⇨ 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

WHOOPS SOMEHOW I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS MY TURN!?

[periphrasing]

There's a surge of green light, and Steven will feel the bat wings at his side suddenly let go of him... only to be replaced, in short turn, by talons gripping his shoulder firmly. And there's Peridot, all dragon'd up and doing her level best to keep them all from crashing down any further, wings buffeting the air.

"We've got you Steven!" she cries. "I told you I'm not giving up and I meant it!"

[starseedling]

Steven stops flapping his wings entirely for a moment, but it turns out it doesn't matter. Joker and Peridot have him, and they hold him aloft despite his weakness. He finds himself forgetting about everything else that brought him to this point, and instead reaches to grab onto Peridot's body, holding her for support. Tears are rolling down his face now, and he hiccups out a sob, letting Joker and her carry him completely.

Can they... can he really stay? For the first time in what feels like a long time, he feels like maybe he can. He pulls his thorny arm free of his own body, instead using it to cling to Peridot more gently. Suddenly, he doesn't want to do anything else.

Slowly, the giant crystal rose above them begins to wilt - until suddenly enormous petals are falling free, twirling towards the ground and shattering.

"I'm sorry," he whispers.

[pipers_son]

A little less exerted with Peridot being much larger, and extremely reliable, Joker smiles down at the boy hanging onto her. There's not really much of a reason for him to be hanging on... It's pretty damn clear already who's carrying the load this time around. However, that doesn't mean he lets go of Steven either.

Definitely not after all they've done to get here to him.

"It's alright," he says, and looks up to Peridot. "I mean, s'long as he comes back ta us, it's alright, innit?"

[periphrasing]

"Logically I wouldn't even be out here if it wasn't," Peridot scoffs loudly, though no amount of sarcasm could hide the immense relief that she's feeling at the moment. "You can do it Steven! No stupid Void owns you, and we're right here with you!"

[starseedling]

As they speak, the gems on Steven's body begin to glow, a soft light emanating from him, much like a Gem does before transforming. A feeling of overwhelming relief and need seeps from him empathically, sharing his experience as the affection and trust that had been locked away finally wrenches itself free.

The shell of his pink bubble shield forms around the three of them, like a flower of light blooming. For a moment, the light is too bright to see - and then the bubble bursts into a mist of glowing petals, revealing what's changed.

Steven is still there, but his appearance has changed completely - instead of black armor and spikes, he is now clothed in a simple white robe with shining pauldrons. Peridot will feel that he's become smaller in her arms, no longer putting on the image of a teenager... but maybe a little taller than he was before all of this. There are still tears on his face as he opens his eyes, giving Peridot a drowsy look.

"Huh?" he mumbles airily, a heavy weight gone from his soul, but a whirlwind of confusion taking its place. "What... are we...? Peridot...?" He tries to look around, seeing that Joker is still there, too. "Joker... what happened?"

[pipers_son]

Normally, the appearance of a sudden change, of magic or transformation, would put Joker immediately on the wary alert. Magic is such an unknown for him; it can do just about anything. Yet as the glow starts to spread from him, starting to wash away Joker's own sight... He can't be upset, or anxious, or scared.

Instead, it's as if every bit of tension that's been in him, from this mess and even before, slips out of him as if he's a sieve. It's a good feeling, one he's almost glad for, and the way he ducks his head against the blinding light is almost belated. When everything is gone...

Blinking the spots out of his vision, Joker stares down at the boy, now very nearly back to normal instead of the older mask he'd put on. Something has changed, it's just...

Bewildered, Joker looks up to Peridot, hoping she's at least sharing his confusion. "Uh, I think.... Well, ya were brainwashed, and then..." Still not entirely believing what's actually before him, Joker looks down at him again. "I think ya got... better?"

It's honestly hard for him to believe. Talking, after all, has never helped brainwashing before.

[periphrasing]

Peridot is far too overjoyed to look confused. "STEVEN!" she crows, and she clutches him to her chest and does what basically amounts to a mid-air pirouette (with little consideration given to where Joker is in the midst of maneuver, sorry Joker,) too thrilled to contain herself.

For weeks now she's been feeling like she's been teetering on an edge, but no longer; Steven's back, and now they can work together to stop this.