lostcarnival | ⇨ DANGEROUS ENCOUNTERS

Well fuck. Everything always escalates so quickly and he's obeying instantly with his hand outreaching towards Lauren. He snatches him up with one hand, not caring how much fur he has to grab even if it is in handfuls. Lions have scruffs and he reaches out to grab whatever he has to in order to pull him up with him.

His Power to Choose activates as he chooses not to touch the air beneath his feet. He pulls himself upwards along with his passenger, high above the ground with a startled expression. It evens out, reminding himself to remain calm and his eyes focus on the ground beneath him.

"Jump to me or grab onto me!" he commands towards Gon, his other hand outstretched, "I can carry you if you reach." It's self serving more than self preserving. He'll rely on Gon to reach him if he wants to save his own skin and also to dispatch his own roses clinging to him.

Finally, the shifting of earth stops. From the center of the room, she emerges, like a hideously angry flower. Dual sabers cut through the dirt, allowing her to come from beneath - she looks much the same as before, except somehow palette swapped. Her hair has gone white instead of red, and instead of a simple white stress, she is wearing black armor with elegant white dressings.

Her eyes are rose red as she sets her sights on them. The first step she takes from the earth causes an explosion of plant life, vines and grass growing so rapidly as to cover the ground. Dozens of roses go into bloom as quickly as you can take a breath.

She's looking for something, something she doesn't see. It angers her.

"Surrender to me, beast-kin" she demands, pointing one of her cruel looking sabers in their direction.

Susan doesn't really know who she is, other than a bad guy, but that doesn't stop him from giving her a disapproving look at her demand.

"Why would we do that? That's stupid."

Lauren roars in anger at the suggestion they surrender, before shifting back to his usual form. Now that they have a real target he can do much more damage like this. Gesturing with his hands he casts a spell and suddenly the earth at the fae's feet erupts around her. And if that doesn't work he's happy to try something else.

Jump, or grab. He nods, and though he moves as if to consider jumping, doesn't do the first at all- no, he remembers rather quickly how pathetic a 'hop' that tends to create, if he hasn't got a running start. But he has his vines after all-and if Tyki thinks that grabbing will do it, then-

His vines falter, as the shifting earth ceases to bring forth the Queen herself. The sudden burst of growth throws him off-perhaps not physically, but rather mentally, and he cannot help but feel a tremor of dread.

Despite that dread, he manages to pull within himself an ounce of courage for one reason, and one only- this is the one who is trying to find Steven- the one who will no doubt cut through everyone else in the room if she must.

Therefore, he instead straightens himself as best he can. His leaves and flowers rustling, his body tense- "...To surrender to you now, would be entirely unforgivable to myself..!" he instead shouts, hoping to take her attention for at least a moment. He swore he saw the fire do something, earlier-if it was at least enough for Some to escape, well...

He stares defiantly, and does his best not to move an inch. (It might be hard, what with all the plants that are growing after all.)

This, Joker thinks, is the problem with kids. Kids have no sense of self control, or common sense, or tactics. No, kids see a powerful fae queen and, instead of taking a second to assess the situation, attack her.

This is why the carnival should stop accepting children. He thinks he might bring that up with the Ringmaster, assuming he survives this encounter.

But even if he can't survive, he can at least try to ensure that someone else incredibly stupid does. It's with that thought that he flaps up closer to Susan again and, without any regards for his wings, grabs the boy by the shirt. It's not easy to fling a child through the air, especially one with wings, and it takes one hell of a twist-

But Susan, he is throwing the shit out of you towards that new hole.

"Feathers!" he calls out to the bird, although there's hardly any need. Feathers is diving of his own accord towards the hole, trying to peck through it with his beak. Maybe this time, hopefully, it'll work to at least widen it in its already damaged state.

And in the meantime... Flapping to regain his balance and face the Rose Queen again, he gives a grin that has a tinge of wariness. "Children can be so troublesome, can't they, my fair lady?"

Wow, Joker, rude. Susan is of course not strong enough at all to avoid being grabbed or thrown, and not an expert with his new wings yet, but he has flown a lot before in other forms, and so he manages to right himself - although not before going through the hole. But now there's an owl in the way of going back, and so even though of course he has to get back (his brother is still in there, Joker!), for now he'll just launch more fire at the hole, but from this side.

Most of their objections are nothing but noise to her - the mewling of prey being hunted. She slowly walks in the groups direction, her sabers at each side. Each footstep brings another eruption of plant life, and it isn't long until her roses are already spiraling up towards the ceiling, their petals glowing softly.

Her eyes settle on Joker, hearing him mostly because he's the only one to speak to her with any respect. Her eyes are as piercing as the thorns she grows so liberally.

"Come to me," she says, obviously indicating Joker. "I will have you answer my questions."

Edited 2018-05-15 02:42 (UTC)

He shares that semblance with Joker. Children shouldn't be allowed in the carnival if only for the sheer maturity. The only problem with that is that Lauren wasn't exactly a kid and yet he was still acting just as irresponsibly. He stares with a level of annoyance, his left ear flicking at the sight of both of these kids outright attacking someone of a high level of power and respectability, "Most troublesome indeed."

He doesn't throw Lauren like Susan was thrown but it doesn't stop him from shoving to the side with his power and dropping him near the vines without warning next to his brother. He steps quickly back towards Joker and looks down at Gon. It would be better if the could remain with the other fight.

He's putting on his smile of grace, one he uses around a Baroness or someone he has to impress for the family. He'll even flick his cigarette out of his mouth and extinguish it before it is cast aside. His eyes shift from the Rose Queen and Joker.

Don't you dare, Joker.

Wonderful. This is what he gets for being in charge. Still, Joker won't say 'no'. It's not an option for them... Not with vines overtaking even the ceiling he's been trying to flee to.

Only able to bow because of his unique flexibility, Joker does so in midair... and makes sure to turn his head just enough to peer out to Tyki from underneath his hood. Watch them he tries to mouth to the other man before he rises up. "It would be an honor," he says smoothly, smile a little more self assured, a little more charming. At least, he certainly hopes it is... and he hopes the other's will have his back while he stalls for time. That's all this is.

He won't touch the ground, however. He'll just flap a little closer, trying to stay airborn best he can while Feathers works on their only real escape route. "How might I be of service to you?"

She sticks one of her sabers into the earth, so that she can put out her hand, as a lady would when offering it to be kissed by a gentleman. Her words, however, are more cold than courteous.

"You will offer yourself to me. Then, you will take me to the Rose."

She looks up from Joker's face, to the others. That's right, she knows you're there too - including you, bird creature at the vines.

"The rest will do the same."

Of course it would. Though he does at least catch onto what Joker is even doing- which means that since he's still rather out in the open, and Right There, he might as well try and get back into the conversation himself.

...Much as he hates to. Gongenzaka does not take a step, glancing briefly toward what options are more readily available to the two remaining only to take a deep breath and close his eyes-

...And snap his eyes open with a scowl. "Will we now?" he questions, words biting right back. "And what, Madam, do you feel will have us do so?"

Maybe he should have summoned his daemon after all, as he had considered before the Queen spoke.

She was always somehow better with words, than he.

His tail lashes behind him at the tip and he has to curl it backwards with a bit of a tuck to avoid showing any more emotion. He hates this. He truly does. Again, Joker was throwing himself into a sitaution but he understands how tied his hands are.

His fingers twitch at his side and he reaches out to grasp the back of Joker's attire with a slight pull. In truth, he was letting a Tease slip from his fingers and into the grooves of his fingers in case he needed to track him later.

He then bows gently, his hand resting against his chest, "If you need anything while you are attending to the lady, I will be right here, my lord." Address Joker as if he was just a common servant. He's a conman, he may as well play a part. It just means he isn't going to leave his side unless he has to.

But he does step back to give them some space in order to listen to Joker as well. He'd rather they escape through that hole.

Lauren doesn't protest being shoved aside, moving instead to cast another spell as the first fails to prove useful. This time he calls for ice and sleet. Cold could kill plants. Perhaps it could also slow down this woman and her army? Though unfortunately since Joker is near the queen it means he will be caught in the storm too.

Things are definitely not going well in there, and so when Susan hears Lauren again cast a spell he just pushes past the pokemon (sorry Feathers) to go back in, although he doesn't say anything yet, instead just landing behind the others. Unlike his brother, he can actually read the situation, and so he knows he shouldn't do anything, not yet, but if he isn't there, he can't even try to help if there's a chance.

This means landing. This means doing something he really doesn't want to do. Still, as with so many other things in his life, Joker does it, feet landing gracefully onto the rose covered ground while his wings tuck against his back. Every instinct in his head is yelling at him what a stupid idea this is.... and yet he still bows his head, exposing his neck to her as he presses his lips daintily against her knuckles.

Her demands aren't unexpected, honestly, and yet his mind is racing as he straightens up again. He can't agree to these terms, can't let the others be taken-

But even his word quick mind can't speak before the temperature in the room suddenly drops. Looking around quickly, it's not what he's expecting, but that only makes it worse. Swearing at Lauren in his head, Joker makes a quick decision. He needs her to view him favorably, so immediately his wings spread open again, curling around the Rose Queen to shield her even slightly from the sudden hail. It's unnecessary for a creature like her, he knows-

But that's "chivalry" for you. Useless, sometimes painful, but it will hopefully look good.

The hail will fall. It strikes the Queen, and it strikes Joker's wings, and though some aspect of it faintly stings, she remains standing as if she is being bathed in gentle rain.

Her control doesn't make her fury any less complete, however. As she senses the source of the spell, several root-like vines will emerge from the earth, wrapping around Lauren's legs.

Before even a moment more can pass, he is sucked beneath the earth.

Gongenzaka is a man of his word. He does not like the Rose Queen. He does not like anything she stands for. At all. He especially doesn't like what she's pulling here, but suddenly Lauren has cast something, and he can see something in the air, and his body moves entirely on instinct. "No-!"

At the end of the day, he is also 'Steadfast', and the last time he was in a fight like this, well...

He wasn't. He has been behind the wall defending, he has been mounting the attack against an already fighting foe, but as it stands right now they had not yet fought- which means his mind isn't quite set on that, it's set on 'something is happening, and it could HURT EVERYONE'.

From the outstretched arm, the repulsor fails to launch- a ghost of muscle memory from the consequences of last time. But his vines do move, if at least to try and make some sort of awkward umbrella for...Joker? The Queen? They're sort of both there, but it's a motion he makes without thought.

The thought that comes after is to stare with relatively wide eyes, while quietly thinking 'Oh.'

If it wasn't such a dire situation, he'd feel rather silly.

Instead, it feels rather like something far worse just happened, much as he's yet to turn to look.

He's ready to back down, ready to move backwards out of Joker's and the Rose Queen's way. Ready to protect these kids like Joker wanted to. But that all changes in a heartbeat, his fingers twitching around the Tease sliding into his hand and he snaps it upwards with a pull outwards.

He pours his Dark matter into it, transforming it into a shield and he snaps forward like a good servant, jumping from one spot to another in a matter of seconds. It's not a particularly large shield but it'll take that cold damage and keep it off Joker. He might take the resulting splash from it if there is any but he was far durable than the human now behind him. He's not protecting the Rose Queen.

His eyes snap towards Lauren, narrowed in anger. This is considered an attack on Joker but thankfully he doesn't have to deal with the mess. Lauren's wrapped by those beautiful looking vines and when he's dragged under, Tyki relaxes.

"Ah, that's a shame."

Susan's eyes widen as his brother is grabbed and dragged underground. But, he can't attack her, he knows he can't, not after the Prince, but he can't just let her take Lauren or hurt him or anything, not after last time, he has to help!

Which leads to him running forward, closer to her, a pleading expression on his face.

"Please, give him back, I can help you!!" He doesn't even really know what she wants, but he'd do anything to save Lauren.

"Susan, shut your mouth." It's a sharp snap, perhaps a little tight from what bits of ice had gotten him, but he's better than he might otherwise have been.

Part of that is probably because Lauren is now apparently in the ground, instead of causing anymore trouble. Well. It's a little dark to admit, but that's almost a plus. Still, as he straightens up and tries to shake the ice from his wings, Joker has to admit he can't let that pass completely unchallenged. He glances around, taking note of everyone else. So it's only Lauren, and Feathers is making no progress on their exit... Dammit.

He's going to have to keep talking.

"I would wish to give you my gravest apologies," he says, continuing on as if he hadn't said anything to Susan at all. "These children are all talk but in the end utterly useless, as you can see for yourself. Yet they are mine, as I am the Stage Manager of the carnival. May I punish both brothers before you, properly? I wish to make up for their atrocious lack of discipline." If he can just get Lauren out of the ground... He'll bash the boy's head in, but he'll be alive. That's the important thing.

The Rose Queen is happy to ignore Susan, also. Maybe with time, that could be crafted into something of use, but she's already quite booked up for those kinds of endeavors. She is favouring those that obey from the start.

Her head tilts slightly, showing her doubt. It's convenient to use candied words to get your way. She wants to see where that diplomatic streak ends.

"You have another child in your keep," she says. "One that I care for deeply. I want to see him."

She puts outs her hand again. She refuses to play games.

"Offer your services, and I will have you do these things for me, and more."

Gongenzaka is...admittedly still rather frozen. His vines only slowly retract, his body half crouched thanks to the position he was in as he launched forward.

It almost looks like bowing.

It is far, far from what he himself would consider a bow, however. His tension is getting him nowhere though-and he is recognizing that. And how could he require such a crutch? Such a blatant, obvious crutch as dividing himself in two, two differing parts, to simply clear his head. What would Marishi-ten do?

What would he, in another frame of mind, do?

His ears bend back, and his head is dipped low-his eyes cast to the Queen's feet.

But he says nothing. Not even a word this time, listening instead to Joker. This is a trap.

Most absolutely a trap. And he fears for how they can even hope to get out of this, this far down into the 'hole'. 'What would Marishi do?'

She would wait, and so would he. So they will.

The shield dissipates but a servant does not linger at his master's side. He takes a step away, frowning at the entire situation. This should have gone down without a hitch. They should have kept moving without question. They had stalled too long, taken in by a weeping kid and pretty words of comfort.

He looks down again at where Lauren has disappeared to and lets his ears cant back towards the conversation behind him. Joker's going to do something stupid and he doesn't know how he is going to tell Doll this time. Maybe he won't. Maybe he'll linger instead.

He wants a cigarette, something pleasurable, something to entice. There was a solid truth in the matter that one could never save everyone and Lauren had made his choice.

Susan does shut up at Joker's words, although it's more out of shock at everything he says than out of any inclination to listen to him. He knows he's trying to negotiate here, he knows what's going on, but they don't have time for that, not when they need to save Lauren. He needs his brother. But apparently it doesn't matter, he's being ignored, and so instead he falls back once again, to where Lauren was taken under, before trying to at least see if he can dig him out. He knows it's useless, especially since there's magic involved, but what else can he do?

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