⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 138 - Day 152
Where: The Summerlands
What: The Ringmaster brings the carnival to the Summerlands immediately after being freed from Portland so that everyone can take a fucking nap. Her included.
Warnings: Individually marked! Most likely discussion of torture and trauma in here.

DAYS OF SUMMER↴ You made it! And things are back to normal... more or less. Upon waking, you will be greeted with a clear blue sky and gentle breeze – the carnival has found itself situated between a pair of mountain peaks, with great fields of flowers extending in the distance. In the other direction, you’ll see mountain-top cities and tall waterfalls accenting vast swaths of forest. Some of you will already know this place. It’s the Summerlands. You game here once to rest in safety nearly a year ago, and now you’ve come to rest once again. ► WAKING UP: Shortly after the carnival arrives, the Ringmaster will send out a somewhat cryptic radio message - but her immediate location won't be clear. Whatever items you had on your person at the time the Severing was broken will still be on your person, including whatever clothing. All of the animals and pets of the carnival will have returned to the grounds as well, though they are currently free from their designated living spaces. Things in the carnival will appeared to have naturally aged a month, as if the carnival was been sitting here empty and waiting while everyone was in Portland. The lawn needs mowing. ► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, they will welcome you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but they will not be particularly offended if they are turned down, for now. ► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will mostly enjoy the company of any carnival members that offer it - it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do. ► NEW ARRIVALS: Though the Ringmaster will not be offering much guidance for the first week or so, eventually the carnival will begin running for a few small performance sessions, off and on, as a thank you to their fae hosts. The carnival will also be open to receiving new arrivals during that period, and so there will likely be some newbies to train and get orientated as well.

Comments

Gongenzaka | OTA

[otoko]

['Waking' | Zangetsu]

[He hadn't thought much about where Sherlock was, in that fight. Naturally, he'd remembered everything on the scene-but there had been more important things to focus on, things like getting the ritual set up and finished. Appearing alone and in his original body hadn't even brought Sherlock to mind-if he'd been elsewhere, he'd have been reclaimed no doubt...and he was more worried for Yuuya, at that time.

Yuuya was alright-or at least as alright as he could be with the spiritual recovery. Gongenzaka and him had promised to speak later, and for now the boy was on bedrest. It was over this time that he realized, of course, that a month had apparently actually gone by. His thoughts wandered, and the closer he got to his trailer, the more he grew tense.

Sherlock likely left...Things. In the fridge.

Things that would have been there. A month.

He grimaces more visibly, and comes to the trailer property.

(With his luck, the roommate he Isn't expecting has already gotten through that fridge)]

[Summer Times, Summer Fae]

[Now that things were calming down, Gongenzaka was more than taking advantage of the peace in the Summerlands. Not to vacation, or anything like that however-no, instead he busied himself with what he had intended to focus on a month ago. A month ago, he had asked the Ringmaster for advice.

He'd gotten it, which meant focusing on this spell. Over the first few days, he meditates at the side of one of the lakes the fae are lounging beside. Later in the week however, as he hones his focus, Gongenzaka takes a deep breath...and steps onto the water.

Two steps, then three...eventually he's sitting at its middle, focusing and breathing deep-his aura glows, but at night in particular it's an impressive sight. A number of Summer fae are 'helping'-or rather, challenging him by dancing around along the water nearby, throwing their own lights along with it-but the most eye catching is without a doubt Gongenzaka himself. With his energy focused, his aura flares into a brilliant blue shine, curling through his leaves, reflecting off the water...

Don't ruin his focus, please.]

[WILDCARD - Got something else in mind? Hit me up!]

Waking

[moonfang]

[Zangetsu doesn't have nearly as much baggage, emotional or physical, after the fiasco in Portland. He seemed to be one of the few who didn't have a single drop of his "other self's" personality and memories tainting his own. But he felt for the others, to an extent. He really did! Their souls were in absolute chaos, some barely holding themselves together as they tried to reconcile. He was amazed they weren't all dead. He was amazed they weren't all dead and Hollowfied!

But hey, maybe things worked different here in faerie land.

The trailer seems to be just as Gongenzaka left it, except for one thing -- sitting in the sun out front is a group of human bones, cleaned of almost all their meat. There's a handwritten note (in Japanese, and in English below it) that says "DO NOT TOUCH". They're laid out in an orderly fashion and clearly placed there deliberately]

[otoko]

[The trailer is a welcome sight and a fearsome one all at once, suffice to say. But it soon becomes a confusing one, when he notes the note. English makes sense, Sherlock WAS an englishman, he'd probably do this but...

....Japanese?? ...There was no way the man would even consider that, and suddenly Gongenzaka frowns. He looks toward the trailer, and slowly opens the door.]

....Hello...?

[moonfang]

[The trailer inside is much as Gongenzaka would remember it -- except any and all of Sherlock's things are gone, and there's a faint, sweet smell of human rot in the air. But only faint.

At first, there doesn't seem to be anyone home. But on closer inspection, there is SOMEONE. A white-skinned, white-haired figure dressed all in white and laid out in an awkward, twisted position face-down on the bed.

Oh god, someone is dead in here.]

[betheman]

[WELL. Considering that Sherlock's possessions made a good 80% (if not more) of the trailer? That's rather noticeable. Gongenzaka lets Suzu down, the snubbull immediately sniffing around to inspect-but it is Gongenzaka who finds Zangetsu, the man's eyes widening.]

Z-Zangets-

[WAIT NO HE'S PROBABLY SLEEPING-]

[moonfang]

[Try as he might, Zangetsu is not rousable and nonresponsive. He's not breathing, nor does he have a pulse.

PERFORM CPR Y/N???]

[betheman]

AUHHHHHHhhhh.... [CPR IS HAPPENING-

However it's the proper one, where he hurriedly rolls the thing over, checks for pulse there, AND IMMEDIATELY STARTS COMPRESSIONS-

Rip Gigai Ribs]

[moonfang]

[that goes on for a few moments before there's a voice from the front of the bedroom]

What the fuck ya doin'?

[RIP poor gigai. Thankfully, Zangetsu's hollow reishi would heal it when he put it on, but it would still hurt like shit for a bit.

Standing at the doorway is the actual Zangetsu, holding a bag of something. He's looking much more carnival, with his new, feathery rabbit ears pinned against his head and one of his feathery rabbit legs tapping the floor]

[betheman]

[....................................................................

Suddenly not giving compressions any more.] H-HAUUH?!

Wh-

If you're here then...what is this!? [EXPLAIN BECAUSE HOLY SHIT]

[moonfang]

THAT -- [Zangetsu says, gesturing to the body] -- is called a gigai. It's a fake body. [he sets down the bag, which turns out to be filled with pilfered food, and starts to laugh] Were you... were you ACTUALLY giving it CPR? HAHAHAHA!! That's great!! I guess it's just proof that it's a really realistic looking thing!!

[he brushes past Gon and holds the body up by the back of its shirt]

I'll show you how you can tell. [he sets the body up and holds the head in one hand and lifts an eyelid with the other; the eyes are blank, milky white] Eyes don't fill in unless there's a soul wearin' it.

[otoko]

Wh-

Why would you need a false body here..!? [HE CAN APPARENTLY SEE YOU FINE SO IF YOU'RE A GHOST THIS SEEMS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE especially since you just grabbed it so casually...] ..Mhnn...

...I, the man Gongenzaka, suppose I shall know for next time then...

[He supposes if this guy is making himself comfortable, Sherlock is gone then, but-

wait]

..............................So then...the one who did away with Sherlock's experiments....

[Buddy.......................did you eat those...................]

[moonfang]

I don't need it in the carnival! The boss' magic lets all your scrubs see me whether you have spiritual sensitivity or not. This is for goin' out and about in the worlds... if I want to interact with people. [spoken like he... actually mostly doesn't want to] ... Though all the faeries here can see me, so I guess I don't need it on this stop at all anyway.

[Zangetsu opens a large locker to the side of the bed and puts the body inside, held comfortably upright, and then closes it in]

Eh? Oh, the stuff in the fridge? [He gives a very disturbing grin] I figured that shit wasn't yours so I... got rid of it.

[otoko]

Hmmm, I, the man Gongenzaka, am surprised the Ringmaster's magic wouldn't allow visibility at all realms, if that were the case... [...He honestly can't tell if he'd see Zangetsu under typical circumstances or not, now...is he 'spiritually sensitive'?? (Yes, yes he is)]

Aah, the things in the fridge-they were Sherlock's, so... [Huh. Well. He nods.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, would not quite call spreading them on the lawn 'getting rid of', but I imagine they were far less...pleasant before whatever you did to clean them...

You have my thanks, [he adds, a small 'yip' coming from Suzu in the meantime.

PAY ATTENTION!! TO HER!!!]

Summer Times

[hippocarnival]

[Don't break his focus, you say.

It's really hard to miss all the bright lights coming from the lake, so Yuya makes his way straight for the shore of the lake to witness whatever's occuring. Despite the fae dancing around him, Gongenzaka is clear to see--not just because he's a giant dogtaur, but he's the brightest spectacle of the group.]

Wow... [It's honestly amazing. You can't even walk on solid vision water!

He doesn't even think twice as he calls out, waving his hand over his head to get Gon's attention.] Gongenzaka!

[otoko]

[He swears he can hear someone right now. Someone calling...someone-] HMNN?

AUHH-!

[There is a quiet 'splsh' as he's abruptly dropped into the water, the fae scattering and giggling as the main light disappears. Soon enough, there's a sputtering tree-dog surfacing, choking on the sudden fluid as he searches for who shouted.] Y-YUUYA!

[hippocarnival]

[Whoops. Yuya rushes out to the lake, but he doesn't go further than the water up to his shins when Gon resurfaces.] Gongenzaka! Are you okay?!

[He doesn't catch on to what just happened yet.]

[otoko]

BLGH... [He'll get there, just...Give him a bit.] Kauhh...J... Just fine..! I, the man Gongenzaka, am merely wet...

[Annnnd that is about all the warning Yuuya gets before Gon stretches, bows his head, and shakes.

SORRY BUT HE HAS DOG INSTINCTS SO HERE COMES THE TURBINE OF WATER DROPLETS.

GOTTA SHAKE THAT OUT.]

[hippocarnival]

[Honestly as Yuya stares at Gongenzaka, that's the next thought that rolls through his head as he surfaces closer to the shore: wet dog.]

Hey--! [He's quick to step back and shield himself, except Gon is a giant and not compact, like En, so he's still getting wet. He covers his mouth to at least try and stifle his laughing, but... Gon acting like his corgi with that serious expression on his face is kind of funny.]

S-sorry. [snrk. He starts to shake the water off himself, now.] What were you doing?

[otoko]

Mnn- Practicing..! [He turns to Yuuya, still looking... ...well basically like ENORMOUS EN with still sopping leaves. He'll probably look even more ridiculous if he dries out wrong. He gestures out to the lake with a nod, and focuses on his friend.] Shortly before we appeared in Portland, I, the man Gongenzaka, had asked the Ringmaster for some tutelage in a few techniques... this is an exercise in focusing one's internal energies. If proper focus is attained, it manifests in this case as balancing upon even the water-so it makes it simpler to tell where my personal failings in the technique are.

[~Chakras~]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya clears his throat, although there's still amusement in his expression as he looks up at Gongenzaka.] So you learned magic to make yourself even more steadfast?

[That's what he's getting from that, anyway.] That's cool! But I guess I distracted you... if you were focused enough, could you just walk around on the water?

[otoko]

Auh...S...Something like that... [Something about the way Yuuya puts it makes him a touch antsy, and he can't identify why. Though...] Mnnh. I, the man Gongenzaka, certainly could...it was how I reached the center after all!

[hippocarnival]

Can you do it on solid vision water? [Do you see where he's going with this, Gon. Think of how cool your duels will be.]

[otoko]

Auh...S...Solid vision? [Oh! Oh, he's feeling a bit better all of a sudden-]

..I, the man Gongenzaka, hadn't considered...

[hippocarnival]

I don't have any field spells with water. [Unfortunately, they probably won't be able to test it.] But since it's mass, it'd work, right? You'd be the ultimate steadfast duelist if not even water could shake you!

[otoko]

W-Well, we will merely have to find some way to test it once home then..! After all, it is knowledge of what lies within, not a matter of bringing some sort of change home!

[#stillgonnadogitup tho]