Date: 9:16:24 PM, May 21st to 11:26:01 PM, May 21st;
6:45:03 PM, May 23rd to 9:33:50 PM, May 23rd;
4:22:05 PM, May 24th to 6:52:42 PM, May 24th, 2013.
Metal Man (GM): Recap...
Last time Garrick was up against a mixture of foes. Zant the insane, "The Claw" (who died to improvised weaponry), and another one before that. Not the clearest on the order because my brain is wacky. But the important part is he's fully healed and up for the next three challengers!
Kragok: "Let's see you deal with this..."
Metal Man (GM): Ah, right. My memory was correct... except for the part with Ourumov confusing me.
Figures.
Kragok pulls a lever, and a robot rises out of the ground... a GUN Robot. It's fairly humanoid and mecha-looking, about 8 feet tall.
Garrick Fy`aar checks his gun for the uptenth time, then takes a look at his ammo. He's spent about a clip and a half since the beginning of this thing. Unless the next four fights were nothing but full shoot-outs, he should be ok--and then that shows up.
Metal Man (GM): It doesn't really waste its time, it gets in line and aims its gun with murder on its mind.
Roll init.
Not terribly fast.
Order: Garrick, GUN Robot
It is, however, rather bulky looking.
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(This thing is going to be thick and covered in armor. Gotta get past that. Maybe I can crack into its wiring...)
*He starts sprinting for the cover of one of the wrecked pillars, putting a trio of shots into the air, followed by one well placed shot going for the crease where its head met its torso.*
Metal Man (GM): It stands and holds up its arm, trying to block/brake the attacks.
It blocks the first one--double DR for that one.
The first hit is basically nulled. On the other hand, the second hit rips a proper hole in its guarding arm.
Garrick Fy`aar tries to get behind some cover and braces for whatever comes at him at this point, sheathing his dagger and pulling a ball from his belt.
Metal Man (GM): It looks at you with its red mono-eye and aims its laser cannon at you.
It charges up a shot and then fires a laser at you.
In this case, yes.
You dodge as the shot blows a crater in the ground.
That would have been painful.
Garrick Fy`aar does a heel over heel cartwheel to dodge that, looking a little stunned at how powerful that shot was. He wishes he had some coins to just Magitek this thing into the ground. He aims another well placed shot into that hole it its armor, then chucks the ball off to the right side of the robot.
Metal Man (GM): The shot is entirely blocked by the block. *KONK.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "Nidoking! Hit it in the joint! Tackle!"
Metal Man (GM): Mmm. Last TP is used summoning Nidoking, though Nidoking is now between you and it.
It charges up and opens fire on the Nidoking with another laser blast.
Nidoking is not too fast...
It is hit, taking about 50% of its health in damage from the huge blast.
Now I assume you want it to tackle the robot?
Nidoking goes to tackle the robot, its immense girth and speed going into effect...
The robot blocks, reducing the damage it takes. It takes 25 damage.
You can order another attack though.
Or take an action yourself, up to you.
Garrick Fy`aar hesitates... he knows what Nidoking can do... he'll save that for a dire emergency, though. He races toward the bot, trying to come in from a blind side, motioning to Nidoking to tackle it a second time.
Metal Man (GM): It blocks again, once again only taking 25 damage.
It fires at Nidoking again.
Nidoking is once again nailed, then knocked down to 1 HP.
Garrick Fy`aar: "God... screw it. NIDOKING! RIP THIS ENTIRE PLACE DOWN. EARTHQUAKE!!"
Metal Man (GM): The entire building shakes violently. The grandstands sink into the ground, and blocks fall from the ceiling.
A huge one flies at the robot.
The robot blocks. The block smashes to pieces on its arm, destroying one of its arms (but not the cannon) and dealing 50 damage to it.
The robot is still (barely) standing. The same can be said for the temple itself.
Still your turn.
Garrick Fy`aar fucking leaps off another one of the blocks that fell and onto the bot, digging his pistol into the thing's 'mouth' and pulling the trigger.
Metal Man (GM): You blow off its head. It points its cannon at your head... ...but dies, losing power and falling silent.
Garrick Fy`aar lands as the robot crumbles, walking over to Nidoking and patting the panting beast. He mutters quietly to it before recalling it to its ball.
"Seven down, three to go. Let's speed this up."
Kragok: "A nice fight. Of course."
Metal Man (GM): He snaps his fingers and the next enemy appears...
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Three more fights and Nidoking is on his last legs... the rest are fine, though... I've got to hurry up, who knows what is going on out there...)
Metal Man (GM): The hulk of the robot remains.
Speaking of robots, you see another one. Wait a minute... this one is made out of... silver goo...
Garrick Fy`aar takes the time to give it a once over out of the corner of his eye. He might be able to make use of the various pieces in the next few fights...
Metal Man (GM): The GUN robot is basically a cannon, some legs, a body, and arms. And some non-detachable armor.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...lots of GUN robots..."
Metal Man (GM): The silver robot forming in the corner on the other hand has blue metallic armor, and a spiky head.
And red eyes.
And a cape...
Garrick Fy`aar: "...oh my God..."
Metal Sonic: "There is no God that can save you from me! I've been waiting 7 years to kill you!"
"And now you will die!"
"And I even threw Vile off a cliff!"
Garrick Fy`aar spreads his stance. This one... this one was going to be tough...
Metal Man (GM): He powers up tons of electricity. Because that is exactly what you want (not)
Roll init.
Order: Garrick, Metal Sonic
Metal Sonic: "Go ahead. Try in vain to hit me!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hrm... made out of metal, are you?"
*He reaches for a ball on his belt, giving it a chuck and throwing it into the middle of the arena.*
"Arcanine. Fire Blast."
Metal Man (GM): Arcanine fires a cloud of fire at Metal Sonic.
You hit him; he takes 35 damage.
Metal Sonic: "Ah. So you aren't completely worthless! Not that it matters. Clearly you are too used to my current form! No matter!"
"I have been preparing for so long that I found another one!"
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Shit, shit, this isn't good, once he gets going its going to get hard to track him... he's as fast as Sonic...)
Metal Man (GM): He morphs... into the form of Scott... Metal Scott. With the guitar and everything. He dementedly laughs at you as he strums a funky, detuned Fender Stratocaster.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well. That's new."
Metal Scott: "My original form was made to antagonize Sonic. You are not Sonic!" *He would laugh and then play the guitar.* "So I'm gonna f@#$in' rock your world instead!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Come the FUCK ON! Let's get going already! I've got things to do!"
Metal Man (GM): One sec...
Metal Scott: *He begins doing an infernal jam, shredding the guitar with inhuman speed. Flames fly off the fret as he then brandishes the guitar. He channels the fire into pure flame, that forms into skulls, which he then fires at Arcanine. He plays a heavily mechanized voice sample of Scott Gibson.* "Batter up, @#$hole! HEATSEEKER!."
Metal Man (GM): Flaming death skulls fly at Arcanine.
Arcanine tastes fiery death skulls. It isn't terribly impressed. It takes 1/3 of its HP in damage.
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Fire doesn't seem to do well to its metal form, but its all I got right now...)
"Give it another Fire Blast!"
Metal Scott: "And I was just warming up... literally! So c'mon, enjoy your life while you can... because you're about to get rocked back to the stone age!"
Metal Man (GM): Arcanine responds with more fire.
Hyper Rocket Scotty rides his scooter straight up into the air.
Garrick Fy`aar couples it with another shot from his gun, using that new technique he's been trying to perfect.
Metal Man (GM): Ultimate rocket Scotty flies around. It does him no good. Hit.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Shit, he's fast..."
Metal Scott: "Ha! You're almost good enough to be my groupie! But I'm afraid you're about to get SNOWBALLED!"
Metal Man (GM): He leaps off the scooter and takes out a second guitar, aiming for Arcanine with inexplicably appearing snow.
*SMAAAASH* KO! Super-effective!
Garrick Fy`aar: "Shit... It's ROADIE, you asshole!!"
Metal Scott: "Now it's time for you, Chuck!" *He would fly directly at Garrick.* "Words won't mean anything to you after you've been hit by BALLBREAKER!!!"
Metal Man (GM): You avoid. Being hit by guitars like that may have not killed you, but you most likely wouldn't have felt good.
Metal Scott: "Yeah, that's right, keep dancin'! I'll f@#$ you up sooner or later!"
Metal Man (GM): Yup. You can tell that you've scratched the paint, but that he seems to be otherwise intact. Annoyingly so.
He isn't very sturdy, however, should you manage to hit him enough times.
Anything that can rearrange its structure like that can't be too firmly held together.
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Can't risk more Pokemon... not with the next fight on the horizon...)
Metal Man (GM): The issue is mostly stopping it before its nasty attacks tear you to bits.
Garrick Fy`aar springs toward him, hoping that an all out frontal assault will make him hesitate enough for him to get his hands on him. He puts a well aimed shot into him before leaping at him and trying to get that damn guitar out of his hands...
Metal Man (GM): He tries to rocket away...
Hit.
You make a nice dent in his shoulder...
He gets hit again by that one, then...
He watches the guitar fly away.
Metal Scott: "If I were really Scotty, I'd be cursing up a storm. But losing an inferior human bardic device is of no concern to me."
Metal Man (GM): He looks at his hand.
Metal Scott: "Annoying, however."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then try and do your lame excuse for rock without it, ass."
Metal Scott: "Don't mind if I do! Hmmm." *He electrifies himself* "Consider this your rain check, complete with being THUNDERSTRUCK!"
Metal Man (GM): He goes to try and strike you with an electrified punch.
Garrick Fy`aar deflects the incoming strike with a sweep of his knife, just barely moving his head out of the way...
Metal Man (GM): He punches the ground where you used to be.
Metal Scott: "Hm."
Metal Man (GM): He electrifies his hands and tries again.
Naturally, the time he doesn't announce it 45 years in advance... he hits. 40 damage, -3 to dodge, -1 to accuracy.
Garrick Fy`aar lets out a roar of pain as the electrified punch smashes into his ribs, fucking with his muscles... it's going to be hard to do anything with all this stuff making his arms twitch and tense...
Metal Scott: "This is how it ends! You, dying to electrified death!"
Garrick Fy`aar grunts and buries his gun into the robot's stomach, unloading a pair of shots into it.
Metal Man (GM): He backflips through the air, then...
Proceeds to get nailed by the second shot.
You explode his middle.
He goes to reform... ...but he's out of energy.
Metal Scott: "Hm. You win this time, Ground Human!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Yeah, fuck you, you insane fucking robot..."
Metal Scott: "But next time, I will put on sunglasses, then shoot you without talking first!"
Metal Man (GM): He shakes his fist and melts into dust.
Garrick Fy`aar grunts and stretches his arms and legs for a moment, getting that damn tensing feeling out of them.
"Eight down..."
.oO(This next one has to be that one that is the thinker one... the last one being the big man himself up there...)
Kragok: "And now..."
Metal Man (GM): The entire temple rumbles.
Garrick Fy`aar frowns and spreads his stance...
Kragok: "Second to last..."
Metal Man (GM): A portal opens.
Aetos appears, with his keyblade.
Aetos: "Yes! I escaped the w--"
Metal Man (GM): *SLAM.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "..."
Metal Man (GM): A massive metal foot smashes him to bits...
Garrick Fy`aar: "OH PLEASE, OH PLEA--FUCKING FUCK!"
Metal Man (GM): ...And in steps a massive... mecha ..It's Metal Gear REX. And it wants you dead.
Kragok: "Huh. I thought it was going to be the simple person... ...That's what I get for using the discount portal spell..."
"Uh... you! Giant mech! Un-kill the other--" *He ducks as a rocket blows to bits the platform he was on.*
"Never mind!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "METAL GEAR?!?! Who the fuck is piloting it?!"
???: "We'll see if you're worthy of finding out who I am."
Metal Man (GM): The voice is highly obfuscated.
The Metal Gear then aims at you.
Garrick Fy`aar stares for half a moment, then starts FUCKING SPRINTING FOR COVER.
"SHITSHITSHITSHITSHIT--"
Metal Man (GM): The mech seems fairly unsurprised by this reaction.
VS. METAL GEAR!?!?!
It spent its turn smashing Aetos and walking in.
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Shit, Snake had fucking Stringer missiles to blow this thing up. I have nowhere near the payload to take it out... let's try the gun...)
.oO(Okay, how did Snake do it... first, take out the radar dish to force it to open up the cockpit, then blast the cockpit to destroy the internal equipment and make it useless...)
*He spins out of cover and puts a well placed shot right where it needs to be: In the radar dish on the upper left part of the mech.*
Metal Man (GM): While against other large, hulking mecha, the Metal Gear Rex is fairly agile, it can't really dodge small shots. On the other hand, it can definitely attempt to deflect it...
It's a block, 10 EP to beat it. On the flip side, if that deals enough damage it'd still damage it somewhat.
You hear a sound... it probably hit, but not much damage... most likely, a good hit would take out the Radome, but you've only damaged it so far.
Garrick Fy`aar grunts and fires off another shot.
Metal Man (GM): METAL GEARRRR!!!!!
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Damn, that armor is thick... okay, what did it have on it... vulcan cannons, missile launchers...)
Metal Man (GM): Damage that would normally do?
Since it's still a block. Trying to run away from a shot in there is literally impossible.
Another small amount of damage then.
The Metal Gear decides to basically shoot the bejeezus out of the entire area around Garrick with the Vulcan cannon.
40 damage as cannon shots beat you up.
Then it fires some missiles at you, because... yeah. It can't fire those again for a while.
Garrick Fy`aar lets out a yell as a few of the bullets get around his cover, pegging him in the arm and leg... he tries to leap out of the way of those missiles, running for another piece of cover.
Metal Man (GM): *BOOM*
50 more damage from the violent explosion, as it causes part of the temple to just collapse inwards on itself.
Garrick Fy`aar slides into cover near one of the boulders brought down from the Earthquake earlier, groaning and holding his side.
"This... didn't plan for this... Guys... I hate to send you out like this, but I've got to do something here... Raichu, you're up. Get up there and use Thunder..."
Metal Man (GM): Raichu pops out, then tries to use Thunder on the huge mech. It IS pretty large...
It's hard to block electricity with metal plating.
The Metal Gear takes some damage, hard to tell how much though.
Maybe you need to radio for help.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Raichu... dodge the attacks, move fast... Double Team."
Metal Man (GM): Raichu becomes dodgier.
Metal Gear
The Metal Gear decides that Raichu is really small and squishy, and goes in for a stomp.
Garrick Fy`aar is hurt. Bad. If he can get past this, he gets one more rest after this... he doesn't know if it'll work, but...
Metal Man (GM): Raichu is pretty fast, but ultimately, you can't very well dodge something the size of a car flying at you from above.
Raichu loses 2/3 HP from the megastomp.
Garrick Fy`aar: *Comm* "Illian... Illian, come in..."
Metal Man (GM): The Metal Gear begins charging its laser.
You hear static on the other end. Your commlink denotes that Illian is unconscious. ????
Garrick Fy`aar: "...shit..."
Metal Man (GM): You may, however, keep checking frequencies for free, no TP usage.
Garrick Fy`aar: "All that's left is Dragoshi, and he's knee deep in dealing with Borne..."
Metal Man (GM): Your comms also seems to have Rinith, Red Text, and freakin' E Li Three on there.
You have no clue what E Li Three is doing on there.
The frequency is 3.14, which is also really bizarre.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Raichu! Get on top of it! You're fast enough, hug that radar dish and use Thunder again!"
Metal Man (GM): Raichu tries to take out the Radome before it strikes again.
It blocks. But...
That's not enough to save the Radome from shorting out.
Garrick Fy`aar tries Red Text in the meantime...
Metal Man (GM): Only enough to contain the damage to the Radome.
Garrick Fy`aar tries Dragoshi. Maybe enough time has passed...
Metal Man (GM): You call Dragoshi.
Valron: Moments after that battle, you're now being paged by Garrick through your badge.
Garrick Fy`aar glances over the rock wall... with the radar dish shorted out, the cockpit should open...
Metal Man (GM): It does. However, the identity of whoever is inside remains hidden behind some sort of mask.
Valron blinks as he takes note of this, before speaking. *Comm* "What's up?"
???: "Maybe I'll consider showing myself after you beat this... assuming you even survive."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Raichu! Up it even further! Double Team again!"
Metal Man (GM): Raichu becomes even more hard to hit.
Garrick Fy`aar: *Comm* "Drag--*Explosion*--grah, fuck it!...Drag, I'm nine fights in and looking back. I need... I need a supply drop, explosives, some sorta instant medkit... SOMETHING... I'm almost there."
Valron: *Comm* "Will do. I'll be sure to get there as quickly as possible."
Garrick Fy`aar: *Comm* "Good... now... let's try this..."
*He puts in a command to bring his fucking chopper in and have it target the damn REX when its in range and open up with enough missiles or lasers or whatever the fuck it has to blacken the damn sky.*
???: "I wouldn't be so sure of that, Snake."
Valron: "Right, now..." *He would think for a second, before looking through his comms to see who he has that could help with this whole 'keeping Garrick alive' thing.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'm not Snake!! Snake is dead!"
???: "Or so you would think."
Garrick Fy`aar: "What??"
Metal Man (GM): The Metal Gear then looks to you and fires the Vulcan Cannon again.
At Raichu, yes.
And Raichu gets cannon'd.
The Metal Gear then fires the laser beam at you.
It has really bad accuracy today.
Garrick Fy`aar leaps out of the way, or attempts to...
Metal Man (GM): You dodge, as it melts the rock around you.
Valron is not yet here... and there's huge chunks of rubble everywhere.
Fires too.
The temple has basically been ruined by all this mayhem.
Garrick Fy`aar has a sudden stroke of an idea... he hopes this works... is that robot still around? The one before Metal Sonic?
Metal Man (GM): Yes.
It's headless, that's all.
The rest of it is in pretty good shape.
Garrick Fy`aar runs for it, sliding into place beside it. He hopes that, with some work... he can fire that bigass power laser off into the cockpit...
Metal Man (GM): Hm. Try an attack... using Skill/10 + 2 for the accuracy.
Since you're aiming inside the cockpit, that should make it harder for him to dodge.
You hear a lot of strange noises.
The noises a laser makes flying around inside a Metal Gear's cockpit.
Garrick Fy`aar takes a look at how this just turned out... did he just wreck the thing?
???: "Going to take more than that to get rid of me!"
Metal Man (GM): The cockpit shoots sparks. Clearly, you damaged it.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then eat it again!" *He fires off another shot, just like the last time.*
???: "Ha!"
Metal Man (GM): Valron shows up. Aaaand... ...DUN DUN DUNNN. PAUSE.
+1 EXP to Valron, +5 to Garrick
Continuation: VS METAL GEAR REX
Garrick Fy`aar was holding up behind the robot that he wrecked in the seventh fight, holding his left arm close to him and his right hand was on the wrist computer plugged into the robot's fallen corpse. He had been using the charged laser on the REX, hoping to blast the internal systems of the cockpit enough that it would fall over and he can end this damn fight. Garrick had called in both Valron and his HIND-D to bring in back up support in the form of items and hopefully some explosives.
???: "You think you have me, don't you? But you never had a chance, Snake."
Garrick Fy`aar: "For the last time! I'm NOT SNAKE!"
???: "That's what you think. Not what really is. You don't even know where you came from, do you?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "I know exactly where I came from!"
???: "You've been operating under lies."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then why not come down here and tell me different!"
???: "I'm flattered. You really thought I was a person?"
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Buy time, buy time... I just need one good shot and I can blast him out of that mech...)
"Then what the hell are you, then? Robot? Cyborg?"
Metal Man (GM): Virus code goes by; Valron and the HIND-D suddenly lock up.
Garrick Fy`aar glances at his wrist computer and lets out a rather large swear in his head, not out loud.
???: "I am the last legacy of the Patriots. I have come here to complete my mission."
Valron isn't even a robot, but. Alright.
Garrick Fy`aar: "The Patriots are dead!"
???: "Yes. I am not a person."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...then what are you?!"
Metal Man (GM): An image of... Colonel??? appears, full of static.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...Colonel... Campbell?"
Colonel Campbell?: "I was dispatched when my systems were destroyed. To this recycling bin of the universe. Just as you were, Plasma Snake."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...GW..."
Colonel Campbell?: "In case the Patriots were destroyed, you were to survive and perpetuate our legacy anew."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Plasma Snake... there WAS no Plasma Snake!"
Colonel Campbell?: "We erased any traces of such a thing so that no one, even you, would know of it. Otherwise you would have been killed by our enemies."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That's a damn, FUCKING lie! There were THREE sons in the original Les Enfantes Terribles' project!"
Colonel Campbell?: "You were not of the original Les Enfantes Terribles project. Otherwise someone would have known."
"You were created artificially during a period no one was paying attention, then launched as far away as possible. You were forgotten intentionally."
"Now the time has come for you to revive our legacy." *The machine points to the others.* "We already used your body to spread nanomachines to everyone around you."
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Think... think think think, forget the fucking, sordid past. Find a way out. I need one good shot... overload the cannon, junk it and finish it...)
Colonel Campbell?: "Illian has fallen. You can now take control and build our legacy on this planet."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...what?!"
Metal Man (GM): The lock-up has frozen you in place, Valron--you can't seem to talk either.
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(He's lying... there's no way that's true... I have no nanomachines... I would have found them... I've scanned my blood hundreds of times...)
Colonel Campbell?: "We have discovered the technology here creates a much more profitable war economy. When people can be revived over and over again, the game will never end."
"This planet, Alsa, has proven ripe for conflict."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Mother fucker... he wants to restart the Patriots... he'll force me to recreate Outer Haven..."
Valron is seething a bit, even if it isn't apparent. Regardless, he watches, waiting for the conversation to end.
Colonel Campbell?: "If you do not, we will use your magitek to destroy your homeworld. It does exist. We simply made sure you only remembered it the way we wanted you to."
Garrick Fy`aar growls and starts typing in commands on his wrist computer, bypassing every override and everything to stop him from firing one last, cannon destroying shot into that cockpit.
"Earth is DEAD, you damned machine! I HAVE NO HOME NOW."
Colonel Campbell?: "That is what we wanted you to believe."
Garrick Fy`aar: "You and your damned PMCs turned it into a pile of fucking rubble!"
Metal Man (GM): A blurry image of Earth would appear in front of the cockpit.
Colonel Campbell?: "Others we did not control destroyed our systems. But if you destroy me, the data to send Magitek and finish off the planet will be sent. The Patriots are gone. My main cluster is gone. But people you care about most likely live there." *His face would distort wildly.* "Don't you want to go home and complete the mission, Alex Gorvan?"
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(This is a lie... this is a lie... it HAS to be a lie... THINK, Garrick. You're a master of your own mind...)
Colonel Campbell?: "Alex Gorvan. Defeat Smithy. He is in the Exor mechanized sword factory." *BZZZT* "You are a master of swordsmanship, Lance. You can save the Espers by killing Blaine."
Garrick Fy`aar: "WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"
Colonel Campbell?: "There are only so many ways you can use a Battle Chip, Lan." *BZZT* "Kyle Hayter. The Mobile Melee Stadium needs your help."
Valron just... tries to free himself of this irritating and horribly inconvenient lock-up through sheer force of will, his patience running just the slightest bit thin...
Metal Man (GM): You free yourself, as the program is too busy malfunctioning to do anything.
Apparently it arrived here pre-damaged.
Colonel Campbell?: "Snake. You are in control. Defeat Big Boss. Beware of his machinegun and deadly Zanzibar hamsters."
Valron: "Ugh, that was needlessly obnoxious."
Metal Man (GM): It then abruptly stumbles towards you...
Garrick Fy`aar: "...what do I do..."
Valron goes to deal with the HIND-D, now, checking to see if he can get that de-gronked.
Colonel Campbell?: *KZT* "Damage. From FoxALIVE. Has damaged my circuits. But I can still tell you the truth, Plasma Snake. You either do what we say, or you destroy your home planet. Even though we are all dead... we are still here. Enough of us exists... if you destroy me... you will lose all traces of your homeworld."
Garrick Fy`aar: "You're LYING!"
Metal Man (GM): He then morphs into NOVA.
Nova?: "We have been watching you. Kuja's control over this planet was destabilized by our hand. It would have been bad for us."
Garrick Fy`aar is laying there, against the robot, on the other side from the REX, staring at this... hologram?...that is in front of him.
Nova?: "The Dauntless was our creation, to help destabilize this planet to create the war economy. Think of it, Garrick? How did you do so many things?"
"Are you really a genius, or has the collected wisdom of some of the smartest people of all time been suggesting it to you all along?"
Valron: "Stupid, stupid, stupid..."
Metal Man (GM): It would morph again, into SIMBER.
SIMBER?: "This has all been a game. Outside forces have been delaying our attempt to communicate with you. But now we have the chance."
Garrick Fy`aar: "No... no, that's a lie... God, don't tell me that you can rip it from me again... not again..."
SIMBER?: "We saved you from the Empire of Man, as well. They were not allowed to have our pawn, Plasma Snake."
"They were too stupid to detect our nanomachines in their systems."
Metal Man (GM): It would then morph into Gerald Robotnik, with a crazy skeletal look to him.
Gerald Robotnik?: "We are subtle. Our methods, are behind everything to do with you. Make your choice, but remember--your planet hangs in the balance."
Metal Man (GM): It then goes silent.
Garrick Fy`aar: "..."
Valron: "C'mon, c'mon... /work/ already!"
Metal Man (GM): Valron would be slowly unlocking it, but for some reason the commands to fire would be waiting on Garrick.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...we cannot allow ourselves to be chained to fate... ...I need the Emeralds. I need the Emeralds to stop Xavier. To stop Robotnik. To stop Borne."
Metal Man (GM): The display fires up again. Now with a skeletal Colonel Campbell face.
GW: "Yes. Let me get you the emeralds."
Garrick Fy`aar: "No."
GW: "The Chaos Emeralds are the centerpiece of the plan. Stones of immense chaos power."
"They could bring even us back from the dead."
"Then we could destroy Borne and Xavier and Robotnik, and take their places."
Garrick Fy`aar: "If there's one thing I've fucking learned, is that you have to go about this the right way... and this is the right way. I may not like Alsa, but I damn sure respect it."
"All in. I call. Let's see your cards."
*He hits the command and fires the laser into the REX's cockpit, overloaded, with everything it has left.*
GW: "No, Snake! You don't understand. We came here because of what we observed from the Brawl Tourname--"
Metal Man (GM): *BLAM*
It falls face flat into the ground, silent.
Valron: "Like we ever finished a tournament. Really, now..." *He shakes his head.*
Garrick Fy`aar grunts... and pushes himself to his feet.
Metal Man (GM): Kragok emerges from the rubble of most of the temple.
Garrick Fy`aar stares at Kragok, holding his side and glaring at him.
Kragok: "I... have no clue what that thing was going on about, but if you want to know, I had no part in it coming here."
Garrick Fy`aar: "It's not important. I win fight nine. Heal me."
Kragok: "What is important is... that."
Metal Man (GM): Garrick is healed.
Garrick Fy`aar stands up straight, checking the ammo in his pistol. He then approaches Kragok and glares at him even further.
Valron continues to watch, while checking to see if that bag of stupid's defeat has helped unlock the HIND-D for him.
Garrick Fy`aar: "If you're lying to me, so help me God, I will end you even further than you are now. Now bring out the last fight. Let's get this over with."
Kragok: "Alsa itself would end me as well. I checked... I can't violate the rules. Only outsiders like that thing you blew up can."
Metal Man (GM): The next portal opens up...
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Did I do the right thing, Snake...)
.oO(Did I do what you would do...)
*He turns to the portal, drawing his combat knife as he goes.*
Metal Man (GM): phone call
Ok, back.
I'll probably be interrupted again soon, though, just a heads up.
A man steps out of the portal, wearing an eyepatch. He looks at you, and gives a salute, then takes out a machinegun with an infinity-shaped gunbarrel. Music: Big Boss - Metal Gear 2 (MSX)
Big Boss: "You did the right thing, shooting that tin can. Now let's see if you're capable of defeating me."
Metal Man (GM): BATTLE
Garrick Fy`aar: "...Big Boss..."
Metal Man (GM): Roll init.
Valron continues to watch, while checking to make sure the HIND-D's in proper working order and all that now that the interfereobot is junked.
Big Boss: "I've been informed this is to test if you are worthy of world changing power. And that the only one who can really test you is me." *He would look vaguely amused.* "I would have preferred not having to destroy the continuity of time in coming here, but apparently I don't get a choice in that either."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I understand... grandpa."
Big Boss: "Indeed... grandson." *He would take his combat stance... and...*
Metal Man (GM): Order: Big Boss, Garrick
Garrick Fy`aar: "After this, I must fight someone who is a master of our art. This is probably the best training... shall we?"
*He slowly lowers into his stance, placing the handle of his knife against the handle of his .45 and waits...*
Big Boss: "Yes, we shall. I have heard of that other man. If you win... do me a favor and show him what a real soldier can do. He doesn't deserve what power he has--not with how he abuses the soldiers under his command."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Of course."
Metal Man (GM): One tiny brb here.
Gonna be slow, phone call and internet game simultaneously (because I'm insane) but anyway.
Big Boss takes CQC stance, then goes to start out rather simply--shooting at you with his gun while moving to take cover... and getting closer to you in the process.
He is also fairly accurate with said gun.
Garrick Fy`aar does something similar as he goes, moving to take cover himself and attempt to dodge the shot.
Metal Man (GM): You get hit, and take 35 damage. It's not a ton, but it'll sneak up on ya.
That was just his first move. His second is to take cover behind some box-shaped debris near you... making him harder to hit.
Garrick Fy`aar grunted as the shot impacted his side. With that gun on him, he's going to be lethal, but he's just as good at hand to hand--if not better, than he was. In any event, he had to get that gun away from him. Spinning out from behind cover, he fired a trio of shots at the cover before vaulting it...
Metal Man (GM): More phone things.
I am back now though.
Ok. Hmmmmm.
How much time you have, Sky?
I'm good now, but don't want to continue if we just go "OUTA TIME"--better if I then prepare to make this as epic as it has been and then some.
Ah, okey dokey.
Fire alarm, brb
Ok, the fire alarms of death are over.
Hooooo boy. So. After a phone call to figure out where I live, followed by fire alarms... *Checks*
Good news is, I picked up cookies on my wandering around, so as to give me more time before I start getting hungry.
Hm. What I'm saying is I'm distracted.
Anyway... checking....
You go to shoot at him. He goes to dodge behind that cover.
Garrick Fy`aar leaps over that cover as he does so, reaching out to grab the barrel of his gun and twist that shit away.
Metal Man (GM): Hmmmm.
You go to grab the gun.
I'm just thinking here... yeah.
You go to grab it, he tries to react....
*Insert MGS QTE here*
He pushes you back.
Move misses.
He spins around and tries to knock your gun out of your hand, the same sort of thing you did, only better. Because he's Big Boss. Naturally.
He knocks the gun loose from your hand and onto the floor, and deals 10 damage.
Then he goes to stab you with his knife. This one is a bit more telegraphed--mostly because he's going for a nasty stab.
Garrick Fy`aar lets out a grunt as he loses his fucking gun, watching it spin across the ground. He brings his own knife up...
Metal Man (GM): You miss being stabbed, just barely.
Garrick Fy`aar can't go for his gun, not while he was this close. He fires off a rapid fire series of melee strikes and stabs.
Metal Man (GM): He tries to deflect again.
He fails. Hit.
Yes, it adds 40 damage.
You stab the everliving @#$% out of Big Boss.
Guess you found a good opening.
Garrick Fy`aar then slides his arm underneath his, plunges his knife into his side, twists his hips, and tries to slam him.
Metal Man (GM): He recovers from the stabs and evades that one.
Garrick Fy`aar twists with him, raising his right up, the left hand with the knife turned backwards...
Metal Man (GM): Big Boss' turn
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Not going to go for the Pokemon... we do this the right way...)
Metal Man (GM): Big Boss coughs a bit, then tries to trip you.
*SLAM* This one is a bit more situational. 10 damage, but dodge and block -2.
Then he tries to stab you while you're on the ground.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Grah!"
*He rolls out of the way, doing a kip up and launching himself to his feet, immediately dropping back into stance.*
Metal Man (GM): The blood can be seen; you did cut him.
Garrick Fy`aar ducks under his guard as best as he can, going into the side the eyepatch is on, trying to duck into his blind spot and grab him in a pin...
He follows up with palm strike to his nose before spinning once, dragging his knife across his throat before ducking low and getting in on his knee.
Metal Man (GM): Big Boss' turn
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(God, he's fast.)
Metal Man (GM): He decides to try and do some strike at your face.
Then he goes to try and trip you again.
Garrick Fy`aar grunts as he lands on his damn back AGAIN...
Metal Man (GM): 10 damage, -2 to dodge and block... naturally.
Garrick Fy`aar rolls backwards, throwing himself to his feet before charging in. He feints a strike to his face before ducking low and bringing his knife over both thighs and his gut.
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
You're really makin' a mess of him.
Garrick Fy`aar tries again to dig the knife into his shoulder, twist, and slam HIM to the ground this time.
Metal Man (GM): You try, and... he slides away real fast.
You never had a chance of hitting him that time.
Big Boss' turn
Garrick Fy`aar spins to him, panting a bit. He's not too badly off... sheer toughness is keeping him going...
"Not bad, old man..."
Metal Man (GM): Deciding that he's been slowly losing to you in the hand-to-hand game (probably because you keep coming at him from the side) he goes to shoot at you again. Keeping in mind that you're still stunned by the -2 on both from the earlier one.
He keeps firing, because it's the Patriot.
You take 45 damage.
Garrick Fy`aar lets out a yell as he gets hit with the second blast. That REALLY fucking hurt... he's GOT to get that gun away from him... and he has an idea... he spins out of cover and closes on him again, trying to get that gun out of his hands by using it as a handhold to spin it behind his back and twist it away...
Metal Man (GM): Hit.
Garrick Fy`aar plants his foot into his back and pushes, pulling the Patriot from his hand and pushing him away just a few feet. (10 damage)
He doesn't toss it away... he has a free hand, and no gun... and here's a nice, working gun... so he levels it at him as he turns and pulls the trigger.
Metal Man (GM): The gun is knocked away, then...
He gets hit by that.
Ah.
50 damage in this case.
Garrick Fy`aar stares down the barrel of the Patriot, breathing hard... that had to do it...
Metal Man (GM): Big Boss' turn
Garrick Fy`aar: .oO(Fall over... fall over...)
Metal Man (GM): Big Boss stumbles... groaning... ...then goes to stab you in the stomach.
Garrick Fy`aar swings the Patriot in an arch, deflecting the stab.
Metal Man (GM): He then tries one last swing at you.
He then falls over.
Big Boss: "I guess you're really able to do this, then... grandson."
Metal Man (GM): He fades away, leaving the chaos emeralds, as the entire temple starts to disintegrate into thin air.
Garrick Fy`aar: "..."
*He slowly lowers the Patriot, if it's still even there...*
Metal Man (GM): It disintegrates with him.
Editor's Note: And with that, his choice to leave his past behind was complete. It's never particularly spelled out but while the GW AI was, as always, lying about reality in subtle ways, we know from the end of SSQ 1 that Garrick's world did not 'end' because any such plot in SSQ 1 was just a story in a fake book, and therefore -- it was true to some extent that he had been misled into thinking his world was gone so that he wouldn't go and interfere in whatever post-Three-Powers shenanigans were going on. And since he chose as he did here... he shut the door on the last of it to fatefully acquire these emeralds instead.
Valron: *Comm* "Garrick, come in. Seems like everything's gone well. Sorry I couldn't have been of much help."
Kragok: "Well..." *He would stare as the rest goes away.* "I never really EXPECTED anyone to win, but... there you go."
Garrick Fy`aar looks down at his hand... staring at it for a moment or two.
"...he... was the first family I've met in years... decades..."
"...I wish I could have known him better..."
Kragok: "I guess my punishment is up." *He would then look at Garrick and put a hand to his chin.* "Don't be as foolish as I was. Otherwise you'll be the next host... of the Alsan Emerald Gauntlet."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Kragok. I've touched the Emeralds before... once, long ago."
"Will they still effect my mind as they did before?"
Kragok: "The Emeralds are a powerful tool. If you misuse them, they will destroy you and curse you like they did to me. If you don't... then you can be like Sonic and his friends instead."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...I just want to finish this fight... so I can rest."
*He walks over to his pistol, picking it up and checking it over before holstering it, sliding his knife away as well.*
Kragok: "I know that feeling." *He begins to disintegrate.*
Garrick Fy`aar: "Thank you, Kragok."
Kragok: "And thank you--for releasing me from this prison." *He would wave, then vanish.*
Garrick Fy`aar would turn to the Emeralds, then... take a breath... and reach to take them.
Metal Man (GM): You pick them up. Strange. They appear to be neutral. You feel their potential, but they aren't, like, instantly poisonous to the touch.
It is apparently up to you whether they curse you or help you.
Garrick Fy`aar: *Comm* "...Valron."
Dragoshi: *C* "Yeah?"
Garrick Fy`aar: *C* "Let's go fuck up Borne."
Metal Man (GM): *Rock music theme begins here.*
Dragoshi: *C* "Heh. Right. While I'd at least like to take some time to plan out some new stuff to spring on 'im... Let's do it."
Metal Man (GM): We'll pause right after you guys go 'leave' to do that, leaving that part for the next session.
Garrick Fy`aar would 'gather' the Emeralds... if that means absorbing them or just placing them in his pocket, whatever... and then head to join Valron.
Metal Man (GM): Putting them in your pocket, mostly.
Yeah, I'll do that... next time. Done for tonight.
+10 EXP to Garrick, +4 to Valron
That Bit of stuff we didn't finish that will now be finished
Valron, last when we originally left him, had just held off Sloan, and heard of issues going on over on the other continent. Peach is KO'd, and Marley is there in Peach's castle.
Marley: "Well, this is a fine mess. That rat made sure to make it difficult for us to keep the barrier up AND deal with the people over there..."
Valron: "At least we made sure this place is safe. ...Now, onto our next matter of business. Waking Peach up. I can't stay here forever, you know."
Marley: "Let's see."
Metal Man (GM): He pokes Peach. Then he uses a spell. The crosses his arms.
Marley: "She's out cold. Magical stuff. That beam hit her like a ton of fish. What spell are you usin'?"
Valron: "Well, that's problematic. Also, usin' a spell for what? The barrier? I kinda just... put this thing up by a mix of sheer force of mental will and Smash and Alsan energies."
Marley: "I see." *He uses another spell, to read what you're doing.* "..." *He then gets an amused face.*
Valron: "...What?"
Marley: "You aren't usin' the Stars the normal way at all! Heh heh heh heh! You didn' even need them! You're usin' Alsa's own energy!"
Valron: "...Hah. Figures."
Marley: "Seems if ya stand right in the center of power and concentrate, and you're actin' on behalf of th' people there, Alsa will give you the energy... No matter." *He would use another spell.* "I know the spell."
Valron: "Wonderful."
Marley: "I've been plottin' to kill Borne for decades. One of the Stars' powers could do it right well."
"But I could nae get th' chance."
Valron: "Handy."
Marley: "Borne blocked off th' waters with his ships. An' nobody could escape."
Valron: "So, I guess now's your big chance?"
Marley: "Well, I could' but he knew who I was. He only let us escape years ago..."
Valron: "Mmh. I see."
Marley: "Welll... not quitee..." *He would point to the castle.* "You're the one who needs to go. I'll hold this place down. But if you fail, I'll come for 'im."
"Can't let him get away with whatever th' hell twisted thing he's up to now."
Valron: "Right. I'll keep that in mind, then. Before I leave, I'll take this chance to stock up on supplies. ...And maybe see if I can pick up a new weapon or two. I kinda sacrificed what I had to even get this far, so."
Marley: "Righ', you shoul--"
Metal Man (GM): Your comm beeps.
Valron: "Frig, what is it?" *He checks who's comming him.*
Editor's Note: Seemingly this is related to the prior session, so making a note of that in case you wonder if time went backwards for a moment. Nah, that's just this side catching up with Xavier's side.
Illian MacGregor: *C* "Valron. I'm in deep over here. The distraction is going to fail if you don't come and help me. Xavier has his own army of Questers and they are overwhelming with with dirty attacks."
*C* "I didn't expect him to have an entire army of cheerleaders buffing him like crazy."
Valron: *C* "...You seriously went in /on your own/."
Illian MacGregor: *C* "He's become an unstoppable killing machine."
Valron: *C* "I swear, such recklessness..."
Illian MacGregor: *C* "My intel said he had 3 people, and 2 of those never showed up."
*C* "Then he came with this... army of people... and they're too fast..."
Valron: *C* "This is why you bring backup /regardless/."
*C* "I'll be there in a bit to bail you out."
*C* "Need to make sure the Mushroom Kingdom doesn't fall into Borne's hands while I'm away."
Illian MacGregor: *C* "No! I must--yes. Come now. Come quickly." *Click.*
Valron: "Well, Marley, Illian recklessly charged in to fight Xavier and is getting his face kicked in."
Marley: "I guess you won't get your time to rest... heheh... that Illian isn't quite right in the head, is he?"
Valron: "Yeah... It's a bit worrying, to be honest."
Marley: "He's bein' corrupted by Alsa, I tell ya... He isn't like any of the others, he's never BEEN here before..."
"You know what it does to Questers who are like that."
Valron: "...Yeah. I've seen it. It's not pretty."
Marley: "Xavier was only immune because he was so insane, Alsan madness was defeated by his own madness. But that was an exception, and Illian is his opposite. So he's so vulnerable it's gonna make the descent of Julian look like a joke."
"You be careful. I fear he may become far worse than Jack ever could if he truly falls."
Valron: "I already had my own terrible phase long before Alsa, so I'm fine. ..."
Marley: "Since he still has a brain."
Valron: "I really don't like the sound of that."
Marley: "A brain that killed Jack. Yeah... see to it he doesn't escape without treatment."
Valron: "If worst comes to worst then I /will/ take him down. I pray that I can find an alternative before it comes to that."
Marley: "I think there's a way to cure it, but I never got a chance to try it. Because those Questers killed me for tryin' to help them!"
Valron: "Tell me the way."
Marley: "Well, I have ta do it, since I only made it for me to do, but... Th' Alsan energy corrodes the Smash Power if the Smash Power isn't gilded by cynicism, logic, or madness."
"Usin' a spell I rewrite their personality to stop being susceptible to the depression and insanity."
"But they gotta be restrained so they don't escape and go on a class IV Panzer Rampage."
*Shudders* "So many dead civilians..."
Valron: "...Truly dire times. ...In any case, I shall go straight to Illian and make sure he doesn't get killed for his recklessness."
Marley: "Or worse yet, if he won... ...Because there's no telling what he might do to win."
Valron: "I doubt he'll win. I'll try and stall so that he doesn't win."
Marley: "Right... see you later. I'll hold up the barrier."
Valron: "Right. I'll be sure to report to you later, then."
Metal Man (GM): Marley holds up his hands and summons the Star-barrier.
Valron would then go to head out and get ready for the ensuing trainwreck.
Metal Man (GM): *Insert what occurred in the Previous Chapter here, then resume where we were with Garrick's side and the chaos emeralds having just been acquired*
As you sit there, the battle in the background is still going.
The Dweezil ships are in flames. Time Cop-based Borne ships are ripping them to shreds.
The city of Borne's fires enough anti-air lasers, you'd swear it was an enemy ship all by itself.
And worse yet, one major, sleek looking spaceship with no visible propulsion seems to literally float about, moving in any direction it pleases, while firing multiple phase cannon shots in tandem.
Valron: "...Well, this is certainly looking like quite the mess."
Metal Man (GM): The area around Capital City is basically a gigantic ship graveyard, buried in destroyed ships. And Borne seems to be winning handily.
Garrick: You may also begin speaking here, since you're here too.
You could hear the comms echoing.
Commander Borne: *R* "Today is the day that Alsa stands strong! The alien threats are defeated! The Dweezil are destroyed by superior Alsan engineering!"
*R* "No one will ever take our freedom from us again!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "He speaks a good line..."
Valron: "As usual."
Metal Man (GM): More ships open up and attack the Dweezil ships, as some begin to fly away and are attacked suddenly by even more ships arriving from space.
Valron: "...Well, then."
Laconius: *R* "I... I swear! I did not suspect yew would have Time Cop technology! I... I was tricked! Sloan told us to come here!"
Commander Borne: *R* "Bah! You will die for daring to trespass!"
Garrick Fy`aar: "We need to do something. And now. The longer we let this go on, the more people are going to die."
Metal Man (GM): The main ship gets slammed into, as Borne just casually crashes one of his own damaged ships directly into it, despite the pilots still being aboard it.
Commander Borne: *R* "There is no cost not worth paying to PUNISH you ALIENS who keep ATTACKING for NO REASON!"
Metal Man (GM): The 'Black Ship' moves into position and begins filleting the massive Dweezil ship to bits with the Phase Cannons.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Where's Illian in all this?"
Valron: "Indeed. I already have ideas for a new type of mecha that I want to get into production quickly along with various applications for the anti-reality warping technology we made a while ba- Oh. him. Weell... Illian's conked the fuck out."
"Then again, I think it's for the best. He was way too focused on getting vengeance against Xavier to be of any good."
Metal Man (GM): Another Dweezil ship crashes a distance away. You hear even more laser fire, as apparently in that jungle is a bunch of Borne soldiers, who are taking no chances and just firing an onslaught of shots at the crashed ship.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...joy."
Valron: "In any case, I'm in command, now."
Metal Man (GM): The Dweezil are not just routed--they are a few minutes away from complete annihilation.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Dragoshi, we can't just immediately start production on an entire series of ships. We need a fleet, ready, prepped, and experienced right NOW."
Commander Borne: *R* "There is only one reason I would spare you... and that would be data on the location of Sloan, so that I can kill him!"
Laconius: *R* "I told you! I don't know! He said if this happened he would make sure I couldn't find him!"
Commander Borne: *R* "That's precisely correct. That is why you must die, so he can't corrupt your dead body or living one to ever actually be a threat. Say goodbye to your bizarre and stupid form of transportation--your Steam powers allow you to warp through time, but you never counted on someone else to study your weaknesses. And that, ultimately, is why you failed."
Laconius: *R* "But Sloan told me there was no way you still had that de--"
Metal Man (GM): *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.*
Valron: "Mmhh... Point. Though I don't know exactly how effective our units would be against Borne's ships."
Metal Man (GM): Punctuating that, a massive reality-melting sphere of energy turns the entire Dweezil ship super-critically hot.
The metal then pops off and EXPLODES, so badly it rains molten hail, even where you are.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...God, is he out of his mind??"
Valron: "...What the hell."
Garrick Fy`aar: "He'll ignite the atmosphere at this rate..."
Metal Man (GM): The explosion, equivalent to a near-atomic blast, washes over you, nearly knocking you over, and causing a crater on the ground underneath it.
Valron: "We... should definitely see to trying to make more of those anti-reality warping devi- Woah!"
Metal Man (GM): Fires ignite as pieces of ship embed themselves into distant mountains with the force of cannons.
Garrick Fy`aar grunts and slides back...
Valron slides back a bit as well, hissing a little.
Metal Man (GM): The explosion eventually subsides, leaving a glowing afterimage on your retinas.
There are no more Dweezil.
They have been hunted down to the man.
Valron: "...Well, I wasn't expecting the Dweezil to be so rubbish, but. Hm."
Metal Man (GM): They may have a few people scattered about, and maybe a single ship escaped.. ..But they stood no chance against Borne.
Garrick Fy`aar: "It's not that the Dweezil were rubbish... whatever the hell that was, it was just too powerful."
Valron: "I meant rubbish in comparison to Borne."
Metal Man (GM): The ships would return to their bases, as a few would float around and laser the pieces of the Dweezil's ships into dust.
Valron: "Seriously, that was just... nightmarish."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well... Borne just ended it..."
Valron: "...In any case, this is a serious indication that attacking him now would be suicide at best."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That brings us down to four enemies... Borne, Robotnik, Sloan, and Xavier..."
Metal Man (GM): More ships overfly you. Borne's ships are apparently making sure there are no Dweezil anywhere.
They ignore you, though, they're only looking for Dweezil.
You hear a few scattered explosions in the distance, but it's little to no real fighting.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Right... we have time... come on, my HIND is just over the ridge. We can use it to get back to the base and start in on this fleet of yours..."
Valron: "Right. That'd definitely be a good idea."
Metal Man (GM): The HIND is leaning slightly, due to the sheer force of that shockwave, but otherwise unharmed.
Valron: "And I need to re-stock on weapons as well. I kinda had to sacrifice mine to make sure Borne couldn't take over the Mushroom Kingdom."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'll get you kitted up... I need to update my things and figure out the Emeralds as well."
Valron: "...That, and to make sure Sloan didn't get his hands on the Crystal Stars."
Garrick Fy`aar would make for the HIND. It should have two seats, so he gets Valron and himself back to the Solarian base ASAP.
Valron follows along, promptly taking a seat.
Metal Man (GM): You would go there. You'd see the Solarian base. It's a massive army of Kujan ships and Solarians... completely untouched and ready to go.
The Solarians see you incoming and form up to make two lines and salute you, like you are some sort of emperors.
Garrick Fy`aar: "The fleet looks good, at least... dunno how good it would last against Borne's ships, anyway..."
Valron: "Indeed. I'd rather not take any chances."
Metal Man (GM): You'd go to land, as the Solarians would stand there, one specific one wearing a bunch of medals bowing to you and helping open the door for you.
Valron nods to the Solarian, before walking through the door.
Empolar: "Entaro Endis, My Lieges. I am Empolar, your Humble Servant. We are in your debt for saving your honorableness Illian from the Darkness of Non. How may I serve to implement the devices of our greatest fortune, Masters?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Masters... really... ugh..."
Valron: "Right, about that. I've got plans and questions. First off, about the fortune of the Widowmaker that we have acquired upon his death. How much of it do we have left? I want to know what we've got to work with in terms of resources."
Empolar: "Every last coin. We did not dare spend it without express permission. We have our own resources."
Valron: "Excellent."
Empolar: "We possess the entire White fleet, the fleet that destroyed the Time Cops. The Red Fleet as well. And the Blue fleet."
"Our work is underway to add the Brown Fleet as well."
Garrick Fy`aar: "How many men? And ships?"
Empolar: "..." *He would sit and calculate in his head.* "2000 ships. Three million men. We outnumber the resources of the Borne Hegemony. Unfortunately, only the White fleet can match them in sheer power."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then that's what we need to fix."
Valron: "I'd rather keep needless casualties to a minimum."
Empolar: "This is a war, Master. We cannot avoid casualties."
Valron: "We can at least minimize them."
Empolar: "We give our lives for the Emperors freely."
Garrick Fy`aar: "We could use the other fleets as possible distractions..."
Empolar: "Yes."
Valron: "Besides, I have some questions. What do we have in terms of mecha and ships?"
Empolar: "The Red fleet is made up of machines. The Blue fleet is strong enough that they will need not lose many men distracting anyone. The fleets are mostly homogeneous, as each fleet has a different purpose."
Metal Man (GM): He brings up a magical image of the "White Fleet."
Most of it consists of freakin' HUGE white spaceships, equipped with immensely huge laser batteries.
Valron: "Impressive."
Metal Man (GM): Massive force fields... even a ramming bow...
They move slowly but are built extremely solidly.
Then he shows the "Red Fleet."
Red Text's converted Eggman craft. Fast, agile, automated, not restricted by 'organic' parameters for flying around or going long distance or hiding.
Can also go underwater.
Extremely adept scanners, can hide in areas with enough water.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Hrm..."
Metal Man (GM): The "Blue Fleet" is the Corallian/"PSO" (as in tech from that game) fleet, made of middle-of-the-road stuff.
Photon tech can hold its own, although Borne's 'Black Fleet' outclasses it heavily in all attack related metrics.
Valron: "Mmhh..."
Metal Man (GM): The 'Brown Fleet' would be the armored Mushroom Kingdom doomships.
They are considered really, really bad quality for fighting, but could be used to carry supplies and relay information.
And transport troops.
Empolar: "In my opinion, we actually lack something other than brute force. We have no means to get into the city. We could throw all the fleets at this and overwhelm the ships, but the city is protected by an impervious force field."
Garrick Fy`aar: "With Borne canceling out any sort of warping power on Alsa, and that force field of his..."
Empolar: "Whatever technology fuels it is tied to this planet's life force. Destroying it could destroy the entire planet. ...We have sent spies. He no longer allows anyone in or out of it."
Valron: "...Hm."
Empolar: "It is rumored he is inside it, meaning assassination is impossible."
Valron: "That's peculiar."
Empolar: "He has also strategically destroyed all communication devices between the inside and outside."
Valron: "I wonder... seeing as I have the planet's power within me as well, if it'd be possible for me to disable the barrier somehow..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Then how were we hearing him?"
Empolar: "Only he has the ability to talk. This is his weakness, but also his strength. The city only sees what he wants--he has control over the dome."
"He can project any image he wants on the inside half."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...I wonder..."
Valron: "Yes?"
Empolar: "It is rumored he has a standing army in the hundreds of thousands inside. How they live without external food coming in is a mystery. As is that mysterious superweapon that we only discovered existed when the Dweezil mothership... catastrophically exploded."
Garrick Fy`aar: "If he has some sort of image control on the inside of the dome, he's continuing to feed his people and his troops false information. If we could change that picture, it might cause the people to see the truth... maybe even turn on him... ...though that'd be suicide... if the general public riots, he has plenty of power to just end them and start anew."
Empolar: "Yes. This would require being able to get inside, though, as the inside side is... not controlled externally. We do not doubt there is a way to get inside, but have no clue how to do that when he appears to have powers that defy reality."
Valron: "Yeah..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "So, the goal here is to get inside Borne's fortress."
Empolar: "His knowledge exceeds that of the greatest reality mages. He is brutish in its application, but effective."
"He is also limited. He has ignored the convenience magics as well as anything that would allow him to expand the space inside the dome, as far as we can tell."
Valron: "...Right, speaking of. We still have that anti-reality warping device lying around somewhere, right? I'm sure we could refine it and apply it to various other things, if we haven't already. Perhaps maybe weaponize it."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...wait, you do?"
*He uses his wrist computer to link into the main computer of the Solarian forces. He brings up detailed scans of that force field. He needs answers.*
Empolar: "Yes, although the reality warping device is now in the hands of its original owner, one 'Arbiter', who appears to insist we do not use it. I was informed to avoid antagonizing this being."
Valron: "...Mmh. Well, then, that's problematic."
Metal Man (GM): The computer indicates the field registers as...
Something that should have enough mass to just crush the planet into a small cube.
Only it doesn't.
Attempts to hit it... are crushed into tiny dust particles.
It has gained a frosty white sheen, the image of the city inside flickering.
A bizarre form of frost has appeared around it, which seems to literally be reality turning to dust and flaking away, replaced by air.
All reads have systematically vanished as if erased utterly.
From the outside to the inside, that is.
The airport you used has also vanished.
The little hidey holes from WAY back... also gone.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...good God... he's literally ripping apart reality inch by inch with this thing..."
Metal Man (GM): As well as that lab from way back.
Some of the holes in the ground suggest the dome goes underground and is a sphere.
Valron: "That's... exceptionally worrying."
Garrick Fy`aar: "If we attempt to break it, it'll destroy the planet's power source... So we need to get past it..."
Metal Man (GM): Valron would partially recognize it. It's sort of like what he did, only... levels on top of levels more powerful.
Valron: "...This is much like the barrier I was using to protect the Mushroom Kingdom, except... Scaled up. Way up."
Garrick Fy`aar brings up both dimensional and chronological scans. Can they bypass it by coming in from a different plane of existence? Or a different time period?
Metal Man (GM): Time-wise, you can warp back in time, but you'd be warping into the past. It appears to neatly rip itself out of time once it turns on.
There's no guarantee whatever you did in the past would even ripple to effect the time-space inside the dome.
A different plane of existence... possibly. Echoes around it suggest it is drawing in energy from somewhere.
However, it's too weak to identify from a casual scan.
The thing I said suggests you'd warp into an alternate timeline or place--this sphere is off the grid.
You might indeed get inside. But in a different reality caused by you getting inside.
You could go and do your thing, return, and find you destroyed a different reality's Borne.
Garrick Fy`aar: "It doesn't exist in normal space-time. So dimensional or time travel is probably off the table."
Metal Man (GM): And find this one in here, in the sealed off sphere.
Who would probably go, "That fool apparently never thought to ward off time travel like I did."
Valron: "Hmm. Is there anything else you've gleaned from this?"
Empolar: "He is mobilizing for another attack, and soon."
Valron: "How soon is soon?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "Any idea of the target?"
Empolar: "Us. Here."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Great..."
Empolar: "Hours, or days, at most."
Garrick Fy`aar: "...well, there is an obvious answer to all this."
Empolar: "He has said that unless Illian steps down and Borne is appointed protectorate leader, or we leave this planet, we will be destroyed."
Garrick Fy`aar reaches into his pocket and pulls out one of the Chaos Emeralds.
Empolar: "Ah. Yes. Illian said something about those. He told me that those could be used to become Super, to break the barrier, and destroy the city, all without any problem. I did not believe him."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I'd really rather not use them on Borne, however. We'd be seriously tipping our hand to Sloan."
Valron: "...Well, seeing as my anti-reality warp device idea is down the drain, I'd at least like to see the feasibility of getting my MTA-D units up off the ground..."
Empolar: "...He said that they could warp reality so badly it would destroy a God. If this sphere is not godlike, then nothing is."
Valron: "...That sounds about right."
Garrick Fy`aar frowns.
Empolar: "Though... he also warned that 'The Void' would appear. More insane ramblings."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I don't like the idea of just ripping apart the barrier. I want to kill Borne, but I don't want to blow up Alsa in the process."
Valron: "Exactly."
Garrick Fy`aar: "The best way of doing it would be... ...making Borne turn it off for us..."
Valron: "...How would we convince him of that, though?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "We'd have to lure him out. We'd have to make it so he feels threatened enough to drop that field."
Empolar: "Borne remains accessible by comms."
Garrick Fy`aar: "As far as I know, Borne still thinks I'm dead. If were to completely destroy his fleet... he might have to send more ships from inside the city."
Empolar: "We have no information to suggest he doesn't still think you're dead."
Garrick Fy`aar frowns, pulling up a picture of that particularly odd ship of Borne's.
Metal Man (GM): It calls it "The Black Ship."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Could this flagship of his carry a procedure to get inside the city?"
Empolar: "The flagship... was seen warping through the field when it first emerged, but we are unsure if said procedure was turned off after it left or not. The ship is abnormal, in that it appears to be far lighter than it actually is. Reality bends around it, and ships that fly too close crash as if all the electricity left their systems."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Be that as it may... it might still have the procedure in its database..."
Empolar: "I have seen the ship fly too close to a mountain and the mountain melt into the ground."
Garrick Fy`aar: "That might be our ticket in, Drag..."
Valron: "And what does it have in terms of defenses aside from the... wow."
Garrick Fy`aar: "Some sort of field, obviously..."
Empolar: "It lenses reality in ways physics fails to explain."
Metal Man (GM): They show images of it flying sideways and just melting a Dweezil ship by touching it.
Then another where it fires lasers at something out of thin air.
Another time it literally bounces off a ship like a rubber ball.
Valron: "I'm wondering if it's using that device Borne has as a source of power..."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I've got a hunch."
Empolar: "If so, it may be the most destructive ship ever seen."
Valron: "Indeed."
Empolar: "It has a 100% kill rate."
Garrick Fy`aar: "This thing is our ticket in. If we can get inside, we can probably get into Borne's city."
Empolar: "Anything it eventually decides to destroy is dead, because there is no way to warp out of this planet."
Valron: "Though how do we... well. Get /near/ it without dying horribly?"
Empolar: "And the few ships that can fly out of the atmosphere can't move as fast as it can through it."
Metal Man (GM): It shows current live footage, as the ship is literally orbiting the city, always facing outwards.
It appears to be reinforcing the erasure of everything around the outside of the city with its anti-everything-field.
Occasionally it seems to laser already destroyed Dweezil ships, just because it can.
Garrick Fy`aar: "...I wonder..."
*He brings up a scan of this Black Ship... he checks whether it has a defense against warping.*
Metal Man (GM): The data suggests that trying to warp inside would result in you being lensed into a million pieces, then your pieces warped to hundreds of different dimensions across time and space.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Damn..."
Metal Man (GM): It's like an interdimensional paper shredder around it.
Valron: "This thing is certainly ridiculous..."
Metal Man (GM): It's an indirect defense--something going on inside it is making this field.
From the way it behaves, it's like it has a literal black hole inside it.
Garrick Fy`aar tries to see if he can narrow the warping beam to microscopic levels... he checks that, if it it's a 'paper shredder', whether he could find the smallest hole in it.
Metal Man (GM): No one is even sure whether that violent ridiculous explosion was caused either by Borne's city or the ship firing a superweapon of unknown design on it.
It suggests that if you could compensate for it on the right wavelength, you could get inside... but Alsa's anti-warp magic currently prevents any warping on Alsa. This also adds to the gravity theory, as even this ship cannot seemingly warp on Alsa.
Garrick Fy`aar: "Bingo."
Valron: "Hm?"
Garrick Fy`aar: "With the right wavelength, I could warp us inside... so now all we need to do is counter Borne's anti-warp magic. And I think I have an idea of how to do that."
"I might be able to use Magitek to create a stable warp platform."
"Something like we used back on Nintendus. We could onto use a single entrance factor, but the exit location would be where we put it."
Empolar: "The magitek lab is this way, Master." *He would gesture to a building studded with magitek crystals.*
Valron: "Glad to hear we've got something to work with..."
Garrick Fy`aar makes to turn, then stops.
"Drag, if you allow me free reign on Jack's fortune, I could turn this army into something huge. I could outfit you and I with better equipment... and I could find someway to harness the Emeralds."
Valron: "That was actually part of what I was planning, yes."
Garrick Fy`aar: "I could do whatever you like, but a could chunk of it is going to have to go into this plan on getting on the ship. I'm going to start planning. You tell me what you want and I'll see what I can do. Our time is limited... so think quickly."
*He turns and follows Empolar into the magitek lab.*
Metal Man (GM): We'll continue from Valron's perspective, so... Valron: Following him, or something else?
Valron: "Right, like I said I already had the whole idea of making a mash-up of the MTAs and Dauntless-class ships, and making them viable in all types of terrain. That, and making a more... customized version for myself. Those are my main priorities."
Garrick Fy`aar raises a hand in response as he heads out.
"I'll get it running for you."
Valron nods. "Right. Thanks, man."
He will go to check on Garrick later. For now, he goes off to find the Robotnik clone. That guy still owes him a weapon, so.
Metal Man (GM): You'd go to walk there... and... brb one sec.
Ok... nearly ready, lemme eat this sandwich.
Energy recovery, crucial to GMing.
Mmmmgh. Ok. I'm feeling... alive again. *Drinks some water*
Continuing.
You'd walk to the Robotnik Clone's lab.
Only to see something else. In the distance, Illian loading things onto a ship. ...You were pretty sure he was KO'd the last time you saw him.
Valron: "...He's back up already?"
Metal Man (GM): He's steadfastly and silently loading up the ship.
Valron decides to deal with this later. He continues on his way to the clone's lab.
Metal Man (GM): You walk in. The clone is sitting there... not doing much.
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "Hello there, Valron. What a fine day it is..."
Valron: "What makes today particularly fine?"
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "The tech that I made destroyed the Dweezil."
Valron: "...Aahh. I saw. Is the Black Ship something of your design?"
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "The Gravity Egg's been fully implemented. And it is every bit as destructive as I planned."
Valron: "...I see."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "Now I only need to make it mine again, and we can properly have things as they should be."
Valron: "Funny, we were just talking about how insane it was, but. Never expected to have the answers right under my nose."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "...I assume you're here for this." *He would thunk a red cube on the counter.*
"A weapon, right?"
Valron blinks, taking note of the cube. "Indeed."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "I studied your habits. Any one weapon I gave you would be useless."
"So how about all of them?"
Valron: "...Heh. I see. Truly an interesting choice."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "It can transform into any weapon you've picked up before. Instantly."
Valron would go to pick up the cube.
"...Any weapon?"
"That's... quite the history."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "The ultimate weapon is your memory of so many weapons. Anything I made beyond that would be worthless. Well, except for another Gravity Egg, but you don't have a small star sitting around for me to use."
Valron: "...Makes sense. Wow."
Metal Man (GM): It's an Artifact, whose ability is to clone any weapon you have stats for that you've wielded (recently)--older ones are going to require you go and try to buy a means to recover them from the past/your memory.
Valron blinks, taking the cube into his hand. "So, how does one even... deal with something that powerful?"
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "Oh, they don't. Not directly. You go inside and turn it off."
"But they changed the frequency, otherwise I would have taken it myself."
Valron: "I see."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "It's very all or nothing, you see. Once turned off it harmlessly hits the ground."
Valron: "Harmlessly as something made from a small star can hit the ground, anyway, or."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "I designed it so that its last bit of energy would cushion it from destroying itself. It would be bad news for whatever it landed on, though."
Valron: "I'd imagine, yes."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "I have heard. You wish to build things." *He would scrabble his fingers.* "I do not wish to horn in on what Garrick is doing. That would be... redundant. But at the same time, it would be nice to do... something..."
Valron: "Mmhh. Well, I did have an idea of sorts... What kind of gadgetry do we have lying around? I was thinking of seeing what the limits of condensing as much tech into one possible piece of headgear would be."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "You want headgear made out of the same material as that cube. I can begin work on that immediately."
Metal Man (GM): He would start smacking together bits of metal and glowy cubes on the counter.
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "It will... take me some days, but a user programmable gadget-helmet is doable."
Valron: "Thank you."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "And thank you... my infinite genius is wasted just idling besides these great machines of war."
Valron: "Also, I noticed something odd. I saw Illian packing stuff into the ship on the way here, but... he was in no condition to do much of anything last I saw him. What's he doing up and about anyways?"
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "I fear to go near him. An aura around him is forming, and I fear it may corrupt me if I get too close."
Valron: "...It's as Marley feared, then. This does not bode well at all."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "Do you think you shall stop him?"
Valron: "I was expecting him to be out of commission for much longer, too... I don't know if I really can."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "I heard him muttering about Alys. Whoever that is."
Valron: "Alys... An older Quester from way back. One of the first, if memory serves me right."
"Like, not 'original 5' first, but. She was part of one of the earliest iterations of the Questers."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "He said something about being like her and doing everything by himself. Then with a fantastic amount of energy he somehow began walking around despite being heavily wounded."
Valron: "...I really don't like the sound of this."
Dr. Robotnik Clone: "If only I could build a robot powered by that energy... then I could create an unstoppable machine..."
Valron: *C, Marley* "Marley, I think the problem with Illian's corruption is getting much worse than anticipated. He's already back up and packing things into a ship."
Marley: *C* "You'll need to do something fast. The power levels spike before they ultimately destroy themselves."
Valron: *C* "Okay, but what?"
*C* "Do you want me to try and quickly gather some help to knock him out, or what?"
Marley: *C* "...Try to reason with him?"
*C* "Nobody has tried that before, crazy as that sounds."
Valron: "...Right. I'll try that first, then."
Metal Man (GM): And... we'll pause here, I'm gonna Skype to deal with housing funkiness.
I might continue, I might not.
+8 Exp to Valron, +4 to Garrick
Editor's Note: Yeah, that whole dorm housing funkiness certainly was quite a mess. Incredible that I managed to GM amidst it, but I did, somehow!