Super Smash Quest: Infinity - Story - Chapter 39: Of Alsa and Erastia
Date: 4:25:08 PM, April 20th; 6:34:32 PM, April 25th; 10:55:30 PM, May 21st; 12:00:11 AM, May 22nd, 2011.
Metal Man (GM): Epilogue 2: What's going on with Alsa, part 2. Kaine, Kraela, and Starr would warp onto Red Text's satellite. Strangely, it is completely empty, except for Canti, the Q-robot (the robot that looks like an all-red E-123 Omega), who is manning the controls. The satellite indicates Anthon controls most of Alsa and is currently engaged in some sort of battle on Jack's continent.
Starr: "Home again..." *She frowns softly,* "Now to set things right."
Metal Man (GM): Canti doesn't even react to the appearance of these Brawlers... Continuation.
Canti: "Welcome back to your planet. Or should I say, GUN Planet. Anthon Tark has taken over most of the planet. Red Text left to get something to stop him but has yet to return. I can warp you where you wish, but I must advise you that Anthon is force fielded and incredibly armed, and possesses a vast army. Cameras have caught images of Jack the Widowmaker burning a path through his troops with some sort of strange weapon of mass destruction. Advisory: do not get too close to him either. The Mushroom Kingdom remains under the control of the 'Free Mushroom Alliance' and Sarasaland remains invisible."
Kraela: "Is Jack's casino still under his own control?"
Canti: "Jack's bar is under his control. It is about the only place that isn't in Anthon's clutches. But it is not likely to be safe. Anthon's men are as ubiquitous as guns on Alsa. I would suspect you might encounter trouble and, given that you no longer are radioactive with that unusual substance you beings exude, you may not be able to take them."
Kaine: "Great..."
Kraela: "Is there a safe way to get to him?"
Canti: "I would deal with it myself, but this is a very sensitive satellite which cannot be left unmanned. Or unroboted. I can send a message to him. He occasionally takes breaks between killing thousands of worthless idiots."
Kraela: "That sounds wonderful."
Starr: "... I have an army. Black Yoshis, Red Boos, Birdos, and Bullet Bills."
Canti: "Anthon Tark has the army which killed the Time Cops' invasion plus some new inventions taken from the ruins of the Repliforce. But if you wish to re-enact those glorious war scenes where everyone explodes in slow motion I will not stop you. There is also a resistance group on Angel Island. Strangely he has not blown up their island yet."
Kaine: "We probably should go to Angel Island first."
Kraela: "Why's that, now?"
Canti: "Some of the people abandoned by the Alsa Questers and left to fend for themselves have been working on a plan which will inevitably fail because they are silly foolish people. Red Text is the only one who can truly solve this problem as far as I am concerned."
Kaine: "Ok, so where IS Red Text?"
Canti: "He went after the Time Cops for their Arbitration device. Probably a code word for shooting people with lasers."
Kaine: "..." *Looks at Starr and Kraela and shrugs.*
Canti: "He said that the Time Cops had done this on purpose."
Starr: "I don't see why they would have..."
Canti: "They assassinated Borne."
Starr: "Ah."
Canti: "Borne was the only one keeping the military of GUN from running everywhere."
Kraela: "I don't see why they wouldn't. From what I've heard, they're not very nice people."
Canti: "If Borne returned, this exercise in 1950's Nationalism could be retired. However Red Text did not like Borne either and has some other plan. I still think the person who shot everyone who got in his way is the most intelligent. In this planet, those who do not kill are just asking to be invaded by geriatric maniacs. Old generals do not retire. They graduate into world domination land."
Kaine: "Yeah." *Sighs* "So, for now, what, we just wait?"
Canti: "You can talk to the foolish people on Angel Island, or Jack, who I hear is willing to take a break if you want to talk to him. Or even talk to Anthon himself... or wait for Red Text. Or attack Anthon's forces yourselves with whatever you have in a desperate last ditch effort that will probably have a tragic movie made about it."
Kaine: "Yeah, talking to Anthon isn't going to do much good..." *He looks to his partners* "What would you two like to do?"
Starr: "This. Is. My. Home." *She's growling, balling her fists...*
Kraela shrugs. "Personally, I don't especially care about what's going on. It kind of seems like fun, to be honest. And Jack seems like the kind to be inclined to agree. I'd like to chat with him."
Kaine: *Puts a hand on Starr's shoulder* "Yes, it is, and we need to remove Anthon from it, but we don't have the capability to do so by ourselves."
Canti: "Contacting Jack costs you little to nothing in imaginary units of time or coins. So I will do that."
Metal Man (GM): He clicks a button. A few moments later, Jack appears, holographically, holding a weird... pistol-staff combination. It's like the backpack from Ghostbusters. Except it seems to spray death lasers.
Jack: "Howdy howdy howdy. What's up? I just got through killing an entire class of marines. Those GUN fools didn't know what hit them. Because they died before they could see me. Ha ha ha."
Kaine: *Waves to Jack* "Enjoying yourself, I see."
Kraela: "Sounds like fun. I wanted to know if there was any updates on you maybe hiring an extra fighter. Considering that the Brawlers and Questers are all pretty much out of a job now."
Jack: "Eh. You'd be a liability down here. This weapon does all the work. You should just hang tight while Uncle Jack takes care of this mess."
Kraela: "Aw, that's boring. But if you say so. Any idea where we might do any good?"
Kaine: "Just try not to kill TOO many people in the Mushroom Kingdom, OK?"
Jack: "Mushroom Kingdom? I plan to destroy Anthon. Decapitate this snake and make it die."
Starr: "YOU STOP THAT CRAZY BASTARD TARK FROM DESTROYING MY HOME!!!" >.<
Jack: "You should just stay up there. Anthon might take you hostage or something. He's still ticked off from that time you tried to kidnap him."
Kraela: "I'm not apologizing this time."
Starr: "You're the only one who -should- apologize."
Kaine: *Shrugs* "Where IS Anthon, anyway?"
Kraela: "I've apologized enough for that."
Jack: "I don't really care about apologies. Just killing people who annoy me. And Anthon is in this snowy wasteland. I'm just carving my way up to it."
Metal Man (GM): He moves the camera, showing a crater nearby.
Kaine: "Okay... haven't been to THAT continent yet..."
Starr: "Do what you must, Jack."
Kraela: "Well, at least it'll be an interesting show. Don't you dare die, Jack."
Jack: "Sure thing. I'll just finish this now, so that you don't have to keep waiting."
Kaine: "No kidding, hate for us to have to step in and save you, then you'd owe US one!"
Kraela: "Talk to you later."
Jack: "Righty-o." *Click.*
Metal Man (GM): So, unless you have other plans, we can then fast-forward a bit.
Kaine sits down and waits, probably holding onto Starr so she doesn't do something rash and/or stupid.
Metal Man (GM): More time goes by. Canti types on and off, until he eventually gets a live feed (using Red Text's super-technology) of a battle below, near the crater. It'd show Jack walking towards the edge of the crater... and some sort of showdown.
Kraela: *Krae sits down, leaning against a wall and starts napping there.*
Metal Man (GM): Jack would, with the pack, spray away most of the people in his path until he fired it at some strange metallic people.
Jack: "What the f@#$?"
Kraela: *Her eyes open.* "Jack found something he couldn't blast?"
Metal Man (GM): The metallic people would silently take out machineguns and start pegging him with hundreds of bullets. Then an airship would descend from the sky--one of the Dauntlesses, only equipped with Time Cop technology. Jack would use his other magic to blast the robots away, only to get grazed by a super-powered deathray. The comms would turn on as Jack would take cover.
Marley: *PA* "You were very close to winning this time, Jack. But I'm not going to let you."
Kraela: "Don't you dare die..." *Kraela mutters.*
Jack: "Marley! How dare you hold a grudge based on how much abuse you've gotten!"
Marley: *PA* "I'm not taking it anymore. I will kill you. I will kill any Questers I find. And I will kill any Brawlers as well. You can kill Anthon all you want. I will not rest until everyone who used me is dead."
Jack: "Nice stereotypical speech. Here, have some cheese to go with your whine!"
Metal Man (GM): Jack fires an incredibly overpowered--but normal-energy based--beam, which single-handedly blows out an engine and ruptures the force field on the craft.
Kaine: "He IS a good guy, right?"
Jack: "Look, Marley, I had a hand in developing the GUN tech on that thing. Just because you stole half of it from a Quester doesn't mean it's going to beat me!"
Marley: "...Unfortunately, you're all too correct. This was not actually intended to kill you."
Jack: "What?"
Marley: "THIS was."
Metal Man (GM): Some sort of strange Echidna spell is fired from the ship. Jack goes to dodge but it homes right on in on him. It starts burning him like acid, as his staff glows unnaturally.
Jack: "ARGH!"
Marley: "You used Echidna Magic without knowing how it worked. You were using Dyne's hacked-together runes. I was the only one who actually worked with the Echidna. And if I succeed, I will rule GUN, the Echidna will be spared... and both you and Anthon will be dead."
Jack: "What? What kind of insane plan is THAT?"
Marley: "It was the only sane one. You and Anthon are only one decimal's difference as far as 'how much killing' will happen if you lead GUN."
Jack: "...I'm not going to argue with you. I'm just going to shut you up now."
Metal Man (GM): He takes the damaged staff off his back.
Jack: "You envied my knowledge. You did all of that to try and outdo me at my own game. Well, if you want it so badly... HAVE IT!"
Metal Man (GM): He would throw the staff at the ship; it'd harmlessly embed itself into the ship.
Marley: "Pft. I just want to do what is right."
Jack: "Supporting a crazy warlord just so you can backstab him? At least I have no illusions of pretending to be right. You're just lost."
Marley: "This will only hurt a little bit." *He powers up another Echidna magic attack...*
Metal Man (GM): ...The staff suddenly malfunctions and explodes.
Jack: "You should have looked a bit closer. You made that to kill me, right? So what, did you think it'd not explode once it was clear of me?"
Marley: "No! The magic obeys me! I got it the right way!"
Metal Man (GM): A cloud of death magic begins eating the entire ship.
Jack: "...It doesn't matter who uses it. The death magic obeys only when it is properly contained. The Echidna Kings themselves killed themselves accidentally like this. But don't feel too bad. You're just as good as they were."
Metal Man (GM): He walks away, as the ship disintegrates.
Marley: "You... you can't kill Anthon without your device. You're just as dead as I am... the Questers too! Aaaaaarghhhhhhh!!!"
Metal Man (GM): The ship crashes and is annihilated. The bloodied Jack slowly climbs down the crater, nearing the epicenter of Anthon's camp.
Kraela: *And Kraela smiles.* "He definitely knows how to put on a show."
Metal Man (GM): He walks down into the camp. Nobody is there.
Jack: "So, Anthon. You've probably run away, or have some trap. Or are hiding in some machine. GUN people are cowards like that. In my day, we fought with our wits and some sharpened bits of rock. And it was far more... true to our souls. Maybe you could do the same, if you were not a coward."
Metal Man (GM): A man would appear out of thin air--Anthon Tark, with his force field, and his guns. He would stare at Jack.
Anthon Tark: "You want to lecture me on cowardice? That has to be the most stupid thing you've ever done. The Mad Men hid behind their machines, killing Robotnik not with their brains but with a machine's automatically generated targeting pattern. And all you want to do is turn the world into one large casino, where all the money goes to you. You don't know what freedom is, or what sanity is. I'm doing you a favor by killing you."
Kaine: "Well, here goes everything, I guess." (is Starr still pacing?)
Jack: "People need to be allowed to choose things, even if they are stupid. And all of this guilt trip about every mistake they make is just wasted time. If life isn't fun, then don't bother living!"
Kaine: "Princess? Care to sit down for a bit and watch?"
Anthon Tark: "No. Stupid people and their choices is what brought us here. Marley helped create the Mad Men, and he died from his stupidity. You made the decision to exile innocent people from their homes just so you could study their ruins... and you will join them, either in death or in leaving this planet."
Jack: "That hardly holds a candle to your policy of taking over the entire world."
Anthon Tark: "Haven't you tried that over three times?"
Jack: "...That was different!"
Starr: "..." *She sighs and sits down beside him.*
Kaine puts an arm around Starr, holding her.
Anthon Tark: "You're simply jealous that I had the intelligence and resources to do what you couldn't do. It's understandable. But now if you won't leave me alone, I will have to defend myself, and Alsa, from these invaders. All of them. Questers, Brawlers, Time Cops, Red Text, and the Mad Men."
Jack: "Who do you think you are, deciding who can and can't inhabit this planet?"
Anthon Tark: "One of the people from before the rift warped in all of these crazed outliers. I made a few mistakes, but they pale in comparison to yours."
Jack: "It's clear you're just going to talk until you die of old age. It's about time this madness ended."
Anthon Tark: "Yes. Your madness has been an irritating distraction. I must continue my duty to the people of this planet, to kill all of the mad people who turned it into a battlefield."
Metal Man (GM): Jack takes out his phase pistol and shoots it at Anthon's field. The field deflects it, as Anthon smiles.
Anthon Tark: "Do you really think I'd leave myself open to a lowly Phase Pistol?"
Jack: "..." *He makes a complicated gesture and an explosion occurs under Tark's feet, knocking him and the field over.* "It didn't hurt to check."
Metal Man (GM): Jack is surrounded by runes as he forges another deathstaff out of thin air. Anthon gets up and fires several more bullets into Jack, who deflects most of them with the staff.
Anthon Tark: "What do you think you're going to do with those primitive fool's magic? Start a war dance and hope the drums scare me off?"
Jack: "You always were an intolerant idiot..."
Metal Man (GM): Jack continues advancing on Anthon; Anthon holds his ground and shoots more and more. Jack's staff becomes rather pock-marked, and Jack takes a few more bullets, before getting into range.
Jack: "How about some of THIS!?"
Metal Man (GM): He stabs the field with the staff. Then he electrifies it. Anthon gets shocked a bit as the field begins to flicker.
Anthon Tark: "What... this Borne field isn't supposed to do that!"
Jack: "Borne made it to stop idiots. Not me!"
Metal Man (GM): Anthon would get up again as Jack would try to spear him with the staff. Anthon would sidestep but get stabbed in the shoulder and bleed.
Kraela can be heard to giggle a bit, watching the screen like a small child watching cartoons.
Anthon Tark: "You little..."
Metal Man (GM): Then Anthon would take out a large pistol and drop the machinegun.
Jack: "Ha ha ha. The predecessor to a phase pistol? That's even less effective than mine!"
Metal Man (GM): Anthon swings the pistol's hideously oversized barrel at Jack, who goes to block it. The staff is smashed in two by it! Then Anthon clenches his face with rage and smashes Jack's face so hard he breaks his nose and knocks him over.
Anthon Tark: "You won't overturn the way of freedom with your annoying words! RRRRRRGH!" *He'd try to crush Jack's ankle with one of his boots, but Jack would trip him instead.*
Metal Man (GM): He'd slowly get up while Jack would then stab Anthon in the knee with part of the staff.
Anthon Tark: "@#$%!" *He'd back away, stumbling.*
Kaine: "Did Anthon just make a comment about representing FREEDOM?" *Sighs and facepalms.*
Jack: "Alright. Maybe I shouldn't have underestimated you. You're some sort of freakishly strong old man, not just a blowhard like Marley. But that doesn't change how dead you're going to be."
Starr: "He represents freedom the same way a gallows represent due process of the law..."
Anthon Tark: "I am not one of your opponents to just die. I will not just let you erase me like Borne got erased!"
Metal Man (GM): Jack goes to blow Anthon away with the Phase pistol, but Anthon flips his wrist and shoots Jack in the arm before that happens. The huge caliber actually wounds Jack pretty badly.
Anthon Tark: "No charge-up time for me!" *He'd then kick Jack back.*
Metal Man (GM): And then stumble back, towards cover. Jack would get up and just change hands.
Jack: "Ha ha ha. You're as wily and annoying as you always were. But you're far from the first to do that to me. Now go to bed, grandpa."
Metal Man (GM): He'd fire at Anthon. *FROWWWWWM* ...Nothing would remain after he shot him. Seems like he was vaporized. Jack would drop the pistol, which he yet again broke with that action. It'd smoke silently as he sat there, bleeding, catching his breath. He's full of bullets, shrapnel from that explosion, his nose was smashed asunder, and bruised all over.
Jack: "...Motherf#$%ing GUN. I should have never joined them. Look where it got me."
Metal Man (GM): He'd slowly get up and reach for his radio.
Jack: *R* "I think I got him. There's nothing left. That's about normal for the Phase Pistol. Now..."
Kaine: "Is that the end of him?"
Metal Man (GM): He'd suddenly move oddly and drop the radio?!
Anthon Tark: *R* "You can thank Panzer for this!"
Starr: *R* "Is my kingdom safe? The volcano wastelands."
Metal Man (GM): *BLAM* An invisible man shoots Jack in the back! Jack would fall onto the ground, a huge hole in his midsection, as Anthon would decloak... and shoot him multiple times.
Anthon Tark: "Die... die... die... DIE you damn Mad Man!"
Starr: "..."
Kaine: "Guess not." *Sighs, shaking his head.*
Metal Man (GM): He'd then literally pick up a crate and smash it into Jack. He'd then reload his gun and shoot the radio again.
Anthon Tark: "Do you know how much trouble it took me to get this far? I am not some chess piece to be killed by an idiot with a gun and a staff. I knew you'd do that. I knew you'd do all of this. Why do you think I had Borne's reality device hidden? The statues... YOUR precious statues... told me how this would happen. How to manipulate fate. I put Marley there. I let you kill him. Then you become cocky and you get severely injured. But not dead! You know why, Jack?"
Metal Man (GM): He'd kick Jack's body again.
Anthon Tark: "Because the status told me. Fate has a certain leeway it gives anybody. I already knew these things would happen. If I don't leave where I am, I will die. I know that well and good! So you know what, Jack? You will keep this land. And your land. And all the rest of the miles of wasteland around you."
Jack: *Coughing blood* "W... What?"
Anthon Tark: "I had to make sure the Reploid menace was dead. But you wouldn't understand. Nor would you understand why I had to ensure those intransigent fools in the Mushroom Kingdom weren't hiding Borne. Ever since those... those outliers came... I had to clean the world of them. But they're gone now. You're a part of this world, Jack. Marley... he was too, but he was going to get us both killed if I let him. ...But..."
Metal Man (GM): He'd pick up Jack's phase pistol.
Anthon Tark: "...If I just take this and leave you alive, you won't be able to stop me from merely overseeing GUN and the Mushroom Kingdom, anyway."
Jack: "Gggh... you're a manipulative bastard... but so am I..."
Anthon Tark: "Yes. Whatever you say. I'm done with this."
Metal Man (GM): He'd throw the phase pistol on the ground and blast it apart with his gun. Then walk off, stumbling, to his ship... as his men would unilaterally withdraw from the area. Jack would slowly stand up, shaking a fist.
Jack: "That dirty old man... he wasn't playing for keeps! He was just looking for an excuse to clip my claws!"
Kraela: "Fuck that shit," *she mumbles in semi-response.*
Jack: "I'll kill him... I'll kill him one of these days... arrrrgh!" *He'd yell at the skies... ...and it'd fade out, as it's assumed he went back to his bar, damaged but not dead.*
Kaine: "... So... now what?"
Canti: "...It appears Anthon has removed his forces from all but the Mushroom Kingdom and GUN."
Starr: "..." *She looks... defeated, distraught, and angry.*
Canti: "The press release he has put out indicates he was merely there to ensure no dangerous Repliforce Technology or Mad Men loose ends could endanger the planet."
Kraela: "That absolute bastard."
Canti: "He is not finished dealing with the Mushroom Kingdom because it is said he has not confirmed the destruction of 'outsider materials' due to the cloaking of it on an island he is trying to get at."
Kaine: "It's not done yet then."
Canti: "If I may offer my opinion, it appears the gold statues were used. So he must have used the reality altering device to cheat death. At the same time... it seems to have been a bargain. If he stays away from certain electrified wires he will not die. Of course those will include eventually letting your kingdom loose, unless he is truly stupid. Since even my processor can deduce he will still be under attack until he leaves all but GUN alone. In any case, the new map indicates besides the Mushroom Kingdom, the rest of the world will be restored to its original clients. Even the Galactic Federation zone. Truly, it will be up to you and... the others... in determining the fate of the Mushroom Kingdom."
Kaine: "I suppose that's good, though, I'm not a big fan of his immense restrictions. Reminds me of my home a bit too much."
Kraela's gritting her teeth. Things had just gone horribly wrong, she felt, but she couldn't say how.
Canti: "Receiving completely bizarre transmission."
Metal Man (GM): The lights would flicker, and... Borne would appear. Well, not quite him. He appears to be half-disintegrated.
Borne: "Problems... Brawlers?"
Metal Man (GM): He flickers some more.
Borne: "This is your... absolute last chance... to get my help... my soul is... disintegrating... Even then... my hold on... existence is... dying... ...But it doesn't... matter... Anthon seems to... have learned from what I left in... his desk... that is why I do not hold on so much... anymore..."
Starr: "YOUR LITTLE BOYFRIEND IS ASSAULTING MY HOME IN YOUR NAME!" *>.<*
Kraela: "Weren't you a pile of dirt last time we saw you?"
Borne: "Anthon was... not supposed to lead... Panzer... broke my anti-Anthon protocols... My... body was... yes... I intended for Anthon... to be powerless..."
Kaine: "How do we fix this then?"
Borne: "Panzer... destroyed me... bound my soul to hers... I only escaped recently... I have been drained by the... travel... Revive me... and I will restore order... I will even... return your... Mushroom Kingdom..."
Kaine: "We... don't know HOW to revive you!"
Borne: "There is... a new body... Marley's... body..."
Kaine: "........"
Borne: "Pick up... Marley's body... give it... to me... It is a Mad Man body... the energy... killed his soul... Jack was... stupid..."
Kaine: "Right." *Sighs* "Guess we don't have much choice at this point. Conti?"
Borne: "To think I wasn't... watching..."
Canti: "I like the way Borne does things, but if you wanted to do the peacenik fashion, I'm sure those silly organics on Angel Island have their own idea."
Borne: "Don't listen... to that... the Angel Island contingent... were always idiots..."
Starr: "I want results."
Borne: "I was the only one... who made lasting results... the Mushroom Kingdom you liked... was as much my idea as it was yours... I have made things... proper... twice before... it took outsiders... to make this mess..."
Kraela: "I'm backing out of this vote. Kaine, Princess?"
Starr: "I vote we bring him back. My home was never threatened, my economy, my -people-."
Borne: "Only an over-zealous general like Anthon... would do the ridiculous behavior... he did... I must... return... to bring... stability..."
Starr: "Not like this... I vote we do it."
Kaine: "Sure, why not." *Shrugs* "Portal, please, Conti? I'll go get his body."
Canti: "At last. The people with guns get to fix things." *He'd open the portal.*
Kaine: "Be back in a minute*"He steps through to get Marley's body.*
Metal Man (GM): You'd warp back and see Marley's body, laying in the wreckage. It's still human shaped, but the flesh was basically burnt off, revealing a metallic adrogynous form. By him is a note, still singed from the destruction.
Kaine reads the note.
Metal Man (GM): 'I will never forget or forgive what the Questers did to me. I will find and kill all of them, no matter where they are. You must allow me to do this, Anthon. -Marley' It was to be given to Anthon, but now is just laying here. You can just drag the body into the portal. Simple enough.
Kaine: *Drags the body, sighing* "What did we ever do to you to make you hate us so much, Marley?"
Editor's Note: *Plays back all the inanity of SSQ^2* ...Okay that doesn't count the Brawlers, I think he was drunk when he was attacking in this session.
Metal Man (GM): Kaine would drag the body into the warp, and it'd appear on the ship.
Borne: "...Yes... finally... I can set this world right... what the Time Cops did... will be erased... just like what the Questers did... outside of the entirely sensible Democracy in the Mushroom Kingdom you want... that is no problem..."
Metal Man (GM): He floats into the body, which would reform and stand up... just in time for Red Text to return.
Kaine: "Borne, you know I'm not from this world originally, however I do now have interests here."
Red Text: "...What the F@#$?."
Borne: "Oh. Sorry, Red Text. The saying is true. You literally cannot leave a minute without everything going to hell."
Red Text: "...Your 'vice president' controls GUN now. And you are at my mercy. What makes you think I'm just going to let you go?"
Borne: "They will."
Metal Man (GM): He points to the Brawlers.
Red Text: "...Why do you want BORNE to be loose again? His order bordered on tyrannical within GUN. He manipulated the world with that council, twisting your words... ...oh... you aren't Questers, are you." *He shakes his head.*
Kaine: "Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing ALL of GUN destroyed... and no, we're not."
Borne: "Questers are gone now, Red Text. But don't worry. I don't plan on bothering you. You were right. The Time Cops are a nuisance. We should destroy them together."
Red Text: "...That does make me wonder if you've learned your lesson... somewhat..."
Borne: "They assassinated me and broke my rules to allow a figurehead to become a megalomaniacal dictator. What little neutrality I had towards them is gone. Besides, I already read Marley's mind files. They did it to let Sloan get loose."
Red Text: "Sloan? Those... those... those monsters!"
Borne: "I think we're on the same team now... regardless of whether we like one another in the least."
Red Text: "...Yes. Our foe is the Time Cops, and their installed fake government."
Kaine: "This'll be fun." *Hugs Starr* "You'll get your kingdom back in no time!"
Borne: "Luckily, Panzer is gone, for whatever reason. And this body was obtained at great expense to give me another existence. Now all I have to do is take control over the troops."
Red Text: "Anthon Tark and Panzer probably prepared for this. Even with your tricks, you have to remember. Half of those were Anthon's ideas."
Starr: "I want my Kingdom safe, Red."
Borne: "Anthon was an old man, in a wheelchair, last I saw him. I had my emergency rule to be to give him my knowledge and my scientific boosts so he could properly run things in a vaguely like-me style while I was gone."
Kaine: "It worked."
Borne: "Reviewing this information, he did impeccably. Killing Marley is something I've wanted to have happen for a long time now. And to make Jack do it, too. That just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. But now we don't need him anymore."
Red Text: "So, what is your plan?"
Borne: "The reality machine. I will marshal my troops. I hid the instructions. I told Vylch to hide as well."
Kaine: "And now Vylch is in the wind."
Borne: "Even if he figured out what it was, he wouldn't know the full extent of my backup procedures. Allow me... er... to send the message, Red Text."
Red Text: "Well. I'm not sure if you wish to do that yet. I can help. I didn't go to the land of Time Cops for nothing."
Borne: "What did you do?"
Red Text: "Autumnus. He helped unseat this world. Panzer was just following his orders."
Kaine: "... the Time Cops?" *Sighs and shakes his head.*
Red Text: "...I helped, but only because it seemed like you were the biggest problem. Now that I've experienced a world without you, however, I... have to revise my opinion. ...In any case, I stole the schematics for the Arbiter's Device."
Borne: "But the reality device is more or less based on that anyway."
Red Text: "Why even bother fetching it when I can fabricate one and use it from here?"
Borne: "Touche. You fabricate it. I will prepare the commands to disrupt any attempts from Anthon to stop you."
Red Text: "There is one other issue."
Borne: "What is that?"
Red Text: "The energy will mean my field is down. The Time Cops may arrive and interfere."
Borne: "Then why not get the one down there?"
Red Text: "Either device will open a hole they can get into. It's their technology, after all."
Borne: "...Fine. Do it while they're still distracted from your behavior."
Canti: "I will destroy the annoying timebags if they try to get in our way."
Kaine: "I'll help, if I can..."
Metal Man (GM): The ship begins forming an Arbiter's device. Borne types into the console.
Red Text: "The device is... ready. That was quick. ...What were you going to use it to do, again?"
Borne: "It's quite simple. The Time Cops used their abilities to wreck all of my failsafes. I'll just have it put them back in place and have Anthon declared unable to lead. He won't shoot his own men, and will go quietly then."
Red Text: "Activating the device..."
Metal Man (GM): The device would turn on, causing the lights to flicker ..Then some strange light would appear on the surface.
Anthon Tark: *R* "Nice one, Red Text. But I've got one of those, too!"
Metal Man (GM): The one on the surface would activate as well. Suddenly the entire reality would shake and morph violently.
Red Text: "...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): Both devices would violently explode. No changes.
Red Text: "...That's it for plan A."
Borne: "His device is gone, too. We can still work this."
Kaine: "Uh... was that supposed to happen?"
Anthon Tark: *R* "Your satellite has been a pest long enough."
Red Text: "Multiple inbound spacecraft..."
Borne: "I'll just send the command now." *R* "This is Borne, President and Commander of GUN. I have returned to life after an extended death experience. Stand down immediately."
Metal Man (GM): The returning comms is less than helpful.
Reploid: *R* "We are the Reploid GUN force. We have been programmed only to serve Anthon. You will surrender or be destroyed."
Borne: "..."
Red Text: "On the plus side, the human forces have stood down. That means we only have... three fleets of incoming robots..."
Canti: "Incoming inferior consumer models."
Metal Man (GM): *WARP*WARP*WARP* GUN Reploids appear everywhere. Canti and Red Text start punching robots.. ..And on that fascinating note, we complete part 2. Next time.... Part 3: What Happened to Alsa, Part 3. (The final part.) Because there is one last part, involving Time Cops, Alsa, and the Brawlers fighting things, sort of. So here is a good part to pause. And then, yes, it will be over. I'll do it... Thursday I think? But we're pretty much almost done now.
Metal Man (GM): Recap. Kaine, Kraela and Starr were there to deal with the 'Anthon problem' in Alsa. On their way, they revived Borne and he in turn promised to re-takeover GUN and reverse the Time Cop-caused changes that had radically destabilized the world. However, Anthon had created a number of super-loyal reploid soldiers who were not bound by military protocols. Said reploids not only flew towards Red Text's station, but then warped aboard with their reploid abilities. The reploids are now fist fighting with Canti and Red Text, as chaos breaks loose. Epilogue 3: What's going on with Alsa, Part 3. The reploids die at the hands of Red Text and Canti... but keep on coming.
Borne: "Hmph. Insolent old man. Don't think this will stop me, though. Come with me."
Metal Man (GM): As the station would be rocked by attacking lasers, Borne would walk towards some sort of exit. A ship... has docked? The reploids would keep coming, while Red Text and Canti would fight hordes of them. Anthon's face would appear on some of the monitors.
Anthon Tark: "You mad men were a mistake in the first place. Marley's mistake. You will not turn back my progress. Not now, not ever!"
Canti: "We are taking multiple hits from laser-guided railcannons, sir!" *Punches a reploid's head off.*
Red Text: "Don't worry. I think Borne has a plan. If he doesn't... well, I do."
Metal Man (GM): *Waiting on player input... if they're here... otherwise I can pause and wait instead.*
Kaine: *Is watching this, more or less helpless at the moment* (was Borne talking to US?)
Starr: "Can anyone think of something that can help us?" ((And can I bring Kit in too, as Alsa is kinda her place.))
Metal Man (GM): Yes. Borne was talking to you. He would gesture to you again.
Borne: "Come on, this place is a mess. If you want to do any good, it'll have to be with me."
Kaine: "At this point, I think we may as well go with him. Good luck, Red." *Salutes him and heads with Borne.*
Kraela: "Might as well go with the flow, I guess."
Starr: *She nods softly,* "Well wishes Red."
Red Text: "Uh... thanks." *Continues fighting*
Kraela: *She follows along with Borne, just nodding a farewell to Red Text.*
Metal Man (GM): You'd walk aboard the... Dauntless ship... as Borne would activate it and take off.
Borne: "To be honest, I had plans to establish my own 'Questers', given their effectiveness. They just needed a more savvy leader. If you follow my orders, you will get what you want. It will just involve destroying a few... key things."
Metal Man (GM): He would then type into his console, revealing a building.
Kaine: "Key things?"
Borne: "There's a central AI unit for all of those robots. We can break in but it's protected."
Kaine: "Oh, if that's all..."
Borne: "My men will assist us but the plan is for you to shut it off. They will swarm me, thinking I am the main threat. It may not be all. I do not know the extent to which Anthon has subverted my rule."
Kraela: "So... break in and break shit?"
Borne: "More or less. That's your specialty right? I haven't been entirely briefed on who you are."
Starr: "Sounds like our usual plans."
Kaine: "I like it."
Borne: "All I know is what the Questers did, which is more or less that."
Metal Man (GM): The ship would land in Westopolis, at... a stadium-shaped area.
Starr: "I'm Princess Starr of the Volcanic Region. The one supposedly uninhabited."
Borne: "Hm, I see. Well, that's what I get for not stealing Red Text's data enough."
Kraela: "It'll work. Lately our goals have been break in and take shit, but this is actually easier."
Metal Man (GM): He'd get out and be saluted by soldiers.
Kaine: "Considering half of the inhabitants there are Boos..."
Soldier: "Borne! It has been forever since we last saw you."
Borne: "Time Cops plotted to destroy GUN by letting a maniac crash it into the ground. My failsafes failed because they were not meant to take down a crazy time-altering reploid. Needless to say, my new failsafes will include a black hole to suck any would-be time travelers into for good."
Soldier: "We've done as you requested. The Reploid building is surrounded. But it has a force field!"
Borne: "That's one of my force fields, don't worry."
Metal Man (GM): He'd walk down the street, leading the way. Along the way he'd point idly at a memorial... 'Sergeant Levis Memorial Wall'
Borne: "See that? That's what's left of the first Stadium the Questers built here. The unauthorized, gang-funded one."
Kaine: *Looks at it and shrugs* "Not sure who he was. Ah."
Borne: "Sergeant Levis died protecting us from those lunatics. He was, coincidentally, killed by the same time traveling maniac who thought they could kill me. Never again. Now this is where it gets serious." *He walks up to the honey-comb force-fielded building.* "I invented this field. Therefore, I know how to turn it off. But once I do, reploids will be everywhere."
Kraela: "Convenient. Assuming Anton hasn't upgraded the field."
Borne: "They will attack me. I am expected to do this. They do not really know you are here. You are to go in and blow it up. But not with your normal weapons. That would take too long and not work."
Metal Man (GM): He says something into his radio and a jeep pulls up, full of... C-4.
Borne: "Take as much as you can. You'll need to run through there, sticking those boxes to anything remotely electronic."
Starr: "... This looks more like Kit or Demon's persuasion..."
Borne: "The Mad Men are, what you say... the Questers of this dimension. To fight Eggman, we emulated his strengths, then made them better. Not only do we not do small explosives, but we ensure every square inch of our foes are completely burnt to a crisp. You can't win the war if your foe just revives and attacks again, anyway. That's why the Time Cops failed against me... they didn't know Marley's body would serve just as well."
Kraela: "This is true. Thorough works."
Borne: "I'm getting reports the robots can cloak. Be on your toes."
Starr: "No kidding..."
Metal Man (GM): He'd gesture for you to pick up whatever C-4 you can take (10 per person) As he then strides up to the force field, looking at it carefully.
Kraela fills her oddly large pockets with explosives.
Starr: *She just carries it in her arms.*
Kaine: "Shame they aren't here."
Borne: "Get ready, now. Three... two... one..."
Metal Man (GM): He sticks his hand in the field, causing it to destabilize and... vanish. Black reploids in GUN uniform stream out, running towards Borne.
Borne: "Go ahead, now. I'll take care of this!"
Metal Man (GM): Borne takes out his knife and begins moving faster than your eyes can track.
Kraela starts moving, separating herself from Borne as she heads to the building.
Starr: *She nods and bolts in.*
Metal Man (GM): He stabs and kicks Reploids everywhere, using Krav Maga at a rate even Snake might be perplexed by. You'd get into the first room more or less undetected. Computers and dead guys fill this place. There's three bays of supercomputers in this room, and stairs downwards with a locked door.
Editor's Note: It said CQC instead of Krav Maga, but canonically Borne never really used CQC. Corrected the issue.
Kaine: "So... downstairs?"
Starr: *She uses three of her things of C4.* "There."
Metal Man (GM): The door downstairs has been chained shut. With a padlock.
Kraela swings at the chain with her halberd.
Metal Man (GM): No need, we're going freeform for this. Your old stats don't really apply without ye olde SP anyway. It flies off, and the door opens.
Kraela: *And she's going down the stairs.*
Metal Man (GM): And a reploid from behind it fires a stream of bullets at Kraela's face before she can get down the stairs. Better post your reaction.
Starr: *She follows when she's done hooking up the explosives.*
Kraela quickly pushes against the lefthand wall, using the momentum to dodge to the right before stabbing out.
Metal Man (GM): The reploid would reach out and grab the halberd and try to pull and throw Kraela down the stairs.
Kaine: *Would follow behind and swing at the reploid with his sword, trying to decapitate it.*
Kraela draws her sword with her other hand, stabbing the reploid through with its own momentum and riding it down.
Metal Man (GM): The reploid would parry the sword swung at its neck, stumble and get hit by the ultra-sharp sword as Kraela would then slide down the stairs as the reploid basically dies from that sword hitting it and severing it, Zero-style. The way down would be clear, covered in reploid blood-like fluid.
Kraela sheaths the sword again and looks around.
Kaine: "Huh..."
Starr: "Nice." *She follows them down, taking out her parasol...*
Metal Man (GM): Down below are five more servers... and a weird sphere-shaped generator with a giant red eye on it. Kraela guards your backs so you won't be surprise-attacked.
Kaine: *Immediately approaches the generator, putting one slab of C4 near it, before heading for the terminals.*
Metal Man (GM): The generator begins beeping madly. The terminals seem easy enough to stick C-4 on.
Kaine: "Right..." *Puts the C-4 on the terminals first then.*
Metal Man (GM): The generator begins... floating.
Generator: "ANTI-EXPLOSIVE DEVICE SYSTEMS ENABLED."
Metal Man (GM): It would knock the C-4 off of itself, then the eye would focus on you, glaring, as a power-up noise is heard. What do you do?
Starr: "... Son of a..." *She holds up her magical parasol to shield herself, Kaine, and Krae.*
Metal Man (GM): *TSEEEER* The parasol is disintegrated. It'll probably regenerate, but not fast enough for the second volley!
Generator: "Resistance detected. Destroy. Destroy."
Metal Man (GM): You can run back up the stairs... or try to hurt it. It looks like a big glowing glass orb of some sort.
Starr: "STAB IT NOW!" *She dodges left.*
Metal Man (GM): It looks at Starr, detecting the movement first, but it hasn't fully charged yet. Waiting on Demon to return. Kaine: The eye is looking to laser Starr. It's open to attack from Kaine. Or you can try to flee. What do you do?
Kaine protects Starr by attacking the eye with his sword, trying to stab it.
Metal Man (GM): Starr dodged to the left, but it's staring at her, which means it'll likely lase her... *CRACK* You make a small crack in its surface. It turns around and makes an angry noise, then showers a weird proton beam at Kaine. He can't really dodge--it just insta-hits, making him feel like his flesh has been set ablaze. Luckily it doesn't actually do much damage. It just hurts like *bleep* With that in mind, Starr's up to move.
Kaine: "GAH! DAMMIT!" *He seems to seize up for a moment.*
Starr: *She growls and tries to kick the crack with her steel toed boots...*
Kaine tries to attack the damn thing again, aiming to widen that crack with a punch from his metal arm. "Come on, ugly, come get me."
Metal Man (GM): You try to punch it this time. It floats back, and seems to be catching on to the 'poke poke poke' strategy, making your attacks do less damage.
Kaine: "... Damn, shoulda grabbed a gun before we left."
Metal Man (GM): However, it also follows what you said quite literally, flying towards you in an attempt to slam you into the wall. Post your reaction, Kaine.
Kaine: *Since it's FLOATING, Kaine charges the device, sliding under it, and trying to slash at it with its sword as he passes by, provided there's enough room to do so.*
Metal Man (GM): Your attempt succeeds and fails. There's not enough time for you to slide under AND slash it, so you duck down and then it cold-cocks you in the chin, stunning you. However it then flies into the wall, cracking itself and leaving itself exposed while Kaine would have a bloody chin and be a bit dizzy from hitting his head on the floor.
Kaine: "Ugh... dammit."
Metal Man (GM): It's stuck in the wall and making angry computer noises while smoke and static electricity pours out of it. Waiting on Starr's response. (No need to tell meif you are posting, just posting my status.)
Starr: *She tries to kick the crack to split the whole thing in half...*
Metal Man (GM): You kick it. It cracks more, and part of it catches on fire, but it also breaks free of the wall. It makes a bunch of violent alarm noises and begins to charge up so bright it's blinding to look at. It looks particularly unstable.
Kaine: "Uh... is it getting ready to blow?" *He tries to use the C4 the generator had removed earlier, putting it inside the crack, if he can find it.*
Starr: "I hope so, get up the stairs, now." *She frowns and tries to summon back her parasol.*
Metal Man (GM): You stick it inside the crack. Whether or not it was going to explode before, you can be quite sure it will now. It charges up once more, as it now is cracking all over. It apparently wants to take out more than just you. Kaine s again.
Starr: "RUN!" *She bolts up the stairs.*
Kaine: "Good idea." *Bolts for da steps, and once they're safe, hits the button to detonate the C-4, if needed.*
Metal Man (GM): You'd run out of the building, taking Kraela with you, as it'd violently explode. A horde of reploids around you would suddenly fall down, no longer active.
Kaine: "Did we win?" *Looking at what's left of the building.*
Metal Man (GM): The shrapnel would be stuck in your backs but not much, as you are/were Brawlers and thus aren't terribly effected by it. The building is pretty much gone. Borne would be surveying the wreckage.
Borne: "Anthon's not accounted for. We aren't done until he is."
Kraela carefully starts pulling bits of metal out of her back. "Right."
Metal Man (GM): The men would salute Borne as he would cross his arms. At this point, Kit could also warp in, though not with Mewtwo, not yet anyway.
Kaine: *Helping Starr with her wounds* "Let's go find that bastard and finish this." *Sees Kit* "Hey, glad you could join us."
KitOrbel: "Not a problem." *She grins softly,* "Glad to be here, Alsa's like a second home to me and Tark's an ass."
Starr: "I will never get used to having things try to poke holes through my body." >.o
Kraela: "Welcome to the world of fighters, Princess. Glad you like it."
Kaine: *Taking a look at a particular piece* "Huh..." *Tosses it away.*
Borne: "I think that's everything. This area should be clear."
Kaine: "Great, where's the bossman?"
Borne: "That's what I don't know yet. He vanished from our sensors."
Kaine: "That's... not good."
KitOrbel: "... That's the opposite of good."
Kaine: "He go to Red Text's place? Or the moon?" *Shrugs.*
Borne: "Red Text isn't detecting anything. All the reploids are gone. Nobody loyal to Anthon remains alive either."
KitOrbel: "He couldn't be on the moon. Mister Mewtwo is on the moon..."
Metal Man (GM): The air would shine, and then Anthon Tark would appear out of thin air... in his helicopter... armed with every piece of tech he's acquired so far.
KitOrbel: "See, he's totally not on the moon."
Starr: "How can you be calm about this?!" >.<
Anthon Tark: "So! Taking the country from me once wasn't good enough. Twice was what you had to do, hmmm? It doesn't matter. I'll not be the fool this time!"
Borne: "You're an atypical madman. Your behavior led to Eggman destroying us down to almost nothing. You'd do nothing but invite the Time Cops to do the same to us if you weren't stopped."
Anthon Tark: "Time Cops? Is that all you worry about? They can't touch us. Not anymore. Thanks to you, of course!"
Borne: "Only the sane application of the technology I found would keep them at bay. Trying to take them over with it wouldn't fly."
Anthon Tark: "Says you! You didn't know what potential you had... you wasted it on your little political games. The world needs order, and I'm going to bring it to the masses... whether or not you want it!"
Kaine: "Order? All you're bringing is death and destruction, pain and suffering!"
Borne: "This tired talking game never works. You won't convince me. You'll fire rockets at me. I'll dodge. We'll then kill you through some ingenious flaw in your plans."
KitOrbel: "YOU ARE THE MADMAN NOW, TARK! Don't you get it!?"
Anthon Tark: "I make my own destiny... I am not a slave to such tired cliches."
Kraela: "Then we can destroy you in a more interesting way. Either works."
Anthon Tark: "I was given the tools I needed to ensure none of that would happen. So shut up and take your lead-based medicine, children!"
Metal Man (GM): He would click the controls and strafe all of you with his railguns. Borne would stand there, since he's made of metal. A few potholes in his surface aren't going to ruin his day.
Kraela uses her flash step to get out of the way.
KitOrbel: *She gets out of the line of fire, apparently being a Quester made her strong... Being a demon again made her stronger.*
Metal Man (GM): It's so thick as to still peg you despite moving quickly. Those things are nasty, dodging to the side has the same effect for Kit.
Starr: *She gets behind Borne.*
Metal Man (GM): ...That actually works.
KitOrbel: "Sonofagunagent... That hurt." >.o
Kaine gets behind Borne as well.
Kraela: "Bugger shit..."
Metal Man (GM): Kaine would get pegged a bit, there's not much room left.
Kaine: "Dammit, I REALLY wish I had a gun right about now!"
Anthon Tark: "Where's your super powers now, huh? Are they going to just make me away? No! They're worthless!"
Metal Man (GM): Brawler/Quester turns.
Kaine looks to see, curious as to whether he can actually get within melee range of the helicopter, long enough to plant some C-4.
Metal Man (GM): You have to commit to get close to it or not. There's no telling whether you'll succeed.
KitOrbel: "I'm the daughter of Panzer, you jerk! My job is making scum like you kiss the ground!" *She takes out... Dear god she's still got her marbles thanks to that being a natural ability she had before being a quester. Not only that, but it's an electricity marble. She aims at the helicopter's blades.* "SUCK IT!" *And fires a bolt of electricity.*
Kaine tries to get close to the chopper, preferably DIRECTLY UNDER it, where there don't seem to be any weapons pointed.
Metal Man (GM): It bounces off of a force field. Kaine would get under the copter, just in place to see the force field.
Borne: "A traditional force field? Bah. You're no fun."
Kaine: "Can you disable it for a few seconds?"
Borne: "No. It's either up or down."
Kaine: "Then kill it."
Borne: "I will." *But it isn't his turn yet.*
Metal Man (GM): and such.
Starr: *She goes under the helicopter as well, to see if there is a way to kill it from down there.*
Metal Man (GM): Force fielded. You can hit the force field but nothing else.
Kaine tries to stay under it as best he can... it seems safe down here.
Metal Man (GM): Anything else from Starr?
Kraela runs in with everyone else.
Metal Man (GM): Borne leaps all the way to the top of the helicopter's field and slams it hard with his fist, causing the entire thing to shake, but it stays steady.
Anthon Tark: "Don't make me laugh. There's only one of you!"
Metal Man (GM): The copter floats up and spins, causing Borne to have to get off of it. Then it opens up, revealing a bevy of weapons.
Anthon Tark: "Your amour was quite helpful, Borne!"
Metal Man (GM): It reveals... Trevor's lightning gun... the Pyro's flamethrower... and some sort of laser cannon.
Anthon Tark: "Let me think. Which will I fire? Oh, right. All of them."
Metal Man (GM): He hits the control panel with his palm. Lightning flies at Kit, while a plume of fire heads at Starr, and the cannon fires a bunch of lasers at Kraela. Post your reactions while I get a snack.
Kraela stabs her halberd into the ground and lets go, letting the lightning ground itself harmlessly.
KitOrbel: *She attepts to absorb it with an 'empty' marble...*
Starr: *She cringes and tries to get out of the way again, moving quickly.*
Kraela dodges to the side, avoiding the lasers.
Metal Man (GM): The lightning flows through the marble and blasts Kit in the face, leaving a hideous burn in her cheek that's not likely to heal soon and knocking her backwards, temporarily blinded. Meanwhile Starr's left boot catches on fire and Kraela manages to duck the lasers entirely. Yep. It took a beating but it's still up.
KitOrbel: X_x .oO(Okay, I wanted to do this on my own... But... Frig... I can't think straight... Mister Mewtwo... Mister... Mewtwo help... Please...)
Kaine jumps at the helicopter, trying to see if melee or slow moving objects can pass through it.
Metal Man (GM): No result from asking for Mewtwo's help, at least yet.
Starr: *She tries to put out the fire on her boot.* "Crap..."
Metal Man (GM): Nope, nothing can pass through the field. It acts like a wall. The fire is put out, but the boot is a bit worse for the wear.
Kaine: "Well, shit..." *Stays under the chopper for now then, not able to do much, though he searches for some sort of weak point from this vantage spot.*
Kraela tries stabbing at the field with her sword.
Metal Man (GM): The field takes some damage, blocking the sword but being hit by it nonetheless. The underneath of the chopper is odd. Instead of being full of weak spots, it has bizarrely large landing gear.
Kaine: "Eh?!?" *Tries to grab the gear, and get himself in a position so he can't be knocked off.*
Metal Man (GM): Well, it's blocked by the force field. You just kinda paw at the force field like a cat trying to reach through glass.
Kraela keeps slashing at the field.
Kaine: "Damn... oh well, guess I gotta wait till it's down."
Metal Man (GM): And now...
Borne: "That's all nice, Anthon, but this army isn't for show."
Metal Man (GM): Borne points and at the ship.
Borne: "Fire at will!"
Metal Man (GM): *BLAM* Rockets, bullets, etc. slam the field. The field begins to die.
Borne: "So now what?"
Anthon Tark: "You took entirely too long to do that. Let me show you my new weapon."
Metal Man (GM): The helicopter blades slow down... ...And then Kaine gets his true wish--the landing gear... no, they're feet! The helicopter goes to land on top of everyone under it. Reaction time!
Kaine goes to roll out of the way, hopefully ending up BEHIND him... and also leaving a present for him to step on.
Metal Man (GM): Starr also has to move away from it, though not as much as Kaine.
Kaine: *Dropped a grenade when he rolled, should be under Anthon's feet when he lands.*
Metal Man (GM): Waiting on Starr's reaction first...
Starr: *She rolls away as well, leaving her stash of C4 under it....*
Kraela dashes further out of the way, spotting the explosives.
Kaine gets the flock out of there, seeing Starr drop her explosives, once he's done rolling, hopefully he's out from under the landing gear, and he takes off as fast as he can toward the back of the machine.
Metal Man (GM): The helicopter would fall, stomping the grenade. Kaine wouldn't have enough time to escape entirely, and get thrown away and his back set on fire by the explosion. The C4, not being explosive without being detonated, would kinda slowly burn there as the mech seems still functional. With his remaining turn time, he would then convert the wings into twin-Miniguns and spray the perimeter of it with bullets, threatening Kit and Kraela and Borne. Borne would again just stand there and take the hits, he's an inhuman machine.
Kraela uses Borne as a shield this time, learning from her past mistake.
Kaine: *Rolling around on his back, trying to put the flames out* "DAMMIT!"
Metal Man (GM): That'd work for Kraela--but Kit on the other hand would have to work with not being able to fully see the source of them!
Anthon Tark: "I'm not some patsy anymore. I saw a crazed maniac just flip your Mad Man schemes upside-down. I'll just do it again for her!"
KitOrbel: *She ducks behind Borne this time.*
Metal Man (GM): Kit would stumble towards Borne and get strafed again. Man, it's starting to wear Kit out.
Borne: "That is a sophisticated piece of equipment. But I have... hmmm... at least ten times the hardware over here. Pathetic."
Metal Man (GM): The soldiers open fire on Anthon's walker-copter. It runs around and it has some pretty sweet armor, but it definitely gets a bunch of bullet holes.
Anthon Tark: "You won't be able to destroy it fast enough to stop me!"
Borne: "From what, boring me to death with your old man speeches?"
KitOrbel: .oO(MEWTWO! HELP! PLEASE!) She's trying to focus, trying to see anything... She sounds like the same scared little girl from when she first joined the Questers...
Kraela goes on the offensive, using her sword again to try to attack the legs of the walker-copter.
Kaine: *Hopefully has the fire out, and charges the copter, trying to climb onto it, and placing some C-4 on the cockpit, since the field is apparently dead now* "Starr! Detonate yours when he's in range of it!"
Starr: *She nods,* "Alright!"
Metal Man (GM): You'd got to place C-4 on it... and spikes pop out of the glass.
Anthon Tark: "That old chestnut ain't gonna fly!"
Metal Man (GM): ...But you can place it on the armor nearby the cockpit, if you choose. The legs are the most armored part of it. Attacking them deals minimal damage.
Kaine does so, getting as close to the cockpit as possible, maybe he can jar the glass loose or something?
Metal Man (GM): You stick it near the lid. Getting off the top of it so you don't explode, I presume?
Kaine does get off, well, at least off the top, he hangs on from a safe position, if he can, while he detonates the C-4.
Metal Man (GM): Mewtwo does not help. however Kit does get a reason!
Mewtwo: *To Kit* "I cannot endorse Borne any more than Anthon. Flee and I will heal you. Don't bother with their zero sum game of violence."
Metal Man (GM): The detonation damages but does not open the lid.
Anthon Tark: "You're not going to give up, are you?" *He takes out... a Time Device.* "Well it doesn't matter. I'm one step ahead!"
Metal Man (GM): Nope, he had to get off to avoid being exploded. Anthon turns on the device, and suddenly the ship warps through the air. What does it do? Well, for starters, it stomps on Kaine faster than he can react, punts Borne backwards into the front of a glass-sided building, and then sets Kraela entirely on fire with its boosters, before reappearing in-place.
Anthon Tark: "You can try all you want. I will just not be in the same timeline as your attacks are!"
Borne: "Open... fire..."
Metal Man (GM): They open fire on him, but he simply warps around the shots.
Kraela screams as she's set on fire, immediately rolling on the ground to try to put it out in a panic.
Metal Man (GM): Kraela would put it out, but now be heavily fatigued.
Kraela: *She gets out of the way, preferably behind something out of the main battle area.*
Kaine: *Stomped* "Ouch..." *Picks himself up, staggering a bit* "Okay, that HURT!"
KitOrbel: "..." *She tries to find her way out... Tries to crawl away like Mewtwo told her to.*
Kaine: "Princess?"
Metal Man (GM): Kit would slowly get away from the fighting. Anthon, nasty as he is, seems to be more interested in fighting people who are actively attacking him.
Starr: "..." *She looks at Kaine,* "I think we need more help."
Kaine: "Yeah... might not hurt. We aren't doing any good, it doesn't seem."
Anthon Tark: "That's right. Give up!"
Metal Man (GM): He'd type into his console.
Anthon Tark: "You see, this is not the end, but rather, a demonstration of the flaws in your plans. All of you think it was as easy as beating me up... but with the power of time itself, you can't even fire a shot. But that's not all. In each world there are parallel dimensions. I could waste my time killing you... or I could simply warp to a world in which I succeeded already and rule it just like this never happened. Guess which one I'm taking. Farewell, annoyances."
Metal Man (GM): He'd press a button on his device... and warp out of this timespace entirely. Borne would wipe blood, well... simulated blood... from his face and stand up.
Borne: "At least we got rid of him. It'll be the Time Cops' problem to deal with him."
Editor's Note: About that...
Metal Man (GM): The men begin picking up the damaged rubble and clearing it away, while one person gives Borne a chaos drive to heal himself with, and others would attend to the other's (well, besides Kit's) wounds. Kit we'll get to in a moment.
Kaine: "Okay, that SUCKED!"
Borne: "To be honest, we were lucky. There was far worse in GUN's armory. He could have released other Mad Men... Metal Sonic..." *He shrugs.* "His lack of imagination saved us all. That said, it wasn't anywhere near as decisive as I'd hoped it'd be." *He shakes his head.* "...But you can go back to wherever you came from and live on normally. I'll take care of cleaning up this mess. This isn't like Nintendus, anyway. Instead of a fanfare or some major congratulations... ...we get lunch."
Metal Man (GM): He is handed a sandwich from one of his soldiers and eats it slowly. Meanwhile, Kit encounters Mewtwo, who heals her wounds and peers down at her.
Starr: "... I come from here." >.>;;
Borne: "Well, welcome to the other part of this planet, then, since you don't seem to have been around these parts in particular."
KitOrbel: "I'm sorry I had to call for your help again, Mewtwo..." *she curls into a ball and hugs her knees.* "I'm still not strong enough..."
Mewtwo: "Remember this well. The fights those other people get into do nothing but harm everyone involved. If you wish to remain safe... you'll have to avoid them entirely."
Starr: "I have the volcanic lands beyond Sarasaland." *She sighs softly.*
Mewtwo: "That is why I live on the moon--so I am not used as a bargaining piece by mad men ever again."
Borne: "Right... those will be returned to you. I'd say plus interest, but Anthon emptied the treasury into that trans-dimensional helicopter. As it is I'm going to have to spend a mint to undo the 'reforms' he did everywhere."
KitOrbel: *She nods softly, and looks up at him.* "Alright... you're right... Not that it matters anymore... I'm not a quester. I'm just a kid with a Haunter." ;-;
Mewtwo: "This planet is dangerous, even to natives."
Starr: "I appreciate your concern. Don't worry... We're pretty useless anyway. All we can do is grow and harvest Fire Flowers."
Kraela rubs her singed hair fitfully. She seems more upset about that than the burns on her actual skin.
KitOrbel: "So what do the people here stay for? We're not there to protect them..."
Borne: "You'd be surprised. Before the Questers introduced an easy way of getting such things to us, we'd probably have paid top dollar for such strange pseudo-magic weaponry."
Mewtwo: "They stay here so they can fight eternally. That is what they enjoy most. The ages of Alsa have been nothing but combat, war, and terror. Those who dislike it... have to hide on the fringes of existence, or else become hostages in the newest war over who is the most insane, debauched, and crazy lunatic."
Starr: "As I said. We're all but useless now."
KitOrbel: "..." *She frowns,* "I wish... The people here could find peace."
Borne: "In any case, I have to clean up the mess Anthon made. With most of the Council members gone, it's going to be a bit awkward."
Mewtwo: "To take that from them would be to ruin their lives. They will never give it up... there is only the outer lands, for those who want peace but were born here."
KitOrbel: "Or the moon."
Mewtwo: "In any case. You're welcome to come live on the moon as before. There is nothing but war on the main areas of Alsa."
Borne: "So, you... natives of Alsa... I've chartered a ship for you, so you can go back 'home.'"
Metal Man (GM): He points to a landed GUN airship.
Borne: "Me, I have a world to... clean up." *Sigh* "This is getting old... this is almost the third time... when is anyone going to realize I'm the only sane leader on this planet?"
Starr: *She nods softly,* "C'mon Kaine... Let's go back to what remains of my kingdom."
Kaine: "Sure, Princess." *Smiles slightly.*
KitOrbel: "... I have to go back to Deloth's universe. He's my dad..."
Mewtwo: "Well, that is fine, too." *He would stand there.* "I will be here, whenever you visit."
Kraela: "I'm going to give talking to Jack another try."
Borne: "Jack? Well, my father is kind of an a@#, but you're free to go visit him. Just take that ship instead." *He points to a different ship.*
KitOrbel: *She nods and smiles,* "Thank you Mewtwo... Sorry I put ribbons on your tail last time you let me stay with you." >.>
Mewtwo: "Unlike the other Mewtwo, I am not one to get terribly upset about that. Better ribbons than Dr. Robotnik's mind-control helmet."
Kraela: "Jack's an ass, but he knows how money works. Can I get someone that can fly that bird to come along?"
KitOrbel: "Point seen, well taken. The other mewtwo is a fun-killer." =.=
Borne: "There's always someone stupid enough on the force to volunteer for my 'Jack diplomacy' missions, so yes, just get aboard and you should be there shortly."
Mewtwo: "He is the opposite of his world just as I am to this one. So naturally I am not against the occasional fun. Whereas he would probably kill anything that so much as made a joke at his expense."
KitOrbel: "He gave Valentine a personality overwrite with a cube of Order."
Kraela: "Thanks." *She gets on board the ship.*
Mewtwo: "I would simply let people live as they are... just very far away from me, if they were distasteful."
Metal Man (GM): People on the ships: We'll do a final epilogue with each individual person later, so we'll just close this with Mewtwo and Kit.
KitOrbel: "So does that mean we can have a tea party next time we're on the moon?" =3 "I can make poffins now!"
Mewtwo: "That would be enjoyable, yes."
Kaine: .oO(If I'm staying on Alsa, I'd have no problem visiting you occasionally...)
KitOrbel: "Thank you Mewtwo!" *She hugs him,* "Alright... I need to go back home..."
Mewtwo: "Farewell for now, Kit..."
KitOrbel: "Goodbye..." *She smiles,* "Mewtwo." *And opens a small portal for herself using technology from her new home universe.*
Metal Man (GM): On that note, we'd end the Alsa thing. There will be epilogues with the others, but the main Alsa question... is over. Alsa subplot Completed.
Metal Man (GM): And now, to finish off the final Epilogue of SSQ:I.
Metal Man (GM): SSQ:I Final Epilogue - Man of Broken Steel
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man is in his ship. It is the Wing Fortress, only it isn't. It is a black, sleek ship about the same size as the Wing Fortress, only actually made for the rigors of space-time travel. Nintendus is far in the distance behind. The barrier to said universe is also behind him. It is becoming a small dot. Metal Man has a number of images of his travels, in his ship. There are images of him with the various generations of Questers. First, with Gibby, Alys, Wolfman, VG, Klumsy, Star Steel, Demon, Panzer, and many others. The first generation, a shot that looks a bit more like a massive group shot than anything else. It's in the shiniest frame he could find, displayed prominently above all the others.
Metal Man (GM): Next to it is him standing with the later Questers--Garrick, Razor, Yurie, Digi, Panzer (yet again), Deloth, Aribar (much bigger than in the first image), and yes, Gibby. Again. It, too, has a central position, though a little cockeyed.
Metal Man (GM): The third one is kind of ratty and broken. He seems to have dropped it, or maybe punched it in a fit of rage. Aetos, Charles Magellean, Julian, Bonecrusher, and others like them are in that photo. It is on its side. He seems to have kind of left it there, although it's in danger of falling behind the console and never being seen again.
Metal Man (GM): There's also two fresh ones, which show Dragoshi, Digi, Deloth, Rinith, Kenku, Kit, and the other Alsa Questers, and then one for the Brawlers. Brand new and fresh as they are, they're in pretty generic frames and just sitting around more like reference material than anything else.
Metal Man (GM): He looks at all of them, thinking of the past, then he looks at his hands, remembering the millions of weapons he used. Then he looks again out the window behind him, and sees Nintendus vanishing. Memories return to him, for whatever reason, as he gets further away from it.
Metal Man: "...I was just going there to escape the turmoil in my home world. I... had no plan of staying. I don't even... ...yes. I fled through all sorts of dimensions, because the people back home... ...sent them after me for some reason."
Metal Man (GM): He'd look around. No one is there to answer.
Metal Man: "...I wonder if I should have re-activated SIMBER. It's not like The Void is going to possess my ship..."
Metal Man (GM): He'd tap his fingers, as the ship would enter a warp.
Metal Man: "Well... I guess this is it. Nobody's going back there again, at least not for anything other than a leisure visit..."
Metal Man (GM): He'd flip some switches.
Metal Man: "...About time, nice as it was. There's more to things than just... that."
Metal Man (GM): And so, the ship would fly out of Nintendus' world entirely, appearing in a completely alien one. Metal Man would then survey the planet before him, as the energy would begin to rebuild it before his eyes.
Metal Man: "Ah yes... home. ...Whatever it is called. Destroying Evil Wolfman... ...and all the other things that had its energy in it... ...took far too long. Of course, it didn't help that I had no clue it exploded until a while of Nintendus Questing... I can never be entirely sure what really happened... ...since I'm still so insane I'm talking to thin air... Really, I should have brought some poor schmuck to monologue to. Maybe then I'd feel better about this." *He'd survey the vaguely metallic, vaguely Earth-like planet, then turn on his comms, tapping the mike.* "Helloooooooo?"
Metal Man (GM): Two replies would occur. One of them would be a stern-looking commander sort.
Commander: "You! What are YOU doing here, with OUR ship? I thought I told you if I saw you again I'd blow you to SMITHEREENS, traitor!"
Metal Man: "...Awwww shucks. I knew I did SOMETHING wrong... ...uhhh... ...I don't know what I did though! I went to another dimension and a guy with a TV remote fried my brain and--"
Commander: "Shut up! You're gonna be toast, traitor-boy! Hope you like the smell of plasma!"
Metal Man: "...Maybe option number two is better?"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man presses a button. Another person shows up. Some sort of... king?
Vonner Schlamm: "This is Vonner Schlamm. A pathetic pig-dog Erastian like yourself should know to bow in my presence. Your kind control only 1/4th of this planet, you know? I repeat this only because my royal vizier tells me your mind has been erased. And that you are a wanted felon. So... ...serve in my royal service and I may give you asylum. But that ship... it is mine. Now."
Metal Man: "What the heck? I can't believe this... everyone on this planet is as crazy as I am! ...Wait, that makes sense. Er, I mean, uhh, I'll get back to you, Bondio McVaster!" *Closes comms.*
Vonner Schlamm: "All too unfortunate that you pick that, because--" *Click.*
Metal Man: "...So that's why the Time Cops were after me. Wait... ...why do I think that again?" *He'd think.* "Ohhh... right... the whole deal where my side forked over the time devices and I... didn't... ...Well screw that, I can just warp away from this."
Metal Man (GM): A gigantic plasma beam impacts the shields, throwing the ship sideways. Metal Man somehow remains standing right-side up.
Metal Man: "...I'll just be leaving, then!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man presses a button. To the annoyance of the Commander, his ship vanishes.
Commander: "Shoot! The Time Cops told me if we caught him, they'd fry those Vonns once and for all!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would return back in time... ...to just prior to the whole incident with the Time Cops, or so his very strangely entered coordinates say, literally.
Metal Man: "All right, now to set things right. Let's see. Commander Tandy surrenders the devices in 15 minutes from now. I then refuse a bit later. Then... yeah, I remember. Then I flee through a ton of dimensions and lose track of what age I am, why I am killing people with ice cream makers, and eventually go nuts and blow up Nintendus with some sort of plan to destroy everyone who opposes the forces of good. Or the forces of ice cream. ...So all I have to do is kill the Time Cop fool who goes to take them. I should be good for it." *He gets a wicked grin on his face as he takes out his oversized TT33-shaped gun.* "I only helped kill several deities, destroyed a planet, escaped multiple comeuppances, and came back from death too many times to count!"
Metal Man (GM): He'd warp down. Said Commander is, in fact, handing the devices... ...to a slightly younger Ael.
Ael: "Now, as this says, you will no longer use your devices to alter history. As it is, we can't even keep straight the number of different Vonn civilizations you've 'accidentally' sent across time and space. ...Or the other things the people who you gave devices to did to history. ...Especially the one named Metal Man, who... he hasn't even done anything yet, but he's listed as a massive Time Felon. You sure you got his?"
Commander: "Yes. One... two... ... ..." *He'd hold up Metal's presumed device. It's a poorly made fake.* "..."
Ael: "...I was afraid of that. Where is he, anyway?"
Commander: "He is..."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would dramatically warp in, pose, and then fall flat on his face, loudly.
Commander: "Right there?!?!"
Ael: "...Oh... that's what they meant about him being loose across multiple realities."
Metal Man (GM): Ael would turn to Metal Man. Oddly, he isn't the least crazy.
Ael: "...Look. You're clearly out of your depth. Time travel... is not good for you. Or anybody. Not even us. The Arbiter... ...he limits it even for us. So... just give it back. We'll... leave you alone, even."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would stand up, and give a puzzled expression.
Metal Man: "Wha... whaaaat? WHAT? Haha ha... ha... Ha... ...Ael... YOU'RE the Time Cop who got them? I can't believe it... all this time... I really WAS responsible for all the madness that chased me everywhere?"
Commander: "I'd watch him, Ael. He's... he's never been all that sane. We were hoping he might do something stupid and explode by stepping on a land mine or something. We... wouldn't mind if you whisked him off to some unknown dimension, really."
Ael: "Nonsense, I can reason with anybody. There is no need for violence."
Metal Man: "Reason? From YOU? I warped into insanity town for sure! You... you destroy worlds! You hate me to the point of insanity! You... you summon Evil Wolfman!"
Ael: "...As much as your delusional ramblings test my patience, they do not change my goal. Hand over the device, please."
Commander: "It's for your own good, son. All you gotta do is lay off the time travel. I know we won't be able to defeat the Vonns, but..."
Metal Man: "...But..."
Metal Man (GM): Realization would slowly dawn on Metal's face.
Metal Man: "... ... ...I cannot give you the device. To do so would destroy the time-space continuum. I'd gladly give it to you, but I can't."
Ael: "Hmmm. Well why is that?"
Metal Man: "As a result of what I do here, you lose your mind, and chase me across multiple dimensions. I don't know WHAT I do next, but if I do not do it, we may all suddenly explode at any moment now."
Ael: "Let me ask the Arbiter about this..."
Metal Man (GM): He looks at the communicator.
Ael: "...The Arbiter says... you are correct... ...but... ..." *He frowns.* "Why me? All I did was follow the rules. Why do I have to go insane to keep reality from exploding?"
Metal Man: "I... I don't know. I... ...I almost regret that this has to happen. All of that was madness... ...maybe the other me did it... but... ...I guess I should do it now... but... how am I supposed to do that again?"
Ael: "The Arbiter won't say, either. Something about how only you would know how, and the paradox of him revealing the information also destroying the universe. There has to be another solution..."
Commander: "Bah! Mumbo-jumbo. You talk madness, boys, I'm going to go see to the Vonns' eventual defeat. I... hope, anyway." *He walks off.*
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would look around, then shrug.
Metal Man: "I don't know what I do here. I have no way of knowing! Surely you would know what drives you insane?"
Ael: "No. I was always the most sane one there. That's why I was sent here. To avoid useless bloodshed."
Metal Man (GM): Suddenly... ...the OTHER Metal Man would walk in. The one... the one others might recognize from early SSQ. No blue shoulderpads, and all-metal, as if the metal is his skin. No visible time device either.
Metal Man: "Uhhh... ... ...I'm not going to say anything, or else we really ARE going to explode."
Old Metal: "Hey! It's me! And a dork in a dress! Muahwahwahwahwahwahahahahaaaaa!"
Ael: "... ...That's right, the device is his. I need to take his device. That will fix this."
Old Metal: "What device? Huh? Don't touch me, I'll kill you!"
Ael: "...The device which, if you keep it, will cause all of us to die. Horribly."
Old Metal: "That sounds fun to me! But it'll never get me. I can escape to wherever I want to!"
Ael: "...That's why you're supposed to give the device to me. Doing that will kill all of us. Even you."
Old Metal: "You want it? You're gonna have to fight ME!"
Metal Man (GM): Old Metal... takes out an AK-47.
Ael: "...You're a soldier. In armor. And you're using a weapon from another dimension. That is hundreds of years outdated in your dimension."
Old Metal: "Eat bullets, dork!"
Metal Man (GM): He shoots at Ael, but Ael just makes a force field.
Ael: "No, seriously. You don't have more than maybe three clips. And my force field can block ten times that."
Old Metal: "You're not the boss of me, loser!"
Metal Man (GM): Old Metal empties the clips.
Ael: "Now what are you going to do?"
Old Metal: "Bah! You're going down, old man! Take THIS!"
Metal Man (GM): He hurls the gun at Ael. It bounces uselessly off of the field.
Ael: "Is there a brain in there, or did you misplace it on the way here?"
Old Metal: "Don't call me names, sucker! You're done for!"
Metal Man (GM): Old Metal would then rip out the ground, then rip a water plumbing pipe, and uselessly break it on Ael's force field.
Ael: "You did all of that... for nothing." *He'd begin to get flustered.* "I don't care what the Arbiter says. I will... stay calm... and apprehend you."
Old Metal: "Nobody can apprehend me! I'm the gingerbread man! YEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): He runs off screaming like a maniac. Ael floats after him, tripping him with one spell, then binding him with another.
Old Metal: "Ow! Ouchie! Hey! You can't do that!"
Ael: "...Look, this is not so much about you, but your commander. He gave you that device. He didn't know what he was doing. Now I'm going to take it from you. Maybe some day you'll... be mature enough to use it."
Metal Man (GM): As he glances at the older Metal Man, who is standing stock-still, afraid any move he makes might destroy reality.
Old Metal: "No! I won't let you have it, you dummy!"
Metal Man (GM): Ael goes to take the device... ...and can't seem to find it.
Ael: "...Where in the world is it?"
Old Metal: "Old Commy told me you were gonna take it... so I ATE it! Haw haw!"
Ael: "..." *He becomes more flustered.* "Well I... you... ...how are you even alive?"
Old Metal: "I just drank all the other fancy things in the Commander's secret experiment place while I was at it. Radiation tastes GOOD!"
Ael: "...Whatever." *He goes to use a spell to remove it.*
Metal Man (GM): A very bright light occurs. Metal Man (of the present) shields his eyes. When it's over, Old Metal is passed out. Ael is on fire.
Ael: "Arghhhhh! This... makes... NO... SENSE!"
Metal Man (GM): He'd get up. However, moments before going totally insane... ...he would remember the future Metal Man's words.
Ael: "...No... ...that's where I would snap and lose it. This never has happened, and the fact the Arbiter endorsed it... ...yes. I won't go insane over this. I'll just impound the whole body instead."
Metal Man (GM): However, as he says this, all of reality begins to violently shake. Present Metal Man panics.
Metal Man: "Oh... s@#$! I already messed it up, and all I did was say I had no clue!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man looks around, then realizes Ael's back is turned, and his past self is beginning to wake up again.
Metal Man: "...A ha!"
Metal Man (GM): He'd run over and shove Ael over, then use his warp device on his past self.
Metal Man: "You... me... you remember NOTHING of this! Because... ... well, then we all die!"
Old Metal: "No way! I'll remember all of it just to spite you!"
Metal Man: "...Time for plan B."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man punches himself in the face, shoving him into a time portal.
Metal Man: "...That was more satisfying than I thought it would be."
Metal Man (GM): Ael gets up, now looking truly furious... as reality becomes normal again.
Ael: "Wha... bu... you... you just said you... wha... ...GRRRRRRR. I could have just impounded him... your reality would have vanished, but then whatever thousands of people you harmed wouldn't have been injured!"
Metal Man: "Tough luck. The Arbiter said--"
Ael: "He's just an Arbiter. We don't listen to him all the time."
Metal Man: "...Well now you do!"
Ael: "..." *He'd stand there. In his mind, the first thoughts towards his future plots that neutralized the Arbiter and made HIM the center of the Time Cops would begin. And then he would charge up his magic, aiming it at Metal Man of the present.* "The Arbiter practically sacrificed me for some stupid plot... I'll deal with it. By killing you." *He'd look much like he did in that inter-logue where he killed Kuja.* "I'm not going to fall for fate."
Editor's Note: Actually that inter-logue changed several times, so assume he looked like that, but know it doesn't actually say what it did before.
Metal Man: "But that's exactly the Ael I remember running away from!"
Ael: "You didn't say I died or lost. Clearly I can still kill you here and win."
Metal Man: "Are you serious? ... ...Nevermind, it all makes sense why you acted so uptight and inane over there." *He clears his throat.* "Er-hem Yes, I am... the Time Bandit! Destroy of worlds! And you... are going to be accidentally knocked behind the kitchen sink! Er... down! Er... defeated!"
Ael: "..." *Shakes his head.* "You're not stupid like your past self, but you're still an infuriating annoyance!"
Metal Man (GM): The battle would begin. Ael would fire his blue sphere attack, nailing Metal Man. But Metal Man would take it like... a... Metal... Man... ...and just not be bothered.
Ael: "...Nonsense. You're... just a rogue! You don't have fighting skills!"
Metal Man: "Well, in the past, I didn't. But now, I..." *He interrupts his speech by shooting Ael in the face... three times.* "...Know that anyone stupid enough to talk to me like that during a battle is doomed."
Metal Man (GM): Ael would get up, bleeding.
Ael: "This is but a scratch. One spell and you're history."
Metal Man (GM): He'd use his true power--creating an immense black hole.
Ael: "The Arbiter gave me this power. I can destroy this world. I can destroy you."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would hold his head, suddenly remembering.
Metal Man: "No... it can't be. I always thought they destroyed my home world over my side refusing to hand over..." *He looks at his own time device...* "GAH!"
Ael: "That's technically true. You never apparently give the device over. So no matter where you go, your home world will be destroyed! I will follow you across time and space... both of you! You clearly ARE an infuriating annoyance. I didn't think much of it, until you and the Arbiter clearly were from the same timeline. Well so be it. If I am to be nuts, then you... will be destroyed."
Metal Man: "I knew I was responsible for my own problems, but this is ridiculous!"
Metal Man (GM): He'd fire some shots at Ael while fleeing the black hole.
Ael: "Oh, but it makes so much SENSE. Your idiotic bumbling across time created everything that will be against you and is here now. You just weren't aware of it yet. I will escape your orbit, of course, when I kill both of you, but I can't predict the future--I haven't BEEN there yet!"
Metal Man: "You... you shut up! You have no clue how badly this ends for you!"
Ael: "Oh reaaaaally. Now I know I'll die, but it won't matter. I'll just fake my death! I don't need to use all my energy to defeat weaklings like your past self!"
Metal Man: "Actually you..." .oO(Oh, right. Better not mention that.) "... ...you've got me there."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would stop at a cliff, as the black hole sucks in his homeworld. His ship would float down behind him.
Ael: "So. You can run, but you can't hide. I will patiently track you down and end you, no matter where you are, or WHEN you are. Even if your past self escapes... I can just kill your current self instead."
Metal Man: "...Now I wish Dragoshi was here to call this a flarking trainwreck... er..."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would stop one step away from entering his space ship, then turn around.
Metal Man: "No, wait. You... you just said it."
Ael: "I've said 'it' many times, you idiot!"
Metal Man: "No... running away. You're right. My past self hid, but this juncture... if I don't kill you, you WILL continue chasing me forever."
Ael: "Do you really need to restate what I said to me?" *He fires a furious wall of lightning at Metal Man, who gets shocked.*
Metal Man: "OWOWOWOWOW... ...fine! This is going to end, here and now!"
Ael: "As you wish, moron!" *Ael uses uber-telekinesis to smash Metal Man into the side of a hill so hard it breaks his visor and smashes his right hand.*
Metal Man: "Oof!"
Metal Man (GM): Then he rips a tree branch free and impales Metal Man with it. As Metal Man is pinned there, he charges up an uber-blue orb, as the world is slowly eaten in the background.
Ael: "Yes... I have never done this before, but you and the Arbiter were right. I needed to tap into... this power... and KILL all the annoying people who keep ruining my job!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal would slowly get up. He'd go to use his device, but then remember--it didn't really defeat Ael back on Alsa, either. He'd reach for his gun, but remember Ael himself noting how useless slug-throwing weapons were. His mind would flip through all his weapons as Ael's mega-orb would become person-killingly huge.
Ael: "That's right. Stand there, idiotically clueless! I'll fry you and your wicked planet!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would run out of ideas... then remember what had started this mockery of a fight to begin with.
Metal Man: "So, you're going to destroy me, right?"
Ael: "Right!"
Metal Man: "What if I destroy myself?"
Ael: "... ...Don't think you can outsmart me! I'd not be the LEAST bothered by that!"
Metal Man: "Darn. I mean... ..."
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would take out an ancient weapon, and Ael would glance at it.
Ael: "...Crude, sharpened disks... ...that's even WORSE than bullets!"
Metal Man: "Exactly!"
Ael: "Exactly what?"
Metal Man: "Exactly this!"
Ael: "...What?"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would fire the device. A spinning copy of 'Gigli' would suddenly smack Ael in the face.
Ael: "Bah! You distracted me for but a second. Now to--"
Metal Man: "And this!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would hurl a transistor radio into Ael's face. It'd explode, doing no damage, but embedding transistors in his field.
Ael: "That's not a wea--"
Metal Man: "And THIS!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would hurl a frozen-over butterknife into the field.
Ael: "You--"
Metal Man: "And all of THESE!"
Metal Man (GM): Metal Man would summon the Deathmachine, and it would fire a volley of garbage not unlike a bad swap meet. The garbage would explode and collide, as Ael is now a literal pincushion of 60's lamps, uranium dishware, bowling balls, vases, wads of cheese, paper airplanes, toasters with wings on them, and broken glasses.
Ael: "...That's it... you die NOW!"
Metal Man (GM): Ael charges up... and up... and up...
Ael: "...And your past self, too!"
Metal Man (GM): He splits into two, much like Augustus did. One of him warps back in time, to ensure the past Metal Man 'dies.' As we all know, that one used his entire soul up trying to nuke him and failing, hitting a bird instead. The current one charges up, but he is in no danger of losing his energy.
Metal Man: "...Ah, nuts. I'm out of warp energy."
Ael: "Then it's over for you, tinhead! ASTRAL--"
Metal Man (GM): The rage gets the better of Ael. His technique, made powerful through careful concentration, backfires. He violently explodes, showering the area in automotive parts, lampshades, and golf clubs.
Metal Man: "Good grief. If only my past self knew that."
Metal Man (GM): The black hole threatens Metal Man's world, still. Much of it has vanished.
Metal Man: "... ...But there is that..."
Metal Man (GM): He stares at it... ... then shakes his head, chuckling.
Metal Man: "You know what... I hate this place anyway."
Metal Man (GM): He'd look at the military academy in the distance, remembering how the commander sent him on suicide missions and gave him tech in the hope he died. His parents, nice as they were, had left the planet and never been seen since, perhaps to hide from their completely insane monster-child.
Metal Man: "If this planet goes... ...a bunch of people will die... ...I don't really care." *He'd step aboard his ship and take off, as the world would vanish.*
Metal Man (GM): The ship would fly further into space, now just randomly into the chaotic distance.
Metal Man: "I guess that takes care of that. Had to blow up my home world so I don't have to bother telling anyone about it. Had to provoke Ael into madness so he would teach me not to get so worked up about things. And the moral of Nintendus was... ... ...why am I trying to figure these out? It's not like anything made any sense then or now."
Metal Man (GM): He'd just chuckle and fly into the distance.
Metal Man: "Guess I'll just find a place then, and rob the other ones I dislike while I'm at it..."
Metal Man (GM): He'd fade out, as his planet would vanish into the black hole. In space, Ael's fading away face would silently glare at the emptiness before vanishing. And that... ends the saga of SSQ. Perhaps, there is one or two other epilogues for player characters I missed... ...but that is the end as far as the NPC epilogues go. It began with a bunch of SPs rebelling against their leader... and ended with a maniac willfully destroying his own home planet. Well, I guess it was one of the more disjointed stories. So... stay tuned for the next generation of them, and maybe one or two other player character epilogues... maybe.