lostcarnival | ⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Y...Yuuya...

[He clenches his teeth, holding the other somewhat awkwardly by the shoulders.] ...Even if you are stronger, Yuuya, I, the man Gongenzaka, could not bear to admit that so much death could follow those here though..! Especially not having...

[...Well. There was no avoiding it.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, lost myself, for a time... ...to share that when you were so happy...

[It was Alola, where Yuuya had arrived after all, and with the knowledge that soon he could save his friends, or so he had been told.

...but then, Yuuya as well, has his own secrets.] ...I...

...There are no more secrets, Yuuya... ...but to have you think of me in this light... [He can't even say how horrible a sensation it is, some of his flowers merely wilting on the spot.]

What light? [Yuya smiles, crooked.] You're still my best friend, Gongenzaka. I'm not mad. Whatever you did... I believe in the friend that's been by my side. And I know he'd never do it to be cruel.

[Everyone makes mistakes after all, and if they're regretful they deserve a second chance. Yuya believes in that. And this is Gon, he can't even consider that his hand wasn't forced or that he had a real choice.] So if you're hurt, you don't have to keep it to yourself.

[Gongenzaka cannot hide the small smile that comes from the other's words, even if it is still pained. He shakes, somewhat, and without warning the other is being held tightly in a hug, Gongenzaka briefly forgetting about the other's injuries.

...

Briefly anyway.] AUH-!!

S-SORRY-!

[There goes his back. Yuya doesn't even bother hiding the sound of pain, but it's more resigned than anything.] Glad you're feeling better...

[Ow.]

Nn- Y...You should be resting, [He hurriedly mutters, trying to help the other back to the bed.]

[Yuya groans, flopping back onto the bed.] I can't wait to be done resting...

You apparently took significant 'spiritual' damage... ...it's fortunate that you can even think still, I imagine.

[It's fortunate he's even still alive, he figures. In retrospect it was super risky, but... necessary. He knows that.]

Mm, I can still feel it. But it's better than before.

That, at the least, is a relief...

I imagine Zecora has been able to help now?

Uh, I guess? [He's been out for two days.] It's not physical damage at least... so I think I'm gonna be okay.

Hmmnn, it should only be a matter of time before you're back to your feet then...

[Phew. He sighs.] Matters like this... ...I, the man Gongenzaka, will admit that they are a part of why I worry about bringing 'magic' back to our realm at this point...

... I think all four of the dimensions have enough without needing magic. [Or more magic as it is. Solid vision is close enough!!] We're on the Summerlands, right? That's what Tamaki said.

[This is Super Awkward now Yuuya.] ....A..Auuh....

[YUUYA HE SPENT LIKE A MONTH TELLING HIMSELF IT WOULD BE OKAY.]

...Aah, the Summerlands. The Ringmaster is rather close to the Summer Maiden here, or so I, the man Gongenzaka, have been told. It is meant to be a 'resting' location for us, for that reason.

[Sorry but he agrees--the magic has got to go when they leave. Cool as it is.]

I hope it's as safe as she thinks... [Maybe he'll go out later today--when nobody's around to get on his case about sneaking out of bed. Check out the fairies.

He glances down, then back at Gon.] Even knowing how dangerous it is, I'd still sign my contract.

[YUUYA HE HAS A SCROLL OF MEDITATION TECHNIQUES HE WAS GOING TO TEACH-] Mnn, apparently the Carnival has visited here multiple times...and at the very least I, the man Gongenzaka, would trust her with that.

[Hahhhhh... Well. He can agree with that at least, and he gives the other a reassuring smile.] With what you signed it for, it is more than worth it, I imagine!

[Yuya rolls over onto his back, looking at the ceiling with a small smile.] If the Ringmaster has that kind of power, she'll definitely save Yuzu and...

[That pleased expression doesn't last long as the second name died on Yuya's tongue. Oh, that's right. He hasn't been speaking so freely around Gongenzaka. He, too, had something to hide.

How awful. After he just told his friend to trust him and he hasn't done the same.]

... And I haven't been... entirely honest with you, either. [He doesn't look back to Gon as he says that.]

Aaah, she absolutely can and- [...Oh? Gongenzaka blinks, and then frowns, shaking his head.] ...You mentioned that earlier... ...I, the man Gongenzaka, should have allowed you to speak then, but...

...What is it that you need to tell me, Yuuya..?

I--[Yuya cringes. It's something as difficult to admit to himself as it is to Gon, and he isn't sure he's ready. But what kind of hypocrite would he be, after Gon just admitted all of that, to continue to hide in the same way?]

I'm not... entirely who you think I am. [A deep breath.] You said you joined the carnival after losing to the Battle Beast, right? So you haven't heard why there's four dimensions yet, or... three people who look like me.

...That is correct, [he starts, nodding.] ...I take this to mean... ...you discovered that reason then.

[Yuya nods.] It got split. It used to be one, like--["like me."] That's where The Professor--Leo Akaba comes from. The one after Yuzu, Serena, Ruri, and Rin. He's not really from the standard dimension originally. And neither are we?

[He still doesn't look back at Gongenzaka.]

Aah, Reiji's father. And...

[Wait what.] We... ...aren't..?

You are. I'm not. [Not originally. Not really.

He reaches up on reflex for his goggles but stops, hesitating. He hadn't hid behind them for months, now, to the point that the movement feels rusty and foreign. He tries to tell himself he's okay, he can do this.

But he pulls the goggles over his eyes anyway. He doesn't want to see Gongenzaka's reaction. He doesn't want to tell him at all, so maybe--maybe just pretend he's telling nobody but himself.

He starts slowly.] There was a duelist named Zarc. He could hear the monster's from the cards. [Absently, he grabs the pendulum around his neck. His deck is put away, but what he really wants is to root through it for Odd-Eyes right now.] And with them he won. He won a lot. But the more he won, the more violent things got... because that's what people liked to see.

[The goggles go on, and Gongenzaka feels as though something inside him breaks. He wants to speak, say something, anything. He wants to take those goggles and pull them back up, gently, so that he can see his friend, and be there.

But that would interrupt.

So instead he listens.]

[This is where the memories get fuzzy, and Yuya swallows. He only had pieces of what he could recall, Zarc's feelings when he took over, and Leo's interpretation of things. Being separated from that part didn't make recollection any easier.]

He won the championship. But winning wasn't... enough by then. [Was that it? Why did winning stop mattering?] Just getting stronger--it's because they were angry? And he didn't just wanted to win. He wanted them to be afraid. He hurt people on purpose. After he won he...

Everyone was his enemy now. His and his dragon's.

Yuuya... [He starts. Then he stops. Yuuya's story is becoming...confused somehow. Disjointed, perhaps.

...And he can't tell why.]

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