lostcarnival | ⇨ WISMUTH ENDGAME

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⇨ WISMUTH ENDGAME

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.

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If your character is doing anything wild to affect the situation that will impact people beyond the ones you are thread with, feel free to note it here. The plot path for this one is pretty straightforward, but as always, there is room for diversions.

A - hey, joker, how the fuck (harbingers only)

[It's a busy few days for the Harbingers, preparing for the End Of Times (tm). However, whether you're getting ready to set up for where you plan to camp out around the perimeter or going to put on some great dance moves and song.... Isn't that someone familiar wandering around, casual as you please?]

[It might be hard to tell, since he's wearing the hood of his cloak up, but with those antlers and the wings squeezed under.... That makeup job and the peek of brilliant pink eyes... It's Joker. Of course it's Joker. And he's never far from one Steven Universe, keeping a watchful eye on the youth.]

[Not that it means he's oblivious to anyone who's staring or looks like they're going to approach him. He gives a far-too-relaxed smile when it comes to that, and waggles his fingers in greeting.]

Cheers. It's been a while, hasn't it?

B - hey, joker, what the fuck (guardians and co)

[So. You're a Star Guardian, or just here because no one ever learns about heroics and getting kidnapped. It's a clusterfuck as everyone is running everywhere else, trying to find a way inside, or a kidnapped loved one...]

[And look at this douchebag running about, still in hooded cloak, only to scramble to a stop at the sight of a familiar face.]

[Joker's gotten separated from Steven. The "how" isn't important, only that he get back to the kid. That would be easier, if not for everything else happening, right now, at this very second. Including running into a member of the carnival, which he really would have preferred not happen. Well, there's only one way to solve this problem..]

[He raises a hand in greeting.]

'lo there.

[And then he turns around and hauls ass away. He'll be successful if no one stops him from disappearing back into the chaos.]

C - Joker's Wild

[The only plans I really have for Joker is that, at some point, he's going to find Steven to help him go from Harbinger to Star Guardian, and that Joker himself plans to afterwards go see if he can sneak up closer to CY-Ren. As long as no one does anything to interfere with the first part, I'm game for anything else you can think of! Hit me up via PM or on plurk if you want to plan things out a little more.]

[She knew it. Even if he was 'fine in Wismuth', Joker would have at least made sure Doll was keeping her own head down as she shook off the last of her illness. This, however, is a little more damning than ignoring her because he was tired of looking in. One doesn't sweep around in a black cloak and run off the second he's spotted when everything is 'fine'.]

Joker--! [Doll starts after him, and almost immediately runs full-tilt into someone else trying to get away from the chaos. She goes down onto the pavement, stunned, but she can still see the cloak flapping behind Joker as he continues to attempt to escape.]

[Something in her snaps, and Doll is angry.]

[A few seconds pass and there's a very distinct rev that comes from the a park strip at the edge of the crowd. People push and shove to get out of the path of a furious young woman, screaming at everyone to get out of her way while riding a very odd, single-wheeled bike.]

[Joker might regret getting her anything at all for Christmas.]

[He's really regretting something, that's for sure, although perhaps more that his sister had the foresight to bring her bike along. He'd be more proud if he weren't the target.]

[As it is, Joker's ears flick and twitch at the sound of it, and he swears quietly under his breath. He would have preferred not getting to this point, but... To hell with it. People are going to see all sorts of strange things tonight, and he has a feeling they'll forget just as easily as they will the last time. So he unfurls his wings from out underneath his cloak and takes to the skies, twisting around to face his little sister.]

Doll! Don't go bein' reckless!

[She's actually gotten quite good at the thing, and she weaves in and out of the crowd without clipping anybody, keeping her eyes on Joker with a single-minded fierceness.]

[When he takes off, Doll grits her teeth in frustration and skids the bike to a stop. It continues to purr under her as she stands below him. She's ready to pursue if he tries to fly off-- it'll be harder to keep her eyes forward and above, but she's not letting him fly off without a fight.]

I'll go back if ya get down 'ere and tell me what you're up ta!! Or I'll jus' keep on chasin' ya all day long if I hafta!

[She coughs-- it's been a long time since she's raised her voice like this-- and takes a few breaths.]

...Tyki said ya were fine. If y'were-- ya wouldn't'a run!!

[Working on the perimeter kills two birds with one stone - contributing to getting this over with already, and avoiding people he knows. A bulk of the Harbingers will be back supporting CY-Ren, and if the Carnival folks (and Star Guardians) are going to interfere anywhere, surely they'll go for the performance itself.

At least, that was the idea. A hooded figure with antlers stands out, with Wismuth being so solely inhabited by humans. It doesn't take a big stretch to conclude that that's either somebody from the Carnival or some other out-of-worlder. And the makeup settles the question.

The strange thing is... isn't that Steven, just a little ways away, that Joker's just pleasantly keeping an eye on?]

Don't tell me you're another of his familiars.

Ya started chasin' after me with that thing, Doll! I ain't comin' down if God 'imself told me ta!

[Still... Gritting his teeth, he can already tell that she won't let him go without a ruckus, so he keeps hovering right where he is. Not for the first time, he's glad he grew wings here in the carnival.]

I ain't hurt, am I? Ya would tell if I was!

[....Probably.]

I don't think I'm furry enough for that~.

[Joker smiles pleasantly enough, and hopes Steven doesn't pick up on the twist of wariness that goes through him. It's less about Papyrus himself, and more about certain news that he heard just the other day before he went with the young boy.]

[Faintly, he wonders if Papyrus knows, and if he should be the one to tell him.]

But that's an awfully chilly greetin', Papyrus! Bad day?

You ran first!

[You can't argue that, Joker.]

[She stares up at him for a few beats -- that excuse is not coming down and talking about this, Joker. So she revs the engine on the bike again and leaves it at that.]

[The chill persisteth, as Papyrus just scowls at him. He's transformed to the Harbinger look, and every aspect of him has been sharpened in little ways. Outfit, sure, but even down to cheekbones and teeth.

For anybody not alarmed by the fearsome skeleton thing, it might make him look a little like a defensive porcupine.]

What are you doing here, if you're not? Just... hanging out? Palling around? Shooting the breeze?

[His tone drips with how unlikely that seems.]

[Joker's been in literal Hell. Papyrus' appearance doesn't get much, besides the stage manager carelessly shrugging.]

Well, I thought since I hadn't seen everyone in such a long while, and this was such a big deal...

[He is very obviously not answering the question. Possibly just to be difficult. However, he decides that he's going to turn this around before Papyrus can really grill him about it, and goes- ]

Hear about Sans?

That's- [Well, fuck, he did, and he sweeps his hand up into his hair until it bumps into an antler.] I knew this would happen.

And I'm lookin' for someone, Doll!

[Papyrus stiffens, the red lights in his eyes fading kind of like Sans' blank out when upset.]

...Hear what, that he didn't want his head messed with?

[And he glances around them. Is Joker playing friendly and stupid to cover for other people coming in to do something? He isn't really a sentry, here... but the last thing he wants at this point is to get knocked out before doing his part.]

I mean, that too, probably.

[Now that's an interesting reaction, and Joker wonders if that says anything about Papyrus having more worry in him that even this whole nonsense can't snuff out, or something else. It had to be a Harbinger that took him out, after all.]

[Joker still keeps his voice calmly casual, however, and just glances back briefly to make sure that Steven is doing alright.]

But he got killed. The Ringmaster made the message not long before I left.

I know.

[His tone is clipped. Impatient, even more defensive.]

Why are you...

[Papyrus trails off, torn between multiple questions and annoyance with himself for trying to ask at all. It doesn't matter, they're all going to be dead soon, he shouldn't be getting upset. He should figure out what's happening here, and then move further along the perimeter, because it seems this is Steven's spot.]

Why are you here? Asking that?

[The answer to the question Papyrus refused to finish comes anyway.]

Well, ya are brothers. I thought ya would want ta know.

[And, more importantly, Joker wants to know who to watch out for the most. He's in a den of snakes here, and he already knows there are a couple of names he should keep an eye on.]

[....But he won't just say that. Of course. Instead, he only keeps smiling, completely unperturbed as far as anyone else is allowed to tell.]

[Doll immediately jumps on the end of his sentence.]

Why?

[It isn't a demand to know why he's running aground in the chaos and how could he be so reckless, it's a tone that's asking for a simple, straightforward response without embellishment.]

...Oh.

[That's not the kind of answer he expected, and it throws him off balance. It's too much a kind, concerned gesture. One doesn't have any place here, any more than that smile does - too solid, too familiarly constant regardless of what they're talking about. Smiles like that, Papyrus knows, are full of lies.]

Well. I already knew. I, uh...

[He stops himself from admitting how he knew, and glances after Steven again, to make sure nobody's tried to nab him. Because the fact is, Sans attacked Papyrus first - without warning, out of thin air. Is that what Joker's after? Wait for an opportune moment to sabotage things?]

...You can't just be here for, for friendship. If that was enough, then. Sans would have followed after me.

[This is really, really not a conversation he wants to have, in the middle of all this chaos and while he's very visibly up in the air having it with her. This entire thing has been an exercise in stress, and something about Wismuth just makes it worse. He has to let out a slow hiss of breath slip from inbetween his teeth, because he doesn't need to start yelling here, or now.]

Why do ya think, Doll!?

[He knew, huh...? Well then. First Childermass causing a mess and traumatizing Steven, and now Papyrus knowing that someone or something murdered his brother... Apparently it's not all paradise over with CY-Ren's side of things, whatever her forced Harbingers might have tried to say before.]

[Still, Joker has to snort a little, his hand going up to his mouth to hide his smile, and poorly.]

Ye of little faith. But then what did Sans do, if he didn't follow ya?

[It could just mean that Sans never found his brother at all, and Papyrus is taking offense that his older brother didn't just mindlessly try to come after him. Or it could mean an argument broke out. Or... Well. Joker keeps his opinions on that to himself.]

I don't know! You never tell me anythin', and I've been stayin' in bed fer the past two weeks!

I'm serious Joker! Tell me and I'll go back ta bed! I... I promise!

[Dammit- ]

We both know ya won't if yer already here! [His fingers wrap tightly around the base of one antler. He'll have to settle for a partial truth, if nothing else.] I ran inta Steven, and he was in a bad way, alright?

[Scout's got her invisibility glamor which she can tailor to apply to some people and not others, getting in is not going to be a problem. She's left herself perceptible to people from the Carnival who didn't up and become Harbingers.

She senses Joker's presence before she actually sees him and actively moves to intercept, not bothering to retailor her glamour. By the time he sees her her eyes are already narrowed, her jaw set, the eyelidlike aperture of her forehead lure opening. While he's turning she's stretching her tail out before her and coiling the last foot or so around empty air, and there's going to be a telekinetic tug at a choice moment on Joker's ankle, quite as if her tail was there.

If he does fall, no one will seem to notice, but neither will he get kicked or stepped on. She's extended her glamor for a moment. Aaaand there's her Guardian ability, too. It's like a weight, a tether, like the floor in every direction but Scout-wards is at an increasingly sharp upwards incline.]

I don't suppose you have an excuse?

[She squares her shoulders and glares up at Joker, daring him to try her.]

'N yer gonna set him right, then?

He attacked me. And tried to kidnap me.

[Papyrus manages to feel wronged by that, even with... everything else that happened. Everyone else he ran into, they at least talked before fighting. Or indicated, in some way, that they were there. That's what you're supposed to do, not just jump on a guy stabbing at him. Not unless you're Lambert or somebody else from a kill-or-be-killed kind of world. So why did Sans... do that? Not bother announcing himself, or talking things out... and just act like he thought Papyrus was going to kill him? Push him into a corner where...

He grinds his teeth together, growls a wordless complaint, and looks at Joker again. Forces a smile, because they're being pleasant and conversational, right?]

Don't kidnap Steven, okay? Or, I might have to... Well.

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⇨ WISMUTH ENDGAME

⇨ DECLARATION OF ACTION

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YEAH, WHAT THE FUCK

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hey joker, what the heck - a harbinger

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