⇨ 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

[hippocarnival]

No. [Yuya frowns, glancing between them before grabbing one of the water bottles he brought from the cook tent and tossing it to Gongenzaka.]

Odd-Eyes always shined before it happened, but maybe it really was Zarc? [That the dragons shared their power with Zarc in a way that they aren't with Yuya and Yugo, now.

Maybe they're just being stubborn.] Maybe it's because you're not in trouble this time? You would've been sent underground if you lost in the Friendship Cup.

[bananaspeedrider]

I wasn't in that much trouble.

[Saying so may or may not be considered rude as far as the dragon's are concerned, but naturally Yugo's going to defend his own skill as a duelist.]

Course, there's no way for us to know if that idea's on the right track without giving anyone another heart attack.

[betheman]

Mnnnh...considering his own opinions, I, the man Gongenzaka, should agree with Yuugo, [the man remarks.] After all, if it were a matter of danger, he would have to believe so himself...or at the very least realize it, aah?

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks mildly skeptical about that, but without a clear debate he just shrugs.] I don't know. I wasn't really aware when it started happening. It was just... the next moment I was dueling with Yugo.

[He waves Odd-Eyes a little.] We got to rethink this. Any ideas what else it might be?

[bananaspeedrider]

My ideas started and stopped at trying to duel and have our dragons do the rest. Guess we gotta find our own way of doing things if you're still down with this.

[Looking toward Gon for what should totally be obvious reasons-]

Hey Gongenzaka, maybe you have some ideas? You seem like the kind of guy who'd naturally be into this kind of stuff!

[betheman]

Hmn.... [For a moment, he seems to seriously be thinking things over in silence. At least, until he's called out directly.] MNH!?

What is that meant to mean..!? [He protests hurriedly.] To speak with Creation is not the same as linking thoughts with another..!!

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya looks equally confused about that. He asked for Gongenzaka's help because he's his best friend and they only have so many duelists, not so much because he expected Gon to have a vested interest in hiveminding.] You were the one who was excited... why would Gongenzaka be into it?

[bananaspeedrider]

I was just thinking it since every other time I see him, he's always meditating.

[When he doesn't catch sight of the giant taur on the job as patrol anyway.]

Plus he already talks like an old and wise grandpa when it comes to bonds between people that go as deep as the "spirit", you know?

[betheman]

M-Meditation and what you are both attempting to do now, are entirely different matters..!! [He shouts, bristling.] And I do not sound old..!!

[Incredible, how one can come to terms with Looking ancient, but refuse other factors-]

[hippocarnival]

[Ah, there it goes. Yuya leans forward, holding a hand up like he's going to placate their differences.] Meditation is about clearing your mind, Yugo, not letting people into it.

Anyway, if we're all approaching this with no ideas, maybe we should take a break...

[bananaspeedrider]

Well a break does sound good.

[And with that note of agreement said... whether or not there's more water bottles where the one thrown to Gon came from, Yugo plops down and takes one for himself. The instant after he has it open he douses his face with a bit before chugging the rest of the bottle.]

[betheman]

Hnnn... Agreed, then...

Perhaps while we rest, we can discuss what occurred during times you were 'synchronized', as it is put. There could be a clue into how we can succeed, that way.

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya shoots Gongenzaka a flat look at he goes straight into a topic that Yuya would definitely define as 'still working, not a break at all'. But he'll still answer, as apparently the person most aware of what the hell that even was.]

Yugo didn't even realize it happened until he found a book in the Athenaeum. It just felt kind of like a dream to me, but I wasn't in control of myself at all.

[bananaspeedrider]

[Yugo visibly goes into deep thought, as if racking his brains for some kind of clue. Because maybe if he could just remember something important on his own end...!]

You said it happened while I was dueling Sawatari too, yeah? We barely started in that one... and then the duel became the only thing on my mind right after I got Clear Wing out.

[betheman]

[No it's totally a break ok

totally

As it is, he listens.] Sawatari?

...Mnn...what occurred in the moments leading up to that point, then?

[hippocarnival]

Odd-Eyes was shining. I was doing anything else, really, but when I looked at him... suddenly I was just there. And then when the duel was over, I was back where I was. Even if I couldn't see him.

[But if it was Odd-Eyes, he's not being terribly cooperative now. Yuya's not picking up any sense of resistance, so... maybe he just can't?]

[bananaspeedrider]

[Considering there's not much else Yugo can think to add out of his perspective of the duel, he merely shrugs once Yuya is finished.]

Nothing really felt weird to me for that time.

[betheman]

[Well. Hmm. That doesn't really help much. At this rate HE'LL be closer to synchronizing with Yuuya...]

...I, the man Gongenzaka, do not suppose you have consulted the dragons themselves..?

[Diddddd yah ask? Them?]

[hippocarnival]

They don't really talk like that... and Odd-Eyes didn't have much to say about it. [Asking his dragon was, of course, the first thing he did and the reason he's been staring at his card this whole time. He doubts they're as ignorant as they act, but that doesn't mean they're still capable and just not doing it, either.]

[bananaspeedrider]

Yeah it's not really in words, Clear Wing hasn't given me anything either.

[And the most response he's been getting is the dragon getting all huffy in return whenever Yugo gets huffy at them.]

Is our next move gonna have to be meditating or something? [Which he attempts to ask without any touch of sarcasm, as if anticipating himself not being very good at it.]

[betheman]

[Gongenzaka raises his brows to that. Specifically, to Yuugo.]

Would you have issue with meditation?

[Boi He Might]

[hippocarnival]

[Yuya tilts his head back with a groan.] I'm not good at meditation.

[He knows this and has accepted this flaw, but that does only make him even less enthusiastic about trying.

He tips his head forward again.] Why don't we come back to it later when we have better ideas? We're camping, so we can... tell ghost stories or camp songs, or something.

[He pauses.] Does anyone know any camp songs?

[bananaspeedrider]

[Really shows how much these two really are related in a sense. It's uncanny.]

Actually I've never been camping before, so I dunno anything about camping songs either. Or at least no one's ever taught me any.

[betheman]

Auh...I- I, the man Gongenzaka, confess...the same can be said for myself. 'Camping' was more....a matter of training, for myself.

I can certainly sing, but...

[back up buddy what was that about singing]

[hippocarnival]

[He's not that surprised to hear it from Gongenzaka, but Yugo not having any experience either makes him reconsider, briefly, like he's considering that he's either going to have to teach them some dumb children's song or find another activity.

Gon speaks up before he can get too far in that thought, though, and Yuya tilts his head back forward and looks at him.] I've never heard you sing before. You know a song?