⇨ FAERIE TALES

[ringleaders]

Who: Rescue Teams!
When: Day 61
Where: The Athenaeum
What: The carnival goes to get their kidnapped comrades, and use the Athenaeum's magical power of narrative asspulls to guide their way.
Warnings: Two out of three of the fae here are deeply unclean.

TELL YOUR STORY↴ Five of you have been lost, and it's time to get them back. Below, we will be threading the encounter threads one at a time. Put on your best improv hat and feel free to join in.

Comments

MALACHITE & THE LADY OF THE LAKE

[npcarnival]

The hall where Lapis and Herbert first found the Lady of the Lake lays before you. Of course, there is no lily pads or deep stagnant water here now - just stone floors, as expected. To find anything else, you'll have to go looking.

Thankfully, you have a few tricks up your sleeve.

[scientificist]

"This," says Herbert, waving his left arm out in a wide gesture, "is where it was." He sounds a lot more dramatic than is perhaps called for in an empty hall of the library, but then. Presumably that's how he's supposed to be, right now. Out here, in the library, his bandages are not only covered by his usual suit, but he fairly confidently announced that after passing through the magical fire, he can summon flaming, bright green wings to the gross charred wing stubs on his back, so he's done that.

(It's. He needs his aesthetic, ok. And it's definitely totally a strategic thing to do in this instance and not a stupid waste of Library defences.)

Over his shoulder is slung a satchel, and from it, he brandishes a medium sized Erlenmeyer flask filled with liquid. Unstopping it, he begins to walk in a counterclockwise circle, pouring the liquid slowly out beside him as he goes.

"In this way," he announces, halfway finished his circle, "we will summon back the water and the fae who requires it." Finally, his talent to spout complete bullshit with absolute, dramatic confidence is coming in handy.

[periphrasing]

Peridot is here too, of course. She doesn't look equipped, except for the gauntlet she always wears, but that's the key: Whatever she doesn't need to summon by story magic is stashed away in there. The vorpal blade, a sturdy length of lead piping, the pokeballs containing Lapis's dratini and her own wimpod are all contained within, among other things.

Those things are just backup though, really. The magic of this place is going to be their real weapon, and this method of getting into the fae's lair is the first test of that. She's tense as she watches Herbert work, watching the floor closely for any sign of reaction.

[textsfromhotland]

Stories... stories... okay, Alphys feels like she has to add something to this, so she clears her throat:

"A-and it works, because it's midnight, the most magical and romantic hour!"

So... will it work?

[periphrasing]

"What?" Peridot growls, taking her eyes off the floor to give Alphys a judgey side-eye.

[npcarnival]

As the liquid spreads across the floor, the stone it touches will begin to change. Herbert better get out of the way, because after a short while the stone itself will start to give way, as if melting into water, spreading and spreading until the same pool as before has taken the floor's place.

The only difference is, this time, you can see an underwater tunnel at the far side of the lake water, leading into darkness. The lily pads shift to each side of the pond, as if clearing the way for the adventurer's arrival.

[scientificist]

Almost simultaneously, Herbert gives Alphys a nearly identical, judging side-eye. He doesn't know what the hell romance has to do with summoning a shitty water fae but he doesn't want to weaken anything by denying it. But the water is working anyway, so he steps back, and looks at Peridot.

"Should we fight in her lair or try to bring her here?" he asks quietly.

STEVEN UNIVERSE & THE ROSE QUEEN

[npcarnival]

The mission is clear, but the first step will be finding the person you need to rescue. It seems obvious that Steven is trapped somewhere in the Queen's gardens... the real question is how you will find him without being stopped by her defenses. Fortification is her strong point, apparently, so you have your work cut out for you.

Where will you start?

[betheman]

Gongenzaka starts as he has intended the moment a plan even began. Nodding to those with him, be says but one thing- "A moment to focus."

And focus he does. He closes his eyes and finds himself writing script in his mind almost, trying to paint themselves in the tale around them. A tale of rescue, and friendship (or at least, he would think so), and especially with how Yuuya had spoken to him about being visited in a dream...

It seems perfect. Like something from those books he brought back from Portland...if he would only give it something to latch onto.

He focuses, and his aura flares, shining an icey blue through the leaves of his back and his mane. It begins as the soul tracking spell- the magic he already had, the magic that would reach out and seek out the spiritual energies of those foreign and familiar alike. But through the story...

He tries to reach out as well- as he had to Creation, but this time, toward Steven. He seeks out the soul of one he considers friend, and familiar, and reaches for it. Create for us a beacon, that only we can find, he thinks, furrowing his brows with focus and dedication. Something to show us the way...

There is no faltering with his heart; he knows, absolutely, that they will find where he is, no matter how well he is hidden. Find him, and follow that trail to save him.

[pipers_son]

For the time being, Joker stays behind. As a Stage Manager, this is the skill he's had to focus the most: learning to stay in the shadows and allow the spotlight to shine on a performer in particular.

He'll let Gongenzaka start this story first... and see where this gets them.

Hopefully, to Steven.

[bananaspeedrider]

Yugo leans on his D-Wheel while seated on it, waiting as most of this group is while Gon does his magical thing. He's all geared up with his duel disk and deck, while the currently tiny Clear Wing is perched as usual on his shoulder- the minor summon spell for his dragon feels likes second nature by now.

Also it's nice to have all the backup they can think to bring.

[prazerbutterfly]

There is a lot of waiting with mostly everyone being quiet while Gon tracks and for some reason that bothers him. He's not smoking for once, lingering towards the middle of the group again to keep an eye on everyone, and he'll occasionally hum or make some sort of noise to clear the silence. Everyone seems to be primed with resources and weapons ready to be used. This isn't as direct of a route as he would like but hopefully it is still working.

"You'd think we'd at least hear our Princess singing by now..." he remarks casually to no one in particular.

[npcarnival]

As Gongenzaka works his spell, the effects will be felt by the entire group. It's Creation who answers - or the piece of it Gongenzaka asked to stay by Steven's side, at least. Everyone in the group will feel a warmth in their heart, followed by a strong sense of direction, as if there is a guiding thread tugging at their chests and leading them forward. Moving the direction they need to go just feels right, somehow.

At the end of that trail, you can practically feel Steven's presence, like a soul laid bare. That part feels less comfortable - his distress is obvious, just from the touch.

TEAM HANSEL & GRETEL TURNIP (LAUREN RESCUE)

[fortuneglass]

They meet at the gates. Stepping just outside and into the Athenaeum's realm, nothing seems entirely different thus far. Bookshelves stand tall and proud, and the ceiling above lets plenty of light hang down from above. Carly looks to the others with her- quietly glad that they're there at all, given how difficult it was to convince Susan to stay behind- before stroking Fluff-the-Bird on her shoulder.

"Alright- we should all be ready," she announces, seated upon her bike and carrying her bow around her shoulders. The bike vibrates, ready for action, as she peers forward. "...'Understanding that there was work to be done, the Feathered Champion brought her chariot with consideration for her companions- a set of seats mounted to the sides, so they could not be separated,'" she narrates, side-cars branching off from both sides. "...These should work for both of you... ...Papyrus? Susan said you had a trail we could follow?" she adds, nodding first to Hinawa in 'greeting', and then to the skeleton.

[spaghettimonster]

"That's right! A little ways out, Joker said I shouldn't lead right to the Carnival," Papyrus chirps as he hops onto one of the sidecars. Onto, rather than into; he perches on the top to peer ahead for a moment. It's a nice day in the Athenaeum. Nothing to suggest just how much kidnapping has been going on... or how many un-kidnappings are now happening.

So he settles down onto the seat, nestles a small bag with a couple of vials onto the the sidecar's floor, and continues with a theatrical tone, "A trail of bones that I scattered as we fled... Knowing that we would return to him!" He hoped, anyway, and now they're doing it - it'll surely all turn out fine. "It starts by one of those big column shelfs! With lots of green books. I remember enough to direct the way."

[sunflowerfields]

Hinawa plops down into the sidecar wordlessly. She doesn't particularly want to ride in this big metal machine, but it'd be faster than walking, she supposes. She still feels partly responsible for how badly things when they met the Rose Queen, which is why she's even here at all. Sunny curls up in her lap, looking nervous about going back to where all those bigger, scarier plants were.

She tries to think of some way to add to the story they're weaving. "As soon as they left the carnival grounds, they spotted the trail of bones, just like Papyrus said."

[fortuneglass]

"Hm!" She starts the engine up, and they take off at a somewhat slow pace for the moment- just until they can actually see the bones. Once she does however, she reaches for the deck of cards stacked in a bracer she's wearing- this is a D-Wheel, after all, and so.

"Knowing what they would potentially face," Carly continues, "The Feathered Champion's weapons responded, giving her just what she would need for the path ahead. A full hand-!" she starts, drawing five cards and slotting them in a device at the side. It doesn't take her long before she's reciting a small move, finishing it with what matters most-

"I summon Fortune Lady Firey, and Fortune Lady Earthy!" she announces- and floating behind Papyrus' car, and Hinawa's car, appear two women with staves and batwing ears, one red and one brown. "...Phew. ....They should be able to use their element if we need it..!" she cheers, nodding to the others. "...Let's follow this trail now..."

WOOO MAX SPOOK

[mylastchance]

Of course it's not long after they start following the trail of bones that things begin to grow spooky. It starts small, a cobweb on a shelf, a chill breeze in the air. Soon it grows dark, and a look up will show the ceiling of the Athenaeum has been replaced with a cloudy night sky. The shelves fade, slowly replaced with the sight of cracked and decaying tombstones, and in the distance an owl calls.

I N C R E A S E . S P O O K

[spaghettimonster]

"Hmmm... It's not all roses and sunshine anymore," Papyrus observes, as their surroundings grow dim and grim. "Wh-Which... is a good thing!"

It's the first time he's ventured into one of the living stories with so much on the line - so much he can't back out of, if need be. They're not just searching for info, or keeping safe, but on a rescue mission. No matter how things go, they can't give up! Not even if it takes a little stammering, to look for the turns of phrase to swing the stories in their favor.

"After all, the Feathered Champion... knew better than to venture into a graveyard alone. She went guided by a skeleton, so the graveyard would think they belonged there, and wouldn't get mad."

JONATHAN STRANGE & IGNATIUS

[npcarnival]

From all you've been told about High Fae, they usually can't be summoned by force. Still, with the power of narrative you can give it your best shot. At the very least, it seems like a summoning will allow the fae to know where to find you, if they want to show up voluntarily.

The real question is if you'd ever want them to.

Meanwhile, the scrying attempts will show Strange somewhere in the Rose Queen's gardens. The context, of course, is pretty hard to make out.

[kingsroads]

Through the power of narratives, the team can scry that Strange is in a garden of some sort. He's wearing the outfit of a Roman soldier, with a bright red cape and a shining sun emblem on the front of his chest. Context is hazy, but he casts spell after spell, like he's going through an improvised training routine as he utterly annihilates a pillar of earth raised from the floor of the garden.

Aside from a few visible burn scars on his body, Strange seems unharmed. He looks tired as hell, but there's a very un-Strange-like expression on his face of enjoyment at the carnage. He's enthralled to hell and back.

[whattaprick]

"Yeah, he isn't wearing any pants, so he's definitely enthralled."

In another part of the Athenaeum, not too far away, Lambert looks up from a silver basin of water 'borrowed' from Strange's trailer and makes a face at the others surrounding him.

"No sign of Ignatius. Guess we do have to call him out after all." They'd discussed the rough semblance of a plan to win Strange back from Ignatius somehow, but it seems good to try and review it now. "Everyone remember what they're doing?"

[anti_nonsense]

Standing off to the side, but just close enough to get a glimpse of the scrying image, Rita frowns at the sight of Strange in that unfortunately familiar garden. Having prepared for a fight, she wears her dueling armor with a few pouches tied to the belt, some containing useful items, others containing useless junk that can hopefully be narrated into something useful.

She nods at Lambert's question. "Next, we'll need a place to fight... something like a grand coliseum, maybe something in his aesthetic. Might make him more likely to answer a summoning." Can they really summon a High Fae just by acting it out? Rita has her doubts, but she'll refrain from voicing them, just in case it sabotages their whole plan.

But having said what they need next, she stops, looking to the others with an awkward, uncertain stare. Even if she tried practicing this narrating thing shortly before they left, it's still embarrassing as hell to do it in front of other people, especially when initiating a scene. She waits for someone else to take the lead.

[moonfang]

"No pants, huh. This is serious," Zangetsu comments dryly, peeking over Lambert's shoulder at the bowl. "... His legs are paler than mine, somehow. Gross."

Zangetsu has a plastic bottle dangling from his sash, and inside is a weird looking green leech, aptly named Pickles. In his hand, he has what appears to be a thick comic book with the title "Soul Knights". Funny that the library managed to provide him with just what he needed.

"I thought the plan was using Rita as bait. Isn't it you who he wanted in the first place?" He returns her stare with a shrug, then waves his empty hand. "I'm just here to grab Strange's soul."

"Now if you'll excuse me fer a bit, I need to pull a power-up out of my life story here," he says, tapping a claw on the comic book.

[chronosynthesis]

Syrlya snorts at the image, a book under his arms. He doesn't stare for long once it's clear Ignatius isn't around in it, and instead looks to Lambert to affirm their directions.

"We are. She will be baiting him into a duel." He says it airily as he opens the book and flips through the pages for a suitable description of a grand fighting ring. "I can handle the scenery, snd Rita will call him out."

He's holding just as much hope that the narrative really has the power for this. He nods to Rita. "You remember the terms of the duel?"