⇨ 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]

"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.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya shakes his head with a wry smile. "I didn't mean right now." He knows she's busy, and probably stressed. Actually, maybe someone should check up on her? If she was so upset she was crying, she's could probably use a little reassurance.

Yuya stuffs the last bit of toasted marshmallow in his mouth. "I guess we're going after the mirror after this. What do you think Eden's going to be like?"

[kingsroads]

Strange's expression lights up with excitement. He's got a theory about what Eden's like and he'll happily share it with Yuya.

"The information that we found says that Lilith took the Silver Mirror from the Winter Queen to a realm of Beasts. Childermass's text said something about 'Mankind being anathema' and the Beasts creating the perfect world." Strange is lecturing now, though he doesn't realize it. "Ergo, if we'll want to slip into Eden and steal the Silver Mirror, we shouldn't look like your typical human.

I think Eden's going to be full of animals. And, in order to better fit in, we'll need to be animals ourselves." He grins, proud of this theory, before Strange admits, "Of course, there are a few holes in it. The designation of 'beast', for one."

[hippocarnival]

That much Yuya knew from the conversation on the radio, but he just nods in response.

"We probably don't count like this." He points to himself. "But I kind of hope we can convince Lilith to give it to us, instead of just stealing it... and I hope they don't treat the animals like the Prince."

It doesn't sound like the paradise they hope for, but that doesn't mean it's desolate. It could just be normal, but with wildlife instead of people.

[kingsroads]

"Considering she stole it in the first place, we'll probably have to steal it back." Strange isn't too certain about the whole 'maybe she'll give it nicely to us' idea and the small little frown on his face shows. Still, he's not going to outright crush Yuya's dream as not feasible, so he continues talking.

"Though, I've no idea how she would treat the animals. You'd think that if it were a paradise, she'd treat them nicely but we've no idea what Lilith considers paradise-worthy."

[hippocarnival]

That's the concern, isn't it? Good intentions don't mean good actions, and Yuya knows how wayward someone's ideal of the world can be. He just doesn't want another horrific, traumatizing endeavor trying to get the Silver Mirror, too. With murder.

"But maybe we could avoid making another enemy somewhere..." He rubs the back of his neck.

[kingsroads]

"I can only hope," Strange sighs, little frown on his face. Because while he's become kind of worryingly comfortable with the idea of murder as a way to get things done, he'd still prefer other options.

"No matter what, I'm certain we'll come out of this on top," he chimes in, giving Yuya a small smile. This is partly out of optimism, partly out of egotism. Strange really wants to see that mirror, so he's not even going to consider the possibility that they won't get it. "Preferably with the Ringmaster eating fewer people this time around."

[hippocarnival]

"Uh--yeah." Yuya honestly tries not to think about the eating people thing the Ringmaster does.

He's not sure they have the option to not get the mirror, either, with the Courts after it and the Ringmaster's head now. But that's a thought for another day. They're supposed to be taking the moment to recover, not worrying about the future and what all of this means for them.

He stabs his stick into the ground before offering Strange the rest of the bag.

[kingsroads]

Strange doesn't take the bag, but takes a few more marshmallows for himself. Putting one in his mouth, he looks over at the campfire. Or, more accurately, what remains of their terribly built campfire.

"I should put this out," he explains through a mouth full of marshmallow. "That is, unless you want to sit and talk a bit more."

No matter if it's putting the fire out or relighting it, it would be better for Strange to do it standing up. Getting to his feet, Strange shoves the other marshmallows in his mouth before vaguely gesturing for Yuya to back away from the fire pit.