Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 422: Eggman's Dimensional Cannon
Date: May 3rd, 4th, & 5th, 2007.
Metal Man (GM): Today we don't start with the Questers... ??? A shadowy hand can be seen on a throne of sorts. A very old throne. In fact, this throne room is easily from the Earth era. It also, strangely, has components of Kuja's design.
???: "It is good to be back... Kuja's throne had a feel to it, but it was only a copy of this. Now... to get down to business."
Metal Man (GM): He points his shadowy hand, causing a huge door... not just huge, actually. It's unendingly massive. It's about 100 feet tall and 50 feet wide. And 10 feet thick. It slowly rises up, to the height of average people, but no more. In walks Tridus, Shadow, and Rathos Lell. They stop before him, standing.
Tridus: "We have been searching for what you request. However it is not to be found in the areas we checked. Even worse, there are Questers here."
???: "Pish posh. The Questers don't know anything. If you find them, pretend to be allied with the local leadership racket. They won't know the difference."
Tridus: "But sir... you saw what happened to the group on Saga. They operated almost just like you."
???: "They imitated me, as did Kuja, and several before him. I am still here... they are not. I am sad, however, that they destroyed my favorite pet, Xylcon. How many years it took to make him... ...yes... about 500."
Shadow: "This does not find the objects you requested. People are becoming suspicious."
???: "Let them become suspicious. Then the items will come to you. You see, the items... are based on a certain kind of energy. And if that energy is focused on you, they will come."
Metal Man (GM): The hand moves up a little, now palms out, fingers loose motion.
???: "Burn cities. Destroy humans. Let blood flow everywhere you go! Then... the answer will come to you."
Shadow: "So it shall be."
Metal Man (GM): They all nod, and then walk right out the way they come. The door shuts behind them, and the hand goes limp on the rest again.
???: "I tire of this game. So many people have tried to stop me... and they have destroyed my decoys... now I am the only one left... but it shall not be a problem soon..."
Metal Man (GM): *Fadeout.* Meanwhile, on the Seeker. The group is there, and Metal looks over the current options.
Metal Man: "We have ourselves another three options today."
King Demon is leaning against a wall again, as usual.
Dragoshi: "And, they are...?"
Glyph: [Hop] "How many Multiples do we have though?"
Metal Man: "Hmmm?"
Dragoshi: *Plays the wall leaning game!* >_>
Julian: "What's the word, Mets?" *Julian's in his usual seat.*
Metal Man: "...The Archivists want another ancient relic of sorts, and it's located in a third area. We can get permanent access to that area if we are good at this mission... or... Ivo Robotnik continues building his unstable machinery. Slade claims it's gonna explode soon if you don't invade. Finally, our 'Terrible Trio' have switched from ransacking to destroying. They don't seem to know boundaries."
Dragoshi: "Hmm..."
Digifanatic: "I'm thinking save the Archivists... I could easily go either way on the other two."
King Demon: "You know me, Metal. If I get to destroy stuff, I'll gladly do it!"
Julian: "Eggman needs to be taken out of the picture."
King Demon: "Lets go boil an Eggman!"
Digifanatic: .oO(Not while Julian's around, there...)
Dragoshi: "Yea, let's deal with Iv-...Demon. That was horrible."
King Demon shrugs.
Glyph: [Hop] "Bring back lots of machines for building things please."
King Demon: "All right, Hop, though I won't guarantee what condition they'll be in..."
Glyph: [Hop] "I like materials of tinfoil alloy or better."
King Demon mumbles "Still need to get a better sword..."
Glyph: *Hop tilts his head sideways.* "What?"
Metal Man flips the warp. "Just be careful... he has himself the highest technology around."
Metal Man (GM): A warp out is now open.
King Demon goes through the warp, with his sword drawn.
Digifanatic: *sighs, then muttering:.* "Sounds about right..."
Julian: *Into the warp.*
Digifanatic: *warps out of there.*
Dragoshi: "Sooo... Look out for any Nah Rasur 2.0s?"
Julian: "No, look out for the giant dimensional cannon that's gonna explode any minute."
Dragoshi: "...That too. Not like I forgot that, yanno." :/
King Demon: "Wait, I thought we were going here to destroy stuff, not stop it from being destroyed!"
Dragoshi: *Dragoshi enters the warp. Yayz.*
King Demon shrugs.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers appear at the bottom of a sprawling fortress complex. The way in is blocked by a massive electric fence... ...which has no door. The fence itself goes about 20 feet up, before it terminates spikily into a force field. The fence is blue in color and a chain-link with 3-inch thick wire.
King Demon: "Well, so much for the direct path..."
Dragoshi: *Checks to make sure there is no door. Like as in, no way to enter without busting it down.*
Metal Man (GM): No door at all.
Digifanatic: *Checks if this fence encircles the entire way around.*
Metal Man (GM): Yes. A massive circular base this is.
Julian: *Snaps fingers.* "Drago, knock it down."
Dragoshi: *Drag pulls out the handy-dandy, barrier-eating Vendetta Machinegun, and opens fire.* "Already on it."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi cuts a huge hole into the fence. However it appears to be ready to deal with him and the others. Alarms go off, and not one, but three heavily armed robots march at the Questers, holding large rifles.
Q-Robo1: "Halt immediately. If you enter, you will be executed."
Q-Robo2: "You cannot resist our force."
Q-Robo3: "Buy Eggman robots today!"
Digifanatic: *looks to see if he has enough time to chance the hole, depending on which way the robots are coming from.*
Julian: "There wasn't any way to knock, so we just figured we'd do the best we can. Where's Ivo?"
Metal Man (GM): One can walk right into the hole. In fact the robots are standing 10 feet from the hole.
Q-Robo1: "Ivo Robotnik's location is none of your business."
Julian: "We need to talk."
King Demon shrugs and steps through the hole.
Q-Robo2: "Destroying the wall in is not how one normally talks."
Digifanatic: "I'm not sure about you, but I'd say we're the type of people that would be more than happy to know where he presides..." *goes for the hole!*
Q-Robo1: "Intruder detected."
Julian: "You didn't have a fuckin' DOOR."
Digifanatic: *Or not!*
King Demon: "Sorry, but I didn't see a doorbell anywhere!"
Metal Man (GM): They all arm their rifles... still 10 feet away!
Julian: "...Son of a bitch." *Julian gets ready to fight.*
Dragoshi: "...Right."
Julian: *Julian does something we haven't seen in a while. He whips out his Dex and scans one of these Q-Robots...*
Dex: "...DING! Level: 100. EXP: (Varies; for level 50, 127,500/132,600) HP: 0/525 0/525 0/525. Stat Points used: 40/40. STR: 15. END: 10. SPD: 5. MNT: 10. TP: 5. AC: 17. Increased Damage (Special Moves): +15. Increased Damage (Normal Moves): +6. To-hit Bonus: +5. Movement Rate: 2. Turn Order Check: d20+5. Trap/Mass Avoidance: d20+7. Knockback Resistance: 1. Skill Check Bonus: 2. Ability Points: 50. Super Bonuses: 10. Unique Abilities: 2."
Dex: "Highly powerful robots wielding Quantum Disintegrator model rifles. Attack in threes. There are roughly 10,000 of them on this base alone. Dispatch quickly to avoid being bloodied. End of entry."
Julian: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Julian: "Goddammit." *Julian pockets his dex, and saves the rest of his turn. Can't attack someone who hasn't intruded yet.*
Dragoshi: *Waits as well, considering disintegrator type things aren't something one would want to go up against lightly...*
Metal Man (GM): They see King Demon and Digi.
Q-Robo1: "You just intruded into your last base, Quester."
Metal Man (GM): He takes aim at Demon and opens fire twice. *BLAM! BLAM!*
Digifanatic frantically covers as much ground as he can; 8 feet, and then, while pulling his Digivice out of his pocket and getting it going, covers the last 2 feet with Celestial Fury on Robot 1.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit.
King Demon revives, then moves forward four feet.
Metal Man (GM): Q-Robo3 sees Demon, but turns to Digi, who has actually managed to get into range. He spins the rifle.
Q-Robo3: "Distance is your frieeeeeeend!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): He turns invisible. The Questers hear some loud powering up noises.
Digifanatic: "Yeah, well, you hit one of us from a farther range..."
King Demon: "Yeah, that kinda hurt a little..."
Metal Man (GM): Then Digi suddenly sees lasers raining from all directions, as the robot appears capable of faint-warping from place to place around you at unbelievable speeds.
Digifanatic: *And Robo3's batting 1.000!*
Metal Man (GM): It reappears, the ground burning and holes in the scenery everywhere.
Q-Robo3: "Welcome to Death. Population: You!"
Metal Man (GM): Q-Robo2 sees Demon incoming and spins his rifle once, then fires straight up. But for what reason? ...It suddenly becomes dark where Demon is standing. ...Cruise Missile! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! *BOOOOOOM.* The explosion sends flying concrete pieces flying everywhere.
Julian: "..." *W* "These guys are slow as hell. I'm thinkin' run past 'em."
Dragoshi: "...Should we just stay behind and watch them kill themselves or what?" *w* "Yea. That sounds good. They seem to save the insane speed stuff for killing, anyway."
Dragoshi: *w*"...Okay. Make a run for it... Now, right?"
King Demon is a little busy playing DEAD!
Metal Man (GM): *Silence prevails.*
Julian: *Shrugs.*
Dragoshi: *facepalm.*"...Fine. I'll go first go to see if this idea'll work." *Dragoshi zooms forward, and attempts to run past the QRobos.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi moves all the way to where the robots ar. However a passing shot is fired. *BLAM* Dragoshi then speeds on by and out of range. He is safely inside.
Dragoshi: .oO(Gah! Damn run-by shootings...)
King Demon croaks.
Julian: *Julian Sawyer ALSO bravely runs away! Towards the base!*
Metal Man (GM): Julian also zooms by with Dragoshi, after taking a hit.
Julian: *Ow!*
Metal Man (GM): It's three robots and Demon's corpse. Q-Robo1 charges up.
Dragoshi: *Now Julian knows how Dragoshi feels.* :p
King Demon plays dead for this turn and hopes the robots leave.
Q-Robot2: "All enemies out of range. Disperse."
Metal Man (GM): The others nod, and walk away, leaving Demon to get up and catch up with the others... who would be staring at the main tower of the base. 'Egg Tower', which stands at an impressive 1 mile vertical. It is taller than Kuja's old tower.
Dragoshi: *Checks out the main tower's appearance.*
King Demon does so.
Julian: *A better description of the tower would be nice.*
Metal Man (GM): It looks mostly like an angular squarish spear with razorblades at the very top. It is bent in odd ways, with supports jutting out of the sides.
Julian: *Looks for doors.*
King Demon: "This looks... imposing..."
Metal Man (GM): It consists mostly of red and yellow metallic plates arranged in a creative fashion... ...and good luck getting in, as it's patrolled by about 500 of those Quantum robots. The door itself is another steel thing, but it's surrounded by 50 of those robots.
Julian: "...We need to stop goin' into these things short-handed."
Dragoshi: "...Yea. It's get annoying."
Dex: "Analysis of the tower is complete. Tower is 98.5% operational. It has higher energy levels than Kuja's own. Quantum technology appears to keep it from merely falling over. Very little of the inside space is actually made up of rooms--it is mostly a cannon. Upscaled."
Dragoshi: "And its stability?"
Dex: "It is, however, weak and could be knocked over with the right work. However the analysis of it being destroyed or being captured is unfinished."
Julian: "Might as well wait for that, then. 'Cause we ain't gonna power our way in."
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
King Demon: "Or in this case, blow... err, blast..."
Dex: "Analysis complete... ...destroying it would damage the planet, especially if it fell over sideways. It'd likely take a big chunk out of the crust. Capturing it would give us an unbelievable superweapon... good luck getting in though."
Julian: "So what's your suggestion?"
Dex: "Destruction must be done in a way that would not make it fall over, but capturing would be optimal."
Dragoshi: "...Do we still have those bug things?"
Dex: "They ran out a while ago. You'd need to request more to be made."
Dragoshi: "...Wait. Would the bugs even affect Quantum technology?"
Dex: "Unknown. Quantum technology is... unpredictable."
Dragoshi: "...So... It's a variable. ...What now, then?"
Julian: "I got nothin'. There's no way we can get in this place without dyin' in the process. ...Think we should ask Metal for a pay raise. We don't get paid enough to put up with bein' always outgunned an' outmanned."
Dragoshi: "Yea. We should really do that. 'Cause even in my short time here, I-..Ugh."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers' dexes beep.
King Demon: "Bah... isn't there another way in?" *checks his dex... wait, he has a dex?*
Dragoshi: *Message? For him? Huh.*
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Did you guys find anything?"
Julian: *checks his dex.* "Eggman's got an impenetrable fortress. We can't get in."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Do you think we could shoot at it? Boom!"
Dragoshi: "...Doubt it." @_@
Julian: "An' wipe this part of the planet off the face of it? Don't think so."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Can you use a spaceship to fly to the top of it where there might be an entrance?"
King Demon: "Hmmmm... MAYBE..."
Dragoshi: "...They have friggin' cruise missiles. The ship would prolly' be shot down pretty quickly, considering the fact they might have radars." >_>;;
Glyph: [Hop] "I know! You should ask!"
King Demon: "True... Is there anything on this planet worth saving?"
Glyph: [Hop] "You should ask Eggman if he'll let you in!"
Julian: "The human race? Already tried that."
Dragoshi: "That, and there's a forcefield above the fenc-...what."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Aw. Maybe if you asked someone who can get in. Like Mr. Robot."
Julian: "We DID."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Does Eggman have a phone number?"
Julian: "If he does we don't know it."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "I'll ask the operator!" *Hop begins pressing buttons trying to call the operator.*
Metal Man (GM): *beep.* *beep.* *click.* Eggman's number pops up.
Glyph: *Hop attempts to open a conference call.*
Metal Man (GM): Eggman appears on the line.
Ivo Robotnik: "Hello...?"
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Hello Mr. Robotnik!"
Julian: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Oh... Doctor, sorry. We were calling to see if you could let us in your tower."
Ivo Robotnik: "Urgh. Not you again. I thought I told you I had enough Ultimate Slicing Knifes for one da---ah, the Questers too."
Julian: "Ivo, we need to talk about the cannon. Let us in."
Ivo Robotnik: "Not so fast! The cannon is very delicate machinery."
Julian: "Yeah. We know."
Ivo Robotnik: "You wouldn't want it to explode with you inside, right?"
Dragoshi: "...Ultimate Slicing Knives? ...Yea, we heard. Of course."
Julian: "WE don't want it to explode PERIOD. That's why we need to talk."
Ivo Robotnik: "Now I know it's going to sound crazy, but I discovered while I was time traveling the world was going to end rather soon."
Dragoshi: "...We heard the same thing."
Julian: "..."
King Demon: "Uh, Doc, if you keep up it'll end at YOUR HANDS!"
Ivo Robotnik: "In an alternate universe Kuja used the cannon to save the world, then make it his own. Me, I don't want the world, but rather I want to save it myself."
Julian: "Good enough."
Dragoshi: "Except it was this dimension instead of just th-...wait, wut?"
Ivo Robotnik: "One shot of this and I can destroy the being who would go so far to end it himself."
Dragoshi: "...And, that being would be...?"
Ivo Robotnik: "Can't tell. To see him is to be destroyed by whatever dark energy appears."
Julian: "Whatever."
Dragoshi: "...Hm" .oO(Interesting. I wonder if this person has something to do with the Other Journal's prophecy. ...But, eh.)
King Demon: "Ok, he lost me..." *shuts up and listens confusedly.*
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "I thought I heard something about them worrying the tower would explode. That's bad. What's that all about?"
Ivo Robotnik: "Odd. This tower is much tougher than Kuja's, and that nearly survived being broken in two."
Julian: "Yeah, we heard from this Kuja Commander guy how about this place is a powder keg that'll explode if you so much as lean on it."
Ivo Robotnik: "Kuja... Commander?"
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Is a Kuja Commander a trustworthy person?"
Ivo Robotnik: "This is not good. Kuja swore himself he would kill me."
Julian: *WHAT A TWIST.*
Ivo Robotnik: "I guess I can let you into my office now." A warp appears.
Julian: "..." *Julian groans and heads into the warp after putting his Dex away.*
Dragoshi: "...Hm." *Puts his Dex away and enters the Warp.*
Metal Man (GM): *WARP* *WARP*
King Demon warps.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers appear in his office.
Julian: "Yo."
Metal Man (GM): It's atop the tower, overlooking a large portion of Ferran.
King Demon: "You look... smaller, did you lose weight?"
Ivo Robotnik: "I'm afraid you've been mislead, you see..."
Metal Man (GM): Out of nowhere, a being smashes through the glass. A... dark alien.
Julian: *WHAT THE CHRIST.*
Black Doom: "You fools! I have been guiding this place from the beginning! The plans... the machinery... the--" *BLAMMMMM.*
Metal Man (GM): He is incinerated by Canti.
Canti: "I hate when that happens."
Dragoshi: "...What."
Julian: "..."
Ivo Robotnik: "...Uh... yes. Various aliens and people have been leaping forth and claiming to control me."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Hello Mr. Robot. How are you today?"
Ivo Robotnik: "Except this time, I have a lasergun-packing robot to kill them."
Dragoshi: "...Wow. That must be annoying."
Ivo Robotnik: "I feel vaguely like Charles Magellean... no I don't. I have better guns. Anyway..." *Kicks corpse out of the tower.* "If what you say is true, that means the Kuja agents intend for me to explode."
Dragoshi: "...Aww... And I wanted to do an autopsy." >_>;;
Ivo Robotnik: "So I think I'll just flick this off until we're 100% sure." *Click.*
Computer: "FIRING POSTPONED."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Awful kind of you, Dr. Robotnik sir."
Ivo Robotnik: "Now... which Commander told you this? Meier Link? Denon? Ruvyn? *gasp.* Skyhigh?"
Julian: "Slade's his name."
Ivo Robotnik: "Never heard of him. Are you sure this is the real thing?"
Julian: *shrugs.* "He had a commander's ring and everything. Seemed to know what was goin' down."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Dr. Robotnik I have an item of utmost importance I just remembered. Metal Man appears to have taken your coffee cup."
Ivo Robotnik: "I have new, better ones now." *He sips from one... 'Kuja' is written on it.* "I doubt he was real, then. However he still probably told the truth. Those Bankers like to explode. However, I have a backup to deal with this... my grandfather's own blueprints."
Metal Man (GM): He takes out several bulky blueprints and begins looking over them.
Julian: *Holy crap Ivo's psychic?*
Dragoshi: "Huh. Gerald's own." :/
Ivo Robotnik: "You see, the Dimensional Cannon is merely an Eclipse Cannon on a grand scale."
Julian: "Of course."
Dragoshi: "...'Course."
Ivo Robotnik: "And... hrm. Why didn't I look earlier? It's obvious."
King Demon: "All right."
Ivo Robotnik: "Someone reversed the polarity of the firing transducer... Which means I'd just destroy this planet, not the evil which threatens us all. I'll just go and order that to be fixed..." He pokes a screen. No response.
Dragoshi: "...I wonder who tampered with that..."
Julian: "...oh boy. Looks like we've got someone's ass to kick."
Dragoshi: *Looks at the crystal, and nods.* "Yep..."
Glyph: [Hop] (Comms) "Oh, oh, I know this one! Control... Alt... Delete!"
Ivo Robotnik: "Odd... ."
Dragoshi: "Yeees...?"
Metal Man (GM): A face appears on the screen. It's a darkened-out one, so the Questers can't see who it is. It speaks with a very dark, distorted multi-voice.
Julian: "An' that's our somebody."
???: "You cannot destroy me, for I am the one who destroyed the last people who tried to save the universe. Now feel my wrath."
Metal Man (GM): *BLAMBOOOMKABOOOM BOOOOOOM.*
Julian: *OH SNAP.*
Metal Man (GM): Black beams rake through the tower, causing massive destruction.
Dragoshi: "... ...Okay. That's it."
Metal Man (GM): Ivo holds his head... he then appears worried.
King Demon: "Uh... I don't think this is a good thing..."
Ivo Robotnik: "...That's exactly what happened to Ivan Robotnik's machine! However, there is still time. Hurry!" He runs out of the room.
Julian: *Run after the fatman.*
Dragoshi: "The next dick that makes a claim as big as that is personally getting my claws through their-Huh?" *Follows at max speed.*
King Demon runs after the waffle.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers run after him. He stops at a large power generator area... dark energy is stuck to everything.
Julian: "...Well shit."
Ivo Robotnik: "I'm afraid this isn't your usual foe, Questers. He has had the foresight to destroy all my backups."
Dragoshi: "...Of course."
King Demon: "It's never easy..."
Ivo Robotnik: "However if you're willing to sacrifice something... I can still get a shot out before it all falls apart."
Julian: "That something being..."
King Demon: "Sacrifice what?"
Dragoshi: "What's the something...?" .oO(Why do I have a feeling I might know where this is going...?)
Ivo Robotnik: "The Dark Matter belongs to the X-zone. Only it's been distorted. Anyone who touches it will be sucked into the orange X-zone. However they will also cause it to vanish from this realm. It is exactly set up knowing I would never go back into the X-zone. But... I trusted you... heh heh heh. Together, we can destroy this being, or at least give it a massive headache."
Julian: "By touchin' goo."
Dragoshi: "...Or at least give it a headache of some sort."
Ivo Robotnik: "Yes."
Julian: "This plan sucks. But, if it's the only way..."
King Demon: "Won't we get sucked into the X zone as well as the goo?"
Dragoshi: "...Does it suck in people, objects, or all things?"
Ivo Robotnik: "It sucks in people. Objects won't bother them as it should."
Dragoshi: "...Dammit."
Ivo Robotnik: "This was a trap set for me, and a well made one. But you can break it..." *A beam falls down.* "Hurry!"
Julian: "KD goes first. "
King Demon: "... I don't WANT to go to the X Zone, but... HEY!!!!!!" *glares at Julian, then shrugs and touches the goo.*
Metal Man (GM): Demon disappears... a portion of the panel is un-gooed.
Julian: *Julian goes next, so he doesn't have to hear Dragoshi's one-liner.*
Ivo Robotnik: "Great. We're on the way!" *BLAM* "But if you're trying to be slow about it, just know this: this tower will collapse in about 5 minutes, whereas the X-zone is... er... 'stable'!"
Dragoshi: *Hands Ivo the machinegun.* "Take this, as if I remember correctly the orange X-zone does bad stuff to dead people's weapons, and I really don't want to deal with living machineguns." *Goes.*
Metal Man (GM): He looks at it, and then Dragoshi leaves.
Ivo Robotnik: "What is this... my Grandfather's technology? What a find!"
Canti: "The entire tower is falling down. Perhaps you could move faster, sir."
Ivo Robotnik: "Oh, right!" *Presses a button...*
Metal Man (GM): MEANWHILE... The Questers appear within the darkness of the orange X-zone. However, this one is particularly strange. It is... of Charles' old tower. Apparently Eggman's most hated thing.
Julian: *CHARLES!* >:O
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are in the throne room of it, where they can clearly see Ricky and Charles doing their thing. They don't see the Questers, nor do they deviate from generally historically accurate things.
Charles: "Fayth. Check the area for enemies."
F.A.Y.T.H.: "No enemies found."
Julian: *Hatred!* >:O
Charles: "Good. Ricky, get me some Coca Cola."
Dragoshi: *Megellot! Err... Magellean. Right. Then he whispers to himself.* "...Huh. Flashback zone."
Ricky: "Aye aye, sir." *Wanders off.*
King Demon: "What's going on!?"
Charles: "Every frickin' day, these forsaken people keep on chasing me. When will it ever end?"
King Demon: "Great..."
F.A.Y.T.H.: "Unknown..."
Charles: "What did I do to them, anyway? At first they had motives, then eventually it became mindless attacking."
Ricky: *Comes in and puts the soda down. Charles opens it and swigs a bunch.* "I don't know, sir."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers see the door out is open. It appears that this simulation is rather unimportant.
Julian: *Out the door!*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk over, and they see an elevator, and a set of stairs.
King Demon goes through the door, looks at the options, and goes up the stairs.
Metal Man (GM): Down.
Julian: *Stairs.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk down the stairs... indeed, it seems sort of safe. *Clickclackclickclack.* One problem, though... ...They're going down a 99 story tower.
Julian: *Downstairs is easier than up :D*
Dragoshi: *Yep...*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers make their way down, and eventually they hit something weird... about the 56th floor, too. They see a weird stick stabbed into the stairs here. It's not particularly in the way, but it glows oddly.
Julian: *Do not touch the radioactive stick.*
King Demon looks at the stick.
Dragoshi: "..."
King Demon turns to Julian "What's going on here?"
Julian: "I don't got a damn clue." *Walks around it.*
Dragoshi: *Tries to walk around the stick as well...*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk right around it.
King Demon walks around the stick and continues down.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers continue down the orange X-zone staircase of Charles' tower. Going down a certain ways, something odd happens, and this time it isn't any boring stick. There's a rip in the fabric of this reality.
Julian: *What else is new?*
Metal Man (GM): Across it is something vaguely castle-like, but there's a 20 foot gap to cross.
Darkdata: "I always hated stairs..."
Julian: *Julian can fly that distance.*
Darkdata: *Lulz 2x solid air clearsong.*
Julian: *But can everyone el-whatever.*
Darkdata bows. I think we will be able to cross now.
Metal Man (GM): Easily fly across. A path appears mid-air to go across.
Julian: *Or we can walk. Whatever.*
Digifanatic: *walks across.*
Darkdata walks across. "See, I don't always screw up."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk, and see that something is very... very wrong with this castle.
Darkdata: "Woah... what is with..."
Metal Man (GM): The paintings slide across the walls slowly; the chandeliers are actually sucking light out of the air, with ambient lighting everywhere where they wouldn't light.
Julian: *Again, what else is new.*
Metal Man (GM): The floor is made up of thousands of pins, yet the Questers' feet haven't been stabbed by them.
Digifanatic: .oO(Odd but this is what happens in the X-Zone.)
Metal Man (GM): The entire place is also about 10-20 degrees tilted to the right. There are stairs that go down ahead.
Darkdata: "So, the rules of logic are smashed again."
Julian: *To the stairs, because fuck this castle.* "It's the X-Zone."
Digifanatic: *Heads down the stairs.*
Darkdata follows Digi.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers easily head down the stone stairs, reaching a wider room here. Oddly, there's a large pile of objects inside a magical field at the center of the table. The Questers also see... Aribar??? standing right beside them. He's just idly guarding them. There are 3 other doors, too: One dead ahead, one to the right, and one to the left.
Julian: *Keep walking...*
Darkdata opens the left door.
Julian: *Always go right.*
Digifanatic: *Now, now, Darkdata. Be a good Quester and follow Julian like Digi is about to...*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata opens the left door, and a long wooden mansion hallway that leads somewhere is inside.
Darkdata: *Now, now, Digi, I will not spike your food.*
Metal Man (GM): Off to the right is three steps down leading into a wine cellar of sorts.
Dragoshi: "..." *Just peeks in at the center door.*
Metal Man (GM): It's a door out of the castle entirely, leading out to a front courtyard.
Dragoshi: *Decides to go check on the left.*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata already checked the left.
Julian: *Down to the wine cellar.*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata and Dragoshi go left down the hallway... *CREAK* *CLICK* *BAMBAMBAM!* Ahhhhh!!! Somebody replaced the arrow-shooting traps with pistols!
Digifanatic: *heads down to the cellar as well.*
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile, Julian and Digi proceed into the wine cellar, which is dank and dusty. A path leads between several wine barrels to the center... but a massive pile of wine barrels blocks the way.
Darkdata: *follow... I guess.*
Metal Man (GM): Too slow. *THWHOP* Dragoshi takes damage.
Julian: *Julian starts moving wine barrels, starting with the ones on top.*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata dodges the bullets. Going further on, however... (as those guys ran past the bullet trap)... the people on the left discover a wooden door that's been chained shut.
Darkdata: "Jack be nimble, Jack be quick. Jack dodges the arrows, with no problem."
Metal Man (GM): Julian moves the barrels, revealing... ...the center of the room, which is merely empty.
Julian: "..." *Julian flips a coin into the middle of the room to test for booby traps...*
Metal Man (GM): It lands on the floor... nothin'. The right side appears to be a dead end, with wine barrels everywhere at that. Hard to see the walls here.
Digifanatic: *ponders if by, judging by those results, the traps may require more pressure to be triggered.*
Darkdata continues down the hall. He also throws up a mirror songspell.
Metal Man (GM): The locked wooden door thwarts the left siders' progress. Its heavy chain clinks as Darkdata knocks into it.
Julian: *Dead end... bah. Julian heads back up the stairs and peeks in on the left hallway...*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata makes the songspell.
Dragoshi: *Just watches...*
Metal Man (GM): Julian see Darkdata and Dragoshi staring at a wooden door that's been chained shut, down a long hallway.
Julian: "...You guys need some help?"
Digifanatic: *heads back to the main room as well.*
Darkdata: *Shatter Clearsong.*
Metal Man (GM): *Shatter.* The chain breaks, revealing an even wider room inside. It's a big ol' stone corridor, which leads up to one very shining golden object at the end. It's suspiciously empty of anything up until the golden object.
Julian: "...Guess not."
Darkdata: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Darkdata: "So which one of you wants to get it?" ^^;
Dragoshi: "Not it."
Julian: "I'm all the way over here."
Darkdata: "Hmm..." *Call item songspell.*
Digifanatic: "That should work."
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata attempts to call it. Nothing happens.
Darkdata: .oO("Hmm... I should try to spread out my spells more. I Keep missing notes.") "Hmm... It must be enchanted." *enters the room.*
Digifanatic: *sigh.*
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata enters it... one can walk down the hallway. It's a long walk, of sorts. The walls, as Darkdata can tell, appear to have almost been tunneled through. It's rather rough.
Darkdata takes a look at the object, moving as he has to.
Metal Man (GM): Darkdata begins to see it more and more clearly. It's a golden hand. A very angular one, too.
Darkdata: *Eye of truth with Smash Dex.*
Metal Man (GM): No.
Dex: "...DING! Unknown artifact. It appears to date to nearly 2000 years ago. It contains the power of gold. It seems capable of focusing energy to an extreme extent. However it appears to require a specific magic signature to use."
Metal Man (GM): It's in a simple base. One can just grab it, although it seems to have been stuck in with some force.
Darkdata: "Well, no time like the present to test that spell... *Amplify Songspell*."
Metal Man (GM): The hand glows violently, energy now radiating from it at an increased rate. It's like a lantern, almost, at this rate.
Darkdata: "I wonder the Rule of Magical Storage Energy applies here."
Darkdata takes the order sword and tries to slide it off with the flat of the blade.
Digifanatic: .oO(Just don't blow up the place.)
Metal Man (GM): *Slice.* *CLICK.* *SMASH.* The hand suddenly... comes alive! ...It's connected to an arm.
Digifanatic: "Whoa, too much power!"
Metal Man (GM): Which busts out of the block. It appears something had been imprisoned in here. *BLAM* Another explosion later, and Darkdata see a tall, hunched-over being of gold staring at him with red eyes. A massive gate falls over the exit out, as the strange, golden being peers down at him.
???: "Who are you that seeks the infinite power of the Shadar? All who are unworthy will be ground into dust and fed to the lowest beings of this realm."
Dragoshi: "...Again with the Shadar?"
Darkdata: "??? I am just the hired help, you have to ask them." *Thumb Pointing to the other Questers.*
Julian: "..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Julian: *Julian's WAY at the beginning of the left hallway.*
Dragoshi: *Still near the beginning.*
Digifanatic: *Yeah. Beginning as well.*
Dragoshi: *Didn't follow after being shot up. >_>;;*
Metal Man (GM): Yup... Julian's been locked out, as has Digi.
???: "Hired help? Your life is judged on the same scale as the others."
Darkdata: "So how is one judged?"
???: "It appears your friends have decided to stand in place while your life hangs in the balance... I shall judge this appropriately."
Dragoshi: *Follows forward.* "Not yet, you won't."
???: "THIS!!!" He shoots Darkdata with a purple beam. Darkdata is not... harmed... odd.
Dragoshi: "Sorry. Just a little bit shaken up after being shot up." :/
Metal Man (GM): However memories of Darkdata's entire life are run through in mere seconds.
Darkdata: "??? Well, that was odd."
???: "Hrm... a bard... you are about as useful as an amputated foot. I judge you... worthless!" *Walks by Darkdata to face Dragoshi.*
Dragoshi: *Calmly stands still when he reaches the mysterious being, waiting to be judged as worthless.*
???: "Not even worth destroying..." He looks to Dragoshi. "And you... what do you seek? Do you want my hand too? Only those who are worthy of my power can have it!"
Dragoshi: "...Nah. I'd prefer the truth, but if I can't get that, then the hand could be used as consolation. ...Either way, I doubt I'd be worthy of your power."
???: "The Truth? What is this?"
Metal Man (GM): He shoots Dragoshi with the beam... same sort of memories... but he notices some things and stares.
Dragoshi: "...Hmm?"
???: "I see that a lich is here... and a lich is of special importance to the Shadar!"
Dragoshi: "...Heh. So, my Fel powers are of interest to you?"
???: "However, my power is not to be yours. Rather, your powers are to become ours!"
Dragoshi: "...What?"
???: "The contract which you sign enough times... do you not know who it goes to?"
Darkdata plays what sounds like Dun Dun Dun oh his harp.
Dragoshi: "...If I know where this is going, then yea. I think so."
???: "You have pledged your soul to us..." He runs some numbers. "At least seven times."
Dragoshi: "Lucky number seven." *Chuckles sarcastically.*
???: "However, Shadar rules do state that all interested in your well being may fight to prove themselves more deserving of your services."
Metal Man (GM): He opens the door and shouts to Julian and Digi.
Dragoshi: "At least it isn't thirteen, then it would be awkw-'Course." *Looks over to the other two...*
???: "If you do not wish for Dragoshi's soul to become property of the Shadar, step forward now!"
Julian: "Take down the guns!"
Dragoshi: "...The guns are already down! I think that was a one-time thing, anyway."
Julian: "Okay then!" *Julian walks down the hallway... but if he gets shot at...* e_e
Digifanatic: *follows Julian as well.*
Metal Man (GM): *BAM BAM BAM* Digi and Julian do, indeed, get shot at!
Dragoshi: "...what."
Julian: E_E
Dragoshi: "I guess it was a one-time thing for me, then. ...Dammit. ...I really need to double check."
Metal Man (GM): Digi evades it, while Julian takes damage. They make it across, though, and the gold man turns to them, ignoring Darkdata.
Julian: *OW!* "SON OF A BITCH!" *Julian finishes his walk across the hallway, rubbing his arm.* "I'm really gettin' tired of bein' shot at."
???: "The Shadar hereby announce taking Dragoshi's soul for their own for settling the debt he has caused."
Darkdata: *Mumbling.* "Go hired help..."
Julian: "What debt?"
Dragoshi: *Absentmindedly flexes his left claw...* "...Something about the Fel Contract being connected to them."
???: "Every time he has invoked this contract." He takes out a Fel Contract. "We have used our energies to render him invincible and such for a limited time."
Julian: "...This is why you don't sign ANYTHIN' without readin' it, Drago."
???: "But below the dotted line it clearly says his soul belongs to us. He has signed it over and over again. Unfortunately he only has one soul, but it will do. Unless you protest, in which you have two choices, then..."
Julian: "Name 'em."
???: "You may fight to the death to earn his soul as yours, or buy his freedom."
Julian: "How much?"
Dragoshi: .oO(It'll prolly' be some ridiculous amount...)
Darkdata: "He probably does not take coin."
???: "You mortals use coins, but they are undervalued here. Here, we trade in... weapons! I would need approximately 15 weapons."
Dragoshi: "...Wow. Good thing I have like, an excess of weapons." >_>;;
Julian: "Deal."
???: "Okay. Begin piling them before me." He sits there.
Darkdata dumps the Order Sword.
Digifanatic: .oO(This is either going to end in a fight... or something I really do not wan--hey, I've got it!)
Julian: "Okay, let's see here..." *Julian reaches into the inside of his vest and pulls out... Auron's Staff, A glowing blue pike, A giant knife that could be used as an arm, Linkbot's arms, and the Ztar Rod. Julian adds them to the pile.*
Dragoshi: *Pulls out the Lighttech Dagger, Lighttech Pistol, Rusted Eggrobo Pistol, Vorpal Teapot, and the Ancient Pike, adding them to the pile.*
Digifanatic: *Reaches into a pocket and pulls out... the Digivice he received for Christmas?!* .oO(It's not the old one, but it's a weapon nonetheless.)
Dragoshi: *Oh, and another little memento from the past, one of the two Shotguns Dragoshi stole offa Gnarlazar!*
Darkdata: "Do you take mushrooms that causes mass destructive power as a weapon?"
???: "Silence, worthless peon! And... that is 12. I need only 3 more."
Dragoshi: *Adds in E Li Three's backwards bazooka.* "2 more, now..."
Darkdata: *Mumble.* "I say we should of just kicked it's butt..."
Julian: *Julian fishes out the Ice Rod and drops it on the growing pile...* *Okay, and add in Knifeman's other arm that he bought, and we have 15!* *...Okay, so we're back to 14.*
???: "Hrm... impressive!" He picks them all up, and assimilates them immediately.
Metal Man (GM): He goes from a relatively weak-looking golden man into a man with 6 arms, holding an iced-over Auron's staff, Pike-chucks, the Ztar Rod, a freaky-looking super-pistol with 4 barrels, a bazooka with a teapot and a machete on it... And then chuckles.
???: "Thanks for the free weapons, but you didn't sign any contracts. You just gave me all of these for free. I'll be taking Dragoshi's powers too!"
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi would suddenly black out as his energy would enchant the Golden being, who now looks like a robotic dragon of sorts holding all the weapons.
Dragoshi: "...I'll be kicking your ass, the--." *THUMP* *Or not, as Drag faints, collapsing.*
Darkdata uses amp on the ice rod that is now a part of him.
Julian: "..."
Metal Man (GM): The Ice rod glows even stronger than before.
???: "Oh, I forgot... I have a name, too! For I am..."
Julian: "...How was that supposed to help?"
Regarth: "Regarth, the Shadar of Power."
Darkdata: "So much for a ice overload, curse those who make stable weapons."
Regarth: "Now, while I would let you live, you've seen a little too much. You shall die!"
Julian: "Can I just leave?"
Regarth: "There is no escape... from the X-zone!"
Julian: "Like hell there ain't." *Julian puts up his dukes!*
Digifanatic heads backwards, apparently, to get Regarth with a Running Charge, only to turn around and smack him once again, this time with a Fire Punch! Ending his turn where he started, he pulls off one last Aerial Strike to Regarth, hopefully around his head.
Julian: *shakes head.* "You brought this on yourself..." *DEX!*
Metal Man (GM): Lessee... Hit hit hit.
Dex: "...DING!"
Dex: "Level: 150. HP: 0/800. Stat Points used: 60/60. STR: 20. END: 20. SPD: 5. MNT: 15. TP: 6. AC: 22. Increased Damage (Special Moves): +20. Increased Damage (Normal Moves): +8. To-hit Bonus: +7. Movement Rate: 2. Turn Order Check: d20+5. Trap/Mass Avoidance: d20+10. Knockback Resistance: 2. Skill Check Bonus: 3. Ability Points: 75. Super Bonuses: 15. Unique Abilities: 3."
Dex: "End of entry."
Julian: "Okay..." *Julian pockets his dex, rolls his shoulders... then tries to rush Regarth and smack him around a bit with a Dempsey Roll! Which is basically 3 Haymakers, but with a cool animation.*
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit, hit. He is knocked back to where Darkdata stands.
Regarth: "Impressive attacks... but I have the power to do this!"
Julian: "Watch, we get the same damn attacks reflected right back at us."
Metal Man (GM): A red targeting reticule appears and searches for a target... It locks on to Digifanatic! *Click.* He attacks with all of his weapons at once! First, he shoots a beam of ice at Digi.
Digifanatic: *Hit.*
Metal Man (GM): He swings his Pike-chucks three times.
Digifanatic: *3 for 3.*
Metal Man (GM): He holds up the Ztar Rod and causes it to rain antimatter stars on Digi.
Digifanatic: *3 for 5.*
Metal Man (GM): He spins the pistol around and fires a giant cluster shot at Digi.
Digifanatic: *hit.*
Metal Man (GM): Then he turns on the Bazooka... it fires behind him, causing his massive body to fly at everyone!
Regarth: "Ahhhhhh!!!!!"
Julian: *FUCK YOU.*
Metal Man (GM): Digi sidesteps him, amazingly. Meanwhile, he plows down Darkdata and Julian, then slams into the wall, damaging himself.
Regarth: "Stupid... bazooka..." *He gets up and turns around.*
Darkdata wastes time getting close enough to hit. "I wonder... how this would work... hmm... Ice rod first then..." *Pure Darksong.* - Ice rod "I declare the ICE rod impure to your body..." *Plays chords.*
Metal Man (GM): It bounces off of his armor and smacks Julian in the head, giving him the taste of styrofoam in his mouth.
Regarth: "Worthless person! I am entirely impure!"
Julian: *Bleh!*
Digifanatic has to take time to cover enough distance, this'll get him to near Regarth's location. He then pulls a round of Celestial Fury to get him right up to Regarth, and then finishes off with a smack of the golf club.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, hit (due to the wall.) Regarth gets smacked around. Some chunks fly off his armor.
Julian: *Julian sizes up Regarth... then charges over to him and tries to Grapple his crazy ass!*
Metal Man (GM): Hit (due to wall.)
Julian: *Julian squashes him against the wall, then locks his arms around him, backs up, spins, and launches him into the wall again!* *Julian then pulls out...* *A baseball bat!* *Julian rears back... here's the pitch!* *DOUBLE!* *Julian connects with the swing agains Regarth's head! And that's about it!*
Metal Man (GM): He shakes off the damage, then rumbles towards the center, in the process threatening to trample anyone in his way. Julian ducks out of the way.
Julian: *Julian rolls to the side!*
Metal Man (GM): As does Darkdata.
Darkdata does a Mario jump!
Metal Man (GM): Digi gets plowed. Regarth then flips around his weapon modes, and opens fire with his rocket arms, which coincidentally hold the staff AND the pike-chucks, at... Julian. *FREEZE.* Julian is frozen solid for a bit.
Julian: *Snap!* *Also KO!*
Darkdata bides his time.
Digifanatic willingly takes the hit, but he's gotta turn around again! He moves up close, and then he goes into the Icy Kick... turning around, he puts the Fire Lunge on Regarth.
Metal Man (GM): Hit. Hit.
Julian: *ICEBREAKER! Julian breaks out of the ice for a dramatic revival...* >:O "That wasn't cool, man."
Regarth: "Hah! It was ice cold!"
Metal Man (GM): He powers up the staff, and summons the power of... Big Bang! The entire area violently explodes.
Digifanatic: *SLAMMED.*
Julian: *KABLOOIE!*
Metal Man (GM): There is an extremely strong presence of X-zone.
Darkdata: *Elemental Darksong - Xzone.* *since that failed mirror shield.*
Metal Man (GM): HP: 551/800.
Digifanatic turns around and sees Regarth staring right at him! He wastes no time, starting his turn with a Fire Punch and launching into another Golf Club swing, and ends with a Running Charge.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, crit, hit.
Julian: *Julian cracks his fingers, pops his shoulders... and suddenly rushes towards Regarth, looking to put him down with a Heavy Grapple!* *CLOSE.*
Metal Man (GM): Hit. Oh, wait, that's a crit.
Julian *It's Finisher Time! Julian kicks the guy in the gut and bends him over to start off, backs up, then charges at him again. This time Julian turns around and jumps over the guy, then straighten outs horizontally as he passes over Regarth's back, locking his arms around Regarth's waist as he does so. Julian then finally flips as he finishes his path, finishing on his feet... with Regarth being held upside down on his back. Julian then jumps into the air, and spins while he's coming down, making a great impact as Regarth lands right on his head! Spine Splitter!*
Metal Man (GM): He takes a step back, then disintegrates, taking the weapons with him. Dragoshi is revived.
Darkdata: "Woo."
Dragoshi: *...Of course. One can't let a guy get his vengeance, huh?*
Julian: *Julian leaps to his feet after landing the Spine Splitter, pumping his right arm.* "Bam!"
Dragoshi: "...Let me guess. I just got cheated out of vengeance?"
Metal Man (GM): He also leaves behind... a weird ring. It glows oddly.
Julian: "We jus' kicked that guy's ass, if that's what you mean." *Yoink Ring.*
Metal Man (GM): It's a large ring, too... Julian picks it up... it feels very dark, and perhaps even evil.
Dragoshi: "...Did he at least use the backwards bazooka?"
Julian: *Julian subsequently drops said ring.*
Darkdata: "Who want to bet it lays claim to your soul."
Julian: "Knocked his ass into a wall, too."
Dragoshi: "...Good. At least I scored some indirect vengeance in the least." *Mutters incoherently.* "Where to next?"
Julian: "Also, that thing's evil. I ain't touchin' it without some protective gloves or shit like that."
Dragoshi: "...'K."
Julian: *shrugs.* "There's that central door we ain't used yet."
Dragoshi: "It leads to the outside. Took a peek through it. Anyway, I guess we should be leaving."
Julian: "Let's bounce, fellas." *Julian heads back out into the hallway... activating his Shield before he steps in Pistol-Land again, though.*
Digifanatic follows Julian at least back out to where the three halls converged, if nothing else.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers make their way out... the ring is following them. Also, the strange Aribar-person sees them. He steps into the way.
Aribar???: "We meet again. Of course, I didn't want to keep you from getting the next key for me..."
Digifanatic stops at that point...
Aribar???: "If you hand me that evil ring, I shall grant you one wish."
Julian: "Deal."
Metal Man (GM): He takes it... and pockets it.
Dragoshi: *Exits out to the room where Julian and the Aribar-person are.* "..."
Aribar???: "Very well. First, my name is Shadow Aribar... you may know me from before."
Shadow Aribar: "I am also known as Slytock Aribar... and I have been around since the beginning. Give me your wish."
Julian: "Hol' up. Before we give you that wish... Can you tell us what's beyond that door? Besides the obvious?" *points to the central door out.*
Shadow Aribar: "The larger area of this X-zone... a hub of sorts. This is the orange X-zone negative of Matek's castle. Up above is ol' Charles' tower."
Julian: "Is there a way out?"
Shadow Aribar: "Yes and no... but only I can tell you that... at least in this area."
Digifanatic: "Oh..."
Julian: "Okay, so what're the limits of your power?"
Shadow Aribar: "You've defeated me, or at least one of my forms, before. My limits are that of this realm, however I can help in matters outside it ever so slightly."
Julian: "Can you stabilize Eggman's Dimensional Cannon? Keep in mind that ain't our wish. Yet. "
Shadow Aribar: "Of course I can. The X-zone material inside would make it very easy."
Julian: "...Team huddle." *Huddlehuddlehuddle.*
Digifanatic walks up and into this discussion.
Dragoshi: *Huddle like a penguin.* >_>
Julian: "Okay, so I'm thinkin' we go for the Cannon wish. Anyone got any other ideas?."
Digifanatic: "Well, that kills two birds in this one mission..."
Dragoshi: "Yea..."
Digifanatic: "As long as we aren't permanently trapped here, I'd say that's the best idea."
Julian: *BREAK* "Okay, we'll wish for Ivo's dimensional cannon to be stabilized and stay that way."
Shadow Aribar: "Your wish has been granted. But I can't show you it, sadly... but I can get you started on a way out. Out the front door lies the path to freedom. If you find any more artifacts like that ring, feel free to trade them for more wishes."
Dragoshi: "'K."
Julian: "Right." *Heads for the front door with the other 3. Hero Walk style!*
Digifanatic: *follows.*
Dragoshi: *Follows.*
Darkdata: *Follows.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers head on out, and see the bizarre world of the Orange X-zone for full. It's... ... ...the Questers can't really interpret it with their 3-dimensional vision. Buildings spaced out widely, which change shape and direction and appearance every time one moves their eyes or position. Many go back and forwards in time. The path moves right on out into the midst on them.
King Demon looks around.
Alexia: "I really hate this place."
King Demon starts forward.
Alexia heads forward hesitantly.
Dragoshi: *'Course. Moves forward...*
Darkdata follows... wee!
Metal Man (GM): The Questers move onto the path... *FLIP* Suddenly gravity changes, and they're now walking in a direction which used to be straight up. Three of the multidimensional objects unscramble. The Questers have the choice of: Smithy's Keep. Thirteen Gentleman Satellite. and Valhalla @ Light Side of Nintendus.
King Demon: "!? Valhalla?"
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
King Demon considers seriously Valhalla, but thinks it may be a trap.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers can only pick one, and it's unlikely they'll be able to turn back once they do.
Alexia: "I'm gonna leave this one up to you guys..."
King Demon: "Valhalla SEEMS the safest route, but I can't help but think that that's an illusion."
Dragoshi: "...I'm thinking the satellite."
King Demon: "Smithy's sounds like a nightmare, so I'll go satellite as well."
Darkdata: "Satellite then."
Darkdata starts to walk in that direction.
Alexia heads to the satellite.
King Demon does as well.
Dragoshi: *Moseys on along to the satellite.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers head towards the satellite... the one which has been traversed more times than anything else in all of SSQ's history. However, in one way, their choice is good--you exit the Orange X-zone. You're now in the Null Zone.
Alexia: "...Hey, we got out of the X-zone! All right!"
Dex: "You have entered the Null Zone. Time does not progress here. This station has been entered almost 4 times and has never changed. Nor will your entry change it."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are on Floor 6... There are 7 rooms arranged in a hub around them. Numbered 1-7.
Dragoshi: *1...*
Alexia: *Door number 1, Monty!*
Metal Man (GM): The room inside has traditional Thirteen Gentlemen insignias. A large, circular ring of black stone sits atop a power generator. A computer stands by next to it.
Dragoshi: *Walks over to the comp...*
Darkdata follows behind Dragoshi.
Metal Man (GM): It shows the commands to warp to Nintendus. It was... just left like this.
Alexia stays back and guards the door.
Dragoshi: *Wonders if it can be changed to warp back to Ferran...*
King Demon explores Door 5.
Dragoshi: *Might as well do the same and head back to this room later...*
Darkdata follows behind them, not doing much, I guess.
Alexia follows the others.
Metal Man (GM): Door 5 is burnt out. Destroyed. The room inside is nothing more than debris.
King Demon: "So much for that idea..." *walks next door to 4.*
Alexia continues following.
Dragoshi: *On to door 4... AKA the rhyming door.*
Metal Man (GM): Radar screens, complex navigation equipment, and computers litter Room 4. It is all sitting there... it claims to be in orbit of Nintendus, but that's obviously a lie.
King Demon checks the navigation equipment.
Metal Man (GM): It is set to move into orbit above Quester HQ. Progress is 0. Maximum power seems to do nothing.
Dragoshi: *Checks out door 2.*
Metal Man (GM): Behind door 2 is a museum with a glass case with the following inside: Bowser's move necklace, a doubler, a transformer, a weird bottle of chocolate milk, yellow weapons made out a strange material, a remote with no buttons... a circular detonator with 'N-2' written down on it... a computer... a jar full of floating amoeba... glowing blue goo in a container... and a nuclear bomb.
Alexia: "...Why is there a bottle of milk in there?"
King Demon walks into Door 2 "Bowsers necklace? Oooooooooooh, I REALLY want that...!"
Metal Man (GM): It has been sitting there for the longest time... the dust, however, seems set in place. Attempts to wipe it off would fail.
Dragoshi: *Wonders the bottle containing chocolate milk looks similar to the bottle from Metal's Deathmachine's 1 result.*
Alexia: "...Smash and grab?"
Dragoshi: "...No." *Looks at the blue goo. Phazon?*
King Demon looks at the transformer "I wonder..." *tries to grab it.*
Metal Man (GM): Demon grabs the transformer. It vanishes, then reappears back where it was sitting.
King Demon tries to use the transformer.
Metal Man (GM): The bottle does resemble that, from Dragoshi's perspective. Demon picks the transformer up again. It moves back into the case.
King Demon: "... well, THAT sucks..."
Metal Man (GM): It seems stuck in time.
Alexia: "...What's that blue stuff?"
King Demon: "Dex it."
Darkdata: "How odd... We should just move on..."
King Demon: "Don't know, Dex it?"
Dragoshi: "Phazon. That's what the blue stuff is."
King Demon wonders why he can't take the transformer, and dexes the room.
Alexia: "What's Phazon?"
Dragoshi: "It's a rather dangerous chemical with mutagenic properties."
Dex: "...DING! Phazon."
Dragoshi: "Well, I think it was mutagenic."
Dex: "Highly mutagenic, dangerous substance. This container doesn't hold it very well."
Dragoshi: "Thought so. Thank you, Dex."
Alexia: "...Wait, what? You mean that stuff could be leaking?"
Dragoshi: "Let's not disturb the Phazon, then. And if I remember correctly, someone said that buttonless remote over there was... A Fighter Remote?"
King Demon: "Great..."
Darkdata: "Could? more like it is... how do you explain the time freeze..."
Dex: "It probably is leaking. Fighter remote, affirmative. Right in the case."
King Demon: "Hey Dex, why can't I take any of the items here?"
Dex: "Time does not pass here. Any action you do is negated... almost."
King Demon: "... that doesn't help much... oh..." *shrugs and walks to door 3.*
Dragoshi: "And I'm not even going to ask why there's a jar of floating amoeba or a nuke for that matter in there along with that stuff. And, I believe the yellow weapons were..."
Dex: "Antimatter."
King Demon kicks down Door 3 out of slight frustration.
Dragoshi: "Yes. That." *Follows Demon.*
Metal Man (GM): Door 3 un-kicks itself down, then opens, revealing a large Fusion reactor.
Darkdata follows... .oO(Let them figure it out...)
Metal Man (GM): Discarded radiation suits lay around, although they're not useful anymore. One can walk up and mess with the controls too.
King Demon: "This looks like fun..." *starts messing with the controls.*
Metal Man (GM): The controls change back no matter what Demon does.
Dragoshi: "...Yea." *Checks out door 6.*
King Demon: "Man, this place sucks, I'm starting to wish I'd gone to Smithy's instead!" *leaves and goes to... looks to see what doors haven't been opened yet.*
Metal Man (GM): 6 and 7.
King Demon opens 7, since Dragoshi just opened 6.
Metal Man (GM): There is no Door 8. Meanwhile, Demon finds room 7 to be an empty, cylindrical room. Also, Dragoshi would open room 6 and find an empty prison.
Dragoshi: *Does a thorough search just in case there might be something hidden in the emptiness...*
King Demon returns to the main room and looks around for any other areas to explore.
Metal Man (GM): Nothin'. That's all the areas here. This place is rather linear.
King Demon returns to room 1 to get the commands to warp to Nintendus.
Dragoshi: *Decides to go back to room 1.*
Metal Man (GM): Room 1. It's sitting right there, ready to warp.
King Demon tells it to begin, if he can.
Metal Man (GM): *Click.* It opens... ...A warp appears, however something strange happens.
King Demon backs away from the warp.
Metal Man (GM): The warp into it had already been established, and was merely waiting for confirmation. Out of the warp steps Zio, who stares at the Questers.
Zio: "So we meet... yet again."
Dragoshi: "...Yep."
Zio: "You thought you were clever, putting the drop on me at that ship... but you're in my domain now."
Dragoshi: "...It's like some people just don't die, huh?" :/ "...Or go away, but that's a different story in itself, but anyway..."
Zio: "Oh... but I never died... Alys isn't dead, is she... Rhetoric can be thrown around, but there is no denying I am here, and I have a matter to settle with you..."
King Demon: "YOU again!?" *sighs.*
Zio: "Of course... I am not going to trap you into fighting me. That would be dishonest."
King Demon mumbles "I KNEW I shoulda went to Smithy's..."
Zio: "If you would rather flee like cowards, feel free to take the warp back. I'll find you... and when I do, I shall challenge you again."
Dragoshi: "'Course. Also, that wouldn't be any fun now, would it?"
Zio: "Do you challenge me, or do you throw words and expect me to fall over?"
Darkdata: "Your choice guys."
King Demon: "I just wanna get back home... That said, it's been YEARS since I've had the pleasure of tearing him apart!"
Dragoshi: "...Tough choice. I say we should just leave, considering our current condition and possible strength of our enemy... But, still."
King Demon: "Drag's got a point... but by freeing him, aren't we going to have to deal with him eventually anyway? Nonetheless, it may be better if we faced him when we were stronger, in numbers if nothing else..."
Dragoshi: "Mhm."
Zio: "I have retired from meddling in the matters of your pathetic world. Why else am I here? To introspect and try to recover that which was lost."
King Demon: "I say we deal with him later, but that's only my opinion, if you want to fight him now, I'll do that as well."
Dragoshi: "...Nah. Let's just leave." *Heads over to the warp to, yanno, leave.*
King Demon goes for the warp.
Darkdata follows then.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers leave... They appear on Nintendus, in Toad Town. The Toads look at the Questers and stare as if ghosts had appeared.
Toad: "Wha? The Questers are here?"
Dragoshi: *Looks around.*"...Uh-huh. Now all we need to do is catch a ride back to Ferran." >_>;;
Toad2: "Please don't burn our town down! We just stopped having it burn down when you left!"
Dragoshi: "...what."
Toad3: "Think of the baskets! Won't anyone thing of the Baskets?"
Toad1: "Every time you have done anything important on Nintendus, our town has burned down. It mysteriously stopped when you left... now it looks like it'll burn down again... ahhhhhh!!!!"
Dragoshi: "...Don't worry. We're gonna leave when we find something spaceworthy that's capable of getting us back to our current area of operation. ...Seriously. We'll just leave then..." *Pulls out Dex, and tries to get it to pull up a map of Nintendus.*
Darkdata: "Yeah..." *w* "You really got it burned down?"
Dragoshi: *w*"No. More like various evils we fought."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers see the map... it's different, sorta. They get hailed by Ivan.
Ivan Robotnik: "Need a lift?"
King Demon: "It'd be nice..."
Dragoshi: "Yes, please."
Darkdata: "See what they said."
Metal Man (GM): A blue ship flies on in from nearby and lands, opening for the Questers to board.
King Demon enters the ship.
Dragoshi: *Boards the ship. If he had a plank he'd do so doubly. But, eh. Enter ship.*
Darkdata enters the ship.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers enter it, and see a crispy-looking Glyph inside. Ivan salutes them.
King Demon: *w* "Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
Ivan Robotnik: "We found him stuck atop the capital building."
Glyph: [Hop] "I'm here to rescue you!"
Darkdata: O_o; "Right..."
King Demon: "!?"
Darkdata: "Dex, what do those symbols on him mean?"
Glyph: [Hop] "I went into the X-zone to help you guys out when I lost contact!"
Dex: "A regenerative enchantment of some sort."
Dragoshi: "...Sounds painful, Hop."
Darkdata: "No other info, dex?"
Glyph: *Hop pulls out a large tube made of tinfoil, melted plastic, and extraordinarily advanced ship parts.* "See? I used this to open a big hole in reality and stepped through! Then I was chased by a thing, or I was chasing the thing, it was the X-zone so I wasn't so clear on that. Or maybe I was just confused."
King Demon: "... How'd you get OUT of the X-Zone?"
Dragoshi: "...Damn. Hope you didn't break anything." >_>;;
Glyph: [Hop] "...I don't know."
Ivan Robotnik: "I think it involved fire. And explosions. At least, that's what happened when he appeared on the roof of the Capital."
Glyph: *Hop nods his head and topples with the weight of the tube.*
King Demon: "..."
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
Ivan Robotnik: "Now, we should be able to get you back to... Ferran, was it? That's where you went, I think."
King Demon: "Sounds right..."
Dragoshi: "Correct."
Ivan Robotnik: "Okay then... away we go!"
Metal Man (GM): Mission Complete.
King Demon: "Well, this beats traveling by Raichu Teleporter..."
Metal Man (GM): Aaand it ends there. Did Robotnik's cannon work? Find out, on the next episode of Super Smash Quest!