⇨ 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

GONGENZAKA | OTA

[betheman]

[DAY 119 (Morning) | Message From BEYOND]

The battlefield is never the best place to discover the ins and outs of a new ability. Certainly, if it proves useful, it can be a Good Time- at least in the sense of creating a miracle opportunity- but it is far from ideal for properly sitting down and sorting things out.

His soul, technically (and actually) is still recovering. But this is a peaceful moment, and one that will only last so long. So Gongenzaka is practicing.

He takes deep breaths to start- closing his eyes, and focusing on an absence of the self...and when he stands, it is out of his very body.

Gongenzaka's eyes open to a hazy, foggy form of the summerlands that has been seemingly drained of colour. He takes a few steps from his body, and views it as a jarring splotch of colour in an otherwise terrifying landscape. Sounds are dull, passing through water. Buildings and distant figures little more than shades if he can see them at all.

But this is practice. So. Gonggenzaka begins to wander from his body, reaching out with his spirit magic to try and contact those he passes.

If it could be condensed into a word, it is the feeling of a 'hello'.

[DAY 119 (Afternoon) | GRAND THEFT ME]

"ZAAANGETSU-!!" The voice that echoes over the air would not normally be surprising, were it not for the sound. After all, someone mad at Zangetsu?? What else is new, during a moment of peace. He's probably done something and gone off laughing about it.

Except, well. That's Zangetsu's voice. And once close enough to see it's...Zangetsu's body, even. Running seems to becoming only half natrually, as if they aren't familiar with the legs at all.

Whoever it is they are utterly determined to make do however, and-

"RETURN MY BODY...! I, THE MAN GONGENZAKA, SHALL NOT ALLOW YOU TO CREATE SUCH CHAOS WITH IT..!!"

Oh so that's who it is.

[DAY 121 | GOTTA DRESS THE PART]

Eventually, Gongenzaka has his body back. Eventually, he and Yuuya have had a talk about stuff they wanted to do once he had it back as well. And as such, eventually, Gongenzaka is looking over various sashes that a relatively cheery fae is showing off. For all the tension, they're apparently suckers for younglove.

Gongenzaka has already gotten some replacement earrings and metals foe the piercings he opted to try keeping- they're fancier than he would like (which is saying something given most are plain gold), but he would rather the holes absolutely not fill in before he's done trying it out. What he needs now however is...

A bit more than that. "Hnnn..." He looks over a few sashes, or at least, what might be sashes anyway. That's sort of the struggle for him here. For once, he wants to dress nicely for something!!

The problem is getting anything that fits and still looks nice while he's at it.

"Hnnmm... ...what do you think, perhaps..?" He asks his daemon, the cheetah looking fairly bored.

"Honestly I think we're overthinking," she huffs, turning to the nearest person. "Wouldn't you agree?"

[WILDCARD Outside certain circumstances, Gongenzaka will be taking advantage of the calm in the Summerlands to relax. If you have an idea for a thread, just let me know!]

GRAND THEFT ME

[moonfang]

"Kyahahahahahaha!!!" A laugh in Gongenzaka's voice, but with the strange reverberation and mania one might expect from Zangetsu.

Unfortunately for poor Gongenzaka, Zangetsu has been cavorting about in his skin for the better part of half an hour. Gon was busy with his soul stuff, and then he had to find Zangetsu's gigai in the fog of the soul plane... Lord only knows how much damage he's done.

But for right now, he has entire cakes in each hand, one of which has a giant bite taken out of it.

"Only if you can catch me, nerd! I'M GONNA EAT EVERYTHING."

[betheman]

"AAAAAUUUH-!!" He can barely see the other, but suffice to say with all the shouting it is very easy to hear each other.

At any rate, he charges- poorly, but he charges. "You could eat with this body as well, could you not!? Do not take such advantage of my hands..!" JUST BECAUSE HE COULD HOLD A WHOLE CAKE IN ONE HAND...

[moonfang]

"I could, but what fun would that be? You're gonna have the WORST stomachache! Hahahahah!!"

NOMF. The rest of the bitten cake goes into his mouth and is swallowed in a single gulp.

"If you want your body back, you're going to have to take it!"

[betheman]

"NNNHHH-! This is not the time to cause me to be bedridden! And I, the man Gongenzaka, could barely determine how to even use this..!" he exclaims with a frustrated gesture.

He is gesturing at all of 'him'. 'Zangetsu'. The. THE GIGAI.

"Relinquish what is mine..!" rabbit ghost say No

[moonfang]

"Oh come on! It hasn't been that long since ya had only two legs," Zangetsu says with a grin that splits Gongenzaka's face. Then he stands on his hindmost legs and actually manages to balance.

So very tol.

Date night date night

[hippocarnival]

Yuya waits in the early evening in one of the center courtyards of a city, a place familiar enough he's sure Gongenzaka won't get lost with just directions (and he hopes he doesn'tget lost taking him to the right spot). He'd asked in advance, after all, because he had to make sure he was ready, too.

His hands are clasped behind his back, under the cape, and he rocks impatiently against his heels as he waits. While he's pretty confident he knows Gon's tastes, he still didn't admit any details to Gongenzaka himself and the even slight possibility of his surprise being met negatively makes him anxious. He's trying not to let it get to him.

datenightdATENIGHT

[betheman]

Gongenzaka successfully dresses for the occasion, even if he wasn't sure how to manage it to begin with. Decorative wrappings are around his back ankles, and a few excited fae opted to weave some ribbon through some of the vines and leaves along his back. For the most part however...

It's a very decorative, and blue wrap around his waist, fastened in place with a bronze 'badge'. Piercings of matching metals have been re-set in his ear and brow (not to mention that tongue piercing he was trying), and he's managed to even get new sashes around his shoulders and head.

Dressed to impress- he...well, hopes. Soon enough Gongenzaka's steady hoof-and-paw beats will meat Yuuya's ears, as the other smiles a little nervously. "...Yuuya!" he greets, bowing his head. "...I am on time, yes?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya's in the same clothes he receieved on arrival, so his expression lights up in surprise to see Gongenzaka dressed up. He considers even that to be too ornate, but suddenly not even trying to wear something else makes him feel underdressed.

"Uh--yeah, you're on time!" Yuya shakes himself from his thoughts, approaching Gon with a tentative smile. He pulls his hands from behind his back and presents a long-stemned rose with the thorns carefully plucked off. The bottom is a bit of a mess, like he ripped it just from a wild bush. The flower itself is in full brilliant bloom, however.

"This is for you."

[betheman]

"Auh! Wonderful!" Gongenzaka exclaims, blush glowing through his fur as Yuuya approaches. He startles however, when Yuuya presents the rose- brilliantly scarlet, Gongenzaka gingerly takes it and finds himself briefly at a loss for words. "Mn- Me?" Well of course it is, but-

"...You sought out a flower for me, as well..?" There is an edge of gratitude being tempered largely by the fact that he didn't bring Yuuya a flower himself!!

Tragic,

[hippocarnival]

If Yuya couldn't read Gon's flustering better, it might worry him. They don't tend to present each other with material tokens of affection, and Yuya's nerves settle when he takes the rose

"Yep!" He brightens, giving Gongenzaka a wink. And then he tucks one arm behind his back and bows presenting his other hand for Gon with a flourish. "Now, if you're ready, I'll escort you to the main event."

He grins playfully, although the offer is earnest.

Grand theft

[hippocarnival]

Gongenzaka isn't the only one running and screaming after Zangetsu. Yuya lost sight of him a while ago, but he hasn't given up yet trying to track him down as he swings around the corner, winded from the exertion.

"Zangestu! This isn't funny get out of his body--!"

ohboy

[betheman]

Zangetsu- well, the one in Gon's body- is definitely long out of sight. A true shame.

The shouting draws Gongenzaka's attention however, and between what Yuuya himself is yelling (Oh good, one less thing to explain), and the fact that man, these legs are not fun to run with, he's waving and turning his sights to the other.

"AUH!! Yuuya..!" he cries- with Zangetsu's voice, naturally. "You have seen him, then!?"

[hippocarnival]

Yuya skids to a stop as he comes face to face with Zangetsu, looking immediately furious. But that only lasts a second until Gon speaks, and Yuya realizes that it's definitely not Zangetsu back in his own body.

"... Gongenzaka?" Wait, since when could be possess bodies? Is that from the projection too?

[betheman]

Even on Zangetsu's face, that smile can only be friendly-! "Yes!!" He sounds so relieved...

"...Zangetsu's natural state is that of a spirit...so I, the man Gongenzaka, thought that perhaps the 'gigai' he uses for interaction with the physical plane of most realms would function for me..!" To explain why he's even bothering with that, well...

"It has been much easier, to navigate and pursue him, this way..." He looks rather ashamed that it happened at all though, and crosses his arms. "Nh...T...That I, the man Gongenzaka, was tricked in such a way to begin with, however... ...MNNNH...HIS ACTIONS ARE UNFORGIVABLE..!!"

...So that's definitely him.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya frowns, nodding once in agreement. Yeah, Zan's a jerk, water is wet. He doesn't consider this Gon's fault, since most reasonable people don't consider taking someone's body for a joyride.

"Let's look for him together. Can you use your soul searching to track him down?"

Grand Theft Me

[impatientdefense]

It takes a few hours of getting the lay of the situation - they're somewhere with tentative allies, getting free resources (in thanks for previous stuff?) - before Beau's comfortable heading off on her own. But once that's settled, and she's got a knapsack with a few meal's worth food and drink, Beau heads off - running.

The wind's in her ears and she's got that runner's high going, when somebody runs by yelling, and she doesn't make out everything he says. But what she does catch is enough to catch her attention in a big way. Like, Zangetsu strikes her as a loud braggart sort of guy, but not the sort to shout in the third person. And there's a lot wrong with how he's running - not like he's drunk, but like he doesn't know how to. Is it an illusion?

"Whoa, where's the fire," Beau asks, veering to run parallel with ... Zangetsu? If he lets her close enough, she's going to poke him experimentally and test if it's the usual sort of spell.

ah yes

[betheman]

"N-AUH-" Well, He's sure been poked. But there's definitely no...spell. Gon merely stumbles a bit more off balance, before protesting with a steadily more flushed face. "Th- Zangetsu has taken my body..! I, the man Gongenzaka, need to find him, and thus retrieve it, of course..!"

Not that he especially knows Beau great but look this is a priority.

[impatientdefense]

"What does that... So, you're not Zangetsu, you're just... in his body." That seems like what this - the man Gongenzaka, of all names - is saying, and Beau shifts to follow him if he continues jogging. "What, you switched bodies? That can happen?"

If that's something that can happen, even if only specific spells, she wants to know about it. Partly out of idle curiosity, having something else to occupy herself with, and partly... the better to make sure it doesn't happen to her.

[betheman]

"Hahhhh..." He sighs, and stops trying to run after Zangetsu long enough to explain. "...I, the man Gongenzaka, was practicing my ability to cast my spirit from my body...Zangetsu," he grumbles, "Evidently proceeded to take it while my spirit was outside of it..!"

There is a pause, and he continues. "...As Zangetsu typically requires a false body of his own...I, the man Gongenzaka, therefore sought it out so that I could pursue him physically." He grimaces. "...before...he ruins mine..."

[lmpatientdefense]

Beau nods slowly along with the explanation, with occasional glances around in case the guy shows up in his large, furry, stolen body... then slowly turns back to stare at Gon.

"'Spirit.' Uh. Is he like... a ghost." She's more used to all things ghostly and spirity being translucent or balls of light or the like. Zangetsu's weirdly pale, with dark eyes that are kind of creepy in retrospect, but nothing that shouts spirit possessing a fake body. However that works. "Are you saying he's a ghost... and he can steal peoples' bodies. Is that what you're saying."

D121 (THE WORST BACKTAG THE MULTIVERSE HAS EVER SEEN)

[alphudo]

The nearest person happens to be, in this case... another mostly-naked taur, wouldn't you know it. Perhaps this is a good thing, for it likely takes one to know one in the realm of what does and doesn't fit, what is and isn't practical...

In reality, though, it's probably worthless since this taur happens to be Yuusei. Alone.

The mechanic appears to be in an equal state of puzzlement as he looks over a number of different garbs, his eyes never lingering for too long on any one in particular. For now, he's simply cataloguing what all there even is, having decided there's simply too much to begin any process of selection without a quick survey.

He isn't paying attention to Gon and Marishi's conversation, so he's taken by surprise when he's spoken to, not recognising the voices of the two for a second. He regards them with a nod and an almost comically-serious tone. "Given the wide array of things, I think it's... difficult not to overthink it."

Especially when one is shopping to impress a crush.

"I didn't think I'd run into you here," Yuusei goes on to remark. "I guess we all need clothes sooner or later, though, hm?"

[betheman]

"Bah, you're no help," Marishi grumbles, her partner merely grimacing and taking his distraction.

"A...Aauuh. For the most part, it has been fine enough to merely have my sashes but..." As he trails off, Marishi fills the gap.

"We have something special to attend to, after all..~"

[alphudo]

Yuusei takes no offence to Marishi's comment and if anything seems indifferent to it. Still, though, he smiles and raises a curious eyebrow.

"Something special?" he echoes. "I see... Maybe it's all overthinking in the end, but... The saying is 'dress to impress,' isn't it?"

His smile falters into a frown. "I... don't exactly have some special event, but I'm struggling for... similar reasons."

[betheman]

Gongenzaka just coughs, Marishi giggling lowly. That said-

They both raise their brows. "Mnh...Similar reasons?"

"Ohhh, are you going on a date as well then, Yuusei?"