⇨ 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

[puddingemote]

Tamaki thinks over this explanation, and he thinks he gets it. Steven is a really nice person; of course he wouldn't want to upset anyone by being sad, especially if he thinks they can't do anything to help.

"So you dressed like this, thinking everyone would know you're sad?"

Just going by their conversation earlier, he's going to guess that didn't go quite as Steven planned; though, Tamaki realizes he's not exactly known for being the sharpest crayon in the box. It's entirely possible that only he missed the implication of what Steven was doing.

"Do you want to talk about why?"

[starseedling]

Steven considers that, looking like the proposition is a difficult one for him. He shrugs a shoulder, smiling faintly in appreciation of the offer.

"There was everything in Portland... and then when we got back... a bunch of my friends decided to go home for a while afterwards because it was so stressful. Dad and I went together, but now..."

Steven glances in the direction of the trailer park.

"Dad isn't back yet. And I don't know when he will be." He looks at the ground. "And the stuff back home wasn't very good, either."

[puddingemote]

"Your dad didn't come back, huh..."

Tamaki wonders if that was a conscious decision on Greg's part, or just something that... happened, like the way Mitsuki went home and left Tamaki here. He's not entirely willing to give Greg the benefit of the doubt after what happened at the celebration, and doesn't entirely have the self awareness to realize he might just be projecting.

"Is anyone else from your world still here? That you can stay with?"

[starseedling]

Steven smiles sadly and nods, looking up from the ground. He doesn't know that Tamaki doubts Greg's intentions, but he still sort of worries about that idea on his own.

"He probably... maybe he needed more time. I don't know..." He shakes it off, laughing uneasily. "Peridot and Lapis are still here! And... Blue Diamond..." His expression falls again. "...But that's more of a bad thing..."

[puddingemote]

"Maybe..." He'd like to give Greg the benefit of the doubt, but it's hard to do that when Steven is sad and all alone. And if things are bad back home too, hopefully his dad is taking care of him there...

But something else Steven says catches his attention, and he tilts his head. "Why's it bad?"

He's not doubting Steven, but he hardly knows anything about gems.