lostcarnival | ⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

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⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

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.

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It's definitely nothing she'd have enough confidence to press about in reality, that much is clear. She sort of hopes they don't remember anything when they wake up as well- otherwise there would be all sorts of awkward coughing (from her), and...

"...It's practically mind control, then..." she murmurs, leaning back in the spin and closing her eyes when they're back to the more standard positions of the dance. "...It was a little like that for a while, at home I think. ...A mix between that and the Void..." She trails off, and chews her lip.

"It would almost be kinder- to have the 'thought' that something would be for the best, in your own mind, instead of 'because I was told', it seems..." Where she was going with this, she's not sure. What she's sure enough of is that she's probably gone quite a ways too far, which has her choking. "N-! Not that we need to talk more about that, obviously..!" she hurriedly insists. "...It's just been on my mind."

No guesses why, really.

Strange, who barely knows anything about Carly's home life, is damn confused. She's not really making any sense and he knows that he must be missing a lot of context here.

He frowns a little, trying to remember if he knew anything that Carly could be referring to. And...Strange is coming up with nothing. Though Carly obviously wants to push past it, his curiosity is too great as he, rather bluntly, asks,

"What happened in your home?"

Astonishingly, she'd been more concerned about Strange's privacy than her own- it's enough that it's her turn to almost fumble in the dance, before shaking it off and determinedly falling back into line. "AH... ...Mnh. ...I guess that's only fair," she mutters, thinking about the matters of a private question for a private question.

Besides, it might be better shared with someone who can at least partly empathize, she imagines. Even a little anyway.

"..Do you remember my shadow?" she asks, seemingly ignoring the question. It's related however, because of course it is- that curious former shadow of hers, which used to speak with a deep voice and an irritated tone at all times, grumbling about one thing or another. "...'Aslla Piscu'," she goes on, naming the former being.

"...We came in together. ...From the afterlife."

This tale is probably going to be Extremely Juicy.

Strange never had as much interaction with Aslla as some of the other carnival members did. But he remembers it existed and remembers that the shadow did something to Carly's magic.

Surprisingly enough, her tale of coming back from the afterlife doesn't seem to surprise Strange too much. It isn't a common practice, but magic has brought people back from the dead in his world—Strange even brought a few people back himself. What, did this mean Carly was implying her shadow was from hell? But why would the Ringmaster bring in someone and an attached demon?

"I still don't see how the shadow has anything to do with mind control or enthralling. Unless, of course, it tried to enthrall you." Did it? He looks over at Carly with a curious expression.

Given the slight grimace she has, the answer is a Big Fat Yes. "...I had to give some context on 'who' before explaining that part, I thought," she awkwardly points out, even trying to smile. It doesn't last- but it's a bit easier to explain when the name and identity of the one doing the mind control is known isn't it?

That's how she thinks of it, at least.

"...It wasn't just 'tried'. It 'was'. Where I came from, Aslla Piscu was one of the 'Earthbound'- Demon gods, who made contracts with chosen servants in their dying moments, bringing them back to life in exchange for servitude. If they helped them win the war, then it would be glory, power, the heart's desire..." Should there be a spin here, she wonders as they dance, taking a deep breath. She feels like their should be- but of course, she is not the one leading, so she continues.

"...But I didn't want those things... ....So it was a tight leash, right until we lost. ...And when we did, the price was joining him in hell, and even farther below."

But Carly doesn't leave it at that- after all, as she had said- "...For...most of the time I was like that...I thought I was doing something I wanted. ...I thought I was doing it for someone I loved. ...It wasn't until I realized it wasn't at all, that he took hold entirely."

She grows quiet from there, her feet moving quite automatically with memorized patterns for dance. It's a detail she hasn't even brought up to Yuusei- the one who's from her world, who's from that war- and certainly not one she was able to speak about with the one who had known from it.

It's strange to bring it up so directly this time.

Strange simply listens. Carly's story is a series of familiar concepts that Strange is able to string together to understand the narrative: contracts, bringing the dead back to life, wars between two factions. As such, he's straight up believing her and paying a lot of attention to the narrative she's telling him.

And man. Poor Carly could not catch a break. Strange keeps his expression fairly steady, but there's something in Strange's frown that just grows more and more horrified by the matter.

It's when she mentions that she thought she was doing it for someone she loved that Strange's expression dramatically shifts. He frowns and doesn't meet Carly's eyes for a moment. That's a far too familiar feeling: Strange is someone who has a large amount of experience doing boneheaded things for the person he loves. He drove himself mad for the sake of bring Arabella back.

"I can see why you'd think it better if, while enthralled, you thought you were doing what was best." Because then you'd at least have a goal or something to fight for. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"It's such a sad excuse, isn't it?" she asks, but without waiting for an answer merely shakes her head. She's better at reading others than most would assume- she can see that frown, and the way Strange looks away. So she smiles- weakly, painfully, but she smiles honestly at least, which is important she imagines. "I got back at them in the end...when I was certain they really were the worst, that there was no changing a demon," Carly adds.

And shrugs- "...It's why I...changed 'coats', you could say..~" Black feathers to sheer light Is rather dramatic after all.

"...I'm sorry it happened to you," she continues softly. "...Being enthralled...twice, wasn't it? ....You were there at Portland, if I remember."

Not that she'd known that version At all, but she at least caught a glimpse of Strange during the final battle to get out.

Ohhhh Strange does not want to talk about this. But Carly told him about what happened to her, it's only fair that he tell her what happened to him.

"I was," Strange admits. "The Jonathan Strange of Portland made a contract with Nightshade. He broke it and left me to pick up the pieces." Really, fuck Portland Strange. And because he knows that he didn't exactly give a good explanation, Strange continues talking.

"I obtained my full memories sooner than most—that Jonathan Strange arranged it so Nightshade could restore them. But fae contracts don't take into account things like memory loss or false pretenses. Breaking the contract was enough for Nightshade to see how I broke the contract and take possession of me. I was in her realm for under a week before she enthralled me and charged me to help reclaim Steven."

Oh dear.

She'd told him entirely because she felt it fair to balance it out. Now he's explaining far more instead of simply confirming and...

...And she can't bring herself to interrupt, swallowing with the sensation of something thick getting caught in her throat. Belatedly, she realizes after a point that Strange has finished speaking-when she herself does, it feels as though that thing in her throat has coated her words, weighing them awkwardly down. "...That's enough," she manages, chewing her lip.

"...I was only making sure, not..." She takes a breath, and sighs. "...I didn't mean to ask you to retell that. ...I'm sorry- again, for bringing it up..."

It takes a few breaths- and with a nervous laugh, she has to add- "...I can't really ask about Ignatius now though, at least... ...It wouldn't be fair, now..! ...Even if I wanted to pry, at least..."

She grows quiet again, only to force herself to speak. "...I'd say you're taking it as well as I did, with 'him', though. ....Maybe better," Carly goes on, forcing a smile again.

There's a moment of silence where Strange isn't making eye contact. The song trails off and he pulls away, giving Carly a little bow. There's a few more seconds of silence before a different song starts up...and taking a deep breath, Strange takes a few steps back to Carly, at he attempts to grab her hands and lead her into another dance.

"Fuck it," Strange says, under his breath, more for himself than for Carly. "This is just a dream and we'll forget this in the morning." Right? Wouldn't they? Strange only remembered his dreams half the time, he's assuming Carly would as well. He's basing this decision entirely on that and, in true Strange fashion, isn't thinking much over at the moment.

"What do you want to ask me about Ignatius?"

Now she's really hoping they forget, honestly. There is a quiet pause between the dances- and choking at the other's curse, she hurriedly shakes her head as they start up again. "N-Nothing like everyone else has been, if you're worried about that..!! You already told me that he had you enthralled during the fight with Lambert, at least..."

And heck, by now, Strange might have caught a glance at the shirt she's made Lambert wear. In various forms of glitter, with a lovingly determined insult announcing how poorly Lambert does at solving problems.

As it is. "...All I would have asked is...what you think of him, I suppose. Even now, without 'enthrallment'. Not a lot of people seem to think of this as more than 'black and white'," Carly adds, coughing. "...and... ...as tempting as it is to follow that lead, I can't stand for the reason he's with us now."

The torture, specifically.

She's quite impressed at how well she kept herself quiet when all of those announcements came actually.

Strange is a bit tense, ready to leap to the defensive should Carly call him out or bring up certain subjects. He's anticipating the worst, yet another conversation where he'll have to defend himself or yet another argument that ends up with him shouting. So he's a bit surprised when Carly asks her question. Warily, like he's not sure if they'll get into another fight or not, Strange starts to answer.

"I also loathe the way that Lambert brought him here. Binding someone against their will is horrible enough, but hurting them on top of it?" Strange scowls: it's obvious that he downright hates the fact that Ignatius was tortured.

"As for what I think of him..." He trails off for a moment, before steeling himself to continue talking. "When I was in Nightshade's realm, she tortured me. The Prince took away Sans's True Name. I saw what the Rose Queen did to Steven while he was kidnapped—it was barbaric. Yes, Ignatius did hurt me and he did try to make me kill my friends. But he wasn't half as cruel as any of the other fae we've encountered so far."

Carly seems to ponder those points in silence- though she certainly nods fiercely at the start, quite agreeing with him about Lambert. "...It was entirely unnecessary," she mutters, scowling. "...If they could restrain him, then they could have also just left him there until they were back in the Carnival..."

So...he's not the only one on team 'Wow What the Fuck'. "I actually made Lambert wear, ahe, something incriminating as a small punish- ...Ahh, Th-That's not important," she coughs, though maybe if Strange DOES remember this dream, he'll have context for some of Lambert's weird shirts now.

As it is.

"...They're not all black and white," she comes out with, frowning. "...The faerie, I mean....well, even just looking at the Summerlands, it felt like it wasn't, and then there's the Ringmaster, so..."

Carly catches herself before she spirals into a ramble, shaking her head. "...What I'm saying is I believe you. ...And the Ringmaster. ...she would have acted differently, if she thought he was as 'bad' as them," she insists, as much as she doesn't yet know of the firey one's fate.

"...At the very least... he sounds better than a 'demon god'..?" she adds- mostly in attempt to bring humor back, as she laughs nervously.

Even just hearing the words 'I believe you' is enough to make Strange give Carly a relieved grin. He doubts he'll remember this when he wakes up, but it's nice to have someone on your side, someone who doesn't look at you like you're possessed because you aren't an arbitrary level of angry or are horrified at the use of torture.

And then, Carly cracks a joke to help bring the mood back. Strange can't help but laugh a little at that. His laughter is a bit less nervous than Carly's laughter. "Nothing we did ever had anything to do with souls, so yes, I'd say he's better than a demon god. Though I'm afraid it doesn't take much to be better than that."

There's a pause before Strange takes a step closer to Carly, pulling her towards him in the dance. He knows logically that nobody can hear him, but out of habit, he quietly remarks, "And thank you for believing me."

She might not be the best at talking sense for some- though she certainly somehow managed with Susan- but she can at least speak with her heart, which means a lot sometimes. Carly beams rather brightly, and nods. "Hopefully that point sticks," she adds, wordlessly referring to when they wake.

"...Thank you for dancing with me, Strange." And again, without words- there is the thanks for simply letting her talk.

"You're welcome," Strange simply responds. And it's this song's turn to come to a close as he steps back and gives Carly a little nod, followed almost instantly by a sheepish smile.

"I don't know how to wake someone up from a dream," Strange admits. "The last time someone intruded on my dream, I yelled at him until he woke up. Perhaps we should just continue dancing until one of us wakes up instead?"

Strange might not pick up on some social cues and he might be dumb as a bag of hammers, but even he knows that you don't yell at people after a heartfelt conversation.

Carly certainly catches that unspoken 'yelling would be rude'- and laughs far more warmly and confidently in return, the sound much more suited to her usual character. Beaming, Carly nods. "I think I'd like that~" she cheers, letting the dream come more naturally from there.

At the very least, she'll wake up feeling a little happier now.

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⇨ CAMPING GROUNDS

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what a cute way to end heavy chatter ;-;