lostcarnival | ⇨ FAERIE TALES

Amethyst might not be a full powered quartz soldier like she was grown to be, but she's still plenty strong enough to just lift Steven up with both sturdy arms and spare Joker the effort.

"Oof," she says, hefting him over her shoulder, which looks kind of ridiculous when he is basically the same height as she is. Relief spills over her face when Lion's portal appears, and she veers towards him with Steven still in her arms. "What'd I tell you, huh?" she says, grinning weakly and trying not to look back towards the Rose Queen.

The Rose Queen bats away the razor leaves with a wild swing of her saber. She's getting to her feet now, the shock finally giving way to indignation.

"You will not leave this place!" she cries, raising her hand in a clenched fist. "Guards - come to me now!"

There is another resurgence of growth in the thorns, even as Yugo and Tyki tear it away. They have an opening right now, but it won't last long - and you can already here those rose-headed creatures beginning to crawl towards the core of the garden.

She would blast them all to death thorns, but she doesn't want to destroy Steven by accident.

Some way or another, Steven ends up on Lion's back, who waits will only mildly strained patience until the boy is secured. Lion doesn't entirely trust teleporting on the way out, given what happened lastime - for now he's going to move along with the group, if only so Steven doesn't freak out and try to go back like he did the first time.

Meanwhile, the Rose Queen's guards are leaping over the thorns and dropping into a ring around the group, menacing them with whips much like they did during the group's first trip to the garden.

Bud and Lil just yell louder, slapping back at the guards at they approach. Lion, meanwhile, tries to keep Steven to the center of the group, away from any cracking whips.

"STAY TOGETHER UNTIL WE HAVE DISTANCE!" Gongenzaka roars, hurriedly using his vines to grab for Yuuya. He's careful to avoid the injured arm, though he grimaces at the sight of what he's done. Marishi remains ready to run, and Gongenzaka is quick to use his repulsor to deter what rose creatures are coming in his range.

"Though the opposition was great, the heroes' unity persisted- with the Prince well protected between them!" she adds, her partner giving a quick nod to the others and bounding forward. As the largest, going even second would create a liability- especially with how fast these vines keep trying to move.

So with a snarl, he aims his repulsors at the creatures, using even his vines to bodily snatch and thrust some away. "Yuuya! You know what we must do!" They need SHIELDS, sooner the better, as he tries to get through beyond that wall to get everyone out of here.

Yuya's easily plucked up by Gon's vines, trusting his friend's hold for his own inability to grasp back right now.

He... thinks he knows what they have to do, and when Gon nudges to the exit Yuya projects his shield outward, trying to capture the other carnival members under the dome to protect them from further onslaught. "My shield can definitely cover our escape!"

His Tease are flitting in alarm at the growth once again taking over but that doesn't stop them from firing upon the vines. Anything to slow them down would help right now. Their outwards projectiles allow space to move in the middle of the entrance.

Tyki slides up near Gon almost immediately when time again becomes an issue. Steven is secure and Gon is using the narrative again. He's assisting where he can, helping Gon blast away the creatures so they can continue their focused crawl towards the exit. Even Dark Matter has spread across his arm, lacing in a hazardous line of deadly strength able to cut and rend anything that comes in contact with it in half. He doesn't care how brutal it seems to cleave a body in two or decapitate a guard that might've been someone beforehand. All that matter was getting their Prince out. "Thank you, Yuya~ Stay together under his shield and keep moving! Our defense is strong. These villainous guards will find it rough penetrating our defense as our Prince believes in us."

Needless to say, Joker is hustling away as well. With Amethyst having deposited Steven onto Lion's back, he's able to move a lot quicker... but there's one thing he's forgetting. As everyone crowds around Lion, making sure to keep Steven in the middle, Joker stands on the tips of his toes to call out. "Feathers!"

Whether through sheer luck or narrative demands- and the two can blur together so well right now- the Pokeball near to the Rose Queen manages to burst open, a surge of red light shooting through the air with the ball hooked in its talons. Feathers soars through the air, sending a spray of razor sharp leaves in his wake to impede the rose guards. As the bird darts underneath the shield just in time, Joker grins over to him.

"Assumin' they even get near the shield at all!" he crows. "Feathers! Give 'em all ya got! They didn't stand a chance against ya the first time, and they won't now either!"

Feathers doesn't need to be told twice, hanging towards the back of the group as he twists in midair. He's been thrust very alarmingly into a whole lot of bullshit, but that's a Pokemon's specialty. He spreads out his wings-

And begins to glow.

A glow so bright, it might very well blind the Rose Queen and her guards for a moment... And to not even see the spray of leaves which pierce through the various foes in their way and which pursue them. No, not leaves-

Arrows.

The small round owl that was in the air is there no longer. Instead, there's something much larger, wings pulled back like an archer preparing his shot, and Feathers gives a challenging trill.

Congratulations! Your FEATHERS evolved into a DECIDUEYE!

Lion sicks to the course, following along with the group. Steven's Pokemon, however, aren't so quick to follow.

Feathers isn't the only one feeling hyped up apparently, because in those same moments, Lil and Bud are trying to defend the rear of the party against the Rose Queen and her guards too - and apparently, they had pretty similar ideas on how to get that done.

Giving each other determined glances, Lil and Bud share a nod. Then, as a those of those thorn wielding creatures try to lash out at Lion and Yuya with their whips, they make their moves.

Both Pokemon become enveloped in light, their forms changing shape in silhouette. By the time they can be seen clearly again, they are cleaving through vine whips with entirely new looks.

Bud is wielding a brand new pair of killer pink claws, while Lil cuts the thorns in two with a bigger and better head leaf.

Congratulations! Your BUD evolved into a LURANTIS!

Congratulations! Your LIL evolved into a BAYLEEF!

Whether or not anyone notices or cares that Yugo is moving along just enough for a position at the group's rear, that's part of exactly what Yugo is planning as he slaps down a different card on his disk for the real rearguard to show up.

"Shining wings that hold sacred light!" he chants, though with a bit of improvisation prepared as the monster takes shape from viciously swirling winds. "Blind our enemies with your radiance...! Come forth, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!"

And from that maelstrom, his dragon's upgraded form materializes with a roar. Not a moment too soon, the crystals on its heavily plated body start to gleam with vivid glittering light.

"While the heroes make their escape, such a mighty dragon would hold the line behind them all!" Yugo speeds along a little bit faster. He may be last, but he's not gonna be dead last. "You can do it, partner!"

With the combination of forces, the group will find themselves able to flee. Injuries may be taken, mostly by those in the front and back, but with a path cleared in the vines ahead of them, they will arduously but successfully make their escape.

Lion keeps Steven to the middle of the pack, allowing the others to do the shielding for him. As soon as they have the space to move, Lion will begin to run, guiding the group free of the gardens.

The Queen doesn't follow.

Running is something they do in silence, the cheetah and fox-taur alike- Gongenzaka finds himself using the repulsor less and less as they eventually leave the gardens, but even so he does not make a move to do anything other than follow until he knows they're near the Carnival grounds-

At which point he sends a simple message over the radio; 'We've succeeded; arriving now.'

There's no clarification on how they've succeeded, or who has succeeded- after all, the people in the Carnival would know, and they're the only ones who Need to know. So they run, and Gongenzaka does not speak again until they are able to slow down within the Carnival grounds.

"Yuuya- I, the man Gongenzaka, must apologize, but no doubt you need to see the medical tent alongside Steven now..?" A pause, and Marishi disappears as he adds- "...Does anyone else need medical attention, for that matter?" They all...SEEMED to come out of this remarkably well, so...

Steven doesn't seem to be doing particularly well. Now that they are out of the immediate situation and out of the narrative, everything he just did is catching up to him. His hands, feet, and wings are in shattered tatters, to the point that it's hard to tell what limb they were originally supposed to be. The boy himself has barely moved since he freed himself, drifting in and out of consciousness on Lion's back.

It feels weirdly quiet, now that he's detached from the Rose - though part of him wonders if he can still hear it in his head. As they get closer to the carnival, he comes to his senses enough to try to lift himself up, only to fail.

He slumps back into Lion's mane, whimpering.

Yuya fumbles with his staff as Gongenzaka finally releases him when they reach the carnival. His arm is throbbing, but he forces it to hold his staff despite the pain so he can place his hand on Steven's shoulder and try and provide a little comfort.

The adrenaline and momentum is stalling and he feels like he can finally stop now. He doesn't know Steven that well but he's still just a kid. It doesn't take much to sucker him in as he glances over at his condition. He looks stable but severely worn and likely in pain. It's why he's sliding his hand down to the small hip bag and popping it open from the clasp. Fingers reach inside to pull out one of two of the healing draughts he has on him.

A gentle hand brushes over his head whether the touch warrants itself or not. He hums gently to ease the tension and the quiet. Thankfully Gon's voice helps to clear the air and for once he's glad to hear it. He holds out the healing draught with the cap removed and set between his knuckles, "This is one of the healing draughts from the Solstice Caravan. I don't know how much it'll help you right now but it should ease some of your suffering." It's enough for two doses and he's sure Steven could use all of it. "Either way we'll get you to a doctor."

Against all odds, to anyone who's met him, Joker has come out of this fairly well. He's kept close to Lion and Steven, half by pure accident, half because he wanted to make sure the boy stayed safe. Thus, any injuries he's taken are minimal, besides a few bruises from when he'd slid down or places where jagged crystals has torn through his shirt when he'd first caught Steven alongside Amethyst.

No, the one who'd stayed behind the most to fend off any enemies had been Feathers. Thus, it's no surprise that when they make it into the Carnival's grounds, the now enormous bird tries to make one of his customary landings onto Joker's shoulder. Coming down from his own jittery adrenaline high, he nearly misses it, and has to hastily swat the bird away with a few whispers. Bruised and battered, the Pokemon makes a sad noise at him, and has to be guided to Lion. Sorry there, buddy, but at least the presence of a large bird will help steady Steven.... or pick him up if he starts to slip.

Glancing over at Tyki over Steven's head, Joker gives a tired grin. "Thanks, Tyki," he says, not only for the potion but because he knows that the other man is the one who least wanted to end up on this tip. Still, he has a point. "C'mon, Lion, ta the medical tent. Just gotta keep goin' a while longer." Said for both Lion and the rest of them, including Steven.

"Thank you," Steven mumbles, like that's as loud as he has the strength to get. He reaches out for the vial, but his hands aren't the best at gripping right now, so really all he ends up doing is guiding it close enough to his face to drink. At least his touch doesn't seem to hurt people anymore.

After Steven is finished, Lion rumbles in vague agreement and starts to move along again. Steven's two Pokemon, now much bigger than they were before, trailing along after him, both looking kind of bothered that they can't hitch a ride quite as trivially anymore.

When Feathers gets close, though, Bud decides she's had enough of it and hops up onto Lion's back alongside Steven. Giving Feathers a look that seems to imply she's jealous for Steven's attention, she rests against his back with her sickles in a hug-like position.

Tyki's somewhat hurt but he ignores it. His injuries aren't crucial himself and they'll heal within a day with some moderate rest. He might keep his radio on to listen to any public broadcasts. He's not even sure if those can be called hands anymore as the kid reaches out. He's there every step of the way, helping him drink with a gentle hand if need be.

He plucks the empty vial back into his pocket and glances over at Yuya. He doesn't know how to help him, Gon signalling he's hurt in the first place, and he looks better off than Steven. He shows concern regardless, "Is it broken, you think?" Not that he's sure Yuya would let him reach into his body right nor did he really know anatomy that well.

He'll also give Lion a short pat of appreciation for coming for them, nod to Amethyst, and finally address Joker, "Sure, sure." Maybe he'll punch Lambert later. Maybe not.

Amethyst nods dazedly back from where she's kind of... leaning against Lion, having sort of slumped against his mane as soon as they safely reached the Carnival grounds even as all of them kept walking forward. She doesn't have any real injuries, because she's a gem and the options are basically intact and destabilised (although she looks kind of ragged anyway, sort of scuffed around the edges and with her hair sticking up in more places than usual), but she is absolutely emotionally wiped out. She can't believe they made it. She just hopes Steven's going to be okay, and she's not going to leave his side until she knows.

Yuya pulls his gaze away from Steven when Tyki addresses him, looking briefly uncertain as he reorients himself around his own injury. He tries to move his arm, but flinches and quickly aborts the effort with a hiss of pain.

"N--no, not broken... I think it's dislocated? Or just sprained..." It's a little hard to tell without feeling and moving it, and he's not really up for either right now.

Gongenzaka, at this point, sees fit to examine Yuuya a little more closely- rather awkwardly turning his entire upper half to begin sniffing over it as he loses himself more in immediate instinct over what will probably look 'proper'. Regardless of reaction, he pulls out his own bottle- inwardly ashamed that he forgot about it before Tyki brought some out for Steven.

"Here- it is best if you take at least some of this, in that case...fortunately, we have at least two in medical staff at the moment," he adds, frowning toward the medical tent. "...Courtesy of a rather recent hire, at least..." So he heard anyway.

The only thing that might be hurt here is a card spirit's pride, but go figure that Yugo preferred to keep his distance from High Fae. At such a perfect victory though, he can't decide if it's right to be immensely proud at being some help for such a dangerous mission or dread when for future encounters when they won't have library magic to give them an overwhelming edge.

Said magic still keeps his ride unnaturally silent as it rolls along. He peers toward the center of their expanded group where people are rightfully getting fussed over.

"And it's good we'll be able to get there in pretty much no time."

⇨ FAERIE TALES

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject