lostcarnival | ⇨ FAERIE TALES

Tyki's all for a well thought out plan but talking now seems almost too late. Not that he'll voice such an assessment given how he doesn't want to play it into the narrative on accident. There's just something about talking about the start of any plan within the possible middle of a well thought out fortress that kind of irks him. These vines are parting for them now and they are carrying forward with blissful ease, but most of the people here should know those vines and thorns could just as easily close in an instant. They had last time, trapping them all inside with the Rose Queen. Not to mention last time there were eyes and ears everywhere. Sure, there wasn't any now but that could easily change as the vines did before.

He knows there wasn't any time to scout out this place, build a plan, and locate Steven beforehand. These small things felt like something they should've announced before heading out. "The knights and Guardian Angel had enough sense to keep their voices down."

With the thorns pulling out of the way, it's only a short time before they reach the final destination. They come to a round wall of roses, thorns deadly sharp, that guards a central area of the garden - it's core, as it turns out. As those last vines are either ripped away or move of their own accord, they'll finally be able to see what they're looking for.

The vines here are crystal, as if made of faceted glass. They will be very familiar to anyone who has seen the Blue Rose. Within them, there is a circular patch of grass and soil, with a small pool of water off to one side. In the middle, there is Steven.

His arms, wings, and feet have all been rooted into the earth, his skin transformed into the same crystal as the roses around him. Blue rose blossoms sprout from his body, and his gemstones have completely lost their pink hue, now a facsimile of the Rose's colors. Though he is too tightly bound to fall over, he looks like he's in a trance, his eyes half-lidded and glowing too brightly to see his pupils. All he's wearing is a simple, over the shoulder chiton.

He strains his body, as if trying to pull against his entrenched limbs, but he can't escape. His own body is rooted deep into the ground, betraying him.

Honestly, it really is a little too late to try and figure out much of a plan now, deep in as they are and with everything subject to change at a moment's notice. Improvisation is the best thing they can do....

...And all of that completely leaves his mind the second the last of the thorns have parted out of their way and he sees Steven.

He can't tell what goes through his heart, only that it seems to go utterly cold with despair and white hot with rage at the same time, and his steps stutter to a stop for a half second before he lets out a shaky breath. No time for that. It's exactly as the Ringmaster said over the radio, about the Blue Rose acting up.

Grabbing whoever looks like they're going to bolt off first- not that he doesn't understand the feeling, twisting like acid in his gut- he looks right to the boy. "Steven," he says quietly, keeping Tyki's words in mind, "We're here for ya. Ya can hear us, I know ya can... and we're gonna get ya out of here. Make no doubt about it."

Yuya had expected this, a little bit. He saw the state Steven was in, but it's something else the way he's actually rooted into place.

Unsurprisingly, he's quick to lung forward with his free hand outstretched before Joker grabs his arm and forces him to stumble to a stop. He doesn't look back, but he does bring his voice lower when he actually speaks.

"Steven, we're here."

Edited 2018-05-27 22:44 (UTC)

"Steven!!"

Amethyst very nearly manages to make a break for it, but Joker's reflexes are quick enough to grab the trailing end of her whip -- and yank it back hard, sending Amethyst spinning back and eating dirt on the ground just behind him. The whip disappears in a shimmer of purple light.

"Ugh..."

Gongenzaka sucks in a sharp breath at the sight of Steven, but he does not move. After a few seconds to collect himself, he instead summons to his side his daemon- who mutters some narration to herself as she turns to keep watch away from them all. 'Summoned to his side,' a few others might hear her whisper, 'The familiar to the great guardian held watch, and not a single harmful presence could escape her notice,'

...They cannot, after all, risk getting caught while Steven is like this. With Marishi taking guard, Gongenzaka thinks to his healing scroll- but without time...

...His eyes widen. "...In it's own manner of speaking, even magic is a poison, is it not?" He declares, the announcement more statement than question. "....If our 'Angel' and others see fit...I, the man Gongenzaka, believe I can heal at least something." If they can even just clear Steven's head a little, or ease some of his pain, that will help right? As it is, surely this could be the sort of excuse the story can use to boost such healing. The thoughts die on his very lips, however. And as his own daemon hisses and whispers of connections between themselves, Gongenzaka voices why.

"The wall-" he hisses, attempting to keep his voice low for the others, even as he braces himself. "She is HERE-!"

Edited 2018-05-27 23:36 (UTC)

As soon as Gongenzaka has proclaimed it to the group, the Rose Queen reveals herself. Thorns bending out of her way, she steps out of the wall of roses behind Steven, gaze falling upon the group hatefully.

"How dare you," she snarls, gesturing a hand and forcing the vines closed along the path they entered from. Steven gasps as she does, as if her taking control of the roses has been in direct opposition to his own efforts. His eyes have opened, the fear clear on his face.

"Go," he pleads, suddenly. "You have to go...!"

"No!" yells Amethyst, scrambling back to her feet, terrified by the appearance of the Rose Queen, but absolutely unwilling to back down. "Steven, no, we're here to save you--!"

Edited 2018-05-27 23:48 (UTC)

"Not without you!" Yuya pulls against Joker's grip, hand still outstretched to Steven even if neither of them can reach right now.

"She can't..." Yuya remembers, barely, that there's a need to maintain the narrative. "The Rose Queen can't keep the Prince captive as long as his friends are here! He escaped before, and he can do it again!"

Some... somehow.

"Sorry, dear beloved Prince," he begins without a moment's hesitation, "Mister Yuyu's right. None of us, your loyal knights, are going to abandon you in your time of need. We will rescue you from your oppressive mother without a doubt." None of them were going anywhere now.

He doesn't need to see it in order to know that their escape options meant nothing if the vines were closing in again. He puts on a bright smile, "Give us a reason to hope, young Prince. Believe in us."

His Tease will flood into the air from behind him suddenly and they'll swarm towards the entrance they came from, "My Tease absolutely love vegetation." Attacking in a large group, with the fury of a starving frenzy, they'll begin to try to feast on the growing vines blocking their exit to stop the growth.

Edited 2018-05-28 00:07 (UTC)

This place won't be crowded if a certain someone summons some extra backup, right. Yeah definitely not. Because Yugo himself is going through his extra deck and fusses over his disk before slapping down two of his monsters into form from the solid vision.

"Lively soul of swordplay... Come, Hi-Speedroid Chanbarider! And spread those wondrous and beautiful wings to strike down your enemies at the speed of light! Grow into your true power! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!!!"

Which makes a red dual-wielding sword monster appear with a boisterous 'Yahoooo~!' and the tiny dragon on Yugo's shoulder to move forward and become their real size with a thundering roar.

With merely a gesture, "Chanbarider" is sent to go help the Tease and Clear Wing to go make an attempt to cut Steven free.

It looks like everyone else has gotten the "raw firepower" part of things settled, so Joker won't put himself into that part of things as he lets go of Yuya and Amethyst. Instead, he'll do exactly as he did in his first meeting with the Rose Queen as his wings propel his steps faster to meet her before coming to a stop and flaring them out- get her attention. He'll be the distraction, if everyone else can handle Steven.

"Rose Queen, as his Guardian Angel, I challenge your claim to Steven Universe," he announces boldly, remembering what Lambert had told him. "Your blood is not enough- not to outweigh the negligence and cruelty that you have wrought against your own child, and not enough to outweigh the blood of our own covenant!"

"Indeed!" chimes Marishi, her partner doing all he can to focus his energy and spirit to Steven for the boy's support and strength. "What is family, but those who do more than love..! Those who would do anything, even at their own risk, regardless of blood? Bound by flesh, we may not be...but we are bound in spirit, and so long as he is able to hold us in our hearts, ALL OF US shall remain strong enough to escape you..! One way, or another..!" the cat spitefully adds- though it is if anything mere insurance to keep the story from tipping too far into the unbelievable. They will escape, certainly...but they will not escape without trouble and injury, not with the Fae involved.

The thing that most violently grab's the Queen's attention here is Clear Wing - going straight for Steven, and apparently with aggressive intent. Her sabers emerge from the dirt, flying into her hands. With a graceful twirl she cuts down Yugo's summoned beasts, slashing its body with her blades.

She then thrusts he saber at Joker, her lips curling into a sneer.

"You will not touch him," she says, disgusted by his ostensible entitlement. "I gave life to this child, and that life is mine to hold. You will not take him from me, and neither will his treacherous 'father'."

She honestly has no idea where Greg is at this point, but his memory still infuriates her.

Everything around Steven is a blur, as if his eyes are in two place at once. One half of them is with the Blue Rose, lost in the current of its desire, while the other half is trying to comprehend what's going on around his physical body.

He can hear them better than he can see them. He can hear them calling out, and they're so close, but he still feels sp trapped.

"I don't know what to do," he cries, tears spilling out onto his cheeks. He wants to reach out, but he can't.

And now it's time for Yugo to quickly narrate something to hopefully keep his dragon in this fight...

"Clear Wing's a spirit in a body made from solid vision with mass...!" is what he manages to declare and the only thing as the sabers tear 'wounds' into the dragon that 'bleed' with digital particles.

Which also doesn't prevent the Rose Queen's attack from sending Clear Wing flying off course and toward a wall. So much for that (rather short-sighted) plan.

Edited 2018-05-28 01:33 (UTC)

Without Joker to hold her back any more, Amethyst stumbles forward, fists clenched. She isn't so headstrong as to try to attack the high fae on her own, but boy, she is not going to keep her mouth shut. "You didn't give him nothin"!" she shouts. "He was better off before you got your gross hands on him!"

It's times like this he wishes his tentacles were stronger, that he had something else to add other than raw fire power. He wants to keep their exit clear but he doesn't know how many thorn doors have already closed behind them. He has an idea for later but there is no way he's going to voice it now. His Power of Choose could get them out if it worked. If perhaps they could weaken her.

"Believe in us, Steven. We will save you~♥ You belong with us, not her! Your love is far stronger than hers ever will be." The Rose Queen was in the way, and he side eyes Joker at him stepping forward. There's nothing he can do. This is the third time now for Steven. He may as well allow him to play that role. Gon, Yuya, and Amethyst's words ring in his ears and he hopes that will reach him if his do not.

Yuya almost screams as Clear Wing lunges. With Joker's hold released, Yuya rushes forward immediately to try and intervene someone getting hurt. "Wait, stop!"

He shouldn't be relieved when the dragon is knocked back, but he knows how much he could have hurt Steven.

He hopes Joker has enough of the Rose Queen's attention, because all of his is on Steven. "We don't have to take him back, because the Prince wants to leave on his own! Because he knows the truth--he knows his real home, and his mom who gave him his gem."

He looks at Steven insistently, trying to get to his side to keep by him. "You're stronger than her, Steven! You can fight back!"

Edited 2018-05-28 01:46 (UTC)

Gongenzaka stoops down; he tries for a more direct connection, placing his paws upon the earth as he attempts to reach for the roots beneath using his vines- stretching and straining them to even break the soil, let alone make contact. He said earlier, after all- magic itself could be a poison.

And now he seeks to heal it. To help. To clear Steven's mind and remind him of the ones who loved him enough to chase down this wretched queen. He doesn't push any narration toward that, beyond it being possible however- what is important after all...

...Is the will of the one they are rescuing. "Steven...I, the man Gongenzaka, have seen many things, even within just this last year...but among those things, this much is clear... ...Even if you know not what to do, it is alright! Follow what your heart declares! Reach for it, and take hold!"

Edited (I KNOW HOW PLANTS WORK I SWEAR) 2018-05-28 02:11 (UTC)

That's one thing of theirs down, but there's more of them. Trusting the others to keep up the good fight, Joker continues to lend his voice to the arena they're in as well.

"By sayin' that, you prove that the word 'mother' is a hollow false thing on you!" Something in him begins to burn at his own words, catching alight stronger than he would have thought, but Joker doesn't have time for reflection. There's only speaking. "It is as meaningless as a crown on a lifeless skull! A mother isn't a title that you use to force your will onto a child! But Steven has a will of his own! And so long as he follows our voices, we'll always be able ta touch him, because he touches us!" It's dramatic, loud, and he demands it to be true for more reasons than one.

Hoping she gets no ideas with those swords of his, he swipes his hand to the side. "We have given him more than you ever have, Rose Queen! And that's a bond you'll never be able to sever!"

The Rose Queen has never given the impression that she's good at controlling her emotions. How much she is lacking in that regard is swiftly becoming obvious, as every insult turned her way just makes her more and more visibly furious. She stands in front of Steven, warding off anyone trying to get close to him with her swords.

It isn't until Joker speaks that she's finally had enough, though. There's something off about this whole encounter - somehow she hasn't been able to snuff them out as easily as it should have been. There's no reason they should be alive now, and yet there seems to be something guiding events in a direction that prevents her from simply wiping them out.

She hates it.

"We will cut you down for you lies," she shouts, throwing one of her swords straight at Joker. Whether or not it hits, she takes a step back so that she can kneel, putting a hand on the back of Steven's head. "Steven. Use your power to get rid of them. Now."

It's that feeling again.

Their words had felt so real, like everything they said was true and he just knew it somewhere deep in his heart. He could fight back, he could be his own person, they wouldn't leave him behind. He'd shifted, trying to get closer to them somehow, even as his own bound limbs held him back. He had to stop this. He had to try.

And then the Rose Queen speaks, touching him, and he can feel all of that threatening to slip through his fingers. It's like a hand around his heart, pulling him back from that promise of hope and light, doing everything it can to smother his will in its grasp. He makes a choking sound as he tries to fight it, and all the while he can feel the extension of his body growing and changing.

The crystal vines around them come to life, beginning to glow with a familiar frozen heat. The energy off of them floods from the Blue Rose and through his body and mind, drowning everything else out as its desire to grow and survive overtakes everything else.

But yet, Steven doesn't feel himself disappear completely - not like before. As much as it hurts, he's still there, and he knows this can't happen. He can't let it. Please.

'Please,' he begs the entity in his head, pushing his emotion, his desire against its own. 'We don't have to do this. We don't have to listen to her. You don't have to hurt people anymore...!'

Steven cries out, in frustration and in pain, but he doesn't let it stop him. He tears against his hands and wings with all of his strength, uprooting lengths of finger and pulling until the strands of crystal shatter.

Around them, the energy building in the crystal roses begins to flicker and fade.

Yuya looks around as the vines begin to glow and the tension starts to become all that much more present. He almost stops breathing, fingers gripping tight around the staff as he's forced at a distance too far by the Rose Queen. His mind blanks for a moment, unsure how to carry the story back to their favor until he looks back at Steven.

And sees Steven pulling his hands up. That's it. "You're doing it, Steven!" And now Yuya knows what he can do.

"See, the Prince is stronger than the Rose Queen. He knows he can escape, and it's even easier now that he has help!" He shoots the Rose Queen a defiant look. "One of the Knights made a promise to him, that whenever the Prince was in trouble he would help! He would always reach back for him, and that means now!"

And Yuya lunges for Steven again, full of hope that Steven will be able to reach out for them--that they can get him out of there.

Edited 2018-05-28 03:13 (UTC)

He sees her face contort in rage, sees the way her hand moves back, and Joker has just a split second to hastily breathe out the right words underneath her shouting. "Any blade tossed, a knife thrower could catch-" And, while that title has always belonged more to his brother than him, he is a knife thrower of sorts. Perhaps the truth of the statement helps lend a solidness to his otherwise quiet words. Joker can't explain it- magic and adrenaline make things blurry- but he twists out of the way of the sword and snag a hand out to wrap around the hilt, twirling it out o the air.

It's very fancy, and he'd marvel at it if he wasn't terrified for his life and everyone else's.

Everyone else's, but especially Yuya's as the boy rushes past him. One of these days, his heart is going to stop for real. In that split second, Joker's mind makes a hasty decision. She needs to be distracted, needs to keep from skewering Yuya- He can't throw the sword back (might hit Yuya, Steven, give it back), so his other hand, the wooden one, does the first thing that springs to mind...

And tears the Pokeball off his belt to fling it as hard and fast as he can at the Rose Queen's head.

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