⇨ INVASION!

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone! But especially HARBINGERS!
When: S2:D16-22
Where: All over Wismuth!
What: As the Harbingers reveal themselves, those among the carnival that Creation has chosen will start to discover new powers within themselves. It's because they're magical girls, yo.
Warnings: Harbingers being assholes.

HARBINGERS OF VOID↴ On Day 16, the Harbingers begin revealing their new selves... in the form of wreaking havoc on the city! CY-Ren isn't looking for mass panic or serious structural damage - instead she wants constant annoyances and distractions, of the sort that will keep those that might be on her tail distracted from her true plans. However, when Creation is faced with the threat of twelve new Harbingers, it will have to fight in kind... ► HARBINGERS: Your job is to use your powers to create messes for other people to clean up! CY-Ren gives no specific instructions outside of a general framework... flex your powers! See what you can do. Don't destroy the city or anything, but give Creation a run for its money. She needs these civilians alive for her later plans. ► STAR GUARDIANS: Twelve members of the carnival have been chosen by Creation to fight in its name, even if they don't realize it yet. When confronted by the Harbinger's chaos, their Sparks will make themselves known in whatever form is appropriate to the character - and they will be asked if they are willing to use the power of their soul to fight the darkness. How this scene plays out can be flexible, but essentially they will find themselves faced with the question: are they willing to fight for the preservation of life? If they say yes, their Spark will emerge, and they will be able to trigger a magical girl transformation, as you do. ► CHARITY CONCERT: While everyone else is busy with the sudden rise of the Harbingers, CY-Ren's PR team is releasing a statement -- they will say that new information has revealed that there had been bomb threats made against the canceled concert, which are now being blamed for the damages. CY-Ren will make a personal statement, saying that in order to apologize for the failure of her previous performances, a new free to attend event is being planned for the near future - people who had tickets to the previous event and had to go home early get top priority!

Comments

[dressedtothe]

It takes 9S a moment to locate Peridot. Oh, he recognises that bat. Bleh. He doesn't want to deal with peridot. But his general annoyance with Peridot seems rather paltry compared to the irritation he's currently directing at his heeled boots. So his next words come with far less heat directed at her than usual.

9S straightens, using the lamppost to keep himself steady. "What do you mean, you went through something similar?" Being forcibly put in clothes you wouldn't wear in a thousand years?

[periphrasing]

"I used to have these augmentation devices called limb enhancers," Peridot explains, flicking a wing in a vague gesture. "The were kind of like those shoes that you're wearing right now? Except the whole base of it was raised, rather than just the heel. My point being, speaking from experience, when you're used to walking one way it can be pretty disorienting when your whole manner of locomotion is altered like that. You probably just need to walk a lot and practice, try to get used to them."

wow DW didn't post my reply

[dressedtothe]

Limb enhancers? What's that supposed to do? 'Beef up' Peridot?

9S slowly lets go of the lamp post. He manages to stay upright with minimum wobbling! Why can't he just download the ability to fight in heels, huh?

Peridot actually has a point, and he does actually agree with her, but...

"I don't have time to practice. I need to be out there," he waves a hand, which of course throws off his balance and he stumbles, "looking for people."

Rude, DW

[periphrasing]

"You can do two things at once, can't you?" she snorts, unimpressed. "Stop whining and start walking!"

In general, the gem seems much less fixated on being nice to 9S than she usually is. Having four of your best friends get kidnapped and brainwashed tends to put one in a foul mood, and it leaves Peridot with more important matters to devote her energy to, rather than trying to force this guy to like her.

[dressedtothe]

9S blinks at the sudden and unusual assertiveness in Peridot's voice. Huh.

Though he bristles, "Alright, alright. Don't get your underwear all twisted up," 9S takes a determined step forward. He can't have Peridot thinking he's incapable or anything. "What's got you so mad, anyway?"

[periphrasing]

Peridot casts a scowl at him. She's getting real tired of people not knowing about this, asking her what's wrong all the time. A bunch of people are missing from the carnival! It's not like this is a big secret or anything!

In actuality it's perfectly reasonable that not everyone would have a complete list of all the people who went missing, but Peridot sure doesn't see it that way. Her friends? Are the most important?

"Well gee, four of my best friends got taken by CY-ren. THAT might have something to do with it," she growls.

[dressedtothe]

Well yeah, he knows people are missing, but he didn't think Peridot cared. Well, other than Lapis, maybe. But seriously. Gems, caring?

"Is that all the other gems?"

He actually sounds genuinely curious, even if, hey, all the gems being gone is ideal.

[periphrasing]

"It wasn't just the other gems, they took Steven and Connie too!" Peridot replies, voice cracking slightly. "But yeah! Sure! They also took Lapis, and Amethyst... The only person from my home universe that they didn't take is Jasper!"

And spoiler alert 9S, all those horrible things you assume about gems? Those are actually mostly true in Jasper's case.

[dressedtothe]

That's rough, buddy.

Steven's half gem, so he counts, as far as 9S is concerned. The fact he also counts as human is something he doesn't want to think too hard about. But taking Connie? Now that's just unforgivable!

"What's so bad about Jasper?" Peridot does sound rather put out about it. "Don't answer that."

9S sighs. He can't believe he's going to help Peridot. But technically, they're both co-workers under the Ringmaster. They'll never move on from this place while there's still Carnival members under CY-Ren's thrall.

"Do you know where they were last?"

[periphrasing]

Peridot wouldn't have anything useful to say about Jasper anyway, beyond a bunch of insults that would basically just boil down to "she sucks", so it's probably good that 9S cuts her off there.

"Well let's see," she starts, sarcastically cheery. "I last saw Steven and Amethyst over there, in the park, where Steven tried to stab me. Lapis I last saw at an electronic store across town, where we fought... And Connie I haven't seen since the night of the concert."

[dressedtothe]

Right. Okay. If he searches radially from there, then... Steven and Amethyst might be easier to track down, but the rest?

"So you want to help, right?"

Sounds like fighting hasn't gone too well for Peridot. Besides, even if Steven tried to stab her, she's made of hard light, isn't she? What's the big deal?

Reaching behind him, 9S pulls out a small lens and holds it out for Peridot to take.

"Would it be possible to use this while you're flying around as a bat?"

[periphrasing]

9S pulls the lens out before Peridot can say something snarky about how of course she wants to help, why the heck else would she be out here? She squints at the little device, and then lets go of the street light, catching the air under her little wings and gliding down to take a closer look.

"Hmmm... No. Not as a bat. But, I have a different form that I could utilize instead." She cocks her head slightly. "What is this thing, anyway?"

[dressedtothe]

"It's a gift from the Ringmaster. It's supposed to pick up concentrations of magical energy. I figure it'd be easier to locate a Harbinger in town if we use it."

The lens functions much like heat vision, only for magic. If Peridot wants to test it out on 9S, he would be blindingly bright thanks to the Spark.

"You have more mobility in the air than I do, so..."