444/Gacha Goners

Gacha Goners
Date of Scene:	17 September 2023
Location:	Radiant Heart Academy
Synopsis:	A teacher at Radiant Heart Academy gets akumatized into the Gacha Villain Highroller and starts turning students into in-game currency - but luckily, a whole host of magical teens comes to the rescue! This won't turn out as well as Highroller hoped.
Thanks to:	NPC Civilian Shouta Okamoto as played by Usagi
Cast of Characters:	Ami Mizuno, Usagi Tsukino, Adora Rainbowfist, Chrono Harlaown, Runealy Waldia, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Greta Legend, Amanda Faust, Adrien Agreste, Gabriel Agreste

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Gabriel Agreste has posed:
Hawk Moth was searching again, the feelings of the citizens of Tokyo for potential victims to turn into Akuma to draw out Ladybug and Cat Noir. Soon he'd have their miraculous. It was only a matter of time. They we're here. But his first foray proved others we're too. He'd need to find someone with a stronger feeling...

And he found one. The awesome draw and addiction of gacha games, the relenting anguish of not getting your prize on that banner. He found it... in a teacher... Shouta Okamato.

The Akuma entered the beleaguered teacher's phone. And soon, they'd hear a voice! "Highroller! You've run out of your game's currency, after spending all your money. Too bad." he says. "But I can give you the power to gain unlimited currency! Turn others into it. All I ask in return is the miraculouses of Ladybug and Cat Noir! Go, and draw them out!" he says as he taps his cane to the floor of his butterfly themed office.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
It's late afternoon and classes are out for the day at Radiant Heart Academy. Students are busy with their clubs, with their walks home, or just hanging around with their friends on the expansive grounds. Shouta Okamoto, Grade 9 homeroom teacher, is in the teacher's room, taking a break from combing through through feedback from the other teachers on the students in his class. The school day doesn't end for a teacher the way it does a student - there's always more to do, more to plan, and with the term having just resumed, it's busier than ever.

Usually, on a sunny afternoon like this, Okamoto-sensei would be relaxing with his phone. The gacha game he'd fallen in love with over the years (terrible habit, he always warned his students away), was an excellent time waster, between the rhythm game mechanics, the cute story, and the excellent music.

But not this time.

No, this time, it was as though the universe were against him. No matter how much he rolled, no matter how much currency he purchased, the event five-star was avoiding him.

He'd waited three years for this character! Hoping and waiting for an official release after a cameo three summers ago! And now! Now!!!

Now his credit limit was telling him he'd reached his self-imposed spending limit, with no character in sight.

"What kind of hell is this!!

And then a voice, from his phone, and light shone, sickly and twisted. The voice echoed in his mind, and his eyes widened as everything began to make sense - of course! Of course! "Yes, Hawkmoth!"

Darkness flowed from the phone and up over the teacher - and the doors of the administrative building burst as the newly christened villain exited in a rush.

Where the teacher had been stood a man in a cyan and black body suit with metallic armor at the shoulders in the shape of a blank phone screen. His head was covered by a cyan helmet, a black visor shielding his eyes. His hands extended - holographic screens appeared before them, and lights glowed across his body, lighting up as he moved.

"No more limits! No more scrimping and saving! I'll have every last bit of currency I could ever want!"

And then he slapped his hand out in a waving gesture, and the students nearest him - a group of four middle schoolers, filming the odd sight on their phones - were transformed in an instant into golden coins with their faces on them.

They screamed, those golden coins, as Highroller summoned them to him, the coins absorbed into the phone screens on his shoulders. "Yes! Hahaha, yes! That was four hundred coins! There's no way I'll go without them now!"

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
Adora Rainbowfist, weirdo foreign student who tends to tower a bit over the other Grade 9 students at an athletic 5'7" (the hair poof doesn't quite add an inch) is feeling a bit better about life. Last night was good and needed. So, the girl has finally slept well, and showered properly, and even eaten a big breakfast. Now she wanders slowly dormwards, dressed in her school uniform. She still doesn't know many other kids, and she always draws glances and notices whispers, but she's doing better about ignoring it. Unbeknownst to her, her idle wanderings have brought her quite close to an evil scheme!

Her chosen path back to the dorms has brought her near when she hears the screams, and without thought she leaps into action. The girl breaks into a ready sprint, skidding to a stop when she comes around a corner and sees the man. Well, the phone. She blinks those blue eyes and slaps at her wrist to find...nothing. Stupid! Dumb Adora! You forgot your Sword in your room AGAIN! Well, she hasn't needed it until now. She holds a hand out and concentrates. The sound of breaking glass rings out from the dorms behind the school, and a few surprised student cries, as her enormous sword begins to fly in her direction, still out of sight.

"Hey! Shousta-sensei! What gives??!" Her hand is outstretched at her side, looking a bit odd to onlookers as she waits.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown was... well... Chrono had uhhhh... Chrono had possibly acquired a bit of a reputation at this point of missing class. He hadn't been here long, but he seemed to miss every third day. There was a reason for this. He was looking for people. And today's lead had proved... no. A failure. An utter failure.

So he was a little saddened when he walked back onto the grounds, outside of his henshin. Why were they evading him so? What did he have to do? Worse, what happened if he did find them, how was he even going to--

No. One step at a time. Find them, ensure they're trackable, then...

And then he heard a crash of glass. He glanced over and saw a... sword... flying through the hair. What... the heck?

He drew his card, holding it up. < S2U, let's go. > he told the device.

<Yes, boss!>

A moment later he was in full henshin... flying AFTER the sword. What in the world? Was this an attack or something else?

OOF! There it goes, taking out a window! Why would-- He tried to reach out and snag it... before it turned a corner and he slammed into a locker.

Ow.

He pulled back from it and continued his pursuit, zooming through the air after it! Stand still you reckless destroyer of property!

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune is among those who simply goes home after class - she has no club associations, and has always been very distant from her teachers; she simply does not care about what lessons they offer while she is trying to find a solution to a much more pressing problem. Any warnings about 'gacha games' were alien gibberish to her, anyway.

This leaves her simply heading away from the school today, when... an energy flash, and screams in the distance. "Hmm?" She looks back, and sees something impossible: People turning into stylized money and pulled in. Wide eyes a breathy gasps punctuate her question, "Is there no end to the cruelty wrought by Tokyo's telephone teleivisions?!"

Then she goes tense. "Summoning Princess' Tiara!" Silver, jeweled headwear appears in one hand. Energy audibly hum-pulses through the jewelry. "The Line of Succession..." She passes the tiara to her other hand, which brings it to her head in the same motion. "...Transform!"

A flash of red light engulfs her. When it fades a few seconds later, Rune is standing in full magical dress. Staff in hand, she rushes toward the armored figure attacking students while shouting a demand: "What is this?! Cease at once!" She slows down upon spotting Adora, deciding to keep some distance for now.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette is out and about today. She happens to be whistling a happy tune while carrying a few boxes which are supposed to go to Hinoiri. She is making her way through the Dorms. She quickly makes her way to Hinoiri's dorm and knocks on the door. "Hmm She is probably at a club or something." She quietly opens the dorm room and sets the boxes inside before exiting and making her way out to the courtyard.

That's when she sees people running. "Uh oh. That's not a good sign." Walking out she sees people getting zapped and disappearing! Her eyes fall on an akumatized person and she winces. Quickly she races away from the area. Her attention is focused on trying to find a place to transform. Tucking down an alleyway she opens her purse. "Tikki, Spots On! YEAH!" Her clothing transforms into her Ladybug costume, complete with the mask of course.

A moment later the transformation is done, She grabs her Yo-yo and opens it. "Cat Noir, I hope you are around. We've got an Akuma at Radiant Heart School. Get here quick." She closes the yo-yo and races out to face the Akuma. "Hey! Why are you doing this. Whatever the problem is we can talk it out! You don't need to give in to Hawk Moth." She swings her yo-yo around, using it to defend herself.

Greta Legend has posed:
Meanwhile in the Cooking Club, Greta Legend perks up as she feels the uneasiness of dark magic happening, not far away. This is confirmed by the beeps of her Device letting her know where the Dark Energy signature was coming from. She looks down at the cake project that she is presently working on, considers the options, before sets it down. "It doesn't seem to be Mise En Place. I DO NOT have the coloring I need to make this a WHITE shocolate cake. I'll be right back to get it! Please excuse me!"

And then she bolts out of the Club room, already on a sprint as she looks to the nearest open balcony and grips her brooch, "Ready, Dreiseelen!" Before leaping from it

<*KSH*Standby - Ready! Let's go, Little Red!*KSH*>

HENSHIN SEQUENCE!!

Before she can hit the ground, Greta is now in flight, and zooming in on the target, her device having shifted into an Axe form... As she closes the distance, though, she spies the enemy in the form of High Roller and... A Flying Sword passing her by?

"Is that a bloody sword? Is that sword flying?"

<*ksh*Seems so.*sh>

"Unhelpful! Let's go after the monster!"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Ami Mizuno, herself, was after school herself. Cramming. The 2nd term had begun and she wanted to be prepared, doubly so. If not for herself, then to help her friends study as well. School was, as always, one of her happy places and she was walking back from the library when there was a commotion. She was hugging books to her chest as she watched... students be turned into coins.

By a homeroom teacher. And then... sucked into his phone. That's bad.

She looks around, purposefully and ducks between buildings.

"Mercury Power, Make Up!"

Sailor Mercury, Soldier of Water and Intellect leaped to the top of the nearby administration building the transformed teacher just left, taking in the scene first. Better to not jump in recklessly. She also took in the others as she moved a hand to her back and produced the Mercury Computer, opening it up with a hand and scanning the scene. Perhaps she could learn something useful. If not.

Well, she could always join in with the rest moving into the fray soon enough.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    This is why you always make sure you have enough for the pity when you really, really want something! Admittedly, Mallory doesn't have much time for gachas now (and, admittedly, the galaxy-spanning journey of the Trailblazer and his friends being heroes and saving the day has a bit less of a draw when she, too, is always saving the day with her friends, some of whom are from all over the galaxy apparently, and it irks her to be greeted with Caelus bearing her old whenever she logs in, for some reason, but she did enjoy herself some Final Fantasy Dissidia Opera Omnia back in the day.

    Amy is on her way back from class when she hears a door slam open and in the distance sees... *what*. He's shouting about currency and there are phone screens and she STARES IN HORROR AS STUDENTS ARE TURNED INTO SCREAMING GOLD COINS AND ABSORBED. WHAT THE HELL. Oh gods, please let there be a way to undo that!

    Amy ducks into an alcove and pulls out her soul gem:

                       {|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||   }                      

    There's the whole egg-of-flames transformation sequence but no one to see it, before she leaps up onto the roof...

    ...and suddenly, a magical girl is leaping down at Shouta from behind, swinging something that suddenly becomes a huge, heavy rocket launcher tube as she tries a dynamic entry club attack going for the knockdown. "Turn them back and let them go. Or I'm gonna start actually shooting this thing." She glares down at him with the fury of one who's not sure she didn't just see four deaths.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Adrien Agreste was already at the club building in his fencing gear preparing for another rousing bit of fencing. He'd found a few friends through this club already, and was quite enjoying himself. He's just about to get his fencing helm out of the storage locker when the screams from outside come drawing the attention of, well, everyone.

"That doesn't sound good, Plagg," he murmers to his Kwami when he flits up to fly beside him next to his shoulder. A quick glance out the door allows him the sight of ... a few magical girls already transforming, more screams, and--"Ladybug!"

Adrien ducks back inside before he's seen by anyone shutting the door behind him. A little stomp of his foot locks down the doorstop allowing him the freedom to change in peace.

"Come on Plagg, looks like we're up."

"Awwww, Adrien! Look how many are already out there! They've got it! Can't we just... Cat nap on this one?"

"Sorry, no. Plagg, Claws Out!"

The change is quick as it always is. The little blipping message from Ladybug alerts him to reach back for his staff to open up the Miraculous Messenger built into it. A quick response of, "It just so happens I'm in the area. See you in a jiff, Ladybug!" is recorded. Satisfied his identity is secure he unlocks the door to bolt out into the open along with many others. The pole staff is smacked into the ground only to extend abruptly so he's vaulted into the air over the rooftop of the club building toward the administrative building.

... Right past a flying sword followed by a flying Chrono, to land not far off from Ladybug. "Huh. I wonder where I can get one of those. Hi, My Lady!"

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Highroller is reveling in the newfound power he possesses - there's so much he can do! The world itself is so much simpler, so much clearer now! Why worry about endless paperwork and credit card limits, when he can simply make the currency he needs? It's fine! There's nothing, NOTHING, to worry about now! Not his bills! Not his students! There's only the game!!!

That group of students, they weren't enough! It won't ever be enough - after this event, there's another! And another! And another! He's just got to keep collecting!

And look: here's someone to collect! Highroller breaks out into a smile. "Why, Adora Rainbowfist, I'm glad to see you! Your other teachers talk about how much time you spend keeping fit - have you considered one of our athletic teams? Of course, it will be hard for you to spend anytime on sports when you're one of my new coins!"

His fingertips glow again and he gestures towards Adora, preparing to blast a beam of light to transform her as well - when another person arrives, one he doesn't recognize. "Another? Ahaha, two hundred coins! This is incredible! Hold on just a second, and I'll -" And then. Another girl, this one in eye catching red with black spots. "Wait, don't tell me. You're Ladybug, aren't you?! This is great! Once you're gone, I'll have all the currency I could ever want!"

And he might have blasted them, if not for the girl who bursts onto the scene, weapon aimed directly at him!

Highroller leaps away - flies away actually, cyan lights glowing at his feet as he hovers away. "Now, this is getting to be an awfully large number of you... I'll be able to do an entire ten roll off of this!"

And he starts blasting, bolts of light aimed at the students. Anyone out of of henshin will be turned into a coin if they get hit - anyone in henshin will find gold patches starting. They've got some natural resistance!

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
Adora's big eyes widen as costumed heroes show up all around her, and she laughs. "OH MY GOSH! There really are a bunch of other magical girls! THIS IS AMAZING!" The sword smashes through another window and then the hilt slams into her hand with the kind of force that would send a normal person stumbling. The sword is...big. From the glowing gem at the hilt to the tip of the blade it's a solid six feet. On top of that, the blade is two feet wide. It's ridiculous. She twirls it in both hands and then holds it aloft, the light from the late afternoon sun glinting off the razor sharp edge.

"FOR THE HONOR OF GREYSKULL!"

And then in an instant she is lofted into the air, her head whipping back. Ribbons of light and rainbow color wrap about her, forming boots, a chestplate and skirt, and bracers. Finally, her hair unbundles and whips back, flowing majestically and reaching her knees. When she lands she is a solid eight feet of amazonian muscle, and she points the sword at the villain, holding it with ease in one hand.

"No coins for you! We're gonna end this fast!"

She leaps foreward with unnatural speed and grace, and the blade arcs out in a wide slash towards his screened midsection, leaving ribbons of rainbowed light behind it, her tiara shining, and her red cape flapping in an unseen wind!

She-Ra is here!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Ladybug twirls her yo-yo blocking the blasts from Highroller. Then, there is Cat Noir. That makes things so much easier. At the mention of a sword, Ladybug can't help but laugh. "Do you really need a magic sword? You've already got a magic stick right?" She comments as she watches the Highroller take flight. "Looks like we may need to get above this situation."

She stops twirling her yo-yo and launches it upward. A quick tug causes her to be pulled upward towards the roof of the school. Thats when she sees the slashing attack from She-ra. "Hey umm... Princess!" SHe doesn't know who She-ra is. "That won't do any good. We gotta find the object with the akuma!" She states and throws the yoyo at highroller, trying to wrap him up.

Greta Legend has posed:
Greta's flight is trailing just after the sword, but she then turns her focus on the High Roller, and she goes wide eyed as she sees the transformation mayhem going on. "Bugger! Dunno what's going on, but we're having NONE OF THAT!"

When her device pings the nearest mage, she blinks a bit, and growls, "Great, it's him..."

<<Hey Chrono. It looks like we've got a monster turning people into money. Is that a Gacha game? Bloody hell... Alright, what's the plan for wiping this thing out?>>

That's when Greta hears a chime from her device, <*Ksh*Little Red, my sensors indicate the enemy to be a transformed human. Recommend Non-Lethal Takedown.*ksh*>

Greta blinks, "Wait, what? Transformed?" that was a first for her... "Bugger, how do we do this then...?"

And then she blinks as a She-Ra appears, and Greta blinks. "Bloody hell, she's big..." She shakes her head, "Alright, Non-Lethal! Let's go!"

With that, she dives in and aims her axe form divice at something resembling a limb on Highroller.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown kept chasing that bloody sword and... and... and oh gosh it arrived at Adora. His eyes twitched slightly. "ADORA RAINBOWFIST!" he snapped. Oh, oh dear. That was the 'Enforcer Voice'. Full command mode. "Keep your sword WITH YOU at all times if you cannot SUMMON it without destroying the surrounding property!"

Yes, fine, it was just a little bit of steam. Sorry. He had to let it out. Slamming into a locker *hurt*. He then turned his attention towards the man. He just... sighed. Then held up his rod. There was a glow of blinding blue light which then expanded out from him... wiping away everyone who wasn't magical and causing the world to shift slightly.

"Sir! I am Time Space Administrative Bureau Enforcer Chrono Harlaown. Please STAND DOWN on this assault on the student body, release those you have taken prisoner! If you consent to this, lay down your... weapon... and you will be allowed to defend yourself before a TSAB judge. Any further hostilities will consider you a threat to myself and others of this world!"

... As that was OBVIOUSLY not going to work... "I have created a barrier field around us! Any damage dealt to the surrounding environment will be undone once I take it down!"

Oh he did not... wait. What. Wait. THAT WAS SHE-RA?! SHE WAS ALREADY MASSIVE?! WHY WAS SHE MASSIVER?! Nope. Control. Con. Trol. He wasn't going to--

GAH! CAT BOY! He finally noticed Cat Noir and jerked back, before quickly flying up into the air. Nope. Nooooo thank you. He was just gonna... ignore that. Focus on the bad guy. Yuuuuup.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune looks around, surprised by the sheer response this situation is getting. Many of the other arrivals seem upset by what just happened, so she presumes that Tokyo technology turning people into money is in fact as bad as it looks.

Amy gets a quick look, but Rune recognizes her more than she does most of the others here. The others are mostly new to her and get briefly suspicious gazes, but none of them seem to be helping Highroller - she quickly accepts that they're here to help.

That leaves Highroller himself to deal with... and he takes to the air. Rune leaps sideways, but gets clipped in the side of the shin by a beam... and she looks down with wide eyes as gold begins to contaminate her. "What?!"

Her boot wings light up, launching her into the air to match altitude with Highroller, eyes still wide as she takes aim. "All of this, in the name of coin and capital? Lives have greater value!" The alien princess waits for an opening after She-Ra's leap slash and Greta's descending axe assault - Rune does not want to shoot them by accident. She descends slowly, losing height with each moment.

Once they're clear, she launches her staff's orb at Highroller. It splits apart in mid-air, unleashing a wide spray of emerald sparkles at him! The staff grows another orb in the meantime, and Rune continues to descend even as her boot-wings flare with blue-silver light, slowing but not preventing her fall.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Cat Noir flashes a toothy grin at Ladybug, "True! Maybe it's a guy thing. Flying swords seem kind of cool." Though it's clear by Adora's transformation it already had an owner.

He grasps his staff in both hands when Highroller starts to shoot toward others. There's no attempt to block any attacks that come close to him--He just outright dodges using the staff to push off into a leap in the air that sends him flying legs-first toward Highroller in an airborne kick!

A quick one because so many others were also coming to attack. "There should be an object that he has we need to find!" He calls out, helping to inform along with Ladybug. "It's possessed and destroying it will free the teacher!" At least he'd gleaned that it was a teacher from all the talk he'd caught.

Whether the attack hits or not, he's bounding away out of reach as soon as he can after! He was one quick cat!

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury finishes her scan and nods to herself as she leaps down from the building and finally into the fray, skidding to a stop as she slides into the chaos. "The screens!" she says. "Hit them, physically. You'll free the coins." she says, with intense earnest. She knows what she's talking about. She just did her research!

By no means the strongest of the Sailor Senshi, she still leaps into action using her sudden appearance in the chaos to draw her arms out and call out. "SHABON SPRAY...!". A wave of bubbles, suddenly emerging from her location, which cloud up the location, reducing visibility for the area and hopefully obscuring heroes and innocents from the villain and his transforming beams.

Hopefully, someone closer, and more able in physical combat, can handle smacking those screens. She's just trying to protect people right now.

"A possessed item?" she ponders as she hears the information dump. What could that be?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
Highroller isn't prepared for real combat - he's a middle school teacher, after all! Hyped up on dark energy and his own obsession magnified by a hundred, he's still not exactly a gifted combatant. There's just his ability to fly, and his ability to transform those around him into coins, after all...

Which is what he's using to try and get away from the rush of attacks, particularly as Adora Rainbowfist transforms into a towering figure of a girl with a sword! And a cape! "There's a girl just like you in my game! Incredible, look at you! But you're getting in the way of my game -"

He'd managed to hit one of them, by the golden color spreading, but it wasn't enough! He'd have to hit more -

"Whoa!" Ladybug's yoyo catches around his ankle, and Highroller growls in frustration, trying to get away. He spreads his fingers, holographic screen spreading across his fingers again. "You should focus on your studies, LADY BUG! But if you want me to stop - hand over your miraculous!"

The cyan light blasts the yoyo string, trying to transform it, enough at least to be out of the way!

He's held in place though, and that means the scatter orb and kick manage to connect - the scatter orb striking the screen on his left shoulder, with a loud ping!ping!ping! as two coins bounce out, strike ground - and transform back into students!

"No! My coins! You brats!"

The shabon spray makes it impossible for him to see, so he bursts upwards, putting all his power into flying up to try and get away. His fists clench, lights flowing from fingertip to palm, forming a solid screen. The holographic screen he'd used to launch his attacks solidifies as he puts all his strength into escape, becoming a small solid object...

If anyone can notice in all the chaos.

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Amy's attack misses, cracking the concrete below. And then the guy is... flying? Or hovering, low to the ground?

    "You say nonlethal takedown," she shouts to Greta's Device, "but all I have is a *rocket launcher*! What about the students that will be turned into coins?!" Bolts of light are flung around, Amy rocket-jumps into the air to put herself in another plane he'll have to aim at, and fires a rocket down at him as she flies through the air. Look, she's seen how tough youma are, one shot from this weapon won't kill him in any case!

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
"I don't know what half of those words mean!," She-Ra shouts at Ladybug. Then more explanation comes from Cat Noir and she furrows her tiara'd brow. "Screens? You guys got that! I'll focus on this guy!"

The bubbles partially obscure her own vision, though, and suddenly the villain vanishes as he shrinks down to an object. So, she takes another wide swing with her sword, leaping high into the air. With a rush of power a wave of rainbow energy erupts forth in a wide arc, aimed for the broad area he would still be in. A column is caught in the blast, shattering, and the earth and stone around shatters! Good thing Chrono said this stuff will be fixed! Meanwhile...

"Ladybug is the cutest freaking name ever!," she shouts over the clang of combat.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune looks over to Cat Noir, taking his warning seriously even as she continues to descend. "What of the telephone television? Do we seek to destroy it as well, or strive to retrieve it intact?"

Sailor Mercury, likewise, has useful advice. As one of the screens is struck, Rune sees the light-flashes and human silhouettes emerging from them - Mercury's bubbles make it hard for Rune to see them in full detail. It's nonetheless enough for Rune to excitedly call out: "She speaks rightly! Strike the larger telephone televisions!"

The Shabon Spray makes it harder to see... and Rune loses sight of Highroller due to it. She doesn't like this, though she does silently approve of its value in protecting people, considering it a 'net gain.'

Since she doesn't know where Highroller is, she talks in the hopes he'll say something and give her a hint - she can't just fire blindly, she might hit any of several people who have been flying. So... she protests. "You speak of your game, time and time again! What game could be so wondrous, so enthralling, to drive you to hurt others for its sake?!"

Then Rune's boot-wings light up, launching her into the air again. She can't attack right now, but she's hoping if she gets high enough that she'll be in a good position to do something about Highroller momentarily... especially if he responds to her shouting.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown focused his attention above. Right. < Follow the guidance of the girl in... poka...dots... okay then. Follow what she says. Apparently she has experience in these affairs. See if we can locate the thing making this akuma. >

Doesn't even MENTION the cat boy. He held out his left hand, forming a shield that a part of the column bounced off from She-ra's assault. Not to self, heavy destructive tendencies. Delightful. Joy. Worse, it seemed the man was... trying to escape. No. In a moment he considered his options. Fly ahead? Possible, but he didn't wish to engage solo. More importantly, he wanted to learn more about the abilities of these other magical girls. They were strong, from what he'd seen. So the more he could learn, the better.

On top of it the cat was apparently pretty major to this and he didn't wanna go near the youma incase the cat boy decided to get close and NOPE! Instead...

< Don't use your rocket launcher, > his voice was telekinetically sent to Amy through his device. < Wait for an opening to be created, then launch the strike then. For now, conserve your energy. >

Then he held out his rod...

            <Stinger Snipe!>

The small, blue orb appeared. Then took off like a bolt, zig zagging at Highroller. While the others were focusing on the screens, the little orb instead focused on distracting him itself. Namely, zigging around his head, his ear, striking his hands if he didn't try to defend himself. Annoying, striking, zapping, nipping. All an attempt to annoy, distract, delay and leave an opening for the other girls to strike the televisions on his back.

Greta Legend has posed:
Greta's own assault is a little stalled, as she's hit by some of those beams from Highroller, she dives out of the wave from a few of the shots and goes wide eyed as she notices gold patches forming on her side, "Bugger! He'll turn us into coins too, but slower... Alright Sod this, need an actual plan. Große Klingen!"

<Große Klingen!>

The Axe blades of her device double in size, as Greta starts aiming her slashes for the screens, noticing that it seems to be having an effect, while also realizing that she's going to need to be extra careful in the melee.

"So what are we after, guys?!" She calls out to the rest. Someone there HAD to know.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Ladybug quickly swings down, trying to pull Highroller down to the ground. Now with the other magical girls and boys. "I'm betting the Akuma is in his phone!" She comments as she looks at the others. "If you can, get in there and keep him from turning people into coins. The rest of us gotta get that phone from him!" She exclaims as she prepares herself.

She can't help but blush at the comment that She-ra makes. Ladybug was used Cat Noir saying things like that. It caught her off guard when another person made such a comment. She shakes it off. "Lucky Charm!"

Things go black and red for a moment and Suddenly a bag of marbles form and drop into Ladybug's hands. "A bag of Marbles, What am I supposed to do with these?" She looks around quickly. Nothing comes to mind right away. So for the moment she hangs onto them. Her attention goes toward High Roller. She quickly throws her yo-yo trying to get the phone from him. She misses and withdraws her weapon before trying again.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Cat Noir rebound away from the aerial kick, away from the array of bubbles sent toward the Akumatized teacher thanks to Sailor Mercury as well. He lifts a hand to give one clawed thumb-up at her information. "Screens, got it! That saves time trying to figure it out." Really that was sometimes the hardest part, especially if they were clever about it by having something LOOK like it stood out around their outfit. It kind of made sense with the screns though.

When the students that had been changed are returned to normal he shifts position with a quick dash to slide in position in front of them protectively. It gives him a great view of She-Ra resuming combat. "And I'm Cat Noir!" He calls out cheekily asking, "Am I cute too?" A quick, playful wink is cast toward the Princess of Power. There really was no time to joke around though--His attention is now focused UPward trying to make out where Highroller went. MUCH more seriously he calls out, "We can save everyone he's gotten by freeing him. We can put things back to normal after!"

"... As soon as we figure out where he's going, I guess. Ladybug? Any ideas?"

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury makes it a hostile environment for ranged attacks for the enemy. That's good. The enemy is retreating. That's bad. What happens when you spend student currency!? Sometimes there's questions you're better not finding out the answer to. That's one of them. In the safety of the Shabon Spray she kneels down and the computer comes out again, she can scan through the spray, but it's most likely already starting to clear up slowly.

It buys her quiet time to scan again, looking this time, for the 'possessed item' that Cat Noir mentioned earlier. Surely there's a stronger dark energy signature than the rest on this guy. Some source of origin for the power that must be the possessed item.

When Ladybug says it must be the phone she tries to confirm this- and indeed, that seems to be the case, with the largest concentration there.

"Ladybug is right. It's in the phone!" she confirms for others, in case there was any doubt. Ladybug was her name, right?

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
A rainbow burst of light knocks Highroller off balance, and so do more of those orbs - he's ducking and weaving trying to not get smacked all over with attacks, rising twenty feet in the air in the effort, and seriously starting to regret his actions... in not attacking Adora immediately! He would have at least gotten another hundred coins before she turned into a giant sword woman and starting after him! Come on now!

And what was that about being arrested? A judge? What? This is about gaming, not laws!

And then in the midst of the fight, one of those kids asks him about the game."If you playued DanDanPon AllStars Unite ? you'd understand! It's a wonderous game for rhythm game lovers everywhere, with new levels every other week, new songs, remixes, covers, you name it! Every instrument you can imagine has an adorable humanization too, and you can build your ultimate band as you dance the night away!"

He has fully checked out of the fight, for the moment. He has to preach the word of DanDanPon AllStars Unite ?! He has to make her understand!

"I've been playing for years and years and it's only gotten better! But now! Now! For the first time in years my luck has faltered! Holy Electric Guitar Alter Red String Edition! Why won't you heed my call! Eli-chan pl- OW FUCK!"

The problem with waxing lyrical about your favorite gacha game during a fight is you get hit during the fight. And in this case, a giant axe slashes across his screen, freeing another coin - a student who begins to plummet down. Someone better catch her!

Meanwhile,the force of the blow has actually launched Highroller through the air, where he crashes into a wall, and drops to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Don't you kids know it's rude to interrupt a man when he's sharing his interests!"

He raises both hands and fires a barrage of blasts towards them! He's got to get out of here - he's only managed to earn a hundred coins now that they've stolen back three students!

He has no idea that with the barrier up, the civilians have been safely removed from the premises. There are no more coins to be found.

But at least he's on the ground again. Hmm... marbles might be a good way to make a man comedically trip to the ground!

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
"I mean, I'm in an messed-up on-and-off relationship with a catgirl!," She-Ra shouts at Noir. "So I like the ears, but you're not QUITE my type, if you catch my meaning!"

She-Ra lands from her leap and immediatly vaults again, catching the student in one strong arm and landing across the courtyard. She sets the student down and turns back about to face the flating villain.

"If this is what video games are, maybe I don't wanna learn about them! Hey, coin-man!"

She turns to swing her blade to cut the standing pedastal of a decorate bust (Every school has memorial stuff for alumni!) in half, sending the big stone headf soaring. She turns her blade sideways and swings hard, hitting the marble head like a ball, sending it soaring at the screen-man!

Amanda Faust has posed:
    Angela lands near Adora. "They're not usually like this! Gacha games are... okay, imagine taking something good, an enjoyable activity, and then *twisting* it to encourage people to waste money? It's like, gambling doesn't mean every game involving chance is bad. No time to explain more now."

    The rocket launcher suddenly turns into like, a sci-fi rocket pistol in her hands, which she fires tiny rockets off the the side of the youma to prevent him from dodging that way.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Suddenly everything goes grey for Ladybug. A Pair of trees light up in red and black. She turns to Cat Noir and he lights up black and red as do She-ra and Greta. Finally she looks down at bag of marbles and they light up as well. "I got it!"

"Cat Noir, Princess person, and Orange girl???" She doesn't know their names aside from Cat Noir. "Lead him between those trees." She points to the trees. Then with a quick action she zips her yo-yo string around the two trees making a trip wire." Then with a quick toss, she empties the bag of marbles around the trip wire. Its ready.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune isn't specifically warned to tone down the firepower, but she gets the idea when Sailor Mercury announces what's going on with the phone. "So it shall be!" Rune sticks her staff inside her dress' bow - the weapon inexplicably disappears, despite being taller than what she pushed it into. She then pulls out a smaller, red-tipped wand from the same place, emerging above the Shabon Spray bubble-cover...

...and discovers she must have passed him on the way up, since he isn't up here. He fell a few seconds ago. She still feels compelled to reply to what he said, shouting in dismay, "Level upon level... I could not imagine harming others even if DanDanPon AllStars Unite offered sixty, or even seventy, such levels! No tower, no matter its height," Rune has misunderstood the meaning of 'level' in this context, "could justify this!"

She falls, her mind's eye making a guess where he is based on where she heard him talking from earlier. Amy's own attacks - visible despite her obscured vision - help her narrow down Highroller's location. "...There!" Rune aims, and her smaller wand fires a thin, sparkling red ray down at Highroller!

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown glanced towards Mercury. Huh. She seemed smart. Though... the fuku had him concerned. Eh. Nah. Probably not one of the planet pilots. Maybe. It...

He cringed at the mention of 'is he cute too'. No. No he is not. WHY was there a CAT BOY?! Ugh. Please. No no. And then Adora makes it worse. "Wait. Catra is a CAT girl?! Ughhhhh..." he said. He already liked this less and less. But, fortunately, the youma was now on the ground... hm. Perfect.

He glanced towards the monster... then to ladybug. The head was coming at the youma from one direction, the rocket launcher from another. And then Ladybug had a plan. < Cut off all paths except the path to those trees, > he said, sending the plan through his device to the rest of the group.

            <Stinger Blade!>

About a dozen swords made of blue magic appeared overhead. They spun for a moment... before sailing through the air. Embedding themself along the path, towards those trees that Ladybug called out.

And it was purely coincidence that one of them clipped DANGEROUSLY close to Cat Noir's ear when it passed, making him cringe. "My, err, apologies," he said quickly. His cheeks a little red. Guhhhh. CATS! WHY DID IT HAVE TO BE CATS?!

Greta Legend has posed:
"Oh sod off! Everyone knows that Gacha mechanics only exist to milk the whales out of their money!" Greta yells at Highroller, just annoyed at his monologue. She does zip to try to catch the freed student, but the Big She-Ra beats her to the punch. Huh.

She then turns back to the boss, only to get blasted and bowled over from right up close, getting crashed into the ground, her barrier jacket shredding. "Ow, bugger..."

She picks herself back up slowly, shaking the cobwebs from her head, before hearing the callout form Ladybug. "The Uniform is Red and Yellow!" She doesn't argue, instead, getting herself back ino the air, and charging and diving for High Roller once more, aiming circle around from the side and charge him from one side on the knees to try to knock him off balance.

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
So many kids! Attacking all at once! He just wants to play his game! He just wants to FINALLY get Eli-chan! He's gotten so many characters he doesn't want in this rolling session!

"Of course gacha mechanics are a way to get money out of whales! That's why I've come to my senses! The easiest way to get money is to MAKE money!"

Which is where all these bystanders could come in -

He's seeing stars, suddenly, as the head of a distinguished donor strikes his helmet, cracking it. He's disoriented - utterly, purely, totally disoriented. A rocket strikes near his feet and he jumps, and a series of swords strike the ground, and this whole thing is getting out of hand! He needs more currency! He doesn't need asll this violence! He just needs -

And then he sees a clear path. The trees! He can just run towards the trees! There would be a path away from the school through there, back to the denizens of the regular world, he'd be able to make of them more coins -

Head spinning, obsession clouding his mind, Highroller runs for the trees... and is hit from above by the Red Princess' ray. The helmet shatters! The homeroom teacher turned supervillain blinks in the afternoon light, fumbling forward - and steps onto the marbles. A scene directly out of a cartoon plays out, the villain tripping this way and that over the marbles, pinwheeling his arms, and rolling directly into the tripwire. He goes fumbling, and the black phone flies free of his grip as Highroller goes sprawling on his back.

Ami Mizuno has posed:
Sailor Mercury stands back up as Highroller gets grounded again and before she can move she gets glanced by one of those beams, causing bright orange to engulf her shoulder as she yelps! She nearly drops the Mercury Computer as she frowns and touches there. That's. That's an odd feeling.

"S..!" she sterns her expression. "Shabon Spray Freezing!" she calls out, causing a wave of bubbles again, but this time, instead of a wave of fog that obscures everyone, it grows uncomfortably cold for the enemy, as she, swings her arm back over to her side, trying to freeze the extremities of Highroller in place, so that he can't grab at the phone again before they can grab at it again!

Adora Rainbowfist has posed:
"She-Ra, Princess of Power!," she calls out when called Princess Person. "Yeah, a catgirl! Well, a beastgirl that's a cat! Soft fur, cute ears, sharp fangs! The most whippy tail that never hides what she's feeling!" She sounds wistful as she battles. Girl is in love, love. "And I'm gonna drag her back to her senses whether she likes it or not! She can bite me all she wants, but she's gonna snap OUT OF IT!"

She does a superhero leap after the fleeing teacher, swinging her huge sword this way and that to keep him from choosing certain paths. And then he topples! She stands over him, leveling her blade to his chest, looming in all her majestic, rainbowy She-rahood.

"Someone grab that phone and break it! And as for you? Don't move or I'm gonna kick a better grade out of you!"

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Cat Noir lets out a beleagured sigh that was *clearly* over the top and not at all actually let down. "Ah well it never hurts to ask. My Ladybug rarely calls me cute. Le sigh." Yes he said le sigh. Theatrics aside as soon as Ladybug urges him to lure Highroller toward the trees he gives a quick snap-salute, standing straight with heels clicking together.

"Aye Aye, mon Ladybug!"

Without a second tease or joke he moves into motion with one clear goal in mind: Do what Ladybug said. A quick running leap sends him into the air--Where a sword clips his ear with a yelp! "Watch it!" And he soars over the fog toward... the... PHONE!

The fog obscures, but the green glow of his cat eyes manage to pick out the movement of the object as it skids away from Highroller. Landing in a crouch he doesn't bother to stand up straight as he instead lunges for it with a cry of, "Got it!"

Followed by a much more ominous cry of, "CATACLYSM!"

A sphere of pure destructive energy coalesces above his upraised clawed fingers right before swinging it down at the phone.

Greta Legend has posed:
Greta zips up into the air, axe at the ready, and then staring down at Highroller, and then the phone... "Is it over then? It's been a while since I haven't had to bring out my finisher, and I feel like it would be a little overkill dropping it on his phone..."

She then gestures to Cat Noir, "And Cat-Boy took care of that, I guess."

She turns and looks back to Highroller, just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Maybe another bad guy? Maybe a phase 2?

Give her something to whallop with her finisher, dangit!

Runealy Waldia has posed:
"That is a most horrifying interpretation of 'make money'!" Rune is shocked to hear Highroller's defense of his actions and plans, but now she can see him clearly as she lands... and Rune aims again as he trips. His helmet is gone, and he's hardly moving. This would be an easy, clean finish.

His helmet is gone. She can see the person underneath. The person she is aiming at. Not a demon, but a person. Her mother's long-standing advice to never hesitate in a fight was clearly not meant to apply to fighting people, and Rune takes it in the spirit intended. Shuddering from realizing what she almost did, Rune lowers her wand and keeps its ruby tip pointed at the ground. She might have moved to strike the phone, but She-Ra already has the right idea and Cat Noir has already moved to deal with it; she looks over to watch as Noir's energy orb falls toward the phone.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Ladybug watches as the plan comes to fruition. It went flawlessly. As the villain goes down, the phone comes out and goes flying. Ladybug is on the move at a moments notice. One small problem, she runs over the marbles and gets tripped up a little. She quickly gets to her feet, just in time for things to get foggy.

As she hears the called out attack, she knows exactly what is happening. Cat Noir got the phone. That means the akuma is loose. Quickly she opens the yoyo and winds up. "No more evil-doing for you little akuma!" She throws the yo-yo and catches it with a flourish. Withdrawing, she releases what is now a pure white butterfly, "Bye-bye little butterfly."

Turning her attention to the little sack that was holding the marbles she tosses it into the air. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!!" Immediately the little sack turns into thousands of butterflies. They all go flying, fixing anything that was damaged and releasing all the people from their coined prison. Even fixes the teacher's phone.

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown let out a sigh of relief once the job was finished. The phone was destroyed, the youma was defeated and... he lowered himself back to the ground. Glancing around. Adora he knew. Greta. A princess? A cat... boy? A girl in... he didn't even know what that outfit was but hey, apparently he looked like a 'final fantasy villain' so what could he even say? The rocket launcher girl he needed to talk with later and...

... things were being undone? He blinked and held up his rod. The zone they were in collapsed, the damage they'd done being undone. However, the impressive thing was the fact that Ladybug was repairing the damage from before they arrived, reversing time? No, creating new...

Okay, you know what? "We... done here?" he asked. "Thank you all for your contribution to this... stopping of this... ordeal. She-ra, please be more careful with your weapon, to avoid more destruction." And there he was. Calm tone again. Then he lowered himself down and just... walked away.

He was going to just... collapse into his bed. He hadn't even done much but, you know what? His head hurt. His head hurt like you wouldn't believe. And cat. There was a CAT BOY AND NOW THERE'S A CAT GIRL AND THIS ISN'T RIGHT WHY WHY DOES HE HAVE TO DEAL WITH MORE CATS HE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS?!!

Usagi Tsukino has posed:
The phone shatters. The akuma is released and then purified - and Highroller's high-tech costume disappears as darkness bubbles up and vanishes, the obsessive need to collect currency vanishing as well - leaving a very confused homeroom teacher to sit up and rub his aching head.

"What... just happened?"

No, seriously, what just happened? It all feels like a murky dream, and what he remembers isn't really possible, is it? How could he have turned people into coins? (Meanwhile, there's a ping! as that last coin turns back into a student, huddled with her friends. None of them will remember this.) But he's definitely on the ground, in the trees, surrounded by... bizarrely dressed children.

"Did I manage to interrupt the LARPing club or something?" He asks, sounding mystified.

The glories of the veil - as a perfectly ordinary person, he's not going to remember any of this soon.

Runealy Waldia has posed:
Rune watches as the phone is struck, then as Ladybug... solves the problem in at-first-confusing, then wondrous, fashion. She has no words, but a soft and pleased gasp follows as the butterfly emerges.

Then Chrono offers his thanks and comments. Rune is confused, walking toward him with a raised eye. She lacks context about how exactly She-Ra's flying sword arrived. "I am glad to assist, but what gives rise to such admonishment? I observed her give the true fight to our foe, much as you did, and she took all due caution in her actions! ...You are departing, so soon?" She's astonished that Chrono is walking off, but decides not to chase him; she's not that adamant about defending She-Ra's actions, especially since he didn't seem to be all that harsh toward She-Ra in the first place.

She looks back to their teacher, and offers a useless explanation in a relatively soft, reconciliatory tone: "Your telephone television did something most unexpected, yet it seems no great harm came to pass!"

Chrono Harlaown has posed:
Chrono Harlaown did pause for a second. Right. Right. He just... he glanced back to Red. And forced himself to keep that calm, soldier face. "When she summoned her weapon, it did a lot of destruction to the surrounding environment. Fortunately, the damage was repaired thanks to the efforts of that... Ladybug..." Slight eye twitch. "I was merely asking her to be more careful in the future with her summoning efforts. Nobody would want anyone to get hurt. I wish you well," Chrono said, that smile never leaving his face.

As he made the slow, long walk back to his room. Dehenshioning, a card appearing in hand.

Just... gonna collapse into his bed and sleep for a month. If only he could.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Once the Miraculous sets things right again Cat Noir is left near the returned-to-normal phone. His claws scrape against the ground to pick it up carefully as to not scratch the screen. He'd already destroyed it once--and it had been restored--there was no need to make it worse now.

The 'cat boy' moves over toward the confused teacher to crouch down beside him holding the phone out so he can take it again. "You're just a little over-worked, sir, you'll be fine. Here, you dropped your phone." With a reassuring smile he offers, "I hope you have good luck in your gatcha game! I always find the challenge the best part, even if you don't win, don't you?" Maybe he would learn to enjoy his game again without stressing out.

With that small task taken care of he steps away looking over at all the others--Chrono heading off looking very out-of-sorts (he'd have to check on him later), She-Ra heading off, The Red Princess lingering to speak to the retreating Chrono.

It's his turn to flash a smile as he approaches twirling his staff around to tuck it behind him where it shrinks back to it's compact size to settle at the small of his back, tucked into his belt. The longer length of the belt is left to dangle like a tail. "Great work everyone! We did it!" Hey at least HE is in a good mood!

"And of course," he adds, pausing near Ladybug with a disarmingly chesire smile, "You were amazing as always, My Lady."

Greta Legend has posed:
Greta lowers her device and sighs, "Great, well, I suppose that's over... New Mahous to meet I guess... I guess there's only one thing left to do.

*Ten minutes later.*

"I FOUND THE VANILLA EXTRACT!"

Greta calls in as she rushes back into Cooking Club. Now to finish her cake project....

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Ladybug smiles, "Thank you Cat Noir." She holds her fist up. "Pound it!" She says happily before her earrings beep at her. "Uh oh! I gotta go. I'm gonna change back. Thanks again everyone!" She takes off running and swings away on her yo-yo.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Cat Noir lifts his fist to bump knuckles with Ladybug saying simultaneously, "Pound it!" In a cheery, congratulatory manner. His own ring beeps at him so he's not surprised when she hops off as well. He just lingers a moment longer watching her go with a quiet murmer of, "Take care, Ladybug."

One last look is cast over the area to make sure everyone is okay before he too leaps off toward the rooftops to vanish.