⇨ 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

[lordofthering]

Lambert's question seems to force her attention onto Frost for the first time. When she looks at him, there is an expression of particular vehemence and familiarity, that just isn't comparable to the others.

"Well, of course that little blight would say that," she hisses, practically spitting in Frost's direction. "If you think continuing to bite my heels will bring you what you want, then you are about to be incredibly disappointed! You filthy little fuck!"

...And, she's so angry that she basically doesn't answer the question. That seems to be a problem, here.

[npcarnival]

For his part, Frost just smirks and waves, buzzing his wings as he whimsically floats in the air.

[bananaspeedrider]

"I BET HE'S HIDING SOMETHING!!"

Though mostly Yugo is bluffing.

[atouts]

"If Elysium is a neutral court for fae, what we said never mattered to begin with..."

Which is unsurprising. They aren't fae, even if, arguably, one of them is half. Childermass turns towards the Ringmaster, maintaining a calm that is actually taking far more effort than anyone could guess.

"The Athenaeum would have a book recording what happened to the old Winter Queen, wouldn't it?"

[periphrasing]

"Rrrrraaghhh, I don't care about ANY of this!" Peridot snaps suddenly, taking a forceful step out from behind Lambert. She's so furious that smoke is trickling out of the corners of her mouth. There's been a horrible nauseating pressure building inside of her this whole time that she has remained silent, worrying herself sick about her friends, listening to these arrogant, stuffed up fae snipping back and forth at one another... She's fed up with it.

"Give Lapis and Steven back! And Strange too, while you're at it!"

[npcarnival]

"I'd rather not," Ignatius says simply. "I haven't even got to take him out yet."

[lordofthering]

The Ringmaster turns to Childermass after staring Frost down for a while longer.

"It doesn't have everything written down, just a lot of things," she explains impatiently. "I've tried looking for that information before and I never found it."

[npcarnival]

"We have no reason to believe the word of a third party, no matter how many pages it's scrawled onto," the Count says, trying to cut off further discussion. "As far as the Winter Court is concerned, the matter has been investigated."

[lordofthering]

"This is what I mean," the Ringmaster shouts, thrusting a finger at the Count again. "This is how we are treated. Even now you hound me, and nothing I say will change your minds!"

[flashover]

"That doesn't seem fair at all! A third party account, like something from the Scribe, that would be real evidence..." Rin says loud enough for all to hear this time. It's 'out of turn' and he's just a Carny, so he doubts anyone will listen anyway... but he has to say something! "Cause, like... the Scribe doesn't really care about any politics or anything... They just wanna write stories. Right? If only there were some way to get straight information outta 'em..."

[periphrasing]

"He doesn't even belong to you!" Peridot howls back at Ignatius, voice cracking with emotion. "NONE OF THEM do!"

Even if. He technically does now. Maybe. This gem doesn't care in the slightest.

[whattaprick]

Lambert claps a hand on Peridot's shoulder. This is harder and more awkward than it sounds, considering how much he has to bend down to do it, but he doesn't say anything, just grips her shoulder hard enough for his claws to gently prick in. He wants Strange back, but with the taken sounding like they're spread between the courts, short of siding with one and cutting a deal with the other to use the Rose to beat the other up, well, their options are limited here.

"The Scribe only writes the truth," he says out loud. "If you're here, if you know what this library's books are made, you know that." He doesn't know how the magic works, but he looks at the Ringmaster, chewing his lip idly. They found books on the other miracles in a place this vast; can't they manage the same trick again?

"You say it's closed to the Winter Court. Is the truth really worth that little to you?"

[scientificist]

Herbert, naturally, doesn't really care about this argument that's happening. He doesn't see the point: he doubts they'll be listened to when it hasn't happened so far.

"Why do we have to be here at all--you've already made your mind up about the Ringmaster. Surely you can, argue with each other without our presence."

He tilts his chin up, eyes slightly shuttered, suddenly whimsical. "I'm a human, and a neuroscientist: this isn't my, Elysian Field."

[npcarnival]

The Count obviously couldn't care less about the Scribe, or about looking into this whole situation any more than the Winter Court already has. The crime was done eons ago. The time for debate has long since passed.

"We know that the Scribe is a personal ally of the Great Beast, and thus their testimony is invalid," the Count says, firm in his refusal to look into it any further. "We do simply what the Queen demands."

You'll note he doesn't say anything about justice, here.

[npcarnival]

Ignatius is looking at Peridot now, a mixture of incredulous and intrigued. She yells so loud, for something so small. Incredible.

"The wizard knew what he was bargaining for when he offered himself to me," Ignatius says, before looking over to Nightshade. "Pixie, do you know this little green one?"

[npcarnival]

The Counts gaze settles on Peridot with a sudden intensity, as if somehow his awareness of her has been turned from 'off' to 'on.'

"I know of her well enough. A criminal wielder of iron against her kin."

He looks her over, suspicion in his eyes.

"Were this not Elysium, I would see it fitting to string her up and punish her for her insolence."

[scientificist]

Herbert tilts his head back to look at the ceiling, and then slowly descends into a crouch, and then sitting on the floor. He imagines they're going to be here for a while and doesn't see a reason to continue to put effort into being actively ignored.

[whattaprick]

And as the Count’s gaze settles on Peridot and threatens her? Yeah, that’s Lambert’s cue to step forward with a snarl, bristling.

“Well she’s no kin of yours, so stuff it,” he snaps, having no idea what he’s talking about. He was, after all, thoroughly unconscious for that.

[lordofthering]

Privately, the Ringmaster grimaces. Yeah, that's not a good look.

[periphrasing]

...Hmm.

Well. She did want people to actually listen to her, SHE GUESSES. Careful what you wish for?

Actually, it feels strangely nice to be acknowledged as someone worth addressing. Even if the result of that acknowledgement is that is a bunch of high fae calling her out as a criminal and threatening to 'string her up'. Whatever that means.

It's to her benefit, at least, that this is not her first time sassing her so-called 'betters'. And the Count is nowhere near as terrifying to her as Yellow Diamond was.

"Uhm," Peridot starts, holding a claw up and peering past Lambert. She's trying to keep her voice level. "Also, in my defense, I'd spent a month thinking that I was human at the time? Plus I think we can all agree that Portland wasn't exactly a great time for any of us." Pause. "Oh, also you stole Childermass, and you were trying to murder all of us."

[npcarnival]

"Did someone say... criminal use of iron?"

It's at this point that another fae literally waltzes into the room, her seaweed hair spinning. She's approaching this meeting more like a roof party than an Elysium, as she folds herself against the side of the Count's throne opposite Ignatius.

A familiar blue gem is, indeed, strung around her neck. She is otherwise naked.

"That sounds exciting," she says airily.

[npcarnival]

"I see you've still neglected to dress yourself," the Count says with comparative dryness.

[npcarnival]

"I'm dressed," she says, gesturing at her neck. "I'm wearing... jewelry."

[scientificist]

Herbert immediately turns to look at Jasper and Peridot, face leaning sideways into his left hand propped on his knee.

[bananaspeedrider]

Yugo certainly stares for a tense moment. And despite being a teenage boy with interests he is not into what he's seeing.