⇨ 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

Tamaki | D2 onward | ota

[puddingemote]

A: Side Tent

Having healed most of his wounds (small scratches and bruises, mostly) by now, Tamaki can be found for a few hours a day in one of the small side tents, up in the silks or doing various small feats of gymnastics on the floor. He doesn't really seem to be practicing; rather than doing any specific routine, he spins himself around in the same practiced movements over and over. It's as good a way to get rid of nervous energy as anything.

When someone comes in, he'll make himself known if he's up in the silks, generally by hanging upside down and calling out. "Hey."

B: Cookhouse

If one is familiar with Tamaki's eating habits, they might notice that his appetite hasn't been diminished by the goings-on around the Carnival. If anything, it seems like he has more food in front of him; his binge eating might be getting worse rather than better.

He doesn't look like he's really enjoying the food, though, eyes absently wandering the wood grain on the table instead of looking at what's going in his mouth. Eating doesn't entirely distract him from thinking.

Though he will look up if someone sits down, and nod at them in greeting.

3: Big Top (at night)

Instead of sleeping in his trailer, Tamaki can be found in the big top at night, spread out under a blanket and using his arm as a pillow. It's going to go to sleep like that before he does, but he seems alright with that.

He won't actively call anyone over (except for Doll), but won't protest to anyone coming to join him, either. It's just nice to be around people right now.

B

[pullingamiko]

It's nice to know that there's at least one place where Miko can pretty consistently know to check for Tamaki. She slides in next to him and sets her tray on the table, ears perked up - which isn't forced, exactly, but she may be putting a little more effort than usual about maintaining a general air of cheerfulness.

She knows better than to be overly enthusiastic under these circumstances, but... you know. Maybe Tamaki will appreciate some amount of cheer.

"Hey. What'd you get?"

[puddingemote]

Tamaki looks up at her, then back at his plate, as though he doesn't know how to answer that question. After surveying the mess of food on his plate, he shrugs, looking back up.

"A lot."

Which is really an amount more than a kind, but still sort of an answer to the question.

"You?"

[pullingamiko]

"Yeah, I noticed that part." But she can't blame him if he doesn't want to go through and list everything.

"Burger, and... a lot of fries. There are so many fries right now, it's kinda ridiculous?"

[puddingemote]

Tamaki looks at her plate, then at her, then, without asking, reaches over, takes a fry, and pops it in his mouth.

"One less now," he says around it as he chews, smiling a little.

[pullingamiko]

"Aw-- hey, c'mon, man, you can get your own!" She's laughing, though, even as she leans over as if to swat his hand away.

[puddingemote]

He pulls his hand away, as though wounded. "I'm helping!" he says in mock offense, though he's still smiling. "And I don't want to walk over there, anyway."

3

[steadydollypegs]

She's grateful when he does call for her, because she hates sleeping alone even more now. Doll crawls over to him, dragging her pillow and blanket. After draping the blanket on top of Tamaki's, she crawls in and tucks herself into his chest, sharing her pillow.

"Can' sleep?"

[puddingemote]

He welcomes her into his chest easily, wrapping his arms around her to try and keep her more comfortable and sheltered. He's still getting used to this feeling of being so close in this context, this new relationship he and Doll were trying to have before Carnival life rudely interrupted, but right now he doesn't think about any of that, content to just be close to her.

He shakes his head in answer to her question. "You either?"

[steadydollypegs]

"Mm," she nods. "Never was good at sleepin' alone." Even when Joker was perfectly happy and healthy. Now it's even harder, with everything that just went on with the Prince and the hunt and Joker still being poisoned.

But at least there's Tamaki-- a warm and comforting presence that's been missing for a while now. She wraps her arms around his torso and pulls herself nice and close.

"Ya ever do anythin' ta help ya sleep? Warm milk? Countin' sheep?"

[puddingemote]

Tamaki thinks about that. He used to cry himself to sleep all the time, but that's embarrassing, and not what Doll wants to hear right now.

But there are a few other things.

"King's Pudding." It's his standard answer to all problems. But since there isn't any of that here, he thinks a little harder.

"And... there's a song my mom used to sing to me, I guess."

[steadydollypegs]

Pudding? She frowns into his chest. Seems a little heavy for a bedtime snack, but hey, whatever works.

She's more interested in the song, truth be told. Tamaki has been a little close-lipped about his own family, while Doll can't stop chattering about hers. "What song?"

[puddingemote]

He doesn't say much about it anymore without prompting; sometimes it makes people a bit uncomfortable to hear about it, though Doll probably wouldn't mind. Sometimes people use it against him, too, but Doll would never do that.

"Just a lullaby. Don't know what it's called."

He starts to hum a bit of the Edo Lullaby, a tune he's heard since but never committed the name of to memory. He doesn't really care about other people singing it - he only remembers his mother's voice, quiet and gentle.

big top

[dontpokethat]

Truth be told, Ginko has found himself somewhat hesitant to approach those involved in the 'challenge' with him - not because of any discomfort with them, of course, but because... well. He can imagine they might not want to be reminded of that.

Fortunately for everyone, he's been recently informed that completely avoiding all interaction with someone because you think there's a chance they might not want to see you isn't always the best course of action. He's mostly here to wait for a chance to talk to Joker, to check in on him, but while he's here... he might as well take the opportunity to check on Tamaki, too.

So he sits down, near-ish to him but not too close, curling his tail around his legs. "Hey."

[puddingemote]

Tamaki rolls over where from where he was trying in obvious vain to sleep, looking up at Ginko. He's noticed the older man staying away recently, but he assumed that was because he was the least important person to check on at the moment.

"Hey," he echoes, rising into a sitting position. He pulls his legs up close to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. His markings, usually hidden by his clothing, slide up and across his face, temporarily lighting his skin up in neon green, before sliding back down his neck. "What's up?"

[dontpokethat]

"Just wanted to see how you're doing."

He doubts he needs to specify why that would be necessary, after... everything. He just hopes he's not out of line in asking.

[puddingemote]

"I'm fine."

It's said dryly, with an added shrug. He knows why Ginko is asking, but he doesn't really know what to say beyond that. He isn't hurt, after all.

"You?"

[dontpokethat]

"That's good." As glad as he is to hear that, boy, now he sure is wondering if this was necessary to begin with. Maybe he should have left Tamaki alone.

He shrugs, too, tilting his head a little. "Alright, all things considered."

[puddingemote]

He doesn't want to be alone (the opposite really), so he doesn't mind Ginko coming to talk to him. It's just that he's not sure that anyone needs to hear how he feels right now - he helped kill someone, but that's not the same as being poisoned or turned to stone, right?

"Mm." 'All things considered' means he probably isn't all that alright. "Doe-chan wasn't able to sleep well, after. So I'm waiting here for her."

He tilts his head a little, studying Ginko's face. "Have you been sleeping?"

cookhouse

[hurtcomfort]

Cole doesn't eat. Not really. But the cookhouse has nice tables and, most importantly, has knives. Some of the pencils in the laboratory have gotten dull. And, considering that Cole doesn't know what a pencil sharpener is, he's using a small paring knife to sharpen the pencils into points.

So, while Tamaki looks at the wood grain, Cole whittles the pencils until they're sharp, not really caring that pencil shavings don't belong on the table. And to everyone's surprise, he's actually using a chair this time.

He gives Tamaki a little nod as well before going back to his work with the pencils. Though, as he works, Cole hums a familiar sounding song to Tamaki.

[puddingemote]

Tamaki raises an eyebrow at Cole when he first sits down, but doesn't say anything, returning to looking at the table after he nods. He's never seen anyone sharpen pencils with a knife before - it's a bit weird, but not interesting enough to pull him out of his lethargy.

But while that might not be, the familiar melody that reaches his ears does. Without really thinking about it, he starts to hum along - and then abruptly jerks up straight, staring at Cole with wide eyes, dropping his spoon as he does.

"H-how... how do you know that?"

They haven't performed that song anywhere yet, and Cole isn't even from their world.

[hurtcomfort]

"Everyone knows it," Cole answers, as if it's the most obvious thing in the history of creation. It's a song, isn't it, one that will be performed and will be sung and will be listened to.

But Tamaki's hesitation catches Cole and he pauses for a moment, slightly hesitant before continuing.

"Don't they?"

[puddingemote]

"We haven't performed it yet," Tamaki says simply, still staring at Cole like he's done something very, very strange just now. "We're saving it, for the re-opening of Zero Arena."

But Tamaki has sung it plenty of times, rehearsing it, and just for the fun of it. Maybe Cole heard him singing it? Or maybe Cole is just reading his mind again.

[hurtcomfort]

Cole's looking at Tamaki as if he has no idea why Tamaki's looking at him with such confusion: because he doesn't. What's that expression for? Why's he being looked at like that?

"Then everyone will know it," he explains, as if it makes sense. Which still doesn't explain how Cole knows it in the first place but that seems like a good enough explanation for him: he returns to humming the song under his breath again.

[puddingemote]

"...Yeah. If it's a hit, I guess."

Though he's pretty sure it will be; Riku will be back as the center, and Riku sings like an angel. There's no way the song won't be a huge hit, so maybe Cole is right.

He listens to Cole keep humming for a moment, before saying, "Do you know the words? What they mean?"

It's in Japanese, after all.