Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 404: The Rise of Ricky
Date: March 20th, 2007.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are at the main room yet again, and there Mewtwo has a mission already lined up.
Alexia: "...?"
Digifanatic: "Hello..."
Dragoshi: "...Hm?"
Mewtwo: "Things... have gotten somewhat desperate. The Magellean Military has solidified power across the globe."
Dragoshi: "...How much of it?"
Mewtwo: "Roughly 75%. While most of it is a debris-laden mess, he has key land points."
Alexia: "Oh, shit."
Digifanatic: "Yikes." *shuts up and listens.*
Mewtwo: "He has also elevated himself to Emperor over his previous position as Dictator. Picking up many things where Kuja left off, he now has a proper army to boot."
Alexia: "...Any GOOD news?"
Darkdata: "So Dragoshi, you do plan on turtle soup right?"
Mewtwo: "The name of his group is no longer the Magellean Military."
Douglas sighs. .oO(Finally ending the slander.)
Mewtwo: "In fact, he said that Charles wished to 'be universally forgotten' to his members. No longer will ANY of them acknowledge Charles."
Dragoshi: "...Uh-huh."
Mewtwo: "The group is now a country, and that country 'The Imperial Collective.' Its soldiers are standardized. You may recognize them."
Metal Man (GM): He brings up a screen, showing a cross between a Koopa Troop and a Kuja Supersoldier.
Alexia: "...Abominations of nature?"
Digifanatic: .oO(75% of the planet, not too difficult to pick them out...)
Alexia: "Yeah, those are pretty familiar to me after the service here..."
Mewtwo: "As such, you cannot take them out with any direct hits, mainly because... we haven't been able to identify where Ricky is."
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
Metal Man (GM): The screen shows eight... nine... ten Rickys in ten locations!
Digifanatic: *breaks his silence.* "WHOA."
Alexia: "...That bastard! He's cloned himself!"
Dragoshi: "Okay. I think he's just mocking us at this point." :/
Mewtwo: "Their main ship they used to terrorize us was destroyed, and to boot their main satellite base has... mysteriously been destroyed."
Darkdata: "No... My guess it's a very powerful illusion spell."
Dragoshi: "...Peculiar."
Mewtwo: "Vast hordes of their soldiers prowl the planet, and some Smithy loyalists are turning to their side. And guess who is in their crosshairs?"
Alexia: "Us?"
Dragoshi: "...I'm gonna let someone else answer that."
Mewtwo: "Precisely."
Metal Man (GM): Mewtwo opens not one, not two... he opens up every viewscreen available. The Questers would see... a vast horde of soldiers, ships, and such coming from all directions.
Dragoshi: "...Yeesh."
Alexia sucks in her breath sharply.
Mewtwo: "We cannot defeat all of these people."
Alexia: "How much time do we have?"
Mewtwo: "None."
Dragoshi: "...Of course."
Mewtwo: "In fact, as I have been saying this, we have been preparing for the worst. They have hovercraft now. The gap surrounding our ship is useless, tactically."
Digifanatic: "Well, if we don't have the juice to escape this planet..."
Alexia: "They can follow us, Digi."
Digifanatic: "I know."
Mewtwo: "We have barely enough ruin Miasma to escape. However, with nowhere to land, we will be sitting ducks in space."
Dragoshi: "...Well, that's just great."
Digifanatic: "Yup... even that option is futile."
Mewtwo: "Metal attempted to come to us, however the Capital City was completely surrounded by the soldiers."
Alexia: "And he couldn't break through?"
Darkdata: "There must be something we can do."
Mewtwo: "The field you made was great, and so was Erzez being destroyed--but it didn't give them a clear route to us."
Dragoshi: "...Ah."
Mewtwo: "There is very little, but I wouldn't be briefing you if it was hopeless."
Douglas: "What can be done, then? We can't fight that many normally, I don't think..."
Dragoshi: "...Well, then what's our ray of hope, Mewtwo?"
Mewtwo: "...Ray? More like specks."
Alexia: "That's still something. What's our option?"
Mewtwo: "You can cut a path through with your ships, possibly losing them in the process, and fly to the Capital City to safety. The Seeker may have to be forfeited to save our lives, and my own may also be in question."
Alexia: "...No..."
Digifanatic: .oO(Big risk...)
Dragoshi: "..."
Mewtwo: "You can also defend the Seeker as it leads into space, however their armada is mighty, and we might all die if we fail on that one."
Alexia: "Isn't there another way?!"
Dragoshi: *Sighs.*
Darkdata: "I don't think so. Well shall we get ready for a trip to the capital?"
Digifanatic: "Best idea. For now, we can't do much else."
Douglas: "And what will we do in the capital? ...Sit there and think of something else?"
Mewtwo: "There aren't many others... most involve using the Seeker to draw them off. If you are in the capital, there are soldiers there. You can, with their help, try to drive off the invaders. If you are here... you will die."
Alexia: "...We have to try. Even if it means sacrificing our home."
Dragoshi: "...Mhm."
Metal Man (GM): He points to a hail from Ricky's men... nay, not one hail. Ten, each from regional commanders.
Digifanatic: "Nothing else, Alexia. Nothing else..." .oO(And all of the band's equipment...)
Mewtwo: "There is a reason they dropped Magellean's name."
Metal Man (GM): Mewtwo drops a flier on the ground. It says...
Digifanatic: .oO(But for someone like me, this comes before mere music.)
Flier: 'No longer are we Magellean's slaves--for we could destroy him and his nation single-handedly. It is for his honor we forget him, so that we may move on and conquer... the UNIVERSE!!!'
Alexia: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Mewtwo: "You have a few moments to think... if you have any strategies yourself, I'm listening."
Digifanatic: "UNIVERSE? That's shameful."
Alexia lowers her head, her eyes beginning to fill with tears.
Digifanatic: "That is so egotistical and arrogant, it's beyond the chart."
Alexia: *thinking.* "No choices left... no matter what I do, something important will be destroyed..."
Dragoshi: *Snarls.* "Shameful doesn't even begin to describe it, Digi."
Mewtwo: "They are... the heirs to Kuja's throne. Only this time... you have a chance to stop them before they can start."
Digifanatic: "Didn't say 'beyond the chart' for nothing, there, man."
Mewtwo: "This ship was meant to get you here, not be your coffin."
Darkdata: "I have nothing to supply idea wise. But all I know is from the looks on everyones faces we are all thinking that same thing."
Digifanatic: "We gotta go for it."
Alexia: "...Guys, I'm putting my faith in your plans. What are your decisions?"
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
Alexia takes out her gun, her hand trembling slightly. "Looks like we're agreed, then..."
Mewtwo: "In a way, this may bring us out of stagnation..." He takes out an old piece of paper.
Dragoshi: "...Stagnation?"
Digifanatic: "The Seeker can barely go anywhere and we have no solace if we try to leave... the Capital, most likely, will make this ship a sacrifice."
Mewtwo: "In the times of relative peace before, we became complacent."
Metal Man (GM): He begins piling up intelligence reports. A little thing here, a little thing there.
Alexia: "I know the feeling..."
Old Report: 'Ricky steals oil tank!' 'Ricky takes over deserted town!'
Digifanatic: "Huh."
Alexia shakes away the flashes of her past and looks up again.
Mewtwo: "It seemed we were invincible, but perhaps we can stop taking that for granted now."
Alexia: "He's caught us off-guard, and he knows it."
Mewtwo: "One more thing... Don't head out and attack Ricky first. That's what he expects you to do."
Dragoshi: "Well, well... We won't, then."
Douglas: "We should probably get going now, then." *He and Alex go to the hangar!*
Digifanatic: "Okay..."
Alexia heads to the hangar, looking around at the Seeker one last time. "...Mewtwo? ...Be careful."
Darkdata: "I know I will not. I hope the more headstrong of us will keep."
Digifanatic: "Yeah."
Mewtwo: "As always."
Darkdata: "Mewtwo I know you will be ok, don't mess up." *Heads to the hangar.*
Dragoshi: "..." *Puts his top hat away.* "...Good luck." *Heads off to the hangar.*
Alexia: "Damn Ricky... damn him..."
Digifanatic: "We could have killed the guy."
Alexia: "I want him to die slowly and painfully for this..."
Digifanatic: "We were so close to killing him."
Dragoshi: "...The feeling on that one's mutual, Alexia." *Takes the Arwing III, then.*
Darkdata: "I guess I will take the dragon again. I like being around things this magical."
Douglas gets in one of those Eggman machines, the floating one that has the ball drop from the bottom, 'cept these wont don't have the ball. An Egg-o-matic.
Darkdata: *Mounts Dragon.*
Digifanatic: *takes an MTA.*
Alexia pauses for a second, then gets onto one of the dragons, rubbing it reflectively on the neck as she gets on.
Douglas: *Alex takes a dragon and that's enough of him for the rest of the mission.*
Douglas goes for an MTA then.
Alexia: "...I think I'm a jinx. Seems like anything I go to ends up perishing in disaster..."
Digifanatic: "Huh? Nah, not yet. We've done crazy stuff before. I'm not saying we will win, but I won't say we can't."
Dragoshi: "...Mhm."
Metal Man (GM): The hangar doors open. This is the time to leave. SIMBER and NOVA watch the Questers leave silently.
Digifanatic: *shuts all doors to the MTA, straps in and cranks it up.*
Alexia flies out of the hangar.
Douglas takes off. "We'll win. Who can stop something that never dies forever?"
Digifanatic: *follows right after.*
Dragoshi: .oO(Well, this is just great. It's always some fucking annoyance. ...But... No time to complain.) "...Well... Goodbye." *Already in the Arwing III, starting it up, and exits the hangar!*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers fly out... it's not pretty. The entire sky out is black with fighter ships, which surround large carrier ships. A nearly entirely silver cloud of soldiers on the ground march. But unlike Kuja, they also have tanks and APCs.
Dragoshi: .oO(...Damn. They even have an entire air force. ...I guess this is to be expected though, huh?)
Alexia: "..."
Digifanatic: .oO(Rarely am I ever this sickened.)
Metal Man (GM): There is a very slight gap between the ships and the soldiers, but that's flying dangerously low.
Alexia: "Now I know what they meant by steel clouds..."
Metal Man (GM): One can also fly dangerously high, but then your foe is indirect fire and falling due to stalling. Space isn't an option as of current, not enough power. The Seeker itself is beginning to power up.
Darkdata: *Bubble of Air.*
Alexia: "..."
Douglas: "So we plow through those ground forces until we get to the other side?"
Digifanatic stays low and continues to dart to the city.
Dragoshi: *Follows Digi.*
Alexia: *Flies downwards.*
Darkdata: "I feel the ground would be safer."
Darkdata: *Follows the others.*
Metal Man (GM): All of the Questers are going in low. The ships instantly notice them. Being so low, however, they have a chance... but they get a comms.
Mewtwo: "Go your top speed if you're going in low. Otherwise you won't have a chance!"
Digifanatic: *makes sure it is as fast as possible.*
Metal Man (GM): As they go in, a hail of lasers comes in from above.
Dragoshi: *Makes sure that he's going at top speed.*
Alexia flies at top speed, sweating.
Metal Man (GM): It becomes readily apparent that the Questers needed a little practice before this, but it's too late to fix that. *BLAM* *TSEER* *BLOM* Lasers tear at the fleeing Questers, moderately damaging Digi's vehicle. The cloud of ships continues firing, however they are distracted by the Seeker.
Alexia swoops around the swarm of lasers as her dragon screeches in alarm.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers get a comms message, apparently from Ricky himself, as they pass the flagship.
Ricky: (Comms) "Well well, the Questers are trying to escape from me again. What a pity. I'll be sure to visit them later."
Darkdata: "Note to self, learn to project songs though communication technology."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are now on their way out of the cloud, but a final thing is in the way. A row of ships slow enough and low enough to actually shoot at them. They shoot at the Questers, the pilots, however--not the ships themselves.
Alexia gets hit point-blank, but manages to keep going.
Dragoshi: *Well, that shot misses! Thank you, ludicrously high defense!* *Comms.* "...Hmph."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers fly past it, and are now free. No ships attempt to chase them. That is because they have already begun attacking the Seeker, the shields of which are rapidly failing.
Dragoshi: *Comms, to fellow Questers.*"Now... We're supposed to head to the Capital City, right?"
Metal Man (GM): Capital City is surrounded by more ships n' soldiers and has its force field up.
Digifanatic: "Yeah."
Alexia: *comms.* "Uh-oh..."
Digifanatic: "I hope."
Darkdata: "Joy..."
Dragoshi: "...Magnifico."
Digifanatic: "Okay, the capital is supposed to be one of our major spots... yet, look at the mess."
Dragoshi: "...Yea."
Alexia: "Guess they were expecting us."
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
Darkdata: "This is just grreeeaat."
Digifanatic: "Well? Capital City, or what? We're going to be surrounded anywhere."
Darkdata: "Yeah, might as well go to the capital."
Dragoshi: "Aye."
Digifanatic: "Third. 'Lex, your thoughts?"
Alexia: "As good a plan as any... Guys? I'm a little scared..."
Metal Man (GM): Capital City. The Questers on the way there... they haven't hit the blockade yet. Comms are open. The sky is clear blue, and perfectly sunny. Quite an ironic backdrop to their escape.
Digifanatic: "I believe that was the Collective's idea. Or at least, Ricky's."
Alexia: "I can't help it. So much is at stake here..."
Digifanatic: "Just remember, we've had this much at stake before. Maybe in a different form, but we really have had this much on the line."
Alexia: "..."
Darkdata: "And sometimes more..."
Digifanatic: "It's hard to go beyond a single universe, but it sure seems like you can."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers near the blockade.
Dragoshi: "...Mhm."
Digifanatic: "They're going to fire at us either way..."
Darkdata: "If we move slowly I might be able to help us."
Dragoshi: "I doubt that, highly."
Darkdata: "Unless they have radar..." <_<
Digifanatic: "Slowly? That'll just give them a better chance!"
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Alexia uses an Ultra Shroom on herself to help ease the pain of that laser shot. "I don't really have a plan... and this dragon doesn't seem like much of a talker."
Digifanatic: *Can't really heal a ship...*
Dex: "Analysis indicates they likely have radar."
Dragoshi: *Perfectly fine. Shipwise and pilot-wise.*
Dex: "You may wish to think up a plan before you enter blockaded airspace."
Darkdata: "I have a small plan, however I do not know how well I can sing up here... However it may work..."
Darkdata: "Just let me... test something."
Alexia: "Dark, we don't have time."
Dragoshi: "...'K."
Darkdata: *Elemental control Clearsong.*
Alexia: "We need a solid plan, not tests."
Digifanatic: *quickly uses a recovery vial.*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata does well enough...
Dragoshi: *Just waits...*
Metal Man (GM): The winds kick up, but unfortunately the space ships are well equipped for that. However the top-heavy soldiers on the ground have some trouble from it. They are beginning to notice the Questers are nearby, though.
Dragoshi: "...Wanna try and fly around 'em?"
Darkdata: "I have never tried the spell like this! It may work!" (different spell)
Digifanatic: "Oh boy..."
Alexia: *Searches for weaknesses in the field.*
Darkdata: *Solid Air Clearsong.* -Make the air around the enemy ships solid!-
Digifanatic: "Dragoshi, I'm not sure if you can and not get targeted in some fashion."
Dragoshi: "...Does it matter? We'll be targeted either way."
Digifanatic: "Guess not!"
Metal Man (GM): The force field is generated by the city. It doesn't appear to be weak, however the Questers now have a few seconds in which they could probably just fly right to the city, assuming they got around the force field. The ships are frozen mid-air. They begin arguing and yelling via comms.
Pilot1: "Hey! Who froze my controls?"
Pilot2: "Somebody must be nearby!"
Digifanatic: *flies around the field and goes straight for the city.*
Dragoshi: "...Wow. Anyway... Yea" *Follows Digi.*
Alexia follows the others.
Darkdata: "ditto but he looks to see about the force field.*
Metal Man (GM): ...The field surrounds the entire city. It is the same one the Questers helped set up earlier to protect it.
Darkdata: "Oh irony."
Dragoshi: "...ah, hell."
Darkdata: "I can try one more idea..."
Digifanatic: "This sucks..."
Dragoshi: "And of course something we help with fucking bites us back."
Digifanatic: "I wish these things had debarrier rays or something."
Alexia: "Drag! Machine gun!"
Darkdata: *Mirror Spellsong.* -Reflect part of the shield so the Questers can enter-
Metal Man (GM): It bounces off the shield.
Douglas: *Comms.* "Uhm. Hey! Let us in!"
Dex: "T-minus 1 minute until that spell wears off. Just enough time to fly at the city."
Alexia: "DRAG! FIRE THE GUN AT THE SHIELD!"
Dragoshi: "...I'm in a damn Arwing. How the hell do you expect me to fire from here?"
Darkdata: *Dex metal.* "Metal let us in, no time HELP."
George Robotnik: "It's you! Hurry! The ships have somehow been frozen! I can flicker the shields for you!"
Dragoshi: .oO(God DAMN. Some people are dense.)
Darkdata: *Dex.* "NOW!* *Flies at the city."
Douglas flies at the force field now.
Digifanatic rockets for the city.
Dragoshi: "Thank you!" *ENTER ZA CEETEE! MAX SPEEDS!*
Alexia: *CITY UN-ESCAPE!*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers fly... they must have wasted a little too much time, as those ships unfreeze a split second before they reach the field. Unable to do much, a few expert pilots steer into the way anyway. *CRASH* *SMASH* The Questers fly into the city... but all of their vehicles are now too damaged to fly anytime soon by the experience. Also, anyone without an enclosed cockpit is comically burnt black. Still, main street is open to land, as the field closes behind the Questers.
Darkdata: *Cough.* "Sorry dragon."
Dragoshi: "Well, damn." *Blinks, then lands.*
Alexia shakes the soot off of herself before landing.
Darkdata: *Lands on the main street.*
Douglas haphazardly lands with a bang and runs out of the MTA, searching for wherever George and Metal and whoever else would be.
Alexia then begins Mending the dragon.
Digifanatic lands, quickly opens his side door, and gets out of there, shutting the door right after.
Dragoshi: "...Note to self. Make custom vehicle." *Exits after landing on the main the street.*
Digifanatic quickly follows Douglas. "No time to waste, no time to waste..." he mutters to himself.
Dragoshi: *Zooms, following Douglas and Digi.*
Alexia then follows the others.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers land, with George Robotnik there personally to see them land. The dragon itself is healed, but its wings are still out of commission.
Darkdata: *Uses all but a sliver of his health left to heal dragon.*
Metal Man (GM): The Dragon is too tired to fly, even if one healed its wings fully.
Darkdata: "Go rest dragon... Erm... George should know where you can stay."
George Robotnik: "I'll get to that later. We have urgent work to do!"
Alexia: "...I hope they heal correctly. Wings are delicate..."
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
George Robotnik: "The MM---errr... TIC has invaded, and the field you made is the only thing keeping them out."
Digifanatic: *to George.* "Right." *again, shuts up and lets the big guy(s) speak.* .oO(If only the Seeker could stay in this city.)
George Robotnik: "Metal Man has gone to Nintendus to request aid, but it's looking grim. Ivan Robotnik is busy building Nintendus, and thus military forces are down from their normal levels."
Alexia: "Building?!"
Darkdata: "Good thing I remembered to dex you. We probably would of never gotten through."
Alexia: "What happened to it?"
George Robotnik: "Building. As in building cities and such."
Dragoshi: "Ah."
George Robotnik: "Endless prosperity." *He rolls his eyes.* "Whatever you did has caused the world to become glorious there. And then these weird crystals activated and suddenly harvests were up 1000%."
Alexia: "..."
Digifanatic: "Crystals?"
Dragoshi: "...Weird crystals. Huh."
George Robotnik: "Some strange person in armor apparently did it, and it wasn't Metal. Still... they have done nothing but good."
Alexia shakes her head violently, dispelling any unrelated thoughts. "Good... but anyways. What do we need to do?"
Dragoshi: "...Yes. What?"
George Robotnik: "People say the world is beginning to reach Earth levels... yes, the problem is here. ...The only other military on this planet is the Smithy Gang, whom the TIC broke off of. They are across from here by a wide distance, one covered with TIC people..."
Alexia: "Does this place have any bolt holes? ...Er. Are the citizens safe?"
George Robotnik: "Your shields are too powerful for the invaders. They will not get in here... well, there are a few holes, but those holes are easily defended. We must concentrate on reaching the Smithy Gang. The only way to there is through the caves."
Alexia: "Has the city been evacuated?"
George Robotnik: "..." He laughs.
Dragoshi: "..." *Chuckles.*
George Robotnik: "This city is the only safe place on the entire planet."
Digifanatic: "Yeah..."
Dragoshi: "Yep."
George Robotnik: "Leaving it would be the reverse of an evacuation. In fact you evacuated to here."
Digifanatic: *He can't laugh at her comment.*
Dragoshi: "Now, how about those caves?"
Alexia: *suddenly angry.* "Well, excuse me for looking out for the welfare of others!"
George Robotnik: "Yes, but I was just pointing out the irony... if I evacuated them outside of the city, they would be dead now."
Dragoshi: "...Yeaaa... But, seriously."
George Robotnik: "Not good for anyone's welfare to be dead, is it?"
Digifanatic: "Alright, that's cool, but we gotta hit the Smithys."
Dragoshi: "...Ahem. Caves?"
George Robotnik: "Now... you must go through the ancient ruins to where they lead... under Armon's palace."
Dragoshi: "...Okay, then."
George Robotnik: "More stone wolves, ghosts, and other evil await you there, but they're on your level to fight, unlike these... vast hordes of soldiers."
Digifanatic: "Let's go for it..."
Darkdata: "We do as we must..."
Digifanatic: "Sounds a bit more manageable."
Metal Man (GM): He kicks open a manhole.
Dragoshi: "Aye."
George Robotnik: "That leads right down to them... if you need anything before you go, the shops here are fully stocked."
Dragoshi: "Perfect."
Digifanatic: "Thank goodness."
Dragoshi: "I need to restock on Phoenix Downs, anyway."
Darkdata: "I need to shop!"
Digifanatic takes no chances on this one... he's got the cash: one Vial, three Ultra Shrooms, and a Phoenix Down (he still needs to give one to Scott!). And there goes 85K!
Alexia: *Two Ultra Shrooms, one Phoenix Down, two EMP grenades.*
Digifanatic: *Upgrades his weapon to do more damage.*
Darkdata needs to stock up so 3 ultra shrooms, 10 wilted shrooms, and 1 full cure--35,100 coins. ...
Dragoshi: *Hoo boy. Now lessee... 642k to spend... Hmmm... 10% discount on items... Oh yea. Time to splurge. :D First he buys... Not 1, nor 2, but 8 Phoenix Downs, using up 360k, then 5 Ultra Shrooms, which is 45k, 4 EMPs, which is 16k... Which leaves Drag with... 221k.*
Douglas shall not shop... Hrm.
Alexia: "..." *She heads out of the shop silently, looking worried.*
Dragoshi: *Exits the shop, muttering something.*
Alexia: "...Something wrong?"
Darkdata: *Still in the shop looking around at everything.*
Harnit would be with the others then.
Dragoshi: "...The question here is... is something RIGHT?" *anything.
Alexia: "... We have to keep our hopes up, Dragoshi."
Dragoshi: "...I know that. But it seems the enemy keeps raising the damn bar."
Alexia: "Isn't it our job to keep raising ours?"
Darkdata: .oO(Well this upgrade could be useful) *Buys a Summon Ability."
Dragoshi: .oO(And, I swear if I EVER get a good enough grip on that bar, I'm ramming so far down their goddamn throats they'll have to learn to evolve into sentient shish-kebabs!) "...Yea, I suppose so."
Alexia: "I'm just afraid... that I'm not strong enough."
Dragoshi: "...Don't say that."
Alexia: "But what if it's true?"
Dragoshi: "After all, you did say to keep our hopes up. ...What if it ISN'T true?"
Alexia: "...I just don't know..."
Dragoshi: "..." .oO(I must've said something wrong.) *Sigh.*
Harnit makes a few purchases before walking out of the store and... Going to the meeting area.
Dragoshi: "...Well, I guess the only way to find out is to carry on, ne?"
Alexia: "But then again, I have something that could help make up for that."
Dragoshi: "...Hmm?"
Alexia: "I have faith in you guys that you can do whatever's needed when the time comes."
Dragoshi: *Nods.*
Darkdata buys the last upgrade and leaves the shop.
Dragoshi: *Down the ladder!*
Alexia: *Down dooby doo down down, comma comma.*
Harnit heads down.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers find themselves in an ancient, teal-stone tunnel of sorts.
Dragoshi: "...Again with the teal."
Metal Man (GM): Blue magic torches light the way ahead. But a massive slab of stone with a massive 'X' on it blocks the way.
Alexia: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Alexia tries to turn it to the side with her TK.
Dragoshi: "...And one of those times I wished I invested in a drill weapon instead pops up. Wonderful."
Metal Man (GM): It swivels for Alexia rather neatly, doing as she thinks it should.
Dragoshi: "...That also works."
Alexia continues on, gun in hand.
Metal Man (GM): The path continues here, and it hangs over a massive cavern which is full of water.
Dragoshi: "..." *Moves on, machinegun readied.*
Metal Man (GM): Some natural mineral crystals glint in the distance. A bridge made entirely out of them is dead ahead; the Questers reach it immediately.
Dragoshi: *Tries to Dex the bridge to see what it's made out of.*
Alexia heads forwards and tentatively puts one foot on the bridge.
Harnit follows the others, looking down into the watery pit below..
Metal Man (GM): The pit is filled with clear water. The bridge holds the Questers' weight; green, glass-like stones make up the bridge.
Alexia continues on, then.
Alex looks over to the glints. "This area seems calm."
Harnit: "Might as well get through before someone decides that's a bad thing."
Dragoshi: "Yep." *Follows.*
Dex: "The bridge is made of a tough glass material, which is interlinked."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk right across, encountering a cliff, and a strange platform made of the same green glassy material.
Dragoshi: "..." .oO(Interesting) *Puts his dex away.* "...Wow."
Alexia: "I'll go first." *She steps onto the platform.*
Dragoshi: "..." *Follows, if the platform doesn't do anything yet.*
Harnit nods and wonders what will happen..
Alex: "I wonder what this is all made from."
Dragoshi: *Stops, instead. Waiting.* "...That's a good question."
Metal Man (GM): The platform begins slowly going down... like an elevator.
Harnit: "Ahh..."
Metal Man (GM): The platform holds everyone, easily.
Harnit quickly hops on it before it gets too high.
Dragoshi: *Hops on it, before it gets too LOW.*
Alex is on as well... >.>
Metal Man (GM): It slides on down, very slowly. It is rather boring, even.
Dragoshi: *What? No muzak?*
Metal Man (GM): However, the Questers begin to see the even teal wall tiles become... less even. Then... holes in the walls.
Alexia: "..."
Metal Man (GM): Finally, burns, blown up stuff, and a vast mess at the bottom.
Dragoshi: "...Hrm."
Alexia: "Something's up."
Metal Man (GM): Various gems lay around down here; for some reason a whole bunch of those robots with the hands are dead down here.
Dragoshi: "...Apparently, hell let loose somewhere along the way."
Harnit: "I don't like this..."
Alexia: "If they had gone through here, wouldn't this whole tunnel be wrecked?"
Metal Man (GM): They nearly got to this very elevator... ages ago. Alongside them are clearly skeletons of Originator Warriors, still holding strange (but long broken) pikes which somehow deactivated the robots. As all the dead robots have pikes impaled on them.
Alexia: "..."
Metal Man (GM): Up ahead there is a big hole in one of those 'X' walls, presumably where they came from.
Alexia puts a hand over her heart in salute before she heads to the hole.
Harnit follows Alexia while clutching his staff closely.
Dragoshi: *Follows, looking around, and machinegun readied.*
Alex picks up one of the scattered gems. "Hrm. I could only imagine how everything here was when it happened."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk inside, and see a massive area of destruction. Robots dead. Everywhere. But most interestingly, among their corpses (which seemingly lead straight to Armon's palace), there's a... control panel. One that was used to control them. It is deactivated, but probably still can generate power.
Alexia stumbles back a bit at the sheer carnage that took place here.
Metal Man (GM): It has writing on it in weird symbols, a lever, and a keyboard, as well as a green button. The lever is set all the way down.
Alex places the gem he picked up on a random skeleton/corpse, and follows along.
Dragoshi: "..." .oO(Interesting...)
Alexia then heads over to the control panel, not looking around.
Harnit: "This place... There's something wrong here." *Heads to stand near the control panel.*
Dragoshi: "...Yep." *Follows.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk up to it, but a massive pile of deactivated robots blocks the way ahead.
Harnit looks beyond the robots to see what's ahead.
Metal Man (GM): The robots are in the way; they block the view of what is ahead.
Alexia: "Hrm..."
Dragoshi: *Examines the control panel.*
Alexia takes out Hop's stuff from the last mission and looks at both of them.
Harnit: "Miss Alexia, could you use your powers to, ah, move the robots?"
Alexia: "Wonder i--oh, sure." *She puts them back and starts moving the pile telekinetically.*
Metal Man (GM): Control panel, as I said: It has writing on it in weird symbols, a lever, and a keyboard, as well as a green button. The lever is set all the way down.
Dragoshi: *Tries to translate the symbols. Doing..*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi doesn't even have a chance to translate these. They don't make sense, mainly because they're not Archaic at all.
Alex: "Is... the lizardman still around? Perhaps he can read it."
Dragoshi: "...I have no idea."
Metal Man (GM): He definitely isn't nearby. Robots go *Sploosh.*. There's a metallic walkway past them.
Alexia: *Onward!*
Dragoshi: *Through the walkway we go.*
Harnit follows the others. "It's probably better that we don't use controls we know nothing about..."
Metal Man (GM): Having gone through the mostly peaceful walkway, it'd seem like the Questers could just walk their way through. But one last thing is in the way. A final 'X' stone which has strangely been placed past where the robots appeared, even though they obviously came this way.
Alex: "Maybe." *Follow.*
Alexia: "...That clinches it."
Alex: "What are these X's, anyways? ...Alexia, you seem to know about them?"
Alexia: "Someone's been here snooping before us... No. I'm just using rational logic."
Dragoshi: "Heh."
Alexia spins this stone around, same as the last one.
Metal Man (GM): Alexia spins it around... and hears a 'CLUNK'
Alex: "...What was that?"
Metal Man (GM): A single man wearing a metallic helmet, knight's armor, and a 7-foot long steel sword lands on the ground before the Questers. He was on the other side of the door.
Dragoshi: "...Prolly' something in the way. ...Yep."
Sir Donocle: "Aha! It is you! The people I was sent to stop!"
Dragoshi: "Let me guess. You're here to-Of course."
Alexia just gets into her battle stance.
Sir Donocle: "I am the honorable Sir Donocle, employed by the King of Wakatu to defeat you!"
Alexia: "Should have tipped this one over..."
Dragoshi: "...Also. Is it sad when you're expecting stuff like this?"
Alex: "Why does your king demand us to stop?"
Dragoshi: "...Wait. Who, specifically?"
Sir Donocle: "You have been stealing his plutonium! Which he has hidden down here! It is so obvious, and evil, of course!"
Harnit: "W-what?!"
Dragoshi: "..."
Alex: "Slander!"
Dragoshi: "...Actually."
Sir Donocle: "Using the power of extremely low-tech weaponry, I shall defeat you!"
Alexia: "Uh, sir, no we haven't."
Dragoshi: "We aren't here for Plutonium."
Sir Donocle: "Nonsense. Plutonium is all you Questers want in the world."
Dragoshi: "... Wow. You're a dense one. Why would we want plutonium?"
Sir Donocle: "Not as dense as Plutonium! You are the giants who build windmills! Who says you have reasoning capabilities?"
Dragoshi: "...We don't build windmills."
Alex shrugs.
Dragoshi: "And I'm only six foot three." >_>;;
Sir Donocle: "Yes you do." He points at Alexia. "Walking, talking windmills!"
Alexia blinks. "...I don't get it."
Dragoshi: "...Wow."
Alex taps his chin. "What is Plutonium, anyways?.. Is it related to Plutoniaugh?"
Dragoshi: "...I think it IS Plutoniuargh." >_>
Alex blinks.
Sir Donocle: "Yes! The latter is a mispronunciation. Only a silly un-intelligent person would speak like that!"
Alex: "So the lizardmen eat Plutonium?"
Dragoshi: "Apparently."
Harnit: "Can we not show you some sort of proof that we don't wish to steal this Plutonium?"
Sir Donocle: "Now! I challenge you to a duel!" He points his large sword at all of the Questers, nearly falling over in the process.
Dragoshi: "...That HAS to eff around with one's digestive system though."
Sir Donocle: "Do you accept, or do you run... like cowardly windmills?"
Metal Man (GM): He turns to Alexia.
Sir Donocle: "No offense to you, of course, Sir Windmill."
Dragoshi: "..."
Alexia: "...I'm not a sir."
Dragoshi: *Chuckles.*
Alexia: "OR a windmill, for that matter."
Dragoshi: "Okay. This is just so inane, it's amusing."
Alex: "That's a woman... and... we have not stolen any of this plutonium... I think!"
Sir Donocle: "Nonsense. You spin like a crooked sail in the wind! Who steals plutonium!"
Alexia: *facepalm.*
Dragoshi: "I mean, I have never met anyone of such mental INEPTITUDE such as yourself. I think. ...I have bad memory, though." :/
Alexia: "Sir, please, just step aside..."
Metal Man (GM): Sir Donocle points at Alex. "If that's a woman, then what're you? A massive aqueduct?"
Dragoshi: "...Also, on the subject of plutonium... What does that have to do with ANYTHING?"
Alex: "Sir... what was your name?"
Sir Donocle: "Never! I fight until the battle is over, you see. If you, Windmill Man, can defeat me, I shall let you pass! The King of Wakatu will not let you get by with his valuable drinking Plutonium! And that is Sir Donocle to you, forgetful windmill..."
Alexia: "But we never stole any planet material. And no offense, but..." *She grins nastily.* "It'd be pretty embarrassing to get your butt kicked by a girl."
Sir Donocle: "Nonsense! Windmills are far worse. Now... do we have a fight, or will you flee in terror from my sheer valiant nature?"
Alexia: "WE'RE NOT WINDMILLS."
Sir Donocle: "No, you are the only windmill here. And I shall defeat you in armed combat!"
Alexia: "...Wait, what?"
Sir Donocle: "The Grand Sir Donocle can defeat windmills like you any day!"
Alexia: *thinking.* "What a fruitcake..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Alex: "Sir Donocle, then... You should believe us when we tell you we have not stolen plutonium. .oO(I don't even know what Plutonium is...)
Sir Donocle: "Nonsense! The King of Wakatu demands you return his Plutonium immediately!"
Metal Man (GM): He moves to attack.
Alexia sighs and gets into battle position.
Sir Donocle: "If you are cowards, then you shall clearly flee. If you be true fighters, then you must defeat me!"
Alex: "But we would rather not fight a battle that doesn't need to be fought!"
Sir Donocle: "It is that battle which separates the men from the boys, foolish squire."
Alex: "Is there any way to prove to you we have taken no plutonium?"
Dragoshi: "...I doubt it."
Harnit tries to use this time to Dex the good knight...
Sir Donocle: "The evil of Plutonium is most obvious to me. You cannot hide it!"
Dex: "Sir Donocle. A possibly insane Knight... a person in a suit of armor, at least."
Dragoshi: "...Damn idiots." *Just fires off a Tidal Blast barrage, followed up with an Indignation shot.*
Metal Man (GM): All hit.
Sir Donocle: "Ow! Owowowowow! You fight like a dishwasher!"
Dragoshi: "Hmph."
Alex frowns. "Really! We have no plutonium, Sir Donocle!"
Metal Man (GM): Hit... he shakes his fist.
Harnit casts A Lengthened Shadow Shield on Dragoshi and Alexia.
Sir Donocle: "How dare you harm me, Sir Donocle! I shall hit you now!"
Metal Man (GM): He runs at Dragoshi, screaming loudly. *SLASH*
Dragoshi: *Pegged.* "Hmph."
Metal Man (GM): Then he slashes at Dragoshi twice more.
Dragoshi: *Dances out of the way.*
Metal Man (GM): He finishes off with an overhead leaping slash.
Dragoshi: *That hit.*
Metal Man (GM): *SLASH*
Alexia goes straight for the jugular with two Psy Needles, then a charged Heat Beam! *CRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT.*
Dragoshi: *And, el Drago kickasso goes for the vortex, getting...* *A pair of scythes launched at Donocle!*
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit.
Dragoshi: *And, then...* *A molotov! Burn, baby, burn!* *And, then, a Tidal Blast!*
Alex spends all of his energy casting cure on Dragoshi. A shimmering green light swarms Dragoshi a few times, healing his wounds bit by bit.
Dragoshi: "...Thank you."
Harnit casts some Flame Embraces of Alexia and Dragoshi, upping their attack power.
Alex: "...Sir Donocle! What did you say your task was?"
Sir Donocle: "To defeat you, the windmill, and reclaim the plutonium!"
Metal Man (GM): He takes out a chain and attaches it to the hilt to his sword, then flails it like a whip at Dragoshi twice.
Dragoshi: *...*
Metal Man (GM): Ow.
Alex: "Well why don't you believe that we haven't taken any plutonium yet?"
Sir Donocle: "You are cunning thieves, hiding it from me! I must best you in armed combat!"
Metal Man (GM): He slashes once at Alex.
Alex: "No no! We all know that ther-- Agh!!"
Alexia firsts Mends the others.
Alex: "Urg... We all know that there were other people in this area recently!"
Alexia then tries to pull Donocle's sword out of his hands with TK!
Dragoshi: "...Grah. For someone with a lack of intelligence, you're a rather strong fighter."
Alex: "The old, new Magellean Military 2; Now known as something else."
Alexia: *Yank, hopefully.*
Alex: "Anyways! Can't you just guide us through and make sure we don't take anything, and then we can get the plutonium back for you with your kingdom's help!"
Metal Man (GM): Alexia tries to pull it away from him... succeeds... he has a nearly infinitely long chain attached to it.
Sir Donocle: "Hah! You know nothing! I have weathered many thieves before--you cannot take my sword!"
Dragoshi: "...Well, at least you're smart at one thing."
Alexia: "Can't say I didn't try..."
Alex: "Please, Donocle, just give us a chance! We are innocent, and the real enemies are attacking as we speak! I'm sure you are in danger from them as well."
Dragoshi: *Tidal Blast Barrage, and...*
Alexia: "Even the King could be in trouble!"
Dragoshi: *And some darts....*
Alex: "The King and his Kingdom of... Wakatu! Sir Donocle of Wakatu, you must protect your kingdom!"*pass.*
Harnit puts a Lengthened Shadow Shield on Alex and an Insight on Dragoshi, making Dragoshi harder to hit.
Dragoshi: *Drago is... nearly unhittable. For now.*
Alex: "The whole PLANET is in danger from them!"
Sir Donocle: "What? You lie. You shall be defeated!"
Alex: "Really!! I can show you!"
Metal Man (GM): He chucks his sword at Dragoshi again... *DEFLECT.* *BONK.*
Dragoshi: "...Bwa-fuh?"
Metal Man (GM): It hits him in the head and he falls over.
Alex: "The Capital City of Genetia is under siege as we speak!"
Dragoshi: "...Okay. Who's the guy that ended THAT idiocy?"
Metal Man (GM): It deflected off of Dragoshi.
Sir Donocle: "Wait a minute... oww..."
Harnit blinks... "Ridiculously large weapons are not the way to victory."
Alex runs over to Donocle and casts a cure on him, to show him some good intentions..
Sir Donocle: "I'm not supposed to be down here at all. I am the last of Saga's knights... my Master was killed by Tridus. It appears... this is to blame."
Dragoshi: "...Hmm?"
Metal Man (GM): He takes out... a mind-control chip... one of the same that Wily himself made!
Alexia: "What's that?"
Sir Donocle: "I don't know, but touching it seems to mess up my thoughts." He hurls it to the ground and steps on it.
Dragoshi: "...Well, this is interesting."
Sir Donocle: "My name is actually..."
Conrad: "Conrad, 'Sir Donocle' was probably invented by that chip. ...What are you doing down here anyway? A war is apparently in progress, because sensors indicate soldiers wandering through Wakatu's ruins."
Alex: "Well Comrade, we need to find help!"
Alexia: "Looking for a hidden passageway."
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
Conrad: "To where?"
Dragoshi: "...I believe it was to... Armon's palace, if I'm not mistaken."
Conrad: "This way, then!" *Pause for now.*
Metal Man (GM): Mission complete.