EVENT: The Attack of the Clowns

[soul_mods]

Early in the morning, those who had brought one back would find the bird keychains they brought back from their trip to that skii resort doing something...strange. The small eyes on the things started pulsing with a faint light that might go unnoticed at first. It doesn't stop though, and keeps right on pulsing for the rest of the morning.

Shortly, before noon, the light stops pulsing and shines bright enough to be uncomfortable.

Two things happen at once when it does.

One of these things is this: within a 50 meter radius of every keychain, strange ripples appear in the ground. From these ripples, something that is barely humanoid in shape slowly ascend. Their colours range from red to silver to yellow to purple. When they've materialized all the way, the Clowns immediately spring into action, attacking anyone nearby and, if there is no one, move in whatever direction they were facing, seeking victims.

The other thing that happens is a voice, young, lilting and feminine, being projected through the keychains.

""Thank you for all that you have done: none of this would have been possible without your contributions. I would thank you all in person except I don't believe I am really welcome here. Which is a pity as I hadn't gotten to meet all of my lovely victims the first time around. Please accept these children as a token of my appreciation instead. They are a little, ah, crude, but I do hope you will all play nicely~."

((OOC: Please put [Character Name | Location | OPEN/CLOSED ] in your subject header! Event information can be found here.))

Comments

[computations]

And you should get treated before you exert yourself.

[ritsu_kouyou]

We don't have the time for that, Sion. Those things need to die. I'm fine.

[computations]

...hmph. Just note that I am going to do what you say but not without complaint.

[ritsu_kouyou]

You know I know that you'll stop me when it's absolutely necessary. This isn't that time.

I'm just glad you're with me now.

[computations]

I.....I am glad too.

[ritsu_kouyou]

[Hand on Sion's cheek, Akiha leaned forward to rest her head against her girlfriend's for a moment.]

Okay... let's go kill some clowns.

[dead_black_eyes]

It wasn't the time for a biting or pithy statement about quality taking time, though the tip of L's tongue hosted many.

He had to hurry or both of them would wind up burned.

Twinges of Light's pain rippled through their resonance, and L looped a length of chain around the clown's neck in an attempt to hold the amorphous thing in place. It was taking too long, but L had always had a legitimate claim to being poised under pressure. Rather than thinking about the possibility of Light's increasing discomfort ruining their resonance and the protection it afforded him, he applied his legendary focus toward locating the spine and snapping it.

The teeth of the bear trap portion of his Weapon form fit neatly into the grooves they'd previously established, and he completed what he'd set out to accomplish. The clown let out a howl, spasming, jerking, and yanking harshly on the chain with all the predictability of a mechanical bull.

/Remember what I said, about not letting go? Still very relevant...!/

[computations]

F-Fine. But you will certainly hear from me later.

[ritsu_kouyou]

I'm certain I will, but this takes priority.

[5thchild]

[ Kaworu is focused on their enemies and making sure his meister is safe, so much that he doesn’t have time to question all that he is feeling through resonance. That calm is appreciated, it strengthens their connection and it allows the angel to keep it up, just as strong, certain this connection will allow them to face these beings and to keep up with the fight.

Like this, reassuring Allen he is there and he is helping, perhaps it helps him too. Not that kaworu is agitated, but the fact that he can protect someone like this means a lot to him.

When he hears Allen, the shield drops just as fast, allowing him enough room to strike as he pleases. Kaworu, though, keeps an eye on the second clown, that it seems to have decided to strike as well ]

[00110010_00110011]

[Psii sends blast of power outward, mental push made difficult by resurgence of clown's energy and resultant sapping of his. Thinks it should be enough to at least buy them time to get out of range.]

Think strategic retreat is in order.

[takeapotatochip]

The spastic yanking and bucking made it nearly impossible for Light to keep his footing. Yet still, he held. Every iota of concentration went into the chain not leaving his grip even when he was jerked forward several feet and nearly went face-first into a lamppost. Using the obstruction to his advantage, rather than let it be his downfall, Light used the metal pole as an anchor.

Even with the help, however, it was still hardly an easy ride.

Die. Just hurry up and die, can't you? he willed the thrashing, seizing creature.

[motherofthesun]

Hmph... It is. We might need to just bury it.

[While the clown recovered, she was off in a flash, bounding to get distance between them until it felt like their energy wasn't being tapped.]

[pure_lineage]

[Sephiroth dismissed her words with a grunt before his attention was shifting in the direction he could feel Cloud in. His time would be better spent protecting that which was his than the trash of this city either way.

If she wished to fight without aid, he wasn't interested in extending it beyond the narrow scope it usually fixated on.

He instead stretched his wing out wide before he leapt up and took back into the sky. Akiha would be taking care of herself, it seemed.]

[cardfortress]

[Near is about to point out that they should leave this discussion for later when Mello gets them to the Agency and they finally see for themselves how many clowns they're going to be up against, so both of their priorities are quickly rearranged. His Meister's question may be rhetorical, but Near wishes he had an answer for it all the same, because they should destroy whatever it is that is summoning these creatures.

Like Mello, Near lets his mental walls come down completely so that they can use their resonance attack freely, and unleashes the small blasts at every unspoken cue his partner gives him. He's as careful not too use too much of his energy for each explosion as he is about making sure each one is as deadly as a directed explosion can be, but even though he's quite focused on the task at hand, he doesn't miss the somewhat optimistic tone behind Mello's words.]

Don't get too cocky, [and as he says that, the clowns that Neji and Lee directed outside make themselves known, and Near eliminates a red one first, not wanting a repeat of what happened after he and Mello left their apartment a while back.]

[awokentospring]

It is! And this is my partner, Neji.

[But they didn't have time for more than a short conversation before the clown was returning to its feet. If Lee weren't immobile in his weapon form, he may have been trembling with the need to fight.]

Neji! Move now!

[want_the_world]

Me? Never.

[Mello's mind is working as quickly as it ever has, assessing the rapidly changing situation. The sudden flare-up of fire from Genesis and Edgeworth's direction has him wincing, but without any Madness active in the area, it's no more than a brief instinctive reaction, and the steadying warmth of Near's mind helps him get over it quickly.

Are the clowns coming from inside the Agency? Likely, but that's just as clearly not the only source of them.

He has time to brace himself, mentally and physically, taking the side-on stance he uses to fire his gun, as the clowns Lee and Neji are fighting approach.]

Yellow next, I'd think.

[As he takes aim, he thinks it's a good thing Gemini isn't here to see them; he'd be practically lit up with rage.]

I want to get off the defensive. Ask Neji if Genesis and Edgeworth can pull theirs this way, too.

[With a smaller area to focus on, all their respective attacks could be more targeted and intense.]

[00110010_00110011]

That's excellent idea.

[Sense of being weighed down eases when Amaterasu retreats. Psii doesn't feel back to full strength, but is sure can manage final attack on clown.]

There, see some rubble can use.

[Is already reaching out for it mentally.]

[motherofthesun]

If that's not enough, I'll just have to be a little more bite-y.

[It definitely feels better once they're far enough and her head turns when he mentions seeing the rubble.]

Well, that's convenient.

[She'll help him pick him up.]

[00110010_00110011]

[Psii feels as if is steadying weight, while Amaterasu is the one guiding rubble through air. Doesn't feel as strange as when has let a Meister use power in the past--feels more like cooperating than giving up control. He focuses until the chunks of stone and gravel are suspended over clown, ready to be released.]

There. Am glad you can be bitey, but prefer you out of harm's way.

[motherofthesun]

[Having the stones and gravel waiting to be released over the clown makes her pleased. This one didn't have to go off elsewhere and hurt anyone... nor ever again.]

Same to you. I'm glad you're feeling better. [She lets the rubble drop to crush the clown.]

[00110010_00110011]

[Psii has to wonder if SS would approve of feeling quite so... exultant at demise of enemy. Decides finding success in defending city from imposters is good enough reason to feel that way. He senses no shortage of other clowns to target.]

Want to choose next? Am ready for more, and think have plenty of options.

[motherofthesun]

[Yes. Defending the city would be a good one. Turning her head, she dashes off already to the next location.]

We'll be against another shortly. Warn me when your energy is low again.

[heavenly_earth]

[Neji lurches forward, calling on their reserve of speed to reach the clown before it could get too close to Lily. He watches the blades through grayed vision, narrowly avoiding them as they come down and strike solid concrete. He uses the opportunity to duck behind the clown and infuse its calves with a burst of Soul Menace in an effort to hamper its mobility]

Be prepared for another burst of speed, Lee. We need to immobilize its arms, and can't afford to take a direct hit.

[likethelight]

[ both are once, really? ]

! [ He could try to avoid the first clown as it closes the distance in a too-fast leap—

—or he could shift grips quickly in an overhanded swing to meet it head on, tip of the blade lodging into the creature's chest as it impales itself in trying to come down on top of him. And this is different and this is not fighting like he's used to but honestly Allen has to ignore all that and go on instinct, gritting his teeth and focusing on that connection like it's an anchor, that one flare of familiarity, everything we've got heels back and gritting teeth and digging deep, bearing down to cleave through instead of be pushed back, because just a little more—

Just a little stronger, sharper—

Just one and then we can get the other—

—but it feels harder than before. And he staggers for a second, blade sinking deeper but the snapping teeth coming closer too. ]