THE WARDEN AND NIGHTRIDER ARE HERE (D170)

[osteothropy]

[Sans is blue.]
[Lambert is dark red.]

[ Supervisor’s Channel ]

All right. [ Lambert’s voice is brisk and business-like, for once, though it still has that familiar edge of sarcasm to it. ]

Okay. [Sans is here, too.]

I’ll get to the point. You know the next stop’s not like our usual. [ To say the least. A beat, before he continues: ] Keep an eye on your people. Make sure they’re actually following the rules, not freaking out and getting us all into shit.

[ That feels like a tall order, though, under the circumstances. ]

That goes for you, too. Keep your head on straight. Any problems or troublemakers you can’t handle on your own, let me or Sans know. This isn’t a performance stop -- if anyone who works for you is assigned to patrol or the nightrunners, they answer to us first.

Speaking of ‘keeping your head on straight’... some of you might remember a certain stop we had a ways back where a few certain someones almost got the guillotine for failing to abide by a similar set up of stuffy royal standards. Let’s not have a repeat of that, cause from the sounds of it the RM might not be able to save you this time.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, this is your opportunity to remain blissfully ignorant.



[ Public Channel ]

[ Lambert’s voice is terse, and irritable: ]

Our next stop’s called Heartstone Manor. We’re going to go over some ground rules to make everyone's life, especially mine, a lot easier.

[Sans is also here.]

The RM has already covered a lot of this in her announcement, but it is officially our jobs to make sure that it sinks in. Dealt with True Fae before? Then you know this isn’t a joke. Yes, your fashion sense and table etiquette are now a matter of life and death. This is me, Sans, telling you to take this seriously. Hopefully that means something to you.

To summarize the gist of what was said, here are some basic RULES. The Nightrider and I will be watching. So, even if the Prince doesn’t catch you, we will.

[Sans recites “The Rules” like he’s just whipped out a pair of reading glasses and is quoting them from an official document:]

DO:

• Follow the daily schedule
• Follow dress code
• Be polite to The Prince and his servants
• Keep your radio on you

DON’T:

• Whine about everything
• Seed rebellion or talk about rules breaking on the network
• Make any deals or promises to other fae servants
• Lay any hard disses on The Prince, ever, under any circumstances
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: this is gunna grate on a lot of us, so just focus on the end goal… which is not dying

Don’t mess it up.

That, too.

Comments

[kingsroads]

I hope so as well. After all, we haven't even met the fellow--we barely know what he's like in the first place! All we have to go on is the Ringmaster's opinion and the rules we've been given. Things could be fine.

[ or the fourth wall event might happen and everything will suck. But optimism! Trying not to get Steven to freak out! Strange has hopefully got this! ]

[starseedling]

[Steven sounds pretty defeated at this point, so it's not that hard to bring him down somewhere closer to normal. Not that the results are very satisfying to hear, one imagines.

He tries to think of something to say, but instead he just sort of trails off distractedly. His mind if deaf with noise.]

Okay.

[kingsroads]

[ Strange, champion of not leaving well enough alone, pauses for a moment before he continues bothering Steven. ]

Is it the concept of servants itself or the fact that a fae employs those servants that's upsetting you?

[ Because Strange might be able to do something about the first, but not as much about the second. ]

[starseedling]

[Steven is quiet for a moment, trying to think of how to put it.]

The way that fae keep them... they're not servants. They didn't get a choice. Their masters are mean, and they're cruel, and they make everything hurt for no reason!

[Speaking from personal experience, mostly.]

[kingsroads]

'The way that fae keep them'...do you include the Ringmaster in that? What of the fae from the Summerlands? They're fae too. Likewise, there can be some humans who are as mean, cruel, and spiteful to their lessers as the Portland fae were to you.

[ because that's what this is really about, isn't it. Steven still coping from the actions of the fae in Portland. ]

[starseedling]

[The Ringmaster part is complicated. He knows she tries to keep everyone happy, but it didn't change how many people never wanted to be there in the first place. Still, it's nowhere near the same level. He doesn't consider himself a slave in the carnival.]

I haven't met any humans like that. And... And even if I did, is that supposed to make it better? Everyone is doing it so it's okay?

[He honestly hasn't met many truly bad humans. But that's mostly due to a fairly charmed life on Earth.]

[kingsroads]

[ .......okay so apparently Steven doesn't know the full extent of Strange's douchebaggery in Portland. AWESOME, WE'RE KEEPING IT THAT WAY. ]

It doesn't make it better. It simply complicates things. Much like people, we can't judge this fae until we've met him and seen what he's like.

[ says the person who's already judging the fae and preparing for the worst. ]

[starseedling]

I know.

[He blurts it out, like he can't hold it in any longer.]

But... If it is bad... If it's really bad...

What can we do?

[kingsroads]

We wait.

[ said in a very matter-of-fact tone. ]

I know this sounds harsh but the last thing any of us should do is rush into faerie with a barely plotted out rescue operation. That's— [ that's how you get yourself cursed, trapped in a tower of darkness, almost dying ] that won't be good for anyone. You can't go back to your father if you're enthralled or dead.

[starseedling]

[That's an extremely salient point, regarding his dad. Really, it's something he's terrified of. He's been separated from his dad so many times now, and he can't imagine leaving him alone forever.

Unfortunately it's not something he's ready to hear at the moment.]

I KNOW!

I know, okay?

[You can hear the tears of frustration in his voice.]

[kingsroads]

[ Almost instantly, Strange feels like dirt. Great, he's made Steven cry. Again. ]

Good. I know you want to help the Prince's servants, but it won't be any good if you get hurt yourself.

[starseedling]

[Steven falls silent briefly after that, and when he speaks up again he sounds remorseful.]

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you.

[kingsroads]

I accept your apology.

[ Strange...isn't apologizing for bringing Greg into the conversation. ]

But I mean this as kindly as possible: if you want to get out of this Prince situation as easily as possible, you'll have to keep your emotions under control at the manor.

[ says the person who will undoubtedly break something in a fit of anger when they're at the manor. Do as he says, not as he does. ]

[starseedling]

[Steven wouldn't expect an apology for that. As much as it hurts to think about his dad, everything he said was true. He won't accomplish anything by being stupid about it.]

It usually isn't this bad... I don't know what's wrong with me...

[kingsroads]

[ Strange, who has zero knowledge of any weird empath feedback powers, is confused. Usually isn't this bad? He must be talking about just his emotions, right? ]

You're under a lot of stress—we all are, especially since we'll be dealing with the fae again. Find a way to deal with that stress that isn't yelling or drawing attention to yourself.

[starseedling]

[Most of it is honestly just Steven at this point, anyway. What he means is sort of complicated.]

I... I didn't want to get anybody hurt.

[kingsroads]

I know.

[ There's a pause before, ]

Steven, if you have any trouble or are confused about something at any point during our stay at Heartstone, I want you to come find me, alright? I'll do my best to help.

[ because Peridot's close to a panic attack and Lapis doesn't give a fuck. ]