain for humanity all the way around.

He also hasn't stopped just appearing out of nowhere with the speed of thought and a muted wingflap despite everyone's best efforts to explain that it's freaking spooky for someone to just be there. If the Winchesters couldn't convince him of it over years, no one else's chances look all that great.

"If you have a demonic entity, dark force at work or some other evil inside you, now would be the best time to tell me," he says flatly as he waits for the next of the wounded. The possessed, well, they were going to be something else to handle further down the road.


[A Brand New Lake] (Day 69-70)

What angels do have is curiosity, especially when it comes to creation. The Garden had been theirs long before humanity's, and anything new natural forms are sure to attract some attention. Swimming isn't something he does or looks ready for. He's in his usual coat and clothing instead of anything suitable for getting in the water. He crouches down, letting the water flow through his fingers and picking up a small smooth stone to examine. It drops back into the water a few seconds later. It's interesting from his perspective to say the least.

The stone pathway to the hot springs pulls his attention next, walking along it without hurry instead of his usual method of movement. The reflection on the water's surface that follows him fades in and out, gone more than there. The shadow that trails on the ground behind him sports two wings folded behind him. Those fae changes may be part of why he doesn't bare any skin and join the others given the marks that have spread down his shoulders and back towards his ankles. Could be that the idea of swimming is a foreign one to him. Spoilsport celestials.


[Day 71]

Castiel is simply 'around' with not much to do. Were someone tracking his presence, it would be a mix of in the Carnival grounds and outside of them as if he were looking for something in the wider world instead of just here. He's reluctant to leave, can't really with his new responsibilities as a Supervisor. Whatever he's looking for outside of the Carnival hasn't shown itself yet or they're not in the right place/world/dimension yet. Soon enough he gives that up for the day and contents himself with wandering the Carnival grounds.

A flutter of feathers, and he's there, looking into whatever interests him. Angels don't exactly have morals and ethics or even shame, so he's not exactly careful of who's there and what they're doing before putting in an appearance. Could be more popcorn in the kitchens that have drawn him or an odd picture on the wall. A voice raised in a song he hasn't heard before or a spark of magic could be equally to blame. Not as if he's discriminating when he has nothing to do.

He might just be talking to that stray alleycat over there. The holy discoball does that sometimes. The cat probably thinks he's a dumbass like the last one did.

Day 71

[raynos]

What is it about this storage shed that drew Castiel? For Jamie it's just a secluded place to try disentangling his mortal soul from the demon that's also currently residing there. Whatever's so attractive about the shed, there are now two diametrically-opposed supernatural beings inside it, and that is one more than should probably safely be there (and like, one and nine-tenths more than Jamie ever really wanted to deal with).

He registers the sound of wings a split second before his demon freaks the hell out at the sudden angelic presence, and Jamie whirls - fangs bared to the gums, slit-pupiled red eyes glaring, hackles up and a gurgling hiss of fear and hatred rattling from his throat.

"Get - !" Jamie scrabbles away, knocking over disused equipment as he pins himself flat against the far wall. " - back!" His rational mind is horrified at this reaction to someone he thinks he recognizes - Mr. Novak, one of the kitchen staff and someone he'd spoken with briefly during that damned celebration - but the demon, its barbs sunk all throughout the core of his being, snatches him up in its tidal wave of irrational aggression and doesn't let up, snarling and spitting as though the newcomer is threatening to tear his throat out.

Snake (& Emily) | OTA

[ophidiarex]

Day 68

When Snake returns, his first desire is to get back to the trailer he shares with Joker, but he pauses at the door. He can hear them. Heartbeats. Tiny heartbeats. He swallows, frozen with one hand on the door. Can he trust himself with his snakes? Will they be angry? What if he smells different? Will they still listen to him?

In the end, he curls up with Emily against the side of the trailer, unsure of what to do. He can't even get a change of clothes. At least he doesn't sweat anymore. The rain kind of sucks, though...

Day 71+

This is... hard. It's difficult for both Emily and Snake. Having more bestial aspects, more naive minds, has made them easy prey for the demons inside... and made it harder for them to separate than some. Regardless, they're trying, Snake with folded legs under a "borrowed" sun umbrella with Emily curled up next to him. They'd really appreciate any tips, and, thanks to the Ringmaster's flow of animal blood, they're not likely to attack anything with a heartbeat.

Day 71

[fourthscribe]

The lakeside is quiet and peaceful, quite the perfect spot to try and find the peace of mind needed for meditation such as this. But the still surface of the water is abruptly disturbed as Tanyuu surfaces a ways out from the shore. She takes in a deep breath and shakes out her hair, then pauses when she sees Snake and Emily sitting on land.

"Oh! I didn't realize anyone was out this way, I apologize."

Axel | OTA

[small_reservations]

Day 68 - Closed to Yukio

There is one black-cloaked, slightly singed and banged up lump sleeping in trailer #16. There are a couple of healing potions next to him, one drained. He smells like burnt leather and hair, and sweat. He's got horns and hooves and a lizard tail, but is lying face-down so not a lot more can be seen.

And he certainly wasn't here yesterday. Wake him up and make him take a shower, Yukio?

Day 68 - OTA

After meeting his new roommate, Axel's wandering. The mud from the rain feels funny. It never rains here. He doesn't have an umbrella. He ends up pulling up his hood and visiting a few different spots, and chatting with the people there.

"Hey! What're you up to?"

Day 69

However he expected the RM to pay back her workers for this failure of judgement, this was not it. Axel looks over the lake, pondering. He's not sure he's able to swim with his feet being as they are. However, those mountains look promising.

Soon enough he's relaxing in a hot spring, sighing happily. He's just glad to be relaxing after all that. And yes, he's naked; the fur on his legs is solid up to mid-thigh, and is thin to his hips, for the record.

Day 70

A dubious glance; Axel's not sure what to do with this seed. Don't trees need to grow in a pot for a while? He thinks there's a bucket in his trailer...

Which is why he can be found digging a hole and dumping dirt into the bucket. He's not positive this is what he should be doing, but hey, it works.

Day 69

[amusicaladventure]

Hope he didn't want solitude, because it's getting spoiled. Ash hopped into the hot spring without much delicacy, though far enough away that she wouldn't splash anyone with hot water. "Aahhhhhhh," she sighed, a very literal purr evident in her voice, as she began easing the rest of her body down. Definitely not naked, though the bikini was honestly not too far from it. "You know, they had jacuzzis and stuff back in the pleasure dimension, but this is better."

Sherlock Holmes | OTA

[thevictoriandetective]

Day 68

The incredible relief that the rescue was successful was compounded by the clouds and rain.

Living in London, it never used to bother him before. But now...now it was awful. Without the sun he was moody, snappish and lethargic, feeling generally cold and unwilling to leave his covers in the trailer. Which was fine, because he was still ill from the withdrawal and his ribs appreciated the whole 'not moving' thing.

As unfortunate as it was, he needed to leave the trailer and precious warmth for a few miserable errands, not to mention grabbing some food.

If one encounters the bundled up snake-man muttering to himself, drunkenly stumbling through the rain, accidentally falling asleep standing up at several points on his path, it's probably best not to engage him unless absolutely necessary.

Day 70

Sherlock's in the hot springs with no intention of leaving anytime soon. Though, occasionally he's seen sprawled out on some warm rocks, in the sun.

On approach, one would see the green-scaled snake man, wearing a pair of shorts with no shirt, sporting the new changes that made his face look more animal than human, lying back in the water, eyes closed, apparently content. Though it may be a little difficult to tell as human facial expressions didn't translate the best to reptile features.

He's never been one for taking care of his body, much less actually paying attention to it, so it's a bit of a stark contrast for him. Taking care of his 'transport', which he often considered just a vehicle to drive around his precious mind, was something rather new to him. After what Jimmy had pointed out, it only stood to reason that his feral thoughts and instincts would subside the more comfortable and well he felt. At the very least, he'd possibly have more control.

The hot springs and warm rocks did feel fantastic. He supposed he could allow himself these small delights from time to time.

Day 70

[destiny_key]

It's taken a few days for Sora to track down all the people he's looking for. Everyone is tired and upset, and some are even being avoidant, and it's hard to apologize to someone when you can hear their heart beating in their chest.

Still, the sun is shining, even if Sora can't be in it, and it seems like everyone is going to be fine, so there's no reason to be down. He's a man on a mission, he doesn't have time for that!

Finding Sherlock was a bit of an accident. He'd only been wandering down to look at the hot springs, when he found the guy. He only vaguely recognizes him, really, having never met him before that night at the party. Well, no time like the present, right? Sora adjusts his grip on his umbrella, and approaches.

"Um... Hi."

CARLY | OTA

[fortuneglass]

[REST AND RESTORATION | DAY 69]

Mnghhhh....

[The fighting took a lot out of Carly. Aslla Piscu is still silent, and she's so beat that she has to walk instead of hovering around everywhere. It's been such a stressful few days that she's not even bothered thinking about the horn-like look her ears took after that mask fun, not that anyone knowing her beforehand could tell unless they actually poked the things.

Right now however she wants to get to her trailer and sleep. Sleep for a week, maybe even a month, she might be dead but she wants it..!

Except, as she stumbles her way home to the trailers, she has to pause. Is...that...]

....My D-Wheel..?

[When??? What??? She's so beat she just stares blankly at the thing, likely unaware of everything around her.]

[When Life Gives You Tangelos]

[Carly has been taking VERY good care of her tiny tiny seed. She wants to make sure whatever grows grows VERY well, which is why it's currently in a cute little pot that she occasionally waters and now seems to have taken to carrying around like it's a tiny infant. This is a very serious matter, a very special present and she is going to take GOOD. CARE. OF IT.

But hey no one said she couldn't wander around the new lake while she was at it. Pot still in her hands, she peers around from the stone mountain path to see steam rising faintly into the air and the scent of something mineral catching her nose alongside it.

These...THESE..] HOTSPRINGS....

[WHERE DOES SHE PUT BABY TANGELO.....]

R&R

[amusicaladventure]

Hey, roomie.

[Ash flings an arm around Carly's shoulders, an unusual breach of her own personal space rule -- except Carly literally looks like she's going to fall over, and Ash isn't about to let that happen. Rather than putting any weight on the lean, Ash tightens her grip slightly to hold Carly upright a little better. Catgirls are strong.]

You okay there? You look a million miles away.

childermass, ota

[atouts]

screw you guys, he's going camping

Funny. Childermass recalls joking about a lake appearing at random one day, before, and while it's not exactly a random whim of the Ringmaster and more of an awkward attempt at an apology, he likes to think that still counts. With the relative peacefulness of it, tucked away behind the backyard and all its trailers, it also makes a decent spot to wander out to after the sun's set and put together a little campfire, right there on the shore.

Now, the idea of recreational camping isn't one that really exists for him, so that isn't what he's up to when he sets up on the beach and drags a log or two over as either something to sit on or, in his case, lean against. For him, it's just a nice, quiet place to bring his dinner down to and spend an evening puffing away on his pipe, pretending there isn't an entire carnival full of bright lights, bizarre people, and, now, vampires somewhere beyond the trees.

It's fairly easy to spot for anyone wandering down to the lake for their own night-time reasons, too. Seeing how he's made no effort to hide his little campout, chances are he's also not about to turn down anyone who wants to chill by a campfire. He has now, however, brought anything to share, so you're on your own if you want s'mores...

day 72, evening

[whattaprick]

The little solitude Childermass has been able to carve out here just isn't meant to last, unfortunately.

It's nothing too disruptive at first. Splashes of water a little down the way from the lakeshore, like someone might be wading into it for a swim but it's too far away to tell -- nothing he hasn't heard or seen in the last few days he's done this, surely. If he glances over, he might catch someone drawing their hand back, lobbing something into the water, a pale shape in the distance.

What h's certainly not going to miss, however, is the sudden flash of light and a muffled bang when the object hits the mirror-clear surface, sending a surge of water rippling out to the shore, distorting the reflection of the sky, and sending a dull roar of sound echoing across the lake.

susan // ota

[wild_magic]

day 68
Susan, of course, was happy that everyone was safe and back at the Carnival. He was worried about everyone, and would have gone to rescue them if Lauren hadn't been staying behind. But where normally he'd be excited and chatting people's ears off while he tried to help in any way he could, he just can't manage that right now. He hadn't spoken to Lauren the day before at all, and still hadn't today either - it was hard to when every conversation turned into an argument.

And so he still left their trailer to try and see if he could help out, but he's much quieter and less enthusiastic than usual, even as he still tries to use his small amount of first aid knowledge to help others, or help use his magic to get things for people who aren't feeling well. The fact that he still has an ugly bruise wrapped around his neck doesn't faze him at all, as everyone else is clearly in worse shape than he is... Which really isn't okay, but what can he do about it?

day 69
Now, a lake is much more exciting than anything else that's going on, and after finally having a good night's sleep and a much needed talk with his brother, Susan is feeling much more ready to have fun and try exploring the new area. Anyone who knows him can probably still tell he's a bit subdued as he messes around, climbing trees and skipping stones and swimming, but he's just happy to be able to have a larger outside area to play in, something much more like home (not that he minded the weird magical forest, but something more predictable was definitely welcome).

At some point during the day he can be seen near the shore of the lake, his tongue out in concentration as he focuses on a spell with his cat sitting in front of him. He's there for a while (probably the longest anyone has seen him sit still and quietly, honestly), before there's a flash of magic and his cat is replaced with... A turtle. Yep. Apparently that's exactly what he was trying to do, because as soon as it happens Susan grins wide and scoops the little turtle up to go for another swim.

day 70
He still wasn't feeling all the way better, really, but Susan was still at least happy with this whole new outdoor thing, and so he headed out there to explore once again. But there's only so much exploring you can do before even that gets boring, and so he needs to find something else to do...

Which is why anyone out and about may see him, his tunic and cloak in a messy pile next to him as he tries to see if he can fly with his tiny yellow fairy wings. They're clearly too small for him as anyone can see, but that doesn't stop him from trying as hard as he can to lift himself up with them. It's probably a pretty ridiculous sight.

day 70

[kingsroads]

Strange had been sitting underneath a tree, writing something in that little notebook of his when Susan's attempts to fly caught his eye. He spends about thirty seconds or so watching before realizing oh, those wings are flapping and he's not getting anywhere, that explains it. Standing up, Strange stretches as he walks over towards Susan.

Logically, those tiny little wings shouldn't be able to let him fly. However, Strange has weird mirror eyes and they all grew gills that one time, logic doesn't matter. If Susan thinks he can fly then of course he can fly! He probably just needs some help.

"Perhaps you need a bit of a head start? I can call up some wind, maybe that'll help you stay in the air!"

There is no way this will not end badly, or at least end up with both involved looking more ridiculous.

Jimmy Novak - OTA

[empty_vessel]

A Brand New Lake

He needed to calm down. Yes, Castiel was here and he could potentially wreck everything Jimmy'd put together so far, but if Jimmy wasn't careful it had a decent chance to turn into full blown paranoia. And one diagnosis of mental illness was enough for him, thank you.

The hot springs seemed like a good place to try and relax. He'd headed out there with a packed lunch, going to great lengths to avoid the lake and walking the line between the forest and the lake like a tightrope artist. But he's up there, in a pair of repurposed shorts, hat off with horns and ears out (and thankful that he got a matched set, instead of some of the randomness his co-workers have going on), with an assortment of fruit, cheeses, cookies and a few bottles of chilled juice.


Wildcard!

Jimmy's doing his best to be helpful around the Carnival, and take his shifts in the kitchen when he's sure it's safe. Feel free to run into him anywhere.

a witcher and a skeleton goof around by a lake | semi-open

[whattaprick]

for papyrus

It's hard to say how the idea came about in the first place. Perhaps the skeleton needed a distraction from the thought of his injured brother and all the shit they'd seen in hell, perhaps the witcher was just bored out of his fucking skull and couldn't get his incredulity over the idea of skeleton werewolves out of his head. Regardless, one thing's led to another, and here they are, standing by the lakeside.

It's an ideal place for the space they need, and also a good place to douse themselves in case things get out of control again. Lambert standing with his sword out and another hand extended in front of him in a 'ready' stance, but he's mostly watching Papyrus.

"Okay, so how is this ... turns thing supposed to work again?"

for everyone else

As it's hardly a private location by any means, it's all too easy to run into this pair bantering and comparing notes on cross-world combat styles, so peanut gallery's welcome to watch and pipe up with commentary in between demonstrations ... or just admire the action.

day 70ish?

[spaghettimonster]

They have an understanding about surprise fireballs, and that understanding is 'don't sneak up on and surprise Lambert and there won't be any more surprise fireballs', but it's easy to want to tease him about it. Pointing out that they should show off their moves over by the lake is an easy extension from there. But before they get down to the actual showing off, there's some basics to go over. Politeness insists on it.

Papyrus taps at his chin, considering Lambert's question.

"It's such a basic thing, I know you already understand it... Even if you don't know you understand it! It's like, hmmm... Well, like this. We're taking turns now! Who talks at the same time someone else is talking? Rude people, that's who. The rest of us take turns. Talking, then listening, then talking again. Fight turns are the same way!"

Yuugi Mutou | open

[toogoodtoopure]

RECOVERY (partially closed to Chiaki)

[For the moment, when they get back to the carnival, Yuugi doesn't really want to interact with anyone, ears pinned to the back of his head not in fear but rather in just pure exhaustion. The crisp night air is a blessing after being trapped in that pit for even the shortest amount of time he had been, and he rubs the heel of his palm against his cheek, feeling dried blood crust off there. His own or someone else's, he didn't know anymore. He'd lost count of how many he'd killed.

One thing that's changed about him is his face. His nose and mouth have seemingly melded together to make a snout, complete with cold wet black nose, no doubt from the mask that had been part of his masquerade costume. His clothes are in tatters, hanging around the most important parts of his body, but he doesn't feel like shivering. He'll go see a healer in the morning, maybe, but for now he makes his way down the familiar path in the Backyard towards trailer twenty six. Anyone that he spies, he'll greet and chat with, but he's keen to get home and get some sleep.

Yuugi raises a hand to the door and hesitates. The last time he had seen Chiaki...he had a vague memory of asking Psiioniic to take her away from him. He didn't know if she'd seen him lose control, or what happened after, but he's...scared. What will she think of him? His mout dries up and Yuugi swallows, tongue flicking out to lick his lips before he rests his hand on the doorknob and opens their trailer door.]

Chiaki-san...?


Day 71

[He's had time to recover, and to Yuugi that's about as much time as he needs. He hated just laying in bed watching paint dry - it reminds him too much of being in hospital, recovering from bullying or his health deteriorating. It reminded him of that time he almost lost the puzzle, almost lost Atem, and he flexes his fingers, looking at the faded burn scars from the pyramid. They look like raised welts with the grey-black skin he now has, scar tissue, and he runs his fingers along them as he gazes across the water.

It's just cloudy enough that he doesn't mind the sunlight much. If anything, he could get used to this scenery. It's almost...serene, after the struggle of being in the playpen. It almost feels like he can relax, ears flicking atop his head as he tries to make sense of the world now that he can think clearly.

Something snaps, or rustles, though, and he whirls around, hackles raised, ears pinned back against his head and a snarl ripping through his throat before he catches himself, shaking his head looking sheepish, almost sad as his ears flick with his emotions.]

Sorry. Sorry, I... [He clears his throat.] I can't help it sometimes.

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She's been sleeping badly, on and off in short bursts, barely getting up to eat or do anything. She couldn't even bring herself to go with the rescue crew - or maybe she just slept through it. She can't remember.

The soft sound of pawpads approaching the trailer make her ears perk up, and she lies in the dark listening quietly as they get closer. At the voice, she leaps out of bed, hopping for the door, but stops short as she approaches it. She wonders if he's okay. For all that she wants to embrace him immediately, she can't help but feel fear.

She cracks the door open to look, and gives a little gasp - he looks different, because of the muzzle of course, but it's still him. ] Yuugi-kun!

[ Be strong, be strong. But it's overwhelming seeing him again. ] Okaeri...