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

[unevoke]

[ If they're the missing crew, they sure as hell don't look bothered by that fact.

The reason soon becomes clear - cracks in their fine wooden craftsmanship growing clearer as their fingers morph into claws, chocolates and gift boxes dropping to the ground as they lunge forward, cackling and shrieking wildly.

Shinjiro swears, hands reaching out to swat at the puppets flying towards him. They're largely ineffectual defenses, and even when he grabs one by the neck and slams it down hard on the ground, it merely rises up again, wide smile still plastered on a head now bent at an almost sickening angle. ]

Anyone know how to stop these things?

[ He's really not having a good time right now. ]

[quaria]

All we can do is try what we can.

[ From how it looks so far, none of the boys know. It's horrifying to watch that dislocated puppet move, especially with that twisted smile across its demonic face. Within seconds, each one of the puppets are now charging in at the boys with the same expressions.

Setsuna quickly arms himself with his own magical weapon, drawing out a glowing flower from his weapon belt. From its petals, he begins to form a blade of mana as he keeps leaping backwards, avoiding the constant wave of sharp inhuman hands that are trying to stab his chest. ... Are they after his heart? ]

As if I would let you!

[ The mana sword finishes forming, and Setsuna immediately pulls off a heavy swing — curving right in front of him to cut down the mob, either beheading or slicing those in his range in half. Due to that blade of mana possessing the Holy property, the puppets which he manages to hit fall apart easily. An unexpected, but welcomed surprise.

Even so, it's not over yet. There's still the remaining wave that are after Bolin and Shinji. ]

[sediments]

[ These enemies are quite different from the ones that Bolin is used to fighting now, at least in terms of monsters. Most of the creatures they've fought are at least human-sized, fighting with brute force or magic. But these dolls are much smaller, not so much physically impressive as they are small and able to weasel their way past defence to slice at them with their claws.

Bolin's got his shield up, and the metal gathers heat due to the sheer number of attacks it's absorbing, though they're not particularly powerful. The earthbender himself looks more annoyed than he does concerned, perhaps a little troubled to see the cute children transform into such disturbing creatures.

The doesn't stop him from swinging his shield out, the metal hot enough now to burn on contact though still no where near the melting point its capable of reaching. It's effective enough against the wooden dolls, the metal weapon darting around under Bolin's control as he edges away from the hoard, the grows as more cackling dolls creep it from the surrounding area. ]

Ohh, man. I think we better get a move on!

[quaria]

Go!

[ After cutting down more of the puppets near the group, Setsuna lowers his weapon and immediately runs forward. He's expecting the other two boys to follow right after. He picks the direction that has the least Wichts, continuing to pave them a way as he does his best to mow through.

There's always at least three or four that keeps approaching, but it's nothing too overwhelming yet. But eventually, it will if they fail to escape fast enough... Setsuna has no interest in finding out just how many there are in this area.

Setsuna slides through a narrow path at one point, making a sudden turn as he takes cover behind a tall stack of crates. He gestures to the others, indicating they can catch their breath there for a second. They haven't even gotten a chance to think of what to do and where to go, so they can take a moment to do so as they attempt to shake off the Wichts. ]

[sediments]

[ The Wichts take about as kindly to their escape as their earlier rejections, and they seem to get a little more angry at their escape. It's kind of funny to watch them huff and yell in annoyance in their strange cackles, and thankfully Bolin isn't too worried for his life just yet, and his shield is sweeping out around him, like a little protector under his control.

As legion as the puppets are, they're not fast enough to keep up with the Heroes with their stubbly little legs, and it becomes apparently enough, to both the three men running away, and the monsters themselves. At least that's the explanation Bolin has, when a box of chocolates comes sailing through the air to hit him in the side of the head. ]

Ow!

[ He grabs it before it falls, frowning at the thing as he slows to a stop next to Setsuna. ]

Man, those little things are persistent.

[unevoke]

[ And in the rear is Shinji, who's about given up on trying to attack the damn things in favor of simply saving himself, arms flung up protectively around his head in a makeshift barrier against Wicht attacks.

If this is what all future dungeons are like, he sure as hell doesn't wanna do anymore.

He slides into position next to Setsuna and Bolin with an oof, finally lowering his arms with an aggravated sigh, swiveling his head in order to peer at Bolin and Setsuna—and the box in Bolin's hands.

What. ]

You seriously gonna eat those?

[ They're probably poisonous. ]

[sediments]

I'm not going to eat them. [ Bolin frowns, as if offended that Shinji thinks so little of him to even ask. ] I'm just curious! Last time the monsters in the dungeon dropped treasures, so who knows what's in here.

[ He glances around before giving the box a shake—doesn't sound like anything suspicious. Holding it slightly away from himself, the earthbender carefully opens the box of chocolates and turns it upside down. (Probably not the best way to deal with delicate treasures, but the Wicht had thrown it at him, so the box never really stood a chance.) There are chocolates that fall out, as expected, as well as a folded up piece of paper.

Bolin draws his eyebrows together, crouching down to pick up a chocolate or two, as well as the piece of paper. ]

What's this? A love note?

[unevoke]

[ Shinji thinks little of everyone, it's nothing personal.

The chocolates that fall out seem pretty sub-standard, splattering on the ground to ooze glistening caramel and sticky wads of nougat - the folded piece of paper isn't, and Shinji eyeballs it with mild interest right up until Bolin's casual guess, at which point he loses all interest.

(Look, romance is boring, okay?) ]

Let's just get moving.

[quaria]

[ What a waste of food... Setsuna looks at the chocolate with faint regret. Although he wouldn't really eat it, he didn't want to take a risk considering where it came from!!

His eyes move along afterwards, eventually landing on the piece of paper that Bolin is currently holding now. Although Shinji dismissed the paper without looking, Setsuna wanted to see and confirm it first. Considering the nature of dungeons, anything could be a hint. ]

Wait, let us see it first. It might tell us something about this place.

[ Maybe there's a written date, a specific name, or... Really, any information will be useful at this point. ]

[sediments]

[ Dropping the chocolates that he'd been holding (they felt hard and unappetizing - not that he was going to eat them anyway!), Bolin turns his attention to the paper instead. He's not really interested in it, since it's not like the little demons can write (probably?), and moreover he's not all that excited at the prospect of reading their little death letters.

But sure, and he straightens up, unfolding the piece of paper to show ]

Hey! [ Well, well. ] It's a map!

[unevoke]

[ A map?

That's enough to rekindle Shinjiro's interest, head swiveling away from the path before them back to Bolin and Setsuna - and more importantly, the unfolded piece of paper in Bolin's hands. ]

There an exit on there? Or a x where we're supposed to go?

[ A quick answer would be preferable, the mass of shrieking and hissing Wicht gaining ground on them with every second. ]

[sediments]

No, no X. But there is a heart? [ Considerably less threatening than an X, if not for the creepy paint that it's been drawn in. ] But it's the only place that's marked on the map so.

[ But those little fiends are catching up to them, if those cackles growing louder are any indication. Bolin's in no mood to have to kick another swarm of the little beasts away again, and he makes the executive decision to knock over the crates that they'd been hiding behind. Even if the Wicht manage to find them at least, hopefully the crates would prove to be something of an obstacle to the small-bodied dolls.

it doesn't mean that they can lounge around however. ]

Whatever it is, we better get a move on!

[quaria]

[ The moment Bolin blocks the narrow path with the heavy crates, Setsuna stands up and moves away from the barricades. Although the crates do well on preventing the Wichts from chasing them further, they don't really know how long it'll hold out. The little demons are now constantly banging against the stack, their inhuman voices and claws ring through disturbingly...

Setsuna takes one more look at the map to quickly scan through the target area. It's better than to aimlessly wandering around, so they should go and see what's over there. Once they begin to run, he continues to stare at the path as if to memorize it. ]

The tunnel of love...

[ Eventually, Setsuna starts unbuckling another magical weapon from his heavier belt and drops the encumbering item on the floor. He lifts his head as he pauses from running, calling out to the others once more. ]

I need about ten seconds!

[ Buy time for him, boys. c': ... Because it looks like new demons are aiming their weapons at them now: Steuns holding various intimidating objects, as if telling the Heroes to get out of the games area. ]

[sediments]

You got it! [ He's feeling more at ease now as he responds, always more at ease when he's working as a team having three individuals working separately.

Bolin shoves the map into Shinji's chest, asking the other man to stick closer to Setsuna in case anything else pops up from another direction, while Bolin focuses on the Wicht trying to breath through the stack of crates.

Trusting Setsuna and Shinji to take care of themselves, Bolin's gaze shifts looking around them until he spots a good enough target: the metal sign of one of the attractions around them. He focuses, and pulls it toward himself, still a little shaky with the new powers of his rank. And it shows. The sign slams a little too fast, too hard against his hands, jamming one of his fingers but it doesn't really matter. His weapon takes over from there, taking control over the sign, flattening the metal into a sheet and splitting it into two and sending flying up into the air, out of sight.

He takes some careful steps as the disjointed giggles grow closer, closer until they're all close enough, zeroed in on him that he can slam the plates back into the ground, trapping the maniacal dolls underneath and flattening them into the dirt. ]

[quaria]

[ While the others cover him, Setsuna kneels down and starts preparing his other magical weapon. As it has no magical features on its transformation, he has to manually set this particular weapon up each time... It's a little annoying, but it can't be helped. He does his best to hurry, considering none of the surrounding monsters have any intention of sparing them.

Like Bolin, Setsuna chooses to trust his comrades so he focuses on his task. And soon enough, the magical weapon takes its real form within the mentioned ten seconds: a steampunk motorcycle. He starts up the engine and stands back up, straightening just in time to witness a couple of puppets charge at him. He quickly shifts the motorcycle's direction to face the dolls and lifts the bike, causing it to stand.

It's then that Setsuna uses its blade wheels to grind the Wichts that jumped towards him, causing their wooden parts to be torn apart right after. He drops the bike back on the ground and seats himself on it, then lifts a hand to signal Bolin and Shinji to call their attention. ]

To me, now!

[ After the two get on too, they're going to blaze past through those intimidating game stalls. ]

[sediments]

[ As soon as he hears the signal, Bolin's on the retreat, darting back to Setsuna and his bike. He settles behind the older man easily, while Shinji climbs onto the stand, and Bolin can feel the teenagers hands on his shoulders for balance. Maybe he should've been more of a gentleman and offered Shinji the better seat, but Bolin's the long range fighter out of the two of them, and he needs his hands.

They're moving quickly now, fast enough that the stalls, the lights, and the carnival music all start to distort around them. The cackles of the Wicht grow louder and softer in waves, and Bolin doesn't even expect the new enemy to come at them until the motorcycle swerves to the side, the crooked body of Steun flashing past them.

But Bolin gets the idea, and he straightens up, keeping an eye out and hoping that Shinji will direct him if something escapes his notice and aw yeah. The new gravity magic comes in handy repelling the grill that comes flying together them with some (shaky) accuracy. He messes up a couple of times however, drawing the targets toward him rather than repelling, yelping apologies in Setsuna's ears as the other man either tries to avoid them with some clever driving, or the earthbender switches to using his shield to fend off the projectiles.

He just hopes that Setsuna knows where they're going. (And that it's not that awfully intimidating building looming ahead.) ]

reemerges from my cave, i'm sorry

[unevoke]

[ Shinjiro's a moron a bit too much of the time, but he's still got some wits about him when it comes to a fight: right here, right now, he's the least inexperience of them all, with no idea what attacks work best on these creatures and even less idea of what's still waiting for them up ahead. So he clambers on silently behind Bolin, doing as he's told this once. No one else needs to die due to his incompetency, after all.

It's not a bad ride, overall. Setsuna's an efficient driver, given how many of them are awkwardly stacked on his bike, and Bolin's surprisingly competent, though Shinji does have to nudge him a few times to a few stragglers nearing too close to their ride.

There's loose, sloppy teamwork to their movements, but it's teamwork all the same, and it's enough to get them all in one piece to their next destination. ]

sorry for the wait, too!!

[quaria]

[ Everything took at least five minutes. The lines of game stalls almost seemed like it would never end. Each of them stretched out hauntingly, abnormally long and absurdly large. As both Bolin and Shinji do their best to defend their group, Setsuna equally drives with his most concentrated effort. If he's not turning or parkouring the bike to safety, then he's directly running over any Wicht and Steun alike that would dare come too close.

Eventually, the boys finally reach the end. At this point, some of them may already be carrying some scratches from claws or some grazes from bullets. But it doesn't matter, as they will naturally press on. They're far from being done. Once the bike comes to a stop, Setsuna takes a moment to catch his breath before looking up at the newest area that they arrive in...

If his memory didn't fail him regarding the map's routes, Setsuna should've brought them to the haunted house. Thankfully, that appears to be the case as a looming structure towers over them: a creepy attraction that has boarded doors and sealed windows. But... ]

How troubling.

[ In front of them, an abnormal amount of cotton candy and popcorn is hindering their progression on this path. Like the sight of the stalls earlier, these also seem to endlessly stretch out. ]

[sediments]

[ Leaning to the side so that he can peer on ahead, Bolin grimaces at the sight of the cotton candy and pop laden road. It looks gooey and messy, and the earthbender is not at all keen on traversing the road.

Thankfully they have a bike? ]

So... what are the chances that your bike isn't going to get clogged up from all that cotton candy?

[ Setsuna? Buddy? ]

[quaria]

[ Good question. Setsuna is wondering, too. Maybe if he blazes through, it's possible? He could test it, but does he really want to risk losing one of his magical weapons in the middle of a dungeon in case it backfires... Not only that, they might get stuck and risk themselves getting mobbed once more monsters catch up to them.

Setsuna looks very uncertain. He quiets down for a moment, observing the wall of popcorn and cotton candy for several seconds. Both food items are too thick and sticky, it will undoubtedly pile up and get stuck on the wheels... It's better to play safe in this regard. ]

No, I do not think it is feasible.

[unevoke]

[ What is this new fresh hell they've encountered...honestly, the barrier of popcorn and cotton candy's even more offensive to him due to the simple fact that there's a wall of sucrose overload. Does no one here encourage eating healthy??

(And why leave popcorn out in the air like this? All it'll do is turn the popcorn stale!! Whoever designed this dungeon didn't think things through.)

He scowls even more at the sight. ]

Popcorn we can just punch away. [Shinji no???] Cotton candy's too sticky though; we'll need something else to clear it with.

[ It never dawns on him that he could just.....eat them both. ]

[sediments]

[ The idea that they should eat the popcorn and cotton candy doesn't occur to the earthbender either—why would any of them eat food that's just lying on the ground? If he wasn't feeling inclined to eat the chocolates from earlier, he's certainly not about to eat this.

Instead, he gets off the bike, walking up to the disgusting and unhealthy mess with a frown before casting a look back at the other two. ]

I could... make a shovel? Like a giant one.

[quaria]

[ A giant shovel? That could work. But Setsuna feels bad to leave all the work to Bolin... What can he do to help? He has an arsenal of swords, but only one of them doesn't consume mana.

Setsuna glances at his one and only non-magical sword, then follows suit and leaves the bike as well. Afterwards, he slides the mentioned blade out before offering it towards Shinji. ]

You may use this.

[ As for Setsuna... Well, he has no choice. If he wants to help, then he's going to have to resort to eating. Hopefully these won't give him any side effects. He approaches the wall of junk food, then picks off one of the popcorn to consume. He really ate it...

He looks pensive as he chews. Nothing seems to be off yet. ]

[sediments]

[ Watching Setsuna, Bolin makes a slightly worried face. ]

Don't worry about it, it's not a real hassle.

[ Looking around them for a moment, he hurries over to another stall, his hands brushing over the metal beams and sign, the metal coming under his control rather easily. The substance almost looks fluid under the control of his weapon, and he presses the metals together into one large scoop.

He'd never been a metalbender back at home, and it would be so much easier to just lavabend the path clear, but he has to admit that it's not a bad consolation.

Heading back to the clogged road, the earthbender sets about shovelling the mess out of the way—it's not that difficult, both popcorn and cotton candy are mostly air. ]

You guys don't see any more of those creepy dolls, do you?

[unevoke]

[ There's clear hesitation in Shinjiro's actions as he reaches out to carefully wrap his fingers around the hilt of Setsuna's sword. (Get your minds out of the gutters, guys.) It's no axe, but he supposes a sword isn't all that different. It still cuts and slashes, which is all they're gonna be doing for the next hour or so. ]

...Thanks.

[ With that, he starts chipping away at the sugary mess in front of them, wincing as chunks of popcorn go sailing into the air. Ugh. He's never going to be able to look at festival sweets the same way again. Good thing he doesn't go to many.

Bolin's question is a good one, and Shinjiro pauses in his hacking to glance up and around. ]

Can't see any.

[ Or hear any. Are they safe for the moment? ]