Chase stops completely, looking directly into her twin's eyes. Scratch can see he's struck a soft spot. To have her smile back! There's nothing she wants more in the whole world. Well… maybe not having to be afraid of the consequences of her wild magic. But that particular worry had been quiet lately. The smile, though… that was different. She sighs, remembering the mirrors from before. Chase knows she's a cheerful person, but it's not the same if you can't show it to those around you, is it?

Without a word, she throws her arms around her twin, holding him tightly. "I missed you so much, brother," she whispers. "I'm so glad we're back together."

There's the beginning of a tear in her mismatched gold-and-blue eyes as she says it. Then, still holding onto that warmth, she keeps walking toward the Bubble-Pop Teapot.

You all approach the Bubble-Pop Teapot where a twenty-foot-tall teapot rests on a wooden platform, its painted surface whirling with moving imagery of flying dragons breathing streams of bubbles. A door at the base of the teapot allows entry to its interior; those who enter emerge from the spout enclosed in a bubble that detaches to float off across the carnival. Seven goblins sits around the platform, sipping tea from mismatched porcelain cups.

As they approach the enormous teapot, Chase tilts her head slightly and says, "It certainly looks like we're going to get an impressive view of the Carnival. Though… I really hope those bubbles are sturdy. I'd rather not have mine pop under my feet."

The tabaxi walks up to where the seven goblins are sitting and asks with a cautious look, "My friends and I would like to try this attraction. It's safe, right? No chance of a bird or a bee getting too close and bursting the bubble, I hope!" She produces her ticket for any of the goblins to punch. "Also, will the four of us fit in a single bubble, or should we pair up?"

As you approach one of the goblins gestures to a sign that reads:

"The word that you intend to say,

Try saying it a different way."

The sorcerer gives the goblin a confused look. "What!?" Then she glances back at the sign, frowns in thought, and slowly tries, "tahW!?" She turns to her friends with a shrug, unsure if reversing the letters might work.

He looks at Chase with an odd, but accepting glance.

"Each toil and trouble can hold but one whatchamajigger,

show your bramble thicket and I'll give it a thimblerigger.

Enter our gnarly tree knot and you'll come out the figgle snout,

either pop the other toil troubles, or just snaggle about!"

Illuwen whispers to Chase "It's one person to a bubble. A lot of guests, kids especially, will try to crash into you and pop your bubble while you're up there, so keep a look out. Don't worry though, it's perfectly safe!"

He then turns to the goblin and holds out his ticket, announcing

"I'll ride your wobble tobble

And I hope I shall not fobble

For a bird-eye view of this whole park

Would set my grunkle heart a-bobble!"

Scratch exhales a breath, a grin on his lips, at the conclusion of Illuwen's verse. "Ok ...

"Can I ride your thingamabob? I'd like to fly ... upupupandabob."

He holds out his ticket, hoping his impromptu rhyme and nonsense words will suffice.

Chase tilts her head to get nearer to Illuwen's whisper. "Oh? Oh, I see," she says. Then, placing her paws on her hips, and winking at the elf, she adds "They do like to speak in rhymes here at the Carnival, don't they! No wonder you’re so good at them!"

She watches her twin deliver another of those strange verses, then squares her shoulders and gives it a try herself. “Hmmm... 

I will give you my ricketytickety,
So you can hunchitandpunchit,
Tumble and bumble me upupupup,
And I promise I'll try not to shoutoutoutout!”

The tabaxi finishes with an uncertain but proud little nod and hands over her ticket.

Lex crooks an eyebrow at the group speaking in rhyme, but dutifully offers his ticket and says, slowly,

”I’ve got my bobble-bounder’s writ,

And foggy-glimmers fit to flit.

If I may, with wiggle-whim,

Might I peer from spouty brim?”

The goblins look grows into a grin and a chuckle as you all play along with his game. He takes your tickets one by one, punches them, and hands them back to you. He then hands each of you a pouch and says,
"I constripilate you all playing along with me,

Take these scroundums of tea.

Scatter them 'round on the figgledad

And you'll be hargruned from good and bad!"

(Everyone add Scatterleaf Tea to your inventory)

Chase opens the tea pouch and inhales deeply, the scent immediately taking her back to all those breakfasts in her and Scratch's home, along with their parents and siblings. And to those times Mum was so focused on her writing that she almost forgot to eat, so one of the twins would prepare her a tray with some food and a nice cup of tea to keep her fed. The orange-furred tabaxi closes her eyes and hums slightly, basking in the beautiful memory. Then she pockets the pouch safely, saving it for another moment.

With that, she approaches the Teapot entrance with a mix of fear and excitement. She wonders how long it will take before she starts to—OH, GRANDMA'S WHISKERS! She's already flying up and up and up! Chase has to cover her mouth with her paws so as not to shout, as she promised the goblins.

Illuwen accepts the tea, slipping the pouch into his pack. "Thanks for the, uh, fetterleffle, Treaclewise. See you all in the sky!" He follows Chase into the teapot.

Scratch pauses to watch Chase bound forward. He looks up into the sky then at the claws tipping each of his fingers. This could get dicey. He's going to have to be very careful.

Suddenly, the memory of the giant gloves he won the last time they were at the carnival comes to mind. He smiles, remembering how silly they were, and how they bugged Chase. Whatever happened to those gloves? he wonders. He can't seem to recall.

As the others pass by him, he comes back to the present and follows to begin his journey into the sky.

Lex accepts the tea, smelling it and examining it, wondering what plant was used in making something like this, then walks into the Teapot with the others, prepared to follow their lead in going aloft in a bubble.

As you each walk into the teapot you are each instantly enveloped in a magic bubble that floats up through the teapot's spout and into the sky. You float higher and higher into the sky, gaining the most wonderful aerial view of the carnival. Higher above you see a group of bubbles bouncing into one another with incredible force for a bubble. The fairgoers in the bubbles laugh as they bounce off of one another. Some of the bubbles pop and when they do the inhabitants gracefully float back down to the ground unharmed. While you are floating below the crowd of bubbles you hear one child shout, "That prize is mine!" as his bubble rushes towards another popping it and sending it's driver back down to the ground.

Scratch crouches a little in his bubble to help keep his balance. He thinks about tucking his hands under his arms to hide his claws, but he bends his elbows and holds his hands out to help keep from falling over in the transparent sphere.

Once Chase overcomes the initial vertigo, she takes a moment to bask in the breathtaking view of the Carnival. Illuwen hadn't exaggerated one bit—it is amazing! She watches as fairgoers bump into each other's bubbles trying to get their prize. For a moment, she considers joining in, but then remembers their mission. With a sigh, she resists the temptation and drifts slightly away, ensuring no one invades her space.

Hoping for a better vantage point, she floats a little farther from the Teapot, turning her attention to the easternmost side of the Carnival—the only area they haven't explored yet. She scans the scene, searching for anything useful: something that reminds her of coal, or perhaps someone in need of help, an opportunity to lift the Carnival's spirits. (Perception: a nat 1 :( )

Illuwen also does his best to stay away from the chaos above, scanning the carnival for anything useful. He pays special attention to anything that might potentially be a sign of nearby kenku. He also keeps a look out for any smoke rising above the carnival, wondering if the coals they're looking for are not the kind that are mined, but the burned down remnants of a fire.

Perception: 20 (although not a nat 20)

Lex feels a bit nervous as he steps into the pot, and suddenly the ground drops from under him and he is sent sailing into the air with very little between him and the long drop to the ground.  He sees the children above him giggling as they crash into others, a twinge of regret flashing across his mind at the thought of the disruption to a happy summer eight years ago.  He looks down across the carnival, his stomach threatening to revolt, as he struggles to focus on what they came here to seek out.  He looks across, and it crosses his mind to seek out a place less traveled, where a fey crossing might be hidden without being discovered by carnival-goers.

Perception: 14