lostcarnival | ⇨ DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS

He actually approaches the vines willingly, curious of their appearance. They look dangerous, with thorns longer than he's ever seen. So why would they be here? He doesn't notice the plant creatures until then. Ivy, the fox-like plant creature he'd gotten as a gift on the moon, yips at him in warning, causing his attention to wander from the plants to the creatures slowly coming closer.

He doesn't want to assume they mean him harm, but with the way they all move towards him at once it's kind of hard to think they just want to chat. He only notices Joker when the man starts to speak, and well, if it's a question of messages... Lauren casts the spell that allows him to speak with plants. At least that's how it's supposed to work, and then he asks the creatures what it is they are doing here, though he doesn't speak any actual words.

It's frustrating, and a little sadly funny, how this happens. They came to this library, searching so hard all these days, in hopes of avoiding more surprises like these. But here they are; the foreign flowers are easy to notice, with those splashes of color and light spreading through the halls. It's harder to see the shadows, under their light, and if it weren't for Lambert's question earlier, Papyrus might have missed them.

But, after all the frantic radio chatter, he's keeping watch for ominous things. To the point that it's something of a distraction from his experiment with these blaster-propelled hammocks. When Joker speaks up, and Papyrus sees the movement, he pulls the blasters to a still and steady position. The better to get a sense what they're dealing with.

"Do they... look like they want to fight?" He asks, glancing each way at the blurry movements.

Without any preamble, a portal opens in the air - a moment later, a huge pink lion has emerged at Joker's side, looking more serious than usual. He skids to a stop, and then turns to Joker, making a growling sound, as if to ask a question. The portal fades from view.

"Lauren, be careful!" he calls out lightly, doing his best not to let any nervousness show through his voice. Are plants like animals? Do they sense fear? He inclines his head to Papyrus, even as his gaze stays on Lauren and the rose creatures. "And fight or not, I don't think we should have much ta do with 'em-"

Aaaaand that's a portal, the sudden appearance of which has him jump before he blinks over to Lion. "Oh, there ya are? Steven, right?" Can he understand animals? Of course not. But one doesn't need to in the situation. "Haven't seen 'im yet. Gotta get past these buggers first."

Of course where Lauren is Susan is never far behind, and even with the radio warnings he just isn't all that worried. He's being careful, as careful as he can be, and he's with Lauren, and this time they aren't having to play by the strict rules as in the Manor, so everything will be fine.

But these things... Well these plant things are definitely strange, and potentially dangerous, and so even as his brother approaches them to see if he can communicate, Susan stays back, watching and waiting to see if they attack, or if Lauren gets any information, or if anything else happens that needs to be dealt with.

At least this is already way more interesting than the books were.

Their approach is not immediately violent, but it's unyielding. They begin to form a circle around the group, shifting up and down in their posture as if investigating scents. They don't speak - at least not in a way most of the people there can hear.

"^Come. _Take." they say to Lauren, in a language not quite like what Lauren is used to hearing. They don't sound completely like plants, at least not in the normal way. "TAKE."

He notices the others in turn, but his concentration is mostly on the plants, and of course, on Susan. He trusts his brother to be able to defend himself of course, but that doesn't mean he isn't keeping an eye on him, always.

He tries asking the plants what they will take, but he isn't counting on them to answer. Even if he can speak to plants like this, he can't compel them to say something they won't. His hand tightens on his staff. Unfortunately it isn't much good against vines without a bladed edge.

"They say they want something, that they're here to take."

Tyki never knows if following Joker will end up as a mistake but here he was, without any real regrets. He would've been here otherwise, perhaps not in this exactly moment, but within the mess without knowing where at least one of his human supervisors were. Joker is more likely to get into trouble and less durable.

There's a cigarette in his mouth to calm his nerves, reminding himself not to slaughter on impulse at a potential threat rising up to greet them. He's not overbearingly close to Joker but he's not far. His left ear twitches at Joker getting too close but he says nothing. He glances over at Papyrus, then the sudden lion appearing out of nowhere. Joker seems fine with it so he doesn't react. His right hand drops more to his side. A single Tease slides into his hand defensively.

"Tsch, what are the chances it is not going to be a fight?" he asks to better clarify the question. He's always told to run, never fight when it comes to fae, but with them being surrounded it didn't look like running was an option.

They really should've stayed back in the carnival.

Hinawa has no weapons. She has a camera. The best she can do right now is try to position herself in between these... things and the children present. Sunny lets out a nervous phan, phan! and tugs at her skirt.

"Can we give them what they want?" She asks, even though she has a feeling she knows exactly what they're after. "Maybe they'll go away."

"Tell 'em we don't have it," Joker answers without much hesitation. It could be a lie, could be truth, but it doesn't really matter. He's more focusing on slowly adjusting himself so that his back is to the rest of the group. If they're circling them, well... It's the best position to be in. Feathers is still fluffed up, aggravated, but that's fine.

"And we all know our luck with things like this, but let's pretend ta be optimistic with one hand ready, yeah?" Like his, on a knife, or Papyrus' on a gun. "Miss Hinawa, ya may want ta stay close ta Lion here."

"To take..." Papyrus echoes, considering the flower figures more carefully, now that they've moved closer. Bigger, pointier, and glowyier than any talking flowers he knows... and yet, somehow, not talking in a way he understands.

"Well! I can offer them something to take," and he pulls a bone out of a pocket, one already decorated with gift wrapping of ribbon and bow. "What do you say, spooky flowers? Wouldn't this be better than a fight?"

"There's nothing here to even take except for books, anyway. And plants can't read."

So why would they want those? Still, Susan is happy to be ready for a fight, if necessary, although unlike some of the others he doesn't have to do anything to prepare. It's easy when all you have to do is blast a fire spell at them, and plants are easily flammable. This shouldn't be much of a problem if they aren't able to convince them away or go around.

Seeming to ignore a lot of the banter here, a few of the creatures lift their arms, allowing them to slowly warp into long, thorn-covered whips. They swing them around only a couple time before suddenly launching towards their targets.

"TAKE FOR HER!" Lauren will hear, early enough to know he needs to get out of the way. A vine whips lashes out in his direction, slapping into the ground at his feet, as he presumably manages to sidestep or otherwise avoid the blow.

Lion isn't so lucky.

The second creature manages to get the vine whipped right around Lion's neck, and a third gets their vine lashes around Lion's front paw. Lion is pulled to the ground as the creatures abruptly pull, dragging the beast away and towards the far side of the room. Lion roars in distress and pain, trying to get up but not being able to find any purchase on the stone floors.

He only manages to dodge the attack because he'd been watching them so intently for a response. Even then Ivy lets out a bark sound to warm him of the incoming attack before it hits him. Immediately he assumes talking their way out of this isn't going to work, and he swings his staff in an arc, pushing whatever creatures he can away.

No one needs to understand plant language when the body language of threatening people with a whip gets through just fine. Joker is already jerking out the throwing knife out from his belt when the vines shoot out, but his eyes are on Lauren. He can't do anything until it's too late, the enormous pink cat roaring in distress, and he twists on his heel with a swear. "Don't separate!" is what he yells over his shoulder before he leaps forward, Feathers flapping from the spot on Joker's shoulder.

Immediately, the Pokemon dives forward to catch up, finding purchase on Lion's fur. He wastes no time in trying to peck through the vines around his throat, wings flapping desperately.

Joker is also trying to grab onto Lion's fur with one hand- and he's thankful he recently got another, which means he can use the other to throw the knife towards the creature whose vines are around Lion's paw.

Hopefully knives make a difference when the enemy is a plant.

Okay, so they're fighting. Susan is definitely alright with that, and he's quick to cast a Scorching Ray spell, launching the three fire bolts directly at the creatures before running closer to Lauren. They fight better together, there's no reason to stay back now.

A scream dies in Hinawa's throat as Lion is taken, and she follows Joker's example. She grabs for handfuls of pink fur, a frantic attempt to keep those things from taking him away. She can't let them pull him into the shadows- to pull anyone into the shadows.

"Sunny!" She cries, hoping the Phantump would grab on. Instead, he leaps out from behind her, using Astonish. Plants can get jump scared, can't they?

Joker and Feathers try to leave their mark on the vines, but they are remarkably hard to cut through - and as they try, Lion is still being pulled across the floor at an increasingly rapid pace. Phantump uses their Astonish move to try to scare the plants away, but it doesn't seem to shake them, and they just keep running.

If they keep holding onto Lion, they'll be pulled away from the group and isolated in short order.

Another creature throws out a whip, this one latching onto Lion's other paw, making it impossible for the beast to stand up. As everyone focuses on that struggle, two of the rose creatures behind them burst into action, unleashing vine whips on Papyrus and Susan.

Susan will be struck, but will be able to avoid any major damage and can break himself free relatively quickly. His rays and flames scorch one of the creatuers pulling Lion, which slows their pace as they make a weird screeching yell. Papyrus, unfortunately, will get a vine wrapped around his boot, and yanked in an attempt to bring him to the ground.

Shit shit shit- Holding up his free hand and digging his heels in, Joker calls back the blade. He's truly and unbelievably glad Sora got him this dagger that time a good while ago. Feather Blade are incredibly handy. But this isn't good.... "Leaf!" he calls to the bird, giving it the go ahead to unleash a spray of razor sharp leaves.

At the same time, he gives another throw towards one of the rose creatures, the same one as before, but if neither is successful....

He's grabbing Hinawa's hand and pulling her off along with him.

"No!" Hinawa yelps as Joker grabs her. She tries to hang on, but she's no match for him and she's pulled away.

Sunny just scurries behind them to hide.

So, it seems that's a no on taking the gift bone. It seems they've taken entirely the wrong idea, and now they're trying to take the entire skeleton.

He doesn't react in time to avoid being grabbed at, or pulled from the hammock. But the blasters are right there, active and ready. As the skeleton falls tothe ground he calls them to fire at the vines - some distance from his feet.

He notices the group seeming to cloister around Lion to help him, and he can't help feeling like it's a bad idea for everyone to gather in the same spot. Still he knows there's no way to convince them to let go with a carnival member in danger. His options are pretty limited as far as helping to take out the creatures pulling on Lion. Of course while he could try and throw the creatures around them off balance it would effect everyone else too. So instead he summons small flames to hid hand, throwing them at the plants whose vines have wrapped around lion, and trusting Susan to watch his back.

He's in the middle, enough to get a better look at everyone around him as he turns his head from left to right. The bigger issue is Lion with two people currently trying to free him from the vines and others attacking it. It's too much attention and he turns his head away, focusing on Papryus instead as he hears him hit the ground.

He sprints softly forward, his hand resting on Papyrus' back to apply his own touch, "Don't panic."

His other slides outwards and across the vine wrapped around Papryus' boot in an attempt to sever it with his Power to Choose as his hand passes through it. It's just, he's never sure how his powers are going to work when it comes to fae and their underlings.

The vine strikes Susan and he stumbles but he pushes on, needing to get to his brother. Of course Lauren can look after himself, but when it comes to magic he's the firepower (literally) and he can't just leave Lauren unattended. Especially not when everyone else's plan seems to be to grab onto the lion or throw daggers and pokemon moves at it. Why would you do that when you can just use magic? He isn't certain of exactly how strong the vines are, but he knows he has magic that can pull things easily himself, and so he summons up a telekinesis spell to try and enter into some sort of strange tug-of-war with the vines over Lion, pulling with all his magical might to try and get the beast away from the monsters attacking them.

A lot of things happen at once. Tyki's hand will severe the vine pulling Papyrus while the blasters shoot into the crowd, and Lauren's flames strike at the creatures that are tugging Lion away, causing them to squeal and jump to avoid it. Susan's telekinesis tugs on the thorns, but it's not enough to stop it-

At least, until a spray of razor-sharp leaves from Feathers severs the two whips dragging Lion's paws along in a super effective attack. The creatures that had been pulling volt forward as the tension is abruptly released - all except one.

That one is spinning around, lashing against the whip holding Lion's neck, who lets out another pained whimper. It's short-lived though - mostly because Joker's blade flies straight through the eye of the creature's blossom, and out the back of its head.

It collapses to the ground, dead. Stunned and terrified, the remaining creatures disperse, diving away into the concealing hedge of thorns.

Edited 2018-05-14 01:55 (UTC)

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twice in a row, i cri

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