Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 264: *Censored* Robots
April 3rd, 4th, and 6th, 2006.
Julian, deciding he's had enough of watching a Toad cook Kuja-themed dishes, gets up and heads towards the stadium, checking his Dex to see he's on time.
Dex: "BEEP! 15 minutes early."
Julian: "...That's impossible. I told Aetos to meet me there 10 minutes ago..."
Dex: "Match time was edited appropriately, as you used a bit of time sitting on the couch. Aetos is probably waiting."
Metal Man (GM): Julian reaches the Stadium box, where Aetos has been waiting for quite a while.
Aetos is sitting in the middle, watching Julian impatiently.
Metal Man (GM): A, err, soldier walks on in, looking at both Julian and Aetos.
Soldier: "So then. You want to do a match, eh?"
Julian: "Yeah..."
Aetos stares at him.
Soldier: "Well then, as much as we'd like to see you fight, we'd really like to... uhhh... add something extra in the mix."
Aetos: "...Like what?"
Charles walks out and looks for the Arena.
Metal Man (GM): The arena is nearby, just across a doorway to your right.
Charles goes through it, looking for the spectator box.
Julian: "Whatchu got in mind?"
Soldier: "Well, we want to add in some Smashers to the mix, you know. We haven't seen them fight for years."
Julian: "Too bad. They're all on Turion."
Charles sits down nearby.
Soldier: "We... err... spoke with Ivan about it, and he with Metal. We could probably sneak one or two here for a short bout."
Aetos: "Sounds fun."
Charles: "Good thing I'm here as well... in case Kuja picks up a Smasher trace."
Soldier: "The stone spell, upon further analyisis, was determined to have worn out... so we just have to make sure Kuja doesn't pick them up."
Julian: "So we gotta make this quick?"
Metal Man (GM): He points towards a screen, which shows most of the original smashers on it.
Soldier: "No, a match is generally quick anyway. But you get to choose what smasher to have on your team. Since, after all, it's still a fight between you two."
Charles picks up his dex and notifies Illian & Ivan, in text, "Arena match with a couple Smashers going to begin. Keep an eye out for Kuja, Commander, and commander army activity." Charles then closes his dex.
Julian: "Hmmm..."
Soldier: "Let's see... the extra people, save for the original ones from the second tournament, would be Megaman, Sonic, Waluigi, Wario, and... Geno. Yeah. Waluigi's been fighting his way up in the ranks in the Turion league... we've been betting he could top Metal Sonic any day now. Too bad Metal Sonic refuses to come to Nintendus."
Charles: "...Waluigi a Smash Champion!?" *laughs at the great absurdity that is this fact.*
Aetos: "So, we can choose any of those, or any originals?"
Soldier: "Yes. And, Charles... he learned from you." He sorta sticks his tongue out at Charles.
Charles: *sweatdrop.*
Aetos: "Hmm... I'll go with that strange looking man... the one in the blue cybernetics... Megaman."
Charles: "...Oh right then. He has potential." *leans back, crossing his legs and in a very comfortable position.*
Soldier: "That's Megaman. Okay then, what about you, Julie? Errr... Julian."
Metal Man (GM): He coughs.
Charles laughs out loud.
Aetos blinks and snickers to himself.
Soldier: "I keep on getting people's names messed up."
Charles: "That was going to come out one day, I know it would happen!" *wipes a tear from his eye from the great laughter he bellowed.*
Julian: *points towards Charles without looking up.* "Shut your face before I challenge you next... and I guess I'll go with... Man this is tough..."
Aetos: "Sh*T..."
Charles: "Pick Mr. Game & Watch. He's a great fighter."
Soldier: "Waluigi is the favorite, out of them all. He's got pep."
Julian: "That monochrome freak? ...Yeah, I like that. He's got somethin' goin' for him, I can tell... I'll take G-Dubya."
Soldier: "Very well. Please wait a while, we're going to have to relay the instructions back to Turion, and increase the security to make sure none of Kuja's spies can see."
Metal Man (GM): He hits a red button; the roof of the Stadium closes, and lights inset to the roof light up.
Charles: "You'll probably want someone that complements your fighting style, Aetos."
Julian: "Say Aetos, wanna make a little wager on this? Y'know, so I get somethin' after I kick you' *censored.*."
Aetos: "Like what?"
Charles smiles. "Bet Vendetta."
Julian: "I'm tempted to put up Vendetta against your little key thing, but even I'm not that foolish. What say... Fiddy-thousand coins? If you got it, I mean."
Aetos: "I got it, but... No."
Charles: *His left side of the lip twitches.*
Julian: "Whatchu wanna bet then?"
Charles: "...bet? A BET?" *begins to twitch in several areas in his face; he stands up, walking down the steps and hops over the railing. The twitching is kinda seen in time to time.* "I... heard something about... a bet?"
Julian: "Ya did?"
Charles: "I'm in the front row hearing everything you did. Even the soldier next to ya heard me."
Julian: "So go back in the stands, unless you gonna fight, which you ain't."
Charles: "This involves the betting, not the fight itself."
Aetos: "That's rather rude, Julian."
Charles has that lust in his eyes again, the one back before Kuja ruled the world. The lust... for gambling. "Matchmaker, what are the odds for each team?"
Soldier: "Exactly 50-50. They have been set to be exactly equal in their odds."
Charles: "What about... betting odds?"
Soldier: "Also, we're ready to start the match. But before we start... we need a commentator. Uhhh. One to go alongside that guy you call a leader--50-50. Like I said. No punches being pulled this time."
Aetos: "Why not Locos commentate?"
Charles scratches his chin. "A one ta two ratio. I won't be able to make money on that."
Soldier: "Yeah. You look... interested... in the match. So, uhh... could you go up into the commentator's box?" *Points at Charles.* "You'd get paid for it."
Charles smacks his lips. "The next closest thing to betting, I suppose. I'll be on my way."
Julian: "Yeah, I got paid 2k coins when I commentated that 3-way between Garrick, Wolf & Mets."
Charles goes toward the commentator box.
Metal Man (GM): There is a neat-little elevator. The lights in the arena take on; the turnout isn't too good, but seeing as anyone came to watch is a miracle. At least, besides those many soldiers.
Charles enters the elevator.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers & co would be free to watch. Charles gets on up to the top of the commentator's box, where Metal is sitting at the controls.
Metal Man: "Welcome, Charles. You ready for our first match since Kuja blew up the original Stadium?"
Charles: "You bet, Metal. The first match in ten years is a tag-team match, consisting of one Quester and one Smasher each."
Metal Man: "And now, entering the stadium right now, would be... the Questers, of course."
Metal Man (GM): Spotlights come on; Aetos and Julian would see a box light up in the waiting room. 'Enter Arena'
Aetos figured he was already in the arena... he walks out the pathway.
Julian pops his neck and shuffles his way to his end of the Arena.
Metal Man (GM): *The crowd applauds.*
Azure's in the stands observing the event. Though he hadn't bet on anything. He was doing some very light reading.
Metal Man: "And with the Questers in the arena, it's now time to introduce... the Smashers!"
Metal Man (GM): Mr. Game and Watch and Megaman walk out, receiving an equal amount of applaud. Megaman stands next to Aetos, and GW next to Julian.
Julian: "I'm gonna fold you up like an ol' wallet..."
GW: "Beeep beep BEEP BEEEP BEEP!"
Julian bends down and whispers something to GW...
Charles: "The first contestants from each team are none other than the Questers themselves: First up is the winged-wonder, Aetos, followed by Julian and his punk-rock fighting style. Aetos has sided with the blue-steel wonder himself, Megaman and Julian's partner is the classic Smasher Mr. Game & Watch."
Aetos: "Hiya Blue boy!"
Charles: "This will be one great match to start off the new season of Nintendus's New Stadium Arena Matches."
Megaman: "Hello to you too. I don't think these guys are very tough..." *Stares at Julian and GW.*
Aetos: "I hope so. Er... not."
Metal Man (GM): GW nods to Julian, which is about the best means of communication he has at the moment.
Charles: "Would you look at that; the fight hasn't even started and already the teams are talkin' trash to each other!"
Metal Man: "I sure hope so. With the fighters all ready to go, the countdown timer is ready to be activated." *Presses a button.* "Three!"
Julian: *to GW* "Clear? Good." *Julian stands back up and shuffles abit, loosening up.* "Steppin' in the ring with me? Worst choise of ya life! Let's do this!"
Charles: "Two!"
Metal Man: "One!"
Charles: "GO!"
Metal Man: "Uhhh... what he said!" *DINGDING.*
Aetos: "Hey... You're the one who is making me do this."
Julian: *Didn't hear that.* "Doesn't matter who you go after, stay close to me and keep the plan in mind!"
Metal Man (GM): GW runs up to Aetos and tries to smack him into the air with his flag attack!
Aetos sees a flag appear out of no where and then gets smackededed.
Julian immediately activates his Rocket Boots after Aetos is smacked into the air, bursting towards him and hoping to intercept...
Charles: "G&W takes the initiative by using his one his mid-air attacks. The flag smacks Aetos right into his face."
Aetos: *Intercepted... by..?*
Julian tackles Aetos in mid-air, sending them both spinning! When the dust clears, Julian's holding onto Aetos' arms and legs, with his Rocket Boots planted in Aetos' midsection! Julian then overcharges the boots as he lets go of Aetos, blasting Aetos into the ground with a huge jet of flame! BLASTOFF!* *Julian's boosted even higher into the air as a result, and stays there.*
Metal Man: "And Aetos is knocked further into the air by Julian's rocket-powered dash!"
Metal Man (GM): Aetos's sent a little bit out of close-range attack range, and it will take some time for people to reach him, and vice versa. They can hit him with ranged attacks just fine, though.
Megaman: "Hey! You won't get away with that!"
Aetos: "Get 'im, Mega!"
Charles: "The air? Last time I checked, the air was above the ground, which Aetos was sent into."
Metal Man: "Oh. Right."
Metal Man (GM): Megaman leaps after Julian and tries to uppercut him out of mid/air! Then he tries to swipe Julian again, mid-air! But he misses.
Aetos: "Good job, Mega! Too bad for that last shot, but you still got him!"
Julian's rapped soundly on the chin and sent even higher by the uppercut, away from the second punch! It's doubtful anyone can hit him without a ranged attack!
Megaman: "He moves really fast... you probably would have an easier time hitting him."
Aetos clasps his hands together and blows on them, he slowly pulls them apart and a ball of wind circulates between them. He thrusts his arms forward and launches it at Julian in the sky.
Charles: "While G&W and Julian targeted Aetos, Megaman hit him outta nowhere with a great uppercut to the chin! He tried again, but couldn't connect because of the distance between the two."
Metal Man (GM): Oh, erm. Yeah. Damage to Aetos for falling into the ground earlier. GW attempts to intercept! But does it miss Julian?
Julian: *No!*
Metal Man (GM): Then... GW runs at it, but it flies past him and hits Julian.
Julian takes the hit, and moves even HIGHER into the air, but shakes it off. "If all you're gonna do is blow air at me, you might as well give up right now!"
Aetos shouts: "What??"
Metal Man (GM): Julian is knocked even further into the air... which makes him really hard to hit, especially since he's flying all the way up there.
Julian: "What?!"
Aetos: "WHAATT??"
Julian: "WHAT?!"
Metal Man: "And... it appears Julian got hit by a ball of air, but the fighters are currently exchanging... a lack of communication?"
Aetos scratches his head. "You're too high up, I can't hear you!"
Julian: "Then jump up so I can smack-talk ya!"
Aetos shrugs at Julian. "Maybe I'll jump up to you next turn!"
Charles: "And what a lack of communication. You'd need more than two cups attached by a piece of string to understand each other."
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 0% Julian: 7% Aetos: 6%. With Julian in the air, Aetos slightly far away, and Megaman much closer, GW runs off and goes to smack around Megaman with his bug spray! AAND Megaman is hit both times!
Julian: "Alright, let's see if you can handle 'dis!" *Julian reaches into the confines of his vest and pulls out...*
Metal Man: "With the Questers further away, Game and Watch opts in for beating Megaman around with a little old fashioned bug spray."
Aetos closely eyes Julian, luckily, his eyes are the best. ever. so he can see him >.>
Julian: *BUZZ.* *A Barbed-Wire wrapped 2x4!* "Nice!" *Julian sets his sights on Aetos again, kicking his boots into overdrive to reach him without spending any TP... and to whack him upside the head with it!* *CRUNCH!*
Aetos: *Whapped.*
Julian: *The 2x4 breaks on impact!* "...Daymn son, you got one helluva hard head!" *tosses the half of 2x4 over his shoulder.*
Aetos: "No kidding."
Julian: "Let's see if the rest of your body's like that!" *Julian dashes back and throws his Fedora at him for a Hat Trick!*
Charles: "And uhh... what's Julian pulling out of his vest pocket? He's attacking with a 2-by-4 wrapped in barbed-wire?? Whoa, it connects and it breaks in half! Julian definitely hurt Aetos with that one."
Julian: *CRIIIIIIIITCIAL!*
Metal Man (GM): The force of the 2X4 would knock Aetos a bit closer to the edge.
Julian: "Guess not!" *Julian catches his fedora on the return and returns it to his head...*
Aetos flops backward after that array of sharp and pointy attacks.
Metal Man (GM): This would knock Aetos a little bit over the edge, requiring a single jump.
Aetos starts falling but makes a jump back.
Metal Man (GM): Aetos leaps all the way into the center of the arena with that one. Megaman takes this time to run up behind Julian and start punching him from behind.
Aetos watches and snaps his fingers.
Julian makes a dance out of his dodging, a zip to the left, a slow duck, a step back, and a zip to the right. "You gotta be faster son, 'else I'm gonna be dancin' round you all day!"
Metal Man: "And Julian dodges every single attack Megaman can make!"
Charles: "He's doing it with grace, Metal. Julian has speed a plenty with that hip hoppin' all over the Arena."
Aetos holds his right hand out-straight toward Julian. A light starts shining in the palm and then zips off toward Julian as it collects the wind it passes by, forming spykes around the light.
Metal Man (GM): G&W, as usual, runs at the attack... and catches it in his oil barrel! *BEEP* 1/3 full, it is.
Julian: "Yeah GW! Stick to da plan!"
Aetos eyes it.
Julian: "'Zat all you got, Aetos?!"
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 6% Julian: 7% Aetos: 24%. ROUND III. Game and Watch runs up and tries to hit Aetos with some sausages.
Aetos: "FOOD!" *opens his mouth wide and get smacked in the forehead by both.*
Metal Man (GM): Damage; he also manages to smack Aetos with the pan, dealing an extra bit of damage.
Metal Man: "Aetos leaves himself wide open to one of G&W's sausage attacks, taking a ton of damage!"
Julian: "Lesse what else I got..." *Julian reaches into the confines of his vest again...* *Oooo! It's da Switchblade!* "Aw yeah... Hey Mega, do robots bleed? Let's find out!" *Julian flips it open and holds it by the blade, then throws it at him!*
Aetos: "Gah!? You're SICK! He's a CYBORG! Not a ROBOT!"
Julian: "He's a *censored* robot!"
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Megaman: "Ow! We'll see how tough you are after being exploded!"
Julian: "You go ahead an' try!" *Julian gets into a pre-emptive stance.*
Aetos: "Get 'im, Mega!"
Charles: "Julian reaches into his vest again and takes out a Switchblade! He throws the blade at Megaman and the blue bomber has been hurt good. Megaman retaliates by throwing an insult back at Julian."
Mega Man: "Your attack is pretty nice, isn't it? Why... I think I could use it, too!"
Julian: "Huh?"
Aetos: "Yeah!"
Metal Man (GM): He points his buster at Julian, and suddenly turns into a similar palette as to Julian. He's also wearing Julian's vest. Megaman Acquired: JUNK THRASHER.
Aetos: "Ohh... you look like a big tall creep now, Megaman."
Metal Man (GM): He then turns to use it on Julian...
Julian: "Tha's it! You just moved to the top of the hit list!"
Metal Man (GM): He takes out a baseball bat, and tries to smash it onto Julian's head! He... seems destined to miss with it, though, unless that actually hits. *SMASH*
Metal Man: "Megaman turns the tables on the ordinary untouchable Julian, stealing his favorite move and hitting him over the head with it!"
Julian makes a move, but barely gets conked on the head. "...Man, I been hit ALOT, an' yours is tha weakest I ever felt!"
Megaman: "You'll regret that soon enough!"
Aetos holds his hands straight up and small twisters rise from them. they launch up then dive down, surrounding him. They wrap around him and provide Aetos armor and other benefits.
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 15% Julian: 12% Aetos: 28%. Game and Watch notices Aetos becoming powered up. He runs over and decides to assault Aetos with sausages. A whole ton of them.
Aetos hisses at 'im.
Metal Man (GM): Damage.
Aetos growls. "I'm losing my health faster than planned..."
Charles: "And Aetos uses his wind powers to dawn upon himself armor. G&W becomes aware of this and unleashes a barrage of sausages and frying pan hits at Aetos!"
Metal Man: "It's a fiery spectacle!"
Aetos: "At least this armor stopped a lot of the damage from that. I'm nearly immune to those sausages, sir."
Julian: *Glares down MegaMan, gettin' all serious.* "Get yo' punk-*** outta my face!" *He says as he flattens his hand and rears back, bringing it forward a devastating PUNKSLAP!*
GW: "BEEP! Beeep Beeeeeep!"
Metal Man (GM): *SLAPPED.* He's knocked on off the edge. He makes a jump! Aaand he leaps right back onto the stage.
Metal Man: "Julian tries to knock Megaman off the stage, but the Blue Bomber's got more in him!"
Julian: "I thought I said get outta my face!" *Julian edge-guards, winding back with his fist, then ramming it forward for a KO PUNCH!*
Metal Man (GM): Megaman is smacked by the KO punch.
Julian: *FAIL'D.* *KNOCKED OUT!* *Slow, Stop, HP Regen dosen't matter 'cause YOU DEAD.*
Charles: "After being sent by the fist known as the "Punkslap" and jumping back on the stage, Megaman is hit by Julian's infamous KO Punch. Mega Man has been knocked unconscious!"
Metal Man (GM): Megaman would seem to be knocked out. However, his armor protects him from the status effect! He is... flying off the stage, though.
Julian: "'Told you he's a robot!"
Aetos is too distracted by sausages.
Metal Man (GM): One jump doesn't do it... But the second gets him back on the stage.
Megaman: "You'll have to try harder than that to beat me!"
Metal Man (GM): Megaman, desperate to take Julian out, uses his move again. He tries to poke Julian in the eye with... a pool cue! Erm... poke eye out... with... 2X4. Aaand another near-hit.
Julian: *CONK'D.* *Julian stumbles back a bit from that one.* "...Like I said! You'se a weak hitter!"
Aetos smirks. Aetos then turns to Julian. "I wanna have fun with that too!"
Metal Man: "Aetos looks like... he has a trick up his sleeve?"
Aetos closes his eyes and goes into a trance-like-state... his soul reaches out into Julian's mind as he searches for something to use...
Metal Man (GM): *DING* Aetos copies... the same move!
Aetos smirks, then reaches back under his cape o' infinite vortex.
Megaman: "That's it! Let's clobber him with his own attack!"
Aetos charges up to Julian with a baseball bat and swings for left field.
Charles: "You know Metal, they say that mimicking is the ultimate form of flattery. In this case, mimicking means flattening the original. Aetos takes out a baseball bat and swings at Julian; it's a hit!"
Aetos 's baseball bat snaps, so Aetos reaches under his white cape once more for another item.
Julian: *CONK'D.*
Aetos pulls out a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire, and swings at Julian with it this time.
Metal Man (GM): These hits push Julian over the edge. He manages to get back, although that was somewhat close.
Julian's sent over the edge, but manages to right himself and boost back up. "Alright... I'm gettin' tired of this!"
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 29% Julian: 31% Aetos: 35%.
Metal Man: "For some reason, nobody has attacked Game and Watch yet. I wonder why..."
Metal Man (GM): Game and Watch decides to attack Aetos with the fire attack... spinning crazily as he flies upwards! *FWOOM.*
Aetos: *Fired.*
Metal Man (GM): That sends Aetos up into the air...
Charles: "There are reasons why G&W isn't attacked, particularly by projectiles. G&W now attacks Aetos with his fire attack, and he is seriously burnt... he may even be sent flying!"
Metal Man (GM): Aetos manages to avoid a deadly fate; he lands.
Julian: "First off, you gotta go!" *Julian manuvers around Mega again and PUNKSLAPs him good!*
Metal Man (GM): Mega gets smacked. HONG KONGED. I mean... knockback'd.
Julian: *OFF DA PLATFORM!*
Metal Man (GM): He goes a-flying off the platform.. Makes a miserable first jump! ...Then leaps back on up with a massively excellent second jump.
Aetos cheers for Mega as the wind between his hands create sonic booms.
Megaman: "Maybe I should continue to fake being hurt by your wimpy attacks!"
Metal Man: "And Megaman defies gravity with his excellent jumping skills."
Julian: "...Man forget this!" *Julian takes off towards the skies, using his last bit of time to move out of everyone's melee attack range.*
Megaman: "Oh no you don't!"
Metal Man (GM): Then he makes a lame jump. He tries to getcha with an Uppercut... He goes high enough to hit Julian... but does he hit? ...Just barely. He punches Julian's ankles.
Julian: *looks down.* "...How the hell do you keep getting up here?"
Megaman: "...I'm the original jumping master, of course!"
Metal Man (GM): Megaman is still up by Julian, at least for the duration of Aetos's turn.
Julian: "You're a *censored* robot! And last I checked, Mario wasn't painted BRIGHT BLUE!"
Metal Man (GM): Megaman is still up by Julian, mid-air.
Aetos makes a jump for Julian as well.
Metal Man (GM): Aetos makes it, easily. It appears Julian has both Aetos and Megaman in his face now.
Aetos waves at Julian.
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 36% Julian: 31% Aetos: 43%. G&W. Game and Watch tries to leap into the action.
Julian: "Knock 'em down!"
Metal Man (GM): He flies on up, and decides to burn Aetos from behind with yet more Sausages.
Charles: "Looks like it be might be gang up time for Julian but G&W comes in closer to even the playing field. Upon a successful jump, he hits Aetos with more sausages at near point-blank range."
Metal Man (GM): Aetos is sent flying up again. Aetos flies on out into the stratosphere, powered by his horrible unluck.
Metal Man: "Aaaaand that's it for Aetos folks! Killed by sausages!"
Julian: "...YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Megaman: "I'll beat you both! ...Eventually..."
Julian: "Nice job Mistah GW!"
Metal Man (GM): GW gives a thumbs up as he falls towards the ground.
Charles: "What a horrible end for Aetos. Being sent flying high into the heavens not by his own wings, but by meat."
Metal Man (GM): *PLINK* Aetos pops off the battlefield and lands in the stands... upside-down.
Julian: *glares at Mega.* "And now for you! Get hell outta my airspace!" *Julian flattens his hand and rears back, then slings out towards Mega again with a PUNKSLAP!*
Metal Man (GM): Hit!
Aetos flips over. .oO(I should have more grace then that... I'm a top-notch jumper..)
Metal Man (GM): He flies off to the side... He stops from flying entirely off the side... And then lands on the stage.
Megaman: "Ha ha! You'll never defeat me!"
Metal Man: "Megaman serves up another dish of annoying comebacks for Julian. But does he have a chance to win this 2-on-1?"
Julian: "...AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" *Julian screams in frustration as BLASTS down from his safe place, spining around and aiming to connect his right boot with Mega's forehead for a Winding Kick!*
Metal Man (GM): *KICK.* The annoying blue... pinball... man... gets knocked around some more.
Julian: "STOP DOING THAT!"
Metal Man (GM): He flies off to the side again... He needs a second jump... Aaaand he fakes actually being in trouble as he leaps over Julian's head and back onto the stage!
Megaman: "You'll never win. Now taste scrap metal!"
Metal Man (GM): He takes out a wrench and hurls it at Julian's head. With his arms. It... barely... misses...
Julian apparently saw that one coming! He moves his head to the side out of the way. "...YOU... ARE... DEAD!"
Charles: "Megaman uses another vest item attack. A wrench is taken out and ...Julian is missed my a slim margin!"
Julian: *Mega can practically FEEL the seething rage eminating from Julian's body.*
Metal Man (GM): GW: 0% MM: 49% Julian: 31% Aetos: 49% OUT. Game and Watch decides to let the dice decide, as he uses his patented Judgment hammer on Megaman's head. *SMACK.* His strong hammer hits Megaman right on the head, sending him flying. Megaman does another cheap comeback jump o' doom, though. Julian's turn. GW: *Angry beeping noises.*
Megaman: "Keep on trying, I'll just keep on jumping back!"
Aetos shouts out. "Use your Plasma Cannon!"
Julian: *Deep breathing, 'cause he's RAGED YO!* "...I need an anger sponge..." *Julian closes his eyes tightly, twitches a few times, then opens them.* "...Much better... As you for..." *FIST IN YO' FACE! KO PUNCH!*
Metal Man (GM): *Hit.*
Aetos: "All I've got is a 2x4 wrapped in barbed wire. Will that do?"
Metal Man (GM): He flies on off the stage... Second jump... Aaand he needs a third...
Julian: "Stay down..."
Metal Man (GM): He barely misses the edge, and dies.
Megaman: "I'll get you for this!" *POOM.*
Julian: "...YEAH! AND THAT'S WHY YOU DON'T MESS WITH ME!"
Metal Man: "And that's it for this match, folks. Megaman done in by a lack of close-range attacks, and Aetos defeated by his arch-nemesis: Sausage."
Julian grabs Mr. Game & Watch by the wrist and raises both their arms in victory! "Looks like the plan worked, ya?"
Aetos frowns. "But I love Sausage..."
Metal Man (GM): GW gives a thumbs up, as usual. Streamers fall.
Charles: "What a way for this contest to end in irony. Aetos is sent into the sky without wings, and Megaman wasn't able to jump enough to make it to the stage, all the while Mr. Game & Watch came through without a scratch."
Metal Man: "Let's interview the winners... and... err... not-so-winning people." *takes a microphone and gets on the elevator down from the commentator's box.*
Charles takes a microphone and follows suit.
Metal Man (GM): *Elevator goes down.* *Insert random space of time.* Charles would make his way to GW and Julian, while Metal went to Aetos and... Megaman. Charles is up first; he's with Julian and GW on the outskirts of the arena.
Julian: "'Sup Charles?"
GW: "Beep. Beep?"
Charles: "Julian, Mr. Game & Watch: Was there any strategy that you two put together in order to win the match?"
Julian: "Hellz yeah, man! I even called it Da Plan!"
Metal Man (GM): GW shows off his oil barrel. Clearly, he used it.
Julian: "Alright, I knew I brought in GW for a reason, 'cause Aetos and Mega like to go long range, yah? I says to myself "Hey, GW's got somethin' for that.", after you remined me, and I called him here."
Metal Man (GM): GW jumps up and down to show that he agrees with said speech.
Charles: "Clearly, the two of you seem to have a natural feel for teamwork. The question on my mind and all the fans in this Stadium as we speak: Any chance of you two joining forces again in a future match?"
Julian: "Anyway, with GW shuttin' down their long-range, they had no choice but to go in close, which is where I dominate. After a while I noticed that they'd follow me wherever, so I decided 'Why not attempt to get 'em out an' over'? So I leads them up, intending to smacking 'em over the top, when GW comes in form behind and knocks Aetos clear out the buildin'!"
Metal Man (GM): GW appears uncertain.
Julian: "'Nother tag team match with 'em? Hellz yeah. G-Dubya's mah man!" *high-five's GW.*
Metal Man (GM): GW hi-fives back.
Charles: "Well, there you go, ladies and gentlemen. A plan that combines the abilities of both team members makes them come out on top, and it's likely we'll be able to see them in action again soon." *Cameras switch from Charles to Metal, Megaman and Aetos.*
Julian: "Good night Nintendus!"
Metal Man (GM): Aetos and Megaman are side by side, in the stands. Mainly because that's more convenient than the other place. Metal's got a microphone; he looks towards both of them curiously.
Metal Man: "So then. What did you think of this match?"
Aetos: "Uh, I thought it was fun, I suppose."
Megaman: "That guy was way too powerful! Next time, I'm bringing all of my weapons with me."
Metal Man (GM): *clears throat.* "Hmmmm... what do you think lost you the match?"
Aetos: "I think that last sauage attack that came up from behind finished me, well, the fall did actually."
Megaman: "If I had just brought more... stuff..."
Metal Man: "Finally, what do you think you'll do next time that could help you win?"
Aetos: "Well, I have this special power... I was planning on using it later, as a last minute dramatic surprise... but I assumed I wouldn't have been knocked out like that. Next time I'll use my power sooner."
Megaman: "And I'll bring more stuff!"
Metal Man turns to a nearby camera... of sorts.
Metal Man: "So then. Time for the top 10 questions nobody wants to answer. 1. Is Megaman really the "Master of jumping"?
Aetos: "Hey!"
Metal Man: "2. Why didn't anyone attack Game and Watch? 3. Will Charles be able to bet on a match next time?"
Aetos: "...He had sausages. He wasn't all bad."
Metal Man: "4. What is this 'More Stuff' Megaman keeps on referencing?"
Aetos scratches his head. "Yeah, Megaman, why didn't you use your plasma cannon?..."
Metal Man: "5. Why did I decide for there to be 10 questions? 6. Who be the three kings of Atlantis? 7. When do you think I'll commentate another match? 8. Are you getting tired of these questions?"
Aetos blinks.
Metal Man: "9. Uhhh... does Julian like fried eggs? 10. And... uhhh... what's behind you?" *Shrugs as the camera turns off.* "And that's that. Time to get back to... uhhh... assigning missions."
Aetos turns around quickly, looking around.
Metal Man wanders off, as does Megaman.
Aetos: "Bye Megaman! Have fun in Turion!"
Megaman: "Bye."
Metal Man (GM): He warps out, Megaman style. *Fade out.* *Fade in* The Questers are at HQ. The very same one I described a little bit ago. Once again, Ari, Julian, and Charles are in the big room. Metal Man is behind his desk, pointing and talking about all sorts of things at once. A big ol' picture of Nintendus is behind him, and an image of the Kokiri forest is there, circled by a Madden-like highlight marker effect.
Metal Man: "I've recently discovered that our old foe, Meier Link, has been cheating death by hiding his vampiric corpse... somewhere... and that it is within Hyrule. As usual, the only way to find such a thing is to go throughout the land, asking any sentient observers you can find."
Aribar sits down in one of the seats and seems to be paying a bit more attention to the briefing than usual.
Metal Man: "Of course, the Deku Tree is the most sentient thing left in Kokiri Forest's lands; Kuja probably was blasting anything remotely good sky high. And Sky High probably destroyed their corpses for good measure." *takes a can of an unidentified soda and swigs it down quickly.*
Julian: "So how we know it's gonna talk to US? Aren't the Kokiri's the only ones who can talk to it?"
Metal Man pulls out some old looking fairy-tale book, and flips to some of the very first pages. "Link was a Hylian, yet he talked to the tree. You might not wear green clothes, but I don't think the Deku tree would be stingy, especially since Kuja's men would be more likely to try to cut it down than talk."
Aribar: "Can we leave now?"
Charles: "You get ready. I have information that I'd like to know about."
Julian: "So we gotta do ask the tree if it knows where Meier Link's corpse is? Easy."
Metal Man nods, and faces Charles, spinning around once or twice in his office chair first.
Metal Man: "What is it, Mr. Charles?"
Aribar gets up out of this seat and sets out of the room at a quick pace, heading to his own room to acquire his equipment.
Charles: "You know how the Kokiri Forest, and probably the Lost Woods, survived Kuja? ?"
Julian: "Magic?"
Charles: "...I wouldn't doubt it."
Julian: "Hell man, magic's the explanation for everythang, ain't it? Either that or technology."
Metal Man: "I don't know. All I know is that what remains of our sensors detects it existing. That's about all we have to go on it."
Charles: "You make a point--one other question; is Ivan ready with that 'device'?" *makes a quick wink at Metal.*
Metal Man: "Hm. Well, almost. It's just a bit hung up on some interference..."
Charles nods. "I'm ready to go, then..."
Aribar heads to the Stadium's warp room after acquiring his equipment and paces back and forth at the entrance, muttering under his breath and looking slightly fustrated.
Julian: "Warp room, then?"
Metal Man: "Yes sir." *salutes, then spins in his chair some more.*
Charles: "Let's go before we have to catch from when he flies from his spinning."
Julian: "Like we'd be able to." *heads off.*
Charles heads to the warp room.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar and the rest reach the warp room. Another warp tile, as usual. Quaint.
Julian: *Steppin' up.*
Charles: "Let's make it quick, Julian."
Aribar waits for the others to enter the room before stepping onto the tile.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers feel something... weird... in the air. And then the warp tile. *BZOOOOOOOOOM* Almost like, this trip is doing more than just teleporting them.
Aribar frowns as the teleportation process occurs, wondering if it's just his luck that something odd would happen.
Metal Man (GM): *BZOOP* The Questers reappear, in the midst of Kuja field, right out in front of where the Kokiri Forest starts... Then a portal opens up and dumps out some other guy in front of them before it is possible to see what it is.
Aribar grips the handle of Moonlight and takes a step back from this other person, wondering if it's a friend or foe.
Julian: "...Who the hell are you? ...Hey!" *walks over to the new guy and nudgles him with his foot if he's still down.* "You alright?"
MCV Driver (GM): *Well, the guy drops a bit into a kneeling position with his back to the group. This guy looks very out of place with his over used ninja outfit. The black body suit with the mask to cover up his face, but only this one is without the hood. So you good a look at the guy's silver hair. And he's holding in his other hand... it looks like a staff, but it have sword like objects at each end. It does take look for him to move away from the guy that just nudged him and looks at the other gruop with confused eyes and ready combat stance.*
Charles: "...Another visitor from outside Nintendus. Do you remember what happened before you came here?"
The Ninja still keeps an eye on the group, like he's expecting them to attack any moment. Seems he's not very friendly with weird things.
Charles: "I see. Julian, Ari, let's leave this man to his business and let's carry on with ours."
Metal Man (GM): It is possible to sorta see beyond him, and him behind himself; there being two trees and a hole between them. However, that hole has been recently stoppered by a massive wooden log.
Aribar releases the grip on his sword, and the elf brings his only hand up to his chin and holds it. "That wouldn't be wise, Locos..."
Metal Man (GM): And on it, some weird stuff is written. Though it is not possible to read it from this distance.
Aribar: "One, he's in our way. Two, if he's an enemy then we'd be stupid to have him behind us. Three, if he's against Kuja we should bring him with us. I'm Aribar Hunter of the Questers. That's Julian, and he's Charles." *The elf points to the appropriate people.* "Could we get a name from you?"
Charles: "Be as it may, we have a job to do. If he is an enemy, then we will not turn our backs on him." *turns to Ari.* "I... know how difficult it is for you to return to this place again, and I will put up no quarrel with you if you wish to remain here."
Aribar looks to Charles. "I've got to go in. I've got to live in the present, not the past."
The Ninja: "...Zeltara. Of the Shinko clan." *That's all hee seems to say at the moment. he's not a very talkive one, but then again... Not too many people would if they suddenly disappeared from their world and saw new and strange things... And creature.*
Charles responds to Ari. "Understood. Then... we will let you be on your way." *goes inside Kokiri woods.*
Aribar: "... That is, if you wish to wander this wasteland alone and without knowledge of the events that have occurred here."
Metal Man (GM): Alas; the way inside is blocked by the log. Charles, however, would see the detail on it. It says... 'To keep out the agents of evil, a certain barrier was created. Recite the notes of the forest and the barrier shall be abated.'
Charles: "Noita taht. I am really starting to tire of these defenses built to suppress Kuja and his commanders." *gets out his Ressikan flute.*
The Ninja: "..." *He seems to be easing up a bit, but he's still looks at the group one by one warily.* "What's going on?"
Charles: "We're trying to find information as to the whereabouts of a certain vampire's corpse so we can make sure he's put into the afterlife."
Aribar: "A man named Kuja has ravenged the land, destroyed all competition, and has become a god. Nintendus, the land you're standing on, is pretty much a barren wasteland."
The Ninja gives Ari a very odd look like he just came out of a nut house or a place of equal value.
Charles: "What was the key for the song? C-flat or A minor? Ehh, I'll just wing it." *begins to bob his head up and down to get the rhythm of the song. He then moves his fingers and begins to play Saria's Song.*
Aribar shrugs at Charles. He never was a whiz with music. Turning his attention back to the ninja... "Well, you should at least come with us so you don't starve to death or die of dehydration. Our leader can explain the situation better than I can... "
Metal Man (GM): The song is strangely magical. As in, the log blocking the way vanishes out of thin air, revealing a bridge of sorts, dead ahead. It is possible to smell brimstone coming from inside the newly opened area...
Charles puts away his ressikan flute. "...There could be trouble. Julian, Ari; Move out." *walks with a brisk pace over the bridge.*
Aribar hesitates a bit, wondering what that ninja will do... In the end the elf jogs towards Charles to catch up with the Lunarian.
The Ninja doesn't say much, but he'll decided to go with the group to seek the answers he wants. So he'll be trailing at the end of the group.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers proceed inside the area, and across an old, weathered bridge. They soon discover what is burning, exactly.
Aribar frowns as he steps onto the bridge, wondering if they arrived in the middle of an attack.
Metal Man (GM): As the Questers enter the village, there is a wide-open, barren wasteland. There's burnt craters where houses once were, and a river of magma blocks the way ahead. Faintly, across the heat of the magma and some other nasty things past it, it is possible to see the Deku Tree's grove's entrance. Absolutely no life exists here, save for burnt ashes where grass was, and some trees burnt so thoroughly, they've turned to charcoal.
Aribar: "... What has Kuja done to this forest?"
Julian: "...What the hell! Lava? How'd that get all the way down here?! What'd he do? Warp this s*** in from Death Mountain?"
Charles: "Perhaps ripped the earth itself asunder to get magma from the core of the planet to rise; who knows."
Metal Man (GM): All good questions. But all the Questers have to explain it is the fact it exists, and is in the way. The Questers have nothing to explain it besides the fact it exists.
Aribar shrugs. "All I know is that my spells won't help here..."
Julian: "Whateva... You guys need an airlift, or you think you can jump across?"
Aribar tries to judge the width of the lava river to see how hard it'd be to jump across...
Metal Man (GM): It's not too hard to jump across; it's about 10 feet wide.
Aribar: "I should be able to make it..."
The Ninja: "...A very simple jump."
Aribar takes a few steps back before running up to the edge of the river and leaping across.
Julian: "Who's this punk again?" *thumbs towards Da Ninja.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar leaps over the magma river.
Charles: "Ask him yourself."
Aribar: "Not that bad of a jump..."
Metal Man (GM): The way ahead would consist of a large stone wall, with a few tiny holes in it, that could be seen through. Barbed wire at the top, too. Somebody doesn't want you to get to the Deku Tree.
Charles looks to the river of hot, uncomfortable liquid. He walks to it then stops. He makes a jump across.
Metal Man (GM): Charles barely leaps across, managing to avoid falling in but feeling a little hot from that close encounter with the magma.
Julian: "Believe I already did, but whateva. I'm Julian, get in my way and you get your head split. Don't, and we'll get along just fine." *Julian tops this off with jumping up, activating his Rocket Boots, and boosting his way over the lava.*
Metal Man (GM): All three are now across the Magma river, leaving the Ninja to jump the river.
Charles nearly loses his footing. He regains balance and looks to the new obstacle.
The Ninja shrugs and leaps across the lava.
Charles: "...Any thoughts on this one, gentlemen?"
Aribar looks at the wall, wondering how well it is constructed.
Julian: "Bust down the wall? Or atleast make a bigger hole?"
Charles: "Make the holes bigger then, Julian."
Metal Man (GM): The Ninja leaps over, and now the Questers are all faced with this annoying wall.
Julian: "Anyone still got their C4 brick?"
Charles: "No one here has theirs anymore, so stop asking."
Aribar: "C4 brick? I don't even remember when we got one."
Julian: "Hey, I just don't wanna waste mine, y'know?" *checks to see if he can get over the top.*
The Ninja: "We could scale the wall and cut wire?"
Metal Man (GM): It appears someone could leap over it.
Charles: "All of them were used up, anyway. The ninja known as Zeltara made an excellent suggestion."
Aribar: "I can't climb well with only one arm, but jumping could work..."
Julian: "With what? I mean, it looks like I could get over, but I don't know about you guys. 'Cause you ain't got Rocket Boots."
Charles: "Ari's sword, either of my swords, or if Zealtra has any cutlery."
Aribar judges the jump for a second and attempts to leaps over the wall.
Julian: *Checks the condition of the wall besides the holes.*
Metal Man (GM): It looks fairly fresh... plus... Aribar's body is sort of plastered into it, from him leaping into it. *SMACK* Damage from leaping into the wall.
The Ninja: "Jumping seems simple enough... But if there's a hole... Maybe we should see what's on the other side first?"
Julian: *Checks for any misplaced handholds. Checks if the wall is smooth, or if it have lines for planting swords ine*
Charles unsheathes Tempest's Golden sword... only halfway. He looks through one of the holes.
Aribar: "Ow... Jumping doesn't work."
Metal Man (GM): The wall is smooth, but there's a variety of small holes which work for handholds/footholds. On the other side, there are a large variety of metallix jack-shaped devices tossed about, and... a fog over them.
Charles: "A buncha metal. And... a fog that's above them."
Aribar: "... At this time I would like to suggest that I make the wall go bang. Literally."
Charles begins to scale the wall... can he do it until he reaches the barbed wire?
Julian: "So big deal. Good luck climbin' over the walls, suckas. I'll get to the top and cut the wire, but you might wanna watch for some of it fallin'. Can't guarantee it falling on the other side of the fence, ya?" *Julian jumps up and takes off again, going straight up.*
Aribar steps away from the wall.
Metal Man (GM): Julian flies on up, and over the wall. It seems safe to land on the other side. Charles climbs up three handholds, then falls right back down. No damage.
Charles: "Nimble in combat, not-so-nimble obstacle wise." *backs up a bit.*
Julian: *Checks out the barbed wire, then takes out Vendetta, ignites it, then tries cutting the barbed wire off the top, aiming to get it to land on the other side of the fence-er, wall.* "YO! YOU GUYS MIGHTA WATCH OUT!" *Cut.*
Metal Man (GM): The barbed wire is cut, and falls on down. It doesn't appear to be dangerous.
Aribar steps up to the wall and attempts to climb over it...
Metal Man (GM): Aribar trips over the wall and falls next to Charles. The barbed wire is cut.
Aribar: "Ow..."
Charles: "You missed."
Aribar stands up and looks at the wall... "There's no way I can climb or jump over that."
Julian: "...You guys need some help or somethin'?! Maybe an airlift?"
Aribar: "I'd be thankful for that!"
The Ninja begins to scale the wall himself.
Charles: "I will do this... after he does it."
Julian: "Whazaat mean?"
Metal Man (GM): The Ninja guy climbs right over the wall. Julian would see him land on the other side.
Charles makes his own jump.
Metal Man (GM): Charles leaps up, but finds himself hanging on the edge of the top of the wall. Charles is now standing atop the wall. He can see pretty far... but can he get down?
Aribar frowns and decides to try and jump up to the edge of the wall after Locos gets up.
Julian: "You want someone to hold your hand, or are you gonna jump?"
The Ninja doesn't have a good feeling about the two on top of the wall, so he scoots to the side just to be safe.
Charles climbs down.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar leaps on up to the top of the wall as well.
Aribar hops on down, absorbing the shock with a roll when he reaches the ground.
Metal Man (GM): Charles falls on down... just like usual. *THUNK*
Julian rolls his eyes and boosts towards the ground. "Couldn't handle the fall?"
Charles feels like his legs have crushed.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar lands perfectly, avoiding landing on Charles. The next obstacle up ahead... isn't too much of an obstacle.
Charles: "At least I put forth the effort."
Metal Man (GM): It's just an empty dirt area with metallic jack-things laying around.
Julian: "And you failed. You gonna need help walkin'?"
Metal Man (GM): With fog on the ground.
Aribar: "What are those? ... Caltrops? Mines?"
Julian: "Wha?"
Charles shakes his legs up and down some. Loud crackling is heard from his bones.
Aribar: "Ooh... That doesn't sound too good, Locos... Need a fix?"
Charles: "No need. I've recalibrated my legs."
The Ninja: "Someone throw something into Fog?"
Julian: "...I'm not even gonna ask how you did that. 'Cause I got a feeling I don't wanna know."
Aribar: "I don't think the fog is dangerous..." *The elf shuffles through the fog, trying to keep both feet on the ground at all times.*
Julian: "This kinda looks familiar..."
Charles: "You wouldn't."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar wanders into the fog, and then into something people from certain wars would remember. *BOOOOOM.* Land mines.
Julian: "...Knew it!"
Metal Man (GM): Damage; Aribar is hurled back from the foggy area.
Julian: "Saving Private Ryan. 'Cept there aren't any machine guns..."
Aribar: "Gah!" *The elf is thrown back into the wall...*
Julian: "But land mines..."
Charles: "E-definitely not of the Kokiri's work."
Aribar looks about to see if there's anything left that's flammable.
The Ninja looks for a possible way around the fog, if not how far to jump over it.
Julian: "You think you could use the jacks as platforms or somethin' to jump across?"
Metal Man (GM): There is only a smoldering crater out there; Ninja would notice that the jacks were large enough to stand on...
Julian: "'Cause I don't got that problem, but you guys do."
Metal Man (GM): And just ahead of the land of land mines would be a corridor. That, ostensibly, should lead to the Deku Tree. At least, the Questers would know.
Charles: "Someone jump a jack." *coughs, realizing how bad the sentence came out.*
Aribar: "Mmm... You suggested it, Locos."
Julian: "...No respect."
Charles: "Charles. I am not Locos anymore. Yet you have a point, Aribar."
Julian: "See ya'll suckas on the other side." Julian avoids another obstacle with his Rocket Boots."
The Ninja: "So many odd things." *He just shrugs and watches the other two.*
Charles jumps to one of the jacks.
Aribar frowns and waits for Julian to get across... "I'm thinking of just blowing up this mine field."
Charles: "Mm-hmm. How you gonna do it? Terrorbolt, Bi-bolt slash, or Tri-Wizard chi attack?"
Aribar: "Tri-Wizard chi attack? I was thinking of conjuring up a storm..."
Julian: *yells from the other side.* "'Deys in tha ground, sucka! Storm ain't gonna do nothin'!"
Aribar: "So a lightning bolt doesn't have more force than stepping on a mine?"
Julian: "There's no mass, so no trigger!"
Aribar: "I reject your reality and substitute it with my own!"
Charles decides not to jump then.
Julian: "Your reality is fundamentally flawed!"
Aribar decides to call up the power of lightning in the middle of the mine field with a Thordain spell. (Area of effect ranged electricity spell.)
Metal Man (GM): Charles just flies on over the jacks and onto the other side. The lightning flies into the mine field. It is immediately grounded by the metallic jacks... so none of it hits the mines.
Julian: "What'd I say!"
Aribar: "... Spoony laws of physics..." *The elf decides to just try and imitate Charley.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar makes a nice jump onto a jack in the middle of the field. Just another jump away from crossing it entirely.
The Ninja: "These so called 'jacks' seem simple." *Waits for Aribar to get off it before tempting it himself... Which is now.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar leaps atop another jack. Only a little more jumping across. The Ninja leaps on to another Jack, and he, too, has nearly crossed the sea of jacks.
The Ninja seems to find the jacks a stable enough ground, so he jumps again towards the other side.
Metal Man (GM): Leaping on over, Aribar gets across. Then he and the Ninja are both across now. That leaves... Charles. Who is still on the other side. Blah blah blah, Charles leaps right on over. The Questers are past all the annoying traps and barriers; all they have ahead is a narrow corridor which bends a bit. Dead ahead.
Charles: "Let's move on."
Aribar starts towards the entrance to the Deku Tree's field, hoping he won't find it decimated...
Charles enters the tall outside corridor.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk on through, and discover the Deku Tree. The area isn't quite so decimated, but rather, it appears to be dying.
The Ninja follows along, still with many question filling his head, but waiting for the right time to ask them.
Metal Man (GM): The Deku Tree itself being a gigantic tree with a face on it. Freaky. The area has dead and dying grass surrounding the entire area. This is sort of a little clearing in the forested area, save for that burnt wasteland the Questers crossed earlier.
Deku Tree: "It has been long since I have had any visitors. But you must know why..." It communicates telepathically, adding to how weird it is.
Charles enters the sacred abode of the Deku Tree. He bows in a strange manner, and says a few syllables in his tongue.
Aribar gives a bow to the Deku Tree as well. "Greetings, wise Deku Tree. We have come to your glade to ask for assistance..."
The Ninja: "Ah! A talking tree? What is going on around here?" *Now seems to be the right time.*
Charles: "Great Deku Tree, is this the doing of the unholy vampire that brings his undead wrath about the realm of Hyrule?"
Deku Tree: "Hmmm... so many questions... a shame that I, too, am dying..."
Julian: "Weren't you already dying?"
Metal Man (GM): The Questers hear a sort of telepathic cough, as he then begins to talk a bit more audibly.
Charles: "Julian, manners."
Aribar: "This is a land of magic, Zeltara. Expect things that make little to no sense."
Deku Tree: "...The wrath of the undead... no. This is a far stranger man."
Charles: "The one who is the god of this world... or the man with no face?"
Metal Man (GM): The Questers all suddenly imagine (or hallucinate, depending upon how they take images projected via psychic powers) a strange man who is made entirely out of darkness. He... has no face all right. Rather, he is clutching a green ruby and laughing like a lunatic.
Julian: "...The hell's that? The Void?"
The Ninja: "Did I just pass out? Because now I see pictures in my mind."
Deku Tree: "This being stole the Kokiri Emerald, and bragged that he would destroy the world. Off on the side, Meier Link's body was sealed away... with the very gem he stole."
Julian: "So we find The Void, we find the Emerald, we find Meier Link?"
Deku Tree: "If you wish to rid yourselves of the undead menace, you must take the emerald, and... yes. I forget, you seem to know how these things work already."
Charles: "Julian, do not jump to conclusions. There is no proof that it is The Void."
The Ninja: "I have question, Giant talking tree.?"
Deku Tree: "Yes?"
Julian: "It's the *censored* Void! You tellin' me you know ANOTHER thing made entirely out of darkness?!"
The Ninja: "I know where I am, but how do I get back to my place?"
Charles: "Or a being shrouded in darkness. I keep an open mind."
Deku Tree: "Destroy the one named Kuja, and you will get what you wish. He is the one who probably caused you to appear here. His experiments with magitek damage the very fabric of dimensional space."
Metal Man (GM): The tree then speaks to Julian.
Deku Tree: "I have never seen this being before. It does not remind me of the one you call The Void."
The Ninja: "Ah! I have not idea what you said other than the part about finding Kuja."
Deku Tree: "Kuja will make it abundantly clear to you whenever you meet him."
The Ninja: "Hmmm. Sounds simply enough. And other three here are after the same thing?"
Deku Tree: "That... they can answer."
Charles: "Longer than you have known."
Julian: "So where we gonna find this thing?"
Aribar: "The defeat of Kuja? Yes. There's an organization called the Questers that are out to defeat him."
Julian: "Didn't we already do the Intro?"
Charles: "A proper introduction, no. However, the mission is more important than formalities." *waits for the Great Deku Tree's answer.*
Deku Tree: "Go up this path I make... the one you seek is still there, trying to find his way into the Forest Temple."
Metal Man (GM): A wall of trees in the clearing the Questers are in suddenly bends and morphs into a wooden ramp of sorts.
Julian: "Easy..."
Metal Man (GM): It leads on upwards, into the hills, which it is possible to just barely see from here.
Aribar frowns, guessing it's now or never... "Great Deku Tree, I wish to ask of you a favor..."
The Ninja: "That is one neat trick."
Julian: "...Wait, isn't the Forest Temple through the Lost Woods? "
Deku Tree: "...What is it, Aribar? --The ramp bypasses those woods, as I know you have not time to wander through them. He would be gone by the time you got through."
Charles: "I would prefer a shortcut than go through those woods."
Julian: "Whateva, just askin'..."
Charles: "We will return as soon as we can, guardian of the forest." *leaves for the ramp.*
Metal Man (GM): Charles walks on up the ramp; it seems solid enough.
Aribar: "I apologize if this favor is outrageous, but... I would ask to take a cut of your holy wood to construct a weapon suitable for dealing with the evil Meier Link."
Julian: *heads on down the ramp. Or up.*
The Ninja: "Thanks for the answer, great talking tree." *He does his ninja bow and goess off after Charles.*
Metal Man (GM): Up the ramp, indeed.
Deku Tree: "I will see what I can do for you... after you retrieve the Kokiri Emerald."
Aribar: "Thank you, Great Deku Tree." *The mage bows before rushing after the others.*
Charles: "One of the 6 temples of Hyrule... I have yet to mention that after nearly going into one of them, I still cannot shake my feeling of bitterness for the Temples'...elaborate puzzles."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers all walk onto the ramp, and once again smell brimstone. This time, though, there's no magma. As the Questers walk through the magically created path, there are scores of trees that look like they were hit by meteorites. The amount of trees increases as the Questers go; some, in fact, are still on fire.
Julian: "So forget the puzzles. This guy musta already oppened 'em, we just gotta follow the path he left."
Charles does a mumbling "Heh-heh-heh-heh. You seem optimistic about where we're going."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk on up to a final clearing; a temple lays above them, out of reach. Craters are everywhere; and a man, clad in nothing but darkness, has his back to the Questers. He doesn't appear to notice the Questers, as he's too busy trying to blow up some sort of invisible wall with hurled chunks of dark matter.
Julian: "...Well, there ya go."
???: "Huh?"
Charles looks to Julian with a whisper. "So much for him opening them." Charles then sighs.
Metal Man (GM): He turns around and faces Julian. And then sees the Questers.
The Ninja stops as soon as he sees this man. He wonders if what the group's form of action against him is going to be.
Aribar unsheathes his blue tinted shortsword, Moonlight, and stares at this dark man.
Charles: "Nothing, just go about your business."
Metal Man (GM): It's that dark man who looks like Metal Man. Except he clearly isn't Metal Man.
Charles: "...It's you."
???: "Turn my back on a bunch of Questers? Never."
Aribar tries to think... That guy looks familiar... Tridus?
Metal Man (GM): He raises one of his hands, which begins to burn, as if on fire.
Charles: "It's not Tridus, Aribar."
Julian: "...Hey! You're that guy from the Tomb, right?"
Charles: "It's an old friend of ours."
???: "It is I. Except this time, I am not going to just let you help me."
Aribar: "... Mind giving us a name?"
Charles sighs in frustration.
Aribar: "Or shall you just keep destroying this sacred place?"
Metal Man (GM): He rolls his head around, casually destroying a tree off to the side. It falls behind the Questers, knocking over a bunch of other trees and blocking the way out.
Julian: "Whateva. We just want the emerald so we can find Meier Link and kill 'em."
The Ninja: "More tricks? This place is full of them."
???: "I need the emerald myself. I'd give it to you, but you have to show me you're worthy of such."
Metal Man (GM): He takes it out, and begins admiring it.
???: "It reflects my teeth so well, I should never part with it..."
Charles: "It is a great artifact of beauty, it is. May I... shake your hand? I would like to be greeted with you."
Aribar mutters a word under his breath and electricity begins to arc over his body. "Hand it over..."
Julian: "So we gotta kick your ***, is it?"
???: "And yet, it won't let me into this stupid temple." *He punches the invisible wall; it does nothing but block his punch.* "Shake your hand? Well, sure. Come right on up and shake my hand before I roast you alive."
Julian: "You wanna look at your teeth, get a mirror. We need the emerald."
Metal Man (GM): He starts picking his teeth with the emerald. "What does it mean to you?"
Charles smiles politely and bows his head. "If you know me as you say you know the others, then you know that I won't do anything devious."
Julian: "It MEANS gettin' rid of one of our enemies!"
???: "If you know me as much as you think you do, then you, too, will know that I will not do anything devious. Not at all."
Charles approaches the enigmatic man casually. With a 4 foot distance between the each of them, he extends his hand. Of course.
Metal Man (GM): The man extends his non-emerald holding hand. He shakes Charles' hand with it, then he sets his hand on fire and fires a beam out of his hand into Charles' hand, point black, rocketing him into the wall blocking the way out.
???: "Now then, to burn the silhouettes of you into the walls and make people pay to visit it. Heh heh heh heh!"
Metal Man (GM): The man floats off the ground and puts the emerald right in the middle of his chest. Then, he suddenly glows and strange plate armor appears on him. It snaps together, and soon, the Questers are looking at a floating man in futuristic pitch-black armor.
Charles shakes his hand, head, and other parts to get rid of the darkness of his body.
Metal Man (GM): He flails his hands at the Questers, and makes weird, spasmic gestures at them.
Charles: "Formalities are out of the way, so now it is time to battle." *stands up, brushing himself off.*
???: "I'll burn you to ashes and have enough time left to eat dinner. Let's see what you've got!"
Metal Man (GM): BOSS BATTLE. Questers vs... Dark Metal??? The green emerald continues to glow on his chest.
Charles: "Would I be correct in saying that my hand being set on fire and that laser that made me riochet towards the barrier you put was merely an accident of your power coming out on its own?"
Julian: "Alright, let's start this off with a little recon..." *DEX.*
Dex: "...DING! DARK METAL MAN. HP: 0/4775. SP: 0/2825. Level: 188. STR: 41. END: 42. AGI: 10. MNT: 40. EVD: 0. DEF: 16Q. A strange lookalike, who has absolutely no interest in dodging your attacks. He has a high amount of power, but some weaknesses too. Find them out and he becomes a lot easier. End of entry."
Julian: "Aw hell... This' gonna be tough..."
Dark Metal Man: "No, it was a deliberate plot to burn your fingers off. And I hope to succeed next time!"
Metal Man (GM): He laughs like a neurotic freak, and flails his hands around too.
Julian: "Alright, let's see if you're good against upclose..." *Julian rushes in, going for Snap Jab to the head!*
Metal Man (GM): Julian snaps him right in the head! ...Ow... his armor burns Julian's fist!
Julian: *PSH!* "Ah! That ain' cool!" *Julian follows up with a Gut Kick!*
Dark Metal Man: "Ah yes. The punch of a brawler. Utterly useless against my state-of-the-art armor."
Charles politely smiles, hiding the true grimace he now holds. "I see. I will make it a note not to be so trusting of you in the future."
The Ninja watches the others attack while planning his own. He looks like he's going to have a tough time.
Dark Metal Man: "Hehehehehe. I don't need other people... I just use them for bonfires!"
Metal Man (GM): Julian kicks him in the gut. His gut kicks back, burning Julian's foot.
Charles: .oO(This can't be the same Enigmatic Man that appeared in the Holotomb. I observed the taping of that myself thrice over.)
Julian: *PSH!* "Alright, that ain't gonna work... but let's see how you like 'DIS, punk!" *Julian reaches into his back pocket, draws out Vendetta, ignites it, and goes into a flurry of slashes on DMM's person!*
Metal Man (GM): He sits there and is slashed thrice. Unfortunately, he doesn't appear to react to it.He acts as if Julian just tickled him with a styrofoam sword. It does slash him up, though. Well, as much as it can against an opponent built like a flying tank.
Julian: "...Man you're good... Someone find me a hole!" *Jumps back to the group, saving his energy.*
Dark Metal Man: *Does a disco pose, mid-air.* "You can doubt who I am, but am I the one who is to be doubted?" He sounds serious there, for a moment. Then he laughs again.
Charles thinks. Martial artists are automatically countered, highly resistant to normal attacks, could probably evade many spells... only few choices to do. He activates a cube, making it light element. He throws it at the Dark thing.
Metal Man (GM): He is hit by the cube. *BURN.* 4x damage, AND it pierces his armor.
Dark Metal Man: "Ahhhhhhhh!!!!" *He tries to brush the light off of him, but all it does is burn his fingers.*
Julian: "...Man, LIGHT DAMAGE? Fan-*censored.*-tastic, that's the only thing ANYONE's weak to these days!"
Dark Metal Man: "Light damage? If that were my only weakness, I would have killed you all by now!"
Charles: "Aribar, do you have some attacks that force a target to attempt to move?"
Aribar: "All of my offensive spells. That is, unless they like being hit with blasts of magic..."
Dark Metal Man: "Of course I do. I also like listening to you make strategies in front of me."
The Ninja: "Looks like I have no choice." *With a firm grip on his sword staff, he swings it around and lets it go as it's sent twirling with a whistling noise as Dark Metal Man.*
Charles: "Not Magic vs. magic, but something that would most certainly attack work against something... slow."
Metal Man (GM): *SMACK* It hits him dead in the forehead.
Aribar: "The slower the target the better my spells, Lo... Charles."
Metal Man (GM): The Ninja's attack does a good amount of damage to him.
Dark Metal Man: "I don't remember anyone hurling swords... has better aim than most Questers, too." *Rubs his forehead.*
The Ninja grabs the staff sword returning him. "We pride ourselves on quickness and good aim."
Aribar starts things off by enhancing his defense. A few arcane words summons up a field of force shaped like armor around the half-elf.
Dark Metal Man: "Now then... time to atomize fist-face over there."
Metal Man (GM): He floats on over to him, pulls back his fist, and makes a huge punch. The sound of a cannonball being fired is heard as it flies at Julian.
Julian: *OMG.*
Metal Man (GM): *BLAM* Weirdly enough, though, Julian doesn't fly anywhere. Instead, he's the target of another cannonball punch. *SMACK.* Another damage. The Dark man then flies back, laughing mischeviously.
Charles: "What an odd fellow."
Dark Metal Man: "What an average joe."
Charles takes a sip of coffee from his Robotnik cup. "...Indeed it is average joe." *puts the cup away, the pun ending very quickly.*
The Ninja: "Enemy and allies are very odd."
Julian: "Alright, you wanna play cheap? *Julian reaches into his back pocket and pulls out... a Porta-Shopper!* "Let's get cheap!" *Dials the number.*
Metal Man (GM): The thing rings, and then Julian gets sort of a remote store interface, from which it is possible to buy whatever he wants.
Julian purchases 10 Cubes.
Metal Man (GM): It glows, and then Julian's order is processed. 10 cubes fall on the ground in front of Julian out of a weird portal. This counts for 1 of 5 'items' it has been used for.
Julian scoops 'em up. "Now we're talkin'!"
Charles activates a second cube and throws it at Dark one. "Catch, blackie."
Metal Man (GM): Charles hurls a second cube, and it hits him.
Dark Metal Man: "Argh! I'm beginning to HATE these cubes. And, for no reason, the number 6."
The Ninja: "Ah! But I have '6' reasons why you should give up!" *hops forward and gives the dark man a hard swing with his staff.*
Metal Man (GM): *THWACK* The Ninja hits him... just not too quickly, this time. The Ninja knocks him backwards into the wall. He bounces off of it and right back where he was levitating.
The Ninja hops back with the group.
Dark Metal Man: "I feel like an extremely heavy ping pong ball."
Aribar unleashes a few magical missiles at the dark desecrater and finishing it off with a weak bolt of electricity. (Magic Missile, and Bolt.)
Charles: "Don't worry, you'll manage."
Metal Man (GM): He shoots out a bolt of dark energy at Aribar while he's open for the risky strike. Alas; he is so powerful, the beam moves 2 seconds 2 fast for Aribar 2 out dodge it. But he's taken a beating so far.
Dark Metal Man: "Well then. If you feel content to summon cubes, jewels, perhaps I should too."
Aribar was hurt badly by that dark explosion, but seems to still be alive.
Metal Man (GM): He snaps his fingers, and a gigantic cloud of dark cubes rains at Julian from all sides. Luckily, the cubes avoid everyone else.
The Ninja: "My senses tell me this will be most unpleasant."
Charles: "Ninja senses or common sense?"
Julian: *BAH.*
Metal Man (GM): *BLAMBLAMBLAMBABALAB?ALABA* BOOOM.
Charles: "I'm going with common sense."
The Ninja: "I'm thinking both."
Julian: "Aw hel-"*SPLOSION.*
Charles: "This one concurs with you, ninja of the Shinko clan."
Metal Man (GM): Damage as Julian is exploded.
Aribar shudders at the sight of the dark rain... and is knocked out when it overreaches and hits him.
Charles: "Yes, much hurting there is."
The Ninja: "Most unpleasant."
Dark Metal Man: "So goooood to make another person feel what it's like to be hit by some immensely painful elemental energy." *Laughs.*
Julian: *gets up off the ground, shaking his head.* "Be 'ppreciated if you guy's draw his fire or somethin'!" *Julian's still holding onto his cubes somehow...* "Now then..." *Julian reaches into his back pocket, and pulls out a Royal Syrup. He bundles the cubes together, sets them to Light, then pours the Syrup over them to bind them together!* "Payback!" *Julian rears back, and launches the Light Ball at DMM's gut.*
Dark Metal Man: "...I don't like the looks of--" *BOOM.*
Charles whistles in astonishment.
Metal Man (GM): He takes damage, and regains Smash Power. When the haze of light energy clears, the evil man can be seen visibly on fire. Unfortunately, that's his own evil fire.
Charles: "That's gotta hurt like someone walking through a cactus field."
Dark Metal Man: "No more Mr. Nice guy it is, you supernova-hurling jerk!"
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his fist at Julian.
The Ninja: "Oooooo..." *He can't help but take the weapon into his arm and clap.*
Julian: "Bring it on, *censored*! I ain't scared 'a you!"
Charles gets out two cubes and activates as light.
Dark Metal Man: "Despite the power of that attack, I doubt he has enough stuff with him to hit me with that--OW! OW!"
Charles: "Boom! Bha ha ha haaaa!"
Dark Metal Man: "You're next!"
Charles: "So it is Zeltara's turn to attack you. How kind of you to point out the obvious."
The Ninja quickly jumps into the air as he goes to slash down upon the the darkness.
Metal Man (GM): The Ninja slashs him rather easily, as usual. He's mildly scratched by that. His armor is highly annoying.
The Ninja doesn't seem to be finished this time. It looks like he's beginning to focus as he lets out a loud yell for a another strike.
Metal Man (GM): This time, The Ninja hits him harder. He responds to that like any other one, after being heavily slashed up: He fires a beam of darkness at The Ninja and hits him.
The Ninja: "Argh! Cheap tricks... *Jumps back with the group.*
Julian: "You're tellin' me!"
Metal Man (GM): The Dark Metal guy sits there and does nothing, save make an ominous charging noise.
Julian: "That sound ain't good..." *Julian dials up Porta-Shopper again, getting his 10 Light Cubes and sticking them together again, then launching them at DMM because he has the energy to, biatch!*
Charles: "...Something's not good."
The Ninja: "Senses tell me we're not going to like this."
Metal Man (GM): *SMACK* *BLAM.*
Julian: "No *censored.* duh! Charging is NEVER Good when used against us!"
Metal Man (GM): He remains silent, which makes him seem far more ominous than usual.
Charles: "Finally. He's serious and silent. That's both good and bad. What I'm going to do next is also good and bad." *throws his fifth cube.*
Metal Man (GM): *Burnz.*
Charles: "What's good is that I hit him one more time. What's bad? That was my last cube."
Julian: "So I'll get you some more."
Charles: "Pass. I have other ways to attack. Besides, I've been holding onto those things way back since we were in the middle of our Turion journey."
Julian: "Whatchu talkin' bout?"
The Ninja is not liking what the dark man has in store. He gets in a stance as he waits and watches to see an opening for the enemy's next turn.
Charles: "I've held them and the other cubes I have for mon---he's going to attack."
Julian: "Anyone mind playing meat shield? Because you KNOW he's gonna shoot at ME, and I'm the only one with the Porta-Shoppers!"
Dark Metal Man: "It's time to take you all out. I'd normally use more... extradimensional means... but this pretty thing here should make up the difference."
Metal Man (GM): He takes the emerald off of his chest and holds it aloft; it glows, and green rays light up the area.
Julian: "This is gonna hurt BIG! Brace yo'selves!"
Metal Man (GM): Then, within a few moments, the entire area is hit by a blindingly powerful green flash. There's no way to dodge it; the Questers are all just sorta electrified. However, it cuts short. Before it can do any more damage to the Questers, the flash stops and the Questers would notice that the gem is zapping Dark Metal Man instead.
Dark Metal Man: "Nnngh... No! Kill them! Gah!"
Julian: *KZZH-* "...Huh?"
Metal Man (GM): *BZAP ZAP KZZZZT.* He falls to the ground, and hurls the emerald away, right at the Questers.
Julian: "Aw HELL yeah! Take that, *censored*!"
Metal Man (GM): Then he stumbles up, looking wavery. As if he might vanish.
Charles attempts to catch the Kokiri Emerald.
Julian: *tries catching it, if it heads his way.*
Dark Metal Man: "Grrr... my own inexperience with such a relic proved to be my loss this time. Take it, jerks! I'll get the Goron Ruby before you can!"
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his fist at the Questers, then runs into a portal that pops out of thin air and vanishes. Charles and Julian both leap at the emerald, and their hands grab it like a large net. Except they use their hands.
Julian: "Alright!"
The Ninja: "This victory is ours" *Is too busy to a ninja pose to care about the emerald.*
Julian: "...So now what? We go after Meier Link, or try and get the Ruby 'fore Dark Mets can get to it?"
Metal Man (GM): To commemorate the defeat of the jerk, a blue portal appears where he was last standing. One could almost see Quester HQ through it.
Charles: "Allow me the emerald. I will return it to the Great Deku Tree."
Julian: "...Right right, you're better off with talkin' anyway." *lets go.* "...But don't we gotta have that to find Meier Link?"
The Ninja: "Ah! Another enemy?" *his pose is quickly broken because he just got spooked.*
Charles: "I am not returning until our mission is complete."
Julian: "Man, the mission IS complete! We got the emerald and talked to the tree! Wha's left to do?"
Dex: "The Emerald is needed in retrieving Meier Link. The Deku Tree has given the Questers permission to borrow his token for that duty."
Charles: "Give it to me, I will talk to the tree, then I will return. The Deku Tree should at least know we succeeded."
Julian: "You think it hasn't HEARD what happened?"
The Ninja is too busy looking at the portal. It's very new to him. And very odd.
Charles: "...Perhaps. But I see you want to leave. I will catch up to you. Emerald or not in my hand, I shall talk to him. I will catch up with you later... and make sure you tell Metal to go easy on the Ninja, k? Don't want him to lose his cool."
Metal Man (GM): The portal looks like it goes somewhere important. It makes a low humming noise.
Charles: "...First."
The Ninja reaches out to touch the portal.
Charles goes back a few steps. He tries to leave the Temple courtyard to go back on the path.
Julian: "Uh-uh. Too many times you wanna stay behind and talk to somethin', and I'm tired of it! Either you go with us NOW, or I follow you and we go back LATER! Get yo' *censored* back here!" *walks after him.*
Metal Man (GM): Ninja man floats up into the portal, and is teleported to HQ. Then Julian runs after him, and is also teleported there. Argument... solved???? @_@ Charles is now alone. He walks back, noticing the old barrier had been... exploded... by that green attack. Well. Technically Julian ran after Charles, but somehow wound up warping anyway. Charles reaches the Deku Tree.
Deku Tree: "I see you have returned, Charles."
The Ninja: "Ar-" *he start to let out a yell, before the portal was transporting him. He now finishes his yelling at the HQ place.* "Rgh! ...Huh?" *he looks around the area to see, where he got teleported to.*
Charles does his Yevonish bow again.
Julian: "...What the HELL! How did I end here?!"
Metal Man (GM): Both of the Questers would be in the R&R, a room with a television and several couches.
Charles: "The Dark being had attempted to use the Kokiri Emerald, but instead it had mostly backfired on him. The other three are back at our base, but I wanted to return to deliver the news. He... is after the Goron Ruby now."
Julian: "Son of a *CENSORED*!" *punches a wall.* "I'm gettin' tired of him pullin' *censored* like this! What the hell is there to SAY? Why does he stay behind?!"
Deku Tree: "...I see. Unfortunately, I am only able to protect my land. You must go to Death Mountain and collect that gem as well; make sure he doesn't get it this time, if you can."
The Ninja: "As cozy as this looks, I'm not liking where we are."
Charles: "The Emerald is safe in our hands. Now, do you know of the location of the vampire corpse may be?"
Deku Tree: "I am sorry... I cannot know. It is protected by the magic of the gems."
Charles: "Understood. Now, I overheard that the elf Aribar wanted to use some of your holy wood to use against the vampire... is it too much of me to ask to do it for him?"
Deku Tree: "You may take some wood to him; but if you desire it yourself, I am afraid he asked first."
The Ninja looks over at Julian. "So what's the next plan?"
Charles: "I would not think selfish thoughts, Great Deku Tree. I will deliver some of your might to his hands."
Deku Tree: "As you wish." The tree glows oddly, and a good-sized branch falls down in front of you.
Metal Man (GM): Just big enough for Charles to carry.
Julian: "Well too *censored* bad, it's your home now! Ask one of the soldiers wandering around HQ aimlessly where Metal is, and go see him!"
Charles comes to closer to the giant protector of Kokiri Forest. He begins to take out one of his swords, but insteads sheathes them. He picks up the branch. "May we meet again." he takes the return path to the Forest Temple entrance and enter the portal there.
Metal Man (GM): The branch is about the size of a log one would use to burn in a fireplace. The large type. Charles goes back, and enter the portal...
The Ninja: "I'll go look for anger management classes while I'm at it." *Wanders off to find one of guards.*