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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Yuya picks a path completely at random, not knowing where the hell he's going either. He'd figure it out, but he ends up focusing more on what Strange says. His breakdown is on Yuya's mind, too, so he's not just asking to be polite.

"No, but you did say you were working on your magic..." He scratches his cheek, worrying over his lip as he carefully considers how he wants to phrase himself.

"You're not just... distracting yourself with magic, are you?" Instead of actually trying to cope with the trauma and loneliness.

Strange shakes his head. "I've had a few conversations that I needed to have." One with Peridot. One with Ignatius. Sooner or later, he'll have one with Lambert.

"But working on my magic feels good. And Lord knows that after a few of those conversations, I need to focus on something that makes me happy and relaxes me."

Fun fact: talking about your feelings sucks.

That explanation eases Yuya, and his shoulders relax as he smiles. "I'm glad you're talking to people."

Yuya, of course, sounds completely genuine about that. Not just because he's learned that talking about your feelings is ultimately healthier and more productive, but because he knows part of what's been troubling Strange has been rooted in loneliness and, frankly, trying to do too much by himself.

"As long as you're not bottling everything up, I think taking time to make happy memories makes it easier to get through things that are hard. Because we can hold onto them then."

Strange gives Yuya a small little smile of his own. He's not entirely sure just how many happy memories can be made here, what with the specters of Polaris and the future looming over them. But he gets what Yuya's saying.

"No, I'm certainly trying to keep things more open and actually talk to people now. I don't want to feel like how I felt in Polaris ever again."

Yuya nods once. He's pretty sure everyone can share that sentiment. Polaris was a dark time.

"Mm. I also mean... I'm glad because you have friends here that care about you. And I'm sure they want to support you and see you happy as much as I do."

Yuya, of course, has no idea about any of the drama that's been going down in any of Strange's other relationships. But he looks positive and full of faith.

"The problem, of course, is that I'm fairly certain some of my friends would rather I not do the things that make me happy." There's a brief pause before Strange hesitantly explains. "I need to find out more about the Silver Mirror. And in order to do so, my best option is talking to various members of the Winter Court. But I know Childermass would go for my throat the moment I make that suggestion!"

There's a lightness in Strange's voice, just a sort of teasing to hide the fact that he's honestly worried a little about so many things. And that's not getting into the fact that he's certain Childermass and Lambert still aren't too thrilled about his friendship with Ignatius which is something he's not giving up so they can suck it, but he also wants to make those two happy, and so on and so forth.

The Winter Court? Yuya pauses, furrowing his brow as he tries to remember all the details shared over the radio before.

"The Winter Queen lost the mirror a long time ago, didn't she? Who do you think knows more about the Silver Mirror?"

Besides the queen herself, who he's fairly certain won't want to entertain Strange's questions. There's genuine curiosity in his tone, like he expects a real answer from Strange that's been thought out.

"Queens can't do everything by themselves. The Winter Queen must have had retainers, servants, people who helped her in her day to day life. They might not know the ins and outs of how the Silver Mirror works, but they might have at least seen her use it. And honestly, with how little we know, I'll take any scrap of information."

Granted, he doesn't have any idea who those retainers and servants might be. Frost comes to mind but a: he doubts he can actually talk to Frost without summoning him or going straight to the Winter Court himself and b: Frost is a shit who most likely won't help at all. Still, they must have existed at some point. And hell, if there are still fae who know about the Blue Rose, then there might be some who know about the Silver Mirror.

"Maybe..." Yuya rubs the back of his neck. "I don't think Childermass doesn't want you to learn more about the Silver Mirror, but if that's the case... it's dangerous to get any closer to the Winter Queen, right? And the people around her. I guess it's like that for Steven, too, because he can't talk to the Rose Queen about anything that happened when he touched the Rose."

Really, going back to the Athenaeum would probably be a better bet, if they haven't been totally banned from it. "It's probably too dangerous for any of us to try and get closer to the Winter Court right now, when the Winter Queen's been after the carnival. But maybe there's other places we can get answers about the mirror."

"The problem there is that I doubt we'll go to any of those other places any time soon. I suspect most of the carnival will want to save the Ringmaster, so off to the Wyldlands we'll go." And, based on Strange's little frown, he doesn't think that the Wyldlands will be of any use in figuring out more about the Mirror.

"And after that, if we save the Ringmaster...well, my year's almost up. I'm going home as soon as it passes."

There's not much of a window of time and Strange suspects that there won't be any time in the window where he can actually go ask someone himself. He's frowning a little, though it's more of a contemplative frown than a mad at the situation sort of frown.

That's right. Yuya chews on his lip briefly. "I don't think we're going to the Winter Court anytime soon, either."

Not unless they're forced, anyway, so that stands to have the same problem. Unless Strange is planning on running off to the Winter Court on his own, but Yuya's going to hope he's not that reckless.

He perks up, then, turning on his heels to face Strange. "But you know, I still have almost another year before Gongenzaka's contract is over. Even if we leave, then, that's a lot of time I'll still be with the carnival. How about I keep looking into the mirror for you? And I'll make sure you get everything I learn."

If they manage to keep the Silver Mirror, and if they're still knee deep in fae business, Yuya thinks it's not a far stretch that there will be plenty of opportunity to understand it better when they're a little safer.

Strange is certainly not that reckless. Besides, he's not going to put the carnival in danger. Any dealings with the Winter Court that the carnival doesn't deal with, it will just be him doing it on his own, after he's left.

Yuya's statement takes him a little by surprise. Strange honestly looks a bit shocked, like he didn't expect Yuya to actually say something like this, before his expression settles into a smile. "You've got to promise not to put yourself in any risk," Strange quickly lectures. "You aren't going to get hurt on my account. But...yes, I think I'd like that."

Yuya smiles back brightly, pleased that his suggestion is being taken well.

"I promise not to do anything dangerous or risky." Yuya puts a hand to his chest with the declaration. He's wary enough about the artifacts and concerned about continuing to fit in properly in his own world that he doesn't want to end up with any other weird, probably permanent alterations. And they have so many world-hopping friends, now, he has no doubt he'll be able to get all that information to Strange back home. Maybe he can even make a personal visit.

"Good," Strange says, with a little nod. His smile shifts a little as he gently starts teasing. "And you shouldn't do anything that Gongenzaka or the Ringmaster think dangerous or risky either. You're a good pupil and I adore our conversations, but I wouldn't put it past you to try and befriend a Winter Fae and get yourself into trouble that way."

Says the person who would also chat up a Winter Fae and get himself into trouble. Do as he says, not as he does.

"Hey, I didn't get in trouble with Ignatius!" He pouts, but there's not a lot of fire behind it. He knows Strange is just teasing (as the one who has a significantly worse track record with the Fae).

"I'm going to stick close to people I can trust, so don't worry. I'm not giving up on going home at the end, either."

"Good," Strange explains, with a little nod. "I trust you, Yuya—hell, I trust you more than I trust half the carnival. If you say that you'll do this and you'll keep yourself out of trouble, then I've no reason to think otherwise."

Getting that promise out of him was the one thing that Strange was worried the most about. Yuya's a good kid, but Strange could easily see him running himself ragged or working too hard for the expense of others.

It's not an off assumption, especially if Yuya's running ragged for someone he honestly worries about more than most people in the carnival. But he also has a lot of people to keep him in check, and he's at least a little less self destructive.

He laughs shyly, rubbing the back of his head. "I won't let you down."

His expression slips a little when he remembers something. "Uh--but if you're leaving at the end of this contract, does that mean you're not going to have the Ringmaster break your curse?"

Last he heard, the plan for that was another contract.

"What? Oh, she already broke it."

Did he forget to tell Yuya this? Shit, he probably forgot to tell Yuya this. In Strange's defense, he's had a completely bonkers past few weeks, he's allowed to forget a few things!

"She did?!" Yuya mirrors Strange's surprise. "And she didn't ask for another contract?"

Well, if his time is almost up, she must not have. So he's free, and when he goes home he'll be able to be with Arabella proper.

"That's great, Mr. Strange!"

He can't help but smile, giving Yuya a wide grin as he continues talking. "She didn't. Admittedly, she was a little hesitant about the whole thing, but I figured there wasn't any harm in asking. When I return home, I'll return to Arabella."

And man alive is that the best feeling around. It's a little bit of happiness just lingering in Strange's chest. Because he will return home. And he will return to Arabella. There's just no doubt about it.

Fae have a Thing about favors, so that only cements for Yuya that it was a big request, and that the Ringmaster really cares to have still done it. They definitely have to save her.

"That's good... it's been really hard with the carnival, but I'm glad there's still been good things coming out it." His voice is light with relief. "I guess I won't have to ask the Summer Maiden for help after all."

"Even if I didn't have the curse broken, I'd tell you to ask the Summer Maiden for help with the carnival as a whole, not just me." Strange frowns a little, looking down at his hands as he continues talking. "My magic is only grown since I arrived here. I might not have been able to break the curse when I first signed onto the carnival, but now? Who knows."

Lord knows the fae in Strange's world didn't plan for things like 'this one dude getting infected by powerful faerie artifact cooties.'

"Besides, everyone as a whole needs help more than I individually do."

Yuya's expression twists with bemusement. "But we also have everyone helping each other to get through this. Something that only hurts you is a little different."

It wouldn't be as many people's priority, especially in the short term with all the danger. And without the danger, there's nothing more urgent for Yuya to use it on anyway.

"And I want everyone to get through this and recover, but they're not all my teacher and a close friend, either." That's said with a pointed look.

Strange blinks a little as Yuya points out the fact that he's a friend. He blushes slightly, shaking his head a little.

"I know you do. But I can't go home until I survive all of this first," said with a vague hand gesture to all of the Summerland's everything.

"I know that." Yuya raises a brow. They're all in the same situation there, after all. It wasn't exactly the point he was making, though. "And I think you will. We survived escaping the Moth of Invention, didn't we?"

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time to play fast and loose with thread timelines.

That's how we do it

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