[Center][img]https://i.imgur.com/RSqqy0J.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/7K5u53D.png[/img] [i][color=C41E3A]"How was I supposed to know it'd do THAT?!"[/color][/i] [i][color=Faed27]"Does everyone and their mothers have dream-related magic now?? Whatever happened to being original???"[/color][/i] [Color=gray]- Finn and Oliver[/color][Hider=Battle Stats][center][table][h2][color=C41E3A]Finnegan Vanhorn[/color][/h2] [b]Age: ???/15 | Gender: Male/Male | Beast | Uniform Cane-Sword, Nightmare Ray? | Power of Friendship, Regeneration, Invulnerable?, Avatar?, Killing Blow?? | Crimson Cradle Disguise Artifact, Enhanced Transformation, Big Damn Hero, Masculinity, Overcity Shift, Flexibility, Hammerspace Handbag, Ouju-Sama, Snowbun Cradle Supply, Connected, Encore, Physical Prowess, Mana Font? | Exposed, Mercy, Solo Performance[/b] STR: 03 | AGI: 05 | VIT: 03 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 04 STR: 11[sub]x4?[/sub] | AGI: 12[sub]x4?[/sub] | VIT: 12[sub]x4?[/sub] | MAG: 13[sub]×4 + 1?[/sub] | LCK: 11[sub]x4?[/sub] [/table][/center] [center][table][h2][color=Faed27]Oliver Kyle[/color][/h2] [b]Age: Fokin' Dead, Mate/15 | Gender: Male/Male | Spirit, Chemicals | Flowing Bayonet Rifle | Duplication | Crimson Cradle Dual Weapon, Ally, Big Backpack, Masculinity, Blood Magic, Enhanced Sustenance, Awareness, True Sight, Phylactery, Possession, Intangibility, Sixth Sense Cradle Supply, Connected, ???, Magical Overload| Exposed, Mercy, ???, Monstrous Form[/b] STR: 03 | AGI: 03 | VIT: 05 | MAG: 03 | LCK: 04 STR: 10 | AGI: 10 | VIT: 12 | MAG: 12 | LCK: 12 [/table][/center][/hider][/center] One second, he was in a town overrun by chaos. Then one second more, all was quiet. Finn's idea actually worked! Now to just call Maura and tell her to open the Cradle real quick. But a part of him did want him to just wait a moment before shifting back, y'know? Enjoy the brief peace before having to deal with that headache a bit longer. [i]And yet[/i], it wouldn't be fair to leave the others there to fend for themselves, or set a good example for them. He took a deep breath in, then a deep breath out. Right, let's drop these hearts off while there's still time. He began picking them up off the checkerprint ground. [i][color=C41E3A]"Open up the Cradle, got you some souvenirs!"[/color][/i] Just in case, he stepped over to somewhere darker. On cue, the nearest shadow turned opaque enough for Maura to peek through. As Finn tossed her one heart at a time, her brow rose. [color=Crimson]"Everything alright at Bolorton?"[/color] [color=C41E3A]"Escalating. The card soldiers had begun breaching our defenses. I hadn't been told any specifics before I shifted out of there but you can imagine how it'll get worse."[/color] Maura grimaced. [color=Crimson]"What do they [i]want[/i] with a town like that? I doubt Bolorton just so happens to have a Nexus too."[/color] [color=C41E3A]"Set up a stronghold, send a message, subjugate the residents, anything goes. I tried to look further into the dimension they're from but unless I kill one of their own and steal their identity? I won't be able to get a closer look at the leaders."[/color] [b]"Actually, about that~!"[/b] Be it blessing or curse, their shared business partner had decided to pop in from behind Finn, startling the poor boy. [b]"You might wanna put a pin in your whole 'Negotiating with Wonderland' plan, kid!"[/b] Jennifer began to explain, her clock eye projecting the frontlines [s]or what was left of them[/s] where the Queen was trying to parlay with Penny. [b]"Looks like since Penny has her quaint little cult going on, they'd rather place their bets on [i]her[/i] than someone they've never even heard about!"[/b] That made Finn's blood start to boil again. [color=C41E3A]"Are you [i]fucking[/i] kidding me?!"[/color] He groaned, the grip on his weapon tightening. [b]"I know! It's too damn obvious Penny was gonna attack 'er instead of listening to the broad! Though that's [i]really[/i] gonna look stupid when she realizes Mariette was on the other side of the portal she bombed!"[/b] The false witch rambled on. When Finn gave her a confused look, she elaborated: [b]"Queenie invited her to tea, [i]that's[/i] why she didn't help you enter the castle."[/b] Then his expression twisted into one of exasperation. He sharply inhaled through his nose, then out. [b][color=C41E3A]"What else."[/color][/b] He growled through his teeth. As much as Maura felt like she should go ahead and close the portal, she stuck around. Finn had her sympathies with how ridiculous all this sounded. [b]"Let's see... Thanks to your little stunt, the Tin Man's corpse ended up destroying what remained of the barriers keeping Wonderland out. But the OZ Unit's officially no longer a problem, so that balances out I guess."[/b] She began listing off what he missed. Finn's eyes widened in guilt. How was he supposed to prevent [i]that[/i]?! [b]"The Dormouse, the one leading the attack, apparently has dream magic too [sub]Mari's gonna have a damn field day[/sub] and woke the civilians up with nightmares so bad they're in a state of panic... And Beacon [i]finally[/i] arrived thanks to a certain [i]Pinkalicious Princess[/i]."[/b] Oh, NOW the lightheads finally arrived in the fight?! Now, he knew the thought was hypocritical with his team taking help from Nefer, but [i]BEACON[/i] of all people having to get some from the walking sugar rush?! [i]Hah![/i] That was something he was more willing to hang over their heads after this! And the civilians...hopefully Oliver can work that out, cause he was at a loss there! At this point Finn was taking deep breaths as to not let his anger get the better of him. Maura decided to finally speak up. [color=crimson]"And I'm guessing you just showed up to tell him all that? What happened to 'staying out of the spotlight'?"[/color] She asked Jennifer, crossing her arms. Jen looked back at her with her brows risen. [b]"Oh, forgot you were here too. Anyways, Doc's already on the field, so as long as I use a cover everything'll be peachy!"[/b] She answered nonchalantly. [b]"But [i]you and I[/i] will talk LATER, we gotta head back before someone else takes all the good targets!"[/b] Jen hooked an arm around Finn [s]who chose to just...say absolutely [i]nothing[/i] right now[/s] and winked at Maura. [b]"Toodeloo, Wretch!"[/b] [color=C41E3A]"Was that really fucking necessar-"[/color] They shifted out before he could finish chastising the mad woman.[hr] Since he had the bright idea of shifting to the Overcity above ground, once Finn appeared again he could be seen being carried under the arm of a [url=https://safebooru.org//images/3999/a8eaf6f7d5191fcbe5259ce15ff6c8af3502fa06.jpg]scarlet-clad medic[/url]. The stranger flew back to the ground and set him down. [color=ff2400]"Right. There's someone else over there stalking our favorite queens, but there's a greater chance she'll back Penny up so I'd take advantage of the distraction. Otherwise, do what you want!"[/color] She advised him. With a nod, Finn borrowed a chameleon's camouflage and began sneaking closer to where the Queen of Hearts and Dormouse were located. He just had to take out the latter, right? Just got to get close enough to strike, swiftly and quietly. The disguised Jen meanwhile [i]had[/i] concidered following him, if not to give the queens some choice words she had for the two of them. ... She shook her head. Nah, she wasn't that stupid. Not much else she could do this late in the show, ergo... Assuming there was enough room for her, Nykannis would probably notice Jennifer's sudden appearance, the witch sitting on one of her shoulders. [color=ff2400]"Let me just say, I don't pity whoever has to pay for the damages."[/color][hr] [color=faed27]"I don't get paid enough for this!"[/color] Oliver gritted his teeth. He and Connie made it to the evac shelter, only for the civilians inside to suddenly break out into a mass hysteria and attempt to leave. Dumb fuckin' idea in all honesty, concidering there were still enemy soldiers his phantoms were holding off! They were gonna get themselves killed if they didn't do something. But what? Moving a reasonable distance away from the crowd, he set Connie back down, and summoned a couple more armor-clad spirits to [s]hold the crowd back[/s] guard the door until he thought of something. [color=faed27]"Christ, I can probably make something to calm them down but I need time. Don't suppose you deal with empathic magic or something like that, Connie?"[/color] He asked her, having already begun ad-libbing something to mimic the aformentioned spec. Though if the soldiers decided to try their luck and attack them again, the ghost was willing to say "Screw it" and go find somewhere else to take cover. Didn't seem like he was straining himself with how much summons he was juggling.