My Superhero City: Brand New Day

Squad 1

"Oh, I think you will, toots!" As if on cue, Raggum Fraggum appeared above the others, floating about as he flaunted his cigar. "Okay, this is the third time I'm gonna be explaining this, so let's just cover the basics. Me, Raggum Fraggum, sixth-dimensional imp. You, pitiful peons trapped in storybook land for my amusement. Alice in Wonderland if we're gonna be specific. So if you wanna get out of here, you either gotta follow the story or get me to say my name backwards. Because if ya don't, well..."

Suddenly Zach found himself shapeshifting back into a rabbit as Raggum snapped his fingers. "...yeah, I think you get the idea. So either get back on that stand and start making heads roll lady, or else you'll be doin' it anyway for only the Supreme Being knows how long."

"HA! Gonna have to try harder than—" Before Raggum could finish his sentence, a shotgun blast was aimed at his person, blowing his head clean off his neck and creating a thick puff of smoke like something out of a cartoon. As soon as the smoke cleared, he reached into his collar and pulled out a brand new head, good as new. Almost like something out of Loony Tunes. "JEEZUS! Ain't you ever heard about manners?! Guess I'll just have to teach you some!"

As soon as he snapped his fingers, Mikael found the room and everyone else around him getting bigger, growing in size like a funhouse. Or at least that was how it seemed. But it wasn't long before the truth was evident. By the time Raggum was done, he was barely larger than a mouse. "That should cut ya down to size! Now, if I recall, this is the part where the big bad wolf gobbles up poor old granny like scarfin' down a cheeseburger. You wanna do the honors, wolfie?" Mari found herself becoming even more ravenous and feral than before, hunching over and filled with a hunger that could only be filled by putting Granny in her stomach. Which was now very possible.

Suddenly everyone found themselves transported to the living room in a puff of smoke, with Raggum Fraggum hovering over the chandelier. "You want incentive? I'll give you incentive! Okay, fourth time doin' this so I'll try and be brief. Me, Raggum Fraggum, sixth-dimensional being. You, stuck in Mary Poppins, classic musical beloved the world over. Now, if you just follow the story, you'll be fine. Though if you make me say my name backwards, then that's another win. But until then you've gotta play along, cause if you don't..."

Suddenly Tyulla was back in costume and Cole was banging his drums like no tomorrow for a good solid minute, regardless of how much or how little he wanted to. "...well, I think you get the idea. So, we clear?"

Edited by kkhohoho on Aug 29th 2019 at 7:39:49 AM

Emily – Grandmother's House (Squad 3)

“Or... shrinking...” Emily blinked, teeth unconsciously gritting together despite herself. “That works too...”

The door she had removed rattled slightly, before fracturing down the middle with an audible crack.

“Hey, mister. Who said you could do that to us?” she questioned in a quietened tone, hands now curling themselves into fists by her sides. “I'd like to play along. Really, I would. But you want us to hurt each other. Mock us by making us play pretend. Why? What have we done to you? Tell us that, and maybe I'll understand. Because right now, I don't really get it. I want to get it. I want to know if that's normal. Because right now, all I know is that it's makes me upset. It makes me hate you. And I'm sorry, but I don't know if that's right or not.”

Her fists unclenched, but stayed tensed—fingers clicking at the joints as her gaze lowered to the floor. She seemed to be deep in thought—judging by the pursing of her lips—before she locked gazes with the creature in a rather blank fashion; one that suggested that she wasn't really wanting to look at him anyway.

“Tell me, then I'll know what to do.”

Tyulla – The Banks' Household

“Sadly,” Tyulla grumbled, grimacing as her suit was replaced once more by the grotesque attire she'd been given in this realm as she turned her head away in defiance. “You're annoying. And ugly. I know the film. I hate the kids. So make it quick.”

Or get him to say his name backwards.

Tyulla unfortunately didn't have the mental capacity to think up a way for this to happen, though—and even if she did, she was too annoyed to have the patience to do so anyway. So she just stood there, arms still crossed and huffing occasionally under her breath. What scene was this supposed to be? The opening.

The opening.

She hid a groan behind her hands as she realised that. This was going to be a very long day.

Edited by Enirboreh on Aug 29th 2019 at 2:41:57 PM

Grandmother's House

Raggum was taken aback by Emily's quieted rage, though not for very long. "You wanna know why I'm doing this, toots? Simple. Cause it's fun! Seeing all you idjits flailin' about, trying to make sense out of all this and raging against the system in vain? It's fucking priceless! Course, when one of you peabrains forgets their place, I've still gotta put my foot down. Sometimes literally. Can't have you inferior beings gettin' any wrong ideas, ya get me?"

He took a puff of his cigar. "Though ya know, you aren't the first bunch of yahoos I've done this to. About 80 years or so back, I did the same thing to a bunch of, what did they call 'em, pulp heroes? Trapped 'em all in Goldilocks And The Three Bears. They fought back too, ya know. Tried their damndest to get the best of old Raggum." He held out his palm and a copy of Goldilocks And The Three Bears appeared right in his hand. "Let's just say they've got the story down better than anyone else at this point. So, that clear things up, toots?"

Cole - Squad 4

As soon as he was done banging his drums, Cole immediately shouted at the unbelievably powerful puppetmaster, "...You...unbelievable wanker! M-Makin me talk like my bloomin' bastard of a brother, puttin' everyone in this nonsense...I'm gonn' end you like I ended that blighter Soul Sovereign!!"

He shook his fist in the air, and then calmed down. He looked around and became immediately rather bashful.

It occurred to him he had absolutely no idea what a Mary Poppins was, and the basic idea he had was it was something vaguely English. He just didn't like that this creature was making him talk in any way shape or form even slightly reminiscent of that man.

Van - Squad 3

The teleportation woke Van up, and by the time he got his bearings he was looking in and seeing quite a horrifying situation playing out. Mari-Mira, that vapid internet celebrity hero, was...a...werewolf? Wolf? What? And the windows here were...weird. Old fashioned in a number of ways, but anachronistic in others.

He'd been around the bend on weirdness in his long life, so he reasoned this was some sort of strange power that changed the basic "logic" of the world.

Best see things through. What would happen now? He had little idea.

Just seemed Mikael had well and truly pissed off whatever did this to everyone.

Marky - Squad 1

Marky began shouting at the imp as the situation was explained, remarkably red-faced due to embarrassment and anger at his situation, "You...you did this! I am not a frickin' girl you buggin' out, lunchn freak'o! L-Lemme go! Or I swear I will jack your shit up!"

He knew he looked ridiculous saying all that in a dress, and that only made him quiet down and look embarrassed all the more.

Squad 1

"You really need a better hobby, man" Sam deadpanned, deciding to start plotting himself "Or just invite people to a game, instead of forcing a sub-amateur play"

"Calm down, Marky" He warned "Before he decides to turn you into a cricket or something. A guy like this could get mean"

But someone with keen hearing would notice him tap his foot.

Ok, I checked this out of curiosity, but let's see if this works He thought It should go like this

"So, what, want me to challenge her to a duel or something" He said, apprehensively. His tapping got clearer, just for an idea. If nothing else, he could annoy him into madness or something.

— ..- —. .- .-. / — ..- —. .- .-. ..-.

Edited by Blueace on Aug 30th 2019 at 7:07:05 AM

Wilma (1)

"Well," the Inspired girl observed drily. "The shades on Alice's dress are a few shades too dark, I see various other details that are inaccurate...and I demand a tea break!"

She stood up and slammed her fist onto the nearest available surface that wasn't a classmate. "It's one thing, Mr. Raggum Fraggum, to stick us in a play. We're all players on a stage, whether we know it or not. But this level of inaccuracy isn't faithful to the Dreamlands and Wonderland at all!"

"If you're going to make an adaptation of an adaptation of an original work, at least do your research on the original first! WHERE'S MY GILLY-DAMNED TEA!?" she screeched, seemingly compulsively. "I know Wonderland! I go there every night in my dreams!"

Perry (4)

"P-Perry never get to see Mary Poppins. I live on streets. I dunno what to do. I wanna go home to Papa..." said Perry. There was a chorus of assent from her ghostly friends before Perry started crying. "You Raggum Fraggum is a meanie. Will you zap me if I do things wrong? Can I change things a bit? I wanna make my own songs..."

She gave Raggum Fraggum her very best puppy-dog stare.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Aug 30th 2019 at 8:25:36 AM

Squad 4 - Iona

"Mary Poppins?"

She had heard the name, knew it involved some lady with an umbrella, but that was about it. Although if Iona had to hazard a guess, she had been cast in the role of the eponymous character.

"I don't know a thing about it either. I was too busy studying other things. We'll have to improvise for a large part..."

Talking was all she had now, filled with silent panic inside. At least she didn't think there was an reason for a fight to occur, but still. Being without the Planes was disconcerting. And no Planes meant no Bellpepper, a biting realization.

"I want Bellpepper..."

Squad 4

Raggum's hands slid over a slightly weary face as he began to realize that perhaps he should have made sure they had seen the thing first. "Okay, okay, fine! You wanna improvise, improvise! But at least try and follow the plot, 'kay?" He cleared his throat as he prepared to sum up a 2 and half hour long movie. This was gonna be a pain in the ass.

"So, long story short. You two little brats..." He pointed to Mason and Tyulla. "...are the Banks kids, and you two..." His finger shifted to Iuvem and Nariko. "...are their parents. Now, Mr.Banks is a total asshat who spends all his time workin' instead of with his kids, and Ms.Banks is so up to her ass in Women's Suffrage that she doesn't have the time to look after them herself. Which sucks because the kids don't have any real parental figures that are, ya know, there, so they keep making a mess of the place. It gets so bad that he calls in good ol' Marry Poppins..." He pointed toward Iona. "...to look after them and teach them some manners. Only she's really here to save the father from being such a deadbeat and to keep the family from falling apart. Oh, and she's a witch. Perfect casting, huh?"

He turned to Cole. "As for you, you're the one and only Bert, loveable magical vagabond and friend of Marry Poppins who's got a thing for her. And that just leaves you two." And now he was pointing at Perry and Vivian. "You're the maids. So, does that about cover it?"

Raggum wasn't exactly the most receptive to criticism. When Garbo Bonzo had told him his patented Raggum Fraggum Coffee tasted like rat piss, he did what to him seemed like the only logical course of action. That being, turn him into an actual rat. Served him right.

So it was no surprise that he wasn't any happier to hear that his reproduction of Wonderland wasn't exactly perfect. "HEY! This is accurate as can be, missy! I must've watched the movie 100 times! I couldn't make it more accurate if I put on a little blue dress and acted out the thing myself! And who said anything about Goddman tea?!"

He turned to Marky. "And you should be grateful it's just a damn wig! You keep pissing me off and it's gonna be more than that, you get me?!

By this point Sam had begun tapping his foot, which was having the intended effect judging by how much Raggum was gritting his teet. "AND CAN YOU STOP WITH THE DAMN FOOTTAPPING?! It's like you're trying to make me say Muggraf Muggar or somethin'!"

It didn't take long for him to realize he had made a terrible mistake.

"Oh pooh."

Suddenly the world dissolved around them before reality reasserted itself, and Squad 1 was back on the streets outside Foundation HQ. Curiously they were still in their costumes, though at least they weren't stuck in Wonderland anymore. Or wherever that was.

"GOD-FUCKING-DAMMIT!" Raggum threw down his fat and began stomping it into the pavement, huffing and puffing enough to nearly blow a house down. "Like a damn amateur!" But after a moment, he began to calm himself, taking several deep breaths. "Calm down, Raggum. Calm down. You've still got this." He turned to the heroes, floating back above them and chuckling to himself. "So, you got me! You're free, you're done, yippy skippy! But as you may have noticed, you're all still wearing your costumes! And there's a damn good reason for that. 'Cause all your friends are still trapped in storybook land! They wanna get out and get everything back to normal, they gotta win too! Unless anyone wants to make a deal?"

Edited by kkhohoho on Sep 1st 2019 at 5:39:03 AM

Wilma (1)

"Actually, I do want take make a deal with you, good sir!" Wilma said, sweeping off the hat inherent in the Mad Hatter costume and bowing extravagantly.

"You see, I'm an Inspired—those kooky folks who gain power from art. My domain is stories, which is why I hate to see any adaptation get things wrong. It just so happens that Alice is an Inspired, like me!" she said brightly, nodding for extra effect. "This is my proposal..."

"I'll take you to her. If you deem her and her story authentic enough, you let everyone go. If she's not, well, then it's too bad for us, right? You seem to have nothing to lose here!" she declared. "So why not take my deal. It sounds perfectly reasonable, am I right?"

Wilma laughed and stuck out her left arm and hand, with the mark of Gillianos on it. "Shake on it, and I'll keep up my end of the deal. Printers never lie, and we never break a promise—thus, I promise that you'll get exactly the kind of sport you were looking for when you came here..."

If one examined her wording closely, it seemed to have too many rhetorical questions than necessary, all designed to make Raggum Fraggum draw his own positive conclusions about her offer. While the fact that Printers never lied stood, it was not stated whether or not they could deceive...and Wilma was grinning winningly with a smile fit for the Cheshire Cat.

Squad 1, Outside Foundation HQ

There was some part of Raggum in the back of his head that knew this was fishy. Sure, there was being obsessed with a piece of art or getting the facts straight. But something about this didn't seem on the level. He may not have been the brightest bulb in the tree (not that he would admit it), but he always knew one scammer from one another.

That said. If he refused her, what would he gain? He'd be seen as a coward for refusing a young girl's seemingly harmless offer just because he was skittish. And besides, what harm could it do? He was the superior being. If she did try anything, he could just zap her like that. What did he have to lose?

Hesitating for only a moment, Raggum grasped her hand and shook it firmly. "Sure! Why the hell not? Though I'll warn ya'. You try anything and your ass is grass. And that ain't hyperbole. We clear?"

Edited by kkhohoho on Sep 1st 2019 at 6:52:18 AM

Wilma (4)

"Excellent!" Wilma exclaimed, shaking Raggum's hand with a little too much excitement and squeezing just enough to cause discomfort. "Everyone else, I'll be right back in a moment!"

That was before their consciousnesses were jettisoned into abject confusion as their forms swirled into the point of space where Gilliano's mark resided, and that too lingered for a moment like a warm smile before fading.

Their innards scambled and reassembled in a storm of matter putting itself back together like a jigsaw puzzle solving itself. There was an odd sensation of being in two places at once—and then, "reality" (or what counted for it in the Dreamlands) righted itself by slamming its form onto the nearest flat surface and then there was only one of them. There was always one of them, and they were in Wonderland.

And what a Wonderland it was! It was just like the movies, except fuller and in color. This was the genuine article. It had to be, because the terms of the deal pressed coldly onto the back of Raggum's neck and reminded him that Wilma had indeed kept her part of the deal, he would have to keep his if it came down to it.

"We're just in time for tea," Wilma said. "Which you didn't give me when the time came. Alice already knows we're here."

Which was par for the course amongst all Inspired. Their dreams couldn't be intruded upon without them noticing, and everything in them was theirs to control. This effect was amplified in the Dreamlands.

The sounds of clinking porcelain come from ahead. Perhaps there was a tea party going on?

The True Wonderland

Sure enough, a tea party was present. It almost seemed as if some invisible force accelerated them along, drawing them closer like a magnetic and causing the scenery to blur with sheer speed around them. Rather suddenly, they stopped—and the classic scene was there before them, situated in a grove amidst tall trees with an opening leading towards the top of a cliff on their left.

It was almost like the world had moved for them.

“Ah! Wilma, my dear friend! I'd reprimand you for inviting yourself do blatantly, but I wouldn't want to tell you off in front of a guest! Come sit down, please.”

“NO ROOM!”

“Hatter, hush. You've been hogging this table with the Hare for long enough.”

“Long enough? Pah! It's my table, I can hog it for as long as I want!”

“Hatter–”

“Your table? Dear Hatter, I thought it was our table...”

And so the abject stupidity continued. Teacups poured themselves out in rapid succession as the bickering pair—one with an oversized head and an unmistakeably big hat while the other was rather blatantly a hare in a scruffy suit and bowtie—drank up cups of tea in threes and fours at a time. A young woman with raven black hair sat with her head half in her hands, peering through her fingers in a mixture of despair and morbid fascination at the sight. Her eyes flickered over to Wilma and Raggum, and she sighed before discreetly gesturing them over.

“Do sit down. They have a habit of squabbling amongst themselves. At least the Dormouse keeps himself quiet. Oh, look at the little dears! So eager to please!”

This rather doting observation was made in reference to the little wooden chairs that had by then waddled up to them, eagerly anticipating being sat on. Which was a more disturbing thought than charming when one thought of it with more modern sensibilities, but the things seemed innocent enough.

And there was an odd look in Alice's eye that said compliance was mandatory.

“Now, what brings you here on such a visit? Usually I'd expect an invitation, what with the introduction of the postal service...”

“The slow, inefficient, and downright hilarious ‘attempt’ at a postal service...” drawled a low voice with a nasal tone, a widely grinning cat curling itself out from empty space teeth-first and narrowing his slitted eyes at the two of them as he floated in low-to-midheaven. “The fawn's been ever so slow since his mother... oh it bears not talking about...”

“You're confusing Bambi again, Cat. And do stop interrupting; it's very impolite. Oh and Wilma dear, please wipe your feet on the way in. Your friend as well, if he can fly low enough to reach the mat. There is a door, you know.”

Sure to Alice's word, there was a neat cottage door sat in the middle of nowhere just outside the invisible boundaries of the tea party table. It was framed with vines and flowers that swayed to and fro almost like serpents, and had no grain in its wood.

In the far off and foggy distance, large black dominoes stood menacingly as towering monoliths like dormant volcanoes just waiting to erupt.

The Cheshire Cat—as if to purposefully unnerve them—began to strip himself down in layers from flesh to muscle to bone before Alice slapped him back into submission and promptly cleared her throat.

In short, surreality seemed to be the prevailing reality here.

Wilma (1)

Wilma went around the long way, wiped her feet, and then entered the tea party through the conveniently placed door. It was up to Raggum Fraggum to decide if he would do the same.

Wilma sat down at a seat and said, "My classmates are in a predicament. That fellow trapped us in inaccurate adaptations of movies based on fairy tales. I cut a deal with him: I'd show him the real Alice, and if he sees you're authentic, he'll let the rest of the Squads go. The costume I'm wearing right now is his work. He thinks your dress is darker than it really is and that your hair is blonde!" in a very low voice before sitting back and pretending that nothing had happened. "Sorry. Got a little worked up there. But I really...really need your help."

The True Wonderland

“Good heavens. I, blonde? Darker dress? Well I understand that at least—it does tend to reflect my mood, after all. But making a fictionalized adaptation of my madness is something I never understood,” Alice frowned, swirling a cup of tea as it poured itself out and taking a small sip before placing it back in its dish with a soft chink. “I must say that that sounds like the closest representation of Hell I've ever heard of, if you'll pardon me saying that. I think your friend can quite see for himself what's authentic and what's not, thank you very much.”

“Rather insulting they made me pink and striped. Yet overweight on top of that? Incredibly insulting,” grumbled the Cat, who vanished his body and swirled his head into a vortex before untwisting it in a manner that caused him to intersect with himself. “And you, dear Alice, were quite demure in temperament. The pretty, innocent little girl of all sensibilities and barest personality.”

“...Well...! Well, I never! I had an inclination of how much they'd changed but I'd never once thought that–”

“I was going to say I thought your lack of an attitude was an improvement...”

“In any case. I'm quite offended now and you've succeeded in getting my attention. I've had no intention in watching any of those motion pictures and I think this has just cemented my decision as permanent. So, Mr. Whoever-You-Are. What assumptions of me do you clam to be true, exactly?”

“Hence, as I said, the attitude. She's quite hotheaded in a very petty way. Always uppity, never hesitant...” The Cat sneered.

“AND YOUR OUTFIT IS AN INSULT TO MY NAME!” cried the Hatter from the other end of the table.

Edited by Enirboreh on Sep 2nd 2019 at 1:28:26 PM

True Wonderland

Raggum surveyed Wonderland as he entered the tea party. He squinted before producing a copy of the movie poster in his hands, looking back and forth between the two to compare.

He wasn't impressed.

"Assumptions? I'll tell ya about assumptions. My assumption was that you were a fuckin' blonde! In a light blue dress! Where the fuck is any of that?! I mean, how is this supposed to be authentic?! It doesn't look anything like the movies! And his head wasn't that big! I don't know what you're tryin' to pull, but you're gonna have to think of somethin' better than propping up some raggedy bimbo if you wanna get anywhere!"

The True Wonderland

“I am Alice Pleasance Liddell, and you will address me with respect!” Alice roared, ignoring all sense of personal space as she pushed her face right into the imp's comfort zone—dress beginning to darken into a navy blue in a patchwork pattern. “Your ignorance is so profound I'm surprised you can even see with that ridiculous head of yours so firmly shoved up your own ass! How dare you even insinuate that–”

“And the attitude continues. Raw and unbridled, that oh so famous innocence lost to time. Teenagers are so fickle. Perpetual teenagers are almost unbearable,” The Cat drawled as he abruptly unfurled himself into existence directly in front of her face, causing her to cut herself off with a frustrated huff and fold her arms stubbornly in front of her. “The lack of knowledge of the source material speaks more to your ignorance than dear Wilma's. Mr. Dodgson apparently found inspiration in crafting these stories, and when Alice was a very young girl she herself drew inspiration from the illustrations in turn. Hence what you see here. The madness is mutual; contributing to each other. But her sense of self remains intact—what you see here is the reflection of the real person as she perceived herself to be in her prime, not the little blonde girl that she had been regularly assumed to be.”

“And I'd find it wise to keep tabs on that tongue of yours, imp. I am more than capable of ripping it out of your mouth if need be,” Alice growled in addition, glaring at Raggum furiously. “I am the real Alice, and if you don't like it you can continue with your romanticized fantasies if you wish. But if you dare insult me in such a manner again, I will not hesitate in cutting you out.”

“And he hasn't even wiped his feet! People these days! No manners at all!” the Hatter cried, tutting and shaking his head in despair. The Hare soon followed in his grief, groaning and wailing as he let his ears fall limp as he flopped his entire upper half onto the table miserably.

“Oh, the world's gone down the drain! Drink up, dear Hatter! Drink up! Drown our sorrows in this liquid beverage!”

“Oh, yes! Of course! Of course!” The Hatter eagerly nodded in agreement.

In the distance, one of the monolithic dominoes fell.

Edited by Enirboreh on Sep 2nd 2019 at 4:07:24 PM

True Wonderland

Raggum was taken aback as he almost cowered before Alice, her outburst near overpowering in its sheer strength and presence. Though not for long.

"Okay, you wanna say this is the real Wonderland? Fine, it's the real Wonderland. But don't you think you can just go about threatening me, toots! I'm a superior being, ya hear me?! I don't know what the hell you are, but you're sure as hell not better than me!"

Cole - Squad 4

Being shown what this film was about did not make Cole's job any easier. As of now, he was apparently some kind of magical worker who was very much into Iona, and maybe it was the magic Raggum weaved and maybe it was his own nature, but Iona was definitely looking good all Mary Poppins-ed up...

He shook his head.

Oh. The bastard responsible for this was still here. Hm, this did give him an idea...

"Hey, Raggum, I've wanted to sing this one real catchy, nice song 'bout my endurin' love for Ms. Poppins, but there's a word in there I just plain can't pronounce real well."

Cole cleared his throat, "...And so I watch you, my heart going a mile a minute, sounding off Mug...Mug...garf...Mug...gar?"

"Weird bloomin' song, right?"

Edited by NickTheSwing on Sep 2nd 2019 at 9:44:46 AM

The True Wonderland

“She's an Inspired, imp. Please, do try to keep up,” The Cat rolled his eyes, but his ever-present grin seemed to widen slightly as he gradually vanished himself in anticipation of what was about to happen. Alice was fuming, and there was a sudden silence from the Mad Hatter and the March Hare as they sensed her growing.

“Oh dearie me, Alice is losing it again...”

“HOLD ME, MARCHY! HOLD ME!”

“I think your ego has grown quite large enough,” Alice growled, raising a hand in a manner that suggested she was about to snap her fingers together. “And I think it'd be appropriate to show rather than tell. Wilma, dear—have a cup of tea while you're waiting. I don't think this shall take very long.”

“OH GOD! SHE'S GOING TO KILL US ALL!”

“Oh, heavens! What have we done to deserve such a thing–”

“That's quite enough, you two! I assure you you'll come to no harm! This is an exclusive performance. You'll simply be waiting in the wings,” Alex said darkly, before meeting Raggum's gaze and finally snapping her fingers.

Everything halted, shrunk into a tiny point, crackled a bit in the infinite whiteness of the space between the Dreamworlds, and expanded at a vastly more accelerated rate; noxious colours and scents and sounds assaulting all senses as Wonderland became an abstract and swirling mass of ideas and ruinous noise. Spiralling downwards into eternity, clocks and tickings and laughter and grinnings with not an Alice to be seen.

Raggum—quite literally—was falling down the rabbit hole.

A screeching, blinding thing of light and vaguely perceivable tendrils scuttled towards him amidst the cacophony, its shrieking crescendoing in pitch as long grasping tendrils reared back and threatened to crush him amidst its claws. Before it could reach him though, everything flooded back into reality—and the imp would find himself sat at the tea table as if nothing had happened, Alice smiling at him sweetly from his right hand side as she offered him a small platter of confectioneries and a fresh, steaming cup.

“More tea?”

Squad 4

"What, you mean Muggarf Muggar or oh fucking hell."

Not a moment was wasted before Raggum poofed out of existence and everyone was back in reality, if still in costume.

Squad 2

"Okay, just gotta get the last one! Let's see here. Mug...gar...Muggarf. Muggar Muggarf! There we go OH GODDAMIT!"

Upon solving the code, Raggum had put the final nail in his coffin. And just like Squads 1 and 4, Squad 2 was home free.

True Wonderland

Raggum sat there for what seemed the longest time. He stared into his cup of tea, his eyes peering past it into what could only be an infinite tunnel of horrors residing in the darkest depths of the subconscious, as though the abominations and terrors he had seen were far too much for even a superior being to comprehend.

Or maybe he was just scared shitless. Who knew?

Either way, he at last shot up from his seat at the table and began stumbling away, muttering as he lumbered toward the door. "I'm out I'm out that's it fuck it I'm out I'M OUT!" And like that, he was gone.

Outside Saint HQ

Having been shown the briefest glimpse of pure insanity, Raggum was at last truly gone. At least for now. With that, Squad 4 returned to reality alongside the others, and everyone's appearances were now back to normal. Though curiously, their costumes would be waiting for them in their wardrobes if they bothered to look. A final parting gift perhaps?

Regardless, sanity had been restored, including everything from Raggum's earlier excursion. The building was back in its' proper place, and all of the civilians and their vehicles reappeared like nothing happened. The only thing of note was the Saint bounding in from the next block, back in costume and ready to help. "Everything okay? I heard something about a building coming to life and turning everyone into balloons. Wouldn't be the first time. So, you all alright?"

Cole - Squad 4

"Whew...no Brit accent, just gotta get rid of these clothes...damn am I glad that guy was a total idiot."

With that Cole walked off, deciding he needed to get in some stress relief after that baffling series of events. He'd been to plenty of chaotic universes, he'd been to planes where the world seemed to lack any internal logic, but this was the only time he'd been left with an actual headache.

As Cole went off to his room in Squad 4's dorm, he changed back into his preferred clothes and collapsed into bed. He picked up his phone and decided to do some games on there. Then he could get some good sleep and hopefully in time forget all about the imp that made him British for an evening.

Marky - Squad 1

"I'm not a lass!" And that was what Squad 1 heard from Marky as he ran off to Squad 1's dorm to change out of these horrible, horrible clothes. He wanted to hug Renee, but he knew most likely after that everyone probably needed to get some space.

It did not take Marky long to get back into his favored clothes, spawn of the 90s that he was, and he went off to go do some skateboarding. He'd never get used to The Saint being around, but he guessed he could just try and live day by day with it.

Van - Squad 3

"...I think I can speak for most of us when I say we'd probably prefer to never speak of that series of events again."

Van crossed his arms. That...that was a special kind of weird.

Squad 4 - Iona

Witch.

Raggum's words set off something in Iona, her eye inadvertently twitching. She simply stood there as things carried on, going back to her hometown in her memories, the world in front of her losing all meaning and focus.

"Strega!"

She could still feel the small pebbles pelting her back, and her hands clenched.

"Strega!"

The countryside blurred past, her own ragged breath, faltering footsteps being the only sounds she recalled, adrenaline pumping through her veins as she didn't stop, only looking behind her to see empty wilderness now. She slowed to a stop, collapsing against a tree decked in bronze and brown hues, autumn littered around it. But the words still rang inside.

"Strega!"

"NON SONO UNA STREGA!"

She burst out as they reappeared in the real world, quaking with tightened fists and a quavering voice. Tears streamed down her face unbidden.

"I'm...I'm not a witch...!"

Adana

Six jet black crows looked up suddenly from a very interesting pile of meat in the shape of a humanoid figure, letting out a sharp series of caws as they suddenly flew up and off into the jagged, smoke-suffused horizon. The sun setting half resembled an irate red eye glaring down at the world below.

What had once been a normal township was now a burning dystopia.

Each and every shop, house and building was either burned down or still burning to the very last ember.

The humans who lived there had met their ends either fleeing or staging one last resistance against the force that now danced on their impromptu mass graves.

The largest source of smoke came from the town center, a massive bonfire made where mundane human classics were being thrown into the blaze.

"Stoke the fire! Stoke the fire, Rudy!!"

A teenage member, wearing the red and white gear of this sect of supremacists, grinned and shot more fire from his hands into the bonfire before it could dwindle too much.

The fire starter then looked to the side as another larger man walked over and tossed the records, collected town census and such into the blaze. Everything that marked this place as "existing", "contributing to a larger society" and "possessing history" was tossed into that fire.

Rudy, a lanky lad who'd only fallen in with them lately, ginger haired and awkward in his gait, looked at some of the books and objects burning. "What...what are those?"

His superior just chuckled as he tossed a few more objects in, "Just mundane human things." He kicked one book that tumbled out back in, "...nothing you need to worry about, Rudy."

An older member stood before the burning pyre and announced, "People of the Meta Freedom Front, let us gather here today as we burn this mundane rubbish in honor of our great god of war time and evolution!" He had the manner of a priest - indeed, that was what he was before he joined this bunch.

"He brought us together, such that we can undertake true radical action like this rather than beg pathetic humans for scraps and respect. Why should we exist for their safety...when we are so much MORE than them!? That...is our credo. That is our Reason!"

Everyone present, a large number at that, brought the right hand to the left breast and shouted loudly, "We march for Lord Streiss! We march for Lord Streiss! We march for Lord Streiss!"

Branch of the Society of The Iridescent Gem, Several months ago

"And where are you planning on going so soon after you just arrived? Don't have any time to spend with your old mentor?"

Iona dropped her suitcase at the base of one of the guild's beds for traveling members, having only just walked through the doors into the reception area a few minutes ago with a quick flash of the Grimoire to verify her as a member. A thin, lanky man in some rather extravagant robes- a sign of the more eccentric members of the society who really put their all into the whole "masters of magic" aspect of things- leaned against the side of the door frame from between it. His fiery-red hair hung unkempt along the one side of his face as usual, though it had reached past his shoulder now compared to a few years ago. Iona rolled her eyes, a slight smile forming as she turned to face her old saviour. Of course he would have expected her coming. After all, fate had entwined their destinies the day they met all those years ago.

"Kieran, I'd love to stay and catch up, but that'll have to wait for later. I've got places to be, so the gossiping can wait until tomorrow at most."

"Let me guess. This is a social call, not really part of the journey, but a stop for something sentimental and personal."

Ah, the joys of being amongst those who could see and read the world and its intricacies as she did again, being more attuned than most by the years of study and meditation.

"Amazing, however did you guess? Have you suddenly developed psychic abilities since we last met?"

"Why, close in fact! I call it 'the gut feeling' and 'why would you come to this backwater dump after you said you'd leave and never come back'-mancy. Very recent technique I've developed, still being peer-reviewed. But I'm sure it'll be an instant hit."

Kieran was one of the few beings Iona felt at ease around, the most notable other being Bellpepper, of course, who, judging by the repeated sighing she sensed, was failing to hit it off with any of the other familiars. The cheesy Hollywood pick-up lines weren't that great against those that had no idea about movies or human behavior. A trickster grin all too homely and familiar earned the mentor and friend a one-armed hug.

"Okay, you can stop fishing around, I didn't put my wallet on me, Kie."

"Ah curses, foiled again by there being no chance in the first place. My one weakness!"

He backed out of her embrace, still grinning, dusting off the dirt from traveling that had accrued in Iona's pocket.

"Good to see you're still on your toes, and you remembered our thing."

Once more, an eye roll, which only intensified the grin. Iona could just barely resist shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, well, I don't exactly want to be short on money. I do still have to have a way out of here. Maybe at a moment's notice."

The cheerful mood darkened almost instantly at that last part.

"Adana?"

"Adana. And I need to go by myself. I have to. Well, with Bellpepper tagging along at most."

Road to Adana -> Adana

The walk to Adana had been uneventful, but a knot only tightened in Iona's gut with every step. She was going back 'home'. What she had once called home. Every step threatened to stop and turn the other way, but they trudged on.

"Bell...tell me everything is going to be fine."

Her feathery friend appeared with a puff of flame, flapping alongside her.

"Well, ya know that it's probably not gonna be, but I'm nothin' if not an optimist. Ain't no use worrying about it until it happens anyway. Hopefully the folks there grew up and out of those hokey ol' superstitions."

Small relief, but it was welcome nonetheless. The strange bird from oh so long ago, it felt at least, was a comfort for as long as they had been friends and familiar and pact holder.

"Think the old tree is still there, and if we can find it? For old time's sa-"

The smell of smoke reached her nose, and she suddenly felt flush with warmth. She gave an almost dirty look at Bellpepper.

"Bellpepper, did you just-?"

"Wha? No, no, I smell it too and it ain't nothing of mine."

He glanced back before looking forward, only to almost tumble out of the air, eyes wide.

"Io, you may wanna look what's up ahead. Either your folks are having the mother of all festival bonfires or..."

Her neck snapped forwards again, seeing the columns of smoke rising in the distance.

"Or Adana's burning. Come on!"

The duo broke into a run, finally rounding a corner and over a hill to gaze at the town engulfed in chaos and hellfire. A mad cackle echoed from the past, a sound none could hear but one who it sent chills through.

"By the Lords..."

A surge of emotions welled and bottlenecked each other inside her. The town of people that had once abused her and stigmatized her was burning. A few years ago she would be giggling with glee. The Mad Goddess of Magic would be partaking in it...

But at the same time, she had slowly, steadily started to move on with her life, thanks to the words of her old classmates. Overcoming Gaea, with all the pain and fury that it had involved, had only tempered into someone marginally better than before at least. And a soft, childish voice reached out from the forgotten nooks of her mind.

"Home is on fire...we need to go help!"

The wind pushed at their back and wings, racing towards the ruins. A group of metahumans were gathered for some grand speech, sounding like the reverse of Gaea's rhetoric, only adding more fuel to the blaze, literally and figuratively. The library was an empty, burning husk, with the papers that had once been within now simple tinder for the fire. She stopped just short of the group, panic mode throwing stealth and caution out the window.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?"

Her fingers curled into claws, feeling the flames and attempting to will them to her beck and call, with anger as a catalyst.

Edited by UndyingPhoenix on Sep 2nd 2019 at 10:12:35 AM

Adana Is Burning

The membership of the Meta Freedom turned to face Iona seemingly all at once, as if gathered together now under one mind to see who was saying that. Who was demanding to know what the meaning was behind their attack on Adana? Who interrupted the revelry?

Evidently someone had to speak in response, and owing to his role at the center of the revel of the burning pyre, the former priest spoke, "You look upon the rightful retribution we have brought upon humanity. Metahumanity is the future, humanity is the ugly, horrible past...a past we must burn!"

There was chatter among the people gathered;

"They denied metas with obvious mutations purchasing rights here!"

"They wouldn't treat metas the same as regular humans, why should we have to take that?"

Rudy stepped forward and, with the ease of someone suffused with herd mentality, addressed Iona, "These folks here were basically Gaea. Nothing's gonna change, not so long as their status quo keeps gettin' defended! Why should I stay in a hero academy and slave away for their respect? I'll respect em as much as they respect me!!"

"Yeah! Burn the damned humans!"

"Burn Gaea! Burn the country! Burn the police!"

The priest gestured around, "Now do you see? Before He gathered us, taught us the truths of the world, we were alone, slaving away and given nothing but empty thanks and platitudes. Now? Now they will know to fear us, when they only ever hated us before when we stepped out of Saint's line."