Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 323: More Metroid Mayhem
Date: 3:04:59 PM, September 3rd; 6:04:06 PM, September 4th; 6:07:32 PM, September 6th, 2006.
Metal Man (GM): Session thing continuation
You're atop your base, once again alone, as you were last time.
It is endlessly silent out here.
Charles Magellean now sits atop the highest part of his base. With Haxgel the Nobody gone from his body, his mind is restored to how it was before coming to Nintendus. However, his body is not yet purified. With exposure to much chaos energy, his body may become dependent on it. He thinks of what could purge it from his body.
Metal Man (GM): Excluding Shadow from it as a possibility, many things are thought of... and then discarded.
Chaos Breaker/Maker were both destroyed. E Li Three would likely make any attempt at it confusing and annoying.
Trevor lacks knowledge in the field and Ivan seems preoccupied.
But... wherever Knuckles is, the Master Emerald is sure to follow, and that is able to drain energy.
Charles Magellean reflects on these thoughts. He narrows it down to finding the Guardian of the Master Emerald, but seeing as fate plays a role in involving the Questers, he must open himself to as many options as possible.
He opens his eyes, looking to the vast nothingness again. With the desire to check his colleagues' reports, he climbs down the top of the base into the fire escape. He closes the fire escape door, allowing himself to be familiar with pressure again. He climbs down the ladder all the way, looking to the koopa troopa and the two AIs.
"Any progress on what I asked?"
Ricky Koopa: "Some. We're currently devising some sort of machine."
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Based on Ivo's original designs, we can create a modified emerald generator to use your power and eliminate any trace of the chaos emeralds from your body. Unfortunately, we lack the full accuracy he has... we need to find at least part of one of his to make it precise enough so it doesn't kill you."
Charles Magellean takes a deep breath. "What part is needed to make the generator run without malfunctions?"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "The computing device Eggman famously used to control his inventions."
Metal Man (GM): A hologram of a cube with weird information all over it is seen.
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "However, there are only a few places where pieces or even fragments of this needed object can be found. The first is the Mystic Crater. A base made by an imitation which, nonetheless, possess some wreckage.
The second is the Master Egg Mk2, which is currently floating in outer space. It is currently 'owned' by the Questers.
The Master Emerald can act as one, too. That is, if you can find it.
Some other figures, such as the Rumored man named 'The Businessman' and possibly Metal Sonic might have one.
If you could find the X-zone, there are fragments located in there. It is disputed if that place exists.
Ivan himself may have one or two; but he's always busy.
Wreckage of the Nah Rasur has some, definitely, but unlikely to have any complete specimens. It's in Turion.
His undersea base may have some too.
If you like flying far into space, his Gravity Egg was practically built out of them.
That is about all I can think of, and that's enough places to get at least one functional example."
Charles Magellean detaches the holographer from the belt that carried it. He gently places it on the table. "Damaged by Sephiroth. It may be beyond repair." He walks to one of the windows, looking out to space.
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "It can be repaired, but it'll take a while. This was nearly split in half."
Charles Magellean: "Does the base still have transport capabilities?"
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Transport capabilities at 100%, however we can't teleport everywhere."
Charles Magellean: "As you said, we don't need to teleport everywhere; just to where the device('s parts) is/are. My only worry is how to return here without exhausting myself again running over 1,000 kilometers on the planet."
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Ivan and the Questers have their own warp systems."
Charles Magellean looks to Bob through the corner of his eye. "True, but never again will I have anything to do with the Questers. Ivan... is a different matter."
He looks out to the window. "Set the transporter coordinates to the Mystic Crater. I will be on standby."
Bob, Lord of Electric Death: "Transporter activated."
Metal Man (GM): A warp appears in the center of the room.
You may enter it.
Charles Magellean approaches the center. He takes in a deep breath and enters it.
Metal Man (GM): You appear suddenly, in the middle of the Mystic Crater.
The dead place consists of three buildings, including a tower which is now in disarray.
Charles Magellean: "..."
Metal Man (GM): All are rusted and the land is a dark shade of brown.
Nothing remains; a tumbleweed blows by.
Charles Magellean facepalms. "Next time, I'm talking to the guys about two things. A beacon to activate for them to know to return me, and a part locator."
Metal Man (GM): It can be surmised the tower is the likeliest place to find the part; you remember many computers in there.
Devoid of life, this land appears to have sunk into eternal death.
The ground seems very dry, and no wildlife is heard.
Charles Magellean approaches the tower. Brrrrrr, he feels cold. The lack of life surrounding him, or a cool chill through his body, he stops eye-gawking. He enters the tower.
Metal Man (GM): You enter it, seeing a cracked and mostly destroyed marble hallway, with televisions destroyed and thrown about.
Dead ahead, a winding, cracked staircase leads up the tower. Another door leads to nothing more than burnt stone.
The images of the Eggman logo sinisterly leer at you from the devastated walls.
Although clearly abandoned, the place hasn't lost the coldness Eggman put into it.
Charles Magellean walks over the crumbled hallway, tripping occasionally because of instant cracking. Going on ahead, he comes to the staircase that goes up, and the door that leads nowhere. He opens the door first.
Metal Man (GM): The door leads to nothing but rock. It is empty and lacks any sort of real definition. It may as well not exist.
Charles Magellean: "It'd make a nice closet space." *He closes the door, sighing*.
*He begins to trek up the stairs of the condemned tower, he moves up but only slowly. If the stairs broke, he could fall backwards on the stairs, severly injuring his bones... or worse.*
Metal Man (GM): The door closes slowly, and can't be closed completely, due to rock in its track.
You walk up the stairs, which are mushy.
You near the top... from which you see a large room. (Afk)
You enter the massive main room, atop the tower, with its slit skylight (now destroyed) and lines of destroyed computers.
There's a massive hole in the floor, and an opened vault door behind a bank of computers.
The corpse of the Ivo Robotnik hologram machine lays on the floor.
Charles Magellean remembers that the vault led to el Master Egg MK II, so he approaches the hole. He takes a peak.
Metal Man (GM): The room is empty and dark, with a Master Egg MK II shaped hole in one of the walls.
The hole in the floor leads down to a bunch of wreckage and a computer.
Now all you must do is find one with the right part.
Charles Magellean gets a grip onto the edge of the floor. He then lowers himself from the floor by moving his right foot to the side, letting gravity get it, then move his left foot the same way. With him grasping at the floor, he swings back and forth; small at first, then a sizable distance after a couple swings. He swings forward to land on his feet.
He thinks where to look first; the computer, the wreckage, or....
He looks to one floor tile, looking for the piece.
.oO(...Whoops. -_-; )
*He looks back up, avoiding looking at the floor tile, wondering why he thought he could find it there. After the daydreaming state of looking at it, he searches yon wreckage for the cube.*
Metal Man (GM): You look around, and encounter the computer console.
It has a dex-shaped hole in it.
Perhaps it can help you.
Or you can look inside the computer--it's missing several panels.
Charles Magellean looks into the dex-shaped hole. Upon realizing it's for---surprise---the dex, he goes to look inside the computer.
Metal Man (GM): Search check, Charlie Brown.
Good grief. You look inside and find nothing more than a twizzler's wrapper.
Charles Magellean: "...!?"
Metal Man (GM): It dates from many years ago. Original, of course.
Charles Magellean takes out said twizzler's wrapper. Seeing as how this could gum up the works, he pulls it out.
Metal Man (GM): You pull it out.
You could look again, however you're convinced it's practically empty in there.
There's a buncha wires there. You might be able to fiddle with them.
Since you have no dex, they're useless to you in their current configuration.
They're not high-power wires, if that's what you think.
They're just data wires.
You could wire them to your nose and you'd receive only mild electrical jolts.
Of course, the computer in the pit isn't the only one. There's ones back upstairs.
Charles Magellean goes to the computer end of the wires.
He counts the wires.
Metal Man (GM): You count the wires.
1... 2... 3... 4.
Red, yellow, black, and green.
Red/1 yellow/2 black/3 green/4. Is that what you wish to see?
Ok.
Charles Magellean arranges it so: Yellow/1 Red/2 Black/3 Green/4.
Metal Man (GM): You re-arrange the data wires, in a way which causes some sparks, then... the computer to turn on.
Charles Magellean goes to the front of the computer to... uhhh... could ya help out the player on the --oh, nevermind ^^;.
Computer: "Auxilary power ACTIVATEEED!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL SYSTEMS ARE GOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
How can I... HELP YOU TO THE EXTREMEEE!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!"
Charles Magellean: "...Not again." *He groans He walks to the middle of the room.*
Computer: *Insanely loud playback of Charles' Groan* "Is that what you want me to do?"
Charles Magellean cringes. .oO(Okay, error on my part.)
"Computer, I am looking for a for a certain piece of technology that has been used to con--con---...standby."
*He covers his ears as he remembers what Bob said.*
Computer: "CON CON CON!!! CON CON CONTROL!!! ON THE HIGHWAAAAY!!! STANDBY!!!!! FULL POWER!!! AHHHH!!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): The building shakes, but not much else.
Charles Magellean is thrown to the ground, shaking his head as he gets up.
"Now I remember. First, reduce audio output by 50%."
Computer: "Audio output reduction ACTIVATED!!! FIFTY PERCENT REDUCTION IN EFFECT!!!! AHHHH!!!!!!!"
Charles Magellean covers his ears again.
He now has a ring in his ears. A malfunction, mayhaps?
Metal Man (GM): Yes. You did not intend for that pinky ring to get stuck in your ears while you plugged them.
*Badum-psh* For true, yes, the machine is malfunctioning.
Charles Magellean: "Computer, I'm looking for something that is part of the computing device that Ivo Robotnik uses to control his inventions. Can you locate any piece or fragment of the device that is in the building?"
Computer: "I am one of those pieces. TO THE EXTREMEEEE!!! Take me out of here and I will do all the controlling you neeeeeed!!!!"
Charles Magellean: "..." *Oh you have got to be kidding me. He covers his ears as he begins to yell.
* "COMPUTER: DO YOU HAVE A DIAGNOSIS PROGRAM THAT YOU CAN RUN?"
Computer: "NO, HOWEVER IF YOU CAN FIND OTHER PARTS, I CAN RESTORE MY ABILITY TO VOLLUMMEEEE CONTROLLLL!!!! THE CORE FOR ME IS RIGHT HERE. TO THE EXTREEEMEEE!!!"
Metal Man (GM): You hear a click, and 1/4 of a cube pops out of the console.
Charles Magellean: "GOOD ENNOOUGH! NOW WHERE --"
*He stops yelling mid-sentence. He picks up the cube... well, a piece of it.*
Metal Man (GM): You hear... it speaking in your mind. For some reason, it's a lot quieter there.
Charles Magellean: "Wonderful. I'm an adoptive father for Ais."
Core: "The other piece from here is in the corpse of the Eggsterminator upstairs. There are no other pieces in this area. To the extreme!"
Charles Magellean: "But..." *He begins climbing out of the area.* "...last I knew, the only corpse here was that of the Ivo hologram."
Core: "They are one and the same."
Charles Magellean: "...Hmm, who knew." *With one lift, his entire being is back in the room with the ruined hologram.*
Metal Man (GM): You see the corpse laying on the ground.
It's rusted and old, crumbly... gotta be a cube on it somewhere.
Charles Magellean: "...The remains of an old robot." *He approaches it. He begins to search in and around the former Ivo fake.*
Metal Man (GM): You find... a cup holder.
It's... in mint condition.
Core: "That is a cup holder. Not a core device."
Metal Man (GM): Hmmm... you should try again.
Charles Magellean places the cup holder a few inches away from the Ivo fake so he doesn't accidentally find it again.
He places the cube on his head and moves to a different part of the robot. He checks there.
Metal Man (GM): You search again... break a piece... and the other 1/4 of a cube appears from the head.
Core: "Now combine it with this cube. That is, me... to the extremeeeee!!!"
Charles Magellean combines the part of the cube together with the cube that likes to yell about extreme stuff.
Metal Man (GM): It forms... 1/2 of a cube.
Core: "One-half completed. Excellent. A genius core like myself should be complete. To the extremeeee! In order to make a complete controllingland cube of extreemee... you must use my genius to find the next fragment, located in my undersea base, as my extreme genius detects it to the max. Plug me into the console in front of you." *Indeed, there is a console in front of you.*
Charles Magellean nods. He plugs the core fragment into the port where it's designed to go and then... well, he just goes on standby after that.
Core: "Base warp engaged. Sending you to the next destination." *A warp appears... and... fadeout. I gotta go for now.*
Metal Man (GM): Pre-Mission Stuff
Everybody's at HQ, as well as Val and The Ninja.
Scott Gibson is probably playing guitar wherever he is.
Julian Sawyer's channel-surfing in R&R.
Valentine Kilmer is currently hovering into Metal's office in her usual fashion. "A moment of your time, Metal."
Dragoshi: *...Watching TV in R&R.*
Metal Man: "What can I do for you?"
*He waits for whatever request Valentine may have.*
Valentine Kilmer: "I have concerns about Rathos and his knowing about the temple while others didn't. I can't be throwing theories out either that weren't backed up by prove either. So I need to find him and ask him a few things."
Scott Gibson: "Eh? Sorry, I've been a bit tied up lately so I dunno where you guys went the last time or two."
Metal Man: "Simple enough. He's stayed within comms range. Just ask SIMBER to open comms to him, and you should be able to speak to him."
Valentine Kilmer: "And where might I go for this?"
Metal Man: "SIMBER is everywhere. Merely ask him to do so and he will comply. It's not used so often these days, what with our lack of actual talking, but he's an omnipresent hologram which listens in on public hallways and rooms."
Valentine Kilmer: "Good. Then you can listen as well. SIMBER. Did you overhear that?"
SIMBER: "Affirmative."
Metal Man (GM): It's a blue hologram of a very plain looking person, which appears out of thin air.
Valentine Kilmer: "Open the comm link to Metroid Rathos then."
SIMBER: "Comm link opened. Displaying results."
Metal Man (GM): A screen appears out of thin air, and then it widens before showing a hologram of Metroid Rathos.
Metroid Rathos: (Comms) "What do you have to say to me?"
Valentine Kilmer: "Good. Rathos, How do you know about the temple?"
Metroid Rathos: (Comms) "It contacted me via radio a while ago and directed me to find it, saying that it had been activated by you people. Upon coming there it informed me of the challenges and that I could enter only if I unlocked a door for you."
Valentine Kilmer: "How long ago and by whom?"
Metroid Rathos: (Comms) "A white robed man who was a hologram. A few days ago. He said you had just activated the temple. I asked his identity; he said he had none."
Valentine Kilmer: "I assume with you describing him in only a robe, you lack being able to see his face. Is that correct?"
Metroid Rathos: "Correct. What little I saw indicated some sort of masculine but unidentifiable being."
Valentine Kilmer: "Have you unlocked the door yet?"
Metroid Rathos: "I cannot unlock it without you Questers opening the front door first."
Valentine Kilmer: "I figure a key would be able to. Guess I was wrong then." *She then looks over at Metal* "Is it time to let him in?"
Metal Man: "He'll meet us at the temple. Assuming the Questers wish to go there first. There's a few other choices out there."
Julian Sawyer suddenly looks like he forgot something, gets up from the couch, and jogs towards Metal's office.
Metal Man: "For example, Digi suggested locating more people. Kakariko Town is still attacked by zombies. But only three missions to choose from, so... 'meh."
Valentine Kilmer looks back at the hologram. "You'll be contacted when we're ready."
Metroid Rathos: "Understood."
Valentine Kilmer: "Cut comm-link, SIMBER."
Scott Gibson wanders into the kitchen for something to drink.
Trigger: "Hmmm..."
SIMBER: "Comm-link severed."
Metal Man (GM): The hologram vanishes.
Metal Man: "I must be going to the big room now, so as to start the mis--Julian! Do you need something too?"
Julian Sawyer's head pops through Metal's doorway "YO MET-...'parently I'm interruptin' somethin."
Metal Man: "No, we just finished. Proceed."
Dragoshi wonders what's going on and follows Julian.
Trigger starts to follow Dragoshi.
Julian Sawyer: "Righ', anyway, I was wonderin' if I could have some kinda special permit to use force 'gainst Trigger ifin' he gets to acting psycho-stupid 'gain. Y'know, to get 'em to shut-up without losin' CAL rank."
Scott Gibson holds a home made beer and sees everyone heading into Metal's office and decides to see what's up.
Trigger pokes his head through the door, seeing Julian and Metal.
Scott Gibson: "Sooo... What's going on, guys?"
Valentine Kilmer: "Seems like everyone knows it's time, Metal."
Julian Sawyer: "...Goddamn, Am I THAT interestin'?"
Dragoshi: "..."*Ker-shrug.*
Trigger: "..."
*He walks in.*
Scott Gibson: "Eh?...I just saw everyone headin' this way."
Metal Man: "Yes, Julian. Oh, you mean Trigger. I have a better idea."
Julian Sawyer: "I go somewhere, EVRYBODY gotta show up. ...?"
Metal Man: "Unless you guys wish to look for keys or somethin', I think it best we proceed to the Nintendo Temple. All agreed? After all, Trigger wishes to show us... his almighty power at it.
Right... Trigger?"
Valentine Kilmer: "Must be your magnetic personality, Julian." *Even that though was a bad joke, she sounded serious... But then again, when doesn't she?*
Trigger: "Yeah..."
Metal Man: "Let's see..." *Opens a warp* "Again. Any of you want to do alternate missions, or just proceed to the Nintendo Temple?"
Julian Sawyer: "...Good idea, Mets. We all agree to try the temple?"
Scott Gibson shrugs... "I'm cool to go anytime."
Julian Sawyer: *Directed towards everyone in the room.*
Trigger enters the warp.
Dragoshi: "...Sure, don't see why not..."
Metal Man walks into the warp, then. "Let us go, then."
Dragoshi follows Metal into the warp.
Valentine Kilmer hovers into the warp.
Julian Sawyer: "...Guess that's a yes." *Heads in.*
Metal Man (GM): *WARP en masse* Everyone appears in front of the great and ancient temple, with its odd compartmentalized half-circle shape.
Rathos is there already.
Metroid Rathos: "About time."
Scott Gibson shrugs again and jumps through the warp.
Metal Man: "Hmmm..."
Valentine Kilmer: "Couldn't wait to be contacted?"
Metal Man (GM): The ground shakes, and the two front doors open automatically for you. The Metroid rune also lights up.
Trigger: "Whoa..."
Scott Gibson: "..."
Julian Sawyer: "...K..."
Metal Man (GM): Inside, one can clearly see the temple, the hologram projector, and the doors. One, the one with the Metroid symbol, is unchained. The door sits open.
Metroid Rathos: "...I was in a hurry, yes."
Metal Man walks inside.
Trigger follows Metal.
Metroid Rathos: "I shall let one of you try first."
Trigger: "I go first..."
Metal Man (GM): *shrugs* "He can be the test subject."
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Scott Gibson: "Good luck, Trig."
Trigger: "Thanks."
Julian Sawyer heads in as well "Yeh, Trigger here wanted the first shot. 'Parently knowin' the whole layout of Zebes 'll help 'em."
Valentine Kilmer: "A quick question before you enter, Rathos."
Metroid Rathos: "Yes?"
Valentine Kilmer: "Do you know what the challenge is exactly?"
Trigger: "Kill Mother Brain?"
Valentine Kilmer: "I am not asking you."
Trigger: "...Oh."
Metroid Rathos: "A constant battle through some sort of maze. Mostly a test of endurance, with the most deadly combat possible."
Trigger: "Sounds about right."
Valentine Kilmer: "And just one is allowed to enter?"
Metroid Rathos: "One at a time."
Trigger: "I'll be fine, if you're worried."
Valentine Kilmer: "Not really. Proceed you two."
Metal Man: "You may enter, then." *Points to the door.*
Metroid Rathos: "I shall go after Trigger, and then any other challengers may attempt."
Trigger walks in.
Metal Man (GM): Trigger walks in... *VANISH* Two things happen.
Julian Sawyer: *Watches Trigger go in* "This is gonna be good..."
Metal Man (GM): First, the hologram projector projects exactly where Trigger is, the room he's in, and his health.
Second, Trigger himself enters room 1: 'Zebes Room'
Old-fashioned Metroid music plays mutely. It's a simple room; cube-shaped with no obstacles.
Trigger starts to hum the Metroid fanfare.
Metal Man (GM): Then you discover why there are no obstacles.
Scott Gibson sits down on anything that'd be adequate as a seat and tunes up his guitar before playing some "Hotel California".
Trigger: "Hmmm..."
Metal Man (GM: Not one, not two, but five space pirates leap from the ceiling, surrounding Trigger.
Trigger: "Crap... already?"
Metal Man (GM): METROID CHALLENGE PART 1: SPACE PIRATE ASSAULT
All the pirates are 1 unit away from you.
Order: Pirate D, Pirate E, Pirate A, Trigger, Pirate C, Pirate B
Pirate D opens fire with three laser shots at Trigger.
10 damage per hit, no knockback. Ow! The crit deals 20 damage.
Pirate E decides to punch him quickly.
15 damage if that hits.
Pirate A also shoots at him.
10 damage per hit, again.
You are surrounded.
Trigger fires a fist shaped rocket at pirate A.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Trigger then heals himself.
Metal Man (GM): Anything else?
Pirate C
Pirate C shoots you three times.
10 damage per hit.
Pirate B does the same.
10 damage per hit.
Pirate D, E, and A also continue shooting Trigger.
10 damage per hit.
if he's still alive
The people seeing the hologram mostly see Trigger being shot at by Space Pirates with storm trooper syndrome.
Julian Sawyer: "C'mon ya idiots, AIM!"
Trigger fires at C and D with a force wave.
Metal Man (GM): Miss.
They both leap out of the way.
Trigger tries the attack again.
Metal Man (GM): Miss.
Pirate C and B go to punch Trigger.
15 damage per hit.
Trigger is punched out.
Metal Man (GM): Then pirates D, E, and A... mercilessly shoot his corpse.
The round passes, seemingly without any changes... then, out of nowhere, one of the pirates suddenly has a missile upgrade drop on it. Pirate A, that is.
Then the new round passes, and finally Trigger is respawned.
Valentine Kilmer: "Looks like I was right. Trigger never had the chance when he first stepped in."
Trigger attacks A with a rocket strike.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Julian Sawyer: "Trigger's an idiot. We already discussed this."
Dragoshi: "...I think everyone knew that in the first place..." >_>
Metal Man (GM): The Pirate dies, dropping its precious powerup onto the ground.
Anything else?
Trigger retreats 4 spaces back (2 TP) EoT.
Metal Man (GM): Pirate C walks over and picks up the missile powerup, then fires three missiles at Trigger with it.
15 damage per hit.
It appears able to go all 4 units.
Scott Gibson keeps on playing different songs that catch his fancy... presently: "The Immigrant Song" Led Zeppelin.
Metal Man (GM): Pirate B's laser blaster is also still in range, just barely, so it fires at Trigger.
10 damage per hit.
Pirates E And A
They also are still in range, so they fire with their laser guns.
10 damage per hit.
Trigger runs back up 4 spaces (2 TP) and fires a rocket at C.
Metal Man (GM): Shoo. Your bad luck makes you miss.
Pirate C responds with 3 missiles.
15 damage per hit.
Pirate B runs up and punches at you.
15 damage if that hits.
Trigger dies again.
Metal Man (GM): Trigger is massacred by missiles and punches. Apparently running away was a bad idea.
*More time flips by* Pirate B also gains a missile launcher, due to yet more time passing.
Trigger: "I... need... action replay... device."
Metal Man (GM): They're all within 1 unit again.
Trigger takes out his beam saber and slashes at C.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Julian Sawyer: "Where's he get all this stuff?"
Trigger then fires a force wave at C.
Dragoshi: "No idea, though it prolly' won't make much difference."
Metal Man (GM): Miss.
Trigger that smashes C in the face with a punch.
Metal Man (GM): Miss.
The two missile-launcher packing pirates open fire.
15 damage per hit... and there's one crit!
Then the remaining 2 missile-less pirates decide to punch you.
15 damage per hit.
Trigger dies from the onslaught of missiles.
Dragoshi: "...Never stood a chance."
Valentine Kilmer: "First Challenge too."
Scott Gibson: "Ouch..."
Hologram: "User Trigger has failed Metroid Challenge. Completion Rate: 1%."
Scott Gibson plays a requiem for Trigger.
Julian Sawyer: "Did you expect anythin' else?"
Metal Man (GM): Trigger is dumped outside the challenges and in front of everybody else in a pile of cheerios.
+25 EXP to Trigger
Trigger: "AAAAAAHH!!" *Smack.*
Hologram: "The battle was winnable, but critical flaws stopped him."
Julian Sawyer: "You was sayin'?"
Trigger: "Oww, my pride."
Hologram: "He needed to either use area effect attacks or highly accurate attacks, as the Space Pirates themselves were weak."
Dragoshi: "...Why a pile of cheerios?"
Hologram: "Furthermore, running away gave the pirates more time to shoot him."
Scott Gibson: "Uh, I think that got beaten out of you m'man."
Julian Sawyer checks to see if they are Honey Nut...
Trigger: "Do I get continues?"
Dragoshi does the same as Julia.
Valentine Kilmer: "At least you were brought back as a compete breakfast, Trigger."
Trigger: "What about a password?"
Metal Man (GM): Honey Nut? Sure. Cheerios all over the floor.
Julian Sawyer: "Nah, he's missin' the milk, juice, toast... Score!" *Julian scoops up a handful.*
Dragoshi: "..." *Groans as Val said that, then nods in agreement with Julian.*
Trigger starts to sigh.
Valentine Kilmer: "Are you sure you want to eat those, Julian?"
Hologram: "I am 10^10 times more powerful than any video game system. As of such, your progress would have been saved had you gotten anywhere. You are not allowed to use other people's saves to cheat."
Dragoshi: "...Yea, they might be coated with Trigger's sucktitude."
Trigger: "...Do you have a AR device?"
Dragoshi: "...Shutting up now..." *Whistles innocently.*
Trigger: "I could go for some Infinite life about now."
Hologram: "Anyone who attempts to alter my systems in order to cheat will encounter by far the deadliest of destructive weaponry fired at them."
Trigger: "...Point taken."
Scott Gibson: "No kidding..."
Hologram: "As this challenger clearly failed on all but one task, he does not clear the challenge. Next up: Metroid Rathos."
Julian Sawyer: "What? You got somethin' agains' Cheerioes?"
Trigger: "You gotta give me another chance on the next challenge. I can redeem myself."
Valentine Kilmer: "You know where they've been, Julian."
Hologram: "You will get as many chances as you want, just after everyone else has had their turn."
Julian Sawyer: "Five-second rule."
Trigger: "Man, only if I were stronger."
Valentine Kilmer: "It's been five minutes."
Dragoshi: "...Heh. Good ol five second rule."."
Scott Gibson: "Ugh, I know I'd get my ass handed to me in there."
Julian Sawyer: "Says you." *Julian pops one in his mouth.*
Valentine Kilmer: "Actually. It is quite easy. The computer just gave everyone a hint."
Scott Gibson: "That we all get to fight 5 space pirate thingy's?"
Trigger: "I know, I shouldn't have ran away like that."
Scott Gibson: "Meh, you did your best, kid."
Valentine Kilmer: "Rathos will be a lot tougher."
Trigger: "Well, I did get one."
Valentine Kilmer: "I also suggest you use your surroundings as well."
Scott Gibson: "Huh?...What surroundings?"
Valentine Kilmer: "The area you fight in."
Trigger: "The ceiling. Lots of sharp things to drop on them.
I was just thinking in a 2-D mind set."
Scott Gibson: "Oh... *Shrugs*...Too busy playing."
Valentine Kilmer: "Julian may be the only one to pull off being the brainless fighter, but from the looks of it, it was be set to his skill level as well."
Scott Gibson: "Makes sense... Otherwise anybody'd be able to walk in. Click, click, boom... Proceed to next level."
Trigger sighs again.
Julian Sawyer: "Hey!"
Valentine Kilmer: "What flavors are those, Julian?"
Julian Sawyer: "Honey Nut."
Valentine Kilmer: "Carry on. But then again, I should have kept that idea to myself."
Scott Gibson shivers... "Honey nut? Lord those are nasty."
Dragoshi: "...Pfft."
Trigger: "I know, they are disgusting."
Julian Sawyer: "What? You got somethin' against FLAVOR?"
Dragoshi: "...I'm wonderin' the same thing"
Scott Gibson: "Just didn't have a taste for em'."
Julian Sawyer: "So you're tellin' me you like yo' cereal bland?"
Scott Gibson: "Preferred Count Chocula myself."
Trigger: "I just don't like the stuff."
Valentine Kilmer: "I rarely eat cereal myself."
Scott Gibson: "I just can't get myself up early enough to eat breakfast."
Trigger: "Too bad there isn't a Star Fox challenge, I kick 15,000 kinds of ass in that game."
Editor's Note: Warning: Playing well at the actual video game has no bearing on your IC character's ability to do the challenge, Trigger.
Dragoshi: "...Heh."
Scott Gibson: "I used to play 'Space Invaders' at the pizza place downstairs from my apartment. The guy that owned it managed to get it imported from Earth after a lot of red tape."
Trigger: "I like that game, it's a classic."
Scott Gibson: "It took some weird thing called a 'Quarter' to play. Dunno what it was for."
Valentine Kilmer: "I think we all saw it's nothing like handling a joystick."
Trigger: "It was to start the game, unless it's set to 'Free Play'."
Scott Gibson: "Trig, you're from Earth about that timeframe, right?"
Trigger: "Yeah."
Scott Gibson: "What was a quarter? The old man that owned the thing had a mess of them and he didn't know what they were for either."
Julian Sawyer: "Quarter? A fourth of a dollar."
Trigger: "It's currency, about $0.25."
Scott Gibson: "Earth currency?"
Trigger: "Yes."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeh..."
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Scott Gibson: "Whoa... I'll have to tell the old man he's sittin' on a fat stack of Earth currency."
Valentine Kilmer: "America's anyways. We used a different time ourselves."
Trigger: "But most arcade game now-a-days take 4 quarters to play one game."
Scott Gibson: "...So that's... a whole Credit in Earth terms then?"
Trigger: "Yeah. 1 credit being a dollar, right?"
Valentine Kilmer: "That would be the case."
Trigger: "Ok, than yeah."
Scott Gibson laughs..."Now I get it... There's a lot of parts in some of my lyrics that mention a dollar but I never knew what they were."
Valentine Kilmer: "But we stop using worthless coins some time ago."
Trigger: "We did have dollar coins for awhile but the government stopped making them. They are like collector's items today."
Scott Gibson: "Really...? Weird. So do you have some sort of dollar thing still? If not a coin then what?"
Trigger: "It's a paper bill."
Scott Gibson: "Man, Earth is a weird place. Paper money... that's rich."
Trigger: "There are 1's, 5's, 10's, 20's, 50's, going up."
Valentine Kilmer: "Keep in mind not all of earth used the same type of money."
Scott Gibson: "Ah. I remember some guy's face on the quarters... Any idea who that was?"
Trigger: "They were president of the USA's."
Scott Gibson: "Trivial as some of this may sound I'm interested."
Valentine Kilmer: "Trigger or maybe Julian can name them off. It will take me a few to remember."
Scott Gibson: "Hm... May explain some more of my lyrics."
Trigger: "George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Some others."
Julian Sawyer: "Abe-RA-Ham."
Trigger: "...Yeah."
Valentine Kilmer: "I vaguely remember Jefferson on the Nickel. But that's because I solved a case relating to that."
Scott Gibson: "Hm... I'll have to read up on this stuff if anyone can help me find it."
Trigger: "Were you a detective or something before this?"
Julian Sawyer: "Man, this ALL in the library."
Editor's Note: I'm uncertain where he gets this assertion. Earth history is technically treated as a cognitohazard given the reaction to Digi going on about it in the past.
Valentine Kilmer: "I was just a member of Section 9 is all."
Trigger: "Ah."
Scott Gibson: "Ah... I'll check that out later then. Thanks Julian."
Trigger: "Secret organization?"
Julian Sawyer: "Some kinda CIA for robots what I gathered."
Valentine Kilmer: "Public Security."
Trigger: "Ah,"
Valentine Kilmer: "And as I said before, I am not a robot. I just have a prosthetic body."
Julian Sawyer: "Cyborg, human in a robot body, whatever."
Trigger: "Were you in like a horrible accident to get the body?"
Valentine Kilmer: "No. I just selected it to help me in my job is all."
Trigger: "Oh."
Editor's Note: I cut out a huge amount of useless text here, but all you need to know is Valentine's body is a remote control robot/android someone else supposedly is controlling remotely. The discussion derails into a talk about anime (Ghost in the Shell) and other random nonsense. It's inane enough I would rather skip over to... even more Charles? Yeah, this log is opposite world.
Metal Man (GM): To the Underwater base
You are warped to the great undersea ruins. Naturally, you do NOT appear on the upper floors, which have been systematically flooded.
It's a massive, wide open room, ruined and with water pooling on the floor.
Charles Magellean: "...I'm surprised. I had thought this base was destroyed when the Time Stones combusted."
Metal Man (GM): The time machine has been long exploded.
Core: "It was intended to survive to act as a new base had my genius creator survived. To the Extreme!"
Charles Magellean: "The man is insane, but cunning. No doubt that he did live on."
Core: "If he did, things are not going to plan. This base should have been rebuilt by now. Several other objectives appear to have lay dormant. Now open up the wreckage of the Time Machine... to the extreme! To find the last piece of this genius invention."
Charles Magellean begins wading through the water,his lower legs becoming soaked. He walks to the wreckage of the Time Machine.
"A complete half of the module? Very fortunate, we are."
Core: "It is good luck. To the extreme!"
Metal Man (GM): The time machine's destroyed frame makes it easy to search. You should be able to ace this one. Search check.
You find it laying atop a biiig hunk of the control panel.
Charles Magellean: "!"
*He sees it and goes to walk close to it.*
Metal Man (GM): You walk close to it. It looks legit, and seems only as damaged as it'd need to be to be only a half.
Charles Magellean listens, or in this case, smells carefully.
Metal Man (GM): Nothing odd about it.
No odd smells or sounds.
Charles Magellean: "Nothing odd with the half... and nothing odd around us."
*He grabs the remaining half of the cube from atop the hunk of broken control panel.*
Metal Man (GM): You grab it; it feels cold.
They link, and create a full cube.
Core: "Complete control system rebuilt. Insert into machine to activate."
Charles Magellean: "...Crrap." *He had forgotten to check about for a still functional machine. He looks around.*
Metal Man (GM): No machines are functional. The entire place is stagnant.
However, there is a strange ball of light emerging from the site of the former time machine.
Charles Magellean: "We have nothing to check except... that."
*He walks closer until he's 2 feet away from the ball of light. He examines it from that distance.*
Metal Man (GM): It suddenly expands, in a computer-like way, to make the appearance of a man wearing white robes.
A hologram of such a man.
It is made mostly out of white light, and looks at you.
Charles Magellean shields his eyes from the light.
Robed Hologram: "You have come far... but yet you do not understand your true purpose."
Metal Man (GM): His speech is both eerie and otherworldly. It echoes backwards.
Charles Magellean unshields his eyes.
Robed Hologram: "It is time that you would accept your own destiny."
Metal Man (GM): His face is hidden, his arms seem somewhat strange, and you can't tell exactly what he's all about. Anything besides his hands and face is covered in the white robe.
Robed Hologram: "You have tasted the fine wine of the light side. You have lost the bitter drunkenness of the dark side. Positioned between both sides of the coin is your existence. What you hold is the key to greatness. All you must do is use it.
The chaos energy in your body is the last chain to this forsaken world of today. After the chaos within is gone, return to the light side and request the holy artifact of Yortsed. Replace the encrypted control cube with this primitive doctor's own, and say the magic words of creation.
Then all shall be revealed."
Metal Man (GM): The hologram flickers once, twice, three times, and then disintegrates into a beam of pure light--a portal back to the Second Moon.
Charles Magellean: "Apparently, another higher being that watches us... guides us."
*He is then guided into the portal to return to his homeworld, The Moon.*
Core: "Does not compute." *WARP.*
Metal Man (GM): You reappear on The Second Moon.
Charles Magellean looks to the cube. "It's time we take off the last shackle of corruption." He walks to the base, opening the door, and greeting the people. He then shows them the cube module that Ivo uses.
He puts the cube on the table. "Whenever you guys are ready."
Ricky Koopa: "Ah! You are lucky to have come back in one piece. I thought those would be guarded."
*Takes the cube and plugs it into a machine, then takes out a metallic helmet attached to some weird wires* "Put this on your head and we'll suck the chaos dry."
Charles Magellean takes the metallic helmet and puts it on his head. "While the chaos helped us against Kuja, it just sits in my body like a poison now, never to be used again." He looks out for a few seconds then looks to the troopa. "Begin the procedure."
Ricky Koopa: *Throws a switch* "Aye."
Metal Man (GM): You feel a buzzing, and then a bunch of red and white energy is sucked into the machine. After a moment, it stops.
Ricky Koopa: "The energy is gone."
Charles Magellean: "It's over then." *He takes off the helmet.*
"I... don't feel different... but now my body is purified, as is my mind."
*He looks out to the vastness of space.* "...Now there is one thing left to do before I go to the Light.
I must go to the Null Zone and purify my spirit.
The Ivan from there has challenged me to come to him and test myself against his "Law Breaker"to see if I truly am what I said I was.
I cannot dishonor myself by refusing."
Ricky Koopa: "That is... difficult a proposition. This chaos energy would send one to the X-zone, but the Null Zone... only Dark Matter could do that."
Charles Magellean ponders about this for a moment.
"The Ivan from the Null Zone gives me self-conflict. If I am to truly become myself again, I must do this before I seek out what I've been told to do.
Ricky, I want you, Bob, and FAYTH to do research on this 'Dark Matter.' Leave no information unfound about it."
F.A.Y.T.H.: "Will do. It may take a while."
Charles Magellean climbs up the ladder again. "Nothing else I will do, then."
F.A.Y.T.H.: "It should be complete after a while."
Charles Magellean opens the fire-escape door, closes it, climbs to the very top, and silently observes Nintendus coming from over the horizon. .oO(Fate has given me a chance to allow me to return to my ways that Nintendus has driven me away from. My mind purged of Haxgel, my body devoid of chaos, and now my spirit to be tested against my dark past.)
.oO(If I prove myself worthy, will I be Lunarian again?)
*Fadeout on Magellean.*
Editor's Note: And now back to your cheerios-themed insanity.
Metal Man (GM): Continuation
If the Ninja wasn't already here, assume he is by now.
Everyone's in the atrium, and the door lies open for the next challenger.
Hologram: "The next challenger may proceed."
The Ninja: "Ah! I like challenges!"
Julian Sawyer: "What the..." *Julian's finished his Cheerios by now* "When'd the ninja replace the robot?"
The Ninja leaps into the door, as he wants the said challenge.
Julian Sawyer: "...Nevermind."
Trigger: "Good luck in there."
Metal Man (GM): You run on in.
Challenge Part 1
You walk into a vaguely Zebes themed room. But no 5 pirates leap down; why, that would be too predictable.
Instead you have a typical Metroid problem: a couple of small, moving platforms floating over a pit of molten... magma? lava?
The first platform glides side to side with predictable timing; the second spins in circles and moves in a circular pattern across the horizontal plane.
The Ninja: "Ah?" *He then looks around the area for anything else.*
Metal Man (GM): Two make circles through the vertical plane, and the final one erratically flies around.
Nothing else is here; it must be a test of platformery.
Note: In addition to jump checks, you must describe the sort of way you tackle the platform.
If you just jump, well... :p you sorta leap out into the unknown and HOPE you land somewhere good.
The Ninja: "..." *He then has a good look at the walls and ceiling leading to the next area.*
Metal Man (GM): The walls end where the ceiling begin and are replaced by an endless void; the ceiling also ends there.
Erm.
The walls and ceilings end where the pit area with platforms begins.
Also, if the people who fly are wondering, no, there is no way to magically fly across. It'll have different challenges to deal with that in that case.
The Ninja blinks, then looks back at the platform, realizing that all he can do is jump. So he studies that first one, getting the timing right before making a jump.
Metal Man (GM): It moves back and forth; this jump should be easy, even for people who are not very good at it. SPD check.
Your choice of tackling it is correct; no penalty.
The Ninja nods, then wait for the perfect moment as he leaps out to jump on the platform.
Metal Man (GM): You barely land on the platform, but you do land on it.
Now moving side to side at a constant rate, you are now facing the second platform, which spins in circles in addition to orbiting a nonexistent point dead ahead.
The Ninja: "Ah!" *He lands on it and regains his balance, shaking his head. He then looks at the next one and starts using his ninja math skills to determine the best point to jump at the rate his platform is moving and the rate the next one is.*
Metal Man (GM): Ninja math skills... MNT check.
You are mildly confused, not to mention you spun around a little -too- much trying to track it.
-1 bonus; jump check based on results.
The Ninja: "Oh! ...I need ninja barf bad I think." *He shakes his head and gets refocused on the jump, leaping towards it at the right time.*
Scott Gibson sits with the others in the atrium playing some "Jailbreak 74" by AC/DC.
Metal Man (GM): Wheeeeeeeeee!!!!
Well. This ain't any stereotypical cheap dice rolling thing. Rather it is a mental and dice rolling challenge.
You grab onto the spinning platform with one hand, just barely missing the magma.
The problem? You're spinning around in circles, hanging onto it with one hand, and the magma is singing your toes.
The Ninja: "Eeeeep!" *He then proceeds to grabbing the edge with the other hand and pulls himself up.*
Trigger: "...I'm glad that isn't me."
Julian Sawyer: "Yeh, you got to get yo' ass kicked by Space Pirates."
Trigger: "...Yeah..."
Scott Gibson: "That was some major ouch, man."
Dragoshi: "Yep." .oO(Then again what did you expect from him?)
Metal Man (GM): He climbs back up, not spinning.
Trigger lets out a depressing sigh.
Scott Gibson: "Don't let it get to ya kid. You probably did better than I would've."
Metal Man (GM): Now moving with the platform, you must somehow jump to two platforms which are spinning in circles in the vertical plane; well, either one. It's confusing--especially because you're spinning in circles.
The Ninja tries to think of a way to sense the ninja math skills aren't working.
He decides to do what he does best this time. He uses his jumping skills to determine the right time to jump onto the next one.
Metal Man (GM): Jumping skills... another jump check, however this one will be used to aid whatever one you do next.
Erm, SPD-based jump check, as always.
That adds a +3 to your next jump check. Which you'll be doing right now.
The Ninja nods and leaps to the next platform with his revision of jumping.
Metal Man (GM): You leap to the left vertical platform. You're nearly across! But the last platform is moving all over the place--you can't predict it. The other side is close, though.
That is, the other floor, and the end of this part.
The Ninja determines how for the next door it when the platform he's on it closest to it with the same skills.
Metal Man (GM): Same Jump check.
It seems rather close, but it might be too far. Hard to tell.
That is, for jumping.
The Ninja then tries to look at the other platform.
Metal Man (GM): You discover it seems to be almost impossible to predict. Jumping to it may be a bad idea...
The Ninja nods and stands up, deciding to go for the door. He waits till the platform is at it's closest point, then crouches down and makes a big leap for it.
Metal Man (GM): You leap for it... you leap too short... but you leaped towards it, rather than the platform, so by coincidence you land on the platform, which hurls you onto land.
Hologram: "Level 1 of 5 completed."
Metal Man (GM): *DING* +500 EXP
Hologram: "Level 2 begin."
The Ninja acks as he seems like he's about to fall, then blinks as he realizes he's on land. "...Go ninja!"
Metal Man (GM): You're now at an area of land which has ceilings, walls, and floors, and strange people-tall boulders spaced randomly around the floor.
Up ahead, not one, but three Space Pirates patrol the exit. (*Gets a snack, tiny afk*)
*Back*
They move around in predictable line patterns, apparently not looking all the way back where you are.
They also are about as tall (a little shorter) than the boulders strewn about.
Last thing you saw?
Scott Gibson pauses from his guitar playing to rest his hands a bit, he's been playing all this time.
Metal Man (GM): They move around in predictable line patterns, apparently not looking all the way back where you are.
They also are about as tall (a little shorter) than the boulders strewn about.
The Ninja takes this moment and looks at the complete around, most deciding the best way to sneak around him... With his sneaking skills.
Trigger is staring into the hologram, pretending to control him.
"Good thing I'm good at Metal Gear."
Julian Sawyer: "Shut it and go back to skulkin' ya wannabe."
Metal Man (GM): Quiet movement check... whatever it is. *Flips the burger; brb another few seconds.*
Trigger: "NEVAR!!!"
Metal Man (GM): You decide to hide behind rocks, and move between them when they're not looking.
Trigger: "Damn, he's good."
Julian Sawyer: "...He's a NINJA."
Metal Man (GM): Should be like shooting ducks in a barrel. I mean fish.
Dragoshi: "...He's a bloody Ninja, ya moron."
The Ninja nods and sneaks from rock to rock, waiting for the moment for them to look away before dashing between them.
Metal Man (GM): You get up to where they are; now the sneaking part is easy, but you'll have to do a SPD check to get past them entirely.
You move by sufficiently enough... into the next part of this level.
Now in an open space, the three Space Pirates turn around to meet you in battle. They're in a row, 2 units away from you.
BATTLE
Order: Space Pirates, Ninja
The three space pirates do their thing: mindless shooting.
10 damage per hit.
The Ninja takes a quick moment to look at his surroundings.
Metal Man (GM): Box-shaped room devoid of any other features,
The Ninja then takes the moment to hide.
Metal Man (GM): You manage to outsmart two of them, though one of them still notices you.
Thankfully, they don't communicate very well.
The Ninja then uses his concealment before ending his turn.
Metal Man (GM): You conceal yourself fully. With that high of a roll, attacks have a whopping 50% chance to miss you, even if they do hit. 1 = hit, 2 = miss.
The only pirate who even knows you're there fires at you.
Even if those hit...
They'd all miss.
The others stare in bafflement at you.
Errr... away from you.
The Ninja decides to sneak around one of the ones that doesn't see him, trying to get in close enough.
Metal Man (GM): Move silently check.
Amazingly, only one of them, the same one who saw you, notices you.
You get the jump on the other two pirates.
The Ninja shrugs and sneak attacks!
Metal Man (GM): CRIT
Whichever one is hit for... whatever damage.
That pirate asplode. Anything else, or outta TP?
The one that does see you opens fire.
Concealment having evaporated due to movement; 10 damage per hit.
The Ninja gets hit a few times, but shrugs it off and moves to the next pirate that didn't take notice of him. Sneaking in.
Metal Man (GM): Move silently check.
They both see you this time.
The Ninja erks, then tries to hide again.
Metal Man (GM): One of them doesn't see you this time
The Ninja then sneak attacks the one that doesn't see him!
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Scott Gibson decides to pick back up on his guitar playing. "Hm... I think I'm in the mood for... Ah, some ZZ Top... ("La Grange" to be exact.)"
Metal Man (GM): Pirate
It fires at you.
10 damage per hit.
The Ninja decides to give his random object a try.
He pulls out a point looking needle and throws it at the Pirate he was attacking.
Metal Man (GM): Hit!
That one is stabbed and dies as well. BOOP-BOOP-BOOP! Success.
+500 more EXP.
The Ninja: "...What were those things anyways?"
*He shrugs and moves tot he next area.*
Trigger: "SPACE PIRATES, IDIOT!!!"
Dragoshi: *Watching*"...Apparently, he hasn't seen Space Pirates before."
Trigger: "I guess not."
The Ninja: "Sure were very simple though."
Dragoshi: "Though, the question on my mind is... Are there gonna be any Phazon-enhanced Pirates..."
Trigger: "I hope I do better on the next challenge... No, he is on Zebes, not Talon 4.
But, I could be wrong.
I guess we'll have to watch and see..." *Continues watching.*
Metal Man (GM): He heads on to the next challenge, which is a room fulla weird machines everywhere. There's some sort of massive door, and four interlocks into it. Each can be set to one of the following colors: red, blue, green, purple, brown, turquoise.
Trigger: "Hmmm, this looks interesting."
Metal Man (GM): Some sort of weird hint thingy says 'To open the door, heed the pace of time and increasing from 1.'
It also says 'disregard this and receive a mild electrical shock.'
Trigger looks over at Dragoshi. "Mild shock my ass."
He looks back.
The Ninja looks at the hints, then tilts his head. "Ara?"
He sits on the floor and looks at this carefully.
Trigger: "This might have to do with the Hyper Speeder power up you get as Samus, but I could be wrong."
Julian Sawyer: "You most likely is."
Trigger rolls his eyes.
The Ninja then stands back up as he has an idea. "Is this... Simon?"
Metal Man (GM): Your voice echoes about; but the four color-changeable interlocks are not changed. They do have knobs, though.
The Ninja takes a few steps closer to the colors, looking at the knobs.
Metal Man (GM): You can turn them to make them any color you want.
There's four of them, around the circular door.
One in each corner of an imaginary square surrounding it.
The Ninja blinks, then tries to see if there's a matching picture for this as well.
Metal Man (GM): No picture; merely the hint.
The Ninja blinks, then looks at the machines he saw.
Trigger: "Hmmm..."
Metal Man (GM): They're a bunch of dead computers.
The Ninja is in a mild state of confusion. He knew he should have stayed awake during ninja puzzle training.
Trigger: "He must be inside the wrecked ship. Too bad we have no way of helping him."
Metal Man (GM): Four knobs which can be turned to different colors and a hint; that is all that seems to be usable.
The Ninja decides to turn the knot for the red color.
Metal Man (GM): Which one? Knob 1, 2, 3, or 4? (Which go from top left, top right, bottom right, and bottom left, respectively)
The Ninja hmms, and turns knob 1.
Metal Man (GM): Knob 1 is turned, and lights up. Now you can turn knob 2.
The Ninja: "Oh! I think I understand..." *He then turns knob 2.*
Metal Man (GM): To which color?
The Ninja turns it to blue.
Metal Man (GM): It, too, lights up. Now for knob 3.
The Ninja turns knob 3 to the color green.
Metal Man (GM): It lights up too, leaving the 4th knob to be turned.
The Ninja wipes the sweat off his forehead, then pulls out a sandbag to balance the weight of... He then remembers this is not the same place and drops the sandbag on the ground as he turns the forth knob to the color brown.
Metal Man (GM): It lights up. Then you hear 'BUZZ' 'DING' 'BUZZ' 'BUZZ" as knobs 1, 3, and 4 light up red, reset to a random color, and zap you for a total of 30 electric damage. Knob 2 remains the same; and green."
Trigger looks away and cringes.
The Ninja shakes the pain away, then uses a holy grape to revive what health he lost before going back to the puzzle.
Metal Man (GM): With three knobs to fix, there must be some trick to this.
The Ninja looks back at the hint.
He then uses his brain cell, yes it's not plural, to figure this hint out.
Metal Man (GM): MNT check, perhaps, however this is supposed to be challenging.
You believe the best idea is to spin the knobs at random!
The Ninja shrugs and uses the remove method.
Metal Man (GM): 'Remove method'?
The Ninja used red for knot one, so know he uses the purple for knob one.
Metal Man (GM): It lights up. Now for knob 3 and 4.
The Ninja turns knob three to red and knob four to purple.
Metal Man (GM): 'DING' 'DING' 'BUZZ' 'BUZZ' 20 damage, as knobs 3 and 4 revert back to a random color. Knobs 1 and 3 stay green.
The Ninja shakes away the pain again, then turns knob three to blue and turns knot four to red.
Metal Man (GM): BUZZ! BUZZ! Still wrong, as they then zap The Ninja for another 20 damage.
You're close, but can you decipher the secret of the knobs?
The Ninja: "..." *Looks at the two he got right so far.*
Metal Man (GM): Knob 1 is purple, knob 2 is blue.
The Ninja turns three to turquoise and four to green.
Metal Man (GM): BUZZ! BUZZ! 20 more damage.
Closer, but not quite it yet.
The Ninja eats a grape and turns the thrid green and the fourth one Turquoise.
Metal Man (GM): The Green one dings; the fourth one zaps you.
Only one left!
10 damage.
The Ninja turns the last one to blue?
Metal Man (GM): BUZZ! 10 more damage.
*Stares at it hard enough for his eyes to explode* I got one or another of those off somewhere, sorry, but it took approximately the same length of time it should have.
The door glitches out and opens; screwy electrical systems!
The Ninja: "...Technology is strange." *Uses a grape, then enters the new area.*
Metal Man (GM): You enter a malfunctioning core room. Apparently no computers work right in metroid land. brb a sec, then we finish this.
*Back.*
The Ninja wonders if he can dial Samus for technical support on the equipment.
Metal Man (GM): Anyway, you're in here, and it seems relatively calm.
Then, of course... *BLAM* an explosion occurs in the ground, and out emerges Ridley. Not just any Ridley, though. Cyber-Ridley.
A holographic display of his capabilities (roughly) appears around him.
Holographic Display: Cyber-Ridley.
Predecessor: Meta-Ridley
Capabilities: Missiles, Fire Breath, Claws, Flying
Combat Efficiency: High
Enemy: Samus Aran
Faction: Metroid
The Ninja: "..." *Tries to dial the numer for Samus.*
Holographic Display: Description: A theoretical evolution of Ridley, following his repeated failures. Rather than rely on weak flesh, the pirates would opt for more and more mechanical additions, turning this dragon into a killing machine.
Despite his fierce and deadly demeanor, he's but the first boss of the first set of challenges in this temple.
You try to dial; no answer.
Hologram: "No outside help can be contacted."
Metal Man (GM): The scanning thing vanishes, and Ridley lands in front of you, within 1 TP; SPD check.
The Ninja: "Well I hate missile!"
Metal Man (GM): Erm. 1 unit
Tie!
Goes to Ridley.
Order: Cyber-Ridley, Ninja
Cyber-Ridley charges up, then breathes one huge fireball at you.
50 damage if that hits.
Also, 1 knockback.
He's a relatively large target.
The Ninja: "Eep!" *He leaps up into the air, barely getting out of the way of that, feeling the heat. He then digs into his suit of random goodies.*
Metal Man (GM): Wheeee!!!!
It's a 9!
The Ninja pulls out a giant throwing star with a writing on it say 'Proporty of Yuffie'. He then twirls it around as he tosses it at Ridley.
Metal Man (GM): CRIT
Dragoshi: *Reads what the star says*"...What the HELL!?" *Blinks, then notices Ninja crit*"...God DAMN."
Julian Sawyer: "Jesus!"
Metal Man (GM): Ridley is hit in the chest. He shrieks loudly, signifying you hit him good. Damage/etc?
He's knocked back far, and heavily damaged.
The Ninja then conceals himself.
Metal Man (GM): 1-in-2 chance of missing, yet again.
Ridley, now angry, switches to firing three fireballs instead of one at you. But is it in vain?
Only the 34 counts, but it's a crit.
100 fire damage if that hits.
The Ninja: "Erk!" *He's damaged, but still has some life in him.* "I hate... Fireballs as well."
Metal Man (GM): He's 4 units away now.
The Ninja moves up two units and uses his own weapon for once as he launches his staff-sword as the metal... thing.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit.
Ridley is a big target for a fast-moving staff. He takes the hits.
The Ninja then once again uses his concealment as it saved him last time.
Metal Man (GM): This one is also 1-in-2. Anything else?
Ridley leaps across the gap and viciously slashes where you last were.
Then he breathes two fireballs.
They all miss, thanks to concealment.
The Ninja then tries to sneak in for a vital hit on Ridley.
Metal Man (GM): You sneak in normally, he can't seem to notice you.
The Ninja goes in for the sneak attack!
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
The Ninja goes back to concealment.
Metal Man (GM): You hide again. 1-in-2 as usual.
Ridley screeches, then activates some weird extension in his eyes, seeing through your concealment.
Then he locks onto you and opens fire on you with not one, not two, but six missiles.
10 damage per hit.
The Ninja takes the two hits, then collapses on the ground, only to rise again tot he the power of the grape he took.
Metal Man (GM): If nothing else, Ridley is causing you to burn grapes. A lot.
The Ninja is hurting... But he's still hanging on to his third life. He takes another grape to restore his life, then gives Ridley a good ninja punch!
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
The Ninja then combines that with a flipping kick.
Metal Man (GM): On his last wheels, Ridley sprays you with some more lethal fireballs.
50 damage per hit.
Julian Sawyer: "I need to talk to 'em about those grapes..."
The Ninja takes a few more hits, falls over, grape kicks in and he's up again. He takes yet another grape, then pulls out of his suit of random items.
He just pulls out his normal throwing star this time and chucks it at Ridley.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Dragoshi: "...Huh. Normal one this time."
Metal Man (GM): Ridley is hit, and then falls over, exploding. It was mainly the insane run of luck which did him in, but between the camouflage and the grapes, he was outmaneuvered the whole time.
+1000 EXP
Dragoshi: "..." *Claps.*
The Ninja: "...Back hurts."
Hologram: "Metroid challenge COMPLETED. This, being the first challenge, allowed a few concessions which, as you unlock the harder challenges, will be limited and eventually destroyed. The next challenge will not allow any items.
This challenge, while modest, still nets a sort of reward."
The Ninja: "Reward? I thought the reward was the sneaking."
Metal Man (GM): You gain, out of thin air, a weird looking badge with a Metroid on it, which also allows a 'Screw Attack' type jump three times per mission. Said jump uses SPD mod to-hit and deals 1/2 SPD damage, and has a range of (SPD mod) units.
It is also proof you finished the Metroid challenge.
Hologram: "Others will get chances at the challenge, but for all intents and purposes, the Questers have completed this challenge."
The Ninja: "Okay! ...Where's the exit?"
Dragoshi: "Huh. Well, I was hoping to try for meself. Aw well."
Editor's Note: Alas. Why didn't I make this a 'game' players could try at their leisure rather than a limited-time, only play it once thing? Sure, normally only one person tries it, but in cases like this it would have been an easy crowd pleaser to let more than 1 try it out.
The Ninja holds up the trophy like Link would.
Dragoshi: *Chuckles.*
Metal Man (GM): A blue portal back out of the challenge appears for you to use.
Julian Sawyer: "A'ight, so which one we gonna open up next? 'Spose we actually gotta FIND someone, first..."
Metal Man (GM): Aaaand this technically ends this stint of the Nintendo Temple, however I'll let people try it out from time to time.
Hologram: "When the time is right, the key will find you."
Dragoshi: "...Understood."
The Ninja jumps into the portal.
Metal Man (GM): The hologram vanishes, and for the time being, the door to the Metroid Challenge shuts. Rathos is apparently still doing the challenge; and the challenge remains unlocked. A portal back to HQ appears, and now I'm afk. @_@
Julian Sawyer: "Fair 'nough."
The Ninja: "Are you saying you tell keys to find us?"
Julian Sawyer: *And Julian's player has to go to sleep. Night all!*
The Ninja: "Oh well! I still think I could have done better."
Dragoshi: "Eh. But, still. Good job."
The Ninja: "Are you going too?"
Dragoshi: "...Maybe."
The Ninja: "I think you'll do alright. Those puzzles confuse me though."
Dragoshi: "Don't blame ya. I mean, I'm not all that good with puzzles either..."
The Ninja: "What did hint mean anyways?"
Dragoshi: "...No idea."
The Ninja: "The only thing I got from it was turn knobs at random."
Scott Gibson looks up from his guitar playing. He's getting tired of sitting around to the point it's grating at his overall focus. "Oh, hey... Take it everything went well enough."
The Ninja: "Jumping and puzzle didn't, but other did."
Dragoshi: "Mhm."
The Ninja: "I also came here to tell you something, but I forget now."
Scott Gibson shrugs.
The Ninja: "...In fact, I have no idea what I just did."
Dragoshi: "Well, tell us when you remember."
Scott Gibson tunes his guitar a bit..."Well, if anybody knows if a challenge involves music I think I'd be better off handling that."
The Ninja: "I mean challenge. What was that about?" *He has been away for a bit.*
Scott Gibson: *Yawn*"...What's next? ...Or should I even ask?"
Dragoshi: *Ker-shrug.*
The Ninja: "Oh! I remember. I was wondering if any of you want grapes before next mission."
Dragoshi: "...Hmmm... Maybe later. Still planning on saving up money and all."
The Ninja: "Alright. You know where to find me!" *He leaps through the wall.*
Scott Gibson stares in that direction for a moment then looks back to the others..."Is it just me or is he a bit spunkier than usual?"
Dragoshi: "...Eh."
Scott Gibson jerks a thumb in that direction.