11356/Gremlins: Dark Night of the Soul

Gremlins: Dark Night of the Soul
Date of Scene:	18 April 2020
Location:	1407 Greymalkin Lane - Breakstone
Synopsis:	A hiking trip takes a dark turn as gremlins attack once more. And something precious is stolen.
Cast of Characters:	Pixie, Red, Doctor Strange, Nightingale, Superboy, Morgana le Fay
Tinyplot:	Gremlins!

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Pixie has posed:
It's a nice, warm spring day, a perfect day for hiking! The sky is a brilliant blue, light and breezy, birds are chirping softly and the soft sweet scent of flowers waft out pleasantly.

Yes, Spring is finally in full swing and Megan is thoroughly enjoying herself, giggling and dancing as she tugs on her small backpack, climbing the slight inclining trail that follows along a trickling stream that looks almost good enough to dive into.

Oh, she's brought a few friends along for the ride, because she's only too eager to get out and about now that Spring's in full swing! "Yaaay! I'm soo happy now that winter's over. Let's climb to the very top and have a picnic!" she beams. Hey, at least she's dressed practical for once in her beige khakis, light pink shirt and hiking boots! Although it's starting to get a little warm now.

Red has posed:
Alice had just a short week or so at the Xavier institute, but Megan had invited her to come along for the Hike. Though she does travel sometwhat lighter than others - because she skips on some items others might find essential for hiking. Which is pretty much because she never went hiking before. City child, through and through. And instead, she packed a nice pound of ABS... for improvising stuff. High boots - not those she molds to get in but bought ones for a change, a lumberjack jacket over a T-Shirt and jeans make her outfit, the backpack with the other stuff slung loosely onto her back. Though she packed one rather practical item in the shappe of a machete. You need that for hiking, yes? Rambo used one!

Doctor Strange has posed:
Dr. Strange was present. Not jogging of course. That sends shivers up his spine. No, he was here because of the mystical conflaguration of events that have been happening lately. This was pulling him here with a mystical signature that he was trying to place. Hearing the voices come closer, Strange moves closer to the nearest tree, and watches from a distance. Perhaps it will happen again?

Nightingale has posed:
     For once, it was just nice to fly for its own sake. Forget hiking, wings were the way to go today! Shannon's dressed in some light blue jeans, her favorite soft, calf-length, black leather boots, and a cream cotton peasant blouse to allow for the warming weather. She's brought the picnic and her bo staff--hey, if there was a chance to practice, she'd take it. Even in leisure, there was always a moment or two for training.

     Oddly enough, though, around her seemed to be a pale golden light, and a sort of gentle, bell-like sound as if from distant windchimes. The sound lasts but a moment, and yet the angel-winged teen in the air frowns slightly, peering down at the place towards which they were headed. She nods, as if in response to something only she can hear--and tightens her grip on her staff.

     This could /not/ be good.

Superboy has posed:
Conner has never done hiking before. But that is because he flies around everywhere. Which makes him wonder why Megan does it. That is a question he plans to ask later. He joined just a few minutes ago, appearing pretty much from nowhere without backpack or anything interesting but a leather jacket and sunglasses. The leather jacket is too much for the warm weather, but he can't really feel the heat.

Since there are a few folks he doesn't know yet, he is walking (hiking) today in a feeble effort to keep a 'secret identity'. Well, half of the people here know he has superpowers. Technically only Megan knows he is Superboy. But really, worst secret identity ever. He doesn't even bothers with glasses.

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn smiles at Conner and Alice, and it's a wonder that she didn't choose to simply fly around like Shannon is doing. But honestly, there are some things that can only be enjoyed all the more on the ground She smiles and waves to Shannon, noticing the golden aura around her with a thoughtful smile. "Wow, she is absolutely shining, that girl..What is it about her..?" a couple thoughts had run through her mind, but..Nothing definite yet.

Grinning at Alice and Conner, she does notice their lack of hiking supplies. "Geez, you guys. I can't believe you packed so lightly! I mean, good thing i brought enough food to feed an army! And a blanket and plenty of water. Do you know how long this hike is? We wont reach the sumit for at least two hours!" she points up at the mountain they're slowly winding around.

"I mean, sure we could just fly or teleport, but what's the fun in that?" She hasn't spied a Strange yet, cuz he's pretty good at being all sneaky and mysterious and only showing himself at dramatic moments.

...Speaking of dramatic, when they started out, it was warm and sunny, but all of a sudden, the weather changes on a dime. A massive cloud blots out the sun, a sudden powerful wind whips through the foliage and animals start running for shelter. Hey, was that a blue glitter behind a tree? Must be the imagination...

Those nasty little gremlins that do creep out from the foliage though, is definitely not a trick of the eye. There are soo many more of them now than usual, but for some reason they're not attacking, just surrounding the hikers, and....Waiting for something...?

Morgana le Fay has posed:
Morgana le Fey isn't dressed for hiking. That's why she's taken the slightly cheaty magic route of portaling. Or technically, she didn't open the portal. She found one in Avalon, and meandered through it. So here she is. Behind the tree Strange is against, of all things. Morgana's come to see what's going on, given one of the enchanted items she's, ahem, acquired, is a looking glass.

Which piqued her curiosity why Megan was out and about. Morgana felt she had to check up on her kindred spirit...

That's how she got here, robes and boots and all. Human world sourced hiking boots too and crown atop her head.

Red has posed:
Alice eyes up Megan as she speaks about the lack of supplies. "I packed water and everything I think's necessary." she comments, just as the sky darkens. She groans and reaches into the backpack, fishing for the plastic brick, hoping she might get enough time to make some simple type of poncho from it, flattening some bit into a foil.

That's when she notices the movement in the underbush. "Megs? What's thaaat?"

Doctor Strange has posed:
Dr Strange watches everything unfold with a practiced eye. Looking at Conner first, he raises an eyebrow. Next he looks over Alice, considering. Shannon, good that she is here....and finally Megan. Why is she the epicenter of these incursions?

Strange mutters an incantation that was too far away from anyone for them to hear, but it was only a scrying spell anyway. To see what was happening and where the gremlins were coming from. With a flick of his fingers, and concentrating on the Eye of Agamotto, his eyes begin to glow.

Rising slightly above the ground as his Cloak of Levitation lifts him to ensure rapid movement to wherever he needs to go, Dr Strange now waits for the Gremlins to make the next move. After all, he didn't want anyone to get hurt, although they all could probably take care of themselves. Then, he felt her presence. Nearby. The tree behind him? Looking, his eyes fall upon Morgana, a spell on his lips if she appears hostile. Or whatever that "blue sparkly" was.

Nightingale has posed:
     Aww, crap. Shannon lets out a few choice oaths in varying languages she'd begun to pick up during her time so far at the school, as she both spots the blue sparkly and the gremlins. She lands right in the center of the area where Megan and the others seem to have all wound up, setting down the fairly massive picnic basket, and taking up a fighting stance with her bo staff in hand. She keeps a close watch on the situation, all business now.

     You wanna mess with her friends? You wanna dance?

     Fine. Let's dance.

Superboy has posed:
"I don't know, where is the fun of walking uphill for two hours?" Replies Conner with a smirk. "For the record, I might have left something to eat up there," which is a good thing, because for a guy that doesn't technically need to eat (at least not on sunny days) Conner sure can gorge himself with food.

And then suddenly the weather changes for the worse and gremlins everywhere. "Those guys again? Well, we are not in an enclosed space full of civilians this time. Big mistake, you idiot midgets!" He shouts, then looks at Megan. "Can you take your friends up there with a portal?" He points to the hilltop. "I am going to sweep these guys with a three or two as if they were... hmm, why aren't they attacking?"

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn blinks, glancing around, tensing slightly, "Geez, not these guys again..I can't believe they're..." wait, they're not attacking, they're just...Standing there. And, oh, hey there's Morgana. And Strange, and. "Huh, a fairy, right behind Morgana.." she takes a step towards Morgana, Strange and the fairy, which squeaks and darts right towards Morgana.

And then a number of interesting things happen. The gremlins closest to the fairy snarl and leap towards said fairy, about 6 of them, fast, quick and with deadly sharp claws.

But the remaining gremlins, perhaps some 20 or so..They continue to hover there, most of them starting to surround Megan in particular, positioning themselves between Megan and the others, not attacking yet, just..Acting as a barrier of sorts. When Conner tells her to take the others through a portal, Megan nods, "Y-yeah..Come on, Alice.."

But she barely takes a step when another portal opens, and a handsome young man, or at least he appears to be more or less human, minus the long slender ears, narrowed eyes, and the slender elfin body as he practically glides towards her, draped in white shirt and slacks hidden beneath an ornate leather coat, a distinctly princely design about him with all that shimmery jewelry. His long, platinum blonde hair is feathery and cut in an unusual style as he locks eyes with Megan.

"We finally meet, my dear.." her drawls, his accent rich, smooth as silk as he extends an arm to her. "Your mother..Your REAL mother has been searching for you. Come, come with me, let's meet her together.."

Those gremlins continue to get in between Megan and the others, and anyone who attempts to interfere with be met by some vicious claws and fangs.

Red has posed:
Alice had planned to make a raincoat, but now? She worked the plastic block into a flat bowl instead. Or rather, something of a kite-shield strapping itself to her right arm while she freed the machete she had taken with her because it felt sufficiently Rambo-y. Not that she actually knew how to fight with board and sword, but she could at least pretend and with a light plastic shield she could block while retreating to Megan. "Why does everything this week descend into violence?" she asks, glaring at the Gremlins, the camping tool in her hand lited to possibly swing if they attacked. The elf? Ignored.

Morgana le Fay has posed:
$RMorgana meets Strange's gaze and points behind him. As if to say hey, over there, trouble.

With her hands raised, partly to show she's no threat, partly to allow her to cast if needed...Morgana chants for a moment too then looks to the blue creature behind the tree, even if Morgana herself has come out from behind it.

"Language!" she says as she eyes the winged girl. "I understood evry word. Your mouth needs cleaning out with soap"

And Morgana is willing to do that, though she's up in the air too now, soaring via magic...and so she can avoid any gremlins. Unless they learn to fly. Which is totally and utterly not fair. Still...

Hilltop. Good idea. Great idea.
Even if she's up off the ground, and so, so tempted to play stab a gremlin, the less fun, less mallet using and definitely less stress relief version of whack-a-mole....oh and no fun prizes if she stabs enough of them.

Morgana lands behind the guy and...

"Armor" she says, her golden armor coming to her as she dons it quickly over her robe. Summoning a sword, Morgana is willing to fight and defend her other fae friend. Or, as she's rationalizing it. Humans are expendable. If a few die...that makes her task of revenge easier.

So she soars over to stand next to Megan, on Megs right side. Sword in Morgana's right hand. Golden armor on.

"If you want to get to her you fight me. I am her champion and I will not let you take her" Morgana declares. She's willing the little blue fairy to come to her. If Morgana can push thoughts in the fairy's head, it's to shelter with Morgana and Pixie. though, as Morgana moves...she's trying her best to intercept the little blue fairy. Before stepping away from Pixie, Morgana hands herr a short sword. Morgana's aiming to stay close enough to jump in the fight if needed...cause she doesn't feel like whacking grremlins and not getting a prize, so to speak. And the humans? Expendable!

Doctor Strange has posed:
"Well now...that is fascinating..." Dr Strange looks in the direction Morgana is pointing. Then, he takes in everything happening around Megan. "It seems like...is that?" Distracted by Morgana and the nearby fairy, Strange loses track of Megan for a few seconds as things seem to go from order...to chaos, quick. Although he wants to warn Megan, right now, his attention is elsewhere.

If that was who Strange thought he was, this was not going to be easy. "By the Hoary Host of Hoggoth, steel my skin until iron, anethma to faery and goblin and gremlins alike." Strange shivers as his skin becomes iron. "Bring me there my friend..." Strange follows Morgana quickly, and lands behind Megan without a sound.

"It seems you have new friends, Ms Gwynn."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Oh, HAIL NO." Like it or not, Shannon was probably one of the ones better able to heal up from a series of claw and bite marks from various gremlins. So she puts her staff to good use, with a few well-placed spins and swings that might have been unthinkable for her a few months prior, the night of the protection spell on the school. Yew wood connects with more than a few gremlin bodies--although one gremlin decides to latch on to each of her legs to try and hamper her progress.

     "You stinkin' ankle-biters," she growls. "Will you just..."

     SMACK!

     "Get away..."

     THRACK!

     "...from my friends?!"

     The appearance of the supposed Prince gets a hard stare from Shannon. Goblin anklets and all, she spreads her wings to their full span, and faces him directly with her staff at the ready.

     "You want to mess with my friend, you mess with me. Now, just who the deuce are you?"

     Morgana gets an equally hard stare, glacier-blue eyes narrowed. "How about we just concentrate on more urgent business, m'kay?"

     Yeah. She's been warned about this one.

     To Doctor Strange, she nods once, and simply says, "We need to talk. Sooner rather than later, after all this."

Superboy has posed:
Conner looks somewhat reluctant to start a fight if the Gremlins are not attacking, but when they move to stay between Megan and himself, well, that was a poor career choice. He doesn't need a staff or anything, to kick and slap the little critters out of the way. And this time he uses his telekinesis to keep those nasty supernatural claws away from his skin.

And then that pointy-eared guy appears from nowhere. What a coincidence! "Stay away from her, Legolas. That girl is... wait, what?" Woman in golden armor just declared herself Megan's Champion? That is not fair! "Gotta tell you," he notes, reaching Megan's side and likely stepping on a gremlin or three. "Thinks are never boring around you?"

Pixie has posed:
The goblin prince sighs as he glances almost boredly towards Morgana. "Hello, your majesty. You look absolutely ravishing, but I did not come to..Harm your fairy friend. Only to speak with her." he looks back to Megan, arm still extended, taking another step towards her. "Come with me. Join me. You are fae. You belong with us, not with these..People." he wrinkles his nose in distaste at the others. "Your mother is waiting.."

Megan blinks at Morgana, but continues to watch the Goblin Prince curiously, eyes widenned, "My..My mother? You know her? Where is she?" she actually takes a couple steps towards him, curious to know. She was adopted, she knows that. But she never met her real parents. "I...I wanna meet her.."

The gremlins watch and wait, some of them are already moving in on the blue fairy who shrieks as they get in between her and Morgana, stopping her flight.

Fortunately Shannnon is there to tear them apart with some surprisingly vicious, and incredibly effective strikes. The gremlins shriek and scatter and the fairy squeaks and flutters thankfully towards Shannon, seeming to be thanking her in whatever language fairies speak..But all eyes are on Morgana and she bows reverently to her, flying towards her, staying close.

Megan blinks slowly, pausing as she sees the gremlins still chasing after the fairy, still attempting to capture them. Whatever curiosity, whatever yearning she sought after this mysterious goblin prince is quickly lost. Her eyes narrow, a look of anger crosses her face as she rushes at him. "How...How DARE you? These are my friends, and this is where I belong! I'll NEVER let you hurt my friends, or the fairies again..Sihal Novarum Ch---aaah!!!"

She cries out suddenly, eyes widenned in sudden shock and pain as The Goblin Prince moves, faster than the eye can see, faster than anyone can react, a mere blur of movement as he draws a glittering black dagger that seems to be made of nothing more than smoke and shadows from his long coat, and as Megan rushes at him, he grabs her shoulder, thrusting it hard into her chest.

The pink-haired fairy girl staggers back, eyes wide with pain, blood and..And something glittery, trickling from her chest as she crumples to the ground.

The Goblin Prince sighs, pulling the dagger out again. It is now glowing. Glowing Pink. Why, it looks exactly like Pixie's soul dagger. "Such a waste. You could have been so much more. But you choose to betray me instead.." he clicks his tongue, turns and walks away. More gremlins snarl and swarm at any heroes who try to stop him and in another swirl of energy, he vanishes from sight. Gremlins soon follow a moment later.

Red has posed:
Alice is to slow, even as she is right next to Megan, attemting to slash the prince, but she just cuts air with the Machete. It's a clumsy weapon after all. But the guy flees, she has only one thing she can do in an instant: she throws the thing after the guy, hoping for a hit before turning to the attacked mutant seeking to combress the wound, pressing down on it.

"Don't you dare to die on me!" she demands, using a chung of the improvised shield to try to seal the wound with a plastic bandaid.

Doctor Strange has posed:
Not having the reflexes of Rogers or Allen, Strange watches as the situation unfolds. Unable to prevent what just happened, he takes a moment to attempt to raise a barrier of protection around himself, Megan, and those close by. "Megan! Are you alright!" Unable to prevent the departure of the Goblin Prince, Strange instead moves to help Megan, as best he can. Mumbling a few words of a spell of magical cleansing and healing, he senses something more dire.

As Megan staggers back, Strange's arms enfold her, the spell of healing attempting to fight the fairy magic that was attempting to take hold. When Alice attempts to seal the wound, Strange nods at her, approvingly. "Well done. Quick reflexes. You probably saved her life."

"Perhaps we may have need of stronger healing than my magic and your 1st Aid can provide though. I can stop the dark magic from getting its grip on you Ms Gwynn, but we need a true healer to help you fully. I am but a Doctor. You need a healer."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon only has time to call the gremlin Prince's heritage into question as Megan is struck down. She has to let him go. There are more critical things to deal with.

     Kneeling down on the ground next to Megan, alongside Alice, she nods to the other girl. "Good job on the bandage there. Nice quick thinking." She takes several deep breaths, and gingerly touches the wounded area, near the edge of the improvised bandage.

     "There's some good news, and, well... just news." Her voice has taken on a somewhat faraway, distant tone, as she is turning her gift, her senses, fully on Megan's injury. "Good news is, the dagger missed anything vital. I can absorb these wounds, no problem. It'll just knock me out for a few days."

     Her gaze, somewhat unfocused, turns in Strange's general direction. "The other news is that she'll need your help as well. That dagger... I can heal the physical, but the prince's dagger looked similar to her own. It may have done other damage I can do nothing about. Non-physical damage. Please... we'll both help her, Doctor?"

Superboy has posed:
Conner -does- have superspeed, but Megan just slipped before him and too close to that creepy elf. "Meg... wait" he manages, before the pink-haired girl gets stabbed. Or reverse stabbed. Did he steal Megan's dagger? Magic sucks.

Conner's eyes flash red as he fires off his heat vision. He was aiming for the prince's arm, but he vanishes too quickly. Maybe with a nasty burn, one can hope.

Then he is back to Megan. Or rather to watch how the doctor and the healer try to save her. His First Aid 101 course is not going to be very useful for a magical wound. Now, if any of those gremlins keeps being a pest... it is not going to be pretty for them.

Morgana le Fay has posed:
Morgana closes her eyes, and channels her magic. This is going to royally suck...but.....Megan is hurt. A fellow fairy, hurt. Morgana's not happy with the fairy prince. There's time for retribution later...though Morgana is furious that Megan gets hurt.

Morganna's that worked up that she chants, words from her mouth.

"Come to me. Heal her. Come to me" she says, hands in the air as she chants, watching Megan. Morgana thrusts her hand to Megan, her hand glows with magic that leaps from her fingers towards all of them. Well. Mostly Megan, but those touching Megan will get healed. Morgana for her part?

Thud. She's out of it, barely breathing. Barely having a pulse.

Pixie has posed:
The goblin prince has fled..But not without some pretty nasty wounds. Alice's machete manages to cut through the protective coat, followed by the powerful beam of Conner's head vision. An angry cry of pain can be heard as he clutches his arm. That's gonna hurt, and there will likely be reprecussions..But for now, he just manages to escape with his life.

There are a few straggler gremlins who hang around a bit longer, but with all the heroes around, it's not looking good for them. They retreat for now, and once the last one leaves, the wind and rain abruptly stop, the clouds breaking and the sun returning.

Megan isn't dead..Thanks to the quick reactions of Alice and Shannon, who manages to heal her wound..The physical part anyway. Thankfully the stab missed any vital organs, and really there's just a lot of blood. She groans softly and stirs. "Wh-why...?" she murmurs.

And something else happens. Something..Odd. Her wings..Seem to wilt and shrivel, turning black. Her skin takes on a strange, deathly pale pallor. In fact, her skin looks almost..Lilac. And are those claws growing from her hands?

Morgana chants, and a strange, black electricity seems to buzz from the wound in Megan's chest..Almost as if some dark magic has been cast on her.

Doctor Strange has posed:
Strange's glowing right hand hovers over Megan as the others attempt to heal her. The words of the spell are alien, magical. "I am afraid something dire has happened. The Goblin Prince has "stolen" a part of her and has wounded her very essence. Her soul. My friends..." Strange's eyes find each of them, from Conner, to Shannon, Morgana, who he know understands, and of course, Alice who is beside him.

"Shannon is correct. The "soul dagger" has been stolen, and without it..." Strange pauses, looking at Megan and her transformation "...the Goblin Prince has also tainted your soul. In order to combat it, we need your dagger. I cannot cleanse your soul without it. It must be recovered, cleansed in a extremely difficult ritual, and reunited with your soul."

Strange takes a few moments and looks at Morgana. "I believe Avalon may have a few rituals that can help. If you were willing, Morgana." Strange shrugs. "I have done all I can."

Nightingale has posed:
     Without another word, Shannon allows her gift free rein. Megan's flesh begins to knit together, bone and sinew becoming whole, and the deep puncture wound sealing itself. Alice's bandage did a very good job of staunching the worst of the bleeding, thankfully.

     However, instead, bright red blossoms on the front of her peasant blouse. The puncture wound itself may be hidden, but the effects of it on the healer in training are not. The red of her blood... the sudden loss of color as the shock of pain hits her... the quick intake of her breath as she steels herself against it all, to at least heal the physical part of Megan's wounds.

     When all is said and done, she falls backwards, landing on her backside, and bracing herself with her hands behind her. "Just get me home... and please, help Megan...."

Superboy has posed:
And suddenly instead of one injured woman, they have three. This is not good math, guys! Conner looks around and sighs. "I can... I mean, if I knew where you gals lived. Otherwise the closest hospital. They are going to freak out when I bring a woman in gold armor, but whatever. They should be used to living so close to New York." He pulls a Stark-phone, though, to call first.

Red has posed:
With the wound transferred to Shannon, Alice has to stitch up another wound by applying a patch, having to rip the shirt to get the pastic piece turned bandaid onto the wound and try to keep the red where it belongs. Which means, inside Shannon's body. "Dangit... We had her stable so far... and while I like red not *that* type of red, ok?" she scolds Shannon, groaning as she tries to make sure that she doesn't bleed out. "And somoenoe tell me how I explain that to Kitty?"

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon flicks her fingers at Alice and smiles a little. "I heal fast. Trust me, about three days and this wound will be as if it never happened. But the bandage... ahhh BUMSEN!... gahh, it does help. Just... try not to let Logan know too quickly? And for god's sake, I'd better be the one to tell Drake..." She smiles some, albeit in a pained way, but gives Alice a thumbs up.