Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 100: Masters of Madness
Date: November 7th, 8th, and 9th, 2004.
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile...
Aribar: *Teleportation...* "--t allies! ... Huh? What did you just do?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar appears in Kokiri Forest, with Metal Sonic.
Metal Sonic: "I can use the sword as much as the others."
Metal Man (GM): He hands it back to Aribar.
Metal Sonic: "Master does not want you to fail with the temple."
Aribar: "Grr... Maybe I don't want to work for this 'Master'..."
Metal Sonic: "We have... a plan B. First, you must convince the Questers you are on their side. Second, you need to give the sword to one of us."
Aribar: "Pah! You'd have a better chance at winning the lottery than having any of them believe me! Besides, that psychic cat could just mind read me."
Metal Sonic: "You could... be in disguise."
Aribar: "Look, Metal Sonic... I don't trust you or Zio... Or that evil Wolfman..."
Metal Sonic: "If you don't trust us, we will take the sword from you."
Aribar: "Over my dead body!" *He begins to back up.* "I earned this sword! It is mine!"
Metal Sonic: "You earned it? You've lost every task assigned to you. Every one. Even Robotnik has a higher success rate. And he's stuck in prison. Locos... he could use it..."
Aribar: "If I didn't have weak allies such as you I wouldn't be failing all of the time! I would have been able to kill Locos back there if you didn't teleport me away!"
Metal Sonic: "...Yes... or Tingle would have taken over the world."
Aribar: "... Grr... Give me one good reason why I should keep my alliance with you and not just try and conquer the world on my own."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic draws out a wickedly curved sword.
Metal Sonic: "If you do not keep the alliance... you shall have no head to conquer the world with."
Aribar: "Leave this forest at once..." *He readies the Sword of Darkness for a hopeless battle.*
Metal Man (GM): ~SWORD DUEL~
Aribar: "Is this your answer? Then so be it. Yaah!" *He starts with a quick stab to Metal Sonic's metallic stomach.*
Metal Man (GM): Miss. Metal Sonic cuts a sleeve off of Aribar's shirt. *SLICE* No damage.
Metal Sonic: "I might as well play with you before beheading you."
Aribar: "Grrr... Curse you! Die now!" *He brings the Sword of Darkness down upon MS's sword arm with a quick and inaccurate chop.*
Metal Man (GM): Miss.
Metal Sonic: "How about... THIS!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic makes a stabbing motion... the blade stops at about 1 nanometer from Aribar's right eye.
Aribar: "!!!"
Metal Sonic: "And now... to kill you..."
Aribar backs up... "I shall not die by your hands! Eggrobos, protect me!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic swings at Aribar's head, going to slice him in two.
Razor (GM): *whoosh.* A shadow seems to fly out of nowhere, along with a rush of wind... and a cloaked figure stands between Metal Sonic and Aribar. The blade is stopped in mid-swing.
Aribar falls to the ground... He looks up at this shadowy enigma of mysteriousness... .
Metal Sonic: "...Who dares stop me?"
Aribar: "... Ummmm..." *Blinks and tries to comprehend what just happened... .*
Razor braces against Metal Sonic's blade, a night black blade of energy with a green aura extending from his palm, the aura surrounding up to his forearm. His form is shrouded by the cloak... all but those big white wings. "...Chaos."
Metal Sonic: "If you want Aribar... he's become evil. He is no use to you, unless you seek to burn the world."
Aribar: "I am not evil! Take that back you mechanical... Jerk!"
Metal Sonic: "That blade says otherwise."
Razor smirks, his mouth barely visible under the hood. "Maybe I do... maybe I don't. It's not his time yet."
Aribar: .oO(Great... Death is here... He looks different than the last time I saw him... Plus he didn't have those wings...)
Metal Sonic: "...You must be destroyed. Prepare for battle!"
Razor's wraith blade flares with energy. "...if you want to kill him... you'll have to take me down first. Do you really want to take on the God of Chaos?"
Metal Sonic: "I am the God of Machines. You are evenly matched."
Aribar: "You seem really familiar... I kinda forget who, though..."
Razor: "You can only wish..." He pushes against the blade and leaps back, coming to a halt just in front of Aribar. "...what are you waiting for, Aribar... get the hell out of here before I change my mind."
Aribar gets up and starts to back away... Why would anyone help him? Who is this guy? Argh...
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic seems to be charging up.
Metal Sonic: "Target Acquired. God of Chaos. Orders: Destroy."
Razor grabs his cloak by the right shoulder and throws it aside. There he is... green body armor, black pants and boots... brown hair cut short and styled straight up with a black headband.
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic makes a throwing motion. He throws a lightning bolt at Razor. Miss.
Razor yells as he rushes forward, thrusting lunging out with his hand to take a hold of Metal Sonic, Chaoverge ready to run him through (Impale).
Metal Man (GM): Miss. Metal Sonic leaps by that, then counters with a quick headbutt. *SMACK* Then he does a flip, intending to hit Razor with a spiral of electricity. Miss.
Razor crouches under that. "FLAME RUSH!" His body is engulfed in fire before he dashes forward... and right through Metal Sonic if he can't get out of the way.
Metal Man (GM): He backflips away from that. He's super-fast. Then he opens his mouth, and fires three orbs of electricity at Razor. *1 hit, 1 crit.*
Razor grunts as he takes two of them and sprawls back. He pushes to his feet. "What... are you waiting for? RUN!"
Metal Sonic: "He is right... for if I defeat him... you are doomed."
Razor charges back in again. "DIE!" Chaoverge, which is held behind him, flares up with that green aura. He swipes it at Metal Sonic, right across the middle.
Metal Man (GM): *HIT.*
Aribar continues backing up slowly... He doesn't want to miss this fight plus he wants to see who this guy is... Aribar decides to duck behind the nearest bush or other suitable cover to watch the battle.
Metal Sonic: "A good hit... but can you follow it up?"
Razor brings his other arm around in an attempt to take a hold of Metal Sonic again (Impale).
Metal Man (GM): Miss. He jumps over the attack, then counters with another lightning bolt. Miss.
Razor leaps up into the air and takes flight to avoid that... now a good 18 feet in the air. His wings hold him aloft. "Wing Crush!" He snaps his wings forward, sending a wave of wind strong enough to cut straight at him.
Metal Man (GM): Miss. He's the second fastest thing alive... He attacks by trying to smack Razor with the back of his palm. Miss.
Razor thrusts Chaoverge forward, trying to run him through once more.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Metal Sonic: "Good hit."
Razor (GM): The blade would then flare to life as he Soulcharges it. If Metal Sonic didn't push himself off in time, he'd be up for some serious pain.
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic easily knocks the sword out of his gut and avoids the attack. Then he attacks back with a rapid-kick. *SMACK* Then he follows it up with a powerful punch. ...And gets his fist stuck in the ground.
Razor brings his Soulcharged blade crashing down on Metal Sonic's cranial unit.
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic rolls out of the way.
Razor pursues Metal Sonic with a Flame Rush. "You will NOT make a fool of me today, Metal Sonic! FLAME RUSH!"
Metal Man (GM): Razor kinda flails about and trips. Metal Sonic laughs and launches a lightning bolt at him. Miss. He tries it yet again. Well, the ground is getting toasty... but he hasn't hit Razor. Meanwhile, Aribar is still in some bushes, watching.
Metal Sonic: "Give it up..."
Razor lunges forward, charging up the blade with his spirit once more. His teeth are clenched and sweat is dribbling down his face.
Metal Man (GM): He bends out of the way, almost like he's made of rubber. Then he recoils and kicks Razor. *KICK* Then he fires off three more electric orbs of explosion. *Hit.*
Metal Sonic: "Now that I have defeated you, I shall destroy the other fool."
Metal Man (GM): Razor is still standing... but not very well.
Razor grasps his shoulder with his left hand, Chaoverge still burning brightly. He's breathing heavily, and looks rather bruised and busted. "...this... isn't over..."
Metal Sonic: "I will destroy you and Aribar. Unless you surrender."
Aribar blinks and wonders if he should help the God of Chaos person...
Metal Sonic: "Now then... where is Aribar?"
Razor: "...fat chance of either..." He pushes himself erect.
Aribar guesses that Metal Sonic can kill the elf whenever the robot chooses... Might as well go down fighting! Aribar rushes towards Metal Sonic with arcane words upon his lips. A raises the Sword of Darkness into the air as a wicked bolt of lightning blasts Metal Sonic.
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic laughs and punches it away.
Razor: "Damn... discretion is the better part of valor..." He whirls around and begins to flap his wings. He grabs a hold of Aribar's arm as he flies by and goes airborne.
Aribar: "H-hey! What are you doing?!"
Metal Sonic: "...Target is escaping. Energy is at 66.66%. Engaging lift rockets."
Razor: "Saving your life. Now... don't complain and start shooting him!"
Metal Man (GM): Razor starts to fly away, managing to get a head start.
Aribar: "But what is your real name? You certainly can't be a god!" *He says this between a few futile Bolt spells.*
Metal Man (GM): Metal Sonic lifts off, chasing Razor and Aribar.
Metal Sonic: "This makes it even more... fun..."
Razor: "What... did the haircut throw you that much? You'd know me better as Razor. We need to get to safety... fast!"
Aribar: "Grr... Bolt!"
Metal Sonic: "Curse you!"
Aribar mutters, "Razor?! Great... Being kidnapped by a Quester and probably gonna be taken back to that stadium to be killed..."
Razor: "If I wanted you dead, Aribar, I'd drop you."
Metal Sonic: "Here is my version of your pathetic attack."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar is teh struck by lightning.
Aribar: "Yaaah!! Thanks for the recharge!"
Metal Sonic: "What? Grrr..."
Aribar: "Just wondering... Where are you taking me?"
Razor: "Hyrule Castle... we can take shelter there."
Aribar: "Gah! No!! Lets just say... The Hylians don't like me since I took over the Kokiri forest."
Razor: "Who cares? Political asylum... they'd take you over HIM... Wait... can't you teleport with that blasted dark sword of yours?" He whirls about. "WING CRUSH!" He flaps his wings, sending another blast of wind at Metal Sonic before turning around and continuing his flight.
Aribar: "... Only to the X-Zone and everyone there is my enemy..."
Aribar: "Plus it only works once a day... And I've used that one charge up."
Metal Sonic: "No... not my thrust amplifier! AHHHHHHhhhh---"
Metal Man (GM): He falls out of the air, and into the trees.
Razor: "YES! Okay... if you don't want to go to Hyrule Castle, please tell me your preference is closer... or I'll just go straight to Quester HQ..."
Aribar: "Aaah! Umm... I have no where to go besides the Kokiri Forest... He would surely return if I was dropped off there too... I... Don't know... I don't know where you should drop me off at."
Razor: "I'm not just dropping you off somewhere... you obviously need a bit of protection. You stood up to Metal Sonic you numskull... so you can't be ALL that bad... maybe just misguided... I'm going to Quester HQ... even if you get shoved in the brig, it's safer than being out here, isn't it?"
Aribar: "... Just keep Gibby and the Sword of Light away from me... "
Razor: "...hmmm... Chaoverge told me all about your swords. Don't worry... I will. Light cannot exist without the Darkness, just as Chaos cannot exist without Order. It goes full-circle. The balance can't be interrupted."
Aribar: "Oh, and by the Sword of Light... ... I meant Gibby's frying pan..."
Razor: "I know, Aribar."
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile...
Charles activates the Emerald Locator. Metal Sonic said that the Hidden Palace is somewhere in the ruins. He still has his chair active, not wanting to walk on foot to know where it could be.
Metal Man (GM): ...There are no emeralds here. Charles' locator DOES show the master emerald being where he last left it... Metal Sonic's base near Death Mountain.
Charles facepalms. "I told him... I told the replica to return it here..."
Metal Man (GM): However... there ARE some interesting writings on nearby stones. 'Ioarm asw rehe'
Charles: "Hmmmm... carvings..." *He stores this into his database, and calls up Erwin.*
Metal Man (GM): 'Charm of esdi het rewabe'
Erwin: "Yes?"
Metal Man (GM): 'Uyb iaedopylnce Doenntni own.'
Charles: "I call at bad time, but job of fetching I give you. Can you go get Emerald, Master from near Death Mountain, come here to Sanctuary in Sky, and return emerald to altar?"
Erwin: "I'll do so as fast as possible."
Charles: "I pay extra for this mission."
Erwin: "Alright! Extra pay!"
Charles: "These are scramblings... hmm..yes. First says 'XXXXX was here.'"
Metal Man (GM): 'Het eyk is erndu het reuasq erldoub.'
Charles: "Second is 'Charm of dies the weabber. Buy apocalyse Donnecio now. And... 'The key is under the quasar' ...something. Ohhh!"
Metal Man (GM): There is, indeed, a locked door. And it needs a key to open.
Charles: "Sir Meta Knight, we must find a square boulder. Why we must find a key in the first place to access the hidden palace zone, I have no idea." *He searches around.*
Metal Man (GM): Locos discovers a square boulder laying right near that locked door.
Charles checks under it.
Metal Man (GM): Locos gets the SECRET LAIR KEY. Which it even has that written onto it.
Editor's Note: The messages from earlier are: 'Mario was here.', 'March of dies the beware.', 'Buy Encylopedia Nintendo now.', 'The key is under the square boulder.'
Charles: "...Wonder Erwin where is."
Metal Man (GM): The Dex shows that Erwin is currently blasting his way through Metal Sonic's heavily defended base.
Erwin: "I'm looking for it... *static.* there's a lot of those Metal Sonics, though! They *static.* have some *static.* that *static.* really *static.*. I'm *static.* the *static.*! I'll have to *static.*"
Metal Man (GM): The connection closes, but Locos still can track him through the base.
Charles: "Okay..." *He goes to the door and uses the Secret Lair Key.*
Metal Man (GM): It opens, revealing a stairway. A jagged, creepy one that leads down into darkness.
Meta Knight: "It appears someone has been hiding here..."
Charles: "Acknowledged. We will descend with caution. *He begins going down."
Metal Man (GM): Locos goes down, and hears strains of eerie music. He reaches the bottom. A high-tech room full of gadgets, screens, and weapons to make James Bond feel pathetic lies open to him.
Charles: "...This is all an illusion..."
Metal Man (GM): Let's see... there's the doorknob extractor, really huge deathray of doom, and the juicer of doomly doomness. There's various screens monitoring Hidden Palace.
Charles shakes his head fiercely in disbelief.
Metal Man (GM): ...Even worse, there's a screen for what each Metal Sonic sees.
Charles: "...Is this really the Hidden Palace of Angel Island?"
Metal Man (GM): Most of them are fighting with Erwin.
Charles: "...Erwin..."
Computer: "The Hidden Palace is next door."
Charles: "...This is the security room then... hmmm... someone must've built it."
Computer: "This is... 'Master's' secret hideout. He has set up security, so I advise you against touching anything."
Charles opens the door to the next way.
Metal Man (GM): The next area is a lava pit. There's a geothermal plant down here.
Computer: "You are at: Basement level - Geothermal Power Plant. Danger: Lava is hot."
Charles: "Meta Knight... what do you make of this?"
Meta Knight: "...Another clue as to our unknown secret enemy. This person has technology that outranks all others..."
Charles: "True, but I mean in regards to modern technology to an ancient cavern. Or perhaps even futuristic..."
Meta Knight: "They must have set up shop here for a while, and are using it to power something big."
Metal Man (GM): Locos sees, very simply, vats of water moving over the Lava. Very large vats. The water boils, and the steam turns a turbine. This in turn generates power.
Charles: "This place is really... classy." *He shakes his head.*
Metal Man (GM): The belt goes in a circle, apparently picking up water on the other side... or recycling it? Locos doesn't know.
Charles: "We can't be distracted. We have to do this before this... 'Master' comes back." *He continues along the path of the 'lab'.*
Metal Man (GM): Locos passes by some more neat machines. Most of them electrodes and boxes that regulate electricity.
Charles: "What... a... power freak."
Metal Man (GM): Then... he sees a beautiful bridge, crossing the lava. It's like an all-silver suspension bridge.
Charles: "Though I suppose we should learn from 'him' about the electrici--...beautiful... isn't it?"
Metal Man (GM): Also, strangely, the place feels comfortable, despite being filled with lava.
Meta Knight: "It most certainly is..."
Metal Man (GM): All Locos hears down here is the melodic hum of electricity and moving conveyor belts.
Charles walks across the bridge... feeling humbled by it.
Metal Man (GM): There's another door at the other end, which opens. The room in there is all marble, and a rectangle. 10 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 50 feet tall with crystal skylights letting the sunlight in. On the long wall in front of Locos are a variety of tokens... medallions... each one with a face. Only one is active; it shows Metal Sonic's face.
Charles looks to the others.
Metal Man (GM): The other medallions have a picture of E. Gadd, King Boo, Magus, Sephiroth, Deoxys, Chaos, King K.Rool, Zio, Meier Link, and Shadow the Hedgehog. The Metal Sonic medallion is currently coursing with electricity. Each medallion is plugged into some sort of power socket.
Charles: "This must be who he can control..."
Meta Knight: "Quite a peculiar arrangement... half of them I can't even recognize."
Charles: "The one of this... Deoxys I do not know off... The others I've either encountered or heard of..."
Dex: "Deoxys. A mutant pokemon which is claimed to have more power than Mewtwo. He has yet to be seen by anyone on Nintendus."
Charles: "That explains it." *He brushes his mustache.*
Metal Man (GM): Locos can also see, in yet more weird writing, words on the walls above the plaques.
Charles: "Come, let's move on..." *He notices them as well.*
Metal Man (GM): 'Lsoot of oltronc ermbnu 1.' Meta Knight nods. At the other end of the room is another door.
Charles: "Hmm... Tools of... something... number 1."
Editor's Note: 'Tools of control number 1.'
Metal Man (GM): ...It's opened by itself.
Charles notices it opening.
Metal Man (GM): ...A weird robot, having only the upper body, a primitive head, and two arms floats in. It looks like the boss from Sector X of Starfox 64 miniaturized.
Robot: "Routine Security Patrol in Progress."
Charles stands still and lowers his heartrate; another technique.
Robot: "Scanning for life. ...Two Lifeforms detected. Identity scan is null. Identify yourselves."
Meta Knight: "Uhhhh... Meta Knight, of Dreamland."
Robot: "Meta Knight. Classification: Neutral. ...You are allowed to continue your business."
Charles: "Charles L. Magellean of the second moon of Earth."
Robot: "Other lifeform scan pending..."
Charles: .oO(I can tell this will not end well.)
Robot: "...Charles L. Magellan. Classification: Neutral. You may pass... but do not touch anything."
Charles bows.
Metal Man (GM): It continues past Locos and Meta Knight, opens the other door, and disappears.
Charles: "Let us continue." He enters the door that the robot came out of.
Metal Man (GM): Meta Knight nods, and follows. This is a huge, square room. All silver. Industrial-scale lights in the ceiling. Hundreds of those robots line the walls. They're all deactivated. Occasionally, a robot comes in or out from three other doors. There's a computer in the center. Written atop it is 'Erstma otobr erutmpoc'.
Editor's Note: 'Master robot computer.'
Charles: "I'd like to know where actual Hidden Palace is..."
Computer: "Take the door to the right, then go down the steps."
Charles grunts with relief saying "FINALLY."
Meta Knight: "It is strange... what kind of master who attacked us before would let us march through his home base? This person is certainly mysterious..."
Charles: "The one who is so cruel and sadistic that he is able to be kind to us before he kills us, perhaps? He's gotta be that powerful to pull it off... Let's go." He is eager, and begins to walk fast towards the door that was said.
Metal Man (GM): Locos goes through the door, and enter a hallway. There are many doors, but there is also a stairway that goes down.
Charles is giddy, and walks down the stairs.
Metal Man (GM): Locos goes down the stairs, and see the heart of the Palace: The place where the emeralds are kept. ...And an unknown person standing there, attaching electrodes to the various slots.
Charles: "At last... where my sights are set. Erwin... Erwin! Can you copy?"
Erwin: "*static.* I am coming."
???: "Why, if it isn't Magellan himself. Waltzing into me base like a candy store. Well, I won't need to kill you, since you didn't touch anything..."
Metal Man (GM): The man turns around. He's rather short, and sounds like Robotnik.
Charles: "Then you... are Master."
???: "I am. I created this realm... and then some sour-mouthed kids named the Questers took it over. All of that will change soon."
Charles: "Indeed..."
???: "With the emeralds here or... there... I will be able to open the temple of Memnos."
Charles: "However, you have built this 'base' on the zone of the Hidden Palace. On what grounds to you believe you can do that?"
???: "It was created by the ancient Echidna to rule the world after they had gotten the emeralds. Because, this is but a duplicate. A fake."
Charles sighs.
???: "All such Saga landmarks on this planet are fakes."
Charles: "So... the actual Hidden Palace..."
???: "...Is on the other planet."
Charles jaw drops all the way to the floor.
???: "I can take you there, but first, you must hear out my plan."
Charles: "I will listen."
???: "Once I have collected all of the items of power, I will stick them into either here or on a special area atop Death Mountain's sister summit. Using their power... I WILL OPEN THE THOUSAND YEAR DOOR! ...Or temple, if you get what I'm saying. This temple, combined with those objects, will allow me to make peace and harmony for all. No more X-zone, no more Dark world, no more fallen Questers."
Charles: "Then why do you attack me?"
???: "My plan is a layer within a layer. Metal Sonic is the only one I can summon without emeralds or objects of power... And he is hard to control. Even he cannot control himself at times."
Charles: "If you wanted the white emerald so badly, I would've had no further need of it once I do what I need."
???: "He wasn't after the emerald... Aribar was. Because I wanted to make Aribar think he was big and strong... and then we could snatch the sword from him. But... he failed... which we did not expect. He has escaped with the so-called ruler of Chaos. Erwin shall be here in 3... 2... 1... now."
Metal Man (GM): Erwin walks in through another path.
Erwin: "I got the emerald! See?"
Charles: "So you... made a ploy to seem like you would kill me."
Metal Man (GM): He has the nearly-complete Master emerald.
???: "Yes... then nobody would think you were on my side."
Charles: "...OH DEAR IN LORD."
???: "The emerald is here, and now... I can summon my next tool of control."
Charles: "Not really... For what I need, I need the white emerald along with the Master at 100% completed. So then... how can I be sure that you are truly on the side for peace."
???: "You are of my alignment. Order. Together, we shall make the world lawful and peaceful."
Charles: "...Well... I do what unity of course..."
???: "That, and... I cannot break a promise to a friend such as you... bringing me the Master Emerald..."
Charles: "...What is your true name... only two other people now what I am..."
???: "Now then... it has come to my attention that this emerald is incomplete. My true name... I cannot tell you. It would make you suspicious."
Charles: "I'm already suspicious... but I will focus on this matter. Why is the Master shattered?"
???: "Metal Sonic. Yurie defeated Metal Sonic... and a piece of it got blown into one of her eyes. The other piece belongs to you. Remember?"
Charles shakes his head. He begins to feel depressed.
???: "You took a piece of it... someone did..."
Charles: "It seems like no matter how close I get..."
???: "It still works the same to me."
Charles: "There's always some other obstacle."
???: "The full emerald is only required for the temple opening. I only need 1/2 of it, even, to summon my next tool of control."
Charles: "It is also required to access... Without 100% of it, I'm not even able to enter the Special Stage."
???: "...Well, you certainly have a 4 dimensional mind."
Charles: "?" *He blinks with a puzzled look.*
???: "For the 'Special Stage' you refer to is the Y-Zone."
Charles: "Where the Chaos Emeralds were originally located, right?"
???: "Yes."
Charles: "Then... you know of the levels of the Y-Zone as well."
???: "I have a map of each dimension in my room."
Charles: "I mean about the higher level. At the price of not being able to hold the Chaos Emerald and for it to spread away again, one is able to access the Special Stage for the Super Emeralds."
???: "Yes... that is possible. But we need more emeralds. So... shall you stick the emerald in its base?"
Charles places the White Chaos Emerald to its proper holding place."
Metal Man (GM): Erwin sticks the master Emerald in.
Charles: "I seek the white Super Emerald because of its higher power and that, in theory, it is a part of the White Chaos Emerald in the way that it can nullify the evil in the other 6."
Metal Man (GM): The emeralds glow, and Angel Island floats off of the ground.
Charles: "That part of what I heard is true... right? Also... I remember a Quester being from Saga... Master, what are the tools of power? All I know of are the 8 emeralds, and the Swords of Light and Darkness."
Master: "There is the medallion of Order... and The Chaoverge..."
Charles: "...Razor? ...Heard of him being a god of something..."
Master: "Huh."
Charles: "What of the evils that I have under my control for now? If I left the military, would they truly run rampant?"
Master: "They would be leashed by the great temple."
Charles: "If I left now though..."
Master: "They would become the most potent destructive force known to man and machine."
Charles: "And of Smithy? ...Where's Meta Knight?"
Meta Knight: "I'm here... just been watching in awe."
Master: "Smithy would rule the world."
Charles: "Master, do you know of Meta Knight? I trust him, yet I wonder what happens to make him choose his agendas."
Master: "Yes."
Charles: "One more question before I go back... What're the medallions for? Like E. Gadd, Magus, and the one you control right now?"
Master: "They... summon those people and their respective powers. Metal Sonic is the master of duplicity."
Charles: "... I will take my leave, but I swear I shall return with the master emerald complete."
Master: "Thank you. I shall aid you with my new power, should you require."
Charles: "Can you tell me how I can get the piece out of Yurie's eye?"
Master: "...Just offer free surgery to restore her vision. Bring her here."
Charles: "She won't listen to a 'traitor.'"
Master: "That's up to you."
Charles: "So... will MS still attack me?"
Master: "No. You have defeated him, mostly, thanks to Erwin here. He is no longer of use to me."
Charles: "Erwin didn't defeat the true one."
Master: "The true one has been sealed away."
Charles: "So... the 15 that he created..how many remain? And of Aribar... and the Questers..and the Quester Hunters!!?"
Master: "3... Aribar has escaped... the Quester Hunters are unknown status right now."
Charles: "I'm not sure about what to do... There's 15 really powerful beings that live there..."
Master: "You should get the fragment from Yurie."
Charles: "Only one of the thirteen gentlemen have been defeated. The Questers went somewhere... The status of Zio, and can the X-Zone shield be repaired?"
Master: "Zio is stuck in the X-zone... with Wolfman. The shield can be repaired."
Charles: "How?"
Master: "I only know that they are, not how or why."
Charles: "I meant repair. Erwin, after he answers and I say goodbye for the final time, we leave with Meta Knight."
Erwin: "Ah."
Charles: "To repair the x-zone shielding, I need... How do I repair the x-zone shielding, sir?"
Master: "I can do that with the temple."
Charles: "When everything is collected... Yet when that happens, the x-zone will be no more right? Unless you refer to another temple, like this?"
Master: "Your first question is correct."
Charles: "Your statement was contradictory then. How can you repair the X-Zone shielding with the temple that will get rid of it in the first place!?"
Master: "Dimensions are very complex... it's a fourth dimension thing."
Charles: "So I have to stick with normal crap until all the things are collected... That can't work... isn't there an alternative to something that is as powerful as the X-Zone shielding?"
Master: "Well... you could cause the X-zone to implode on itself."
Metal Man (GM): And after a bit more conversation... Locos goes back to his headquarters. A while later...
Charles stretches out from some of the work he's been doing. Not exactly has been easy work.
Metal Man (GM): Ricky suddenly speaks to Locos via intercom.
Ricky: "Hello, Charles. It's been a calm day, but... Something has happened. Toad Town is empty. Completely empty. That is, the side the Quester Hunters took. They just... disappeared. I'm not sure what happened, but you might want to check it out."
Charles: *15 minutes later.* *He sets the Space Pirates, Smithy and the Machine mades aboard the Doomship and the Wing Fortress to investigate QH's HQ.*
Metal Man (GM): Charles takes off, both ships keeping even pace with each other. Up ahead looms the crooked ruins of Toad Town 2. Though nothing has been really changed since it was lost. He gets there, rather quickly.
Charles: "Slow to 1/4 our current speed."
Captain: "Aye aye."
Metal Man (GM): The ships slow down to approach the cities. A dark mist can be seen in and around the city. The ships land.
Charles: "You get the feeling... we're being watched?"
Smithy: "Yeah... that mist is weird, too."
Metal Man (GM): The landing ramps open, and the soldiers get out.
Computer: "Initial scans show 1 life form within the entire city."
Charles hovers 100 feet over the solders.
Computer: "Visibility is limited to 10 feet in front of your face."
Charles: "Pinpoint coordinates of the lifeform. All soldiers, keep a tight formation!"
Metal Man (GM): The soldiers salute and get in formations.
Computer: "It is at the center of the city. The mist consists of... pure evil, which emanates from this lifeform."
Charles travels at 10 mph toward the center. He brings along Smithy's Head and Ridley... in case it is of the Quester Hunters.
Metal Man (GM): They follow behind, making the three look like one odd group. The entire city is filled with ruins. There isn't a single corpse to be found. ...Locos starts seeing weird translucent plants popping out of the ground.
Charles begins to get shivers.
Metal Man (GM): ...They seem to be a part of a large plant.
Charles: "This is... most unwelcoming."
Metal Man (GM): They don't grow as one sees them; but they seem to live off of decay. It gets darker as Locos gets closer.
Charles turns on his brights.
Charles: "These plants are unnatural... even for this part of the planet."
Metal Man (GM): A single, newly built building is in the center. It's a dome. Locos can see... a beam of darkness going straight up into the sky.
Charles hovers downward towards the source.
Metal Man (GM): The door is open. All can hear some sort of evil organ music.
Smithy: "I can feel the darkness... but this is, unfortunately, not my own. You should go alone... we can... guard the entrance."
Metal Man (GM): Ridley nods.
Charles goes on.
Metal Man (GM): In the center, there is but one thing. A huge, beautiful yet evil plant of transparency in the center. It emits the dark fog from its pores, and at the same time, apparently someone enchanted a nearby organ to play music to it... There's also a note on the ground. It's face-down.
Charles: "...?" *He blinks and gets off from his chair..slowly. He approaches the note and to pick it up.*
Metal Man (GM): ...A message, scrawled in blood, is on the other side.
Charles tries to read it... might be scribble.
Metal Man (GM): 'You can't catch us... if you even try to stop us... you will be destroyed. Signed, Quester Hunters.'
Charles throws it on the ground. "I knew it! It was a trap! ...There's nothing I can do now..." *He quickly scrambles to get to his chair.* "Gotta get the hell outta here."
Metal Man (GM): ...Charles hears... something... but not something... behind him. A breath, and some muddy steps.
Charles attempts to get out...
Metal Man (GM): Charles easily escapes; but he can hear the... thing... chasing him.
Smithy: "What's the rush, Charles?"
Charles stops. He becomes aware that the music follows him as something follows him. "It was... a trap. They've left... but not before they left something here in case we became curious."
Smithy: "Let's blow it up, then! Ridley here and I, and you can take out anything."
Charles turns around to face this unknown. "It's time you showed yourself... we will not run."
Metal Man (GM): A being of complete darkness walks out. It does not talk... only almost blow your head off with a ray of darkness.
Charles: O_O "...Huh... huu-huuhh..." *He is in shock due to extreme fear.* "Huh... WHO you... are?"
Metal Man (GM): ...It does not reply... it's probably not human. It shrieks, though, in a way that hurts everyone's ears.
Charles holds one ear while trying to dex it. His hand is shaking in fear.
Dex: "...DING! Being of Darkness. Stats - UNKNOWN."
Charles: "..." *He is now calmed down, and puts his dex back in place.*
Dex: "...The Being of Darkness is spawned by its symbiotic relative, the Stalk of Darkness. The beings themselves are invincible; the stalk must be destroyed to make them mortal. They usually are set to patrol a certain area; in this case, Toad Town 2. If enough Stalks of Darkness are planted, the world will be overrun by these invincible and hateful beings. See Sword of Darkness for more details."
Editor's Note: If only it was that simple...
Charles: "...Stalks of darkness... Initially I thought stalking... but now that I think about it..."
Smithy: "Uhhh... sir... how are we supposed to destroy this invincible being of darkness? It looks... angry."
Charles: "A stalk can mean... a plant! Two of us have to destroy the plant while another distracts this being."
Smithy: "Don't look at me... I'm just a head!"
Charles: "...Well that rules out rock, paper, scissors. This is what we do, we can... A. Have the being with the least to lose to distract this... B. All three of us attack the stalk while constantly moving to avoid being mutilated. Meanwhile... I have the most to lose sooo..." *He turns on his chair to Instant Hyperdrive towards the dome and attack the flower.*
Smithy: "Hmmm..."
Metal Man (GM): Smithy follows Locos. Ridley decides to distract the monster. Locos reach the stalk, which glows with the eerie darkness.
Smithy: "Uhhh... Ridley is fighting the monster."
Charles: "His sacrifice will not be in vain... Fire your... uhh... Fire!" *He activates his lasers and the many chainsaws and hacks at the stalk.*
Metal Man (GM): Smithy shoots a white laser at the thing. The stalk... is unaffected.
Charles: "... Of course! This is of darkness... We need of something else... Smithy, I do not command you... But I ask of you... Since you are not affected as much by dark attacks like Ridley and I are... Will you do this on your own accord? I will not command you."
Smithy: "What do you want me to do?"
Charles: "Take Ridley's place in distracting the beast."
Smithy: "Sure. But this stalk here, it doesn't seem to be breakable by normal means..."
Metal Man (GM): Smithy floats out, and Ridley comes in. Ridley fires a ray of fire at the beam... nothing happens.
Charles: "Kajidoh, being of the dark alignment, will fare better then you would, however... something is different about this... if fire does not affect it, then what can... Ridley, do you have any attacks that would be of a beam of light?"
Metal Man (GM): Ridley shakes his head.
Charles shakes his fist in anger. He pounds it on the armrest. "I'll try this!" *He positions himself directly in front of the beam with his shields on.*
Metal Man (GM): Ridley watches Charles quietly... though since all he can speak is a series of screeches, he can't offer much input.
Charles: "I am trying different techniques to see what we can do to put out this plant. ...Perhaps..." *He tries to block the complete way of the beam with the bottom of his chair, still with shields on.*
Metal Man (GM): Nothing happens. Well, Charles' chair is now being pushed up by the beam.
Charles: "Ridley... do what you can on the outside..."
Metal Man (GM): Ridley goes outside and assists Smithy in distracting the being of darkness. Well... the plant is not effected.
Charles sets the chair to hover down to the ground, while he attempts to dive into the plant itself... by going against the beam.
Metal Man (GM): It blocks Charles... the beam continually pushes him away.
Charles: "...I'm going to land flat..." *He gets one last idea.* "Ridley, try to destroy one of the smaller stalks elsewhere. Otherwise, we need to bring life to this area!"
Metal Man (GM): Ridley tries that... still no damage.
Dex: "...From recent tests, it has been determined that these plants can only be destroyed by the sword of light."
Charles: "I should've known better..." *He tries to climb down the plant.*
Metal Man (GM): Charles climbs down.
Charles activates his chair. He turns to the exit.
Metal Man (GM): Ridley follows.
Charles: "Ridley, get the forces to get the hell outta here!"
Metal Man (GM): Ridley nods and flies ahead.
Charles gets to where Smithy and the other thing are fighting.
Metal Man (GM): Smithy is holding his own against the being of darkness... neither of them hitting each other.
Charles: "...Uhh... I hate to interrupt, but mind explaining how you aren't hurt, Smithy?"
Smithy: "I'm too fast for it!"
Metal Man (GM): Smithy's head is moving rather... fast.
Charles: "You can have fun with it if you want to continue; we're leaving this area. Can't destroy the plants as of right now." *He heads off back to the Doomship.*
Metal Man (GM): Another while passes... Back at the Magellan Tower, it's yet another unsettlingly peaceful day up in the heavens. The computers have been tracking a series of signals in outer space-- coming from what appears to be a black hole orbiting Nintendus. Yet it is and isn't a black hole... It has absorbed all transmissions sent into it, but has yet to threaten the atmosphere or nearby satellites. Charles' sensors have also have detected a variety of signals from Smithy's old base. The most interesting of them went as thus: "Begin the launch sequence." It was a computer voice, though, preventing any meaningful identification.
Charles: "This does not bode well. Kajidoh, what do you make of this?" *He asks this over the communicator.*
Smithy: "...Someone has taken over my base!"
Charles begins to choke on his sip of Coca-Rootba.
Metal Man (GM): Then, suddenly, you get a comms incoming... in fact, all of the screens are taken up by it. ...Eggman...
Charles: "Wh--" *cough.* "..."
Dr. Robotnik: "Hello, thief! It is time that I've stolen back my emerald, for the good of Robotnikland!"
Charles pounds on his chest to cough it up. He does.
Dr. Robotnik: "Within 5 minutes, my armada will blast your puny little tower into the ground!"
Smithy: "...We left him there alone... he must have escaped the prison!"
Charles: "...Smithy, you said you imprisoned Robotnik! What happened... We have no choice... Where were you left?"
Dr. Robotnik: "I was left in that pathetic prison of yours! It only took five minutes to escape, once you weren't looking! Now then... surrender to the superior might of the Egg Carrier Two!"
Charles: "You mean three."
Metal Man (GM): The screens show a markedly upgraded Egg Carrier coming straight towards your tower. A time, showing 5 minutes, starts counting, while Eggman laughs.
Charles: "Egg Carrier three? That second one was destroyed by Chaos."
Dr. Robotnik: "Until I fixed it up with the help of the QUESTER HUNTERS! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Charles: "Let's call it Mk. II."
Metal Man (GM): It only gets worse... streams of weird fighters fly out of the Egg Carrier. As well as an army of robots and tanks.
Smithy: "...So this is what the Quester Hunters have planned for us..."
Charles: "..."
Computer: "T-minus 4 minutes until we are in range of the Egg Carrier's main cannon."
Charles: "Shields up. Red Alert."
Ricky: "Shields are up at full power!"
Metal Man (GM): The alarms go off, again. People scramble to defensive positions.
Ricky: "Everyone is moving to operate defense turrets we've put up around the tower."
Charles: "It's times like these that I wish I had Smithy at 100%. That way, he could repair the X-Zone shielding..."
Dr. Robotnik: "Hahahahaha! Only 3 more minutes until you are destroyed!"
Metal Man (GM): The Egg Carrier's main cannon starts charging up.
Computer: "Abnormal energy event detected at Egg Carrier MK 2."
Charles: "General Lehi!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin warps in.
Erwin: "Yes, sir?"
Charles: "Deliver a critical blow to the Egg Carrier's weapon systems! Or all power generators."
Erwin: "Aye aye!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin warps outside, and starts charging up a HUGE Thunderbolt.
Charles switches to comm.
Dr. Robotnik: "Hahahahaha! You think one person can destroy me! He'll be standing there and get to watch you explode!"
Charles: "You could also go inside and do it." *He switches comm off.*
Dr. Robotnik: "2 minutes until you're roasted, toasted, and exploded!"
Metal Man (GM): Charles sees the cannon glowing yet some more... a rainbow color. Several red targeting things aim at the tower.
Dr. Robotnik: "Target locked! Prepare to fire!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin is charging up that bolt about as much as he can... and even adding a Shadow Ball to it!
Charles: "...Do we have any of the X-Zone with us, Ricky!"
Ricky: "Negative, sir. The X-zone has been almost completely unsealed as of recently. I'm afraid nothing in there can be held for long."
Charles: "This doesn't make sense... when Smithy was defeated, the X-Zone was sealed and the shielding inoperable."
Computer: "One minute until attack commences."
Charles: "Yet now, it's almost unsealed... and we still can't use it."
Smithy: "Yes... but... somebody appears to have reversed it. And it won't work until it's fully unsealed again."
Erwin: "I'm gonna attack it now!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin releases a HUGE thunderbolt of darkness at the Egg Carrier. It blasts the huge orb... and a huge explosion follows.
Charles: "Ricky, is the Omega Cannon operative?"
Metal Man (GM): ...When the dust clears, the cannon is undamaged.
Ricky: "Yes sir."
Erwin: "What? That doesn't make sense... that was a nuclear explosion, even!"
Charles: "...Transform the tower then..."
Dr. Robotnik: "You cannot defeat me! I have the Seven Stars!"
Charles: "Generate at frequency 11A-2002."
Ricky: "Affirmative, sir."
Metal Man (GM): Ricky presses some buttons, and the tower begins transforming...
Smithy: "He has the Seven Stars? That's horrible!"
Charles has now transformed the tower, that may look like booster tower...
Smithy: "Only the CHAOS EMERALDS can stop that kind of power! Unless... one of your scientists discover a weakness in it. They may, but... we have all that power pointed right at us."
Dr. Robotnik: "THREE! TWO! ONE! FIRE!!!!"
Charles: "Roger... over and out."
Metal Man (GM): The Cannon focuses on the Tower, and fires a continuous beam of rainbows at the shield. *BAM* *BOOM*
Ricky: "Our shield is getting blasted apart! We can't take that for more than... 5 minutes!"
Dr. Robotnik: "Muhahaha. All units, open fire!"
Charles: "With what little technology we have about it, but with knowledge... we must use the Omega Cannon..."
Metal Man (GM): The tanks and planes and robots start firing, and the Egg Carrier MK 2 uses all of its missiles.
Ricky: "We're at 40%! 30%! The shield won't hold much longer!"
Dr. Robotnik: "Fire! Fire! I don't want a single ATOM of those fools left!"
Charles (GM): The tower, from what looks like Booster Tower, starts to turn into a Nexus. It has roots growing from the bottom of the tower and embedding themselves in the compass directions.
Ricky: "Shield is at 20%! 15%! We're losing power!"
Dr. Robotnik: "An excellent shield you have there. Too bad I'll have to destroy it!"
Ricky: "We're barely holding at 5%! Barely..."
Metal Man (GM): The lights and electricity start flickering and shorting out at random areas.
Dr. Robotnik: "They should have been defeated by now... Shadow told me it could destroy entire civilizations by now!"
Charles (GM): It then begins to transform from a rectangular tower and shifting to a pyramid. The pyramid is of a silver color with windows to the four compass directions in the middle. There is a large pole that slowly rises from the top (where the points touch together like a pyramid; no platform) and on top of the pole is something similar to a large end of an arrow.
Dr. Robotnik: "What is that? Someone tell me what he's doing!"
Charles: "The integration of the technology will soon be tested. Let go of the shields and allow the energy to come directly to the Cannon."
Ricky: "...You're the boss."
Metal Man (GM): The shields go down, and the huge Seven-Star empowered beam hits the cannon.
Dr. Robotnik: "Yes! They have failed! I am triumphant! The Quester Hunters will worship me as their new God!"
Charles: "If all goes to plan, the beams would hit the top of the pool with the arrow and the windows that are being hit... and they will be absorbed."
Ricky: "Ummm... speaking of that... POWER LEVELS ARE GOING OFF THE CHARTS!"
Charles: "Adapting the shielding we got to the technology we have... even without the X-Zone... should be able to absorb the energies. Ahh yes..."
Dr. Robotnik: "Why haven't they exploded yet? I'm using ALL OF THE SEVEN STARS!!!"
Charles: "What is the current power output of the Omega Cannon?"
Ricky: "Uhhh... all I can see is an endless string of 9s that fill the entire display. Basically, you have the same amount of power as all of the chaos emeralds put together."
Charles: "This is overkill..."
Ricky: "...When they're being used at their fullest, nonetheless! It might even overwhelm those systems if it goes on unused..."
Charles: "Use the Arrow Star to shoot the beams upward to the atmosphere..."
Dr. Robotnik: "I've had just enough of this... someone, get MORE POWER!"
Metal Man (GM): The arrow star glows, and the energy is shot straight up into the sky... and it just keeps on going. People on Saga and all nearby planets would be able to see the rainbow-colored beam fly out of the universe.
Ricky: "Well... that's helping... but we need to get him to stop shooting our energy absorbers! We're still taking some damage..."
Charles: "When the Omega Cannon power levels are at either 300% or 400%, transform it into the satellite, redirect to the Egg Carrier, and fire."
Dr. Robotnik: "What? They're deflecting my beam? IMPOSSIBLE!"
Ricky: "Uhh... since we're now at 10 times full power, I'll just do that now..."
Charles turns on the communicator to Robotnik. "Doctor, I suggest you turn off your cannon now before you set yourselves to overkill."
Dr. Robotnik: "Never! I'm even going to get some help! Quester Hunters, FIRE!"
Metal Man (GM): A beam from outer space hits the temple. And continues hitting it.
Ricky: "...That's insane! We have an identical beam blasting our fields! Systems are going out of control!"
Charles: "The more power you give us, the more we will absorb and will fire back at you... Set the program protocol Sector 401 to Underground directory A-F."
Ricky: "Yes sir!"
Charles: "Now fire the satellite at the egg carrier... if he is to be blind with power, then we will put him with overwhelming power."
Dr. Robotnik: "Concentrate fire on the satellite dish!"
Ricky: "Open fire!"
Metal Man (GM): ...Well, basically, there is now two lasers hitting eachother... though Locos's laser is currently pushing back Robotnik's.
Dr. Robotnik: "Must... have... MORE... POWER! Quester Hunters! Cease Fire!"
Metal Man (GM): The beam stops hitting Locos's base... but it's pretty much too late. Robotnik's beam is being slowly pushed back.
Dr. Robotnik: "It can't be! My own power, so horribly misused! ...Egg Fighters! Deploy Attack Plan B!"
Charles: "In case we are absorbing too much power, we have the roots at the base of this cannon for a reason..."
Metal Man (GM): The fighters start flying towards Locos's base... collision course. Locos's computers start going crazy.
Computer: "5000 collision courses predicted."
Charles: "We have many turbines turning the energy into usable ones and sending it into the planet."
Dr. Robotnik: "If you won't surrender now... I'll blast you some ventilation holes in that stuffy looking base! ...WHAT? 10 seconds until core meltdown?"
Charles: "...Brace for impact. Surely our diamond-coated armor will fail..."
Metal Man (GM): *BAM* *BAM BAM BAM* The fighters start crashing into the base. The mere impact of all that fuel and explosives shakes the base.
Dr. Robotnik: "Fire all missiles!"
Metal Man (GM): The tanks open fire with about 3000 missiles of their own.
Charles: "Activate the vacuums."
Ricky: "Aye aye, sir. We're taking heavy damage. Luckily, we're just about done with that energy surplus."
Charles: When Ricky activates the vacuums, literally hundreds of snake-like things come out, but with huge vacuum heads, try to suck in the missiles."
Dr. Robotnik: "I'll get you for this, Charles L. Magellean!"
Charles turns off the communicator to Robotnik.
Metal Man (GM): The Egg Carrier 2 is hit by the ray, finally. The whole front end collapses, and the ship is blasted away, backwards.
Charles: "Had he, I would've been killed by now."
Metal Man (GM): The vacuums are working to a limited extent; there's too many missiles and ships crashing into things. The outside of the tower looks like it's covered in exploded blisters.
Ricky: "...The heat has gone through the diamond and melted the materials underneath!"
Charles: "We have the mixture of a titanium-diamond-purite alloys under the diamond coating right?"
Ricky: "Yes... but his ships keep on exploding in concentrated areas, causing enough heat to make even that spontaneously combust."
Charles: "Aren't the soldiers attacking!?"
Ricky: "His tanks and soldiers are setting up siege positions. Our soldiers are trying to get rid of them, but there's a lot of them. The Egg Carrier 2 has been disabled by that explosion."
Charles: "Fire the remaining power at the large portions of the hostiles."
Ricky: "Aye."
Charles: "That orbital thing is still striking us, isn't it?"
Metal Man (GM): The satellite fires several times at the enemy robots.
Ricky: "No... it cut out when Robotnik commanded it to stop."
Charles: "Deactivate the subroots."
Ricky: "Aye. We've survived a number of attacks recently... I hope they don't get any worse."
Charles: "...I believe they will, unless those Questers come back."
Ricky: "The remains of those machines are still fighting, but we've neutralized most of them."
Charles: "I want the reports of damage on my desk by the end of the afternoon."
Ricky: "Okay, I'll get to work on those."
Charles contacts Robotnik... or at least tries to.
Metal Man (GM): Charles gets a picture of Robotnik in the now crashed Egg Carrier MK 2. He's dusting himself off.
Dr. Robotnik: "What do you want? Another attack?"
Charles: "Came to check to see if you survived... seems you have."
Dr. Robotnik: "Survived? Hah! I could attack you like that again in an hour! Robotnikland is home to several fleets of these great ships!"
Charles: "Do not bluff. You need not to stoop that low. Anyway, if you had bothered you would realize that I don't have a Chaos Emerald anymore."
Dr. Robotnik: "Whaaaat?"
Metal Man (GM): Robotnik punches the control panel.
Charles: "Yet I must congratulate you, Ivo. You gave me quite a challenge today."
Dr. Robotnik: "Tell me where it is, or you will suffer daily attacks!"
Charles: "I will say this... Someone else has it."
Metal Man (GM): Robotnik points the camera to the background... Robotnikland in all its glory... and there's 6 more Egg Carriers waiting.
Charles: "Yet he wouldn't tell me his name."
Dr. Robotnik: "Sounds like he's afraid of being caught... I will find and destroy him. And... you too! ...Eventually."
Charles: "My friend... Hang on..." *He turns his communicator off.* "Erwin!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin warps in.
Erwin: "Yes?"
Charles: "You know where to warp me, right?"
Erwin: "Yes. To Master's house in the fake Angel Island."
Charles: "First, let's make a house call to Robotnik."
Erwin: "Are you sure? I didn't like the sound of those seven stars... To his crashed ship, then?"
Charles: "Yes."
Erwin: "Don't blame me if we're chased by robots..." *WARP.*
Metal Man (GM): Locos and Erwin appear on the bridge of the Egg Carrier 2. Robotnik is talking to Shadow.
Charles: "Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of ooiiiilll!"
Shadow: "...Don't fail this time. You know the price of failure."
Dr. Robotnik: "...AH! I mean... uhh... hello, Locos! Yes... this was my evil plan... to teleport you into my bridge and defeat you myself!"
Shadow: "...This is no longer your matter, Robotnik. I will deal with both of them. What are you two scumbags doing here? Then again... rats ARE attracted to trash like this ship..."
Charles: "I wanted to speak with this so-called 'failure'... alone."
Shadow: "I'm sorry, but he won't be dropping in for a while."
Metal Man (GM): Shadow presses a button, and Robotnik falls down a trap door.
Charles: "And to think..." *He looks to Shadow.*
Dr. Robotnik: "What is the meaning of this?" *disappear.*
Charles: "He was quite a challenge today."
Shadow: "Only because of us. The Quester Hunters! The Questers stole my memory... and they must be pay for it. Beginning with you and Aribar there."
Charles: "..." *He shakes his head.*
Shadow: "Robotnik is but our pawn. When you mess with him, you mess with us!"
Charles: "What is it with 'destroy the Questers' and 'get Charles Magellean'!? And he messed with me. There's a difference, dammit."
Shadow: "Well, that was true until you came here and spied on Quester Hunter business."
Charles: "Ahh yes... the white emerald..."
Shadow: "Being one of the Thirteen Gentlemen, I can't exactly let you escape with your life."
Charles: "I apologize for taking it with me with such force, but you people wouldn't exactly lend it to me... But I am almost done with it, and would be more than happy to return it."
Shadow: "Well, Ruvyn was useless... but the emerald is not."
Charles: "...The Thirteen Gentlemen!?"
Shadow: "Yes. Ever since you killed Ruvyn, we have reformed ourselves to be more... effective."
Charles: "...Then... what reality... can you control. ...and... I didn't kill him..."
Shadow: "Time and Space, of course!"
Charles: "Robotnik betrayed him!"
Shadow: "Robotnik is too much a fool to betray anyone. He was shivering just at the mention of how horribly you killed Ruvyn."
Charles: "That didn't look like it when I saw him push Ruvyn."
Shadow: "Ah, right... well, if you're going to hand over the emerald, take me to it yourself. I will not wait. I cannot let it stay in the hands of our enemies."
Charles frowns and shakes his head slightly.
Shadow: "If you decline, then I shall show you the true might of Chaos Control!"
Charles: "It's... almost done... but not yet... sides... I gave it..to a friend. So..it can be done faster."
Shadow: "Lead me to this fellow, and we can easily convince him or her to drop it. We have a policy of noncompromise. Either you do what we say, or you sleep with the fishes."
Charles: "Well it's funny you should mention that. You see I had this policy too..."
Metal Man (GM): Shadow disappears... then reappears, holding you by the neck.
Shadow: "TELL ME NOW BEFORE I SQUEEZE YOUR ANNOYING HEAD OFF OF YOUR NECK!"
Charles: "...huuuhhh... All... right... juu--" *uhhuuhh.* "...let..." *heehh.* "...go."
Metal Man (GM): Shadow throws Charles into a console.
Shadow: "I won't bargain with you. It's basically this: Your life or the emerald. None of you can warp away as long as I am here. And if I even see someone make a move, they will most certainly regret it."
Charles: "Very well... it's in a location called 'Realm of the Heavens."
Shadow: "Realm of the heavens? Odd that you say that. Perhaps I shall scan it right now..."
Metal Man (GM): Shadow goes over to the computer terminal and starts typing.
Shadow: "...There's nothing here... what are you babbling about?"
Charles: "Erwin... whenever you're ready to get us outta here..."
Metal Man (GM): Erwin nods slowly. Shadow starts walking towards Locos slowly.
Shadow: "You liar! I should destroy you on the spot for that..."
Charles: "Well you are looking in the wrong realm of the heavens then..."
Erwin: "Hey, hotshot. Try this!"
Charles: "You see, I was talking about--Glower Tower, now Erwin!"
Metal Man (GM): *The entire world blurs.* You can see Erwin trying to open a portal and take you and himself into it, but Shadow is at the same time trying to counteract it.
Shadow: "You... can't... leave!"
Erwin: "I'll destroy us all before letting you stop me!"
Metal Man (GM): Erwin and Shadow start fighting. The portal to escape is right there.
Erwin: "Leave while you still can! I'll have to fight him off..."
Charles gets something from his pocket.
Shadow: "Grrr... of course... I can't attack both of you at once!"
Charles: "You want it so badly... then take this Emerald!"
Shadow: "...A fake emerald! JUST what I need to upset the balance."
Charles throws in the opposite direction of both the hedgehog and portal. He dashes to the portal.
Metal Man (GM): Shadow lunges out to tackle Charles, but then is hit by Erwin. Charles escapes... but it's unknown what happened to Erwin. Charles appears back at the tower. It seems like no time passed since he began warping.
Charles: "Ah yes... Glower Tower..I had hoped I would be seeing it later than sooner. Youuuu--whhooooo! B..."
Metal Man (GM): The area where Charles warped flashes a bit, but nothing warps in.
Charles: "...Bootastic Boo Brigaaaaade! Wheeerree arree yoouu?"
Metal Man (GM): The boos appear.
Boo1: "Hello, Locos."
Boo2: "How's it hanging?"
Charles: "No time for hellos. Your partner is trapped with one of the Thirteen Gentlemen at the crash site of the Egg Carrier 2 Mk. II."
Boo1: "That's horrible! ...But also a little bit far away."
Charles: "Yes I know... Shadow is too powerful for Lehi right now. I hear something about his name being something like... Dooshlish... Doopliss... Dooshliss... something along those lines... can't be right."
Boo1: "Doopliss... that is his name."
Charles: o_O "I can see why that would hurt him. It's a ridiculous name!"
Boo2: "His powers are based around people not knowing his name."
Charles: "Does... pretending not to know his name count?"
Boo1: "He becomes nearly invincible as long as he holds someone else's form."
Boo2: "Sure."
Boo1: "You have to literally shout the name at him for it to effect him."
Charles: "Would saying like in normal tone just hurt his ears?"
Boo2: "Nah... it'd also work. Just saying it out loud in front of him works."
Charles: "I see. well regardless..." >_> <_<; "...There a way to get to ground without falling?"
Boo1: "We could carry you."
Charles contacts his chair. "My ride should be here in about... one hour." He makes the motion to come to the coordinates of the glower tower. "...Pretzel party, everyone! And do your best to be the best Boos you can be and try to give me a GRREEAT scare!"
Boo1: "Yay!"
Boo2: "Yeah... get the pretzels!"