⇨ 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

[reflash]

"... from when I split?" That long ago. She'd known, or had suspicions, that entire time.

And now he's thinking about the split again, the feeling of being two different people. He refills his cup, takes another drink, and keeps talking.

"I'm sorry about that." He has to apologize, because it was humiliating.

[exaomori]

"I wasn't confident until you were back in one piece, and by that time..." Shura shrugs. They were in Polaris by that point, and they had bigger things to worry about. She reaches for the bottle when he's done to refill her glass.

"But that?" What exactly as he apologizing for? It wasn't as if she hadn't seen him as a crybaby before. Sure, he was probably embarrassed, but he he would have to forgive himself for that. "It worked out in the end, I guess. I'm glad you're back in one piece."

[flashover]

"Ahhh! Here you guys are!"

What do you call an interrupting Rin?

He waves with his normal hand and also the weird wing-hand on the same side, then comes jogging over. Kuro is asleep on his head.

"Are you guys havin' a picnic?"

[reflash]

Rin cannot know his younger brother has consumed an alcohol. That's the most important thing here, or at least Yukio's letting it become the most important thing as he quickly tries to hide his glass.

"Yes." Yukio says, before taking a bite of bread.

[exaomori]

“Ah, Rin.” Shura raises her hand in a sort of half-assed salute. She sees Yukio doing something, but doesn’t pay much mind. “You hungry? There’s plenty, but you gotta get another bottle if you wanna drink.” Actually, she should just make him get more booze anyway. Does she care about Yukio’s possible discomfort? Of course not.

[flashover]

"Ah, Shura?! You finished off a whole bottle of that stuff by yourself?!"

Because surely, SURELY, Yukio didn't drink any. That would just be silly.

"Kuro!"

The cait sidhe opens his eyes and yawns before jumping down from Rin's head.

"You wanna go get some more of that stuff for us? And whatever you want to eat, too."

That last part seems to make Kuro happy, and he takes off to find some more fae food. Rin himself takes a seat.

[exaomori]

“Eh?” Wait, hold on a second! It was entirely fair to assume she had downed it all, but it wasn’t just her this time! She whips around to look at Yukio, realizing that his cup was no longer in sight. The little shit—

Well. There was plenty of time for vengeance.

[reflash]

Yukio wants to retort, but he's painfully aware that whatever he says will end up being the truth. It's not like refusing to say anything means he's lying, and Rin is distractible enough that he probably won't press the issue.

"What were you and Kuro doing today?" Yukio can feel the heat in his face, from embarrassment as much as the alcohol.

[flashover]

"Oh, you know... just kind of hanging out... We took a nap out in the sun, we watched this one fae who was really good at making fruit art and stuff like I did in Eden...! I'm trying to decide if I want to sit in on the discussions with the Summer Maiden..."

He shrugs, grabbing some bread and cheese for himself.

"What are you guys up to?"

[exaomori]

Guess what, Yukio gets to answer that question. Shura’s going to make herself busy, pouring the last of the ale into her cup and drinking that. She’ll ask Rin about his intentions on his intentions about going to those discussions later if Yukio doesn’t
.

[reflash]

"Shura was interrogating me about my changes," he says, reaching for his glass and then thinking better of it. He has a lot of visible changes to talk about.

[flashover]

"Hehehe! You mean like how your moles look even more like a sky full of stars now? Nyahahah! Maybe we can find the big dipper, huh?"

It's just a good natured ribbing though, because Rin is quick to deprecate himself -- "Just when I thought I was all done with that stuff, they stripped all the pretty stuff off my wings... Now I just look super weird..."

He shrugs and sighs.

"But it's alright!"

Nope. Still hasn't noticed anything weird about this little gathering!

[exaomori]

Do you see this face, Yukio? This is the face of someone who isn't going to let that bullshit go.

"Mm, Spotty Four eyes seems to be gettin' used to his changes pretty quick, aren't you?" Shura says with that sweet, knowing tone. Bitch I see you twisting the truth. "But did you drop somethin'? You can't be leavin' stuff all over when you're a guest!"

[reflash]

"You've always looked weird, nii-san." Yukio's retort comes easily, because it's not untrue, it's just the sort of well-worn sibling barb that happens between brothers. He then flicks a grape at Rin, just because (because he's helped Shura empty that bottle).

Yukio shoots a look at Shura, in response to that comment and that tone.

"I'm not making a mess, Shura." He dropped the honorific about thirty seconds ago and hasn't picked it up again yet. "I'm just... I'm getting comfortable."

[flashover]

"Which is weird, I mean... Yukio, you're usually pretty bad about change, huh?" Rin laughs. "You're right though... hey! Wait, I didn't look weird BEFORE I had demon parts!"

... Ooh, grape! He picks it up and pops it in his mouth.

"Don't be making big messes here in this pretty place, Yukio...!"

Thankfully, Rin doesn't get a chance to look at whatever Yukio is hiding because just then, Kuro, in his large form, comes trotting back with a new basket in his mouth. In the basket are two more bottles of faerie ale, a few whole smoked fish, and some sort of greenery that, upon closer inspection, smell like catnip or silver vine. Well... Rin did say he could find whatever he wanted. He drops the basket and returns to his small form, grabbing the fish and greenery out of the basket to enjoy for himself!

Rin takes a glass out of the basket and pours himself a drink because... why not??? Sounds fun. He pours some in a shallow bowl for Kuro, too.

[exaomori]

Oh, more booze. Kuro's arrival isn't enough to completely distract Shura, and she's debating whether or not it will be worth potentially wrestling Yukio in order to grab his cup before she realizes Rin is pouring his own cup. She reacts swiftly, surprisingly so for how inebriated she is, giving Rin a sharp chop on the head with her hand.

"Don't pour your cup first, idiot!" Underage drinking? Nah, that's nothing to worry about Shura was doing much worse at his age. But since Shiro wasn't there to teach him his manners, it looked like she was going to have to step in.

[reflash]

"When I split, part of me got used to them," he starts explaining. "So I guess it ju--- you can't pour your own drink, nii-san."

Double lectures from both ends of the responsibility scale.

[flashover]

"Ow!!" the chop is enough of a surprise that he spills the glass he poured for himself, but thankfully, not the entire bottle.

"Wha... what was that for?! Why can't I pour my own drink first?! It was MY familiar who went and got it!!"

Said Familiar is ignoring Rin, munching away happily on his fish and lapping up the ale.

[exaomori]

"Pour Kuro's, then mine, then Four Eyes's drink, then one of us will pour for you!" Shura explains, trying not to feel either old or too impatient for this. "Sheesh, Shiro would be rolling in his grave if he knew you were bein' so rude."

Because, again, #priorities. But at least Shura's trying to be helpful in that often unhelpful way of hers.

"It doesn't matter how strong you are, no one's gonna respect you as paladin if you can't figure basic manners. You're junior to us, so you gotta pour. C'mon, put that cup down and use both hands to pour." And Shura holds out her cup with both hands, tilting the glass towards him.

[reflash]

"Manners are incredibly important, nii-san." Yukio says, the heavy tip of his tail flipping back and forth as he backs Shura up. He finishes off his glass as he watches Shura try to convince Rin to actually follow her instructions.

And then Yukio leans over toward Kuro to try and grab the trailing end of the plants to tug on it a little bit. Is the cat in the mood to play a little bit?

[flashover]

"GeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEZZzz," he says, groaning and rolling his eyes and entire neck at the same time, "I didn't realize this was some kind of fancy formal manners picnic... so stupid...!"

He sets his now empty cup down and takes the bottle, as instructed, in both hands. Seems like he's going to follow the rules after all, or else he might never get to have any himself! He pours Shura's drink, then Yukio's.... then he hands it to Shura and holds out his cup. "Is that better? Christ..."

Then he realizes--

"Ah!! Wait! Yukio is drinking too?! Amazing!"

As for Kuro, that DOES seem like a lot of fun. His pupils go wide as he sees the movement. He repositions himself, wiggles his butt and back legs, and makes a move to pounce!

[exaomori]

"Nyaa, he's been drinkin' since we got here," Shura replies, as if Rin should have known this. Duh. How do you think they got through that whole bottle??

But since he went and poured for them, Shura will return the favor and pour Rin's cup. Look, she's almost classy like this. Not that Rin will appreciate his teacher having good style while pouring.

[reflash]

Yukio straightens up indignantly, face burning a little more red as he's called out.

"It was Shura's--" he starts, trying to shift some responsibility. But he doesn't finish that sentence before Kuro does exactly as expected and jumps onto the plant Yukio's wiggling. Unfortunately for Yukio, he's pulled that silvervine too far back, and Kuro's going for his hand as well as the plant.