CONFRONTATION - Story - Chapter 4: The Path of Daggers

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Date: 3:40:47 PM, July 11th; 3:02:54 PM, July 17th; 7:21:21 PM, July 19th; 7:03:42 PM, July 26th; 9:32:15 PM, August 13th, 2012.
Editor's Note: In this era, 40K was still a hugely popular thing. But it never did work well with SSQ. So witness here this short interlude that goes nowhere. Or don't, and go here to skip to where normal stuff goes on.
Metal Man (GM): ??? -- Out, far away from any known universe in the Confrontation area... a space ship of wicked and curved design plots dark deeds against an unsuspecting Imperium of Man planet. Everything is according to plan. In fact, things would have gone... creepily on track, as if the dark gods themselves favored this mission.
Drekon Tal`dath sat on his command chair, though to the uneducated eye, it would appear to be more of a throne, placed above his lessers at their stations. "Prepare to come upon them from behind. We will disengage our cloak and disable their engines, and then board them before they've had a chance to realize their vulnerability. We will claim many slaves for our Kabal this day, Warriors!"
Metal Man (GM): The ship remains vulnerable. For whatever reason, they haven't been paying any attention. Their ship is slow and unsuspecting. All is as planned... Drekon's ship would get into position without a single issue.
Drekon Tal`dath: "Drop our cloak, now! Fire!" *He commands. He would normally relish the chance to join battle with his enemies, but he could not afford to leave the ship in the 'care' of one of his subordinates... not in a place like this. The temptation to abandon him would be too much.*
Metal Man (GM): The ship would be hit. However... the ship would shimmer like it was not of this world. Strange readings would come in on all of the gauges. And then, a strange, all-present voice would echo in the bridge.
Drekon Tal`dath: "A trap! Raise cloak!"
Metal Man (GM): The cloak is raised. The voice, unfortunately, is still there.
Drekon Tal`dath frowns. His mind races... a trick, a lie, surely. No such place existed, travel beyond their galaxy was unknown, thought impossible. He thinks carefully, examining their auspex-sensors to determine if there was any truth to the voice... a passage, or a mere trap? He is still waiting for any auspex readings telling him anything at all about the ship, beacon, passage, etc.
Metal Man (GM): The passage would be like the webway, only not, constructed by some foreign entity who apparently was trying to mimic it without knowledge of how to do it. Ingenius but crude, and dangerous. Information would show the ship was a real ship--that had been cursed by some strange illusion. Hitting it had triggered it; backing away would apparently revert the hallucination and get back to destroying the ship. But... the passageway ahead is registering as definitely real... as well as weak readings of planets on the other end.
Drekon Tal`dath was nothing if not bold... an opportunist born and true. "Full speed into the rift!" Heedless of the possibility of never returning... what did that matter? He was out of favor, if not quite in full disgrace... in a new realm, he could claim vast treasures. Perhaps return at the head of a fleet...
Metal Man (GM): The ship would violently shake. Suddenly, you and the ship would be there. The travel, unfortunately, would leave parts of the ship damaged. But even with your damaged ship... there lie a small planet with a population of humanoids, with no real space presence to protect them. It being just as the voice said. The path back... seems to have vanished behind you, but perhaps it could be found again... eventually.
Drekon Tal`dath has his damaged auspex-sensors scanning the planet vigorously, searching for population centers, anything, really. Also a population number. Humans could still kill dark eldar, if armed sufficiently, or in great enough numbers. He had too few warriors to expend them if the odds were somehow against them. Caution!
Metal Man (GM): The planet has about 2500 people on it, mostly men. It's some sort of space colony. Tech is definitely interplanetary, but they're under-armed. They must have assumed this area was completely safe. If they had bothered to take more than a handful of the laser turrets they seem to have, it would actually be dangerous. But as it is, they live in fairly small and isolated population bits, apparently trying to colonize this planet.
Drekon Tal`dath continues to scan while cloaked, looking for whatever would be their 'central resistance'. An armory, weapons depot... and of course, pre-painting all of their turrets for decisive bombardment... or better yet, finding its control center.
Metal Man (GM): One main port is their center. It has only one major comms antenna, a few turrets and a landing pad perfectly sized for your ship. And they have only a tiny ship parked there currently. One with a puny laser cannon, and it's not even manned.
Drekon Tal`dath spends a few minutes plotting out an appropriate strike. For this, he'll split his teams into smaller groups... four, in total, of ten Warriors each, with his Sybarites and Truebloods leading the squads. Their goal was to take out communications and defenses first. Warriors and other potential defenders were to be shot and killed, but all others should be taken as slaves, ... He ... along with samples of weapons, technology, armor, and, above all else, some copy of a local starmap that they could utilize, so they weren't blind. He dispatches the squads, and leads one himself... he'd lead the team meant to capture that dinky ship.
Metal Man (GM): You'd hit them more or less unprepared. The forces you have being far more than what they are used to. You hear odd radio signals being broadcasted by them, claiming you are "Space Pirates", though those do not last long. Nothing that should generate enough alarm for these primitive low lying dwellers to stop you, as your specific team would land near the landing pad, in a blind spot that the sensors of the place cannot really see. Up ahead is a pile of crates and two men in armor suits, puny, pathetic ones that are inferior to any Imperium weaponry. They have hunkered down and seem to be firing small, puny energy beams at anything that gets too near them. Besides them, nothing else guards the dinky ship.
Drekon Tal`dath grins... he motions for his guards to stay back. He rushes the enemies, moving at what must seem a simply ludicrous speed, footfalls faster than thought, he dips and dodges their clumsily aimed shots, drawing a sparking, keening whip from his side. He spins, the whip extending to wrap about the first man's throat, pulling tight... the whip itself was corrosive to enemy flesh ... He ... and armor and might do him in, but the sparking electric field it emitted would cripple his entire nervous system, leaving him in total and complete agony. "Mortals. Your screams are... delicious."
Metal Man (GM): The first man, naturally, would be reduced to screams. The second one would press a button on his visor as he would clumsily back away like a guy in a horror movie. He would say something. "S... s... s.end help!" Before then shooting at you with what remained of his nerves, as he tries to enter the dinky ship. No real threat of escaping though, unless you were to just let him get away...
Drekon Tal`dath had no intention of doing that. He draws a menacing, skull-adorned handgun, the bore sighting at the man's retreating back. The aperture glows with sinister violet energy, before it fires a hail of crystalline shards at him, capable of piercing the finest imperium armor, he could only guess what it would do to this poor fool... he increases the voltage on the one human, ... He ... bending down to extract almost lovingly caress his cheek... "Yesssss. That's it. Scream, -scream-." He cackles. He should draw the experience out, but he found that he had a tremendous thirst.
Metal Man (GM): The man who was backing away is easily shot down, while the first one continues to suffer from the horrifying effects of the whip. Though as it were, unfortunately, these humans were apparently made out of less sterner stuff and he would begin to die sooner than perhaps expected. Still, your other groups would report more or less total success, the colonies on this planet being... horribly under-equipped to deal with anything. Whoever built this was... just asking to be blown up.
Drekon Tal`dath goes on to claim the ship, any starcharts, and organizes a swift recovery of the finest quality slaves... he'd pick a few out himself, in fact, for his own pleasure. The technology was primitive, but they needed something to study, it might give them insight. They wouldn't eat their souls here, but only once they were spaceborne again. What did they learn from the starchart?
Metal Man (GM): Back. Just got news I scored the internship. So I have a job. One day a week, but it's something.
Editor's Note: Ah, that horrifying internship... it's almost fitting that I got the news I 'scored' it over the background noise of overly grimderp 40K entities talking of consuming souls.
Metal Man (GM): Anyway... You get the starchart. You learn that this... "Galactic Federation" seems to specialize in making not just one, or two, but hordes of colonies of people like this one. They have them all over the place. This one, coincidentally, was the least well defended. Whoever sent you here had you in mind, as this place has the parts (although primitive) to repair MOST of the damage. The only other thing of import is some weird notification all over the computers of this place. They were expecting to be raided... by someone else who had far less firepower than you. "Space Pirates", who appear to have their own planets off to the side. Though their data on these pirates is minimal, noting "Every time we figure out what they are, they change shape and methods entirely."
Drekon Tal`dath grins. These... space pirates... might be good targets themselves. Once the damage is repaired, the stockpiles and plunder and slaves loaded, they depart as quickly as they'd come... complete with navigational charts, and leaving the comms and spaceships and major military assets destroyed behind them. He sets their course for the space pirates, cloak up... "We will see just how difficult these 'pirates' are to slay. FOR COMMORAGH, AND THE BLACK TONGUE KABAL!"
Metal Man (GM): On this note... we shall pause for now. +400 EXP.
Metal Man (GM): The Pirates Over The Moon. The Dark Eldar pirates see ahead their prey. The fiendish Space Pirate Moon of Thrand! As they would near their prey, however, something odd would happen. Incoming signals... destroyed ships and distress calls everywhere. The area is a massive ship graveyard, the ships mysteriously stripped clean of valuables. The signals speak in an alien language, making it rather hard to figure out what the screeching and shrieks even mean.
Drekon Tal`dath keeps the ship cloaked, sifting through the signals to try and find just what had happened... signs of battle, it would seem. Anything on the surface?
Metal Man (GM): The surface has many bases, but like the GF planet you went to, one major, city like base. It's sort of odd that the city seems to have been abandoned, as if something unholy threatened all who were there. More importantly, there is still an active signal down there... which seems to be causing a lot of explosions.
Drekon Tal`dath observes it from a safe distance, trying to learn more about what's going on.
Metal Man (GM): You would detect the ship. It's some sort of altered monstrosity. It looks like a ship that one of those non-human races would use, given its laser batteries and fancy lights on the side. However, it has been corroded by some sort of bizarre magic you can't quite explain. The pinpoint of the explosion appears to be a man... with some sort of flamethrower that fires a beam that seems to literally kill everything it touches. He is flanked by gruesome undead beings encrusted with a bizarre form of magic. The few remaining Space Pirates appear unable to stun or phaze him. He is seen laughing as they die and explode from the ungodly weapon he wields. He just as quickly raises a number of their dead to add to his forces, which robotically begin raiding the entire place. Ripping out all nearby technology and adding it to the bizarre magic-corroded ship... which has large amounts of gold on its hull. They progress around, leaving little of the base unturned. They have a crew of easily a hundred to a thousand strong, hard to tell given that they hardly count as... "life." And as such don' give normal lifesigns.
Drekon Tal`dath ponders... it was not the dark eldar way to simply -challenge- a creature like that. But... there were ways. He looks for a place in the area that could be used for an ambush, to stealthily send his warriors to erect a firing line, with rifles and such. Ideally, his goal would be to 'lead' the enemy there, and let his men soften it up for him, before he finishes him off ... He ... personally.
Metal Man (GM): An opportunity would present itself soon enough. The man seems almost suicidally cocky. If he even IS a man. His slaves would load up on the ship, then the man would spot something shiny a distance away, separating himself from his ship. Though as he left one of his drones would glow an odd color and seemingly take over leading the others. Suggesting he is not entirely open... but about as open to attack as it gets. The area itself is full of rubble to hide behnd. Had the Space Pirates not crumbled like dust before the maniac's lack of fear of being hit by anything, they probably could have lasted longer.
Drekon Tal`dath sets up the ambush, the majority of his men lying in the shadows, rifles trained and ready. En masse, they were a deadly foe... entrenched, behind cover, and quite accurate with those rifles. Odds were -one- of them would find a weak spot. He also had one other backup, though he loathed to use it... if his men proved utterly useless, he had his ship pre-painting the entrance to ... He ... the killzone with their Darklance batteries. Assuming the rifles do nothing, he'd be ready to call in the bigger guns. For his part, he prepares to attack the man from behind, or to loot his corpse.
Metal Man (GM): You'd land on the planet and set up the ambush. Before you go any further, you get a chance to observe the man, as he walks over to the ruined body of a hulking monstrosity... some sort of Space Pirate creature that was 30 foot tall.
???: "Heh heh heh heh. Those bastards on Alsa won't know what hit them when I take THIS back home."
Metal Man (GM): He makes a gesture, and unholy magic begins reviving it. He is fully distracted, you could attack him right now. Hm. No. He's outside the killzone, away from the ship a good distance, alone. Unless you want him to be the only thing in the Killzone. Your choice. Oh. The shiny IS the downed... thing... he's reviving. So that would mean he's standing where you're going to ambush him. Ok. In the future, just note we tend to do actions a little bit more fragmented here. I'm more used to "We go to the planet." "Ok, you're on the planet, this is what is here, now what"--etc.
Drekon Tal`dath grins and as the creature starts his ritual... signals for all of his men to open fire, simultaneously. To be FURTHER clear, these men are scattered all over the rubble, not all clustered together, lined up, or in any other way making themselves easy targets.
Metal Man (GM): Which thing are they firing at? Mostly, is it at the man, the "Thing" he is reviving, or something else? All the shots hit the man, causing a large explosion that would ripple over the entire area. Whatever magic he was using was volatile. The entire area would start to come alive, life magic giving all the rubble faint traces of sentience.
Drekon Tal`dath ducks his head, likely as many of his own men had done, but quickly looks up to see if he was still standing there. IS HE DEAD?!
Metal Man (GM): The man would stand up, rubbing a few holes in his body... metal holes... liquid metal holes. He would laugh to himself, licking the blood off his hand.
Jack: "Somebody thought they were really smart, eh? Well, smart doesn't do it against Jack!" *He would turn around to face you.* "But I will give you one... that one for free." *He holds out a hand.* "If you just realize you have no need to shoot me..."
Metal Man (GM): The entire area around you is now glowing, pieces of rubble and dead people's limbs beginning to move on their own.
Jack: "You're nothing I've seen before, which means you're the most fun things to study. A new culture I've never seen before... right here, using weapons I've never seen before. Fascinating!"
Metal Man (GM): He seems rather unperturbed by the huge holes you put in him.
Jack: "Tell me... what are you, so that your names can be recorded?"
Metal Man (GM): The man-thing seems strangely unafraid. Whatever he is.
Drekon Tal`dath simply stares, before raising one graceful limb up... then letting it fall, to point at 'Jack'. "Death." He says with a grin, as all the Darklance batteries on his ship, primed with the darkest soul-energies he could bring to bear, fire on him from orbit. That's a decent amount of firepower.
Metal Man (GM): He holds up his arms right after the shot is fired. A massive dome appears, then he lowers his arms. The area outside you and the others is utterly destroyed. He stands there, smirking viciously.
Jack: "You must best me in single combat to truly kill me, silly being! ...If you are even capable of such a thing."
Metal Man (GM): He would float up, glowing... it becomes clear what he is. Not so much a man, as some sort of huge walking repository of nearly half a planet's energies.
Jack: "...But I am nice enough to let you run. ...If you know what that even means. Heh... heh... heh."
Metal Man (GM): The area around you and the others begins to be torn apart by a massive tornado of energy. You can safely run, or.... Challenge him to single combat. Whatever he is... it's not something you can kill... yet.
Drekon Tal`dath growls... this was no bloodsport, but some sort of planet-killer. They'd misjudged. Time to run.
Metal Man (GM): He laughs as you run. Oddly... he stops just short of nailing you with one of his death beams, letting you run unharmed.
Jack: "You aren't stupid. Good! Good... because I met a bunch of people who were... Their dead corpses mine gold for me... forever."
Metal Man (GM): That's the last you hear from him as you successfully flee. You're back in space. The freakish... thing... finishes its business, then flies off, seemingly not interested in harming "interesting, non-stupid beings" It leaves... but it also leaves a portal behind it. Seems to go to a different realm entirely... but probably dangerous.
Drekon Tal`dath has no intent to go through -that- portal. He's had enough portal-running for a while. -_- Are there any space pirate survivors?
Metal Man (GM): Unfortunately, no. It's quite clear he killed them all. The only thing of interest is something you'd find in those captured GF logs, noting that Jack is a "Genocidal construct" seen "Depopulating entire planets" Apparently studying the ruins for fun, finding living beings "Annoying" unless they stay out of his way. I think I'll pause on that note for now. Have to think of some other stuff.
Editor's Note: And that's the last you see of DARK LORD MCDEATHDEATH. Granted, it was entirely correct for how you probably would roleplay something in 40K, but... completely out of place in this game. I leave this here in case I need to remind anyone in future games that if you want a 40K game, go play a 40K game, and vice versa -- don't try to find it in a game that doesn't have it... (Although to be entirely honest, even 40K has the presence of Chaos Beings who Dark Eldar would have to flee or bow to... so it's not like it's all fun & games for Dark Eldar in the actual 40K, now that I think about it...)
Metal Man (GM): After the Event. The group was set aback by Garrick leaving the fold. Illian bizarrely chose not to go after Garrick, instead working on fortifying his own forces some by going to his homeworld. It has been a number of days. Illian has been strangely silent and moody, staring out the windows as the ship has, for whatever reason, taken its sweet time getting to his homeworld.
Dragoshi has just been making use of this time doing stuff. You know, practicing with weapons, eating, getting his talons trimmed, all that good horkery. Though he has been kinda weirded out by Illian's sudden bout of moodysilence.
Gibby would be in his room staring up at the ceiling. The thought of Garrick leaving still has him shaken up. Why? It didn't make any sense. They were supposed to be a team. They were Supposed to be friends. Friends didn't just abandon each other. Part of him was still mad at Illian for not doing anything about it, but he was mostly mad at himself for not seeing it coming.
Metal Man (GM): Eventually, Illian would come to the bridge, as a large, orange planet would appear ahead. The badges of the Protectors would beep and his voice would echo.
Ragnar: *He's following Illian around, missing the guy that protected him. Why'd he leave?*
Illian MacGregor: "We have arrived. It is time to prepare for our voyage... and to show you what is actually at stake. And in turn, the only reason I did not turn around and go after Garrick."
Ragnar: "Meow?"
Gibby rolls his eyes and hops off the bed. "Though should be good..."
Illian MacGregor: "This here." *He would gesture to the planet.* "This is Solis, the land of the Solarions. It was once the accursed planet of Erastos, held in contempt by the fascist Erastians who had taken it over with brute force and evil weapons."
Dragoshi: "I see. How did it turn over a new leaf?"
Illian MacGregor: "But I traveled through time and saved their foes, the Solarions, who in turn defeated them. Together, we built this ship, and sailed the universe. The Time Cops of this realm came to stop us, but with the knowledge I had learned from saving Nintendus... we killed the Time Cops. We took their place as arbiters of peace. This planet is by no means perfect, but it should be a treat for those of you used to hellholes like Alsa. ...Even those used to the soft living on Nintendus may find it... interesting."
Dragoshi: "Oh?"
Ragnar: *Up onto Dragoshi's shoulder.*
Dragoshi pets Ragnar.
Metal Man (GM): He steers the ship in. You can see the planet now... a weirdly shiny city, with crystal towers of glass.
Gibby: "Well I'm always up for an adventure... as long as we stick together.' He made sure to emphasize those last two words.'"
Metal Man (GM): The towers have huge spires and elevator roads of the same diamond-like material.
Dragoshi nods in response to Gibby.
Illian MacGregor: "We shall stay together. I have business to attend, and you to introduce to my... friends."
Metal Man (GM): The ship lands on a specific landing pad made just for it. The skyscraper is covered in writing in a foreign right-to-left language.
Gibby: "These friends of yours... what are they like?"
Illian MacGregor: "Solarians were an evil, twisted form of my friends. You will see that they are no different than you or I. Well... they're more like me than you, I guess."
Metal Man (GM): The door opens and a man in blue military uniforms walks in. Aside from his gray hair and wispy appearance he looks mostly human.
Edgar Ridge: "The sun shines upon us. The ever-eternal guardian of our people has returned, with his allies from the Land of Chaos."
Ragnar: *He jumps down and rubs himself against the man's legs. Ingratiatingly cute.*
Metal Man (GM): He bows, and Illian bows back.
Edgar Ridge: "I am Edgar Ridge, Viceroy of the Solarion people."
Gibby: "Uh, yeah, hi to you too."
Edgar Ridge: "And you are...?"
Metal Man (GM): He holds out a hand, to shake your hand.
Gibby holds up a fin and shakes. "Gibby. Of the Protectors."
Metal Man (GM): He shakes your hand.
Dragoshi would shake Edgar's hand after Gibby's done. "Dragoshi. Of the same group."
Edgar Ridge: "Nice to meet you. And you?" *Shakes Dragoshi's hand* "Aha. And... you?" *Looks to Ragnar, down by his feet* "...Can the cat talk, or does it... he... have a different language?"
Ragnar: *Purr.*
Illian MacGregor: "I'm not one hundred percent sure."
Dragoshi: "He speaks cat. As far as I can tell, in any case."
Edgar Ridge: "I'll need to update my translator crystal, then."
Metal Man (GM): He taps it and for a moment speaks a strange language, and Illian responds back in a heavily accented version of the same language.
Gibby: "We should get translator crystals."
Illian MacGregor: "Hm. I should put some in your badges."
Dragoshi: "That would probably be a solid idea, yes."
Edgar Ridge: "Yes, yes, then I wouldn't have to run the battery down on mine every time you visited. Come, come this way, I have to show you something."
Metal Man (GM): He then hops down the ramp and towards the building.
Gibby follows Edgar.
Dragoshi nods, following Edgar along as well.
Ragnar onwards with the group! *He keeps getting distracted by the sparkling buildings, though.*
Metal Man (GM): You walk in, and then see a huge room filled with... glowing spheres over tables. They are holograms. People stand about the carpeted room, looking at numbers and figures. Edgar leads you to the largest one.
Edgar Ridge: "We've been calculating. Within 200 years, we will have cracked the Time Cop samples you sent us."
Illian MacGregor: "Excellent. By the time I become too old to use this suit, I shall be able to regenerate my body."
Gibby: "200 years? That's... a long time."
Dragoshi: "Aye. That's going to be a long while, to say the least."
Edgar Ridge: "Well, we implanted Illian there with our machines to make him live longer. It is our thanks for his sacrifice of his own people just to save us."
Illian MacGregor: "Yes... it was a heavy cost."
Dragoshi: "I might become a young adult by then, rea-... Huh."
Edgar Ridge: "It was very difficult to do as he is Erastia--er, human."
Illian MacGregor: "It's okay, you can tell them."
Edgar Ridge: "Erastians are not 100% human, any more than Solarions are. They normally live... shorter lives than you do."
Illian MacGregor: "This dimension was not kind to my ancestors, which is why they are so cruel."
Edgar Ridge: "But... but. Enough about us. Your guests... we must focus on them."
Illian MacGregor: "Yes, yes."
Dragoshi: "Mm? What about us?"
Edgar Ridge: "Your leader has brought you here so that I could explain to you the... full meaning of you being with us, and what we can do for you. We are the Time Coordinators of this realm and, due to the utter peace here, we have expanded into other territory. The time collective has refused us entry, however, because they use the excuse of Xavier Ridgecrest to blame us for what he does."
Illian MacGregor: "His mark on my reputation means we cannot gain a true alliance with the other units, and there are no protections against other Time Orgs invading."
Dragoshi: "That's rather... problematic."
Edgar Ridge: "If we could neutralize Xavier, then you could join us as Time Coordinators, and live out whatever you truly wished for in existence... anything. ...But it is as hard as can be. No one has ever killed Xavier for more than a thousand years."
Illian MacGregor: "But you are not like us. Normal beings. He has no protection against you..."
Edgar Ridge: "He has a field which ensures no superhuman Time Being can kill him. His body feeds off of our magic to negate damage done to him. If he were to slip up and die from one of you, however, he would have no magic to use."
Illian MacGregor: "Then we go back in time and kill his other copies that way and he will finally stay dead. Understand?"
Gibby scratches his head.
Ragnar: *Blank stare.*
Gibby: "So we go in, kill this guy, and we get whatever we want. Right?"
Dragoshi: "So, wait once we kill him at one point in time we just go and kill all his other iterations? Is that the gist of it or am I missing something here?"
Gibby: "Time travel is messy business."
Edgar Ridge: "Yes, we can handle ensuring you reach all the necessary coordinates. After 88 of him have been killed in this fashion, he will lose integrity needed to stay in existence and vanish forever."
Dragoshi: "...Huh. Odd choice of number there, but. Alright, then. 88 dead Xaviers need to be made. Gotcha."
Edgar Ridge: "The scientists tell me that it is something to do with his personality."
Illian MacGregor: "Nothing ever makes sense with him."
Dragoshi: "Not surprising, there..."
Gibby: "Why 88?"
Illian MacGregor: "We don't know. If you could find out, it would be useful."
Edgar Ridge: "It's an estimate based upon the energy observed in his body, but we're not 100% sure. When you hit the magic number he will vanish from everywhere though."
Gibby: "I wonder what Garrick would make of all this..."
Illian MacGregor: "If we can get him back, he might be able to figure more out. But... there's more to this than just that piece of information."
Dragoshi: "Huh... Interesting thing to keep in mind, in any case."
Edgar Ridge: "To do this mission right, everyone must be non-distracted. So we will offer our aid to settling problems that plague you three... with your help that is."
Dragoshi: "And, yes. I doubt just up and killing 88 random Xaviers is going to be all there is to it."
Illian MacGregor: "If you have any missions or wants that need to be solved, state them now so that we can work on dealing with them first. Enemies, issues with your homeworld, etcetera... ...Although obtaining Garrick is on the agenda, it will happen after all our issues are settled out."
Gibby gives Illian a dirty look. "He should be our top priority!"
Ragnar: "Mrow!" *Bounce bounce.*
Dragoshi: "Honestly. I don't even know if I have a 'real' home at this point. And one of the main things I want is Jack's demise, but. I'm sure that'll be somewhere down the line. As for other things... maybe a new name. Maybe. I'm honestly not sure if 'Dragoshi' is a name I should just toss into the past and be done with or not, but. Regardless."
Edgar Ridge: "This 'Garrick' I have heard about. There is more to it than your leader wishes to divulge.' I know independently of him, but because I know it, I also know why he will not go after him immediately. So I have a simple answer."
Gibby looks to Edgar.
Dragoshi: "Do tell."
Gibby: "What possible reason could there be for abandoning a member of the team?"
Edgar Ridge: "This is not the first time Garrick has done it, and not the last, and it is never as bad as it appears. Interpret that as you will, I cannot say any further for fear that it compromises his mission."
Gibby: "Well thanks for the cryptic answer, that REALLY helps."
Illian MacGregor: *Crosses his arms* "I'm not about to say any more, since I'm sure you've already said too much, but since I am in your debt, I shall not raise quarrel over this, Edgar."
Dragoshi: "...I see. Sorta had a feeling, but. Say no more. Say no more." *He smiles a little for a moment before returning to his usual 'neutral' emotion state of sorts.*
Edgar Ridge: "Ask Dragoshi, not me, if you want specifics. Otherwise I would compromise what is going on. As for Dragoshi's name... we here at Solis have a way to change names... but it is not easy. The trial of a thousand daggers, it is called."
Dragoshi: "Not much ever is now, is it?"
Edgar Ridge: "You earn a new name through struggle with your fears and past, and future."
Gibby: "Whatever happened to just legally changing your name?"
Edgar Ridge: "Have you ever noticed a business in your world just changing its name, and it never sticking?"
Gibby thinks about it.
Edgar Ridge: "The way of the Solarions is to give meaning to the change, so that it will not be easily forgotten and the bad, old name sticking."
Dragoshi: "Huh... Problem is, I think my mind's still a bit... fuzzy on what my past exactly entails. Never really was clear about that. It's always been like that, long since I first came into Nintendus."
Gibby: "...guess not."
Dragoshi: "It's a little... unnerving, once I think about it."
Edgar Ridge: "We do not need to know. The Crystals can guess the answer for us."
Dragoshi: "If not outright frustrating as well."
Edgar Ridge: "So. Dragoshi needs a name. Gibby wants to find Garrick. What of you, cat... Ragnar, is it?"
Ragnar: "Meow."
Gibby: "Give the thing some fish and a scratching post and that'll do it."
Edgar Ridge: "The thing? I do not think it is a 'thing', but rather a cat. That is... not entirely a cat. Can it write?"
Metal Man (GM): He would try handing a pen to Ragnar. And some paper.
Gibby observes. It was a good question. Just what was the intelligence of the cat?
Ragnar: *He takes the pen in his mouth, looking up at Edgar.*
Edgar Ridge: "So... can you write what you want most, Ragnar?"
Ragnar: "Mmph." *He starts scribbling on the paper.*
Gibby glances down at the paper.
Ragnar: *Eventually, he finishes up a very crude picture of Garrick's face, with a butterfly on his head.*
Edgar Ridge: "Hm. I'll have to spend some time interpreting this. It seems the most convenient one will be to send Dragoshi with you two to earn him a new name. Then find Garrick. Then... figure out what having a butterfly on his head means. Sound agreeable enough to you three travelers?"
Gibby: "Not the perfect order, but... fine. I accept."
Dragoshi: "Indeed. Though, I wouldn't mind helping them with Garrick first. I can always wait."
Edgar Ridge: "If you understood my riddle, you would know that helping him now would actually harm him and all of us." *He would nod sagely.*
Ragnar paws at Edgar's leg, giving the pen back to him.
Dragoshi: "...I see. Might be best to take things slowly, then, if that's the case. Not too slowly, though."
Gibby: "Just go with it. I don't want to argue for hours about it."
Metal Man (GM): Edgar takes it back, and puts it in his pocket.
Edgar Ridge: "The path of a thousand daggers is... a path through the past, to the present, to the future. It is not a safe or pleasant one. Down that direction lays the path, and the gem that warps you onto it. Once you have returned here, you have completed. Just be aware... some people never return."
Dragoshi: "...Mm. I see. I'll keep that in mind."
Edgar Ridge: "In any case, the path is ahead." *He points to it, then walks off.*
Illian MacGregor: "I'll wait here. You've survived far worse, so I doubt it will be... too big of an issue for you. That and... if I were to come it would become too trivial for it to count."
Dragoshi: "Completely understandable." *He nods as he makes his way down the path.*
Ragnar: *He gives Illian a nuzzle, then heads off bravely down the path.*
Gibby: "Path of a thousand daggers... humph... if anything needs a name change it's that." *He goes down the path.*
Metal Man (GM): brb a moment. Back. You walk to the crystal. It seems unassuming and green. You can just walk into a door and down a dirt path that goes off into mid-air...
Gibby: "Onward, travelers!" *He goes towards the dirt path.*
Dragoshi walks on ahead, going through the dirt path.
Metal Man (GM): You walk... and find yourself on a planet with a purple aura. The skies are purple and the breath you breathe smells awful. Ruins are all over the place... high tech ones. In the distance is a ruined ship of sorts, crashed into a giant rock.
Gibby covers his "nose".
Metal Man (GM): And even further away, a castle. The path leads to them.
Dragoshi: "What a mess..."
Metal Man (GM): You'd see discarded breath masks by some skeletons.
Ragnar: *He curls his tail over his nose, wincing.*
Dragoshi takes a breath mask, looking it over to make sure it works.
Metal Man (GM): It does. They appear to be on corpses of people whose flesh has been... annihilated?
Gibby: "Not exactly 'happy funtime land', now is it?"
Metal Man (GM): brb one moment again
Dragoshi: "In any case, best to put these on. Should make breathing here more... well. Manageable." *He slides it on.*
Ragnar: *He stumbles over, trying to pull one onto his own face.*
Gibby goes over to Ragnar and helps put the breathing mask on him. "Here you go."
Ragnar: -w- *He looks much relieved.*
Metal Man (GM): You see up ahead, the ship. Now you can easily walk, due to the breath masks filtering the air.
Gibby puts on his own mask. "To the ship?"
Dragoshi nods, walking over to the ship, looking it over.
Metal Man (GM): The ship is old and ruined, but not super ruined. You can see a letter on the side... A N L E The other letters are missing. There are multiple gaps too, not just one gap as IRC cannot show multiple spaces well. The ship has a ramp onto it... the lights aboard are flickering eerily.
Dragoshi: "A N L E? ...Ankle? ...Nah. Hmm... Dauntless?" *He hrms to himself as he walks up the ramp.*
Metal Man (GM): Inside the ship is a science lab... two of them.
Ragnar: *Up the ramp he goes, looking around warily.*
Metal Man (GM): The first one has a lab full of garbage. Tin foil balls, books thrown about... And some sort of weird guy just reposing in a chair, sticking a billiard ball to the ceiling.
???: "Who dare enters my inner sanctum! I mean, it's just ridiculous!"
Gibby: "More garbage... I'm starting to think they just wanted us to go cleaning. GAH!" *He instinctively leaps close to Dragoshi's leg.*
???: "Hahahaha! Live in terror, fool!"
Dragoshi: "You don't say."
Metal Man (GM): He stands atop the table.
Glyph?: "I'm Glyph Phoenix, and I know everything about this place!"
Gibby: "...oh... hi."
Dragoshi: "...Seriously. ...oh my god."
Glyph?: "You just stepped into my little world. I'm gonna grind you into tiny bits, then... see if it reacts with oxygen."
Dragoshi: "...This place."
Glyph?: "Yeah. That's the place. The wonderful Ruin Miasma filled place."
Dragoshi actually laughs a little. "Well, I wasn't expecting this planet again. Or you, for that matter."
Gibby: "Erm... what planet is this? And who is that?"
Glyph?: "I've always wanted to see you get really mad, Dragoshi. Maybe now it can finally happen. After all, I got everyone here killed. Just as I wanted. You wouldn't know, Kirby thing. I'm the coolest, myself."
Dragoshi: "Or maybe you'll just be another smear against the floors and walls. Who knows?"
Gibby: "The name's Gibby!"
Dragoshi: "But if I'm on this stupid rock again... then that castle must belong to that one guy. The guy who's name that I don't particularly care enough to remember."
Glyph?: "I'm afraid whoever sent here made a mistake. You're stuck with me. Forever."
Dragoshi: "Honestly, this whole thing is sort of a blur of inanity."
Ragnar: *Hiss.*
Glyph?: "Ya see, the Void made a mistake and made a pocket realm..."
Gibby: "Forever!? That's a long time!"
Glyph?: "And now you're here. In a hole in reality."
Dragoshi: "So... Nothing new."
Glyph?: "My little pocket realm. It's all mine! Which means you will help me save the world... or die. Your choice. You wanna die?"
Dragoshi: "...Ah, yes. That's right. Genetia. And why exactly would I want to help you?"
Glyph?: "Well, you have to. I'm the good guy, after all. Good guys have to work together, because I said so."
Ragnar: *He gives Glyph a disdainful look and starts walking out.*
Glyph?: "To do anything else makes you a mean, evil bad person. Don't walk out on me! I'll kill you! I mean... chastise you!"
Metal Man (GM): His voice changed for a moment there.
Dragoshi: "Oh god, if we're running on that logic, then I really am in the more terrible parts of the past. ...Yeah, I don't have time for this. The cat's got the right idea, anyways"
Glyph?: "Terrible? No, this is the goood part. The only good part. So Dragoshi, you've got to help me. Or else."
Dragoshi shrugs as he follows Ragnar out.
Metal Man (GM): Ragnar would hit a barrier.
Glyph?: "I saaaid... you gotta heeelp me... or else." *He starts to act more menacing.*
Dragoshi: "Or else, what, exactly? You should know that I've dealt with much worse."
Glyph?: "OR ELSE I WILL DRINK YOUR BLOOD AND REPLENISH MY RUIN MIASMA FROM YOUR DESTROYED SOULS!"
Metal Man (GM): His eyes turn blood red and he glows eerily as the entire room starts to rip apart.
Dragoshi"calmly levels Phantom's Machinegun as he spins around to face Glyph.
Metal Man (GM): brb a moment, then BATTEL. Back! Roll Stamina. q(END) Just need Ragnar and we're good to go. Ah, no problem. I'm sort of busy so we can take it slowly anyway. Have to since I'm doing so much at once... Order Glyph (7), Dragoshi (4), Gibby (3), Ragnar (3).
Glyph?: "What kind of heroes question their ally's alignment? Huh? Huh? YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!"
Dragoshi: "And I was the one who was supposed to get mad?"
Metal Man (GM): He then uses the power of the Dark Miasma... to cause a dark Miasma on the battlefield! He makes a pathetic motion. Threatens all.
Dragoshi: "Though I wonder if you're still Glyph anymore, or that... Aaahh... what was that other chump's name? Behemoth? Roc?"
Metal Man (GM): Anyone with 1 AC is hit, otherwise it misses.
Glyph?: "Leviathan is every bit a part of me as Hop. Why don't you get that?"
Ragnar: *He bounces right over it.*
Dragoshi just kinda thinks to himself while the Miasma kinda does nothing whatsoever.
Glyph?: "I'm a multipersonality person. You're going to learn that the hard way."
Dragoshi: "Oh, right. I forgot about that, like much of the aneurysm this world was."
Gibby avoids the miasma as well.
Glyph?: "You guys don't get it. You're uncool! I'm the only one who can help you now. And you refused. My. HELP!"
Gibby: "We don't need it."
Metal Man (GM): Yes, Dragoshi.
Dragoshi: "I'll simply help myself."
Glyph?: "NEVER TELL ME THE FACTS!"
Metal Man (GM): You hit him, 2 over his AC. For which ability? Just the STR damage. Order Glyph (6), Gibby (3), Ragnar (3), Dragoshi (2) (Next round)
Glyph?: "OWOWOWOW! You... you can't hurt me! I'm on your team!"
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 0 over his AC. Also, note any stamina usage, if you used any with that attack.
Ragnar pass turn. He's gaining Stamina.
Glyph?: "You thought you had me beat. Now it's time for DOUBLE RUIN MIASMA!"
Metal Man (GM): Again, threatens all.
Ragnar: *Yeah, no way he's dodging that.*
Metal Man (GM): If hit, 22 damage, and inflicted with -2 to AGI for a round. The AGI does not stack so... Only the first one counts for the status effect. He then points at Dragoshi.
Glyph?: "You dared to ignore me, and not become insanely angry! Then I'll just blow your face off!"
Metal Man (GM): He shoots a huge beam at Dragoshi! 50 damage, pierces 50% DR if hit. Order Ragnar(4), Gibby (3), Dragoshi (2), Glyph (1) (Next Round)
Dragoshi gets blasted by the beam, stumbling back a bit. He's a bit battered, though he's still standing somewhat tall.
Gibby: "This guy's getting real annoying..."
Glyph?: "Annoying? What do you think you are to me? Pleasant?"
Gibby: "I'd rather not know what you're thinking."
Glyph?: "Too late!"
Gibby: "...Ragnar, smash!"
Dragoshi: "Wait for it..."
Ragnar: *He yowls, and what appears to be a very long dog appears over his head, barking furiously at Glyph.*
Ragnar: *Then he gets struck by a bolt of lightning. 12 Electric damage.*
Gibby: "A cat using a dog to attack. Now I've seen everything."
Ragnar: *He hisses, the dog vanishing into a card and shattering.*
Glyph?: "Nice doggie, nice doggie ARGH!"
Metal Man (GM): Order Gibby (3), Dragoshi (2), Glyph (1) (Next Round), Ragnar (0) (Next Round)
Gibby decides to give Glyph a good thrashing with his next attack. He runs over, jump up and slashes up and down with his sword.
Metal Man (GM): Hit. By 1. One sec. He is seriously injured by that, and steps back, astonished.
Glyph?: "How could you do so little damage to me? Normally you'd have crashed a small moon into me by now!"
Gibby: "Keep talking, wise guy. I'll keep on hurting."
Dragoshi doesn't say a word, continuing to open fire on him, attempting to unload more and more gunfire into him, even with his slowed reflexes.
Glyph?: "You'll learn never to mess with a mentally deranged Ruin Miasmer in time. Yeeeees you will! OW!"
Metal Man (GM): *Hit* Order Dragoshi (2), Glyph (1) , Gibby (1) Ragnar (0)
Glyph?: "I've only just warmed up. You're toast, Dragon-yoshi-thing!"
Dragoshi stops for a second, re-focusing his aim for a moment as he just keeps on shooting Glyph over and over again, simply responding to his outdated remark with more gunfire
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 0 over.
Glyph?: "Just for that... EAT ANOTHER LASER!"
Metal Man (GM): He shoots at Dragoshi with another laser! 50 damage, pierces 50% DR if hit. Order Dragoshi (2), Gibby (1) Ragnar (0), Glyph (-3) (Next Round). He falls over, drained of energy. Yes. Before. Costs apply after the attack is done.
Dragoshi quickly rolls away from the beam, quickly jumping back up as he goes to shoot at Glyph some more, his aim a little shaky from that sudden burst of adrenaline on his part.
Metal Man (GM): Also, 1 over his AC of 0. Although a 0 will miss a completely still person. No, that is only if you did it while you had -2. Order Gibby (1) Ragnar (0), Dragoshi (-2) (Next Round), Glyph (-3) (Next Round).
Dragoshi takes a deep breath as he shakily stands, a little bit out of breath.
Metal Man (GM): Glyph is on the floor, mumbling about oranges, gangsters and screwdrivers.
Gibby can see that there's not much fight left in Glyph. He charges and delivers a downward slash on the poor thing.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 3 over.
Ragnar: *Pant, pant... Whatever that summon was, it wore him out. He's resting for this turn.*
Gibby didn't expect to attack so soon, but he makes full use of it with another downward slash.
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 2 over. And brb one moment. Back. You beat up Glyph. He falls back, and shakes his fist at you.
Glyph?: "You... you! YOU! You beat me! And that's... terrible!"
Dragoshi: "It's... refreshing."
Metal Man (GM): He glows red and smashes through the back of the ship.
Glyph?: "It's not over yet... you'll have to catch me if you want to get out of HERE. Hahahahahaaa!" *Flies off.*
Dragoshi rolls his eyes.
Metal Man (GM): You can follow him... or explore the ship.
Gibby: "Jebus... Are we gonna play cat and mouse with this guy?"
Metal Man (GM): Either way, I'm pausing soon due to being busy.
Gibby: "...erm, no offense Ragnar."
Dragoshi: "...I don't really feel like it. May as well see if there's anything of actual use around here before checking out that castle." *He goes to explore the ship.*
Gibby: "Fair enough." *He goes to do the same.*
Ragnar: *He snorts and goes to follow the Kirby around, looking for new objects.*
Metal Man (GM): You go to do so... and we pause.
Metal Man (GM): In the mists of the Path of Daggers Glyph, though heavily wounded, ran off with his evil magical powers. The Protectors are currently looking through this old ship, the Dauntless, for a sort of a clue as to Dragoshi's possible name change. Or perhaps, just wondering about it in general. The first thing you see is the bridge. It has a post-it note that says "BRB - Metal Man." It's dated... about three months past the current time on the ship's computer. Duct tape holds everything together on the bridge.
Gibby: "Boy, duct tape sure is a reliable tool."
Dragoshi: "It really is. Don't remember this place being as much of a wreck as it was, though. Regardless."
Metal Man (GM): The computer boots up, throwing a ton of errors, then shuts down. A room in the back throws a bunch of sparks.
Gibby: "Hmm... any chance of fixing it?"
Dragoshi: "Knowing this trainwreck? I seriously doubt it."
Metal Man (GM): The back room has a drum set in it. The drum set is coated in a thick layer of dust.
Gibby: "Who plays the drums?"
Metal Man (GM): There is also an ancient guitar, but not just any guitar. THE guitar that Scott Fender used. Whatever brand it was. It's jammed into a panel that is malfunctioning. It has Glyph's stubby fingerprints on it.
Dragoshi: "...Oh god."
Metal Man (GM): Ah, yes... Scott Gibson. Sheesh, I'm getting old.
Dragoshi: "Also, don't take the drums. I swear, those things are cursed."
Gibby: "Cursed?"
Metal Man (GM): The drums glow evilly. They sure are!
Gibby: o_O; "Oooh... cursed... got it."
Metal Man (GM): Luckily... as long as no one touches them, they seem fine.
Dragoshi: "See?!. Yeah. Just... don't touch those and we should be good."
Metal Man (GM): They seem to eat into the floor a bit... they're just caustic and disintegrate things. You hear the wind whistling in your ears, and you eventually yank out the guitar. Bogus... someone broke the pickups... It's gonna take some repair to make it work. Meanwhile... you hear a voice on the wind.
Dragoshi: "Eesh. Bit of a mess, but certainly could be fixed u... p."
???: "Help... mee..."
Metal Man (GM): It's down the path, in the distance.
Gibby: "Who said that?"
???: "Aaaaaahhhhhhh..." *It continues, in the distance.*
Gibby: "Now wait a minute... what if it's a trap?"
Metal Man (GM): You walk out of the ruined ship, and through the Genetian wastelands... you see up ahead, a crystal. Someone stuck inside a crystal, stuck in the ground. Surrounded by it... are Dans. The people with the spinning cheese danishes for eyes, and 10 foot long tongues. They are pointing and laughing at someone inside the crystal.
Dragoshi: "...Dans. It had to be Dans."
Gibby: "Wanna fill me in?"
???: "No... no... I am the chosen one... none of you understand... SHOE! SHOE!"
Metal Man (GM): The freakish abominations, all 4 of them, stand there, ignoring out and laughing at the being in the crystal.
Dragoshi: "...Dans are crazy X-Zone inhabitants with danishes for eyes and long 'ol tongues."
Metal Man (GM): You can almost see them absorbing life force from the crystal... then they shoot weird eyelasers back into it.
Gibby: "I see... how do you want to go about this?"
???: "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!! No... no... you have to stop doing this!"
Dragoshi: "...I almost want to not help, but. Let's just get this over with quickly. Because I'm pretty sure it's Aetos, judging by the shouts of 'Shoe!' and I'm not exactly eager about that, but."
Metal Man (GM): The Dans turn around, hearing the sword. They back up and make a line... DAN BATTLE *Dan's theme from SFIV plays FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON.*
Dragoshi: "And already, the awfulness begins."
Metal Man (GM): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk1kWd59W68 (Street Fighter 4 Dan Soundtrack) Roll END for endurance. Er, Stamina. Dragoshi (5), Gibby(4), 4 Dans (1)
Dan: "Llllagh... you shouldn't be taking our AETOS! E's ours right and circle!"
Gibby: "Guess you were right."
Dragoshi: "...I hate it when I'm right sometimes."
Aetos?: "Guys! Guys! I'm sorry for when I sold you out to The Void! Just kill them all and let me free and let me out of this world so I can join the Questers again okay? I've been here for over 20 years and I'm getting really tired of them eating and exhaling my soul! It's like being dunked in the carpet at Chuck-e-cheese's and it's really annoying! Ahhhhhhhh!!!!"
Dan: "E're doink you guys a favor. You need not sample our delicious eyes."
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 2 over.
Dragoshi: "...Actually, yeah. Wait. Wait. You kind of are. Why am I even fighting you guys again? It's not like I have to."
Dan: "Oigh!"
Dragoshi: "Stupid me."
Aetos?: "What! You HAVE TO kill them! I gotta go free!"
Dragoshi: "Besides, Aetos has been more harm than help."
Gibby: "Erm... we're kinda already in deep, aren't we?"
Metal Man (GM): The Dans would have died, had you hit them once more, but they stand now, still alive... somewhat.
Dan: "No roblem! Jus' leave and we can heal! This guy's soul is tayztee!"
Dragoshi: "...Well, fair enough. Sorry about that. Have fun with your toy idiot."
Aetos?: "No. NO! You don't know what amazing plans I have! The Void was wrong! I am useful!"
Gibby: "That's a bit harsh, isn't it?"
Dragoshi: "Say, find anything else interesting aside from 'im, or?"
Metal Man (GM): He bangs on the glass, hyperventilating.
Dan: "Well... there'z somebody else you know over dere." *His tongue points to over a hill.* "We jus' keep dis freak in chek."
Aetos?: "I'll get you... with the One Winged Angel... you freaks!"
Metal Man (GM): He takes out the keyblade, revealing he's still darkly corrupted.
Dragoshi: "Mm. Well, good luck with that. You're doing the world a favor. ...Definitely doing the world a favor."
Aetos?: "Ah hah hah hah hah! I AM A WARRIOR!"
Gibby: "...nevermind."
Metal Man (GM): He hits the crystal wall, then hits himself in the face.
Aetos?: "DARN!"
Dragoshi: "C'mon, Gibby. Let's scout out that hill."
Gibby: "Right..."
Dan: "Have a nice rip, guyz. We gots ta heal now."
Metal Man (GM): They start draining Aetos, who looks increasingly desperate. You walk over to the hill. Aetos continues to look wrathful, but then he sighs as you leave his place.
Aetos?: "Why can't anyone realize how useful I am? Darn it!"
Metal Man (GM): You walk to the next hill. Here... it suddenly changes. You're on a green hill, complete with a crashed Wing Fortress. The area has become infected with a black mist. The Wing Fortress pulses, with it being at the center of it.
Dragoshi: "...I do not like the look of that at all."
Gibby: "Mother always said never travel into black mist."
Metal Man (GM): The path, which appears to be made of small points, goes straight through it... The path moves through a field of... strange, destroyed things. At the head of the path you see destroyed Dr. Wily saucer and move necklaces. Then you see Smithy's head on the ground, switched to "off" Then ahead of it is Ivan Robotnik's building, smashed into the ground.
Gibby: "This place gets weirder and weirder."
Metal Man (GM): Then pieces of glass thrown about in a circle... Kales' staff stabbed into the ground, broken...
Dragoshi: "...Wow. It's like some sort of path of Quester antagonist remnants"
Metal Man (GM): Kuja's thrown tossed upside down... Dr. Robotnik's jetpack, busted... an AI console in pieces and its satellite thrown about... A Kuja ship smashed into the ground... ...and Glyph!
Dragoshi: "The AI console is prolly' Trevor, and... oh god dammit."
Glyph?: "Nyah nyah! You can't catch me, wannabe Questers!"
Gibby: "We'll see about that!"
Glyph?: "I'm the REAL hero here, and you WILL learn to tolerate me, or my name isn't Hop Leviathan Glyph Phoenix!"
Metal Man (GM): Medium. He's long range... He pumps his fist, then runs ahead, nearly tripping over what is ahead... a dark book that's ripped in two. Then a second, much larger book.
Glyph?: "Ow! OW! Who left these trash papers here!"
Gibby: "Woah, wait up!"
Metal Man (GM): You nearly get to him, but he then finds none other than the ruins of Ivan Robotnik in his way. The Ivan Robotnik ghost... STANDS UP.
Ivan Robotnik?: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Dragoshi: "...This isn't good."
Gibby: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Glyph?: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Ivan Robotnik?: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Gibby: "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): Glyph decides to run towards you. Ivan Robotnik chases him.
Ivan Robotnik?: "I WILL SAVE THE WORLD BY KILLING YOUR A$#! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): You trip Glyph. Ivan Robotnik's vengeful ghost takes out some weird blue gun and shoots Glyph repeatedly. It makes loud laser noises as it sets Glyph on fire... BLUE fire.
Glyph?: "I don't know who you are, BUT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY EVIL ONE HERE!" *Shoots beam.*
Metal Man (GM): He misses, and Ivan Robotnik laughs at him, as you two escape.
Ivan Robotnik?: "You haven't seen @#$%, you noob! I've seen my work undone by time traveling demons, rube! I'll shoot you so much the GROUND will be GOO!"
Metal Man (GM): Glyph sidesteps and then fires another beam at him.
Glyph?: "You're getting on my nerves! I'm supposed to be the most annoying one here!"
Metal Man (GM): You notice the way in is clear. Those two are just too busy shooting one another to notice you at all.
Gibby: "As fun as watching this might be, I'd like to leave now."
Metal Man (GM): It's unlikely to end any time soon. And it's quite clear that Ivan Robotnik just hit SSJ 5 levels of insanity, as he's beginning to rap about how Glyph couldn't tie his shoes without having an argument inside his head. You walk inside, the door closing as he tries to figure out how to rhyme "Ruin Miasma" with something as Glyph yells at him for letting you get away.
Dragoshi: "I'm thankful that worked out for us pretty well..."
Gibby: "I'm thankful we're not part of that mess."
Dragoshi: "Agreed."
Metal Man (GM): The fortress has been twisted into a bunch of nasty looking angles.
Dragoshi: "Eesh... Talk about a mess."
Metal Man (GM): Stained glass windows of past Questers being violent is displayed everywhere. Julian punching people, past Dragoshi shooting and cursing... Xavier being a maniac running people over... Digi blowing up a casino... The Alsa Questers blowing up several things... too many to count...
Dragoshi: "Those were some really messed up days."
Gibby: "Looking back... you guys were pretty violent."
Dragoshi: "You have no idea, Gibby. You have no idea."
Metal Man (GM): At the end of the room sits one man... Metal Man... but not Metal Man. He glows with dark energy, and sits there, stroking his chin.
Dark Metal Man: "So... you figured you would come for a visit to the psychiatrist, do you?"
Dragoshi: "I... suppose so, yes."
Dark Metal Man: "Perhaps see if you couldn't let go of this... baggage?"
Metal Man (GM): He would illogically float off the ground, laughing.
Dragoshi: "Perhaps."
Gibby: "Metal man?"
Dark Metal Man: "The answer is far simpler than you think it is... but you have to trade with me, if you want to escape this world. They call me... DARK METAL MAN..."
Dragoshi: "A trade of what sort?"
Gibby: "Oh... cause of the dark stuff... got 'cha."
Dark Metal Man: "Let's first start off... by dealing with unfinished business."
Dragoshi: "Such as?"
Metal Man (GM): He opens a portal. Out of it comes... the weird beings known as the Shadar. As well as the liche helldusk scroll.
Dragoshi: "...Oh. That old thing."
Dark Metal Man: "Yes. Luckily for you... they were all my idea."
Dragoshi: "So you're pretty much the Shadar overlord of sorts."
Dark Metal Man: "They would ask for your soul... but you know what... I don't WANT your soul!"
Dragoshi: "Fun."
Metal Man (GM): He would hold out a hand and shatter them all into dust.
Dragoshi: "What do you want, then?"
Dark Metal Man: "Death. Killing. Destruction!"
Gibby: "Like in those pictures."
Dark Metal Man: "Someone must SUFFER to repay the vast debt you have given to me!"
Dragoshi: "So, chaos of the old days."
Dark Metal Man: "Yes... yes... yes!" *He laughs.* "But MORE! More than those! Those were weak, chaotic actions! They were not intentionally evil! They were stupid! That's no good at all!"
Gibby: "I don't supposed you'd like to try some life, peace, and rainbows?"
Metal Man (GM): He laughs so loud they shatter, raining glass on you annoyingly but harmlessly.
Dark Metal Man: "No! I want PEOPLE TO DIE!"
Gibby: "...with laughter?"
Dark Metal Man: "..." *He smirks.* "You're even more twisted than I am, sometimes! Yes... kill people. But... not just any people, you see... I do not care about Illian, he is not a direct obstacle... nor do I want Nintendus... ...Alsa is so evil I fear they would kill me if I tried..."
Dragoshi: "Yeah, Alsa is... a work in progress, honestly."
Dark Metal Man: "Wolfman is dead already, DENYING me my vengeance... Hmmm."
Dragoshi: "Honestly, Jack's head on a pike is kinda my 'impossible goal' of sorts, but. Backburner, etc."
Dark Metal Man: "Yes... that's it. You must destroy... Flaeyn!"
Dragoshi: "...That angel who only appeared like 3 times and was kinda dumb as hell?"
Dark Metal Man: "..." *He puts a hand to his chin.* "Well, the problem is, those chaotic people sort of KILLED everyone else..."
Dragoshi: "...Yeah, you do bring up a point, there."
Dark Metal Man: "I mean, how are you supposed to destroy Toad Town when you already ERASED IT FROM EXISTENCE?"
Dragoshi: "Toad Town's kind of really overdone, anyways."
Dark Metal Man: "What terror can exist if Kuja has already been killed? And who cares if you were to kill Marley? No one!"
Dragoshi: "To death, undeath, re-redeath and back, and so on."
Dark Metal Man: "Yes... this is what I see. Why we've both been stuck this way!"
Dragoshi: "Oh?"
Dark Metal Man: "Your name, stuck in time... my goals, forever forgotten. There is no good to extinguish, only neutrality, chaos, and evil! You must go... to a DIFFERENT realm..."
Gibby: "Here we go again."
Dark Metal Man: "And avenge the wrath of my realm-brother!"
Dragoshi: "What."
Dark Metal Man: "You must KILL SAM MCGILLICUDY. AHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!"
Dragoshi: "Honestly, I'd just be fine with getting rid of Flaey... n."
Metal Man (GM): Actually, conveniently, an image of the hallucination pops up to remind you.
Gibby: "What the heck's he talking about?"
Dragoshi: "...The guy from that hallucination a couple years back."
Dark Metal Man: "This path is in your subconscious! So even he can know now!"
Dragoshi: "I don't even want to know. All I remember is that his cigarettes are deadly. Stupidly deadly. For literally no reason."
Gibby: "Smoking's bad for you."
Dark Metal Man: "KILL him... and then you shall know your name! And I... can be satisfied that someone 'good' died for daring to cross... my brother from another dimension!"
Dragoshi: "...'Good'? I take it he wasn't even a 'real' good guy in any case."
Dark Metal Man: "...I have to stretch things because even that world is too messed up for normal good to exist in it."
Dragoshi: "...Fair enough. I'm guessing I'm doing that world a favor."
Dark Metal Man: "...Besides, this is your path! This isn't entirely real! Only enough to permanently scar your bodies and minds! Bwa ha ha ha haaaa!"
Gibby: "Oh that's nice..."
Dragoshi: "Yeah, just a tad..."
Metal Man (GM): He fades out, revealing a weird door. It looks... digital. Aand also one more small brb. Back. The digital wall has... nine tiles on it, which are glowing. They're green, but you can touch them.
Gibby: "Remember what you said about the drums? I think we should follow the same advice here."
Metal Man (GM): They are digital and form a wall. They all have lines leading to a small panel sitting to the right of them.
Dragoshi: "I think it's more our way to our target than anything else."
Metal Man (GM): It's a series of numbers, but the numbers keep changing places. Each number is tied to a line that leads to a panel. They rotate around in a circle, sharing the 9 spots they can move about without crossing another.
Gibby: "Where's the instruction manual?"
Dragoshi: "Good question."
Metal Man (GM): Each number can be pushed, if you dare.
Gibby: "Push the number 4."
Metal Man (GM): You push... 6. It stops in place for a moment. Then it starts moving again.
Dragoshi: "4 is never a good number."
Gibby: "It's my favorite number, jerk!"
Dragoshi: "...actually considering we're no longer on Genetia, I guess it really isn't 'cursed' so."
Metal Man (GM): After you push the first and second, the other buttons stop in place, rearranging to not cross eachother over. The moment they were crossing over, you hear a buzz.
Gibby: "Is it done?"
Dragoshi: "I... don't know."
Metal Man (GM): Then they slowly start spinning again. Seems you missed something.
Gibby: "This is annoying. I'LL handle this."
Metal Man (GM): Or maybe almost had it but didn't. The buttons all lock up and tangle. The firewall beeps loudly and dies. The way ahead is clear.
Dragoshi: "Button apocalypse. Good show."
Gibby: "There. All better."
Metal Man (GM): You start... flying. Towards a white dot on the horizon.
Gibby: "WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!"
Metal Man (GM): It starts coming up really, really fast. *SMASH* You hit something glass, then fly out onto the ground... inside a store. A... store full of small computer chip things... "Higsby's shop" It's empty and dark.
Gibby: "Ow... ow... ow..."
Metal Man (GM): You notice you entered by flying through a computer monitor.
Dragoshi: "...Well, this is going to be fantastic."
Metal Man (GM): The wrecked shreds of it are behind you. The portal back remains in the hole in the center of it, dimly.
Gibby: "So now where did we end up?"
Dragoshi: "Some sort of store."
Metal Man (GM): The doors out are barred, and signs not facing you are on the inside of the doors. Of course you can't read them with their backs facing you.
Gibby: "WELL, I dunno about you, but I'd sure like to get out of the dark creepy store."
Metal Man (GM): Nope. You can smash right through them. *SMASH* You walk on out. It's night time. The streets have their lights on. A man is watching you. Watching... watching... He's smoking.
Gibby: "Is that him?"
Metal Man (GM): He looks at you, and begins slowly walking towards you. He slowly stops, smoking. HE wears HIS trenchcoat, as HE stares at YOU.
Sam McGillicudy: "So... you're the people I saw in my dream."
Gibby: "We... are?"
Dragoshi: "...And you're that guy from the hallucination from a couple years back. What about it?"
Sam McGillicudy: "I never thought I'd actually see you. Whoever you are. Those people Kain kept talking about... when he ruled the world."
Metal Man (GM): He puffs the cigarette.
Dragoshi: "I see. What exactly did he say?"
Sam McGillicudy: "When he nuked my house... and destroyed the Officials of my era... and killed Link Dark... He told me something special was going to happen to me."
Metal Man (GM): He coughs a bit.
Gibby: "Erm, yeah... special."
Dragoshi: "Special. Right."
Sam McGillicudy: "I survived his nukes... I survived a lot. But then I saw you... in my dreams... and I knew. I knew you would be the ones."
Dragoshi: "The ones to end it all?"
Sam McGillicudy: "You think you can end me?"
Gibby: "We don't really have a choice."
Sam McGillicudy: "I didn't think you did."
Dragoshi: "Yeah. Not much we can do, considering our circumstances."
Sam McGillicudy: "You don't know who I am... and I know who you are... But I think I know how to deal with you."
Dragoshi: "How, exactly?"
Sam McGillicudy: "When the trash gets too smelly... you take it out. And I'm very good at doing just that."
Gibby: "Oh, I get it. We're the trash. Clever..."
Sam McGillicudy: "Of course... you must be Kain's friends... How could you be anything else?"
Metal Man (GM): He then takes out a small computer.
Dragoshi: "Never really heard of 'im until now."
Sam McGillicudy: "I know you're hiding that from me... But I'm not going to let that stop me."
Metal Man (GM): He makes an over-dramatic gesture with the PET.
Sam McGillicudy: "Jack in... Omega.EXE, Perfect Synchro."
Metal Man (GM): Roll it.
Gibby: "Omega?"
Metal Man (GM): You shoot at him. He uses Revenge to counter-attack... by completing his action, at some cost to his stamina. He is then overlaid with what is clearly Zero... or at least, his evil doppelganger.
Sam McGillicudy: "It's not going to be that easy... even if you fight dirty like Kain..."
Gibby: "We don't know anyone named Kain!"
Metal Man (GM): ««««« WARNING »»»»» ««««« WARNING »»»»» ««««« WARNING »»»»»
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
360 HP. Energy at 100%.
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] 50%
Emo: Normal
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "You aren't going to beat me so easily..."
Metal Man (GM): Roll END.
Sam McGillicudy: "I've survived nuclear explosions... this won't be anything compared to that..."
Dragoshi: "I've been hit with an entire spaceship"
Metal Man (GM): Order: Sam (6), Gibby (5), Dragoshi (3).
Gibby: "Isn't the point to AVOID getting hit?"
Dragoshi: "Twice. And then there's the one time with a gunship."
Sam McGillicudy: "Avoid being hit... nah... I can just survive whatever is thrown at me..."
Metal Man (GM): Yes. He generally deals with things by... letting them hit him in the face. He jacks in a battle chip...
Sam McGillicudy: "Sonicboom!"
Metal Man (GM): He shoots a wave of energy at both of you. If hit, 30 damage. It hits.
Sam McGillicudy: "You won't defeat me... I've seen the world destroyed... you're just brats trying to avenge your leader..."
Gibby: "Not bad... now my turn."
Metal Man (GM): He stands there. You hit him. 1 over. Omega.EXE took 19 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
341 HP. Energy at 94.722222%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] 50%
Emo: Normal
SC : None
Hm... that's wrong, but it recorded it properly...
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||] 341 HP. Energy at 94.722222%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] 50%
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
There we go.
Yes, Dragoshi.
Sam McGillicudy: "Is that all you've got? ...You heal just like he does..."
Dragoshi: "There. Much better. No need to give you an easy win."
Sam McGillicudy: "I don't mind... I don't like easy wins either... OMEGA SWORD!"
Metal Man (GM): He runs at Dragoshi and tries to stab him a Zero-esque sword attack. Hit. Omega.EXE took 23 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
318 HP. Energy at 88.333333%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "You really need to get a life..."
Metal Man (GM): You determine some sort of projectors are the actual source of his weird powers. There's too many to remove entirely, but if you attack the generators instead of him it should do double damage. But you only get 4 to play with that aren't out of reach and they seem likely to break from one hit. Each, that is.
Gibby: "Drag. Shoot at those generators around him."
Metal Man (GM): (-1 Stamina)
Sam McGillicudy: "You think you've got me figured out, don't you..."
Metal Man (GM): He fires his blaster at Gibby's face. 60 damage if hit. 3. (1 stamina) Hit! 3 over... double damage!
Sam McGillicudy: "Dirty... trickster... you think you're Kain, don't you..."
Metal Man (GM): Omega.EXE took 58 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
260 HP. Energy at 72.222222%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
(0 Stamina)
Gibby: "HA! How'd you like that?"
Metal Man (GM): Hm... I knew I forgot something... (1 Stamina) Note to self: Hack Gm_link's script to track these things for me. Maybe glue on my old turn order script, thus creating a frightening abomination. Hit! 3 over. Yeah. ...I need to boost that... Before. Omega.EXE took 104 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
156 HP. Energy at 43.333333%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "Guh... you think you're better than me, don't you..."
Gibby: "Well we seem to be proving it so far."
Dragoshi: "You have no idea what I've gone through. Nor what mockery of form I was forced to deal with."
Sam McGillicudy: "I'm nobody's fool..."
Dragoshi: "Neither am I. Not anymore."
Sam McGillicudy: "You won't defeat me... Kain failed, Aetos failed, Gujin failed... Kei Yukei failed..."
Dragoshi: "...Your realm had an Aetos as well? ...My condolences."
Sam McGillicudy: "Annoying bird navi? Eagleman... How I tired of him..."
Dragoshi: "Annoying keyblade-using wind elemental more like."
Sam McGillicudy: "...Similar enough. At least you don't like him... too bad I have to delete you..."
Dragoshi: "More trouble than he was worth, that's for sure."
Metal Man (GM): He then powers up, and slots in three completely nonsensical battle chips.
Gibby: "What is he up to..."
Sam McGillicudy: "Program Advance, Giant Exploding Unexplained Sword Attack."
Gibby: "...say wha?"
Metal Man (GM): A gigantic sword stabs at everyone. How he got that from a Metal Body, Sanctuary and Woodman set is beyond me.
Gibby: "GAHH!!!"
Metal Man (GM): Threatens both of you, 50 damage + 10 more for every 2 over your AC.
Dragoshi: "Nngh!"
Metal Man (GM): He's also moved down to 1 stamina by it.
Sam McGillicudy: "There... don't think I'm going down like a normal virus... I'm far tougher."
Dragoshi: "I've slain reality-eating abominations. What's your point?"
Sam McGillicudy: "...You've met MetalMan.EXE's crazy friend haven't you..."
Gibby: "Ow... ow... ow..."
Sam McGillicudy: "Dark SunMan.EXE... couldn't kill him... ...But I will defeat you anyway..."
Dragoshi: "...You've seen The Void as well?"
Sam McGillicudy: "Big... floating gas thing... it destroyed the internet once."
Dragoshi: "Hm. Maybe I haven't given you enough credit if you've survived an encounter with him. Regardless."
Sam McGillicudy: "But the Officials took care of it. Just like I'm going to take care of you..."
Metal Man (GM): Sam fires at Dragoshi with Omega Buster again. 60 damage if hit. Well, when hit I should say. :p (3 Stamina) Hit. 3 over. Omega.EXE took 56 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
100 HP. Energy at 27.777778%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "You... don't give up, do you..."
Gibby: "Nor do you... ow..."
Metal Man (GM): (1 init)
Sam McGillicudy: "Touche..."
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 3 over. Omega.EXE took 98 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
2 HP. Energy at 0.555556%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Gibby: "Give up?"
Sam McGillicudy: "You think you've got me... don't you..."
Gibby: "I... really hope so..."
Sam McGillicudy: "Memory customization program, HP +, slot in!"
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
102 HP. Energy at 22.173913%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "That's right... you can't beat me just like that... now chew on some Omega sword..."
Metal Man (GM): He goes to stab Gibby with the Omega blade. 60 damage if hit. (3 stamina)
Gibby: "Phew... too close to call."
Sam McGillicudy: "Heh... you'll learn not to mess with me..."
Metal Man (GM): Righty-a. (1 stamina) SO going to make a script for this some time. I can already see it, setting in the variables and then simply running them all at once. Little did GM_Link know that his script would live on... even if his RPG died! Though it was made by Spyke anyway... Hit, 7 over! Omega.EXE took 56 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
46 HP. Energy at 10%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "Heh... you just don't get it..."
Gibby: "Try to finish him off if you can."
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 4 over.
Dragoshi: "I get... that this conversation is over.."
Metal Man (GM): He holds up his blade to shield himself, blocking 36 damage... Omega.EXE took 13 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
33 HP. Energy at 7.173913%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Sam McGillicudy: "It's only over... when I say it is..."
Metal Man (GM): Hm... he's at -1, so actually... (1 init)
Sam McGillicudy: *On his knee, gasping for breath and coughing.*
Metal Man (GM): Hit, 2 over. And as he is in negative he cannot pile on yet more defenses. Omega.EXE took 29 damage
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [||||||||||||||||||||]
4 HP. Energy at 0.869565%
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
Gibby: "He's... about... done..."
Dragoshi: "Almost."
Sam McGillicudy: "You first..."
Metal Man (GM): He goes to stab Gibby back!
Gibby: "Nope!"
Sam McGillicudy: "Damn... that wasn't supposed to fail..."
Gibby: "At least this won't."
Metal Man (GM): Hit. Omega.EXE has been deleted
Omega.EXE's status:
HP : [DELETED]
4
SL : [||||||||||||||||||||] FULL SYNCHRO
Emo: Full Synchro
SC : None
His navi vanishes from him.
Dragoshi: "Are... Are you quite done?"
Metal Man (GM): He stands there, no longer on one knee, as his navi's fatigue no longer is effecting him.
Sam McGillicudy: "You deleted my Navi... but you'd be a fool to think that would kill me... I'm not going to hang around to find out what happens to people who try to fight using real weapons..."
Metal Man (GM): He would begin backing away, before beginning to cough even more.
Sam McGillicudy: "Gh... radiation... lung cancer... don't stop me now..."
Metal Man (GM): He falls to his knees again, this time for real.
Dragoshi: "Looks like you can't run from fate either, huh?"
Sam McGillicudy: "No... Kain... his radiation..."
Dragoshi: "...Let me tell ya something. I was once a part of a group of people."
Metal Man (GM): He falls over, twitching.
Sam McGillicudy: "Must... not... die... from... Kain's nuke..."
Metal Man (GM): He coughs some more and begins fumbling for his pockets. He drops some weird tablets on the ground. Hmmm...
Dragoshi: "A group of people who did many chaotic things, all in the name of some sort of supposed 'good'. Yet nothing could stop us, and we kept winning, and winning, and winning... and no I'm not even giving you the chance."
Metal Man (GM): They look like Mentos... except they're named "Cheatos"
Sam McGillicudy: "You don't know what you're doing... Kain... they're all going to... the Officials..."
Metal Man (GM): He then passes out for the final time and goes silent. Dropping his broken PET to the ground with him.
Gibby: "Did... did we get him?"
Dragoshi: "...The point was that after a while, something's gotta break. And this is that point where it breaks."
Metal Man (GM): A nearby Mailbox randomly stands off and pulls off its cover...
Chaud: "Gah! They got Sam!"
Gibby: "GAH! WHO ARE YOU?!"
Dragoshi: "Where did you come from!?"
Chaud: "I'm Chaud, the head of the Officials. Well. Ex-officials, Kain killed us. Or so he thought!"
Dragoshi: "Oh boy."
Chaud: "But now that Sam is dead... we need a new enforcer. I saw this coming... Sam sort of lost his mind after the nuke incident... he didn't defeat people like he used to... I'm happy you killed him, because now we can take over the world properly. Join me, and I can give you your own supply of Cheatos. You can be invincible!"
Metal Man (GM): Meanwhile, the portal back lingers in the distance.
Dragoshi: "...Tch."
Chaud: "It's a one time offer though."
Dragoshi: "We're done here."
Gibby: "Invincible, you say?"
Dragoshi: "I have no interest in false power."
Chaud: "But... but... I'll throw in your own Navis and complete immortality!"
Dragoshi: "Gibby, let us leave. We've done our part."
Chaud: "Whatever you want, it's yours. Sam wanted to close down Higsby's shop, so it was done!"
Gibby: "Fine, fine. Just ONCE I'd like to get immortality without there being a silly catch."
Dragoshi: "Though, I do believe I'll be taking a souvenir before I go."
Chaud: "There is no catch... until you came here, Sam was pretty much unstoppable! ...He just got a bit odd in the head and forgot to take his cheatos."
Gibby: "Knowing me, I'd forget too... and then I'd end up like him. Thanks, but no thanks."
Chaud: "But you won't make that mistake, I can tell. You're smarter than he was! ...Well, okay then..."
Dragoshi: "...Eh. Do you at least have some money to spare?"
Chaud: "Money? Look through his pockets, I'm sure he has a small fortune."
Dragoshi: "Alright, then. Thank you."
Metal Man (GM): 10,000 zenny!
Gibby: "When we mention this in the archives, let's... omit this part."
Metal Man (GM): Whatever the heck that is worth in coins, you don't know, but it's yours!
Chaud: "I guess this is the end... Kain stepped down and a democratically elected president replaced him... Sam is now dead... Lan quit netbattling and became a gas station attendant..."
Gibby: "Speaking of the end, let's get out of here."
Dragoshi: "Let's."
Chaud: "And nobody ever found Dr. Wily's corpse due to Kain irradiating it beyond that which living beings OR navis could take..."
Dragoshi: "It's been a long, long day."
Gibby: "I REALLY hope you like your new name."
Chaud: "...Good thing they never found out I was masquerading as a mailbox all this time!"
Gibby: "Cause I'm not doing this again."
Metal Man (GM): He walks off quietly.
Dragoshi: "Yeah, that makes two of us."
Metal Man (GM): You can return. Or follow Chaud if you suddenly change your mind. And decide you want to become THESQUARE OFFICIAL OF DOOM. You warp back. You see Dark Metal Man laughing maniacally.
Dark Metal Man: "Yes, yes! THAT will make up for you not dealing with my fake representatives properly!"
Gibby: "Fantastic."
Dragoshi: "Alright, then."
Dark Metal Man: "Now we just need to get you out of here so the next poor fool can come and be attacked by their past... Hm... but what title to bestow upon you?"
Gibby: "How about Gobbu?"
Dark Metal Man: "For you see, the meaning of the path of daggers is not to tell you what to believe, but to reveal what you already knew all along! I must make sure the name will stick... the name you have earned, but which also befits what you want to be called..."
Dragoshi: "Understandable."
Dark Metal Man: "The portals of naming shall help decide... as primitive as they are, I cannot simply randomly throw a name and pretend it is perfect without some input!"
Metal Man (GM): Four portals appear in front of Dragoshi. Above each is a word... Blettner... Dysteroth... Vance... ... Sam???
Gibby: "Vance! Do that one!"
Dragoshi: "...I'm not even picking that last one."
Dark Metal Man: "Choose one. If you do not want it, but want a name like it, merely continue down the path most like the name you want!"
Gibby: "I could come up with so many rhymes for it."
Metal Man (GM): The Sam path is odd... Just pointing the PET in the direction of it starts to fix it. The Dysteroth and Vance paths conitune on a ways; you can pick either to get closer to names like those.
Gibby: "Dance... lance... pants... trance... Romance!"
Metal Man (GM): You reach the end of it. You can accept it... or see what three other variations on it look like, with the first one remaining pickable as well. Vyce, Valron, Vandel, and of course, Vance.
Gibby: "STANCE!"
Dark Metal Man: "Stance? What is named Stance?"
Metal Man (GM): a 5th option named "Stance" appears for no reason.
Dragoshi: "I think he's just saying words that rhyme with 'Vance'"
Gibby: "I am. Awww... spoil sport."
Metal Man (GM): You're at Valron. You can keep it, or check three more varieties.
Dragoshi: "I could've picked Vandel and see if you could figure out what rhymed with it aside from 'candle' and 'sandal'"
Gibby: "Handle!"
Dragoshi: "But I didn't. Because that would be stupid. And petty. Also, that works. As a rhyme, I mean."
Gibby: "Pick a name and I'll make it rhyme somehow."
Metal Man (GM): Valton, Valice, Vallon, and of course, Valron.
Dragoshi: "...I do believe I'll be sticking with Valron."
Metal Man (GM): The name flies into Dragoshi, and suddenly both Gibby and Dragoshi fly backwards out of the door.
Gibby: "WAAAAAAH!"
Metal Man (GM): And are back in the Solarion room with what's his face and Illian. Although for name convenience I'm saying what's his face left in the interim.
Illian MacGregor: "So... how did it go?"
Gibby: "Much... pain... and owie..."
Valron: "It was... an experience to say the least."
Illian MacGregor: "So... what shall I call you now?"
Valron: "In any case, Dragoshi is dead and buried. I am now Valron."
Illian MacGregor: "Very well, Valron. The Solarion Path of Daggers is complete. Your issue has been resolved, leaving me with the next issue... I believe it was Gibby's. Finding Garrick, am I right?"
Gibby: "If we had to do all that for a name change, I'd hate to see what we have to do to obtain our birth certificates."
Valron: "That is our next issue, yes."
Gibby: "And yes, now we can FINALLY find Garrick."
Illian MacGregor: "The Solarion birth certificate system is known as the Line of Wailing."
Gibby: "FORGET I ASKED!"
Valron: *Just checks to see if the stuff he took is still there. Best to make sure.*
Illian MacGregor: "...Some day I will also tell you of the Solarion Trail of Madness. That's how you get an educational degree."
Metal Man (GM): It's all there. All of it.
Gibby: "For once it pays to be stupid."
Illian MacGregor: "Now... let us go back to the ship, and plot... just where we think Garrick might be... it might take a while."
Metal Man (GM): He goes to walk back, seemingly not bothered by that prospect.
Valron: "Indeed. And I need to see about maybe making this-" *He pulls out Scott's guitar.* "Usable again. And checking to see if that money I found elsewhere is worth anything..." *He says, following Illian along.*
Illian MacGregor: "I shall see... I think, perhaps, we may want to have Garrick work on it... I don't have the best ear for music. It would work... but I fear I might destroy its spirit. I'll check the exchange rates for that money... whatever it is."
Gibby: "Hopefully the exchange rates are good."
Illian MacGregor: "I'll find the best I can find..."
Metal Man (GM): +1000 EXP
Metal Man (GM): TODAY! METAL MAN... DOES GMING FOR A DICE RP! GASP! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! AHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHH((( ((( AHHHHHHHHHH ))) ) )) AHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHHAHHHHHHHHHH Erhem... cough... choke... .blarghl... ANYWAY... The last time I did this, the group of Illian's went to the homeworld of Illian--where the Solarions lived. There, they helped give Dragoshi a new name. Thus solving his personal issue that might distract him from the main mission. The next... was Gibby's. Finding Garrick, to be precise. It has been weeks... months... days. Illian has flown all over the place, becoming even haggard in his search, despite being more machine than man. Eventually he calls a meeting, now having his "Protectors" all in one room for the same time since... that time on the homeworld.
Ragnar: *He comes in behind Gibby, nibbling on a piece of roast beef.*
Metal Man (GM): Illian would lean over the holodeck, looking strained. He would then generate an image, silently.
Valron enters the meeting room shortly afterwards, stretching out a little.
Illian MacGregor: "I have found the only way to find Garrick... and that is to search through the darkest place of all."
Metal Man (GM): He gestures, showing Alsa.
Editor's Note: The darkest place of all: CLIFFHANGERS

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