⇨ 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

[starseedling]

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!

[bananaspeedrider]

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!"

[npcarnival]

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.

[betheman]

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...

[starseedling]

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.

[hippocarnival]

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.

[prazerbutterfly]

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."

[pipers_son]

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.

[starseedling]

"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.

[prazerbutterfly]

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.

[drrdrrdrr]

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.

[hippocarnival]

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.

[betheman]

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.

[bananaspeedrider]

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."