⇨ THE ATHENAEUM

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 47 - Day 58 ish
Where: The Athenaeum
What: The carnival arrives at book world. First week, they'll be performing for magical manifestations of book characters. Second week, it's time to hunt (for books, in the library.) Around Day 58 some stuff will occur.
Warnings: Reading is mandatory.

FAERIE TALES↴ Though the carnival will be performing for its guests in the first week, they are welcome to search the Athenaeum while they are off duty during that time. The manifestations of story characters will be out in full force during performance week, with animals, people, objects, and even locations growing out from various tales. Most are distracting at worst, and will be curious to check out the carnival. Some, however, can be as dangerous as they were in their stories of origin. You know what to do. ► IT'S TIME TO ROLEPLAY: The best way to deal with book ghosts is to follow their narrative to its logical conclusion - turn the tables, work the story so it ends in your favour! Naturalistic and narratively satisfying plotting will have the manifestations following your lead. However, push too hard and introduce too many plot holes, inconsistencies, or illogical plot twists, and they will reject your reality utterly, becoming quite aggressive in the process. You can also use your natural abilities and powers to fight them in a traditional sense, but in the Ringmaster's experience, it's best to fight reality benders by bending reality right back at them. If you aren't careful, it's possible to be dragged fully into a story's reality, and then things get really messed up. ► IT'S ALSO TIME TO READ: The carnival came here for a purpose, and that purpose is to research. Specifically, the Ringmaster is looking for information on the Queen's Miracles - the set of ancient fae artifacts that the Blue Rose is one of. The carnival needs these artifacts to defend itself, but nobody knows where they've been for thousands of years. That's what the books are for. However, nothing is stopping you from pursuing knowledge for personal reasons. The halls are open to your perusal, and only your heart can guide you to the book you truly seek. Check the plot post to see what's allowed, and sign up to find plot info or other important game information below.

Comments

[hippocarnival]

[Even if he's not trying to find similarities between Gongenzaka and the 'fox', these are pretty depressing stories. His gaze lingers on the illustration after he finishes reading the second poem.

Also, without definitive context they almost seem to happen in that order. The combining factor, after all...] So he was always protecting them...

[He's mumbling to himself, letting the scroll hang over his knees.]

fact: monkey is 'the other shima' ahaha

[betheman]

[It's definitely something worth muttering over. The ending of this particular scroll goes on about being healed by the fire of the sun or something, though it looks remarkably egg shaped instead of round in the art.

There has to be one 'happy' scroll right?

...Well there's one that continues off from the massacre one at least (apparently he met a 'monkey', and they battled their way out of the underworld. Or something.), but that's still more questions than anything.]

[hippocarnival]

[By this point, Yuya has gotten into the story just to follow it to what he thinks is it's conclusion. So of course he reads the next scroll about the monkey as well, escaping the underworld together.

After that scroll, though, he sits up suddenly at the realization of how distracted he's getting. Sure, they're going to be here for a while but he should still focus a little better on what they're really supposed to find: information on the other fae artifacts.

So he scrambles to quickly roll up the scrolls and gather them up before getting to his feet.]

'come to think i didn't think about how to bring gon into these' oops

[betheman]

[Probably a good idea. Well, he's got the scrolls now-best remember where to put them back later, lest he earn the Curator's ire, but that aside...where to?

WHERE IS THAT MAN...]

All he gotta do is walk in

[hippocarnival]

[Probably some random hallway because this library has no reasonable organization anyway. With the scrolls tucked under his arm, he pulls a few more books from the following shelves that seem like they have titles implicit of fae things.

Which is a completely random guess considering Yuya isn't familiar with fae literature. It's really no wonder he's not terribly successful. He's aiming to get a decent arms-full before he finds a table to sit and browse them at.]

no u-

[betheman]

[Well, when he does find himself ready to sit, he won't be alone-Gongenzaka, not that he particularly needs a table, has a whole mountain of books-right on his back!-and is presently half-curled in the nearest sitting area with a book in his own hands. Despite the size of his claws and fingers, page turning seems to be going rather well. He's truly mastered the art.

Gongenzaka's ears and nose alike twitch slightly as Yuuya walks in, and he briefly looks up, before nodding and grunting a positive greeting. He's, er. Not too sure about just belting a 'hello' across. This is technically a magical library, after all.

You look sort of like a weird cat though Gongenzaka, is that really comfortable-]

[hippocarnival]

[That is a lot of books. It takes him a moment to realize how compacted Gongenzaka is in the corner, eyebrow raising as he unceremoniously dumps his books into the table.

The scrolls, however, he keeps in his arms.] Hey. [He's not even trying to whisper.] What're you reading?

[betheman]

Auh- [Well. Shit if you're not going to whisper then...Fine!!

Anyway. He holds his one book forward.] Mmn...it appears to be a small guide to chakras, though, how applicable to my own present magics it is, I, the man Gongenzaka, cannot say...

[The answer, sadly, will be 'not really', but he's trying in any case.] I, the man Gongenzaka, have been gathering a number of books according to if they may have even a fraction of information within them... ...now however, it is time to read them.

[That said. He eyes the scrolls, blinking.] Mnh- scrolls, Yuuya? Have you found spells for yourself then?

[He has a scroll, back in his tent, but ah. That's a magical object.]

[hippocarnival]

Oh--[Yuya looks down at the scrolls.] No, they're poems...

[He hesitates briefly before pulling out the first scroll and offering it to Gongenzaka.] Here.

[He's trying not to look like he's staring once he reads it... but he kind of is.]

[betheman]

Mmm? Poems..? [Well that certainly has his curiosity. Gongenzaka takes the first scroll, skimming it with narrowed eyes for a moment. He pauses, when he reaches the main features of the accompanying image it's been written upon-grimacing, as if brought back to a much darker time. Stone perhaps, bleeds out between the fibers of the carpeted floor, and the lights seem to dim just slightly.]

..I see... ...A grim poem indeed, [He mutters, swallowing.] ...You were interested in them?

[If he sounds surprised...Well, he is.]

[hippocarnival]

I guess. It... doesn't have a happy ending. [But he still offers the other scrolls to Gongenzaka. He caught that grimace, and while it might just be because ofthe bloody violence in the poem...

It's probanly surprising for Yuya to be interested in a story with so much gore, it's true. But the situation is at least similar to Gongenzaka's, arns he wonders if he sees the same thing.] What do you think?

[betheman]

...

[He looks over it, and finds himself glancing away-with ears and similar for 'tells', he is not so easily able to cloak his discomfort as he would like, however.] ...No, indeed it does not. ...Bittersweet, perhaps, given the eventual 'escape', but...

...Certainly not 'happy'.

...Yuuya, [he asks, almost quietly.] ....What caused you to be drawn to these?

[hippocarnival]

[Escape? So Gongenzaka does know how this story goes...

He adjusts the other two scrolls in his hands before holding them out to Gongenzaka, his expression sheepish.] Something about them reminded me of you. The fox was always protecting someone, you know?

Are they...? [Well. About him.]

[betheman]

[He's totally not projecting here, except, you know, he. Is. Hesitantly, he takes the others, skimming them for a moment. Aha, and there's the esc-

Oh, oh he really shouldn't be thinking like that. The scrolls are set down somewhat, and he grimaces.] ...I, the man Gongenzaka, can certainly see why there was a reminder...

...

Are they..? [Ask the whole question, please, Yuuya-this particular brand of nonsense is hurting his head, and not because of any lack of understanding.]

[hippocarnival]

[Fine, he'll be direct.] Are they about you?

[They never actually talked about the nature surrounding Gongenzaka's death, but Yuya wouldn't be surprised it was for the sake of saving someone else. And if his... well, massacre had also been out of that same sort of feeling, he deserves to give himself a little more credit.

Yuya, either way, doesn't look particularly judgmental. Just curious, waiting for confirmation.]

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka is rather eerily silent, and even more unnervingly still. His ears have drooped, and his eyes are downcast-one metal thumb and one real one still gently pressed over the cloth of the scroll.]

...If they are not, they are certainly close, [he finally murmurs, eyes narrowed with what could even be disgust.] ...Close enough that similar events come quite quickly to mind.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya wonders if Gongenzaka would really react this way if it was mere coincidence. He knows what happened better than Yuya, after all, and would have an easier time spotting any discrepancies.

He casts his gaze aside for a moment with a wry smile.] I guess it's not surprising that's how it happened.

[Of course, Gongenzaka only had good intentions.]

[betheman]

...You... [He blinks, not quite catching what Yuuya means with the statement. His mind is reeling with nothing but memories of the blood in his mouth, and the numerous young vampires left behind-entirely to die, not that he entirely knew at the time. It clouds his thoughts, and he almost wishes he'd had the foresight to have Marishi summoned-it is somehow easier to keep one's head clear, when part of it is chatting aloud.

But then again, he should not have to rely on such a crutch at all, he notes mentally.] ...What do you mean by that, that it is not surprising to you? [he manages, blinking out of his quiet stupor.]

[hippocarnival]

You were protecting someone. [His gaze drifts down at the scroll for a moment, and despite hisit mouth twists into an affectionate smile.] When you fought all those vampires and... when you died. You were saving someone else.

[In retrospect, it's so obvious that's how it happened. It's why Yuya was so concerned that Gongenzaka not fight alone anymore. He's been so badly scarred so that others wouldn't have to. Yuya can't think of anyone kinder, and so strong in it.

Finally Yuya reaches to try and gently gather the scroll from Gongenzaka, looking up at him.]

[betheman]

...Aah. Indeed, that is how both situations began, [he murmurs, slowly looking to Yuuya as the scroll is re-gathered. But he finds it somehow difficult to meet the other's eyes. And he cannot simply leave things at that.]

...What I, the man Gongenzaka did while within those caverns however, Yuuya...

...those actions were far from necessary as a matter of protection...

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya puts the scrolls aside on the table as his expression slips slightly. That's enough looking at the scrolls, then... maybe he shouldn't have asked.] They were hurting you, too. Aren't you just being too hard on yourself?

[That's what it sounds like to Yuya. Gongenzaka is someone with strong morals and conviction, of course he holds himself to a high standard.]

[betheman]

Yuuya.

... [....Does he wish to continue? Probably not. But he continues all the same, even if it is with half an explanation.] ...The moment of time which this scroll reminds me most of... ...That was a time during with I, the man Gongenzaka, had been made a 'vampire' of the sort which attacked the Carnival.

...and while I abstained from the blood in that place for a time... [His eyes are stuck to the scroll somewhat, and he closes them tight.] ...What I, the man Gongenzaka allowed myself to do was UNFORGIVABLE, Yuuya..! For even the enemy-even those who would attack us, to at least some degree, deserve more mercy..!

[hippocarnival]

I know what it is. [Gongenzaka told him, at least a version of the story. Told him he killed with obvious regret.

Yuya steps closer so he can put his hand on Gongenzaka's arm in gentle encouragement to stop turning away from him.] But you... you can't hold this against yourself like this. You're a good person, and you help more people than you hurt. It's not like you had much of a choice, right?

[He sighs, his expression twisting wryly.] And letting them hurt you instead isn't a choice.

[betheman]

...I, the man Gongenzaka, had the choice to make certain they did not follow. ...However, there was also the choice not to do it like this, [he insists, gesturing to the scroll.]

...Yuuya... ...Their kind could not die in the way most would. ...But if they were drained of their blood, it would be as though they were frozen and left for dead.

...Left to be consumed by other things that were down there. ...That was a choice I could have not taken.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya purses his lips in a tight frown. Okay, this obviously isn't getting through to him.] Then how else could you have done it?

[Obviously it wasn't ideal, but like the Hunt... did they really have the chance for a better way? Or would have that just cost Gongenzaka even more trying to be merciful?]