lostcarnival | ⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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.

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"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.

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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."

"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.

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."

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."

"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?"

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."

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."

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."

"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.

"I know he won't," he says with affection in his tone. He's always felt accepted with Gongenzaka. "He'd be okay with anything, I just... want to make it good."

Yuya's an entertainer at heart, and that means he has the desire to perform exceptionally in all situations--including wowing his boyfriend with a real date. It feels more showy than just hanging out as friends, especially when he wants to make precious memories that they can hold onto when things are dire.

"I've got a feeling that you'll make it good no matter what you do," Strange adds in, with a wry little smile. "But don't discount the importance of small moments."

He's not entirely sure to explain this, so Strange continues. "I don't think Arabella married me because of any grand gestures—half the gestures ended up falling apart to begin with. I'd like to think she married me for the small moments in between the grand gestures. At least, that's why I married her."

Yuya lets out a sheepish laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. At least someone has confidence here, because Yuya's floundering in unchartered territory. It'd be more intimidating if he didn't know Gon was the same way (isn't he?).

"Yeah, but you tried anyway because you still wanted to impress her, right?" Maybe Yuya's overshooting a little, but he can't help the excitement that builds up in him at the idea of pulling it off for Gongenzaka.

"I did," Strange admits, "but if I may be honest, it might have been better had I not done some of those things."

Like the ones where he fell off of roofs and walls. Or wasted a lot of money. Or caught a cold. Or ruined his favorite pair of shoes. Man, he sure did a lot of stupid shit trying to woo Arabella, didn't he.

"Like I said, that's not the reason why we married."

Yuya raises a brow, wondering just what Strange did that it'd be better if he hadn't. Did he break something (he broke a lot of things)?

He holds his hands up in mock surrender. "I'm not going to try anything that dangerous! And I know I don't have to do anything to make him like me. It's not that, really."

It's Yuya being a huge tryhard.

"Then what is it?" Strange asks, giving Yuya a little frown. Because if you already like each other and you're already dating, then it doesn't need to be the world's biggest most impressive date, right?

At least, that's what he thinks.

"It's just... I want to," he mumbles a little sheepishly. Because it really doesn't need to be an impressive date, and he doesn't need to win Gongenzaka over. There's a moment where he mulls over how to explain it, gesturing vaguely.

"It's like--you know when you were performing, you'd want to put on a good show that excited the audience, right? So you work really hard on your act so that when you perform it, everyone's smiling... I want to make it amazing for him like that. I want it to be something he remembers making him that happy."

Strange can't help it: he lets out a gentle little laugh at Yuya's explanation. Because this was him. This was totally him during his courtship and during the first days of his marriage. Let's do something impressive so that she remembers it and it makes her happy and it's absolutely amazing. That was straight up him and now it sees exactly where Yuya's coming from.

"You're overthinking this," he briefly chides. "Of course he's going to remember whatever this date is: it's the two of you doing something. You don't have to give him the world and plan something that's absolutely perfect for him and that he's guaranteed to love. You just need to make an attempt."

"Yeah, I guess I am." Even knowing makes it hard to squash the feeling, though. But he'll try not to worry too much about it, and just make it happen.

He pushes himself to his feet, giving Strange a bright smile. "Thanks for listening. I don't know who else I'd ask in the carnival..."

Rita and Lambert are stumbling through this much the same way, and nobody talks about their marriage like Strange.

"That's because nobody else in the carnival has experience with how functional relationships work," Strange teases Yuya. Is this a bit mean? Possibly. But his friends are all teenagers, emotionally stunted middle aged men, space rocks, or flirts who Strange doubts will settle down. He will bet huge money that he's the person with the most experience in relationships.

"If you have any more questions about something of this sort, feel free to ask."

Yuya wasn't going to say it. This is honestly something he might've asked his happily married parents about, at risk of probing. Strange just happens to be the closest experienced and trusted adult he has to that.

"Okay. I'll see you later, Mr. Strange." He waves before turning to walk down the steps, departing.

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⇨ THE SUMMERLANDS

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