lostcarnival | ⇨ HOME AGAIN

Entry tags:

⇨ HOME AGAIN

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...

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Lapis would like to think it was absolutely her purring that helped, and she absolutely wont hear otherwise, even if it's weird.

She's honestly overjoyed once Peridot does wake up, and she lifts herself off of her, the rumbling purrs only picking up their pace, and ever present as she speaks.

"Peridot! You're awake!"

Maybe they did, Lapis. Maybe they did.

"Wh... Was I asleep?" she asks confusedly, even though the answer is obvious because it literally just happened? "Why in the stars would I ever be--"

As she's talking, she finally gets a good look at her surroundings. She's in her trailer...? That's where she should be, yet why does she feel like she had been afraid she'd never get back here--

Peridot sucks in a breath. "Lapis!!!"

"You were asleep for a few days, I was-" worried, but Lapis moves on to something else because she's not gonna just say that outright. She's also not moving from on top of Peridot because she's gotta be gross and purr on her.

Pumpkin helps by barking and whining and pawing at Peridot because she's relieved too.

"I didn't know how long it'd take for you to wake up." Which is a great excuse to play hookie, but don't tell the Ring Master. "We rescued you, you're safe now."

"Right," Peridot says incredulously, staring at pumpkin a moment before scooping her up. "I was stolen... By those stupid vampires, I remember now!" she says loudly. This is... Perplexing, and a lot to take in at once. She somehow manages to sit up, despite Lapis' insistence on being a shitty cat, and glances up at her next.

"You guys... You came after me?" Peridot gurgles. She's looking kinda teary eyed and it's gross.

"I couldn't really use my powers since it was too dry there and there was lava everywhere, but I did stab some of them for you with that sword." While Steven and Amethyst weren't present because that PROBABLY would have made moral issues arise. It's a good thing Lapis flew off ahead, honestly.

"But yes, we came after you."

"You guys," she says again. And then she actually sniffles? Call the police.

She's gonna. Sprawl forward now, and give Lapis a clumsy hug around the waist, bleeping affectionately. "Wow, thanks," Peridot gurgles, squeezing her roommate and their weird gourd dog both tight. SHE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT TIRED, AND DELIRIOUS.

Absolutely disgusting, honestly.

And Lapis is sort of eating it up? Because she's been without Peridot for a WHOLE ENTIRE THREE DAYS worried sick about her? Lapis raises one hand and pats her on the back gently. Pat pat.

"You would have come for us, it's the least we could do."

"Yeah... I would have," Peridot laughs, still sniffly. "Which it's a good thing that didn't happen, because APPARENTLY, despite my best efforts, I'm still completely useless at defending myself, or anyone else for that matter!"

This is all said in a completely cheery, bright tone of voice that makes her sound just slightly unhinged? But it's fine. She's fine.

"I wasn't all that useful either?" And she's the super powered terraformer, so. "Amethyst ended up destabilizing me." And she's still nursing a grudge, and it's a little apparent by the way she says that.

"I wouldn't worry about it."

Oh shit. Amethyst. She knew she'd forgotten something important...

Peridot sits up a little. She's still smiling, but her eye is also twitching slightly now?

"Oh, but you don't understand, Lapis. See, I could have just gone home after my last contract! I stayed here, for the specific purpose of getting my powers mastered after the last time those stupid vampires attacked us! I thought, gee, wouldn't it be great if I went outside my intended function a little so I have something else amazing to contribute when I finally go home? I also stayed here so I could continue to "goof off" with Amethyst! But apparently that was all just a huge waste of time, because as it turns out, I still couldn't beat a single one of those vampires, and now Amethyst doesn't even want to have anything to do with me anymore! So logically, it was all just completely pointless."

Just expending the effort of sounding that upbeat and cheery is just exhausting all over again. Peridot pauses a moment, wobbles, and then the grin kind of slides off her face, and she lays back down with her head on Lapis' lap.

"I think I'd like to go back to sleep now," she gurgles.

Lapis makes a face, and her purring slows, but it doesn't actually stop. "I think it's great you did that, though." It's really cool that Peridot went outside of her intended function? Lapis wouldn't, but she's glad for Peridot though. "Besides, if you hadn't stayed I would have only had Steven here with me." Not that thats a bad thing, because it absolutely isn't, but she doesn't actually spend 24/7 with Steven like she does with Peridot.

"Yeah. I guess..." She curls up in a little ball, swishing her tail up in front of her. She is absolutely just snuggling right up on Lapis' lap. "Steven's pretty great, but he's not quite as great as me. Even if I do suck at trying new things..."

Well, Lapis would disagree, but Peridot is at least a close second, because no one is better than Steven. That's... probably not what Peridot really needs to hear about right now, though? So for once instead of making a smart comment, Lapis shuts her trap.

And continues patting Peridot as she tries to find something more helpful to say. "Everyone sucks at new things." Is the best she can come up with. "Besides, you got used to earth and this place a lot faster than me, and that's a new thing."

Honestly when the RM said she was human she's lucky Lapis didn't murder the shit out of her? It's probably a good thing that Peridot and Steven are her moral compasses, because whoa boy.

"I guess that's true too," Peridot sighs, though she doesn't sound totally convinced that the two things are at all comparable.

"So... how did you guys find me, anyway?"

"I found you." She may have just puffed up a little when she says that? Like she's proud or something, weirdo. "I just looked everywhere for you, I didn't know where they'd taken you or anything."

Lapis you're making her get kind of choked up again. "Aw, Lazuliiii..." Earth friendship is so beautiful? She can barely stand it.

"I don't even remember where they took me," she admits, rubbing the side of her head thoughtfully, frowning. "Everything's kind of a blur after the first few hours."

What do you mean friendship?? She thought they were smooch buddies now??

"Well, the important thing is that you're back and safe now."

Well yeah OK that too.

"Yeah," Peridot says distractedly; she can't help but to try and fill in some of the black holes in her memory, but every time she tries this horrible sense of dread starts to creep over her.

She shakes her head and blinks up at Lapis. "Um... Hey... really though, Lapis. Thanks."

She grins, her disgustingly sharp teeth showing. "You don't have to thank me. I'll always come get you if you need me too." Which is a really awkward thing to say, honestly, but here she is, saying it.

Peridot blushes. That smile is so cute? What the fuck. She's so doki for this gem.

Much as she appreciates the sentiment (more than she will ever be able to articulate to Lapis, really), this conversation is getting a little mushy and awkward. She laughs it off with an appreciative snicker.

"Okay, a side note: I know you hate them, but seriously... those teeth are a good look on you," Peridot says, flashing her own sharp little chompers.

"Not a fan is putting it mildly. I'm sure I've probably almost destabilized myself on them." She's being hyperbolic, but it still feels like that. "I've been actually hiding my changes for a bit as I get them." Sort of adapting to them on her own time, but it is exhausting to do.

"You what?" Peridot frowns up at her, mildly concerned. "You mean you've just been. Shapeshifting and holding it? How have you not exhausted yourself?"

And more importantly, what changes have you been hiding from her?

"I take naps." Lapis shrugs, because honestly that is the most logical thing. "And I let it go when no one's around, even if I don't like it." It gives her a bit of a breather too, something that naps can't exactly take care of. Any realistic nap.

"Wait," she says, features scrunching up. "But I've seen your teeth and those webs between your various touch stumps. So what else is different?"

"Oh, um." Lapis moves, so she can put one of her feet into Peridots' lap. Congratulations, you now have a foot. And then that foot shapeshifts in a blue glow, and there's a giant hind paw there, with the same webbing between the toes.

And hidden claws. "These came in pretty recently. It's weird to walk on them."

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