hippocarnival | Lost Carnival

[When Reira and Reiji finally return to the Carnival, it is initially with great elation. Reira, now walking ahead of the bird carrying her brother, sighs with great relief as they trot in-massive griffinthing briefly shaking its head and giving sparrow peeps.]

Ahh-! Kage-!

[Reira is then of course, stuck watching as it immediately shoots off into the air, and heads for their trailer, Reiji giving a mute yelp in shock as he's taken with. Whoops.] Mnhhh...

[Oh well. Right now honestly, she's just tired. Blearily rubbing her eyes, she wanders a few steps in on the grounds in search of a few in particular though. She thought she heard them on the radio after all, so...]

Mnhh...Yuuya? [Helloooo? Anyone else get here yet?]

[Yuya practically springs up from where he's sulking at the sound of Reira calling for him, off from the trailers. He's already rushing to her, kneeling to her level.] Reira! Are you okay?

Ah-

[Well, that was effective. Reira has to blink a little bit at how Yuuya rushes over, taking a moment to get over it.] Umnh..! I'm fine... ...Kage just flew away with niisama once we got here... [She mumbles, frowning.] ...So we're both okay, but I wanted to find you to say that too...

[After all, he probably heard her chiming in on the radio to say she was stuck out there, right?]

Umnh...I only heard some things, though, like when everyone was talking to the faeries...so are you okay too?

[She may or may not be looking slowly toward your arms Yuuya. All over, actually, but if the arms are still visibly scratched up, that's going to be attention grabbing.]

That's good... [So much has gone wrong, he was worried it'd be too close to the Manor.

As for Yuya, he's got bandages where they need to be and the scratches obviously aren't holding him back any. He doesn't look much worse than if he'd tumbled through some rose bushes.] I'm okay. But there's other people in trouble and the Fae are still out there.

Mn. Yeah- they're not trying to get us lost anymore, [she notes, leaving the fact that she was able to come home at all as proof of it,] But... ...I think that's probably just because they have some people already.

...They wanted what the Ringmaster has, right? [she asks, recalling what could be heard over Herbert's radio.] And...they're mad because of something they think she did.

...or something they want to blame her for, [she adds- after all, it had been...a pretty one sided decision, over the radio.]

... Yeah, that's right. [Yuya moves to stand, reaching to put a gentle hand on Reira's shoulders to nudge her along. Probably back to her trailer.] They're like the Prince, they don't care about how much they hurt us.

But we'll definitely get them back.

Mnnn... [Well, she's moving, at least, but she's craning her head back up to frown a little.] ....I don't know if it's 'exactly' like the Prince... ...Doing what they want to get what they want is like the Prince, but...

...It sounded like the way people were taken away was different.

...I know we'll get them back, somehow, but it feels like the way we have to do it is going to be different too... [Which is pretty worrying, but she's been trying not to think too much about what that could mean.]

It'll be less violent, hopefully. [He does not really believe it will be less violent.] If the rose was worth the trouble we had to get it, then we're stronger this time.

[From the look on her face, she, as well, does not think it will be less violent.]

....They were tricky, so it feels like it'll be more tricky too, [she partly grumbles, practically pouting at the idea.]

People have to be smarter instead of just stronger.

[On the one hand, Correct, on the other, hard blow.]

I dunno if they were tricky this time. [The shadows, the Rose Queen, they weren't exactly subtle.] They're just... stronger.

[He says it quietly. He hates it, it's awful. But the Fae are on another level.

He worries over his lip.] So you need to be careful, okay? If you have to stay with the carnival...

They made sure we couldn't get back to the Carnival. And then, some people were saying things like 'if you come with me, no one will get hurt'... ...and that's something that a lot of people here listen to, instead of running away from.

[She's not saying they aren't stronger, granted. They're definitely stronger.

But tricky isn't the same as secret. It's tricky, manipulative, and it takes advantage of who they want.

And they had that in the bag.] So...they were really tricky.

[Anyway.] ...What do you mean...'if'?

...Niisama and I tried to come home as soon as the 'Ignatius' person was on the radio, [she notes- after all, that was the one they could hear. That whole pixie business only went to the Security channel. It took until Ignatius, for that reason, before they even realized fae were about.

And by then it was too late.] ...We weren't trying to stay away from it...

[She's probably just vastly missed what Yuuya meant. (And has.)]

No, I mean... [Yuya shakes his head.] This is too dangerous, so I was thinking... maybe the Ringmaster can end you and Reiji's contacts.

[He just got here after all, and Reira is so young.]

[Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.]

No.

[She's pretty set on that one. But she won't leave it like that, instead ducking her head down to look off to the side.]

It's better here, than with mom.

[............. Ok that might be worrying.]

Reira, you don't have to stay with Miss Akaba. We can talk to Reiji about that! But the way things are here...

[He gives her shoulder a quick squeeze.] Maybe someone won't make it back, because of the Fae.

Niisama already has to stay with 'mom', [She counters. But that doesn't seem to really matter here. Yuuya squeezes her shoulder, and frowns.] ...

...No one's died forever here, yet, [she notes, frowning.] ...and...I'm learning more things here, than I ever learned before. I want to stay. I made the contract, because I wanted to help Zarc-but even if that still happened if the contract stopped, I'd want to be here..! [the girl insists.]

...Before, you said 'we'll get them back'. Now, you're saying 'maybe we won't,' [Reira continues.]

...Do you think they'll come back? ...or... ...do you just want to say what makes sure I'll go away?

[Owch.]

[Yuya stops, which will likely result in his hold pulling against Reira. He stares ahead, silent.]

The truth is... I don't know. People have died, maybe not permanently as long as I've been here, but... [But that didn't change the possibly. Yuya believes with a smile, because when that do that they can move forward.

But he really, really doesn't know.

Yuya lets out a breath and holds in his tears, hesitating before turning to walk in front of Reira and brings himself to her level.] People are still being hurt, and hunted, and scared. You remember the war, don't you? This might be a lot worse.

.... [Reira seems to consider a lot of what Yuuya's saying- but unfortunately, not for the reasons he'd likely hope. As far as she's concerned, people always hurt each other. And hunt each other. And scare each other. It's in different ways, with different things, but it's what people do.

It was what people did at home, certainly, and why the very idea that people could have times when that wasn't happening, was confusing for a while. That just wasn't....how it went.

She still doesn't want to go back. She's practically certain if she does, it'll be back to Himika, and without a war to fight for, she's not sure Himika would want her around.

And the fact was, Himika would have the say in that. Because Reiji wasn't the one who 'took' her. It was Himika.

But if people couldn't stay dead, that was already a vast improvement, frankly. And more than that...]

...So why aren't you going home, then? If it was because I was small, you wouldn't say niisama should go too.

But you are. So why aren't you asking to go home?

I think Reiji should go so he can be with you. [That's actually still about Reira, although he'd rather everyone got to go home.] I don't know how she'd take everyone asking to go home, if she will break any contracts, so you and Reiji are priority.

[He's trying to plan more sensibly than 'beg for everyone to go home'. And he has other friends he needs to make sure will be okay.]

The Ringmaster already completed part of my contract, so I may not even be able to break it anymore.

[Um.]

...I'm not taking back what I said about Zarc.

[Perhaps mentioning the idea that a completed contract probably couldn't be broken was a bad idea- now it just feels like you don't care about hers being completed anyway.

Which...would be fair.

But she doesn't like that.]

[Truthfully he kind of doesn't.] Would you do it if I agreed to sign another contract that does the same thing?

[He doesn't sound very enthusiastic about it, but if it'd mean Reira can go somewhere safe...]

You can't do that right now, because you're on a contract already..!

[And that aside.] You don't even care about it! [She doesn't have to go off the sound of his voice for this.] You just want me to go away!

Why can't you believe your words, when you say things will be okay in the end! I believe them!

How are people supposed to fix things, and believe in things, if you only pretend to!

[Yuya lets her yell. He doesn't become incensed himself, his usual temper snuffed out by the weight of their situation. It's really just another way he's failing, isn't he? He can't compete with the Fae. Now the carnival is doing things that antagonize them further, and their whole future feels uncertain. He told their parents they'd return, but he has to admit it's a promise that may be out of his reach.

His shoulders slump, giving up on the argument faster than he normally would.] Fine. I can't make you do anything.

[That doesn't refute anything she says, but he doesn't haveit in him for another argument right now.

She listens to Reiji. He needs to make it clear to him how much danger they're all really in right now.]

[............Ah.

She goes quiet-eyes spotted a bit with tears, and face a bit red under the rocks as she finishes shouting. It wasn't fair to her, after all- not in a 'how dare he' sense, but rather...it just wasn't Fair. To say something and expect someone to believe it, but not believe it yourself. That was lying.

...It wasn't good to lie, at least not about important things like this. But now Yuuya is upset. Crushed, really, not that it's the word he'd use. So now they're standing apart from each other, Yuuya with his shoulders slumped and head somewhat down, she herself simply looking down in guilt.

After a moment, she quietly holds her hands out-not to be held, but to instead 'flick' the air somehow before both hands are reaching in a gesture not unlike an offering.

Without even a pause, a decent sized shield is before her- too low to block Yuuya's view, but then again perhaps it wasn't meant to block at all, but rather be displayed. It shines as brilliantly as moonlight, casting a glow upon them both, and refusing to falter before her hands.]

...'m not going to let anything happen. I'm practicing, and staying safe. Because even if I know things will be okay in the end, I know I have to be careful, so that people who can fight, and do things, do it right.

...but... ...you have to try to believe yourself too, when you say 'it'll be okay'. Because if you don't believe that... ...how will you be able to be okay, after?

[Yuya holds his gaze on her shield. He doesn't say anything for one long, still moment.

Then he lets out a breath, reaching to put his hand atop her head with a slight, tilted smile. His gaze is a little clearer, if not as bright as usual.]

It's not as simple at not letting anything happen. [He's had to face that the hard way again and again. He'll always save them, no matter what, but his ability to prevent it is lacking.] That's the scary part. And I don't want you to get hurt the same way. You deserve better.

....right now, it feels like you're the one being hurt.

Even if it's not that easy though, that doesn't mean things won't happen in a way that works. You still won't say anything about how you don't believe yourself, [she adds, frowning sadly. She's not going back. That's quite final. But that said-]

...instead it feels like you don't actually think it will be okay at all. ...I asked how you would feel better, if you would feel better.

...Why won't you answer, [She asks, lowering the shield and looking up from where his hand rests upon her head.]

NIGHT 59 | WHAT A RIDE THOUGH

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject