⇨ SHOW'S OVER

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone who DIDN’T get caught up in CY-Ren’s music, D13-D14.
When: D13-D15
Where: Wismuth, the Carnival
What: Recovering, taking stock, and trying to figure out where to go from here.
Warnings: ? ? ?

FALLEN STARS↴ ► AFTERMATH: After the culmination of the confrontation between Noa and CY-Ren — as much as it can be called one, since it ends with the Guardian being flung off the stage — the arena returns to darkness. After a few seconds of silence, the backup lighting sputters on, but instead of music a loudspeaker begins to blare loudly: ATTENTION, FANTASIA FESTIVAL ATTENDANTS. DUE TO AN EMERGENCY, WE WILL BE EVACUATING THE VENUE. PLEASE FOLLOW STAFF DIRECTIONS AND PROCEED TO THE NEAREST EXIT. THANK YOU. The pleasant, automated woman’s voice begins to play on loop as the concertgoers, snapped out of their trance, look at each other in confusion. The Void creatures that had come out at CY-Ren’s command are nowhere to be seen now, and neither is the singer herself. Wismuth police officers, though they look as uncertain and dazed as half the audience seems to be, break up the crowd and directing them to file out of the Fantasia Festival’s exits. It’s easy enough for Carnival members to slip away, though as they go through the crowd they’ll hear the festivalgoers discussing anything but the sight of Guardian and Harbinger in combat, much less people being dragged into shadows… “Right in the middle of CY-Ren’s set, too! Aren’t they supposed to check the wiring on these things?” “I paid to go to a concert, not a fire drill! I’d better get a refund!” “They didn’t have to shut the whole place down—" In the chaos and flow of people, it’ll be hard for Carnival workers to keep track of each other, but one thing is clear: they can’t stay here. ► HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN: The would-be saboteurs and those who’ve stayed behind have a chance to meet up again once they get back to the Carnival’s grounds. However, what exactly happened back there is unclear — and the one who might have answers is still unconscious from her brief altercation with the Harbinger. Still, there’s no shortage of things to do: after all, once they get back, it’s obvious there are more than a few missing faces. ► HEADLINES: Anyone who ventures to Wismuth in the days after the festival will find something peculiar: all news about the incident at the festival has been written off as a freak fire from some faulty wiring or a potential incendiary device, which reporters say police are ‘investigating the cause of’ and which some of the more sensational news sites are already having a field day with (based on rumors and hearsay the venue may have received a bomb threat). Most entertainment sites and social media coverage of the event only include blurry clips with captions like ‘tmw you fucked up the only vid you have of cy-ren’s concert 😭fml' and generally agree that it's a pity she never got past a second song.

Comments

[pipers_son]

Another name to the list. Joker hisses out a breath. "Everyone's lost someone," he mutters, because that's how it always is. From Celebration to the Manor, there's always a name that someone else recognizes and hurts to hear on the list.

"If somethin' is found out, do ya plan on goin' with folks no matter what?" he asks, paying attention especially for this part.

[hippocarnival]

It takes Yuya a moment to make sense of that. But he means, will Yuya do something if they have any leads? Shouldn't he do something even if they don't?

He sits up slightly, his shoulders squaring as his expression becomes more determined. "If my friends need help, I'll always be there."

It's not a direct yes, but it doesn't have to be. It isn't a question he has to ask depending on the situation--his answer is always the same.

[pipers_son]

It's the exact kind of answer he was expecting, honestly, and Joker lightly taps his foot against the ground, only once.

"If that's the case... Don't go runnin' headfirst into anythin'. Alright? This isn't like... other stops we've had ta make." It's not like the Prince's realm. "No one has anythin' over us, and we can take our time figurin' it out... but things could still go badly. If some of us have already been kidnapped, there's no tellin' if more of us could be."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's not a patient person, and kidnapping people is 'over them' enough that it doesn't placate Things are already going badly as far as he's concerned.

But he knows he can't just run out there on his own. He needs support. They always needed each other, so instead he looks away with a non-committable sound.

[pipers_son]

Ah, youth. Letting out a perfectly blatant sigh, Joker reaches over to grip his head and turn him around to face him, if he can.

"Oi, don't be like that."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya doesn't expect his face grabbed, and he sputters and tries to lean back.

"Don't be like what?" He grumbles.

[pipers_son]

Nope, no leaning back. Enjoy the cheek pinches that are now following, Yuya.

"Sulkin' because ya can't go runnin' off on yer own. Or at least not givin' a solid answer. C'mon, now, promise that you'll at least tell folks if ya see somethin'."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya yelps as his cheek is pinched, face flushing in embarrassment. This feels like being treated like a little kid, and he grits his teeth with an aggravated expression.

"I'm not--I won't, okay? I won't run off on my own!"

[pipers_son]

"Good." Pop! Yuya's cheek is returned to its rightful place, and Joker's hand swings back down to rest on his hip.

"Or else you'll make me look bad, not bein' able ta watch over my own."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya rubs his cheek to ease the sting. He's not sulking any less, but he's not arguing either. It's kind of a win. "That's not what I'm worried about."

[pipers_son]

Joker will take what he can get, especially during times like these. At least he only pinched that much; wooden fingers can do hellishly horrible pinching. "What are ya worried about, then?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya drops his chin on his knees, winding his arms around his legs. "You don't think they're in danger with her?"

Of course what he's really worried about is what's happening to them.

[pipers_son]

There's no point lying. "They're definitely in danger of somethin'" Joker says bluntly, before carefully pressing his hand to the younger boy's back.

"But... We'll figure out how ta get 'em back. They'll probably end up hurtin' a little, one way or another... but we'll get them back, and they'll be able ta heal." It's all that's been able to be offered to any of them, with the stops being like they have been.