Sparkle Shimmer Bang! Part 1: Upside Down Smiles

[cityship]

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

Doctor McNinja
Alastirra
Guru Clef
Miyako Inoue
Kanoe Zouichi
Jiraiya
Remus Lupin
Shoutarou Hidari
Sayaka Miki
Starfire ||

When the called crew members were assembled at the Observation Deck, they would find the usual mission information displayed on the screen.

Planet Designation: Sweetdream Paradise
Status: Terrestrial, H-class
Non-sentient life: Extensive flora and fauna
Semi-sentient life: Yes
Sentient life: Yes
Water: 70.2% of planet's surface
Climate: Earth-like
Landscape: Varies
Air: Normoxic concentration: 31% oxygen, 60% nitrogen, 2% xenon, 4% trace gases, such as hydrogen, krypton, and argon.
Air Pressure: 93.8 kPa (kilopascals) = 13.6 psi (pounds per square inch)
Sky: Pink.
Sun: Class G yellow star
Warnings: None.
Mission: Check the stability of the capital city of Gummiring. Dispatch of any threats encountered.

It was a nice, fluffy planet with a nice, fluffy name. Bound to be as nice as Happy Happy Fun World, right?

Comments

POST-BRIEFING MINGLE/OBS DECK

[cityship]

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

[starbolts]

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.livejournal.com]

"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."

[starbolts]

"I am," she whispered. "I am always worried. This war is serious, and we have lost. But I know that I can only fight as hard as I can."

[swordstabmagica.livejournal.com]

Sayaka shook her head. "I'm just trying to figure out who could've named it something like that."

Really, it sounded like something out of a little girl's cartoon, to say the absolute least.

[starbolts]

"It could have been a vacation area?" Starfire wondered. "At one time it may have been a peaceful place."

[myboggartismoon.livejournal.com]

A highly-puzzled Remus Lupin looked at the display with some concern. Forgive him his alarm, but the last time he was called to service had been Lirath.

[alastirra.livejournal.com]

"My friend! It has been a while! And how fortuitous to find you here with me! Your tea plants are doing well," Alastirra chattered, as she beamed down at the shorter human.

"You do not look happy. Is something wrong?"

[starbolts]

"Remus," Starfire greeted, undeterred. "It has been a very long time! Are you well?"

[perverttoadsage.livejournal.com]

Well Jiraiya at least liked the name. Sweetdream Paradise sounded like a pretty girl heaven, all things considered. He was on the side, standing and waiting to see how this traveling to a planet went.

[wantstobebatman.livejournal.com]

Doc was not far from him staring down the mission briefing with some degree of hesitation.

"PINK sky? Is their water pink too? ... does anyone else feel like they're about to go play Barbie Horse Adventure?"

Re: POST-BRIEFING MINGLE/OBS DECK

[pure-love-bingo.livejournal.com]

"Sweetdream Paradise?" Miyako uttered, seeing the name of the planet. "That sounds like something a little kid would name a planet in kindergarten!"

"Or perhaps something from one of those odd cartoons..." Hawkmon noted.

"...are you implying something?" she asked her partner.

"Of course not."

[bequiet_hescreamed]

Clef shrugged. "It's better than Exotic Location."

ARRIVING IN GUMMIRING

[cityship]

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.livejournal.com]

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.

[starbolts]

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?"

ATTACKED!

[cityship]

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.livejournal.com]

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.

[starbolts]

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?

HENSHIN!

[cityship]

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.livejournal.com]

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...

[starbolts]

"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.

THIS IS WAR

[cityship]

THE BATTLE

The team's first few attacks were successful! Daydreamer was starting to feel optimistic about their chances, despite the reduction in their numbers.

Unfortunately, that was when, to phrase it nicely, fantasy faded into a painful reality.

Now, the main event begins! I, Captain Ripades, will be your host this evening. Follow me, my dears...into my creation of chaos!

Leaping from her throne, she plunged a hand inside her robe, uncovering a necklace very much like their own with a black gem. She disappeared in a cloud of smoke, reappearing in a very short skirt, skimpy corset, and boots. The costume could've come from the nearest 'teen goth scene' store, and paired with the black lines on her face, wild purple hair, and red eyes, it was a rather creepy look.

Her black bat-like wings spread to the sky as she charged her power, sending a wave of the suffocating blankets at the group. Blast holes in them, or you're dead!

Re: THIS IS WAR

[zouichi.livejournal.com]

Out of nowhere, the scenery around Zouichi shifted, becoming a pristine white sand beach. As he walked along the water's edge, the lavender surf broke, sending silvery sea foam up around his heeled boots. He brushed a lock of raven hair demurely behind his ear as the wind ruffled his satiny trim of his skirt. "This heart of mine is pure and unyielding..."

The beach began to fade away into a darkness, with no end or beginning. The tide accompanied him there, swelling and breaking in his blank surroundings, sending up brilliant water droplets that shined until the inky blackness seemed to be filled with a million bright stars. "Its forgiveness is as the unbounded ocean!"

Suddenly, he was back in the present, holding his hand out toward Ripades's attack. "Purity Ephemeral Blast!" On cue, a torrent of summoned water pierced the nearest blanket, which transformed into a cloud of rainbowy, gossamer bubbles that floated harmlessly back down to the ground.