Super Smash Quest² - Story - Chapter 74: Masked Contempt
Date: 4:52:18 PM, May 9th; 4:59:27 PM, May 11th, 2009.
Deloth: "..." *He walks over to Ari, cracking his knuckles.*
Dragoshi: *Heads on over to the ship... if it even still exists.* "C'mon, guys..."
Digifanatic: *Follows Dragoshi.*
Deloth: "Normally I would have to destroy you for this. However, since things actually seemed to go in my favor, you get a get-out-of-a-whooping-free card. Once."
Kenku steps into the drivers seat, and waits patiently for people to board.
Panzer walks outside and looks around at the GUN soldiers, to see if any are watching.
Deloth then heads for the ship, strapping into his usual seat.
Natalie manages to sit down, and Rae next to her, after removing the breastplate and smiling.
Metal Man (GM): There's few if any GUN soldiers here anymore, just a few supervising some small buildings being made off to the side by what looks to be the soon-to-be new residents of this 'Neo Westopolis.'
Deloth: "...I can't believe you actually wore that, Rae."
Raena: "All work and no play makes Raena a dull fox. I have to have some fun sometime."
Dragoshi: *Has already boarded the ship and is waiting for the others to get on.*
Digifanatic: *As Aribar gets onto the ship* "Aribar, I think you can go ahead and erase that now."
Panzer smiles, slings her rifle with the mag full of the nice, new bullets, plus an extra mag of her regular rounds. She gets on her bike and drives up to the Questers. "Anyone going towards Central?"
Deloth: *Calmly* "Isn't that HER decision?"
Aribar: "I think that is where we are heading, Panzer."
Kenku: "The ship is heading there."
Panzer: "Awesome. I'll meet you there."
Digifanatic: "Last time I checked, Natalie doesn't know how to use Image and I gave Ari permission to remove it..."
Panzer turns the bike and kicks off, flying through the gears towards the city.
Kenku says "Ok" and unless someone isn't on, takes off for Central City.
Digifanatic: *Manning the weapons seat this time, I guess, in case of something of something weird happening.*
Deloth shakes his head. "HOW long have you been planning this, Digi?"
Aribar decides to go ahead and use his magic to remove the image from the armor.
Digifanatic: "Only since you and Aribar started messing around with those spells yesterday. By the way, there was still going to be the heart on the back regardless of whether or not I came up with the Deloth/Raena part of it. I honestly didn't know it was there until Ari told me."
Deloth: "...I'm having a weird emotional blend of congratulations and fury."
Digifanatic: "Good. That's how I was hoping you'd feel, except not as much in the fury department..."
Metal Man (GM): The ship's nearly there.
Deloth: "And a few squiggly feelings for Raena." *Starts paging through his Drain book, waiting for a reaction.*
Digifanatic: "And by the way, I think Ari did remove it, so you have no shame in putting it back on now. Of course... yeah..."
Raena: "Oh, come on, dear, don't be so bitter towards our friends."
Digifanatic: "Remember, Raena, Deloth was the one who put me on this ship so he could transform into Natalie behind everyone else's back!" *Folds his hands behind his head as the ship moves on.*
Metal Man (GM): Panzer is still biking on as the Questers arrive at Capital first, landing atop the GUN building.
Deloth: "If you're trying to shame me, Digi, I take pride in a good prank."
Digifanatic: *Kinda assumes that Ferris Bueller type relaxed pose as he waits for Kenku to land the ship* "No, I'm not. Just bringing back some old information."
Natalie: "Alright, Kenku, we're with you since you seem to have a plan to sell our mask."
Deloth: "And doing a terrible job of inciting rage."
Dragoshi: *Goes down to the 50th floor to check. ...if it still exists, anyway.* :x
Metal Man (GM): Ah right.
Deloth hops out of the ship and starts following Drago.
Metal Man (GM): You land ON the 50th floor. The top half no longer exists.
Digifanatic: *Gets out.*
Dragoshi: "...this is awkward." *Exits.*
Metal Man (GM): Marley sits at a temporary desk, looking at your ship.
Deloth: "Sorry about the bad landing pad arrangements."
Marley: "Yeah. My desk had to be moved down here."
Dragoshi: "Ah."
Marley: "That's my punishment for believing Levis was dead."
Deloth: "Hope we didn't blow off any paperwork."
Digifanatic: *To Del* "Rage wasn't the goal. Just a few minutes of 'Oh, I hate you' and shrugging it off afterwards."
Deloth: *Dismissively* "Yeah, that's what every novice says to cover up the shame."
Aribar: "...They took away part of your building as punishment?"
Marley: "Soooo... No, half of the building was destroyed, and my office was moved to the top floor, where helicopters land."
Aribar: "Ah, I see."
Deloth: "...Want us to buy you some paperweights?"
Panzer slows as she enters the city, finding the GUN building without much trouble. She leaves the bike outside the building across the street, walks into that one.
Natalie: "I was told by the Colonel that you might be interested in an object that'll help with investigations." *Natalie then shows him the justice mask. * "This baby will let you see what is perceived as 'true justice', anyone or any action that is unjust, though while using it you're rendered blind to all but the truth."
Marley: "Hm." *He looks at the mask.*
Metal Man (GM): Panzer does arrive about now, as she says.
Kenku: "It may not the best tool, since being unjust can mean many things, but we see this as a tool you may be able to use... for a small price or course."
Panzer looks around upon entering the building. She starts climbing the stairs.
Marley: "How can I know it works?"
Natalie: "Well, try it on. I've already tested it out, or rather my Digimon did, but she didn't see anything particularly unjust when she tried it."
Panzer gets to the 40th floor and walks to the outer edge of the building, where some destruction has taken place. She moves some things around, pushing tables and desks against the windows and things. She's looking for something apparently.
Marley: "Okay..." *He reaches for the mask.*
Deloth: .oO(I REALLY doubt he'd be interested in my mask...)
Natalie hands it off to Marley, smiling.
Metal Man (GM): He puts it on and then thinks.
Panzer takes out some small metal cables and fastens them to the door, then attaches that to something from her pockets. She lays out the rest of the things she brought with her and smirks, now looking outside.
Marley: "Hm. So I could never have known Borne was a maniac beforehand due to... ...this is interesting." *He starts muttering to himself.* "It appears Borne was twisted by something, as was his commanders. So I am not guilty of underestimating them. On the other hand..." *He sighs.* "It seems to agree I should have found Levis' body before I declared him dead."
Metal Man (GM): There's some people walking the streets below, visible to everyone.
Natalie: "My starting asking price is one hundred coins, but I can lower it if that's too expensive."
Marley: "Only a hundred? I guess I am in luck. Few items could reveal strangely specific pieces of information... ...and a few judges are in for firing it would appear. But..." *He takes it off.* "I can also analyze its properties and try to use it elsewhere."
Deloth: .oO(...Aw, hell, I gotta try.)
Natalie: .oO(The mask only cost 50, so that means a 100% profit for me...) "Well, will you take it?"
Marley: "Sure." *He takes the mask and gives you 100 coins.*
Deloth raises his hand. "While we're on the subject of masks, may I ask a question?"
Natalie: "Thank you." *She nods, taking the 100 coins and adding it to her purse. * "Alright, that's it for us, I think."
Marley: "Yes?"
Deloth: "These rebuilding projects must take a lot of materials, correct? Metals, fuel, that sort of thing?"
Metal Man (GM): A slight whizzing noise is heard.
Marley: "Yes... they do."
Deloth: "I believe I may have another mask for you to analyze, then." *Places the miner's mask on Marley's desk.*
Marley: "What of it?"
Deloth: "It allows any miner to become an instant expert at gathering materials. Ore, gold, you name it."
Marley: "Weird. Anything else to it?"
Metal Man (GM): Another whizzing noise.
Deloth glances around for a second at the noise.
Metal Man (GM): Search check, Deloth.
Aribar perks up his ears and wonders what the sound is, but doesn't make much of it.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth determines... ...not much. Some fly was near him.
Marley: "May want to take it to my materials supervisor. I wouldn't know if it was good or not."
Deloth: "...It does seem to have a detrimental affect on the wearer's health, I admit. However, if you were able to analyze this as well and remove that drawback, your rebuilding efforts would be quite efficient. I see. And where is he?"
Marley: "He's up North, in the mines."
Metal Man (GM): Sirens are heard down below. Marley's phone rings.
Digifanatic: *Notices the noise* "What in the world?"
Metal Man (GM): Marley picks up the phone.
Aribar steps to the edge of the roof and looks down. "What's going on?"
Natalie: "That doesn't sound good..."
Marley: "Mmhmm... mmhmm... I'll be right on it." *He slams the phone.* "Sniper somewhere nearby, shooting people. Streets are being evacuated."
Deloth: "..."
Digifanatic: "...Panz."
Deloth: "...Oh, shit, guys."
Dragoshi: "... ..."
Deloth starts running down the stairs, looking. "She's probably here somewhere! This is a high vantage point!"
Natalie: "Oy... You guys wanna' take care of it?"
Dragoshi: "...I guess that means I'll have to put my question on hold."
Aribar: "By Whaller..." *The half-elf casts Sensory to try and discern if those whizzing sounds he heard earlier were gunshots or not. And if they were, their origin.*
Marley: "Well, if it is Panzer, do you know where to look?" *He shrugs.* "I have my men looking."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: Will check.
Digifanatic: "She said she was coming into the city somewhere... But she didn't want to go with us."
Marley: "Well that isn't useful..."
Deloth continues running down the building stairs, looking around quickly at each floor before continuing.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar detects bullets and... ...they came from one of many buildings across the streets. Deloth: You continue going down them, slooowly figuring out, one floor out of 50 at a time, where Panzer is NOT.
Kenku notices Ari's casting and looks to him "You have any bead on where its coming from?"
Aribar: "Questers, I've vaguely discerned the location of the shooting. My magic detected the gunshots coming from one of the buildings across the street."
Metal Man (GM): Deloth continues to fly around, not really finding anything.
Kenku: "Great... this is gonna be tough since we have to run across the street."
Digifanatic: "Okay then. Should we head back to the ship and scout out the other buildings from above?"
Deloth: *Radio* "I'm in flight. Any place you need me to scope out from the sky?"
Kenku: "Ill try to cross and start checking buildings."
Aribar: "It's probably too large to do so, Digi. Also, someone with a radio tell Deloth to check the buildings across the street."
Digifanatic: *R* "A few buildings around here. Probably across one of the streets, according to Aribar."
Marley: "There are many places to look. Let us handle it, though... you'll just get in the way. If it is this Panzer person, you don't appear to have any way to contact them, so it doesn't matter. Only GUN will be able to handle it then."
Deloth takes off for the buildings across the street, scoping out the area.
Aribar: "A Quester is a tough opponent to face, Marley. Are you sure you want us to leave it to you?"
Deloth: *R* "Why would she DO this?!"
Marley: "A Quester is also not intelligent enough to deal with snipers. No offense, but even our boys in blue can't do that."
Digifanatic: "But Panzer IS a sniper."
Marley: "It requires specialists."
Digifanatic: "In fact, that's how she was so effective against Jack..."
Metal Man (GM): Roll a dodge check, Deloth. Deloth is nailed in the foot. The bullet is a strange thing which causes him excruciating pain and prevents him from moving much further.
Deloth: *R* "I don't-- AAAAAAARGH!"
Metal Man (GM): 40 damage. Continual damage... of 10 damage every 10 seconds... ...but as he's a Quester it'll stop at 1 HP.
Marley: "Any more of you wish to be shot?"
Deloth gets nailed and begins tumbling down to street-level.
Aribar tries to cast Sensory on the latest gunshot.
Kenku: *R* "Del are you alright?"
Digifanatic: "Marley, you think we should radio Panzer to see if she's actually causing this or trying to scare it off?"
Deloth: *R* "NO, YOU IDIOT, I'M NOT!" *Desperately tries a last-minute swoop to keep from being smashed into pudding on the streets.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: Will check.
Marley: "As far as I'm concerned you're useless in this situation. I suggest you leave before any more of you are hurt or cause others to be hurt."
Deloth manages to half-land, half-crash on the pavement, groaning in pain.
Metal Man (GM): The ship's right next to you on the 50th floor. Pretty much, Deloth.
Kenku looks to the others "Well? what do we do?"
Deloth: *Grabs his radio, spitting out a few broken teeth* "She's... nnngh... she's got poisoned bullets."
Metal Man (GM): Mostly, it's from high up near some other buildings.
Deloth: *R* "I don't know what they are, but they hit like a truck and made me fall like a rock."
Digifanatic: *R* "Well, she also uses radioactivity--considering that is her--so poison doesn't surprise me."
Marley: "Some robots are about to find out what it is."
Metal Man (GM): A robot walks over to pick up Del.
Aribar: "If it is her, then this is a Quester problem. We should be the ones to take care of it. I think it is time to test whether technology or magic is stronger." *He would head down to the ground floor.*
Deloth: *Flatly* "Thank you."
Marley: "I'm afraid you're incapable of doing that..." *Shakes his head at Aribar.*
Digifanatic: *Actually backtracks to the ship, because we wanted to give Deloth some treatment via the medicine cabinet.*
Metal Man (GM): Aribar walks down to the ground floor, as the robot takes Del to safety... or at least goes to.
Aribar: "We'll see about that, Marley." *He doesn't step outside yet.*
Deloth: *R* "I'll message you again as soon as I get out of the road here..."
Metal Man (GM): The robot carrying Del is pinged by a bullet and begins seizing up.
Kenku decides to head to the ship, trying to use its systems to try to find whoever is firing.
Digifanatic: *Look out and sees the bot take Deloth--radios Deloth* "I suggest the robot help you back to the ship where we can heal you anyway."
Metal Man (GM): Another robot walks over and picks up Deloth and begins carrying him instead.
Deloth: *R* "Or not. My helper just got shot."
Aribar would cast Wall, Ward, and Counter on himself and wait for Deloth to get inside.
Digifanatic: *Mumbling* "Whaaat in the..."
Deloth: *R* "What is she THINKING?!"
Digifanatic: *R* "Well, she does hate you."
Deloth: *R* "Yeah, but she's never tried to liquefy me with poisoned ammo before, either!"
Metal Man (GM): The robot's carrying Del to the ambulances far off to the side. Some bullets are shot near the entrance of the GUN building.
Aribar watches the bot take Deloth off. He unsheaths Sunlight and steps out into the open.
Natalie: *R* "I'm gonna' stay out of this fight for now, call me when you find her and want backup."
Marley: "Yeop. Robots found something in there." *He points to a building with smoke coming out of it.*
Metal Man (GM): Not really.
Aribar walks down the street, listening for the loud tell-tale sound of the sniper rifle.
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: You hear a small explosion up above instead. Smoke pours out of a window as Del is taken to the ambulance... ...and some nurse sticks him with a weird needle filled with... ...metal powder?
Aribar looks up to where he sees the explosion; what's up there? Anything out of the ordinary?
Nurse: "You're lucky, something kept you from just dying outright... ...the nanobots are detecting dangerous levels of mercury."
Deloth: "...Mercury?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar: It's a partially ruined part of the building that was damaged in the blast Levis made a while ago.
Deloth: "Where the hell would she get that amount of mercury?"
Aribar rushes towards that building and up towards the explosion.
Deloth: *R* "Found out what's in those nasty little shots of hers. She's laced them with mercury."
Digifanatic: *Instead follows Aribar--radios Deloth* "What?!"
Nurse: "They appear to trace from the jungle region... at least, the mineral analysis is saying so." *She takes out another needle and, just as quickly, takes out the nanites... ...and mercury? Wow. That's some magic medicine there.* "One person died and the other two are much worse condition-wise. It's a miracle you survived like this."
Metal Man (GM): Del is now at 50% his max HP.
Aribar continues dashing up the steps.
Deloth: "Dying's not my thing."
Digifanatic: *R* "As much as I would like to directly single out Panzer, I'm still pretty sure we don't have reasonable evidence... but I won't be surprised if it is her." *Sighs.*
Deloth: *R* "Apparently, the mercury's been traced to the jungle region of this place."
Metal Man (GM): Aribar runs up the steps, seeing a bunch of robots have beaten him to the punch. Some robots are just ahead of him, going... somewhere.
Deloth casts a trio of Minor Heals on himself and gets out, making a beeline for the GUN building as shelter.
Aribar: "Digi, did Deloth say mercury?" *He rushes behind the robots.*
Digifanatic: "Yes, he did."
Aribar: "It is Panzer."
Digifanatic: "Oh?"
Aribar: "She wanted to know where some mercury was the other day."
Digifanatic: "Argh! You think she'd be singling out Deloth, which I wouldn't be surprised if so, or is she gonna go for all of us?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar runs into a room where the robots have been shooting at everything. They shoot a piece of debris and a shiny metal hand is found.
Deloth: *R* "No sign of being shot at yet..." *Am I almost to GUN's building?*
Metal Man (GM): Deloth: You're there now, limping a little.
GUN robot: "Target detected. Surrender. You are surrounded."
Digifanatic: *That was to Aribar, BTW.*
GUN robot 2: "If you surrender you will not be executed."
Aribar: "Deloth was out in the open... What's this?"
Metal Man (GM): Yes. To the shiny metal hand.
Aribar looks at the hand. Is that all that is here? Is it Panzer's?
Panzer stands slowly, smirking. "Took you, what, five shots to find me?"
Deloth: *Wheezing* "Dammit... if I head out again, I'm nothing but a liability..."
Metal Man (GM): That would be Panzer's voice.
GUN robot: "Stand up slowly and drop all weapons or be reformatted."
Metal Man (GM): They take out strange looking devices.
Panzer: "Reformatted? Do I get to go to jail?"
Aribar: "Panzer, why did you do this?"
Panzer: "Got bored, Ari."
Digifanatic: *Muttering to Ari* "Because she hates Deloth."
GUN robot 2: "Powerful electromagnetic pulse destroys all data. Unless you surrender. Then you will be held in the rogue robot prison."
Panzer: "Well then. I surrender."
Aribar: "You got bored and so you decided to kill innocents?!"
Panzer: "They've all done something wrong in their lives. When I was rebuilt, you negated to re-install Light's program. So, I'm still classified as Maverick."
Aribar: "And now you should be put down for good."
Panzer looks at the robots, hands still up. "No, Ari. I just wanted to get put in jail. Brought a metal cup and everything."
GUN robot: "Very well, surrender." *Another, separate robot takes out... 'robo-cuffs'... they appear to be made of localized electromagnetic jamming frequency.*
Metal Man (GM): It would go to cuff Panzer, with no fear for its life. Robots. Fearless policemen!
Aribar: "And what are you going to do when you get bored of jail?!"
Panzer jumps back, out of the window, when it begins to get near.
Metal Man (GM): The robots with the erasers fire at Panzer in unison. Three dodge checks, Panzer.
Aribar: "Damn her!"
Metal Man (GM): Panzer is hit once, twice, three times. The robots are so fast she lands on the ground. While it does not specifically work as intended against Reploids, it basically shuts down all her systems (due to the severe amount of hitting), up to and including the otherwise dangerous reactor. It also erases a good deal of data, corrupting some other stuff. Yeah... they all hit, so they were all Wild West gunslinger-like on you. You moved and they reacted as fast as... robots.
Digifanatic: *R to Deloth* "Wow... two robots just tranquilized her... and I think they scrambled her data..."
Metal Man (GM): The GUN robots appropriate all her non-attached devices, and her armor, and they search for cup-like devices and confiscate those, even ripping off anything which makes them think of one.
Deloth: *R* "Serves her right... did she have any REASON for this psychotic snap?!"
Digifanatic: *R* "Claims she was bored. How typical..."
Metal Man (GM): They then drag up a bizarre looking safe and lock her body in it as Aribar watches.
Deloth: *R* "..."
Marley: *R* "If you could come back to my office, maybe we can talk about what just happened."
Kenku: *R* "What in the world? Even for her that's a little extreme."
Deloth: *R* "...Where did we go wrong, guys?"
Digifanatic: *R* "No idea."
Dragoshi: *Shrugs.*
Digifanatic: *To Marley* "Alright..."
Deloth starts the trek back to Marley's office, limping up and staying off of his shot foot.
Marley: *R* "This was a horrible incident, but I've a knack for dealing with them. I have an idea which will help you and... ...your damaged friend..."
Digifanatic just jogs back to the GUN building, up to Marley's office...
Marley: *R* "...And me, of course. Always me. Otherwise I'd be wasting money. Not to be mean. But I have to advance GUN's interests."
Deloth: *R* "A chainsaw to her circuits?"
Aribar: "By Whaller, this is so stupid and illogical! How can one blasted program tell her whether or not to murder people?" *The mage continues to rant and rave while they head back to Marley's office.*
Kenku returns to Marley's office from the ship.
Dragoshi: *R* "...Alright, then." *Calmly heads back to the office.*
Kenku: "What do you mean by that... I thought the virus she's been flaunting was doing the opposite?"
Digifanatic: "Because that's how she is governed. Artificial intelligence."
Metal Man (GM): Everyone reaches there.
Marley: "My men have scanned her circuits. And, I've even used this mask to determine to what extent she is guilty."
Deloth sits down on the floor to take the weight off of the shot. "And?"
Digifanatic: *Shuts off radio* "Ah."
Marley: "It is a virus which encourages her to kill people. Even odder, she carried the cure in some of her bullets, and even 'cured' a robot, causing it to malfunction."
Digifanatic: "And it was probably laying dormant in her for a while?"
Marley: "But the cure appears to be ineffective as well. For the Maverick Virus is part of the equation. The other part is she has never been punished for doing... anything. ...Well... what little data remaining we've seen shows that."
Kenku looks confused at Marley "Strange... she had been flaunting that virus for some time now... touting it even."
Deloth: "We've tried, sir. She just laughs."
Marley: "My solution is simple." *He turns his monitor to you.* "Our robots have long only been replicas of Eggman's." *He shows a new model.* "Now new, improved robots can be made, without a troublesome sentient core, but with improvements like this robot sniper has."
Digifanatic: "Right..."
Aribar: "She should be reprogrammed as some pacifistic coat rack!"
Marley: "I will build an entire army of them and use them to hunt down any more Levises and even fight Eggman."
Kenku: "No Ari... that would be too cruel..."
Marley: "As for her... I believe I have some researchers who have heard of this virus. Using their expertise, we can rebuild her in a way which will adapt and prevent her from killing humans."
Deloth: "No, Kenku, it wouldn't."
Metal Man (GM): He holds up the mask.
Marley: "Our magic division will capture the essence of this mask, allowing her only to kill guilty humans."
Digifanatic: .oO(Very nice, Natalie...)
Deloth: "And if this fails?"
Marley: "Magic... does not fail."
Deloth: "Sir, with all due respect, you're insane."
Metal Man (GM): He crosses his arms. Revealing strange tattoos on the back of his hands.
Dragoshi: "It only fails if the one who uses it is a failure."
Deloth: "You always have a backup plan. Always."
Marley: "Oh, I have one."
Metal Man (GM): He points to the souped up... robot plan.
Marley: "The robots made from this plan will be capable of defeating this machine wherever it goes, whenever. So... assuming you have no disagreement... I shall get to work immediately."
Deloth: "...Go for it."
Aribar just leaves and goes to the ship; the half-elf is rather disgusted that yet another Quester has gone insane.
Deloth carefully stands up, using a tentacle to support himself as he heads for the ship.
Kenku: "Wait... Wait... Wait... is this truly right? I mean... this is Panzer after all... the crazy nut that blew herself up to take Lev down."
Metal Man (GM): Technically, was Panzer ever sane? :p
Deloth: "Damn, those bullets are a nasty piece of work..."
Marley: "Yes. But nothing compared to our worst... These bullets can be fixed by fast-acting medical help. Unfortunately we were too late for one person."
Deloth: "..."
Dragoshi: "Hey... uhhh... Not to veer off-topic, but. Where's the post office in this place again? I kinda need to check to see if something I was supposed to get a while ago wasn't sent here by accident."
Marley: "49th floor."
Dragoshi: "Thanks." *Walks down to the 4(9)th floor.*
Deloth: "I just don't get why she snapped now, of all times..."
Digifanatic: "Maybe she was just bloodthirsty, you know, Jack and all..."
Schatze: *In the ship* "Well, that was odd. Very much odd. You know... maybe this solves our question of earlier."
Deloth: "That question being..."
Natalie: "...I'll say. Well, if we're not *Too* rattled, can we go see the mask salesman?"
Schatze: "Who would attack people with... Panzer's welding... and robot parts she only had in her lab?"
Kenku: "And that would be?"
Deloth: "...Good point."
Schatze: "...Especially a person like Ael..."
Deloth takes out his miner's mask, looking it over.
Kenku: "What do you mean?"
Deloth: "...I never got to talk to that guy about this one, come to think of it..."
Digifanatic: "Ah yes..."
Schatze: *Shrugs* "It seems suspicious that Panzer's parts would be involved in attacking Ael, then shortly after she goes nuts, sniping people..."
Digifanatic: "Well, if you think you're still good enough for us to make the stop, we'll fly you there."
Aribar: "We should pack her up and give her to Ael."
Deloth: "...Sure. I need something to take my mind off of what just happened, anyways..."
Kenku: "You wouldn't know any reason why she was attacking people would you?"
Dragoshi: *Checks to se if whatever package the kart's contained in is down on this floor. Yanno. Just in case.*
Digifanatic: "She said she was bored."
Schatze: "Maybe the robot attacks will have ended now that she is gone."
Metal Man (GM): Dragoshi: AHA! You look in and see it got lost near Trevor's hideout!
Kenku: "I know that Digi... but even for Panzer that seems a little insane."
Dragoshi: "..."
Metal Man (GM): Apparently someone hijacked the plane and landed it there.
Dragoshi: "Oh, that's just wonderful."
Metal Man (GM): Hmmm... those thugs must like stealing things. You're in the ship. Where do you go now?
Digifanatic: *Mine area to the north.*
Deloth: *Tiredly* "Maybe I'll get lucky and Raena'll volunteer to be my crutch."
Metal Man (GM): Panzer's parts are shipped off to a jail. But it's more of a safe... ...where she's kept deactivated for the moment.
Dragoshi: *Heads back to the ship* "Hey, guys. I think those jerk's near Trevel--errr... Trevor's hideout have my go-kart."
Raena: "Someone called?"
Metal Man (GM): Of course, what will happen with her will be seen... next session!
Kenku heads back to the ship.
Digifanatic: .oO(I didn't say it!)
Metal Man (GM): So then, where do you go now?
Deloth: "Yeah, wanna help me get to the captain of materials without taking three hours to limp over there?"
Kenku: "Oh great... so where to? Salesman's first and then go head hunting?"
Digifanatic: "No, we're gonna give Deloth the chance to sell his mask. And then the salesman."
Kenku: "Alrighty. Where are we going?"
Digifanatic: "Just off to the north. Marley gave us a general idea..." *Relays the location.*
Kenku nods and boots up the ship, checking to make sure everyone is on board.
Dragoshi: "..." *Apparently no one listened to what Dragoshi said.* :V
Natalie and Raena get seated.
Deloth: "Why would THEY want it, Drago?"
Metal Man (GM): Flying off you see a mining area near the forest.
Dragoshi: "Eh. I think it's not that they specifically wanted it, it's more like that they just wanted to steal the plane it was in."
Deloth: "Almost there, Raena. Gonna help me or not?"
Dragoshi: "And whatever was contained therein, yanno?"
Deloth crosses his arms and leans back, shutting his eyes.
Raena: "Why not?" *She says.*
Deloth: *Eyes open again* "...Wait, really?"
Metal Man (GM): You see a nice landing pad, next to several supply trucks.
Kenku makes a safe landing on the pad.
Raena: "We're friends, and brothers-in-battle, there's no reason I should deny you aid, no matter the implications." *She says as she stands up once the ship lands, offering a furry hand to help him up.*
Deloth: "Wow, um... thank you." *Stands up with Raena's help* .oO(Universe, make up your mind! Are you for me or against me?!) *He then starts making his way to the mining guy up ahead.*
Raena, of course, helps out, while Natalie just yawns and remains aboard the ship.
Deloth: "Uh... no offense, but I never knew you were the type to help people out like this."
Digifanatic: *To Natalie* "Wonder if I can just leave the radio on and hope to pick up a few random phrases... kidding."
Metal Man (GM): There's a nice little office for the mining chief. He's been waiting for you, sitting in a dank mining shack with flickery lights, drinking coffee.
Raena: "It was one of my duties as a warrior of my tribe."
Natalie: "Nah, when Rae means business, she's all business."
Digifanatic: "Alrighty."
Deloth: *Deep breath, switching mindsets...* "Are you the person that wished to see the miner's mask?"
Mine Guy: "Yeah, I was. I bet it's magic, right? ...But I hear there's something wrong with it."
Deloth takes it out and places it on the man's desk. "Yes, it does have detrimental effects on the wearer if it's worn for too long... but if you can analyze it, you may be able to take that property away from it. That's why I brought it down."
Mine Guy: "I'm not quite a science-y or weird as our leader though. Is it any good for large scale mining?"
Deloth: "It should be as long as you don't leave it on any one person for too long. I'd recommend maybe switching it to another person every so often."
Mine Guy: "But does it tell quantities... ...or difficulty of mining? We have to be very precise here. 'Ore here' won't mean squat, it would make things easier to prospect but nothing else."
Deloth: "I'm not sure, sir. My boss is not a man of details."
Mine Guy: "Well I'll have to know, and I'm not putting it on if it might curse me. It would seem more a prospector's mask than a miner's mask... Few people actually swing a pick these days with mechanized mining."
Deloth: "...Alright. Sorry for wasting your time."
Mine Guy: "No problem, I'm on lunch, and this is amusing." *Sips coffee.*
Deloth takes the mask back and heads out, rather dejectedly.
Raena: "Maybe you should have instructed him to try on the mask..."
Deloth: "He just said he wasn't going to put it on if it might curse him. ...Maybe *I* should've put it on."
Natalie: "Perhaps."
Kenku looks over to Del from the ship "No luck?"
Deloth: "No luck. ..."
Digifanatic: "Oh, wow... kinda surprised."
Deloth looks down at the mask, slipping it on.
Kenku: "Ah well... sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. There is probably someone else who would want it... anyway... off to Mask Man's shop?"
Natalie: "Yep. Unless there's another stop you wanna' make, in which case, I'm taking a nap."
Digifanatic: "Yeah. Hopefully, the guy will have his reward for Julian, too. We'll just give him his when we return."
Deloth: "Hold on a sec..."
Kenku: "Yes?"
Deloth steps out of the ship, wearing the mask and looking around.
Metal Man (GM): Deloth sees... Various color-coded ores and has the want to mine them all. But not specifically, just locations where general ore is.
Deloth: *Can he tell which ores are actually which?*
Metal Man (GM): You have a vague idea of some iron and gold, but there's some others which are green you can't tell.
Deloth pulls off the mask, with some reluctance. He wanted to follow that gold vein... "...Well, I can answer one of his questions, at least." *Starts heading BACK to the Mine Guy.*
Metal Man (GM): Deloth walks back to the mine guy.
Mine Guy: "Tested it some more?"
Deloth: "Yes. You've got some nice veins of iron and gold out there. And as you can see, I'm quite alright after putting it on."
Mine Guy: "Yes. Your hands are twitching, and... have any exact figures?"
Deloth: "Unfortunately, the mask isn't that specific, but... there were also some other veins out there that I couldn't recognize. Then again, I'm not a geologist in any sense of the word, so it may just be inexperience talking." .oO(I'm torpedoing my own sale! What the hell is wrong with me?!)
Mine Guy: "Don't worry. Find some crazy prospector, I'm sure they'll find it great. I'll stick to my machines. Magic irks me."
Deloth: "..."
Raena: *Ahem* "Well, it might not work on the automations, but while wearing it you can at least sense where to send the machines. All it takes is a momentary look to figure out where the ores are. That is clearly shown in your vision, the only trouble is concentrations."
Deloth: .oO(...Bless you, Raena.)
Raena: "And for those that still do manual mining, it will vastly increase their efficiency."
Mine Guy: "Yes but it'll probably cost me money I don't have. We run on thin margins, especially with the massive amount of material we have to mine."
Deloth: "Only fifty coins?"
Raena: "Is fifty coins marginal enough for you? If not, it can be twenty-five."
Deloth: .oO(Twenty-five?! ...Please, tell me you have something up your sleeve...)
Mine Guy: "Twenty five... maybe." *He shrugs.* "Maybe if you throw a little extra in. I'm a poor guy."
Raena begins to think. "We have a lot of raw materials at our base which can be easily adapted into parts to repair your machines. Or... I can lower it to ten coins and no further."
Mine Guy: "Ten coins? Okay, you have a deal."
Metal Man (GM): He flips out ten coins.
Deloth hands over the mask, taking the ten coins slightly confusedly.
Metal Man (GM): He takes the mask and sets it aside, as if it is radioactive.
Mine Guy: "Gonna have that guy I don't like wear it."
Raena looks obviously displeased at that deal, visibly shaking her head. Once they're out of earshot of the miner chief, "Natalie will cover the rest of the cost."
Deloth: *Waits until they're out of earshot as well* "...Damn. Why is it that someone ALWAYS has to cover for me? And what if the salesman realizes that I only sold it for ten? For all I know, he'll disembowel me."
Metal Man (GM): Anything else for today? Just a note: The Salesman just wants his 50 coins. He probably ain't very picky otherwise. So, Dragoshi is going to reclaim his kart from thugs all alone?
Kenku sets up to take off again once everyone is aboard.
Metal Man (GM): Awesome!
Digifanatic: *R to Deloth* "Things alright?"
Metal Man (GM): You're on your way to the mask salesman.
Aribar is in the ship reading his spellbook. He doesn't care at this point.
Deloth: *Sighs* "Natalie, I'll pay you back as soon as I get the coins, okay?"
Metal Man (GM): Aribar goes evil and pledges vengeance! Just kidding. You land near the observatory. Two masks, so, he's expecting 50 coins for each, before rewarding the people who sold them.
Kenku steps out of the ship once landing, and follows Natalie and the others in.
Natalie: "...Not a problem, but that's all the coins I had aside from what I made."
Deloth heads in, silently swearing at cheapskate buyers. "Again, I'll pay you back. I promise."
Natalie walks in, with Rae still supporting Deloth.
Metal Man (GM): You walk right in and the Mask Salesman stands there.
Mask Salesman: "So... sold any masks?"
Digifanatic: *Still in the ship this time.*
Deloth: "I did and she did." *Motions to Natalie.*
Natalie: "Mmmhmmm, two, actually. I did and Deloth did." *She then turns in the earnings, minus her profit, for the Justice Mask, and hands Deloth the 40 coins for covering the cost of his mask.*
Deloth: *Pays the HMS "His" fifty coins.*
Natalie: "Oh, and this pouch is also for you, an absent member sold a mask and wanted us to pick up his reward." *He hands him Julian's sales.*
Mask Salesman: "Hmmm..." *He spends a moment counting.* "Very well. Of course, I am out of masks for you to sell. You have done an excellent job. What masks do you three... er... two sellers desire?"
Deloth: "Do you have an inventory we can look at, perhaps?"
Raena: "...A trait unique to my type of creature is the ability to grow stronger by altering our form, it's called 'digivolving', and as of yet I have not been capable of doing so in this world. Perhaps the power of one of your masks can allow me to do so?"
Kenku: "Umm... could I possibly take the extra mask to sell?"
Mask Salesman: "I shall create you a mask to do that... come back next time and it shall be yours." *He looks to Kenku.* "My other masks that you haven't taken have been sold as well. Once we are done with these reward masks... I shall offer my final reward mask, which will be the most difficult to obtain."
Raena: "Thank you." *She bows as much as she can, which while supporting Deloth is just her head.*
Kenku: "I see."
Deloth: "But, um... do you perhaps have some masks we could look at as rewards, or have they all been sold as well?"
Mask Salesman: "I must create your reward masks; I have no others. I sold them all. I didn't know this realm had such an appetite for them. Hee hee hee."
Natalie: "...I've heard a legend" .oO(More of played a video game) "about a masked called simply, Majora's Mask. Do you know anything about it?"
Mask Salesman: *Holds up busted mask* "Yes, that one was quite hard to deal with."
Kenku looks inquisitively at the Masked Salesman "I see... well... Ill try to help get the last couple sold."
Natalie: "Oh... heh."
Deloth: "...I suppose that asking for one like 'gives more money' would have a downside as well."
Mask Salesman: "You..." *He points at Deloth.* "I can make that... just come back and I shall give it to you."
Deloth: "But would it have a downside? ...I'll just take the silence as a hopeful no."
Mask Salesman: "Of course it would. But you would be able to control when you use it. It won't be too bad. I don't make duds. Hee hee hee."
Natalie: "Alright, let's go. This guy is kind of... creeping me out."
Mask Salesman: "Hee hee HEE hee."
Natalie: "...Jeez, did this guy take laughing lessons from Kefka?"
Deloth: "Yes, let's." *Starts heading out.*
Kenku: "If everything is done for now. I guess we can go."
Mask Salesman: "No, but I have been compared to similar mythical people." *He's oddly bare of masks; must be happy, since he sold 'em all.*
Kenku returns to the ship, asking "So... anyone know coordinates for Trev's place... and shall we knock on the way in or buzz him before hand?"
Deloth: "Let's just blast him to ash."
Digifanatic: "Isn't he dead?"
Metal Man (GM): Actually you'd know that the death spell broke, but not sure if that means Trev revived.
Kenku: "I would be careful doing that, we could take the car with it."
Metal Man (GM): You're free to make wild assumptions though, as that is in character. :p
Kenku: "Well, even if he is his gang has the plan from what Dragoshi said."
Digifanatic: "Yeah... Only thing is how good can they stand up to us? Hopefully, not very."
Metal Man (GM): You fly towards Trevor's place... right? Or not?
Dragoshi: *Just waits for them to make it there...*
Kenku: "Digi you probably want to get setup, we probably want to crank them a warning shot at first to see if they will just give it up."
Digifanatic: "Eh, missile or guns?"
Natalie: "Just don't blow up the casino." *Natalie says casually.*
Metal Man (GM): You're approaching the place. Your sensors detect some scanning towers and warn of possible missile locks.
Digifanatic gets a laugh off of Natalie's comment.
Kenku: "A Missile, cause it can make a nice big bang."
Metal Man (GM): Do you continue forth? It says 'danger: Guarded airspace ahead.'
Digifanatic: "Alrighty." *Ready to fire, but a bit cautious* "Where do you want it?"
Kenku: "Uhh... so much for the "*Knock*"idea... Guys?"
Metal Man (GM): They're about 10 feet long and make huge explosions.
Natalie: "Try to aim for the radar towers, so we can clear a path through the SAMs without getting hurt."
Metal Man (GM): You so much as stop the ship or just gonna fly right in?
Raena: "...Don't ask, I've played a lot of aerial-combat games..."
Kenku: "If you guys think we can take em down, I'll hit the gas and try to buzz them."
Metal Man (GM): Presumptions I've learned make us all angry. Either someone stop the ship or it keeps going :p
Kenku: "Any objections?"
Metal Man (GM): As you're flying inside the guarded space and getting quiet warnings from somebody deep inside.
Radio: "Please leave this airspace."
Digifanatic: "You know, this is just for a Kart..."
Radio: "If you continue you will be destroyed."
Digifanatic: "Dragoshi, I know you earned it, but really..."
Natalie: "As long as we don't end up a fireball, I'm good with it. As I said, aim for the radar towers so we can knock out their SAMs."
Digifanatic: "Is this necessary right now?!"
Radio: "We at Trevor's Hideout like to conserve missiles, so it may be best if you turn around."
Kenku: "Heyo... we will if you hand over the nice big plane you hijacked... or at least its cargo."
Dragoshi: "...Fine. Turn back."
Radio: "What plane? What cargo? You have 15 seconds to comply, and my throat's acting up, so let's just pretend I'm saying the numbers right... nnnow. We don't have any cargo."
Digifanatic: .oO(Liars.)
Metal Man (GM): You begin to read missiles flying at your ship. Five of them.
Raena: "There was a plane hijacked and landed near here. Would you know anything about it?"
Metal Man (GM): You could escape if you turned around now.
Natalie: "Kenku, I hope you can dodge good!"
Metal Man (GM): Or you can fly directly at them.
Digifanatic: "Turn it, Kenku..."
Metal Man (GM): The radio is silent. Kenku sits there. Of course, someone else could turn it for him.
Kenku makes a quick turn for out of the airspace.
Metal Man (GM): You begin turning. The first three are in range and fly to hit the ship. Three tech checks +1, Kenku. They've got you well targeted. *BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM* The ship shakes violently, as shields are down to 70%. Two more incoming as you turn. Turning to move away or do you continue ahead into the guarded territory?
Kenku is moving away... too much indecision on all parts.
Radio: "This has been your warning. That's right. There's more. I'm not excited. I'm not even interested. Just go away."
Metal Man (GM): The ship moves away. The two missiles are chasing you. Two tech +1 checks. *BLAMMMM* *BLAM* Shields down to 40%, but no more missiles.
Radio: "Thank you, have a nice day." *CLICK.*
Metal Man (GM): The ship is now flying away from the base. Nothing permanent, thanks to turning around.
Kenku steadies the ship. "Well... that was interesting... I'm sorry I didn't turn earlier..."
Digifanatic: *Sighs* "We'll be alright. I have no idea what Trevor's guys wanted with a Kart, anyway..."
Metal Man (GM): So, where to next?
Kenku: "He doesn't want the Kart. Its smuggled cargo. Anything in it is sellable."
Aribar: *Panel on the ship to repair it.*
Kenku: "Probably."
Metal Man (GM): Of course, best put it ICly where you go, when you go. So I can be sure not to presume.
Kenku turns the ship for home for the moment before asking "Do you think Wario would be interested in the gambler mask?"
Metal Man (GM): Gambler mask was sold to a now dead gambler and blown up. And you paid for it.
Natalie: "...we could have sold the miner mask to Wario..."
Digifanatic: "That was the one Julian sold..."
Natalie: "...DURH. Jeez."
Kenku: "Oh... what's left?"
Digifanatic: "I considered that option and Deloth immediately shut me down."
Metal Man (GM): You go to land at HQ, a low key end to another crazy... well... more like nasty day. HINT: The Trevor people ARE traders of sorts. You may be able to get more with honey than vinegar.
Digifanatic: *Gets off the ship* "I'm not sure how to call today, really... but hey, the Stadium is recomplete and the group is sane again..."
Raena: "We should plan another tournament. Those bring in a lot of cash."
Metal Man (GM): You guys actually did a new thing and broke a record by selling all the masks. I've never seen a sidequest completed so thoroughly before.
Digifanatic: "Hmm..." *goes through a bunch of moments over the last few missions...* .oO(Ya know, that statement DID stab me in the back...)
Kenku: "I would save for a seating upgrade first."
Metal Man (GM): So, anything else before I give out the final EXP?
Kenku: "Which reminds me... lemme make a phone call."
Digifanatic: "Yeah... who do you want to call?"
Kenku: "BLU about how much it would cost for one... unless you think GUN would give us a better price."
Natalie: "Well, I've got fifty coins for any Stadium upgrades, not doing anything with 'em right now. And I'm nowhere near close to having enough cash for another reforging of the Digi-sabre, so... yeah."
Metal Man (GM): So who're you gonna call?
Digifanatic: "Oh, good question... I know the Galactic Feds would also sell something like that."
Metal Man (GM): Ghost busters?
Kenku: "Nah... I think GF is military products only... anyway" *Kenku says as he gets on the phone to BLU.*
Engineer: "Eh, who's here?"
Kenku: "Hey Engy, it's me William from the Questers. What would it cost to expand the stadium's seatings to 1000 person capacity?"
Engineer: "William who? Shakespeare?"
Kenku: "Oh, sorry... this is Kenku. Yea, this is a question about the Questers Stadium."
Engineer: "Well, I could do that, but it'd cost 500 coins."
Natalie: "I've got a tenth of that..."
Engineer: "Call me back when ya have the cash and we got a deal."
Kenku: "Ok, I will. Thanks for the price estimate."
Digifanatic: "Hmm, that'd be nice, but... yeah, holding a second event here would probably help."
Raena: "Besides. I want to bash that Megaton Fighter into the ground, and I bet the Digivolution Mask will help with that."
Digifanatic: "I suggested it could be all-Questers this time, and maybe the winner of that can face off Megaton Fighter, yeah..."
Metal Man (GM): Needs to make it. Will be available next session.
Kenku says bye to Engy and hangs up. "I would be ok with another event, but were not going to get a bigger crowd than last time without more seating. Which leads to a suggestion... I know we kinda pool our resources anyway... but wouldn't it be a good idea to create a treasure made out of a split from our pay? That way we're not footing people so unevenly."
Deloth yawns and sits up. Apparently without the mask on, he dozed off for a while.
Raena: "Security would be an issue."
Deloth: "What'd I miss?"
Digifanatic: "Well, Engie wants 500 if we're to increase our seating tenfold."
Deloth: "I've got negative forty."
Kenku: "Not a serious issue being that the stadium is heavily guarded, and the weapons are not operational."
Digifanatic: "So that's 500 to add 900 seats... by that theory, if we give him 250, that should be in the ballpark of 400-500."
Raena: "Yeah, but we still need to worry about unsavorables, and of course, internal corruption."
Kenku: "I would rather pay him the 500."
Digifanatic: "Okay."
Kenku: "This really is only a mid step. I would think final goals are around 14000 seats."
Dragoshi: "...I only have 132 coins."
Deloth chews on his lip. "Sorry about that back there, Natalie. Hopefully I can pay you off before too long."
Kenku: "I still think it would be a good idea Raena. After all, it would only take a share out of pay, plus we need somewhere to put stadium profits."
Digifanatic: "Yeah. As long as we don't store it in the garage."
Metal Man (GM): +1 EXP to... Panzer Kenku Deloth Blade Aribar Digi +1 EXP to... Panzer Kenku Deloth Blade Aribar Digi and Dragoshi I miss anyone?
Aribar: *Rolls for his spellbo-oh,wait, out of money.*
Kenku: "Nah... probably lock it up in a safe in some well protected room. I dunno where although, as I don't think there is a organizational room for events yet"
Natalie: "...We should ask how much an indestructanium vault is worth."
Kenku: "True, shouldn't be hard to find a fire safe at the very least to start"
Metal Man (GM): Out of money? Whoops. *Aribar's spellbooks that he has to pay for vanish.*
Deloth: "And if all else fails, we can always bury it in the backyard."
Digifanatic: "Yeah..."
Natalie: "Alright, well, let's find a room, and I'll toss my 50 in for upgrading seating. Oh, we should check up on the merchants, see how they're doing..."
Metal Man (GM): Tracking what? I'd suggest you not pool your coins, heh. :p Stadium security? You have some guns n' some GUN guys, but it isn't precisely super.
Deloth: "For now, I vote we get some rest. It's been a very insane day."
Digifanatic: "Probably a wise idea."
Kenku: "Maybe your right Del."
Deloth: "That, and my foot still hurts and I want to stay off it for a while."
Kenku: "Ok... well... night then Del. I'll probably crash in a little bit."
Digifanatic: "Need any ice cubes or something?" .oO(Oh, right...)
Raena: "Would you like some help back to your room?"
Deloth: "...That would nice, Raena." *He looks away, blushing just a slight bit.*
Natalie: *And once again, the six-foot tall fox girl helps Deloth to his room.*
Deloth: "Thanks, Raena. I really appreciate this..."
Raena: "Again, not a problem for me."
Digifanatic: *Paces around a bit* "Well, I guess today was a success..."
Deloth: "I know, but I still must be annoying you a bit..."
Raena: "...No." *She says flatly.*
Deloth: .oO(...Boy, she doesn't leave room to argue.) "Okay, if you say so. Thanks."
Raena: "Good night. Unless you want me to stay with you."
Deloth: .oO(...how am I supposed to answer that without appearing either uncaring or perverted?) "Uh... that's up to you, I guess."
Raena: "Hmm. Alright." *She then joins them, and fin.*
Digifanatic: *To Natalie* "What the heck is taking Raena so long?" *R to Deloth* "Uh, Deloth, is everything okay?"
Deloth: *R* "Yeah... yeah, everything's fine. I'll, uh... radio you if I need something."
Digifanatic: *R* "Alright." *Click.*
Deloth: *Radio off.*
Digifanatic: .oO(He seems a bit tense, but I'll leave him be...) "Eh, whatever..." *Just goes on, reading a paper or something.*
Natalie: "I don't know. Maybe she's sleeping with him or something." *She just shrugs a bit, yawning. * "I'm gonna' go now."
Digifanatic: .oO(Oh wow... Raena? Of all the Questers, I would have never expected her to be truly the romantically aggressive one!) "Alright." *Over to his room End his bit, I guess.*
Metal Man (GM): GUN facility, Classified Location Panzer would awaken, strangely, in a room with Marley standing right before her, unarmed. It would seem sort of like a bad hangover.
Panzer started to recalibrate things, rubbing her head. Armor on?
Metal Man (GM): Yes, it is.
Marley: "So the tests came through positive. Excellent."
Panzer: "Tests? Positive?"
Marley: "I was afraid after that one incident I had destroyed the subject... er... your processors, but apparently not. They... adapted to incorporate it."
Panzer: "I'm a heuristic device, unlike those damn robots you have."
Metal Man (GM): You'd see images of reploid designs on the walls, plus a strange new device added on to where the heuristic processor is.
Panzer looks at them, obviously not happy. "Well. That will be the first thing to go, whatever the fuck it is."
Marley: "It seems your creators made a simple mistake; there was no conscience device, so the heuristic device was free to make solutions involving destruction of humans."
Panzer scans herself for tracking devices.
Marley: "If it was mere technology perhaps, but you can't remove what I did." *He holds his palms out.* "I cast a level of enchantment even Aribar cannot remove unaided."
Metal Man (GM): No tracking devices. Merely that anomalous 'morality core' which has appeared in a critical location in the CPU setup.
Panzer: "Destruction? I never had a master plot. I just wanted a distraction. I haven't fucked with humans in a while. As for my Jiminy Cricket, I don't need one. It interferes with my mission readiness. If you put one in, then I will have to run processes through it and it will mess with me."
Marley: "It already has messed with you. At least, if the tests weren't completely off their mark..." *He hands Panzer her sniper rifle.*
Panzer: "Oh you did, did you now? I'm getting a better picture of what to do to get rid of it, then." *She shoulders it.* "You expect me to want to shoot you, and then I'll be ...'Punished.'" Or something by your little magic, am I right? Or will I just shut down?"
Marley: "That kind of shock-collar doesn't work on anyone. You'll just never be able to pull the trigger at me unless I have been detected as evil or otherwise 'not innocent', taking into account also your 'mission', since of course it makes sense overrides should be made occasionally."
Panzer: "Either-or. I'm not going to play your little games. I had fun with what I did, and I can still find other ways of having fun that the law discourages. All I wanted was to be put in jail for a while so I could play with the metal cup."
Marley: "Then you're in luck--next time you go to do that your system will simply consider only options to do that which do not kill innocent beings."
Panzer: "I hope you've talked to the Questers about this. All of their enemies will be unchecked in my AoO."
Marley: "That's their problem for not keeping you under control, not mine. Now I have your bike and equipment outside the base, and you are free to leave. I tested the chip myself. On myself, even."
Panzer: "You're not a mechanical thing. Chips don't work on you."
Marley: "We've successfully integrated machines and organics before. On top of that the component uses a magic component as an electronic device."
Panzer: "It will get taken out eventually." *She crosses her arms.* "Can I go now? I need my back up data to make sure nothing else was fucked with."
Marley: "Begone." *He flicks a hand.* "Of course, the device only works how I would want it--truthfully, I don't care about the people of Continia." *He walks off and a door outside opens.*
Panzer laughs. "If you don't care, then why did you bother?" She walks outside, gets on her bike after gathering her equipment and takes off.
Metal Man (GM): It's all there, as the chip oddly vanishes from display. Hm. Either it deactivated or... ...it's sneaky. Also, oddly, this occurred about the moment you walked outside. Perhaps he merely wishes to protect his assets and no others...
Panzer chuckles. "Reverse dampening field. Cute."
Metal Man (GM): Either way, I assume you go back to HQ; if you don't we'll probably have to come back to it later, since my plan to segue with the main thing is that all the stuff in the building was recorded. So the Questers are at HQ, having just seen this video (which was summoned before them all by some magic on Marley's part), and Panzer arrives just as it finishes. HQ It's another empty day, nothing specific happening anywhere.
Deloth: "...This is never gonna work."
Digifanatic: *Having seen the video* "I doubt it, at least..."
Natalie's in the main area, finishing the final touches on a new set of cards. "Ahhh... perfect!"
Panzer goes straight to the garage, slams the door and gets to work on something or other.
Metal Man (GM): Also, an OOC GM note: Since today was my 'have no time to prep' day, you'd probably best wait until next session to claim those masks. Several weeks from now. Also my Summer will be LESS, not more time, due to taking a summer class. So your normal concepts of school don't apply to me.
Deloth: "...Maybe I should pick open that door when she's not around and disable her rifle..."
Digifanatic: *Quietly to Deloth* "Sooo... how should I put this... were you very... heh, grateful for Raena's extended presence or did she make you feel a bit, uh... nervous?"
Aribar: "I don't quite know what to make of the situation. Panzer is essentially a maverick Quester and I hate the fact that we have to depend on a little switch inside of her to keep that gun on an enemy's head and not an innocent's."
Deloth: "All of the above, Digi. All of the above."
Digifanatic: *You can tell he's a bit tentative because he doesn't want to word something like that the wrong way.*
Deloth: "We need to get rid of her. Bury her in concrete or something."
Digifanatic: "Oh. Then I won't jump to any conclusion." *That was to the Raena comment, of course.*
Deloth: "And I still need to find a way to get revenge on you for starting all this, you little sneak."
Digifanatic: "You still made the first prank."
Deloth: *Of course, what with "I'M NOT REALLY A MALE" on the back of Digi's shirt in fabric paint and all, that might have already been achieved...* "Oh, you just wait, Digi."
Natalie walks by, sees the back of Digi's shirt, and starts laughing like she did seeing the back of Deloth's armor.
Digifanatic: "Alright, Natalie, what did he do this time?"
Deloth: *Also, in brackets under that, "I'M CARRYING LOTS OF CASH TO COMPENSATE FOR MY SMALL SIZE".*
Aribar sighs and rises from his chair. "Unfortunately, we're as short-staffed as it is and we can't get rid of Panzer. At least not yet; if this measure does keep her more in line than she has been, then good for us. If it happens again, then I guess we take responsibility and deactivate her." He goes to check on the mail and such to calm down; the mage has been frustrated by their last mission.
Natalie: *Cackle* "Oh... oh, that's great..."
Rinith: *starts to wake up.*
Digifanatic: "I'll be right back." *Walks up to his room to find a new shirt As he puts on a new shirt, he reads what Deloth put on the other one...*
Deloth: "So, how's YOUR day going so far, Natalie?"
Digifanatic: *R to Deloth* "Not in public."
Panzer sits in the garage, now comfortably re-flooded with Argon. She sighs and pulls out paper and pen and starts to draw out the location of the device based on what she remembered, having to find something to distract herself. This little moral chip is already a problem for her. A modification she was making on the saber she had proved to get an emotional rise out of her. It now lays in the wall, half embedded.
Natalie calms down a bit. "Oh, good. Raena can now restore damage thanks to a new cardset I made." She sits down and stretches out.
Deloth: *R Digi* "Spoilsport."
Metal Man (GM): Schatze appears in the garage. He puts a hand to his chin.
Digifanatic throws his painted shirt in the hamper and puts on a new one, walking out soon after.
Schatze: "Cursed by some chip, are you? Of course... I can remove it... I can remove anything."
Deloth: *Calmly* "See, Natalie? He just can't face the truth. Sad, isn't it?"
Rinith: *walks in to the room with the others, a cup of made tea* *Yawn.*
Digifanatic: "Either that or Natalie should have waited until we left to make this situation avoidable."
Panzer looks up. Her eyes are red. "Marley thinks he's cute, making it seem only visible in his HQ. Doesn't work like that. He has magic on me, too. Removing the blasted chip might not help, it could make the spell stronger. I don't have enough intel. I think he planned it that way."
Natalie: "Sorry to ruin your fun..."
Digifanatic: "No problem. But I do have a lot of cash."
Deloth: "So, going to back down while the score's in my favor, Digi?"
Digifanatic: "We'll see."
Schatze: "Of course. But Ael can remove anything, and I have a way to trick him into removing it."
Deloth: "See, Natalie? He admits it."
Metal Man (GM): At the mailbox, the mailman runs over and sticks a letter in, then runs off.
Aribar opens up the box and takes out the letter.
Panzer: "...I'll have to talk to one of my buddies first. Ever heard of an ink bomb? (Those silly little things they put on clothes in malls, made of plastic.) If we take it out and remove the magic, it could get worse. There could be other implements that I can't detect."
Schatze: "Maybe. But going back in time and preventing it from ever being put there... would sort of nullify that."
Deloth: "So, where IS Raena, anyways?"
Panzer: "Instead, I think I'll use this opportunity, really... Or I could make it look like I'm using it, to see if the kids can handle their own messes and such."
Digifanatic: "She's probably right behind you."
Schatze: "Your choice... ...I must go to my work." *Walks off.*
Rinith: "Lot's going on, what I miss?"
Panzer: "I'll give you a good point on that. You get a cookie."
Natalie: "Practicing, as usual. She's gotten' quite a bit more agile."
Aribar: *... Also reads the letter.*
Deloth: "Mm. I need to thank her for last night." *He waits for Digi's reaction.*
Digifanatic: "Yeah, more agile for the better to sneak up on you, Del."
Natalie: "Why? It's not like you guys did anything... All she did was sleep on the floor next to your bed."
Rinith: "She's still training?"
Metal Man (GM): The letter is very simple.
Deloth: "Yeah, but she did defrost enough to help me out yesterday."
Natalie: *To Rin*: "She's always training."
Digifanatic: "Again, I hold off my conclusions."
Panzer goes back to doodling, mainly silly little things like RF storming stuff and taking over the planet. She's uneasy and paranoid, the "moral chip" only boosting the feeling usually suppressed but careful lack of controls is disrupted and she doesn't look safe to be around regardless.
Metal Man (GM): Silph Co. is looking for potential researchers, specifically it has identified a dangerous area which needs to be explored. An island, apparently.
Deloth: "Nothing happened, you sick freak. Why are you so interested in it?"
Digifanatic: "I'm not."
Metal Man (GM): Panzer would hear Deloth and Digi's banter. It would most likely annoy her.
Deloth: "Then why do you keep mentioning her?"
Aribar goes back to the others. "We just got a job offer in the mail."
Digifanatic: "Cause everyone else does."
Rinith: "..."
Digifanatic: *Quickly turning to Aribar* "Yes?"
Deloth: "...Eh, makes sense. What job offer, Ari?"
Panzer growls lowly. She'd been trying to ignore it, really. She walks to her tank, in the garage with her and turns the engine over to deafen out the sound of the two.
Aribar: "The name of the company sounds familiar, but I cannot place it; some 'Silph Co.' is looking for researchers. There's some dangerous island that they want explored."
Digifanatic: "Oh, over on Kanto."
Deloth: "Sounds good. I still owe Natalie cash."
Aribar: "The letter doesn't give too much information." *He would hold it out for the others to read.*
Digifanatic: "Which should be glitch-free, too!"
Deloth: *To Digi* "Because I happen to have NO money."
Digifanatic: "Alright, how much you need?"
Deloth: "None. I'll pay my own way."
Rinith: "Glitch free?"
Panzer can still hear parts of it and looks more and more pissed. She walks over, opens the engine compartment and sets the engine to a higher idle.
Digifanatic: "Alright..." *To Rinith* "Yeah... a funny thing happened the last few times we went there."
Aribar: "I would prefer a job where we actually earn some money as well; I wish to save up some money, but that has been quite impossible with our usual selection of assignments."
Digifanatic: "But that should be all be fixed as a result of us getting rid of Ivan and all that."
Deloth: "Hopefully we won't have to kick more people into the distance. ...Does anyone else smell exhaust fumes?"
Digifanatic: *Sigh* "Probably Panzer working on something."
Metal Man (GM): The engine is heard by the people talking deep in HQ, to boot.
Digifanatic: *Walks over to the entrance to the garage, notices the noise and turns back.*
Aribar: "As long as we don't hear the walls being broken through, I don't really care."
Natalie: "We should probably get underway for our job..."
Rinith: "I'll... be at the ship"
Deloth: "Good idea. Want me to go get Raena?"
Digifanatic: "Yeah... escaping this noise would be alright..."
Panzer works on the tank, mainly cleaning it and strengthening the welds on it.
Raena: "No need." *The hell did she come from?*
Deloth: "Oh, hiya. Ready to roll?"
Raena: "Of course."
Rinith: o.o "How do you pop up like that sometimes?"
Raena: "Very carefully." *She says in a dull voice, crossing her arms.*
Deloth: "Thanks for the help yesterday, by the way."
Raena: "Not a problem." *Raena nods, and Natalie stands up.*
Metal Man (GM): The ship is waiting, as the tank noise continues.
Aribar: "Someone with a radio contact Panzer and let her know we're going on a mission; I'd go and tell her, but the last time I walked past the door I could barely breathe." *Heads to the ship.*
Deloth gets up, brushing himself off. "Alright, let's head out and probably get injured severely somehow. Always seems to happen these days." He starts heading for the ship.
Panzer pokes her head out of the garage, seeing them get in the ship. "More mask bullshit, I'd guess."
Digifanatic: *To Panzer* "If you want to go explore a dangerous island with us, just hit the ship."
Panzer turns the tank off, stands in the open garage doorway, watching them. "Hit it?" She smirks.
Rinith: *gets on the ship and stretches a bit, hes been bedridden for to long now.*
Panzer looks at the tank. "I could hit it, all right." She just walks and gets in the ship, silent. She still looks pissed.
Deloth: "My, SOMEONE'S an unhappy Reploid today. Sad you can't shoot more innocents in the head?"
Digifanatic: *Works his way back to his typical pilot seat and takes the ship off towards Saffron City, expecting to meet with Silph there, unless they have the coordinates for the MYSTERIOUS ISLAND and expect us to meet them there.*
Panzer: "Fuck with me, Deloth. I dare you."
Deloth: "No thank you, you're not my type."
Panzer: "I can't mess with you, per se, but what should happen if the ship were to crash from a high altitude, with all the fucking doors smashed shut?"
Deloth: "I'd break open a door and fly out."
Metal Man (GM): You don't have the coords, so you're going towards Saffron.
Panzer: "There are loopholes in everything. Your little plans with Marley had the wrong effects."
Metal Man (GM): It'll be a little bit of a flight of course.
Aribar: "Can you both settle down? It's going to be horribly tedious if we have to listen to the two of you argue for the whole trip there."
Deloth: "Will do."
Panzer: "Ari, I already know the bullshit you said, yourself. I'm not happy with you, either. I do one little thing to have fun for the first time ever, and everyone freaks the fuck out about it. I'm not a menace that you paint me to be, but I can be if you want."
Metal Man (GM): You see the Saffron City in the distance. Silph Co. has a landing pad up top as well. How convenient.
Aribar: "Did you ever think about simply going to a jail to play with your little cup? Typically when we have fun, we aren't killing civilians or causing property damage."
Panzer: "I've been punished for it. Drop it."
Deloth: "Ha ha ha. Punishment would be killing you, too."
Panzer: "I can be rebuilt, easily at that."
Metal Man (GM): Going to land, Scotty--I mean Digi?
Digifanatic: *Yes, landing pad will do nicely.*
Deloth: "Question is, who would want to?"
Panzer: "I have friends in high places."
Metal Man (GM): You land, seeing an open door up top to enter with.
Natalie just auto-follows for now, having nothing to really say or do.
Digifanatic: *Heads out and enters the door.*
Deloth: "Whatever you say." *Hops out and heads for the door.*
Panzer smirks. She walks behind the group, rifle slung across her back this time, unusual for her.
Dragoshi: *Slowly follows behind.*
Aribar follows the others into the building. He would be listening to the reploid's heavy footsteps to ensure that she is keeping with them.
Metal Man (GM): You walk into the building. A sciencey guy awaits. He looks at you.
Scientist: "Hello! I knew you would come. We have been waiting for some people of... high qualification!"
Aribar: .oO(Wow, someone thinks highly of us.)
Digifanatic: .oO(Well, Panzer may or may not be...) "I see."
Panzer just stands behind the group, silent. Her mind is on other things.
Rinith: "..."
Scientist: "We have... er... a dangerous island. A lab was there, a... very important lab."
Deloth: "A lab? What kind of lab?"
Scientist: "All who have entered have been killed, yet no physical damage has been found."
Panzer: "Secret weapons research, is it?"
Deloth: .oO(If he says "genetic engineering", I swear...)
Scientist: "No, a pokemon lab. Improving the world of pokemon by developing new pokemon products."
Digifanatic: "Oh, wow..."
Panzer: "And that's the big worry?"
Scientist: "...We have some important data in the lab, but everyone who has come close has been killed, with no physical injuries. Some have been vaporized, leaving nothing but a burnt shadow on the ground."
Panzer: "Possible Biological agent. Or Purple Haze... Wait. Why am I caring." *She grumbles. Stupid chip.*
Digifanatic: "Have there--yeah, that's what I was thinking..."
Aribar: "Do you have any Pokemon stored there that could do such damage?"
Scientist: "But that should be no problem for you, since..." *He takes out some old newspapers.* "You appear not only capable of taking on far more dangerous things, but... worse. No. None at all. We removed our pokemon."
Deloth looks at those newspapers.
Digifanatic: "Have you made any reports of odd purple substances from inside the lab? It could be someone from another island or continent trying to claim this island for itself or themselves."
Metal Man (GM): The newspapers have headlines like 'QUESTERS QUASH BORNE' 'INTERNATIONAL TERRORIST KILLED BY DEATH RAY' 'ECHIDNA INVASION REPULSED BY QUESTERS'
Scientist: "No, nothing purple. But I can't know for sure. To get too close is, apparently, instant death."
Deloth: "...We have newspaper articles? Wow."
Scientist: "Of course. You're known all around the world for your good... and... *Cough* bad. Of course, Jack could have done this for us instead, but... his prices keep going up, and his bizarre behavior scared me..."
Deloth: "Can't win them all, I guess. Any possible guesses on what's in this lab causing this?"
Metal Man (GM): The newspaper is apparently the Central City Tribune.
Scientist: "I... don't know. Our data... was simply on nutrition aspects. It shouldn't be happening. But the only person who knew vanished and may have been vaporized trying to stop it."
Digifanatic: "Weird."
Aribar: "To digress, do you know how we could get in contact with Jack?"
Deloth: "...Yeah, that really shouldn't be happening over Pokemon snack data. I guess we could check it out. You up for it, guys?"
Panzer walks back to the ship, sitting down and waiting on the rest of the useless banter to continue. The intel part of everything was already complete.
Rinith: "Might as well."
Digifanatic: "Yeah. One thing, though, are you folks going to examine this with us, or are we responsible for relaying all this information over our radios or something?"
Scientist: "Jack? Oh, if I could contact him, I wouldn't have hired you. I have no clue."
Aribar: "I see. Thank you."
Metal Man (GM): He hands Aribar the coordinates and walks off.
Scientist: "Bring the data back, I will be too busy to answer questions."
Deloth: "Alright."
Digifanatic: "Okay." *Heads back to the ship, gets the coordinates for the island and takes the ship off for said island.*
Aribar follows Digi back to the ship.
Metal Man (GM): You're flying off to the side, a bit off the beaten track. As you go, markers of civilization begin to vanish. Heck, the radio registers fewer active stations and hence less planes/people/anything.