Sparkle Shimmer Bang! Part 1: Upside Down Smiles

[meat_mooks]

||Attention, Attention. The following personnel please report to the Observation Deck. Attention, Attention. The following personnel please report to the Observation Deck.

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POST-BRIEFING MINGLE/OBS DECK

[meat_mooks]

Congratulations, crew, you're taking a trip to Sweetdream Paradise! Is it a blessing or a curse?

[joyous_justice]

Starfire read over the screen with a faint frown. She'd been so busy lately that she'd hardly had time to talk to people, and now she was being shipped off again? The others gathered on the deck were largely new to her, but this might just be an opportunity to meet them!

"Threats? This is not a paradise anymore?" If it ever was. Oh well---they were launching into battle uninformed. She would survive.

[zouichi]

"So it would appear," Zouichi said, frowning slightly. "At least this time we're getting a head's up about the 'threat'. Are you worried?"

[thisclinchesit]

"Frankly, I'm suspicious based on the name..." Seriously, who names a planet 'Sweetdream Paradise'?

"On the other hand, 'Happy Happy Fun World' didn't turn out bad, and there's at least a known possibility of danger."

ARRIVING IN GUMMIRING

[meat_mooks]

Welcome to Gummiring, crew!

You've arrived in a modern city under a beautiful pink sky, buildings round like donuts surrounding you. Whoever built this place seemed to really, really enjoy round structures. It was almost as if they could be plucked off the sides and tossed as weapons by a large enough person.

The local people, accustomed to weirdness as they were, didn't scream in terror at the sight of the approaching crew, but they did give them a wide berth. There was always a chance they could be monsters, after all...those monsters seemed to attack every week on the dot. And today, though the crew didn't know it yet, was the unlucky day.

One of the first places the crew passed was the Buttercream Café, a round little hut with obnoxiously bright decor. It was normally one of the hottest spots in town for a bite to eat, but it was blocked by police barricades today.

The first sign of trouble.

Re: ARRIVING IN GUMMIRING

[zouichi]

Hmm... was this one of the threats the mission had mentioned? Zouichi stepped toward the barricades, attempting to see what was going on. Perhaps they were here to help the authorities in some way.

[joyous_justice]

Starfire floated beside him, apparently unconcerned by the looks of wariness she received from the townspeople.

"Excuse me please, sir!" she called to one of the nearest officers. "What has happened at the café?"

[meat_mooks]

The officer couldn't help but stare at the newcomers, particularly the floating one. Goodness, she looked like she'd spent some time in a vat of radioactive goo!

"Sad story," he said, scribbling some notes on a pad and looking over at the door blown off its hinges. "Some of the morning donuts were poisoned. Ten little girls were here at the time, they're all sick over at the Healing Hospital. Never seen anything like it before."

ATTACKED!

[meat_mooks]

After the crew had had some opportunity to explore their little section of Gummiring, the trouble started from the skies. One of the clouds seemed to turn gray, then another, then another...soon, it was clear that a storm was coming.

But what struck down wasn't rain!

The citizens, knowing what was coming, all scrambled to find places to hide. One just barely escaped before lightning struck where he had been standing. Pure black lightning hit the pavement again and again, forming into spidery creatures with glowing red eyes.

The Pain Posse. Each one stood about twice as tall as an average human, and the crew would soon see how they moved---thrusting their legs here and there, extending the sharp ends, trying to stab the crew where they stood. They were fast, too, so they'd have to get moving if they wanted to make it to the hospital alive.

Re: ATTACKED!

[zouichi]

Zouichi dropped into a tight roll to avoid a hit from one of the spidery creatures, unholstering his gun in an instant and drawing a bead on the nearest of them. He squeezed off three shots in rapid succession, aiming each one with pinpoint accuracy at the glowing red eyes of the three creatures closest to him.

[joyous_justice]

Starfire weaved around them, starbolts raining down from her glowing hands. "Leave them alone!" She hit and hit and hit---but they just seemed to bounce off, did she need more power?

[swordstabmagica]

Sayaka's eyes widened when she saw the monsters started appearing, holding out her hand as the ring on her finger and her whole body flashed, her magical girl outfit appearing over her as she transformed.

A sword appeared in Sayaka's hand, and she charged forth, slashing at one of the monsters and slashed at it.

Only for the sword to bounce off of it without any impact what so ever. She blinked, wondering how that could work when a leg thrust through her chest before the spideryish monster threw her off its leg and into a building.

Needless to say, Sayaka was biting back a scream of pain as she slowly made it to her feet.

HENSHIN!

[meat_mooks]

By the time Agent Daydreamer manages to lead the crew outside, the Pain Posse is already approaching this time---bigger and stronger than ever. There are the spidery creatures they fought before, and some stranger ones---they appear to be pure black floating sheets, swinging down to smother anyone in their paths.

Supported by an elaborate network of tentacles is a red and black throne that wasn't there before, waiting for its proper occupant to arrive. There wasn't much time.

"Hands over your necklaces," Daydream ordered, staring at the advancing army with some trepidation. She'd held on to her necklace just in case, but she hoped she wouldn't have to step in. She was starting to get busy. "You'll feel the warmth! Concentrate, and yell! Anything will work. And then you'll gain your powers and change."

Re: HENSHIN!

[myboggartismoon]

Shrugging mentally, Lupin gathered his necklace in his hand and concentrated. What would be the proper thing to say? It couldn't be 'anything', that was entirely too generic for an incantation --

Ah ha! "Mutatio," he said, concentrating. He hadn't exactly been yelling, though...

[joyous_justice]

"Yes! Please..." Starfire hoped quietly, touching her fingers to the little yellow gem on the chain. She closed her eyes, felt the rush of power as it came, and yelled "Angel light, take flight!"

The light shot out from her necklace and consumed her body, dissolving the clothes she wore and bending them into a chain of light. She floated in the air, hair flying everywhere in an invisible wind as new clothing appeared. Feathers swirled around her, concentrating on her back, and a little silver chain appeared on her head.

When the light faded, Starfire was the new Agent Angel. She wore a flowing white dress with a golden bow in the back that faded into gold at the hem of her skirt, silver sandals with long feathers at the heels, and bracelets everywhere. The useless white feathery wings fluttered on her back, and a shining silver lasso hung from her hand. She was bursting to say something, but it could wait until the others were ready.

[zouichi]

asldfkjlskjdf fine. Zouichi slipped a blue-orbed necklace around his neck, putting one hand over the pendant. His expression was grim. Incredibly grim. But he felt a strange power rising from within him, as cool as the endless sea.

Say the words that surface within thy heart.

"Hen...shin!" As he raised his other hand to his face, perfectly-applied pale blue polish appeared upon his nails. Through a waterfall veil of cool water, he spun in place as cascades of water spray kind of like this formed themselves into an elegant silver-and blue costume, complete with long trailing ribbon at the back and a sterling tiara. Also thigh-high white heeled boots. With ribbons.

....

Not cool, universe. Not cool.