⇨ 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

[kingsroads]

"Absolutely not," Strange responds, cutting off whatever Yuya's going to say. First Childermass gives up his cards for Strange's protection, then Lambert says he'll take on a contract to break Strange's curse, why are there so many people that Strange knows who are willing to do things for him, despite the fact that (in Strange's mind), he's done absolutely nothing in return?

"If you're going to ask her for a favor, use it to protect yourself or Gongenzaka. Besides, there's no use getting a ward like that considering that again, Ignatius is stuck at the carnival."

There's a whole potential multiverse between Strange and Nightshade. It's a bit hard to hide from someone when they metaphorically live in the same house as you.

[hippocarnival]

Whereas Yuya thinks he has a lot to thank Strange for, and honestly likes the guy. Probably more than most of the carnival.

"So we do it at the end of your contract, or maybe she has a better idea." He puffs his cheeks in stubborn insistence. Hey, maybe she's powerful enough to null the agreement, can they know until they ask? "Isn't that fine?"

[kingsroads]

Strange still isn't a big fan of this. Wasn't Yuya just talking about how he was worried about Gongenzaka? Use the favor for that! He gives Yuya a look that pretty much implies he's not too fond of that idea. Still...it's a decent compromise.

Of course, this means he'll just have to find a way to break the curse before his contract is up, so Yuya can use that favor to benefit himself.

"I suppose that's fine," he begrudgingly remarks. "Though again, I've no idea when, if ever, we'll stop at the Summerlands again."

[hippocarnival]

Gongenzaka doesn't have Fae contacts inhibiting his ability to go home.

It's enough of a compromise for Yuya, and he leans back satisfied with a smile.

"If I explain it to the Ringnaster, she'll find a way. Maybe I should ask her how I'm supposed to use it..." Because he has no idea, maybe just calling her is enough? He rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"How much longer do you have with your contract?"

[kingsroads]

"She'll have more of an idea how to use it than most," Strange explains. After all, it's a fae thing. And, since she's a fae, Strange is banking on the Ringmaster's knowledge of fae things more than either of theirs.

As for the question, Strange does some quick mental math before answering, "Just a few more months, I think. Going home for a while knocked my calendar for a loop." Especially since Strange wasn't entirely sure just how long he had spent in the darkness.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya nods. A few months, huh... Yuya must be down to around five as well. So much time has passed, and yet he doesn't feel any closer to it being over.

"I guess you didn't find anything in the Athenaeum that'd help?" Maybe he'd be more confident he could manage it in a few months if he did. Of course, they were all so busy looking for the miracles maybe he didn't have the chance among everything else.

[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.

[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."

[kingsroads]

"Her subjects might know more as well," Strange points out. "Since I suspect we'll be going to Eden, I'll find a way to talk with them." After all, there was that whole realm of beasts thing. And considering that gossip and getting information is apparently the main thing the carnival considers Strange good for, might as well learn about it that way.

He's heard a lot more 'you idiot, now the fae know everything you know' compared to 'you're a stupid op magician, don't give them your power' or 'I missed you, you moron' in the past few days.

"No matter what, I want to study it," he points out, still sticking to his guns on that one. "I've been developing my reflection magic to greater heights. I could figure this thing out easier than anyone else."

[hippocarnival]

"That's probably right." Yuya won't disagree it falls into Strange's expertise. Her subjects will likely be easier to talk to... well, he hopes they will be anyway. He'd rather not come to discover it's another Manor.

"Could you teach it to me? The scrying, and walking and talking through mirrors. I think I want to learn it."

Maybe there's ways he can apply it with his other spells to protect his friends. And it is Strange's expertise, so he knows that kind of magic the best.

[kingsroads]

"You're my apprentice," Strange responds, as if it's obvious. Of course he'd teach Yuya scrying or talking through mirrors. Yuya was smart, Yuya was talented, and most importantly, Yuya was willing to put in the effort and the practice to learn something thoroughly.

Strange gives Yuya a little grin before continuing. "I'll teach you whatever you want. Now, what shall we start with?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya grins wider at that. He's not lacking for good adult figures willing to help and teach him, but having another still warms his heart.

"Maybe talking through mirrors? Especially if we're going to find a way to make it work across the universe, I should learn how it works now." He nods, apparently confident in his decision about which one to start with.

And then he remembers what Lambert mentioned about scrying before, and his expression slips a little. "Uh, but, wait--I have a question."

He holds up his finger for emphasis. "Lambert said you use your scrying to spy on him."

That's not a question.

[kingsroads]

Strange beams. He's about to start talking up a lesson plan, start explaining the use of mirrors and how they'll best start Yuya off...when Yuya asks what Strange interprets as an intensely dumb question. Of course he uses his scrying to spy on Lambert. Why wouldn't he?

"I scry for everybody."

Is this a problem? How is this a problem, Strange doesn't see anything wrong with this.

[hippocarnival]

"But to spy on him." Yuya emphasizes, leaning forward. "Not when everyone's in trouble, but when he's just hanging out or doing other things!"

Like the moon sleepovers.

"... Do you spy on me?"

[kingsroads]

Strange is still confused as to why Yuya has a problem with this. It's just spying. What's the harm?

"Not as much as I spy on Lambert," Strange admits. "I can't spy on Childermass whenever he's in the shadows. I spy on Rita plenty." And Strange has some good Rita gossip: he gives Yuya this big, awful, I've got a secret sort of grin. "And I know which member of the carnival she's dating."

[hippocarnival]

'Not as much' isn't zero percent.

Yuya stares dumbly for a moment, and Strange's attempt to gossip goes in one ear and out the other as Yuya processes oh, yeah, Strange has spied on him. What? When? Doesn't matter! He's going to assume the worst anyway.

Which is why he jumps back suddenly, face going red as he flusters. "Don't spy on me! I didn't even know you were doing that!"

Not that knowing makes it any better. Is he going to have to be paranoid every moment he's alone now? How does he block scrying?!

[kingsroads]

And all of Yuya's freaking out and flustering is met with a confused frown from Strange.

"I don't watch you," Strange points out. Not unless Yuya's doing something interesting, that is. "I just like to check in on people every now and then."

Via magic. Without their consent. And without people knowing. But really, those are just small problems, that still doesn't explain why Yuya's freaking out about this.

[hippocarnival]

"Okay, you're still invading my privacy." Yuya points his stick at Strange emphatically. This is the conversation with Tamaki all over again, isn't it? No boundaries at all...

"That's rude! And weird, and I definitely didn't say you could do that."

[kingsroads]

"Lambert doesn't mind," Strange points out, like this changes everything. Except no, Lambert did mind at first, but now he's just accepted the fact that Strange is going to spy on him like nobody's business.

"But fine, if you want me to stop scrying for you, then I'll try to do so. Crisis situations excepted, of course."

[hippocarnival]

"I'm not Lambert." Which is said like it's the most obvious thing, which it should be! And he's pretty sure even if Lambert doesn't mind (questionable) most of the people Strange spies on would.

"Wouldn't you feel weird if someone was looking at you without you knowing when?"

[kingsroads]

"But I would know if they were looking at me," Strange points out, as if it's obvious. "I can see and sense magic, I think I'd be able to tell if someone was casting a scrying spell on me."

That is not the point in the slightest.

[hippocarnival]

That isn't remotely the point, which vis very obviously going over Strange's head. But his rebuff does make Yuya pause, and he raises a brow.

"I thought scrying was done from far away. How far can you sense magic?" Yuya thought it was close proximity--would it really work with magic cast far away?

[kingsroads]

He'll at least admit to this part: Strange has no clue.

"I'm not entirely sure," Strange admits, with a little shrug. "Nobody else in the carnival can scry and barely anybody else has ranged magical effects." He pauses, mulling things over before he continues. "I can't sense when you're warding things and I'm not there. But because I'm not the target, that probably makes a difference."

[hippocarnival]

"Maybe the Ringmaster has a similar spell you can test it with." He puts a hand to his chin, thoughtful. "The ward probably means Nightshade can't find you like that even out of the carnival, but we should know for sure you'd know, right?"

It'd probably be a big help if Strange could know if someone was scrying for him--both for his personal safety and in case someone's looking for him to look for the carnival.

[kingsroads]

"I did go home to England for a bit, during Greysol," Strange points out, as if he's connecting some of the dots for the first time. "That would have been a perfect opportunity for her to find me and snatch me back up, but she didn't." It'd be a perfect opportunity because Strange knows he spent 50% of that stay absolutely bonkers and the other 50% he was down for murder.

As for the Ringmaster...Strange frowns a little.

"Let's wait and ask the Ringmaster once we're done camping. I'm certain she has her hands full dealing with everything at the moment." And also because he doesn't want the Ringmaster to be the one to drop the bomb about just how badly Strange made things worse for himself by taking on Ignatius's agreement.