⇨ 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

[dontpokethat]

"Dragon is handled, I was looking for the tyrannosaur when I ran into these guys. And then you told me to stay put." He looks pointedly at Joker. "Speaking of which, can I get back to work yet?"

[pipers_son]

"Nope." But were you expecting any other answer, Ginko? Joker comes closer, wings flaring out in a way that he'd done much as an angel, too, acting as extra arms even when he'd had two. "Sit down for a spell. If anyone gets eatin' by Fluffy, well, it's their own fault. Hard ta miss that kind of thing."

[dontpokethat]

Oh come on, really. Ginko scowls at him.

"I'm going to rest once this is done - and I'll rest a lot better knowing that it has been done." If he tried to take a break now, he'd be too restless for it to be worth much, anyway.

[pipers_son]

Ugh. Why does Ginko have to have facts on his side? Joker droops slightly, sighing- before something occurs to him. "What if it wasn't you who did it, then...? That'd be fine, wouldn't it, if ya were on the radio about it?"

[dontpokethat]

He actually considers that for a moment, humming thoughtfully. "I mean... I'd appreciate help, sure, but I'd rather not drop my work on other people. Especially not when everyone's tired already."

[pipers_son]

"It'll be fine, fine~." Joker waves hand through the air lazily. "If more people are workin' then it means less exhaustion ta go around, doesn't it?"

[dontpokethat]

Ginko huffs. "Yeah, which is why I'd rather do at least some of it myself. Other people are absolutely free to help out, but I'm going to keep looking, too."

[pipers_son]

"But ya already did some of it yerself," Joker points out. "Ya already said that ya got one of the big things back where it's supposed ta be, right?"

[dontpokethat]

"I did. And I don't intend to stop there."

Sorry, Joker, did he say 'some of it'? He meant 'as much of it as it takes until it's done, whether other people are helping or not'.

[pipers_son]

A nice long pause before Joker sighs. "I didn't want ta do this," he says, putting his hand on his hip, "but you've gone and forced my hand, Ginko."

With that, he leans a little closer and pointedly asks, "So how's things with Psi goin'?"

[dontpokethat]

Wow. Wow, seriously? Ginko gives him a look.

"Just what does Psi have to do with this?"

[pipers_son]

"I'm just sayin'." Joker raises his own eyebrows right back at him. "Don't ya have other things ta be gettin' ready for?"

And this totally isn't him playing dirty or anything.

[dontpokethat]

...Okay now he's just confused. And a little suspicious. Ginko squints at Joker for a moment.

"What things? We already talked about what to do from here, it's worked out."

[pipers_son]

That stuns him into silence- for the second time in a couple of months! Good job Ginko- and Joker simply stares at him for a minute. There's some squinting, a slight head tilt, before eventually he gets his voice back.

"You did?"

Pardon him for sounding so amazed and disbelieving, but.... Well. Joker knows himself. He also knows Psi on a level more than his junk, and Ginko, too. Well, Ginko's personality, not his- anyway. It's not the point. For not the first time since he's woken up, Joker has to wonder.... Just what did Portland do to all of them?

[dontpokethat]

You know, that is actually weirdly satisfying - enough so for a small, wry smile to creep onto Ginko's face when Joker replies.

"Yes, we did. I... don't know how we managed it, but it happened," he admits. "And... I'm glad it did." And not only because it gave him a good comeback here.

[pipers_son]

Okay. Well. This is sure a thing. "I've become the third wheel," he says in quiet shock before he can stop himself. Shaking his head, he finally starts to grin again.

"And he's not here botherin' ya instead of me! I can't believe it."

[dontpokethat]

Whether Joker meant that seriously or not, it sure seems to have an impact. Ginko frowns, his ears flipping back and down. "No, you haven't. Just because we're... doing whatever this is, it doesn't make you less important to either of us."

That, though, gets another small smile. "Psi is resting, actually; it sounds like things got pretty rough for him right before we got back. He can't really afford to be up and about right now."

[pipers_son]

"Huh?" For a few seconds, he only blinks with his own ears twitching. Eventually, however, there's the laugh again, and Joker reaches over fondly to try and ruffle Ginko's hair. He promises to avoid any accidental splinters.

"'Ey now, I'm teasin', I'm teasin'. I know the two of ya wouldn't leave me high and dry. But that just means I gotta bug ya harder while he's restin', don't I?"

[dontpokethat]

"Hey--!" Ginko tenses a little and makes a face, but doesn't pull away.

"It absolutely does not. I can take care of myself just fine!"

[pipers_son]

Joker ruffles his hair for good measure, grinning like a dick the entire time, before he pulls his hand back.

"Well, I'm on orders from Tanyuu ta make ya rest too. I gotta lot of responsibility on my shoulders now!"

[dontpokethat]

When Joker pulls away, Ginko scowls and shakes his head like a dog trying to un-flip its ears. He also makes an effort to shove his bangs back in his face, right before remembering that that's why he has an eyepatch now and pushing his hand back into his pocket.

"I think Tanyuu will understand. She knows me, after all." Which is to say, she knows how stubborn he is about his work.

[pipers_son]

"And Tanyuu knows me too," Joker says, winking. "Which is probably why she put me on the job."

Stubborn, meet Stubborn.

[dontpokethat]

Uuuuugh. Ginko doesn't actually groan out loud, but he does let out a long, slow, audibly frustrated breath, squeezing his eye shut for a moment before looking at Joker again.

"Well, then, I guess we're going to be here awhile. Unless you want to help me find the animals - and by that I do mean help, not do it for me."

[pipers_son]

"I suppose I can do that~." And he totally doesn't mean that he'll try and shove his way into doing more work than Ginko will. Joker rocks on his heels a little again. "So, shall we go then, Mister Workaholic?"

[dontpokethat]

Alright. He can accept that. But Joker better believe he'll be keeping an eye out for any funny business, dammit.

"Right. Let's get going... the tyrannosaur doesn't like closed-off spaces too much, so if it's in the woods, it'll have to be in a clearing or something. Otherwise it might just be somewhere out in the open that I haven't looked yet."