⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Day 119 - Day 126
Where: The Summerlands
What: Ignatius and Gild portal everyone to the Summerlands, with hopes of appealing to the Summer Maiden for help. Meanwhile, the carnival gets the chance to relax in luxury as only tentatively welcome guests. Here is the location write up from the last time the carnival visited. Since then, of course, some things have changed.
Warnings: Nothing in particular.

THE SUN RISES↴ After taking the time to rest, Ignatius and Gild will be able to pool together their energy to portal the carnival (and the airship) to the Summerlands. Those still in Polaris will be left to their own devices for the moment as Gild intends to ask for the Summerlands aid in relocating them, hopefully as soon as possible. With the effort the carnival put into sorting things out in there, however, they should be fine on their own for a little while, at least. They will arrive in the flowery fields at the base of the mountains, and soon the Summer Fae will notice their presence. Since the last time they visited, however, the atmosphere has changed. ► YOUR ARRIVAL: As the Summer Fae discover the group's arrival, it will quickly become apparent that there is a tension present that wasn't there any of the other times the carnival has visited. The Summer Maiden comes to greet the group personally, with an entourage of armed Summer Fae. They are not at all aggressive unless provoked, but there is clearly a wariness that is new. They seem uncertain about Ignatius being here, and while Gild will be able to do a lot of the talking and smooth things over, the Summer Maiden will deflect having a serious conversation about affairs until the carnival has taken time to 'rest.' It's more likely that the Maiden needs a moment to think over this new information before dealing with it. ► SUMMER CITY: After the Summer Fae become aware of everyone's presence, and the initial uncertainties are accommodated, they will invite you into their city. There are stairs that lead up the sides of the mountains, but thankfully there are also magical means of getting up there as well. The Summer Fae will be willing to help workers with the injured as needed, offering herbal remedies and healing magic to those that want it. You'll also be invited to join them for dinner, but it feels like more of a formality, and no one is obligated to take them up on it. ► SUMMER PEOPLE: The fae here will do their best to entertain these new visitors - but it doesn't seem that much happens here besides day after day of peaceful meditation and relaxation. It is not uncommon to see Summer Fae spent days doing exactly the same thing, whether that be enjoying the weather, listening to music, or dancing - the day and night periods may be similar to earth, but when you don't need rest it can all blur together just the same. Some of the fae work on feats of agriculture or craftsmanship, and while there is no particularly need to work in this place, they take pride in the fact that they do. ► FAMILIAR FACES: One very different thing about the Summerlands this go around is that there appears to be a small settlement built at the base of the mountains, filled entirely with the former residents of the Manor. Alyss and Reyna will explain that they set up a place to live down there with the Summer Fae's help, and that the fae seems to be trying to remain hands off except when they are needed. The Manor folk overall seem to be doing well, though there is some tension regarding their place in the Summerlands - they are clearly seen as refugees, and while the Summer Fae do their best to help them, the arrival of the carnival and the request for even more help with refugee aid seems to be making things awkward. ► OF THINGS TO COME: The Summer Maiden will remain distant for the first few days, but according to Gild and based on personal observation, it will seem that the news that the Ringmaster has been taken and the idea that even more desperate mortals are requesting to come here are putting her at significant ill ease. She's not rude or dismissive, but she seems reluctant to address the situation head on, though she has said that she will hold a meeting with the carnival later in the week to discuss everything in more detail. None of them seem particularly angry or resentful, but they seem to regard the carnival as an ill portent of things to come.

Comments

[kingsroads]

"I haven't heard the Mirror," Strange admits. "But with the Silver Mirror itself presumably still in pieces and the effects of the Mirror all throughout my body, I'm the closest thing. And they know it: I've seen the way they look at me."

Which...he's honestly a little of two minds about. On the one hand, that's pretty awesome and he's always enjoyed the feeling and knowledge of magical power at his fingertips. On the other hand? It's scary as hell, especially considering that he keeps growing these mirrors. Strange's expression shifts to a little frown as he continues talking.

"The Mother of Invention was trying to coax the Silver Mirror to strengthen or grow throughout my body. Considering that samples of mirrors I had before Eden were able to be used as Silver Mirror samples, I think it might have started overtaking me even before Polaris. And now with my arms—" Wait. Does Yuya know about this part? "Have I told you about my arms yet?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya holds up his hands, like he's trying to stop Strange from continuing to ramble about this. He's moving the topic a bit too fast and a bit off the point Yuya was thinking about, and instead it gives him something else to worry about.

"You told me," he starts nervously. "They're looking at me, too, because Creation is a lot more noticeable in me now! It's not that you're turning into the Silver Mirror, right? It just affected you a lot."

Hopefully not further now that the Mother of Invention can't keep growing it. But Strange was developing mirrors even before he touched it.

[kingsroads]

"Honestly, I've got no idea anymore," Strange just bluntly responds. "My mirrors will continue to grow, so the Silver Mirror's influence could continue to spread, so that means..." That means what? He doesn't know. Strange shrugs, to try and show his utter confusion about the whole scenario. His tone of voice is more baffled and hesitant than anything outright scared.

"If the Mother of Invention had any say in the matter, I'd be fully transformed into the Mirror already. I doubt she's the only fae that thinks that way."

It's a bit inconvenient when your object of great power is in a bunch of teeny tiny pieces.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya bites his lip. "Nobody here's going to think that. She's not--everything she did is wrong."

He leans over, like he's getting a better look at the mirrored parts of Strange even though he has no magical sense to gauge it or anything. "You still feel like yourself, right? Maybe you should talk to someone here about it."

[kingsroads]

"The problem here is that I don't know if that many Summer Fae would know about an artifact once held by the Winter Queen—and that's before Lilith held it for so long. But I plan on gossipping with these fae about all sorts of things. I can at least mention it and see what comes up."

Though, based on the small frown on Strange's face, he doesn't have much faith that anything will come up in general. The Miracles were made ages ago, which of these fae would have been around?

"But yes, I do feel like myself. If I may be honest, I feel better now than I've felt in a while." Just getting time to sit down and explore some new magic and piece out some new spells has done wonders for Strange's mood.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's more worried about turning into a mirror husk or something horrifying, but when nothing about Strange is immediately offputting he leans back and lets out a breath. As long as he tries to get it looked at, that's all Yuya can hope for.

He glances off into the distance. "I was thinking a lot about coming back here. It's..." Well, more awkward this time. But Yuya shakes his head. "I missed it."

[kingsroads]

Strange nods. Truth be told, there are a lot of different places he misses more than the Summerlands, but he understands Yuya's feeling of wanting to be somewhere safe and familiar.

"I wish it were under better circumstances," Strange admits. "As do most of the Summer Fae, I imagine."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya nods once. Yeah, he's sure the Summer Fae would also like if their arrival didn't shake everything up. The way that the Summer Maiden came to them...

"I think something bigger than us is going to change soon. No matter how we save the Ringmaster... none of this is can stay the same."

He thinks about what Ignatius said, about the Summer Court claiming territory to challenge the Winter Court. And now that they're working with the Huntsman, Yuya doesn't think the Winter Queen is trying to work on any sort of balance with them. She's... after something?

He draws his legs up, wrapping his arms loosely around his knees. "If the Summer Maiden and the Queen don't do something, the Winter Queen will."

[kingsroads]

Strange nods. Winter working with the Huntsman, the Mother of Invention brazenly experimenting on another fae, both Courts teaming up to discredit and destroy the Ringmaster, various carnival members all touched by various forces greater than themselves...god, how Strange desperately wants to just leave this all behind and flee back to Arabella. But the more he thinks about it, the more obvious it is that he can't. Not yet, at least.

"I agree," Strange nods. "Winter doesn't have a Maiden. If the Summer Queen and Maiden act in tandem, they could tip the scales. But the problem here is that I doubt the Summer Maiden will do anything to begin with. Not unless her hand is forced...or someone already in her good graces asks her to."

As Strange talks, he looks over at Yuya. It's apparent that he's thinking of Yuya and the favor he holds from the Summer Maiden as a way to actually push her into action. But even Strange knows they can't guarantee or focus entirely on that.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya looks over to Strange, holding his stare for a moment. He's thought about it too, when Gild was grousing about how the Summer Maiden would be reluctant to act. He's not sure if it'll be enough, or...

"I want her to choose to help because she knows it's the right thing to do." So he wants to talk to her, as soon as they get the chance. "She hid here because she gave up, but... she needs to see that it is't stopping anyone from getting hurt by the fae, trying to stay away."

He glances down. "And she needs to remember that not all her people are awful. That doing a bad thing doesn't mean they're a bad person, and that they can't change."

[kingsroads]

"I admire your convictions. But what will you do if she chooses not to help? Will you force her hand then or simply let it lie?"

It's phrased as an innocent question, though there is a small little frown on Strange's face. Because honestly, he's got no idea what he would do in Yuya's situation. Forcing someone's hand seems dirty, but if it's the matter of her preferences versus a chance at keeping himself and others safe, then it doesn't seem like much of a choice at all.

[hippocarnival]

"I don't think I can force her hand." He wouldn't want to, but it's not even an option to consider when he doesn't have anything to hold over her. "I guess I'd see how much help she would give for my favor."

The irony of using a favor he got for saving the Ringmaster to save her again is not lost on him.

[kingsroads]

"Isn't using your favor to ask her to help out the definition of forcing her hand?" Strange asks. "Of course, I've no idea how strong binding magic is when you get to concepts like 'favors' over 'contracts.'"

What's a faerie's favor worth anyway? That's something that Strange doesn't really know and he's certain Yuya doesn't really know, so he presses on to a different aspect of the conversation.

"Hopefully it won't come to that and you can use your favor for something fun or useful."

[hippocarnival]

"Depends how I phrase it." He could ask for a thing, or a spell in place of her direct involvement. "She said she'll talk to everyone later. I'll figure out what I'm going to say when that happens."

Whenever that happens. "Things are different than the last time we were here."

[kingsroads]

"At the risk of pointing out the obvious, last time we didn't arrive here with half the carnival touched by Miracles, the other half touched by Creation or the Void, and a former enemy of these fae with his aspect completely changed." Strange is teasing as he talks, giving Yuya a bit of a wry grin.

"Things are very different."

[hippocarnival]

"How much we've changed isn't as worrying as why it happened." Namely that it's hanging over their heads with the possibility of trapping them in a huge fae conflict. Can that really be resolved quickly?

He drags his fingers through his hair. "But I guess there's not much we can do before she'll talk to us."

[kingsroads]

"In theory, we're supposed to rest." In practice...well, Strange knows resting isn't going to happen for him. He needs to get a better hold on the new magic he's been developing before they get thrown into whatever the next chaotic situation is.

"I don't think I'm going to join in on the dancing or craftsmanship or anything of that sort. I've got too much to work on."

[hippocarnival]

"Your magic, right?" Yuya will probably cave on the magic practice too. You don't realize how much time there is in a day when it's not taken up by school or work or running from fae. But, that means there's also a little time to remind themselves the fear and struggling isn't all there is.

He looks sideways at Strange. "But that makes you happy, so I guess it can count as resting as long as you feel better."

Things that also make him feel better: talking about his wife. His face twists as he pauses, considering. "Hey... if your wife was here, what should you do if you were taking her on a date? Hypothetically."

Well, he's not a subtle person.

[kingsroads]

Hypothetically his ass! This is so not subtle that Jonathan Strange, a man who's not subtle in the slightest, is calling Yuya out on his lack of subtlety. He raises an eyebrow in a 'sure, Jan' sort of way.

"Well, hypothetically, I would do something she likes—dancing, for example. Or I'd find some Summer Fae foods that fit her taste, and we'd try the new things together. Of course, what Arabella likes might not be the same thing that your sweetheart likes."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya opens his mouth and just sits there, caught in the middle of his objection.

And then he just sinks back on his hands, looking slightly put out. "No, but... I've never been on a date before. So I thought you'd have some idea what makes it a date and not just hanging out."

[kingsroads]

"What makes it a date is when you go out of your way to do something special. For instance, if the person you're with likes chocolate, you go out of your way to find some nice, expensive chocolate. If they like listening to music, you purchase the tickets for a concert yourself and take care of the transportation." Strange gestures as he talks, almost like he's lecturing about how to go on a date and he expects Yuya to write this down.

"For instance, what does the person you're dating like to do?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya is not writing anything down, but he is listening attentively. When Strange turns the question around on him, he pauses thoughtfully.

"Well..." Dueling isn't really an option here so he clears right past that mentally, putting his hand to his chin. "He likes meditating, and tea ceremonies, and nature? And poetry. I think he's getting into weaving, too."

[kingsroads]

What the hell kind of boring person is Yuya trying to court? Strange keeps his face neutral, though there is one brief flash of 'I have no idea what options to suggest' that crosses his features. Seriously, meditating? What about dancing or riding or a suggestion like that which Strange can easily spin a date idea off of!

Still, he's trying.

"In that case, seek out some place here that's particularly pretty and take him for a walk there. Or ask one of the fae for a blend of tea that's popular around here, brew it up, get some biscuits and share the pot together."

[hippocarnival]

Yuya stares right back. Strange's suggestions aren't bad, necessarily, they just make him think that... maybe he's overthinking it.

Yuya chuckles, mostly to himself as his gaze drifts to the ground. "I want to be more creative than the same way he confessed to me--" Well, one half of him confessed. "But I'll figure something out."

He looks up at Strange with a smile. "Thanks, though."

[kingsroads]

"You're welcome." There's a pause before Strange continues. He's got a sneaky suspicion that he hasn't exactly been helpful, what with how his ideas were taken already.

"Honestly, whoever it is you're courting, you know them better than I do." Which is obvious: Strange may be a creep, but he's not at 'intimately know the likes and dislikes of people at the carnival that he would just consider casual acquaintances' level of creep. "Any suggestions that I give you won't be as good as something you come up with yourself. Just take some time, try something, and if that doesn't work, try something else. A good partner doesn't hold a bad attempt against you."

At least, not for too long. Granted, Strange is basing all his dating experience off of Arabella (who has the patience of a saint), but he think the theory's still sound.