⇨ 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]

Peridot is shocked, and then. Promptly isn't. Given the Ringmaster's track record, this news isn't really that surprising.

She opens her mouth and almost tells Shima to shut up again, but.

"...Actually, that's a good question." Pause. "I mean for all we know, she might have deserved it."

[scientificist]

Over near the back of the area, Herbert has begun to giggle, high and weird.

CONSUMED.

WHAT?

DOES SHE DO THIS OFTEN?

IS THIS A FAE THING?

the fact that his life is weirder NOW is really kind of incredible

[atouts]

Thanks, Ringmaster, that would have been nice to know. That gives him pause, if only for a very brief moment before the comments of others filter through...

"It doesn't usually matter to loyal subjects whether she deserved it or not."

Childermass still has royalty in his country. People who hate them would still be mad if some freaky foreign dragon ate them.

[stompadour]

Jasper's eyes have narrowed.

"No," she says. "It doesn't." Ultimately she doesn't care about fae politics. Her and Blue Diamond's bargain is with the Ringmaster.

But this doesn't sit too well with her.

[osteothropy]

Sans sinks down lower to the ground, his sense of ill ease having taken a violent spike. He's not super surprised, no. It seems like it fits. The weirdest thing is that, after all this time, he's almost certain that it was somehow justified in the grand scheme of things.

But that doesn't really matter, on this level. Justice or not, they are all in so much more trouble than he'd thought.

[periphrasing]

"Mmmgh... No, you're right," Peridot groans apologetically at Childermass. "Dammit... Why can't she just be up front with us about these things?"

[npcarnival]

The Count is still for what feels like a long time after that announcement, tensely watching the carnival members banter about it in what he considers to be a frivolous manner. It's insulting, to say the least.

Finally, he eases back into a more relaxed pose, leaning on the arm of the throne.

"You must realize now that this is the most severe of crimes," he says. "And that 'self-preservation' is likely not her only goal."

At least, in the eyes of the Courts it isn't.

[whattaprick]

Lambert doesn't visibly seem perturbed by the revelation, just considers it, weighs it against the information he knows, and accepts it as fact. Yeah, that roughly explains the level of screwed they are, but on the other hand...

They're still here, not talking, not directly vaporized. It doesn't really answer what the Count wants out of them, but...

"Maybe the Great Beast got fed up of being treated like one," he pauses. "What'd she do to Summer?"

Might as well try for straight answers, if the Count feels like giving them.

[atouts]

Childermass will yield the court to Lambert, for now, looking his way rather than at the Count.

[scientificist]

Herbert puts his hands in his trouser pockets, arguably for support, but also to do the volume down, radio switch on thing he's done once already and is starting to perfect.

As stupid as this is, he supposes the Carnival should know.

"The Ringmaster ate the Winter Queen?" he repeats, perhaps slightly playing up his bemusement. "How were we meant to know this exactly?"

[periphrasing]

Retraction: The more Peridot thinks on this, the more upset she actually feels. This whole time she'd been thinking that the courts were only after them because of what happened in Portland, and because of Steven, but it turns out that the reality is so much more serious than that. She feels duped. This whole time she's been putting herself AND her friends closer to realer danger than she could have ever possibly imagined. And for what?

She's exhausted. This situation is starting to feel increasingly hopeless. She looks wearily up at the count, ears drooping, and adds to Lambert and Herbert's queries: "And what do you expect us to do about any of this? It's like you said, we're just her property."

For the first time in a while, that sentiment actually feels real.

[npcarnival]

"What you know is immaterial, ultimately," he says. "I am merely telling you the facts. I may ask you questions now, but only to determine your willingness to forsake this futile cause. In this world, the servants of a fae are given little consideration. If you intend to separate yourself from this, I am offering you a way out."

His tone is far from compassionate, but that doesn't mean he isn't telling the truth.

"You could receive better care elsewhere, in exchange for your cooperation. In the end, it will make little difference to us."

[atouts]

And that's where Childermass cuts in again, turning back towards the Count in a sharp movement, taloned fingers curling up into fists at his side. That offer... What he says is about as cold as the Count's own words, if somewhat more bitter.

"If you mean that they should go with you, I can tell them right now that your idea of better care is lacking."

[bananaspeedrider]

No matter what direction the situation is going, the brightness of green headlights and the thrumming rumble of an approaching motor vehicle awkwardly breaks into the air. Because an addition to the audience is exactly what everyone needs right now (not).

Most people would know that it's none other than one of those assigned as one of the carnival's daredevils.

... The boy peers at the rest of the group, but then his sight finds the Count. And he doesn't say anything aloud, but his face says what he's thinking very clearly: Ah shiiii-

[stompadour]

"Some of us have bargains to uphold," says Jasper curtly. If someone else could offer her the same bargain, though...? Standard of care is hardly high on her personal list of priorities.

That said... "If she thought she could defeat the Ringmaster easily, she wouldn't be talking to us. These fae are cowards."

[periphrasing]

Peridot flinches when the motorcycle breaks onto the scene, her sensitive ears throbbing with the noise. Really? Right now?? She's trying to think here, buddy!

She shakes her head doggedly and turns back to face the matter at hand. "I'd have to agree with Childermass on that," she adds. "We've seen how a few different members of your kind treat their servants by this point and frankly, I've yet to be impressed or enticed."

[whattaprick]

The more others begin to register their choices in the negative, the warier Lambert gets. There’s no doubt in his mind of his own answer, but the only uncertainty is how the Count will respond to it, and he steps forward to flank Childermass. The shield on his back rolls it’s eyes, flitting on the crows still surrounding them.

Could the Winter Court feel it when the Rose was touched, even if it wasn’t by one of their own? If all this trouble is because he let some kid touch a flower ... well, wouldn’t be the first time Lambert’s made a bad judgement call. Hopefully he’s not about to make another.

“You’re one to talk about futility,” he says. “The Winter Court’s the one desperate enough to poison themselves with iron to win, and they’re not shy about using changelings to do it.” In contrast, the Summer Court’s the one likely to smother you. His mind ticks back over the conversation again, and he frowns, a detail he’d ignored before tugging at his attention.

“Just how long have you been watching us?” Because “you have been observed” means ... what? Since the Manor? Since they got here?

[npcarnival]

The Count actually smiles at Childermass when he says that, which is undoubtedly very creepy. There is a certain unconcealed smugness to it, too, as if to say 'maybe so but what can you do about it?'

He seems a little bit less amused by Lambert's question, and is confused at first, as he tries to work out what he's even talking about.

"Ah. The Mother of Invention, you mean? We can't all be judged by the absurdities of our most eccentric."

The Count's style seems to be ignoring questions that it doesn't suit him to answer.

[npcarnival]

Suddenly, a pixie whizzes into the room. It's Frost specifically, casually emerging from the shadows with no air of confusion. He comes to the side of the Count's throne, looking onward in amusement.

"Ahah! Not quite a party, but close enough!" he says, cheerily.

[worldlyafflictions]

Letting go of Rin finally when yet another Fae enters the room, posture shifting to lean more against his staff.

"Not ta say I'm not willing ta be flexible, generally speaking, but ya've really gone outta your way ta mention how ya don't need us, haven't ya. No surprise your offer isn't too welcome, it really lacks the spirit of cooperation, haha. I'm getting the impression we're too lowly ta actually negotiate with, ya know?"

He doesn't sound that offended in comparison to the other comments so far, though his tone is probably still not polite enough for a Fae's taste despite the gestures toward it.

"Ya may as well finish up 'n let us go if that's the case. There's probably more ta learn from watching us scramble all together than taking whatever bits 'n pieces anybody could easily dig up here."

The irony of Shima saying this is probably lost on most.

[periphrasing]

(Startled, Peridot actually hisses and spits like a cat when Frost makes his appearance, taking half a step back behind Lambert and Childermass.)

[npcarnival]

"That's because you're not worth talking to," Nightshade says, appearing in a cloud of purple spores. She casts Frost an unimpressed look the moment she sees him, but otherwise focuses on being generally disdainful towards the carnies.

"Both Courts have retrieved more than enough information to act. Why the Count insists on dragging out this facade is beyond me."

She glances back towards the Count, leaving that question on the table.

[periphrasing]

(EVEN MORE HISSING OCCURS)

[atouts]

"Because he wants something more out of this," Childermass mutters. Sure, he'll give Frost a cursory glance but it's Nightshade that he turns to eye warily most of all. On top of that, he really doesn't want to look at the Count's smiling face right now, which is a hint more unsettling than Nightshade even being here.

"Since when does Summer work with Winter, Nightshade?"

[npcarnival]

"We don't," she says, crossly. "I'm simply attending his Elysium on behalf of the Rose Queen, until she can finish putting the baby to bed or whatever nonsense she's up to now."

For the Rose Queen's lacky, Nightshade has never sounded particularly patient with the other fae.