⇨ DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone out in the library.
When: Day 59
Where: The Athenaeum
What: Towards the end of the visit, we are visited by a series of worrisome NPCs, who may or may not be illusions. There will be at least 5 NPC toplevels posted overall, all happening in a similar time period ICly (in rough chronological order), so not everyone needs to be in every thread.
Warnings: Possibility of very real danger to anyone who participates. Remember that Sans has told everyone to travel in groups, so if you aren't, you'll probably get a scolding later.

TURNING THE PAGE↴ As the carnival continues to explore the Athenaeum in the pursuit of more information about the legendary Miracles, the tension is thick with the knowledge that the Summer Court could be in pursuit any day now. On Day 59, a series of threatening encounters will begin manifesting - but are they real, or an illusion?

Comments

[periphrasing]

Stars. Of course teleporting won't work. Why would anything actually go right today!?!

Peridot continues her assault from the inside with a single-minded determination, aiming for more or less the same spot that Sans and Gon are aiming. Her talons are aching, but she refuses to slow down, because each second that passes is another second where her friends are out there in danger somewhere.

It takes what feels like ages, but a gap does start to form in the wall. The second she spots this, Peridot leaves off to take a step back, and shouts, "OUT OF MY WAY!"

That's all the warning anyone else is getting before she charges at it one last time with her horns at ramming speed. She recoils backwards from the blow, but the impact is enough: The remaining layer of ice cracks and then shatters, leaving a sizable hole in one side of the dome.

[betheman]

Peridot doesn't have to say it twice-Gongenzaka is out of the way, and rather quickly making sure there's some space between himself, Yuuya, and any ice shards that result in Peridot's charge. The moment a hole appears, he nods. "Saaah-! Let us exit, immediately..!" If Yuuya doesn't move fast enough, he's grabbing him-same with Roman. "No doubt the others still outside the Carnival will need assistance as well..!"

Let's move it people! Even. If they don't know. Where to go.

(Well he Could try that soul tracking deal once they're out, he supposes...)

[osteothropy]

Roman lets itself be hauled out by Gongenzaka, jumping away to pounce on Sans's leg as soon as it has the chance. Sans takes a moment to bump his massive head against Roman's much smaller one, hunkering down to the ground to be more on level with the rest.

"No," he rumbles. "We go back to the carnival. Now."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya wastes no time slipping out of the ice cage, hopping on one foot as he clears over the debris. He hooks his elbow around his staff as he grabs his radio and dials it up as he switches to the public channel.

He won't take either side of the argument, having reasons to agree with both. But there's still clear worry in his face regardless. "Everyone is, right?"

[periphrasing]

If anyone happens to be looking back at Peridot at all, they'll see the sour look that creeps over her face upon hearing Sans' orders.

At first, it looks like she's walking out to join the discussion like a sensible, level-headed person might. The hole is a little bit too small to be comfortable for a dragon to fit through, but she makes it work with some effort, tucking her wings in tight and wriggling through the gap.

The reason why she doesn't just change back into her regular smaller form in order to get free becomes clear soon enough. The moment she's out from the ice cage, she goes from zero to twenty in the blink of an eye, whirling around and using her claws to bound up the side of the dome, hoping to get high enough to where she can, hopefully, be out of Sans' immediate reach. Barring any interference, she'll take off and ditch the whole group.

She is not going back to the carnival without Lapis and Steven.

[osteothropy]

Sans doesn't even try to grab her. For a hot second he things she might actually be cooperating, but then... nope. There she goes.

He slumps even closer to the floor, his mental exhaustion apparent. Blue and gold flames lick at his teeth as he lets out a sigh big enough to make your hair ruffle.

"Of course," he growls, as Roman whimpers and prods his face with its nose. "No prob, buddy. Any time."

[betheman]

Gon? Gon does not argue. He certainly pauses, perhaps considering protest...but between the ice, between what Sans couldn't do, they should definitely regroup at the Carnival at the least. So he nods, and-

"Mng- AUUH-!! PERIDOT!!"

DAMMIT STOP FLYING AWAY- (aaaaand she's gone.)

"...I, the man Gongenzaka...suppose it is the three of us, then..."

Though, one off on their own, especially... "....One hopes she will be able to clear her head before encountering anything, given her frustrated state..."

...especially with a laser-guided focus...

[hippocarnival]

Well, there she goes. "Peridot, wait!"

Yuya surges forward, hand outstretched, but he stops when he knows he has no chance of catching up. Instead he looks at Sans with concern. He doesn't have to say how dangerous running off alone right now is.

"I... we can go back to the carnival, but Peridot shouldn't be alone."