EVENT ✨ Nightmare on Elph Street

[avalonmods]

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The ritual-wiping ritual wasn't the best news for Avalon and magic has been wacky for everyone since it was performed. However, if there was a time for it to happen, it happening before the Spring Equinox was just about the best time it could happen. The Spring Equinox, after all, is a time of renewal and rebirth. It's what you'd call a silver lining. As long as enough people participate in the Spring Equinox rituals, it should be fine... right?

CONTENT WARNINGS:

• 1st Prompt: --
• 2nd Prompt: --
  
• 3rd Prompt: --

This part of the event takes place on March 20th.

Though there is no Spring Masquerade this year as there had bene the last, there is a much smaller token of appreciation from the castle of Camelot to all of those who live within its borders: a gift basket with a salad of edible flowers, eggs, breakfast sausages, and a small bottle of champagne (or sparkling seltzer for those underage) and a bottle of orange juice to make mimosas with. Those of the vegetarian through vegan persuasions will receive vegan white chocolate eggs filled with coconut cream frosting and a mango puree 'yolk' and Avalon's best plant-based sausages. It's not quite a feast, but no one should go hungry on this day of celebration! Brownies will help to deliver these overnight, so you'll find them on your doorstep in the morning with a special spell to keep everything fresh through most of the early afternoon. Since there is no party this time, everyone will have the chance to see Avalon's plants begin to overgrow at a rapid pace within the city.
Those who saw it last year or locals who are normally residents of Avalon will tell you not to fear, this happens every spring. The plants grow around and not through structures, the buildings still safe and sound beneath large vines and leaves and pools and flowers. Most notably, huge beds of vines, open seed pools, and giantic flowers large enough to take a bath in have started cropping up around town, and they all seem to be filled with a vibrant, glowing liquid of some kind.  Each of these floral wonders, locals will tell you, is called a vernal soul pool. Upon entering one, you'll enter a lucid sleep state that connects you to everyone else in Avalon and the island itself. Doing so will cause your magic to be amplified and grow and stabilize, but also allow you to be cleansed and refreshed as a person. How much detail the person you're talking to gives is up to you (in case your characters would back off of it if they had the following details but you still want to experience it). Once someone enters, they will immediately feel as if they are at home and the pod will close over them gently, leaving them in a pool of that mysterious glowing substance-- vines grow further to encase, the pool closes, flowers close into buds instead of open blossoms.  Under normal circumstances, the pools would remain closed and in this state until the witching hour and slowly and gently awaken those within. However, even the magics of the spring aren't stable right now, and what ends up happening is the pools suddenly spill open before anyone's dream sharing can truly get underway, dumping their passengers out onto the ground into a state of jarring awakeness. With them, they will find they are unable to access their Avalon magics but instead have one of the following: Unstable, uncontrolled access to their canon powers. They may start shooting off random magic, they may be unable to shut down a normally passive ability gone into overdrive, or when they try to use their abilities, it goes outright wrong-- "Accio Excalibur" in an attempt to save the multiverse might result in all figurines of Excaliburs within 10 miles to come hurdling toward you, for example. Access to the beginner, untrained level of canon powers of someone whose shared consciousness you entered. Even if you don't have canon powers of your own, you will be able to access someone else's with this option.   This part of the event takes place late night on March 20th through slightly past midnight on March 21st.
	The fairy queen's envoy, Princess Bluebell, sends out a panicked emergency message (complete with the obnoxious alarm that sets off phones even on silent) after a couple of hours of this, and casts a mirror-travel spell to Nicnevin so that any may quickly arrive just outside of its borders, next to the river. The message states that the dream world and reality have melted together due to the majority of magic being funneled into the time freeze spell or the equinox ritual, which uses Queen Mab as a vessel through which the vernal soul pools channel everyone's magic. The Spring Equinox renewal did NOT go as planned, needless to say. Otherworlders must head to Mab's Cavern to locate Queen Mab and absorb some of her energy by touching her to stabilize their magics and drain the spring equinox's out of her before even bigger disaster strikes!
Mab's Cavern is typically a place forbidden to enter under normal circumstances. It is the world of dreams and nightmares takes from our subconscious what we most desire and what we most fear and our memories and turns them into reality. This is what your character will have to face without their Avalonian magic and the above either unstable or beginner-level powers. Mab normally goes into a slumber and connects herself to the whole of Avalon during the Spring Equinox to allow the vernal soul pools to utilize her magic, so she cannot let everyone in or help anyone navigate her realm. Mab's Cavern looks like a normal mountain from the outside, covered from head to toe in pink cherry and plum blossoms trees, shrouded in a fog that's pink itself from reflecting the petals. The entrance to the inside of the cavern is an ancient door, carved from white marble and enchanted to be impassible without an offering and engraved says: "Offer me your most secret dream and enter this forbidden realm. Dream with me for eternity." The offering, in this case, is simple: speak your most secret dream out loud for the door. The open door will allow one person to pass through per offering, and leads into a hall entirely coated in flowers of a variety of colors. These flowers speak, and will ask you how you are, warn you to turn back, tell you and whoever you're walking with that you make a cute couple, sing the national anthem of their people, whatever. They seem to get more and more chatterbox-y as you head inward and the lights grow dimmer until there is no light left. Even if you light one, it seems as if you are in a black space where nothing exists but you and whoever you walk with (if anyone), and voices.

This portion of the event contains a FOURTH WALL EVENT element and takes place on March 21st.
 

That is, until you hear a new voice and the chatterbox flowers hush. Anyone from any canon can appear and team up with you within Mab's Cavern as this is a fourth wall event. Guest characters will have access to their canon abilities, but cannot leave Mab's Cavern or affect the environment outside of it. Your new party member can accompany you through Mab's Cavern, which takes the form of a location from in-game characters' memories. Within it, their darkest fear will turn into a physical enemy and attempt to hunt them down. (How you interpret this is up to you as a player-- please create your own monsters based on your character's fears, even if they are more conceptual than physical.) Within it, their deepest desires may find fulfillment (we leave this to player
interpretation again, but be sure to ask permission if it involves another character who is in the game or a part of the fourth wall) and their new party member may need to convince them to leave instead of staying in the dream world forever. Characters who are able to get past both desires and fears will find themselves able to see a door that wasn't within their memory before. Upon going through it, they will be able to find Queen Mab, asleep in the center of what appears to be a glowing, underwater pond with stones that raise above the surface that lead to her bed some hundred feet in. Beneath the surface, more of the talking flowers start to cry about their woes-- unveiling that they failed against their fears and desires, and those who do will find themselves turned into flowers within Queen Mab's cavern, only able to escape if they are able to touch another living person!  If you've trusted the flowers, you'll find yourself in trouble. These are actually souls who crossed Queen Mab and attempted to steal their desires away from her cavern and bring them into reality. Their curse? They can escape if they trade another soul for theirs. Now would be a good time for a partner to help pull you out because as soon as you touch one of the flowers, they will turn into vines and attempt to wrap around you to pull you under the water and drown you! The "water" itself is the same liquid used within the vernal soul pools, so you'll find your life literally flashing before your eyes as this happens, making it very difficult to escape without someone else's help. If you die in the water, the flowers who did it will transform back into their original selves and flee, and you will be transformed into a talking flower yourself. If you make it to Queen Mab, you'll need to place a hand on her and all dreams and reality will sort themselves out within you-- that is, your broken powers will disappear and your Avalonian magics will return. As you head out again, the guest character brought in to help you will begin to fade away slowly enough that you can say your goodbye before they are gone. There is no way to stop this. All memories of fourth wall visitors will be retained as part of game canon. After enough people have come to take Mab's powers enough to deplete the effects of the Vernal Pools, the Fairy Queen herself will come to Mab and run a strange-looking dagger through her heart. All of the Spring Equinox magic that was being filtered through her will be released into the land and stabilize magic for everyone, and a flower will blossom out of Mab's heart around the dagger. Within the center of the bud glows a small child version of Mab, and anyone still in the cavern will find themself just wandering around in a dark cave. The Fairy Queen glows in the dark and will lead them out with little magic glow bubbles that try to make them follow if they get separated from her vicinity, but is still not speaking to anyone. She will also transport anyone who has been turned into a talking flower out of the cave via some kind of levitation spell and give them to someone they know-- whether they know them in a positive or negative light is up to you, she can only register connection on sight with magic, not emotion. A little research will reveal the following solutions to restoring your character: Siphoners and countercurse potions can remove the curse to get them back to 100% normal. Animal mages can transform them back into their original species (but they will still smell like flowers for the rest of their life). Green mages can use their magic to cultivate them into flower people-- who look like themselves, but now require sunlight and water to survive instead of food and occasionally sprout a flower or two in their hair.

Comments

Mab's 4th Wall

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata doesn't really understand how he ended up here, but that's just how it goes, he supposes, when reality and dreams merge into one. He knows places like this, and he knows that it's usually not harmless people who go there just to look at the moon. Abandoned warehouses are where illegal trades and other shady deals flourish in pretty much any city.

He has seen Noah on AOL once or twice (he lurks a lot), and the boy gives off the same impression now in person, a vibe that makes the samurai mentally categorise him as a harmless civilian... and a frightened one at that, which means he has to look out for him all the more. He follows Noah's finger with his eyes.]

Alright, then. Let's go.

[He feels on edge, and he has learned to trust his instincts, so he expects that they may not make it through these eerie halls undisturbed. His magic may be gone for now, but he still has his swords, so he isn't all that worried (yet).]

Re: Mab's 4th Wall

[localdeliveryboy]

[ He followed silently while chewing the anxiety in his mind. Something was wrong, very wrong, to the point that it fights the very logic of the world he knows. If this was even that place to begin with. ]

Hey. Hey wait a second. We should probably-

[ In a moment Noah's instincts snapped to life like a switch and he pushes Hijikata forward while he took several steps back. In that same instance something had dropped from above them, hiding in the overhang of a damaged walkway, and another from the shadows of wrecked containers, while two more broke through the windows.

Four dog like creatures, furless and black leathery skin, with red eyes and long whip like tails surrounded Noah, all bearing a sick twisted smile and eyes only for the silver haired boy.

The young man pulled the knife hiddin in his waistcoat and took stance, eyes sharp and hand steady. ]

Maker's tits...so that's what was so bloody wrong. Careful! These things are tougher than they look! You to-

[ The first creature lunged at him before he could finish, but Noah was fast and ready and swung his knife and slashed the side of its head, the deep gash going through the jaw and eye. There was no blood, only black tar that was stringing together to repair itself. ]

- you have to make a big wound!

[mayoninofukucho]

[Well, that escalated quickly. But Hijikata is used to that. He has half a mind to toss Noah his short sword, but it might not even help him if he doesn't know how to wield it, so for the moment he simply draws the long sword and charges in.]

Got it!!

[The monsters are all completely zeroing in on Noah, which makes it easy for him to swing at one's neck. He's a very strong man, steeled from years of hard training and fighting, so he may just cut its head clean off - and hopefully that'll be enough. He picked up on their pesky self-healing mechanism already. Without giving the other beasts time to adjust to the new danger to them he swings the blade at the next one, then turns his momentum into yet another slash to double his chances of downing this one too.]

[localdeliveryboy]

[ There's a yelp before the first monsters head comes clean off, black fog coming out of its neck before the body quickly hardens to a texture and fragility like charcoal.

The second yelps as well but manages to escape death, though lost a front leg in the process which did not deter it from trying to attack Noah which he put down by driving and twisting the knife in its skull and pulling down its neck then out. The next was the most unfortunate having upper half of its head sliced off mid pounce, then falling and crumbling to the floor.

All of these monsters, even the ones Noah has managed to harm, were all focused only on him. ]

Thanks for the assist. [ He says with, surprisingly still a fair amount of breath in his lungs. ] Fuck. I never expected to see these bloody things here.

[mayoninofukucho]

Any time!

[That's what knights are for! Seeing how well Noah uses his knife Hijikata does remove the short sword from his belt with a swift loosening of the ties around the sheath and offers it to him while the creatures are mostly crumbled, crumbling, or incapacitated.]

If you want it--

[The one monster that's still standing (if his mun is counting right) lunges at him - he's not sure if it's targeting him for the danger he poses or only because he's in the way of getting to Noah -, and he delivers a fierce cut across its chest, twists around and tries to follow up with another decapitation. These enemies are entirely new to him, but this seems to work well enough, so he thinks that Noah can make better headway with a sword as well, in case there will be more of them.]

What are these?!

[localdeliveryboy]

[ He stepped back as the last of the beasts lunged. Whatever that weapon is, Noah wants no part of getting in its way. ]

Thanks, torch. I owe ya.

[ With that out of the way he goes over to the solidified bodies and pounds on it the butt of his knife, making it crumble rather easily. ]

Fog monsters. Strange abominations born from the fog. They're from my world. [ He looks to their surroundings. ] Which is currently all around us. Something is weird about these ones though.

[ He continues to smash the body to dust until he spots something and pulls it out. A small clear crystal, about the size of bottle cap, with a pale blue-ish color. ]

Well, that is weird. There's supposed to be red globs in there.

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata blinks at "torch", but that's probably slang from Noah's world - the monsters take priority right now. Luckily they crumble easily enough as Noah smashes them. As he discovers the crystal Hijikata steps closer to inspect it too.]

These things power them? Have they always been around, say? Or could it be that someone created them? They really seem to be after you.

[Maybe they simply recognise the boy as a native to their world, and thus potentially their natural prey, but if Hijikata didn't know better he'd almost think that those creatures are somebody's minions and were specifically sicced on Noah... and actually he doesn't really know better, does he?]

[localdeliveryboy]

Not exactly power it. It forms only after death, we call it an origin stone. This one is no good though.

[ He throws it away before going to another of the creatures and doing the same, pulling out the stone only to find it in the same state as the first. ]

They're born from the fog, from the dark. No one really knows how to make them, the happen naturally. And if anyone did figure out how to make them and kept making them, then they're out of their bloody fucking mind.

[ He moved to the rest to retrive the stone, all turning out to be useless. ]

They did seem to have something against me. Maybe it's my good looks. [ A half hearted attempt at a joke. ] Ah crap. The fog is thickest where we're going.

[ He points again to the distant factory where black fog rolled out of the yawning doors and broken mirrors, and with Noah's lack of enthusiasm in his voice - chances are that there's more monsters inside. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[He takes that information in. What odd creatures... it seems like his first assumption about them was way off (and a little paranoid), but he's seen some shit in his time. He snorts at Noah's quip, then sighs as he follows his gaze and looks ahead.]

Figures. Where does that route lead, anyway? Is there no other way out?

[Perhaps this factory is walled in or somesuch, but a wall might be less of an obstacle than the fog monsters... but then again neither of them has access to their magic, which makes everything more cumbersome. Oh well, he's ready to fight his way through if need be. He offers the short sword to Noah once more.]

You're good with your knife, but if you want something with a wider range I'll lend it to you.

[localdeliveryboy]

[ He looks at the sword and hesitated for a moment before taking it and putting away his knife, understanding that he'll need the extra reach. ]

Right. I have to warn you though, I have no idea how to use something like this.

[ He draws the sword and checks the balance in his hand, then examining the edge, before giving it a swing. ]

Okay, I think I can figure it out as I go. I didn't get your name by the way. I'm LeClair.

[mayoninofukucho]

[He observes Noah's practice swing and is satisfied to see him do it well enough - at least he shouldn't get the sword knocked out of his hand right away or anything.]

Hijikata.

[His senses are alert as they move forward into the thick dark fog, but he still has a few questions.]

That origin stone... if it had been a useful one, what'd it have been good for?

[localdeliveryboy]

Ummmm, not exactly certain how they do it but the little red things inside it contain genetic samples of various things.

[ He moves slowly behind Hijikata, feet shuffling across the floor rather than taking steps. If these are the monsters from his world, then he knows that there's more than just that group. ]

The gods in my world can extract it and if there's enough samples, they can create...whatever it's a sample of. I'm not entirely sure, this is all just stuff we're taught. Only the folks on the towers upper levels would know, them and the Architects.

[ His eyes are trained to the shadows waiting for each to just move or blink, any indication that something is there. ]

I also have got to tell you, we're walking towards what is easily their den. These things love the dark, thrive in it. So any shadow you see that they could hide in could easily be hiding a monster. Like that.

[ He touches Hijikata's shoulder to draw his attention to their right where a black shadow cast on the roof suddenly gained a pair of red eyes before dissappearing. ]

They're probably going to be joining the rest of their pack.

[mayoninofukucho]

[That first part confuses Hijikata more than anything he has heard up until now.]

Genetic samples? So it's organic life? And your gods can recreate that?

[There are plenty more questions to be asked - do people in Noah's world straight-up interact with their gods or are there middlemen, like those upper-level-dwellers -, but then his attention is directed to where the shadowy creature briefly takes form.]

...

Man, this is going to be fun. What exactly is down there that makes it worth it? An exit through the sewers, or an underground railroad, or..?

[localdeliveryboy]

[ There's clear hesitation from him to answer that question, but also a good mix of confusion as well. ]

....Ah sod it. There's an elevator leading to a well equipped armory in the Deep. If these things are coming from somewhere, it'd be there.

[ Hopefully he doesn't have to explain why he knows that, but he redies just in case something does come out to get them en route. ]

There's something else. These things are attracted to chaos, so if we get into a fight and drag it out - more of them will come. Or..maybe something bigger.

Continued from above (to avoid page-stretching)!

[mayoninofukucho]

[(Continued from here!)

Hijikata wasn't expecting there to be a response to Noah's desperate screaming, so when the nun reappears on the opposite side of the room it's clear that something isn't right - or even more clear, rather, because her presence was suspect to begin with. As the shadow beasts throw themselves at her he puts the discarded sword back in Noah's hand (if he'll have it), but doesn't charge at the enemies, instead also trying to keep Noah back with an outstretched arm in front of him.]

Something's wrong! I don't know her, but I assume she doesn't have teleportation powers, yeah? It's got to be an illusion or some-- some fae mind game!

[That's right, they are in the cavern of Queen Mab. Hijikata wouldn't be surprised if this were a repeat of the first trials given to Camelot by Celliwig, back when he first arrived... he remembers how badly the illusion of his Commander dying and him leading the Shinsengumi to ruin affected him. He would have failed the trial if not for Riou being with him and pressing him forward.]

They're just trying to mess with you!

[It's working, though. Noah is clearly anguished, and he himself is also rattled. How the hell are they supposed to overcome this?! He turns back towards the elevator shaft - if there's a functional mechanism there he'll call it up himself. If it's just the gaping chasm, though, they'll have to write off the armoury and contend with whatever more is in store for them here - be it more visions of the woman getting brutalised, or the enemy turning against them again. Something tells Hijikata that the beasts' focus has shifted from physically attacking Noah to causing him mental pain. How can he support him?]

Was Nette okay when you last saw her?

[Perhaps this is a start - finding out if these are real fears Noah has, or if the nun is in reality unlikely to come in contact with the shadow beasts. Hell, for all he knows she might be someone Noah met on another world, depending on how many he's visited so far.]

Okay! Thanks!

[localdeliveryboy]

[ He couldn't comprehend what he was saying. There's a strange haze over his mind and something weighing on his chest.

Another Antoinette appeared before them, once more calling for Noah and the quickly attacked and dragged off by another of the monsters. Though the ploy was obvious Noah was still nonetheless affected, like a knife being driven into his back, each "death" sent him further down in his despair. ]

No...Nette....please don't...

[ 'Don't leave me alone' he thought to himself. All the monsters and the darkness in the shaft reacted, yowling and laughing while the darkness almost seemed to shiver from excitment as tendrils started to creep out towards them. But he wasn't gone yet and Hijikata's voice could still be heard. ]

Was Nette-

[ He almost wanted to snap. Was Antoinette okay? No, she was just crushed and eaten twice, what was the matter with him - but another voice cut across in his mind. Stern, annoyed, but caring and warm. ]

She...She...She was lecturing me...like always...

[ Then a visible change in the monsters as some stopped, red slitted eyes going wide and their grins cruve down. They didn't like that. They didn't like him remembering. ]

She was saying I work too much...

[mayoninofukucho]

[He tries to keep Noah's focus on him, which is admittedly hard given what's happening, but it's got to be an illusion, it's got to be. Seeing the darkness creep towards them from the depths he pulls the boy away a good bit.]

Our worlds are frozen, so she's definitely still safe back home! This isn't her!

[Can he be sure of that? No. Maybe Queen Mab's powers transported real, actual pieces of their homeworlds here and unfroze time on them - who is he to say? But he has to instill some confidence in Noah. He points his sword at the shadows, seeing that they're not happy with their primary target clinging on to his sanity... and since they're all around them he ends up turning around himself in a slow circle.]

What is your deal, you bastards?! What do you want from him? If you want him to prove his loyalty to her at least give him a fair chance!

[He will fight hundreds of shadow beasts if necessary, but they can't compete with the speed and force at which the dark mass toys around with the woman, not with their magic gone. Blades can only do so much. He gives Noah a quick once-over for any signs of a hidden power they could probably activate, but sadly he sees no ancient amulets or magical boy sigils on him. (Sorry, Noah, he's kind of too genre-savvy for his own good...)]

[localdeliveryboy]

[ That's right. Their worlds, doomed but not gone, were frozen. They're still alive. She is still alive.

The sounds of the world drowns around him as he looks around, at the monsters, at the fake sister before him - and the the low rumble of a familiar bass voice comes to him. ]

"The monsters are made of the Fog, and the Fog preys on our fears. Never give in to fear." And if this is magic....if this is a test....

[ He says before taking a deep breath and then slowly getting to his feet, hand reaching out to the back of Hijikata's blade and lowering it. ]

We're not gonna need that. Not anymore, I think...

[ He walks towards the false sister, the monster hissing, barking, and...now seemingly afraid. Noah stood before the false but familiar woman, his breath heavy and his skin going a touch pale as he clenches his fists - ... - then steps past her. The shadows screech in unison as they vanish along with the sister and the fog, brilliant moonlight shining through the roof.

Noah let out his breath, panting heavily as tears streamed down his eyes. Behind them, where the elevator should be, stands a simple wooden door with a brass knob. ]

....There. That should be the way out, yeah?

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata remains on edge as Noah approaches the nun's figure... those beasts seem to be drawing back, but nothing is guaranteed! But then they all vanish with one last shrill screech, leaving behind only emptiness and silence.

He exhales, not relaxing just yet, not trusting the sudden peace and quiet. The door's appearance does seem to indicate that they passed this nasty test, though. He sees how shaken up Noah is, but he isn't good at dispersing words of comfort. He said all there was to say, right? Wait - there is one more thing that comes to mind.]

The traders from Elphame sell a picture frame that shows you someone left behind on your world. That way you'll be able to check on Nette.

[Given that no new attackers are appearing he sheathes his sword and puts his hand on the doorknob. If Noah doesn't object he'll see them both out of here - if the door budges for him, otherwise he'll let Noah go first.]

[localdeliveryboy]

[ He licked his lips, the adrenaline now leaving him parched and tired, not to mention his vision is wavering and suddenly it's incredibly cold but he's perspiring like mad.

Was this fear? ]

Is...Is that right?

[ He'll make sure to remember that, but for now he'll follow Hijikata as the doorknob turns and leads them to the next unexpected locale. Or maybe it should be expected? ]

Okay....do you recognize this place?

[ He says staring at the glowing pond before them. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Noah really doesn't look too good... but before they can think about taking a break they need to assess the danger in this new area. Hijikata surveys the cave, hand hovering over his sword hilt again.]

No, I've never been here before. But I think we are where we're supposed to be.

[He nudges his head at the centre of the pond and the rock island there, housing a big bed with a sleeping figure.]

That's got to be Queen Mab. It really was a game of hers, then.

[He lets out an aggravated snort. He's pissed!! Why the hell do the fae never stop messing around with them?! They're working their asses off for the sake of the multiverse, and they have nothing better to do than throw sticks and stones in their way with these constant tests and trials!]

Can you go on? There's no telling if there are any traps that'll activate once we set foot on those rocks.

[The pathway just looks too convenient... he wouldn't be surprised if the rocks sank like lead once stepped on and the water housed pirañas!]

[localdeliveryboy]

Maybe be, uh....g-give me a minute first.

[ Noah's legs finally give out and he almost crumples onto the floor. Color slowly started to come back but he was nearly spent, breathing deep and exhaling quickly. ]

Hey listen, torch....About what....what you saw...D-D'you mind if you...

[ He makes a gesture, one to quietly say "not to tell anyone". The whole ordeal was painful and embarassing, and he'd really rather not have anyone talking about it. After all, he did just confront his greatest fear. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

[Hijikata looks a little dismayed as Noah all but collapses like an exhausted marionette, but he doesn't complain. There's only so much mental damage he can expect a young civilian to take, and Noah did well in facing those devastating fears. In response to the half-spoken request he simply nods.]

Sure. That's nobody's business. It wasn't the faes' business to throw at you, either.

[He's not the kind that spreads gossip, anyway, so it won't be hard for him to keep what happened in the shadowy factory to himself. He wants to smoke, but refrains - who knows if there's some kind of inbuilt punishment for spreading unhealthy fumes in what appears to be the queen's chambers? Yes, he's paranoid, but at this rate they can't be cautious enough.]

[localdeliveryboy]

[ Noah simply nodded, expressing relief was still a bit too much given his state but after a few minutes of him breathing deeply and exhaling slowly Noah is able to stand. ]

I think I'm all good. Is that who we're supposd to be looking for?

[ Pointing to Mab with surprisingly no disdain or dislike. He's just tired after all, and wants to get this over with. ]

[mayoninofukucho]

It better be. If this is another illusion or something I'm going to lose it.

[He walks over to the edge of the water.]

Huh. There are more of those flowers in there.

[Why are they growing underwater?! But then the others growing in the lightless cave entrance didn't make any sense either. Elphame is a strange land. As the crouches down he can start to understand the submerged flowers' cries.]

Help! Please help us! Queen Mab keeps us imprisoned here!

Get us out, please! We failed her trial... she turned us into flowers! Only a touch from another person can restore us to how we were!

Don't approach her if you don't want to share our fate!

Damn. LeClair, come over here; you're going to want to listen to this.