Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 247: Ivan's Assistance
Date: November 26th, 2005.
Metal Man (GM): Super Smash Quest Season 6. Everyone but Charles is at HQ, mainly because Maxamillian launched Charles rather far away. At the big room, of course.
Julian: "...So when's he supposed to get back?"
Metal Man (GM): Metal's there, and now standing in front of various monitors.
Metal Man: "Well, Charles happens to have landed where we want to go..... you see..."
Metal Man goes to the computer, and then types in a few commands. The ancient logo of Eisnaught appears on the screen.
Metal Man: "Kuja destroyed Eisnaught, then left it in ruins like our place.....And like our place... it hasn't actually been killed off."
Julian: "So there's still people there? "
Metal Man: "Ivan Robotnik sent us a message just as he stopped Maxamillian."
Digifanatic: "Oh yeah. He hacked the console."
Metal Man: "He, and the last of his soldiers, have been hiding deep underground in Eisnaught."
Digifanatic: "Ah. That's a relief."
Metal Man: "They have the green chaos emerald, and have been researching the technology Maxamillian put into play..."
Julian: "So we go there, find 'em, and then what?"
Metal Man: "Let me continue."
Azure makes his presence known. Oddly he was in the room to begin with but myseriously enough he just wasnt there. How odd. He stood there silently listening.
Metal Man: "They had no reason to help us before because it would reveal them. But that new technology was made to block all of our weapons. And Ivan... has developed a new weapon system which will get through that."
Julian: "Coo'."
Metal Man: "Oh yes. About Vendetta.......He said it was a special case. Gerald made it so that it could be modified to pierce such fields. It requires a chip, which we shall acquire along with the technology. Our problem? Kuja's men probably intercepted the signal and will soon know of Eisnaught. Unlike us, Kuja has been insistent on total destruction of Ivan's forces."
Julian: "So we gotta get in and out before he nukes it again?"
Metal Man: "Yes. The first part shall be a cakewalk."
Digifanatic: "Oh boy..."
Metal Man: "We just walk on over and go inside. We looks around, and then... we evacuate."
Digifanatic: "Okay... And then what's the second part?"
Julian: "Sounds easy enough. When do we move out?"
Metal Man: "Now... time is short. The second part is escaping with Ivan's men. He and his men are enough to defend the entire Stadium ruins. For once, we won't be quite so desperate... but we must move now."
Garrick: "What can we do, then?"
Julian: "Go?"
Metal Man: "Go immediately... to Eisnaught."
Garrick: "Metal, you seriously believe it'll be that easy?"
Metal Man: "The more we wait, the harder it gets. Go West again."
Julian: "Hey, less talk, more move you *censored*." *Julian gets up, then jumps as his Rocket Boots activate, then takes off towards Eisnaught. Westward Ho!*
Metal Man: "He also says Charles is okay... you'll meet up with him again."
Digifanatic follows as fast as possible.
Garrick stands up, but hesitates. "...I hope your right about this, Metal." *follows, running up to Digi.*
Metal Man (GM): And so, Julian, Digi, and Garrick run off to Eisnaught. *Insert loading screen here.* Eisnaught: The Lost City.
Garrick: "Digi, could I have my gun back?"
Digifanatic: "Oh, right!" *gives it back to him.*
Garrick: "Thanks."
Metal Man (GM): You reach... the ruins of Eisnaught.
Garrick holsters it.
Metal Man (GM): An entire blue utopia... destroyed. Buildings thrown about... and a single path through it all.
Garrick: "...good lord..."
Digifanatic: "Wow..."
Julian: "...Eh. More of the same..."
Garrick: "I can't get used to it... I mean... it's all trashed..."
Julian: "Hasn't this happened more than once?"
Digifanatic: "It used to be Toad Town... 3, right?"
Dex: "The Void trashed it in the past. It is also possible Smithy trashed it once."
Julian: "...Or was that Toad Town... Doesn't matter, they're both rubble..."
Dex: "I believe Gruntilda also blew it up. Although when it became Eisnaught it blew up considerably less."
Digifanatic: "...yup."
Garrick: "...right... well, let's go." *starts his way in.*
Julian: *Flies above, looking for an entrance point.*
Aribar catches up to the group a bit late...*
Metal Man (GM): It's a twisting blue path. A blue... lit up path.
Azure would catch up about the same time as Aribar.
Digifanatic: "Oh, hey."
Metal Man (GM): It leads through ruined stuff and appears new.
Julian: *follows the path.* "How could they have looked over this?"
Dex: "It was recently lit up for our use."
Julian: "Oh."
Metal Man (GM): You finally reach... well, look at this. It's an old bank. Aribar would remember this as being near where the armored car fiasco happened. Evil Ninjis...
Julian: "...Looks like the place." *Julian touches down and walks on in.*
Metal Man (GM): You walk in, and see that it remained destroyed since the last time you encountered it.
Digifanatic follows Mr. Sawyer in...
Metal Man (GM): In fact, there's an elevator in the middle of the room.
Julian: *enters.*
Metal Man (GM): How funny. The path ends right in front of it.
Aribar follows the others, apologizing for being late.*
Garrick: "I guess Kuja didn't want to bother with it too much."
Metal Man (GM): The elevator has no buttons; must be automatic.
Julian: "Who'd suspect a bank?" *Is in elevator.*
Digifanatic walks in as well.
Metal Man (GM): You guys all get in the elevator...
Azure: steps in.
Metal Man (GM): *CLINK* The doors shut. It begins to go down.
Julian: "Seems easy so far, huh Garrick?"
Metal Man (GM): You hear a voice. 'Welcome to Eisnaught Underground. Your Destination: TOP SECRET.'
Azure: "Well... if you just count the floors won't you know anyway..."
Garrick: "...I don't think it's going to be easy, per say..."
Julian: "This place has floors?"
Metal Man (GM): *CLINK* It finally hits the floor, and opens.
Julian: *Steps out.*
Digifanatic walks out...
Metal Man (GM): You see... it's an underground planning chamber! Like from those war movies!
Aribar follows the others out.*
Azure: "Just assuming I guess." he walks out.
Metal Man (GM): Ivan Robotnik is sitting at the end of a table, and looking a mix of sadness and happiness.
Julian: "...Well, we're here."
Ivan Robotnik: "Welcome... to Eisnaught."
Garrick: "...reminds me of Nova..."
Ivan Robotnik: "It has been... a very long time..."
Metal Man (GM): He stands up.
Julian: "10 years, right?"
Digifanatic: "Yeah."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes. But 11 since we met directly."
Garrick: "It's good to see you again Ivan. "
Azure: "I don't think I've had the chance of meeting." Azure does his usual bow.
Ivan Robotnik: "I have been building this resistance base in desperation. Kuja rules the aboveground world. And even now... it is time to give it up. Allowing you in here... Kuja will know. We will have to evacuate shortly."
Garrick: "We have the stadium... or what's left of it."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes, yes. The plan is to rebuild your stadium and fortify the far more defendable hilltop. This city is too large and too easy for enemies to lurk in."
Aribar: "What makes you think that the Stadium is better?"
Julian: "So let's get your army and go."
Aribar: "To me it just seems like it provides a finer target for Kuja's might."
Ivan Robotnik: "The Stadium is on a hilltop and has a prevailing view of the surrounding area."
Digifanatic: "Good point."
Ivan Robotnik: "If we build laser cannons and walls, we can control a large area of that field and prevent anyone from coming in. This is not revenge... this is WAR."
Garrick: "With no army."
Ivan Robotnik: "Now... come with me." *He gets up, and walks to a door in the back.* "No army? The soldiers will get a chuckle out of that."
Azure: "I'm not that smartest in this new technology--it's all still growing on me. But with high ground and a view of the surronding area. That indeed is a prime place to position one self in a situation like this."
Aribar follows Ivan, still not convinced.*
Julian: *walks after him.*
Garrick follows.
Metal Man (GM): He walks through a sliding door, into... the medbay.
Digifanatic continues.
Metal Man (GM): Charles is there, bandaged up and holding the red emerald.
Garrick: "Charles! Good to see you aren't dead."
Ivan Robotnik: "You're lucky I hacked that magitek monstrosity... if I hadn't, he would have been killed."
Azure: "Indeed."
Julian: "No kiddin'..."
Aribar: "Somehow I think it would take at least three of your soldiers to face just one of Kuja's men... Good to see you again, Charles."
Garrick: "By the way, Ivan, thank you for that. You saved my life as well with that move..."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes. It is nice of you to do so, because in doing so I doomed this city in the first place. But we shall cope, in time. I have studied the magitek, and discovered its weaknesses..."
Julian: "After we get the hell out of here. What's next on the tour?"
Ivan Robotnik: "This way." *He continues straight ahead...*
Digifanatic follows again.
Charles: "By the way, it's good to see you to see you again, Ivan. I always looked forward in seeing you in person but... in better conditions."
Ivan Robotnik: "Oh! Sorry. I almost thought you were asleep. Well, as long as you can walk, you'll be fine."
Julian: *Heads after Ivan.*
Charles: "Well I was unconscious when you found me."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes..." *He continues to talk, but in the next room, talking to Charles through the doorway.*
Garrick follows.
Charles gets off of the bed, albeit a bit moaning coming from him, and begins to walk.
Metal Man (GM): You all reach the next room... It's a wide-open one, filled with men in blue uniforms. They're equipped with all manner of laser rifles.
Digifanatic: "So, Charles, are you okay?"
Julian: "And this would be your army..."
Ivan Robotnik: "This is the First Infantry Unit of the United Nintendus Liberation Front. Or UNLF for short."
Garrick smiles very, very wide. "...now THIS... THIS is what I like."
Metal Man (GM): The turn to face you and salute.
Aribar frowns, still doubting their power.
Azure: "You've created quite a force here. To make sure its enough we can't fail at this task before us."
Charles: "It reminds me of my military..."
Ivan Robotnik: "All remaining survivors were conscripted to form an elite fighting force. Here are 300 men, but about 1700 more are throughout this base as I speak."
Garrick: "...very, very nice."
Digifanatic: "Decent number."
Ivan Robotnik: "They are equipped with special pistols which pierce Magitek and create terrific explosions."
Julian: "Nice..."
Azure: This is most impressive.
Julian: "So how we gonna get 'em outta here? Walk? You got some kinda transport?"
Ivan Robotnik: "I trained them for this day... this day when we overcome Kuja. We fight our way out!"
Digifanatic: "Any chance we might get ahold of those kinds of things?"
Aribar: "Two-thousand men against how many? Kuja must have tens of thousands..."
Julian: "...So it's walking?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes, Julian."
Charles: "Hundreds of thousands, Ari."
Ivan Robotnik: "...Well, Digi, I'll get back to you on that. In fact, on that topic..."
Julian: "Great..."
Metal Man (GM): He continues walking ahead, the men making a neat space for you to walk through.
Digifanatic follows Ivan further.
Metal Man (GM): They salute and are now... following you.
Garrick follows, glancing to the soldier beside him...
Azure: "Aribar that's true. But we cannot mistake this as an opportunity. But its a slim chance and with it we may have a chance at moving forward with them in this fight." he follows.
Garrick: "...those shoes aren't polished very well, soldier..."
Julian: *More walkin'...*
Charles looks to his emerald... he is now angry at it. He shakes his head fiercely and puts it away. He limps as he walks onward.
Ivan Robotnik: "As I go, the base is to evacuate."
Metal Man (GM): He reaches the next room.
Ivan Robotnik: "Here is... the weapon plans."
Metal Man (GM): There's blueprints everywhere.
Julian: "So we're eventually gonna have the entire army followin' us though the base?"
Aribar follows Ivan into the room wondering what he'll do to their weapons...*
Metal Man (GM): You see... a bow, a gun, a staff, and all sorts of weapons through history.
Julian: *Whistles...* "That's alotta blue..."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes. And... now you see before you the new weapons. Notice how they do not look... different? Yet... they can pierce a magitek barrier."
Azure looked at them his eyes skimed around them as he walked around briefly to understand."I wish..that I could say I knew what I was looking at. But I'll commend... you I'm sure... everyone else does." with that he sighs.
Digifanatic: "That's pretty interesting."
Metal Man (GM): Ivan picks up a pistol, and an identical pistol, and then walks over to some sort of scanner. He passes the pistol through it... a normal X-ray. He passes the other one through it... It's all rainbowy.
Ivan Robotnik: "That is the only way to tell the difference. An X-ray."
Julian: "So it's something internal?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Not even that. The atoms are arranged in a certain way. This causes the anti-Magitek effect. On a side note, any magitek made this way violently explodes."
Digifanatic: "Okay, lemme get this straight. If Kuja was given enough persuasion, one could give him a normal pistol and he wouldn't know until he fired it? Well, he wouldn't know that it wasn't a special pistol."
Ivan Robotnik: "Um... yes."
Digifanatic: "Daaaaaaaaang."
Ivan Robotnik: "Now then. Up a floor!"
Julian: "Assuming you'd be able to get near him..."
Metal Man (GM): He opens the next door, taking the blueprints and some devices with him.
Digifanatic: "Don't give me any looks. That was just for curiousity."
Metal Man (GM): It's stairs, of course.
Digifanatic heads back up the stairs.
Oceanblaze: Azure follows once more.
Charles silently observes as he limps more.
Julian: *Up ze stairs of DOOM.*
Aribar follows...*
Metal Man (GM): You go up, and into a computerized control room.
Digifanatic: "And one more question: whose atoms are arranged in a certain way? The pistol's, the ammunition's, or both?"
Ivan Robotnik: "All ammunition loaded into it is converted."
Digifanatic: "Alright."
Metal Man (GM): Various engineers and personnel are switching things to automated mode, and getting their own rifles out.
Digifanatic: "Wanted to clear that up."
Metal Man (GM): And pistols, and... well, swords even.
Garrick: "Could you convert our original weapons to this state?"
Ivan Robotnik: "I'm afraid not. Only Vendetta can be 'converted'... And that's only because it is at least a decade ahead of all other technology. Gerald Robotnik... his creations never seem to become obsolete."
Garrick frowns and draws his M150, sighing and stroking it.
Julian: "So I can carve Maxi up close when this whole thing's over?"
Charles: "A pity that he works for another military and government again."
Garrick: "Looks like my favorite is now obsolete as well."
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes, Julian. Now then... here we go..." *He walks across a catwalk; a large power area is here, with the green emerald up ahead.*
Digifanatic: "Ah... pretty."
Aribar looks at the shortsword and wand on his belt as he follows Ivan. "At least they'll be nice looking on the wall..."
Azure: *His spirit charms would float around him and in one hand he looked at one of his nexus gauntlets* "So... these weapons... of ours... are no longer useful... to us..." with that he continued walking strapping the metal like forming hand to his side.
Ivan Robotnik: "A sacrifice to stop Kuja's tyrannic ways... yes."
Charles: "...The Stone of Agony was beginning to kick in before I lost consciousness."
Metal Man (GM): He reaches the emerald, and begins typing.
Charles: "I just didn't know where the emerald was."
Ivan Robotnik: "This facility will continue to operate on stored power and self-destruct when it is breached. I will use the emerald for our own needs."
Julian: "Damn... Gonna have to get a new hat and everything..."
Metal Man (GM): He pockets the emerald, and continues walking.
Azure follows once more.
Ivan Robotnik: "One last floor."
Metal Man (GM): He goes up, to floor -1.....It's the basements of many ruined buildings linked together.
Charles follows again as he begins to pick up some speed.
Metal Man (GM): Foremost of which... the undamaged Control Tower. The last of the people join you here; alarms begin to go off. Screens turn on.
Ivan Robotnik: "They are here now."
Julian: *Walk da walk the walkity WALK.* "So let's go!"
Digifanatic is there as well..."Oh maaan..."
Charles: "Luckily, your emerald is not close to mine or Ari'---I see this is where we pick up the pace."
Metal Man (GM): You see... Denon's remaining ships... Magitek machines... infantrymen... vampires... zombies... even some men in mecha and tanks built by Maxamillian, Dark wizards... but mostly infantry.
Ivan Robotnik: "It is time that I demonstrate my technology. Three... two... one... ACTIVATE!"
Aribar blinks. "What about my Emerald? ... You better have something spectacular, Robotnik..."
Charles: "Okay, so whose armies belong to whom?"
Metal Man (GM): The various screens show the entire city becoming shrouded by a green force field. Then Ivan begins marching; you notice you're now smack dab in the middle of the massive 2000-man unit. Automated defense systems spring to life from the buildings... but can't shoot until the shields are down. You walk towards a last set of stairs.
Julian: "All those-" *waves his hand towards the oncoming troops.* "Belong to Kuja. All THESE guys-" *geustures towards the Blue Ivans.* "Belong to Ivan, and are trying to prevent us from dying horribly."
Ivan Robotnik: "Onward... we go."
Metal Man (GM): *Cinema.* The troops march out from under the shield, vastly outnumbered. Denon's men even laugh at them... they open fire... And Ivan's men are... force fielded? *Camera zoomes to Archelago II's command center.*
Denon: "What? No! It can't be! Fire! FIRE! FIREEEEE!!!"
Metal Man (GM): His comms light up.
Maxamillian: "What is it, have you failed yet AGAIN?"
Denon: "...No. I just have a case of deferred success."
Maxamillian: "Hmph. Worthless infidel. I have no clue why Kuja revived you."
Metal Man (GM): Another comms lights up.
Grodus: "Your infantry outnumber all of ours 10 to one. Why are they, of all people, losing? I demand answers."
Denon: "Ummm... uhhh... buh. It's... Skyhigh's fault!"
Maxamillian: "Yeah, and Lashiec is my Grandfather."
Metal Man (GM): The transmissions end, and the camera zooms back onto the field. The blue ivan people are shooting down hordes of Infantrymen with lasers which pierce through people and hit at least 10 Infantrymen before dying down. Everything they hit exploding in a huge fireball. The Questers are right behind the rows of force-fielded men, who happen to be ploughing the way through. *End cinema.*
Julian: "Kick*censored*!"
Garrick: "Very nice, Ivan. Very nice indeed."
Ivan Robotnik: "Denon spent so much on quantity, he forgot about quality."
Garrick: "...Ivan, may I ask you a favor?"
Charles: "You misunderstood my question. Which lord controls the vampires, which control the undead, etc?"
Ivan Robotnik: "The other Commanders aren't here, luckily. Those other men are merely backup... yes?"
Azure: "This is most awe-inspireing."
Garrick: "I'd like to learn from you, if possible. You're computer and inventing skills are unparalleled... I know some things, enough to build some things... but I'd like to learn enough to make things to help the cause. And hurt Kuja."
Azure: H"ow they fight. Why they are fighting. There souls calling out to return fighting back against the opposing for supremacy." Azure folds his arms putting them within the opposite sides of the arm seems in his gi.
Aribar shakes his head. "That's..... That's..." *The elf shakes his head.*
Ivan Robotnik: "I shall ooblige, but first..."
Metal Man (GM): He turns to Charlles.
Ivan Robotnik: "I shall tell you."
Charles listens closely.
Ivan Robotnik: "Denon controls the infantry. Grodus, the Magitek. Gerald Robotnik... not even I know what he has. Meier Link commands elite vampires, having betrayed Zio. Lashiec commands hordes of undead and dark wizards. And Maxamillian builds mechas and advanced but small pieces of magitek. It is by far the nastiest assortment of villains I've ever encountered."
Julian: "And they're gettin' torn apart!"
Ivan Robotnik: "And I'm not counting Revenant Ruvyn or Skyhigh. Skyhigh was demoted after he failed to kill you on Turion."
Aribar: "You don't happen to have a set of armor or two laying around, do you?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Not even I kknow what's going on with Ruvyn... Unfortunately, no. All I have is a force field."
Charles: "So why aren't the Lords of Nintendus have their own armies here?"
Aribar frowns. "Ah well..."
Ivan Robotnik: "??? What do you mean? Those are the Commanders of Nintendus. I'm getting some strange readings here..."
Metal Man (GM): You suddenly see Meier Link himself.
Charles: "But... an infantryman said the Lords were Gruntilda, E Li Three, sky, Denon, Robotnik, and Kappa. Am I that gullible?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Yes... I'm afraid. Skyhigh was demoted. Kappa is likely dead. Ivo Robotnik dissappeared, as did Grunty. And E Li Three just ignores reality."
Charles: "...I should've known better than actually BELIEVE that E Li Three was a part of anyone."
Meier Link: "You have an impressive army there, Ivan! A shame I don't have the time to fight them all!"
Azure: "I recall our encouter with him. Most confusing that one was..."
Ivan Robotnik: "Open fire on him, men. He's known for his toughness."
Metal Man (GM): They open fire on him... but he seems unphazed. In fact... he leaps right into the middle, where you guys are.
Meier Link: "What, did you think lasers could stop me?"
Ivan Robotnik: "I am afraid this is where you come in, Questers. Meier Link is nearly invulnerable!"
Julian: "...Yeah."
Azure: .oO(I remember... that face...) immediately recalls the events of the past when he read from the books of the HQ some time ago. He had never seen him in person though so he wasnt sure.
Digifanatic: "Okay..."
Azure: "Leave it to us."
Meier Link: "I've survived the Sword of Light... you fools have no chance!"
Aribar frowns... "This vampire really needs to learn to stay down."
Metal Man (GM): BATTLE.
Azure: "They are giving it there all for this. We can't allow this to fall here."
Metal Man (GM): QUESTERS VS MEIER LINK.
Julian: "Jump 'em!"
Meier Link: "You can't even touch me, mortal. I shall suck your blood dry and make you my immortal slave."
Julian: "Whatever." *Julian quickly draws Vendetta with a Cool Guy Flip, grabs it, and ignites it, the orange blade erupting from the hilt.*
Azure: "I'd never stand for such a fate to befall me or any of my comrades. I believe the same goes for us all. he would get into a offensive posture."
Meier Link: "Oh yeah?" *Pulls out... a replica of the Sword of Darkness.*
Digifanatic: .oO(Oh great.)
Charles: "...Again with the Sword of Darkness."
Julian: "Yeah!" *Julian charges and slashes ML upwards.*
Meier Link: "I am the first and foremost wielder of the sword of darkness!"
Metal Man (GM): He stands there as you attack. You hit him... he laughs.
Meier Link: "Your puny weapon can't hurt me! I am Meier Link, lord of the Vampires!"
Charles: *sighs.* "If only you could river dance..."
Julian: "What the..." *DEX.*
Dex: "...DING!
Meier Link
HP: 0/???
STR: 80
SPD: 50
INT: 100
AC: 30
Attacks: 4
Description: As undead, he possesses an immunity to many things, which happens to make him nearly invincible. Find his vulnerability or you're toast.
End of description."
Meier Link: "See? Even your inferior hardware agrees with me."
Azure: .oO(Finding his weakness and we're toast...)
Ivan Robotnik: "Find his weakness and destroy him. Or at least chase him off... unfortunately, I don't have much to help with."
Garrick: "I could do with one or two of those guns of yours, Ivan... If you could spare them..."
Ivan Robotnik: "Oh! Right... just a moment."
Metal Man (GM): He begins fumbling in his coat, while it is still Julian's turn.
Julian: "You'se a vampire, right?" *Julian reaches into his back pocket, and retrieves a PEZ Dispenser with an Omni-Cube 5000 for the head. Julian pops out a tab, which quickly puffs up into an OC 5000.*
Meier Link: "Of course I am. Let's see what else you can fail to hurt me with!"
Julian: "Then let's see if this works!" *Julian presses a button on the cube, then slams it into Meier Link's face as it flashes with Light element POWAH.*
Metal Man (GM): You hit him in the face with the light energy. He looks angry.
Meier Link: "Curses! Why did I have to have such an obvious weakness?"
Metal Man (GM): He doesn't seem to take any more damage than normal, though.
Julian: "And again!" *Julian slams another Light Cube into Meier Link.*
Metal Man (GM): You hurl another one, for a hit.
Julian: "And one more time... C'mon!" *LIGHT POWAH!*
Metal Man (GM): You hit him again.
Meier Link: "Allow me to show you the futility of your actions."
Metal Man (GM): He spins the dark sword around elaborately, then runs up to Julian.
Meier Link: "DARK SLASH!"
Charles: "...Weaknesses..."
Metal Man (GM): ...Ouch.
Julian: *@SE)&GBSN#*^J@_(&GNS_*#EN%@&)&TGNXZ)ENTGWW DEAD.*
Metal Man (GM): Julian is sheared in half with one slash by the dark vampire.
Aribar: "... Piffle."
Meier Link: "Once unstoppable... FOREVER unstoppable!"
Ivan Robotnik: "There has to be something to stop him..."
Charles whispers to Ivan "...Do you have anything solar-related?"
Garrick: "Those guns WOULD be nice..."
Aribar: "Those guns are useless against him."
Ivan Robotnik: "I'm working on it, Garrick.....Hmmm... I'm sorry, I only have a pistol on me. And an emerald. And some miscellaneous but not useful non-solar objects. I didn't expect him to be so... foolhardy. Wait... uhhh... I have an idea."
Charles: "Hang on... I have an idea of my own."
Ivan Robotnik: "Do you have the Pseudo-cube bazooka?"
Charles: "I have pseudo-cubes." *equips his Star Rod.*
Ivan Robotnik: "Light them on fire somehow. By my calculations, it would be a rather brilliant explosion."
Charles: "We'll call that Plan B."
Ivan Robotnik: "Aye."
Charles speaks out loud to Meier Link. *normal voice. "Ya know, we've had a lot of trouble with you, Meier. A LOT of of problems because of your power. Undead power, right?"
Meier Link: "Yes. I just -can't- die!"
Charles: "Thank you... that's all I needed to know." *uses his remaining two actions by using the Star Rod.* "We know you can't die... but how do you feel about 'life' flowing within you?" *uses the power or Revive, not on an ally... but on Meier Link!*
Meier Link: "Most terrible an idea that is... Ahhhhhhh!!!!! Curse you, Magellean!" *He leaps away, running... it doesn't seem to be an insta-kill, but he's no longer able to defy weapons at will.*
Ivan Robotnik: "...That is the most brilliant thing I've seen all day."
Charles: "The next best thing to using sun."
Azure: *sighs.* "So much purification. But... sorry if I must say... that was way to easy..." *shrugs.* "I can't help but say... for once that's a good thing."
Ivan Robotnik: "Onward!"
Azure: "Indeed."
Charles: "So... he's gone?"
Metal Man (GM): The nearby soldiers, demoralized, begin... fleeing?
Ivan Robotnik: "No."
Charles: "Did he flee is what I meant."
Azure: "That he did."
Ivan Robotnik: "He's gone in that way, yes."
Metal Man (GM): The army is now marching... towards Quester HQ. Ivan's, that is. Charles: +5000 EXP. *Yet another cinema.* The camera zooms back to the Archelago II.
Denon: "What? That guy's an old pro! How could he have lost?"
???: "I don't care HOW he lost. He's toast, and so is most of your army. You've failed... AGAIN. The others weren't intended to take the brunt of that assault. I'm calling out the special forces."
Denon: "No! I swear! I'll... go ahead."
Metal Man (GM): *Back to the group.* You're marching through the field with Ivan; Kuja's men are actually dispelling. The Archelago II is even flying away...
Ivan Robotnik: "I don't like this. Kuja never retreats!"
Julian was revived early. "Eh. At least it's a retreat, right?"
Azure: "Maybe he hasn't retreated."
Charles: "For a moment, I had the confidence back when I was in command. Maybe their making room for bigger forces?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Maybe..."
Azure: "I have a feeling after that display the forces that were before us won't be coming back... their performace was horrible at best. That makes me fear for what the next wave will bring." Azure sighs going into thought.
Metal Man (GM): Out of nowhere... it begins... A whole armada of black battleships is flying towards you.
Julian: "...Aw hell..."
Ivan Robotnik: "...It's Kuja's death fleet!"
Azure: "Sometimes one does not want to be right..."
Aribar frowns...* "I don't suppose your men can shoot them down?"
Ivan Robotnik: "There's no time to waste. We must run to your headquarters!"
Metal Man (GM): All the soldiers begin charging towards Quester HQ.
Charles: "I have bad karma with this. It reminds of that attempt I did to knock them out."
Kuja: (PA) "Bow down before your immortal God, sinners! I will destroy you all!"
Metal Man (GM): The ships open fire, despite being out of range.
Julian: "Right!" *Julian jumps into the air as his Rocket Boots activate and he jets back to HQ.*
Metal Man (GM): Deadly multicolored lasers light up the entire landscape.
Azure: "That's how you talk now. You truly have let the lie take over." Azure begins heading toward Quester HQ.
Metal Man (GM): *A few moments later.*
Aribar starts dashing towards the HQ... Out in the open with no protection besides being in a crowd... The elf isn't feeling very optimistic.*
Metal Man (GM): You reach HQ, with all of the soldiers in position. You're in the big room now.
Metal Man: "...Well, you came here in one piece... but so are those ships."
Julian: "What now?"
Metal Man: "We gotta stop them somehow."
Ivan Robotnik: "How many chaos emeralds do we have?"
Charles: "The green one, I'm holding the red one, and Ari has the yellow one."
Aribar nods.
Ivan Robotnik: "Most excellent. No force fields this time, though... I need your help once again."
Azure: "Whatever we can do."
Metal Man (GM): Ivan begins drawing a big complex triangle. One part is Quester HQ. Another is Maxamillian's magitek... thing. And on the other... is the ships.
Aribar frowns and looks at the plans...
Julian: "I'm guessing everyone with an emerald has to stand on a point."
Ivan Robotnik: "I know you were just there, but we must use that magitek monstrosity to disable those ships... That wouldn't be a bad idea, now would it?"
Charles: "...So who goes where?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Well, uhhh, hmmm."
Charles: "Ivan, we'll need you here."
Ivan Robotnik: "...How generous. I was about to suggest the same of you."
Aribar: "Just how are we supposed to get onto the ships? Even if we do get on chances are whoever is there will be decimated."
Ivan Robotnik: "Who said you'd be going into them? No... ground level will do."
Azure: "You're saying we can take a stand on the ground?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Although how anyone is to enter Maxamillian's fortress is a good problem... All you have to do is sneak under the ships. And the other person must sneak into a large fortress. So... Aribar, Charles... which one of you wants to sneak under the twenty most powerful airships in the planet? ...And the other... sneak into a heavily defended base with... the most powerful piece of magitek ever made?"
Charles: "Hmmm... question is... does Aribar want to stay in your place, Ivan?"
Ivan Robotnik: "If Aribar feels sick, I would suggest he do so."
Julian: "So those of us that don't have emeralds are just gonna have to sit here and hope you guys can pull it off? Man..."
Ivan Robotnik: "I have my plans... but there are not three of us. No, of course not. You can assist the others in their tasks."
Aribar: "I have some protective magic... Hrm... Actually, Julian, you may be of some use... Is it a longer trek to the ships or the magitek place?'
Ivan Robotnik: "Remember, the emeralds only come in at the end. I'm afraid it's equal either way. This is an equilateral triangle. All you need is either to sneak through bushes or through that place that used to be Lon Lon Ranch."
Azure: "Actually getting there is up to them. A tough challenge indeed. Is there a particuler point in this triangle they will have to be?"
Ivan Robotnik: "One must be as close to the magitek device as possible, the other underneath the ships."
Aribar: "... I see... I think. Well, if it is okay with Locos I'll go to the Magitek place."
Ivan Robotnik: "I think Locos hates magitek too. I doubt he'd want to be next to it."
Charles: "I owe Max... but Aribar is right. Lately, this emerald is slowly consuming me. I will explain in detail later, Ivan."
Ivan Robotnik: "Perhaps... we could seek the white emerald."
Charles: "Aribar will take Julian and maybe someone else to the magitek site. I will face off against the ships."
Julian: "Wha?"
Aribar: "Hrm... And where will Metal and Azure be?"
Metal Man: "I shall protect this base."
Azure: "I would say I would join Metal. But my assistance would probably be wasted with his might."
Julian: "Look, if I'm goin' to the Magitek Ranch, shouldn't I get that chip or whatever put in Vendetta so I have a working weapon?"
Azure: "I accept... I don't have the power to aid you all in this journey. But if there is something I can I'll gladly do it."
Ivan Robotnik: "Oops! I almost forgot. Just a moment, just a moment. Get out Vendetta."
Julian: *fishes around in his back pocket and pulls out Vendetta's hilt, and tosses it to Ivan.*
Ivan Robotnik: "It won't be quite as powerful, but it'll work." *Sticks the chip in.*
Metal Man (GM): Vendetta is now Serial number STVW-VNDTT-X-40-20.
Ivan Robotnik: "Some efficiency is lost in the operation..."
Metal Man (GM): The blade looks wider and seems to flicker.
Julian: "Operation? You just stuck a chip in it."
Ivan Robotnik: "Well. Of it converting the energy."
Metal Man (GM): The saber then turns blood red and stops flickering.
Ivan Robotnik: "Now then... are you ready?"
Aribar: "As ready as I'll ever be I suppose..."
Charles: "To get to Kuja, I will need to rely on my old tactician skills. Wish me faith, everyone."
Julian: "Yeah yeah..." *waves him off.*
Charles leaves for the... whatever direction that the death fleet is in.
Azure: "Good luck my friend." *he says as Charles leaves.*
Aribar nods, says his good byes, and exits the stadium... The elf consults the Smash Dex for a map to the Magitek place.*
Metal Man (GM): Charles goes north.
Dex: "DING!"
Metal Man (GM): You get a simple map. It's a round complex, with one way to enter: the front gate. To the left and right are ruins and under-construction things.
Julian: "Hey! Wait up!" *heads after Aribar, jumping into the air and activating his Rocket Boots to move faster.*
Metal Man (GM): In the back of the complex is the great magitek... thing. And there's a small open space in there.
Aribar: "Hrm... So should we try and sneak around back, or just head right in?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar and Julian begin walking down the path... again. The path which leads through the gnarled mess which is Kuja Valley.
Garrick will follow Aribar and Julian, if that's alright..
Metal Man (GM): Garrick catches up to you two as you approach the fortress. This place remains the desolate wasteland it was earlier; except there's dead soldiers all about too.
Garrick: "...jeez, you guys don't give anyone any notice, do you?"
Aribar: "Eeh. Sorry." *decides to just walk straight into the Magitek place...*
Julian: "Pay attention, then... Ari... please don't tell me you're just gonna walk in the front gate."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar is walking right towards the emerecium wall which blocks the way in.
Aribar: "Not anymore..."
Garrick: "...honestly, this doesn't look like it's going to be too easy."
Julian: "Jeez... Hold on. Don't drop the emerald." *Julian grabs Aribar by the arm and flies upwards and over the wall.*
Aribar: "Gah!"
Garrick: "Hey! Honestly..."
Julian: "I'll get you after I drop him off! He's the one with the emerald!"
Metal Man (GM): You fly right over the wall. You hear alarms go off.
Maxamillian: *PA* "Not you again!"
Garrick: "Whatever happened to SNEAKING?!?!?!"
Julian: "It's a wall! There's no place to sneak TO!"
Garrick: "Lord... I hope I can fight with these, then..."
Maxamillian: *PA* "Grrrrr!"
Garrick draws his weapons, knowing they'll probably do jack without the enhancements of Ivan's.
Julian quickly drops Aribar off, then goes back over the wall for Garrick.
Metal Man (GM): You grab Garrick. No resistance so far... too quick.
Aribar frowns and quickly looks around for a quick way to the back of the base...* "Perhaps we should have done this at the back of the base..."
Garrick: "Too late now." *hops to the ground once Julian gets him close enough.*
Julian: *flies back over and drops off Garrick.*
Garrick: "Listen, you two. We're really going to need to work together on this. Combine attacks, cover each other, the whole deal."
Julian: "...Yeah, in case you forgot, I'm the only one with a working weapon."
Aribar: "I've my magic."
Garrick: "Not my fault you decided to run out before we exchanged weaponry. Ivan WAS going to give me that good gun, too..."
Julian: "Hey! Aribar's the one that set out before ev eryone else!"
Metal Man (GM): You both are over the wall.
Garrick: "Let's get moving."
Metal Man (GM): So far, nothing has stopped you.
Garrick looks around for an entrance..
Metal Man (GM): You see the dish-shed dead ahead, with the pole of magitek poking right out of it.
Garrick: "So, we gotta get ahold of that thing?"
Aribar: "As far as I know I'm supposed to just have the Chaos Emerald there..."
Garrick: "...see, this is why we double check things with the guy who gave us the instructions before we leave. Jeez, no planning at all... c'mon."
Aribar casts Barrier on all three of them and starts towards the dish shed.
Garrick races for the shed.
Metal Man (GM): You run towards the shed. You reach the shed... The door is locked.
Dex: "Incoming communication."
Aribar takes out his dex and answers it.*
Ivan Robotnik: "Look out behind you! Incoming soldiers!"
Aribar turns about and backs up against the door...*
Garrick: "Ivan... could you..erm... warp me a pair of those pistols of yours, maybe?" ^^;;;
Aribar: "Can either of you blast open the door, or should I do that?' "*
Garrick turns around, bearing down for another battle. "You should, you've got the best blowing-stuff-up-power here."
Julian tries carving the door open with Vendetta.
Maxamillian: "No, but I can... ahhhh!!!"
Metal Man (GM): The door is carved open, and Maxamillion is stabbed before he can shoot Ari and Garrick in the back.
Maxamillian: "Curse you, ingenious decision-maker!"
Aribar jumps away from the door and frowns... "Arrg..."
Maxamillian: *stands in the way.* "You're not getting in here, morons! Now run away before I toast your insides with solar flares!"
Garrick: "Ari! Get into the shed, I'll deal with the soldiers."
Julian: "So things from the movies DO work..."
Garrick cocks his guns, gives his neck a firm crack, then makes to deal with whatever is opposite of the shed, coming to attack them.
Metal Man (GM): Garrick sees thin air. Then he hears a shot from behind you. Oops.
Julian: *Tries attacking Maxi with his severely weakened lightsaber some more.*
Metal Man (GM): Damage to Garrick as he is shot from behind.
Aribar enchants his fists with magical energy and punches the ground, shockwaves being unleashed to the immediant area and hopefully slowing the advance of the soldiers or knocking Maxy off his feet.
Garrick yells out as he is sprawled out onto the ground.
Metal Man (GM): *Slash.*
Garrick gets to his feet and tries to see what shot him..
Metal Man (GM): Garrick sees Maxamillian shot him from behind.
Maxamillian: "Gah!" *Is knocked over.*
Julian: "...You're weaker that you used to be!" *STABBITY.*
Metal Man (GM): Stab!
Maxamillian: "You merely are attacking in a more uniform manner. I will not be defeated!"
Aribar waits until Julian unleashes stabbity death before rushing past him and over Maxamillian to get inside.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar tramples Maxamillian.
Garrick leaps over Max with Ari.
Metal Man (GM): He stands up and turns to Aribar, and opens fire with his pistol, exposing his back to Julian.
Julian: *AUGH OOF YEARGH.*
Aribar is shot... a lot...
Julian: *...Nevermind that.* "...This is too easy!" *JUMPING SLASH ATTACK! YAR!*
Maxamillian: "Serves you right... cowardly Whall---ahhhh!!!"
Garrick: "Ari! Hurry up and do your thing!"
Maxamillian: "You won't last long..." *He turned to shoot down Julian, his back exposed to Aribar.*
Metal Man (GM):.. One of them's a crit! The crit invokes the deadly paralyze + burn + purification.
Julian: *AUGH OOF YEARGH.* *Suprisingly isn't dead.* *BUT HE SHOULD BE.*
Aribar sets Maxy on fire with an explosive Fira before casting Cura on himself and taking out the Smash Dex and yelling into it, "What do we do once we're in position, Ivan?!"*
Ivan Robotnik: "Hold up the emerald and touch it to the pillar!"
Metal Man (GM): Maxamillian is taking damage rather rapidly... but he gets up quickly and opens fire on Garrick. OUCH.
Garrick: "ARI! HURRY UP AND DO IT ALREAD-DAH!!"
Aribar quickly pockets the Smash Dex and takes out his Chaos Emerald, holding it up to the Pillar.
Metal Man (GM): He gets another cirt, mowing down Garrick for a total of tons o' damage.
Julian quickly guzzles another can of KeroKero Cola to take all the damage away from the Party, but it otherwise kinda useless.
Metal Man (GM): Erm... half per hit... hmmm... The barriers die down after Garrick only takes damage, and is burn/paralyze/purified.
Garrick: "Have it touch the pillar, Ari!"
Maxamillian: "Wait... what are you doing... no!"
Julian: "Quick!"
Metal Man (GM): He turns to shoot at Aribar.
Aribar attempts to touch the emerald to the pillar before Maxy shoots.
Julian: "DO IT NOW!"
Metal Man (GM): *FLASH.* *Aribar's branch: Completed.* *5000 EXP to Aribar, Julian, and Garrick. *+10,000 coins. Meanwhile... Charles... and anyone with him... was about to go North.
Charles had went alone. He faces off against the mighty warships of Kuja himself.
Metal Man (GM): Charles're walking up a path he's never been through before... It's by the now surreal lake... Kuja, you'd guess. Former Hyrule Lake.
Charles: "...I can't use Chaos Control. His ships would detect me."
Metal Man (GM): You would also realize that this area is probably still with Denon's hoodlums. Anyway, Charles, you begin to hear talking up ahead. It appears there's three Denon Infantry patrolling the area. There's bushes everywhere... trees... and big, heavy looking sticks.
Charles hides behind one of the oddest bushes and extends his arms, legs, cape, thranak, and chest to evenly mimic the shape of the oddest, biggest heavy looking stick.
Infantry1: "A big convoy of ships are coming this way, Bob. We better look our best."
Infantry2: "Wait... which Bob? One of them died."
Infantry3: "I hate having our names replaced with numbers."
Infantry2: "Really?"
Infantry3: "Duh, you know it."
Infantry1: "I wonder why we were sent here anyway..."
Metal Man (GM): They walk right on by, not noticing the really odd stick.
Charles moves on ahead, avoiding twigs and such.
Metal Man (GM): You reach another obstacle: A... lemonade stand... run by Infantrymen.
Infantry4: "Get your lemonade here!"
Infantry5: "Why are we running a lemonade stand?"
Charles: "!" *gets behind a bush.*
Infantry4: "...Kuja said we were his 'most treasured' members."
Infantry5: "Does that mean he wants to give us bad jobs or that we're high-ranking?"
Infantry4: "I dunno. He said we must sell all of this lemonade, though."
Charles: .oO(Seems the god hasn't lost his sarcasm over the years.)
Infantry4: "Those other guys who had to run a bus system, now I pity them."
Metal Man (GM): Unfortunately, these two blokes and their stand have to be snuck around. Once again, it's a 'What do you do?' moment.
Charles looks which way can be snuck upon... the left or the right.
Metal Man (GM): They're facing the left, so you could probably sneak by the right. There's a tree to the right of it, too.
Charles goes right but immediately stops. Charles then opens his dex and puts it on 'mute.'
Metal Man (GM): You do so.
Charles closes it, puts it away, and tries to sneak to the right... first by the tree.
Metal Man (GM): You walk to the tree, and make sort of a rustling noise.
Infantry4: "What was that?"
Infantry5: "The sound of you NOT SELLING LEMONADE!" *SMACK.*
Infantry4: "Ow..."
Charles calms himself down..
Metal Man (GM): These two guys obviously aren't suspicious.
Charles sneaks by further away a bit... and to the right of them even more.
Metal Man (GM): You walk by them, hearing them mix more lemonade. You then reach a bridge. A bridge over a small stream which feeds into the main lake.
Charles stops for a bit... and attempts to sniff out the Infantry men by their metal. Charles then nose is affected by the surrealism of the streamwater.
Metal Man (GM): You smell... lemonade.
Charles only smells the lemonade of the two infantrymen to the back of him. Charles then takes out his Stone of Agony. Charles then holds onto it as he begins to trek on the bridge slowly, trying not to rock it.
Metal Man (GM): You feel as if there is an emerald to the West. Far west. Rather weakly.....And to the East... like there's one in the middle of the lake. You walk over the bridge without a problem... you're almost to the ships! One last thing in the way. There's a whole platoon of soldiers rehearsing their marching formation. Infantry, of course.
Infantry1: "This way. That way. Hut!"
Metal Man (GM): In a clearing, just a few paces north, outside of this pseudo-forest. If you can get around them, you can reach a hill right under the incoming ships.
Charles: .oO(I could probably solve two situations with one solution if I go into the lake.) *backtracks a bit to the stream.*
Metal Man (GM): You reach the stream.
Charles checks to see how far down it is to reach the stream.
Metal Man (GM): Just a 5 foot leap.
Charles takes a nearby leaf off of a tree and puts the leaf into the stream...
Metal Man (GM): It floats into the lake.
Charles slowly descends toward the edge. He turns around so his hands are clinging to the edge. He puts his one of his shoes into the stream..
Metal Man (GM): It feels... like a cool, cool stream. Not too cold.
Charles: .oO(No acid... yet.) *slowly descends into the stream.*
Metal Man (GM): It feels like a normal stream... a gentle current.
Charles has nothing but his nose and above the water from time to time. He let's the flow let him go into the lake itself.
Metal Man (GM): You go into the lake. You notice how... tranquil... it is. Kuja apparently had no care for water.
Charles feels The Stone of Agony again.
Metal Man (GM): You feel an emerald... at the bottom of the lake... the very, very, very deep lake.
Charles begins to swim to the bottom.
Metal Man (GM): Well well. Lucky you. Down you swim... into the murky depths... And now you are heading towards... an underwater temple?
Charles: .oO(What the... the Water Temple!)
Metal Man (GM): It might take longer than you have time to stop the ships to get an emerald from here...
Dex: (Underwater) "The Water temple is rather complex. It might take a while for you to actually find the emerald."
Charles: "Agreed. Let's move out towards the ships." *begins swimming upwards and towards the way of the ships again.*
Metal Man (GM): You swim upwards... and to the hill, from the side.
Charles looks about for infantrymen.
Metal Man (GM): You reach the hill... you know what to do. The infantrymen are to the south, now.
Charles gets out of the water.
Metal Man (GM): The emerald glows. With the redness. And the deadly need to hold it up.
Charles approaches the hill, and holds it up.
Metal Man (GM): *End of Charles's mission.* *+100 EXP.* *+10,000 coins.*
Charles gained his share of EXP for quickly making Meier Link leave.
Metal Man (GM): *Cinema.* The three points light up. Yellow, Green, and Red... A huge triangle forms, and the ships fly right into the middle.
Kuja: (PA) "And now, to... Wait... turn back! Turn back! TURN BA--"
Metal Man (GM): *CHAOS CONTROL.* *Back at HQ.*
Ivan Robotnik: "Well, that takes care of those ships. According to my readings, we successfully sent them into the center of the sun."
Metal Man: "What? Really? Impressive."
Ivan Robotnik: "It's thanks to that idiot's big overpowered magitek monstrosity... don't expect to be able to do it again, though."
Metal Man (GM): *WARP.* Charles, Garrick, Aribar, and Julian reappear at HQ.
Garrick: "Well, did we do it? "
Metal Man: "Mission accomplished. Those ships were chaos controlled into the center of the sun."
Aribar: "I don't suppose Kuja was on them?"
Garrick: "...that what I heard with that PA thing."
Ivan Robotnik: "If he was, he could have survived the sun, I'm afraid."
Charles: "He's still alive and kickin'."
Ivan Robotnik: "He was only speaking remotely."
Julian: "Well, at least we got those ships off our backs."
Aribar: "Bleh. I knew I was too optimistic..."
Ivan Robotnik: "We have one thing on our side now, though..."
Charles: "It was a thrilling experience." *clothes are soaked.*
Julian: "You guys?"
Ivan Robotnik: "The resistance against Kuja... hath begun!"
Julian: "...Yo Charles, why you so wet?"
Charles: "...Swimming."
Metal Man: "Of course. Them."
Julian: "...Where'd you go swimming, and why? You had a job to do, man. No time for swimmin'."
Garrick: "...anyway, first thing's first."
Aribar: "Hrm... I suppose our job now is to find people who we can recruit to our side, huh?"
Garrick: "We need to get new weaponry."
Charles: "I swam what was formerly Lake Hylia to get past a platoon."
Julian: "Huh."
Ivan Robotnik: "Right. I'll go and get the machines ready. You'll be able to make new weapons soon."
Julian: "A'ight, I can see that."
Charles: "Question is, who is left to recruit?"
Ivan Robotnik: "No one, I'm afraid... oh!"
Charles: "...?"
Ivan Robotnik: "Well, if Doopliss is alive, he'd be helpful. If he's anywhere I know of."
Garrick: "We can search for him, then."
Aribar: "And if he didn't join Kuja for some reason or another..."
Garrick: "We could also do well by finding the other emeralds."
Ivan Robotnik: "If he joined Kuja, he'd be up there with the big wigs. Heck, Denon's only a poser."
Charles: "Knowing him, he's impersonating someone right now."
Ivan Robotnik: "That man was never powerful..."
Garrick: "I also need to try to catch up to you guys in power."
Aribar frowns at that statement from Ivan.*
Garrick: "I'm behind all of you."
Ivan Robotnik: "Remember when you busted up Apocalypse group in 10 seconds?"
Julian: "I dunno."
Charles: "Thanks to Julian and me."
Ivan Robotnik: "He took many millennia just to lose."
Garrick: "Metal, is there anything I can do just by myself?"
Charles: "Okay you guys go get your weapons. I'm going to... dry off." *wanders off in search of a towel.*
Metal Man: "You can get your weapons upgraded, and... I'll get back to you."
Garrick: "...why do I get the feeling that you're not going to get back to me..."
Aribar: "I thought our weapons couldn't be upgraded to deal with the new anti-Quester measures. Well, besides Julian's sword."
Metal Man: "Oops... I meant replaced... right! We need to... uhh... store all of our old weapons. So that Kuja can't get them."
Julian: "...But... Man... It's just that I've had my stuff for a while, y'know? Especially the fedora."
Garrick: "Same here. It's going to be hard to switch..."
Ivan Robotnik: "I'm sorry... you may get them back in the future... when magitek... is destroyed."
Julian: "Man..."
Aribar: "Metal, is there a vault or something where I can put the Wand of Wonder? It would be bad for it to fall into Kuja's hands probably."
Metal Man: "Yes... a vault deep beneath the stadium..."
Garrick: "Well, let's go there now."
Metal Man: "Hey Charles. Didn't you want to find something under the Stadium long ago? I think you were searching for the storage vault. Which was empty.....So of course, I'm talking to the space where he used to be. All right, all right, let's go there."
Julian: "...You'se crazy, Metal."
Aribar starts following Metal.
Metal Man walks into the ruins of R&R. A board flies up and smacks him in the forehead. He mutters, and goes into another unassuming broom closet.
Julian somberly follows Metal Man to the storage vault.
Editor's Note: And then... it just pauses here. Heh. No warning or anything.