DUNGEON ♛ LIEFSTE CARNAVAL

[boardmaster]

LIEFSTE CARNAVAL
20 JULY (DELPHINE) 2016

The Heroes chosen for this dungeon may reach Petrosian by any means they choose (by Airy with passports, by foot, by train, etc.) but they must travel to the area under suspicion by a smaller train, sponsored by VIPs; from there, they will take the fifteen mile, bumpy ride from the quaint town station to an open valley downstream. As you’re jostled around in your seat, a cheery announcement informs you that this train ride was sponsored by the illustrious Ryder, who felt it was necessary to express his gratitude to the Heroes and their admirable efforts that just barely saved his life last month. How thoughtful of him.

As the train chugs to a stop, beyond the forest and behind our Heroes, endless fields of gold seem to stretch out as far as the eye can see. What was once rich green grass has been painted yellow by the sweltering heat and clear summer sky. Few trees offer shelter from the sun, but most Heroes will have to provide their own shade as they wait for Secretary Verdoni and Ryder’s quick debriefing.

	Verdoni [ he looks so done with Ryder, but he has a job to do ] Every year, this field serves as the site of the famous Liefste Carnaval. For obvious reasons, we do not usually spend money to send our forces here, and if anyone would like to convince me otherwise, I shall have them entertain their fellow rapscallions at St. Amant.
	Ryder [ coughs ]
	Verdoni [ shut up ] However, due to financial constraints and missing people reports in the area, the carnival was canceled. And yet it is here. We have reason to believe that the reports of missing individuals tie into this carnival. Furthermore, our researchers say there is an abnormal amount of mana activity in the area. Given your previous experience with those, I don’t believe I need to elaborate any further. Your job is to investigate the carnival, find the truth behind it, and retrieve the dungeon core. As for your transportation, we’ve arranged a—
	Ryder Thank you, Secretary. Heroes. Out of gratitude for your heroic rescue, the least I could do was provide some incentive to fetch me a souvenir. This train, the Big Red, was built by one of Gammon’s finest mechanics. I had it shipped here under great expense so that you could enjoy the luxury of Gammon. I hope you Heroes are fortunate enough to visit my land soon. [ and as an afterthought: ] Ah, and rescue those people. Of course. By the way, this weather is absolutely dreadful. My skin was never this dry back in Cochrane. Guard A, Guard B, set up camp. We don’t want to faint from the heat later, do we?
	Verdoni [ why is this guy even here ] To answer the question on everyone’s minds: yes, there is a point to collecting these dungeon cores. Apart from restoring natural order to the land, we have reason to believe the dungeon cores may hold the key to finding a way home for you Heroes... Once we have proper confirmation, I will soon be able to make a formal announcement. Secondly, yes, Commander Lisbrand is still recovering from the Noir attack. We are hoping that she’ll be well enough to join us soon. For now, we do what we can.

Basic info on the dungeon can be found here. Dungeon mechanics can be found here. All OOC questions about the event may be directed to the thread below.

ONE ♙
Welcome to the Liefste Carnaval! Don’t be shy, come on in!

There’s nothing of note when you approach the carnival’s entrance. The hustle and bustle of any other fun-filled festival can be heard from the outside, complete with excited shouts and distant music. The smell of popcorn and other saccharine treats waft over and make your mouth water…

Before you satisfy your cravings, you should get a ticket. You’ll be greeted by a vaguely humanoid ticket seller entirely covered in confetti and pieces of torn tickets, with a rattling breath as if it caught a cold. It doesn’t speak and merely points to a sign that says 500 colle per person! What? Not everything comes for free. An item of similar value will also suffice.

If you refuse to pay and shoulder your way past it, you’ll find yourself shoved onto your back, face to face with the ticket seller himself. The bits of paper on its face rustle before it shuffles back over to the stand. Try again and you’ll find yourself getting further and further away from the entrance as a minor curse begins to settle upon you. You may come up with your own curse (e.g. loss of voice, speaking in gibberish). Thankfully, the curse doesn’t last long, but the message should be clear: pay for your ticket.

Once you have acquired your ticket, you are free to enter the carnival at your leisure. Should you turn around to ask the ticket seller for more information, it will vanish into thin air, leaving nothing but a small heap of confetti.

Walk past the first booth; a gaggle of happy children with balloons approach you with boxes of welcoming gifts. Though you might want to remember what all children are taught: don’t take candy from strangers.

MONSTER ♟ Wicht
Weak against Fire, Holy	Strong against None	Immune to Dark
A demon possessing a wooden puppet painted and carved in the form of a happy child with rosy cheeks. It offers BOXES OF CHOCOLATE to unsuspecting victims. Be warned: the chocolate will give you CHILLS AND MALAISE, and eating it will prompt fellow Wichts to link their hands together and circle around you as they chant RING AROUND THE ROSIE. This is not an innocent game, but a spell that accelerates the progression of the disease inside you, manifesting in RASHES, FEVER, SNEEZING AND COUGHING. The Wichts have no sympathy to spare; they’ll keep chanting ‘til you all fall down! Don’t feel like chocolate today? Oh, the Wichts insist. As they shove their boxes at you, their giggles turn into maniacal laughter. Their cherubic features melt into something sharper, harder, and you barely have time to react before they try to rip your heart out with their SHARP CLAWS. Catching Wichts is not easy. They use the wind magic of their BALLOONS to fly out of harm’s way, and the more mischievous ones will inhale the helium inside to release BANSHEE-LIKE SCREAMS that will stun and knock your party back. You can eliminate these demons by any means, but defeating these wooden puppets with HOLY MAGIC will banish the demonic spirit inside them, rendering them lifeless with the angelic features they originally had. These Petrosian-style puppets show really good craftsmanship! DROPS: Colorful Balloons, Gift Boxes, Petrosian Puppets, Wicht Claws, Mana-infused Wood

Suddenly, the cheerful and festive atmosphere vanishes. A flag flutters against a strong, abrupt gust of wind. Shadows seem to whisper and point and watch with gleaming, uncountable eyes. The paths are deserted and what was a vibrant place full of life is now anything but.


TWO ♙
In the chocolate box of the first Wicht you defeat, you will find a hand-drawn map of the carnival. It is extremely detailed and meticulously labeled with every ride, shop, and sideshow. Does this cartographer have a perfectionist streak? There’s a crudely-painted red heart circling one attraction in particular: the tunnel of love. But from the way the color dried, you’re starting to think that’s not paint…

Before you reach the tunnel of love, you have to pass through game stalls and the haunted house. Move quickly; those familiar Wicht giggles are approaching and they will not take no for an answer. Hide behind stalls or large crates to avoid them. Perhaps Rooks or Illusion Queens can cover the party’s tracks!

If you choose to hide behind stalls and crates, a cold draft might hit your back, send a shiver down your spine and make you whirl around to confront—no one. But you could have sworn you saw a shadow in the corner of your eye… Before you can think, something too close for comfort bursts into hysterical laughter, attracting the attention of the Wichts and forcing you to abandon your shelter.

However, Wichts can’t touch you if you join in the fun, and the carnival offers a variety of games to play, from dime pitch games to shooting galleries. A man next to a strongman game might even holler at you to step right up and test your strength. Neither firearms, ammo or hammers will be provided, but you’re Heroes, right? Improvise! Win, and you’ll be greeted by...

MONSTER ♟ Steun
Weak against Holy	Strong against Dark	Immune to None
Carnival staff manning the stalls with smiles that will haunt your nightmares. People who win their games infuriate them! Their weapon of choice depends on where you find them. Food vendors will be eager to hurl BOILING OIL or throw an entire GRILL at your face, while those at the shooting galleries might come at you with FIREARMS—real ones! But sometimes, a bullet won’t kill you. Instead, it will make you smell like cotton candy. It will also cast CHARM MAGIC on you, making your party members fall in love with you. Only strong willpower can break the spell… or you know, a good, old-fashioned kiss. Staff members may also toss stuffed toys at you, but these cute and cuddly things aren’t a gift of goodwill. They’re enchanted grenades that explode into heart-shaped confetti and release a gas that will make you LAUGH UNCONTROLLABLY for a good five minutes. DROPS: Assorted Guns and Bullets, Carnival Food Items, Stuffed Toys, Carnival Staff Jacket

Glad that’s over! Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be the last area you needed to traverse. Checking the map again reveals that the haunted house is up next. But that shouldn’t be a big deal; you can usually avoid those by simply walking past, right?

Wrong. As you enter the area, you’ll soon realize that the roads around the house are clogged up by cotton candy and popcorn which might serve as convenient snacks to replenish your mana. The only free path leads to the front door.


THREE ♙
The floorboards creak as your party enters the haunted house. A flash of lightning preceding a crack of thunder reveals a large, arachnid leg. Clicking noises of pincers are the only warnings Heroes get before your party is grabbed and hauled upwards, one by one. Tough strings like silk trap your bodies in a tight cocoon that dangles from the ceiling. Resistance is futile, as struggling will damage your clothes. Don’t worry about flashing anyone; the spider is more than happy to cover your bare areas with more form-hugging strings. The spider silk seems to be enchanted, since captured Heroes cannot escape on their own. You must help them to proceed!

As the spider works on hauling its prey upwards, the others must rescue their comrade before it’s too late! Unfortunately, your entrance has awoken a sudden rush of monsters, and the blood and drool they’re spewing make it hard to believe they’re in costume. Hobbling and groaning zombies, scarecrows and half molten blobs or something in between are eager to have you for dinner themselves. The enemies themselves are not particularly dangerous; it’s their sheer number and the furniture they’ve knocked over which make this fight a pain in the neck. Kick and bat and suplex your way through the enemy ranks until you reach the rickety stairs.

Climbing with care, you finally make your way to the second floor. There is a spider lurking in a corner...

MONSTER ♟ Heer Spinnekop
Weak against Water	Strong against Earth, Wind	Immune to Lightning
“I must say, that was very rude of you. No one has ever turned down an invitation to my tea parties.” A calm and chipper tea-sipping, monocle-wearing SPIDER too big to fit through the front door. The wealthy Lord Spinnekop studied in Gammon for a time and the accent has stuck with him ever since. Despite his manners, he isn’t too pleased to have his snack stolen from under its nose. What’s he going to dunk in his tea cup now? So he’ll try to trap the Heroes once more with his SILK THREADS, please and thank you. His threads will wrap around you in patterns that bind and appeal to the senses. “Ooh, could you do that again? It makes my spinneret tingle!” For some reason, LIGHTNING MAGIC doesn’t work against the monstrous spider. But continue to refuse him and he’ll splash piping hot Gammonian Breakfast tea at your face… or shirt. Let’s hope you didn’t wear something thin and white. As the battle goes on, he’ll crawl from corner to corner, and soon, you’ll notice a method to his madness: he’s been weaving a HUGE, STICKY WEB for you all! “No, no, you’ve got it all wrong. I’ll wash you down—after I chew and swallow!” Heroes he likes, he’ll trap in his web and eat. Heroes he doesn’t? He’ll toss them in a giant KETTLE of water he’s been boiling in the kitchen! How does Heroic tea sound? However, chatting with the spider (and boy, does he love to chat) will reveal that despite growing up in the lowlands of Petrosian and living in rainy Gammon, he detests water. WATER MAGIC might just wash the spider out! DROPS: Fancy Tea Set, Top Hat, Monocle, Gentleman’s Gloves, Silk Threads

You’ve had it with this @#$%ing spider in this @#%$ing haunted house! Goodbye and good riddance. The doors upstairs seem to lead to nowhere so you’ll have to climb through the open hatch in the ceiling to exit. On the roof, you can finally survey the entire dungeon, but don’t linger for too long. Otherwise, you’ll be compelled to jump off the roof!

Hope you’re not afraid of heights, because the only way to advance to the tunnel of love is by jumping from roof to roof.


FOUR ♙
Finally, the infamous tunnel of love rests before you in all its glittery, pink glory. Rose petals coat the sign and flower chains hang from the tunnel ceiling. Echoes of sensual moans can be heard from the outside, but there’s no turning back. Once you’ve secured yourself a swan boat, you’re in for quite the joyride. The dulcet tones of a romantic serenade give you something else to focus on other than the disturbingly intimate shadows on the walls, but even the music stops every now and then to amplify the voices further in.

Then all of a sudden, the water of the tunnel starts flowing in the other direction. Due to the shape of the boat, Heroes get doused in cold water, and that’s the least of your problems. More Steuns will come out of the woodwork and take potshots at the Heroes with their guns. Talk about wet and wild! The tunnel’s heart-shaped props might also come to life and attempt to drown Heroes. Why not? It’s not like couples ever want to leave.

After several merry minutes, the water will be drained out completely. Who doesn’t enjoy being stranded in the middle of enemy territory? As you walk down the tunnel, there’s a point that diverges into several paths. Following the path that smells like roses will appear to put you on the right track, but leads to a dead end. Looking around, you’ll find a raised, heart-shaped platform with graffiti that says, NOW DO IT! ❤

That’s awfully specific. Considering where you are, you probably meet the riddle with mild surprise. Maybe if you try to kiss someone, you’ll be able to advance! But actually, if you wait long enough, a simple hug might yet suffice.

Once the riddle has been satisfied, the wall opens to reveal the inside of a circus tent. Vacant bleachers surround the stage, and though they are empty, deafening cheers seem to come from people filling the seats. Without warning, all the lights go out, save for a single spotlight...

BOSS ♟ Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his Circus
Weak against None	Strong against Fire	Immune to Dark, Status Effects
“Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Welcome to the best show in the world! I’ve travelled the seven seas, so I should know.” An outstanding and prolific RINGMASTER who recently fell out of the limelight. After some soul searching, Ser Lyon’s back with a bigger and better show that’ll knock everyone’s socks off! Eat your heart out, Cirque du Etoile. As the leader of this circus, he has the fully loyalty of his performers—and pets. With a crack of his whip, he summons large, maned LIONS that growl as they bare their sharp, white fangs. They attack the Heroes on his orders. Don’t let the large felines jump through those flaming hoops, as these will ENGULF THEM IN FIRE, too! Use WATER to put the flames out. ”Such teamwork… Geluk and I were the same. Why am I thinking about him at a time like this? For our next act…!” Should you defeat his precious lions, he will send out his beloved CIRCUS PERFORMERS: acrobats that can kick your butt, contortionists that can bend themselves twice over as they lock you in a CHOKEHOLD, unicycle-riding jugglers waiting for the right moment to toss you a KNIFE or MOLOTOV COCKTAIL, and tightrope walkers ready to DROP DEADLY SPEARS onto unsuspecting Heroes. You might even get tackled by the occasional cannonball man and GET LAUNCHED OUT OF THE TENT with him! Circus performers of all kinds will try to steal the show, and your imagination’s the limit. Unlike the ringmaster, these people are WEAK TO STATUS EFFECTS. ”He told me to meet him during the Festivale de la Ceinturonne, but I had a show that night. I couldn’t abandon my circus! That was years ago… I haven’t heard from him since. I wonder what would have happened… if I had gone to see him… If I had gone to see him…!” Although his stars are gone, the show must go on. As the drum rolls, the lone Ser Lyon reaches inside his mouth to pull out a sharp SWORD with a flourish. How long has that been in there? Not important. Forget about admiring his top-notch swordsmanship, too—he’s here to kill! Even as you keep your distance, you can’t escape him when he strikes you with his WHIP and singes your skin with his FIRE-BREATHING SKILLS. From time to time, he pulls MAGICAL BIRDS out of his coat to distract Heroes. They will disappear the moment you strike them. ”Bravo, bravo. The circus is my life, but… your teamwork has reminded me of something far more important. Still… we put on a good show, didn’t we?” Before his last breath, he pulls a lovespur out of thin air. It was his closest friend’s favorite magic trick. A DUNGEON CORE rises from his chest, and he ends the show with an elegant bow and a smile. DROPS: Ringmaster Staff, Ringmaster Coat, Lion Mane, Juggling Balls, Sword, Hoop, Balance Pole, Torches

Once Y. U. Lyon the Spelleider and his lackeys have been defeated, the phantom cheering cuts off. The bleachers are suddenly occupied by the missing Petrosians, exhausted and confused as to how they ended up here. The dungeon magic appears to have compelled them to act the way they did. Reassure them, help them down from the bleachers and make absolutely sure you leave no one behind.

Soon, the carnival gates open. The show is over and it’s time for everyone to go home.


FIVE ♙
Once you step out of the gates, there’s a flash of light and a final pop of confetti. The next time you blink, you’ll find yourself in a campsite. It seems like Ryder kept his word and set up a rest stop for everyone exiting the dungeon. You’re back in one piece and the area seems to be back to normal as well. Relieved murmurs spring up from the rescued Petrosians who are quick to thank the Heroes profusely before they are whisked away by Blanc’s medics for a check-up.

Verdoni Good work, Heroes. What you do with the dungeon cores is your business alone, but all efforts to assist us in assessing them will be appreciated. That includes providing us with said dungeon cores, of course. I will report our findings as soon as we can. Thank you.

As he leaves, he catches the sight of Ryder and clicks his tongue. That Gammonian is making good use of his human footrest again. Some things never change.

Now that Heroes have left the dungeon, they are free to do whatever they want to. Rest in the tents? Fill your rumbling tummies? Treat injuries? It’s up to them!

Comments

Team Long Hair (Kojirou, Irisviel, Vivienne)

[hiryugaeshi]

CHOCO BABBIES

[hiryugaeshi]

[ What sequence of events has led to this? Why are they dealing with weird puppet babies hoisting chocolates on them? ]

I'm afraid I don't much enjoy candy. How do you ladies feel about them? They are rather insistent.

[ Keeping babies at arms length is rather strange, but what else is he to do here? ]

[soulshift]

I don't trust these sweets...

[ Which is a shame as they do look absolutely delicious, but Kiritsugu always warned her about accepting gifts - especially candy from strangers. ]

I'm afraid we'll have to fight if they persist.

[ She says, reading her bracelet with mana and looking at the bewildering amount of chocolates being offered to them. ]

[kirkhammer]

[Vivienne on the other hand is like five seconds away from swinging her hammer. It's clear that these "children" aren't here to bring anything remotely cheerful. And as far as she can tell, dungeons are rarely this kind.]

I'd rather not wait and see what they're capable of. Or what their offerings will bring. This is faster--

[Annnd, she's just going to go for it. Driving both heels into the ground for balance, Vivienne adjusts the grip on her hammer, and swings. It's less an attack, and more a means to create distance between them, but two or three fail to react in time, and are knocked backwards. The rest either jumped back, or flew up into the air.

Regardless, their cheerful laughter has taken a more sinister turn...]

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Well then, that settles things. The dolls, upon seeing the adventurers turning hostile, (and one fleshy person is much like another,) have changed, chocolate bearing cherubs turning into claws devils leaping up at the heroes ready to their their hearts out.

Kojirou's sword is faster than even that, however, drawn and at the ready seemingly at a flash, knocking aside the first of the puppets with a sharp rap to its head, sending the child-sized wooden construct flying off course and into one of the many tents that make up a carnival. ]

Enemies, then. I can hardly say I'm surprised.

[soulshift]

[ Irisviel raises her hand and concentrates. The dolls have started charging and she was going to do her best to repel them. Time to put these kingly skills to use. ]

Territory Creation!

[ She's summoning flowing streams of white mana around herself and her team, concentrating as best as she can. ]

Repel Parameter: Devils.

[ And she gives a meaningful gaze at a devil trying to leap for her, but before it makes contact it bounces off some invisible shield as if being bounded. ]

I will not let them come further.

[kirkhammer]

[Before today, Vivienne's not seen this level of magic use. While different to the more offensive sort of arcane knowledge she's used to, this defensive magic has its uses.

Though she doubts she'll ever use any herself.]

Irisviel, are you able to maintain this barrier? With this number of them, destroying them all at once would be ideal.

[And until they can find something they can use, maybe they can turtle for a bit.]

[hiryugaeshi]

They seem to be possessed by wooden dolls possessed by spirits. If we had cleansing fire to destroy the vessels, or holy light with which to exorcise them, we could probably cut down their numbers drastically.

[ Kojirou has neither fire nor holy magic though, his entire skillset narrowly focused on defending himself, cutting through enemies, magic, and even the weather itself. His ability to turn the elements against his enemies rather depends on who and where he's fighting. ]

Of course, if it comes down to it, there's a sure way to take these demons out: Cut away their mana and destroy their bodies with physical force. It's a tactic that doesn't discriminate.

[soulshift]

I can maintain it enough for now.

[ Her face is transfixed on maintaining the rule for the barrier. Its no easy process as she's fully aware that one hit is all it takes to break hard work into nothing but wisps of mana and leaving them completely open to attack. ]

I have limited access to fire magic, but none of the holy variety that this requires. Cutting their mana may be our only option for now.

[ She clasps her hands together, holding them tightly as if in prayer. ]

The moment you are ready, I can lower the barrier and lower the agility of these dolls.

CARNIVAL GAMES

[hiryugaeshi]

I'm afraid I'm not much of a strongman, and even less of a marksman. Would either of you like to play these games?

[ That first one is kind of a lie. Even if Kojirou prefers not to rely on brute strength, in this world, he's a Knight. He can be hella strong if he wants to be. He just rarely wants to be.

But why did he say that? It's because they're facing a bunch of carnival stalls, and all he has on hand is his sword and chain. He's going to check if his teammates have any ideas before just jumping into doing something slightly stupid. ]

[soulshift]

[ Irisviel looks between Kojirou and Vivienne. She's not particularly good with guns, she doesn't trust herself to handle them correctly. These were supposed to be toy ones, weren't they? Why do they smell like gunpowder? ]

Are you skilled at firearms Vivienne?

[kirkhammer]

Perhaps not at longer range, but I have experience with pistols, yes.

[And more recently, a rifle.]

Though I'm not certain that playing along will be beneficial to us, if our earlier experience was any indication.

[hiryugaeshi]

That it may be, but as long as we're here feigning interest in the festivities, it seems the dolls are content to keep their distance. Walk away, and we may have to fight the entire way to our destination.

[ Or y'know, stealth, but Kojirou's not stealthy by nature. He has the skills, being an Assassin, but it's simply not in his personality to walk away from fights. ]

I doubt we'll be receiving any ordinary plush bears for prizes, but perhaps this trap will be a change of pace at least?

[soulshift]

Yes, I wish we were here under less... distressing circumstances.

[ She looks over at Vivienne and Kojirou before turning to the stall. It seemed empty. Too empty.

The plushes looked at them from the roof of the stall with eerily empty eyes, but Irisviel could sense some sort of mana from them. Whether it was a lingering mana from people who were previously here or mana imbued in the dolls themselves, she couldn't say.

And at the back, a row of targets. ]

I would be prepared for an attack if we are successful in our marksmanship.

[kirkhammer]

[Well, if Irisviel is confident she can fend off whatever assault lies in wait (and based on their progress so far, Vivienne doesn't need any more convincing), then surely this is the better alternative to being surrounded once again by those "children".

Approaching the stall, and rather than opting for what's provided, Vivienne reaches for the belt at her waist. Looks like now's a good a time as any to use those throwing knives she dropped colle on. If she can't get these back later, she's gonna have to dip into her #BuyingAHorse fund. RIP...]

This isn't a firearm, but I'd feel safer using my own tools.

[Was the explanation necessary? It is to her. But here goes nothing. With a (admittedly) practiced throw, the knife lodges itself into the wooden target at the back of the range. Slightly off center, but still worthy of a prize apparently, if the unhappy grunt from the stall's owner is anything to go by. He mumbles a barely coherent "congratulations" and reaches under the counter.

To pull out a pistol. Which he aims at them.]

I should have known.

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Kojirou's ready for violent retaliation. Then again, he's always ready for fighting. ]

Being a sore loser is a rather unattractive trait.

[ A spike sprouts from the wooden sword in his hand, smacking the Steun upside the head before he can fire at the offending victor, Vivienne. Easy enough, right?

Unfortunately not. Kojirou's attack is just off the mark, not taking down the stallkeeper immediately, and he fires off a wild shot that's definitely not going to hit Vivienne or the SAMURAI, bullet streaking right past the melee fighters...

At Irisviel behind them. ]

Crap.

[soulshift]

[ The bullet whistles as it aims for Irisviel and before she has any time to react, it hits her straight in the shoulder. She teeters and stumbles, grasping her shoulder expecting pain - but instead she feels the sensation of cloying mana surrounding her. The signature was sweet and sticky, like molasses. It felt warm and uncomfortable.

The world is a little too warm and a little too overwhelming, so Irisviel stumbles even more, falling onto the ground and landing rather hard on her butt.

That hurt more than the actual bullet. ]

TUNNEL OF UH

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Everyone's been doused in more water than they absolutely need to. Kojirou's swordplay is more than good enough to keep them from getting shot full of holes while on the silly swan boat, and they've managed not to drown. But that's the least of their problems right now. At least the uniforms aren't made of thin cotton despite being white, right? ]

It says "Now Do It! Heart mark." Does anyone wish to fancy a guess as to what "doing it" means in this case?

[ Kojirou has a few ideas, but he's not going to be the first to bring them up in front of two ladies. That's just rude. ]

[kirkhammer]

[Will Vivienne ever be able to complete a dungeon without either falling in, or getting splashed with water? I mean sure, this is only her second dungeon, but guess what, this is two for two, and that's a 100% rate of getting doused, so she's not exactly thrilled.

Far less so with the all the suggestive material they've passed by. Vivienne's not exactly a stranger to physical intimacy, but blatantly public displays are too much. And whatever the vague instruction wants them to do is the final nail in the coffin.]

I refuse.

[Nope, she's not even going to answer the question, because whatever it is, she's not gonna do it. She isn't even looking at her teammates, staring back in the direction they came from. Vivienne might not be blushing, but she's certainly the most flustered and disgruntled she's ever been.]

[soulshift]

But it seems like we won't be let out until we actually follow the instructions...

[ says Irisviel, not quite defeated but very much over the surprises of this carnival. ]

Perhaps we don't need to go all the way?

[hiryugaeshi]

Actually having to take our clothes off might actually be some relief. I feel a shiver coming on after all that water.

[ All the way means "all the way" right? He certainly doesn't think anybody expects them to do that much. A kiss, maybe. ]

But it seems Vivienne here refuses, so it's come down to you and I, Irisviel, unless this gate expects all parties to be involved.

[ Which he doubts! Previous dungeons seemed to work well enough with just one or two people embarrassing themselves! ]

[kirkhammer]

[Vivienne, meanwhile, moves to sit on a raised heart platform off the side, leaning her weapon next to her as she wrings out her scarf with a frown.]

You're free to exhaust all options before we take any drastic measures.

[Just (flatly) putting that out there.]

Nor will I watch.

[Just (flatly) putting that out there too.]

[soulshift]

...

[ Irisviel has no immediate words here. She's not going to take off her clothes as she's spent a lot of time without them and she's learned about propriety thanks to Saber.

But is Kojirou... joking?

Nah, he couldn't be. ]

Um... if I kiss you on the cheek, would it work?

[hiryugaeshi]

[ Kojirou isn't joking per se, taking off his clothes would definitely keep the cold away, but he doesn't expect anyone to take him up on the offer.

Although he is a man so he could take off his shirt anyway and not be arrested for anything... ]

I may be a ruffian, but even I know to gratefully accept whatever kindness a lady offers without complaints.

[ If a kiss on the cheek is all Iri is comfortable with, then so be it. ]

[soulshift]

[ So be it. Irisviel shifts over on the boat, trying not to rock it too much. ]

Chuu~

[ With much doki doki haatos, Irisviel gives Kojirou a kiss on the cheek. Maybe they could even hold hands after this. ]