⇨ 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

[dontpokethat]

Tanyuu's voice is enough to wake him up more, though, as always, it seems to take a bit for his brain to catch up to his senses. He scrubs at his good eye with the heel of his palm and nods, half-registering her words. "Mmb. Yeah."

A moment later, though, he catches up enough to add, "Definitely seemed better than... this. Though I guess some of you guys would know that better than me, huh."

Sure, there was the matter of making sure that the animals' enclosures were as presentable as possible, and fixing any damage in the barn to make sure none of them would manage to break free when there were guests around - but he's pretty sure that didn't compare to what the wardrobe staff and performers had to deal with.

[fourthscribe]

"A little bit," she agrees with a chuckle. "Not that you don't have your own brand of chaos to manage, but sometimes..."

She trails off, silent for a few moments.

"Do you want to stay, after this contract?"

[dontpokethat]

"...I'm not sure."

Until recently, that would have been easy to answer. The Carnival was getting to be a more dangerous place to live, sure - but it was worth it. He knew his role here, he could fill it comfortably. He was always around people he cared about.

But things are only getting worse. And he doesn't know where the limit is.

"I don't know that I can keep up with... the way things have been. But it's hard to imagine leaving." Ginko opens his eye and looks over at Tanyuu. "What about you?"

[fourthscribe]

"...much the same." Her ears droop low, and she turns her head slightly toward Ginko. "I want to believe that with the Miracles this will all be over, but...I don't know that I can trust that. But I don't want to leave our family behind, either."

That's the real sticking point, honestly. Being in the Carnival has given Ginko a chance he could never have otherwise. A place to truly call home, to rest and know that he would be safe. She knows on some level he's been ready to leave again if it came to it, but...

[dontpokethat]

Ginko goes quiet for a few more seconds, his gaze drifting to the sky as he considers that.

"If... you feel that things have gotten too dangerous, I don't want you to feel like you have to stay for my sake. And I suspect the others would say the same."

[fourthscribe]

"And leave you all to face this alone? I don't think so!" The end of her tail swishes against the grass. "I've had my fill of being alone, Ginko. I...I won't leave you behind. Not for anything."

The brief sour look on her face clears, and she smiles impishly. "Besides, someone has to stay around to keep an eye on you and Joker."

[dontpokethat]

He's a little startled, honestly by the force behind her reply - but it doesn't take him more than a moment to realize he shouldn't be. "Can't argue with that reasoning, I guess. I don't... want you to think that I want you gone, or anything like that, so. Thanks."

Then he snorts, and his tail thumps against the ground. "Oh, come on, we don't need a chaperone!"

[fourthscribe]

"I know you don't. You're just worried for me, I know that."

She laughs, antennae twitching merrily, and she pokes his side. "Oh, don't you? It might not be the same type of trouble, but the both of you can find plenty of it."

[dontpokethat]

"Hey, it's not like we try. Or... it's not like I try. And Joker is working on it, I think."

An absolutely stellar defense, he knows.

"I'm keeping an eye on him, is the point."

[fourthscribe]

Ironclad logic right there, who could dispute it?

"And then who keeps an eye on you? Two silly men trying to wrangle each other at the same time isn't the best idea."

[dontpokethat]

"We're not silly. I'm not, anyway." Is he pouting? He might be pouting a little. "Things just happen."

[fourthscribe]

"You are definitely silly. And yes, things can simply happen, but both of you have...hm, interesting ways of reacting to things."

[dontpokethat]

"I'm not!" Rude!!! "And what's that supposed to mean?"

[fourthscribe]

She just laughs, mirth clear in her eyes, and nudges him with the tip of her tail. "Just that the pair of you have something of a sacrificial streak, and you'd be stumbling over yourselves to try and save the other as soon as something happened."

Combative abilities aside, of course.

[dontpokethat]

Ginko goes quiet for a few seconds, his mouth settling into a sad sort of smile. He guesses she's got him, there; he's got no room to deny it.

"...Well, what else are we supposed to do?"

[fourthscribe]

"Maybe remember to ask for help to make sure everyone is safe?" Tanyuu's expression softens with fondness, and she puts a hand on Ginko's arm. "That's what family is for, isn't it?"

[dontpokethat]

"I... I guess so." He manages a soft laugh, and sets his hand on top of Tanyuu's in turn. "I promise you, I'm trying. But... the way things have been going haven't made it easy."

It being... you know. Self-preservation.

[fourthscribe]

She sighs, her eyes shuttering halfway shut, and squeezes Ginko's hand in return. "I know...I know. Nothing has been easy lately."

Neither of them should have to deal with this. No one in the Carnival should, honestly--especially the children. But what choice do any of them have?

"I wonder...if there's a way to travel on our own. There must be, mortals have crossed over realms before. If we can find a method, and then waited out our contracts..."

[dontpokethat]

"...That'd sure simplify things, wouldn't it. Depending on how much magic power it took, anyway." A method that required a fae's power wouldn't be much help to them, but... if they really could find one that they could use...

"D'you think that'd be safer than the Carnival? Or would moving around on our own put as at more risk?" Theoretically, they could at least draw less attention to themselves, but the Ringmaster's power had been a big help in keeping them all alive.

[fourthscribe]

"Riskier in some ways, but maybe safer in others? So much of what has happened is because of the Ringmaster's past coming back to bite her..." Tanyuu huffs out a sigh. "It's hard to say, really."

[dontpokethat]

"Guess it is, yeah." Ginko pushes a hand through his hair, and one ear flicks up and down as he thinks. "By now, though, I suppose anything would be better than staying stuck in one world."

That's weird to think about, for sure. He absolutely wants to keep part of what he's gained here - the people he's connected to, the relationships he's forged over the years. But, apparently, his need to keep moving around has just gotten more extreme. And weirder.

[fourthscribe]

It really is bizarre, what their lives have become. That the idea of being tethered to one world is so distasteful, despite having a trailer of their own that they've made into a home...and how it all, somehow, still makes sense.

"Almost anything, but you're right. There's too much we still haven't seen!"

[dontpokethat]

"Pretty sure there's more out there than we could see in a lifetime." Given, you know, the multiverse. "But... that's all the more reason to get to as much of it as we can, isn't it."