⇨ 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

[drrdrrdrr]

The flush in Amethyst's cheeks deepens. Part of her likes that! Part of her really really does. It's just...

"What other, uh... Aspects?"

[periphrasing]

She pauses, mouth opening slightly, and then frowns.

"Honestly, that's... the only one I'd really thought of," Peridot says, scratching her head uncomfortably. "Everything's been pretty nice, otherwise."

[drrdrrdrr]

"... Oh," says Amethyst, and bites her lip. "I mean..." She pulls her knees up to her chest. "I guess we could try that."

[periphrasing]

Peridot sits up a little straighter, eyes wide, fixing Amethyst with an incredibly intense stare.

"So... Does this mean we can go back to 'cuddling' now?" she asks slowly.

[drrdrrdrr]

"Hell yeah," says Amethyst, with immense relief. She is so ready to be done talking about this.

[periphrasing]

Peridot flashes a broad, sharp-toothed grin and proceeds to shuffle back over, nestling up against the other gem. Amethyst. Her girlfriend. She can scarcely keep from snickering with triumph, or relief, or maybe both? It doesn't matter. She's gonna press a cheek against her shoulder and wrap her arms around her waist, grinning like a horrid little goblin.

"Full disclosure: I might fall asleep on you," she adds.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst leans into her, letting her legs flop back over the edge of the seat and exhaling with relief. There's a little itch at the back of her mind from the unconfronted certainty that it's not worth it to pursue this when it's going to suck so much to eventually lose it... But short-term laziness ultimately wins over, and she's just glad to not have to be Confronting Feelings any more for the time being. She can just deal with all that later, right.

"Maan," she says, "it's not even like I want to kiss anyone else all that bad, it just kind of happened..."

[periphrasing]

It's funny. Working things out with Amethyst already has her feeling a thousand times better. It has LITERALLY cured her depression.

Peridot cocks her head, blinking up at the other gem briefly. "Ehh, I understand," she says simply. "That party dimension did weird things to all of us. I mean, even I was affected by it! Me! And I don't even like parties!"

[drrdrrdrr]

"Pfft. Didn't you guys just stay in your room the whole time and watch TV?"

[periphrasing]

"Not the whole time," Peridot says, a little indignant. "Steven showed me the pool, and during that time, I achieved COMPLETE and UNQUESTIONED MASTERY over the water slide!" As she talks, her face is kind of sliding down Amethyst's arm veeeeeeeeeerrrrrryyyyy slowly as she relaxes more into her position. "Also, in my defense, that was the first access to Camp Pining Hearts that I've had in over a complete Earth year, so. Obviously, I had to make sure to take advantage of it."

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst snickers. "Yeah, exactly. All of that stuff is just stuff you woulda done normally, ya nerd."

[periphrasing]

Peridot opens her eyes again suddenly and frowns, staring vaguely into the distance. She can't decide if she wants to impart this information or not...

"Well. Not exactly," she says hesitantly. "Um... You know that night that we argued? After you left, I may have kind of... sort of... kissed Lapis? A lot. I kissed Lapis a lot."

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst blinks. That actually... takes a moment to sink in. She shifts in place and looks down at Peridot.

"You – seriously?"

She looks kind of troubled, but also like she's still trying to work out how to respond.

[periphrasing]

"Well yeah, seriously. I wouldn't just make something like that up, right?" Peridot huffs thoughtfully and glances away uncomfortably. This is making her feel embarrassed? Which is absurd, because she basically just gave Amethyst the O.K. to do the same thing. "It's like you said, it just kind of 'happened'."

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst needs another few seconds. Her brow creases. "And... you still wanna kiss me too?"

[periphrasing]

Now Peridot is getting anxious. "Well. Yeah," she says again, looking flustered. "I like kissing you, and I find your company altogether invigorating and... And your friendship is incredibly important to me," she stammers.

[drrdrrdrr]

"Geez," mumbles Amethyst. She doesn't want to say out loud that she can't believe Peridot would go for this even with other options also available, because that sounds... dumb, she knows it sounds dumb? So she doesn't, she squeezes Peridot tight around the middle and says, "Guess I'm lucky you got such great taste," instead.

[periphrasing]

Immensely relieved by that response, Peridot snickers delightedly like the overjoyed little goblin she is. "Nyeheh. Hehehehhe. I do have great taste, don't I?" she agrees. "Nyeheheheheh."

Then she plants one on Amethyst's cheek.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst laughs too, in breathless relief. "The best taste," she says, and turns her head to lick from Peridot's mouth to her nose. "Mleaahh – See? Tastes the best."

[periphrasing]

...You'd think she would have learned to expect this kind of response from Amethyst by now. BUT NOPE. She sits there blinking with surprise for a moment, and then promptly rubs her face on dry on the other gem's back.

[drrdrrdrr]

Amethyst sniggers appallingly. "OK, so, Per – you gotta tell me everything about what happened with you an' Lapis! Like, does she kiss good?" Her eyes widen a little in delight as a thought strikes her. "Oh man – did you have to show her how to do it??"

[periphrasing]

Peridot snorts, sitting up a little and blushing with embarrassment. "No? I mean. Kind of, I guess." She rubs the back of her head. "I did have to initiate things, as she was largely unfamiliar, but. She got into it quickly enough."

[drrdrrdrr]

"Awesome," says Amethyst, seeming genuinely impressed. "I guess you're like a kissin' pro now, huh?" She lets herself sort of ooze sideways so her head's on Peridot's lap, and grins up at her. "You think you guys're gonna do it again...?"

She is A LIL nervous about this still, but Amethyst ONLY FEELS HOW SHE WANTS TO FEEL

[periphrasing]

For the record: Peridot is definitely not a kissing pro. But now, thanks to Amethyst, she most definitely thinks that she is.

She snickers softly, pleasantly flattered by the sentiment, and grins down at her. "Hm. I hadn't really thought about it! I guess... Yes? If you really don't mind, and she still wants to."

Which, obviously, she should want to? Since she, Peridot, is apparently really good at making out?

[drrdrrdrr]

"Pffff, she's missing out if she doesn't," says Amethyst, helping.