Super Smash Quest² - Story - Chapter 12: Radioactive Trainwreck


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Date: October 26th & November 2th & 5th, 2008.
Metal Man (GM): Back at the Unknown Place, Unknown Continent, the Questers are in the large room again, having rested and full restoration. There's large crates o' guns and Trevor. There's also boxes of grenades and flak jackets.
Deloth: "So, where's this study room?"
Trevor: "I'm sorry, I could not afford the corn after I bought the last grenades. I have some corn-based liquor, however. Study? I have a study. But why would you need one?"
Aribar stands with the others, his only arm crossing his chest. Despite not having two arms for over a decade, the habit of crossing his arms in situations he doesn't like hasn't left him. Aribar looks at the crates and boxes and once more wonders who this Trevor is.
Deloth: "...You said you wanted to study me. Where are you going to do it?"
Trevor: "Oh. I am sorry. English... is a strange language. I have a lab room for that. But first... you may choose from my amenities."
Metal Man (GM): He opens one box. Traditional AK-47s.
Trevor: "For you, five dollars a gun. They're cheap as dirt. Perhaps you know why."
Metal Man (GM): He brushes some dirt off of one.
Trevor: "Now. You want a real gun? These."
Metal Man (GM): He opens another crate. Silver guns which are shinier. They're more bulky, and high-tech looking.
Trevor: "The... Phantom, we call these. We also have grenades. 10... whatever you use. Flak Jacket? 10 as well. Binoculars? 5. Take your pick. What is left over, I arm my men with. This man is a military man. I suspect he only fights small groups like you. A pity. For him, I will be surprise."
Deloth grabs an AK-47. He's terrible with guns anyways, won't matter much with a negative modifier.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth bought an AK-47.
Aribar walks over to the box with the Flak Jackets and looks them over. The mage wonders tries to gauge how cumbersome and protective the armor is. "He was one of several generals who fought a madman with a robotic army."
Trevor: "Robots? Robots... are stupid."
Dragoshi: "No, Ari."
Deloth: "So. Where do you want me?"
Trevor: "So. He is not used to other human army. Right?"
Digifanatic takes a look at the description for a grenade anyway, even though he doesn't have the money to buy one.
Trevor: "One minute. I will take you to lab. After we done with purchasing."
Aribar: "I am not sure... You saw him fight the echidnas, who, while not human, are intelligent beings."
Deloth crosses his arms and shuts his eyes. Finally, a chance to learn a little more about himself...
Dragoshi: *Takes a Flak Jacket and some Binoculars. After paying, of course.* <_>
Aribar: "Also, I am taking for granted that you don't have any... More archaic weaponry?" *Aribar taps the sheathed sword hanging from his belt.*
Trevor: "A bayonet? None are better than your... sword. And you'd need a gun. Swords lost favor when the last knights were... shot to death."
Digifanatic: "Heh."
Dragoshi: "I'd imagine as such."
Trevor: "I will respect your suicidal choice, however. You are still alive. ...You do miss your arm, do you?"
Aribar chuckles. "Thankfully, this blade is still quite useful to me. In any case, I suppose I'll take one of these jackets. I've seen guns used before and typically they've been held with two hands, not one." He pays for the armor and packs it away. "Do I miss it?"
Dragoshi: "...Well, there's always pistols, Ari." :/
Trevor: "I would assume it was shot off."
Aribar thinks for a few moments before shrugging. "I've lived for quite a long time without it. I don't know whether I would want a false limb or not... Actually, it was cut off with a sword."
Trevor: "So... time travelers as well? I guess this will be... difficult... But passable. Now, naturally, I must go study this... teleporting personnel of yours." *He looks to Deloth. Men in labcoats walk over to accompany Trevor.* "I assume you would also want your friends to be present. I wish to show I mean no harm..."
Aribar nods to Dragoshi. He hadn't thought of smaller guns.* "Hm... A possibility, but in any case such a weapon would be meaningless next to my magic."
Trevor: "Sadly, pistols are only used by the quick, or the dead."
Deloth: "That would be nice, yes."
Trevor: "Right. This way." He begins walking down a hallway.
Deloth follows.
Aribar goes to stand near Deloth since the little shopping trip is coming to a closure. He follows their kind benefactor and the test subject as they start down the hallway.*
Digifanatic: *follows them down, considering those Questers not named Deloth are allowed to watch.*
Metal Man (GM): He opens a sliding door, into a room with a camera and a lot of monitors and machines. There are two platforms.
Dragoshi: *Just casually follows behind.*
Trevor: "Now, person who is strange, enter the room and teleport between the two platforms. Er. From one to another. My monitors will try to find out what happens when you do that. Your friends and I will watch outside."
Digifanatic: "Okay." *stays outside.*
Dragoshi: "'Aight." *Also stays outside.*
Aribar stands with the others.*
Metal Man (GM): Trevor waits, patiently, for Deloth to go on a platform, then teleport.
Deloth steps on and uses Vortex to blip over to the next platform.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth teleports perfectly.
Trevor: "... Yes... you are... strange. In fact, it is as I thought. You bend reality between two points." *Turns on a slow-mo.*
Metal Man (GM): A screen shows reality warping between the two points. For one instant, Deloth is in both at once, just stretched. The area that was in-between them has been bent out of the way--temporarily.
Deloth: "Wow. I can do that?"
Trevor: "We could never do this with technology, normally. The equations would blow all our minds at once. But now we see the results. If we mimic what you did, we can make warps like yours. But... and this is the big part... If we made it fold together two very far apart spaces, with a lot of energy... we could go anywhere."
Dragoshi: "...Marvelous."
Deloth: "Er... question. Is there any way of seeing what I might be able to do in the future?"
Trevor: "Of course, I will note the probability of such power being ours is low, but. You have paid half of your bargain to me already. Let us go to your ship. I will repair it."
Dragoshi: *Nods and proceeds to head back to the ship.*
Digifanatic: "That's cool, but what about what kind of thing he actually is? I thought the study would be a bit more expansive than this."
Trevor: "Well. You being able to do that? You'd need the tons of power. What kind of person he is? Uh..."
Metal Man (GM): He turns to the scientists.
Aribar nods to Trevor and tries to keep a frown from creeping onto his face. Trevor certainly seemed to understand that quick enough, but the mage fails to see how the information will help the scientist. He follows the others back to the ship.
Metal Man (GM): He speaks a language the Questers don't understand. Then continues walking.
Trevor: "They have submitted the information to the large city. We will know later. He may be a new species, or... unknown to this world. That would back up why he can do this in the first place."
Digifanatic: "Ah, okay." *walks back.*
Metal Man (GM): You reach the ship. Trevor's men are there, with power tools and metal plates, and welders.
Trevor: "Preliminary study... it appears to be a large dirigible shaped object... out of metal. What culture flies lead zeppelins??? Hm." Some scientists walk over to the still-operating engines, and begins measuring them. One of them puts their hand up to it, and sees it is pushed back. He says something in another language, excitedly. Other people come out with monitoring tools. "...Well. You appear to possess a sort of antigravity technology. Just so conveniently, it matches the suggested specifications of those greedy people in the city. Only you were so nice to share yours with mine close enough I could learn its secrets..."
Digifanatic: *is with the others, BTW.*
Trevor: "Well, then, wait a moment." He claps. His men begin filling in the bullet holes and repairing it. "We shall need a moment before we go to your continent. We can go now, or... I can bring you to the city down town, which has very strange people. They are... from the future... or something. They dislike me. I don't know why."
Deloth: "Sounds interesting."
Digifanatic: "That would be nice."
Deloth: "I take it none of them look like me."
Aribar: "How would they receive us?"
Dragoshi: *Just sways back and forth slightly. A-yep.*
Digifanatic: "I won't say anything."
Trevor: "You look more like them than me. I say you have a better time. While your ship is fixed... I show you the way to the city." He walks inside again, motioning for you to follow.
Dragoshi: "...'k." *Just follows behind, absentmindedly flexing his left claw.*
Deloth follows. Again.
Aribar follows Trevor.
Digifanatic: "Sweet." *follows.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers follow him, and they find themselves facing... a train.
Trevor: "Personal train. Goes to center of city. I bought it to ship my materials."
Metal Man (GM): Only one train.
Trevor: "Just get inside, and it goes to city."
Deloth steps in and looks around.
Dragoshi: *Enters the train. A-yep.*
Digifanatic: *gets inside the train.*
Aribar enters the train... He is getting the feeling that he won't like this city very much.*
Metal Man (GM): The doors shut. Trevor waves, as the train takes off. It's going through the snowed-over country now. The Questers begin to move closer to the city... The snow is thinning, out here. There they see... a rocky land all around. There's a large building in the distance. Ah, they can see it now. It's a power plant. It has two smokestacks.
Aribar looks out across the bare land and wonders who inhabits this place.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers see two water pools in front of it. There's a river by it, too. They continue down the river. They pass by the power plant. Then... they have deja vu, of a sorts. There is... another power plant. This one... it is wrecked. It glows oddly. The river by it also glows. The train speeds by it... The Questers are almost to the city. A long way through a valley. ...The Questers hear distant honking.
Dragoshi: "..." *Just tries to discern where the honking is coming from.*
Aribar shudders as he hears the honking. He vaguely remembers how Eisnaught and other huge towns were... The half-elf wonders if he should have voted that they just waited back at Trevor's base.
Metal Man (GM): It's coming from behind the Questers' car on the train.
Deloth looks back there.
Dragoshi: *Does the same, for curiosity's sake.*
Digifanatic: *also looks back--it's like it's choreographed!*
Deloth: "Sunday drivers..."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers look back. They see... wait. That honking is... not coming from another train. They see... birds. Flying towards their train car. And the birds are glowing. They sound like cars.
Digifanatic: "Listen, I have not been tripping balls lately."
Dragoshi: "...what."
Deloth: "..."
Aribar looks to Digi and then outside...* "I hope those things aren't hostile..."
Deloth: "This is why I used to drink, if you're wondering."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers see them closer, now. Hm. They look like cranes, only they have robotic heads... which have horns instead of beaks. ... CRANES ON A TRAIN?!?!?!?! They fly up to the window on the Questers' car and begin headbutting it.
Dragoshi: "...why are they doing that?"
Aribar: "I would imagine they're hungry and they like foreign cuisine."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers hear the loudspeaker on the train.
Aribar sighs and gets up from his seat. The elf looks about for some way to get out and fend those birds off.*
Trevor: "Oh, sorry about that. Somebody who lives inside that ruined power plant... yeah. Could you be useful and kill them with machineguns? Thanks."
Metal Man (GM): They're breaking the window to bits. They'll soon get in at this rate! There's... 5 of them. They look evil. And slightly radioactive.
Dragoshi: "...huh? Oh. Sure." *Slides out his cheap machinegun.*
Metal Man (GM): They're not very strong... just... weird. May want to ask Trevor about it later. Dragoshi shoots one off the window. But the other 4 come into the room, honking noisily!
Dragoshi: "...Dammit, I knew I should've used Ele."
Aribar: "I wonder why Trevor didn't warn us about this?" *The half-elf lets a bit of his doubt of Trevor's good intentions seep into his voice.*
Dragoshi: "Does it matter? We have annoying cranes to kill. Until they, yanno... die from it." :x *First order of business. Dragoshi switches out his machinegun for his scythe. After that, he attempts to take down three birds with one metaphorical stone by slash at three cranes at once with his scythe. A-yep.* *Overswings.*
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi carves his initials into the ceiling.
Dragoshi: "...Well, at least I left my mark." >_>;;
Digifanatic is all ready to Icy Kick the crap out one of those cranes... so he does it twice!
Metal Man (GM): Digi beats up some cranes with some icy kicks.
Aribar decides that there is no better way roast some cranes than with some good old-fashioned electricity! Aribar waves his arm in front of him and conjures up three sparking orbs of energy. The wizard lets them charge for but a moment before snapping his fingers. In an instant the electrical spheres turn into bolts of lightning and fry the bird Digi just kicked! (Ele: Electricity x 3!)
Metal Man (GM): Aribar blows one up, then the remaining attack damages another one! 3 remaining. The dead one leaves a radioactive corpse. It looks cooked.
Dragoshi: "...Let's make sure to remove those from the train after this is over."
Metal Man (GM): Crane 2 honks loudly in Dragoshi's face! It fails!
Dragoshi: *Covers his ears!* *Ear analogues... whatever.*
Metal Man (GM): Crane 3 honks baseball tunes! Nothing happens! Crane 2 attempts to headbutt Digi! *BONK.*
Dragoshi: *Attempts to go for the three-for-one special again and slash at the three cranes with his scythe.*
Metal Man (GM): Miss! Hit! Hit! One crane remains! The crane remains on ground!
Digifanatic: *Checks how heavy the cranes are.*
Metal Man (GM): Not very.
Digifanatic: *He sees what he can do about picking up a crane and heaving it as a projectile into the last crane standing...*
Metal Man (GM): Digi picks up the corpse and eats it! Digi begins to glow!
Digifanatic: *MAD FIRE PUNCH OF DOOM.*
Metal Man (GM): DIGITAL... PAAAAUWNCH. Digi punches the crane so hard it flies out the window.
Digifanatic: "That... was not me tapping into my inner strength a la Ari."
Metal Man (GM): Gained: 3 Radioactive crane corpses!
Dragoshi: "...Welp."
Digifanatic: "That was just some weeeeeeird crane-age."
Metal Man (GM): The cranes had money? What the heck? Why do cranes have money?
Dragoshi: "...The cranes have cash." What the heck." *Just shrugs and pockets his money. A-yep.*
Aribar: "As long as it spends and doesn't make us mutated like Deloth..." *takes the money and, as long as there are no objections, blasts the cranes off of the train with a Wind Blast.*
Digifanatic: *takes his rewards with a grain of salt.*
Metal Man (GM): The group is now at the city. The train is pulling in. It can be seen that there are many, many, maaaany huge skyscrapers here. They're futuristic and of many colors and types. A gigantic sign can be seen as the train pulls into the station.
Dragoshi: *Low whistle.*
Metal Man (GM): ' ELCO E TO NEW CHIC GO' Hm. Some vandals must have torn letters off. The train slows down, before coming to a stop.
Aribar has a frown creep onto his face as they are engulfed by the city.
Metal Man (GM): A man walks up, and opens the door. It... falls off.
???: "Oh. Those durn birds again. Are you all okay in there? I hate when the Honkebirds attack. They damage everything. Even though a few good whacks kill 'em all. It's almost like they hate all civilization..."
Dragoshi: "Yeah. We're good. One of our friends kinda... ate one, but we're good."
Deloth: "I think we're all okay."
Aribar: "We've a few scratches and bruises, but we're fine."
Metal Man (GM): The man's about 4 feet tall, a little short. He has a red suit and is bedecked in a sort of train station uniform.
???: "Well, you'll be replaced with guns on the return trip, so, don't worry." He speaks in a slight accent. "The next shipment will be coming, then, when it comes back, you can go off. The boss told me about you. Say. You do know the history of this place, right?"
Deloth: "Not exactly."
Dragoshi: "I... don't think we do." :/
???: "Well, it's simple. This place was a wasteland, then some people immigrated, and in the pretense of following their dreams, they built a pretty city and stuff."
Digifanatic: "Oh geez..." *gets a vague memory of New New York.*
???: "They remembered some interesting things, and... there's two sides. I gotta tell this now. There's Trevor, who's good, and the stinkin' Feds, who run this city. They're bad. They keep all the good tech from us, so we gotta use this old refuse as main weapons. There's a pretty penny in it for yeh if you find us some new tech and buy it. They don't know nothin' about you."
Aribar raises an eyebrow. He didn't realize that they were partially getting dragged into the middle of a civil war.
???: "Of course, I also heard there's some unimaginable weaponry hiding in that ruined power plant, but it's a little bit irradiated."
Digifanatic: "Any particular kinds of tech you'd like?"
???: "Well. Laser guns are the best. That and maybe some of those computers. The ones they got here are crazy fast."
Digifanatic: "Oooh..."
???: "I can loan you some money, but I'll expect all of it to be spent, and for me to get all the stuff you buy with it. Otherwise I'mma shoot you to pieces, and, there's a reason they call me Jim the Gouger. People ain't so tough with a knife in their face."
Dragoshi: "I'd imagine as such."
Jim: "That's why the stinkin' feds don't bother me."
Digifanatic: "Heh."
Aribar: "How did this dispute over technology start?"
Jim: "So. You wanna loan, or is this pro bono? Pro bono would mean better benefits... but you better be packing cash. These weapons are expensive... like... hundreds. Oh, well, ol' Trevor and us had to live in the freezing cold, and the newbies had all this weird tech and just settled here. Trevor said something they didn't like, so now we're stuck with second-hand crud. We know about war than them, but there's a whole cloud of these Feds. And they got them shiny guns."
Deloth: "I can pony up some cash. What about you guys?"
Jim: "So it's been a year or two stalemate."
Digifanatic: "Ohhh... I don't have a lot of spare cash."
Dragoshi: "...Even if we all ponied up, I doubt it'd be enough." :/
Jim: "If you find us some nice weapons, we can not only be sure your Fed-wannabe burns to bits, but in the end you'll have cool-looking laser weapons. That Borne guy don't know an organized group like us until they find out all their loose screws have been properly taken out and their guns fall apart when they try to shoot us. The Feds lost a large number of things to that... the ones left, they just smart alecks."
Dragoshi: *Chuckles.*
Digifanatic: "Oh..."
Jim: "Now, if you were nuts, and you went into the power plant, why... well. Let's just say we'd be pretty powerful. Your Fed-wannabe, he hasn't seen the stuff in there. That stuff hurts the head to think about. Massive magnetic control devices... things that rewrite mental information... rays which cause whatever they touch to superheat and then explode..."
Dragoshi: "Fun stuff."
Jim: "The only problem is, out there, they got some nuts defense system. The very ground can come alive and attack you, and there's some nutter scientist who keeps turning people to stone. One of our lucky guys only lost an arm and a leg. He says that guy might take some tech from here to push over. Mmmaybe."
Deloth: "...Might wanna skip that until we can kit ourselves out a bit more."
Aribar just nods his head while listening to Mr. Gouger and wishes he knew more about their benefactor and his enemies.
Digifanatic: "Only?! I am sorry, but when you're talking about severed limbs, 'only' is probably not a good adverb to use..."
Jim: "Yeah. The unlucky ones die, or get blown up, and one happy fellow was turned into an unwilling cybernetic slave which now is seen killing anyone who gets too close..."
Digifanatic: "Yikes."
Jim: "They nuts people. The Feds went there once, but they got in a stalemate with 'em. Something about force fields which can't be destroyed, even with top grade death rays."
Digifanatic: "..."
Deloth: *crosses his arms.* "So what'll we have to do to pick up these laser weapons?"
Jim: "Jus' walk in and ask for 'em. You got a hundred things? Er... dollars? Ring-things? Gold bricks?"
Digifanatic: "Things like that... 100 of them? Not sure about. I mean, I got 15, but that's just me."
Dragoshi: "And I have 35..."
Jim: "Well, you can borrow from me, then. You guys are poor, I see. Perhaps you can get rich later." He hands the Questers a box... it has 1000 dollars... which translates to 1000 coins... et al.
Digifanatic: "Well, we're halfway there."
Jim: "Just buy 'em out."
Digifanatic: "Not anymore."
Dragoshi: "We'll be sure to do that."
Aribar: "You guys can sign this loan; I'm staying out of this."
Deloth: "15 here."
Jim: "Anyway, I've got to go. See you... and either with those dollars intact, or a big box of guns and computers."
Digifanatic: *quietly to himself.* "Must resist buying myself a laptop or something..."
Metal Man (GM): He walks off. There's a door which leads to a more main street area. As this is a sort of private train area.
Dragoshi: *Just walks over to the door, and goes through it. After opening it of course.* <_>
Digifanatic: "Okay then. " *follows.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are now on a busy street. Too many shops to list, but, basically, it's a commercial area. Right next to a train. Convenient. Of course, they can't pick out a weapons shop from all the food and computer ones...
Digifanatic decides to scout out some of the signs.
Dragoshi: *He searches to find a weapons shop in the sea of computer and food stores.* >_>
Deloth bites his lip as his stomach growls. Figures he starts getting hungry when they technically don't have the cash needed for some chow... anyways. Searching time.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers find all the food shops. Alas. If only ultra-hot french fry oil was a 'futuristic weapon.' No Dominos... not... here, at least! Dragoshi finds a useful shop, as does Digi. A sort of shady place, it is lit up with a gaudy billboard of neon.
Deloth swallows hard. "...This temptation is strong, guys..."
Digifanatic: "What temptation?"
Metal Man (GM): 'NEW CHICAGO BAM-BAM SHOP: GET YOUR BIG GUNS HERE."
Digifanatic: "Yeah, this looks like it, Drago."
Dragoshi: "...yep."
Deloth: "Hunger. Haven't eaten in a while."
Digifanatic: "Ohhh."
Deloth shakes his head. "But I digress. Let's go."
Aribar: "After this deal we can stop to get something to eat." *looks about this shopping plaza... tries to determine if the people are humans, and if they have guns.*
Metal Man (GM): Humans in futuristic clothing. They're rather grungy. Working class. They don't care about people near them.
Dragoshi: *Just kinda enters the NEW CHICAGO BAM-BAM SHOP, motioning for Del and Ari to follow.*
Digifanatic: *enters.*
Aribar wonders how the two factions have been engaging in warfare. In any case, the one-armed mage follows Dragoshi.
Deloth heads in as well.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers walk in. There's guns in display cases, and a license, and a notice. 'DON'T SELL TO THESE GUYS.' It shows pretty much every person the Questers have seen in Trevor's employ. The shopkeeper, with a smoke in his hand, coughs at the Questers in greeting.
Shopkeep: "Welcome to the weapons shop. What can I getcha?"
Digifanatic: "Hello, sir. If you give us a few minutes to look around, we can tell you."
Dragoshi: *Just looks at the guns, examining them with a hint of curiosity in his eyes.*
Shopkeep: "Sure."
Digifanatic starts to eye the guns and looks for description tags.
Aribar trails behind Dragoshi and idly looks over the guns with him. He does this more to keep from looking suspicious than from an actual interest, however.
Metal Man (GM): There's lots of guns. Specifically, three general types: Old-style laser guns, New-style laser guns, and grenade launchers/weird stuff.
Dragoshi: *Looks at the old-style and new-style laser guns to see what the difference between the two are. Aside from shininess, of course.* :p
Metal Man (GM): Old ones have larger appearance and are cheaper. They're a bit dull and used. They're square-ish in shape. The newer ones are sleeker and boast double firing capacity, higher destructive capacity... they're generic, really. Pistol, machinegun, Rifle. Each set has them. Well. There's a grenade launcher and some portable mines on the side. The new ones boast faster firing, more shots, and more damage overall.
Digifanatic: *to Dragoshi.* "Remember, we still need some comps."
Dragoshi: *to Digi.* "Yes, yes. I know."
Metal Man (GM): One can afford the older ones with 750 coins. The newer ones cost 1000 to get a proper set. That is, buying one of each, so as to give the whole set of technology over to Trevor, who could probably reverse-engineer the rest... Old: Pistol: 100, Rifle: 200, Machinegun: 450. New: Pistol: 200, Rifle: 250, Machinegun 550.
Digifanatic: "Hey, I have an idea."
Dragoshi: *To Digi.* "Yeeesss...?"
Digifanatic: *quietly.* "I know we all have our own spare change, but I'm not sure if we can afford all the new stuff and a computer or two or however many is appropriate. So I say mix and match. Mind if I check out one of the computer stores for a few minutes?"
Aribar glances over the selection of pistols. He isn't intent on buying any, but the half-elf does wonder exactly how decent of a shot he would be.*
Dragoshi: *quietly.* "Yea, sure. I guess." :x
Digifanatic: *to Ari and Deloth.* "I'm going to check out one of the computer stores, just to make sure we can afford everything."
Deloth: "'K. Mind if I tag along?"
Digifanatic: "Yeah, go ahead."
Aribar nods to Digi. "Sounds like a good idea... And it probably would be a good idea to take Deloth just in case something were to happen."
Digifanatic starts to walk out, motioning Del with him.
Deloth follows along.
Metal Man (GM): Del and Digi walk on over to a computer shop. There, they see... oh dear. How to choose? There's hundreds and hundreds of computers. Going by specifications, they're all weird in this world. The few things either would recognize are many times faster than what they would know. Or at least, Digi would know.
Deloth: *Price-checks the most expensive model.*
Digifanatic: *good move.*
Metal Man (GM): Price... most expensive, 10,000. Least expensive... 300.
Deloth sweatdrops. "Ten thou for a computer?"
Aribar looks at the price tags of the guns and confers with Dragoshi. "I'm not entirely sure if we need to buy an entire set; I don't know much about guns, but I do know they all basically perform the same action. We may only need to buy the machinegun..."
Digifanatic: *whispers.*"I don't remember computers being that expensive on Earth..." *takes a look at something say... 500 coins. Yeah.*
Deloth just stands there, looking around. He really should learn some computer skills sometime...
Metal Man (GM): Digi find one for... 505 coins. It's about mid-range. Beyond 750 they just become sort of absurd. Gold-plating. Future predicting. The most expensive one says it can store all information ever made... should anyone bother to enter it all in.
Dragoshi: *Shakes his head as Ari says that.* "Yes, that may be the case, but they work differently even if they do have the same function." :/
Metal Man (GM): There's a 455 coin model, it's a slightly less powerful midrange computer...
Aribar: "Ah."
Digifanatic: "Hmm... 750 is too much, unless it's really worth the extra 245..."
Metal Man (GM): It appears Jim the Gouger knew how to make things messy. To pick out the right combination... will be tricky.
Digifanatic: *checks the differences in performance between the 505 and the 750.*
Computer Salesbot: "Of course it is. All twenty five bazillion megaflips will make you feel more invigorated every day. You can tell whenever you re-render a complete image of entire solar systems that it works. The savings of twenty five seconds is worth every penny."
Digifanatic: *Okay, even he hasn't heard of that one!*
Deloth: "What would that sentence be in non-computer geek?"
Digifanatic: "It's faster."
Deloth: "Thank you."
Digifanatic: *quietly to Deloth.* "I don't think the 245 extra is necessary." *now down to a whisper.* "'Sides, we're not even keeping it."
Metal Man (GM): Digi can't quite be sure what makes them different. Especially since Trevor hasn't even shown him his computers.
Deloth gives Digi a thumbs up and hands him 5 coins from his pocket.
Digifanatic: *once more quietly.* "So do you wanna head back to Bam-Bams and see what the others think?" *q* "I mean, judging by what I've heard about the technology of this place, even the cheaper ones are pretty good."
Deloth: "Sure. Let's make it quick, though. I want to grab a bite somewhere."
Digifanatic nods and walks out back to Bam-Bam.
Deloth: *Elite Beat Following Action GO!*
Metal Man (GM): The duo walks back to the gun store.
Aribar turns to the store's entrance.* "Everything go okay?"
Digifanatic: "So far, so good, but..." *quieter.* "Here's the deal... we got a 450, a 505 and a 750. I prefer the 505 over the 450 and I don't think the 750 is worth the extra cash. Well, we didn't buy it yet... But knowing the prices of everything here, we're likely to be cutting it close."
Dragoshi: *to Digi, equally quiet.* "Go for the 505. We'll buy the new-style Pistol and Rifle. It's sad that we can't go for the machinegun, but... It can't be helped." :/
Digifanatic: "How much of a difference is there between the older one and the newer one?"
Dragoshi: *quietly, to Digi.* "100 coins." *quietly.* "That and various other things."
Digifanatic: "Not financially... like, how much of a difference is there when it's used?"
Dragoshi: *quietly.* "Lessee..."
Aribar: "Keep in mind that an older gun may be of no use."
Digifanatic: "Ah."
Shopkeeper: "The new guns are better. See." He picks one up and fires at a target. It makes a loud noise and sorta 'burns' the target. Then he picks up a new one and fires. It's quiet and blows the target up.
Digifanatic: "Oh, wow!"
Dragoshi: "...Yea. That. Thank you for the demonstration."
Digifanatic: "Well, two guns are better than one."
Shopkeeper: "Old ones were used in a big battle long ago, but they were ultimately not much better than bullets..."
Digifanatic: "I see."
Shopkeeper: "They're used by people interested in self defense, mostly."
Digifanatic: "Okay, 450 and 505... that's 955..."
Shopkeeper: "Much lower chance of killing people."
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Digifanatic: "750 and 450 is 1200 and I don't think we have 200 in spare change."
Dragoshi: "Unless you get like... a headshot or something. We don't."
Digifanatic: "Yeeeah... hmm. I don't think anybody has anything that'd be worth selling, either."
Aribar looks at the burned target and thinks for a moment before turning to the others. "The lower lethality of the older guns makes me want to vote in favor of buying them..."
Shopkeeper: "I can buy weapons... I collect the more outdated ones, myself. They're... neat."
Digifanatic: "Oh."
Aribar: "All I have to sell is my sword, which... I would only sell if needed."
Dragoshi: *Pulls out his cheap machinegun.* "Like this one?"
Digifanatic: .oO(Hang on!)
Dragoshi: "I mean, it's prolly' hilariously outdated."
Shopkeeper: "Quite strange weapon you have there. Let me see..." He stares at it.
Digifanatic: *to Deloth.* "Hey, if we pick up enough in spare, the 505 computer and a new machinegun?"
Shopkeeper: "Mf... a little new for my taste, but it's... an unusual model which accommodates ammunition I've never seen before. I'd pay 30 coins for it."
Digifanatic: "Think it's worth it?"
Dragoshi: "Eh. I think so."
Deloth looks back from his idle glancing around. "Sorry, what was that? Wasn't listening."
Dragoshi: "In any case." *Hands it over to the shopkeep and just waits for his 30 coins. A-yep.* :x
Shopkeeper: "Well then." He puts 30 dollars on the counter and waits for Dragoshi to give him the gun... which happens.
Dragoshi: *Coins get!*
Digifanatic: *to Deloth.* "You gave me your five, so..." *goes to the box and takes out an even half.* "Let's buy that computer."
Deloth: "Right."
Digifanatic: *walks out and heads back to the computer store... if all goes well, 505 coins down and one computer up.*
Metal Man (GM): Digi buys the computer; the Salesbot gleefully accepts his cash in return. Creepy. The computer is about the size of a laptop.
Digifanatic: "Was that me or did you see something weird with that bot?"
Deloth: "A lot of robots are weird. Big deal."
Deloth starts looking around for a decent-looking place to eat.
Dragoshi: *Pays up 450 for the new-style pistol and new-style rifle, then. After the 450 outta the box, of course. Yaaaaaay.* :V
Metal Man (GM): The Questers have the guns and the computer. Now they can go back to the train platform! Whee.
Dragoshi: *Exit, stage... whatever direction leads to the platform!*
Aribar follows like some thief/princess/monkey/dog.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers make their way to the platform... but there is an issue! Two men in suits are there, and they have been... waiting.
Digifanatic: .oO(Huh?)
Man 1: "So... you're the latest people to be tricked by Trevor... figures."
Metal Man (GM): They pull their guns.
Man 2: "Either you come quietly, or you don't live to go anywhere."
Metal Man (GM): The train is out of the station, too...
Dragoshi: *Sighs.*
Aribar raises his hands. Er, hand. "Don't be too hasty; we barely even know the guy."
Deloth: "...Can I at least go back and get my lunch?"
Aribar looks about to the others and then to the men. He isn't sure whether or not they should struggle..*
Man 1: "No lunch for you, bucko."
Metal Man (GM): An interesting note: They only have two rather ordinary pistols.
Deloth casually looks at one of those guns. He wonders...
Metal Man (GM): They're rather cheap looking.
Aribar: "I don't think we want to be dragged into this civil war. We just came to this city while Trevor is fixing something for us."
Man 2: "We know Trevor doesn't hire very tough people for this, so, we'll forego shooting you for something more humane if you come quietly."
Deloth casts Explode on Man 1's gun.
Metal Man (GM): *BOOM.* Deloth blows his hand off.
Man 1: "Gahhhh!!!"
Digifanatic: O_O
Man 2: "...That's the last time I let myself get used to Trevor's patterns..."
Aribar takes a step back. He wasn't expecting that...
Dragoshi: "...I guess that's the signal" *Draws out his scythe and charges at the men!*
Metal Man (GM): They run away.
Aribar: "We're not Trevor's men!" *The elf calls after the man.*
Metal Man (GM): The train appears, with Gouger Jim on it.
Man 2: "Like hell you're not!" They vanish.
Dragoshi: "Morons..." *Sighs.*
Jim: "So, I see you blew off some hands from our unlikely assailants."
Deloth casually steps on the train.
Dragoshi: "Yep."
Digifanatic: "Nice one, Jim. And you too, Deloth."
Jim: "Well, I guess you're worthy of this, then." He hands the Questers... a map.
Dragoshi: "Too bad we didn't push 'em onto the tracks."
Deloth: "That's what happens when I'm hungry, tired, and sick of people pulling guns on us."
Dragoshi: "I would've loved to see 'em splatter." :/
Aribar: "Thank you for keeping this platform nice and secure..."
Metal Man (GM): http://ssq.metalman88.com/CONTINIA.PNG
Jim: "We have some food and stuff you can lay on here... Did I mention I hate the name of this continent?"
Deloth: "It is kind of... dumb."
Dragoshi: "Quite." .oO(Wonder if the guy who comes up with the names for this stuff was on break.)
Digifanatic: "Yeah... the old name was cooler."
Jim: "The... old name?"
Digifanatic: "We were informed of this continent through a few friends we found on Mobius. Apparently, there used to be an older civilization here that was known for their sea fleets and they gave either their group or this continent a name much cooler than Continia."
Jim: "What's that, then?"
Dragoshi: "...I thought that was a different continent."
Deloth raises a hand. "I hate to interrupt, but you mentioned food?"
Digifanatic: "Maybe, Dragoshi..."
Deloth: "...By the way, keep that example back there in mind. When I get shoved around, things tend to explode."
Dragoshi: "Just as long as it isn't us, I'm good with that."
Metal Man (GM): He takes out some sandwiches, which are still hot, and... some various drinks.
Digifanatic: "Oh, nice..."
Jim: "We'll be heading to the base now. Don't worry, the birds ain't flying around so much now."
Deloth: "Thank you very much." *takes a sandwich and a drink and begins chowing down.*
Aribar gets onto the train and wonders what they have gotten themselves into.
Dragoshi: "Good. Those things are annoying. ...Also, thank you." >_> *Also takes one of each and does the same as Del. And Follows Ari onto the train.*
Digifanatic: *takes his meal, looking very ponderous as he walks onto the train.*
Jim: "Here's some more money, so some day you too can have your own gun-buying enterprise." *Hands everyone 10 coins.*
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are now on their way back, riding the train with 'Jim the Gouger', who is some shady type. The group is in one train car, with a bunch of weapon boxes, including new laser weapons they bought for 'Trevor' to aid him in his fight against this Borne guy. Flaeyn is also there, he was just sleeping and was carted in while asleep.
Deloth: *And he FINALLY got my damn lunch, too...*
Jim: "So, you guys are pretty tough, aren't you? Blew the hands off those idiots."
Dragoshi: "Could've done worse to 'em if they hadn't gotten away." :/
Jim: "Eh, they would have called up backup. It's a tense truce we have... better off happening the way it did..."
Dragoshi: "I see..."
Aribar is calmly sitting in one of the train's seats and is looking out the window. He nods at Jim's question, but his ears perk up when he hears about the truce.*
Jim: "What we have here is a bit of an opportunity, anyway. We can go over to Mr. Trevor's place and drop these off... but if you like adventure, you can also check out the power plant ruins. I dunno. What's it to you guys?"
Deloth: "Could we dump the weaponry first?"
Jim: "Well, yeah. We're... about half-way there."
Deloth: "Besides, I've got something I want to try back in that lab room."
Metal Man (GM): Flaeyn would wake up about now...
Flaeyn wakes up, sleepily opening his eyes slowly. He looks at the roof of the car. The Grim Angel would slowly restore his posture and senses. "What's going on now?"
Deloth: *leaning back.* "You missed me blowing a guy's hand off of his arm."
Jim: "Nothing, just some arms shipping. Quiet before the storm, if you guys know what I mean..."
Deloth: "Mmm-hmm."
Flaeyn: "How troublesome." He proclaims, crossing his arms. He then keeps quiet, going into observer mode again.
Metal Man (GM): The Questers are now 3/4ths of the way there.
Aribar: "So, Trevor is the leader of your group, correct?"
Jim: "Trains are boring, aren't they? I wish we had faster transportation... Yeah. He's been the leader since we all got here..."
Deloth stays silent for once, wondering if what he's planning will indeed work...
Dragoshi: *Also stays silent. A-yep.*
Train PA: "Now arriving at Trevor's hideout."
Metal Man (GM): *DING.* The doors open.
Jim: "Well, here we are." He starts unloading boxes. "You want anything while we're here? We can wait until Trevor is done here, if you want."
Aribar: "I see. Has he taken this temporary truce for an opportunity to try and make peace?" *Aribar's interrupted by the PA in the middle of his query and wonders if he should ask Trevor about this.*
Deloth heads out of the train and towards the room where he was analyzed earlier.
Flaeyn follows behind Deloth, like a shadow almost. "Where are we going...?"
Jim: "Eh... there's a reason he doesn't."
Deloth: *casually.* "To try something."
Jim: "The Federales... they want nothing but total control."
Metal Man (GM): Deloth walk over there. Scientists are still analyzing the previous data. One of them walks up to him.
Scientist: "Hello! Do you want to do some sort of test?"
Deloth: *muttering to himself.* "So, let's see. I can use both light and darkness..." *looks up.* "Yeah. Want me to step into that room again?"
Aribar: "Ah, I see." *The mage rises from his seat and goes to exit the train. Aribar doesn't really have anywhere to go at the moment so he simply waits by the train and watches Jim unload the boxes.*
Flaeyn raises a brow, he steps back a little, and then looks back to Aribar. "Where do I belong." He asks himself, then watches Deloth once more.
Scientist: "Certainly."
Metal Man (GM): He unlocks the room and says something. The other scientists prepare for Deloth.
Deloth steps into the room and starts muttering again. "So, if I generate light in one hand... and dark in the other... and combine them..."
Jim: "Urgh... these boxes are so heavy."
Metal Man (GM): He slowly drags them around.
Deloth then claps his hands together. Cue an explosion that knocks the wind out of him and smashes him into the back wall of the room. "...*moan.*"
Flaeyn looks to the corner of his eye at Jim, then he walks over, gliding somewhat with his wings like he was levitating. When he reached Jim, he'd volunteer silently by picking up a box. He paused, awaiting an answer to where to place them.
Scientist: "...What was that again?" *He looks at the readings, slowly.* "What do you call that, er... whatever your name is?" He looks to Deloth.
Aribar looks to Flaeyn. The half-elf doesn't quite remember seeing this angel before, but he knows that the others seem to accept Flaeyn and he -has- been away from the group at times... Another person could have joined them.* "No idea. I think we're all more or less waiting for Trevor to come down so we can talk to him."
Jim: "Ah, you. Take this box over there." He points to a neat stack of them on the loading area next to the train.
Deloth: *wheezes a few times.* "A REALLY bad idea in retrospect... I mean... uh... Antipode."
Scientist: "Uh... I see. Our readings indicate a huge amount of energy we can't describe becoming unstable."
Jim: *Looks to Aribar.* "You want the boss? I can call him down."
Deloth staggers back to the center of the room. "Okay... maybe I can weaponize it if I can contain the explosion..."
Flaeyn does so, picking up other boxes and placing them in the same area.
Deloth tries doing the same thing again, only he manages to NOT make it explode all over the room, but merely in a small area. "Okay, that version's much better."
Aribar thinks the offer over and in the end he just shrugs his shoulders. "If you want. I still have questions about the relations between the two sides in this war, but... I'm not entirely sure what I want to ask Trevor."
Scientist: "Uh... we'll tell you our findings when you come back, then."
Deloth: *As for how it worked properly this time... um... it's magic. Quiet.*
Metal Man (GM): The boxes are slowly unloaded. The last one is put on the platform.
Deloth: "Right..." *heads out of the room and back to the train, staggering a bit.*
Jim: "Ok. So, either you can wait for Trevor to finish working with the tech, or you can go see the power plant."
Aribar says in an uncomfortable tone, "I'm not entirely sure that I want to explore that power plant."
Deloth: *walking back.* "I am."
Jim: "It's okay. I stab Feds in the back, but personally, that power plant scares me too. Feds don't grow extra arms, glow in the dark, or fire strange super-weapons and speak gibberish."
Flaeyn: "...That Power Plant... What exactly is wrong with it?"
Deloth: "It's batshit insane."
Jim: "It's a nuclear one which blew up long ago, and a crazy man lives inside it, making cybernetic animals and attacking people with bizarre weapons. But if one could properly go inside, they could probably steal his technology and make us as a whole very powerful people. It'll still be there if you want to come back to it. Though it might be a while."
Deloth: "I'm interested in it, personally. If all else fails, I can just blast the place to heck and run."
Jim: "It's an easy decision, so. You guys want to fight crazy people or get straight to battling this Borne fellow?"
Aribar: "If your army couldn't penetrate the defenses of this plant, I'm not entirely sure that we could."
Deloth: "Please, Ari. We're more than an army."
Jim: "I guess it's up to you, then, Mr. Helpful person." He turns to Flaeyn.
Flaeyn: "I want to see it. Just an expedition." He shows an expression showing his level of disgust at that nickname. "How... ugly." He says to Jim.
Deloth silently rolls his eyes. "So. We leaving now?"
Aribar: "It appears as if I am out-voted." Aribar sighs and looks to Deloth. "I'll come with you guys just in case things take a turn for the worse, but I'm not sure how useful I shall be. I do know that we should thoroughly prepare before going on this little trip."
Jim: "Okay... here we go." He goes aboard the train and radios something... the train prepares to leave for the Power Plant.
Flaeyn: "We're leaving." He answers Deloth.
Deloth hops onto the train, then.
Dragoshi: *Follows behind.*
Flaeyn glide-levitates onto the train.
Aribar stands still for a moment; the same amount of time it takes for the realization that they aren't going to do any preparation work to dawn on the mage. The elf shakes his head and gets onto the train.*
Metal Man (GM): The train takes off, and in a moment the Questers are at the Power Plant. It's eerily quiet out here. There's wreckage everywhere, and a weak glowing of the plant itself.
Aribar looks out one of the windows and uneasily asks, "Is it even safe to be near the plant?"
Jim: "Probably not."
Dragoshi: "Doubt it."
Deloth grins. "Excellent."
Jim: "But if you want to brave the conditions, I'm not stopping you. Whomever wishes to enter it can do so." He opens the door a crack. "I'm staying inside this lead-lined train."
Flaeyn: "When you mean, it's not safe to even be near the plant, you're referring to radioactive poisoning. Is that correct?"
Deloth casually hops out and starts heading for the place. After demigods, cosmic horrors, and twenty tons of rubble, a few rads aren't going to stop him.
Aribar hesitantly watches Deloth head outside. He waits for a little bit to decide if Deloth is dying horribly or not.
Jim: "Yes."
Metal Man (GM): Deloth wanders directly towards the nuclear plant.
Dragoshi: *Also watches Del. A-yep.*
Metal Man (GM): Deloth feel a pinpricking sensation all over his skin. As he gets near the plant, he sees... machines. Machines everywhere. Rotten, radiation-damaged machines. Normal creatures being changed into weapons.
Flaeyn: "What a pain..." Complaining for a second, before jumping out of the train with the rest.
Metal Man (GM): It's pretty painful out here.
Deloth instinctively scratches at his skin as he watches. "Amazing this place is even still in operation..." He then heads back. That sensation would disrupt his concentration waaaaay too much to get anything at all done.
Aribar: "I don't know if I want to walk out there to him or not... Especially since he's now coming back."
Metal Man (GM): Flaeyn soon encounter the burning sensation. He sees Deloth walking back.
Flaeyn'd look around to see everything, and he'd deepen his perma-frown. "It's a gathering of scum and sin. Everything here is quite the abomination..." Flaeyn watches Deloth walking back, he experiences the sensation, but doesn't show how how much it pains him, behind the mask of hardiness. "You're leaving already?"
Deloth: "Can't get any closer without SOME kind of protection. What, are you not affected?"
Metal Man (GM): There is a strange man in the distance. He stands there, deep in the radiation, wearing some strange helmet. He stares. He says nothing... and is too far away to do anything to.
Flaeyn: "We can't move forward if we don't endure. No pain, no gain. That's the way I look at this place so far..." He stares back at the man, like it were some kind of contest. It was then it was noticed Flaeyn never blinks his eyes.
Metal Man (GM): The man doesn't seem to blink either. He seems to be watching to see if anyone comes closer.
Flaeyn doesn't, he would then look for a normal pebble on the ground.
Deloth narrows his eyes at Flaeyn. "Are you insinuating that I can't take a few rads?"
Metal Man (GM): There's a normal pebble or two on the ground. The man continues staring.
Flaeyn: "Hmph. I wasn't implying that." He would then take the normal pebble, rolling it across the floor in front of him like a bowling ball. He then waits, and observes if it sets any traps.
Deloth glares. "Really now. Well, guess what? I CAN."
Metal Man (GM): The man continues staring. It rolls past a line of... machines... and stops dead a few feet from him. No traps. He doesn't need them. This atmosphere probably constantly damages people; even Questers, if they should walk deep into it.
Deloth turns back around and starts running towards the staring guy. Screw the pain, for now he's going to take Flaeyn up on his challenge.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth runs towards him. The pain increases as he runs... it gets worse, and worse...
Aribar raises an eyebrow from the safety of the train.* "What is he doing?"
Flaeyn: "Frankily I don't care." He answers back, already it seems he's not much of a social guy. He watches Deloth run towards the man, and facepalms. "Bakayaro (dumbass.)"
Metal Man (GM): Deloth falls on one knee. He wants to throw up. His skin is as if on fire. And even worse, that man, he stands there... mocking him... by saying nothing... and staring. Deloth can hardly make out who he is. In this state, he is... almost illusory, so Deloth can't tell. It's a man...
Flaeyn just watches from afar, he debates on whether or not to try and save him, or to watch and be amused. So far, he goes for the latter.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth walks up to him, too angry to remember the radiation is doing horrible things to him. Deloth reaches the man, who stands there, staring at him... waiting for Deloth to make the first move.
???: "..."
Deloth reaches out to grab his helmet and see just WHO this person his.
Aribar keeps his eyes fixated on Deloth, but asks Jim about Deloth, "Exactly how bad is that?"
Metal Man (GM): He holds out a palm and shoots a gigantic bolt of fire at Deloth.
Aribar: "... The fool."
Flaeyn: "...!" He tries to dive in to intercept it, that is, if he can.
Metal Man (GM): He's waaay too far away for Flaeyn to intercept it. Deloth is thrown all the way back to the train.
Deloth: *And on a new edition of Celebrity Roast...*
Metal Man (GM): He crashes into the side and breaks the window. And is embedded into it.
???: "..."
Metal Man (GM): The man slowly lowers his hand.
Flaeyn then just watches Deloth get thrown, and taunts him more by clapping. He then looks to the man.
Metal Man (GM): Flaeyn could yell to the man from this distance.
Deloth is somewhat dead right now, please begin clapping.
Jim: "Holy crud. Let's get out of here before we're all immolated. I thought he was tough, but nobody managed to walk up to him like that before. Against a crowd he was only able to... .make an impenetrable force field... Yeah."
Flaeyn: "Your name." The angel asks the man, a question he leaves reserved for the people he's interested in. "What is it?"
Metal Man (GM): Deloth's body is intact... barely.
???: "..."
Aribar is now a bit more wide-eyed and awake than he was before! The half-elf tries to pull Deloth inside and place him on one of the train's seats.
Metal Man (GM): The man stares at Flaeyn. A different thing happens. It's not a direct attack though...
Flaeyn swears under his breath, unwanting for contact other than speech.
Dragoshi: *Just... stares at the KO'd Deloth for a few seconds... And then he tries to help Ari because sheesh.*
Metal Man (GM): Flaeyn is overcome with grief, and wants to cry. Images of immense sadness which he can't understand fill his mind. If he were to try to make sense of it, he might consider calling this being "Sorrow." The man would then turn around and walk away, into the distance. Vanishing.
Jim: "Eh, Helpful person! Come in here before ye slowly cook! Or... I dunno. That man could come back and roast us all if we don't leave."
Flaeyn's back is turned from the others, he falls to his knees, and they can't see or hear his reaction, after a long while he recovers, and walks back to the group as if nothing has happened.
Jim: "Maybe he took offense to somebody reaching for his helmet..." *Drags in Deloth's corpse with the others, and shuts the door, the train taking off.* "O... okay. We... .stay away from there. Agreed?"
Dragoshi: "...no objections on my end."
Aribar: "Aye..."
Jim: "Of course, maybe some day we'll have radiation suits and death guns. Then maybe we could settle the score with that flamethrower freak."
Dragoshi: "Possibly. Maybe."
Metal Man (GM): The train lurches. As the power plant fades out in the distance, the Questers see it glow eerily.
Flaeyn: "Hm."
Metal Man (GM): The Questers make it to the station. Some men come in and spray the entire car down with... a powder.
Jim: *Cough.* "Don't mind that, that removes the radiation."
Flaeyn: "Thought so." He coughs back.
Jim: "I figure you wanted to be alive for your adventure." He kicks Deloth's body over and zaps him with a defibrillator. "I assume you want him alive, too."
Metal Man (GM): *BZZZT* Deloth wakes up with... barely any health and a headache.
Deloth: "KAAAAAH! WHERE IS HE?!" *sits bolt upright and looks around wildly.*
Jim: "Well, after he launched you like a small rocket, he did somethin' weird and then walked away."
Aribar: "Somewhere where he isn't killing you."
Dragoshi: "...If you mean the guy that just sent you flying right through a window, then... he isn't here. We kinda left the power plant..."
Jim: "I figured after he nearly destroyed our car we should cut our losses..."
Flaeyn: "How's it feel to have your ass handed to you?"
Jim: "I mean. The Feds have beaten us. But they don't shoot... beams of pure fiery death."
Deloth pushes himself to his feet. Dammit, now he can't kill Flaeyn for that remark. "*I* survived enough radiation to melt the skin off of bones. *YOU* wussed out and stayed behind. The flamethrower didn't enter into the equation then."
Dragoshi: .oO(...All in all, you decided to be dumb. Gotcha.)
Jim: "Well, if you had tried talking to the man, maybe you would have only fallen out of view at random. Rather than flown into view, while on fire."
Aribar: "Deloth, I bet you couldn't survive falling off of a skyscraper. Want to prove me wrong?"
Flaeyn: The angel looks down at Deloth, with the natural so-holier-than-you look. "Oh yes, of course. You rushed in like a total idiot, and almost got killed. Might as well wear a dunce hat and yell Leeroy Jenkins, won't you?"
Jim: "I call it as I see it, and I stab people most of the time, heh... I wouldn't touch that guy without some serious equipment. Of course. I'm sorry for not knowing he sets people on fire and launches them into trains."
Deloth: "Listen, asshole, at least I tried. What have YOU done besides condescend and make me want to give you a broken nose?"
Jim: "I only saw him put up large shields and act like a defensive guy against us..."
Aribar: "Deloth, this was a suicidal mission in any case. No need to be so harsh."
Dragoshi: "Quite..."
Flaeyn: "Go ahead. You'll only make yourself look like a fool by being flustered so easily. Perhaps he hides a very, easy to access weakness."
Aribar tries to lose this subject, "Let's just go and talk to Trevor; maybe he's ready to help us fight against Borne... You know, the original reason why we came here?"
Metal Man (GM): Trevor walks in, looking vaguely amused.
Trevor: "Oh dear. Did you perhaps visit the Dead Man's Power Plant?"
Deloth: *Sadly, he isn't listening any more.* "Maybe YOU do, too. Hell, EVERYONE does."
Trevor: "I forgot to warn you. The Feds came in with floating cars and shot lasers at that man. He still didn't budge, and at the end of the day they ran very far away..."
Aribar: "As you can tell by this pitch-black Mr. Deloth and your damaged train car, yes..."
Dragoshi: "...We did."
Trevor: "Something about an apocalyptic meteor shower destroying their men."
Dragoshi: "And Del got blasted through the train's window with fiery annihilation for his efforts." :x
Deloth slams his fist into the side of the train. "Everyone is vulnerable! All it takes is knowing just what you need to strike!"
Trevor: "I tried to be more careful, but it earned me a stalemate."
Flaeyn: "Which is exactly why I didn't run in without taking precautions, such as the pebble."
Deloth: "And then nothing happened and you still stayed back."
Trevor: "Well... I tried to offer a truce to him, but he didn't speak. I tried to give him money. He stared at it and did nothing. We tried several languages. He didn't care."
Flaeyn: "Hm, I needed something to test the man's capabilities, conveniently, we have our own guinea pig." Referring to Deloth.
Trevor: "We drove a car at him and it smashed into an invincible barrier."
Flaeyn: Flaeyn now turns to Trevor. "Perhaps he is a lost soul. It looks like a job for a Grim Angel." Looking at this from a religious viewpoint.
Trevor: "But... your research is interesting. So... he becomes violent when you... what did the crispy guy try to do to this man again?"
Deloth: *snarling.* "And we apparently have a nice rat in our midst, too."
Trevor: "Because that may hold part of an answer to the mystery."
Flaeyn: "Grab his helm. Maybe his face is scarred."
Trevor: "As much as it was an expensive one. Hm. We never did try that. All we did was try to poke him with a long pole, which hit an invincible barrier."
Dragoshi: "...I see."
Aribar: "Apparently you never poked him in the face."
Trevor: "...It was hard to tell... we had to do it from very far away. After we heard of Feds who walked up to him being blown up and all. Anyway. While you were doing that, I checked the weapons you brought. ...We have capabilities restricted to what you found, basically. No auto-fire. I tried to have the scientists make their own, but it sort of caused a large explosion. I assume this is fine, because our erstwhile foe has no lasers. Er. Does he?"
Dragoshi: "...Welp."
Flaeyn: "...Does he?" He'd ask the others, obviously he wouldn't know.
Jim: "Well, somebody speak up."
Aribar tries to recall if GUN shot them with bullets or if they were charging their lazors...
Metal Man (GM): Aribar recalls that most GUN people had... machineguns.
Deloth grinds his teeth before finally cooling down a bit. "On his mech? Yes. If I recall, his troops use bullets, and he fought me barehanded."
Aribar: "I don't think he had lasers..."
Metal Man (GM): They had some stolen Eggman technology... but Aribar remembers the huge mech... would be the only thing with lasers, if anything, yeah.
Trevor: "So, only on the mech. That's good enough, we have the surprise... and the materials. I assume you wish for me to attack him now? You, of course, should come too."
Aribar: "How are you going to attack him and where do we fit in with your plans?"
Deloth: "Ngh... right."
Trevor: "He has repaired a large machine. The mech, I believe. My spies have reported sightings of him near a burned down city with lots of soldiers. He is obviously a cocky man, for he has few guards. No one tries to attack him, either. Idiots."
Aribar: "... And do you happen to have any healing supplies that we could purchase before heading out?"
Deloth: "...Not that AGAIN."
Trevor: "One thing at a time..."
Dragoshi: "..."
Deloth: "Bloody BORNE!" *whacks the side of the train again.*
Trevor: "...So I and my men will surprise him and I will shoot him. He attacks unarmed? He is a double idiot then. You will take out that mech. With your airship. Don't worry, it's been repaired."
Aribar: "Apologies; I am getting ahead of myself. I just want to be a bit more prepared than we were for this suicidal mission to the power plant."
Flaeyn: "There are people out in the world who entirely fight using their fists, you know."
Metal Man (GM): Trevor takes out some strange laser weapons.
Dragoshi: "...Fair enough. We already know it's weakspot. Though, I have a feeling he miiiiight have fixed that little bug... If he didn't, then he's a triple idiot."
Trevor: "There is a place and a time for fists, but when being attacked by an arms specialist packing a futuristic recoilless sniper rifle... not a good idea."
Aribar: "Borne is an intelligent man. Make sure your men don't underestimate him..." *The half-elf looks to the others.* "Do we want him alive?"
Dragoshi: "...All signs point to no, if I'm not mistaken."
Deloth: "Headshot the bastard."
Trevor: "It would be most hard to keep him alive. If he is as intelligent as you say, he could escape or otherwise have time to think up a new plan."
Dragoshi: "Pretty much."
Trevor: "This is why headshotting him from a helicopter, strafing his men, and you people blowing up his mech would rip his army to bits, and anything else might let them regroup. I know the first attempt may not work. I am no expert with laser guns. He has been seen with weird equipment on him. But grenades, lasers, and more shall push things against him. Are you the only people he's truly fought? If he is inexperienced in true warfare, then he will fail, even if he possesses many men. I specialize in... asymmetric warfare."
Aribar: "We aren't the only ones he has fought..."
Trevor: "List the rest, then?"
Aribar: "He used to be one of several somewhat sadistic generals who fought against a psychotic man named Robotnik; he had an army of machines and would always come back from defeat."
Dragoshi: "...No, Ari. He was presumed to be a relative of one of the generals. Sheesh."
Aribar: "... Oh. Apologies; I must have misheard that..."
Dragoshi: "...No problem. Just ironing out the mistakes."
Trevor: "Hm. Weeeeell... I could corrupt him instead. Generals... they like grandiose promises of power."
Flaeyn: "Corrupt... meaning..?"
Trevor: "If I promised him that you would be the key to ruling this entire planet, he would probably let us do anything we wanted, after proving it to him. Then we can wait until he makes a device for us with his great amount of power and turn it against him. Of course. He's probably too smart. You seem to have tried many things against him already."
Deloth: "He's waaaaaaaaay too smart for that. He's just as savvy as we are with all these worn-out tropes."
Aribar lets a large frown creep onto his face. The overly cautious mage just realized an unbelievably massive flaw in letting Trevor help them... "I think it would be better to simply kill him instead of giving him room to wiggle about."
Flaeyn slams imaginary table in front of him. "Be just, or be dead." Stating another quote. "What the hell are you doing thinking like that?"
Trevor: "Well, I guess a headshot is all we have, then. Well, I have experience... I won't say what, though. Shall we leave now? Your ship is waiting."
Deloth: "Flaeyn, take that creed somewhere else. According to everyone we've met in our first world, we're apparently pure evil." *spits contemptuously and heads for the ship.*
Flaeyn: "Then what am I doing here?" He sighs, having no choice but to follow along if he is to survive, and learn more.
Metal Man (GM): Trevor walks off with the Questers... the landing pad is filled with questionable men with laser guns. And helicopters. Which appear to... Float.
Trevor: "Your technology is funny. It takes less energy than helicopter blades and gives insane maneuverability."
Deloth climbs into the ship. "Yeah, we're awesome like that."
Trevor: "Of course, all the helicopters are for me. You keep the lead dirigible... those people who made it had no clue what they had."
Aribar follows the others up to the pad. "Apologies, Flaeyn... I think we're falling into an old habit of eradicating an enemy when we can't see other solutions..."
Trevor: "Well, this enemy is supposedly not the type who wants solutions."
Dragoshi: "Yep..."
Trevor: "I would say it is justified when they exist to attack and ignore..."
Metal Man (GM): Trevor hops in a helicopter. The airship the Questers took here opens up. Marley and the Echidna attendant are inside.
Flaeyn just looks back and forth with each member of the team, and sighs. He mutters something to his god.
Marley: "Took you guys a while. I forgot where Jack went."
Echidna: "The strange men mocked my people. Perhaps they were almost right to do so; their flying crosses move so much faster with our propulsion. I will have to tell the elders..."
Metal Man (GM): The helicopters and ship power up, and begin floating upwards.
Trevor: *Radio* "You know the plan, then, right?"
Aribar walks past the others and into the airship. The half-elf crosses his fingers and hopes that Trevor can be trusted.
Metal Man (GM): Trevor waits for your response.
Dragoshi: *Radio* "You and your guys deal with Borne and his jerks, and we'll take down his mech, if I'm not mistaken." .oO(Need to make sure...)
Trevor: *Radio.* "Roger. We are go." The ships take off...
Metal Man (GM): MEANWHILE. Commander Borne is inspecting the ruins of Westopolis.
Commander Borne: "Where are those people who destroyed my machine?"
Soldier: "Nowhere, sir. They flew over the horizon to unknown lands. They're not coming back, sir!"
Commander Borne: "Yeah, right. After what they did, they would fly away and never come back?"
Soldier: "Of course!"
Metal Man (GM): He punches out the soldier.
Commander Borne: "That's what got us INTO this mess."
Soldier: "Guh... right sir?"
Commander Borne: "We have to be ready. While you have been slacking, I have been preparing. I don't know WHAT they have planned, but I bet they are going to make another army to fight mine. Of course. They are idiots, so they will attack me directly. Like they have been. I will position the mech behind my main forces to lure them directly towards my army. Their air division was destroyed, so they'll have to fight on the ground. They have, like, maybe one ship. You bright lights get to be the front of the column. I'll man the mecha. I don't want them busting into it again. Besides, I had a new weapon built into it. The world's largest flamethrower."
Metal Man (GM): Behind him, the mecha opens its mouth and breathes a gigantic column of fire.
Commander Borne: "They taught me something, with how they blew up the vent. Why not use that hot air to set things on fire?"
Soldier: "Because every mech must have a weakness, as it builds character?"
Commander Borne: *Kicks Soldier in the shin.* "NO! Now... you get a cast for that arm I broke there... or I'll rip it off and use it as a flail when they come."
Soldier: "Y... yes... sir."
Commander Borne: "Hmph. It's a good thing I hired some more professional recruits."
Metal Man (GM): He walks off... and... PAUSE.

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