lostcarnival | [Open]

Entry tags:

[Open]

Who: Yuya & everyone
When: Day 146-152
Where: Around the Carnival & Summerlands
What: Recovery, new changes, and continued antics while the carnival has a nice, long break.
Warnings: None, probably?

[Handstands]
[Yuya's in significantly better health than when they first arrived. He can still feel the residual pain and his stamina is rebuilding, but he's much more lively than before. He also realizes he needs to rebuild his strength, so even if he can't perform yet he's at least practicing so that he'll be ready to bounce back into action as soon as he's cleared.

He's taking his exercise outside the tents so the rest of the performers have plenty of room, and instead can be found tending to his errands around the carnival... on his hands. Just walking on his hands, knees bent for better balance as he navigates from the trailers to the cookhouse for lunch.] Excuse me! Coming through!

[Shadow]
[His shadow has been acting up since he returned. At first he was sure it was just a trick of his mind, but the long it goes on, the more chances he has to see that it is, in fact, just moving on its own sometimes. Okay, that's weird, but he just tries to ignore it. Only it doesn't end there, and by the second week it's taken on a different shape entirely. That's not uncommon, he's been assured, but when he finds it morphed into someone a little broader, taller (older), with hair that spikes up... it's unsettling.

He knows who it looks like. He's standing, shoulders tense as he glares at his own shadow. In the middle of the walkway.]

[Summerlands]
[Yuya's come to accept the Summer people. They're certainly not at domineering, volatile, or frightening as the rest of the Summer Court, and plenty of veterans--not the mention the Ringmaster seem to trust them wholly. So he's navigated deeper into the city, to one of the miracle gardens hidden behind pillars and wisteria.

It's a very small, circular garden, flush and green with scattered flowers. The greatest concentration of them, currently, is around Yuya--who's sitting down with dried fruit to snack on, looking serene.

It's easy to tell what's going on, because as soon as anyone steps in with a positive feeling flowers will start to sprout near them. The better they feel the bigger, brighter, more beautiful the flowers become. They smell wonderful, and something about that scent will bring good memories more easily to the front of their mind--no doubt generating more good feelings and more flowers. It's cyclical.]

[Wildcard]
[???]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't think so, [ Strange admits, as he looks down at Yuya's shadow. He doesn't like it's attitude? Well, it certainly seemed like a sassy shadow. But it was just that. A shadow. What could a shadow do in the first place? ]

At the risk of pointing out the obvious, it's a shadow. If you don't want to look at it, simply stay somewhere sunny.

[The shadow doesn't like hearing that, waving its hands like it's trying to tell Strange to stop. And that is an obvious, if not practical solution. It's not like he can just sit under a light 24/7.

There's at least a small quirk of a smile, though, through the orneriness.] Too bad I can't do that all the time. I'll just have to get used to it.

[Though, now that he considers it--] Have you had any changes since returning to the carnival?

Well, the next time you find your shadow particularly irritating, tell me. I'll clear the weather up for you.

[ Something that the shadow is probably finding exceedingly irritating right now. Still, Strange is paying it no mind as he turns his attention to Yuya's question. ]

As a matter of fact, I have. The silver covering that previously existed solely on my chest has grown over some scratches on my wrist and my feet have developed this terrible tendency of turning to smoke.

[ All said in a matter of fact yet slightly exasperated tone. The smoke is interesting and certainly cause for more study...but the fact that he's lost two pairs of shoes is damn annoying. ]

[Yuya noticed the mirrored scratches, but he doesn't say so--that was probably one of those things Strange has settled as Not Detailing About, as it seems most people have decided to approach Portland.

The other one, though, causes Yuya to look down. He raises an eye brow at the distinct lack of shoes before lifting his gaze again.] Is that why you're barefoot?

[Well, a little grass between the toes doesn't hurt anyone after all.] A lot of people ended up getting altered when we returned... all at once. Peridot said it was probably from all the magic when we got back.

[Honestly, given the amount of magic Yuya had been hit from at all sides leaving Portland, he's lucky the worst of it is a sassy shadow.]

[ He might talk about it later. After all, Strange and Yuya haven't actually talked about the ritual yet, about all of the events of that last week, most notably how Strange tried to murder Yuya. A apologetic letter and a drunken conversation certainly wouldn't be enough for Strange if he was in Yuya's place, he doubts it would be enough for Yuya himself.

Without thinking, Strange brings his hand up to his wrist, absent-mindedly rubbing at the cool mirrored scars as he continues their conversation. ]

Correct. By the way, if you spot any spare shoes loose around the carnival, please drop them off at my trailer. I'm missing a few pairs already, I'd hate to lose any more.

[ The talk about magic is more his speed. Strange visibly relaxes a bit as the conversation shifts. ]

Miss Peridot is correct. I imagine the spell to bring us all back to the carnival as well as restore any missing memories must be quite complex. Add in the ambient magic of the ritual and the magic that some of us had in Portland...well, it's a miracle that we aren't altered even further.

[Yuya nods, glancing down as he absently puts a hand to his chest. It didn't alter them further physically, at least, but... well, there's no point worrying about something they can't see anyway. If there were any spiritual changes, Yuya doesn't believe they're anything harmful.]

That's true. [He looks up again.] Uh, but how did you lose your shoes? Don't you notice when you turn into smoke?

I do eventually! [ he complains. ] But I've gotten good enough at moving about when my feet aren't solid that occasionally I don't realize they've turned to smoke until I see the smoke.

[ And thus Yuya learns just how scatter-brained Strange can really be. He still feels the need to defend himself a bit, as he continues talking. ]

Watch, [ he says, pointing directly at his feet. And now that Strange is actually drawing attention to his feet and hands, Yuya might notice that Strange's fingernails and toenails are trimmed quite nicely and painted a shade of metallic silver. Though, the toenails are only visible for a moment or two before Strange's feet vanish in a puff of dark purple smoke. He somehow remains upright, as a sweet scent starts to fill the area around them. ]

You see! If I think about my feet turning to smoke, they turn to smoke. And if I don't think about my feet remaining solid, then they also occasionally turn to smoke. It's terribly inconvenient!

[He actually does notice the paint, but of course Strange keeps the focus on his abilities instead.] So you just... randomly turn into smoke? There's gotta be a better way to control it.

[Maybe he just needs to get used to it? Otherwise these changes suck a lot more than he thought.]

Does the nailpolish have something to do with this? [Or is that just a Thing for Strange.]

Hmm? [ Oh, right, his nails. And thankfully for everybody involved, Strange might not know the ins and outs of different types of nail polish (what the hell is dip dying) but he's at least managed to pick up on what nail polish is, thanks to his and Lambert's stupid spa day. ] No, my feet started vanishing before the nail polish. It's called a manicure, by the way. The one on my feet is called a pedicure.

[ He has absolutely no clue that this is a thing that's common knowledge in the future. Strange is just relaying this like it's brand new information. The fae paint people's nails! How weird is that? ]

Truth be told, I don't think I like the color, but when in Rome, do as the Romans.

I know what they're called. [He wrinkles his nose a little as he says it, more defending his intelligence on the matter than his experience with it. Because it is very common in the future, and he doesn't live under a rock!

Though his experience is minimal enough that he doesn't really know how to respond to "not my color". Okay, sure, he grew up with Yuzu, but she wasn't prissy--it's something he heard more from his mom, and even then he didn't exactly talk to her about it.]

Couldn't you just ask for a different color?

To be honest, I didn't know what was happening until the first few nails were already painted.

[ The faerie asked him about his color, Strange politely let the faerie choose what she thought fit him best because he didn't want to admit that he didn't know what was going on, he found out what was going on when she was on the third nail and by that point, might as well just keep going. ]

Treatments like this aren't done where I'm from, [ said with a vague wave of his hand to show what he means by 'this'. ]

Really? [He looks from the nails up at Strange. His clothes were a little odd, now that he thought about it.] Where are you from? I don't think I ever asked.

I'm from Shropshire--it's a relatively small town in England. [ And Strange can't help but smile a little bit because he's got a feeling this will be the next question Yuya asks. ]

Though, I've found the 'when' is just as important to specify. For a number of people here, I'm from around two hundred years in their past.

Oh, I know where England is. [No idea about Shropshire though, what a funny name. He smiles, but he's quickly surprised as Strange identifies himself from the past.

Well, he does dress pretty old.] What year was it when you found the carnival?

1816, [ Strange answers. The fact that he's from a lot of people's pasts has certainly stuck with Strange, especially since the first place he got thrown into when arriving at the carnival was the 1990s.

Though huh, he doesn't know anything about Yuya's world either. ]

Where are you from, out of curiosity?

Whoa, that really is two hundred years ago! [It makes him think, he doesn't really know what anyone's home worlds are like. Maybe that's something he should start asking more about?]

I'm from Maiami City, Japan. [It sounds like Strange is from earth, but now he just doesn't even know if their earths are the same.]

I haven't heard of Maiami City, but I've certainly heard of Japan. [ Even if Strange's knowledge of Japan isn't entirely the best because something something isolationist period something something we've got most of our problems in Europe right now because of Napoleon. ]

I suppose that means our worlds are at least somewhat similar. Do you have magic where you're from?

[ because of course that's what Strange asks about first. ]

[He's about to deny it, but then he remembers Lambert catching on anyway, and Strange was a real accomplished mage--if Lambert could sense that magic, who says strange couldn't?

He thumbs at his pendulum.] Not magic like yours. I don't really understand it, and most people wouldn't believe it exists. But it's there.

[Pseuo-science holograms and Arc V aside, there's no other way he knows to interpret his existence but magic.]

[ The thing about Strange's third eye is that he can only identify magic that he recognizes. Whatever magic Yuya has? Strange didn't know existed in the first place. Of course, this makes him all the more eager to find out just what Yuya's magic is and just how precisely it works. ]

I could help you understand it, if you want. Granted, I've no idea about how the structures of magic work in your world but aside from the Ringmaster, I'd say that I'm the most knowledgeable magician the carnival has.

[ and certainly the most modest. ]

I... don't know if I can even do any of it anymore. [He was Zarc, but not the part of Zarc that had that power. Ever since that darkness was removed, he hasn't felt... anything. Any magic in him now is probably residual and dormant, nothing active.

He rubs the back of his head.] I appreciate it, Mr. Strange, but I probably can't even tell you enough to get started! I don't even remember half of it.

[ He's not going to prod about not remembering things. Half of Strange's bad decisions in Portland could be traced back to 'drastic measures to try and remember things' so if Yuya says he doesn't remember half of his magic, then Strange is going to let that part lie.

Or, at least, he's going to mostly let it lie. ]

Well, if you ever do remember more or you find out you can do it, feel free to bother me. I'll be happy to help in any way I can.

Thanks. [He doesn't expect anything to come of that and, truthfully, he's not sure he ever wants to be able to do those things again... not with what they cost. But it's the thought that counts. It's good to know Strange's willingness to help Yuya hasn't changed.

And there's more enjoyable topics that Yuya's memory loss anyway.] What was the manicure for?

[He doesn't say 'that's the kind of thing my mom does', but he sure does think it.]

For relaxing, of course! I had a lovely conversation with this fae that owns a spa. I helped her out with a little bit of renovation and she let me have a few spa treatments in return--I dragged Lambert along, by the way, so if he seemed more relaxed these past few days then you're welcome.

[ Have fun picturing that amazingly dumb mental image of Lambert at a spa.

He's in a good humor about the whole thing, despite the fact that the spa itself was pretty damn ridiculous--mostly because it was relaxing as well. Strange was perfectly willing to overlook weird things like 'nail polish' or 'saunas' if it meant he could take it easy for a while. ]

Truth be told, I think she enjoyed shoving me through those treatments just as much as I enjoyed going through them. After all, I doubt she often gets new customers.

I guess dimensional travel isn't really common, huh? [Lambert's let slip he and Strange are buddies, so that's really just improving this mental image of the two of them on their spa date together.]

I haven't seen him since we crashed the balloon... but he probably needed it. [Though really, they all needed to relax.]

He definitely needed it, [ Strange adds in. Granted, everybody needed to rest after Portland, but he'd imagine one needed more rest if they got possessed. ] You probably need it as well. I'm certain that if I help out with a few more things around the spa, I can coax out a few spa treatments for you. Only if you want me to, of course.

[ But, at least in Strange's mind, Yuya also needs to relax. He remembers you running around a few days after you got your soul stabbed, take it easy buddy. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject