⇨ SAY UNCLE

[ringleaders]

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.]

Comments

[osteothropy]

Syr's dazzling spell is enough to floor him - he's already been kicking up a fuss, so when he's caught off guard, he loses his foot and falls to his back. The way his tail moves now feels strange and unfamiliar, which sends a ripple of additional fear to him - is he changing? Is the way he was just a moment ago the way he's supposed to look, or is this? He has no instinctual idea of what his body is supposed to be like, anymore.

His sense of reality is quick to slip through his fingers, and he's paralyzed with both physical and existential shock as Tuki manages to wrap him up in his own clothing. It's not enough fabric to get his entire body, but it's enough to bind his arms - which at least means that he can't keep scratching himself or anyone else. His tail tries to squeeze Mari's arm, not that it helps him any - her getting to hold on tighter plays right into her hand.

He squirms, kicking his feet, his gaze empty of anything but fear and longing. He feels like he needs to beg for help, but he doesn't know what anyone could do to fix this. It's him that's broken, that's lacking.

"Stop," he keeps pleading, unable to believe that Tyki could understand what is going on inside of him, just how deeply wrong it all is. "Please, I can't... I can't get it back, here. Don't leave me like this - I can't take it..."

And he sure doesn't mean the tentacle tail or the fabric binding his arms.

[motivenotfound]

The hypnosis not working is... not good, so much so that Mari doesn't even bother to complain about the flash of light in her sensitive vampire eyes. Well, maybe a little.

"Owwwwww.....!" It's kind of a whine, but honestly? Whatever.

She's so relieved her... target... isn't pleading and screaming and thrashing on the floor that she just... lets her breath out all at once in a huge sigh. Standing there holding his tentacled tail while he begs her for mercy is... pretty awkward. Yeah, she doesn't like this.

"Well... that's a wrap." It's a touch too casual, and as usual she doesn't bother to worry about whether anyone wanted to hear that joke or not.

But there she pauses, still not letting go of the tail. She doesn't... trust any of this enough for that. Her non-facial eyes divide their gazes three ways--one third on Tyki, one third on Syr, and one third back, towards the ladder.

Her face's pair, though, remain locked soberly on the burrito'd skeleton as he tries to... talk his way out of this.

She crouches down to his level, and for a moment, she actually looks bothered enough to be taking this seriously.

"We're not gonna leave you like... like this," she informs him. "But we're not letting you go back like this either. Got it?"

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya takes a step back as Tyki wraps the skeleton up. In this state, he's pitiful to look at. Syrlya's brow furrows before he looks to Tyki, then to Mari. He doesn't recognize her, but she certainly sounds particularly concerned. That's what he decides to trust her on, that she wants to save their Warden as much as the rest of them.

"We'll take it back for you," he turns back to the Warden as he speaks. "The Prince will not have any hold of you much longer."

All of their assurances are probably lost on him when he's like this, scared and lost and not himself, but what else can they say in the face of his murmuring.

Syrlya absently fiddles with his sleeve. "You can keep him steady? We should alert the Ringmaster. Hopefully she has a safe place for him."

[prazerbutterfly]

His eyes haze over for a moment as he forgets what is going on. Those words are too familiar for his own mind and he has to close them just to block out the sight. He remembers how much his brain rationalized everything to a near impossibility. He didn't believe a word anyone said and when his own convictions had been called into question he had been angry.

Now that Sans was cozy as he could be he'll run his hand up to scratch at the back of his shoulder blades. The wings may be small but they felt heavy for not just the new physical weight.

He snorts at the horrible joke on the woman's part and he'll look up at her again. She's gone through some changes if she is in fact a carnival member but that was a bit extreme. His information gathering mind was already considering the possibilities.

"The Prince has taken his name. Over time with extreme methods of starvation, poison and lack of sleep it becomes easier to lose yourself. He likely took it if I cannot remember his name."

But as not to be rude and talking about said skeleton right in front of him, "You won't be alone. There are others already working to save everyone else. For now we'll get you somewhere to rest, eat and worry less." Regardless he'll just keep occasionally repeating, "None of us here are going to hurt you."

[osteothropy]

He's no longer capable of feeling particularly angry about anything - being angry would imply some sense of injustice or resentment, which would probably require a stronger self image to violate in the first place. Instead, all he can feel is helpless, as if the Prince and now these people are free to dangle his freedom far out of his reach, like nothing will ever make any of this alright.

All the same, he remembers Tyki. He remembers the idea of hunger and illness, somewhere dark. That had been related to the Prince, too, before he ended up... like this. So, it really had gotten worse, hadn't it?

"You got away..." he mumbles, laying prone on his side. He's out of energy for thrashing - all he's got left in him is some vague squirming, clawing the stone with his feet but unable to muster any momentum. He's tried teleportation, but he can't make it happen. Too much drag, not enough energy. "How did you..."

He closes most of his eyes, only a couple remaining hazily focused on the people crouched around him as he lets his head rest on the floor. God, he's tired. He's so tired. Now that he's forced to slow down, even lifting himself is seeming more and more impossible.

"What happened to me...?"

[motivenotfound]

Mari's ineptitude at comfort is pretty well documented. She doesn't go for platitudes, and she uses her upbeat persona to cover for being extremely emotionally unavailable. And there are few crimes Mari considers significant enough to merit temper.

But.

"His name...?" Mari squints at Tyki with the relevant eyes. But she doesn't want to leave this situation where it is any longer than she possibly has to. His name... his name...

Is that why--

Oh, now she's mad.

Without asking anyone, she thrusts her monstrous paws under the skeleton's prone form and scoops him up like a large, extremely lumpy baby and stands up--suction cupped tail wrapped tight around her arm, one of her smaller hands hanging onto the tentacle's tip firmly.

"Someone with a radio," she orders the other two sharply--forgetting, possibly, that she's not in charge around here any more. But her eyes narrow down at her bony bundle. All of them.

"These yahoos are right--that shithead's got it coming. And we're getting you back if I have to rip the magic out of him myself."

Then, before anyone can interrupt her, "Let's go. I'm getting him out of here."

[chronosynthesis]

Yahoos...? Syrlya raises a brow. He's reaching for his radio, however, dialing it back up to speak as he walks.

"We've restrained him. He does not appear to be at risk to himself or others now, but he needs medical attention and rest. The..." He looks ahead at Mari, but introductions will have to be in a moment. "The lady with multiple arms and eyes has him."

He doesn't distrust her, but the more they stay aware of each other, the better. They can't afford to lose anyone ese.

He stays behind Mari and Tyki to let them go up first.

[atouts]

He did, in fact, bring his own radio along, so Reira's mild effort to hand the one she has off to him is waved off. If it mattered a little more right now, he might wonder why she didn't have her own radio on her, but as it is, she's lucky what's happening in the treasury overrides the need to tell people off.

It's only when Syrlya speaks back over the channel that he'll tug his radio off his belt and answer, still frowning, always frowning. Let's be real here, he's not going to stop frowning until this is all over and then some.

"Then get him up here. We'll move him to the medical tent, though I doubt they have a way to restrain a teleporter," he answers, though even then he's sifting through who's left in the carnival, who might be able to do something. Strange was heading this way, wasn't he? Maybe he can figure something out...

[prazerbutterfly]

"I was rescued like you are being now." He hadn't exactly gotten away on his own. He was thankful someone had actively looked for him when the ground started shaking.

When she moves to scoop the burrito skeleton he instinctively tilts to the side to get out of the way. He's up on his feet and to the side of her to keep within eye and ear shot of the Warden. She's tall with a bit of intimidation but what he picks up on the most is that sudden sense of authority. At her command he doesn't seem to respond himself for two reasons. The more important one is that he simply didn't have a radio and right now he was really only letting three people boss him around.

He's a little tired of taking orders at the moment. Thanks Prince.

Once towards the ladder he'll reach up to retrieve his Tease from where they were blocking the entrance and continue to answer questions like a good boy now that the radio has been addressed, "Mister Ra-" ah, what was his name again, "-Lambert set a table on fire and you moved in to clean up the mess. You both fought for a while and when it was over both of you were down for the count. After that the Prince took you away into the ground. I unfortunately did not follow you because I was rescued a half an hour later and my position was within the ballroom."

He rises off the ground in midair instead of using the ladder as he breathes out calmly, "Remember, no one is going to hurt you." It's all he really needs to say as he rises out of that trunk up above and sets foot down onto the ground again once outside. He stands there with the intention of not giving anyone room to crowd it any longer.

[soft_focus]

Honestly, it was less to present as something to use, and more something to prove that the woman was definitely another employee somehow. (And she DID have her own radio, in her sweater pocket, but they can argue details later)

As it is, she's now wondering just what it is she's disappointed him with now, quietly frowning under the light pressure of the various emotions around them.

Speaking of Strange, however-restraint is what catches Reira's attention about Childermass' worry. Quietly, she glances outside the tent, and then back to her radio. "....Jonathan is here I think," she offers, looking to Childermass. "...........He's the only one who said he was coming still...and there's only one person outside, right now. ...He was able to make me go to sleep, before I was brought back here, so that would work, right?"

[kingsroads]

Oh, they're talking about him! Strange, who had been standing outside, watching for any teenagers or children who would try to sneak in to see what's going on. After all, this seemed to be a problem. So, hearing his name, he stuck his head in the tent doorway.

"Miss Akaba is right. I can try to sedate him, if you wish." A pause, before, "I'm surprised to see you aren't dead, Miss Makinami."

[moonfang]

Oh thank god. They didn't need him after all. He moves out of the way as the group starts to make it's way up. He sees ..... the Warden? His Boss? The skeleton guy? Nothing he's thinking sounds quite right. He has a perfect mental image of this person he's thinking about. But no name comes to him. Was this something the Prince did? His royal furry assface? ... That was an impressive show of power, if so.

It's actually quite disturbing and not something he particular wants to think about more than that.

"Well, if you think you guys have got it, I'm gonna go back to bed."

Thinks of Papyrus, waiting all alone by that portal........

[motivenotfound]

Mari doesn't greet everyone (or even anyone) when she emerges; she's too busy keeping an eye--or eyes--on the bundle in her arms, and the bundle is very, very unhappy.

She doesn't even get all the way up the ladder before she has to stop, wrapping her massive arms around him tighter to keep him still--she was expecting him to get upset about the people up here, but goddamnit, there are a lot of them!

"Hey, hey, hey! Back off!" she snaps to the gathered crowd--and as she does, it occurs to her to hope they left someone guarding the portal itself, or she's gonna be really salty. "Move it, move it, move it!"

[osteothropy]

He does appreciate the explanation from Tyki - or the fact that he attempted to explain it, at least. Practically speaking, he isn't doing a good job of absorbing it. He remembers fighting Lambert, and he remembers being in the cave afterward - yet, in some ways it's like vividly remembering scenes from a movie you saw as a child. You know what happens, but the context is somehow absent.

What really distracts him, though, is hearing people talking about handing him off, like this is all some kind of operation they're orchestrating. Which... well, it is, factually speaking. They needed to capture and subdue him. The fact that it's organized and a team effort just makes him feel like he's being hopelessly overpowered and ganged up on. He doesn't like that he's being restricted from the task he was given, no matter how much he's being assured that they intend him no harm.

It's the mention of sedation that he overhears that really gets him going. He starts kicking again, forcing out a growl of panic and frustration. He probably couldn't make progress even if his arms were free, but the fact that they're bound make it definitely impossible. He tries to uncoil his stupid sticky tail from her arm, doing his best to throw himself to the floor despite that fact that her hefty arms have him pretty well covered.

"No," he yells again, increasingly agitated. "I can't stay here. Let me go!"

Given that the warden was generally not the sort of person who yelled or audibly panicked about much of anything, it's a bizarre thing to hear.

[prazerbutterfly]

His sharp panther ears pin back on top of his head as he listens to the amount of people up above. He had hoped he could clear the room better going first but there are far too many people crowding the area.

Tyki's done well to pick and choose every word he has said as not to seem like he was forcing the Warden into doing anything just as a suitable conman always should. If the Warden wants to sleep, he'll let him. If he doesn't, he can sit there. What others had planned was beyond him. The only absolute truth was that they could not let him go as he was.

It's very clear from the way he is acting that he'll bolt the first chance he gets. It's why he's stepping forward with a narrow of his eyes and creating a wide birth of room by grasping someone's arm if need be and moving them if he needs to. He doesn't know where he is going but out of the tent was likely a better idea. Somewhere quiet and isolated without being too small or too dark.

"Easy now, buddy. No one is going to hurt you. No one is going to sedate you." He then turns back towards the crowd, "I won't let them." It's every much a threat as much as it isn't.

In passing he does glance towards Childermass, "Unless ordered to do otherwise I am going to be staying with the Warden for a short while. I should sleep a while."

[kingsroads]

As the situation continues, Strange walks into the tent, looking over everything, trying to figure out what's going on, and ignoring the fact that he's shown up fifteen minutes late with the metaphorical Starbucks. Childermass, Zan, Reira, and anybody else standing around and watching get a little nod. And, as Papyrus's brother starts yelling and thrashing, okay yeah, no, let's knock him the hell out, if only to keep him from yelling.

Nobody is going to sedate him, Tyki says, except for the fact that if Strange has his way, that skeleton is straight up going to get sedated. This is the Reira situation all over again and this guy is just going to hurt himself or others if this keeps up.

"Try not to breathe," he announces to the room as a whole, giving a particular look at Tyki. Have fun trying to stop smoke, buddy. Because then, a moment later, Strange just straight up turns into a dark purple smoke, clothing and all. The smoke floats across the tent floor before it curls upwards, floating in place around the skeleton's face and floating into his...nostrils? Nose holes? Anyway, there's a small cloud of poisonous purple smoke currently floating around the skeleton's head. It smells oddly sweet.

Hopefully this will work. Strange isn't entirely sure if skeletons need to breathe in the first place.

The problem, of course, is that Mari's right there, holding the skeleton. Thankfully, Mari is a full-size adult who currently isn't hopped up on a billion fae poisons. So if she accidentally inhales some of Strange's smoke (ew) then the most that would happen to her is a dizzy feeling, like she's about to pass out. It's extremely disorienting, but not debilitating.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya comes up the ladder last, giving Mari a once-over after Scout's announcement over the radio that she's the previous Nightrider. That would certainly explain a few things.

He shuts the trunk shut behind all of them, just as the Warden starts to panic in Mari's grasp again. Crowding him is a bad idea, so Syrlya's inclined to stand back and let Tyki attempt to calm him down. They share more of that horrible trip with each other than the rest of him...

Of course, Syrlya's thoughts drift off as Strange turns his entire body to smoke and starts floating towards the Warden. Hm.

[atouts]

Well, Strange turning into poison puts a damper on Childermass -- being the only supervisor here -- issuing orders. Which means the best he can do when the other magician makes his move is cover his nose with a sleeve and try to get through to Tyki by looking at the man and shaking his head, holding up his free hand in a 'stop' gesture. Having just proclaimed no one was going to sedate anyone, it's a safe guess he might have problems with Strange's recklessness...

Absolutely stupid, unbelievable recklessness which only adds onto how much everything here is trying even his patience. As soon as the poison clears up, there are several people on the docket for being told off and, amazingly, Mari isn't even one of them -- yet.

[soft_focus]

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.

[osteothropy]

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.

[moonfang]

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.

[motivenotfound]

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.

[prazerbutterfly]

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.

[kingsroads]

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."

[atouts]

"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.