lostcarnival | ⇨ SAY UNCLE

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⇨ SAY UNCLE

Who: Everyone who isn't in jail!
When: Day 175, 11:30PM onward.
Where: The Realm that used to contain Heartstone Manor.
What: Team carnival has gotten what they came for, but in the meantime they have lost what they came with. With his ace in the hole gone, the Prince is tearing apart the Heartstone Manor and reshaping it into an impregnable fortress to lock away his new most precious commodities - the Ringmaster's captured followers. Welcome to a hostage situation, this could take a while.
Warnings: Violence, and etc.

AFTER THE BALL↴

Around 11:30PM is when everything starts changing - and for most in Heartstone Manor, the triggers will have remained unseen. In the ongoing thunderstorm it was easy to miss, and the Prince losing control over his realm only occured before a small group of workers intent on saving the carnival from a terrible fate. An ancient High Fae artifact called the Blue Rose was stolen from the Prince, and in reaction he is being forced to abandon his plans of controlling the Ringmaster, instead trying to hide away in his realm for the purposes of saving his own skin.

His main bartering chip? The workers that he's been capturing up to this point. He knows that, unlike himself, the Ringmaster cares about mortals, and especially about the ones who follow her. He's willing to bet that she won't allow them to die for the sake of her own convenience, and he's right. Now that the Blue Rose is the carnival's, she's intent to take back what was stolen from her, as well as the lives of all the servants that the Prince has been stealing away for eons. By whatever means necessary.

► SPLIT THE EARTH: Characters all across the Manor will be treated with initial tremours that will soon escalate into a full-fledged earthquake, capable of collapsing buildings and rending the earth. The cause of this is simple: the Prince is using his powers of elemental earth to reshape his realm into something more suited to protect him. Specifically, he is changing what was a manor house into a fortress meant to defend, and allowing the rest to collapse into ruin. The Manor is still nothing but a castle floating in a void - as the earth breaks apart, it will be nothing but an endless freefall between the floating chunks of debris. Over the next twelve house that earthen debris will be reshaping and solidifying into a new layout, but having to be there while it happens is one hell of a ride!

► BREAK THE ILLUSION: It's as the world starts shaking that the last of the Prince's spell over the minds of his guests will begin to fade away. However, it may wear off more slowly than is helpful in an emergency earthquake situation. The ballroom trance may linger even as lives are threatened, and it will take a pointed effort to make sure that everyone gets out of the Manor's collapse safely. At the same time, the illusionary guests will begin to fade and disappear. The ones that remain are the ones that are real, but it may be a bit painful to realize which ones were simply a lie to begin with.

► SAVE WHO YOU CAN: Despite being knocked out by a surprisingly massive blast from the Prince's magic crystal, the Ringmaster will manage to gather herself up eventually. When she does, the last of the storm will finally come to an end. She'll be doing what she can to try to gather up both servants of the Prince and all of her workers, but it'll be impossible to get to all of them first. A large portion of the servants have undoubtedly been stolen away by the Prince into his newly built fortress, but with the effort of carnival members new and old, they can still save as many as possible. Of course, those held in the Prince's most secure prisons will remain out of reach... for now.

► WAKE THE SUN: As the worst of the earthquakes stop and the new islands of floating land begin to settle, the clouds from the thunderstorm will finally pass, as the Ringmaster seems to summon up a sun to light the realm for the first time since the carnival's arrival. In reality it's sometime in the early, early morning by the Manor's schedule, but whatever! It's easier to not die when the sun is out, don't you think? The Prince's security and gargoyle soldiers are still out and about, and they're clearly interested in capturing as many hostages as possible.

► SIGN A CONTRACT: This is when the Ringmaster will be taking those that were summoned to the Prince's ball aside to offer them contracts in order to free them from the Prince's influence. She'll do her best to explain that the only way to wipe out his control is to take on a new 'master', but they can take some time to think about it if necessary. The truth is, of course, that until they officially sign onto the Ringmaster's camp, there will still be the chance that the Prince will be able to control them.

► WALK THE RUINS: One Day 176 things will have settled completely, with the land now forming a massive fortress on the far side of several large floating islands. The ruins of the old buildings will scatter those islands, forming towers that will swiftly gain small colonies of gargoyles, ready to swoop down and attack carnival members. Further complicating matters is the fact that the rending of the landscape has resulted in bursting open the underground prisons that the Prince had been keeping his most bestial servants, which mean all kinds of mortals long since twisted into the forms of giant spiders, scorpions, monstrous beasts, and other terrifying creatures will now be running amock on the islands, desperate for food. Try not to hold it against them - they didn't ask to be this way.

► REGROUP: While the Ringmaster doesn't want everyone to just run back home (if they do that, the Prince will undoubtedly make them unable to enter again, or at least take over the landscape more fully) she will manage to open a portal back to the carnival in the afternoon of Day 176, formed between two freshly grown trees. This means that carnival members will be able to fetch new clothing, supplies, weapons, and whatever they need to prepare for the battle ahead. Right now, the chaos is still unfolding, but the battle to save the Prince's captives is still ahead.

[OOC: Gargoyles and transformed servants from the underbelly can be NPC'd from this point onward. Gargoyles are the Prince's most deadly servants made of extremely durable rock and bearing scorpion tails with venom that can turn bodies into stone. They want to grab anyone they can, trap them, and then fly them off to the Prince's dungeons as collateral. Don't let them!

Transformed servants are the beasts who were freed from the underground prison they were left in to rot. They are servants that were transformed into monsters by the Prince, and most of them have been driven insane with bestial hunger from months and years of starvation and atmospheric poison. The Ringmaster is interested in helping them, to see if there is way they can be changed back, so if you have the heart nonlethal methods are most appreciated.]

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The speed at which all of this happens is frankly ludicrous to Reira-which, given her typical understanding of things, is more of an indication to her illness than anything else. Initially, despite the wash of sharp pain that comes the closer Mari gets to exiting the treasury with Sans, the girl manages a small smile-encouragement, mostly, since they seem to finally have something going right for them. It fades when people begin arguing (or briefly argue, more accurate) about sedation.

It's definitely gone when Strange does it anyway, and the level of irritated disappointment from more than one person snaps to rise.

"Mnh...." At the very least, she's holding her breath, not that it looks like she moved much. Mostly her face just changed to a more surprised one, and a light grimace.

She waits until the poison clears up, before....trying to at least get something over with. "....Do you want your radio back..?" she tries, grimacing somewhat.

"....I already have mine..." Not that it's very visible, being within the inside pocket of a sweater, but it is there, and she really only used this one because it was crammed in her hands for convenience.

When he'd been conceptualizing getting sedated, gas wasn't what he expected. There are plenty of straight up magical spells that do similar, after all, or even potions - someone turning into smoke and flying in his face comes as a bit of a curve-ball.

He could restrict his breathing and stave it off, but in that moment of panic he doesn't. It doesn't take much to cause his already failing constitution to topple over, and with his skull drowning in purple gas, it doesn't take much before his head is already swimming. His kicks slow, his tail going limp.

"Don't, please," is the last thing he manages to say before his eyes fall most of the way closed, leaving only slits of empty socket at the bottom of each.

With the amount he's been poisoned by people lately, he can only assume that something worse is to follow.

And now Strange is doing his stupid cheap smoke trick. Except this time it isn't to get away. And Zangetsu can't remember feeling this lightheaded the last time he breathed in Strange-as-smoke.

Damn that was a weird thought.

"Christ, a little more warning next time?" He says angrily, covering his mouth and nose with his hands.

Mari doesn't breathe because she's dead, Strange. She sure doesn't look happy about this, though. In fact, she looks downright pissed.

Interestingly, she doesn't do anything about it--just stands there with the thrashing skeleton in her arms, looking incredibly disgruntled about this tactic, until the Wardens' protests cease and his feeble struggles still.

The fact is, it's better he's knocked out. That's the only reason she didn't do or say anything.

But that doesn't mean she's happy about the method or the timing. Or, you know. The fact that multiple people said not to do something yet and this was completely disregarded.

She hopes this unconsciousness is at least restful, but God knows. At least it was efficient. And it's too late now if it isn't.

She makes displeased eye contact with Childermass--and Tyki, and Syr, and Reira--all at once.

At which point she just starts marching forward, right through the gaseous purple cloud that was (is?) Strange and past Childermass and everyone else.

He hears the burrito fighting again and he turns halfway to the left to try to reassure him with a calm smile and a raise of his hand. It's enough time for Strange to royally piss him off. The thing about being a conman and trying to use one's silvertongue to solve a situation is that moments of trust must be established. The minute that is broken the endgame should be clear and long gone or everything is just wasted.

Tyki himself is in no danger even with his handicap due to the manner of in which Strange used it. Even there he's using his power to keep a pocket of fresh air around his nose and mouth. It doesn't stop him from activating his power in his hand as his body swings around and fingers spread. He can grab smoke just as easily as one can grab flesh yet Childermass is there silently commanding him to not act. He sees it and on command his body straightens with absolute obedience.

His fingers twitch as his hand lowers back to his side. Sorry, Reira. That's a rather aggressive intent coursing through him right now.

He can't blame Strange entirely. It was effective and the warden will get a much needed rest. It doesn't mean he's fine with it.

When Mari moves past him through that cloud of Strange he'll step forward and follow after her without a word. Yet if Strange has reformed he'll find himself getting a rather rough brush of his shoulder as Tyki pushes past him. He means exactly what he said earlier. He'll stay with their Warden for a while even if he just sleeps.

There we go. He knew he could do that and he knew it would work! Strange still remains smoke as Mari walks through him, but turns back to his physically solid form right in time for Tyki to check him with his shoulder. There's a brief moment where Strange looks so amazingly smug before he takes in Childermass's angry expression and Zangetsu's angry expression. Adding that to Mari's angry expression and Tyki's angry expression and really, Strange has no idea why everybody's looking at him like that but it's damn annoying. That smug expression fades to a confused and annoyed one.

"What?" he responds, crossing his arms over his chest and letting out a little hmmph. At least in his mind, he has done absolutely nothing wrong. "His mind has been changed by a True Fae. You can't talk or punch that out of someone."

From Strange's tone of voice, he's speaking with experience and he's entirely certain of his words. "The best thing we can do for that skeleton is to take him to the Ringmaster. And the best thing for us is if he isn't kicking or screaming the whole way there."

"You have a lot to learn about reading a room, Mr. Strange," Childermass tells him once he's reformed and acting oh so puzzled over why everyone is glaring at him. "I suggest you think about it while you escort Ms. Akaba back to her trailer."

And he can't even take any real amusement over bossing Strange around. There just isn't any here, not in this matter, not in this place they're stuck at until they figure out how to fix everything that's been broken. Without saying anything else, he'll turn and follow after Mari, Tyki, and their unconscious Warden.

"... Did you just suffocate him?" Is that what happened? It's like every time he turns around, Strange has some new trick up his sleeve. Which, it worked, it was forceful but it worked. It's just that nobody's happy about it.

He can at least assume he's not dead since nobody's openly losing their heads about what just happened.

He doesn't wait long for an answer, however. Instead he looks over his shoulder to make sure the trunk really is closed, gives Reira a quick once-over to make sure she's still there (is she Miss Akaba, then?), and then gives Strange a slightly confused nod before he heads for the exit as well.

Mari and Tyki are more than enough to handle the Warden, so he heads for the portal only to return back to the Prince's realm and the carnival members stationed there.

She has the sneakiest suspicion that she wasn't heard, just now. But with the sheer tension in the air, she finds it might be best to just...not pursue this right now. Especially when she's more or less passed off to Strange by her supervisor, like an uncomfortable letter to be dealt with 'later'. She stays quiet as people file out-speaking only to answer Syrlya.

"...It's sleep smoke," she calls it. "...it was how they caught me."

Not that it matters much. Once she's left alone with Strange-more importantly once it feels like the others presences are actually out of earshot-she sighs.

"....I thought it was a good idea..." She mutters. "...He doesn't hurt as much, in his sleep at least..."

And while she's at it- "....She didn't take her radio back either..." What on earth is she supposed to do with two of these, huh?

Mari is not really feeling chatty, but leads the way to the portal at a swift stalk--a pace made more difficult to follow by the fact that her legs are considerably longer than either Childermass or Tyki's.

She continues entirely in silence all the way across the grounds--until they come in view of the portal, anyway. At which point there's another, taller skeleton standing in wait... and she slows, her brow creasing just faintly in consternation.

"....uh."

.... Mari has never met Papyrus.

He's tired but he can manage the walk. If he can keep up with over towering Akuma on daily basis then he can keep up with her. He just can't walk leisurely right now. Not to mention this was kind of an urgent matter.

The silence helps wonders to calm him down even if he is kind of moody now. He glances in the direction she is facing and then back towards her. He reads body language well and will gesture towards said skeleton.

"That is his brother. His name is Papyrus." At least he remembered his name or he should say he committed it to memory in case he needed to apologize later. Well, he might apologize later. He doesn't really see those words he said being his own even if he would've said them in general were he actually the enemy.

Honestly, Papyrus is starting to regret getting all keyed up and alert to stand guard at the portal. Sure, it was for a good cause. An essential cause. But from the brief radio chatter, it seems like they solved everything without him, and now nothing much is going to happen.

--Wait, cancel that, there's people approaching. He squints through the dim light to make them out, regretting leaving his glasses tucked away in his phone. They seem to be a complete stranger (with extra arms, that sounds familiar), somebody who was working for the Prince, and... something they're carrying.

"Attention there, strangers! I need you to halt," he calls out, standing as tall and intimidating as he can. It's still not as tall as Mari, but it should convey he's nobody to disregard. Hopefully.

"There has been a break-in! And a reverse-kidnapping! And if you've been kidnapped before, you really shouldn't be going out there again--" Papyrus finally recognizes the feet dangling out of that bundle, and points an accusing finger at them. "Oh my god, are you trying to take him away again? You can't do that!"

Childermass doesn't bother wasting the energy to catch up to Mari until the portal itself, where Papyrus stands forward to block the way. When that happens, he immediately shadow-steps ahead, putting himself at the front of the group.

"She's with us, Papyrus," he says wearily. "We're only taking him to the Ringmaster."

Or so he assumes. If not the medical tent, she would be the next bet. Mari hasn't exactly stated any plans as she marched off with the Warden. The Warden, the Warden, what was his name? It's ridiculous, that stealing a name was apparently so much like stealing an entire concept. Not only from the skeleton but everyone who knew him.

Mari blinks a few of her eyes, then a few of her other eyes. Then a few of her other eyes.

"Papyrus...." She mutters to herself, ruminative. The skeleton in her arms... he'd mentioned having a brother more than once. And while she'd never written the possibility off... this is pretty much the most inconvenient timing possible.

Thank god for Childermass.

Honestly, at this point she's gonna need to actually thank him or something. But that's later. She takes a deep breath--and seems to perk up? She definitely gets some of her energy back, anyway.

"For real, the Ringmaster's on the other side here. So we're kinda at an impasse if we can't go through." So... if you could kinda.... not. That'd be great.

"Yes, it is rather important that we reach our Lady at this time. She would be relieved to know that we have your brother. Not to mention if she managed to free me she could possible help him too." He doesn't exactly have a good reputation with Papyrus or at least he thinks he shouldn't given his conversation earlier, "None of us wish to hurt him or lead him back to the Prince."

He's talking because that is all he's good for right now. He's quite thankful to have Childermass around right now given he was a supervisor.

"Then we can focus on getting back the Nightrider, the Stage Manager and everyone else who has been captured."

Papyrus' eyesockets widen when Childermas pops up, and he relaxes a little bit as the familiar, authoritative face spreads reassurances.

It's true, the Ringmaster's on the other side of the portal; she made it so everybody else could go back for comfort and supplies, and said something about about her needing to stay over there. Makes sense, keeping a foothold would require her feet being on that side.

But, there's something about how they're all saying this now, instead of over the radio... How many minions in movies have had the rug pulled over their eyes by a smooth-talking protagonist? Of course, Papyrus is the protagonist here, obviously. But that makes it all the more important he not fall for any tricks. Especially with... his brother involved.

"It's true she's over there... and she freed you?" he asks Tyki, then plows ahead without letting an answer go through. "Why didn't you say so! We should get him to the Ringmaster right away."

He's inviting himself along.

That puts Papyrus as the first person to actually calm down upon seeing Childermass in the past forty-eight hours or so. It's been more the opposite for some time now, but that's not unusual. It was like that back home, too, so if anything, it's been same old, same old. It's a mildly amusing thing to note, but not something to dwell on for more than a second or two.

"We shouldn't have to go much farther out than through the portal itself, I believe," he states, gesturing towards the skeleton with a hand while adding, "So please, lead the way."

He'll offer that to Papyrus rather than telling him to stay behind, keep guarding the portal. The Ringmaster should be able to get to them as soon as they pass out of the carnival, so it doesn't really count as leaving it without a watchful eye.

Freed. Right.

Hm.

A few of Mari's eyes track back to Tyki--which isn't that hard, because several of them are on her back and shoulders. One is even directly on the back of her neck.

She refrains from asking about the new Nightrider, because it's not important yet and when it is, she doesn't want to just ask in front of every single person possible. She doesn't even want to be Nightrider, but being blatantly clueless isn't a good look for anyone.

On that note, she really doesn't want another person added to this entourage, but if Papyrus is her bundle's brother...

"After you!"

"Yes, with efforts of two people I was brought to the Ringmaster and she freed me from his enchantment," he says with a warm and very false smile. Even though that almost sounds like he's not so sure of that himself to those truly paying attention. A part of him feels it would be rather easy right now to pull the reigns back in were he face to face with the Prince.

It's why as much as he hates the sidelines he's obeying without question right now.

At Childermass' direction he allows Papyrus to go first instead of taking the frontal position. It's for the better as the closest they get to the portal the more he might start hanging back closer towards Childermass. It's for two reasons really and he'll exhale lightly with a sigh at adding more people to the group.

"I see, that's good news..." he says, nodding along to Tyki's explanation. "That wasn't so long ago... Freeing people must not take long at all!"

He bounces in place, heartened by this information. It's reassuring, that she can just pull them back from the enchantment. Sure, the business with names is trickier, and the people who knew about it... all sounded pretty alarmed... but maybe it's not that much trickier! This might be the easiest rescue yet!

"Well!" Papyrus takes on an almost tour guide cadence as he swivels on his toes, turning to the portal and sweeping an arm to gesture at it, "the portal is right here. Hard to miss! You just, go through, like this..."

And he demonstrates by passing directly through it. He'll linger on the other side, right by the portal, watching their progress a little too closely.

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⇨ SAY UNCLE

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