World Tree MUSH

    The whir-clack of some unseen loom is still audible in this twilight world, vast threads of gossamer glinting in the sky as they are pulled down and woven into the new world. The strange threads are visible even against the dark tumultuous storm that has broken. Sheets of rain are called down amid the lighting and thunder, the nascent trees and grass swaying in the wind. The greatest source of light is the city-cathedral from which all the colors of a summer's twilight pours forth like a great lighthouse.
    The raksha war carnival is a riot of colors, sounds, voices, and music. Upon a silk draped palanquin carried by four gargauntuan koi fish sits a statuesque and coldly beautiful woman adorned in an elaborate dress that glitters with stolen starlight. Our heroes and a small envoy from the city-cathedral are brought before this apparent leader in the pouring rain.
    The messenger who'd brought the message ahemed. "I present to you, Queen Melusine of the Glittering Sky! Here to parlay on behalf of the cancerous reality are Fair-Spoken Rishi of the Glorious Nation of Yugash, Chosen of the Machine God, and his attendants..." At this, the elf-like messenger hesitates and looks at the heroes. "I beg your pardon, lord and ladies, but who are you again?" Expertly giving them a chance to introduce themselves.

Holly's not quite sure what's going on here, she was on the way back to Columbia and found herself in this strange world. She had tried to fly off of it, but the rain storm was making it difficult for her to do so. This place certainly was colorful and the witch had got distracted by her surrondings In fact she had missed the fighting completely and only just had now caught up with the others. There were elves here at least, so she couldn't be too far from her destination right?

OF course Servis and Lavaux were also with her trying to keep the mage on track, "Hello, I'm Holly Winn and they're Servis and Lavaux!" She points at each of the ghosts as she introduces them.

Daisy grins a little. "I ain't no lady, mate. I'm as lowborn as they get but my name's Daisy." She chuckles. The little possum has her helmet on against the rain, and the huge cannon she weilds is slung acros her back with it barrel folded. She look over the Queen and the others, leaning back and using her tail as a seat to watch the proceedings. "So why are you guys in a shit with this anyway? New worlds and realities form all the time, the World Tree grows new buds and vines and shit like that. What's up with this one in particular?"

    The smallish, pelt wearing creature at least tries to be polite nad offers as close to a bow as he might, this is a Queen and he heard that was the way to handle around one. At least when they weren't being mean adn attacking them of course. "I'm... Bewul, not really from around here." he says. "I just foudn myself in the middle of this... situation.". Once Again Daisy seems to say the things he had in his mind, so simply glances towards the possum for a moment.

    The queen sneers. "This place of shape and form is *ANATHEMA* to us. Some *HUMAN* shaper is making it using the terrible magic of the hated Titans. *WEAVING* it from the untamed worlds of our home. *TRAPPING* noble and commoners alike in its terrible web. In Lord Balor of the Terrible Gaze's name, *WE* demand this cease at once."
    At this, a well- groomed man in a toga steps forward, adorned with strange devices made of brass, gold, and crystal embedded in his flesh, naked arcs of electricity flashing between these implants. He had been introduced as Fair-Spoken Rishi by the messenger-herald. "Queen Melsuine, we clearly have gotten off on the wrong foot. Perhaps if we can discuss the terms of a treaty, we could co-exist."
    A deafening peal of thunder and blinding flash of lighting answered Rishi's plea, striking a fair folk riding an ephemerally colorful dragon-fish from the sky. Melsuine herself seems taken aback by this development, but regains her composure. "There can be *NO* co-existing with the Shape-Born. *CHOOSE YOUR CHAMPIONS*."
    Rishi sighs and looks at Daisy, Holly, and Bewul. "Well... how do you feel about being champions of Creation?"

Daisy listens to the Elves, nodding a bit. The Queen might indeed have a good argument... oh. Daisy frowns when the offer of a deal is shot down. "If she ain't willing to even talk about a deal..." Daisy reaches back and unslings her 'little friend'. The barrel swings out and locks into place with a clunk, and then there's the rattling whine of shells being fed down the armoured belt and into the breach. "Does this answer your question? Now, don't get me wrong, bitch got some valid points, but you're willing to find a compromise, she ain't. So I guess we'll have t' educate 'er that talking is usually better than fighting."

    The digimon really has not much of a clue how... everything works, heck, his home was made by humans, albeit not enterily intentionally, it was complicated... In any case, he listens to their explanations, "So wait... this world if being created by someone else, and destroying your home in the process?". He looks hopefully at the large man talking about potential negotiation. "I mean... Perhaps we should talk things out like he says?, perhaps try to discuss things with the person... forcing this into being?" he says, also hoping for some diplomacy. "If it does get to... fighting, I'll protect the people here of course... I just rather neither side had to suffer for something that might not even be the fault of anyone here."

"Wait, this world didn't exist until recently? And it's replacing the existing one?" This is just making Holly more and more confused.

 "Champion? Like heavyweight champion?" A huge grin appears on Lavaux's face with that.

 "Is violence always your first response to everything? Besides, Holly's kind of light to be a heavyweight." Servis figures that fighting might not be the best idea.

 "Maybe the new world can be moved somewhere else? I mean it's already in orbit right?" She figures they can create planets they should be able to move them right?

    Rishi looks confused. "... I don't know, Miss Holly Winn and Mister Bewul. Nobody from my world has ever done this before. I don't know if it can be moved. I don't even comprehend the magic we're using to do this. I'm only here as a negotiator and none of my magic seems to be working to convince Queen Melsuine. I would much prefer to negotiate, but there's some other power at play keeping the Queen intractable."
    There's a ripple of close and violent thunder accompanying the white-hot flashes of lightning. Melsuine bellows "Our patience is running thin, Shape-Born."

Daisy blink "Some other power at play? Any idea what?" Daisy asks, blinking at Rishi. "Maybe we can stop that. I'll fight for you if I gotta but honestly, I would rather see this solved peacefully. You've both got valid points and coexistence is always preferrable."

"Wait, you already have a world so why are you creating a new one here?" And just Holly's fine, I'm only a student witch after all. "And what Bewul said, who's creating this new one? It would be helpful to have a book or something that explains all of this. I mean I can summon creatures with my magic, but an entire world? That's a lot of magical power, I'm sure they could teach me a thing or two?" It might not be a bad idea for her to study here if that's the case.

The small creature somehow folds the ears on the fur covering its head, "Yeah it really sounds like... they have as much right to be here as you, it's not like they are invading or anything." he mumbles, "I mean if it come sto it, I'll help, but I don't like the idea of helping one world destroy the other, at least if there is some way to avoid that."

    Rishi glances back at the Queen with a polite smile. "We're negotiating their rewards for when they win." A polite lie.
    "It's complicated, Miss Winn. The short of it is that we're all refugees driven from our homeworlds in the Spiral of Galaxies by the Titans that Queen Melsuine mentioned. Our 'world' is a giant starship made out of a friendly Titan and we're always on the run from the other Titans. Our leaders decided to try and escape the Titans by building a new world outside of Creation. The only place to get outside Creation are Wyld nebulae, where these creatures live. It's why I offered the possibility of co-existence first. They're not listening or giving us a choice but to fight. I suspect the storm is... the something else, but such matters are outside my experience and I cannot be certain."
    As though it were listening closely, the storm intensifies, reducing the world to sheets of twilight gray mist and peals of angry thunder.
    There's a roar from the assembled court and warriors of Melsuine. "The time has come! Prepare yourselves, Shape-Born, for you face my champion! Asharaya, the Sweet Song of Death!"

"Oh wow, you live inside of a giant! That's amazing!" Holly's eyes grow wide with that.

"What are you going to do if the Titans show up here though? I mean you have to fight sooner or later..." Lavaux figures they won't give up that easily.

 "As much as I hate to admit it, he does he have a point." Servis's attention turns towards Melsuine. "You're wasting your time and perfectly good warriors if you fight us. You should be preparing for when the Titans invade."

    Truly wishes he understood more about magic, this situation sounds quite familiar in some levels, especially on a 'trying to survive' part. Still, the story is quite surprising, and he turns to look around at the weather, as the Queen's patience seems to simply run out while the weather gets even worse. "I'd say you are right about outside interference... the changing weather can't be coincidence.". The roar from the court gets his attention, especially at the mention of a Champion being ready. "I still would rather solve this peacefully, but if it comes to a battle, I will not hold back.". 
     The digimon's body glows brightly, and just like before, the small figure is replaced by something else as the flash fades, this time, it is a tall dog like quadruped covered in armor, moving with heavy steps to take place next to Daisy, "Me neither, but if if there is no other choice, I will."

    Rishi would answer Holly but it seems they have run out of time for explanations. He smiles sadly and gives her, Lavaux, and Servis an apologetic bow.
    The rain abates somewhat when the champions are announced. The click-clacking of the world loom is now audible again over the lighter rain, though the arena is soaked through and muddy. The queen's champion is unsurprisingly statuesque, beautiful, and possesses the long slender pointed ears of the other nobility. Her onyx-black skin clashes with the moonlight strands that make up her hair that flows in some unfelt breeze. She isn't even touched by the rain, the billowing shimmering gauze making up her multi-layered garb unsullied by the mud. With a flourish, she unleashes a melody in a strange but hauntingly familiar language, harnessing the song into an unseen weapon that lashes out at the champions. The blades are visible as sprays of mist as they careen through the omnipresent rain.

    In this shape, Bewul seems to be far slower than in the previous one. IT seems to take him more than a bit of effort to break into a jog to stand in front of Daisy, the possum looks more like a ranged attacker, and one that might benefit from someone blocking for her, or distracting. The Digimon is familiar enough with weird attacks that he can realize somethign is going on. He moves to stand between Asharaya, and as the tall, noble Fae unleashes those blades, he counters with an attack of his own!. 
     "Howl of the heavens!" he calls, standing tall and before letting out a loud, piercing howl as the blades seem to bounce on his armor, launching a (weak) shockwave of force coming from him towards the attacker.

>> GAME >> Bewul spends an Edge for: Digivolving to Ultimate to fight at full power.

Daisy nods at Bewul' words with a soft sigh. But then the splashes of mist start arcing her way and she yelps, trying to dodge the blades, to no avail. One, glancing off Bewul's armour, slices deep into the armour protecting the mechanism of her right upper arm, causing the possum to snarl and sparks to fly - but thanks to the Digimon, she's protected from anything but cosmetic damage, at least for this moment. "OK it's on." 
She raises the barrel of her autocannon to aim at Asharaya, stepping out from behind Bewul, and opens up, unleashing a burst of four shots perhaps a half-second apart. The noise of her gun out-does than the thunder, at least up close like this, the autocannon's muzzle-brake spitting two tongues of flame to either side of her with each shot, and even with that help the gun's recoil causes the possum to lean backwards and slide a few inches across the mud. By the last round she's at the point where she has to use her tail as a third leg to maintain balance until firing stops and she can re-adjust her footing. Sir Isaac Newton does not like it when a creature as small as Daisy uses a 27mm autocannon as a hand-held weapon.
"Cheers B." she says, nodding her thanks to the digimon.

Holly steps forward just in time to get slashed by the song blades, she wasn't expecting the woman's name to be so literal. She should have expected an elf to be talented with magic though, she knows they need to get her to stop singing but she doesn't want to kill the other woman in the process.

 The witch cringes in pain and draws her lollipop shaped staff and points it at her. The staff flashes orange and a tiny imp materializes out of seemingly nowhere, wielding a bottle of Devil's Inferno hot sauce. The creature flies over to the elven woman before trying pour the burning condiment down her throat.

    The war singer quickly turns to one side, Bewul's forceful howl shredding some of the glimmering dream cloth. With a crescendo that starts low and soft and rapidly rises to shrieking and loud, Asharaya deftly deflects the autocannon rounds.
    Then there's a horrible hacking cough as the hot sauce gets splashed down the Sweet Song of Death's throat. This has a nasty knock-on effect as the rain seems to suddenly soak the unreal combatant and mud spatters onto her immaculate clothing. Boos and jeers emerge from the crowd as their champion is brought down into a weakened state. For Creation's champions though, it represents a valuable opportunity!

    The metal beast seems undaunted by the clash of the blades on its armoured hide, but then again, it is hard to measure damage sometimes. A very careful observer might notice a momentary 'glitch' showing on one of the dog's shoulders, where a blade struck, but he seems to shake it off. It's clear the Champion is vulnerable, "I'll distract him." calls the dog to Daisy, before charging ahead, "Take this!" he calls, not the smartest thing to do when trying to hit a distraught/distracted opponent!. 
    In a surprising display of agility, the armoured dog jumps high and somersaults in the air, "Treasure mallet!" its metal frame quickly twisting and changing until it takes the form of a massive, metal hammer, swinging downwards in an attempt to smash the Singer to the ground.

Daisy darts forwards. Like Holly, she doesn't want to kill these people, who she believes are operating without free will, and so she wants to end the fight without a death. "Gotcha. I'll follow up." She agrees, bending over at the waist until her torso is paralel to the ground. Then her engines kick in to skate her across the ground, following up Bewul's attack with a headbutt to the champion's nose, attempting to get her flat on her back where the team can try and force her to yield.

Holly figures it would best to deal with Asharaya, non-lethally. After all she didn't want to have to deal with her coming back as a banshee. She wouldn't be able to d much to her at this point. The witch stands back wondering if the elf will back down after the other two attack her, or it'll take more effort on their part to make her stand down.

    There's more booing from the gallery as the Treasure Mallet comically smashes Asharaya deep into the water-logged soil, inflicting further damage to the fae being's self-image. She manages to flop herself over with a vaguely obscene-sounding schlorp of suction from the mud beneath her. Daisy's threat is taken in stride in the sense that Asharaya feebly raises her hands in a surrender gesture, eyes unfocused. Although she's functionally lost her voice, she manages to get out a hoarse and raspy "I yield." to Daisy.
    Despite the jeers from her retinue, Queen Melsuine rises to accept this defeat gracefully. "As the ruler of this c-" And is cut off by a vicious lightning strike and incredible peal of thunder that rippled on for ages.
    This is what the thunder said, in a voice so deep and low it verged on inaudible. "You Have Failed, Melsuine. Suffer My Wrath."
    The queen screamed a plea. "Lord Balor, no!" as she turned to glass and shattered.
    As the horrified onlookers stared at the remains of their leader, the thunder began again. "For A Time, I Considered Sparing This World. Now You Shall Witness Its Dismemberment." The storm glowed at the very edge of the new world, a baleful eye opening and shining red and ominous through the thick dark clouds.

Daisy glares up at the storm. "Oh. Fuck. No." She growls. she glares up at the storm, then at the onlookers. "This Lord Balor sounds like a cunt. I know these folks aren't... your people, but I'm sure they'll give you a place to stay, protected from by him, if you ask."
She looks up at the sky, and shows her feelings to Lord Balor. She looks for the strongest of the lighting and... flips it off. "YOU HAVE NO HOUNOUR!"

"No!" Holly can't believe what she just saw. Then again what can they do against a being that can turn instantly into glass? All of that fighting had been pointless. The witch falls to her knees with that. Servis and Lavaux place their tails on her shoulders, they don't have arms after all.