⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4 PT2

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
When: October 31st, 2017 HALLOWEEN!
Where: The Count of Crow's Underground Realm
What: The displaced carnival members break into the Count of Crow's underground fortress, in the hope of taking control of the ritual and maybe saving Childermass's life.
Warnings: Violence, ritual blood letting, other stuff.

DAYS OF WINTER PT2↴ The night of hallow's eve has come, and there's no more time for waiting. As Portland begins enjoying the festivities of the night, you are tasked with something darker - you must find the Count's realm within Portland's underground tunnels, and fight off those that would stop you. The ritual will be starting soon, and once it's finished the very nature of this reality will be in the Winter Court's hands... the only choice is to intervene.

Comments

[npcarnival]

Funny story, about Strange. Nightshade had seen that blast coming, and had done exactly what was instinctive to do - she had easily poofed into a cloud of purple spores, a cloud of aromatic pollen. She had swirled out of the way - only to see her human taking a laser to the chest in an attempt to protect her.

That's sort of sweet, but also, incredibly stupid. She reforms once it's stopped, fluttering back over to support him at the shoulders.

"You stupid idiot!" she says. "You were supposed to teleport away! I can't seem to leave you alone for a minute, can I?"

[tacosgay]

Taako has, meanwhile, kept himself and Garyl to the back, Shield cast the second things started looking a bit more active. He has no idea who these people are, he's not particularly eager to get involved with this fight, and he's only at a portion of his usual casting ability-- it would be the dumbest decision of his fuckin' life to hop into the middle of this.

Honestly, it would be ideal for him to just walk out... but he knows that at this point, he's basically stuck here to see the rest of this through. Whether he wants to or not.

Well. He might not be able to do much, but he can attempt to do this... from his place at the back, he begins to attempt to cast a little ditty he calls Crown of Madness, aimed squarely for Ignatius.

[npcarnival]

Damien looks to Yuuya helplessly, raising up his hands. Damn, kid, what do you want from him? He gestures towards the rest of the ritual circle.

"The ritual is pretty much ready to go, but if the pendant is gone... I don't know! We're at a stalemate here, kid."

Though, he will listen to Gongenzaka as he speaks.

"Hey, if you think it'll have a chance... I'm ready to try just about anything right now."

[otoko]

Gongenzaka swallows, clearly anxious-but he nods. And immediately takes a seat. He crosses his legs, pulling in his wings and putting his hands upon the other as he takes meditative stance...

And focuses. Not only on the spell he 'mastered' in this life, his twisted aura flaring as the spell begins. But on the power that had rocked the room earlier, from within Lambert. On the sensation of life, the earth, and all that it entailed.

In this body, he was a vampire. Something rudely disconnected from such a spirit, he was sure. But he needed to try. Try to search for that which felt like the earth...

And feel for wherever it was...

[kingsroads]

Unsurprisingly, taking a laser to the chest really hurts. Strange is still in one piece, just knocked for a loop and most likely has some burns and a broken rib or two. But oh yay Nightshade's back and...fussing at him, oh dear, he really didn't want this to happen. He briefly looks guilty as sin before that composed expression comes back on his face.

"He tried to hurt you," Strange simply says through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry. I'll do better." Alright. Teleport away from trouble the next time. He can do that, there's plenty of water here, plenty of paths.

He's not attacking anybody, just watching the chaos, deliberately standing in a puddle, and staying close to Nightshade now that she's reformed (and hoping that somehow his head will stop spinning). Hey, he's not here to protect Ignatius, he doesn't really give a damn if that fae bites it or not.

[small_reservations]

When Axel spies Taako, he moves closer. The spellcasting is a little confusing - since when was the demon a wizard? And why's it not seem that abnormal? - but he does get closer, before asking, more quietly, "What's Iggy doing here? What're you doing here?"

He doesn't ever fully turn away from Ignatius, but he does mostly face Taako. This looks like it's going to be bad.

[tacosgay]

"It's a long story, my dude," Taako responds, interrupting the casting only very briefly to give Axel a tired smirk. "I'll tell you all about it when we're not about to get toasted by some fuckin' fae."

And then he goes right back into his spell, though a little voice in the back of his head is beginning to warn him that, maybe, this is a terrible idea.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius looks up, as if something has pinged his attention in particular. Releasing Rin's head, he will look away for a moment, looking around as if following something by smell, and then - hah. Got it.

"Nasty trick," he says, still smirking. "You really have no idea how to play fair, do you? Cretins."

That question lingers, for just a few moments, before Ignatius springs into the air and goes streaking in Taako's direction next. He hits the ground in another strike that's powerful enough to break stone, and grabs Garyl by the throat, incinerating the horse instantly, right under Taako's ass, too.

[tacosgay]

Well.

"Shit--!" Taako lands hard on his tailbone, pain jolting up through his frame-- there's about half a second in which he stares up at Ignatius, violet eyes wide, before he begins to attempt to scramble away, realizing that casting anything on a fucking fae was a very, very bad idea.

better late than never :D

[dorkypantsuit]

His onslaught of psionic energy is short lived, but apparently not short enough. Before all of it can hit it's target Ignatius is coming towards him, somehow absorbing the blasts power. Of course he heard Sans telling him to stop, but the sound of his voice only makes him remember everything that had happened because of these Fae. His own betrayal couldn't be blamed on Nightshade, but perhaps destroying her could fix it.

Those thoughts leave his mind as Ignatius comes at him like a human sized bullet. His last minute defense is a joke in comparison to the fire fae's strength. He plummets to the earth, smashing into the ground and making cracks in the stone of the courtyard beneath him. He coughs, his body curling around the force of Ignatius' blow, before crying out as something inside him fractures upon impact. The burns covering his body from the fae's flames go without saying. His vision darkens, and before he can react he falls unconscious.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius grabs Taako by the legs only a short moment after, his hand burning the skin it touches at a rapid pace. In one graceful movement, he'll swing Taako into the air, and then slam him down onto the stone.

Then he turns his burning gaze to Axel, saying nothing. Only staring.

[small_reservations]

Axel's there, to catch Taako, and to push the fire as hard as he can away from his skin. It's probably not much, but...

... Actually it responds better than expected, and the feeling is familiar. It's hard, he can't keep it off long, but hopefully Ignatius lets go soon. "What happened to one-on-one?" he snaps. "You'd sink to that level, Ignatius?"

[tacosgay]

Fuck.

Taako is completely helpless to stop him or get away-- and then he's swung into the rock at full force, and it knocks the wind out of him, the pain dizzying. Something, several somethings, inside of him snaps, his shield enough to dampen the damage so that he isn't killed but not nearly enough to spare him the paralyzing pain of the impact.

It's all he can do to fall limply into Axel's grasp, his arms wrapped around himself, his breathing ragged and pained.

"Fuck! ... o-okay... tha... that was... fair enough..."

[npcarnival]

Ignatius lets go of Taako, and in turn will grab Axel beneath the throat, lifting him into the air. His touch doesn't burn against the changeling, for obvious reasons, but it's still a bit uncomfortable even by fire elemental standards.

"You are a worm," he says. "And you should stay on the ground like one."

Then Axel is getting throw down as well, before Ignatius starts striding back towards the center of the courtyard, raising his arms in challenge. He seems very pleased with himself.

"Does anyone else have anything to say?" he demands, for his own amusement if nothing else. When is that stupid crow going to come back? This is getting tiresome.

[starseedling]

Steven is watching all of this, very tensely. He desperately doesn't want to be noticed, to be focused on, but so many people are getting hurt and he doesn't know what to do! First Psi, then Rin, then Taako and Axel... the stress of this is enough to make him pop.

Yet, there is a feeling growing deep inside of him that seems to counter that. A feeling of anger, of injustice, but not one that is wild enough to deprive him of reason. Somehow he just wants to act, to take back what is his. To make this right, no matter the cost.

He slowly starts to stand, his hands clenches at his sides, his expression becoming passionate and angry. He looks to Peridot.

"I'll be back," he says, and then moves to starts going to each injured person and applying a healing kiss. He'll start with Psi as he's brought back to the circle by Sans, then... well, he'll go from there.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya looks around frantically as Taako and Axel are taken out next. He catches Steven running out of the corner of his eye, but even these couple Fae are wiping their defenses and there's no sign of the Count or the pendant. He can't let them just destroy all the work they've done.

While Gon is meditating Yuya moves around him, looking up at Ignatius. "We're trying to take the Severing down for everybody. That's what the Summer Court wants, isn't it?"

He doesn't say why, even though he knows. If he can get them to back down at least until the Count arrives... "Making things harder for us is just making things harder for yourself, too! It doesn't make any sense!"

[npcarnival]

The longer this goes on, the more annoyed Nightshade is getting while watching it. Seeing Ignatius flex and shout challenges is the last things he wants to do, and she still isn't sure of the utility of them being here. She's really getting tired of being on this planet. Can't they all just go home not?

She gives Strange a weary look, rubbing her eyes in exasperation, before fluttering off ahead to address those hiding within the ritual circle. She is mainly just ignoring Ignatius's posturing for the moment.

"I'm tired of this, so... hand over the roseblooded changeling to me now, and... I will guarantee your safe passage out of this place."

It's the only reason she's actually here, anyway, and it's stupid.

[insidescoop]

"And how will you do that?" Carly chooses now to speak-as her temper rises inch by inch, watching all of this with her own irritations. She has her fire ready, and she addresses the fae with narrowed eyes. "You need the one you're after for the same reason we're here-to make the connection for the ritual. As it stands, we have more pieces than you do-and..."

...This is something she points out with a rather nervous swallow. "...Not only do you not have all of your pieces... ...but if the Count returns, what does that mean for you?"

She's still pretty worried about that actually. Maybe if they're lucky though, the fae will knock each other out when that happens (that's a dying wish, honestly).

[kingsroads]

Strange matches Nightshade's weary look with one of his own. Yeah boss, they're stupid, he knows it. But as she flutters off ahead, he's close behind, trying to stay within a foot or two of Nightshade the entire time.

At Carly's question though, Strange can't help but raise an eyebrow. In a calm, collected tone of voice, he asks, "Do you even know how to use those pieces in the first place?"

Because honestly? A warlock, two wannabe angels, and a normal human. It doesn't take a genius to spot that Team Angel are playing this hilariously by ear.

[fortuneglass]

"They do actually~"

Apparently not as much by ear as you thought, Strange. "We even have everything ripe and ready~" Also. On that note. "...And you're getting a time out when we get home, by the way!!" SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE AUTHORITY OVER YOU BUT SHE'S DOING IT.

[periphrasing]

Peridot has been more than happy to stay back for the time being and just, watch everything unfold with vague horror, since neither Nightshade or Ignatius are entities she came in here at all prepared to fight. She barely even knows who they are.

It's only when Steven is suddenly up and moving that she manages to tear her eyes away. "What--!?! Steven, wait--!" She reaches for him, selfishly, because logically she knows the wounded need his attention more than she needs the comfort of his presence, but her hand falls short, and she's left alone to watch the carnage unfold.

Nightshade grabs her attention next. It's only now that she's really looking at her while she's speaking that it clicks... this one exactly matches the description of the fae that took Amethyst. And now, it's trying to take Steven, too? When she only just got him back?

Hell no.

She's shaking; she doesn't really know what she can do to help, especially not against the likes of Ignatius... it's obvious what will happen if she uses her fire magic on him. She's scared, and still pretty far out of her depth... but she's not going to sit idly by while her friends are being threatened. She can't.

The iron poker, still burning dully with the remnants of the heat she'd laced it with when she'd launched it at the count, comes flying back to her hands. Peridot stands up, fangs flashing. Her hands have shifted to claws around her makeshift weapon.

"If you want him, you're going to have to go through ME to do it!" she snaps, hoping the trembling she's doing isn't giving away how terrified she is.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya just doesn't even acknowledge Nightshade's desire for the changeling--he doesn't feel like telling her 'no' is going to go well, but... the answer is 'no'.

"We do know how to use it! And we'll make sure everyone can go home--I promise. But if you get in our way, it's only going to be..." His gaze slowly drifts aside to Peridot as she yells in Steven's defense. She's right, but he really hopes that doesn't piss Nightshade off.

[npcarnival]

Nightshade runs her hands down her face in increasing frustration. Ugghhh. If only she hadn't been stuck on this stupid planet, she wouldn't have to be dealing with this nonsense at all. Twenty five human years down the drain, only for this.

"I don't want him for the ritual, you dummies! I just want him because the Rose Queen wants him... for whatever reason! Presumably some sort of personal interest! I didn't ask because it isn't my place to question."

She points Steven out directly this time.

"So, just give me the changeling and you have two fewer problems to deal with. All I want is it to go back to the gardens and wait this out." She looks at Peridot pointedly, poison flashing in her eyes. "And despite me making this offer, a battle with me is not one you'll win! I'm practically giving you mercy, here!"

[flashover]

Rin lays there on the ground for a while, his snout crushed and skinned from being forced into the stony ground. That monster had shaken off his attacks like they were nothing. Which meant... there really wasn't anything he could do. He picks himself up, still bleeding from his face, and crawls toward the ritual circle. He waves off Steven when he comes close, but puts himself between him and Nightshade.

I'm fine, I'll be fine. Help the others.

Maybe he couldn't take Ignatius on one on one but he could at least protect the ritual site. And his friends.

"We're not.... we're not gonna let you do what you want... We... we won't let you!"

[fortuneglass]

"Do you really want to fight here, then?" This is a dangerous gamble, but she'll take it. "...And risk jeopardizing the set up here?"

Rin is approaching-and she looks from him, to Ignatius-an idea slowly forming. It is...an even bigger gamble. An even bigger risk.

But if Rin can no longer fight the other Fae, then she needs to make sure nothing else goes haywire. Before everyone else is even more injured.

She swallows, and calls out however- "...You wanted a one on one fight, right?" she asks, glancing back to Nightshade. "...If I agree to that, and everyone actually stays out of it this time, can you swear that everyone here from the Summer Court also keeps from interfering with those here?"

Yes she's pretending like he has say over what you do Nightshade.

Whatcha gonna do about it.