Date: 12:04:59 AM, December 22nd to 1:29:02 AM, December 22nd;
11:03:31 PM, December 31st to 11:13:10 PM, December 31st;
12:38:39 AM, January 1st to 2:52:07 AM, January 1st, 2013.
Metal Man (GM): Northern Continia
Here, where the ground is a bit more temperate, there's pine trees and a little snow. Red Text's ships have landed and begun building their base here, in earnest, after the land was given to him by Illian.
Rinith would have had to go through a bit of trouble just to -find- this place, mostly because after a long and rambling message from Red Text, it became clear Red Text had had multiple close calls with people out to kill him and being kicked around like a football.
It's a ways off the normal warp path, but Rinith would be on his way there, through the mostly calm pine forest. Though every now and again, the remains of ancient skeletons would lay dead in the snow.
Red Text had yet to explain what those were all about.
Or the strange looking corpses of dead thugs that looked like somebody with a laser shotgun had blasted them inside out.
Rinith: *takes glances at the various dead bodies. He's wearing his simple old travelers cloak over his now more modernized clothing of a simple shirt and Jeans, hands in his pockets. Heading in the general direction that he /hope/ he was right about this time. He'd already ran in to two dead ends now.*
Metal Man (GM): You'd keep going, until you'd hear a weird whirring noise up ahead.
Rinith: *earflicks as he takes the hood off of his head for a better range of perception, glancing up.*
Metal Man (GM): There, you see a spinny portal.
*WHOOSH*
You see... a silver Diablo SV with a giant time engine rammed into the hood just warp in and fall into the snow before you.
It sits there, the snow around it melting from the heat.
Rinith: *takes a light leap away from it when it falls in front of him, hand leaving his pocket carefully. He's not a big fan of largely teleporting objects.*
Metal Man (GM): The gullwing doors open. Hm. I guess it's good for when the car is otherwise buried.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aqG9kaPEJ4 (Defunkt - Frank Klepacki)
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Stupid driving instructions! I said park softly, not collide into the snow! I only collide into the ground when I say so!"
Metal Man (GM): A silver arm reaches out, and Metal Man climbs out of the vehicle, then looks at you.
It's just the kind of face anyone wants looking at them!
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Ah, yes. Rinith. Long time no see... oh no. I've begun spouting cliches again. I must have drank too much cliche juice! ..." *Coughs* "I have come here to ask for your aid, if my car wildly smashing into the snow hasn't destroyed your ability to speak."
Metal Man (GM): He checks the time on his watch. Or I should say, ominously glowing clock side-panel.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Hm." *Taps it* "It went dead again."
Rinith: *has his hand to his saber and raises an eyebrow.* "You're... here to ask for my aid?" *he coughs a bit.* "I'd almost imagine you owing me a favor already."
Metal Man (GM): He raises an eyebrow.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "A favor? Well, if you wish for one in exchange for helping me, that can be done. Especially if it involves destroying things... with explosions!"
Metal Man (GM): He gestures at the sky with his modified silver pistol, accidentally firing it and letting loose an earshattering explosion when it blows up the top of one of the trees.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...I really should replace my trigger safety on that."
Metal Man (GM): He puts the gun away.
Rinith: "A mircl-" *and his ears quickly pin to his head* vo.-v; "The hell is that thing?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh. It's the Silver Finisher."
Metal Man (GM): He spins it in his hand. It has... a wooden handle extension on the back he can squeeze... and...
It has a checkered flag painted on the handle.
It looks like somebody mutilated an old Soviet TT-33 Makarov thing into an abomination.
He drops it on his foot, but it only makes a loud metallic clank and he picks it up again.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Normal guns use boring ammunition, so replaced it with lasers that explode. They told me it was impossible, so I took distilled impossibility and used it as my ammunition."
Metal Man (GM): He flips open the handle, revealing a vial of some weirdly glowing blue energy.
Rinith: *;* "Lasers that..." *he groans a bit and holds the side of his head* "Ehh... the hell are you coming to my aid for again?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Phazon... time energy... Smash Power... it allows me to break whatever I want, but only for a limited time. Well..." *He puts the gun away.* "You saved my life, and someone wants me dead. Again."
"The issue is that they are like Ael, so I'm not so likely to be able to just kill them. At least not immediately!"
"Garrick is made out of stronger stuff. And/or is too annoying for me to talk to. So I figured you might be able to either beat him up, or tell him to not kill me."
"After all, Skysong died to save my life. Garrick seems bent on making that sacrifice moot. I try my best not to die, but he's the only one who ever succeeded in killing me... and I fear he may have a more permanent solution."
"I have my old Questers alongside me, but they're old and not knowledgeable of Alsa or new things. Neither am I, since I spent most of that time wandering around shooting Mavericks."
*He grumbles about laws of robotics under his breath.*
Rinith: *sighs as his digits almost dig in to his head in tension.* "So you want to hire me as some sort of body guard..." *He winces a bit at the mention of Sky-song's sacrifice, and glances in the direction he was heading. Best not lead Metal to Red.* "And I thought Smash energy was sealed or dead?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh. Well, yes, actually. In fact on this planet I feel it trying to suck the life out of me. But you see, in the past, it isn't dead yet."
Rinith: *Double facepalm combo! x2*
Metal Man (GM): He takes off a silver panel, revealing a glowing Q badge... original Quester badge, fully powered. Even... has a vein of Time Energy on it.
He grins.
Rinith: "That is the most bullshit loophole... damn it... we should of... we /knew/ some of us could time travel..."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I know, I know. Evil Wolfman is going to come back and attack us all. So I'm going to kill him first!"
Rinith: "You have a very one track instinctual mind."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "It works, most of the time. Except when it doesn't. You have the more broad mind, and I'm not sure if I trust past Garrick to kill current Garrick, er, I mean defeat him."
"Though I understand, you are in Illian land, you probably prefer his more logical view of things. I can bend if it will put your mind at ease."
Rinith: *He growls lightly under his breath, if sky-song hadn't /died/ for him he wouldn't even be considering this.* "I'm not just gonna attack someone for you. So how about we make a trade, how much do you know about smash energy? Particularly in controlling it?"
Metal Man (GM): He grins, Smash Energy improbably glowing in his teeth.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "After dying the 150th time, it sort of became one with me. I know more than enough to do whatever you have in mind. The entire reason I was so weak all these years was I had been deprived of it. It had gone to losers like Evil Wolfman and The Void."
"Now I have it... and they shall all know who the true Mack Daddy of Reality Splodinating is!"
Metal Man (GM): He holds up his hands like claws and grins maniacally.
Rinith: "I merely want to learn how to control it, not be infused with it again."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Aha. Control."
Metal Man (GM): He forms a fist, and all the energy in his body appears unto it. For a moment, he seems like the more sane looking person you remember.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Infusion is mostly a choice of mine... to help keep my mind off of the hundreds of years I have been thro--" *WHOOSH* "Which is precisely why I prefer to glow like a radioactive Christmas tree of DOOM." *He pauses.* "I can teach you the control I have, which is more than enough for you. You are not like me, so you don't have Smash Energy artificially stabbed into your body."
Rinith: "Then we have a short term deal, you teach. I'll do my best to keep you alive." -.- "Though I'll not blindly attack things."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That is good for me. I have other people to do that with! Er, I mean, I'll be nice! You name the time and place, and I shall be there to teach you the art of Smashing... ...the sane way that doesn't corrupt your mind, body, soul and small dog too."
"Though I will protest any idea that Smash Power itself is evil. Merely addictive."
"Even now, I feel drained, this world's order sapping my energy. I am nowhere near as powerful as I could be at home."
Rinith: *gives a slight smirk.* "You can give the time and place, as long as it's in the future. I do not have a sane means of time travel, nor do I want one right now."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Very well. How about... hmmm... two weeks from now? I can do sooner though, if you would prefer."
Metal Man (GM): He takes out his smash dex.
Joel: "ERROR ERROR! ERRER ERRR."
Metal Man (GM): He beats it a few times.
Joel: "DIMM CHIPS RESEATED. REFUNCTION REACTIVATED."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Appointment, two weeks from now. Remember this, you hunk of red plastic!"
Joel: "Data recorded."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I should remember now. It will electronically zap me the day before."
Rinith: "Two weeks work, locati-" *he blinks a bit.* "How the hell did you find me?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh. Joel. How the hell did I find him?"
Joel: "Dim traces of Smash Energy can be sensed by your Smash Dex network. Other people on this planet still using your technology formed an extended network."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...What about those 20 other people who I scared the living daylights out of?"
Joel: "The system is not precise."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh, right. At least I got to drive down the side of a skyscraper."
"When you have time travel... ...finding people doesn't take any time!"
"... ...Although I fear I may have lingered too long, waves of sanity are warning me I may be discovered here any minute now."
Rinith: *sighs* >.>;
"Information for Protection, that is our deal, for now."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Right. I'll find you, oh! Yeah. This will make it easier."
Metal Man (GM): He points and clicks the dex at you.
Joel: "...DING!"
Metal Man (GM): Numbers fill Xavier's screen.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yes. That should help me find where you are. Especially the count of the number of hairs on your face. Wait, why do I need that information, Joel?"
Joel: "You set me to 'extremely verbose' mode while smacking me into your armor."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Duhhhhh." *Smacks it a few more times.*
Joel: "Me talk right now. Rinith be wolf person."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Whatever." *Puts the dex away*
"...Anything else I can help you with while I'm here? Like... shooting enemy snow drifts?"
Rinith: "No, not really, I'd hate for you to be found and killed already though."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Good point! I'll just get going. Oh, and have this, because I pay everyone who works for me." *He hurls a bag of 500 coins at your feet.*
Metal Man (GM): Then he leaps into the car, and turns it on.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Which gear is the forward one again... oh... this one!"
Rinith: *glances down at it, and picks it up.* >.> *eh, might as well. actually, he pockets it and begins stepping /back.*
Metal Man (GM): You hear the radio begin blasting Yellow Submarine in there, as he steps on the gas and it begins to start spinning violently. The wheels, that is.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Engage zero degree turning radius!"
Metal Man (GM): It begins spinning in circles violently.
Then it begins floating up into the air and smashing into trees.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "WHOAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
Rinith: "Damn it!"
Metal Man (GM): It floats up into the sky...
Rinith: *he takes cover, this, what the fucking hell is he getting himself in to again.*
Metal Man (GM): After ducking a few random tree branches, it vanishes into the sky. You're surrounded by destroyed tree branches and some small fires from things he hit.
And they're not on normal fire, but Time Fire... which is blue...
And makes it look slowed down.
Red Text is standing there. He was here the whole time, in fact.
He has some snow on his face and a tree branch impaled in his hat.
He idly wipes it off and steps through the destruction like it's nothing.
Red Text: "Having fun, are we? He always was... bothersome..."
Metal Man (GM): He goes to sip some tea, only to discover it has become frozen solid.
He shoots it with his laser eye, warming it up to hot again.
Red Text: "Luckily, I predict with 23.905% certainty that he won't be bothering us for any time soon. Outside of teaching you how to spin around like you're stuck inside a washing machine's spin cycle."
Rinith: *sighs and stands back up, dusting snow off of himself.* "Sorry if I gave away your location, though I don't think he'd recgonize it if he crashed right in the middle of your new base."
Red Text: "He had no clue, actually. He kept telling my robot space ships to pull over because we were supposedly on Jack's land."
Rinith: *sighs, a bit relieved.* "How goes the reconstruction?"
Red Text: "Well enough. Thankfully, Xavier, enemy of architecture, only destroyed these hapless pine trees. No one has moved on my base due to Illian and Borne being all the rage at the moment."
"They will be completely unable to do anything about my base once it is complete. Well, that is... I do not think I will be as reactionary and bull-headed as they."
"There is a part we all play, and mine will be to simply end the stupid war they plan before it begins."
"Dreadful fighting getting in the way of technological progress. Bah."
Rinith: *shakes his head.* "Some things never change around here, huh?"
Red Text: "They sure don't. It's good to have another sane person to talk to, though. Oh, Illian is orderly, but also a depressed romantic, believing his tales of working with pre-diagnosis schizophrenic people were the 'Golden Age.'"
Rinith: *closes his eyes.* "I'm questioning my sanity taking up a job like this, but if smash energy can just be rebrought out like that, I don't want to lose my sanity again."
Red Text: "Indeed. Controlling Smash Energy is key. That's how we make sure it becomes mute and harmless. Xavier went back in time. After this war is ended, he will stay there and never leave."
"If I have my way."
"The Smash Energy will not be destroyed--merely placed in its little box."
Rinith: "A Temporal box."
Red Text: "It can then destroy everything in that box, over and over and over again. Far away from us. The mistake was destroying Smash Energy to begin with."
"Once destroyed, maniacs like Xavier became withdrawn from it."
"The symptoms made him go insane."
Rinith: "Wasn't he already?"
Red Text: "Yes. His version of insane was acting sane. Ever wonder why you felt a lot better about saving his life back then?"
"That's why."
"Of course, he's also more sane, paradoxically, inside his little box, because that world runs like that."
"It's just places like here where we'd much rather he never come."
"Illian and Garrick want to kill or defeat him, but that's like trying to punch your schizophrenia."
"The only way that works is killing the patient, and the patient is the universe we live in."
Rinith: *;* "That makes sense, in an indirect way. A fire in the ocean is out of place, but normal in a dry Savannah."
Red Text: "Yes. Since you are here, I will entrust you to aiding me, though not in a boorish way. Instead, this is mostly for both of our sanity."
"Xavier is mad, but also suggestible."
"He won't listen to me, but you saved his life. So you can continue to ensure he believes his box is the best place in the universe."
"Do it enough and eventually, when this is over, he can be obliged to stay there without any force."
Rinith: "You'd think *Punch it* would stop being a universal solution, except when people's punches seem to fuck with fate and make things work anyway, so they're abused." *he nods and listens to Red.* "Right, it shouldn't be a stretch anyway. It really is the best place for him."
Red Text: "After all, despite surviving everything, he still fears for his life... for no reason. Garrick has no way to actually kill him. I know Garrick. And you probably remember him too. Xavier can just pull one of those tree spinny things and Garrick will probably go hang himself out of depression."
Rinith: "Right, so make them both feel like they won, and put them both in their places."
Red Text: "Yes. Then everyone wins."
Rinith: "And some semblance of peace and progress."
Red Text: "Especially for me, because I wish to research this world's energies without the madness interrupting me."
Rinith: "Speaking of that, it seems this place's energy is loose lately. It's... different, what is it?"
Red Text: "A very bad thing happened. Jack betrayed Alsa's energy source."
"This has never happened before. Dyne came close but Jack nearly completely did."
"Now the energy of the planet is linked to two people where one Mad Man once stood. Jack died, and now Sloan and Dragoshi are Mad Men."
"Sloan has plans of some kind. I stole enough data to determine that he wishes to destroy both sides."
Rinith: *blinks a bit.* "Wasn't Dragoshi a Quester?"
Red Text: "Yes. He joined Illian's side and renounced his old faction. His name is Valron now."
"He is filled with Alsan Energy instead of Smash Energy, but the connection between the two may have slightly destabilized Alsa. Illian is taken to using extreme means... but the worst is that Sloan is also combining Smash and Alsan Energy."
"...as is Borne."
"...But whenever this happens, it causes... massive explosions when fully engaged."
"So you can guess what is likely to happen when these people use their powers."
"There will be many explosions, and Xavier will actually be the less destructive of them."
"Time Energy doesn't quite react to Smash Energy the same way at all. It becomes weird. But not a huge opposite-type explosion."
Rinith: *shakes his head.* "A reaction between them..." *Sigh* "Have you done any research on it at least? I know of some cases where mixing some energy can result in a greater end." *he raises his hands, with a simple light and dark spell between them as his example.*
Red Text: "Yes, if you can somehow master both, you can probably change the fabric of reality for whatever you want... in a non-insane way. That's what I fear Sloan is trying to do, because he doesn't need more explosions. He clearly is after it the same way you combine light and dark."
Rinith: "So I guess I'm back in the field again." *he sighs.*
Red Text: "He has enough Smash and Alsan power to level us all. Instead he's spent his time... trying to figure out how to wield it without the explosions. For better or worse, yes." *He also sighs.* "I didn't want to get involved either. Then weird people in steampunk motherships blew up my station."
Rinith: *winces, but at least smirks a little.* "I'll see what we can do about getting Sloan's research, before he completes it. That kind of information could be useful."
Red Text: "Good idea. If you can disrupt what Sloan is doing, we can wield it to stop him. Then, we can simply cause peace... neither the exploding peace Xavier wants or the eventless peace that Illian wants, but a lasting, normal one."
Rinith: *closes his eyes and rubs the chin of his muzzle.* "I have some old experience in manipulating whole energy fields, I'll transfer the information to you if I get my hands on it, I'll know some of what to look for."
Red Text: "That would definitely be useful. With that in mind, I must get to work. This new set of circumstances must be understood before it comes out of control. You may stay in my base, if you wish, or warp to where you live."
"My base is probably safe... for now..."
*Frowns* "But if Xavier could do that, so could the Dweezil... or Time Cops..."
Rinith: "I'll... be... staying here for 2 weeks after closing shop back home. I'd rather not Metal find a way to find me there."
Red Text: "Very well. Also..."
Rinith: "I do not need to stay at your base however, if you'd rather the privacy."
Red Text: "I will look on re-blocking all teleporters. No, go ahead and stay at my base. I need whoever I can have to help me study this phenomena."
"All I have otherwise are robots."
Rinith: *nods slowly.*
Red Text: "They don't have very dynamic thinking patterns. Neither does Illian or Garrick."
"Robots... robots, all of them."
Metal Man (GM): He would go to walk through the snow to his base, as his robots come in and start cleaning up the tree mess.
Red Text: "Have to remove the debris--don't want Ael coming here thinking I have Xavier hiding in my cupboards. And yes, Ael is alive, though a changed man... one who has stayed very far away from Alsa."
"Illian engineered his revival. It keeps the Dweezil away."
Rinith: "Dweezil?"
Red Text: "The Steampunk Punks. They have space ships that defy reality, using steam to travel near the speed of light."
"They ruled this area before the Time Cops defeated them in an ancient war."
"But when Judge Dredd's fleet was destroyed by Borne, well..."
"They were no longer able to hold them off."
"And so they came here to try and take the place over."
"Borne then went to destroy them and... he did cause massive damage to them before Illian revived Ael and Ael chased them away."
Rinith: *sighs.* "Perhaps Xavier will have some uses, I'd like the Antismash usable again if Ael turn coats."
Red Text: "Yes. Ael is not terribly trustworthy. He stole some of Borne's ships to rebuild and hasn't been back since, claiming he needs help from Illian to justify coming back here. The minute the Dweezil are done, I suspect he'll come around looking for payback to anyone who so much as frowned at him."
"Thankfully, he is hopelessly outnumbered by Dweezil."
"He may be re-killed by them if nobody bothers that situation."
Rinith: *looks away.* "Still, it is something we'll need to do. Though I am no longer immortal, that'll be a problem with all this explosive power around."
Red Text: "...And Smash Power doesn't work to revive people like it used to either, here."
Rinith: "Perhaps we can put Ael can be put in to debt then, if we work fast enough to do something."
Red Text: "The Alsan energy has become better at eating it, which is why Xavier didn't magically make you want to become his servant. Normally Xavier's Smash Energy does that to people."
"I think it's that badge... they imbued it with some spell. I never have been able to take it from him though. He holds it welded to his chest."
Rinith: "I should be fine if I do not follow him in to the past then."
Red Text: *Shakes his head* "He nearly had me working for him once, then I remembered he wasn't the same person from years ago. Yes. Or until we perfect an anti-Smash field."
"I believe that will not be too hard."
"Anyway, I shall lead the way to the lab, so we can get to work." *He would walk there, through a path cleared into the snow.*
Rinith: *nods and follows, hands back in his pockets.* "The Anti-smash technique was merely energy inversion on a scale large enough to reverse divinity, to counter all the immortality in a worst case scenario... though I have no where near enough power to use it anymore."
Red Text: "Borne is making vast factories of weaponized Smash Energy. It cannot be used by people." *He takes out a vial.* "If we can fuel a way to invert it, then we can simply get him to provide us with enough to power shields, that would allow us and others to go into Nintendus and not be effected by its insane rules. Just like they struggle to bring theirs to our world."
Rinith: *nods.* "That shouldn't be too difficult, considering it already works in reverse."
Red Text: "Illian would also be benefited, he speaks of mines of energy that can be used to alter reality positively. But it's protected by fate-altering golems that are nightmarishly powerful. ...He can go die to those golems if he's insane enough to try that, but our invention would make his idea no longer instant death."
Rinith: "Best we pool resources else where. Thanks for bringing me up to scope." *he follows Red Text, likely continuing now with more general conversation.*
Red Text: "Yes... there is much to discuss." *Fades out here*
Metal Man (GM): Mysterious Base, Edge of the Universe
A man stands in a room full of blinking lights, aboard a massive space station.
He wears a red and green tie, a purple jumpsuit, and weird black horn-rimmed glasses. His shoes look like old tires, his pants made of torn and re-glued duct taped denim with sparkles on them.
The lights turn on as he looks at a series of screens.
The screens show Alsa, and the Nintendus of the past.
It shows Illian occupying Continia, a recording of Jack dying, Borne... building Smash Energy cannons and firing them at Gray Mann robo-Questers.
He looks over to Nintendus and sees Xavier moving.
He frowns, as the screen shows Razor, Aribar, and others alongside Xavier.
Sloan: "That maniac isn't moving according to plan."
Metal Man (GM): He looks to a different screen.
Sloan: "He wasn't supposed to go there."
Metal Man (GM): The image of Nintendus is shown.
Sloan: "It wasn't supposed to exist! I had made sure Illian and Garrick destroyed it."
"They hated Smash Energy. And they made it die. For me!"
"Then he found a loophole and brought it back."
"Having cameras everywhere isn't enough. Not with Red Text restoring his own."
Metal Man (GM): A camera shows Rinith appearing on Alsa.
Sloan: "More agents are infesting my plans. I cannot let this continue. I need... my own."
Metal Man (GM): He would look through a series of holograms.
It'd show Julian.
Sloan: "No. Too idiotic."
Metal Man (GM): Then it'd show Keikyoku, Kuji, and Emmett. And Oushi.
Sloan: "No. I can't seem to find or cheaply revive them yet."
Metal Man (GM): It shows Digi.
Sloan: "Not powerful enough."
Metal Man (GM): It shows Raena.
Sloan: "Who?"
Metal Man (GM): He flips through it some more, seeing Flaeyn.
Sloan: "I don't need more zombies."
Metal Man (GM): Then it shows Andrew.
Sloan: "The fool that doesn't know the invisible compact we 4th-wallers signed? Who flunked out of 4th-wall university? No thanks!"
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his head. Then up comes Kit Orbel.
Sloan: "Why would I send a little girl? Wait... this is... over five years old..."
"Yes... by this time she should be impressionable... yes..." *It shows her abilities, which include deception.*
"Yes! I can pretend it is her idea... and that she is manipulating me..."
Metal Man (GM): He stares at it, the camera showing his eyes glowing sinisterly.
Sloan: "...And then both sides can be destroyed, and the universe can simply be all mine."
Metal Man (GM): He walks off, to activate a teleporter.
*BRIEF PAUSE WHILE I DO A SMALL CHORE THAT POPPED UP.*
Metal Man (GM): Sloan can be seen walking down a hallway, to a warp room. He walks up to a massive machine.
Mysterious Base, Warp Room
Mysterious Base, Warp Room
Sloan: *Clicks the buttons on the panel* "Hmmm... hmmm..."
*Snaps a huge switch* "There."
Metal Man (GM): A weird portal opens up, and... there is Kit Orbel. Describe yourself, as you see fit. You have been warped at a fairly decent time--that is, not in the middle of anything.
Sloan's warp is better than Xavier's.
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) *The first thing he'd notice is combat boots with black and grey camo pants tucked in, separated from a black tank top by what seems to be a stolen police officer's belt... Then there's the dark purple tattered trench coat and the twin pistols- laser sights even, in her hands... Finally... A girl barely on the edge of adulthood, with a bit of a glare in her Eye.* "If I've said it once, I'll say it again. No pulling me out of Praetoria when I'm in the middle of sabotaging Mother May-" *She looks around,* "This isn't the resistance Medical Bay."
Sloan: "It sure ain't. Welcome to... a location I can't tell anyone about."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Oh... Joy. Apparently Primal Earth isn't far enough away to keep you people off my trail. Fantastic."
Sloan: "It was, actually, I'm about the only person capable of finding you. Xavier doesn't really do 'long range' and Illian thinks you're the devil."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Can't imagine what gave him that idea. I was a teenage girl last time any of you people saw me. Now send me back, I've got a computer to hack, a psychic hivemind to thwart, bombs to plant, and a paycheck to pick up."
Sloan: "And... you still will, when we're done."
Metal Man (GM): He would look to his clock.
Sloan: "Time doesn't move the same between worlds. Unless you want to stay here 2000 years, nobody's gonna even notice the difference."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "I know, fifty years have past for me." *She frowns,* "Okay, what do you want, how much does it pay, and what are the terms I can bargain over?"
Sloan: "Let's see..."
Metal Man (GM): He would show an image of two sides.
One side is Metal Man... the other side is Metal Man.
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "I see... What looks to be the change of absolutely nothing since I've left."
Sloan: "There's these two people. Person on the left is Illian. Serious SOB, wants to kill the other one, but sucks at it. Person on the right is that Metal Man you know."
"He's a lunatic, ripping apart the universe."
"Now my job is something more interesting."
"They both are lords of power."
Metal Man (GM): He shows image below each.
Sloan: "Illian is of Alsan Energy. Xavier is of Smash Energy."
"Now..."
Metal Man (GM): He shows both of the energies.
Sloan: "Both of these combined can rule the universe, and these two people are in the way. Your job is to work with them and move them so they destroy one another."
"You're good at that, right?"
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "And you want to throw me into the crossfire between a lunatic and a zealot. Okay, fine, but on my terms."
Sloan: "Entirely my idea. You know what to do. You do, what you think is right."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Oh it's not that easy." *She turns to face him,* "One, I want complete immunity. If I fuck up, it is your job to say you were controlling me." *She smiles at him,* "Two, no backstabbing. I hate backstabbing manipulative assholes. It's why I started sneaking into bases and rigging them to blow if someone even -sneezes- wrong. And don't look at me like that, you're not exactly on good terms with me and I certainly remember you."
"I was a child, not a moron. You wouldn't call me if you didn't want a pawn you could lord plausible deniability over."
Sloan: "All of these are acceptable to me. I'd reply in more complex terms, but... you know how annoying fine print is."
"I know the feeling, Borne used me as a tool. That's why this isn't that."
"I simply want them both to destroy one another, and you to do whatever you want to make it happen."
"I will provide support to help you, but if you think my way is wrong, you can change it."
"I would do it myself, but... interesting possibilities now consume my time."
Metal Man (GM): He would show an image of... bizarre men in ships with skulls on them.
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Good, I wasn't finished yet. I also want an allowance of whatever I need to get the job done, be it simple things like knives or wild things like explosive kittens. You foot the bill. Oh, and I'm your equal, not a pawn or a tool. I have no interest in taking charge of things, I hate being in control. Everyone points at you when things go wrong."
Sloan: "They already do point at me, so nothing will change. They will continue to point at me. You will get what you need--however, I cannot give you anything too shiny." *He would take out one such device.* "They would spot it from a million miles away, and I have not mastered the ability to hide my inventions."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "..." *She nods,* "Fair enough. Oh, and one more thing. I want to be allowed a personal consultant that you won't shut out when I need him."
Sloan: "You may have that consultant. They will be entirely yours. Even if you were to turn against me entirely. My interests are beyond boring cloak and dagger stuff. Betraying my own agents is so Alsan it bores me to tears."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) *She nods,* "Then you have yourself an agent." *She curtsies,* "Agent Cathrine 'Kit' Richards, at your service."
Sloan: "I wish to do things beyond battles... beyond wars... I simply need to end the current one in a way that makes the playing field clear."
Metal Man (GM): He would nod.
Sloan: "Miss Kit, then, how shall we start? The first assignment is to observe Xavier in his natural environment... ...doing something very dire indeed. He is disturbing the plans."
"He has happened upon a dangerous loophole. Xavier stands ready to invade anywhere he wants. And Illian and Garrick are too weak of mind to stop him without us setting them straight... by distracting Xavier."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... Easiest way is for him to find me, and think of me as something he can use against Illian, as Illian would think me a dangerous and uncontrollable monster."
Sloan: "Yes. That is precisely my thinking. Otherwise there is danger. I have these plans..."
Metal Man (GM): He shows data. Xavier's handwriting.
He plays the log. It's crispy, but audible.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...And I have discovered, that we simply could have gotten The Void's help by asking for it. With The Void on our side, Garrick and Illian will be powerless to stop me."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "..." *She shudders a bit,* "That's... An unpleasant thought."
Sloan: "Unfortunately, the gears have moved too far. We cannot prevent him from summoning The Void. However, there is worse."
Metal Man (GM): He plays another spot.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I have determined how to merge with The Void. The energy, combined with my own, will make me EEENVENCIBEL! AH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!"
Sloan: "...This is what must not happen."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... How long does it continue just him laughing like that?"
Sloan: "...About 30 minutes. He is... about as sane as a deranged coconut, made of lemon wedges."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Right. Prevent merging. Top of the list."
Sloan: "I have a device to do this with."
Metal Man (GM): He hands you... a really boring mundane looking guitar pick.
Sloan: "This is a pick... Scott Gibson's guitar pick."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "..."
Sloan: "If he holds it, it will cause him to not be compatible. Even if it touches him."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... So slip it in his pocket, make him eat it... What?"
Sloan: "Your choice. Accidentally drop it so he steps on it."
"But it must stay in contact."
"The Void can and will realize he can merge with him if it doesn't stay stuck."
"And you know what could happen."
"The Void. Xavier. The world's most insane people, with the power to reshape all of reality."
"More than this world would be at stake."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... Can I replace his appendix with it? He'll never notice that missing anyway."
Sloan: "...Yes. You merely need a good enough distraction. Luckily, he will be distracted."
"The device with The Void also has Evil Wolfman on it."
"Evil Wolfman, even weakened, will present a large annoyance to his plans."
"While he is figuring out how to get rid of the weakened Evil Wolfman, you could probably do it."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... Sounds to me like he'd put it in himself if he thought it'd make him fl-..." *She seems to bristle a bit.* "Okay, give to to me straight, how many 'players' are in this game?"
Sloan: "..." *He smiles.*
Metal Man (GM): He brings up a map.
It shows a large number of people.
The people who represent factions... separate ones...
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Oh goddesses a map..." *She groans,* "This is more that 'two people', you realize this, yes?"
Metal Man (GM): Borne, Illian, Xavier, Red Text, Sloan, Ael, some guy named "Laconius"...
Sloan: "Yes. They merely are secondary players who revolve in and around these two factions. Their goals may be irrelevant or alien to us. We do not need to provoke people who are ignorant of the true battle."
"I have more than one agent. Every side has observation on it, that I know."
Metal Man (GM): He then frowns.
Sloan: "Except for Red Text."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Satellite factions revolving around major players- this is going to require a little more than some 'finesse' if RT's in on this."
Sloan: "You will be needed to convince Xavier or someone to deal with him. Red Text has his own, alien agenda. I fear he may be playing the same game we are."
"My attempts to manipulate him out of the game almost succeeded, then failed."
"It appears his ties to Illian have rendered him too tricky to nail down... especially when Illian did not fall for my false data..."
"...But they are distracted now."
"And too weak to do anything of importance."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "He's got ties to Illian- is that why he didn't call me first? He's the type to explore every avenue..."
Sloan: "He has... ...He was spotted with Rinith."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "I'm your last choice, aren't I."
Metal Man (GM): He would grin and shake his head.
Sloan: "I selected you from a list of all the available people. I could call Digi here... but you know how good he is. Could you see it now?"
Metal Man (GM): He mimics a punch so weak cardboard would survive it.
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "..." *She tries not to snicker,* "Fair."
Sloan: "Fire p-p-puuuunch. If I wanted my traps inspected, I'd send him. No. You're the top pick, to be honest... Red Text messed up."
"Rinith saved Xavier's life. He'll do it again."
"Good thing I don't really care, because both sides will be dust and ashes anyway."
"Anyway, Xavier is liable to start his... horrible, no good mission atrocity to get The Void, so it's best you get going soon."
"Anything you need?"
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "..." *She nods,* "Yes. An excuse for why I'm suddenly back here, and shouldn't be set on fire for his amusement."
Sloan: "Ah. Well, you're here because you hate Illian. And he's taken over your favorite planet."
"After all, didn't you love Alsa?"
*Enough sarcasm used to destroy a bus.*
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "... Point." *She sighs,* "Give me a moment to change into something less... Conspicuous." *She pulls out a wand- it kinda looks like something you'd see from Sailor Moon... And... And... Oh god is she going through a transformation sequences. She is- body glowing so you can't make out any real girly bits, ribbons wrapping around her- She comes out of it with thigh high boots, a mini skirt, and a belly-shirt... All in purple and white. * "Ready."
Sloan: "Oh, dandy." *He makes a note* "That should be the sort of shininess to make you fit in. I used to transform, but it was only from one glowing iridescent suit into a different mirror-sheen one. Anyway, here's your warp." *He steps on a button and a warp field appears before you.*
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "Hey, don't judge me. It's like carrying a closet and a hairdresser in a bedazzled glorified stick."
Sloan: "Judge? No. To be honest, I am jealous. It takes about 30 minutes to get this outfit right."
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his head at his bizarre sparking glassy boots.
Sloan: "If I step in a single spot of dirt these things will be ruined forever."
KitOrbel: (Agent Cathrine) "It takes me thirty seconds of literally being clothed in light." =.=; "Welp, ready when you are."
Sloan: "Portal is open, just step inside. I'd walk in, but everyone knows me. You'll be walking right into their HQ's front door. No surprises like appearing on the ceiling. I promise. I made sure it looks exactly the same as Xavier's portals... he won't know the difference."
"I tested it before with myself... he didn't even care."
"He was too busy lighting himself on fire for some reason."
KitOrbel: "..." *She nods,* "Fair." *She takes a deep breath and nods at him,* "I'll report back when I get some alone time. Make excuses. Powdering my nose or something silly." *She winks,* "Ta~" *And steps through.*
Metal Man (GM): And now...
Nintendus, Quester HQ, Big Room, about 20-30 minutes earlier
Xavier is in the Big Room. Aribar has fallen asleep on the table. Ederick is just not even there.
Razor would be there, as Xavier would be wandering around, rambling.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...And that is why, I would beat Julian in a fight! He has not enough pickled turnips!"
Metal Man (GM): Rinith, yes.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "And he doesn't get enough petunias to the gallon! If he comes back, I shall smite him with an orange danish!"
Rinith: *is currently reading a book, one ear half listening to Xavier, just enough so he can respond if needed.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Blood from the Netherlands shall rain from his exposed eyelashes!"
Razor is just reclining in his chair, feet up on the table. One hand is holding a small glass filled with an orange liquid... the other is just flipping his solitary gold coin repeatedly.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "The time will come when he will be destroyed. And then I will be the King of Downunda!" *He then crashes into a wall.* "...Where am I? Oh... oh! Right! This thing!"
Metal Man (GM): He coughs and puts his helmet on straight.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yes. I was going to tell you about the fiendish discovery I made. Hah. Hahahah. Hahahahahaha!"
Razor sighs. "...did Gibby eat your pretzel?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...Yes. Then he took my shelf."
Razor: "Aw dammit."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I don't know where he's been either. I need superglue."
Razor: "He'd probably eat that too."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Touche."
Metal Man (GM): He would sit in his rotten old chair, which clearly IS the original chair he used.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I have found... The Void. The Void... the one who gave us ultimate power to fight our foes... simply because in increased the chaos in the universe."
"And here we have foes... who need defeating... ...and the energy here is only 1/3 the awesomeness we could truly be."
Rinith: *looks up, ears flattening.* "You mean the one who refuses to acknowledge that, in a meta sense, he /does/ exist?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I remember when we had guns that shot through and destroyed moons, and swords that destroyed rock. We need it back, because we are fighting Kuja-slayers, not Goombas. The Void exists, yes! Or... I should say, he does doesn't exist."
"Does doesn't not not not does exist."
"He is nothingness that just so happens to be."
"And he can be our nothingness. All we need to do is free him from his prison."
"In the old days he ruled this world--and technically does--but I know the future, so actually he would be my servant instead, you see."
Razor: "...Mets... put me on record as stating that that is an exceptionally poor plan... and you've come up with some pretty shitty plans in the past."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well..." *He leans on the table.* "I have a means of making it work. It's not just letting him loose, you see. I will absorb his soul! Illian did it once. I watched it on my tapes!"
Metal Man (GM): He would play Illian absorbing The Void, and speaking in two voices... ...and then it would show Aetos acting foolish.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I can do it... then he has no choice! I can use him to shoot deathrays! The magic is all here, on this disc that my past self found for me in a dumpster. One which was fated to be mine, in the future... ...except I knew it, because I am from the future..."
Metal Man (GM): He scratches his head.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Anyway. If you have a better plan, I'm all ears. How about your knowledge of chaos then?"
Rinith: "No wonder you are insane."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, you have to experience time travel very closely... for several years... then you begin to see the invisible lines between the atoms making up everyone's face!"
Razor: "Honestly, I'd consider walking right onto Illian's ship again and inviting him to tea a better plan than that."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "What if we, er... find the transformer The Void is on and stop him from being found by anyone else, then do that? Because it's out there, and if we don't... Ivan Robotnik might."
"I mean. Then Ivan Robotnik can release The Void as he did in this timeline, and... he has The Void instead."
"Not good."
"If you hate him so much, we can... ...hmmm... how does one destroy nothingness... oh right! We can fill him in somehow!"
"Yeah. So we find and... destroy The Void by filling him in. Then Ivan Robotnik won't rule the world."
Rinith: "I'd imagine the void exists as long as the space between worlds exists. Entropy and all... that may not be possible"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "...It isn't, but this is a sentient part... Razor knows him well. This would be destroying the head so it never becomes sentient again."
"At least, not in here."
Rinith: "Fair enough, something like that might work."
Razor: "It's a tricky thing, but I'm sure it can be done. At the very least... I think it's a better idea that something like that be taken away as a factor."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Right. With that in mind, we--" *Warp noise*
"I hate when that happens."
Metal Man (GM): The front door would open and Kit would warp in. *Lets Kit pose herself in.*
KitOrbel: *She spins on her heel and strikes a pose.* "Magical Girl Kit, at your service~!" *Giggle.*
Rinith: *ear perks and looks over.* "K-kit?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Excellent, monsters to kill my enemies with! Er, I mean, another Quester!"
Razor: "..." *The slightly scuffed man in green and black armor's wings twitch as he looks to Kit... then to his glass, then to Kit again... then back to his glass.* "...bloody hell, I skipped on the liquor this time!"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We were about to discuss destroying the greatest source of chaos in this universe. I assume you want to help us. Well. More like turning it off so it doesn't turn on us actually."
"Destroying it would just make us all chaotic."
KitOrbel: "Yeah, actually, it's why I came here. Look- suited up and everything." *She twirls her wand and winks,* "See?"
Rinith: *looks over her.* "How did you find us, and why."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Whenever I wave a sparkly wand, people run in terror. Why doesn't anyone like my wands? I only borrowed it from a glowing place filled with guys in yellow suits."
KitOrbel: "I keep in contact with Mister Mewtwo. We have tea on Sundays."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Wait... is that the Mewtwo that will kill me in my sleep Mewtwo, or some other one? Because crazy Hate-me Mewtwo is still out there somewhere." *Shudders.*
KitOrbel: "He told me what- what's his name... Illian did to my home- Alsa. Well, it's not really my home, but it's like one to me."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Ah, you want to stop the King of the Coneheads!"
Razor: "Yes, and HE'S the crazy one." *He sighs and gulps down the rest of his juice.*
KitOrbel: "Yes."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yeah, that's the right Mewtwo to be with, the one who isn't with Cone-head Washington."
KitOrbel: "He's my mister Mewtwo, he still has the bow I made him. He wears it when we have tea." *She pouts softly.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's much nicer than my Mr. Mewtwo. My Mr. Mewtwo chokes people. And makes barriers to stop intruders from getting in."
"According to Wolfman he also controls this mystical thing called a *Website* and a *Chat Room.*"
"And they say I'm insane."
KitOrbel: "I have a way with people and pokemon alike." *She winks,* "And small cute cuddly animals. I think it comes with the magical girl powers. Or is that princesses...?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Anyway, if we're all ready, then it's time to kill things. I mean stop Ivan Robotnik from ruling the universe... which means turning off the Void so he doesn't do anything. You're coming, right, Aribar?"
Aribar: "Zzzz... Piffle..."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's my Aribar! Let's see. How am I going to warp out."
Metal Man (GM): He sits down at the desk and grabs at invisible controls.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Not on the Seeker."
Metal Man (GM): He stands up and walks into a wall.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "They didn't build the Bigger Room yet."
Metal Man (GM): He then starts walking down the hallway.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "There we go! This way!"
"By god! Green Linoleum! I had forgotten these floor tiles!"
KitOrbel: *She follows along, still light on her feet, as always.*
Razor slowly stands up and glances around. "Right... let's follow the loon..."
Metal Man (GM): You eventually reach... the warp room.
It's a bunch of green tiles.
Xavier is pushing buttons.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Okay. So we don't want to go to China. The Void is not there."
"I checked."
"Good food though."
KitOrbel: "Did you double check?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Maybe I should. We could visit Boggy B.'s gravestone too."
"He died defending us against the evil Worm SSS SPs. ...That was a very long time ago though."
"Nah... I got it."
Metal Man (GM): He traces out an X in the controls.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "This is the X-Zone. Not to worry though, The Void has been sealed, so it's more like the Safe Zone now. It has a little bit of trouble in there, but I figure only enough to give us something to smack."
"I'm sure you want to beat something up after hearing me rave about Danish Oranges anyway."
"This way, anyway."
Metal Man (GM): A huge X-shaped portal shows up, and he marches in it in tune to music you cannot hear.
KitOrbel: "..." *She follows along, skipping a bit.*
Metal Man (GM): If you lost the buffer, Xavier just opened a portal to what seems to be a "Dead X-Zone."
He and Kit just walked inside.
The portal seems to show on the other side a world of... blankness.
Razor has since discarded his glass and pocketed his coin... he seems none too enthusiastic, but isn't going to let Xavier just walk off alone with this incredibly bizarre girl.
Metal Man (GM): And, TW is a bit busy, but we'll assume Rinith follows or can follow as his player has time.
DEAD X-ZONE
The world is a blank canvas, with a static-y sky. The normal insanity seems to have been tuned down.
Xavier puts a hand to his chin.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "You see, this was the X-Zone, then The Void was defeated."
Razor: "Good times."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Now it's a gap between worlds."
KitOrbel: "... This place looks like the artist had a stroke with the TV on."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "The issue is that things were put here to make them safe."
Rinith: *looks around, hands in his cloak's pockets.* "We best be careful here, even with the Void sealed."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "And... without the insanity, they aren't very safe anymore. Anyone could just pick them up."
Razor stretches out his wings behind him, a hand resting on the hilt of one of the blades sheathed behind his hips.
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Picks up an E-123 machinegun* "Like this. Deadly dangerous, I don't dare even take it. It's cursed."
Metal Man (GM): He throws it over his shoulder and it disintegrates into evil looking dust.
KitOrbel: "..." *She smiles and gives Rinith a hug,* "I missed you puppy."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Don't breathe that dust either, it'll make you go insane. ...More insane."
"It'll stay over there though."
Metal Man (GM): He begins walking and... stops at the next destination, which is a giant shades of gray mansion.
It's ruined, and yet intact enough to present some locked door.
KitOrbel: "I kinda wanna take a paintbrush to this entire place."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "This door isn't opening. And I'm afraid my gun would inject us with door shards. And my Golf club would burn it all down."
"And... this." *He uselessly slows down time on the door for 5 seconds* "Nothing."
"I'd use my fists, but I think I forgot how to use them properly."
"One of you can probably slice it open."
KitOrbel: "Oh, locked door?" *She fiddles a bit,* "I could try, I used to be good at that kinda thing. Picking locks, sneaking about, and stuff."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Picking the lock? Oh... right. Go ahead. I'd forgotten about such tactics..."
Rinith: *freezes a bit when hugged and sighs.* "Best let her pick it first."
Razor: "Holy shit. An old Quester suggesting a subtle approach?"
Metal Man (GM): The door is really primitive and old. You can pick it without even trying.
KitOrbel: *She nods and sets to work,* "I've always been the subtle one. Tell 'em Puppy."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Yeah, I know. It's weird and unsettling!"
Metal Man (GM): The lock takes about... 30-45 seconds before it comes loose.
The door would sag open, groaning and releasing the smell of old dust.
Razor: "Subtle in a get-up like that?"
Metal Man (GM): The indoors is a typical mansion. Foyer, hanging chandelier... the left and right don't even lead anywhere. There's just upstairs and the current floor you're on.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh... I know where we are... some part of Luigi's Mansion... Huh."
KitOrbel: "I became a Quester when I was eight years old." *She waves the dust from her face.* "I didn't always dress like this, but it's a magical girl costume, it comes with the wand and the powers of Love and Friendship and stuff."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "We all get fancy uniforms, anyway. Even you, Razor! ...You do look somewhat normal by comparison, but who knows. Maybe you'll lose an arm or turn into a magical soul-eating cat demon. You never know."
Razor: "Uh-huh. Ever think of carrying around a coat or something...?" *He blinks at Xavier.* "Don't jinx it! I'm still sore about that time I got turned into a bat."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "See! Now. This way." *Walks directly into the base of the stairs and bounces off of them* "Or maybe not. Uh... your choice."
Metal Man (GM): Upstairs has a lot of doors and noise in it.
Downstairs is dark and quiet.
Rinith: *tucks his hands deeper in to his cloak's pockets.* "I'd hate to see how this group could become any more insane."
KitOrbel: "..." *She just looks up, then down.* "Basement. It's quiet. Too quiet."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, this is actually the nice group. You didn't see the ones who went to Genetia. The Genetia group was so horrible I stayed away and let them run themselves."
"There was this insane person named Scott Fender."
"He spoke to his motor scooter... like he was married to it."
KitOrbel: *She turns to him,* "The noise is a distraction. The real trouble ought to be in the basement. Especially if this is the mirror of a mansion."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "And then he made his own band... and I bought them things. And then they disbanded, and Garrick became a drummer... and... ...blah blah blah. Hm. Well, into the basement." *He'd head downstairs and bounce off the walls.*
"Ow. Narrow walls."
KitOrbel: *She smiles,* "Try walking on your hands, sir. It may prove more fruitful."
Razor: "Pleasant." *He cracks his neck and draws his blades from behind him, folding his wings in close as they go. The blades actually break into a few pieces, floating in a unique triple-point formation from the hilts.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Now now, you can't trick me! I'll use my Rocket Skateboard indoors!" *Takes out his skateboard and then hits his head on an overhead pipe* "Hm... glad I wear a helmet..."
Metal Man (GM): The first actual... color... shows up in the dark basement.
You can almost not see except Xavier is glowing blue.
And the brick is reddish brown.
And... it's completely empty in here, the back wall is nice and brick-wallish.
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Huh. That's an awfully pointless basement down here."
Metal Man (GM): He taps on the wall.
KitOrbel: "Exactly, but it's the only thing with color... And that's different."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "I'm sure there's something in here... But I don't know where..."
KitOrbel: *She begins looking over everything, examining...*
Metal Man (GM): The wall has uneven creases in it every so often.
Razor just sort of makes his way towards the middle of the basement, glancing around almost a bit boredly. "...this place was... slightly more interesting before, I think..."
KitOrbel: "..." *She tries poking at them.*
Metal Man (GM): Click.
Click.
They each make different clicking noises.
Some higher pitched than others, no two the same.
KitOrbel: "..." *She arches an eyebrow,* "Like music..."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, without The Void, this place is a bore festival. I say, anyway, that's why I want him. So the world can be interesting. Er... and that's why he must be destroyed. I can say I have never heard a brick piano like that before though."
Metal Man (GM): He leans on the wall, and it seems like there is a door outline to the side of the other segments.
It doesn't open for him though.
KitOrbel: "Try playing it, I can't figure it out. Do Scales and Arpeggios."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Hm. I can play it." *He starts pushing buttons. It makes hideously random music, because he keeps mashing it at random.*
"...Nope. Never was any good with music."
Razor: "Really? I thought all of the best musicians were insane."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Oh. You want me to sing a song... perhaps about a Yellow Submarine? I can do that... easier than playing a bizarre piano I can't reach all the keys at at once."
KitOrbel: "... All at once?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, if you want to help me, we can push all the keys."
Metal Man (GM): He'd stand by two or three.
KitOrbel: "It's worth a shot." *She stands by some herself.*
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Here, lend us a hand Razor, you won't turn into a bat. Or hear any more anecdotes. Just some weird music inside a mansion inside a bizarre hole in reality."
Razor: "...most sense you've made all day." *He chuckles and heads over to the wall, finding some points to press.*
Metal Man (GM): A door would open after the clicks play some sort of organ chord.
The door leads to another room with more color in it.
Razor: "...the wall is an organ. Huh."
KitOrbel: "As I said, subtle is my specialty."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Must be right, Kit. All the interesting things must be further in the colorful areas. Can't destroy everything at once I guess."
Metal Man (GM): The way inside the door is to a sort of hidden area.
It looks like... some sort of inside of a catacomb area, like The Void's old castle.
Only now all the stuff is broken and old, the torches flicker on and off, and there's defeated skeletons about.
Razor: "Well, you can, but that's not always the optimal solution."
Metal Man (GM): It goes down a hallway and then there's a turn in it, and some sort of turn to the right up ahead.
Razor slowly looks left and right as they step in.
Metal Man (GM): To the left is a pile of broken looking paper.
To the right is a wall.
Up ahead is the hallway, but the pile of paper does look like something.
Razor slowly kneels to examine that paper.
Metal Man (GM): The paper appears to be designs.
The ruins of The Void's plans... ...but also some other ones that are clearly Ivan's.
It shows a crown, and Ivan ruling the planet... also Eisnaught's plans.
Not all of them seem to be dead plans (like Smithy's satellite)
One last one sticks out.
It appears to show The Void... interacting with Evil Wolfman?
It's brand new, and buried at the bottom of the pile.
Razor: "Huh. That doesn't look good." *He pulls that one out and looks it over carefully.* "Who the hell is keeping a journal of nefarious plans, anyway?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: *Turns away from mumbling something into his Smash Dex* "Not me! Oh... I have no clue who would put those there."
"Sardis Mongul?" *Looks* "...Nope."
"Don't have a clue. That's odd."
"I know the future... but this doesn't make any sense."
"I think I must have altered the timeline."
Razor: "So then what's this about Wolfman and The Void?"
Xavier Ridgecrest: "Well, that is Evil Wolfman... who doesn't belong in this time zone... ...And why it seems to show them both in the same scene is beyond me."
"See, the funny glasses? Evil Wolfman."
"He's the king of Evil Smash Energy, created out of Aetos and Julian being two-bit punks."
"And The Void is the king of chaos... hmmm..."
Razor: "You've got too many damned fronts to fight, Mets."
Xavier Ridgecrest: "That's why we're stomping one out right here. I hope."
*Coughs* "Then I just need to deal with Garrick, Illian, Borne, and... ...that's all of them. Hopefully. Ael is out there but too dumb... bah." *He futilely rubs his helmet.* "Let's just get done with this."
Metal Man (GM): He'd go to walk down the walkway, only for some noises to occur up ahead.
Oh, but!
I can give you EXP!
Ah. Good, yes, tell him the weirdness. He's the number person. I... well, you remember my systems.
Haha. My systems.
+6 EXP to everybody... mostly for helping me get this started.
Razor: *I broke three of them!*
Editor's Note: Yes he did!