⇨ 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

[starseedling]

Hinawa causes some obvious conflict to cross his face. He doesn't want to put her in danger either, but... how is he supposed to decide between that and leaving all the others?

"They're through there," he says, pointing at the thorn-filled stairwell. "She's coming after them - we can't just go."

He's half explaining to them and half still arguing with Lion.

[sunflowerfields]

Hinawa forces herself to swallow her own fear for his sake.

"If your Lion does... that again and you're not with him, we'll leave you alone," Her voice is noticeably softer now. "If the others are close enough, we should try and call to them first."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya stops halfway between Lion and Steven. He's looking a loss less conflicted as his gaze settles on Lion.

"Lion won't leave Steven behind, but we can't leave everyone else behind either. Especially with the Rose Queen. We have to stay together!"

He can't just abandon his friends like this, and Steven obviously feels similarly. He knows how fast the Rose Queen can act--they may already be too late to try just calling them. "Let's go back."

[starseedling]

Steven nods, glad that at least Yuya agrees with him. He looks incredibly frustrated as he turns back to Lion, like a kid who is arguing with a parent.

"If you won't help me go back then... then make sure Hinawa is safe, okay?" Steven says crossly, and then turns to the vine-filled staircase. He moves over to it with a flap of his wings. Yuya and him are small. The thorns are thick, but they should be able to squeeze through if they're careful.

"Come on, Yuya," he says more softly. "We gotta go through here."

Folding in his wings as closely as he can, Steven starts pulling the vines out of his way with as much superhuman strength as he can muster. Bud and Lil look at each other, and then hope down off of Lion's mane, and start throwing razor-sharp leaves at the vines to help clear the way.

[sunflowerfields]

Hinawa is no warrior, but she has to keep these kids safe at all costs. They've only got each other right now.

She lowers hekrself off of Lion, giving him another gentle pat, then joins the boys in pulling on the vines as hard as she can.

...Sunny doesn't exactly have hands, but he tries to help anyway.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya nods to Steven, following beside him to the vines. With determination he starts pulling vines as well, enough to clear a path. His progress is slower without the same strength, and he's more vulnerable to the thorns, but neither of those discourage him. They can't just leave their friends, and he learned protective magic to help them in the first place.

He has to be able to do something.

He looks at Hinawa momentarily as she joins them, offering her a brief smile before he gets back to work.