⇨ THE EPILOGUE

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 61
Where: The Carnival
What: After all the rescues team return, it will be matter of tending to the wounded and getting the hell out of dodge. The Ringmaster can handle the fleeing part, but someone will need to look after those in the medical tent. Or, maybe, you just want to show up and ask what the hell happened.
Warnings: Some messed up consequences of faerie fuckery.

IN REPAIR↴ As the minutes tick past, all four rescue groups will eventually return. Everyone in the carnival is encouraged to help out, ensuring that the rescues and victims both are taken care of after the fact. You can tag in here as rescuers taking care of business around the carnival, victims recovering, or other workers checking in to see what's going on. This log is for general aftermath threads, made by anyone.

Comments

[mylastchance]

He takes the cup, gladly taking a long sip, before promptly pouring the rest on the ground.

[wild_magic]

He stares at the ground in surprise before looking back up to Lauren.

"...Didn't you want it?"

[mylastchance]

"Of course." he answers, looking confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

[wild_magic]

He looks to the ground again.

"I mean. Didn't you want to... Drink it?"

[mylastchance]

"I did drink it." he says, starting to look uncomfortable. It's only just now hitting him that what he just did must have looked pretty odd.

"...It makes the dirt feel better."

[wild_magic]

He finally just shakes his head, not really understanding but not questioning either.

"You're so weird."

[mylastchance]

He wilts, shoulders slumping as he turns away from his brother.

[wild_magic]

He frowns as Lauren gets upset, moving to stand in front of him again.

"I was only teasing."

[mylastchance]

"But you really think that."

[wild_magic]

"You asked me for water, then poured it out. That's at least a little weird."

[mylastchance]

He frowns, slumping back to rest his weight against their trailer.

"Yeah." he finally says looking glum.

[wild_magic]

His brother was so happy when they came out, and now he's not. Susan doesn't like it, and he can't help but feel at least partially at fault.

"But it's okay. You're always weird!"

[mylastchance]

His back slides down the trailer until he's sitting in the dirt, knees bent in front of him. He was always weird, but not this weird. At least before he still felt like a person, now he wasn't sure what he was.

[wild_magic]

Susan sits next to him after a minute, silent for now. He loves Lauren, and he just wishes he knew what to say to make his brother feel better. Why is Lauren the only person he never knows how to talk to?

[mylastchance]

Lauren rests his arms on his knees and his head on his arms, staring out in front of them. He wasn't really looking at anything, just lost in thought. It's only after a long moment of silence that he volunteers something.

"I'm different now."

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head after a moment.

"You're still you. You're still Lauren."

[mylastchance]

But was he? He didn't know what made him Lauren. Was it the way he looked? The way he acted? The way he felt? He didn't look the same and he didn't feel the same. He wasn't acting the same either. Never before did he have such a strong desire to be outside, to be connected to the ground beneath his feet. He shakes his head, looking at where the top of his feet disappear below the soil.

"I'm an imposter."

[wild_magic]

He shakes his head more insistently.

"No, you aren't! You're still Lauren. You're still my brother."

[mylastchance]

His shoulders hunch up as he keeps staring at the ground. He knew it was true. He had the same memories as before, the same scars and the same feelings for Susan and the rest of the carnival. Still, he felt wrong, like there was something wrong inside of him that he couldn't quite name.

"I feel wrong. Like there's something wrong with me." he finally says, quietly, not daring to look at his brother.

[wild_magic]

That... Well it wasn't quite what he expected to hear, but it wasn't too surprising when it came down to it. It explained what the real problem was at least, even if that problem wasn't something he could really fix.

"Maybe... Maybe once you're back longer, you'll feel better."

[mylastchance]

He thinks about it, and then nods. Maybe it was just the walking around that felt so odd. After being buried for so long he could move on his own again, maybe it was just something simple and small, like that.

"...I hope so."

[wild_magic]

"Me too." He remembers coming back after being in the Prince's prison, how it took some time to readjust. Maybe it's just that. Maybe everything will be okay.