Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 237: Getting to the Crystal City
Date: 6:27:24 PM, September 14th; 9:23:28 PM, September 17th; 2:14:21 PM, September 19th, 2005.
Metal Man (GM): You guys are all in the village, as usual. All of you being... at Kales's hut. Kales himself is there, along with Metal.
Garrick Fy`aar is currently working on the Solarian ship that he found many, many missions back. With the new equipment from the stadium--nevermind.
Metal Man (GM): There's a whole bunch of stuff here now. All sorts of strange stuff.
Kales Brando: "We have been researching the rather complex melange of stuff trapped deep below the surface. It appears that you are nearing a large pocket of water, deep underground."
Metal Man: "The frequency of technology increases as one gets towards the center of the planet. However, so does the harshness of the conditions. This is right below Dr. Light's lab." *He pulls out a sort of ancient map.* "This was discovered in a nearby surface ruin. It looks like there's more to this place than pieces of the Stadium--or even those old Archelago ruins."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...you actually think this tunnel goes down all the way to the center of the planet?"
Kales Brando: "Beyond that. The map indicates you can continue until you emerge on the other side of the planet. My research shows that there was something significant in altering this planet's existence..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I don't know how powerful the warp retrieval system is. We've only got so much juice in it. If we go too far, we might not be able to pull out."
Metal Man: "The warp spots we use are powered by an unknown magical force. I have faith they will continue operating as you get deeper. The underlying thing is that somebody or something else was on this planet before anything related to us hit here. We don't know what, but as you get deeper, it appears to start showing up. Alien technology which is not Solarian, Nintendian, Whalleranian, Marician, or anything we've seen before."
Aetos: "What about Earth... ian?"
Metal Man: "That is assumed; Solarians and their ilk are all Earthlings."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...no, I doubt it. I'd have known if I saw Earth technology. From my time, that is. This is unknown... what about Saga?"
Metal Man: "All technology found from Earth was a derivative of the Three Powers War, beyond what is considered the time of the Earthlings. Saga no longer exists. There is no such thing anymore, anywhere. It was a hole in the space-time continuum created by The Void. As were many other strange happenings at that time... Luckily, those are gone too. Unfortunately, we have no clue what Kuja is doing while we slowly and painstakingly piece together the remains of our technology."
Kales Brando: "We have the warp spot ready. The Elder has been nice enough to maintain their use for us, so they shouldn't be in any danger of failing."
Metal Man: "As for a lot of the ruins you found recently, I will be dealing with them personally. You shall be paid, as per regulations. do you understand your mission?"
Aetos: "Just... explore further?"
Metal Man: "Further, but you shall be entering an alien area."
Aetos: "Right."
Metal Man: "This area is ruins of an unknown culture and of an unknown nature. Be careful... we don't know what's there."
Aetos: "In that case..." *He would go buy 300 rings.*
Garrick Fy`aar folds his arms over his chest. "I'm not liking any of this one bit, Metal. Too many unknowns."
Aetos comes back, not liking to talk to Moody Man. "Well... Ready everyone?"
Charles Magellean: "The unknown either inspires fear... or peaks the curiousity of sentient beings." *He appears from the right of the doorway.*
Metal Man: "I cannot say much on the issue, with even the vast resources of my mind unable to piece together the mystery with current information."
Aetos: "Charles!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm not afraid, Locos. Far from it. I'm just disliking the idea is all. But, whatever these two deem necessary is... well... necessary."
Aetos would see a warp to the mission around yeah?
Charles Magellean: "I can say that the areas that I've been exploring myself haven't given me the satisfaction of self-exploration. Perhaps coming with you this time around might help."
Metal Man (GM): You would; the warp spot, as usual.
Aetos: "Great! Well, shall we?" *He walks into the warp.*
Garrick Fy`aar gives Locos a dirty look, but shrugs and walks after Aetos.
Charles Magellean enters the warp as well.
Metal Man (GM): You walk into the warp, and are soon reappear atop a marble walkway. You're in some sort of half-submerged ruined town. There's an intersection dead ahead, with a building on all three possible routes: Forward, left, or right. You could actually see a sky... whatever ancient civilization put this here managed to encapsulate it in some sort of simulation of the atmosphere on the surface. The buildings are made out of a bright blue material.
Aetos: "Pretty..."
Metal Man (GM): The water itself is crystal blue, but obviously was whatever caused this place to be emptied.
Garrick Fy`aar glances at his M150 for a moment before walking onward.
Charles Magellean: "It feels similar to the cities I lived four decades ago."
Aetos: "You're over 40 years old?"
Metal Man (GM): The very appearance of this place is rather soothing, but mysterious. You reach the intersection. Signs written in a strange language are on each corner of the intersection. To the left, there's a building which looks like a former business of some kind, with various signs made out of glowing blue material written in the strange language on it. On the right, you can see that there was definitely some sort of technology infrastructure; it's got a whole lot of strange looking devices on it. And dead ahead appears to be a grocery store. All frozen in time from when they were last used; their crystalline blue walls and clear glass windows showing a wondrous variety of things.
Aetos: "Well... Should we split up... or go to the grocery store, the funky device building, or the business corporation building to the left? You know I'm hittin' that grocery store."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Splitting up when it comes to us isn't a good idea."
Aetos: "Why?"
Charles Magellean: "He speaks from experience."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Exactly."
Aetos: "Well where to then?? Wait... Eeny meeny miney mo! No, this will be cooler." *He twirls his spear on the ground and it will point to our next destination!* "Right it is, then?"
Charles Magellean: "Yes."
Metal Man (GM): To the right is the technology citadel.
Aetos picks up his spear and walks inside the technology building.
Charles Magellean moves toward the citadel.
Metal Man (GM): The door slides open automatically; you instantly feel the air conditioning inside. The room has two wide tables which take up most of the middle of the room. Mounted onto (and through) the table is rows and rows of metallic blue cylinders, each with a little green button on it. There's various strange language scrolling about the top of the ceiling, projected by some holographic machine, in blue. There's also some stairs which go down, but a blue field is blocking the way--and they're flooded. You also see a door to your left which leads out to another stretch of the winding road around here. The floor here is cool crystal, smooth but yet not slippery... just like the walls and ceilings. The entire room is overwhelmingly technological.
Aetos blinks. "Hey... someone push a button."
Garrick Fy`aar sighs and checks out the various machines...
Metal Man (GM): You can't quite understand what they are. There's no obvious control mechanism, and they have no ventilation systems. They lack anything which would allow you to define what they are... but the green buttons appear to be power buttons of some kind...
Aetos pushes one of the green buttons since no one else is...
Garrick Fy`aar: "...hmmm... alright..."
Metal Man (GM): A strange humming issues from the unit Aetos pushes. Suddenly, it projects a holographic display. A 3D one, at that. It's all in the strange language of these people. It slowly oscillates, with the occasional red line of text flickering through.
Aetos: "Don't suppose anyone understands this?"
Garrick Fy`aar gives his knuckles a crack and takes a look at whatever Aetos is meddling with.
Charles Magellean: "It would be learning a third language in 3 years."
Metal Man (GM): Garrick: It's a large, spinning cube of unknown language.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hmm..." *He tries to see if it similar to anything he already knows, and might be able to make some sense of it.*
Aetos: "Oh well... shall we be going through yonder door now?"
Garrick Fy`aar: *Int check?*
Metal Man (GM): INT check, Garrick. Garrick: It looks mighty tasty to you. Well. You have no clue what it is.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...nah, not gonna work."
Charles Magellean: "I would be no better of."
Aetos goes to the next door and enters it.
Charles Magellean: "Of course, you would say it's better to attempt than not try."
Metal Man (GM): Aetos: The door does not open. Julian would be showing up just now...
Aetos: "Blast..."
Charles Magellean: "Might I attempt, Sir Garrick?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm not running this show, 'less you say I should. Feel free."
Julian Sawyer: *A generic blue warp portal would open up on a nearby part of floor, as Julian is launched out of it and lands facedown, packing a rocket launcher. A chair pops out behind him as the portal closes and he stands up* "What'd I miss?"
Charles Magellean reaches within his mind, and brings back any and all information. He looks to the holographic image...
Metal Man (GM): The image would remind Charles of a Cactuar. That is, the holographic words... they... must be cactuar speak! Yeah!
Charles Magellean gets angry quickly, and then shakes his head fiercely.
Aetos turns on another device.
Charles Magellean looks away and coughs.
Metal Man (GM): It turns on. Same cube of holographic words.
Julian Sawyer: "...Hello?"
Charles Magellean: "...As a said, it would take me three years."
Aetos: "You know, maybe they hate root words and symbols that resemble things I may recognize."
Metal Man (GM): Aetos: It does not appear to mean anything to you.
Aetos: "But maybe not."
Metal Man (GM): You hear some strange speech suddenly, from all directions at once.
Julian Sawyer: "Am I invisible or something? What'd I miss?"
Aetos: "Julian, can you make out what these say?"
Metal Man (GM): It seems somewhat urgent in meaning. It ends as fast as it came from all directions at once, though.
Julian Sawyer: "Answer the damn question. What'd I miss, and where are we now?"
Aetos: "Some city underground."
Julian Sawyer: "Good enough..." *Tries to... read or something. I dunno.*
Metal Man (GM): Julian: It looks like elaborate scribbling to you. It's very weird.
Aetos: "Can we just go now?"
Julian Sawyer: "...Squiggly lines I can't -CENSORED- read."
Aetos tries to go back to the intersection.
Julian Sawyer: "Someone get the chair. I ain't carrying that."
Metal Man (GM): Aetos: You turn around, only to see three floating robots (humanoid; no legs, they float) with laser guns for arms, approaching you, guns raised.
Aetos blinks.
Julian Sawyer: "...Robots!"
Aetos: "Guys... yeah."
Metal Man (GM): They have monoeyes that are red, and they look deadly. Questers vs. Laser Patrol.
Charles Magellean: *Unholstering sound and loading.*
Metal Man (GM): Note: New rules in effect. Vengeful and Psychotic work differently. Psychotic lowers AC to 5. Vengeful only works for damage.
Julian Sawyer brings the Rocket Launcher up and puts it on his shoulder and points it at the Laser Patrol. "Let's see if this works..." *Pulls the trigger.*
Metal Man (GM): Roll a SPD check. You hit a robot dead-on, dealing an instant 100 damage to it.
Julian Sawyer: *Fires twice more.*
Metal Man (GM): It does not fire; it is busy self-reloading.
Julian Sawyer: *Scratch that.*
Metal Man (GM): Apparently it can only be used once per round.
Julian Sawyer: "Alright..." *Julian dashes at the robot he just shot, drops the rocket launcher, leaps, and gives it a Haymaker twice.*
Metal Man (GM): Two hits. The robot explodes.
Aetos blinks.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads back to the group.*
Metal Man (GM): The two remaining open fire on Julian with maximum force. 20 damage per hit. They can shoot off a mean amount of blue lasers. There are two robots left.
Julian Sawyer: *Four lasers? HAH! I laugh at your four lasers! Make that TWO lasers! I taunt you!*
Aetos equips the sawblade for an action.
Metal Man (GM): It's a chainsaw. STR check to use it. You barely miss a robot.
Aetos tries to swing it around and saw up the robot again
Metal Man (GM): You can use it more than once per round. Crit. What's your STR mod? 49 damage. It doesn't appear the sort of super weapon you'd imagine it to be, although it can be used a lot of times.
Charles Magellean equips the Black Belt of Deathguise.
Metal Man (GM): Man, you guys know how to hit me: Equipping and using every last thing I don't have stats for. The black belt adds +10 to hit with all unarmed attacks. Well, nobody ever reminded me about it. But now it has stats.
Charles Magellean uses his second action to use his shoulder X-Nautyishness Ram against robot 2.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Charles Magellean uses final action to hit 2 with six bullets from miniguns.
Metal Man (GM): Let's see.... no hits.
Julian Sawyer: *Rocket Launcher's the hell out of Robot 2*
Metal Man (GM): Hit. It gets rocket launchered, but it remains alive.
Julian Sawyer: *Punches it dead, then.*
Metal Man (GM): ...Nope... not dead, just severely wounded.
Julian Sawyer: *DIE, EVIL MACHINE!*
Metal Man (GM): Hit. Another 120... It's combusted. The remaining robot takes shots at Julian.
Julian Sawyer: *LASER LASER LASER miss LASER miss.*
Metal Man (GM): 20 damage per hit.
Aetos chainsaws the last robot up 3 times.
Metal Man (GM): Miss, hit, miss. 23 damage. There's only one 'bot left.
Charles Magellean eyes the movements... he goes for the highest to-hit attack he has; six bullets from one minigun.
Metal Man (GM): One... two hits.
Charles Magellean switches to his ACTUAL highest to-hit attack; a Destructive Rocket!
Metal Man (GM): Hit. Finished?
Charles Magellean holsters the minigun in his right hand, and replaces it with Gibby's Knight Shield.
Julian Sawyer: *Rocket Launcher!*
Metal Man (GM): Hit. It's still alive!
Julian Sawyer: *Punch It To death! KILL ALL ROBOTS! Unreal Tournament 2003 Announcer: MONSTER KILL!*
Metal Man (GM): *NUKE* The final robot bites the dust. And you all gain 1000 EXP.
Julian Sawyer: "Aw yeah! I'm the man!"
Metal Man (GM): The door on the left side of this room opens up.
Julian Sawyer: "Awesome." *Moves on.*
Aetos follows "Stupid robots. Wait!"
Julian Sawyer: "I hate robots... what?"
Aetos runs up to the robots corpses He pushes the item locator button and waits for something.
Metal Man (GM): It plays the Diet Pepsi song... for no reason at all?
Charles Magellean: "Your actions provide evidence supporting the statement."
Julian Sawyer: "...Aetos, when we get back, you're gonna change that song or I will. ...What statement?"
Aetos scrounges through the corpses for any items.
Metal Man (GM): You find nothing in the remains. They were all disintegrated.
Charles Magellean: "We may either try again, or move elsewhere."
Metal Man (GM): Julian is, meanwhile, going on, down a path towards... a crystalline house.
Aetos shrugs and moves on with the others...
Julian Sawyer: "...You're confusing." *Continues going through the door.*
Charles Magellean moves along, close behind Julian.
Metal Man (GM): You enter the house. This floor appears to be an old living room. It's got all sorts of weird space-age furniture.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Metal Man (GM): Like a blue couch, and a clock? with weird symbols on it.
Charles Magellean: "I hope the residents do not mind our intrusion."
Julian Sawyer: "There's no one here..." *Explores further.*
Metal Man (GM): You see yet another door out, and there's another computer-cylinder in this room.
Aetos: "As far as we know, there ARE no residents anymore."
Metal Man (GM): You'd also see a bookshelf with weird books on it, and... a high-tech ceiling fan.
Aetos pushes the button on THIS device now
Julian Sawyer: *Checks out the books.*
Charles Magellean: "You should consider being less impulsive."
Metal Man (GM): This device boots up, revealing yet another strange cube of information. Julian would see several multicolored books with weird language printed on them.
Julian Sawyer: "More squiggly lines..."
Aetos tries to decipher if it is different to the message on the other computers.
Charles Magellean starts to take some books, read several stanzas on several pages, put the book back right where it was, then continue to do so with more books.
Metal Man (GM): It's different, but not muchly. It appears whatever civilization built this place was complex and intelligent, but died out or disappeared a while ago.
Charles Magellean: "So Sardis was not here..." *He stops reading through the literature.*
Metal Man (GM): You can't really understand the literature... however... there was one thing that was curious. There was a single line of English... probably a quote...
Aetos stops wondering at the hologram texts.
Metal Man (GM): "There is nothing to fear but fear itself" (In one of the books)
Charles Magellean: "Strange. Before I stopped, I saw some of the Earth English language."
Aetos: "Huh? What did it say?"
Charles Magellean: "'There is nothing to fear but fear itself' ."
Julian Sawyer: "...What's FDR got to do with anything?"
Aetos: "...Franklin D. Roosevelt said that... He was a president in the mid 19 hundreds who got assassinated."
Julian Sawyer: "...No he wasn't. He died in office!"
Aetos: "?... Yeah... assassinated."
Charles Magellean: "Speculation of Earthen presidents can be debated later. Our investigation continues here."
Aetos: "Alright." *He tries to go through the new door.*
Julian Sawyer: "Assassinated means killed by someone else. He died from a stroke! Jeez..." *There's a new door? If there is, Julian enters it.*
Aetos wonders what Julian is smoking, but then realizes that Julian isn't from that time anyways. So oh well He still attempts opening the door.
Metal Man (GM): *shrug* Anyway, I think we should pause. It's a bit late, and I have to do homework soon.
Charles Magellean: *Let's say... something from my hut catches Julian's or Aeto's attention.*
Aetos: "Was ist das?!"
Charles Magellean: *There is a strange light that is emitting from my hut. One that is going out through the door and through the straw/sticks of my ceiling. Now as it catches one or more of their attention, so to does it gather the others' since already the first ones attention was caught. They enter the hut, Charles within a slightly dark and misty dome. There is a large symbol on the floor, surrounded by at least 9 candles. They try to speak to Charles, but he does not respond. He is in a trance, his mind and body intertwined between their own dimension and the ethereal realm. One of them, either exceedingly curious, or otherwise lacking common sense, decide to touch the dome. They begin to fade. The other Questers follow the action. They all fade as well. They awaken....... and find themselves in his dreams. his thoughts. They have entered... ... "The Mind Of Magellean." *Here in his mind... They will face enemies of the past... Traps unlike that* "Reality" *does not have. They will uncover what he thinks of them... What horrors he has faced... They will find out what he fears, what he hates, and why. And most of all.... What happened 20 years ago... to the Second Moon.*
Metal Man (GM): Okay... last time we left off, the group defeated some robots and is walking down a path slightly above the water of a flooded city. You are now at the entrance to a massive structure, which appears to be in the middle of this flooded city. The door is old, but unlocked. You may push open the crystal sliding doors.
Aribar would... Teleport near the group, confused and somewhat disorientated.
Digifanatic doesn't have that lightning rod he originally had... "Hey Ari..."
Metal Man (GM): You can hear a sort of humming sound in the building. You got back to the village and deposited the weapons then. Then you were briefed about going here. And now you're here, so far down that neither Kales or Metal knows what lies down in the deep... And you're in front of the door to a large, spherical facility. Do you open the door?
Julian Sawyer: *Yup.*
Digifanatic: *Same here.*
Aribar stands behind the others as they open the door.
Digifanatic: *So he doesn't have the lightning rod, keeping it in his hut to be sold at a later time...*
Metal Man (GM): The door opens... revealing a massive, open room. The ceiling is waaay up there.
Julian Sawyer: *Delivered the Chair, and has the Rocket Launcher back at his hut.*
Metal Man (GM): A ton of wires and conduits run all about, surrounding a large platform in the center.
Digifanatic: "Okay..."
Metal Man (GM): Various machines projecting cubes of that weird unreadable text are here.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aribar: "... Do either of you know what we're here for?"
Julian Sawyer: "We need to figure out how to read that Dex. No idea." *Investigates!*
Metal Man (GM): You suddenly remember it was to look for an artifact and go deeper into the planet. You look at the machines... this is some sort of special platform. It's got weird writing all over it.
Digifanatic: "That is some crazy thing..."
Metal Man (GM): A holo-sphere floats in the middle of it.
Julian Sawyer: "Stupid squiggly lines..."
Metal Man (GM): You may investigate the sphere. The floor of the room is covered in mist. Apparently caused by the machines evaporating water.
Julian Sawyer: *Investigates the sphere.*
Digifanatic heads over to the sphere, trying to get a better look.
Aribar walks farther into this place, wondering what it is for exactly.
Metal Man (GM): More weird writing is on it... it's yellow. It looks like you could poke it.
Julian Sawyer: *Pokes with enthusiasm.*
Metal Man (GM): *FLASH* Yellow lines form on Julian's arm and go up his body, eventually appearing all over him. All of the weird writing in the room begins to turn to English...
Computer: "Mindscan complete."
Aribar glances over to Julian and the flash... "What on Whaller did you just do?!"
Digifanatic: "Wow..."
Metal Man (GM): *FLASH* The lines disappear; Julian falls to the floor from the experience. You can see clearly... 'Elevator at 100%' On the computers.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Metal Man (GM): The hologram in the center of the platform says 'Engage elevator'
Julian Sawyer: *Gets up* "I have no idea. Got the elevator workin', though."
Metal Man (GM): Some other stuff scrolls about the ceiling. 'Elevator to center of Turion activated Please board and touch the yellow sphere to activate'
Julian Sawyer: "...English! Awesome!"
Aribar: "..." *Just shakes his head, but abruptly stops.* "To the center of Turion?"
Digifanatic: "Well... here we go."
Julian Sawyer: "...Wouldn't going to the center of Turion kill us all?"
Digifanatic: "I'd assume."
Metal Man (GM): Suddenly, more text appears, this at eye level with Julian.
Julian Sawyer: "Or are Questers immune to extreme pressure and heat? Huh?"
Metal Man (GM): 'Insulated facilities rest there, as well as an elevator to The Crystal City'
Julian Sawyer: "...I see."
Metal Man (GM): 'The outcasts have been waiting for help for a very long time.'
Julian Sawyer: "Looks like it's safe. Outcasts?"
Digifanatic: "Don't ask me."
Metal Man (GM): 'Error; database is damaged. Unable to complete request.'
Julian Sawyer: "...Whatever."
Aribar walks over and reads that...
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: Same thing for you, however then you get some more text.
Julian Sawyer: "As long at it isn't more backward-talking Lizardmen... All aboard!" *Steps on the elevator.*
Digifanatic: "Wait..."
Metal Man (GM): 'DNA match positive. Whaller descendant.'
Aribar: "... I think we should go back and ask for some assistance... If for no other reason than to bring a diplomat with us... It sounds like we will be meeting other people..."
Metal Man (GM): Another line appears.
Julian Sawyer: "If these guys are Outcasts, chances are they don't want anything to do with the lizards from the surface."
Metal Man (GM): 'Julian's mind was scanned. We can understand all of your thoughts.'
Digifanatic: "Yeah."
Metal Man (GM): 'There is no need for interpretations. Those who are scanned can be understood precisely. If you wish, your mind can also be scanned.'
Julian Sawyer: "...Crazy."
Aribar takes a quick step back. "No odd machine's scanning me!"
Metal Man (GM): 'Massive damage to the INTA database, however, requires your help, regardless of whether you want to be scanned. The database is in the center of the planet. Without it, the remaining survivors have a 0% chance of survival.'
Julian Sawyer: "C'mon! Let's go! I ain't got all day!"
Metal Man (GM): 'The elevator is going to be started. It appears Julian wishes it so.' You hear stuff powering up. 'Elevator thrusters at 35% charge and rising. Elevator thrusters ready. All aboard.' Aribar: Do you step aboard the elevator?
Aribar: "..." *The elf reluctantly enters the elevator.*
Digifanatic: "Right..." *He follows Ari on down...*
Julian Sawyer: *Pokes the sphere again.*
Digifanatic: "Okay..."
Metal Man (GM): 'Elevator initiated. 3... 2... 1...' *SHOOMP* The elevator suddenly begins descending. You're going down what looks like a tube with clear blue walls.
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aribar is a bit shaken by the sudden decent, but gets used to it...
Metal Man (GM): The elevator picks up speed. you can see the stuff you're going by. A lot of rock, exactly.
Julian Sawyer: "Hope this thing doesn't crash..."
Aribar: "... If it does I blame you."
Metal Man (GM): It speeds up even more... now it's a blur. Somehow it manages to keep the gravity on you from going up too much.
Julian Sawyer: "I'm surprised we aren't dead yet."
Aribar: "You like tempting fate, huh?"
Metal Man (GM): *SHOMP* The elevator suddenly stops, throwing you all onto the floor. You're now in some sort of cavern. There's similar machines surrounding this elevator.
Julian Sawyer: *ARHPGH!*
Metal Man (GM): There's plenty of metallic stuff around; you're in a specially pressurized area.
Digifanatic: "Crazy... it's amazing how different the technologies between here, Nintendus, and Earth all are."
Aribar: "Gah!"
Metal Man (GM): A low-volume alarm is going off in the background.
Julian Sawyer: *Pulls himself up off the floor after laying there for a few seconds, and looks around.*
Metal Man (GM): 'INTA computer is at critical.'
Aribar: "... I don't like this..."
Julian Sawyer: "Well, at least we won't be crushed..."
Metal Man (GM): 'Unknown intruder is attacking it. Not enough power to engage security countermeasures.' There's a door dead ahead. It's round and is a hatch, really.
Julian Sawyer: "Let's go." *Moves ahead and opens da hatch.*
Digifanatic gets to da hatch.
Metal Man (GM): The door opens in response to you walking up to it. You enter... woah. What a hallway.
Aribar exits the elevator and flanks Julian, unsheathing Moonlight as he passes through the hatch.
Metal Man (GM): It's a hallway on the wall of a cliff. It goes to the right. you can see, out of the window that is the left wall of the hallway, a whole lot of magma. It's all flying about; some of it even hits the glass.
Julian Sawyer: "...Yeah, we're definitely in the core alright."
Metal Man (GM): It makes a sizzling sound when it hits.
Digifanatic: "Wow..."
Julian Sawyer: "Magma-proof glass? Awesome." *Moves ahead.*
Aribar: "... I... Really really don't like this..."
Metal Man (GM): It feels very warm here.
Julian Sawyer: "Too bad."
Metal Man (GM): You continue walking down the somewhat curved hallway.
Digifanatic: "I can't even start to imagine how they are able to even build something that they could survive in before they burned or crushed to death..."
Metal Man (GM): Then... you guys reach two hatches.
Aribar follows, growing increasingly uncomfortable.
Metal Man (GM): One goes dead ahead, the other to the right.
Julian Sawyer: "..." *Flips a coin.*
Aribar continues forward.
Julian Sawyer: "I'm going straight ahead. Digi, you and Ari check out the right hatch."
Metal Man (GM): The door ahead doesn't open when Aribar walks up to it. It also feels unnaturally hot.
Digifanatic: "Or not..."
Metal Man (GM): That leaves the door to the right.
Aribar: "... I think the way forward has lava behind it..."
Julian Sawyer: "...Okay. Nevermind, then." *Right hatch'd!*
Aribar heads through the right hatch.
Metal Man (GM): *Super Mario RPG - Barrel Volcano.*
Digifanatic waits a minute to see if it's safe... seems to be, so he follows.
Metal Man (GM): You enter the right hatch. Here you see a room full of complex equipment. You also see... well, how useful. A wall with six protective suits. More computer lines come up. 'Use the suits to traverse the broken hallway. I will activate the manual overrides. However, it will restrain your movement a bit.
Julian Sawyer: "Must be how they did it."
Digifanatic: "Okay then..."
Julian Sawyer: "Ok, computer."
Digifanatic: "Guess so." *He walks over and puts on a suit.*
Julian Sawyer: *Doo doo doo! A Suit!*
Metal Man (GM): The suit is heavy. -6 to STR and SPD while wearing it.
Aribar frowns and sheaths Moonlight before putting on the suit...
Julian Sawyer: "Hope we don't have to fight anything in these..."
Metal Man (GM): However, it gives you immunity to fire and Earth attacks, and +5 DR. It also grants life support, of course. 'You are very good adventurers. The outcasts will welcome you greatly.' Oh, yes... an unintentional other defect.
Julian Sawyer: "Alright, let's go!" *Exits the right room* "Thanks computer."
Metal Man (GM): You can't use weapons while in these. Unless they can withstand intense pressure and magma. You reach the hatch that was previously locked.
Digifanatic: *Benefit from not using a weapon anyway.*
Metal Man (GM): More alarms go off. Some red alarm lights turn on.
Aribar clumsily exits the room, the right arm of the suit flapping uselessly at his side.
Metal Man (GM): 'Emergency overrides activated!'
Julian Sawyer: *He has his fists.*
Metal Man (GM): 'Prepare for depressurization! 3...'
Julian Sawyer: "Brace yourselves."
Metal Man (GM): '2...' 1!'
Julian Sawyer: *DEEP BREATH.*
Metal Man (GM): The hatch ahead opens, revealing a cracked and battered walkway. You're all pushed forward a bit as all the air is sucked out of the area. *CRACK* *CRACK.*
Digifanatic: "Whoa!"
Metal Man (GM): 'Hallway A has been depressurized permanently. Hallway B is in class F condition.'
Aribar is a bit surprised at the push forward and frightened by the cracking before heading into the battered hallway.
Digifanatic: "Oh boy..."
Metal Man (GM): This hallway is almost completely destroyed. The ceiling has big, magma-etched holes in it.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads in* "...Whoa."
Metal Man (GM): You also see the prints of gigantic... feet? 'The INTA server is ahead.'
Aribar: "... I think I may know what those prints belong to, but I am probably wrong..." *The elf continues.*
Julian Sawyer: "Right..." *Moves on* "WHat happened here, Computer?"
Digifanatic: "Meh, who do you think it is anyway?" *He keeps going on.*
Metal Man (GM): 'Unknown bogey in a class II machine broke through protective barriers. He was going to the outcasts as well. But I did not want him to. An interdimensional anomaly has also led to the appearance of... Before it can finish, you hear a trademark SREEEEECH!
Julian Sawyer: "What the?!"
Metal Man (GM): A weird looking metroid flies up.
Aribar: "On Whaller there are Elementals, beings that are composed entirely of a single element... A Fire Elemental might have cause prints such as---What's going on?!"
Julian Sawyer: "...A Metroid?"
Metal Man (GM): It's... the g-g-ghost metroid! 'Class III enemy. Ghost Metroid. It was alive until the magma killed it, making it a ghost.' One moment. These are with or without suit reduction? (To Ari and Julian) Nah. Just didn't know if you were gonna give me raw values.
Aribar narrows his eyes and looks at this abomination... The elf barely remembers the last time he saw one of these things... The wizard then wonders whether he would even be able to cast magic while having this suit on and doesn't particularly want to test this theory.
Digifanatic quickly thinks about his INT-based moves...
Julian Sawyer: *I dunno... Punches it? Let's see if non-elemental attacks work.*
Metal Man (GM): You punch right through it. It's definitely not effected by physical attacks.
Julian Sawyer: "Well ****." *Defends twice instead.*
Metal Man (GM): The ghost metroid breathes fire on Julian. His suit blocks the attack. Angry, it lunges at Julian. 30 damage - DR if that hits.
Julian Sawyer: *Nope Moves out the way.*
Aribar quickly glances past the Ghost Metroid to see if there is a hatch or something beyond it.
Metal Man (GM): There is, but you'd have to slow-mo walk for a while to get there. Plus, you remember Star Steel blathering on about how it could go through walls. One hatch; you'd just have to walk to it.
Aribar then just tries to run as fast as he can in these conditions to the hatch for all three of his actions.
Metal Man (GM): It'd take... 3 rounds to walk to. Aribar is running like an astronaut towards the hatch. Julian just defended.
Digifanatic tries using a Hyper Beam Matrix on the Metroid.
Metal Man (GM): Hit and hit! It... actually affects the metroid.
Digifanatic: "Ah, got something." *He then tries a Fire Punch, merely for the elemental value than anything else.*
Metal Man (GM): You gave it a ghostly hole... unfortunately, it looks like it'll take several more holes in it to kill it. Let's see how this roll goes... *SMACK* You smack it upwards. Roll it again. Still a hit.
Digifanatic also defends for the third action, and Eye Spies the thing as well.
Julian Sawyer: *Defends some more.*
Metal Man (GM): The Ghost Metroid launches two ghost tentacles. One at Digi, one at Julian. Opposed STR checks. Julian is lucky enough to avoid it.
Digifanatic will keep the roll, only having a 15% chance...
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile, the tentacle hits Digi. And he loses 5 HP, which is absorbed into the ghost Metroid.
Digifanatic: .oO('Tis but a scratch.)
Metal Man (GM): But before Digi can take his turn... 'Danger. Volcanic uprising.'
Julian Sawyer: "Can't hit me!"
Metal Man (GM): Suddenly, a HUGE spray of magma flies up into the chamber!
Aribar: "I suggest we run!"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar gets a +10 to this check. Roll a SPD check, everyone! The Metroid is slow and gets burned for a whopping 500 damage. Digi and Aribar also get sprayed. They each take 50 damage, and their suits are burnt... better not let them get too damaged! Julian is only grazed by a ball of magma, taking 25 damage.
Digifanatic: "Uh oh..."
Julian Sawyer: "Too slow!"
Metal Man (GM): You can hear supports cracking. 'Hallway B is in critical condition. Intense magma damage is weakening structural supports.'
Julian Sawyer: "Digi! Kill it so we can get out of here!"
Digifanatic: "Alright..." *He tries blasting a Celestial Fury at the thing...*
Metal Man (GM): Hit! It's almost dead!
Digifanatic keeps running... "Getting there... getting there..."
Metal Man (GM): Using two other actions to run?
Julian Sawyer: "Kill it! It's almost dead! Then we can run!"
Digifanatic tries to do another Fire Punch...
Metal Man (GM): You give it quite the punch. It's only a tiny bit alive now.
Digifanatic quickly Eye Spies to see if it's worth running a bit early or to perhaps leave it to Julian.
Julian Sawyer: *Can't hurt it, has no elemental attacks.*
Digifanatic: "Alright, I can give it one more shot..." *He tries one more round of Beam Matrix...* "Got it..."
Metal Man (GM): Hit and wonder crit! *BEAM* It disintegrates. +1000 EXP
Digifanatic: "Alright, we're outta here."
Metal Man (GM): Now it's time to get outta this hallway.
Julian Sawyer: "Nice job. NOW RUN!" *FLEE!*
Aribar: *Continues running in slow-motion to get to the hatch...*
Digifanatic bolts the scene as well.
Metal Man (GM): You begin running down the hallway, with Aribar in the lead. Magma begins rising up... and a small wave of it is catching up to you guys! Aribar gets to the hatch first; he ran far earlier than you guys. 'Hallway B is being destroyed. Please evacuate to Next Area.' The hatch quickly opens for Aribar. Uh-oh! The magma wave is catching up to Julian!
Aribar continues running, hoping the next area will be more secure.
Metal Man (GM): Julian: SPD check vs. Magma wave.
Julian Sawyer: *Uses the power of 34 Speed!*
Metal Man (GM): You leap outta the way of a big surge. However, it continues chasing... you're up with Digi now, and it flies at both of you, moving even faster than before! SPD checks from each of you.
Julian Sawyer: *Curse thee!*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar watches in horror as Julian and Digi are engulfed in magma.
Julian Sawyer: *F that. Lucky The Fourth! Fifth! HA-HAH!*
Metal Man (GM): ...Now it's only Digi, while Julian leaps into the hatch.
Digifanatic: *Needs a crit.*
Julian Sawyer: "YEARGH!"
Metal Man (GM): Digi is seriously burnt up by the magma. Still -1 life.
Aribar: "Digi!" *The elf hopes Digi's suit holds...*
Metal Man (GM): The hatch closes behind you guys. Digi reappears, sans suit. He's also charred black.
Digifanatic: *Looks down* "Oh man..."
Julian Sawyer: "That was a close one..."
Digifanatic: "I should get another suit, huh?"
Metal Man (GM): 'The suits are down on the other side of the now destroyed walkway.'
Julian Sawyer: "The hallway's currently being blocked off by Magma, so I'd say you're outta luck."
Digifanatic: "Oh great..."
Metal Man (GM): 'However, you won't have to traverse any more magma.' You see this room here, which happens to contain a gigantic, shiny rainbow cube. It has four control panels, one on each side.
Julian Sawyer: "...Whuzzat?"
Metal Man (GM): 'This is the INTA database.'
Aribar takes off his own suit and leaves it there...
Digifanatic: "Hmm..."
Metal Man (GM): 'It is in need of repairs. Unfortunately, I lack to power and information to do it automatically.'
Aribar looks about and wonders what is wrong...
Julian Sawyer: "...So what are we supposed to do?" *Takes off his suit and stores it away in his back pocket.*
Metal Man (GM): 'It is losing power.'
Aribar: "Hrm... Computer, do you any tools? Can you offer us instructions on what to do?"
Metal Man (GM): 'It needs some sort of power source. While it is powered on backup, it must be switched to the other geothermal engine.'
Julian Sawyer: "We sure could use Garrick right about now..."
Metal Man (GM): 'That area you walked through has become increasingly volatile. The engine in there was destroyed.'
Julian Sawyer: "Okay then... What do you suggest as a Backup?"
Metal Man (GM): 'It must have the power of a small engine. Any item of power. The power can be drawn out of it.'
Julian Sawyer: "Alright..."
Aribar takes out his Yellow Chaos Emerald, frowning... "This may work... How long would a backup engine have to be used for?"
Metal Man (GM): 'Item of extreme power detected. The backup would be used permanently. It is all we have. Your stone of power is more than enough to use while the power lines are switched.'
Julian Sawyer: "I thought you said there was another geo-engine we could use."
Metal Man (GM): 'That is the backup.'
Aribar: "Would it be possible to come back down here at a later date to repair the main engine?"
Metal Man (GM): 'One of you must insert the stone into a console, while the other types in the commands to change to the backup. It is possible, but the main engine is submerged in magma.'
Julian Sawyer: "...Again, Garrick would be real handy here..."
Metal Man (GM): 'The outcasts have no tools with which to service it in that condition, and no engine to replace it with besides this backup.'
Aribar sighs... "Fine... Where can I put this Chaos Emerald so that it may power this database?"
Metal Man (GM): Little arrows point at three identical handles on the control panels.
Aribar walks over to the handles.
Metal Man (GM): You can unscrew one and stick it in. The handles are lightweight.
Aribar sets the emerald down on the control panel and begins to unscrew the handle. "I guess one of you should try to switch the computer to the backup..."
Metal Man (GM): The handle unscrews to reveal a conduit where any object of power may be put.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads over to the control console to input commands.*
Metal Man (GM): Julian: INT check.
Julian Sawyer: *I ARE GENIUS.*
Aribar mutters a good bye to his emerald, still having doubts about this, and puts the Chaos Emerald into the conduit.
Metal Man (GM): You type in some commands, and then stuff begins happening. 'Backup source slot #1 activated.' The lights brighten up. 'Power is at 100%. Activating geothermal engine #2.' You hear a far-off machine activating. 'Energy restored. Generator #2 is now at full power.'
Julian Sawyer: "Alright. So Ari can take the Emerald out now?"
Metal Man (GM): The emerald then pops out of the conduit you stuck it in. 'Power switch complete.'
Julian Sawyer: "Bea-utiful."
Aribar blinks, a bit confused... The elf mutters, "I thought this was supposed to be permanent... Ah well... No use complaining about good turns of events."
Metal Man (GM): 'INTA is now at full power. I thank you for your work.'
Julian Sawyer: "Alright. You mind telling us who the Outcasts are now?"
Metal Man (GM): 'They are... on the other side of the planet.'
Julian Sawyer: "dammit!"
Metal Man (GM): 'There is an elevator to there. Dead ahead.'
Julian Sawyer: "...It travels sideways?"
Metal Man (GM): You do, indeed, see another door ahead. 'It travels upside down.'
Aribar takes the emerald and puts it back in his pack. "Hrm... What exactly is this database for?"
Metal Man (GM): 'The database is of the minds of those we have scanned and of our history. It is also my brain. I am INTA. I forgot to tell you that.'
Julian Sawyer: "...Really. So who built you?"
Inta: "The Outcasts. I am the creation of their computer systems amalgamated together. I was made to regulate the environment of their two crystal cities. A recent interdimensional event caused their first city to be destroyed by a flood. They moved to the backup one, on the other side of the planet. Deep underground. I am named Integrated kNowledge Translation Archiver. Knowledge of your world is strangely connected to what I have in here from the outcasts."
Julian Sawyer: "That was totally not our fault. The flood, I mean. Totally not ours."
Inta: "I doubt you would have done it. Sources indicate magic probably related to this being you call Kuja. However he sent you here, it disrupted our history as well. This is not the planet it used to be."
Julian Sawyer: "Really?"
Aribar: "Do you know if it is possible to send us back to Nintendus, the world we came from?"
Inta: "The ruins. They were not like that before. It is possible, Aribar. However only your machines can do that. The location of your machines is unknown."
Julian Sawyer: "Our machines? You mean the Stadium computers?"
Inta: "The stadium computers. Yes. Like the ones on the surface, but the ones you seek are deeper."
Julian Sawyer: "...Great..."
Inta: "There is also an... artifact. You need."
Julian Sawyer: "You know what it is?"
Aribar: "Hrm..."
Julian Sawyer: "Something we can plug into SIMBER?"
Inta: "It is something Kales wants. The flaming V."
Metal Man (GM): You see a glow near the cube. Suddenly... a V which is on fire appears.
Julian Sawyer: "...What the hell?"
Metal Man (GM): It's kept on a jar so you can handle it.
Inta: "I do not know what it is. It was found while building this facility."
Aribar: "... A flaming letter..." *He shakes his head.* "Oh! Speaking of Kales... Would you happen to know anything about him?"
Inta: "It could also be a flaming /. I do not know."
Julian Sawyer: "Is that the same magma-proof glass we saw on the way in?"
Inta: "Kales... Yes, Julian. Kales is an archaeologist desperately searching for something. He hoards every artifact you find. They are connected for some purpose."
Julian Sawyer: "Cool. I can get Garrick to do something with it... Is he evil?"
Inta: "He appears to be getting some sort of kickback from his research. But it appears that it will help you get home."
Aribar: "... Kickback? Payment you mean?"
Inta: "I do not know if it is good or evil. No, the artifacts will do something for him as well. I can link with SIMBER after you obtain permission from the outcasts. Then, if you wish to speak further, I shall be ready to aid you."
Julian Sawyer: "Grant him immortality and unimaginable power to which he shall use to take over the universe, perhaps..."
Aribar nods. "Thank you..."
Julian Sawyer: "Bea-utiful. Thanks for the help."
Inta: "You are welcome."
Aribar heads over to the other elevator now, but then stops... "What are these Outcasts like? Lizardmen as well? Do they even speak our language?"
Julian Sawyer: "Do they talk backwards?"
Inta: "They are human. Related to you. They do not speak your language. But, thanks to the scan of Julian, I will automatically translate whatever you say into their language, and vice versa."
Julian Sawyer: "Great."
Inta: "They all speak many different languages."
Julian Sawyer: "As long as they don't talk backwards, I don't care."
Inta: "The curved lines you saw earlier are actually my programming language."
Aribar: "Hrm... Thanks again."
Inta: "You are welcome."
Julian Sawyer: "Huh." *Heads for the elevator.*
Aribar heads into the elevator now.
Metal Man (GM): You get to the elevator. The group had gone to an underground city, which was flooded with water. They wandered through various houses and walkways, fighting a few robots on the way. After experiencing weird squiggly writing, they then found a gigantic, dome-shaped building. They entered it, and found an elevator. Also, Julian touched a weird holographic orb. Julian's mind was scanned by a computer. This computer then told the group about the 'Outcasts', a lost group of people who were also on the planet. All of the squiggly lines turned into English; the computer was a translator. They went down the elevator, into the center of the Earth. There, they found suits which protected them from the extreme conditions, and wandered through hallways. One of them being cracked and damaged. They fought off a Ghost Metroid, then fled the hallway as it was destroyed by magma. Then they found their way into the main room, where they had to switch power sources to save the computer. The thing that had been talking them turned out to be this very computer. "INTA." And then, they were about to board another elevator, which would take them to... the Outcasts. Continuation: Begin!
Aetos supposedly just followed them here then.
Julian Sawyer: *In the elevator* "C'mon! I ain't got all day!"
Aribar heads into the elevator.
Aetos goes in too.
Metal Man (GM): This elevator is the same as the other.
Digifanatic enters the elevator, waving a quick hello at Aetos, and is set to move up.
Inta: "I am beginning to prepare the elevator for liftoff."
Metal Man (GM): Digi, Aribar, Julian, and Aetos are on the elevator.
Inta: "Elevator online."
Aetos: "Sorry I took so long... I was distracted by all the shiny stuff up in the city...."
Julian Sawyer: "Great."
Metal Man (GM): The elevator, which is a gigantically wide round platform, glows, then begins going up. You see the blue tubing around you, and notice how you are getting higher, as the rock formations change with height. It all seems to be another ordinary elevator trip. Although, as usual, it's a bit fast for you guys.
Julian Sawyer: "Wonder what these Outcast guys are like..."
Digifanatic: "Beats me. Don't seem to be that bad of a group..."
Julian Sawyer: "As long as they don't try to kill us or talk backwards..."
Digifanatic: "Yeah..."
Aetos: "Those people were fun, but insanely uneducated."
Metal Man (GM): Back. Suddenly... you hear something.
Aetos: "Whossawhatzits?"
Metal Man (GM): It sounds almost like a high-pitched screech.
Julian Sawyer: "...Now what?"
Aribar: "... Iiiiii don't like that..."
Digifanatic: *Covers* "Oh, man!"
Aetos covers his ears also "That... hurts my ears!"
Inta: "Unknown anomaly. Prepare for turbulence."
Metal Man (GM): Alarms go off. The elevator begins shacking.
Julian Sawyer: *Braces himself and tries to keep his balance* "Think we got a battle on our hands..."
Aetos: "Maybe..."
Aribar: "... How can we battle in an elevator?"
Julian Sawyer: "Didn't Final Fantasy do that once?"
Aetos: "This thing is sorta big..."
Aribar: "... Final Fantasy?"
Aetos: "Uh... yeah... it's a game."
Julian Sawyer: "Aetos, back me up here."
Aetos: "Umm... have you heard of Fira?"
Aribar: "Hrm..." *The elf takes out the Wand of Wonder and backs himself up against a wall.*
Julian Sawyer: "...What? What does that have to do with anything?"
Aribar shakes his head. "Sorry... Can't say that I've had."
Aetos: "Fire, Fira, Firaga?"
Digifanatic decides not to partake in this conversation and waits for something to happen...
Aetos: "Well those spells are also cast by people here... in this universe... But people in Final Fantasy cast them too... see?"
Aribar: "Huh... I should research that a bit... But... Ummm... I'll have to agree with Julian on wondering how this means anything..."
Aetos: "This... place is so complex... I can't explain it... just take my word, it is a simple Earth game."
Julian Sawyer: "...Well, it's not simple."
Aetos: "It is an Earth game..."
Aribar: "... Earth? Oh... Ancient history to me then... No wonder I've never heard of it."
Metal Man (GM): Three portals suddenly appear above the elevator.
Aetos: "Woah!"
Metal Man (GM): One is red... one is yellow... and one is blue.
Julian Sawyer: "... Viruses?"
Aribar: "... Piffle."
Metal Man (GM): They spin around once, and then settle in the center of the elevator, making a small explosion. And out appear... three men. One of fire, one of ice, and one of lightning.
Julian Sawyer: "Or not."
Ize: "Kuja forbids you from meeting the outcasts!"
Fer: "You must be burnt to ashes!"
Elc: "I refuse to let you survive!"
Julian Sawyer: "Whatever."
Ize, Fer, and Elc: "IZE, FER, and ELC will destroy you!"
Metal Man (GM): They all run at you screaming.
Aribar: "... I don't suppose we can bribe you?"
Julian Sawyer: "...Kinda abbreviated, aren't you"
Aribar mutters, "That answers that..."
Aetos: "No kidding..."
Metal Man (GM): The screaming and the charging doesn't make them look very bribe-able.
Elc: "I am faster than you, imitator boy! I destroy your poser kind! Ha ha ha!"
Metal Man (GM): He fires a bolt of lightning at Julian. *BZAP.*
Julian Sawyer: "...What?"
Metal Man (GM): Instant 70 electric damage,.
Julian Sawyer: "GAH!"
Aetos: "Uhh... crap."
Metal Man (GM): No paralysis.
Julian Sawyer: *Is immune to Paralysis anyway* "Is that it?!" *Julian removes his fedora and pops the blade out along the brim and throws, Hat Tricking the hell out of Elc.*
Elc: "You cannot hit me! I am stronger! Ha ha ha!"
Metal Man (GM): 4 hits... as he phases in and out of existence to dodge.
Julian Sawyer: "Hey!"
Elc: "You can't hit me! I phase between dimensions!"
Julian Sawyer: "Cheater!" *Catches his Fedora on the return.*
Elc: "You are cheater. I am Elc!"
Julian Sawyer: "Shut up!"
Elc: "Down open! Ha ha ha!"
Digifanatic: "Huh..." *He tries to do something he knows will upset his target... a Fire Punch on Ize.*
Fer: "Not so fast!"
Metal Man (GM): Digi's attack is suddenly thrown at Aribar. You can see Fer controlling the attack with his mind.
Aetos: "Woo... that's a nice twist... controlling fire attacks."
Aribar: "Gah!" *Is punched...*
Digifanatic: "It wasn't my fault..."
Aribar isn't too severely injured by the punch...
Digifanatic knows not to do that until Fer is taken out of the match... *...so instead, he just launches one big ol' Hyper Beam Matrix at the group...* *...at -5.*
Metal Man (GM): Elc dodges one of the first two. The others all hit.
Digifanatic: "That guy is fast..."
Elc: "You slow, silly boy! Ha ha ha!"
Digifanatic: *This Overdrives him...* *He finishes his round a bit of D. (defense mode)*
Aribar swings the Wand of Wonder out towards the three elemental foes causing all three to be caught in an explosion before the elf does a backhand slice with the wand causing another explosion to engulf the three enemies before Aribar thrusts the wand up above his head, a reflective sphere appearing around the mage before shattering... The elf dimly glows now (Two Bangs for 30% each and a Reflect on myself.)
Metal Man (GM): ...Elc avoids one of the Bangs.
Elc: "Ha ha ha! Missing person!"
Aribar: "I still hit you!"
Aetos: "Hey Fer, you can manipulate fire, sure... but what about this?" *In a flash of light, the tip of Aetos' spear turns into compressed wind*
Elc: "Ha ha! Fer can't control wind!"
Aetos: "..."
Fer: "...It won't matter. Your crispy corpse shall be all the revenge I need."
Aetos charges at Fer, reluctantly. and impales him twice with his windy spear.
Metal Man (GM): You hit him twice, dealing all sorts of damage. He violently explodes in a fireball.
Elc: "Ha ha! Flamed out!"
Digifanatic: "Thanks."
Elc: "Elc is where the toughness lives!"
Julian Sawyer: "Shut up! Jeez..."
Aetos: "No problem Digi. Now take out Icee, woo!"
Ize: "I am afraid you cannot defeat me like this. I am superior to both of them. Feel the cold freeze your blood!"
Julian Sawyer: "Can you shift dimensions?"
Metal Man (GM): He aims at Julian, and hits him with a beam of ice, dealing 140 ice damage. But Julian is not frozen.
Ize: "I can do that."
Julian Sawyer: *Shivers* "B-b-b-b-b-b-eh!"
Elc: "Let's gang up on cheater! Cheater, cheat cheat pumpkin eater! Kazaaaam!"
Metal Man (GM): He fires a large bolt of electricity at Julian. *BZAP* instant 70 electric damage. No paralysis, not that it matters.
Julian Sawyer: *BRALSH!@ Death!*
Aetos whistles innocently and says 'at least it's not me' to himself...
Elc: "Ha ha! I win! I rock! Feel the power of the lightning bolt!"
Digifanatic: "Oh, be quiet."
Julian Sawyer's knocked off his feet and into a waiting Generic Blue Warp Portal, which quickly turns Red as he rises out of it, glowing red with vengeance!
Aribar jests a bit..."... At least he knows that lightning is the superior element..."
Julian Sawyer: "Big Mistake!" *Julian rushes towards Elec, giving him a Vengeful Haymaker to the side o' da head!*
Elc: "Ha ha! You suck!"
Metal Man (GM): *Warp.*
Elc: "I am Elc! You are cheater! Kuja rocks!"
Metal Man (GM): He does some air guitar.
Julian Sawyer: *Quickly turns on a dime as he phases behind Elec and punches him in the back of the head.*
Metal Man (GM): *Warp.*
Julian Sawyer: "Stop that!"
Elc: "I are faster than you. Burrrrrrn!"
Digifanatic: "Alright..." *He uses the advantage of Fer being gone to try and Fire Punch Ize again...* "Heh... stinks to not have your firepower." **
Metal Man (GM): You actually hit this time.
Ize: "You shall freeze for your intransigence."
Digifanatic gives 100 rings to Julian...
Julian Sawyer: *+1 Life'd!*
Digifanatic finishes up with another Hyper Beam Matrix for good luck...
Metal Man (GM): Elc strikes out and forgets to warp out of the way.
Elc: "Dang! My power is taking a nap!"
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Digifanatic Eye Spies Elc's HP... "Alright..."
Aribar drops the Wand of Wonder and takes out his Chaos Emerald, activating Chaos Control... He then uses his remaining two actions to cast two Star Rains.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: You gain privy to a rather neat sight. You see Elec as he phases in and out in slow-mo. But can he dodge the stars? No. Because he's too dang slow!
Julian Sawyer: "Take that!"
Elc: "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!"
Aetos: "Woah... Ari, you just ... moved fast... or something... anyways." *He eyes Slurpee and tries to drill his windy spear into him for three actions.*
Metal Man (GM): Four hits.
Ize: "You are skilled, but I am exceedingly ruthless."
Metal Man (GM): He tosses more ice energy at Aetos. Aetos takes an instant 140 ice damage. He isn't frozen.
Aetos: "Yeoowwch... cold... cold... brrrrrrrr..."
Elc: "Insult to injuryizzle!"
Metal Man (GM): He fires lightning at Aetos.
Aetos: "Nooooo."
Metal Man (GM): instant 70 electric damage... but if you're weak to it... ouch! No paralysis.
Aetos falls to the ouch.
Ize: "Curses! Why did Fer have to be so fragile?"
Elc: "I got it!"
Metal Man (GM): Elc runs in the way of the PK Fire attack. Roll for da attack. Elc blocks one of them without phasing... And blocks a second one before being hit by one.
Elc: "Ow... Ize shall survive long enough to kill you all!"
Julian Sawyer: "Stop doing that!"
Elc: "I will! Tomorrow!"
Digifanatic Eye Spies Elc's HP quickly to try and determine a plan... He tries to get rid of Elc NOW. He uses not one, but two rounds of Celestial Fury on him, to see what he can do...
Metal Man (GM): He's hit both times. Bad luck for him!
Elc: "Arrrrghhh! Remember me... as an annoying idiot!"
Metal Man (GM): *Explode.*
Digifanatic: "Yes! That's a relief..."
Julian Sawyer: "FINALLY!"
Digifanatic tries that Fire Punch on Ize again, seen as how he has no one to protect him against it...
Julian Sawyer: "Nice job, Digi."
Digifanatic: "Thanks."
Metal Man (GM): You hit him.
Ize: "I am afraid our confrontation is over. I must tell Kuja of this. I will be back to finish the job."
Digifanatic: "Oh great..."
Metal Man (GM): A blue portal forms... And he disappears.
Julian Sawyer: "Oh come on!"
Aetos: "Erm..."
Julian Sawyer: "Jeez..."
Digifanatic has to get off...
Aetos: "Fine! See if we care!..."
Aribar: "Blast... We should have killed him..."
Julian Sawyer: "Stupid Elc... I hate those guys..."
Inta: "Elevator intruders have been eliminated."
Aetos: "Cheers!"
Inta: "Trip successful."
Metal Man (GM): The elevator finally gets at the top... and now you're in a large cavern, which is interlaced with wires, stalactites, and stalagmites.
Julian Sawyer: "Great."
Metal Man (GM): There's a rough tiled path which leads to an opening ahead.
Julian Sawyer: *Heads down it.*
Inta: "I will see you at the city."
Aetos: "Hm..." *He activates the item finder while walking down the path.*
Metal Man (GM): You walk down it. The place is eerily beautiful. The sound of water dripping is almost soothing. You walk out the opening... and behold a sight which you've never seen before.
Aribar: "Thanks for the ride." *The elf stoops down to pick up the Wand of Wonder since he dropped it during the battle. He pockets the wand and exits into the cavern.*
Metal Man (GM): A massive underground cavern... the ceiling very high... a massive lake, with a city rising out of the middle of it, sun streaming through the roof. And a massive blue-colored bridge of crystal leading to it.
Julian Sawyer: "...Huh. More crystal..."
Metal Man (GM): As said by a sign here, this is "The Crystal City." "Home of the Outcasts."
Julian Sawyer: "And here we are. Awesome."
Metal Man (GM): "Pop. 1,000,000."
Julian Sawyer: "...A million?"
Metal Man (GM): The bridge, of course, is open. It's rather long.
Julian Sawyer: *Walks the bridge.*
Aribar: "Such a beautiful city... I wonder what that crystal is?" *The elf continues on, looking at the city in awe.*
Charles Magellean: "The path is still full of danger." *He walks across the bridge.*
Julian Sawyer: "Crystal. Duh."
Aetos follows along with Aribar and Locos, Julian seeming to be speeding ahead.
Julian Sawyer: "As long as that Ize guy doesn't show up with more goons, we'll be fine."
Metal Man (GM): You begin walking across the bridge. You begin to see the city... indeed, it's a metropolis, filled to the brim with people. People... human people. Weird.
Aribar: "I'd imagine that, unless Kuja sees to him immediately, we'll have at least a day or so before being bothered..."
Metal Man (GM): The crystal, despite being clear, is very sturdy beneath your feet.
Julian Sawyer: "A sight for sore eyes..."
Metal Man (GM): And this... is when you begin to hear something gurgling in the water.
Charles Magellean: "Places."
Julian Sawyer: "...Anyone else hear that?"
Charles Magellean lowers his hands to his guns, ready to unholster them.
Aribar strains his ears, frowning... "That I did... Let's hope that it's nothing." He continues across the bridge, picking up the pace a tiny bit.
Aetos looks downward into the water "Is someone down there?"
Julian Sawyer: "You'd think the Outcasts would have taken care of any monsters in the moat." *Continues on.*
Charles Magellean: "Stand back from the water. Lest you fall in and die."
Aetos: "What if it's someone drowning you guys?"
Metal Man (GM): *VOOSH* Something flies out of the water!
Aetos blinks.
Charles Magellean continues on... until such a point makes him stop. He notices that the point has happened and therefore stops.
Aribar turns about as he hears something exit the water...
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Metal Man (GM): It then lands on the bridge in front of you, fish flopping and with a sea net on it... it's a sort of humanoid mecha with a clear dome set slightly above the body as a 'head'...
Maxamillion: "Ahahahahahahaha! I am back to get my revenge!"
Julian Sawyer: "...Welp, I'm wrong. ...dammit!"
Aetos: "Who are you?... and Revenge on who? Us? What did I do!?"
Aribar: "We don't want any trouble, mister..."
Charles Magellean: "You've met some of us before."
Maxamillion: "You shall never get to this city, just like I never got to this city!"
Julian Sawyer: "I was wondering where you went after you dived out of the tower! What?"
Maxamillion: "I fell down a huge pit... but alas. Maxamillion cannot die!"
Aribar: "... Why not walk to the city right now?"
Maxamillion: "...Never! You shall pay for not taking me home! And I know just how to do it!"
Aribar: "... Nothing seems to be preventing you from reaching the city."
Charles Magellean: "...So you are the Solarian that these guys were talking about!"
Aetos: "Oh, your the crazy guy in the tower..."
Maxamillion: "They refused to let me see my fellow soldiers. Now all of you shall become smoldering smudges on my smashing smash foot of death!"
Charles Magellean pulls out his guns and aims at Max's "head".
Julian Sawyer: "Whatever. I'm gonna make sure you're gone this time!"
Metal Man (GM): To make his point solid, he stomps the bridge. Which then cracks.
Julian Sawyer: *Punches his fist into his palm* "Count on it!"
Maxamillion: "...And I can do that!"
Aetos: "Woah..."
Maxamillion: "...None the less. It is time to unleash my ultimate weapon!"
Metal Man (GM): It powers up, taking a fighting stance...
Charles Magellean: "Magitek scum!"
Metal Man (GM): Some panels lift off, showing his mecha to be powered by... ...fighter statues?
Aribar frowns and takes out the Wand of Wonder...
Julian Sawyer: "..."
Aribar: "... Where did you get those statues?"