⇨ 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

[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?

[stompadour]

Jasper snarls under her breath at Peridot's treachery, which is actually sufficiently distracting that instead of making an attempt at dodging she gets Freedom Rayed directly in the face by Pig's motorbike laser. It slams her huge body against the back wall of the obstacle course and she lets out a winded bellow of indignation.

[periphrasing]

Shouldn't a Guardian be more amenable to involving their familiar in a fight? That's what Peridot thinks! In her mind, getting snubbed like that is enough to justify being a little antagonistic. So she watches Jasper get blasted with a smug look of satisfaction accompanied by a horrible nasally little snicker, and then calls out to her: "Wow. You SURE you don't need my help?"