lostcarnival | ⇨ EPILOGUE

Entry tags:

!event,
@the end

⇨ EPILOGUE

Who: Anyone who's ever been in the game before!
When: Day 143 and for the rest of time.
Where: The Ringmaster's Realm.
What: It's a time of reunions and also a time for goodbyes - for now, but probably not forever. This is the final official log for Lost Carnival, and it's potentially open to anybody who's played in the game. Thanks for everything!
Warnings: Is it safe? It's probably safe.

THE EVER AFTER↴

It's done. The Huntsman is gone and the Winter Queen has been cured of her self-inflicted condition. It will take time, but if things proceed well, it seems like they could end up with a sympathetic party in the Winter Throne. At the very least, guilt is a hell of a drug when it comes to getting someone's ear on important matters.

The damage that has been done is not something that can easily be fixed. Lives have been ruined or lost completely, and emotional wounds can last a lifetime. Yet, for the first time in eons there is a bold hope for the future - a hope for change in ways the Courts never knew they could.

There is so much to do in the aftermath that it will be years before any of it has been truly seen through. In the immediate hours and days following, however, the Ringmaster will be focused on seeing to the needs of her carnival. Or, at least, what was her carnival. She isn't sure what it is now. She'll probably always think of them as her family, even if they don't return the sentiment. Things are different now, are they not? They are no longer her followers, but the friends and peers she had always wished for in her previous life.

After they have finished their business in the Winter Court, she will bring them all back to the remains of her realm. They need time to rest, and time to think. As she begins the reconstruction of her world, she has a few announcements to make.

Firstly - all lingering contracts for those present are now considered paid. She will fulfill their wishes to the best of her ability regardless of how many days would have been left. Of course, it will take her a bit of time since they are all happening at once, but she'll be going down the list! All other contracts will be fulfilled or cancelled depending on individual situations, and whether or a person's connection to the carnival was still active. Otherwise they've probably been reset and their contract cancelled anyway.

Secondarily - she is unsure of the future of the carnival itself. With how much there is to do, she doesn't feel that she can simply run away again, no matter how easy that would be in comparison. Being one of the Miracles puts her in a unique position of power, and this time, she wants to do right by it. Her and Ignatius have some ideas, but it will probably be a while before they come to fruition. However, she will rebuilding her realm in a new shape, and everyone is welcome to stay there as long as they want. Alternatively, she will help them travel to wherever in the multiverse they'd like to go instead, and they will retain easy passage back to her realm whenever they wish to travel there. In the future they can probably even learn to world travel on their own!

Thirdly - she is going to be inviting back people who still had open contracts so that everyone can catch up and make decisions about going home. Not all of them will show up in this time, but she wanted to give them the opportunity. So, if friends or family went home but haven't been reset, they may possibly be arriving at the new Ringmaster realm to catch up. Otherwise, their contracts will be considered paid and they can stay at home. This mean, previously dropped characters can reappear in the realm to visit and get some closure.

As a final helpful gift, those who became Miracles will be able to edit the reality of the realm to their liking while she works on it. So, if you want to hang out and build some things, you are free to design and magically construct your own spaces like high-res Minecraft.

And that's only the beginning.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Maybe I should start doing it for more dates? I'm suddenly feeling like I need to give you more..."

He curls his fingers over Gon's, leaning in. "But that'll have to wait, because we won't have enough time if we argue in your doorway all night."

"If you start doing that, then I will run out of places to put the flowers," he huffs, leaning forward himself. "...And it would assuredly be a pity, to waste time arguing about that instead of going wherever it is you are to surprise me with, hmm?"

So then. "So, shall I, the man Gongenzaka, ask why you have brought me lilies, this evening..?"

"Don't worry, I'll mix it up. Like jewelry."

Yuya steps back, offering his hand to Gongenzaka as encouragement to start going now. He can leave his bouquet here or take it with him, depending how blatant about Yuya's affection he wants to be.

"They're pretty, aren't they?" Do lilies mean something and he doesn't know it? Probably.

"Oh! Then I should expect a new earring?" he jokes, taking the other's hand and using his free one to hold the bouquet as they move. "Aah, they are certainly wonderful..!"

But.

Well.

"I, the man Gongenzaka, am...curious as to why you chose orange and white however..."

Yuya threads their fingers together, squeezing once to feel the pressure of his ring between their skin before he leads Gongenzaka away from his house.

"They're nice colors..." he glances over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

"Auuhh...nothing in particular! I, the man Gongenzaka, simply am familiar with certain points of flower language..."

And orange with white is 'hate' and 'purity'...

Ah, right. Flower meanings. That Gongenzaka knows that doesn't come up much, but Yuya can't ruin his surprises asking.

"So are you going to tell me what they mean?"

"A...AAaaauuh... ...Well, the white ones are purity..."

Gongenzaka looks increasingly more awkward about this as he gets closer to having to explain the orange ones.

Yuya slowly comes to a stop, delaying leading Gongenzaka on as his expression slips.

"... And the orange ones?"

"...hatred..." ..

"MNH- N- Not that you realized this, of course! And as you said, they are quite lovely!!"

Yuya stops and stares, eyes wide.

"... Aha. Ahahaha--" Yuya smiles nervously as he turns on his heels, reaching with his thumb and index finger to pinch the stems of each orange lily.

And then quickly yank them out of the bouquet and toss them to the side. This is going to mess the whole bouquet up, but it's fine.

Cue a strangled high pitched squeak- "AUH!! Y-Yuuya, what are you doing..!!"

"Making my feelings a little clearer!" He responds cheerfully, and when every orange lily is gone he takes Gon's hand again and tugs.

"Y-Your feelings were already clear..!!" Excuse him while he frantically looks side to side, and then gently grows- admittedly white- lilies off the stems remaining so that the bouquet looks proper again.

"You did not need to cut them..."

Yuya is going to need to study flower language, god damn. His man has a far too sensitive, perfect heart.

Yuuya laughs, squeezing his hand. "It's fine! Let's hurry, we'll want to have every minute of our reservation."

"Mn- Reservation?" And he's hurrying, he's hurrying!! "Y-Yuuya, where did you schedule our date!?"

Yuya looks over his shoulder, a finger to his lips. "Se~cret~"

But he'll see, after fifteen minutes of shortcuts. A tea house, known for their ornate outdoor spaces. Are they even dressed nicely enough for this place?

Secret...? "HAh...?" Is about all he manages to get out before he decides to just take it as he goes.

And then of course, he actually sees the venue. "Y-Yuuya..!" he hisses, the sound half way to a choke. "You could have told me to dress more properly for this, at the least..!"

Yuya lets go of his hand, looking equally unconcerned about not being dressed for the occasion.

Instead he goes right up to the door, gesturing for Gon to follow before he leans towards the host. "Hi, I'm here for the room reserved under Sakaki Yuya."

The hissing 'Yuuya!! Yuuya!!' series continues until they're near the door- at which point he swallows back his protests to simply hold his tongue and turn beet red. Okay.

Room that Yuuya reserved.

Oh boy.

The host looks between them before dutifully leading them to the room in the back of the basement if the establishment. Try not to look in the rooms at all the people dressed in traditional and formal attire.

It's an enclosed garden that feels like a cave, but filled with glowing lamps and lush grass and colorful flowers to illuminate it. The tea table and pot is on a table on a wide slate that sits in the middle of a koi and lily pond that circles around it. A bridge leads to the center.

The host closes the door behind them, after bidding them well. Yuya gives Gongenzaka a nudge.

"You first."

Gongenzaka is about the same shade of Yuuya's hair by the time they get to their room- largely because he knows exactly what he'd have worn if he was given the chance to actually choose in this case. He somehow manages to distract himself by focusing on the surroundings...but even that only helps so much, and if he had his inhuman ears right now they'd no doubt be pinned flat against his skull.

As it is, only his brows really give him away- at least until he's nudged and shocked from his thoughts long enough to head for the bridge.

At least now that they're alone he can talk. "Mnh...Th...This is certainly much nicer than I, the man Gongenzaka, would typically think of when wearing a t-shirt..."

Yuya tugs on his own T-shirt. "It's fine. I didn't want you to worry about your presentation all day."

Keep expectations low and all that. Yuya follows him, stepping gingerly over the bridge and crossing to the opposite side of the table to sit.

Inside the glass teapot us an unbloomed flowing tea. Yuya takes the kettle and starts to slowly pour in the hot water. Besides the two cups, there's a box of orderly wagashi in the middle.

"You remember when you first confessed to me, don't you? Half of you, anyway."

"Auuh, but now I, the man Gongenzaka, am worrying about my presentation now..." he mutters, though it is ultimately ineffective as a complaint.

Gongenzaka carefully takes his seat, looking about the small room with soft eyes until Yuuya speaks again. For a moment, he pauses- but then...

"A...Yes," he starts, blinking. "...Over tea, in a garden..." How could he forget after all? Despite himself, he has to snort lightly not long after saying what he does. "...You appear to have found a way to recreate the moment, Yuuya..."

He doesn't say that lightly.

"Not recreate, exactly." He sets the kettle down, out of the way so the teapot is in clear view. And then he looks up, smiling warmly. "But I thought it'd be nice to remember how far we've come."

He reaches for Gongenzaka's hand from across the table, curling his fingers around Gon's with gentle pressure. Then Yuya tugs it gently, drawing his hand up to press his lips to the back of Gon's. All the while, he never takes his eyes from Gongenzaka's face.

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