ic Return to Wonderland

[Dracostern]

It was the weekend, meaning some time off school! 

 

Most people would be excited, free time. Some people use that free time to play video games, go out for walks or explore the city for example. But some people...some people use this time to commit crimes! Like what was happening right now!

In Bayview there was a seemingly nondescript jewerly store, it was somewhat new, and yet really popular with the locals in the area, so it was a shock then when suddenly the doors were blasted open! Some people stormed in armed with baseball bats and guns. Specifically it was two gunmen and three with baseball bats. Most importantly however, is that they were wearing shirts with symbols of a white rabbit on it.  The shop owner screamed as alarms started to blare! It was complete chaos in there. Police were being called but they were already caught up somewhere else with a different gang of thieves and couldn't make it.

 

CRASH!

 

Baseball bats came down on glass and jewels were taken. 

 

Let's zoom out for a bit, what are your characters doing before or during the chaos. Were they in the store? Just passing by? What are they up to?

( @Poncho @EternalPhoenix @Supercape )

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Captain Riel Estime, his First Mate and sister Kadene, and several of the Luckstorm Pirates were securing supplies for the Happenstance. Mainly food, but various other items were always in need aboard a sailing vessel. Specifically, Riel, Kadene, and the Quartermaster William Goodman were literally across the street at a different store. While those two were inside, Riel himself was outside. Leaning against the store window with arms folded and one foot on the wall below the window, he watched the whole thing go down with curiosity and then amusement.

 

The sudden explosion of noise drew Kadene and William outside. Riel was, naturally, grinning. "Look, you two. I think they're doing crime."

 

William, for his part, laughed at his Captain's mastery of the obvious. Kadene agreed with a grin of her own. "It seems they are. Your orders, Captain?"

 

Riel continued to observe the situation across the street. "I don't know. It doesn't seem like any concern of ours, and yet..." As if on cue, a scream of fear cut through the alarms and general chaos.

 

Kadene chuckled. "Aye, we do owe this city a debt." She handed William her bag. "William, take these supplies to the ship and corral the crew. We'll be along a bit later." William departed the scene. 

 

Riel grinned again. "A little fog, please, dear sister." Kadene's hands crackled with energy, and a fog arose from the ground. A genuine pea souper which obscured the entire street for everyone in the jewelry store. The pirate captain emerged from it like a wraith, drawn sword resting on his shoulder. "Ladies, gentlemen, and dishonored guests, I have to say. I'm a little disappointed in your professionalism. Smashing and grabbing? Where's the style? Where's the panache? Where's the memorability? And look at the mess you're making. From one outlaw to another, I think you should raise your standards." His bold grin only got wider. "And, perhaps, your hands above your heads. Unless, of course," He brought his sword down, assuming an exaggerated fencing stance. "You want to do this the fun way."

[Supercape]

Spore

 

Ears ringing. The taste of blood on lips. 

 

One shoe off. Ripped jeans now more ripped. 

 

Grazes. Bruises. 

 

Harper Hale had been too close to the explosion for comfort, even with a body now stuffed full of protective mutant fungus. The blast had taken her off her feat and left her stunned, on the floor. 

 

All she had been doing was buying a piece of outlandish jewellery for her outlandish aunt. To say thankyou for... for, well everything. Harper Hale was alive, breathing, happy and in Claremont. Life was not easy, but it wasn't bad. Not bad at all. 

 

And now, curse the luck of the universe, she was face down in the store, dazed, confused, and wondering what the hell happened. 

 

Something... crooks. Theft? Guns. Clubs. 

 

Her jangled brain was still trying to put the puzzle together. It was hard, but it was clearly a dangerous situation, and she had enough sense to stay down, on the floor, trying to scoop her brains back together before she did anything rash. 

 

But she was already preparing her body for a cloud of.. SPORES!

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

Renee had been enjoying her time off from school.

 

The Wallflower never ventured too far unless she was being King Cole, but even Renee liked to get off campus from time to time, to go to bookstores and game stores around Bayview and browse the selections. Sometimes she even wandered int pet stores, looking at all the cute animals on display and wondering which would make the best pet for her- did Claremont even allow pets? She hadn't checked yet-.

She had been inside one of the book stores- purchasing a biography on a mystical hero of Freedom, naturally- when the commotion started. She was excited for the chance to step into action, but Renee couldn't just rush off. She needed to be King Cole, after all, and King Cole was asleep. At least it wasn't hard to wake her; being at the school had made it easier to rouse the King from her slumber, for a reason that Renee did not understand, and she was quickly changed into her outfit and was ready to go.

 

Which was still slower than Riel and Kadene. So what she had been expecting to be a dramatic entrance was thoroughly undercut as she ran face first into Kadene's fog, and then, stumbling around a bit, broke through the front window of the store with a tumble and a yelp. As excellent as Riel's first impression was, hers was the opposite as she came up wildly once she was out of the fog, laughing like a villain.

 

"AND! AND Also!" she yelled, trying to catch herself and be suitably dramatic. "And also, foul villains, if you seek to extract wealth and riches from the common man, you should join the tax collectors! As the King Cole III, I will broker no illegal levying of fines and fees! This is the hard earned process and prices and personal items of the people involved in the propagation of this store, and I will not have you purloining their goods! You may bow your heads now, lest the King deliver her regal punishment upon you!" Her voice was not really 'shrill', so to speak. But it was loud, spoken from the diaphragm like a stage actor trying to make sure the people way in the back could hear her even though they were in a jewelry store. "You may think it strange that a King is allying with Pirates, but they are in fact Privateers baring Letters of Marque that let them do as they please!"

[Dracostern]

GM

 

Riel's entrance definitely got the attention of the criminals and they dropped their bags of loot and turned to face him. The gunmen pointed their weapons at him and grunted. "Yo, what the hell?! Get out of here kid!" one of them yelled at him. They did not seem to appreicate his criticisms of their crime etiquette.

The appearance of King Cole III set them off even more as one of the people with the baseball bat pointed directly at her with their weapon. "As for YOU. We don't want a wash up messing with us, go back to playing pretend Cole....GET'EM BOYS!" Renee would notice that these men had white rabbit symbols on their shirts. 

Thankfully, Spore did not seem to have their attention at all. Meaning she could easily get the drop on them if she wished...

 

[Supercape]

Spore

 

Playing dead was an old childhood game Harper was good at. Fond memories of childhood games with parents. Now dead. That was a spike of pain in her heart, that memory. She scowled. 

 

And faced a flush of anger that flailed around looking for something to get angry at. Fortunately, the answer was at hand. 

 

Bad guys!

 

Well, they were going to get spored!

 

She got to her feet - unsteady - but two feet still planted. One shoe missing. 

 

And then a burst of grey-purple spores filled the air around her. 

 

"Goodnight, fellaz! She mumbled, still trying to clear the cobwebs from her own head!"

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

"Whose a wash-up!?" King Cole said in anger. "I'M a wash-up!? You listen here you obnoxious oxen!" She launched herself at him, as if she was a particularly wet and furious cat

 

"I am King Cole! King Cole III! I am THE King Cole, The Sultan of Stories, The Emperor of Excitement, The Monarch of Myth, The Liege of Legends!" She was on top of him, using her momentum to push him back.

"I am not a 'Wash-up'! I am an all time classic! I am ageless and immortal! You are lucky to be breathing the same air as the Dark King of Fables! You are nothing more than the bit player on my stage of wonder and glory that I entertain the masses with! You are an extra who does not even have a name! You are a minion defeated in the first act!" She turned, throwing her heavy fur mantle in such a way that it covered the man's eyes as she twisted. When it cleared, her staff was heading straight for his face.

 

"You will respect the name of King Cole! I am the savior of Children, the oppressed, and the masses! I am the King who steals sorrows away and brings them bliss, and you are causing much sorrow today, so let's replace that with the bliss of watching you eating dirt!" She barely stopped as she cracked him across the face, sending him to the ground before leaping onto one of the display cases where another of the goons was and swinging her staff down on his head to send him toppling over as well.

 

Loud and obnoxious she may be, but she had also in the span of a scant few seconds disabled two full grown men, while yelling the entire time.

 

"Now whose washed-up!?"

Edited September 23 by Poncho

[Dracostern]

GM

 

CRACK! The staff came crashing across the man's face, dropping him with a thump. The person next to him was surprised and raised his baseball bat to hit her! "WHAT THE F-?!" Before he could finish, Cole smacked him on the head and he dropped down in a slump. Though this action, and her loud proclaimation did get her attention, not the kind she might have wanted however. The remaining baseball bat boy rushed in to avenge his friends and tried to smack her in the face...only for her to duck under his swing.

 

The gunmen, whom were further away from the baseball bats, pointed their handguns at the heroes. One shot at Cole and grazed her shoulder but didn't do too much damage. The other gunman points his weapon at Riel and shoots at him! Only for the bullet to bounce off a peace of metal he was wearing and deflect into a wall harmlessly.

[Supercape]

Spore

 

"It's SPORING TIME!" yelled Spore, as the purple-grey spores floated off her body and filled the air. 

 

It felt like tingling on her skin, with the occasional fleck of pain, like a scab being pulled off. Not exactly an agony, by any measure, but it wasn't a pleasure either. It wasn't something she would repeatedly do in the Claremont school yard just for kicks. Well, not every day anyway. 

 

King Cole she recognised, even with the fogged up head of the explosion. She gave her a wink. Everyone else? No...

 

But maybe when her head didnt feel like a dozen smashed eggs. 

 

And when these goons fell asleep. At least, she hoped they would fall asleep...

[Dracostern]

GM

 

The criminals did fall asleep. They were alarmed at the yelling and were caught offguard as the spores hit them and all at once they collapsed to the ground, sleeping. It seemed as though combat was over, one civilian whom was out of spore range was already contacting the police. So everything would be fine. 

 

There were now four young heroes on the scene. Cole and the Luckstorm Pirates now found Spore with them!

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

The King coughed and sputtered, falling of the counter as Spore's Spores filled the building. She had knocked out two people, then Spore had defeated the rest of them, but the King had gotten a faceful of spores herself, and she suddenly felt quite drowsy! So it was not with her usual enthusiasm or grace that she- still coughing- pulled herself up to her feet and waved cheerfully.

 

"E-e...Excellent Job! My Court Botanist! Your abilities *hack* are once more quite amazing!" She gave Spore a thumbs up. "

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel put his sword back on his shoulder, looking a bit put out. "How disappointing. I'd hoped they'd last a little longer. Kadene?"

 

The fog outside faded and Kadene joined her brother. She, too, looked disappointed. "I know. We didn't get to do anything but make a good entrance. It's pathetic of them to fall so easily. Law can handle this lot."

 

Riel nodded. "Agreed. Let's rejoin the crew. I'd like to cast off within the hour."

[Supercape]

Spore

 

"Botanist? Its fungus not..."

 

But today was not a day for biology lessons. 

 

"Yes, my liege..." she groaned. There was no time to debate King Cole's delusions of grandeur. Someone had just set off a bomb. 

 

With a little hiss of concentration and effort, Spore's skin turned blotchy, bubbly purple as the fungus within her stretch out through her body and organs. 

 

"What was this? What are they stealing?" she asked. With a slight twitch of her eyebrow, she dragged her eyes back to King Cole. "Aren't you studying to be the world greatest... I mean most royal... detective or something?"

 

Perhaps the law would clean this up. But this looked weird, and intriguing. And Spore was, after all, training to be a superhero (probably). 

[Dracostern]

GM

 

While King Cole and Spore were interacting, the disappointed pirate twins would notice something they didn't. Fluttering down past them was a small note. It landed in between the two groups of heroes. On it was a plea for help. While the pirates would see the note outright, Cole and Spore would notice a flutter out of the corner of their eyes, indicating that something was there. 

 

The note said. "I saw what you did just now. You were amazing as always! I...need your help. Alleyway beside building - Alice."  

While this was happening, the sound of police sirens got closer and closer. 

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel, in truth, didn't let the tiny bit of paper touch the ground. "Now what have we here?" He didn't question it being important. One favored by Fortune had these things happen from time to time. It was the source of his nom de guerre, after all.

 

Kadene peered over his shoulder on tip toe. "What does it say, dear brother?" Her reading skills had progressed a little since arriving in Freedom. Proper lessons from real teachers could have that effect. Printed text no longer proved troublesome, but handwriting was still challenging at times. 

 

A fierce grin spread across Riel's face. "It appears, dear sister, that today's adventure is not yet at an end. Though I do not believe this note is for us." He turned to Spore and King Cole. "Ladies, this may sound ungentlemanly, but will you accompany me to the nearby alley? Someone named Alice awaits, and as I know no one by that name in this world, one of you must." He didn't wait for either to answer, striding boldly towards the alley. His sword remained on his shoulder.

 

Kadene, tossing the two a backward glance, wasn't far behind. Adventure beckoned, after all, and the Luckstorm Pirates would answer its siren call.

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

"Studying what? To be what?" The King looked around. "What I can tell you for sure is that there is no pizzaz, no rizz, no skibidi in any of this. This is all very Ohio."  she waved her hand. "In other words, boring. It's just a jewelry heist. I think. Probably." she said.

 

"Oh! Alice! Okay! Let's go! I mean how many people named Alice can there be that I've met!" She immediately turned to go and rush out, but the effects of the fatigue and spores were still getting to her and she slowed down, grabbing her side. "aahhh... I'm tired, actually...it's like I've got a thousand little mushrooms crawling around inside my lungs!" So she lowered her speed and followed the pirates.

Edited September 30 by Poncho

[Supercape]

Spore

 

"Alice?" said Spore, one hand on hip, one on forehead. She still had a headache. Not surprising - she had nearly been blown up. 

 

"I mean. Sure. Alice, why not. Nice name. Pretty name. Hopefully the small details like who, why and when... hopefully you can fill me in on those.... sorry, my brain still feels like scrambled eggs."

 

She shook her head to free it of the eggs. 

 

"And dont worry about the mushrooms. They are totally cool. Oxygen, remember? And all sorts of other benefits!"

 

"Just say the word and you too can be the proud, and temporary, owner of a symbiotic fungus!" she said with a bright smile to the other heroes. 

[Dracostern]

GM

 

As the heroes wandered into the allyway, with discussions of adventure and fungi. All of them would easily notice police cars pulling up to the store. The robbery was wrapped up nice and quickly it seemed. But that would not be at the forefront of their minds in a moment. For in the allyway they would notice a young woman, around the same age as them, with blonde hair and a tattered school uniform. In fact she would be extremely familiar to Cole, should she remember her adventure with the white rabbit thugs.

 

She brightened a little as they approached, her eyes landed on Renee first, she recognised her it seems, before moving to Spore and the Luckstorm pirates with a hint of curiousity and a bit of concern. She would beckon them over. "Y-You actually got my message? Thank you...thank you. I..I've been meaning to reach out to you." She spoke to Cole. "I n-need your help...well...the fact that you brought friends is good too!" She turned to the other three heroes and bowed her head. "Please...please help me...the new Fable Gang...they have my parents." 

 

All four heroes would notice that the young woman had a sniper rifle on her back. 

 

"T-They are being held in Southside! I-I'll do anything for you if you can free them..."

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Riel was experiencing some inner turmoil. He was a pirate in search of adventure, not a parent rescue. Hell, pirates were usually the one doing the kidnapping, not the other way around. It was just so disappointing. He wanted to simply walk away. It wasn't his problem. 

 

But, on the other hand, here was a damsel fair, tattered and desperate, begging for aid. That pushed certain masculine related buttons. Those that would reduce such a charming girl to this state were certainly enemies of his. Plus he may have been a pirate, but he wasn't heartless. Far from it. With a mental sigh, the angels of his better nature won one more time.

 

He gave a exaggerated bow. "Mademoiselle Alice, I presume? Captain Riel Estime of the Luckstorm Pirates. This is my First Mate and sister Kadene, Spore, and I believe you know King Cole. Such a charming young woman should not be in such distress." His bold grin was firmly in place. "Allow us to...resolve the situation." People being unarmed was what was strange to him, so he had nothing to say about her gun.

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

"You're absolutely right, my dear Botanist! The healthy fungus must be enjoyed!" King Cole said, clapping excitedly. "Give me another dose, why don't you? Send me down the rabbit hole to talk with the caterpillar!" she cheered and then wheezed, still a little fatigued. When they found Alice, she waved.

 

"Hey Alice! Friends this is our dear friend Alice, lost in Wonderland again. Last I saw her, the rabbit with no style had swooped in and taken her away. Only after she had shot at me though! But the King does not hold a grudge when someone tries to take off her head, as heavy is the crown that weighs upon her head, and regicide is a national pastime!" she cackled. 

 

"Are you going to get swiped by the flying rabbit again? Or are you safe this time? Regardless, of course saving my subjects is supremely important, so simply state their situation and we shall go and rescue them quickly! That is to say; Southside is very large, and I am but one queen and her Privateers and Botanist, so a little smaller search area would be very useful to us!" 

 

"As for what I want, why your undying loyalty of course! To spread the good word of the Tyrant King of Freedom, the great King Cole III, and her predecessor the Original King Cole, to all the friends and family you know!"

[Supercape]

Spore

 

Botanist? Its fungus not ---

 

--- oh never mind. King Cole was clearly mad, and there were worse regal positions to have. Like the infamous groom of the stool. And not the kind of stool you sit on. At least, not deliberately. 

 

Compared to that, Botanist was fine. 

 

"Hi, Alice," she said, giving a friendly wave and smile. Something in her wanted to give Alice a hug. 

 

"We are happy to help. Where are your parents? Who has them?... and why?" she added, voice a little hint of sly. What exactly was going on and why did the girl already have a sniper rifle? Helping was fine, but... shooting people in the head?

 

That was a bit out of her comfort zone. She didn't like guns. 

 

She was triggered by triggers. 

[Dracostern]

GM

 

Alice visibly brightened! She would look at the Luckstorm Pirates with a wide grin. "Oh pirates! How wonderful!" She wasn't going to ask why pirates from the 17th century, at least in her head since she probably didn't know they were from an alternate timeline, were here. They just were and he was happy. "It's nice to meet you both. I am glad to have found you..well all of you!" Her eyes moved to Cole, and her smile widened a little bit. "So that's who you are! To be honest, my grandparents told me about the first King Cole, he was er....interesting....to say the least heh.."

 

Finally her eyes fell on Spore. "Thank you for helping me! Umm...as for where they are..well they have been taken by the New Fable gang...well, not one the Coles run anyway, this Gang is ruled by the Red Queen, they have my parents captured in Southside...in the Broadwalk, well...under it more like...Cole, you mentioned that thing that took me? It was no white Rabbit but one of the Queen's Guards." King Cole would remember that the battlesuit that took Alice resembled a playing card of the Hearts suit. 

"We should get going now! They might be looking for me as we speak!" Thankfully there were many ways of getting to Southside, their own powers, a bus, or they could travel the etnire way on foot...yet it might be best for them to stay on alert...

[EternalPhoenix]

Serendipity and Stormchild

 

Transport wasn't complicated. Kadene could fly and her winds were fully capable of carrying a fully loaded bus. So four people was easier than pushing the Happenstance. Riel spotted pursuit, or perhaps merely an observer, but kept his own counsel. 

[Poncho]

(King Cole III)

 

"Wooo! Flying!" King Cole cheered. "This is like the leaps of Paul Bunyan! The Flight of a Dragon, going to rescue Rapunzel from the cluthes of the evil withc!" she said as Kadene helped carry them. "Let's gooooo! This is great!" she clapped.

 

"You know there's someone up there though right, so if we go up into the air we'll probably be spotted. I bet it's that stupid ugly bad suit of armor. Let me tell you right now; the Neo Fable Gang does not support wearing powered armor or things like that, especially when it's so ugly and gaudy." she waggled her finger. "The original didn't wear that sort of stuff, so neither does the Neo Fable Gang. Wearing some slight protection is fine, protecting yourself is right, but major no no on technological powered armor. Don't agree with it at all!"

[Supercape]

Spore

 

The wind her hair felt good. Sometimes, city life was just a little bit too urban for Harper. It was exciting, vibrant, and even whispered of an exotic deviancy she did not want at this age, but suspected she would in a few years time. And yet - it was also filthy. Sick, ill. Rising above that felt good. 

 

"I just want to let you all know that I can't fly. Metaphorically or literally. So if I take a tumble, I can summon up a giant mushroom to cushion my fall. You better catch me!"

 

Actually, perhaps she could try cushioning her fall with a pile of mushrooms, she realised. 

 

Not that she fancied trying it.