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.

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[Lover of humans and demons alike!! As long they behave.]

Well, I had to be kind of mean at first to tame them, they were really wild! But now they listen to me. [because even if Rin's Satan isn't their satan, they recognize demonic power when they see it. It also helps that they get plenty of food in the form of wood and food scraps!] But yeah, I'm in here a lot.

[Rin offers Shiro a seat at one of the tables, then fidgets with the hem of his shirt a bit.]

So... are you actually hungry, or were you just messing with me?

[CAUSE HE'LL MAKE YOU A SANDWICH, DAD. And yeah... he's not good at very much. School? Nope. Math? Nope. Doing anything other than hard labor? Haaaa. But cooking! Thank god for cooking]

It's fine, I was just messing with you.

[He does take a seat at the table though, and once he's seated he watches Rin carefully for a moment. He's definitely unlocked his demon powers, the teeth and the ears are more than enough to show that, but how much did Rin know? If he'd been here the whole time, did he learn anything about how demons work back in their world? Should Shiro even ask?

He's so not good at talks like this. Rin isn't the only one who's awkward right now.]

...you take after me, you know. With the whole 'befriending weird animals' thing.

Ok... [Rin takes a seat across from Shiro, continuing to fidget. There's so much he needs to say... and he wants to say exactly none of it. How long can he keep the dumb smalltalk going?

Maybe forever?]

Yeah. Yukio, and the other exorcists, they said that. About you. That you tamed Kuro with friendship! [pause! Then a real smile] Oh! Kuro!! He's here too! Oh man, he's going to be over the MOON to see you again.

I bet he will be, if he's been here a while.

[Oh, look at that smile on his face. Kuro is the best cat familiar ever and Shiro is glad to see him. Though that just raises other questions.]

How much do you know about all of that anyway? The whole 'exorcist' thing.

Edited 2017-08-05 03:32 (UTC)

[Yeah, because back home you're dead, and he almost went berserk over it.

No, he'll save that for later. Or never.

Rin takes Kurikara off his back and puts it, sheathed, on the table. So he can fidget with THAT instead!!]

All of it, pretty much. I know you were the Paladin, the top exorcist! I know Yukio... he's seen demons all his life. [Rin looks down, ashamed] And me... how blind am I? To live 15 years while you guys ran around saving the world and I didn't even notice!

[Ah, so he's found out that much, huh? He must be from much farther in the future than Shiro is. But then again, it can't be that much. Rin still looks like a teenager, he can't be older than 16, right? So it can't be that far.]

To be fair, we did try our best to keep it a secret from you. If you knew about it, then you might've come into your powers much sooner.

[Remember that time in Kindergarten, Rin? Now remember it with everything on fire.]

Well, I guess you did a good job.

[Oh yeah. That would have been... bad. Char-grilled toddlers, anyone?]

... I know you had your reasons for hiding it from me. I don't think I'll ever understand them, though.

[He knows WHY. Because Shiro loved them -- dearly. He only wanted to protect him from the Order. But destiny had a nasty way of making itself known, one way or another]

[The funny thing is, he really would like to explain it all to Rin. To tell him 'this is exactly what happened and why you and your brother are alive'. But.

Well.

He's pretty sure that contract literally imprinted on the back of his neck still applies, even here. And if there's one thing he doesn't want to submit Rin to, it's watching his own father get murdered by a demon.]

You might not now, but I'm sure you will someday.

[He chuckles a little, trying to make light of it.]

Probably when you have kids of your own to look out for.

[Well, he MIGHT be safe from death dealing demons here... but then again, Shima was able to summon Yamantaka.

... HAHA. Well. You know. He's maybe already seen that at least once. Yeah.]

[he grumbles. Of course! But he does want to have kids someday. Probably not any of his own -- he doesn't need to pass on his cursed lineage anymore. But adopting?
Giving someone a home? Hell yeah.

(he doesn't voice these thoughts about the future to anyone because how embarrassing!)

He takes a deep breath]

Dad... I... [he fidgets again, this time with the tassel on Kurikara's hilt. Sensing his unease, Nosh moves from his head into his lap, and he strokes her wings] I need to warn you about... what happens. When you get back, what will happen.

[Maybe if he's expecting it, he won't be...]

[There's no shame in adopting, Shiro adopted Rin and Yukio! I mean sure, technically they were blood related anyway, but those are minor details that definitely don't need explaining right now. Shiro isn't sure how he could twist the words into something that is technically true without setting off the contract.

But something about how Rin says that last part makes Shiro worry.]

Well it must be pretty serious, if you want to warn me about it. But do you really want to go messing around with time like that? Anything I learn here could end up changing the future, for better or for worse.

[Rin winces a little, then suddenly loses his temper -- or, rather, starts to panic]

You idiot, don't you understand?! Your future can't possibly GET any worse!! [he closes his eyes tightly and yells the next bit in a voice that cracks] You're going back to your last day on Earth!!

[Oh.

Well then.]

That's certainly a dramatic way of putting it.

Unnnrrggghhhh....

[Was it? Was it dramatic? Well yeah, it was. Also YOU DYING WAS DRAMATIC!! Rin lets his forehead fall on the table with a loud "clonk". He continues to speak into the table]

My powers start wakin' up and Asster-ott or whatever comes after me and you have to tell me about it all and I GET MAD AND YELL AT YOU and then you get possessed by Satan and then you DIE and then I have to destroy a Gehenna gate and then Mephisto threatens to kill me and Yukio hates me and, and-- [he takes a deep, shuddering breath and ends his stream of consciousness rant right there, without ever lifting his head]

... It's all my fault.

Edited 2017-08-06 18:46 (UTC)

[That is not nearly enough details to satisfy Shiro's curiosity of what the hell actually happened- or happens, he supposes, from his point of view it still has yet to occur- and he's trying to figure out how to prod Rin for more information.]

Unless you called up Satan and said 'go possess my dad', it's not your fault. He's been after me for years, it makes sense that he would get to me eventually.

[That's brushing dangerously close to the truth of the Blue Night that he's not supposed to speak ever, but he has to reassure Rin here.]

[Rin lifts his head just enough to rest his chin on the table instead, and looks up at his father through his bangs.]

Yeah but... if I hadn't said the things I did... You wouldn't have... urk. So you just... you gotta promise to ignore the stuff I say! I don't mean it! I... I'd never want you to stop being my dad! [he pins his ears a little] I might not be able to change my past, but maybe it will change your future.

Rin.

[He's got that 'firm dad' tone, the one he always gets right before he says something poignant.]

You're my son, I'll never ignore something you say. But I'll keep from letting it get to me, if that's what has you worried.

['I'd never want you to stop being my dad'. Huh. So what Rin had said must have been something involving that. No wonder future-him apparently let his control slip, having one of his boys deny him would be absolutely heartbreaking.]

[Oh no. That tone. He also uses it when he's mad. Is he mad?

No... He's not mad. Thank God. That's the last thing Rin wants.

He looks down, then back up at Shiro and nods]

... I'm sorry. I love you. And I don't say it enough. Even though this place is kind of weird, I.... I'm glad you're here.

[he takes a deep breath, then claps his hands against his cheeks before balling them into fists]

YOSH! OK! Enough sad and mushy stuff!!

Edited 2017-08-27 22:24 (UTC)

Nope! Not done with the mushy stuff yet!

[He's got a suspicious grin on his face, and a moment later he's grabbing Rin's face and planting an embarassing dad-kiss right on his forehead. All exaggerated and stuff, because that's how he rolls.]

I'm proud of you, Rin. Never forget that.

Aacck! Noo!! Gross!!

[Rin swats at his dad and his big dumb head, but is careful not to use claws. Just the flats of his palms.

Once he escapes from Shiro's grasp (or is released, whichever comes first) he wipes GROSS DAD SPIT off his forehead.

Then he smiles a bit, sheepishly]

... I won't forget. And I'm gonna make sure I keep making you proud!! Look, I wanna show you something. Hold out your hand.

[Shiro will let go as soon as Rin fights it, but he's laughing. And he will continue to laugh until Rin speaks again.]

Oh? It's not going to be a worm or something, right?

[He totally fell for that the first time, many years ago, but he won't fall for it again. Though maybe he will, because he is holding out his hand for Rin.]

Nooo, it's way better than a worm. Don't freak out.

[Rin sticks out his tongue comically, holding his own hands near Shiro's. Then, there it is -- a little blue fireball, formed right in Shiro's upturned palm. It crackles and dances and looks all the world like it should be burning his flesh.

But it doesn't.

Instead, it just warm, tingly, and pleasant.

The opposite of everything that brimstone fire usually was!]

I can control it!

[Shiro had been ready to humor Rin in whatever he was planning, because that's what he always did anytime Rin had 'something cool' to show him. But honestly, he wasn't expecting to suddenly have fire in his hand. And blue fire at that.

Shiro freezes for a moment, and a flash of panic crosses his face. As much as he is in control of himself, it's hard to stop that initial, visceral reaction. The last time he came across blue fire like that was...not a good time, to put it gently.

He almost pulls his hand away. In fact, Rin might even notice his hand jerk back slightly. But he forces himself to stop, swallowing down his own, private fears. Instead, he watches the fire, and he sees that it's not burning him at all.

It's hard to feel happy about it, but he'll try. For Rin's sake.]

That's...that's amazing, Rin! How did you learn to control it so quickly, I would've thought it'd take you ages.

[oh don't think he didn't see that, Shiro. He did. HE SAW IT GOOD. And it makes him a bit sad.

But it's to be expected, right? The only experiences he'd ever had with the blue flames have been bad. If stories about the blue night were half as terrible as they seemed, then those experiences were very bad.

He was going to change that. He was going to make these blue flames a symbol of hope, and protection, and safety.

So he only keeps the flame in his father's hand for a short moment before drawing it into his own, cradling it in his palms like a helpless little bird.]

I learned fast because I had to. These things are dangerous, powerful -- but they're just a tool, you know? And there was no way I was going to let something like that control me! No way! These flames... these are mine now. And I'm gonna do good with 'em. I hope it pisses that asshole Satan off so much...!

[Even if the fire isn't in his hand anymore, Shiro is still watching it. Because it's hard not to look at that fire and think of the night that changed his life forever. It's hard not to think about losing the first (and, romantically-speaking, only) person he had ever loved to it.

But Rin is right. The fire itself isn't good or evil, it's just a tool. A tool that, in the right hands, can be used for good.]

You wanna piss of Satan, huh? Well, you're going about it in the right way at least. Live a good life, do good by others, and use his powers to do everything he hates. That's the best way to piss that asshole off.

[A symbol of hope, protection, and safety indeed.]

[Rin grins, and claps his hands together, making the flame disappear in the process] That's the plan. I want to make that jerk so mad that his head explodes. And once it does, I'll take him out for good.

[Aw yeah. Satan was going to regret making Rin. He was going to make certain of that.]

[something can be heard scrabbling up the side of the building, toward an open window. From the window, a small black cat with two tails jumps to a nearby table, then to the ground. He meows loudly, "RIIIIIIN I'm hungrrryyyyyy!". He jumps up on the table and headbutts Rin, begging him for attention. In his beeline, he hasn't noticed Shiro.

.... But then he sniffs the air. A familiar smell... It couldn't be? Could it? He turns to look at the man who he had missed before and nearly jumps out of his skin.

Time for another tearful reunion? Well, tearful for Kuro, at least. His green eyes well up with big, wibbling tears. He lets out a loud "NYAAAAA!!!" and jumps into Shiro's arms. All Rin can hear from him is "Shiro!! It's Shiro! My Shiro! Shiiiirrooooo!!!"]

Oh yeah. Kuro's here, too.

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