lostcarnival | ⇨ THE PRINCE IS DEAD

Entry tags:

⇨ THE PRINCE IS DEAD

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 178 - B1: Day 6
Where: The Carnival and sometimes on top of the Heart of Stone.
What: Now that the Prince is dead and gone, there's a lot left to sort out. As the remaining servants are liberated and those captured by the Prince are tended to, it's time for recovery and goodbyes.
Warnings: Nothing in particular.

HOME GROUND↴

At long last, it is over. The Prince is dead, and all of his stolen Names have been restored - all that's left to do is treat the wounds and move on. For the first day or two, the Ringmaster will be arranging passage for the servants that are left, all of which have remembered their names for the first time in years. The earth elemental that had been trapped and forced to serve as the Prince's manor, the Heart of Stone, is happy to help for the moment. It appreciates the Ringmaster's mercy, and is free after untold eons of imprisonment.

Yet, there are plenty of aspects that are far from simple. There are still servants left mad and transformed into beasts, with no easy way to change them back. The Prince's spells outlive him, and those bearing his poison and his curses will have a difficult road ahead of them. Though most of the bestial servants have been rounded up, and a large number that had been reduced to unmoving statues returned, even the Ringmaster can't return them to normal so simply.

The next week is for rest and for settling remaining affairs. If you want to bid farewell to any particular NPCs, or assure care is given where it's needed, now is the time to do it.

► A CURE: The Ringmaster will tell everyone simply - there is no simple way to undo another fae's magic. The Prince's powers were essentially on par with hers, which means that those who have been transformed to stone and those that were cursed into beasts and driven insane are not something she can trivially fix. It will take the work of the carnival and a couple weeks of treatment to shed the curse of stone, and the maddened servants are an entirely separate matter. She will do what she can, but for the most part she is arranging for the Prince's servants to be cared for elsewhere. At least for now, the Ringmaster will be animating the stone portions of people's bodies with magic, though those portions will still be a bit clumsy and numb feeling.

► THE NEW HEARTSTONE: In the absence of the prince, the Heart of Stone will be taking over the remains of the Prince's realm and preventing it from collapsing into void. As it turns out, the manor had been an earth elemental all along - a form of Wyld Fae almost on par to the Prince and Ringmaster themselves. How the Heart of Stone was enslaved is a long story presumably, but the Ringmaster considers it to be a sign of the Prince's own depravity. The Heart will be allowing visitors for the first couple days of this period through the portal, but keep in mind you are essentially just walking around on its body. At least the realm has a floor, now, instead an endless abyss surrounding it.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ginko... slept for a few hours, anyway. It was more than he has been getting, at least.

But, one reason he's always skimped on sleep so much in times like this - a reason that he tends to find somewhat difficult to explain when people start pestering him about it - is that he simply can't. With everything going on, everything to worry about, it was about all he could do to force his mind to slow down enough to sleep for a few hours. More than that might not be possible at all.

He didn't leave right away when he woke up. Instead, he stayed where he was, tucked into a less crowded area of the tent, away from the others. Waiting.

When he hears Joker land on the ground, he looks up, his ears pricking forward. "...Hey. 'S alright; wasn't asleep, anyway."

Just the man he wanted to see.

...Well. One out of a lot, Joker has to admit. Still, even knowing that, it doesn't make it any easier, and Joker wastes some time by regaining his balance once again. It's a truly disconcerting change in his body. It's been years, now, since he first became so flexible, able to contort into all sorts of shapes... and yet now his is stiff, utterly numb.

There's only so much time that can be spent on that, however, before it becomes far too obvious what he's doing. So Joker finally looks over to Ginko, taking in his appearance.

"...Ya look like shit, mate."

...But it's kind of attractive. Damn. What a lucky bastard that Psi is.

Ginko pushes himself to his feet, grimacing as he stretches out his back. "Mm. You're one to talk."

And yet Joker still manages to be stupidly pretty despite it. Unbelievable.

Even once he's upright, Ginko hesitates for a moment, his gaze drifting away to some corner of the tent as he considers what to even say here. At least Joker doesn't seem scared of him - he's not sure he could've handled that. Even if it was... almost what he was expecting, if he's honest. It wouldn't have been a surprise, that's for sure.

Ginko takes a deep breath, then looks to Joker again.

"...How are you doing? And I want the truth."

Don't bother pretending to be better off than you are, Joker.

Right out the gate. Jesus. Joker grimaces, to the point that Ginko might as well have just pinched him really hard in the side. "Could ya buy me dinner first?" he says dryly, trying to dig up some humor in the situation even for all that he feels like he could just lay face down somewhere.

...He really doesn't want to do this, however. At least- his gaze sweeps around the area, and whoever else is sleeping around.

"....Wanna step outside for a spell?"

Look, Joker, it was this or avoiding you for a month because he thinks you hate him.

It's no surprise that Joker would want to step outside to talk about this, away from the others. So Ginko nods, and steps out of the tent without hesitation, watching to make sure Joker follows.

Don't do that, Ginko, that's what Joker did last time and it was a horrible idea.

Still, he does follow after. It's slow, his current leg situation forcing him to go at a limp, and more than once do his wings hastily flap so that he doesn't go toppling over. When they're finally out from the tent, Joker doesn't immediately talk. Instead, he glances around, trying to find somewhere at least a little more... secluded.

The other two performance tents, for smaller shows, will do. Joker limps his way over, ducking through, and he takes a breath. The words are stuck in his throat, almost literally triggering his gag reflex... But, unlike the first time, Joker is surprised to find that it doesn't hurt as much when they finally do leave his mouth.

"Garbage. For a few days, I think."

Ginko stays close on the way to the other tent - as close as he's willing without feeling like he's intruding on Joker's personal space. He doesn't want to risk Joker toppling over, with the condition he's in.

He's glad to hear that he's at least being honest right away this time. He sighs, glancing away again and rubbing at the back of his neck with one hand. "Guess that's no surprise, after... after all that. We're working on figuring out how to treat the poison, at least - it'll take a while, one way or another, but... it'll be a step forward."

"That what ya been doin' instead of sleepin'?" It's hard for him to not point it out. Sure, Ginko was probably resting when he came down in the first place... but that look, no matter how attractive, isn't of one who's been taking care of himself.

Wow. Of course it would come around to this. To his credit, Ginko doesn't grouch or groan or roll his eyes this time, he just... sighs.

Actually, that might just be because of how tired he is.

"Not the only thing, but... it's in there. Once we know how to handle this, I'll be able to rest more."

Of course it comes to this. Ginko should know him well by now. If there's one thing Joker would rather do than look after or into himself, it's dealing with other people.

Especially obvious right now, considering he just made a giant sleep over happen.

Still... For now, mouth twisted, he doesn't push any further on the subject. There's just a quiet, "At least make sure ta eat regularly." He's too tired to argue, and he figures that Ginko is too tired to change his mind. Going to find a seat, he lets himself collapse into it. "Can't bleedin' stand this stone..."

It's actually kind of worrying that Joker moves off the subject so easily; it's hard to imagine him backing off if it weren't for his current condition. Ginko gives a soft hum of agreement - he's been trying to eat, anyway, and he doesn't want to give Joker the impression that he's neglecting his health even more than he actually is.

He follows Joker and sits down next to him, curling his tail around his ankles and trying to keep from giving his worry away by staring at him too much. "We're hoping to fix that as soon as possible. You'll be able to move around with as much ease as ever."

With Ginko besides him, Joker makes an effort for his wing on that side to not be so intrusive. It's a little hard, considering the size of them, but he makes an effort. Even if his leg is trapped in stone, his wings no longer are, and they're just as flexible as the rest of him.

"Good," he mutters. "I'm-" And that's where he cuts himself off, drawing his lips in and narrowing his eyes at the empty and dark stage all the way before them. It takes a good few seconds for him to talk to himself, to remember that Ginko's seen him at far worse than this and more than once at that. "I'm gettin' sick of this... happenin'. Body changin' like this."

Honestly, Ginko probably doesn't have it in him to be bothered by that wing anyway right now. The more exhausted he gets, the harder it gets to care about personal space.

That gets a quiet hum of agreement, and Ginko props an elbow on his leg so he can rest his chin in his hand. He was lucky enough not to be affected by the stone the way Joker and so many others had, but, uh. This is kind of a reoccurring issue around here.

"Guess it comes with the territory of dealing with fae." They both chose this, for better or worse.

"Not just fae." A sharp undercurrent shivers beneath the words, and Joker shifts uneasily even as he frowns, drawing his good leg up so that he can rest the heel against the edge of his seat. Once more, he can't look at Ginko- can't look at anyone- if he wants to talk like this. Honestly.

"It's..." God, this would be easier if he even just had another arm. As it is, he has to fight to keep his balance and not just topple over. "It ain't like the wings. Or the antlers. It's..." The words are acid on his tongue, yet he can't spit them out. Helplessly, aggravated, Joker jerks his shoulders in a shrug.

This time, Ginko reaches over on reflex, catching Joker's shoulder to make sure he doesn't tip over for real. His touch is as light as he can make it, just the tips of his fingers resting on his friend's back to help keep him upright.

"...D'you want to talk about it, or do you just feel like you have to?"

A laugh bubbles out of his chest, far too low and strained. "How the hell would I know?" he says, shoulder shuddering at just the brush of Ginko's fingers. He knows this isn't the first time he's been touched since he's been dragged out from the dungeons... But it feels different, especially in being handled in the medical tent.

"I think we both know this ain't somethin' I do, Ginko."

When he feels that shudder, Ginko pulls his hand back in something almost like a wince. Maybe he shouldn't have done that. The thought of what happened in the woods, what he did to Joker, necessary though it may have been, jumps into his head all over again - he couldn't blame Joker if he didn't want Ginko touching him.

He lets out a breath, a quiet laugh, and looks away, lacing his fingers together in his lap now. "Fair enough. Not like I've got room to talk. So, in that case... try and talk about it, I guess. Might help to just get it out there."

Ginko's touches tend to be slight, but that doesn't mean Joker misses when it leaves him. Blinking, he glances back over at him just enough from the corner of his... but he doesn't think much of it. Ginko has never been one for physical affection. When they had that moment behind the hedges, well. No doubt he used up all of Ginko's affection for the damn year.

Letting his gaze drift away, Joker breathes out slowly. Where to even begin? "Remember when I said it was like Celebration?" he mutters, fingers kneading against the seat. "Back in those caves, where he shoved all of us, where we got poisoned... Just felt like it even more."

Ginko nods slowly at Joker's reply, looking over at him again with his ears tilted gently forward. He can only guess what Joker means, but he remembers the Celebration well enough - it would be hard to forget what happened there.

"How so?" Not having been in the caves himself, he can only guess - though he does have some guesses.

Actually explaining the dungeons of Hell, or the prison within the caves, is.... difficult. Not only because Joker is lacking for words when it comes to both places, but... It hurts to try. To remember iron binding around his wrist and suffocating his throat. Dull eyed, he slumps in his seat and stares straight ahead. Off in the carnival, past the bloom of the tent, he can hear people moving about and trying to recuperate. Besides the most injured, none of them can really afford to not do something, anything.

If they don't work, then they won't be able to get things back together.

"Y'now how they turned folks back there?" he asks suddenly, his voice loud within the expanse of the tent for all that he's speaking quietly. "In Hell, I mean. The vampires."

"...Yeah." There was so much talk of it, at the time and afterward and even since then, that it would be hard not to hear. "Did... what the Prince did remind you of that?"

"It... was like dyin' again down there. Just slower." Another slow breath, only trembling a little. "But not just dyin', because that'd be an end ta it. It was dyin'... and not knowin' what ya would be like when ya came out the other side."

Would he be like Sora or Julien or any of the others, all his worst parts dragged out to the surface? Or would he be like Sans, when... that happened?

A short shallow laugh slips out of him. "I half expected ta start turnin', honestly."

At that description - the mention of dying - Ginko's throat tightens up. For just a moment, his thoughts go to the forest again - to what happened there, to... to how much Joker remembers of that. He seemed so unaware of where he was, of who he was, at the time, Ginko really can't be sure.

But that's not what Joker is talking about, and so it's not what Ginko should be focusing on. On the other hand, he... isn't sure how much he can even say to that. The whole thing sounds horrifying, even without what came next. In the end, all he manages is a quiet, "...I'm sorry. You shouldn't have had to deal with that - either time."

"Ha." The sound almost seems too small in his chest, leaving him hollow when it's gone. "S'what I chose ta do either way, huh? It's funny- I thought this time if I wasn't captured, I could go do somethin' or change how things were. Didn't turn out anywhere near how I wanted. Storm was too strong for me, and I guess there's no fightin' stone."

The whole time, he's trying to go for his usual casual and disaffected voice but it's... just falling flat right now. Eventually, he turns his face away and his wings quiver slightly. "Fuckin' hell."

"You didn't choose to get kidnapped, Joker." His tail thumps on the ground, as if to punctuate that point.

He leans forward a little, his ears tilting back. "...You know you don't have to try and keep that up with me." He's already seen and heard too much from Joker to be fooled.

Night

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