⇨ 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

Closed to Lambert and Jasper

[periphrasing]

It's been a few days since Peridot volunteered herself as Jasper's familiar, which means they've had a few days to work together and try to figure this whole guardian/familiar thing out. So, you'd think they would have made some decent progress by now! You'd think.

In actuality, all they've managed to determine thus far is that Peridot can be a pretty useful scout when out on patrol, which... is something she could have done without taking on this gig. As for actual special attacks? Magic? Anything that might given them even a tiny edge in a fight against a Harbinger, that would justify Peridot getting herself stuck in this form indefinitely? Nothing.

The whole concept of 'practice makes perfect' is pretty foreign and even actively off-putting to most gems, but Peridot has been living her own life free of Homeworld long enough to understand that practice is exactly what is needed here. Practice, and perhaps a few pointers from someone who seems to have a better handle on this stuff than they do. She can convince Jasper of the first part, at least. The latter is just going to have to be a surprise.

They head down to the obstacle course at the appointed time, but before the course is even in sight Peridot can already hear... the roar of an engine? She flies ahead of Jasper a ways, only to find Lambert just absolutely tearing up the course on his bike, doing sick flips all over the place.

She takes up a perch on a nearby railing and just kind of watches him while she waits for Jasper to catch up.

[whattaprick]

After the mess of the museum encounter, Lambert's leg is still in recovery, meaning his usual preferred Guardian fighting style up to this point -- teaming up with Pig and flanking enemies while she rams into them -- isn't really possible. And he's still thinking over this whole damned heart thing, trying to figure it out. What would give the Void, in any world, a foothold in Childermass to begin with?

He's so absorbed in his own thoughts that a little bat is all too easy to miss, as he urges Pig into another jump and flip that sends an arc of light whipping at and slamming into a dummy.

[stompadour]

As far as Jasper's concerned, she doesn't need this. She's already a powerful and capable warrior, and the power of Creation has made her even stronger -- she certainly doesn't need a familiar. As far as she's concerned this is just for Peridot's benefit.

She's still at the obstacle course when Peridot told her to be, though -- but she doesn't seem too impressed when she finds it's already occupied. She folds her burly arms and watches for a second or two as Lambert pulls off some ludicrous motorbike acrobatics. She would definitely, she thinks, rather have a loud impressive vehicle than Peridot The Bat.

"You make a mistake with the time?" she asks Peridot, frowning.

[periphrasing]

Peridot just shoots an annoyed look at Jasper before cupping her wings to her snout and bellowing over the roar of the engine to try and get the Nightrider's attention.

"HEY! LAMBERT!!!!"

[whattaprick]

Luckily, between Lambert's sharp ears and Peridot's earpiercing harpy wail, it isn't impossible for him to pick up that he's being called to attention even over the roar of the bike. He'll still complete the circuit he's on -- leaping off the ramp, twisting in the air, and sending an arc of golden light that cuts (harmlessly, since it's not a physical force so much as a spiritual one) in a line across the yard -- and then he swings the bike around, puttering over to pull up next to Peridot.

Who looks, well. Different than usual. Though the same could be said of him, with that gaudy, far too tight outfit that makes him visible a mile away.

"So it worked, then, huh?" His gaze flicks over Jasper, giving her a nod of acknowledgement. Based on what Peridot was bitching about on the radio, apparently creation's seen fit to bestow Jasper with power as well, but she's still looking decidedly like she did when she was breaking Lambert's neck and wrestling him into the mud.

It does him no good to dwell on that now. Maybe that, more than anything, is why he says what he does.

"Well, don't just stand there like a stump. You're a Guardian, aren't you? Lemme see it."

[stompadour]

"Hmph," says Jasper, looking Lambert up and down with a critical eye.

Personally, she thinks he looked better as a boar.

Grudgingly, she complies, reaching internally for Creation's power. Instantly she is engulfed by a kaleidoscope of swirling light; she does a little twirl, which looks ridiculous on her, and her Yellow Diamond uniform is transfigured with a wave of sparkles into this nonsense.

"There," she says, folding her arms and scowling in a way that suggests that if anyone remarks on the ribbon she will pop off their head between her finger and thumb.

[periphrasing]

Peridot hadn't really gotten a good look at Lambert's outfit because he was zipping around on Pig before now, but now that he's holding still... Holy shit. That sure is, a look?? Same goes for Jasper, actually; she's seen the other gem's get up before now, being her familiar and all, but seeing the two of them standing next to each other is a lot.

[whattaprick]

Peridot is a literal bat, she has no room to talk. Lambert looks at Jasper head to to with obvious scrutiny, assessing. No obvious weapon as far as he can tell, but if there's anything he's learned so far, it's that Guardian weapons don't much resemble anything you'd use to fight with. That ribbon is really unfortunate, though. It's not like her chest needs any further emphasizing (unless you're into that).

He holds out a hand, beckoning. "So what are you the Guardian of?"

[stompadour]

"Strength," she replies, with an undercurrent of obviously. "Why, what are you supposed to be?"

[whattaprick]

It isn't Lambert who answers. It's his bike.

"Freedom." Yeah, you try to work that one out, Lambert's just kind of gonna helplessly shrug here.

[periphrasing]

Up to now, Peridot has been distinctly tense watching these two interact; she's not looking forward to the moment when Jasper pieces together that she kind of tricked her into coming down here and training with a human.

Given all that, it's no surprise that Pig speaking up catches her completely off guard. She jumps back a little with a surprised "Nyeh!?!" and boggles at the bike.

[stompadour]

Jasper is also surprised, although she doesn't react as strongly as Peridot does -- she just grimaces and raises her eyebrows.

"Did that thing talk?" she demands.

[whattaprick]

At least the reactions continue to prove to be a source of amusement, now that he's gotten over the dismay himself. Lambert grins, leaning forward and patting the motorcycle on the side companionably, like he might pat the neck of a horse.

"Yeah, Creation decided to turn my horse into a familiar," he says, breezily. "At least it gave me something I could still ride." And his gaze lands on Peridot, squinting.

"You don't turn into anything, do you?"

[stompadour]

"Yeah, a pain in my facets," says Jasper, frowning at the motorcycle. She isn't sure how Lambert's explanation actually answers her question, because in her (admittedly limited) experience horses don't talk? But she also doesn't care enough to press for further details.

[periphrasing]

Peridot is mad that Jasper managed to fit that jab in when she did, because right now she's still busy grappling with the information that Lambert just dropped on her, so she's just too floored to tear her gaze away and give the other gem the scowl she deserves for being an asshole.

"That's Pig!?" she exclaims incredulously. Great, so she's on the same level Creation-wise as Lambert's horse. This just keeps getting better and better!

[whattaprick]

Sorry Peridot, them's the breaks. You're on the same level as a talking horse.

"It is," Pig confirms, continuing to in fact be the calmest person in this conversation. Which is worrying in itself.

"So," Lambert drawls, leaning on Pig's handles as he raises his brows at them both. "Are you going to show up what you've got or not?"

[stompadour]

"What, you want to spar?" says Jasper, arching a skeptical eyebrow. "Didn't go so well for you last time."

[periphrasing]

Peridot goes rigid, and just grimaces uncomfortably. Dangit Jasper, did you REALLY have to go there...?

"WE haven't quite figured out what sort of combination attacks we can perform just yet," Peridot interjects. "Perhaps you could explain...?"

[whattaprick]

“Last time I didn’t have hands, a weapon, or my mind,” Lambert answers, without missing a beat, grinning shittily at Jasper like it doesn’t bother him at all. “Let’s find out if you can actually beat anything that isn’t a beast.”

With that, he hops off Pig, raising a hand into the air — and with a metallic chime, the decorations of her side rip off and reform into a sword in his hand.

“Best way to explain’s just by doing it,” he says, cheerfully. “Just remember to follow your heart.”

That’s all the warning Jasper will get before he charges, sword at the ready.

[stompadour]

Jasper has never followed her heart in her life, but she nonetheless meets this challenge with relish, summoning her new and improved helmet and rearing back to slam it down towards Lambert's impending sword.

[periphrasing]

The sudden clash is so startling that Peridot rears back off her perch a bit and flutters in the air.

"Am I expected to participate in this in some way!?" she says loudly to the group at large, including Pig.

[whattaprick]

According to the laws of physics, a blow like Jasper’s should have shattered a sword that looks as flimsy as Lambert’s ... but they’re not at all operating on the laws of physics, are they? Magical girls follow their own rules, and the sword catches the helmet with a thunderclap, blade shining bright. The shockwave of impact may just blow Peridot back if she doesn’t watch herself!

Pig, at least for now, is just observing. As a familar, perhaps, she has some insights into the respective powers of the Guardians clashing in front of them.

[stompadour]

When Jasper lands on her feet a few yards back from the impact she scoffs, without looking at Peridot, "Does it look like I need you--?"

Then she's charging back towards Lambert with her head lowered, her helmet gleaming with building energy.

[periphrasing]

Peridot-- after picking herself up off the ground and clambering back onto her perch, having indeed been blown back by the impact-- simply scowls at Jasper, her ears flattening. "Alright, fine! See if I care, I'll just start rooting against you! KICK HER BUTT, LAMBERT!"

~teamwork~

[whattaprick]

Shouldn't a familiar be a bit more ... enthusiastic about their partner? Whatever, Lambert supposes. Jasper comes rushing at him like that, apparently just blocking her attacks isn't going to be enough, so he raises his hand and calls sharply.

"Pig!" Familiar responds to will, and Pig's headlight flares bright ... too bright, actually. That is a straight up laser beam shooting right out at Jasper, even as Pig dully announces:

"Freedom Ray." Look, there's no consistency in these attack names, all right?