⇨ THE PRINCE IS DEAD

[ringleaders]

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.

Comments

[hurtcomfort]

I don't know. [ Because he doesn't. Cole doesn't even really know who Gongenzaka is, much less where he lives right now. ]

But they said I needed a place to live, so she gave me this one. [ And Cole can't help but frown as he looks over some aspects of the trailer. He doesn't need half of these. And he doesn't know what to do with the other half.

However, Cole's internal thoughts about how he doesn't know what to do are just that: internal. He doesn't really say anything as he stares at the fridge with a look of confusion. ]

[moonfang]

[oh he is SO not in the mood for this. Zangetsu vanishes with a static-y sound and reappears in front of Cole, making a grab for his throat]

Don't fuck with me, spirit. I'll make sure you don't need a place to "live" any more! Where did you come from?!

[hurtcomfort]

[ Cole doesn't realize what Zangetsu is doing until the hand is wrapped around his throat. A brief expression of panic flits over his face before he tries to calm himself, tries to answer the questions. It doesn't really work. ]

I-I don't know! I just was there. She saved me so I wouldn't be his.

[ He showed up at the ball. The Ringmaster helped protect him from the Prince. But as he feels Zangetsu's fingers press against his throat, Cole continues to panic.

He doesn't like doing this. But he must. Because honestly, Cole doesn't know if he can be choked to death but he doesn't really want to find out. Cole reaches into Zangetsu's mind, pulling deep, searching inward, trying to find the hurts. ]

A sword, a weapon, something made only for fight and hurt. You're more now, though he didn't realize it. You helped, though he doesn't realize it.

[moonfang]

[She? His? He can... sort of figure out what he means. "She" is probably the Ringmaster. The person who was "his" was probably the Prince. Another person kidnapped by him, like Ichigo.

But when he speaks THOSE words, pulled from his mind, Zangetsu's eyes go wide. What....? How...?

He releases his grip on Cole's throat, but grabs the front of his shirt up in his fist]

How do you know that?

[hurtcomfort]

[ Well, at least it's not his throat. Cole takes a gasp of air as Zangetsu lets go of his throat but then is practically yanked off the counter as his shirt is grabbed. It seems it's very easy to push Cole around and yank him all over the place. ]

I can hear the hurts. And then, I help heal them.

[ pause ]

Please let go of me?

[moonfang]

[ geez. What a for real 100% wimp. Zangetsu narrows his eyes. He sees the hurt, huh? How stupid. Zangetsu isn't hurting over Ichigo of all people. How ridiculous.

That's what he tells himself, anyway

He releases Cole with a huff. Bullying weaklings doesn't do a thing for him ]

Some kind of mind reader huh! Great. Just super. Well you're wrong, anyway. I'm fine.

[ he is not fine ]

[hurtcomfort]

You're not fine.

[ Cole can tell that much. he doesn't have to be a creepy spirit ghost to tell that much.

As Zangetsu lets go of him, Cole settles back on the counter, rocking backwards slightly like he's a punching bag going with the momentum. ]

And I'm not a mind reader. I don't know what you're thinking, I just know what you feel.

[ which includes memories. Okay, Cole might be a bit of a mind reader. ]

[moonfang]

I AM FINE!! [he says, slamming his fist on the table. Yes Zangetsu, surely that is a good indicator you are fine. He huffs and sits down at the table, slumping a bit]

If you were just sensing my emotions, you wouldn't know about what I am. Or who he is. ... Or how he feels about me. and it's none of your business anyway.

[hurtcomfort]

[ Cole just gives Zangetsu a quiet little judging frown. He's fine. Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. ]

I don't. The broad strokes hide smaller details. I know what you are and who he is and how you should intersect but not how you do intersect. I only know it hurts.

[moonfang]

Yeah. Well. Super. [Zangetsu rests his chin on one hand and looks away from Cole, staring into middle distance] There's nothing you can do about it anyway. Or me. So stay out of my head, Cole, and maybe I won't eat you.

[hurtcomfort]

You wouldn't eat me anyway. I'm too stringy.

[ It's said in a matter of fact tone of voice. Cole's been called 'skinny kid' and 'weirdo skinny kid' too much in his life for him to not realize the fact that he's an awkward sickly looking mass of limbs and elbows. ]

[moonfang]

[first there's just a little snorting sound as Zangetsu laughs through his nose. Then he breaks out into actual laughter, disturbing as it is.

Not sure if that's a good thing or not, Cole, but... you made him laugh?]

[hurtcomfort]

[ How the hell is Cole supposed to respond to this?! He's got no idea!

So instead, he just kind of awkwardly stands around and waits, looking over at Zangetsu and waiting patiently for him to stop laughing. ]

[moonfang]

[just ride it out Cole. Just ride it out.

Because after a few seconds that probably drag on like MINUTES, Zangetsu does stop laughing and he returns to his prior dour expression... though perhaps not QUITE as bitter]

I've eaten worse than you. But that was cute and made me laugh, so good job.

[hurtcomfort]

[ This is literally the first time anyone's ever called any part of him cute. Cole just pauses for a moment before giving Zan a small little smile.

Alright, now he sees why people like it when others call them cute. This is a good feeling. It's short and bright and doesn't last that long but its a good feeling nonetheless. ]

Thank you, [ he simply responds. Zan likes it when you make him laugh. Cole will remember that. And hey, now that he's not being threatened within an inch of his life... ]

I don't know things. I don't know how to share a trailer or how to have a house. Can you teach me?

[moonfang]

[What? Really? As quirky as you are? Well then. Enjoy that feeling, Cole. It is pleasant, isn't it?

He seems to relax a little, his body language loosening up as he looks around the trailer in response to Cole's question]

I can... try? I'll be honest with ya, Cole. It's new to me, too. I didn't really have a "house" or a room or anything where I lived before. But I got a month or two on ya, so I can teach you what I've learned so far?

[hurtcomfort]

A month is still more. [ Zangetsu might not have a house. Zangetsu might not know things as well. But he at least knows more than Cole does. ]

If you teach, I will learn.

[moonfang]

Fine! Well... the first thing that I guess is most important is... don't touch my stuff!! If something ain't yours, and I ain't given you permission, don't touch it. That means my food, my pillows, my bones, all my stuff!! If you wanna touch stuff, get your own stuff!

Second is... garbage. Stuff that's left over after you eat. You gotta put it in this here thing.

[he stands up and demonstrates the trash can]

And then once it's full you gotta bring it to the dumpster out back. Otherwise it starts to smell real bad.

[hurtcomfort]

I don't eat.

[ But alright, he can still take out the trash and not touch Zan's stuff. That much seems easy to do! ]

[moonfang]

... Oh. Right. [he looks away, thinking. Most ghosts don't eat. Not unless they have a significant amount of spiritual power. Hm...]

Did the Boss Lady give you a physical body or are you just a soul?

[hurtcomfort]

It's...different. [ Understatement of the century. Cole doesn't eat or sleep but he's still physical and can still bleed, break, and die. ]

She didn't change anything but it's still different.