⇨ 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

[periphrasing]

Lapis. Lapis, every other word out of your mouth is even worse than the last.

"Oh great, contracts are just about the LAST thing you want to be discussing with a strange fae!" she cries, dragging her hands down her face in dismay. She knows she needs to try to keep a lid on things, if only for Lapis' sake, but honestly? She is downright astounded at how badly Lapis may have just fucked everything up.

Peridot swallows thickly, shaking her head. "Okay. Okay," she groans, making a 'simmer down' motion with her hands. It's for herself just as much as it is for Lapis. "First thing's first: Did she tell you her name? What did she look like?"

[mirrortide]

"She didn't give me her name but... She was kind of like..." Lapis has to think hard for a moment, but she does drum her fingers against her arm, tail still swishing as she continues to pick up on Peridot's fear.

"An Aquamarine? Sort of? Not the same colour though. More purple. And I didn't agree to anything!" She adds on quickly, though she's quick to look away after. "I just... Wanted to protect us. That's all. Especially with everything going on, and what the Ringmaster is trying to do. I can't do it again, Peridot. I can't."

[periphrasing]

"I--" It sounds like Peridot is about to shout, for a second, but she shakes her head and adjusts her volume, upon hearing herself. "I understand, Lapis," she says in a forcibly calm tone. "And I appreciate your pro-activity, and your desire to protect us all. But what you really need to understand is that striking a deal with an unfamiliar fae is just about the worst possible thing you could do."

[mirrortide]

"I didn't make a deal!" Lapis replies, quickly, at a volume louder than strictly necessary, and then looks startled for a moment before she lowers her head, voice coming back down to a more reasonable level. "I didn't make a deal with her. Because... I wanted to talk to you about it first. Sort of."

[periphrasing]

"Well I'm really glad that you did talk to me first then, because you absolutely shouldn't," Peridot yelps. Her tail is also lashing. It's like two super agitated cats growling at each other right here. "Think about the Prince! Think about how horrible he was to the people who were indebted to him! The Ringmaster is truly an exception to the rule of fae, you shouldn't bargain with any of them!"

[mirrortide]

Speaking of agitation, Lapis can't help but bristle when Peridot defends the Ringmaster. Lapis releases her grip on her own arms, and gestures wildly. "The Ringmaster isn't an exception, Peridot! She was underhanded in recruiting me! She wants to get involved in a war! To have more power than any other Fae from the looks of things! You're telling me she's different!? What makes her more different than Blue or Yellow Diamond!?"

[periphrasing]

That throws Peridot right off. She recoils slightly at Lapis' outburst, her expression falling dramatically. It hadn't really occurred to her that the Ringmaster might be gathering these things just because she wants the power. She'd just taken it on good faith that she was interested in going after the other Miracles because she wanted to protect them all, because it's necessary to fend off their enemies.

No... that's not something she can afford to think about right now. Lapis is missing the point. Peridot rebounds with a certain ferocity, flattening her ears with annoyance. "I wasn't trying to say that she-- Rrrrgh. I know she's not perfect! She makes plenty of mistakes! But at least she doesn't use us for sport, or make us wait on her hand and foot like we're all a bunch of clodding pearls! Because THAT'S the kind of treatment you can expect from the other fae!"

[mirrortide]

Lapis is also, summarily surprised at Peridot's returned outburst. But it does nothing to help calm Lapis down. "I'd rather be someone's Pearl for a year than be thrown into another war, Peridot! I can't even believe you'd rather get thrown into a war! I could get shattered! You could get shattered! Even Steven could get shattered!" Amethyst and Jasper too, but they're of less concern to Lapis.

"We could be taken prisoner! We could be tortured! Or isolated! And for what! A powergrab? Are you kidding me!? You're honestly going to support her!?"

[periphrasing]

"Siding with another fae isn't going to protect you OR me OR Steven from any of that!" Peridot snaps. "Why can't you just trust me on this!? I've been here longer than you, I know what I'm talking about! We're not just looking for these artifacts as a power grab, they're so we can protect ourselves from the enemy fae that already have it in for us! The Summer Court is tracking us, Lapis! I found text here in this library that proves it! They want to take Steven away, and probably enslave or kill all the rest of us!"

[mirrortide]

Again, Lapis gestures wildly in response. "By collecting all these things she's making a huge target of us all! You don't think they're not tracking us because we can find all these things? Because we already have one of them!?" Neither of them are being exactly library appropriate volume, but that doesn't seem to matter much in the moment, because Lapis continues on yet. "I can't get involved in another war, Peridot! I can't do it! And because of her, I can't even get away! It's like I'm in the mirror again! I can't escape, I can't do anything to protect myself!"

[periphrasing]

Bringing up the mirror: A quick and easy way to shut Peridot right down. Her face falls, ears drooping as the inevitable guilt overtakes her. It's not Lapis' fault for being so scared and upset. It's not her fault that she doesn't really know any better about matters regarding the fae. Peridot's just letting her stress about the Summer Court get the better of her, and it's not right, or fair.

"I know. I'm... really sorry, Lapis," she says quietly, twisting her tail around her feet. "I like it so much here, sometimes it's easy to forget what it means, that I signed back up to stay here willingly, but... you're here because you have no choice." She chews her lip. "I keep hoping that you'll come to appreciate the carnival like I did, like we both did with the Earth, but... That's not really fair of me."

[mirrortide]

Lapis stays agitated for a few moments longer, but by the time Peridot finishes speaking, she's almost entirely deflated from her anger. It doesn't help to get angry at Peridot. Peridot can't understand, there's no way for her to understand, and Lapis wouldn't want her too anyway.

Her arms fall limply to her sides, but her hands are still clenched into fists. "I don't... I don't mind being here Peridot. I don't mind, but only when it's safe! I like being with you." When it's safe. But it's not right now, and she's powerless, and she can't understand why Peridot has ever thought she was strong in anyway, especially when she's not.

[periphrasing]

Ah. Peridot's face feels hot. Is she seriously blushing right now?

"It's alright. I get it," Peridot says, trying to give Lapis a warm, reassuring smile. "I just really need you to understand that. I mean it, when I say that striking a deal with a different fae isn't going to make things any more safe for you."

[mirrortide]

She rubs her arm, still nervous. "You're sure? She said that there was definitely someone who could do that, though." And she wants to believe it's still possible, if not from these fae, then maybe some other. She has to have something that she can give, to get out of this.

[periphrasing]

"Absolutely 100% positive," Peridot says more firmly. "Fae can't lie but, I'm almost completely certain that whoever you were talking to was probably just twisting her words in such a way to deceive you into striking a deal with her, so she could get what she wants out of you."

Which brings them back to Lapis' description from before. The smaller gem frowns thoughtfully, recalling her words. "Wait. You said you talked to... someone who was kind of like an aquamarine, but purple. Right? Did she do any magic in front of you? What were her exact words to you?"

[mirrortide]

"She didn't do any magic in front of me, but..." Lapis, motions with her hand, conjuring up a water miniature of the woman she was talking to in her hand from the water she'd normally use for her wings, and proceeds to tell Peridot her exact words, ending it by closing her hand around her, and dismissing the water there.

[periphrasing]

There's absolutely no mistaking it, once she sees the little water replica.

"Nightshade," Peridot whispers, mortified. She's speechless, beyond that.

[mirrortide]

"You know her?" Lapis... probably shouldn't be surprised, but judging by the reaction, it's definitely not a good thing. She rubs her arm, nervously. "Like I said, I didn't make a deal... I probably wouldn't now, with what you've told me." If Peridot says there isn't a way to do what she wants, then Lapis just has to believe her.

[periphrasing]

"Well thank the stars for THAT," Peridot yelps, wringing her hands nervously. "That's the same faerie who kidnapped Amethyst in Portland, AND brainwashed Strange, AND attacked Lambert at Wismuth. She's with the Summer Court, she-- She works under the faerie that wants to take Steven away!"

[mirrortide]

"Oh." Is all she can really say to that sudden deluge of information! Thanks, Peridot! Why did you never tell her any of this before hand! Lapis, very clearly, does tense, like she means to yell and get angry again, but then, at this point, it's not worth it because honestly the relief that she didn't make the deal is a bit more emotionally available.

"Well... Now she can't? I guess. I wouldn't have done anything to put Steven in harms way." But also, she significantly care's less about everyone in that sentence, ending with not a single fuck given about Strange.

[periphrasing]

The point isn't whether you like those people or not Lapis, the point is to illustrate how dangerous Nightshade is! GOD.

"No no no no no, this is... This is extremely concerning," Peridot says, flapping one hand at lapis and anxiously biting the claws on the other. "If Nightshade is here, that means the rest of the Summer Court can't be far behind. Unless... Maybe she was just an illusion from one of the books?" She's pacing nervously, trying to weigh the probability of both scenarios.

[mirrortide]

"... A book illusion?" Hey, you know who hasn't really been paying attention? Lapis. Lapis Lazuli has not been paying attention to literally anything that has been going on in the Library up until this point. "I guess she did appear when I picked a book up off the shelf? Does that make sense?"

[periphrasing]

"Yes... Yes, it does," Peridot replies, looking momentarily relieved. Fortunately she's not questioning the fact that Lapis seems to not know about the illusions, because she's choosing to take the other gem's querying tone as her just being impressed by how smart she is.

"You said Nightshade was acting as if you were in her 'garden', right? Yes... Yes, that would make the most logical sense, that she was merely an illusion from one of the books! Unless... Unless it really was Nightshade, and she was just ACTING like an illusion to try and get you to make a deal with her?"

[mirrortide]

"I don't think so. She could have probably got something out of me with the whole trespassing thing in that case, couldn't she have?" Apparently, Lapis somehow managed to escape that one by distracting Nightshade enough. She puts her hands on her hips. "Not that it's her garden anyway. There's not even any vegetables."

[periphrasing]

Peridot makes a weird gurgling whining noise that would be impossible to articulate in written word. "Maybe... Still, we should warn security about this right away, just to be sure."