V.I.R.A.L

Serval streaming drones flooded the cavern where the battle had heated up. Donations and cheers poured in from the obedient viewers tuning in for a good fight oblivious to the real danger the streamers were in. Even if they were aware, little cared, it was all just entertainment for them.

Portals were ripping open everywhere, blocking each attack coming at the girls. Alice was putting in little effort standing still as portals were covering every flank the priests had on her. While Jinx and Scarlett struggled to keep the three devotees to Vanguard at bay, Alice was taking them all on by herself without raising a finger. She ripped open one more portal turning to Iris. "Now." Iris snapped her hand around as two cubes raced into the portals. Priest David stepped back as a dozen portals opened, making it impossible for him to tell where the cubes would attack. Crushing her fist, the cubes flooded up, turning into spear-like shapes cutting through the Priest. He fell to his knee, holding his wound before screaming out, teleporting his spear everywhere using the same tactic. Alice met his demands creating portals every time he would indicate an attack. However, soon enough, even Alice wasn't able to keep up with the speed as David was only growing stronger with each passing second. The spear crashed by scrapping Alice as she stumbled forward holding her head. She glanced down at her hand, looking blankly. "It appears the Alice has taken damage."

Iris raised a barrier around everyone as Priest Michael was already starting to break it down. "Alice, are you alright?"

"The Alice does not require your concern; she is fine." Alice cold stated, holding her head. "She will take care of these villains."

"We need to work together to take down these Cult members. Running in blind is going to get us hurt."

Iris stood up nodding. "While I believe my sis can take these guys down by herself if you have a plan, we will hear it Zinnia."

"I have just the thing. The priests are protecting the Nun. I can stop her. I just need you two to take care of the priests."

Scarlett smirked as four tarot cards began floating around her. "Consider it done. Jinx, I'll need your help."

"What with?"

"Causing chaos."

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The barrier was broken through as sharp projectiles were edged into Priest Michael, while it managed to break through his metal skin Nun Mary's powers built up his defences to stop them. This wouldn't stop, however, as Scarlett created a storm of psychedelic projectiles using the powers of the four arcana's she had her disposal. Iris would block any third-party attack from David as Jinx cocked a machine gun setting it up. Turning behind, Alice set up a portal in front of David. He flinched as a hellfire of bullets travelled towards him. Moving his hands around, he began teleporting each bullet away screaming out as Jinx's final shots fired off. Teleporting them all away it was then the last shot fired which he was unable to stop. His eyes widen as he was shot directly in the chest as he collapsed to the ground. Priest Michael turned, seeing his ally down as he tried moving over to him. Each step he took, he began to feel heavy before he fell forward rusting up. His whole body began to creak as he was taken down. "What?!"

Priest David turned his head bleeding out, seeing Zinnia pinned down Nun Mary holding her head, clearing all her thoughts, creating the opposite intent. Instead of encouragement, she gave them doubt and guilt. "Checkmate." Zinnia whispered in Mary's ear.

Iris smirked, holding Alice's head. "Well, well, well. Isn't that your first takedown of a villain Zinnia?"

Zinnia gave innocent childish smile nodding. "It is. I took down the villains."

"You saved my bacon, I guess. Losing one of my lives is annoying." Jinx admitted t-bagging Michael.

"The Alice finds that attack ineffective."

"Yeah but it humiliates the fuckers."

Priest David lies back coughing as he held his hand out. "Mother Agartha, hear my plea. My soul is your soul. My strength is your strength. Free us all from torment." A small light flickered as David lay back. "It is done."

Scarlett held him up. "What the hell did you just do?!"

David chuckled, leaning his head back. "Giving my strength to the Mother. Her might will crush the traitor once and for all."

"What traitor?" She snapped.

"The betrayer of his will. The traitor to us all. You know who we speak of and now he will die."

"Percy! He's talking about Percy!" Zinnia muttered.

Iris turned to her sister. "We need to get back to the hideout now!"

"The Alice agrees." She grumbled, creating a portal holding her head. "We must go now."

Everyone began stepping through the portal as Zinnia finished tying up the Cult members. She stood up nodding. "Hold on, Percy we're coming!"

****

"This plan worked like a charm. Not a single Cult member insight." Gale chuckled strolling through the base. "See Percy nothing to worry about."

"Something still feels off, though."

"The kid is just paranoid. He needs to learn to count his blessing when they are in front of him." Harmony brushed off, sitting down with her band setting up lunch. "Melody I brought the egg sandwiches this time just like how you asked.

Melody, a small restraint girl, leaned overtaking the sandwich nibbling it. "It is perfect, Harmony."

Another member began pouring drinks as she handed each one of them a glass. "My manager made us his famous green tea. I made sure he made extra for you Tempo."

The only male in the group, a large muscular man who like the rest wore the idol dress of a short blue and white crop top and a skirt. He took the cup with one giant hand bowing. "Thank you, Vivace."

Gale stood over them his eyebrow twitching. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Enjoying a meal little boy." He replied. "We cannot work on an empty stomach after all. Come sit, join us. We made more than enough food. We like your streaming name so you can eat."

Gale turned to Percy confused as Percy shrugged his shoulders. "Shouldn't we be fighting on taking down the rest of the Cult. Our friends are risking their lives for their part in the plan, and you're just sitting here eating a picnic."

"This boy has not rhythm. His whole attitude is flat." Vivace sighed, dancing her hands around the small cakes.

"Bah, you would think being apart of a team called Rhapsody would teach him harmony." Tempo barked.

Gale shook his head in disgust. "Whatever, you ponies can eat away while the real streamers do their job."

"And how exactly is this a job for streamers?" Harmony started sipping her tea. "Our role as idols isn't far off what your role is. We both are here to entertain our audience. We find that through music and harmony. You find that through fighting crime. The way I see it, raiding evil Cults to save the city isn't something Streamers should be doing. Most of us here are just doing it for the promise for the number one streamer spot. What happens here today is none of our concern."

"People are dying, and the Cult is being manipulated and brainwashed into fighting for Vanguard how can you say this is none of your concern."

"I think the pipsqueak doesn't understand the situation." Tempo chuckled. "Do you really think we were chosen because we are the strongest? The teams chosen for this stream aren't the best. There are better streamers out there more up for the task. Only Revert and Ruby are in the top ten streamers power-wise. We were chosen for a marketing push. Come watch the biggest stream in V.I.R.A.L history with Harmony as the guest streamer. It puts butts in seats like nothing. At the end of the day, this is nothing more than another scheme for V.I.R.A.L to make the big bucks, taking down an evil Cult and a mass villain is just the cherry on top."

"You little prick." Gale hissed.

"Don't Gale. They aren't wrong. That is how V.I.R.A.L works. It's how Vanguard would work. But we are different. Team Rhapsody fights to save people and bring the concept of heroes back into the world."

"Sounds just like something the traitor of V.I.R.A.L would say." A voice howled. Everyone turned as a girl in a white gown stepped forward bowing. "An honour to meet you all. I am the mother, Agartha."

Gale smirked cracking his knuckles. "Oh, the big bad boss of the Cult reveals herself. Take you down, and the Cult falls apart."

"We'll see about that." She smiled clicking her fingers as dozens of Cult members appeared surrounding the Streamers. "You will all fall beneath the might of Vanguard.

Harmony sighed, wiping her mouth. "What a bother and all this food took so long to make. Tempo."

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"Aye. I hear ya." He barked, standing up towering over the Cult. He threw his sandwich away as his body began to grow muscles expanding. He picked up serval Cult members effortlessly crushing them under his knee.

Percy turned to Agartha summoning serval clones to take on her. She smirked, holding her hand out as Percy's clones were countered with clones of Vanguard. Percy flinched stepping back. "What the?!"

Gale jumped to the action as Agartha clicked her fingers shards of ice bombarded Gale, he kept on his toes powering up. Agartha stepped back, pulling up a cube blocking his attack as the cube smacked him down serval times before she teleported him away. "Those powers…"

"You worked it out yet?" She spoke teleporting towards Percy. She gripped his neck, teleporting both of them to another room in the hideout. There, dozens of Cult members flooded the room as it was just Percy by himself. Agartha kicked him back as blood poured around her controlling to her every command. "We've been watching you all for a very long time Traitor. This is the powers of your plagued streamers who defeated our messiah. Look around Percy, no allies, no way out. This is how it is going to end. Using your team against you as well give the traitor of V.I.R.A.L what he rightfully deserves."

Percy stood up, holding his waist panting. He looked around, keeping his cheeky smile. "Bring it on. I'll save you all from his clutches!"