Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 180: Stadium Defense
Date: 7:43:29 PM, April 5th; 3:53:05 PM, April 6th, 2005.
Wolfman: "He's with Julian right now. His body got incinerated from some Bazooka, and we're probably going to try to get him back into shape when we return."
Metal Man (GM): Charles: You're gonna hit the stadium soon.
Charles Magellean and the rocket go into several barrel rolls to avoid trees and bushes.
Mewtwo: "...It sounds like we'll need to search for a 1-up mushroom!"
Charles Magellean: "Hannnggg ooonn!"
Wolfman: "Wouldn't 100 rings also do it though?"
Mewtwo: "That sort does not reverse death."
Charles Magellean pushes the 3 breaks on his left, right, and second left so velocity decreases steadily.
Mewtwo: "1-up mushrooms, on the other hand, allowed Mario to survive about 15+ true deaths."
Wolfman: "Hmm... that does make sense somehow."
Mewtwo: "It also freed him from being turned into a painting."
Metal Man (GM): The ship lumbers towards HQ.
Wolfman: "I'll keep that in mind." *To Bobs* "We're about there; think you can land this thing?"
Locos Docos (GM): The rocket slows... and slows... and finally goes to a steady stop at the sidewalk that's in front of the Quester stadium.
Julian Sawyer: "Does this thing have a radio?"
Charles Magellean: "Not in this mode, no." *He and rocket go to a full stop.*
Tetra: "I don't feel well."
Julian Sawyer: "Eh. Anyways, thanks for the ride."
Metal Man: "If I wasn't half-cybernetic, I would have passed out from the g-forces."
Charles Magellean: "Well maybe you were better off on the ship."
Julian Sawyer: "Roller coasters are great."
Tetra climbs out of the rocket chair once it stops.
Wolfman attempts to land the ship with the Bobs' help.
Metal Man gets out... forgetting that he's attached to Charles... then falls on his face. "...Uuuuuugh..."
Tetra: "Are you okay?"
Metal Man: "Being paralyzed, then shaken up... it does not do well for my balance."
Charles Magellean is pulled and falls on top of Illian. "Hey, I'm a damn good driver! Just think what would happen if I drove a CAC."
Metal Man: "...Hello Charles. And Charles 2. And Charles 3."
Julian Sawyer: *Climbs out of the chair, putting Sha'fol over his shoulder.* "A What?"
Metal Man: "A... CAC... the thing I drive horribly... I mean... perfectly!" *He eventually gets up, and wobbly stands.*
Charles Magellean gets up and transforms the chair from 6 way to one way.
Tetra blinks a few times.
Charles Magellean then transforms that back into suitcase.
Metal Man (GM): The ship comes into view.
Tetra: "Well then..."
Metal Man: "Ahhh... there's the ship."
Wolfman and Bobs go for the landing sequence.
Metal Man (GM): It goes for the landing sequence.... While Metal and Charles enter the stadium....
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "I am sorry to report, but..."
Grodus: (Loudspeakers) "Gaaack aaack aaack!"
Wolfman: "What is it..."
Grodus: (Loudspeakers) "You have transported my troops to your base!"
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Grodus: (Loudspeakers) "All forces! Attack!"
Julian Sawyer: "Dammit! Not again!"
Tetra: "What the?"
Metal Man (GM): X-Nauts pour out of the ship... jumping out... the like...
Aribar hrms, beginning to think that to solve this he should just avoid th---What is that stupid head talking about now?!
VG: *To Dex* "Mewtwo, intruder alert!"
SIMBER: "All alarms on."
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "I'm reactivating the Solarian machine. This is bad."
Wolfman: "Bob, you can easily destroy our home you know!"
Tetra: "Stop! There's friendlies down here!"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Solarian machine. Destroy all X-Nauts."
Wolfman: "That, and we're housing other people in there right now!"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Do not fear; it is precise."
Wolfman: "...alright."
Computer: "Error. Solarian machine has been sent off line by the pseudo cube launcher."
Julian Sawyer: "...Y'know what, fine. Attack. JUST LET ME GET INSIDE!"
Grodus: "Gaack-aackaaaaaack! Fools! I anticipated Sha'fol destroying the machine!"
Aribar: "...Bob, where would the attack from the machine come from?"
VG attempts to use his Administrative powers on SIMBER to try to find some X-Nauts and perhaps launch a hidden trap or something.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads for the friggin' entrance of the stadium.*
Metal Man (GM): You can run into the base, which is now attacking the X-Nauts with lasers. Smashers are streaming out, too.
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "...The docking bay."
Tetra fires three shots into the X-Nauts and runs for the entrance to the stadium.
Wolfman: "VG, Aribar, go to the docking bay and prepare for battle."
Julian Sawyer: *Is walking to the base, Sha'fol over his shoulder, apparently paying to mind to the battle going on around him.*
Aribar: "...About where is that at, and what would the charging sequence look like?" *The elf hopes Grodus cannot hear this.*
VG goes to the docking bay.
Aribar: "Where is it at from me right now that is."
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Well, it's down the stairs, and then you go forward through one... two... three rooms to get there."
VG follows those directions.
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "They're haphazardly leaping into battle... this is your battle, Aribar."
Wolfman: "Bob, should we repair the cannon?"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "The people into the ground can't enter, and Grodus is surrounded by machines. Not enough time."
Wolfman: "Then what do you advise?"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "It, too, was damaged shortly after firing."
Aribar: "...My battle...?" *The elf feels confused... Then thinks...* "Do you know what Grodus fears most?"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "We must continue to man the defenses, keep X-Nauts from taking the ship."
Aribar: "Perhaps I can intimidate him into surrendering."
Wolfman: "Just GO Aribar!"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Grodus hates it when he is surprised. He is proud, and based on predicting all that happens."
Wolfman makes sure that all defenses are running.
Aribar: "Hrm... Then I have a very chancy idea... VERY chancy." *He dashes towards the docking bay.*
Metal Man (GM): You leap into there...
VG follows Ari.
Julian Sawyer: *Enters the stadium, and heads for the Big Room to deliver Sha'fol.*
Metal Man (GM): You get to the docking bay...
VG and Ari see... what?
Metal Man (GM): Grodus sits there, defiantly, in his body. He's ordering X-Nauts.
Aribar looks and hope the Solarian machine is there.
VG: *To Ari, kind of quiet* "What do you have in mind?"
Metal Man (GM): Grodus sits there, defiantly, in his body. He's ordering X-Nauts.
Aribar whispers, "... To bring the Solarian machine back online and to charge it to full power... If it's here."
Metal Man (GM): --> Inspired partly by this midi. http://sss.metalman88.com/audio/yyz.mid
Grodus: "You cannot defeat me. It is impossible. Turn back. You can survive, and my X-Nauts may fail."
VG: *Quiet, Ari* "Anything I can do?" *He waits for Ari to answer.*
Aribar whispers, "Try to get Bob to do anything in his power to show part of the gun in this room... Like announce on the PA that the gun is charging or something."
Grodus: "Make up your minds, before I must destroy you."
Aribar walks forward and yells out to buy some time, "Grodus, Grodus, Grodus... You've forgotten something... Something fatal. The Solarian Machine is not destroyed!"
Grodus: "I have predicted that."
VG attempts to do what Aribar just did... quietly.
Grodus: "But if you use it here... you will destroy your own place. You cannot fire it at the inside of the ship. That is impossible."
Metal Man (GM): He walks closer... his shape changes.
Aribar: .oO(Crap... Ummm...)
Metal Man (GM): He becomes far more humanoid... with glass (or is it diamond) viewing things on his head, elbows, shoulders, knees, and ankles.
Aribar: "Which is why Oak and others at the Stadium have put what we have learned from the Solarian Temple to more practical use..."
Metal Man (GM): They show powerful circuitry, and lights, working quickly.
Grodus: "The possibility of failure has been noted, and accepted."
VG attempts to find a way to contact Bob to show part of the gun and say it's charging or something.
Wolfman wonders if he can see what's going on down in the docking bay, if not hear.
Aribar tries to act like he's reaching into his pack and act like he's pulling out something. It is then that he activates his Illusion spell...
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Solarian gun activated. Charging for attack."
Grodus: "I do not fear death. I can be rebuilt, like I have many times."
Julian Sawyer: *Arrives in the Big Room, and walks over to Mewtwo, still carrying Sha'fol.* "What's going on out there? And where do you want this guy?"
Grodus: "You cannot destroy me."
Aribar attempts to make it so that some sort of gun that looks sort of like the Solarian architecture comes out into his hands... He makes it glow white like it was charging.
Mewtwo: "Stay in here. The X-Nauts are merely fighting a pointless battle."
Metal Man (GM): Grodus freezes in his tracks.
Aribar: "This here is... A hand-held version of the Solarian machine."
Julian Sawyer: "So where do you want Sha'fol?"
Mewtwo: "Take him to the medbay."
Grodus: "You are not skilled enough to use it in a permanent way."
Aribar: "It can channel the power from the main machine through this gun... I am quiet positive it could destroy you."
Julian Sawyer: "I'm on it." *Heads for Med Bay.*
Metal Man (GM): Grodus continues walking towards you.
Aribar: "Oak and Mewtwo have simplified it... Even a Goomba could use it!"
Grodus: "That is an acceptable risk. Kuja has told me to do anything I can to destroy you. I must succeed or die."
Aribar: .oO(I don't have much longer on this illusion...)
Grodus: "Or, if you surrender or flee, I will be excused."
VG wonders what else he can do to help...
Aribar: "One shot and this gun would totally decimate you..."
Wolfman: *Like wise what VG said.*
Grodus: "One-tenth of me, destroyed? An acceptable risk. You do not know what your own words mean. Something is wrong. A normal person would have destroyed me by now. What do you want?"
Aribar: "I am giving you the chance to surrender."
Grodus: "Machines do not surrender."
Aribar puts his hand behind his back just in case the spell's duration ends...
Julian Sawyer: "You're lucky I'm such a nice guy," *Julian says to Sha'fol* "Other people would've just dumped you in the lobby..."
Aribar: "We've also modified this just in case a desperate moment like this happened..."
Julian Sawyer: *Is well aware that Sha'fol cannot talk back.*
Grodus: "You have chosen to die. So be it."
Metal Man (GM): Grodus fires a lightning bolt. It nearly singes Aribar's right foot.
Aribar: "We've made it so that this gun would unleash a massive EMP blast that would knock out electronics for miles around! Even if only part of you is destroyed your whole army would be incapacitat--Gah!"
Grodus: "But I intentionally sent my army to fight an unwinnable battle against you. If you destroyed them, you would serve my interests."
Julian Sawyer: *Enters Med Bay.*
Grodus: "It is to make Kuja hate you. He is less biased than you would think."
Wolfman wonder if he can help somehow from up at the Bridge/Quester Destruction room.
Julian Sawyer: "Yo. Mewtwo told me to bring this guy here."
Dr. Mario: "...Nothing I can do but ensure his body doesn't deteriorate. But good job."
Aribar is a bit surprised by it, but keeps his balance... He attempts to recast the Illusion spell to make that gun hold out a bit longer, only with a bigger charging motion. He points it at Grodus.
Metal Man (GM): Dr. Mario gets to work on it.
Aribar: "This is not even a hundredth of this machine's power! Even Kuja will bow before it's might!" *The elf tries to fire an uncharged Terrorbolt at Grodus... He hopes it looks like the beam came out of the gun.* (120% Electric.)
Metal Man (GM): He's hit... full on.
Julian Sawyer: "Well... do your best..." *Goes back to the Big Room, apparently having nothing to do.*
Grodus: "That is only one thousandth of its power."
Tetra is sitting in the big room. "Um... what do we do?"
Grodus: "Use the full power, coward."
Mewtwo: "Wait."
Aribar: "That is what you want me to do... So why should I, really?"
VG returns to the docking bay... door frame.
Aribar: "This is our last means of defense. Once we use this we are weakened and can be easily attacked and defeated."
Grodus: "Good idea. You shall leave now."
VG gets a DeathZooka charged up... just in case... provided Grodus doesn't pay attention to him.
Metal Man (GM): Grodus taps his staff... a trapdoor appears nearby.
Aribar: "...I am merely stalling until the defense forces come."
Metal Man (GM): Grodus completely ignores VG.
Grodus: "Hmph. Feel my own power."
Metal Man (GM): *BZAP* 70 damage to Aribar... electric.
VG will fire at the last possible moment... or close to it; hopefully, it will have hit the three charged levels by then, and the banter will continue.
Aribar blinks... "Hah! Pathetic."
Tetra: "I wish we could see what's going on out there in the ship."
Wolfman is still trying to be sure that the defenses hold, no breaches occur, etc.
Julian Sawyer: "Activate the camera."
Metal Man (GM): Wolfman: Only through constant supervision, can you prevent them from invading the bridge.
Aribar recasts the gun illusion as he pulls it back out... This time the elf shall be using greater power to attack Grodus. "Fine. I shall use some more power!"
Wolfman constantly supervises then.
Tetra activates the camera and watches the goings on.
Metal Man (GM): Cameras turn on, showing in the lobby of Quester HQ, Aribar talking to Grodus.
Aribar attempts to will his life force into a beam of energy to fire at Grodus... Basically using the Sacrificial quirk to hurt Grodus if possible.
Metal Man (GM): ...Your brave attack is just the right thing. *BAM.*
VG will fire the DeathZooka at Aribar's sacrificing moment for extra pileup.
Tetra: "What is that he has? A gun in the style of a Solarian weapon?"
Grodus: "...Defeated... by a fake gun and a carousel..."
Metal Man (GM): He falls down... and explodes.
Aribar would fall down to his knees, drained from giving a third of his entire life energy into the beam...
Metal Man (GM): The X-Nauts continue fighting, but are destroyed.
VG then notes the Deathzooka... for some reason... THAT exploded as well! .oO(...it was worth it.)
Aribar dispells the illusion of the gun... "That... Was close..."
VG goes to Ari to make sure he's alright.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar and VG gain 300 EXP.
Tetra: "Hey that gives me an idea!"
Wolfman: *From Bridge position* "Good job."
Julian Sawyer: "Actually try and make one of those things?"
Aribar: "'allo, VG... He's gone, right? No heads rolling about?"
Tetra: "Exactly."
VG: "I think you took his head out before it could roll."
Julian Sawyer: "Can't happen."
Metal Man (GM): The ship lands. All is safe. The doors open. Mewtwo comes out.
Wolfman: "Thanks for the help Bob." *He joins the others.*
Mewtwo: "Good work."
VG also joins the others.
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "You're welcome."
Aribar: "Good... Let's get back to the stadium. Too much has happened today..." *The elf wobbles up to his knees and begins to shake off some of his weariness before following Veege and Wolfman.*
Tetra: "Sure it could. It wouldn't be nearly as powerful as a true Solarian cannon. But it might be possible to incorporate the technology into a smaller form."
VG hears the tail end of that... "If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, stop thinking."
Tetra: "Why? We could have a powerful device to destroy that Kuja guy!"
Julian Sawyer: "It'd probably explode the first time you used it."
VG: "There will be a way to defeat Kuja... but I doubt that would do it."
Tetra looks dejected. "Well... I want to help you guys at any rate. Would it be possible for me to join up with you?"
Aribar: "The only way I stopped Grodus was with a cheap trick and by sacrificing some of my life! ... But still, if a safer version could be made it would be an excellent weapon."
Wolfman: "If you wish to Tetra. But I still want to know how you managed to get onto that ship in the first place."
Julian Sawyer: "That IS a good question."
VG goes to the "mission board" to see the rewards and stuff.
Mewtwo: "We have the Solarian weapon here. Nova will test it out."
Metal Man (GM): Awards: Mission Grade: A+ Coins for all: 6000
Wolfman sends another 1K to Master Hand.
Aribar: "I think we really should leave the Solarian technology alone... Sha'Fol sacrificed his life to destroy it... Hrm..."
Julian Sawyer: *Looks to see if any special awards were handed out.*
Aribar: "I must be going! Places to talk to, people to visit." *The elf hurries off into the stadium.*
Tetra: "To be honest it was a freak accident with a misfiring teleporter invention."
Aribar counts various numbers in his head while heading to the offices in the Stadium.
Metal Man (GM): A second special one.
Wolfman goes to Oak's lab... he's going to try to find a way to speed the development of his updated Armor.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: +2000 coins. Extra Attack.
Aribar heads to Wolfman's office and knocks on the door. "Hello? Master Hand?"
Master Hand: "?"
Tetra: "Quick question. Would it be possible for me to look over the ship? Even if I can't reverse engineer a usable weapon from it, maybe I can find some way to defend against it should this happen again."
Aribar: "Hey, ummm... I owe 5000 coins to Wolfman for some items that he bought for me... Could you just give this to him? Uhh... Don't tell him it was from me, or he might give it back... Okay?"
Master Hand: "Okay, yes. I shall hide it in his payment."
Aribar utters a thanks and dashes off to his room.
Wolfman is heading down towards Oak's lab during that conversation that he never heard.
Tetra: "Would it be alright for me to look over the ship? Even if I can't reverse engineer a usable weapon maybe I could find a way to defend against that technology should this situation ever occur again."
Mewtwo: "Yes."
Charles Magellean must follow Metal.
Tetra: "Thanks!" *He runs off to wherever they're keeping the ship.*
VG goes to his room, where he opens the Book of Carrying Items to hopefully find a way to actually carry more unique stuff... (aka, transition part from Smasher to Item Mancer; will actually change later)
Metal Man: "Now then, Charles. I shall release you from my own custody... and place you in the custody of the stadium." *He sticks four bracelets on Locos's ankles and wrists.* "These will stun you if you attempt to escape. If they are broken off, all doors will close. You will not be allowed near the warp room, or the outside. Two doors in from them... leaving only the central-most floor one level, and most of the upper levels. I must rest. Later, we shall talk."
Charles Magellean: "Is this the consequence for the fax not being able to come here?"
Metal Man: "This shall not be for long... Not just that... but I want to get to the bottom of why you change your mind so much. I want you to take a side and stay with it; even if it must only be your own. I also wish to eliminate the mindless malice Aribar has against you."
Charles Magellean: "Me arriving on the ship was a coincidence, not a conspiracy."
Metal Man: "I know."
Charles Magellean: "Now go. I'll be waiting here."
Metal Man: "I shall rest. Do not try to escape; the Questers will be assigned to get you back. What they do shall be far different from my neutral ways... I am afraid."
Charles Magellean: "I can take 'em all on!" *He laughs with his eyes going the opposite way of cross-eyed. He stops laughing.* "Bye."
Wolfman guess Oak is sleeping or something.
Metal Man: "Bye." *He walks off.*
Aribar heads down to G&W's shop, Wand of Wonder in hand.
Mr. Game and Watch: "Hello Aribar."
Aribar: "'allo, sir... I was wondering... You recharge weapons with magical abilities, right?"
Mr. Game and Watch: "Yes... if they have used up all of their magical abilities."
Aribar: "And not a charge beforehand?"
King Demon practices in one of the holo rooms.
Charles Magellean being imprisoned in room, still does not know what he was handcuffed for nor what will happen.
Mr. Game and Watch: "Well, you can waste previous charges, but 90% of the original 50 charges have to have been exhausted."
Aribar: "...Looks like I'll have to wait a bit longer before recharging my only weapon then." *He sighs and goes to look at the MP restoring items.*
Charles Magellean: "Grrrrrr... I want out!"
King Demon steps out of the holo rooms and hears something, is it locos?
Aribar jumps, startled by hearing Locos... He hurriedly puts back a Royal Syrup and dashes back to his room...
Charles Magellean is handcuffed at four places on his body. Illian has made sure he will not escape from SSQ HQ this time. Charles is on the upper floors, forget which room though.
Metal Man (GM): I'd say this would be a storage room.
King Demon goes up to the upper floors, believing that to be the source of the shouting "Hey Dex, can you locate Locos?"
Smash Dex: "Storage room, floor three."
King Demon goes there and opens the door "Hey Charles, you here?"
Metal Man (GM): Locos is right there, handcuffed.
Aribar reaches his room, and quickly opens, heads, in, closes, and locks the door. He slumps down, panting from the run... He is still a bit shaken from the shattering of his perception yesterday... The elf isn't ready to face Locos or Metal.
Charles Magellean: "...What do you want."
Metal Man (GM): You three are in this room, which seems a bit odd to you. Locos: Your dex would be beeping.
Charles Magellean: "...I thought I got rid of this blasted contraption."
King Demon: "Need some help?"
Charles Magellean: "...That would be... appreciated." *He has some disgust on his face.*
Aribar slowly unlocks his door and pokes his head out of it.
King Demon looks at the handcuffs "I don't suppose you know where the key is, do you?"
Aribar: "...Coast is clear... Maybe I was just hearing things?"
Metal Man (GM): They're black, and thin rings that cover Charles's ankles and wrists.
Aribar hrms and decides he needs to relax... He heads down to the cafeteria.
Metal Man (GM): Charles's 'Dex' continues to beep.
Aribar looks to see who would be currently in line to get food once at the cafe of teria.
King Demon attempts to undo the restraints.
Metal Man (GM): Not many people. You see Metal, Mario, and Link. Alarms go off. The doors lock.
Metal Man: "Charles has attempted to escape again."
Aribar: .oO(AAAH! I've been caught without even casting Illusion!)
Metal Man walks off, the only person allowed to open doors in this type of emergency.
Aribar dives under the nearest table and covers his head with his hand.
Wolfman and VG wake up from our naps... or whatever we were doing.
SIMBER: "Charles has attempted to escape."
Charles Magellean: "No I haven't!"
Metal Man emerges in Charles's room.
Wolfman: "SIMBER, keep him detained, and turn off the alarm in my room please... even reploids need recharge time!"
Metal Man: "...Demon, you aren't supposed to even be here."
King Demon: "I'm not?"
Metal Man: "The alarm turns off everywhere, saying 'Situation resolved' No... well, even then, not trying to free Charles."
King Demon: "Ok, time to go!" *He teleports away.*
Charles Magellean: "You... when you will let me go?"
Metal Man: "Now then... seeing the rather opportune time we have here, we might as well get these things resolved."
Charles Magellean: "If not, then at least get this dex answered!"
Metal Man opens the dex.
Aribar looks up from under the table, but keeps quickly ducks back under it to hide...
Metal Man (GM): http://www.vgmix.com/songs/NoWave_-_Subject_1W-Angf7(Final_Fantasy_7).mp3
???: "I can free you, Charles."
Metal Man: "Weird... a voice message. Oh well. Too late." *He closes the dex and gives it back to Charles... then helps Charles stand up.* "Now then. This way. To the cafeteria."
Charles Magellean walks as a captive, and slowly.
Aribar attempts to cast an illusion to make it look like random Toads were eating at the table he's under.
Metal Man begins walking to the elevators with Charles.
Aribar: .oO(Mario and Link may think it's weird... But ah well.)
Metal Man (GM): *A few seconds later.*
Metal Man walks into the cafeteria, with Charles. "Aribar. Come out, please. I am here to resolve some problems. Hmmm... I wonder where those Toads came from... Oh well. If he doesn't come out, then he won't get any comments or words in on what we are to do."
King Demon appears in the cafeteria.
Metal Man: "If he truly hated you, he'd try to get you punished." *He sits at a nearby table, with Charles.*
Aribar attempts to make them appear as if they walk out that other exit, and dispels the effect after they leave.
Metal Man: "Now then. Since Aribar is not here, he shall not be included... and it would be inhumane to continue to detain you like this. The first problem is simple. Do you or do you not want to be a Quester?"
Aribar listens up to this, but does not make a move...
Charles Magellean: "Tell me the consequences or either answer."
Aribar: .oO(He knows I'm here... I'd bet on it.)
Metal Man: "You see, you cannot just leave. You must be de-initiated." *He whips out... the backup fighter remote.* "This, of course, will only make it impossible for you to use the special moves that Questers are usually restricted to. If you wish to remain a Quester, then you must stay here. No Questers are to be aloof, any more. The last one... Yurie... seems to have vanished."
Charles Magellean: "Then I will no longer be a Quester."
Digifanatic is not in R&R at the time, but his room instead.
Metal Man: "Make your choice. Complete freedom without special abilities, or limited freedom with pay and special abilities. Then it is thus... you must be careful, too."
Aribar attempts to move towards Metal and Locos's table a bit, but still be concealed under his own... He wants to hear this.
Charles Magellean: "From what?"
Metal Man: "Because you can no longer die more than once. These abilities are powered by a decreasing line of proprietary energies. We cannot waste them on those who use them for wrong. Are you sure?" *He begins pressing buttons on the ye olde Fighter Remote.* "You shall be known as the first de-initiated Quester. I have it ready."
Aribar begins to hrm about his bad view of this event, but quickly quiets himself.
Charles Magellean: "I belong elsewhere. I no longer belong here. I have grown too different to how the lower Questers act and think."
Metal Man: "Then it is final." *He presses some buttons. A bolt of electricity would mildly zap Locos... causing strange things to happen.*
Metal Man (GM): Locos: You no longer have a 'level'. You now have 3x your normal HP, too. Also, if it fits you, you can gain proprietary moves which suit you... much like an enemy or a non-Smasher non-Quester goodguy. You may carry as many items as you wish, but can never use the moves the Questers or Smashers use, and are unable to activate spells hidden inside weapons. Other things, too, shall be done, once we discuss just what type of character you wish to be.
Metal Man: "The de-initiation is not 100% potent. you can still use badges and items, and even a large variety of our weapons. Now then... Question 2... Who do you and your forces align with? If not other forces, what side do you fight for?"
VG wakes up after having a LONG nap... those last few chapters really racked his brain about item carrying and learning how to gain more through a sacrifice...
Metal Man: "You must choose a side, or face destruction. I cannot let a loose cannon leave. Only one that has a target. And if you truly abhor this planet, then you shall seal yourself away, forever... It is my duty to prevent another Mega Mack fiasco. And another Valhalla fiasco. And even another Smithy fiasco... it just hurts to think of how many times you have not made up your mind."
Aribar hrms, wondering if it is because of his hated of Locos that all of this has happened...
VG goes to his personal bathroom to get cleaned up. (will continue this part after you guys get done)
Metal Man: "Do not think of attacking me, either... with the fighter remote, the user gains powers which are often referenced to in myths. Armageddon."
Metal Man (GM): The entire room of people would feel a chill down their spines.
Wolfman was in his room... he doesn't feel a chill.
Charles Magellean: "..."
Metal Man: "It cannot destroy enemies so easily, no; but those who are trying to take over this place or who have rebelled can be annihilated in seconds. That is why there have been very few direct attacks."
Aribar shudders and mumbles, "I thought only VG could use that..."
Digifanatic looks at the Dex for a minute. "Hey Dex, can you please contact the new person we came across that last fight?"
Metal Man seems to have an emotionless, cold expression, as if he's staring into Magellean's soul. Not even Kajidoh could replicate the silent judgement he was making on Charles' character.
King Demon sips his soda as he watches Metal and Charles.
Metal Man: "I should add. History has never seen what happens when the leader of the Questers activates the fighter remote's 'failsafe' ability."
Charles Magellean: "I have thought about it."
Aribar decides he should exit the room lest he gets caught... The elf tries to conjure up an illusion where a giant Bomb-Omb appears... He tries to make it flash like it'd explode soon.
Metal Man turns to the illusion. He presses a button. It suddenly implodes.
Aribar hopes that catches their attention... He then tries to crawl out from under the table and towards the other exit.
Metal Man: "Do not disturb me." *He then turns to Charles, oblivious to the small crater and fire where that door was.*
Charles Magellean: "With the exception of you and Yurie, the Questers have done almost as much as the ones that try to oppose what society accepts on this planet."
Metal Man: "And beginning with you, I shall stop that. You're lucky... the people lower down in line won't be treated so... cordially. My armor restricted my mental capabilities, much like a helmet did."
Charles Magellean: "Just what are you insinuating?"
Metal Man: "I saw the goal, but I did not see to the side, what we did and how it affected others who were not in the way. I am saying that I shall crack down on foolish behavior. There shall be, eventually, a test, which shall tell me who can be trusted to do what. Each person shall receive a designation, on what they do. All, of course, will have to pass the combat test. But that shall take time. You are my primary objective. Now that you are not a Quester, I must certify what your efforts will do. If they are for harm, then Questers shall most certainly invade and capture your entire operation. I'll let you go, even; the Questers and I like a good fight. And I'm a fair person. If they are for anything else, then you are free to go with your own devices. That is what I must judge. The Questers are behind you, now."
Charles Magellean breathes and stares into Illian's eyes. "This is what I would like to say. The Questers, excluding you and two others, have become corrupt, arrogant, and impulsive."
Metal Man: "It shall be dealt with."
Charles Magellean: "I am taking an extended vacation to help my own world. Whatever actions I may do here, if any, will not be malicious. Do this as a favor for me. Make this organization how it used to work. How it was efficient, how the members felt proud."
Metal Man: "Thus shall be done."
Charles Magellean: "If you don't do something about it, they'll turn as mindless as many of the Axiom of the Balance people. And I don't want that. When conditions improve, I promise I will come back."
Metal Man: "I am their head. They shall listen to me, as you have, or be destroyed. This fighter remote..." *Sound of it turning off* "Tends to have a personality of its own."
Charles Magellean: "But until Aribar learns to accept cultural boundaries... Until Gibby learns to not be loud-mouthed and obsessed... And until Wolfman and VG work better and have a clear mind... ...I can't stay. That is my answer."
Metal Man waves his arms; the cuffs fall off. "Run... run as far away as you can, then. Take your belongings; they're right outside the front door. You no longer exist; none shall attempt to go after you, save for those who we cannot controls. Such as the mindless destroyers who have taken over Eisnaught. But even now; they will probably not be able to chase you. Save for... Lumis Dongthar... but for once, that's a dispute that is yours, not mine."
Charles Magellean: "People keep saying about that, and I keep asking 'Who?'. So... this means that I am no longer welcome here in this building."
Metal Man presses a secret switch on the bench. A computer screen appears.
Metal Man (GM): The image and information of Lumis Dongthar appear upon it. Video taped conversations between him, and Grunty, and Doopliss, and even Locos, whenever they occurred, play.
Metal Man: "This is Lumis Dongthar; take this information as you want it. And you are not welcomed back here, unless you seek to become a Quester."
Charles Magellean: "Don't remember, but I'll keep a mind on it."
Metal Man: "Oh yes... one more thing."
Charles Magellean: "Very well, then. Just make sure that it happens, okay?"
Metal Man: "I have here... a black envelope which was set for when you left." *He gives Charles the envelope.* "I do not know what is inside; it is for your eyes only."
Charles Magellean takes it and puts it in his arm. "Perhaps... we all have something to learn."
Metal Man: "I hope to see you again on better terms, myself."
Charles Magellean makes a quick smirk. He then extends his arm.
Metal Man shakes Charles's hand... without any handcuff tricks.
Charles Magellean shakes back then let's go.
Metal Man: "Now, at least, I can focus on the true villains. Those who destroyed Ivan's utopia. Grodus may be dead, but his tricks, and maybe even his backups remain."
Charles Magellean: "Their good thing will come to an end also."
Metal Man: "Farewell, old friend. I hope to see you again. Take your true vacation, for once."
Charles Magellean: "Das vadanya, comrade. If Kuja ever rears his unsound head around, give me a message taping. I'll be able to help now more than ever." *He turns around and leaves.*
Metal Man: "With that issue finished... I must find Aribar." *He begins walking around, as things resume to normal... and the crater is filled.*
Charles Magellean takes his bags, his chair, and opens the portal. He now goes back to second moon.
Aribar has listened to some of their conversation, but partway though he just bolts to his room and locks his door once inside... The elf blames himself for all of this, and other things like Kuja's coming and Grunty's corporation.
Metal Man: "SIMBER. Find Aribar."
SIMBER: "In: Aribar's room."
Metal Man: "Easy enough." *He begins walking to Aribar's room.*
Digifanatic contacts the new guy by asking Dex to "Please contact the Artificer that helped in that last fight".
Smash Dex: "Referring you to... Tetra."
Digifanatic: "Ah. Thank you."
VG goes to his personal bathroom to get cleaned up... when he notices a slightly new look in the mirror.
Metal Man (GM): Tetra: Wherever you are, a holoscreen would appear, with Digi's face on it. Think of it like super-video conferencing.
Aribar sighs, and slumps back down against his door... The elf wonders if Nintendus would have been a better place without him.
Tetra was startled at first by the holo-screen and dropped the papers he was working on.
Digifanatic: "Hello, new Quester. I'm afraid we never got to know each other after that last fight."
Metal Man suddenly knocks on Aribar's door.
Tetra: "Gah! Why'd you do that!"
Metal Man: "Hello. I know you're in there."
VG has gained a whole inch in height, some muscle, and a general sense... of toughness. Needless to say, he screams.
Wolfman hears the screaming, for he lives next door...
Metal Man: "Please open the door... before the door suddenly ceases to exist."
Tetra tried to gather all of his papers up. "Oh... uh, hi!"
Digifanatic: "I'm sorry, but I just like to get to know the new Questers ASAP."
Wolfman knocks on VG's door: "What's going on in there?!?"
Aribar: "N-no I'm not! This is... Uhh... Aribar's twin brother who sounds exactly the same and who he never told you about!"
Metal Man: "Hmph."
Aribar: "Hold on! Let me just unlock the door..."
VG gets a towel wrapped around him, then answers... it's da Wolf.
Aribar tries to remember who is on the rooms to the left and right of his own...
Digifanatic: "My real name is Ian, but most people around here call me Digifanatic, semi-obviously Digi for short. Please call me whatever name you prefer."
VG: "Sorry about that... I'm just surprised that the Book of Carrying Items had more power."
Metal Man sits there.
Tetra: "Ah. I'll just call you Digi. My name's Jacob Tetra. You can just call me Tetra."
Wolfman notes that VG does seem a little... taller and stronger.
Metal Man (GM): Digi's room to the left, Julian's to the right.
Digifanatic: "Not a problem. Pleased to meet you, Tetra."
Wolfman: "Well, don't just scream out loud like that unless it's a real emergency. Anyway, get dressed, and try to relax today." *He leaves to go to Oak's lab.*
Metal Man: "I shall hold on for one minute, then cause your door to cease existing... and not replace it, either."
Aribar: "...Why do you want me?"
Digifanatic: "I'm glad we're able to have the time to get to know each other. In a situation like this with Kuja and everything, we're asked to do missions quite often."
Metal Man: "Because I am currently addressing known problems with all Questers."
Tetra: "So I guess I probably won't get much time to work on this solarian thing..."
VG closes the door and resumes his cleaning up... he then puts on some new clothes and a belt that seem to have been provided for him... must have been the Book.
Metal Man: "You appear not to respect the beliefs of others. So, if you do not respect that, then I have no need to respect... your door. Or... your pay..."
VG goes to G&W to buy a whole BUNCH of new items. (already did that last night... I'll ask my badge question later)
Metal Man: "Or... maybe your room..."
Digifanatic: "Well, we'll see what happens."
Metal Man: "You know, there's lots of things I could not respect."
Tetra: "I guess. Say, do you know where I could five an inverse fluxwave damper around here?"
Metal Man can be heard charging up, by Aribar.
Digifanatic: "No clue whatsoever."
Aribar gets up and unlocks the door. He doesn't opens it, but mutters for Metal to come on in. The elf then walks over to his desk and takes a seat facing the wall.
Digifanatic: "I know nothing about that kind of stuff, it's not my style."
Metal Man walks in, and the glow disappears. "At least you saved your door. It could have been sent to the X-zone."
Digifanatic: "Well, talk to you later."
Tetra: "Alright!"
Digifanatic: "Pleased to meet you."
Metal Man: "Now then. Charles is gone. He shall trouble you no more."
Digifanatic "hangs up."
Metal Man: "However, in exchange for that, you must stop simply trying to have everything your way."
Tetra starts to say bye before he is hung up on. "Alright then..."
Metal Man: "This is not peacetime; we cannot destroy possible allies because they lack foresight or direction."
Aribar just stares at his desk and accepts this all... He winces as Metal says these statements, though, because he knows they are true.
Metal Man: "Furthermore... you, not me, must try to lead the Questers in the field. I am a leader of this facility, and of all of you, but not a field commander. I cannot trust Gibby to lead everyone in the field. And I need more than one person, should Wolfman or VG not be present."
VG is in his room now.
Metal Man ponders of what would happen if Gibby lead the Questers... .oO(Gibby: "And now... we must TAKE OVER THE FORTRESS OF FLASHING BUTTONS!)." "...Anyway..."
Aribar: "...You saw what happened with Valhalla, or at the very least you know of it."
Digifanatic still hangs around in his room... kinda concerned about his item/badge count, and his Gravity Spell book is still with Garrick.
Metal Man: "You did an acceptable thing."
Aribar: "Do you think it would be any different if I tried to lead the Questers?"
Metal Man: "If you tried rather than giving up when you mess up the first time, yes."
Tetra finally organizes his papers and continues his work.
Metal Man: "I have made so many mistakes before, that if I had your personality, I'd have hanged myself by now. While mistakes are costly, they are ultimately... human... kirbish... freakish walking lemonish... whateverish."
Digifanatic: "Hmm... no one has asked to come over through the standard but slightly inconventional crash through the comp... might as well rest for now..."
Metal Man: "Furthermore, I have led for much time now. I cannot lead this place forever. I doubt you'd want this place to be lead by... say... hmmmm... Nodal?"
Aribar shakes his head.
Metal Man: "Hmmm... talking with Charles has put me in a funny mood. Now then..."
Aribar: "...What happened the other day has shaken my beliefs."
Metal Man: "You probably need to repair them, make them less breakable."
Aribar: "I thought that the world was basically black and white... Good guys against bad. Locos was something... Someone I could not understand."
Metal Man: "Alas. Even now that I have made Charles be good, he is not 100% good, as being such would be considered insane for him. I have forced him to make himself clear; those who wander between the boundaries are the most dangerous. But still... the reality is a bit broader."
Aribar: "I would say..."
Metal Man: "According to this ancient rule book I've seen, there's... hmmm... nine or so separate types of broad classifications. And those classifications are not allied; they merely have similar mentalities."
Aribar: "I would say that I am sorry for the way I acted, and that I would do my best to become better, but I doubt that I really mean that."
Metal Man: "Such as... Chaotic Good, Neutral Evil, Lawful Neutral, and even Neutral Neutral. Well, I can help you. Perhaps you should contact me, whenever you have trouble. I can make things stick."
Aribar: "...I just don't know what to think right now... Is there anything else you came here for?"
Metal Man: "There seems to not be anything of importance. I shall leave, for now." *He nods and walks out.*
Wolfman gives VG the Salvage Badge. He goes to buy a Wonder Badge.
Pat wanders about, having not gone on a mission in some time.
Digifanatic is still in the room. .oO(Letter? Nah... too tired.)
Pat looks around to find someone.
VG goes to R&R; those that notice him will notice that he's slightly taller (now at a proud 3'1"!)
Tetra comes out into the hall, still looking over his papers. He heads to R&R.
Pat also wanders there "VG!"
VG: "...Pat? What are you doing here?!?"
Pat: "What do you mean? I work here!"
VG: "I didn't know that! I thought you still hung out at the old stadium!"
Pat: "Oh, I do. I have my means of transportation."
VG: "Same old resourceful Pat..."
Pat: "But I have been neglecting missions lately. How've you been?"
Wolfman enters R&R now.
VG: "Well, I feel like I've grown up a little now... literally." *He has gained at least a whole inch since he last saw you Pat.*
Tetra approaches Wolfman. "I thought you might like to know it looks like you guys were right."
Pat is now nearly 6 feet tall, not the 4-footer VG used to know.
Wolfman turns to Tetra. "...right on what?"
VG: .oO(Darn short growth spurt)
Tetra: "Just out of curiosity, I ran some numbers on a real Solarian Gun... it turns out it's impossible to channel that sort of power through a gun without it overloading."
Pat: "Yeah, you're getting ready to dwarf all the other Toads, heh."
Wolfman: "Ah. Well, even if it was possible, I doubt I'd let you try to build it anyway."
VG: "I doubt it... I'm about the same height as the others."
Pat: "Eh... well, I wonder how tall I'd be right now if I weren't living in another's body..."
Tetra: "I thought so. But, I do think that with some more time I could find a way to defend against an attack with a Solarian Gun. Er... Solarian Cannon. Whatever the thing's called."
Wolfman: "That type of weapon is hard to defend from."
VG goes to sit on the couch right now.
Tetra: "Obviously. But if we could defend from it we could avoid another tragedy like Eisnaught. At least until the next superweapon comes along."
Wolfman: "If there is one thing that I've learned about Eisnaught... it will keep on surviving and rebuilding."
Tetra: "True. But wouldn't it be better to stop the destruction before it starts, rather than just rebuilding? And what's more... what if they attack here with a weapon like that?"
Wolfman: "That's... a noble idea, but one that's hard to accomplish. That... and the Stadium itself is actually hard to take out. For the most part, you don't have to worry."
Tetra: "Hmm... I guess you're going to tell me I should just forget about the Solarian technology altogether."
Wolfman: "Not fully. But it's not a high priority."
Tetra: "Hmm."
VG turns on the TV... what's on though? (you guys choose something)
Metal Man (GM): Okay then. It continues to be a normal day. Pat would be in R&R.
Pat: "Ah. What a normal day, in R&R."
Wolfman and VG and the rest of us are kind of chilling in R&R last we left downtime.
VG was watching TV.
Wolfman was talking with Tetra.
Tetra was talking with Wolfman.
Garrick Fy`aar is doing mass calculations and planning in Oak's lab "...hey... Professor?"
Professor Oak: "Yes?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Could you double check this for me?"
Aribar hrms, and takes a walk down to G&W's store... The elf decides he needs some new equipment.
Professor Oak: "Hmmmm? Show it to me."
Garrick Fy`aar pulls over a set of plans showing a man in his size wearing a very elaborate and close fitting suit of armor... it's... different than what Oak has seen, that's for sure. "Is this setting on the biogel emitters correct? I need to have it stable before I can install the bloodstream infusion item system..."
Professor Oak: "This is... very strange to me. What is it?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "A suit of combat armor that I'm developing. I saw something like it back in the labs on Earth... in my time... uh, anyway, it came to me one day. Thought I'd develop a gunman suit just for myself."
Metal Man walks in. "Well, Garrick, that won't exactly be necessary. My own armor is the fully developed version. You can develop your own, based off of it."
Garrick Fy`aar looks over his shoulder and smirks "Not this. This is something different. Check this stuff out..."
Professor Oak: "Either way, none of this is in my field of expertise. I am a Pokémon researcher... not a nanoscientist!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Well, you do all those inventions... meh, oh well. I'll have Nova check it later."
Professor Oak: "Team Rocket might know, though. They created Mewtwo using genetic science."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...maybe..."
Aribar sets a bundle of little capsules on the counter. "Mr. Watch, I'd like 1000 coins for selling you these 20 Weapon Energy Capsules."
Mr. Game and Watch: "Here you go." *Hands Aribar 1000 coins.*
Aribar mumbles a curse, still roughly 3000 short... He decides to sell 9 Green Potions for 2700 coins.
Metal Man (GM): *SMASH* The windows in R&R shatter.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...see, I have it set up so that the suit constantly monitors my bios. If at any time my health drops into the red zone (I.e., 100% dmg) it will automatically infuse a item into my bloodstream for instant health re--what was that?"
Pat screams.
Metal Man (GM): Several men in police gear level guns at Pat.
VG screams as well.
Pat screams on.
Wolfman look to the police men. "SIMBER, intruder alert!"
Police1: "You are under arrest, for escaping prison!"
Tetra screams "What the heck?"
SIMBER: "...These are Ivan's men."
Aribar thinks he hears something... "Quick, a Rainbow Rock badge please!"
Pat: "That's a bit of a Conundrum, isn't it boys?"
Wolfman: *To Police* "Explain why you couldn't just enter the front door like everyone else!"
Police2: "You have not fulfilled your prison sentence for first degree murder."
VG is hiding behind the couch.
Mr. Game and Watch: "Nope... you must pay for it somehow."
Police3: "Come with us."
VG: "...murder?"
Aribar: "...I know that!" *The elf places a pile of 7777 coins on the counter.*
Pat: "Well, sir, It was my understanding that people went to prison only for committing crimes, not just being accused."
Tetra turned to Pat.
Mr. Game and Watch: "Okay... here you go."
Pat: "And I don't really enjoy prison."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar gains the Rainbow Rock badge!
Tetra: "If you killed someone you have to go with them."
Police1: "Yes..."
Pat: "If."
VG approaches Pat slowly. "...it's not true, is it?"
Pat looks at VG. "You know me."
VG turns to the policeman.
Aribar dashes out the door, pins the badge to his shirt, and heads towards the R&R. He thinks he heard it from there...
VG: "Who was supposedly killed?"
Tetra looks between the police, Pat, and VG.
Police2: "Let me check..."
Garrick Fy`aar slides into R&R, gun in hand "What's going on?"
Wolfman is also in this conversation somewhat. "A murder mystery."
Aribar takes out the Wand of Wonder after Garrick. "Oh goody..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Who did--who's this?" *He glances over at Pat, curious as to who this newcomer he hasn't met yet is...*
Pat: "Not much of a mystery... as far as they're concerned, I'm guilty."
VG waits for an answer from the Policeman.
Police1: "Well... Tridus has been CLEARLY murdered by you."
Aribar: "...Tridus?!"
Police2: "Yes. We received evidence."
Pat: "Clearly? How clearly? And who is Tridus, anyway?"
Police3: "He disappeared three months ago."
Aribar tries to think of the last time he saw him...
Wolfman doesn't recall Tridus for some reason... dang intelligence chip!
Tetra: "So he just disappeared..."
Police2: "And you were found to be responsible... your DNA was found, along with some of his blood."
Tetra: "How do you know he's dead?"
Police1: "Well... you guys are the Questers, right?"
Pat: "You mean do realize I was in a TIME WARP 3 months ago, right?"
Aribar: "...Yes... Where was the crime committed at?"
Tetra: "How do you know this Tridus person is even dead? If all you have is a missing person and some blood, that's not much proof."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...last I heard, Tridus was working here in the Stadium." *He looks at Aribar.*
VG doesn't remember this Tridus guy either...
Garrick Fy`aar: "We talked to him when we got away from Kuja, after beating Grodus. Remember?"
Police2: "Well... it was committed at..."
Police1: "...Eisnaught... which, thank you very much, is now filled with villains."
Aribar: "I don't remember that exactly, but I do remember watching him and Metal beat up Kuja once a couple weeks... Maybe months... Ago."
Police2: "However, it may have also happened in... Valhalla ruins."
Tetra: "Eisnaught was obliterated by Kuja!"
Police3: "Someone dug that place up. We think his body is in there."
Aribar flinches as he hears 'Valhalla'...
Pat: "I've never been to any of those places..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I was in there." *He steps forward.*
Police1: "So... YOU murdered Tridus?"
Wolfman: .oO(Valhalla... wasn't that place destroyed earlier?)
Garrick Fy`aar: "I didn't say that. I WENT to Valhalla Ruins. Dex, recall the scan longs. Did you pick up Tridus' DNA when I was there."
Aribar: "Why do you think Tridus's body is in Valhalla's ruins?"
Pat sees that the policemen are a bit distracted, and braces himself.
VG just ducks into his hat... if anyone tries to attack him, they'll just get Reflectored.
Smash Dex: "No... unknown."
Police2: "You must go there, and take a look for yourself."
Police1: "Otherwise... you shall be fined for obstruction of justice!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Alright, alright, sheesh."
Aribar: "...Okay, okay, we'll go there."
Tetra: "You're the cops. Do your own detective work."
Wolfman pulls Tetra aside.
Tetra: "What is it now?"
Garrick Fy`aar glances at Tetra. He chuckles lowly. Likes that new kid.
Wolfman: *To Tetra* "You have no idea how corrupt the police can be, do you?"
Pat leaps forward, uses Police1's head as a pole, flips over and thrusts himself out the window, foot-first.
Police1: "Gah!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "...idiot."
Aribar: "SIMBER? Can you aran--Pat, what are you doing?!"
Metal Man (GM): Police 2 and 3 open fire at Pat. 18% damage per hit.
Police1: "Ow... make sure he doesn't escape!"
Tetra: "STOP!"
Metal Man (GM): The police chase after Pat.
Tetra fires his taser at Police 2 and 3.
Wolfman: .oO(...Pat, who is the dumb one... you or me? ...or Tetra?)
Aribar: "...Everyone just freeze! Stop attacking one another!"
VG is still in Reflector mode.
Pat lies sprawled on the ground outside.
Tetra: "They're going to kill him! Besides, I just stunned them..."
Aribar jogs after the police.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...I'm heading to Valhalla to get some solid proof. When your done with this little... misunderstanding, come find me."
Metal Man (GM): Pat is basically KO'd. Since they didn't aim to kill him, he's only out on the pavement. The police stand there.
Police1: "We stopped him."
Garrick Fy`aar turns on his heel and bolts for the warp room, keying in the warp code in his Dex as he moves.
Aribar: "...Oh, yes, that was smart."
Police2: "The threshold bullets KO'd him."
Wolfman goes to follow Garrick... he might be on to something.
Aribar is dripping with sarcasm in that last statement.
Police3: "Now then. We can heal him, or we can just leave him here. What do you want?"
Metal Man (GM): Garrick/co: Where are you warping?
VG follows Wolfman... but not without sending a message to Mewtwo first explaining our actions.
Aribar: "...He'll be left with the Questers for now."
Police2: "Make sure he doesn't escape."
Police1: "Yeah."
Tetra is angry with the police.
Aribar: "...He'll be taken to the crime scene with the rest of us."
Garrick Fy`aar stops at the warp room, waiting for a moment...
Metal Man (GM): Police3 throws a capsule at Pat, who is revived... then handcuffed to Aribar.
Aribar: "That means he'll have plenty of guards."
Police2: "You are in charge of him."
Aribar: "...Okay."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...let's let everyone get here first... I need to tell you all something."
Tetra: "Give him to us. We'll make sure he doesn't escape. I don't trust you to take him."
Police1: "We will be back."
Aribar: .oO(Goody... Just like Metal and Locos.)
Metal Man (GM): The Police disappear.
VG: "What is it Garrick?"
Pat shakes his head, trying to clear it out.
Aribar: "...You okay, Pat?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'd rather tell everyone in bulk."
Wolfman sees a familiar position... handcuffed Questers.
Pat: "I'm fine... should have ducked behind the wall..."
Wolfman: "I'm not in the mood for deja vu here."
Aribar: "...I wish they didn't handcuff us together. Oh well... Let's go and try to clear your name."
Wolfman: "Wait Aribar; Garrick has something to say."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Yeah, listen for a minute."
Aribar hrms... The elf curses as he just realizes that he doesn't really have a free hand now. "Oh? Okay... Where's he at?"
Pat: "It's not as simple as that... those are the same cops who arrested me before, without a trial or anything... someone's behind them."
Tetra listens to Garrick.
Garrick Fy`aar: "I found something out while you were all fighting in Eisnaught."
VG: "What is it?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "That bomb that hit Nova? It completely fried him."
VG: "WHAT?!?!?"
Aribar: "...So Nova's no more?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "No, Nova's alive."
Wolfman: "Just... inaccessible?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "I had to get into the good Doctor Robotnik's lab, which he left completely deserted, to get his old module. He's rebooted and repairing. He'll be fixed by tomorrow. Completely."
Wolfman: "That's a relief."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Anyway, Nova WAS down for at least four hours."
VG: "...but what does that have to do with NOW though?"
Aribar: .oO(... Good. Gerald didn't re-enforce that base... I think that's good at least.)
Garrick Fy`aar: "Well, another computer took over Nova's job while he was down."
VG is again anxious to get going.
Garrick Fy`aar: "A computer just as powerful as Nova... ...Valhalla's old comp."
Wolfman: "...did that old computer have a hologram named Bob?"
Aribar: "...Huh? That doesn't make sense."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I know, it was odd to me too. But it's alive and running. It's trying to repair Valhalla, to my guess."
Metal Man (GM): You guys all going to the warp room now?
Wolfman: "SIMBER: What's the status of Bob? Is he still with us, or has he returned?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Anyway, I've sorta made a friendship with it. But... I didn't tell it my name or that I was a Quester. So, in other words, watch your back and let me do the talking."
SIMBER: "He is maintaining the captured ship. The warp is open for you."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Come on."
Wolfman: "Thank you."
Garrick Fy`aar turns on his heel and warps in.
VG: "About darn time!" *He follows.*
Wolfman follows.
Tetra: "This isn't right. We should be taking out those corrupt cops, not just trying to clear someone's name! Don't you get tired of playing defense all the time?"
Wolfman drags Tetra in.
Tetra: "Ack! I'm going!" *He follows them.*
Aribar tries to grab the Wand of Wonder from his item pouch and heads into the warp.
Metal Man (GM): Everyone is warped..... *WARP* You all appear atop a stony area.
Pat looks about.
Metal Man (GM): There's a single hole, with a ladder in it.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Okay, entrance should be right... yep, there it is. I'll go in first."
VG nods.
Wolfman: "Roger."
Garrick Fy`aar holsters his gun, which he had been carrying since the Pat thing, and slides down the ladder.
Tetra: "This just seems like a waste of time. What do we do when those cops decide they want to arrest someone ELSE for no reason?"
Aribar: "...I saw it from a bird's eye view, now I'm seeing what is left of that destruction up close..."
VG follows Garrick: he goes a rung at a time.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...computer?"
Tetra follows the others, still grumbling.
Garrick Fy`aar glances around the room he slid into.
Wolfman follows VG: He slides down the wall instead, MMX style.
Metal Man (GM): You go in.
Computer: "Hello, Traveler. Who are these people following you?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "These are my friends, computer."
Aribar follows the others as best as he can.
Garrick Fy`aar: "They mean you no harm at all. We're just looking for something."
Metal Man (GM): http://www.vgmix.com/songs/NoWave_-_Subject_1W-Angf7(Final_Fantasy_7).mp3
Computer: "Looking... for something? What something?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "DNA of a certain person that might have been killed here. Or at least some traces of him."
Wolfman doesn't really like this computer for some reason... why would it hesitate?
Computer: "A person was killed here? No records show of a killing done by someone after the initial crash."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That is what we were told. It's possible. Maybe not true, but possible."
Computer: "I require to scan your portable data handler for information. I was offline for a long time after the crash. Your device can access Nova, who monitored my space, as well as the entire planet's."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...okay, sure."
Computer: "Cross-referencing the records, I can pinpoint any such happenstance."
Aribar opens his mouth to say something, but remembers what Garrick said and closes it... Why would the police lie? Is this a trap?
Computer: "Align the IR port with my own IR sensor."
Metal Man (GM): You see a black bit on the computer labeled 'IR'
Garrick Fy`aar unclips the Mark 5 from his right arm, walking up to the computer. He lines it up and stands up straight "Dex, go ahead."
Pat looks about uneasily.
Smash Dex: "Link granted."
Computer: "Accessing data... . ... ... Information obtained. You are looking for a person who injured themself exploring while I was down."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That might be possible..."
Computer: "He is three floors down, three floors in the direction you are facing, and then one floor to the left. Do you need any more data?"
VG: .oO(A map would be nice.)
Garrick Fy`aar: "No, just open the doors for us. Thanks, computer."
Metal Man (GM): Garrick and Tetra suddenly leave for some unknown reason.
Computer: "You other people. Do you want anything from me?"
VG: "Can we please have a map?"
Aribar: "Do you have records of what happened in the Engineering room as you were crashing?"
Computer: "...One moment... Map program is currently off-line. Engineering files corrupted... extracting archive..."
Wolfman: .oO(A computer without a map? Jeez...)
Computer: "Playing file."
Metal Man (GM): It shows Aribar running out of Engineering after destroying the controls. Kuja rages after him, of course. The statues of Ricky and Lynk slide; Lynk's explodes into a thousand pieces. Bowser is left, KO'd on the floor... the image suddenly gets interference, turns black and white, loses resolution, then frame rate... and dies completely.
Computer: "Destruction of main computer deleted all information on that video pass that point."
VG: .oO(I don't think that was what Aribar had in mind...)
Wolfman: "Thank you computer."
Aribar: "...One more thing. You wouldn't know if the Engineering room was still intact, would you?"
Computer: "You just passed right through it on your way through; it's one room above here."
Aribar: "!!"
Computer: "It is functional, but not useful."
VG: .oO(Does this computer even KNOW us?)
Aribar dashes towards the ladder to climb up a floor... Dragging Pat with him because of those blasted handcuffs.
Wolfman and VG catch up, but not before Wolf says thanks again.
Metal Man (GM): You go up, of course. The ship is sideways, as you noticed when you entered. This area is lit up by dim emergency lightning. You see an imprint... where the body of Ricky used to lay.
Pat follows Ari, without a choice.
Aribar looks about... He looks for bones, or a body... "Maybe Bowser's body can be revived?"
Metal Man (GM): Also, you see chunks of a statue, about.
Computer: "Bowser... that IS an interesting question."
VG looks around randomly, hoping to find something worthwhile.
Computer: "He tried to escape in the last few minutes... I have a feeling he fell off."
VG: *Current badges turned on: Grab Badge, Lucky Day, Double Dip, Refund, Salvage Badge.*
Aribar: "...Is there any chance he might have been revived? ...Is there any chance he might have survived?"
Wolfman goes to a computer terminal to see if he can do repairing or something.
Computer: "Evaluating... A total of 20% chance."
Metal Man (GM): Wolfman: You notice a wide variety of programs; robots excavating the place. Also... rebuilding.
Wolfman: "Hmm... looks alright over here." *He leaves it alone.*
Computer: "I will be able to repair all rooms within five years."
VG: "Five years? That's a long time you know."
Computer: "Including those of Zio's castle, which are being converted to make more repair robots. I am a computer. Time does not exist for me. I am infinitely patient."
Wolfman: .oO(...this computer doesn't know *this* computer then.)
Aribar: "...Sorry for bursting out like that... Hrm..." *He examines the handcuffs.*
Metal Man (GM): They're solid.
Computer: "Perhaps you wish to look at the 'crime scene'?"
Pat: "They seem pretty solid to me..."
Aribar: "Well... Umm... Let's go now..." *The elf starts towards the ladder and then thinks...*
Computer: "I shall be able to talk to you, wherever you go, down here."
Wolfman and VG both nod to that, and follow Aribar down to it.
Aribar: "Yes, computer... But first... Pat, on the count of three pull as hard as you can on them."
Pat: "...k..."
Computer: "You wish to break the handcuffs?"
Aribar: "One... Tw---... Yes, computer."
Computer: "I can do that for you. Stand perfectly still."
Pat doesn't budge.
Wolfman: "Computer, I'm unsure if that's a good idea..."
Computer: "Activating base defenses. Target: Handcuff chain."
Metal Man (GM): A single, precise laser gun unfolds from the ceiling. A targeting thing appears on the chain.
Computer: "Three. Two. One. Fire."
Metal Man (GM): The gun shoots a thin laser. The handcuffs are broken apart; the laser causes them to corrode into dust.