2013-01-10 Dazzling Danger

Ah, Times Square. The Crossroads of the World! It's as active as it always is this evening, people going about their business and enjoying a slightly warmer than normal evening. One tourist is reading a 'Times Square Fun Facts!' message scrolling across a message ticker. The message right now? The famous jumbo screen frequently appearing in TV and movies doesn't actually have speakers so every time they show it being used to make massive announcements is a big mistake! Well...it didn't have speakers. The sound of speakers buzzing to life and a microphone following break the routine of the evening. Necks crane as people try to find the source of this noise. They don't have to look long, the streets suddenly sealed off by shimmering forcefields. Cars crash and horns blare. And then laughter rings out over the speakers.
Video screens around the area flicker and shift from the images they display to a picture of the Dazzle Diva, sinster songstress last seen attacking the NYC area auditions for the hit reality TV show the V-Factor. She's still in pink even if she's changed her outfit. Pink bikitop and matching pants. That sequined domino mask is still worn and she flashes a smug smirk to the camera. Where is the real her? Well, up atop the building that jumbo screen is on. Music starts up with a familair tune and the Diva starts to sing.
"I threw a wish in a well, don't ask me I'll never tell. I looked to you as it fell and now you're in my way! I'd trade my soul for a wish. Pennies and dimes for a kiss. I wasn't looking for this but now you're in my way! Your stare was holdin'. Ripped jeans, skin was showin', hot night wind was blowin'! Where you think you're going baby? Hey, I just met you. And this is crazy. But here's my number, call me maybe!"
While some people start to dance or take pictures, others in the area have a much different reaction. They're spacing out like they're hypnotized, staring at screens slack jawed. To make matters worse, a few trucks that had been parked in the area suddenly open and armed being steps out. Aliens. Specifically aliens last seen when they launched an ill-fated attack on a Central Park concert and were thwarted by The Power of Rock. These armed aliens begin grabbing people and dragging them to the trucks. The Dazlle Diva couldn't be more pleased with herself as she sings and the aliens work. Things look grim at this maliciously musical team up!
Until there's a bit of a scuffle down below and laser blasts shatter a window. The song cuts out to just the lyric-less BGN as Dazzle Diva glares downwards. Standing atop a police cruiser after having kicked an alien off of it is none other than Axiom of the Young Allies. People around him slowly snap out of their stupor and start panicking when they see the aliens. The space men re group, looking wary of one of the heroes that defeated them last time. Dazzle Diva meanwhile lets out a haughty laugh. "And what are -you- doing here, little boy?" she asks, voice projected over the speakers and coming out in a sing-song tone. Axiom glances up and takes a breath. Suddenly the BGM cuts away from 'the song of the summer' and takes on a decidedly more rock and roll vibe.
"So you brought trouble to our town. Well, we are here to help you with your attitude! You think you're so bad, you think you're so tough, huh. Ya better wave the white flag or it'll be the end of you. We're here to save the world!
Yes, that gets prjected over the speakers to. How? Who knows. Alien tech and Dazzle Diva powers mixing. Axiom just ends up blushing when he realizes he's singing in public again. It gets worse when people around him cheer. Hopefully he's not the only hero here to save the day...
"Up, up, down, down, left, right, chu!" Dazzler repeats to herself at an outdoor video game display not too far down the road. The sudden blare of clashing music styles would be more than enough to claim the Mutant Mistress of Song's attention, but the aliens grabbing people and hustling them towards trucks puts an extra side of 'Oh NO they DIH-ENT!' on her Irritation Pie.
Lots of sound means lots of power for Dazzler to make use of, so laser-fire is reflected by light-shields while she gets her skates on. Yes, skates. "You think you're so tough, she think's she's so sweet - All y'all's asses I'm gonna beat. You better know I'm the girl, the girl who has /everything!/"
Pow! Zark! Boffo!
So, there was a free afternoon, and Robbie Baldwin, a.k.a. Speedball, decided to spend some time with the new blood for the Allies, one Gar Logan, a.k.a. Beast B^H^H^H^H Changeling. Ahem. "So," he says, idly chatting with the grreen one beforehand as if nothing is amiss. "What other places did you kick back while on your little world tour?" Changeling did mention Madagascar; what other places did he see? His curiousity about his teammates is insatiable, and somewhat annnoying at times. "How about-?"
That's about when the music kicks in.
"Aaaaamsterdam? Is it like all the news reports and Youuuutube videos?"
He's singing, again. And when the Diva speaks, he groans in tune. "La de dah, it's Lady Blah-Blah," he croons, and moves to slam himself into the nearest wall. That much impact will kick in his powers. "She's a tacky pop diva, a big wannabe, she's got Ax again, teamed up with E.T!" (*)
Speedball, now in costume and flexing his kinetic bubble force field, hurtles himself into the nearest pack of aliens moving people around.
(*) With apologies to Pat Benetar.
It was just another manic Thursday for Terrance Ward, courier extraordinaire. He had a - mercifully empty - tube under one arm and had been making his way through Times Square on his way back to the office to await his next task. It was /supposed/ to be a shortcut since the traffic was in full force and he was on foot... but that was /before/ aliens and musical rejects started coming out. Now? "Whoa, what the hell?"
There's a moment of shock when Terry realizes that his comment wasn't spoken, but /sung./ So he's singing, and panic is gripping people left and right... and with panic? He knows what's coming next. So Terry just closes his eyes, and prays for no video cameras to survive this incident.
"How could this happen to me? I've made my mistakes... got nowhere to run, the night goes on as I'm fading away, I'm sick of this life, I just wanna screeeeaaam. How could this happen to me?" With the - surprisingly not half bad - musical whining complete, blank eyes snap open and the tube clatters to the ground. Terry can feel the fear, and it's starting to change him. It won't be long at all now, it's just a matter of picking out the strongest fright.
New York, New York. City of Lights and the rising tide of Theater- the young Victor Borkowski had retreated after classes again just to walk around the city scarcely believing he lived so close to such a world class city now. And it was in trouble. That rising tide emotion in his heart and the more rhythmic patter of his feet on the pavement and soon he ran, hands trailing as he leaned hard- an angle telling. Like the notes staccato, Vic fell upon Aliens in Times Square. His feet the drums against helmeted heads- his beat And in true NYC Style, the young man's voice had been brought to song.
"Fiendish Fashionistas followed break-beat by maniacal musicians?! Times Square's hip-hoppin' has me droppin' fistand elbow-poppin' to a beat I never knew existe. I just wanted to see a Sh-oh-ow! Maybe watch the boys, Oh!" He covered his mouth as he landed near Axiom, a man known. Giving a little grin, the green-skinned (and non-masked Victor) bowed gracefully, in a dancer's movement while fists and feet kept well the tide of Attacking, Gun-toting Aliens away from the more experienced heroes. "So what's the plan, rally against The Race and chase away intergalactic foes?"
The aforementioned Changeling, as bright a green as always and in the process of stuffing his face with a fully loaded street cart hot dog, makes unintelligble sounds as answer to Robbie. It is done cheerfully. He chews! And then he blinks, and looks half-annoyed and half-amused at the sudden villain spawn and the inevitable large-scale battle. And then he wraps the other half of the hot dog in its tinfoil and jams it in his jacket pocket, clearing his throat. He scratches the back of his head for a second as he watches Robbie sing, then take off; he rubs his chin, deep in thought.
All of a sudden he seems to disintegrate, turning into a swarm of very green bees. The bees proceed to bear down on the closest alien and make with the RAHAHAHA GONNA STING YOUUUU, and they buzz the Ride of the Valkyries in full harmony.
More heroes, more singing, and more music ringing out over the alien-installed speakers. Some people are confused, others scared while trying to escape aliens. Other people are seeing heroes in action and throwing up cheering and encouragement. Axiom hops off the cruiser and into the fight, surprised when the cheers from the crowd get him glowing brightly and hitting harder. He jumps when Victor lands by him, glancing over. Smiling, he offers a shrug. "No real plan, my green friend. We're just here to be heroes and save the day!" he sings, offering a hand to Anole. If he takes Axiom's gloved hand, Vic will get swung over for a kick to the nearest alien. Yes, Axiom is asking the mutant to dance/fight with him.
The strongest fear near Terry? Well that's coming from some of the aliens. Ones that saw a certain Kyle Rayner in action. They fear the Green Lantern's light!
Aliens scatter like bowling pins from Speedball's attack, the civillians that had been dragged coming out of their trances and giving cheers when they see Speedball. The aliens are getting back up though but one of them ends up swarmed by Gar-bees!
The Dazzle Diva meanwhile sets her sight on Dazzler. Leaping off the building, she activates jet boots. Yes...high-healed jet boots. And hovers down towards the ground. "Bring it on, has been! The new star's here to take the stage!" she declares, tossing an energy blast at Dazzler.
"Might wanna run, might wanna hide," Speedball chimes in, as some of the bystanders are freed from the spell of the manic musical maven. He bounces away to rebound off another set of robots with zoned-out hostages. "But keep cheering..." Because he loves it when people he saves do that. He angles off one robot, and grumbles to himself as he sees a lack of equipment like last time. She's learning.
Still, his rebound-path takes him a little closer to the Diva, and since the aliens were dealt with by rock music last time, so the news said, he decides a little AC/DC is in order.
Not that he makes up his own lyrics to certain songs to be his new theme song or anything.
In the meantime, there's this bridge he's trying to sell...
He directs his latest set of oh-so-very-thin beats at the Diva as he passes by. Dazzler vs. the Dazzling Diva? There has to be a popcorn seller /somewhere/ on the streets of NYC.
"You've hit the wallYou face SpeedballHe's got friends tooAnd they're stronger than youSo pack up your bagdecrepit old hag'Cause you'll face all of us, now you will fall!"
Anole grinned towards Axiom, "We need a plan not senseless violence! Fun though it is to watch our enemies pile up, might I suggest we go after the Diva- Could stop the music and change the station from on to off on this Alien Invasion!" The green-skinned mutant sung out, taking that hand to continue the task of smashing Aliens while they danced and sung- a team sport that Anole had yet to have a lot of training for- his natural grace carried him through the movements of 'Team Thrashing' well enough, at least!
"I know what you fear..." Terry can feel it happening. The atoms comprising his body rearranging, stretching here, shrinking there -- even his clothing changing from his baggier courier's gear to something far more... form fitting. The kind of thing that the once-dubbed 'emo boy' wouldn't catch himself dead wearing, even at Halloween. A glance towards the nearest store window shows him a sight that surprises and delights. He might be in a ridiculous get-up straight from the evening news... but he's not a monster for a change.
Correction. He spoke to soon, from the funny looking ring on his finger something's growing -- growing big, growing green. In a few moments time, he's concocted about a four foot long club, which is swung at the nearest alien -- and swung, and swung again. Just as the body's going on automatic, and somewhat haphazard offense... he can't seem to stop the words from coming out of his mouth, either. "This ain't no place for a hero! This ain't no place for a... better ma~aa~an..." ... internally? Again, Terry's hoping for no cameras. Externally? A Green Lantern has entered the fight, right out of the aliens' fears!
Axiom gives a nod, keeping a grip on that green hand. "I agree, we need to take down that clown. But she's all the way uptown," he says, not sure how they'll get up that high without getting blasted. And then he notices the Dazzle Diva's got jet boots and just blinks. He needs to find out if they can get some fancy toys for the Young Allies sometime. Throwing a punch at one alien, he pulls closer to Vic and offers a smile. "Looks like Speedball and Dazzler have that witch in hand. How about we work on taking down the band?" he suggests, gesturing towards the trucks the aliens were trying to load people into.
People keep cheering alright. Speedball, Beast Boy...they didn't get the name change memo, Dazzler, Axiom, and Green Lantern...apparently they missed his transformation... all have people calling their names and cheering them on as aliens scatter and fall from their heroic attacks. Vic's getting some less specific calls from the crowd since they don't know who he is. And sorry, Terry but that's a green one on your finger. Blue is for hope and this is Times Square. There are people with camera phones and television studios right nearby.
Some people are trying to run. They don't get too far though. Just beyond the trucks are odd devices about the size of a large sofa generating the forcefields keeping them in and the cops out.
"Bring it!" Dazzler sing/shouts in response, meeting blast with blast in a brilliant shower of sparkling light. "Dunno what your beef is, momma, but you're messing with the real thing!" The Original follows up with a secondary burst of light centered from her other hand, improvising a tune as she serves up what she hopes is the opening foray in a Disco Beatdown.
Jet boots, as /if!/
The cheering of the crowd gets the blood pumping, and Dazzler's skated feet move as if on air, heedless of crack or uneven ground or even fallen badguy musically challenged alien.
That swarm of green bees re-forms itself into the form of a young green struggling out of his clothes as he runs, revealing the red and white skintights he's made so famous. Well. So demifamous. Whatever. "Anya," he sings as he goes, huffing a little until he's free of his pants and his jacket goes flying, hot dog rescued just in time, "Tara! She needs backup!" And then he flings his hawaiian shirt away, too, and the Changeling does backup ooooooh aaaaaah ooooohh singing until he's closer to the celebrity mutant. And then. Oh god. He unwraps that hot dog, and he whips it at DD's DDs, singing, "You mentioned beef but didn't know / that this Large Ham had joined your show!"
As he starts to jog and then skid to a stop, he has in fact taken the form of a prehistoric huge-tusked, like, dire boar. SNORT.
As much as Robbie wants to see Dazzler's devestating disco decimation, he is learning a bit more about being a hero than he has been, especially through his friendships in the allies. He bounces past, attempting to herd the bystanders away from all the lights and explosions, but...they're trapped. "This will not yield, break the force field!" he calls out to Axiom and the other green-skinned hero he doesn't know, in tune, as he slams off the field wall, trying to aim himself back at the Diva. He grins as he sees Gar's transformation. He tries to angle upward, since Changeling is going low...
Now that the battle's starting to shift in their direction - or at least it seems like it, with all the heroes fighting the invaders... well, the instincts driven by the alien fears drive Terry to a new target. He disengages from the main fight, and makes a bee-line towards the trucks. Swinging that improvised club to try and knock anyone trying to stop him out of the way. There's another fear that he's sensing, and it's just past the vehicles. Assuming he gets there? The club trasmutes into a giant hammer - and it's really strange to have a hammer for a fist, but this makes twice for Terry now - and he's going to try to rain down some Lantern-style justice on the devices.
Jet boots, yes. Tacky, tacky jet boots. Dazzle Diva just sneers at Dazzler and meets her blast for blast, putting on quite the light show. It does start a battle though. Dazzle Diva charges...and hot dog. She stares and then turns a furious glare at Gar. "HOW DARE YOU!?" she pretty much screeches, firing off a blast at the shapeshifter. Thankfully he transforms in time and just gets singed hairs. It's right then that the Diva is struck by Speedball and sent flying. "RAAH!"
Axiom blinks at Speedball's message and seeing...Green Lantern? No...that's not right. Shaking it off, he glances to Vic. "You heard that bouncing wonder, if we're going to save these people we have to put the aliens' toys down under," he sings out. He rushes towards where GL is smashing machinery...and gets mobbed by aliens. He doesn't seem all that bothered by it though, feeling oddly energized and fending off bad guys. Of course this leaves a clear path for Victor to go help Terry...
Speaking of Terry, there's not much stopping him from getting there. Between fear and force, aliens are scattered. The first device goes down in sparks and then a small explosion of smoke. One section of forcefield goes down with it. One down, three to go!
When her 'backup' arrives, Dazzler is all too happy to have the assists in tipping the tide; maybe this chick really /DID/ sell her soul? Who knows! And then there's the one-two-punch of hotdog cleavage and Speedball whanging into the Diva.
As Speedball and DD go flying, Dazzler turns around sort of peers at Changeling. "That was disgusting. Thanks!"
"Huugh." Speedball grunts as he impacts the Dazzling Diva. For him, the singing was fun at first, but now he's getting visibly annnoyed about it. "Stay down, stay down, you're outmatched in this fight! Stay down, stay down, going to jail toniiiighhht." That movie about that musical about all those dead French guys sticks in people's heads, he's found. He rebounds again, heading up and away. "Keep her off focus!" he shouts! "Anything to stop this singing..."
Hands often held, Vic danced and spun pain to invading aliens. Fists and feet flying as he fought in silence for several long moments, following Axiom's lead where it was.
Noticing the people trapped by force fields. "We need to thin the ranks now, I think. The force-field's failure would be a kink, in our enemies plans- what do you say?" Vic sang towards Axiom, singing even as they still fought Aliens here and there.And so it is that the immense green dire boar -- that is, a Very Large Ham -- bares its tremendous teeth and tusks at Dazzler in what, if he were human, would be a shiteating grin. "Anytime, gorgeous, this whole thing's a hoot," he sings cheerily in his normal human dude's voice, scratching at the asphalt for a second with one big piggeh-foot; then he shifts again, the Changeling changing into-- no joke-- an epic condor. Not just a giant condor, an epic one. That's green. "Publicity stunts for the win! Get up on my back, and I'll fly and you shoot, and the YouTubes will handle the spin!"
Dance-fighting is far more enjoyable than he ever thought it would be and Axiom can't help but smile at Anole. He pulls them both into a quick spin and elbows an alien in the face when they come out of it. The power booster nods, applying his abilities to Victor to boost the mutant. "Let's bring the curtain down on this show!" Axiom declares, leading the way over to the devices and hitting one with a kick...that shatters it much to his surprise. "I've never been this strong...do you think it's the song?" he asks, a little freaked out by that. Of course that's two force field generators down. Two to go but people are already escaping through the openings that are being created.
Dazzle Diva pushes herself to her feet and turns around. "You made a mistake getting in my path, now prepare to face my wrath!" she yells, tossing blasts after Speedball and at Dazzler and Changeling.
Incoming blasts from the usurper means noooot a lot of time to make a choice. Granted, "Like I'd say no? Let's put on a show!" and just like that Dazzler leaps onto the giant condor's back.
"America, fuck yeah!"
Sitting up straight and pointing both of her fingers like guns, Dazzler starts shooting just about everything hostile that moves with top-down-scrolling-shooter-game-type multiple bursts of light-bullets. Zakka zakka zakka zakka zakka!
The Diva's aim is true, when it comes to Speedball. Even as a moving target, the young Ally is hit by the villainess' energy blast. Which...doesn't go so well. Speedball has a lot of resistance to physical impacts. Energy...not so much. As in, almost none at all. He's hit dead on, and his back arches as he spasms in pain. It's not clear whether he's conscious or not when he belly-flops onto the pavement. Luckily, his kinetic field can deal with that impact, but he's not moving as the bounce flips him over a couple of times.
"Glad to see you two join the fight, can't say your timing isn't right!" Terry calls out to Victor and Axiom. "How about you get that one, and I'll use this to have my fun!" he adds, pointing to one of the devices to suggest the other teens attack it -- while he takes the giant mallet of 'energy' after the remaining force field generator. People may be escaping already, but they may as well finish off the aliens' plans while they can.
Anole's movements, now boosted by Axiom's power have his movements only more poetic, Hand-springing into action against those force-field generators was all the easier with that push. "It looks like the Diva will soon be down for the count. Two versus one, singing out of tune or melodious is much more difficult a task, no matter how odious!" Anole sang while starting the task of shutting down the generator as best, and quickly as he could.Epic green condor with a laser-fingergun-strafing epic alterna-pop celebrity on its back, with her singing out 'America, fuck yeah'? Ends up with Gar Logan, who bears her aloft and applies aerial combat manuevers to avoid the both of them getting shot, giving up on trying to talk and just spitting out the iPod in his brain. "No one's gonna taaaaake meeeee aliiiive, the time has come to maaake thiiiings riiiiight! You and I must for our riiiiights, you and I must fiiiight to surviiiive!"
Condors are loud. Gar is, thank GOD, on key. Tenor, but whatever. CONDOR. SINGING MUSE. It's like-- "Oh god I should have been a unicorn-pegasus. You need a spacekini."
Between Anole and Green-Trauma, those force field generators go down. The machines spark and sputter, smoke billowing from them. The shimmering fields crackle and then shatter apart into little motes of light. People flee, cheering on Terry and Vic as they go.
Axiom's busy holding back aliens when the field goes down. He knocks them back and the ones that haven't been knocked down and out start running for it. He sees Speedball go down and jumps. "Speedball!" he calls, hoping his friend is alright.
Dazzle Diva tosses more energy blasts right up until Dazzler's start raining down. She tries to shield herself but blast after blast get through. She's just about to yell something when a blast catches her right in the mouth. Dazzle Diva goes down hard, smoke rising off her. She's out cold when she hits the ground. Two things haappen. The singing effect stops...and Dazzle Dive seems to age about ten years. Apparently whatever effect makes her look so young only works while she's awake.
While the condor is blasting out to Muse, Dazzler is practically headbanging. Aliens scatter and people run away, and hey look at that "HA HA, IN YOUR /FACE/!" Dazzler shouts down to the unconscious Disco Diva. Ungracious, but hey: Pan-Galactic Disco Beef rarely is.
Swooping downwards on the GIANT GREEN CONDOR, Dazzler Triumphant says quietly to him a couple of things regarding his points on pegacorns and spacekinis. "Been there, done that. It was more annoying than cool. Sadface."
With the enemies defeated and/or running for cover, the presence of fear starts running low as well -- and as a result, Terry's form regresses back into the one he started with - dark clothing with no superheroic connections, and the look of a moody teenager with a deer in the headlights look on his face. "Uh. So. Yeah -- hey, I'm not singing anymore. About time." ...and this would be the point where he's going to try and make his way /out/ of the crowd before something /else/ happens.
Anole figured at this point that emergency services would want to speak to anyone who was about and throwing punches. ITs rather easy for the young mutant to blend in and disappear before long, with people running off and trying to get home and the woman's form down on the ground- he was safe to just fade out and go home.Which leaves a giant green condor landing gracefully on the asphalt next to the downed diva, then start strutting around like a boss. A bird. A bird boss. Yeah pigeons you think you're cool but you're so not. Yeeeah-boyyyee. "Don't make me sad panda," he warns. "Let me keep my innocent delusions. Like that it would rule to end up on Barsoom. Or to journey to the center of the earth. And that my mom knew Santa Claus personally-- and yo, either I'm shutting up or you're getting off so I can put on my camera face."
Axiom jumps when Terry changes back to himself, staring as he goes. Shaking it off, he starts to say something to Anole but the mutant's already gone. Eddie frowns a moment, making a mental note to try finding him later. Then it's all rushing over to check on Speedball. He examines his friend and frowns."Changeling!" he calls out. "We n-need to get going out of here," he calls, starting to pick Speedball up. Meanwhile, police and EMTs are getting to work. People are coming to ask Dazzler for autographs, pictures, and there's even a marraige proposal. Oh the joys of fame.
Hopping down from Gar, Dazzler looks over her shoulder at him and gives him a thumbs up. "Thanks for the offer, green-jeans, but it sounds like your friends need your help. I'll see you around I'm sure, though!"
In the meantime there are fans and reporters and ... well, at least the proposal isn't at death-ray point, "Sorry, I'm seeing someones." (yes, that was plural) She'll stick around to answer questions from the cops, too."..." Gar glances back and forth between Dazzler and Eddie, shifting down from Epic Condor to Green Guy in Red and White; he grimaces a little. "You get the ankles," he calls over to Eddie, "and I'll get the wrists!" Then he turns to face the approaching hordes of people and goes all jazz-hands in front of the cameras coming for Alison Blaire. "BY THE WAY GUYS, just so you know, I'm not Beast Boy anymore! Yes, ladies, I am *legal*, you may call me CHANGELING!"
/Then/ the green dude saunters off toward Axiom to help with Speedball, half-turning as he goes, blowing Dazzler a kiss. "Have your people call me people, we'll do lunch!" And since people are starting to crowd the area again, somehow the three young men are, in fact, able to disappear into it. Even though... green.
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