⇨ 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

[kingsroads]

Strange glowers. He is a grown adult and does not pout but the expression on his face is preeetty close to pouting. Because that is a very deliberate word choice on Sans's part and Strange is fairly certain he's referring to the giant mess that became Strange and a bunch of gems yelling at each other over the radio.

"I tried to be sensitive, you know." He just kind of failed at it. And yep, we're talking about that giant argument because fine, apparently he can't escape talking about it, whatever. "It's hardly my fault Lazuli is so difficult. Besides, it would have gone so much easier had the rest of the gems not rushed in to defend her honor or what have you."

[osteothropy]

"It also probably woulda gone better if you hadn't felt the need to educate everyone on your bootstrap theory of magical imprisonment," he says, and shoots Strange a casual finger gun. Yep, that's the joy of radio arguments. Everyone with their channel on gets to hear you whether they like it or not.

"Protip: victims of abuse don't like being told that their problems are their own fault." Sans has his own reasons for finding Strange's opinions pretty offensive - he's just less of the type to try to pummel the guy as a result.

[kingsroads]

That casual finger gun gets an exasperated eye roll as Strange's grimace only grows.

"It might not have been her fault that she was trapped there in the first place, but it certainly was her fault that she remained there. She had a thousand years to free herself, why would she simply accept it?"

Because she had to have accepted it, right? After all, there was that thousand years bit. Countries could rise and fall, magic could grow and wane, so much could happen in a thousand years. To not fully take advantage of that to solve a problem struck Strange as rather lazy.

[osteothropy]

Sans honestly can't even believe the mental hoops Strange must be jumping through to justify this stupid opinion, but his discussion of the topic remains level. Having properly slathered his arms, he kicks back onto the medical bed to lay down in a casual pose.

"Hey, did I ever tell you about how I grew up inside a magical prison? Coming to the carnival was actually the first time I ever saw natural sunlight. My entire species was trapped underground by humans thousands of years ago. Too bad being literally made it magic didn't give us the edge there, huh? Oh well. I guess we were just too lazy to sort it out."

He lifts his hands in a dismissive gesture.

"Hey man, I totally get it if our collective failure inspires a whole new level of contempt in that little brain of yours. No hard feelings, right? If only you could have been there to advise my dad on how to better manage his efforts before he vaporized himself trying to bust us all out."

There's a kind of cold intensity to the way he says that. He ripped the band-aid off by telling Papyrus the truth, and now there's an intoxicating freedom in just spitting it out at his leisure.

[kingsroads]

Ever since becoming a magician, Jonathan Strange has not come up against a problem that he couldn't solve with magic, determination, and an annoying amount of persistence—and with his time before he was a magician, most of his problems had a habit of solving themselves (probably because most of his problems revolved around his father and were solved when the bastard kicked the bucket).

He's about to interject with something when Sans continues talking. And with that brief mention of his father, Sans just pushes the conversation to a whole new different level that Strange wasn't ready to go to. Who brings up their dead dad like that, just to win an argument?!

Well, Strange would. But the point stands.

"I went back to England during Greysol. When I returned, I was dying, trapped in a curse by a faerie designed to kill me and drive me even more mad. It damn near did so and yet I performed the greatest feats of magic I've ever accomplished in my life. If I can rise above my circumstances while literally dying, I've no idea why others cannot do the same."

There's a pause, before, "Though I am sorry to hear about your father."

Glad to see at least one person in the carnival had a decent dad.

[osteothropy]

It's really less about winning the argument and more about trying to express to Strange that his stupid opinions are genuinely hurtful to completely innocent people. But whatever. He's not sure what he expected.

"You're being such a human right now," Sans says, with both mirth and scorn. "You've got me completely gobsmacked."

[kingsroads]

Whereas Strange is still stuck all the way back in trying to figure out just why everyone jumped down his throat for his stupid opinions in the first place.

"I am a human," Strange responds, in the most 'well duh' sort of tone of voice he can muster. He knows this is supposed to be an insult, that this is supposed to be a slight on humanity but, really Sans. What were you expecting.

"What would you rather I act like instead of that?"

[osteothropy]

"Then why don't you show some damn humanity, huh?"

Sans doesn't get up from his leisurely position, but there's a genuine disappointment in his voice. He doesn't look at him.

"That's what they call it, right? When you act like you have compassion, or like you care about anyone who isn't you or that wife of yours? Humanity. I always thought that was pretty funny. Because as human as you might be, you sure as hell don't seem capable of it."

He puts out his arm, his palm level to the floor.

"The bar is low, Strange. Step up."

[kingsroads]

"Leave Arabella out of this." Where there's genuine disappointment in Sans's voice, there's genuine anger in Strange's. He's practically fuming with annoyance, claws digging into the palm of his hand as he just glares in Sans's direction, angry expression writ large and obvious on his face.

"And though I might not understand Lazuli's plight, that does not make me inhuman. If I knew what specifics to avoid, I would have avoided them. I'm not cruel. But all I was told was 'it's a sensitive topic' and 'she's got baggage.'"

Strange briefly dips into a terrible yet recognizable impression of Peridot with those words. It's only later that Strange will come to realize that dude, you're being a massive dick.

[osteothropy]

Sans conveniently remains immune to Strange's glares by simply refraining from looking at him. So the wife is a sensitive issue, good to know. Not news objectively speaking, but Sans isn't necessarily the most hip to Strange's personal dramas.

"You're not a robot, either, so why do you gotta be programmed not to say horrible things to people? Horrible like reducing someone's traumatic experience to an outlet for your own clueless sense of pride. Thinking because you got lucky and managed something once that everyone should be able to do it."

"But I guess I should have just figured out how to get my Name back, right? And Lapis should have figured out how to escape even if gems aren't even magic that way. For a man of learning you sure get off on being clueless."

[kingsroads]

"She was trapped there for a thousand years. She should have figured out how to escape. That's more than enough time."

Strange is just conveniently not mentioning the part about Sans's Name. That's a fae problem. Fae problems are...marginally more difficult to solve than non-fae problems.

[osteothropy]

"Just because you really want to believe something doesn't make it true."

He's getting gradually more exhausted than angry. It's just sort of disheartening, to run into a brick wall like this. Especially when he can't even fathom a reason why it would be this important to someone to put other people down.

"I guess you live in this world where you can do anything you want as long as you try hard enough? Must be fun."

[kingsroads]

Now that, more than anything, makes Strange pause. Because he's about to retort with something snotty like 'I can't do everything' and list off something he couldn't do but...huh. He's coming up against a brick wall. Even the things he couldn't do, he couldn't do just because of a lack of information or his own physical limitations, not because of a lack of magical power. And the mistakes he made were his own mistakes. But in talking magic with other people, he's come across plenty of limitations that others have that he was confident he could skip over.

For the first time since his stay at the carnival, the thought that wait, not everybody's an OP magical protagonist crosses Strange's mind.

"I'm not fae," Strange eventually responds, though that's a lame excuse and he knows it. "I have limitations just like the rest of us."

Though trust Strange to take Sans's judgement and sarcasm as a literal statement. The man can be amazingly obtuse at times.

[osteothropy]

"You kinda act like you are," Sans comments, fully prepared for any of his statements to bounce right off of his guy's head, because that seems the way of things. "You seem to have the same attitude towards 'lesser creatures' don't ya?"

Silly mortals, not seeing the obvious solutions to their problems. If he wanted to be talked down to he could go discuss magic with the Ringmaster.

[kingsroads]

"And who would you say I think of as 'lesser'?"

His anger's abating as Strange fixes Sans with a curious frown. He's certain the skeleton would include Lazuli in that designation. But what about others?

[osteothropy]

"Lapis and the rest of the gems, since you don't seem to believe their expertise on a subject only they've experienced," he says, casually but distantly, like he's no longer willing to engage with Strange too intimately. "My entire species. My family. Me."

He lets that sit for a few moments before expanding on the thought.

"Let's be real, you must think pretty low about anybody who isn't a mage on the same level as you. And people who can't do magic at all? Why do they even bother."

[kingsroads]

"Arabella can't do magic," Strange points out, as if that's going to help his case. He doesn't need to say the other part of his statement (Arabella can't do magic and yet I think the world of her) because it's pretty damn obvious.

"And most magicians aren't on the same level as I am to begin with. I don't think low of them, I welcome their company. Likewise, I barely know anything of your species or your family to begin with. I cannot think low of something that I barely know the specifics of. So kindly do not put words in my mouth."

[osteothropy]

"But somehow," Sans says, not really buying his argument there. "You still act like you know better about stuff you have no experience with. Think you can explain that? You don't know enough about my species or gems as a species to think low of them, but somehow you're still telling us what we can and can't do."

[kingsroads]

Strange just glares as Sans for a moment or two...before the obvious solution puts itself in his head. Oh yeah. He's not petrified. He doesn't have to deal with this. As he stands up, Strange starts collecting some of the scattered items that he's brought with him: pencils, notebooks, and so on.

"And you act like you know me so well despite the fact that we've only had a handful of conversations in our time at the carnival. I don't have to listen to this."

[osteothropy]

"So, you're not actually gunna explain yourself, huh?"

If it means that Strange is leaving first then Sans is all for that. He could have teleported away himself, at this point, but he doesn't have much interest in budging. The medical tent will probably be more relaxing without him being a reminder.

"Not very scientific."

[kingsroads]

"Then it's a good thing I'm not very scientific in the first place. I am a magician." He's finished gathering up his materials and book and turns to leave...before stopping slightly turning back around and looking at Sans.

"There has been talk about some of us coming together to develop a cure for the petrification and poison. If you have any input on the Prince or his methods used, please contact either Lambert, Peridot, or Miss Makinami. I'm sure they'll appreciate the information."

He would offer himself as a person to talk to, but he's got a funny feeling Sans might not want to talk to him right now (and he certainly does not want to talk to Sans as well).

[osteothropy]

"Eh," he says, shrugging his shoulders. "Same difference."

No real attempt at getting in the last word here. Instead, he just folds his arms behind his head and closes his eyes, ready to just chill. He's angry, no doubt, in an old and familiar way - but he's just as familiar with pushing that feeling down whenever it gets to be too much to deal with.

He's really gotta stop throwing himself at walls.