limacharlie | public channel

Entry tags:

public channel | d17

[ With the Ringmaster cutting off the kidnappee’s radios, it seems as good a time as any to use them again -- particularly since some particularly concerning developments have come to light. ]

As you’ve probably heard, some of our people got kidnapped at CY-Ren’s concert. [ If Lambert sounds incredibly reluctant to talk about this, it’s because he is. ] She’s also apparently managed to turn some -- maybe all of them -- into Harbingers like her.

[ Rita, on the other hand, shows no hesitation as she barrels ahead into an explanation. ]

For those not aware, Guardians and Harbingers both draw power from something called a 'Spark'... a physical manifestation of one's greatest passion or desire. For Harbingers, that passion has been inverted and twisted to serve the purpose of the Void... to destroy all living things. In other words, they've been brainwashed, and with their Sparks awakened, they're also incredibly powerful.

And now they’re using those powers to… [ Lambert pauses again. This is the part that sounds really stupid to him: ] … cause trouble around the city. Funny thing is, can’t say we’ve seen CY-Ren around at all. Can’t be a coincidence.

...Right. I don't know what their goal is, but maybe they can tell us, if we manage to recapture them. There has to be a way to get them back to normal, too.

As they are now, they're too strong to take down with normal means, but we have one new tool at our disposal. Through some sort of awakening, some among us are now able to manifest our own Sparks and fight back using the power of Creation. This should give us the edge we need to beat the Harbingers... and CY-Ren.

[ ‘Some sort’ of awakening is one way to put it. To wrap it up before this goes on too long, Lambert finishes: ]

But first we need to know how many of us there actually are. So speak up. That goes for anyone who’s run into the Harbingers too -- if we can figure out their movements or catch one of them, maybe we can figure out what this next ‘concert’ of hers is going to do this time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[That's a pretty non traditional weapon as well.] Did you just... know what to do with it when you got it? I don't think we have a lot of time to practice.

[People whose existing magic is enhanced probably have a leg up, but Yuya doesn't want to be useless either.]

Hmm... some of it was intuitive, almost weirdly so. But some things I had explained to me... by my familiar. [There’s a mild uncertainty in her tone.]

I didn't get a familiar... I wonder what the difference is?

[It's probably not animal friendliness, right? And he's not sure someone 'becoming' his familiar would give any more insight than he already has.]

Hell if I know. A lot of this doesn't make any consistent sense.

If you want to get some quick practice in, though, I could join you. I wouldn't mind seeing what kind of new abilities you managed to get from Creation.

In the training yard, right? I'd appreciate that, I feel kind of lost with this.

[He doesn't really want to beat their brainwashed friends, but he also knows he's already on a bad track record and needs to improve.] I'm going to show Lambert, too, so I guess I'll be there a while.

[Rita might be confident as always, but the fact is that all she's accomplished so far is not getting her ass thoroughly kicked. She doesn't have any real successes to boast of. Chances are that she could use some practice, herself.]

I'll see you there.

[Rita gets an affirnative sound, and then Yuya rushes to the training yard almost immediately, not yet under magical girl transformation. It's sort of weird in a way that he doesn't want to sit in it for long--comfortable, but with a level of power he's not used to at his fingertips. Also, he still likes his regularly clothes better even if he clearly got the less embarrassing stick for outfits.]

Rita? [He looks around for her, if she's already here.]

[Rita, on the other hand, is already transformed. She sits atop one of the raised platforms of the obstacle course. It's one of the lower ones, of course -- she'd rather avoid the high ones. Francis has no such reservations, however, and sits happily perched on a beam positioned well above her head.]

[Her weapon, an enormous book with an orange jewel set into the cover, floats in the air beside her as she flips through its pages, examining and occasionally touching them experimentally. She stops when she hears Yuya, however, and looks over to see him.]

Over here.

[Yuya looks up, offering Rita a smile and a wave as he spots her. He comes up right by the platform, but doesn't make any movements to get up on it yet.] Hey! That's your weapon, right?

[He points to the book.]

[Rita doesn't smile or wave back, but she nods amicably.] Yeah. See for yourself.

[She casually sweeps an arm in his direction, and the book follows the gesture and floats down next to him, within reach. It sits open to a page covered in incomprehensible runes and abstract-looking diagrams.]

[Yuya holds his hands out for the book. And he can't read anything it says, but he doesn't let that bother him--it's Rita's magical spark book, so it's probably all customized to her soul.

He tries flipping a page.] They're spells, right? It's a magic book?

[The other pages are much like the first, with the same complex-looking writing.]

Some of it. Not all.

[Rita's not sure how to explain it, exactly... but a boyish voice interjects.] It's a book of Knowledge. It contains all kinds of information. [It's not clear right away, but the voice comes from Francis, who gestures lazily with his paw.] If you want to see what I mean, try pressing your hand over the text.

[Rita tilts her head up to give Francis a curious look, then nods to Yuya, suggesting he should try it.]

[Yuya jumps a little at the new voice, following Rita's gaze up to her cat. Right, her familiar.

He nods, looking down at the pages before he presses his right hand to one. He's a little curios if it'll work properly, since it's Rita's soul book, but he waits patiently for an effect.]

[The runes on the page give off a soft glow, and upon touching them, Yuya's mind will be flooded with information about blastia.

This page tells of Hermes blastia, newly developed blastia made using a formula created by a researcher named Hermes. Such blastia have exceptionally high output, but also consume massive amounts of aer. There are accompanying mathematical formulas, ones far too complex for a layman to understand, but the book shows them to Yuya anyway.

The information isn't entirely impartial; there are some hints of Rita's feelings in there, too. The Hermes formula hurts blastia. It hurts the world. If she can't fix those blastia, they have to be destroyed.

This only takes a second or two, though it might feel like longer to Yuya. At the end of it, Rita's still sitting in the same place, giving him a curious look.]

Whoa! [Yuya almost jumps as the sudden wave of information, but he doesn't release the book.

He blinks rapidly, stunned for a moment as he tries to process it, slowly removing his hand as he looks up at Rita. It 'hurts' blastia, huh...

He lets out a sheepish laugh, holding the book up to offer it back to her.] So it has everything you know, too? Did you decide to show me that, or was it just the page I picked?

[Rita hops down from the platform, spreading her wings and using them to glide smoothly to the ground before folding them behind herself. She walks over and takes the book, looking to see which page he was looking at.]

I guess it's just the page you chose? Hm... Hermes, huh...

[Francis offers some clarification:] Touching it isn't the only requirement. For another person to freely view the knowledge in that book, you must have opened your heart to him in some way.

[...to which Rita scrunches her face.] Could you not say it like that?

Really? [Yuya perks up, smiling brightly at that confirmation and completely unbothered by Francis' description. Actually, he's pretty pleased to hear that.] I guess Rita wouldn't share all of that with just anyone, right?

[If it is all her knowledge, that's a precious thing for her. And awfully fitting for her soul book, though it has him wondering just what his spark says about him.]

Wh-who knows? Maybe I would. Knowledge is meant to be shared, you know. [Rita's looking pretty red right now.]

... Anyway, what did you end up getting from Creation?

[Yuya laughs more wholly this time, but he doesn't argue. The way she says it, though, he wonders if these are really from Creation, or if it just opened something up in them?

... Maybe he should be the one asking more questions, but he hasn't felt like he can't trust any of it. Yuya takes a step back, giving them some space before he puts a hand to his chest.] Let me show you.

[Because actually saying it's a giant bubble wand is, he realizes, kind of silly. So he taps into that power again, letting the light surround him and change him into his Guardian attire, a sword-sized, star-shaped bubble wand now present in his right hand.

He waves it for emphasis.] It's this!

[Rita, of course, has no concept of what a bubble wand is. She tilts her head at the weapon curiously.]

It's... a wand? [That's as far as she can tell at a glance.] What can you use it for?

This. [Yuya waves the wand to make a big, green bubble between them. It explodes into sparkles.] I can make them have different effects if I think about it. I got Steven's fruit animals to calm down this way.

[To say nothing of how Steven himself proceeded to thoroughly with the one-sided fight.]

[Rita steps back cautiously when it bursts, but the sparkles just leave her looking confused.]

It can calm things down...? [She looks uncertain. For a superpower, it doesn't seem very powerful.] What other effects can you make?

I can make light with it, and... uh, I'm still figuring out what else. [It's a work in progress.] Maybe it'll come easier if we're both coming up with ideas?

Mm... yeah. There must be something useful you can do.

[Sorry Yuya, your powers sound lame so far.]

[Yuya deflates immediately, looking genuinely hurt at the way she says it. So much for her confidence in him--even if he knows he should be confident in himself, the lack of validation after his rocky start leaves him sore.] I... if it picked me, there has to be something I can do!

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