⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everybody!
When: Day 64
Where: The Camping Grounds
What: While the Ringmaster attempts to purge the carnival of magical tracing spells and deal with the angry fire fae in her belly, everyone else is getting sent on an emergency camping trip with some unusual local fauna.
Warnings: Camping.

CRYPTIC CAMPGROUNDS↴ You're given about three hours to prepare, after the Ringmaster tells you her plans for the coming week. There is a vast selection of camping equipment at your disposal, and the means to take along enough food for the length of the stay. The wilderness of the planet you're left on is nearly idyllic, but some people just don't like the great outdoors. ► CRYPTOZOOLOGY: As it turns out, the carnival won't be alone here. There is a varied ecosystem of cryptids to be found as well, living in relative peace and mostly reacting to the newcomers with curiousity. More details can be found on the plotting post. You are free to NPC the cryptids as much as you need to, as long as you stick to the behaviours described. ► DREAMSHARING: There is a player plot going on which will allow characters to share dreams! These are specifically more dreams than nightmares, and the mushi-adept characters will be here to help. ► CHILLAX: There isn't any plot twist for this setting, so this is mostly an opportunity to decompress from the last plot and get ready for the future. The Ringmaster will show up occasionally to help with needed medical treatments and check on things, but won't stick around for long.

Comments

[mylastchance]

He hesitates, and then nods.

"I was with Susan, Joker, and some others who were looking for him. I tried attacking her with snow, so she... Had the earth open beneath me." It feels stupid saying he was buried all the time. The earth opening at least sounds a little more intimidating. It makes him feel less stupid for being so bothered by it.

If it were anyone besides the Rose Queen who did it he could have somehow fought it. He could have turned into a mole, something that could dig, even an earthworm, though the thought of turning into such a small thing made him feel sick. Still, he could have done something to escape.

"I couldn't get out, and they had to leave me behind. I was there a few days before someone found me."

[mylastchance]

He doesn't lay down as Susan tugs his sleeve, and actually moves to stand up.

"I just... Need a minute." he goes over to their dying fire, using the spark in his hand to light it again. It glows dim, only barely alive with the firewood at it's center already burnt through. Goosebumps cover his skin, making his hairs stand on end. It's just the cold, he tells himself, trying to clear his mind of the memories.

BONE TO PICK

[mylastchance]

Lauren only avoids being hit with the bone-marang by bringing his staff up in time to block it. The mothman continues making it's escape and Lauren is left looking from it to the pokemon in question.

"Don't tell me you want to eat that?" he says, incredulous. His own pokemon is at home, shy as she is around new animals (potential predators) but Ivy the vine fox is at his feet, back arched and tails standing straight in a defensive posture.

LIFE HAX

[mylastchance]

"What for?" Lauren asks, looking the shorter boy over. Was he even a boy though? He was a robot right? How did that even work? He keeps those questions to himself, thankfully.

DREAM

[mylastchance]

In his dreams Lauren is a child again, and as he leaves the familiar sites of the carnival behind he stares in awe at the glowing river that shines before him. He gets closer instantly, ignoring Ginko's warning, and goes to dip a hand into the water.

dream big shrug

[mylastchance]

Yuya might recognize Lauren in his dream tonight, where he stands with his carnival changes green skin and all. Even still, the people standing nearest Lauren are a mystery., one a tall thin dark haired dark skinned elven woman, the other an old balding white bearded man. The man is dressed in a long robe, and the woman in an old fashioned dress, both seem very interested in whatever Lauren is saying.

"So it's both plant and animal." says the old man, astounded. He's bent over and looking at a fox shaped from vines. The bounsweet Lauren calls Holly sits in the woman's arms looking content.

"She's so cute, I could just eat her up!" at those words the bounsweet starts to panic, flailing the woman's grip. Lauren is eager to rescue the pokemon from her.

"Nana! Don't say things like that, you'll scare her!"

[kingsroads]

"Most of what I found that I thought would help other people thought would be a terrible idea." Strange is trying to sound nonchalant and sound like this doesn't bother him, but in reality? It still kind of does.

"The Silver Mirror can remove darkness from people's hearts. Considering that my curse is a curse of eternal darkness, I thought it would be worth it to try and use the mirror to lift my curse."

But then everybody yelled at him the moment he vocalized that idea.

[kingsroads]

"Well what about me?" he snaps. Smoke's starting to rise from Strange's fist as he gets more and more irritated. "Am I responsible for what I did to Childermass? To Steven?"

He's stubbornly glaring at Rita, as if a petty staredown will help her see his point.

[hippocarnival]

So... that's a no.

Yuya pulls his stick back and eats a marshmallow whole, taking the time to remember everything he heard about the mirror on the radio.

"We knows it messes with souls, but... nothing else." He rests his chin on his hand, thoughtful. "It might work, but we should learn more about what it does before trying, right?"

That seems reasonable, understand the dangerous magical artifact before you experiment with it. "Lilith probably knows more, if they'll talk to us."

Eggsitting

[sunflowerfields]

At least Papyrus doesn't have to spent the entire time alone- if he doesn't take breaks for meals, Hinawa will just bring them to him.

"Having fun?" She asks, carrying a plate of tonight's dinner.

[sunflowerfields]

"I didn't even see you up there!" She waves back before noticing just how much fruit the trees are bearing. "...Oh my goodness, would you look at all that!"

[prazerbutterfly]

"Ah, a traditionalist," he says with some appreciation to that. "I do like getting the special treatment." Plus it said a lot about her character when she liked hanging out with someone. It's a genuine way of showing respect in his world and likely in hers. He allows her as close as she wants to be and offers the glass to her to take.

"Shochu?" he asks. He's trying to remember exactly what that is. He spent a lot of time in Edo after all and around that area, "Just how exotic are you, beautiful?" He is part of Acquisitions and he could make that happen.

[textsfromhotland]

I can't use my laptop... or sleep in my own bed... or catch up on my shows... this is seriously the worst!

[textsfromhotland]

Alphys follows behind, flying on her staff like a broomstick, and soon they find the snack aisle. And what a glorious sight to behold! She thinks she can hear a choir of angels singing somewhere.

"It's so... it's so beautiful!"

[prazerbutterfly]

Tyki's hands lift off the edge of the smoothed wood in order to stand up fully. His heel cranes into the dirt under his sole and he turns to face him with lidded eyes. He's content from the golden apple still and it is hard to be angry at anyone right now.

"Exactly how did you mess up with the Rose Queen?" he responds just as quickly as before. He won't take an apology without it meaning something. Even then, there is a point that needs to be made. Trust that needs to be re-earned.

[textsfromhotland]

Alphys has just taken to lying in the middle of the pile of poles and canvas, apparently giving up. This is her home now.

"Why did they make these things so hard to use?" She bemoans her fate.

[prazerbutterfly]

It is times like these that he enjoys watching Strange figure out everything on his own. He watches his expressions and gauges that understanding with a gleeful enthusiasm. There we good. Such a smart magician.

Note that he did not offer the apple juice. That was solely for him and he has it tucked against his side already opened. He lifts a brow at the pineapple juice but then remembers Wismuth. Ah, it goes much deeper does it?

"Since you've figured it out, perhaps, I can indulge you that it is my Power to Choose," he says more specifically. "No, I do not because I already subconsciously want to touch the ground when I walk. Do you remember the effects of Faerie Ale during The Cure from the Manor? I could barely stay standing on my own two feet. Sunk into the ground, missed a step here or there, started floating." He feels awfully sorry the night Childermass took care of him, even if Tyki is grateful that he did.

[textsfromhotland]

"Huh? Oh hey!" Alphys waves back. "Yuya, right? Did you come to look at the ocean, too? It's r-really something, huh?"

She doesn't seem at all aware that this isn't her own dream.

[prazerbutterfly]

His mood deflates the moment she starts talking. He was hoping for something like sticker collecting, pony riding, starting fires, or even something mundane as hiking. But no, it's studying. He would've even been fine with reading books.

It's all over his face how disappointed he is until she perks up about magic, "Oh right, you were part of the Mage's Club." That's acceptable, "I just figured with all this wonderful air, the beauty of the trees, the feel of the water on skin, that there would be something more."

[wild_magic]

He doesn't want Lauren to get up, and he pouts as he sits up himself to watch him. Of course he doesn't need the light of the fire to see, but it's familiar, and he watches Lauren as he's lit by it.

"Do you... Want to talk about it?"

~~ <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< , , , ___/\______ <-- this is a dumb shark

[prazerbutterfly]

"Then come join me! There's plenty of bait and I have another fishing pole."

Because Tyki hasn't really clicked yet that Pod 153 over there is in fact fishing.

"Always when I had the opportunity. Sometimes with a pole, sometimes a spear, other times with my hands if I wanted a challenge. Most of the time with a pole."

[prazerbutterfly]

[Despite their conversation, Tyki is already opening his cloth wrapped bag which turns out to be bedding. A thick blanket and pillows spill out in an unfashionable way. How exactly all of them seemed to fit together is a wonder given the volume and size doesn't quite match the bag. He's taking up the left corner as he rolls out a thick blanket and starts to pad it with plush pillows.]

Mister Rhys, you'll find that I often enjoy company no matter the situation unless you can properly read when I want peace and quiet. I would never allow a situation to become uncomfortable for me. I enjoy the luxury.

[mylastchance]

He shrugs, honestly not sure talking will help. It was just a dream. It wasn't real, only frightening.

"I don't know."

[seniorvicejanitor]

It is.

[ he didn't even mind the laptop (because he had a computer built into him) or the shows but he missed the bed and the roof and the door that locked. ]

What are we supposed to do to entertain ourselves? Talk?

[anti_nonsense]

Two can play at this petty staredown nonsense. Rita meets his glare with a stubborn look of her own, and retorts, "What if you are?"

Because he very well might be. If what Lambert said was true, then in some way, they really did live their lives in Portland. It was a realization with heavy implications for Rita... but nowhere near what they would be for Strange.