Super Smash Quest - Story - Chapter 445: The Destroyer's True Face

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Date: July 4th & 5th, 2007.
Metal Man (GM): Having defeated the strangely corrupted foe (from the previous chapter), the Questers would be standing before a massive door. This door is made of blackened iron; it seems to have melted its way into the wall. A sign chiseled into ageless granite sits beside it.
Wolfman has just come off of the Melee Platform for the second time... this is not good.
Sign: 'Abandon all hope, all ye who enter here.'
Metal Man (GM): It has a second line:
Sign: 'For the end has begun if ye read this message.'
Wolfman read the whole sign...
Nick Caligo (GM): It has a third and fourth line as well. They appear to be the same thing in Spanish.
Wolfman: "Someone must have a strange sense of humor."
Metal Man (GM): Things are decidedly unlike Sonic around this, as it's dark, there's no rings, and no more robots. Or even an Egg Capsule.
Wolfman: "...they even included a translation in another language. ...alright Questers. Let's go inside carefully."
Metal Man (GM): The door has the image of a flame chiseled on it. It is full of rivets, and it has a massive lock on it.
Wolfman: "...once we get inside, that is." *looks to see who is around him this time...*
Metal Man (GM): Interestingly, the lock has a keyhole the same shape as one the Questers found in Eggman's tower earlier.
Dragoshi: "..." *Waves weakly, looking really beaten up.*
Metal Man (GM): And the Questers would, indeed, have the key on them.
Dragoshi: *The rainbow key?*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi doesn't know how it got there, either... or why he just took it out of his pocket.
Dragoshi: *Pulls out the key which he now has somehow.* "...Huh."
Metal Man (GM): It's almost as if the door wants to be opened.
Dragoshi: "Anyway... I guess I should open the door, right?"
Wolfman steps behind Dragoshi... not wanting to get caught. "You open it."
Dragoshi: *Walks up to the door, puts the key in the lock's keyhole, and prepares to open it.*
Metal Man (GM): The door shakes suddenly. It feels as if there is some sort of presence behind it.
Dragoshi: *He checks if the crystal reacts to this.*
Metal Man (GM): The crystal has been dead for quite a while. It appears something happened to render its power moot.
Dragoshi: .oO(Strange...) "I'm sensing something behind this door..." *He tries to determine how strong the presence is.*
Metal Man (GM): Strong enough to rattle the lock. A sort of mist is beginning to slowly seep out from the door... almost as if the air pressure inside is different than out here.
Dragoshi: *Sees the lock rattling.* "Any objections before I make this decision final, Wolf?"
Wolfman: "Just as long as you take over any deathtraps. I can't stand another one."
Dragoshi: "'Kay." *Picks up his courage and finally decides to open the danged door.*
Metal Man (GM): The key turns... there is a resounding crack as it disintegrates. In the next instant, the doors violently fly open, probably knocking Dragoshi over. Dark mist seeps out and everywhere. The Questers would discover it was simply built up... fog. They see clearly as it spreads out amongst their feet.
Wolfman: "You alright Dragoshi?"
Dragoshi: "Yea. For the most part, anyway." *Slowly gets back up.*
Metal Man (GM): Inside is an ancient stone temple. Walls and floor and ceiling are made of intricately inlaid stone, with writing in all sorts of languages (except those the Questers speak, naturally) all over it.
Wolfman tries to decipher some of the languages anyway.
Metal Man (GM): They make no sense. All Wolf keeps on reading is 'Despair... death... hatred... chances wasted'
Dragoshi: *Tries to do the same. Let's see what the Arcane Language Expert (ALE) has to say about this...*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi get the same as Wolf. These lines don't translate well.
Wolfman: "...you know how I said this place would be good for testing our natural skill?"
Dragoshi: "...Yea."
Wolfman: "I think we've hit the final exam."
Dragoshi: "I came to that same conclusion after translating that."
Metal Man (GM): One can see further; there's stairs downwards. Dim light is within.
Dragoshi: *Decides to search for anything of interest before going downstairs...*
Wolfman follows Dragoshi's lead.
Metal Man (GM): Nothing interesting. They wouldn't be hiding their best stuff out here where somebody who could presumably peek between the doors could see.
Wolfman: "...alright Drag. Your choice: either lead ahead of me or ride on the taxi of hairballs."
Dragoshi: "I'll lead ahead..." *Would proceed to go down the stairs...*
Wolfman would proceed to follow Dragoshi.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers continue on down the steps. Clack clack clack. Their footsteps echo throughout the place.
Wolfman: .oO(...not good: too quiet, no rings, no 1-ups... I need help!)
Metal Man (GM): They see some stained glass windows... they show various planets. The Questers don't know any of them.
Wolfman looks at the glass windows... hmm... more planets.
Dragoshi: *Looks around at the glass windows too.* .oO(How... elegant.)
Metal Man (GM): Light comes through them, too; probably a trick of the mind.
Wolfman stops looking at the windows. He tries to find the way forward, without moving forward.
Metal Man (GM): Simply down the staircase, which runs downwards, turning counter-clockwise. Down the center the Questers see a deep, bottomless pit.
Wolfman gets a look at the path... counter-clockwise stairs. "...where ARE the other Questers anyway Dragoshi? Did the Eggrobo tire them out?"
Dragoshi: "Prolly'... That thing did defy logic."
Metal Man (GM): Their work isn't done yet, either. At the bottom they see a door with light streaming in from behind it.
Wolfman: "Well, you see the way forward. Lead on please."
Dragoshi: "Anyway, I believe we should go down the stairs." *Proceeds to go down said stairs...*
Wolfman again follows along.
Metal Man (GM): It has the symbol of flame on it, yet light only comes out from around it. The symbol of flame is also shown consuming one of those planets seen earlier.
Wolfman: "Hmm... that symbols is familiar. Didn't we just pass by it?"
Dragoshi: "...We did?"
Wolfman: "One of the windows had that flame symbol."
Dragoshi: "Ahh..."
Wolfman: "The problem... I don't recall if you have a fire move to try on that door." *points to it.*
Dragoshi: "I have my fire breath."
Wolfman: "...then give it a shot please."
Dragoshi: *And, Dragoshi tries to breath fire on the flame-symboled door.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi's flames hit the flame and are engulfed by it. They vanish utterly after they touch it. It... is a null thing. It accomplishes nothing.
Wolfman confirms that the pit is still there.
Dragoshi: *Tidal Blasts the flame-symboled door then. Maybe opposites will work. :/*
Metal Man (GM): It is also consumed. The flame consumes all! The pit is still there, behind everyone.
Dragoshi: *Let's fully confirm that consumes all thing with an Ice Tornado. :p*
Wolfman: "...alright, that flame is consuming everything."
Metal Man (GM): It consumes the ice tornado too. It seems vaguely symbolic. It goes to the door, flies through the flame, and vanishes.
Wolfman: "...this place doesn't rely on logic anymore." *attempts to approach the door.* "Wish me luck."
Dragoshi: *Nods.*
Metal Man (GM): Wolfman walks at the door... ...and vanishes.
Dragoshi: *Shrugs and walks over to the door as well, since what the heck?*
Metal Man (GM): Both Wolf and Dragoshi appear on the other side of the door.
Wolfman: "...I was right. Don't fight the fire's consumption."
Metal Man (GM): Odd... it was merely an illusion.
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
Metal Man (GM): There's a walkway continuing forward, and the Questers can see obvious burn marks and ice strewn about from earlier.
Wolfman: "Nice job on the interior decorating, by the way."
Dragoshi: "Well, that explains what happened to my attacks." >_>;;
Wolfman: "Lead on."
Dragoshi: "Anyway..." *Dragoshi would mosey on along, being wary...*
Metal Man (GM): Speaking of decorating, the Questers see a big shiny portal appear out of nowhere and throw somebody out in front of them. Hm... appears to be what some people would know as Hop. Clutching a book.
Glyph: [Hop] "Charles! I have come here to confront... confront... my head hurts."
Dragoshi: *Stops.* "...What the heck are you doing here, man? Also, Charles is dead."
Glyph: [Hop] "Where am I? When am I?"
Dragoshi: "We killed him a couple of days ago."
Wolfman: "...you are behind on the times I'm afraid."
Metal Man (GM): The book floats up and flips open. The pages flip wildly. It stops on one page. It shows the destruction of Charles' world.
Dragoshi: "...See?"
Glyph: [Hop] "...is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Wolfman: "Good, for the sake of the universes."
Dragoshi: *Nods in agreement.*
Metal Man (GM): 'The evil one was destroyed amongst his creations; nothing persists of his evil in the universe... nay... not even his realm.' It flips again, showing the Questers in the temple.
Glyph: [Hop] "Where's Eggman? I owe him a two million coin book."
Dragoshi: "He was a robotic fake."
Metal Man (GM): 'This is an ancient tem---'
Glyph: [Hop] "I hope I didn't break it."
Dragoshi: "...Who also died."
Metal Man (GM): It suddenly fades out of existence. All that.
Dragoshi: "...Ah, man!"
Glyph: [Hop] "Uh! Uh! I didn't mean to! Book! Come back!"
Dragoshi: "And I wanted to read it too..." *Sigh.*
Metal Man (GM): All that's left is an M, from the name Sardis Mongul.
Wolfman: "Dragoshi, you know we shouldn't know too much about our future."
Glyph: *Hop drops to his knees.*
Metal Man (GM): Apparently, Sardis Mongul's spellbook was also an illusion.
Glyph: [Hop] "No! You maniacs! You blew it all up!"
Dragoshi: "I was gonna use it to try and figure out when the Final Day was is all..."
Glyph: [Hop] "Dang you all! Dang you all to heck!"
Dragoshi: "Oh, and the-...Dammit! I forgot that everything Solarian was fake."
Wolfman: .oO(Though it would have helped if I would have known if I had gotten an extra life...)
Glyph: *Hop punches the temple floor.*
Wolfman wonders what is Hop's malfunction.
Metal Man (GM): Anyway; the corridor continues to a wider area ahead, and all hear the splashing of water out there.
Dragoshi: "Anyway, Hop..."
Glyph: [Hop] "Nintendus was Earth all along!"
Wolfman: "...HOLD UP!"
Dragoshi: "...?"
Wolfman: "Earth is supposed to be a separate realm! Since when did Nintendus and Earth become the same place? ...and where are the apes?"
Glyph: [Hop] "I bet they're splashing in that other room."
Dex: "Error: no apes found."
Glyph: *Hop wanders over to it.*
Wolfman: "Dex, that was called a joke."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers see a fountain... a most horrible fountain.
Wolfman moves on... to a fountain... a bad fountain. But what is bad about it?
Metal Man (GM): It appears to run backwards, with putrid water flying into the air and back into the spigot.
Dragoshi: "...What the hell."
Wolfman: "...alright, are we going forward or backwards in time here?"
Metal Man (GM): A single, larger door is up ahead, however it is covered in shining chains of light. The same granite sign sits here, describing its function.
Glyph: *Hop walks backwards over to the granite sign and attempts to read it right to left.*
Wolfman looks at the sign.
Metal Man (GM): 'The chains of light hold back the evil truth.'
Wolfman would be reading it from left to right.
Metal Man (GM): 'Only those whose time has come may enter under this roof.'
Dragoshi: "Chains of light huh..."
Metal Man (GM): And two more lines, also in Spanish.
Wolfman: "What is this? A door to Kingdom Hearts or something?"
Metal Man (GM): *BUZZ.*
Glyph: [Hop] "No, there'd be more Aetos in that case."
Wolfman: "Then you tell us what it is."
Metal Man (GM): Since the Questers can't break those chains (they appear to be invincible, at least), one would naturally look around the room. Indeed, there are two paths to the side.
Wolfman looks around the room, hoping to find something.
Metal Man (GM): One is the Path of Chaos, whose door lays open.
Glyph: [Hop] "Look for the positive and negative coils!"
Metal Man (GM): To the left is the Path of Law.
Glyph: [Hop] "Put them in the right path, then you can use the portal to reach the Lab."
Dragoshi: *Decides to do some searching as well...*
Wolfman: "...say what Hop?"
Metal Man (GM): The Path of Law is locked, whereas the Path of Chaos sits open. They are to the left and right of the door; amusingly, the Path of Law is not on the Right.
Dragoshi: *He looks to see if Path of Law have the chains of light around it too?*
Metal Man (GM): No. It has iron chains.
Glyph: [Hop] "Let's take the Path of Chaos. I bet he doesn't even have all seven Chaos Emeralds."
Metal Man (GM): With a padlock. But the Questers don't have the key. Or any keys.
Wolfman: "The Path of Law is not on the right. Does that mean it is not the right path?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Should be a piece of cake."
Metal Man (GM): ...Interestingly... The path the Questers came from is 'The Path of Darkness'
Dragoshi: "Well, chaos can be sometimes good and law can be evil. So... It is a possibility."
Metal Man (GM): And the fountain is named 'The Fountain of Turmoil'
Dragoshi: "As how darkness can be good and light can be evil, but yea..."
Metal Man (GM): However, there is no Chandelier of Doom. Sorry.
Glyph: *Hop searches himself for his trusty wrench... would it have survived the time portal?*
Metal Man (GM): Yes, assuming it's a normal wrench.
Wolfman tries searching for a better thing.
Metal Man (GM): Wolf finds... a thing. It's a block. A wood block. Painted black.
Glyph: *Hop takes his Normal(TM) Wrench and starts attempting to screw in the Fountain of Turmoil's head until it stops flowing.*
Metal Man (GM): It's kind of dented. Glyph puts the wrench at the fountain.
Wolfman finds a dented painted wooden block.
Metal Man (GM): It suddenly morphs into a screwdriver.
Wolfman: "Hmm... is this useful for anyone?"
Metal Man (GM): That water's seriously got issues.
Glyph: [Hop] "I hate it when that happens." *Hop puts the screwdriver away, apparently unimpressed with the danger of the fountain.*
Metal Man (GM): The wood block is somewhat moist.
Dragoshi: *Tries searching for better stuff as well.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi finds... nothing.
Glyph: *Hop runs over to the wood block and attempts to lift it.*
Metal Man (GM): It's about the size of a Gamecube. Glyph picks it up easily... it's lightweight. Lighter than it should be normally.
Dragoshi: *Continues his search. Whee...*
Glyph: *Hop promptly throws it as hard as he can at the Fountain of Turmoil.*
Metal Man (GM): It flies into the fountain, then flies out.
Glyph: *Hop examines the block.*
Metal Man (GM): It morphs into a Toad. The Mario kind. With a blue-spotted cap, even! And green shirt... and a weird hat... and a mustache. It talks to the Questers.
Glyph: [Hop] "Hello!"
Wolfman: "...Toad?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Are you two related?"
Rissk E.: "Ahhhhhhh!!!!!! Er... who are you people? I was just drinking from this fountain when I suddenly felt like a blockhead."
Glyph: [Hop] "I saved the day! Whoo!"
Wolfman: "...that's because you WERE a Blockhead."
Glyph: *Hop pumps his fists in the air. He shouts the Final Fantasy victory tune.*
Rissk E.: "I was? Gee. No wonder why I had to fight off termites... ...woah... are you in here on a dare, too?"
Dragoshi: "No..."
Wolfman: "Recon mission."
Glyph: [Hop] "I hate those termites."
Rissk E.: "The front door was closed, but I dug my way in."
Glyph: *Hop starts shoveling the ground with his screwdriver.*
Wolfman: "What do you know of this place?"
Rissk E.: "Ah, well, my friends found it in the middle of Toad Town. Yeah, we rode a horse cart and then some steam-powered tractors were digging... So I decided to take a look myself, as they bet me 100 coins I'd never come back alive. And that's a ton of money. I could buy a house!"
Glyph: [Hop] "Wow. I never appreciated how expensive everything in the shop is."
Wolfman: "...I don't recall 100 coins being enough to buy a house now."
Glyph: [Hop] "Hooray economy!"
Rissk E.: "So, I went in, I even walked through that trippy fountain. But these doors are locked, and that path of Chaos is... too complex for me to comprehend. I got thirsty and took a drink... ...and now you're here."
Metal Man (GM): He takes out an old watch and looks at it.
Glyph: [Hop] "You turned into a wooden block. I bet Bowser used this. I bet Bowser totally used this."
Rissk E.: "That's odd. More than a few hours have passed."
Wolfman: "Hop, Bowser is dead now."
Rissk E.: "Bowser... dead?????"
Glyph: [Hop] "Why does everything I love perish?"
Dragoshi: "Yep... The guy's dead."
Rissk E.: "Bowser was terrorizing us just yesterday!"
Glyph: [Hop] "And why does it do so before I can reconcile it with the instruction manuals of my youth?! Why?!@."
Rissk E.: "He's a bit young, though. A guy named Kamek really calls the shots."
Dragoshi: "...What year was it when that happened?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Bowser used the Fountain of Turmoil to turn the mushroom kingdomers into wooden blocks! It's so simple."
Wolfman: "Hop, it's not."
Rissk E.: "150 or something, yes!"
Wolfman: "This entire place is not simple." *gets out his Dex to check for the current year.*
Rissk E.: "Year 150... so many years. Although there were many before the 150. I'm not sure why we switched."
Metal Man (GM): 255, Wolfman.
Glyph: [Hop] "Maximum 8-bit hexadecimal value!"
Wolfman: "...uh oh. Mr. Toad... you have been a blockhead for over 100 years."
Dragoshi: "...105 to be exact."
Rissk E.: "...That's a bit of an issue." He looks shocked. "Uh... don't drink the funny water, then!"
Glyph: *Hop drinks the funny water.*
Metal Man (GM): Hop turns into a rocking horse.
Wolfman turns to Hop... uh oh.
Rissk E.: "...Exactly! Don't drink the funny water. Like that guy."
Wolfman: "Dragoshi, if you can throw him into the fountain please."
Dragoshi: "...'Kay." *Does so.*
Wolfman: "I don't wish to try lifting with my current... well, you can see how I am."
Metal Man (GM): He turns back, but there's still two handles stuck to the sides of his head.
Glyph: [Hop] "I have evolved!"
Wolfman: "...close enough."
Glyph: *Hop attempts to pull off and pocket them both.*
Wolfman turns back to Rissk E. "Yous aid the Chaos Path was too complicated, right? Did you try the Law Path?"
Metal Man (GM): *RIP* *RIP* Glyph take some of his hair with it, however they weren't glued on very well.
Rissk E.: "No. I couldn't find the key."
Glyph: [Hop] "I bet the key is not a key until you Turmoilize it."
Dragoshi: *Searches for any other items before possibly moving on. Like the key to the law path.*
Glyph: [Hop] "Let's shove things into the fountain until they turn into keys!"
Wolfman: "...you might have a good idea there, for once Hop."
Rissk E.: "Maybe the key's inside that path. After all, it was way too confusing for anyone to make sense in there. Suddenly some evil man in a steam-powered UFO attacked us, and then another man in a glowing train defeated him, only for giant bats... ...it hurts my head to think about it."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi finds no other items here.
Dragoshi: "...Ah. Sounds screwy."
Glyph: [Hop] "Steam powered UFO? Did he..." *Hop raises his eyebrows.*
Wolfman turns to Hop again.
Glyph: *Hop lowers his eyebrows. And repeats...*
Wolfman: "...do you have an idea who this is?"
Rissk E.: "It looked a lot like Toad Town, too... some guy said if I didn't continue the challenge, events like that would become true. Has Toad Town been constantly destroyed recently?"
Wolfman: "Yes."
Glyph: [Hop] "Very yes."
Dragoshi: "Aye."
Rissk E.: "Ouch. I'd be careful, then. Because apparently whoever it was is correct."
Wolfman: "I should know: I do part time taxi service for Toad Town.
Rissk E.: "Still, he had some helpful instructions. Which I forgot, since I became a blockhead."
Glyph: [Hop] "Okay! Back in the fountain you go!" *Hop prepares to push Rissk E. back in.*
Wolfman: "NO!"
Rissk E.: "I'd suggest going in there---ahhhhh!!!!" *runs out the door and vanishes.*
Wolfman: "...nice going Hop. You scared him away."
Glyph: [Hop] "...I thought it'd help jog his memory. He was cruddy at exposition anyway."
Wolfman: "...well, shall we try going through the Law Path now? Or the Chaos Path?"
Glyph: *Hop runs down that path without answering. He hits the door and runs down the Chaos Path.*
Dragoshi: *Follows...*
Wolfman shrugs and follows.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk down the Chaos path. Oddly, it all looks very familiar. In fact, they walk right into HQ.
Wolfman: "...okay, now I know something isn't right!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man is sitting in the Big Room, looking frazzled. He begins talking at the Questers.
Glyph: [Hop] "I bet we can get back to the chaos place... all we have to say is "plugh!""
Metal Man: "Oh. Hi. Today the Alexian Guard attacked... yet again. Meanwhile, the Magellean Military 4 attacked and destroyed half of Neo-Atlantis."
Wolfman: "The Alexian Guard? The Magellean Military?!?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Oh, cool. This must be the future."
Metal Man: "We're still trying to save the planet of Neovia though..."
Glyph: [Hop] "'cause we blew up regular Atlantis. Alright, alright, I dig."
Wolfman: "Forgive me for having a bad intelligence chip (again)... But can you at least explain a little bit more of this history again?"
Metal Man: "A bunch of psychic aliens took it over... and Trevor also appeared and took over part of Toad Town."
Glyph: [Hop] "Now all I have to do is figure out how I know we blew up regular Atlantis."
Metal Man: "Well, it all began when Alexia escaped HQ and started her own religion. It involved killing all who get in the way of being cursed."
Wolfman: "...the Wolfos Hide."
Metal Man: "Meanwhile, Aetos started up Charles' empire again, wishing to avenge his death."
Glyph: [Hop] "Haha, oh, that crazy Aetos. He and his shenanigans."
Wolfman: "...and Aetos is alive?!?"
Metal Man: "We built Neo-Atlantis to stop them, but Garrick betrayed me for Aetos, then flew off in a giant shiny space ship into outer space."
Glyph: [Hop] "Yeah. You can't keep a good wind spirit down."
Wolfman: "Metal, what did we do wrong that caused this exactly?" .oO(Come on, give the information!)
Metal Man: "Well, basically, we let all sorts of our own people just walk away."
Glyph: [Hop] "Hey, Future Metal! What happened to me and my... um... acquaintances?"
Dragoshi: "...That was a bad idea. Who remains, anyway?"
Metal Man: "Then they started their own countries and abused their powers, and now we have about eight 'Empires' trying to kill us. Oh, Julian. He's got a corporation and has taken over half of the moon."
Glyph: [Hop] "Like a strategy game. I bet we all team up to take down Sturm."
Dragoshi: "...Don't you mean a giant, talking Snifit?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Sure."
Metal Man: "As for you, Hop, you survived, but then the Mages Council and those evil Archivists attacked us with some monster which was also you."
Dragoshi: "...and me?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Sounds reasonable."
Wolfman: "I thought the Mages Council wasn't around anymore."
Metal Man: "They killed Dragoshi, too. The monsters! ...Wait... you're Dragoshi. Are you Dragoshi 2 or 3?"
Dragoshi: "...Okay. HOW did they kill the me that was killed?"
Metal Man: "Dragoshi 3 tried to kill me with a kneecapping stick."
Glyph: [Hop] "He's on his first life. Low HP, though."
Dragoshi: "And what did 2 do?"
Metal Man: "Well, they killed you with an omni-deathray of doom."
Wolfman: "What happened to the one known as Wolfman 2000?"
Dragoshi: "...Son of a sidewinder." @_@.
Metal Man: "Dragoshi 2 put on a green top hat. He and Grodus and Smithy built their own space station. It was taken out by The Businessman, though, who teamed up with those aliens."
Glyph: [Hop] "Where is Dr. Robotnik? I owe him two million coins."
Metal Man: "Oh, Dr. Robotnik... which one?"
Dragoshi: "Ivo."
Wolfman wants his question answered first.
Glyph: [Hop] "I bet Toad Taxi is one of the empires."
Metal Man: "Mary, Ivan, Joe, George, Wily, Bob, Fred, and Dylan Robotniks have appeared so far, as well as Gerald Junior."
Wolfman: "I'll ask again. What happened to Wolfman 2000?"
Glyph: [Hop] "I bet Gerald Junior started terrorizing the timeline just like his old man."
Metal Man: "Ivo Robotnik's around, in fact he's fighting for the inheritance of the family fortune with his uncles, aunts, brothers, and half-godmothers."
Glyph: *Hop ignores Wolfman.*
Metal Man: "Ah, Wolfman. You turned into an eight-armed spider monster due to Sigma's reprogramming. We saved you, but then Alexia killed you."
Dragoshi: "And what happened to the Shadar?"
Metal Man: "Then Aetos wounded Alexia, and Mary Robotnik stabbed them both in the shins."
Dragoshi: .oO(Please say they died, please say they died)
Metal Man: "The Shadar have a new book called the Perplexio, and now sell their services to the many people here. With Dragoshi dead, they also look for a new avatar of their evil."
Wolfman: "Alright, we know the source of this... err, future."
Dragoshi: "...Huh."
Glyph: [Hop] "Show me no more, spirit! Show me the events that transpire here can yet be undone!"
Metal Man: "I'm unsure why I'm talking to you, though... most of you should be dead or elsewhere."
Wolfman: "If we run into the Past again, should we let them let Alexia have the Wolfos Hide?"
Metal Man: "Undone????"
Glyph: [Hop] "Yeah. We want to destroy your timeline... it's kinda what we do. What with it being a Bad Future and all."
Dragoshi: "Did I ever get anywhere on my research for trying to find a way to use the contract's powers without having to deal with those stupid Shadar?"
Metal Man: "No, hell no. Never let her have the Wolfos Hide."
Glyph: [Hop] "We did that to Magellean, we'll prolly do that to you."
Metal Man: "That was what started this mess... like Magellean and the Mega Mack..."
Dragoshi: "And, my question..."
Wolfman: "...did she end up getting it in this timeline?"
Metal Man: "It was only a matter of time before Three Powers people and the Solarians invaded and blew up everything to the East of this planet."
Glyph: [Hop] "Objection!!! Solarians are fake! Thus, your statement is false!" *Hop points angrily.*
Dragoshi: "Yea..."
Metal Man: "O_o... I see... Anyway... we kept the hide from her, but she escaped."
Wolfman: .oO(...normally, I'd say something like "Hop, Cool Down", but... I'm waiting here.)
Metal Man: "Causing her to want it back. So she did all that to get the hide from us."
Wolfman: "...Alexia left, others eventually left... what does the Hide do?"
Metal Man: "But Mary Robotnik stole it from us first. The Hide... does nothing. I've even had people wear it."
Dragoshi: "...Under a full moon?"
Metal Man: "It was burnt. It's busted. Alexia doesn't believe it, and we can't prove it with Mary Robotnik having sold it to the aliens."
Dragoshi: "...Looks like I'll have to kick my plan into action after I complete this asinine mission."
Metal Man: "She thought she was going to die, and instead nothing happened. Yet she continued anyway, apparently unable to rest until she kills us all for it. But..."
Metal Man (GM): *RIP* Metal Man vanishes like somebody ripped a piece of paper.
Dragoshi: "...what the boat."
Glyph: [Hop] "Aw, man. I was just gonna ask him if he wanted to borrow something from the past."
Metal Man (GM): A weird looking man with a fancy cane appears instead, looking around the mess on the screens.
Glyph: [Hop] "In exchange for the key."
???: "A ha! So you are the people I have been looking for."
Wolfman looks to the fancy man.
Dragoshi: "...And, you are?"
???: "Don't ask me what my name is... I don't have one."
Wolfman: "...and who exactly are you?"
Dragoshi: "Huh."
Glyph: [Hop] "Was it Metal Man?"
???: "I am just an enchantment, like this whole illusionary world. This is the world you're headed towards."
Dragoshi: "Well, we need to stop that then."
???: "I believe you would want to prevent it, right?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Sounds fun."
Wolfman: "We do."
Glyph: [Hop] "Wait, we are?"
Dragoshi: "Duh."
Wolfman: "YES HOP!"
Glyph: [Hop] "Why?"
???: "Well, I must make sure you aren't The Destroyer first."
Wolfman: "Sorry that you are out of the loop here. We'll explain later."
Glyph: [Hop] "It looked like business as usual."
Dragoshi: "Because this future would be bad for us."
Glyph: [Hop] "But if we change it it could get..."
Wolfman: "Then test us Mysterious One."
???: "After all, if he got the key... nobody could save us." *Flips his cane and shoots out an image of Nintendus.*
Dragoshi: "Well, I have a crystal that's part of said Destroyer's antithesis... And sadly the only one that remains."
???: "Tell me... does this or does this not belong with this?" *Shows an image of Earth.*
Glyph: [Hop] "Dragoshi! Give him your shiny!"
???: "Don't tell me what is, of course. That is already problematic. What should be?"
Wolfman gets a look at the image of Earth... good question. "...that does not fully look right if you ask me. We were on a planet, yes... but not Earth."
Dragoshi: "Mhm..."
???: "So it does not belong? Is that... your final answer?"
Glyph: [Hop] "I thought we were. This is so confusing! Wait! No! That's bad! Not final answer! Use lifeline!"
Wolfman: "Hop, SHUT UP!"
???: "Life... line?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Earth equals Nintendus final answer!"
Wolfman: "NO!"
Dragoshi: "Add to it that Earth was never part of this realm until recently."
Wolfman: "Hop, as leader of the Questers at this moment, I order you to stand down!"
Glyph: [Hop] "Final answer!"
???: "That... isn't an answer. The question is whether or not they belong together."
Dragoshi: "...No."
Wolfman: "That answer is NO! FINAL ANSWER!"
Julian: *And then Julian suddenly walks in from the left! Hooray!* "Would someone mind tellin' me what the hell is goin' on?"
Wolfman: "The two planets were always meant to be separate."
???: *Rolls his eyes.* "Oh, nothing. This is simply the Path of Chaos."
Glyph: [Hop] "We're playing Who Wants to Save the Timeline. You can be a lifeline, Julian. Mr. Sawyer sir."
???: "Anyway... you are correct... but this is but one question you have answered correctly. The second... is trickier."
Dragoshi: "And, you have more..."
Wolfman: "Hop, stay quiet."
Dragoshi: *Chuckles.* "Of course."
???: "Which is a world you would rather have... one with Solarians and Magitek to solve your problems, or one in which old fashioned fighting is required to save the day?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Old fashioned fighting final answer!"
Wolfman: "Old fashioned fighting."
Dragoshi: "...Old fashioned fighting."
Wolfman: "...I told you to be quiet!"
???: "Correct... Magitek, even if it existed, would make living pointless."
Metal Man (GM): He rolls a third question.
Dragoshi: "Yea..."
Glyph: *Hop wanders off to the corner, sits down, and puts his head down.*
???: "This is the toughest one... or maybe the easiest one."
Dragoshi: "It depends..."
???: "There are people like Charles Magellean everywhere."
Dragoshi: "Mhm..."
???: "Should these people simply be allowed to do whatever they want, as long as it doesn't hurt anybody who leaves them alone?"
Wolfman: "...that is a very good question. Permission to huddle?"
???: "Go ahead. Now... you... Mr. Julian..."
Wolfman turns to Dragoshi.
Dragoshi: "..." *Turns to Wolf.*
???: "This is simply a temple which contains the horrible truth to what you've been through this whole time."
Julian: .oO(Fuckin' Chaos realm... Never liked ANYTHING we had to deal with that had Chaos as part of it.) "Is that so?"
Wolfman: "...how much did Charles bother us exactly? I don't fully recall."
???: "Yes... this is simply one path. My brother on the other path will probably make sense to you."
Metal Man (GM): ??? spins the staff. It shows Charles creating towers, imprisoning Questers, betraying people, killing Solarians... Taking over the moon, making deadly deals with the Businessman... Indoctrinating Aetos...
Wolfman: "...I wasn't fully aware of that."
Dragoshi: "...He's done a lot of bad stuff."
Glyph: *Hop closes his eyes.*
Metal Man (GM): It shows Lumis Dongthar creating a mess...
Wolfman: "The question is a valid one."
Metal Man (GM): Varuushka...
Julian: "Wolf, Charles has caused us PLENTY of fuckin' grief. If we'd just killed him off like I said we shoulda earlier, we coulda avoided all of it. "
Metal Man (GM): It never stops going.
Dragoshi: "Heck, I think we're even trying to prevent more people like Charles."
Metal Man (GM): It even shows him as being why Kuja came back full force.
Wolfman: "...you are right on that Julian."
Metal Man (GM): However, that is struck out by a future one, which shows Charles was a pawn of something else... But that Charles didn't care and caused it anyway.
Julian: "So I'm thinkin' no, these wackjobs shouldn't be allowed to do whatever they want. But that ain't my decision to make. It's the groups."
???: "He has done much... but always he has complained people are merely attacking him first... Only the Destroyer could endorse the wrong answer... which you will find out when you have your answer."
Dragoshi: "...Does he always throw that complaint around?"
Metal Man (GM): It also shows Charles clutching a red chaos emerald and using it to destroy things... X-zone shielding... The Sword of Order...
Wolfman: *to Questers.* "I have a strange feeling that the answer is... don't let them do whatever."
Julian: "You don't fuckin' say."
Metal Man (GM): He fights with Ricky, creates Trevor, finds the Light Side and causes the Gerald Virus to escape...
Wolfman: "But I'm going to let you guys give the final answer. My beliefs on some of this is conflicted.
???: "As I said... very easy, or very hard. A man left alone can do some nice things... or some bad things."
Julian: "Human nature tends to tilt towards the latter."
Wolfman: "...perhaps a middle road then?"
Dragoshi: "Perhaps..."
???: "There is yes, and there is no. Do you have an answer?"
Wolfman: "...alright, no middle."
Julian: "I'm votin' no."
Wolfman: "...we might disagree on some things Julian, but I'm not going to argue this vote." *turns to mysterious one.* "I also vote no."
???: "That is enough... to decide. The true answer... is no."
Dragoshi: *WAS about to say no, but the duo beat him to it.*
???: "Allowing people to run around and destroy and manipulate at their own whim is nothing but evil."
Dragoshi: "Yea..."
Julian: "Damn straight."
???: "The Destroyer praises such deeds, for he himself does them himself."
Wolfman simply nods. "...who IS the Destroyer anyway?"
???: "You'll see... But first... the world you wish to prevent is built on such misdeeds. To prevent them... take this key... And ensure none are allowed to do as the Magellean again."
Julian: "You got it."
Wolfman: "...understood."
Metal Man (GM): He hands another rainbow key to the Questers, and now all they see is the door back out.
Dragoshi: "We'll make sure of that."
Julian: *Woo, key.*
???: "Also... Rissk E. should be returned to his home timeline some day... you might want to find him later. Loose ends and such."
Dragoshi: "'Kay."
Wolfman: "Even though he will be over 100 years old?"
Dragoshi: "Yea. Loose ends being tied up are good."
Julian: "Who the hell's Rissk E.?"
Wolfman: "You missed him on the way here Julian."
???: "A foolish Toad who doomed Toad Town by telling me he agreed with the Destroyer. He did it on a bet... but Toad Town just hasn't been the same."
Wolfman: "...so you were part of the reason he became a blockhead."
???: "No... he drank the water after I told him not to."
Dragoshi: *blink.*
Wolfman: "Ah. We'll keep an eye out for him then."
???: "Nothing I can do about that." He shrugs.
Dragoshi: *Nods in agreement.* "Anyway... I guess we should be taking our leave now."
Julian: "Where we goin' now?"
Wolfman: "Hop, you are free to come with us if you want."
???: "Indeed..."
Metal Man (GM): He vanishes. The main room is accessible once again. It is, as I described earlier:
Dragoshi: *Walks back to the main room and the Law path.*
Metal Man (GM): A square room with 1 door on each side. North way is the Path of Light, blocked by chains of light.
Wolfman follows Dragoshi into the Law Path.
Metal Man (GM): This was the East way, the Path of Chaos. The way the Questers came in was the Path of Darkness. To the West is the Path of Law.
Julian: *Julian follows the two, not knowing what the fuck.*
Metal Man (GM): The middle has the Fountain of Turmoil.
Glyph: *Hop slowly stands up and starts following, lagging behind the others.*
Julian: "Why's Hop's crazy ass here?"
Metal Man (GM): The key unlocks the law path. Ironically, nothing much inside except a walkway which dead-ends.
Dragoshi: "He just popped up out of a portal."
Metal Man (GM): A similar man in elaborate clothing, but white clothes instead of black, appears.
???: "Hello there. I have been locked in here for many years. What do you wish to know from me?"
Wolfman: "...we didn't know you were locked in here."
Julian: "...Shit, what're we lookin' for again? The way to make sure Nintendus don't end up like this, right?"
Dragoshi: "Well, how to prevent the future that was foretold to happen in the Path of Chaos for starters."
Wolfman: "We had come here to scout some land that had appeared mysteriously in our home."
Glyph: [Hop] "Mr... law... sir? Will you be needing that key back?"
???: "Ah... this land... and a key????"
Julian: "The key we used to unlock yo' door."
???: "This temple is ancient, and tied to no one land specifically, however it has a tendency to appear whenever The Destroyer's path is nearly complete."
Glyph: [Hop] "The key that locked the door. I, I just thought, maybe we could put it in the fountain and it'd turn into a different key."
Julian: "So he's been at this BEFORE?"
Wolfman: "...we recently saw what the future could be like if his plan is complete."
Dragoshi: "...Well, I guess that means we really need to stop that path from completing itself, then..."
???: "Many times. In fact, he's never been stopped."
Wolfman: "We wish to know how to stop him."
???: "That... is..." He sighs. "..."
Dragoshi: "...Impossible?"
???: "I've seen many people like you. They've all died. Not to this temple, but The Destroyer."
Dragoshi: *Pulls out his crystal and stares into it.* "I see..."
???: "He has destroyed countless realms and continues to this day."
Wolfman: "Then we won't go through the usual hero cliches."
???: "His foes are all killed, none have escaped him. Artifacts... against him..."
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his head.
Dragoshi: "Did any of them have..." *Shows the crystal.* "This?"*
???: "He possessed all of those for himself."
Glyph: [Hop] "I think it's broken, Dragoshi. Please give it up."
???: "No, however what you have is something he depowered."
Dragoshi: "...Then how do I re-power it?"
Wolfman: "...is this a good thing in this case?"
???: "He has the power to turn off those relics people commonly use."
Glyph: [Hop] "...hmm? Like... X-Kuja?"
???: "It's better than the alternative. He could have chosen to take it for himself."
Julian: "So we can't use fancy weaponry on this guy."
???: "X... Kuja????? Your realm is further gone than I thought."
Glyph: [Hop] "Yeah. From the Bad X-Zone."
Wolfman: "...actually, that is Hop's realm."
Glyph: [Hop] "There's the Bad X-Zone and the Weird X-Zone."
Wolfman: "Recently, his world was destroyed."
???: "Bad... Good... what? Clearly your realm is in great danger."
Glyph: [Hop] "There are three X-zones, a Y-zone, and a Null Zone."
Julian: "You don't even know the half of it."
Wolfman: "If fancy weaponry will not work... hold that thought."
Glyph: [Hop] "Or are there just two? I can't remember."
Wolfman turns to Hop. "Hop, SHUT UP!"
???: "The more of these divisions there are, the more destroyed your realm is."
Wolfman turns back to the law guy.
Glyph: *Hop staggers back and puts his hands over his head.*
Wolfman: "That was Hop's realm, not the majority of ours."
???: "Oh, but he is correct. It is mostly yours." *He shakes his head.* "Continue."
Wolfman: "...that doesn't make me feel better."
???: "I must empower you with knowledge, so that you can know your situation."
Wolfman: "If fancy weaponry will not work... do we have to use old fashioned skills?"
Julian: "Ain't that a bitch... So empower."
Wolfman: "...that is probably a good idea."
???: "No. Merely avoid the usage of artifacts of raw power. Those are like candy to The Destroyer. I do not know his true form or weakness... he never reveals it until it's almost too late..."
Dragoshi: "So... This crystal is like candy to him or what, then?"
Glyph: [Hop] "Mr. Law, sir, is this the man behind the stars?"
???: "Somewhat. But he dislikes that flavor."
Dragoshi: "Ah.."
Julian: "So he just smashes it."
???: "This man is between them... always watching... destroying all which displeases him... At least five realms have fallen to his hatred. Indeed, one of those may have been yours."
Julian: "Hmmm... This all sounds kinda familiar."
Dragoshi: "Gahh... If only the rest of these crystals weren't destroyed..."
???: "Now... before I go any further... I must test to be sure you will be lawful with the knowledge beyond that final door..."
Wolfman nods at that.
Dragoshi: *Puts the crystal away, then nods.*
Julian: "Shoot."
???: "Do you... do you support destroying or killing for your beliefs, based upon you feeling right, even though it is deemed wrong by the majority? That is, would you fight at any cost for something when you had peaceful alternatives? Although those peaceful ones may be less effective..."
Wolfman: "I thank you for rephrasing the question."
Glyph: [Hop] "That's silly. The right answer is the peaceful one, but that's not what the Questers do, of course..."
Wolfman: "Hop, SHUT UP! Recently, we have been attempting to be more Peaceful."
Dragoshi: "...That's 'cause there usually isn't a peaceful answer for us, Hop."
Glyph: [Hop] "No! I've had it up to here with you bossing me around!"
???: "I do believe you cannot shut up all your problems, mechanical machine. You must decide as somewhat a group, anyway."
Wolfman: "...you are right. I am currently in 'former leader' mode right now."
???: "This is not so much relevant to the here and now, but rather what you believe. For what is now has already been partially destroyed."
Wolfman turns to the Questers... Hop included. "...we can't change the past, but we can change the future. Do we go for peace?"
Glyph: *Hop nudges Julian.*
Julian: "Hmmm... I'd have to say Go For Peace. Easier on the wallet. Except when you're talkin' to the crazies, who never negotiate ever."
Dragoshi: "Indeed. Peace should be the primary method... But, sadly said primary method seems nonexistent on some of our missions. But, anyway... Yea. I would go for peace."
Wolfman turns to the Law Guardian. "...we choose the peaceful alternative first."
???: "Of course. If you have no peaceful option, the question is somewhat different... I mean when peace is involved." He nods. "That is correct. Peace, when possible, is better than destruction."
Wolfman: .oO(Now we have to live up to it...)
Julian: "Next question, if you don't mind..."
???: "With that in mind, you have the choice of inconveniencing yourself, or your friends. Of course, if I left it at this, it would be obvious; the question is more complex. You are the only being which can stop that which is evil by sacrificing yourself; if you don't, you will survive... but your friends and others will be hit by the results of evil un-neutralized. But if you do it, you would die... possibly preventing your intervention in the future... What do you choose?"
Julian: "...Tough one."
Wolfman: "...for you, perhaps. I've seen enough in my lifetime... or equivalent, as it were. If I had to take a deathray for you guys... don't think I won't." *turns to Law Guardian.*
Julian: "Needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few... I'll go with the second one."
Wolfman: "There is a saying. No Sacrifice, No Victory. I would sacrifice myself."
Glyph: "I'm afraid I have to agree. But then, my existence hasn't exactly been bliss."
Dragoshi: *Nods in agreement with the others.*
???: "Hmmm... That is correct... and then there is the final question. Of course, this is a bit controversial. You have all assumed great amounts of power in your Quest."
Dragoshi: *Nods...*
Wolfman won't deny that.
Julian: .oO(Got that right...)
???: "And your foes have become powerful too."
Dragoshi: "That is true..."
Wolfman can't deny that either.
???: "What if... you could use your power to prevent those foes from striking again... But it would render you perfectly normal, without power?"
Glyph: "Define 'prevent.'"
???: "Prevent... you would use it to end all of those foes, and the evil which faces you. The cost is high, though, possibly higher than death."
Wolfman: "...no good, no evil."
???: "You would never be able to do the mythical powers you can do now."
Dragoshi: "...All of them? As in only the ones we know of or does that include even the ones we don't know of?"
Wolfman: "The question makes sense, in a way."
???: "Any sort of supernatural power."
Julian: "...I think I could live with that. Did it for 21 years 'fore I came here."
???: "Obviously you still have fists, guns, and swords."
Wolfman: "A lot of this stems from me... because I was a creator of powers."
Julian: *Julian doesn't have very many supernatural powers anyway.*
Glyph: "Of course, I can't answer this one... what powers, exactly, do I have to lose?"
Wolfman: "Hop... I do not know that one."
Glyph: "I abstain."
Wolfman: "However, there is something to keep in mind."
???: "Easy." He touches Hop's forehead. "You have far too many personalities for a normal person. Those could not exist in this world I speak of."
Wolfman: "It is usually the ones we are after that want to hold onto power forever. Are we like them? No. Which means... if we want to be selfish and hold onto them... we are just as bad, if not worse."
Dragoshi: "That's right. We aren't..."
Glyph: "That's really not a benefit, Law Guardian, Wolfman."
Wolfman: "The idea does sound a little crazy, Law Guardian, but if there is a way to at least reduce the amount of evil, if not outright eliminate it, by giving up whatever supernatural powers we have... well, at least I would do so."
Glyph: "Assuming we wouldn't be powerless to stop a greater threat."
Dragoshi: "Mhm..."
Wolfman: .oO(Not answering, not answering...)
Julian: "Like I already said, I could live with it."
Glyph: "No qualms here."
???: "Then... it is. You are those who must see the message."
Dragoshi: "Mhm..."
Julian: "Wonderful."
Wolfman simply nods.
???: "For that is correct." He generates a weird lookin' cube and reaches into it, taking out a glowing golden key. "I once had more fancy a way to do this, but when the door was locked, it became pointless. For you have been my first visitors in countless eons. It is with regret I must saw good bye." He gives the key to the Questers and vanishes.
Julian: *Yay, key. Back into the main room.*
Wolfman nods once more.
Dragoshi: *Nods as well, then follows Julian back to the main room.*
Wolfman also goes to the main room.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers have the key; and the chains stand before them.
Wolfman: "...shall we enter?"
Julian: *And we'll be unlocking the door.*
Glyph follows last.
Dragoshi: "...Mhm."
Metal Man (GM): The door unlocks.
Julian: *Enter! Loading...*
Metal Man (GM): There is a deep clank, and the stone door is revealed as the chains vanish. An image of a grand sun is on the door, surrounded by many ancient runes... it draws up slowly...
Wolfman enters slowly.
Dragoshi: *Enters as well...*
Metal Man (GM): It hits the top, and inside there is a far more elaborate room. It seems older, too. The entire room is built of elaborately arranged stones, held together by mortar. A massive stone monolith of a wall stands to the left. It is massive, and goes on for quite a while. At first, there is nothing but pictures... then there is writing.
Wolfman gets a look at the writing if possible.
Glyph wanders over to a rune and compares it to one on himself.
Julian: *Story time!*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are too far away to read it directly, yet. First... there is a progression of pictures.
Dragoshi: *Checks out the pictures.*
Metal Man (GM): We have ourselves a very simple picture: a planet. Fully formed.
Wolfman gets a look at this current picture.
Metal Man (GM): It could be Earth. Could be Samus' homeworld. Corneria. any old place... just a peaceful planet. Giant letters, repeated in many different languages, frame it. 'IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS PEACE...' It then shows a village on the surface of the planet. An average village, normal-looking houses. The Questers can't see the people very well, but they appear human. 'SENTIENT BEINGS EXISTED WHO CREATED ORDER...' The next shows several people. They clutch many artifacts... indeed. Rings, stones, guns, swords, tablets. And matching pumps, very tasteful. Their faces are sort of blurry, and they seem to have been added in at different times.
Metal Man (GM): They neither belong in the same picture together, nor do they appear to be very peaceful. 'THOSE WHO WISHED FOR SOMETHING ELSE SOON AROSE.' It shows the planet again. Only this time, it appears to have been wasted. Destruction is shown all about it. A giant hole is near it, and the Questers see in some side-panels the old village having morphed into a strange city. 'THE ONE WHO HATES ORDER SOON JOINED THEM, SOWING DESTRUCTION IN HIS WAKE...' The next panel is the real paydirt; so much vagueness amongst these. For a moment there, it looked like they weren't going to show what they meant.
Wolfman attempts to find the paydirt then.
Metal Man (GM): Carved in high relief in the stone, is a tall being, at least 10 feet tall, nearly solid darkness. He stands 10 feet tall and has weird eyes of energy, and a gaping grin... one which appears to have shined at the destruction of countless worlds.
Dragoshi: .oO(The Void...?)
Metal Man (GM): He is vaguely humanoid, but a mockery of this; for he is too tall and appears to have broad shoulders.
Julian: "... KNEW this all seemed familiar."
Metal Man (GM): Over his shoulder are shown many more people, all who have apparently been corrupted or host to him.
Dragoshi: "...Is it just me or does the tall being remind anyone else of The Void?"
Metal Man (GM): Priests, governors, ordinary people. It shows an average person suddenly becoming something they should not be: A power-crazed dictator ruling a fanatical country.
Glyph: "He's certainly gotten that sort of charm about him."
Metal Man (GM): Indeed; one could see Gerald himself behind this dark being.
Nick Caligo (GM): The Questers see a lot of familiar faces amongst them... some even friends.
Dragoshi: "...And, there's Gerald." *He checks which friends are up there.*
Julian: "It IS the Void. Son of a Bitch, we shoulda seen this coming."
Wolfman: "...this is... slightly unreal." *can't fully tell that it is the void.*
Dragoshi: "..."
Glyph: "I'm disappointed. We met The Void. We had tea."
Nick Caligo (GM): Well... Metal's up there.
Wolfman: "...uh oh. Guys..." *points up.*
Dragoshi: "...Huh. I even see Metal."
Wolfman: "...Metal Man is up there."
Nick Caligo (GM): Wolfman, too. Charles, of course.
Glyph: "And he was The Void at some point, or some such."
Dragoshi: "...Wait. What's he doing there?"
Wolfman: "...and I'M up there?!?!?!?"
Julian: "No Kiddin'. Metal said awhile back that the Void was part of his soul or somethin'."
Dragoshi: "And what are you doing there, Wolf?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar would also be up there.
Dragoshi: "...Hell, I can understand Charles, but... Aribar?"
Metal Man (GM): Holding the sword of Darkness.
Nick Caligo (GM): Zio, Klumsy...
Wolfman: "...that was probably when I was Maverick for a time."
Dragoshi: "What the hell."
Metal Man (GM): Which... Zio would also be holding on to.
Wolfman: "...Zio, I can picture... but Klumsy?!?"
Julian: "Wasn't Wolf known as Eldorado or somethin' awhile back? Ari's up there because of the Sword O' Darkness..."
Wolfman: "No... no no. And Julian, you are right."
Dragoshi: "...Strange."
Wolfman: "...you know what this means... ...we're all guilty."
Dragoshi: "...Reality's breaking and-Oh."
Glyph sticks his tongue out.
Julian: "YOU'RE guilty. Don't see my name up there..."
Wolfman: "However, do we have the chance to repent and fix this?"
Metal Man (GM): Aetos is also up there.
Dragoshi: "And, there's Aetos..."
Wolfman hopes to find Julian up there now.
Julian: "Aetos, as expected..."
Metal Man (GM): He has the Void's tattoo on him. Willingly, at that.
Nick Caligo (GM): Julian is absent.
Dragoshi: *He looks to see if there is anyone else on there that the group would recognize.*
Glyph: "The only thing these people have in common is that they're old."
Nick Caligo (GM): A familiar figure in a karate gi and Boba Fett's helmet is there, though.
Dragoshi: "...Or have been afflicted wi-Is that Skyhigh?"
Julian: *Julian REMEMBERS Aetos getting the damn tattoo and almost slapping the taste out of his mouth for it.*
Wolfman: "...as for why I would be up there... I didn't choose to be up there willingly as far as I recall."
Julian: "...Think so. Don't remember him ever wearin' that, whatever it is."
Glyph: "The gang's all here. Saw this in the old history logs."
Wolfman: "Alright Hop... I apologize if I gave you a hard time earlier, but whatever you know... now would be a good time to share."
Glyph: "You were all old Questers, right? The pattern is that only people from way back are teamed up with Voidy McX-Zone. It's a time thing... that's all I can put together right now."
Metal Man (GM): Ah, but!
Wolfman: "I know I was."
Dragoshi: "Interesting..." *But...?*
Metal Man (GM): Alexia's picture is up there with the rest. Holding that hide she loves so much.
Glyph: "...!"
Dragoshi: "...Hey, there's Alexia."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Willingly or unwillingly... it doesn't matter." A deep voice, filled with the wisdom of the ages calls to the Questers from the door.
Glyph: "I'm insulted! Where am I up there?!"
Dragoshi: "Explain tha-...Hmm?"
Julian: "Now who's there?"
Wolfman feels that question was directed towards him... he goes to the door. "...what does?"
Nick Caligo (GM): "All those who have assisted The Void in its propagation of chaos, mayhem, and dysfunction have their likenesses placed upon this mural." The Questers look to the door and see no one... until their gazes shift down. It's an Echidna. A bearded one with a walking stick and white robes.
Wolfman: "...I should know you."
Julian: "...Huh."
Wolfman: "...Knuckles?"
Dragoshi: *Kneels down, seeing as he's like six foot three.* "...And, you are?"
Julian: "Knuckles don't got a beard."
Glyph: "I thought you guys were the Zylcon guardian group. What's the relation to The Void?"
Julian: "Or a stick. Or clothes. What I'm sayin' is that this is a whole new Echidna altogether. Who's name is..."
Nick Caligo (GM): "I'm afraid not." He steps forward. "Nor am I Zylcon. What you know is an illusion... created by none other than the one you call the Destroyer, properly known as the Void."
Wolfman: "..."
Julian: "...Whoa."
Glyph: "Wow, doesn't even know who Zylcon is. Must be way out of the ballpark."
Dragoshi: "..."
Wolfman is speechless.
Nick Caligo (GM): "As I was saying, however. Those placed upon this mural are not all criminals of the universe. Some are victims. Some are those who only had good intentions but didn't properly think their actions out."
Wolfman hopes he was of the good intentions category.
Glyph: "I never think my actions out, and I'm not up there."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Do not be alarmed at your presence upon this mural." He says to Wolfman sympathetically. "You've not done anything wrong."
Wolfman simply nods. "...when I ended up becoming evil for a time... Metal took over running our Stadium, and Headquarters. Since The Void is a part of Metal, in a way... are you suggesting we have to destroy him?"
Glyph: "No problem. Julian's a pro."
Julian: "...Don't think so."
Dragoshi: "...That Void was a fake if I remember correctly. Unless something strange is going on..."
Nick Caligo (GM): "And he led to the best of his ability, but he wasn't prepared. No one could have been... not for The Void. No, I am not."
Dragoshi: "I mean, stranger than usual."
Nick Caligo (GM): He looks to Dragoshi. "The Void is quite real, my scaly friend! Our world is living proof. It has done great harm to all of Mobius..."
Julian: "So Mobius actually EXISTS now."
Nick Caligo (GM): One would find that statement a bit strange. It seemed in fine condition during the Questers' stroll through Green Hill Zone.
Wolfman: "...another realm has been connected. Mobius has touched down onto Nintendus."
Julian: "As opposed to it bein' time-compressed or a part of Genetia or whatever."
Dragoshi: "..." .oO(...How... strange... It seemed fine when we were traveling through it.)
Glyph: "Time-compressed? Maybe this guy is from one of those times."
Wolfman: .oO(...if Mobius ever gets restored, I wish to visit.)
Dragoshi: "Woah. Woah. Wait a damn second, everyone."
Glyph: "...we're waiting."
Dragoshi: *Coughs.* "Is it me or did anyone notice that the place seemed to be in a fine condition when we were traveling through Green Hill Zone? 'Cause, if not, then I'd really love an explanation."
Glyph points to the echidna. "What year is it?"
Nick Caligo (GM): The Wise Echidna laughs and strokes his beard. "Oh, it does? Where do you think Cream the Rabbit, Rouge the Bat, and Team Chaotix came from? The SKY? Come now, you don't honestly think THOSE jokers belong here any more than Charles did in your world..."
Wolfman: "I don't believe Charles belonged in our world."
Nick Caligo (GM): "As to that question, I'm afraid I don't know the answer. I don't really have a calendar down here..." He brushes some dust off his white robes.
Julian: "I jus' remember a bunch of different stories of what happened to Mobius is all. An' I lived through one."
Glyph: "If Genetia is synonymous with Mobius tell us now; it would save us some trouble. Or if you're from the distant past. Or an alternate timeline."
Nick Caligo (GM): He looks shocked. "Genetia? ... My, the Void has done a number on your craniums, hasn't he?"
Wolfman: "I don't recall traveling to Genetia: I stayed on Nintendus during that time."
Julian: "We was pretty much told that Genetia was Mobius at one point in time. Or somethin' like that. I dunno. Sonic & Tails were there."
Nick Caligo (GM): He turns to the mural once again. "The Void has induced many illusions, it seems; distorted many panes of reality. That is but one of many. The state of things is a great deal simpler than you would imagine. You people overcomplicated things, always thinking it's a matter of interdimensional conflict or timeline mismatch."
Glyph: "Usually is."
Nick Caligo (GM): He turns back to you. "No, it isn't. That's what the Void WANTED you to think. It THRIVES on your confusion!"
Wolfman: "Then inform us what it should be."
Glyph just sighs and puts his hand on his head.
Julian: "Great. Jus' like on Genetia, everythin' we know is wrong."
Glyph: "Usually is."
Dragoshi: "How typical. ...And annoying."
Nick Caligo (GM): "If you wish for the annoyance to stop, the Void must be contained again. Only then will the wool be lifted from your eyes and will reality return to its true state."
Wolfman: "So we have to fight The Void... again."
Dragoshi: "...Is that the best that can be done? Containment?" *Has a look of disgust on his face.* "How are you so sure that this won't repeat itself?"
Julian: "'Cause he's got a beard an' white robes. Clearly he knows what he's talkin' about."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Would that we COULD destroy it," he says, turning back to the mural. "This mural was meant to hold the key to destroying it... but look." A chunk's missing.
Dragoshi: "...I see."
Metal Man (GM): An entire story panel's worth, even!
Dragoshi: "And, let me guess."
Glyph: "Would it happen to be a chunk we've seen before, say, in those information cubes? Or is this an entirely new artifact?"
Dragoshi: "That would reveal the part where it would reveal the info on how to destroy him?"
Nick Caligo (GM): "Given those artifacts you're so fond of are more of the Void's fin-funnel, it's HIGHLY unlikely. Why would The Void keep the key to its own destruction under your noses? No, I'm afraid the panel is gone..." He shakes his head. "To where, I do not know."
Glyph: "Well, The Void is crazy. That sounds like exactly something he'd do."
Julian: "So what can we do?"
Glyph: "Right. Moving on!"
Wolfman: "Hold your horses Hop."
Nick Caligo (GM): "It also tricked you into thinking your world was called Nintendus. I wouldn't underestimate someone who can convince you that your world's got a different name than it actually does."
Julian: "Honestly, I wouldn't know any better."
Dragoshi: "..."
Glyph: "Right, right, well, he who's got the beard makes the rules, so, lay down some world-shattering truths."
Wolfman: "...I'll admit that calling this place Nintendus is a bit strange. He already has Hop. You just weren't listening."
Dragoshi: "...Strange? Talk about an understatement..."
Glyph: "What? In that we're off searching for some random artifact again to find the truth to yet another supposed lie we've been living? If it weren't for the wise look he's got going on I would disregard him completely."
Wolfman: "I thought we were not after an artifact though. For didn't the artifacts give The Void power?"
Nick Caligo (GM): "You have a habit of disregarding wisdom, young one, when it doesn't conform to your ideals." He shakes his cane at Glyph, almost brandishing it. "You watch your ass."
Glyph: "Actually, no, you see, wisdom is exactly what I'm basing this on. Did you hear the one where the world was a supposed Void-lie before? Surely you have."
Nick Caligo (GM): "And you didn't listen THEN. I'm beseeching you to listen now. I've told you all I can... now you must seek the Sealer; the Great Hand that holds up the world."
Wolfman: "Great Hand... Master Hand?!?"
Nick Caligo (GM): "I know him not."
Julian: "So we're talkin' someone we don't know."
Wolfman: "...different hand then."
Nick Caligo (GM): "The Sealer is ancient and powerful... much more so than I. I've never met him, whoever he is."
Julian: "So you wouldn't know where he is."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Nor do I know of his appearance..." He points to the missing space in the mural. "That... was the only recorded image of him."
Wolfman: "So it is our task to find The Sealer now."
Julian: "Whoever he is."
Wolfman: "It could be a she."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Find the missing mural piece and you will find The Great Hand that Holds Up the World... and the key to defeating The Void."
Julian: "Wonderful."
Glyph: "Let's go get Darkdata and have him use Repair Item Spellsong."
Wolfman: "Understood. ...Hop, I don't think it would work that well."
Dragoshi: "That'd require us to find the item first, Hop."
Nick Caligo (GM): "I bid you seek Knuckles. He has every type of sixth sense known to Echidna kind! Emerald sense, ancient key sense, gay-dar... surely he can help you find the mural piece!
Wolfman: "Understood." *nods and bows.*
Nick Caligo (GM): "In fact," he rubs his beard, "I don't know why I didn't think of that in the first place."
Dragoshi: "..." *Falls over.*
Julian: "...K. Do we know where Angel Island or whatever is?"
Wolfman: "It might not be Angel Island."
Glyph: "He said or whatever."
Nick Caligo (GM): "No, that's correct."
Dragoshi: *Gets up, dusts self off, looking less than amused, then sighs.* "Right."
Wolfman: "Alright... we will seek out Angel Island to seek out Knuckles to seek out the Sealer. Am I missing any more seekings?"
Glyph: "Yes. Knuckles seeks out the Mural so you can seek out the Sealer."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Knuckles can help you find the missing mural piece. That should hold all the answers you seek. There is ONE MORE thing I wish for you to seek..."
Julian: "Well alright th-What?"
Dragoshi: "And, that is...?"
Wolfman groans.
Nick Caligo (GM): "... Bring me a winning lottery ticket, would you? I need a new apartment..."
Wolfman: *facefaults.*
Glyph: "No problem. At least one of us has future sense. Dragoshi, be a dear and go locate us a winning lottery ticket, will you?"
Wolfman: *DOUBLE facefaults.*
Julian: "...How about we jus' give you some coin so you can buy one?"
Dragoshi: "..."
Nick Caligo (GM): "Oh, never mind... probably a bit much to ask... saving the world is REASONABLE, but a winning lotto ticket? No..." He points towards the door. "Go forth, Super Smash Questers, and do that voodoo that you do so well!"
Glyph smiles.
Dragoshi: *Nods.* "'Kay."
Glyph: "So, this old coot can be awesome after all. Good to know."
Wolfman: .oO(...it has been awhile since our full name was used.) "Understood."
Nick Caligo (GM): It has indeed... the Questers had almost forgotten what it meant.
Julian: "...THAT'S the full name of our organization? Weak..." *Heads for the door, waving goodbye over his shoulder.*
Wolfman: "I heard that Julian."
Nick Caligo (GM): It is in that moment that it becomes apparent what damage The Void has done.
Wolfman steps outside into... a war zone?
Dragoshi: *Follows out as well.* "...Yeesh. "
Metal Man (GM): There is a further mural on the wall.
Wolfman sees... another mural? How was this one missed?
Metal Man (GM): On it, it shows what the Questers call 'Nintendus', yet it has not that name. It is simply a planet.
Wolfman: "...woah..." *ooks for a name.*
Metal Man (GM): It shows all of the worlds the Questers used to go to, all there... yet seemingly impossible to chart on any normal map.
Wolfman looks.* "...Guys... here is our planet."
Metal Man (GM): It's too abstract a concept to name, for it doesn't appear to so much be a planet as a whole world. The Questers see all the worlds that were seen back when... in fact, the Questers themselves were in those worlds. Even Rap Land is on there!
Wolfman: "...no. It's more than a planet."
Julian: "It's a goddamn multiverse."
Wolfman: "The original multiverse. Back when I was in charge of the Questers."
Metal Man (GM): And this image... only HQ looks vaguely familiar.
Wolfman: "And I indirectly let it slip away. ...this war has become personal now."
Metal Man (GM): The rest, for the worse, has been split and mapped, some pieces sent to other planets, and others outright lost to The Void's work.
Wolfman turns to the Questers.
Dragoshi: "...what the heck."
Metal Man (GM): The Void's not only rearranged everything, but renamed what he could, and other things he distorted out of existence.
Wolfman: "...I will have to fight the Void most likely. After all, I am to blame for a good deal of this. I will not force anyone to join me on this... even if I did have the leadership power. However, if you are willing to help me... please say so."
Julian: "...Wolf, stop actin' so self-righteous. This ain't your war. This is EVERYONE'S war."
Dragoshi: "...That's right."
Wolfman: "A war of which I was a factor. I dragged you into it."
Julian: "Bullshit. You weren't even ACTIVE when I joined."
Metal Man (GM): If anything, the entire planet should fight this war; for the mural of The Void and those who have aided him is vast and nearly endless.
Wolfman: "Indirectly then, Julian. However... you are right. It shouldn't matter who did start or cause this."
Dragoshi: "...We aren't the only ones that should be fighting this..."
Wolfman: "...we know our goals now."
Metal Man (GM): A single line is between this original multiverse... 'THIS IS WHAT THE VOID SEEKS TO DESTROY' Indeed, looking at it, it could be many worlds.
Wolfman: "Do we inform Metal of them?"
Julian: "No, we should leave HQ in the dark about a force that's threatenin' to destroy us all. OF COURSE WE TELL 'EM! What's he gonna do, stop us?"
Dragoshi: "...Of course we inform him."
Julian: "Can you think of any single mission we've done that could be more important than THIS?"
Dahl: Wanders in and blinks.* " ... I think I took a wrong turn..."
Glyph folds his hands thoughtfully.
Julian: "Welcome to the party. Everythin' you know is a lie."
Glyph: "What about all those other times the universe was at stake? You know, the other times The Void attacked?"
Wolfman gets a look at Dahl...
Dragoshi: "...Hiya, Dahl. You just missed a lot of stuff. ...wait. How the heck did you even get here?"
Wolfman: "...it's rather strange."
Dex: "She was following you earlier... but got lost."
Wolfman: "You are one of the last links we have to the proper timeline. For that, I owe you something."
Julian: "Those were just warm-ups. Once upon a time called Right Now? We're at the main event, the one big True Finale."
Glyph: Whatever."
Wolfman gets close to Dahl, then turns to face the others.
Dahl: *hops on Wolf's back.*
Wolfman: "Old Questers, new Questers, middle Questers... and strange Questers..." *to Hop.* "...how do you suggest we prepare for this, besides just doing what we have to do?"
Glyph: "You could start by refraining from offending Hop."
Wolfman: *chuckles.* "I will work on that."
Metal Man (GM): The room rumbles a bit. Its knowledge free in this realm, something else's attention has been found.
Wolfman feels a slight rumble...
Metal Man (GM): *POOF* Indeed. Doopliss appears before the Questers, wearing his party hat. Being a walking bedsheet with eyes and such, he's rather imposing... and wacky.
Dragoshi: *Feels a rumble as well.* "...Hoo boy." *Sees Doopliss.* "You again?"
Wolfman doesn't get into a fighting stance... even if this is an enemy.
Doopliss: "Of course. I follow you everywhere, Slick."
Glyph: "...damn it. This is the worst possible thing to happen at this point in time."
Metal Man (GM): He looks at the mural.
Dragoshi: "...What is it that you want?"
Wolfman: "To what do we owe the honor of seeing you here, Doopliss?"
Julian: "...Oh goddamnit, why can't you jus' DIE?"
Wolfman: .oO(Gotta be peaceful...)
Doopliss: "Gee, what do we have here... a bunch of gibberish speaking about the end of the world."
Wolfman: "The gibberish is actually happening right now."
Glyph looks incredibly agitated about something.
Doopliss: "Haven't I heard it, like, 30 times?" *He looks at his image near The Void.* "Hm... this is inaccurate... that hat is one dot off. Ah! There is a hole! Of course. It'd be testable, but there's nothing to test!"
Dragoshi: .oO(I'd ask for the head he stole from me, but now is not the time or place. ...and he prolly' pawned it off for money.)
Doopliss: "Pft. You guys believe this? We should just have some pizza at my house."
Glyph: "Sure."
Wolfman: "Perhaps after we find a way to make sure the world is safe, we will consider the offer."
Doopliss: "I mean, after all. Charles believed me, and we all had a pretzel party."
Dragoshi: "...Okay, where's the hole?" *Tries to discern Doopliss' motive.*
Glyph wanders over.
Doopliss: "Then he went nuts and tried to destroy the world. Oops!"
Glyph: "Pizza it is."
Metal Man (GM): His motive is: He doesn't care about The Void. He just wants to eat pizza. Which means, ironically, he's a part of The Void's lies.
Dragoshi: "... Get out of our sight you sack of lies."
Doopliss: "Anyway, you guys are good. We can just forget about this stuff and live with all our coins."
Wolfman: "...Dragoshi?"
Doopliss: "Lies? Nah... Aribar did everything I told him, then he did that one thing I told him not to do and BAM! He's gone."
Glyph: "Actually I'm willing to choose pizza over Questers."
Dragoshi: "He's part of the Void's lies. ...In an ironic sense."
Wolfman: "...HOP?!?"
Glyph: "No, not really. Not currently, I should say."
Wolfman growls...
Dragoshi: "...Wait. Maybe not ironic. Possibly strange sense. Hell, I think hardly anyone uses irony correctly these days, myself in-Oh, you get the point."
Doopliss: "The truth is, you're gullible. Nintendus is here to stay. If you don't want it, I'll just take it for myself."
Julian: *Julian walks over to Doopliss, and stoops down to his level.* "I'm gonna ask you NICELY, to leave. Just this once."
Wolfman: "...this planet is not called Nintendus Doopliss."
Doopliss: "What you say?" *He morphs into the Echidna man.* "Beware the ides of march, young hooligan!"
Wolfman: .oO(...was Doopliss always this crazy?)
Doopliss: "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must find a new Charles."
Metal Man (GM): He walks off, scratching his chin.
Doopliss: "Could it be... Alexia?"
Julian: "...An' that's that." *stands back up.*
Dragoshi: "And, if you excuse me I have an idiotic situation to stop..."
Glyph: "Hey! She's not the only multiple-personalitied... argh." *kicks the air angrily.*
Wolfman: .oO(...we have to destroy Alexia now...)
Metal Man (GM): He turns to Hop.
Doopliss: "The Void has a special place for you, Young man. I'm afraid he wouldn't want me to steal his allies for my own good."
Dragoshi: "...See? See?!"
Doopliss: "You're so good, you don't even get an appearance in that mural."
Wolfman: "I believe I get the point Dragoshi."
Doopliss: "You're... like... The Void 2. But with more fireworks."
Wolfman: "Doopliss, our goal is now to stop The Void."
Glyph: "Look, I know The Void just wants me to be a pawn in his game and that's why he's telling me this. But I don't really care if there's pizza involved so just wire me whatever your plan is and I'll follow it."
Doopliss: "Yeah. So tell everyone about your home world and how you're an ultra-being of death!"
Julian: "Doopliss! Three seconds away from a strangling! Get the hell out!"
Wolfman: "...and the same goes for you Hop."
Glyph: "I did. I guess they forgot."
Doopliss: "I'll remember this... Skyhigh." He falls back and away.
Wolfman: "...Sky High? But..." *gets a look at Julian...*
Glyph: "And stop calling me Hop. You insulted Hop. Hop went away."
Dragoshi: "...Did he just call you Skyhigh?" *Tilts his head to the side in confusion while looking at Julian.*
Julian: "...The hell?"
Wolfman: "...I do recall Sky High being an original Quester."
Dragoshi: *Looks at 'Glyph'.* "Well, if you aren't Hop, then... Are you the 'real' Glyph?"
Wolfman: "Granted, while he had a similar attitude, he was... a lot dumber."
Metal Man (GM): There's nothing else in the room; the group can leave. Also... the Questers are healed. The holy power of the room doesn't want them to die on the way out, after all.
Julian: "I don't get it either. We got some business to get taken care of, so let's get to it." *exits the room.*
Wolfman: .oO(...if that is Sky High reborn... best not to think about it.) "Let's go then."
Dragoshi: "Yes. Let's."
Metal Man (GM): Another man in a suit and a cane appears before the Questers, over the fountain. He is purple.
Wolfman sees someone else now... purple?
???: "Hello there, Questers. Answer me Questions 3 and you can pass!"
Wolfman: .oO(...oh great: the old man from scene 24!)
Dragoshi: "...wha."
???: "First. What is the way to saving the world... killing everybody who opposes you, or killing yourself?"
Dahl: *blinks.*
Glyph: "Are you The Void? 'cause you gotta tell me if you are."
Wolfman: "..."
???: "No. You are." *Baps Glyph on the head.*
Glyph: "Alright then. Just so we've settled that."
???: "Answer me, Super Ultimate Questers: Part Duex!"
Dragoshi: "...The first is wrong because sometimes killing all that oppose you can be just... wrong sometimes. And, what good would killing one's self do?"
Julian: "We're gonna end up fighting you, aren't we?"
???: "No... I am... the ultimate guardian of... ...water fountains!"
Wolfman: "Well, we passed by that water fountain earlier."
???: "BUZZ! Wrong! The answer is... kill everybody! Next question: What weighs more, a pound of evil or a pound of butter?"
Wolfman: "...both are a pound. They weigh the same."
Julian: "You can weigh evil?"
???: "Buzz! Evil weighs more! Way more!"
Glyph: "Then why do you always float?"
Wolfman: .oO(...this guy is a joke.)
Dahl: "..."
???: "Because my shoes are coated with... ...floating... objectnium!"
Wolfman: "You are making things up now."
Dragoshi: "...Okay, you just made that up."
???: "No I'm not... final Question... are you an evil dictator in a castle? Find out on page 34! D'oh!"
Glyph: "No, I'm pretty sure you can isolate that substance from Psychoshorooms."
Metal Man (GM): He drops a piece of paper.
Wolfman: "...page 34?" *picks it up.*
???: "Gee, now my job is toast."
Dragoshi: "..."
Julian: *Yoink.*
Metal Man (GM): The page says...
Glyph: "Exploding Runes?"
Metal Man (GM): 'Do you hate people who stand for right? Do you destroy things mindlessly? Do you monologue to yourself constantly?' etc.
Glyph: "Approximately twenty percent of me does."
Wolfman: .oO(What is this: an advertisement for Evil Overlord Incorporated?)
Metal Man (GM): His hat falls off, revealing him to be mostly a bald man with a plastic cane. Glowing oddly, too.
???: "Uh... ...why didn't I get any super powers?"
Dragoshi: "..."
Wolfman: "...who are you?"
Dragoshi: "That's it."
???: "I'm the Guardian of Ignorance! All I got was... this stupid fountain."
Wolfman: "If you have nothing meaningful to say, we will take our leave then."
Glyph: "If you're the Guardian of Ignorance then where is the Guardian of Intelligence?"
???: "And you failed my test. So I can't turn you into blocks and destroy Toad Town."
Julian: "Good for you. Get the hell outta my way." *Looks for an exit.*
???: "I'm afraid you probably talked to him already."
Glyph: "...the old guy?"
Wolfman: "...hold on a second."
Glyph: "Echidna?"
???: "I dunno."
Wolfman: "By failing your test, we lived?"
Dragoshi: "...I guess that guy must be an agent of the Void in disguise or something."
???: "Yeah. I'm here to turn dumb people to stone or something. The kind that'd screw up a mission to defeat The Void."
Dragoshi: "I mean, look at that glow. ...That's it."
???: "Oh. This... The Void's stolen my glow? Argghhhhh!!!!"
Wolfman also wonders what else this man is hiding.
???: "Okay, fine. I give you an extra mission... uhhhh... Get my glow back from The Void... it... makes things... opposite... or something. Maybe he... used it on me?"
Glyph: "Somebody open their dex and scan this guy."
Dragoshi: *Checks to see if this guy's lying even though he shouldn't bother and assume the guy's a liar.*
Wolfman: *dex scanning.* "Already on it."
Dex: "Unknown interference prevents scanning!"
Wolfman puts the Dex away.
Dex: "This was once a better man, but he felt into the fountain. Or maybe he became the fountain. It is all unknown."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi would think... the weird guy is mostly telling the truth. Mainly, he doesn't have any power to harm the Questers, and appears stuck to the weird fountain.
Dragoshi: "...As stupid as this sounds he's telling the truth." >_>;;
Wolfman: "...Dragoshi, push him into the fountain."
Julian: *Seriously, exit?*
Dahl: "...huh..."
Wolfman: "It should reverse what happened."
Glyph: "Come, now, that was Hop's answer to this riddle. By doing this you submit Hop might have been right after all. That's ridiculous."
???: "Uh... fountain does opposites too? Wow!"
Dragoshi: "...This is asinine." *Exits.*
Wolfman: "...good point."
Julian: *Exits, because this is stupid :(*
Glyph pushes him into the fountain anyway.
Wolfman leaves the guy... uh oh.
Metal Man (GM): He falls into the fountain.
???: "Nooooooooo--" *BLAM* The entire fountain vanishes with him.
Glyph: "To be fair, you really shouldn't have left me alone... I am more Hop than anything else."
Metal Man (GM): It appears The Void's latest attempt to confuse the Questers failed.
Wolfman: "...we were both right Glyph."
Metal Man (GM): Also... In place of the fake fountain is 5000 coins. Which is given to both Glyph and Wolfman. Apparently The Void used money to power this illusion... It... flies into Wolfman's pockets? Anyway. The way out is taken, and the Questers have seen all this temple had to show.
Wolfman gives his 2500 or so to Dahl.
Metal Man (GM): The warp out appears outside the door.
Wolfman: "Dahl, you alright up there?"
Metal Man (GM): ...Where Alexia awaits... tomorrow!
Wolfman: .oO(nice Questers is one thing. Silent passengers is another.)
Julian: *F'ing WARP >:O *
Metal Man (GM): *Warp.* Mission Completed.
Dahl: * just blinks.* " ...yea."
Wolfman is back at HQ... he seeks out Metal.
Dragoshi: *Does the same as Wolf.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are back at HQ.
Julian: *Also seeks out Metal, because what else is he gonna do?*
Dahl: *still on top of Wolf.*
Glyph seeks out Metal.
Metal Man sits in The Big Room. "Eh... I think tomorrow I shall drink a different blend of coffee..."
Wolfman: Metal has become surrounded... of sorts... by the Questers. "...we would like to have a word with you if possible, Metal."
Glyph: "Several."
Dragoshi: "Yes. Several indeed."
Julian: "Shit's goin' down, an' you need to know about it."
Metal Man: "Ah, yes. You mean this." *surrounds the area with vidscreens about all of what the Questers just saw.* "I watch all missions to review them, after all."
Dragoshi: "Good. You already know. So that's one matter out of the way. For the most part, anyway."
Wolfman: "...among other things, how did you get all of that footage anyway? Our dexes can't magically float in the air!"
Metal Man: "Some of you wear badges occasionally. Those fill in the rest. Although the dex-cam can catch much."
Julian: "Do we know where Angel Island is?"
Metal Man: "No. Perhaps we should use Knuckles to find it."
Wolfman: "Could Angel Island have been renamed during the whole re-structuring of this planet? Maybe... Koholint?"
Julian: "Knuckles is usually ON Angel Island."
Wolfman: "I'm suggesting that Angel Island got renamed in this 'period.' Plus, Koholint is a dream island, and if we survive... we can stop this dream... or rather, a Nightmare."
Metal Man: "That sounds like the lint filter, Wolfman. The kind you find in a dryer."
Wolfman: "...your analogy confuses me."
Glyph: "He's going to use DEATHMACHINE, I guess."
Julian: "...If we know it's called Angel Island, why the hell would you think it's been renamed? An' how can it be Koholint? Koholint Island doesn't fuckin' FLOAT."
Wolfman: "In a Dream Land, anything is possible."
Glyph: "Mmmyeah, I got a slightly more pressing problem then what sounds like lint."
Julian: "We're not in a goddamn Dream!"
Wolfman: "Well, we're certainly in a Nightmare that needs to be awakened. After all, we do need to stop The Void."
Glyph: "See, lately, I've been suffering from some familiar symptoms--mild clairvoyance and an urge to burn things to the ground. And less naive foolishness."
Metal Man: "The answer is... you must drink Wolfman's chocolate milk. Because it tastes really, really bad."
Julian: "What NIGHTMARE? What the hell are you talking about? We're tryin' to find a goddamn Island that FLOATS! Do you know of any OTHER island that FLOATS that ISN"T NAMED ANGEL ISLAND?"
Dragoshi: "...Errol and Leviathan again, Glyph?"
Wolfman: "...well, I would call what we are in a Nightmare."
Metal Man: "Yeah. Wolfman's Chocolate milk destroys all your alter-egos."
Wolfman: "Regardless of what it is called..." *turns to Metal.*
Metal Man: "Except mine then came back and attacked me."
Glyph: "...then give me the damn milk."
Wolfman: "...you actually saved that millk?"
Glyph: "...wait, what? What? What?!
Dragoshi: "...What the hell is up with chocolate milk?"
Metal Man: "Yes." *Takes out cryogenically frozen Wolfman milk.* "You were just going to throw it out anyway."
Wolfman: "True."
Metal Man: "A teaspoon is enough to erase alternate personality; a whole bottle can erase physically existing ones, too. And since you aren't a Quester, you have no powers to lose from it."
Julian: "...How the fu-Forget it, I don't wanna know. Bottom line, do we know where KNUCKLES is, at least, if he ain't on Angel Island like he usually is?"
Glyph: "Screw it."
Metal Man: "I'm afraid it can't boost your powers anymore, though..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Glyph grabs the milk, uses his Tome Fire magic powers to heat it, and starts drinking it.
Metal Man: "Knuckles... Angel Island... eh. I know where he could be."
Julian: "An' that would be..."
Dragoshi: "Then do tell?" *.
Metal Man (GM): It tastes sorta good (as it's still cold), but also stale and flat.
Wolfman is curious of Glyph's reaction to the milk.
Glyph: "I was expecting worse."
Metal Man (GM): Suddenly Glyph feels as if his mental powers are increased, as the true form of Glyph (mostly Hop, but a mild bit of the others) would become the only personality. No random burning or clairvoyance. Although he does feel somewhat resentful at the milk. And he wants better, shinier clothes for some reason.
Metal Man: "Well, I cryogenically froze it. That made spoilage minimal... used to taste better."
Glyph rubs his temple.
Metal Man: "Anyway. I know this is a long shot, but one person knows where he could be."
Wolfman: "...Shadow?"
Metal Man: "There's this copy of Trevor living on Genetia. Who claimed to me he saw a floating island."
Julian: "...Christ, that's just... fantastic. Two of my least favorite things."
Metal Man: "Although he said it was near Nintendus... not Genetia... oh, right. Genetia is fake. Er. Anyway."
Julian: "An' we gotta talk to both of 'em."
Metal Man: "He doesn't know ol' Charles is dead."
Julian: "One of 'em."
Metal Man: "Maybe if you told him that he'd stop pretending to be Charles."
Julian: "Land on the other on. Right, whatever. We'll head out on that once we take care of Alexia."
Dragoshi: "Yea."
Metal Man: "Oh, right. Alexia. If it comes to the worst..."
Wolfman: "...and it soon will..."
Metal Man takes out a weird-looking pistol.
Dragoshi: "Speaking of which... I have a plan to end this asinine stuff involving her."
Metal Man: "This is the Quester deprogrammer. One shot, all their powers are gone, and they're sent home. Of course, only I can fire it. As Wolfman doesn't have opposable thumbs."
Wolfman: "Well, prepare to use it."
Metal Man: "And Klumsy is dead."
Wolfman: "..."
Dragoshi: "...That won't involve firearms. But it will involve... deception." (*Dark music plays when deception is said.*) "My plan, I mean."
Glyph: "...14."
Dragoshi: "...14?"
Wolfman: "Metal, I think the situation with Alexia is becoming untenable."
Metal Man: "Anyway. If Alexia becomes a bad egg, I'll just shoot her a couple times."
Glyph: "Huh? Oh, sorry, I just... remembered something I've been trying to for the longest time."
Dragoshi: "...Oh. Okay, then Glyph."
Metal Man: "That milk does weird stuff to people.." .oO(Like that time it made me set a couch on fire...)
Julian: "What about 14?"
Glyph: "It's personal."
Wolfman: "Fair enough. However Metal... I do need clarification. How connected are you to The Void?"
Metal Man: "The Void?" *looks up a bit.*
Wolfman: "Yes."
Metal Man: "Well... for a while, we shared a consciousness... but when he left, it felt as if he had no point in doing so. I'm not missing 1/2 of my soul. Something else is missing, and he had nothing to do with it... Ah. The Milk might help Alexia, but I doubt it's her other personalities that are doing this. As her other personalities were... more rational. Even though they seemed a bit evil."
Dragoshi: "...May I reveal my plan on how to deal with this situation involving Alexia and the hide? So, yanno, you can consider it and whatnot."
Metal Man: "Yes." *He looks at the gun, muttering softly.* *puts the gun back in the drawer and locks it tightly.*
Dragoshi: *Coughs, then speaks up.* "...Anyway, my plan was to get or have someone make a fake Wolfos Hide that looks like it's in the same condition the real one's in, take said fake with me, and when I reach Alexia, I subtly lie to her... Or have someone help me lie to her about it being the real thing, then give it to her." .oO(Now to wait for the negativity...)
Julian: "She's psychic. She's gonna know you're lyin'."
Dragoshi: "She has never shown a single case of being able to read minds. As far as I know of."
Glyph: "What about Mewtwo, anyway?"
Dragoshi: "...Glyph may be on to something. Though, how the heck would I convince him?"
Glyph: "He works here for a reason, doesn't he?"
Wolfman: "He did in the past. I don't recall if he's still here."
Dragoshi: "Actually, I think he is."
Wolfman: "He had Metal's current job, manning this Big Room."
Julian: "Mewtwo's still workin' here. Somewhere. I dunno."
Dragoshi: *Nods.*
Julian: "An' look, One'a those guardians or whatever said the Wolfos Hide wasn't really cursed, right? Why go through all this extraneous bullshit when we could jus' give the damn thing to her?"
Wolfman: "...we were told NOT to though."
Metal Man: "That was another reality."
Dragoshi: "...But still."
Metal Man: "That Metal was more different than you thought. It wasn't the guardian either..."
Dragoshi: "Was it another one of the Void's sacks of lies?"
Metal Man: "Whoever it was had weird lookin' eyes and mis-matched boots. Likely to be related to The Void at this rate, noting how he spoke gibberish."
Glyph: "E Li Three?"
Metal Man: "Nah. E Li Three woulda been weirder."
Glyph: "Before I forget, Metal, thanks."
Wolfman: "...either way... do we let Alexia have it or not? Metal, that whole realm confused me."
Metal Man: "You're welcome. It'll take more than a little chocolate milk to fix this situation, though. No. Her fixation around it means something else."
Dragoshi: "...That's why I suggested the fake."
Metal Man: "We must expose the root of it."
Julian: "So we strap her in a chair with some psychic-inhibitin' stuff an' set her down in front of a shrink."
Glyph: "I don't suppose any of us would be up for running around in her mind like the Charles incident."
Julian: "HELL no."
Wolfman: "The mind can be the most dangerous weapon. I wouldn't do that so soon."
Metal Man: "Uh. All Charles' mind did was help continue damaging reality. I'd be in favor of destroying her mind before entering it."
Wolfman: "What about the old Move Swappers? Couldn't those plus some medicine be used for destroying her mind?"
Dragoshi: "And, I'd be in favor of nonviolent alternatives until it's become pointless." *Waits for someone to say that it's prolly' already pointless as-is.*
Metal Man: "...That'd just make her a blank slate. We first try to see if the mind will willingly cooperate.
Wolfman: "I'd think a blank state is a better alternative than death."
Metal Man: "My point was, I'd rather kill her than go into her mind, as it's probably a mess of The Void's favorite stuff. We don't want to see or know it. It's just gibberish."
Julian: "So what's the plan?"
Metal Man: "I will interrogate her using the machine to prevent her from doing anything. Other people can try stuff too. At worst, I use the gun to send her away. If she somehow is not effected by that, we have no choice but to kill her."
Glyph: "...it won't come to that."
Wolfman: "If we have to do the killing, can we at least guide her to The Arena?"
Dragoshi: "Will I be able to try my fake hide plan before or after the interrogation?"
Wolfman: "It's been... way too long since we've used it."
Dragoshi: "Yea..."
Metal Man: "After it, Dragoshi. And sure. The arena. I'll help you myself, although if she can take a shot, then she's obviously been corrupted by The Void too much to be a Quester anymore."
Wolfman: "And don't just use Final Destination either! Something that requires... attention."
Metal Man: "Yes."
Glyph rubs his temples again. "Aren't these two plans mutually exclusive?"
Dragoshi: "Which two plans, Glyph?"
Wolfman: "Clarify."
Glyph: "You've got a situation in which one of your teammates is possessed, and your solution is "arena"?"
Metal Man: "If she can take a shot like that without being sent away, her original identity has been compromised too far to save."
Wolfman: "I merely suggested a place for a final battle."
Metal Man: "It's similar to Charles at that point, assuming it refuses to answer to any questions... To any trials..."
Wolfman: "Do you have a preference for where the final battle takes place if it comes to it?"
Metal Man: "To even Dr. Mario's attempts to smack something not crazed out of her skull. I love Big Blue, but that's just making light of it."
Wolfman: "I was talking to Glyph. And I'm unsure if Big Blue would be good. After all, we have trouble with it too."
Dragoshi: "...Hey, Metal, is the stuff about a tinfoil hat being able deflect mind-reading tr-No, wait. I doubt you'd know. Unless part of your helmet has a thin layer of tinfoil or something..." >_>
Glyph: "I don't know. I just really can't live with the idea that only one of us may walk away from the same type of problem."
Metal Man: ""I dunno, but whoever reads my mind might go crazy."
Dragoshi: "...Oh. That's right. You have a natural defense against such things as-is." @_@.
Metal Man: "Well. All due attempts will be made to recover her real self. I will try everything, after all. For it to fail she has to be something else than mentally ill... for we have things which can overcome mental illnesses here not usually found."
Dragoshi: "Now, Metal. Who would you recommend to help me with the deception part of my plan?"
Metal Man: "After all, Mushrooms and potions and Professor Oak aren't here for show. Especially Dr. Mario. Well, judging by her reaction to me, I could help. Specifically, she can't read my mind without going insane. Also, I can be the Bad cop."
Wolfman: "Then I guess I'll find a good Arena to use."
Metal Man: "If she doesn't want to talk to you, the Good cop, and get her fur, then she can talk to me. The guy who's only interested in battling and smacking people. We need to find out what drives this desire, why, and where. And if it is The Void, something else, or just insanity."
Dragoshi: "Hmm... The good cop/bad cop strategy. That has potential."
Metal Man: "Preferably summon some of her alternate selves into the mix. They're more sane than she is."
Dragoshi: "Then again, Glyph's recommendation of Mewtwo is also good."
Julian: "If I could say somethin', I think I should be the one that tries to pawn her off with the fake fur. Drago's a nice guy an' all, but he's got zero charisma."
Metal Man: "Ah, right. Good idea, Julian... just be sure to be there when it counts."
Dragoshi: "Yea...'Sides, I'm better at revealing lies."
Glyph: "Metal. I really don't mean to be rude, especially just now that I've gained the mental faculties to act otherwise, but do you really think Julian is a good choice for that? I just can't see Julian as a negotiator..."
Julian: "An' I couldn't see you as bein' sane, but life's fulla suprises, ain't it?"
Glyph: "..."
Dragoshi: *Facepalm.*
Metal Man: "Everyone will have their chance. We can't really make it much worse, she was ready to fight over it."
Wolfman: "Then I believe we know our plans. Also, Metal... I wish to have a quick word in private."
Dragoshi: "Mhm. Anyway, seeing as I have nothing else of importance to mention..." *He makes to leave the room.*
Glyph stops Dragoshi for a moment.
Dragoshi: *Stops.* "...Yes, Glyph?"
Metal Man walks off, knowing Wolfman will likely follow.
Glyph: "Um, I was just wondering... do you remember... certain events regarding my homeworld? Did you ever happen to be in that vicinity?"
Wolfman follows Metal.
Julian: *Exits.*
Glyph: "Ruin Planet? Charon Graves? Does any of that sound familiar?"
Wolfman will wait for Metal's prompting before asking.
Dragoshi: .oO(...Hrmm.) *Tries to recall anything related to that...* *Shakes his head.* "...Nope. Sorry."
Glyph: "Ah... nevermind. Just... 14. Version 14." *walks off.*
Dragoshi: *Would then proceed to leave.*
Metal Man: "Yes?"
Wolfman: "Since my intelligence chip never gets fully fixed, perhaps you can remember some information for me. We ran into Doopliss again. However, after some word exchanges, he left, calling Julian... SkyHigh. How is that possible? We saw Sky High become a ruler of Turion or something."
Metal Man: "The truth is, they're unrelated except in the most trivial of ways. Doopliss was just trying to trick you. You should have killed him. He's one of The Void's croneys, or at least a sympathizer."
Wolfman: "...I was suggested to try using peace. I think I took it too seriously."
Metal Man: "After all, he walked around like a free man when Kuja ruled Nintendus. Peace is a good option, except when it isn't really one... but you should find him later."
Wolfman: "...then I'll go to the Arena to find a good battle location, just in case. Thank you."
Metal Man: "You're welcome." *looks up.* "I wonder what..."
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile. A white hologram sips a holographic coca-cola atop a throne amongst the deserts of Genetia.
Trevor: "Hmmmm. Operation Kill Charles has gone through well, but yet no response? What gives, SIMBER?"
SIMBER: "It is simple, sir. You haven't put enough coca cola in the trap's bait."
Trevor: "Curses. I knew I had been too much a spendthrift."
SIMBER: "You know the world is ending, right?"
Trevor: "Bah! Humbug. No such thing!"
SIMBER: "..." *Flies off.*
Trevor: "Now... what shall I do... should I monologue to nobody? Perhaps I should randomly kill people? Wait... I know! I must recruit people! ..." He looks out the window. "There's nobody here. Bah. This whole ruse is boring." He throws the can aside. "I must go back to taking over the world. All so I can spite that fool who dared to stop me... Charles Magellean. Clearly, there is no other wa... ...???"
Metal Man (GM): He picks up a note on the ground. It's very old.
Trevor: "What is THIS?????"
Metal Man (GM): He reads it carefully.
Trevor: "Lunaris Ferranium? Blech!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): He eats it.
Trevor: "All the... candy and happy people... makes me want to kick people and shoot paintings..."
Metal Man (GM): He walks out.
SIMBER: "Ow! Ow! Stop kicking me in the shins!"
Metal Man (GM): End

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