⇨ WISMUTH ENDGAME

[ringleaders]

Who: Everyone!
When: Evening Day 27
Where: The Wismuth Super Dome, Round 2
What: On the verge of creating a world ending army of Harbingers, CY-Ren and her followers are challenged by the carnival and the Star Guardian team. It's time to stop.
Warnings: Singing

THE LAST REQUIEM↴ CY-Ren's planning of a charity concert has been well received - news of bomb threats and harassment from fans have painted her as a victim in the media spotlight, and her generous attempt to make amends is getting plenty of attention. She's been busy spinning things for as much focus as possible, and the threat of potential danger has the news focusing in on the proceedings. The date is set for Day 27 in carnival time. You won't want to miss it! ► BUILD UP: In the last couple days before the concert, CY-Ren will be reaching out to all of her Harbingers, regardless of where they might be at the time - yes, this means that even if you ran off, she'll come to find you! (Unless you're in the carnival like Taako, then you're fucked.) She'll tell you that her plans are coming to head, and that if you help her with one last task then the planet will be on its way to destruction. There are multiple ways you can aid her: you can help amp up her performance as evil backup singers/musicians, or you can set yourself up around the perimeter at specified locations, using your sparks as a beacon to her magic. She's certain that she's perfected her musical formula, this time - when the concert gets underway, all those present with the capacity to be a Harbinger will awaken, and the end of days will begin. ► THE CONCERT: By the time the concert arrives, the Star Guardians will have the idea that there's something unnatural about the way the new Harbingers were made - this isn't how it usually happens, and that sets them apart from someone like CY-Ren. Maybe that means that they can be pulled away with less drastic measures as well, given that the Void didn't have the full right to their souls in the first place. Anyone coming to help (and those who aren't Star Guardians will be encouraged to come as well, given that if they are making attempts at friendship, super powers aren't required) will gather in the area early, determined to stomp this one out before it can get too far. ► HARBINGERS: This is when they will be encountered by Harbingers guarding the perimeter, as well as a small army of void creatures defending CY-Ren's last performance. Star Guardians will become aware through the power of Creation that the Harbingers on the perimeter must be neutralized in order to disrupt the concert - CY-Ren is feeding on their negative energies, and it will make it too dangerous to attack her directly. Confrontations with any Harbingers can be worked out on an individual basis via plotting - just make up a location around the concert and have your Harbinger providing a beacon of their own design. As the concert ramps up, however, the excess of Void energy will cause the newly made Harbingers to destabilize - mentally or magically, their powers will be harder to control, and their negative emotions will be running wild. However, with that instability, there is also room for a breakthrough - for someone to blast the darkness from their Sparks with friendship and light. Now is the time to reach out. ► STAR GUARDIANS: If a Harbinger is successfully turned away from the darkness, they will briefly regain control of their Sparks, and be able to manifest as a Star Guardian for the first time. This will allow the Guardians to outnumber CY-Ren's forces. Their look and powers will still be based around the same Spark, but purified by Creation and aimed towards positive things. Time to win. ► DANCE OFF: Given that the Spark of Music and the Spark of Dance are colliding, it is perhaps not a surprise that this all manifests as a big ass musical number. As CY-Ren and Noa have a music battle, everyone present (even if you aren't a Star Guardian) will find themselves magically inspired to join in. You can dance, sing, or anything in between - the more people who support Noa's side, the stronger she will be. There will be a megathread for this part of the conflict, and at this point any unturned Harbingers will awaken and be able to turn their Sparks towards the light. As CY-Ren begins to lose power, what the players do with her will be up to you.

Comments

[betheman]

The fact remains that for all that Gongenzaka might even know about various points on the list of 'failures', he does not know a lot about Foster specifically. What he knows are matters that leave him confused, if anything-yammerings on about rot, a few times on the radio, among other things...not to mention the sheer baffling attitude within the manor. And the very mention of the manor has him narrow his eyes, remembering Foster's insistence at that time. He cannot pretend to agree with the idea of 'using' someone. Being able to contribute differs from 'use'-being 'useful' in a way that makes sense, that can be understood and supported isn't the same as the 'useful' that Foster speaks of in the slightest.

There is a difference in 'making use of oneself' as a member of a group, and being 'useful' to a group, and that difference involves a lot of 'being' over 'not'.

And somehow that thought lets him parse something in that final line, something that he, in turn thinks about in silence-never looking away from the teddyfaced thing, never lightening his own frown.

What was Foster...'Good' at, exactly? He seemed to have done enough and said enough that he proved he could, in fact, THINK (about some things), so one couldn't entirely call the man unintelligent. He obviously had ideas, had plans, some of them even useful ones for that matter though it seemed in this case that obviously Yuuya's plan was better.

(Which honestly wasn't very surprising from what little he heard on the radio at that time either, but regardless)

Foster was good at... ...hmmn.

...Hmm.

He thinks over the one thing he can fall back on more consistently, and finally speaks.

"...Foster," Gongenzaka questions. "...How much of a 'spirit' would you say your 'creations' carry within them?"

[criticallyfucked]

Foster's eyes narrow further; they're no longer round, instead becoming dangerous little slits. And he turns away from the performance at last.

"Why?" he asks, bluntly. "If you want magic, ask Syrlya. Or Strange."

The fact that Gongenzaka has to really contemplate Foster to reach the conclusion that he's capable of thought speaks volumes, really. But it' not really unreasonable. Foster makes a deliberate effort to disguise himself in every way possible--and what he doesn't disguise on purpose, he has little patience to explain.

But Gongenzaka has stumbled upon a key point in it all, one that others--including Lambert--have failed to distinguish: the difference between being 'useful' and being 'used.'

[betheman]

His Inner Thoughts will have you know it 1-took seconds, and 2-was less determining so much as re-stating.

Sometimes it's hard Foster. Sometimes you don't make great decisions and that 'sometimes' is also, sort of, 'A Lot Of Times'. This is what happens when you use your thinking for crime.

That's far from the point however, and Gongenzaka almost immediately corrects the other. "No-it is not magic which I, the man Gongenzaka, ask for. I am asking for comparison; how close to the original creature can what is revived 'be', by your hands? How much of a 'spirit' remains?"

He leaves little room to answer immediately, as he adds-

"...I, the man Gongenzaka...may have need to make a request, depending on the answer."

[criticallyfucked]

He wipes his right claw across the left side his face, gesturing wide--fresh blood from his eye and nose both wet his paw pads, but suddenly he's smiling.

"....you came all the way up here, staged some outrage at the sight of my blood, and dragged out your fake pity for my existence just to ask me to raise a corpse for you?"

The problem isn't that Gon did all of that--in fact, now that he knows why, what Gon's said and done so far is far less of an issue! Here he thought this man was here to repeat his words at the Ritual--to be Yuya, or Ginko, or the Psionic--and all he wanted was the use of Foster's magic.

[betheman]

He could honestly smack his face right now. His own face, specifically, but that said- "I, the man Gongenzaka, came here because I witnessed another soaring through the air with force, and then continued with worry due to the very legitimate problems which bleeding in such a manner provides..!" he insists, pouting and squeaking.

"...Regardless! You have not answered the question," he continues, more calmly. After all-he did start smiling at the idea of...getting to raise a corpse for him, it seems. So whether or not that was the point of coming back here, it's what they're talking about. "There is a form of magic which I, the man Gongenzaka, require someone to practice upon-however, I, the man Gongenzaka...cannot do so without risking the life of another," he adds, grimacing.

"...Unfortunately... ...they must also be in possession of enough spirit for the spell to hold upon..."