lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 22nd - 31st, 2017
Where: In Portland, for the last time.
What: The seasons change as the Winter Court seizes a surprise victory, claiming both the Tree of Life's pendant and the blood catalyst needed to take control of the Severing Ritual. Meanwhile, interdimensional problems are about to get more weird. Check out the conflict results for the attack on the Circle as well as the Beast's attack on the Summer Court here.
Warnings: Individually marked!

DAYS OF WINTER↴

As the end of October nears, so does the grasp of winter. On the night of the 22nd, it will freeze overnight, and the temperature will drop for the following days. As the night grow long, world-wide magic slowly reaches it apex, set to reach it on the night of Halloween. With so many factors at play, knowing what to do with that moment of power may be a challenge.

► FULL CIRCLE: The Angels succeed in their planned attack on the Circle, managing to get to the living quarters of the Council members with the help of Ashleigh Mischief. The plan goes without much resistance from the mages or from the demons attempting to claim the ritual object for their own. Of course, when the fae make a surprise attack on the Angels after they flee the scene, it has the surprise result of the Winter Court ended up with the pendant in their talons. Threads for this attack can be done in this log. If you need mod direction at all, let us know, but otherwise feel free to NPC demons, angels, or random Circle members as you require.

► THE QUEEN'S GARDEN: Realizing that the Rose Queen is distracted with attempting to claim the pendant, the Beast will summon her co-conspirators to raid the Queen's gardens. The ultimate plan seems to be to get the Beast far enough into the gardens to kill the Queen, while also rescuing as many changelings as possible along the way. As it turns out, this doesn't go well. While they do manage to penetrate the gardens with Childermass's help, the Rose Queen, Ignatius, and Nightshade happen to all be there. Seriously outnumbered, even by the Beast's terms, it will take everything the group has to just make it out alive, sustaining heavy injuries as they go. In the end they will manage to rescue Greg universe and four additional changelings that were imprisoned there, but any damage done to the Summer Court itself will be negligible. Threads for this can also be played out here!

► REFLECTIONS: As the ritual draws closer, the line between this reality and the one you came from will also be becoming less clear. Regaining memories is not required, but it will naturally become easier to occur, especially if you're already started receiving them. It's a good time to start making connections, while you still have the chance.

► THE SEVERING: One way or another, the Severing is going to make an impact on both this world and the lives of those trapped inside of it. The Angels are going to be making an attempt to interrupt the Winter Court's ritual, as will the Summer Court and Anath's forces. Whoever comes up on top will be the ones to decide what to be done with it. Yet, with news that the Severing continuing could cause irreversible damage to the planet's spirit, it could feel like there are no perfect options. There will be an event header put up for this by the mods closer to the end of July.

(NOTE: canon powers will returning while the ritual is in progress, so keep that in mind for planning - both sets of powers will be active.)

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[It's around the time everything is going to complete and utter shit that his luck runs out.]

[Not that Joker really has had too much luck in the first place. But he's managed to scrape by for this whole month with minimal problems. Sure, he's been exhausted, and his mind doesn't know what it's doing half the time or who's most important, and he might have gotten some arrows through his leg at one point before anyone actually started fighting with each other over a magical trinket.... But he's been managing.]

[That stops when his exhaustion means he misses a demon lashing out at him, and the angel- stage manager, maybe- goes crashing to the ground with a curse. Everything is such a chaotic mess, both inside his head and out, and for a second he's stunned.... and vulnerable.]

[Maybe it was a bad idea, this whole thing. But Sora's the one who begged Joker to bring him along, and well, now he has to stick it out. But anyway, he wouldn't dream of leaving behind someone who needed help.

Even if that person is his own guardian angel.

He hears the crash, and the cursing, and whirls around to find Joker sprawled on the ground some feet away, and if that isn't the most unnerving sight, he doesn't know what is. Sora races over to Joker, dropping to his knees beside him as the demon backs off for just a second.]

Joker! Joker, are you...?

Fine-!

[It's grit out from his teeth as he tries to get up to his feet, healing factor already at work as he presses a hand against the floor, and his wings flare out.... which make him a bigger target, but better him than Sora.]

Wait, you shouldn't...

[Joker is hurt and in pain, and they're in the middle of a battle, but shouldn't he be resting? Sora reaches out his hands to steady him, but there's just not much he can do.]

You're hurt.

[As if that isn't the most obvious statement in the world.

Over Joker's shoulder, Sora notices a movement; it's the demon again, coming at them while they're down, at heading straight for the angel's exposed back.

In a moment of blinding panic, Sora shoves Joker to the side and puts himself between the demon, and the man who raised him. He puts his arms out, hoping to deflect the blow.]

Doesn't matter-

[But he doesn't get to protest for long. His wings flap in alarm as he's suddenly shoved, and Joker tries to twist back onto his side at least and his eyes widen in terror.]

SORA!

[Sora braces for the attack, his heart pounding in his ears, expecting the worst. He hears Joker scream, and his eyes squeeze shut.

But the blow doesn't come. Instead, there's a flash of light, and the demon is thrown backwards from it. When nothing happens, Sora opens his eyes and looks up to find a shining key in his hand, blocking the attack. Keyblade, his mind supplies.]

Wha...?

[For a hot second, Joker is speechless because what, quite plainly, the fuck. But then he remembers himself and scrambles upright, reaching for Sora.]

C'mon, let's go- !

[Once upon a time, he took Sora flying for fun. Now, he just wants to get them out of the worst of it.]

[Still slightly shocked, Sora allows Joker to pick him up and fly somewhere else, somewhere where they won't be attacked so easily. He doesn't let go of the keyblade, but it's not heavy. It feels... right, in his grasp. Like it's always been there.

It's only when they land that Sora looks up at Joker with wide eyes.]

I... What's going on?

[Curling up tight against the nook they're in, wings spreading out to shield Sora, Joker looks down at the keyblade. Well. "Boggles" might be a better word for it.]

[Okay. So. That's sure a god damn thing.]

...Magic. Can't be anythin' else.

Yeah, but...

[What was he even supposed to say to that? Of course it was magic, no doubt about it, but he had never in his life heard of giant keys that suddenly appeared in the hands of a teenager. That was something out of a movie, but hadn't he said the same thing to Rin a few weeks ago? And then he'd turned out to be right.

He'd gotten this for a reason, when he'd needed it most. Maybe he'd had it all along.]

But what is it?

[Fuck if he knows.]

[But he can't say that in front of Sora, even though Sora has been surrounded by a lot worse language because college is a thing that way. So instead, he just pinches the bridge of his nose and tries to think.]

A weapon, obviously, and probably attuned ta ya, and.... can open a really big door, I suppose?

[Seriously. It's a key. Why.]

[Sora chuckles halfheartedly at that, not sure if that was supposed to be a joke or not. He looks again at the key.]

Well, if it's a weapon... I guess I should use it to fight.

[He knows Joker won't be happy about that. The angel has done his best to protect Sora for as long as he could remember, but Sora's not weak. He can protect Joker, too, if given a chance. Like he just proved he could. He could protect a lot of people.]

[Oh, he's definitely not happy about that idea, and the pause that comes from him says that well enough without any words. His fingers knead into his palms, and he glances down at the chaos before them.]

....Ya don't have ta. This sort of mess- I know everyone and their fifth cousin has gotten involved, but you don't.

But...

[Sora reaches out for Joker's arm, and for just a second, he wishes he were eight years old again. Everything was so much more simple. But eighteen years old is much too old to be cowering behind someone else.]

I want to. If I can help just one person... wouldn't it be worth it?

[For a log moment, all he does is stare down at that hand, an uncomfortable twist somewhere in his gut that seems both familiar and yet completely different to anything either him the angel or him the human have felt. Finally, his mouth curves in an almost pained smile.]

I think I went and raised ya too well, Sora.

[Sora can't help but laugh at that, but his eyes are misty when they look up at Joker.]

Yeah, you did.

[Carefully, Sora steps forward and throws his arms around Joker's middle. Because it's true, that his guardian angel has been so much more than just that. He's been a father and a friend when Sora had neither, and because of him, he's grown up into a fine young man.]

[Aw hell- Joker doesn't think he can last this whole mess if he starts crying now. So all he does is hold Sora close, resting his face into the boy's hair. Whatever his true memories are.... His feelings are real enough in this moment.]

[That's all he needs.]

You'll be careful, won't ya?

Of course. I gotta look after you, don't I?

[Sora chuckles again at the weak joke, and lets himself enjoy this moment. So what if he's grown, so what if they're in the middle of an epic battle; he wants to remember this, just as it is.]

Ha. Guess ya do.

[Another ruffle of his hair, and Joker tries to tell himself that it'll all be alright. That, whatever his memories, whatever happens...]

[Good things will happen in the end.]

[He has to tell himself that.]

Ready ta learn how ta use that thing then?

[Sora finally pulls out of the hug, and ignore that wetness in his eyes because they've got a battle to win. He smiles, and nods.]

Yeah. Let's go.

[With a grunt, he hefts Sora up, keeping him close as he dives them down to the outskirts of the battle- no point in getting to the thick of it. Joker has to raise his voice as they go down, however.]

Just yell if ya need me!

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4

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