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

[ahogay]

[Considering the situation they're in right now, Takumi's attitude doesn't strike Hinata as particularly offensive. He's clearly anxious about this dungeon too, and judging by his rank this might even be his first one. As long as Takumi is willing to cooperate with Hinata so that all three of them make it through this dungeon, that's good enough for him.]

B-big brother?!

[Whoa, wait, he wasn't expecting to hear that at all. He remembers Sakura mentioning that her brothers were here now, but to think one of them ended up in their party... Eyes widened in surprise, Hinata glances back and forth between Takumi and Sakura as he compares their features.]

...Now that you mention it, I can definitely see the resemblance. I'm glad that you guys ended up together.

[He knows how much Sakura loves her family, and Takumi must love her very much too. Hinata will do his best to protect them both so that neither of them have to deal with the loss of a precious sibling.

As the ticket seller beckons them forth, that feeling of dread Hinata was feeling earlier quickly returns. That's... definitely not a person... Well, that confirms that there's definitely something wrong with this place.]

Yeah, this place is way creepier... I don't know how harmless everything will look once we're inside, but just in case... remember to be suspicious of everything you see.

[There wouldn't be a dungeon core here if this place wasn't dangerous, after all. Well, it's the Rook's job to stay at the front of the group anyway, so Hinata takes the first steps towards the ticket booth, keeping his shield raised in front of him in case the ticker seller decides to attack them. But once he's in front of the ticket window, all it does is point at a sign that reads "500 colle per person!"]

Huh? [Completely bewildered, Hinata lowers his shield and looks at the sign.] Since when did we have to pay to get into a dungeon?

[kyusei]

[ Well, at least this guy is polite? Doesn't seem to be predatory or even dangerous yet. Still, Takumi is on guard even around Sakura's friends. He only follows diligently without another word since there's not much to say to that. There's some worry about what Hinata might have heard from Sakura--actually, that shouldn't worry him at all.

He approaches the ticket seller, but makes sure to keep a decent distance and shield Sakura from the spooky automaton. There's a squint as he scans the strange thing. It's creepy. It's creepy. Wouldn't it be nice if they could just kill it? Luckily, Takumi isn't always impatient and headstrong. He can think clearly and looks over to the sign.

Money? Shouldn't be a problem. ]

You think they would reimburse us considering we're fighting a war for them. [ This is ridiculous and there's only an irritated sigh. He looks over his shoulder to peek at his little sister. ] Do you have enough for all of us, Sakura?

[ They're Hoshidan Royalty. Of course they'll pay for themselves and their subjects. ]

[passtave]

[ Did Takumi just annex Hinata as a Hoshidan subject...

Well, either way, Sakura is happy to pay for them all. She has more than enough money racked up from jobs and the previous dungeon, which is a good thing considering she really has no concept of saving or budgeting. Or... not carrying around a perilous amount of cash even to dungeons. ]

Oh! I think so.

[ She digs around in her bag and comes up with quite a bit of colle, which she counts off until she gets fifteen hundred—enough for three tickets. And since there's no way in Valla she's prepared to approach that creepy-looking mechanical ticket seller, she hands the stack of colle to Takumi so that he can be the one to do it. What a brave big brother she has. ]

That should be enough, right?

[ahogay]

[Wow, Hinata never knew he could become the subject of a country that doesn't even exist in his world... you learn something new everyday!!]

Wait!

[He pipes up just as Sakura is handing the money over to Takumi, reaching in his bag for his own colle as well. It wouldn't be right to make a girl pay for him.]

I have more than enough to pay for myself, so don't worry about it. You can take five hundred back.

[Hinata agrees with Takumi that Blanc should be the ones paying their fees, but oh well. It doesn't take long for him to come up with 500 colle of his own and, if neither of them stop him, cautiously shoves it through the window in exchange for one ticket.]

[kyusei]

[ Anyone that interacts with Hoshido's royal family is automatically under their care--except for Nohrians. Nohrians have their own babysitters.

It's polite of Hinata to reject their offer. It's something Takumi and Sakura are probably used to since Hoshidan culture mirrors Japanese quite well. He does raise his eyebrows at him and acts as if this is part of protocol. It's only polite, only expected of royalty, to press once more. ]

It's all right. You can repay us in another way in the future.

[ He is a pawn so he's fast and practically drags Sakura with him. Unless Hinata says something quickly... Or even Sakura mentions maybe they can let Hinata be responsible for his own bill, Takumi is going to fucking pay for them.

Well, it's technically Sakura paying for them, but his sister can hide behind him as he pays. ]

[passtave]

[ Yeah, she's not getting in the middle of this one. But she does send Hinata a reassuring smile as she follows behind her brother towards the ticket seller. Like Takumi, she sort of expects to be the one who foots the bill, even if she's not going so far as subjugating Hinata. But if these two want to start battling it out over who's going to pay, then she's definitely not getting involved. (Good luck battling Takumi though.)

Also, she's not hiding??? She's just... letting Takumi go first.

Okay, maybe she's hiding a little. It's just that she's starting to get a little (more) anxious now that they're really, really doing this, and it shows in the way she glances around the entrance as if she's expecting something to pop right out at them. Hinata's warning echoes in her head, and so she slips her bow from the holster on her back so she can hold it in one hand. Just in case. ]

Sh-Should we... have a plan? [ That's usually something Corrin does before big battles, but... then again, Corrin isn't here. What would they even be planning for anyway? Maybe she shouldn't have said anything... ]

[ahogay]

[Takumi's movements are far quicker than Hinata's reaction time, so he just stands there as the other boy passes him and hands the colle to the ticker seller, his own hand still outstretched towards the ticket window. Welp... this is probably for the best, anyway -- Hinata had absolutely no desire to start an argument over who was paying for who. He still feels bad, though, as is evident by his dejected expression as he lowers his hand and returns his colle to his bag. Being Japanese is hard.]

O-Okay... thanks.

[The ticket seller lets out some creepy, wispy chuckle as it takes Takumi's (well, technically Sakura's) colle and hands him three tickets. Now that they've gotten the first dungeon challenge out of the way, apparently the next one is coming up with a battle plan.]

A plan? [Hinata is probably not the best person to ask considering he only has two whole months of fighting experience, most of it from Setsuna's training classes, but...] We don't even know what this place looks like on the inside or what kind of monsters are in there yet. For now, let's just... be careful and perform our rank's roles as best we can. We can figure out the rest once we know what we're dealing with.

[That's all he's got, sorry, but if Takumi has any further nuggets of wisdom to share before they go in, he's all ears.]

[kyusei]

We just need to approach this with an open mind, but stay sharp.

[ Takumi has no idea what's to come in a dungeon aside from things like monsters from what Sakura has told him, but it doesn't seem like they have an inkling as a team. It puts them at a strange spot... He can't say he has ever seen a circus, really.

Despite having the tickets, it's definitely a good idea to form a plan rather than go in hopes of winging him. For a moment, he looks past the entrance, then back to the ticket seller that, for some reason, explodes into paper and confetti. He also jumped out of his skin at that. Jeez. Luckily, he only widened his eyes as his heart practically stops. Okay... okay. ]

Sakura and I will stay in the back, but I'll keep an eye for our rear in general. [ Formation is important. Plus, they're two archers. ] What can you guys do again?

[ As a team, it's good to know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Takumi had only learned how to heal so far from Sakura, so there's barely anything he can offer aside from archery and battle experience. ]

[passtave]

[ They somehow managed to get everything backwards between their little group—Takumi is the one with actual battle experience but no dungeon experience, while Sakura and Hinata are the opposite. Well, unless you count their desperate fighting on the train...

The ticket seller's explosion shocks her out of her reverie, and unlike Takumi her reaction is a little more apparent—she jumps and makes a startled noise, her grip on her bow becoming white-knuckled. A second later, she looks a little sheepish for reacting that way... maybe she's a little too jumpy... she needs to pull herself together for this dungeon or she's only going to be a burden to them both. ]

I-I'm sorry... um... I can heal and use status effects and strengthen your mana. Like back home.

[ In the end, her King role here isn't too different from what she could accomplish with staves in their world, so that should help Takumi understand.

She glances towards Hinata next. His turn. ]

[ahogay]

[Hinata is similarly startled by the ticket seller's explosive exit and looks around frantically to see if it would pop back up right behind them and ambush them or something... but no, it seems that it really is gone now. He lets out a quiet sigh of relief; well that sure was a thing that absolutely none of them needed in their lives.

"Like back home"... Come to think of it, Hinata still knows next to nothing about Sakura's world and her background. She doesn't know anything about his either, so that's fair, but now he's more curious than ever. Perhaps he'll ask her about it after they finish this dungeon.]

I can use gravity magic to pull enemies closer to me or fling them away, and I can also use loud sound waves to boost the party's morale and draw aggression from enemies. I'm still really new at this stuff, though, so they don't always work as planned... I can heal too, though it's definitely not as effective as Sakura's healing.

[kyusei]

Our team is pretty good considering Hinata here can bring enemies within our range and keep them away. Any extra healing is useful, too.

[ Takumi has picked up some healing with Sakura's help, so it seems that they're pretty well-rounded. Takumi can easily fend off enemies and distract them from Sakura even as an archer, so he has no problems with that. ]

Make sure to keep enemies in the front at a distance from us and use those waves when I mention it. [ He'll take the lead for that, but... He has to trust the guy, too. It's his powers and he has experience in dungeons. ] But if you feel that we are being overwhelmed, go ahead and use it. We'll clear everything out when they're locked on you.

[ He has no plans on letting anyone dying. Failure is never an option. This may be his first tie, but Takumi is calm and nods over to the entrance. ]

Let's get going.

[passtave]

[ Ah, leave it to her big brother to actually come up with something resembling a strategy. He's so smart! And it actually makes her feel a lot better too, that Takumi is so confident in saying that they have a good team. If he thinks they stand a pretty good chance, then it must be true.

It actually draws a small smile from her, one that's a cross between relieved and determined. ]

Okay! [ And she adds with surprising stubbornness: ] And if you're hurt, please tell me right away.

[ That was mostly directed at Takumi, because Sakura has a lot of experience with him trying to push himself too hard, but... actually, that's directed at Hinata too. She had to give him the kiss of life back on the train, and that's not something he's going to want to have repeated in front of her brother. It's better all around if they just let her heal them when they're hurt, instead of trying to push through it.

And once again... she's definitely not going first, but this time that's actually part of the plan. She looks towards Hinata again, because he's going to be the one leading the way. ]

[ahogay]

[Hinata is pretty impressed by Takumi's strategy and overall confidence. He definitely seems like someone with a decent amount of battle experience... Did he have to fight a war in their world, too? Takumi as a soldier and Sakura as a medic... He can definitely see that.]

Alright, sounds good.

[That's directed at both of them as well. This is only his second dungeon and his first time using his new Rook powers in an actual battle situation, so he doesn't mind Takumi guiding him when he feels it necessary. And he knows that he occasionally gets too caught up in fighting and neglects to ask for help when he needs it..... His newfound sturdiness could make this either better or worse.

Now that they're officially ready, Hinata leads the way into the faux festival, keeping his shield at the ready in case they get ambushed. But soon after they pass through the gate, a group of cheerful, innocent-looking children approach them, holding out brightly colored boxes with angelic expressions on their faces. Once they're close enough, Hinata can see the wood patterns on their skin; yep, this is definitely a trap.

He places a hand on his sword handle and gives them a wary look, though he can't bring himself to actually attack them when they're looking at him like that... Maybe if they all refuse their gifts they'll just go away???]

[kyusei]

[ They are basically that, yes. Takumi follows after Hinata, making sure Sakura is right by his side. For now, he doesn't sense anything behind then nor to their sides, but the group of children does raise some eyebrows here.

Takumi isn't fast to attack something he doesn't deem as an enemy, but his keen eyes (bless being an archer) do catch some of the wooden pattern. He can feel goosebumps rising. To boost his confidence, he twirls his bow into position. The kids seem to be on Hinata since he's a good distance in front of them, but the children do peek over with this grueling wide smile.

Two slowly edge to Hinata's side, planning to make their way to Takumi and Sakura. That's when he sees that the child pressuring the other man shove him. This is creepy. The music isn't helping. ]

They're puppets. [ His words are followed by a quick arrow. Yes. Takumi shot one of the Wichts approaching him and Sakura. Suddenly...The other two go completely still and quiet. The silence is heavy, but Takumi doesn't hestitate to notch another arrow to his bow.

The maniacal laughter starts. Claws crack out of the Wichts as they also dramatically convulse. For some reason, it doesn't sound like there's only two laughing at all. ]

Is it me, or is the laughing growing in number?

[passtave]

[ Puppets. As soon as Takumi says so, she suddenly notices the grainy wooden texture of their skin, and their cutely painted faces become uncanny to the point of creepiness. He's right... they're more lifelike than the automatons she's used to (she's not even sure if they are automatons, since she doesn't see any mechanics), but there's no doubt that they aren't real children.

She nearly jumps out of her skin when they start to giggle, the sound echoing throughout the fairgrounds and making her break out in goosebumps. ]

I-I hear it too.

[ Her hands shaking, she quickly readies her bow—electricity crackles around her as the lighting arrow forms and she draws it back, aiming for one of the puppets standing near Hinata. She doesn't release it, though—she isn't as gung ho to shoot things as her brother is, apparently.

That is, until the puppets stop convulsing and start to attack instead—all of the puppets, even the ones they can't see, judging by the sudden clatter of childlike laughter and wooden feet and creaking metallic joints. It sends a chill down her spine, and she looses her arrow on the puppet as she exhales, before it can swipe its claws at Hinata.

The problem is, there are a lot more where that one came from. More puppets stream in from between the booths and stalls—her heart pounding, Sakura chants the spell to slow them down, forgetting that there are too many for it to be very effective. So she then casts another spell, this one to speed the three of them up instead. ]