⇨ 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

[whattaprick]

Lambert shrugs.

“I knew there’d be consequences. I wanted to do something different. Too bad you weren’t around to tell me that was stupid, right?”

You know, on account of being dead.

[kingsroads]

"I'd have thought it would be obvious that torturing and binding someone was a stupid decision," Strange snaps back.

Unconsciously, his hand goes to his wrists as he rubs the mirrored scratches.

[whattaprick]

The small tell has Lambert gritting his teeth all over again.

“Seems like it works out for them well enough,” he snaps back. “So what else did he do besides teach you better ways to kill people? Did he have a good rummage through your head too? I’d say you should get captured by the Rose Queen too so you can say which Summer Fae is the best at torture, but I think we can just ask Steven!”

[kingsroads]

The flames in Strange's hair start to burn brighter as these idiots go right back to yelling at each other. He sits up from where he's lying on the ground, mostly so he can glare at Lambert better.

"Do you even care about what he did, or are you looking for an excuse to justify your actions?"

[whattaprick]

“Of course I care!” Lambert bellows, startling Butcher again, who looks like he’s wondering if he should be stomping on Strange again.

“But you’re clearly fine, right? Fine enough to tell me you’re going to quit if I do something you don’t like.”

[kingsroads]

"You bound him, Lambert. I can't let myself get comfortable with that."

At least in Strange's mind, that carries a much heavier implication than just something he doesn't like. He doesn't like the training course, and yet he still does it. But binding someone like that is beyond the pale.

[whattaprick]

“We restrained him from killing us,” Lambert snarls. “Or would you rather he burned Rita and Syrlya to the bone?” ... Do Sylvari even have bones? Doesn’t matter.

The witcher shoves an arm at Strange, tugging a bandage back to reveal ugly, healing (and peculiarly somewhat scaly skin).

“Obviously, I should have bound you too!”

[kingsroads]

Strange doesn't move as Lambert shoves his arm in his face. He winces slightly, but he doesn't look away, forcing himself to stand his ground and not let Lambert's horrible looking wound distract him.

"And then what? Would you have hurt me like you hurt Ignatius? What's your justification for that?"

[whattaprick]

“He’s our enemy! He’ll always be our enemy because of what he is and what he was made for! He said as much himself!” Lambert gesticulates.

“Obviously, you forgot that too!”

[kingsroads]

"Well he isn't mine!" And then all of Strange's issues with regards to Ignatius start to come pouring out. At the same time, one of his fists sets itself on fire again.

"I can't see the only person in this damn carnival who actually respects me as an enemy!"

Lambert's going to punch him for this but fuck it. He's already asked the Ringmaster if he could see Ignatius at some point, might as well get all this over and dealt with before that happens.

[whattaprick]

“That’s it? That’s all it takes? He sets you on the rest of us and would kill us if he could and he’s not your enemy because he respects you?”

Lambert’s voice is thick with disbelief. He can’t believe this — wait, yes he can.

“Then maybe you should get out of the nightrunners, after all.”

[kingsroads]

It's a bit more than just that but as soon as Lambert opens his mouth, Strange knows it's futile to even try. Instead, he holds his ground, clenches his fists, and glares in Lambert's general direction.

"Of course you wouldn't understand," Strange mutters, almost under his breath. When he speaks again, it's at full voice as he continues to stare down Lambert. "I said I'd leave the nightrunners only if you hurt someone like that again. Until then, you're stuck with me."

[whattaprick]

“You’re the greatest magician in England, Strange,” Lambert says, plainly. “History will remember your name forever. You’ll have all the respect anyone could ask for. So no, I don’t understand. Just because we don’t think your shit is gold doesn’t mean you’re not getting respect here.”

Painfully, beckoning Butcher over so he can use him as support to get back to standing, Lambert uses the Mudbray to get back on his feet.

“You want to keep working under me? Fine, then here’s an order: you’re not going out on any more missions.”

[kingsroads]

But they're not in England, are they. And, thanks to his conversation with the Ringmaster, Strange has to acknowledge the fact that he might not ever see England again. Not that he's telling Lambert that, however, because the theme of the hour is 'not addressing the elephant in the room.'

"Not once have you acknowledged any of my decisions have a hint of merit. And on top of that, you lie to me for months!" Yeah, he hasn't forgotten about Childermass and he's still kind of mad about that. "What about that is respect?"

Strange doesn't say anything about Lambert's 'don't go on missions' order, mostly because he doesn't think it'll stick.

[whattaprick]

“What, am I supposed to tell you ‘good job’ after everything you do? Which decisions am I supposed to acknowledge, exactly?” Lambert asks testily.

“It’s not my fault you’re blind. If you stopped thinking about yourself and realized people have lives that don’t revolve around you for five seconds, maybe you would have realized it.”

[kingsroads]

"Or you could have simply told me." Because seriously dude, there were plenty of places and times to do so! Strange isn't buying Lambert's excuses at all.

"As for my first point, every idea I bring up or every action I take is immediately attacked as stupid or foolish. The mirror, Ignatius, contracts, and so forth. Hell, you even talked over my points about the Summer Maiden barely ten minutes ago!"

[whattaprick]

“Maybe I didn’t want to,” Lambert snaps back. “Maybe I liked having some privacy.”

“Those decisions were stupid and foolish. You’d think so yourself if anyone but you made them, wouldn’t you?” He waves a hand. “How long have you felt this way? Stewing and stewing about not getting the respect you think you’re owed? Pretty sure Yuya respects you. But I guess that doesn’t count compared to Ignatius calling you a good boy.”

[kingsroads]

"But you don't," said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Childermass doesn't. The Ringmaster—" Well. The Ringmaster might. A week ago, he would have said she didn't but she at least entertained the idea of Strange talking to Ignatius. The Ringmaster might respect him a little bit.

"It doesn't matter," Strange says, as he changes the subject. "You won't listen to me anyway."

[whattaprick]

“I would die for you, Strange. I almost did. Isn’t that enough?” Lambert isn’t going to comment on respect Childermass may or may not have for him, but he is turning away.

“I’m serious. You’re not going out as nightrunner anymore, and I’m telling the rest of the nightrunners the same.”

With that, he starts walking away.

[kingsroads]

"That shouldn't have happened in the first place!" Strange yells at Lambert's retreating back. Strange, at least, is interpreting 'almost died' as 'Strange almost asphyxiating Lambert.' He doesn't want the conversation to end, not like this, so he scrambles up from the ground and keeps yelling.

"You should have killed me the moment I stepped in that arena." His voice falters a bit as Strange starts to follow Lambert to wherever he's going, knowing full well that all Lambert has to do is get on his stupid horse and he'd leave Strange in the dust.

[whattaprick]

Luckily for Strange, Lambert is too busted to get on his horse, so they’re just going to keep gimping along like this, the witcher stubbornly walking with one hand on the Mudbray’s neck and the other on his side. He isn’t really heading in any particular direction, just away.

“So killing people isn’t the answer until it is?” he snarls back. The argument is wearying, and even after a week of rest and recuperation, it’s leaving him dizzy, pulse pounding in his ears while his chest aches. “Convenient.”

[kingsroads]

Strange just had a week-long egg recovery session, is fueled by spite, and is too stupid to give up. He is not going to leave Lambert alone. And so, he follows Lambert and just keeps on talking, despite the fact that this conversation is practically unsalvageable as is.

"Stop being difficult. You know there's a difference between killing me and killing a High Fae. Besides, you wouldn't have tortured me."

[whattaprick]

“Yes. The difference is I know you,” Lambert says flatly. “And I’m regretting not torturing you right now.”

[kingsroads]

"The difference is if you murdered me, you wouldn't have the entirety of the Summer Court out for your blood," Strange clarifies, like Lambert's too stupid to know what the difference is. "It may come as a surprise to you, but some of us actually like you alive."

Though, not really at the moment. Strange still wants to wring Lambert's neck right now.

[whattaprick]

“Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t live up to your expectations of being a sword for you to stab yourself on,” Lambert answers, sarcasm heavy. “I know that’s dreadfully inconvenient.”