⇨ 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

[flashover]

[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...!

[lionson]

[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.]

[flashover]

[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.

[lionson]

[At first Shiro braces himself, like he expects Kuro to suddenly turn into a much larger cat and pounce on him. Because that is something Kuro can do, and it's absolutely what Shiro is expecting to happen. But it doesn't, and instead Shiro just ends up catching Kuro.]

So he is.

[And he will go ahead and give Kuro some headskritches because even if it hasn't been long since he last saw Kuro he can tell that Kuro has been missing him.]

He hasn't given you too much trouble, has he?

[flashover]

[You're damn lucky he decided not to, Shiro. Maybe it's because Rin has chided him enough times about being an elephant-sized demonbeast indoors, or maybe he was just too overcome with emotion! Everyone is lucky today, but especially Shiro and the poor table.

But good lord, you'd think Kuro was going to have a conniption. He's purring and wibbling and whimpering all at once, rubbing against every inch of Shiro that he can reach. Headbutts and cheek rubs and everything he can do to get Shiro's wonderful scent all over him.]

... He took the news about you really hard. But he's been amazing! He sleeps with me at night and can carry me if need be, and he's a great partner for training.

[Kuro takes a moment, turning to face Rin and meowing insistently. "I'm going to stay with Shiro for a while!! That's fine, isn't it? I still want Rin's food, though!! Ok?"

Rin smiles and laughs a bit]

Seems like I'm gonna have to share him with you, dad. He says he wants to stay with you, but eat my food. [Cats] Come back and sleep in my bed once a week or so, though, ok, Kuro?

[Kuro makes a "nya" of affirmation, then continues cuddling up against Shiro]