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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Doll has been in a daze since they ended things with the Prince too. She's been a mere shadow of herself-- eating when she has to, going about her chores, but without the usual joy she's always exuded.

She pretends to sleep against the trees, mainly hiding so Joker might miss her and think she's off doing something normal--not spending a few hours crying and a few hours staring into space in silence. Right now, she's just staring, but her nose is very pink and she looks very tired.

"Now, now. That's quite a sour look for such a beautiful young lady," comes his generally kind voice.

It's a little false right now and he was hiding mostly from others for good reasons on his part. The voice doesn't come from in front of her or around her but above her. He's in the tree lounging there after being woken by one of his Tease buzzing against his nose to alert him of someone nearby.

Doll looks around, of course, and once she confirms that there's nobody around her, she tips her head back and finds Tyki in the trees. It came from having a winged brother, trees were always fair napping spots.

"'M not a lady," she shoots back, making a point of wiping her face on her sleeve. "'N I'm not beautiful." And so she can have whatever awful look on her face she wants-- that's clear logic right there.

Tyki's a lazy and mangey cat. He'll always find somewhere to perch and relax. There's a rustle of branches and things above her. He's turned so he can look at her better without dislodging himself entirely.

"You'll forgive me if I agree to disagree, Miss Doll." He'll even extend his hand downwards to offer her a chance to climb up with him. Despite how he is feeling he does hate to see people he likes cry.

He doesn't know the half of it, is what she tells herself. And this would be the right time for her to just pull her bangs back and show him just how pretty she is-- but she doesn't. Not just to prove a silly point that has no purpose.

She looks at the offered hand, and takes it, pulling herself up gracefully and landing on top of Tyki like that's exactly where he meant for her to go. She's light, at least, and seems to know exactly how to cuddle without throwing elbows and knees into uncomfortable places.

"I feel like th'worst person, though. I don' deserve ta have nice things said 'bout me."

Little does she know that while he did like appearances in his women that just because someone looked horrifying or somewhat scarred that didn't turn him off from enjoying their beauty. Cobweb was a good example of that. He found her charming despite the fact she seemed to think herself horrifying and he'd definitely wine and dine her for an evening just to spend time in her company.

Yet he knows when he needs to listen instead of talk and once she's up on top of him he adjusts. He's use to an invasive niece with her own elbows and knees digging into places.

"Oh? And what has this little lady done that is so shameful to be undeserving of honest praise?"

"I was part 'a the party what killed Joker."

The words come out heavy and blunt, though after a second she clings harder to Tyki's shirt like she's trying to hold herself together.

"He hasn' even talked ta me since, he hates me, he must. I would!"

"I know," he says with a bold and honest tone as his hand, just as bold, settles on her head for a soft pet, "But if you had done it for any other reason than why you have done it, I might have a distaste for you right now but I don't."

The Prince had doled out mirrors to watch after all. He had seen Ginko, Doll, and the rest of them take down Joker. He might not have seen the aftermath since he could only watch what the Prince was watching at the time but he had seen enough.

"I doubt he hates you, Miss Doll."

God, he knows? How many other people had seen that terrible thing she'd done to her beloved brother? The only reason she was alive at all? The first person who had ever loved her?

"He's keepin' it ta himself, no doubt. Ta spare me the look in his eye," she says into his shirt, pushing her forehead into his chest hard, as though she could hide there. "You'd hate anybody who'd hurt him, then?"

Everyone who was watching might've seen it but there is no telling when people stopped watching. Tyki had wanted to see it to his completion and he's glad he got to see the Prince killed.

He bolder now as his fingers rest firmly against her head with a reassuring rub. It wouldn't be the first person to get his shirt wet should they start crying this week. "Have you asked him yourself? I was avoiding him too until sometime last night." He closes his eyes to avoid showing any real sign of malice, "Yes. Anyone that hurts Joker by their own choice without a good reason would have to answer to me along with anyone else that cares for him."

Doll relaxes a little, not quite so tense on Tyki's chest anymore, but still feeling utterly hopeless and spent. It's some relief, though, that Joker apparently has another friend willing to look out for him-- given she was so terrible at it going up against Sora.

She nods against his sternum and snuffles most attractively. "Good. I'm glad." The details are unimportant, no caveats about violence, whatever has to be done... she's fine with it. As long as he's alright.

"He won' tell me the truth, even if I asked. He thinks I'll be happier if I don' know how he's really feelin'."

Joker indulges his wild behavior and by proxy he tends to cling a little more than he should. He'll look out for Joker on his best behavior or as much as he can stand. He has to protect what he values after all.

"I didn't know how he felt about me until I asked. Even with his smile and the fact he told me not to worry about trying to push him off the balcony I felt the need to scold him. He shouldn't have let me and he shouldn't have boldly kept his wings in to test my own resolve on whether I would catch him or not. I was enchanted. He could've gotten hurt. Still, he just smiled." He snorts at that and understands what she means. Yet for her it was likely a deeper level he didn't understand. "I have a feeling he just doesn't want me to worry about it. He has an excellent poker face."

Under any other circumstances, Doll's reaction would have been violently different. Shouting and smacking and anger and swearing might have followed this charming tale of That Time Mister Mikk Pushed Joker Off a Balcony and Joker Didn't Fly Away, but he's caught her at a time when she's dejected, exhausted, and wholly unsurprised by all of Joker's doings.

Doll deflates over Tyki's chest and plants her face into him again.

"It's just not fair. He gets all bent outta shape when somethin' that isn' even my fault happens, an' then he goes tumblin' off a balcony hopin' ya won' let 'im down." Her eye wells up with tears again as she considers this. "I'd catch 'im too."

He understands what he did even if he knows he was enchanted when it happened. It was his actions that led to it but he was a little disappointed at Joker letting him do it. He's expecting something if not anything but such a sad face.

But she just deflates further into herself and he strokes her hair gently in return.

"It's because you're precious to him. I'm not. He's your big brother, is he not? That is what big brothers are suppose to do. They lie, cheat, and hide trying to protect those they love. I know I'd do just about anything for my family even if it meant smiling when I shouldn't."

Doll curls against Tyki, the feeling of fingers stroking her hair coaxing her to feel comforted. It's a familiar gesture, after all, Joker does it to her all the time and it's always calmed her down.

"You have a family?" She's not surprised by this, she just wants to prompt him to tell her about them. Maybe he has a little sister too? Or an older brother who frustrates him?

He's surprisingly gentle for a man that could do so much harm in an instant. His fingers could easily dip into her skull in a matter of seconds but he means her no harm. She's human so she could die in his world if warranted. Here, he could enjoy himself.

"Yes. We're not blood related, or not all of us, but we live together and share everything. I have a brother who sometimes gets on my nerves, a nephew that can't seem to stay out of my head, and a bratty niece I love very much. The Earl is like a father to us all. We in turn take care of each other because we're family."

"Sounds like me 'n Joker," she says, letting her eyes close while she pictures her own family. "We're not related by blood neither, none of us are. Me, 'n Joker, 'n Dagger, Beast, Jumbo, Wendy, Peter... Snake. We all took care 'a each other because we found each other.

"Joker found me, after my mum and dad... turned me out. I was small." Smaller than she is now, apparently.

"Cyril and I are brothers. He married Road's mother to have her as a daughter. Other than that we take care of each other and occasionally meet for dinner or lunch. We spend a lot of time together."

Yet her family's names are interesting and his brow will raise higher as he continues to gently stroke her hair. She half answers his curiosity with the next statement. "No wonder you think so highly of him. You'd honestly think he'd hate you?"

"Me own mum hated me," she shrugs, and while that feels like it should answer the question, it does ruffle her inside to compare Joker to her mother. It's not right, it's not even a close comparison, and she winces to herself when she realizes the mistake.

"...but he wouldn't. I don' think."

"Loved ones can be cruel even in the best of situations, my little lady. It's why you stick with the ones who do love you."

And you fight to keep them, he wants to say. Protect them with everyone and everything one has no matter the cost or the consequences. Honestly, he would've rather seen Joker dead than Nameless like he saw Sans. He wouldn't let the Prince keep anyone if they couldn't regain their name.

"Then no more crying, hmm?"

Edited 2017-12-02 13:45 (UTC)

"'M tryin'," Doll says with a very slight pout. It's the reason she insisted on staying with the carnival-- she wanted to stick by Joker, because he loved her and she loved him. It's hard to connect Joker loving her from his wish that she not join the carnival for that reason, but she understands it when she forces herself to realize that Joker just doesn't want anything bad to happen to her.

Doll folds her arms on Tyki's chest and rests her chin there. Her face is a red, blotchy mess, but it's hard to ignore the brotherly tone he's putting on. "...'right."

He lifts a finger to boop her nose gently and will pat her on the head as well like a kid now that she seems a lot calmer. That face though needs some work and if he was in his tux he'd offer her his handkerchief. Unfortunately, he doesn't even have a napkin on himself.

Ask his brother or his niece and he's definitely #1 Brother/Uncle. It pays to know how to listen even when a certain spoiled niece is whining. "That's better."

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⇨ THE PRINCE IS DEAD

D3

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>:T This tag got lost somehow... Found it while updating thread tracker. Sorry about that

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