lostcarnival | ⇨ THE PRINCE IS DEAD

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⇨ 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.

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As he looks over at Tyki in the hot springs, Strange starts to take off that housecoat. And it turns out that there's even more parts of him that are mirrored covered as the sun reflects off his chest, small mirrored scratches on his wrists, and a large mirrored gash on his back. It could be worse. However, it doesn't change the fact that as Strange takes off the housecoat and hangs it over the branch of a nearby tree, the sun reflects off of the mirrored bits and shines in Tyki's direction in a way that can be a bit annoying.

"Would you care for company?" he asks, despite the fact that he's already taking his shoes off as well. Those pants are staying on, Strange isn't going to get full tilt naked with someone he only knows a little.

He shuts one eye as the glare hits him and he will admit that is rather annoying. Strange was like a giant damn mirror and while the other man was being stared at he will admit it is interesting. He wants to touch one of those mirrors but you don't just straight up ask a man if you can touch them. Besides, Strange was awfully married to his wife and he's sure he would take it the wrong way.

"Just get in the water," he replies rather hastily as his poker face goes up instantly into a cheerful lie. In truth he both did and didn't want company. He had come up here to relax and melt away his pain with the pure silence that came with it. Yet Strange was never bad company and he could really use a personal pick up at the moment.

If Strange can see past the distorted water around him since he was soaked up to his throat he could see the resemblance of scars running down Tyki's body. Namely the largest of them, thick and angrily protruding from his skin, was the one that ran from his shoulder, across his chest, and down to the other side of his stomach. His back was no different if not smaller than his back. It looked like he had been completely run through by something large.

You don't have to tell him twice. Once the socks and shoes are off, Strange walks over to the hot springs, carefully sliding in. He too sinks up to his throat, letting out a small murmur of appreciation as the hot water laps over his back and the fish scales on his neck. Yep. This was a good idea.

It's as Strange adjusts slightly in the water that he notices Tyki's scars. Well then. It seems both of them had things they preferred to hide via long sleeves and a stubborn adherence to possibly outdated fashion norms. The scars are large and obvious, Tyki knows that he's probably staring...just as Strange has an idea that Tyki's probably staring at his mirrored scars. So what better way to deal with the elephant in the room than to address it?

"The one on my back is the newest. But if you wish to ask about any others, I'll answer you."

Once all that hideous reflection is gone and Tyki can relax with both eyes wearily opened he'll give a content sigh at the hot water stinging every part of them. He could honestly fall asleep right here and it was likely a good idea that he had some company so he wouldn't just pass out in the water.

Not that drowning would be a factor. He'd have to will himself to drown first.

There's a lot of curiosity in both of these usually intrigued males and he makes a sound of approval when it is peaked by the statement, "I saw some of the hunt unless you managed to get yourself dragged into something worse, Mister Strange. I, of course, will indulge you in your questions as well."

"If you managed to see the part of the Hunt when I was nearly gored by a deer, that explains my back." It's a little worrying how he can just matter-of-factly say 'yeah, I was almost gored by a deer.' It really was a good thing all of their changes vanished once the contract ended. That'd be a hard thing to explain to Arabella, whenever he saw her next.

"Most of the rest are from the peninsula," Strange explains, with a little sigh, again assuming that Tyki knows which peninsula he's talking about. "But anything mirrored is from wounds obtained during my stay at the carnival."

"I was with Sans most of the time but I did manage to catch that little bit. That bastard of a prince seemed delighted to be watching it at the time no doubt. The audience could really only see what he was watching."

He raises a brow at this peninsula being mentioned again. He does remember that talk when he was a manor servant. "Exactly what is the peninsula, Mister Strange?" He chuckles a little roughly and coughs a little afterwards like it was painful for him to even enjoy himself right now, "Do you remember every mirrored scar?"

"You don't know?" Strange is honestly surprised that Tyki has no idea what he's talking about. Then again, he assumes that everybody knows which peninsula he's talking about until he actually explains it. "Spain and Portugal. I served as the army's magician in the peninsular campaign with Lord Wellington against Napoleon and the French. War is a perfect opportunity for one to discover all the various ways they can obtain nicks and scratches."

And Strange is just so thankful that they're in the water and things are slightly murky. As he casts his mind back to the peninsula, his hand trembles for a moment, almost imperceptibly. But it's certainly noticeable to Strange, who changes the conversation slightly.

"While I do not remember every scar I obtained in the army, I do remember every mirrored scar—at least, for the moment. I do wonder when this dratted covering will decide enough is enough and overtake me completely."

Other than basic reading and writing, he's pretty bad at everything else. It takes him a moment as he explains to understand what he's talking about. It's only when he mentions key names does he seem to register at all that he understands what he's talking about, "Oh, you mean that war. That was so long ago. Before I was born actually."

Tyki's not as observant as he should be right now given his condition. He grins despite the way everything feels and lifts himself enough into a proper sit now that he's engaged in actual conversation, "You mean an entire body made of mirror covering? That would be interesting to see."

Thanks Tyki, that makes him feel real old right about now. Strange lets out a little hmmph of irritation but doesn't press the timelines point.

"It'd be interesting, but it would also be a damn nuisance. What if I froze over or something like that? Or how would you repair me if I shattered?"

Things that Strange hadn't really realized he'd have to think about until he started changing. The carnival's odd like that.

Tyki's at a very young age of 27. He'll stay this young and beautiful his whole life unless someone kills him. Sorry, Strange. That's just the perks of being a Noah.

"Magic?" he says in a rather offhanded tone because that seems to fix everything nowadays or so many believe. He rolls his eyes to the side at a couple of rocks near his glass of wine and he'll stretch to pick them up.

His hands lift out of the water, revealing more of his jagged scars up the side of his arms, and he'll show the rocks to Strange. It's then that he just pushes both of the rocks against one another until he lets one go and holds the other between two fingers. They are now permanently stuck together as if fused, "We'd find a way. There's no need to worry so much."

Strange is 37 and already has way too much gray hair and a slightly fucked up body thanks to almost dying, going crazy, and messing around with magic. Tyki is a jerk.

He watches with obvious interest as Tyki reaches over to pick up the rocks, not entirely sure what the other man's doing, but interested all the while. It's only when Tyki fuses the rocks together that Strange can't help but grin, obviously impressed by what he thinks is magic (though if it is magic, then why is he having such a hard time piecing it out?)

"You know, I've no idea how my eyes work now," Strange says, seemingly out of nowhere, eyes still focused on those rocks. But then, he clarifies it with, "I think a little worry might be appropriate. Still, I shan't overdo it."

Way to be petty, Strange. Thankfully it'll take a lot more to make Tyki stray away from him than most. He doesn't take many things personally and he's far too cheery.

It's kind of magic as much it is a power that he can do. He's not the type of English Magician that Strange is but he could very well be called one. Either way he cheats with everything he does and the Manor had taught him a very valuable lesson of not being in control regardless of his powers when dealing with fae.

"I wondered that for a while but then I've seen a lot of things that you do I just don't question, Mister Strange. If you shatter I'll just have to spend a week putting you back together the best way I know how. Hopefully I don't miss a piece?"

"I'll try my hardest to collect all my pieces if I shatter in the first place." His tone is still light and joking despite the fact that they're talking about potential body harm. Strange is also far too cheery, at least when it comes to his complete disregard of anything like 'self-care.'

Though, now that this conversation seems to be hitting a natural stalling point, Strange's nosiness wins out. He's got to ask.

"Feel free to brush past my question, but I have to at least ask: what on Earth happened to make you receive those scars?" His tone is equal parts interested and worried. Interested because there must be an impressive story behind them. Worried because he's got a feeling the impressive story hurts.

"You might be a bit short after but that is nothing you can't handle," he responds just as cheery as usual.

He did offer to exchange information as he always does with Strange if only for the conversation. It is a sensitive question but one he anticipated. There is a lot to tell him without telling him anything at all. He has to stall in talking because he has to decide right now exactly how much to trust him with anything. Revealing too much could out him as not being quite human. Revealing too little may sour the conversation.

"At home there is a constant war. One of enemy managed to run his sword through my body. I managed to recover over time but it left a lasting mark on my body," he says casually without revealing too much information. He'll leave it up to Strange to discern if there is more to that or not.

Strange can't help but give Tyki a look of disbelief at his answer. A sword. Really?

"If I may be blunt, what the hell type of sword did he use?" Because Strange isn't an idiot (or at least, he isn't that much of an idiot). Tyki's scars were large and thick, something that Strange wouldn't really associate with a normal, everyday sword.

Of course, this was the carnival and he still knew very little of the world Tyki was from. Perhaps swords were different in his world? They had to be, in order to explain those scars.

Tyki on the other hand gives a weary grin at the look on Strange's face. He tosses the rocks towards Strange gently so he can examine them himself if he wants or toss them to the side. He needs to free up his hands as they lift out of the water and spread apart to show the length and width of the sword he's talking about.

"About this long and this wide," he says with the appropriate gestures of his hands. It's rare that he doesn't wear gloves and Strange can see the scars on his arms that sort of line up with the thick ones on his chest. He's risen out of the water a little enough that he can see the cross like scar/stigmata on his throat.

"It went right through me easily."

As Tyki tosses the rocks towards him, Strange does take a moment or two to examine them, looking the rocks over as if that would tell him what spell Tyki used. It's only when Tyki starts talking and Strange realizes he should look up that he actually looks up at Tyki's hand gestures.

That is a massive sword. Can swords even be that big to begin with? Strange certainly doesn't know, he doesn't know how swords work, just that he's seen some and none of the ones he's seen were the size that Tyki's indicating. And likewise, none of them could go right through someone easily (unless he was speaking metaphorically, but was Tyki the type to do so in the first place?). There were things like blood and bone and organs in the way.

"I assume the sword was magic of some sort?" Because it had to be! What other explanation was there?

Poor Strange. One day he'll discover that Tyki's magic doesn't really need a spell. It flows through him endlessly as it does with all humans. He's not a practical English magician and never will be. He could never restrain himself anyways.

It seems unnatural doesn't it that someone could carry a sword that big and not be hindered by it. He's not afraid of oversharing with Strange. His fingers touch the scars on his chest with a light caress now that he's thinking about them. They pained him on occasion and when they did it hurt to an extreme level. The petrification on his back did not help in the slightest.

"It never fails to surprise me that you'd figure that out so easily," he says to disarm him on reflex, "Do you remember our former clown? The boy with the white hair? He was the one who wielded that sword. Allen Walker."

Now that makes Strange a bit confused. Allen was the one who gave Tyki those scars? Granted, Strange and Allen only talked to each other once or twice, but it didn't seem like the boy would do something like that. He frowns, but doesn't question that. Because then again...he barely knows Allen. For all Strange knows, the boy could do something like that or would have a grudge against Tyki or there were other circumstances or something of that sort.

Because Strange, bless his heart, is of the firm opinion that Tyki's a good dude and why on Earth would someone want to stab him?

"Well," he simply says, with a little frown, after what feels like ages. "In that case, I suspect you're happy that Mister Walker isn't here anymore."

In war anything goes. Anything can happen. Even Strange must know that. It didn't matter who you know or what you were. If you were on one side the other was simply the enemy. He would cut down anyone on the other side without hesitation if ordered even here in carnival. He could know someone and become great friends with them but one order from a Supervisor or the Ringmaster and he wouldn't hesitate.

He rubs at his chest as the phantom pain starts now that he's talking about it, "Yes and no. I cannot help but feel a hatred for the enemy but then if we weren't in a war, I do believe the boy and I could've been friends. We met before we were enemies after all. Played a round of cards together. It was only when we met on the battlefield did we even know we were enemies." It's odd how much he talks about him with a strange fondness. "Allen Walker complicates things and while I haven't seen him since Greysol we had agreed to keep things quiet."

As soon as Tyki mentions they were in a war, Strange gives him a nod of understanding. He does know that—he was in the peninsula, after all. And even more than that, he was on both the attacking and receiving end of certain conflicts during his stay at the carnival. Any friendships had to be put on a halt in a time of crisis.

Though the fact that he speaks of someone who attacked him with such fondness...well, Strange knows he shouldn't judge too hard. But he's judging a little bit. There had to be external factors. Brainwashing, a lack of control, mental manipulation, something to explain that.

"The Ringmaster has to bring him back eventually," Strange explains, with a small shrug. A wry smile plays on his face as he continues. "Who knows? Perhaps you'll see him again sometime soon."

Well, what he isn't telling Strange is that Allen is one of the rare people that managed to hurt him significantly to a point he unleashed a monster from within him trying to separate his humanity from his Noah. Spoilers, it unleashed the Noah instead. There were significant external factors ranging from Allen also having a Noah but being an Exorcist as well. The fact the boy was not like other Exorcists and wanted nothing more for everyone to stop fighting and be friends.

Allen complicated things just as he said. His family literally had gone from trying to kill him to trying to recruit him in a short time.

"It's not as if either of us could destroy the other without incurring the wrath of the Ringmaster." He snorts at his words, "So a contract doesn't just disappear. That's good to know. One less clown around at any rate."

"And one less thorn in your side," Strange idly muses, sinking a bit further into the water. It really is relaxing in here. He could see how it would be easy to fall asleep in the hot springs, just because of how cozy the water really is.

"Besides, it seems we've enough of thorns in sides already. The Prince has been defeated but who knows how long recovery would take."

People were changed, poisoned, and turned to stone. Strange knew that something like that couldn't be cured or fixed in just a day. But how long it would take overall, he still doesn't know.

Edited 2017-12-02 23:22 (UTC)

"That's for certain. I stepped into this carnival in the first place because it was something different." He hadn't meant to stay but it worked out in the end. Now after the Prince and that Manor he wonders exactly what he got himself involved in.

Tyki though firmly believed in choice. This was his choice even if he had been cheated by both fae, "Yes, I could do with a little less right now. I don't know how much progress is being made towards fixing the petrification but even after that there is no telling how much rest anyone will need."

Also... there is the mental recovery. Tyki doesn't want to admit that having his 'choice' taken away from him affected him more than physically torture would have. He's experienced having his Noah taking over his body before and becoming something else. The Prince only repeated that in a different way.

"We've been talking among ourselves and have a few ideas going," Strange reassures, giving Tyki a small smile. Nothing's set in stone yet. But between Strange, Mari, Rita, Lambert and that new medic guy who Strange still has trouble remembering his name (North?), he's certain they'll come up with something. They've got to.

"I'm certain we'll have a cure sooner rather than later. Many hands make light work and so on and so forth." Strange removes one hand from the water to make a dismissive sort of hand gesture. It's at that point that he looks at his fingers and realizes they're starting to get a bit pruney.

...but it feels really nice in the water.

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Holy shit I found this while doing AC. I am sorry >_<

no worries! <3

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