Echo Incursion 01 - Jurassic Gateway (August 10th, 2016)

[raisednpcs]

It's a particularly hot day in the Gateway City zoo. What else could you expect? It's not like it's not to be expected, it is the middle of August, after all. But there's plenty of things to see here at the zoo, and the visitors' center is air conditioned well enough.

Just a normal summer day in a typical summer vacation spot. Right?

Well, that's when things change. Those in the visitor's center would find the building changing around them. There's suddenly a dinosaur skeleton in the middle of the place, with the banner "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" hanging from the ceiling.

That's not all. The animal enclosures are now different. What used to be a pen for the african elephants now has very large, very long necked reptiles in it. A gigantic, meat-eating dinosaur just tromped its way out of the lion habitat it's too much too large for, and unfortunately for the people around it, its vision is based on movement. The monkey house? Well, those are velociraptors breaking out of it. The aviary? Now filled with particular aggressive flying pterosaurs.

These are just some of the creatures making their sudden emergence, and it's not long until they spill out of the zoo and into the city proper. Dinosaurs are now walking the streets of Gateway City.

Yes, indeed. Just a normal summer day.

[OOC: The new event is live! Please see this post for npc information and just what characters will have to deal with.]

Comments

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Well, things... had started out as a normal day, at least for her lately. It was a relatively slow day, just one quick interview to tape and then actually having a few hours free to enjoy the day.

That's how it started anyway.

What's going on now is a crowd of people rushing out the doors of a TV studio, harried by the smaller flying dinosaurs that swoop and snap at them. For a time, it seems like a dark situation indeed... until a girl in a sparkling yellow dress swoops down from the sky and kicks one of the flying lizards down the street.

Landing lightly, she spins around and casts a hail of tiny star-shaped bolts into the flock of Dimorphodon. With her free hand. Because her other hand is currently occupied with holding a cell phone close to her ear, a cell phone with the screaming voice of her agent on the other end.

"No-- no, really, I'm fine. I got away, no problem, totally safe. You just worry about yourself and I'll meet up with you later." A pause as the voice on the other end shouts something else, and she glances around, pausing for a moment. "... What screaming?"

The resulting hollering from the speaker makes her wince and hold the phone a little further from her ear. Sigh. Being a superhero is tougher than it looks on TV.

[dragon_blossom]

There's one nice thing about your magical powers being out to the whole world - you don't need a creative stream of excuses. Marina's parents already know that she's risking her life on a semi-regular basis, and that they can't stop her from doing so, even after suffering a significant injury.

The eyepatched magic knight knocks a bunch of something tiny with lots of pointy bits aside with a blast of water - she'd have to ask Jasmine what the hell those are later - before stopping to look at the magical girl on the phone.

Her eyes go wide after a moment. Oh hey, she's probably heard something about this girl from someone already, and here she is, and also here is a larger dinosaur trundling up behind her not so much to attack as to completely ignore her existence while it goes on its way. "Hey! Yoohoo! You might wanna move!"

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Wow, these little flying bitey things sure are persistent. It's getting to be a real hassle fighting them off one-handed while dealing with a panicky agent on the phone. She jumps up into the air, kicks one off to the side and lands again with a sigh.

"Okay, look, I really can't talk right now-- because I'm trying to run away from dinosaurs! I'll- huh?" She blinks when she hears somebody call to her and looks toward Umi... and then down at the big shadow that suddenly falls over her. "Ah!"

Thinking quick, she dives to the side, escaping the massive foot coming down but her phone clatters to the ground behind her, the voice on the other hand still shouting. She turns, just in time to make a sharp sound of distress as the big foot comes down on the device.

"No! ... I really liked that phone."

[dragon_blossom]

It's impressive that she's fighting and chatting at the same time anyways, Marina's gotta admit, but it's one thing to swat away little things trying to poke and nibble at you, and it's another to try to talk while something that weighs more than a car is looming over you. Marina's already acting to make sure she has a spell ready just in case - but at least this Cure is quick about getting out of the way once she knows about it.

Marina still winces when her phone gets crushed. "Ouch..." And then she's running over to make sure the person is also okay, although she looks considerably less crushed. Physically, anyways.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

She's at least not mashed into the pavement by a big, stupid dinosaur foot but sadly the same cannot be said for her precious phone. As the dinosaur moves on, Twinkle pushes herself up to her knees to stare miserably at the smashed pile of plastic and circuitry that was once a cellular phone.

Just for a moment though before she balls up her fists and shouts after the ancient animal as it wanders away.

"Watch where you're going, you giant jerk!" ... Apparently she hasn't noticed somebody coming to her aid yet.

[dragon_blossom]

At least a Cure can take squashing better than most people - but it's for the best that the dinosaur has moved on.

...I said it's for the best that the dinosaur has moved on, Kirara. Umi reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder. "I guess you're alright."

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

No! No, it isn't! That dinosaur has to come back right this instant and answer for its crimes! Justice must be done!

That... almost seems like what she's planning to try to do when she feels a hand on her shoulder. That's enough to get her to stop and turn her head to peer up at the person who'd... oh, wait a second. She knows this girl. She almost starts to greet her and then stops abruptly. Kirara knows her, but Cure Twinkle has never seen her before. Instead, she goes with option B.

"No! That phone was brand new!" She slumps a bit. "Jeez, where are these dumbs things coming from anyway?!"

[dragon_blossom]

That dinosaur is both huge and a big lovable innocent dope, surely. Also, Jasmine won't stand for needless dinosaur abuse.

More importantly, Marina actually catches that moment of seeming recognition, although she can chalk it up to this girl quietly stalking the network for now. "Same place our powers, memories, and everything else comes from?" i.e. fuck if she knows. "Umi Ryuuzaki, magic knight and - and... Precure associate?" she stands up, crossing her arms. "Still ironing out how to market myself."

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

She doesn't want to abuse the dinosaur. Just... smack it a little. That's allowed, right?

Oh, forget it.

"Great. Nobody told me I signed up for stuff like this." She sighs and gets to her feet, brushing off her dress and turns to face Marina. "Hi. Cure Twinkle. New Precure."

Not her most extravagant introduction, but she's still upset about the phone.

[dragon_blossom]

No. No smacking.

"Magical powers are like, the best way to get caught up in stupid bullshit." Marina nods at Twinkle, smiling. "Nice to meet you, Cure Twinkle. Glad to have you on the team."

Although she's gonna be hella curious about her real identity now, because this identity-protection-aura thing is a pain.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

... Fiiiine. No smacking. This time.

"No kidding." She sighs, one hand on her hip then looks up at Marina, grinning a bit. "Well... temporarily on the team. At least until we don't have to worry about anybody getting eaten or stepped on."

[peacefulwinter]

Today is going crazy, in a big way, and Cure Diamond has been pushing herself already. Precure are not really equipped to fight dinosaurs, even if there was that one time with the dragon- well, never mind that. It's not important right now. For now, she has to keep everyone safe, and...

...is that Cure Twinkle? All Stars or not, maybe she can- hold on. Is- is she on her cell phone? While they're being attacked by dinosaurs? Seriously!? "Hey, Cure Twinkle! If you're not going to take this seriously, you need to get out of here! These things mean bus- ah!" Of course, she's talking a little too much, and one of the ankle-biters shoulder checks her into a wall while she's distracted. And perhaps through the wall.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Okay, maybe chatting on the phone isn't the best thing to do in the middle of a dinosaur invasion. To Twinkle's credit though, she's doing a surprisingly good job at this particular bit of multitasking. Jumping and ducking out of the way of lunging reptiles and smacking them away when she has to. Fortunately, she hasn't had to deal with any of the particularly larger dinosaurs.

Her attention is diverted though, when she hears a familiar voice call out her name. A smile appears on her face and she starts to lift a hand to wave just as casual as ever... when Cure Diamond suddenly vanishes, apparently tackled straight through a freaking wall by a tough-looking dino.

She looks from the dino, over to where the impact sent Diamond... back to the dinosaur. And now it's coming right at her.

"HeyI'vereallygottagoI'lltalktoyoulater-bye!" She quickly presses the end call button just in time to jump over the animal's charge. She hangs in the air for a moment and looks down at the hole in the wall where her fellow Precure is. "Hey, are you okay in there?"

[peacefulwinter]

"Diamond Shower!"

A snowstorm is Diamond's reply, issuing from the hole in the wall. It seems to move without her direct command, heading straight for the offending dinosaur and freezing its hind legs to the ground, as she climbs out, looking just a tiny bit worse for wear. "I've had better, but... I'm managing." Her dry tone does nothing to hide her contempt for the situation and her enemies, though she smiles at her new friend slightly. "Like I was saying, if you're not going to fight, you need to run. If you stick around, I don't know how well I'll be able to protect you." At least Twinkle's off the phone. That'd be kind of annoying, really.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Cure Twinkle lands lightly just a second before the blast of wind and cold comes out from the hole in the wall. She dances back a step or two to stay well out of its way and watches it strike the dinosaur's feet, freezing it in place. That's a pretty impressive move.

She looks back to Diamond when she speaks up, smiling in a way that might be considered entirely too nonchalant for the situation by some.

"Oh, it's not that. It's just--" She trails off as a low buzz starts. With a sidelong glance, she pulls her phone from a pocket(??) of her dress and subtly taps the Ignore Call button before putting it away again. "... I kind of had to take that call."

But before Diamond can dwell on that too much, she's moving right along, turning to look at the city with her hands on her hips.

"So, I guess we'd better do something about all of this, huh? What's the plan, fearless leader?"

[switch_over]

"NAKEWAMEKE!!!!"

As if Kirara didn't have enough problems to deal with already, the cries of the dinosaurs and people were joined by something complety different. A creature that most closely resembled a humanoid running show came lumbering around the corner and down the street at a jog. It's chest jutted out in a shoe shape, it had strong looking arms and legs, two long shoe lace like tendrils jutted out from it's back and danced around carelessly. There were a few red diamond shaped designs on it's wrists and feet.

There was a young woman in a black outfit riding on it's shoulder who promptly hopped off when it came around the corner. There was a smirk on her face as she watched it barrel down the street.

"Nakewameke, attack!"

"Just do it!!!" The monster cried out as it barrelled into dinosaur and human alike.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

The booming shout roars out louder than the racket of dinosaurs and people alike, making Kirara start a little bit. What the heck was--? WHAT.

She dove out of the way as the shoe monster came rampaging past, narrowly avoiding getting trampled over and turned her head to follow its path as it raced on by. The next shout caught her attention and she turned her head to spot the girl in black... ordering it? Was she in charge of this thing?

"Hey, wait a second!" She called out as the monster's path took it straight over a couple of dinosaurs and right onto course with a group of huddled, cowering bystanders.

... Twinkle may not have considered herself a hero, definitely not like Diamond and the others but she's definitely not prepared to sit back and watch this.

Propelled by instincts she never had before, she got up to her feet and jumped! The leap carried her high up into the air, hanging over the monster before a twinkling light surrounded her and... some force or another absolutely broke physics to send her shooting downward to deliver a heavy, resounding kick straight to the monster's head before it could hit those people.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?!" She shouted back over her shoulder toward the mystery girl.

[switch_over]

The monster was certainly not prepared for this yellow clad girl leaping every which way, nor had it even been ordered to care about her. So when she flies through the air that kick connects without any trouble at all, sending the monster off course and into a nearby wall with a crash.

Alexandra's eyes narrowed on Cure Twinkle as the other girl called her out on her shenanigans. She managed to take it in stride though and gave the girl a careless shrug in response.

"I'm taking care of the dinosaur problem, obviously." As she spoke her Nakewameke slowly began to pull itself back up to it's feet.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

She landed easily enough from the kick, only taking a moment to marvel at the speed and precision she'd landed that attack with. Up until now, most of her experience had come from jumping across rooftops just for fun but that just now... that had felt entirely different.

She didn't really get time to think on it though, before the girl started up and she turned on her, planting her fists on her hips as the people she'd just saved from squishdom quickly retreat to a safer place.

"Well, tell your... shoe to be more careful!" Seriously, what was her problem? "You could've hurt somebody just now!"

[switch_over]

Alexandra wasn't overly impressed with Twinkles skills, she hadn't fully tested the abilities of the form she was currently wearing but she felt it would be more than enough to match whatever this girl could dish out. Not that it would be necessary at all.

"It's not my fault they were too slow get out of the way." Her eyes drifted from Twinkle to her monster, which had just managed to get back up to it's feet.

"Maybe you could show them how it's done. Nakewameke, get rid of her!" Alexandra ordered and the monster responded. The Nakewameke quickly lashed out with one of it's shoe lace tendrils in an attempt to ensnare Twinkle and toss her across the block.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

"Wait-- what?!"

That brief, stunned exclamation is all she managed to get out. Twinkle may have been pretty quick and skilled for a rookie... but a rookie she is nonetheless! As such, she reacted a step too slow to avoid the laces grabbing her, lifting her off the ground and throwing her. Her path took her on a straight path, and she just managed a high pitched wail of sorts before slamming hard into a wall.

"Ow, ow, ow...." The dust took a few seconds to settle and when it did there was one dusty Precure in a rather unglamorous heap in a small crater, rubbing her head. She wasn't down for the count yet though, and after a sharp glare she quickly got her feet under her again. "Oh, you did not just try to kill me with your stupid-looking shoe monster!"

And just like that, she was off in a flash, rushing toward the Nakewameke with one fist cocked back to deliver a hell of a punch.

Nobody makes Cure Twinkle look like a chump!

[switch_over]

Alexandra was about to laugh after she watched Twinkle collide with the wall, she was stopped short when the Cure actually managed to rise back up afterwards. Apparently this girl could take a beating, that might actually be a bit more interesting than just tossing around dinosaurs.

"Coming from the girl with the ridiculously huge pigtails." Alexandra scoffed and stood back as Twinkle began to charge at her monster.

The Nakewameke on the other hand had been ordered to take care of Twinkle and it still had it's attention on her. It made a dash toward her and it was certainly not a loafer. The running shoe managed to match Twinkles pace and threw a punch of it's own to meet Twinkles'.

While the creature was fast it wasn't quite as strong as the Cure. Twinkle would likely find herself able to push it back, so long as she didn't get knocked back by one of it's flailing shoelaces.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

Twinkle's fist collided with the Nakewameke's with a booming crash, but she held her ground against the much larger creature, matching and even surpassing it a little bit.

"Oh, don't even get me started on whatever that is you're wearing!" This time she was ready for those shoelaces. She ducked as they lashed out, bobbing and weaving between them before springing forward again, kicking out to attempt to sweep one of those oversized legs out from under the ridiculous monster.

[switch_over]

"Please, like I'm going to give you the time to do that. You're going to be a stain on the pavement soon." Alexandra just stood back and watched as the Shoe Monster struck out with it's laces to no avail. Apparently the girl it was fighting was a bit more slippery than she looked.

The monster may have been, fast but it was to big to get out of way when Twinkle was in so close. It took the kick and had it's leg swept out from under it. It stumbled forward and managed to catch itself on leg and both its hands. It would take it a second to collect itself and wouldn't be able to attack with it's arms. one of it's tendrils however, lashed out but not in Twinkle's direction. Instead, it wrapped itself around one of the dinosaurs that hadn't been cleared away and quickly hurled it at the Cure.

[twinkletwinklesuperstar]

"Ugh, what if your problem anyway? Are you mad because the other kids don't appreciate leather shorts the way you do or something?"

Even as the Nakewameke went down, she still remembered enough not to take her eyes off those whipping shoelaces, so she spotted the dinosaur when it was tossed toward her. ... And then she had an idea!

She skipped back a step or two and then slipped to the side, when the screeching reptile flew past her. A quick grab at its tail, a spin in place and she threw it right back the way it came from.

With any luck, the shoebeast should have a panicky dinosaur clawing at it any second now.