Fourth Wall: We Gather Here to Face the Dusk

[thewatchers]

Fourth Wall: We Gather Here to Face the Dusk
Log Comm | Network Comm | OOC Comm | Navigation

With the call for aid for the advent of the Suneater, the Academy has become one of the many operational centers around the world. The school while never having been quiet by any measure is now buzzing with extra traffic as those from all walks of life and not-quite-life gathered, preparing to literally fight for the sake of the world.

Whether the added souls were new to the supernatural, old faculty and students returning to the fold, or even legends whispered of in hush voices by those in the know, all are welcomed with open arms, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere despite the grim purpose of their visit.

A. Team-Build Exercises
To help with coordinating for the massive undertaking, team-building measures have been enacted, from trust falls to tag-team spars and even trivia bowls. Everything is designed to bring the disparate groups together to build trust and understanding...with varying results.

B. Breaking Bread
With the increase number of people needing to eat, the kitchen under the helm of Chef Hendersen aka Professor Bigfoot has been bringing out food from all corners of the world and the outlands - to make people feel at home - and for the daring to try the far more exotic fare such as Baatzou Surprise or Cumulus Puff from Celestia. And as it turns out - a speciality for the adults, they found some Ambrosia - drink and be merry.

C. Shop Talk
With the experience and wisdom of all sorts of trades and specialities being brought together, it’s only natural to want to exchange information and see what new innovations or experiments has been underway, or to get into impromptu competitions over whose ideas, spells or artifice will work better, especially if there’s money or bragging rights to be had.

Wild Card
If none of these appeal, make up a prompt of your own.

((ooc: This is the first fourth-wall log before the 5th Herald and opened for ALL characters current, past and not yet here. Feel free to throw any and all characters in to get a feel or get them established before the big battle.

If you'd like to make further plans oocly, we invite you to make use of the CR meme and AU planning meme!))

Comments

[shockingblue]

[Getting to the Mushroom Kingdom was easy enough, and the warm welcome from Princess Peach and her retainers was indeed pleasant. When the news reached Gunvolt that the rampaging creature was probably, in fact, Bowser, he didn't take the news well. He didn't act out, but rather, he was immediately worried and saddened. When asked why by Princess Peach, he revealed that Bowser was his coach, and someone he deeply respected, even if he didn't agree with the whole "princess-kidnapping-villainy thing" Bowser enjoyed so much. But he held his resolve that he had to help his professor, no matter what. And by now... he believed he was strong enough to do just that, with the help of a little Mushroom Kingdom magic.

As the lumbering mountain stomped closer, Gunvolt decided to try the gambit at hand. He quickly used the Mega Mushroom, growing to many times his normal size, yet he still felt as nimble as ever, drawing his Dart Leader and sparking with enough lightning that he threatened to darken the clouds overhead himself.]

Coach, I know you're in there. I've followed the training regimens you set out all that time ago. You taught me to be stronger, tougher. And I pushed myself even further than that!

Using what you taught me, I'll burn away whatever's taken hold of you! Oversurge!

[He took the shot, a massive dart flying toward the monster, Dart Leader cracking like thunder. Blue, radiant lightning erupted from Gunvolt's hand and lashed out at Bowser, mostly to signal to him he's got something more to worry about than Peach's Castle for the moment.]

[talkstoposters]

[His distraction attempt works beautifully, Bowser seems to be pulled from his trancelike charge and turns around once he notices the attack. He inhales deeply, his lungs filling with air, threatening to suck in some of his nearest surroundings, before he lets loose a massive spiraling inferno. Normally his fire breath was kind of like a flamethrower, but this was something else entirely. Gunvolt had gotten a taste of Bowser's strength from the memory he saw, but this was likely something else entirely.

When the fire connects with the dart, there's noticeable resistance before it powers through and continues on toward Gunvolt himself. Luckily, there's ample time to dodge.]

[shockingblue]

[Oh, that's news indeed. He'd seen some of the things Coach Bowser was capable of in training, though he had long suspected he hadn't seen everything the Koopa King could do. So for now, he wasn't sure if that was a wild card or something to do with this transformation, but at the end of the day that didn't matter. Dodging it did.

A burst of wind and roll of thunder sounded as Gunvolt dashed away from the spiraling inferno, running laterally and keeping Bowser in his sights. Gunvolt's running speed was faster than it used to be; he'd never been particularly slow, even without the aid of his powers. But now there was finely honed, hardened, peak athleticism backing that, and he left a wake of arcing lightning behind. Fleet of foot and sure of aim, he snapped off several more darts at Bowser while on the move. They'll probably do little more than annoy him if they hit, but they will act like lightning rods soon enough.]

I don't really want to do this to you, Coach. But I don't think you'd ever forgive me if I went soft on you either.

[Now with the fight beginning in earnest, Gunvolt activated his flashfield, the size of the lightning sphere around him matching his Mega Mushroom-enduced growth. The sky filled with dark stormclouds as his powers destabilized the barometric pressure around them, bringing thunder from the heavens as radiant azure lightning leapt from the boy toward his brainwashed professor.]

[talkstoposters]

[Despite his size, Bowser is surprisingly agile. Although, one can only move so fast when there's lightning involved. He manages to avoid some of the lightning heading towards him from all sides by taking a massive jump to the side, but most of the concentrated electricity does find its mark. Considerably sizes holes have been made in the dark goop covering him, revealing the flesh that Gunvolt is familiar with. But as he has been no doubt made aware, Bowser, even possessed, is stubborn. And the ooze controlling him, like pools of Night itself, aren't willing to part with their host just yet.

When Bowser lands, it's in pond sized collection of the stuff. The ooze climbs up Bowser's legs, recovering the spots that Gunvolt had managed to uncover. Tucking himself into his shell as he springs upwards, Bowser spins on his side before taking off like a bullet towards the student. Should he miss, though, Bowser will attempt it once more by stopping and then changing direction. Seems that, at the very least, Gunvolt has successfully registered himself as a massive thread to whatever is controlling Bowser.]

[shockingblue]

[It's like he guessed... that black, almost inky goop covering his professor was probably the source of all of this. And whatever it was looked particularly allergic to Radiance. He watched it reform all over his instructor despite his powers shaving it off. Damn. He'd either need to dump everything he had into freeing Bowser... or more likely, find a way to cut off the corruption first.

Bowser rolling into a shelled-up missile was not something he wanted to see. Gunvolt rolled out of the way, but didn't have time to evade the sudden shift back on the first attack. The second attack sent Gunvolt flying a good distance away, landing in a field many meters away from where he previously stood. Saved from any real horrific injury from the Mega Mushroom and the warding runes on his armor, the student staggered to his feet quickly.]

No way I can take him directly yet. At least... not by myself.

[Gunvolt reached into a pouch and pulled out a power-up, which he quickly consumed, splitting himself into two Mega Gunvolts.]

Who says lightning can't strike twice in the same place?!

[For now, Gunvolt went more defensive, on the lookout for any more of the goop that was infecting his professor. First, if there was any more pooling around, he'd need to clean it up by dashing through it with his Flashfield active... and then he'd have to figure out how to split apart from his clone to hit Bowser from both sides at once to purge it all away in one fell swoop...]

[talkstoposters]

[Splitting up is an excellent strategy. Though normally Bowser would be confused by this and probably say something quippy or state how annoyed he is, the king of koopas merely stands there, as if processing his next course of action. Going after one means leaving the other alone. But if he can cut them off or limit their movement, he has a chance. So Bowser retreats into his shell, which begins spinning rapidly like a top on the smoothest coffee table in the world. As he spins, Bowser launches his massive spikes into the air, which rain down from above and plant themselves firmly into the ground. Whether they act as a roadblock, a deterrent, or actually manage to hit one of the two Gunvolts, is good news for Bowser.

Although...perhaps they could also be used to Gunvolt's advantage.]