EVENT: And Then the Rain Falls

[soul_mods]

Characters: Anyone heading to Costa Rica
Location: San Jose, Costa Rica
Rating: PG
Time: September 2nd, all day
Description: The day of the attack arrives...and things are not as they seem.



The attack begins as the sun rises...because the person planning this did love dramatic timing.

Before this, Shibusen had given out information about the Clown's weaknesses and powers, but as the attack begins, it's clear that something isn't quite right.

Red Clowns that should have been nearsighted can suddenly see very well, and the Yellow and Purple Clowns are much stronger than Shibusen's original report. And more than one individual has approached an ally only to be attacked.

And in the midst of all this, there is a figure, more human than the others, in a dress that's half purple and half red...

This is clearly not going to be an easy battle, but all you can do now is fight.


((OOC: Please put, [Character || OPEN/CLOSED] in your subject header! Assume there are local NPCs wandering all over the place. There will also be a separate thread for the event NPC if you want to tag them!))

Comments

Lezard and Lily | CLOSED

[lezard_valeth]

They're stabilized. Move them into the other room!

[It was taking every bit of man-power they could muster. The Clowns were different, they were stronger, and pairs were getting careless. One by one, dozens by dozens, fighters came by the medical tent for treatment with new injuries, most worrisome, and others gibbered with Madness all the while. Running his upper arm over his forehead to mop it up - it was exhausting to treat and then go out to battle, himself - he turned to his makeshift nurse once the staff left carrying the last group of patients, grateful for the assistance. He placed the tools he'd used back on the tray, disposed of more bloodied bandages. Too many damned bloody bandages.]

...Now we have a minute. If we're lucky, of course. Are you well?

[vintage_magic]

As well as anyone could be after all of that. I wish those folks would have just evacuated again. I reckon it would have made things easier for us.

[Lily frowned, discarding a pair of bloodstained gloves. It was as she had feared with the locals joining in the fight. Ill-prepared to take on such enemies, they were becoming a majority among the injured. How many burns had they treated already and how many bloody gashes had they stitched up? She'd lost count. But it was clear those clowns weren't a laughing matter and seemed to have grown even stronger than the last time they encountered them at the abandoned underground lab.]

[And it was less than a minute before a scream could be heard from outside the tent. She held a hand out towards him.]

Dag nab it! Sounds like we're needed outside again.

[lezard_valeth]

[With a world-weary sigh, he seized that hand as he stood.]

Of course.

[A light, and he was the book again. With hope, the others would handle any new entries and gather vitals for when he gets back to handle the dirtier work.]

I sense three Madness signatures outside, but that doesn't best our handling of the trolls.

[vintage_magic]

I hope the clowns haven't grown as large as those trolls.

[What Lily remembered most about those cave-dwelling enemies was their massive size and terrible breath. Book in hand, she hurried towards the exit, passing by one of the staff escorting in a man clutching a wounded arm. Once outside though there wasn't an obvious sign of what had wounded the man, only a few of the local fighters apparently catching their breath. But things might not have been as they seemed...]

Did they flee? Which way now?

[lezard_valeth]

Unusual... they don't have much in terms of survival instinct until they have liquefied.

[But every one they've faced has been nothing short of unusual. He took a look around, then reached outward to feel for any 'blips', any spikes in the Madness levels around them.]

They've... withdrawn completely? Lily, this isn't right. Be ready.

[He pulled from his soul and the drops appeared.]

Everything about this speaks of an ambush. They've found the med-tent and can't let it stay standing for morale's sake.

[vintage_magic]

[Lezard was right. This was very strange. Every previous encounter she had with the clowns, she had been pursued whether she had been alone, with him, or even that one time with that alien critter Kyubey.]

[Stepping further from the tent as the flames formed in the air around her, she looked around, addressing the locals.]

Did any of you see one of those clowns around here?

[The men wordlessly shook their heads but as walked past one of them, he lunged at her back, throwing his arms around to restrain her. The other two hurried towards the tent.]

Dag nab it! What the heck are you doing?!

[lezard_valeth]

[These men forfeited their lives the moment they touched her. Three of the drops withdrew, igniting and striking the man with the hold against his Meister as a flash of anger burned through the soul link.]

Of course. Of course they had this sort of trick up their sleeves.

[But was it charming, or transformation? Clowns can't vanish, after all. But he sent the remaining drops toward the other two. No sense being careful.]

[vintage_magic]

[Lily felt the anger through their link and struggled as the man tried to lift her off the ground, wrench the book from her grasp. But in spite of that, she protested.]

Lezard! What if they're just being controlled somehow?

[She hadn't come across any clowns with that particular power before but that didn't mean it wasn't a possibility. And foolish for staying or not, they couldn't just harm the locals!]

[But the fire was enough to impede the two moving toward the tent and cause the one wrestling with her to let go. The flames burned out quickly and the singed men shifted, shrinking a bit, their hair growing longer, the faces softening, until Lily found herself looking at three copies of herself.]

What in tarnation?!

[lezard_valeth]

...I see. Rather than parade as something hardly human, they've found ways of becoming them completely. Their creator has been improving.

[He set his jaw and called further spells. They looked like her, but no matter. They weren't her.]

They must be burned down quickly, before they make a break for the tent again. They can't know the tent is here and report back!

[vintage_magic]

[Even if she had witnessed the transformation and it was clear they were enemies in disguise, the witch was still thrown for a loop to suddenly be confronted by the trio of doppelgangers. And not only did they look like her, they sounded like her too, parroting 'Dag nab it! What the heck are you doing?!' as she hesitantly tossed some Fire Lances their way. It was more than a little unsettling and might have made a normal person question their sanity.]

I don't know if I should consider it an improvement. Unless you're surrounded by mirrors, it's freakish to be looking at that many of yourself! Or fighting yourself!

[With her distraction, the clowns took the opportunity to extinguish the flames and one of her singed doubles grabbed at the book in her hands, turning the situation into a tug of war.]

[lezard_valeth]

[He felt ruffled as he was grabbed, tugged both ways by identical witches. While at first he felt indignant, there was everything amusing about the situation despite knowing that separating now would be an awful idea that could possibly kill them both. Yet...]

Ladies, if you'd please... I've only room in my heart for one.

[With emphasis on 'one', the book burst into flames. But in Lily's hands, they were more of a warm summer's breeze than a burning, untamed element. That latter sensation was reserved for the copy.]

Ha ha ha ha! I'll not have a doll man-handle me!

Going to send a couple of those copies over to bug Rosalia and D if that's okay with you...

[vintage_magic]

[Lily flinched as the book burst into flames but didn't let go despite its alarming appearance, knowing they'd be in trouble if separated. Hands aflame, the imitation let go of the book. At least, they didn't seem capable of copying powers.]

Can we save the awful jokes for later?

[She aimed more of the flames at her double, causing it to start melting like a wax poppet even if she hated to think what might happen if it really were such an object. While they were distracted by the first, the the other lookalikes took the chance to escape and look for a less guarded way into the tent. Lily turned to chase after them but found her way blocked by another three silver clowns emerging from the ground, shifting to resemble her.]

Great balls of fire! Not more of them!

Go for it!

[lezard_valeth]

[They fled and he turned. No, they couldn't reach the tent... not on his watch.]

The Venomous Servants, Lily! We can be alarmed of their sheer numbers once the tent and all inside are secured!

[Quickly, he reached out to her. It was a trying and stressful day, but she had to endure!]

[vintage_magic]

...I know that!

[It was a bit overwhelming seeing what a witch burning would look like combined with the appearance of the new clowns. But she felt the tug of his soul and responded the best that she could, trying to perfectly match his wavelength even as she attempted to avoid being completely surrounded by her doppelgangers. She began murmuring a chant to help focus, evoking the giant snakes to come to their aid.]

[lezard_valeth]

[The snakes were born again and he lifted his arms, channeling everything through them. His own was on the move, as savage as ever in blocking the retreat of the clones heading for the tent, coiling around.]

[But he expanded his focus- his energy levels be damned, he was near Deathscythe status- and flame energy burst from the pages of the book. He would make the witch look of fright and beauty, the fire winding about like smaller serpents of their own. He dared the Clowns to try touching her or the book now.]

[vintage_magic]

[Lily could feel the immense power being channeled, stronger than ever before. And anyone who happened to stumble upon the scene might have run away, screaming of a Witch. Wisps of flame danced all around her, even around her hair, giving her the appearance of the mythical Medusa.]

[It was enough to cause the clowns to back off. Then, blue and green weaved around, binding the copies tightly together. With a wooden beam and a pyre, they would have resembled a group of witches ready to be burned at the stake.]

[lezard_valeth]

[It wasn't a pleasant image. Did the Clowns somehow know? He knew that he wouldn't bat much of an eyelash were he to see copies of himself burn, but he wasn't exactly normal.]

[But they had to work quickly. His servant tightened the coils, increasing the heat. Liquefy the Clowns and hope that the attacks would slow from then on out...]

[vintage_magic]

[Whether the clowns knew or not, the original was disturbed even if she managed to hold on to the resonance. As the coils tightened, flames began to eat at the clowns as they once again echoed her 'Dag nab it!'s.]

[Maybe, some of it was the Madness they emitted but the vision seemed like a terrible possibility that sometimes lurked in the back of her mind in this world. She couldn't look anymore as the clones started melting and she squeezed her eyes shut.]

[lezard_valeth]

[The prey softened and coils tightened in a sense of unrest. If they would not be eaten, they would be burned until nothing was left.]

[But something in their connection felt strained. Rather than voice it, he offered what best he could of wordless comfort, a minor calming wavelength to nudge out the Madness while giving her soul an affectionate brush. What was happening here would not happen to her.]

[He would end Shibusen and Death City in fire first.]

[vintage_magic]

[She grabbed onto it like a lifeline, letting the energy wrap around hers, using it to calm herself and pull herself away from the unpleasant thoughts. The flames strengthened, rising higher above the false Lilies until they were completely engulfed.]

[When the witch finally opened her eyes again, her lookalikes were nothing more than a puddle of silver goo on the ground. Her arms were wrapped tightly around the book, still not wanting to let go. Feeling drained, her voice was tired...]

...The ones that ran away before...

[But she was unaware that Rosalia was already sending a virus-tainted cat to pounce on one of them around the other end of the huge tent.]

[lezard_valeth]

If my senses are to be believed, they are currently being handled.

In any case... perhaps you need rest, Lily.

[There was still far too much to do, but to exhaust and break her wasn't going to help her, him or anyone out here today. He could go a little short-handed for a while.]

[vintage_magic]

Are you sure? We should help... [Slumping over a bit, she frowned as a new worry came to mind.] Or at least make it clear that those things aren't really me. What would folks think if those doubles started attacking them?

[lezard_valeth]

As your partner, they would have to believe my word on the matter.

[But he understood her concern. Lightly, he added:]

Clowns are the epitome of a lack of subtlety. This...

[He emitted a small spark, a small touch against the soul.]

Is yours and yours alone, and cannot be duplicated. The others may be fooled, but they will need to try far harder than they are to fool me.

[vintage_magic]

I guess they aren't the most convincing, acting like parrots repeating after folks they overhear.

[She found that spark reassuring, reminding her she wasn't alone in this.]

Still, I'd feel better if I was sure they've been taken care of.

[Clutching the book tight, she cautiously moved in the direction where the doppelgangers had fled, listening for sounds of trouble. Were those cats screeching? What in the Sam Hill was going on?]

[lezard_valeth]

[She'd decided to see to things herself instead. His eyebrows lifted- that was impressive, although she needn't push herself. He'll just have to pick up any slack that forms.]

Your decision is supported. Burn the fakes at will! Ha ha ha!

[Seemingly endless in his energy, especially lately, unused spells sprung to live, two dozen in number, bright and golden.]