lostcarnival | ⇨ 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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Sherlock's eyes opened slightly, when he heard the approach. His snake-snout gave him the ability to sense heat, but that was fairly useless as he was in the middle of hot springs and it was basically like tuning into static. Purely visual input would be necessary.

Oh! It was that kid...his memories of the entire week had gone a bit fuzzy, but the events of the party were burned into his mind. His failures didn't want him to forget.

"Erm, hello," he glanced up at the umbrella.

Ah, still a vampire? Pity. He couldn't even enjoy this lovely sun.

Right, well, first things first. He hesitated, forked tongue flicking out as he tried to gather this thoughts.

"I really must apologize for punching you," Sherlock said, his voice contrite. "You're...you're all right now, are you?"

Edited (Mistakes...mistakes everywhere...) 2017-03-23 03:13 (UTC)

Sora, just as awkward as Sherlock, adjusts his umbrella again while he thinks of what to say, only for the other to interrupt him. His eyes widen at the apology, and his eyes snap back to Sherlock.

"Oh, y-yeah, I'm okay now," Sora sputters. "Just, it's me who should be apologizing! Xabat really did a number on you, didn't he? I... I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yeah, he did," Sherlock shrugs and instinctively winces a bit as he shifts in his place. "But it's to be expected. I'll live."

He sinks down a bit more in the water and guestures to the hot springs in general.

"Free physical therapy."

He looked up. "Speaking of cures, you're still a vampire. That getting taken care of?"

Sora sees that wince, but he also sees that Sherlock doesn't really want to talk about it. That's fine.

"I mean, I think so?" Sora replies hesitantly. "I think the Ringmaster said something about it when we got back, but I don't remember. And I haven't heard anything about it since then."

Sherlock's face looks sympathetic. Well, his expression might be rather unreadable because of the whole snake-face thing, but at least his voice sounded sympathetic too.

"I see. Well, I'm sure it'll all get sorted soon. I doubt that the Ringmaster would want many active vampires around here."

He frowned slightly, was that a bit harsh?

Edited 2017-03-24 09:07 (UTC)

"Haha, yeah, I guess so," Sora answers slowly, shifting a bit. "I can't say I blame her, though."

Sora's perfectly aware of how dangerous he is. Heck, he's dangerous normally; who knew what he was capable of now? He's not really eager to find out.

"Erm, well, see, it'll all turn out fine," he stammered, social interaction and apologizing were not things he was all that good at in the first place.

But at least he was doing much better at understanding how emotions worked, how to read other people's, and respond as best as he could.

"Whatever happened to...you know," Sherlock waved a clawed hand in a vague direction. "The vampire that was your sure?

Edited 2017-03-26 23:38 (UTC)

Sora's grip on his umbrella tightens again, and Sherlock can probably tell by looking how tense he suddenly is. He doesn't like talking about Xabat.

"I... I dunno," he quietly replies. "He just kinda... threw me into the pit with everyone else, and I didn't see him afterwards."

"I hope he's dead," Sherlock said, barely suppressing a fanged hiss. He hadn't forgotten the way the fiend treated both himself, but Sora. He'd tried so hard to free him from that--that monster...it was infuriating that he'd been so ineffective.

"Did he harm you in any way, otherwise?"

The detective deduced Sora's body language, and it worried him.

Dead... Sora nods at the statement, but he's not sure how he feels about it. He understands why Sherlock feels that way, but he's not sure he has it in him to wish someone dead. Even at his worst, even in the thick of his hardest battles, he doesn't think he's ever hated anyone enough to wish them dead. Even if he did later go on to defeat them himself.

"No," Sora shakes his head at the question. "I don't think so."

Problem was, he couldn't really remember. Xabat could've smacked him across the face for all he knew, but he didn't remember it. But he did remember how awful he felt, and his heart hurt knowing all the things Xabat made him do.

Something in Sherlock's shoulders relaxed. Well, good then.

At least, he hoped so. Sora might not be able to remember. But it was all he had to go on at least.

Sherlock was many things, but justice was one of his primary motivations, even more than what people would consider law. He'd shot Magnussen in the head--albeit it was in a moment of weakness as he'd run out of options--but someone like Xabat...he disgusted him, and he was a vampire. Sherlock would happily drive a stake through his heart.

"It's probably better to forget about it," the detective looked back up, his usually cold eyes sympathetic. "None of that was your fault, either. You know that, right?"

"I... Yeah."

Honestly, Sora's not sure he believes his own words. He'd been caught off guard in the first place, and that was his fault. And, logically, he knows Xabat was controlling him, he knows his actions weren't his own, but somewhere in the back of his mind there's that niggling fear, that doubt, that maybe if he'd been just a little stronger, a little better, he could've done better. Just like the last time.

But still, he can't think about that. He has to make sure everyone knows he's alright, so he can't be a downer. So he grins at Sherlock and nods, and hopes that's passable until he can smile for real.

Sora wasn't fooling Sherlock Holmes, most certainly.

But Sherlock wasn't going to call him out on it, of course. Sora was clearly trying so very hard. And he could only imagine what actually being a vampire must have done to him. And what he'd done, perhaps even killed.

He was just a kid.

Sherlock's hatred for Xabat burned brighter, coiling in his stomach and making him want to lash out at something, anything, to just destroy to get rid of this awful emotion. He settled for clenching his fists underwater and shaking slightly. He was used to suppressing his emotions, but he'd also learned to accept them as well.

He hoped Xabat suffered horribly before he died.

Another fake smile. "Well. You won't need that silly umbrella for much longer then, and you can enjoy this place," he nodded towards the lake. His voice was artificially bright and cheery.

"Yeah!" Sora chirps in reply, relieved for the change in subject. "I wanna go swimming as soon as I can. And the umbrella keeps almost flying away."

Sora's smile widens, showing off his fangs. At least Sherlock seems cool with everything.

"That's the spirit," Sherlock said, trying to match his enthusiasm. "You'll be swimming in no time. The lake looks quite inviting."

He patted the edge of the rocks he was leaning on. "And these hot springs are good for relaxation."

Definitely good to change the subject.

⇨ HOME AGAIN

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Sherlock can probably see right through him lmao

Pretty much yep XD

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