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

Two!

[acknowledges]

[He remembers a ride like this from Dunyaland- or at least, he's pretty sure he does. Naruto squints down at the map, at the red circle, and then up at the tunnel of love. Somehow... everything about this place is so much creepier. He's become progressively jumpier as they've gone along because it's like the kind of thing from a scary story. Like Yamato-taichou's face.

Naruto's entire body shivers, his grip on the map white-knuckled.

Okay. The ride they need to get to is right there. But first-
Row after row of stalls stretch out before them, disjointed musical notes ring through the air and flashing lights draw the eye. Games.]

We're gonna have to go through all that'attebayo.

[bulletic]

[Just as expected of a dungeon, making their way through it isn't easy. As if the monstrous opponents weren't enough, the heavy, oppressive atmosphere sends a shiver down Noel's spine. Their goal is still a long way ahead, it seems, and the next set of obstacles is right in front of them. Games are supposed to be played for fun, but the ones here are appear to be anything but that.]

D-Do you think we'll need to participate in those? The monsters from before might be following us...

[If that is the case, they should probably hurry up.]

[impulsives]

Either ways, the only way forward is to win those, so just do whatever we can in order to win them.

[ AKA: Cheating, Shinn's pretty much set to just pull the trigger on his crossbow in order to win the shooting gallery. Fuck using those toy guns, tbh. It's p much clear that he's starting to get annoyed at everything rather than being scared. ]

[acknowledges]

[He's only been in one dungeon before this one, but Noel is probably right. This place isn't as winding as the last, and even if they got away once before, those monsters are bound to circle back eventually. Whatever they decide to do they should do it fast.

Naruto's gaze moves over the rows of games, the people calling and cheering to draw them over to play a few rounds. They don't even have all the stuff for those games to work though. Like that one where you throw a ball at a bunch of bottles- there's no ball. How are you supposed to win anything that way?

He pushes his sleeves up to his elbows, nodding once to Shinn and meeting Noel's gaze.] We'll just stick together and beat 'em real fast, okay?

[bulletic]

[Their determination gives her a push necessary to face the challenge. Noel responds with a nod.]

A-Alright! In that case, leave this one to me...!

[The girl approaches the nearest shooting gallery, drawing her gun. She may not have much confidence, but if nothing else she certainly has skill with this type of weapon. It only feels natural for her to try and beat this game.]

Fjölnir!

[Gathering her mana, Noel summons a copy of her gun to her other hand, and proceeds to shoot the targets with deadly precision. Normally that would surely earn her an impressed look from the staff member supervising the game (and maybe a teddy bear), but this one doesn't look particularly pleased with her victory. Instead, he pulls out his own pistol (oh, they do have them after all) and before the girl can even react, she's already down on the ground from the impact of being hit. She's not bleeding, oddly enough, though there's something that feels off...]

[impulsives]

O-Oi! The fuck was that for!?

[ Considering the proprietor of the stall just FUCKING SHOT AT THEM Shinn felt that retaliation of the same kind is now fair game as he immediately aimed his weapon, Crosslink Sword at the staff and fired a magic bolt directly at it. ]

Uzumaki! Tend to her!

[acknowledges]

[The shot the operator fires shocks all of them, but Naruto doesn't need to be told to worry about his teammate. The moment Noel hits the ground he's running for her, hurrying to the girl's side to check for injuries and if need be, to serve as a physical barrier between her and other attacks. He doesn't see Shinn charge, but he hears it. As much as they rub each other the wrong way, he's seen the guy handle himself in a fight and the trust exists regardless.

He slides over on a knee, half crouched at her side as his fingers move to the sheath on his thigh- just in case.]

Hey hey- are you alright?

[Around them it smells like a cotton candy machine has exploded.]

[bulletic]

[Noel feels a bit embarrassed after being caught off guard like that, but that's the least important thing to worry about right now. It seems like Shinn has already taken care of the weird stall owner that had attacked her, but the question is: are all of them going to react that way if they win their games?]

Y-Yes, I'm okay...

[The girl turns to Naruto as he rushes to her aid. It's strange, actually ─ she's fairly certain she did get hit, and yet she doesn't appear to be injured. She does take note of the sweet smell surrounding them, but this is a circus, no? Cotton candy smell shouldn't be anything unusual around here.]

[impulsives]

[ A few more shots were fired as Shinn dispatched of the stall owner. It looks like these are their actual proper enemies of the area. Beat the games, and then snuff out the owner's life. A macabre message, that's for sure, but that's to be expected in a dungeon. Nothing ever looks like what it seems. Just like.

Just like those creepy children. Eurgh. ]

Alright, let's keep going then. Just be alert for any attacks the moment you win at a stall, alright?

[ Turns towards Noel and Naruto. ]

And if either one of you two gets injured, don't be afraid to stop for a moment to tend your wounds. Getting out of this place alive is more important than dying uselessly.

[ Someone's taking someone's advice slightly, at the very least. ]

[acknowledges]

I would never let Noel-chan die. [Naruto would be proud of you, Shinn. Except he isn't actually making any move to get to his feet and start moving again because he's- well. His mouth won't close for starters. And he's looking at Noel like he's discovered the secret to how the sun rises and how the moon follows suit. Like he's staring at the most beautiful, most perfect thing that could ever exist on this earth.

Would she- would she let him hold her hand? It's so close. And she's- she's so cute. The blush climbing his face leaves even his ears pink.]

Are you hurt? I can carry you.

[bulletic]

O-Okay! I'll be more careful from now on...

[She gives Shinn a small nod, thankful that he's managed to defeat the enemy that had attacked her. With that, she turns her attention back to Naruto.]

Ah... N-No, it's fine, really! It didn't even hurt!

[Noel flails her hands a little, looking rather sheepish. She didn't mean to make her teammate worry so much! Although "worry" might not be the best word to use in this case. She's not sure why, but the way Naruto is staring at her feels a bit weird. Is there something funny on her face? Hopefully not, that would be embarrassing.]

Um... Is everything alright?

[impulsives]

Yo, Uzumaki, the fuck's holding you up—

[ It was supposed to be a question as he turned towards the pair, but—

Wow, now that he looks at her again, Noel does seem pretty cute. Fortunately, compared to Naruto who seemed to have fallen for her, Noel's charm feels... dull to Shinn. As if it's muted by something he can't quite grasp yet. Therefore, he's more or less unaffected by it as he can override this weird attraction. ]

You can ask her out later, now's not the damn time for falling in love!

[acknowledges]

It's just that- [Three guesses who isn't listening to Shinn and the first two don't count.

Despite Noel's protests, Naruto can't bring himself to look anywhere else. His weight leans forward onto one knee, which leaves them mere inches from one another. The way the carnival lights are spinning around her, and the music still floating around- it's a romantic place, right? And it really suits her- because it's sweet.]

I can't think about anythin' else'attebayo. If we keep going you could get hurt, and if you did I'd never forgive myself. You'll leave with me, right?

[bulletic]

[Naruto may not be listening, but Noel sure is. She jumps to her feet almost immediately, ready to protest as her cheeks turn pink thanks to Shinn's comment.]

E-Eh? N-No! It's not like that... at all...!

[Except even Noel cannot deny there's something strange going on. It's only natural to be worried about your comrade and the girl certainly appreciates it, but the way Naruto speaks and looks at her is beginning to feel a bit odd. What if the odd stall owner actually managed to hit him and that's the cause of his weird behavior? As she considers that option, Noel makes another attempt at reasoning with him.]

Ah... Um... T-Thank you for your concern, but... I'll be fine, promise! We should be moving on now...

[This dungeon has just gotten a lot more awkward.]

[impulsives]

[ Uh-huh.

Shinn's deadpan face pretty much looks like he's skeptical about Noel's denial. But well, with Uzumaki falling heads over heels for her... WELL. This is going to be even more of a pain.

So he just started walking, trying to find the way to the next area, and preferably not by playing those deadly stall games. (Not that he can't avoid doing those, but seriously, really???) ]

Let's keep going, we'll deal with Uzumaki later.

[acknowledges]

[You know who doesn't care about being dealt with later? Uzumaki. He's just happy to be tagging along in Noel's wake. She's trying to reason with him. He isn't really hearing her because she's looking at him and he's sort of- staring at her like she's the sun and stars. The whole of his face is pink with equal parts awe and embarrassment.

He leans into the space between them, whispering not all that discreetly.]

Let's just forget this guy and go together, okay?